The Young Wise King

The Young Wise King

By Unknown   07:00   No comments:

In a far away land, there was a beautiful kingdom with a unique rule, which said, "Anyone may become the king, and he will be given all rights to govern the country for 5 years. But after the 5 years, he will be detained, his body will be tied, and he will be thrown away to a remote Island, [where the jungle is thick and there are plenty of wild animals and no humans].

             

The first who came forward said, "OK, I am ready to be the king. And he was a king for 5 years, and enjoyed his position. He threw big parties, went to many beautiful places, married many women, collected many luxurious things and did whatever pleased him.

This went on till one day he woke up, to find soldiers in his palace who said, "We came here under the order of constitution. You were a king for 5 years, and now the time has come when we should seize you and take you to the remote Island.

The king knew that this time would come, but had not realized how quickly the time had passed. He had enjoyed himself in the past 5 years but now he had to leave everything, and would be thrown in the very dangerous Island. He was very scared but could do nothing and had to accept his destiny with tears in his eyes. The soldiers put the dethroned king in jungle and did not care about what would happen to him. All they heard were the voices of wild animals and the long scream of the former king. And then silence again.

Back in the kingdom, the constitution was still effective. And now, there was a 2nd king. He too behaved like the 1st king, enjoying an extravagant life, and was faced with the same fate, till the voice of wild animals mixed with his scream was heard after he was thrown in the Island. This went on for a long time, with each person becoming King, and following their predecessors. Laugh in the beginning, and cry in the end.

One day, a young man came and declared his wish to be a King. By constitution he was granted his wish. He would be a king for 5 years before being thrown away to the island. But he being wise, realized that his time was short, and all luxuries, and power would come to an end.

So after much thinking, he decided that he will use all of his power, resources, time etc, to prepare his life at the remote Island. In the 1st year he sent troops, veterinarians, and animal trainers to the dangerous Island. The mission was to control the population of wild animals there or domesticate them for good use.

Well the mission was so huge that it consumed a lot of the country's resources.. But it was the king's decision and he had the power. So, all resources that had been used by previous kings to have fun, now was used by the new king in this strange mission. He really dedicated all of his energy to the mission which became successful.

In the 2nd year, he sent a lot of farmers to the Island to start agriculture there.

In the 3rd year, he made a lot of facilities on the Island - ranging from electricity, internet, schools, banks, hospital and so on.

In the 4th year, he sent a lot of educated people like Engineers, Accountants, Teachers, Medical Personnel and many others to the Island.

In the 5th year, he sent his friends and his relatives to the Island.

And finally the time came when the king had to be thrown away to the island. In the morning of the big day, the king smiled his widest smile ever in 5 years. When many strong soldiers caught and roped him, his smile grew wider. And finally he laughed a great laugh when the soldiers threw him to the Island.

Now, why wouldn't he laugh? While the previous kings found a thick jungle and many wild animals when they were thrown there, the last king found everything he needed for a comfortable and happy life with his dear ones.

The story has a very good lesson for all of us. Actually, every one of us is like the king. We are given time to live in this world and do whatever we want. But after the time ends, we will be seized by the angel of death, will be roped in a coffin, then finally thrown away to a very dark & dangerous place (grave, with its snakes, scorpions etc) .

So many people are tricked by the life of this world. All they do is to have fun, and forget that the time will come when they will face a very different situation. No amount of regrets and pleading can change the situation then. Our Life is for rent, everything we have now would be taken away at sometime.

But the wise, righteous people prepare their next life in the after world, just like the wise king. This people will face death with a smile, because they know that life after death is a glorious one. 

JESUS THE WAY!

Written by Anonymous 

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The Interview

The Interview

By Unknown   22:08   No comments:

This is an absolutely incredible short interview with Rick Warren, 'Purpose Driven Life ' author and pastor of Saddleback Church in California .
--In the interview by Paul Bradshaw with Rick Warren, Rick said:

--People ask me, What is the purpose of life?
--And I respond: In a nutshell, life is preparation for eternity. We were not made to last forever, and God wants us to be with Him in Heaven.
--One day my heart is going to stop, and that will be the end of my body-- but not the end of me.
--I may live 60 to 100 years on earth, but I am going to spend trillions of years in eternity. This is the warm-up act --the dress rehearsal. God wants us to practice on earth what we will do forever in eternity..
--We were made by God and for God, and until you figure that out, life isn't going to make sense.
--Life is a series of problems: Either you are in one now, you're just coming out of one, or you're getting ready to go into another one.
--The reason for this is that God is more interested in your character than your comfort; God is more interested in making your life holy than He is in making your life happy.
--We can be reasonably happy here on earth, but that's not the goal of life. The goal is to grow in character, in Christ likeness.
--No matter how good things are in your life, there is always something bad that needs to be worked on.
--And no matter how bad things are in your life, there is always something good you can thank God for.
--You can focus on your purposes, or you can focus on your problems:
--If you focus on your problems, you're going into self-centeredness, which is my problem, my issues, my pain.' But one of the easiest ways to get rid of pain is to get your focus off yourself and onto God and others.
--Actually, sometimes learning to deal with the good is harder. For instance, this past year, all of a sudden, when the book sold 15 million copies, it made me instantly very wealthy.
--It also brought a lot of notoriety that I had never had to deal with before. I don't think God gives you money or notoriety for your own ego or for you to live a life of ease.
--So I began to ask God what He wanted me to do with this money, notoriety and influence. He gave me two different passages that helped me decide what to do, II Corinthians 9 and Psalm 72.
--First, in spite of all the money coming in, we would not change our lifestyle one bit.. We made no major purchases.
--Second, about midway through last year, I stopped taking a salary from the church.
--Third, we set up foundations to fund an initiative we call The Peace Plan to plant churches, equip leaders, assist the poor, care for the sick, and educate the next generation.
--Fourth, I added up all that the church had paid me in the 24 years since I started the church, and I gave it all back. It was liberating to be able to serve God for free.
--We need to ask ourselves: Am I going to live for possessions? Popularity?
--Am I going to be driven by pressures? Guilt? Bitterness? Materialism? Or am I going to be driven by God's purposes (for my life)?
--When I get up in the morning, I sit on the side of my bed and say, God, if I don't get anything else done today, I want to know You more and love You better. God didn't put me on earth just to fulfill a to-do list. He's more interested in what I am than what I do.
--That's why we're called human beings, not human doings.
--Happy moments, PRAISE GOD.
--Difficult moments, SEEK GOD.
--Quiet moments, WORSHIP GOD.
--Painful moments, TRUST GOD.
--Every moment, THANK GOD..

