vܪ rK=n/3My芛fW*a̠emȃ t^oaae(.ElPi$ RAzaG BqD"*g/%7BtIޒdLߔ[Z @gT<}=ٗf>ն(~Z$<WVjшڧwFғ"D9+BvjԎ7d{{pf+ۚR2oWZ8%. Xygīla!F*e8y&t_Q <8{@(DȬ=eZX,剩^a)f)[;6ЈTp+c:oJ4SCAO旛j:[T.C8tNsid&޸LYh[&sm%I9 Fw9KMM~EdTn?=e e2X&*o% |c\ WGu[yp5A7)-,.k)h%П?٨TYdyYIRO4&Z<,9X'X(9 ;rQ (}_OW\D3ʂ_A@ڹ:7AΨ[N>ɻQ<(%u;ehT;N lUkнӴGod are poor, despite the fact that God is rich, loving and caring. If the children of God are poor while he is a rich, loving and caring father; then something serious must be wrong somewhere. It is very important that the children of God who are poor strive to find out what the matter is; otherwise, they may never achieve the financial success they desire, even for the rest of their lives. There are numerous children of God who died poor despite being very pious and righteous all through their lives. Such people believed in God’s ability to make them rich until their last breath; yet, their wishes were not fulfilled.

There are also numerous children of God who are living in poverty, despite being very pious and devoted Christians. Some of them are living in conditions that are unworthy of human beings. One of the admirable and commendable things about their lives is that they are still holding unto God and trusting in him to do something poI Kf[rs/U"Q010?hS9id+|V~Wx>)c>WnfM#L˜/agPJAE3R$2=̖k#ꗄ);3Ru56i:V,H"́R]KiB^qkw;Z8ZhAj~jvÏd0#!촓65Q( T-qŁ+'y)2>!\KpR_&H2#M 8ܳť,Ӏ/%* um&6s{a,h];wn0"vH@7RäAs!n12 ֛[\d멗l?Zf" Өj ,EU+SŔofY}!ٜLQ4HSW+KqlbiO+;ת|=&Q4nfd06̤f^/eFr  &jd}S-s3i+2xuw捓=BM3? [jal\raS8><j!拥,Q_ûQ1mSq$*,X0cf)21r[Z8-7KS>)2E%d~Mz_"ٍG v223R&p`n߾x@9

Peter and James were employees of a low-class business organisation. They were also low income earners. While in the organisation as factory workers, they gradually built a relationship with each other because they worked in the same department and performed similar tasks together. However, the bond of relationship between them was neither strong nor cordial because they were not compatible enough to become intimate friends. In fact, there were significant disparities in their behaviours. Nevertheless, they were not enemies because they were still able to cooperate with each other sometimes, even in addressing some issues about their personal lives.

One day, James was broke and needed urgent financial assistance. When all his efforts at getting money from his friends and relatives (within and outside the organisation) proved abortive, he aYPd fҭƭLn[{plZEpj+͸=QE~@!M>(fW㞸t׏{ٯ+D`7&J˲rhƬ&c;g[BHʎuJ[=,9}PH<&qLEh**`Ѓ3љLO)6A_Tв$!H M(z&ȥv(JѬ/o39!I6kK"TRAiWNwFSe;M,T3MM, {DP0A-,|2̸:~b/ϽT&`FaJ@[+KG <;xGvw{0X7LB"J'(os,sZF[OD,! 1f%apCT=>ѺH&v]HǿIVJ>\->i3?1m^YO &D-a RE38*~ӈ/!kL`w`,8 5n9}G}W6}[]A@恇`ZL-P# [[Xk"a.dU.^?Óɬ$W(Qb#$Y5؄=oA2}KE6%&)QG+ ;H:M(ԉ`6.gJRsw WE3*6v>ZM i\;M3p ^Bи:%_(ѻ1K;vjIn0E=ظ!8hѸLSx`F%*9%HM&jyGUA8"`ye to get this money from you so easily. I only decided to ask for it because I believe that there is no harm in trial”, said James. “You are welcome. What is the essence of friendship if not to share our joys and challenges”, replied Peter. “It is not really convenient for me lending you this money. It is just that I believe in being one’s brother’s keeper. Please, endeavour to pay the money back at end of the month when you receive your next salary, as you promised, because I will need it for something then”, continued Peter.

