Category: Uncategorized

Two years ago I went through a life-threatening health crisis. My health status was endangered because I failed to obtain professional help in a timely manner. Eventually, I listened to the urgings and pleadings of my neighbors and visited a nearby clinic. Although I was diagnosed as suffering from Malaria and Bronchitis and medicated accordingly, my recovery was slow and drawn out. My constitution was weakened because I failed to consult with appropriate health professionals from the moment that I became ill.

Over the years, I was rarely sick. The only malady with which I was occasionally afflicted was the common cold. For this medical condition, two tablets of Alka Seltzer Cold Medicine dissolved in a glass of water, was all that I needed for a quick recovery. As the years rolled by however my body in its entirety went through a metamorphosis. I was no longer the same person that I was at the age of twenty. I was now a different person with greater vulnerabilities, reduced stamina, and a weaker body. My whole biological system had changed. Therefore, in order to remain healthy and in robust physical condition my whole approach to my health maintenance also had to change.

Our present monstrous weather phenomena have been in the making for over fifty years. By this term, I’m making reference to the multiple wildfires in Greece, Turkey, Croatia, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Cyprus, Algeria and Tunisia. As the Mediterranean swelters through record temperatures.

The World Meteorological Organization and the EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service calculated July 2023 to be the hottest month on record. The effects of these high temperatures have been seen across the world. July 2023 is estimated to be roughly 1.5°C (2.7 °F) above the pre-industrial mean. This has been brought on by the Saharan Cerberus heatwave, where an area of high pressure is trapped over the southern Mediterranean, in Spain in particular, and clouds of Saharan dust are making conditions worse. (EVENING STANDARD: Europe Wildfires: Which Countries Have Seen Forest Fires This Summer, By Lola Christina Alao, 09 August 2023).

These are not the only changes, however. There is the stark reality of the melting ice in the Arctic Circle. Which will not only impact the quality of life of Polar bears, seals, and penguins. But also threaten the lives and security of populations living in the coastal regions of the world.

Sea levels are rising. Tides are inching higher. High-tide floods are becoming more frequent and reaching farther inland. Hundreds of US coastal communities will soon face chronic, disruptive flooding that directly affects people’s homes, lives, and properties. Yet property values in most coastal real estate markets do not currently reflect this risk. Most homeowners, communities, and investors are unaware of the financial losses they may soon face. (UNION OF CONCERNED SCIENTISTS: Underwater, Rising Seas, Chronic Floods, And The Implications For US Coastal Real Estate).

Global warming has many ramifications, hurricanes and cyclones are just another part of this quadratic equation in which humanity and the whole wide world are hunkering down. What is unmistakable is that these weather phenomena are becoming bigger, more powerful, and far more destructive.

Climate change is disrupting weather patterns, leading to extreme weather events, unpredictable water availability, exacerbating water scarcity, and contaminating water supplies. Such impacts can drastically affect the quantity and quality of water that children need to survive.

1. Extreme weather events and changes in water cycle patterns are making it more difficult to access safe drinking water, especially for the most vulnerable children.
2. Around 74 percent of natural disasters between 2001 and 2018 were water-related, including droughts and floods. The frequency and intensity of such events are only expected to increase with climate change.
3. Around 450 million children live in areas of high or extremely high water vulnerability. This means they do not have enough water to meet their everyday needs.  
4. When disasters hit, they can destroy or contaminate entire water supplies, increasing the risk of diseases like cholera and typhoid to which children are particularly vulnerable. (UNICEF: FOR EVERY CHILD: Water And The Global Climate Crisis).
   
   An increase in greenhouse gases is the main cause for global warming
   Until 1950 nature had more impact on the climate than human beings. The fast increase of the global temperature after 1950 can only be explained by human activity. According to the IPCC there is 90% chance global warming in the past 50 years has been driven by an increase in greenhouse gases, of which 56% is from CO₂ emissions. CO₂ is released when we burn fossil fuels such as oil, natural gas and coal. There is hard evidence that current CO₂ concentrations in the air are the highest they have been for over 800,000 years and most probably for over 60 million years. (DNV: Climate Change, Hoax Or Imminent Catastrophe).
   
   There is very little doubt that presently we are in the throes of an unfolding and extremely serious crisis. It is projected that things will only continue to get worse. What exactly should we do to mitigate this cascading calamity? (TO BE CONTINUED).

The Hurge’s failure to gratefully consume my grandmother’s well-prepared food and then proceed to thank her, was a massive mistake on their part. The road of life is full of curves and meanderings. At times the obstacles are not what they appear to be. They are not always rocks or boulders. Sometimes they are only twigs and pebbles but we had better ensure we don’t stumble over them. They had both been tripped up by a mere cultural and social norm and their ignorance would cost them dearly. There was barely any peace in our home after that occurrence. My grandmother had subsequently lost all respect for them. For some reason, she argued with Mr. Hurge and dressed him down severely while he was standing at her bedroom door. The imperceptible messengers of mercy, sent by providence to aid us. Are often those employed to give us the strongest, bitterest, but most urgently needed medicine. The door was locked. But instead of accepting her criticisms gracefully and humbly and attempting to reform his conduct. He kicked her door in, which struck her in the forehead. Since she was obviously standing too close behind it. As proud and grandiose as he was it was impossible for him to endure any kind of negative character appraisal. This was the thanks he dished out to her for all her altruistic acts of humane benevolence.

“Let grace be shown to the wicked, Yet he will not learn righteousness;
In the land of uprightness, he will deal unjustly, And will not behold the majesty of the Lord.” Isaiah 26:10 (NKJV).

Many times I had to stand between them both. To prevent any kind of physical altercation. When I felt that the social climate in our home had deteriorated far enough I spoke to the Hurges. “Folks, it’s obvious that you and my grandmother don’t get along. I think the time has come for you to move along because I don’t want any problems.” The very fact that I had to give them such a directive was disconcerting. These were quote-unquote two adults in their mid-thirties. Yet they couldn’t bring themselves to buzz off when circumstances demanded it. I wasn’t aware of it back then but it’s abundantly clear to me now. These two people were not only suffering from Dependent Personality Disorder. The husband by virtue of his poor judgment, grandiose demeanor, emotional callousness, and blatant mood swings was clearly a Manic Depressive Psychotic. Their tenacious and parasitic clinging to my family betrayed a need that couldn’t be met by any human agent. They both desperately needed Christ. Not only for healing but based on my experience for every other provision.

