The question we have to ask ourselves is “I do not know how much time I have, nobody does.  Whether it is seventy, fifty, forty years or eighty, hundred years…We should ask ourselves critically, how have I done so far? How have I used the talents God has placed in my hands?” … if we answer that sincerely, we’ll know that we have to redeem the time…

Indeed, there are many things that we need to do to ensure that we can give a good account of ourselves in Heaven…God is looking for people who would use their talents to the fullest, who use everything they have been given…

God bless you

Mrs Sola David-Borha

Executive Director and Deputy CEO of Stanbic IBTC Chartered Bank Plc

Rev. John Wagner

Rev. John Wagner (click picture to listen to message) shares some realities that can bring us out of our gloomiest periods. 

Genesis 42[36]  And Jacob their father said unto them, Me have ye bereaved of my children : Joseph is not, and Simeon is not, and ye will take Benjamin away : all these things are against me. 

 Romans 8[26]  Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. [27]  And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. [28]  And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. … [31]  What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? 

Jacob was deceived and so often are we in times of greatest elation but even more so in periods of grief. Jacob assumed the worst was coming and so have you in view of apparent mishaps, delays and disappointments.  Like Jacob, you conclude wrongly that God is repaying you evil for all the mischief of early years.  Jacob thought he had lost Joseph and was about to lose more of his children. But is God struggling to fulfil His promises made at Luz in the land of Canaan when He said in Genesis 35 [11]  And God said unto him, I am God Almighty: be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall be of thee, and kings shall come out of thy loins; 

Paul in similar discomfort said the exact opposite … calling his challenges “these things” because he saw realities which Jacob could not see as clearly.  Jacob was not thinking nor responding right. Your pessimism can be helped with the following truths. 

1. Gloom blinds us to the present blessings of God and forgets what God had done in the past. We focus on the problem and do not see present blessings and answers to prayers. Pessimism exaggerates problems and imagines none has overcome in similar situations.  We blame one another and those nearest to us.  In reality we are deceived and all are working for us.
2. God has not left us alone and knows us well and helps our many weaknesses, frailties and infirmities.  Our walk, prayers and best devotions are plagued with infirmities known well to God…and we are not left alone without assistance. We have comfort and help in the Holy Spirit and God’s ministering angels.
3. God’s purpose will not be frustrated.  Ours often must be.  The blueprint of God is going according to plan…your blueprint is not. Do well to remind yourself that you are not God and God is right on target and has not missed one beat.
4. God is for us and therefore we will not be defeated and cannot experience frustration.  Satan is frustrated over you and your children.  Satan knows you and your family are coming out of bondage.  In Christ we can sing “…my sin not in part but the whole is nailed to the cross and I bear it no more – praise the Lord O my soul..It is well.”
5. God will give us all that we ever need freely. If He did not spare Jesus His son in the hands of wicked men to get us…then would He not freely give us all things to be objects of His glory and love. What He does not give is what we do not need. His greatest acts of mercy are in His holding back the things we long the most for. 
6. God will defend us against all the accusations of hell.  He justifies us with His righteousness and finds no case against us – Christ having answered every case with His blood.  God will never condemn us because Christ has already been judged for us. 
7. There is no time when God will stop loving you…who can separate us from the love of God? Nothing created can. You think you are not so lovable unlike others … but God will never stop loving you.  God cannot help Himself but love us if we are in Christ Jesus.  Everything He does is because He loves you and working out His plans to fruition. 

Jacob assumed all was lost concerning him and his children… but he was so wrong.  His son was a prince…a governor… Jacob could not believe it.    

Genesis 45 [26]  And told him, saying, Joseph is yet alive, and he is governor over all the land of Egypt. And Jacob’s heart fainted, for he believed them not.   

Get ready for a pleasant surprise concerning your sons and daughters… indeed in areas you have become pessimistic – and now expecting the worst.   

God bless you.
   

Bode   

 “Jesus tells the story there of the man who went into a far country and before leaving, called in his three servants.  He gave them talents to be held in trust during their absence.  He gave one man five talents, another two and another one, each according to his own ability.  They could not complain for each was given what he deserved.   Then He said, “ I will be coming back – remember that I have delivered unto you my goods.”  ….

 … But the hour will come when our kindly-faced but serious Saviour will call the redeemed and justified to His feet saying:  “ I must have an account of the deeds done in the body since you were saved.  You have had more abilities entrusted to you for faithful and obedient service and witness.”

