Oracle tablet magazine february 2014 by oracle

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CONTENTS 4 You were Born for this! is amessagethatawakens you to your Divine purpose embolding you to confront any inhibitions, fearsandchallengesthat obstructs your path to success

CONTENTS 04

God is Still in Charge

You were Born for this

Do You Have What it Takes to be Successful

How to Find the Love of Your Life

9 8 A candid Talk about SEX in MarriageasMinisterMercy Confronts any wrong assumptions, religious errorsandculturaltaboos that hinders many from enjoying this gift of love

StepintoyourDestinyis astrategicallymapped outpathforsuccessthat equips you with the life compass to navigate your way to the life of your dreams

RESOURCES 18 25

You are more than a Conqueror

Single & Satisfied

Step into Your Destiny

CONTENTS 04

GOD IS STILL IN CHARGE

YOU WERE BORN FOR THIS

15 19 19

DO YOU HAVE WHAT IT TAKES TO BE SUCCESSFUL HOW TO FIND THE LOVE OF YOUR LIFE YOU ARE MORE THAN A CONQUEROR

SINGLE AND SATISFIED

STEP INTO YOUR DESTINY

TRUE REVIVAL

LET THE DEAD BURY THEIR DEAD

THE POWER OF SOCIAL MEDIA

ARE YOU BELIEVING GOD

GOD IS STILL in Charge!

“Arise, and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will cause thee to hear my words. Then I went down to the potter’s house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels. And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it. Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying, O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the Lord. Behold, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are ye in mine hand, O house of Israel.” -Jeremiah 18:2-6

HE LORD SENT JEREMIAH TO THE POTTER’S HOUSE TO OBSERVE HIS WORK AS AN ILLUSTRATION OF THE PROPHETIC MESSAGE TO ISRAEL.

As Jeremiah went and observed the potter’s craft, he saw him molding a lump of clay, and fashioning it into a vessel. His artistry was interrupted as the vessel was marred in his hand, crumbling back into disfigured lump of clay. Undaunted, the potter started the process again and fashioned the clay one to fight for them. The nation was marred, its glory disfigured, and its worship disintegrated 4

“GOD EXERTS THE RIGHT PRESSURE, RELEASE THE RIGHT COMFORT, CUTS OFF WHAT YOU DON’T NEED AS YOUR LIFE GOES THROUGH THE CYCLE ON THE POTTER’S WHEEL. THEREFORE NO MATTER HOW DEFORMED YOUR LIFE IS NOW, HOW PERPLEX YOUR SCENARIO, GOD IS STILL AT WORK TO CORRECT YOUR MISTAKES AND MAKE YOU INTO HIS VESSEL OF PURPOSE.“

like a lump of disfighand not because of his es and events to mold us ured clay on the potter’s lack of expertise or lapse to His original intent of wheel. In such disillusion of genius but rather a purpose. He exerts the and despair, God quessmall stone having been right pressure, release tions them through His lodged in the mass of the the right comfort, cuts prophet whether He is clay made a breach caus- off what you don’t need not able to restore them ing the disintegration of as your life goes through to their former the cycle on the glory. Can’t He potter’s wheel. do to Israel as the Therefore no matpotter had done to “IS GOD NOT SOVEREIGN TO CANCEL YOUR ter how deformed DEBT, CORRECT YOUR MESS AND RESTORE the clay? your life is now, YOU TO HIS PURPOSE? “ how perplex your The Lord comscenario, God is pares His work on still at work to cormankind to the rect your mistakes potter’s work on and make you into the clay to form a vesthe vessel. His vessel of purpose. sel. He is committed to You will just have to yield His ultimate purpose In the same manner, the yourself to the Master that He will use His sovstones of iniquity get us Potter and see your life ereign power to fix any out of shape, deforming take shape into God’s defect that temporary our morality and messpurpose. sets back the conformity ing up our destiny so the to His will. The clay was Lord has to sovereignly And to those who are marred in the potter’s orchestrate circumstancsinking in despair and 5 /www.oraclemagazine.com / FEBRUARY 2014 / ORACLE

have reasons to doubt, He questions if He is not God enough to keep them buoyant in their dilemma. Is He not sovereign to cancel your debt, correct your mess and restore you to His purpose? Can’t God change your life for the better? Will He not deliver you from the tyranny of generational curses? If He did for Israel then He can do it for you. There is nothing so complex, so overwhelming, or daunting that God cannot fix. HE IS GOD AND HE CAN DO IT. Yield yourself to him, and obey His instructions and you will see your life take shape into His perfect will. “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:” – Philippians 1:6 “For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.” – 1Timothy 1:12 “God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?” – Numbers 23:19

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YOU WERE! BORN FOR THIS

Reindorf Mantey

“For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father’s house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” - Esther 4:14 The Jews were threatened with annihilation by a decree of the king which was orchestrated by Haman, an enemy of their nation. The Jewish nation was on the verge of extermination and it seemed there was nothing they could do about it. In this state of affairs, Mordecai, one of the Jews, called upon the Queen to intervene. Queen Esther was a Jew who had been miraculously chosen by the king to be a queen of the empire. Her enthronement was nothing short of a sovereign move of God. She had not disclosed her Jewish identity and had been embraced by the nation as one of their own. She

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“When Esther was made aware of her purpose, she threw caution to the wind and resolved to be an advocate for the Jews. She rose to the occasion and was instrumental in the deliverance of her people.” had assimilated into the culture of the Persians that she had not been that burdened by the plight of the Jews as she ought to be. She had assumed that her title will exempt her from the royal decree. Therefore she was callous to the impending doom. Her uncle Mordecai sent her a scorching message to wake her from her nonchalant state. The message was structured to strip her of the accolades, and novelty that had blinded her from true identity. Mordecai reminded her that she was a Jew and needed to act like it and become an instrument of deliverance for such a time as this. She was made aware that her enthronement as a queen was a divine orchestration to offset the plot of the enemy of the Jews. Mordecai bluntly reminded her of how God placed her in her position so she will know that it was for a purpose. Esther was mysteriously chosen by the King in heavily contested beauty pageant to be Queen of the Persian Empire. The biblical account does not state that she was beautiful than the other women. She was not qualified by her beauty alone, but she was chosen because there was an aura about her that the king could not decipher. That was something about her that was more than beauty that won the heart

of the king. The Lord had favored her into prominence. The sovereign influence of God ushered her into a place of notoriety and yet she was ignorant of the purpose of such promotion. So she enjoyed her position while her true identity was buried in the comfort of palace grandeur. The comfort of the palace did not confront her to find out the significance of her purpose. She lived life as usual as a queen until Mordecai rebuked her for her nonchalance. Mordecai interpreted Esther’s position as a divine intrusion in human affairs to frustrate the plan of the enemy. He was forced to disclose to Esther the purpose of her position and the responsibility it entails. She was there for such a time as this. Her position as queen was to curtail the work of their enemy. God orchestrated her elevation so she could save His people. When Esther was made aware of her purpose, she threw caution to the wind and resolved to be an advocate for the Jews. She rose to the occasion and was instrumental in the deliverance of her people. Many believers do need to be woken up to their life purpose by the ‘Mordecais’ of our day. Many are oblivious to the plight of humanity. We are comfortable in our religious piety, in our temperature controlled, padded seats of our churches and have become insensitive to what is going on in our communities. We are not burdened for souls. We are impassive about our divine mandates. We don’t strive for excellence. Rather we are intoxicated with our selfish agendas. We have neglected our divine responsibili-

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THIS IS YOUR MOMENT ties because we thrive in the palace of our comfort. We are not challenged to be responsible, therefore, we bury our true identity in the debris of mediocrity. How many ‘Esthers’ of our day are ignorant of the significance of their elevation? Have you ever wondered why you survived the onslaught of the wicked one? Why were you delivered from that terrible accident unscathed? How come everyone in your family is divorced and you are not? Have you ever wondered why you got that job though you are not qualified? Why are you where you are now? Could it be there is a greater purpose than just your comfort? Is it possible that you were saved in the family for much more than you know? We all can testify the divine hand that lifted us out of miry clay of debauchery into a place of prominence, yet we are oblivious to its significance. We testify about the goodness of the Lord yet have not utilized it for the greater good of divine purpose. We are ignorant of our potential, distracted by our own ambition, blinded by our self-importance that we lose sight of the

CHALLENGES AND ADVERSITIES ARE CALLING CARDS TO WAKE YOU UP TO YOUR DIVINE PURPOSE!

We testify about our deliverance out of the miray clay of debauchery into a place of prominence, yet we are oblivious to its signitificance.

Rise to the Moment of Destiny greater picture. So we exist, not living, and we occupy our domain but do not influence. We must remember that we are God’s agents to enforce divine authority in our domain.

