Israeli troops, Palestinian militants clash in West Bank

Clashes broke out between Israeli troops and Palestinian fighters in the occupied West Bank on Saturday as Israel pushed ahead with a military operation in the flashpoint city of Jenin.

Israeli troops searched areas around Jewish settlements after two separate security incidents on Friday evening. In Jenin itself, drones and helicopters circled overhead while the sound of sporadic firing could be heard in the city.

Hundreds of Israeli troops have been carrying out raids since Wednesday in one of their largest actions in the West Bank in months.

The operation, which Israel says was mounted to block Iranian-backed militant groups from attacking its citizens, has drawn international calls for a halt.

At least 19 Palestinians, including armed fighters and civilians, have now been killed since it began. The Israeli military said on Saturday a soldier had been killed during the fighting in the West Bank.

The Israeli forces were battling Palestinian fighters from armed factions that have long had a strong presence in Jenin and the adjoining refugee camp, a densely populated township housing families driven from their homes in the 1948 Middle East war around the creation of Israel.

The Palestinian Red Crescent said on Saturday a child had been taken to hospital in Jenin with a bullet wound to the head.

The escalation in hostilities in the West Bank takes place as fighting between Israeli forces and Hamas militants still rages in the coastal Gaza Strip nearly 11 months since it began, and hostilities with the Iranian-backed Hezbollah movement in the Israel-Lebanon border area have intensified.

Late on Friday, Israeli forces said two men were killed in separate incidents near Gush Etzion, a large West Bank settlement cluster located south of Jerusalem, that the military assessed were both attempted attacks on Israelis.

In the first, a car exploded at a petrol station in what the army said was an attempted car bombing attack. The military said a man was shot dead after he got out of the car and tried to attack soldiers.

In the second incident, a man was killed after the military said a car attempted to ram a security guard and infiltrate the Karmei Tzur settlement. The car was chased by security forces and crashed and an explosive device in it was detonated, the military said in a statement.

The two deaths were confirmed by Palestinian health authorities but they gave no details on how they died.

Troops combed the area following the two incidents. Security forces also carried out raids in the city of Hebron, where the two men came from.

Hamas praised what it called a "double heroic operation" in the West Bank. It said in a statement it was "a clear message that resistance will remain striking, prolonged and sustained as long as the brutal occupation's aggression and targeting of our people and land continue".

The group, however, did not claim direct responsibility for the attacks.

Israeli army chief General Herzi Halevi said on Saturday Israel would step up defensive measures as well as offensive actions like the Jenin operation.

Amid the gunfire, armoured bulldozers searching for roadside bombs have ploughed up large stretches of paved roads and water pipes have been damaged, leading to flooding in some areas.

Since the Hamas attack on Israel last October that triggered the Gaza war, at least 660 Palestinian combatants and civilians have been killed in the West Bank, according to Palestinian tallies, some by Israeli troops and some by Jewish settlers who have carried out frequent attacks on Palestinian communities.

Israel says Iran provides weapons and support to militant factions in the West Bank - under Israeli occupation since the 1967 Middle East war - and the military has as a result cranked up its operations there.

Reuters

WESTERN PERSPECTIVE

Ukraine launches drones on Moscow, other regions, Russian officials say

Ukraine launched overnight drone attacks on Moscow and several other targets across Russia on Sunday, regional officials said, as Kyiv presses the United States for permission to use allies-supplied weapons to strike deep inside Russia.

At least five drones flying towards Moscow were destroyed in the region surrounding the Russian capital, Moscow's Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said in posts on the Telegram messaging app.

Some 26 Ukraine-launched drones were destroyed over the border region of Bryansk in Russia's southwest, the region's governor, Alexander Bogomaz, said on Telegram.

More than 10 drones were destroyed over the Voronezh region and several more were downed over Kursk, Lipetsk, Ryazan and Tula regions, governors of the regions said in posts on Telegram.

There were no injuries or damage as a result of the attacks, according to preliminary information. Russia rarely discloses the full extent of damage inflicted by Ukraine's air attacks.

Reuters could not independently verify the reports. There was no immediate comment from Ukraine.

As Ukraine's domestic drone industry grows rapidly, Kyiv has been stepping up its attacks, striking energy, military and transport infrastructure - sectors that are vital to Moscow's war efforts.

Kyiv says, however, that it needs to be allowed to use more powerful Western-supplied weapons to inflict greater damage inside Russia and impair Moscow's abilities to continue with its relentless attacks on Ukraine.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's senior officials were in Washington last week, appealing to the United States for what Zelenskiy called, "capabilities to truly and fully" protect the country.

RUSSIAN PERSPECTIVE

Russian missiles wipe out Ukrainian armor column – reports

Russian forces have conducted a coordinated strike against a large gathering of Ukrainian reserve forces across the border from Russia’s Kursk Region, according to new video shared on social media by military bloggers.

Hostilities have been ongoing in the border areas of Russia’s Kursk since Kiev launched a major incursion earlier this month. While Ukrainian forces continue their attempts to push deeper into Russian territory, Moscow has sought to push them back while striking rear targets in Ukraine's adjacent Sumy Region.

On Saturday evening, a new video emerged purportedly showing one such strike targeting a column of Ukrainian reinforcements south of the city of Sumy, approximately 40 kilometers from the Russian border.

Russian surveillance reportedly discovered the enemy's rear reserves earlier in the day but decided to let them accumulate to inflict maximum possible damage, according to the Telegram channel NgP_raZVedka, which first shared the footage.

