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Opinion

The “His-story” of Greed to “Creed” and Pains to “Gains”

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By Tolulope A. Adegoke

“The word MAN is a title, only for those who are worthy to be called Managers over All Natural resources; because he was Made Above Nature by his Maker. If he fails to discharge the duties that comes with the title, he would be pronounced unfit by all creations that looks up to him for continuous solutions, resolutions and “MANifestations” and The Maker would then have no choice than to replace him with a more serious vessel who would be ready and steady to cater for their needs, while looking beyond their greed, griefs, grains, pains and gains by RESPONDING to the ABILITIES entrusted him by the CREATOR which are his immediate “Responsibilities” as MAN. Therefore, the creations are waiting for you to MAN up, show up, and MANifest as the Sons of God that you are! (as seen in Romans 8:19 KJV)”. Tolulope A. Adegoke, PhD., MNIM, FIMC, CMC, CMS

 

The Deep cut!

Bleeding profusely.

The beautifully fading off,

Till the rotten fruits and withered leaves dropped off…

Alas! The fair-weathered-friends had left. She used to be their favourite,

The rhythm changed, just within the twinkle of an eye!

They thought the tree had died,

They thought it was over,

Though, it was obviously so …

But that isn’t the end.

A young lad had to drop the last drop of water he had in his cup on her – the tree!

Voila! The dew came in the early hours of the morning… Drenched it, and caused life to come.

The life lighted the flowers,

The leaves revived…they sprouted finely…

The Bees came, sucked its pollen grains,

And in return, they sweetened the tree and its fruits.

Again, everyone gathered under the tree…

Praising it again, yeah, and again.

The tree that was once mocked, abandoned; hmm, it was left to die.

It was almost turning into firewood,

The sun had scorched it.

The villagers had axed its branches, waiting for the next day to fell it down, totally.

But, life came before the dark intentions of Man’s short-sightedness and greed arrived,

To strip another of their (grains) lives, for selfish gains.

They sheltered under the tree, yet again. They feasted on its fruits yet, again.

Its herb was food to them.

It became an appealing sight to behold.

Human nature arose again,

Axing its bark for medicine…

She asked, are my fruits and leaves not food and cure enough to thee?

Why the shock of a lifetime, with marks of pains on my body. My cures had cured and cared for thee. Is this how to repay my good deeds? The tree asked voicelessly! Tears ran through her dying eyes,

Its bleeding body grieved the heart of the maker…

The man’s heart was blocked with unseen stones, he had no compassion.

Only the young lad kept coming, wiping off the tears of the voiceless tree.

Guess what? As the lad wipes the tears, the rays of the sun caught his attention…it’s a message of hope.

The tears became useful ingredients for solving other human errors. It is a gum- an extract from the carelessly beaten and grievously axed tree.

Oh, what a careless approach for solutions…all in the bid for medicine, is it for Covid-19? That, I can’t tell.

If you want my bark, speak to me in kind and soft manners, then I shall release the cure to you by surrendering willfully.

Just that, will not make the cure you seek to turn into a curse that would hunt down your generations, even in your ‘gene-nations’!

The man fell on his knees. He wailed tearfully.

He heard just what the voiceless tree had said. But how could he have heard a voiceless tree speak? Or has the Almighty replaced his stony heart with that of flesh?

The Creator streamed it live as nature screamed…

Ahhh! Yeee! I have sinned.

Please forgive me.

He cried to his Maker. Reflecting his years of carelessness and selfish havoc inflicted on the natural things in his care. Ah! He abused power and he was stripped of this sceptre of Grace.

He repented!

Wailed again; this time, it was genuine.

Mercy came to play its role of absolute intervention and deliverances; nothing could reproof it. It Lord overall judgement.

The Creator yielded. Penetrated his bleeding heart to authenticate his sincerity.

The Creator spoke, and the clouds obeyed and gathered.

The sun was humbled…

There was rainfall, it was ‘cat and dog’.

The trees danced in the storm that came with it.

The thunder drummed, the lightening was also a great effect. It was fearful!

The Creator spoke again, peace be-still.

The creations heard Him, and they all submitted to the authority of His voice and intentions.

Surely, the Creator is the Maker, He makes all things well and beautiful in its time.

