Then Joshua secretly sent out two spies from the Israelite camp at Acacia Grove. He instructed them, “Scout out the land on the other side of the Jordan River, especially around Jericho.” So the two men set out and came to the house of a prostitute named Rahab and stayed there that night. (Joshua 2:1 NLT)
Reconnaissance, intelligence gathering, espionage or other forms of "spying" were not invented by the Pentagon, the CIA or the M15. James Bond was not the first spy. Many entities have used spying to gather useful information about their competitor or enemy for thousands of years. Spying involves infiltration of an enemy's camp and then gathering information about their strength, weaknesses or plans. Other forms of information gathering such as industrial espionage involve companies gathering information about their competitor in order to stay ahead in innovation and market share. Although much of the spying that goes on currently involve many dark practices, spying can be put to good uses as our text illustrates.
Joshua, as Moses has done earlier, sent spies to scout the land around Jordan and Jericho. He had received the promise from God that Jericho was theirs to conquer and possess. Although the promise was sure, having a promise was one thing but having the right strategy to actualize the promise was another. It is possible to possess a promise from God and at the same time lack the vision, strategy or wisdom to actualize it. Joshua was in search of wisdom-based strategy. He needed vital information about the strengths and vulnerability of the land. When the spies returned later, they informed him that Jericho was ready for possession because everyone was terrified of Joshua's army. A terrified people is a defeated people.
Here's the lesson in this. Learn to spy out your own promised land. Your promised land might be a new location you are moving to, a new industry you intend to start a business in, a new city to begin a ministry, the marriage institution you plan to enter, a career path you want to enter, a relationship you are contemplating , a just cause you intend to advocate for etc. Pastors should gather information about their neighborhoods. Ministries should analyze their contexts. Couples without children should spy out parenting. Even Jesus, asked, " Who do people say the son of man is? " He spent time with the doctors and lawyers learning about their practices and beliefs. These were people he would confront later. You confront better when you know how your subject thinks and you can anticipate his or her responses.
Begin spying out your promises. It is usually the easiest step to take in the faith process of possessing your promises. Take a dream trip into your future. Visit where you intend to inhabit. Interact with those you hope to influence. Let not your next step be completely uncharted. Don't stay in willful ignorance of the contextual realities of your dreams. Get practical information. Window shop your dream destiny. Research that career area. You may not have the money yet but information is power. Faith is an action. Begin your own reconnaissance mission today. Take a faith lesson from the spies.
Decision of the Day
I chose to spy out my promises from today. I know information is power. I will window shop my destination. I will research my field.
Friday, May 31, 2013
Thursday, May 30, 2013
When You Get There, Help Others Get There. When You Stand Out, Stand in the Gap
“Remember the command that Moses the servant of the Lord gave you after he said, ‘The Lord your God will give you rest by giving you this land.’ Your wives, your children and your livestock may stay in the land that Moses gave you east of the Jordan, but all your fighting men, ready for battle, must cross over ahead of your fellow Israelites. You are to help them until the Lord gives them rest, as he has done for you, and until they too have taken possession of the land the Lord your God is giving them. After that, you may go back and occupy your own land, which Moses the servant of the Lord gave you east of the Jordan toward the sunrise.” (Joshua 1:13-15 NIV)
A pastor moved into a town and planted a church. After struggling for several years, God began to bless this pastor's work. The church grew to thousands of people, with majority being conversion growth. The church also developed several initiatives and ministries that were very effective and influential for good in the town. God also blessed the church financially. Soon, God began to bring to this pastor's notice that there were several struggling churches and ministries in the same town, some of which had started before him, some at right about the same time and others that were just starting out. He began to pray about this. In one of his prayer times, he read the following passage:
But I have pleaded in prayer for you, Simon, that your faith should not fail. So when you have repented and turned to me again, strengthen your brothers.” (Luke 22:32 NLT)
As the pastor recalled the story, he said the statement, "strengthen your brothers" jumped at him from the passage. God then told him that he had blessed his church for a reason : to serve as a model to the other churches in town of what he (God) could do and for the church to be a source of inspiration and support for the other churches in town. God told him he had given him victory in his struggles do that he could help other pastors who were suffering. The pastor immediately informed his staff about the word from God and they embarked on an initiative to join in partnership with other churches in town. They began by praying for the other churches regularly. They met with the pastors, donated finances anonymously to the other churches and also began sharing their building and properties with other churches. As a result a fresh spirit of revival swept the town and the body of Christ prospered there.
As seen in this example and in our text, sometimes God allows you to be first in possessing a promise. He may orchestrate it that you are the first one to receive Christ in your family. You might be the first to get married among your peers or the first graduate from college in your family. Your business or ministry might be somehow extraordinarily blessed in a place where others are struggling. God might give you a working idea or a solution to an issue that is prevalent around you. There is a reason for this. That you are one of the first to receive a blessing places a responsibility on you. As God told Abraham,.
I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others. (Genesis 12:2 NLT).
God blesses you and gives you rest not so that you can indulge and forget about others around you but so that you can be an example and a helper to others. You are blessed to be a blessing. Your victory is to make others victors. He gives you rest so others can find rest in your rest. He comforts you so that through your comfort, others can receive the same comfort ( 2 Cor 1:4). God makes you stand out so you can stand in the gap. Today, look around you. Where do you stand out? What battle have you won that others are still fighting? What have you received that others around you lack? Become a redistributor of your blessing. You will then be walking in God's purpose for blessing you in the first place.
Decision of the Day
I understand that I am blessed to be a blessing. I am not to indulge in my blessing forgetting those still struggling. Wherever I stand out, I will stand in the gap.
Wednesday, May 29, 2013
Can Your Leader Depend on You?
They answered Joshua, “We will do whatever you command us, and we will go wherever you send us. We will obey you just as we obeyed Moses. And may the Lord your God be with you as he was with Moses. Anyone who rebels against your orders and does not obey your words and everything you command will be put to death. So be strong and courageous!” (Joshua 1: 16-18 NLT)
In his book, Discovering Followership: Learn The Secrets to Walking Behind and Still Staying Ahead, Omokhai Imoukhuede writes about the power of being a good follower showing how followers are as important to leaders as leaders are to followers. Using several examples, from Jesus to contemporary leaders in business, the nonprofit world, church, sports, the U.S military and other organizations, he shows how leaders depend on good followers and how good followers always become the best of leaders. He defines followership as the "willingness or capacity to be influenced or to follow " encouraging everyone who desires to lead to become great followers. In one of the chapters, he outlined several characteristics of a good follower like Readiness, Participation and Critical thinking, Positive attitude, Reliability and Faithfulness, Submissive Initiative, Teachability etc.
Also, in our text, we see the demonstration of these characteristics of true followership by the leaders of Israel. When Joshua informed them of what God had told him, commanding them to immediately commence the possession of the lands, they responded as true followers with the following resolves:
1. To be available to their leader ( We will do and go..)
2. To obey every instruction that Joshua would give them ( We will obey...)
3. To pray and to work for the success of their leader (The Lord God be with you...)
4. To extend and enforce the influence of their leader to others( Anyone who rebels...)
5. To encourage their leader (So be strong and courageous)
This amazing team eventually went on to conquer lands and receive the long-promised inheritance for the benefit of all (both leader and follower), testifying to the effectiveness of the correct leader-follower dynamic. Good leaders plus good followers achieve great things.
How good of a follower are you? Do you demonstrate these characteristics where God has placed you? Can your leader depend on your availability, obedience, prayer, reliability and support or are you one of those "followers" who make the burden of the leader extra heavy because of your attitudes and actions? Are you an absentee follower? Are you submissive or rebellious? Do you extend the influence of your God-appointed leader or do you undercut it at every opportunity? Are you a source of encouragement to your leader or do you discourage him?
Think carefully on these questions and adjust appropriately. God dealt very severely with bad followers (as well as bad leaders) in the bible. Remember Miriam and Aaron( Numbers 12:1-16), Korah, Datham, and Abiram ( Numbers 16) or Judas , Ananias and Sapphira in the New Testament. Conversely, God also blessed good followers and promoted them. Examples like David with Saul, Elisha with Elijah, Ruth with Naomi, Esther with Mordecai, Joshua with Moses, and the 12 Apostles with Jesus illustrate this. Choose to be a good follower. Repent of bad followership and begin to pray for and help your leaders. Make yourself available to them. God will reward you.