Reuters/RT

Last week, August 27, 2024, was the 39th anniversary of the coup that toppled Muhammadu Buhari, erstwhile GOC 3rd Armored Division of the Nigerian Army. On that day, Fatima Gumsu, daughter of military despot, Sani Abacha, who is also wife of Yobe State governor, Mai Mala-Buni, sparked a debate. It led to a comparative assessment of military autocracy and civilian dictatorship. Gumsu had posted a photograph of her father in full military regalia on Facebook. On the photo, Gumsu merely wrote, “Baba na” – my father – with an emoji of “Love”. In the photo, Abacha was flanked by then Chief of Army Staff, Ibrahim Babangida, who later became military president; and Joshua Dogonyaro, who announced the palace coup on radio. The trio, who had just seized power, accused Buhari of high-handedness, incompetence and failure "to rejuvenate the economy”. Earlier, on December 31, 1983, all of them had violently brought to a rude halt Nigeria’s Second Republic.

No matter the global stench oozing out of the Abacha name, Gumsu had every right to celebrate her father; after all, back-flipping that celebration, the Yoruba say that every child is a hero in the eyes of their parent (gbogbo omo l’óńjé Jagun l’ójú ìyá è).

One thousand five hundred people commented on Gumsu’s attempt to beatify her generally loathed father. Virtually all the comments were positive, literally submitting that Abacha was worthy to be canonized. While one Ibrahim Musa wrote “Brave patriot General(,) may Allah be pleased with his soul”, one Oladipupo Michael wrote “Cow does not know the value of it’s (sic) tail, until it is cut off,” while a few others wrote: he “was a great man” by a Kene Kenneth, and an Oluwayomi Oyedepo, wrote “RIP sir, it pains me you didn’t kill Balablue, now he is killing everybody.” Generally, however, the comments were reflective of ethno-geographical sentiments, with some delivering their comments in Hausa. So, was it the passage of time that purified Abacha, making him worthy to be made a Canon? Was it ignorance by the respondents? Was it their naivety of the crookedness of military rule? Or, the fact that, successive Nigerian governments have shed democracy of the beautiful people-centric furs that citizens, like Plato, wore on this 5th century Greek city-state of Athens concept?

Perhaps coincidentally, on same August 27, Chief of Army Staff, Taoreed Lagbaja, assured Nigerians that the Army would not yield to calls by people he called “powerful interest blocs” to re-enact the infamous hijack of power by Abacha and other military adventurists. He said this in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State. Lagbaja spoke against the backdrop of recent calls for military intervention in Nigeria, especially during the August 1 to 10 #EndBadGovernance protest. Lagbaja attributed the calls to “young Nigerians who never experienced the era of Nigeria’s extensive military rule” and stated that, with “the image-bashing” the Army received for planning coups since 1966, it “is not poised to lose the new prestige it has painstakingly built in the past 25 years.”

Lagbaja’s homily notwithstanding, Nigeria and indeed Africans, have begun to subject the democratic waves that took hold of Africa in the late 1990s to some interrogations. They place the waves side by side the backsliding into military autocracy in some other African nations in the last two years or so, the grueling poverty and absentee governance in Africa and the clear inability of so-called democratic governments to tame insecurity and hunger. The question they ask is, can what Nigeria/Africa practice today be called democracy? Or, is democracy on the decline? A case study is the current Nigerian government which has made a fatal botch of democratic rule.

Philip Schmitter and Terry Carl, both of Stanford University, in their What democracy is… and is not, (Journal of Democracy, June 1991) attempted to identify what democracy is not. They concluded that democracy is not necessarily a system of regular elections. Such understanding of democracy, they said, is a fallacy because a system of regular elections, rather than democracy, can be better defined as “electoralism”. Democracy is also not majority rule because it could be tyrannical. However, democracy, they submitted, is everything about a most distinctive element called citizens. Leonardo Morlino, in his What is a ‘Good’ Democracy? (Democratization, Vol.11, No.5, 2004) also said that democracy needs liberty and equality, rule of law, accountability, full respect for rights, freedoms and a progressive implementation of greater political, social and economic equality. Larry Diamond, in his Is democracy in decline? (2015) even submitted that there is a strong relationship between economic performance and the survival of democracies. Thus, if the definitions above constitute the irreducible minimum of what democracy is, it may be right to submit that what most parts of Africa practice today is not democracy.

Since it will be Afghanistanism, similar to a dog abandoning its soggy nose and choosing instead to bark at bystanders, (ajá ò rán ti’mú è tí ò gbe…) let us Nigerianize the issues involved. It looks pretty obvious that in the last 25 years, Nigerians have been shortchanged. In the last 15 months specifically, situations have gone direr. Life and living are worse for the people now than under military rule. For example, so much hoopla has been made about the Tinubu government’s absenteeism in the lives of the people. His 15 months in office has triggered about the worst economic downturn in Nigerian history, comparable only to the great depression era. Cost of living is kissing the firmament and Nigerians are convulsing under unprecedented socio-economic seizures and death. Like fiddling Nero, the president and his appointees breakfast in Lisbon, lunch in Paris and dine in the Antarctic. They literally buy mansions in Uranus with people’s wealth. 

Life is searing hot for Nigerians. It reminds one of a 1981-written track by Immortal Peter Tosh called Solution to this Pollution: “Gas gone up/Bus fare gone up/The rent gone up/For meal gone up?/Lighting gone up/The tax gone up/Car parts gone up,.. /Onion gone up/Red beans gone up/Black pepper gone up/Chicken gone up/And the parents dem angry/Cause the pickney (pikin) dem hungry”, he sang, as if his beef was with today’s Nigeria.

