The prayer of Moses I. Wrong place and wrong time to be Born a. Mother pain and desperation b. First field and incident and escape II. New land first encounter in Midian A. Somebody called him by his name III. The prayer of Moses A. Moses second and final departure from Egypt B. The sorrow and cried of Egypt IV. God at time does not answer our prayer in the pattern we want A. So the answer to the prayer of Moses answered through the Bible, we will only considered few of those answers such as the duties of men and women, the requirement of those who dwell under the sun.
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It a beautiful story
Standing for the weak
Mother prayer and grace
Somebody called my name
The prayer of Moses
So Teach us
The heart of wisdom

By : Peter S. Wiah
80 Deguire Boulevard
Montreal, PQ H4N 1N4, Canada
Started Nov 2008 – xx 2009

The Prayer of Moses the man of God Lord, You have been our dwelling place in all generations. 2 Before the mountains were brought forth, Or ever You had formed the earth and the world, Even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God. 3 You turn man to destruction, And say, “Return, O children of men.” 4 For a thousand years in Your sight Are like yesterday when it is past, And like a watch in the night. 5 You carry them away like a flood; They are like a sleep. In the morning they are like grass which grows up: 6 In the morning it flourishes and grows up; In the evening it is cut down and withers.
7 For we have been consumed by Your anger, And by Your wrath we are terrified. 8 You have set our iniquities before You, Our secret sins in the light of Your countenance. 9 For all our days have passed away in Your wrath; We finish our years like a sigh. 10 The days of our lives are seventy years; And if by reason of strength they are eighty years, Yet their boast is only labor and sorrow; For it is soon cut off, and we fly away. 11 Who knows the power of Your anger? For as the fear of You, so is Your wrath. 12 So teach us to number our days, That we may gain a heart of wisdom.13
Return, O LORD! How long? And have compassion on Your servants. 14 Oh, satisfy us early with Your mercy, That we may rejoice and be glad all our days! 15 Make us glad according to the days in which You have afflicted us,
The years in which we have seen evil. 16 Let Your work appear to Your servants,
And Your glory to their children. 17 And let the beauty of the LORD our God be upon us, And establish the work of our hands for us; Yes, establish the work of our hands. Psalm 90 (New King James Version)
In this brief paper the Prayer of Moses the man of God will be our discussion. We will only highlight the three major points that are cover in the prayer, and these are the expressive agelessness of God and his greatness, in contrast to Mortal man the creature of God hand, Let list these as, the eternity of God, the frailty of man, as expressed from verse one through six. In chapter 90 of the book of Psalms The Submission to Divine chastisements, as described in verses seven through eleven. And the Prayer for mercy and grace as done in twelve through seventeen acknowledging that without God we actually have no dwelling place. Sweet Mother
As we are about to discuss the prayer it will be a good idea to know something about the man who offer this prayer. So please indulge me for a moment or two. It is beautiful story and each time it is told it carries some sad elements with it. In my Sunday School Class I could not fully understand the whole story. Being that in my culture and society no mother would ever abandon her child even in the weirdest of cases. Even in the death zone mothers would choose death to guarantee the safety of their children and this was clearly demonstrated during in the civil crisis in my country in the late nineteen eighties nineties and early two thousand, one of the worst civil crisis in Africa namely the Liberia civil crisis. Which simply I called hatred brewing in the African Patch due to nonsense nature of the whole fiasco that induce a pain never before experienced in that nation.
Most of us left our homeland in early nineteen eighties, before the nation stared falling apart. By early nineteen nineties the nation was plunged into civil war that lasted for almost two decades, and leaving over three quarter of million people dead and million dispersed into refugee camps across West Africa. For those of us who were fortunate to have left home before this outrageous fiasco, we sat in awe and helplessly watch world News, as children bearing arms, and the horror that rocked the nation to its knees. We watch the painful scene of mothers, children that had been slaughter by rebel gangsters buried in mass graves. This outbreak was initiated when Taylor invaded the country and join force with Johnson, they later broke into two forces, After the murdered of Doe by Johnson the two men became rivals, and as the situation soared out of hand more rebel groups were born and led mostly by those who were driving by greed and revenge, to either get back at Johnson for his role in Doe’s death, and other group who felt they had a rights that were not acknowledge by the country. These diverse group end abducting children and as the result insanity was the normalcy of the day. These rebels went from village to village in the name of the government looting, and destroying.
The nation has falling from it highest post in African history and was now a bad word among its neighboring nations, as thousands of Liberians fled to those nations to seek refuge and safety. As the crisis worsen things fell apart completely the capital lost its water supply, than power, government building were burned or stripped to skeleton as we watch the few seconds clips on the Evening News. A picture of total desolation, the nation was left in complete darkness, no phones, no mail systems as letters were returned to frustrated citizens living abroad who have no means of reaching their loves one for weeks, months, and years. For more than a decade the nation went below the poverty level than any known nation on planet earth, all in the name of power and wealth. The government was not concern with the welfare of its citizen, as many were murder, and many children dying on a daily from simple curable diseases as the world washed its hand standing far off claiming the tragedy to be of domestic nature and needed not outsiders intervention, yet we have witnessed foreign intervention in other cases. May God bless those west African nations that took pride and step out when others claims it was not of their concerns, as brothers kills brothers and children carrying dangerous weapons of which they have no abilities to fully understand the gravity and consequences.
How did we get here? As historian will tell us Liberia was created by the American Colonization Society in the nineteenth Century, as a home for the free slaves who wanted to return to Africa. These returnees finally settled on the Grain Coast, now called Liberia, and were welcome by the chiefs and the elders of the land. As unwritten rule settlers there will always be some confusion and misunderstanding especially if there is a language barrier and cultural differences. Whenever there was conflict between the settler and the Citizens the chiefs would intervene to arrest to disputes. As colonies were formed and governments were being created by the Settlers, the tribal groups that occupied the territory before the arrival of the free men, were kept out of political power. Only those of the freemen descendant could take office in the national government. Secondly the tribal hatred that kept the ethnic groups apart were never resolve by the coming of the freemen, in fact having learned of these tribal dissensions that were usually base purely on speculation without any further investigation, the freemen who had little academic education than the native Liberian used these speculations to their advantage and kept the nation partially segregated. High education was made possible to the descendants of the freeman, as they took the role of the masters they had left across the sea. But as the Prophet Daniel rightfully wrote in time to come knowledge will increase, men will travel to and fro, so it came to passed. The native Liberians were attending colleges and some travelling the west African coast getting higher education offered mostly by the British colonies, such as Sierra Leone and the former Gold Coast, present day Ghana. No matter how highly a native Liberian was educated he was not able to be a cabinet member, and mostly all government offices were reserved for the descendant of the freeman and some of their associates. Ironically those that were once oppressed and wanted freedom were now the oppressors, and by 1847 the settlers declared independence from their overseas oppressors. The Free Men who is refer to as Americo Liberian ran the newly formed nation for decades. It was almost after a century of running the nation, before an African-america born in Liberia came to power. President William V.S. Tubman rule the country for nearly three decades, and did the best he could to resolve some the tribal issues and break down some ethnic barriers and unifying the country, alone with his Vice President Tolbert, who served with him for nineteen years. Yet with minimum development.
Tolbert took office after the death of President Tubman and led the country for almost a decade . During his administration he introduced changes that were greatly in the interest of moving the nation towards greater development that the country has never experienced. His Total Involvement and Self Reliance policies brought farm to market roads, established more High Schools around the country. The President motto was to fight poverty, ignorance and disease that has kept the nation in the dark for years. The new policy was nothing that the nation ever experience, the government actually send out nurses to the remote part of the country were conventional medicine were off limit and out of reach. With president Tolbert came the introduction of educated native Liberian into government offices such as minister of Education, and other public duties.
All of President William R. Tolbert hopes, dreams and aspiration of making our nation one of the best in the world came to an end on April 12 1980 in a Coup d’etat led by Master Sergeant Samuel K. Doe. After the Assignation of the president, 13 of his cabinet members were also executed, their charges were rampant corruption and High treason. The Master sergeant and his People Redemption Council promise to returned the country to civilian rule within few years, but they never kept the promise. Head of State Samuel K. Doe of the Military government formed a political party calling it The National Democratic Party. The NDP defeated the Liberian Action Party that was led by the former Minister of Education F. Doe, a former Minister of Education in the Late President Tolbert government. The two men Samuel K. Doe and Jackson F. Doe have no relationship and are from two different tribal groups.
This was the birth of doomsday for the nation when a military turn civilian to run a country in a manner that is different from military way of addressing issues. With the death of President Tolbert it was a sure thing that the nation was headed for collision. All the changes that the late President Tubman and Tolbert has struggle to plant were now being rooted. Disregard for the law was creping in when the people Redemption step into power. The tribal feud was slow burning as Doe started killing members of the People Redemption council that had help made him head of state. As one look back since the 1980 the nation has not regain it stability, lawlessness has increased, people in power disregarded the law by killing of innocent people without being held accountable for their action. The frequent fight within the parties created more tribal conflicts as the African proverbs rightfully states, when two elephant fight the grass suffer, and by 1989 the nation was at full scale of civil war, which has been brewing for long period. The civil conflict last for over a decade and half or two if one takes into consideration the silence slaughtering of the innocent by armed men taking order from military big shots. The worse was yet to come when General Thomas Quiwonkpa who had fled the country due to Doe threats, came back after the 1985 fraudulent election with armed men to overthrow the newly formed government of Head of state Samuel K. Doe. The failure of his efforts led to tribal feud in which Samuel K. Doe and his supporters attacked Quiwonkpa tribal group the Dahn as commonly called Gio, the sister tribe the Mano of Nimba county. The nation was once again at its original points when tribal groups were just trying to understand one another and live together. As the feud started brewing Doe was sworn into office as the nineteenth president of the Republic of Liberia on January 6, 1986. As John Emerich Edward Dalberg wisely states Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Doe being invested as president now has absolute power, in a country where the president appoints who he wants to in office such as city major, district superintendents, and down to school principles. And the nation was at the mercy of the President Samuel K. Doe, who had every little education in national administration and his advisers where also in the haul for personal gain and had no intention of the welfare of the nation was at heart. These advisors to President Doe where educated people, who to some degree had failed to understand that one could not run a country while the majority where still struggling to have decent school for their children, and no clinics for the relief of common diseases. As these advisors were set on satisfying their greed there was another counter act luring somewhere to take the government to task, as well noted the Freemen used the fear that fueled tribal conflict to their advantage and passed that to their descendants. So when fraud former Goods and Services Agency director took the nation funds and deposit in his personal foreign account no one was willing to speak against this crimes.