Decision of the Day
I choose to be a good follower. I will be available, support, encourage, pray for and obey my leaders. I will be a reliable follower.
In his book, Discovering Followership: Learn The Secrets to Walking Behind and Still Staying Ahead, Omokhai Imoukhuede writes about the power of being a good follower showing how followers are as important to leaders as leaders are to followers. Using several examples, from Jesus to contemporary leaders in business, the nonprofit world, church, sports, the U.S military and other organizations, he shows how leaders depend on good followers and how good followers always become the best of leaders. He defines followership as the "willingness or capacity to be influenced or to follow " encouraging everyone who desires to lead to become great followers. In one of the chapters, he outlined several characteristics of a good follower like Readiness, Participation and Critical thinking, Positive attitude, Reliability and Faithfulness, Submissive Initiative, Teachability etc.
Also, in our text, we see the demonstration of these characteristics of true followership by the leaders of Israel. When Joshua informed them of what God had told him, commanding them to immediately commence the possession of the lands, they responded as true followers with the following resolves:
1. To be available to their leader ( We will do and go..)
2. To obey every instruction that Joshua would give them ( We will obey...)
3. To pray and to work for the success of their leader (The Lord God be with you...)
4. To extend and enforce the influence of their leader to others( Anyone who rebels...)
5. To encourage their leader (So be strong and courageous)
This amazing team eventually went on to conquer lands and receive the long-promised inheritance for the benefit of all (both leader and follower), testifying to the effectiveness of the correct leader-follower dynamic. Good leaders plus good followers achieve great things.
How good of a follower are you? Do you demonstrate these characteristics where God has placed you? Can your leader depend on your availability, obedience, prayer, reliability and support or are you one of those "followers" who make the burden of the leader extra heavy because of your attitudes and actions? Are you an absentee follower? Are you submissive or rebellious? Do you extend the influence of your God-appointed leader or do you undercut it at every opportunity? Are you a source of encouragement to your leader or do you discourage him?
Think carefully on these questions and adjust appropriately. God dealt very severely with bad followers (as well as bad leaders) in the bible. Remember Miriam and Aaron( Numbers 12:1-16), Korah, Datham, and Abiram ( Numbers 16) or Judas , Ananias and Sapphira in the New Testament. Conversely, God also blessed good followers and promoted them. Examples like David with Saul, Elisha with Elijah, Ruth with Naomi, Esther with Mordecai, Joshua with Moses, and the 12 Apostles with Jesus illustrate this. Choose to be a good follower. Repent of bad followership and begin to pray for and help your leaders. Make yourself available to them. God will reward you.
Decision of the Day
I choose to be a good follower. I will be available, support, encourage, pray for and obey my leaders. I will be a reliable follower.
Tuesday, May 28, 2013
You are Doubly Guaranteed
“Be strong and courageous, for you are the one who will lead these people to possess all the land I swore to their ancestors I would give them. (Joshua 1:6 NLT)
Imagine a honest wealthy businessman, who is known to always keep his word making a promise to an individual seeking his aid that he would give them a million dollars in a few days. And then in order to ensure that they knew the promise was guaranteed, he calls in his lawyer, signs an affidavit, and swears in writing to fulfill his promise or face dire consequences. You know what would happen to the confidence of the beneficiary. It would become rock solid. Why? Because he now has double guarantee. He has a honest and faithful man's promise plus an oath as second guarantee. The wealthy man could have only given his promise and that was enough but he went further for the sake of the confidence of his beneficiary to swear an oath. This is an illustration of what God did as mentioned in our text. He promised The ancestors of the Israelite the possession of the land and doubly guaranteed his promise by swearing an oath in blood.
In several places in scriptures, over forty, we see God making use of oaths for the benefit of mankind. Because an oath is only powerful when it is made using a higher authority as the enforcer, God having no one higher than him uses his own throne and existence as collaterals for his promises making statements like, " As I live" or " I have sworn by myself." As the writer of Hebrews says:
"For example, there was God’s promise to Abraham. Since there was no one greater to swear by, God took an oath in his own name, saying: “I will certainly bless you, and I will multiply your descendants beyond number.” Now when people take an oath, they call on someone greater than themselves to hold them to it. And without any question that oath is binding. God also bound himself with an oath, so that those who received the promise could be perfectly sure that he would never change his mind. So God has given both his promise and his oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us. This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain into God’s inner sanctuary. " (Hebrews 6:13, 14, 16-19 NLT)
This is powerful when understood. God has given us promises which in themselves are enough but in order to ensure that we who receive the promises can be perfectly sure that he would keep them, he confirms them by an oath. God wanted us to have absolute confidence in his words to us and he went to the fullest extent, he made them blood-soaked words of covenant. If any of them fail, God would cease to exist but since he can never cease to exist, his promises can never fail. You can trust them absolutely. You can wrap your life around them and be secure. They can never fail. So, today, hold on to whatever word God has given to you. They are speeding toward fulfillment. They are backed by an oath- doubly guaranteed.
Decision of the Day
I understand that God's promises are doubly guaranteed by an oath. I am confident that his word to me will never fail.
Imagine a honest wealthy businessman, who is known to always keep his word making a promise to an individual seeking his aid that he would give them a million dollars in a few days. And then in order to ensure that they knew the promise was guaranteed, he calls in his lawyer, signs an affidavit, and swears in writing to fulfill his promise or face dire consequences. You know what would happen to the confidence of the beneficiary. It would become rock solid. Why? Because he now has double guarantee. He has a honest and faithful man's promise plus an oath as second guarantee. The wealthy man could have only given his promise and that was enough but he went further for the sake of the confidence of his beneficiary to swear an oath. This is an illustration of what God did as mentioned in our text. He promised The ancestors of the Israelite the possession of the land and doubly guaranteed his promise by swearing an oath in blood.
In several places in scriptures, over forty, we see God making use of oaths for the benefit of mankind. Because an oath is only powerful when it is made using a higher authority as the enforcer, God having no one higher than him uses his own throne and existence as collaterals for his promises making statements like, " As I live" or " I have sworn by myself." As the writer of Hebrews says:
"For example, there was God’s promise to Abraham. Since there was no one greater to swear by, God took an oath in his own name, saying: “I will certainly bless you, and I will multiply your descendants beyond number.” Now when people take an oath, they call on someone greater than themselves to hold them to it. And without any question that oath is binding. God also bound himself with an oath, so that those who received the promise could be perfectly sure that he would never change his mind. So God has given both his promise and his oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us. This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain into God’s inner sanctuary. " (Hebrews 6:13, 14, 16-19 NLT)
This is powerful when understood. God has given us promises which in themselves are enough but in order to ensure that we who receive the promises can be perfectly sure that he would keep them, he confirms them by an oath. God wanted us to have absolute confidence in his words to us and he went to the fullest extent, he made them blood-soaked words of covenant. If any of them fail, God would cease to exist but since he can never cease to exist, his promises can never fail. You can trust them absolutely. You can wrap your life around them and be secure. They can never fail. So, today, hold on to whatever word God has given to you. They are speeding toward fulfillment. They are backed by an oath- doubly guaranteed.
Decision of the Day
I understand that God's promises are doubly guaranteed by an oath. I am confident that his word to me will never fail.
Friday, May 24, 2013
You Are Not Alone
This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9 NLT)
Michael Jackson's last number one hit song before he died (composed by R. Kelly) is the inspiration for today's title because, though it was written with a different subject in mind, it captures the spirit of what God told Joshua in our text. God wanted to assure Joshua that no matter what he faced and where he went, he would never have to be alone. God's presence would always go with him.
Oftentimes, all we need to be bold and courageous is to know that we are not alone and that someone with power and authority is with us and on our side. A little child is suddenly able to defy a bully because daddy is present. Friends become bolder when in a company. Even animals stay in packs for added security. There is comfort in knowing that you have powerful company.
