I hope you were able to pick a few things from the first part of this article. In conclusion, we’ll be looking more at what I call some specifics. Interesting ways I’ve been able to bring some level of balance to the way the money thing plays out in our music ministry. Also, this would focus more on itinerant music ministers. That is, those who run a travel schedule, with invitations to minister from place to place.
We established earlier that folks may have some grounds to charge, but also stated that God does call people to a higher place of working without charge. We stressed the importance of a personal revelation and strong conviction in this regard, as this could be a very sacrificial path to thread.
However what has become quite disturbing is the way and manner some music ministers go about charging. There’s the issue of unreasonable amounts or figures, as well as the way and manner payment is requested. Believe me I’ve heard both ends of the spectrum, and each end make compelling arguments.
The side of the music minister who because of many disappointments and horrible experiences resorts to charging and demanding advance payment, sometimes, in full, to avoid “stories that touch”, and the side of the clergy or host, who cannot see any reason why a God-given gift and grace should be treated like a mere commodity, both seem to have valid points for thinking and working how they do. I would attempt to bring some clarity by sharing some personal stories, experiences and principles. And hope that this sheds some light.
VOLUME versus HONOUR
I’ve discovered that many times the issue is not really that of volume, that is, the amount of money one is/was given, but rather a question of honour. And I’ll explain. Make no mistake, as much as possible, and as God blesses, it is good to honour ministers of the gospel with substantial amounts, especially those who live faithfully, sincerely and sacrificially.
“Elders who do their work well should be respected and paid well, especially those who work hard at both preaching and teaching. For the Scripture says, “You must not muzzle an ox to keep it from eating as it treads out the grain.” And in another place, “Those who work deserve their pay!””
1 Timothy 5:17-18 NLT
Remember I said in the previous part that music ministers are actually preachers of the gospel, but in songs.The truth of the master is ,true,meaningful and impactful music ministry is Impossible without a strong word base. Therefore, the scripture above, in my opinion, applies also to music ministers-But that’s not our focus right now.
If you are like me, you may have visited a ministry, who may not give you as much money as you would think, but then would have experienced such show of love and honour from them. And come to agree that they would very readily do more if they had more. I mean, you feel such warmth, love, liberty and have such a fulfilling time of ministry, even as regards the hunger, thirst and expectation from the house which precipitated a release of God’s glory and presence. I experience this from time to time. Some of those times, in fact, when given the honorarium I feel like turning it down, and sometimes have done so Just out of love to give back. But also, I do understand that receiving makes room for them to be blessed.
““I don’t say this because I want a gift from you. Rather, I want you to receive a reward for your kindness.”
Philippians 4:17 NLT
That’s why I say to people, that when you honour true ministers of God, you aren’t just supporting them, but more importantly, crediting your account.
“17 Not because I desire a gift: but I desire fruit that may abound to your account.”
Kjv.
So we see from the example above that sometimes it’s not always a question of leaving with so much money. Meanwhile you can go elsewhere,and are given so much but then, treated with an “AFTER ALL WE ARE PAYING YOU” attitude. I’ve been to places where you are more or less abandoned after the event is over-using the American parlance, “dropped like a hot potato.” The most severe scenarios would normally be a combination of both. Little or no volume plus dishonor.
Now, having heard a number of unfortunate experiences by some music ministers, and in fact, even those I have experienced myself, I still find it hard justifying the way some of our colleagues work. Remember I have established that those who charge may have scriptural backing in that regard, and that It doesn’t necessarily translate to a lack of spirituality. But what is sometimes worrying is how they go about it. I say every time, we are one family, hence we can’t slam the kinds of bills and requirements we get to hear these days on family. My reasoning is this, the gospel we received, and were changed by, was a gospel available to ALL. The very reason why we sing today is that gospel. “28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will giveyou rest.” Matt 11:28.
So if this gospel was available to us regardless of our financial standings, why then do we make our ministry so unaffordable sometimes? What then is the key? The standard of the bible is simple, MODERATION. “Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.” Phil 4:5. Whether you charge or don’t charge, endeavor you are moderate in your demands. For instance,for those who charge-You cannot charge a University Students’ fellowship the same as a mega church,this is where the principle of relativity comes in.Infact such places as Campus fellowships are where we should sow our gifts freely.
So for those who don’t, how do you even ensure that some basic logistics are taken care of in the event of the very worst case scenerio. That’s fine, I’d gladly share our template.
