The Heart of Money

Welcome to the prolific teaching ministry of Pastor Immanuel Iren, lead pastor of Celebration Church International. It is his vision to partner with you for your progress and joy in the faith. Ready? Set? Grow. Now, let me make an apology ahead of time because what we're going to talk about this month is something I'm really passionate about and this is one of the areas that has limited the influence of the Church of Jesus Christ. It is almost as if it doesn't matter how many churches we plant and how many activities we have, religious wise or religion wise. Unless we learn these things, it makes our presence unproductive in the world, unproductive. So many church go us and not a tangible social impact. You see, I want to start with the quotes that many of us know but don't know and that's because what we know is the abridged version and I would say an unfair abridged version. The quote goes thus, "Jack of all trade, master of none and all our lives have been told that I say cautionary too, I say warning, but here is what you don't know, many of you don't know, the full quote goes thus, jack of all trades, master of none, dole, oftentimes better than the master of one." So that's what the quote actually, so the real intent of the quote is saying the opposites of what people use the quote to tell us because the notion all our lives have been that it is better to master one thing very well than to master many things on average. But many things in life point to the contrary, I'll give you a very typical example. If you're about to enter the university and you're writing your school, or or whatever exam it is, anywhere in the world that you are in, you are required to have above average in some key courses, isn't that true? Now, so if somebody has a one in geography, but D7 in English and in mathematics, is he going to make it through? Because you are expected to at least have average in some key courses, you know, I had to consult somebody years ago. He was almost driven to depression and in fact some of his friends thought he was borderline suicidal, what happened? There is a course in medical science, if you fail that course, it is not an extra, listen, you don't carry tova, you repeat the year, when you fail that course, I think it is a second year M, M, B, B, S or something like that, anatomy, physiology and all of that. If you fail that single exam, that's an extra year automatically. Other people here who can corroborate what I'm saying, you know, in fact, I mean the program I did, there was a particular exam, we just entered and then we saw question one, 70 marks. You see here, the people who were going to repeat, we knew in the exam, there is no word of knowledge, we knew, because if we don't know question one, you are coming back, you are coming back. And that's what I'm saying, listen, I said all of that to say this, there is a curriculum consciousness when it comes to discipleship in God. If you read between the lines of what Paul had to say many times, you will see what I'm saying. When it tells the church at Cecilonica and he says, I cannot wait to see you to perfect what is lacking in your faith. In fact, this was the Moses operandi, he's like observing how they go about their devotion and he's looking for what is lacking because there is a curriculum consciousness. And in fact, he now emphasizes on the aspects of their weakness so that they can be balanced. There is something he called the full gospel of Jesus Christ. That's a curriculum consciousness. And so he can tell the church at Corinth, for instance, he says, as you are bound in all trams and in your love towards us and in all these things, see that you are bound in this grace also. You are bound in diligence, you are bound in knowledge, but see that you are bound in this grace also, curriculum consciousness. And I'm saying, there is something missing in the curriculum of the church. Looks like our curriculum is several kilometers wide, but have an inch thick. Something is affecting our depth. There is one compulsory course that if you don't know, it's almost as if anything else you know is unproductive. And don't take my word for it to see. Part of the privileges of the Incarnation is that people who walk the face of the earth, when Jesus was on the earth, go to ask him questions that are very significant. Just imagine God took on flesh, dwelt amongst us and somebody who is not named but is called the young rich ruler had the opportunity to ask him, what shall we do to inherit eternal life? What a privilege. This is going to answer an age long debates. Come on, are you following me? I want to show you the references because we are going to take our bearing from this. That's Luke 1818. Easy to remember because Luke 1818. And also the same story is corroborated in Mark chapter 10 verse 18 also to 21. There are about. Okay. Now the Bible says in Luke 1818, it says, "Now a setting ruler asked him saying, 'Good teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?' So Jesus said to him, 'Well, why do you call me good?' No one is good but one that is good. You know the commandments. Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not be a false witness or not your father or your mother. Luke 1821 says, and she said, 'All these things I have kept from my youth, everybody read all these things, want to go. All these things I have kept from my youth. Let me tell you festan foremost, you need to understand the level of audacity it takes to look at Jesus Christ, God manifests in the flesh and say, 'All these things I have kept from my youth, it takes a setting level of confidence in your morality, your moral standing to say that.' And Jesus didn't call him a liar in fact. The reason I wanted to read also from Mark is because Mark gives you an important detail. In March of the 10th verse 21, telling the same story, the Bible says, 'And Jesus looking at him loved him, loved him, meaning he wasn't lying, he's claimed might not be complete but it's not incorrect. Jesus looking at him loved him, unless giving his flowers before we begin to talk about the things that he didn't know. This is a young rich ruler standing in front of Jesus and saying, 'All these things I have done from my youth, so I am rich but I have kept the commandments, thou shall not steal, meaning if you look at my books, he won't say any dollar, gotten by ill, gotten gain.' Are you getting what I'm saying? No illegitimacy in the way that I did my business directly or indirectly, I didn't oppress anyone to be rich, I didn't cause corners to be rich. And thou's that special, especially in that day, because he's rich, he could have oppressed people and gotten away with it. He's a ruler, he has political influence and yet he tells you he has not borne false witness, meaning he has not sided with any corrupt politician or joined anyone to do corruption or defended any negative, I mean, do you understand what I'm saying? And then in terms of sexual discipline, not only was he less guilty, I mean, or not guilty at that time, he said, 'All these things I have done since my youth, meaning even when he was younger, some of the excesses that plague some youths, he wasn't guilty of that and he's telling Jesus this. So that's commendable and yet Jesus said, 'Well, one thing he you still lack. This is so powerful and this is God's message to the church. You can tick all the boxes of morality and rightly so. That needs to be emphasized. Maybe even more in this generation. But if you tick all those boxes and you are fervent in devotion, there is still one thing that you must know and do and don't forget what we're talking about. We're talking about inheritance and all life. So meaning if you see somebody who is on his way to heaven, these are the things that you ought to see in his life. And even if you've ticked all the moral boxes, well, there is still one thing that you just might be lacking. And what is that one thing? It is possible for you to tick all the moral boxes. But if we look at you with the lens of the spirit, we see a leash on your neck. You are still held captive to the God called Mamon. There are many people who have no vice except money. Except money. Except money. And it's one thing. Not only does the church not harmonious as he ought to. If I may say respectfully, some are even guilty of teaching the wrong things to promote promote coveachousness in the name of God's willingness to bless. One thing you still lack. And instead of telling him directly what the one thing is, he gave him a test that will review that one thing. He said, sell all you have, give him arms to the poor and follow me and he will have treasure in heaven. And the man who moment ago was interested in eternal life. Change this mind. Turn his back on Christ and start it walking away. Now I know what you're thinking. And you're thinking what I mean in your defense. I thought about it for a lot of years too. I didn't really understand it. Jesus, you too. Ah, ah. See where you hung, bull. Why will you ask him to do that? And make no mistake. Jesus didn't make this a prerequisite for everyone who will follow him. But say, I mean every disciple, he didn't say sell all you have. He was saying this to reveal a particular idol that this guy who was trusting in his personal discipline had hidden. Come on, I get to follow him saying in this place. And some of you are protesting in your hearts and saying, well, why would Jesus ask him to do that? That's unfair. He's a young and trappinor. He has done well for himself at the young age. Imagine the amount of work he had to put in and you say give all of give all of that up and follow me. That's unfair. So you think, but let me ask you this. If you had the opportunity to meet Dangote, or family or tell you, or Tony, Lumili, and you're just like, you are my business hero. I'm inspired by your work. I want to be as great as you when I get older. Please put me through mentor me. And he looks at you and he says, um, sell all your businesses and follow me. What are you going to do? Somebody said, I'm so determined. If somebody's going to say, if I go back, I may not have the opportunity to see you again. So let me just follow you. Leave the shop open. Let Lutas loot its dry. Let me just follow you. Now, but you see the problem. If it is Jesus making the offer, you have a problem with it. But if it is some billionaire, you now see how good it is. And that's because some of you is not your fault. You