Day 1
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Let us discuss about critical success factors, that you need as a man or a woman of influence.
Let us start with a bit of my background. Now, a lot of what I am going to say is in my other books. I came from Njabini,Kinangop,Nyandarua county. My primary school was Sasumua Primary School. The first KPE class was in 1966, then I did the next in 1967.Just before we did our exams KPE I was required to do an interview with Mang’u high school. Those days high schools used to take people with the mock exam results. So, they had asked all schools in Nyandarua to give the two top students of every primary school, and we were meeting in Ol Kalou for an interview with Mang’u High School. I failed the interview because I didn’t know the name of the catholic priest in our parish. But I still passed and went elsewhere.
And I look back to the small boy in Sasumwa Primary School and asked myself, what has God used along the way to put me where I am today?
I retired not too long ago, and for a number of years I was in charge of logistics for the then biggest oil company in Kenya, Shell. The two biggest were Exon Mobil and Shell, and I was working for Shell. At one time they gave me a responsibility to cover ten countries of Africa. So, I was moving from country to country. I was covering from Madagascar, Mauritius, this whole region through Rwanda to Djibouti, Ethiopia, Sudan. And as I flew from one country to the other, I would remember the small boy in Sasumua Primary School. What journey did God use to bring me where I was?
I now do consultancy work, and have had the opportunity to train the managing team, the managing director plus the team of a bank called Family Bank. And as I go there, the question is, for them to want to invite me to talk to them, they are assuming that I can tell them something that will help the bank to grow. What has God used in these many years from the time I left Sasumua Primary School in 1967, which is almost 60 years ago? From that time, what has God done to me and for me?
So, I want to share with you some of those things I believe God has done, with the understanding that since God is not a respecter of persons, if you discover them, they can also help you.
I think looking back the first thing that God has used is what I got while at Sasumwa Primary School. Somebody came to my school and said that if I don’t accept the Lord Jesus Christ I am going towards hell daily. And every day I am getting nearer and nearer. That’s pretty frightening, isn’t it? So, I asked, what do you do to change that direction? Because I don’t want to get higher and higher and yet towards hell. It doesn’t look very clever to do so, isn’t it? And because you can hear I was among the top students in the primary school I was doing well in class, I thought, is that mzee really serious?
I was arguing because I didn’t believe in salvation. But I asked myself, do I believe that mzee? But since he was referring to the bible the question was do I believe the Bible is true? And having gone through many, many lessons in CRE which was compulsory, I formed an opinion that the Bible was true. And the Bible says if you don’t get born again, if you have only one birth, you will go to hell. You know there are people born twice, and that those born only once are candidates for hell. Now, whereas I did not trust the mzee, I had difficulty not trusting the Bible. So, if I believe the Bible is true and therefore, I am going to hell, I said, then it is not very clever to go to hell knowingly. Surely If I go to hell it should not be knowingly. Either I sort it out in my mind that there is no hell but if I believe there is hell, it is not very clever for one of the bright boys in the school to be going to hell knowingly.
And that’s what I struggled with, until finally when that mzee came back another Sunday I put up my hand in a meeting and gave my life to the Lord.
I believe that decision as a young boy is one of the critical success factors. Because three things came out of it: number one, I realized God loves me and that because He loves me, He wants a future that will be good for me.
Day 2
Psalm 121
1 I lift up my eyes to the mountains— where does my help come from?2 My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.
Number two, I realized that my parents were not my only resource…God is. Because I could see very clearly high school was supposed to be very expensive, I didn’t know how I would ever get school fees for high school given poverty at home. Only the rich could go to high school. Just to give you the kind of idea, of our poverty in 1965 there was a famine we used to call it, ng’aragu ya gathirikari, now the famine for yellow maize. If you want to know the story please go and ask your grandparents. In case your father doesn’t know of it. It was dry for so long that the government had to import yellow maize, which they told us it is used for cows in America, but we were now eating it.
So that particular year my sister was in standard seven, and I was in standard five going to six, and we couldn’t raise money for fees. Do you want to know how much money we were unable to raise? School fees was twenty shillings per term. And many people did not go to school because of lack of school fees. And in 1965 I finally became a casualty. Because there wasn’t money for food, education is secondary item. If you are dead, what do you need school fees for? First of all, you live then you can pay school fees. So, we gave up school. I took myself to school knowing I had no school fees, and of course I was later thrown out of school. As I was thrown out of school I went home to stay. My sister, since she was about the examination class, the headmaster came for her. Very few girls used to go to the top class. Many girls would drop around standard four. But in case you think standard four was low, standard four had an exam called CEE, Common Entrance Examination. And if you passed that exam you could become a clerk. So, everybody in standard five was very, very educated because the standard fours who had dropped out and were working.