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A Test of Honesty

A Test of Honesty

By Unknown   15:14   No comments:

An aging King realized that if he died he has no one to take over the throne. He decided to adopt a son.

He launched a competition and 10 boys made it to the top. The King said to them, "I have one last test and whoever comes top will become my adopted son and heir to my throne".

He gave each boy a seed of corn and told them to take the seed home, plant and nurture it for 3 weeks. The 10 boys took their seeds and ran home to plant their seeds.

In one home, the boy and his parents were sad when the seed failed to sprout. The boy had done everything but he failed.

His friends advised him to buy a seed and plant it but his God fearing parents who had always taught him honesty refused.

The day came and the 10 boys went to the palace. All the 9 boys were successful.

The King went to each boy asking – “Is that what came out of the seed I gave you?" And each boy said "Yes, your majesty". The King would nod and move down the line until the last boy in the line who was shaking with fear.

The King asked him - "What did you do with the seed I gave you?" The boy said "I planted it and cared for it your majesty but it failed to sprout." The King went to the throne with the boy and said, "I gave these boys boiled seeds and a boiled seed cannot sprout.

If a King must have one quality, it must be honesty and only this boy passed the test.” We live in a society where people will do anything for success.

God sometimes does not give us things because He wants to teach us a lesson.

How many people out there have achieved success the wrong way? How many people send their children to expensive schools and build houses, buy expensive cars with stolen money?

How many people are occupying top positions yet they stole the certificates? How many people are successful out there at all costs?

HOW MANY PEOPLE WILL BE CROWNED AS KINGS IN HEAVEN FOR BEING FAITHFUL UNTIL THE END? I PRAY THAT I BE FAITHFUL TILL THE END!!!

Please be faithful to God no matter what life throws at you, even if life gives you boiled seed.

By Anonymous.

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A Bitter Pill

A Bitter Pill

By Unknown   16:50   No comments:

The elders have a say that if children of the same
mother enter into a room to talk and come out smiling, they have not told each other the truth.

Alright, so in the next 3 minutes, you might not be smiling as I am going to tell you the truth, because I am your daddy.
Strictly speaking I have searched the scriptures, there is nowhere that I have found where it is written, if you wear make-up, you will go to hell or you will not make it to heaven, I can’t find it in the Bible. It is not to be found anywhere at all, but I have done my own research.

There are two places in the whole Bible where references were made to painting of face, only two
places, and the two places are bad. One of the places talked about Jezebel.
How many of you will name your daughter Jezebel? In 2 Kings 9:30, the day Jezebel was going to die, she did make up properly, painted her face, dented her face with jewelries, but at the end of the day, dogs ate her.
The second place is in Jeremiah 4:29-30 where God was speaking in anger to daughters of Zion, He says, "when I make up my mind to deal with you, you can paint your face as you like, it is not going to deliver you." Read it, you have your Bible to read. Those are the only two places I found, and they are terrible references.
Now as far as I am concerned, it is up to you to decide how you want to look, you want to make up, you want to paint yourself, you are at liberty. If for any reason whatsoever God decides not to allow you to enter heaven, sorry o!!!

The point I'm making is this, nobody ever add sugar to honey. Have you seen anybody adding sugar to honey? Anytime you see a piece of furniture that is painted, wooden furniture that is painted, the wood is inferior. When the wood is ebony, nobody paints it, no no no. I think children of God should realize they are precious enough, by the special grace of God and by the shed blood of Jesus Christ. They are honey, they don’t need sugar.

Some people go about in the name of fashion wearing wigs. I'm not being judgmental at all. This is not law, there is no where in the Bible which says if you wear wigs, you can't make it to heaven. But this hair that you are wearing, from whose head was it cut? Do you know who was the original owner of the hair? Do you know what kind of anointing is in that hair? It is put in the most important part of your body, the head!!! "Thou anointed my head."(Psalms 3).

