The book of Ecclesiastes takes a hard look at the human experience and offers wise advice on how to live meaningfully, purposefully and joyfully.

Practical Counsel for Wise Living:

1 – Accept the human state as it is, shaped by God’s appointments, and enjoy the life you have been given as fully as you can. Self-acceptance is taking yourself as you are. It is a deep and global affirmation of yourself. Accepting yourself means embracing all your facets, both strengths and weaknesses and limitations in an unconditional way and free of reservations.


2 – Don’t trouble yourself with unrealistic goals—know the measure and limitations of human capabilities. Setting goals is great and helps you move forward into the life you want to live. Goal-setting becomes a problem when you come up with unrealistic goals or are aiming too high for a particular goal.

Often when we set unrealistic goals we set ourselves up for failure. Failure isn’t a bad thing – there’s always a lot to learn from failure. However, if you set yourself up for failure every time you set a lofty goal, you’ll eventually feel like a failure for not achieving it. There’s a balance when it comes to setting goals that can help stop you from feeling like a failure.

3 – Be prudent in all your ways—follow wisdom’s leading.
Wisdom leading posits that great leading “is less about what you do, and more about who you are.” The purest form of leadership to me is when people follow the leader because they want to, not because they feel they need to in promise of some reward or in avoidance of some negative consequence.

4 – “Fear God and keep his commandments” ecclesiastes 12:13, beginning already in your youth before the fleeting days of life’s enjoyments are gone and “the days of trouble” (ecclesiastes 12:1) come when the infirmities of advanced age vex you and hinder you from tasting, seeing and feeling the good things of life....Read further here on the site

Dreaming has an essential role in developing your faith and helping you become the kind of person God has always intended you to be. There is an important connection between dreaming and believing, between your imagination and your growth. Without a dream, you get stuck. But with God-inspired dreams, you have almost limitless possibilities.

Before you took your first breath, God had already placed the gift of imagination into your brain. God hardwired creativity into every cell of your body. The Bible says you were created in God’s image (Genesis 1:26). Part of what is included in being made in God’s image is the ability to dream and create something out of nothing.

Dreaming is an important part of what makes you human. People dream great dreams. They imagine creating and doing things many years before those things become reality. Everything that humanity has accomplished in history started as a dream. [/b]Napoleon once said, “Imagination rules the world!”

In our generation, people like Thomas Jefferson, Wright brothers, Bill Gates, Pastor E.A Adeboye, Billy Graham, Elon Musk, Reinhard Bonnke, Mark Zuckerberg, Pastor W.F Kumuyi, Jeff Bezos, Larry Page and Sergey Brin.

Instead of settling for the way things are in the world, people with strong faith imagine the possibilities of what could happen if they just trusted God a little bit more.

[b]Great faith inspires great dreams.

Great dreams require great faith.

In many ways, a great dream is a statement of faith. Certainly, announcing your dream publicly requires faith because other people are likely to reject it...Click here to continue reading

You don’t have to be ruthless or cold-blooded to succeed in the world today. Success doesn’t require talent, good looks, or inherited wealth either. In fact, all success really requires is a determined mind that is committed to persisting despite any and all challenges that may come your way. In short, success requires PERSISTENCE.

Rema, Born Divine Ikubor in 2000, grew up in Benin City, Nigeria., who is now 23 years, Signed under Nigerian record label Mavin, the young rapper Rema topped the charts worldwide with his hit single "Calm Down".

Although he recalls his childhood as an overall happy time, the singer was soon forced to face the hardships of life.

After losing his father due to asthma-related issues when he was just eight years old, Rema’s older brother also passed away in 2015. At the time, his mother worked as a trader of wholesale goods and Rema found a job to help her.

However, he continued to nurture his love for music and kept on attending the local church, where he’d started a rap band with some of his fellow churchgoers. His community separated the services for adults and teenagers, and that allowed Rema to find like-minded spirits with his same passion for music.. Click here to continue reading.

Good day to you friends of e.a olatoye's blog and once again, welcome to new year. The year has started running as usual and the church also has started preaching on the need to pay or give first fruit in other to get God blessing.

In this article we will be looking at how it was done in the old testament of the Bible, how it was done in the new testament, and how it is being done by our church today in other for us to have in depth knowledge about the First Fruit so that we can avoid being a prey to pastors who capitalize on it.

First of all, let us examine this issue from the old testament of the Holy Bible.

First Fruits in the Old Testament
The first fruits offering was an offering required by God of the Israelites. It's mentioned several times in the Old Testament law:
Exodus 23:19a: "The best of the firstfruits of your ground you shall bring into the house of the LORD your God."

Leviticus 23:10: "'Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, When you come into the land that I give you and reap its harvest, you shall bring the sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest to the priest."
Proverbs 3:9-10: "Honor the LORD with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce; then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine."

The most comprehensive passage about the first fruits offering is found in Deuteronomy 26. It explains that the purpose of the first fruits was to acknowledge how God took the Israelites down to Egypt, multiplied their number, released them, and gave them the land of Canaan for an inheritance. Canaan was a fertile land that was already settled by people who did horrible things like sacrifice their children. For their sin, God had the Israelites destroy the Canaanites, and then He gave the Israelites the land.

God told the Israelites that the first fruits offering was to be given in thanks for "cities that you did not build, and houses full of all good things that you did not fill, and cisterns that you did not dig, and vineyards and olive trees that you did not plant…" (Deuteronomy 6:10-11).

