Resonance

Category: Life

  • Being Responsible & Playing your Role

    A theology that focuses on what Christ has done for us alone but depraves us of any form of responsibility and response is at one side of the extreme. If it was only about the finished works of Christ, the New Testament should have ended at the Gospels. Every single book in the New Testament gives us practical instructions, clearly showing that our part to play is not only now possible in Christ, but important. You have an assignment. This is the general description of everyone’s destiny in Christ. He gave us His Spirit, His Life, His Grace, in fact, Himself, so He can continue His good pleasures on the earth. It’s not only about what God can do for you, but what God can do with you and through you. Be an earthen vessel!

    If God Wants, He Will Do It

    “If God wants to do it, He will do it” is the mindset of an irresponsible person. It makes it look like certain things don’t happen or didn’t happen because God didn’t want to do it. It is very similar to “whatever will be will be”. It’s a philosophy of people who will never contend for anything and think everything will just be handed over to them. Even babies cry for help. Sit there and compose yourself as you suffer. Do you think the devil is merciful? He is the epitome of wickedness, my dear. It doesn’t matter what he has done to you before. It doesn’t matter how long he has done it to you. As long as you remain irresponsible, you’ll suffer for a long time.

    Your parents raised you because they love you unconditionally. They also raised you to be responsible. It’s the same with God. You will forever remain a baby Christian if you think everything is up to God so therefore you don’t have to do anything. It is babies who operate like that. Babies don’t have to work or even be responsible for themselves. They don’t even bathe themselves. Their parents do all that for them. However, a time comes when you grow up. The fact that you now have responsibility does not mean your parents have stopped loving you unconditionally. The Fatherhood of God raises us up to be responsible for our actions and input.

    See, God is always willing. That is always 100% the case. It’s not whether God is willing or not, it’s whether you’re responsive or not. There’s no instance where you do nothing. God provided the people of Israel manna but they were still required to go out and pick it up. See, things don’t just happen o…things are made to happen. As children, you see things happen. You wake up every morning to find food in the kitchen. You always have clothes to wear, you pay nothing to have a roof over your head and all. As an adult, things don’t happen. Rather, you make things happen. If you don’t speak, the mountain won’t move. If you don’t ask, you will not receive. If you don’t seek, you won’t find. Take responsibility!

    God will do what He alone can do. However, as a Father, He will never do what He has given you the ability to do. God will wake you up in the morning but He will not brush your teeth for you. He alone can do what He does, and He never does what He has enabled you to do. Read that again. If God did what you can do, you will say you did it. Yet, as humans, we want to play God’s part by taking things into our own hands, leaving the part we are rather supposed to play. God is the one responsible for giving you a talent, but make no mistake; He will demand a return-on-investment. Yes, God has demands. He will require of you. Everything He gives is free and yet, it will cost you everything.

    When we don’t understand these things well, we will ask God why He has woken us up in the middle of the night to pray and say “couldn’t He have used that energy used to wake us up to pray for something to just do that something He is talking about?”. Stop playing that “God, you can do all things” card on God and get up and pray. The fact that God has involved us does not mean He can’t do it on His own. It is a privilege He has given you to share in His glory. Don’t fail God. Don’t disappoint Him. Be a person after His heart by doing all His Will. Whatever the Master tells you to do, do it.

    What Necessitates our Role

    When God created the earth, He gave us the dominion. Therefore, anything God wants to do on earth should involve us. That’s the protocol He set in place. That’s why in Ezekiel 22:30, God is searching for a man. If a president wants to do something in a region, he does it through a Regional Minister. Otherwise, why will you appoint a Regional Minister if you keep bypassing the person to enact things in the region you gave them authority over? I hope you get it now. It’s a legality. You now understand why, although Jesus was predestined to be born, Anna had to stay in the Temple day and night to pray.

    Write this down and never forget it; NONE OF GOD’S PRINCIPLES CONTRADICTS THE OTHER. God does not break His precepts to fulfill another. God will not suspend one command to accommodate the other. Grace does not negate fasting. Faith does not negate works. Favour does not negate prayer. Mercy does not negate faithfulness. Forgiveness does not negate obedience. Love does not negate responsibility. Omniscience does not negate demands.

    Not only is our role important, it is commanded by God. God can do it without you but has chosen to do it with you. If you don’t play your role, it will amaze you the number of things that won’t come to pass in your life. Apart from the legalities involved, God is not going to waste His resources when there is no one on the receiving end. He is the God of abundance, not waste. If no one in a generation is responsive, He is patient enough to wait for another generation. What God wants to do will be done at the end of the day, with or without you. Your cooperation means it will come to pass in your lifetime. Your lack of cooperation means it will pass you by but what God wants to do will come to pass.

    God has a 100% track record. He has always played His part. If you take action, it is for your own benefit. You already know what God requires of you. You have already received instructions from God. If you obey, it is for your own benefit. God remains God whether you win or lose, succeed or fail, make it or give up. It’s up to you to obey God. Whatever you think is up to God to do is not a problem at all. Always have the mindset that God has already played His part because He indeed has. So at the end of the day, you can’t blame God for anything.

    If You Don’t Fight the Devil, He Won’t Fight You?

    I don’t know why, as a Christian, we are trying to avoid warfare. There has to be a deception somewhere. The Bible literally calls you a soldier, more than a conqueror, calls our journey the good fight of faith, instructs us to put on our spiritual armour and tells you who you are up against. Why are you running from the battle? Do you think the devil is not interested in destroying you or what? Someone who has checked your background, preplanned ways of destroying you and has tried to kill you countless times?

    In a way, you don’t even need to be a Christian for the devil to hate you. You just have to be a human being. Being a Christian makes your matter worse. He hates you completely. The book of Psalms says he will attack you “without cause”. That means it’s not your actions that causes him to fight you; it’s your identity. It’s not what you do that makes him fight you; it’s who you are. So stop accommodating darkness by hiding your light under a basket. By being Light, you have already declared war against darkness. The devil will fight you in many ways whether you fight back or not. You better renew your mind and take dominion. Subdue!

