Be positively adaptive

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To be positively adaptive is to be able to find a level ground where the terrain is rough and rugged. It is just a part of life. Life is not as straight as the old Roman Appian Way. It is full of unexpected situations and the ability to find acceptable substitute call for being able to be adaptive in the prevailing circumstance.

It is therefore advantageous to be positively adaptive like Apostle Paul who during his missionary journey to Athens in Greece. He was at the Areopagus where he used an inscription  “To the unknown God” to preach the God of the universe according to the gospel as preached by Jesus Christ.

This is the driving force behind the achievements of researchers who would always find solution to our everyday problems.  Paul had a breakthrough to the mind of the wise men in Athens. To my mind , he taught what was yet to be seen and believed through that which was available especially as it satisfied the curiosity of the philosophical Athenians

You snooze, You lose

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To snooze is to have a catnap or kip. It is usually momentary that may just make one lose a golden opportunity which may never be possible to recoup. The magnitude of the loss may be out of tune with the individual’s expectation. If one had remained watchful or always expectant of a worthy cause, to lose would be very rare. Even if one had achieved success, it is still another thing to pay candid attention to maintaining the standard already reached while there could still be more of future opportunities. Vigilance, they say, is the price of liberty.

Nehemiah knew his homeland was in distress and wished he could return to Jerusalem to effect the needed transformation. In-spite-of his heavy heart over the situation in Jerusalem, he continued to work diligently in the service of King Artaxerxes but clearly focused on getting an opportunity to go back to Jerusalem to rebuild the walls. Under this obsession, the king noticed the change in his countenance for Nehemiah was on fasting and prayer mode. It paid off for the king sponsored his return to Jerusalem to rebuild the Walls round Jerusalem. On arrival, Nehemiah undertook to do need analysis, mapped out strategies for accomplishing the goal of his mission and kept strictly focused before showing up to the public. Those who worked with him never snoozed and armed themselves to the teeth, to accomplish the task in fifty-two days. The result was obvious. Adversaries, in the persons of Sanballat, Tobias, the Arabians, the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites conspired against the work being done. Nehemiah 4: 1-23

King Saul snoozed as he effected an agenda alien to God’s instruction requiring him to wipe out the Amalekites. In consequence, he lost the King’s dynasty that God promised him. 1 Sam 15:1-35. He lost his sanity for the rest of his life during which he fruitlessly pursued the life of David who eventually became the king over the twelve tribes of Israel.

Col. Muammar Gaddafi (June 7, 1942 – Oct 20, 2011) ruled Libya for 42 years  49 days. He was the longest ruling non-royal ruler from 1900 till he died (Wikipedia.org). For his failing to quit when the ovation was loudest, he was killed as if he did nothing good to his country before the Arab spring. President Robert Mugabe was adjudged to have deviated from his revolutionary ideas and ideals and was ‘respectfully’ eased out of power recently.

From other angles, a judge that fails to uphold justice and equity will ever remain a snoozing judge and would in the end lose out from the revered seat of justice as well as in the case of a politician. However celebrated he or she may be, up to the time the keg of the gun powder of his sexual harassment explodes, such a politician will then come to realize that he/she had snoozed and should lose out in disgrace. An African proverb says, “Pounded yam of twenty years can still be too hot for the hand to touch”. In the present US congress (Senate and the House) the spate of accusation of sexual misconduct is no more news. We have witnessed series of accusations and denials leading to loss of vital election, abrupt resignation to preempt formal call for withdrawal or going under the hammer of being found guilty of having violated the ethical rules of the Congress. This idea is relevant to individual relationship to self and others as well as in intranational and international relations.

Failure to resolve to carry out the purpose for which one had set out to achieve amounts to snoozing. Surely, losing out is not negotiable.

Expectation

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The word “Expectation” can be likened to the common but witty saying “No cross no crown”. When one is expecting something, there is the tendency to be focused and be determined towards what one is expecting. To this end, interest and attention are focused while at the same time one’s imagination gets fired up with a view to achieving the object of ones concern. Diversionary situations are disregarded, distractionist views of others are never regarded, self motivation has to be invoked to ensure one does not succumb to self defeat in the face of daunting or discouraging situation. At times there can be conspiracy against one’s honest effort but as one has set his hand upon the plough, there has to be no need for looking back.