The offering was brought to the temple where it was displayed before God, and then given to the priests for their sustenance (Numbers 18:11-12). Proverbs 3:9-10 does say that offering first fruits will bring blessings, but it's unclear if this is a general proverb or a specific promise of God to His people; in the majority of appearances, first fruits is associated with thanks to God for bringing the Israelites from Egypt to Canaan.

The law is somewhat vague in the specifics, and has opened itself up to rabbinic interpretation. For instance, Scripture does not dictate how much the first fruits offering should be in comparison to the harvest. Leviticus 23:17 mentions two loaves of bread for an offering for wheat, and rabbinic custom stated the minimum offering should be 1/60th of the harvest, although this is not in the Bible.

Rabbis decided that only the seven species characteristic to Canaan were required: wheat, barley, grapes, figs, pomegranates, olive oil, and dates (or honey). The offering could be brought anywhere between late spring and the fall. If the giver lived far from Jerusalem, the fruit could be dried.

The most significant aspect of the first fruits offering was the reason behind it: it was designed to acknowledge and thank God for providing the Israelites with the land flowing with milk and honey after their captivity in Egypt. It was a ceremonial act for the nation of Israel.

It was not meant to be an act of faith that God would provide in the future, nor even to honor God as first in their lives. It was an act of obedience, and while that obedience was part of God's promise to Israel that He would bless them, it was the faithfulness of obedience that ensured His blessing, not the offering itself.

The term "first fruits" is used in another, somewhat metaphorical way in the Old Testament. It refers to the firstborn son of each human man or female animal. All firstborn males belonged to God, but depending on the species, they could be redeemed—that is, a sacrifice could be made so they could stay.

God provided the redemption for the "first fruit" sons by taking the Levites for Himself to care for the tabernacle and the temple (Numbers 3:12). The firstborn male of each female herd animal had different standards depending on what they were.

For instance, a firstborn male donkey could be redeemed by donating a lamb (Exodus 13:12), but cows, sheep, and goats were to be sacrificed (Numbers 18:17). Use of "first fruits" in this manner does not directly relate to the first fruits offering. The firstborn animals were dedicated in remembrance of God taking all the firstborns of men and animals in Egypt while the first fruits produce were given in remembrance of God providing for Israel in Canaan.

First Fruits in the New Testament
First fruits are mentioned in several ways in the New Testament:
- Romans 8:23 states "And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit…" As in other passages, Paul is using "first fruits" as a metaphor for the first appearance of a promised blessing. Here, it is the Holy Spirit, the "helper" who Jesus promised in John 14:26. The very first followers of Jesus were also the very first to experience the blessing of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit—they received the "first fruits" of the Holy Spirit's work in the lives of believers.

In Romans 11:13-16, Paul makes a confusing statement in regards to the rejection of Jesus by the Jews. It was always God's intent to bring salvation to the Gentiles (non-Jews). It was not His intent that the Jews would reject that salvation. But, since they have, God hopes that His new relationship with the Gentiles will make the Jews jealous—envious—and cause them to want that relationship for themselves.

Apparently some Gentile Christians turned their acceptance of Christ into pride and harassed the Jewish Christians. God is for all, and even the Gentiles who accepted Christ should not have treated the few Jewish Christians they came into contact with arrogantly...

To know more how first fruit is being practice and how it is being done today in our churches and how Pastors have capitalize on it and turn it upside down, go to our website here to read more.

Follow the word of God in the scripture not your pastors.

Forgiving others is like pulling a band aid off the hairy part of your arm. You know it’s going to hurt. It simply becomes a matter of when and how to do it. From slow peelers to quick strippers, there’s no sure way to escape the pain. For those unable or unwilling to forgive there will inevitably be a crisis, and a crisis to long continued can become a way of life.

Forgiveness usually occurs within a relational context and the nature of the relationship (e.g., closeness, quality) is related to forgiveness. Paradoxically, those we love are often the ones we are most likely to hurt.

When interpersonal transgressions occur in such relationships they can elicit strong negative feelings and have the potential to disrupt the relationship. Perhaps not
surprisingly, spouses report that the capacity to seek and grant forgiveness is one of the most important factors contributing to marital longevity and marital satisfaction.

Our research program attempts to document how forgiveness impacts marriage and family based on the dual premises that (a) the family is the primary arena in which one learns to forgive and (b) forgiveness can be critical to sustaining healthy family relationships.

Forgiveness and Conflict:
Conflict resolution is integral to a successful relationship and resentment engendered by partner transgressions is likely to fuel couple conflict and impede successful conflict resolution.

In contrast, forgiving the partner for the transgression is one potential means of providing closure with regard to a painful or disturbing relationship event. Forgiveness may therefore have substantial implications for long-term relationship outcomes as well as short term patterns of interaction.

Forgiveness is Not the Absence of Unforgiveness
Most research examines forgiveness in terms of decreased negative motivation, or unforgiveness (e.g., revenge, avoidance) toward the transgressor. Although decreasing unforgiveness is undeniably important, a benevolent motivational state toward the harm-doer that is not achieved simply by overcoming negative motivation is fundamental to forgiveness.
Just as health is not the absence of illness, forgiveness is not the absence of unforgiveness.

