A LETTER TO THE UNIVERSAL CHURCH

Dear Beloved people of God,

Greetings in the Name of Jesus our eternal Lord and Savior who will and will ever be the reigning King of Kings!

Brothers and Sisters, I am writing to you with a heart of Love, and in this letter which I write to you this day, I urge you to please build up the enthusiasm to accept the message, advice and guidelines led down accordingly in this letter. The content, though concise, but prolific for this race for eternal Kingdom, and if applied, will result to a fruitful and rewarding lifestyle.

So, brethren I admonish you to please take it up to yourself to abide to this sayings, because I speak to you not as the one you knew before, but as the servant of the Most High, whom have been ordained and had being breathed upon to speak (write) this words.

I would like to touch light on the few things I've noticed and observed while away, I would, with the mind of Christ find the best way to correct this mis-direction before the devil stems deep into the heart of the Saints. This we all know, will be a defeat to our calling, and perhaps, if not talked about , this collates that we are failing to do our duties as God as commanded us to do.

Nevertheless I still appreciate the yielding effort of the Church leaders, though not at its best, but, has been a source of inspiration to me and I suppose as well to the Church. My deep regards to brothers in Christ (Church leaders) for their utmost enthusiasm to perfect God’s work. God our Most Gracious Father, who understands us all, will give us the right mantra to sing of Him and by His unfolding Power give us New Life infused with joy, peace and happiness, as He has promised.

Firstly, I would like to address the issue to promiscuity, which I heard had been the order of the day in the Church, perhaps we might not have noticed that Christ detest this act, and He as our Father always wants for us that we live a Sin-free-life that will be an exaltation to Him, that is the ultimate pursuit we should all aim for. As Christians, we all are expected to live a Sin-free-life, this, God is affirming, will make us special people in His sight and also in the sight of men. We should resist and detest any act of sexual promiscuity in the household of the Father, in order to live an effective life, and most importantly-be an advertisement to the world. I believe we can abstain from this act, though like a strong uncontrollable emotional drive, we can still stop it now, and now I say. God is not happy about this. This is why He has put it in my mind to write this letter to you, He is watching us all and waiting for us to make this change, so he can be closer to us. Brethren, I urge you all to get the wisdom behind been closer to God, when you forsake all things and be closer to Him, Sin flees from your path and you come clean and pure from sin. As His children, I believe that we have been endowed with the potentials to resist sin, why - because, we are no more who we were before, we are now new in Christ Jesus (II Corinthian 5: 17). I urge you to flee from any atom of sin and as you do this, His Grace and strength will build you up.

Secondly, I would like to stress on the need for the Gifts and Fruit of the Holy Spirit, and pointing out that our Gifts are not our Fruit, and the Gifts and Fruit of the Holy Spirit are given to the believer after being saved (Not before) for the work God wants him to do. Brethren, please understand that your Fruit is who you are, while your Gifts are what you have… that enables you do the Ministry Work effectively for God. It is wrong and Ministerially unthinkable to operate in the Gift of the Holy Spirit without having the Fruit of the Spirit - and it amounts to nothing but share deception. I heard that some of you are confusing these two functions of the Holy Spirit. We should note that, Spiritual Gifts are those which the Holy Spirit gives us as his chosen ones (Christian/ Saints), while the Fruit is what we work-out for ourselves. It is a necessity that each member of the congregation be endowed with at least either one of the Gifts of the Spirit, which the Bible talks about in Ephesians 12: 6- 8 and I Corinthians 12: 7- 1. Also expanding on the necessity of the Fruit of the Spirit in the life of every Christian, and most importantly to you folk(s), we should note that the Fruit of the Spirit is a necessity for this Kingdom race and understand that the Fruit of the Spirit is the outworking of the presence of the Holy Spirit in a Spirit-guided Child of God. This is an evidential proof and visible indices of the Holy Spirit in the life of a believer.

I will still not fail to point out the rules behind the use of these Gifts of the Holy Spirit, which when misused causes calamity to its violator, please let’s observe these essential precepts:

● That a sinner cannot manifest Spiritual Gifts
● That Spiritual Gift is meant for service and not for window dressing and show-offs
● That any Holy Spirit baptism that culminate in zeal for evangelism and soul winning is fake and not Biblical
● That anyone speaking in tongues, but who lives in sin and does not evangelize is not truly filled with the spirit of God.
● That in a salvation where everybody speak in tongues and professes to be Spirit-filled and nobody goes out to evangelize, there is a problem - it is either they are all lying about what they say they have, or what they have is not genuine baptism of the Holy Spirit.
● That the Ministration of the baptism of the Holy Spirit to sinners is an exercise of futility, a disservice to God and a deception in the Christian Church.
● That the gifts of the Holy Spirit works to the fullest capacity only in the life of someone having the fruit of the spirit and who loves the Lord and obeys the scriptures fully in all things.

Also assimilate that, our Fruit is not our Gift, our Lord Jesus Christ made a clear statement on this and profoundly said that: "by their Fruit, we shall know them". Not by their Gifts, this is to unveil the need for the fruit of the Spirit in the life of every Christian, most especially the Church/ Ministry workers. Without the fruit of the Spirit we can’t work effectively for God. But with this Fruit of the Holy Spirit, we have: Love for one another, Joy, Peace, Gentleness, goodness, faith (which is essential), meekness and self-control - which I have discussed and talked about in my earlier later to you (visit www.vic-counted.blogspot.com for these notes).