Any one eyeing a lucrative job where the employer is sort of “spoiling” employees with fat pay packets, needs to be told that if one is lucky to be invited for interview, the prospective interviewees should think outside the box of the book knowledge acquired in College and tries to familiarize himself with the external and internal terrain of the workplace in view. Reason is that questions that would be asked would not have  College or academic  flavor at such. Rather than academic theories, the focus would be questions geared towards finding who else can bring invaluable knowledge to boost the finances of the company. In which case,every applicant is expected to show knowledge very relevant to the discipline or arm of the workplace the applicant is seeking position.

In marriage, the usual expectation is to build a happy home for a happy family. However, there are steps to be taken in order to achieve the desired objectives from the matrimonial partnership. Genesis 2: 24 states: “Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.” From google search, the reason for marriage is described as such. “Getting married is a big decision, and it isn’t just about making a lifelong commitment to your partner. Marriage is a legal contract. When you get married, you not only accept rights and benefits, but you also take on legal and financial obligations.” All along we can see the elements of expectation and when such is not met the marriage can break down irretrievably. In 1 Peter 4:8, there is a linkage between serving for God’s glory and marriage institution. Verse  8 states: And above all things have fervent love for one another for love will cover a multitude of sins.”

There isn’t anything man does, that is not based on expectation. The farmer who sows and continuously tend to clearing the weeds and applying fertilizer is expecting a high yield all things being equal. If there is crop failure in spite of all his hard work, no one will blame that such farmer.  The lawyer who pleads in the case for one facing litigation, the wholesaler, contractor handling either petty or industrial contract indeed any professional has done his job in expectation for a remuneration, or dividend from investment ventures. Every national currency is issued in expectation that goods and services equivalent to the face value of the paper money would be given to the holder when tendered.

Besides the  covenant God made between HIMSELF and the children of Israel in Mount Horeb, HE made another one in the land of Moab Deuteronomy 29: 1, all in the expectation that the people of God will ensure worshipping HIM, the God of Israel.

MEDICINE: THE MEETING POINT

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From time immemorial, herbs have been in use to cure ailments but at the advent of science with innovative creativity, dependence on roots and herbs was gradually relegated to the background as if their potency was not to be reckoned with. Furthermore, with economic rationalization and the possibility of industrialization the fortune of total dependence on roots and herbs dipped or really nose-dived. Science took over with wider basis for producing medication. At such, science-enhanced medicine incorporated the use of roots and herbs, mineral resources and gaseous substances and more. Most importantly, research efforts paid off. Even when any herb is to be used there was the possibility of analyzing the potency of each herb as well as the various constituents relevant to a particular ailment. This situation apparently sealed the hope of placing confidence in or reliance on roots and herbs only. Besides, the possibility of mass production for better returns to investment, attracted investors whose desire was to maximize profits irrespective of the growing poverty sticken masses.

As industrialization took firm root, there was a conscious effort to belittle the efficacy and benefit of nature’s gift to mankind.  In the face of scientific discoveries coupled with the opportunity of making money by entrepreneurs, there arose a covert unintended abandonment of the use of roots and herbs. However, as culture differs from one society to the other as well as socio-economic and scientific development, some societies stuck to their reliance on roots and herbs in its most natural application, preparation and use. For example, in India, China and many countries in Asiatic zone and in developing countries of Africa, there is still a wide-spread use of nature’s roots and herbs. Their potency is never in doubt. In traditional settings no one ever gets into the forest to pluck just any leaf or dig roots without being a traditional healing practitioner. It takes an appreciable time of studying to reach the level of accreditation to practice, though not by government accreditation bodies but by their trainers in traditional settings.

