Christianity -- Christian Living - speaking in tongues - REJOINDER to COMMENTS MADE BY DR. TONY AIDOO

The issue of tongues is not new. Then again I am only embarking on this rejoinder to comments by Dr. Tony Aidoo on Radio Gold based on the fact that I am a Christian, I believe in tongues in as much as I don't speak it. Also, I grew up in a Christian home, read the Bible and still read the Bible extensively. My comments are basically from my own understanding and teachings I have received from my Father who is a Lay Minister and my Pastors at Church. 


Many well meaning people have read Scriptures that speak of an "unknown" tongue and have understood that to mean a "special gift". Some make the distinction between the "gift of tongues" and a "special prayer language".


There are many references concerning tongues in Scripture. But in every case where the term "unknown" is used, it is always in italics. The italicizing of a word in the KJV indicates that it doesn't appear in the original text, and that it is added for clarification. Unfortunately, added words sometimes cause more confusion than they cause clarification.


In the Scriptures, the term "gift" comes from the Greek word "charis". It carries the meaning, "God's influence on the heart that is reflected in the life". God, indeed, gifts diferent people for different tasks. But the main task that God influences the believer's heart toward is ministering the Gospel message to the lost. His primary goal is NOT to cause us to get all "goose bumpy" and start shouting, etc. The Holy Spirit is used of God to witness to us of Christ. Some call the "speaking in tongues" "the evidence of the Holy Ghost". There is no Scripture that indicates that speaking in a tongue (language) other than your native tongue is the evidence of the Holy Ghost.

The tongues that the Apostle Paul spoke were words that were spoken "boldly" concerning the Lord Jesus. They were words that were understood by Barnabus (Acts 9:27-29).


On the day of Pentecost, all men of all nations were gathered together. When the Apostles spoke in tongues, the men heard them speak in their own tongue(Acts 2:6-11). And that which they heard were "the wonderful works of God". Had they been "unknown tongues" or some special prayer language, these men wouldn't have had any idea what was being spoken to them. Peter stood that day and declared the Gospel to ALL that were present. Men are not saved because they speak in tongues as "evidence they have the Holy Ghost". Men are saved because they believe the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.


Many rely upon the books to the Corinthians for their information concerning tongues. 


I hope this has been helpful to D. Tony Aidoo. If you need additional information, please don't hesitate to post a follow-up question. If you have additional questions, please feel free to ask me.


I hope this answers Dr. Tony Aidoo if only he is reading. 


With Love in Christ,
Kwabena POKU 

Communication Tips: "We Don't Look at Each Other Anymore..."... My own experiences - It is what it is...

It may sound like common sense but what I’ve discovered as is that many relationship challenges, especially intimate relationships, are created in part because people don't look, really look, at one another anymore. I am saying this out of my own experiences.

Here are my own generated simple communication tips to help the two of you feel closer and more connected, along with reasons why looking at each other is so important... know that I letting you in on all of these based on MY own personal life experiences.

• ·         Stop what you are doing and actually look your partner in their eyes when you are talking to them or when they are talking to you. Yes, we are all busy and have a million things to do but so often, we take for granted the very person who should be and maybe once was the closest to us--the person we once felt very connected to but now we are just two people living in the same house.
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• ·         Understand that when you do not look at your partner when he/she is talking or when you are talking to them, you are not honoring them and you are showing a lack of respect. Although it seems like a small thing, over time, this lack of respect erodes a relationship to the point that the two people don't even know each other anymore.
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• ·         When you don't look at one another when you are speaking to each other, your conversation is ripe for misunderstandings, assumptions and building resentment. How often have you been supposedly listening to someone as they were speaking and your mind has been elsewhere? It's far easier to be present when the other person is talking when you are looking into their eyes and it's also far easier to understand what they are saying. If you understand what they are saying, you're not going to make assumptions and you'll clear up resentments before they build and get out of control.
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• ·         It's been said that the eyes are the window to the soul. When you look in someone's eyes, you are seeing who they really are. You are able to understand them better and possibly have more compassion for that person that you might not have had if you hadn't looked in their eyes.
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• ·         When people are scared of opening to others (for whatever reason), they often don't look into the other's eyes. If you find that you are not looking in your partner's eyes (or anyone's) as they talk, begin to ask yourself why. Are you afraid of what the other person will see in them? Have you allowed yourself to over commit and are racing through your life, not really living it? Have you forgotten how to really love someone?

If you discover that you are not looking in the eyes of others who you love (friends, family, mother, father, children, spouse, partner), I invite you to ask yourself these questions and then decide if you truly want to open to a deeper relationship with that person.

Don't let your life go by on auto-pilot. Take charge and start living!

The Two Most Important Questions in Social Media Marketing

Number one: What's your objective?

Number two: How are you going to measure it?

These two questions aren't revolutionary - they're among the first questions that should be asked at the start of planning for any new project. Yet they often seem to get left by the wayside, or at the very least poorly answered, when it comes to social media marketing projects.

Question #1 is pretty straightforward, though the answers are often anything but. Some days you get lucky, and the answer is clear and concise - "increase unaided brand awareness from 10% to 15%" or "drive 20% more traffic to our new landing page." All too often however the answer is either vague - "build buzz" - or confuses the objective with the means to achieve it - "get more fans and followers!"

Don't be afraid of "why?"

In the latter case, a quick "why?" is probably in order, as in "why do you want to get more fans and followers?" What actually matters to the project owner? Do they think having lots of fans and followers is a means to getting more traffic for their web site? If so, consider resetting the objective to that, and later in your planning process evaluate building fans/followers as one of many possible tactics to achieve it.

Measurement can clarify the issue

If the response to "what's your objective" was clear and concise, "how are you going to measure it" has been largely answered. Now you can get down to the details of which measurement tools you'll use and who's accountable for tracking and reporting.

But if the stated objective is vague or confusing, then asking "how are you going to measure it?" can be incredibly liberating. It focuses the conversation around what really matters to the project owner - "buzz" for example might mean getting lots of social media mentions to lay the groundwork for a glitzy new PR and ad campaign. It might mean getting lots of positive blog posts pointing to a new landing page. Or it might mean inspiring a bunch of product reviews on all the right recommendation and e-commerce sites to influence future purchase decisions.

Who knows unless you ask, and you're setting yourself up for failure if you don't.

By asking "how do you measure it?" you force the project owner to cut through the fluffy vagueness of "awareness" "buzz" or "education" and get down to what's actually important, what the real business objective is. And by arriving at common agreement on the actual, concrete objective and exactly how and what you're going to measure, you've helped ensure the strategy and tactics you generate are driving to the correct goal right from the start.

The Secret to Your Success....SOCIAL MEDIA

I have a secret to tell you. There is a magic bullet to having an amazingly successful business. Most people won’t tell you this because it’s too easy. It’s laughable, really. Lean in closer, let me whisper in your ear.

The secret to having an incomparably successful business is…
…Facebook.
…. I mean LinkedIn.
…..No, Twitter! The magic bullet is Twitter!
Okay, this might not be as easy as I thought.

The Magic Bullet

Dear Reader, you are smart enough to know that in order to get business people need to know that your business exists; and the single most effective way to get attention these days is by making the most of your social media options: blog, tweet, comment, share and update. Get out there and join the conversation. Engage. Contribute. Show your clients and customers that you have what they need!

LinkedIn: “The future of recruiting”

“Facebook is for fun. Tweets have a short shelf life. If you’re serious about managing your career, the only social site that really matters is LinkedIn.”

Such is the claim of Jessi Hempel, author of a recent article in Fortune Magazine entitled “How LinkedIn will fire up your career.” According to Hempel’s article, LinkedIn is the new alternative to swapping business cards—or handing out résumés.

It makes a certain sense. We live in a digital world and a global economy, and most of our interactions—even with friends who live in the same town—take place online. In a business world where success is determined by “not what you know but who you know” it helps to be a part of a community that can boast over 60 million member profiles...Now this is based on The West and parts of Africa...More than a quarter [of LinkedIn members] are senior executives.”

Where better to rub elbows, make connections and find potential clients or customers? The problem is that in spite of much asking around, I know very few people who can attribute a new job, client or customer directly to their LinkedIn account.

Facebook: Sharing a different side of yourself and your business

Facebook is where I keep things light and personal, it’s not where I go to find business. But according to Jordan Furlong in his blog post “Facebook for Law Firms,” this personal touch is exactly why I should share my Facebook profile (or at least my business fan page) with my business contacts.

Furlong’s post is aimed at law firms, but the ideas apply to anybody in business. He asserts that it is exactly the personal nature of Facebook that makes it such a valuable tool for setting your business apart from the competition… if you do it right.

“What Facebook offers [businesses] is the chance to tell a different story about themselves, or show a different side of themselves, than what is possible or appropriate to tell and show through other communication means, such as a website, a newsletter or a brochure. No [business] is really a one-dimensional creature that can be summed up completely by a corporate website… [they] are complex, multi-dimensional communities of service professionals and service offerings, and some of those dimensions are more effectively conveyed through non-traditional vehicles like Facebook.”

Furlong suggests that by using a Facebook fan page to show the softer side of your business—sharing your experience participating in a community service project, posting (tasteful) photos of your office holiday party, or talking about hobbies—you show your customers the human side of your business; make them feel like they’re not just buying a product, they’re part of a community.

Twitter: Beauty and the Beast

In my experience, Twitter is often cited as the place to interact with your clients and customers in real-time. It’s where the big boys play. A recent article on Website Magazine shares how big business such as Amazon, WalMart, Dell and others use Twitter, and the feeling you come away with is—if these guys are using Twitter, shouldn’t your business be out there too?
There’s no denying it, Twitter has taken the business world by storm. A quick Google search reveals pages and pages of articles, blog posts and books about how to use Twitter for business. Twitter’s one simple rule—140 characters—means that essentially there are no rules, which makes Twitter both a beauty and a beast. The beauty is that your small business and a huge company like WalMart start out on equal footing: 140 characters to make your mark on the world. The beast is that you’re competing with 5,367,117 Tweeters, and nothing but your wiles to get yourself noticed. It’s hard to think outside the box and get yourself noticed when there is no box.

So… What’s Your Secret?

You may think it unfair of me to end this post with a question rather than an answer, but there is no one answer. There is no magic bullet except the one you make for yourself. If you’re a conservative type with the business card and the handshake, use LinkedIn to leverage that. If your strength is your active nature and winning personality, use Facebook to bring your clients and customers into that warm inner circle. If quick thinking and clever conversation are your forte, Twitter may be just the place for you to shine.

The truth is that any of the tools mentioned in this post can help you achieve success… but the only way to do it is to put in the time. And if you’re going to be putting in the time, you may as well enjoy it. Find the tool (or tools) that makes the best use of your talents and interests and run with it.

Miss GHANA 2010

Miss Malaika Ghana txt n Win

Night of a 1010 Laughs and Music 3

Charter House, the organizers of the Night of a 1010 Laughs and Music series are set to present yet another exciting edition of the popular comedy and music series on In August this year. The night of 1010 Laughs and Music will serve exciting menu of Music, dance and extraordinary comedy.

A NIGHT of a 1010 Laughs and Music featuring Helen Paul, MC Abbey, Seyi Law with Music by Amakye Dede, Bertha & VIP.

Date: 28th of August 2010 ...
Venue: International Conference Centre Accra Ghana
Time: 8pm
Tickets: GHC 50

Available NOW @ SILVERBIRD LIFE STYLE AND CINEMAS ACCRA MALL, Charterhouse & Koala


Unwind and continue the second half of the year with a refreshed mind and with a new approach as Charterhouse presents to you a Night of 1000 Laughs and spectacular Music. It is not just going to be like any other comedy show, but a dazzling one and definitely the talk of the city

Night of a 1010 Laughs & Music

The night of 1010 Laughs and Music will serve exciting menu of Music, dance and extraordinary comedy.

