Hello and welcome to Issues and Answers. I am Claudia Monde-Louis. Thank you for joining us. Our topic is based on St Lucia's imminent migration to the e-passport system. And with me to enlighten us on this project is Mr. Lucia Slake of the St Lucia Border Control Agency and an immigration expert along with project manager with Canadian Banknote Limited, Mr. Kathleen Chidore, who is on island providing support to this project. Welcome gentlemen. Thank you for having me. Thank you for having us. Definitely a hot topic is St Lucia's introduction or migration to the e-passport system. The e-passport is a document which has been around in as far back as perhaps the 90s for some countries but the region is just coming on board and definitely in St Lucia we are new to it. So I would like to kick off our discussion by asking what is an e-passport and what gives the e-passport the edge as a more secure document? Kathleen? So actually the e-passport was first introduced in 2005 but the e-passport is the next generation of travel document and has many advantages as well as benefits for the bearer of the document. So it's adding a compliant microchip and it will strengthen the security value offered by the by the passport. In turn the e-passport can reduce the risk of other countries imposing visa requirements on travelers. It can be also used in e-gates where the technology and programs exist. So in selected cases states are obliged or motivated to introduce the e-passports due to some bilateral and multilateral agreements such as the US visa waiver program and there are some comparable agreements in the EU. So it should be noted that some of these programs have expanded since the introduction of e-passports so only in part the secure nature of the document and the risk assessment performed on any country by country basics. So with the introduction of e-passports St Lucia citizen traveling to EU may benefit greatly given that EU has agreed to extend their visa exam program to include a number of Caribbean nations. Sounds good thanks for that comprehensive introduction Mr. Leak can you give us some background to the into the machine readable passports which was introduced here at about 2005. Yes 2005 there about St Lucia moved in from the handwritten passport to the machine readable passport and that was all championed by Canadian Bank note. There have been numerous upgrades where that system is concerned at this point in time we have had as many upgrades as the system permits the same way one would have Windows XP which is now extinct. We had to move forward. Canadian Bank note has been a partner who we have worked with. They can no longer support the issuance of production or printing of the machine readable passports we have now. So the gradual move of progression is into the new e-passport which what Kathleen spoke about. We are one of 136 countries worldwide who have moved on into the e-passport. It's not just St Lucia alone we have our brothers and sisters and Tegan, Barbuda, Bahamas, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Barbados, Grenada, St Kitsa Nives, Belize should be coming on sometime this year and Jamaica sometime in 2023. So we had the latest kids in the block we have all the latest technology right put into e-passports coming to St Lucia that is where we are right now. Okay let us unpack Kathleen terms like microchip and biodeater and biometric so that all citizens can actually understand what that means. Okay so basically e-passports reduced the risk of tempering and identity fraud by adding a digital record of the information contained on the printing area on the microchip. So for an e-passport to be considered genuine and unaltered the microchip data must be the printed data. So also the biological information is specific to the data loaded into the microchip and cannot be tempered with it edited or modified once programmed. So once the the passport is printed also the data in the same time it gets embedded to the microchip and after that the microchip will be closed so nobody can edit it afterwards. So it can be only read. So when you are going to border management system it will read the data from the page like it did with the old passports and also it will read the data from the chip and they will compare the data to be similar so if the chip is altered it will not work. What the chip has and it's a new thing it's a certificate that's generated by the government of Saint Lucia. So it's a certificate only generated by the government of Saint Lucia and it will be read and acknowledged in the time of the border passing and also like I said before it can be used with e-gates so if you go to an airport that has that you only put your passport there it will read your data you will go and a camera will see that it's you and you will pass to the e-gate more quickly. Okay will a camera be used we introduce here locally as well to take a shot of the traveler. So we have in the new system there will be a live camera that will take your picture and it can be used like that. So in the future people can take their photos as now or they can use the camera that we have. Okay wonderful and in terms of the friendliness of the whole system it certainly sounds very much so that it is something that the general public need not be flustered about. Mr. Lake some persons of course would wonder about the validity of their machine readable passport which is which is not due for renewals yet. How will the two systems run alongside each other? The introduction of the new e-passport does not mean that your present machine readable passport is not valid. Persons who have had passports issued in the last few weeks or even on Friday of last week your passport is valid until its expiration date. Take it into account some countries require six months in advance. So six months from your expiry date of your present machine readable passport it is valid. This is not a call to ask persons who come and change their present valid machine readable passport to get the new e-passport. Your e-passport is valid. What is not going to happen is when that present machine readable passport expires you will not be issued a machine readable passport. You have no choice but to migrate to the new e-passport. So this is actually phasing out of the machine readable passport and going to the new e-passport. That's the easiest to get it done. So the questions persons have don't come and change your passport. Now travel with it it is still valid. Six months before it expires get a new one. Good to go. Okay. I trust that persons who are holders of the machine readable passport now feel more at ease more relaxed that the passport is still valid. It's not obsolete. It's just that new applicants will be the first to receive the e-passports. We aim to go live on July 25th 2002. I will have you explain that in detail Mr. Lake but then first I will go to Catalin so he can speak to our state of readiness leading up to hopefully the 25th of July. So for now I don't see any major hiccups. So I think the go live will be on the 25th. So on the 25th we will be able to provide new passports to the solution as it is. So what are some of the processes that are ongoing now leading up to to this? So we are preparing our server in the data centers. We are