PUT YOUR MONEY TO WORK

Whatever we have was given to us by God, that's why I laugh whenever people, claim to be self made. We are whatever we are by the grace of God. The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof; the gold and the silver are His. Now, if you understand that, then you'll agree with me that we are stewards of whatever is in our possessions. And being stewards, we are required to be faithful.

Faithfulness is the path to wealth. The Scripture says that a faithful man shall abound with blessings. In the parable of the talents, the one who was given five talents, and the one who was given two talents were called "good and faithful" servant, while the one who hid his money in the ground was called "lazy and wicked." What kind of person are you? Before you answer, know that it is what you are doing with what you have at the moment that determines who you are.

A talent was worth 20 years of a day labourer's wage! I really wonder how someone hid that in the ground. But funny enough, some of us are worse than the lazy and wicked servant, because we spend whatever we get rather than invest it. According to the Scriptures, the ones who were given five and two talents immediately put their money to work, and they eventually doubled what they were given.

Economists call us "consumers" or "final consumers." But be an investor. There are diverse ways to invest both physically and in the kingdom of God. Let God lead you. Learn to save no matter how little, and be sure not to give your money to fraudsters (spiritual and physical fraudsters). It shall be well with you.

Reference: Matthew 25:14-30 NIV

MAKE TRUE FRIENDS

It's hard to tell the difference between Christians and unbelievers today, because there's hardly any difference. Is there anything we do that they don't do? As one author put it, the church has become worldly and the world has become "churchy". I think the root of this is friendship with the world.

Bad company corrupts good manners. Friendship is influence. The more friends a man has that don't take doing God's word seriously, the more worldly he becomes. Satan understands the power of friendship and he's using it to get the hearts of believers, especially the youth.

David said, "I am a friend to all who fear you, to all who follow your precepts." Psalm 119:63. You should have friends with whom you deepen your relationship with God. You should have friends who call you when they don't see your in church and other meeting and programmes. You should have friends who can say, "Have you read so and so book or portion of the Bible, mind sharing?" You should have friends with whom you can pray. Iron sharpens iron.

Make true friends. Proverbs 12:26 says, "The righteous choose their friends carefully." Just because a person is always around you at work, at home or in school doesn't qualify him or her for friendship. True friends are those with whom you can truly serve God with.

Cheers.

MAKE INVESTMENTS IN YOURSELF

I read in The New York Times how that the college degree is becoming the new high school diploma, for getting even the lowest-level job. And it is the same thing happening all over the world. Late last year, a Nigerian bank, as I heard, sacked most of its contract staff. Today, people, especially the young ones must make it a prriority to continually make investments in themselves. Just yesterday, I read a post about an 87year old woman who went to school.

Don't think it's different spiritually. We are instructed to study to show ourselves approved: in fact, the New Living Translation says, "Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval." Many things are not meant for novices. A novice is not just a beginner, it also refers to someone who is unskilled. As long as you don't make investments in yourself, you'll remain a novice in the kingdom.

More than ever before, the kingdom of God is in need of qualified labourers. Yes, grace is sufficient and the anointing is present, but remember that it is with knowledge that the axe is sharpened, and that it is with knowledge that we make war. Also, your willingness to invest in yourself shows your level of commitment to the ministry that has been given to you.

Do have a great day.

TAKE YOUR PROBLEMS TO THE LORD AND LEAVE THEM THERE

In trying to adopt new ways of thinking, some of us deny facts. We don't want to call whatever we are passing through "problems", we prefer to call them challenges or something else that sounds better. Well, God even calls them burdens. Being sincere is the first step to freedom. A problem is defined as, "A situation, matter, or person that presents perplexity or difficulty."

Faith is not denying that you have a problem. Faith is acknowledging that you have a God that is bigger than your problems; faith is acknowledging that you have been empowered to cause changes; faith is admitting that you will always come out victorious, that you will not be overwhelmed by the problems, but that they are meat, and that they will pass away. Faith doesn't deny the fact, though it may interprete the fact differently from a carnal mind.
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Some people merely discuss their problems with God. They take their problems to God in prayer and then take it back home with them afterwards. That doesn't help. Our confidence is that whenever we ask anything of Him, according to His will, He hears and does it. In other words, if you went to God crying about your problems, you should leave rejoicing about the solutions knowing that God has already begun a good work. That's faith. You see, sometimes, praying endlessly about your problems is a manifestation of doubt; you probably think that God didn't hear you the first time.

Cast your cares on the Lord, for He cares for you. Above all, your faith in God should stem from the fact that He has an undying love for you. We are dealing with a God who has gone to the farthest distance, the deepest depths, and the highest heights to prove His love and willingness to do anything for us: by giving up His only Son to die for us, He proved once and for all that He truly cares for us. So, taking your problems to Him and leaving them with Him is the quickest way out of your problems. He cares for you.

HOLDING ON TO ETERNAL LIFE

We have learned that sin came into the world through Adam, and death by sin. Understand that the wages of sin is death. You've got to understand that you can never be "too close to God" not to suffer the consequences of sin. And for a man who's not saved, he's perpetually in bondage until he repents.

Death began to reign from the very moment man sinned. Until Jesus came with eternal life. But we return power to death whenever we sin (referring to Christians who sin). Sin gives death a legal right over a person. And make no mistakes about it, this death is real. That a man doesn't die physically (yet) doesn't mean he isn't suffering death - the law of death swiftly sets in.

We are servants of whatever we obey. To yield to sin, especially willingly, is to deny Christ the Lordship over you. Sin, no matter how nicely dressed it is, no matter how delicious it tastes, and no matter how rewarding it seems, is deadly. The wages of sin can never be life, it is always death.

Sin is lawlessness. "Every one who is guilty of sin is also guilty of violating Law; for sin is the violation of Law." Salvation made us new and gave us new natures, but it didn't take away our right and ability to choose and make decisions. Every decision, every choice we make either keeps us under the Lordship of Christ or shows us to be lawless. Shall we then continue to sin? God forbid.

We received power to be the sons of God. In other words, sin has no power over us until we submit to it. Therefore, watch your thoughts, for you become what you think. Guard your heart with all diligence, whatever you allow to get into your heart becomes food for your thought. Hold tightly to the eternal life that you received; and refuse to be deceived again by sin.

THE THOUGHTS OF GOD

Does God think at all? Yes. Does He think about us? Yes. Does He think about you in particular? Yes. What thoughts does He think towards you? Thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end; a very bright future. God thinks of ways of being good to you, He thinks of ways to show the world how much He loves you, and of how to show Himself strong on your behalf!

Some people have a problem with good prophecies. They get angry because they expect that only good things cannot continue to happen, that God is not all about blessing, blessing, and blessing. Yes, God disciplines, for instance; but He only disciplines when we must have erred. Even His discipline is a blessing because His aim is that we might live. Hallelujah!

David was amazed by God's love for man: he said, "What are mere mortals that you should think about them, human beings that you should care for them?" Psalm 8:4. I don't know about you, but I experience God's blessings all the time. He makes people favour me, and He ensures that my life is beautiful. Not necessarily because I love Him, remember, He first loved us!

"The Lord of hosts has sworn, saying, 'Surely, as I have thought, so it shall come to pass, And as I have purposed, so it shall stand.'" Isaiah 14:24. Today, I prophesy to you with all boldness, that every thought of God concerning your life, your job, your business, your education, and your family will come to pass in Jesus' name! I speak peace and life to all that concerns you, in the name of Jesus! It is well with you. Amen.