US ELECTION: Trump accused of Cuba embargo breach

Hillary Clinton says presidential rival Donald Trump appears to have violated US laws, after a report said he broke a trade embargo with Cuba.

Newsweek reports that Mr Trump’s company secretly conducted business in Cuba, violating the US trade embargo against the country.

The company allegedly spent at least $68,000 (£52,300) in Cuba in 1998.

Mr Trump’s spokesman Kellyanne Conway said the money was not paid, and that he was against deals with Cuba.

Mr Trump has also repeatedly said he had rejected offers to invest in Cuba.

The Newsweek report says Mr Trump’s company funnelled the cash through a US consulting firm to make it appear legal.

Mrs Clinton said: “We have laws in our country, and the efforts that Trump was making to get into the Cuban market – putting his business interests ahead of the laws of the United States and the requirements that businesses were operating under with sanctions shows that he puts his personal and business interests ahead of the laws and values and the policies of the United States of America.”

“This is something they’re going to have to give a response to,” said Marco Rubio, the Cuban-American senator from Florida who has endorsed Mr Trump. “I mean, it was a violation of American law, if that’s how it happened.

“I hope the Trump campaign is going to come forward and answer some questions about this, because if what the article says is true – and I’m not saying that it is, we don’t know with 100% certainty – I’d be deeply concerned about it,” he told a podcast hosted by ESPN and ABC.

Trump’s fortune drops $800m in one year

COMPASSION IN ACTION – Kenneth Copeland

FAITH TO FAITH DEVOTIONAL

Friday, 30 September 2016

TOPIC: COMPASSION IN ACTION

Key Verse: But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd. – Matthew 9:36

MESSAGE:

Compassion. That’s the one thing people need more than anything else in this world. They need someone to reach out to them with the compassion of God.

Compassion is a deep yearning that responds to the needs of people. It’s much deeper than sympathy. Sympathy can just sit around feeling sorry for people. Compassion has to do something for them.

Compassion is what motivates God, and Jesus’ life on earth was a picture of that compassion in action. His whole ministry was driven by it. It was compassion that caused Him to multiply the loaves and fishes, heal the sick, cast out demons and raise the dead. It was compassion that compelled Him to go to the Cross. And it’s that same compassion that He now longs to pour out through you.

That’s a staggering thought, isn’t it?

It’s staggering to realize that we believers are the only body Jesus has on this earth now. His healing must flow through our hands and our faith. His compassion must move us to provide for the hungry. It must compel us to cast out demons and set the captives free.

“But, Brother Copeland, I don’t have that kind of compassion!”

Yes, you do. If you have the Spirit of God dwelling inside you, you do—because He is that kind of love! You simply need to activate it.

How? Just like Jesus did when He walked the earth. Through prayer and fellowship with the Father. Look through the Gospels and notice how much time Jesus spent alone with the Father. That time activated the compassion of God within Him. It caused Him to feel what God feels about the suffering of mankind. It stirred Him so much that whenever He encountered a need, He met it by the power of God.

Follow His example. Spend time in fellowship with your Father. Meditate on His compassion until it rises up strong on the inside of you. Stir it up until the desire to see others set free becomes paramount in your thinking.

Jesus has sent you to reach out and touch a love-starved world with His compassion.

If you don’t do it, who will?

Scripture Reading: – Mark 6:32-46

OPEN HEAVENS: GRACE, NOT DISGRACE – Pastor E.A Adeboye

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL

Friday, 30 September 2016

TOPIC: GRACE,  NOT DISGRACE

Memorise: As it is written, Behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. Romans 9:33

Read: Psalms 23:1-6, (KJV)

1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

Bible in one year: Ezekiel 23-24, Psalms 71:1-13

MESSAGE
Grace is the favour of God to human beings. It is the demonstration of God’s goodwill towards humankind in the person of Jesus Christ, and the effects of that goodwill in human lives. The word is rarely found in the Old Testament but employed frequently in the New Testament, leading some to declare the New Testament period as the dispensation of grace. The Christian life is completely dependent upon the grace of God. God’s grace compensates for human weaknesses in that God shows Himself gracious in His dealings with human beings.

John 1:16-17 says:

“And of his fullness have all we received, and grace for grace. For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.”

God’s grace is abundant (Romans 5:17). This grace is not only abundant but can be exceeding in one’s life (2nd Corinthians 9:14). Grace is one way God makes up for our short comings. Grace covers our human frailties. Through grace, God uses our very limited strength and resources to do the impossible. This He does by adding His own strength and resources to ours. With grace, you lack, limitations, and defects are fully covered. When you have exceeding grace, it means God’s provision far exceeds your need.  Grace is in action at those times that the Holy Spirit helps us to pray in accordance with God’s will when we do not know how to pray (Romans 8:26-27).

