Encouragement and discouragement can be two sides of Human Beings, institutions, entities, careers or pursuits on earth. Have you ever been discouraged? Are you being discouraged by anything or person or personal pursuits? Are you being threatened by any disorderly conduct or a disorderly house? Good News for you if by the happenings around you, you are being discouraged or being forced by the realities on ground-country wise, state wise, family wise, marriage wise or spiritually, politically or economically. Good news for you if you feel abandoned, forgotten, deeply involved or being forced or cheated.
“Now therefore you are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and of the household of God” (Ephesians 2:19).
IMMIGRANT EXPERIENCE:
Can you imagine someone being little children that got abandoned in New York streets after their parents died in the ship that sailed to America. They suddenly discovered that there was no money left for them and therefore had no money and without relatives. At worst such a children were unable to speak English, Americana or French languages. Communication became a serious barrier. The children were then forced to cater for themselves thereafter.
Remarkably more than 30,000 children unfortunately became complete orphans in 1850. They had no accommodation and were forced to sleep in boxes or iron drums just to get warmth and drive away cold. In other to survive, such orphaned boys resolved to steal, “arrested” some rats to roast to eat or become scavengers who rummaged in the dustbins, garbages and cans just to put something to settle the “Middle Belt” (Stomach). The girls on their own (orphans) during the predicament of 1850 mostly worked as “panel thieves” for determined prostitutes as they slipped their very tiny hands into the camouflaged spaces in the walls and wallets just to remove cash, watches, from customers who were pre-occupied in some activities or sexual immoral acts.
So far the stomach hardly would reveals what it has received through the mouth. Thereafter immigrants surged and flooded New York City in which nobody had interest, time or money to minister or look after these orphans except that there was a man called Charles Loring Brace who was just only a 26 year old Gospel Minister. He was terrified by the terrible conditions of the orphans that filled the streets. Thereafter Charles L. Brace personally organized a specials solution termed the Orphan Train. His idea was simply to pack several on a train that headed to the West of New York city and he kept announcing to every town that he saw or passed by along the way passionately offering to all and sundry that whoever was willing should claim a new son or daughter whenever and wherever the train or passed through. Just for survival I had refused to remember some horrific experiences e.g. how during the Nigerian Civil War, when Port Harcourt fell into the hands of the Federal troops in 1967 and I had to trek for four days to get to my own village irrespective of the hazards on the way in search of salt. How we had to fetch much water from “Nta wogba and waja rivers” in port Harcourt just to boil large quantity of water for hours and days using firewood stoves to produce small quantity of salt. We cooked our meals with such insipid salt that easily turned watery after some hours. The military bombardment by air, land and sea did not help matters. GRA where we lived and later Rumuola became dangerous targets of bombings. The top of Hotel Presidential became the base from determined Biafran Melitia/Army consistently challenged the federal air aids and fired the bombing aircrafts. However we survived and celebrated the end of the Civil War in January 1970 embracing the gospel of deliverance, preservation and thanksgiving to God for seeing us through.
Do we need to fight another War and more so among brothers of the same Nation? Let us apply equity, fair play destroy the nepotic tendencies and deliberate marginalization in any way. How far has Nigeria and Nigerians in positions of power with sincerely implement the policy of “No Victor No Vanquished” or the Principles of Reconciliation, Rehabilitation and Restoration? as was proclaimed by General Yakubu Gowen. (Gentleman Army General?)
NEW LIFE IS ADOPTION MADE POSSIBLE:
As the last orphan train steamed through the western side of New York in 1929, over 100,000 children had found their new families or homes. Hence they started living their new lives as encouragement came their ways miraculously and providentially at a stage two of such orphans from such orphan trains had became state Governors in United States, another became Congressman while the other one succeeded in becoming justice of supreme court of America latter.
The orphan train “conceptualized by Charles L. Brace here shows us a concrete teaching of Ephesians 2.19. Apostle Paul was very enthusiastic in his expressions in the book of Ephesians.
WHAT ABOUT A DISORDERLY HOUSE?
Legally speaking this is a house where the residents have been behaving such a manner as to become a nuisance to the neighbourhood or where certain acts of were performed which tended to corrupt morals of a given community or promoting some breaches of peace. At common law however such was deemed as misdemeanor to keep or sustain such a disorderly house. Eg bawdy houses, gambling houses, houses of prostitution and place of such character under the current laws, such activity generally would no doubt constitute a breach of peace or disorderly conduct specific acts such as in specific jurisdictions could be crimes or dubbed criminal acts.
DISORDERLY CONDUCT
Though a term considered in law as being a loose term and with indefinite or bogus in such a meaning except where it is defined by statues. However such could be simplified generally as any act or behavior that is contrary to law and more specifically such that tends to disturb the peace of the public or the decorum or such t hat scandalize given community or such that can shock the public sense of morals, peace or safety.
“we know that the law is good if it is used as it should be used. It must be remembered of course, that law are made not for good people, but for lawbreakers and criminals, for the godless and sinful, for those who are not religious or spiritual, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers, for immoral, for sexual prevents, for kidnappers, for those who lie and give false testimony or who do anything else contrary to sound doctrine” (1Tim 1:8-9).
However, disorderly conduct must sufficiently specify the prohibited conduct else such may end up being held as being unconstitutional.
