How to Recession-proof your Business and position for Recovery (Part V)

Posted on October 8, 2009 by Bode Ososami

High Growth Businesses have Flexible Business Structures.

Building highly flexible structures is one of the ways businesses can be successful in periods of dramatic downturn as well as being better positioned for recovery.

A few of the ways in which flexible business structures can be built include the following:

Outsource non core areas of the business as much as possible
Avoid commitments to long term costs/major items exploring other alternatives
Use more of rental, lease structures and other more flexible approaches for assets instead of outright purchase.

The key is to have a nimble structure and not weighed down with assets that suddenly become unproductive. The successful business have learnt to employ more of flexible contractual terms that do not tie them into rigid long-term positions. This maximises their abilities to move in and out of different cost structures for different markets and positioning.

Outsourcing is becoming a favourite approach, but must be well managed to ensure quality of customer service is not sacrificed for lowering costs and flexibility. In addition, areas where competitive advantage can be built and of core business expertise are typically not outsourced. Almost everything else can be outsourced. The outsourcing service provider is able to deliver improved costs and quality of service as a result of a larger scale of operation and economies of scale as well as the fact that the outsourced service is the core business of the provider, thus encouraging more investment in service quality and better value. Flexibility is also built through flatter, team based organisation structures with wider spans of control made manageable by information systems and much fewer management levels. Employees are compensated more through variable pay structures more by performance and skills rather than by level.

The high growth businesses have learnt how to build structures that allow them to reengineer their cost mix as required at short notice. Build options rather than fixed positions. The goal is to aim to make every single possible cost variable. High growth businesses are not in the real estate business to impress the market. They do not need to own assets to get the value they need recognising that ownership tends to confer inflexibility and fixed capacity that could be costly in a downturn or when a sudden change in the market requires less capacity. In the old era, the maxim was to buy, own and show off your building and computers as evidence of strength. The new world will be more dynamic implying that nimbleness to shift seamlessly and adjust cost structures will be valued more than a showroom display of assets that drain scarce capital.

The next post will examine how growing businesses manage people. 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

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Have a blessed day. Amen.

Bode Ososami

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How to Recession-proof your Business and position for Recovery (Part IV)

Posted on October 8, 2009 by Bode Ososami

Reviewing Market Strategy and Innovation.

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.

Strategy 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

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Compensation and the Recession

Posted on September 25, 2009 by Bode Ososami

“A chief executive officer of a Standard & Poor’s 500 company was paid, on average, $10.4 million in total compensation in 2008, according to preliminary data from The Corporate Library.” Says 2009 Executive Pay watch.

The question has been asked what is fair to pay and reward a high performing executive in a bank or elsewhere? Recent interventions respond in outrage, as the recession hits hard, to cap compensation. We’ve also seen how expectations of future bonuses led many into debts and bankruptcy as values of assets fell. One also notes the exposure of greed and embarrassment of those who innocently received generous awards only to later discover that they could not have deserved these payments.

But God is not against compensation. Although a God of grace and not merit, He is a rewarder. Fairness and justice are major pillars in His throne room. He is also able to accurately weigh actions and establish true and exact causes and consequences. Unfortunately man cannot often establish the complete consequence of an action taken today nor know the real cause of a positive and negative performance. God, on the other hand, dwells in absolute, perfect and complete knowledge and reigns in all of time at the same time. At best it is fair to say our compensation models reward and punish only what we perceive and is enough a case to be conservative and cap our awards…for they are always at best faulty. We should, for the same reasons, equally be cautious in the severity of our punishments as we often will misjudge the issues.

But God is a rewarder of diligence and His awards seem not to be capped or subject to human limits. He also punishes the wicked justly - they do not escape. Remember, He spared nothing to reward Solomon.

Isaiah 3[10] Say ye to the righteous, that it shall be well with him : for they shall eat the fruit of their doings. [11] Woe unto the wicked! it shall be ill with him : for the reward of his hands shall be given him.

IKings 3[11] And God said unto him, Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life; neither hast asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies; but hast asked for thyself understanding to discern judgment; [12] Behold, I have done according to thy words: lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee. [13] And I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked, both riches, and honour: so that there shall not be any among the kings like unto thee all thy days.

