Get your copy at BN.com

A fourth book has typical challenges in the sense that one begins to feel somewhat jaded and must recover perspective as though indeed there is something else coming that is yet to be said as it should.  “Three” in the Bible is the number that denotes perfection …the revelation of God in the Trinity.  Four is three plus one … that which proceeds from His complete perfection and that must be His creative work.  “Four” is emphatically the number of Creation;

The fourth day saw the material creation finished (for on the fifth and sixth days it was only the furnishing and peopling of the earth with living creatures). The sun, moon, and stars completed the work, and they were to give light upon the earth which had been created, and to rule over the day and over the night (Genesis 1:14-19).

Click here to view the embedded video.

Perfect Fall Wedding is therefore perhaps more creative than previous works.  It is not a book about true or false predictions. The metaphor of marriage and a love letter from the  groom to His bride was for me the very best canvas with which the creative agenda of the Godhead could be completely and thoroughly understood.  Indeed there are  snippets in the Bible to help us deal with every challenge and truly the Bible can be a prosperity book, a government manual, a guide for ethics, a cure for social maladies and even more…but this is like Peter being shown where to find the fish but after invited to come and dine only to discover prepared bread and fish was hot and ready waiting …his fish search  irrelevant.

In my few years of teaching, and I have taught extensively the contents of this book, I have not found a picture so familiar and easy to relate to and understand and yet so compelling to tie the plans of God together as the marriage of the Lamb does –from before time into Genesis to Revelation and the after-time.  I have not found imagery so vivid to explain heaven, hell, eternity and judgment as that of a wedding.  The joy of purification, having dominion and remaining apart is no more hard to appreciate or seen as drudgery when this is understood as part of preparations. Also I have not known any other ceremony with more prearrangements, colour and style.  God created us with a style and flourish that is uniquely His – through this metaphor we catch some glimpse of it.  The Royal Wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton is but nothing compared to what God has laid out.

Why the obsession with “Fall” … the season of the feast of Trumpets which I have said in the Book foreshadows the Rapture.  We know the significant events in the calendar of God did not merely occur they were announced by prophetic fulfilment of feasts as given to Moses in Leviticus.  But the Bible warns us not to relax in the winter, spring and summer and expect to be set for His coming in the Fall.  More importantly a saint unprepared for Him anytime will not be prepared even at a given set time…noting that preparation is given to the Bride – a grace she receives, but cannot originate. The chosen bride will without doubt be prepared.

The book is not about how to live a happily married life, but it does emphasise divine directions as it pertains to marriage ordained by God and not man.  Marriage is therefore always a spiritual and theological issue and not a civil construct. This book is not remotely new revelation – only that present day readers I suspect peep in the word nervously … finding right answers to trivial questions … rather than be given to diligent study and examine research, context and previous interpretations allowing the Holy Spirit to guide.  Also the great achievement of post-modernism  is to suggest to a world with itching ears that Biblical truths are nothing but plain fantasy. Only crazy people will believe in a millennium reign of Christ with His saints.  Existentialists will call this book – a mere piece of futurism and an escape from reality due to inability to cope with today’s challenges.

The key aim of Perfect Fall Wedding is to help the preparation of the bride – the Church – chosen from the foundations of the world.  The bride will glow with joy browsing through the chapters and will keep her letter.  Many others, atheists, non Christians will feel a tug in their heart – a call to return to what has always been there – back to your husband , your maker.  But some will read and feel excitement, entertainment, annoyance, a thrill, a sense of fantasy, amusement, outright disgust, unbelief and anger –like someone devouring the contents of a letter written to another and wondering …what utter nonsense.

Isaiah 54 [5]  For thy Maker is thine husband; the LORD of hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall he be called.

Interested readers can find more details in the online information kit download.  Also Two free e-books of the author are being offered  with purchase of a copy. (To obtain the bonus e-books you will need to enter details of purchase on the online form and you will be auto-responded with download password/instructions).

(See PRWeb.com press release)

New Book by author - Buy Now

This 184-page paperback book is available at a publisher’s price of £7.12 and recommended for friends and family to shift focus back to the Majestic God irrespective of circumstances…and discover afresh that God is indeed more than able.