preparing the new passport office with new equipment, state of the art equipment, new workstations, new monitors, new cameras, new printers, new scanners. So everything will be new. The workflow will be almost almost the same but I think the speed will increase in order for the processing of applications and the back end part of it, data quality and so on. So it will be an improved system altogether. Was there any need to undertake some training of the staff? Yes, training of the staff will come in next week. So we have trainers from the Canadian Bank coming on island and will train all the operators on how to handle the new application. What it is and the difference with this one will be the ability to submit your passport application forms online. I have studied before and the person has the question unless the system is up and running, we cannot give information for the online portal to work in that regard. The interesting thing about this new process going forward in the event of persons who are renewing their passports, you come in if your application form which is loaded into the scanner, it is scanned, the documents are handed to you, you sign off, where a screen will show the documents which have been submitted. In cases when there are further investigations to do or you have interviews, your documents will be retained but a normal application with no changes to it, you submit to at reception, it is scanned, handed to you, you sign off for receiving it and you move on. That's the speed in which we intend to happen. And like Kathleen said, the back end, everything is changed and it has met the requirements going forward if all the technology has to offer. So the process should be quicker in that regard. The only hiccups we may see if persons come with documents that need rectifying or changing who would have had these issues before, the new system will not mean that it changes the process of applying for the passport. It means the speed at which the operators will accept and produce that passport. That's the only thing going forward in that regard. And then again, the ability for the passport office to take pictures, that is back on roll again. And sometimes we know they have issues going to various shops to get pictures taken and you get the issue with the passport office saying the passport pictures do not meet the requirements. Customers have the ability to get passport pictures taken at the office. So we've been in a better position. Because of this process, we were able to address some shortfalls that will exist in and for the increase the capacity of the passport office. Yes, very much so. Good. We are talking about increased efficiency. We're talking about speed. And we have, say, a bumper summer probably ahead of us. So we will look into the implications of that as the world is traveling again after the break. She's been watching, waiting, wondering when the sands of time will give way to a tide of change. And for yesterday and today to become a new tomorrow. For a time when her son can kiss the cheeks of your loved one and her stars can twinkle in her honeymoon skies. When her earthly embrace will reassure and calm your soul, old perspective, he has risen to meet new challenges and to provide safe harbor to all who reach her shores. For her hopes and dreams still stand shoulder to shoulder. A precious reminder of experiences yet to come and memories take you. Let her sense of adventure set you free. Welcome back to issues and answers. I am Claudia Monri and we are discussing St. Lucia's imminent migration to the ePassport system. Mr. Lake, I alluded to what might be or can be anticipated to be a bumper summer upcoming as post COVID or with the decrease in the impact of COVID, persons are traveling again after almost two years of not being able to do so. And we're going live on the 25th of July, which is right in the heart of the summertime, our time when we receive a large number of visitors. What is the plan? How do we foresee handling this? There will be a bit of a cutoff period in that regard. The two systems cannot work simultaneously. You can't be printing the old machine-medial passports and printing new passports. There will be a cutoff period. The intention is not to disrupt staff in any way at all. Not staff, members of the public coming with their request for passports. We expect a lot of persons to come in, but with the new system, with the training going on next week and the system coming live, I have no doubt that the staff will be able to handle it. There's just a number of persons who would be wanting to come in in that regard. But a cutoff period where you stop issuing the machine-medial ones to move into the new e-passport. That is the only little hiccup where we have to manage it to ensure that persons who need to travel and you get a request for emergencies and all of it. We open that during that transition period that we have no emergencies where persons would not have the ability to travel. So this is what a lot of time will be spent in managing to ensuring that persons who have to can and everybody else will wait until they get a bank spanking e-passport. And quite so and noting that's a number of persons have been patiently waiting. They've been on hold. That has been managed as well. Whereas I can't speak too much for the immigration department and what they have in hand in relation to the amount of passports, there has to be a migration period where you move away from one into the other. So before the end of the week, we will have discussions with the immigration department to see exactly where they are with that and then we can report or give some more information as deemed necessary. Interestingly enough, when we go live, our domestic population will not as yet be in possession of the new e-passport. But I would imagine of course international and regional travelers whose country have already introduced these documents would have it and would provide us the opportunity to process it and perhaps monitor and evaluate. Yes, the new body management system we have launched is able to read e-passports as well as machine-readable passports. So it's not an issue. We are ready. Once this goes live, we are ready to receive the multitude coming in to enjoy our cannibal activities. We're ready for it. I have no doubt that we can handle that volume of traffic coming in. A significant amount of work has gone through this project. This project could have gone live at least two years ago but the COVID had some issues, especially with no movements from CBN and their persons and shipping lines had stopped. Not all equipment was received during that time factor. So it pushed back all we had to do which brings us to this stage now. Initially, the discussion was to go live in August but the pushback was less to how soon we can get it because of the weight of persons. The world as I said is opening now for persons to travel. So we're able to work out to go live the 25th of July and that's just around the corner. Okay, let us now address the touching issue of the cost of the passport. It's a policy decision taken that the price of the passport be at $250. There was no malice or anything in that regard. It was migration from one system into the other because of the issues we will have with