Revitalize the Nations 2

                                        Written by Uyoyou Christiana Charles-Iyoha

Economic

Revitalizing the nations calls for economic participation in economic processes by everyone in the nations. This ensures that everyone has access to economic resources – jobs for those who seek to be employed by government and corporations as well as small businesses; mediated access to economic resources for those who want to be self-employed. It also includes raising the consciousness of people from begging and borrowing to feed to actual participation in economic processes.

No nation sustains on welfare to the poor and the poor also do not rise above poverty on welfare. They have to participate in economic processes. Ruth for instance gleaned from the farmlands of Boaz not because she preferred to glean. It was because Ruth and Naomi arrived in Bethlehem at harvest time and because they did not plant before then, Ruth took advantage of the welfare program of gleaning in the farmlands of other people rather than beg. Please read Ruth Chapters 1 to 4 for great insight.

Gleaning is not exactly welfare. It is giving the people who did not plant during planting seasons either because they were not in town during planting season or had no farmlands to plant on an opportunity to put food on their table. That way, they would not have to beg or be a burden to other people or the state.

Resource mobilization and management is strategic to revitalizing the nations economically especially where there are targeted development plans to bring in abundance. The nations would have to mobilize the right resources required for their national and personal development. Optimal resource management which includes judicious allocation of resources to the right places for development across board should also be factored into the resource mobilization process. This will ensure effective and efficient resource management. There is no point mobilizing resources if they would not be efficiently managed.

Infrastructure development is also required to manage the envisaged abundance profitably. For instance what Joseph did in Egypt before the abundant harvests of the seven years of plenty came is   a case in point. He put down relevant structures to accommodate the surplus harvest. The relevant questions the officials of the nations should be asking - What structures are in place so that the envisaged abundance does not go to waste?

Revitalize the Nations 3

Written by Uyoyou Christiana Charles-Iyoha

Peace and Development

The significance of peace in the land cannot be over stated. However, justice is the precursor to peace and peace leads to development and prosperity, progress, safety, general security, flourishing businesses, great bilateral trade relations, wealth, favor, etc. to ensure peace in the land, the leaders of the nations should ensure that justice reigns in the land. During the reign of King Solomon in Israel, the Bible records that there was justice and peace in the land and that culminated in great development and progress in the land. Please read 1^st Kings Chapters 3, 4 and 5. Please also read 1^st Kings Chapter 4 verses 21 to 34, 5 verses 1 to 18, 10 verses 23 to 29. The reign of King Asa of Judah is another Biblical case in point. Please read  2^nd Chronicles Chapter 14 verses 1 to 7.

Repentance from dead works

A number of nations waste their God given resources through corruption, laziness, greed, ignorance, lack of planning and absolute inattention to priorities. What is required for revitalizing such nations is whole hearted repentance of the national sins of waste through corruption, lack of planning, mismanagement of resources, lack of care and attention, waste of life through inattention to healthcare, roads, potable water provision, security, unpaid salaries, youth development, care of the elderly. Such repentance will bring in the presence of God and divine direction as to how to manage their resources to revitalize their nations. Please read Zechariah Chapters 5 verses 1 to 4; 1 verses 18 to 21; 14 verses 11 to 12, Ezekiel Chapters 35 verses 1 to 9; 36 verse 5 and Proverbs Chapters 15 verse 27; 29 verse 24.

God hates wicked counsel and wicked counselors – Ezekiel Chapter 11 verses 1 to 13, 2^nd Samuel Chapter 15 verse 12, 31 to 37, 16 verses 15 to 23, 17 verses 1 to 23. Pray that God would send the right counsellors who would give the counsel of God to the nations.

Adopt and operate a zero waste policy as well as fruitfulness – Hebrews Chapter 6 verses 7 to 8.

Connect creativity – link creative people so that they can pool their resources- talent, time, money, etc together for the common good – Exodus Chapter 25 verses 1 to 8, 35 verses 1 to 10, 21 to 29, 30 to 35, 36 verses 1 to 4, 1^st Chronicles Chapter 29 verse 1.

God has Power over Recessions

Written by Uyoyou Christiana Charles-Iyoha

He increaseth the nations, and destroyeth them: he enlargeth the nations, and straiteneth them [again]. Job Chapter 12 verse 23.

God has absolute power over recessions, famine and soaring inflation, all of which can be adduced to a number of causes.

Recessions, famine and soaring inflation can be as a result of sin by the people of the land as in the case of the nation of Israel under the rule of King Ahab (1^st Kings Chapters 17 and 18); the oppression of Israel by Midian for seven years so that the people of Israel continually labored in vain because Midian always came into Israel to destroy whatever crops were sown, and to take away their livestock,; thereby leaving them impoverished. But when the nation of Israel repented, the recession came to an end as the source of that recession, the extreme wickedness of Midian was dealt with when Gideon and his army routed out Midian from Israel.

Recessions can also be caused by besiegement of a nation or people by a seemingly militarily stronger, economically stronger, mentally stronger nation as the case when King Ben-Hadad of Syria besieged Israel and the head of a donkey was sold for eighty shekels of silver and one fourth of a kab of dove droppings was sold for five shekels of silver (2^nd Kings Chapter 6 verses 24 to 25). The siege was so fierce that hunger ravaged the land and some people resorted to cannibalism; eating their children. But when God intervened, the recession came to an abrupt end leaving the people with an abundance of food and other material resources. Please read 2^nd Kings Chapter 7 for details of the abrupt end.

Healing the Nations is about standing on the word of God, the word of God that does not return to God void. God promises peace in our borders – Psalm 147 verse 6, in point of fact abundance of peace in Jeremiah Chapter 33 verse 6. He also gave a covenant of peace in Ezekiel Chapter 34 verse 25. God promises peace in the land in Leviticus Chapter 26 verse 6, the kind of peace that guarantees the absence of fear because nothing will make anyone afraid in the land, people will lie down and not be afraid, sleep peacefully in Jesus mighty name. In Micah Chapter 4 verses 1 to 4, God promises no more wars and that violence will cease in the land. Please see also Isaiah Chapter 2 verses 1 to 5, 66 verse 12, and Haggai Chapter 2 verse 9.

Peace in the land is integral to development as it guarantees sustainable economic, social, political and other activities which foster development and abundance in the land so that recessions do not impoverish people and make them unhappy. Peace in the land also guarantees the preaching of the gospel, evangelism, assembling together, teaching, and living happily as families and nations. I believe this is one of eh reasons the Bible admonishes believers in 1^st Timothy Chapter 2 verses 1 to 5 to pray for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence.