TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction 1. CHAPTER ONE: You cant get everything until you give everything 2.

CHAPTER TWO: The power of knowledge 3. CHAPTER THREE: Failures are those who fail themselves. 4. CHAPTER FOUR: The only way to prove that you are wise is to learn more. 5. CHAPTER FIVE: A clay in the hands of the potter 6. CHAPTER SIX: The blessings of God are like rain that falls 24 hours daily; only those with open heart receive it. 7. CHAPTER SEVEN: Who is a believer? 8. CHAPTER EIGHT: With humility you are like the soil where any seed can grow. 9. CHAPTER NINE: Wisdom, motivational, and inspirational quotes 10. CHAPTER TEN: Proverbs and old sayings

INTRODUCTION Many motivational speakers have often advised that people will perform better if they exploit their God-given talents as opposed to doing those things they are not good at. There have been several cases of individuals who changed their jobs and career paths to embrace their talents. They came out better. Even though our innate gifts manifest in the physical, there is always a spiritual backing to them. For us to manifest our potentials, a lot of motivation is required to be able to overcome challenges. Motivating people to manifest their potentials only through physical means often yielded little results. However, applying spiritual motivational means on the other hand produced better outcome. People go through a lot of challenges and troubles in life because of their failure to unleash their potentials. The high rate of unemployment can also be traced to our inability to utilize our talents to do those things that will make life easier instead of depending on government to provide jobs that are not available. However, our inability to utilize our potentials could be traceable to our failure to embrace the Holy Spirit and revelations from God on what our callings are. Blessings and honor be unto God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah) who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realm. I always prayed to God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, that He may grant you a spirit of wisdom and revelation (insight into mysteries and secrets) in the deep, and intimate knowledge of Him and purpose for your life by having the eyes of your heart flooded with light, so that you can know and understand the hope to which He has called you, and how rich is His glorious inheritance in the saints. (Ephesians 1:17-18) (Amplified).
2

Jesus is the head of the church and we are the body. Then if we are the body, which part of the body are we? This is where we need the wisdom of God and revelation to get an insight into the mysteries and secrets of His purpose for our lives through Christ Jesus. The unfolding of Gods words give light and understanding (discernment and comprehension) to the simple. (Psalm 119:130) (Amplified). The cemetery is considered the richest place on earth because of those buried therein who never had the opportunity of utilizing their God-given potentials while alive. This is possible if such people didnt have Christ in them and thus the unfolding light of God was not available to them for His purpose for their lives. Anyone who wants to discover Gods purpose for his life must first get connected to the body of Christ through faith and recognize Him as the Lord and personal savior. Then the unfolding light of Jesus which reveals the truth about our callings will unfold the truth. Many people misconstrue their callings in darkness because the unfolding light of Jesus Christ was not available to them. God did not create man to fail; to do so will be unrighteousness on His part. And as long as the heaven and earth remains, God can never be unrighteous. The governments of this world can produce several graduates without employment opportunities, but God Almighty did not create any man without potentials. He did not just give us our individual potentials, but also gave us the unfolding light who is Jesus Christ to reveal the truth to us by being in Him.

CHAPTER ONE YOU CANT GET EVERYTHING UNTIL YOU GIVE EVERYTHING Jesus said unto the young man, If you want to be perfect, go and sell all your possessions and give the proceeds to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me. (Mathew 19 v 21) (NLT) This is a case of testing the heart of man. Jesus was putting man to test to know where his heart laid, whether it is in material things or not. The result is clear. Where a mans treasure is, that is where his heart will be. When we talk of giving all we have, our mind often went to pecuniary or material things. Money is part and the least of what we can give to God. The best gift we can give to God is our heart. It is when we give our heart to God that we can give selfless service and worship Him in truth and in spirit. The last statement in the bible passage says Then come, follow me. This means our heart should lean towards God. The Lord said to Abraham, Because you have obeyed me and have not withheld even your son, your only son, I swear by my own name that I will certainly bless you; I will multiply your descendants beyond number like the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore; your descendants will conquer the cities of their enemies and through them all the nations of the earth will be blessed. (Genesis 22 v 16 18) (NLT). God has respect for humanity. He will be unrighteous to take Abrahams only son. This was another case of testing the heart of man. Abraham gave everything he had. And God said you cannot get everything until you give every thing. The stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore represent everything that God gave Abraham in Mathew 19 v 21 22. The young man who Jesus told
4

to give everything gave nothing and went away sad. And we never heard of him again. But Abraham did the opposite and today the gospel is not complete without the story of Abraham. Now Jesus sat opposite the treasury and saw how people put money into the treasury box. And many who were rich put in much; then one poor widow came and threw in two mites. He called his disciples to himself and said to them, Assuredly, I say to you that this poor window has put in more than those who have given to the treasury; for they all put in out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all that she had, her whole livelihood [Mark 12: 41 44] (NKJV) Quote: The best you can give to God is your heart In the old church, there was a treasurer in charge of the treasury box, who knew how people gave what they gave. Jesus sat opposite the treasury watching how people cast money into the treasury, what they gave and how they gave; that is the state of their state of their heart. He called His disciples to himself and interceded for the poor widow that gave all she had. It is only those who give God their heart that can give everything even in their poverty. In heaven, Jesus is permanently interceding for us based on what and how we give out what we have like the poor widow. That is why we receive things we did not pray for, favour that we do not merit, blessings we do not deserve because Jesus intercedes for us based on the state of our heart and credits our account from heaven based on our account balance.

Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasure in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also (Mathew 6: 19 21) (NKJV) My experience in school will help us to have a deep understanding of the Bible chapter and verses above. In my days on campus, I often made sure I did not use up all my pocket money as I tried to secure my daily requirements. Something unexpectedly happened one day and I was forced to use up all the money left with me. It was then that I remembered that I had some provisions from God I could fall back on. Quote: Your treasure in heaven is an assurance of supernatural provisions The lesson here is that it was not the money in my pocket that guaranteed my provision, but my treasure in heaven which was credited. Our treasure in heaven provides divine and supernatural provisions for us. Sometimes we get things from God without asking, praying or fasting. They are given to us because we are stakeholders of the treasure in heaven. We shall not lack good things because there is an auto-transfer, auto-credit mechanism from heaven to our account. Anyone can be a stake holder of the treasures in heaven based on the transparency of the heart, obedience to Gods word and holiness.

The promise granted through faith; for the promise that He would be the heir of the world was not to Abraham or to his seed, but through the righteousness of faith (Romans 4: 13) (NLT) This is a reference passage that tells us more about who are as the stakeholders of the treasure in heaven. Abraham and his seed did not become shareholder of the treasure in heaven according to law, culture or tradition, but by being stakeholders through the righteousness of their faith. The Lord will open to you his good treasure, the heaven, to give the rain (blessings) to your land in its season, and to bless all the works of your hand, and you shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow (Deuteronomy 28: 12) (NKJV) In every nation or organization, there is a treasure or special account set aside to solve economic or social problems regarded as very important to the organization. In oil rich nations there are excess crude oil accounts which are regarded as national treasure and can be used to solve economic problems during emergency periods. This is also applicable to the organization of heaven. However, in this case, economic problems do not need to occur before heaven credits our account from the treasures of heaven. We must understand that heaven will not credit our account without the works of our hands as said in Deuteronomy 28:12. The work of our hand is a channel in which God can credit our account from the treasure of heaven. Today people work like elephants and eat like ants because they have no treasure in heaven;and there is nothing to credit their account with. And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands for us; yes, establish the work of our hands (Psalm 90:17) [NKJV]
7

If God does not bless a man, no man will; and if God does not establish a man, no man can establish him. The establishment of a man is a function of the accreditation of heavenly treasure. You cant have access to heavenly treasure until you give your heart to God. Those who give everything are those who give God their heart, those who have everything are those who have treasures in heaven; those who have treasures in heaven are those who gave their hearts to God and are true worshippers. True worshippers render selfless service. Those who render selfless service to God lay up their treasures in heaven; those who lay up their treasure in heaven never lack any assurance of good things as in Mathew 6:vs.19-20. Jesus in a parable told us to lay up treasures in heaven where there is assurance of supernatural provisions. Look at the birds of the air, they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly father feeds them; are you not of more value than they [Mathew 6:26] (NKJV) The birds of the air can provide for their offspring, can afford more than three meals a day. It is just a question of flying few meters from her nest. Yet, we are more important than birds. Statistics show us figures of people who are hungry in every part of the world. They are not hungry because they refused to work, but are hungry because they lacked heavenly treasure. With heavenly treasure, little work triggers abundance. For after all these things the gentiles seek for; your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God

and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you (Mathew 6v32-33 (NKJV) There is nothing you want that God does not have or knows about. Based on the law of sowing and reaping, which is a law of nature, you cannot reap where you did not sow. God is telling you to deposit your heart first in his kingdom by rendering selfless service, loving one another, forgiving, faithful, being humble, give brotherly love, be merciful, hospitality and so on. Every of those acts increase our treasure box in heaven which results to our supernatural provision on earth. With our treasure box in heaven, our divine provision is not by law, but by right. With our heavenly treasure, we dont need to ask. When we think of anything according to the will of God, it will be given to us. Quote: Every of your righteous act increases your heavenly treasure With our heavenly treasure, good things will happen to us in their own accord; the promise that God will grant our hearts desire is based on our heavenly treasure. Heavenly treasure is a covenant that guarantees our provision on earth. Some times wealth could disappear because of lack of heavenly treasure that guarantees everlasting provision on earth. We should enter into a covenant of supernatural provision by giving our heart to God just like Abraham and David did in the bible. These are some of the people who gave their hearts and God established a covenant with them. Mathew 6:19-21 tells us not to lay up our treasure on earth, where moth and rust destroys and where thieves break in and steal, but we should lay up treasure in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys. When you lay up your treasure in
9

heaven, there is a covenant the seals it up which is the best form of security. That is why Jesus said do not lay up your treasure on earth where there is no covenant or divine security; but lay up your treasure in heaven where there is an everlasting guarantee of divine provision. For those who lay up their treasure on earth, there is no guarantee of everlasting provision. In fact, the expiring date of their wealth is known because there is no divine security from above. Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my temple. If you do, says the Lord of heavenly armies, I will open the windows of heaven for you; I will pour out a blessing so great you wont have enough room to take it in. Try it; put me to the test [Malachi 3:10] (NLT) Bringing all the tithes takes us back to our chapter title that says you cannot get everything until you give everything. Now the truth is, many of us believe that ten percent of our income is our entire tithe. No, it is only a part of it. All our tithes comprise of tithing your strength, your time, your knowledge, your talent and so on. As an accountant in an organization, you tithe your experience by helping the church in the accounting department. Twenty four hours a day, we are expected to tithe some percentage of our time in praising or worship God. These and others make up all the tithes. When we have done this, we have given everything to God and God also gives us everything. He says, I will open the windows of heaven to give everything because you have given everything, which is your entire tithe. But this I say; he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully [2 Corinthians 9 V 6] (NKJV) Those who sow sparingly are those who do not give their complete tithe. Complete tithe in this case is not ten percent of your total income, it also entails physical
10

offering, offering your acquired skill and so on. Those who give financially only sow sparingly, but those who give financially as well as themselves have sown bountifully. Money is the least of what we can give to God. God is not man who takes material things as the best offer. The best we can give to God is our heart. The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid again; he goes to sell all that he has and buys that field [Mathew 13:14] (NASB) This is a parable of a cheerful giver; a parable of a man who is willing to give everything to access the treasure in heaven. Remember the story of a young rich man in [Mathew 19:21] who Jesus told to sell all his possessions and give the money to the poor to access heavenly treasure. We should also remember the story of Abraham in [Genesis 22: 16-18] who gave his only son to access heavenly treasure. We know the rest of the story. This explanation will help us to interpret the story of this man who joyfully sold all he had to buy up the field. Now the field represents green pasture; the green pasture represents divine provision; the field represents heavenly treasure; the man who sold all that he has and buys that field, meant giving all his heart in selfless service to buy the heart of God to access heavenly treasure. This is why I said heavenly treasure is like a strategy which only those who can understand it, survive. There are people who are doing better than you and you begin to ask God why this is so. It is because they know the strategy you dont know; the sacrificial strategy, a strategy of sowing bountifully.