    God Knows, So What?

    In any outcome of our lives, the easiest thing – and also the stupidest thing – to do is to blame God. “God knew that it would happen but He made it happen”. You made a wrong decision but it’s God’s fault that He didn’t step in to stop you. “Oh God knew I would fornicate…”. “God knows how much I’m suffering so He will come through for me.” My friend, at the end of the day, you can’t use that as an excuse o. Jesus came to pay a very heavy price and yet, people still go to hell. Doesn’t God know that they will go to hell? God knowing means He made provision beforehand. Jesus said “God already knows what we need before we ask Him”. Yet, the fact that He knows does not stop the fact that we should ask Him.

    Throughout the Old Testament, we see that God came through for His people whenever they cried out to Him. They can suffer for many years but immediately they cry out to God, God begins the rescue mission. Do you think it makes God insensitive because He doesn’t step in until they cry out to Him? No! Why do you choose to suffer when you can simply cry out to the Lord for Him to come through for you? What is easier to do; cry out to God or suffer while trying to navigate the situation on your own? You get the point. You have access to God. You can cry out to Him in times of trouble and He will answer you.

    What God does sovereignly is none of my business because I have no part to play in that. However, I am responsible for the part I have to play. Is it intercession? Is it prayer? Is it submission? Is it diligence? I will do it to the best of the ability He has given me. He will give me more than I ask and will even give me what I don’t ask by His Sovereign act. That notwithstanding, I shouldn’t expect to receive what I don’t ask when I have been given the privilege of asking. Your decisions directly affect your destiny. We are not robots.

    Arise and shine. Pray and do not faint. Be diligent. Ask, seek, knock. Contend for your destiny. Pursue, overtake, recover all. The violent takes it by force. The work won’t do itself. You’ve got work to do!

  • Judgement Day: the Glorious Standard of Righteousness

    Today, we will talk about the standard by which God will judge all humanity. The Bible gives us both the questions for the exams and the answers. In case you don’t know what righteousness is, it is simply having a right standing before God; being able to stand in the manifest presence of God blameless and spotless. It sounds simple but it’s like being able to stand in fire without having a combustible material on you. It’s that serious. Righteousness is God’s way of being and doing right. It’s first of all one’s nature, then it flows into one’s words, works and ways. This was discussed in extensive detail in Righteousness, Peace, Joy: the Kingdom of God.

    The foundation of God’s Throne is Righteousness and Justice and He sits on the Mercy Seat. God’s judgement must be right and just without compromising His merciful nature. In fact, we underestimate how God’s judgement has to be both righteous and just, and how it can even co-exist with mercy. Thus, the right and just Judge gives us the grace to obtain mercy before giving out judgement. If God has to be fair in His judgement when the opportunities and outcomes of our decisions are different, that means God has created certain systems and structures that will make sure His judgement to everyone at the end of the day is both right and just. One of such mysteries is the Mystery of Witnesses.

    Meeting the Standard of God

    The only way to ascend unto the hill of the LORD is by meeting all God’s requirements from the beginning to the end of your life. Since that’s impossible for any man – for all have sinned and have fallen short of the Glory of God – God Himself became the perfect man made in the image and likeness God originally had in mind when He created us. He met the entire justice system, satisfying the requirements to seat one at the highest seat in Glory; at the right hand of the Father. Christ did not just meet the standard; Christ is the standard by which God will judge all humanity.

    Adam’s sin imputed unrighteousness on all of us. If you understood the Family System of the Kingdom of God, you will realise that man was designed in such a way that he can impute their state and inheritance on their offspring. When Jesus was on the Cross, all our sins were imputed on Him. The Divine Exchange! Now, anyone who believes in Him (it’s not by force) will have the Righteousness of God imputed on him/her. Jesus is now the 2nd Adam from whom we receive the God life and the ONLY way of meeting God’s standard.

    The Righteous & Just Judgement

    God never intended to judge all of us uniformly. In the parable of the talents, one received five, another two, and another one (Matthew 25:14–30). Even when the man with two gained two more, he still had less than the one who was entrusted with five. If God wanted to judge everyone strictly based on equal circumstances, He would have placed us all in the exact same families, the same countries, under the same influences, with the same gifts, and the same assignments. But He didn’t and He doesn’t need to do that. Why? Because God does not judge men by comparing them to each other. He judges all by one standard — His glorious righteousness. That standard is absolute. That standard is Christ, the Righteousness of God.

    So, is it unfair? Not at all. God applies the same righteous standard to all and judges our works based on what we did with what we were given. The question of where you will spend eternity is determined by whether you met the standard of righteousness. Those who have Jesus will be rewarded according to their good works since they will stand blameless before God. Those who don’t have Jesus will suffer consequences based on their evil works and their “good” works won’t count anymore. That’s how fair God is! You may end up in hell for a tiny error and you will be “rest assured” that you won’t suffer the same punishment as one who wholeheartedly gave themselves to error even though both of you are in hell. Understandably, those who were once saved will suffer a heavier punishment than those who were never saved.

    What About My Good Works?

    Here is the truth: no man on earth has ever met and will ever meet the standard except one: Jesus Christ. But here is the Good News; whoever believes in Him has that righteous record imputed to them (Romans 3:22–24). That is the grace of salvation. His righteousness becomes your qualification. Without that, your good works are disqualified at the gate because righteousness is the foundation upon which our good works must stand. Without it, your works, even the best of them, are tainted by sin and weighed as evil. You will be judged according to your evil works, and the full penalty of sin will be applied without mercy.

    It isn’t fair that one’s good works don’t count if they don’t have Jesus? Well, even in this realm, you won’t be allowed on a plane if you don’t have a passport, regardless of your degree, calibre, awards or properties. Remember we said righteousness is first a nature then it flows into our works? If you don’t have the nature of righteousness, how can you have the works of righteousness? Psalm 16:2 explicitly says our goodness is nothing apart from God. Just as we cannot attain a righteous nature outside God, no works are counted as righteous outside of Him.

