God Has Great Plans For Us

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back….. to the place from which I carried you into exile.” – Jeremiah 29:11-14

Sometimes bad situations happen that allow us to question God. If truth be told, there have been rare occasions in the past when I have gotten angry with God. I would ask the famous question - “Why Me?” and He answers “Why Not You!” I never felt like I signed up for the kind of hand that life has dealt me. I am again gently reminded that many would win with the hand I got dealt by life. Still I would sometimes feel down and discouraged – like I have been in a war all my life. A war that seems like it will never end. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve never had a problem with fighting. But there were some battles I would rather not fight. We all know that for every war there would be casualties – mostly innocent ones and the aftermath of way is never a pretty sight. But as I have grown and developed I now understand that there is no real life without wars. The most crucial thing is that you don’t go to battle without God by your side. Victory is only assured when you know what you are fighting for as well as what and who you are fighting with.

Even with all the turmoil that we encounter, God has a divine plan for each and every one of us. No life is an accident. No-one was created without God’s intervention. So if God made each and everyone of us, it stands to reason that he has something specific for each of us to do. So we owe it ourselves to find out what our mission in life is as dictated by the purpose God has for us and get to work immediately. We must use our time to pray study and spend time in his word to find out what our mission in life is. If you are ahead and already know your purpose, walk daily with God to stay on the right track. Regardless of what your work on this earth is, you can’t work it alone! You will need a daily supply of strength and anointing of God to get the job done.

Jesus Christ did not hang on a Cross for us to live dysfunctional, mediocre, insignificant, amoral, alcohol and drug addicted lives. He created us for do great things and to leave a positive mark on the face of the earth – a mark that brings glory to his holy name.

Watch This Space

However, as it is written: “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him” but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. – 1 Corinthians 2:9-10

The more time I spend listening and reading the Word of God, the more confident I get. There are circumstances that I have endured in my life that should have killed my Spirit – at the very least rendered me a patient in a Psychiatric Hospital but God has kept me sane and in peace in the midst of it all. I believe that there is a reason why he allowed me to live. I understand that I am alive and well because he has something special for me to do.

As believers who have been through adversity, we must begin to thank God for the challenges that we have faced. How else can you measure the favor in your life? How else can you explain your ability to succeed and thrive over adversity? Looking back, I thank God for everything that I went through and continue to go through. Quite frankly, I would not have my life any other way. When you are successful at defeating your enemies and shutting up their mouths, people begin to recognize who God created you to be. You begin to see that there is a greater power that lies deep inside of you.

As I continue to move forward into the new things God has for me, all I can say is “Watch This Space”. I know God isn’t finished with me yet. As a matter of fact, he just got started. I believe the life that I was really designed to live has just begun. All I went through was simply to prepare me for where I am headed. God took some considerable time to cut out lot of things I was holding onto in my life that needed to be removed. He also uncovered a lot of gifts and talents I never would have known that I had. He showed me that there is a better way to live and that love can truly be real. He taught me that sometimes it’s ok to quit sometimes especially when I wanted certain things for others that they did not desire for themselves so that I can move freely into my new position.

What Are You Doing For Jesus?

Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have all the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given to us. If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others; let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully. – Romans 12:4-8

As I get older I see myself asking this question all the time. I am a believer and I am eternally thankful that God saw me worthy to sacrifice his Only Son for my sins and the sins of the entire world. But what am I doing for Jesus? How am I spreading the news of his great love to others? Am I getting all the love I can, canning it and then sitting on the can? Or am I sharing the good news with everyone I come into contact with? Did I receive the gift of salvation for myself but failed to share it with people that surround me? I am applying to do a Doctorate that I believe will get me in the direction of bringing the news of the love of Jesus to others. I hope I will be able to share with others that there is hope and peace in the God of Heaven. But as I embark on this professional degree, what am I doing right now? Am I trying to do all that I can to be an ambassador for Jesus Christ?

God wants us to spread his glory across all nations of the earth. We are all one body but we all have different functions. I am grateful that I have found my function and I can use it in a small way to give others hope for life in this realm. We all have to do something for the kingdom of God everyday no matter how small. We should never compare the magnitude of what we are doing with what others are doing. We should be more concerned about our motives for doing what we do. God is more concerned about the “why” than the “what”.

I am not expecting that by sharing others would be changed overnight. The task and power of transformation belongs only to God. I however hope to be a tool that he uses to draw people to his love. Whatever gifts that we might have, let us utilize them on a daily basis for God. Let us use our talents to bring more people to the knowledge of our Lord. I know that there are many missionaries around the world but the Bible clearly states that the harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Make a decision to be a worker in God’s field today to assist with the harvest of souls. May God strengthen you and give you courage as you step out – Amen.

True Service Comes from the Heart

Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners – of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life. – 1Timothy 1:15-16

I met Linda two years ago at the church that I attend. Every Sunday she would match gallantly up and down the row of classrooms in the Children’s Ministry wing of the church building. She was always busy but she never failed to say hello. She always has this great big smile on her face – she always looked happy. I found out that she has held this position in the church for many years and has always been dependable and hard-working. This wasn’t her day job. But she did this faithfully every single Sunday between the hours of 8 AM and 1 PM. She attended the 6 PM service every Sunday so as not to miss the sermon for the week. Linda loved to serve in the Children’s Ministry. She exemplified what serving from the heart truly means.

Not everyone working in the church is like Linda. Some treat service in the church like a circular job. They grudgingly stand at their post looking like they’d rather be anywhere else but where they have chosen to serve the Lord. If accurately embraced, I believe working in the church is probably one of the greatest avenues to share the special gifts and talents that God has bestowed upon us – to participate in the very things that give us real joy. Even if we are miserable in the job that we have in the world, there is no reason to serve in a capacity that we do not enjoy in the church. Working in the church is a great opportunity to serve from the heart. True service only makes a real difference when it comes from the heart.

As believers, we are saved by the Blood that Jesus shed for us on the Cross of Calvary. We cannot earn our salvation – it has been given to us by grace. That means there is no need to pretend in the House of God because he sees our hearts and our motives. We owe it to ourselves and to God to find our niche in the House of God in order to bring service that truly comes from the heart.

Finding Your Purpose

We are all searching for meaning in our lives. We want whatever we do to mean something. We want to leave a lasting legacy for the generations behind us. But we are sometimes frustrated in the job that we are in because we see no meaning to what they do. We often wonder if there is more to the daily grind than the paycheck that we earn. I myself am not disillusioned. I do not believe any organization hires anyone to make them rich. They hire so that the company can make more money and the shareholders can get richer. If you are good at what you do, they pay you enough so that you keep showing up everyday; they provide enough benefits so that you won’t quit!

When we discover what we are really called to do, we feel motivated and God puts a desire in us that makes us eager to change and affect the world. Our vision changes from being local to global. We want to add value to the world and to the lives of other people. Our purpose begins to drive every aspect of our lives. It drives what we spend our time doing and how we do it. Our purpose gives us a reason to get out of bed in the morning without the sinking feeling “Oh what another day!”

I myself chose my Doctorate degree based on what I strongly believe is God’s vision for my life. I really believe God has a special mission for me. My ministry is simple – I am passionate about healing and recovery both of the body physically and of the spiritual mind. My mission is to empower others to maximize the life they have and understand that it is indeed possible to win with the hand that life has dealt. To train people to reach within and understand that the power to succeed exists deep inside of them – in a place where they can never lose or miss it.

My desire to encourage people to find real meaning to their lives deepened as I quickly learned that our mission in live is not to make money. Money can make things easier but it solves nothing – at least nothing important. No money in the world can help a dysfunctional mind get better. It’s finding one’s purpose that brings light into an otherwise dark existence. It’s the fuel that propels you to keep going and believing regardless of the obstacles that life throws your way. It’s the healing balm that allows you to recover from life’s tragedies as deep down there is that hunger to make your mission a reality.

If you have not found your purpose in this world, I encourage you to do so. Do not waste another moment trying to be a square peg desperate to adjust to a round hole. When you find your spot, everything fits.

A World Devoid of Magic

For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: “If a man will not work, he shall not eat. – 2 Thessalonians 3:10

Jonathan is waiting – waiting for something to happen before he applies for a real job. You see, Jonathan is what you call a dreamer. He rises late and sleeps early. He sits in his one bedroom studio apartment in between working on various business plans; plans he has been developing for over a decade yet nothing seems to be happening. In the meantime he fails to do anything else because he believes so much in his dream. He relies on his parents, siblings and the government to float him while waiting for things to come together. “Why work in Burger Delight? That kind of job is beneath me he says to his friends. When I make my first million in 18 months, you’ll be sorry you encouraged me to work in a burger joint for $6.50 an hour”. His family is fed up with him but they love him too much to tell him the truth. So they watch as he celebrates his 42nd birthday waiting for that magical moment in life. There is no money coming in. Bills are left unpaid. Creditors are calling 24 hours a day but Jonathan will not budge – it’s his dream or nothing at all!

We all have dreams and goals that we would like to pursue but in reality we also have bills that must be paid. The Bible is clear about the correlation between working and eating. He who refuses to take a job should not eat – period (unless some sort of mental or physical disability occurs). But people like Jonathan exist everywhere. They waste their entire lifetime waiting on magic. His family, unbeknownst to them is enabling Jonathan’s dysfunction. They may see their actions as help but they are disabling him. They make it easy for him to go through life blindly – oblivious to what is going on around him. Jonathan is waiting and hoping that by some magical phenomena his dreams will all come through. His dreams are not the issue; failure to face reality however is a big problem.

Even when we have big dreams, we must take any job we can find and keep working until our dreams can afford to pay our bills. Our time on earth is limited. Jonathan has been waiting for 42 years! God’s people are meant to be a doing people. If we do, God will surely bless. I believe strongly that Jonathan can do but he simply doesn’t know. To be a doing person you must be a knowing person. The correlation between what we know and what we do cannot be under-estimated. Jonathan is ignorant and his family and friends continue to fuel that ignorance. We all need to have the ability to dream big but at the same time start small. Who knows what God will do when you start right where you are?

My advice for all the Jonathans of this world – get going on the burger flipping gig! There is no magic in this world. You get whatever it is you put in unless you resort to crime. $6.50 is way more an hour than you are getting right now. Small steps will ultimately lead to great strides.

Know God; Obey God

And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries: but the people that do know their God shall be strong and do exploits. – Daniel 11:32

In life, people will draw us away from God if we are not firmly rooted. If we end up going against God, we may end up ruining our own lives. These people may be friends, acquaintances even family. They may have your best interest at heart. They may even know the Word of God but have no knowledge of the God of the Word so they mislead and misguide in innocence. The benefits of knowing the Word of God cannot be over-emphasized. You cannot fight spiritual warfare with the sermon that the Pastor of your church preached last week! You must know God in your heart for yourself so that you can quickly discern when advice and direction is erroneous. It takes a lot of courage (like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah had) to do what is right and to resist everybody urging us to do otherwise.

Nothing lasting in life comes without its struggles and what goes up will surely come down. We all go through cycles in life and when we make mistakes all we can do is take time to contemplate over our errors, understand where we went wrong, take responsibility and move on with life. The issue is to not to attempt to live an error free life in our strength but to ask for the guidance of the Holy Spirit in daily living. The need to request for a fresh supply of God’s powerful anointing on a daily basis should never be ignored. It is only through the grace of God that we are able to make wise choices. It is only the grace of God that allows us to say No to sin. We cannot do it by ourselves. And when we resist the still small voice inside of us and go in the wrong direction, we must quickly re-calibrate our compass of life, seek the forgiveness of the ones that we have wronged and continue on the journey of life with God. Failure to make restitution to the ones that we have wronged goes against the principles of God by which we are meant to live our lives. We are not to be arrogant and hold on to a sense of entitlement to do wrong. Should they choose not to forgive; we rest in the knowledge that we sought their forgiveness.

When we know who we are and whose we are, we are able to do mighty things for the Kingdom of god. We will cease to live mediocre and meaningless lives – chasing after shadows and illusions that we will never attain. The Word of God keeps us grounded and focused on what is important in this realm and in the next.

Deliverance Methodology

Having said this, he spit on the ground made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes. “Go,” he told him, “wash in the Pool of Siloam” (this word means Sent). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing. – John 9: 6-7

We all want deliverance in one or more areas of life. And if we had our way we would like to choose the methodology by which we are delivered. We want God to work under some preset guidelines that we have worked out in our minds. We will even pray on the manner we would like him to use. But God does not confer with us in any way on the method by which we will be saved. So many of us miss our miracle because it’s not packaged exactly they way that we’d like. That is why many follow tradition and miss the opportunity of a lifetime because God used someone or something outside of their tradition. Speaking from experience, there is nothing worse than missing your turn!

This man in the above scripture had been blind from birth. He had never had sight and had no knowledge of what world he lived in with regards to colors, shapes and nature. I am sure if he could choose the way that he would have liked to regain his sight, he would have chosen a more dignified and classy methodology. Maybe he would have preferred that Jesus simply spoke the Word into his life or touched his eyes. Maybe the Lord could have blown softly into his face. But none of that happened. Jesus spat into the soil and made mud. He put the mud on the man’s eyes and sent him somewhere else to get his healing – the Pool of Siloam. Yuck you might think. But God’s ways are not our ways.

Not only was the method of healing here very unorthodox, Jesus sent him to a pool to wash. This would mean that even though he was healed the minute the mud touched his eyes, he could not see until he had washed in the pool as Jesus directed. In essence, the man was encouraged to play a crucial part in his own healing. Failure to go the pool may have meant he would never have regained his sight. Sometimes God will send us somewhere else to see the manifestation of his blessings. We may prefer that God bless us right where we are but God might have a completely different plan.