When you have prayed, fasted and tried without measuring up to standard, then it is time to fall back on His grace. Grace can be accessed at varying measures. To some people, grace may be unavailable, to some, only a little, while some will have it in abundance, and for some others, grace will outnumber their needs. What level of grace do you have access to? If you want to access extreme levels of grace, do not frustrate God’s grace that is currently available upon you, do not waste it and do not become a storage tower of grace, but rather, be a channel of grace. Always use grace for the purpose it is given to you. Be gracious to others. Be generous. Live a holy life.

2nd Corinthians 6:1 says:

“We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain.”

God does not wish that we receive His grace in vain; He wants us to be progressive by growing in grace. God wants us to share His grace with others for them to taste and see that the Lord is good. May His glory fill the earth, that His name may be praised forever more.

Prayer Point:
Father, let Your grace be sufficient for me. Please Lord; make me a distributor of Your grace.

OUR GREATEST NEED – Billy Graham

BILLY GRAHAM DEVOTIONAL

Friday, 30 September 2016

TOPIC: OUR GREATEST NEED

Bible Text: I stretch forth my hands unto thee; my soul thirsteth after thee, as a thirsty land…- Psalm 143:6

MESSAGE:
Not long ago I visited the dean of a great American university. We looked out the window of his office and watched hundreds of students walking to their classes. I asked the dean, “What is the greatest problem at this university?” He thought a moment and answered, “Emptiness.” So many people today are bored, lonely, searching for something. You can see it in their faces.

One girl home from college told her wealthy father, “Father, I want something but I don’t know what it is.” That’s true of many people; we want something to meet the deepest problems of our lives, but we haven’t found it. David said, “I have found it. I shall not want.” The Apostle Paul expressed it, “I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content.”

You don’t have to give up on life, to throw up your hands and cry, “It’s no use.” . . . You can have God’s peace, God’s joy, God’s happiness, God’s security; and yours can become the most thrilling life in the world.

Prayer for the day:
Lord Jesus, You quench the thirst and longing of my soul. Praise Your blessed name.

LIVING TO MANIFEST EXCELLENCE LIKE GOD – DR PAUL ENENCHE

SEED OF DESTINY DEVOTIONAL

Friday, 30 September 2016

TOPIC: LIVING TO MANIFEST EXCELLENCE LIKE GOD

SCRIPTURE: O Lord our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! Who hast set thy glory above the heavens. – Psalms 8:1

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: Existence below average is a transgression.

Our God is an excellent God. One of His attributes is excellence. The Word of God confirms this in Genesis 1:31, when God finished the creation of heaven and earth and everything in it, the Bible says, “And God saw everything that he had made, and, behold, it was very good…”

Mediocrity is not in the gene of God. Since our nature is that of God, our Father, mediocrity is an abomination to our existence; existing below average is a transgression.

It is not the will of God for us to live like beggars. Living a desolate, pitiable and frustrated life is abominable to our association with the Almighty.

You have a status in God. Your true identity was defined in Exodus 19:5, “…ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people…”

What is a treasure? It is a valuable piece of commodity, a jewel of inestimable worth, a priceless pearl of unquantifiable value. You are a peculiar treasure, not a man under pressure, struggling or frustrated.

Beloved, arm yourself with this mentality and you will see God fulfilling His Word concerning you.

Remember this: Existence below average is a transgression.

ASSIGNMENT(S):
1. See yourself continually the way God sees you.
2. Continually reject frustration and struggling out of your life.

FOR FURTHER UNDERSTANDING, GET THIS MESSAGE: GOD’S PROMISE AND PURPOSE FOR AUTHORITY AND EXCELLENCE – PT. 1

PRAYER: O LORD, I reject any position that is lower than where You have placed me in life. Help me LORD to be like You, in Jesus’ Name.

QUOTE: If you fail to be different, you cannot make a difference. Culled from WHO ARE YOU? by Dr Paul Enenche

AMAZING FACT: At birth we have over 300 bones. As we grow up, some of the bones begin to fuse together as a result an adult has only 206 bones.

TODAY IN HISTORY – 30/09/1895: Madagascar becomes a French protectorate.

DAILY READING: Isaiah 60:1 to 62:5, Philippians 1:27 to 2:18, Psalms 72:1 to 20, Proverbs 24:11 to 12.

Monarch denies insulting President Buhari on social media

The Emir of Kano, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi has denied insulting President Buhari on social media.

The monarch debunked posts attribute to him on various platforms on the internet, where he alleged said Buhari and the All Progressives Congress (APC) are failures.

Sanusi also said that he will continue to support the current administration and offer constructive criticism when the need arises.

He said “My attention has been drawn to a set of quotes attributed to me attacking the government of General Buhari and his party and praising opposition party, I do not know who is behind these quotes,” the monarch said.

“But they seem to be part of a new and insidious strategy where quotes are attributed to individuals in order to mischievously score cheap political points and plant disaffection between persons.

“These so-called reports never state exactly where my statements were made and in what forum or in whose presence, nor do the faceless cowards behind them have the courage to write their names.”