11

CHAPTER TWO THE POWER OF KNOWLEDGE Knowledge stands for you Ignorance stands against you Knowledge pays for you You pay for ignorance Knowledge is a shield Ignorance is like a conflict That can make you a refugee Even in your fatherland. Apart from our respective discipline, we need to seek the knowledge of God. Our collective knowledge is not complete without the knowledge of God. Lack of knowledge generally gets us into trouble, knowledge about what is happening around us, knowledge about Gods purpose for our life. This and other necessary knowledge are what we need to acquire. Ignorance is not an excuse in the secular world. Even as children of God, we must be knowledgeable because God is a God of knowledge. Come and listen to my counsel; Ill share my heart with you and make you wise [proverb 1 V 23] (NLT) This is a call for you to acquire knowledge, through revelation, through the word of God. It says, come and listens to my counsel; I will share my heart, my knowledge with you and make you wise, about the knowledge of God, about Gods purpose for your life. God supplies series of knowledge through different channels. Knowledge is
12

like a mustard seed. No matter how small it is, when planted, it becomes a big tree. It is also applicable to knowledge, especially the knowledge of God. When we take heed and dwell in it, it will help us grow like a mustard seed that grows into a bigger tree; a tree that can bear fruits and become blessings to others. Knowledge is a light that makes you shine in the dark, and make people look for you for help. Ignorance is like darkness in which you must look up to people for help. Quote: It is better to be a student for one day than to be an illiterate forever Ordinarily, a man needs help even though he can provide everything for himself. Sometimes ignorance can make us look out for what we already have. Ignorance can also waste our time, or move ahead of time which can be dangerous. Knowledge about Gods purpose for our lives is very important. God has prepared a table before us, but sometimes because of our lack of knowledge, we destroy it. And there was famine in the land, other than the famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went to Gerar, to Abimelech king of the Philistines. And the Lord appeared to him and said, do not down to Egypt; live in the land of which I will tell you. Dwell temporarily in this Land, and I will be with you and favor you with blessing; for to you and to your descendants I will perform the oath which I swore to Abraham your father. And I will make your descendants to multiply as the stars of the heavens, and will give to you posterity of all these lands (Kingdom); and by your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, [Genesis 26: 1 -4] (AMP)

13

What would have made Isaac plan to go to Egypt during famine period (economic meltdown)? Possibly to look for greener pasture and Isaac is the heir of Abrahams promise. We must have the knowledge that our provision is not in abroad, but from above. Lack of knowledge makes us to look for what we already have. We should also have the knowledge that any land we step our foot on is ours as an heir of Abrahams promise. Traveling from one country to another for greener pasture is not necessary as an heir of Abrahams promise. Then Isaac sowed seed in that land and received in the same year a hundred times as much as he had planted and God favored him with blessings. And the man became great and gained more and more until he became very wealthy and distinguished [Genesis 26: 12 13] (AMP) This brings us to the fact that we can prosper anywhere. If Isaac had gone to Egypt, he would possibly have become a refugee, [Proverb 1 V 23). God said come and listen to my counsel; I will share my heart with you; I will tell you what to do; where to sow; where to invest and I will make you rich. It is very important we let God hold our hands and lead us to the promise land. God told Isaac dwell temporarily in this land, not permanently in the land. We should let the instruction of God be the air we breathe in so that we can survive because He knows the beginning from the end. Then Abilmelech went to him (Isaac) from Gerar with Ahuzzah, one of his friends, and Phicoh, his armys commander. And Isaac said to them, why have you come to me, seeing that you hate me and have sent me away from you. They said, we saw that the Lord was certainly with you; so we said, let there be now an oath between us [carrying a curse with it to befall the one who breaks it] even between you and
14

us, and let us make between you and us, and let us make a covenant with you [Genesis 26: 28] A rich man has many friends, but a poor man is hated by even his neighbor. The difference between a poor and a rich man is information, knowledge especially the knowledge of God. In [Genesis 26 V 1], Isaac went to see Abimelech, King of the Philistines possibly to seek for favor. Sometimes the lack of knowledge makes up run from pillar to post. Until you discover Gods purpose for your life, you will remain a slave to your oppressor or a refugee. Like I said earlier, ignorance is like a conflict that can make a man a refugee in his own land while knowledge will make you to be in the right place for God blessings. Isaac acknowledged the fact that he does not need to go to Egypt to become what he wanted to become. We must acknowledge the fact that the Lord is a good shepherd that can lead him to a greener pasture. And we must be a good sheep who listen to instructions to follow the way directed by the shepherd to get to a greener pasture. Knowledge is a light that makes us shine in the dark in the face of economic meltdown. When lights shine in the dark, people come to it. In [Genesis 26 V 28] even King Abilech and his armys commander saw the light shining through the life of Isaac. Because I have called and you refused, I have stretched out my hand and no one regarded, because you disdained all my counsel, and would have none of my rebuke, I also will laugh at your calamity, I will mock when your terror comes like a storm, and your destruction comes like a whirlwind; when distress and anguish come upon you. Then they will call on me, but I will not answer, they will seek me diligently, but they will
15

not find me. Because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the Lord [Proverb 1: 24-29] (NKJV) God gave Isaac instructions, he did not refuse; God stretched out His helping hand to Isaac, and he gave God his hand to lead him. Isaac did not disdain the knowledge of God; he did not go down to Egypt as instructed by God. If Isaac did not follow Gods instruction, he would have been out of Gods plan for his life. Knowledge about Gods purpose for our life is the master key for success. Lack of knowledge of Gods purpose for our life is a fast lane to calamity. God gives out instructions through different media. The question is, do we listen and follow this instruction like Isaac? The reason why God sometimes dont answer our prayers is because we dont follow His instructions when we are in the wrong place. The wealthiest people on earth are those who trade on knowledge (Sam Adeyemi). People who made wealth in the stock market did so not because they traded in stock, but because they traded on the knowledge of what the market will be. Isaac did not become wealthy because of his strength, but because he traded on the knowledge of God. Investment in knowledge always pays the best interest (Benjamin Franklin). Even in the business world, knowledge is one of the things that can give you competitive advantage over your competitors. It also a means to make strategic decisions, effective management, risk management; it also helps in managing opportunities and so on. Quote: A mans major problem can be traced to the potentials he did not unleash
16

With knowledge, a journey of a hundred years can be a journey of one day. Isaac was about to emback on a long journey to Egypt, but the knowledge of God made his journey short. Ignorance will make us to embark on a long and fruitless journey. Knowledge is needed in every area of our life as in business, marriage, relationships and so on. Anything we do in life we need to wait; and if we must wait, we should have the knowledge of God while waiting to succeed. Furthermore, if we must walk or run in life, we must have the knowledge of the distance. For us to fly in life, we need to have knowledge about the direction. When he brought his sheep outside, he walked on before them, and the sheep followed him because they knew his voice [John 10 V 4] (AMP). God is always there before us to direct us. If we listen to his instruction, the voice of God will speak knowledge. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. [John 8:32] (NIV). Being knowledgeable is freedom, and lack of it is captivity. Your knowledge does not only set you free, but also sets others free. God has prepared our table before us, but because of our ignorance ,we destroyed it. The word of God is the truth, the knowledge that guides us in life. For us to succeed in life, the knowledge of God should be the air we breathe. The only material to lay a sound foundation is to seek the knowledge of God.

17

MAN WILL CONTINUE TO WORRY ABOUT TOMORROW UNTIL HE UNLEASHES HIS POTENTIALS

Then you should invest my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received what was my own interest..and through the good for-nothing servant into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth [Mathew 25:27 & 30] (AMP).
A man who unleashes his potentials is like a man who has a river at his back yard. Each time he needed water, he went there to fetch from it. A man who unleashes his potentials has no cause to worry about tomorrow. If a bird can leave its nest and spread its winds, the sky is its stepping stone. We are more valuable to God than birds. The servant who did not trade with his talents was good-for-nothing for not trying at all. When you make attempt, there is grace to excel while the Master will always be there to assist you. Jesus assisted those who traded with their talents by adding extra talent to the ones they already had. God is the God of increase. He multiplies your seed sown. When the seed you sow is multiplied, you have no cause to worry about the future. The master of the servant even complained of not making an attempt of saving his money in the bank. At least he would have done something. Rather, the servant kept on procrastinating and did nothing.

18

CHAPTER THREE FAILURES ARE THOSE WHO FAIL THEMSELVES There are millions of people in the world today who have lost hope and regard themselves as failures. The question is, Why have they failed? They might have failed not because of the inadequacies of government or because the economic system failed them. They probably failed because they chose to fail. Another question could be, Who are those who have failed themselves? They are those people who have failed to develop their potentials and God-given talents may be due to several challenges of life. Quote:Everything around you can fail you, but your potential can never fail you if you develop it God did not create any man to fail, but most failed because of their inability to develop their innate talents. God created man to succeed. He created man and labeled him with success. Any man created in the image and likeness of God is created to succeed because God is a God of success. God given potentials come with challenges. And those challenges are made to purify us, to build and develop our potentials. Let us examine some individuals who used their challenges to build and develop their God given potentials. Their stories teach us how they were able to surmount numerous obstacles which forced them to work harder with much determination. Keep them in mind and remind yourself that sometimes failure could just be the first step towards success. These people and the companies the founded or the organizations they managed are today known around the world. As these stories have shown, their beginnings werent always smooth.

19

HENRY FORD: While Henry Ford is today known for his innovative assembly lines and American-made cars, he wasnt an instant success. In fact his early businesses failed which left him broke five times before he founded the successful Ford Motor Company . R. H. MACY: Most people are familiar with this large departmental store chain. But Macy didnt always have it easy. She started seven failed businesses before finally hitting it big with his stores in New York City. SOICHIRO HONDA: The billion-dollar business that is Honda began with a series of failures and fortunate turns of luck. Honda was turned down by Toyota Motor Corporation for a job as an engineer and was jobless for quite some time. started his own business. AKIO MORITA: You may not have heard of Morita, but you have undoubtedly heard of his company. Sonys first product was a rice cooker that unfortunately didnt cook rice so much as burn it and sold far less those 100 units. The first setback didnt stop Morita and is partners as they pushed forward to create a multi billion dollar company. BILL GATES: Gates didnt seem like a shoe-in for success after dropping out of Harvard University and stated a failed business with Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen called Trap-o-Data. While this early idea didnt work, Gates later efforts did work creating the global empire that is Microsoft. He started making scooters of his own at home. Spurred on by his neighbors he finally

20

Quote: The world is like a market place where every man has goods and services to sell HARLAND DAVID SANDERS: Perhaps better known as Colonel Sanders of Kentucky Fried Chicken fame. Sanders had a hard time selling his chicken at first. In fact, his famous secret chicken recipe was rejected 1,009 times before a restaurant accepted it. WALT DISNEY: Today Disney rakes in billions from merchandise, movies and theme parks. He had a bit of a rough start. He was fired by a newspaper editor because, he lacked imagination and had no good ideas. After that, Disney stared a number of businesses that didnt last too long and ended with bankruptcy and failure. He kept trudging along. However, he eventually found a recipe for success that worked. SCEINTISTS AND THINKERS These people are often regarded as some of the greatest minds of our time, but they often had to face great obstacles, the ridicule of their peers and the animosity of society. ALBERT EINSTEIN: Most of us take Einsteins name as synonymous with genius, but didnt always show such promise. Einstein did not speak until he was four and did not read until he was seven, causing his teachers and parents to think he was mentally handicapped, slow and anti social. Eventually, he was expelled from school and was refused admission to the Zurich Polytechnic School. It might have taken him a bit longer, but most people would agree that he caught on pretty well in the end, winning the Nobel Prize and changing the face of modern physics
21

CHARLES DARWIN: In his early years, Darwin gave up on having a medical career and was often chastised by his father for being lazy and too dreamy. Darwin himself wrote, I was considered by all my masters and by my father a very ordinary boy, rather below the common standard of intellect. Perhaps they judged too soon, as Darwin today is well-known for his scientific studies ROBERT GODDARD: Goddard today is hailed for his research and experiment with liquid-fueled rockets. But during his lifetime, his ideas were often rejected and mocked by his scientific peers who thought they were outrageous and impossible. Today, rockets and space travel dont seem far-fetched at all due largely in part to the work of this scientist who worked against the feeling of the time. ISAAC NEWTON: Newton was undoubtedly a genius when it came to mathematics, but he had some failings early on. He never did particularly well in school and when put in charge of running the family farm, he failed miserably and so poorly such that an uncle took charge and sent him off to Cambridge where he finally blossomed into the scholar we know today. ROBERT STERNBERY: This big name in Psychology received a C in his first college Introductory Psychology class with his teacher telling him, there was already a famous Sternberg in Psychology and it was obvious there would not be another. Sternbery showed him, however, graduating from Stanford with exceptional distinction in Psychology summa cum laude, and Phi Beta Kappa and eventually becoming the President of the American Psychology Association. INVENTORS

22

These inventors changed the face of the modern world, but not without a few failed prototypes along the way. THOMAS EDISON: In his early years, teachers told Edison he was too stupid to learn anything. Work was no better, as he was fired from his first two jobs for not being productive enough. Even as an inventor, Edison made 1,000 unsuccessful attempts at inventing the light bulb. Of course, all those unsuccessfully attempts finally resulted in the design that worked. ORVILLE AND WILBUR WRIGHT: These brothers battled depression and family illness before starting the bicycle shop that would lead them to experimenting with flight. After numerous attempts at creating a flying machine, several years of hard work, and tons of failed prototypes, the brothers finally created a plane that could get airborne and stayed there. PUBLIC FIGURES From politicians to talk show hosts, these figures had a few failures before they came out on top. WINSTON CHURCHILL: This Nobel Prize-winning, twice-elected Prime Minister of the United Kingdom wasnt always as well regarded as he is today. Churchill struggled in school. He faced many years of political failures, as he was defeated in every election for public office until he finally became the Prime Minister at the ripe old age of 62. Quote: You have no selling point until you have unleashed your potentials ABRAHAM LINCOLN: While today he is remembered as one of the greatest leaders of America, Lincolns life wasnt so easy. In his youth, he went to war as captain and returned a private. (If you are not familiar with military ranks, just
23

know that a private is as low as it sounds). However, Lincoln didnt stop failing. He had numerous failed attempts for public office. OPRAH WINFREY: Most people know Oprah as one of the most iconic faces on TV as well as one of the richest and most successful women in the world. Oprah faced a hard road to get to that position; however, enduring a rough and often abusive childhood as well as numerous careers setbacks including being fired from her job as a television reporter because she was unfit for TV. DICK CHENEY: This recent Vice President and businessman made his way to the White House, but to flunk out of Yale University, not once, but twice. Former President George W. Bush joked with Cheney about this fact, saying, So now we know, if you graduate from Yale, you become President; if you drop out, you get to be Vice President. HOLLYWOOD STARS Their faces ought to be familiar from the big screen, but these actors, actresses and directors saw their fair share of rejection and failure before they made it big. JERRY SEINFELD: Just about everybody knows who Seinfeld is, but the first time the young American comedian walked on stage at a comedy club, he looked out at the audience, froze and was eventually jeered and booed off the stage. Seinfeld knew he could do it, so he went back the next night, completed his set to laughter and applause, and the rest is history. FRED ASTAIRE: In his screen test, the director of MGM noted that Astaire could not act, could not sing, slightly bald, but could dance a little. Astaire went on to become an incredibly successful actor, singer and dancer and kept that note in his Beverly Hills home to remind him of where he came from.