are scarred and traumatized by many so called preachers who pretended to be speaking for God and asked you to give up money that in 10 days or one year, you get 10 times, you know, that return. And so you think that if Jesus tells you to do the same, that it will end up the same way. Those preachers didn't speak for God and were coming to that. Those God bless, yes. But we're coming to that. But those preachers did not speak for God. Listen to me. Do you know who Jesus is? Even Elijah. If Elijah tells you, sell your businesses and follow me. You better do it. Some of you are so used to the false that you don't even know the power of the legitimate. So you read this story and you have a problem with it. Jesus says, sell all you have and follow me. The one who can feed 5,000 and five loaves. Look at that young man. See you dead. We don't know his name. Young Rich Ruler. If he had followed Jesus, maybe a book of the Bible written in his name. Do you know there were many people that begged to follow Jesus and they didn't have the opportunity. Jesus said, no, you stay here and witness to the people here. And Jesus actually gave somebody the opportunity to follow him and he turned his back. You don't know what you're talking about. And that's part of what we're going to discuss this month. You don't know what true greatness is. To have followed Jesus. And you know, another reason I like the narrative in Luke chapter 18 is that if you follow through and you follow the flow of thoughts, there's something on mystical because right one chapter after you see another rich man, he's rich too. This time around Jesus didn't even tell him anything. And you didn't even know what happened between Jesus and the young Rich Ruler. He goes by the name Zacchaeus and he has Jesus is coming and it climbs a tree to see Jesus. And the moment he sees Jesus and that's what I'm talking about. If you don't have a similar reaction to Zacchaeus, maybe you never really saw Jesus. That's what I'm saying. The moment he saw Jesus, nobody had to tell him anything. Nobody preached him a sermon. He didn't read a book on his own. He said, half of my goods are gift to the poor. And if I have taken anything by false gain from anyone, I return for food. Listen to me. This is the kind of transformation I'm talking about. You cannot truly see Jesus and continue that illegitimate business. It's not possible. Jesus didn't have to say anything. Jesus stood on that tree and looked at him. Just stood on that tree and looked at him. And on his own. Overwhelmed his conviction. He began to adjust his life. And Jesus said today, salvation has come to your house. It means I can't tell if salvation has come to your house by your financial priorities. Now, this is the part that we are struggling with. You see, and when the Lord wants me to hammer on something, He begins to arrange the things that I see, the stories that I hear by providence to prepare me for the sermon. And there's a story I heard just recently that broke my heart. Picture this. Some seniors come to a church service. And they are convicted by the word. They are seeing all their believers crying, praying, and they want what they have. Or at least so they thought. And so when there is an altar call, they call them out to give their life to Christ. And they return to their seats to find their phones missing. So how do you explain to a sinner? Are you guys wondering what I'm saying? How did we get here? You know, I think it was past the point you was talking about something not too long ago in this same Nigeria in Badong. When some church programs are going on, the markets, they will leave their produce and they will leave change. So when you want to buy something, you take what you want to buy, put your money, take change. In this same country. And I don't want to compare countries, but I think it may be worse here. One of the cultural shocks I experienced just two years ago, I went to preaching Ghana. And I saw people dropping stuff. So I think they have a culture there. Juulasah al troispan. Fujita ettosamaeg da pathetic to eso suya esa idea Uh ♪ Halt Like I'm telling you it is possible to excel at all the other things and be lacking in this one I'm sorry to say there are plush tuss that we can trust with money By the way they talk you know that their upper tides has not been sanctified There are people if you see them on the flyer you know what they will say you know what they will say it doesn't matter what they preach about it will end the conclusion you more shake body that day the friend of mine planted a church his church was going through a rough patch financially somebody called me he said invite me to your church give me one service he said the money will come out now imagine and trust in your soul to a pastor who brings somebody that is a professional is a machinery ♪ these things are actually really sad some questions how many of you can do business with the fellow christian without the contract ♪ how many of you can learn a fellow believer money and go to sleep knowing that he will return it I mean how many of you can send your christian staff to buy stuff without meticulously checking to be sure that he has not tried to play fast one on you how many of you and