our present system. A number of persons have come out and asked a myriad of questions which we are going to address with CBN as we are going through the process but with all the new technologies and all what is going on there is a definite increase in all aspects of passport production. We don't have any of these resources that are available around the corner. They are specialized equipment that have to be brought in and installed which comes at the cost. I am not sure. I don't know that the government is making any large amount of money or any money in it. The intent is to ensure that we rank up there where it pertains to the 70 percent of the world who have gone through to e-passports and we maintain the credibility of our sandwiched passport and going forward that we will no longer be questioned at any points. And Kathleen spoke about the public key infrastructure or the public key directory which is the key point in showing that we are compliant as far as ICO mandates with passport production. So it is just to ensure that the population or solutions in general who are entitled to passports get a state of the art document accepted worldwide and allows international travel. And as you said we are not isolated in this. The international research shows that counterfeiters and fraudsters kind of have the passport as the document of choice for tampering and other illegal activities. And so as they themselves upgrade in their unlawful business then I would imagine that organizations such as the International Civil Aviation Organization would want to have a response as well so that they could ward off and minimize the impact of scammers and fraudsters. And like Kathleen said from the time when the passport is being created and printed the chip is encoded and it's sealed. And the information we have had are trailing all any tampering at all to that aspect of it will warrant the passport invalid. So once you go through a passport reader at any of the borders the two will not match it will prove that it is no longer valid has been tampered with and right there again right then the authorities can take action against whoever has that passport in their possession. It's a time where as person will see you can beat it at some point in time. As it stands right now any tampering will warrant the travel document invalid and unscanned by any bottom admin system it would pick up the authenticity or see that there have been trials in it in that regard. So I'm satisfied. Yeah but Kathleen how would you advise the hold of an e-passport to handle it in terms of exposure to perhaps water, liquids what could damage it can they scan it can they scan it on their own or take a put it in the photocopying machine and not compromise any of its features. They will handle the new passport as the old one with the same care. The thing is that now it bears also a microchip but it cannot be easily alternated so the the passports the blanks went to hard and thorough quality checks and testing so four hours and hours and different temperatures so they are they are pretty tough but basically handle the the new passport as the one as the as the old one with with a bit of of care even if they are like very very tough. Okay so very tough passports handle with care but it is also a resilient document. Yes yes how many passports are expected on islands in the Stelik overall the brand new passports. We expect 174,000 passports in the first we wouldn't we the intent is not to get all the passports done at once if there are any upgrades to the laminate or any upgrades that Ikea would put forward we get the passports incrementally for production and as that warrants we draw down on what we have so the the whole gamut of passports will not be in sandwich but we'll be with committed bank called on the pond request get passports sent in for printing. Okay and will the the printing be done here or everything is done here. What CBN is doing is actually installing as was previously done with the hand the machine readable passports all equipment pertaining to passport production is being installed we is out with the old and in with the new and the new ranks banking part of it which we can both about now we have state of the art. Okay and we're about to conclude our very informative discussion and I would now like to invite you to make some parting comments and then followed by Kathleen. Okay Senusha we are coming out of the new e-passport there is no rush to change your present passport if your passport is expired and you can hold on until the 25th when we go live coming and get it done persons with emergencies will still need to speak to the immigration department at this point in time there is no need to change your passport if it is valid for a six month period when we go live on the 25th of July then and thereafter you can come and apply for your passports and open up for world travel as it is this is not an intent to force anybody to ending at this point in time but to ensure we have a secure document which meets what the world requires now for all our solution travelers okay and perhaps we can quickly touch on the persons who have the 20th visa and because our passport is for five years as it goes in right now as you do if you're present machine readable passport there is no need to change your visa from one passport to the other I have two passports one if a visa and the current passport so the same would put in you have your new machine your e-passport and your old passport if your visa be it US Canadian French whichever visa you have you travel with two passports we don't have the authority in central to transfer passports from one passport to the other travel with the two in travel means that you need a passport for entry to the country and a visa lets the immigration process take place so you travel if you have two passports okay and Kathleen who has been taking care of the back end of things so as you mentioned I'm here on the island with my my team to make sure that everything will will go according to plan and you will have passport office equipment with state of the technology and you will have a new brand e-passport secured as ever and with a very nice new new design so from the week of the 25th you will see okay thank you so much for sharing so much light on this issue I think that it has been a very comprehensive and productive discussion and has definitely provided the public with a new or fresh perspective on what the e-passport initiative is all about from here at the studios of the government information service I am Claudia Monluy this has been issues and answers saying goodbye