24

SIDNEY POITIER. After his first audition, Poitier was told by the casting director, Why dont you stop wasting peoples time and go out and become a dishwasher or something? Poitier vowed to show him that he could make it, went on to win an Oscar and became one of the most well regarded actors in the business. JEANN MOREAU: As a young actress just starting out, this French actress was told by a casting director that she was simply not pretty enough to make it in films. He couldnt have been more wrong as Moreau went on to star in nearly 100 films and won numerous awards for her performances. CHARLIE CHAPLIN: Its hard to imagine films without the iconic Charlie Chaplin, but his act was initially rejected by Hollywood Studio chiefs because they felt he was a little too nonsensical to ever sell. LUCILLE BALL: During her career, Ball had thirteen Emmy nominations and four wins and also earning the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Kennedy Center Honors. Before starring in I love Lucy, Ball was widely regarded as a failed actress and a B movie star. Even her drama instructors did not feel she could make it, telling her to try another profession. She of course, proved them all wrong. HARRISON FORD: In his first film, Ford was told by the movie execs that he simply didnt have what it takes to be a star. Today with numerous hits under his belt, iconic portrayals of characters like Han Solo and Indiana Jones, and a career that stretched decades, Ford can proudly show that he does in fact have what it takes. OLIVER STONE: This Oscar wining filmmaker began his first novel while at Yale, a project that eventually caused him to fall out of school. This would turn out to be a poor decision as his text was rejected by publishers and was not well received. After dropping of school, Stone moved to Vietnam to teach English, later enlisting in
25

the army and fighting in the war which earned him two Purple Hearts and helped him find the inspiration for his later work that often centered on wars. WRITERS AND ARTISTS JACK LONDON: This well-known American author wasnt always such a success. While he would go on to publish popular novels like White Fang and the Call of the

wild, his first story received six hundred rejection slips before finally being accepted.
MONET: Today Monets work sells for millions of dollars and hangs in some of the most prestigious institutions in the world. Yet during his own time, he was mocked and rejected by the artistic elite in the Paris salon. Monet kept at his impressionist style which caught on and in many ways was a starting point for some major changes to art that ushered in the modern era. THEODOR SEUSS GIESEL: Today nearly every child has read the Cat in the Hat or Green Eggs and Ham, yet 27 different publishers rejected Dr Seuss first book to think that saw it on Mulberry Street. STEPHEN KING: The first book by this author, the iconic thriller Carrie received thirty rejections which finally caused King to give up and threw it in the trash. His wife fished it out and encouraged him to resubmit it, and the rest is history with King now having hundreds of book published and the distinction of being one of the best selling authors of all time.

26

ZONE GREY: Incredibly popular in the early 20th century, this adventure book writer began his career as a dentist, a profession he began to hate over time. So, he began to write only to see rejection after rejection for his works. Being a writer, he would have given up. It took him years, but at 40 years of age, Zone finally got his first work published, leaving him with almost 90 books to his name and selling over 50 millions copies worldwide. CHARLES SCHULTZ: Schultzs peanuts comic strips has enduring fame, yet this cartoonist had every cartoon he submitted rejected by his high school yearbook staff. Even after high school, Schultz didnt have it easy, applying and being rejected for a position to work with Walt Disney. Quote: The world without a mustard seed is like a world without our collective potentials STEVEN SPIELBERG: While today Spielbergs name is synonymous with big budget, he was rejected by the University of Southern California School of Theater, Film and Television three times. He eventually attended school at another location; only to drop out to become a director before finishing. Thirty-five years after starting his degree, Spielberg returned to school to finally complete his work and earned his bachelors degree. MUSICIANS While their music are some of the best selling albums, best loved and most popular around the world today, these musicians showed that it takes a whole lot of determination to achieve success.

27

LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN: In his formative years, young Beethoven was incredibly awkward on the violin and was often so busy working on his own compositions that he neglected to practice. Despite his love of composing, his teachers felt he was hopeless at it and would never succeed with the violin or in composing. Beethoven kept plunging along, however, and composed some of the best-loved symphonies of all time; five of them while he was completely deaf. ELVIS PRESLEY: As one of the best-selling artists of all time, Elvis has become a household name even years after of his death. But back in 1954, Elvis was still a nobody, and Jimmy Denny, manager of the Grand Ole Opry fired Elvis Presley after just one performance telling him, you arent going nowhere son; you ought to go back to driving a truck THE BEATLES: Few people can deny the lasting power of this super group, still popular with people around the world today. Yet when they were just starting out, they were told by a recording company we dont like their sound, and guitar music is on the way out, two things the rest of the world couldnt have disagreed with. ATHLETES While some athletes rocked to fame, others endured a path fraught with a little more adversity, like those listed here. MICHAEL JORDAN: Most people wouldnt believe that a man often lauded as the best basketball player of all time was actually cut from his high school basketball team. Luckily, Jordan didnt let this set back stop him from playing the game and he stated, I have missed more than 9,000 shots in my career, I have lost almost 300
28

games; on 26 occasions, I have been entrusted to take the game winning shot, and I missed. I have failed over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed. STAN SMITH: This tennis player was rejected from even being a lowly ball boy for a Davis Cup tennis match because event organizers felt he was to clumsy and uncoordinated. Smith went on to prove them wrong, showcasing he is not so clumsy by winning the Wimbledon, U.S. Open and eight Davis Cups. BABE RUTH: You probably know Babe Ruth because of his home run record (714 during his career), but along with all those home runs came a pretty hefty amount of strikeouts as well (1,330 in all). In fact, for decades, he held the record for strikeouts. When asked about this, he simply said, Every strike brings me closer to the next home run This brings us back to the quote that says failures are those people who approve of it. Despite their challenges, frustrations, series of failures in their attempts, persistence was their watch word. People are not created to fail in their respective endeavours.

Your potential is like a mustard seed which when unleashed grows into a big tree to serve many purposes
Mustard seeds and mustard greens are used for a variety of purposes; to spice up sandwiches, salad and other meals, to preserve pickles and so on. Mustard seeds are used for producing oil, which is known for its excellent warming properties and can be used for massages. In addition, mustard seeds have high nutritional value,
29

being a source of many important microelements and nutrients, one of the healthiest and the least caloric spices. Mustard seeds are used in almost every worlds cuisines and are among the worlds most demanded spices, which is specially loved in India, Canada and the United States. Mustard seeds benefits include anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory properties. Being a great source of selenium and magnesium, mustard seeds can decrease inflammation, and reduce the symptoms of such disease as rheumatoid arthritis or asthma. The seeds also contain Isothiocyanates known for their anti-cancer effects. Other useful elements and nutrients which can be found in mustard seeds and mustard greens are calcium, iron, manganese, phosphorus, zinc, niacin, dietary fibers and very valuable omega 3 fatty acids, which can lower cholesterol levels and protect us from having heart disease. Mustard products have been used also to speed up metabolism to improve the functioning of the digestive system. One of the most important health benefits of mustard seeds is being helpful in reducing the frequency of migraines. Mustard and mustard oils have been effectively used for centuries for lowering high blood pressure and preventing sclerosis. Massaging your scalp with mustard oil will help you to substantially improve your hair quality and prevent hair loss. Another interesting property of mustard seed is in improving appetite. Finally, mustard seeds are considered to be a great source of power and bioenergy. The products of mustard seeds can also help to improve immunity and assist in fighting against insomnia, as well to treat such problems as anxiety, psychological disorders, the effects of stress and depression, bronchitis, sexual dysfunctions, the symptoms of menopause, and many others. I have taken time to list out the importance of mustard seed and mustard green for you to know how important your potential is to the world. Your potential
30

can bring unlimited solutions when unleashed. Imagine a world without Thomas Edison who invented the light bulb or Orville and Wilbur Wright brothers who created a flight machine and others. The problem the world is facing today is because somebody somewhere has not unleashed his or her potentials. God is a God of programmes. He has programmed our potentials to solve various problems. The fact that we have millions of unemployed people around the world today means there are millions of people who have not unleashed their potentials. Since ancient times, purgative properties were considered the best mustard seed benefits, but nowadays this herbal remedy is valued also for its antifungal and antiseptic effects. This wonderful story tells us that no matter what has been invented today cannot be compared to what will be invented tomorrow. If we unleash our respective potentials we will still be fruitful at old age. For example, a footballer who may no longer play could serve as a coach or an adviser to a football team. A musician who can no longer sing can be a judge in a musical contest. When you unleash you potential, the sky will be your steeping stone. A good government should provide jobs for its university graduates. In the same vein, God has created us with respective potentials which provide a selling point for us. The world is a market place where every man has what to give. God will be unrighteous if He created man without potentials. It is left to you to exploit those God-given potentials to become what God has created you to be. Quote: The world market is not complete without your product

31

Our God is a God of programmes and has programmed our collective potentials to solve various problems. Many people have not unleashed their potentials probably because of certain challenges attached to it. The giver of potentials has given us respective talents according to our ability. He did not just give us our talents, but He is also willing to assist us. When we make attempts to unleash our potentials and multiply our seeds, the rest is left to us to make the best use of the situation. It is like the man about to take a long journey who called his servants together and entrusted with them with his property. To one he gave five talents [probably about 5,000]; to another two, to another one; to each in proportion of his own ability. Then he departed and left the country. He who had received five talents went at once and traded with them, and he gained five more talents. And likewise he who had received the two talents, he also gained two talents more. But he who had received the one talent went and dug a hole in the ground and hid his masters money. Now after a long time, the master returned and settled his account with them. And he who received the five talents came and brought him five more, saying master, you entrusted to me five talents, see here, I have gained five talents more. His master said to him, well done you upright honorable, admirable and faithful servant; you have been faithful and trustworthy over a little; I will put you in charge of much. Enter into my house and share the joy (the delight, the blessedness) which your master enjoys. And he also who was given two talents came forward, saying, master, you entrusted two talents to me; here I have gained two talents more. His master said to him, well done, you upright, honorable, admirable and faithful servant; you have been faithful and trustworthy over a little; I will put you in charge of men. Enter into my house and share the joy, the delight, the blessedness which your master enjoys. He who received one talent also came
32

forward saying, master, I knew you to be a harsh and hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you had not winnowed (grains). I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Here, you have what is your own. But his master answered him, you wicked, lazy and idle servant, did you indeed know that I reap where I have not sowed and gather (grains) where I have not winnowed? Then you should have invested my money with the bankers and at my coming, I would have received what was my own with interest. So take the talent away from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents. For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will be furnished richly so that he will have an abundance, but from the one who does not have, even what he does have will be taken away [Mathew 25:14 V 29] (AMP) The question is what is so important about this one talent? The master did not just ask for it, it was collected from the man who did not trade with the talent, and then it was given to the servant who made effective use of the ten talents he had. That was why I said the market place is not complete without your talent. When the master came to tidy up the assignment given to the servants, he discovered that the equation was not balanced. May be people who were supposed to be free from depression or sickness were not freed and the servant who had the one talent was responsible for that specific task. That is why the master did not take away the talent, but he gave it out for effective use. Our God is a God of programmes. He has programmed each and every servant to perform a specific function, and if that servant does not effectively use his talent, there will be mal-functions in the system.