Because we have a clear instruction from, and covenant with God of not charging, we however try to ensure that basic things are sorted out. When we get a request or invitation, we always ask that it comes in writing. Asking for details and a brief of the event in question. An event within Lagos, where we live, would not, except for unique circumstances require special transportation arrangement. However, those outside of Lagos normally do require transportation plans.Initially, the hosts were responsible for making the transportation arrangements, flight bookings, car charter services etc. But later we found it better to make those arrangements for the following reasons.
1. Flexibility reasons. In the event of a sudden change of plans, we were able to do so without having to call the hosts. Eg, flight rescheduling, cancellation, change of airline etc. we also realised that many flight tickets booked ahead for us were wasted when we suddenly had to travel from other points. Eg flights booked from Lagos-Portharcourt. But for some reason, had to come in from Abuja . Though it is cheaper to book ahead of time, but we realised it was safer to have the money to book close to the time of the event when we were very sure of our movement. Hence we request for flight ticket fares, and also do return every surplus, if there was any, after the booking. Most hosts don’t have an issue with this. What is however not right to do is getting ticket fares from multiple sources for the same destination. Let me explain.
You have two or three invitations from Abuja, and coincidentally they are around the same time, and won’t clash. Let’s assume you have a leading to do most, or all. The first thing, ethically speaking, to even do is let your primary host or main host know about other invitations. What you do is, if I let them know about it and they are not comfortable, I decline. Here is why, it’s not so nice to have an agreement with a host, and all of a sudden, another ministry or organization begins to advertise your coming. So, assuming they are fine with your other events, I believe it’s not right demanding transport fares from all the hosts for the same destination around the same time. Some think it’s smart, it’s actually wrong and a sin. You may get everyone of them to share the cost of transportation, or get one who may be willing to bare it alone. Truth is the host really do not care if you got the fares from multiple sources, so long as you made their program. That Notwithstanding, necessity is placed on you to act responsibly and ethically. Remember that you are a minister of God.
2. To ensure there are no surprises with logistics. This should not apply across board. There are places you have been to before and can trust their integrity. In such cases you can rest assured that your travel plans are sorted. But in cases where you may not be sure of where you are headed, it might be safe to make your travel plans.
I remember traveling to an African country with a team of 11, my pregnant wife and 2 year old son, and after the event, there was no Honorarium, which we didn’t really bother about. But more disheartening was that the hotel bills and flight tickets were not paid. We were stranded and locked in the hotel, and afterwards abandoned at the airport. The Nigerian Ambassador had to wade in, pleading with the Airline to ferry us on credit, while they ceased our bags, and we paid when we arrived Lagos. So it may not be bad to make your travel plans if possible and necessary.
Another thing we do is make sure accommodation is sorted. We still trust the host to do this on their own, but still check to ensure we at least have a place to lay our heads and keep our stuff.
The hosts also help with ground transportation and feeding, and most times these are not really an issue.
Having done this, we then trust that they would bless us with their material gifts having done so to them with our spiritual gifts. We do not suggest anything, a baseline or an idea, as our covenant with God is to live purely by faith, but God has really been faithful to us. But like I said earlier, in the word of my friend, Dennis Anderson, “Ministry is sacrifice. Sometimes you find gold, other time you find stones”, but all in all, it’s for the Lord.
And please don’t forget, we get our true rewards in heaven. Even on this earth, there are other ways God blesses us, apart from just money. I can’t begin to count the very numerous supernatural gifts and blessings I enjoy. This God is indeed too good. And has not asked us to serve him in vain.
OTHER STREAMS OF INCOME
Now, away from honorarium. There are other streams of income now available to musicians within the music circle, that when pulled together helps to make a decent living in music. There’s the caller tunes, YouTube royalties, mechanical and performance rights and royalties, streaming, online sales of music, physical cd sales, seed offerings etc. And because the demand for music has overtime been on the increase, more authentic streams of income have become available to musicians. I know what I’m saying. And the onus is on you to research and know how these work. I have held a seminar on this recently to educate people on the opportunities available for gospel musicians, and written some articles. Please find them. Or better still Google more information online.
