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Today is yesterday’s prediction
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• Prediction and prophesy has become the stock-in-trade for some pastors
If you read Nostradamus you were likely to be confused by his prediction of world events. Though Nostradamus died in the 16th Century he predicted the attack on the twin towers of the World Trade Centre in 2001 in New York. He is credited with accurate prediction of scores of other events.
But because some people in his day thought he was a wizard, which he was not, he decided to couch his prediction in such ‘twisted’ prose that it could take very few people to decipher what he meant. Therefore, he wrote Quatrains, which are four-line paragraphs.
Mostly, the world is able to tell his prediction after the event. Nostradamus was a physician, scientist, psychic and astrologer. Astrology is the science of using astronomy to know and understand the heavenly bodies and how they relate to one another and the art of interpreting the effect of those relationships.
But because these heavenly bodies do not compel us, astrology is normally seen and described as steeped in the Law of Probabilities, no matter how accurate readings might be. If everyone understood the subject of astrology, the world would be at peace with itself.
Nostradamus’s Quatrains do not teach the subject but there are many books that do. Hiram Butler’s ‘Solar Biology’ gives an insight and Max Heindel’s ‘Message of the Stars’ and ‘Simplified Scientific Astrology’ are very good materials. I cannot list all good materials in this write-up. There are a thousand and one if them.
I am yet to find out from his book if he predicted COVID 19, though I have read other people’s prediction of the pandemic decades before it struck the world in 2019. Indeed, there are many predictions documented in a lot of publications out there.
I must state that astrology is not the only way to predict the future or any events. People are imbued with many esoteric capabilities. It could be spiritual or psychic. Some have the power to voluntarily or involuntarily vacate their dense bodies and have astral experiences where many events are revealed to them. What they do with the knowledge is entirely up to them. However, these are meant to be to the benefit of humanity.
Sadly, the penchant for predicting the future through prophecy, has become the stock-in-trade of pastors, some with dubious predilection for personal aggrandizement. They have become social media freaks selling their stuff to the highest bidder.
Others rely on dreams to predict events. Clinical psychologists and some psychiatrists have their scientific takes on dreams, but others rely on biblical ascription to the phenomenon and are quick to interpret dreams of dreamers.
Personally, I believe dreams can present many signs but my prescription is for the dreamer to have a diary to write down their dreams after they wake up. As the days roll by, they should read what they wrote against each daily event. That way they can easily determine what their dreams seek to tell them.
I overheard the Inspector General of the Ghana Police Service lamenting the activities of these doomsday prophecies. According to Dr. Akuffo Dampare, none of these characters prophesied that he would become the IGP, but are quick to prophesy his death after his appointment. It looks like these people wait till you come into the public eye, then you become a target for their chicanery.
The actions of these frauds have made it difficult for genuine and lifesaving predictions to be accepted or believed. A friend who was contesting the position of flagbearer of his party prior to the 2008 elections consulted with me. He wanted to succeed the then president who was from his own party.
I told him what to do if he wanted to win over their delegates, else he would be lucky to get a certain number of votes. As politicians are noted, he thought he had convinced the delegates enough to carry the day. When the votes were tallied he got the exact number I said he would get.
If you read my Astrological prediction and analysis for Election 2020 on this page in the December 4 edition of this paper, you will not be surprised about what is happening in this country at this time.
I also predicted turmoil in the National Democratic Congress (NDC) because of the negative influence of Pluto that’s transiting the party’s fortunes till 2026. I don’t know if anyone in that party took note. What erupted in the NDC just a few days ago is a foretaste to cleansing it needed for a more cohesive and solid party all their members will be proud to associate with.
The NDC should brace itself for more eruptions in their ranks, but a steadfast steering of the ship is what will benefit them in the long run. If operatives of the group flail on emotions, the party is likely to self-destruct.
Now, I have people tell me they see a horoscope column in one newspaper or the other giving weekly predictions. I see nothing wrong with such weekly generalisations. The fact is there are distinct characteristics of the various signs of the zodiac. There are common traits among those under Leo just as there are for Sagittarius, for example.