He is the Giver to all givers; and Giver to all that receives.

He smiled…the sweet breeze took over the entire creations.

The ray of the sun was fine, tender and warm. The butterflies came out again from their hiding places.

The birds sang with fine rhythms.

All things were revived, healed and sanity to was restored unto mankind.

The man got up, gazed at the fine- blue -sky.

His very bleeding heart had healed.

His eyes were sharp, his mind became clear and at alert.

His heart became receptive to yielding to the daily guides of the Master!

A new Spirit was instilled into him (The Holy Spirit), his soul was rekindled with fresh ‘divinistic’ fire- hot enough to quench the fiery darts of the wicked, and ‘Faith’ played without fail.

The tree bowed in awe to the majestic impacts of the Majesty, The Creator. The scars on the tree became its ‘his-story’, that is, the relationship between it and mankind.

The scary scars became a decoration. And, no one remembered its struggles and grieves of its past.

The tree lived healthier.

It asked the Creator during a dialogue session, ‘why haven’t you cleared my scars?’

The Creator smiled…hmm, that? It’s your- story. It’s the painting of voices on the canvass of what you have called scars. It’s your declaration. It’s your decoration, your protection. It’s the process- the transitioning from your ‘old’ to the ‘new’. You had to shed some weight, you know? It’s your rainbow! It’s your initiation to a new order of freedom and eternal bliss. It wasn’t meant to kill you, but build you into fine-frame of very rare quality.

Yes! It will also, always remind mankind of his ill-treatment towards you,

And that would stop him from repeating such again.

Your scar is a touch of excellence. The seal of your triumph from your trials. It’s your voiceless noise locked up in seals. It is the costs of your course that causes a great effect of rare difference for your needed changes and arrival.

It was the bone I gave you to crack, and you cracked it so very well. That was the code I gave you to break and interpret and you did just fine by decoding the mystery of pain which now results to the gains, from your grains. And this made you irresistible and inevitable in the affairs of mankind and his well-being. This, I made you all go through in order to grow through. Respect him, he is still your Lord, but I have made opened his heart to the understanding of the Truth that comes with compassion- evidence of leadership to Manage All Natural resources as MAN, and as given by Me.

For this, is, a thoughtful lesson to ‘all and things’ that has life in them or that are moved by it.

Thank you!”

Then, the Creator rhythmically and joyfully ascended back to His Most Sacred Haven called HEAVEN.

We are nothing but wonderful tools in the Mighty Hands of the Creator.

Be humble,

Be useful,

Be grateful!

Thank you all for reading.

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Opinion

Voice of Emancipation: Removal of Fraud Subsidy

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By Kayode Emola

The week just passed saw the inauguration of the Nigerian President, Bola Tinubu. Upon assuming office, the first major policy that he instituted was the removal of fuel subsidies, causing the pump price to skyrocket overnight. As much as this policy is necessary in order to confront fraud in the petroleum industry, its implementation was handled terribly.

Since the 1970s, successive Nigerian governments have attempted to remove the fuel subsidy, with each government failing to provide the framework required to implement the policy. Resultantly, it has historically proved impossible to fully extricate the pricing of this commodity from governmental control across the country.

This subsidy has proven to be a lifeline for the majority of people trapped in poverty throughout Nigeria for years. However, it has been grossly abused, being turned into a means for oil marketers to unduly enrich themselves.

The principle underpinning the subsidy ought to be that government takes stock of the petroleum commodity and sells it on to the retailers, creating benefit for the populace. However, the current system merely requires that the oil marketers complete a form stating the quantity of petroleum they are supplying, and the government reimburses them for the difference between retail and subsidised price.

Research shows that the average consumption of petroleum products in Nigeria is around 60 million litres per day. However, the quantity on which government subsidy is being claimed is about 100 million litres. This discrepancy of approximately 40 million litres of product every day for which subsidy is being paid, yet never reaches the general population, demonstrates that the current application of the subsidy is not only harmful to the government but also injurious to the people themselves.

In her address to graduating students at Columbia University a few years ago, the former Finance Minister Ngozi Okonjo Iweala narrated her mother’s ordeal at the hands of four young who kidnapped her. They had requested the finance minister resign her position for the release of her mother and failure to comply will result in her death.