Things are so bad now that some ladies come for ordination with wigs on. I always asked them, "which one do you want me to anoint, the wig or the head?"
I told you, you will not smile by the time I finished. I have not been legalistic, I have not said 'thou shall not wear wig'. I'm only talking to my daughters, my own children.

I read something in the book of Revelation 7:1-3.
Some angels were sent from heaven to deal with the inhabitants of the world, after the rapture, the Bible says, "I heard the Almighty God said, before you begin to deal with people, let me mark them, let me seal them on their forehead, so that we know those that the bullet should not hit."

What we wear matters. Why do you think the army wear uniforms? It is so that they will not accidentally shoot their own members. Can God recognize you at a glance, that is, as a child of God? Some people say it does not matter, and that what is inside is what is important, I agree with the last part, but what is inside will show outside. it will show on the outside, it will show, don’t let anybody deceive you.

When I became General Overseer, I brought a group of teachers to come and teach in the Bible College and they began to teach series of things I did not bargain for. They were teaching that God is not interested in the outside, He is interested in the inside, this man (the G. O.) is legalistic, he is too strict.
So I went to Oyingbo market to buy two oranges, one ripe and the other green all over. My Bible students were beginning to turn to rebels and God gave me wisdom, so I stood before the class and I said, "which of this oranges will you take if I ask you to pick one?" They all pointed at the yellow and ripe one, and I said, “why?" They said ,"because that one is going to be the sweeter one. How do you know when you have not seen the inside?"
They all said," what is inside the orange portrays and shows what is reflecting outside". An orange is
sweet from the appearance because its inside is sweet and vice versa to unripe oranges....
It was at this point He passed the real message to His people and the Holy Spirit gave them change of heart afterwards.

People of God, God cannot be mocked, you cannot begin to tell people that God only dwells in the heart of man, seeks the heart alone and not the facial appearance, It is A LIE FROM THE PIT OF HELL !!! ...
You cannot sit on the fence, it is either you are cold or hot... Say no to FASHION OF HELL ...
Why not be and remain the way God created you? Why are you adding to what God has created? In other words, you are telling God that, "God, you are senseless to have created me this way I am, I am going to recreate myself back with make ups." (God forbid).
May you not be an enemy of God. Amen.

"Let your dressing be in modest apparel, not of painting of face or using of gold, necklaces or earrings, but of pure heart, shamefacedness and modesty."
Have you considered Jezebel in the Bible? She was a perfect example of the usage of all these things, and she made all these things of demonic value.
May you not be among her descendants in Jesus mighty name. Let your watchword be
''WORLDLINESS FORBIDDEN." Instead of the world copying good things from us (believers), we the believers are the one copying bad things from the world! Very shameful and pathetic!
Remember, “friendliness with the world equals to enmity with God.
Beware of the end time vices and change your ways now!

By Pastor E.A Adeboye

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The Three Pots

The Three Pots

By Unknown   16:14   No comments:

There is a story about a young woman who complained to her father about her life and how hard things were for her. The adversity of life was overwhelming her, and she wanted to give up.

As he listened, her father filled three pots with water and brought them to a boil in a stove. In the first he put carrot slices, into the second he put eggs, and into the third he put ground coffee beans. He let them simmer for a few minutes and then placed the carrot, egg and coffee before her in three containers.
“What do you see?” he asked.
“Carrots, eggs and coffee,” she replied.

He asked her to feel the carrots. She picked up a piece and it squished between her fingers. He then asked her to examine an egg. She picked one up, broke the shell, and saw the hard-boiled egg inside it. Finally, he asked her to sip the coffee. She smiled, as she tasted the rich flavor.

“So what does it mean?”
“Each ingredient was subjected to the same thing – boiling water – but each reacted differently. The carrots went in hard. But after they were in the boiling water, they became soft. The egg was fragile with a thin outer shell and a liquid interior. But became hardened. The ground coffee beans changed little. But they changed the water for the better.

“Which are you,” he asked. “when you face adversity, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee beans?”

By Anonymous.

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The Three Pieces of Advice

The Three Pieces of Advice

By Unknown   05:22   No comments:

A very poor newly wedded, young couple lived in a small farm. One day the husband made the following proposal to his wife: Honey, I will leave the house: I will travel faraway, get a job and work hard in order to come back and give you the comfortable life that you deserve. I do not know how long I will stay away, I only ask one thing, please wait for me, and while I am away, you should be faithful to me, because I will be faithful to you. His wife agreed, so the young man left. He walked many days until he found a farmer who was in need of someone to help him.

The young man offered his services. He was accepted. Therefore he discussed the terms with his boss: Let me work for as long as I want and when I think I should go home, please relieve me of my duties. I do not want to receive my salary. I ask you to save it for me, until the day I leave. The day I decide to go, please give me the money and I will go my way.

They agreed on that. So, the young man worked for twenty years without holiday and without rest. After twenty years, he came to his boss and said: Boss, I want my money, because I am returning to my home. The boss replied: All right, after all, I made a deal with you and I will stick to it. However, before you go I want to offer you something new: I will give you all your money and send you away; or I will give you 3 pieces of advice and send you away. If I give you money, you lose the 3 pieces of advice. If I give you the 3 pieces of advice, you lose the money. Now, go to your room and think about your answer.

He thought for two days. Then he went to the boss and told him: I want the 3 pieces of advice. The boss stressed again, if I give you the 3 pieces of advice, I will not give you the money, and the man replied: I want the 3 pieces of advice.