In traditional setting, the knowledge of herbs and roots with their uses is shrouded in secrecy in order not to cheapen the art. Furthermore, to become a practitioner takes four to five years to graduate, or even more, from apprenticeship. The barest truth is that proficiency in the art confers, on such individuals, prestige and means of economic well-being. Secondly, it is a source of social recognition in the society. It is akin to the social recognition the orthodox medical practitioners enjoy in modern-day society. It may seem simplistic or paradoxical but it is true that if roots and herbs are not potent, chances are that humanity must have been wiped out for lack of modern medicine. Except for overdose, roots and herbs do not have as much side effects as modern medicine. Even if treatment has to take a long time to completely cure an ailment, once a patient is healed it takes long before a relapse can occur, if at all, all things being equal. For truth to tell, modern medicine does not need any incantation or ritual to bring cure to an ailment. In years gone by the practice was authentic and respected. It is still prevalent in many cultures in Africa as far as I know. As for modern medicine which is more than roots and herbs, there is progressive research with constant upgrade to in-depth study of ailments and particularly, the changing phases of viruses and bacteria and additional hygienic conditions of people in and out of homes, hospitals and clinics.

The greatest wisdom of man is still foolishness before God. This is the reason why people have to die in spite of so much advance in science-based medicine. Kudos to modern medicine, in that so many avenues are available in the never-ending frontier of modern medicine in trying to meet changes that occur in the various causes of illnesses and diseases. Furthermore, there is specialization in line with the various systems of the body and how each affects the other. The emerging situation of medicines, concerning ancient and modern is that there is now a growing trend in fusing the use of herbs and roots for curative purpose even by accredited or licensed medical practitioners. As we are made to know they use their analytic skills to analyze the raw materials into treating specific ailments and they are winning all the way. Entrepreneurs who have been feeding fat on the returns on their investments towards boosting modern medicine have not shown much concern to enhance the beneficial trail these adamant licensed medical practitioners have ruggedly been trailing. Without purporting to be making any scientific statement, one can therefore safely say that man by nature is closer to plants and animals than mineral resources buried deep in the belly of the earth crust. In all researches into medicine, their “guinea pigs” have been plants and animals. What kills plants and animals will surely kill human beings. Can this assertion be faulted? Man has always been trying to outsmart God but, to the best of my knowledge, he has not succeeded. It is a good effort to think outside the box, it brings progress. By this assertion then the medical practitioners who are trying to incorporate the use of roots and herbs based on modern science acquired, from the citadel of modern learning should no longer be ostracized or impeded for thinking outside the box because their effort has the prospect of giving medical treatment at cheaper and affordable rate to the grassroots. They have been individually sponsoring the production process at a high cost to an individual one-man business.

There is a growing trend of some licensed modern doctors from greatest names in the citadel of contemporary medical research schools that have carried their research effort beyond the frontiers of mere modern medicine. They have included looking into roots and herbs that supported lives in past generations especially in India, Japan and China. Such doctors are claiming to have aspired to produce a possible perfect elixir of life. These days, they have variously drawn massively from roots and herbs to produce medications that they claim work against aging and its attendant ailments. Some of these new supplements are loaded with nutrients that make them “One safeguard for all”. At the same time, there are many targeted to prevent or adequately control specific ailments to prevent escalation.

Should the claim of such medications be true, why should the thriving industry not be allowed to succeed, for the sake of the poor masses? Non-proponents of the new trend say that the composition is at best vitamins and minerals. Is there any law banning prevention of acute illnesses, diseases, ailments or rejuvenating ailing or aging cells in the body? We are made to understand that there had been no report of side effects. In addition, the researchers never asked anyone not to consult his or her personal physicians with the pills or capsules.

I need to let our guru of medical field know that I am not doing a professional appraisal, rather I belong to the teeming members of the grassroots who cannot afford to pay the expensive cost of drugs, in the treatment of such deadly diseases as high blood pressure, diabetes, cancer and related heart, kidney or lung diseases. The basic claims of these new revolutionary medicines is that they rejuvenate the components of the body ( cells) to help prevent the occurrence of deadly diseases and increase the body organs’ ability to fight for good health successfully. Drug manufacturers and government should please create room for this alternate medicine for the sake of those who cannot afford the cut throat charges on drugs and medication they produce. All self-appointed critiques should have an open mind when critiquing, so that they do not appear to be agents of the aristocrats and should at the same time act as gadflies to prevent excess pricing by these doctors who are actually blazing a good trail of low-cost medication. God bless America.