33

CHAPTER FOUR THE ONLY WAY TO PROVE THAT YOU ARE WISE IS TO LEARN MORE As a student in an examination hall, you may think you have answered all questions correctly, but could be disappointed when results are released. You performed woefully! This could be as a result of nervousness before the exam, or because of ill preparation for the examination. For you to make the best of your life, see yourself as an empty tape because the memory you are carrying about may have been corrupted. It is wise to update and upgrade so that you dont remain outdated. There is wisdom in asking and wanting to know more. How can this be done? We can do so by learning more in our respective disciplines and about what is happening around us. One of the best places to learn more is in the word of God. He who knows, and wants to know more about the word of God is like a man who builds his house on the rock. He who does not do so is like a man who builds on sandy soil, and when erosions come, it washes the house away. Like newborn babies, you should crave (thirst for, earnestly desire) the pure (unadulterated) spiritual milk, that by it you may be nurtured and grow unto [completed] salvation [1 Peter 2:2] (AMP) Quote: The word of God is like a pencil; it gives us the opportunity to write, make mistakes, take corrections and improve

34

One of the attribute of a child is the ability to ask several questions due to their inquisitiveness. They want to know more. A child never stops asking questions wanting to know and learn more. A child who does not ask questions will not learn; and a child who refuses milk, spiritual or physical, will lack nutrients required to grow into maturity. For newborn babies, milk contains essential vitamins for growth and to fight against diseases. The milk contains spiritual nutrients that heal our heart from depression and builds up our spiritual body to carry the cross of salvation. The value of this spiritual nutrient is unlimited. The only way we can acquire it to build our mind, body and soul is to desire the spiritual milk. That is, by hearing and doing the word of God. Anyone who hears these worlds of mine and acts upon them [obeying

them] will be like a sensible [prudent, practical, wise] man who builds his house upon the rock. And the rain fell and the beat against the house, yet it did not fall because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like stupid (foolish) man who builds his house upon the sand. And the rain fell and the floods came and the winds blew and beat against the house, and it fell and great and complete was the fall of it. [Mathew 7: 24 27] (AMP).
The only way to prove to be wise is to seek diligently the word of God and obey it. This is like building a house on the rock. To build a house, good materials are needed. Obedience, faithfulness make us like clay in the hands of God. It assists God to build us better and lay a solid foundation for us.

Give instructions to a wise man and he will be wiser; teach a just man and he will increase in learning. (Proverb 9:9] (NKJV)
35

The only way to prove that we are wise is to empty ourselves and be like a little child. The most vital learning material in the hand of a child is a pencil because it gives the child opportunity to write, make mistakes, take corrections, and improve. So also is the word of God to us. Every scripture is God-breathed (given by His inspiration) and profitable for instruction, for reproof and conviction of sin, for correction of errors and discipline in obedience (and) for training in righteousness (in holy living), in conformity to Gods will, thought, purpose and action. (2Timothy 3: 16) AMP). As a pencil is the best material for a child to learn perfectly, the word of God is the perfect material to learn, so that we can face the challenges life.

Let no person deceive himself; if any one among you purpose that he is wise in this age, let him become a fool [let him discard his worldly discernment and recognize himself as dull, stupid, and foolish without true learning and scholarship], that he may become (really) wise. (1 Corinthians3:18) (AMP).
The summary of bible passages is the only way to prove that to be wise is to learn (learning more of the word of God, because the word of God makes us wiser.)

Trust in the Lord with all your heart. And lean not on your own understanding; in all you ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and depart from evil (Proverb 3:5 (NKJV)
In anything we engage in apart from our respective disciplines, we should seek the face of God for direction. There are some certain decisions we may have taken and we thought we didnt need Gods direction. We need Gods direction in every area of

36

our lives; the word of God is always with us for direction, correction and reproof, because God does not want us to run into problems.

Because I have called and you refuse (to answer), have stretched out my hand and no man has heeded it. And you treated as nothing all my counsel and would accept none of my reproof, I also will laugh at your calamity, I will mock when the thing comes that shall cause you terror and panic (Proverb 1:24 26) (AMP)
Before we take any step, we are supposed to ask God for direction and follow His instructions. Even when we make mistakes, the word is there for correction. Our ability to learn and grow should be the ultimate goal. Our problems start when we want to be wise in our own understanding. God has laid down his wise counsel for reproof, trying to be wise in our own understanding is an element of pride or foolishness. We know God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble. We also know that ignorance (foolishness) is not an excuse, God is a wise God; we the children of God must be wise also in seeking diligently the commandment of God for direction in all our decisions. Quote: When pride comes, the knowledge of God stops flowing This is because the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength. But God chooses what the world considers foolish to shame the wise. He chooses what the world considers weak to shame the strong, and He chooses what the world considers to be low-class or lowlife, that is what is considered to be nothing to something [1 Corinthians 1: 25, 2728] (CEB)
37

For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways; and my thoughts higher than your thoughts. (Isaiah 55:9) (NASB)
This is a call to trade on Gods wisdom. We have traded on our worldly knowledge and it resulted to a lot of problems such as in politics, marriages, government and in other areas of our lives. I am not condemning social knowledge because they are profitable to mankind. The point is, do not let the knowledge you have acquired overrule the wisdom of God, because God is the beginning of all knowledge. Immediately we think we know everything, we cut short the wisdom of God that is profitable to all. God has given us a call to wisdom. Quote: Even when you know a colour is red, still ask; it may not be as red as you think Do not be wise in your own understanding; in all you do ask for guidance, the path you want to follow, He created the road before you were born, you may see the road and not know the real path to follow because the foolishness of God is wiser than mans wisdom, and as the heaven is higher that the earth, His way is higher than our ways. We should desire the sincere milk (the wisdom) of God. Newly born babies are very sensitive to their parents; we should also be sensitive to the word (knowledge) of God. We should also follow new born babies kind of obedience when they abide by the instruction of their parents. We should also follow Gods instructions and obey His commandments so that we dont go astray.

38

CHAPTER FIVE CLAY IN THE HANDS OF THE POTTER

O lord, you are our Father (Master); we are the clay, and you are the potter, and we all are the work of your hands (Isaiah 68:8) Amp
A couple went to a supermarket for shopping. As they were moving around, the lady saw a beautiful tea cup which she admired. She said to her husband, Look at this beautiful tea cup, let us purchase it. As she stretched her hand to pick up the tea cup, the cup said, wait a minute, I am beautiful and admirable for purchase today; yesterday I was a raw clay (material) in the hands of God (master). God mixed me with water (word of God) and made me pass through fire (long suffering), to become a beautiful product that you admire today for purchase. This product you admire today is a product of humility, long suffering, patience and perseverance.

When you pass through waters, I will be with you; when you walk (pass) through fire, you shall not be burned (Isaiah 43 vs. 2) (USCCB).
Remember what the tea cup told the lady in the supermarket. I was in a neutral state before God mixed me with water (word of God) and passed through fire (high degree of heat; long suffering). That is why you can stretch your hands to me to say I preferred this tea cup.

My brethren count it all for joy when you fall into various trials,

39

(degrees of heat), knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect (preferred) and complete, lacking nothing (James 1:2- 4) [NKJV]
This scripture can manifest in our lives as we become vessels of honor (a carrier of Gods glory), if we are like clay (being humble) in the hands of the potter (God). You may be in a situation of the clay that might make you to ask God series of questions like: God when will all this struggle end; why did you create me in the first place? But 1st Peter 4: 12 13) (CEB) says. Dear friends, dont be surprised about the fiery trial that have come along you to test you. Quote: Humility makes a better material (clay) in the hands of God These are not strange happenings. Instead, rejoice as you share Christs suffering. You share his suffering now so that you may also have overwhelming joy when His glory is revealed. The lady in the supermarket did not just develop interest in the tea cup. The glory of God must have shone on it. One powerful thing about the glory of God is that it attracts, and makes you the preferred one, and makes you a vessel of honor. But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also utensils of wood and earthen ware; some for honorable and noble use while others could be used for menial and ignoble use. So whoever cleanses himself [from what is ignoble and unclean, who separates himself from contact with contaminating and corrupting influences] will be a vessel set apart and useful for honorable and noble

40

purposes, consecrated and profitable to the master, fit and ready for any good work. In that supermarket, there were varieties of tea cups, but this lady preferred a particular type for use. This is because of the process the product had passed through. Then the Lord said to Moses, See, I have chosen Bezalel son of Uri, the son

of Hur of the tribe of Judah, and I have filled him with the spirit of God, with skill, ability and knowledge in all kinds crafts to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, to cut and set stones, to work in wood, and to engage in all kinds of craftsmanship, moreover I have appointed Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan to help him. Also I have given skill to all the craftsmen to make everything I have commanded you. [Exodus 31: 1 -11]
Among the different tribes, God decide to choose particular persons, just like the woman in the supermarket. God chose them because they were vessels of honor since they were good materials (clay) in the hands of God, by humbling themselves, patient, long suffering, obedient and believed.

Act 9:15-16 says But the Lord said to him, Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine, to bear my name before the Gentiles and the sons of Israel, And I myself will show him all that he must suffer for my sake.
In this case Saul was a vessel, but was not good enough for the Masters use. God broke and re-branded Saul to be a vessel of honor and instrument for use. The last sentence says, I will show him all that he must suffer for my sake. This is the
41

process that Saul must pass through in the course of re-branding him for the Masters use.

But he knows where I am going. And when he tests me, I will come out as pure as gold [Job 23:10] [NLT]
Job understood he was clay in the hands of the potter; he knew how he was tested and became as pure as gold. Romans 8:28 says all things work together for

good to those who love God, and to those who are called according to his purpose.
Two things are involved here. One, all things work together for those that love God. When you love God, you humble yourself, and when you humble yourself, you become a good material (clay) for God to mold into admirable product and vessel of honor. Two, all things work together for those that are called according to His purpose. Now, what is this call according to His purpose? This is for us to become a good material (clay) in His hand for Him to mold us and become admirable, like that tea cup in the supermarket for us to become a vessel of honor and instrument for His use. In 2nd Corinthians 4 vs. 7 (NIV), Apostle Paul referred to our bodies as jars of clay, the carrier of Gods glory, a vessel of honor TURNING POINT

You hands fashioned me, made me altogether, and would you destroy me? Remember now, that you have made me as clay. Would you turn me into dust again? [Job 10 vs. 10-19] (NASB)
Before Job was refined as pure gold in Job 23 vs. 10, he went through series of pressure, some degree of fire, and as clay in the hand of God.
42

Quote: Humility makes you a better material in the hands of the potter; patience makes you a better product When we pass through such, God is transforming us into the image of Christ (vessel of honor) to be a partaker of His glory (Romans 8:29). God Almighty wants to use what we pass through today as tools to shape and mold us into the image of Christ. He wants to deepen our faith, to develop within us the quality of perseverance, and to make us a watertight container of his love, joy, peace, patience, kindness and self control (Galatians 5:22-23)

43

CHAPTER: SIX THE BLESSINGS OF GOD ARE LIKE RAIN THAT FALLS 24 HOURS DAILY; ONLY THOSE WITH OPEN HEART RECEIVE IT

He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who has not lifted up his soul to an idol nor sworn deceitfully, he shall receive blessings from the Lord and righteousness from the God of his salvation (Psalm 24:2-5) (NKJV)
Our emphasis is on a pure heart (open heart). An open heart is a heart that forgives easily, a heart willing to do the will of God, a heart that obeys the world of God; such a heart is like an opening that can receive Gods blessings anytime, any day. The blessing was given to Abraham based on the size of his heart. It is also applicable to every one of us willing to trust and obey the word of God. Take time to search the bible for a list of men of God who served the Lord with their whole might, soul and spirit and see how God blessed them. Even in the world today, the size of your heart determines the size of blessings God gives us. People find it difficult to understand why some people succeed abundantly while others remain poor. The truth is that our success depends on the size of our heart.
44

And He said, By myself I have sown, says the Lord, because you

have done this thing and have not withheld your son, your only son, blessings I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply your descendents as the stars of the heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore and your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies in your seed (Christ); all the nations of the earth shall be blessed because you have obeyed my voice [Genesis22:16-18] (NKJV)
The whole world is not too big for God to give to one man; it all depends on the size of the mans heart. Abraham is a typical example of a man who enlarged his heart by obeying Gods commandments and gave him the whole world. We all know the story of how Abraham waited for a long time for a child. Quote:The size of our heart determines the size of your blessing

This promise is not limited to Abraham and his descendents alone, but for those who will obey the commandment of God. Abraham is an example of the blessings that will come unto us if we diligently observe and obey the word of God. A simple act of obedience and forgiveness can make Gods blessings to go with us, go after us, and go before us.