    For those who have passed the standard – those in Christ – their works will be tested, rewarded, and remembered. Eternity will not only be a destination for them, but a divine reward system for what was built upon the foundation of Christ. In most religions, your good works must simply outweigh your bad. That’s a cheapened philosophy. Our God is just and right. Thus, even a single iota of dirt disqualifies you. If you have ever sinned, silently observed sinful actions or thought of sin in any way since you were born, you are disqualified. That’s how glorious the standard of God is. If you want to try to meet the standard without Jesus, well, I wish you the best of luck.


    So in the end, Judgement Day is not a competition; it is an unveiling. God is not looking for those whose good outweighs their bad among men — He is looking for those who met His standard in Christ. Righteousness allows you into the gate; works are put on the scale. Both begin and end in Christ. Without Him, even your best efforts will fall short. With Him, even the smallest cup of water given in His name will not go unrewarded. Let every man examine himself, not to earn salvation, but to build wisely upon the only sure foundation: Jesus Christ. For on that Day, the fire will test every man’s work, and only what was done in Him, through Him, and for Him will endure.

  • Trusting God in the Process Even When It Doesn’t Make Sense

    Earlier this week, God has been putting it on my heart to write about trusting the process and hoping against hope. So that is what I’m going to share with you. I’m going to give examples for you to realize that you’re actually on the right track. We are called believers, not feelers. There are going to be seasons where everything is going to feel like it’s not in the right place but you are actually on the right track and you are in good company because most of the people you even know in Scriptures were on this exact path.

    The first person I would like to point to is that one precious believer during the time of Jesus who saw Him being beaten mercilessly and was looking from afar, praying sincerely for His rescue. However, God did not answer that prayer the way the person wanted because He had a bigger, eternal plan.

    The Bigger Picture

    That person is not mentioned in Scriptures but there was definitely somebody there who was praying to God that “Oh God, this guy is actually righteous. He’s holy, there’s nothing wrong that He has done. He has been doing good for as long as I have known Him. Please save Him”. He saw Jesus go through all the brutality, carry the cross, and die on the cross. He continued, “God, this is the right time to show up. If you show up right now, everybody will believe that you actually sent Him.”

    He must have continued, “God, let Him just mysteriously come off the Cross and then, you know, be in white clothing and say that, ‘Yes, it is true, I am actually from God’. Oh oh God, please answer this prayer.” It was a genuine, sincere prayer to actually save somebody. The person saw how brokenhearted Mary was and was like, “Oh God, look at this mother. What have they done to deserve this? Even people as wicked as Barabbas have been set free. If you’ve done it for Barabbas, please do it for Jesus.”

    Trust God in the Darkness what He Said in the Light

    But you know what? That prayer went unanswered. In fact, that day Jesus was buried. The following day there was no noise whatsoever. It was like a normal day. No show, no sign, nothing. So what the person would say is, “oh God, so Jesus is actually dead? So that is all? God, I don’t understand.” God expected that person to trust Him in the process because how you want it to go is not better than how God wants it to go.

    Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane also asked God if there’s another way He could do it without drinking the cup of God’s wrath. That notwithstanding, God has His way of how things should go. Sometimes it’s very difficult to explain the entire process to somebody who just does not just feel how the thing should go. So God may not explain so much to you because he has already given you a Word. You need to trust God in the darkness what he told you in the light. He expects that you hold on to the Word because His Word must test you. That’s why he told you when the skies were blue before the days where there will be no sunshine.

    You need to trust Him — what He said when your mind was straight — now that everything looks confusing and clumsy and you want a sign and want God to explain. Whatever He says now, you actually won’t understand. You will say, “but God, You are omnipotent. You can do all things, so why don’t You just do it now? God, You know all things, so why are You allowing this to happen?”

    That is where we will try to blackmail Him. So He has taught every one of us to trust Him in darkness what He told us in the light. The reason why God did not answer that man is because he had a bigger, better plan. It was not about showing Himself strong in the midst of just those few people who had gathered. No. It was a transgenerational agenda. It was an eternal script that He will raise up from the dead and conquer death. A bigger and greater purpose.

    Painful but Necessary

    Even though you have good intentions and genuine reasons, believe you me, God’s plans are better. Every time we subject ourselves to God’s Will, we expect everything to go well. But how God orchestrates things is certainly not how we think it should be because with God, Romans 8:17, if we share in His sufferings, we share in His glory.

    At the end of the day, you will stand somewhere and share your testimony. People will not understand what you went through because you will even say it in some simple plain words. You will not look like what you’ve been through. But trust me, everybody who has walked with God has gone through the process. At the end of the day, you will also be glad God took you through the process.

    The process is painful but necessary. It’s very necessary but it’s still painful. It’s painful. It does not make sense to the human mind but that is God’s agenda for you. He even prunes those who bear much fruit so they will bear more fruit. It’s not shameful to admit that it’s painful because the Bible says “no discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it”.

    Joseph’s Thirteen-Year Preparation for Eighty Years of Glory

    Look at Joseph. God gave him a wonderful dream of dominion but from that day onwards, everything went downhill for 13 years straight — betrayal, slavery, false accusation, imprisonment. He went from being hated by his brothers to being thrown into a pit. He was sold into slavery by his own brothers while God watched on. He was supposed to live as a slave till he died. Then Potiphar’s wife made matters even worse. He was thrown into prison for life. Yet, God was emptying Joseph of all pride and childishness.

    If Joseph had skipped the process, he would have carried immaturity to the palace and brought shame to the God who lifted him. But through suffering, God moulded him so that when he finally rose to power at 30 years old, he reigned wisely for 80 years. Jesus also suffered for a few hours, but now He is seated at the right hand of the Father, with all authority in Heaven and on earth. See, this season won’t last forever, and your glory days will far outweigh the circumstances. Indeed, the sufferings of this present time cannot be compared to the glory that shall be revealed in us (Romans 8:18).

    Let me show you what it means for everything to work together for our good. It wasn’t God’s Will that you’ll be in the circumstances that you are in but He will use the circumstance as a healthy tool to shape you into what He wants you to be. All things (the good, the bad, the beautiful and the ugly) will work together for good. What good? It’s not referring to the end of a Nigeria movie where all your enemies die and you end up as rich nigga.