Tripartite purpose of prayers

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Simply put every meaningful prayer serves a tripartite purpose that encompasses yesterday, today and tomorrow (future). In other words, all wholesome prayers are expected to start taking stock of past deeds and occurrences, what today is and casting a look at what is being projected for the future. God had endowed us with a sense that can identify the good and the bad behavior. When we do good, it gladdens our heart and when we act negatively our conscience will not fail to alert us . However, some have seared their conscience to an extent that they can even swear on their conscience that is “playing the good” for them to stick to.

For taking stock of yesterday, is our recognition of the need to thank the Lord for his protection and other blessings received personally, by one’s family, the Church family and the community at large. There are so many avenues open to all human beings towards acting against the holy will of God. These include gossips, ungodly jokes about individuals, both direct stealing and stealing by stealth, lasciviousness, adultery, fornication, forgery, even, ungodly anger and many more. As for the present (nowadays), it behoves us as Christians to ask for God’s direction to be able to do things aright. This includes the act of consulting or meeting with God everyday so that daily plan would be able to align with the holy will of God. We have seen that what was experienced in the past and what is being encountered presently can make or mar the future if we fail to anchor our faith in Christ. Job presented us with a classical example of how to faithfully not allow the past to destroy the future because what is to be belongs to our creator. Job did what was practically possible to satisfy or please God but see what befell him. It was a double trouble of tragedy which went to a dimension that man can never think of. To ordinary people, they would agree to curse God when Job was asked to curse his creator and die because the pain and anguish had become totally unbearable in man’s thinking. He accepted both the positive and the negative to buoy up his faith in God and his endurance paid off. He was blessed so much that the “new” Job was richer and possessed more than ever before.

In physical management strategy, people or companies have to plan in terms of short, medium and long range development. Planning recognizes doing first thing first if success is to be accomplished and maximally too. In this case, there should be definite individual and corporate dos and don’ts that will ensure not working without policy guidelines. Permit me to liken prayers to planning and forecasting for personal strategy, aiming at working for specific goals. In a prayer life, there are what to place at the front burner or are immediate like ones daily bread and how to stock the pantry for things needed at various times in future. This consists of “what to do list” for today and thereafter. By prayer and supplications for future needs, the divine workbook or constitution for living well is – The Bible.

Lawyers or Attorneys have to consult a whole library of books in the discharge of their professional duties while Christians have their own code or conduct or their own constitution divinely inspired, written and never goes obsolete or revised from time to time, like mundane code of conducts.

Deviation from what the bible prescribes can constitute sins for all times, just like murder or homicide in the case of Cain and Abel remains homicide even in today’s reckoning. Jesus granted the adulterous woman remission of sin, after all things were considered, Today, judges would always consider many factors before giving the verdict of guilty or not guilty, and occasional discharge for want of enough evidence. Prayers to God through his son our Savior Jesus Christ enable us build up our morals and fortify ourselves against the wiles of the enemies of Christian faith. As for our life and times , prayer is our rod, shield and strength that will continue to comfort us in Jesus most holy name.

Our Conscience

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Our conscience is like a room which is subject to being kept clean or dirty. Just as the state of physical environment makes us breathe fresh air or otherwise so does a clear or seared conscience to our spiritual life. In looking through 1Peter 3: 15-16, we read: “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks for a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear, having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed” NKJV MacArthur

We need to pattern our life according to the will of God learnt in the teachings of Jesus Christ. Christ summarized the Mosaic Ten Commandments into loving God and our neighbors. In other words, we are expected to do to others what we expect them to us.  As it is, if it is the will of God for one to suffer for doing good, it is better than for doing evil” 1Peter 3:17 NKJV MacArthur. It is only by doing the will of God that one can have clear conscience before God and man. If one lies or commit any sin without anyone seeing or knowing; God is all eyes and sees all things done either in secret or under public glare. God had structured our conscience to commend or condemn us depending on what we do – good deed or otherwise.