This is why it is so important that we do not get hooked on anything. We should never be too comfortable as disciples that we are hampered from going in another direction because of “stuff” that we have accumulated over time. God may call us to leave our house and possessions and go get our healing somewhere else. We should be open to whatever God wants to do with us and in our lives. Whichever way He chooses to set us free should be the way that we want. I don’t know about you but I have reached a time in my life where all I want is the will of God for my life – nothing less; nothing more. Any methodology he chooses to deliver me is fine by me.

Progress Through Struggles

I was reading through the March Edition of the Forbes Magazine about the richest people in the world. I was mostly drawn to specific entrepreneurs that had started from ground zero – meaning those that came from nothing. Those that had the clause “inherited”, I dutifully skipped. Even Bill Gates did not make my list of billionaires to review simply because he didn’t start from zero.

I was particularly interested in Micky Jagtiani whose father worried that he would never amount to anything. The words and actions of a father are very significant in the life of a child but Micky must been the kind of person who loved to hear the negative words “You Can’t”. Those words probably fueled his desire to make something of his life. He wasn’t left much in terms of inheritance but he worked his way and struggled to create an empire and make the Forbes Billionaires list. He however wishes that his father could see him now. He believes that his dad would cheer!

There is no growth without struggle. So why do some manage to survive major obstacles and struggle to make something of their lives while others simply crash and burn? I have a few ideas. I think people who make it through tough times are strong and optimistic. They understand that trials and tribulations are just temporary setbacks. They have developed the skills that enable them to choose healthy responses to failure and defeat. They do not allow sporadic occurrences of negative circumstances dictate the sum total of their lives. Bad things to optimistic folks are simply temporary conditions that will eventually depart through the very same doors they walked in. They appreciate the negative occurrences in life and are able to separate them, learn from them and move on. People who manage to grow through struggles refuse to let pain, defeat, trials and hard times creep into their hearts to build a home. They have chosen to create an altar deep in the recesses of their hearts that no circumstance or human being can touch. That special place is reserved and out of bounds.

Pessimistic folks on the other hand love the words “Always” and “Never”. Bad things will always happen and good things just never do! They allow life to have its way – letting isolated bad situations dictate the outcome of their entire lives. If something good happens, they see it as a fluke. They eventually grow old negative and cynical; angry with the world and everything it represents. They hold deep resentment for those who have managed to rise above circumstances and have bounced back from life’s tragedies.

We should all aim to be optimistic. We should all use our struggles as fuels for development and self-education. Life should not simply wash over us and toss us around. We have to take life on with both hands. As we struggle, we are encouraged to continue to plough through life with optimism because we are holding on to the knowledge that a breakthrough is coming. Maintain a forward motion always if not other reason but because we have faith in the God of Heaven.

Getting Prepared While You Wait

He gives strength to those who are tired and more power to those who are weak. Even children become tired and need rest and young people trip and fall. But the people who trust in the Lord will become strong again. They will rise up as an eagle in the sky; they will run and not need rest; they will walk and not become tired. – Isaiah 40:29-31

“Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.” – Matthew 25:13

I don’t know about you but I am waiting on God for a few breakthroughs in my life. And as I wait I am learning to build up my strength and resolve. Why? Because when those things that God has promised in my life manifest, I must be ready to move in the right direction. I cannot afford to be caught unawares. If you’ve ever read the Parable of the Ten Virgins, you’d know what I am talking about (Matthew 25: 1-13). Five of the ten virgins had no oil for their lamps and ended up missing the bridegroom. Waiting must be accompanied by preparation or it serves no purpose.

When our breakthrough comes, we will need strength to deal with the immense responsibility that is bound to accompany the blessings – we’ve all heard the saying “To whom much is given, much is expected”. When we have not adequately prepared for the next level in life and we get the promotion, we are unable to maintain our position. We have enough faith to pray for more but we lack the strength and the grace to stand in the presence of more. We quickly fall flat on our face and end up selling our birthright for a bowl of soup.

Coupled with the demands that new blessings bring, we have to deal with folks who somehow believe that our being blessed and promoted is at their expense. You are suddenly surrounded by a wealth of controversy and back lash which you will not be able to survive without strength. It takes great strength to be comfortable in the midst of extreme controversy. It takes massive courage to keep walking – focusing on the goal while making a conscious effort to ignore all the gossip and side talk.

You may be waiting for that special job position but is your resume ready? Have you read every available book and magazine about the field? What do you know about the hiring organization? You may be waiting to meet that dream someone and there is finally hope but so far you failed to join Weight Watchers 6 months ago as you said you would so the weight you resolved to loose at the beginning of 2007 is still around your waist in mid 2008. Sometimes we fail to build strength until it is too late!

While we wait for the supernatural days when all things will fall into place and make sense, let’s spend the normal days preparing. Let’s not waste the regular days simply waiting on the Lord. To mount up as an eagle will require a lot of preparation. God’s blessings are ever-lasting when we are prepared.

Patience: A True Virtue

Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait till the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men’s hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God. – 1 Corinthians 4:5

Let your patience show itself perfectly in what you do. Then you will be perfect and complete and will have everything you need. – James 1:4

I have learned not to make rash decisions. As the Bible says in Ecclesiastes 3, there is a time factor to everything. When we are patient and we wait on the Lord before making life changing decisions, we get instruction from the Holy Spirit as to which direction to take. In time every hidden agenda will be exposed if we learn to be patient. But the problem we often have is that we do not look before we leap. We judge people before they come fully into their own. We quit jobs at the drop of a hat because we are not “happy”. We never stop to think that God maybe placed us there for a reason – a reason which will be revealed to us when we learn to be patient.

Nothing happens to us by accident. Everything we experience has a purpose. As we mature and go through life we get older and hopefully wiser. The tragedy of having no patience and giving up on things and people too soon is that we give up on what God is trying to do in our lives. We are quick on to move into the next job, the next marriage and the next country living under the illusion that this new experience will be better than the last. Unfortunately, reality never really hits that God wants to teach us a lesson we so desperately need to learn. We end up repeating the same class over and over again.

In life there are so many absolute truths that we can never grasp until we learn how to be patient. Refusal to pick up this virtue will make us look like a trapped rat – going round and round a washing machine in spin cycle. We would be making all sort of spastic movements but our lives will have no real progress. If we took inventory of our lives, we would be quick to realize that nothing has changed for us at all.

God wants us to learn how to be patient so that we can endure. As only endurance produces the kind of character that He wants us to have. Without patience, one is reduced to being a flake with no stability, anchor or grounding.

Finding My Anchor

You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit – fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. - John 15:16

Due to certain circumstances in my life, I was lost for many years. I went through each day, month, and year with little or no mission. I just fumbled along. Yes I was functioning as a responsible member of society but I had no idea who I was or what I was worth. And because of that, I opened myself up to be abused and misused. It took great turmoil to get me to where I am today. But I have to say, looking back, it was all worth it.