An individual can be guilty of disorderly conduct if such with definite purpose causes public inconvenience, annoyance, reckless alarm or creating risk, fighting or snatching ballot boxes during or after elections, threatening, violent behavior, noise pollution public or private nuisance political violence coarse utterances, hazardous or physical offensive circumstances through acts that are capable of serving no genuine legitimate purpose of the perpetuator.
Cult and occultic activities that are generally injurious to others who are not conscious of viewed not initiated or forcing to them be initiated in into cultic activities in the villages, townstertiary institutions, secondary schools or even primary schools etc our operations in schools have so shown much about the occultic and cultic activities of young people and students including their teachers etc.
When a person for God’s sake, his/her future prospects, the good of our earthly Nation(s) family reputation and possible accomplishments in life or career and or for the sake of display crude the redemption provision for salvation through the efficacious blood of Jesus Christ turns a new page in life and yields to Christ totally, discouragement will definitely not turn to powerful encouragement. It baffles me when people whose future by divine arrangement have great and productive prospects, joi or foolishly engage in nefarious destructive activities thereby closing their destiny chances and blessings with reckless abandonment. Demonic influences, evil projections and manipulations or carelessness, foolishness could equally create so much discouragement mostly in people who refuse to yield to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. You can decide resolutely not to be discouraged by anything including extreme economic strangulation, debilitating health challenges, academic frustrations, failures in careers, marriages, failed political permutations or spiritual cum ministerial disappointments or disadvantages. The best is yet to come your way. Change is perhaps the most outstanding permanent thing in life. Today’s failures guarantee tomorrow’s success. It is easy to succeed in life if you have not at any time failed. Criticism whether constructive or destructive is indeed an indirect or direct recognition. Don’t park at your failure or success. Success can turn to failure. Just keep moving as one more step could bring you to your God ordained accomplishment in life.
The “orphan Train” is a parable enshrined in Apostle Paul’s epistle to the Ephesians. It teaches us to prepare ourselves like Abraham Lincoln of America because our chances will definitely come someday, somehow and somewhere. Wait upon God to renew your strength or expectations.
CAN YOU THINK OF A STREET URCHIN?
(Area Boy or Almajiri boy). You must learn in a hard way to fight to deal with starvation on a given day you found yourself being taken in a locomotive train –belching with smoke, or orphan train fully jampacked with men, women, boys, girls and children who speak different languages. By sheer providence too three out of the crowd in train got chosen later and were introduced to a Godly kindly couple in Michigan known as Mr. & Mrs. Henry Ford. Thereafter they got into a car and were driven to the couple’s largest house that shocked them. To their greatest shock they were with midly courtesy told they (three boys) had become inseparable parts of such a powerful new family and they were told that the available things or facilities were theirs by such automatic action. Finally such last miracle change gave them a new family and a New home. Fantastic! Epistle of Apostle Paul to the Ephesians was good news indeed to all who would respond to such appeal.
A NEW FAMILY INDEED:
In the book of Ephesians (which) a very deeply rich book with an expanded teaching of Jesus Parable of the Lost son (prodigal son) (Luke 15:1) Apostle Paul presented a graphic picture of a “Big welcoming Ceremony” which created an awesome experience. There was a Musical Instruments playing the keyboard, drums, trumpet, saxophone etc just to celebrate a new entrant into the family or new family members. In reality every true Christian is directly or indirectly adopted into God’s righteous family our past evil and lifestyles have been changed and transformed into the New one. Good News Epistle and that is Ephesians 3:19.
The Epistle of Paul to the Ephesians is indeed a good news book. In case you feel disgraced, confused, reproached, discouraged or discomforted at anytime or in any situation in life, I humbly recommend the book of Ephesians to you. In case you wonder if God really loves and cares for our you seem to be uncertain or you are questioning whether your life is really worth the sacrifice, effort Ephesians is the antidode as you read and process the message therein. In case you have been, short changed, cheated, politically, administratively or professionally or even ridiculed to the point of psychological damage, read the book of Ephesians. Have you failed in your election bids, primaries or you have been schemed out politically, ministerially, economically, tribally or religiously, read Ephesians with deep devotion, the book of Ephesians. You would soon discover that you will no longer feel like an orphan because the riches of Christ are made readily available. This applies to all of us children of God. We as Christians have Christians been adopted into the true family of God through Christ.
Hence such adopted sons and daughters of God must shine and radiate as primary and convincing exhibit “A” in the whole universe. “To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God” (Ephesians 3:10). A careful and meditative study of the Ephesians will prove very rewarding as it forms a powerful summary of Paul’s apostolic instructions. Ephesians is divided neatly into (1) doctrinal and (2) practical advise (Eph 1-3)
Bearing in mind what and how your dark and useless past had been and seeing the drastic changes presented or described in the first and last chapters, we must be grateful to God. Shut the door against self pity, blame, game and self rejection and discouragement and dream a new dream for greater greatness now! Respect your Being and its divine mandates.
EVERY SINNER HAS A FUTURE AND EVERY SAINT HAD A PAST. LET NOT YOUR HEART BE TROUBLED; YE BELIEVE IN GOD, BELIEVE ALSO UIN ME CHRIST ADVISED US (Johm 14:1-3)
Failure goes before success Learn before you earn. Let wish give way to smart-hard work. Please discard self comparism with others. Work on “you”. Persevere in the school of experience as you take your experience into life’s opportunities. Let us learn from our failures, books, others, personal failures. Maintain self Discipline. According to Robert Schueller – “Winners are not those who fail but those who never quit”