As we continue to commit sinful acts, conscience gets seared and would no more be able to yield to the dictate for doing good deeds. 1Timothy 4: 1-2; “Now the spirit expressly says that in later times one will depart from faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with hot iron”. Dirty or sacred conscience is a state of sinfulness or conscience cramped with lies, wickedness, drunkenness, contempt, adultery, fornication, covetousness and many more. Absalom’s was undoubtedly of this type of conscience.

Our conscience is the spirit of God in us. I believe, it represents the “still small voice” which many people often refuse to give due regard. In http://www.google.com it is described as “The nonphysical part of a person that is the seat of emotions and character, the soul.” Therefore, to be Christ-like, we need to seek harmony between body and spirit which must be kept clean and pure.

God and Idols

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There is no comparison between the Almighty God and idols. In order for us to separate the living God from the non-living or dead gods, it is necessary to actually clarify the concept of the Almighty God, for he is the Omnipotent and Omniscient, the self-existing, as well as the everlasting Sovereign God. HE is the “I am that I am”, the Beginning and the End. The living God cannot be seen with our naked eyes and yet we can talk with Him. He hears us, we feel Him. He speaks to peoples’ hearing at times audibly or quietly putting in our thought system. His greatest attribute is that of being eternal, from age to age, He remains the same everlasting Jehovah, the creator of heaven and the earth, the unchangeable changer as well as for us a conqueror of all evil forces that tend to militate against us.

Conversely, each idol or the dead god, from age to age continues to be the creation of man. An idol has ears but cannot hear, has eyes but cannot see, has legs but cannot walk neither can its hand be used to hold anything. Its movement is characterized by man moving it from one spot to the other. Above all, it is a physical representation of evil or Satan that delights in sorrow by seeking to steal kill and destroy as exemplified in John 10:10

The Almighty God gave the Jews the order not to have any other God beside Him, the God of Israel as contained in Exodus 20: 3-4. In the history of the children of Israel, we read that, anyone, and especially a King who fails to worship, obey and honor God  “YAHWEH” always succeeded. David was a case in point. He defeated Goliath because he convinced himself that the battle was God’s own and HE would never fail. The scenario instantly became a story of the unexpected. Overtly, there was no possible way a novice, an inexperienced young man like David could have dared to challenge Goliath, a veteran of so many battles without the help of the God of Israel. Jeroboam as king over the Northern kingdom with its capital in Samaria. He severed relations with the Southern Kingdom of Judah and Jerusalem and also created man-made gods for his people to worship to ensure his subjects did not have any connection with Shiloh or the temple in Jerusalem. His reign showed that he was desperately wicked and caused the children of Israel to sin. His act of rejecting God to embrace worship of idols was so sinful that it continued to be a reference point of wicked sin against God that led to their going into slavery once more.

Nebuchadnezzar was originally empowered by God to be able to enslave the children of Israel as punishment for their rejecting their God; but later became proud and self-conceited to the extent that he asked people to pray to him instead of God. He was punished at the peak of degrading the Almighty God, he was turned into a beast with hairy body and long nails. It was only when he got back to his senses that God restored him to his erstwhile position. His golden image could not save him as God dramatically saved the three Hebrew young men namely; Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego.

 

Can Secret remain Secret? (Conclusion)

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This piece is the second part that concludes the above topic. It is nature preordained that there is nothing secret in this world. This is why, what is kept as secret must as much as possible be what cannot bring shame or destabilize life or an organization if by accident it leaks out. The government usually classifies some secrets as top or classified and set time limit for de-classifying them for security reasons only.

We do not have to look at the Old Testament situation as the only place and time where and when secrets have been known by even uncommitted persons. It was mainly by divine intelligence that such secrets were known. Remember King David, when Prophet Nathan confronted him in a parable of the poor man who had only one lamb that was coveted by a prosperous man.The New Testament has its own share of divine revelation to someone who was not privy to the sinful act (Secret). Ananias and  Sapphira, husband and wife, decided to cheat on other followers of Christ by selling their land like others but presented a fraction of the proceeds. By divine revelation, Peter confronted  husband and wife separately and they both lied to the Holy Spirit as Peter said. They both died consequent upon their lying. If the secret was not revealed by any means, physical or spiritual, no one could have known what the couple did which surely would have undermined the purpose of communal living being practised by the disciples after the death of Jesus Christ. Acts 5: 1-10.