The kidnappers told the Finance minister they kidnapped her mother because she failed to pay the oil marketers for fuel subsidies. This is clear evidence that the oil marketers involved in the whole subsidy regime are part of a bigger problem the country is experiencing.

Obviously, the finance minister did not resign and her mother regained her freedom by sheer luck. The situation would have been worse for her family had her mum been killed in that instance or she gave in to the blackmailers and resigned from her job. It will mean that evil is given the opportunity to thrive once again in our land.

Nonetheless, her family’s victory over the kidnappers did not mean the fraud was eradicated or the fraudster was apprehended, it only meant that the oil marketers lived to fight another day and they continue to win both the people and the government.

President Tinubu’s removal of the subsidy feels like this is the time to tackle the corruption within the industry once and for all. However, whether the President is successful in his endeavour will depend on his intended approach.

Whilst I believe the removal of the subsidy was necessary, the manner in which it has been implemented is poor. A better approach would have been to announce the removal of subsidies in advance, with a timeline for its implementation. In this way, people would have had time to brace themselves for the increased price that would follow the subsidy’s removal.

Secondly, the President should have also made provisions to enable increases in workers’ salaries, helping cushion the effect of the increased pump price. Workers’ salaries in Nigeria are already too low at present for people to meet their daily expenses. Expecting people to somehow absorb the extra expense incurred by removing fuel subsidy – with its consequent rise in the pump price – without increasing salaries, is like asking a man tied and thrown in the ocean not to drown.

In light of this, it becomes necessary that the government now makes arrangements to alleviate the plights of workers, on whose efforts the growth of the country depends. The government of Tinubu must not think that this matter is concluded, as there is still much more to be done.

Furthermore, the fuel subsidy issue is not the most pressing concern that the populace seeks to see addressed by the government. The country is facing a crisis of nationalities, with numerous segments of the country feeling aggrieved over continuing forced allegiance to a country for which they feel neither identity nor affinity.

The Yoruba, Igbo, Ijaw and Gbagyi nations, to mention just a few, feel it is now time for the government to address the issue of the “One Nigeria” policy. The government of Tinubu cannot just ignore the cries for a sovereign national conference, resolutely forging ahead as if, by disregarding these concerns, they would simply go away.

The Yoruba people, as well as the Biafran nation, are resolute in their determination to leave Nigeria. It is down to the President to ensure the development of a peaceful path by which this can be achieved, allowing each nation making up Nigeria to go and develop according to their own ability. President Tinubu should not stand in the way of these legitimate requests, as history will ultimately judge him by his actions or inactions on this matter.

The president must recognise that fuel subsidy is not the only problem, nor even the greatest problem, afflicting Nigeria. The country is beyond repair; everyone knows the current environment of lawlessness and backwardness is unsustainable. This is why we implore the President to do the right thing, while he still has the opportunity so to do.

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Adding Value

Adding Value: The Hand of Favour by Henry Ukazu

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Dear Destiny Friends,

Favour is one essential ingredient we need to succeed. Favour certainly mean different things to different people. To Christians, it can mean the grace of God; in the circular world, it is called the X-factor, and for professionals, it can be luck or “unmerited” access to people. In all, favour can come from God, human beings, or the society.

I chose to write about this topic because as a Human Capacity Coach, I have come to understand that in the journey of life, most people attribute their success to their abilities; hard or smart work. They fail to understand that the universe works in dynamic ways one may never understand. This is because you may have all it takes whether it is theoretical or practical experience, you may even come highly recommended, and still lose to someone with less theoretical and practical experience.

Let’s get more practical. In labour law, we have a saying that you cannot force a willing employee on an unwilling employer. You may be wondering what that means. In the corporate world, when a prospective employee is applying for a job, their biggest joy will be for the interviewers to like his or her face. This is because regardless of how qualified the candidate may be, if the panel or the head of the panel don’t like the face, it’s game over.

The hand of favour cannot be overemphasized; it trumps many factors. Favour works where man fails. In the real world, it is called the X-factor, and works in a dynamic way. It simply means a force or situation one cannot explain or imagine how it happened. When the X- factor is at work, there’s something about you that will make you stand out. In actual fact, to accomplish certain things in life, one needs favour. If everything works for you due to your strength, knowledge, or skill, you are not favored. There should be something that you can’t do, but only favour can make happen.