More than the economic regression under the Tinubu government, what is of greater concern is its peremptory walk down river road of oppression and strangulation of free speech. It seems envious of the Sani Abachas’ footprints. Under the toga of a Decree 4-like Cybersecurity Act, a regime of repression is gradually being unleashed on Nigerians, chiefly journalists. Fear of the blood-baiting claws of the Villa looms like a pestilence. A few examples abound. Daniel Ojukwu of the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ) was abducted by the Intelligence Response Team of the IGP, Kayode Egbetokun and detained incommunicado for three days. Segun Olatunji, editor of FirstNews, was arrested by heavily armed military personnel and detained in an underground cell for 14 days on the orders of Femi Gbajabiamila, Tinubu’s CoS. Kasarachi Aniagolu of The Whistler was allegedly arrested for covering an EFCC raid in Abuja. So also Achadu Gabriel of Daybreak Newspaper and Godwin Tsa of The Sun, assaulted and detained for covering a peaceful protest in Abuja. Last Sunday, Adejuwon Soyinka, Regional Editor of The Conversation Africa, was arrested at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport. The most recent of this media repression is that of Shafi’u Tureta, a social media critic. He was ordered arrested and taken into custody by heavily armed police in Sokoto State. His crime? He posted the viral video of Fatima Aliyu, First Lady of the state’s lavish birthday party.

Contrary to Schmitter, Carl and Morlino’s definition of democracy above, citizens’ welfare takes backstage attention. “Liberty and equality, rule of law, accountability, full respect for rights, freedoms and a progressive implementation of greater political, social and economic equality” seem to be regressing into abeyance. Those who know, claim that the quantum of corruption under this government in the last 15 months is benumbing. However, in the eye of the state, the interest of the Leviathan is more important than the welfare of the people.

Former governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido, in yesterday’s edition of the Tribune, called Nigerians’ attention to what may be in the offing. With the awesome, raw powers at the disposal of the president, it will be wishful thinking dislodging him in 2027. He said, “Tinubu today is somebody who has a grip on Nigeria, who owes obeisance to nobody in Nigeria, who believes that God made him and he made himself and he is now lording it over the Nigerian people and nobody can challenge him. He was adept at studying the system, manipulating it. He exploited it and he did it well. I wish he could use his sagacity, his talent to help Nigeria’s development. It would have been wonderful. But he is using it negatively. He has everything but not for the development of Nigeria and it is affecting you, it is affecting me.”

The Nigerian state is not only in the president’s kitty, anyone who doubts that a civilian dictatorship is afoot would be fooling themselves. The Nigerian president today is a potential palace despot. He has a lickspittle parliament, headed by Villaswill, a marionette whose fancy he tickles at will; an allegedly pliant judiciary and a hugely troubling coercive apparatus. The IGP today used to be his police lapel, so brewing a police state to babysit autocracy is a done deal.

On July 23, 2024, a bill to amend the Nigerian Police Act 2020 was speedily passed by Villaswill’s Senate. Tinubu had asked that the No 1 Sheriff continued to leech to his trousers for more years, despite having reached the statutory 60-year terminus. Statutorily, 60 years or 35 years in service is the age civil servants disembark from service train. If you listened to the IGP’s oily and adulatory speechin service of Tinubu recently, you will realize how he is an icing on the cake of a potential imperial rule. Almost tearfully appreciative, Egbetokun recalled how he “met President Bola Tinubu in 1998, and that meeting produced a positive transformation in my life within 24 hours.” That is a major ingredient with which a police state that abets an imperial power broth is cooked.

In the words of Udenta O. Udenta in a television interview last week, democracies no longer die by the wielding of guns as it used to be through coups of 1966, 1983 and 1993. Once a government, which controls huge coercive apparatuses, dismantles press freedom, human liberties and sows fears as Tinubu is doing in the hearts of the people, then, we must be ready to sing nunc dimitis to democratic rule. Eleko orun np’olowo – the heavenly hawker of corn meal porridge – must then have started advertizing its wares. Nuhu Ribadu, like his predecessors as NSA, is demonstrating a conceptual naivety of what his beat, the national security, is all about. In the words of Margaret Vogt, former Nigerian diplomat and political scientist, national security isn't state security, nor is it the security of ‘His Imperial Majesty.’ National security is security of jobs for the unemployed, foods and good living for the citizens. By failing to provide these essential ingredients, the Tinubu government has left its democratic food unattended to and flies of calls for military rule are perching on it.

If you study the manifestations of military governments in Nigeria from 1966 to 1999, what you can call a milder version of their repressiveness and recklessness are on display today. In 1973, Yakubu Gowon’s governor, Alfred Diette-Spiff, shaved the head of Meneri Amakiri, a reporter. Today, Sokoto State governor, too shaved off Shafi’u Umar Tureta’s freedom. As Sani Abacha jailed TheNews’ Kunle Ajibade for life under trumped up charges, the Tinubu government equally detained Olatunji in a dark cell, in a replica of Abacha’s Frank Omenka style.

The Nigerian economy under the military was even comparatively munificent and people-friendly. As military Head of State, to curtail ostentation, Olusegun Obasanjo decreed modesty across board in Nigeria. Obasanjo himself lived by example and drove Peugeot 504 car as official car. Today, the Tinubu government asks Nigerians to tighten their belts but he and his officials live the profligate life of an Oil Sheik. Drunken stupor wastefulness is the middle name of government. It has no empathy for the people, and to compound matters, has no respect for people’s freedom, free speech and human rights. The people’s rule we thought we would have today, for which we fought hard yesterday, during which we lost many of our fathers, mothers and siblings and lost our freedom, is indistinguishable from the Khaki rule we fought yesterday.