    The good of God is explained in the next verse: “For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son”. God foreknew you and your story and predestined it to end as a way of conforming you to be more like Christ. This is what He wants to achieve at the end of the day with everything He allows you to go through, provided you continue to surrender to His Will regardless of the circumstances.

    When everything is going opposite to what God promised, trust is crucial. Psalm 25:3 says, “No one who trusts in You will ever be disgraced.” The process might be slow, confusing, and painful, but God comes through always. Trust is not based on sight; it is based on the unchanging nature of God. It’s about believing His character even when you don’t see His hand.

    Trust the Doctor — Even If You Don’t Understand the Surgery


    Look at Abraham. God promised him descendants as numerous as the stars, yet he waited 25 years for just one child. Why? Because it wasn’t about just having Isaac, it was about becoming the father of many nations. It was about making him a blessing and giving Abraham a name that would echo through all generations. Since Abraham’s generation till now, every generation that has come to earth knows about Abraham. He’s more famous than all of the people who go to the devil for fame. Today, Jews, Christians, and Muslims all trace their faith back to Abraham. God indeed gave him a great name and yet, during his lifetime, barely did anyone know him because he was a nomad on the Promise Land.

    One challenge of our generation is that we have not been properly taught about the necessity of process. We are conditioned for quick results because we live in the era of instant gratification but in the Kingdom of God, endurance is key. Nobody today would want to wait 25 years like Abraham did, yet greatness demands patience. You should know that if God is disciplining us, it’s because we are not bastards. Process is not punishment — it is preparation. So yes, you are actually on the right track. You are in a good process. As long as you are going through this, it shows that God is killing certain things in you that will be a disadvantage to you in the coming seasons.

    When God is working on you, it’s like a painful surgery. Until this scrutiny – this surgery – is done, He will not want you to get up from the hospital bed. Even though the surgery is painful, it is definitely necessary. If the Doctor tried to explain every detail of the surgery process, you would run away. That’s why He asks for trust. If you knew how long some seasons would last, you would give up today. But God has good plans for you (Jeremiah 29:11). Trust Him even when nothing makes sense. Trust Him when the darkness is thick. Trust Him because He is good, and His plans are far better than anything you could orchestrate for yourself. Stay the course. God is faithful. He has a track record in these matters; you are not the first.

    You need to trust that yes, He has your best intentions at heart and He has plans of good, not of evil, and He will bring you to an expected end come what may. I hope that this has been a blessing to you ❣️

  • The First Noël Through The Eyes Of A Donkey

    The First Noël Through The Eyes Of A Donkey

    Hi! I’m Donkey.

    I’m in my mid-20s. I’ve lived all my life with my family of five. We love to travel together. I’m the eldest of my 3 brothers and I’ve served Jacob for God-knows-how-long. Joseph, Jacob’s son, is very fond of me and has me as his lucky charm. He always treats me as fam, you know. Joseph was quite a young man, enthusiastic about life and always ready to give a helping hand. He’d usually lie on the roof each night, stargazing at the beautiful bright-lit night sky, soliloquizing about some weird things only he understood.

    It was tumultuous times, really. It somewhat gave people an optimistic feeling that something unusual was about to happen. I talked to my family about it and they couldn’t agree more. The birds chirped new melodies, the trees danced more rhythmically to the blazing wind in the hot sun and even during the nights, the stars twinkled in dazzling array. Even nature could feel the ecstatic suspense.

    Not long after, the youngest of my brothers came to tell me that he had overheard some big news in town that day; Emperor Augustus had decreed that all the world should be registered. Another census? T’was the second census ever in my lifetime, and I wondered how long we’d be travelling this time. That nightfall, Joseph brought another companion, perhaps for the journey. I’d seen her a couple of times in the past. Mary. A young teenager, about 4 feet tall, coffee brown in complexion and subtle in countenance. She seemed to be carrying a baby.

    It was the first time I had ever carried a human. Technically, two humans. Not easy, not gonna lie. It was a 90-mile journey from Nazareth to the south along the flat lands of the Jordan River, then west over the hills surrounding Jerusalem, and on into Bethlehem. It took us about 10 days. The longest 10 days of my life. There were times when the baby would kick, Mary would be in anguish and my legs would just not move. Numerous times. I’ve never been so stressed in my life.

    When we arrived in Bethlehem, it was bed time and everyone was already indoors. Joseph sent us into his native home. They were very welcoming and had anticipated our visit. However, we had arrived late and the upper rooms were full. Since it was night time and was a little cold outside, my brothers and I were brought in into such a warm space in the lower room. It was the best rest I had had in a long time.

    Early in the morning, I was sent into the family barn. Relatives had come along with their own livestock. We looked like a big family of our own. The barn looked like a home away from home. I made some new friends. Sheep recollected his long journey all the way from Samaria. If only he had known I had come from Nazareth. He didn’t seem to believe me when I told him, lol. Cow talked with all sincerity about how the entire atmosphere was saturated with some unspeakable exuberance. Everybody seemed to have resounded in agreement.

    That night, we heard angels singing. It was the most beautiful thing I’ve heard in all my life. So many voices yet such striking harmony as one voice. This occurred the subsequent nights. One night when the young foals were being sent into the house to keep themselves warm, I joined the crowd. I couldn’t afford not to take a glimpse at whatever made heaven descend on earth.

    The starlight was as bright as the morning sun. The night breeze was encapsulated with vibrant joy. As I entered in, I noticed that visitors were still travelling from afar to see the new born baby.

    There, laid perfectly in a manger for all to see, was a bouncing baby boy. He was sound asleep yet many were staring at him at every moment. Several gifts were laid all around him. One bearded man in rich purple cloak with several servants behind him exclaimed, “The greatest of kings, born in the humblest of places.” Little did I know that I was looking at the greatest miracle in human history; God in the flesh.

