The Place of Fiscal Discipline and Fiscal Integrity in the Healing of the Nations 2

Written by Uyoyou Christiana Charles-Iyoha

The Biblical Nehemiah who served as governor in Jerusalem did not even collect his allowances and perks as governor. Rather, he supported the people of God and Jerusalem with his personal resources. He realized that state resources were small; the people were greatly impoverished having been in captivity for a while. So he did not even bother the people with extra taxes as some leaders do to raise income for their states and nations. Unfortunately, such monies are sometimes embezzled by corrupt officials thereby further impoverishing the state and the people. Beloved, Nehemiah is a good, godly and classic example of incorruptible leadership whose fiscal discipline and integrity contributed to the development of the people of Judah as well as the rehabilitation of Jerusalem.

Samuel was a great prophet in Israel feared and respected by all. On account of the power and authority conferred on him by God, he could have enriched himself at the expense of the people. Yet, he was content with whatever God blessed him with and at a point challenged the Israelites to speak up as to whether he collected anything from anyone. No one dared speak for Samuel had never received anything from anyone to enrich himself.

And Samuel said unto all Israel, Behold, I have hearkened unto your voice in all that ye said unto me, and have made a king over you. And now, behold, the king walketh before you: and I am old and grayheaded; and, behold, my sons [are] with you: and I have walked before you from my childhood unto this day. Behold, here I [am]: witness against me before the LORD, and before his anointed: whose ox have I taken? or whose ass have I taken? or whom have I defrauded? whom have I oppressed? or of whose hand have I received [any] bribe to blind mine eyes therewith? and I will restore it you. And they said, Thou hast not defrauded us, nor oppressed us, neither hast thou taken ought of any man's hand. And he said unto them, The LORD [is] witness against you, and his anointed [is] witness this day, that ye have not found ought in my hand. And they answered, [He is] witness. 1^st Samuel Chapter 12 verses 1 to 5.

The Place of Fiscal Discipline and Fiscal Integrity in the Healing of the Nations

Written by Uyoyou Christiana Charles-Iyoha

Moreover from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year even unto the two and thirtieth year of Artaxerxes the king, [that is], twelve years, I and my brethren have not eaten the bread of the governor. But the former governors that [had been] before me were chargeable unto the people, and had taken of them bread and wine, beside forty shekels of silver; yea, even their servants bare rule over the people: but so did not I, because of the fear of God. Yea, also I continued in the work of this wall, neither bought we any land: and all my servants [were] gathered thither unto the work. Moreover [there were] at my table an hundred and fifty of the Jews and rulers, beside those that came unto us from among the heathen that [are] about us. Now [that] which was prepared [for me] daily [was] one ox [and] six choice sheep; also fowls were prepared for me, and once in ten days store of all sorts of wine: yet for all this required not I the bread of the governor, because the bondage was heavy upon this people. Think upon me, my God, for good, [according] to all that I have done for this people. Nehemiah Chapter 5 verses 14 to 19.

A nation, community and Church finances belong to God and should therefore be divinely deployed. They should be deployed for divine as well as national, community purposes that glorify God and increase the kingdom of God. Some people in the Bible disdained the holy offerings of God by partaking of what did not belong to them but to God. They were irreverent, had no respect for God and dared to consume holy offerings. Their actions were sacrilegious and led to judgment, in point of fact untimely death and generational judgment from God. Please read 1^st Samuel Chapter 2 verses 27 to 30, 8 verses 1 to 4, Joshua Chapter 6 verses 17 to 18, 7 verse 1, 20 to 21, Malachi Chapter 3 verses 7 to 12 for greater insight.

The finances of nations and communities are also divinely designed to benefit the nationals of the nations and communities. They are not meant to be squandered in riotous living or stolen by the leaders of the people. It is a sin to deploy national or community resources for personal benefits of aggrandizement. Achan attempted to secretly steal what was divinely ordained for God and the nation of Israel. He became a stumbling block to the nation and unfortunately died young as the penalty for his transgression was death. Pathetically, he did not die alone.

Women in Nation Building

Written by Uyoyou Christiana Charles-Iyoha

Women are relevant to God in diverse ways. This is because God also uses women as vessels of honor in nation building as well as healing the nations. However, for any woman to be relevant in God’s scheme of affairs, that woman has to be relevant to God in His own ways and timing. Significantly, you and I can become such women, vessels in the hands of God for nation building and healing the nations. How, you may ask? By possibly taking a cue from some of the women of relevance in the Bible; the women who were strategically positioned to fulfill purpose so that you and I are relevant in nation building and healing the nations as the world celebrates Mother’s Day on Sunday, 11^th March 2018..