Yet despite the comfort that human company can provide it still has a limitation. There are places no one can go with you. No matter how much comfort you can derive from humans there would be times when no one is around. There will be times in life when no friend, pastor, spouse or family members are around. You will have to face that interview alone or fight that court battle alone. There will be times when you are the only one in battle with your thoughts and challenges, facing temptations with no human help in sight.
However, while human assistance and company are limited by space and time, God's is not. He told Joshua he would be with him WHEREVER he went. No exception.
The psalmist captures this boldness that comes from God's presence when he said, "Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me." (Psalms 23:4 NLT)
The Lord Jesus, while commissioning us to continue is work on earth added the comforting clause of presence. "...And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20 NLT)
God is present with you. He has promised never to leave you or abandon you. There is no depth or height that his presence does not reach. He is there at your lowest point and there when you face towering obstacles. There is no required task of yours that his strength is not available for. Today, choose to be conscious of his ever-abiding presence. Ever be reminded that he is always there with you-that you are not alone.
Decision of the Day
I choose to be aware of God's ever abiding presence in my life. I live with boldness always and confront life's challenges knowing that he is always with me to put me over. Greater is he that is in me that he that is in the world.
Michael Jackson's last number one hit song before he died (composed by R. Kelly) is the inspiration for today's title because, though it was written with a different subject in mind, it captures the spirit of what God told Joshua in our text. God wanted to assure Joshua that no matter what he faced and where he went, he would never have to be alone. God's presence would always go with him.
Oftentimes, all we need to be bold and courageous is to know that we are not alone and that someone with power and authority is with us and on our side. A little child is suddenly able to defy a bully because daddy is present. Friends become bolder when in a company. Even animals stay in packs for added security. There is comfort in knowing that you have powerful company.
Yet despite the comfort that human company can provide it still has a limitation. There are places no one can go with you. No matter how much comfort you can derive from humans there would be times when no one is around. There will be times in life when no friend, pastor, spouse or family members are around. You will have to face that interview alone or fight that court battle alone. There will be times when you are the only one in battle with your thoughts and challenges, facing temptations with no human help in sight.
However, while human assistance and company are limited by space and time, God's is not. He told Joshua he would be with him WHEREVER he went. No exception.
The psalmist captures this boldness that comes from God's presence when he said, "Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me." (Psalms 23:4 NLT)
The Lord Jesus, while commissioning us to continue is work on earth added the comforting clause of presence. "...And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20 NLT)
God is present with you. He has promised never to leave you or abandon you. There is no depth or height that his presence does not reach. He is there at your lowest point and there when you face towering obstacles. There is no required task of yours that his strength is not available for. Today, choose to be conscious of his ever-abiding presence. Ever be reminded that he is always there with you-that you are not alone.
Decision of the Day
I choose to be aware of God's ever abiding presence in my life. I live with boldness always and confront life's challenges knowing that he is always with me to put me over. Greater is he that is in me that he that is in the world.
Thursday, May 23, 2013
Living With Laser-Like Focus
Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left. Then you will be successful in everything you do. (Joshua 1:7 NLT)
The farmer that chases two mice at the same time will kill nada.
- An African proverb (abridged)
You are probably familiar with this experiment. A magnifying glass is used to direct the sun's ray onto a small point and then used to set a piece of paper or char word on fire. Without the magnifying glass that focuses the suns ray, you could put the same paper in the same sun but it never catches fire because ordinarily the sun's rays are scattered in various directions and are not focused enough to generate enough heat to start a fire. This is a great illustration of the power of focus.
Focus is tamed and concentrated energy. It is like the sharpened edge of a knife. It is effective for cutting because energy is focused at the blade. The more the energy is focused at the blade, the sharper the knife is. The dull knife scatters energy, hence it is not effective in cutting.
In our text, God admonishes Joshua to have laser-like focus on his commandment. He commands him to be single-minded, never deviating to the right or left. He promised him that the result would be success in all he did. Other saints practiced focus too. David said "one thing have I desired of the Lord and that I will seek after"( Psalm 27:4). Paul said "this one thing I do, forgetting the past and reaching out to what is ahead (Philippians 3:13)." Jesus set his face on Jerusalem to be crucified and refused to be crowned a king or meddle in affairs not related to his assignment. He even told his disciples to focus on the tribes of Israel when he sent them out because the time of the Gentiles would come later. He practiced focus.
Everyone in pursuit of God's purpose faces the temptation of distraction, which is another name for broken focus. The bible calls it double-mindedness and says those who yield to it are unstable in their ways and cannot receive anything from God (James 1:8). It expresses itself in several ways.
1. Trying to do too much at the same time
2. Trying to move forward, yet keeping your attention on the past
3. Keeping your attention on where others are in their God-given race rather than on your own assignment
4. Choosing leisure over work.
These are just a few examples of how focus is broken. Those who try to do everything get nothing significant done. Remember that no matter how much energy you have(and through the power of the Spirit, we have access to much abilities), until it is focused, much is not accomplished. Rather than trying to accomplish all your goals all at once, why not focus on them one at a time letting the success of one snowball into the next? Why not let go of living, looking constantly at the rear-view mirror and instead focus on creating a better future? Why not take your eyes of other people's progress or failures and focus on your assignment from God? Also, avoid those who would distract you. As you learn to live with laser-like focus, you will live a life of impact and continually make progress in God's purpose for your life.
Decision of the Day
I understand the power of focus. Rather than scatter my energy trying to do too much, focusing on the past, on others or frivolities, I choose to address my tasks one at a time until success snowballs in my life. I will be single-minded.
The farmer that chases two mice at the same time will kill nada.
- An African proverb (abridged)
You are probably familiar with this experiment. A magnifying glass is used to direct the sun's ray onto a small point and then used to set a piece of paper or char word on fire. Without the magnifying glass that focuses the suns ray, you could put the same paper in the same sun but it never catches fire because ordinarily the sun's rays are scattered in various directions and are not focused enough to generate enough heat to start a fire. This is a great illustration of the power of focus.
Focus is tamed and concentrated energy. It is like the sharpened edge of a knife. It is effective for cutting because energy is focused at the blade. The more the energy is focused at the blade, the sharper the knife is. The dull knife scatters energy, hence it is not effective in cutting.
In our text, God admonishes Joshua to have laser-like focus on his commandment. He commands him to be single-minded, never deviating to the right or left. He promised him that the result would be success in all he did. Other saints practiced focus too. David said "one thing have I desired of the Lord and that I will seek after"( Psalm 27:4). Paul said "this one thing I do, forgetting the past and reaching out to what is ahead (Philippians 3:13)." Jesus set his face on Jerusalem to be crucified and refused to be crowned a king or meddle in affairs not related to his assignment. He even told his disciples to focus on the tribes of Israel when he sent them out because the time of the Gentiles would come later. He practiced focus.
Everyone in pursuit of God's purpose faces the temptation of distraction, which is another name for broken focus. The bible calls it double-mindedness and says those who yield to it are unstable in their ways and cannot receive anything from God (James 1:8). It expresses itself in several ways.
1. Trying to do too much at the same time
2. Trying to move forward, yet keeping your attention on the past
3. Keeping your attention on where others are in their God-given race rather than on your own assignment
4. Choosing leisure over work.
These are just a few examples of how focus is broken. Those who try to do everything get nothing significant done. Remember that no matter how much energy you have(and through the power of the Spirit, we have access to much abilities), until it is focused, much is not accomplished. Rather than trying to accomplish all your goals all at once, why not focus on them one at a time letting the success of one snowball into the next? Why not let go of living, looking constantly at the rear-view mirror and instead focus on creating a better future? Why not take your eyes of other people's progress or failures and focus on your assignment from God? Also, avoid those who would distract you. As you learn to live with laser-like focus, you will live a life of impact and continually make progress in God's purpose for your life.
Decision of the Day
I understand the power of focus. Rather than scatter my energy trying to do too much, focusing on the past, on others or frivolities, I choose to address my tasks one at a time until success snowballs in my life. I will be single-minded.