A NIGHT of a 1010 Laughs and Music featuring Helen Paul, MC Abbey, Seyi Law , Klint the Drunk, Funny Face with Music by Amakye Dede, Bertha & VIP. 

Date: 28th of August 2010 
Venue: THE DOME International Conference Centre Accra Ghana
Time: 8pm
Tickets: GHC 50
Available NOW @ Charterhouse, Silverbird Cinemas Accra Mall & Koala

OR

CALL 054-3549907 for LIMITED VIP TICKETS

Unwind and continue the second half of the year with a refreshed mind and with a new approach as Charterhouse presents to you a Night of 1000 Laughs and spectacular Music. It is not just going to be like any other comedy show, but a dazzling one and definitely the talk of the city.

Losing Self-Esteem in Relationships/Marriage

Never Thought I’d blog about this at least not now but then again I guess LIFE sometimes hit the rocks and then sways you into a different direction – Self esteem …. May be I did not take it that serious but then again I regret my own actions and as hard as it may be forgive and forget I ever did that to myself.


Take Married couples or people in relationships leading to marriage in this day and age – Comments such as - “He makes me feel like a queen.” “She makes me feel so good about myself.” No, this doesn’t just happen in movies. It happens to real couples. It is the falling-in-love phase. A romantic relationship is supposed to make you feel good. So, when the relationship starts making you feel bad about yourself, there is something wrong somewhere.


I remember meeting a lady a few years ago whose husband was having an affair – trust me this Lady was and still is beautiful (for someone in her mid 40s). When the lady learned about the affair, her first words were, “Where did I go wrong?” While those words reflected her grief, I wondered if this is how people react when their spouses stray. Do people blame themselves? Unfortunately, many do. There is this underlying sense of low self esteem that makes them think they must have been wrong.


The low self esteem may also lead to depression, making the relationship worse. It is important for both spouses to understand that shaming or criticizing one another can only do harm. You may be slowly pushing your spouse to depression or killing your relationship. If you notice that your spouse is no longer the one whose amazing personality had swept you off your feet, while you may not necessarily be the reason of his/her plight, you have to make sure you do not worsen it. In fact, you have to take action. Convince him/her to see a counselor (I missed that part of my life a while ago).


It is important you become the partner you had promised to be, especially at this phase of your spouse’s life. A little help and understanding from you will make your marriage or SERIOUS RELATIONSHIP healthy and happy.

.....And I m back on the Blog

Yes, it's true. I'm back to this blog. For these past months I've been away. I'm sorry for those who stopped by and didn't find anything to read. Why was this blog silent? Well, first of all I was on a tough spot due to my studies for these past weeks. And second, hum, there is no second. I imagined that I wouldn't have much to tell, but little things did happened. I hope I can tell most of them in the next days.

Now I'm more free to write and to get back on my daily life. Take care all of you.

Night of 1010 laughs and Music

I WAS ROBBED AT GUNPOINT - DO NOT EVER TAKE YOUR SAFETY FOR GRANTED!

Current mood:  awake

Category: Life

Here I was last night…. I tried getting into bed, but I couldn’t sleep. I just stare at the ceiling and wonder about what happened tonight. Less than 7 hours ago, I had a gun pointed at me and  a man run off with my bag (with CASH, real CASH) in a place I would have never expected something like that to happen to me. I am going to tell you the full story in this blog. It’s not to scare you or make you feel sorry for me; I just think everybody needs to be aware of things that can happen and never take anything for granted.

I left the Barclays Bank at the Accra Mall with the hopes of meeting up with a Land-Lord and paying up my rent for a new apartment. Never had any idea or ever thought someone or some people may be following me. I thought I had everything I needed to close a rent agreement deal sealed up in my little bag. First thing I did was to call my agent and the Land-Lord, who assured me he’d be at the said apartment in a couple of minutes. This house was close to West Airport, right at the tip of Dzorwulu – which is or may just be a walking distance from the Accra Mall Barclays Bank.