Adding that “It is a well-known fact that I was illegally suspended from my position as CBN Governor precisely because of my role in exposing the massive looting of our national treasury by the last administration, and that I have since shown my total support for the war against corruption being waged by the current administration.

“I am also convinced that everyone recognizes the remarkable improvement in the security situation in the North, the greatest evidence of which was the incident-free celebration of Eid el Kabir throughout the country.”

Sanusi Lamido Sanusi had earlier criticised the economic policy of President Buhari because of the recession.

EMERGENCY POWER: President Buhari officially writes to the Senate

The Senate has received a memo from President Muhammadu Buhari on emergency power that would allow him to roll out an economic recovery package in Nigeria.

The bill titled “Emergency Economic Stabilisation Bill 2016” was based on recommendations from the economic team headed by vice president, Yemi Osinbajo, The Brief reports.

“So we have received a presidential memo on emergency powers. What is in it is requesting presidential fiat to do things the National Assembly has already approved. Such as the procurement act and extra spending,” a source said.

According to the source, the memo sent by President Buhari to the Senator Bukola Saraki, requested two prominent emergency powers from National Assembly.

One of them is the power to abridge the procurement process to support stimulus spending on critical sectors of the economy.
Recall that President Buhari had in August informed the Senate of the plan to seek emergency power from the National Assembly to save the economy from recession.

EDO ELECTION: Peoples Democratic Party rejects governorship elections result

Speaking at a press conference, the PDP state chairman, Dan Obih, said the results it’s agents collected from all the wards as at last night is totally different from what is been announced by INEC. Also speaking, the PDP candidate, Osagie Ize-Iyamu said President Buhari who was a product of free and fair election could not conduct a free and fair election.

He equally said: ‎”contrary to claim that we brought 8000 militants, it’s clear that nothing like that happened. ‎The delay in the announcement of the result by INEC has showed that the result was predetermined and written. “What is been announced is contrary to the turn out of voters, even the national chairman of the APC acknowledge this fact. But I tell you, when the official result is announced, it will be clear that result does not match the turn out. More

CRAZY??? Fan disgraced Kim Kardashian in Paris

Kim Kardashian West was almost attacked by Celebrity prankster , 27 year old Vitalii Sediuk, when she stepped out in Paris, France, on Wednesday. Seduik who is from Ukraine, attempted to kiss Kim’s bum as she exited a black car and was trying to make her way into L’Avenue restaurant.

Fortunately, Kim’s security guard, Pascal Duvier, was able to grab hold of the attacker before he was able to touch her.

Kim took to her twitter account to praise her bodyguard for stopping Vitali on time. She wrote:

              

This isn’t the first time Vitalii has targeted Kim. 2 years ago, Vitalii was actually able to tackle Kim by grabbing onto her legs, almost pulling her to the ground when she was in Paris.

According to TMZ, Kim is planning to file a report with Paris PD over Vitalii Sediuk’s latest assault. She also wants to get a restraining order against him because he has tried to attack her 2 times now.

                  
Just last week in Milan, Italy, Vitalii wrapped his arms around model, Gigi Hadid’s waist and lifted her into the air, as she was on her way to an event for Milan Fashion Week . Fortunately, she elbowed him until she was able to release herself from his tight grip

                         

Vitalii Sediuk, is known for harassing celebrities. He was arrested for jostling Brad Pitt at the Maleficent premiere in Hollywood, Calif. in 2014, he once jumped under America Ferrera’s dress at the How to Train Your Dragon 2 premiere at the 2014 Cannes Film Festival, and attempting to take the Grammy trophy from Adele in 2013.

Woman jailed for exploiting 12-year-old girl

Federal High court sitting in Minna, Niger State, on Tuesday, September 27th, sentenced one Glory Abang to 2 years imprisonment for engaging a 12 year old child in activities that were exploitative, injurious or hazardous to her physical, social and psychological development.

Mrs Abang, mother of three, residing at Chief Palace, Goram, Niger State was arrested by officers of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) in July 2015.
She took her half sister from Akwa Ibom State to Niger State under the pretext of sending her to school but engaged her in activities that were exploitative, including sleeping in a Poultry facility at her residence which is exploitative and hazardous to the child’s psychological development. The child was also not enrolled in school as promised.

When the suspect was arraigned on Tuesday, she pleaded guilty to the one count charge but pleaded for leniency. Delivering his judgment Hon. Justice .Y. Bogoro convicted Mrs Abang and sentenced her to 2 years imprisonment She was sentenced under section 23(1) (b) of the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act, 2015 which says:

“Any person who employs, requires, recruits, transports, harbours, receives or hires out a child to do any work that is exploitative, injurious or hazardous to the physical, social and psychological development of the child, commits an offence and is liable on conviction to imprisonment for a minimum term of 2 years but not exceeding 7 years without an option of fine”.

In his reaction, the Acting Director-General of NAPTIP, Alhaji Abdulrazak Dangiri applauded the Judge for the urgent attention given to the case and appealed to the Judiciary to ensure speedy trial of human trafficking cases.

Source: NAPTIP