Brad K, Author at 1Africa

Power to the People

Brad K

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November 11, 2014

People have power. This is a scary fact to me, that there is very little that cannot be achieved by human beings today. The fact that I can put words on a screen using this black slab of letters in front of me, should be slightly more awe inspiring than it is!. Someone thought of, designed, created, and distributed it, and here I am, clicking and clacking away. How much thought have you put into the car that you drive? Every nut, bolt, washer, and plastic and steel moulding, was thought up, cast, connected and voila, you add petrol, water, and oil and off she goes. God has imprinted man with seemingly unending skills and abilities and one generation simply builds on what went before, and that seems to have no end. It boggles my mind.

There’s another ‘power’ that lurks deep in the heart of man, and unearthing it would change the world. Some people are already toying with this power and the consequences are effecting the lives of many. More and more people are trying to release others to do the same but it’s all happening rather slowly, but I say; power to the people!

1 John 4:11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another

The power of love. Because we were first loved by God, we have the ability to love. God’s love is assured, so now let the power of love be released from within and change the world around you. Through the Father’s heart for the world and it’s people there is no longer a need to wonder whether or not you ought to be released to change your area of influence, because you have been commissioned to do it. Let your love show; let the world see that you are Jesus’ disciples because you love one another as you are loved. (John 13:35) Let the love spur you on to do good deeds and may God get the glory! (Matt 5:16)

Take a look at your area of influence; where you live, work, play or go to school. Who do you see around you? Who needs to experience the touch of God today? It’s not the responsibility of others, because you are where you are, to see the Kingdom of God come. Step out today and make it happen and see not only another life effected positively, but yours changed too. Jesus Himself said it’s better to give than to receive. (Acts 20:35) The only way to be sure that is true is to give it a go. I double dare you!

Sports Wrap – 10 Nov ’14

Brad K

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November 10, 2014

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Another action-packed sporting weekend is behind us, and if you missed anything, get up to date by checking out our Weekend Sports Wrap.

Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg are taking it to the final Grand Prix of the year; Ireland showed the Springboks how to play rugby on a Northern Hemisphere pitch; and all the Premier League’s weekend results, right here!

Weekly Roundup – 7 November ’14

Brad K

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November 7, 2014

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Another working week is ending, so let’s catch up with what news has been trending this past week. Here’s our hand-picked list!

Look out for news on Toy Story 4, #NotSenzosDad, ACDC’s drummer is in hot water, and Eminem’s drug problem has left him looking, well, bad!

We’ve also got a tour of 1Africa.tv, checking out the HOTTEST news, right off our very own website.

Get clicking, it’s time to check out our Weekly Roundup.

No Favourites

Brad K

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November 7, 2014

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Yesterday, I was watching a video that forms part of the very popular Ted Talks series. You can watch it here. In it, American super model, Cameron Russell talks about how she has often been favoured, because she fits into the mould of what the West considers ‘beautiful’. She has smiled her way out of a parking ticket, or been allowed to keep clothes she had tried on, even though she didn’t have enough cash in her purse to buy them. It’s incredibly thought provoking and my mind went at a mile a minute trying to figure out what life must be like for her; feeling so much pressure to look a particular way to stay within this framework of beauty, because after all, it now pays the bills. What about someone that doesn’t fit into that mould? Is life more difficult, or just ordinary?

In a similar vein, and after reading part of Luke’s gospel, I realised that people can also be considered superior because of what they believe. In Luke chapter 6, the Pharisees, who stuck to Old Testament Law and added some more of their own laws for good measure, wanted to ‘get rid’ of Jesus because he was challenging their ideals, despite doing good.(Luke 6:11) They saw themselves as religiously superior and woe to the one who even suggested they were out of line! I think the Jews in general had this attitude towards the Gentiles. They weren’t exactly happy to share the ‘good news’ and even when Peter received news supernaturally to the contrary (Acts 10), the Jews were still suspicious. I don’t even need to list all of the other more heinous acts that have stemmed out of delusions of granduer, but atrocities of the Second World War and Apartheid in South Africa to name just 2, do immediately spring to mind. Much stemmed out of deceit and a powerful platform with which to deceive the masses, and then the bible was even used as a powerful weapon of that mass deception, misrepresenting the Word of God to meet their ends. Only a few were going to challenge it, even if it was misused and out of context.

