CIA EXCLUSIVE | Dabz - Winner Man (ft. Propane) > @dabz_cia @propane_cia @ciaclique1

Off his soon-to-be-announced debut EP, Dabz gives us a foretaste of the glory to be revealed in his EP come 31st March.

Winner Man is a declaration of our total surrender to Christ and the reality of the victory that we have in Him. He featured Propane (@propane_cia) on this one. The song was produced by Dr.  Jay (@officialdrjay) and mixed and mastered by
Spane5 (@spane5mixline).

This is to all the Winners!

Click to DOWNLOAD!

Connect: Twitter/IG - @dabz_cia, @ciaclique1

Facebook: @dabzcia, @ciaclique1

POST | Na So e Easy? YES!!! Na So e EASY!!!

NA SO E EASY? YES!!! NA SO E EASY!!!

A few years ago, I once preached the gospel to someone on campus, a classmate actually. Guess what? He didn't agree to accept it, because it was "too good to be true." He was like;

“you mean say I no need do anything, just accept Christ and I done dey righteous for God eye? Guy forget that thing. Even Bible talk say person wey dey do good, make him dey do good... Dikky how far naa, if na so e easy, all man for done born again naa.” 

Kai! Smh. After hours of trying to convince a nigga, he still no gree. I just left him to the Holy Spirit because it turned into an argument, instead of an outreach.

Thinking about it now, I just realized how much a vast majority of the body of Christ have presented the gospel, making it seem so hard to accept that when you eventually show people how easy it is to accept the gospel and the love of God in their hearts, it sounds so strange to them, too good to be true, and they just feel you must be wrong because almost everyone isn't preaching what you are preaching. Some doubt, even after you've shown them these truths in scripture. This can get really frustrating because the "lawyers" and "judges" have really made our ministry very difficult for us who are trying to show people the love of Christ. They have so misrepresented God, and hammered wrong doctrines into our heads that unbelievers are scared to associate with God and the things of God, even going to church is hard for them because the thought alone fills them with guilt and condemnation, and they don't feel worthy enough to go to Church, into the "presence of God."

This is me apologizing to my unbelieving friends, on behalf of the body of Christ:

Sorry for making God look so far to reach, He is actually right there with you, longing for you to talk to Him.

Sorry for making God look like a tyrant, He actually loves you so much that He hurts because you haven't accepted His love which He has made FREELY available for EVERYBODY! Just accept His love and the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus Christ for your sins, and you are good to go...a relationship with God commences.

Sorry for making God look like He only accepts "good people", which has actually made you stay away from God until you "get it right", or "fix your life" first...but it doesn't ever seem to be happening for you any time soon. God actually wants you to come to Him JUST THE WAY YOU ARE! You don't take a bath before you enter the bathroom to take a bath. That sounded silly right? Exactly how silly it is to think you should fix your life or get it right before you come to God. A broken gadget can't fix itself, the manufacturer does that. You are God's gadget (loved one for that matter) and He is your manufacturer. ONLY GOD can fix you, NOT YOU! Just accept Christ, believe in His Word and watch how He works in you to do good works, not your own good works, but Christ working these good works in you.

Now you see how EASY it is to accept Christ, my prayer for you is that you take this decision today and I promise you, you will NEVER regret it! Have a great life in Christ! I love you! —Dikky #FocusOnChrist

POST | Clever Distractions

CLEVER DISTRACTIONS

Clever distractions are simply what they are...clever distractions! They are clever because they are subtle, sly, cunning, smart, etc. The funny thing about clever distractions are they don't even look like distractions. In fact, most of them appear really good morally, and even spiritually. Yes! That's the danger.

One major clever distraction among believers is being BUSY! Busy doing God's work, ministry, missions, church work & meetings, etc. A few weeks ago, I was listening to a rap song by Andy Mineo titled "Death of Me", and every time I listen to it, these words from the song always hit me deep:

"Jesus retreated to speak with His Father, I know that I need it.
My career been growing, but tell me where I'm going if my time with God is depleted? (Nowhere)

God I'm sorry, I mean it. All I wanna do is walk with you...
But my priority is wrong, I talk about you more than I talk with you!"