PLANNING & INVESTMENT
You see, because of the way and manner musicians or music ministers earn their money and living, which is not the regular 9-5 structure with a constant monthly salary, they tend to just spend their money that way. Somehow expecting that events will always come. And this has led to musicians being broke. People say it’s hard to make a decent living through music, unless of course you hit it big, and become a celebrity. That’s not true. In my opinion, a more than average musician, who knows his stuff and is serious can make more than a decent living. Truth is, most of us don’t apply wisdom in our spending and living.
One day, I felt a leading to go check how much I had cross my accounts in a particular period, after feeling my income was never enough. And what I saw after getting my account statement was shocking. I said to my self, ” if you had saved a percentage of this amount for a number of years, you would have done so and so with it. So I decided to open what I termed a DUMP ACCOUNT. An account where I just saved money. No ATM, Internet banking etc. Here I would just dump some unexpected funds. Eg. Someone comes sows a seed, truth is I wasn’t expecting it anywhere, so why don’t I act as though I never had it. So after paying the tithe,and sowing any other seeds from it, I treated it like I never had it. Dumped it. Over time, that account has helped fund some projects I won’t have been able to undertake. One thing I do not believe in is begging. I don’t believe a minister of this gospel should turn a nuisance or parasite because he is living by faith. He or she does not put God in a good light. Infact, such living only ridicules the faith message. Planning and saving your money is not enough expression of faith. It is indeed an expression of wisdom. Jesus is both the power of God and the wisdom of God.
“There is treasure to be desired and oil in the dwelling of the wise; but a foolish man spendeth it up.” Proverbs 21:20
I decided a long time ago I won’t be like the anointed prophet who died and left his family in debt. You don’t have to be too. The secret is living with wisdom. Please understand this is not driven by fear. But more importantly, informed by biblical principles of wisdom.
Last year, I felt such an unction, I believe from the Holy Spirit to begin investing in real estate. Just acquiring landed properties. So I started. It doesn’t have to be very expensive. For a long time I thought doing so meant you had to have some massive stash of cash somewhere, but I’ve found out you don’t have to. I began a research on it, and found a credible christian firm and gradually from time to time, I put out some funds to do so. I believe one of the ways God wants us to have physical dominion over the earth is to Aquire property. I’ll advise every one to do so. There are many other kinds of investments you can put your money in, please find it. You see, my dream is to one day get to a place where I would be invited to minister and would give seeds everywhere I go instead of waiting for honorariums.Please please please do not live beyond your means,there is a difference between living by faith and living a fake life.Learn to grow in stages and phases.
SOW SEEDS AND INVEST IN THE KINGDOM
I’ve always said that the seed for financial prosperity is not worship. It is money. Many church musicians do not give. God doesn’t grant us an exemption on that principle because we are music ministers. We must learn to respond to the leading of the spirit to give when he says so.
Finally, God who calls us is equally able to take care of His own. I’ve always said I live a supply-based life. By this I mean, God supplies our needs per time. While we may not have billions stashed away at the bank, we have got unlimited flow of resources in glory, and in Christ Jesus. Such that every need is met every time. And at the end of the day, prosperity goes beyond money. It is having peace, joy, hope, love, and an assurance of eternal bliss. Things truly beyond anything money can buy. And don’t forget that money is a spirit – Mammon. And should only serve us, and not the other way round.
I hope this helps you.
Next we’ll be looking at Music Ministry Ethics. Some do’s and don’ts. Anointing and skill may open doors for you. But it takes wisdom and character to walk through them.
The Journey
Life is a journey and we all have different paths to take. To some it’s rossy while some rough and though. So, its unwise to compare yourself with another. You’ve got a different path to take. You’ve got a unique path designed for you. Be hungry enough to discover it and when you do, be desperate to follow through.
In this journey, you would meet different things, different people and different distractions but be focused. Greatness is achieved by being focused. It’s simple, discover your path and journey with it. Take note, you don’t need a lot of friends to journey successful. You only need right people in the right direction with you. You’ve got what it takes. I celebrate you.
It’s true that this journey is but for a moment. Everything you have gone through and will go through were not meant to crush you or belittle you. Job said “Oh! That which I have feared has happened at last”. Fear is a legal right you give the devil to truncate your path and journey. If you must journey safely then take my advice; You need not too fear. “For you have not received the spirit of fear but of love, of power and of sound mind” Be courageous.
