To be rich towards God is to invest in the worth of one's soul, to place importance on eternity. To look beyond one's self alone and cater for the needs of the poor in the capacity one has. The man who asked Jesus the question might have thought he had little but he could still be of help to another. And Jesus tells this parable, the rich man here has a lot and he still did not think of others or bless God. Being rich towards God is not a measure of the quantity of money or resources one has, it is sharing with the poor out of whatever resources that one has. Jesus' parable teaches us that we don't have to wait to become rich before we are generous but rather generosity is a state of mind. It is firstly attributing what one has to God’s provision and sharing with others who don't have. How are you investing for eternity?

How do you approach the Bible? Want to understand its treasures? This episode will give you simple tools for digging deep into the Bible.

What type of thinker are you? Do you use logic or imagination or linear or lateral? Today we would explore a Samaritan man. So let's dig in and turn the bible to Luke 17:11-19 Jesus was on His way to Jerusalem, 10 men who were ill cried out to Him for help.  When Jesus saw them, He asked them to show themselves to the priest. The law in Israel was, when people are healed of leprosy they had to go to the priest who examines them and certify that they have been healed and can  return back to their family, friends and community. As these men went to show themselves to the priest, they came to the realization that they were healed. O what a miracle and elation they must have felt. One of the men came back praising God and thanking Jesus for his healing. Jesus noted that the man was a Samaritan. Why was the nationality of this thankful man important? Jesus inferred that the one person that returned to give appreciation was the foreigner among the men who was healed. The Samaritan tribe was estrange to the Jewish people. Within the then Jewish community they perceived the Samaritans were not a pure race like the Jews. These 10 men approached Jesus, having a knowledge of the things Jesus had been doing in the community. And knowing He had the capability to heal them. They also would have known He was a Jew. I wondered why the other 9 Jewish men did not return to say thank you. Why was it only the foreigner among them that returned? Could it have been an issue of entitlement or deserving? This grateful Samaritan man did not feel entitled to the miracle- that is why he returned to say thank you. Entitlement means the belief that one is inherently deserving of privileges or special treatment. Access all that you have gone through this year and evaluate things. We take stock of the goals we set ourselves at the beginning of the year and then compare them to if we achieved or progressed on our way to achieve our dreams and goals. Are we where we want to be? If we take a good look at ourselves, are we entitled to all that we are or have or don’t have? But as we reflect, we also need to take inventory of how many meals have we had? How many liters of water did we drink? How many nights did we sleep? How many times did our heart beat? Taking stock is about the incoming and the outgoing. It should be about those things we received as well. So what is our stature as we reflect on this year? Thanksgiving is humbling ourselves to say we didn't do it all by ourselves. It is acknowledging that we had help. It is saying God you helped me and I am grateful for it. Not because I deserve it but because You choose to bless me. The Samaritan man who went back to thank Jesus got additional blessing from Him. Growing up my mum always said this “ A child who remembers to says thank you for the gift she received yesterday would  receive another blessing” Whatever this year may have been to you, look laterally and give thanks. If you are reading or listening, then  you have received far more than you have given and so I would encourage you to return thanks to God. God bless. And Have a happy new year.

What were your earliest scriptures that talked about Christmas? This passage is one  the first scriptures of Christmas that I committed to memory as a child. While I did not understand it, it seemed like a mystery. I thought the passage was about Jesus but it was not like in the story format that  the gospels tell us about Jesus’ birth and the events that occurred. Today we would exploring Isaiah 9.6–7 How does it apply to me today? This passage is about the prophecy of Jesus Christ and His kingdom. But how does it apply to you and me today? This passage brought hope to those who lived before the fulfilment of this prophecy and it also gives hope to us who live after the fufillment of this prophecy. It gives us the hope of the Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father and the Prince of Peace. We daily need guidance in little decisions, big decisions and life changing decisions. But to whom do you turn to for counsel? God himself offers us His counsel. Do we turn to Jesus to receive counsel, advice, guidance, direction, instruction, information, and enlightenment about our decisions? Or do we decide by ourselves or watch what others are doing. We have the hope to make the right decision all the time, if we just turn to the wonderful counsellor for it. We have hope in the Mighty God The quest for the good to win over the bad is internal cry and desire of all humans. We see this in our folk tales, stories and movies. We always want the good guys to win. When we bring it to reality, it sometimes seems that the good guys do not always win and it brings questions to our heart. There is hope in this as the Mighty God rules in the affairs of men. While the logic of things may seem out of place from our own view, when have hope because the Mighty God who is invariably God is in charge. We have hope in the Everlasting Father. The owner and the one who created all things. To provide and care for us. His fatherhood of us is not time bound but timeless. His eternal fatherhood provides, protects and enables us to be who He created us to be. Our identity and purpose stems from Him. If ever the question, why am I here crosses your mind? You need to look to the eternal father We have hope in the Prince of Peace.  He gives us peace within and without John 14:27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. As we celebrate the fulfilment of this prophecy in Isaiah 9 this Christmas, let our hearts be filled with hope. As we have been given the Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father and the Prince of Peace. Let us receive Him into our hearts and life and share this hope with those around us. Merry Christmas