Learn more about The Majesty of God at http://www.authorhouse.com/Bookstore/BookDetail.aspx?BookId=SKU-000436060

About Olabode Ososami

Bode Ososami has pastored and faithfully declared the gospel of Christ at the Redeemed Christian Church God (RCCG) , Lagos, Nigeria for ten years. Recently he has published 2 books – Worship in Spirit and in Truth and Wealth out of Ashes. Wealth out of Ashes was recently recognised for a finalist award by USA BookNews (2009 National Awards) in the Christian Inspiration Category. Bode is married to Bimbo Ososami and they have three sons Adedolapo, Tosin and Mayowa.  His labour to comfort and feed the people of Christ has resulted in a copious amount of articles and posted materials now available and updated regularly at www.recessionproofchristianlife.com and The Christian Post Blog. Bode hosted a TV Bible study which aired on (ACBN) African Christian Broadcasting Network at 7.00hrs GMT Sunday. His theological background is from The Redeemed Christian Bible College & Schools and the Redeemed Christian Church of God – School of Disciples.  He has a Bsc in Chemical Engineering and is also a Chartered (certified) Accountant. He retired several years ago to be fully in ministry after over 20yrs experience as Director in a leading global management consultancy.  To God be the glory.

I Kings 18 [44]  And it came to pass at the seventh time, that he said, Behold, there ariseth a little cloud out of the sea, like a man’s hand.

USABookNews.com, the premiere online magazine and review website for mainstream and independent publishing houses, announced the winners and finalists of THE NATIONAL “BEST BOOKS” 2009 AWARDS (NBBA) on October 20, 2009. Over 500 winners and finalists were announced in over 140 categories covering print and audio books. Awards were presented for titles published in 2009 and late 2008.

Jeff Keen, President and CEO of USABookNews.com, said this year’s contest yielded an unprecedented number of entries, which were then narrowed down to over 500 winners and finalists.

Keen says of the awards, now in their seventh year, “The 2009 results represent a phenomenal mix of books from a wide array of publishers throughout the United States. With a full publicity and marketing campaign promoting the results of NBBA, this year’s winners and finalists will gain additional media coverage for the upcoming holiday retail season.”

Winners and finalists traversed the publishing landscape: Simon & Schuster, Penguin, W.W. Norton, Revell, McGraw-Hill, John Wiley & Sons, Thomas Nelson, American Cancer Society, Greenleaf Book Group, Sourcebooks & hundreds of independent houses contributed to this year’s outstanding NBBA competition. Keen adds, “NBBA’s success begins with the enthusiastic participation of authors and publishers and continues with our distinguished panel of industry judges who bring to the table their extensive editorial, PR, marketing, and design expertise.”

USABookNews.com is an online publication providing coverage for books from mainstream and independent publishers to the world online community. USABN Magazine Online is the monthly electronic magazine e-mailed free to a large cross-section of the book buying public. JPX Media, in Los Angeles, California, is the parent company of USABookNews.com.

A complete list of the winners and finalists of the USABookNews.com National “Best Books” 2009 Awards are available online at http://www.USABookNews.com.

Wealth out of Ashes, a must-read for anyone seeking answers and a new mind on Wealth and Prosperity matters, was selected as an Award-Winning Finalist in the Religion : Christian Inspiration category of the National Best Books 2009 Awards, sponsored by USA Book News.

Thanks again to you all for the support that made this possible.

To God be the Glory.

I Kings 18 [44]  And it came to pass at the seventh time, that he said, Behold, there ariseth a little cloud out of the sea, like a man’s hand.

USABookNews.com, the premiere online magazine and review website for mainstream and independent publishing houses, announced the winners and finalists of THE NATIONAL “BEST BOOKS” 2009 AWARDS (NBBA) on October 20, 2009. Over 500 winners and finalists were announced in over 140 categories covering print and audio books. Awards were presented for titles published in 2009 and late 2008.

Jeff Keen, President and CEO of USABookNews.com, said this year’s contest yielded an unprecedented number of entries, which were then narrowed down to over 500 winners and finalists.

Keen says of the awards, now in their seventh year, “The 2009 results represent a phenomenal mix of books from a wide array of publishers throughout the United States. With a full publicity and marketing campaign promoting the results of NBBA, this year’s winners and finalists will gain additional media coverage for the upcoming holiday retail season.”

Winners and finalists traversed the publishing landscape: Simon & Schuster, Penguin, W.W. Norton, Revell, McGraw-Hill, John Wiley & Sons, Thomas Nelson, American Cancer Society, Greenleaf Book Group, Sourcebooks & hundreds of independent houses contributed to this year’s outstanding NBBA competition. Keen adds, “NBBA’s success begins with the enthusiastic participation of authors and publishers and continues with our distinguished panel of industry judges who bring to the table their extensive editorial, PR, marketing, and design expertise.”