Thank you, Lord. We thank you for your presence in each one of our lives, Lord. We thank you for the outpouring, for the anointing of the Holy Spirit. We thank you for your presence. We thank you for your power. We thank you that both go hand in hand, Lord. And we thank you for this reality. And Master, we thank you for the way that you empower us, that you strengthen us, or the way that you, Lord, guide us through your Spirit. And may each one of us be always sensitive to this, Lord. Father, we thank you, the call for us, Lord, for each one of us. No matter where we are and what we do, Lord, it's the same. It is to proclaim the gospel, to heal the broken hearted, Lord, to open the eyes of the blind, to set at liberty those who are in prison, Lord. And yes, Father God, to proclaim liberty to the captives. Father God, we thank you that you've called us to be, Lord, messengers of hope, messengers of freedom, and also empowered us, Lord, to be carriers, Lord, of your anointing, to dispense us, Lord, of your aroma in every place, Lord. And I just pray that you will use us in that way, each and every day, God, even as we lean on you and not in our own understanding. We thank you, we give you all the praise, and we give you all the glory. In Jesus' matchless name, we pray. Amen, amen. Okay, welcome once again, those who joined a little late. Okay, so we've been looking at the principles of God's prosperity. So we've been looking at several things. We've been looking at several principles, several things to apply, really, several truths to apply. So last class, we looked at how we need to honour God in our finances, we looked at giving and we looked at tithing and arms and so on. And we also looked at how we need to be sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit. So leading of the Holy Spirit, many times we associate with, okay, so-called spiritual matters in understanding the word of God in maybe a spiritual ministry like teaching, revelation, understanding, and also in terms of power, empowering the believer to live a godly life, to say no to temptation, empowering the believer to reach out and do the things, supernatural works of God, to be strong in his power and might, et cetera. So we think of the ministry of the Holy Spirit on those lines, but we also know that God who has the know-how, or God who knows how everything functions, even how the money market functions, how business thrives, God knows that. So when we lean in and we hear and listen to the direction of the Holy Spirit, God wants to fulfil his plan and purpose in our lives. And he will do that when it comes to finances, when it comes to for us dealing with money, when it comes to maybe investment, and all those things. God is interested in causing a believer to do well, and for his plans and purposes. The other thing that we see, let me just share the notes, is here it is. So leading of the Holy Spirit and on similar lines, to receive God's prophetic word, it's in similar lines that the Spirit of God would impart a prophetic word. God would want a now word to be spoken to us, to be shared with us, and that word is to help us, that word is to change us. Maybe we could be in a tough, challenging situation, and the prophetic word is to pull us out of that predicament or situation, and release us into his plans and purposes. To pull us out of danger, to pull us out of need, and release us into his plans and purposes. When we look at prophecy itself, 1 Corinthians 14 talks about that, where Paul teaches, writes to the Quentin believers, and says that prophecy edifies, it brings edification, exhortation and comfort. Edification, which means builds up, exhortation, which means there is encouragement, and comfort. There is consolation and comfort to man. So God's prophetic word does that. And when we look at 2 Chronicles 20-20, we see that God's, receiving God's prophetic word through whomever he sends to speak that word to us, to bring that word to us, prospers us, causes us to thrive, causes us or brings success. Because it's his word, it's not the person, it's not the person whom God uses. Well, of course that person needs to be faithful and all that, but it is his word, which is received in faith, and with diligence, and acted upon, which brings that, which prospers the person. So we see that Paul writing to Timothy, and reminding him to wage the good warfare with what? We know that inefficiency talks about the armor of God and so on. But in Timothy, when he writes to Timothy in Ephesus, first Timothy, we see that Paul writing and saying that by these prophecies, by what was spoken over you, you wage the good warfare. So if it is a battle, you use the prophetic word in order to win that battle. So I'm reading 1 Timothy 1 and verse 18 says, this charge I commit to you, son Timothy, according to the prophecies previously made concerning you that by them you may wage the good warfare, having faith and a good conscience and so on. So wage the good warfare, having faith and a good conscience. And before that he says, according to the prophecies previously made, concerning you that by them, with them, with these prophetic words, you wage the good warfare. So receiving God's prophetic word and acting upon God's prophetic word is very important for us as believers. It is a very important principle in God's prosperity. When it comes to God prospering us. This is another way by which he prospers us. He gives the prophetic word. Now the prophetic word itself, it would come at the right time. It would probably change the way the person is thinking. Maybe the person is thinking all negative. It's very discouraged, is down, is unable to do anything. I just want to share one experience that I had when I was working for this company. But there was a lot of stress because of the targets that were there. We had to, when I was in sales and we had to achieve those targets month after month after month. And some of these targets were weekly. So we had to achieve those weekly targets. Yeah, I think somebody raised a question. So we raised a hand. Rosalind, you have a question? You raised your hand. Okay. Okay, if you have a question, you can ask or you can put it on the chat. I'm not sure if it was my mistake. Anyway, so you can feel free to put it on the chat as well. Okay, so I was in this organization working and there was a lot of pressure. And I was really struggling to, struggling in the sense, I was crippled by fear. I remember one day where I was, one day I just could not work at all because I was thinking, what would happen? What would happen if I did not achieve my targets? What would happen? Probably I lose my job and so on. So I was so paralyzed by fear. So paralyzed by fear that I could not even do anything about it. I remember sitting in the office the whole day. And this, not being able to phone client, call up clients, not being able to go out and do anything. So paralyzed by fear. Now the prophetic word can come like a shaft of bright light during that time. It can just come at that right moment and it does what exactly that. It opens the prison door for someone who is stuck in a place unable to move out, unable to do anything. It opens that prison door. The prophetic word of God, alive, it's now, it's real, so powerful. It really changes the very atmosphere. And that is what God's word which is quick into my heart at that time did when I began to speak that out, when I began to sing it out, then all this oppression, that left, all that fear left. So receiving God's word, prophetic word is very, very important. It's an important principle. So let's look at a couple of verses. We can look at Second Chronicles and chapter 20, verse 20. Second Chronicles 20 and verse 20. So they rose early in the morning and went out into the wilderness of Tekoa. And as they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, Hear me, O Judah, and you inhabitants of Jerusalem, Believe in the Lord your God and you shall