There will be no place to hide then.  You tried to settle everything in the spiritual life by one act of believing but there are some things that are never settled until death cuts us off or until the Lord comes.  Now what is it that God expects of us morally, and spiritually?  He advises the way of self-judgment: “ If we judged ourselves we would not come under judgment”… I trust many of us are becoming willing to breathe sincerely that prayer with Charles Wesley:  Arm me with jealous care – as in Thy sight to live; And Oh, Thy servant, Lord prepare  – A strict account to give”

I often reflect on the words of Tozer.  The Bible tells us of a man called Enoch who walked with God … so closely that God took Him.  Enoch had a son he named Methuselah. But why did Enoch walk with God?

Genesis 5 [21]  And Enoch lived sixty and five years, and begat Methuselah: [22]  And Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred years, and begat sons and daughters: [23]  And all the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty and five years: [24]  And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him.

Methuselah means “When he is dead judgement shall be sent”… or  in plainer terms – the audit comes when he dies.   We can imagine that God inspired Enoch to give his son this name and every time Enoch saw Methuselah he remembered the coming judgment and must have been often perturbed in that he did not know how long Methuselah would live.  Everyday must have been lived with strict care.  This perhaps was the secret of Enoch’s close walk with God.  Indeed, we know Methuselah lived very long (969 years) and died in the year of the flood that destroyed the world (except Noah and those in the ark).  The fact that Methuselah lived longer than any man known testifies to God’s incomparable mercy, love, patience and long-suffering – that gives and gives us new opportunities to repent. This does not mean He has changed His plan.  The effacement of thoughts about judgment  from our theology causes us to seek fun and be unwatchful.  The apparent delay decieve many to imagine He will no more return.

Someone asked “ How can I be sure I am walking with God in my finances, business and ventures?”…and I answered  ” live a life of constant remembrance that whatever you do, gather and achieve is time-bound and mortal … and after there will be a comprehensive audit…a judgment of it by an all-knowing God who owns it all.”

God will judge what we did with time, career, ability, skills, our marriage, ministry, education…He will judge our response to every sermon we heard…every blog we read…every thought and knowledge He gave us.  He will judge what we did with our nationality and all our advantages…He will judge fairly but firmly according to His word. It is wise to understand the audit scope by studying the word of God and quickly agreeing with it.

He especially remembers what we did concerning the poor, the vulnerable, the widows and the orphans…the hungry and the weak…He will judge all our failures, successes and all our assets acquisition and losses.  He will audit our saving and spending and scrutinise our generous giving.  He will judge our silence and also our words.

He will consider all our aspirations, earnings and luxurious extravagance in the light of the needs of others with neither food nor shelter.  He will judge our comfortable social safety nets in the light of impoverished souls perishing daily and innumerably like unprotected insects  - mere statistics or news items to us.  He will judge the things we missed because we thought they were immaterial – yet someone hungry somewhere could have been fed for weeks on that which we squandered on another gadget we will throw away in a few months.  Everything will be reviewed as  though they belonged to Him and not to us…nor to any government or nation…or even ministry.   They all belong to Him.

Enjoy this video by John Piper giving his own perspective on the Prosperity gospel …

Click here to view the embedded video.

Concerning all the investments, businesses, achievements…Christ constantly reminds us  “ I will be coming back – remember that I have delivered unto you my goods.”    Surely, we all need more grace to walk with constant remembrance of this truth – ever seeking the mercy and help of a God who lovingly and patiently awaits our repentance and is ready to give us a fresh start.  With this mindset, all our business activities will be conducted in a very rigorous self-auditing mode that transcends our accounting standards.  He will examine if we are still full or emptied of every deposit that must have been poured out for the benefit of humanity.  Have all the talents been invested for His glory?  What do we have hidden in the closet of procrastination?

Many may ask?  Why have I dedicated many posts to Haiti and ugly scenes of crisis and death amongst the poor brethren in Jos, Nigeria…surely these have nothing to do with managing money and success.  Others may not want their consciences assaulted with images of the poor living under subhuman conditions… and a few have had disturbing nightmares caused by realities they are not used to considering.  But our responses to all these scenarios may all be part of His judgment …

Isaiah 58 [6]  Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke? [7]  Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh? [8]  Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the LORD shall be thy rereward.