That the blessings of Abraham might come upon the gentiles in Christ Jesus; that we might receive the promise of the spirit through faith. [Galatians 3:14](NKJV)
The angel of God called unto Abraham from heaven a second time saying:

45

I make an oath by my own name that I will richly bless you because you did this and not keep back your only son from me; l promise that I will give you as many descendents as there are stars in the sky or grain of sand along the seashore; your descendants will conquer their enemies. All the nations will ask me to bless them as I have blessed your descendents all because you obeyed my command (Genesis 22:15-18) (GNT)
God is not particular about those who will receive His blessings; neither Jews nor Gentiles. The people we classify as unbelievers sometimes are better than us when it comes to receiving blessings of God. God has blessed them because they obeyed the commands of God just as Abraham did. The lord showed himself to Isaac, and said, Do not go to Egypt, stay in the land I will tell you about; live in this

land and I will be with you and bring good to you; for I will give all these land to you and your children; I will keep the promise I made to your father Abraham, I will make your children and all your childrens children as many as the stars of heaven, I will give these land to them for Abraham obeyed me, he did what I told him to do; he kept my word and my law (Genesis 26:2-5](NLV)
God in His business of blessing people always present to us business proposals because He wants to bless us so that we will become a blessing to the world. There are no losses in business with God because He is a righteous God, and not selfish. Quote: God gave Abraham the whole world based on the size of his heart

46

God told Abraham to sacrifice his only son. At the end of the day, Abraham never lost Isaac; instead God multiplied his seed as the stars of heaven, and his descendents as the sand of the seashore. Abraham gained everlasting covenant. God also presented a proposal to Isaac, saying, Do not go to Egypt, stay in the

land I will tell you about; live in that land and I will be with you and bring good to you; I will keep the promise I made to your father Abraham .
God gave Isaac a condition of remaining in the covenant (business) that He had with his father Abraham. God is a business man who does business with every generation. He did business with Abraham, He did it with Isaac, and He is also extending the business proposal to me and you today. In [Deuteronomy 7:12-15] , He said, And if you hearken to these precepts

and keep and do them, the Lord your God will keep with you the covenant and the steadfast love which he swore to your fathers . And he will love you; bless you, and multiple you. He will also bless the fruit of your body and the fruit of your hand, your grain, your new wine and your oil; the increase of your cattle and the young of your flock in the land which he swore to your father to give you. You shall be blessed above all peoples. There shall not be male or female barren among you, or among your cattle. And the lord will take away from you all sickness, and none of the evil diseases of Egypt which you knew will he who put upon you, but will lay them upon all who hate you
God is presenting the same proposal He presented to Abraham and Isaac to us today. He is ever ready in the business of blessing us by establishing the covenant which He swore to our fathers. The questions is, is our heart open to receive those promises, are we willing to hearken unto the commandments and law
47

of God which He has given us? The word of God (the blessings of God) can never fail to fall like rain, but our heart can fail to receive them (not open to receive those promises). Now if you really obey the Lord your God by carefully keeping all His commandments that I am giving you right now, then the Lord your God will set you high above all nations of the earth. All these blessings will come upon you and find you if you obey the Lord your Gods voice: you will be blessed in the city and

blessed in the field, your fertility, your soils produce, and your livestocks offspring the young of both cattle and flocks- will be blessed; you will be blessed when you go out and bless you when you come back; the lord will defeat any enemies who attack you; they will come against you from one direction, but will run for their lives away from you in seven different direction. The lord will command the blessing to be with you- in your barns and on all the work you do-and He will bless you on the land the Lord your God is giving you. The lord will establish you as His own, a holy nation just as He swore to you, if you keep the Lord your Gods commandments and walk in His ways. All the earths people will see that you are called by the Lords name and they will be in awe of you; the Lord will make good things abound for you whether the fertility of your womb, your livestocks offspring, or your fertile soils produce-on the very land that the lord swore to your ancestors to give to you the lord will open up for you his own well-stock storehouse, the heavens, providing your land with rain at just the right time and blessing all your work. You will lend to many nations. (Deuteronomy 28: 1 12) (CEB)

48

Anything a man needs to succeed is packaged in Gods promise. Before God created man, He knew from the beginning that human needs are endless, and He also packaged endless promises for those who will obey His laws and commands. There are no scarcities of resources to those who fear Him and seek Him diligently. One of the major problems we have in the word today is that we operate only with the world economic principles. Quote: No business is as profitable as obeying the word of God In a parable Jesus described Gods kingdom economic principle by saying.

Do not lay up treasure on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for your selves treasure in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys; where thieves do not break in and steal it.
This is not about not saving and investing physically; this principle is not telling us not to buy insurance policies; far from it. Jesus is telling us that heavens economy controls the earthy economy, any man that does layup treasure for himself by giving sacrificially cannot operate this worlds economic system simply because the spiritual controls the physical. Every of your sacrificial gift is like laying up your treasure in heaven. No investment is as profitable as sacrificial giving.

49

CHAPTER SEVEN WHO IS A BELIEVER? The question of who a believer is, is an important one that requires fundamental answer. There are no Christians or Muslims in heaven. Heaven is not a religious place but a righteous place. Those in heaven are righteous people who are believers. Now, who is a believer? If you ask a Christian who an unbeliever is, he could point his finger to a Muslim; and if you ask a Muslim who an unbeliever is; he could also point his finger to a Christian. A parable of Jesus will throw more light to who a believer is. Then Jesus answered and said, a certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, who stripped him of his clothing, wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. By chance, a certain priest came down that road. And when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. Likewise a Levi; when he arrived at the place came and looked and passed by on the other side. But a certain Samaritan, as journeyed, came where he was. And when he saw him, he had compassion. So he went to him and bounded his wounds, pouring on oil and he set him on
50

his own animal, brought him to an inn and took care of him. On the next day when he departed, he took out two Denair, gave them to the innkeeper, and said to him, take care of him, and whatever more you spend, when I come again, I will repay you. (Luke 10:30-35) (NKJV) This parable of Jesus gives an insight of who a believer is. A priest came to the scene of the attack and passed by; a priest who the whole world would describe as a believer, possibly he was going to preach the gospel of loving our neighbors as ourselves, and a certain Samaritan came where he was and had compassion when he saw him. Quote:Whoever helps his neighbor in the name of God is a believer

This whole parable tells us who a believer is. The whole world must have described the Samaritan as an unbeliever based on our worldly judgment. A believer helps anyone irrespective of the color, tribe or religion. A major example of a believer is God Almighty who loves us equally in respective of our color, tribe and religion. If we understand this collectively, there will not be religious problems. The Samaritan was not interested on whom the victim was; he was particular about humanity. He did it for the love of God; he did all he could to save a life. This is a clear picture of whom a believer is. The promise to Abraham or his posterity that he will inherit the earth did not come through observing the commands of the law, but through the righteousness of faith. [Romans 4:13](AMP) The promise to Abraham and his generation did not just come through confessing the commandments of God, the same law is applicable to whom a believer should be. The daily confession of that priest might be, love your neighbor as yourself;
51

but when it came to the practical aspect of it, he failed to act the faith he believed in.

For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only son, so that everyone who believed in Him will not perish, but have eternal life. (John 3:16) (NLT)
God has so much love and respect for humanity; that is why He sent His only son to save humanity so that we will not perish, but have eternal life. One of the attributes of God is that God is the God of humanity. For us to claim we are children of God, we must value humanity. Any crime committed against humanity is a crime against God because we were created in the image and likeness of God. Quote: God never looks at our ugly past, but at our beauty and greatness Any society that commits crime against humanity can never make progress. For example western nations progress today depends on their love for humanity despite their scarce natural resources. Despite the abundance of natural resources in Africa, it is still a continent that lacks so much as a result of crime against humanity such as idolatry, poverty of the mind and so on. If God does not bless a man, community or society, no man can bless them. ANYONE WHO ENGAGES IN PRACTICAL GOSPEL IS A BELIEVER And then a certain lawyer arose to try (test, tempt) Him saying, Teacher, what

am I to do to inherit everlasting life (that is, to partake of eternal salvation in the messiahs kingdom)?

52

Jesus said to him, What is written in the law? How do you read it? And he replied, You must love the Lord your God with all your heart and with

your soul and with all your strength and with your entire mind, and your neighbor as yourself. And Jesus said to him, You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live [enjoy active, blessed, endless life in the kingdom of God]. And he, determined to quit himself of reproach said to
Jesus, And who is my neighbor (The story of the Good Samaritan in Luke10:30-35). Jesus asked the lawyer, Which of these three do you think

proved himself a neighbor (a believer) to him who fell among the robbers? He told Jesus it is the man who showed pity and mercy to him, and
Jesus said Go and do likewise (Luke 10:25-29, 36, 37) (AMP) What Jesus was telling this lawyer is for us to love the Lord with all our heart and with all our soul, with all our strength and our entire mind, and as well love our neighbors as ourselves. This is the theory of the gospel. If we engage in practical gospel like the Good Samaritan, then we will be a partaker of eternal salvation in the Messiahs Kingdom. The Good Samaritan did not just confess it, our love for our neighbor determines if we are believers or not. WHO IS YOUR NEIGHBOUR? Your response to your neighbors problem means a lot to God and defines your faith. Whatsoever you give to your neighbor is what you give to God and

what God gives back to you. Whatever you do when nobody sees you determines if you are a believer or not. Be careful not to be righteous in the mist of people to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. (Mathew 6:1) (NIV).
53

This is the teaching of Jesus on who a true believer should be; that is someone who does good things when nobody sees him. We must not engage in eye-service because it brings pride and self praise. With eye-service you cannot receive Gods glory because it attracts self praise, and self praise shares Gods glory. Eye service is idolatry and not the true way to worship God. You shall not share other gods with me (my glory and your worship).

Gods of silver or gods of gold, you shall not make for your selves. (Exodus 20:23)(AMP)
A believer gives all Glory to God and worships God in truth and in spirit. Those who worship God in truth and in spirit dont give glory to themselves as all their works ought to give glory to God, through their selfless worship.

Now the multitudes of those who believe were of one heart and one soul; neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common. [Act 4:32] (NKJV)
This bible passage is teaching us the true character of a believer. Selfless sharing what we have with our neighbors willingly, irrespective of what it may cost us just like the Good Samaritan helped the man that was attacked by robbers. If your sacrifice does not really cost you any thing, its not a true sacrifice. But as for me and my house hold, we will serve the Lord (Joshua24:15) (NIV). This is a heart of a believer by not putting yourself first. To do that will be a selfish act which is not an attribute of a believer. As a believer, we should use our talent, skill and experience for the glory of God, not for selfish ambition.

Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind; regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely
54

look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who although existed in the form of God did not regard equality with God, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant and likeness of men (Philippians 2:3-7) (NASB)
As a believer, humility should be your watch word. Jesus came to give us a blue print of what a true believer should be. He is God the Son, the Master of the universe. He came in the form of man as a servant to humanity. A believer does not demonstrate power, but displays humility. Jesus had the power and authority to command us from heaven to serve Him, but he came to relate with man. He was not selfish, He was not thinking of His own life, but our life first. Jesus left this blue print so that we can measure our faith on a daily basis. In decision making in your family or at work, do you really consider others first? This is not about displeasing your self, but following the blue print of Jesus as a believer.

made in the

Love one another with brotherly affection [as members of one family] giving precedence and showing honor to one another (Romans 12:10) (AMP)
Seeing people the way God sees them is a major attribute of a believer. God saw us, valued us and sent His only Son to redeem us from destruction. He never condemned nor looked down on us. He did not pay a higher price for some and lower price for others. He demonstrated equal love for us all. We ought to practice this same unconditional love of God as believers. Loving and relating with people the way God relates with us makes us a believer. Birds of the same feather flock together, they say. We are not of the same level with God, but He wants to fill the gap to be at the same level with Him. He
55

sacrificed His only Son on our behalf that we might be reconciled to Him and enter into His presence. He broke the gap of being a lowly man and openly invites us to come unto Him.

Look I am standing on the door and knocking. If any hear my voice and opens the door, I will come in to be with them, and will have dinner with them, and they will have dinner with me. (Revelation 3:20) (CEB)
God does not want us to have a master-servant relationship, but Father-Son relationship. He wants us to flock together; He wants to dine with us as intimate friends, irrespective of the gap between us. God is not also particular of the kind of people He wants to love and relate with. He said, Behold I stand at the door and knocking, if any one hears my

voice and opens, I will come in and dine with me.

How we relate and love the people we are bigger than at home or in the office defines if we are believers or not.

What is man that you are mindful of him and the son of man that you visit him? For you have made him a little lower than the angels. And you crowned him with glory and honor; you have made him to have dominion over the works of your hands. (Psalm) (NKJV)
This is King David, who God related with in love and kindness. He knows that God values and honor man which He created, the same way and manner we value the people we are higher than. This shows if we are a believer or not. It takes two friendly people to make a relationship work. Quote: Your love and respect for humanity makes you a believer

56

As God is friendly with us, we must also extend a hand of friendship to others in the same manner. God cannot open the door if we do not do the same to others. How then can we really make God our friend? This is by opening the door of our heart and allows His word to come in and dwell in us.

