WHEN MONEY FAILS…Part 1

(Part 1)

Quote of the week: “People who deliver their best without supervision are leaders in the making”

I hope this meets you well. To all impact makers worldwide, I salute you. I salute your courage. Continue!!!

Here’s a poem I wrote about 8 years ago:

Money! Oh money!! Money!!!
A subject dreaded; a material craved
No money, no friend
I laugh in tongues… 

What do we with all the naira wads?
More money, more debt
Irrelevant in quantity, relevant in usage
A reality seldom seen

Diverse challenges daily
Albeit, in sharp unpleasantness
No one has a crystal ball
Changes ahead, and ahead

Platykurtic choices before us:
Play safe, or play smart
To awaken your financial genius; or
Wallow in financial nothingness

Not how much you have
How much you’re worth, tectonically
Begotten in numbers; expressed in value
You have today, would you tomorrow?

Oh Nigerians!
Too familiar with the naira
Beclouded by wrong choices
Wrong mindset, poor programming

Who says money is not good?
Handle it well, it finds rest with you
The love of money, is the root of all evil; yes! but,
The lack of it, is the root of more evil. Oh yes!

(The end)

Everyone wants money: me, you, us, everyone. Yes, we want money and plenty of it. Money is good, very good. Even the Bible says that money answereth all things, not some. Please, stop being religious about it. I beg you in the name of the God you serve. You can’t be holier than Holy Communion. Money is vital in all aspects of human endeavour to the extent that your voice literally disappears when you’re without money. Okay, have you wondered why you seem to have low self-esteem when you’re broke? Or how you suddenly become humble and voiceless when you’re cashless? A poor man has no opinion! Have you wondered why people, even family and friends, avoid you when you’re broke or poor? Even the Bible says “A poor man is hated even by his neighbours…”. Wait, let me ask you, you - yourself, do you like yourself whenever you’re broke? Eh? I seriously doubt!

Money is good. Run from anyone saying otherwise. That person is a Hypocrite, sorry, Hippopotamus! Money is the root of all evil, but make sure you’ve made enough before you remind us of it. Moreover, it's the love for money, not money, that is the root of all evil.

But consider this…

I once heard a story that in the early 1920s, there was hyperinflation (when prices of goods increase rapidly) in Germany. It was terrible to the extent that to buy a loaf of bread, one needed to have about ₦10,000 in today’s value of money. One particular day, a man loaded his wheelbarrow with stacks of German currency to purchase bread from a bakery. When he got to the said bakery, he left his wheelbarrow of cash outside to go inquire if there was availability of bread. After confirming, he came outside to get his money, but alas, he found only the stacks of cash on the floor. The wheelbarrow was gone!

Sounds funny but true; the thief saw more value in the wheelbarrow than in the “plenty cash”.

Be not deceived; Money has failed before….it will fail again!

Money seldom fails, but occasionally and terribly, it does. It failed in Egypt, as recorded in Genesis 47 vs 13-18, and grain became the new money, having characteristic features of money; it was divisible, portable, easily recognized, and had a high market value in relation to volume and wealth. Money failed in Germany and Austria between 1921 and 1923. It failed in Hungary after World war II. It failed in Africa’s Zimbabwe in 2008-9, when the rest of the world was in recession. This is 2017; it is failing in our beloved Nigeria…. gradually but ghastly!

Ever wondered why things are getting harder? Ever wondered why the “prices” of things seem to be running a race we know nothing about? Ever wondered why, despite the plenty money we have, it’s never enough? Ever wondered why despite the passion to hold more money, we find less and less of it? It’s a Prophecy!

In Mathew 24, from verse 1, Jesus tells us about what to expect in the last days, and in verse 12, He says “And because iniquity shall abound…”

You tell me, but I don’t know what other name to call the trend of things in Nigeria other than “Iniquity”. Ordinary “Biro” is now sold for ₦40. Someone even suggested that it was high time we made peace with mosquitoes and cohabit, since the price of repellants have suddenly gone up in a hurry. That is iniquity!

The truth is this: the price is not the problem. Prices have and will always be high. Nothing that ever goes up, ever comes down. At least, not in our Nigeria. This iniquity has a root. Money is the problem. It always has been. Money, no matter the quantity you have, can never be enough. Grace is the only sufficient thing.

If money therefore is and can never be enough, how then do we live and not just survive? Very simple. Aspire to make a difference, not a living! How? Money helps you live, being wealthy requires you make a difference.

The traditional theories of money have failed us. We were taught that with more money, the world would be a better place. But if everyone becomes a millionaire, who then would sell in the market place? More money, more and more money, less satisfaction, more frustration. Don’t mistake or confuse movement for progress! Traditional theories of money have placed emphasis on money and its multiplier effect and capacity, but money will always remain a store of value, not wealth. The value it stores would always be the value it assumed when it was stored. And with inflation, that value becomes insignificant. Money is never a store of wealth, rather it’s wealth that shows your capacity to control money.

Paradigm shift…

Money is man-made, but it is controlled by a spirit: a monetary spirit. However, this spirit is subject to certain laws and principles. This spirit responds to the law of wealth creation. The true value of your wealth is embedded in the principles you subscribe to. I have seen people who were once very rich, but became very poor afterwards. Your wealth is not defined by how much you have today, but how much you can generate tomorrow. Money is not generated, wealth is. Money is printed, wealth is created. Money is paper, wealth is a state. Money is controlled by the state, wealth is controlled by you. It’s your choice!

To generate wealth therefore, we must learn how to. Man came from God, to discover man, you have to discover God. To discover how to create wealth for man, we go back to God. Deuteronomy 8 vs 18 says “But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God: for it is He that giveth thee power to get wealth…” The emphasis here is the “power”. Not just physical strength, in this context, wisdom and the know-how. The principles of wealth places no emphasis on too much talks, prayers, or vigils. The principles of wealth are practical and are as Godly as you would ever get anywhere. Forget tradition, follow GOD-ition!

Remember this: the ongoing recession has no respect for anyone. It is time to follow God’s model. It is time to create wealth, not money. In this series, we will be unveiling practical, simple, and sure ways of creating, generating, and sustaining wealth in this harsh economic times. I’m tempted to write more, but I wait till next week. But let me leave you with this:

“Wealth is powered by your mentality. A lion doesn’t cry or shed tears. It roars! It takes a lion heart to have a lion share of wealth in harsh times. Your urgent change of financial status places a definite demand on your financial intelligence. Forget inherited wealth. So many persons have inherited wealth but remained poor afterwards. You can inherit the wealth of a man, but not his worth. Your worth is as worked out by you.”

Whatever you don’t earn adds no value to you. You can’t change levels on another man’s ticket…

Next week, we will explore the fundamentals of wealth creation especially in this economic holocaust. We will explore the practical ways to create wealth, store wealth, and sustain wealth. Stay expectant!!!

I wish you a monetary week ahead. Remember, to whom brain is given, sense is expected.

See you next week!

#SoloEdge

Your Friend,

Solomon C. Chinedu

scc.solomonchinedu@outlook.com; +2349050680771 (Text messages only)

Twitter - @pahsolow; Facebook - Solomon C. Chinedu; LinkedIn - Solomon C. Chinedu

Url: www.thebrainedge.blogspot.com

(References: The Bible (KJV), Dr. David O. Oyedepo, Solomon C. Chinedu, Gary North)
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