THE DEAD COME BACK TO LIFE

Not even death can limit God from showing His power and might. Right from the fall of Adam when God reduced man's lifespan, death has been believed to be the final bus stop for man, at least here on earth. But even that does not and can not stop God.

There are various instances in the Bible where the seemingly impossible situation of death, was turned around by God. In 1 Kings 17:17-21, the son of the widow who fed Elijah in the time of famine, took ill suddenly and died. Elijah carried the boy into his room and he cried out to the Lord asking Him to restore life to the boy. Verse 22 says “And the Lord heard the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child came into him again, and he revived.”

Next, let’s take a look at 2 Kings 4:18-34. The Shunnamite woman who regularly entertained Prophet Elisha suddenly lost her son to the jaws of death. She carried her son’s body to Elisha and when Elisha prayed and laid upon the boy twice, verse 35b said, “and the child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes.”

2 Kings 13:21 is an interesting account. A dead man who was about to be buried was thrown on the bones of Elisha. Immediately his body touched the bones of Elisha, life was restored to him.

Let us journey to the New Testament. In Mark 5:21-34, Jesus was on His way to heal Jairus' daughter who was sick at the time. But in verse 35, He was told not to bother with the girl anymore because she had died. When Jesus arrived at the house, He told the people who were already mourning that the girl was merely asleep. He followed this up by taking her hand in verse 41 and telling her to rise. Verse 42a says, “And straightway the damsel arose, and walked.” In Luke 7:11-15, Jesus intercepted a burial procession. A widow was going to bury her only son but Jesus encountered her. He told her son to arise. Verse 15 says, “And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak...” 

John 11 contains the popular story of Lazarus. What distinguishes this from others is that not only was Lazarus dead, his body had already started decomposing and yet, God could not be stopped. Not only was he brought back to life, the process of decomposition was instantly reversed and he was made whole. 

Moving on to the Acts of the Apostles after Jesus had ascended into Heaven. Acts 9:36-42 tells the story of a certain disciple called Tabitha (Dorcas) who was known for her good deeds. She fell sick and died. The apostle Peter was sent for and he knelt down and prayed for her after which he spoke to the body and said “arise” and she opened her eyes and sat up, life restored.

In Acts 20:7-12, a young man named Eutychus fell asleep and fell down from a third floor window. Death was instantaneous. The apostle Paul was unperturbed. He fell on him and hugged him then got up to eat and preach. After Paul left, it was recorded that the young man was alive.

Matthew 28:1-18, Mark 16:1-14, Luke 24:1-36 and John 20:1-20, all give the glorious account of the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. His resurrection greatly displayed the power of God Almighty. There was no need for anyone to pray for Him to be resurrected, there was no laying of hands or fasting. Christ died like He said and He arose on the third day like He said. Death couldn’t withstand Him of course. The grave couldn’t hold Him in. No principality or power could stop Him from coming back to life. 

Interestingly, Matthew 28:50-53 recorded that at the point Christ gave up His spirit on the cross, the tombs were opened and many of the saints who had died came back to life. They came out of their tombs and went into the holy city. 

Personally, I have also experienced this wondrous power of God. A patient of mine who was certified dead and already wrapped up for burial, had life restored to him by God when I touched him. The man who was supposed to be buried is now alive, healthy and a happy family man. What a great God!

Going a step further from life here on earth, the more wondrous fact is that Christ's death brought eternal life to humanity. For by Adam we were all dead in sin. By Adam, mortality was the end for us but through Christ we were made alive. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, to come as the final and ultimate sacrifice that by His blood, man would be fully reconciled to God. That the breach that was created by Adam would be closed permanently. That man would be reversed from his downward spiral to death. Whosoever believeth in Christ will not perish but have eternal life. We who were once dead can now have life.

1 Thessalonians 4:16 KJV “For the Lord Himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first.” (Emphasis added). For all who have accepted Christ as their Lord and who diligently serve Him, death on earth isn’t something to be feared because it is but a means to an end. Eternal life, glory, great reward, joy, crowns, and so much more that we are yet to know, beyond our imaginations. Those whose names are found written in the Book of Life will be called unto eternal life.

For those who refuse to accept Christ, death on earth should be feared, not because it is an end in itself but because it will usher them into a much worse fate. None should even contemplate this. 

I enjoin each and everyone to make the decision to live today. If you want to be among those who will not perish but live eternally with Christ, there is only one way. Jesus said in John 14:6 “I am the way, the truth and the life...” The way to Heaven is Jesus Christ. If you want to enjoy life eternal, choose Christ because He is life.

WHAT IS THE SIZE OF YOUR FAITH?

All scripture quotations are taken from the New American Standard Bible® (NASB), Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation.

Used by permission. www.Lockman.org

The size of your faith is determined by your words and works. 2 Corinthians 4:13 says, “But having the same spirit of faith…we also believe, therefore we also speak.” Also, James 2:17 says, “Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself.” if you claim to have faith, it should be seen in your words and actions. For true faith prompts one to say or do certain things that will not be said or done ordinarily. For instance, when Abraham was tried, he offered Isaac, his son of promise, because he believed God was able to raise him from the dead. And by works, his faith was perfected. His faith was shown by offering his son. Logically, Abraham should not have offered Isaac. The Lord had just told him to cast away the bondwoman and her son. After that, He was now telling him to kill Isaac, the only one remaining with him and upon whom hinged the fulfillment of God’s promise to him. For God had told Abraham that, “through Isaac your descendants shall be named.” (Genesis 21:12). But because He believed in God and that His promises must definitely come to pass, he was willing to offer Isaac and he obeyed, considering that God would raise him back to life. This was a great faith that won Abraham the title “The friend of God.” (James 2:23). 

We also see Moses. Although he was raised in the palace by Pharaoh’s daughter, he refused to be called her son. And the Bible says in Hebrews 11:25-26 that he “chose rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, considering the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he was looking to the reward.” It may not be so easy following Jesus. There might be trials and persecutions in Christ while there are comforts and pleasures in the world. But a person of faith will show his faith in choosing to suffer with Christ rather than enjoying the pleasures of the world with Satan because such a person believes that God is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him. 

There were a few times Jesus commented on the faith of people during His time on earth. To the centurion, He said; “Truly I say to you, I have not found such GREAT FAITH with anyone in Israel.” (Matthew 8:10, emphasis added).

Now, Jesus had just entered into Capernaum and the centurion came to Him, imploring Him to come and heal his servant who was lying paralyzed at home, grievously tormented. Jesus, full of compassion, told the centurion He would come and heal his servant. But the centurion would not allow Jesus to come to his house and Jesus seemed to be taken aback by his response. In Matthew 8:8-9 the centurion said, “Lord, I am not worthy for You to come under my roof, but just say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I also am a man under authority, with soldiers under me; and I say to this one, ‘Go!’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come!’ and he comes, and to my slave, ‘Do this!’ and he does it.” And Jesus on hearing this called his faith great. The faith of the centurion was seen through his words. 

Meanwhile, in Matthew 8:26, Jesus said to his disciples, “Why are you afraid, you men of LITTLE FAITH?” Your words and actions in the day of trouble and adversity will also determine the size of your faith. In verse 18, the Bible says Jesus had given orders to depart to the other side of the sea. But when they entered the boat and a great storm arose so that the boat was covered with the waves, they totally forgot the word of Jesus that said they must be on the other side of the sea. They became afraid and thought they would perish. When Jesus was woken up from sleep, He told them their faith was little because they did not believe in His word. But we see the centurion believing the word of Jesus, telling Him to only speak and his servant would be made whole. 

Job’s faith was also shown through his words. While he was passing through great trials, having lost all he had and even his skin, he said, “As for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last He will take His stand on the earth. Even after my skin is destroyed, yet from my flesh I shall see God” (Job 19:25-26 ). He believed God would restore his skin and all he had lost. 

There are areas you can know the measure of your faith. Like Abraham, your level of obedience determines your measure of faith. Quite a lot of Christians find it so difficult to obey God simply because they do not actually believe and trust in God. God gives them instructions and sometimes also shows them the reward of abiding with the instructions. But they will rather ignore and do things in their own way because they do not really believe in God. 

Also in giving. Some also find it difficult to give. They think what they have will not be sufficient if they give out of it, not considering God as their Source. If you believe God can provide your needs, you will not find it difficult to give what you have to God, His work and His people. 