“Look to Me, and be saved, All you ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other. I have sworn by Myself; The word has gone out of My mouth in righteousness, And shall not return, That to Me every knee shall bow, Every tongue shall take an oath. He shall say, ‘Surely in the Lord I have righteousness and strength. To Him men shall come,
And all shall be ashamed Who are incensed against Him. In the Lord all the descendants of Israel Shall be justified, and shall glory.’” Isaiah 45:22-25 (NKJV).

“I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” John 10:9-10 (NKJV).

Being a student at the University of Bristol and studying to be a Social and Welfare Officer. Our lodger routinely came in contact with several people from all walks of life. That kind of social intercourse will ultimately reveal exactly who you are, and if a lack of requisite humility is your besetting sin. Then your true character will quickly be exposed. This is exactly what happened to our grandiose, self-centered, dependent personality, Mr. Hurge. He had an encounter with a member of the public who lived near the university campus and lost his temper. As if that was not bad enough he excoriated her until she was reduced to tears. His point was that she didn’t appreciate how important he was. There are some salient truths that for some strange reason it’s impossible for some people to grasp. That being humble, courteous, and compassionate, will do far more to impress people favorably than acting as if you are a prince with extremely poor manners.

“Pride goes before destruction And a haughty spirit before a fall.” Proverbs 16:18-19 (NKJV).

“But he who is greatest among you shall be your servant. And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” Matthew 23:11-12 (NKJV).

She called the university and complained to the head of Mr. Hurge’s department. Apparently, she was not the only member of the community at large that he had rubbed the wrong way. Consequently, Mr. Hurge was kicked out of the program. People in general talk a great deal about the hereafter. Heaven according to scripture must be a very wonderful place. We are all rewarded, however, in this life. There is no escape from the present consequences of our actions.

“Vengeance is Mine, and recompense; Their foot shall slip in due time;
For the day of their calamity is at hand, And the things to come hasten upon them.” Deuteronomy 32:35 (NKJV).

About twenty years later my grandmother ran into Mr. Hurge while riding on a train in The City of New York. She recognized him immediately. “Aren’t you Hurge?” She questioned. He looked at her pretending not to recognize her. “Yes, you are Hurge,” she insisted. Fate had brought them face to face once more. But for what purpose? Was it to give him an opportunity to thank her for her past kindness? Or was it to remind him of his past mistakes? “How is your wife?” She asked. “She’s well,” he finally replied. “Do you have any kids?” She continued. “No, we don’t.” He answered. How could they have any children at all? Their lives were consumed with self-centeredness. They were absolutely incapable of giving or sharing. They were specialists in receiving and taking, and their lives were a testament to who they were.

Within two months of their arrival in Canada, the Hurges wrote to my grandmother complaining about their unforeseen difficulties in their new land of choice. There is one important lesson that I’ve learned over the years and it’s this. Apart from the limiting catastrophes of war and climate change, adults deal with their own life challenges, themselves. Immature people (children) try to pass them on to others. The Hurges announced their decision to return to Bristol, England, as soon as possible. They also begged my grandmother for permission to stay with us temporarily until they had found some social and financial stability. These two people were unwilling to face life’s challenges courageously. They were desperate to escape the unavoidable vicissitudes of human existence. Preferring instead to exist in an unreal world of make-believe, and take shelter in the home of a middle-aged woman. If my grandmother knew back then, what I now know, she would have thrown them to the four winds. Because that’s exactly what they needed. For as we read in scripture:

“Do not answer a fool according to his folly, Lest you also be like him.” Proverbs 26:4 (NKJV).

It wasn’t long before they arrived in Bristol, England, and took up residence at our home. They brought all of their accouterments with them, which inconveniently occupied the precious space in our house, and stealthily repossessed all the items they had purchased from my grandmother. Without refunding her one penny. It’s absolutely amazing what unscrupulous people will do, once they feel that they can get away with it. On the surface, my grandmother thought that she was extending charity and compassion to two unfortunate souls in need. But invisible to the naked eye she was just a defenseless sheep, entertaining and being manipulated by two wily wolves. There is a destiny. It is who we are. A combination of all of our character traits. Together with the changes that The Lord Almighty accomplishes within us. As He takes us through the varying life experiences that will change us into better people. Thus preparing us for the life that is to come. Most of the time we know nothing about these coming events. Nor can we avoid them because we aren’t supposed to. But sometimes after many years we finally perceive their true meaning. Essentially, this was my grandmother’s ordeal. Nevertheless, I had to be there. My presence mandated me to carefully observe and learn from everything that I saw and heard. Because I was intended to be a beneficiary of her mistakes. Didn’t the Master Himself warn us,

“Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.” Matthew 10:16 (NKJV).

He also cautioned,

“Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces.” Matthew 7:6 (NKJV)

We lived next door to a young couple from Trinidad and Tobago. One day a Postman stopped by and while he was knocking on my neighbor’s door, I heard and went outside to investigate. He asked me if I would be willing to sign and receive a registered letter on behalf of my neighbors since no one was responding to the doorbell. I consented and signed the delivery document. Took the note, along with the registered envelope, and dropped it through our own letter box. Since I was on my way out anyway. Intending to deliver that valuable piece of registered mail upon my return home. When I returned later that same day. To my great consternation and disappointment, even though I searched high and low for that piece of important mail, I couldn’t find it anywhere. I knocked on my neighbor’s door and informed the wife of everything that had transpired. She advised me that she was broke and her brother had sent her eighteen shillings through the mail. Which is precisely what the registered letter contained. I spoke to Mr. Hurge about this development and subsequently my grandmother. His response was sweating, embarrassment, fear, and complaints about being mixed up in a potential police matter. He also urged my grandmother to refund the people next door to avoid any embarrassment to our family.

In those days, in England, no Identification was required to cash a money order. Presumably, Mr. Hurge was broke, a distinct possibility since he was unemployed. I can only surmise that he cashed the check. Erroneously assuming that it had been miss-delivered to the wrong address, and concluded that nothing would come of it. If that’s what occurred, what a criminal act of folly and stupidity? I couldn’t help observing from time to time that Mr. Hurge would have mood swings. Sometimes he was inexplicably happy, laughing, dancing, and jumping around the house like a spring doe. At other times he would sink into a depressed mood and irrationally accuse his wife of doing something to upset him. She invariably rejected his attempts to unjustly project his feelings of dejection unto her. But accused him instead of upsetting himself. Things were more or less normal in our household until several months after their return, we had a cook-fest. My grandmother prepared food and the Hurges did likewise. All of my relative’s deliciously cooked food was gobbled up by my cousin and myself. We also ate Mrs. Hurge’s well-prepared food. Unfortunately, however, the sojourners in our household played around in their helpings of my grandmother’s gastronomic toil and left most of it on their plates. My cousin and I gazed in disappointment at the jerked chicken and baked potatoes, sitting on their plates. As we salivated upon what might have been, had we been given access instead, to that delicious food.