be established. Believe his prophets and you shall prosper. Believe his prophets and you shall prosper. Obviously, the prophets who speak the heart and mind of God and the word which comes from God's heart and mind, which changes, brings change for the better. Believe his prophets and you shall prosper. Then Ezra, which is just turn the pages to the next book, Ezra, which is chapter 6 and verse 14. Ezra chapter 6 verse 14. So this was the ministry of the prophets in action. This is what we see when they were rebuilding the temple. So the elders of the Jews built and they prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. And they built and finished it according to the commandment of the God of Israel, according to the command of Cyrus, Darius, and Arta Zexus, king of Russia. So it's talking about the temple work, rebuilding of the temple work, which was done. And here we read about two prophets. That is Haggai and Haggai the prophet and Zechariah. And they were prophesying, speaking the word of God, speaking the timely now word of God, speaking forth which is prophesying. And it says that the people prospered. So in this case, prosperity is that they had the means and they went about successfully completing the building of the temple. So we see that here, so they were successful in it. So we see prosperity is God inspired, divinely inspired, increase is divinely inspired, growth is divinely inspired, success through divinely inspired means and for divinely inspired purposes. So that is what we have seen, we have studied. So this is what happened here. So we see the prophetic word in action. We see the people who were prophesying in action and the people prospered, it says. So we don't know the nature of the prophecy, but it was probably strategies. It was probably words that encouraged them day to day, not to give up and whatever. But it prospered them, brought success. So that is something that we have. So we can open up our lives to the God's prophetic word. So having mentioned that, we also need to understand that in line with the prophetic, of course we're going to be learning about the prophetic and we learned about it in the Holy Spirit class as well. And the gifts of the Spirit, we've learned about prophecy, but just want to remind us that when it comes to the prophetic word, as New Testament believers, we are called, we are instructed to test the prophetic word. We are instructed to test the prophetic word, not despise the prophetic word, but test it and keep it. Test it, which means if it's good, if it passes the test, what is the test for to find out if it's genuine? If it is from God, God is the source. Test the word that there is no mixture, that there is no flesh involved. Sorry. So because we know that God's prophetic word is, the word that comes from God is pure, untainted, powerful, but we also know that the vessel, the human being is limited, fleshly and well, is a work in progress and therefore might make mistakes. So therefore, the principle that we have, instruction that we have in scripture, is to test every prophetic word or test all prophecies, which we see in 1 Thessalonians chapter 5 and verse, verses 20, 21, 22. Do not despise prophecies, test all things, hold fast what is good. Do not despise prophecies, test all things, hold fast what is good. So when it comes, especially in the area of finances, we're talking about that. So especially if it comes in the area of finances, test all things. Don't despise the prophecy, test it with the word of God, test it with the character and the nature of God, will God speak in such a way? Test it to see if it is in conformity with the truth of God's word, if it conforms to God's word or if it's blatantly contradicting God's word. Also, test to see if it's God's pattern of working in your lives. So many things that we can test these prophecies. So we test it and verse 21 says, hold fast what is good. When you test and then there's a witness of the Holy Spirit in your spirit. There is a confirmation, there is a sense of peace about it. Then hold fast what is good. When you know that this is the truth itself, hold fast. Don't waver, be unwavering, hold fast. And like Timothy said, Paul said, to Timothy use it to fight the good fight. Sometimes there could be opposition and God's prophetic word comes at the right time, at the right place. Use it against unbelief, use it against accusations, use it against anything. The situation seems like mountains. So use that and it says here, hold fast to what is good. Don't let it slip out, hold fast to what is good. The next principle that we see is for us who have access to wisdom, knowledge and counsel to get wisdom, knowledge and counsel. So wisdom refers to the ability to use the information that we have. The ability to use knowledge to apply knowledge. So knowledge would be information put together, information about a topic, information about a subject. It's information put together, arranged together and maybe it's also through experience. It's also something that is maybe categorized and set in order to make sense, set in place to make sense. Knowledge is important, then wisdom is important, wisdom comes. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of it, is the starting point of it. Wisdom is the ability to apply knowledge, knowing when to apply where that's wisdom and counsel. Again wisdom or ways, truth that is applicable at the right time in order to solve something, in order to sort out something, in order to bring a solution to something. So knowledge, wisdom and counsel. So the Bible is not against, scriptures are not against that. It's not against wisdom, godly wisdom, godly counsel, it's not against information or knowledge. If you look at the few verses, then we will understand that the Bible is not against that. Well, there is something called worldly wisdom, there is something called selfish ambition. The Bible of course warns us about that, but godly wisdom and understanding and knowledge is something that we are encouraged to receive, encouraged to get. Let's look at Proverbs 8. This is slightly lengthy, we have 21 verses but it talks about wisdom. Which means wisdom in the context of finances, wisdom in the context of running something, running meaning maybe if there is a school, if there is a college, if there is a shop, anything. If there is a business, wisdom enables us to do it well. So let's look at wisdom. Proverbs 8 verses 1 to 21 does not wisdom cry out and understanding lift up her voice. She takes her head on the top of the high hill, besides the way where the paths meet. She cries out by the gates at the entry of the city, at the entrance of the doors.  