What about those who will not preach the gospel because they do not believe the word of God through them can save souls or heal the sick? Because of their unbelief, they struggle to go out to witness. 

Lastly in praying. Many do not pray because they do not believe in reality that God will answer their prayers. They may pray for awhile and when nothing seems to be happening, they give up. O, that such may know the power of persevering in the place of prayer! While Jesus was teaching on persevering prayer, He ended His teaching with, “When the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?” ( Luke 18:8), that is, when the Son of man comes, will He find you still persevering in the place of prayer because you know God will certainly answer you? 

6 Qualities of Business Success

Most business owners place great emphasis on getting more customers and generating more sales.

They see this as the foundation of their success, as perhaps the only way they can grow their businesses, increase profits and or revenue.

While this may be true to an extent, these businesses often don't know that there are actually several other factors that significantly contribute to success in business.

In addition to getting more customers and generating more sales, a truly successful business requires success in six different areas. It’s possible to be somewhat successful if your business does well in some of these areas and not others, but if it doesn’t have all these six at decent levels, your business can't transcend the ordinary and become a generational success.

These areas are:-

1 Redundancy:- For a business to become a generational success, it needs to understand and inculcate the concept of redundancy.

This basically means that the business owner shouldn't have or rely on just one of anything affecting the business.

This business shouldn't have one marketing technique or source it employs to get new business, it should have several.

This business shouldn't have one customer or client it serves, it should have several.

This business shouldn't have one product or service it renders, it should have several, etc.

Today’s shaky economy has made this concept required for long term success. Not only should it make sure that it has interests in completely different industries, it should also have multiple operations in completely different areas selling to completely different markets.

2 Diversity: Diversity in the talents, skills and knowledge a business can call upon is also a required quality of the truly successful business.

Though a business will want everyone associated with the business aligned and working towards a common goal, it should also recognise that the coming together of people of different personalities, backgrounds and levels of experience is a key driver of innovation. Diversity in these can help to foster creativity and offer a range of perspectives and ideas.

3 Modularity: A business is usually comprised of various departments, structures, aspects,  processes and operations.

Modularity is a measure of the degree of mutual independence of these individual components of the business.

As a business owner, you want all of these being able to function effectively and independently even as they interact, and play their part towards achieving the common goal.

Achieving a high degree of modularity in a way that makes the interfaces and interactions as simple as possible is crucial if the business is to become a generational success.

Further, there are situations where you may need to make changes in your business structure or systems for a variety of reasons:- to incorporate new products or services, expand operations, determine functions that can be outsourced or to further increase efficiency.

The degree to which your business is flexible and amenable in this regard also impacts the long term success of the business.

4 Adaptation:- The only thing constant is change and a business that will thrive and survive has to be able to quickly adapt to these inevitable changes.

The rate of change in today’s business environment is faster than it has ever been. The rules of the game are constantly evolving both on the micro levels which directly affect your particular industry and the macro levels affecting all forms of business.

Much of these changes are influenced by customer wants and technology. This is because these are usually engrained in every element of our businesses. Customer needs determine the kind of business we do, the products and services we offer, while technology influences the way we communicate, the way we market. It also drives our business systems and operations.

Business adaptation therefore, requires constant vigilance and awareness that allows you to recognise possible changes in both market needs and technology to enable you quickly make the adjustments in your models and operations to keep you competitive and relevant.

The most successful businesses, those that become generational successes will be those that are proactive and strategic in their adaptive activities.

5 Prudence:- Prudence is a key aspect of successful businesses-- when planning strategy, making business decisions and dealing with finances, the business owner should always act with diligence.

It can be disastrous to make decisions or draw conclusions without gathering all relevant information and carefully evaluating the factors influencing an outcome. The business that becomes a generational success always places emphasis on research and accumulation of information.

Of course there will always be risks associated with any eventual course of action but prudence should be exercised in prior evaluation to ensure you give yourself the best chances at success.

Prudence should also be applied when dealing with customers and clients. A lot of customers leave a business because of what they perceive as indifference from that business. They felt unappreciated, and/or taken for granted.

The business that has ambitions of becoming a generational success should always make its customer feel appreciated and valued.

6 Embeddedness:- Most long term successful businesses are that way because they've built up credibility, trustworthiness and are consistent in their representations and dealings with customers and the world.

Further, they make the necessary efforts to ensure they're well connected within and without the industries they operate in. These connections are important as they often form the basis of profitable joint ventures and collaborations. Being embedded in this manner also enables them to keep a pulse on events and changes so they can adapt effectively.

When customers and clients know a business is consistent in its dealings with them and this business is well connected in the relevant circles, the business is well placed to become a generational success.

It may take some time and effort to get your business up to speed in these 6 areas.

But the rewards you stand to reap by doing so will be well worth it.

You're going to do business anyway, you might as well ensure that your business is well placed to become a generational success.

SO MUCH JOY EVERYWHERE

Luke 15:1-32 gives three parables to give us an idea of how important a single soul is to God. The first parable which is the parable of the lost sheep narrates how a shepherd who owns a 100 sheep leaves the rest behind to search for any single sheep that goes missing. Even if it is just one sheep that goes missing, the shepherd leaves the 99 to go in search for the 1 and when he finds it, he gathers his neighbours to rejoice with him. And Jesus said in verse 7 I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over 99 just persons, which need no repentance.

The second parable is that of the lost coin. It goes thus, that if a woman who owns 10 pieces of silver loses one of the coins, she lights a candle and sweeps the whole house, carefully searching for the one coin that went missing. When she finally finds it, she calls her friends and neighbours to rejoice with her. And Jesus repeated, likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.

The third parable is a popular one. The parable of the prodigal son who collected all his inheritance from his father and went out from his father’s presence to squander it on senseless living after which, he was finally reduced to eating food meant for pigs. When he finally came to his senses and went back home to his father, even before he near the house his father ran out to him and hugged and kissed him. He dressed him in his best robes and threw a huge party in his honour to celebrate his return, for he said, this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost and is found.

Yet these parables are but a mere shadow of how much the heavens rejoice over a single soul that is won to the kingdom of God. A God that loved us so much that He sent His only Son to reduce Himself to flesh just so we can be saved. Not only did He become a human being, He was born into a humble home, not the home of a king or ruler or even a rich man but the home of a carpenter. Even at birth, He was born in very humble surroundings. 

And even those He was sent to didn’t welcome Him. Some didn’t believe Him, He was persecuted, beaten, pierced, humiliated and crucified. He bore all this in silence just to ensure that we are saved. 2 Peter 3:9 KJV says The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness; but is long-suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. That is what God wants, that none of us should be lost to destruction but that we all should repent and be saved. This was why He sent Jesus, that all of humanity will have a chance at returning to Him.

And guess what? God is still waiting for you. The Bible describes Him as long-suffering. This is why despite the number of years you have spent outside of Him, living your life your own way, He is still waiting for you, ready to welcome you and rejoice over you just as the father welcomed his prodigal son with open arms.

Not only will God welcome you with open arms, but your past life of sin will be remembered no more. The day you receive Jesus and return to God, you will stand washed and purified before Him because Hebrews 8:12 says, “For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.” The day you surrender your life to Jesus, you begin afresh with God, He gives you a clean slate, He writes off your sins and you start a new life in Him, free from all encumbrances. In place of your filthy garment, a garment whiter than snow will be placed on you.

And do you know what? The rejoicing when you give your life to Christ isn’t restricted to heaven alone. Even you yourself will rejoice. Acts 8:5-8 KJV says, “Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them. And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. For unclean spirits, crying with loud voice, came out of many that were possessed with them: and many taken with palsies, and that were lame, were healed. And there was great joy in that city” (Emphasis added).

And there was great joy in that city! Because they had been taken out of darkness into God's marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9b). Because they had been liberated from sicknesses and diseases (Isaiah 53:5). Because they were no longer at the mercy of demons, demons had been subdued (Mark 16:17). Because they were no longer doomed to an eternity of sorrow and gnashing of teeth. Because that void in their lives which they didn’t even realize existed, had been filled. Because they had been introduced to the love of God (John 3:16). 

Oh what great joy will there be among the hosts of heaven when you turn away from the path of destruction. Oh what great joy will there be within you when you come into God’s kingdom, when you make up your mind that you don’t want to live in sin anymore, that you don’t want to live your life chasing things that don’t have eternal value. Oh what great joy will there be within you when you realize that you are now on the path of life. Just like the thief that accepted Jesus even at the point of death and his fate was immediately turned around for the better. Luke 23:43 says “And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise.”