Wednesday, May 22, 2013
How to Practice Greatness Daily
Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. (Joshua 1:8 NIV)
Persistence brought the Cat in the Hat and the Grinch that Stole Christmas into our living rooms. Most people especially those with young children are familiar with Dr Seuss (real name: Theodor Seuss Geisel), the author of many children's books, with some turned into blockbuster children's movies. When Dr. Seuss wrote his first children's book , And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street, 27 publishers rejected it. He never gave up through all the rejections. He kept on writing and seeking a publisher. A friend of his finally helped him to publish his work in 1937. By the time he died in 1991, his books had sold over 200 million copies in 15 languages. His books continue to sell in millions to new generations of children. What a great illustration of the power of consistency and persistence.
Another writer, Stephen King, who has multiple bestselling books that have been turned into Hollywood movies also tells of the fact that he writes everyday. It does not matter whether he feels like it or not. It was a demand of consistency he had placed on himself. Being persistent is one of the secrets of his success.
In our text today, the phrase "day and night" brings to mind a similar theme. Joshua was to keep at meditating on the word continually without quitting, everyday and night. That required being consistent and persistent. Persistence is where power lies in life. Doing something once may feel good but it is doing it over and over without quitting that brings results. This is how tiny drops of water wears out a rock over time. It is how empty clouds fill up with water through evaporation and then pour heavy rains on the earth. Consistency and persistence is how great things are accomplished. The secret of your future is in your daily routine. Consistency is practicing greatness daily.
Solomon, in the book of Ecclesiastes speaks of being consistent :
"Send your grain across the seas, and in time, profits will flow back to you. But divide your investments among many places, for you do not know what risks might lie ahead. When clouds are heavy, the rains come down. Whether a tree falls north or south, it stays where it falls. Farmers who wait for perfect weather never plant. If they watch every cloud, they never harvest. Plant your seed in the morning and keep busy all afternoon, for you don’t know if profit will come from one activity or another—or maybe both. (Ecclesiastes 11:1-4, 6 NLT)
So the admonition to you today is to stay consistent and persistent in what ever you have been given to do. Stick to meditating, praying, loving, serving, giving, encouraging, working hard and using your talents. Keep at this day and night. Refuse to quit or to be inconsistent. Your rewards will soon show up like grains from across the seas.
Decision of the Day
I will be consistent and persistent. I will not quit. Day after day I will stick to my dreams. I will practice greatness daily. I will be rewarded.
Persistence brought the Cat in the Hat and the Grinch that Stole Christmas into our living rooms. Most people especially those with young children are familiar with Dr Seuss (real name: Theodor Seuss Geisel), the author of many children's books, with some turned into blockbuster children's movies. When Dr. Seuss wrote his first children's book , And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street, 27 publishers rejected it. He never gave up through all the rejections. He kept on writing and seeking a publisher. A friend of his finally helped him to publish his work in 1937. By the time he died in 1991, his books had sold over 200 million copies in 15 languages. His books continue to sell in millions to new generations of children. What a great illustration of the power of consistency and persistence.
Another writer, Stephen King, who has multiple bestselling books that have been turned into Hollywood movies also tells of the fact that he writes everyday. It does not matter whether he feels like it or not. It was a demand of consistency he had placed on himself. Being persistent is one of the secrets of his success.
In our text today, the phrase "day and night" brings to mind a similar theme. Joshua was to keep at meditating on the word continually without quitting, everyday and night. That required being consistent and persistent. Persistence is where power lies in life. Doing something once may feel good but it is doing it over and over without quitting that brings results. This is how tiny drops of water wears out a rock over time. It is how empty clouds fill up with water through evaporation and then pour heavy rains on the earth. Consistency and persistence is how great things are accomplished. The secret of your future is in your daily routine. Consistency is practicing greatness daily.
Solomon, in the book of Ecclesiastes speaks of being consistent :
"Send your grain across the seas, and in time, profits will flow back to you. But divide your investments among many places, for you do not know what risks might lie ahead. When clouds are heavy, the rains come down. Whether a tree falls north or south, it stays where it falls. Farmers who wait for perfect weather never plant. If they watch every cloud, they never harvest. Plant your seed in the morning and keep busy all afternoon, for you don’t know if profit will come from one activity or another—or maybe both. (Ecclesiastes 11:1-4, 6 NLT)
So the admonition to you today is to stay consistent and persistent in what ever you have been given to do. Stick to meditating, praying, loving, serving, giving, encouraging, working hard and using your talents. Keep at this day and night. Refuse to quit or to be inconsistent. Your rewards will soon show up like grains from across the seas.
Decision of the Day
I will be consistent and persistent. I will not quit. Day after day I will stick to my dreams. I will practice greatness daily. I will be rewarded.
Tuesday, May 21, 2013
What's Dripping From Your Lips?
Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. (Joshua 1:8 NIV)
It's quite embarrassing to hear someone tell you that something is dripping from your lips. That's something associated with babies. But you know that every time you speak, figuratively speaking, something is dripping from your lips. It is invisible to all but it is not without effect. The question is what types of words do you allow to come out of your mouth? Are they words that inspire you or others? Words that create, build up or tear down? And in the spirit of today's text, are they words that originate in God's word with the ability to precipitate success in your life and mission.
There are too many verses in the bible about the power and effects of words that to argue that your words do not matter is gross unbelief in the wisdom of scriptures. The book of Proverbs is a catalog of such verses. A sample:
Wise words satisfy like a good meal; the right words bring satisfaction. The tongue can bring death or life; those who love to talk will reap the consequences. (Proverbs 18:20, 21 NLT)
Those who guard their mouths and their tongues keep themselves from calamity. (Proverbs 21:23 NIV)
Some people make cutting remarks, but the words of the wise bring healing. (Proverbs 12:18 NLT)
Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. (Ephesians 4:29 NIV)
God told Joshua keep the law on his lips day and night. His mouth was to continually drip the word, muttering to himself and speaking to others things that are only in line with the word of God. God said in essence, "if you allow my words to continually drip out of your mouth, success will keep dripping all around you, circumstances or oppositions notwithstanding" The converse is also true. Whatever your let drip from your mouth will eventually drip all over your life. Check your life. If you like it, keep your mouth dripping the same things. If you don't, then it's time to change what's dripping from your lips.
Decision of the Day
I understand the power of words. I choose today to fill my mouth with God's word. I chose to speak edifying, helping, gracious and empowering words. God's word will not depart from my mouth.
Monday, May 20, 2013
A God-Formula for Success
Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. (Joshua 1:8 NIV)
Don't get rankled by the word "formula." According to dictionary.com, a formula is:
1. a set form of words, as for stating or declaring something definitely or authoritatively, for indicating procedure to be followed...
2.any fixed or conventional method for doing something...
So a formula is a fixed authoritative procedure for accomplishing something. A formula, once confirmed, works all the time to reach the stated result.
In our text today, God, intending to show Joshua the secret of being successful in his mission in life gave him a procedure which if followed by Joshua would always cause him to be successful in all he did. It wasn't a complicated one. To be successful Joshua had to do three things:
1. Speak the law of God( God's word) without ceasing
2. Meditate (focus on, ponder, fix on the mind, mutter) on the word day and night
3. Act. Do everything he sees in the word.
Step 1 and 2 could actually be merged into one since the Hebrew word for meditate means to speak to oneself in low tones as a way to establish or clarify proper thought. So Joshua would be successful if he would not stop meditating on (speaking) and doing the word.
This wasn't just an instruction to Joshua but a procedure described in other places that success and prosperity are mentioned in the bible. Psalm 1 is another example.
"Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither— whatever they do prospers. " (Psalm 1:1-3 NIV)
Here meditation and doing also leads to success and prosperity. Paul in admonishing Timothy on his ministry also gives a similar instruction
" Meditate on these things; give yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be evident to all. (I Timothy 4:15 NKJV)
There are other references on meditation and success. However these three would suffice for today to show that God must be trying to communicate to you his procedure for success in life. If you will honor the word of God, spend time pondering on it, speaking it to yourself and then obediently doing what you see, you will be successful in whatever you do.
What an amazing and simple formula for those who desire success in life, whether it is in your family, career, business or ministry, the formula works. It works because wisdom is the source of success and meditation on the word opens you up to God's higher wisdom for dealing with the affair of life. Today, decide to join the league of successful people by making meditation in God's word your lifestyle. Set apart time to ponder on it and speak it to yourself through the day and at night. You will initiate your own God-success story and your progress will become evident to all.