Challenges and Adversities “When the enemy shall come are calling cards to Wake you in like a flood, the Spirit of the up to your Divine purpose LORD shall lift up a standard against him.” - Isaiah 59:19 Esther would have remained in such state of nonchalance

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until she was challenged to be more than just a queen. Her position as a queen was strategic to have the audience of the king. When she was woken to her significance, she took on its responsibility. The threat to her people challenged her to rise to the occasion as a nation’s intercessor or advocate. She had been pampered in her comfort and settled for just being a queen. Until adversity came, she lived beneath her potential. She did not fully understand why she had been made a queen until the Jews were persecuted. Her position was relevant for such a time as that. The demand placed on her launched her into her life significance.

“For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.” - Luke 12:48 Do you know that your challenges are mere wake up calls to stir you up to your true self? Your adversity is just a trumpet of God to rise up and be great. Persecution comes to refine you so you can shine brighter. God allows contrary circumstances in our life not to destroy us but to expose our potential. Remember that you were created with the potential to effectively confront any situation that

comes into your life. Your challenges confront you to demonstrate the relevance of your existence. You were born for this. “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.” - 1John 5:4 It is time for you to be great. It is time to excel. It is your moment to be all that you can be. You are God’s ambassador in the domain of your life. You are there for a divine reason. You are who you are for a higher purpose. YOU WERE BORN FOR THIS

YOU ARE GOD’S AMBASSADOR IN THE DOMAIN OF YOUR LIFE. YOU ARE THERE FOR A DIVINE REASON. YOU ARE WHO YOU ARE FOR A HIGHER PURPOSE. YOU WERE BORN FOR THIS.

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DO YOU HAVE WHAT IT TAKES to be

SUCCESSFUL Hans Peter Nkansah

We all seem to want it. We all seem to seek it and we all seem to want to be identified with it. “Success” seems to be the magic word for what we anticipate, chase after, prepare for, choose, desire. Often we are told money, fame, and power make up success. If we don’t get it, we’re consumed with envy of those who do. Like a ‘golden ring’ those who feel they lost it go through a tailspin, mid-life crises, and get ill just thinking about it. Others throw

their hands up, and decide that success isn’t all that important; what is important is simply having a job and keeping food on the table. Some, at the end of their lives, suddenly realize they blew it, and what they thought they had, they never had at all. Americans tend to define success by money, and by what money can buy. America is known all around the world as a rather materialistic country, always striving after things and defining success by the accoutrements

Savor the feeling of your success at something, and use it as motivation to stoke your fire. THE STRENGTH OF WISDOM

that money can buy – such as our snazzy cars, the size of our homes and designer clothes. And that’s just what the people get – more things. This doesn’t mean more fulfillments or contributing to make the world better in some way. It simply means more things. So how do we define, look at and achieve success if it may not so much be about the accumulation of material possessions? I have thought through and presented some seven (7) tips of defining and looking at achieving this ‘gem’ called Success. Imagine becoming successful at something. Einstein said the imagination is more important than knowledge. Again, he posited that “Your imagination is your preview of life’s coming attractions.” And in the 1950s, author Napoleon Hill wrote, “The imagination is literally the workshop

“SUCCESS” SEEMS TO BE THE MAGIC WORD FOR WHAT WE ANTICIPATE, CHASE AFTER, PREPARE FOR” wherein are fashioned all plans created by man.” Truly, everything that has been created by mankind: skyscrapers, skis, cars, computers, buildings, boulevards, coffee cups, cotton balls and even things immaterial such as concepts and philosophies all began in the mind of someone before they became reality. The more vividly and accurately you imagine your success, the easier it will be for the rest of yourself to follow through. “The same way engineers first imagine a bridge and then build it, you can be the engineer of your success, too”. Dedicate a few minutes every day to imagining your success at something. There’s gotta be an object of your imagination before you circle yourself around building castles in the air. Imagine yourself in a movie in which you are successful. What are you doing in the movie? What is your success like? Savor the feeling of your success at something, and use it as motivation to stoke your fire.

F U T ILITY O F IGNORANC E

Find the purpose or goal of your life. Identify the things you love to do; the things that give you satisfaction. Once you identify what you love to do, use this information to find the purpose of your life or the objective of your life. Finding what you love to do will give you motivation along the way. Imagine being forced to jump pole vault when your true passion is chess. Pretty difficult, huh? Now imagine

the opportunity to participate in a chess tournament. It’s much, much easier to persistently chip away at your goal if your goal is something you enjoy doing. How do you figure out a purpose or goal in life? It’s different for everyone, and for some it’s difficult, but there are several ways you can try to figure it out: Solve problems. People who are successful encourage progress by solving problems and answering questions.

YOU CANNOT HAVE SUCCESS IF YOU DO NOT KNOW WHAT IT MEANS FOR YOU. DO NOT ALLOW OTHERS TO DEFINE WHAT SUCCESS IS FOR YOU. IF THEY DO, THEN THEY WILL CONTROL HOW YOU ACHIEVE IT.

No matter where you are or what you’re doing, look around and try and think of ways you can contribute. What are people struggling with or complaining about? How can you make life easier for them in an effective way? Can you re-design or re-organize some aspect of the situation so things run more smoothly? Can you create a product or provide a service that fills a critical gap? Which problems are you motivated to solve? Here are few things to munch on as you think through areas you can help solve problems; Social problems. Facebook reinvented the way we interact with

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Sucess Secrets Hans Peter Nkansah

one another. Can you think of a similar social problem that needs reinventing? Technology problems. Companies like Dell design smaller and more powerful computer processors that help our user experience line up with our expectations. Can you assist people do with technology what they already want to do? Strategic problems. Consultants like IBM help other companies and individuals become more productive, profitable, and prudent. Can you help someone else solve a strategic problem? Interpersonal problems. Psychologists and marriage counselors help other people navigate the complex web of personal relationships that make up our lives. Can you help people better get along with one another? Define the meaning of success as you see it. You cannot have success if you do not know what it means for you. Do not allow others to define what success is for you. If they do, then they will control how you achieve it. It means you will live your life in the shadows of the definition of others’ set standards. ‘Everyone views success differently and using someone else’s standard for success is like eating another person’s lunch and expecting to love it. Set clear goals and be realistic. How will you know when you have achieved your goals? Your standards should be quantifiable, or else you could spend your entire life chasing after a vague goal.

“If your intent for success is to serve humanity, it is going to be hard to miss the summit of what true success” Create benchmarks: “My goal is to increase my productivity by 30% and only be late for work five times per year, at the most.” These are quantifiable goals that when achieved, give you a sense of satisfaction and completion, making you feel successful and confident. It’s the little achievements that create one success. You’ll be amazed how those little achievements will culminate into your ultimate success. Identify the things/skills/material needed to achieve the success you see. If you want to be a famous speaker, for example, you need a broad

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vocabulary, subject knowledge, speech writing, voice clarity, and presentation skills. This is identifying short term objectives to achieve long term goals. Gather as much information as you can. Listen. Study. Understand. Learn. Repeat. Humans are amazing creatures because we can look at the world, make intellectual connections, and use those connections to make our lives better (or potentially worse). This is what information allows us to do. Never turn your “learning switch” off. You never know when your flash of insight will come!

“YOU WILL BE SURPRISED HOW EFFECTIVE YOU CAN BE WHEN YOUR THOUGHTS ARE GUIDING YOUR ACTIONS, NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND”.

Find a mentor. A mentor is someone, usually with a bit more experience than you, who knows the trade, offers advice, and helps you in your pursuit. Behind many successful people are mentors. Mentors get satisfaction out of knowing that their guidance has literally bred success. A mentor will help you: Network. Networking is making connections with people who have connections. Contrary to popular belief, networking is mutually beneficial. You offer expertise, opinion, or opportunity to someone in exchange for something back. Troubleshoot. Troubleshooting is learning about how to make ideas or applications even better. Your mentor can help you figure out what you need to change in

order to make your idea(s) even better. Strategize. A mentor will probably have more vision than you because s/he’s been in the game longer, with more successes and failures. You can draw on their legacy of experience to strategize about their future.

BEHIND MANY SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE ARE MENTORS. MENTORS GET SATISFACTION OUT OF KNOWING THAT THEIR GUIDANCE HAS LITERALLY BRED SUCCESS.

Above all, find ways to serve your mentor if you can. YOU CANNOT GO WRONG SERVING. Service is the truest form of touching lives and leaving a legacy of impact for posterity. If your intent for success is to serve humanity, it is going to be hard to miss the summit of what true success is. The act of service is a philosophy and set of practices that enriches the lives of individuals, builds better organizations and ultimately creates a more just and caring world. You can be sure that as you serve your mentor, you are inextricably setting yourself up to reach your mentor’s level and beyond. Remove fear and doubt from your way of thinking. Focus on staying positive in every situation. You will be surprised how effective you can be when your thoughts are guiding your actions, not the other way around. If you fail, don’t be fearful about starting over; be happy that you’ve been given a chance to be even more successful.