Moses started his journey cold in an ark dangling in a river to no destination but he didn’t end there. It was a phase he had to go through. This same Moses was many years later the voice of God to the Israelites. He was a stammerer but the right vessel for the journey. What’s your state right now? It’s a phase. It’s might not be where who you are or where you will definently end up. So, be strong and courageous. The journey is in phases. The journey would eventually speak greatness. Follow your path, stick to your lane. I see you journey through with a hug from your master saying “You have fought a good fight, welcome home my beloved”. I’m Israel Oriaku
I Inspire|I Train|I Coaching
God called Paul to himself by revealing Christ to him. Now, this should sound Pauline, because it is. “Those whom he predestined he also called” (Romans 8:30). Those whom he set apart before they were born, he calls.
Galatians 1:15–16, “When he who had set me apart before I was born, and who called me by his grace was pleased to reveal his Son to me” — I think that calling and that revealing are probably simultaneous. The opening of Paul’s inner being to the glory, truth, and beauty of the Son was the effectual call of Paul into life and into apostleship. They weren’t separated events.
Before he was called, he was destined, and when he was destined, later he was called. It says in Galatians 1:16 that God was pleased to reveal his Son to him: that’s how the call happened. A lot of interpreters stumble because the word is revealed in Paul — not to him, revealed in him. I think the idea there is that what happened on the Damascus road when that light shone and that voice was spoken wasn’t twofold, like, “Whoa, that’s bright; that’s scary.” It just went totally into his heart. And in there with the eyes of the heart (Ephesians 1:18) he saw: “That’s real, that’s true, that’s beautiful, that’s glorious. If you are anything, you are everything, my religion is over!”
Read Philippians 3: “If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless” (Philippians 3:4–6).
And all that’s dung now. Because I’ve seen (Philippians 3:7–8).
That’s what happened. God revealed his Son in him. In him. It’s not like, “Right now I’m revealing Jesus to you, and later there’ll be a lot more.” If God shows up here right now, way more than that will happen. Something deep inside of you, something deep in you, the real you, is going to either say, “I don’t want anything to do with that.” Or, “This is everything.”
John Piper (@JohnPiper) is founder and teacher of desiringGod.org and chancellor of Bethlehem College & Seminary. For 33 years, he served as pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church, Minneapolis, Minnesota. He is author of more than 50 books, including Reading the Bible Supernaturally.
Tekano Ikoko is out with his new book “Silent Storms”, read below interview with Tekena Ikoko as he gives us insight into what the book entails and why he wrote the book.
Mr. Tekena Ikoko, why Silent Storms ?
Over the past 5 years, I have written over 13 books, that have sold over 300,000 copies, but the fact is that I don’t write for the fun of it. Each of book is an arrow for a specific audience with a specific message for a very specific need. And the purpose of Silent Storms is to stimulate a platform for mentoring and family values.
Sir, What do you mean by family values ?
I believe that the bedrock of any institution and nation rests squarely on responsibility and leadership. 88% of Nigerians claim that religion is very important to them, and yet we haven’t been able to bring the dividends into social and economic transformation. And a consultant on Emotional Intelligence and after over twenty years of service to youths and singles, I can boldly say we need to go back to the simple basics of being responsible to each other and learn to lead ourselves. If a man cannot lead himself, he cannot lead his family and he can’t lead his community. So by family values, I mean the simple act of responsibility and leadership.
So, how does SILENT STORMS achieve this?
SILENT STORMS is a book that weaves each of the 14 core principles of leadership and responsibility into lovely readable interesting short stories. The act of story telling is missing in our homes. If a parent or a mentor gets a copy of SILENT STORMS, he can find good discussion materials to pass on values to his proteges, ward, children, or indeed any on that looks up to him. Each story ends with discussion questions and it’s fascinating when I see young minds pick the principles and apply it into their lives.
Are you saying that this book is only for parents and families?
Like I said earlier, this book is an arrow for family values. So tell me, should the single guy or girl wait till they are married before he learns the principles of responsibility ? Don’t they need it themselves? The collapse of many homes today is based on the fact that when these men or women were teens or youths, they didn’t learn the values of responsibility and you can’t give what you don’t have. I desire that all who read this interview would get a copy for themselves and for friends/family.
Thanks you for this explanation. So How do they get a copy?
Hard copies are now available nationwide. We have specific re-sellers for my books in each city in Nigeria. So you would have to call the resellers hotline, 08067907884, to get the contact of the re-seller in your area, and…
I’m sorry to interrupt you, but is it only for Nigerians ?