I had “known” intellectually about God’s love for a long time but when I came to really accept and imbibe what it meant; my whole life was suddenly transformed. I actually meant something to somebody. I was accountable to someone. I belong to a purpose and a vision much bigger than I could ever imagine. Suddenly everything I had gone through in my lifetime began to make sense. I felt a strange desire to search for meaning to my life. Who am I? What am I created to do? If Jesus really loved me, why did I have to go through all that pain to get to where I am now? Now I know that it was all training; training for where I was meant to go and who I was designed to be.

I never thought God had time for the intricacies of my life. But I as I studied the Bible and listened to sermons, it became clear that God cared about me. He wanted the best for me and everything I had experienced was for a purpose. He hung on a Cross for me so that I could have life abundantly. Scripture after scripture reminds me that Jesus did not sacrifice himself so that I could live a defeated, purposeless, mediocre and unfulfilled life. Every thing he endured on the Cross of Calvary was for my sake. I know now that I was hand-picked to play a special role in this world. A role no other person can play quite like me.

Now my vision is clear. I understand who am I and whose I am. I fully comprehend my mission in life. I still have a lot of growing up to do but I am loving every part of the journey. God has become the center of my life without whom I can’t function. I go to bed thinking about all he has for me and I wake up with great joy knowing that it is only a matter of time before all is manifested in my life. God is my anchor – He keeps me grounded and focused on what is important so that I don’t waste my life wandering through wildernesses I wasn’t meant to be in. Every day I get a fresh revelation of who God is and what he wants to do in my life.

I have finally found my center.

Wanting God’s Will

Every plant not planted by my heavenly Father will be rooted up. – Matthew 15:13

I watch as people go back and forth with their lives, making hasty decisions and not counting the cost before they begin to build. There is only one will that should matter to us and that is God’ will. Nothing else matters. Our time on this earth is limited and we must decide how we want to use it. Do you want to live your life living for you and doing what you like when you feel like it? Or do you want to follow the will of God? Living a life based on feelings is just being stuck on stupid. Feelings are not reliable and cannot be trusted as they change based on circumstances. On the other hand, following the will of God is not a bed of roses but you will always reap in the end if you don’t give up.

It is not about getting busy doing the work of God. It’s about finding your place in God’s work. How do you find your place? You find your place by waiting on God for his direction. When God reveals his will for our lives, then our work in the Kingdom of God can really begin. God is always the initiator and we are the responders. It serves no purpose to be operating in the body of Christ in areas that lead you into despair and frustration. Even in God’s economy, our service must be in line with the gifts and talents that He has bestowed upon us. Every strength, idea, talent and gift that has been given to us must be used in serving God.

The foundation of anything we do should always be the will of God. It is only by following the will of God that we find joy, fulfillment and real fruitfulness in the Kingdom of God. The will of God should be desired and sought by all believers – it is a continuing process that will go on as long as we live. His will is the only solid foundation upon which we can build secure lives.

Grateful for Closed Doors

Next Paul and Silas traveled through the area of Phrygia and Galatia, because the Holy Spirit had told them not to go into the province of Asia at that time. Then coming to the borders of Mysia, they headed for the province of Bithynia, but again the Spirit of Jesus did not let them go. So instead, they went on through Mysia to the city of Traos.

That night Paul had a vision. He saw a man from Macedonia in northern Greece, pleading with him, “Come over here and help us.” So we decided to leave for Macedonia at once, for we could only conclude that God was calling us to preach the Good News there. – Acts 16: 6-10

There are times in life when things don’t go the way we had prayed and hoped. Maybe you prayed for a job but didn’t get it or you prayed for God to heal a relationship and the relationship did not get healed. May be you are having financial trouble and about to lose your home and you’ve done all you can but nothing seems to be working and you are looking at foreclosure. Regardless of what kind of loss we suffer in this realm, we must know that all our tests, trials, storms, misfortunes and inconveniences are all ordered by the Lord. Nothing happens to us by accident. Difficult as it may be, every issue we face as believers has an intelligent rational behind it.

I remember being interested in a job a few years ago, I studied and prepared as best as I could. I really believed that the role was mine. Unfortunately, the hiring firm decided to choose someone else. I didn’t understand what was going on. I had prayed for it and I believed it was the right fit for me. But I have since learnt that anytime God does something that I do not understand, he is definitely up to something. Very soon after, I got another job which has sustained me and continues to do so. This current position fits my circumstances and makes my life manageable. I believe that God closed the door on the first job because he had something better for me down the road. If the first role did not fall through, I never would have been attracted to the second role. The first job may have been the best job in the world but it wasn’t the best job for me as far as God was concerned.

Always remember, God’s timing is perfect. A closed door is not a loss but a divinely orchestrated move by God to stir us in the right direction for our lives. When God closes a door, no man can open it and when God opens up a door, no-one can close that door. I have had a lot of closed doors in my life but at the same time walking with God allows me to see new open windows. A closed door enables me to feel attraction for a new and better open door. We all like the familiar but when God has a calling upon your life, he will close some doors for good. Learn to be happy and grateful for closed doors and always be on the look out for fresh open windows.

Value of Obedience

If you keep my laws and are careful to obey my commands, I will send the seasonal rains. The land will then yield its crops, and the trees will produce their fruit. Your threshing season will extend until the grape harvest, and your grape harvest will extend until it is time to plant grain again.

You will eat your fill and live securely in your land. “I will give you peace in the land you will be able to sleep without fear. I will remove the wild animals from your land and protect you from your enemies. In fact you will chase down all your enemies and slaughter them with your swords. Five hundred of you will chase a hundred and a hundred of you will chase ten thousand! All your enemies will fall beneath the blows of your weapons.

I will look favorably upon you and multiply your people and fulfill my covenant with you. You will have such a surplus of crops that you will need to get rid of the leftovers from the previous years to make room for each new harvest. I will live among, and I will not despise you. I will walk among you; I will be your God, and you will be my people. I, the Lord, am your God, who brought you from the land of Egypt so you would no longer be slaves. I have lifted the yoke of slavery from your neck so you can walk free with your heads held high. – Leviticus 26: 3-13

I have met folks who have heard God speak to them and appear to them in the physical. That has not happened to me yet. Rather, I hear God speak in my Spirit – he impresses upon my heart when to act and when not to act. And sometimes I ignore that still small voice and go against it but I always circle back in the end as the decision to oppose the directions of God often leads me into trouble.

Obeying God is vital. It is the only key to successful living. There is even a significant difference between prompt and delayed obedience. When we act immediately based on God’s word, we avoid damaging consequences. If we delay, we are able to mitigate damage but there will still be some price to pay for not acting quickly. Anytime we decide to take the steering wheel in our lives and do things our own way, we pay for our choice. Things may appear to be working perfectly in the beginning but time will soon show us the error of our ways. It’s like when they say love is blind but marriage is wide-eyed and sober! Bad choices always look good in the beginning. The more we rationalize our self-entitlement to wrong-doing, the better it appears.