The nation as a whole and the government of President Doe was stunned when Charles Taylor, who once worked in the Doe Government entered the country in 1989 December with armed men from other west African nations who had some grudge against Doe. He used the Doe against Quiwonkpa conflict to ignited the feud that cause him to recuit the Gio and Mano as they seek revenge for the murder of their son Thomas Quiwonkpa who was killed by Doe and his supporter few years earlier. With the arrival of Taylor came more pain and distress to the nation. Because his armed men went through the nation from east to west and any one who spoke against his evil invasion was terminated, villages were turn to ghost towns as his men entered, many killed and other running for their lives. The country was in the hand of Taylor he was judge, and jury, as many were killed, including the president of the university of Liberia the only state university. And other highly educated people of the nation that have strive to bring about justice, fairness and stability. In order to keep the support he got from the Gio and Mano, that he had recruited to having invade the country, to over throw Doe’s government. Supporter and members of Doe’s tribal group were attacked by Taylor armed men killing civilian mostly children and women. In response to the massacre the Krahn Doe tribal emerge with the Mandingo and engaged the Taylor Rebel group and this continue to lead the nation down the drain as thousand of innocent lost their lives and many more wounded. It has been an endless conflict even though the world at large may believed our conflict lasted for a decade and half, but those who live through those tragic years have another story, and that personal narrative is what would give us the truth about the conflict and the length to which it lasted. Because the crisis have left the present generation of Liberia uneducated, untrained, to make any meaningful contribution to the development of what is now considered the poorest nation under the sun. All the peace accord that were signed, all the conferences that were held never could never ease the pain of mothers who waited in vain in the bushes, day and night for their abducted children to come home unharmed. These are the people that can retell the gravity of the civil crisis that has brought the country to it knees. As usual the human pain and suffering that a conflict creates are always over shadow and play down by some reporters, the self interest groups and at times historians. At time we refuse to tell our stories of personal struggles because they are too painful to relate and relive so we leave out the hurtful events in our lives and put on good front like a brave soul. Perhaps that is how the human spirit is train, that one is willing to expose as much hurt that he can with stand. And concealed that which he deemed personal and uninteresting to relate to others even close family members. We do not consider such a thing a lie, as we deceive ourselves in the process of holding on to thing that have hurt and is still hunting us from our past. This fact was displayed in the many peace accord signed to arrest the Liberian civil conflicts, but as the prophet Jeremiah has written the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?
On the other hand we do not want to be judge as weak hearted. We at time failed to realized that by expressing one hurt and pain in a open manner, can be the beginning of the healing process. It is from the experience of dealing with our personal hurts and pain that we are able to help others that are going through similar situation like we have experience in the past. So it is in the best interest to always be sincere in addressing issues, listen more, speak less and help others to brighten their day in their hour of darkness. As it is said if you can not say a good thing about any one do not speak about that individual. The evidence of evil will always come to light, it might take a little longer, but it shall be reveal. The pain this conflict created was greatly experienced by mothers who lost their children in the fiasco, who could have literally giving their lives for their children safety.

As demonstrated in this West African legend. Once upon a time there was a King who had so many wives. After the Raining Season he would go to war year after year. So it happened that one time he was going to war that he order the midwives to killed any male baby that was born to him by any of his wives while he was gone. Unfortunately one of the wives was pregnant before his departure. That created a very serious concerns for this young wife, back in the old days people did not know the sex of child until after birth. This young pregnant lady have few problems, she was lest like of the other wives. So before her pregnancy could come light she had made friends with few of the senior midwives, since she has never had a child before she also confided in the priest, if in case the child was a male the priest would secretly take the child, she rather that than to see her child be kill at birth.
Since no one could actually predict the precise date the child would be born, the priest and the midwives kept the eyes on their daughter, everywhere she went they secretly follow. One day while the village children were at play and mothers were worried about their husbands that have gone to war with the king. She gave birth, surprising to herself, the priest, and midwives she had twin, boys. Compound problems now the priest must find place for two babies, and being that he lives beyond the river nobody would really care he had twin, these children had no relation to King Zawolo kingdom. The Priest tore his Red Robe and give a piece to the mother and swore to her that when these children grow up they will one day come to find her and this piece of clothe would be the sign that she is their mother and they are your sons. She took the piece of the priest rob tied it in the hem of her lapper and came home crying bitterly with the midwives, and the whole village mourned with her for her lost. They knew that she have had a male child.
Many years have gone by and the Kingdom have had a long lasting peace. But Old King Zawolo has a domestic problem that is disturbing his kingdom. His mighty men of war could not find the solution. The Elders send the Town Crier throughout the kingdom to pronounce that whosoever solve the king problem would be rewarded half of his kingdom.
The boys are grown up and are told by the priest to find the biological mother. The old priest gave them a piece of his robe and told them the story of their birth. When they came to the kings village they were to secretly look for their mother. But as we know destiny sometimes takes us on a detour and life at time does not play out as have we plan. As they travel the kings trial in jungle they were attack by the furious beast. They fought the beast all through the night and by the break of day they had over powered and killed the beast. The boys have not heard the kings order, they were only defending themselves, as the priest have taught them. never start a fight if possible walk away, but in this situation with the beast, it was a matter of do or die. Having killed the beast they came to a creek took bath washed their sores from the scratches they got from the beast, and travel on to find their mother. But unknown to them they have solve the kings greatest concerns by the killing of the beast that have prevented visitors, and the servants around the kingdom from bringing their gift to the king. The King have not had a meeting with the Elders for years since the trail became deadly to travel, and many who have tried to travel the trail have perished by the wayside. For years the drums have stop playing during the full moon in the king village, the old men have stop telling stories around the fire. Great king Zawolo has become very down hearted. by this beast that has taking the lives of few of his mighty warriors. So when the king heard the news of what had taken place he was over joy. In the days of old the kings lives in largest village in his kingdom. (This fire place taught two major lessons one is that a mother will rather sacrifice then to allow her child to suffer, )( However by the time cry could spread through the kingdom the some unknown person or persons, or group has secretly provided the answer the king trouble heart and sleep nights .Upon the King hearing of this great news the Tom Tom were played for one whole night, and great feast was called, the Elders; Old man, Geleor were invited to the feast. The king wanted to reward the heroes or hero in a public manner, if the victor proved to be the real champ. Many groups and individuals came forth to tell of how they rescue the kingdom from the wild beasts that attacks the villager who travel the king trails. )
The life of Moses as we learn in Sunday school started with an edge of adventure, a mother daring to safe her son by put him in harm way. When she was threatened did the unthinkable, what was she thinking? She takes her son to the river leaves him, because she rather her son be killed by some unknown force in her absence than to watch the execution of the innocent. Sometimes when these Bible stories are told we imagine that the events were calm, that Pharaoh Armies went quietly and gather all the male babies put them in a chariot, took them out of town and gas them to death slowly or threw them in the Nile one by one, that would have been the least decent inhumane thing to do. But that is not how the drama was carried out. There were cries in Gaza, and Goshen of Hebrew mothers weeping and some been wounded as they fight for the lives of their babies boys, that were yanked from them, been killed by swords before their eyes. There was a great confusion of mothers running with their babies from Pharaoh armies and fathers trying to revolt. No one can fully understand the pain of a mother, especially when it involves her child. A hurting and angry mother never stops if she decides to do something for her child sake. Jochebed did what any mother in the old country would have done. Maybe she might have thought to herself, if the Lord smile on my child somebody down the river would find and adopt him. One could say is this one of the Biblical stories that exposed the evil of power greedy leaders, and the pain that they inflicts on their citizens in the past and even in today society as narrated in the previous chapter in the Liberian civil crisis.
No matter how you see it, no matter how much Spirituality you inject into it. The Story of Moses portrays a family in distress, and cannot figure a way out. This a family that was deeply troubled but could not find any solutions. Being that it is a human story it bring alone all that we face today. There are certain family matters that one would not just tell any neighbor. In the case of Moses the entire community was helpless no one could speak against the evil order of Pharaoh, to safe the lives of the innocents. We read and see similar events play out in modern day societies across the globe. When thousands are been slaughter while millions stand by silently. A word of caution my friend let try to make change where ever we can, let speak against evil, help heal the hurts of others in whatever manner we can. Because we are the keeper of humanity, and if we fail to speak up and be the voice of the voiceless, mouth of the speechless, someday we will join Niemoller who said. “In Germany they came first for the Communists, and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a Communist. Then they came for the Jews, and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a Jew. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a trade unionist. Then they came for the Catholics, and I didn’t speak up because I was a Protestant. Then they came for me, and by that time no one was left to speak up.” – Martin Niemoller. While the locals are suffering and children are hungry the leaders are glad to have foreign bank accounts. While the leaders children are studying overseas, and the children in their country do not have any quality school systems if there is any school at all. Humans behaving less than human as come along way, and we wonder how long, will it take for us to recognize that we are here today and gone tomorrow? The rich want more and careless who is hurt in the process so long their will is achieved. Let the Gorilla and the Rebels destroy the country so long they are not in power. There are times when we ponder and ask the oldest question where is God? We still ask this question when we lost a love one, we still ask it when a child gets sick and died, when a teen is shot in the street of our modern cities. God is where he was when Cain Killed Abel, when Christ was nailed to the cross, when my senior Pastor three year old son got burned, and was in comma for nearly a year. May I submit that God is still upon his throne, with the world in the palm of his hand. The plight for mother fighting to safe their kids is as old as creation, and mother are still fighting for well being of their children up to this date. It is a sad thing, but I must propose till Jesus comes again, and bring peace to earth, Let hope and pray that there will be Pharaoh Daughters down the river of broken homes, drug abuse homes, and poverty strikes zones to rescue abandon kids in distress In my mind Moses started out just like any kid from a rich family home who had all that money can buy, on the second note he was like any kid who had a God fearing mother, who was taught from childhood the importance of God and the gravity of been a good citizen, and good community person. Becoming a good citizen and good statesmen are all based on the choices that we make after all has been taught. Many people have the tendency to predict people behavior and actions, we say he is from a good home, or his father is a minister or pastor, and we bring these same ideas when we approach the Bible. There are many who read into the Bible that Moses knew God plan for his life before he was called by the Burning Bush, well done, I could write the same notion about Saul who later became Paul, or about Jacob who became Israel. Let stop all speculation and listen to the real human pains and hurt that people experienced in the Bible. Maybe that will help us to feel and know that God is always there for us even though we fail him so many times trying to do our own things. No man has ever know his future, accept for Moses in the case that he was inform to come up to the mountain top and view the promise land but he was not going there. I love this saying by Sunday that is so true "Life is what you make it. Some folks blame environment. Bunk! You put an old devil anywhere, and he'll still be a devil. Man is not a creature of environment. He was created to be master of it." - Billy Sunday

It is a beautiful story
It is a beautiful story and it ends with the abandon baby boy been rescue by the princess. So the child grew up having all the benefit that a prince is entitle to, he had Marshall Art, History, law, literature, writing and language instructors, the best education that Egypt had to offer. He also had a nanny who taught him about another God that is far superior to the gods of Egypt. Maybe when he was in his teens he would sometimes go see his baby sitter, and maybe he remember places that she might have taking him and somewhere along the way she might have reveal some secrets to him and made him promise not to tell the Princess of his discovery. Who knows maybe Ramsey might have made a joke calling him Hebrew boy, and the boys would have gotten to a fight that was broken up by the princes. But as Moses grew up and age of reasoning kicked in, He wonder what could be done to help the oppressed of the society? In viewing the gravity of the situation Moses had more to learn, and issues to study and internships to undertake. Who in their right mind would want to throw away been a prince for nonsense. Maybe the nanny had told Moses his real roots, so making fun out of that would not be that bad, after all he was still eating at the Kings table and was love by the Princes more than others. Moses had a strong will, if he had believed what his nanny taught him. And if his plans was to do anything about the situation he knew that he needed to be educated and more a statesman to address the plague of the Hebrew in a civil manner. He needed to learn more of how the Hebrews got to Egypt, and their rights within the Egypt society. Moses have heard about the ill treatment of the people, the injustice that they have to live with, but he must be integrate in the Egyptian society to have a voice to speak up against the oppression of his people. (mlk) As in the words of the old preacher injustice anywhere threatens justice everywhere. But proper planning and training was needed by Moses to deliver his message to Pharaoh and the elders of Egypt. This is one of the greatest lessons that we can learn from his early life. To be patient, quite and study issues and when we you speak or take action we must be ready to bear the consequence. Because speaking up for the poor, the down trodden of society is not a popular thing to do. As history have shown we note that many who have undertaken this task in the past have become victims to fatal crimes. So one day Moses is the field watching the slaves work. Maybe they where repairing a pyramid, and the harder they work some power drunk who thinks that by hitting a overworked and tired slave will make him important and powerful continuously strikes the workers. I am of a strong conviction that Moses did warn him to stop, because he was deterring and slowing the workers, and perhaps he was too stubborn to listen. Therefore the Prince wanted to get his attention and accidently killed the oppressor that was bullying the workers. Within few days the word has been spread abroad therefore the Prince have to run for his life. After several days in the wilderness Moses came to a well very thirsty, and sat down hoping that someone would come and give him a drink. As it is done in the old country the girls came to the well in the cool of the day to draw water, so as Moses sat there wondering where he would spend the night, he saw some girls coming to draw water. As the girl started drawing water some shepherd came and demanded that the girls first draw water for them and they would leave the girls alone. Moses been a stranger at the well might have told the shepherd to leave the girls alone. As we know bullies always ignore advice and want to act tough, not knowing that the stranger has black Belt. Well the rest is history the shepherds ran away and Moses drew the water for the girls, whatever you called it, I say first impression hum.
In our society we see these kind of people every day, albeit at play, school and work, they will always find some fault no matter what you do. Sad to know that we have these bullies in the church, their way must be done. If you do not agree or support their faulty ideas, they condemn you to hell. The sadness of Religious bullies is one thing that is leading our world down the path of destruction. Many even hold the Bible they teach and preach in contempt and want certain pages and chapters remove that speaks against their wrongful and unbiblical engagements. Other group feels that they are the only ones going to heaven, and there are those who want to take your life because they are Gods armies on earth and the hand of the Lord is short that he could not strike men dead if he so chooses. Please let me relate a story about those who claim to be God polices or prophets in the church. Not long ago I was speaking a long time friend of mine, who has been very sick while I was away. As we talked I was told the gravity that the sick had taken, many surgeries done and many medication to take for as long as possible. But during the early stage of the illness after the first of many surgeries to follow one of those self appointed angel that we have in our churches, told my friend the illness was from God for sins that my friend have committed. This child of God is at the point of death and we worry about punishment for sin. What happens to the Christian love we are called to live? If in case we have forgotten let think about the provoking words of Matthew Poole, when he wrote that The whole will of God, containing our duty towards men is reducible to this one thing, love; for whatsoever God hath commanded us to do towards men, is but a branch from this root, and must flow from love as its principle.”As the Apostle Paul plainly request of all Christian in Galatians 6:1 Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself. To God be the praise my friend still goes to that church on every Sabbath. It is something to ponder what would Moses do if he was with us today? Another thing that we can learn from the early life Moses which is very important is his first mortal mistake. Never strike in anger, do not speak while angry if you cannot deal with it walk away, and as in the word of an unknown pen “Keep your temper. Nobody else wants it!”. Note the trouble it got Moses. If we as Christian will learn to deal with brutish situations in loving manner our churches will always be a place of refuge and not a refuse where we throw out single mothers and disassociate with the single fathers. If we see a sister or a brother been taken advantage of by the devil and they fall into sin, our response must be to lent a helping hand to lift that individual just as Christ has lifted us. Lately there has been a catchy phrase that has spread rapidly among the Christian world. We see bracelets and other items and that phrase is what would Jesus Do or WWJD? So what did Jesus do with the religious bullies of his days? On one occasion when the lady was caught in adultery and brought to Jesus without the man, Jesus simply reminded those men of their sins and unjust behavior. And told the woman neither do I condemned you but go and clean up your act, do not allow these people to use you. Jesus days were exciting in the manner he address those self righteous people. Standing for the weak
There are many in the Bible in who stood up in defense of others, one the riskiest story ever told so far as I know is about Abraham. Nowadays we have new name for nearly everything, back then it was conquest, in today’s language we called it invasion. Invasion is as old since there were greedy kings in ancient days. Ancient Kings were notorious for invasion sometime they just wanted to enlarge their kingdom, collect more wealth and expand their military power. Secondly if a larger kingdom ask you to join him to fight against another kingdom and you refused, he would invade your kingdom and take your army by force. As we read the Bible it hard to find a story in which Abraham took advantage of any situation, In fact when his servants and his Nephew servants started fighting over pasture field for their herds, Abraham being the oldest in accordance with traditional had the right to choose first and Lot would have to take what he was given. But when the case got to Abraham he told his Nephew Lot to choose first. Therefore Lot Chose the best of the field which off course is located at the edge of a major city. Border towns have been something of ancient they are always attractive. Before long Lot was now resident of the city, you know how it works rich people can get anything they want down to residency in other countries while the poor are still on line at the immigration office the rich people papers are in the office been process.
One day while Abraham was taking a break after coming from the field, he saw someone running toward his house, right away he got out of his arm chair and went to meet the stranger, when he came closer he knew the stranger was from Sodom, so he ask in the old fashion manner is it well with thee and thy city? In response the stranger told him what had happened, how the city was destroyed by another king, and the victor has taken everyone and every living thing captive including Lot and his family and servants and everything that he own. So Abraham gathered his men, saddled the horses and donkey and went after the king that has taking his nephew captive. This is the only incident recorded in the Bible where Abraham actually engages in a fight to redeem those that have been taking advantage of. The full details of Abraham Rescuing his Nephew Lot is recorded in Genesis chapters thirteen and fourteen.
In many respect if we are in the position to do something about bullies and those that are been pushing around whether physically or emotionally and do and say nothing we are also guilty of the act, maybe not to man but before the Lord. Because Christian are called to do what is just and fair in helping others to live in peace and happiness, in bringing joy to the lonely, and comfort to the discouraged. As Jesus said whatever you do to the least of these is done unto me. There it is, if one refuse to step up and help the helpless, if you say this is none of my business even though you know very well the pain that the neighbor next door or a coworker are experiencing and you give no sound advice to help that neighbor get out of the mess, well just take note that the neighbor is a child of God, one of the least. Remember at times all you have to do is listen without saying a word, so they can know that someone care, perhaps having clear their mind they will make sound decision of their own. Maybe all they needed was for you to listen.

Mother benediction /Forever Young
The years have gone by so fast that no one seems to remember, but for the nanny Moses is still her baby. Well most of us will not understand the gravity between parent and children. At times I still laugh my father who is almost eighty, still strong mentally and physically, but he still sense my frustration and uneasiness about some issues. Even though we live thousands miles apart he still gives order on the telephone as to what I can and cannot do. I guess to our parents we will always be children, and for some unexplainable reason they feel and sense our uneasiness. And this primal instinct has been ingrained in all loving and godly parents, and exceptionally deeper in mothers. Moses mother had this unexplainable vibe. One evening Aaron came home from work, and as the family sat for super, his mother notice his continence was a bit deepen, his face a bit sour and as all loving mother do, they smell and sense uneasiness in their children even in adult hood. Maybe he had already warned Miriam not to tell mother because she worries too much and Moses incident would really killed her. There is a silence around dinner table, and mother is not going to stop questioning until her inquiries are satisfied. What happened in the field today? Miriam looked at Aaron and their eyes locked as both exhale together, then Aaron relates the events that had happened in the field, how Moses accidentally killed an Egyptian who was ill treating an Israelite who was already working. The next time Aaron came from the field he told his mother of the final event and that Moses has left on a self imposed exile and he knew not his where about. Knowing what a good and Godly mother is, please allow me to take you back to Goshen to the day that Moses mother heard that her son has fled Egypt knowing not where he was headed. I think she said a prayer to the God of her ancestor and ask for protection for her runaway son. I have tried to find a prayer that Moses mother might have prayed and the request that she might have made for her son. One could say it could have been of some equivalent to the Prayer of the Old Irish Blessing, which reads:
May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind always be at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face, and rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His hand But I would vote that words of the song by Rod Steward, this in my mind would have made the best prayer in this situation. I can hear Moses mother citing these words, though they were written some thousand years later. may God bless you and keep you always may your wishes all come true may you always do for others and let others do for you may you build a ladder to the stars and climb on every rung and may you stay forever young forever young forever young may you stay forever young may you grow up to be righteous may you grow up to be true may you always know the truth and see the lights surrounding you may you always be courageous stand up right and be strong and may you stay forever young forever young forever young may you stay forever young may your hands always be busy may your feet always be swift may you have a strong foundation when the winds of changes shift may your heart always be joyful may your song always be sung may you stay forever young forever young forever young may you stay forever young
Some mothers do have powerful prayer like this or different, I am just trying to catch the parent prayer for child that they may never see again until kingdom comes. I believed the closest we can note is Laban loosen his two daughters to Jacob, and that is the prayer we all recite when departing, as recorded in the book of Genesis commonly known as the Mizpah , which reads “May the LORD watch between you and me when we are absent one from another. Genesis 31:49. but in Moses situation there were no plans made as we read, maybe only Ramsey might have known the plan, but he might have made pledge not to tell the Princess. Therefore the family never had a going away party, he just took off without disclosing his where about since he would have become a wanted man of his days. may your song always be sung

Some body called my name Moses spent forty years in wilderness tendering sheep, by now he might have forgotten and abandon most of what he had learn in Egypt or so he thought. There is something magical about early learning it never leaves you. For instance you still remember the person you had a crush in the first grade, the first time when you father took you to your first baseball game to watch favorite team. Maybe some days Moses would sit under a tree and think back to the good old days in Egypt, when he and Ramsey would fight for nonsense, and the Princes would break up their fight by screaming at them to get alone. And as his mind would go wondering back again to those invincible days of youth he would maybe sit under stub and write a song, a poem or a prayer and wondering how is Miriam doing, and how is Aaron by now he must be married, than he would think about his aging mother and Nanny, and as tears would filled his eyes he stops writing and thinking about Egypt and tries to control the herd. He has been gone for over three decades by now, but Egypt cannot be erase from his mind, this is his birth place. As we look through the eyes of time the shepherd is about seventy years of age and looking back he might have had some uneasiness about the struggle of his people in bondage, wondering what might have been had he still clam and deliver a well prepare speech on oppression of one fellowmen to Pharaoh. But that was then he was just wondering, so he would whistle and gather the Shepherd dogs and patrol the fields. Then one day as he is sitting under the tree resting from walking in hot desert sand he heard the dogs barking and in the distance he saw the bush on fire blazing. He got his staff, which serves two major purposes one to strike any snake he see in the wilderness trying to attack any of his sheep, and sometimes for support when his feet got weary from all day walk. As he draws near to the burning bush he is somehow relief that the fire has not spread to cause any damage, but on the other hand the bush is not been consumed and the flame is not dying down. For almost four decades he has walked this wilderness and he knows every Oasis, every hill, but he had never seen anything like this. Maybe on one or two occasions he might run off some crazy sheep robbers but that was long time ago no one can messes with Jethro’s shepherd and son in law is the word around Median and Moses knows, but today this burning of the bush is strange. As his fire fighting skills overtook he drew near to inspect and put out the fire to prevent any spread than he anticipated, but then something happened he heard his name Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I. What a relief, he thought that maybe Zipporah might have seen the fire while bringing him something to eat and came to help him put out the flame. But as he got closer to the flame he is warn to take off his sandals, because he has enter an Holy territory. Ah! Who could be playing such serious joke and if this is not Zippe or Jethro who else knows he is here in Midian as Shepherd and most of all who else knew him by name. But as he looked around he sees no body, could this be the God that Jethro spoke about who dwell on mount Horeb, or the God that his nanny told him about who knows everyone by name? Moses is standing before a burning bush barefoot in the desert on a hot sunny day talking to himself or so it seem from the distance.
The narrative in Exodus three has some hair raising elements that are filled with human reflexes. First Moses is caught off guard that the fire is not spreading and the bush is not dropping any residues to the ground. Maybe he might have thought he have had a tough day, and was seen what was not there? Maybe so, but when he heard somebody called his name, he was sure this was not daydream it was real. Having done all the investigations and the voice from the fire still speaking, Moses had one option and that was to inquire who is beyond this burning bush that knew him by name. Please allow me to tickle your memory for a while about the power of been called by your name. Many of us have had that experience, remember when you were younger and when mother called out your full name you knew you were in trouble. And on the other if girl or a boy you have been secretly admiring calls your name it send chills down your spine, and put a little dingle in your walk. Well here is one of those moments in my life when I felt uplifted and very important.
I left home when I was in the twenties to travel overseas to work. It is a big deal for an African boy who grew up in the village without electricity and running water. It is a big thing because there was no way to go back home if life was though on me a foreign country. You need to understand that our village was made of one large family my father and his brothers and their wives, and his sisters and their husbands, so there was nothing to lack. But it was also a no nonsense village, you were the child of village and not just the son of Swenway wesseh. There I was in a foreign country learning a new language, while I was still struggling to master the Queens tongue which happens to be the Official Language of my country. Here I was and nobody actually knew me. The people that I work with did not know the village that I came from, not of them knew my parents, or any of my family member. There were times when my mind would steal away back to those years when we used to swim all day and ate young Coconuts like it was going out of season. Someday I wonder about my parents, and my sister. But due to the civil conflict that was brewing in my homeland communication became no existence, when you write letter it would take months to get a reply that is if you were lucky to get a reply. No one actually knew my birth name that is used in our village other than my giving name. Then one night I was down the Hole and to visit my school mate, upon entering the apartment I recognize a face that I have seen many years ago in my home town. I was a kid then, now in the twenties and have change somehow, growing up does that to you. I introduce myself and we shook hands, for while he would not let go of my hand, as if his computer was loading, he repeated my name, then called my mother’s name, than he stood up looked me in the face and called me by my birth name as known throughout our clan and give me a hug. it felt like some load had fallen off my back. Somebody knows my name and has discovered my where about, someone who knows my parents, my grandparents, my aunts and the whole basket of family has final find me in this foreign land. where even those from my country do not even know my me at all, only on a professional level, and did not really care about my well being. But someone who knows my childhood history has called me by name, by my clan, by my village and town. So I fully resonate with Moses curiosity unlike me, he is from the palace in Egypt, a prince who have denounce his identity, and has become a shepherd in a far away country. Maybe the Medianites could not say his Hebrew name right so they might have given him a nick name, like Moore or Moll, like most us do. For forty years this lone ranger have walked the Median desert attend his father in law herds, It has been almost four decades since this prince turned fugitive left Egypt in run for his life after his mistake in failing to following the instruction of the Martial art that you never strike and you used your skills only in self defense. In the burning bush encounter we learn a viable lesson that when God calls you for a task, it means that he has already provided the means for fulfillment. The only thing that is require of you in the task is simple obedience as an hire, you are just an employee and not the architect. For Moses there was Aaron as spokesman, the staff for enabling him to convince Pharaoh of the higher order. The miracles were done as God way of explaining to Moses who he is and that he was serious about his mission.

The prayer of Moses, the man of God.
Let read the prayer together just once more, let it sink into our mind words by words and verse by verse: A prayer of Moses, the man of God. Lord, you have been our refuge through all generations. 2Before the mountains were born, the earth and the world brought forth, from eternity to eternity you are God. 2 A thousand years in your eyes are merely a yesterday, 3 But humans you return to dust, saying, "Return, you mortals!" Before a watch passes in the night, you have brought them to their end; They disappear like sleep at dawn; they are like grass that dies. It sprouts green in the morning; by evening it is dry and withered. Truly we are consumed by your anger, filled with terror by your wrath. You have kept our faults before you, our hidden sins exposed to your sight. Our life ebbs away under your wrath; our years end like a sigh. Seventy is the sum of our years, or eighty, if we are strong; Most of them are sorrow and toil; they pass quickly, we are all but gone. Who comprehends your terrible anger? Your wrath matches the fear it inspires. 12 Teach us to count our days aright, that we may gain wisdom of heart. 13 Relent, O LORD! How long? Have pity on your servants! 14 Fill us at daybreak with your love, that all our days we may sing for joy. 15 Make us glad as many days as you humbled us, for as many years as we have seen trouble. 16 Show your deeds to your servants, your glory to their children. 17 May the favor of the Lord our God be ours. Prosper the work of our hands! Prosper the work of our hands About four decades Moses have been in the presence of God literally speaking, they had meetings, he even asked God to show him his glory, he wanted to see God face to face and not just hear him. It is Incredible to note such a request from Moses, because he have walked with God for many years, he slept in very presence of God on the mountain top for a month and ten days, he was fed from the table of heaven literally, God even discus the ten commandments with him before engraving them on the stone Tablets. The Lord wrote them on the stone tablets that they would not be mingle with or forgotten. But it seems that after many years of been in the presence of the Lord and trying as hard as he could he felt and fall short of what the Lord had actually required of him. Therefore in recognition and acceptance of his humanness and weakness he has become humbly, and have decided to ask the Lord for a clearer understanding of how to live life fully in accordance with the will and way of God. So teach us to count our days is the prayer, that we may learn how to live each day in your presence wisely, since our years will soon come to an end. Show us what is required of us in the seventy or eighty years that we spend on this earth. Even if those years are prolonged to four scores or five and ten or shorten to a score and five how should one live to bring honor and glory to your name? How can one approach you throne of grace and mercy without warning you out, or wearing oneself out? These are sincere concerns that have brought Moses to this point of asking that Lord to teach us how to count our days, since we will be require to give an account for our days on earth. But as we know the Lord at times does not give immediate responses to our inquiries and yearning hearts, but he does provide the answers, but not just how we want them. Because we usually want response to our inquiries according to our demands which are usually instant in nature.
As we stand on the shore of the twenty first century looking back to about nineteen hundred years before Christ, we see Moses the man of God kneeing before giant a ball Bright of cloud on Mont Nebo. Asking God to give him the strength to be able to over look the narrow minded and show love and understanding, he is seeking the ability to love younger women as his sisters, and younger men as his brothers. The prayer is for the capability to treat ladies older than him as older sisters and mothers with respect and love, and older men as big brothers, elders and fathers. All that Moses is asking is that the Lord may speak in human language or make it simple, bring it down to the people on their level. Even though the Lord had already given Moses the major requirements for the children of Israel the Ten Commandments. The Lord also condense it into just one verse that would make it easy to understand and remember as we read in Leviticus 19:18 Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself: I am the LORD. (King James Version) The request is not an inquire into understanding the mysteries of God dealings, rather how one can deal with his brothers and sisters in a manner that is pleasing and commanded by God? How should the preacher deal with his kid after he has returned home from saving the world? How does the elder deal with his neighbor after sunset on Sabbath evening? How should we deal with people that are diverse both in thought and deeds from us? How should the choir director deal with people throughout the week? These are common human relationships that are simple and yet difficult to handle. One needs wisdom in order to properly address and handle these fragile elements of dealing with the children of God. But the wisdom that is requested in this prayer is so broad that it covers our relations to our fellow men and God.
Teach us to count our earthly years so that we will learn to live wisely according to your will. Give us the wisdom that only you can inspire, that will teach us not to be proud but to hate pride, that will teach us to hate arrogance and not be arrogant ourselves, to show us to hate evil and not be partaker of evil ourselves, rather give us the courage to stand for you. In a simple word teach us to examine ourselves daily and do things that only you desire of us. Teach us to know that we are here just for a while. Help us to seek the wisdom that will help ring this reality in our ears. To remember that whatever we do here there is a prize to pay if not now than later in the life to come. May our task then be to seek that which will be pleasing to the Lord and in so doing make preparation for our citizenship of the Golden city. Teach us to count our days
As we ponder the Prayer of Moses there are few things that will be worth to consider and store in the back of your mind. The gravity of the prayer, humanly speaking we are always taught how to address dignitaries, and how to appeal to the powerful of our earthly communities. How the poor should relates to the rich, and employees relates to employers. As in the old tradition, we first praise the chief, or the king, tell of all the great work that he has done and is doing for his people, we tell him that there is no match to his greatness, and we know praises softens the heart of king, then we make our request. When Moses starts his prayer he first tells the of great creation story, and the right of God to do whatever he so pleased. The length of our days are his design and who can say otherwise, or as the Psalmist wrote who is like unto thee oh Lord, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises On the other hand in this recount Moses is an educated man, from best tutor in Egypt, he was a shepherd who count his herds and knew their exact number. He is not asking the Lord to mathematical figure out the days of his life. I could guarantee that Moses could calculate three hundred and sixty six multiply by seventy off his head without the use of a note pad. As clearly written by Doctor Luke in the book of Acts chapter seven verse twenty two And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and in deeds.
Nor is the inquiry about knowing the time, day, week, month and year of one death. There are certain things that are left in the control of the creator. And as the Wiseman wrote the living know they shall die; but when will they die the Bible does not give us the detail information, so that is God decision when to blow the finale whistle on a man life. Moses knows that, so he is not asking God for merely second and minutes. His inquiry was prompted by what he has experienced and was still experiencing. He has been to the mountain top and have had a little talk with the Lord. Yet there reminds some cloud of confusion on his mind as he comes down the mountain to dwell with his people the children of God. As he is coming down the he sees a sea of people he had just lead out of Egypt. As he draw near the camp he hears mothers crying for their dead children, wives crying for dead husbands in the wilderness. The prince of preachers express so well when he wrote Moses saw, with deep regret, that the great host which came out of Egypt would have to die in the wilderness. Every day there were many funerals, for a vast multitude of men and women, and children, had to be buried in the wilderness; and tears of sorrow and sympathy must continually have stood in the eyes of the great leader of the children of Israel. Let take into consideration Moses encounter and relationship with God. First of all God went after Moses and asked him to go back to Egypt and bring out his Children. Their first meeting is not a smooth one, as recorded in Exodus chapter three, first God have to prove himself to Moses, and convince him who he actually is. After the miracles, Moses is fine with order to go back to Egypt, but God have to provide a spokesman for him, so the Lord appoints Aaron Moses older brother for the task. Therefore Moses did as was commanded and went to Egypt and brought out the Israelites. As we read the account of the wilderness experience Moses is always the mediator, when God is fed up with stubbornness of Israel and want to destroy them Moses always prayed for his mercies to endure. We also notice that on many occasion that Moses himself did lost his cool. So in order to fully understand the will and way of God he penned Psalm 90. Before you find your Bible to read this prayer let me lay out the various parts, first Moses tells of God greatness and his care for the well being of mankind, in verses one to two, verses three to eleven explores and expose our frailty, mortality in contrast with the immortal one, Thirdly one of greatest appeal on man behalf is made in verse 12 Teach us to count our days aright, that we may gain wisdom of heart. The final verses appeals and pleads for God to continuously be merciful to his people, to always be forgiving when we fail. Not to give what we deserve but to be treated with mercies and compassion, because if he chooses to destroy who can stop him. As Moses wrote in Exodus 15. 11Who is like unto thee, O LORD, among the gods? who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders? And as encored in Micah 7. 18 Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy.

That we may gain a heart of Wisdom
It would be fine to just address the first part of verse twelve and leave the second phrase for another time. But that would not be fair to the text in its entirety. The second phrase reads that we may apply our heart to wisdom. I do not think Moses is asking for wisom to be wiser in the eyes of men, the scriputre said he had attained in the wisdom of Egypt, and with additional concil from Jethro the friend of God. When I first came across the verse it arrest my thoughts in a confuse manner. Teach us to number our days that we may apply our hearts to wisdom. The whole chapter lays out everything that we want and need to know about God. It explains how we are powerless but he is powerful, that we are his creatures the works of hands and he is the creator, and that without him leading we are lost, and as the old priest wrote our hearts are restless until we recognize and find God our creator. The chapter clearly expresses that God is our shelter and shield. Moses wrote the prayer that lead us to the knowledge of our mortality and the immortality of the creator. It bridges the finite and infinite, and connects the relationship of Creator and creature. One does not need a college degree to know that they would one day be sick. One does not need any schooling to know that when you are hungry you need to eat something. This is why those who refuse to eat are said to be on hunger strike, they are refusing to follow the dictates of their bodies and minds and nature. And most of all that death visit all men at the pointed time, and if that has not reach or register in your mind just look around you where are your great grandparents, or your grandparents they have taken the path of death. As I ponder, what does wanting to live long and knowing how long one will live has to wisdom? For the wisest man ever to walk the earth, greatest of preachers said in Ecclesiastes two verse sixteen For the wise and the foolish both die. The wise will not be remembered any longer than the fool. In the days to come, both will be forgotten. NIV in fact Ecclesiastes chapter two impound the question further than I intended for this discussion, so why is Moses asking for wisdom for our short life on this side of heaven? What is this wisdom and what will it do for us in this life or in the life to come? Please bear with me as I bring this to a conclusion. First what is wisdom in our day to day understanding of the world? Here is what the English Elder Webster writes about wisdom, it is the ability to make sound judgment. This is what King David and his son King Solomon have to say about wisdom. David wrote in Psalm 111:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever. Why is the fear of the LORD the beginning of wisdom? What does it really means to fear the Lord in the context of wisdom? King Solomon answer our inquiries in one verse from Proverbs 8: 13 The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, King James Version) . Therefore one could say without a shadow of a doubt that the wisdom requested in the prayer is that which will enables one to make true and right judgment in dealing with their fellow men, and in relation to the cause of God. But this wisdom cannot be attain by human efforts, it is a gift from God. Only the Lord can show us things that are pleasant to his sight, because man is incapable to fully express and teach the will of God without aid of Holy Spirit. As we read in James 1:5 If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. (New King James Version)
Therefore wisdom in question will enable us to seek the will of God for our lives and that of other. But we need to first of all understand our duties as the children of God. And it is the full understanding of our task that we need guidance in carrying out our duties. Ecclesiastes 12:13 (King James Version) 13Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. The prayer makes a request which God has not ignore, but has responded and we are advice to hate evil, to walk in the light, to love mercy and pray daily to stay clear of sins. In general we are like students, we wait the last minute, we want to be inform of midterm before we start to study for exams. Most students will wait the last minute before they start writing term papers. But the Master has another means for grading his students. His method of grading, he said there will be weekly quizzes and if you make A+ through the semester on all quizzes you do not have to worry about the finals. There will be a quiz every Thursday, and papers due on due dates. Teach us to count our days aright, that we may gain wisdom of heart. Understanding the requirement that is to be fulfill we should waste no time trying to be the most popular guy on campus but let get to work now that we will not have to rush in the end of life journey. The wisdom need for our earthly task has been provided, the tools needed for laboratory work are free to all who come to the lab. There is no excuse, why you could not finish your paper on time, the writing lab is open all day. You are informed what is required to pass the course, now the choice is yours.
Now let take a closer look at the wisdom needed to help us go through life as commended by the Lord. The prerequisite of the knowledge of good and sound judgment is the fear of the Lord. This mean that there are certain characteristics that defines God giving wisdom, and just as there are the fruit of spirit, as we read in Galatians five verses twenty two to twenty three , But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. There are also fruit of wisdom as recorded in James 3:17-18 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. 18And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace. In this prayer Moses retells the creation narrative, the fall of men, and makes plain that our redemption is the will of God. Therefore one must understand the means that the Lord had already made available, because that is the only way that mortal can put immortality, corruptible can become incorruptible. One can never catch the glimpse of glory, until the wisdom from above that is given to those who seek begins to produce fruit from the heart. Happy is the one in whose life the beatitudes has become a second nature for it is evidence that the wisdom request in the prayer of Moses has started to be display. This is a progressive journey because as one gain this wisdom there are foolishness that must be put away for maturity in accordance with the Lord. Jesus clearly said bless is anyone who has taken the path of the beatitudes as recorded Matthew 5: 1 And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him: 2And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying, 3Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. 5Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. 6Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. 7Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. 8Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. 9Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. And due to the fact that true wisdom comes from the Lord, the world does not understand it character. And the fruits it bears are for the production of better characters in our lives and it help us to show others the love of God.
Since Jesus stressed the gravity of this prayer as noted in the beatitude, we are called to take this prayer into serious consideration. Because as we know Moses is one of the greatest intercessors second to none, and the prayer is one of the highest intercessory prayer ever made. We are not trying to define prayer, but we notice that those who take on the task of intercession are those who have gain the heart of wisdom in their walk with the Lord. These individuals have strong bond of friendship with the Lord and understand the importance of openness and sincerity with one friend and in relationships. Moses had that closeness with the Lord therefore he pleaded on the behalf of the children of Israel whenever they were in error. There are well noted intercessors throughout the Bible, you have heard about Isaiah pleading with the Lord, and Daniel interceding for the captives in Babylon. But there is one that is less mention, one that we could say gain the full heart of the wisdom from above and live it to the fullest. This man walked and talked with the Lord on daily basis for three hundred and sixty five years. Our mystery man is the great grandfather of Noah, the man who actually built the first ship. Well you guess it right the man is Enoch. The relationship between Enoch and God is described in very few words, about six verses in Genesis five, eighteen to twenty four, and his life span is three sixty five years, and that he walked with God, and God took him. Enoch was father, an husband, a citizen and a faithful servant of God, that is the end of his brief life. Very short and to the point, He loved God and God took him. Please indulge me for a moment because my mind is going wondering back to those years when there were no hot summer sun, no chilling winter, early springs, no late falls. There was man name Enoch one of the great grandson of Father Adam who lives in the hill a little east outside of Eden. His Grandfather and father has taught him about the creator who sole aim is to be a friend to the human race. But it was long before great grandfather Adam broke the friendship by doing what he was advice not to do. Hum, how and where did he meet the Lord for them to start this walk that lasted three hundred years? Maybe it could be that Enoch was coming home one day from the plains where he usually spend his days, teaching the sons of Adam the way of the Lord and pleading with them to stop their wicked ways. As he came up the hill he met a stranger that joined him travelling the same direction. As they talked he notice that he had never seen the stranger before, none have he ever heard anyone talk like the stranger. He was wise and had abroad insight to everything they talked about as they walk towards Enoch home several miles outside the gate of Eden. As they drew near Enoch home the stranger asked why are you troubled, but Enoch had just met the stranger and could not confide him all of a sudden even though he knew the stranger was right, he had the burdens of the plain upon his heart. The next day they met again a little outside the plain and continue their conversation where they left off the day before. The stranger smile and asked brother Enoch how often do you come down the hills to the plains? Well everyday even on Saturdays I do come with the family and we visit the elderly and the children play their instruments for them. On many occasions Enoch would invited the stranger to stay for diner, but the stranger promise and took re in check, and continue on his journey to east of Eden. Enoch have double trouble, there is something about the stranger that he can not figure, the stranger words and insights always grasped his heart, and yet he could not get those who dwell in the plains off his mind. His prayer and hope is that the children of Adam will followed the instructions that their fathers had passed onto them. He is hopeful, tomorrow he would come again and teach and plead and pray, comfort those that down hearted, encouraged those that are discouraged. He longed that one day somebody will be help, and decide to help in helping others, but today he is still pleading with Lord for the plain dwellers. Sometimes after super he would sit under the older Cedar tree gazing into the cloudless heavens praying that the creator will have mercy and give him wisdom that he can teach the people how to live in harmony. Then he would pray for strength to be able to go again tomorrow to continue his daily task.
The next morning as he is coming down the hills he sees the stranger again, they walked and talked as friends do, and after becoming will acquainted with one another the stranger asked if Enoch would one day like to visit the Old Garden of Eden? I know great grandfather and great grand mother used to live there very long ago but, I have never been there to see it, nowadays I am engaged teaching here in the plains. After many encounters the stranger would sometimes give in to Enoch invitation and come home, Mother Enoch would bake her favorite Apple Pie and the aroma would cover the hills for miles, in the still cooling breeze of the setting the sun. The stranger would take a bite or two, a drink and leaves. Some days he would spend few hours with Enoch, and the children would come and interrogate their papa new friend. The children would asked the guest where is he from, what is it like? So he would tell them of the city where he came from has giant Cedar Trees like the one by their home, there the water is crystal clear, and the children there never get sick. The walls of the buildings are made of jasper. There is also a tree that bears twelve different fruits all year round. The Children could wait for the stranger to come the next day and tell them about his home, they would watch to see two head coming up the hills so they would run to meet their papa and his new friend.
Now walking back from the plains was a delight, Enoch has a companion with whom he could unload his worries and cares of the day as they walked homeward. A companion that could listen without interruption and answer any hard question, and yet never judging. The other day when they were homeward bound the Stranger once again asked Enoch, friend why do you looked cast down? By now he knows Enoch very well so there is no way he could hide his feelings. He told of the event that had happened in the plain that day. Of the child that died, the weeping mother, the disappointed father and he was wondering how long would it take before the whole issue of death could be ended so he would no longer have to see the hurts on the faces of parents, and dealing with the concerns of widow and widowers could completely be done away for good. He wanted his friend to give some high insight, some wisdom as to how he could deal with the issues of sorrows, sickness and how soon were these things to end. His companion would listen without answering his concerns not saying anything the whole way home. Few day later as they were walking homeward the Companion asked Enoch to come with him on a day trip, the next day they left home early morning and by noon they were standing few yards outside the Eastern gate of the Garden of Eden. The Companion told Enoch about the Cherubim with the flaming sword and why he was placed at the gate. Then he took him on the other side and pointed to the tree that father Adam eaten, and to the east of that tree was the Tree of Life. Having seen the peacefulness of the Garden Enoch was sadden on their way from the trip, but his companion advised him not to worry about how to reenter the early home of his great grandparent while the Angel guarded the gate with a sword. One day someone will come to ask the angel to leave his post for the children of Adam to go in without any problems, and that will be the day that sorrows, sickness, pain and death will cease. Enoch continue pleading with the creator on the behalf of the children of Adam, that they will one day learn to walk humbly, do justly and love mercies and follow the ancient path of obedience that would lead back to Eden.
After many years of walking the plains, the companion asked if Enoch would like to come home with him one day? Enoch is glad about the request, and you could see the smile that busted on his face. That will be no problem but I will have to discus that with Mother Enoch before I give my answer, if that is ok with you. Enoch come home and his face is brilliant, off course since he met his companion something has change about him. His face continuously beams with some radiance and everything about him has change from good to better. Today the hug is too intense and the kiss on the forehead made mother leg to pap, she knows he is up to something, so what is it she asked? Well, He ask to go home with him. When and how long will you be gone? He said next Friday if that is alright with you, well you do not want to hurt his feelings after all he always comes each time you ask him in fact he become like an uncle to the children and you do not want to disappoint them by not go to see where he lives. In fact I think he is the best thing that ever happened to you all these years you spend in the plains. May the Lord send him to keep you going all these years so please go with him. On Thursday mother is baking something for Enoch to take for his host. So early that Friday Morning his companion came and said thanks to mother Enoch for allowing him to come home with him. As he stood and spoke to Mother Enoch directly face to face she saw something that Enoch have never seen and she knew that this was not some regular Joe from the plain, but someone that the Lord had send to lead Enoch. But what she is seen cannot be explain so she bowed her head and knelt before the companion, and he assure her that Enoch will be well taking care of. With tear in her eyes she woke up kissed Father Enoch and walked to back of the house where the children are playing. And since that day Enoch has not been seen anywhere. For he took a walk with the Lord, he was no more. I think it would have been some thing difficult to do, having walk into the presence of God, where all is peaceful than a human tongue can tell, and still have earth on your mind.
The mention of Enoch give us hope that as one gain the heart of wisdom and starts to live it, things begin to change for the positive direction. As one become closer to the Lord he starts to mend our character defects. The longer we stay in the relationship with the Lord, our lives become made over, or as the new testament writers puts it we become new creation. The prophet Jeremiah gives us the best illustration, when we seek the Lord way for our lives and surrender to him, we become like potty in the hands of the Potter. We are sprung, crushed and sprung again and again until all the lumps are out than we are ready to be fire. When this happens Obedience to the will of the Lord becomes second nature, and we wait on the strength of the Lord to carry out our daily tasks. This is the aim of the prayer of Moses, the wisdom is not from men, nor his Moses seeking for early possessions, no, but a heart that will understand the heart of God. These two men interceded as the world was falling, and men hearts were constantly imagining evil, they pleaded with the Lord as the creation was sinking deep in sin daily. Their prayers were for a bright day when they would go out and see love and harmony among families members, and clans getting along, their prayer was the repentance for the children Adam and Abraham, that these children would recognize the will of the Lord and be obedience to his instruction for their lives. Because obedience is the only way that the children will be able to march right back into Eden being led Michael.