I was coming to that. This book is also available on Amazon for all those outside Nigeria. E-versions are also available on Okadabooks app and website.
Sir, I understand that this book costs N1,500. Isn’t it too expensive considering the economic situation ?
Money is what you give in exchange for what you value. My books were priced for N500 when the dollar to Naira exchange was 1$ = 160. How do you contend with an exchange of 1$ = 410. We have done our best, in-spite of the sharp rise in cost of printing to give a price based on the current market forces, but I believe that there is no price too much to build the family and the next generation. Those who discern will invest wisely, and the cost won’t hinder them.
Do you have any final word concerning SILENT STORMS:
Silent storms covers stories such as RESPECT, ENVISAGING THE END, MANAGING CONFLICT, and Selecting the face of fear. Its my prayer that God would raise families to be equipped for the dynamics of a changing social-economic order, by building competence that will outlive the current get-rich-quick schemes that are all over the place. At the end of the day, the good book says, “Seest thou a diligent man, he will stand before kings and not mean men.” My prayer is that as you and the readers go through this book, may they find the undeniable proof and evidence that a life based on core values and principles of responsibility is the foundation of all long lasting success. Amen.
Why was Jesus Christ crucified? Why did he suffer so much? What has this to do with me? Finally, who sent him to his death?. The suffering was unsurpassed, but the whole message of the Bible leads to this answer.
REASONS WHY HE DIED FOR THE WORLD
1. HE BROUGHT US REDEMPTION
2. HE DIED TO BRING US BACK TO THE IMAGE OF GOD
3. IS DEATH BROUGHT US LIFE ETERNAL
4. HE DIED SO THAT WE WILL NOT BE UNDER THE LAW OF SIN
5. HE DIED FOR US TO REIGN WITH HIM
In the darkest hour of history, the darkest hour of Jesus’s life, Jesus devoted himself to seeking the joy of his disciples and equipping them for what was ahead.
In John 13:1 John says, “When Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.” How does Jesus loves his disciples to the end? He washes their feet, symbolizing the spiritual cleansing they will receive through his death, instructs them (John 13:31–16:33), and prays for them and those who will believe through their ministries (John 17:1–26).
Soul-Keeping Joy
Five times in his teaching he states why he is instructing his disciples.
“These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.” (John 15:11)
“I have said all these things to you to keep you from falling away.” (John 16:1)
“I have said these things to you, that when their hour comes you may remember that I told them to you. I did not say these things to you from the beginning, because I was with you.” (John 16:4)
“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)
“Now I am coming to you, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves.” (John 17:13)
When Jesus is at his greatest point of need, he selflessly seeks the full joy and peace of his disciples — joy and peace that will keep them from falling away when suffering comes.
“Our joy will be full, our peace secured, and our faith kept through the words we have in the Bible.” Tweet Share on Facebook
Jesus is about to face his darkest hour; yet he recognizes that the disciples will also suffer. Jesus knows that when he is taken away from them in death, fear may grip his disciples, which would rob them of joy and peace. Jesus reassures them, “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Yet a little while and the world will see me no more, but you will see me.” Jesus not only promises to return to them after he dies and rises from the dead, but he also promises that he will not leave them alone when he ascends to his throne. He will send them the Holy Spirit.
While Jesus is with them, his word gives the disciples joy and peace that secures their souls, but he has more to teach them that they cannot bear now (John 16:12). He has much more to say to sustain them when the world rejects them and persecutes them for believing in him. Jesus says,
“I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.” (John 16:12–15)
He Will Guide You
In what way will the Spirit guide the disciples into all truth? Jesus could mean that the Holy Spirit will help them better understand the truth that has been revealed in the Old Testament, or it could mean that the Spirit will give them new revelation.
“The Spirit has guided the church into all truth and has glorified Jesus — by giving us the Book.” Tweet Share on Facebook
While it is undeniably true that the Spirit guided the disciples into a proper understanding of revealed truth (1 Corinthians 2:11–16), what Jesus says in John 16 is about the Spirit inspiring new revelation. We know this because Jesus says that there is more he wants to teach them. He will not be the one to teach them these things; the Holy Spirit will. This means that after Jesus’s ascension, Jesus continues to teach the disciples by the Spirit.
The new revelation in these verses refer to the New Testament, not extra-biblical “revelation.” What Jesus promised, he has already fulfilled. The Spirit of Christ has guided the disciples into all truth by inspiring them to write the New Testament.