I now realise how true it is that God does not show favouritism, but accepts those from every nation…

All these thoughts of ‘who and what is right’ and why some were disenfranchised and some were allowed to ‘get away with it’ has me thinking about the words of Peter in Acts 10 when he spoke to Cornelius. Peter was taken to see Cornelius after the latter had an angel visit him and told him to go and find Peter. Peter had a vision that told him the centurion was going to send some of his men to invite the Apostle over. The idea of their meeting was for the revelation that God had given Peter, that the gospel was for all people, both Jew and Gentile. The word Peter shared with the head of the Italian Regiment was simply this: God doesn’t favour any one person of the other. Be they Jew or non Jew. (Acts 10:35) He was speaking specifically about being received into God’s family. It’s true we are all different, and represent different countries and culture groups and socio-economic backgrounds and ‘God is not a respecter of persons’. He has no favourites. Praise God that He has not chosen a special group that can be saved, but that it is open to everyone and I believe He expects the same behaviour from us; to not judge, favour or discriminate.

May we have an attitude adjustment and be conscious of how we see, treat and speak of others. I can’t speak for you but I’d hate for someone to discriminate against me, for whatever reason. To say I don’t care, is simply not true.

Lorde’s New Music Video! Yellow Flicker Beat

Culture

Brad K

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November 6, 2014

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Lorde’s New Music Video! Yellow Flicker Beat

We’ve been waiting for Lorde’s brand new music video to drop and it is finally here! This will have Lorde and The Hunger Games fans tripping over their Buscemi’s and to make it even better it’s on her 18th Birthday as well! HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Lorde! So here it is, Lorde’s brand new music video for ‘Yellow Flicker Beat.’

They used to shout my name, now they whisper it…

The song has been out since September 29th and the wait for her video has been excruciatingly long for some, knowing that her music comes alive when you can those eyes! Yellow Flicker Beat is also the song featured on The Hungergames: Mockingjay’s official trailer.

People talk to me and all the voices just burn holes…

For fans of The Hunger Games books and movies; November 21st sees the release of The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1, and Lorde was the curator of the entire soundtrack. Yellow Flicker Beat will be on there as well as a few other Lorde tracks and today’s video release is the cherry on the top of Mondays’ release of the Chemical Brothers and Miguel’s contribution ‘This is not a game’ that adds to the star-studded track list. 14 tracks in all are on the Mockingjay – Part 1 list, including appearances by Charli XCX, Pusha T, Q-TIp, Tinashé and Bat for Lashes. You have to check out the track, ‘Flicker’ that Kanye West reworked. Could it just be a Yeezy-fied version of Yellow Flicker Beat? You tell us!

A Bad Mood

Lifestyle

Brad K

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November 5, 2014

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We have a cupboard in our kitchen that contains, almost exclusively, plastic food containers and their lids. Well, in principle anyway, there are not lids to match all the Tupperware containers in there. I’m also almost completely convinced that they are alive, conspiring against me! First off, where would the lids go? I wouldn’t throw them away, and I’d hardly let a friend borrow just a lid, without it’s accompanying bowl, now would I? So what is going on in that cupboard? Have the larger containers eaten the lids? Have they cut a slit in the back of the cupboard through which they have passed all the lids, and then giggle and wink at each other while I fumble through the stacks of covers to eventually shut the doors in frustration; empty handed? I know for sure they are conspiring against me! As soon as I open the cupboard some of the large containers with sharpish corners fall straight onto my toes or bounce and hit my ankles! Others are ‘sent’ to jump wide of my size 11’s and to bounce and roll under an appliance or too far out of my reach and I have to go and get them, and as I turn my back the cupboard empties itself of its contents and they ‘know’ I have to now pack it all away! They are good! I’m sure they snicker, grin and high 5 each other while I irritatingly try to catch, gather and repack them, just to find they don’t actually all fit back in there! I’m thinking about raising a white flag and pitching it in the middle of the kitchen and letting the Tupperware just claim that the kitchen is theirs. Secretly I’ll know I’m still the boss, but don’t tell the salad saver!