USABookNews.com is an online publication providing coverage for books from mainstream and independent publishers to the world online community. USABN Magazine Online is the monthly electronic magazine e-mailed free to a large cross-section of the book buying public. JPX Media, in Los Angeles, California, is the parent company of USABookNews.com.

A complete list of the winners and finalists of the USABookNews.com National “Best Books” 2009 Awards are available online at http://www.USABookNews.com.

Wealth out of Ashes, a must-read for anyone seeking answers and a new mind on Wealth and Prosperity matters, was selected as an Award-Winning Finalist in the Religion : Christian Inspiration category of the National Best Books 2009 Awards, sponsored by USA Book News.

Thanks again to you all for the support that made this possible.

To God be the Glory.

Discover a new capability to address spiritual hunger and spread truths of God to millions – inexpensively, without large staff/infrastructure or resources and also without  a massive supporting network organisation. The internet offers the speed, scale and the simplicity to stretch in completely new terrains and reach new peoples in record times.

All that seems to be needed is basic interest in Technology (you do not have to be a techie) and a decent internet connection…and of course a passion for God and the gospel.  Is it not wonderful – the endless possibilities for the gospel to be made available to people all over the world…especially to previously unreached civilisations?  How about a new tool to catalyse the much needed awakening amongst comatose believers which also spreads the truths of Godliness and repentance with viral speed – bringing about the much talked about Revival we have been longing and praying for years to see.

The Great Commission is indeed going digital… a new term “Internet Evangelism” has come to stay…a new ministry of Internet Evangelists emerged.  Just a few minutes on the laptop on the plane or in the hotel room can result in an article sent around the world that can move someone closer to God somewhere in the unknown corners of the globe.  Prayer points can be gathered and acted upon from an aching soul somewhere typing an outpouring of her grief and burdens in a comment.  Comforts can be ministered and just-in-time to the hurting. Internet publishers find and send messages to wherever it is needed while content managers find articles and use them to develop even richer content.

So what is God asking us to do?

First, the internet digital channel must be soaked in prayers. We must pray. “Let the Holy Spirit illuminate hearts with the message of truth. Let the message come alive and let it deliver, bless and empower. Let the new Internet Evangelists receive their new commissions with fresh zeal, divine empowerment and boldness.”  We must pray that the Holy Spirit will mobilise His Internet Evangelists with rich persuasive and anointed material and revelation that will usher millions out of darkness to marvelous light.

But there are also many dangers.  Evil is being proclaimed at the rooftops and called good and good called evil. Darkness is termed light and light darkness…More darkening counsel is now so pervasive and seductive becoming a subtle blocker –  highly effective in insulating the mind even further against empowering truth.  The message that there is no absolute truth may have found the perfect tool to propagate anything and everything.  Everyone can now be “the angel Gabriel” with a message of conception. Therefore there must be prayer as Isaiah prayed…to frustrate the counsel of the ungodly.

Isaiah 5: [20]  Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!

Intercessors must cry out and declare Proverbs 19[21]  There are many devices in a man’s heart; nevertheless the counsel of the LORD, that shall stand.

All other counsel must come to nought. Do not assume the digital revolution will push the gospel message by default.  More likely – without prayers, it will obscure and confuse issues and build fresh walls against the gospel…so we must pray…and NOW.

We must not just pray but diligently embrace the digital revolution and flood the media with the gospel…preaching  more of Jesus and His message of salvation rather than ourselves and our persuasions…lest we fall into the common traps of previous movements.

Bode is also author of new Christian Book Wealth out of Ashes .

Now let us looks at the issues of Strategy and innovation. Businesses that thrive in Recession know how to find new competitive advantage especially from the changing dynamics that scare others away. 

They are not afraid of change instead they embrace it and look again at customers, suppliers, competitors, entry barriers, potential partners and product offerings for fresh opportunities.  They ask the question “what has changed” that can be to my “advantage”. For example a bigger business may have deliberately shed some of its customers…or a collapsed inefficient competitor release some top marketing people able to generate quick leads on the labour market and weaken the supplier’s power who are now burdened with inventories and capacity they did not plan for. Bad news for someone could be an opportunity for the other.

Product prices may need review where customers now have cheaper alternatives.  Supplier base may need to be expanded so you are not over reliant on one supplier.  The same could be the case with your customers. 

A reassessment of competitors could also present an opportunity for an acquisition if there is a synergy gain that is attractive given the costs.  A weakened supplier power due perhaps to unutilised capacity could mean the opportunity to renegotiate lower supplier costs by seeking discounts and better payment terms.