As Gumsu Abacha did with her father’s photograph last week, I challenge Iyaloja Sade or Seyi Tinubu, the president’s daughter and son, to post their father’s picture on Facebook today and say, affectionately, like Gumsu, “Baba mi.” If it equally attracts 1500 respondents as Gumsu’s, not less than 1490 of the comments would rain curses on their father. It shows that something is fatally wrong with that thing we call democracy in our land. In any case, what we have today is what can be called the triumph of Abachaism. Abacha’s Prime Minister, the Chagoury brothers and his bagman are top henchmen of this government, back to their PM roles. NADECO, which fought Abacha tooth and nail, losing some of its soldiers in the process, didn’t realize that it had fallen into what soldiers call an ambush. It escaped from a house of infirmity only to land in the bedroom of death.

Having said all the above, however, let me borrow that timeless cliché and say, the most benevolent Abacha-kind rule can never be compared to a flip-flopping democratic government like Tinubu’s. When anyone loses their newborn child, Yoruba console them by saying, it is only the water that poured away; the pitcher remains intact (Omi l’ó fó, agbè ò fó). Yes, we lost a democratic government but we still have the spirit of democracy. For a Nigerian pollution this rank and damp, we must find solution, as Tosh counseled. But the solution can NEVER be military rule. Those of us who grew into the power manic of Khaki will never pray for its shadow in Nigeria again. We must knead the raw dough of what we currently have into a tantalizing meal.

Yes, Lamido has painted a very grim picture of the probable renewal of this imperial rule in 2027. Quoting him, he said, “even Pharaoh’s empire collapsed. So, no matter how daring you are, ultimately, it won’t end well.” However, apologies to our physically challenged compatriots, Yoruba, in their witty best, say that whoever coveys the lame to a party must convey them back to their destination (Ení gb’áro wá, ni ó gb’áro lo). Our vote was what was claimed to have brought this áro here. It must be what would wheel it back.

When men are cast down, then thou shalt say, There is lifting up; and he shall save the humble person ~ Job 22:29.

Introduction:

We all need the divine touch of supernatural elevation in our lives in order to be where we are destined to be. For every “promised land”there are giants to conquer, and until you conquer you cannot possess your possessions. Nonetheless, the Lord’s Arm is crucial to lifting you up to a realm beyond the reach of your enemies.

To elevate means to exalt, magnify, lift upward,move or raise to a higher place, state, rank or position. Whatever the adjectives we might have or lack to qualify elevation, the subject of divine elevation must hit our front burners and be taken seriously in the camps of saints.

Some people occasionally find themselves ondead horses, and instead of crying unto the Almighty God for supernatural assistance, they rather buy horse whips to beat the dead horses to move and run. It won’t work! Only God can revive or replace dead horses, and He’s the one to call upon at such times.

Divine lifting is purely supernatural. It has little or nothing to do with your family background, educational attainment, connections or gender. Divine lifting exclusively invokes the hands of God to provoke glorious change and enhance your value in life.

Divine lifting is God’s upward pull that makes for a sure, secure and durable lifting. It can pick up your destiny even from the dust and move you to the throne, thereby sitting you with princes and honorable men.

God is the real Lifter of heads (Psalm 75:6-7). He emphatically assured Joshua, saying, “This day will I begin to magnify thee in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee” (Joshua 3:7).

If a man lifted you up one way or the other,another man can demote you. But if your elevation is of God, it’s impossible for any mortal force to bring you down.

David knew this when, though surrounded by enemies, he proclaimed: "But thou, O Lord, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head" (Psalm 3:3).

God can lift any man from the lowest ebb of life to the highest pinnacle. He can turn a complete zero into a hero within a very short time (Psalm 71:7). He can usher even you into your destiny of honour, glory and splendour, because He is the Lifter up of heads.

When He lifted Abraham, he became a father of multitudes and the father of faith. When He lifted Joseph from the prison, he became arenowned Prime Minister in Egypt. He lifted Esther also, a young orphan, and made her the beloved queen in Shushan palace (Esther 2:17).

God lifted Daniel and his three Hebrew companions, and made them super ministersin ancient Babylon (Daniel 1-3). And, David was a poor shepherd boy when God lifted himand made him an unforgettable King of Israel.

There are countless men and women in contemporary history who God lifted up to glorious pedestals in life by His Everlasting Arms. Of a truth, failures in any sphere of life can become achievers, and losers in any realm can turn to leaders, if God is actively involved.

What Happens To You When God Lifts You

When you are lifted by God, you’re moved from low ranks to higher ranks in life. Thus, your status, position and even your perspectives supernaturally change, automatically.

When you are lifted by God, you possess an increasing magnetic attraction, and you become easily accepted and celebrated even by those who rejected you before. You’re relocated from obscurity to popularity, and more people will now wish to identify with you.

When you are lifted by God, you become a shining star, a pacesetter and a lifter to others too. Yes, even your scars become your star, and you become a “controversy” (John 9:1-25).

In general, whenever God’s covenant of supernatural lifting is provoked, the experience always brings incredible upward breakthroughs to the destinies of His people, and to the believers’ world.

Happily, God is very eager for us to be uplifted, so we can get the winning vote and become relevant “Voices” for His agenda for the ages (Revelation 4:1). For instance, when He lifted Joseph and Esther, He was actually preserving a glorious people for Himself.