Revelation 3:20 “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.” Jesus is waiting expectantly for you. Open your heart to Him today.

I Believe in Miracles

I was on call on a certain day during my residency when my team member called me to tell me that a patient I had earlier admitted, had died.

Shattered by the news, I ran up from the Accident and Emergency department. I met the family taking his corpse away, already wrapped up for burial. I touched the corpse out of sympathy. What followed was so shocking. He gave a violent cough and convulsed! We rushed him to the ward and started resuscitation.

The patient came back to life. In fact, I almost died out of happiness. He was discharged home the next day in full health.

Few months later, I attended his wedding. He has two sons now.

Are You Threatened by Change?

Regardless of the aspect of our lives we want to improve, getting ahead requires change.

Considering a lot of us are usually aware of this on a conscious level, one would expect that we warmly embrace the opportunities to effect changes whenever possible.

Surprisingly though, more often than not, we tend to react adversely to change. Rather than welcome it, we actually feel threatened by the prospect of change and subconsciously resist it.

A major reason for this has to do with our comfort zones. For most of us, our lives consist of a cyclical pattern of thoughts and actions. We have developed certain habits and feel set and secure in them.

It is quite easy to think the same thoughts today as we did yesterday, a couple days ago and further backward. Changing our thoughts requires creativity which seems hard so we take the easy way out and simply recycle our thoughts.

So also with our actions. It takes effort to form a habit and even more effort to change it. Hence, having formed a particular routine of actions, we often stick to that, everyday and possibly forever.

These cycle of thoughts and actions combine to make up our comfort zone. We have grown accustomed to this narrative. We feel safe in this zone. We fear the potential loss of control that change can bring.

Tied to a reluctance to leave our comfort zones, another reason why we feel threatened by change and why we offer resistance to it is fear of the unknown. With change comes the potential to encounter the unexpected, to experience new things and developments. This is scary to us. Our current circumstances and situations may not be good, they may in fact be terrible but, we prefer these because we are familiar with them and will rather remain in that situation than deal with the unknown factor of change.

Yet again, we are threatened by change when we are concerned about our adequacy to deal with it. We do not want to look incompetent, silly or unintelligent. This often occurs if this change is technological in nature. We might outwardly express doubts about the effectiveness of the changes or question if certain changes really are an improvement. Deep down however, we are just resisting due to insecurities on our abilities to deal with the transitions.

Further, some others are generally thrown off by sudden novelty. They react badly to change when they feel they haven't been well informed in advance of forthcoming changes. When things are made different than they are used to, they get uncomfortable. Rather than adapt, they resist. These people may also view change as being left behind. They may have been institutes of the current status quo and will be defensive about steps in new directions, interpreting this, albeit wrongly, that they've been deemed ineffective, inefficient or wrong.

Resistance to change isn't a completely detrimental reaction. It is usually a safety mechanism installed in us that informs us that we may be at risk in one way or the other. The key though lies in recognising when this impulse actively stops us from moving forward or developing. And it can. Resisting change can mean we don’t adopt a healthy diet, appreciate technological advancements, move towards better opportunities or refuse the advice and assistance of someone who’s trying to support us.

In this regards, we have to be aware. It may be frustrating and uncomfortable to embrace change sometimes, but we should constantly try to see the big picture. Whenever we see some existing or upcoming change, we should try to see how we can integrate that change now or in the future to better our lives regardless of how uncomfortable we may feel at the moment.

This big picture approach helps us work through the initial inertia. Even as we feel anxious when a change is imminent, our vision of how these changes will move us closer to our goals and aspirations will assist us deal with these feelings of discomfort. We will be better positioned to transition from the initial denial, anger, confusion and crisis to an acceptance and confidence of the new situations, habits and developments.

Irrespective of our initial reluctances, one of the advantages we have as higher animals is a well developed ability to adapt to new systems, environment and developments. Though we first may exhibit resistance in several ways, with time we can accept and grow into the new situation.

In relating this with our personal growth, we should realise that we are constantly evolving. That is, the person we are today is not the person we'll be in a year. We change, we become new people. By extension, the person who will accomplish our goals is not the person we are now looking at in the mirror. That future person will be a changed person. This person will know things and people we currently don’t know. He/she will have skills we currently don’t have and be better at certain skills we already do have.

We should already be aware of our goals and ambitions. More importantly, we should be aware of the changes we have to make, of the person we will have to become to achieve these goals.

As stated initially, barring the rare exceptions, change and personal growth are always necessary for improvement and personal achievement. We should of course focus on our goals, but we should also focus on the changes we'll have to make to enable us accomplish these.

Being creatures of habit and routine, there will always be some resistance to change. It’s a safety mechanism and can never be completely eliminated. But if we hold on to the idea that we will adapt, eventually, then we can become more flexible. We would know that we can embrace this change and survive.

Because ultimately, the lower our initial resistance to positive change, the faster we can adapt and be well on our way to improvement.

IT IS DONE AS GOD SPEAKS

Unless otherwise stated, all scripture quotations are taken from the New American Standard Bible® (NASB), Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation.

Used by permission. www.Lockman.org

Numbers 23:19

“God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent; has He said, and will He not do it? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?”

It is the nature of man to lie. Consequently, man is disappointing. And he may not intend to lie, but his nature does not afford him the possibility of being reliable. He is completely incapacitated. Apart from being this infirm, there are also many external forces ready to frustrate his desires and words. He is so loaded with a lot of weaknesses. But God is not a man. 

First, He cannot change. In Malachi 3:6, He says “For I, the Lord, do not change.” It is impossible for Him to change, and whatever emanates from Him also bears His nature and therefore cannot change. The words that come out of His mouth cannot change. When He speaks, His word remains forever. In fact, He is His word. John 1:1 says “The Word was God.” And since He cannot change, His word also cannot change. 

Second, there is nothing powerful enough to frustrate His word. Apart from Him having enough power to ensure His word comes to pass, the word itself has an inherent power to accomplish the desire of God and it will never fail but will succeed in the matter for which it is sent (Isaiah 55:11). The Bible says in Hebrews 4:12 that “the word of God is quick, and powerful.” (Emphasis added, KJV). It is so powerful that it can subdue everything that is not consistent with it. The words God speaks are also spirit and life (John 6:63).  They have both creating and sustaining abilities. Even though what they are sent to do does not exist, they can create it and ensure it is sustained forever. They can bring light out of darkness, just as by the word of God light came out of the heap of darkness in the beginning (Genesis 1:3). They can also bring life out of death, just as Lazarus was brought out of the tomb by the word of God, bound hand and foot with wrappings and his face covered with a cloth. (John 11:44). 

Third, God cannot lie. It is not His nature to lie. The Bible says in Hebrews 6:18 that “it is impossible for God to lie.” (Emphasis added). God will not, or rather, cannot speak today and change His word tomorrow. Man may fluctuate, and change his word, but God cannot lie. He is the truth (John 14:6), and His word is also truth (John 17:17). Lies do not abide with Him.

When God speaks, it happens exactly the way He says it will. It will be completely fulfilled. There are many portions in the Bible where what He said came to pass just as He said it. Time could not obliterate it. Devil could not frustrate it. His word may tarry, wait for it; for it will certainly come, it will not delay (Habakkuk 2:3). 

He told the first woman in Genesis 3:15:

“And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, and you shall bruise him on the heel.”

(Emphasis added).

The devil upon hearing this ensured the woman lost her two sons so that there would be no seed to bruise him on his head. He caused Cain to kill his righteous brother, Abel. Consequently, Cain was cursed and finally left the presence of the Lord, deserted his parents to continue in his rebellion. Thus, Adam and Eve lost their two sons, one of whom they thought would bring about the fulfillment of the word of the Lord. But, the word of the Lord could not be frustrated. The devil himself was ignorant of God’s word. Probably, Adam and Eve were also ignorant. The Lord had said “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed (Emphasis added). It was the seed of the woman that was to bruise the enemy and not the seed of the man. And in Matthew 1:18, we read that Mary after she had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child. It happened exactly the way God said it. The woman was found with a Seed, that eventually bruised the head of the enemy. 

God also gave His word to Abraham in Genesis 17:4. He said; 

“As for Me, behold, My covenant is with you, and you will be the father of a multitude of nations.”

(Emphasis added). 