When you are experiencing unprecedented tough times you can’t decipher, just call on the universal power of favour to come to your aid. To accomplish great things, you need the favour of God and men. It is not your knowledge, experience, background etc. that can make it work. Sometimes, you might have all and still need favour. In my estimated understanding of life, apart from that of the creator of heaven and earth, the highest favour we need in life is that of men, because human beings are currency.

There’s usually a force one cannot explain as regards why some people will just like or dislike someone for no reason.

On a personal note, I have seen and experienced the hand of favour upon my life cause I didn’t know I would come this far. Though my mind usually tells me I will be great, but when I look at the circumstances surrounding my life, I tend to have faith in the impossibility being made possible.

Let me start from being the author of two amazing books, being interviewed on television several times, being interviewed by the New York Times, having rare, amazing, genuine family and friends in addition to having mentors who have shown me love beyond my imagination. Some of these mentors of mine were met virtually, while I met a few in person. Most recently, I was honored to pick a former Presidential Spokesman in Nigeria from the airport. The striking thing for me is that we were communicating virtually, and the communication was humbling. When this great man arrived in New York, not only did he autographed four of his amazing books for me, he lodged me in a five-star hotel and splashed dollars on me. When I specifically asked why he did that, he said he came to New York just to see me. That’s a wow for me.

To attract the magic hand of favour, your faith and altitude will have to attract the grace of favour to work for you. When you are favored, kings, queens, captains of industries, governors, presidents, celebrities, and many more will seek you.

Most times, we are quick to attract the blessings, and uncommon blessings that come our way as a result of our cerebral personalities, but that’s not the true position. Sometimes, there are things that come to you without your input. You may be even less qualified, and in some cases, it might appear technically and humanly impossible for you to overcome or succeed in that endeavour, but you might be surprised to win at the end of the day. That’s favour.

To know how favour works, consider how that beautiful and sassy girl from a decent family married you; how you got that job, how you met that great person, how you accomplished that task; how you won the election; and how you came this far. It’s called the favour of God.

When you are favored, people will inconvenience themselves to bless you. Favour works when it looks impossible to achieve a particular task; when you are sick and wondering how you will overcome this sickness. The doctors might have given you a date to die, but the date will come and go, and you’ll still be alive and, in some cases, live longer than the person who gave the date. What can one call such a situation if not favour and grace of God.

When you understand how favour works, you will thrive. For example, if someone is talented or gifted in designing, writing, singing, playing soccer, leading, among others, there’s a tendency that person or their team is likely to win just because someone is who is favored to do a particular work in the team. It is sad to note that most times, we lose opportunities and blessings because they do not dress well as we expect them. A typical example can be a young lady who has many suitors asking for her hand in marriage, she may be deceived by the looks of a particular man who may have riches, but lack the qualities of a husband or father, as opposed to a man who may not have the money now, but blessed with the desired qualities of a being a good husband, father in addition to wealth.

In conclusion, it is instructive to note that we all have this favour, but we don’t tap into it. Start by declaring and speaking favour into your life. While we waste time complaining of lack sometimes, it should be noted that the universe responds to what we give to it. So whenever you speak, just know that the walls hear, the ground stamps it, and the air carries it.  Again, the universe does not respond to lack. It responds to abundance. So, whenever you complain, just know that you are driving favour away.

Henry Ukazu writes from New York. He works with the New York City Department of Correction as the Legal Coordinator.  He’s a Transformative Human Capacity and Mindset coach. He is also a public speaker, youth advocate and creative writer Design Your Destiny and Unleash Your Destiny.  He can be reached via info@gloemi.com

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Opinion

Against All Odds: Be Ready for Effective Leadership

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By Tolulope A. Adegoke

“As you walk in God’s divine wisdom, you will surely begin to see a greater measure of victory and good successes in your life. Wisdom is the principal thing which opens its subscribers up to Learning, living, loving, leading and being ‘liquid’; to being Enterprising, educative and entertaining; toward reaching the greatest Altitudes with the right attitude, which is amplified by aptitude, through tireless Determination, decency and deliberate diligence; Extra-ordinary feats and exemplariness; Restitution which commands restoration, revitalization, redemption, powered by result-orientation; Sensitivity, sensibility, stability, sanity, sanctity and sacrificial lifestyle; culminating in great Harvest, with uncontrollable happiness that transforms you into a healing vessel; you gain Immunity, independence, intelligence, and becomes an instigator as well as an internal developer; thereby, exhibiting acute Professionalism  being a principal, producer, a price and the prize. Every leader has a ship, and every ship has a leader; The SHIPs you build is what makes you the LEADER.”  Tolulope A. Adegoke, PhD., MNIM, FIMC, CMC, CMS