I'm telling you one thing you still lack that's what jesus is saying he looks at a church that has 55 posters on prayer during prayer you just look at different prayer styles you wonder what in this fight the man is going on ♪ when they are done do business with them and see ♪ the ways on christian's till evil satan is shocked ♪ ah they see for a while ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ once upon a time we used to pray to politics ♪ ♪ you know there is one of us ♪ God's elected to a position share testimony in church in three months do you know what it means that thief's call you it's ♪ do you know what it means ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ where have I told you this month go hot ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ just ran the hour and the spiritual status group knew that that cool thing that doctors use that many of you as children want to be doctors just to be able to hang it on your neck Monizic spiritual status group it doesn't matter the tongues it doesn't matter the tongues it doesn't matter the tongues it doesn't speak one of the major ways to check as wealth made them class conscious to this size you will check how much money you have to see how to grit you ♪ ♪ ♪ how do they respond to people that have money and to people who don't have money Moniz is a spiritual status group don't try to persuade me just print your bank statements if I look at your bank statements I will tell you if they are idols in your life I will tell you what you prioritize because your money will always go in the direction of your owner where your treasure is where your heart will be you can tell the things that you owner by where your money is going ♪ ♪ you are arguing tight but you do more in Shawama every month ♪ ♪ without fail and you don't feel it let me tell you something the things you spend on without feeling a pinch tell you about your conviction that's what I'm saying what are the things that I can spend on you know there are some people they will say I don't have money now now now you want the same show in red yellow green indigo violet please don't get me wrong there's another extreme listen to Baba says that God has given all things richly for enjoyment don't think that the only thing God wants you to do with monies to give it all away come on I get to what I'm saying ♪ ♪ this is important and some of you have been mentored in coveachousness thinking it is faith ♪ you lend coveachousness in church so one thing you lack God tells the young rich ruler one thing one thing you pray well you fast well you've kept all the commandments but you see this money thing because it's clear you cannot save to master you cannot you cannot you cannot you cannot you will honor one and show the other and that showing will be deliberate you will put measures in your life come on are you listening to me you put measures in your life so that's what we're here to talk about I want to move into the next part of this so that I can finish and maybe make more progress and I did in first service so here are five things God wants you to know about money number one money six your worship money does what let me tell you something money is trying to get you to bow make no mistake and the reason a lot of us don't know this is because it's on a human we have the impression that for us to sell our souls to the devil the devil has to stand in front of us and make us an elaborate bugging you think of all those not only would movies that you saw where somebody will go to the DBA or the voodoo voodoo practitioner and say what can I do to have money and then you will say sell your soul sell your soul but there are indirect ways many people have sold their soul without even knowing listening very carefully to me talk John 2 talk John 2 is a guard real it keeps you from extremes it says I wish above all things that you prosper and being good health please avoid the other extreme God God wants you to prosper and being good health but there is a caveat even as your soul of prosperous so it means that prosperity must never be at the expense of your soul meaning you can only allow your pause to continue to expand to the degree that it does not violate your conscience this is so important and so if you begin to pursue money whilst violating your conscience you have sold your soul a lot of people don't know that they definitely need not give you a direct bargain anything you do at the expense of your soul and everything you do 'Ti'achments of your soul has become your God. 