Get back on track… and back into the ark. This time – be sure you remain in the ark  – in Christ Jesus.   May the Almighty God who is able to keep us faithful and save us till the very end arm us with jealous care and bless us indeed.  Amen

Bode

My dear Friend …

Perhaps in the many diverse shakings and trials of the stormy recession of 2009, many things seem to have gone awry for you that have caused you to wonder again and again.  “Is all well with me?  Am I really saved?”  As 2010 is ushered in  - you recall acts of indiscretion that hit the headlines or the  recent discovery and open publication of shameful misdeeds.  Yet, do thank God that you still can find the grace to read a post like this as you ask God “…but why am I thus ?  Why did I embrace that desperate and corrupt act that has led to this?  Why have I been found to be so weak? …Why am I thus? ”

Indeed, many brethren and trusted loved ones now watch from a safe distance. You are left alone…finally alone with God.  But even in His presence, all you seem to discern are doubts singing to you “Were you really of God? Did you ever know Him?  Are you His or are you not?”

John Newton (1725 –  1807) was an English Anglican clergyman and former slave-ship captain. He was the author of many great hymns, including “Amazing Grace“.  He also wrote several lesser known hymns especially this one which is rarely sung perhaps because it was penned for the person immersed in deep doubts… a situation well familiar to him.

Below are the verses of the hymn  titled “’Tis a point I long to know”.   I do not recommend this for next Sunday…but rather to hide in your personal  repertoire for a time of great need of divine assurance.

1.’Tis a point I long to know,
Oft it causes anxious thoughts;
Do I love the Lord or no?
Am I His or am I not?

2. If in love, why am I thus?
Why this dull and lifeless frame?
Hardly, sure, can they be worse,
Who have never heard his name!

3. Could my heart so hard remain,
Prayer a task and burden prove;
Every trifle give me pain,
If I knew a Saviour’s love?

4. When I turn my eyes within,
All is dark, and vain and wild;
Filled with unbelief and sin,
Can I deem myself a child?

5.If I pray, or hear or read,
Sin is mixed with all I do;
You that love the Lord indeed,
Tell me, Is it thus with you?

6. Yet I mourn my stubborn will,
Find my sin, a grief, and thrall;
Should I grieve for what I feel
If I did not love at all?

7. Could I joy his saints to meet,
Choose the ways I once abhorred,
Find at times, the promise sweet,
If I did not love the Lord?

8.Lord decide the doubtful case!
Thou who art thy people‘s sun;
Shine upon thy work of grace,
If it be indeed begun.

9.Let me love thee more and more,
If I love at all, I pray
If I have not loved before,
Help me to begin today.
 

2 Corinthians 12[9]  And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.

Romans 5[20]  Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: [21]  That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.

My friend, as you repent – find the humility to go to the feet of Jesus for grace and mercy and lay it all before Him. Like it was done for the man who fell amongst thieves, Jesus will unconditionally bind up your wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set you back on your feet and will take care of you – having settled the issues by His blood.

I John 1[9]  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. [10]  If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

Please, do not make the fatal mistake or believe the deception of concealing your sins, pains and many wounds behind another flurry of good charitable activities or attempt to justify yourself with well reasoned responses.  Instead, let the blood of Jesus Christ be enough for you…and there is a lot Jesus – the Balm of Gilead – wants to share personally with you to soothe your hurts.

Proverbs 28[13]  He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.

Joel 2[23]  Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month . [24]  And the floors shall be full of wheat, and the vats shall overflow with wine and oil. [25]  And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpillar, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you. [26]  And ye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the name of the LORD your God, that hath dealt wondrously with you: and my people shall never be ashamed. [27]  And ye shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am the LORD your God, and none else: and my people shall never be ashamed.

Another hymn writer John Newton wrote in humble confession …

Weak is the effort of my heart – and cold my warmest thought
And when I see thee as thou art – I’ll praise thee as I ought.

Do stop weeping in your private lonely moments….It is well. You will see the merciful Lord who has been waiting for you. You can begin again wherever you are. I cannot explain how this mess will be turned to a message but I know you will yet praise God and testify of His great grace and mercies.

God bless you my friend.

Yours in Christ.

Bode

January 1, 2010 – The New Year rolls in like any other day … another day that God has made for us to rejoice and be glad. We thank God for His mercies that we are still here to be of some service to Him who created us for His pleasure.  We especially thank God for the abortion of the attempt to blow up the aircraft bound for Detroit on the day we remember the birth of Christ.  May we witness more of His divine protection this year.

The Recession is said to be progressively receding and while there already are unusual pockets of turnaround – most indicators, like unemployment, tend to be lagging and will take more time to reverse in our favour. We can expect the second half of 2010 to be better than the first. 

While reflecting on the word of God I discovered some unusual scenarios of blessing I thought could encourage someone at the onset of the year – even in the uncertain times.