To effectively lead, you must gain and harness wisdom. To harness means to control or use something especially resources or potentials. But it requires divine wisdom to harnessing your ‘empowered Zeros’ correctly or effectively. What is the essence of empowering your Zero if you would not use or engage it? Of what use is wisdom if it will not be engaged? For example, many people have empowered themselves by investing in a series of skills and academic programmes, yet, might still lack the capacity to harness it properly to their profiting. Even, many that are well-read are most times “walking textbooks,” they have all the relevant information or knowledge in their areas of specialization(s), yet cannot practically apply it to solving real-life situation or issues. Yes, they have the “key” to their field, yet cannot still unlock real life’s doors, they can tell you everything about the “key” and how useful it is to society. What would you say of an expert or professor of Mechanical Engineering who cannot work on his own vehicles or gadget rather, would rely on the roadside mechanics to fix the mechanical faults on his own vehicle, but can only give you theoretical explanations on information about some brand of vehicles.

It is divine wisdom that teaches us to go into actions towards solving problems distinctively and accurately because it is what makes saviour out of men; it is not just your knowledge or understanding. Knowledge gives you information but wisdom helps you to go in search of required or needful information and their application processes, while understanding would only help you to have in-depth insight about a problem or situation. But wisdom helps you to apply and not just “apply” but correctly and profit from it.

I once wrote in my previous articles about two different persons who applied wisdom as Zeros. One person benefitted from the wisdom he applied and became a HERO while, the other did not benefit from his own applied wisdom; yet, he remained the same and nobody noticed afterwards. The application of our gifts must also be well guided by wisdom through the Holy Spirit if we would seek Him. The Holy Spirit inspires us and helps us with what would seek Him. The Holy Spirit inspires us and helps us on what to do with the gifts, how to go about, what to do with it, when and where to apply those gifts to our own benefits of others and to the glory of God.

It takes divine wisdom to harness (put to usage) your empowered Zero. Let us see some of the surpassing virtues of Divine Wisdom. Divine Wisdom makes saviours out of men. Obadiah 21 says: “And saviours shall arise out of Mount Zion.”

Saviours are men that are answers to the prayers of others. Nehemiah9:27 says: “And they shall cry unto the Lord, and He will send them Saviours.” They are men who are the answers to the calamities of the earth. Romans8:19 says: “the earnest expectation of the creatures waiteth for the manifestation of the Sons of God.” So the whole world is waiting for you to harness your empowered Zero for their liberation, comfort, and deliverances. You carry the solutions that other people seek. When a man carries divine wisdom (solution), he becomes is the answer to global problems. Pharaoh offered everything to Joseph because he was a rare gem when pharaoh said in the scriptures: “Where will one find a man like this in whom the Spirit of God is?” which simply means that, if this man called Joseph leaves, our answers, fruitfulness leaves with him.

There are those are people who opportunities naturally look for them while so many are all out searching for opportunities and not finding one. Pharaoh and the entire Egypt saw Joseph as an opportunity, but Joseph did not see him as one. That means Joseph knew that his answers were not in any man but in the grace of God, and that grace found expression through divine wisdom.

Simply imagine Joseph’s appearance was like a job interview, but pharaoh began to look at Joseph as his breakthrough…if this man (Joseph) should go away, things will fall apart/breakdown. Pharaoh, therefore, made Joseph over his house, while he (pharaoh) only retained the title but Joseph was the one in charge of the affairs of Egypt!

