THE TRAGEDY OF SEED-LESS GRAPES

1. 
   Dr. Mike Murdock is one of my spiritual mentors. I quote him very often and I live by the Jesus Principles which he teaches. For example:
   * "Go to where you are celebrated not where you are tolerated";
   * "Never complain, never complain [he always repeats the phrase. LOL! ], never complain about what you permit";
   * "You do not have a money problem; you have a Wisdom problem".
   
   Hmmm.....amazing Wisdom. I call Dr. Murdock the Solomon of Our Day.
   
   I had the privilege of meeting him in Year 2000 when I was worshipping at Kingsway International Christian Centre, Lagos, and I was assigned as his Protocol Officer during the inaugural Winning Ways Africa hosted by my Senior Pastor, Pastor Matthew Ashimolowo. I met him upon his arrival at the Lagos International Airport and I rode with him in the car to Revival Assembly, Ikeja, where the programme was holding. Dr. Myles Munroe was ministering during the evening session and Dr. Murdock said he could not go to the hotel to rest, as we encouraged him to do, when someone of Dr. Munroe's stature was teaching. He craves Wisdom and will do anything to get it.
   
   The twenty-minute journey from the airport to Revival Assembly was unforgettable. At that time, I was going through a very trying period sequel to the failure of the bid by Pharez to acquire Premier Commercial Bank on behalf of some clients from the Central Bank of Nigeria even after we had successfully raised N618million as the bank's new Share Capital and having done much painstaking work. That is another story which I may tell some day. So I asked Dr. Murdock how he managed to always remain focused and motivated. And how he overcomes disappointment and discouragement. His answer was short and to the point: he always allowed God's Word to abide in him.
   
   Dr. Murdock teaches that there is the Person of Jesus Christ and there is the Principles of Jesus Christ. He says many people reject the Person of Jesus Christ and receive His Principles. And the Principles of Christ still works for them. For example, western nations became successful democracies and developed into prosperous industrial, technological and financial centres because of the influence of Judeo-Christian Ethics on their laws, education, culture and business practices. Those Principles still work for them even though most westerners have rejected God and His Christ and now like to see their society as "post-Christian".
   
   The efficacy of the Principles of Christ is also evident in Asian countries which imbibed them even without accepting the Person of Christ. The Principles are taught daily in western schools, universities and post-graduate institutions such as Harvard Business School, London School of Economics, Wharton Business School, IESE etc.
   
   In Africa, and particularly in Nigeria, many of us have accepted the Person of Jesus Christ. We have made Him our personal Lord, Saviour, King and God. We are born-again. But most of our people are still wallowing in poverty. Many are Heaven-bound but living in earth-hells.
   
   So what is wrong with us? Religion without spirituality. We have a FORM of godliness but without its power. We have the Person of Christ but we do not apply the Principles of Christ....even when we "know" them. We are not DOERS of His Word.
   
   So we are consumers. We are aid-receivers. We are importers. We are buyers. Even when we export, it is primary products we sell: "cash crops" and natural minerals. Even those who gather much (often through theft) do so to keep in Switzerland, United Kingdom, Dubai, Cayman Islands and other tax havens. They do not invest. They do not create employment. They do not create value. They have no posterity. They are as the SEED-LESS GRAPES which have no future.
   
   This Resurrection Day, let us go beyond accepting and celebrating the Person of Jesus Christ. Yes, He is risen and lives forever. He is risen so we may rise. He died to bring many sons to Glory. He should see the travail of His Soul and be satisfied. He will only be satisfied when we imbibe His Principles too and apply them: Justice, Equity, Peace, Knowledge, Understanding, Wisdom, Vision, Creativity, Productivity, Hard-work, Smart-work, Compassion, Empathy, Kindness, Faith, Hope.....and Love.
   
   HAPPY RESURRECTION.
   
   God bless Nigeria.
   
   Nigeria di fure!