The reward of wisdom Hebrews 11.5-6/ Roman 1.21
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Several years ago I was pastoring a church in Providence, Rhode Island. It was not a huge church, but was a church geared to reaching the resettlers from the war torn West African country of Liberia. One year I had a meeting with the board, and it was decided that on Thanksgiving Day there will be no sermon, rather we will spend the worship time for testimonies from members expressing their appreciation and gratitude to the Lord, for what he has done for them individually. Members told their stories of deliverance in the civil crisis, some had angelic visitation while at gun point and cannot actually explained what happen next. There were heart warming stories one after another of the mighty hands of God that he continues to stretch downward to rescue his own. It was an wow experience for me because these people have been through so much, lost so much and we grateful for been at life and penniless. Some were still in the process of locating family members that have taking a wrong direction and gone missing. Most of them were spending hours on the phone calling refugee camps that were spread around West Africa to locate their love ones. These were hopefill people to work with, and their stories were more than a thanksgiving sermon. It is one thing to see the news clips on television and the local News paper than to actually be in the presence of these survivals and hear their stories and see their pain, and hear the hurts in their voice. This is one of those moments that you never forget.
There was a lady who was grateful for what the mother had done for she and her sibling and other children that were under her care during the civil war. Due to the time and been considerate of others she made her testimony short, but I was left spell bound. The mother was also a member of our congregation, and as I look from the platform into the congregation the mother had her head bow in a prayerful mode. During Potluck I just had to interview the lady because her testimony was too short and one could feel that there were some details left out. As we talked she told me what had happened on that particular day that had caused her to be more appreciative of her mother than ever before. When the news of the rebels reached their town the father packed the little he could and told the mother to take children to the farm until the situation was calm than he would bring the family back home. So the mother left with the children and headed for the family farm which is about day journey if you are on the jungle trail. But due to security reasons you never used the public road because you could encounter these ruthless rebels gangsters. secondly People stop using the main travel route because the rebels had what they called check point every couple of miles, and these check point were something like the western customs, but greatly different these rebel check points were the place where people wedding bands, watches, necklaces, and any fine piece of clothing was confiscated, the men walked away with only boxer or brief if he had on any jeans pants or simply tailor made, and there was nothing you could do about the situation. So the family have to walk through the bush and avoiding been spotted or heard, the day journey was done in few days been that there were kids in the group that were making the trip on foot for the first time. Finally they have reached the farm and many days have gone by but there was no sign of father in sight. Later someone had also escape the village and reached the family farm, and told the mother what he had seen when the rebels reached their town.