Nine Steps to Forgiveness:
1. Know exactly how you feel about what happened and be able to articulate what about the situation is not OK. Then, tell a trusted couple of people about your experience.

2. Make a commitment to yourself to do what you have to do to feel better. Forgiveness is for you and not for anyone else.

3. Forgiveness does not necessarily mean reconciliation with the person that hurt you, or condoning of their action. What you are after is to find peace. Forgiveness can be defined as the “peace and understanding that come from blaming that which has hurt you less, taking the life experience less personally, and changing your grievance story.”

4. Recognize that your primary distress is coming from the hurt feelings, thoughts and physical upset you are suffering now, not what offended you or hurt you two minutes – or ten years– ago.

5. At the moment you feel upset practice a simple stress management technique to soothe your body’s flight or fight response.

6. Give up expecting things from other people, or your life, that they do not choose to give you. Recognize the “unenforceable rules” you have for your health or how you or other people must behave. Remind yourself that you can hope for health, love, peace and prosperity and work hard to get them.

7. Put your energy into looking for another way to get your positive goals met than through the experience that has hurt you. Instead of mentally replaying your hurt seek out new ways to get what you want.

8. Remember that a life well lived is the best revenge. Instead of focusing on your wounded feelings, and thereby giving the person who caused you pain power over you, learn to look for the love, beauty and kindness around you. Forgiveness is about personal power.

9. Amend your grievance story to remind you of the heroic choice to forgive...

Read the complete article on our blog here

Micah Stampley in his lyrics says

''One word I'm living this moment on a word
Not just any word but a word from you
A word that says I'm healed delivered and set free
There are no more chains holding me''

As we are now in a new year 2022 and in January, Lets do away with the long list of resolutions and do something about one thing this year instead of nothing about everything. One word is enough for you.

I reached this conclusion after trying to follow all the advice given on a morning news show one week in January. It seemed like a smart way to start my day. I figured I’d tune in, get the forecast, learn the headlines, and maybe hear a celebrity interview. I wasn’t expecting all the show segments telling me how to live my life better.

Most of these segments offered the promise of deliverance: “Freedom From Finances Is Closer than You Think” or “Four Secrets to Better Communication.” Others, I decided, were designed to scare the socks off of me: “Six Health Risks Every Person Faces” or “Thieves You Cannot See — Avoiding Identity Theft.” Motivated by this combination of hope and fear, I compiled a to-do list of ways to improve my life and its management according to the experts. The more I listened, learned, and listed, the more behind schedule I felt.

The topics on my list ranged from health maintenance to home maintenance to car maintenance. I was informed I need to eat certain foods every day: four veggies, three fruits, two proteins (preferably chicken or fish), and I think a partridge in a pear tree. I also need to get enough fiber, calcium, Vitamin D, B, C, and Beta-something-or-other.

I need thirty minutes of cardio a day (but apparently with the right exercise product this can be done in ten), fifteen minutes of strength training, and ten minutes of stretching. Plus, some extended time for meditation so that my body and mind could align. I’m told a germ-resistant mat is needed for that. I need to bust my stress, nurture my creativity, and improve my posture.

The list continued...

Looking at the list of things I was supposed to do to live my life right, or well, or whatever all this was going to do for me, I felt defeated. The list that was going to improve my life left me overwhelmed. In my moment of defeat all I wanted to do was go surf. ’Course the list said I should put on a high-SPF sunscreen and take along a BPA-free water bottle to keep me well hydrated. Filled with filtered spring water, of course.

Dropping the Ball

''Could have belonged on that rocky road
If I would have kept my eyes on the problem
I would have surely fell
I heard a voice say whose report do you believe
I said oh Lord one word's all I need''

I’m sure you can relate; you’ve made lists too. Lists of things you want to start doing or stop doing — things you want to change about yourself. Lists of ways to improve your life and your character. Maybe you’ve only listed them in your head. But I bet they come to mind each January. Nearly two-thirds of World population has made New Year’s resolutions, they are on a rocky road and kept their eye on the problem. I am one of them...

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We all know stories of long-term pastors – leaders who’ve been in the ministry for years – who still fall morally. It was in the news here in Nigeria this year about a rape that concerned one pastor, and we have more that are yet to be expose.

We grieve when we hear the stories, and we wonder how it can happen to ministry veterans. Based on my studies of how Satan attacks leaders, here are some reasons even long-term pastors fall.

1. “Success” leads them to let their guard down.

The more “successful” pastors are, the easier it is to assume, “That will never happen to me.” Their thinking sounds like this: “After all, God has always blessed my ministry, hasn’t He? He won’t let this happen to me.”

2. Longer ministry = more opportunities to fall.

This reason is really simple. The more time pastors spend with more people, the more opportunity they have to get wrongly connected with someone. Longer ministries demand more awareness of falling—not less.

3. They’ve learned to hide in the ministry.

Busyness and excellent speaking skills can cover a lot of private sin. Public ministry does not always include private accountability. What looks great on the outside isn’t always so pure on the inside.

4. They never really developed spiritual disciplines.

I speak to a lot of pastors who candidly admit that Bible study and prayer have always been struggles. They’ve searched for a deep relationship with God and have never really found it.

5. Ministry has worn down their defenses.

I’ve not met any pastors who started ministry defeated and discouraged. I’ve met many, though, who are now in that state. Sometimes emotional and spiritual fatigue drives them to wrong solutions.