  • Identifying Your Non-Negotiables: 5 Things More Important than Money

    In the hustle and bustle of our daily lives, the pursuit of financial success often takes centre stage. However, there are aspects of life that transcend money, shaping our well-being and overall happiness. Let’s delve into the concept of non-negotiables—those fundamental elements that should take precedence over the allure of wealth.

    1.  Health and Well-being: The True Wealth

    Amidst the quest for financial stability, it’s easy to overlook the foundation of our existence—health. Your physical and mental well-being should top the list of non-negotiables. No amount of money can replace the vitality that comes from a healthy body and a sound mind. Prioritize self-care, adopt a balanced lifestyle, and invest time in activities that nourish your overall well-being.

    2.  Authentic Relationships: The Currency of the Heart

    As social beings, our connections with others contribute significantly to our happiness. Meaningful relationships built on trust, love, and shared experiences are invaluable. No amount of wealth can substitute for the warmth of genuine human connections. Nurture your relationships, invest time in your loved ones, and cherish the bonds that make life richer.

    3.  Personal Growth: Investing in Your Potential

    While financial investments are crucial, don’t forget to invest in your personal growth. Acquiring knowledge, honing skills, and pursuing passions contribute to a fulfilling life. The pursuit of self-improvement transcends monetary gains, allowing you to unlock your true potential and lead a purpose-driven life.

    4.  Quality Time: The Precious Commodity

    Time is a finite resource, and once spent, it can never be regained. In the pursuit of money, it’s essential to allocate time wisely. Allocate moments for leisure, self-reflection, and quality time with loved ones. The memories created during these moments far surpass any material possessions.

    5.  Peace of Mind: The Ultimate Wealth

    The relentless pursuit of financial success can often lead to stress and anxiety. True wealth includes the peace of mind that comes from living authentically and in alignment with your values. Prioritize your mental health, practice mindfulness, and seek a harmonious balance between ambition and serenity.

    In conclusion, while money is undoubtedly a powerful tool, it should not overshadow the things that truly matter in life. Identifying your non-negotiables and giving them the prominence they deserve can lead to a more fulfilling and balanced life. Remember, there are things more important than money, and true wealth lies in the richness of experiences, relationships, and personal well-being.

  • 7 Keys to Unlocking the Mystery of Time & Money



    In the grand tapestry of life, one philosophy serves as a compass, guiding us through the delicate dance between our fleeting hours and the allure of wealth. It reads; “Time is Money”. Time is spent. Money is spent. However, while money can be earned and spent, time is a currency that once spent, cannot be regained. For lack of space, I’m not able to fully explain how I could. The reader will only fully benefit if they meditate on each key to understand these deep mysteries. Let’s explore the mysterious relationship between time and money.

    Key 1: True Riches is How You Spend Time

    Poor people see time as an insignia of wishful hope for better days. The rich see time as a ticking clock and envision it as a treasure chest, brimming with golden opportunities waiting to be seized. By observing the rich, you’d realize what they CAN’T afford to give out just like that is their time. Wealthy people have spare money but even for them, there is no spare time. Therefore, the mindset of a rich person – even if he/she has no money yet – is a wise expenditure of time.

    Key 2: Spending and Saving

    “Don’t spend time to save money; spend money to save time.” It’s akin to stepping into a magical portal where each money spent becomes a ticket to reclaim stolen moments. Imagine outsourcing mundane tasks to free up your schedule, transforming the mundane into moments of joy. Money becomes the key to unlocking the door to a more enriched existence. This should be one of your utmost reasons for becoming rich. Outsource tasks that are a sheer accumulation of time wastage in the long run.

    Key 3: Renewable & Non-Renewable Resources

    And here’s the paradox: “You can always get more money, but you can’t get more time.” As we chase the elusive currency of life, let’s not forget that time, once slipped away, is a phantom we can never recapture. The art lies in realizing that every penny earned should be an investment in the currency of experience, memories, and fulfilment, for these are the treasures that make time/life meaningful.

    Key 4: Chasing Money = Wasting Time

    “Don’t let a money-making deal cause you to waste time”. Picture a bustling marketplace where deals abound, promising riches beyond measure. Yet, hidden amidst the glittering gems are deals that, though showering us with gold, stealthily steal away the pearls of our time. A sage piece of advice echoes through the crowd: be wise, for not all that glitters is worth the ticking seconds of your life.

    Key 5: Both Money and Time Are Tools

    Young people care more about money because they feel they have more time. They should rather care about purpose. Envision a vibrant carnival where the young revel in the belief that time is an endless carousel. Yet, amidst the laughter and bright lights, a call rings out—focus not solely on the glittering prizes of wealth, but on the purpose that propels you forward. Purpose, like a magnetic force, attracts not just provision but a wealth of experiences that money alone cannot buy.

    Key 6: Priority is Key

    In the timeless words, “Seek ye first…and all others shall be added,” envision a guiding star illuminating the path to a richer existence. It’s not about accumulating wealth for its sake but about pursuing purpose. Purpose, like a skilled alchemist, has the power to transmute the ordinary into the extraordinary, turning the mundane into gold and laying the foundation for a life truly well-lived.

    Key 7: Provision is Only Made for Purpose

    And so, the grand crescendo of this symphony of philosophy reaches its pinnacle: “Anyone fulfilling purpose eventually becomes rich until they become wealthy.” There is no single wealthy person who isn’t solving a problem. Imagine a garden where purpose blooms into a lush landscape, each blossom a testament to a life well-lived. The paradox is unveiled — chasing purpose and time becomes not an adversary but a steadfast ally, ushering in riches beyond the narrow confines of monetary wealth.

    You don’t need more time to fulfil your purpose. Many did it in the very few years they lived. You don’t need more money to fulfil your purpose. In many cases, you just need to start and provision will soon be in your favour. In this grand narrative of time and money, let the melody of purpose guide our steps, as we waltz through the ephemeral beauty of existence, realizing that true wealth is woven into the fabric of a purposeful life.

  • The Paradox of Progress: Should the World Get Better or Worse?