My guardian missed nothing. She had carefully observed every development. A child at heart all she yearned for was love, recognition, respect, and appreciation. They had given her nothing, not even gratitude. Despite all of her efforts on their behalf. She was deeply wounded by their inconsiderate act of brutal callousness. Which she construed to be a rejection of her personally. Almost moved to tears she got up from the table and launched her chair against the wall, beneath the window overlooking the backyard. She threw down the dishes in her hand on the dining table, and they crashed with a loud bang. She marched through the door leading into the kitchen from the dining room and slammed it violently behind her. Immediately thereafter every cabinet door in the kitchen was opened and shut with an explosive crashing sound. The Hurges sat there confused, somewhat fearful but mortified. That very evening my grandmother strung a clothesline across the kitchen ceiling and hung her underwear thereon. So that anyone proceeding into the dining room from the direction of the kitchen would be required to walk beneath them. They both responded by asking her, “What’s wrong Mrs. Donaldson?” Her reply was always, “Nothing.” They were both college graduates. She only had an elementary school education. She found it extraordinarily difficult to explain the pain and volcanic rage boiling deep inside of her.

(TO BE CONTINUED)

At 18, I was living in the City of Bristol, built upon The River Avon, and located in Southwestern England. Coincidentally, my location was just a little down the road from The Severn Bridge. Which was constructed over the River Severn to enable commuters to cross that waterway directly into The Island of Wales. Because of the uprising of The Irish Republican Army, in 1969 and their associated criminal and terrorist activities. There were occasional security checks at various junctions, but nothing extraordinary. By and large, the City of Bristol was peaceful and crime-free. I was domiciled with my grandmother who at the time worked in a home for the blind. She routinely ran into a variety of people from all over the world. One such encounter was with an associate employee from Jamaica.

The Severn Bridge is a suspension bridge spanning the River Severn between South Gloucestershire, England and Monmouthshire, Wales, connecting the two countries. The bridge is the second crossing of the Severn following the Severn Railway Bridge which was opened in 1886 and closed to rail traffic in 1966. The bridge is used by the M48 motorway on the English side and the A466 road on the Welsh side. The crossing is 8 miles (13 km) in length and has a main span of 500 metres (1,640 ft). The bridge was opened by The Queen of England in 1966. (HISTORIC CORNWALL: The Severn Bridge, Connecting England and Wales).

People everywhere have problems. That is a state of affairs that has existed in human society since time immemorial. Predictably, they talk to other people about their perceived difficulties whenever they can find someone with a receptive ear, and with whom they can converse. The people with whom they frequently share such concerns are perceived to be understanding, sympathetic and receptive. My grandmother was one such soul. A practicing Christian woman, and a compassionate person. She was well acquainted with Jesus’s Sermon On The Mount. She fervently adopted those principles and attempted to implement them in her daily life.

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6:19-21 (NKJV).

My grandmother felt that like the ancient Lot (Abraham’s nephew who lived in Sodom), she had been divinely located in the City of Bristol to help distressed souls. Who providentially crossed her path from time to time. I distinctly remember that during my boyhood and teenage years whenever the Christmas Season came around. There were a number of different people to whom I had to take gifts of turkey. I often asked myself why she invested so much time and effort in being a good Samaritan? Although I didn’t have much education then and very limited insight into human nature. As the years rolled by, I became more mature and developed greater wisdom and a deeper understanding of human needs and frailties. A more comprehensive understanding of my grandmother’s true disposition struck me. Here was a woman suffering from poor self-esteem. with a genuinely deep need for love and appreciation. Which she sought to earn by lavishing good deeds upon others. Hoping earnestly, but sometimes in vain, that they would see her true worth and return her good deeds with deep respect, earnest gratitude, and self-affirmation.

The Hurges (that was their name), needed urgent financial help, and somehow the wife, who was also employed at the home for the blind, had zeroed in on my grandmother’s ‘Saviour complex syndrome,’ and vulnerability. She piled her troubles upon my guardian. Lamenting that she and her husband were going through some very difficult times. That there were some wonderful employment opportunities awaiting them in Canada. All they needed to do was find a buyer for their few worldly goods. So that they could sell them and be on their way. My paternal grandmother (Edith) was sucked into this stranger’s psychic scream for help. Accordingly, she promised to purchase their limited worldly goods for the 1600.00 pounds sterling they requested. I was invited by my relative to take a look at the items to be purchased before any transaction was completed. But after surveying the scene I was far from impressed. In my judgment, it was just a pile of junk. I counseled my grandmother against proceeding any further with her plans. She refused to listen to me because according to her she had already promised to help them.

1. Keep every promise you make and only make promises you can keep. – Anthony Hitt

2. I know it is a bad thing to break a promise, but I think now that it is a worse thing to let a promise break you. – Jennifer Donnelly

3. Losers make promises they often break. Winners make commitments they always keep. – Denis Waitley

At present, I can think of several passages of scripture that would have constituted a solemn and sobering warning not only to my grandmother but also to her prospective benefactors. A few of them are as follows:

“The simple believes every word, But the prudent considers well his steps.” Proverbs 14:15 (NKJV).

“There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.” Proverbs 14:12 (NKJV).

The fact that my grandmother was willing to spend a small fortune on strangers. Merely to facilitate their trip to a distant land, in my opinion, was foolish. The fact that these two strangers had made no investigation, or previous preparation to ensure that when they arrived in Canada they were landing on solid financial ground was childish, irresponsible, and naive. I couldn’t see it then but it’s abundantly clear to me now. The Hurges were two dreamers. Two children searching for Utopia but determined to do so at someone else’s expense. Just like my friend Andrew who made a trip to Pondi Cherry, India. After mesmerizing himself into believing that there would be peace and tranquility there. He was bitterly disappointed. After arriving in Canada my grandmother’s newly adopted dependents were given a bitter dose of brutal reality.

(TO BE CONTINUED)

I continued to take the 400 milligrams of prescribed Celecoxib twice daily, per the physician’s instructions. Nevertheless, after approximately three months, I noticed that not only were my feet and legs uncomfortably cold at night even though I was covered with three blankets during the hours of darkness. My stomach which was usually flat was now looking like a barrel. I examined my feet and legs more closely and noticed that they were all swollen. Probably because they were retaining fluid. I concluded that the same phenomenon caused my pot-bellied gut. I returned to the pharmacy to inquire about the possible side effects of Celecoxib. As per usual I was splashed and blanketed with a combination of gross ignorance, and information blackout.