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how to e v o l e h find t ife of your l uit

s r u p e h t f o d The rewar ames to m gave n And Ada fowl of nd to the a , le of tt ca all ry beast nd to eve re e th the air, a m da but for A et the field; n help me a d n u fo was not for him :20b Genesis 2

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THE PROCESS IS

IMPORTANT The bible expresses the futility of Adam’s quest to find a mate after he had named all the animals. He had hoped that his zeal to fulfill the divine commission will accrue a dividend of his expectation. His desire for a mate fueled his zeal to name the animals hoping by so doing, he will find a mate. However, he was disappointed. He might have been confounded because it was God who brought the animals to him after he had made him aware of the need for a mate. God awakened in him a passion for a mate, set him up with the opportunity by presenting all the animals for him to name them and yet his quest ended in futility. Why will God make him aware of a need, generate a passion and yet lead him to a futile search? The bible blurts out the

futility of his search: “...but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him.” - Gen 2:20b Many single Christians find themselves in such dilemma. Their hope is dashed, emotionally drained by the quest of finding a decent mate; they succumb

REINDORF MANTEY is founder and general overseer of Crusaders ministries, President of Crusaders consortium, an author, and inspiring conference speaker. His insights in the word of God, uncompromising stance on righteous-

to their disappointments and quit their search. Many have concluded that the mate of their dreams cannot be found in their world. All the right people are all taken so they don’t even bother to try so they don’t get hurt. They deceive themselves that they can bottle up their feelings in a false sense of spirituality until circumstances break out their façade and spill out that emotional feelings they are dying to serve a mate of their dreams with. Until many singles understand divine intimacy cannot replace the warmth of human intimacy which is consented by God, they will come up with excuses to quit the quest for the love of their life. Adam could not give up after all the disappointments in naming all the animals. Do you know how many animals that Adam named and yet could not find a mate? He could have just picked one of the animals to be his mate because of the scarcity of his kind. However he could not do it inspite of all the disappointments. To be true to who he was, Adam could not just pick any of the animals. They might be cute, some were closer to his morals, some had resemblance to his features but they were still animals. He could not bring himself to choose one and hope God will do a creative constructive plastic surgery and turn them to human in the future. Adam will not degrade his ethics and shame God by picking an animal just because of the scarcity of his kind.

THE IMPORTANCE OF THE PROCESS Why will God lead him into a quest that will lead him to such disappointments? God knew that his pursuit will end up in emotional bankruptcy, yet He urged him to go on anyway. Though his search was futile, some good was done. The animals got named which was consented by God. Though God knew that he would not get what he desires, He needed the animals to be named anyway. Such was important, that God allowed him to go through the process. It might not have been what Adam wanted, but it was fulfilling a divine good. God did not hurriedly create him a woman, because the process was necessary for him to pick the right mate and to be a good husband. He was created perfect but had not developed character. Character is not just created but lived. You can be created with high morals but you must be given the opportunity to live it out. The process of finding a help mate equipped him to be the person God wanted. He learned to use the judgment of God, as he named the animals the way God wanted. He learned that opportunity does not mean divine sanction. The mere fact that God has presented the animals does not mean that he has to pick all of them to be wives. He learned how not to pick anyone contrary to his image and likeness. He

Character is not just created but lived. You can be created with high morals but you must be given the opportunity to live it out. The process of finding a help mate equipped him to be the person God wanted.

was created in the image and likeness of God and could not stay true to himself if he picks an animal. He learned that scarcity does not have to force you to compromise your ethics. He learned that there is always a divine option when man has exhausted his means. The process was a teacher to equip him for the marriage. “Let patience has its perfect work so that you will be entire, wanting nothing.” James 1:14 As you go through the process, God is working on you, so you need to be patient. As God places you in a quest to search for your mate, do some good by naming things the way God will call them. Fulfill your divine commission as you search for your mate. Stay true to your calling and dreams that God has given to you. “All things work together for good to them that love God.” - Romans 8:28 Adam did not know the significance of what he had gained by naming the animals until

Eve was presented to him. What he had gained by naming the animals was utilized to name the wife. “...This is bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh....” - Genesis 2:23 God had not told him that was the process that he will use to identify his wife. However, as he obeyed God in naming the animals, he acquired the judgment to identify his wife. The process helped him to name the wife well. God could not trust him to name Eve, if he had not gone through naming the animals first. The process was necessary. After he had passed the test of naming the animals with divine consent, he passed the test to meet his wife; and he named her prophetically to divine admiration. If he had quit the process, he would not have be equipped to name Eve. Get busy pursuing your calling and learn from the process because it is necessary for your marriage.

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YOU ARE DESTINED TO WIN,

YOU ARE MORE THAN A

CONQUEROR By Reindorf Mantey

“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.” – Romans 8:35-37 The Christian life is marked with challenges and trials. In the furnace of tribulation our faith is refined; we glitter like gold when we pass through the fire of adversity. Therefore, the Christian faith is synonymous to challenges. The love of God does not exempt us from such parody of circumstances but thrust us into it. We must not be depressed when we experience such anomaly to our expectations. “Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:” – 1 Peter 4:12

We had hoped that the faith offers a solitude from adversities, liberty from challenges, and security from financial woes. However, that is not the case as we are strengthened to be buried in the avalanche of problems. Interestingly, this misconception does not exempt us from the reality of such challenges. No believer signed up for this. It was not part of the recruiting proposal. It is a rude awakening when we are confronted with them.

REINDORF MANTEY is founder and general overseer of Crusaders ministries, President of Crusaders consortium, an author, and inspiring conference speaker. His insights in the word of God,

MORE THAN CONQUEROR “IN IT” YOU WILL FIND OUT YOU ARE STRONGER THAN YOUR ADVERSARY...

There are many things who you really are. Paul therefore writes to stacked against us yet we awaken the Roman church “In it” you will find out who to this fact and encourages do not sink, overwhelmed you truly are. God put you them to be firm in their faith sometimes yet not distraught, push to our limit yet in those things to show you as they endure such perninot strained, cast down but what you are made of. “In cious challenges. not forsaken. However, “in it” you will find out you are He lists some of the worst it” we are more than constronger than your adverscenarios that might befall querors. We are inoculated sary, resilient than your the believer as a basis of ilproblems, that your comlustration. He makes an out- from destruction so much that there is no pestilence plexity is beyond descripstanding observation that that can consume us. It is in tion! Truly, in it you are more though such challenges than a conqueror! have the ability to annihilate such traumatic challenges anyone, God is sovereign in that who we are in Christ is We are not just a conqueror His omnipotence to sustain made manifest. but more than a conqueror. the believer. The Lord does We glitter when we are put The title ‘Conqueror’ is not not deliver you out of it but in furnace; we are more just a label but an honorary sustains you through it. title conferred upon a Gen“Yea, though I walk through than conquerors when we are “in it”. You break out eral that has vanquished his the valley of the shadow of when you are pressured, adversary in a war. There death, I will fear no evil: for you increase when supis a special parade that is thou art with me; thy rod pressed. God put you “in organized by the victoriand thy staff they comfort it” that He might show you ous nation to ordain such a me.” – Psalm 23:4 26 /www.oraclemagazine.com / FEBRUARY 2014 / ORACLE

General into such dignified position. Such parade is spectacular and is marked with jubilation, national anthem being sung, rapturous chants and the atmosphere crowded with confetti. The General who is a conqueror then marches through the center of the city with the vanquished king in chains on foot following him in his chariot. He is applauded by raving spectators of the victorious nation as he is inducted into the office of a conqueror. Such inauguration is marked with jubilation, celebration and patriotic exhilaration. However, the believer is not the Conqueror but more than a conqueror. The title ‘More than a Conqueror’ is conferred upon the wife of the General who did not go to the battle but is still honored with the husband, the General. In a parade, the wife rises in the chariot enjoying the accolades and the applause that is conferred upon the General. She did not fight the battle but she is enjoying the victory. She is enjoying the benefit of the war because she is the lover of the General. We are more than conquerors because Christ loved us. His love for us has inducted us into the office of More than a Conqueror that guarantees our victory over the enemy. We are therefore triumphant before the battle, victorious before the adversity, successful before the challenges. We are more than conquerors because Christ spoiled the power of the enemy and made a show of him before the whole universe. Therefore, you must be assured you will outlast your problems; you will triumph even when it seems it is over. As believers, we don’t throw in the towel; we don’t quit. We don’t retreat, and surrender is not in our vocabulary. We are destined to win. We are more than conquerors! Therefore, stay focused in this very fact in your adversity as Christ make manifest the ecstasy of victory. Nay, in all these things know who you are; you are more than a conqueror through Christ who loved you! Thank you Jesus! Hallelujah!

WE GLITTER WHEN WE ARE PUT IN A FURNACE; WE ARE MORE THAN CONQUERORS WHEN WE ARE “IN IT”.