'Alobe' we don't know this. What did Jesus say? He says, 'What shall it profit a man if he gains the whole world?' And Lucy says, 'It means there is a way you will throw yourself into the pursuit of money. By the time you acquire it, you will look and there is nothing left of your soul.' Some of you, if you don't do something, you are already on your way there. You are already on your way there. You see, let me tell you something. Oh my God. He that is faithful and little is faithful in much. Are you listening to me? When the Bible says the love of money is the root of all evil. It means if you love money, there is nothing you cannot do. You just haven't had the chance yet. Your back is not just against the wall yet. If you love money, see, do you believe in the integrity of the Word of God? If that scripture is true, it means if you love money in an inordinate way, you can kill even if you have not killed yet. You can still, even if you have not stolen it, there is no evil thing you are not capable of doing. You don't just have the chance. And listen, here that is faithful and little is faithful in much. You caught corners for small things. Small things. Small things. Small things. You are already adding zeros to ten Ira. Money seeks your worship. At what expense? At what cost? You know, I've said the time and again, growing up, I never really understood it. In fact, I was pissed with my mom at the time because she was lecturing the university and there was a time, there was a type of visa that was coming for professionals of our qualification. And she had the opportunity to walk in the US. But for some reason, they offered just hard, they transferred. Not my dad, not the other kids. And without my mom thinking, he said, no. Even me, I was pissed. I was just eight, eight years old. I said, why would you do that? Who would be all right? Good money, but at what cost? Always stop and ask. At what cost? And if children of God don't know this, we are in trouble. The country can never be better until we learn how far it's too far. What are the things I will never use money to buy? What are the things that money will never compensate for? Are you getting what I'm saying in this place? Can you say that loud? Number two. Contentment is one of the highest financial skills. Contentment. You know, I told a story from a book. The secular book was very good. Psychology of money. And in that book, it tells a true life story about one way or two guy who was sitting in a company of billionaires and there was a very way of the man, a even way of the man. He was meeting us and we were from them and somebody was talking to him and said, do you know how much that guy made in one year? He made in one year more than you will ever make in your life. You know there are people who talk like that and all of that. And this man said, well, that's good, but I have something he will never have. His friend laughs, say, what do you have that he will never have? And he said enough. Listen, do you know there are some people who will never have enough and it's like a cancer because they will never be happy. They will never be happy. It's an endless chase. The next one, the next one, the next one, the next one, you've never really sat down to even take it all in. To thank God for how far he has brought you. There's a famed one in the first Timothy chapter six. We almost never considered. Hmm. Hmm. First Timothy chapter six from verse two. He says, and those who have believed in masters, let them not despise them because they are brethren but rather serve them because those who are benefited, are believers and beloved, teach and exalt distance now, first and foremost. He says, those of you who have masters, you two, are you a Samas? Don't you know that conversation for another day. And he says, if anyone teaches otherwise and does not consent, consent to the wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ and to the doctrine which is according to godliness. He's proud knowing nothing but is obsessed with disputes and arguments of words from which come and we strive for violent evil, conspissions, useless wrangling of men of carbons and destitute of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means to gain is that from such to draw yourself. He says anyone who teaches otherwise, it means he's a doctrine. But the emphasis seems to always end in harmony. Every service is as if godliness is a means to gain. He said from such, from such do what? Say it loud. And then in verse six, he says, now godliness with contentment is great gain. He's using an economic term, a financial term. gain is profit. It profits you. It profits you to be content. Listen, you might not be where you want to be, but you are not where you used to be. At least enjoy the process. Enjoy it. I mean think about disseaming non-challence in difference of poor. I've learnt to abound and to abase. Sometimes there's a lot of money and sometimes maybe not so much. It doesn't mean god is not faithful. I mean, structured in all things is an opportunity for consecration. Some years are better than others. He says, he's structured in all things. Talk to abound and to abase. I can do all things. True Christ that's friending me. You know that scripture that we use evil for more money is actually about contentment. When it says I can do all things in context, it means I can abound and abase. Please are you listening to me? Luke 12 verse 15. This scripture changed my life. I've shared it with you. A billion times. I'll share it a trillion times more. The Bible says and he said to them, take heed. This is the warning, beware of what? Corve justice. He says for a man's life does not consist in the abundance of things that he possesses. Let me tell you a simple, little more test. To know if you have an idol in your life. Any material thing that you think to yourself, I will be happy if I had this. If you define happiness by any material thing, that's an idol. It also means that there aren't good things that you can be happy to have. But if you get your identity of happiness from those things, so that you feel less of yourself if you don't have them, that's an idol. He says, Godliness with contentment is great gain. And this text says, a man's life does not consist. I don't measure the quality of my life by the card that I drive. 