By being Prayerful

Prophetess Anna was both prayerful and kingdom minded. After being widowed at an early age, Prophetess Anna spent her entire life working with God for the manifestation of God’s plans and purposes for humanity. She did this faithfully for about seventy years. After setting her eyes on the Lord Jesus Christ, she willingly departed the earth for greater glories. Please see Luke Chapter 2 verses 36 to 37. Other women who were prayerful and in the process birthed divine destinies include Hannah the mother of Prophet Samuel, the mother of John Mark whose house was a house of prayer where constant prayer was made for Peter and he escaped the death trap of King Herod who killed believers for the fun of it. These women prayed down God’s plans and purposes. They were not asking God for the latest designs from the luxury designers of the world; neither were they asking for luxury homes. They were concerned with the will of God and were praying down the will of God, warring in the heavenlies against forces opposed to the will of God for humanity and His saints.

Church; Arise and Heal the Nations

Written by Uyoyou Christiana Charles-Iyoha

The order of God is for the world to serve the Church through beneficial policies and access to whatever resources the Church requires but the Church has reversed the order by serving the world. Pray that God’s original order will stand so that the Church will be busily and profitably engaged in the tasks of soul winning and spiritual nurture.

Ask God to show the Church mercy and transfer wealth to the Church as the Church needs money for large scale evangelistic meetings as well as reaching out to the needy and vulnerable people in society. Therefore, let there be a speedy manifestation of the promises of God concerning wealth transfer as stipulated in Isaiah Chapter 60.

Let the glory of God rise upon the Church and let the glory be seen.

Let the Gentiles and kings come to the Church to behold and partake of the glory of God.

Let backslidden Christians repent and return to the Church.

The abundance of the sea should flow to the Church.

The wealth of the Gentiles should be divinely transferred to the Church.

Have the Eyes of Faith

Written by Uyoyou Christiana Charles-Iyoha

The Bible defines faith as the evidence of things not seen. Please see Hebrews Chapter 11 verse 1. Faith should be in God. Please see Mark Chapter 11 verses 22 to 24 and Acts Chapter 3 verse 16. Faith is not static which explains why the Bible instructs believers to grow in faith. Please see 2^nd Thessalonians Chapter 1 verse 3.

There are dimensions of faith such as great faith, little faith and zero faith.

The Centurion in Capernaum demonstrated great faith when he requested that Jesus should simply speak the word so that his sick servant at home would be healed. Please see Matthew Chapter 8 verses 5 to 13. So also did the woman with the issue of blood recorded in Luke Chapter 8 verses 43 to 48 and Mark Chapter 5 verses 25 to 34. The exploits of King David also speak of someone who always exercised great faith. Please see 1^st Samuel Chapter 17. The Syro Phoenician woman who requested healing for her daughter despite being referred to as a dog (Matthew Chapter 15 verses 22 to 28) demonstrated great faith as she kept asking to receive. The friends of the paralytic took faith to another level when they decided to bring their sick friend to Jesus through the roof. Please see Luke Chapter 5 verses 17 to 20. They had absolute confidence that Jesus would heal their friend and Jesus did.

Divine Guidance for the Healing of the Nations

Written by Uyoyou Christiana Charles-Iyoha

Divine greatness and enlargement and guidance of nations come from God alone. Please see Job Chapters 8 verse 7; 12 verse 23, Psalms 78 verse 52; 25 verse 9; 73 verse 24, Isaiah Chapter 58 verse 11, Exodus Chapter 15 verse 13. Therefore, pray that God in His infinite mercy will grant nations the wisdom to ask Him for divine guidance that will lead to the enlargement and greatness of nations.

Father, please, have mercy on the nations of the world and make them great by your power in the mighty name of Jesus Christ.

Give both the leadership and the peoples of the nations the wisdom, knowledge, understanding and other resources that they require to make them great, Lord in Jesus mighty name; and after You have made them great, Lord, please help them to stay great in Jesus mighty name.

Father, please keep them safe from the sins the enemy uses to ensnare them so that they stumble from your paths. Keep them safe in your paths, Lord and help them to manage the greatness you are bestowing on them in Jesus mighty name. Thank You for answered prayers, Lord in Jesus mighty name.