2Chronicles 1[15]The king(Solomon) made silver and gold as common in Jerusalem as stones…

God does not approve the reward of the slothful and idle. It is perhaps more just in his sight to relieve the sick, save infants, the aged and those unable to work and afford basic necessities in the poorer nations than bail out wickedness or dole free handouts to the unemployed to sustain comforts.

2Thessalonians 3[10] For while we were yet with you, we gave you this rule and charge: If anyone will not work, neither let him eat.

In addition, compensation that encourages more debt and lifestyle expenditures is a subtle trap. However, offering in a greater proportion more of deferred compensation in equity/or stake in the medium/long term future will perhaps tend to produce fairer and safer modes.

We can also be careful in seeing compensation in mainly monetary terms. Solomon had it all, but described it all as vanity, leaving behind a questionable legacy. Jesus Christ walked the earth apparently with modest means supported by the giving of others but inherited a glory that is unmatched.

The word of God does not begrudge our earthbound models of fairness as perhaps these are our best instruments. In the parable of the talents Jesus Christ does present the God that rewards the diligent. God is not against reward or riches.

Proverbs 10[4] He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand: but the hand of the diligent maketh rich.

However, the Bible does warn us in many references that we do not necessarily help people by making them rich. On the contrary, we often hurt them when we give them more that they need.

I Timothy 6[9] But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.

Indeed it is preferred to position our lives and all that we do to be always blessed - by learning more about and being obedient to God.

Proverbs 10[22]The blessing of the LORD, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it.

Genesis 22[17] That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; [18] And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.

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

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Have a blessed day and may you never lose your reward – Amen.

Bode Ososami

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Sustainability

Posted on September 17, 2009 by Bode Ososami

Isaiah 43 [2] When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.

Recently, I was invited to give a talk on Sustainability. Sustainability is about the inspiration and innovation that creates tomorrow’s value and prosperity. In other words, meeting present needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. In our economies, it is the development and creative mix of, at least, the following four types of capital to produce a sustainable menu.

Financial Capital – cash, investments and monetary instruments
Manufacturing Capital – infrastructure. Machines, tools and factories
Natural Capital – resources, living systems, ecosystems, healthcare
Human Capital – Labour and intelligence.

All these work together. Indeed, deficiencies in or excessive focus on one ingredient ruins the meal. Emphasis on financial capital, for example, without enough intervention in human, manufacturing and natural capital Sustainability is setting up for future crisis though there are temporary present gains.

Whenever I consider a topic of secular interest, I always want to remind myself that there is always the spiritual dimension which drives earthbound models.

On the spiritual front the Prophet Isaiah declares the word of God on sustainability – presenting divine wisdom in perhaps 3 areas.

Survival of trials – The hallmark of sustainability
Foolishness – The enemy of sustainability
Repentance – The assurance of sustainability.

Survival of trials: Trials are inevitable – and so on the issue of trials, Isaiah uses the word “when” and not “if”.

Waters become suddenly deep and drowning threatens but there is a solid ground and Christ leads as seas part. When we get out of our depth, we have Christ to hold on to. We should expect miraculous interventions
Rivers overflow their banks and floods cause others to perish but like Noah, we are in an ark – safe. That ark is Christ. Be convinced of your salvation in Jesus Christ as a false or faked assurance will prove worthless in the floods.
Fires (meaning overwhelming destructive forces) rage and we are still not hurt…like the 3 Hebrew boys, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego or Daniel in the Den of Lions, again there is the saving presence of Christ.

Daniel and the 3 Hebrew boys endured and we learn from their character and lifestyle the need for;

early piety – youths need sound and solid teachings and wisdom from early age,
devoutness in the closet – we need to prevail in prayer first in private before attempting public exposure,
firm decision of character – we should be determined not to bow to evil, and
diligence in business – we ought to excel in our trade by diligent self application and continuous learning.

Foolishness: Naboth lost his vineyard through the schemes of Jezebel, Ahab and sons of Belial in 1Kings 21:9. But why was Naboth hanging out with sons of Belial? Foolishness is refusing consecration to Christ. It is foolish to be unequally yoked with questionable alliances as this only makes us more vulnerable

Repentance: To have the assurance of a better future, we should consider our ways, learn our lessons and stop repeating our misdeeds. That is why Christ said:

John 5[14] Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee.