'I don't measure the quality of my life by the clothes that I wear.' And some of you people have built business models around your coveachousness. Yes. Yes. Yes. Because you can never have enough. You've idolized status. So they sell you one simple t-shirt. They want to sell it to you for seven million. And you've not stopped to ask, 'Can you fly?' Hmm? So, listen. Make no mistake. I think you should look your best. But don't fall for the hype. Don't let somebody behind be laughing at those stupidity. And you get what I'm saying. Until you overcome this desire to buy things to impress others. You can never truly be rich. In fact, no matter how much money you have, it can't finish. And should there be any other people group in the world, more willing to live free from the pressure to impress? Then, Christens. What is going on? How do we then see these things in the church? You know, attended a church service sometime in 2012. And I thought the one of the best sermons I've ever had, it started so well. It was on the blessing of God. I was rolling on my sits. You know, oh my God, it was didactic, back-to-back scriptures. Delivery, 100% and then the cliffhanger. When I saw the way the things going in my mind, I was like, 'Oh no, please.' And they said, 'If you want to tap into this blessing, give a hundred dollars.' Now, you don't know how damaging this thing is. Even I, who knew better, still left that place feeling less of myself. Because, newsflash in 2020, I didn't have hundred dollars to give. So, I'm thinking to myself, 'Jesus, you mean to tell me this wonderful blessings?' That this sermons shared from Genesis to Revelation, I can't entice because I don't have hundred dollars. I said, 'You know, if I had hundred dollars, you won't have to ask twice. You know, you know, it so bothered me, I forgot to enter public transport. I started walking, more biology, but I'm controlling. I was working, thinking to myself, 'Is it my fault? I don't have hundred dollars.' [Laughter] Seeing people walking through the house, to go and collect blessings. Or should I say to bite? [Laughter] Which leads me to number three? [Laughter] And this is something I've seen more and more. The more God opens those, and the more I get the opportunity to meet some truly great people, I have noticed this thing. Number three. Well, it's invisible. I will explain. Just write it down. Well, this is what. The people who always have the insatiable need to show you wealth. More often than not, don't have it. Maybe it flew over your head. When one of the former chairwomen, for one of the biggest banks in Nigeria and in fact Africa, stood here and told you that many of these celebrities flaunting their wealth outside, she has money in the accounts, she knows they don't have. She said when they died, their family members will be shocked, they will cry, they will suffer. I'm telling you the truth, it's true. Don't fall for the hype. It's true. See, the more I've dealt with, truly blessed people, I've noticed a pattern. Ah, Jesus Christ. I've noticed a pattern of simplicity, silence. I was counseling one two weeks ago. Would you like to know what it was trying to get counseling along? She has been wealthy for a long time and she had kept it lucky. But the breakthrough that is coming, it's to be hard to keep silent about it. Like, it's going to be publicized. And that almost has driven him to depression, so he came for counseling. True life story. He says, "Sah, today I entered into the supermarket with my son, bought something and came. Nobody disturbed me. I'm afraid that's about to end. What can I do?" He said, "You know what? I would turn down the offer. I said wait. Even me, I said wait. Let me pray and get back to you. I thought I'd do it for her. You know, financial. Or the toned out offer." It's like this place is hot. I said wait, let me pray. But it touched me. And I've seen that time and again. See, if you don't know what I'm saying, it doesn't matter how much money you accumulate, it will disappear. Because you've been so delineated, that if you have money, you have to show it. But any money you show is no longer wealth, is expenditure. There's a difference. If you buy a car, your money is reduced. So God help you, that you've been stoned by that book. That makes you want to keep showing your way to poverty. Just buying, buying, to show. We won't joke about it when I have money. There will be signs. There will also be wonders. What happened? There will be wonders. Because signs are wonders go together. [laughs] The goal is not to look wealthy. A lot of people don't understand the difference. I said, I know what I'm saying. I've seen it time and again. You know, one of the first times I said, this began to don't know me. Even I know these things. But I began to check. You see, let me explain and defend myself ahead of time