Now that's deep! Ministry is good! Working for God is awesome! But WORKING for God comes secondary. WALKING with God is primary! That's the right priority. A lot of us are so bugged down with these clever distractions and are unaware that we are burning out spiritually. We are constantly giving out and not taking in. We spend very little or no time with God trying to do His work (without His wisdom and direction). Sometimes it doesn't work out as planned. Stop! Take care of your spiritual health FIRST!

I remember a friend of mine some years ago who was a leader in church. She told me something that struck me, though I didn't have much understanding then. She complained to me how church work was becoming a stress on her with the numerous meetings and all. Her concern was that she wasn't having time to spend with God and she felt like she was being drained spiritually while working for God. She decided to tell her leaders she can't continue (at least for the time being) just so she can get her spiritual strength back. She wanted to spend more time with God alone without these distractions...clever distractions. If you ask me, it was a very wise decision because it helped her.

Another instance, Nolly of CIA. We were talking a few years ago just when his music career began to boom. He said something that I still hold to heart. That season, he was getting invitations to perform at shows and to get featured on some tracks. He was like the popular demand (still is). Then one particular month, he said he was not gonna accept any invite to perform at any show or to get featured on any song by anyone for that whole month. He said that month was for his personal retreat  to recharge spiritually, spending major time with God studying the Word and praying. He felt like his "Oyel" well was drying up so he had to back out just to refill, so at least he can have some fresh spiritual content to put in songs. I don't need to say anything more, you know how Nolly has grown spiritually over the years, his songs reflect it. In other to refocus and be refreshed, we all need to take a break every once in a while, it's not a sin! Rest is spiritual!

The devil is after our faith as believers. He doesn't mind us doing God's work, ministry, missions, etc., as long as we don't get to spend quality time with God. In God's presence, our faith is built up, our spiritual man is renewed, we are anointed with fresh "OYEL" and power. The devil doesn't want this, so he keeps us very busy with these clever distractions. I won't forget to mention that some church doctrines are also clever distractions, especially most POPULAR DOCTRINES that are not always SOUND DOCTRINES. These doctrines don't magnify Christ and His finished works, but they magnify self, stuff, and other people. As a result, people end up playing church or religion because they have refused to build a real relationship with God by seeking truth for themselves, truth that is CHRIST. Most churches today are filled with many church workers, yet very few have a walk with God. We think we are engaged in some "spiritual" activity, but we lack spiritual sensitivity because we are not in tune with God's heartbeat. Our work for God never affects our walk with God, but our walk with God affects our work for God, because we work for God with the right attitude as a result of our walk with God.

My prayer is that we all are sensitive to these subtle, sly, cunning, smart, CLEVER DISTRACTIONS (relationships, career, business, dreams, ambitions, our past mistakes, present situations/circumstances, the future, friends, social media, naysayers, etc.) that keep us from enjoying God's best and experiencing the fullness of God. Our (good) desires can also be clever distractions. But the Kingdom comes first, and when we delight ourselves in God FIRST, He will grant us the (good) desires of our heart because all our needs are available in a rich relationship with God. However, seeking these needs and (good) desires of our heart independent of God becomes a distraction from God...clever distractions.

Again I will say, working for God is very important, going on missions, doing ministry and other stuff to promote the Kingdom is key, but let's be cautious not to lose sight of the major while focusing on the minor. Walking with God is major. This year, let's avoid every form of distractions and have a more intense #FocusOnChrist.

NEW MUSIC | Okey Sokay - Oyel (feat. Dikky) > @Okeysokay @Dikky_CIA

Dikky of CIA Clique finally jumps on Okey Sokay's viral hit track, OYEL, with nice rap flows blending english, pidgin and igbo. Produced by Eager Boi.



Click to DOWNLOAD!

Connect: 

Twitter/IG - @dikky_cia

Facebook: www.facebook.com/ThisIsDikky

POST | Black, White, And Grey Areas

BLACK, WHITE, AND GREY AREAS.