And today, Abraham is not only the father of the people of the nation of Israel, but also the father of every believer from different nations according to the flesh,  who walk in the same steps of the faith of Abraham. (Romans 4:12). It also happened the exact way it was spoken by God. 

Now, if the word of the Lord is this powerful, immutable, accurate and precise, are you not supposed to go for His word and ensure He commits His word to you? Knowing fully well that when He does speak, He is committed to bringing what He says to pass. “Also, the Glory of Israel will not lie or change His mind; for He is not a man that He should change His mind."  (1 Samuel 15:29). No being has this reliability. No one is this dependable. If there is anything you should go after, it should be the word of God. Psalms 18:30 says:

“As for God, His way is blameless; the word of the Lord is tried; He is a shield to all who take refuge in Him.”

(Emphasis added). 

His word is tried. Tested and trusted. You can rest in it when you receive it. 

Are You Threatened by Change?

Regardless of the aspect of our lives we want to improve, getting ahead requires change.

Considering a lot of us are usually aware of this on a conscious level, one would expect that we warmly embrace the opportunities to effect changes whenever possible.

Surprisingly though, more often than not, we tend to react adversely to change. Rather than welcome it, we actually feel threatened by the prospect of change and subconsciously resist it.

A major reason for this has to do with our comfort zones. For most of us, our lives consist of a cyclical pattern of thoughts and actions. We have developed certain habits and feel set and secure in them.

It is quite easy to think the same thoughts today as we did yesterday, a couple days ago and further backward. Changing our thoughts requires creativity which seems hard so we take the easy way out and simply recycle our thoughts.

So also with our actions. It takes effort to form a habit and even more effort to change it. Hence, having formed a particular routine of actions, we often stick to that, everyday and possibly forever.

These cycle of thoughts and actions combine to make up our comfort zone. We have grown accustomed to this narrative. We feel safe in this zone. We fear the potential loss of control that change can bring.

Tied to a reluctance to leave our comfort zones, another reason why we feel threatened by change and why we offer resistance to it is fear of the unknown. With change comes the potential to encounter the unexpected, to experience new things and developments. This is scary to us. Our current circumstances and situations may not be good, they may in fact be terrible but, we prefer these because we are familiar with them and will rather remain in that situation than deal with the unknown factor of change.

Yet again, we are threatened by change when we are concerned about our adequacy to deal with it. We do not want to look incompetent, silly or unintelligent. This often occurs if this change is technological in nature. We might outwardly express doubts about the effectiveness of the changes or question if certain changes really are an improvement. Deep down however, we are just resisting due to insecurities on our abilities to deal with the transitions.

Further, some others are generally thrown off by sudden novelty. They react badly to change when they feel they haven't been well informed in advance of forthcoming changes. When things are made different than they are used to, they get uncomfortable. Rather than adapt, they resist. These people may also view change as being left behind. They may have been institutes of the current status quo and will be defensive about steps in new directions, interpreting this, albeit wrongly, that they've been deemed ineffective, inefficient or wrong.

Resistance to change isn't a completely detrimental reaction. It is usually a safety mechanism installed in us that informs us that we may be at risk in one way or the other. The key though lies in recognising when this impulse actively stops us from moving forward or developing. And it can. Resisting change can mean we don’t adopt a healthy diet, appreciate technological advancements, move towards better opportunities or refuse the advice and assistance of someone who’s trying to support us.

In this regards, we have to be aware. It may be frustrating and uncomfortable to embrace change sometimes, but we should constantly try to see the big picture. Whenever we see some existing or upcoming change, we should try to see how we can integrate that change now or in the future to better our lives regardless of how uncomfortable we may feel at the moment.

This big picture approach helps us work through the initial inertia. Even as we feel anxious when a change is imminent, our vision of how these changes will move us closer to our goals and aspirations will assist us deal with these feelings of discomfort. We will be better positioned to transition from the initial denial, anger, confusion and crisis to an acceptance and confidence of the new situations, habits and developments.

Irrespective of our initial reluctances, one of the advantages we have as higher animals is a well developed ability to adapt to new systems, environment and developments. Though we first may exhibit resistance in several ways, with time we can accept and grow into the new situation.

In relating this with our personal growth, we should realise that we are constantly evolving. That is, the person we are today is not the person we'll be in a year. We change, we become new people. By extension, the person who will accomplish our goals is not the person we are now looking at in the mirror. That future person will be a changed person. This person will know things and people we currently don’t know. He/she will have skills we currently don’t have and be better at certain skills we already do have.

We should already be aware of our goals and ambitions. More importantly, we should be aware of the changes we have to make, of the person we will have to become to achieve these goals.

As stated initially, barring the rare exceptions, change and personal growth are always necessary for improvement and personal achievement. We should of course focus on our goals, but we should also focus on the changes we'll have to make to enable us accomplish these.

Being creatures of habit and routine, there will always be some resistance to change. It’s a safety mechanism and can never be completely eliminated. But if we hold on to the idea that we will adapt, eventually, then we can become more flexible. We would know that we can embrace this change and survive.

Because ultimately, the lower our initial resistance to positive change, the faster we can adapt and be well on our way to improvement.

4 WAYS TO ACCELERATE YOUR SUCCESS

To a large extent, the success of a person is dependent on the person’s capacity to impact lives. When people can get something positive from you, when people's lives get better after they come in contact with you, not only will they keep coming back, they will also recommend you to others. This will not only usher you into success but will also guarantee your growth and catapult you to even greater success.

There are many beneficial goods, products and services that you can offer to people, all that it entails is for you to identify at least one need and go ahead to meet it. In furtherance of this, I will be discussing just 4 avenues through which you can impact people’s lives. From these avenues, you can extract various ways you can improve the lives of people.

 Accelerate your success by providing these 4 things for people:

1. SECURITY: Security is generally defined as the state of being free from danger or threat. This encompasses a wide range of senses such as food security, freedom from want and emotional security. As we all know, food is one of the top needs of mankind. Providing food whether you decide to start as a plant or animal farmer, a wholesaler or retailer, is one of the ways to guarantee your success. Food will always be in demand and consequently, the supplier of food will always be in demand.

Freedom from want can be described as provision of a particular standard of living for people that will ensure that they live comfortably by having the ability to cater for their needs. The sure way to make this possible for people is to avail them with a viable source of income. This can be done either by employing them under you or being instrumental to their being employed by other people. Doing any of these will accelerate your success.

Emotional security has to do with how happy a person is. As such, there are many factors that can contribute to this. Some of these factors include environmental factors, stress, the health of a person, and so on. A popular saying even goes thus, health is wealth; Wealth here does not translate to mean only financial wealth but wealth in every area of a person’s life. The primary focus of a person who is unhealthy is to become healthy, every other area of that person’s life therefore becomes relegated to the background pending when the person’s health is restored. Where a person is able to devise one or various means to improve people’s environment or alleviate stress or improve their health, the success of such a person is certain.

2. PEACE OF MIND: This is a mental state devoid of worry and anxiety. The presence of problems automatically leads to worry and anxiety. The person who therefore proves to be an ardent provider of solutions to the problems of people has a sure ticket to achieving and growing success. The ability to identify a problem and proffer a solution, will cause a person to be in high demand. When people have their worries taken away, they are able to rest assured and thrive in all areas of their lives. They are able to give the required attention to the areas which need it. You do not have to be a jack of all trades to do this as problems come in various forms. All you need to do is start by identifying one problem and formulating workable solutions to it then make it known to people and they will flock to you.

3. FREEDOM: Two definitions come to mind here. The first is as regards freedom being the absence of necessity, coercion, or constraint in choice or action. The second is the liberation from slavery or restraint or from the power of another. one’s self. It goes a step further to mean independence in its totality, being one's own boss. The provision of this involves the impartation of knowledge. A person therefore needs to be in a good position to impart this knowledge on people; this is where mentorship comes in. A good mentor should be able to open the eyes of people and lead them from dependence to independence—teach them how to stand on their feet. When you are in the business of not just providing fishes for people but also teaching them how to fish, people will gravitate towards you.