This drives me to my third and final point - "LOVE": We should understand that without Love (God’s kind of love) for one another we cannot move any far as brethren and most especially the logo we bear as Christians. Please I urge and admonish you as the servant of the Most High to love one another as God Loved His Son - Jesus Christ, and us His children. Love for this eternal race is vital and required from each and every single one of us. I am writing with deep pains, because most of our brethren misconnect the idea behind this kind of God’s love, but remember that God will judge us all for those permissive sins we hid behind our hearts. God hates Hypocrisy and disowns anyone that acts such. I trust and vouch on you all to be abiding and diligent in effecting changes. I admonish and pray that you all will catch this message of life, which inspirationally, are not my own Words, but Gods’. So I admonish you to start today and make corrections in anyway you have frustrated the work of the Holy Spirit in your life, He is always and ever Merciful, reconcile with Him and taste the breeze of this New Life in Christ Jesus. As you reflect on these Words and put-to-practice the instructions, may He guide your path and direct you. Amen.

In Conclusion, I which to alert you all of the goodness of our Loving Father who have brought so much joy to my soul and engineered His work in my life and in my Ministry. God has made ways where there was no way for me times without number, I high-count how He has effectively guided my paths. Brethren, please join me and thank Him for providing exceeding for us all.
Also to remind you all that, as God’s people we should all be aware of some lobsters and crabs in our midst, they cower their faces with cloaks of fake-holy garment, but are fake and false Christians, we should flee from these hypocrites. Many of these people are filled with the gifts of the Holy Spirit without the manifestation of the Fruit, they have the Gift, but no proof of the fruit of the Spirit, and they speak in tongues and participate fully in every function of the Church, these people are vague and I urge you to take flight from such persons’ because they will delude you. Surprisingly they are in the Church - these are signs of the End time. Is disappointing to hear that many of us who were filled with the Spirit and who have lost the fire, fervency and zeal for God are now complacent, relaxed and comforted in Luke-warmness, most of them are now "retired by God" unknown to them.

Before I take my final bow, I want to drop these few words of encouragement: as we all work towards an effective lifestyle, I would like to remind you that our reward is and will be based on our Service to God. There is a Soul winning Crown awaiting us, copy-down in your heart that Angels will not do the work God expects you to do. If we want sinners to come to Church; the believers must go out to win souls, the Master’s last command must be the first concern of a true believer and finally, we must demonstrate firm commitment to God’s Work and Will, as an evident Proof of our Love for God our Creator, because, our rewards are not here on earth but beyond. And as we all work effectively to put a smile on the Face of our Creator, I have that conviction that He is up there smiling down at us.

God bless you as you work towards an effective lifestyle that will connote a form of worship to God, and be conceived as such.

Yours in the Lord,


Bro. Victor Counted

A LETTER TO THE UNIVERSAL CHURCH

Dear Beloved people of God,

Greetings in the Name of Jesus our eternal Lord and Savior who will and will ever be the reigning King of Kings!

Brothers and Sisters, I am writing to you with a heart of Love, and in this letter which I write to you this day, I urge you to please build up the enthusiasm to accept the message, advice and guidelines led down accordingly in this letter. The content, though concise, but prolific for this race for eternal Kingdom, and if applied, will result to a fruitful and rewarding lifestyle.

So, brethren I admonish you to please take it up to yourself to abide to this sayings, because I speak to you not as the one you knew before, but as the servant of the Most High, whom have been ordained and had being breathed upon to speak (write) this words.

I would like to touch light on the few things I've noticed and observed while away, I would, with the mind of Christ find the best way to correct this mis-direction before the devil stems deep into the heart of the Saints. This we all know, will be a defeat to our calling, and perhaps, if not talked about , this collates that we are failing to do our duties as God as commanded us to do. Nevertheless I still appreciate the yielding effort of the Church leaders, though not at its best, but, has been a source of inspiration to me and I suppose as well to the Church. My deep regards to brothers in Christ (Church leaders) for their utmost enthusiasm to perfect God’s work. God our Most Gracious Father, who understands us all, will give us the right mantra to sing of Him and by His unfolding Power give us New Life infused with joy, peace and happiness, as He has promised.

Firstly, I would like to address the issue to promiscuity, which I heard had been the order of the day in the Church, perhaps we might not have noticed that Christ detest this act, and He as our Father always wants for us that we live a Sin-free-life that will be an exaltation to Him, that is the ultimate pursuit we should all aim for. As Christians, we all are expected to live a Sin-free-life, this, God is affirming, will make us special people in His sight and also in the sight of men. We should resist and detest any act of sexual promiscuity in the household of the Father, in order to live an effective life, and most importantly-be an advertisement to the world. I believe we can abstain from this act, though like a strong uncontrollable emotional drive, we can still stop it now, and now I say. God is not happy about this. This is why He has put it in my mind to write this letter to you, He is watching us all and waiting for us to make this change, so he can be closer to us. Brethren, I urge you all to get the wisdom behind been closer to God, when you forsake all things and be closer to Him, Sin flees from your path and you come clean and pure from sin. As His children, I believe that we have been endowed with the potentials to resist sin, why - because, we are no more who we were before, we are now new in Christ Jesus (II Corinthian 5: 17). I urge you to flee from any atom of sin and as you do this, His Grace and strength will build you up.

Secondly, I would like to stress on the need for the Gifts and Fruit of the Holy Spirit, and pointing out that our Gifts are not our Fruit, and the Gifts and Fruit of the Holy Spirit are given to the believer after being saved (Not before) for the work God wants him to do. Brethren, please understand that your Fruit is who you are, while your Gifts are what you have… that enables you do the Ministry Work effectively for God. It is wrong and Ministerially unthinkable to operate in the Gift of the Holy Spirit without having the Fruit of the Spirit - and it amounts to nothing but share deception. I heard that some of you are confusing these two functions of the Holy Spirit. We should note that, Spiritual Gifts are those which the Holy Spirit gives us as his chosen ones (Christian/ Saints), while the Fruit is what we work-out for ourselves. It is a necessity that each member of the congregation be endowed with at least either one of the Gifts of the Spirit, which the Bible talks about in Ephesians 12: 6- 8 and I Corinthians 12: 7- 1. Also expanding on the necessity of the Fruit of the Spirit in the life of every Christian, and most importantly to you folk(s), we should note that the Fruit of the Spirit is a necessity for this Kingdom race and understand that the Fruit of the Spirit is the outworking of the presence of the Holy Spirit in a Spirit-guided Child of God. This is an evidential proof and visible indices of the Holy Spirit in the life of a believer.

