THOUGHT NUGGETS

SitiTalkBlog showcases legacy "THOUGHT NUGGETS" by Dr. Samuel Koranteng-Pipim.

Dr.Samuel Koranteng-Pipim's goal is to inspire, encourage, and challenge individuals in their thought process. The nuggets are sent out weekly from EAGLESonline website: http://eaglesonline.org/weekly-nuggets/nuggets-archives/. It is one of the means he uses in his grassroots leadership development and empowerment training. Think of the nuggets as his weekly journal entries that he shares with the world. We encourage you to subscribe at his EAGLESonline website to receive his THOUGHT NUGGETS weekly.

Photo Credit and Copyright: Dr. Samuel Koranteng-Pipim.

DETERMINED LOVE

“You can ignore Him days without number. You can reject Him. You can deny that He exists. You can mock and ridicule and curse Him. You can claim His name but play the Devil’s game. You can be ashamed of Him. You can hate Him bitterly. You can run away from Him. You can pledge your allegiance to His greatest enemy. You can squander on your own gratification all His gifts to you. You can defy Him. You can portray Him to others as severe and ruthless and uncaring. You can shut Him totally out of your life. You can blame Him for all the evil in your world.... But one thing you can never do. You can never make Him stop loving you. Never” (Ken McFarland). “Can a woman forget her nursing child, And not have compassion on the son of her womb? Surely they may forget, Yet I will not forget you (Isaiah 49:15). You can’t stop God from loving you!—Samuel Koranteng-Pipim.

CHICKEN LEADERSHIP

Alas, today we’ve allowed the chickens to lead the eagles! We know this when consciences don't catch fire for noble and just causes. When competence is determined by age, degrees, pedigree, and blind agreement. When activity counts, and not productivity. When self-interest and greed reign supreme. We know chickens are in charge when emotions trump common sense, fears melt courage, and the clamor of ignorant, dysfunctional, and self-seeking vigilantes usurp principled decisions. Tragically, in much of society and church, our deluded chickens convince themselves that they’re actually eagles, and parade their clueless, spineless, mediocre, & erratic leadership as administrative savvy. The audacity of chicken leadership! Where are the eagles? (Jeremiah 5:1; Ezekiel 22:30).—Samuel Koranteng-Pipim.

STAND UP & BE COUNTED

“The greatest want of the world is the want of men—men who will not be bought or sold; men who in their inmost souls are true and honest; men who do not fear to call sin by its right name; men whose conscience is as true to duty as the needle to the [magnetic] pole; men who will stand for the right though the heavens fall” (E.G. White The world is indebted to people who prize character over reputation. Whose only fear is the fear of the Lord and the fear of sin. And who value principle over possessions, power, or pleasure. Such people unequivocally say “No,” when the rest of the world says “Yes.” With Joshua, they take a stand and declare publicly: “BUT AS FOR ME....” (Joshua 24:15). Now is our time. Stand up. Stand out. Stand tall.—Samuel Koranteng-Pipim

PERPLEXITIES & CONFUSION

Like Peter, there are things we often don’t understand. On one occasion, Jesus responded: “What I am doing you do not understand now, but you will know after this” (John 13:7). Writes E.G. White: “All that has perplexed us in the providences of God will in the world to come be made plain. The things hard to be understood will then find explanation. The mysteries of GRACE will unfold before us. Where our finite minds discovered only confusion and broken promises, we shall see the most perfect and beautiful harmony. We shall know that infinite LOVE ordered the experiences that seemed most trying. As we realize the tender care of Him who makes all things work together for our good, we shall rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory.” Hallelujah!—Samuel Koranteng-Pipim

WHAT IS IT?

I’m still pondering the question: “I’m sure you’ve had your share of lonely moments and tears…. But in looking back over your life, what is it that has defined who you are today and what is it that keeps you going?” I can't give an adequate answer, as my life is still unfolding. Certainly, life is made up of our choices and actions. And on further reflection, I believe we’re also defined by seemingly meaningless and painful circumstances. Even regretful moments of sorrow, loss, hurt, and despair have often been used by divine providence to define who we are now. To keep going, embrace your identity and destiny in Christ: “For I am the least… who am not worthy…. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain…. (1 Corinthians 15:9, 10). Take some time to reflect, and then answer the question: What is it about you?—Samuel Koranteng-Pipim

ITCHING EARS

An ancient Hebrew prayer says, "From the conscience that shrinks from new truth, from the laziness that is content with half truths, from the arrogance that thinks it knows all truth, O God of truth deliver us." We can’t stand the truth, so we heap for ourselves people to tell us what we want to hear. We read and cite works that agree with our prejudices. And we choose friends, politicians, and preachers to tickle us with versions we resonate with. The Good Book describes us in our self-deception: Because of our “own desires” and “itching ears” we willfully “turn our ears away from the truth to fables” (2 Timothy 4:3, 4). Truth still matters. May the God of truth deliver us from our itching ears!—Samuel Koranteng-Pipim

