WANTED: God-fearing Men!
Thursday, July 30, 2009
“And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you? He requires you to fear him, to live according to his will, to love and worship him with all your heart and soul. Deuteronomy 10:12 (NLT)
I must have written about 7 articles within the last 7 days on varying topics as inspired but I don’t think you would have read any of them because I never penned them down. I wrote them all in my imagination. Sorry about that. However, I have decided to pen this down today because of its urgency of the Master to pass this across.
‘Are there still God-fearing men?’ is the question on the lips of most people today especially the single ladies. Admittedly, we all are exposed to situations, scenarios, temptations and circumstances on a daily basis that requires us to make life-impacting and accurate decisions that will not only affect the present but posterity.
A life lived with integrity - even if it lacks the trappings of fame and fortune is a shinning star in whose light others may follow in the years to come. - Denis Waitley
If you ask an average lady about the kind of man they desire, I want a “God-fearing man” has almost become a chorus or better still a common attribute that suggests loyalty and faithfulness, which is every lady’s dream. (Can I get a witness from the ladies…… Amen!) But have the ladies ever wondered that this attribute does not really seem to attract men to the ladies (well that’s a topic for another day, please don’t ask me why)
Stunning Stats
• About 51 percent of children in schools come from homes without fathers;• Every 60 seconds, seven people contract AIDS;
• Homosexuals and Lesbians are agitating for the right to legally adopt children;
• About 57 percent of Christian marriages end in divorce;
• At least 1 out of every 10 girls have been abused sexually by parents, teachers, guardians trusted friends, cousins or siblings before their 21st birthday.
I could go on and on but the truth is that our actions today or tomorrow have untold effect on everyone around us and the above statistics boils down to our erosion of personal values, morale, ethics and of course the fear of God.
X-raying the scriptures, I found out that God will never appoint a man to leadership position without passing the test called ‘Fear of God’. From Moses, Joseph, David, Solomon, Daniel to Paul and the first seven deacons in the early Apostolic church. They all did exploits but not without showing a strong reverence for God, sense of honesty, integrity and the fear of God. Please note: They weren’t perfect but they displayed a strong reverence and love for Jehovah.
Do you qualify?
God is all out today searching for men who can be trusted with riches to better humanity, men who can be used to showcase how awesome God is, men who will lead our nations and show to the world the stuff God can do but among other things, the FEAR OF GOD is a key requirement.
You are in integrity when the life you are living on the outside matches who you are on the inside. - Alan Cohen
If there was any man that could boldly say he is God fearing, then Joseph qualifies by all standards. Why? First, he refused bluntly to commit sexual sins with his master’s wife even when he was in a strange land far from home, which is not the case with most guys outside the country today. For Joseph, it didn’t really matter whether his boss was there or not, God is the factor. He said, “How then can I do this wicked thing and sin against God. Genesis 39:9.
Second, he eventually met with his brothers who had sold him to slavery initially, but instead of staging a revenge battle like most of us would have done, He even consoled his brothers with these words, “But don’t be angry with yourselves that you did this to me, for God did it. He sent me here ahead of you to preserve your lives.”
Fear of God doesn’t mean being afraid of God as it were. Why? Because God has not given us the Spirit of fear but of love, power and a sound mind. 2 Timothy 1:7. The fear of God simply means holy reverence for God or simply to honour God and asking the most important question, WHAT WOULD JESUS DO? The reason why many live carelessly is because they do not reverence God. Jethro, Moses’ father-in law gave the basic requirements for attaining any leadership position in Exodus 18: 21(NLT) and the fear of God still featured prominently, he said, “But find some capable, honest men who fear God and hate bribes. Appoint them as judges over groups of one thousand, one hundred, fifty, and ten.
What to do-Now listen to what the Spirit is saying to the 21st century upwardly mobile guys who have turned themselves to heart-breakers instead of performing earth-breaking and ground-breaking feat for God. Look at your life, can it be said of you that you fear God. Remember, I can deceive man but not God. You can put up a ‘holier-than-thou’ look before men but not before God.
Real integrity is doing the right thing, knowing that nobody's going to know whether you did it or not. - Oprah Winfrey
1. Make a decision to allow Jesus Christ to be the Lord of your life. A life without CHRIST will be full of CRISIS.
2. Be sensitive and don’t play with sin because it will burn you. Flee temptations.
3. Be quick to dust yourself and rise up again even when you fall. God searches the heart. 1 John 2:1
I challenge every man gunning for the top to look at their lives, career, relationship and finance to address the little foxes that spoil the vine. Joseph would have died a slave in his master’s house but for the fear of God. Many young destinies are still being sacrificed on Delilah’s laps all over the world and they become grounded and limited only patching through life for mere existence.
