Hone Problem Solving Skills

Written by Uyoyou Christiana Charles-Iyoha

Problems have always existed and will always be part of life. There are two reasons for this. Problems either make or mar a person, institutions, family, nation, religious organization.  Also, problems are as diverse as people and ethnic groups are diverse. This implies that about everyone, family, community, institution and nation experience problems. 

However, there is a problem experienced by the vast majority of people globally. It is the problem of insufficient to absolutely no money. This is a global problem which prompted multilateral agencies and governments of different nations to adopt poverty mitigation measures, some of which were successfully implemented and are success stories as well as global best practices. Yet the problem of financial poverty still stares a good number of people in the face.

It is also ironic that money stands in front of people, besides people, stares at them, smiles at them, beckons to them;  and sometimes literally pulls them, tugs at them, even begs them to come grab him; yet the vast majority of people spend a lifetime looking for money who is patiently knocking at their doors and waiting for them to just open the door; even slightly so that he can come in; take up residence and settle down with them permanently.

The biblical case of the widow of the indebted prophet is a classic example. She always had jars of oil in the house; and her husband probably also had other skills besides being a prophet and the son of a prophet. Yet they lived what I dare to call a financially irresponsible life. The man borrowed and kept borrowing until eventually he died leaving behind an undesirable inheritance of a huge pile of debts which had mortgaged the lives and destinies of his two sons to debt bondage or slavery. That is to say his two sons would serve their father’s creditor until the creditor decided that the debts were fully paid for. What a life!

Give it Expression

Written by Uyoyou Christiana Charles-Iyoha

What do you do with pearls? You showcase them. You do not hide them under your pillow, bed or a hidden case as a good luck charm. It is when you showcase the pearl or pearls to the world that you get the true value for the pearl or pearls and enjoy the divine blessing.

Please, do not be like the man in the Philippines who found the current most expensive pearl in the world. It was only after his tiny home got burnt down and the pearl was found that the actual value of what he found and owned; a divine gift from God dawned on him. The man lived in penury for ten years while he had great wealth on him or with him. Significantly, he did not even labor for the wealth he was not aware of and which belonged to him. He found the pearl in a large clam as he went fishing. But unfortunately had no inkling of the value of the pearl of great worth except that it would make a great good luck charm which explains why he kept it under his pillow as a good luck charm. https://www.forbes.com/sites/robertanaas/2016/08/23/100-million-pearl-hidden-

Beloved, pearls are divine gifts from God to you to uplift you in life. If the man who found that great pearl knew the worth of the pearl, he would have traded it in for the money he had been working for all his life as a fisherman. But he was unaware which unfortunately is the case with a large number of people blessed with great divine gifts for actualizing purpose and making money. While the divine gifts may be latent or active, the agonizing truth is that a great number of people never actually get to know the value of the gifts and so they spend their lives in penury lamenting their poverty when actually great wealth resides in them. All they need is to come to an awareness of the value of the great deposit of God in their lives so that they can be prosperous and be forever free of poverty.

But awareness is not enough as a person laden with divine gifts also has to showcase the gifts as the Biblical Joseph did. If Joseph had not offered to interpret the dreams of the butler and the baker, he would not have had the opportunity of standing before Pharaoh. This is because the butler would not have known that Joseph could interpret dreams and therefore recommend him to Pharaoh. The Biblical Daniel also went to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon to offer his services – he would tell the King his dream alongside the interpretation. After successfully interpreting the dream and of course getting handsome remuneration, Daniel became the official dream interpreter of not only the Babylonian court but also that of the Persians and Medes when they dethroned the Babylonians and took over the ruler ship of the empire.

DARE TO MAKE WEALTH

Written by Uyoyou Christiana Charles-Iyoha

Stop managing poverty, begging for bread and living off handouts and the sometimes reluctant generosity of other people ; most of who do not really care about you but use you as a platform for dumping off what they do not need; justifying their overconsumption in the handouts they give to you.

Beloved, for too long, you have lived in the consciousness of living off crumbs and that consciousness has limited you from making and enjoying the great wealth God blessed you with from the foundation of the world (Deuteronomy Chapter 8 verse 18, also 11 to 17). Stop loving and managing poverty. Dare to give wealth creation a shot; by taking the first step towards wealth creation. Honestly, you will be amazed at the latent capacity to create wealth which unfortunately you have allowed to lie fallow for too long. It is time to break up your fallow ground because you are created to make and enjoy wealth.

In everyone lies untapped wealth, in point of fact, huge deposits of wealth. Unfortunately and quite sadly, not everyone knows this universal truth which explains why billions of people are content to remain poor believing that poverty is their lot in life. Perhaps this explains why Jesus talks about always having the poor (John Chapter 12 verse 8, Deuteronomy Chapter 15 verses 1 to 11) and instructs about reaching out to the poor. But the truth is that your name is not listed among the poor except you choose to engrave it in the list. In that case, God is not to be blamed for the list you choose to be in. Neither are your parents or any other relations you may have. You alone have the power to decide and determine to create and enjoy great wealth.

The Consequences of Idleness

Written by Uyoyou Christiana Charles-Iyoha

Wandering – In 1^st Timothy Chapter 5 verses 1 to 15, the widows are described as gossips and busybodies, tell tales interfering in people’s lives, sowing discord among brethren, creating problems among people, constituting themselves into authors of strife and contention, accusing people. Please read 1^st Thessalonians Chapter 4 verses 11 to 12 and 2^nd Thessalonians Chapter 3 verses 6 to 12. Though the devil and his cohorts accuse the children of God daily, there are ways to overcome them daily – the blood of Jesus Christ, the word of God and your testimony of victory in Christ Who gives you the victory at all times as well as putting God first. Please read Revelation Chapter 12 verses 9 to 11 and Job Chapter 1 verses 6 to 7.

Covetousness – in the book of 1^st Kings Chapter 21, the Bible records that King Ahab for want of nothing to do coveted the property of one of his subjects, Naboth. Additionally, Ahab took a step further to acquire the property by approaching the subject to sell the property to him. When the subject refused to sell, he was upset and sulked all day. How idle can a person be! A King did not think of improving the quality of lives of the people he ruled over; he did not care about development projects that would benefit the people; he did not reflect on issues of equity and justice in the land and did not bother to learn from the successes of Kings like David, Solomon, Jehoshaphat and Hezekiah as well as others who impacted the lives of the people positively. Rather, King Ahab immersed himself in coveting after other people’s properties; and pathetically, the property of his subject.

Idleness was also the reason King David saw Bathsheba. While other kings and warriors were busy at the battle lines, David idled time away on the roof top not thinking about the weightier issues of state but focused his attention and desires on a naked woman bathing. Rather than tame whatever desires were stirred in him particularly so when he discovered that the beautiful woman he could not wait to devour was the wife of one of his subjects who was busy at the battle lines; he proceeded to the sin of adultery and as if that was not bad enough, he attempted to cover his sin the moment he discovered that the woman was pregnant. But when his attempts at cover up failed, David, the man greatly beloved by God and many people resorted to murder. How unfortunate that a person like David who always invested time fell into the trap of the enemy simply because he chose a moment of idleness. Unfortunately, the consequences of David’s action were dire – he lost the child from the sinful liaison and but for the mercy of God, he would have lost the throne. Please read 1^st Samuel Chapters 11 to 19.

God Hates Idleness

 Written by Uyoyou Christiana Charles-Iyoha

To be idle is not to be engaged in any productive process. Please see Proverbs Chapter 19 verse 15. God hates idleness because idleness is destructive (Ecclesiastes Chapter 10 verse 18); idleness is equivalent to slothfulness and laziness which always bring about destruction, in point of fact, is great destruction. Please see also Proverbs Chapter 18 verse 9 and 1^st Thessalonians Chapter 3 verses 10 to 13 where the Apostle Paul cautioned against idleness.

Furthermore, the book of Proverbs Chapter 14 verse 23 throws ample light on forms of idleness such as idle chatter, the kind of chatter that does not lead to spiritual, physical and mental benefits; does not add to knowledge, does not bring in income, does not add to spiritual and physical and even emotional well being. Additionally, wandering from house in aimless visits with no productive purpose behind the visits is wandering as the outcome of such visits is usually idle chatter. Also, practitioners of such idleness end up as busy bodies rather than productive fruitful people.

