Telescope of Faith: The Results are Coming (1)

Have you been asking yourself: “where are the results of all my efforts over the years? Where are the answers to my prayers?" You might have been doing the best you can to change your fortune and instead of making headway, the situation seems to get from bad to worse.

The enemies of progress might be showing you some signs that they have blocked all the ways of coming out of your predicament. And seeing these signs, you get wearied by the day and find it difficult to cope with life.

If you have been doing the best you can and nothing seems to work, then this article is specially for you. Please read on.

You Don’t Have to See the Results Before You Believe

If you have been asking yourself over the years: “where are the results of all my efforts? Where are the answers to my prayers?” Then, I have the right answer for you: you don’t have to see the results before you believe. You don’t have to see the answers to your prayers before you believe God has answered you.

The Book of Success, the Bible says: “For we walk by faith and not by sight” (2 Cor. 5:7). When you are walking by faith, you will not be worrying about seeing the results. The results and answers to your prayers already exist in the spiritual, but you cannot see them physically. And the fact that you cannot see them with your physical eyes doesn’t mean they are not in existence.

There is a saying among the Yoruba people of Nigeria that: “Aima asiko lon daa mu eda,” which means that it is lack of man’s knowledge of what the future holds that is responsible for man’s worries and frustration.

This is where faith comes in. if we want to be victorious in life, we must use the telescope of faith to assure ourselves constantly that the answers are coming. Faith is one kingdom principle we must practice in order to succeed in everything we desire to achieve.

And if you are walking by faith, you don’t have to be bothered by the fact that you cannot see the results with your physical eyes. THE FUNDAMENTAL LESSON WE MUST GRASP, IF WE MUST SUCCESSFULLY WALK BY FAITH IS THAT IN THE REALM OF THE SPIRIT, WHAT MATTERS IS YOUR BELIEF AND HOW LONG YOU ARE WILLING TO WAIT FOR THE MANIFESTATION OF THE RESULTS AND ANSWERS.

The Master Jesus said: “Therefore, I say unto you, what things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them and ye shall have them” (Mark 11:24). When you carefully examine this statement of Jesus, you would realize that believing comes before results.

In the realm of faith, seeing is not believing. If you are walking by faith, you have to keep believing before you start seeing the results. If you are bothered about the results, it is an indication that you either have no faith or your faith is diminishing.

Whenever you start getting worried about the results of your effort, know for sure that the devil is trying to deprive you of your blessing by making you impatient. Impatience is one of the destiny destroyers in the history of mankind.

Anytime people’s destinies change from positive to negative or are not fulfilled, it could be that people have grown tired of waiting for God and have call it quit. In our human wisdom, we think that our own time is more preferable to God’s. For this reason, we become restless and impatient when it appears God seems not to take into consideration our own time.

IF YOU WANT GOD’S BEST FOR YOUR LIFE, YOU MUST LEARN TO ACCEPT HIS WILL FOR YOUR LIFE. ACCEPTING GOD’S WILL FOR YOUR LIFE MEANS WAITING PATIENTLY FOR GOD TO BRING THE POSITIVE RESULTS TO PASS.

Waiting patiently for God’s best plan for you doesn’t mean you should stop making efforts and fold your arms. It just means that you don’t allow anything, situation or person to discourage you from trusting in God’s love and power to bring His plan for you to fulfillment.

Yours is to keep trusting God while you keep making all the efforts. Never fold your arms under the guise that you are waiting for God’s best time and plan. If you are waiting for God, you would be up and doing. You would be taking some steps, no matter how little, to move forward.

And if you find yourself in a position where you cannot make any effort at all, you can at least sit down to think, plan and stategise. And these are the starting point to great accomplishments. If you can sit down to think, plan and strategise, you are actually doing something spectacular to move you forward. This is important because you will never be taken unaware when God’s time for you unfolds.

See the Results in the Spiritual

Everything you desire to achieve already exists in the spiritual. This is why you must always reach out to your telescope of faith and use it to focus on those answers and results that exist in the spiritual. If you keep focusing on the results that exist in the spiritual and not in the physical, sooner than later, you will start seeing the manifestation of the results in the physical.