You are the One Who alone has the power to make the nations great. Father, please release the power for sustainable greatness upon the nations of the world and help them to stay great by your power in the mighty name of Jesus Christ. Thank You, Lord.

Enlargement of nations in whatever form comes from You alone, Lord. Please, have mercy on the nations of the world and enlarge them spiritually, physically, materially, numerically, mentally, intellectually, financially, and politically for and to the glory of Your holy name, Lord in Jesus mighty name.

The Significance of Light in Healing the Nations

Written by Uyoyou Christiana Charles-Iyoha

In the creation story, the earth lacked form; there was chaos, lack of order, total disorder, and lack of direction. There was no clear cut direction, everything was done haphazardly; void and darkness was on the face of the deep. To give the earth form and fill the void, light was required to take away the darkness and give direction to the creation process. So God created light first. In like manner, light is required to bring order out of chaos and that light is the word of God, which comes through salvation by faith in Christ Jesus. Darkness symbolizes ignorance, absence of light, lack of understanding, lack of wisdom, foolishness, rebellion, confusion, unbelief, lack of direction.

Righteousness symbolizes light, right direction, clear cut specific direction, knowledge, understanding, wisdom, and obedience. It is only the righteousness of God that exalts a nation. Please see Proverbs Chapter 14 verse 34, Romans Chapters 3 verse 21 to 22; 10 verses 1 to 13; 9 verses 27 to 33 and 1^st Corinthians Chapter 1 verse 30. The morality of a person or persons in a nation/s cannot exalt the nation; neither does the supposed righteousness of the nation established outside of the righteousness of God. This is because the righteousness of man is like filthy rags.

Light represents clarity, knowledge, and understanding. That is why light excels darkness – Ecclesiastes Chapter 2 verse 13. Visibility and clarity is enhanced with light and greater mobility is assured in the presence of light. Light gives speed, leverage, an edge or edges over your competition. Light causes you to excel as you will have greater understanding of what to do, how to do it better; when to do it to achieve greater and better results – Ecclesiastes Chapter 3 verses 1 to 11, 17, 1^st Chronicles Chapter 12 verse 32 and where to do it.

The Place of Knowledge in the Healing of the Nations 2

Written by Uyoyou Christiana Charles-Iyoha

God is the author of knowledge. Please see 1^st Samuel Chapter 2 verse 3, Proverbs Chapter 2 verses 1 to 5.

Ask God for the grace to proclaim the good tidings of His knowledge that dispels darkness and brings good news, peace, expansion, salvation, deliverance, et all to humanity. Please see Isaiah Chapter 52 verse 7, 61 verses 1 to 4, Luke Chapter 4 verses 18 to 19.

Pray that you will always be willing to proclaim the word. Please see Psalm 68 verse 11.

Pray that believers and disciples will grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ as stated in 2^nd Peter Chapter 3 verse 18.

Pray that God in His infinite mercy will destroy whatever is blinding the minds of people held in satanic captivity of mental and spiritual strongholds in the mighty name of Jesus Christ.

Pray that God will show them mercy and open their hearts to receive and believe the gospel so that they will be saved and become children of God  in the mighty name of Jesus Christ – John Chapter 3 verses 16 to 18, 1 verse 12.

Pray that the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ in the image of God should shine on them to eliminate every form of spiritual darkness in their lives in the mighty name of Jesus Christ. Please see 2^nd Corinthians Chapter 4 verses 3 to 4.

Pray that God in His infinite mercy will build and plant salvation by faith in Christ Jesus – the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus so that Christ will dwell in their hearts by faith, the eyes of their understanding to be enlightened to know their inheritance in Christ Jesus.

Pray that they will have definite life transforming encounters with the word of God and if need be encounter Jesus just as Saul did and he became Paul – missionary  extraordinaire.

Pray that every satanic veil blocking their eyes of understanding should be destroyed so that all the lies, deceit, ignorance orchestrated by the enemy will be destroyed even as the veil was torn when Jesus paid the supreme price for the redemption of man. Please see Ephesians Chapter 1 verses 16 to 25, 3 verses 16 to 19, 2^nd Corinthians Chapter 10 verses 3 to 6, Jeremiah Chapter 1 verse 10, Luke Chapter 2 verse 45, Psalm 2, 2^nd Corinthians Chapter 3 verses 14, 4 verses 3 to 4, Ephesians Chapter 6 verses 12 to 1, Ezekiel Chapter 13 verses 17 to 23.