God hates idleness. He engaged the idle laborers in productive processes by providing employment opportunities to keep the idle people busy in productive processes. These ones were idle because they were not hired to engage in productive processes which explains why Jesus hired each one of them that were at the market place; those in search of jobs. It is instructive to note that these people were not idle people because if they were idle people who enjoyed being idle, they would not have been at the market place, a place where people in search of employment opportunities went to be hired. They were not deliberately idle like the widows described in 1^st Timothy Chapter 5 verse 16; nor those who chose idleness and idle chatter as a way of life. Please read Matthew Chapter 20 verses 1 to 7.

The Truth about Money

Written by Uyoyou Christiana Charles-Iyoha

One of the truths about money is that money always has to be earned. The widow of the indebted prophet trading oil in packed vessels to earn the money which was required to pay off the family debt as well as earn additional money to live on for the rest of their lives. Please read 2^nd Kings Chapter 4 verses 1 to 7. Also, please take note of the command from Elisha to the widow in verse 7 “Go and sell the oil and pay off your debts; you and your sons live on the rest”. Selling the oil implies trading a much required resource useful in majority of homes for the urgently required money to free her sons from debt bondage. It is also instructive to note that the prophet commanded her to sell and not to do free distribution – SELL and make the money urgently required to pay off the debts and have money to live on. This is very very instructive and significant. SELL! SEEL!! SELL!!!

The virtuous woman of Proverbs Chapter 31 verses 10 to 31 made linen garments which she sold. She also supplied sashes to the merchants. Please read verse 24. The Bible also records that she bought a field and planted a vineyard from the profits she made. The vineyard was planted to earn and make additional money. This implies that a virtuous woman earns and makes money to augment the payment of the family bills.

Lydia in the Bible is described as a seller of purple – the expensive clothes of her day. The Bible also records that she sold them. She did not give them away for free. Rather, she accommodated and hosted the ministers of God with money earned from her trade that gave her a decent accommodation and good feeding money. Please read Acts Chapter 16 verses 14 to 14.

Aquila and Priscilla made tents and sold them to earn and make money for their upkeep. The Apostle Paul who was also skilled at tent making joined them or became their partner and also earned his upkeep from tent making. Please read Acts Chapter 18 verses 1 to 3. It is therefore not surprising that the Apostle Paul did not permit idleness in the Church. He instructed everyone to work and earn money for their upkeep. Please read 1^st Thessalonians Chapter 2 verses 11 to 12.

Something of value always has to be traded for money. It could be physical such as brute physical strength in working the land, lifting weights, participating in sporting activities and anything that requires physical strength. It could also be intellectual prowess where a person’s intellectual prowess is traded for money. It could be military prowess or expertise, or any great talent such as acting, singing, drawing, sculpting, painting, drawing, dancing, sewing, designing, etc.

Recognizing Wealth

Written by Uyoyou Christiana Charles-Iyoha

If you have no idea what wealth is, you will not recognize wealth when it comes to you. Wealth is not necessarily tons of money paid into your bank account; or given to you in sack loads of diverse currencies such as the United States of America dollars, the British Pound, The European Union Euro, Canadian dollars, the Japanese Yen, Chinese, Russian Ruble, Nigerian Naira, Ghanaian Cedi, Indian Rupee or Indonesian Rupiah or any currency of the world. It is also not gold or diamond or other precious metals and stones. It is also not real estate which you are blessed to inherit or acquire on your own.

While all of these account for wealth, they do not completely make up wealth. They are to some extent the appearance of wealth. This is why people who are truly blessed with wealth are not negatively impacted when they lose money in unfavorable business deals, when real estate is lost to natural or manmade disasters or poor bargaining powers; or precious stones and metals are lost to people who specialize in stealing such resources. This is because true wealth is in the mind; strategically situated in you so that no one can steal it from you except you decide to give it away for free through indiscretion.

True wealth is usually a divine gift or divine gifts from God to you, specifically deposited in you for you to prosper, earn money and acquire what money acquires and what people erroneously refer to as wealth. That is why a number of people ignorantly pursue money; slave for money without ever getting real money because the true wealth which is resident in them and can all money speedily to them is ignored at the expense of chasing money.

