I had written up to eight long pages, after Baba Agba explained the third phase to me, he had spoken extensively on the third phase…
“ Let’s move to the next phase, the next phase is the OPEN HEAVEN & RESTORATION phase. When you sign up to a new service, there should be some new benefits. That is exactly how this third stage works.” Baba Agba said to me…
I was interested in this phase so I paid rapt attention.
“ You see, God’s plan for every believer is to operate under a Open heaven. It was after the Baptism Of Jesus, that the heaven over him was open. Bible states that as John was baptizing Jesus, the heaven over him opened. Also in Deuteronomy 28:12, It states that When we Obey and do the will of God, God will Open the heaven, the storehouse of His bounty and pour His rain of blessing on us. When you are truly saved, and you have dedicated yourself to the Lord, you will graduate to the level of Operating under Open Heavens.” Baba Agba continued
“ What does it feel like to operate under Open Heaven, is it like you will become super rich?” I asked for clarification sake
“ Well, that’s part of it, but your open heaven comes in the aspect you need it. As a student, your open heaven may be Academic success, As a single lady, your open heaven may be God giving you a good and Godly Husband, As a business man, the open heaven may be unexpected contracts. As a pastor or minister, your open heaven may be God bombarding your ministry with miracles. Open heaven is God’s voice and hand in your affairs.”
“Hmmm…So is it possible for me to recover my lost glory and maybe have children of my own if my wife comes back?” I asked
“ Yes… very well, that is the Restoration part of this phase. When a Christian who was initially operating under a Open heaven but suddenly out of sin started operating under a closed heaven goes back to God and genuinely goes through the 1st and 2nd phase, God can help him in Recovering his lost glory.” Baba Agba said
“ Hmm… I would really love to have children of my own, although I told you I had a child with a married woman in the past, but she has paid me off and besides I won’t want to destroy her marriage by showing up to claim the child, so it is my wish God gives me grace to father a child” I said as this Recovery package was my target.
“There is nothing impossible for God, but I want to tell you, you have a handful of children already and from what I can perceive, there are still more to come.” Baba Agba said
*************
He was right about “More to come”, because by the next day at 3pm, I had not less than 30 teens and youths present. They had invited their friends and other parents had brought their kids.
“ If you know Christianity is complicated, raise up your hands” That was the first thing I said when we started. I didn’t do the usual Opening prayer and praise worship. I just went straight to it. They didn’t suspect that the class had started
“Complicated like Shit!” Tunde spoke for the first time with disdain in his voice..
“ And Boring as hell” Another young boy who I later found out was Kenneth said
“ Too much rules” said a lady named
Abigael
“ And Restrictions!” Mercy added
“ No fun” Said Gloria
“ Yes… No fun music, no Fun dance, when you dance too much in church, they say you are worldly” Said a girl named Dabira who I later found out was a rebellious pastor’s daughter.
“Really?” I asked
“I am sure you are going to say otherwise” Tunde said confrontingly
“ Well….” I was saying and I could see all eyes were on me to hear my thoughts… My heart raced but I knew I had to say something and it had to be what will keep them with me
“Well, I guess it is the way Christianity has been presented to you that makes you feel it is complicated. For me Christianity is so simple because Christ only gave two rules…”
“What about rules on dressing?” A girl asked from behind
“ Like I said, Christ gave two major rules, but within those two rules, men draw out many other rules to promote good living… Let me explain using dressing as an example…” I said
“ The two Major Laws of Christianity is in Mark 12:29-31…, Can someone read that!”
And for the first time, I noticed they were interested in checking through their Bibles; for those who brought theirs. Others like Tunde checked through their phones.
“ Love the Lord your God and Love your neighbor as yourself…. these are the two basic laws” I said
I saw their expectant faces…
“ That is to say, for everything you do, you must check yourself if it follows these laws. Now talking about dressing… I won’t tell you to dress this way or that way, but I will ask you right now to look at yourself and say “Does this dressing of mine show that I love God, Does exposing my breast show that I love God, Does sagging my trousers to the point that girls can see the color of my boxers show that I love God… If you feel you are good, then ask yourself the second question, “Does my exposed breast , belly and thigh show that I love my neighbor, because if I love my neighbor, I won’t want him Masturbating as a result of my exposed dressing.”