    Introduction

    The world we live in is a complex and dynamic place, filled with both hope and despair, progress and regression. For centuries, human societies have grappled with the question of whether the world is destined to get better or worse. This debate is deeply intertwined with religious beliefs, cultural narratives, and our innate human nature to anticipate the future. Let’s delve into the paradox of progress, guided by the profound statements that suggest our expectations and perceptions about the world’s trajectory may not align with the reality we face:

    Doomsday Prophecies in World Religions

    All the top religions in the world have a doomsday kind of eschatology. Be it Christian or Muslim, the last days will be more known for evil rather than good. Although the Bible has some mixed endtime prophecies, it’s the evil part that draws attention the most.

    It is true that many major world religions have eschatological beliefs that emphasize the idea of a final judgment and the arrival of apocalyptic times. For example, the Book of Revelation describes a series of cataclysmic events that lead to the end of the world. Similarly, in Islam, there are teachings about the Day of Judgment, which is associated with a period of great tribulation.

    These doomsday narratives have a significant impact on our collective psyche. They often focus on the darker aspects of the future, painting a picture of chaos, destruction, and evil. As a result, many people tend to view the world through the lens of these prophecies, expecting the worst to come.

    The Paradox of Expectations

    We expect our lives to get better but expect the world to get worse. It’s ironic. The paradox becomes evident when we contrast our personal expectations with our global outlook. On an individual level, we strive for self-improvement, personal growth, and the pursuit of happiness. We anticipate a better life for ourselves and our loved ones. Yet, when it comes to the world as a whole, our expectations often lean towards pessimism.

    This disconnect is indeed ironic. We desire progress in our personal lives, but we struggle to envision a world that mirrors that desire. Instead, we find ourselves prepared for the worst-case scenarios, expecting global challenges and crises.

    The Reinforcement of Doomsday Scenarios

    If things got worse, we’d say it’s meant to because it aligns with the doomsday messages of the end times. If things get better, we predict doom the more. Doomsayers become rampant because somehow we don’t expect the world to get better. In fact, even if it starts getting better, we’d barely notice because we fully expect worse. Therefore, we see worse if we look hard enough.

    This paradox has a profound effect on the way we interpret events and trends in the world. When faced with adversity or challenges, we may readily attribute them to the impending doomsday, reinforcing our negative expectations. On the other hand, when we witness positive developments, we may dismiss them or fear that they are merely a calm before the storm.

    The prevalence of doomsayers and negative narratives in the media and public discourse also plays a significant role. Even when progress is made, it often goes unnoticed because our preconceived notions of doom overshadow it.

    The Need for a Balanced Perspective

    While it’s essential to acknowledge the historical and cultural factors that contribute to our pessimistic outlook, it’s equally important to maintain a balanced perspective on the world’s future. The world is a complex and multifaceted place, and it is shaped by human actions and decisions.

    Better or worse, what if the world doesn’t end in our time? What if it’s left for a thousand years, or even longer, before the world comes to an end? After all, many generations before us believed that the world would end in their time; but here we are. These questions should inspire us to think beyond our own lifetimes and consider the impact we can have on the world for future generations. As the Bible wisely suggests, “A good man leaves an inheritance for his children and children’s children.” Our ability to make the world better isn’t limited to our immediate circumstances. It extends to the legacy we create for those who will inherit the Earth after us.

    And Darkness Comprehended it Not

    The belief that the world is destined to become darker and darker, with only a select few becoming brighter, is a flawed ideology. If we genuinely aim to become brighter, our light should have a transformative effect on the world. Instead of passively waiting for the end times, we should actively work towards global transformation. We already have a long way to go.

    It begins with believing in our collective potential to enact positive change. We must shed the pessimism that often clouds our judgment and embrace a sense of agency. By taking action and fostering a sense of responsibility towards the world and future generations, we can genuinely contribute to global progress.

    Rather than focusing solely on the negative prophecies and doomsday scenarios, we should channel our energy and efforts into bringing about positive change. By championing tolerance, cooperation, environmental stewardship, and social justice, we can gradually illuminate the world with our shared values and ideals. In the grand timeline of human history, our lives are but a fleeting moment. However, the impact we leave can be everlasting. We should strive to create a legacy that stands as a beacon of hope, progress, and compassion for generations to come.

    For Better or Worse!

    So, should the world get better or worse? The answer lies in our hands. The world is what we make it. By working together, believing in our potential for positive change, and committing to leaving behind a brighter world for the unborn generation, we can reshape the course of history. Let us make it our mission to be the light that transforms the world, ensuring that it becomes better, not just for us but for all who will follow in our footsteps.

    In conclusion, the question of whether the world should get better or worse is a reflection of our complex relationship with the future. While doomsday prophecies have a profound influence on our thinking, it is essential to maintain a balanced perspective that acknowledges both the challenges and the progress we face. As we move forward, let us strive to create a world that aligns with our desires for personal improvement while addressing the global issues that threaten our shared future.

  • The Logic of God

    The Logic of God

    “If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?”
    Matthew 6:30

    Jesus used the phrase “little faith” 6 times in the Gospels. The Greek word is oligopistia, which has such an interesting meaning.
    It actually means brief. “Oligos” is a Greek adverb that expresses a short duration, value or measure. If my fuel is “oligos”, it can’t take me a whole journey. It is the opposite of “tosoutos pistin”, often translated as great faith. So whenever Jesus said his disciples had little faith, He wasn’t just referring to the “quantity” of their faith. He was saying that their faith was brief.

    Many have stopped believing in God because to them they have tried but it didn’t work. Faith is not trying to see if it will work. Faith is seeing that it is working out. God never said we should say it once and then magic happens. In fact, Jesus said the opposite if you read your Bible more carefully. Faith is a persevering spirit. “And will not God bring about justice for His chosen ones, who cry to Him day and night? Will He keep putting them off?”. Luke 18:7

    How do we have faith? The Bible says, “faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God”. The word “by” means a channel of an act. This means it is by hearing the Word of God that we have faith and build faith. Having faith is as a result of the seed of God’s Word planted into our hearts. Faith (Greek: pistis) means “persuasion” in direct translation. This means God speaks words that persuades (convicts not convinces) us to take action.