Surest Access To The Anointing For Supernatural Lifting

There are some powers that won’t let you goup easily, until they are confronted with the anointing of the Holy Spirit. These powers represent the “satanic department of the horns” in the spirit realm (Zachariah 1:18-21).

Notwithstanding, heads are lifted through the Mighty Hand of God, and this is a peculiar rolethe Holy Spirit plays in the destinies of the faithful. The anointing is our surest way to the elevation experience!

The Holy Spirit multiplies grace and provokes honour. He separates and prepares forbreakthroughs. He also brings divine help that typically results in significant enlargement,promotion and marvelous increase.

Meanwhile, divine elevation/lifting doesn’t just come by chance but by choice. You must make your choice clear by putting some biblical structures in  place.

First of all, as a child of God, you must develop a startup vision for your supernatural elevation. It’s your vision that heartily connects you to your destiny. Never give up on it. Know it and pursue it. Many come into this world but they never truly arrive! Notwithstanding, a man of vision is a man of endless accomplishments.

Secondly, be holy. A lifestyle of integrity and true holiness makes you magnetic to the blessings of God, and sharpens you to be perpetually useful to God. Contrariwise, falsehood keeps you far away from God — the Lifter of heads — and His sacred agents of blessings.

Thirdly, be generous. Giving grace automatically connects you with blessings and greatness (Luke 6:38). Practice sacrificial giving, stepping out of your comfort zones to be a blessing to God’s work and others.Nothing moves if nothing burns! Indeed, it’s what you make to happen for others that God will make to happen for you (Matthew 5:7).

Of course, in all these, you must maintain a great lifestyle of obedience, discipline and diligence in your faith, words and deeds.Choose your location wisely: be at the right place and at the right time. A righteous man in the wrong place is not different from a sinner in the right place!

Most importantly, embrace the Holy Ghost anointing for supernatural elevation. And, with unflinching resolve, deal decisively with the scattering horns of satan through strategic prayers, going strong and violent against all forms of their evil appearance.

Friends and brethren, the time has come for your divine elevation. God is at work in your life right now. Every expectation of the enemy is losing its hold on your life, and every yoke of backwardness and stagnation is breaking down by fire. You won’t miss it, in Jesus name. Amen. Happy Sunday!

____________________

Bishop Taiwo Akinola,

Rhema Christian Church,

Otta, Ogun State, Nigeria.

Connect with Bishop Akinola via these channels:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/bishopakinola

SMS/WhatsApp: +234 802 318 4987

Stop trying to please God. If you try to please God, you will sin against God. Stop trying to do the right thing. If you try to do the right thing, you will sin against God. Stop trying to do good things. If you try to do good things, you will sin against God.

Uzzah tried to do a good thing. The ark was falling and he tried to steady it. God killed him.

Peter tried to do a good thing. He prayed that Jesus would not be killed. That prayer turned out to be Satanic.

The Bible says: “Happy is the man who does not sin by doing what he knows is right.” (Romans 14:22).

Sorrow awaits the man who sins by doing what he knows is right. He did the right thing but did not know the right thing is a sin. How can we avoid this? With man, it is impossible.

Listen carefully to Jesus: “What man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children…” (Matthew 7:9-11).

Jesus says a man gives good gifts to his children. Nevertheless, He calls him evil. What if he gives bad things to his children? It would make no difference. There is nothing an evil man can do that will make him good.

Wrong Things

It makes no difference if a man does the right or the wrong thing. Whatever he does is evil. This is because we do the right things sometimes and wrong things at other times. This shows we are evil.

Every good thing a so-called good man does only confirms he is a sinner. We sin by helping people because we help some people and do not help others. We sin by being generous because sometimes we are not generous.

Jesus does not say: “Give to him who asks you occasionally.” He says: “Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away.” (Matthew 5:42).

But we have not been doing this. We cannot do this of our own free will unless God makes us do it. We can only give occasionally.

No Human Effort

Goodness is not amenable to human effort. You are either good or you are not. Therefore, those who try to be good (when they are not) are not acceptable to God.

So, stop trying to do the right thing. With God, a man can never do the right thing:

“No one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands.” (Romans 3:20).

God cannot be pleased with the actions of a man. God can only be pleased with God. God is only pleased with Jesus. He said so at the Mount of Transfiguration:

“A voice came from heaven, saying, ‘This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.’” (Matthew 17:5).

What about Moses and Elijah? They are not God’s beloved sons, and He is not well pleased with them.

Moses sinned and could not enter the Promised Land. Elijah killed 40 children who mocked him. His action did not please God. When the Zebedee brothers asked Jesus if, as Elijah did, they should command fire to come down from heaven and consume the Samaritans who would not give them free passage to Jerusalem, Jesus rebuked them: “You do not know what manner of spirit you are of. For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives but to save them.” (Luke 9:55-56).

Not of Works

God was pleased with Jesus before He inaugurated His ministry. He was pleased with Him before He did any miracles. He was not pleased with something Jesus did. Indeed, it was God that did everything Jesus did. Jesus maintained this: “The Father who dwells in Me does the works.” (John 14:10).

When God called me, He called by seizing control of my tongue. He used my mouth to speak to me. He called me three times: “Femi, Femi, Femi.” And then He said: “I have loved you from the foundation of the world.”

This was exciting because God loves me. But it was also disturbing because God’s love for me has nothing to do with me. God loved me before I did anything. He loved me before I was born. Nothing I did after my birth made Him love me. He loved me without my having to do anything good. He loved me before I was born.