You are my friends if you keep on doing the things which I command you to do. I do not call you servant (slaves) any longer, for the servant does not know what his master is doing (working out), but I have called you my friends because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father. (I have revealed to you everything that I have learned from Him) (John 14-15) (AMP)
In other to extend a hand of friendship to God, we must obey His commandments. The friendship of God is what we must not take for granted. King David knows the gap between the two beings and advised that we should take our relationship with God as a treasure. SEEING PEOPLE THE WAY GOD SEES THEM MAKES US A BELIEVER

Therefore, [there is] now no condemnation (no adjudging guilty of wrong) for those who are in Christ Jesus, who live [and] walk not after the dictates of the flesh, but after the dictates of the spirit [Romans 8:1] (Amp)
God sees us with His eyes of righteousness, the eyes that does not focus on our weakness, but our strength and greatness. Some organizations select and decide who to work with, relate with and employ based on their qualifications or on their biography or culture. In the world, people are grouped into classes depending on
57

their background, but in the kingdom of God, He never sees or groups us the way the world sees us. Quote: Man wants to see the best in you, but God wants to bring out the best in you God never condemns those who come to Him through Christ Jesus. In Him, we are discharged and acquitted of all our wrong doings irrespective of our sins. In Him, there is no discrimination.

Let us reason together says, the Lord. Though your sin are like scarlet, they are shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be like wool [Isaiah 1:18] (Amp)
Beyond our sins which are red like scarlet, His righteous eyes still penetrates the redness. God sees beyond our weaknesses and sees the greatness in us. The big question is, how do we see people or rate people as a believer; do we see them the way God sees them, or the way we see them? We make wrong choic es in marriage especially because we see people with our human eyes; not the way God sees them. When you view people with your human eyes, you may reject them, but they could be your Moses. One of the signs of a believer is seeing people the way God sees them. Judging people with mercy the way God does makes us a believer

If you, O Lord kept a record of sins , O Lord who could stand; the Lord is compassionate and merciful, slow to anger and filled with unfailing love (Psalm 130:3,8) (NIV)(NLT)
If we judge ourselves in the closet, we will acknowledge that we are not worthy of His mercy. God is the chief judge who judges us with righteousness. If God should
58

judge us based on our wrong doings, no man can stand. As believers, how do we judge people? The way we judge people shows if we are believers or not; and that is how God will also judge us [James 2:13] (NIV) because judgment without mercy will show that we are not merciful. Quote:Mercy is the constitution God uses in judging us; His court is the high court of grace; His jurisdiction is based on love; He is the chief judge of righteousness

Mercy triumphs over judgment. As a believer, in judging people who have offended us, mercy should always triumph. Jesus showed us an example in Luke 23:34 when He said Father forgive them, for they do know what they are doing. God judges us with mercy, and His court is a court of grace. Jesus was interceding for our transgression because they were actions done out of ignorance. Jesus did not ask his Father to judge them according to their sins, but according to His mercy. Jesus forgave them and asked for Gods mercy on their behalf.

59

CHAPTER EIGHT WITH HUMILITY YOU ARE LIKE SOIL WHERE ANY SEED CAN GROW

Therefore

humble

yourselves

under

the

mighty

hand

of

God

(commandment), that he may exalt you in due time (Peter 5:6) (NKJV) If you walk in my statutes and keep my commandments and to do them, I will give you rain in due season, and the land shall yield her increase and the trees of the field their fruit and your threshing (time) shall reach to the vintage and the vintage (time) shall reach to the sowing time, and you shall eat your bread to the full and dwell in your land security. (Leviticus 26:3-5] (AMP)
The word of God commandment is a seed, and our heart is the soil. When we receive the commandment of God with humility and obedience, the seed will grow and bear fruits for us and for the people around us. You will be blessed and become a blessing. Man was not created to be unfruitful. That we shall be fruitful or not depends on our humility and obedience; the bible says both the poor and the rich are the creations of God. It did not say God created some to be poor and others to be rich. Every of our fruitfulness and unfruitfulness can be traced to the type of our soil; of unbelief, disobedience, pride or of humility, obedience, and faithfulness.

60

Quote: Your fruitfulness or unfruitfulness is a product of your soul Anyone in this life must prepare his heart to receive the word of God and practicalize them to be the hearer and the doer of Gods word. He told them many things in parables (stories by way of illustration and comparison), saying, A sower went out to sow and as he sowed, some seed

fell by the roadside and the birds came and ate them up. Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they had not much soil, and at once they sprang up because they had no depth of soil. But when sun rose, they were scorched, and because they had no root, they dried up and withered away. Other seeds fell among thorns, grew up and were choked out. Other seeds fell on good soil, and yielded grains, some a hundred times as mush as sown, some sixty times as much, and some thirty. He who has ears [to hear], let him listen and let him [a] consider and [b] perceive and comprehend by hearing [Mathew 13:3] (AMP)
Pay attention then to the meaning of the parable of the sower. When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not grasp and comprehend it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This was sown along the roadside. As for what was sown on the rocky soil, this is he who hears the word and at once welcomes and accepts it with joy, yet it has no real root in him, but is temporary (inconstant, lasts but a little while), and when affliction or trouble or persecution comes on account of the word, at once he is caused to stumble [he is repelled and begins to distrust and desert him whom he ought to trust and [obey] and he falls away. As for what was sown among thorns, the cares of the world and the pleasure and delight and glamour and deceitfulness of riches choke and suffocate the word, and it yields no fruit. As for what was sown on good soil, this is he who hears the
61

word and grasps and comprehends it; he indeed bears fruit and yields in one case a hundred times as much, and in another thirty (Mathew 13:18-23) (Amp). Quote: A hundred per cent of our problems in the world today is traceable to our disobedience to the laws of God The word of God is the seed and our heart is the soil. With humility and obedience, we let the word to germinate as seed in our heart. If we leave a plot of land for a long time without cultivating it, the seed germinates and the root gains ground. Cultivation could be unbelief, lack of faith or pride. Cultivation could lead to deforestation, and deforestation can lead to scarce of resources. As forestation provides resources for its inhabitant and non-inhabitants, let us go back to the story of the seed and the soil they fell into. The seed fell into four different soils. The seed that fell on a good soil, germinates and bear fruits, but he who received seeds on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, which indeed bears fruit and produces, some a hundred-fold, some sixty, some thirty:[Mathew 13:23]( NKJV). It takes humility to take heed of the word of God to bear fruit, which brings us back to a chapter in the Bible. With humility we are like a soil where any seed can grow, the parable also tells us about the four types of soil the seed fell into and why they did not yield fruits due to disobedience, lack of trust, pride and unbelief and so on.

But if you disobey the lord your God and do not faithfully keep all his command and laws I am giving you today, all these evil things will happen to you; the Lord will curse your towns and your fields, the Lord will curse your grain crops and the food you prepare from them. The lord
62

will curse you by giving you only a few children, poor crops, and few cattle and sheep. If you do evil and reject the Lord, he will bring on you disaster, confusion, and trouble in everything you do (Deuteronomy 28:15-68)(GNT)
If you read (Deuteronomy 28:15-68), you will acknowledge the fact most of the problems in the world originated from disobeying the laws of God. The Lord is our Shepherd, without obeying the Shepherd; we cannot get access to the green pasture. Many problems we face today range from lack, to sickness and poverty. God gave us opportunities to choose between life and death; a life that will make us to live abundantly. Living abundantly comes from obeying the laws and commandments of God, and all our problems come from disobeying the commandments in the Bible from generation to generation. There is no record of any man who obeyed the commandments of God and lacked anything, because everything we need is in Gods promise and the key to Gods promise is obedience and humility. In the bible, since the beginning of the world till date, there is no record of any man who disobeyed the word of God and ever prospered. A large percentage of the problems in the world today are associated with the disobedience of man. The choice is therefore in our finger tips. For a seed to grow in the spiritual and physical, it passes through some processes. Some elements need to be mixed together for formation, maturity and growth of the seed. For example the process of photosynthesis is in the physical. In the spiritual, that is Gods kingdom, there is what we can also describe as photosynthesis in the development of our seed. Photosynthesis is the progress of capturing light energy and converting it to sugar energy, in the presence of chlorophyll using carbon dioxide and water. In photosynthesis, the plant uses water
63

and nutrients from the soil and carbon dioxide from the air with the energy to start off the process. Humility is the process of capturing the word of God, bearing fruit in the present of obedience, faith, belief and so on. The unfolding of your words gives light. It impart understanding to the simple (Psalm 119:130) (ESV) Jesus said to him, I am the (light) way and truth in the light; no one comes

to the Father except by (through) me (John 14:16 (AMP)

Blessed (happy, fruitful, fortunate prosperous, and enviable) is the man who walks and lives not in the counsel of the ungodly (following their advice, their plans and purpose) nor stands (submissive and inactive) in the path where sinners walk, nor sits down (to relax and rest) where the scornful (and the mockers) gather. But his delight and desire are in the laws of the Lord, and on his law (the precepts, the instructions, the teaching of God) he habitually meditates (ponders and studies) by day and by night. And he shall be like a tree firmly planted (and tended) by the stream of water, ready to bring forth its fruit in its season, its also shall not fade or wither and everything he does shall prosper [and come to maturity.(Psalm 1:1-3)(Amp)
Let us go back to the parable of the man who sowed seeds (the word of God) on different soils (our heart). The seed that fell on the roadside are those who heard the word and does not grasp and comprehend it; the evil one comes
64

and snatches it away. The seed that fell on (rocky) soil is he who hears the word and at once welcomes and accepts it with joy; yet it has no real root in him, but is temporary, inconstant, lasts but a little while and when affliction or trouble or persecution comes on account of the word (trials), at once he is caused to stumble in unbelief and distrust. The seed sown among thorns is he who hears the word, but the cares of the world and pleasure and delight and glamour and deceitfulness of riches chokes and suffocates the word and it yields no fruit. The seed that was sown on good soil (heart) was planted by the stream of water, faith, righteousness, obedience and humility, willing to bring forth fruits. Quote: You cannot be like a tree planted by the rivers of water prophecy; but by the act of righteousness That you shall be like tree planted by the steam of water is like a verbal agreement and a verbal agreement is not valid. A written agreement is being a hearer and doer of the word of God. That is hearing the word of God, trusting, obeying, believing, and meditating on it day and night. Your righteousness is a written agreement (faith) witnessed by all parties; (God the father, God the son God the Holy Spirit), documented in heaven, having right and access to it (legally). What I am saying in a nut shell is, with your righteousness, nothing can deny you of your faithfulness (a tree planted by the streams of water that bring forth fruits every season) and righteousness are your collective right to prosper to fruitfulness. Bringing forth fruits depends on time and seasons. We will always miss our time and season if we by

65

are not connected to heaven through the Holy Spirit. Without the Holy Spirit we engage in wrong timing and miss it all. And He asked them, Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became

a believer? (Act. 19:2)

Apostle Paul in Ephesus asked believers if they received the Holy Spirit because he knew the importance of it. A believer without the Holy Spirit is like an empty container that will float on water and cannot sink. The Holy Spirit confirms which word of God leads us to the part of righteousness. Without the Holy Spirit, you cannot get access to the deep things of God (Revelation of the deep things of God). The Holy Spirit helps us to get insight of the future and reminds us of the past things and helps us to know a false doctrine. This is why a believer without the Holy Spirit is like a container without content which will always floats on water and cannot sink.

Different types of soil in the world and in Gods kingdom In general, most plants grow by absorbing nutrients from the soil. Their ability to do so depends on the nature of the soil. Depending on its location, a soil contains some combination of sand, silt, clay and organic matter. The make up of a soil (soil texture) and its acidity (PH) determine the extent to which nutrients are available to plant. Soil texture affects how well nutrients and water are retained in the soil. Clays and organic soil hold nutrients and water much better than sandy soils as water will drain from sandy soil. It often carries nutrients along with it. Silt soil retains water well, but may drain slowly depending on the exact clay-silt-sand ratio. Silt soil is much better than sandy soil when it comes to retaining nutrients. Chalky soil is very alkaline in nature and consists of a large number of stones. The fertility
66

of this kind of soil depends on the depth of soil. This kind of soil is prone to dryness and in summers it is a poor choice for plantation as the plants would need much more watering and fertilizing than on any other types of soil. We also have these types of soil in Gods kingdom (Mathew 13:18-23). Good soil (humility) holds nutrients and water much better than sandy soil (faith, obedience, belief). The good soil is he who hears the word and grasps and comprehends it; he indeed bears fruits and yields in one case a hundred times as much as was a sown, in another sixty times as much, and in another thirty. The fruitfulness of a good soil is unlimited. Organic soil is the best form of soil because it contains plant and animal matters. When a soil absorbs it, it becomes fertile for seed to grow and bears fruits. When you humble yourself as a believer to receive and absorb the word of God, your land will become fertile, and yield fruits. Rocky soil is a chalky soil that consists of large numbers of stone which fertility depends on the depth of the soil. This kind of soil is prone to dryness and in summers, it is a poor choice of plantation. This are those who hears the word and at once welcomes and accepts it with joy, yet has no real root in him, but is temporary (inconstant, lasts but a little while) and when affliction or trouble or persecution comes on account of the word, at once he is caused to stumble (he is deserted and begins to distrust and desert him whom he ought to trust and obey] and he falls. Sandy Soil. As water drains from sandy soil, it often carries nutrients along with it like the seed sown by the roadside. Any one hearing the word of the kingdom and does not grasp and comprehend it, the evil one comes and snatches it away.