And you fools, be of an understanding heart. Listen, for I speak of excellent things, and from the opening of my lips will come right things. For my mouth will speak truth, wickedness is an abomination to my lips. All the words of my mouth are with righteousness. So you see, it just qualifies what wisdom is. It's not something that is camouflaging as sin. Many times we have access to media, we have so much of information and advice and wisdom that is out there. But is it something that is righteous? So it says that wickedness is an abomination to my lips. All the words of my mouth are with righteousness. Nothing crooked or perverse is in them. They are all plain to him who understands and right to those who find knowledge, receive my instruction and not silver and knowledge rather than choice gold. For wisdom is better than rubies and all the things one may desire cannot be compared with her. I wisdom dwell with prudence and find out knowledge and discretion. The fear of the Lord is to hate evil, pride and arrogance and the evil way and the perverse mouth I hate. So again, another qualifier. It comes with the fear of the Lord. There's no pride, there's no arrogance, there's no perversity in it. Council is mine and sound wisdom. I am understanding I have strength by me, King's reign and ruler's decree justice, by me, Prince's rule and nobles, all the judges of the earth. I love those who love me and those who seek me diligently will find me. Riches and honor are with me. Enduring riches and righteousness. My fruit is better than gold, yes, than fine gold and my revenue than choice silver. I traverse the paths of righteousness in the midst of the paths of justice that I may cause those who love me to inherit wealth that I may fill their treasuries. In fact, the whole chapter is about it, about wisdom and what wisdom does. And it's kind of figuratively talks about wisdom as a person. So this is something that we see here. The objective of wisdom and the end result of wisdom and the entire process of wisdom. It talks about council, talks about understanding, strength and how wisdom enables rulers who to decree justice, to bring forth justice, Kings to reign and so on. And well, if one has a diligent heart in order to seek wisdom, when one has a fear of the Lord, then wisdom is their possession. There is wisdom. We also see in the book of James where the Lord says, where we are encouraged, where we see if James 1 and verse 5, if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God who gives to all liberally and without reproach and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith with no doubting for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. And let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord because it's not in faith. So the thing is that we have access to this kind of wisdom. You see the wonderful quality of wisdom and what wisdom can accomplish in a person's life and how it says very plainly that I may cause those who love me to inherit wealth. Verse 21, that I may fill their treasury. So wisdom does open door to wealth and riches. Wisdom applied, wisdom followed through. So it comes from God. And God's heart, you know, when it comes to wealth and prosperity for people, you know God's heart. God is not against it. God wants to uplift the ones with need. So we see this and also we do not have to hesitate to ask if we think we lack wisdom. So wisdom enables one, accomplishes this, enables one to accomplish this or accomplish this. But God, when it comes to, you know, people lacking wisdom, God's heart is, when we ask in faith, when we ask unwaveringly, His desire is to give wisdom so that wisdom can accomplish all that. You know, it's not just to make decisions about where to go. It's not just decisions about what should I preach. It's not just decisions about, okay, what song should I, you know, add in my settlers. It's not just those things, but it is also about very practical things. You know, it's also about very day-to-day things that God is more than willing to give His wisdom. And we see the gift of the Spirit also as word of wisdom, which is more in line with counsel. Okay, let's look at a few more verses. Maybe if we can just open up to Proverbs and, you know, we'll just go one verse after the other. So Proverbs 11 and verse 14 says where there is no counsel. Now this is the negative side of it. Okay, if there is no counsel or godly wisdom, the people fall and in the multitude of counselors, there is safety. Okay, so it talks about, okay, you might say, okay, this person was sincere but was not wise, right? The thing is, with all sincerity, you know, God will speak, you know, the posture of that person's heart is sincere and hand in faith and hand in humility. Well, God will make sure that that person has access to wisdom, right? But it's for us, it's up to us whether we can, whether we want to accept wisdom or reject it. So having a good understanding of wisdom will enable us to discern and receive and accept it, right?  So we kind of reject the wisdom that God brings across a path. Okay, so 11 verse 14 where there is no counsel, the people fall, but in the multitude of counselors, there is safety. In chapter 12 and verse 15, the way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but he who heeds counsel is wise. Okay, so again, contradicting, I mean, I mean, contrasting what wisdom does and what would happen if there is lack of wisdom. Okay, chapter 15 verse 22, without counsel, plans go awry, but in the multitude of counselors, they are established. So again, telling us, you know, we might have plans, we might plan in a certain way. But when there is counsel, when there is wisdom, then plans are established. What does it mean when we have multitude of counselors? It means that people who speak or who share godly counsel. Now, in the multitude, when we have such an environment where people share the counsel, then the plans are established. They are made firm, they are, you know, we are able to carry out. Okay, but if without counsel, the plans go awry, it could be a good plan, but you need wisdom to execute it. Alright, so without wisdom, plans go awry. Okay, let's look at chapter 19 and verse 20, and also verse 27, I think. Proverbs 19 and verse 20, listen to counsel and receive instruction that you may be wise in your latter days. Okay, so the importance of, you know, when it comes to receiving and listening, a very important quality that is required is humility and discernment. Humility because you're in a place to receive. You're saying, okay, I want to take it. We're not, you know, we're not filled with pride to say, okay, I know everything and reject it. We're in a place to receive. We're in a place of humility and saying, okay, I need this. I need to know I'm not there yet. You understand your true state. Okay, I might be knowing a lot, but then this is something that I need to know. Okay, so a place of humility where I'm teachable. Okay, at the same time, discernment. Okay, at the same time, discernment. So both are required for us to listen for us to receive instruction. So what will that accomplish that you may be wise in your latter days? Even as you progress in age, you will be wise. Right, and this will accomplish what it needs to accomplish in your life. Verse 27, cease listening to instruction, my son, and you will stray from the words of knowledge.  