Daily Devotionals

TIME Magazine has published its list of the 100 Most Influential People of 2023. The industrial titan, Elon Musk, footballer Kylian Mbappé, recording artist Doja Cat, CEO of The Walt Disney Company Bob Iger, technologist Sam Altman, and actor Michael B. Jordan are among those on the list. There are four Africans on the list, including the brilliant Dr. Dimie Ogoina. Being included on such a list is exciting. A true salt and light of the world, however, should never be inspired by such rankings and accolades. Your fulfilment should come from an understanding that you are in the centre of the will of God for your life.

Any pursuit of awards, rankings, accolades, or status is a waste of time. The Time 100 list may appear prestigious and inspirational, but keep in mind that it is not ranked on ethics or even positive influence. The list has featured people like Abubakar Shekau of Boko Haram, and Kim Jong Un of North Korea. Convicted criminals, terrorist organisations, and corrupt politicians are all frequently included on such lists. Obinwanne Okeke (Invictus), Elizabeth Holmes, and Sam Bankman-Fried all garnered accolades. Only for things to turn ugly with the passage of time. Obinwanne is currently incarcerated. Elizabeth Holmes was sentenced in 2022. Making the Time 100 or similar lists should not be your ultimate goal.

Our Lord Jesus does not want us to seek out places of honour for ourselves. He wants you to humble yourself, and let God exalt you (Luke 14:7-11). The revered preacher, Olusola Areogun once said, “the future does not belong to the person doing it fast, but to the person doing it right.” Doing the right thing has to be more important to you than any award or recognition. Be proud of your verifiable results, no matter how small. Concentrate on increasing your productivity and good works. Ignore the noise.

Some argue that religion is preventing Africans from reaching their full potential. However, research has shown that this is not a valid concern. Some of the greatest civilisations, empires and countries have had religious affiliations. The greatest people of all time have had religious affiliations. Religious people have come up with some of the most brilliant ideas that have redefined mankind. To name a few, Christians pioneered accounting, modern genetics, and even the big bang theory. Most scholars believe King Solomon of the Bible is the richest man of all time. So, whatever your goals are, they can be met within the framework of sound Christian religion.

Your religion is your primary point of view (POV) through which you navigate life. The Bible says, “as a man thinks in his heart, so is he.” Your thoughts create who you are. Your beliefs shape the way you think. And your religious beliefs, or lack thereof, shape your worldview. Benjamin Franklin (one of the USA’s founding fathers), warned the irreligious Thomas Paine, “If men are so wicked with religion, what would they be if without it?” You need a religion. A good religion will shape your vision, provide you with an ethical framework, and promote discipline.

If you cannot see a pathway from where you are to where you want to be. You could be trapped in the wrong religion. Do not settle under any religious leader or institution that is making you mediocre. You can achieve great things while remaining religious. You must commit to a religion that provides you with the discipline, knowledge, and mindset to accomplish something meaningful. Reject nonsense and mediocrity in religion. This has no grounding in the sacred writings of the Holy Bible. They are the twisted imaginations of charlatans posing as religious leaders. Think and meditate on these things. Prayerfully discern if you need to make changes.

Srinivasa Ramanujan was a mathematical genius of Indian origins. Despite having almost no formal training in pure mathematics, he made significant contributions to mathematical analysis, number theory, infinite series, and continued fractions. He produced solutions to previously unsolvable mathematical problems. Ramanujan chose to discard some aspects of his religious identity when they threatened to stifle the available opportunity. He had to travel abroad to find better opportunities for his God-given talent for mathematics. He would not let his religion get in the way of his goals. This is intriguing because Ramanujan was a deeply religious man who once stated, “An equation means nothing to me unless it expresses a thought of God.”

Many people are ensnared in erroneous religions and bizarre sects. We pick a religion in the hopes of developing our relationship with God (aka spirituality). Just as we attend school in the hopes of getting an education. Any religion or belief that stifles and hinders your ability to live an abundant life is a wrong religion for you. Your religion should assist you in fully realising your creative and productive potential. That is the intention of God for religion. If the gift of God inside you is failing to find maximum expressions due to your religious affiliations, perhaps it is time to have a rethink?

Religion is not inherently bad or irrelevant, as some portray it. Religion benefits mankind more than it does not. You need a religion. You should never consider becoming irreligious or atheist. Isaac Newton, the father of physics, never had to abandon his Christian faith. Religion is the set of rules, beliefs, and discipline that a person adopts as their way of life. Seek out religious leaders and institutions that will enable you to exercise your creativity to the fullest. Look for places where you can see the kind of results your soul desires. Then commit to the process there.

You are going to encounter difficulties on the road to success. You will have to overcome the odds. But you will not become a success on your own. The sheer amount of knowledge and power required to succeed at anything should make it clear to you that you cannot succeed on your own. It becomes critical for you to ensure that you have the proper associations to draw from. Also, you must be a part of a platform or environment that allows you to succeed. Study any successful person, you will observe how others acted in important roles.

Jesus Christ gained a massive following and hand-picked disciples. Famously, he dispatched them two by two into locations he intended to visit. Even though he possessed unimaginable powers, he understood the concept of teamwork. Nobody in the entire Bible succeeded on their own. Nobody in the Bible attempted to do God’s work on their own. Samson is the sole exception, and his failure speaks volumes. It is arrogant to believe that you can light up your entire world by yourself. You must be associated with others from whom you can draw strength, knowledge, and inspiration.

The old adage is true: success requires the cooperation of an entire village. Like anything else, there will be a spectrum of good and bad villages. You must research and observe your surroundings. What is the level of productivity in your world? Will this setting enable you to be your most creative and productive self? Is this environment encouraging mediocrity? Even if you want to light up your world, you must first establish yourself in a more productive environment. You will then have the support and backing to succeed in your mission. You need a supportive family, a place to help you succeed.

There is no such thing as a free lunch. There is no such thing as free money. Everything that is readily available to you has been produced by someone’s work somewhere. It’s worth noting that the Children of Israel were promised a land overflowing with milk and honey. In the literal sense, that never happened. They had to cultivate their land, and God blessed them with a bountiful harvest. Where do some people get the idea that they can get free money without having to work? This must be some sort of demonic perversion.

Many experts around the world have raised eyebrows at the borrowing habits of several West African countries. Especially since these borrowings have not reflected in an increase in national productivity. There is no sense that the loans have been leveraged strategically. Every free money you receive comes with unfavourable conditions attached to it. As long as your mind believes it is receiving free money and assistance from somewhere else. Your brain will go to sleep. Discipline yourself and work hard enough so that you can provide for yourself. Overdependence on foreign aid will stifle your own growth.

A loan is not a gift. A loan represents a gamble on your future productivity. The idea was that by taking out this loan, you would be able to operate at a higher level of productivity. The benefit is that you can repay such loans due to increased output, and then plan your next steps. If you are currently receiving “loans” or free lunches that are not increasing your productivity, you should decline them. In the long run, the free money you are enjoying in the short term is mortgaging your destiny. You are being enslaved. Increasing your productivity has to be your main concern.

Some people have an unhealthy dependence on handouts. They want free money, food, cars, and large houses from the government, church or neighbourhood millionaire. This is not the same as asking for a hand up. A hand up is assistance in increasing your productivity. A handout is money given to you in order for you to party. A hand up is a small loan to help you start your own business. You must reject the mindset of expecting others to give you things. While refusing to accept the knowledge and discipline required to create wealth.

It becomes much more problematic when a government embodies a handout mindset. Giving handouts to people is not a sustainable business model. Several news outlets reported in early April 2023 that the Federal Government of Nigeria had obtained a $800 million loan from the World Bank in order to give handouts to 50 million Nigerians. This has received a great deal of criticism. Assuming that half of the funds are not lost due to systemic corruption and wickedness. Each recipient will receive $16. $16 will not lift any of the 50 million people out of poverty. A World Bank loan-funded handout cannot lift people out of poverty.

The Bible instructs us to care for the poor. However, the Bible also makes it clear that anyone who is unwilling to work should not eat. Every society requires a balance of freeloaders and those who work hard to support everyone. The community cannot progress when there are more takers than givers. You must make it a principle to never borrow to eat. Never borrow for anything that is not directly related to increasing your productivity. Handouts will not improve your situation. You require a hand up. When you are well established, then give a hand up to others as well.

While it is a good practice to worry about nothing, and pray about everything. You must understand that whatever you pray about will necessitate some physical activity on your part. Praying against poverty and in favour of wealth creation is a good idea. However, keep in mind that without an increase in productivity, nothing will change. God blessed mankind, charging them to be fruitful. Productivity is the modern English word for “fruitfulness.” Unless you define and improve your fruitfulness. You can’t get out of poverty. National poverty is a reflection of collective unfruitfulness.