I will still not fail to point out the rules behind the use of these Gifts of the Holy Spirit, which when misused causes calamity to its violator, please let’s observe these essential precepts:

● That a sinner cannot manifest Spiritual Gifts
● That Spiritual Gift is meant for service and not for window dressing and show-offs
● That any Holy Spirit baptism that culminate in zeal for evangelism and soul winning is fake and not Biblical
● That anyone speaking in tongues, but who lives in sin and does not evangelize is not truly filled with the spirit of God.
● That in a salvation where everybody speak in tongues and professes to be Spirit-filled and nobody goes out to evangelize, there is a problem - it is either they are all lying about what they say they have, or what they have is not genuine baptism of the Holy Spirit.
● That the Ministration of the baptism of the Holy Spirit to sinners is an exercise of futility, a disservice to God and a deception in the Christian Church.
● That the gifts of the Holy Spirit works to the fullest capacity only in the life of someone having the fruit of the spirit and who loves the Lord and obeys the scriptures fully in all things.

Also assimilate that, our Fruit is not our Gift, our Lord Jesus Christ made a clear statement on this and profoundly said that: "by their Fruit, we shall know them". Not by their Gifts, this is to unveil the need for the fruit of the Spirit in the life of every Christian, most especially the Church/ Ministry workers. Without the fruit of the Spirit we can’t work effectively for God. But with this Fruit of the Holy Spirit, we have: Love for one another, Joy, Peace, Gentleness, goodness, faith (which is essential), meekness and self-control - which I have discussed and talked about in my earlier later to you (visit www.vic-counted.blogspot.com for these notes).

This drives me to my third and final point - "LOVE": We should understand that without Love (God’s kind of love) for one another we cannot move any far as brethren and most especially the logo we bear as Christians. Please I urge and admonish you as the servant of the Most High to love one another as God Loved His Son - Jesus Christ, and us His children. Love for this eternal race is vital and required from each and every single one of us. I am writing with deep pains, because most of our brethren misconnect the idea behind this kind of God’s love, but remember that God will judge us all for those permissive sins we hid behind our hearts. God hates Hypocrisy and disowns anyone that acts such. I trust and vouch on you all to be abiding and diligent in effecting changes. I admonish and pray that you all will catch this message of life, which inspirationally, are not my own Words, but Gods’. So I admonish you to start today and make corrections in anyway you have frustrated the work of the Holy Spirit in your life, He is always and ever Merciful, reconcile with Him and taste the breeze of this New Life in Christ Jesus. As you reflect on these Words and put-to-practice the instructions, may He guide your path and direct you. Amen.

In Conclusion, I which to alert you all of the goodness of our Loving Father who have brought so much joy to my soul and engineered His work in my life and in my Ministry. God has made ways where there was no way for me times without number, I high-count how He has effectively guided my paths. Brethren, please join me and thank Him for providing exceeding for us all.
Also to remind you all that, as God’s people we should all be aware of some lobsters and crabs in our midst, they cower their faces with cloaks of fake-holy garment, but are fake and false Christians, we should flee from these hypocrites. Many of these people are filled with the gifts of the Holy Spirit without the manifestation of the Fruit, they have the Gift, but no proof of the fruit of the Spirit, and they speak in tongues and participate fully in every function of the Church, these people are vague and I urge you to take flight from such persons’ because they will delude you. Surprisingly they are in the Church - these are signs of the End time. Is disappointing to hear that many of us who were filled with the Spirit and who have lost the fire, fervency and zeal for God are now complacent, relaxed and comforted in Luke-warmness, most of them are now "retired by God" unknown to them.

Before I take my final bow, I want to drop these few words of encouragement: as we all work towards an effective lifestyle, I would like to remind you that our reward is and will be based on our Service to God. There is a Soul winning Crown awaiting us, copy-down in your heart that Angels will not do the work God expects you to do. If we want sinners to come to Church; the believers must go out to win souls, the Master’s last command must be the first concern of a true believer and finally, we must demonstrate firm commitment to God’s Work and Will, as an evident Proof of our Love for God our Creator, because, our rewards are not here on earth but beyond. And as we all work effectively to put a smile on the Face of our Creator, I have that conviction that He is up there smiling down at us.

God bless you as you work towards an effective lifestyle that will connote a form of worship to God, and be conceived as such.

Yours in the Lord,

Bro. Victor Counted

EMOTIONS

INTRODUCTION
Everyone has some idea what emotions and feelings are but their exact nature is hard to pin down. We begin by noting that emotions and feelings are not the same. The first issues to be discussed are semantic, not trivial by any means. There are many words that refer to emotions and feelings, especially in literature and psychological terrain. There is no standard use of terms.
We recognize that the brain brings information about the outside world, together with information from inside the body. Images of the outside tend to be detailed and explicit in consciousness. Monitor images from inside the body tend to be vague and variable. Generally, humans are ignorant of internal processes and invent all manner of imaginary and irrelevant explanations to explain their feelings and emotions.

Nevertheless, we still gave a few concise detail planned conscription of facts to pin down this elusive term "emotions and feelings". The ideas to be passed-out are prolific for study sake, and when applied to our day-to-day activities, will result to a fruitful adventure on our daily engagements.

Join us as we explore on these elusive terms, and in detail, pour out descriptive & creative ideas, that will, in a succinct thorough arrangement, help researchers and students of related field of study, to understand the concept behind "emotions and feelings".

WHAT IS EMOTION
First of all, it would be good to note that the term "emotion" is best used to point to animal and human behavior. The word emotion comes from the Latin verb movere, which means "to move." Emotions motivate human and animal behavior, or move people to act in certain ways. Some Philosophers have given a terse description of the term emotion. Most of their definitions were related to it functions, for example some defines emotions in terms of their adaptive or disruptive influences, the other in terms of motivation and considers it as part of the same class of phenomena that contains physiological drives, such as pain, thirst, and the need for elimination, while the other category describes and are concerned with functions consists of definitions that attempt to distinguish between emotion and other psychological processes.
James Hilman was one of a few of these philosophers who describes emotion as a distinct feeling or quality of consciousness, such as joy or sadness, which reflects the personal significance of an emotion-arousing event. He further stated that, in modern times the subject of emotion has become part of the subject matter of several scientific disciplines such as, biology, psychology, psychiatry, anthropology, and sociology. (Hilman 1960, 38)

In a more description pattern, Amelie Rorty gave a more exact definition, in her 1980 "Explaining Emotion", she described emotion as a particular psychological state of feeling, such as fear, anger, joy, and sorrow. (Rorty 1980, 14)

Using Aristotle's system of causal explanation, the 16th-century British philosopher John Rainolds defined emotion as follows: the efficient cause of emotions is God, who implanted them; the material cause is good and evil human things; the formal cause is a commotion of the soul, impelled by the sight of things; and the final cause is seeking good and fleeing evil. (Rorty 1980, 179)

Benedict de Spinoza in the 17th century described emotions in much the same way as Rainolds did, but he discussed them in relation to action rather than to language. He saw emotions as bodily changes that result in the amplification or attenuation of action and as processes that can facilitate or impede action. For Spinoza, emotion also included the ideas, or mental representations, of the bodily changes in emotion. (Rorty 1980, 181)

All these controversial instances have shown that, rather than attenuating the study of emotion, it expands beyond limits, giving a more fundamental broad orientation and definitions, which create vacuums for various research practices helpful for human consumption and thus, beneficial for man and animal arbitration. However, most experts agree that emotion is a causal factor or influence in thoughts, actions, personalities, and social relationships.

Types of Emotion
Some modern scholars and authors use the terms primary and secondary emotions. We find this distinction quite helpful. A primary emotion is what we feel first, while the secondary emotion is what it leads to.

Examples of Primary and Secondary Emotions:
Anger is a good example of a secondary emotion. There are many possible primary emotions which, when they are intense enough, can lead to anger. We might feel insulted, pressured, cheated, etc. If these feelings are at a low level we are not likely to say we feel angry. But if they are intense, we commonly say we feel "angry".

Depression is another example of a secondary emotion. Depression can include feeling discouraged, hopeless, lonely, isolated, misunderstood, overwhelmed, attacked, invalidated, unsupported, etc. Normally it includes several feelings. These more specific feelings are what we would call primary emotions.

As a final point, in order to understand ones secondary emotion such as anger or depression, it would be advised to first identify the primary emotional need.

Importance of Emotion
The use of emotion concepts is common in literature and philosophy, as was discussed above and there is widespread agreement among scientists that emotions are important in individual development, physical and mental health, and human relations. Experts in different disciplines emphasize different reasons for the importance of emotions.

Evolutionary-biological (Charles Darwin’s) perspectives: Darwin included emotions, in particular emotion expressions, in his studies of evolution. He considered continuity or similarity of expression in animals and human beings as further evidence of human evolution from lower forms. His finding that certain emotional expressions are innate and universal was seen as evidence of the "unity of the several races." Thus, the expressions, or the language of the emotions, provide a means of communication among all human beings, regardless of culture or ethnic origin.

In his 1872 work which was reprinted in 1979, The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals", Darwin made an explicit value judgment regarding the significance of emotional expressions, in his views he says:

The movements of expression in the face and body, whatever their origin may have been, are in themselves of much importance for our welfare. They serve as the first means of communication between the mother and infant; she smiles approval, and thus encourages her child on the right path, or frowns disapproval. We readily perceive sympathy in others by their expression; our sufferings are thus mitigated and our pleasures increased; and mutual good feeling is thus strengthened. The movements of expression give vividness and energy to our spoken words. They reveal the thoughts and intentions of others more truly than do words, which may be falsified. (Darwin 1972, 111)

From his studies of emotional expressions, Darwin concluded that some emotional expressions were due to the "constitution of the nervous system," or our biological endowment. The implication is that these expressive movements are part of human nature and have played a role in survival and adaptation. Darwin thought other expressions were derived from actions that originally served biologically adaptive functions. Although he noted that expressive movements may no longer serve biological functions, he made it quite clear that they serve critical social and communicative functions.

Psychological and other related views: From the very beginning of scientific psychology, there were voices that spoke of the significance of emotions for human life. Some earlier fathers of psychology believed that "individuality is founded in feeling" and that only through feeling is possible directly to perceive how events happen, and how work is actually done.
As its original Latin root verb "movere", which mean "to move", this simply implies that emotions motivate human behavior, or move people to act in certain ways. Fear, for example, might make a person more cautious, while anger might spur one to take a bold or confrontational course. Most psychologists agree that emotions are central to human survival and adaptation.
Some psychologists and philosophers believe that mercy and other moral sentiments (as well as immoral ones) stem from emotions. Emotions are important also to the development of basic personality traits and to physical and mental health. They are thought to foster creativity, and artistic sensibilities would not be possible without our emotion.