If you've studied the scriptures long enough, you should  have discovered that there are some stuff that are clear cut black and white; meaning some things are well defined as either good or evil. But then, there are some other stuff that aren't well defined as either good or evil. These are the grey areas. These grey areas are usually topics for debates among christian circles, and there are some which most Christians don't even wanna delve into or meddle with. But then, these grey area issues SHOULD be addressed for the very reason of avoiding negative extremes.

First, let's settle a fact; anything that is clear cut black and white in scripture is not debatable, regardless of how you feel about it. With that said, the next question is how do we handle these scriptural grey areas? A good example of a grey area is Christians associating with wine or alcohol. Now scripture didn't clearly say it's good or evil, but then alcohol (or wine) has it's merits and demerits. Getting drunk with wine is a negative extreme (Eph 5:18), but wine when taken in a reasonable quantity (little) is actually good for the health (1Tim 5:23). Studies have even found that taking some red wine is very good for the heart. But then, as Christians, we can't really encourage taking alcohol, neither can we discourage it. Regardless of what your stand is on alcohol (whether it's ok for you or not), be careful not to judge or criticize the believer who allows it (for the right reasons), and also not to look down on the believer who avoids it (for the right reasons), as long as you do it in faith, and please God...cos faith alone pleases God. Anything outside faith would be a sin (Rom 14). If it violates your conscience, then for you, it's a sin to avoid (1John 3:19-21).

There are a lot of grey areas I wouldn't want to mention because I don't wanna spark up an argument or debate here, but it is needful to note that WISDOM should be applied when handling these grey areas in scripture. There is always the temptation to find oneself going to negative extremes, but like a friend of mine said, it's not about the alcohol for example, it's about the handler (or drinker). Some people are addicted to alcohol and they can almost never drink without getting drunk. The wisdom of God to be applied here is to stay clear of alcohol! I personally give this advice to people who can't help but get drunk. This is not a post about alcohol but a whole lot of other grey areas, even the very delicate ones. I personally don't have a problem with taking wine or alcohol (except for beer, stouts and wine with very high concentration of alcohol like gin and spirits). We have freedom as believers but we should be careful not to use it as an excuse to indulge our fleshly desires (Gal 5:13,1Pet 2:16). And also, we should be careful not to let what we permit get us hooked, thereby taking us to the negative extremes (1Cor 6:12). Wisdom is profitable to direct. You know yourself better than anyone, you know what works for you and what doesn't. You have the Word of God and the Holy Spirit for understanding. So the wisdom to apply when dealing with these grey areas are basically the Wisdom of God gotten as a result of your constant association with the Word of God, and an understanding of yourself (your weaknesses/strengths, struggles, etc.). But be careful not to make a law of your own stand on these grey areas. In this context, it's safe to say that what is a sin for you is not a sin for the next man and vice versa. (1Cor.10:29)

One more wisdom to apply is weighing the merits and demerits. How much of a benefit is it to you? For example, smoking is not even in scripture, not to even mention if it's good or evil. But we all know that smoking does more harm than good to it's consumers. Infact, smoking has no single benefit to your health and it's very addictive, which makes it even more deadly cos it can be killing you as you do it but you just can't quit (except by the Grace of God). So if you ask me if smoking is a sin, I would tell you no but it's 100% bad for your health, so it's not right. You don't wanna end up with lung cancer and other chronic ailments,  just to mention a few. I believe almost everyone is aware that smoking isn't right for them. Moreover, if you know the right thing to do and you don't do it, then (for you) it becomes a sin (James 4:17).

Let me end by saying; these grey areas shouldn't be avoided in discussions amongst believers so that we can help each other grow in the body of Christ, and learn how to apply godly wisdom when dealing with these issues that are grey in scripture (or not even in scripture at all). The more we avoid it, the more ignorant people become about it, the more people live in guilt and shame for something that actually may not even be an issue, and the more people find themselves often at the negative extremes. The key word here is applying GODLY WISDOM, just like Apsotle Paul did in handling some issues God didn't clearly speak about (1Cor 7:25).

Post | Preach What You Know!

PREACH WHAT YOU KNOW!