This is the time for a customer and supplier survey no matter how informal.  Use this as an opportunity to reconnect with your customer needs and values which may have changed and to understand how you can maximise your supplier relationships. Remember it is far more costly to cultivate a new customer than hold to an existing customer.  Do not permit customer service levels to drop even if you have to bear higher costs that may be tougher to pass on immediately. These conversations with customers and suppliers will secure business relationships through the crisis periods that hit all businesses.

Innovation

The key to winning when others fail is innovation.  High Growth businesses are structured with the flexibility to innovate successfully. They have inbuilt tolerance of constructive and well managed experimentation and sometimes failure.  Innovation is the driving force that creates value at best price for the customer.  Do not give away value as you innovate i.e. do not be cheap. Do continually trim fat to ensure costs are right but not at the expense of innovation. Be sure you have boundaries around your innovation…you want the few right ones and not every idea.  After all you are a business and not a college laboratory.

The next post will examine Flexibility – another attribute of growing businesses.  For the full article you can click – DOWNLOAD ARTICLE.

More on God’s perspective on wealth can be found in my recently published book  Wealth out of Ashes

For related articles and free subscription to articles by the author please click icon below.



Have a blessed day.  Amen.

Bode Ososami

We all need forgiveness and some sort of financial restoration or another.

Isaiah  3[6]  All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

All our iniquity was laid on Jesus who taught us how to receive God’s forgiveness.  Matthew 6[12]  And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. … [14]  For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: [15]  But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

In Paul’s letter to Philemon, Paul appeals to Philemon to forgive Onesimus who used to be a rascal. Philemon v[18]  If he hath wronged thee, or oweth thee ought, put that on mine account; [19]  I Paul have written it with mine own hand, I will repay it : albeit I do not say to thee how thou owest unto me even thine own self besides.

Like Philemon was to Paul, we all owe Jesus Christ a favour and He pleads that we forgive.  In times of recession, debts can indeed be crippling. Many groan in fear for inability to pay back.  We can provoke divine forgiveness and restoration by generous acts of forgiveness.  Why don’t you list all who owe you and prioritise by their inability to pay and then write off 50% in order of inability to pay.  Forgive debts that are not financial as well e.g. promises made not fulfilled.  Then pray to God for forgiveness in any way you may have offended Him.

Trusting God

A Christian friend who had read Wealth out of Ashes visited me looking somewhat agitated by what I had written concerning Debt.  He is the Chief Executive of a chain of pharmaceutical outlets in the country expanding rapidly faced with a decision to go for more debt or not. He however decided against debt as God spoke to him through the book to trust and wait on Him but this was after scheduling a meeting with his regular financier.  He told me God told him not to borrow but still to visit the financier to see why.  On arriving at his place he saw gathered in the house of his financier (banker) some marabouts  –  praying holy men who make amulets for good luck, tell the future, and actively (mis)guide the lives of followers.   The Spirit of God told him that the money he had been borrowing from that source (unknown to him) was linked to “strange” covenants.  Since that incident of rejecting the offered loan, his business has continued to thrive even more and be increasingly strengthened with divine success. New doors have also opened.

Proverbs 22[7]…and the borrower is servant to the lender.

Isaiah 43[19]  Behold, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs forth; do you not perceive and know it and will you not give heed to it? I will even make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.

2 Corinthians 6[14]  Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers [do not make mismated alliances with them or come under a different yoke with them, inconsistent with your faith]. For what partnership have right living and right standing with God with iniquity and lawlessness? Or how can light have fellowship with darkness?  (AMP)

If you suspect strange covenants…as God helps you, break loose from them. Lord, give us grace to trust You more. By the power of your anointing, may the yoke of any strange covenant over our businesses be destroyed in Jesus name.  (Isaiah 10.27) Amen.

Have a blessed day

Bode Ososami

These are indeed the days of Elijah where, in famine, God finds His “poor widow of Zarephath” and repositions her for great wealth.

I Kings 17 [14]  For thus saith the LORD God of Israel, The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the LORD sendeth rain upon the earth. [15]  And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah: and she, and he, and her house, did eat many days. [16]  And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by Elijah.

Days of Recession can be days of plenty – and days of greater accountability requiring higher disciplines of stewardship. Remember, we have said in earlier posts that all worth – Net or Gross – is of God.  The steward that increased the wealth of God in his hands was commended in the Bible for two basic competences.   Working to increase net worth and giving an account of increase. He knew the exact sum of his gains.