The wisest human King that ever lived, King Solomon says “Here is my final conclusion: Fear God and obey his commands, for this is the duty of every person. God will judge us for everything we do, including every secret thing, whether good or bad. Ecclesiastes 12: 13- 14 (NLT)
Shall we pray:
Lord, give me the grace to fear you in all that I do in order to attain the heights destined for me. Amen.
Personal Discipline: Your Way Forward!
Friday, July 10, 2009
Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. You're not in the driver's seat; I am. Don't run from suffering; embrace it. Follow me and I'll show you how. Self-help is no help at all. Self-sacrifice is the way, my way, to finding yourself, your true self.
Matthew 16:24- 25 (TM)
When I was much younger, I had always seen discipline from the negative perspective, as an instrument of punishment or as an undue imposition of patterned behavior. While these may not be totally wrong, however, I’ve come to realize that we as humans may not attain to greatness until we take responsibility AND MOVE BEYOND externally- imposed discipline and take up self-discipline for our very lives.
It was George Washington, Commander-in-Chief of Virginia Forces that said "Discipline is the soul of an Army." This piece of wisdom is as true today as it was in 1757 because discipline makes small numbers formidable; procures success to the weak, and esteem to all, in his words. Show me a man who is not disciplined in managing time, finances, relationships, career, energy, moods and goals, then you have seen a man that will not attain to much in life.
Every day, the media brings up faces people behind scandals, economic and financial crimes, gross embezzlement of public funds and squandering of resources in the midst of joblessness, poverty and insecurity. But the bottom line is that all these are consequences of personal indiscipline. Solomon was the wisest man that ever lived but indiscipline made him lose it all and eventually turned his back to his source, God. See what he said, “Everything I wanted I took—I never said no to myself. I gave in to every impulse, held back nothing. I sucked the marrow of pleasure out of every task—my reward to myself for a hard day's work! Ecclesiastes 2:10- 11 (TM) And at the end he said, All is vanity.
Before you look too far away, let me ask you a few questions, do you give in to impulse in your appetite, finances and morals? Do you lead a planned life or yours is, “Qui Sera Sera” (What will be will be). Like my mom would always warn, don’t eat with your 10 fingers, save for the rainy days!
What is discipline?
It refers to self-imposed standards and restrictions motivated by a desire greater than the alternatives. To be disciplined is to make decisions dictated by a determined destiny. It is your ability to follow instructions well or living within the boundaries that you have set for yourself. Simply put, look into the future and pattern your life to get there.
A disciplined man doesn’t need to be told when to wake up for instance, he knows when. A discipline lady wouldn’t fall for just any man for money. She’s made up her mind to keep herself till ‘Mr Right’ comes.
A disciplined man learns to say NO to himself – Emmanuel Odedeyi
For Joseph, discipline wouldn’t make him sin against God by lying with his master’s wife when no one was watching. Genesis 39:9
For Daniel, discipline wouldn’t make him defile himself with the Kings meat even when he was a young guy far from home like many of us with student visas in far countries today. Daniel 1: 8
For Paul, he says, “I don't know about you, but I'm running hard for the finish line. I'm giving it everything I've got. No sloppy living for me! I'm staying alert and in top condition. I'm not going to get caught napping, telling everyone else all about it and then missing out myself” 1 Corinthians 9: 26- 27 (TM)
For Jesus, this was how He showed discipline, “Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we're in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now he's there, in the place of honor, right alongside God.” Hebrews 12:2 (TM)
All these, denied themselves, determined in their heart, made up their mind and they all shined in their pursuits. Oh! How we need to be disciplined.
Areas of Personal Discipline
In the beginning, man was tempted from three points, the eyes (saw that the tree was good), the taste ( the fruit was good for food) and desire for power or pride (eating the fruit would make one to be like God). But the truth is that the devil doesn’t have new tricks as our personal discipline will be assessed in these ways.
1. Your eyes
What do you look at? Do you watch pun videos, visit adult rated websites, and indulge in masturbation or lesbianism thinking no one is watching? Remember Solomon, he got everything that he looked at and eventually married 700 wives and 300 concubines. Can you beat that? But it all started from not being able to caution what you look at.
Without discipline the Army would just be a bunch of guys wearing the same color clothing. - Frank Burns
2. Your taste
Many people literarily have sky scrapers and high-rise buildings in their tummy. They are always chewing something and they can spend any amount at fast-food joints for themselves and their friends. The truth is that we must pass the appetite test to enter the promised land. The children of Israel wanted meat instead of manna, most of them didn’t get to the promised land. Jesus was also tempted to turn stone to bread, appetite. Watch what you put in your mouth, it is the quickest way to early grave! Personally, I have disciplined myself to fast at average of twice every week over the last 3 years till date. It’s medicinal and makes you focus too.