The boss then told him: No. 1: Never take shortcuts in your life, shorter and unknown paths can cost your life. No. 2: Never be too curious, for curiosity towards evil can be deadly. No. 3: Never make decisions in moments of anger or pain, because when you repent, it could be too late.

After giving these 3 pieces of advice, the boss said to him: Here, you have 3 loaves of bread, 2 are for you to eat during the journey and the last is for you to eat with your wife when you get home. So, the man went his way, after twenty years away from home and from his wife, whom he loved so much.

After the first day of travel, he found a man who greeted him and asked: Where are you going? He replied: To a distant place which is about 20 days away if I continue walking. The man said to him: this path is too long! I know a shortcut that is very safe and you will arrive in 5 days only.

The man began to follow the path suggested until he remembered the first piece of advice. Then, he returned and followed the long path. Days later he learned that the shortcut led to an ambush. After a few more days of travel, he found an inn by the roadside, where he could rest. He paid for a room and after taking a bath he lay down to sleep. During the night he woke up as he heard a terrifying scream. He rose to his feet and went to the door to check what happened. As he was opening the door, he remembered the second piece of advice. Therefore he returned, lay down again and slept.

At dawn, after breakfast, the owner of the lodging asked him if he had not heard the scream at night. He affirmed that he heard. Then, the host said: Were you not curious to see what happened? And he replied: No, I was not. Then the host said: You are the first guest to leave this inn alive. My neighbour is completely crazy. He usually shouts at night to call someone’s attention. When some of the guests come out, he kills them and buries their bodies in the backyard.

The man continued his long journey, eager to arrive soon. After many days and nights walking, he was very tired, but he finally saw his house far away. It was night. He saw some light coming out of the window of his house and was able to see the silhouette of his wife. But he also saw that she was not alone. He came closer and saw there was a man with her. She softly caressed his hair. When he saw that scene, his heart was filled with hatred and bitterness. He decided to rush at them and kill them both mercilessly. However, he took a deep breath and he remembered the third piece of advice. Then he stopped, reflected and decided to sleep outside that night.

He slept in the midst of the bushes, determined to make a decision the next day. At dawn, he was calmer and thought: I will not kill my wife and her lover. I am going back to my boss to ask him to take me back. But before I go, I want to tell my wife that I have always been faithful to her. He went to the front door and
knocked. When his wife opened the door and recognized him, she cried and embraced him warmly. He tried to push her away, but he was not able. Then, with tears in his eyes he told her: I was faithful to you but you betrayed me. She was shocked, so she replied: How did I betray you? I have never betrayed you. I waited patiently for you for twenty good years. Then he asked: How about the man that you were caressing yesterday? And she said: That man is your son. When you left, I discovered I was pregnant. Today he is twenty years old.

Hearing that, the man asked her forgiveness. He met and hugged his son. Then he told them all the things he had experienced while away. Meanwhile, his wife prepared some coffee for them to eat together the last bread given by his boss.

After a prayer of thanksgiving, he broke the bread. When he looked at it, he found all his money inside. In fact, there was even more than the right payment for his twenty years of dedication and hard work.

Friends, our God is like this boss. When He asks us to make a sacrifice, He wants to give us more than what we give Him. He wants us to have His unique wisdom as well as the material blessings. 

By Anonymous.

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The Efficacy of The Cross

The Efficacy of The Cross

By Unknown   04:42   No comments:

When I started using Biro in my primary school, and I made a mistake, I would try hard to erase it. Sometimes I use chalk, but it later reappears. So I began to use saliva, it worked only to leave holes in my book. My teachers then used to beat me for being outrageously dirty. But all I tried to do was cover my errors. One day, a kind hearted teacher who love me so much called me aside.

"Baby, anytime you make a mistake, just cross it and move on. Trying to erase it would only damage your book".
"But, I don't want people to see my mistake and laugh at me", I protested.
"Trying to erase it will make more people know about your mess, and the stigma is for life"

Have you made a mistake, cross it and move on.
That is, take your mistakes to the Cross of Calvary, at the feet of Jesus, leave it there and move on.
Don't try to create more irredeemable errors by trying within your power to erase it.

By Anonymous

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Two Hours Late

Two Hours Late

By Unknown   04:10   No comments:

Mr. Peter had a job interview to attend at 10am but his wife developed complications at 9am. He decided to take the wife to the hospital and leave for the interview thereafter but on their way to the hospital, the taxi broke down. It was already 10:30am before he could get another taxi.

He arrived the hospital at 11am, dropped the wife and used the same taxi to go for the interview. He arrived the interview venue at 12noon (2hours late).

He rang the bell but no one opened the door. Meanwhile, earlier at 10am, the company mail delivery had rang the bell but no one opened the door too. When the door was finally opened, Mr. Peter said "I'm sorry, I came... " he wanted to apologize for coming late, but the Secretary interrupted before he could finish his statement and ushered him to the Board Room. The Secretary said, "I apologize, Mr. Peter, for keeping you waiting since 10am. We actually heard when the bell rang at 10am but we were held up in a meeting with our company suppliers.