I love my walks especially if I am giving the opportunity to do so hence I decided to walk for a while just to buy sometime whiles the Land-Lord and Agent made their way to the house. Little did I know someone was actually following me from the Bank through to the street right in front of the African Regent Hotel, right up to the Airport West Hotel area where I boarded a Cab because yeah I love to walk but boy … I was getting tired. Got to my destination within 1 minute, got down from the cab/taxi and within 20 meters or so walk, these idiots pulled over right in-front of me (whiles I was still on phone talking to a friend), and without saying a word I realized I was just about to be robbed and had to decide quickly what to do – Here I was with lots of cash on me running into 1000s of Ghana Cedis, my phone and my external hard-drives  - WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE DONE after seeing GUNS pulled and pointed at you in broad day light with on-lookers backing off into their respective houses – OMG!  Thought to myself, and screamed “OH SH*T I’M BEING ROBBED”. My decision after seeing the GUN – I threw the phone away into a ditch, they yelled at me for doing that and they came straight at my Bag (which if I had thrown away would have either landed me in trouble b’cos then they could have cut me or even recklessly shot me and still find the Black BAG and made away with the CASH.

They came straight to my bag as if they knew I had money in it which was why I had to ditch the phone quickly so they wouldn’t take that as well. Mind you these guys had they face fully uncovered and knew what they were looking for… Then again they coming for the bag certified my suspicion of they following me all the way from the Bank. QUESTION: Was it an insider or was it someone who just walks into BANKS, look around for people withdrawing heavy/lots of CASH and then notifying the Partner THUGS outside the Bank to trail people like me… IN ALL THINGS GIVE THANKS TO GOD. I thank GOD I was not hurt in anyway. I thank God for giving me back another chance to fulfill my purpose on this earth.

I don't want to scare anybody, but I wouldn't wish what happened to me on my worse enemy and that is even if I have a worse enemy. Times are tough. We all know the economy is bad and many people have lost or are in the process of losing their jobs. When some people are desperate, they may resort to crime. As I sit here writing this, I realize this could have been so much worse. They could have giving me a couple of cuts here and there, shot me or even beaten me up big time, or a number of other things. I thank God, they never touched me. All they wanted was my MONEY and I let them have it without a fight.

Most people think they may know what to do in situations like mine, trust me, your LIFE is worth more than someone robbing you of money and in the end killing you b’cos you fought back or tried defending yourself. I had people standing right in the middle of it as onlookers, yet they only came to my aide after the robbers had sped off on their motorbike.

Tonight also makes me realize just how precious life is. It is a gift. Tomorrow is not guaranteed, just as the quote on my home Facebook page (www.facebook.com/mtvbaseghana) states. Everything happened so fast when he pulled the gun out. I thought my life was going to be over. My Whole life played back in my head within seconds including all I ever dreamed to do on this earth that we reside in. My mother use to say "don't put off until tomorrow what you can do today." I tell you all, if you are waiting until the right time to live your dream, do something you always wanted to do, tell someone you appreciate them, etc., DON'T WAIT!!! Tomorrow may not come for you.

I must say, I am not tired at all. I feel like I just drank 3 cups of coffee. Oh well, hopefully I will make up for the lost sleep tomorrow night. 

Blessings, Peace & Light to you all and PLEASE BE SAFE. YOUR LIFE IS WORTH A LOT MORE THAN WHAT THIS WORLD WILL OFFER YOU MATERIALLY … GOD BLESS YOU AND MAKE SURE YOU SPEND TIME COUNTING ALL OF THE BLESSINGS AND SAYING THANK YOU FATHER FOR KEEPING ME SAFE.

STILL I RISE!!!!!!!!!!!!

I’d like to thank the following people for all the LOVE shown me during the hard times GOD BLESS YOU ALL

1.       Mabel Simpson (you’re the best of the Best)

2.       Barbara Yiadom

3.       Naya Sad

4.       Yaw Arhin

5.       Gloria Buckman Yankson

6.       Janet Bannerman

7.       Ernest Yankson

8.       Sefakor Gbewonyo

9.       Eric Andoh

10.   Dr. Justice Croffie

11.   Mr. Owusu Amoakohene

12.   My FOLKS (Love you)