Focus on Solutions 2

Written by Uyoyou Christiana Charles-Iyoha

Beloved, you can request help of God to overcome whatever challenges you if only you will focus on solutions rather than on stewing over whatever assails you. Are you sick and in need of healing? God still heals and will gladly heal you if you ask Him to do so. King Hezekiah of Judah cried to God for help when he was sick unto death. God not only healed him; He also gave him additional years to live on planet earth. It is also quite instructive that King Hezekiah was advised on what medications to use and he used them. This implies that God’s healing come in diverse ways; sometimes with His word and the ailment disappears as in a number of cases in the Bible, sometimes with medications as in the case of Hezekiah, the blind man Jesus ministered to with sand and other materials; sometimes by anointing with oil after prayers by the elders of the Church as instructed in the Bible in the book of James. Beloved, God is new every day and will direct you on how to get healed if you focus on receiving healing from Him rather than on the ailment and its pain.

Are you in debt? Take your focus away from the huge amount of debt and ask God to show you how to earn great income with which you can pay off the debts. Worrying about the debts and the consequent actions of servitude that will be taken by your creditor will not solve the problem. What will solve the problem is, you turning to God for solutions. Please quickly do so now if this is the challenge you are experiencing. You will be pleasantly surprised to discover that God will not only help you pay off the debts, He will also empower you to become a lender to nations. The case of the indebted widow of the prophet in 2^nd Kings Chapter 4 verses 1 to 7 is instructive and faith inspiring.

Monetize Your Contacts 3

Written by Uyoyou Christiana Charles-Iyoha

The place of appearance in making, maintaining and sustaining contacts that could be monetized is important. The Biblical Joseph was properly groomed and dressed to meet with Pharaoh. The Bible records that Joseph shaved – apparently they did not shave regularly in prison; that is if they had anything to shave with in prison. Do not forget that sharp objects are not allowed in prison. He also had a change of clothes from prison clothes into decent clothes that could make him presentable to Pharaoh. Please see Genesis Chapters 41 verse 14.

Ruth was instructed to shower, apply cream or oils; of course sweet smelling ones as well as wear her best garment before going to see Boaz at the threshing floor. Her appearance that night which was different from the appearance she put on while gleaning made a considerable impact on Boaz as he quickly went to settle the case of the inheritance so Ruth could become his wife.

The virtuous woman was always well groomed and regally dressed. Though she made clothes for sale and made a fortune out of making and selling clothes, she ensured that she and every member of her family including her maids were well clothed. Please see Proverbs Chapter 31.

The queen from Sheba was awed by the splendor of Solomon’s court. She took note of virtually everything and everyone in Solomon’s court and noted that God indeed blessed Solomon with unrivaled wisdom and wealth. Please read 1^st Kings Chapter 10 verses 1 to 10 and Matthew Chapter 6 verses 28 to 29.

Monetize Your Contacts 2

Written by Uyoyou Christiana Charles-Iyoha

David was on a find and rescue mission without a clue as to how and where to catch up with the raiders who burnt down Ziklag and took hostage the women and children. As David and his men searched the wilds, they stumbled upon or I dare say God ordered their steps to a sick Egyptian slave of one of the Amalekite raiders who burnt down Ziklag. Abandoned because he was sick and too weak to cope with their pace, the young man lay helpless in the wild. Surprisingly, David and his men cared for the young man and when he was strong enough, he gave David and his men details of their raid and where the raiders were headed. With an exact description, David and his men pursued the raiders and caught up with them; and recovered everything that was stolen as well as additional bounty. The young Egyptian stuck with David.

Monetize Your Contacts 1

 Written by Uyoyou Christiana Charles-Iyoha

 

Contacts are intangible assets that become tangible assets when they are translated into economic relationships through economic partnerships and collaborations. You can therefore monetize your contacts by creatively translating them into economic partnerships and collaborations. Your contacts include people, institutions and nations that you come in contact with, interact with on a daily basis. Over time you will come up with a huge contact list that you may actually not know how to manage to profit. In the days when business cards held sway, you probably pilled them up in a big office basket if you are an organized person; you arranged them either by names or institutions. Whichever you did, the ideal is to segment your contact base into institutions, sector by sector. Thereafter, you can have an alphabetical categorization of names for ease of calling up your contacts. This is to say that you will need a contact management system at some point. 