The discipline of desire is the background of character. - John Locke
3. Your desire for Power
We may not to look too far to see what some politicians would do for power. Sacrifices, oaths, killings and other dirty things. What has your desire for fame, position and power made you do? Have you stepped on others’ head to climb to the top? As job seeker, do you forged you age just to get the job? Do you give in to pressure to retain your job? How desperately do you want to “make it” by all means? Eve was deceived that eating the fruit would make them be like God forgetting that they were made in His image and likeness. Lets watch out for deception.
Sincerely, to lead a disciplined life, you need Jesus Christ in your life. Without Him, your struggle with sin and emptiness continues. Please feel free to get to chat with me or send a mail on; emmanuelmailingu@yahoo.com.
I love you.
Shall we pray,
Lord, help us to be discipline our eyes, taste, filthy desires, time, finances, energy and life to please you. Amen.
When God seems silent...
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
If a man dies, shall he live again? All the days of my warfare and service I will wait, till my change and release shall come. Job 14:14 (AMP)
Before you read any further, let me put it straight to you from the very start; Have you ever felt as if God is slow? Have you ever waited on Him to the point where it seems He may never show up again? Have you ever wondered why it really takes time before God answers your prayers? Have you ever felt lonely, rejected or depressed? If you have answered an unqualified YES to any of these, then this note is for you.
There are times in our lives when all we want is just an answer as simple as YES or NO or even HOLD ON. But what happens when neither of these responses come and shame stares us in the face because people are eagerly expecting us to say something. Let me break it down to you;
Imagine a young man who after 5 – 10 years of completing high school keeps sitting for University entrance examinations without an admission.
If this same guy eventually gets admission and escapes ASUU axe after turning a 4-year course to 7years, he graduates and then goes through the one year “forced labour” of NYSC only to find out that he still needs to struggle for (x) no of years before he gets a meagre-paying job that can only pay his bills, if it can sustain him at all.
On the other side of the coin, imagine a lady who is really good looking and has a nice job to match, but wouldn’t just find the right guy after many years of prayers and waiting. And age is not helping too.
To push a little further, if this lady eventually gets married and then needs to still wait for a few years to have a child..
A day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day. 2 Peter 3: 8(NLT)
The scenarios above may look far-fetched but I tell you that it describes what someone somewhere has or is presently going through. But if indeed a year is like a thousand with God, then what we may claim to have been waiting to get for 10 years (our time) literarily has only been delayed for about 24minutes (His time). So how long have you been waiting on Him? Have you waited for an hour? Jesus told His disciples, Can’t you even watch with me for at least an hour?
Truth about God’s “seeming” Silence;
1. Our Sins
Listen! The Lord is not too weak to save you, and he is not becoming deaf. He can hear you when you call. But there is a problem—your sins have cut you off from God. Because of your sin, he has turned away and will not listen anymore. Isaiah 59:1- 2(NLT)
One of the major reasons why God may not respond to our call is our sinful nature. Even when Christ was on the cross He cried, My father, why hast thou forsaken me? This was because at this time Jesus was bearing our sins and God’s eyes are too pure to look at sin. So, when He refuses to speak, it may be as a result of our sins. And as you may know that sin includes all forms of disobedience. Or shall we continue in sin and ask that grace would continue? God forbid!
God will not give you a new instruction until you have obeyed the last one!
2. Our Impatience
Many are too busy talking. God does not talk when you are busy murmuring and complaining about everything. Even when we are not living in sin, we may be too desperate at times that we tend to brand God as slow. But read this, “The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise to return, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake..” 2 Peter 3:9 (NLT)
God is not slow but He is actually exercising patience because of you. Why? He knows that if He gives you that thing now, you may not be able to properly manage it as much as you think you can. So, he gives more time to watch you mature. Personally, there are issues I thought I could handle so well about 5 years ago, but now with more insight I know I would have fumbled if I had ventured into them with my pre-mature knowledge 5 years earlier.
God is too responsible to mismanage your lives.
3. Our Ingratitude
We quickly forget past victories and deliverances He has wrought. One of the best things to do after checking through of the first two above and have cleared ourselves is to give thanks. Thanksgiving and praises makes God does fearful things.
Waiting on God is not the same as Wasting away.
Is yours admission, thank him that you even have a good result that can be considered for admission in the first place. I wrote my WAEC exams thrice because I couldn’t just pass Maths at my first two attempts but today I’m a Chartered Accountant and a lecturer at that.
Are you a jobseeker, thank God for seeing you through school in the first place because many didn’t survive what you went through, some dropped out, others fell off.
Are you a guy or a lady who is not yet married and you’ve wondering if God still answers prayers, thank God first that you are “marriageable”. Many are deformed or are in such state of ill-health that their only prayer is to be healthy first. Thank God for not being insane!
I can go on and on but I will rather let you THINK so that you can THANK.
When next it seems to you as if God is silent, be assured that He is right at work to give you your heart desires because if He neither slumbers nor sleep, then He must be busy working things out for you.
Smile!
Shall we pray;
Lord, give me a heart of gratitude to trust you even when it seems you are silent. Amen.
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