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SINGLE & SATISFIED A FICTION

By Lilly Morgan

It was a wet and cold evening. Chirpy were these beautiful young women, dressed gorgeously as they strolled down the wet pavement of the busiest part of the city. They had just come out of the Fortune Restaurant, the classiest one in the area. Beating up their sorrows and self-worthlessness in a buffet of edibles and strong drinks, they lurched on the pavement giggling loudly. The next moment, they were all chorusing a piece of Gloria Gaynor’s ‘I will Survive’. “Go on now go walk out the door, just turn around now

An empowerment fiction to inspire singles on enjoying their single lives By Lilly Morgan

Singles

Lonely? ’cause you’re not welcome anymore; weren’t you the one who tried to hurt me with goodbye you think I’d crumble; you think I’d lay down and die Oh no, not I; I will survive as long as I know how to love, I know I will stay alive. I’ve got

’...THOSE WHO DON’T CONCERN THEMSELVES SO MUCH ABOUT A MAN ARE THOSE WHO GET FOUND BY THE BEST MEN...’ all my life to live; I’ve got all my love to give, and I’ll survive. I will survive” They sang and giggled until they were seated in the Grand Cherokee. There was a long pause, as each got lost in her own thoughts. “I say I make a final resolution that I’m not going to think of any man, nor crave for any man, nor reminisce over any man…” said Stephanie, 28, in a chagrined way, breaking the silence. “Same here!” chided in Marie, 25, the youngest. “Do you know this saying, that those who don’t concern themselves so much about a man are those who get found by the best men?” “Yeah…” chorused the rest, except Rachel, 26.

“So true!” said Vanessa, 27. “I think I’m going to try that from now on.” “All is good, ladies. But don’t let us ignore the truth that each of us needs a man. We need them! We simply cannot hide behind that” said Rachel. Vanessa chuckled “The ugly truth, huh?!” “Oh yeah, definitely we each need a man…” that was Stephanie and she sniggered “come to think of it” “Yes we must have a man…. We must get married and settle down someday just like any other woman! We deserve that too!” said Becky, 27. “But, honestly, for now I need a break from all these unrealistic adventures with men” said Vanessa. “I promise myself the sixth one is

singleness is not a curse”

going to be ‘The One…” and she bent in her index fingers “…or else, there is not going to be any sixth one!” “And I’m not going to cry over any man anymore!” said Rachel. “There is no reason to. They just don’t deserve it…” and then tears were filling her eyes. “When they cheat on you or get rid of you because of another woman, they are only showing you reality and you must know what they are trying to teach you – who and how they really are – bastards!” then she started sobbing. “Marcus hurt me so much…it hurts, I can’t deny it…it hurts so badly…” “Ooh, look! You gonna make me cry too…” said Vanessa “Stop this Rachel…he doesn’t deserve your tears… don’t cry over him…you are stronger than any hurt he can cause you…” the rest of the ladies comforted Rachel as they gathered close by her at the middle seat. It was the fourth cycle, and this time, the woman in question was her older English tutor on campus, older enough to be her biggest sister of ten. Why was she always falling for lying

cheats who were already hitched behind the scenes? For a moment, Rachel ceased crying. “Men are simply dogs!” said Vanessa “Not all of them…at least not my Dad” said Rachel humorously wiping off her tears, and they all laughed except Becky. “Not all of them are bastards…it’s just one person who is – Marcus!” they realized the bitterness in her tone as she said this. There was a pause. “Why do we all have this common thing about men? Why can’t we have a man of our own all these while? Is there something wrong with us?” said Stephanie. “You know what my mom has been telling me? ‘Van, if you don’t deal with that saucy nature of yours, no man will take you serious for a wife’ I still don’t know what she really wants to say though but I don’t buy that!” said Vanessa Stephanie sniggered once more “I’m not the baby-conception type and from the start, I tell this to every man who comes into my life. My mom thinks that I’ll be signing in for a swinger someday inasmuch as every man loves to have a kid. I tell her always that adoption is my option and it is not bad…. She doesn’t understand me when I say we are living in the 21st Century! She thinks not all men love the idea of adoption.” “Nothing is wrong with us. I think we have only been unlucky; we continue to meet those who are just not for real. Those who really meet our standards and

will share our dreams and visions are there, waiting for us” said Marie “Yes…oh yes…” said the rest except Becky who sat at the back seat disengaged and had been grinning sheep-

“Do you know this saying, that those who don’t concern themselves so much about a man are those who get found by the best men?” ishly all these while. “Becky, are you ok?” asked Stephanie, turning to the former. The rest joined Stephanie and gazed at Becky “Urr…” Becky was blushing. “There is a problem…a big one, I think…” she said vaguely, grimacing The rest were worried suddenly. “What is it? Tell it to us” said Vanessa

“I’m pregnant” said Becky sharply The rest gasped. “Becky! Oh my God! What? How did it happen?” “How long now?” asked Rachel “It’s almost three months” “What?! Why didn’t you tell us?” “I was nervous” “How did this happen, Becky?” asked Rachel. “We said to be careful about that…?” “Whatever happened to your rubber?” asked Vanessa sternly “I thought a moment without it would be more exciting…and…harmless…” said Becky timidly. Vanessa groaned. “Whose onus?” asked Marie “Simon, of course! I’m not a prostitute?!” “Is he up for it?” asked Stephanie sharply. Becky was silent “He isn’t, is he? Ho!” each of them wore an upsetting look…. TO BE CONTINUED...

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Step into your

Destiny Pamela Mantey

Dr. Albert Einstein was once traveling by train when the conductor asked for his ticket. Einstein reached into one pocket after another searching for that elusive ticket but to no avail. The kind conductor assured the professor that he was confident that the illustrious scientist had indeed purchased a ticket and that he need not search any longer. A few minutes later, Dr. Einstein was seen on the floor still trying to locate the missing ticket. The conductor said, “Sir, really there is no need to keep looking. I know who you are. I am sure you bought a ticket.” Albert Einstein replied, “ I know who I am as well. What I don’t know is where I am going!” Friends, would you get on a plane without knowing its destination? Would you just get in a car and drive not knowing where you are going? So why would you live your life not knowing whether you are headed in the right destination? Many of us today have been displaced; we are lost in the maze of daily events, being tossed to and fro every direction without having an exact destination to arrive. Thus, we are constantly been stopped by unnecessary traffic jams of life, events that have nothing to do with our destination and at the end of the day, we wonder how we landed in the mess we find ourselves, questioning the reason for our being. Nonetheless, you must understand that life is a journey toward a destina-

“God in His infinite wisdom and sufficient grace, ordained for you to have a meaningful life on earth but it can only be achieved by first knowing the destination He has for you”

“If you don’t know where you’re going, you’ll end up someplace else.” - Yogi Berra

- PAMELA MANTEY

God has a foolproof path of destiny just for you. tion and each day that passes by must bring you one step closer to getting there. God, in His infinite wisdom and sufficient grace, ordained for you to have a meaningful life on earth but it can only be achieved by first knowing the destination He has for you. This is your life’s purpose. Just as you experience stops in between when you book a flight although you know you will ultimately reach your final destination, so will you experience stops in your pursuit of your destiny but eventually you know you will arrive, not only safe

and sound, but as a better person refined to be more like Christ. Those stops are like the projects and assignments you embark on. They should all lead you to your final destination. Whatever dreams or desires, aspirations, vision or resolutions you have should all be based on your purpose; every project you embark on should be in sync with your purpose. God has a foolproof path of destiny just for you. “For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.” - Romans 8:29 KJV To ‘foreknow’ means to know beforehand. This means that God knew you before your existence. He knew you before you were born just like he told Jeremiah in the book of Jeremiah that ‘before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee and I sanctified you as prophet of the nations’ (Jeremiah 1:5). Because God knew Jeremiah even before his mother conceived him, He predestinated his life. This means that God predetermined, pre-appointed and preordained his life. Likewise, this also shows that

God knew you before you were even formed in your mother’s belly; He predetermined, pre-appointed and preordained your life as well. He knew where you are going to start and where you are going to end even before you were conceived. Therefore, your life - past, present and future - has already been planned by God. Every step you need to take from here on has been preordained by Him. Your life and destiny is set and whatever path God ordained you to be is to conform you to the image of Christ. Therefore, if you believe God created you with purpose and you have a relationship with Him, the Holy Spirit will lead you in life as to what to do every day and you will be molded and transformed into the image of Christ. Now, you might not even know your purpose exactly but as long as you are following God and are in a relationship with Him, you will fulfill your purpose.

and the lives of people all over the world but if that dream is not in line with your purpose it will be a waste of your time, energy and money and you will ultimately have no fulfillment in it. Your purpose in life is the doorway to your life’s fulfillment. It is defined as the original intent of your being; you exist because of a why, and you owe it to yourself to know it and live it to the fullest. Your purpose should decide the ticket and the mode of transportation to help you arrive at your destination. It is really unfortunate that due to ignorance of purpose, many people are taking courses, working jobs or involved in businesses and in ministries which are outside of their purpose. Thus, they are unfulfilled and struggle unnecessarily.