Pharaoh’s butler was an economic relationship to Joseph despite the fact that they met in prison. This is because the butler was to an extent pivotal to Joseph’s release from prison. The butler was the one who mentioned or recommend Joseph to Pharaoh and when Joseph was brought before Pharaoh, multiple transformations occurred. Joseph became a free man granted royal pardon. Quite significant is also the fact that he received astronomical promotions; from being a prisoner to a free man, a citizen of Egypt as well as second in command to Pharaoh. Amazing because Joseph was not an Egyptian but he was next in command to Pharaoh. In addition, Joseph had never worked in the palace before and had no connections to Pharaoh. Yet, in just one day, in point of fact, less than a day of meeting Pharaoh through the butler, Joseph became second in command to Pharaoh. This was because God gave Joseph divine contacts and fortunately, Joseph realized this and took advantage of the divine linkage. He assisted the butler and asked the butler to remember him. The butler became Joseph’s connection to Pharaoh. He was a divinely arranged contact.

It is significant to note that the circumstances under which Joseph became acquainted with the butler were not exactly pleasant. Joseph was serving an unjust prison sentence that was not defined. So there was no possible exit date from prison yet Joseph was not bitter. Therefore, when the opportunity presented itself for Joseph to be of service to the butler; he did so with joy. That singular action done without any monetary or material compensation opened the doors into Pharaoh’s court as well as final exit from prison.

Break with Tradition 3

Written by Uyoyou Christiana Charles-Iyoha

Severally, Jesus Christ broke tradition. He healed a number of sick people such as the bent over woman (Luke Chapter 13 verses 10 to 16); the man with palsy (Luke Chapter 14 verses 1 to 6) on the Sabbath day. He also requested drink from a woman of Samaria; what was not acceptable to the Jews and the Samaritans. The fact that this request culminated in the salvation of the residents and indigenes of a whole city speaks to the benefits of sometimes breaking with tradition. Please see John Chapter 4 verses 1 to 42 for details.

The ten lepers cried to Jesus to ask for mercy. They expected to be healed immediately but Jesus did not pronounce the word of healing. Rather, Jesus asked them to go and present themselves to the priests. Fortunately, they were wise enough to obey Jesus. The Bible records that as they proceeded to the priests abode or temple; they were cleansed. Their obedience to the instruction of God through Jesus Christ gave them complete healing. They could have argued that there was no point going to the priests since they were not yet cleansed. They could have refused to obey. After all they asked to be cleansed, a prerequisite to showing themselves to the priests. And rather than heal them, Jesus sent them to the priests – to be humiliated or driven away from decent society? But as they obeyed, journeying to the priest, they received their healing and could confidently show themselves to the priests. In point of fact, one of them returned to give thanks to Jesus when he noticed that they were cleansed on their way to the priests.

Break with Tradition 2

Written by Uyoyou Christiana Charles-Iyoha

General Naaman was obviously stuck to tradition. That explains why he took the bilateral diplomatic approach to seeing the Prophet Elisha. Rather than go to Elisha directly as advised by the Israelite servant girl to his wife; Naaman went to see the King of Syria. Also rather than send for Elisha or instruct Naaman to go see Elisha directly; the King of Syria sent a diplomatic letter to the King of Israel asking him to cure Naaman of his leprosy. Unfortunately, that letter caused quite a stir in the court of the King of Israel after the letter was read.

The Bible records that the King of Israel tore his robe and lamented as to why the King of Syria chose to take advantage of the issue of Naaman’s leprosy to pick a quarrel with him. To start with, the King of Israel was not God who can always heal, kill or make alive. Why then would the King of Syria saddle the King of Israel with the responsibility and task of curing Naaman? Fortunately for the King of Israel, Prophet Elisha heard about the travails of the King and quickly sent a message to the King to send Naaman to him.

Plan and Budget

Written by Uyoyou Christiana Charles-Iyoha

To plan is to prepare for an event, a job interview, a career, a wedding, a business, an unborn child, a house; you just name it. The essence of a plan is that it gives you the overall or at least important details to guide you in decision making, in resource mobilization and actual implementation of whatever it is you are setting out to do. The Lord Jesus made this clear when He noted that whoever embarks on the building of a house must first investigate the cost of putting together the house just as whoever intends on going to battle must weigh the cost of going to battle before embarking on such a pursuit. To plan then also means to investigate, do feasibility studies that will enable you come with not only a budget but also means of raising the required resources. 