He says the same of Jacob: “(For the children not yet being born, nor having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works but of Him who calls), it was said to her, “The older shall serve the younger.” As it is written, “Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated.” (Romans 9:11-13). 

God loved Jacob before he was born. He hated Esau before he was born. David echoes this: “The wicked are estranged from the womb.” (Psalm 58:3).

Rich Young Ruler 

“Behold, one came and said to Him, “Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?” So He said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.” (Matthew 19:16-17).

The rich young ruler asked the wrong question. He asked: “What shall I do that I may inherit eternal life.” But the truth is that he can do nothing at all. Therefore Jesus gave him something to do that He knew he could not do. He told him: “Go and keep the commandments.”

This man did not understand this. He claimed to have kept the commandments. So, Jesus told him to go and sell all his possessions and give the proceeds to the poor. But the man could not do it.

Jesus said: “It is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.  And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” (Matthew 19:23-24).

What does this mean? Does it mean that a rich man cannot enter the kingdom of God? No.  Jesus does not say that. He only said it would be hard for him to enter.

How hard would it be? Well, said Jesus: “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.” (Mark 10:25).

How many people here have seen a camel go through the eye of a needle before?

Jesus says it is easier for a camel to do so than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom. This means that some camels go through the eye of a needle, although with great difficulty. And for a rich man to enter the kingdom, it is with greater difficulty than that experienced by a camel going through the eye of a needle. 

So I ask again. How many people here have seen a camel go through the eye of a needle before?

Well, maybe you have to go to Israel to see it happen. But camels go through the eye of a needle every day in Nigeria. How do I know? Every day, rich men enter the kingdom of God in Nigeria.

So how are they doing what is impossible? With man it is impossible. But with God all things are possible.

God the waymaker has made a way whereby man can do the impossible. Man can do this by doing nothing but by believing. Man can do the impossible by faith. CONTINUED.

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Selfishness can be a subtle trait, often disguised behind actions and words that seem ordinary.

The key lies in recognizing patterns. People who are deeply selfish typically demonstrate certain behaviors, often without even realizing it themselves.

These behaviors can help you understand the motivations behind their actions. In this article, we’ll explore ten of these tell-tale signs.

Stay tuned if you’re looking to spot a deeply selfish person or just curious about human behavior. It’s not about judging, but understanding and navigating our relationships better.

1) They often put their needs first

In the world of social dynamics, the capacity to prioritize oneself is not inherently wrong. However, individuals who are deeply selfish usually take this to an extreme.

They have a tendency to consistently put their needs, desires, and ambitions first, often at the expense of others. Be it a simple choice of restaurant for a group dinner or decisions with far-reaching impacts, their preferences reign supreme.

It’s like they’re always playing a game of chess where they are the only player that matters. The needs and feelings of those around them are often overlooked or completely disregarded.

Now, it’s important to remember that everyone can behave selfishly at times. But what distinguishes deeply selfish individuals is the consistency and intensity of these behaviors. They might not even realize how their actions affect others, which can make understanding and dealing with them quite challenging.

Observing how someone prioritizes needs – theirs versus others’ – can provide you with valuable insights into their level of selfishness.

2) Difficulty expressing genuine empathy

Empathy, the ability to understand and share the feelings of others, is a trait that deeply selfish individuals often struggle with.

Let me share a personal example: I once had a friend, let’s call her Jane. Jane was charismatic, fun-loving, and always the life of the party. But as our friendship grew, I began noticing something about her. Jane could rarely step into my shoes or anyone else’s.

If I ever shared my problems with her, instead of acknowledging my feelings or displaying sympathy, she would swiftly steer the conversation back to herself. It was as if she lacked the ability to genuinely empathize with others’ experiences unless they directly affected her.

Her inability to express empathy didn’t stem from ill-intentioned malice. In fact, she probably didn’t even realize it. But it was a clear indication of her deep-seated selfishness.

If you notice someone consistently struggling to empathize with others, it could be a sign that they’re more self-involved than they may appear.

3) Frequent use of the ‘I’ pronoun

Language is a powerful tool for understanding human behavior. Research suggests that the frequency with which individuals use the first-person singular pronouns – I, me, and my – can provide clues about their level of self-focus.

Deeply selfish individuals tend to use these pronouns more often in their conversations. They’re more likely to focus on their own thoughts, feelings, and experiences, rather than considering those of others. This pattern is so consistent that psychologists use it as a measure of self-centeredness in personality assessments.

When you’re in a conversation, pay attention to the pronouns. They might be telling you more about the person’s nature than you realize.

4) Rarely offering help unless there’s something in it for them

We all appreciate a helping hand, especially when times are tough. But for deeply selfish individuals, the act of helping is often tied to personal gain.

These individuals are more likely to offer assistance if there’s a clear benefit for them – be it tangible rewards, recognition, or the possibility of a returned favor in the future. If no such advantage is apparent, they might hesitate to lend a hand or might not offer help at all.

This behavior stems from their focus on self-interest. It’s not that they’re incapable of helping others; rather, they weigh their actions against personal benefits. So if you notice someone’s help is frequently contingent on potential gains, it might be a sign of deeper selfish tendencies.

5) They often play the victim

Selfish individuals have a knack for spinning situations to make themselves appear as the victim. This behavior allows them to justify their self-centered actions and avoid taking responsibility for their mistakes.

Instead of acknowledging their role in a conflict or a problem, they’re more likely to blame others or external circumstances. By playing the victim, they seek sympathy and attention, further feeding into their self-focused narrative.

This constant deflection of accountability can be quite frustrating for those around them.