But to cast a horoscope for an individual involves certain personal data. Because the constellation is always on the move, it is vital to provide your exact date of birth, place of birth and, most importantly, the exact time of birth.
Many ignorant midwives and nurses in the delivery wards choose to round-off the time of birth. Astrology records the exact time a baby utters its first cry as the time of birth. A child is delivered at exactly 13:12 hours, but the nurse decides the time of delivery to be either 13:15 or even 13:30.
Knowing the latitudinal and longitudinal positions at birth are important for accurate delianation for a correct prediction. In our parts we give the nearest big town as place of birth.
Many public office holders have a notorious habit of changing the records of their dates of birth. It sticks with them when they seek political elections. An astrologer, having been given the “official” date, uses that to predict an outcome.
At the end of the contest this politician is likely to condemn astrology, forgetting he gave the wrong data on their birth.
My twin daughters were born eight minutes apart. The eight minutes were significant in determining their paths in life. My forecasts have been proved right. Though they are strikingly identical, the only other similarity is their handwritings. One graduated in the Sciences and the other in the Arts as I did forecast.
Our life as a nation is governed by the date and time we were born as a nation, March 6, 1957. However, whatever we do as a people crystalizes to what our future will be. Our today is yesterday’s prediction. Remember we reap what we sow.
When our thought forms and actions, whether positive or negative today crystallize they create a reflecting effect on us tomorrow. We are the architects of our individual and collective national lives. What is important is to play our individual roles to serve the collective well.
Writer’s email address:
akofa45@yahoo.com
By Dr. Akofa K. Segbefia
Features
Confronting newborn abandonment in Ghana: When a cry for help is heard in a dustbin – Part 2
The root causes: It is never just one reason
My years of counselling at CPAC show me abandonment is rarely an act of malice. It is the tragic endpoint of seven overwhelming distresses:
1. Severe maternal mental illness —The hidden emergency
a) Clinical Postpartum Depression (PPD): This is far beyond “baby blues.” It is a severe mood disorder that can appear weeks to months after birth. Due to a massive drop in hormones, extreme sleep deprivation, and emotional exhaustion, the mother feels deep sadness, worthlessness, and complete emotional numbness towards her baby. Picture: A new mother sits by her bed all day, staring blankly. Her baby cries for hours, but she cannot lift her hands to carry the baby. She whispers, “This baby would be better off without me.” She does not hate the baby; she feels she has completely failed as a mother.
b) Peripartum Psychosis (Postpartum Psychosis): This is a psychiatric emergency. Rare but extremely dangerous, appearing suddenly within the first 2-3 weeks after delivery. The mother completely loses touch with reality. She hears commanding voices telling her to abandon the baby, or believes the baby is possessed by an evil spirit or is a “spirit child” who will bring a curse. Picture: A mother genuinely believes she heard a voice saying, “Leave this child at the crossroads at midnight or your family will die.” She abandons the baby not out of hatred, but because her broken mind believes she is obeying a higher spiritual order to save her family.
c) Pre-existing untreated Schizophrenia: This is a chronic, severe mental disorder that existed before the pregnancy. The stress of pregnancy and labour shatters her fragile coping. She suffers from paranoid delusions — believing people want to poison her and the baby — flat affect (zero facial expression), and grossly disorganised thinking, making it impossible to plan how to feed or clean a baby. Picture: A young woman whose family called her illness “spiritual attack” instead of taking her for medication wanders away after delivery, completely forgetting she even gave birth, leaving the infant behind.
2. Extreme socio-economic deprivation: For many girls in some parts of Ghana such as Kasoa, Madina, or Bekwai, poverty is not a statistic; it is a daily panic. No money for antenatal care, no money for hospital delivery, no money for baby diapers or formula. When a mother cannot feed herself, the thought of feeding another mouth feels impossible. Some mothers say, “I left her where someone richer would find her, because I could not watch her starve to death in my hands.” It is a distorted act of survival.