 Divine Wisdom gives relevance. Harnessing your empowered Zero gives you relevance locally and globally through the unction of divine wisdom. Proverbs 8:15: “By wisdom kings “rule” and princes “decree” justice. In every group of people or society, there must be somebody to rule. What wisdom does for us as believers is that it makes a ruler out of us, and the ruler is always needed, he is always in demand. And concerning Joseph, the bible says in Psalm105:17-22: “He sent a man before them, even Joseph who was sold for a servant, whose feet they hurt with fetters, he was laid in iron until the time that his word came.” The word of the Lord tried him, the king sent for him and loosed him, even the rulers of the people and let him go free, he made Lord over his house and rulers of all his substance to bind his princes at pleasure and teach his senators wisdom. In other words, no gathering or meeting held in Egypt without the presence of Joseph during this period, because he was their answers. So, he was always in demand. Even Daniel in the scripture was relevant for 65years without running for any election, because the man of divine wisdom is a rare gift to any generation. There was unhindered release of unique wisdom upon his life which he applied!

Divine wisdom guarantees triumph. We can also see this in the life of Joseph; he triumphed over the evil intentions of his brethren. “They saw him afar off, and they said behold this dreamer cometh. Let us destroy him.” [Genesis37:18-20] But wisdom did not only preserve Joseph, but made him the preserver of their lives! “God has sent me to preserve life and to give you posterity” [Genesis 45:4-8]

 Joseph became the answer to their problems. They planned to kill him, but the wisdom of God which he harnessed preserved him. Divine wisdom brings about sweat-less victory. “A wise man scaleth the city of the mighty and casteth down the confidence thereof.” [Proverbs21:22]

“He would unfold unto us the manifold wisdom of God to us to the intent that on principalities and powers may be known the dominion that God has ordained for us in us.” [Ephesians3:8-11]

Wisdom is the divine secret for continuous triumphs. Wisdom scales the city of the mighty. It is not only the strong that wins, it the wise that wins continuously…Be wise!

Ensure that you are harmless like the dove and be wise as the serpent because no matter how harmless you may be physically when you have wisdom, you are as venomous as the serpent and most dangerous to any opposition that may rise against you.

When you know to do, you become dangerous to the enemy! Having studied the lives of David and Solomon, I have realized that David having been wise as an angel, but it was recorded in the bible that his son Solomon was the most-wise in his generation (Old Testament). David was a fighter, but Solomon was a diplomat (a wise man). All the days of his life, there was no war. Not that there were no enemies, but the wisdom of God on him scared the enemies off him and his environment. Even with the biblical description of the armies of Solomon; it says, he built cities for his armies…The wisdom of Solomon scared the enemies. It means, while the enemies were planning on how to attack, they began to observe Solomon and they became so afraid of him. Even the queen of Sheeba entered into his Palace and there was no more spirit left in her, because “wisdom scales the city of the mighty.”

Although, these stories of wisdom are fascinating, but they are not yet God’s best, as he has packaged for us.” Those are examples and patterns of what God has in stock for us. “But with to which are called both Jews and Greeks, Christ, the power of God and the wisdom of God, because the foolishness of God is wiser than men. And the weakness of God is stronger than men.” [1Corinthians1:24-25] “In Him (Christ) dwelleth all the fullness of the God-head bodily.” [Colosians2: 9]

These stated scriptures above, means that Christ is the Wisdom of God and the Power of God; Secondly, Wisdom is the fullness of God inside Christ…The Wisdom of God is not partial, but in full in Christ. “And you have the mind of Christ.” [1Corinthians2:16]

So, by potential, the wisdom of God, God in His totality is available unto every believer.

God cannot be stranded; He cannot be in a position of not knowing what to do. He can never scratch His head looking for answers. Since all of the wisdom of God is in Christ Jesus, it is all available to you! That means you should never be without answers initially, which is God’s redemptive package for us in redemption.

A believer who is working by divine wisdom, even on his worst day is better than the best sinner! The day he would be counted or regarded as foolish, he would be wiser than the wisest; in as much as he is walking in his full potentials for the benefits of mankind and to the glory of God.

Wisdom cannot be acquired, it cannot be caught, it cannot be taught, but it is only received. God gives wisdom. Joseph said to the king of Egypt: “it is not in me but God shall give pharaoh an answer of peace.” So, wisdom comes from above. It is the wisdom that comes from above, that is above all. Therefore, wisdom is the latest currency for buying and wining all things, all through. Proverbs 8:15 (KJV) reveals,
“By me kings reign, and princes decree justice”.

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