Running with a Vision!
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Remember that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize. You also must run in such a way that you will win. All athletes practice strict self-control. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. So I run straight to the goal with purpose in every step. I am not like a boxer who misses his punches. 1 Corinthians 9: 24 – 26 (NLT)
If there is any man who is enjoying a great time at the moment, it would be the man whose name and record-breaking feat strikes like a thunder bolt, Usain Bolt."Usain Bolt" who had his 23rd birthday last Friday 21st August. holds world and Olympic records in both the 100 metres and 200 metres and his name and achievements in sprinting have earned him the media nickname 'Lightning Bolt'.
But going through his biography, he said and I quote him, “Well I have been running good since I was 15, so this is no surprise to me. I am sure it is no surprise to a lot of people because I have been doing this from when I was young. I have been doing tremendous things from when I was young. So, this is no surprise to a lot of people”
After breaking the world records in Berlin, he said this in an interview session, “ I keep saying anything is possible. You work hard, you train hard. I still train very hard and running fast races doesn’t change that, but I keep telling you guys my aim is to become a legend”
Efforts and courage are not enough without purpose and direction. - John F. Kennedy
The Jamaican sprinter in the Berlin games collected $320,000 in prize money comprising $60,000 for each gold medal and $100,000 per world record. Whoops!!
Do you also know that Bolt’s recent string of world records was clearly not an expected event, it is not only a world record but has made statisticians and mathematicians to go back to the table because they didn’t predict a 9.69 seconds until almost 2030 but Bolt even shattered this by running 9.58 seconds in Berlin in the 100meters. This is awesome to me for a 23-year old.
He broke the mathematical model that had fit 100-meter record data for almost a century, Bolt’s incredible performance could reset how fast researchers believe humans ultimately can run, but Bolt’s records, the scientists say is nowhere near human limit. Meaning it can still be broken!
To me this means there is still room for you and if not on the track and field but in our chosen professions, vocations, careers and ventures to set the pace, blaze the trail and break age-long records but this starts when we have a purpose for living.
Have a purpose for living!
I love to read biographies a lot and reading through the 23-year old life so far I learnt that he started out early in life although with a passion for the cricket at first but his coach spotted his performance on the pitch and encouraged him to focus more on the tracks. I challenge you to have a purpose for living. God is God of purpose and He has created us all to fulfill a mission on earth, however, He has given us the task to discover, find out, locate and identify the innate gift He has bestowed upon us.
God DETERMINES our purpose, We DISCOVER our purpose.
A man without purpose is a tragedy going somewhere to happen. This is because such a person will always be at the wrong place, wrong relationship, wrong job, wrong career and wrong company at every point in time. Oh! How frustrating to be without purpose. Even if the circumstances surrounding your birth seems accidental, you may be born whether out of wedlock, beside wedlock, under wedlock or before wedlock (whatever), God still has a purpose for your living.
A man without PURPOSE is not fit to live- Martin Luther King Jnr.
Characteristics of Purpose
• Purpose comes before creation;
• Purpose is from God;
• Purpose is permanent;
• Every purpose is unique
• Purposes are inter-related and;
• Purpose requires counsel.
Tips on discovering God’s purpose for your Life
We as humans have God as our ‘manufacturer’ and every manufacturer first determines the PURPOSE of a product and its functions before setting out to produce it, hence, the only genuine source for knowing your purpose is to ask from God if you believe He is your creator. However, since it is not all of us that can hear God distinctly, the following tips can guide us in the discovery of our purpose;
• Check out “that thing” that flows from you NATURALLY or EFFORTLESSLY.
What do you do for others or to better humanity without much stress. It could be singing, dancing, events organizing, public speaking, public relations, sports (like Usain Bolt). No one knows you like you. Settle down and find it out, it may be a pointer to your purpose.
• Check out “that thing” that people COMPLIMENT you for the most.
What do people thank you for the most? Have you led a team or a talk so well that people appreciate you so much but to you it seems normal to you? What do people like so much about you?
• Check out that thing that MOVES you the most.
What do you hate to see? Have you ever wished you could take care of abandoned children or children who are victims of broken and shattered homes? For instance, Mother Theresa found this as her purpose and she stood to address the United Nations. What problem do you wish you have what it takes to solve? Do you hate to see our policemen collect bribes? Do you hate to see violence? Are you hurt when children drop out of school because they can’t afford to pay their fees?