Common sense impressed me to discontinue taking Celecoxib. Since I could think of no other possible cause for my sudden weight change, I adopted this course of action. Furthermore, I called my Herbalist friend in Brenyekwa and explained my problem to him. He advised me to juice some ginger, Aloe Vera, and oranges. Mix all three together. Then drink 3 tablespoons twice daily combined with honey. Within a time period of one month, my body was back to normal. That’s not all I did however, I started eating my largest meal at the beginning of each day. Which consisted of 1 medium-sized sliced cucumber, 1 medium-sized sliced tomato, 1 head of lettuce, approximately 3-4 tablespoons of my chosen carbohydrate, and 1 piece of my preferred protein. I also did my utmost to continue my daily, 3-mile walking routine.

Early one morning while lying comfortably in bed, I heard a man laughing. The decibels of his laughter increased in volume until it became so loud that my bed started to shake and vibrate. Then suddenly the sound disappeared as quickly as it had started. I knew this was a serious premonition of imminent danger ahead of me. However, I would have to wait patiently to find out what exactly it meant. At about 11:00 A.M., I heard my phone ringing, the person on the line was my physician. He was asking me to loan him 2000.00 GHS. He also assured me confidently that I would be fully refunded within a strict time period of 30 days. I reflected carefully for a few moments and recognized that this was the imminent danger of which I had been earlier forewarned. Thanks be the Ministry of The Holy Spirit, I was armed and ready. I simply answered, “Since I have already made some previous commitments it was impossible for me to shoulder such a responsibility at this time.”

This physician had decided to leverage his professional relationship with me to scam me. But he failed. About three weeks later I stopped by the drugstore once more. The pharmacist inquired if I had seen the physician who had first introduced me to him? My response was, “Not in a very long time.” Well said he, “I loaned him some money and since then I have neither seen him nor heard anything from him, and when I call him on the phone he doesn’t answer.” Sympathetically, I replied, “Sir, have you forgotten where you are? This is Ghana, borrowing other people’s money, under a false pretext, and then failing to repay it is standard protocol here.” There is invariably a price to pay for this kind of conduct for as we are warned in scripture, “Getting treasures by a lying tongue is the fleeting fantasy of those who seek death.” Proverbs 21:6 (NKJV). Back in 2022, I ran into some young men who professed that they had some gold that they wanted to sell. We negotiated an equilibrium price and agreed upon a place for a meeting. The following day, they called out of the blue to advise me that the security forces had raided their site and confiscated their treasure. After that they asked me if I would be willing to give them the funds up front, to retrieve the gold. Which was presently located at the local police station.

Since I was well acquainted with the fact that many Ghanaians routinely pull all kinds of scams. I advised them that I would consider the matter and then get back to them. Nevertheless, I did not forget to pray and beg for divine guidance. The following morning while I was still in bed I heard a voice whispering, “Don’t believe them, it’s just a trick. They have no gold whatsoever. They are merely trying to rob you. Once you give them the money. They will disappear, and you will never hear from them again.” Aren’t we warned in God’s Word, “The simple believes every word, but the prudent considers well his steps?” Proverbs 14:15 (NKJV). That’s where our present location is, in this 21st-century world of modern civilization. No one knows who to trust because of widespread lies, treachery, fraud, and deception. Moreover, we are also counseled in sacred writ, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6 (NKJV).

A back injury is never a painless experience. I was forced to contend with two herniated discs when I was in my forties. Consequent on being naive enough to try to use my left leg to close an improperly installed garage door. I regretted that poor decision for many years. I felt no immediate pain at the time but the following morning while attempting to get out of bed I realized that I was hardly able to do so, and the pain coming from my lower back was excruciating. Eventually with very much effort, and discomfort I was finally able to rise. I should have proceeded to a hospital or clinic immediately. But foolishly delayed seeking any medical intervention, by telling myself that I would first gauge the severity of the problem, before spending any money. Gradually, the severe pain in my lower back ceased. During the weeks and months that followed I had no further difficulties getting out of bed. After a few months had passed, however, I noticed that although there was no pain in my lower back, there was a very slight discomfort, which only became worse and more pronounced, as time progressed.

“When something happens, the only thing in your power is your attitude toward it. It is not the things that disturb us, but our interpretation of their significance. Things and people are not what we wish them to be nor are they what they seem to be. They are what they are.”— Epictetus

For several years I endured this condition, foolishly hoping that it would go away. It didn’t. It lingered on and on. Eventually when the pain started to shoot down into my thighs and calves and made it difficult for me to walk I finally went to a pain clinic in Stickney. One of the suburbs of Chicago. After completing an X-Ray and some physical checks of my anatomy they diagnosed me as suffering from two herniated discs in my lower back. I was required to attend the center three times each week for treatment until I recovered.

Three years after arriving in Ghana on my second visit, I suffered a similar experience. This time however I was not attempting to do anything strenuous. I was merely sitting on a couch with a highly faulty posture. I discovered once again that as we age our bodies certainly change for the worse. Something that wouldn’t have affected me in the slightest degree when I was in my 20s or 40s had now become a source of great danger to me.

“People lose bone mass or density as they age, especially women after menopause. The bones lose calcium and other minerals. The spine is made up of bones called vertebrae. Between each bone is a gel-like cushion (called a disk). With aging, the middle of the body (trunk) becomes shorter as the disks gradually lose fluid and become thinner. Vertebrae also lose some of their mineral content, making each bone thinner. The spinal column becomes curved and compressed (packed together). Bone spurs caused by aging and overall use of the spine may also form on the vertebrae.” (MOUNT SINAI: Aging Changes In The Bones – Muscles – Joints).

Despite some of the downsides of aging some prominent and famous people have given us valuable perspectives on that stage of human existence.

“We live in a youth-obsessed culture that is constantly trying to tell us that if we are not young, and we’re not glowing, and we’re not hot, that we don’t matter. I refuse to let a system or a culture or a distorted view of reality tell me that I don’t matter. I know that only by owning who and what you are can you start to step into the fullness of life. Every year should be teaching us all something valuable. Whether you get the lesson is really up to you.” – Oprah Winfrey

“If you are pining for youth I think it produces a stereotypical old man because you only live in memory, you live in a place that doesn’t exist. Aging is an extraordinary process where you become the person you always should have been.” – David Bowie

Because of my past experience, I wasted no time procrastinating. I sought professional help immediately. I visited a Chiropractic Therapist/Herbalist in the Village of Brenyekwa. After he administered some therapeutic maneuvers on my back he called The Holy Family Hospital and arranged an appointment for me. I was directed to the Radiology Department. Where I was instructed to lie in various postures on a firm but comfortable surface, covered with a white sheet and elevated 3′ above ground level. I was also required to stand vertically in front of a machine in a variety of positions. So that they could take appropriate photographs to clearly identify my problem. The process didn’t take long at all. Subsequently, they showed me pics of my lower back and I clearly saw where I had sustained a serious injury.