James promised that it is only the end of the month that stands between Peter and getting the money back. But James was still unable to pay back the money after five months. Worse still, he did everything he could to avoid every opportunity of discussing with Peter, unlike before he got the money from him. On several occasions, Peter invited James for a discussion but he (James) always avoided him (Peter).

One day, Peter succeeded in discussing with him. “Did I commit any crime by offering you financial assistance? It has been over five months since you borrowed money from me. Before I gave you the money, you promised to pay back immediately you receive your salary. Why are you treating me this way?” Peter queried. James, who was such an arrogant person, took offence at Peter’s comments and maintained that courtesy demands that Peter gives him some time to raise the money. 

Peter cuts in, “But that was not our agreement when you asked for the money. You promised to pay back as soon as you collect your salary. That was why I gave the money to you. Since then, you have collected your salaries for five months; yet, you have not paid the money, not even a part of it. I told you that I needed the money for something at the end of the month I gave it to yM!]{VyWU~ocx؈sj!Vͅkq'"1m!Dw\q@!h~Xrè1; =u !Z|062cپ6k#Ksu@4".uV~?(A)E[܊0xE7;(/6(RRk1*kl:Pytmg:I:>\rBEZDyL ‘4Co%BXiy/7*Sif[18ErkxuK8 e=t>eHfS+ ڇ.VB-z'nY 8wi{2|2]AڙIlpo[(.$șWWɴQ :j:U7u÷7Fi<}NbMY/?~r lo{c;bq܃Tw*(v]}52IH!7;3a[u MP%t1&""8oɝ=:<:=;aF ѕ#ͻDaL@$cLεTk_+TQԕPsPr=J|dF2ڋ@ yĵhUSK*pK.5'=itt#-C3Mݴ]Z\Lכ2!'-Bӫs6 _nWՕSjB0"D9 <$+ _,r:,#1P#O'4~g/>nȍ{|0ޯhԫ'ct8z+rocK!H od,bYgf4 ]c dV 5$;\u4(5uspěܧ߈ʋ'+͑ iN?)[¯MaB=H$`@d(.|PlIN,sXQ*k^8OE +NszQ nPYng his own trumpet so as to allow him pour out everything in his heart because the more he spoke, the more revelations he made about the kind of person he is. In addition, the more he spoke, the more confessions he ignorantly made about himself.

When James finished ranting at Peter, he (Peter) asked him politely, “Have you finished?” James was wise enough not to offer any answer to the rhetorical question because the answer was obvious. Peter continued, “If your father is truly as rich as you claim and you are this poor, then something serious must be wrong somewhere. As a matter of fact, if your father is as rich as you claim, and you are as poor as I know, then something must be wrong with you or with your father, or with both of you.”

James was speechless because what Peter said made a lot of sense. It was at that point that he realised the implications of his ranting. While he was speechless staring at Peter, his friend continued, “If your father is truly as rich as you claim, while you are as poor as I know, then it is either your father is irresponsible or you are irresponsible, or both of you are irresponsible. I am certain that whoever is irresponsible between you and your father must be very irresponsible. That is why he was able to frustrate the relationship between both of you. If he were simply irresponsible, then your relationship with each other would not have fallen apart.”

The more Peter spoke, the more humiliated James was, as he listened to him while he (Peter) spoke with confidence. Peter threw the last bomb at James, “If neither of you is irresponsible, then your father must be a poor man, while you are a liar. So, which is true? Is your father rich but either or both of you are very irresponsible, or is your father poor and you are a liar?” Though this question seemed like an opportunity for James to defend himself, it was a rhetorical question, which deserved no answer as the answer was obvious. The question spoke very eloquently of the fact that Peter was convinced that his claims were right and true.

James became ashamed of himself when he heard this. He immediately opened up. “It is not actually that I am bragging. My father is really a very rich man. It is just that he had a misunderstanding with my mum. So, he got a second wife and sent my mother and all her children out of his house. He does not bother about how we are faring. That is why I am in this condition with my siblings. In all honesty, what I said is true. I am not lying. You can confirm my claims from anyone you know who knows me well.”

Peter replied, “That is not the issue. Did I ask you any question on the relationship between you and your father before your confession? The issue is that such a man should not be called your father and you should also not introduce yourself anywhere as his son. If you are wise, you would not allow people to know that there is a relationship between you and such a man, let alone be bragging with his name and wealth. If he was truly your father, his financial success would have insured you against poverty, except you are too irresponsible to deserve any assistance from him, or he is too irresponsible to know that he has a child to take care of.”

This story is very important in understanding the situation of poor people who believe and worship God who is a rich, loving and caring father. “If your father is truly as rich as you claim and you are this poor, then something serious must be wrong somewhere.” This statement of Peter in the above story is not only very meaningful; but also very powerful because it has significant implications. One implication of the statement is that the son of a rich man is rich by birth. Such a person is born rich. Being rich is his birthright because his father’s wealth is his natural inheritance. That was why Peter also said, “If he was truly your father, his financial success would have insured you against poverty.”

According to Peter (in the above story), “… if your father is as rich as you claim, and you are as poor as I know, then something must be wrong with you or with your father, or with both of you.” In relation to the issue at stake, nothing is wrong with God and nothing will ever be wrong with him. As a result, God cannot, and should not be blamed for the poverty of his children because he is not responsible for it. What this means is that if something is wrong somewhere, then it is not with God. Hence, the fault is from his children. The people of God are responsible for their financial misfortunes, most times, in ways they are ignorant of.

To a large extent, poverty is self-made. One of the challenges before poor Christians is to understand ‘why’ and ‘how’ they are responsible for their financial misfortunes or predicaments. There are two likely consequences of not achieving this. The first is that they may continue to blame others, including God, for their financial predicaments. One of the reasons many people who believe in God are unable to achieve the financial success they ask of God is that, rather than blame themselves for their poverty, they find it convenient to blame others who are not responsible for their financial predicaments. It is worthy of note that some Christians blame the government of their countries for their poverty. Yet, some blame their countries or the economy of their nations.

The second consequence is that they may never be able to effectively address their financial challenges, even for the best of their lives. As a result, they may s0end the rdst of0their livew in poverty. The bathonale of thi claim is that the first step to addressing a chllenge is understanding the cause of the challenge. Hence, Cod’s children gill remain in their uglyfinancial situations for as lo~g as they remain ignorant of why tiey are pgor and how they can change thir ugly financial spatus. Unt)l the children of God are able tO eiagnose the rowt,$ ceuse, nauure afd state of their poverty and take necussary actions, thmir$ hop%s, wishes and aspirations to become rich`will remain a mirqge.

Why ar% many !childrenof God poor, iF the God they(serve is infinitely great, rich. $powerful, loving, carinw, mereiful a~d generous/ Why are many children of God unble to achie~e the financial sucess they desire al through ther lives? $Wly will many children of God die(pomr? Hmw can"God be exonerAted from being culpable of the(poverty of hhs children? How can the children of God who are poor achieve the financial success they desire, even faster than they think? This book, Rich God, Poor Believers: The Secrets of Overcoming Poverty by God’s Children, answers these questions. It unveils the secrets of poverty among God's children, as well as how they can overcome poverty.

Though this book takes the experience of Christians as a case study, the issues it addresses, to a very reasonable extent, are applicable to people with different religious backgrounds. This implies that the content of this book will also be helpful to non Christian religious people in understanding why they are poor. This book is for people who believe in God and sincerely and conscientiously desire financial success, but are ignorant of how to achieve it. It is for people who believe in God, irrespective of their religions. This book is also for God’s children whose efforts at achieving financial succesUL;YBME:UU[P_c|LSC0P[s9Pv]{e)AjN$(۳G zVAƯq8jg۫gPs'SnͨǎzWrVHR;~ DlwO\}g<_eA18X+kuWA2w_P֚Ekに򑷢N\R*hӅsfeb:tN )Tk#F ‰?"2nNAK] б_f^e gwz :f+[o֣zA|$S⼡5qLB|0b=w5];33\ ub-<N/W5oR!0xRS7He3lj[MGRۀgoקe 'X+`Jy]nC/-Z$>MZX)߿VQ tU zYlB;sF4405%4P\g)`h'ʑ[ tMG/&