first. A member of this church had come to me and said, for such and such reasons, I prefer you in business class every time you travel. So if the church is not putting your business class, send me the difference. I will pay. So take note of this explanation. If you judge me, I won't tell the story. It's just all right. So years ago someone bought me a cup. And it was a nice cup. I asked him, where is your cup? He said, I don't have. I said, you don't have a cup. He said, I don't like driving. You know? So now someone who is on discerning will see me driving around. And see him walking. You greet me. You know, I think that was not enough. One day I was in a plane, business class, and he came in. And he greeted me, oh, hello, sir. Good to see you. I went to the back. Economy. The church became more comfortable with that. You know, because some of you, this is your problem. You have confused your helpers. You dress more than your helpers. You ball more than your helpers. You know? The money that can change your life. Your helpers think if they give you the win soul to. They don't want to win soul to. How can I give you 10 million? Big boy like you. It's. Tekin ni antiketetainus Recognizm components Jatailitos Za Waitara'berry ni a'B 對不對 Brit',nenikaiä Veadu e'vald bezo O, su perihen U kinda ni U kinda ni antiketainus U kinda ni antiketainus U kinda ni antiketainus Haliluya You see Eternal life makes your soul elastic Are you guys the one I'm saying? So if we drop 10 billion debt It will balance Eternal life, come on are you guys the one I'm saying? Why is 5 million changing your behaviour? You're walking stepas changed Why? Why are you asking people do you know who I am? On top 3 million why? It's not that I'm asking you both to come and go Why? Because especially church is where they know who he is. His own consecration to the Lord is to always sweep any church he attends. Sweep the floor, arrange the chairs. This is a mortar bell. Sweep the floor, arrange the chair. And all of that. He said in Nigeria, if he holds the broom, 20 people will try to collect it from him. So now he's based in Canada. He attends the quiet white church. He will call me the night and arrange the chairs, sweep, and people don't know him. And I'm like, "Shap." See, we've taught the elites how to treat us. We are the cause. Something happened. My wife's car was bad, so someone let her use a car just for the time being. The story is longer than that, but the car looks more flashy than the car she would normally drive. The same road she has been driving. As soon as she comes out, the grittings are different. I think anyone who's saying, "She's approaching the traffic lights." "It's not green yet. Police is saying pass, pass." And so he was complaining to me, "It vexed her soul." It vexed her soul. To be sure, you're following what's number one. Hmm. What's number two? What's number three? All right. Let me just give one more and then we'll call it the day. Because of time. Okay, I should finish. You're really enjoying this, Emun. All right, number four. Never defile your conscience to build your income. Whatever God cannot give me, may I never have. Echo that with me. Whatever God cannot give me. May I never have it. See, let me tell you something. It doesn't matter. See, the devil pays no respect to your title. To the devil. The devil pays no respect to your title. To the tongues that you speak, capital or small letters. Or how regularly you come to church. God took on flesh, came to the earth. The devil still tested him. The devil will try you. It doesn't matter who you are. He won't just get behind you because of your reputation. He wants to see. And he will test the limits. Why go through the cross? Bow now. There's a short course, shorter course. And I'll give you all the glories of this world. Just bow. Many people have come to opportunities like that. They took it. Listen, when they go back instantly, don't start opening. You don't know where they got it from. You platform them. You make them your teachers. I'm saying it is please. The Christmas cannot even smell the difference. Because for you to join a church, you even sized the pastor. You saw him driving a saloonka and made the person out notes not to join that church again. Because you have a problem. Maybe no you understand. Please are you getting to what I'm saying? Don't do anything that will defy your conscience. And start with the small things. When police stops you, if you don't have driver's license, go to the station and pay define. It's not that I know it's a common thing. I want to make sure you are listening to me. I'm not joking. If last month stops you, if FRS stops you and say you don't have your seat and I promise you, when you pay twice, your documents will always be complete. You will set all the alarms and that's how this country will be better. That's how this country will be better. Make no mistake. See, sometimes the crime is institutionalized. It's state-led and I won't give you examples. But as much as we did in your power, stop using shortcuts. Stop. Stop. This country cannot be better until we stop. A lot of us are not ready for a country that works. So we are not ready. We are not ready. We are not ready for the accountability. We