    Why? Whenever we make a decision consciously or subconsciously, we base it on something. But God persuades us to base it on His Logic not on our sight (literally means perspective). The “Word” in Greek means Logos, which is where we get the word “logic” from. In the beginning was the Logos(logic), and the Logos(logic) was with God, and the Logos(logic) was God. This revelation is mind-changing; God’s Word is His Logic.

    God’s Logic or Word does not always make sense, not because it’s illogical, but because it is beyond the kind of logic we are accustomed to.

    One of the most famous Scriptures is Jeremiah 29:11, ” I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
    God through Jeremiah said this to the people who had been in exile for 20 years. They went on to live in exile for the next 30 years.

    God will never forsake you. He will never abandon you. He needs you to continue believing. God wants to hold on to His Word, His Logic, His Rhema in the midst of it all. He wants you to build your life on a solid foundation. That is why faith is essential and fundamental in the Kingdom lifestyle. I want you to now face life with Great FAITH.

    I love you ❤

  • Cognitive Dissonance: Made for More Yet Settling for Less

    In the intricate landscape of human psychology, one phenomenon stands out prominently – cognitive dissonance. It’s the mental tug-of-war we all experience when our desires and actions clash, creating a sense of discomfort. In our previous post, we talked about the power of discomfort. In this blog post, we’ll dive deep into cognitive dissonance, explore its fascinating intricacies, and unravel why we often find ourselves yearning for more while settling for less. It’s an Aspiration vs. Aversion Paradox; an Ambition vs. Agony Misalignment; a Yearning vs. Yielding Dilemma; a Success Lust vs. Effort Dread; and a Hunger for Achievement vs. Fear of Endeavour.

    Example 1: The Unfulfilled Artist

    Imagine an aspiring artist who dreams of painting magnificent masterpieces. Yet, every time they pick up a brush, anxiety creeps in. The fear of failure paralyzes their creative flow. Here, the artist battles the aspiration to create art with the aversion to the effort and potential rejection it entails.

    Example 2: The Office Dreamer

    Meet Ellis, a corporate professional with dreams of entrepreneurship. By day, Alex excels in a stable job, but by night, the agony of unfulfilled ambition eats away. The misalignment between ambition and the comfort of a steady paycheck creates a constant struggle.

    Example 3: The Fitness Enthusiast

    Nana Ama yearns for a healthier lifestyle, picturing herself as a fit and energetic individual. Yet, when the alarm rings for her morning jog, she snoozes it, yielding to the comfort of her warm bed. Her yearning for fitness is in constant conflict with her yielding to momentary comfort.

    Example 4: The Procrastinating Student

    In the realm of academics, John has grand ambitions for a stellar GPA. However, when it’s time to hit the books, he’s engulfed by the dread of doing too many things at the same time. He desperately wants success but shies away from the most urgent and most important.

    Example 5: The Entrepreneurial Spirit

    Mark is passionate about starting his own business and envisioning financial freedom. But the fear of financial instability and the toil it takes to build a startup holds him back. His desire for achievement diverges from his anxiety about the endeavour.

    So you see? The devil can have you right where he wants you and it’s not even his fault or direct doing. This is the story of Africa. It has been the story of many great prodigies. It will be the story of great young minds with great potential. Yearning for more, yet settling for less. Craving the extraordinary, yet stuck in the mundane. Seeking greatness, yet ensnared in mediocrity. Chasing dreams, yet avoiding the grind. Hungry for success, yet fearing the effort.

    Call it whatever. A potential paradox. An ambition-agony misalignment. A desire-discomfort duality. An aspiration-aversion paradox. An achievement-anxiety divergence. You don’t have time saaa na 20 years aba. It will happen to someone you know. Don’t let it happen to you.

  • Confirmation Bias

    “A person may think their own ways are right, but the Lord weighs the heart.”
    ‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭21:2‬ ‭NIV‬‬

    Confirmation bias is the one of the leading reason why we do not grow. It blocks new ideas, new ways of doing things and better alternatives. It’s the container of lies, an illusion of truth and basically made up facts. We often see what we want to see because we see through our own biases.

    Confirmation bias is basically thinking “a” is so because of so-and-so and later finding situations and scenarios to back your point. The mind chooses to see what it wants to see. If you look for something long enough, you’d soon find it. In fact, conceptions are such that you can find a scenario to back it no matter how dumb it is.

    “Do you know the earth is flat?”

    “Ha! What makes you think so?”

    “I drive from Florida to California every week. Seems pretty flat to me. In fact, I just realized that no matter how high in elevation you are, the horizon is always eye level.”

    “Wow! Really?”

    “Yeah. See?”

    The moment we want to believe something, we suddenly see all the arguments for it, and become blind to the arguments against it. We see our own illusions. That’s why other people see our problems better; they don’t see through our filter of biases. This is also the major reason why people project their lies on us; because they see through their own biases.

    Don’t generalize your own experiences because you’re a sample of one. A sample of one is no damn good statistically. You can’t say anything in general as a fact based on one sample.

    In a world full of made-up facts, illusions, delusions and diversified opinions, truth can really look like an abstract concept. Never forget this though; the Truth is the Truth, even if it cannot be proven and no one believes it.

    I love you ❤️

  • Parenting 101: 7 Things About Parenthood You Haven’t Noticed

    If you’ve never been a parent before, you think it’s easy to be a parent. Kids are the most expensive entities in the world. The most troublesome, stubbornest little cute pieces of burdens, actually. Yet, parenting is the most rewarding work in the world. No salary, no monetary gain (in fact, the most costly financial decision anyone could make), no guarantee and yet it is what makes all the difference in the world. Here are 7 things about parenthood you haven’t really noticed, even as a parent.

    1. It is the ultimate sacrifice

    There’s nothing in this world that’s going to bring you more joy than bringing someone into this world and watching them grow to become great. This is more than being the one who gave out the money to a brother who won the lottery or the one who supported a friend till they made it to the top. This is pouring out your life and soul and resources into another life. Parenting is the ultimate sacrifice, a different feel of love, and until you’re a parent it will never make sense.