The Place of Knowledge in the Healing of the Nations 1

Written by Uyoyou Christiana Charles-Iyoha

The Bible records that the people of God perished for lack of knowledge. Please see Hosea Chapter 4 verse 6, Isaiah Chapter 5 verse 13, Malachi Chapter 2 verses 1 to 8, note verse 7, Ezra Chapter 7 verses 6, 10 to 11, Nehemiah Chapter 8 verses 1 to 18, Proverbs Chapter 28 verse 2.

Knowledge, the right and accurate information anyone requires to make informed choices is also a critical determinant in the healing of the nations. This is because ignorance of God’s ways will make peoples and nations live contrary to God’s ways. But with the right information about God and salvation as well as the benefits of salvation, peoples and nations will have a choice – whether to live for God or walk in their own ways. Knowledge therefore enlightens and empowers to transform. Please see Proverbs Chapters 24 verses 4 to 5, 14; 27 verses 23 to 27. Knowledge also enlightens, enriches and empowers; as well as strengthens nations to transform – the nation is filled with all precious and pleasant riches, the nation is strengthened, has prospects and its hope will not be cut off.

This is to say that what nations need to come out of darkness, oppression, insecurity, economic doldrums and all forms of limitation is the knowledge, the knowledge of God. Additionally, nations should be ruled by people of understanding and knowledge because right is also prolonged in a nation blessed with a man of understanding and knowledge. Please see Proverbs Chapter 28 verse 2. When Moses chose leaders from among the twelve tribes of Israel, one of the criteria for choosing leaders was knowledgeable men and not ignorant men. Please see Deuteronomy Chapter 1 verses 13 to 15. Ezra the teaching priest and Huldah, the prophetess who interpreted the word of God were people of knowledge.

The Place of Tithing in the Healing of the Nations

Written by Uyoyou Christiana Charles-Iyoha

Tithing is the principle of divine portion that requires a child of God and nations in covenant relationship with God to give a certain percentage of their income to God for the work of the kingdom particularly the upkeep of the servants of God as well as the preaching of the gospel. Tithes are meant for the well being of the Levites, their upkeep and for doing the work of the Lord. Please see Nehemiah Chapter 13 verses 9 to 13, Leviticus Chapter 27 verses 30 to 34 and Numbers Chapter 18 verses 21 to 32. Jesus is the foundation of tithing. Please see Hebrews Chapter 7 verses 1 to 10, Genesis Chapter 13 verses 18 to 20.  It is a commandment from God for a Church to take tithes from members. Abraham tithed to Melchisedec King of Salem in Genesis Chapter 13 verses 18 to 20 and in Genesis Chapter 28 verse 22, Jacob promised to tithe to God.

The tithe is ten percent and nothing less. Do not ever underpay and pay promptly. Be humble and tell yourself the truth when tithing. While tithes are a fixed ten percent of your income, offerings are dependent on the generosity of the giver. In point of fact, the Bible says that God loves a cheerful giver. There is no point being generous if your heart is not cheerful and willing. Such offerings like poor monetary investments do not produce high yields. Offerings should be given willingly for them to be acceptable to God. Please see Exodus Chapter 25 verse 1. God instructed Moses to receive offerings that were given willingly. In addition, the Apostle Paul instructed New Testament believers to give willingly and not by compulsion (2^nd Corinthians Chapters 8 verses 1 to 3, 12;  9 verses 2, 5). Significantly, every time people give willingly to God and for the work of the kingdom of God, they are blessed beyond measure by God. Please see 2^nd Chronicles Chapter 35 verses 7 to 8. King Josiah of Judah and the leadership of Judah gave willingly for the Passover. The Israelites willingly brought offerings for the building of the Tabernacle in the wilderness (Exodus Chapters 35 verses 5, 21 to 29; 36 verses 4 to 7).

In Malachi Chapter 3 verses 8 to 12,  believers are instructed to pay the tithe  and give generous offerings where God wants you to give them and not necessarily where you want to give them (Jeremiah Chapter 4 verse 3). Where God wants you to tithe and give generous offerings is the Bible believing Church where the Holy Spirit is accorded respect and given freedom to operate fully; so that He guides, teaches and directs the people of God to profit (Isaiah Chapter 48 verse 17) where the truth of God is upheld and reigns above the doctrines and philosophies of men, where the Lordship of Jesus is celebrated and God is the head of the Church and everyone submits to God.

It is also the place where every member of the Church counts – no one is favored above the other and everyone is treated with respect and honor, no partiality in judgment, service, etc. that Church is also where you worship and serve God in truth and in spirit.