It is to say, you know, a typical instruction would be like, okay, go left, take five steps, take a right here, right? And many times we'd like to avoid that, right? But scripture warns us as cease listening. If you stop listening to instruction, obviously, you know, it's referring to, again, just qualifying the instruction which leads to life, the instruction which stays, you know, or leads in the parts of righteousness, right? Okay, so cease listening to instruction, my son, and you will stray from the words of knowledge. You know, we will drift away, walk away from the words of knowledge. Okay, so which means that we distance ourselves, you know, we don't realize it. Okay, we stray away from the words of knowledge. If we distance our, if we stop listening to instructions. Okay, so that again calls for a heart of humility and heart that's teachable. Okay, now all this we are studying in the context is prosperity, financial stewardship, financial prosperity, and how God prospers his people, right? You see, this is a very important principle. So maybe we did not think of, you know, we did not link that, you know, make that connection between prosperity and wisdom and counsel and understanding instructions, but there is a link here, right? And so when we stop listening to instruction, we stray away, we drift away, we don't even realize that, but we are the ones who are distancing ourselves from receiving instruction, receiving the words of knowledge, sorry, right? Okay, one more verse, which is Proverbs 20 and verse 18. Okay, Proverbs 20 and verse 18 says, Plans are established by counsel, by wise counsel, which was again establishing of plans by wise counsel. Okay, so we see all these principles that are there. Okay, let's just kind of quickly review. Okay, and we started by looking at, you know, principles for divine prosperity. We started by saying, okay, we want to prosper, we might have an understanding of prosperity, but then in carrying out the task, okay, maybe if it's work, maybe it's business, maybe it's something that you need to do, which God has established, you know, given to you in carrying it out, we, if we are doing it with a mixture of, you know, maybe instruction in scripture and also worldly things, worldly values, worldly standards, then it does not result in the good that God intends for us, right? So we dedicate our work, dedicate our business, but when we operate, how do we operate? We need to operate with the principles of God. So that's how we started. So we looked at, you know, how we need to put God first, right? We need to do what God wants us to be doing, which means you're close to God's heart. You know, God says that he will guide us with his eye, right? So how close do you need to be to be able to perceive that, right? Guide us with his eye. So yeah, so God, doing what God wants us to be doing, to practice righteousness, right? To do the right thing, which brings us to a right standing with God, to practice righteousness. Then we looked at work itself, you know, the diligence with which we work, that work is a vehicle for God to prosper us. Work is like, it's like a tap, it's like a connection, it's like a pathway that God provides for us, through which God provides for us, and through which God provides for us financially, through which God prospers us financially. So the quality of work also matters that there should be diligence in the work. Then we looked at faith, you know, faith is a very important principle that we believe God, we believe that God is who he says he is, and we come to him in faith, right? So when it comes to faith, we know that we believe even before we see it, even before we receive it, that's faith, right? We believe that we will see the manifestation of it, we believe that we receive it, and it's to be, you know, it's evidence of things that, you know, like what Hebrew says, that it is the evidence of things that I hope for, so it is the evident itself, right? So faith, using the principles of faith, so what are those principles of faith?  Then we looked at honoring God in our finances, you know, with our money, you know, it's not something that is closed from God, but it's open to God. He has access to it, so how do we honor God with our finances? You know, God has talked about, God has laid in scripture about tithes, principles about tithes, and we looked at tithes, you know, we saw that how it is not discontinued, you know, why do people not tithe wrong understanding, maybe fear of being manipulated, we looked at tithes, we looked at giving, we looked at arms, right? And we saw that in all this, God instituted and a man paid or gave tithes even before the law was in place, so it came from a place of relationship rather than instruction or commandment, you know, that's how it started, that's how it originated, right? So it is to do with your relationship with God. So honoring God in our finances, then we looked at listening to the Holy Spirit and today we looked at, you know, how we need to receive God's prophetic word, wisdom, counsel, understanding, knowledge, all that, our God's ways by which he prostrates us. So we looked at that. Okay, so we'll stop here and next class we're going to look at the last chapter. So that's going to be a very practical one. We're going to look at, you know, stewardship and all these topics that are listed here. We're going to look at that and some of it is like very practical. So we're going to look at, you know, saving investments, et cetera. Now these are over, you know, it's like basic principles, basic ideas, right? But when it comes to the practical application of it, you know, we need to go into the details of it. Okay, you need to go into the details of it and we know that when it comes to currency, when it comes to banking, when it comes to, you know, all these things, it differs from place to place. You know, it differs from nation to nation. So this is just a basic principle, but you need to go and get that knowledge, get to know how, before you actually, you know, maybe make an investment and so on. Okay, get more details out of that. But these are basic things. So we're going to look at these things, you know, starting with stewardship. Okay, so yeah, so we look at it next class and we'll go through all this. Okay, so we'll stop right here. Just want to remind us that there will be two quizzes. One we'll have by maybe end of this month or beginning of April. And one more quiz by the third week of April. That'll be the final one. Okay, and both the scores will be, will add up to your final score. And the quizzes will be for the online students. Of course, the quiz will be, you know, the announced on the stream, your class stream. So please be mindful of that and go ahead and it will also have a submission date. And for the eLearning students, the quiz will be uploaded and on the chat and you will know about it. And of course, the end of the term is the date for submission of the quizzes. Okay, so we'll stop here. Thank you. God bless. We'll meet again. Bye-bye.