There are people who I personally know who are outside of their destinies but because they are making money they are not ready to quit and engage in what they really know they should This is because when you do. Believe me, some people walk with God you get in sync are in ministry who think with Him and His desires, they are doing kingdom work dreams and vision. He says but are not in the ministry ‘for my thoughts are not that God has called them to your thoughts, neither are be. You see, these people your ways my ways, saith the are working and toiling. They LORD’.(Isaiah 55: 8) seem to be increasing and When you let his ways want people to think be your ways and they have it going on his thoughts your yet do not get any IT IS ONLY thoughts, He fulfillment because will lead you WHEN YOU ARE they are outside to be like IN THE LANE OF YOUR of the will of Christ; He will PURPOSE AND DESTINY God. lead you to live a fulfilled life and your life will not be a waste of time.

THAT GOD WILL BLESS YOU

The book of Joshua gives the keys to having prosperity and good success:

You may have a dream which has the potential to change your life financially

STEP INTO YOUR DESTINY BY PAMELA MANTEY Joshua 1:8 This book of the law shall not depart make your way prosperous! out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe Notice that who you are before God has nothing to do according to all that is written therein: for to do with the mother or father who neglected then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and you, childhood experiences, race, gender or then thou shalt have good success. socio-economic status but has everything to This is a beautiful narrative do with your heritage in of a young man named God. Hence, it is imperative Joshua. After successfully that you find your unique taking over the leadership way and path and stay on of his mentor, Moses, God it. Do not allow the route showed up giving him the of others to distract you conditions that will make from staying in yours. It him successful in his manwill only waste your time date as the new leader of and impede you from God’s chosen people to maximizing your potential. help them possess their This is the root of competiinheritance. Let us focus tion amongst many of us on the second part of this because we fail to recogverse: nize that it is our differ...For then thou shalt make ence that makes the world thy way prosperous... a better place. The day In other words, everyone you decide to stay in your has a designated ‘way’ to way, the easier it will be to the life of their dreams fulfill God’s assignment for which is uniquely for them you because, then again, that when they follow that He will meet you at the path with the right guidplace He has assigned you ance, meeting all requireand every ments, they will arrive talent and gift will come there prosperous, the way alive in that place. Are you God intended for them. struggling in your life’s purYOUR PURPOSE IN LIFE IS THE This is the reason why we suit? Maybe it is time you DOORWAY TO YOUR LIVES FULare not to compare ourassess if you are really in FILLMENT. selves to others because your God-ordained way for we can only be us. We you. If you are not, then it are who we are because is time for a major turnof why we are and if we around. I charge you to compare ourselves to others, we are being foolembrace all of you and be authentic so you can ish. The bible warns us to take caution of not leave an indelible mark for generations to come. comparing ourselves to others (2 Corinthians ...and then thou shalt have good success 10:1). This shows another reward Joshua would receive after fulfilling the conditions the Lord David says it another way that he’s ‘fearfully had presented to him. Notice God made good and wonderfully made’. (Psalm 139:14). In other success follow the way, which indicates that words, he was admiring his unique makeup, havknowing God’s way for you is the prerequisite for ing the awareness that God consciously took your success in this life. You cannot be successHis time in creating him, uniquely from everyful outside the way of your destiny. one else. In addition to that, he was fully aware Also, notice God said, “good success”; bringing of this very truth and this is established in his distinction. This means that if there is ‘good sucheart. Have you embraced your uniqueness cess’ then there is the opposite - bad success. or have you despised it? You must have this So how do we differentiate the two? truth settled in your heart and let it sink deeply in your soul: you are fearfully and wonderfully Let us examine the anatomy of success. First of made regardless of how you or anyone else all, success is defined by Webster Dictionary as think of you and no one can take your place. So, “to turn out well; to attain a desired objective.

In other words, success is simply being able to attain the desired outcome you wanted as a goal. It has nothing to do with accumulating wealth and prestige although those could be byproducts of success. Nevertheless, they are not the yardstick to determine one’s success and this is where society has fallen into error. We assumed that when one is in possession of fame, money, accolades, achievements then they are successful. However, God’s definition of success is fulfilling your mandate in Him; manifesting Christ in all your endeavors. This is the definition of good success. Any other motivation or achievements can be classified as bad success even when it looks good before people. Thus, you really want everything you do to yield good success by being on the right path. You can be on your way to Jacksonville but what good will it do to you if you end up in Jacksonville, Oregon, instead of Jacksonville, Florida? You will end up at a destination but not the destination you were meant to be and imagine what a waste of resources that will be. Imagine what a waste of life that will be. There are those who also take a job or they go into business because of the status quo, and compromise because of the money. You cannot just flow with whatever is trending. Do not

just jump into an endeavor because it is new and others are involved in and it seems profitable. Everyone wants to succeed. But do not get accustomed to profit and throw your destiny out the window. “For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” - Mark 8:36 (KJV) It is when you are in the line of your purpose and destiny that God will bless you. You can be very successful but if that success is not in line with your destiny and calling, you will receive no reward from God despite your earned accolades from men. There is a place in God where you can be successful but not sell your soul. Do not let your personal agenda get in the way of your destiny. Therefore, whatever desire you have and whatever dream you have, make sure that it is in line with your purpose. We live in a time when the level of unemployment is high so someone might think you are crazy not to accept any job you can find; at least, it can pay your bills and put food on your table. Whilst you are doing this job, pray and ask God to lead you to find something in line with your purpose or work out a plan that will enable you to work on your mitted to His ultimate purpose that He will use His sovereign power to fix any defect that

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True REVIVAL

By Reindorf Mantey

I was caught up in the nostalgia of conferences dazed with the exceptional concerts we call worship and mesmerized by the oracle eloquently thundered by the pulpits that we call revival meetings. Those programs were structured to trigger an emotional response that would help someoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s agenda; the merchandized machinery was phenomenal. The meetings were graced with the power demonstration, incredible healings and profound prophetic ministrations. As a laity, I was addicted to those meetings, always seeking for the next conference to get my fix. This continued even when I become a minister of the Lord and I replicated the same concepts in my revival meetings. To me, a re-

vival meeting was a strong revelatory message, angelic worship, exhilaratory praises, signs and wonders with the salvation of souls and hefty offering. God dramatically shocked me out of my charismatic hypnotism. I was invited to speak at a conference and I was determined to seek the presence of God for His grace to invoke the power of God in a tremendous way. I wanted to see the power of God move in such a way that nobody will be left standing. I imagined how people would fall under the power by the move of the Holy Spirit. How people would be convulsing in deliverance and I wanted God to mesmerize people with the pro-

phetic accuracy. I was so enamored by this idea that I entered into a dry fast in preparation for the conference. I thus pleaded with the Lord to descend in the meeting and I waited enthusiastically for the D-day. On the day of the conference, I expected a divine alignment of the move of God; I showed up pregnant with the provocative word that I believed would usher in the glory of God. To my uttermost surprise, the program was restricted. Time was restrained and I was given a meagre fifteen minutes to share a word and this made me very disappointed with the host, and confused as to why God did not stop me when I was in a dry fast. All my dreams for a revival meeting was dashed and there was no way I could preach and minister for fifteen minutes. I had to reluctantly drop most of what I wanted to do and that meant downsizing my meticulously painstakingly prepared sermon into a ten minute sermonette. When I was called to minister, I delivered my sermonette the best way I know how and I sat down too disappointed that I felt robbed in the move of God by a carnal pastor who was insensitive to the Spirit. However, I was oblivious that God had allowed this to teach me a lesson. When I stepped out of the podium, the minister who continued the service was convicted by the message and encouraged the whole church to repent. This sparked an intense prayer of repentance, igniting such conviction that people were so broken that they dedicated their lives to the Lord. I was standing by a man of God who was so convicted that he beared his heart in such

a transparent prayer and was challenged into transformation. In such flow of divine conviction, I was still dazed in the stupor of my disappointment. I then overheard the prayer of the man of God, and it surprised me that I could not believe that a ten minute sermonette could trigger a repentant move. Whilst that was going on, I heard God asked me a question I thought I had no answer for. He asked me to really define true revival. The still small voice quaked in my soul in the midst of the clamor of repentant roar of the congregation, and I wondered why God would ask me such a question. I dared not answer because I knew I was about to be scolded. As I stayed silent, the Lord spoke to me and said that true revival is when a believer is restored to the state of Christliness. He then told me that one can be healed, fall under the power of God, be mesmerized by eloquent messages, dazed by the rapturous praise, but if they are not transformed to be like Jesus, it is not true revival! This concept overthrew all my charismatic concepts. God woke me up out of my hypnotic charismatic trance and my eyes were suddenly opened! The Lord was excited by the repentance to transformation of the audience. God needs a changed church not a churched people! It is time we calibrate our values to Christ in our conferences. True revival meetings must be structured in such a way that the message must confront our iniquities, empower our faith and equip the people to Christliness. Let us get rid of the concerts and get our knees for true revival. True revival is birthed from the womb of prayer, and triggered by the pangs of holy frustration from God. We must come from revival meetings changed not just informed. We must not come out of these meetings just to show the memobelia of the products of the speakers or brag about their oratory or eloquence. Rather, they must be evidenced by the transformed lives of the people. It is time that the Body of Christ become transformed.