6) Struggles with genuine compliments

One of the most heartwarming aspects of human interaction is our ability to appreciate and acknowledge each other. A genuine compliment has the power to lift spirits, strengthen bonds, and spread positivity.

However, deeply selfish individuals often struggle with this. They may find it hard to genuinely compliment others unless it serves a purpose for them. The spotlight always has to be on them, and acknowledging someone else’s success or talent can feel like it’s diverting that attention.

It’s not that they don’t see the good in others, but their self-centered nature makes it difficult to express it without feeling like they’re losing something.

If you notice someone who finds it hard to compliment others without a catch or a backhanded remark, it might signal a deeper level of selfishness than they may realize.

7) They have a hard time celebrating others’ success

Success is a joyful event, one that’s typically shared with and celebrated by those around us. However, for deeply selfish individuals, this can be a challenge.

This reminds me of an old college friend. We were both pursuing the same major and were quite competitive. When I landed a coveted internship, instead of sharing my joy, he seemed upset, almost resentful. It was as if my success was a personal affront to him.

Deeply selfish people often struggle to celebrate others’ successes because they see it as a threat to their own self-worth or status. They typically view success as a zero-sum game – if someone else wins, they lose. This skewed perspective can prevent them from genuinely sharing in others’ joy and achievements.

If you notice someone consistently reacting negatively or indifferently to others’ successes, it could be a sign of underlying selfishness.

8) They can be exceedingly charming

When you think of a deeply selfish person, ‘charming’ might not be the first word that comes to mind. But surprisingly, it’s a trait often found in such individuals.

They have a knack for making themselves likable and appealing. They might shower you with attention, flattery, or compliments, making you feel special and valued. You might even find yourself drawn to their charisma and confidence.

But it’s important to remember that this charm often serves their own interests. It helps them build connections, gain influence, and maintain control in relationships. In essence, it’s another facet of their self-focused nature.

9) They rarely admit when they’re wrong

Admitting to our mistakes requires humility, self-awareness, and the willingness to be vulnerable. It’s a sign of emotional maturity and respect for others. However, for deeply selfish individuals, this can be a significant hurdle.

These individuals often have trouble acknowledging their errors or apologizing sincerely. Instead, they might deflect blame, make excuses, or even go on the offensive to protect their ego.

This behavior is driven by their need to maintain a positive self-image and assert their superiority.

10) They lack long-term, meaningful relationships

One of the most telling signs of deep selfishness is the state of a person’s relationships. Selfish individuals often struggle to maintain long-term, meaningful relationships.

Relationships require mutual respect, understanding, and compromise. But for deeply selfish individuals, these elements can be challenging, as they tend to prioritize their own needs and desires over those of others. This can lead to one-sided relationships that eventually fade or end abruptly.

Final reflections: It’s all about understanding

Unraveling the intricacies of selfish behavior takes us on a journey through the complex labyrinth of human nature.

At the core of this behavior is an inherent focus on self – a trait not entirely negative. After all, self-preservation is a basic survival instinct. But when this focus becomes extreme and consistent, it evolves into deep-seated selfishness, often without the person realizing it.

Understanding these behaviors and their manifestations is not about labeling or demonizing individuals. Instead, it’s about fostering empathy and finding ways to navigate our interactions better.

Everyone has the capacity for selfishness. It’s part of our human nature. But recognizing its patterns in ourselves and others can lead us towards healthier relationships and a deeper understanding of our shared humanity.

Bible Scripture

Donald Duke, former governor of Cross River, has criticised the acquisition of an aircraft for President Bola Tinubu. 

Last week, the presidency confirmed the purchase of a 15-year old Airbus A330 to replace the 19-year-old Boeing B737-700 acquired under former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

Speaking on Friday when he featured on Inside Sources, a programme anchored by Laolu Akande on Channels Television, the former governor described the decision as “failure of leadership” considering the country’s economic situation.

“There is no glamour in saying your people are going through hard times; it is a failure of your leadership. If I am the head of a family, I want my family to have everything. I don’t want life to be difficult for them,” Duke said.

“If life is difficult, then I feel I have failed to provide for them or do the things I ought to have done. I would ask him (Tinubu) to see the Nigerian nation as his family. What is good for his family is good for the nation.

“Buying a new aircraft or yacht or living large is a failure. You can’t have kids who are hungry and you are living lavishly, going to parties and wearing the biggest agbada.”

‘HOLD SECURITY HEADS RESPONSIBLE’

Speaking on the security challenges facing the country, Duke asked Tinubu to hold heads of security agencies responsible.

He said there should be consequences for poor performance of duties by security officers.

“Hold the security agencies responsible for a failure of security. There should be consequences. You cannot sit down and say you are a DPO, commissioner of police or you are GOC and crime is being committed in your domain. Hold them responsible,” Duke said.

He also advised the president to “completely decentralise” the judiciary.

“It may require us having maybe three to four times or even 10 times more judges than we have but ensure that whoever is a judge there are consequences for it,” Duke said.

The former governor asked Tinubu to address the economic challenges in the country by finding local solutions.

“The IMF or the World Bank would not give you those textbook solutions. It has to be an indigenous solution to our problems,” he said.

Duke was governor from 1999 to 2007, during the same period Tinubu governed Lagos.

The Cable

Bruno Labbadia has rejected his appointment as the new head coach of Super Eagles of Nigeria. 

According to Kicker, a German football magazine, the 58-year-old tactician pulled out of the deal with the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) on Friday.

NFF announced Labbadia as the Eagles’ new coach on Tuesday.

The federation said an agreement had been reached with the German, adding that he would take over the team immediately.