Decision of the Day
I know the secret of success. I have God's formula for success. I will make meditation a constant part of my life. I will do what the word says and I will be successful. Failure will have to leave my life.
Friday, May 17, 2013
A Triple Dose of Courage
“Be strong and courageous, for you are the one who will lead these people to possess all the land I swore to their ancestors I would give them. Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left. Then you will be successful in everything you do... This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:5-7, 9NLT)
"Behold the turtle; he makes progress only when he sticks his neck out."
These saying by James Bryant Conant, the chemist and former president of Harvard University comes to mind while contemplating our text today. As God continues his commissioning of Joshua for the assignment ahead, in one breath, he spoke twice about the need for Joshua to be bold and courageous. His words reveal the fact that he knew that somewhere along the way, there will be situations and circumstances, seemingly impossible obstacles and intimidating enemies that Joshua would encounter as he went about fulfilling his mission from God. God knew that because of his backing, Joshua could not fail or be defeated if he could only be courageous enough to confront those obstacles but he was also aware that the only thing that could stop Joshua was if he allowed fear to demobilize him from acting boldly in the face of the opposition.
So God had to drum it in into him, repeating it three times. " Joshua, don't be afraid. Don't be intimidated by anything. Be bold. Be Strong. Confront every challenge. Yes, you will be afraid, you will see things that will intimidate you, but rush at them. Stick your neck out and take those seeming risks. You will only make progress as you stick your neck out boldly in this assignment. I am with you"
What a message for you today who may be intimidated by something in the path of your assignment in God. Maybe it is a human who towers like an intimidating giant in the land you are to possess. Maybe it is a task that looks impossibly daunting. Maybe it is an uncertain future, a past failure, a seemingly risky step of obedience to God in life. God is saying the same to you. Be strong and very courageous.
Stick your neck out. True Courage is not the absence of fear but its mastery as Mark Twain said eloquently. Courage is doing things afraid. It is stepping out in faith while your knees are knocking together in fear. It is refusing to bow when your whole being quivers at the thought of burning in a fiery furnace. It is praying when you know fearfully doing so may turn you into a lion's dinner. The courageous are not people without fear but people who refuse to let fear cripple them. They refuse to crawl into a shell of comfort but rather stick their necks out beyond the comfort zone in order to truly live.
If you are struggling with immobilizing fear today, receive courage from these words. God never suggested courage to Joshua, rather he commanded it. It is said that there are over 365 commands in the bible to be bold and not be afraid. That's an average of one for each day of the year. When you are faced with fear, remember that to act in the face of the fear is obeying God. The one who commanded you and whom you chose to obey will not let you fail or falter. He will be there.
Decision of the Day
I choose to be bold and courageous. I will act in spite of my fears. I trust God who commanded me to be bold and courageous. He will not fail me.
"Behold the turtle; he makes progress only when he sticks his neck out."
These saying by James Bryant Conant, the chemist and former president of Harvard University comes to mind while contemplating our text today. As God continues his commissioning of Joshua for the assignment ahead, in one breath, he spoke twice about the need for Joshua to be bold and courageous. His words reveal the fact that he knew that somewhere along the way, there will be situations and circumstances, seemingly impossible obstacles and intimidating enemies that Joshua would encounter as he went about fulfilling his mission from God. God knew that because of his backing, Joshua could not fail or be defeated if he could only be courageous enough to confront those obstacles but he was also aware that the only thing that could stop Joshua was if he allowed fear to demobilize him from acting boldly in the face of the opposition.
So God had to drum it in into him, repeating it three times. " Joshua, don't be afraid. Don't be intimidated by anything. Be bold. Be Strong. Confront every challenge. Yes, you will be afraid, you will see things that will intimidate you, but rush at them. Stick your neck out and take those seeming risks. You will only make progress as you stick your neck out boldly in this assignment. I am with you"
What a message for you today who may be intimidated by something in the path of your assignment in God. Maybe it is a human who towers like an intimidating giant in the land you are to possess. Maybe it is a task that looks impossibly daunting. Maybe it is an uncertain future, a past failure, a seemingly risky step of obedience to God in life. God is saying the same to you. Be strong and very courageous.
Stick your neck out. True Courage is not the absence of fear but its mastery as Mark Twain said eloquently. Courage is doing things afraid. It is stepping out in faith while your knees are knocking together in fear. It is refusing to bow when your whole being quivers at the thought of burning in a fiery furnace. It is praying when you know fearfully doing so may turn you into a lion's dinner. The courageous are not people without fear but people who refuse to let fear cripple them. They refuse to crawl into a shell of comfort but rather stick their necks out beyond the comfort zone in order to truly live.
If you are struggling with immobilizing fear today, receive courage from these words. God never suggested courage to Joshua, rather he commanded it. It is said that there are over 365 commands in the bible to be bold and not be afraid. That's an average of one for each day of the year. When you are faced with fear, remember that to act in the face of the fear is obeying God. The one who commanded you and whom you chose to obey will not let you fail or falter. He will be there.
Decision of the Day
I choose to be bold and courageous. I will act in spite of my fears. I trust God who commanded me to be bold and courageous. He will not fail me.
Thursday, May 16, 2013
You have a Lifetime Guarantee
No one will be able to stand against you as long as you live. For I will be with you as I was with Moses. I will not fail you or abandon you. (Joshua 1:5 NLT)
A guarantee is a "formal promise or assurance (typically in writing) that certain conditions will be fulfilled." An example of a guarantee is the warranty that comes with a purchased product or a repaired merchandise. The warranty is a promise that if the product or merchandise develops a fault during the period that the warranty is in force, the manufacturer or repairer will either repair or replace it. Another form of guarantee is insurance. The insurer promises to repair, replace or compensate for the loss of something insured to the insured. A guarantee from a trusted source leads to peace of mind and confidence.
Our text today is a guarantee. God was the guarantor. He stated exactly what was guaranteed and for how long the guarantee would be in force. It was a lifetime guarantee. It was in force for as long as he lived. The promises of the guarantee were fourfold namely:
1. No successful opposition: No opposition against him would succeed
2. No loneliness . God would always be with him
3. No failure. God would not fail him
4. No abandonment. God would never leave him.
Anyone who has such a guarantee from the faithful God can go to bed and do his work in confidence knowing that he or she could never fail. Anyone with such guarantee is irrevocably bound to succeed, Walls of Jericho, giants in the land, battles or high mountains of opposition notwithstanding. It was a guarantee of a lifetime of success and victory. If you agree with this, that failure is impossible for anyone with such promises then read on.
So who else has such a guarantee from God apart from Joshua and Moses? Read the following passages to New Testament believers including you?
Don’t love money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said, “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.” So we can say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me?” (Hebrews 13:5, 6 NLT)
What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us? Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else? Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? No one—for God himself has given us right standing with himself. Who then will condemn us? No one—for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us. Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love?... No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. (Romans 8:31-37 NLT)
What do these promises imply? You have the same no- failure, no-loneliness, no-abandonment, no-successful-opposition guarantee Joshua had and even more. Joshua conquered lands with his guarantee and fulfilled his purpose in his generation. What will you do with yours?
Decision of the Day
I choose to rejoice and be confident in the no- failure, no-loneliness, no-abandonment, no-successful-opposition guarantee that God has given me in Christ. With this confidence, I will fulfill my purpose in my generation. I will not quit. I will not be discouraged. I will finish my course. I will keep the faith and I will fight the fight. My victory is guaranteed
A guarantee is a "formal promise or assurance (typically in writing) that certain conditions will be fulfilled." An example of a guarantee is the warranty that comes with a purchased product or a repaired merchandise. The warranty is a promise that if the product or merchandise develops a fault during the period that the warranty is in force, the manufacturer or repairer will either repair or replace it. Another form of guarantee is insurance. The insurer promises to repair, replace or compensate for the loss of something insured to the insured. A guarantee from a trusted source leads to peace of mind and confidence.