But God has wonderful promises for us when we do obey him. I have found that obedience gives me great peace. Even when all hell is breaking loose around me, there is a certain level of peace that is simply untouchable. Obeying means I always have surplus to live on. God provides for me just what I need and when one door closes, he opens another. There are times when I manually do up the numbers on my expenses and things just don’t add up in the natural sense. I can’t explain it; I just accept it. When we obey God, he looks favorably upon our lives and makes crooked places straight for us. The minute we feel as if we cannot go on, he sends a supernatural wave of strength to get us through the hump that we are dealing with.

Obedience is something I learnt the hard way. I had to stumble and fall flat on my face in order for God to get my attention. Looking back now, I wouldn’t have had it any other way but there was a cost I had to pay. Let us endeavor to obey the Word of God so that we can sleep well at night, hold our heads up high and be free from guilt.

Expensive Lessons Learned

Oh what joy for those whose rebellion is forgiven, whose sin is put out of sight! Yes, what joy for those whose record the Lord has cleared of sin, whose lives are lived in complete honesty!

When I refused to confess my sin, I was weak and miserable, and I groaned all day long. Day and night your hand of discipline was heavy upon me. My strength evaporated like water in the summer heat.

Finally I confessed all my sins to you and stopped trying to hide them. I said to myself, “I will confess my rebellion to the Lord.” And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone. – Psalm 32:1-5

In the 37 years that I have lived on this earth, I have learned some valuable life lessons. There are some things that I now know for sure without a shadow of doubt. God has definitely given us everything we need for godly living. Everything we need to be, who we are is in us and around us we just need to have faith. I have also leaned that the presence of faith does not mean the complete eradication of doubt. Even in the most faithful believer, there will be occasions when faith and doubt will comfortably co-exist. The occasional presence of doubt does not belittle faith; it just confirms your existence in this physical world.

In reality most of the things we worry and fuss about, we do not even need to pray about. God has instilled in us an acute sense of reasoning. Our God is a thinking God so it stands to reason that we should be thinking believers. We have in us the Holy Spirit to assist us in weighing situations and conditions so that we make the right decisions. We are no longer taking irrational steps and making senseless decisions about our lives and the lives of the ones God has placed in our care. Responding to side-talk and criticism is a complete waste of time. As long as we are alive there will always be somebody who does not like us and what we are about. It’s time for us to learn how to be comfortable with controversy.

Personally, the appreciation for the provisions God has made for me has increased. I do not take any single opportunity that I have to improve my internal dialogue with God for granted. The Holy Spirit is my compass – I cannot function without Him. I move when he tells me to in perfect obedience. I know that it is important to either walk alongside God or a few steps behind him trying to catch up but it is disastrous to go ahead of God under any circumstance. I finally learnt how to let people go; understanding never to try and convince those who are bent on leaving to stay. Helping them pack up is the best thing that I can do for them. I now understand that they left and could not be convinced to stay because they were never meant to be a part of the final victory.

I have also learned that there is so much more to life than what we can see in the physical. God has a plan for our lives. When we come to him in humility and surrender our lives to him, we are forgiven and all guilt evaporates. The lessons we have learned will only serve to get us closer to our purpose.

Strength in the Lord

Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is on the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruits in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers. – Psalm 1:1-3

The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. My heart leaps with joy and I will give thanks to him in song. The Lord is the strength of his people, a fortress of salvation for his anointed one. – Psalm 28: 7-8

Our associations are very important. We must think carefully on whom we let counsel, direct and advise us. Because life is a battle and who we choose to fight this battle with is very important. We must keep a keen eye on where we go, what we do and who we do it with. Even though we are no longer under the law, Jesus saved us so that we can be aware of the law but not condemned by it. How impossible it will be to live a holy life without his help. We must do our best not to take the grace of God for granted by intentionally and perpetually living in sin. How do we do this? We can walk on the straight and narrow by keeping the commands of God close to our hearts. What we spend time on will eventually be a part of our heart and soul.

If we are ever in a position where we struggle with fleeing from wrongdoing, God is there to strengthen us and help us through. When we start to use his word as our source of power, we become more grounded. Our beliefs are strong and we are not easily swayed by the enemy regardless of what form he shows up in. We start to produce the fruits of the Spirit – we show compassion and grace even to the undeserving. We have joy and peace in our lives like never before. We are kinder and have a great degree of self control. We not like a fluff in the wind being tossed to and fro by our circumstances. Everything we lay our hands on works out for us.

Learning to Listen

My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. – James 1:19-20

Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you will be like him yourself. Answer a fool according to his folly or he will be wise in his own eyes. – Proverbs 26:4-5

I’ve always been a talkative. I remember when I was little, people will criticize me for talking all the time and my dad would always come to my defense, saying that my talking will one day become of great value. You are really who your father says you are! The words of a father tend to prevail in the life of a child. So all fathers should really watch what they say and do to their children as their words and actions have life.

Now that I am older, I am learning to listen more and talk less. I am learning to listen carefully, take in and process the information and think about what is being said before I respond. Writing has allowed me to understand and appreciate the power behind words. Choice and timing can have a huge impact on receipt. It is important that we learn not to speak too quickly so that we do not say things that we can never take back. Speaking too quickly and in anger ruins relationships and kills spirits. Do not engage in a conversation too quickly. Listen attentively first. Even if the other person is incorrect and off his or her rocker, take time to process what is being said. Then and only then can you can correct him or her and speak what is right.

As we mature in the Lord, we must understand speaking in haste allows us to create problems for ourselves. We often get ourselves in jams that take a long time to get out of. There are a lot of things to be learnt when we learn how to listen. There is so much to gain when we learn to be quiet. If anything, it keeps our enemies guessing. No news can certainly be good news!

We must learn to hold our peace and let the Lord fight our battles for us. We should never be in a position where we are trying to rescue ourselves from other people by talking. We must get to point where we are not responding to everyone and everything. When we respond to something, we are giving it credence and importance. By holding our peace, we are best served to save our energies for the things that really matter. I have learned in the last few years that sometimes it’s better to say nothing at all – do not respond to frivolous emails and phone calls. If there is nothing to be gained, there really is nothing to talk and argue about.

Real Change

He changes times and seasons; he sets up kings and deposes them. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning. He reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells with him. I thank and praise you, O god of my of my fathers; you have given me wisdom and power, you have made known to me what I asked of you. – Daniel 2: 21-23

Making a new change is never easy. It comes with great anxiety and trepidation. You can’t help but wonder what is around the corner. But at the same time, there is great excitement especially when you have been through some pretty difficult situations. I am convinced beyond a reasonable doubt that God is always at work even when we can neither feel him nor see in the physical his works in our lives. I have come to understand that the reason for what often seems like a delay in the manifestation of God’s promises is not a delay but a work that is done from the inside out.

God’s Word and His works are strategic. God is an organized, cerebral and thinking God and He does not function amongst chaos and disorganization. God starts to work on us on the inside before the evidence can be seen on the outside. If we attempt a DIY job, we are successful at best changing the outside but the inside remains the same. That is why positive thinking never works because it is only a matter of time before the outside reconciles with the corrupted inside once again. God works on us by teaching us how to live positively as opposed to simply thinking positively. God deals with us by starting at the negative root of the issues we carry and does not concentrate solely on the leaves. Once the root has been taken care of, the dysfunctional leaves and branches have no way to thrive.