I have 6 legs, two boggling eyes yet an empire I can build. Let’s explore this 6 legged creature as we explore Proverbs 6 In this study, the tools we would use for this study are Who, What, When, Where, and How tool What does it mean? How does it apply to me today? So let's dig in and turn the bible to Proverbs 6: 6 Who, What, When, Where, and How tool In this verse, we have two characters, the ant and the sluggard. The sluggard is asked to go and observe or study the way ant behave and learn. Be wise to use the information gotten from the ant. The ant an insect would be the teacher and the sluggard a human being would be the student What does (this passage ) mean? Let’s take a closer look at the ant What are the ways of the ant Scientists estimate there are more than 12,000 species of ants worldwide The ants work together (team) The ant also plans for the future. Instead of putting off tasks, the ant works in a proper and timely way. The ant sources (looks for ) its food in the summer, and gathers food in the harvest. The ant though tiny, through teamwork , unity and collaborative effort is able to achieve their goals. The ant does not work in isolation but rather surrounds itself with other ants with like purpose The ant is diligent Who is a sluggard: A sluggard is a lazy, sluggish person. The Synonyms we would often use these days for a sluggard are  deadbeat, sitdone look, do-nothing, layabout, lazybones, How does it apply to me today? If you were to do a360 degree appraisl review on yourself covering all aspect of your life where would you stand? Close to the ant or the sluggard. Here are a few question to check our Diligent barometer Do you keep your eyes open for tasks that need to be accomplished? (Examples; if you have chores to do, do you automatically do it, or do you need a lot of prompting  to get the work done? When you have a task to complete, who do you surround yourself with? Are they people who will help and support you in achieving your goals? The ant doesn't work in isolation so don't work in isolation find like minded people and achieve. Do you feel like giving up or putting  off a task? tell yourself: “Hey, Remember the ant!  And knuckle down How is your self appraisal going? Which areas need more attention? Diligence is being constant in effort to accomplish something.

Worship. What is it all about?

Tender heart, courage and bravery are the garlands of this princess. While little is known of her, the nation of Israel can never tell its history with this unnamed princess. Let’s discovered her existence in today’s stuy as we explore Exodus 2 How does it apply to me today? While the bible was not explicit about Pharaoh’s daughter's marital status, she was now the mother to one of the boys her father was going to kill. I wonder how that might have impacted the relationship she had with her father, her eligibility to marry and if she was already married how she explained it away to her husband. Irrespective of the personal cost to her (costs which are beyond money) Pharaoh’s daughter stepped in to save a baby boy. She stuck her neck out? What would we stick our neck out for? How do we react to the injustice around  us in our communities? Are we indifference thinking it does not affect us directly or do we step up to help in the capacity of our ability? Proverb 31 6-8 says Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy. The bible tells us Ecclesiastes 9:10 : Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might This unnamed princess by providence was raising an inter-racial man. And she did all the best that she could. What do we have in our hands to do? Are we putting the very best to it? While there is not much recorded about Pharaoh’s daughter, we don't even know her name but what she did for Moses and the nation of Israel cannot be overlooked. God changed many people’s names in the bible or gave them their names before they were born. I have wondered why God never asked that the name of Moses be changed? His name Moses was given to him by the mother ( Egyptian) who saved him and brought him up. For me it points to the recognition of the sacrifice and service this unmanned Princess made to bring up this vulnerable baby boy into the man God used to deliver Israel from Egypt. The garlands of this unnamed princess are tender hearted, courageous and resolved. What are the garlands around your own neck?

Would the hands that have been gifted to bring life also bring death to the lives they have brought forth? This is the delimer of these 2 ladies. Let’s explore this in our study today in Exodus 1:15-21 How does it apply to me today? Atimes we may find ourselves facing an ethical decision. A boss, an organisational policy, a societal expectation are requiring you to carry out something that is not ethically or that is in direct contradiction to God’s law? What would our decision be? Shiphrah and Puah feared God more than they feared Pharaoh. Pharaoh could destroy the body but God could destroy the body and the soul. Just like our Lord Jesus said in Matthew 10:28 And fear not them that kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul; but rather fear Him that is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. What would our decision be? God’s law or man’s law? Shiphrah and Puah  honoured God rather than man, and God honoured them too. They honoured God out of the reverential fear and with no expectation that God was going to bless them for their actions. Let us remember that obedience to God is not an automation for blessing. God sees the motive of our actions. Why are we obeying God? Do we feel entitled to blessings because we obeyed God? Or do we obey God from a place of reverential fear and love? Also Shiphrah and Puah valued the lives of the children they were instructed to kill.  Their profession was to help women birth live babies. This was their calling. They were at the start of the lives of those children. Now how could they that were there to help now use those same hands to kill and end the lives that have been brought forth. They became a voice to save the lives of these baby boys who couldn’t speak or stand for themselves. Proverbs 31:8a admonishes us to Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, When we see injustice around us, let’s not be silent but speak up. When I think of Shiphrah and Puah the words that come to me are courage and uncompromising faith in perilous time. I hope you have been blessed and encouraged by these two women. God bless.