II Samuel 6:1-9. David was in fear and discouragement over his mistakes and the bitter consequences he was reaping.  He was a great King who loved the Lord and meant well in seeking to bring the Ark (symbolising the presence of the Lord ) into the City of David.  But in doing so, he contrived a creative, modern and no doubt more exciting approach. God was incensed…soon Uzzah, who generously but naively lent a helping hand, was dead and David was confused…not knowing what next to do.

How many bad situations have we brought upon ourselves through well meaning “creative disobedience” … a term that best describes our contemporary and “more correct” and practical interpretations of the word of God in a modern and enlightened era?  Has the Recession not been a consequence of unprecedented consumption and greed coupled with uncontrolled desire for gains fueled by self-serving Bible interpretations? We embraced shortcuts and discarded eternal truths for the poisonous but more easy to digest leaven of mammon.  A fearful David goes back to the scrolls…possibly ridiculed … just as today many mock the clinging or returning to old landmarks that served Paul, Peter and the early saints even up to the 1800s.  But David also needs help – someone reliable somewhere needs to house the Ark – now percieved as a fearful piece of furniture.  HELP WANTED … and no one is applying.

Matthew 5 [5]  Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

Obededom (meaning servant) is a meek Philistine in exile but now so loyal to David that he is circumcised in adult age and conscripted to be a storekeeper, musician, gateman, porter, servant (I Chronicles 15: 16-21 & 24-25) and perhaps any other odd job David wanted done.  Amongst 600 other Gittites that came with David from Gath – a fiercely loyal band of strangers (2 Samuel 15:13-23). It does not take David long to identify the best person to hold the Ark – someone tested who was so meek and would not so No – even at great personal risk – the Ark had already demonstrated sensitivity to Philistines (I Samuel 5). Previous experience with the Ark suggested this could be a dangerous assignment (I Samuel 6 ;19-20) – Indeed 50,070 men of Bethshemesh died just for peeping curiously into the Ark.

I Chronicles 13[13]  So David brought not the ark home to himself to the city of David, but carried it aside into the house of Obededom the Gittite. [14]  And the ark of God remained with the family of Obededom in his house three months. And the LORD blessed the house of Obededom, and all that he had.

But…for the next 3 months, blessings were storming on a meek , willing, obedient and loyal Obededom at the same time when David was afraid, confused, crying to God, seeking answers and consulting elders in enlightened forums to debate truths that were meant to be simply obeyed and not argued.

Occasionally a perplexed and confused David must have enquired if Obededom was still alive…but instead he gathers that unusual blessings are raining on the House of Obededom the Gittite… a Philistine.

David at last repents and corrects his ways and gets priests ( not professionals and performers) to carry the Ark on their shoulders – as God commanded…and with joyful praise out of the house of Obededom.

This year someone will be unusually blessed…even in the early months of 2010. I will humbly advise all to return to ponder over the commanded word of God. These are commandments and not suggestions awaiting informed considerations.  In the year of the King of kings – some well intended approaches may prove suicidal …

Hebrews 12[2]  Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Ecclesiastes 5:[10]  He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase: this is also vanity.

Lord help us this year to worship, obey and serve you as you want to be served and like never before …and may sorrow be far from us and our joy be full.