That is why we often struggle with change especially when we have no assistance from the Holy Spirit. The success will always be temporary until we ask God for help. Real change will surely be an uncomfortable and painful process but the rewards are ever-lasting. I am grateful for the help of the Holy Spirit in my life. It has given me purpose and focus. I can finally concentrate on the main thing. I can finally look forward to the new direction that life is taking me and the exciting works I can do for the Kingdom and honor the name of God. Real change has brought out gifts in me I never knew I had. Most importantly, it has given me back my name and my voice. Life can only get better from here on out. It feels great to be on the road to purpose.

Do you want to experience real change? If your answer is yes, ask God for help. He is an all-knowing and all-wise God. He is the only One who can give real wisdom and truth to us. As we change from the inside out, God can begin to trust us with his truth and reveal things to us. We are able to shed our old skin and regenerate our lives.

Don’t Allow The Past Bleed Into The Future

But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. – Philippians 3:13-14

Things often go wrong in our lives. We make bad decisions and bring calamity upon ourselves or others take advantage of us and treat us badly. Either way, most of us have been through something of significance in our past. But we must learn to leave the past in the past and not drag it around with us. We should never allow our past to change our perception of who we are – God dictates who we are through his Word.

The two words “I am” are very strong words and when used with a negative descriptivism, it has power. When we allow life to change our name, it prevents any kind of move into a new future. Others may only know us as we once were but we should never limit ourselves based on the past. Indeed life can be very cruel but we should never let the cruelty and dysfunction in the world outside contaminate who we are on the inside. Our altar, that secret place inside of us must be protected from the ways of the world. Our mind must be rooted of all bad seeds that have been planted in the past. Just getting rid of the leaves or branches will not do it – the roots must be removed. It will not be easy nor will it be comfortable, but it must be done.

Regardless of what hand life has dealt you in the past, believe that you can heal with the help of Jesus Christ. You can really start afresh. It may involve separation from the old in order to lay hold of the new, but it will all be worth it in the end. To get a new future, the only thing to take away from the past are the lessons God will want us to learn so that we do not fall into the same trap again. Armed with these lessons in your head and in your heart, choose to move into a new life with God. Refuse to allow the dysfunction and traps from the past to bleed into your future.

A Shift in Priorities

And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice – the kind he will accept. When you think of what he has done for you, is this too much to ask? Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let god transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will know what God wants you to do and you will know how good and pleasing and perfect his will really is. – Romans 12: 1-2

Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this. – Psalm 37: 4-5

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. – Matthew 6: 33-34

As we get older, we ought to get wiser. There are things we ought to know for sure and not be simply guessing about. Now in my late 30’s, I have some definite absolutes that I will never deviate from till I go to my grave. Luckily for me, I can train and bring up my daughters to grasp things in their early teens that I could not comprehend in my early 30’s!

With age and the lesson of new truths must come a change and shift in priorities. Now I know what is important. I am not disillusioned about life. My vision is clear. My focus is sharp. God is my number one priority – not just in speech but in actions and the way that I spend my time. He’s the first person I see in the morning and the last person at night. Being single, it’s easier for me to do this. I reap the benefits of the order I have currently set up in my life every day. Without this order, my life as a single mum would be impossible to manage.

As a believer, putting God first is vital. He helps to put all other things in the right perspective. Every thing else simply falls into place. Circular work is more productive as God makes what takes everyone else days to figure out easier for me. He holds my hand and I can zero in very quickly into the cause of any issue. My daughters are doing well. I cannot be a father to them but they have God as their Father and He does a better job than any human can. Asking God to step in and fill that void has its rewards. They have no tantrums or emotional melt-downs. They are just regular girls and I am grateful for that. Setting my priorities in order with the help of the Holy Spirit has changed my life.

The Perils of a Traditional Mind

You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to the traditions of men. And he said to them: “You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe your own traditions. – Mark 7: 8-9

I have been fortunate to meet religious people who know all the scriptures but cannot apply it to their lives simply because they try to explain God through a traditional mind. God has never been confined by tradition and He never will be. So long as we still believe that we can place our customs and traditions above the Word of God, God’s Word will never have power in our lives. We can talk the talk and even walk what seems to everyone like the walk but our walk will have no power.

Tradition is based on the past and sometimes has no relevance to the current or the future but the Word of God stands firm for ever more. And sometimes we pray expecting God to respond in ways that are in line with our customs and when He does something different, we do not recognize the move of God and miss our turn. It is dangerous to get hooked on anything except the Word of God. Anytime we get bogged down with tradition and custom, it renders the Word of God ineffective in our lives. We miss blessings of God because they do not look familiar. We base our decisions on traditions of our fathers and grandfathers forgetting completely that the life we live in now is very different from that of our fore-fathers.

The Word of God should be our one and only compass for life. We only do it if God says it’s ok to do so. We must make a habit of measuring our habits and lifestyle against the Word of God – anything that does not measure up must immediately be discarded.

When God Speaks Things Start Happening

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it. – John 1: 1-5

When Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, asking for help. “Lord,” he said, “my servant lies at home paralyzed and in terrible suffering.” Jesus said to him, “I will go and heal him.” The centurion replied, “Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. – Matthew 8: 5-8

The Word is very powerful – sharper than a double edged sword. As believers, it is crucial that we know the potency of the power we carry around in form of the Bible. God sent his Word so that we can be transformed into His image and His likeness. The Word changes things – situations and people. Throughout scripture, we have heard the Word spoken and people are instantly healed. We know that prayer and a relationship with Jesus Christ changes situations – we have seen the evidence in our own personal lives.

Every time Jesus Christ shows up there is bound to be a resurrection. Lazarus had been dead for days. By the time the Christ showed up, his corpse was probably disintegrating. The presence of God brought a dead man back to life for all to see. I don’t know about you but that makes me excited. It gives me confidence about my salvation. I have no doubts that I am a resurrection. God spoke into my life and everything around me changed – my priorities, my battles, what I spent my time on and who I spent it with.

We all need to learn something from the faith of the Capernaum man. He trusted the power in the Word. He knew that all Christ needed to do was speak the Word. He understood that God’s word changes everything because God is the Word. So if you are one of those folks who constantly say “God does not speak to me”, all I can say is – spend time in the Word of God. Knowing the Word of God makes it easier to hear his voice. If you want things to start happening and your life to start changing, learn to hear his voice.

Don’t Give Up Now

Do not be deceived; God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. – Galatians 6: 7-9

Life can be rough. Some of us feel like we’ve been in a war for a very long time. The sad thing is it seems the war is outlasting us sometimes. I’ve had periods when I feel like all the strength is being drained out of me by some external pump – something that just seems to be constantly sucking the very life out of me. Luckily I have what can be termed as a “long-haul” personality so the feeling of weakness and hopelessness does not last for long. There are only two scenarios in which I will gracefully give up: One - when I realize that I was never committed to it from the get go and Two – the minute I get the feeling that all I am doing is simply flogging a dead horse!