Our text today is a guarantee. God was the guarantor. He stated exactly what was guaranteed and for how long the guarantee would be in force. It was a lifetime guarantee. It was in force for as long as he lived. The promises of the guarantee were fourfold namely:
1. No successful opposition: No opposition against him would succeed
2. No loneliness . God would always be with him
3. No failure. God would not fail him
4. No abandonment. God would never leave him.
Anyone who has such a guarantee from the faithful God can go to bed and do his work in confidence knowing that he or she could never fail. Anyone with such guarantee is irrevocably bound to succeed, Walls of Jericho, giants in the land, battles or high mountains of opposition notwithstanding. It was a guarantee of a lifetime of success and victory. If you agree with this, that failure is impossible for anyone with such promises then read on.
So who else has such a guarantee from God apart from Joshua and Moses? Read the following passages to New Testament believers including you?
Don’t love money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said, “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.” So we can say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me?” (Hebrews 13:5, 6 NLT)
What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us? Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else? Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? No one—for God himself has given us right standing with himself. Who then will condemn us? No one—for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us. Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love?... No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. (Romans 8:31-37 NLT)
What do these promises imply? You have the same no- failure, no-loneliness, no-abandonment, no-successful-opposition guarantee Joshua had and even more. Joshua conquered lands with his guarantee and fulfilled his purpose in his generation. What will you do with yours?
Decision of the Day
I choose to rejoice and be confident in the no- failure, no-loneliness, no-abandonment, no-successful-opposition guarantee that God has given me in Christ. With this confidence, I will fulfill my purpose in my generation. I will not quit. I will not be discouraged. I will finish my course. I will keep the faith and I will fight the fight. My victory is guaranteed
Wednesday, May 15, 2013
Become a "Sole Proprietor"
Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses. (Joshua 1:3 KJV)
Mike Batterson, in his book, The Circle Maker, tells of the legend of Honi from the Jewish Talmund, who in the first century B.C, when approached by the elders of Jeruslem about the lingering drought threatening the city's existence, drew a circle on the ground, stood inside of it and told God he would not leave the circle until God sent rain. He prayed within the circle for hours, refusing to quit, even at tiny drops, until there was a downpour of rain. Batterson tells of how, inspired by this story and our text today, as a young church planter, he traced a 4.7 miles prayer circle all around the D.C Capitol Hill area. As he walked, he prayed over people and properties within the perimeter, trusting God in faith to transfer the promise he made to Joshua to him like he transferred it from Moses to Joshua. Now, years later, the church he pioneered has grown into seven locations and thousands of people with prime properties within the prayer perimeter he traced.
In our text, God transferred a promise he had made to Moses to Joshua of possessing lands. To activate the promise, Joshua would need to step out in faith and put the sole of his foot on the land. It did not matter who dwelt on the land, how long they've been on it or how defended and highly walled the land may have been been, the one who owned the earth and all its fulness had promised Joshua possession if he would only dare to set foot on the land in faith. It wasn't just Moses and Joshua that God gave the promise of "sole possessing" as I love to call it. Centuries earlier, he had made the same promise to their forefather, Abraham. God told Abraham to walk through the land in every direction because he was giving it to him.
" After Lot had gone, the Lord said to Abram, “Look as far as you can see in every direction—north and south, east and west. I am giving all this land, as far as you can see, to you and your descendants as a permanent possession. And I will give you so many descendants that, like the dust of the earth, they cannot be counted! Go and walk through the land in every direction, for I am giving it to you.” (Genesis 13:14-17 NLT)
So what is it about the sole of the foot and walking on a land? The answer lies in the fact that walking on something is both a symbol of authority and possession and a demonstration of faith. The feet represents authority. Remember the following passage of God raised Christ, " Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, (Ephesians 1:21, 22 KJV).
Another translation makes it clearer:
"Now he is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else—not only in this world but also in the world to come. God has put all things under the authority of Christ and has made him head over all things for the benefit of the church. (Ephesians 1:21, 22 NLT).
Also, (For we walk by faith, not by sight:) (2 Corinthians 5:7 KJV)
So "under the feet" equates to " under his authority" and faith is called a walk. So in our text, God was telling the patriarchs to exercise their authority over the land and to demonstrate faith in the promise by walking on the land.
How does this translate to you? There are still promises, things and places that God has promised to deliver to his people if they will boldly exercise their faith and authority in Christ. There are promises waiting for you, your family, business or church to lay claim on. God loves bold faith-filled prayers. He is seeking for people that will "walk the land" and lay claim on long overdue promises for the expansion of his kingdom. He is waiting for you to get off the ground, from under the feet of circumstances, to step out in faith and start walking through his word, laying hold on the promises he has put there for you.
Will you find out what the word says belongs to you in Christ and trace circles around them? Will you start to walk through the land today? Will you dare to believe God for the promised impossible? Go ahead and prove him. Put your foot forward and down and start possess! Become a "sole proprietor."
Decision of the Day
I understand that God loves bold prayers. I am going to start honoring his promises by receiving them. I will possess my possessions in Christ by putting my foot on them. God is pleased by my faith
Mike Batterson, in his book, The Circle Maker, tells of the legend of Honi from the Jewish Talmund, who in the first century B.C, when approached by the elders of Jeruslem about the lingering drought threatening the city's existence, drew a circle on the ground, stood inside of it and told God he would not leave the circle until God sent rain. He prayed within the circle for hours, refusing to quit, even at tiny drops, until there was a downpour of rain. Batterson tells of how, inspired by this story and our text today, as a young church planter, he traced a 4.7 miles prayer circle all around the D.C Capitol Hill area. As he walked, he prayed over people and properties within the perimeter, trusting God in faith to transfer the promise he made to Joshua to him like he transferred it from Moses to Joshua. Now, years later, the church he pioneered has grown into seven locations and thousands of people with prime properties within the prayer perimeter he traced.
In our text, God transferred a promise he had made to Moses to Joshua of possessing lands. To activate the promise, Joshua would need to step out in faith and put the sole of his foot on the land. It did not matter who dwelt on the land, how long they've been on it or how defended and highly walled the land may have been been, the one who owned the earth and all its fulness had promised Joshua possession if he would only dare to set foot on the land in faith. It wasn't just Moses and Joshua that God gave the promise of "sole possessing" as I love to call it. Centuries earlier, he had made the same promise to their forefather, Abraham. God told Abraham to walk through the land in every direction because he was giving it to him.
" After Lot had gone, the Lord said to Abram, “Look as far as you can see in every direction—north and south, east and west. I am giving all this land, as far as you can see, to you and your descendants as a permanent possession. And I will give you so many descendants that, like the dust of the earth, they cannot be counted! Go and walk through the land in every direction, for I am giving it to you.” (Genesis 13:14-17 NLT)
So what is it about the sole of the foot and walking on a land? The answer lies in the fact that walking on something is both a symbol of authority and possession and a demonstration of faith. The feet represents authority. Remember the following passage of God raised Christ, " Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, (Ephesians 1:21, 22 KJV).
Another translation makes it clearer:
"Now he is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else—not only in this world but also in the world to come. God has put all things under the authority of Christ and has made him head over all things for the benefit of the church. (Ephesians 1:21, 22 NLT).
Also, (For we walk by faith, not by sight:) (2 Corinthians 5:7 KJV)
So "under the feet" equates to " under his authority" and faith is called a walk. So in our text, God was telling the patriarchs to exercise their authority over the land and to demonstrate faith in the promise by walking on the land.
How does this translate to you? There are still promises, things and places that God has promised to deliver to his people if they will boldly exercise their faith and authority in Christ. There are promises waiting for you, your family, business or church to lay claim on. God loves bold faith-filled prayers. He is seeking for people that will "walk the land" and lay claim on long overdue promises for the expansion of his kingdom. He is waiting for you to get off the ground, from under the feet of circumstances, to step out in faith and start walking through his word, laying hold on the promises he has put there for you.
Will you find out what the word says belongs to you in Christ and trace circles around them? Will you start to walk through the land today? Will you dare to believe God for the promised impossible? Go ahead and prove him. Put your foot forward and down and start possess! Become a "sole proprietor."
Decision of the Day
I understand that God loves bold prayers. I am going to start honoring his promises by receiving them. I will possess my possessions in Christ by putting my foot on them. God is pleased by my faith
Tuesday, May 14, 2013
Me too!