The first few chapters of Goleman's 1995 book on Emotional Intelligence have a good presentation on these and gave good awarding elaboration on the importance of Emotions, in his views; he gave a more contemporary day-to-day description of the significance of Emotions. He claims that our emotion plays significant roles in the human life, and practically a major source of existence which co-ordinates all fundamental areas of the human life. From Goleman’s thoughts, here are some key elementary percepts to these:

Survival: Nature developed our emotions over millions of years of evolution. Decision Making: Our emotions are a valuable source of information. Boundary Setting: When we feel uncomfortable with a person's behavior, our emotions alert us. Communication: Our emotions help us communicate with others. Happiness: The only real way to know that we are happy is when we feel happy. Unity: Our emotions are perhaps the greatest potential source of uniting all members of the human species. (Goleman 1995, 185- 9)

Effects of Emotion
Generally, the effects of our emotions can be broken into these two main contrast divisions, which are either negative or positive. Let’s compare and contrast these ideas and learn from its description:
Both biosocial and constructivist theories of emotions acknowledge that an emotion is a complex phenomenon. They generally agree that an emotion includes physiological functions, expressive behaviour, and subjective experience and that each of these components is based on activity in the brain and nervous system. As noted above, some theorists, particularly those of the constructivist persuasion, hold that an emotion also involves cognition, an appraisal or cognitive-evaluative process that triggers the emotion and determines or contributes to the subjective experience of the emotion.

Emotional expressions have three major functions: they contribute to the activation and regulation of emotional experiences; they communicate something about internal states and intentions to others; and they activate emotions in others, a process that can help account for empathy and altruistic behaviour. (Goleman 1995, 71)

WHAT IS FEELING

The term feeling is a verbal noun denoting the action of the verb to feel, which derives etymologically from the Middle English verb felen, "to perceive by touch, by palpation." It soon came to mean, more generally, to perceive through those senses that are not referred to any special organ. During the early days of the primitive English and its concordance to meaning, there were changes in some verbal words, which had collision with other English words; this paved way for the new orientation of the word "feel", so in effect; the verb to feel came also to mean the perception of events within the body. Psychologists disagree on the use of the term feeling.

American Psychologist R.S. Woodworth also was on the role; he defines the problem of feeling and emotion as that of the individual's "internal state." Many psychologists, however, still follow the German philosopher Immanuel Kant in equating feeling to states of pleasantness and unpleasantness, known in psychology as affect. Nevertheless in brief description, by feelings we mean all of those things we usually mean by emotions, affections, sentiments, desires, and passions.

Types of Feeling
There are probably many ways of classifying feelings as there are different feelings. The two kinds of feelings we refer to make it possible to identify those feelings which we refer to as emotions and to distinguish them from other kinds of feelings. We should observe and note that not all feelings are emotions.

The two kinds of feelings are:
Biological/ Physiological feeling: This division portray feelings such as vertigo, nausea, fatigue, excitement, restlessness, feverishness, malaise, euphoria, including the physical, "desires," or what is used to be called the, "animal appetites," such as hunger, and the "sex drive." All of these feelings are caused by the biological functions of the human organism, and are shared by most of the higher animals, and are independent of consciousness.
Emotional feelings: This are mostly feelings such as happiness, joy, ecstasy, fear, (and variations such as panic and terror) nostalgia, anxiety, sadness, grief, frustration, apathy, affection, antipathy, content, discontent, anger, hate, rage, confidence, enthusiasm, and pride. All of these feelings are caused by whatever we are conscious of at the time we have those feelings. Some are shared with the higher animals, but those associated with abstract concepts, like the past, (nostalgia) the future (anxiety), and values (humor, pathos, pride), for example, are experienced only by man.

Importance of Feeling
Feeling has similar importance with emotion, they both plays pivotal role in the life of a living organism, mostly that of the Homo sapiens. The undisputable function of feeling in the life of a living being is limitless. But, for the sake of this research, we go by Goleman’s orientation:
Feelings as well as emotion have three major functions: they contribute to the activation and regulation of emotional experiences; they communicate something about internal states and intentions to others; and they activate emotions in others, a process that can help account for empathy and altruistic behaviour. (Goleman 1995, 71)

Effects of Feeling
Because of the essentially internal, subjective nature of feeling, its study has been concerned with two distinct problems—namely, how an event is perceived and what the perceived event is.

COMPARING AND CONTRASTING EMOTIONS AND FEELINGS
Many theories identify feeling with emotion and explain both as arising in the activity of the thalamus or interbrain – which is the intermediate sensory receptive center lying below the cerebral cortex. Psychologists and people generally, use word like feeling to refer to the emotional colouring of many daily activities. Most if not all of our experiences possess a feeling-tone, which is more or less pleasant when a person says, for instance, I feel better about this or I am happy for your success. He or she is expressing the emotional value which the situation has for him. Many emotional expressions are called feeling; in fact distinction between the two is often a matter largely of the words used in describing the response.

Nevertheless, some few atoms of grafted differences can still be mapped out, to necessitate a balance equation on the terms "feelings and emotions". This also collates the understanding that emotions and feelings might be similar but are two separate functions and effects as far as the study of psychology is concerned. In a table-form let’s see some of these differences: FEELINGS & EMOTIONS

i.Feeling is an internal quality
i. Emotion is an external quality
ii. Feeling only function and alerts to self only
ii. Our emotion can be noticed by another person
iii. Feelings are primary
iii.Emotions are secondary
iv. Our feeling often times are natural
iv. Our emotions are adaptive
v. Just as the primary emotions, our feelings are what we feel first which arouses an emotion
v. Just like the secondary emotion, our emotions are what our feelings leads to

HOW THE CONCEPT OF EMOTION AND FEELING INTERFACE WITH PSYCHOLOGY

From all indication, paradoxically, Emotions are central to the issues of human survival and adaptation. They motivate the development of moral behaviour, which lies at the very root of civilization. Emotions influence empathic and altruistic behaviour and they play a role in the creative processes of the mind. They affect the basic processes of perception and influence the way humans conceive and interpret the world around them. Evidence suggests that emotions shape many other aspects of human life and human affairs. Clinical psychologists and psychiatrists often describe problems of adjustment and types of psychopathology as "emotional problems," mental conditions that an estimated one in three Nigerians, for example, suffers from during his or her lifetime.