Before you go about preaching the gospel, you must FIRST learn it, belly it, and live it out! When you get saved and you don't pay attention to biblical teachings, you will end up preaching morality, or even worse, condemnation.

So when you get saved, am I saying you shouldn't preach at all? No! If you must preach, preach ONLY that which you know; I was lost but now I'm found. I was blind but now I can see. I was sick but now I'm healed. I was lame but now I can walk. I was in bondage but now I'm delivered, etc (Luke 8:38 & 39, John 4:28-29,39-42, John 9:11 & 25). This is the gospel that new believers in Christ should preach, testifying of God's goodness and grace upon their lives...cos that's all they know (at least for now).

The gospel should not be preached as a moral code of conduct, it should be preached as THE POWER OF GOD to be believed in (Romans 1:16). Believers are believers basically because they believe! All over scripture, you often hear of believers than Christians, and you hear about we having the promise of eternal life cos we believed, and others (unbelievers) are condemned cos they don't believe (their sin is they don't believe). The gospel is not rules and regulations (Colossians 2:20-23), but a life (the Life of God) at work in anyone who believes. Your lifestyle is a product of your beliefs, so believing the gospel will ALWAYS produce right living in a believer.

P.S: If the gospel you preach doesn't come with power and life but condemnation, then most likely you are yet to be saved, cos your faith isn't focused on Christ's power but self-effort (Galatians 5:4). A believer who is not a life giver (but killer) is not even a believer. You can't give what you don't have (Matthew 12:34, Colossians 2:18&19). If you have the life of Christ, you will give it out effortlessly. If not, it's either you are not saved, ignorant of God's Word, or you got saved for the wrong reasons (e.g fear of hell), and that's not real salvation cos God judges the heart (cos you believe with your heart, and your belief is wrong). So for new believers (especially music artists), take time to learn about the gospel of Christ before you run off preaching what you don't know. All that you know is Jesus saved you and don't be ashamed to let the world know that. Use your life as a testimony of God's grace to reach out to others, cos when they see the change Christ is working in your life, they will give Him glory and be encouraged to believe in Him.

—Dikky.

POST | Misconception Of Success

MISCONCEPTION OF SUCCESS. 

Whenever I ask young people like myself questions about the vision they have for their life, ambitions, dreams, etc., oftentimes, the response I get is something like; "My dream is to be very successful, wealthy, blah blah..." Crap! When I hear such, all my mind interprets is "my dream is to be very vain, confused and miserable.

First of all, most young people don't even understand what success is, they measure it by monetary value. That's why they lack vision. All they want is to make money, to "blow", to "hammer", and that's why most of them end up miserable because they don't even have a vision to guide them through life. Making money is not a bad thing. Infact, you should be wealthy, but wealth doesn't define (or measure) success.

Success starts with having a vision for your life. A vision will always be born out of a passion in your heart to solve a problem, to make life better and easier, and to make the world a much better place. A vision is not self-centred, it focuses on building people up, and making life better for them. A vision impacts the lives of people. A vision brings positive change in the society (e.g: inventors of mobile phones, computer, internet, social media, email, medicines, etc. had these visions and they have made life easy by providing solutions that have impacted the world positively). The good thing about having a vision and sincerely focusing on it to impact lives is that, you will eventually get wealth. But mind you, there will always be temptation to measure your success by monetary value.

True success is in seeing your vision make tremendous impact in people's lives and the society at large. It's about accomplishing your set goals regardless of how much money you make. Money doesn't bring fulfillment, that's why you know a lot of misersble millionaires. Success is not a destination, it is a journey. When you understand vision, and you walk in your purpose, you begin to see results (not money but impact), and this brings fulfillment in life. Real success always comes with fulfillment. And remember, the money will always chase you if you are concerned about making lives better. Having a vision should cause you to improve and add value to yourself, and people will always pay for your value, that's why you need to expand your mind by reading books that help develop you mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.

I pray that God will give you a vision for your life to run with. Without a vision, people live without direction and end up being miserable. Don't let Hollywood define success for you, or your favourite artists or celebs. Focus on God and He will give you a vision for your life. —Dikky.