I promise you what I promised Moses: ‘Wherever you set foot, you will be on land I have given you— (Joshua 1:3 NLT)
As we speak, new words are constantly being added to the dictionary. There is actually an urban dictionary where modern words as used by the new generation are regularly added. One of the entries of the urban dictionary is the construction " Me too," a grammatical tool that denotes complete identification with another person's situation. You say "me too" when you want to show that what applies to another person, applies to you. For example, someone could say, " I have a Toyota" and you would say, "Me too" because you also have one. Today, the goal is to get you to begin to say " me too" when you come across the amazing promises in God's word.
God's promises are double-edged swords. One edge is powerful, valid and effective for the original receiver(s) and the other edge remaining a legal tender for others who put their trust in the same promises. They have no expiration dates. His promises are transferable geographically, generationally, and situationally. Because he is no respecter of persons, what he says to one he says to all everywhere. No matter who God made a promise to or for how long it had been made or where it was made, anyone, anywhere, at anytime, in similar situations that receives the same promises and demonstrates similar faith in it, will receive the benefit of the promise. His words are eternally potent. Because his words are covenants, they are everlasting. He packages in his promises both power for present time fulfillment and power for future inheritance.
In our text today, Moses's promise became Joshua's promise. It is an example of how when God makes his promises, because he sees both the past, present and the future all at once, as he speaks to one individual in a generation, he at the same time speaks to future generations that will come in contact with the promise.
See some more examples from scriptures. God made several promises to Abraham but while he was doing it, he simultaneously was making the same promises to Abraham's seed which was Jesus and all those who are now in him through salvation. When Jesus spoke to his disciples and made promises to them of what was going to be theirs, although he spoke to a few disciples, he was simultaneously speaking to disciples of future generations. When God was speaking to Jesus after his resurrection, he was speaking to all who would thereafter believe in Jesus and be united with him. God spoke to fathers like David and made the promises he gave them inheritances for their descendants.
How does this apply to you? Here it is. There are are thousands of promises in the word of God that God made to others before you at other times, in other places and in varying situations that are now yours for the taking. Will you take advantage of these promises? Will you go for them enthusiastically and appropriate them for your life? Make up your mind today to do so. Be imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises ( Heb 6:12). From today, when you come across a promise in the word, no matter to whom it was previously given, lift up your voice and excitedly declare, "me too! "
Decision of the Day
I understand that God's promises are eternal, transferable and without expiration. So from today, when I come across promises in the word, I will make them mine. I will say, " me too."
As we speak, new words are constantly being added to the dictionary. There is actually an urban dictionary where modern words as used by the new generation are regularly added. One of the entries of the urban dictionary is the construction " Me too," a grammatical tool that denotes complete identification with another person's situation. You say "me too" when you want to show that what applies to another person, applies to you. For example, someone could say, " I have a Toyota" and you would say, "Me too" because you also have one. Today, the goal is to get you to begin to say " me too" when you come across the amazing promises in God's word.
God's promises are double-edged swords. One edge is powerful, valid and effective for the original receiver(s) and the other edge remaining a legal tender for others who put their trust in the same promises. They have no expiration dates. His promises are transferable geographically, generationally, and situationally. Because he is no respecter of persons, what he says to one he says to all everywhere. No matter who God made a promise to or for how long it had been made or where it was made, anyone, anywhere, at anytime, in similar situations that receives the same promises and demonstrates similar faith in it, will receive the benefit of the promise. His words are eternally potent. Because his words are covenants, they are everlasting. He packages in his promises both power for present time fulfillment and power for future inheritance.
In our text today, Moses's promise became Joshua's promise. It is an example of how when God makes his promises, because he sees both the past, present and the future all at once, as he speaks to one individual in a generation, he at the same time speaks to future generations that will come in contact with the promise.
See some more examples from scriptures. God made several promises to Abraham but while he was doing it, he simultaneously was making the same promises to Abraham's seed which was Jesus and all those who are now in him through salvation. When Jesus spoke to his disciples and made promises to them of what was going to be theirs, although he spoke to a few disciples, he was simultaneously speaking to disciples of future generations. When God was speaking to Jesus after his resurrection, he was speaking to all who would thereafter believe in Jesus and be united with him. God spoke to fathers like David and made the promises he gave them inheritances for their descendants.
How does this apply to you? Here it is. There are are thousands of promises in the word of God that God made to others before you at other times, in other places and in varying situations that are now yours for the taking. Will you take advantage of these promises? Will you go for them enthusiastically and appropriate them for your life? Make up your mind today to do so. Be imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises ( Heb 6:12). From today, when you come across a promise in the word, no matter to whom it was previously given, lift up your voice and excitedly declare, "me too! "
Decision of the Day
I understand that God's promises are eternal, transferable and without expiration. So from today, when I come across promises in the word, I will make them mine. I will say, " me too."
Monday, May 13, 2013
You Are the One in Trouble Now
After the death of Moses the Lord ’s servant, the Lord spoke to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ assistant. He said, “Moses my servant is dead. Therefore, the time has come for you to lead these people, the Israelites, across the Jordan River into the land I am giving them. (Joshua 1:1, 2 NLT)
The story is told about how FDR, in order to replace his unpopular incumbent Vice President, Wallace, worked so hard to persuade Harry Truman to be his running mate in the 1944 presidential election. Truman eventually accepted reluctantly . However, shortly after the election, he was summoned to the White House to meet Eleanor Roosevelt where she informed him that President Roosevelt had died. Surprised, Truman asked the new widow, "Is there anything I can do for you?"
Eleanor shook her head, responding, "Is there anything we can do for you? For you're the one in trouble now."
Leading, while it may come with certain perks, could often be correctly likened to stepping into the trouble zone, yet the world perpetually need people who despite the challenges, relinquish their rights to take otherwise less demanding paths and take on the rein of leading in various institutions and settings.
The deluge of leadership books, conferences and seminars everywhere these days attest to this. Homes need strong leaders. Churches are yearning for effective servant leaders. The nation needs less politicians and more leaders. In the business world, top dollars are invested for leadership development and acquisition yet there is still a gaping vacuum.
But the need for leadership while very stark now is not new. The advancement of God's purpose in history has always hinged on men and women who take on the leadership challenge. In our text today, God presented Joshua with that challenge. He was to be God's next man to lead his people into the promised land. A leader was needed and Joshua was the choice.
Simply defined, leadership is the ability to successfully influence others to join in accomplishing specific objectives. These objectives don't have to be big but they must be meaningful. Everyone can therefore be a leader. You can be one too. The world so much needs leadership that all are urged to apply.
Like many unknown individuals such as the rescuer who plunges into the pool to save a drowning child or Rosa Parks who chose to sit tight on the bus thus sparking a civil rights movement, many suddenly have the burden of leading placed on them at a moment's notice. Today, leading might just be a decision away from you too. Will you take on the challenge when it comes? When the situation advertises "Leader Wanted" will you turn in your application? Will you accept the call like Joshua did?
Decision of the Day
I understand that the world needs leaders. God needs leaders. I choose to volunteer myself to lead if I am called upon. I will watch out for leadership opportunities and take them on no matter how small or daunting they may seem.
Friday, May 10, 2013
A Tale of Three Servants
After the death of Moses the Lord ’s servant, the Lord spoke to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ assistant. He said, “Moses my servant is dead. Therefore, the time has come for you to lead these people, the Israelites, across the Jordan River into the land I am giving them. (Joshua 1:1, 2 NLT)
D.L Moody, while in the prime of his ministry then as the world's only famous evangelist was once visited by a large contingent of European pastors who had come to attend one of his conferences in Massachusetts. The custom in Europe then was that guests would leave their shoes outside their rooms for them to be cleaned by hall servants overnight. So these guests did exactly that. However, unknowingly to them, in America there were no hall servants.
After the guests had gone to bed, Moody saw the shoes while walking in the dormitory that night and intent on not embarrassing these pastors, took all the shoes to his room and cleaned them all secretly. The European pastors woke up in the morning to see their shoes all cleaned and shinning without knowing who had cleaned them. Moody told no one about this and the story would have been lost to the world had it not been for a friend that had had arrived unexpectedly during the night and had seen Moody cleaning the shoes. This was just one of the incidents in Moody's life that showed his servant heart. No wonder he was great.