6. Their own marriages have been strained.

Sometimes their spouses feel second (or worse) in the line of the pastor’s priorities, and they’ve felt that way for a long time. Marital neglect has led to long-term emotional and physical separation – and the pastor wrongly looks elsewhere for comfort.

7. Mid-life crises happen. They really do.

Leaders who figure out they haven’t reached their dreams battle their own emotions. Some feel hurt, alone, disrespected, and tired. Others have had success, but they thought they’d see more by now. Weakness leads to disaster.

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Suffering isn’t an obstacle to being used by God. It is an opportunity to be used like never before.

This truth leaps off the pages of Scripture again and again and again. Joseph suffered for years as a prisoner for crimes he didn’t commit, but it only made him louder. In the end he was raised to the right hand of Pharaoh and put in a position to save the lives of his brothers, who had tried to kill him (Genesis 45:5).

Esther went through the unspeakably difficult trial of becoming an orphan when both her parents died (Esther 2:7). Yet her adoption by Mordecai set into motion the events by which she would become queen of Persia and prevent a holocaust.
David was forced to go on the run, like Harrison Ford in The Fugitive, while he was hunted by his lunatic of a father-in-law, Saul. David was homeless, living in and out of caves in the wilderness of Israel, and yet it was in those caves he poured out his heart to God in worship (1 Samuel 23–24, 1 Samuel 26). His greatest praise came from his darkest days.

When the apostle Paul was saved, a prophecy was given to Ananias, who had the unique challenge of discipling this recently converted terrorist. God told him that Paul would stand before kings, gentiles, and the nation of Israel and that he would suffer many things for Jesus’ sake (Acts 9:15–16). There are two elements there that we must not miss: (1) Paul would be used powerfully, and (2) Paul would suffer greatly. But I believe those are actually two sides of the same coin that exists within every calling. It would be while he was suffering for Jesus that he would do the great things (speaking to the Jews, speaking to the children of Israel, and speaking to kings).

Here’s where this concept comes to your front door. Just as Ananias was to tell Paul that he was a chosen vessel, so you are part of a chosen generation. No ordinary child. You are royalty, remember? A unique part of God’s forever family. But there’s a catch: just like Paul, you will suffer many things on the way to your destiny being fulfilled.

Pain is guaranteed. The Bible says that the rain falls on the evil and the good alike (Matthew 5:45). Part of living on this fallen planet cursed by sin is that trials are inherent. That’s just the way it is.
What about for the child of God? What happens when you give your life to Jesus Christ? The difficulties ramp up to a whole other level.
Jesus said that He wants us to shine brightly. He didn’t just say,
I am the light of the world. — John 8:12;
He also said,
You are the light of the world. — Matthew 5:14

Continue to read here

Without Christ, you can do nothing - just what does this mean exactly? Isn't it true that there are non-Christians that have done great things, and if so, then what does this verse really mean to you?

TEXT: John 15:1-17; I Peter 3:7

Here is illustration: A very poor woman worked for a very wealthy man. She acted as a maid as well as took care of their only son whom she grew to love as her own. One day the wealthy man's wife passed away unexpectedly. When the boy reached his teens he became ill one day and died. The father was heartbroken, as was the maid who worked for him. He was so grieved that he passed away a short time after his son did.

There were no known living relatives and no will was ever found so the state decided to auction off all the belongings. The maid who had nothing but her memories of devotion to this fattier and son all those years scraped together all the money she had and went and bought a picture of the boy that had been displayed in the family room of the mansion.

She had loved and nurtured this son for 15 years and to her it was worth the price to have his picture. Once home, she decided to clean the frame and picture, and she noticed a lump behind the cardboard backing…it was the lost will!

In the will it stated, “All my wealth should go to the one who loved my son enough to claim this portrait of him!” Her devotion and love for this father's son brought her untold wealth and power ... she could now do all things!

And so it is with us in giving ourselves to Christ!

What is meant in this verse is that “without Jesus we can do nothing of eternal significance.” We are powerless without Christ to build eternal things, we are spiritually poor and without power outside of Christ. But with Christ we are rich in every way, we now have the power to affect eternal things and leave a legacy that will impact eternity and last into eternity.

Continue reading here..

Majority of those players in the Christmas drama inspire us with their faith. Starting from Mary, who had great courage.

Joseph, who was obedient.

The shepherds, who came quickly and worshiped willingly.

To the wise men, who traveled far and gave generously.

Majority of them in that Bethlehem drama behaved like heroes. But there was one who played the role of a villain.

In Matthew chapter 2 verses 7 and 8, the villain revealed himself this way:

..then Herod secretly called the magi and determined from them the exact time the star appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the Child; and when you have found Him, report to me, so that I too may come and worship Him.” NASB

When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi. 17 Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled:

“A voice is heard in Ramah,
weeping and great mourning,
Rachel weeping for her children
and refusing to be comforted,
because they are no more.”
Matthew 2:16-18 NIV

Both herod and the magi share the same chapter, but they didn’t share the same heart:
The wise men traveled a great distance to see Jesus. Herod refused to leave his own city.
The wise men presented their treasures to honor the child. Herod attempted to kill him.
The wise men saw Jesus. But Herod? He saw no one but himself. As a result, his obituary forever contains the sad designation: the first person to reject Jesus Christ.