Will the next recovery be sustainable? The answer lies perhaps in the quality of our repentance.

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Have a blessed day

Bode Ososami

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Is the Recession over?

Posted on September 10, 2009 by Bode Ososami

This seems to be the question on the lips of many as ears itch for a favourable answer.

I Kings 18[41] And Elijah said unto Ahab, Get thee up, eat and drink; for there is a sound of abundance of rain. [42] So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; and he cast himself down upon the earth, and put his face between his knees, [43] And said to his servant, Go up now, look toward the sea. And he went up, and looked, and said, There is nothing. And he said, Go again seven times.

The prophet Elijah declares the Recession is over – though no evidence of this is seen and he commands his servant to go and look again seven times.

Elisha, another prophet of God many years later makes a similar declaration in another famine in 2Kings[7:1] Then Elisha said, Hear ye the word of the LORD; Thus saith the LORD, Tomorrow about this time shall a measure of fine flour be sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, in the gate of Samaria. [2] Then a lord on whose hand the king leaned answered the man of God, and said, Behold, if the LORD would make windows in heaven, might this thing be? And he said, Behold, thou shalt see it with thine eyes, but shalt not eat thereof.

How will we know when the Recession is over? We will know when God declares it to be so through His word by His prophets. Will we see signs of improvement and economic indices/indicators getting better suggesting the Recession is about to end? We may not. However, the sure sign will be the word of God declaring it over.

Will economists, brilliant men and highly rated journals herald the end of Recession? In the text above, Elijah’s servant saw nothing until seven times he looked. In the case of Elisha, God used lepers to silence the lords (the economic advisers) of kings.

Again, the simple question “Is the Recession over?” Time magazine reports in Sept 14, 2009 – Turning point for the Global Recession? Perhaps, indeed it is.

We are already beginning to hear God speaking through His prophets. Let the prophets of God, waiting in unknown caves, echo with certainty His word for the moment – and let them mobilise their servants. Let the lepers (true saints) of today’s post-modern age put the lords of Kings to shame again.

But then, rather than seeking to know if Recession has ended, should we not be more concerned about if we have learnt our lessons. Have we changed our paradigms and reconstructed our mindsets? Is our mind renewed by His Spirit? In other words – are we repentant? As this recovery develops, hear the Lord Jesus Christ warning the one made whole about a worse thing coming.

John 5[14] Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee.

A careful look at the famines described in the book of Kings in the above scriptures reveals that the famine in the time of Elijah was so bad that the widow of Zarephath and her child prepared to die.

1Kings 17[12] And she said, As the LORD thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but an handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse: and, behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die.

But the end of that famine saw only an unrepentant Ahab (like most of us anxious to see recovery) going up to eat and drink as indeed the rains were about to fall again. Years later, a very much worse and fearful situation arose in Samaria. So terrible, that this time women boiled their children.

II Kings 6[29] So we boiled my son, and did eat him: and I said unto her on the next day, Give thy son, that we may eat him: and she hath hid her son.

Is the Recession over? For someone who cares it is time to put his face between his knees to seek the face of the Lord and intercede about the future. “Lord, give us grace to completely overhaul our ways that we do not see even worse times in our future”

Nahum 1[9] What do ye imagine against the LORD? he will make an utter end: affliction shall not rise up the second time.

Have a blessed day

Bode Ososami

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Fight Recession with Forgiveness and Trust.

Posted on September 8, 2009 by 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

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Recession and The Changing Times

Posted on August 21, 2009 by Bode Ososami

“This year in particular, we see the nations of the world reel under the pressures of collapsed economies. Many people are afraid, deeply troubled and have lost hope for a better future. There seems to be no answers and everything looks bleak. But in Christ, there is hope and this hope maketh not ashamed. We can trust in the unfailing God. His power and might are still the same. As many as put their hope in Him shall never be put to shame (1Peter 2:6r 2:6
English: King James Version (1611) - KJV
6 Who will render to every man according to his deeds:

WP-Bible plugin) Behold, I lay in Zion a chief cornerstone, elect, precious, and he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame.” writes Pastor E.A. Adeboye -The Redeemed Christian Church of God – General Overseerin the Aug 2009 Convention Programme.