God who judges the heart and not the face revealed to Paul the secret behind the acts of the “famed ” Elymas, the sorcerer. Acts 13: 8-11. (NKJV) “But Elymas the sorcerer (for so his name is translated) withstood them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith. Then Saul, who also is called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, look intently at him, and said, “O full of deceit and all fraud, you son of the devil, you enemy of righteousness, will you not cease perverting the ways of the Lord. And now indeed, the hand of the Lord  is upon you, and you shall be blind, not seeing the sun for a time.”

God moves in a mysterious way, his wonders to perform in that the plot to assassinate Paul in Jerusalem leaked to Paul’s nephew. The young man went to tell Paul who sent him to the Chief Captain who acted fast and smuggled Paul out at night to Caesarea for him to be heard by Governor Felix.

In conclusion, where a person did not commit a sin and detractors just decided to cause him to be held for heinous crime. God has always  revealed the truth that would cause the victim to be exonerated  even if he had spent more than a quarter of a century in jail without parole. He would eventually go free with sumptuous compensation. Can a secret remain secret for ever?

Can secret remain secret?

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Any situation bordering on sin causes any secret to get revealed consciously or by default including human error as well as by divine revelation to prophets or chosen people. Let us in unison ask a person who is a secret keeper under oath of secrecy as to how the secret the person was entrusted to keep can for ever remain secret. A secret is supposed to be out of public knowledge because of the damage it can do to national image, a company, or highly placed people in the society. Between two rival manufacturing companies, what makes each of them to remain unique has always been securely kept as trade secret. Patent is a legal document securing to an inventor for a term of years exclusive right to his or her invention. One might just surmise that if that status was not granted, others who later find out the component would just go ahead and start manufacturing, especially, such drug thus depriving the inventor from getting maximum benefit from his or her invention. in other words, there is scarcely any secret that can ever remain secret for ever.

Secret can fail to be kept secret because of personal financial benefit or vendetta or it can also arise from human error and in contemporary age of hackers’ of computer sensitive data. Other areas of bursting someone’s personal secret are phishing, presenting fake websites through which unsuspecting users can unknowingly release personal sensitive information to the extent that the hacker would be able to steal from other person’s savings or checking accounts. Government Banks’ and companies’ records have been announced to have been hacked in spite of assumed impregnable security.

Adam and Eve were talked into eating the forbidden fruit without them giving a hint to God. However, guilty conscience made them to hide away from the presence of God  in Genesis 3: 1-10 (NKJV). In the case of Cain and Abel, God queried Cain because the blood of Abel had cried to HIM, revealing a secret Cain did not disclose on his own. Cain answered God’s question with question in Genesis  4: 9: And the Lord said unto Cain, “Where is Abel thy brother? And he said I know not: Am I my brother’s keeper?” Cain would have been shocked as he was confronted with his crime committed secretly out of jealousy.

Achan never thought that his secret sin could be known by anyone, but by divine revelation he had to confess his sin and had to bear the consequent repercussion on not him alone but also on his family members: Joshua 7:20 (NKJV) No secret is truly secret as Achan answered Joshua and said, Indeed I have sinned against the Lord God of Israel, and this is what I have done”;  for during investigation after the defeat in the war against the small town of Ai, lot was cast and it fell on him. In the old and contemporary christian practice we fail to take heed that no secret sin shall go undiscovered. Think of a well placed person from the royalty who judged others as a ruler. King David coveted Uriah’s wife who he slept with and tried to hide his infidelity by ordering the death of a devotedly loyal defender of his kingdom. Nobody talked about it until God revealed it to Prophet Nathan. It would appear Prophet Nathan could not speak point blank but devised a case study  approach in which David judged the perpetrator only to be told that God said thathe (David) was the character in question.What all men of valor could not reveal God divinely used Prophet Nathan to spill the bean. IISamuel 10:2-10 recorded details of his secret sin.