The building of the temple was planned.  King David received the temple pattern and gave it to his son, Solomon.  And even before Solomon commenced building, David made financial and material preparations for the building of the temple.  He gave money and materials for the building of the temple.  Thereafter, David asked the people to contribute.  Willingly, they did so and everything was handed over to King Solomon who succeeded his father David as King of Israel. Please see 1^st Chronicles Chapter 28: 10-21; 29: 1-9; 2nd Chronicles Chapters 2 to 5.

King Solomon built wisely according to plan.  He made the necessary contacts and did things one at a time.  He did not rush.  He patiently awaited God’s timing, contacts and resources. God did not fail him.  Everything he needed was provided for.  And where he had to trade certain resources for others, he willingly and gladly did so. Please see 2^nd Chronicles 2. 

Wisdom for Seed Planting 3 - The Wayside Heart

Written by Uyoyou Christiana Charles-Iyoha

The wayside heart is grossly unprepared for the gospel. Consequently, it cannot process the gospel which explains why the seed of the gospel planted in it is carelessly trampled upon and devoured. In like manner, business and money making ideas, products and services taken to the wayside ground will automatically fizzle out, the products and services will be treated as scum, disdained, rejected and if you have no idea who you are and what the quality of your products and services are; you will lose confidence in yourself, your ideas, products and services and will not have the confidence you require to multiply and compound your resources to wealth and success and be the blessing God created you to be to humanity. Why is that so? Because you took what is of value to a ground that is not prepared for value, does not know value, appreciate value and is therefore not receptive to value. What happens? That value is trampled down and devoured.

It’s in You

Written by Uyoyou Christiana Charles-Iyoha

All the resources you need to succeed in life are inside of you. You may wonder how and where. Perhaps you should take a clue from the prodigal son who thought a rich inheritance from a wealthy father would set him up in life. What happened? The young man lost everything as fast as he demanded and collected it from his loving father. And because he had no idea  how to make wealth with his God given resources he was engaged in what I choose to call slave labor; slave labor because he did not even earn a living wage. To make matters worse, he came close to eating what he fed the pigs with. Fortunately, with no human help in sight from anyone, God helped him to come to himself – he was not a slave but a bonafide child of a very wealthy father whose servants could be described as rich. Why then should he live in abject penury when he could return to his father to make peace and be wealthy again? Do not forget that as a child of every wealthy man, the prodigal son was already wealthy. He did not need to collect his inheritance while his father was alive to prove to anyone that he was wealthy. So Mr. Prodigal Son retraced his steps back home and lived in affluence again despite what he had done against his father in the past. 

The widow of the indebted son of the prophet also probably came to the same realization when her late husband’s creditor threatened to come and take her two sons for slave labor. Suddenly, she realized that God could salvage their situation. So she ran to the prophet Elisha for a solution. Fortunately, she did not revert to her husband’s methods of borrowing to solve financial challenges. She chose to trust God to get her out a habit that if not curbed would become generational. She cried to God for a solution which surprisingly had been resident in her all these years when her husband went a borrowing and had mortgaged the destiny of their two sons into debt servitude. God in His infinite mercy chose to show mercy and spoke through the Prophet Elisha. The hitherto jar of oil that she probably considered insignificant and of little or zero monetary value actually had the capacity to transform their lives – give them more than enough money to pay off their debts as well as have enough to live on for the rest of their lives. They were free from the bondage and attendant slavery of debts. 

Beloved, God the bondage breaker had set them free from the affliction of debt and its attendant humiliation, shame, bondage and slavery. Significantly, God used the woman’s honest and sincere refusal to continue with the habit of borrowing to break and destroy what the enemy had intended as a legal ground to introduce debt servitude to the family.

The woman with the issue of blood had exhausted her financial resources on medics to no avail.  Rather than borrow and probably still not find a solution, she chose to seek Jesus, to touch the hem of His garment. That was the breakthrough. The pain, the shame, and humiliation of twelve years ceased and she was made whole without spending a dime. 

The Link between Waste and Poverty

Written by Uyoyou Christiana Charles-Iyoha

[There is] treasure to be desired and oil in the dwelling of the wise; but a foolish man spendeth it up. Proverbs Chapter 21 verse 20.