4. FUN: All human beings need rest in order to maintain efficiency and effectiveness in all spheres of life. Without adequate rest, the body and mind will initially slow down in giving the normal output and eventually breakdown. The need for rest is highlighted by the presence of day and night. The day is normally meant for work and the night is normally meant for rest. Further, it is highly unlikely for a person to perform with 100 per cent efficiency even in the course of the day without needing to take a break. Even with the breaks, the body and mind still continue to wind down as the hours go by. In addition to actual sleep, rest comes in other forms. It could be just a period of inactivity where a person remains conscious and alert but desists from engaging in mental or physical exertion. It could also be a period of activity aimed at relaxing both body and mind, this is what is normally referred to as having fun. It falls under the classification of needs that can never be permanently met; the body and mind will always require rest therefore that need must be constantly met. Having established that rest in all its forms is a necessity, a person who therefore provides avenues through which this necessity can be met, is definitely providing an avenue for his/her unending success.

Relationships Are All You Need to Become Wealthy

Chances are, that you may have at one time or the other, been beaten by someone who is more connected than you are.

Maybe it was a job you were after, or an admission, promotion or opportunity. Perhaps you were just as qualified or even more qualified than the next person to be awarded these. But the simple reason the other fellow got it instead of you was that he or she had a certain relationship with the key decision makers.

For some of us, we actually have been the ones benefiting from our relationships in this manner. This may not seem fair, right or ideal, but it is the reality of the world we live in.

It should therefore come as no surprise to learn that the most connected people are usually the most successful.

Despite the obvious and immense benefits of healthy personal and business connections, putting in the efforts to build these isn't given priority by a lot of people. They may consider it a waste of time and money.

However, when you invest in your relationships, both professional and personal, you set yourself up to reap a lot of rewards throughout the course of your life and expedite your journey to wealth. Your relationships will open doors that will otherwise have stayed closed, keep you informed and abreast of relevant opportunities. Keep a pulse on things, meet prospective mentors, partners, and clients, and gain access to other necessary resources that will accelerate your progress.

Of course there are other factors that influence your success. These include your motivation, your work ethic, your drive, your determination and will. They also include your ability and willingness to make required sacrifices to achieve your goals.

Additionally, in your journey, you'll definitely encounter your fair share of setbacks, challenges and obstacles. So being able to bounce back from these setbacks and continue pursuing your goals is important as well.

Regardless, the value of healthy relationships can't be underestimated.

Irrespective of how smart, talented, motivated, knowledgeable and resourceful you think you are, there's only so much you can do or accomplish by yourself.

The driving force behind incredible growth and success at the highest levels is your relationships, circle of influence, connections and audience. People you know, work with, partner with and team up with. People who have the positions, resources, talents, skills and knowledge to compensate for your shortcomings.

Being successfully able to connect with and maximize the benefits you get out of these relationships may be all you need to become wealthy.

In today's world of cutthroat competition, it is vitally important that you take control of your relationship building process. Being proactive about this is crucial to maintaining beneficial connections. As you work on these relationships with people in your personal life, at your company, in your industry, and even outside your field of interest, you will uncover opportunities to connect with different types of influencers, key players, decision makers, mentors and advisors.

With these in mind, there are various ways we can ensure we are successfully nurturing these valuable relationships. Approaches that ensure that the connection building process is efficient and effective.

One of the easiest ways to build relationships and make valuable connections is by emphasising the mutual benefits. In so doing, you constantly look for opportunities to provide value to those in your network.

It is therefore important to have an idea of what particular influence, qualities, skills or resources you have that the different connections you have may need, value or appreciate.

The more relevant value you provide to these relationships, the more valuable you become to these connections and the easier it will be to call upon their influence when needed to advance your interests

Even as we constantly provide value, we also need to adopt a system of creating connections that best works for us individually. Building relationships and connections can be done in a wide variety of ways and not all these may be practical or suit the situation--both for you and the people you're connecting with. The key is to try out a number of different strategies to discover what best suits you and regularly employ these in relating to those who can help you achieve your goals.

In doing these, you should use your resources: it has become easier to create and maintain relationships due to technological advances. The internet for example, is a valuable outlet for creating, cultivating and regularly communicating with your contacts. Social media apps like WhatsApp, Facebook and platforms like LinkedIn can be employed to reach out and maintain contact with the people you need.

It is a basic of human nature that we are influenced by those we have the closest relationships with. Our inner and outer circles play significant roles on how we turn out to be.

Those struggling financially in life are usually found surrounded by poor relationships. They are influenced by backward individuals with bad money habits, bad health habits, emotional instability, addictions, poor work ethic, and many other things detrimental to living a happy, successful life. 

Conversely, the wealthy and successful are richly connected. They are in close relationships with like minded individuals possessing excellent money habits, good health habits, emotional stability, and strong, long-term relationships of their own with similar people. These, along with many other things, contribute to success.

It therefore follows that for those who want to improve the quality of their lives, it is very important to pursue rich relationships as members of your inner circle, even as you minimize your exposure to negative influences.

You want your inner circle to be made up of people with a positive outlook, a common purpose, and a shared desire to succeed. These people will be your most valuable assets in your bid to become wealthy. They will keep you motivated, and exert their influence for you.

Forging rich relationships and avoiding toxic ones may indeed be all you need to become wealthy. You can't leave this process to chance. Actively managing this can become the most vital duty to yourself if you're to achieve the success you're after.

Because, in the end, your network determines your net worth.

The Clear Light of the Word of God

Unless otherwise stated, all scripture quotations are taken from the New American Standard Bible® (NASB), Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation.

Used by permission. www.Lockman.org

2 Peter 1:19

 “We have also a more sure WORD of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a LIGHT that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts” (KJV) 

(Emphasis added). 

The whole world is in thick darkness. Just as darkness was upon the surface of the deep, covering the whole earth, in the beginning, so is it now covering the earth.  And where there is darkness, there is confusion, disorientation, emptiness, formlessness and death. This is the present condition of the world. The earth and its inhabitants are all out of course. The world has become a dark place. And everyone in it “meet with darkness, and grope at noon as in the night.” (Job 5:14). 

But according to the word of God, we are presently in the nighttime. 2 Peter 1:19 says “UNTIL the day dawns,” (Emphasis added), which means the day is yet to dawn. And being presently in the night, some possibilities easily find expression. For instance, darkness finds expression, readily. In fact, the night is a collection of darkness. The Bible says in Genesis 1:5 that;

“God called the light day, and THE DARKNESS HE CALLED NIGHT. And there was evening and there was morning, one day.”

(Emphasis added). 

And in darkness, there cannot be progress or any advancement. Everything stands still. 

Also, Psalms 30:5 says:

“For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for a lifetime; WEEPING MAY LAST FOR THE NIGHT, but a shout of joy comes in the morning.”

(Emphasis added).

This means weeping is permitted in the night. That is, it is natural for the people on earth to pass through situations that will make them weep as far as it is presently the nighttime. 

Further, very frequently, the Bible talks about the thief coming in the night. (1 Thessalonians 5:2; 2 Peter 3:10). This also means it is easy to be robbed and plundered by the thief at this present time. And the thief, knowing that after the night, it is the morning, is ready to make maximum use of his limited time. But who is the thief? It is the devil who has come “only to steal and kill and destroy.” (John 10:10). Coupled with stealing are his other operations of killing and destroying. These are the possibilities that find expression at this present time.

There is also the possibility of stumbling. The Bible says in John 11:10:

“But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.”

This means that at this present time, while light is absent, man will walk disorderly, making grave mistakes that can cost them their destiny, 

But the Lord has not left those who will believe in Him hopeless and helpless. He has provided a means through which they can see and experience light, even while it is still night. As it is known, God Himself is light and in Him there is no darkness at all (1 John 1:5). He has given us His word, which is His expression. And this word perfectly expresses and shines His light, or rather Him, upon man. He has specifically sent this word to us because He knows there is presently darkness as it is nighttime and that the night period cannot be truncated. It has been ordained by God’s power and sovereignty to run and finish its course. But while it lingers, we have a sure word that shines in the dark place until the day dawns. This light cannot exhaust its strength and effulgence. It is ordained to shine UNTIL the day dawns. It is sure, reliable, eternal in quality and everlasting in quantity. It can also shine in darkness and never be overcome by it. The Bible says expressly in John 1:5:

“The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.”

While the light shines, because of the glory it effulges, the darkness gave up on trying to overshadow it. The Bible says the Light SHINES and the darkness DID NOT comprehend it. That is, darkness has once tried to overcome it, but it could not, so it has given up a long time ago and it is no longer trying to contend with it. There is no way to overpower the present darkness apart from the light of the word of God. 