Is there a couple you admire? The balance of their talents, teamwork and togetherness. Today we would explore the journey of a power couple in the Bible. Their courage, bravery and consistency. We would be looking at their lives across a few scriptures Acts 18:1-11, Acts 18:18-28, Romans 16: 3-5, 1 Corinth 16:19, and 2 Timothy 4 How does it apply to me today? We have met Priscila and Aquila, a Christian couple whose faith and walk with God is consistent. I will say they are a power couple who has encouraged many in their Christian faith and walk. Priscila is one of the women in the new testament. I have wondered why her name was always written before her husband's name. It was to shine a spotlight on her. A woman, in a patriarch world, she owned her faith, she was a skilled tentmaker and her hospitality, her encouragement of believers.  All these were done by the couple together. Priscilla showed an ownership of faith, decision and actions. This power couple were courageous  and hospitable in uncertain, perilous times. They challenge us with courage and  hospitality, in our world as things are uncertain and hospitality is a rare word. Our faith in God should not depend on the presence and absence of any human being. If we are Christians in the north of the country, and we had to relocate to the south of the country, would we still be Christian? When all around is unfamiliar and it may seem we are all alone? Would we own and walk our faith wherever we may find ourselves. We see Priscilla and her Aquilla do this several times. Priscila and Aquila, recognized the gift of Apollos. While they noticed Apollos needed some tutoring, they did not tutor Apollo right in the middle of his preaching in the temple but rather brought him to their home and explained things to him. How do we correct others? Is it publicly or privately? And what is our motive to correct? Is it to show off all that we know or is it to build another person up? Correcting others should be done in a way that does not demean the person but rather privately so that they are able to use and benefit from the correction. We  may have different callings to serve in the body of Christ, but all are equally important and recognized. Therefore we should be consistent in the calling of God in our lives. It may not look big or glamorous but what is required of us is to do what we have been called to. The interactions of Priscilla and Aquila with Paul, Apollos and the different churches that met in their homes reminds me of the parable of the talents in Matthew 25:20-23 20 “So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, ‘Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.’ 21 His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’ 22 He also who had received two talents came and said, ‘Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.’ 23 His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’ The servant who was given 2 talents was rewarded as well as the servant who was given 5 talents. They were both rewarded for doing what they have been called to. What has the Lord committed to your hands? What has the Lord committed to my hands? Are we serving to the best of our ability?

The status of a judge does not necessarily spell out poetry or song writing. Let’s explore the song written by this female judge in our study today. We would be looking at Judges 5 In this study, the tools we would use for this study are Who, What, When, Where, and How tool What does it mean? How does it apply to me today? How does it apply to me today? Deborah exemplified good leadership. In instructing, going to battle and leading in the praising of God for the victory He gave them. How do I stand with a brother or sister whose faith is shaking? How do I handle the weakest person in a team? Is It with jest, or ignoring the person or standing with them? When I lead, is it to lord it over another or is it by example? How do I stir up my own faith and the faith of others. We see Deborah use music that sings of God's victories. To remind ourselves that it is God that secures victory and on Him we should rely and put our confidence. Do you acknowledge those who helped you along the way? Ultimate praise belongs to God but it is proper to notice those human beings that help us on our journey. When there is a common task to do, do you fold your arms thinking others would do it or do you do your bit? God wanted something done in Israel but not all the tribes pitched in. The thing is that what God wants done will still be done. It is our privilege for God to want something done through an effort we make. He does not need us, but He chooses us. What will be our response? The battle against king Jabin of Canan and general Sesira who had oppressed Israel for 20 whole years was not an easy task. Those who kept away from the battle did they keep away  because they were afraid, or unconcerned, or laziness or selfish. Jesus called all believers to make disciples of all nations. It is a general calling for the body of Christ but in what way are you and I pitching in to this task? Are we leaving it to others to do without joining in, or are we partakers? Philippians 2:21: For everyone looks out for their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. For we cannot keep away from the contest between the Lord God and his enemies; Jesus said in Matthew 5:13-14 “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. “You are the light of the world We Christians are the light and salt of the earth. If we do not actively endeavor to promote God’s works in this wicked world, then we are like the salt losing its use and being trampled upon. Let us do our part in the body of Christ. This concludes our study of the female judge in ancient times. Remember Jesus said you are the salt the earth needs. Be blessed