The subject of emotion is studied from a wide range of views. Behaviorally oriented neuroscientists study the neurophysiology and neuroanatomy of emotions and the relations between neural processes and the expression and experience of emotion. Social psychologists and cultural anthropologists study similarities and differences among cultures by the way emotions are expressed and conceptualized. Philosophers are interested in the role of emotions in rationality, thought, character development, and values. Novelists, playwrights, poets, and even students are interested in emotions as the motivations as well as the defining features of fictional characters and as vehicles for communicating the meaning and significance of events.

CONCLUSION
In total, we tried to juxtapose these two ideal words, bringing in terms their fundamental values to human life, and as well lessons to learn from this broad topic. The ideas behind our emotions and feelings are relatively comparative, but aren’t similar, but often times interface with each. Emotions and feelings have physiological, expressive, and experiential components, and each component can be studied in terms of its structure and functions.
In our research work, we tried to illustrate that, feelings and emotions exist to monitor and regulate close relationships. We also gave prolific and concise ideas and facts to justify this claim.

More on this topic contact us today: lovecounted@live.com

PLIGHTS OF THE FIRST BORN

What is wrong with the first Born? This is a question that has been echoing in my ears for years now. I seem not to come out with the solution yet. I feel depressed and broken while trying to write on this trend. As a first born in my family I feel and want to help my fellow first borns’ out there, to come together and find a way forward to un-yoke ourselves from this inherited disease that has caused damages and harms to our lives.

From the days of the patriarchal fathers; this unwarranted punishment to the first borns’ emanated (sometimes I ask, why did God let it to be. As a Christian I feel pain deep inside my heart whenever I read the Bible and come across the story of the first borns’ of the Old Testament period) from the days of Abraham – father of many nations. His first son Ishmael did not make it with his father’s inheritance rather was deserted at the wilderness of Paran. Isaac the second son of Abraham succeeded Ishmael. But his first son Esau missed the mark to Jacob. As well Jacob’s eleventh child "Joseph", succeeded the eldest Reuben. Paradoxically this yoke transcends to Joseph’s children - Manasseh his first son missed his blessing to Ephraim. This ravaging trauma has being going for decades now, it seems unstoppable and nobody cares to know why God allows this to happen.

Can we with intense thinking before given answers; ask ourselves – why has God ignored the first borns’ and what His plan is, for the first born of every family. Let’s call a spade a spade, in our contemporary society; every first born of every family has the biggest portion of linage or inherited curses to battle with.

I feel hurt deep down my heart that I belong to this category of "great people". Am not insinuating that I have a problem: but every single day of my life I ask myself; what would I have being if I was not the first born of my family – would I be better-off than what I am presently or the same embodiment (person). I guess this same question is in the heart of every first born our there…

WATCH OUT FOR ‘PLIGHTS OF THE FIRST BORN’ - COMING SOON!

YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW I FEEL

"The heart knows its own bitterness and a stranger does not share it joy" Pro. 14: 10.

Of recent, I realize that loneliness is mysterious. I guess likely most of us have experienced and journeyed through this enigmatic state at some point in time of our lives. Been isolated and lonely where no one; not even a relative or closet friend have a clue or either understands how you feel. That is badly frustrating. Yet, most time people closer to us, claims that they understands and feels exactly how we feel – is that possible? The scriptural passage above gives more credible attribute to this. Can we ignorantly say to friends, loved ones or even colleagues that are in deep hurt that we understand how they feel? I don’t think so; we don’t have a clue of how they feel because only the heart knows its own bitterness. This is God’s word not man. We as intelligent and smart people might claim to know, but we don’t. May be it would be better off if we start today to pray that such person should discover Jesus first, rather than claiming we know how they feel.

So many biblical stories gives further exposition on what it feels like to be hurt or sorrowful. We all know the story of Job; how he was hurt and was in pains and he consulted God and later triumphed. Also the story of Hezekiah in II Kings 20: 1- 6; tells us how grieved Hezekiah was; when Prophet Isaiah told him "to set his house in order, for he shall die", not because he sinned against God, but it was just how God wanted it. Can we grasp some intimate knowledge from this portion of the Scripture? Hezekiah never cried to Isaiah, neither did he tell him to help him. Rather; Vs. 2. "He turned his face toward the wall, and prayed to the Lord saying. Remember now, O Lord. I pray, how I have walked before you in truth and with a loyal heart, and have done what was good in your sight. And Hezekiah wept bitterly". Sometimes God hurts us for good; in order to test us and know if we still recognize Him as the merciful God of all. Hezekiah walked in the way of the Lord with a loyal heart and did well in the sight of the Lord – yet; God grieved his heart: likewise tested him. Most of us might be at this state of being hurt as Ministry workers or even a lay person; but we should bear in mind, that is just a simple test. Christianity is not all that rosy as it is on the first-start; like most of us think. Christianity is a journey, the more you embark on the journey the more you encounter circumstances/ challenges. But if you are spiritually active, you overcome them all. The more you overcome them, the more you are stronger in Him. Most importantly you are renewed and given new strength to continue the journey of Faith which its end is eternal blessing and increase to your "Sovereign Account of Heaven" both for you and your children-children.

Nowadays most Christians blame God for been cause of their problem and ask Him profane questions. Who are we to question God! Perhaps most of these people taught their enemies has gotten or attacked them. No! (Though sometimes the devil inflict people’s life) Is just a test of faith. Can we cry bitterly to the Lord today like Hezekiah did and see if he won’t heal does hurts in your life.

The Bible also admonishes us, not to sing songs to a person that is grieved. It’s destructive and like a chemical poured on soda, it can only worsen or deform its original form. To those mourning; you are only mocking them unconsciously, thinking you are easing away their grief. Is not for mortals to ease away pains; as if we were an entity. Roman 12: 15, where Apostle Paul guides the Roman’s Church, and gave-out this profound truth about those that are mourning. He says I quote; "Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep".