Do you want to overcome darkness even though it is still night? Do you want to experience light? Then you need to let Jesus into your life. Because He is the One that shines Himself through God’s word. He is the Light encapsulated in the word. If you are going to experience light, He must come into you. Immediately He left Nazareth to go settle in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali, “the people who were sitting in darkness saw a great Light, And those who were sitting in the land and shadow of death, upon them a Light dawned.” (Matthew 4:13,16). It does not matter how deep you are in darkness or how close you are to death, if you will allow Him come into you, a light must dawn on you. 

And if the Lord has come into you, you must therefore begin to follow Him obediently. John 8:12 says:

“Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, “I am the Light of the world; he who FOLLOWS Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.”

(Emphasis added).

It is not enough to allow Him into your life, but when He comes, He must take the lead while you follow. He is the Light, only Him knows the way to fulfilling your destiny. Let Him lead and He will shine His light clearly on your path and guide you by His word. 

How to Start Big Things

Most successful people who have achieved big things have one thing in common:-

They didn't wait until conditions were perfect before taking action. They started from where they were, using whatever they had and worked from there.

One of the great fallacies of life is that achieving big things is about taking giant leaps and having the best resources at your disposal. Nothing could be more wrong. The vast majority of people who started and accomplished big things did so because they used whatever was immediately available to them and consistently did the right little things that inevitably resulted in big achievements

As we go out and about, we encounter and are impressed by so many huge and incredible achievements. In the moment, we forget or don’t even know how they originally started. We also all have big aspirations and want to get there real fast. Yet, we don't want to make the daily improvements that lead to these big accomplishments.

A very practical example here is exercising. You don't suddenly become fit and healthy in a day of exercise regardless of how rigorous, good or effective your exercise routine is.

The way you reap the benefits of exercise is through accrued efforts. You consistently perform your routines, over a period of time, often without seeing any immediate results. Yet one day, after so many days, you'll indeed notice improvements. The improvements weren't as a result of any particular day's routine but rather came from the combined efforts you had put in over time.

Building a house is another example. A house isn't built in a day. There are several little steps that have to be taken over time before a completed building can be arrived at--from working the foundations, to laying of blocks to roofing etc.

Sure you can visualise the completed building even before a block is cast. But without the little steps and daily actions, the building can never come to fruition.

Whatever big things you want to achieve, rather than waiting to take a huge action, you recognise what the little steps are that if taken consistently, will culminate in big accomplishments, and proceed to work on these. As you take these little steps and achieve the small wins, you eventually find yourself with big success.

Generally, no matter what big goal you have, what huge and amazing feat you'd like to accomplish, the following steps can be employed to make it happen:-

1 Get your mentality right: Much of what is required to do big things relates to the mindset. Your mentality determines your reality. It is responsible for every success and every failure you have had and will have. Without the right mentality, it is virtually impossible to achieve big things.

Your mentality controls your life. So if you want to control your life, you need to control your mentality.

It is from our mentality that our attitude, actions, reactions and outlook to life emanate. When you believe deep down that you can start and achieve big things, your attitude is positive and you are more likely to be committed to taking the little actions that will result in big accomplishments. Conversely, the wrong mentality yields the wrong attitude and you’ve failed before you begin--if at all you do.

2 Clarify your goals: One of the reasons why some are unable to start and achieve big things is usually because they don't really have a clear definition of the things they desire. This clarity is needed because when you're trying to achieve something big, the actual path towards the success you want may not be obvious. Some of the steps you'll have to take may seem counter intuitive in the moment. To recognise and understand this, you need clarity.

This is also important when you encounter setbacks. Considering setbacks are inevitable, you need clarity to be able to bounce back and keep forging ahead. This clarity will enable you to be flexible to change tactics if need be.

3 Break down your big goals into smaller ones: Even though our visions are huge, we should think in the moment. This will lead us to recognise those smaller executions that lead up to the big achievement.

When you take your final goal and break it down into smaller goals, working backward from the final achievement to where you are today, you significantly boost your overall chances of success.

4 Take action: Having clarified your big goals and broken them into smaller steps, you actually need to start taking action. You don't sit around fantasizing, complaining or waiting for conditions to be perfect. You get to work.

Motivated by your vision and your goals, you get to work on the plans you've set. You start moving in the direction you want regardless of current conditions or what other people in your life say or do.

Efficiency and effectiveness will come later. What matters is that you start acting right now.

5 Exercise discipline and patience: The discipline to commit to regular action and the patience to see out the required wait period for your actions to yield results, are traits that are essential in achieving big things.

Your journey will seldom be a smooth one. You'll make mistakes and encounter setbacks. Several steps you take may backfire and you'll have to start over. It is discipline and patience that keeps you going.

We generally are always in a haste to acquire good things. We rarely want to wait for the necessary progress to reach the end result. We want things to happen quickly. 

But good things take time. There is no progress without change and change takes time. We must be disciplined enough to realise and patient to see it out.

Whatever the mind conceives, it can achieve. It’s your job to take these things and bring them to fruition.

You can only do that by getting to work. Time is going and the only guarantee you have is that lost time can never be recovered.

THE LAND BEYOND THE SKY

All scripture quotations are taken from the New American Standard Bible® (NASB), Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation.

Used by permission. www.Lockman.org

Abraham, in the land of Ur of the Chaldeans, was serving idols with his family (Joshua 24:2) . According to history, not only was his father, Terah, an idol worshipper, he was also into the business of selling idols. And according to the religion and culture of those ancient times, Terah would have been prosperous because of his business. Thus, Abraham, who was still then Abram, was living, as any one can live now, in prosperity with his family. 

Despite Abraham’s background and occupation, the call of the Lord came unto him, according to the mercy of God. The Bible says in Genesis 12:1;

“Now the Lord said to Abram, ‘Go forth from your country, and from your relatives and from your father's house, TO THE LAND WHICH I WILL SHOW YOU.’”

(Emphasis added). 

Abraham received the call of God to leave his country, where he had probably been established; to leave his relatives with whom he was having business; and also leave his father’s house, where he was receiving covering, to a land where God would show him. It could not have been an easy thing for Abraham. First, he was not so familiar with God, since he only had been serving idols with his family. Second, he did not know where God was taking him; the terrain of the land, the people there, etc. Third, God did not, initially, even promise to give him the land but only to SHOW him the land. 

But by God’s mercy and sovereignty, Abraham obeyed God, leaving behind his life and establishment, to go to a place he did not know. The Bible clearly says in Hebrews 11:8;

“By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was going.”

So it was by faith Abraham obeyed God. Now, true faith obeys. The fruit of a true faith is obedience. The way to measure your level of faith in God is to check how obedient you are to Him. The God kind of faith causes you to obey God. Because this faith is imparted to you by the Spirit of faith (2 Corinthians 4:13), which is the Spirit of God, it will make you do what God desires. And it is necessary to add that, you cannot obey God without faith. And you cannot have faith except by God breathing it into you. 

Now because God in His mercy encountered Abraham, faith was formed in him, so he could obey God. The Bible says in Acts 7:2 that “the God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran.” It was this encounter that caused Abraham to follow the God he never knew to go receive a land he did not know. You cannot obey God without faith. And you cannot have faith without God. Your being successful in your walk with God is completely tied to God. 

But surprisingly, the Bible says that when Abraham got to the land which God promised to give him, he refused to permanently settle down there. We read in Hebrews 11:9;

“By faith he lived as an alien in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, fellow heirs of the same promise.”

In the land of promise, Abraham was living like a stranger in a foreign land. This was the land that God promised him and God had finally given to him as an inheritance. But Abraham refused to settle there permanently. In fact, he also taught his children, who were also to inherit the land with him, not to build anything permanent on the land of promise. Why did Abraham do this? The Bible says in Hebrews 11:10;

“For he was looking for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God.”

Abraham had come to realize that the physical land that was promised him by God was only a type of the land beyond this world. And when he finally got the physical land, he could not settle there. But looked forward to inheriting a better land, not a physical one, that will perish when the world comes to an end but a land beyond this realm that has a city and true foundations which builder and maker is God. 

Are you currently establishing yourself on earth? Are you building your life permanently here on earth? Do you have a glimpse of a land that is beyond this world? 2 Peter 3:10 says;

“But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, AND THE EARTH AND ITS WORKS WILL BE BURNED UP.”

(Emphasis added). 