However, we have sat since 8am to deliberate on your job specification, your office and the salary."
Mr. Peter was baffled and said, "Ma'am, I haven't been interviewed yet’’. The MD answered him and said, "We decided not to conduct the interview at least to save time and also save the interviewees money on transport. So we looked at the papers for the most appropriate person we wanted and we opted for you. Also, we had tested your patience this morning by keeping you waiting intentionally for 2hrs. That's part of your interview. You won't be disappointed. You’ll be shown your office, your secretary and the driver assigned to drive your company's allotted vehicle. You’ll be on probation for 2yrs."

He got the job!!!

On his way out, his phone rang and it was the wife. She said, "honey, I was delivered of a bouncing baby boy." It was their fifth child and the only male child. He immediately named the child 'Miracle'.

He got a double miracle same day. All the disappointments turned out to favour him. God positioned the mail delivery man to ring the bell at 10am.

God also held them up in the meeting until Mr. Peter arrived.

_Note:_ You might be held up by issues in your life and hope might be diminishing and you think the chance is gone. But you know what? God's waiting for you to release His favour.

So don't go back along the way. Don't quit. Don't be upset by what you face along the way. In fact, God has already deliberated on your specifications.

One more thing: You don't have to go through any interview, since you have all the qualifications God wants.

My prayers for you:

1. God will position somebody at the right place and the right time for you who will ring the bell in your favour.

2. God will turn all your disappointments to be a blessing for you.

3. Every positive meeting will end in your favour and every negative meeting will scatter in your favour.

May this be your portion.
Remain blessed beyond measure!

By Anonymous.

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INSPIRED PUSH

INSPIRED PUSH

By Unknown   01:24   No comments:

A man had one very beautiful daughter. When the daughter was ready for marriage, the father sent news around town that all the eligible young men should come to compete in a test which would determine who was fit to marry his daughter. 

On that day, all was set, all the able-bodied young men came out. Some came with paper and biro and others with cutlasses and swords.

The rich man took them to his swimming pool and addressed the men: “Any of you who can swim from one end of this swimming pool to the other would marry my daughter.
In addition, I‘ll give him 15 million dollars, a car and a house so they can start life well. I shall be waiting to meet my son-in-law at the other end. Good luck!”

As the young men, all very excited at the prospect of winning, started taking off their shirts, a helicopter came over the pool and dropped alligators and crocodiles into the pool. Immediately, all the men turned back and started wearing their shirts again. Disappointed, some of them said, ''That's crazy, let's see who would marry that girl, no one will''. 

All of a sudden, they heard a splash in the pool. Everybody watched in amazement as one gentleman waddled across, expertly avoiding the alligators and crocodiles.
Finally, he made it to the other side.

The rich man could not believe it. He asked the young man to name anything he wanted but the man was still panting uncontrollably.
Finally, he got back to his senses and made a request saying, ''SHOW ME THE PERSON WHO PUSHED ME INSIDE THIS POOL!''

Moral 1:
You don’t know what you are capable of doing until you are PUSHED

Moral 2: 
Those seeking to push you into the jaws of alligators and crocodiles may have helped you to reach your promised land!!!

Sometimes it takes going through the bad moments to bring out the BEST in us.
Trials are raw materials for Triumphant Testimonies... The push might take different dimensions: some people needed to be sacked before realizing their potentials and reaching their goals in life.

I PRAY YOU WILL GET A DIVINELY INSPIRED PUSH in your life in Jesus Name.

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A King And His Four Wives

A King And His Four Wives

By Unknown   03:25   No comments:

Once upon a time there was a rich King who had four wives.

He loved the fourth wife the most and adored her with rich robes and treated her to the finest of delicacies. He gave her nothing but the best.

He also loved the third wife very much and was always showing her off to neighbouring kingdoms. However, he feared that one day she would leave him for another.

He also loved his 2nd wife. She was his confidant and was always kind, considerate and patient with him.

Whenever the King faced a problem, he could confide in her, and she would help him get through the difficult times.

The King's first wife was a very loyal partner and had made great contributions in maintaining his wealth and kingdom. However, he did not love the first wife. Although she loved him deeply, he hardly took notice of her!

One day, the King fell ill and he knew his time was short. He thought of his luxurious life and wondered, I now have four wives with me, but when I die, I'll be all alone."

Thus, he asked the fourth wife, "I loved you the most, endowed you with the finest clothing and showered great care over you. Now that I'm dying, will you follow me and keep me company?"

"No way!” replied the fourth wife, and she walked away without another word.
Her answer cut like a sharp knife right into his heart.

The sad King then asked the third wife, "I loved you all my 
life. Now that I'm dying, will you follow me and keep me company?"

"No!” replied the third wife. "Life is too good!
When you die, I'm going to remarry!"
His heart sank and turned cold.

He then asked the second wife, "I have always turned to you for help and you've always been there for me.

When I die, will you follow me and keep me company?"

"I'm sorry, I can't help you out this time!” replied the second wife. "At the very most, I can only walk with you to your grave."

Her answer struck him like a bolt of lightning, and the King was devastated. Then a voice called out: "I'll go with you. I'll follow you no matter where you go."

The King looked up, and there was his first wife. She was very skinny as she suffered from malnutrition and neglect.

Greatly grieved, the King said, "I should have taken much better care of you when I had the chance!"

LESSON

In truth, we all have the four wives in our lives:

Our fourth wife is our body. No matter how much time and effort we lavish in making it look good, it will leave us when we die.