Matthew 25[20]  And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more.

Today, if the question was asked of me, now i’m retired. What would I have wanted to do most differently in over 25yrs of my career?  The answer clearly would have been to render better stewardship of that which had been entrusted in my care.  I would have wished to have been better prepared not just in academic grounding but more in learning the disciplines and habits of managing the key assets of time, money, skill and opportunities on behalf of God, the Owner who rewards faithfulness.  In difficult times I have been often been tempted to say like the wicked steward in Matthew 25[24]  ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow and gathering where you scattered no seed. [25]  ‘And I was afraid, and went away and hid your talent in the ground. See, you have what is yours.’ [26]  But his master answered him, You wicked and lazy and idle servant! Did you indeed know that I reap where I have not sowed and gather [grain] where I have not winnowed? [27]  Then you should have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received what was my own with interest. [28]  So take the talent away from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents.
 

Sometimes I wonder if God would have judged me wicked not for adultery but for hiding away in indolence.  A Preacher said recently at a meeting that it seems the disciplines God commanded are today commonly set aside by saints seeking and presented with instant remedies. Today, perhaps less than 10 % of adult Christian population know their worth talk less of managing increase. Possibly even less ever balanced the family books. It is even more strange the lack of correlation between education and what I have defined as “Lifestyle Intelligence”.  Lifestyle Intelligence (for the purpose of this blog) is the exercise of understanding concerning how we live our lives concerning financial matters. The Bible is full of exact measurements  of weights, volumes and distances..indeed it is a book about numbers. Christians should be equallycomfortable with numbers.

I am thankful that the sudden realisation of potential limitation in the recession has brought out from inside a new lifestyle of accountability and worth management…making me perhaps a much better steward today. First, what are the lessons I would have wanted to have mastered earlier with the tools made available to me.

1.     Expenditures must be much less than earnings and a proportion (after tithes and taxes) of the excess must be hallowed and set apart to increase worth. Saving requires discipline that must be taught and imbibed early, while consumption comes naturally.

2.     Doing nothing is sure to result in decay as assets depreciate and lifestyle consumption swallows worth. Therefore be diligent…apply all the talents God has given . Remember 2 Thessalonians[10] For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat. So get busy. Moses started something at the age of 80 with nothing but a staff and an unstable assistant, Aaron…and God.

3.     Early preparation and training on disciplines to produce an intelligent lifestyle sets the ground for wealth to grow. These disciplines do not emerge by accident or default.

I have introduced in this blog a new page Lifestyle Design where you find tools to begin afresh or just sharpen the saw. The first tool, Christian Lifestyle Intelligence Test is to help review financial habits for alignment with Kingdom culture. An abridged version is shown below. 

To use the tool please reflect for a few minutes and answer all 25 questions using a scale of 1 to 5. Please ensure you double-click on the cell after the question to enter your response and scroll down to see total score after ALL questions must have been answered.  Also see the impact of a different answer on your total score.

Key

1.      No, almost never…not even remotely applicable.

2.      Only very rarely…only minimally applicable.

3.      Yes, sometimes, but not frequently…maybe somewhat applicable.

4.      Yes, quite frequently…well, almost my exact situation.

5.      Yes, happens all the time…most applicable…my situation exactly.

Interpretation of Total Christian Lifestyle Intelligence Scores

60 -100            Good, prayerfully make adjustments to be closer to the 100 mark

40-   60            You have many areas to work on, though perhaps above the average

  <40                Major adjustments required to approach the contented life

Please go to the Lifestyle Design menu item above for more detailed presentation of how to apply and further analyse your results and also download the full version of the Christian Lifestyle Design Tool.

The second tool is a simple income/expense budgeting/tracking and net worth tool you can use to manage your finances, understand your net worth and track and respond to how it changes. If you are in need of a tool to understand and apply budgeting and net worth concepts you can also download this easy to use  Basic Family-personal Financial model (also featured on the Lifestyle Design menu item). I urge you to consider these tools and if useful commit to their use except of course you are amongst the few already savvy on financial matters. Then please pray for the rest of us.
I Cor 4: [2]  Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.

Read more on Lifestyle and Debt in my new book Wealth out of Ashes, and also on how to chose your bank and investments. Also see previous posts for articles related to hope and victory in Christ in a recession.  If new to spreadsheets please begin by referring to these  Excel Tutorial  links.

Have a blessed day

Bode Ososami