Here, Apostle Paul made it more enlightened and admonishes us to rejoice with those that rejoice and mourn with those that are in pains. I think we should juxtapose this and as well carry on with the lessons on this passage and practice this biblical command conservatically.

In terms of giving a holy godly advise to those in hurt: I think we should practice that biblical command which commends us to listen first before we speak/ give a godly counsel to those in hurt. Words can actually get in the way of godly communion to someone in hurt; which we get by feeling what the person being hurt feels; not by mere saying "I feel your pains"- while inside of you is just a mere kind gesture to calm or cheer up the individual. You must have passed through the same exact or similar experience at some point of your life before you can say to someone in pain that you understand how he or she feels. Why? because - "it reminds you of those days you were hurt and isolated in pains just as you are right now".

Beloved, there is someone ruling this universe who understands and feels all we go through because He passed through them too. That person is Jesus Christ. Hebrew 4: 15 – "for we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weakness (bitterness), but was in all points tempted (hurt) as we are, yet without sin". That person is our Lord Jesus Christ. He felt all the pains and bitterness as you are feeling presently and knows what it means to be in hurt and deep pains. He understands and feels your pains. He understands how we feel; He knows every feel of our soul/ sorrow. And always standby ready to unburden those heavy laden, those hurts and pains. Matthew 11: 28 – "come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest". Christ knew we would be burdened some day, and he is telling us here in this scriptural verse that; when those days come we should run to Him for help. Your bitterness is not felt by you alone is also felt by Jesus Christ. He wants you to prove Him God – that is why he has kept silence from you for a long time now. But the question is; will you in this troubled time and with the hurt and pain inside call Him God? Knowing that He knows every single bit of what you are passing through today and accept His sovereignty and supremacy. That is what He seeks from us.

After Solomon has built a Temple for the Lord in I Kings chapter 8; I found out that when we read that passage of the bible carefully and with deep appreciation; the Bible tells us that after Solomon has built the temple of the Lord he:

Vs. 22- 23 – "then Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in the presence of all the assembly of Israel, and spread out his hands towards heaven: and he said; Lord God of Israel, there is no God in heaven above or on earth below like you, who keep your covenant and mercy with your servants walk before you with all their heart". Vs. 29- 30 – "that your eyes may be open toward this temple night and day, toward the place of which you said, my name shall be there, that you may hear the prayer which your servant makes toward this place. And may you hear the supplication of your servant and of your people Israel, when they pray toward this place. Hear in heaven your dwelling place and when you hear, forgive".Vs. 33- 54 – "when your people Israel are cause they have sinned against you, and when they turn back and pray and make supplication to you in this temple, then hear in heaven, and forgive the sin of your people Israel, and bring them back to the land which you gave to their fathers. When the heavens are shut up and there is no rain because they have sinned against you, when they pray toward this place and confess your name, and turn from their sin because you afflict them, then hear in heaven, and forgive the sin of your servants your people Israel, that you may teach them the good way in which they should walk; and send rain on your land which you have given to you people as an inheritance. When there is famine in the land, pestilence or blight or mildew, locusts or grasshoppers; when their enemy besieges them in the land of their cities; whatever plague or whatever sickness there is; whatever prayer, whatever supplication is made by anyone, or by all your people Israel, when each one knows the plague of his own heart, and spreads out his hands toward this temple, then hear in heaven your dwelling place, and forgive, and act, and give to everyone according to all his ways, you know (for you alone know the hearts of all the sons of men).

If we read down to verse 54, we see how Solomon was offering those beautiful prayers to God, all those prayers meant one thing – "that those that will come into this temple, will be deeply hurt; but please Lord God of Israel, when these people have repented from their sins and have prayed to you hear and answer their prayers". What a beautiful prayer. Solomon was wise. He never reminded God to bless him for all the treasures he has used in building the temple; rather he saw the need for God’s presence in the temple; knowing deeply inside that the children of Israel will be hurt and grieved someday.

How many of us today are ready to go to God’s "temple" (church) with our hurts and pains – "after being repented of our sins", and cry out to God to heal those wounds and hurts. Today God is inviting you wherever you are, to come to Him with those problems and hurts that He is ready to listen to you. Whether you are suffering with no purpose or suffering alone; there is no purposeless suffering in the world, God will redeem it all – if only you will share them with Him today. There is never a time we are in deep hurt, that we are alone, many of us today can attest to the fact that, when we are at the darkest-point of our lives, that’s where God proves Himself God. I am a witness to that; let me tell you this little story - "some years back, I was struggling with real-life issues after being deported for three consecutive times in three different countries I lived. Thereafter I was sent packing to the seminary school by my parents – God knows I hated the system initially. I felt like giving-up on life. Because I left my family and loved ones there; I lost every dime I had three different times – that’s really painful. At the chapel; after I heard this same similar message preached by Rev. Morris Watson; I fell on my knees and cried out to God for mercy and told Him I was confuse and need a direction from Him alone. ‘Just like a scene on the Hollywood movies’, things changed drastically, then I knew He was with me and never will I let Him go away from me anymore". May be you have heard several people tell stories or may be watched from the television, how God has proved Himself the Overall maker of the universe, at the darkest-point of people’s lives. Those are not fiction but real life testimonies. I pray that you open up your heart today as this message is pointing at you from all direction and that you grasp this Word so tight and genuinely repent from those sins that has being a stumbling block to you unconsciously. Cry out to Him, because He will hear and answer all your prayers, why? Because He feels your pain with you and knows exactly what you feel.

No matter what your pains is right now; no one understand what you are feeling except Jesus Himself, because He has passed through that same process of betrayal, hate, neglect and defilement or whatever hurt you feel. So many of us are in the darkest-point of our lives, while so many of us are in the splendors moment of their lives. But lets not forget brethren; that there is a season for everything, God knew this and made it clear in His Word in Ecclesiastes 3: 4 that there is "a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance". May be this is your time to weep or mourn (for a reason); Jesus can still turn it around for you.