Our third wife is our possessions, status and wealth. When we die, it will all go to others.

Our second wife is our family and friends. No matter how much they have been there for us, the farthest they can stay by us is up to the grave.

And our first wife is our Soul. Often neglected in pursuit of wealth, power and pleasures of the world.

However, our Soul is the only thing that will follow us wherever we go. Cultivate, strengthen and cherish it now, for it is the only part of us that will follow us to the throne of God and continue with us throughout Eternity.

Value your soul and feed with the word of God and prayer.

[A variation of the story from the sermon of Buddha]

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AVOIDING A BAD MARRIAGE

AVOIDING A BAD MARRIAGE

By Unknown   03:02   No comments:

After salvation, the most important choice you will need to make is who to marry. This choice is so important that if you miss it, you will suffer for long, if you get it right then you will enjoy forever. A bad marriage can affect every other areas of your life. 

This subject is so important, so many married people are hoping to be single again so as to make the right choice. If you are single please don't just be in a hurry to get married, you have the best opportunity to prepare for it. For two people to come together to live in peace and harmony, they must agree spiritually, mentally and physically. Just like an elephant cannot marry an ant so also a believer cannot marry an unbeliever. If an elephant marries an ant how would they live, if a goat marries a fish where would they meet? You must look for a godly man or a godly woman to marry, nothing can beat this. 

The devil's primary target is the family. He knows that everyone belongs to a family and if he can make two wrong people meet then he has succeeded affecting the community and nations negatively. Ignore your age and the pressure for a moment, the
pressure in a wrong marriage is far worse.

God has somebody for you but you must set your priorities right. What do you need in a woman? What do you need in a man? Marriage is not about what you want, it is about who you need, that will make you better while you make him better. It is about destiny. That is why you must know your purpose before you
get married. (Genesis 2:18.) You must pray before you choose. God knows the best person for you, it is only wise to seek His will. It is very easy to know God's will when sex is not involved. The moment sex is involved and you want to know His will then He will blank you out. Why? Because you have broken His first Law of NO SEX before marriage. If you have had sex in the past then you need to repent totally and stay away from each other for some time then you can seek the face of God.

Your marriage will not be hell on earth. Your marriage will be honourable in
the name of Jesus Christ.

NOTE:
* Don't marry for sex,
* Don't marry because you are of age,
* Don't marry because you are getting old,
* Don't marry because you are lonely,
* Don't marry because you need someone to support you financially,
* Don't marry because you
mistakenly got pregnant,
* Don't marry because you don't want to lose the person,
* Don't marry because of family pressures,
* Don't marry because you like the idea of marriage and admire every wedding gown you see,
* Don't marry because all your friends are getting married.
But
* Get married because you want to fulfil destiny.
* Get married because you want to be a help mate.
* As a man, get married because you want to fulfil your purpose.

God will help you in choosing, please let His will be done. Amen!

Share this with singles you love. God bless you!

By Pastor E.A Adeboye (G.O RCCG)

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LEFT BEHIND

LEFT BEHIND

By Unknown   04:04   No comments:

It's been a long time I have kept this to myself but I think it is time for me to tell this story. Please read, so it won't happen to you too.
It all happened on Sunday morning; it rained the previous night.
I slept late on Saturday night and thus, woke up late. My church service starts by 8am but when I opened my eyes, it was exactly 8:12 am.
I sprang up from my mattress, removing my blanket as quickly as I can and didn't even bother to bathe. Brushing my teeth within ten seconds, I wore my already pressed clothes and ran off to church.
My roommate was still sleeping but I didn't think he planned going to church at all. So without saying goodbye or waking him up, I left the room.
When I stepped out, I saw some young students of the fellowship who meet in front of my hostel. They were just setting up in preparation for their service. I think they start theirs around 9am.
The way the weather was, with the clouds dark and heavy, everywhere looked gloom and quiet but in my hurry, I took no time to observe or relish the remarkable atmosphere.

As I walked and ran on the tarred narrow road, just some distance from my hostel, I saw two girls sitting on a pavement and crying. They were dressed for church but with the way they sat and clung to each other, weeping, I doubt if they would still go to church that day.
Though many passers-by like me walked and paused to stare at them, they were clearly unconcerned. They cried uncontrollably that even their shouts of pain made my heart flutter.
I thought about going to them and trying to console them but I was late for service myself.

My conscience tortured me a great deal but when I glanced at my wristwatch, it was already 8:32 am.
'I am late. I have to go'. I told myself as I continued on my path.
Well, after few minutes, I made it to church eventually.
Except for a guy I saw who rested his head against a wall by the road, I didn't notice any other strange thing till I got to church.
But when I entered the church, it was another sight I beheld.

