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. 

Partner with Sound Minds

Written by Uyoyou Christiana Charles-Iyoha

Sound minds create wealth. There is a correlation between a sound mind, sound words, sound doctrine, sound speech and wealth. Please see 2^nd Timothy Chapter 1 verses 7, 13, 4 verse 3, Titus Chapter 2 verse 8. Partnering with sound minds can take on different forms – organizational partnerships, individual partnerships, ministry partnerships, employee/employer partnerships, as well as engaging the services of vendors and artisans. It could also be delegation. No matter the coloration of partnerships, the persons must be skilled. Please see 1^st Chronicles Chapter 25 verses 1, 7 (skilled ministers of music). They served under their father who was knowledgeable and who transferred the skills. They were also instructed in the songs of the Lord – they were knowledgeable and not ignorant.

David was a skilfull instrumentalist and was subsequently recommended to King Saul’s service. Please see 1^st Kings Chapter 5 verse 6. The Sidonians were skilled in cutting timber and subsequently were invited by King Solomon to supply timber for the building of the temple and the King’s palace. Please see 1^st Kings Chapter 7 verses 13 to 14. Huram was skilled in working with all kinds of bronze work. Please see 2^nd Chronicles Chapter verses 6, 13 to 14.

Mental prowess should also be a major consideration in choosing partners. Partners who have intellectual prowess, people who think, who think issues through, who have analytical powers, who strategize, who proffer solutions – people like the Biblical Jethro, Joseph, Daniel, Abigail, the virtuous woman of Proverbs Chapter 31, the wise woman for her people skills are partners that would move your enterprise up the ladder of wealth and success any day.

Experience and Enjoy Greater Glory

Written by Uyoyou Christiana Charles-Iyoha

And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house with glory, saith the LORD of hosts. The silver [is] mine, and the gold [is] mine, saith the LORD of hosts. The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former, saith the LORD of hosts: and in this place will I give peace, saith the LORD of hosts. Haggai Chapter 2 verse 7 to 9.

The Bible says that the glory of the latter house shall be greater than the former. This statement became necessary because the elders of Israel who saw the first Temple that was destroyed were not very happy with the new one.  The first temple was splendid, beautiful, and expensive, a masterpiece and fortunately the people worshipped God, praised Him from the depths of their hearts and His glory filled the temple. It was therefore a beautiful masterpiece crowned with the presence of God. Please see 2^nd Chronicles Chapter 5 verses 12 to 14, 7 verses 1 to 14, Zechariah Chapter 8 verses 20 to 23, 14 verse 14.  Overtime, the people of Israel sinned and turned away from following God to following idols. God punished them and they were overrun by Babylon, the temple was destroyed and they were taken away from their land into captivity in Babylon.

Access to Divine Resources

Written by Uyoyou Christiana Charles-Iyoha

Divine resources are for divinely assigned tasks or permit me to say divine projects. Divine projects are projects specific to the plans and purposes of God for the common good and accomplishment of His purposes for humanity. The rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem was for the common good of humanity. Ezra and his team as well as the people of Judah and Benjamin who responded to the call of Cyrus to go rebuild the temple in Jerusalem accessed state resources that Cyrus released (Ezra Chapter 6 verses 3 to 4). Also, the gold and silver articles of the house of God which Nebuchadnezzar took from the temple in Jerusalem and brought to Babylon were restored to the people of Judah for onward transmission to Jerusalem for use in the new temple (Ezra Chapter 5 verses 13 to 15, 6 verse 5, 1 verses 1 to 11.

God prepared Cyrus to release the required resources while Ezra and his team were prepared by God to manage the required resources for the accomplishment of divine purposes in the divine timing of God. The Psalmist noted that kings would bring presents to God because of the temple of God at Jerusalem (Psalm 68 verses 29 to 31, 72 verses 10 to 11).

Much later, King Darius gave them additional state resources (Ezra Chapter 6 verses 8 to 14; money from taxes in the region beyond the River for the building of the temple and to be given immediately. King Artaxerxes also gave them access to state resources (Ezra Chapter 7 verses 20 to 24). The priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers, Nethinims or servants of the house of God were also excluded from any form of taxation, tribute or custom.

Apart from these resources, the people received additional favor from God and their neighbors who also supported the building of the temple with their resources (Ezra Chapter 1 verses 4, 6). Additionally, the people of Judah and Benjamin, beginning with the leadership also gave generously and cheerfully for the rebuilding of the temple (Ezra Chapter 2 verses 68 to 69, Haggai Chapter 1 verses 12 to 15).

How to Turn Liabilities into Assets

Written by Uyoyou Christiana Charles-Iyoha

A liability can become an asset if you know what to do. A liability is something written off as having no value because it cannot generate any value. Cars and electronics that have outlived their usefulness become liabilities if you do not discard them to get new ones. This is because the cost of servicing them can actually procure new ones.

Sarah had passed the age of childbearing and was written off as barren. She had also concluded that it was impossible for her to bear children so she gave her Egyptian maid to her husband Abraham to raise children for her. But unknown to Sarah, God had a better, best plan for her as He Who created her knew how best to rejuvenate her supposedly dead womb (Romans Chapter 4 verses 17 to 21, Genesis Chapter 17 verses 15 to 19, 18 verses 10 to 15 and 21 verses 1 to 3). In the fullness of God’s timing for her life, she became a mother.

Elizabeth was also written off as barren but in the fullness of God’s timing and plans for her life, John the Baptist was born at an age when it was impossible for Elizabeth to bear children.

Beloved, God is still in the business of turning liabilities into assets and who knows, you might just be the next candidate to experience such a miracle from Him. Therefore, explore the possibility of making whatever you consider a liability or liabilities into assets with the Word of God. Please see Psalm 107 verses 35 to 38, Isaiah Chapters 41 verses 17 to 20, 61 verse 4, 55 verse 13, 58 verses 10 to 12, 35 verses 1 to 2, 6b to 8 and Amos Chapter 9 verse 14.