Nevertheless beloved, lets not forget: whatever hurt or pain you are feeling right now; just know that those friends, relatives or loved ones you knew can’t help you, they can only temporary comfort you. But my Jesus is always there with you; He knows and feels your soreness and experience, His standby ready waiting for you to share those enigmatic experiences with Him. "What are you still waiting for, talk to Him right now: He is your father, friend and your God. See for yourself what happens and when it happens, testify to the whole world of His goodness.

God bless you!

EDITOR'S NOTES

Happy New Year folk(s)! First off, I would like to send my warm gratitude to you and to all those that had being at one point in time, a source of inspiration to us, in word(s) and deed(s), even in times of lack of words or ideas to publish; but through you God has ordained and blessed us for His work.

Nevertheless, I would encourage you to constantly visit and assimilate the wisdom in sequence to our exciting reality page. As you see fit to refute on the wisdom therein, I admonish, that, by constant reading and practicalizing the series of teachings on our page; this will not only bless your life, but, will also help you discover and explore those inner deepest dynamics of your being/ existence; as well as personal and Christian life.

As you struggle on discovering those inner dynamics, I admonish you, never to mind what haters' say or do, Ignore them till they fade away like smoke. God bless you and never forget praying for AFRICA!

Please for further elucidation, don't hesitate to contact us today through our email or phone numbers below.

Victor Counted

COUNTED TODAY!

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A TIP OF HIS LOVE

Today on Counted Today! I have to share this special and interesting topic with you; though for decades, has being a weekly Sunday sermon in most churches, but as well, is also been over-looked and seen as an off-mind issue to digest, but I think with God on our side we will assimilate/ digest this wisdom softly and put-to-mind the few words and counsel God has install for us all. Please bear in mind, I might not use any scriptural passage to illustrate my views and points, this is because I want to tackle this problem regardless your religious, social or ethnic background.

For me, I believe we all are one before God; I want to bring-on His inspirational ideas and comparing it with my own suggestical and ideological inputs/ opinion for this post.

Nowadays in our contemporary world, most people see God as a "Big Guy up there" searching for dynamic individuals He will choose for Himself, love, cherish and make them His own, in order to set them alone as His samples. Some as well, might either connote that this "Big Guy" loves some special kind of people alone, and for an extremist, this "Big Guy" plays game with His creatures (plays with their feeling, mind and emotion): NO! I think God's Love is open for everyone who is ready to accept His supremacy and sovereignty. He wants to be everybody's friend, that's why He is knocking at the door "the biggest boss of all" coming down from His supreme thrown of Majesty to associate with mortals/ lay men and women like me and you; seeking and wanting us to make Him our pal. As sinful as we are, do we deserve this love and unlimited relationship with Him? That's a question to think about first, before giving an answer. God loves communication as well as humans do, that's why He wants us to always talk to Him as a son does to His earthly father or may be as pals. God's love is never restricted to anyone; His arms are wide open, yearning for us to tap into His everlasting loving bosom. I can't seem to understand while this present generation devours and fails to grasp this unhidden prove of His existence – "may be I will put a little light on that next on my post". We should accept and proclaim God's love in our lives, so that we will experience a dramatic 'turn of wheel' in our relationships, marriage, as well our social, moral and personal life. "If God be for us, who can be against us?" Let's reform this saying in this pattern – "if we have God's love what can we not fulfill?" God's love is stable and like a spinning wheel has its profound overwhelming experience and testimonies. His calling on everyone, not minding your religion, tribe or race; "to come on all you that are heavy laden, to stop whining, that He will give you rest". He loves us more than we can ever imagine, He is seeking and yearning for your approval so He will be yours and you His.
May be you have doubts inside of you, that, there is no God – look around you now, and see all the good wonders he has created, those are the evidence. No man serves two masters at a time, you either serve one and leave the other, you should learn to kill the do it yourself culture and die-to-self, for God to really work or come into your life. Your life will still and will always be miserable if you doubt God's sovereignty and supremacy. Open your mind for Him to come in, to affirm and establish a "Sovereign Account of Heaven" (see SOVEREIGN ACCOUNT OF HEAVEN below) for you today, in order to enjoy the benefits of knowing the Master and working according His plan and purpose in fulfillment of His promises.

I strongly believe that as you are reading this today; God is not just talking to you, but easing your pains and burdens as well. I plead with you to slightly pulse for a while and listen to that tinny voice yearning, calling on you: "His knocking at the door of your heart", if only you will let Him in, to re-adjust your life and throw all things of the past into the trash-can. I don't know or might not tell-off your present challenges, difficulties, problems or predicaments - but all I know is that there is one true God spreading His arms wide open to welcome and make you His companion and friend, if only you believe His existence and accept His Sovereignty.

Please, I encourage you to try and have a solemn time today and refresh your mind on these words of wisdom reaching and pointing at you from all directions and try and give God a chance today and see if He will not fulfill His promises and put a permanent end to your afflictions. Try this now and experience that love, joy and peace you have always been seeking from mere (mortal) men.
A tip of God's love gives you undeniable and extra-ordinary testimonies to attest of His love. What about when you belief and confess this love constantly? You definitely swim in an ocean of pleasant and fabulous fortunes. That is the blessing and reward for tasting a tip of God's kind of Love.

I end with this few last words, seek God today and realize those deepest dynamics of your being; because you're yet to discover them. God bless you as you put-up a rethink towards negotiating your attitude in terms of real-life acts. God is Love my beloved, I pray you join me today, as you discover yourself and testify of His goodness, love and mercy within a short while intro of His experience and love. Peace and God's blessing. I as well use this opportunity to invite you and join me, as we celebrate AFRICA.

This post if specially dedicated to my sister and friend, who might be at the edge of swimming in God's providence and Love – Clare Bowler. May God bless and empower you… Amen