If you do not see beyond this present world, this physical land, but establish yourself only on earth, the Bible says since such a land has no city with true foundations, it will be burned up with everything in it and you will suffer loss. The only way to prevent this is to live like Abraham lived. He was supposed, having received the land of promise, to build himself permanently on it, but he instead built removable tents because he was looking for the land beyond the sky. Whatever God has given you here on earth should not make you lose sight of their reality existing beyond this realm. He has only given you those things here to show you that their reality exists beyond here and you are therefore to set your heart and mind on the real things. In John 6, Jesus miraculously fed the multitude with bread. And this miracle was supposed to be a sign to the people that a true Bread exists, which is Jesus, but they lost sight of what the miraculous bread was pointing at and were entangled only with the physical bread. And in John 6:27, Jesus told them;

“John 6:27

“Do not work for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you, for on Him the Father, God, has set His seal.” 

Go beyond this world that will soon perish and labour for a land that remains forever. 

7 ways to make money chase you

Nowadays, it's not really difficult to make money chase you.

It doesn’t take a lot of work or a lot of time. If you want money to chase you, you simply do a few things, do them correctly and consistently, and then money will chase you. It won't require you to blow your brains out nor would you need to put in so many years. In the whole scheme of things, it happens relatively fast.

A lot of people would have you believe otherwise. They will tell you that if you want money to chase you or you want to be successful, you have to be willing to slug it out. You have to essentially become a workaholic for the rest of your life, unhappily slave over hard, painful work, and sacrifice everything else fun in your life, pretty much forever.

Maybe that was true 50 years ago. But today, they are dead wrong.

Don't get it wrong though--you actually have to work to achieve this. You will likely spend several years working pretty hard to achieve these results. But when you take the years you spend working to make money chase you and relate to the number of years you will statistically live, you'll see how insignificant those years look.

If we all can just take a few short years out of the many we'll live, and exert some reasonable focus, we'll be successful. During these years, it may be a little painful. We may be out of balance. Other parts of our life may slide or stay on pause. We may get a little stressed sometimes.

However, after a few years, we indeed arrive there. Then all we have to do is maintain that success, which is way easier than achieving the success, and takes way less time

It is this reality that the individuals who seem to effortlessly attract money have accepted. It is what separates them from the rest of society who think that being successful is really hard and takes a lifetime of painful sacrifice.

Based on these realities, below are 7 ways that you too can get money to chase you:-

1 Only do what has the highest odds of working: It is rare that you achieve success or make money chase you by employing exceptional strategies or going against the odds.

The vast majority of people who have succeeded in making money chase them did so because they concentrated their efforts on things that had a high probability of success.

So to make money chase you, rather than try to beat the odds, play them. Identify the ideas, strategies and actions that promise the highest odds of success and employ them for as long as it takes to achieve the desired results.

2 Ensure you're working smart before working hard: Another way to make money chase you is to work smart even as you work hard. Doing one and not the other will lead to subpar results at best. But if you work both hard and smart, at the same time, always, you'll eventually get money to chase you.

Some people work really hard at something that can't make them a lot of money either now or in the long-term. That’s ineffective.

Some others simply spend hours upon hours fantasising, thinking, making plans, researching but never actually take action on their smart ideas and plans. That too is ineffective.

Instead, to make money chase you, do both. Do your diligent research, make careful plans, identify the actions that lead to maximum results and then work real hard at these.

3 Employ technological advancements to increase efficiency: Thanks to resources like the internet, you have access to a global market literally at the click of a button. To make money chase you, employ these advancements to expedite your success.

This may simply entail establishing a presence on the internet to enable you take your operations online.

4 Key into the law of attraction: To make money chase you, you need to have the right mindset that will cause this to be so. The wrong mindset leads to the wrong attitudes and actions that will repel wealth. In other words, you attract what you think.

Making money chase you requires that you go beyond wishful thinking. It rather demands making a conscious decision to learn all you can about money and how wealth is accumulated. Examine the practices, beliefs and habits of enlightened people who have created and attracted wealth.

5 Identify a key need and fulfil it: One of the most effective things you can do to get money to chase you is determining a genuine need and fulfilling it.

When you fulfil the needs of others, you will also fulfil yours too by attracting more money to yourself. If you adopt this approach of always fulfilling needs or solving problems, you will be successful in no time and attracting wealth into your life becomes super easy.

6 Use leverage to get magnified results: Often, to get money chase you, you need to employ leverage. This means that you are able to efficiently use other people's time, money, resources, ideas and experience to achieve your goals.

7 Give freely: Let your resources, money and knowledge go around and they'll come around. When you give back to others in whatever form, you are also giving back to yourself and setting yourself up to receive even more.

Society may have you think it is easier to remain average. It wants you to think becoming successful is really hard, takes mountains of work and takes lots of years, hence it’s not worth it. But this couldn't be further from the truth. The reality is that success doesn’t take a long time.

These methods not only work, but they work in ways that are incredible. They can lead to success in ways far beyond what you initially plan or the goals you set.

You can make money chase you, but only if you want it badly enough.

I don't believe in entrepreneurship, I practise entrepreneurship

Over the course of my life, I have encountered no shortage of people who would proclaim to believe in entrepreneurship. Such claims mean nothing.

These people are deeply entrenched in their comfort zones. They usually have their jobs which they feel safe and secure in, thinking these jobs will be theirs forever while being completely averse to risk.

Right from a terribly young age, right on the streets, I have always practised entrepreneurship, even in the crudest of ways.

I hawked and sold vegetables. I raised local poultry. I risked my life--spending days and nights in bushes and forests hunting wild game which I sold just to make ends meet, pay for my education and have some folding money.

I did not believe in entrepreneurship. I probably did not  even know what that meant at the time. But I practised it.

Naive as I was then, I still could see that the easiest way to getting the money I needed was selling something that was needed. That was what it was all about back then--getting the money I needed.

One would expect that as I grew up and advanced in my education, my thirst for entrepreneurship would dim.

It didn't.

Actually though, I continued to hone the skills which underlie entrepreneurship and which I had largely learned first-hand, through trial and error from my earlier years. I continued to sweat in practice, attempting various ventures, starting several businesses, making many mistakes and blowing money on more occasions than I can remember.

But I learned valuable lessons, troubleshot my strategies and remained firmly in the entrepreneurial arena.

Eventually, I would leverage the experiences gained to achieve wild success as an entrepreneur.

A lot of people I come across are often amazed at my forays into entrepreneurship considering I'm a medical doctor. They find it difficult to see how I've made seemingly parallel mindsets work as well. Many don't know that even before I became a doctor, I've always been an entrepreneur.

I would say that my success stems from my motivation. As a child, I hated not being able to afford the things I wanted and that is what led me to hustle on the streets. From that early age, I was determined to succeed, to achieve big things and so I pushed myself in ways that many others can't or won't. Even today, after all these years and despite my accomplishments, I've not relented in my pursuit of maximum excellence, freedom and happiness.

I learned the importance of taking risks. My life has been all about taking risk. From time spent in the wild jungles hunting game to going for a study in medicine with little to no idea how I would survive. Playing it safe almost never leads to success as an entrepreneur or in life generally. It’s not about taking just any risk, though. Understanding calculated risks that are more likely to pay off is a crucial part of success in this arena. You’ll need to be willing to take a few risks to succeed. Just like I did and still do on a daily basis.

My constant risk taking didn't and doesn't go down well with a lot of people. They can only see the risk itself but not the potential reward. Knowing how much the influence of my inner circle can impact my actions and success, I've consciously chosen to only connect with like minded individuals. Entrepreneurs like me with positive energy who are all about doing and who see the opportunity in every challenge. Knowing and partnering with these people has also been and will continue to be a key player in my journey.

Part of my success also results from being observant of the world. I include these observations in my regular brainstorm sessions in which I come up with ways I can take advantage of the possibilities and opportunities around me. While others are talking about their beliefs, I actually take my opportunities when they present themselves.

Further, I have adopted the philosophy of creation and using my abilities to identify needs, fulfil them and solve problems. This philosophy is in stark contrast to that of many who instead always choose to consume rather than create.

I also practise learning by doing. When I do, I'm consciously in the process, paying attention to detail, trying to see the patterns, establish links, recognise cause and effect. If and when I make mistakes, I don't relent but rather see how I can extract lessons from these failures that will guide me onwards.

With my processes, it is no wonder really why my ventures are widely successful. I currently own at least 2 profitable businesses--a farm (M.P. Omale Global Farms Nigeria Limited) and a full Solar and embedded systems engineering company (Xindel Nigeria Limited) all of which provide a range of products and services that are well sought after and utilized in over 15 countries world wide

When you move on from thinking to actually doing, from believing to practising, that's when the magic starts to happen.