Give Yourself to the Book
What does this mean for believers today? Well, Jesus loves you the same way he loved the disciples. Because he loves you, he wants you also to have full joy and peace in him. That is why he sent the Holy Spirit to inspire the words you now have in your Bibles.
To experience the comfort the eleven disciples received from being in Jesus’s presence, and the joy and peace they received from Jesus’s words, you need only read the Bible. In the New Testament, the Spirit of Christ gives us Jesus’s words. The soul-guarding joy and peace that Jesus gave to his disciples through his words in John 13–17 now extend to the entire New Testament. Our joy will be full, our peace secured, and our faith kept through the words of Christ in the Bible.
For your full joy and faith-keeping peace, immerse yourself in the teachings of Christ in his inspired word.
“Give yourself to the Bible. Read it. Memorize it. Meditate on it. Live it. Love it. Share it. Die for it if you must.” Tweet Share on Facebook
Jesus’s instructions and promises sustained the apostles through every trial, and his words are powerful to sustain you through every pain and suffering. By the Spirit, Jesus gives you joy and peace-filled promises like this: “For those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called [in Christ] according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28). Jesus’s words are powerful to give you assurance when you sin and Satan accuses you. By the Spirit, Jesus says, “God made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21). When you doubt God’s promises to you, Jesus says by the Spirit, “All the promises of God find their Yes in him [Christ]” (2 Corinthians 1:20). He also tenderly asks you, “He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things (Romans 8:32)?
Out of his great love, Jesus gave us the Bible. Give yourself to the Book. Memorize it. Meditate on it. Live it. Love it. Share it. Die for it if you must. This is how we abide in Jesus’s love. This is how we find soul-keeping joy and peace.
As my dear 97-year-old grandmother was brought into the room in her wheelchair, it was clear that she did not recognize that “all these people” were her family. I reintroduced myself as her oldest grandson, along with my wife and the three great-grandchildren we brought to see her.
It was difficult to believe this woman could have lost so much. She had been an avid reader, but her failing eyesight gave her difficulty with even the largest print books. She had played the piano and the organ for decades in church, but her failing hearing prevented her from enjoying the music that played overhead in the nursing home room.
Armed for the Final Fight
“The world wants you to forget one very obvious, unavoidable thing: you are going to die.” Tweet Share on Facebook
And yet, buried deep within the recesses of her mind, my grandmother still had a sweet communion with Jesus. And this communion was rarely so evident as when she began to sing hymns. The ravages of memory loss had somehow missed the part of her mind that held hymn lyrics and melodies so near. And out they came.
Oh, how sweet to walk in this pilgrim way,
Leaning on the everlasting arms;
Oh, how bright the path grows from day to day,
Leaning on the everlasting arms.
The family sang together, and her voice slid to the alto harmony. Here, during the last days of her fight of faith, she was not unarmed. She had treasured up the truth of the gospel in the hymns that were etched in her mind and heart.
What have I to dread, what have I to fear,
Leaning on the everlasting arms?
I have blessed peace with my Lord so near,
Leaning on the everlasting arms.
Trying to Ignore the Obvious
Our world is spending untold dollars this year to try to make you forget one very obvious, unavoidable truth: you are going to die. Countless ads and cultural touchstones will attempt to convince you that youth is eternal, you are immortal, and death is something that no one should think about.
And the forces distracting us from death are not just commercial. Socially, mentioning death in small talk is incredibly awkward. People often look away and change the subject, as if talking about death were itself a death wish.
“The Bible teaches us to let the certainty of our death in the future shape how we live now.” Tweet Share on Facebook
But the Bible will not ignore death with the hope that it will simply go away. Indeed, Scripture actually goes the other direction, asking God to “teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom” (Psalm 90:12). Biblical wisdom longs to think about death rightly, to let the certainty of our deaths shape how we live now in the present.
What Truths Are We Etching on Our Souls?
As a worship pastor, I wonder how our churches are doing in this. Do we follow the world’s thinking here? Or do we believe that “it is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting, for this is the end of all mankind, and the living will lay it to heart” (Ecclesiastes 7:2)?
How are we preparing for our last moments of life? Or our final years? Among other things to consider, are we preparing our hearts now for our last days by learning and singing songs that etch gospel truth deep into our hearts? John Witvliet reminds us, “As we sing, we learn the songs that we will hum to ourselves in moments of deep despair. Our songs of lament and hope form us as people of faith and hope.”