Squandering is a symptom and very clear indication of the fact that there is no indentified purpose that will multiply and compound resources; so the resources are squandered, no investments, no returns, poverty. The Bible describes wine bibing, gluttony which a number of people refer to as pleasure or enjoyment as means of impoverishment. Please see Proverbs Chapter 23 verses 20 to 21, 21 verse 17. The prodigal son for instance squandered every productive resource at his disposal. He frittered time, money, his body divine talent and ideas in non spiritually, physically, mentally, financially and materially rewarding activities which the Bible describes as riotous living. Please see Luke Chapter 15 verses 11 to 17.

At the end of the exercise, he was so impoverished that he came close to eating what he fed the pigs with; at a farm where he labored in vain. Please take note of the words he labored in vain. This is because what he earned was not a living wage. How do I know this? The Bible records in Luke Chapter 15 verses 14 to 16 that he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate. A living wage would have put good food on his table.

Secondly, to feed swine was a despicable job yet because the prodigal son was so impoverished, he accepted the job despite the fact that the job did not pay a living wage. A little attention to the details of managing productive processes to a profit as well as the practice in His father’s house would have saved the prodigal son the hunger pangs and indignity of what he suffered. Fortunately, he learnt his lessons well and returned to his father.

Build Financial Empires

Written by Uyoyou Christiana Charles-Iyoha

Financial empires do not happen overnight or in an instance. They are products of processes and long term planning. Your preoccupation should therefore be how to access the financial abundance God blessed you with so you can build financial empires. How you may ask? Be consciously and actively involved and engaged in money making activities. Do not assume. Do what has to be done legally and godly to earn an income. Produce and sell goods as in the case of the widow of the indebted prophet in 2^nd Kings Chapter 4 verses 1 to 7, Lydia in Acts Chapter 16 verse 14, the virtuous woman of Proverbs Chapter 31 verses 10 to 31, Aquila, Priscilla and the Apostle Paul who were tent makers in Acts Chapter 18 verses 1 to 3.

Know and understand the dynamics of whatever industry you operate in. Google how other people are selling their products and services and learn. Take the best practices especially what the Holy Spirit will have you learn and implement.

Set annual sales targets and try to exceed them.

Break annual sales targets to monthly, weekly and daily sales targets.

Develop and implement strategies for making such sales.

Ask God to help you exceed the targets.

Brand Your Self to Wealth 2

Written by Uyoyou Christiana Charles-Iyoha

You can also brand your way to wealth through your communication package. This is also a total package which comprises your body language, grooming, dressence, non verbal and verbal communication. Let your communication reflect the fact that you are on a journey to actually create and sustain wealth.

Be bold. Look people straight in the eye when discussing. Boldness also reflects in a person’s comportment, dress, speech, gait, etc. To be bold is to be brave and confident (not afraid to say what you feel or take risks. To be bold is not to be critical or judgmental. A genuine wealth creator is usually bold.

Indecision should not reflect in any form of your communication. When not certain or you do not have enough or accurate facts, say that you require more time to be sufficiently informed and be fast about getting the required information. Be decisive as indecision is not only a mark of weakness, but a clear indication that you either have no idea where you are headed or what you are doing. Do not keep wavering between two or diverse opinions or options while other people are busily engaged moving on. Take a decision and move forward.

An Idea Is an Empire

Written by Uyoyou Christiana Charles-Iyoha

An idea is usually intangible. It starts as a thought and grows as an expanded thought. This implies that ideas are thoughts expanded through creative but strategic thinking processes. Such processes should ideally be dependent on the Holy Spirit. Thoughts expanded to ideas create with the word of God birthing businesses, scientific inventions and what have you.  This is to say that ideas which originated as a thought (s) in the hearts of men and women over time expanded to the institutions, technologies, innovations, fashion etc that bless humanity today. Therefore, think more, process thoughts, ideas, evaluate and reevaluate them, including the jobs at hand to see how you can convert them to empires. Review what you do, what has been done and how it can be improved upon to grow beyond what it is now to the empire God designed it to be from the foundation of the world.

Everything God created is designed to multiply because embedded in every creation of God is the capacity for fruitfulness. Even nature teaches us that fruitfulness leads to multiplication and in some cases compounding. In like manner, an idea that is well thought out; implemented in the right place, at the right time and with the right people definitely turns out right, blooms and flourishes beyond the original implantation stage to become an empire.