THE LAST LAUGH

His first public announcement after the Resurrection was just one word: “REJOICE!” (Matthew 28:9). Interestingly, the same root word in Greek (“chairo”) was used by Judas in his kiss of betrayal, and by the soldiers to mock Him (26:49; 27:29). Christ’s enemies rejoiced that they had finished Him, that His cause was dead, and His followers, crushed. But, No! He rose! His one-word announcement, “REJOICE,” was His clear answer to sorrow on account of betrayal, injustice, humiliation, hate, and hurt. Good is stronger than evil, and truth, mightier than falsehood. In the Upper Room, He promised: “You will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice (chairo); and you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned into joy (chairo)” (John 16:20; cf. 22). Yes, the fortunes will be reversed! Sorrow will bow, and you’ll have the last laugh! Rejoice!—Samuel Koranteng-Pipim

ARE YOU THERE?

The safest place to be is where God wants you to be. That place is your “there.” It describes your reality. “THERE” can be a physical location (e.g., a place to work, study, or live) or it can be a particular time to take an action. THERE can also be a dream or career to pursue, a relationship to engage in, or even a spiritual experience to have. To be THERE is to do or to live in God’s will, however perplexing. As long as you’re THERE, God will provide for you, protect you, and bless you (cf. 1 Kings 17:4, 9, 10). The real question, then, is: Are you THERE? If not, make every effort to be THERE. And if you’re already there, determine to patiently stay THERE. For, THERE is the soul’s place of quietness and peace.–Samuel Koranteng-Pipim

BEING STILL

There are increasingly fewer moments to just be quiet and reflect. Ambient noise has become part of our lives—noise from traffic, airplanes, radio, TV, friends, churches, and even personal computers and phones. But if we learn to block out the noises, we shall discover some majestic truths about our Creator and the universe. We’ll also discover some ugly truths about ourselves—our fears and unbeliefs, our self-importance and self-righteousness, our falsehoods and hypocrisy. The Bible bids us to “be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10). It’s an invitation to quietly reflect and trustfully depend on God. Being still is often the moment God leads us to brokenness. Steal away and be still—to reflect, to pray, and to be.—Samuel Koranteng-Pipim

AFRICA OWNS TIME

Others keep time, but Africans own time—the African time. This is why Black people have a tendency to be late to programs or functions. Tardiness seems to be in our Black genes. Unpunctuality has almost become the trademark of all Africans—whether on the continent or in the Diaspora. Even among Christians, lateness has been converted into a ubiquitous spiritual gift. Let Africa remember that, those who disrespect time are severely punished by life. For life is made up of time.—Samuel Koranteng-Pipim

(For more, read my short piece titled “Africa Has Time” on the link below: http://eaglesonline.org/africa-has-time/)

DON’T HATE LOVE

“Have you ever been in love? Horrible isn't it? It makes you so vulnerable…. Love takes hostages. It gets inside you. It eats you out and leaves you crying in the darkness, so simple a phrase like ‘maybe we should be just friends’ turns into a glass splinter working its way into your heart. It hurts. Not just in the imagination. Not just in the mind. It's a soul-hurt, a real gets-inside-you-and-rips-you-apart pain. I hate love” (Neil Gaiman). To avoid hating love, “do not arouse or awaken love until it so desires” (Song of Songs 2:7; 3:5; 8:4; NIV). Instead, first commit your heart to the One Who is “the Chiefest among ten thousand… Altogether lovely…my Beloved…my Friend” (5:10, 16; KJV). You can either hate love or love love. Love love by choosing Love. God is love (1 John 4:8, 16).—Samuel Koranteng-Pipim

FEAR NOT!

It is said that whenever God says, “Fear not,” you must start worrying; for He’ll be asking you to do the impossible! (Think of Abraham, Moses, Gideon, Jeremiah, or Mary). Yet, God's “Fear not” commands are also His promises. An estimated 365 “fear not” promises are in the Bible—at least one for each day’s need. Therefore, when it seems like you're finished or it’s over and there's no point going on, Jesus says “Fear not; it’s not the end, just the beginning.” (cf. Mark 5: 35, 36). "The remarkable thing about God is that when you fear God, you fear nothing else, whereas if you do not fear God, you fear everything else” (Oswald Chambers). God has power to intervene, even in your most hopeless situations. Fear not!—Samuel Koranteng-Pipim