As we contemplate and inevitably encounter death, songs are one way that God graciously enables us to persevere. Death certainly seems like something each person faces alone, but memories of corporate worship remind us that we are not alone. We are part of Christ’s glorious, worldwide church. “Singing together,” Witvliet writes, “is the one act that protests this solitude of suffering.”
Re-Mind Yourself Through Song
Many of us can testify of times when facing intense grief, a song lyric has bubbled its way into our minds. But what song lyrics have etched into the deepest memories of our souls? Will the songs we know help us in our fight for faith? Will they remind us of things we’ve forgotten, even re-minding us when the strength of our minds departs?
“If you spent your life leaning on Jesus, consider how happy those last days will be. He will be closer than ever.” Tweet Share on Facebook
In large and small ways, many of us are already experiencing the effects of age. Unless Jesus calls you home earlier, you will end your life with a faltering body and mind. And if your life has been about your accomplishments, your vigor, and your fame, your final days will be very sad ones. But if your life has been one of leaning on the Lord Jesus, consider how happy those days will be. Jesus will be closer than ever.
With a song on your lips and joy in your heart, you will take your final steps of faith into his everlasting arms.
Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds . . . (James 1:2)
Few stories turn heads like solid joy in the midst of deep pain. Not only is this kind of unshakeable happiness a distinctively Christian experience, but it also amounts to one of the most powerful witnesses we can make before an unbelieving world.
It’s one thing to describe joy-in-trial from the outside and ponder it in theory, but it is something distinct to actually walk through it ourselves, experiencing it from the inside, in practice — paddling in the sea billows of sorrow, as one who is hurting and desperately wants the difficulty and pain to go away.
In and of themselves, our hardships are emphatically not joyful. That’s part of what makes them hard. What could it mean, then, in circumstances like these, to “count it all joy”?
Not Only Joy
When James charges us to “count it all joy,” he does not mean it all — all our pain, all our trials, all our hardship — is joy in and of itself. Pain is pain, not joy. Trials are trying, not sources of pleasure. Rather, what James has for us — and what the gospel of Christ provides — is a lens on life, and a true vantage point on reality, through which even life’s most painful trials have a vital part to play in our joy.
“God draws his straightest lines from life’s greatest difficulties to our deepest joys.” Tweet Share on Facebook
And not just “even,” but “especially.” In God’s strange and wonderful ways of ruling this world, life’s most painful trials serve a special purpose for our good. God often draws his straightest lines from life’s greatest difficulties to our deepest and sweetest joys. And not just in the long run, but even in the midst of trial. When trials assault our surface pleasures, we’re pressed to consider our deepest, fullest, richest treasures — and to tap those roots for sustenance in ways we simply do not when all is well.
James does not say, “Count it only joy.” We wince. We wail. We hurt. We ask, “How long, O Lord?” God does not expect us to receive our trials as only joy. In fact, Christians, of all people, should be most ready to receive pain as pain, tragedy as tragedy, trauma as trauma. We count, or reckon, our trials as joy, because we don’t simply feel them naturally to be so.
Not Just Tiny Trials
Don’t think that James only has little trials in view here. He says “trials of various kinds” because he means the big ones, too. It can be easy to see how God is at work in life’s little inconveniences, but our greatest tragedies press the hardest, darkest questions on our soul.
Has God abandoned me? Is he really in charge and also good? Is he even there?
James will not have us relegate his charge to “count it all joy” simply to the easy stuff. The very issue at stake is the hardest things — the “trials” of tragedy, loss, distress, despondency, and long-term despair.
Why Count Pain as Joy?
Verse 2 may be straightforward enough, but our souls need more than just a command to own this and see it come to life in us. Our minds and hearts need reasons, or at least a reason. Which is exactly what James supplies in what immediately follows.
“When trials assault our surface pleasures, we consider afresh our sweetest treasures.” Tweet Share on Facebook
We could rehearse many of the clear biblical reasons why we can “count it all joy” when we encounter various trials. “We know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28). We can write over every trial, “This light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison” (2 Corinthians 4:17). And we can say with the apostle, “I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us” (Romans 8:18). Or with Jesus, “Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven” (Matthew 5:12).
But James has something particular in mind: “for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness” (James 1:3).