However, Kicker’s report cited the “public rush” to announce Labbadia’s arrival as the significant reason the manager cancelled the deal.

TheCable understands from sources in the loop of the deal that the German coach has communicated his U-turn to the NFF.

Labbadia would have been the sixth German coach to take over the Super Eagles.

He would have followed in the footsteps of his compatriots: Karl-Heinz Marotzke, Gottlieb Göller, Manfred Höner, Berti Vogts and Gernot Rohr.

Labbadia was announced as the successor to Finidi George who stepped down from the role in June — a few days after the NFF announced a plan to appoint a foreign technical adviser for the Super Eagles.

With the latest development, the Super Eagles still have no head coach ahead of the forthcoming 2025 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualification matches against the Benin Republic and Rwanda.

The Eagles are scheduled to face the Benin Republic at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo on September 7 before flying to Kigali to play Rwanda three days later.

The Cable

Israeli forces kill two attackers in West Bank, military says

Israel's military on Saturday said its forces killed two people in separate incidents in the occupied West Bank, after one infiltrated an Israeli settlement and another shot at soldiers after his car exploded.

Israel's ambulance service said two men were wounded by gunshots in the incidents. It did not identify them.

"Terrorists attempted to run over a security guard at the entrance to the community Karmei Tzur a short while ago and infiltrated the community," the military said, referring to an Israeli settlement.

Soldiers who arrived at the scene killed one assailant who had opened fire at them and were searching for others, it said.

In another incident, a car caught fire and exploded in a gas station, the military said.

It said forces sent to the scene "shot and eliminated the terrorist who exited the vehicle and tried to attack them."

The military said it was too soon to know if the incidents were related.

Palestinian Islamist group Hamas issued a statement on Saturday praising what it called a "double heroic operation" in the West Bank, saying it "is a clear message that resistance will remain striking, prolonged and sustained as long as the brutal occupation's aggression and targeting of our people and land continue".

The group, however, did not claim direct responsibility for the attacks.

Violence in the West Bank, already on the rise before the war in Gaza, has escalated recently, with stepped-up Israeli military raids and settler and Palestinian street violence.

Reuters

WESTERN PERSPECTIVE

Ukraine's air force commander dismissed after F-16 crash

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy dismissed Ukraine's Air Force Commander Mykola Oleshchuk on Friday, according to a presidential decree.

The dismissal was announced just a day after the Ukrainian military reported that an F-16 jet crashed and its pilot died while repelling a major Russian strike on Monday.

"I have decided to replace the commander of the Air Forces... I am eternally grateful to all our military pilots," President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said in his evening address.

He did not give a reason for dismissal but mentioned that personnel must be protected, and that there was a need to strengthen the command level.

Ukraine's General Staff said that General Lieutenant Anatoliy Kryvonozhka would temporarily perform the duties of commander.

The Ukrainian military did not provide a reason for Monday's crash but said the jet came down while it was approaching a Russian target. Oleshchuk said on Monday partners from the U.S. were helping to investigate the incident.

A U.S. defense official told Reuters that the crash did not appear to be the result of Russian fire, and possible causes from pilot error to mechanical failure were still being investigated.

The arrival of the first F-16 jets was a milestone for Ukraine in the fight against the full-scale invasion Russia launched 2-1/2 years ago.

RUSSIAN PERSPECTIVE

Ukrainian military blames Zelensky for battlefield setbacks – FT

Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky has reportedly come under a “barrage of criticism” from his own soldiers, lawmakers and military analysts after Russian forces managed to make rapid advances in Donbass and push back Kiev’s troops, the Financial Times claimed on Friday.

According to the UK outlet, due to Kiev’s incursion into Russia’s Kursk Region earlier this month, which involved the redeployment of thousands of Ukraine’s most battle-hardened troops, many of its forces fighting in the Russian Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) have ended up being stretched thin and have been struggling to hold their ground.

This week, Ukraine’s front line in the region was breached by Russian forces who have been closing in on the strategically important city of Pokrovsk in the west of the DPR, which represents one of the key rail and road junctions in the region. Frontelligence Insight, a Ukrainian analytical group cited by the FT, say the loss of the city would be a serious blow to the Ukrainian military’s logistics.

The current situation on the edge of Pokrovsk has been described as a “complete defensive failure” for the Ukrainian military, according to Alexander Kovalenko, a military analyst at the Kiev-based Information Resistance group.

Other military experts, including those within the Deep State group, which is said to have ties to Ukraine’s defense ministry, have described the situation on the front line as “complete chaos,” stating that Russian forces have been advancing more rapidly in the region since Kiev launched its incursion on August 6 than in the months before.

Kiev’s troops have also been sharing their frustration with Zelensky and his commanders, with one serviceman being quoted by the FT as saying that he has “never seen anything like this” and that “everything is falling apart so quickly.” 

Zhenya, who serves within Ukraine’s 93rd Mechanized Brigade and fought in the 10-month-long battle for Artemovsk last year, reportedly warned that “Pokrovsk will fall much faster than Bakhmut did,” according to the British outlet.

Meanwhile, Zelensky himself has described the situation on the front line near Pokrovsk as “extremely difficult.” His top commander, Aleksandr Syrsky, has also admitted that Kiev’s gambit in Kursk had failed to force Russia to divert its troops from Pokrovsk, as Moscow refused to take the bait.

According to the latest figures from the Russian Defense Ministry, Kiev’s incursion has cost Ukraine more than 7,800 service members, 75 tanks, and more than 500 armored vehicles.

Reuters/RT