LET THE DEAD BURY THEIR DEAD Reindorf Mantey

Jesusâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; commandment to go to the other side triggered a response from one of his disciples to go and bury his father. He had been alright hanging around Jesus but the moment he was instructed to go to the other side, it was an inconvenience to his previous agenda; the demand of Christ placed a burden he was not ready to bear. Prior to this instruction, the disciple was enjoying Jesusâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; company and he had not known he was supposed to bury his father. Now he thawed any passion he had developed for Christ. Not ready to go to the other side, he wanted to be excused and relapsed to his former duty; he would rather backslide his own agenda. Many believers enjoy the fellowship

of Christ but do not want to bear the responsibility of obedience. We want to be entertained but do not want to pay the price. Many settle for the mediocrity of the multitude instead of striving for the excellence of the other side. We get lost in obscure religious charade whilst we lose out of the ecstasy of spirituality. The moment the follower was challenged, he gave a legitimate excuse to retract his fellowship. He had been

How many are conversant with the theology of their belief but fail to bear the responsibility in emulating it in their lifestyle?

radical dedication okay to hang out but now this responsibility was not suitable to his convictions. How many believers act this way - they go to church but do not participate in servitude or use their talents, gifts or money to support the kingdom of God? How many are conversant with the theology of their belief but fail to bear the responsibility in emulating it in their lifestyle? When we are confronted by disparity, we rebel and we withdraw our allegiance. This man gave an excuse as why he could not go with Jesus. He would ran off to bury his father than go on the other side with Jesus. He put off the challenge to go on the next level because it was not convenient.

ily, hurtful to his loved ones or might not be suitable to the status quo but his allegiance to Christ must be second-tonone. The disciple’s position in Christ obligated him to set Christ as the priority, thus, his request was rejected by Christ. How many believers put their jobs above Christ? How many have failed to respond to their

It is time we lose ourselves from the entanglement of “dead things” as we strive in obedience to the other side to access the great things Christ has for us. His priority was not in line with Christ’s schedule. Does this sound like you or someone you know in the church? How many are lethargic in our pews? How many champions are dazed in their religious parody? Our reluctance has caused us to miss our greatness in Christ. Christ’s answer to his excuse to go and bury his father is very intriguing: “LET THE DEAD BURY THEIR DEAD.” Christ excluded him from those who are considered dead because he had relationship with him. Because of his status as one alive with Christ, his commitment to his family must not hold his obedience hostage to his convenience. His priority changed the moment he became alive with Christ. It might be insulting to his fam-

mandate because it is not convenient? To you all, Christ warns, let the dead bury their dead! Let us not excuse the discipline of our faith with the convenience of our secular activities. It is time we lose ourselves from the entanglement of “dead things” as we strive in obedience to the other side to access the great things Christ has for us.

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THE POWER OF

SOCIAL MEDIA

8 KEYS TO UNLOCK YOUR WEALTH WITH SOCIAL MEDIA

Felicia Asomaning Welcome to the 21st century world! Just in recent years, we have witnessed a digital revolution that has stomped the world and is still changing the way our world is run today: the birth of social media! The emergence of social media has not only made the world one global village but it has also changed the way we do business today. Social Media runs the world now and people live their lives based on the new cyber “word of mouth.” It is thus time for business owners and entrepreneurs to pay attention to the “voice” and increase revenue for their business by answering to the call. But how do you answer the call when you are clueless about the question? How do you position yourself to your clients when there are many social media

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platforms and networks and many more created daily?

“Social Media can be a highly effective way of engaging with your current and future customers, increasing your brand’s exposure and driving traffic to your website.”

Social media in a business context are ways to spread the word about your brand or product on the web using tools and websites that create or allow conversations between business owners and prospective clients which ultimately will get clients for businesses and increase revenue. 1. SOCIAL MEDIA IS ABOUT PEOPLE Gone are the days when an organization could tell people what they want and need, through media advertising: newspaper, radio, television and billboards. Nowadays, the tables have turned and customers are more than likely to be knowledgeable about your company or the services you are offering due to the viral nature of Social Media. Thus, it is important that you personally engage on these networks in a genuine manner, keeping in mind that consumers do not like to be solicited or bombarded with advertising. Keep it realistic, engaging and fun. 2. KNOW YOUR BUSINESS Before you consider launching any online campaign, you must know what your business is about: vision, mission and services, as well as the strengths and weaknesses. You must be conversant with the vocabulary of your business because it will decide the kind of social media platform to use. Your business determines your market and using Social Media is no exception as it will help you to also carve your niche and to know where your market is hanging out so you can meet them there. Ignorance of your business means zero profits for your business. Thus, know your house and everything it entails before inviting others in.

3. KNOW YOUR TARGET MARKET This is the life blood of your Social Media Campaign. Your business is not for everyone! There are people who will accept your services and there are others who will reject you. This does not make you bad, rather it just means different services are tailored for different markets. Thus, knowing your niche is highly imperative not only for the success of any business but with Social Media, this is key! By knowing where your target market engages online, you will better be able to choose which Social Media tactics will be more effective for your business. 4. LIST DOWN YOUR GOAL FOR YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN When it comes to developing a social media campaign, it is necessary you are specific on the purpose of your Social Media campaign. You must specify the reason for your need for the cam-

THE

VOICE OF

MEDIA “We live in a time where social media is no longer an option but a must have; people live their lives based on the new cyber “word of mouth” and it is time for business owners and entrepreneurs to pay attention to the “voice” and increase revenue to their business by answering to the call.”

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ORACLE MAGAZINE

“Social Media can be ahighly effective way of engaging with your current and future customers, increasing your brand’s exposure and driving traffic to your website”. paign you are creating so you can stay on track on your goal. To some people, it is a means to drive more traffic to their blog or get people to buy products off their websites. Once you have your overall goal, delegate one central focus for your strategy and then use seperate channels to drive traffic there. 5. BECOME A LEADING VOICE IN YOUR NICHE Develop an authority in an area of expertise and stick with it. Make sure you keep the content of your message and the way of delivery consistent across all channels regardless of the Social Media platform you are using. The more you position yourself as an expert in your industry, the more potential clients who are actively seeking your services will be inclined to engage and start a conversation about your business. This allows order and

structure in your brand messaging which in turn can be more effective in converting a prospect into a long term client 6. DEVELOP A COMMUNITY Encourage your customers to interact with you by asking for feedbacks, posting questions or engaging your customers in conversations about your services or products. Create a relationship with them that will eventually impact your business in many positive ways. Always remember that people like to talk about themselves and when you provide a listening ear to what they have to say, developing patience, tolerance and interest it can make a prospect a committed client. Go ahead, show a sign of interest in your prospect by being sincere about their needs and allow them to express their pain, offering

“SOCIAL MEDIA CAN BE AHIGHLY EFFECTIVE WAY OF ENGAGING WITH YOUR CURRENT AND FUTURE CUSTOMERS, INCREASING YOUR BRAND’S EXPOSURE AND DRIVING TRAFFIC TO YOUR WEBSITE.”