I see faith as the telescope that you can use to see your accomplishments, successes, and breakthroughs in a far distance. Your expectations may still be a bit far, but as long as you can see them with the telescope of faith, you will soon see these expectations in reality. You have to see it in the spiritual before you can see it in the physical.

The problem with us is that we want to see it in the physical before we believe God has done it for us. You have to consider it done, even though there is nothing to show that it has been done.

You have to believe that your victory is already accomplished even though the battle still rages on. You have to believe that your prosperity is certain even though there are signs of poverty all around you.  You have to keep believing and confessing that by the stripes of Jesus you are healed even though there are signs that the sickness is still in your body.

It is your ability to keep holding unto your faith that will bring into manifestation God’s glorious plan for your life.

Let Your Faith Prevail

If you are going to be victorious in life, your faith must prevail over adversities and negative things that are happening around you and in your life. It is easy to get discouraged in life. As a result of negative things you hear and see, it is easy to become despondent. It is easy to quit when things are not going well the way you expect.

But if you get discouraged and quit, you become a victim instead of a victor. For you to be victorious, therefore, you have to remain firm in your faith, believing that come what may, you will prevail in the end.

When your friends and foes are getting impatient with you or you are getting impatient with yourself about your results that are yet to come into manifestation, then, you need to remind yourself that worrying and fretting do not bring into reality the results you are yearning for.

You should keep reminding yourself that FAITH IS WHAT WILL BRING YOUR RESULTS INTO REALITY. FAITH IS WHAT WILL EARN YOU THE VICTORY. FAITH IS WHAT WILL TRANSFORM YOU FROM A PAUPER TO A PROSPEROUS PERSON. FAITH IS WHAT WILL TERMINATE SICKNESS FROM YOUR LIFE AND GRANT YOU PERMANENT HEALING.

To enjoy breakthroughs in your life, you must learn to hold tenaciously to your faith. Don’t get easily discouraged if the results are not forthcoming. Don’t quit because you cannot see the physical manifestation of your results.

UNTIL YOU START SEEING THE PHYSICAL MANIFESTATIN OF YOUR EXPECTATIONS, YOU SHOULD NOT GIVE UP. UNTIL YOU SEE YOUR PRAYERS BEING ANSWERED, NEVER QUIT.

THE FAITH THAT BRINGS THE DESIRED RESULTS IS THE FAITH THAT REMAINS UNSHAKEN.  “Where are the results?” Someone may ask. The true answer is: the results are coming! It is certain! No Jupiter can withhold your results! It is just a matter of time.  If you can remain firm in your faith and keep believing God to bring your results into manifestation, God will, at the right time, intervene and grant you your heart’s desires.

If you are getting too agitated about your results that are not forthcoming it is an indication that your faith is waning instead of increasing. It is worth reiterating that your victory is rooted in your ability to hold unto the belief that your victory is sure!

Your faith must not falter. If it appears the results are not forthcoming, that should not make you quit. Instead of quitting, you should pray more, believe more and put in more efforts toward achieving your heart’s desires.

Dear reader, it is not that the results will not come. Your results are coming. But the question is: will you quit before they get to you? Or will you stand strong and embrace them by holding unto your faith?

Until I come your way soon, go and build the faith that brings your results into manifestation! Go and live victoriously!

PS: Please watch out for part 2 of this article which shall be coming your way soon. Don’t miss it!

Money and Relationship (2)

Welcome to part 2 of this article. Talk about contentment, contentment doesn’t mean we should remain in our poverty situation and do nothing about it. Contentment doesn’t mean we should stop making effort to improve our financial status. 

The mistake some men make is that they jump into marriage without putting money in its proper perspective. They undermine the role of money, thinking that when they get married the situation will improve. But after getting married, instead of improving, the situation gets worse.

They make their wives and children to undergo untold hardship. Provision of basic necessities of life becomes a difficult task to them, not even to talk of children’s school fees, welfare or luxury.

Laying the Proper Foundation

Laying proper foundation for a successful marital life implies allowing money to play its role in the relationship. If you undermine the role of money in the relationship, you would put the entire members of the family into hardship.

There are men who jump into marriage without having a source of income or a reliable source of income. Some are jobless, but because they have reached the age of marriage, they jump into marriage. To such men, time is of essence. Of course, time is of essence to us all. But then, the role of money in a relationship should not be undermined. 