Dean Farrar, a nineteenth-century British scholar, gave this sobering assessment of the king: “His whole career was red with the blood of murder... Deaths by strangulation, deaths by burning, deaths by being cleft asunder, deaths by secret assassination, confessions forced by unutterable torture, acts of insolent and inhuman lust... the survivors during his lifetime were even more miserable than the sufferers.”1

Herod killed three of his own sons. Caesar Augustus once declared, “It is better to be Herod’s hog than his son.”2

What happened to the king? What caused him to commit such violent acts?

Pride.

Herod was hooked on his own importance. His arrogance blinded his view of Christ. His ego was threatened the moment he heard the magi’s question:

“Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” Matthew 2:2 NIV

Continue reading here on the site Thank you and God bless you.

American Courts did not trust Jury with cases until later. One African lie once told us; in Texas you don’t walk the streets with your hands in your pockets, because someone might shoot you before you shoot him. Americans defend right to carry guns vigorously except suspicious blacks that may kill law abiding citizens or police. If it rains, shines or liberals are elected; gun sales go up for fear of limiting gun rights to defend themselves.

Grand jury, conscience of the community sees these shootings as accidents. In view of these, we quiver, especially for a 12 year old boy playing in the park with a toy gun in Cleveland, Ohio recently or an older one that was shot to death in a toy store holding a toy gun. In both cases police were responding to the calls of concerned citizens that observed a black man with a gun.

In South Africa, as police were brutalizing a Nigerian, the first area a white police kicked was his genitals. There is this fear of black men that police officer in Fergusson expressed: as a five year old facing incredible hulk. The image of black men has been demonized since slavery, not only in the eyes of the whites but also to those of blacks in America. Statistically, most of the men that killed spouse in abuse cases are white, yet 911 callers know police and Blackman don’t mix.

Frequently black men are being shot, for reaching out for something that looked like a gun or in illegal chokehold by police, scot free. Africans that have no place to go but stay in the land some had been before Columbus, have no choice. They refused to be intimidated in their country of origin. Other Africans that can still point either to their place of birth outside America or Europe are wondering if their children would follow them home before getting shot. Most doubt it.

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What can we learn about the meaning of “life everlasting” from the Bible? Researchers discovered that often even Scripture readers struggle to understand what to expect in life after death. Here are answers to the two most asked questions on the topic.

What Happens to a Christian Between Death and the Day of Judgment?

The period between death and judgment, called the intermediate state, is not clearly explained in the Bible. However, Christians can find comfort from Jesus’ statement to the repentant thief on the cross — Today you will be with me in paradise (Luke 23:43) — and from Paul’s confident assertion that to be away from the body [is to be] at home with the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:.

The bodies of God’s children may sleep, but their souls do not. What this likely means is that even though our bodies and souls still exist in parallel tracks, our souls are united with God in a conscious state of constant communion and fellowship.

Continue reading here

Do You Want to Travel Free?, Here is How you can achieve that.

You want to travel, but you don’t have the money to travel. It turns out that this classic conundrum doesn’t have to keep you at home. Looking to solve labor shortages, population declines and other economic issues, destinations around the world are offering people the opportunity to travel in exchange for labor, not money.

Here are some of the best options if you want to travel free or even get paid to do it.

Click here about the details on how to access this opportunity

In a circular to all deposit money bank (DMBs), the Director, Payments System Management Department at the CBN, Sam Okojere, said henceforth 3 percent processing fees would be paid for withdrawals and 2 percent for deposits of amounts above N500,000 for individual accounts.
Similarly, corporate accounts will attract 5 percent processing fees for withdrawals and 3 percent processing fee for lodgments of amounts above N3 million.

The CBN said the charges would be in addition to already existing charges on withdrawals, and will be aimed at encouraging it’s cashless policy.

The statement, however, said the charge on deposits shall apply in Lagos, Ogun, Kano, Abia, Anambra, and Rivers States as well as the Federal Capital Territory.

To further promote a cashless economy and enhance the collection of applicable government revenues, the CBN also announced a review of the process for merchant settlement by bank customers.

With the review, which takes effect from Tuesday September 17, the CBN said it gave approval for banks to unbundle merchant settlement amounts and charge applicable taxes and duties on individual transactions as stipulated by regulations.

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The Parable of the Unjust Steward text can be broken down into two parts: the parable (verses 1– and the application (verses 9–13). Luke 16:1 identifies that Jesus is speaking to His disciples, but there is a suggestion that His audience is mixed—disciples and Pharisees. Luke 16:14 states that the Pharisees “heard all these things and ridiculed [Jesus].” We also see in verse 1 that Jesus “also” said to the disciples; the “also” would suggest that this parable is connected to the previous three in Luke 15 and that the audience was a mixed crowd of disciples and Pharisees.

It is important to know to whom Jesus is addressing this parable. The parable is for the benefit of the disciples, but there is also a not-so-subtle critique of the Pharisees, as was evident in Luke 15. Verse 14 is Luke’s commentary on the motivation of the Pharisees, and in verse 15 we see our Lord condemn their motives. And what was the Pharisees’ motivation? They were those who were “lovers of money” and who “justify themselves before men” and who exalted that which was an “abomination before God.”

With that as a backdrop, let’s look at the parable. It’s fairly simple, if somewhat unorthodox, parable from Jesus. The story is simple, but the setting is unusual. In most of Jesus’ parables, the protagonist is either representative of God, Christ, or some other positive character. In this parable the characters are all wicked—the steward and the man whose possessions he manages are both unsavory characters...