3. Intense societal stigma and shame: In Ghana, pregnancy outside marriage, teenage pregnancy, or pregnancy from rape can bring extreme family rejection. The girl is called “spoilt,” beaten, banned from church, or sacked from school. The fear of bringing shame to the family name is heavier than the fear of police. So she hides the pregnancy for 9 months, delivers alone, and abandons in secret to protect her family’s “honour.”
4. Paternal abandonment — The Man Who Ran Away: Behind almost every abandoned baby is a man who vanished. He says, “It is not mine,” or “Abort it,” and switches off his phone. The mother is left utterly isolated — no emotional, financial, or social support. She is criminalised alone, but the abandonment started with him. Psychological research shows paternal denial is one of the strongest predictors of maternal panic and newborn abandonment.
5. Substance abuse disorders: Alcohol, tramadol, and other drug addiction impair the brain’s executive functioning — the ability to plan, judge consequences, and process emotions. A mother struggling with addiction may give birth in a highly intoxicated or withdrawal state, unable to comprehend the needs of the newborn, leading to neglect and eventual abandonment.
6. The spirit child cultural phenomenon and superstition: In some remote pockets of Northern Ghana and even in few parts of Central and Ashanti regions, public health research shows babies born with congenital deformities, severe disabilities, or whose mothers die in childbirth are branded as “spirit children” or cursed. In extreme instances, families, under cultural pressure, mandate that such babies be exposed or abandoned at shrines or bushes. This is not mental illness, but a harmful cultural belief system that still kills.
The invisible wounds
On the baby: Risk of death from hypothermia, sepsis, and infection. Survivors suffer Anaclitic Depression and Failure to Thrive due to lack of touch. As adults, they battle Reactive Attachment Disorder, chronic mistrust, and identity crisis — “Why did my mother leave me in a dustbin?”
On the mother: Lifelong hidden grief, intense guilt, chronic PTSD, depression, and elevated suicide risk. A prison cell does not heal this.
On the nation: Overburdened orphanages like Osu Children’s Home, draining health budgets, and overworked Social Welfare officers.
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“There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands; no one seeks God. But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ, to all who believe. For there is no difference; – Rom. 3:10, 21-22. (NIV)
Introduction
Dictionaries define righteousness as “behavior that is morally justifiable or right.” Such behavior is characterized by accepted standards of morality, justice, virtue, or uprightness. The Bible’s standard of human righteousness is God’s own perfection in every attribute, every attitude, every behavior, and every word. Thus, God’s laws, as given in the Bible, both describe His own character and constitute the plumb line by which He measures human righteousness.
The bad news is that true and perfect righteousness is not possible for man to attain on his own; the standard is simply too high. The good news is that true righteousness is possible for mankind, but only through the cleansing of sin by Jesus Christ and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. We have no ability to achieve righteousness in and of ourselves. But Christians possess the righteousness of Christ, because “ For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” – 2 Corinthians 5:21. This is an amazing truth. On the cross, Jesus exchanged our sin for His perfect righteousness so that we can one day stand before God and He will see not our sin, but the holy righteousness of the Lord Jesus.
Establishing our hearts in righteousness
“Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life” – Proverbs 4:23
According to the above verse in Proverbs, our heart is the source of our life. Our life flows from our heart. The Holy Spirit resides in the spirit of the born again Christian. So there is a strong influence of the Holy Spirit in the heart of the new-born Christian. But our heart is also comprised of our soul. As Christians we can choose to focus our soul on the Lord, or on evil things. If we focus on corrupt, immoral, and evil things our heart will be affected detrimentally. It will cause our heart to be crooked or wicked, instead of straight or righteous. So the Scripture says to keep, or guard, our heart. It is wise to protect our heart as what we allow to dominate our heart will inevitably become the fruit, or influence the outcome, of our lives.
One way to approach life is to continually ask the question, “How will this decision or action affect my heart?” Everything we do, every thought we entertain, everything we watch, read, or listen to, shapes our heart. Therefore, the future prosperity of our life will flow from how well we care for our heart.