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myMagazine ORACLE MAGAZINE your products and services as the solutions, and you will be glad you did when you see the money increase in your bank account. 7. PLAN & BE CONSISTENT With so many social media tools available, the choice of which ones to use or engage in can be overwhelming. Engaging properly with a social media channel requires a time commitment; the more tools you use, the more time you will spend managing those campaigns and engaging with each separate audience. Thus, using social management tools can help you to stay updated with your customers. If you are very busy and you may not have the time to engage in social media, consider outsourcing this task to an expert who is knowledgeable in this field. Make sure they have ownership of the daily operation of

your Social Media campaign as this ensures constant monitoring of your brandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s reputation, while maintaining and building customer service relationships. You can also utilize social media managing tools to track your progress and investment to your business so you can properly make the necessary adjustment to increase revenue. 8. GIVE ROOM FOR GROWTH Like any marketing campaign, Social Media is an investment, and building a reputation within an online community is a gradual process. Ultimately, the main purpose of Social Media Marketing is to connect with your niche market on a shared platform and then give them a reason to keep engaging with you. Doing this takes time; it is not a one day wonder. So, develop a long term plan and be in constant updated relationship with your business and market. Do not give up when there are no visible results right away but

Felicia Asomaning Social Media Expert

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are youby Reindorf believing god? Mantey I woke up this morning overwhelmed with the magnitude of my mandate, the severity of my discipline and the financial budget it entails. It just dawned on me that I will have to believe God for all my desires to become a reality. It got me thinking. It sparked a fiery debate in me that consumed me with an earnest desire to dissect the word “believe” and to grasp its significance, and expectation on my

slipped into the same passiveness that had knocked out many church goers who called themselves believers.

life as a Christian. What is belief? I queried in my mind. The search was on and I was not letting up until I have some concrete biblical facts that could unlock the reality of my expectation. The dam of ignorance was broken and the flood of divine revelation flooded my soul sprouting the bud of understanding. I realized I have 54

The word “belief” has become a casual word that we declare to express our expectation in God. Does ‘believe’ relinquish our responsibility of actions? Do we just park our mandates while we are left in the wake of ambitious unbelievers who just scramble to achieve and possess everything in their path? Does ‘believe’ mean we do nothing? I wondered. As I pondered on these and searched the living word, I noticed that ‘believe’ is not just a passive state of “do nothing” but a call to trust the Lord in the path of obedience. ‘Believe’ is not initiated by your whims, the pressure of your needs or the

religious norm that is prevalent in your denominational circles, but it is based on the word of the Lord. You cannot believe until God has spoken. “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (Rom 10:17) God’s promises in His word or divine revelation is the foundation of our belief. However, belief is not complete until you have embraced God’s word as true and taken an action in obedience. Our belief must also be reflected in our utterance. You cannot be speaking against what you believe. What you say in the heat of your circumstance

Reindorf Mantey is founder and general overseer of Crusaders Ministries, President of Crusaders consortium, an author, and inspiring conference speaker. His insights in the word of God, uncompromising stance on righteousness, and unquenchable passion for the Lord, sets the tone for his messages. He challenges religious mediocrity, moral hypocrisy, and encourages believers to experience their heritage in God by ushering them into the presence of God through his ministry. He is graced with strong manifestations of the Holy Spirit. lives in Connecticut USA with his beautiful wife Pamela and their five children.

is an evidence of your belief. Your belief must also affect your emotional responses to your challenges. “Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste.” (Isa 28:16) This flood of divine revelation eroded away any root of ignorance that had been planted in my soul. Now, I know what it really means when I say I am believing God. I accept His promise as true; I walk in obedience, full of

expectation, drowned in the rivers of His peace, with my mouth filled with praise and the declaration of my affirmations of his promise. I believe, am believing, I AM A BELIEVER. We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak; (2Co 4:13) 55 /www.oraclemagazine.com / FEBRUARY 2014 / ORACLE

The AMAZING WORK of a

FARMER by Getty Morgan

Farming has never been easy. I am certain that it is one of the most challenging occupations in the world. A farmer sows on a land which is legally his or given to him. A responsible farmer who sows 100 seeds has a higher probability of reaping more harvest than he who sows less. Later, the harvest that the farmland yields is for the

“Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” (Galatians 6:7 KJV). “ A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;” (Ecclesiastes 3:2 KJV).

farmer of the land, not for the notorious town thief or the farmer next door. This is one of the basic activities a farmer can do and as much as it sounds simple, it is very complicated. The principle of sowing and reaping is undisputed when applied to all aspects of life. Indeed, we reap what we sow. Many Christians unfortunately do not

improvise this principle in their lives. Some Christians never plant yet they expect to reap a forest of trees. Others who undergo the first process of sowing also make it the last step to harvesting. It surely does not work that way. Between sowing and reaping are several processes. Of course, a good farmer does not sit idle in the

WE OPT FOR SHORTCUTS AND AVOID THE ENERGY-DRAINING PART. A FARMER WHO WANTS A HARVEST AND A PLENTIFUL ONE CANNOT ACHIEVE THAT WITHOUT SWEATING.

Getty Morgan is a passionate worshipper of God whose motivation is to empower people with the counsel of God, enrich them with her writtings, equipping them to maximize their potential to fulfill their dreams in God. She is the president of Sparkle Student Network. 57 /www.oraclemagazine.com / FEBRUARY 2014 / ORACLE

the amazing work of a farmer

day looking at the sun and in the night counting the stars in the sky after sowing. Actually, prosowing involves certain commitments and difficulties. Traditionally, when people want to sow, they would seek for their deity’s approval. Then they would pray and sacrifice to ensure a bountiful harvest. Many Christians fall in the trap of the good idea and not the ‘God’ idea. Some of us hardly seek the face of God before we get our seeds, rakes, hoes, machetes, and other equipment for sowing. At the end, we buy nonviable seeds and they

never germinate. We get the wrong motivation and resources for doing the right things and their work never produce any good results. Also, without seeking God’s back-up, some of us never get to know the right time to launch into our destinies. A farmer sows at a particular season of the year which gives more favorable conditions. There is time for everything under the sun, as Ecclesiastes says. When a farmer starts to sow, he puts in a lot of strength. A good farmer puts in great diligence. As I said in

the beginning, farming is a hard occupation. Every good farmer is knowledgeable about the methods to ensure a successful harvest. They tend to know the processes, hindrances, disappointments and achievements in farming. However, some Christians are ignorant of the composition of their lives. When we begin to take course without much or no knowledge and the reality of our destinies begin to unfold, most of us give up. While a few are aware of the challenges in the course, part of this few choose not to recognize some useful peripherals.. We opt for shortcuts and avoid the energydraining part. A farmer who wants a harvest and a plentiful one cannot achieve that without sweating. We cannot be farmers if we fail to do the work of a farmer. We cannot reap much if we do not sow much. We cannot harvest what we have not planted. We cannot live sluggishly and expect riches. Before a farmer sows, he is passionate and optimistic because he

knows his God has got his back. After he sows, his determination, hard work, perseverance and prayers maintain the farm. At the end, the joy the yield brings is greater than the burden that came with sowing to reaping. It is better if we lose the good things to get the best of things. Dear Christian, you can change your output when you become like the good and responsible farmer.

58 /www.oraclemagazine.com / FEBRUARY 2014 / ORACLE

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INSULATED AGAINST

PREMATURE DESTRUCTION PRESERVED BY PURPOSE

purpose can rescue a man in trouble. The Lord is speedily showing up in your need to the degree your heart saturated with His will. You shall be No weapon formed against purpose-powered

is preserved. people shall prosper. The Lord said to the great father of the nation of Israel called Jacob in Genesis 28:15, “I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you” NIV The question is not whether or not you are on the hit list of the enemy. The million dollar question is, ‘Is there a purpose not yet accomplished in your life that you are on a deliberate mission to fulfill?’ That is what will preserve you. It’s not in the security of your apartment or villa. It’s not in the effective protocol and security systems. Heaven watches over its investments. Your purpose is the deposit that Heaven made into the earth through your life. As a government watches over its national investments and the investments of its citizens in different countries, so does the Kingdom of God watch over their investment in you. God has a serious foreign policy clause that includes the venture of your life. Jeremiah 1:12 says “I am watching over my Word to perform it....” Words

“PURPOSE POWERED PEOPLE ARE THE APPLE OF THE EYE OF THE LORD. THEY ARE SAFE AND SECURE”

THE MORE YOUR LIFE IS PURPOSE ORIENTED, THE MORE YOU BECOME SURVEILLANCE AND A CANDIDATE OF KINGDOM CLOSE SECURITY.

are carriers of thoughts and conveyers of reality. In His Word is His mind. Out of His mind comes out His intentions and purposes. Thus, God can implant His purpose and intents in the hearts of sons and daughters of man as He speaks in diverse ways. The moment your heart receives a purpose-pregnant Word, even if God had no reason to watch over you, He begins to do so because of His Word (intent and purpose) in you. God cannot abandon a man or a woman in whose heart is purposepregnant Word. The more your life is purpose-oriented, the more you become a target of divine surveillance and a candidate of Kingdom close security. Purpose-powered people are the apple of the eye of the Lord. They are safe and secure. IT IS YOUR REVELATION THAT WILL PRESERVE YOU! In Luke 2:25-39 is the account of the dedication of Jesus Christ. I want to draw your attention to a righteous and devout man called Simeon. The bible says, “It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.” The powerful truth here is that it doesn’t matter how old Simeon gets. It’s a non-event to hear that he is critically ill. Even if he goes through a fatal car crash and walks through the valley of the shadow of death. His death is decided by the appearance in manifestation of the Lord’s Christ. You cannot die before you see what the Lord has spoken over you. The vision that you have is the reason for long life.