What moves you may become what you’re created to move.
Life is one big road with lots of signs. So when you riding through the ruts, don't complicate your mind. Flee from hate, mischief and jealousy. Don't bury your thoughts, put your vision to reality . Wake Up and Live! - Bob Marley
Please note: These are tips but it can go a long way in propelling you as you discover why you are here. Don’t just sit down and watch. Young boys and girls are already making striking impacts. When will you be shown to your world?
Shall we pray:
Lord, help me to live a purposeful life on earth. Amen
Your First Love
Thursday, August 6, 2009
You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary. Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love. Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place.Revelation 2:3- 5 (NIV)
First-time lovers are exciting sight to behold. From their look, passion, closeness, naughtiness, innocence and laughing-out-loud (lol) expression you can easily identify them. It is arguably quite difficult to forget the first person you dated or gave your love to or gave love to you although the kind of memories that people have about this is another thing entirely as it ranges from regret, hate, bitterness, cheat or even ‘good-old-days’ kind of memories.
Since, I don’t intend to cause a heart-break or hurting of partly healed sores, let me go straight to my thoughts about “YOUR FIRST LOVE”. But before I do, let me echo these three quotes of Oprah Winfrey into your ears,
"Turn your wounds into wisdom"
"We can't become what we need to be by remaining what we are"
“Breathe. Let go. And remind yourself that this very moment is the only one you know you have for sure”
Please let go of your past because you cannot unscramble eggs!- Faith Oyedepo
Let me quickly take you briefly through the journey of when you first accepted Christ. You were the first to go to church, you were in all the church units from choir to ushering. You assisted in the children and youth section and even had time to clean the church premises and all these you did with utmost excitement because of your newly found love. Your best song then was ‘Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound!
You were fresh and energetic, you read your bible for longer hours and you were proud to share your newly found truth with everyone who cared to listen, in fact when there was no one to listen, you had an imaginary pew at home were you preached to an imaginary crowd in your head.Like first lovers who share everything with each other even the meaningless things, you told God everything through prayers. You prayed so hard about every and anything to God from money to buy jeans to passing your common entrance or university matriculation exams. All these you did because you were simply in love.
But what has happened to you over the years? What has your seemingly ‘big need’ for job, partner, admission, or child turned you into? Now it doesn’t even freak you to read your bible, quiet time is no longer fashionable because you have a couple of job interviews here and there and you go from one seminar or meeting to the other. You’ve forgotten the lyrics of the hymn you once loved so much. Like someone who felt cheated in a relationship so badly that (s)he doesn’t even want to see the ex-lover, you have simply forsaken your first love for Christ.
That’s why He is sending these words of caution to you;
REMEMBER AND REPENT
In Christ’s warning to the Ephesian Church, He warned “Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place. Revelation 2: 5 (NIV)
REMEMBER
Before you can re-trace your steps from where you’ve fallen, you need to remember where you have fallen from. Not to fall to the same circumstances again, what were the good things you were doing in the kingdom before now that you have stopped? What service do you render to humanity that you don’t even know why you stopped. But let me say that the kind of memories here is not to cause hurt but not avoid going back to your vomit. Remember!
REPENT
Repentance means taking a U-turn, a detour or simply change of ways. After the appraisal of the height from which you have fallen and a determination to make a change, like the prodigal son, take a definite action to go back to your heavenly father whose arms are always wide open to receive you if you genuinely confess and forsake your sins. But true repentance is not just forsaking the sins but not going back to it again after being forgiven. He says you should repent by doing the things you did at first. Go back to your quiet time, go back to your church unit to serve, start attending mid-week service and rededicate yourself to God. Please don’t let God remove your lampstand- your source of light, your shinning, your fame, your job, your joy. Repent, He is a merciful and loving God!
Shall we pray;
Lord, help us to re-kindle the light of our first love for you. Amen.
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.
Personal but not Private!
Thursday, June 25, 2009
You can't keep your true self hidden forever; before long you'll be exposed. You can't hide behind a religious mask forever; sooner or later the mask will slip and your true face will be known. You can't whisper one thing in private and preach the opposite in public; the day's coming when those whispers will be repeated all over town.