This should alert us to the fact that Jesus is not exhorting us to emulate the behavior of the characters but is trying to expound on a larger principle.
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Have you read entire article before jumping and concluding?

Fierce11:
As an atheist, what is your business with Christmas making sense to you? Can you not remain in your lane and ponder on your reasons why it doesn't make sense to you?
Besides, as a Nigerian, why does Independence day make sense to you?
Atheists spewing bullshit even before God said, "Let there be light".
Nonsense.

Marriage constantly requires time and also challenges us to place our spouses before our own needs. But this is exactly God’s plan to change us into His image — His personal holiness prioritized over our passing happiness. After all, what could be better for a self-centered sinner than to continually place someone else first in the name of love?

As humans, constantly sacrificing for someone else will eventually burn us out and we will fail, always in time defaulting back to our own desires. But as Christ-followers, submitting our will to God keeps us motivated and moving toward the service of others for His sake. That is a totally different perspective and one that is necessary for a growing and healthy marriage.

Think for a moment about the strongest marriages you know in your circles. Consider the marriages that you would most want to imitate. There is a strong chance that those couples also commit to being living sacrifices to the Lord, as well as continually dying to self with one another...

Most marriages will, at one point, experience a bit of turmoil. But how do you know if you're just going through a rough patch and what to do to overcome it?

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What I am about to say has been considered somewhat controversial. Normally, I’d try to avoid controversy in an inspirational article like this, but the point is particularly well worth making at this stage in your life.

In general, God doesn’t, and won’t, tell us who to marry. We don’t see in Scripture that it would be disobedient not to marry any one particular individual. There is no command in the Bible that says, “You must get married.” And there is certainly no command, “Emmanuel must marry Lilian.”

God is a sovereign God, and it is wise to seek His guidance, but that doesn’t mean He promises to tell us the exact person we should marry. On your wedding day, you are making a choice. The best platform on which to build a monumental marriage is one in which you own this choice instead of putting it off on God...Read more on http://www.eaolatoye.com/2018/11/how-to-prepare-your-heart-for-marriage.html before making wise decisions, you need not be wise in your own eye, you need to consider the future, and basing your decision on the right priorities.

Nothing much about Christmas makes sense, when you think about it. Here’s why:
God became . . . a human.

Why would God ever want to become a man?
Why would a deity with absolute power over the universe want to live as a weak, flawed mortal? Why would He even deign to become like one of us?

Yet that is exactly what Jesus Christ did, when He came down onto earth. Though He was God, He chose to be born as a vulnerable baby, to go through the growing pains of a teenager and learn His earthly father’s trade as a carpenter (this, after having created the universe), and to try to convince His community that He was their savior, and the savior of the world. Why did He bother with such a senseless move?

Why not get all this done from heaven, without having to come down to earth as a human?

...Continue here to get more details about this so called Christmas

-- Every choice we make is a door we’re deciding to walk through. And we have to choose carefully, because some doors lead to life and others lead to death.

-- We have to discover how to stop creating problems for ourselves — to get out of our own way. It starts with us making this statement: “I declare war on my tendency to sabotage myself.”

-- In the words of President Teddy Roosevelt (USA), when we choose to fight the battle rather than simply talk or think about it, a “wolf rises up in our heart.” Once we commit ourselves to the conflict, a new courage and resolve surfaces within us.

-- The first three “cards” in our declaration of war involve our words, our thoughts, and our actions. The fourth represents the all-important power of the Holy Spirit.

-- The fourth card is critical, because we cannot win this war in our own strength. We need God to give us power, tell us who we are, and supercharge all our efforts. Go to http://www.eaolatoye.com/2018/11/i-declare-war-four-keys-to-winning.html to ream more and take control of your life because you are destined for greatness..

The Economist Magazine, has predicted that the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will defeat the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate in the upcoming 2019 presidential election.

EIU stated this in its latest country forecast overview on Nigeria yesterday. The EIU, which gave an array of reasons for its prediction, said even though it would be a close call, the opposition PDP would win the election.

It predicted slowdown in economic activities in Nigeria as politics takes centre stage.
The Economist’s report came to light a day after the New Telegraph published another research report by a multinational banking and financial services company, HSBC, which said a second term for President Muhammadu Buhari would gravely stunt the economic development of the country.

Buhari is already preparing for a re-election in February 2019.
A group, Nigeria Consolidation Ambassadors Network (NCAN) had last week purchased N45.5million nomination forms for the president who remained unchallenged as at yesterday. Collection of nomination forms closes today.

The opposition PDP is also in the process of selecting its flag bearer. Read more details on http://www.eaolatoye.com/2018/09/pdp-will-win-2019-elections-says.html

Time is such a fleeting resource that needs to be managed judiciously because, any time wasted is gone and can only be bought back, and only in some cases. Today's date can never come again in our lifetime. Therefore, for everything under the earth, there is a time and season allotted - Ecclesiastics 3:1-8.

If a farmer misses the right time to plant or refuses to plant, when it's time for harvest, he would have nothing to harvest. Time is, therefore, a very important part of our life if we must succeed in whatever we are doing.