There are some believers who “exercise their faith” by jumping into marriage without having money or source of income. Their belief is that as soon as they get married, God will turn around the situation positively.

I wouldn’t condemn this act of faith as faith can be applied in every situation. If I condemn this act of faith, it means I am contradicting myself, because this is what CFVL is teaching. CFVL teaches among other things, faith as a prerequisite for victorious living. 

In fact, a learned female colleague of mine has told me some time ago about a fresh graduate believer who had no job or money but took a step of faith and contracted a marriage. Thereafter, job opportunities came and the man is now financially sound! Fine! Great act of faith!

But the problem with this “act of faith” is that many people who take this step are not doing so out of faith but out of fear. They are so gripped by the fear of marrying at a very late age that they thought the wisest thing to do is to quickly contract marriage and start having children. After having several children, the situation gets worse. They can’t pay their children’s school fees. They cannot buy clothes for their wife and children. And some cannot pay their rent. They make the entire members of the family to suffer untold hardship due to their “act of faith.”

One reason CFVL will not encourage men and (women) to exercise their faith by jumping into marriage without a reliable source of income is that most time, such steps are not really steps of faith, but steps of fear – fear of not getting married on time. The consequence of this step is untold hardship. 

The point is this: if you are believing God for a personal issue, there is no problem because you would have the patience to bear it. You would be willing to wait patiently for God to grant or honour your act of faith. But where you are dealing with a family issue – wife and children – and you don’t plan for their welfare in advance, but jump into marriage, you may find it difficult to carry them along with your “act of faith.” They would bear the brunt as your act of faith would bring them hardship. 

 

On this issue of jumping into marriage by faith, without having a reliable source of income, some churches would not permit their members to do so. I have heard of two great ministries (churches) in Nigeria that would first of all investigate the source of income of the suitor, his residence and other relevant matters before they approve of his marriage. If the suitor has no job and has no home (rented apartment or personal), his marriage may not be approved.

This is also the position of CFVL. The proper step of faith you should take in your marriage plan is to first of all consider the interest of the wife you will marry and also the children God will bless you with.

If you take the interest of your wife and children into consideration, you would realize that jumping into marriage without a reliable source of income is wrong. There is a scriptural passage backing this point. The Book of Success, the Bible says: “But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel” (1 Timothy 5:8). 

CFVL is saying you should bring in money to play its role in a relationship. You should not undermine the role of money in your relationship. The interest of members of your family is paramount. Your interest shouldn’t conflict with their interests all the time. 

You may already have a wonderful family in spite of your low income, but you can enjoy a happier and more fulfilling marital life, if you work harder to improve your financial position. 

Dear reader, as you make your bed, so you lie in it. In your relationship, remember to consider the role of money. Don’t ever undermine the role of money in your relationship. And until I come your way soon, go and put things in proper perspective and you will live victoriously now and ever!

NB: watch out for part 3 of this article which shall come your way soon. Don’t miss it!

Moving Beyond Money Excuse to Starting a Worthwhile Venture

There is virtually nothing you wish to embark upon presently that doesn’t require money. You need money to set up your business, fund your education in the school, establish an NGO, or bring your project into reality. Money is one of the determining factors for your success in life. The Bible says: “Money answers all things.”

However, in spite of the importance of money, we should not use lack of money as an excuse for failure. One common problem with us is not really that we don’t know what to do to succeed; our problem is that we allow money problem to hinder us from bringing our great ideas into reality.

Dear reader, if you have a great idea and you have been making the excuse that you don’t have the money, then, after reading this article, you are going to learn why you must abandon your money excuse and start taking the steps to bring your goal or worthwhile venture into reality. Please read on.

Not Money, But Ideas

The starting point to achieving great success in any project or venture you wish to accomplish is realising that money is not really the problem but ideas.

It is true that we need money to start our business, project or venture. But it is not true that money is the main problem. The main problem we are having is problem of ideas. When we have money problem, we should remind ourselves that this money problem can be solved. And what we need to solve money problem is idea.

Granted, you need money to establish your business, project or venture. But what have you been doing concerning the money you need? Have you sat down to think of what to do to obtain the money you need? Have you taken time to brainstorm and generate the ideas you need to solve your money problem?