are not ready for the discipline. Stop constantly define your conscience, defining your conscience. Add in zeros where there are no zeros. Add in dots where there are no dots. Stop doing it. Godliness with contentment is great gain. Are you listening to the house of God? Bring back that dignity. And some of the things that will help us is this. You to stop sizing people up. Start judging people by the content of their character. A man of God is a man of God. Whether he has a lot of things that will help us. Stop it. Stop it. These are the things that will help our nation. Otherwise we have many, you know, I told the story during Trump 30 years ago. In the early days, I went to Alaba to buy a drum set for church. I went to myself. And with one other pastor and with my mom's driver then who was a Muslim? Now that Muslim guy at three three many times he didn't listen to me until that day. It was the character he saw. We made a uton somewhere in last month's stoppers and said that's an illegal uton. I said how? They said there used to be a sign that says no uton. But during a riot that happened weeks before, I was removed it. I said, well, how's that our fault? They say well, it's an illegal uton nonetheless. And I said, okay. So where's the way to your station? They were surprised. They were surprised. I said they said you want to go to the station. If you go to the station you will pay 50,000. I said let's go. Don't waste my time. Let's go. See, they were surprised that somebody wanted to do the right thing. Do you know that's an indictment against the church? They were shocked. They were shocked. And so the driver was trying to pass through those doctors. I know you had that elongated. But those doctors, I said no. Let's go. And as they entered the car to a bluff in enter the car, as they were going, they were getting increasingly more shocked. What is wrong with you? Are you the first pastor with dealt with? I say I'm defests. From the way you are acting, I'm defests. If what I'm doing is surprising, I'm defests. And after I were, they say stop us. Yeah. It turned out it was not even an illegal uton. See, I said people have built a lot of businesses around our curvaturesness. They know that we are not even honest enough to follow through with due process. So they've made a lot of money from that place. They were so angry. Insulting me for wanting to do the right thing. Do we still have men of God like the prophet of old who was standing before the congregation and was oxen abitaking and say as there been any time I prophesied that it was not from God, I only said this to get money from you. Was there any time that I ever said the spirit is leading me to take an offering and it was not the spirits. How many people can still talk like that? I mean raise people who love Jesus when they need to communicate. Let them give. You said I should give you one more. All right, quickly number one, number five. Hard work is still God's ordinary means of provision. Hard work. Hard work. We're going to talk about this later this month. A lot of us which are repeat scriptures and it's not our faults. The people who taught us to interpret scriptures, they use it. Many of them use it out of context. Let me tell you something. If you are guessing your inspiration or your scriptures on provision from what God did in the wilderness, you are doing something wrong because that's not the normal context. And so the reason why God had to reign mana down every single day for people who were not working is because they couldn't walk. God told them to go to the promised land and they kept moving. So they couldn't stay in one place. So and reap. That's why mana had to fall. If you use that, you are using it out of context. God will bless you that way. Guess what? The same people when they entered into the promised land, the Bible says mana seized. Mana seized. It stopped raining mana. And now God told them so in that land and reap. He will bless the works of your hands. Stop being lazy. Just crossing your leg and speaking in tongues. One PM you have not gone out. Speaking in tongues. That's all you're doing. 12 noon. Your mates are walking outside. You have to even brush your teeth. The angels are blocking their nose because the order has transcended dimensions. Even in the spirits. You have to be careful. Apply yourself to Godly labor. It is part of worship. Come on. I listen to me. I think it was John Calvin who said, you don't just worship God by singing "Believe it if you are not a problem. You worship God by making the best shoe. When you are making the shoe for somebody knowing that that person is made in the image of God, your approach should be better than somebody who doesn't share your conviction. You apply your hearts." So whatever it is you do. Don't go a whole semester not reading your books. Then you pray to God to reveal what will happen to your show up in. Stop cutting corners. Stop using charismatic gifts as an excuse for laziness. In all labor there is what? Profits, apply yourself. Go the extra mile. No shortcuts. May the Lord help us in the name of Jesus. Thank you for listening. You are sure that you have been blessed. For inquiries reach us on our help line 0809 996 7000. Blessings.