THE VALUE OF VALUES

Are there unchangeable, universal moral values to guide human conduct? Today, “everything is relative,” including values. Moral relativism is the crisis of our times. The crisis is not the violation of morally-accepted standards of conduct (every age has had its share of this). Rather, the crisis is the questioning of the existence of universal moral values to define what’s right and wrong. But if “everything is relative,” then that statement itself is relative and, hence, self-refuting. Worse, “a world without values quickly becomes a world without value” (Jonathan Sacks). It’s why for our ethics we must value what God values. (Micah 6:8; Matthew 7:12; Ecclesiastes 12:13, 14; Exodus 20:1-3; Romans 2:14-15; James 2:8-13; John 14:15).—Samuel Koranteng-Pipim

GROW IN THE STORM

Character develops in the storms—when trials and afflictions test our strength, stability, and resilience. The Apostle Paul lists some of the storms as tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, peril, and sword, and states emphatically that "in all these things"—i.e., in all these storms—"we are MORE THAN CONQUERORS through Him who loved us" (Romans 8:35, 37). So, when life seems hard to bear, when it’s full of sorrow, trouble, and woe, let’s remind ourselves that it's in these storms we grow. While thankful for the fragrant and gentle breezes in life, let’s not decry the pungent blasts of turbulent tides. Storms ought not to break you. You’re more than a conqueror. Grow—and BLOOM—in your storms (see, Proverbs 24:10).—Samuel Koranteng-Pipim

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About Dr. Samuel Koranteng-Pipim

Samuel Koranteng-Pipim, Ph.D., is a US-based Ghanaian author, inspirational speaker, leadership trainer, and an advocate for youth empowerment. He was trained in engineering and systematic theology. He promotes excellence and “mind liberation” as the basis of transformational social change on the continent of Africa.

Dr. Pipim is a provocative and inspirational writer, having authored more than twenty books —including his bestselling works Patience in the Midst of Trials and Afflictions, Healed Wounds but Ugly Scars, Not for Sale, Six More Chances, and Hope Through the Dark. Dr. Pipim currently directs two Centers for Leadership Development known as EAGLES (Empowerment & Advisory Group for Leadership, Excellence, & Service) and ANANSE (African Network & Advisory for Needed Services & Excellence).www.EAGLESonline.org. He also serves as a special consultant on Bible projects.

He has previously served as a Director for Public Campus Ministries, serving students, faculty, and staff at the University of Michigan. He speaks extensively around the world at events for youth, students, young professionals, and religious & civic leaders. Dr. Pipim’s published works on Africa include: The Transformed Mind, Africa Must Think, The African Giant, and Stand Up & Be Counted.His most recent book on real life issues is Good Night: Suffering, Sickness, Death, & Hope..

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USE OF THE NUGGETS:

Dr. Samuel Koranteng-Pipim's says, "My soul purpose in writing the nuggets is to convey the essence of biblical Christianity in short “capsules.” Judging from the responses we receive on a weekly basis, it’s evident that they are having the desired impact. Reports reaching me suggests that, in some places, the nuggets are being broadcast on radio and TV. Some publish them in their organization & church bulletins to inspire members. They are also being used for leadership and inspirational training purposes. Others are using them in many different creative ways for their respective audiences.

Three of my recent works (AFRICA MUST THINK, HOPE THROUGH THE DARK, STAND UP & BE COUNTED) were based on the nuggets. And we’ve just now developed unique inspirational postcards, based on them (we call them Message Cards—MCards for short). Because of the impact of the nuggets on so many people around the world, our EAGLESonline organization is presently in the process of developing other commercial products from the nuggets."

PERMISSION TO USE

Dr.Samuel Koranteng-Pipim encourages that the THOUGHT NUGGETS be freely disseminated. Accordingly, readers can freely access them at EAGLESonline website (www.EAGLESonline.org), by clicking on “Weekly Nuggets” link. Or simply clicking on this link: http://eaglesonline.org/weekly-nuggets/nuggets-archives/).

The THOUGHTS NUGGETS are published on SitiTalkBlog with full permission based on the following conditions:

1. Although Dr.Samuel Koranteng-Pipim is the principal author of the nuggets, they are copyrighted in both his name and that of EAGLESonline organization. Thus their use must not only be consistent with the core values of EAGLESonline (see, http://eaglesonline.org/about-us/core-values/), but they must also have the formal permission of EAGLESonline (Permission granted).

2. Publishing the nuggets on SitiTalkBlog does not necessarily mean Dr.Samuel Koranteng-Pipim's or EAGLESonline endorsement of everything published on SitiTalkBlog—either by the Founders/Owners of SitiTalkBlog, or any other writers who may be contributing to the blog.

3. As stated on the EAGLESonline website, “Permission is granted to share thought nuggets from this website [EAGLESonline website] provided they are reproduced in full and are for non-commercial use only. Pertinent quotes can also be excerpted from the nuggets and shared with others. Users of both nuggets and/or quotes must acknowledge Samuel Koranteng-Pipim as the author and give the appropriate EAGLESonline link as the source.”