God Keeps Us Through Trial
“Steadfastness” is not a word we use frequently today, and so likely this does not feel especially compelling at first glance. Another word for it would be endurance. Endurance on its own isn’t necessarily desirable (for instance, enduring in error). What makes it compelling is what we endure in. And what James has in view is very clear: faith in Christ. And for Christians, enduring in faith is what life is all about. If we do not endure in faith, we will be on the wrong side of what matters most in the universe: being right with God, and enjoying him forever, in Jesus.
In other words, one of the things God is doing when he tests our faith is he is preserving our faith. When he lovingly brings trials into our lives — and he does so lovingly for all who are in Jesus — he is working for us, and in us, one of the greatest goods imaginable. When he tests us, he is taking action to keep us. And he keeps us not just by protecting our present level of faith, and not just by growing, enriching, developing, and maturing our faith. But in testing our faith, he is keeping it alive.
God’s preserving work in us through our pain and difficulty is essential to what matters most, and James makes that connection explicit: “Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him” (James 1:12).
“God lovingly injects our lives with trials to train, grow, strengthen, and sweeten what matters most in us.” Tweet Share on Facebook
Faith does not flourish when it lies untested. It atrophies when it goes unexercised. And eventually it dies. So, when God loves us with his saving love, and gives us saving faith, he commits, because he cares for us, to inject our lives with various trials to train, grow, sweeten, strengthen, and mature what matters most in us. Our “various trials” in this life are not superfluous to our enduring in faith. And they are not just threats to losing our faith. They are one of God’s essential means through which he preserves the faith he has given us and keeps us as his own.
According to the ranking of Forbes magazine, published on December 14, the Nigerian billionaire Aliko Dangote is on the second step of the podium of the most powerful black personalities in the World.
#AlikoDangote“There are nearly 7.4 billion people on planet Earth, but there are 74 men and women who make the world go round” ~ Forbes
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Dangote pictured with his daughter, Halima, at the TIME 100 Gala in New York
The economic magazine Forbes, founded in 1917 by Bertie Charles Forbes is renowned for its various rankings published annually. This year, Forbes attributed to Aliko Dangote the second place of the most powerful black people in the world, after Barack Obama. Indeed, the one who is considered the richest man in Africa is ranked 68th, twenty places of the current American president who ranks him in 48th place.
Mr. Dangote is also, de facto, the second most powerful African personality behind Egyptian President Abdel Fatah el Sissi. The 59-year-old Hausa businessman is a key financial and investment force in Africa.
The CEO of Dangote Group , is a regular Forbes ranking. It has already been classified:
67 th richest person in the world and the richest in Africa in 2013
23rd richest person in the world in 2014
Personality of the year in 2014
The richest person in Africa in 2015
The biggest fortune of Nigeria and the 51st fortune of the world in 2016
For the record, in 2007 Forbes said that Oprah Winfrey was the “blackest person in the world”. Aliko Dangote, then little known outside Nigeria, had publicly retorted that he was “well, much richer than Oprah Winfrey.” It will exceed the 15.3 billion euros in 2013 and its group is its shares in its listed companies amount to more than 28 billion dollars.
Aliko Dangote built his colossal fortune by founding Dangote Cement, the largest cement producer on the continent. In 2015, Dangote Cement creates new plants in Cameroon, Ethiopia, Zambia and Tanzania. The company produces more than 30 million tons per year and plans to double its capacity by 2018. Through its business, Aliko Dangote is present in 16 countries on the continent. His secret?
“To reinvest its profits in the country instead of hiding money in Swiss coffers, to lead a modest way of life and to bet on the domestic market of the most populous country in Africa”
In 2016, Aliko Dangote did not hesitate:
In February, he announced his project “rice for all” in Nigeria with the objective of making the country self-sufficient in rice.
In June, Dangote Group acquired shares in the African Export-Import Bank, according to Dangote, to promote regional integration and intra-African trade.
In September, he became CEO of General Electric Africa, as co-chairman of the board of directors of the US-Africa Business Center.
It will announce the same month the construction of the largest refinery in Africa, aiming for a production capacity of 400,000 barrels per day.
Aliko Dangote, criticized for his connections with the military junta from 1983 to 1999, is nonetheless a reference in terms of Afro entrepreneurship and investment on the continent. Like him we firmly believe that:
“If we Africans do not do it and set an example, no one else will come to Africa”
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