    2. It requires your best life

    If you’re going to be a parent, it’s going to take the most and best part of your life. It will take not less than half of your entire life on average. Therefore, if you fail as a parent, you should know that it’s going to be the biggest regret of your life. This is not to scare you but to give you a certain kind of perspective. A big aspect of your purpose in life is directly tied to parenthood.

    3. It should determine your spouse

    If you’ve been picturing a “happy ever after” with the love of your life, well, don’t forget the kids. In fact, if anyone asked for my opinion concerning who to marry, I’d say choose someone who’d help you raise a happy home. It will be about the two of you for a few years. The rest of the years is mainly about the kids. Many rich successful people at the end of the road usually say that they wished they had spent more time with their family.

    4. It’s a lot more complex than you think

    Many say to themselves, “I’m awesome. I came out just fine. I’m going to raise my kids just like how I was raised. Except that I’m not gonna do these 5 mistakes my parents did and then my kids are gonna come out much better than I did”. No, it doesn’t work like that. It’s like saying you’ve been watching videos on heart surgery and you were smart enough to notice about 5 mistakes the surgeon did. Therefore, you can perform heart surgery. It just doesn’t work that way. In fact, parenting is much more complex than heart surgery. There is no fixed way of going about things. That’s the nature of relationships.

    5. Knowledge cannot be compared with experience

    Though you’ve been around and have been helping your parents in their parenting, you probably didn’t notice how they really make it work. You may think you can dance when you’re watching a dancing tutorial till it’s actually time to dance. That’s what I want you to understand. It only looks easy because they did over and over, but doing it over and over is the hard part. A lot of trial and error has gone into it. Parenting ain’t easy. If you think life is hard, try being responsible for another life.

    6. There is no perfect parent

    So appreciate your parents now that they are alive and be proud of them. Don’t hold that “entitlement attitude”; you’re-my-parent-so-you’re-supposed-to, I-didn’t-ask-you-to-give-birth-to-me bullshit. Parenting is not like running a business or having administrative duties, it’s a lot more complex than that so don’t make it too hard for them. They are doing their very best. Don’t wait till it’s your turn to be a parent to really realize this. Of course, they are not always right. So are you. Not always being right is completely normal. No need to make a big deal out of it and use it against them.

    7. It has a ripple effect

    As human beings, we usually replicate what we have been exposed to. Your parents are raising you in many ways like how their parents raised them. Funny enough, you are going to raise your kids surprisingly in many little ways like how you were raised. We don’t know any better. I’m not talking about what we know. I’m talking about what we’ve experienced. So if you want to raise your kids in a much more excellent way, be intentional about it and start now.

    It’s a good person that becomes a good parent. It starts by being a good child. So I edge you to break any generational curses and pass on the generational blessings. If you want to be appreciated as a parent, appreciate your parents. Let them know they have done well.

    I love you ❤️

  • What Do You Resonate With?

    If you’ve lived long enough, you’d realize you could be getting the same messages along a certain line for a period of time. Some even say it’s the universe sending them that message over and over. You’d hear a particular word echo or even a certain conclusion is drawn in different conservations with different people. You could resonate with discipline, balance, mindset, personality, or working smart.

    Some words or ideas may resonate with us for days, weeks, months or years, even a lifetime. We may be inclined towards a certain philosophy, school of thought, system, concept, mindset or attitude. Not just us, a generation, a city, a building, an architecture, culture, even animals may be related to a certain form of resonance. It’s an endless list.

    LENS

    There’s a difference between what it is and how we see it. How we see things is based on our lens. If you’ve noticed, no matter what the conversation is about, people tune it to what they resonate with. People who resonate with discipline think everything is about discipline. People who incline to love think it will come down to love. Those who resonate with balance see the balance in everything.

    Others who resonate with mindset think the mindset is everything. Those who also resonate with wisdom believe it all goes back to wisdom. If you hang around people who resonate with hard work, you’d soon believe in it and work with it. That’s why it’s necessary to find what works for you because everything works but it just may not be for you.

    INFLUENCE

    For some people, what they resonate with is in their everyday vocabulary. Stick around for a while and you’d hear them use it often. For others, it’s simply embedded in their attitude. Walk with them for a while and you’d be influenced. We all individually have the potential to be anything. What we don’t have the potential to be is everything at the same time.

    Thus, different people bring out different sides of us. Ever worked with a consistent person before? You’ll always be on your toes. How about one who always gives new excuses? You’d relax. If one group thinks you’re funny, your funny side comes out when you’re around them. This is why the people you surround yourself with matters.

    NATURE & NURTURE

    Truth is, we all don’t resonate with just one thing. One person can resonate with different seemingly contradictory ideologies. Nonetheless, we have something we’ll completely resonate with for a lifetime. This is usually the virtues that go with our personality. Introverts obviously resonate with solitude, the choleric believes in being straightforward, and so on. It’s nature.

    However, there are others we pick up along the way that we come to resonate with it so much that no matter our environment, it still wouldn’t rob off. It’s nurture that becomes nature. This is usually the values that come with our upbringing.

    PERSPECTIVE

    There are good and bad sides to anything we resonate with. You call it laziness but it may be smartness. Call it consistent but it may be conservative. You call it hectic but it may be hard work. You call it slow but it may be meticulous. Call it patience but it may be indecisiveness. It all depends on the situation.

    A particular generation may hype hard work, another will hype laziness, especially this generation. It says lazy people find easy ways of doing things. So make sure what you resonate with is consistent with the world’s current.

    Since everything works as long as you keep resonating with it, it’s better that you simply hype what you resonate without defaming any other. For instance, being practical doesn’t mean being theoretical is wrong. Practicality only makes us experts in specific things but theory makes us understand the principles that can applied in several ingenious ways.

    Leonardo Da Vinci once said, “He who loves practice without theory is like the sailor who boards ship without a rudder and compass and never knows where he may cast”.

    So find what you resonate with, be intentional about it, and let it be synonymous to your name in your environment. Morgina Arku said it better; you can resonate with a lot of things but muster a few.

    I love you ❤️