If You Don’t Have Money, Look for Something Legitimate to Do to Get the Money

No matter how difficult the economy may be, there is always something you can do to get the money you need for implementing your project or business.

If you have farming background or you have access to farm land, instead of remaining in the city idle, why not relocate to the village and embark on farming to generate the money you need? If you make up your mind to venture into farming, you can generate the money you need from farm activities.

Many people have abandon farming and fled to cities thinking that things will be easier or better in the cities. But no sooner had they arrived the cities than they realized that things are also difficult in the cities.

If you are in the city, you can also think of legitimate job you can do to generate the money you need. Remember, you don’t need all the money to start. You can start with any amount you can afford. I have read in OUR DAILY MANNA, a very popular daily devotional booklet, where the publisher shared his testimony that he started with only 200 copies of the devotional. He said he borrowed the money he used in publishing the devotional from someone.

Today, this devotional has gone multi-national. The devotional is sold in over eleven countries. The bottom-line is: START SMALL. LOOK FOR A LITTLE MONEY THAT YOU CAN START WITH. WORKING TO GET A LITTLE MONEY SHOULD NOT BE A PROBLEM. LOOK FOR SOMETHING LEGITIMATE TO DO TO GET THE MONEY YOU NEED.

Always adopt a problem-solving attitude. There is a solution to every money problem. One solution is to sit down and think of anything you can do to generate the money you need. Work to earn the money you need to start your business, project or venture.

If You Don’t Have Money, Look for Sponsors

For every great idea, there are people who have the money and are willing to finance the venture. If you have a great project or idea, it is your responsibility to look for sponsors.

If you an author, playwright, singer, script writer, film maker, inventor or business person, the fact is, you may not have to labour to raise the money you need to execute your project. You only need to look for someone that will buy into your idea.

Note that you have to work on your idea by adding more value to it and packaging it well. Make your ideas attractive and then start looking for sponsors.

In a radio interview at Kapital FM Radio FCT-Abuja years ago, INFINITY, a group of musicians, who sang the popular track, Olori Oko, explained how they took time to polish their songs. After that, they went round from one potential sponsor to another until they found one who believed in their works and agreed to sponsor the production of the Olori Oko album. The album recorded great success.

IF YOU HAVE A GREAT IDEA, ADD VALUE TO IT AND GO OUT TO LOOK FOR THOSE THAT WILL BUY INTO YOUR IDEA. YOU WILL DEFINITELY FIND SOMEONE THAT WILL SPONSOR/FINANCE YOUR IDEA.

If You Don’t Have Money, Look for Partners

If you have a great idea, but you don’t have money to bring the idea into reality, you can look for a person who has the money and is willing to partner with you in the venture.

This type of arrangement is called “joint venture.” It is a kind of partnership where two or more people come together to run the venture and share the profit.

The difference between sponsorship and joint venture is that a sponsor is not a part owner though he is entitled to the proceeds that emanate from the venture; while a person involved in a joint venture contributes capital, shares in the profit and is also a joint-owner of the venture.

In a joint venture where you bring the idea and another brings the money, the person bringing the idea would normally demand higher income from the proceeds but you that bring the idea still stand to gain greatly from the proceeds.

IF YOU HAVE A GREAT IDEA, DON’T HESITATE TO LOOK FOR A PERSON WHO WILL PARTNER WITH YOU BY CONTRIBUTING MONEY TO FINANCE THE EXECUTION OF YOUR GREAT IDEA.

If You Don’t Have Money, Go for Loan

From practical experience, solicitors will tell you that one major way people obtain money to run and expand their business is loan.  They approach banks and apply for loan, mortgaging their land or house.

The banks won’t hesitate to give them loan since they are providing collateral securities to safeguard the transaction. And since the businesses the applicants are doing are viable, they don’t have problem repaying the loan and the interest.

If you have a great idea and you have collateral security, e.g., land or house, and you are willing to take a risk, you may go for loan. The great business people in the society are obtaining money through loan from bank to run their businesses.

Conclusively, to move beyond money excuse to start something worthwhile, you need to realize that money is not the problem. The problem is idea. To get the ideas to solve the money problem, you have to sit down and think.

And until I come your way soon, go and generate the ideas you need to solve the money problem, and start pursuing your goal and bringing your ideas to reality!