By Akwasi Brobbey

" I've caused many wars, I've broken many laws. Economist and politicians know I'm the boss! Broken homes and marriages, YES I'm the cause! The people's lack of knowledge, it's all my fault. I know I'm wrong, but through negativity I get strong. It's through this reality that I was born ", as portrayed in the lyrical content in Okyeame Kwame's finest music track entitled "Sika".

Likewise, Charles Dickens in his novel Oliver Twist says, "ask for more", and that's the bare fact in relation to money.

Human life becomes uncomfortable without it. Money simply makes the world go round. Without money in the pocket, human thoughts are rendered "useless"! Poverty makes an old man looks like a child in the eyes of people. Money is simply power!

The Christian Holy Book offers timeless and practical scenarios about managing our finances. Wealth isn't the problem - though our attitudes towards it can be. The Bible speaks well of money " The blessing of the Lord makes rich, and he adds no sorrow to it" Proverbs 10:22(RSV). This means God is the maker of the rich.

Abram who later became Abraham was said to be rich in gold, livestock and silver. If Abraham was the father of all nations, then as sons and daughters, we must be rich too. We need a mental revolution with regards to money. If it's the desire of the ultimate reality to usher His sons and daughters into riches per Biblical evidence, then why do we still have to wallow in perpetual poverty as religious people?

Poverty they say is a disease, therefore the earlier people try to find remedies to it, the better. The acts that push humanity to get infected with this unwanted disease are undoubtedly ignorance and time mismanagement.

To be ignorant about the flow of vital information can cause a lot. Martin Luther King Junior in one of his quotes says "Nothing in all the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity".

Information is liberation when they're delivered on time. The Bible says "My people are destroyed because of lack of knowledge". To dissect this cliche, there must be no ignorance in every aspect of your life and when you're not regularly informed you'll be automatically deformed. The things we don't know about money is greater than those that we know. It's only information that can get you a job, therefore our minds must be renewed with vital information on a daily basis.

Aside information being relevant in wealth creation, "time" as an asset which when put into good use can transform lives. Everyday is a bank account and time is the currency waiting to be put to good use. Invest your time, for life is time and time is life. Time is an asset, those who waste time end up with liabilities. Time is a very precious resource. Time is as precious as your life.

Therefore, avoid time-wasting activities while you're young. Youthful years are years of preparation. Deliberately invest your time into preparation for the great destiny ahead of you, by reading books, attending seminars and/or events that can add value to you, acquiring marketable skills, just to mention a few.

Nonetheless, many deceive themselves by saying God loves the poor. Yes! God loves the poor but not poverty. As religious people we need to renew our knowledge on money. The devil is happy that you accept poverty as a Godly thing; money is not a bad thing. You need to understand that money will multiply your impact in the kingdom and also develop the habits of making money.

Even to be recognised in our contemporary churches today, your pocket must carry some weight else you'll be a mere church member. God's way of awarding money to His people is through talent – drawing out our attention on how that talent is related to money, wealth and power. Every gift or talent is a skilled hunter to bring out your prosperity from the wilderness.

As the saying goes, "money is power", simply because you can substitute an army with money. Money can be more powerful than a bow and arrow .Thus, if one does not have an army, he can hire missionaries. Once working as a sales boy I learnt a lesson which gave me a very unique memory and reflections about being rich and poor.

Whenever a rich man approaches the shop I can tell. Why am I saying this? This is because the rich man enters the shop with confidence and orders even from afar. This is not arrogance but power. Never be annoyed with a rich man when he enters your shop. The poor man enters the shop with caution. Just in case a product falls and breaks. The poor man is completely defenseless.

Likewise, money is an answer. There are gallons of questions that are in your mind, but I can assure you that you will not ask those questions again when you are blessed with money. Poverty could even let a sick person deny the fact that he/she is sick. If you do not know the effect of money, please look in the mirror. Poverty can even change the colour of your teeth, your walk and even your countenance.

The Akans will always support me here with this proverbial saying, "Sika y? mogya". Many handsome men and pretty women look frustrated as a result of poverty. You will be blessed with the joy of the Lord but you cannot rejoice. Because God will give you the joy and poverty will negate the effect. Money answers all questions.

Many corpses are sneezing in the mortuary, while some people have been buried alive because of poverty. Most diseases are curable when money is available. How can a poor man's daughter or son survive brain tumor or cerebral palsy at birth? Most people are refusing to grow older as a result of money power.

Look at some of our celebrities who are in their late 40s, yet they're still looking younger. When there's money in the house, children do cry early in the morning. Poverty makes a man say there's no satisfaction in rice. I wants to challenge you, while you're young and have the zeal, be determined and work harder.

I believe with God on your side your pocket will be full someday. Never be deceived to settle for less as in Mattew 5:3(RSV); "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven". Poverty is an unwanted visitor and a curse too.

In our law courts, most defendants are in prisons because of poverty. Have you ever seen a poor man who has been made a chairman in a church mid-year harvest program before? Recently, Bishop Daniel Obinim chastised two victims of sexual immorality in his church because they come from a poor home who are defenseless. No one wants poverty or a person said to be poor as a friend. Even your enemies, never wish them to be poor because if they get rich, they will never have the time to plot evil against you.

Writer's e-mail: theimpactcrew.gh@gmail.com