One day I conversing with a friend of mine, and he narrated what he and my sister husband had experienced during the civil crisis. walked for hours in the brief barefooted, because the rebel came to my brother in-law and discovered that he just came from aboard and sneakers and jeans pants, they clean the house took these two in rebel jeep and threw off in rubber farm and promise to kill they ever see them again. imagine two grew men in briefs walking barefoot in the forest. After some time a man who knew the family well arrived on the farm and told mother that father was arrested by the rebel and force to be their Jeep and made to be their driver, because some member of the rebel group knew that he used to teach at the vocational school as mechanic. With father gone and not knowing when he will rejoin the family mother had multiple role during the chaotic period. One afternoon uninformed some rebel had made their way to the farm and decided to enlist all the children that could carry guns. With the noise and confusion our mother came to see what was going on. The rebel told her that they were taking all the children to their commander to be enlisted. She said well I will like to meet the commander also, because these children are not going anywhere from this farm. The confusion went on for hours the old lady holding the rebel gangsters. She knows what these rebel have done, killing innocent people, she would have been killed and no question ask, but that was not her concerns at this point, her children were not leaving the farm while the father was still a large. Mother have not had any peaceful sleep or rest for days, have not heard the of where about of father for several days, and she is at the point of loosing her children. The group could not take Mother, because she was old and murdering her in front of all these children will not be a wise thing to do. Off course these rebel have murder many parent before, but right now the lives of her children is what count if it meant her death so be it, but the children were not going to be enlisted. After several hours of struggle one of the rebels suggested that they go back to base and inform their commander of this old woman, maybe he would give them the permission to deal with her, whatever that means or he would have to come himself as she has demanded. So the gang left with some food that they took from the farm. After several days the gang show up again with their commander. After reaching the commander order that everyone be brought outside and line up. Mother was always in the garden finding something for the us to eat for the day. One of the rebel who came the daybefore finally when behind the house in the garden and order mother to come meet the commander. She quickly hurry to the house to make sure none of the children had been inducted into the rebel group. When she came to the front of the house all the children were in line surrounded by rebels with arms, when the commander saw her, he order that the children be release immediately, because the commander knew the old woman from his elementary days, she did not recognize him, he has grown, and now was rebel leader. As a way of peace offering the commander ask if mother could please find the Oldma has something for his boy, so they still and she prepare some food for them and after eating they left the family in peace, some how became the protector of the farm. Since they had free movement and were always on the defensive when they hear of any other gangster rebels coming that direction they would inform the oldma what was ahead and to prepare to take cover if needed.
It was God that was with us because those rebel had no moral conscience at all because old people are treated with respect regardless of their status, their age made them qualified and that alone demands respect in our culture, and society. But these are rebel who were out to abuse power, whenever the rebels came to a town or village they would forcefully enlist anyone that was able to carry a gun, early teens, boys and girls, women and men. Any form of resistance was met by beaten or death and there was no authority to question the cruel behavior of these outlaws. Some mothers were murder in the presence of their children because of their refusal to allow their children to be enlisted.
There were no real government forces to control the rebel groups, because both side recruited children to be part of the ruthless movement. Therefore whenever it was heard that a warring faction was approaching a town or village people ran into the bush for safety After many days finding direction the entire family final reach Gbolomu with sore feet and partially empty stomachs . And few days later as she gather whatever food she could find for the children, another rebel group reach her farm, and demanded the all the teenager in family be enlisted immediately into the anti –government rebel group. . As the argument rose she started cooking whatever freshwater catfish and crawfish she had gather. The rebel are deciding what to do with this stubborn lady, killing will cause more trouble, take her will not be a good choice . After cooking she put some food in the big bowl for the rebels and after they had eaten, they decided to get back and inform their commander what had happened that day on the farm and why they could recruit anyone on farm. So the next day the commander and few of the rebel came back to the farm to forcefully enlist the teenagers that were there, and deal with obstacle that prevented the initial efforts. The practice was that people would wake up dawn gather what they could and headed for the bush until dark, because when the rebel came to town or village they take control of everything, and stole anything that they could find these rebels were ruthless, at times they even whipped elderly men that were too old to run for their lives, rape girls and put the parent at gun point. Many father were killed trying to safe their children hostile treatments from these game rebels. they took jewelries off those that had them. These were the darkest days when the Liberia fell from its glorious heights to lowest of human decency in African history. When they reach the farm everyone was ordered outside the house. These rebel were without a cause, they destroyed anything, without a second thought, most of those who lost their lives were the innocent the who had no voice anything the government, because the country was run from the capital, the head of state pointed down to the clan chief, and the people had no option but to take what was giving. The rebel likewise classified anyone that was not a rebel as government informer and an enemy. People had no choice but to run for their lives, causing people to go where they would never go on normal conditions, eat what they will not eat unless for survival sake. This was a war without limit children and mother murder in cold blood, just one man to take power. This is the sadness of power greed that men continue to experience from time in memorial. gat bas something about her that I could not figure, she will hem my pants, pack food for me to take home she was just like a mother the to entire church.
As rightfully written in the lyrics of an African musician Prince Nickol Sweet mother, if I don’t sleep my mother never sleeps, I am sick she stills by me, when I am hungry she finds me Palm butter , sweet mother I will never forget the manner in which you suffer for me. So it stuns an African child who has a very high degree of mother care and love, to read or hear about a mother who will abandon her child so easily or so it seems as the story was told. And the narrative does not express the pain and hurts of the mother in the story perhaps the detail, as we note in the pain of Jacob was forever mourning for Joseph. might have help clear the fuss to any child who will read or hear the story.
After a couple of weeks an army jeep drove to the farm, upon hearing the sound of the vehicle we took cover in the bush as usual. When the vehicle came to a stop in the front our house few armed men got out and went through the house room to room. When they return to the jeep they let the driver out. And demand that he locate his family that he claimed was on the farm. Since mother could see what was happening in the distance, when father got out of the jeep, she also came out of hiding and started talking to the armed boys that guarded the husband. So father told her that he was driving for the army, and these were guard assigned to him that he does not escape his duties. She reasoned with the boys, but they already had their order to make sure the Old man was safe, and he could anywhere so long they were with him to make sure he was not capture by other warring faction. When mother sensed that it safe, and having bargained with the army that so long as they had the husband as a drive they were to promise never to abduct any of his children into their group. Finally we were out of hiding, and try to acquaint ourselves with those armed boys that our age. Father would go and come with food in the jeep. Some of the nearby farmers quickly learn about father connection with the armed group and sought refuge at our farm. So within few months the farm was transform into a little refuge. Mother task once again was double, she was a new matron with dozens of kids to care for. XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX Hatred brewing in the African Patch
Most of us left our homeland in early nineteen eighties, before the nation stared falling apart. By early nineteen nineties the nation was plunged into civil war that lasted for almost two decades, and leaving over three quarter of million people dead and million dispersed into refugee camps across west Africa. For those of us who fortunate to have left home before this outrageous fiasco, we sat in awe and helplessly watching world News, as children bearing arms, and the horror that rocked the nation to its knees. We watch the painful scene of mothers, children that had been slaughter by rebel gangsters buried in a mass grave. These rebel went from village to village in the name of the government looting, destroying.
The nation has falling from it highest post in African history and was now a bad word among its neighboring nations, as thousands of Liberians fled to those nations to seek refuge and safety. As the crisis worsen things fell apart completely the capital lost its water supply, than power, government building were burned or stripped to skeleton as we watch the few seconds clips on the Evening News. A picture of total desolation, the nation was left in complete darkness, no phones, no mail systems as letters returns frustrated citizens living abroad who have means of reaching their loves one for weeks, months, and years. For more a decade the nation went below the poverty level than any known nation on planet earth, all in the name of power and wealth. The government was not concern with the welfare of its citizen, as many were murder, and many children dying on a daily from simple care diseases as the world washed it hand standing far off claiming the tragedy to be of domestic nature and needed not outsiders intervention, yet we have lived through foreign intervention in other cases. May God bless those west African nations that took pride and step out when others claims it was not of their concerns, as brothers kills brothers and children carrying dangerous weapons of which they have no abilities the fully understand gravity and consequences.
How did we get here? AS historian will tell us Liberia was created by the American Colonization Society in the nineteenth Century, as a home for the free slaves who wanted to return to Africa. However, the tribal groups that occupied the territory before the arrival of the free men, were kept out of political power. Only those of the freemen descendant could take office in the national government. Secondly the tribal hatred that kept the ethnic groups apart were never resolve by the coming of the freemen, in fact having learned of these tribal dissensions that were usually base purely on speculation without any further investigation, the freemen who had little academic education than the native Liberian used them to their advantage and kept the nation partially segregated. But as the Prophet Daniel rightfully wrote in time to come knowledge will increase, men will travel to and fro, so it came to passed. The native Liberians were attending colleges and some travelling the west African coast getting higher education offered mostly by the British colonies, such as Sierra Leone and the former Gold Coast, present day Ghana. No matter how highly a native Liberian was educated he was not, government offices were reserved for the descendant of the freeman and some of their associates. Ironically those that were once oppressed and wanted freedom were now the oppressors, and by 1847 the settlers declared independence from their overseas oppressors. The Free Men who is refer to as Americo Liberian ran the newly formed nation for decades. Almost a century an African-america born in Liberia came to power and rule the country for nearly three decades, and did the best he could to resolve some the tribal issues and break down some ethnic barriers and unifying the country, alone with his vice president for nineteen years. Yet with minimum development.
Tolbert took office after the death of President Tubman and led the country for almost a decade . During his administration he introduced changes that were greatly in the interest of moving the nation towards greater development that the country has never experienced. His Total Involvement and self reliance policies brought farm to market roads, established more High Schools around the country. The President motto was to fight poverty, ignorance and disease that has kept the nation in the dark for years. The new policy was nothing that the nation ever experience, the government actually send out nurses to the remote part of the country were conventional medicine were off limit and out of reach. With president Tolbert came the introduction of educated native Liberian into government offices such as minister of Education, and other public duties.
All of President William R. Tolbert hopes, dreams and aspiration of making our nation one of the best in the world came to an end on April 12 1980 in a Coup d’etat by Master Sergeant Samuel K. Doe. After the Assignation of the president, 15 of his cabinet members were also executed, their charges were rampant corruption and High treason. The Master sergeant and his People Redemption Council promise to returned the country to civilian rule within few years, but they never kept the promise. Head of State Samuel K. Doe of the Military government formed a political party calling it The National Democratic Party. The NDP defeated the Liberian Action Party that was led by the former Minister of Education F. Doe, a former Minister of Education in the Late President Tolbert government. The two men Samuel K. Doe and Jackson F. Doe have no relationship and are from two different tribal groups.
This was the birth of doomsday for the nation when a military turn civilian to run a country in a manner that is different from military way of addressing issues. With the death of President Tolbert it was a sure thing that the nation was headed for collision. All the changes that the late President Tubman and Tolbert has struggle to plant were now being rooted. Disregard for the law was creping in when the people Redemption step into power. The tribal fued was slow burning as Doe started killing members of the People Redemption council that had help made him head of state. As one look back since the 1980 the nation has not regain it stability, lawlessness has increased, people in power disregarded the law by killing of innocent people without being held accountable for their action. The frequent fight within the parties created more tribal conflicts as the African proverbs rightfully states, when two elephant fight the grass suffer, and by 1989 the nation was at full scale of civil war, which has been brewing for long period. The civil conflict last for over a decade and half or two if one takes into consideration the silence slaughtering of the innocent by armed men taking order from military big shots. The worse was yet to come when General Thomas Quiwonkpa who had fled the country due to Doe threats, came back after the 1985 fraudulent election with armed men to overthrow the newly formed government of Head of state Samuel K. Doe. The failure of his efforts led to tribal feud in which Samuel K. Doe and his supporters attacked Quiwonkpa tribal group the Dahn as commonly called Gio, the sister tribe the Mano of Nimba county. The nation was once again at its original points when tribal were just trying to understand one another and live together. As the feud started brewing Doe was sworn into office as the nineteenth president of the Republic of Liberia on January 6, 1986. As John Emerich Edward Dalberg wisely states Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Doe being invested as president now has absolute power, in a country where the president appoints who he wants to in office such as city major, district superintendents, and down to school principles. And the nation was at the mercy of the President Samuel K. Doe, who had every little education in national administration and his advisers where also in the haul for personal gain and had no intention of the majority at heart. These advisors to President Doe where educated people, who to some degree had failed to understand that one could not run a country while the majority where still struggling to have decent school for their children, clinics for the relief of common diseases. As these advisors were set on satisfying their greed there was another counter act luring somewhere to take the government to task, as well noted the Freemen used the fear that fueled tribal conflict to their advantage and passed that to their descendants. So when fraud former Goods and Services Agency director took the nation funds and deposit in his personal foreign account no one was willing to speak against this crimes.