QUALITY AND VALUE VRS Physical Attraction

By Apostle John

The shape or physical features of a man and woman are great part of the fleshly attraction, which open to more lustful desires than indepth knowledge and understanding of love and love relationships. The love of one another or for neighbor as ourselves comes by the estimation and appreciation of the person’s quality and value. The great secret that we must keep in our hearts is the separation between spiritual and physical qualities and values. Spiritual things are spiritually discerned. There is a great need for spiritual integration in our search for a marital love partner. When our focus is occupied or consumed by the physical attraction, we can lose attention on the core foundation of the perfect love relationship for our lives.

The ministry of Apostle John King Hill is defined by the radical demonstration of God‘s power which denies any further questions. As Apostle John King Hill always says, “It must be real.”

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There are more dating sites and matchmaking agencies than homeless shelters in the world. There are increased out-ofwedlock

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The revelation insight of the first Adam in the Garden of Eden solved the complex riddle that clamor and overthrow the oath (vow) and confession of love, to end the relationship prematurely. The statement “this is the bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh” cut deeply into the process of trial by error, which matchmaking creates through dating. Revelation is greater and more powerful than inspiration—teaching and learning experience; therefore, getting to know each other doesn’t often mean knowing each other. And until we get to the depth of love, we will never know and understand the life of love. The way that revelation works is that you must enter revelation, or you will remain locked out. This is why the depth is the answer to that, which no human heart, imaginary capacity or intellectual reasoning can comprehend. When the male Adam opened the coded mystery about the unmasked stranger, wife to be, and analyzed her structural composition, the DNA of her identity and purpose also came to light. He turned his den into an altar and matched his bride calmly to the greatest wedding matrimony on earth. There was no parental, worldly or satanic interference, or influential meddling. There were no expert opinions or special panel of advisers except God, who gave (joined) them in holy matrimony, and the bed undefiled. We have experts such as marriage counselors or advisers like the sand of the sea today, and yet, marriage problems have enlarged greater than mountains. Marriages that have quality and value have diminished in the world, and perverted and defiled marriages - unholy matrimonies - have increased.

children in the world of which some parents do not fully know and understand the spiritual and physical implication and complication. There is a child of the promise, as there is the bond child, same way there is legal marriage (husband and wife). The difference is the legality and legitimacy of the relationship, and the fruits. There are legitimate and illegitimate families, as there are legitimate and illegitimate offspring. Legal families equal legal offspring. Spiritual laws are eternal, so there is no way to bend or undermine the rules. People do not enforce spiritual laws, so the consequences weigh greatly on them from generation to gen-

eration. Dating often leads to exposure to sins because it is matchmaking rather than following the rule of the law of God or hearing the voice of God. The revelation of marriage is greater than learning marriage or marriage life. Practice makes perfect, but revelation is entering the life of completion and perfection — spiritual maturity. The features of a man and woman are greatly part of their attraction, but they don’t take away the purpose of life. There is knowledge, understanding, wisdom, counsel, might, fear of the LORD, and judgment that are hidden away from the human, and unless they are made manifest or revealed,

they will remain secrets. The way to judge “bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh” is “she is me and I am her.” Until we touch both the hidden and natural fabrics of our marital love partners, we will never come to one of life’s most important decisions. Marriage is not kisses, roses, and hugs, or vows and ceremonies, but reaching deep down into one’s life and purpose. In that purpose is the great reason for the gift of life. This is why the secret of marriage is with God. When God joined man and woman together in marriage, the bedrock of true love relationship was made manifest and furthermore, revealed. This is why no matter how much the humans try to do it themselves, a lot of things never work the way they should. The more they try to make it work the more everything falls apart.

BRAZIL 2014 FIFA WORLDCUP:

ANOTHER EUROPE OR SOUTH AMERICA DOMINANCE? BY HANS PETER NKANSAH From the Amazon basin in the north to the banks of the River Guaiba in the south, 12 stadiums across Brazil will play host to matches at next summer’s World Cup. With the World Cup draw over and the finals just five months away, what are the big moments to look out

for in Brazil? Obviously, few questions emerge that will be on the lips of football lovers and pundits until the last kick of the golden version of the “brazuca” come July 13, 2014. The previous four World Cups staged in South America were all won by South American teams. Question is: will history repeat itself in Brazil? The FIFA World Cup has been held 18 times and only 7 nations have won this prestigious tournament. Brazil is the only country to

ORACLE SPORTS NEWS 2014

have played in all the tournaments to date and to have won a total of five FIFA World Cups. Previous title winners Italy are close behind Brazil with four titles, Germany with three, Argentina and Uruguay with two each. At the last kick of the “Jo’bulani” in South Africa four years ago, Spain would be named World champions and their first in lifting the coveted trophy alongside England and France who have each won the championship once. The tournament did not always feature 32 teams in the run for the trophy. It was first expanded to 24 teams in 1982 and later to 32 in 1998 to enable more teams from Africa, Asia, and North America to participate.

Nevertheless the tournament has always been dominated by the South Americans and European countries that have been playing in the World Cup since 1930. The trophy has made it ten times to Europe and nine times to South America. Only two teams from outside these two continents have ever reached the semi-finals of the competition: USA (North, Central America and Caribbean in 1930) and South Korea (Asia) who reached the semis in 2002 on home soil. The best result of an African team is reaching the quarter-finals: Cameroon in 1990, Senegal in 2002 and Ghana in 2010. Only one Oceanian qualifier, Australia in 2006, has advanced to

...the biggest question on everybodyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mind is whether the soccer powerhouse of Brazil will make the run to win the World Cup for a record sixth time and for the first time on home soil at the last kick of the golden Bracuza.

Who will win the 2014 WORLD CUP? the second round of the competition. Pundits believe that FIFAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s continental regions have only gotten stronger in the three and a half years since Spain lifted the trophy after a month-long struggle at South Africa 2010. Africa might be the finest example, with teams like Ghana and Ivory Coast, having continued to

develop into well-drilled, polished outfits with a talented core of players who perform in some of the biggest leagues in the world. From Asia, Japan has emerged as not just a power within its own region but also a strong and physical squad capable of making serious inroads. The Japanese lost in the last 16 in 2010, but a

return to that stage or even further would not be a shock for them next summer. Whether there remains a surprise from Africa and or Asia, it is inevitable this world cup will produce an array of new talents and the promise of the most exciting football we have witnessed in decades. Players and nations are expected to break, equal and set new records. All other things being equal, the world will be honored to witness the finest of football from six continents and the

”This will be the best World Cup ever” Wheter there remains a surprise from Africa and or Asia, it is inevitable this world cup will produce an array of new talents and the promise of the most exciting football we have witnessed in decades.

All other things being equal, the world will be honored to witness the finest of football from six continents and the skill of football greats

skill of football greats like Lionel Messi and Christiano Ronaldo. The question however remains if the world’s most coveted football trophy will go back to Europe with a likely dominance from Spain, Germany, and Holland or will Messi follow in the shoes of Diego Maradona and charge the blue and white shirts of Argentina to annex their first world cup since 1986? Will Ronaldo whose hat trick in the 2nd leg of the play offs against Sweden finally make a statement with his presence on the world’s biggest football stage?

Obviously, we all await to see who the surprise team of the tournament will be even though the biggest question on everybody’s mind is whether the soccer powerhouse of Brazil will make the run to win the World Cup for a record of sixth time and for the first time on home soil at the last kick of the golden Bracuza. Regardless, „This will be the best World Cup ever”, declared former Brazilian superstar Ronaldo, who was the tournament’s top scorer in 2002 in leading the Selecao to their fifth world championship.

PASTOR

ALEXIS

STEPHEN Alexis Stephen is the Pastor of the Faith Center International in Orlando Florida.

Out of the Shadows

“WE NEVER KNOW HOW MUCH WE CARRY FROM AN EXPERIENCE UNTIL THE WEIGHT OF IT BECOMES TOO HEAVY. “

As humans, oftentimes it’s hard to adapt to and accept change. But, it’s even more strenuous when the change is unexpected. I could deal with the accident and the physical pain, however, I couldn’t deal with the impact of the accident because the impact of it shaped my life in a way that was beyond my ability to restrain......... It was very difficult for me to accept the face in the mirror..... I didn’t have breakdowns or meltdowns. I didn’t cry when I looked in the mirror, I just altered my look and made it acceptable to my eyes. In essence, I just swept the experience under the rug and kept it moving until I couldn’t move anymore because the weight of it had become too heavy. I don’t remember the very day that I realized the heaviness of the experience, but I do re-

member knowing that I was at a crossroad and either I was going to continue to “BE” what this experience had created of me or I was going to walk out from under it into a place of freedom. “We never know how much we carry from an experience until the weight of it becomes too heavy. “ Looking back in hindsight, I wondered how could I as a 12-year old girl feel ashamed or even embarrassed over something that happened TO ME? I wasn’t at fault, I did nothing to deserve it, and I was having a normal day. Where did the shame come from...... The impact of one day became a struggle of more than 27 years and I never saw it coming.