The backdrop of the altar and the designs of the pulpit and walls of the venue were already set up but I didn't see the Pastor.
In fact, I didn't see any of the church leaders.
The church was scanty.
Except for two ushers and three choristers I saw, most of the workers I knew were not present.
There were some members present though. But every single person in the building was looking lost. The brother beside me was even shedding tears without crying.
I too was getting afraid.
And then all of a sudden, a lady cried out just behind me.
It was so sudden and the sound was so laced with pain and fear that I was afraid the worst had happened.
This is when I dropped my Bible on a chair and had a deliberate look of the whole church.
In the left corner of the front which was designated as choir stand, three sisters placed their heads on the table in front of them; shaking their heads and body in that manner some people do when praying silently.
Just behind them was yet another sister who sat on the bare floor, with one of her shoes nowhere near her. Even her scarf was hung around her neck.
I recognized the sister.
She led choruses in the evening service we had the previous Thursday.
But now, the sweet voice I heard has turned to a painful mutter of incomprehensible words. She held on to the corner of a table with her two hands, and wept as she said things I didn't understand.
At this point, I knew this could only mean one thing but I didn't want to believe it. I couldn't just bring myself to believing it.
I couldn't.
I was still pondering on what all these mean when an older man sitting two chairs before me stood up suddenly and shouted with a voice crackled, broken and almost lost.
'Lord God! Please have mercy!'
By now, my heart was heavy and I could not explain a certain fear that clung to my heart.

To remove all doubts, I approached one of our ushers so I can ask for explanations. I almost stopped in my stride as I became afraid of what his answer might bid for me.
I walked to the rear of the church and stood in front of him but he didn't even take notice.
His eyes were opened, he was looking at me but with his empty and hopeless gaze at nothingness, I realized he was looking through me.
I called at him and touched the shoulder of his right hand before he blinked and looked at my face.
'Please Bro Paul what is happening today? Is the service elsewhere?' I asked with a voice fearful and low.
The usher dropped his eyes from looking at me and shook his head.
New tears began to streak through the corner of his eyes and his lips shook as he tried to hold himself from complete breakdown.
He raised his head again and returned his eyes, with tears, to me.
He started to speak but lost his voice again.
'My brother...' He finally managed to say.
He held his very wet handkerchief to his face as he tried to stop the infinitely-flowing tears.

Then he heaved so deeply I thought I heard his lungs relax.
'Bro Victor...' He started again amidst silent sobs.
'...we are lost. The Rapture has happened. We are doomed for life.'
Though I knew all along this would be the news, hearing it with my ears broke my heart. I mean I felt it in my heart. My heart sank, ached and broke.
I staggered and almost lost balance as I moved backwards, trying to hide from the weight of the news; trying to escape from the impending doom the usher pronounced.
But he wasn't done.
The usher released all the pent up tears of anguish and pain he has bravely been holding back and cried with all his might.

All I could make out from his voice was 'God, Please. God, Please'.
He said it over and over again amidst sobs and cries.
As if to really show he was really desperate, Bro Paul threw himself on the ground and prostrated full with his two hands clasped and his eyes looking to the heavens.
He begged God again and again, asking for mercy and pleading for another chance.
He cried and wept continuously and when he couldn't say anymore, he just lied there and cried.
By now, I had managed to sit down on a bench placed behind the church as I looked around in unbelief.
I didn't shout or cry at first. I just sat there looking around with tears already blocking my visions. My nose became clogged with phlegm and my throat was dry.

With tears flowing down my cheek, I raised my hand to my mouth as I tried to hold myself from weeping.
But it did no good.
I cried, cried and cried quietly, still with my hand holding back my mouth from releasing my voice with the pain and regrets it held.
Many thoughts crossed my mind- the fire of hell, the great tribulation, the suffering that awaits and many others but only one stayed.
I realized I would be alone in the world now.
My mom would be gone. My dad would be gone. All my sisters and brothers would be gone. While only I remained just because I found pleasure in sin.
The sudden loneliness this realization brought to my heart crushed it forever.
I dropped my hands from my mouth and cried.
Oh! I cried like I never did.
I wept and called out to God to forgive me but even I knew I was lost forever.
'Had I know! Had I know!' The thought tortured me.
Liquids dropped from my nostrils and tears from my eyes, a heavy ache hammered at my chest as I cried again and asked to be forgiven of all my sins but even then I knew there is no respite for me.

In the blur of my vision, I saw the sister-chorister still kneeling and recognized her voice as she sang that hymn of warning we always sang in our church.
With her broken voice, sobs and tears between the words of the song, she added more pain to my already damned soul.
'...oh! what a weeping and wailing
As the lost were told of their fate
They cried for the rocks and the mountains
They prayed but their prayer was too late...' She sang on and on.
The song had no melody this time, just sorrow.
I stopped my ears with my hands and refused to hear more but the lyrics taunted me still.
I knew all my prayers were useless but I anguished and cried to God more loudly.
It was in the middle of this other round of hopeless tears and prayers that I laid my head on the table and slept for sorrow.
When I woke up, I was on my bed, back in my room.
My pillow and cover-cloth were soaked in my own tears. Though I wasn't wearing any clothes, I was covered in sweat.
I searched for my phone and glanced at the clock.
It was 4.22am.
I had barely slept for three hours.
I realized it was all a dream but the relief that filled my heart was swiftly replaced with a great fear.
I stood up from my bed and looked around but nothing seemed out of place.
I saw my roommate still sleeping with earphones still plugged to his ears.
I looked outside and saw it was indeed darkest in the dawn.
Having made sure I was still safe and not lost yet, I knelt beside my bed, used my pillow to cover my mouth and cried in desperate prayers.
I prayed to be saved before it is too late. I knelt that way, weeping and asking God for mercy until I slept off.
And indeed when I woke and looked at my time, it was 8:12am and I was late for church...
.
.
.
This story was written to give warning to all who woke up today with breath still in their nostrils and words still in their mouth.
Seek God while He may be found. Call upon him while he still listens. Make your ways right with God before it is too late and you are lost forever.
The pain I tried to write into this fiction is negligible when compared to the pain that awaits all those who miss the rapture- or die without salvation.
You have a chance today. Take it. Repent and be saved.
.
-# VJW
'Left Behind'
©2016
Please share and just make sure everyone reads.
We will not miss it!