Everybody forced here rippin 20 22 tops definitive baseball hobby three box case number 47 pick your team style Alexandra's Boston Red Sox Bennett's with the Rockies Brayden Brayden Rangers Harper Angels Nationals Braves Rays Blue Jays Padres White Sox Pirates Orioles that's it for Harper right there Jeffrey H Yankees Jordan W Astros Joseph G Guardians Kazuto Mariners and Brewers Noel J. A's Patrick M. Marlins Peter M. D. Backs Rick E Cubs Cardinals Rob L Phillies Ryan M. Reds Tigers Shane M. Metz Simon H Giants Steve L twins Steven G Dodgers and wit with the Royals wit H has the Royals so we can get wit a Bobby Whitford I kid you not I found a reddit post dedicated to obscure Yankee players. I've that's not surprising at all I remember how about Lyle over bed? Oh boy Why hello over bed what Troy Hawkins? Oh Travis Haffner Good job Lane, there you go Lane Eric Hinsky Braves and Blue J. Legend Did I was Jose Offerman? Yeah, that's a good one. All right, here we go cattle in auto. Oh Yeah, I remember Frank Shines someone said razor shines and Twitch a little bit ago Fernando Tati senior Patrick my home senior Red Sox legends Bending the jet Rodriguez that's that count All right, starting off with a very nice Cardinals patch Nolan our in auto five out of five That is really nice That's looks like I'm guessing that's the a maybe part of the D. I think it's the a Either way really nice patch there Rovers patch card Christian Yelich two of 35 the big hurt Jersey auto white Sox Frank Thomas 32 of 40 Pedro Ciriaco Jumbo bat relic auto blue J's is George Springer number 11 of 30 He was he was elite for like two or three years injuries Bobby Bray Bobby Bray was really good though We're doing like we're doing like guys that never had like big notoriety like utility guys like relief pitchers Matt Barnes gonna be that guy. Yeah We've got a jumbo patch auto ultra Matt Olson 15 of 17 a's Congrats a's Maybe just his giant number. I'm guessing Yeah, the ultras are cool glad it get all 17 put it together. It's gonna make I'm guessing that's just a big number patch then There you go. A's will mag that for you. He's dual patch dual auto Chipper Jones and John Smoltz some legends for you Atlanta What a hit Harper Dude, that is freaking nasty Poor color on the Smoltz It looks like at least it's like black. It might be just same blue then might be three colors on both That is freaking nasty everything's gay everything's game used in definitive Everything's game used That is freaking sick. That is a very big card red pretty much color match the brave as well dual auto relic Chipper and Smoltz man, that is freaking awesome And dude, I called this I called this for a wits rookie auto Royals Bobby Whit jr. 22 of 25 Kaboom goodness gracious What a box huge card for Kansas City again, that's wit with the Royals Freakin big card there. He's gonna be a great here. He is very good. Yeah, it's gonna be a great one I think and on the back you got Yankees out of Don Mattingly 14 of 25 Donnie baseball Yankee legend Bobby, how about Melky Cabrera Melky. Wow wasn't he a steroid guy? Oh, yeah Maglia Ordonez. Oh, he was good. He was very good Melky was good for a while too though Those guys are like borderline just guys you that's just guys you do forget though. How about a Joel's you Maya? Detroit closer to like a hundred two Reds patch card nice one there Joey Votto 9 of 30 Melky's a good one Melky's a good one. Thank you. Patch card Astros Alex Bregman 23 of 35 Well, this guy's on the thumbnail And if you know the YouTube thumbnail, you know exactly who it is already because it's the only guy in that sport Seattle Mariners Jersey Auto Randy Johnson five of five Hopefully your pet birds are not watching. They're probably terrified right now Randy Johnson five of five there you go diamondbacks. I'm sorry Mariners. I literally said it first to I Get carried away you guys that's sick. We'll mag that one for you Jumbo Jersey Auto Giants Mike Yastremsky 18 of 50 Nope, never cut my finger good. I think Brad has before Lane has talking about these this to be a low key goodness Gold frame patch auto Orioles Ryan Mountcastle 22 of 30. I don't think the D-backs would be as cheap as they were Yeah, I agree. They have beer though Nice blue J's hit here some legends for the J's Joe Carter Paul Molliter dual auto relic six of 35 You cut yourself with a knife breaking ones, right? Someone in twitch chat Brad's another one. I think Royals another rookie auto here Jackson Co are 17 to 25 Chris Shelton. Oh my god. That's right rumble and Greg Maddox defining images auto Braves Deanna Navarro We have unleashed a storm of just Jerry Hatterson, Jr. This is too many memories at once Box three everybody good luck Royal legend for a while Mike sweetie Mike sweetie. Yep, royal absolute actual like when they were horrible. He was like their one guy This diamond I kind of even releasing this year Lane, do you know? Yeah, Lane said this week this what oh my god Oh, that's right Lane caught it doing something else when you were walking. Yeah, it wasn't that never mind Sorry, Lane, thank Brad did it while breaking but way before me though, like he just told me I think he told me that Fire it's really nice patch here. Kibrian Hayes three of five nice Kib Ryan. Oh Yeah, upper-decky Senate series Jersey card Yankees don't Carlos Stan 35 at 35 Chuck in the bat right there.  I'm all in Doing it. I Can go for a day in the basketball game, dude Jersey auto Rockies Larry Walker 16 of 40 Big poppy jumbo patch auto eight of ten red Sox Sick poppy Get that mag for your red Sox eight of ten that's nasty But the reds coming out at the top to Wednesday daytime release that dude. It's gonna be fire and Goldframe patch auto blue jays Vlad Jr. 5 of 20 holds a nice Vlad's tonight Fine as Bundesliga All right. Yeah, pronunciation is going to be a Wow, this is really cool Montreal Expos dual auto Vladimir Guerrero Larry Walker That is freaking cool, dude 18 of 35 Vlad senior Larry Walker this goes to the Nationals That is nasty Yeah, I'm mad Vladimir Guerrero and Larry Walker. Wow, that's awesome, dude. That's expose go to the Nats Holly should have autos for dormants. Yeah Rookie auto Marlins Edward Cabrera 17 of 50 and Cubs auto Ryan Sandberg eight of 25 Rhino on the back Okay Start with our relics here at Stanton to 35 Yankees Hayes to five pirates Bregman to 35 Astros Votto to 30 reds Brewers yell itch to 35 And Cardinals are a natto 505 some nice looking patches in the relics department there autos now Marlins Edward Cabrera it's a 50 Cubs Ryan Sandberg to 25 Jersey Auto Rockies Larry Walker to 40 Non-numbered Braves Greg Maddox Jackson Coar Royals to 25 Blue Jays dual relic auto Joe Carter Paul Molliter to 35 Gold frame patch auto Ryan Mountcastle Orioles to 30 Giants Mike Estremsky to 50 in the Jersey Auto Yankees Don Mattingly auto to 25 Frank Thomas Jersey auto to 40 white socks that relic auto blue J. George Springer 11 to 30 We had a dual auto this goes to the Nationals the Expos became the Nationals Vladimir Guerrero Larry Walker to 35 It's 18 of 35 Nationals Gold frame patch auto blue J's Vladimir Guerrero junior five of 20 that's one J's Red Sox David Ortiz jumbo patch auto eight of 10 Matt Olson jumbo patch auto ultra a's 15 of 17 Mariners Randy Johnson Jersey auto five of five Bobby Whit jr. Rookie Auto Royals 22 of 25 And a dual patch dual auto Atlanta Chipper Jones John Smoltz one out of one That is freaking awesome. We've got the triple case coming up next. Thanks everybody


Hi, I'm Christopher, I am a Grade 3 analysis developer. I graduated from uni as a web system developer and moved to a Grade 2 role as an entry level analysis developer and then soon moved up to a Grade 3. Currently my role is to maintain and develop some of the applications that the Parliament staff use to help business flow through the Parliament. I like working at the Parliament because there's a lot of senior developers that can help advise if you are struggling and they can provide training for you if you need to be skilled up in other ways.