I recently watched a Christian film I had seen over 5yrs ago… Time Changer. Set in 1890, a Bible Professor Russell Carlisle (D.David Morin) has written a new manuscript, “The Changing Times” and his book is about to receive unanimous endorsement from the board members of the Grace timechanger Bible Seminary… until Dr. Norris Anderson (Gavin MacLeod) raises an issue over a “difficulty” he has with something Carlisle has written. Dr. Anderson believes what Carlisle has written could seriously affect the future of coming generations. A manuscript emphasising morals, ethics and values without prominent focus on the Lordship and Salvation of the Lord Jesus Christ who taught those values, would lead to danger and cause more harm in coming generations. Using a secret time machine, Anderson sends Carlisle more than 100 years into the future; offering him a glimpse of where his writing will lead.
Indeed, Carlise travels from 1890 in a Time Machine to the modern day Church to see what the preaching of ethics, leadership and morality…with a subtle de-emphasis of Christ and the Holy Spirit has produced. I wish every Christian will watch and reflect on this film again…Carlisle cannot believe the compromise in almost every aspect of faith covered in a flurry of activities andwonders how “Christians” could be so deceived. He concludes that Dr Anderson is right and revises His manuscript.

Indeed our Lord Jesus Christ said: “Beware of covetousness for a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of what he has.” But more importantly we must be always under Christ’s Lordship doing only whatever the Holy Spirit – The Spirit of Christ -permits in our lives. I suspect the unmentionable variety we see today in Christendom and the ugly debates on family, ethics, marriage and lifestyle issues may have been unheard of if the Lordship of Christ and strict continual direction of the Holy Spirit were fully preserved in all aspects of worship.

Revd. Josiah O. Akindayomi, who started what transformed to become The Redeemed Christian Church of God in 1952, had warned concerning the future of Christianity of two developments. One, the quest and ambition for prominence and position and second…focus on money and the love of it. These arise from straying from Christ reigning in us to bowing to other “lords”. It relates also to the natural lack of control of desire which indeed dates back to Ancient Greece and the emergence then of the so called Epicurean philosophy. Even Epicurus himself wrote: “To whom little is not enough nothing is enough. Give me a barley cake and a glass of water and I am ready to rival Zeus for happiness.” But there is hope.

“Even though you may have suffered shame, dishonour, and humiliation in the past, the restoration ahead will be so glorious that you will forget the shame. The pathway to that glorious future can only be found in Christ. When you fully surrender and allow Him to take full control of your life, His glory and power will cause you to burst into songs of joy. Proverbs 23[18] For surely there is an end; and thine expectation shall not be cut off.” writes Pastor E. A. Adeboye again.

Why am I convinced that wealth will come out your ashes as you return to Jesus Christ? Hear the Prophet Isaiah speak of Christ. Isaiah [61:1] The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the broken hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; [2] To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; [3] To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.

I pray Christ meets with you and reigns in you through this blog and your life filled again with restoration and hope.

Finally, I want to thank all that have sent me messages and Dr Okey Onuzo for his most kind and helpful comments on this blog…and my hat’s off to Pastor I.D. Iluyomade, City of David, for his most generous support of the new book Wealth out of Ashes.

God bless you all and welcome to a great future.

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Bode Ososami

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Walking Uprightly in Recession

Posted on August 12, 2009 by Bode Ososami

Can you lose your salvation for pampering yourself with the Lord’s substance on extra pairs of designer tennis shoes? What a silly question?

Indeed we are attacked more by lies of the enemies of God than by anything else and the most prevalent relate to lifestyle issues and expenditures…we are baited by self-pleasure, peer-approval and soon ensnared by debt and eventual frustration with guilt. Perhaps the Recession will help us find paths back to the true joys of contentment and restitution concerning past waste. Reflect on the video below on Lifestyle Creep. The music is a track “Holy Spirit – Worship” from my CD ”Songs in the Night”.

Philippians 2[3] Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.