Some people say time is money. This is true because, especially in developed countries the more time one puts in, the more money one earns. Whatever one invests one's time in determines what transformation or harvest one would experience in due season. Therefore, our actions or inactions, in relation to our fleeting time, is a determinant to what will become of us as time goes on.

It is pertinent to note that time, just like tides, waits for nobody. It is either you are on time, racing against time, or late, with their respective consequences. Being on time is perfect, racing against time is laborious and energy sapping, while late is with dire consequences. Unfortunately, time as a valuable resource does not mean anything to some people, especially those who have no hope, foresight or vision.

That is why our text says, "awake you that sleep, clothe yourself with strength for these are evil days, redeem your time." In fact, to such a fellow, time is not even a resource, let alone being consequential. It could be compared to someone who, after taking an evening nap, wakes up in the night dazed and totally confused as to what time it isbecause he has lost track of time.

Read more on http://www.eaolatoye.com/2018/05/how-can-we-redeem-our-time.html

There are three things that are truly constant. Water, Land and the Sky are proofs to the history of mankind. People, countries and time, everything changes. Nothing survive forever, but the Father(God), Son(Jesus Christ), and Holy Spirit (the comforter) are truly constant. The constancy of Almighty God is evident in everything in heaven and on earth.

Before going further, let us know the meaning of the word ''Constant''.

The Oxford Advanced Learners’ Dictionary defines the word constant as, ''something that does not change, a thing that happens all the time or repeatedly.'' It also defines the word constancy as, ''the quality of being faithful''.

The constancy of God’s word leaves us in no doubt about the truth of creation and the supreme power behind it. He is God, the infinite and the Immortal Being who existed in eternity before the beginning. His word is the key that opened the door of creation. The word of God is his deeds and His actions. He said, ''let there be and there was''. In 1st Cor. 14:33, the bible says, ''for God is not a God of disorder but of peace'' (NKJV). He is the God of peace, joy, happiness, holiness, faithfulness and righteousness.

God created a wonderful and awe-inspiring univers. The galaxies could not have come about by accident.

Click on this link to read more http://www.eaolatoye.com/2018/05/three-amazing-facts-about-life-part.

There are three things in life that once gone, never comes back, it is called “TWO” which means: Time, Word, Opportunity.

They are very important and also, care must be taken in other not to be taken unaware.

1. TIME: Once lost, it will never come back again. It is once said “Time waits for nobody”. Time is always in haste, it runs 100% speed.
The Scripture talks about time in Eccl. 3:1-8. To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to harvest what is planted…”

At this stage, if you are not sensitive, you will find out that you don’t measure up; thereby you lost out.

When it is time to plant and you fold your hands, you will discover that others are reaping and you, become an onlooker. An adage says “No cross, no crown” a life without Christ is full of crises.
Use your time wisely. Strike while the iron is hot; invest your time for the Kingdom of Heaven and for humanity.

2.WORD:
Word is a single unit of language which means “something that can be spoken….” (Oxford Dictionary) every word proceeded out of your mouth means something, it carries power and also has life. Through the spoken words, salvation, healing, destruction and deliverance can take place. There is power in spoken word. Your word is like an egg, once uttered can never be retrieved.

This is why the Scripture makes it clear to us that “the power of death and life is in our tongue”. All idle words shall be accounted for. If you use your mouth and say a word it shall be so to you. And if it is a negative word, it will cleave to you immediately...

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Here comes an opportunity to connect to a long-term network of emerging leaders from around the globe, who want to change the world through policy making.

British Council is seeking applications for its Future Leaders Connect Programme with an aim to provide future leaders with skills and international networks which will improve their ability to make or influence policy changes, leading to long term impact on the social and economic development in their countries and beyond.

The project is being undertaken to support the development of future policy makers in key countries, aiming to help them become exceptional leaders. The Programme is run by the British Council, 10 Spring Gardens, London SW1A 2BN, United Kingdom.

As a part of the programme, those who are selected will be required to travel to the UK from 22 October – 1 November 2018.

Benefits:

The costs of travel, accommodation and meals are covered by the British Council and the programme is fully accessible. For those who do not gain one of the exclusive places on the programme, applicants will be invited to be part of the Future Leaders Connect Community where applicants can access a range of free online professional development policy and leadership resources. For more details about this programme, Read more on https://www.eaolatoye.com/2018/03/british-council-is-seeking-applications.html

The mind plays a very important role in our lives. This is because it helps in shaping our lives either positively or negatively. All our activities or actions originate from the mind.

Therefore whatever you allow your mind to dwell upon, you will become. A man’s life moves in the direction of his dominant thoughts. The Bible says, as the man thinks in his heart. So he is Proverbs 23:7. Your outside eventually catches up with your inside. When your mind is not settled, you cannot make progress in life.

It is what you decide within you that determines what happens to you on the outside. Whatever your mind tells you to do must bring out either negative or positive result.

When Christ is inside you, the glory of God will shine on you. On the contrary, if you are living a life controlled by the devil, nothing good will be seen in you.

Nobody succeeds by chance. You must make up your mind for it. Advancement comes from within. Your liberty is determined by your mind. Until you begin to think differently, you will remain where you are. Capacity building should therefore start from the inside. The quality of your life can be increased by the quality of your thoughts. Lasting success is a product of internal change...Read more on https://www.eaolatoye.com/2018/03/how-to-overcome-life-battle-with-mind.html

Memorise: Then Jesus answering said unto them, Go your way, and tell John what things ye have seen and heard; how that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor the gospel is preached. Luke 7:32

Bible Reading: Luke 4:16-21 (KJV)
4:16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read.