Think of everything you do, every moment of time, as a seed. We have been given responsibility for choosing which seeds to plant in our heart. What will you grow in the garden of your heart? What seeds will you choose? Our heart is our garden, and our life is the fruit of our garden. So next time you are tempted to dwell on a bad thought, think, “Do I want this seed to grow and manifest in my life?” Next time you are tempted to indulge in a sinful action ask yourself, “Do I want the extension, or fruit, of this sinful action to be what I am known for?”
God gives us the freedom to plant whatever we like in our garden. God loves us regardless of the good or bad choices we may make in our lives. You may be reaping the fruit of some poor choices right now. And God is still saying, “I love you.” But He has wise advice for us; He desires we have a good life. He says, “Guard you heart with all diligence.” This Hebrew word translated ‘diligence’ conveys the meanings of: prison and guard (ibid). A superintendant of a prison is very particular as to what goes in and out of his prison. A prison has very tight security. Just as a superintendant watches over his prison, so we should also supervise our heart (our lives). We should exercise meticulous security with regards to what enters into our heart. Actually, even what comes out of it, as the Scripture says, “ Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath” – James 1:19, as “For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.” –Matthew 12:34b.
If what goes into, and what comes out of, our heart determines the success of our lives, what is the first important principle to establish in our heart? “In righteousness you shall be established;” – Isaiah 54:14
Righteousness is the key foundational truth we need to first establish in our heart. Jesus said, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” –Matthew 6:33. Notice Jesus said, “His righteousness”, not our own righteousness. We have to seek and understand God’s righteousness. Isaiah 54:14 says, “Their righteousness is of me, saith the Lord.” God’s righteousness comes from God, not from within us. Humans cannot make themselves God’s righteousness, as all humans have sinned and are therefore inferior to God. God’s righteousness is a gift from God: “ For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” – 2 Corinthians 5:21
Righteousness, or right standing with God, has been attained for us through the exchange Jesus made on our behalf. Jesus took our sin and gave us His righteousness. God’s righteousness is imparted to us when we are made a new creature in Christ – 2 Corinthians 5:17. This righteousness is a gift from God and undeserved by us: “For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.”- Romans 5:17
Through our faith in Jesus’ blood, shed to remit our sins – Romans 3:25, God imparts righteousness to us by His grace. We actually become a new righteous creation, fully identifying in Jesus’ death, burial, resurrection and ascension. This is the foundational miracle we need to understand and have established in our heart. All the other miraculous promises of God come the same way, by God’s grace through faith. Righteousness must be established in our heart for us to truly have faith to receive our rich inheritance in Christ. Jesus has been made unto us righteousness (1 Corinthians 1:30). We are now “For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us”. – 2 Corinthians 1:20
Establishing our minds in righteousness
God expects that, when we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we will be radically changed. In Romans 12:2 He tells us, And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind,
This transformation is to be a metamorphosis, of a magnitude at least comparable to that by which a caterpillar becomes a butterfly. He expects us to become totally different.
Scripture uses many different images to express the change that should occur: We become “a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.“ – 2 Cor 5:17. It is almost as if we become a new species. Scripture speaks of the “first Adam” who was earthly and fell into sin, and the “second Adam” (Jesus Christ) who was sinless and holy – Rom. 5:12-19; 1 Cor 15:44-49.
We are “made new in the attitude of our minds” – Eph. 4:23.
We “put off our old self” and “put on the new self” – Eph. 4:22,24; Col 3:9-10.
We “live by the Spirit” and not by the flesh – Gal. 5:16; Rom 8:13.
We become “instruments of righteousness” rather than “instruments of wickedness” – Rom. 6:13.
Each of these metaphors, in a different way, emphasizes the magnitude of the change that is expected. Each is dramatic and astonishing in itself; their cumulative effect is even more powerful. We are talking about a tremendous transformation. It should be visible to others, but its internal effect should be far greater than what others can perceive.
The goal of this transformation
What is the goal of this metamorphosis? Scripture states it in a number of different ways, which overlap and can be seen as different ways of expressing the same basic concept. Scripture often does this, because our minds are inadequate to comprehend, and our language inadequate to express, the full scope of God’s revelation to us.
To be continued!
Stay blessed!
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