However, if I firmly believe in something and trust that my destiny is linked to it, I will keep going until I take my last breath! People who are quick to give up on important, life changing circumstances do not have any understanding of long-term commitment. And sadly, the more you give up on jobs, marriages, children, the easier it is to do it over and over again until it becomes a perpetual life style.

Being able to hold out and discern God’s will is something only the Holy Spirit can teach. There is nothing worse than giving up too soon. We fail to learn the very lessons that God is trying to teach in order to elevate us to the next level and we keep on re-taking the same class over and over again. We find ourselves starting from scratch – repeatedly. God will ultimately get our attention if he wants to – we can take 5 years to learn the lessons we need to learn or we can take 50 – the choice is really up to us.

In the light of the importance of being a long-term commitment person, we must count the costs before we embark on any venture – business or personal. If we do not know what a commitment will require of us, it is irresponsible to start a fight we might not be able to finish. If we persevere and wait for God even in difficult circumstances, we will surely receive the blessings that waiting on God brings.

Though They Meant It All For Evil……

You intended to harm me but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. – Genesis 50:20

I can somewhat identify with Joseph. His brothers were jealous of his from day one. There was something different about him – his father knew it and his brothers knew it too and they hated him for it. They believed that Joseph being special took something away from them so they schemed to get rid of him. It wasn’t easy for Joseph by any means. And I am sure there were times when he wished that his brothers hadn’t done what they did and he could be home to his beloved father. I am positive if Joseph could have made a choice, he would never have wished to be sold into slavery.

But God orders the footsteps of the righteous and being sold into slavery was not outside of God’ will for Joseph's life. His brothers may have meant to harm him and kill his spirit but it was all in God’s big picture. Being sold into slavery made it possible for Joseph to serve his purpose in Egypt and save the lives of many. I myself was brought from my home to the US. I never dreamt of coming to live in this country. I was comfortable with the life I lived at home. I am naturally very committed by nature and not the adventurous type. I was very naïve at the time and didn’t understand the concept of control. I didn’t know that one of the ways people sometimes employ to gain control of another is to first completely isolate them from friends and family. Having lived a relatively sheltered life, I had no idea about the schemes that can be hatched by human beings and how people strategize and put the lives of others in jeopardy in order to get what they need. I had no clue that people had no problems hustling others. I have since learnt that for every action there is a motive behind it. Every single action intentional or un-intentional has an agenda. Some have agendas that help promote the lives of others and are done in love where other agendas are aimed at reaching a personal goal regardless of the casualties that are left along the way.

I am older now and much wiser than I was in my late teens. I have an appreciation for all the things that people have done in order to take advantage of me and harm me. God has used those very negative things to reveal my purpose to me. I am now every comfortable with the order of things in my life and look forward to the manifestation of God’s promises – one day at a time. The isolation and desolation has given me the ability to seek God in the way I have never done before. It has also shown me the need to be place utter dependence on God alone. People will definitely let us down but God never does.

Even when people seek to destroy us and kill our spirit, no agenda or motive escapes the eyes of God. He sees deep into our hearts as well as the heart of the enemy. He knows what they are thinking even before they think it! He, in his infinite wisdom, will never allow any scheme of the enemy that wouldn’t eventually be benefits to us in the long run happen to us. That is why we must learn to find God in every situation we encounter so that when something goes wrong even after we have prayed and sought God, we can rest in the confidence that God has a plan. Just like God had a plan for Joseph when his brothers hatefully sold him into slavery, God has a plan for you regardless of the tough situations you may be dealing with right now.

My Troubles Came to Bless Me

It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees. – Psalm 117:71

The steps of the godly are directed by the Lord. He delights in every detail of their lives. Though they stumble, they will not fall, for the Lord holds them by the hand. – Psalm 37: 23-24

But he knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold. – Job 23:10

I believe that tests and trials must come so that we can be strong enough for the purpose God has for our lives. We must realize that as believers we are in a controlled environment. Nothing happens to us outside the knowledge of God or by accident. Every single step (right or wrong) is allowed by the Lord. Every issue we face is permitted by God.

Tough times don’t last long but strong people do. And anytime God does something or changes the course of our lives in a way that we cannot comprehend, we must know that the progressive God of the Universe is up to something. Understand that He did not bring you this far to leave you all alone now.

With all the turmoil and confusion that trials can bring, with God, we come out of it all better and stronger than we’ve ever been. We are able to let certain things and people who are dysfunctional to our existence go. We are able to turn our backs on our old ways and move into steadily in the new course of life planned for us. Every single thing that happens in our lives has a purpose – good and bad!

In the last decade, I have learnt that there are things about God that we can only learn in times of darkness. We see God differently in the dark – when everyone leaves, no-one cares and money is tight. As we pant in exhaustion and believe that we cannot take another day in a difficult circumstance, he sends the Holy Spirit to comfort us and give us strength.

I can truly say that my troubles came to bless me and show me the way in which I ought to walk and revealed my purpose more clearly to me. I have to admit that right when I was going through some very difficult situations, it wasn’t easy to see the blessings but looking back now, everything has become clear.

Who Are You?

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. – Romans 8:1-2

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! – 2 Corinthians 5:17

When we don’t know or are unsure of whom we are, people will be quick to tell us who we ought to be. As we are transformed day by day by the power of God, we are tempted to limit our assessment of ourselves to who we once were. To make matters worse, we completely surround ourselves with people who knew us way back then making it impossible to identify with who we are now. Through the power of God, our reality has deviated somewhat from who we used to be but our warped perception of who we think that we are makes us trapped. It’s like raising an eagle with chickens. As time progresses, the eagle will definitely begin to feel deep down inside that it is not a chicken. The chickens may be doing all that they can to dictate the future of the eagle because of their own limitations but the eagle knows that it is not what they say that it is.

Anytime you begin to make changes and start to become different from your posse, you will be criticized. Your posse are the people that know just enough about your past life and experiences to be dangerous. But to have something new, we must be ready to lay down the old. The Bible reminds us that you cannot put new wine in old wineskins. That is why you cannot continue to define yourself based on who you once were. Sometimes it may be crucial that you get a completely new set of friends as old friends with old habits can limit you to the very past you are trying so desperately to get away from.

Don’t stop to hear what old friends are saying. Remember, you are not who they say you are, you are who God says that you are.

Are You an Eagle or a Chicken?

I saw this poem online about Eagles and Chickens:

Of Eagles and Chickens

We Americans are a mix of birds,
Some soarers, others grounders;
And from their strong, enduring words,
More Eagles were among our Founders.
But different birds this domain share,
Some soaring, some just clucking;
While Eagles soar, patrol the air;
Penned Chickens wait for plucking.

Eagles have sharp, raptor eyes,
Not so in birds fear stricken;
An Eagle fights to own his skies,
Not so the hen-housed Chicken.
Feckless fowl, they placidly peck,
Flocking to their foolish fate,
Flashing blade on feathered neck,
Must they always learn too late?