Amen

1. Research your company.   Write a targeted resume and not a general all-purpose document. Visit the recruiting page/web site of the company and glean useful details about what they may be looking for. Make it obvious that you care enough to spend an hour to understand their hot-buttons. Most companies through their advertising make what they want to be known for very obvious except to the very disinterested.  You may be a genius, but you do not want to be perceived as not passionate about your prospective employer.
2. Be concise but professional.  Do not write your resume in a hurry.  This is the image of your person that you are projecting, so do not be perceived as careless with it.  A poor self-image is not humility. On the contrary, it suggests laziness and inability to make the extra effort for things that are important… and this is a put-off.  Use an up-to-date word-processing capability, explore templates (avoid the common ones – you want to stand out), Use the spell/grammar check. Use the Thesaurus to find simpler, better choice of words.  Your language should be conservative, formal and polite to be safe (except you are applying for a DJ at a radio station).  Ensure basic information is easy to find i.e.
   1. Career Objectives
   2. Basic Profile
   3. Employment History
   4. Education
   5. Include references ( or available on request)
   6. Summary of other pertinent information ( the key word here is pertinent)
3. Integrity is key . Be careful of subtle exaggeration and self exaltation. Do not stretch the facts, avoid superlatives and instead simply present your credentials. Do not say “I was consistently in the top quartile in my class or was an exceptional student”…instead present verifiable qualifications. Do not deliberately hide information to manipulate the process.  This is also a matter of integrity. It is acceptable for example to state your age even though you are over the cap for the job. You may want to add other qualities that support your eligibility. Your rare honesty and candour will be noted.  It is much worse to be perceived as hiding your age or other relevant information you imagine not in your favour.  You do not want to give the impression that there are more skeletons that will fall out of the closet later.
4. Link your successes to the context . What company A considers a success may be very different from company B.  Research the attributes that are being sought.  No need to state that you climbed the Mt. Kilimanjaro and leave the panel wondering what will be your next adventure and how this will fit the hectic work schedule for the position.  However, do not be shy to be unique in conveying evidence that indeed you stand out in what you have to offer. Be careful how you present your extracurricular activities.  Sometimes this works and often it may not. Activities that reinforce team behaviour and creativity are generally perceived well.
5.  Get another opinion on your resume . You are the worst person to review your resume.  The ideal person to review your resume would be someone in the industry you are targeting who understands the position and perhaps even the typical recruiting process.  Remember, the first person to screen your resume may likely be a more junior recruiting officer – (trained to find certain key facts) and not the VP sales looking for a Turnaround Plan. Encourage feedback from your reviewers and rewrite completely if necessary. You can also present alternatives to friends reviewing your resume and seek their inputs to help you make a winning choice.
6.  Do a value check. This means you put yourself in the position of the target company and ask honestly … “what value am I bringing onboard?”…if you cannot identify any then reflect again on the resume – if anything has been left out.  Do not lie or oversell yourself.  The chances are that you do indeed have some unique qualities you just may have missed out. 
7. Triple check for spoilers. The top spoilers of a resume would  be
   1. Poor grammar/sentence construction/spelling…poor choice of words (e.g. trying to impress with big words)…use standard word-processing checks/Thesaurus
   2. Too much detail – too wordy…this is not a novel
   3. Hiding pertinent information and stretching the facts
   4. Shoddy presentation that conveys haste and lack of care

In addition, do pray.  Remember that your source of livelihood is definitely not your employer but God.  Ask for favour, grace and the will of God even as He prospers the processing, handling and decision making relevant to your resume.  Do not be afraid to ask God to shut doors against wrong opportunities. Indeed, sometimes the best decision from that company needs to be a firm “No” - when God has something better in store.

Read more in my recent publication Wealth out of Ashes.  Also, for more reflections and related articles and free subscription to articles please click icon below.  Remember God wants you where He can watch over you and you can best play your part as a steward for the great and unique talents assigned to your care.

.

Bode

Next month is the 8^th month, August - which speaks of new beginnings. A good time to reconsider your jobs…consider whether you are slaving in Egypt or living in Canaan.  This refers to your mind-set and not what you do i.e. the raison d’etre for your motivations and actions.  How can you recognise Egypt? Or Jobs in Egypt.  The following will help you…if you have started reading Wealth out of Ashes, …it does say a few things on Egypt and Canaan.

Egypt represents the best of humanism and worldliness. These are the ways of modern industry in opposition to divine truths.

1. Egypt is a place of toiling and apparent lack of fulfilment or satisfaction.
2. Egypt is watered with thy foot. Implying much physical exertion
3. Egypt is a flat land dependent on irrigation. The land is attractive, and much to be preferred by the eye.  A first glance leaves a good impression and makes it the place of natural choice.
4. Egypt produces a garden of vegetables (herbs). A garden is very beautiful and the visitor is impressed at the arrangements, soft delicate greenery and luscious leaves.  However, a garden cannot be left on its own without very careful and regular tendering and maintenance.  God is not the gardener – you are. This means it will continue to always need your push and continued tendering…ensuring moisture is right, coping with disease, evil winds, pestilence and adverse weather which can all be completely unpredictable. There are days you discover the gardens are completely destroyed and you must begin afresh.  The gardeners eventually get tired – retired , the next cadre eagerly pop out of business school, pleading to enter the garden…they imagine that surely this must be the ideal life path…most do not know of any other.
5. Egypt’s prosperity is dependent on the Nile ruled by the great dragon Pharaoh. Recession in Egypt is tough

The Recession for someone in Egypt has different implications from someone in Canaan, Wealth out of Ashes, in Chapter 9 – Rain from Heaven helps you see Canaan.  Your first response is to come out of Egypt…leave the current mindset…

There is no need seeking to improve conditions in Egypt…instead, be in Canaan and begin to lift up your eyes.  You will see – perhaps even in the same career…

• New ideas/innovation
• New doors and opportunities
• Perspective on issues will change
• A very attractive position may begin to look very different
• Peace and stability come when God has truly become your source.

Remain blessed …always.

Bode Ososami