Luke 12: 2 (TM)
Monica Lewinsky! Does that name ring a bell? Of course, you guessed right. She was former President Bill Clinton’s secret lover that almost cost him his presidential seat. But that’s all history.
Opening my e-mail this morning I saw a report on Yahoo! News about the current serving South Carolina Governor in US confessing about his 8-year-long unfaithfulness to his wife by seeing a lady in far away Argentina.
This governor is the head of the Republican Governors Association and has been mentioned in recent months as a possible presidential candidate in 2012. But ironically, this man as a congressman had voted in favor of three of four articles of impeachment against President Bill Clinton, citing the need for "moral legitimacy."
This governor is the head of the Republican Governors Association and has been mentioned in recent months as a possible presidential candidate in 2012. But ironically, this man as a congressman had voted in favor of three of four articles of impeachment against President Bill Clinton, citing the need for "moral legitimacy."
As if this was not enough, this Governor had always left the country without formally delegating his authority and by leaving the country without formally transferring power, critics said he neglected his gubernatorial authority and put the state at risk because It wasn't clear how his staff could reach him in an emergency. How ridiculous to know that Governor Sanford has four boys for his wife, Jenny Sanford who is literally his financier having come from an influential family herself! She has reportedly thrown him out two weeks ago.
My heart sighs as I write this because I had a totally different thing to talk about before now. But the recurring nature of this high profile unfaithfulness to spouse and family calls for caution among us as moral beings.
What is good is good and what is bad is bad!
It does not matter how much we hide, our secret sins we find us out. To involve ourselves in secret unfaithfulness and publicly pretend as if nothing has happened is the height of promiscuity. Jesus says in the above scripture that the day is coming when those secret whispers will be repeated all over town.
Do you know the word ‘integrity’ is from the word to integrate? Integrity literarily means making private same as public.
Do you know the word ‘integrity’ is from the word to integrate? Integrity literarily means making private same as public.
Is your private life same as public life? Am I just a preacher and not a doer? Is there a part of me that is others must not know about? These are the rhetorical questions that you and I should provide answers to and make amends where necessary because sin actually sinks us.
Only a few months ago we heard about a purported claim by UK Home Secretary Jacqui Smith, that she mistakenly bought two pornographic films while paying for internet connection online. These ‘mistakenly’ purchased adult films, which shamefully cost £5 each, were reportedly viewed on 6 and 8 April 2008, although she claimed not to be at home then. She was made a Member of the Privy Council in 2003. Smith is also the third woman to hold one of the Great Offices of State — after Margaret Thatcher (Prime Minister) and Margaret Beckett (Foreign Secretary).
Whether true or false, only God knows. But the point is that whether high or low, poor or rich, old or young. God doesn’t bend his rules. It applies to all.
Do you know it was the supposed private sins of Adam that still plagues the human race till date?
Whether true or false, only God knows. But the point is that whether high or low, poor or rich, old or young. God doesn’t bend his rules. It applies to all.
Do you know it was the supposed private sins of Adam that still plagues the human race till date?
Your sins may be personal but it is not private.
That is why the scripture says;
But the firm foundation laid by God stands, sure and unshaken, bearing this seal (inscription): The Lord knows those who are His, and, Let everyone who names [himself by] the name of the Lord give up all iniquity and stand aloof from it. 2 Timothy 2: 19
But the firm foundation laid by God stands, sure and unshaken, bearing this seal (inscription): The Lord knows those who are His, and, Let everyone who names [himself by] the name of the Lord give up all iniquity and stand aloof from it. 2 Timothy 2: 19
There is no little sin, sin is sin!
What to do;
- Never hide your sin.
He that covers his sins shall not prosper but God is always faithful to forgive us when we sincerely confess them. Proverbs 28:13.. Admit it and confess it to the Lord. How foolish! Covering our sins is like hiding behind a single finger.
- Never hide your sin.
He that covers his sins shall not prosper but God is always faithful to forgive us when we sincerely confess them. Proverbs 28:13.. Admit it and confess it to the Lord. How foolish! Covering our sins is like hiding behind a single finger.