That’s why we use the very word
To taunt those who won’t fight;
A Chicken is some fear-filled bird,
Whose fear provokes his plight.
Frightened fowl will surrender all,
Hoping for a peaceful ending,
Unmindful that their heads may fall,
Blind to bright blades descending.

But Eagles being bolder birds,
Seek our enemies in their lair,
Screaming Eagles, forgoing words,
Strike with deadly talons there.
Proud raptors who together fight
Know something Chickens never will,
Love of country and birthright,
A rara avis grounder skill.

Portion of Poem By Russ Vaughn
101st Airborne (Screaming Eagles)
Vietnam 65-66
http://andrightlyso.com/2007/09/15/eagles-and-chickens/

Do you know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. – Isaiah 40:28-31

The chicken and the eagle are both birds but they are very different. A chicken always has its head to the ground, busy looking for scraps of food to eat. It rifles through trash trying to find a way to fill its ever hungry stomach, living what can be called a bare existence. Chickens are often bound and limited by wired fences but eagles cannot be confined without clipping its wings and even if clipped will definitely grow back! An eagle will never survive the restrictions that chickens are happy to live with. Eagles must be free in order to be all that God created them to be. Eagles are content with being alone as not many will dare attempt to soar to exceptional heights. I have never seen a chicken looking up to heaven but eagles are always looking upward toward the sky, knowing there is more beyond what is here on earth. Chickens eat worms but eagles don’t. Chickens will eat dead and filthy things but not the eagle. Eagles will also soar to great heights because of its DNA. They may swoop down below for time to time but they do not stay around for long. You will never find eagles pecking with chickens.

Eagles and chickens are representative of two types of people in this world. Eagles are those who always have their hope on the God up above. They do not waste their time scratching the ground on earth for a reward – they understand that their reward is up in heaven. Eagles may get weary and need a rest from time to time but they will definitely soar again. The strength of the eagles is constantly being renewed by the Lord. Chickens on the other hand are handicapped in a lot of ways. They limit themselves because they always exist in a brood. What others say about them matters a lot. They are often limited by their past as they consistently seek approval and affirmations from their peers.

Chickens are grounders while eagles are always soaring. Which one are you? Are you an eagle or a chicken? Are you grounded by fear or soaring with God as the wind beneath your wings? Regardless of your present circumstances, never choose to hang your head down like a chicken, raise your shoulders and your head and look up above to the God of heaven.

The Heavy Burden of Responsibility

The Lord examines the righteous, but the wicked and those who love violence his soul hates. On the wicked he will rain fiery coals and burning sulfur; a scorching wind will be their lot. – Psalm 11: 5-6

Therefore my people will go into exile for lack of understanding; their men of rank will die of hunger and their masses will be parched with thirst. – Isaiah 5:13

It is not good to have zeal without knowledge, nor be hasty and miss the way. – Proverbs 19:2

Be very careful then how you live – not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity because the days are evil. – Ephesians 5: 15-16

If you don’t make a total commitment to whatever you’re doing, then you start looking to bail out the first time the boat starts leaking. It’s tough enough getting that boat to shore with everybody rowing, let alone when a guy stands up and starts putting his life jacket on. – Lou Holtz

I remember when my ex-husband told me a mere week before he was due to leave that he was departing the country to engage in another relationship on the other side of the world, my entire universe fell apart. Not because I cared one way or another but I understood that my daughters deserved so much more. It took a while for me to accept the reality of my situation. I ranted and I raved but there was nothing I could do to protect my children from this flake of a man. I wondered how I would explain the decision to them. He came up with a good lie about how his job was taking him away from them and I allowed them to believe that for a while. In due time, they learnt the truth and with God’s grace they have been able to deal somewhat with his choice.

Even though I chose to forgive, I can’t help but feel a great deal of sympathy for him. As tough as it is for me, I feel sorry for him. I have to believe that his problem is not one of wickedness but of great ignorance. Children grow so fast and there is a lot that he will miss and will never be able to get back. I have to hope that whatever is being pursued where he is must be worth the sacrifice. No matter how spiritual we are, we will always reap the dire consequences of our actions. God never takes consequences away – in time we will feel the sting of poor decisions. The saying “You reap what you sow” is so true. There’s always a timeline between sowing and reaping that allows one to believe that one is getting away with doing wrong but we should never be deceived, reaping time will surely come.

People who give up easily do not understand long-term commitment and there is a possibility they never will. Anyone can be a good father on the phone or for a week or two in an entire year. But where is the parent that will be there day in day out – through every ailment and every incident that brings despair? Unfortunately in life, the bulk of responsibility always seems to fall on the very few that are faithful. You have no choice but to carry your own load and the load of the ones who decided to jump ship and seek greener pastures.

However one thing I know for sure is as we decide to abandon our responsibilities so does peace elude us. Real, deep sleep becomes a fallacy. We are consistently tormented by the things that we ought to do but are not doing. I pray to Almighty God that this experience will not be your portion. The Holy Spirit that lovingly dwells within us will never fail to nudge and instruct us when we engage in wrong-doing but it takes a willing heart to take the right road that leads to victory. Unfortunately many will decide to walk in the flesh instead of the spirit.

It is crucial that we do what is right not just sometimes but all of the time. We should never deliberately make life difficult for others. Even if things look good, in life, we never get away with anything. What goes around will surely come around.

Why I Fight

Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. – Philippians 1:6

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Galatians 6:9

Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. – 1 Corinthians 15:58

If a man hasn’t discovered something that he will die for, he isn’t fit to live. – Martin Luther King, Jr.

If you don’t stand for something, you’ll fall for anything. – Michael Evans

I always laugh inwardly when people refer to me as a picture of strength and perseverance. I laugh because I know that none of it comes to me as a result of positive thinking or will power. My ability to persevere in the midst of tough circumstances comes from God. The ability to stay focused is a gift from God not from man. The ability to press on and fight despite being weary is not something that anyone can conjure up.

When God gives you a vision, you have no choice but to fight for what you believe. You abandon pointless fighting where there are no spoils and there is absolutely nothing to gain. You turn your attention strictly to the mission at hand and do everything you can not to get distracted. At my age, there are few things I know to be absolute truth – the most important being that my life is in the hands of Almighty God. People can do all they can to break me but they will never be successful as my existence does not rely on them in any shape or form. From experience I do believe that God will move stumbling blocks out of your way and prayers to keep obstacles will be ignored.

It takes a certain kind of character to be a person who’s there for the long haul. Most of us are fair-weather creatures that run for cover when things get rough. If you really want to know your real friends, pretend to be broke and needy! To be a person who is a fighter, you need to have a sense of purpose. When you really believe in the destiny God has given you, it makes it so much easier to fight anyone who threatens it. You fight with all you’ve got when you have a clear picture of what succeeding looks like in your heart. When you fight, God makes your enemies terribly confused about you :=)

So long as God’s purpose for your life remains clear, you must continue to fight until that vision is realized.