With your fruitfulness you can become world food basket (Becoming a blessing to the world).
67

As for what was sown on a good soil, this is he who hears the word and grasps and comprehends it. He indeed bears fruits and yields in one case a hundred times as much as was a sown; in another sixty times as much, and in another thirty [Mathew 13:23)(Amp)
When a farmer farms on a fertile land, the productivity will encourage the farmer to multiply the seed, and when, the farmer multiplies the seed to sow, the land could become a world food basket. In [Mathew 25:14-29] is a story of a man who was about to travel and gave three of his servants different talents. The one who he gave five talents traded with it and gained more five talents, and the master said you have been faithful, trustworthy, humble, productive over a little, I will put you in charge of much. The servant who received two talents came forward to the master and said, you entrusted two talents into my hand, and I have gained two more talents; the master said to him well done, you faithful, trustworthy, humble and productive servant; enter into blessedness and rest of your master. The servant who received one talent also came saying , master I knew you to b e a harsh and hard hearted man reaping where you did not sow; I was afraid, and I went to bury your talent in the ground; and the master answered him, you wicked, lazy, unfaithful, unproductive and idle servant, you know that I reap where I did not sow, you should have invested my money in the bank, and at my coming I would have received what was my own with interest; so take the talent from him and gave it to the servant who has ten talents; and he said, for everyone who has, more will be given (for every land that is productive, I will sow more seed); he will be furnished richly so that he will have more abundance.

68

A mans problem can be traced back to his talents which he failed to unleash. The master cast the servant outside in the darkness, where he will cry and gnash his teeth. Our Lord is not a wicked Master that will give His servant a talent he cannot manage. When He gives a talent, He also gives us the ability to manage it. It all depends on us, but if our heart [land] is unyielding, if the foundation is destroyed, what can the righteous (unyielding) do?

When the very bottom of things falls out, what can a righteous person possibly accomplish? (11:3) (CEB)
The business God has with the righteous is to bless them, so that they will become blessings to the world, but when our heart (land) is unfruitful like the servant who refused to be productive, not even for the world, but for himself, in (Mark 6:5-6). Jesus was unable to perform much miracle in His hometown because of over-

familiarity. Because of over familiarity, sometimes we take Gods grace for granted like the servant who did not trade with his talents. He said, I knew you to be a greedy man reaping where you did not sow. Pride and laziness is another factor why we fail to unleash our potentials. When God wants us to start from level one, because of social stigma or fear, we back out.

In the same way, I urge the youths to accept the authority of the elders. Everyone, clothe yourselves with humility toward each other. God stands against the pride, but God He gives favor to the humble. [1 Peter 5:5] (CEB)
God gives grace to the humble and humility comes before grace. We grow in Gods grace. Grace is like fertilizer to a land; Gods grace brings fruitfulness. Proverbs 18:18, says Pride goes before destruction and haughtiness before a fall. A haughty spirit marches on and ruin comes after. Sometimes we think we know
69

everything and reject the word of God. Anyone who rejects the word of God is like a faulty foundation and pride is a thorn to a seed. With humility, we are like a land where any seed can grow. Humility brings God grace which propels our fruitfulness. The origin of our unfruitfulness started from pride, disobedience, unbelief and laziness. God said I stand against the proud and give grace to the humble; blessed

are those that believe, I will bless the works of your hands. All these
attributes make our land unfruitful.

If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves, and pray and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways (Pride, unbelief, disobedience), then I will hear from heaven, and forgive their sins and heal their land (and make them fruitful). (2Chrorintians 7: 14) (NKJV)
Anyone who hears the word of the Lord is called. The word of God is a seed in our heart and its growth depends on how we nurture it with humility faith, obedience. The word of God is a healer which heals us from any disease that can make our land unfruitful. Pride, unbelief, disobedience, are diseases that can make our land unyielding.

Practicing Christs humility as believers Jesus, knowing (fully aware) that the Father had put everything into His hands and that He had come from God and was (now) returning to God, got up from the supper, took off his garments, and taking a [servants] towel, He fastened it around His waist, then poured water into the wash basin and began to wash the disciples feet and wiped them with the [servants] towel with which He was girded. When He came to Simon Peter, [Peter] said to him, Lord, are my feet to be washed by
70

you? Is it for you to wash my feet? Jesus said to him, You do not understand now what I am doing, but will understand later on. Peter said
to him, You shall never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, Unless I wash

you, you have no part with (in) me. (You have no share in companionship
with me). Simon Peter said to him, Lord, wash not only my feet, but my

hands and my head too. Jesus said to him, Anyone who has bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is clean, all over. And you [my disciples] are clean, but not all of you. He knew the reason why he said, not all of them were
clean. So when He had finished washing their feet and had put on His garment and had sat down again, He said to them, Do you understand what I have done

to you, you call me the teacher (Master) and the Lord, and you are right in doing so for that is what I am. If I then your Lord and teacher (Master) have washed your feet, you ought (it is your duty, you are under obligation, you owe it) to wash one anothers feet. For I have given you as an example so that you should do (in your turn) what I have done to you. I assure you, (most solemnly I tell you), a servant is not greater than his master, and no one who is sent is superior to the one who sent him. If you know these things, blessed and happy (fruitful) and to be envied are you if you practice them (if you act accordingly and really do them) (John 13: 3-17) (AMP)
Jesus got up, and took off His (Royal) garment, garment of a University degree, garment of financial success, garment of political achievement., and took a servants towel and fastened it around His waist (taking responsibility to serve). It is our duty and we are under obligation to serve one another as the Lord Jesus has

71

set example for us. A servant is not greater than his master, and no one who is sent is superior to the one who sent him. Quote:Humility is like a fertile land for a seed; pride is like a thorn to a seed

That statement is all about humility. In the final statement, Jesus told His disciples, if you know those things, blessed, fruitful, happy and to be envied are you if you practice them. With humility you are like a soil where seeds grow.

For even the son of man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many (Mark NIV) 10: 45)
Jesus came to render selfless service and not for profit making, but based on humility. It takes humility to render selfless service. Jesus bought us with a price no man can pay, meaning that His motive was not a selfish one, but for humanity. The best way to imitate Christs humility is to do nothing for selfish purposes, but with humility think of others as better than you. Instead of each person watching out for their own good, watch out for what is better for others and to adopt the attitude that was in Christ Jesus. Though He was in the form of God, He did not consider himself to be God.

I gave you a new commandment that you should love one another just as I have loved you, so you too should love one another. By this all (men) know that you are my disciples, if you love one another (if you keep on showing love among yourselves) (John 13:34-35) (AMP)

72

Jesus is the ultimate example of love and humility. He loved and respected His followers in humility; He took the garment of a servant and washed the disciples foot thereby leaving a blue print of humility for His disciples. Love and humility is a proof that any man has had an encounter with Jesus. In (Mathew 5: 16) (NIV), In

the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.
The son is the image of the invisible God, the one who is first over all creation, because all things were created by Him; both in heaven and on the earth, the things that are visible and the things that are invisible, whether they are thrones or powers, or rulers or authorities, all things were created through Him and for Him. He existed before all things and all things are held together in Him. Despite His personality, Jesus displayed the highest form of humility. We may not be able to do likewise, but we can at least imitate His kind of humility.

He is the head of the body of the church, which is the beginning, the one who is firstborn from among the dead that He might occupy the first place in everything because all the fullness of God was pleased to live in Him (Colossians 1:15 -19) (CEB).
The personally and spirituality of Jesus is unthinkable. He occupies the highest position in heaven and on the earth. Jesus could have come to the earth and demanded that everyone worshipped Him all day and night. He could have being the wealthiest man on earth with riches beyond imagination. The Bible teaches us that He came to be a servant (Mathew 20: 28). He became poor for us to be rich (2 Corinthians 8:9) (NLT). You know the generous grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, though he was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that by his poverty He could make you rich. In His humility, Jesus Christ was willing to give up His rights in
73

order to obey God and serve people. Like Christ, we should have a servants attitude, serving out of love for God and for others. Every day we are expected to serve. Jesus is God, He is unique. Even so as Christians, we are called by God to have His attitude of self sacrificing humility and love for others (Philippians 2: 8) (NLD). Jesus humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminals death on a cross to fulfill the will of God. Jesus did it all not for self ambition, but for humanity Philippians 2:4. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interest of others. In seeking to imitate Christs humility, we should have a genuine concern for the interest of others. Looking at your interests is good; we should have an equal concern for the interests of others. Instead of being selfish, we need to be selfless. Quote: A true friend gives sacrificially, Jesus is our true friend Selfless people are concerned with the lives of others. We become involved in their interests by sharing with them in the good times (successes, blessings) and being there for them in the bad times (failures, disappointments, sickness, death, poverty). Jesus was always there for His disciples in teaching them, correcting and helping them to grow in faith. We should also do the same in imitating Christs humility, (Philippians 2:5) Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ

Jesus
We should always remember the day we chose humility over pride; that is the only way Gods grace and love comes upon us and gives us the ability and desire to serve others to the glory of God.

74

The summary of the whole chapters are that, if you so humble yourself under the mighty power of God at the right time He will lift you up in honor. The best person to advertise a product is the person that has consumed the product. Peter had tested the humility of Jesus Christ and witnessed how God exalted him. And he is now advising us to do the same.

75

CHAPTER NINE Wisdom, inspirational and motivational quotes Short time thinkers dont solve long time problems

Mathew Ashimilowo
A mans fight through life is sustained by the power of his knowledge

U.S Air Force

Listening is a magnetic and strange thing, a creative force. The friends who listen to us are the ones we move towards. When we are listened to , it creates us, make us, unfolds and expands

Shel Silverstein
I dont like that man. I must get to know him better

Abraham Lincoln
The wealthiest people on earth are those who trade on knowledge

Sam Adeyemi
Never walk away from failure; on the contrary, study it carefully and imaginatively for its hidden assets.

Michael Korda
It is better we fail doing something than excel in doing nothing

John Mason
The sun will stand as your best man. And whistle. When you have found the courage to marry forgiveness; When you found the courage to marry love

Hafiz of Persia
A goal is a dream with a deadline

Napoleon Hill

76

The freedom to fail is vital if you are going to succeed; most successful people fail from time to time, and it is a measure of their strength that failure merely propels them into some new attempt at success

Michael Korda
Pain is not wrong. Reacting to pain as wrong initiates the trance of unworthiness. The moment we believe something is wrong, our world shrinks and we lose ourselves in the effort to combat the pain

Tara Brach
It is better to be a lion one day than be a goat forever.

Elizabeth Hill
God loves you because of who you are, but He blesses you because of what you do.

Mike Murdock
Hope is like the sun, which as we journey toward it, casts the shadow of our burden behind us.

Samuel Smiles
Do not wait to strike till the iron is hot, but make it hot by striking

William B. Sprague
Fortune favors the brave

Publius Terrence
Believe with all of your heart that you will do what you were made to do.

Orison Swett Marden

Knowing is not enough, we must apply; willing is not enough, we must do.

Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe

77

When you wait, dont just wait When you, do you waste When you walk, dont just walk When you do, you will go astray When you run, dont just run When you do, you will stumble In all you do acknowledge the instruction of God.

Iyodan Peter
To find what you seek in the road of life, the best proverb of all is that which says, leave no stone unturned.

Edward Bulwer Lytton

If you would create something, you must be something

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

If people believe in themselves, its amazing what they can accomplish.

Sam Walton
Give the world your best and you will get the best from the world

Abraham Lincoln
You cant dominate the world until you are dominated by God

Bishop David Oyedepo

A person, who is specializing in buying stolen goods, will one day buy goods stolen from his own house.

Wole Soyinka
When you become a slave to righteousness, every other thing becomes slave to you.

Iyodan Peter
Until you choose knowledge, the struggle continues
78

Apostle Gbenga Igbafen

The defense knowledge gives is stronger than the one the greatest forces on earth can give

Iyodan Peter
It is better we fail in doing something than excel in doing nothing.

John Mason
Early to bed, early to rise makes a man healthy and wise

(Benjamin Franklin)
It is better to be a student for one day, than to be an illiterate forever.

Iyodan Peter
Investment in knowledge always pays the best interest.

Benjamin Franklin
Always remember that God never sees any of us as failure, He only see us as learners

John Mason
The value of a man resides in what he gives and not in what he is capable of receiving.

Albert Einstein
Learn how to be happy with what you have while you pursue all that you want.

Jim Rohn
Always bear in mind that your own revolution to success is more important than any other thing.

Abraham Lincoln
The most dangerous man on earth is the man who knows whom he is.
79

Pastor Christ Oyakhilome

Transformation is a product of applied knowledge.

