BY ANKELI EMMANUEL, Sokoto –
The Sokoto Missionary Zonal Pastor of Christian Evangelical Fellowship of Nigeria (CEFN), Rev Stephen Okadonye has urged christians to cultivate the attitude of self discipline in order to sustained progress in life.
Rev Okadonye who made the call on Sunday while preaching on the topic: “Keys To Progressive Living”, added that “If you take your life easy, life will be easy for you but when taken in a harsh way, it will be harsh for you”.
While emphasizing that all things are possible to achieve in life, Rev. Okadonye said the most probing question is that are we ready to pay the price?
“This year, God has destined us to succeed but the question before all of us is can we pay the price?
“Anybody celebrating must have put in lots of sacrifices to have gotten to that point. Becoming a Professor is not by mere wishing nor a day dream, it takes years of studies, amd contributions to scholarly development as the price for attaining such excellency”.
While admonishing the congregation that the prize or glory obtained from any venture is in the price and the rise is also in the price, Okadonye said, “For you to attain any positive mark, you must move. You must also work hard to reach your set goals”.
He added, “In the journey of life, nothing is free. Even favour has price. God paid a price to redeem the whole world by sending his only begotten son.
“Whatever you want to attain under the planet earth, you must pay the price”
Speaking on the place of self discipline in attaining ones set goals, Rev Okadonye said self discipline means self control, self mastering and self denial.
“Until you master them, if not, those things will control you. Self control makes sure that every of your behaviour is in consonant with what God wants.
By self denial, you try to deliberately but consciously avoid those things that gives you instant satisfaction but enslaved your future into perpetual penury”.
“Discipline therefore encapsulates a decision against procastination, a determination to work and pay now while rest later on, rather than rest now and suffer later in life.
“All youths seeking rest in future, must discipline themselves from their youthful age. Working when you are supposed to rest at your old age is because you lack discipline from your youthful age.
“Discipline also meas denial of gratifications in whatever form that will take your future aback.
“Any legitimacy that is not profitable for you must be avoided. It is legal to sleep but not profitable to sleep out your good working periods.
“This is because life is measured by time. There is a time to sleep, and a time to work. If you sleep to much, you won’t have time to think and plan out your vision.
“Those that sleeps to much don’t have vision. Reduce your sleep, and visualize you future. That excessive sleeping is bringing poverty to your life.
“Discipline yourself on how you eat as well. Without financial discipline, you may not be able to make riches”.
Giving advise on how best to use money, Rev Okadonye said, the two most acceptable way of spending money is emergency and investments, as “salary cannot make you wealthy.
“Money that is not managed well, will lead to suffer in future. Any money that is not invested is digging foundation for failure. Invest any money that comes to your hand. Stop keeping money without investing it.
“Wasting resources will never increase you, rather it brings you back to square one. If your asset can not maintain the level of a millionaire, then you are not one”.
“Acquire assets that will enable you retain your millionaire status. Do not spend your capital for celebration. Also remember that borrowing money for celebration is poverty mentality. If you want to experience financial prosperity, justify your spending” said Rev Okadonye.
He further appealed to women to stop nursing the mentality of their husbands as the head of the house and most provide for his family at all times. He noted that as wives, they can also invest and help their husband’s invest to stabilize the family.
“Do not allow anybody to look at you and ascertain your value. If you do not invest, your children will insult you tomorrow. A good man will leave inheritance for their children”.
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