So, I don’t know how he got the money, but the headmaster of her school felt that my sister could not drop off. So, they came home for her and she went on with school. I think she had stayed home for two, three weeks. Me, nobody came for me. So, I just stayed home until the end of 1965, the end of the year knowing that now I had lost a year.
In 1966, I went back to school. Now the rain had rained, we were able to sell cabbages, we were able to raise twenty shillings. And so, I went to school. Now, the only thing is, which class am I going to. Since I didn’t finish standard five, I must go to standard five again. That means my standard five classmates have gone to six. When I went to my standard five to join them, they said, no, no, no go to your classmates. You can’t come here. I used to be top of the class in standard five when they were in standard four. The number one felt if I repeat the position one is lost. So, they were trying to tell me, go to six. But I knew I am not qualified to go to six. But they were so unfriendly, I finally had to. During the first two weeks, people were not in serious studies. They were playing a lot of the time. I started playing with my old classmates in class six, waiting when things will become normal, I will go back to standard five. But you know the headmaster pretended not to know that I must finish standard five. So, both of us pretended. And so, I continued with standard six, like I had done standard five. And of course, they were not wrong because when we finished first term, I was still top of the class. So therefore, there was no loss. That is my history.
As I look back, getting born again has made me know the God who made the headmaster pick my sister, made the headmaster allow me to go to standard six is a source God beyond my parent. And it gave me a confidence where whether you are rich or poor, it doesn’t bother me. I know God loves me as I am.
When later I was in high school I was a good debater but I would do so with torn shoes with no negative effect on my performance. Trouble would come if going to another school to debate, they want you to represent them but my shoes will embarrass them. They would lend me a shoe for the purpose.
One of the problems I had is every term I was sent home for fees. Every term, it was normal to be set home. You know I had gotten used to it in primary and was not a new thing. I was sent home every term. In fact in 1969 I went to the headmaster, because I was in a government school, and asked for the school to allow me to do an exam that used to be called KJSE, Kenya Junior Secondary Examination, which was only done by private or harambee schools with students intending to drop out at form 2. Government school used not to do it. But if you did it, you would now have a certificate so that when the school dismisses, you will not be a drop out, you will say I am a form two graduate. Because you have a certificate.
But then our school was not doing that. So, the headmaster, a mzungu,bought the syllabus for me, and allowed me and a few boys, who didn’t think we have school fees to go to form four, to actually do the exam privately. So, I was a private candidate, I would still do the school work, and in addition to that during my private time I would prepare for the other one. Some of the things that were in the syllabus were not being taught in form two. They would be done may be at a later time or earlier. So like Swahili we didn’t have a Swahili teacher but I had to do it. And by the grace of God, I passed all subjects and got the certificate.
My intention was to apply for a teachers’ training college to become a teacher when I am thrown out in form three. I had conviction I will only do that when God directs me. So, in form three I still went. I had my certificate for form two but I went to form three. And you know form three God did a wonderful thing to facilitate my completing form 4. I learnt early that God is our resource and so do not feel poor to do anything.
Day 3
Riches Are Meaningless
If you see the poor oppressed in a district, and justice and rights denied, do not be surprised at such things; for one official is eyed by a higher one, and over them both are others higher still
The other thing I learnt is not to be tied to titles .
After form 4 I went for A-level classes until 1973. I later graduated out of the University of Nairobi in 1977 and since then I have done professional work. I worked for Shell for thirty years, then I retired. I now do consultancy work but I have never been a pastor. So, if you want to address me; simply Brother Ng’ang’a.And one of the reasons why I insist on being Brother Ng’ang’a is because there is a general feeling that if you become an engineer or become a doctor, then you are not supposed to preach. Is there something like that? So, whenever you invite somebody to preach you also give him a title pastor. I would encourage especially after you leave campus to become a person who minister the gospel irrespective of the professions they will do. And don’t put titles on yourself. You don’t need to be a pastor to help others. Jesus spent all his time preaching and he had no title. Just teacher.
And even the first disciples were not having titles. If you go to the book of Peter, you will find Peter talking about Paul and he calls him Brother Paul. He is talking about the writings of Brother Paul. So, he was not Apostle Paul, he was simply Brother Pau the apostle. You are not apostle Paul; you are Brother Paul. So, these titles are things we need to start removing them out of you, but that’s not my topic.
Another success factor I have learnt is your attitude to money.I will go straight to the word in Matthew 6:24-34.
24 “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.
25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life[a]?
28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well
Money. I must say that there are several errors that people make. Number one, it is very clear that passage is talking about money, and that there is nothing wrong with making money. It is very important for that to sink. So, you need to understand the Bible is not saying money is the root of evil, it is the love of money.
There is a kind of a feeling, sometimes that if you are rich, you can’t be a Christian, or some implication that the poor are going to heaven. However, some poor people are on their way to hell. Your lack of money does not qualify you for heaven. There are many poor people who because of poverty they are always being jealous of the rich and jealousy is a sin that will get people to hell.
So, I know you don’t dress well because you have no money and you start imagining, I may no dress well here, but I will go to heaven. There is no heaven for you. You need to understand that for you to go to heaven you must stop jealousy. And many people from poor families are always jealous. In fact, it is normally assumed if you drive a good car, you must be a thief. That’s not scripture. David, and many of the men of God we talk about were stinking rich. Very rich. Abraham was so rich that when one country was in trouble, he went and fought and rescued Lot defeating several kings. Do you know the story? And he came with his own army, not an army of a country, an army owned by a man. That’s how rich the guy was.
Day 4
So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple courts, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their table
Job, we are told, he was the richest man in the East. Yet Job was a man of God. Would you agree with me? You know you have to agree with me because the testimony is not from man. God himself told the devil, have you seen my servant, Job? He was rich and faithful to God.
It is critical to understand that poverty is not a sign of righteousness. Do not start thinking that you are righteous because you are poor. There are many people who are rich on their way to heaven and there are many poor people on their way to hell. And so that needs to be sorted out in your mind. Do not ever assume that poverty is something that can take you to heaven.
In the same way you need to understand there are many rich people on their way to hell. One of them is given the story by Jesus himself about the rich man and Lazarus. The guy was rich but did not love God. When they went to the other side he was suffering and Lazarus was not suffering. But you know that’s the story people like to remember. But you see the Bible is not one verse, the Bible is a complete book, isn’t it? So, you need to understand that clearly, again riches cannot take you to heaven. There will be many rich people on their way to hell.
Yet you may come from a rich family and that may be the reason why you are going to hell. Because you are unable to trust God for your trust is in your mother. Anything you want, mama. You want a pen…, mama. And when mama doesn’t help you, you say, papa. Now, you need to understand if all you know is how to cry mama, papa, you will never cry to God.
Soon enough after campus you will get a salary, a good salary. You will have money. And all-over sudden feel you no longer need God the way you needed him in campus because now you don’t go looking for money, you just go to an ATM and money, twaah!. So, whenever you pray, you don’t pray to God, you pray to ATM. Now, because the money just comes.
Without good attitude to money you need to understand clearly if you have money, it can become a problem itself. Yet money is not the problem, it is your attitude towards it.
Poverty has the same problem. Many poor people including Lazarus are in heaven, and many other people poor here on earth and some of them reading this are on their way to heaven. Do not have a feeling at all that because you are the poorest girl in the class, you wear clothes from Gikomba, now, it doesn’t quite matter, it doesn’t quite make you go to hell because of your clothes. Why? In heaven we shall have no clothes, we shall be like angels. Have you read that in the Bible?
So, your poverty my sister, is not an indication that you are going to hell. Many, many poor people are on their way to heaven, just like many rich people are on their way to heaven. Many poor people are on their way to hell just like many rich people are also on their way to hell.
Day 5
For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.
So, it is critical to understand that the size of your accounts does not tell us your spiritual condition. Your credit or debit balance does not tell us your spiritual debit or spiritual credit balance.
Now, the reason why this subject is very important is because traditionally the Jews believed that if God loves you, He blesses you with property. That’s why Jesus was asked by the disciples, when He was talking about the rich people and not being that good, He was asked, now, surely, how rich going to hell be true? He told them, you need to understand me. It is more difficult for a rich man to go to heaven than for a camel to go through the eye of the needle. Have you read that one? And they said, surely, that’s impossible understand you. Why? Because the Jews believed if you are poor, you are on your way to hell, if you are rich you are blessed. Jesus came to tell them riches are not an indication that you are righteous.
In fact if you want to know that God’s view of some riches, just look in Kenya the behavior of many rich people clearly on their way to hell. You have met them, isn’t it? So, it seems sometimes when He doesn’t like you, He gives you a lot of money so that your money becomes a problem. And there are many rich people who have no joy, no contentment, some commit suicide. One of the richest men in Kenya, I was told by somebody who knew, just committed suicide out of frustration. Yes, Rich but with trouble.
You must understand that money will not help you, unlike the way the Jews felt then. God can give you money on your way to hell. I want you to just look at a number of rich people in your area. And you know it is God who has allowed them to be rich, yet they are still some on their way to hell.
There is a big temptation, to call riches blessing.
The blessing of the Lord brings wealth, without painful toil for it.
Some say, I was blessed with a husband. What is the message? If I am thirty five, I still have no husband..am I cursed? If you say I am blessed with a husband, it means the other one is not yet blessed, because we are defining blessings with husbands. Oh, I have been blessed with a wife. True, it is wonderful that you have a wife but there are many people without wives who are also blessed.
Blessings cannot be limited to something material.You can be a blessed man yet you can’t drive a car, you normally use number eleven, two legs. And you do so happily, joyfully. That way you have contentment and joy yet you can only use number eleven. And it is critical to understand that wealth is not an indication of blessings. That God sometimes blesses you by withholding riches. He gives you no riches yet you are one of the most blessed people.
So, it is the love of money that will get you into trouble. And you can love money, whether you are rich or poor. Some rich people love money, some poor people love money, the critical problem is if you love money be ready for trouble.
Contentment is true success. So I thought I needed to emphasize that whole issue of love of money. And nobody seems to give a testimony of how the Lord has given them contentment and yet He can give you contentment with or without money. But do you hear people saying, oh the Lord has really blessed me. I have only one blouse and one skirt, and yet I feel so happy. Isn’t the Lord great? You never hear those kinds of testimonies because people associate blessings with material things.
Day 6
Deuteronomy 28:1-3
Blessings for Obedience
If you fully obey the Lord your God and carefully follow all his commands I give you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations on earth. All these blessings will come on you and accompany you if you obey the Lord your God: You will be blessed in the city and blessed in the country.
Now, surely, if God’s blessings only bring material things, then Jesus was one of the most unblessed people. The Lord told his disciples, even if you follow me, please be careful. I have nowhere to sleep. Do you remember the story? The guy had nowhere to sleep. He seems to have only one dress which was divided among the soldiers. You remember? It is important to understand that Jesus was the Son of God, blessed son of God yet He was poor. Yes, poor but happy, joyful, yet without worldly possessions. Everywhere He went He was hosted by others but He would be happily there.
Therefore, you need to understand you must remove from your mind the idea of poverty as related to riches, or associated with righteousness or associated with unrighteousness. They do not relate to one another.
We are discussing success and the biblical basis of money. That money itself has no problem. It is your attitude to money.
But it is the same thing about investments and savings. You know the way I have just talked about money will kill your ambition? A lot of people fear Mr. Ng’ang’a if you talk like that people will be lazy. They will not work hard because in their mind they think, if you want riches then you work hard. So, if you don’t encourage people to make money then they are not going to work hard. But that is because you are missing the point.
Success is when you have done your best.If you are a Christian, you can’t be lazy. The word lazy and Christian don’t go in the same sentence. It is critical. You know, and I am likely to have said it here before, there are more verses in the Bible against laziness than against drunkenness. Yet somehow, we hate drunkards and we tolerate lazy people. If a drunkard entered a room, I am sure the ushers will handle him quickly out. Once they notice he is drunk, they will manage him out. Yet seated next to you is a lazy person and you are not even bothering; you are just comfortable with them.
Now, our way of evaluating each other is totally different from the scriptures, because to God drunkards and lazy people are both going to hell. The word of God condemns laziness. In fact in order to understand how bad God views laziness, He says, if you are not working hard, your brain is smaller than the one of the ants. You know the ants? I mean the small insects; the ants.It knows how to save in winter, it works hard in summer and saves for winter. Have you read that one? And you are asked, why don’t you copy the ant? Now, if you are lazy during summer and therefore you have nothing for winter, the word of God is seeming to say, you are not his, you don’t have his wisdom.
Day 7
Galatians 6
2 Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.
5 for each one should carry their own load
Success requires that you hate dependency on this issue go to the book of 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12, where it is telling you to work with your own hands so that you do not lack and so that you can give others.
Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work your hands just like we told you. So that … win the respect of outsiders and so that you may not be dependent on anybody.
Now, read the first phrase and the last phrase….Make it your ambition …………….. not be dependent on anybody. Have you heard that? Make it your ambition not to be dependent on anybody. It means you cannot be a Christian if you choose to be dependent on others. Now, I didn’t want to say it myself because you will think I am being rude, just leave it there. In fact, it is even more rude; the verse goes on to say..mind your own business. Just consider that. I don’t want you to ignore it. Mind your own business.
Consequently, you must understand that we don’t work to become rich, we work to ensure we do not depend on anybody. Do not rely on parents once adult.And don’t quote me, quote the Bible. So that this idea of complaining, my uncle is rich, he doesn’t give me anything…shows something is off. Your uncle’s money is his, it is not yours. Even if your uncle wants to give you money constantly, refuse it because if you accept it you will fail from the Bible requirement. Why do you want his money and go to hell? Please understand here, mind your own business.