Pastor Mathew Ashimolowo

Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen.

(Winston Churchill)
Excellence is to do a common thing in on uncommon way

Booker T. Washington
It is a great thing to do little thing well

Anonymous
The fact that you are born is a proof that you have something to offer the world.

Pastor Success
Those who do nothing today, end up being nothing tomorrow. You are born naked, but not empty

Socrates
A man is a hero, not because he is braver than anyone, but because he is brave for ten minute longer.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Mercy is the constitution God uses in judging us; His court is the high court of grace, His judgment is based on love, He is the chief judge of righteousness.

Iyodan Peter
Heavenly treasure is a strategy; those who understand it survive.

Iyodan Peter
A room without books is like a body without a soul
80

Marcus Tullius Cicero)

If you dont stand for something you will fall for anything

Malcolm X
Happiness is a perfume you cannot pour on others without getting a few drop on yourself.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Patience and perseverance have a magical effect before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish.

John Quincy Adams

We dont stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.

George Bernard Shaw

You know you are getting old when the candles cost more than the cake.

Bob Hope
The greatest discovery of all time is that person can change his future by merely changing his attitude

Oprah Winfrey
With humility, you are like a soil where any seed can grow.

Iyodan Peter
Knowledge is a shield, but ignorance is like a conflict that can make a man become a refugee even in his fatherland.

Iyodan Peter
Trying to succeed without setting a goal is like playing a football match without a goal post.

Pastor Sam Adeyemi

The only mistake is the one from which we learn nothing
81

John Power
The blessings of God is like rain that falls 24 hours; those who have open heart receive it

Iyodan Peter
Righteousness is the foundation of every sustainable wealth {Money, good health, job, peace}

Iyodan Peter
A good tool improves the way you work; a great tool improves the way you think

Jeff Duntemann
Watch your thoughts, they become words; watch your words, they become actions. Watch your words, they become actions; watch your actions they become habits Watch your habits, they become character; watch your character, it becomes your destiny

Lao Tze
History teaches us that men and nations behave wisely once they have exhausted all other alternatives

Abba Eban
Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a mans character, give him power.

Abraham Lincoln
A clever person solves a problem. A wise person avoids it. Albert Einstein
82

 People cannot discover new lands until they have the courage to lose sight of the shore

Andre Gide
A government that is big enough to give you all you want is big enough to take it all away

Thomas Jefferson
Better to write for yourself and have no public than to write for the public and have no self

Cyril Connolly

The greatest obstacle to discovery is not ignorance, it is the illusion of knowledge

Daniel J. Boorstin
We should be taught not to wait for inspiration to start a thing; action always generates inspiration. Inspiration seldom generates action

Frank Tibolt
If you hate a person, you hate something in him that is part of yourself; what isnt part of ourselves doesnt disturb us

Hermann Hesse
Science is organized knowledge; wisdom is organized life

Immanuel Kant
If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.

Isaac Newton
A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step

Lao Tzu
83

 Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself

Leo Tolstoy
The highest proof of virtue is to possess boundless power without abusing it

Lord Macaulay
Love thy neighbour as yourself, but choose your neighborhood

Louise Beal
It is more important to know where you are going than to get there quickly Mabel Newcomer An eye for eye only ends up making the whole blind

Gandhi
I can accept failure, but I cant accept not trying

Michael Jordan
Doing the best of this moment puts you in the best place for the next moment

John Mason
If you dont know where you are going in this life, people we lead you to where they are going

Ac cab
You cant know grow until you learn what you dont know

Rev. Dn. Obi

If you want to get to the top, you must be awake when others are asleep

Ken Saro Wiwa

Life is a teacher, the more we live, the more we learn

Anonymous
A big head with an empty brain is a load to the neck

Arch Bishop Ben Idahosa

84

 If you focus on result, you will never change, but if you focus on change, you will get result

Jack Dixon
The dept of your maturity determines the height of your marriage

Pastor Mathew Ashimolowo

Do not marry beauty that fades away; instead marry a friend, a sister and a mother that faded not.

Iyodan Peter
What you hear determines what you think; how you behave determines what you will become.

David Oyedepo
A believer without the Holy spirit is like a container without its content, it will always float and cannot sink in the word of God

Iyodan Peter
As human wants are unlimited, so also Gods promises are unlimited

Iyodan Peter
Knowledge is a fork lift that can lift a load ten times of its size; ignorance is vise visa Knowledge mounts up our wings like the eagle; ignorance is vise visa

Iyodan Peter
What you dont know (your ignorance) is your greatest enemy

Iyodan Peter

Blessings we enjoy daily; and for the most of them, because they are so common, most men forget to pay heir praises.
85

Izaak Walton

Get the pattern of your life from God, then go about your work and be yourself. Phillips Brooks If there were not God, there would be no atheists. G. K. Chesterton If you believe in the Lord, He will do half the work- but the last half. He helps those who help themselves. Cyrus. H. K. Curtis

Try first thyself, And after call in God; For the worker God Himself lends aid. Euripides Heaven and earth stands for those who stand for righteousness Peter Iyodan
86

The less you open your heart to others, the more your heart suffers Deepak Chopra When you are in a bright light, everyone follows you; but when you are in darkness, even your shadow will not follow you. Anonymous Wilderness of life becomes a permanent space where there is no truth, the unfolding light of the word of God; where there is no shepherd to lead the way. Peter Iyodan We are like a written book; God is the author, we are the editor. Peter Iyodan

We become a vessel of honor (carrier of Gods glory) if we are like clay (being humble) in the hands of the potter. Peter Iyodan

87

CHAPTER TEN PROVERBS AND OLD SAYINGS BIBLICAL PROVERBS Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes; there is more hope for a fool than him Dont run too far, you will have to return the same distance. Even a fool, when he holds his peace, he is counted wise Great men are not always wise He that walks with wise men shall not be destroyed. (Proverbs 13:20) It is more blessed to give than to receive He who ignores discipline despises himself , but whoever heeds correction gains understanding (proverbs15:32) Trust in the Lord with all your heart, dont rely on your own intelligence, know Him in all your paths, and He will keep your ways straight [proverb 3:5-6](CEB)

Better to be patient than being powerful; better to have self control than to conquer a city [proverbs 16:32](nlt) Where there no vision the people get out of control , but whoever obeys instructions is happy [proverbs 29:18(CEB) The fear of the Lord [is] the beginning of knowledge[ but] fools despise wisdom and instructions [ proverb 1:7]
88

HEBREW PROVERBS AND OLD SAYINGS A rich man has no need of character Physician, heal thyself He that eats till he is sick must fast till he is well Time heals old pains, while it create new ones Mary for money, my little sonny, a rich mans joke is always funny Poverty is a wonderful thing, it sticks to a man after all his friends have forsaken him The court is most merciful when the accused is most rich GERMAN PROVERBS AND OLD SAYINGS Begin to weave and God will give you the thread Fear makes the wolf bigger than he is Monday is the key day of the week To advice is easier than to help God gives the nuts, but He does not crack them The greatest step is out the door Even the lion has to defend himself against flies To change and change for the better are two different things Charity sees the need not the cause No answer is also an answer Envy eats nothing but its own heart Forever is a long bargain It is better to trust the eyes rather than the ears Who has never tasted what is better does not know what is sweet
89

In the morning of life, work, in the mid day give counsel, in the evening pray One must either be the hammer or the anvil Fair flowers are not left standing along the wayside Office without pay makes thieves Always something now, seldom something good What little Jack does not learn, big John will never Towards evening the lazy person begins to get busy A man trying to sell a blind horse always praises it feet Prudent men woo thrifty women An old error is always more popular than a new truth Today must not borrow from tomorrow To aim is not enough, you must hit When fortune knocks open the door The wise person has long ears and a short tongue GREEK PROVERBS AND OLD SAYINGS Think with the wise, but talk with the vulgar Painless poverty is better than embittered wealth. A miser and a liar bargain quickly A truth spoken before its time is dangerous A heart that loves is always young Kindness begets kindness Gray hair is a sign of age, not of wisdom Who ceases to be a friend never was one The beginning is the half of every act Act quickly, think slowly
90

AFRICAN PROVERBS AND OLD SAYINGS However long the night, the dawn will break A dog knows the place he is thrown food. Blind belief is dangerous. Luyia, Western Kenya Bad dancing does not break an engagement. Luyia, western Kenya A dog that steals sells its body. Luyia Western Kenya The pillar of the world is hope. Kanuri proverb ,Nigeria A tree that is not taller than an ant cannot shade you. Kanuri proverb, Nigeria When your mouth stumbles, it is worse than the feet. Oji proverb Hold a true friend with both hands. Kanuri proverb, Nigeria Rising early makes the road short. Wolof proverb, Senegal; Do not follow a person who is running away. Kalenjin (Kenya) There is no bad patience. Knapper, Swahili A donkey knows no gratitude. Knappert, Swahili The orphan does not rejoice after a heavy breakfast. Cape Coast, Ghana People know each other better on a journey. Plaatje Do not tell the man carrying you that he stinks. Sierra Leone You suffer from smoke produced by the fire wood you fetched yourself. Luhya Be on the alert like the red ant that moves its claw wide open. Uganda The elephant never gets tired of carrying its tusks. Vai, Liberia By coming and going, a bird weaves its nest. Ashanti, Ghana Nobody tells a child who the mother is. Luck fetches fine wood for those who have no axe.

91

CHINESE PROVERBS AND OLD SAYINGS If you what happiness for an hour, take a nap. If you want happiness for a month, get married. If you want happiness for a year, inherit a fortune; if you want happiness for a lifetime, help someone else. To believe in ones dreams is to spend all ones life asleep Do not use a hatchet to remove a fly from your friends forehead. With true friends even water drunk together is sweet enough. There is only pretty child in the world, and every mother has it. A book is like a garden carried in the pocket. One generation plants the trees another get the shade. One joy scatters a hundred griefs. An ant may well destroy a whole dam. A book holds a house of gold. A dog wont for sake his master because of his poverty; a son never deserts his mother for her homely appearance. Add legs to the snake after you have finished drawing it. Dream different dreams while on the same bed. A fall into a ditch makes you wiser. Fight a wolf with a flex stalk. Flies never visit an egg that has no crack. Have a mouth as sharp as a dagger, but a heart as soft as tofu. Kill a chicken before a monkey. Lift stone only to drop it on your own feet. A bird in your hand is worth more then 100 in the forest.
92

 Different flower look good to different people. To cultivate a tree, you need ten years; to cultivate people, you need one hundred years. Keep a green tree in your heart and perhaps a singing bird will come. Giving your son a skill is better than giving him one thousand pieces of gold. He who asks is a fool for five minutes, but he who does not ask remains a fool forever.

FRENCH PROVERBS AND OLD SAYINGS A father is a banker provided by nature. Love makes time pass; time makes love pass. When we cannot get what we love, we must love what is within our reach. Men count up the fault of those who keep them waiting. Nothing is as burdensome as a secret. Patience is better but its fruit is sweet. Wait until it is night before saying it is has been a fine day. Write injuries in sand, kindness in marble. A bad bush is better than an open field. An old rat is a brave rat. Who spits against the wind spits on his own face Who is angry must be pleased again. Dont bark if you cant bite. A dry cough is the trumpeter of death. The eye of the master does more than both hands. He who never climbs, never falls?
93

 There is no pillow as soft as a clear conscience. A healthy man is a successful man. JAPANESE PROVERBS AND OLD SAYINGS Deceive the rich and powerful if you will, but don insult them. The nail that sticks up will be hammered down. One kind word can warm three winter months. A man in love mistakes a pimple for a dimple. Who travels for love finds a thousand miles not longer than one. Fall seven times and stand up eight times. Vision without action is a day dream; action without vision is a nightmare

AMERICAN PROVERBS AND OLD SAYINGS Count your losses and let your profits run. Dont change your horse while crossing a stream. All is fair in love and golf. Those who sleep with dogs get up with fleas. Praise the Lord and pass the ammunition. The secret of life is not to do what you like, but to like what you do. No matter how bad a child is, he is still good for a tax deduction. The love of money is the root of all evil. The early bird gets the worm. Some will, some dont, so what. From small beginnings come great things.
94

ITALIAN PROVERBS AND OLD SAYINGS Once the game is over, the king and the pawn go back in the same box. He who is not impatient is not in love. There is no robber worse than a bad book. Beware of one who has nothing to lose. He that flatters you more than you desire either has deceived you or wishes to deceive. Often he who does too much does too little. He who knows little quickly tells it. The right man comes at the right time. The buyer needs a hundred eyes; the seller but one. The best way to get praise is to die. If the wife sins, the husband is not innocent. Moderate profits fill the purse. Where gold speaks, every tongue is silent. Voice of one, voice of none. The rich never have to seek out their relatives After the ship has sunk, everyone knows how she might have been saved. He who knows little knows enough if he knows how to hold its tongue.

BUDDHIST PROVERBS * * Storms make oaks to take root He who hesitates is lost When the student is ready, the teacher will appear
95