-Never go back to your vomit.
Sin is generally pleasurable but its sweetness is only going to be for a while because the shame it brings outweighs its pleasures. Moses chose to share the oppression of God’s people instead of enjoying the fleeting pleasures of sin for a moment. Hebrews 11: 25
Sin is generally pleasurable but its sweetness is only going to be for a while because the shame it brings outweighs its pleasures. Moses chose to share the oppression of God’s people instead of enjoying the fleeting pleasures of sin for a moment. Hebrews 11: 25
- Be more sensitive.
Most sins come as a mere thought first. But when these thoughts are entertained they find a place and if not quickly discarded, action follows. We are told in Proverbs 4: 23 “Above all else, guard your heart, for it affects everything you do” Watch and pray!
Most sins come as a mere thought first. But when these thoughts are entertained they find a place and if not quickly discarded, action follows. We are told in Proverbs 4: 23 “Above all else, guard your heart, for it affects everything you do” Watch and pray!
Shall we pray;
Lord, help us to finish strong.
Lord, help us to finish strong.
Hardwork or Hardlife?!
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Go to work in the morning and stick to it until evening without watching the clock. You never know from moment to moment how your work will turn out in the end
Ecclesiastes 11:6 (TM)
I am privileged to have all kinds of fathers, from professional, spiritual to of course, biological. I spent the last Fathers’ Day celebration to call and send gifts to all of them and they all poured out blessings on me. But when I called one of my professional fathers who is a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) and was recently promoted to the post of a Permanent Secretary, after praying for me, he said Emma, work hard o!
Of course, this fatherly counsel is not new but it hit me this time like thunder strike that I had to pause a bit but when I recovered from the strike in a few seconds, I whispered “I will try more sir.”
When I hung up, I pondered on what he told me particularly because he has risen through the ranks to the peak of his career.When does hard work becomes hard enough? Am I not hard working enough? What new grounds can I break? The question kept coming which eventually led to what the very words of Christ says in John 5: 17.. "My Father has never stopped working, and that is why I keep on working."
God does not like idleness! In fact, God showed us how important it is to Him from the very beginning such that he gave Adam a work to do before He gave him a wife.
It is an error for a man to get married without a work.
Please don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying we should become workaholics but we should work up to the point that work knows we are working it. Many give up too soon. There is no place for the lazy in the world.
As a matter of truth, the lazy person weighs equally as a great waster. Why? Because a lazy man will never fully develop the latent potentials that God has bestowed upon him thereby wasting it. Proverbs 18: 9 puts it this way, “A lazy person is as bad as someone who destroys things”
Your guaranteed way out of Hardlife is Hardwork.
I try to read a chapter of the book of proverbs per day because it has 31 chapters which goes for the numbers of days in a typical month. Proverb shares so much about the end of the lazy.
Friends, I know you are putting in all your effort. But the truth is that we can do even more. Someone once said the difference between extra-ordinary and ordinary is just the prefix, extra. To be outstanding, we need to do more. So challenge yourself to diligence in adding value to the life of others (this is the greatest of work). As a matter of fact, any work you claim to do that does not make a direct effect on advancing the life of others is not worth doing.But we should also remember to ask for God’s favour on our labour to produce.
Things to note about work
- It is not a curse. Man had work before his fall in Eden
- It is one of the major channels through which God blesses us. (Psalms 1: 3…and whatever he DOES shall prosper)
- It is one of the ways by which our value on earth is measured. We mostly introduce ourselves to others by what we do.
Check out what Proverbs 6: 6- 11(TM)
You lazy fool, look at an ant.
Watch it closely; let it teach you a thing or two.
Nobody has to tell it what to do.
All summer it stores up food; at harvest it stockpiles provisions.
So how long are you going to laze around doing nothing?
How long before you get out of bed?
A nap here, a nap there, a day off here, a day off there, sit back, take it easy
—do you know what comes next?Just this:
You can look forward to a dirt-poor life, poverty your permanent houseguest!
Even if you've not gotten what you love to do, do what you have now and then what you love will come. By all means avoid idleness.
Whatever your hands find to do....... do it with all your might.
Shall we pray;
Lord, cause your favor to rest on our labour to bring forth fruitful flavors. Amen
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