4:17 And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written,

4:18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,
4:19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.

4:20 And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him.

4:21 And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.

Bible in one year: Numbers 32-33, 2nd Corinthians 12

MESSAGE: When God completed the process of creation, He carefully appraised everything He had created and concluded that they were very good. Genesis 1:31 says,

“And God saw everything that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.”

However, looking at the world created by God today, it is obvious that a lot of things are no longer very good. Why is this so? Through the deception of the devil, Adam and Eve fell into the error of sin, and this brought corruption and degeneration into the world.

After the fall, mankind began to worship created things such as the moon, stars, mountains, rivers, trees and animals as God. Because the Almighty God id a jealous God, He responded by cursing the earth, and this led to a situation where these created things began to work against humanity, thereby making life terribly difficult for them...Read more on http://rpriests..com.ng/2018/03/he-still-restores-open-heavens-daily.html

It has been said “a journey of a thousand miles start with a step” everything in life starts from small beginning, when a baby is been given birth to, he/she starts from nothingness to greatness. Even Almighty God started the creation from nothingness without form. Gen.1:1-3. Starting small has divine connection, Jesus Christ started his ministry from small. His first miracle of turning water into wine, from there he became life giver by raising a stinky dead body back to live.

The beginning may be rough and tough, but if you are determined and focus on God with perseverance, faithfulness, diligence and with consistency, I assure you with God by your side, glorious end is yours. Many of us have been in the passenger’s seat of barrenness (in every aspect of life), stagnation, confusion and poverty. Many even think these factors that have been driven them to and fro; they have no power over it.

As a child of God, we are no more under these factors. But because of our lack of basic knowledge concerning who we really are in Christ Jesus, enemy continue to maltreat us . In Romans Chapter 8:1-2, it was written “there is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the spirit. 2). For the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.”

It is the lack of knowledge, says the Lord, that makes people perish. It is the lack of knowledge that makes us remain in the passenger’s seat of life and accept the present state as our lot. God does not have any evil or bad thing for his children, it is the work of Satan...

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We all know that Family disputes are very common in our society. It happened in my own family too, whether it is over property or important matters. But over the past few years, one particular super star family feud in Nigeria music industry has captured the attention of many in Nigeria, elsewhere in Africa and the World.

The conflict, which resurfaced over Linda Ikeja blog viral video on September 26 last year, PSquare brothers who helped to change the face of the music industry in Nigeria verbally abusing each other and nearly coming to blows during a mediating session at their lawyer's office.

Similar thing also happened over social media in Singapore on June 14, concerning allegations of abuse of power by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, made by his two younger siblings over the fate of their late father’s house at 38 Oxley Road.

The son of the Singapore's founding father Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew, who is the current Prime Minister, addressed this issue with Parliament, where he defended the actions he took following the death of his father in March 2015, and allowed Members of Parliament to question him.

These type of conflict has been with us from ages past, even from the scripture similar family conflict erupted over minor issue...Read more here http://www.eaolatoye.com/2017/10/p-square-feud-5-lessons-from-family-feud.html

''And they live happily ever after."

That’s what I gathered from the movies how marriage would be like. Two people unite and start their married life together. Marriage was supposed to be something beautiful, wonderful, and heartwarming.

The other reason why I looked forward to getting married was because I needed help in this life journey (Genesis 2:18), I wanted to be close to my helper ( my wife) always (Genesis 2:24). I wanted to be a friend to her, and to my children.

However, when the opportunity to get married finally came in the Month of April 2012, I wasn’t so sure anymore. But then, I was encouraged by the word of God (Proverbs 18:22 NIV ''He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the LORD'' ) and in Proverbs 19:14 NLT ''Fathers can give their sons an inheritance of houses and wealth, but only the LORD can give an understanding wife''.

My struggle before getting married

For one, I wasn’t totally sure my girlfriend was “the one”. How could I know for sure that she was given to me by God? Am I sure I can live with her (different tribe, language, and background)? Am I the right person for her? Can she be my helper? I had so many questions and they overwhelmed me...Continue reading on http://www.eaolatoye.com/2017/07/overcoming-marriage-struggles-before.html

Lagos, the name has about it a certain historical background christened by the Portuguese.
It revolves mainly around three different groups: the Aworis, the Yorubas and, the Edos each claims discovery and first settlement.

These various claims as to who first settled in Lagos were substantiated by Aworis claiming that ‘‘EKO’’ (the indigenous name) was a corruption of “OKO” (meaning bush).

The Edos on their part claimed the name “EKO AKETE” was bestowed on the town by them. Lagos as a centre of excellence, is a place where you mind your own business and of course, accept no nonsense.

Some of the foremost industry in Lagos were fishing, salt making, black smiting, and farming around 1916.but as at today in this 21st century, a lot of technology and modern industries has transformed the city. Lagos is now home for all.

I have not heard of another city like Lagos elsewhere, though New York city is in the same category, but our own Lagos where you must not relax or slack, it is such a euphonious name for one thing and, of course it has a history and a meaning as EKO in its interpretation as corrupt and romantic in its way as anything connected with the western Hollywood...Read more on http://www.eaolatoye.com/2014/06/lagos-city.html