The place was quiet…I knew my point had hit home. Growing up in church made me see this loophole as a child. I noticed church placed laws without stating the reason for the laws. You hear a lot of “Female don’t wear trousers, boys don’t sag your trousers, if you do, you will go to Hell Fire.” Back then , as a young teen I tried to read my Bible from beginning to end to find where it was written that people who did sag their trousers would go to hell, but I never found. Therefore, Seeing these teenagers as they sat in front of me made me know where some of our parents and churches missed it, We give laws (doctrines) as a way of shapening lives but we don’t tell them the underlying reason.
I continued my talk
“ So you see, I may not show you where it is written in the Bible that ladies should not put on crop tops, but I will show you that God expects you to love your neighbor and by loving your neighbor, you don’t want a boy to lose his salvation by looking at your belly” I said jokingly and the teens laughed.
“ I may not show you the Scriptures that says guys shouldn’t wear tight fitting pants that show the shape and size of their manhood, but I will tell you that it is written that you should love your neighbor.. therefore help the salvation of that sister by not giving her the brain work of imagining the size of your manhood.” I said and that brought up more laughter…
“You make sense” said one of the boys from the back….
“ Say to someone beside you “Help my salvation” I said
They all chorused it to one another laughing…Ajaara who had tied her top as a crop top, loosened her top and the girls around her started chorusing…
“ Go Ajaara, Go Ajaara, Go…” And I could see joy and laughter on their innocent faces. Ajaara let down her top with a smile…
“ Let’s give it up to Ajaara, isn’t she still beautiful” I said as everyone clapped
“ She is” they chorused
“ Very Beautiful” Mercy said…
“Can you all give me examples of dressing that will not help your neighbors’ salvation and will not show that you love God” I asked
“ Bum shorts…” A boy shouted from the back laughing
“ Especially the ones as short as pants” His friend said
“ Even boys wear bum shorts these days” a girl retaliated
“ Yes… and they will be tempting girls with the hair on their legs..”
I watched in amazement as the teenagers started pointing out their fashion choices that didn’t show they loved God and their neighbors…
“ How can a girl who has large hips wear a tight fitting leggings with a short top, is she helping the salvation of the boys around?” Tunde asked
“ How can a boy who has big arms and wide chest wear a sleeveless top or a light cotton top that shows his nipples, is he helping the salvation of the girls around him?” asked Abigael
Some screamed…. it became a debate and with their own mouths, they began to mention all the wrong type of dressing. After about 10 minutes, I spoke…
“ Wow, you have really enlightened me. I actually learnt from you all….” I said smiling
“ But Uncle, these are the only kind of fashionable clothes in the market, what do we do if we want to still be trendy while dressing decently..?” Abigael asked
“ That is why I am depending on you, I believe amongst you will evolve Modest Fashion designers that will change the norm, but as we speak, you can be very selective when you go shopping. There are still good clothes in the market….”I said and they responded by nodding their heads, my talk was far from over because there was still an important point I needed to make…
“Now… still on why some churches are very strict on dressing and place giant bottleneck rules on dressing, there is a spiritual aspect to it… You know back then, I had this spiritual demonic googles… and my first wife was a demonic warlord who revealed a lot to me… One day, we wanted to go for a picnic, I had dressed up and I was waiting for her in the car….She came down looking bare facially, no make up except for a white powder on her face. She wore a modest outfit that wasn’t exposing her body, That was the first time I saw her step out of the house in her natural beauty which was very much unlike her. She was the type of person who would use black lipstick or red, she would do all forms of face contouring, but on that day she dressed modestly and looked really beautiful in a different kind of way. I had to ask her why and her reply was an eye opener for me… To be Continued