This isn't a book concept, success doesn't come from just discussing your dreams, ideas and ambition.

Success comes from putting yourself out there. All the resources you'll need will probably not be available to you initially, but by starting from where you are, working with what you have, you build momentum and put the laws of nature to work for you. These gradually get you to a place where you can easily access the resources, connections and accessories that will expedite your success.

When I reminisce on how far I have come from my vegetable hawking days till my current reality, it is almost unbelievable. But make no mistake about it, this was only possible through constantly taking action, taking risks, falling flat on my face several times yet still forging on with an unshakeable confidence in my dreams and aspirations.

If I could do it, you too can.

WHEN GOD SPEAKS, WHO IS POVERTY?

Unless otherwise stated, all scripture quotations are taken from the New American Standard Bible® (NASB), Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation.

Used by permission. www.Lockman.org

Proverbs 10:22

“It is the blessing of the Lord that makes rich, and He adds no sorrow to it.”

Poverty is not the will of God for any of His children. He does not want you to suffer any deficiency in any area of your life. He “wishes above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth. (3 John 2, KJV). His desire is for you to be rich in your spirit, soul and body. From the beginning, we see His utterance completely against poverty. Genesis 1:28 says;

“God blessed them; and God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth.’”

Before man was created, God had already prepared everything he would need. And the first thing He did after creating man was to bless him and set him over everything He had prepared. He does not want His children to lack any good thing, He therefore makes available everything that will be needed by them. 2 Peter 1:3 says;

“Seeing that His divine power has granted to us EVERYTHING pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.”

(Emphasis added). 

Everything needed for life and godliness has already been granted to His children. Another place in His word says;

“And God is able to make ALL grace abound to you, so that ALWAYS having ALL sufficiency in EVERYTHING, you may have an abundance for EVERY good deed” (2 Corinthians 9:8). 

(Emphasis added).

The word “all” is applied five times in this single verse. This tells us how much God wants His children to prosper. And most importantly, He is the one responsible for it and He is ABLE to do it. But it must be noted here that it is for them to have abundance for every GOOD work. The Lord will not prosper you to do evil. As long as you are ready to be engaged in good works, He supplies you with everything you need. 

So it is clear from His word that He does not want any insufficiency or any deficiency for His children but that they should have all sufficiency in everything. 

But the way God has ordained for His children to enter into riches and abundance is by pronouncing His word of blessing upon them. The Bible says in the beginning, “God blessed them and SAID…” The instrument by which God puts His blessing on His children is His word. And this is because there is no power or opposition that can stand against His word thereby making His blessing pronounced on them to stand fast. 

Now, there is something called the blessing of the Lord, which is transmitted by God’s word. All the good things that God has for His children are encapsulated in the blessing of the Lord. This blessing of the Lord is what is responsible for true riches. There is no way for anyone to come out of poverty to begin to walk in abundance without the blessing of the Lord.

It was this way God blessed Abraham. He said to him in Genesis 12:2-3;

“And I will make you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great; and so you shall be a blessing; and I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.”

Abraham had left all he had to obey the call of God. But the Lord committed His blessing to him through His Word. And it was not long when we read in Genesis 13:2 that “Abram was very rich in livestock, in silver and in gold.” The blessing of the Lord on Abraham had quickly translated to riches. It was this blessing on Abraham that was later called the blessing of Abraham. And for you to enter into any riches today, you must first be a partaker of that blessing. Because it is “in Abraham all the families of the earth will be blessed.” And the Bible says in Galatians 3:14 that Jesus hanged on the cross “in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles.” So the way to partake in this blessing is to believe in Jesus Christ. Your current state can change tremendously if you put your trust in the Lord so that His blessing can find expression in your life. 

Solomon was a man who experienced riches. And he testified that it is the blessing of the Lord that makes rich. There may be other ways of getting riches, but such riches cannot be pure. For sorrows will be mingled with such riches and pierce through those who get such. And consequently, it will lead to another form of poverty. But the blessing of the Lord makes rich and not only that, it ensures those who get it are not destroyed but are rather brought closer to God.  

Also, it takes power to come into riches. This also is one of the reasons God transmits His blessing through His word that is “quick and powerful.” The Bible says in Deuteronomy 8:18;

“But you shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who is giving you power to make wealth, that He may confirm His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day.”

The Lord made a covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. It was a covenant of blessing. And one of the ways for God to confirm this covenant of blessing to their descendants was to give them power to get wealth. Inherent in His word is this power which is responsible to get them rich. Without this word of blessing, you will be powerless to become rich.

HAVE YOU WONDERED THE COST IF YOUR SOUL SHOULD BE LOST?

You have probably made plans for your future. Obtain a university degree in the next 5 years; Get a good job immediately after graduation; Get married to the person you love; Have 4 children; Invest and grow your money, and so on. And you are consistently putting in your best efforts to make sure that you achieve your plans. 

But, in the pursuit of various things here on earth, have you made plans for eternal life? Have you made plans for what awaits you after your time on earth is up?

The unfortunate truth is that many people due to either unbelief or just carelessness, are nonchalant about what happens after death. They forget that we all must die and we have no say as to when life's breath will be taken from us. They forget that death is no respecter of persons, it gives no attention to class, money, race or gender. This year and of course previous years, have seen the deaths of people from all works of life. Accidents, diseases, unexplained causes, various ways in which people have gone unexpectedly. At that point, death did not care about the degree the person had in view or that the person was just 20 years old or that the person was yet to make money and within the twinkle of an eye, the person was gone forever.

I will like to throw in this reminder before I proceed; After death comes judgment! “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment” Hebrews 9:27 KJV. “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ” 2 Corinthians 5:10a KJV.

Mark 8:36 asks an interesting question, “For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul? Indeed the first death through which we exit the earth shouldn’t generate so much worry as it is merely a disposal of our mortal bodies. Even after the body dies, the real content which is the soul, is still alive. Our bodies are just temporary vessels which we need to exist here on earth; they may be compared to the clothes we were—each piece of clothing we own has a lifespan; some get old, some get torn, some we give away, some we throw out, some we outgrow. Such is the temporary nature of our bodies. Now the fact that we stop using a particular piece of clothing does not mean we cease to exist, the clothes are just mere vessels, we are the real content. The difference is that while we get to change clothes, we don’t get to change bodies after we die. We proceed to the most important stage.

Romans 14:12 KJV “So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God. Revelation 20:12 & 15 KJV  “And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened... and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” At this point, nothing else can be done to salvage the soul. It will be too late to make amends.

We must remember that whatever possession we are able to acquire on earth is bound to the earth and does not determine where we go to after we die. It is therefore erroneous for anyone to focus on the temporary at the expense of what is eternal. For the judgment after death has only 2 results—eternal life or eternal damnation. It is good to achieve as many feats as feasible here on earth but always have your soul in mind. What will be your final destination?

Focusing only on your earthly life can be compared to caring for your clothes alone and neglecting to care for yourself. If you take out time to wash your clothes, iron them, mend them, keep them away from moisture while neglecting to bathe, maintain dental hygiene, eat, drink water, exercise and all other necessities to keep your body healthy. The result will be catastrophic and it wouldn’t matter at the time that your clothes are clean and well kept. In essence, while it is important to have accomplishments on earth, it is even more important that you ensure that you get the reward of eternal life after you leave this world.

Imagine eternity spent in bitter regret, gnashing of teeth, burning fire and all things terrible. God forbid! 

Revelation 21:8 also talks about the second death “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”

It is commonly said that all of life is a choice and really God does not force Himself on anyone. He has left it up to us to choose to either accept Him or not. But it is simply a choice between life and death and my question is “why go for death when there is life?” Life has been given to us freely through Jesus Christ, the ultimate gift to mankind. All we need to do is accept Him and be saved, and proceed to walk in His ways.

You do not know the hour you will be called to give account to God. Every moment of your life should be spent with this consciousness. This is a call for us to pause and redress our steps; give your life to Christ; return to Christ if you have detailed; invest in good works; let go of cold and lukewarm Christianity and begin to fan the flames of the altar; begin to walk in obedience to God; let go of religion and follow life that is the Word; invest in consistent prayer and Bible study. 

1 John 5:11 KJV “And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.” 

Choose life at all times!