Before you think I’m totally loopy and nothing good could come of this silly post, let me assure you I’m actually heading somewhere. Strange things like this happen to everyone in some way or the other, and not always to do with a kitchen cupboard. My issue is my attitude. You can ask my wife; there are days that I laugh when this kind of thing happens and just shake my head, and repack the stupid cupboard, or whatever the issue of the day might be. What happens isn’t serious or anything; it’s not life threatening and it’s a minor inconvenience, but there are days that it’s like the world is ending and I am so irritated and my response or my behaviour is so unnecessary. My response is aggressive or irritated, and as a result my mood and those around me are so negatively affected, it can take ages to ‘reset’ and it’s all just unpleasant, and for what? For something so silly? It’s surely not worth it.

Does this happen to you? What works best for you in defusing a bad mood situation?

The Spirit in Me

Brad K

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November 3, 2014

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So you probably think you’re just an ordinary person. You think you just go about your day, doing what you do, minding your own business. You know; just being you. Then you find a quiet moment and think about God. He’s so big. Majestic, and marvelous and man-oh-man, there’s no one like Him! Our Jesus; the Name above any other name, and all things were made by Him and for Him and through Him (John 1:3). Wow! He died and after 3 days He rose again and it was all because of the love that the Father has for us and His desire for a relationship. And then it dawns on you. If the Bible says that the same power that raised Jesus from the dead lives in you, (Romans 8:11) and that through the Spirit of Jesus we are no longer orphans but can now call Him ‘Abba/Daddy’, (Romans 8:15) then we can be secure in Whose we are, and have His Spirit in us to do INCREDIBLE things! No; you are NOT an ordinary person; you are EXTRAordinary. Now you’re getting excited and passionate and realise there is nothing you can’t do for God and His Kingdom. This is amazing! The Spirit in me? Yeah!

Now you realise that there is nothing you can’t do for God and His Kingdom

So how does knowing this piece of news change you? Do you even believe this truth? It’s seems so clear to me that people read this on forums, in their Bibles and hear it preached from the pulpits and still just go out and are prepared to live ordinary lives. How can we when we know these truths? Surely it’s time to step up and live the lives we are destined and empowered to? We are the body of Christ; His feet and hands. Isn’t it high time then, that we get moving and shaking?

Weekend Sports Wrap – 3 Nov ’14

Brad K

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November 3, 2014

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Welcome to a new week, and that means it’s time to check in on the weekend’s sporting highlights. Novak Djokovic looks set to end the year as the world’s number 1 tennis player, but Roger Federer will have the last say. South Africa’s Springboks arrive in Ireland for their outgoing tour and Lewis Hamilton wins again. Here are all your details, in the Weekend Sports Wrap.

Weekly Roundup – 31 Oct ’14

Brad K

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October 31, 2014

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It’s Weekly Roundup time here on 1Africa. We said goodbye to some famous Africans over the last week, with Zambia losing a president and South Africa, a sporting icon. Hawaiians are facing the anger of Kilauea, Paris Hilton just keeps making more money and do you remember the kids game ‘Operation’? All the hottest trending stories and a tour of our website, in this week Roundup!

The Sign

Brad K

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October 31, 2014

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I visited a factory a few years back, and just inside the security checkpoint there was a big sign. It really stole my attention because the sign was showing workers and visitors how many days had passed since the last ‘accident’ had taken place. A pretty good bit of encouragement for management to see how well their processes were being implemented, and for the staff to know they were acting responsibly. The number placed up on the sign, if I recall, was quite high, so the factory was chugging along quite nicely and quite safely. I’d think the day something happened and those numbers were removed, morale would be quite low. ‘There have been 0 days since the last safety breech’ Yikes!

Imagine there was a sign like this up in your house. In the room where you spend time with God; reading the Word, or whatever. And you charted the number of days ‘since the last time you sinned’! Could you imagine! So every day you make it in your daily walk without ‘dropping the ball’ would go up on the sign and if you did drop the ball, you would take the numbers down to show off a big round ZERO. That would break my heart.

Ok, in practice this might be cumbersome and condemning, but my point is simply that we are called to be a holy people.

1 Peter 1:16 …for it is written, be holy, because I am holy

We are sinful, yes, but Grace can not be our excuse for going out there and living corruptly, irresponsibly and irreverently. We are saved by the favour that God has extended to us through Jesus and it covers our sin, but we still need to live upright lives, that show our gratitude for the sacrifice of our Jesus. Perhaps it’s not practical to count the moments between sinning, but perhaps the story of what I saw outside that factory that day could see us making an effort to at least change our attitudes to sin and what God expects of us and strive to honour a Saviour that has given His all for us. Let’s live like forgiven sinners, not forgetful ones.

Brad K

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