Some years ago, a Nigerian Presidential aspirant ran a campaign with the slogan, “Let us get Nigeria working again.” The big question is this: do Nigerians really want their country to work? A country where most people’s livelihood is dependent on something broken with the system. While other countries plan to shift from lower-productivity areas such as agriculture and low-tech manufacturing to higher-productivity areas such as food processing, finance, and high-tech manufacturing. Too many West Africans are content to make deals and line their own pockets rather than seek higher productivity for all.

Wealth creation and prosperity is not about an unexplainable multiplication of gold and silver. Wealth creation is the process of developing a higher level of productivity that results in abundance. You should be obsessed with finding new ways to advance in your work and calling. The Bible is clear about the relationship between work and reward. Anyone who refuses to work should not eat. This is not a curse. Understand that a pastor who preaches two to three times a week, spends hours in prayer and study, and offers counselling sessions is working. The effective pastor labours. Hard work is involved. We must be ready to prayerfully work for the future we want.

According to a Nairametrics report from April 10, 2023, Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration will go down in history as one of the worst in terms of luring in foreign investment. Compared to roughly $98 billion under the previous administration, the country has only been able to draw in a total of $89.4 billion under the current administration. Although it may not seem like much has changed, there is more. The current administration increased its use of debt financing, whereas the previous administration attracted more foreign portfolios and strategic investments. In other words, loans account for a larger proportion of the $89.4 billion.

The difficult business environment in Nigeria, including high budget deficits, a lack of trust, corruption, and insecurity, is to blame for the decline in foreign investment. Investors’ preference for debt-linked instruments with a semblance of a guaranteed return on their capital is understandable. Rather than the uncertainty surrounding risky business ventures. It is important to understand that human resources and capital will always gravitate towards places where they can be trusted and feel secure. Lack of trust and insecurity keeps poverty alive. The brightest minds will always gravitate towards safe and secure communities.

Proverbs 14:34 says, “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.” If Africans will not walk in righteousness, and establish a just society. Poverty will continue to multiply. Righteousness and justice will help to create a safe community in which trust can be built. Insecurity reduces productivity because people are afraid to carry on with business as usual. This is the source of all poverty issues in places like Nigeria. You might not be in a position to build trust and security in your country. But you can take action within your circle of influence. Light up your own world.

The crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus to heaven are about more than just sin forgiveness. We now have a different kind of relationship with the divine, which is an important part of that conversation. We now have the right to become God’s children, according to John 1:12. The implication is that there is a power at work within us that is deep and peaceable. We can use this power to fight corruption, stop theft and thuggery, fight injustice, and lead our world to a brighter future. If you accept John 1:12, then you can leverage the power of God within you to transform your world.

In his days, George Washington Carver transformed the economy of his community by promoting crop diversification and developing new uses for crops like peanuts, sweet potatoes, and soybeans. This helped farmers reduce their dependence on cotton and improved soil quality. He attributed his knowledge and unique insights to his relationship with God. Ephesians 3:20 (ESV) says, “Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us”. There is something on the inside of you that empowers you for triumph.

You have all these dreams and visions of a better future. Things you would like to do for yourself. Things you would like to do in your community. You must turn to God in love and faith. What do you believe sparked the birth of science? Where do you believe the inspiration for inventions comes from? How do ordinary people find the strength and courage to challenge useless traditions? All these come from the breath of the Almighty God. The Christian faith is not a call to a bland religion or generic spirituality. Put your inner strength to use in a useful way.

Apostle Paul lays out his cards in Philippians 3:7-15. He reveals his ambition, a desire “to know him and the power of his resurrection.” Resurrection power is a big deal. The power of resurrection is not an external force that raises the dead. It is an internal force that operates within the individual who wields it. Nobody went to the grave to pray for Jesus or to resurrect him. He rose up on his own. In the Old Testament, the dead came back to life, but no one was resurrected before Jesus.

It is important to have a personal understanding of Jesus and the power of his resurrection. Without it, you have a boring religion. A type of “feel-good” godliness that results from adhering to the written code. However, failing to wield the power that should be associated with godliness. The call to imitate Christ is neither a call to bland religion, nor a call to generic spirituality. It is a call to do the works of him that sent Jesus. This call comes with a spiritual grace and empowerment that allows you to do the impossible.

According to John 3:17, “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.” We can draw the conclusion that the power of his resurrection is a world changing power. The death and resurrection of Jesus made available to you the ability to save your world. You can become the vehicle through which the grace of God lights up your dark world. There are countless examples of people that have wielded this great power with love and faith. Today is not just about forgiveness of our sins. It is also about power.