Although my Chiropractic Therapist helped immensely, I was still traumatized by a great deal of pain. Consequently, I got in touch with a physician from whom I had received treatment previously. For a medical condition known as Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. He immediately prescribed me some medication which made the pain go away. For that development, I was extremely grateful. Such is life in the 21st Century. One medical professional will no longer suffice. Because what is now required to make a patient complete and whole is a multi-dimensional and multi-professional approach.

(TO BE CONTINUED)

Since my initial visit to Ghana in 2014, I’ve learned the value of eternal vigilance. You just cannot be too careful. I ran into an attractive young woman, while I was living in Brenyekwa. A small village located to the north and about fifteen minutes’ drive by the local Okada (taxi), from Berekum. She was 24 years of age, and being trained as a beautician about two buildings up the road from where I was living. We chatted and she and her friends assured me that she was single. I invited her to attend church with me, bought her clothes, and gave her money to braid her hair. I also equipped her with shoes, bags, and whatever else she needed. For a period of time, I contemplated the possibility of having a long-term relationship with her. She was pleasant, charming, fairly well educated, and spoke excellent English. She came to my house routinely to wash, cook, iron, and socialize. After about one month I started to receive some spiritual warnings. They were visions and dreams which conveyed the message that I was being deceived. Initially, I couldn’t perceive exactly what the Spirit was trying to tell me, but everything finally became clear.

One of my neighbors visited with me, and while we were discussing one of his pressing problems, he asked me if I loved my newfound friend? “Why do you need to know that I inquired?” “Well,” said he, “I’m reliably informed that she is a married woman. In fact, her brothers came here the other day to give you a beating. However, my brother-in-law and I prevented anything from happening. Because we persuaded them that you were completely innocent. Since the woman had claimed that she was single. I almost fainted. Previous to this meeting the Spirit had informed me, “That I was flirting with a married woman.” I just didn’t understand what He was talking about. Now, the ugly, painful, inconvenient truth was staring me in the face. After receiving that report I confronted her but she vociferously denied all the allegations. Interestingly enough she stopped visiting my house and never came to church with me again.

“In my distress, I cried to the Lord, And He heard me.
Deliver my soul, O Lord, from lying lips And from a deceitful tongue. What shall be given to you, Or what shall be done to you,
You false tongue? Sharp arrows of the warrior, With coals of the broom tree!” Psalm 120:1-4 (NKJV).

At the commencement of our friendship, I invited my female friend (Hazel), and her sister to have lunch with me at the Ahenfie Hotel restaurant. Located on the outskirts of Berekum. Just a little removed from the Berekum Suyani main road. I specifically asked the sister, during lunch, if her sibling was either married or involved in any other form of emotional entanglement. The sister assured me in no uncertain terms that my female friend was free, single, and disengaged. Obviously, and regrettably, they had colluded together to lie to me. The simple truth is an encumbrance to some people. They prefer to live in a world where facts are disposables. They invent their own alternative reality from day to day. They exist in a world of make-believe, employing fables and myths from which they extract some form of fleeting psychological and emotional panacea. Conspiracies come in many forms but they are dangerous and sometimes can be quite deadly. The question that comes to my mind however is what are the circumstances that compel people to behave in this way? I held many conversations with Hazel and one of the questions that I asked her was, “How is it that a girl as attractive as you are, has no boyfriend?” Her response was, “I had a boyfriend a long time ago but he has many women, and I really hate that. You can take me away from him if you want to.”

The plain truth has a way of breaking forth, even when it’s encapsulated in symbolic language. She had revealed important facts about herself but I wasn’t paying attention. Was this her cry for help? Marriages in Ghana are usually structured in such a way that you just can’t walk away from them. Because the prospective groom usually has to pay a bride price to the head of the woman’s family. In most cases, if the marriage is disannulled then the bride price has to be returned.

The bride price list is an integral part of the traditional marriage ceremony, commonly referred to as the engagement ceremony in Ghana. The foundational essence of the bride price was for the suitor to pay a somewhat hefty amount to the bride’s family before the bride is given away to the suitor, as it symbolizes how valuable the bride is, to her family. This serves to first of all ensure that the suitor is a hardworking man, as one would need to work (or have a job, if you will), to be able to afford to marry and hence take care of a family. Secondly, the amount spent on the list makes it difficult for a couple to easily opt for divorce, as by custom, the items paid by the suitor on the list are supposed to be returned by the bride’s family should divorce ensue. The bride price is thus very important, not necessarily for its monetary value but for its significance in a traditional Ghanaian marriage. (QUORA: Is The Bride Price Still A Custom In Ghana? By Fifi Brakatu).

Poverty is a crucial dilemma in Ghana. Most homes have television sets on which screens the gaudy technologies of the Western world are frequently displayed. People see and crave the materialism that mercilessly bombards their eyes and ears. Many young men and women resort to deception, trickery, and outright fraud. To obtain just a modicum of the merchandise assembled in the local stores and for which they have no filthy lucre to pay. Married women are no exception. I left Ghana in October 2015 to return to the USA. In January of the following year, I gave Hazel a call. Just to see how she was doing. Not only was she very happy to hear from me but wondered why I had waited such a long time to get in touch with her. My response to her question was, “Hazel, you are a married woman. Why would I contact you?” Her emphatic reply was, “I’m not married Mr. James.” Her lies were unending. With this and other falsehoods, she sought to drag me into her undulating web of deception. But The God of Truth had already cautioned me regarding her true status. I could only ignore such warnings at my own peril.

“For the commandment is a lamp, And the law a light; Reproofs of instruction are the way of life, To keep you from the evil woman,
From the flattering tongue of a seductress. Do not lust after her beauty in your heart, Nor let her allure you with her eyelids. For by means of a harlot, A man is reduced to a crust of bread; And an adulteress will prey upon his precious life.” Proverbs 6:23-26 (NKJV)

I returned to Ghana in 2018 and went to look for my friend, who initially warned me that Hazel was actually a married woman. He announced to me, “That less than a year after my departure Hazel had given birth to a healthy baby boy. “Who,” claimed he “Was the spitting image of me.” I subsequently visited with some other friends who gave me a different story. Their version was that she had indeed given birth to a son but the child was born two years after I returned to the U.S.A. By that time Hazel was a fully qualified Beautician and was now a mistress with her own hair styling and Nail Polishing enterprise. I paid her a visit, guided to her location by another friend. I remained there for about fifteen minutes and chatted briefly. Later that same day she called me. After doing so she attempted to brainwash me into thinking that she only got married after my departure to a foreign shore. I wasted no time attempting to argue with her. I wished her well. Grateful to The Lord Almighty for His continued leadership in my life.

Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; Keep watch over the door of my lips. Do not incline my heart to any evil thing, To practice wicked works
With men who work iniquity; And do not let me eat of their delicacies. Psalm 141:3-4

(TO BE CONTINUED)

Approximately twenty-one days after completing the second medication regimen of the six yellow tablets, I realized I was still in the woods. A health labyrinth of diarrhea, weakness, pain, and fatigue, as it were. From which, except for about three days of temporary relief, there seemed to be no outlet. Therefore, I visited another pharmacy, “The God Is King,” Drugstore. I asked the son of the pharmacist, “Does this medication really work? Because I told him that I had Malaria, and he was dispensing the same drug that the previous pharmacy had sold me. His response was, “You have to take it exactly every eight hours.” I paid for it, went home, and faithfully followed the instructions. Only to discover that, like a recurring decimal, my previous experience of futility was merely visited upon me once more. I spoke to my barber who was forced to endure the rigors of Malaria a few times, and I asked him about the efficacy of the local anti-Malaria drug (Lonart – DS). He pointedly told me “Actually, whenever he contracted that dreaded disease he had to visit a local herbalist.”

The use of Medicinal plants to cure various diseases and as supplement has become a known and an acceptable practice all over the world. Apart from this common use of medicinal plants, they also contribute as plant based pharmaceutically active compounds for conventional drug production and towards new drug discovery [1] [2]. In Ghana, there are great economic benefits of medicinal plants use and they are widely recognized all over the country, with about 60% to 70% of the populace estimated to depend directly on it for their primary health care [3]. In most cases of sickness, herbal medicine is the first line of treatment, after which orthodox treatment is sought should the condition persist. This may be as a result of its availability, cost effectiveness and accessibility to majority of the population in Ghana who reside in the rural communities [4] [5]. Medicinal plants such as, Azadirachta indica,Caripa papaya,Mangifera indica,Moringa oleifera,Elaeis guineensis,Hibiscus sabdariffa and others are very common, accessible and readily available to a number of people in the country, on which they depend for treatment of common ailments and their holistic wellbeing. (SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH: Medicinal Plant Use In Ghana, March 2022).

I have a friend who is not only a member of The nearby Mormon Church but also works as a pharmacist. I went to his drugstore and while conversing with him he admitted that he had to take the anti-Malaria drug a few times when he came down with that medical condition. Because “It doesn’t seem to be as potent as it needs to be.” Furthermore, he continued, “Most people complain to me that it just doesn’t work.” Sad to say, I had already learned that inconvenient truth from what I had repeatedly gone through. Although I’m not a physician. Based on personal experience, there are several important facts that I have discovered pertinent to the progression of the Malaria disease. Everyone afflicted in this manner should attempt to:

1. Drink at least eight glasses of water daily.
2. Try and eat three moderate-sized meals daily.
3. Try and rest twice daily to replenish your strength.
4. Get outside into the fresh air and sunshine for at least 15 minutes each day.

On a more cheerful note, I ran into one of my 14-year-old neighbors this morning. Who had also been down with Malaria for over three weeks? I noticed that she was also sweeping the yard and I inquired about her health condition. She told me that she was fine now. I asked her if she had been taking the local anti-Malaria Medication? She said, “Yes,

but because she was suffering she had to go to the hospital to get an injection.” Maybe I should have tried that course of medical intervention. Although I had previously contemplated the possibility of being vaccinated at one of the local hospitals. Since that procedure was suggested to me by the first pharmacist, I subsequently dismissed the idea from my mind. Primarily because I had run into some injection horror cases locally. Young people who had been injured in some way, or had suffered some form of nerve damage, or paralysis, because of an attempted vaccination that had gone terribly wrong.

By that time I had abandoned the local medication and instead was using a cocktail of Moringa Oleifera and Neem Tree tea. This mixture seemed to be quite potent and after consulting with another herbalist I visited the Village of Brenyekwa since I was feeling considerably better. He introduced me to a tree growing on his property and told me that whenever he feels Malaria symptoms. He boils that bush and drinks a half cup of its tea twice daily. “Within one week, I’m back to my normal self again,” he assured me. All of this sounded excellent to me. Especially since he plucked several stems full of leaves, placed them in my bag, and encouraged me to take them home with me, make tea from this bush and drink it in the proportion he had suggested.

I just couldn’t help reminiscing upon the fact that the local pharmacies gave absolutely no information/instructions about the Malaria Disease. There seemed to be a conspiracy of silence. There were no pamphlets, no brochures, just a complete information blackout. I complained to my Brenyekwa Herbalist about this state of affairs and he observed, “That they were attempting to protect their bottom line.” Having lived in the Western world for several years, I viewed this kind of behavior as nothing less than either gross negligence, criminal malpractice, or both. Recently, I’ve been wondering how it was that I went for two years without contracting Malaria after my return to Ghana in 2019? The explanation is quite simple and straightforward. I burned mosquito coils in my bedroom every night. Apparently, after a period of time, I erroneously concluded that this routine was unnecessary. Big mistake. Mosquito destroyers stunt the insects, and since they are thereby disabled they cannot attack you. Therefore you are relatively safe. The only time you need to worry why lying in your bed at night. Is if you can hear them buzzing around you. If you cannot hear them then you are out of danger.

Although mosquito coils are an important ally in your fight against Malaria, there are many varieties/brands. When making a purchase you need one that is not only effective but will avoid filling your bedroom with too much smoke. Thereby competing with your lungs for the volume of oxygen available in your sanctum sanctorum. If you are fortunate enough to have a bathroom directly connected to your bedroom, that would be an ideal place to locate your mosquito coil. That way you can keep your bedroom door open to ensure that you have an adequate supply of fresh air during your nocturnal hours.

If you come to Ghana for any time, be fully prepared for the possibility of contracting Malaria.