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STEPS TO FINANCIAL INDEPENDENCE

STEPS TO FINANCIAL INDEPENDENCE

By Unknown   12:21   No comments:

In the words of Robin Bartholick, “If you make $1 Million a year from a job, you could lose your job any day. If you make the same $1 Million from owning hostels, or businesses, no one can take that from you. Having a high income alone does not mean financial independence.”
The concept of Financial Independence is perhaps wider than what you think. Simply put, Finance has to do with money, economics, business, investment, banking, sponsorship and funding. Independence means self-reliance, freedom and autonomy (Encarta Dictionary, 2009). Therefore, Financial Independence (henceforth referred to as FI) is described as a state of having sufficient wealth (not income) to live on without having to work actively for basic necessities (Wikipedia, 2014). The emphasis of FI is on wealth-creation and not income-generation. Wealth is succinctly defined as an avenue that generates income without the earner’s labour. Wealth avenues include ownership of a private business and financial instruments such as Bonds, Shares, etc that provide a constant source of income without the owners’ active work.


FI focuses on two key concepts which are Assets and Expenses. Your assets are resources owned by you and which increase your income and build your wealth. Expenses, on the other hand refer to your spending on items of necessity (and non-essential items too). While income-generating assets enhance one’s FI, expenses curtail it. There are practical steps to attaining FI which focus mainly on increasing your assets and minimizing or prudently managing your expenses. Rather than amass income, amass wealth. You are financially independent if you can live without additional pay from any other source other than from your wealth-generators.


From Bartholick’s opening statement above, it is a bitter truth that a highly-paid employee who doesn’t have other independent wealth-generators such as Shares, private business or Estate investment that amass wealth for him is only a high income earner. That does not make him financially independent.


In the work of Joshua Kennon, there are different approaches to achieving FI. Chief among these approaches is to spend less than you earn. This sounds logical. To be free from financing your daily expenses through debt/borrowing, it is only logical to live within your earning bracket. Incurring a Naira above your earnings means it will be financed by an external source which makes you indebted and hence you are denied your FI. It is a different thing to borrow so as to invest the borrowed sum to generate income. This is no longer borrowing to finance daily living but an investment which is wealth-generating.


Furthermore, it is said that FI is a slow process and it takes time. One does not jump to FI. All financial success is said to start with savings (Kennon). The principle of savings is as old as man. Joseph as the technical head of Egypt saved for the time of want and he served as the sole supplier of food to nations. Achieving FI does include increasing one’s surplus fund which should be channelled towards profitable investment options that will enhance one’s FI. The habit of saving is also pivotal to being financially independent. Savings serve as a buffer on which one can fall back on in future.


Though a bitter pill to swallow, it is the truth that in the effort to eke out a living, we do jobs we don’t like or which we even make us lose control over our time. The job dictates where we should be at 8a.m and which reports must be made available before the close of business. According to Charles Waller, unless you get to do what you love every morning when you get out of bed … you are merely a highly paid wage slave. This truth may be difficult to accept but its rejection does not change it. To enjoy FI, one needs have control over one’s time. This defines freedom. Such a freedom or self-reliance is perhaps only guaranteed an Entrepreneur and not an employee, regardless of whether the latter is a manager – a manager of another man’s business. So far the job (and not a wealth-generator) pays his bills, his continued financial strength is tied to a source that isn’t his, and hence, he lacks FI. Therefore, FI requires entrepreneurship and not company employment.


Rob Colvin emphasised that by solving society’s problems, you reap huge rewards on which you can live comfortably – independently! There are societal problems and needs. Generating ideas that are solutions to people’s needs positions one for FI. Ideas, they say, still rule the world. If one generates ideas that amass wealth for one, one rules one’s finances and hence secures FI. “Think and Grow Rich”, an author titled his book.
For a married person who dreams of FI, he should also have a spouse that is not a spendthrift or a squanderer. Kennon opined that it will be counterproductive if one makes efforts to be financially independent but shares bed with a spendthrift. It cannot work because while one is thinking of cutting expenses and increasing asset base, the other is thinking in the opposite direction. Team up with people who are also interested in being financially independent and by this, you will sharpen your financial iron with theirs.


Pursuing entrepreneurship or private business is a major route to attaining FI. Kemisola Omoyiola an Entrepreneur whose business of distributing finished products (drinks) began in her kitchen with a single freezer summarized what FI means when she said she is yet to see anything as fulfilling as being one’s master. To attain ultimate FI, one must be in control of a wealth-generator as earning income is not same as making income.


In conclusion, to attain FI, one must increase one’s assets and cut expenses. Expenses could be cut through modest living while passive income could be generated through owning assets giving rise to rental income, dividends from shares, interest on bank fixed deposits, returns from writing books/magazines, profits from business ownership, etc.

Vessel Anani Sunday K (VASK)
0802 929 9709

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