The nation as a whole and the government of President Doe was stunned when Charles Taylor, who once worked in the Doe Government entered the country in 1989 December with armed men from other west African nations who had some grudge against Doe, He also ignited the feud that cause him to recuit the Gio and Mano as they seek revenge for the murder of their son Thomas Quiwonkpa who was killed by doe and his supporter few years earlier. With the arrival of Taylor came more pain and distress to the nation. Because he armed men went through the nation from east to west and any one who spoke against his evil invasion was terminated, villages were turn to gost town as his men entered, many killed and other running for their lives. The country was in the hand of Taylor he was judge, and jury, as many were killed, including the president of the university of Liberia the only state university. And other highly educated people of the nation that have strive to bring about justice, fairness and stability.
In to keep the support he got from the Gio and Mano, that he dad recruited to having invade the country, to over throw Doe’s government. Supporter and members of Doe’s tribal group were attacked by Taylor armed men killing civilian mostly children and women. In response to the massacre the Krahn Doe tribal emerge with the Mandingo and engaged the Taylor Rebel group and this continue to lead the nation down the drain as thousand of innocent lost their lives and many more wounded. The world at large may believed our conflict lasted for a decade and half, but those who live through those tragic years have another story, and that personal narrative is what would give us the truth about the conflict and the length to which it lasted. Leaving the present generation of Liberia uneducated, untrained, to make meaningful to the development of what is now considered the poorest nation under the sun. All the peace accord that were signed, all the conferences that were held never ease the pain of mothers who waited in vain in the bushes, day and night for their abducted children to come home unharmed can retell the gravity of the civil crisis that has brought the country to it knees. As usual the human pain and suffering that a conflict creates are always over shadow and play down by some reporters, the self interest groups and at times historians. At time we refuse to tell our stories of personal struggles because they are too painful to relate and relive so we leave out the hurtful events in our lives and put on goo front like a brave should. Perhaps that is how the human spirit is train, that one is willing to expose as much hurt that he can with stand. And concealed that which deemed personal and uninteresting to relate to others even close family members. We do not consider such a thing a lie, as we deceive ourselves in the process of holding on to thing that have hurt and is still hunting us from our past. This fact was displayed in the many peace accord signed to arrest the Liberian civil conflicts, but as the prophet Jeremiah has written the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?
On the other hand we do not want to be judge as weak hearted. We at time failed to realized that by expressing one hurt and pain in a open manner, can be the beginning of the healing process. It is from the experience of dealing with our personal hurts and pain that we are able to help others that are going through similar situation like we have experience in the past. So it is in the best interest to always be sincere in addressing issues, listen more, speak less and help other to a brighter in their our of darkness. As it said if you can not say a good thing about any one do not speak about that individual.
The evidence of evil will always come to light, it might take a little longer, but it shall be reveal.
**** yet for some unknown reason we find it difficult to do it in the same manner as the old pattern of addressing earthly authority, as we were taught. Jesus made it clear and simple when he taught his disciples the Lord’s Prayer. Moses likewise starts our by recounting the greatness of the Lord , and expressing how the Lord had led his ancestors in past generations and continue to this date. He is grateful for God sustaining hand that has protected and continue to shelter the children of Israel. As in the word of Psalmist we have heard of old of your wondrous works, among the children of man,

Enoch the Bible said and he walk with God. Hum! How and when di he meet and start this walk with god is not in narrative. All we are told is that he started and ended walking with God. Therefore he was escorted out of the place that the creator had prepared for him. And that was when wrong doing enter our world.
(Gen 5.21-32
Rev 21:18 And the building of the wall of it was of jasper: and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass. KJV
Gen 2:9 And out of the ground the LORD God made every tree grow that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. NKJV
Rev 22:2 In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. NKJV
Could it be that this wisdom is the map to guide the travelers with safety, surety of reaching our destine.
Prayer is the way of life for the xian, and a means of gaining God favor.
The first walk could have been taken to the Garden of Eden, see the tree right there is the one that Adam ate, the next one right to east is the tree of life.
Enoch was father, an husband, a citizen and a faithful servant of God
Those check points are really something, it was in 1999 after the cease fire, I went home to look for my parents. I have made all the arrangement that I could and finally got a hold of my mother who has crossed in neighboring and was now back home in Sinoe county. After a long period of time I was able to talked with my uncle, who had located my mother. So I flew from New York to Monrovia. I have been away for a very long time and the war has damage the nation beyond recognition, and the people were still struggling to stabilized their lives. The Nation was broke and below poverty level. But I was glad going home to see my parents and host of other relatives and old childhood friends. It has been almost a decade and half since I left home and the war had made it difficult for travelling there for any reason unless you wanted to risk your life. The memories from the pass was all that I had in my mind, my old high school, the city hall and the E.J. Roy where I use to performed with the Trow Trow Artist Drama Club. But these building were now only skeleton with gunshot holes everywhere. When left JFK international spend few hours in Ghana and I was headed home to the sweet land of liberty of which I used to sing as child in my school days. Then we landed at Roberts International Airport, and few of us who have foreign passports were taking into little room because we were now considered foreigners, so we have to give the customs some money. As we left the airport we stop at many check points on outskirt of town, and these points the guard wanted money. Having live in the west for long time, going home was a shocker because when I left soldiers where only seen in the streets with heavy arms, and they were old men, but now there more soldiers in the streets than police. I have decided to go out of town about ninety miles from Monrovia to Buchanan to see my aunt and on the way we came to another check point and my friend was driving the costume as that everyone get down, this is on the highway and custom want us to get down from your vehicle, and you can not question or else you will be considered dissent. I have never seen such thing in my life, I know customs are for border patrol and control and not interstates high ways. My friend told us to get of the car as we being question one uncle came out of the office booth and called out my name, what are you doing when did you get here, right away things were solved and we were on our way to Bassa.
On the day that I was leaving the country our vehicle was pull over by a soldier, who demanded to inspect my backpack and suitcase, I strongly protested that my baggage could only be inspected by the proper authorities at the port of entrance and exit as that law demands, but I failed to realize that in this country this soldier was the law he was both judge and jury. My friend got out of the car went to the back and spoke with soldier, and we got down the soldier ask where I was going, told him that I live in the USA, what do you do there he questioned, I am a Minister Sir. What are you doing here in my country Sir I was born in this country in Sinoe Country my parents are of the Kru Tribe and came to see my parents and relatives. AS my frustration was about to spill over, my friend interrupted and said he has a plane to catch Sir. So when I hear about the rebel check point I fully understand what it must been like when they were out to rob and steal in the broad day light. Sometime later I was telling a friend of mine who was in Liberia during the civil crisis, he smile and said you did not see anything. Then he narrated how he and my brother in-law were treated at one of Taylor check point on the Firestone plantation. These two men jeep was confiscated and their clothes taken and they had to walk through the rubber farm in briefs and barefooted as they escape these rebel.

(The question of death, Ah do you remember when I took you to the Garden where the Cherubim had the Flaming Sword guarding the gate, that Adam could not reentered? Those Angels will not be there always and Adam will be allow to enter and eat of the Tree of Life, and that will be the end of death, and sorrow. ** Moses inquired wisdom not about dealing with earth thing, but rather it formsot concerns itself God and man relationship, and if the is established our relations with others with improve.

About the writer
I was born in Liberia west Africa, in Sinoe County, completed high school at home and college and university in Canada and the US. Son of pastor, mother sang on the choir and I am pastor like my father. Married to his wife Nuwoe A, Kollie and live in Canada, with one of their adopt daughters, with few more in Liberia West Africa.
Ps 111: 10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding. To him belongs eternal praise.

In the encounter at the burning bush, we learned that whenever God call or give you a task it means that he had already approve the means to carry the work on.You are just an hiree for the task, and all that you need to do is follow the instructions he provide. He Said Lord I can speak clearly.
{Trials make us think; thinking makes us wise; wisdom makes life profitable)
He walked with God, interesting concept, walk with God.

An Old Irish Blessing | May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind always be at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face, and rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His hand |

White, E.G. Patriarch and Prophets. Seth to Enoch Family Heritage Book chapter 6. Altmont, TN
Fleming, Don Concise Bible Commentary. AMG Publishers, 1994
Walton, John H, Matthews, Victor H, Chavalas, M ark W. The IVP Biblical Background commentary, InterVarsity Press. Downers Grove IL 2000
Excerpt - page 116: "... society at large. Lord Acton's maxim, which I accept, asserts: "Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely." However, trustees of our major institutions seem not to take ..." http://www.quoteland.com/ http://www.quoteland.com/author.asp?AUTHOR_ID=65 http://thinkexist.com/quotes/with/keyword/greed/2.html "Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely." Engrave this quote in Our Store! | | Rate this Quote! | | |
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“The secret of success is to realize that the crisis on our planet is much larger than just deciding what to do with your own life, and if the system under which we live the structure of western civilization begins to collapse because of our selfishness and greed, then it will make no difference whether you have $1 million dollars when the crash comes or just $1.00. The only work that will ultimately bring any good to any of us is the work of contributing to the healing of the world.” | Marianne Williamson quotes (American Author and Lecturer, spiritual leader of the Church of Today, b.1952) |

Genesis 31:49 New King James Version

Lord (John Emerich Edward Dalberg) Acton is bad to be oppressed by a minority, but it is worse to be oppressed by a majority. For there is a reserve of latent power in the masses which, if it is called into play, the minority can seldom resist. But from the absolute will of an entire people there is no appeal, no redemption, no refuge but treason. Engrave this quote in Our Store! | | Rate this Quote! | | |

-Lord (John Emerich Edward Dalberg) Acton

Jeremiah 17 .9 King James Bible http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/custom/photos/chi-liberia-slideshows,0,5345784.htmlpage http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/war/liberia.htm http://pages.prodigy.net/jkess3/Civilwar.html http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/custom/photos/chi-liberia-slideshows,0,5345784.htmlpage http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/war/liberia.htm http://pages.prodigy.net/jkess3/Civilwar.html http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/custom/photos/chi-liberia-slideshows,0,5345784.htmlpage http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/war/liberia.htm
http://pages.prodigy.net/jkess3/Civilwar.html