By Olawale Lamina
The Minister-in-Charge, (M-I-C), Rhema Chapel International Churches Agege Lagos State, Pastor Deji Abisola, has called on Nigerians, most especially Christians to exercise high level of discipline in the face of current economic challenge facing the country by saving for tomorrow out of their incomes.
He stated this at Rhema Chapel International Churches Abuja, while ministering a message titled, ‘Covenant Wealth,’ Pastor Deji, pointed out that the present economic condition in the country is not different from experience of the time past, drawing reference from the biblical days when famine struck at different times.
He noted that Nigeria’s problem is a commonwealth problem, calling on Christians to rise and speak against economic hardship in the country.
The cleric also cautioned Nigerians not to call for revolution in the face of general discomfort as this that could resort to mass destruction of lives, even as he recalled the war in the Democratic Republic of Congo and its consequences.
As a way out of the current doldrums, Pastor Deji stressed that Nigeria must do away with its penchant for imported goods by patronizing made in Nigeria products. He said that this is one of the means the Naira can regain its value.
He attributed the present state of affairs to mismanagement of the nation’s oil wealth over the years, while comparing the nation of Norway also blessed with oil resources but succeeded in creating an enduring sovereign wealth from the proceeds of its crude oil.
He drew reference to Joseph in the book of Genesis 46:6, saying that Joseph was put in charge to save and manage resources in the land of Egypt.
The minister of the gospel informed the congregants and indeed the Christian community that, “this is not a time to eat without saving.”
The banker turned preacher informed that Nigeria lost 30 percent of her harvests, as grains from government facilities became rotten (grain from silos, part of which were distributed to the poor ) due to lack of good management.
In another breath, Pastor Deji shed further light on how Christians and indeed Nigerians can benefit from economic meltdown by pointing out that characteristically, in famine or scarcity people sell things of value cheap, making those with reasonable cash flow, savings and reserves to take full advantage through negotiations.
Citing 1 King 17:2 “…and the Word of God came …”, he called of children of God to develop how to hear the Holy Spirit, saying it would help to guide and protect their investment decision. “There is time to borrow to leverage and not to consume,” he said, while observing that it is not entirely bad to borrow.
He said that Christians should consider their gifts as it is capable of sorting anyone out through a generation, adding that relationships on its own can be an advantage.
Pastor Deji said that, besides academic intelligence, there is social intelligence, (ability to connect with people at different levels.) For instance, he called on people with the gift of public speaking to seek to understand how the social media can help improve their lives. He observed that individual personalities can point them in the way of their gifting, adding that to succeed Christians should polish their gifts, be diligent at what they do, create a market for their gifts and above all, seek God who is the source of all gifts.
Earlier, in his introduction of the guest minister, the Assistant-Minister-in- Charge, AMIC, Rhema Chapel Abuja, Minister Ayo Osinlu, explained that the idea of Exchange of Pulpit emanated from the ministry’s top hierarchy to promote access to more diverse range of ministry gifts across all the installations of the Rhema Chapel International Churches nationwide.
He described Pastor Deji Abisola as a Christian with about 30 years in the Lord, a former banker and author who had brought insights into those who came under his influence of financial inclusion in the ministry.
He added that, under the same arrangement of Exchange of Pulpit, the Minister-in – Charge, Rhema Chapel International Churches Abuja, Pastor Gbenga Gbadeyan was in Ketu installation to preach the gospel.
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