The biblical reality is that wealth that belongs to God is not meant for lifestyle but to establish His covenant. What has a gold-plated Jacuzzi, 6 pairs of tennis shoes or a corporate wardrobe shopping spree got to do with the covenant which demands simple contentment? Nothing…this often responds to the god of our sensual appetites and thirsts well stimulated by advertising and lifestyle media marketing. What happens as our income increases beyond our normal basic needs? Normal basic needs you will agree refers to feeding, accommodation and care for our households and wards.

First our tastes are aggressively targeted and tempted with a buffet of expenditures, and even after we pay our tithes, offerings and give to the poor and God uses us to meet the needs of others, we come to the conclusion that we can improve our lifestyle and soon become accustomed to an idle car, expensive jewellery and lavish vacations and conclude this is God’s blessing to us. But a subtle Lifestyle Creep sets in and when God asks for His money to be released – as a covenant need emerges we see our lifestyle decline marginally. The flesh immediately screams and we do not perceive how any family possibly can live without a vacation in Europe, expensive education in private schools, a regular replacement of wardrobe and such luxuries which we now imagine are critical to the blessed life. We imagine that we are cursed if our new lifestyle standards should ever fall slightly and begin to seek deliverance in our disobedience.

A friend who read my book told me as we returned from the Redeemed Christian Church of God 57^th annual convention that the most insightful part of Wealth out of Ashes, for him was Chapter 8 on “Lifestyle Creep”…so I have posted an excerpt from that chapter to bless someone reading somewhere. wealth The previous blog post also touched on this briefly. Lifestyle Creep is only another item on the menu of the exotic cocktail hosted by mammon. The world even warns it can be destructive to all – but to the child of God, it is an advanced stage of apostasy.

Delilah asked Samson how he could be destroyed and Samson strangely provides this information. The seducer has discovered from us that if we are increased in wealth…our prayer life declines…our appetite for the world’s menu heightens and our spiritual hair falls off without a razor…and soon we can be captured with little sips of social alcohol, adultery only with our eyes and in our hearts as TV and modern fashion convert our worship auditoriums to parlours of lust. We give testimonies of our disobedience and glory in what should be our shame.

Christian Media, magazines, literature, and entertainment tell us living well is God’s peculiar goodness to this generation and one cannot be blamed for believing this most relaxing pill. Soon our surpluses meant for the covenant fuel a taste for whatever new thing the world has fashioned. A better lifestyle becomes a necessity for your joy – a simple lifestyle becomes a curse…and the imperative to needlessly spend soon becomes addictive until crisis forces the realisation that you never really needed more than a few things and can live happily without most. The lost opportunity of giving for the work of God now brings guilt. Wake up!

Remember, Moses had lived for 40years amidst the impressive and most opulent “Haute couture/Haute cuisine /Haute decor” palaces, gardens and pools of Egypt. He had seen great supernatural miracles of deliverance, judgements and the Red Sea parting…yet he later cried to God…”Show me your Glory”. Abraham saw a glimpse of it and knew seeking after God was worth it.

The Glory is not captivating earthly magnificence nor is it magical/spellbinding performance. Rather it is the manifestation of God’s heavenly presence that melts people to pray, walk in unconditional divine love, hate and separate from sin and hunger for Him like never before. It is also a presence that mends hearts, causes troubles to vanish and defends mightily.

His Glory will defend you completely in all situations and always. Defended in the Wilderness It defended the children of Israel through a harsh and hostile wilderness desert for decades as they travelled in the days of Moses. Be assured, in Christ, no harm in the Recession will come to you. In these challenging times, as you seek God afresh – expect to encounter His promised Glory. Remember His word is true. We can expect divine protection, grace, glory…and His good things…as we walk uprightly and in a contentment found only in a life surrendered to Christ Jesus in us as Lord and Saviour – our Hope of Glory. May God help us.

Psalm 84.11 For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.

Remain Blessed.

Bode Ososami

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Jobs in Recession

Posted on July 28, 2009 by Bode Ososami

JOBS in Egypt

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.

Egypt is a place of toiling and apparent lack of fulfilment or satisfaction.
Egypt is watered with thy foot. Implying much physical exertion
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.
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.
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…