“Malaria is an infectious disease caused by a parasite that is transmitted from subject to subject by blood sucking female anopheles mosquitoes. Malaria is one of the major public health problems especially in Africa and Asia. In Africa, more than two-thirds of all malaria deaths occur in children under five years of age WHO (2017). Because of continual fight against malaria intervention programs, malaria infection prevalence and clinical incidence decreased by 50% and 40%, between 2000 and 2015, respectively, in Africa Bhatt et al. (2015). As presented in WHO annual report WHO (2017), there were an estimated 216 million malaria cases and 445 thousand malaria deaths in 2017. Among those cases, the majority which accounts for 91% occurred in Sub-Saharan Africa WHO (2017).” (MEDRXIV: Spatial Prevalence And Determinants of Malaria Among Under 5 Children In Ghana).

Ghana is an inviting place to visit or live but there are a few negatives with which one must contend, just like many other places on planet Earth. One such negative is the high incidence of Malaria. I’ve repeatedly run into several people at various times. Who unabashedly confessed to me that they were going through a Malaria episode. I’ve met such people in the market, pharmacy, mini-buses, taxi-cab, grocery store, and even in church. I lived and worked in Jamaica, West Indies, for eight years. I did contract Dengue Fever while there, once. But I have never encountered Malaria, on that Island. Presumably, since The Government of Jamaica invests large sums of money each year. Spraying puddles, gutters, pools, and any other watery receptacle that can act as a breeding repository for Mosquitoes. I have never observed any such public health intervention in Ghana.

My first prolonged visit to Ghana was in 2014. I stayed for one full year and left towards the end of 2015. I encountered many mosquitoes while there but never contracted Ghana’s most prevalent disease. Probably because I brought some anti-Malaria-parasite drugs with me upon my arrival here. Which my physician counseled me to take daily. Those drugs didn’t last me for the whole year but I spread them out over a period of several months and thus escaped Ghana’s most popular annual affliction.

Antimalarial medicines are typically distributed in the high-malaria season months of July, August, September, and October, but in 2020 the COVID-19 pandemic placed an extra burden on health systems in Ghana and restricted movement of health care personnel. To ensure that the 2020 seasonal malaria chemoprevention campaign could continue, the USAID Global Health Supply Chain Program-Procurement and Supply Management (GHSC-PSM) project funded by the U.S. President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI) worked with the National Malaria Control Program (NMCP) to adopt recommended safety measures and ensure they were strictly practiced throughout the campaign. (USAID Global Health Supply Chain Program: Preventing Malaria In Ghana Through Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention).

I returned to Ghana in September 2019 and lived in this country without experiencing any Malaria for two years. How I managed to avoid it for such a prolonged period of time is simply inexplicable. However, I came down with this malady in 2021. I can categorically declare that this is a disease that everyone should take very seriously. Since I had never experienced Malaria before I didn’t know the symptoms and accordingly I didn’t even know that I had it. This disease almost killed me because I delayed seeking medical intervention for several weeks. Until my friends and neighbors started urging me to go to the hospital. Since I’ve been hospitalized a few times previously, I’m definitely not a fan of that experience. I went to the Zongo Clinic in Berekum where I was diagnosed with Malaria and Bronchitis and prescribed the appropriate medications. Even though I took the Malaria medication faithfully, I became acutely aware of the fact that the illness clung to me tenaciously for several weeks.

I contracted Malaria for the second time in 2023. But by that time I had been educated experientially about its pathology. Some of the important facts that everyone living in Ghana needs to know about this disease are its exact signs and symptoms. They are as follows and I experienced all of them.

1. Aches and pains. Not only in the head but also in the hips and feet.
2. Diarrhea and this condition can lead to dehydration.
3. Fever right through the day and night. This is usually evidenced by profuse sweating.
4. Fatigue because you tend to sit a lot and have no energy to do anything.
5. Profound weakness in all of your muscles.

I recognized the symptoms the second time around and visited one of the local pharmacies immediately. All they did was sell me the recommended medication and instructed me on the time intervals at which to take them. Let me hasten to say that the directives I received depended on the pharmacy that I visited. They gave me no other information. Which might be due to ignorance, a desire to protect their bottom line, or a limited ability to speak English. Initially, I was given a card with 6 yellow pills and told to take one in the morning and then another one in the afternoon until they were all finished. Without any suggestion from the sales clerk, I specifically requested the anti-diarrhea medication and also a pain killer. Both are sold separately. I made such a request because of my knowledge of the disease. I faithfully followed the instructions given to me but discovered one week later that my illness persisted.

I returned to the same pharmacy approximately 2 weeks later and asked them if the anti-malaria medication they sold me really worked? The owner suggested that since I was from abroad, maybe I would need to go to one of the local hospitals for a week or so. Because the treatment would probably be more specific and effective. I do recall that one of my neighbors was hospitalized for a few days when she came down with Malaria in 2021. She recovered and maybe she did so more quickly than I did. I requested the same card with 6 tablets that they sold me previously. Then repeated the dosage procedure consistent with the instructions I had been given originally. I took the trouble to do this because after about ten days, the first time, I discovered that I had been reinfected with Malaria and the symptoms merely repeated themselves.

(TO BE CONTINUED).

“Then Micaiah said, “Therefore hear the word of the Lord: I saw the Lord sitting on His throne, and all the host of heaven standing by, on His right hand and on His left. And the Lord said, ‘Who will persuade Ahab to go up, that he may fall at Ramoth Gilead?’ So one spoke in this manner, and another spoke in that manner. Then a spirit came forward and stood before the Lord, and said, ‘I will persuade him.’ The Lord said to him, ‘In what way?’ So he said, ‘I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.’ And the Lord said, ‘You shall persuade him, and also prevail. Go out and do so.’ Therefore look! The Lord has put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these prophets of yours, and the Lord has declared disaster against you.” 1 Kings 22: 19-23 (NKJV).

Traditionally, we have been led to think that things happening on Earth have their origins here. A thirty-seven Federal Criminal Indictment has been recently filed in a Miami, Florida, Court House. Against former President Donald Trump. But how can we be absolutely sure that all the counts on which he is being charged? Originated exclusively in his own mind before he subsequently converted them into illegal actions? According to this sacred historical narrative, King Ahab thought he was going to Ramoth Gilead of his own free will. But actually, he was being seduced by a lying spirit to go there and die. For all the reasons previously outlined Ahab’s destruction had been preplanned in the throne room of the capital of the universe. There are specific other instances in scripture of humans becoming vulnerable to demonic control. One such available human medium was Judas Iscariot.

“Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread drew near, which is called Passover. And the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might kill Him, for they feared the people. Then Satan entered Judas, surnamed Iscariot, who was numbered among the twelve. So he went his way and conferred with the chief priests and captains, how he might betray Him to them. And they were glad and agreed to give him money. So he promised and sought the opportunity to betray Him to them in the absence of the multitude.” Luke 22:1-3 (NKJV)

The Festival of The Passover is a celebration by Jews of the night when the Angel of Destruction. Passed over the houses of the Israelite slaves living in Egypt. To visit the punishment of death upon all the firstborn of the Egyptians. Because Pharoah had refused to release the captives in response to the divine command.

“Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel and said to them, “Pick out and take lambs for yourselves according to your families and kill the Passover lamb. And you shall take a bunch of hyssops, dip it in the blood that is in the basin, and strike the lintel and the two doorposts with the blood that is in the basin. And none of you shall go out of the door of his house until morning. For the Lord will pass through to strike the Egyptians; and when He sees the blood on the lintel and on the two doorposts, the Lord will pass over the door and not allow the destroyer to come into your houses to strike you. And you shall observe this thing as an ordinance for you and your sons forever. It will come to pass when you come to the land which the Lord will give you, just as He promised, that you shall keep this service. And it shall be, when your children say to you, ‘What do you mean by this service?’ that you shall say, ‘It is the Passover sacrifice of the Lord, who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt when He struck the Egyptians and delivered our households.’ ” So the people bowed their heads and worshiped. Then the children of Israel went away and did so; just as the Lord had commanded Moses and Aaron, so they did.” Exodus 12:21-28 (NKJV).

The Festival of Unleavened Bread is a different event although it immediately follows the Festival of The Passover.

“So this day shall be to you a memorial; and you shall keep it as a feast to the Lord throughout your generations. You shall keep it as a feast by an everlasting ordinance. Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread. On the first day you shall remove leaven from your houses. For whoever eats leavened bread from the first day until the seventh day, that person shall be cut off from Israel. On the first day there shall be a holy convocation, and on the seventh day there shall be a holy convocation for you. No manner of work shall be done on them; but that which everyone must eat—that only may be prepared by you. So you shall observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread, for on this same day I will have brought your armies out of the land of Egypt. Therefore you shall observe this day throughout your generations as an everlasting ordinance. In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at evening, you shall eat unleavened bread, until the twenty-first day of the month at evening. For seven days no leaven shall be found in your houses, since whoever eats what is leavened, that same person shall be cut off from the congregation of Israel, whether he is a stranger or a native of the land. You shall eat nothing leavened; in all your dwellings you shall eat unleavened bread.” Exodus 12:14-20 (NKJV).

Both Festivals represent Christ. In Christ alone is complete deliverance from sin available. His blood must be sprinkled upon the lintels of our lives. So that we can receive the complete cleansing that will qualify us to stand before God’s high bar of jurisprudence, during His Investigative Judgement. Without that cleansing, the impenitent world will fall beneath God’s final wrath unmixed with mercy. Prefigured in most apocalyptic literature and demonstrated by the judgment upon Egypt’s firstborn. Leaven is a representation of sin. Christ is the sinless One. Therefore, as long as life lasts we must continually feed upon Him. That we might obtain virtue to live above sin.

“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life. I am the bread of life. Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and are dead. This is the bread which comes down from heaven, that one may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world.” John 6:48-51 (NKJV). We feed upon Christ continually, by daily bible study and prayer.

Why was Judas amenable to this kind of temptation?

Judas had naturally a strong love for money; but he had not always been corrupt enough to do such a deed as this. He had fostered the evil spirit of avarice until it had become the ruling motive of his life. The love of mammon overbalanced his love for Christ. Through becoming the slave of one vice he gave himself to Satan, to be driven to any lengths in sin. (The Desire Of Ages, P. 716 By Ellen G. White).  

“So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up to Ramoth Gilead. And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “I will disguise myself and go into battle, but you put on your robes.” So the king of Israel disguised himself and went into battle. Now the king of Syria had commanded the thirty-two captains of his chariots, saying, “Fight with no one small or great, but only with the king of Israel.” So it was, when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, that they said, “Surely it is the king of Israel!” Therefore they turned aside to fight against him, and Jehoshaphat cried out. And it happened when the captains of the chariots saw that it was not the king of Israel, that they turned back from pursuing him. Now a certain man drew a bow at random and struck the king of Israel between the joints of his armor. So he said to the driver of his chariot, “Turn around and take me out of the battle, for I am wounded.” 1Kings 22:29-34 (NKJV)

Mortally wounded and dying, Ahab had become a victim of his own treachery and lies. The very last falsehood he attempted to enact about himself and Jehoshaphat had failed miserably to help him. The prophet Elijah had given him a grim panoramic view of his end, and now everything in graphic detail was unfolding before him. What a tragedy? During the years of his misused life, it never occurred to him that except for the choices he had made. In the days, months, and years that were rapidly transpiring. He would have absolutely no other control over when or how it would all end. Nor did he care to investigate if he could have any influence over that factor. By his own wicked folly and self-indulgence. The King of Israel had ruined his own life, destiny, and posterity. Israel’s monarch addressed God’s messenger as his ‘enemy.’ That is the toxic intellectual culture of the world in which we live. People only want to hear what they already believe. Even if their beliefs are lies. Vis a Vis FOX NEWS, Tucker Carlson, and John Hannity et al. Furthermore, the MAGA MANIACS were willing to pay handsomely for such falsehoods.

Ultimately, the trumpeting of those blatant lies cost FOX NEWS three-quarters of a billion dollars. Now the Republican members of Congress are dutifully following in the footsteps of FOX. Most of them are telling their constituents exactly what they want to hear. That former President Trump is the victim of a politically weaponized Department of Justice. Will such a strategy work?

lies are told because one is afraid of the consequences should one tell the truth; thus, the liar is inevitably a coward, the coward is inevitably a liar.— L. Ron Hubbard

The consequence of Mr. Bush’s and Blair’s historic lie that the reason for invading Iraq was weapons of mass destruction, is that everything is being doubted.— Walid Jumblatt

Never lie to someone who trusts you and never trust someone who lies to you.— Unknown

A lie doesn’t become truth, wrong doesn’t become right, and evil doesn’t become good, just because it’s accepted by a majority.— Rick Warren

Every large-scale investment in a lie has always ended catastrophically. One such example told by theologians in Noah’s day was that The Lord Almighty was far too loving to destroy a world that He had made. We all know exactly how that fib ended.

“As the violence of the storm increased, trees, buildings, rocks, and earth were hurled in every direction. The terror of man and beast was beyond description. Above the roar of the tempest was heard the wailing of a people that had despised the authority of God. Satan himself, who was compelled to remain in the midst of the warring elements, feared for his own existence.” Patriarchs And Prophets, By Ellen G. White, p.100