If you scan our text today, you will see three mentions of the world servant or assistant. Moses was the Lord's servant in life. Joshua was Moses' assistant and God called Moses his servant even after his death. The two people God spoke to in this passage where both certified servants just like Moody.
There is greatness in the kingdom of God. Jesus, while speaking on kingdom greatness gave only one prerequisite - becoming the servant of all ( Matthew 20:25-26). Every truly great person in the kingdom of God is a certified servant. Even Jesus, the greatest of all says he did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for all Mark 10:45) . He was given a name above every name because he humbled himself and became a servant (Philippians 2:9-11)
Do you desire greatness? It is available to you. However, it is not in the way the world achieves it. Those who the world call great are not necessarily great in God's estimation. Your greatness is in your decision to become a lifelong certified servant of God and his people. You can start that journey to greatness today. Determine to become a servant. Look around you and add input and value to those he has placed around you. Seek out God's will and commit yourself to serving your generation. Be like Paul who took on the place of a bond servant (Romans 1:1) . He knew he was a son but he gladly chose to be a servant. Be like David who served God's purpose in his generation ( Acts 13:36). Choose to begin living the great life today.
Decision of the Day
I choose greatness in life so I choose to become a servant today. I will live to serve God and his purpose in my generation. From today, day by day, I will take advantage of opportunities to serve.
Thursday, May 9, 2013
You are God's Method
After the death of Moses the Lord ’s servant, the Lord spoke to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ assistant. He said, “Moses my servant is dead. Therefore, the time has come for you to lead these people, the Israelites, across the Jordan River into the land I am giving them. (Joshua 1:1, 2 NLT)
The explosion in technological development taking place today is driven by the constant search within the human heart for better methods of doing things. The phonograph was a great method of recording music until the vinyl disc came along, until the magnetic tape, on an on until this digital revolution of downloaded music stored in bits. Businesses and organizations are constantly searching for better methods of accomplishing their missions, leading to a deluge of how to books, conferences and seminars. However, in the midst of this constant search for new methods by humans, God has stuck to one method of carrying out his purposes on earth. He has neither reinvented nor re-innovated. His method has always been and still is to use humans.
Like E.M bounds said, " Men are God's method." Of all that God has at his disposal: archangels, cherubim, seraphim, all the animal kingdom, the vast hosts of creation and even the ability to create new beings if he so chooses, God in carrying out his purpose on earth has chosen humans as his method. God has chosen to use humans for accomplishing his will on the earth and he will not bypass them. All other resources, like angels, are merely backups for his chosen men and women.
In our text today, we see God beckoning to another man he had prepared after the passing of another. God didn't put it this way but it does no injustice to the passage to render what he said to Joshua this way, "Moses, my former partner has done his part and finished his work, now I need you to join me in accomplishing my will. I need you to lead my people to the land I promised them. I need you to be bold because without you, I will be unable to do this. I need you to be my partner in bringing this promise I made to Abraham to fulfillment."
So, it is not sacrilegious to say God was dependent on Joshua. If Joshua had said no or failed, God would have has to find another human because humans are his methods.
If we extrapolate this thought to you- to today. Could it be possible that God is depending on you for something today? Could an important agenda of his be hinged on your obedience and performance. Could there be a people he needs you to lead, a word he needs you to speak, a touch he needs you to convey, a thing he needs you to build? If scriptures are reliable, we can dare say, there is.
Some time today, there is something God is depending on you to do for him. You are his method. As he told Jeremiah, " You are my war club, my weapon for battle-- with you I shatter nations, with you I destroy kingdoms" ( Jer 51:20). And as Jesus told his disciples before he left, "You shall be my witnesses...to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8)
So, as you go about your duties today, keep it at the forefront of your mind that you are God's method. You are his instrument of peace and justice. You are his representative and partner; his ambassador and change agent. Let him use you as he chooses today and always.
Decision of the day
I understand that men are God's method. Without God I cannot, but without him he will not. I yield myself to him today and always to use me as he chooses.
Wednesday, May 8, 2013
Today, Take an Overdose of Humility
After the death of Moses the Lord ’s servant, the Lord spoke to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ assistant. He said, “Moses my servant is dead. Therefore, the time has come for you to lead these people, the Israelites, across the Jordan River into the land I am giving them. (Joshua 1:1, 2 NLT)
Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us. (Romans 12:3 NLT)
The story is told about the ant that exclaimed, after crossing a bridge riding on an elephant, "Wow we did shake that good old bridge!" Talk of self-importance.
Sometimes all we need is a little reminder to take ourselves less seriously. To put the credit for whatever impact God might be making through our lives where it really belongs - with God. We need to be reminded that while our work and service are important, we are not indispensable as we sometimes are tempted to think. We need to remind ourselves that God is the one working through us and that he also has a succession and replacement plan in place for his work.
Someone once shared this with me and it that has never left me. He said: " If you put your hand in a bucket full of water and stir the water, you can cause the water to whirl and turn. Your hand actually "drill" a "hole" in the water and causes much activity to ensue. But then when you remove your hand, the water immediately fills the "hole" you had made and returns soon to its unagitated resting state. Here's the lesson, he said: no matter how effective you are in ministry and how much God is doing through you, never think you are indispensable. Don't let it get into your head because like the hand in the water, when you are removed, the hole you thought you will be easily covered up and God can easily get another hand to continue the agitation. There are no human shoes to big to fill- only God's."
Look at our text today. Moses had an extraordinary ministry.Think of all the mighty acts God accomplished through Moses, miracles that have yet to be replicated in history: the parting of a sea, seeding a meat rain, tapping water out of the rock, turning rods to snakes and rivers to blood. Then there was the law he received from the very presence of God carved in stones by the very finger of God. Yet after Moses was gone, God said, " Next!" He found someone else to continue the work in Joshua.
This reminds that God's work is more than an individual. It goes beyond a denomination or group. It transcends generations. It is bigger than you. So at every point when God gives you an opportunity to serve, do it humbly. Be serious with the assignment but don't take yourself too seriously. Don't be like our proverbial ant on the elephant. God has a deep bench: like the 7000 who have not bowed their knees waiting in the wings ( 1 Kings 19:18), the Joshuas watching your every move, and the secretly anointed Davids serving right now in Saul's palace.
Serve God diligently with all you've got, but have it at the back of your mind that serving is only a privilege. You were not the first he called to do it and you will not be the last. Don't overwork yourself for lack of delegation because you are convinced you are the only one who can do things right. You may end up killing yourself but the work will go right on after you if it is God's work.
So today, take an overdose of humility. Let it tranquilize your ego to learn to rest, to delegate and to have a mind to inspire others to do what you do. And if God says," Next!" implying he has someone else prepared for the job you have always done, gladly relinquish it and move on to what next he has for you. He will never leave you in the dumpsters.
Decision of the Day
I choose to serve God humbly, to take myself less seriously. I realize that while my work with God is important and to be taken seriously, it is bigger than me and it is not about me. I am not indispensable. I will give place for other to serve and rejoice if God takes my job and give it to another, knowing he has other plans for me.
Tuesday, May 7, 2013
Something is Scheduled for You Today!
After the death of Moses the Lord ’s servant, the Lord spoke to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ assistant. He said, “Moses my servant is dead. Therefore, the time has come for you to lead these people, the Israelites, across the Jordan River into the land I am giving them. (Joshua 1:1, 2 NLT)
“Dear woman, that’s not our problem,” Jesus replied. “My time has not yet come.” (John 2:4 NLT)
Schedules!
From primitive methods like by observing shadows cast by the sun, to the use of the sand clock, to mechanical devices and now digital devices, for thousands of years, humans have kept times and schedules. Somehow instinctively, humans came to know that life is made up of chunks of time beginning at birth and ending at death and that proper measurement and planning would help its maximization. Scheduling appointments and events is now as simple as typing on a digital device and waiting for faithful reminders sang in your favorite tunes.
However today, our subject is not human schedules but God's. A basic search of scriptures reveals a God who schedules events. He does not live in time but he created and uses time. He scheduled the coming of the Messiah eons before it happened. We read of events to come in the future that God has scheduled for a time only he knows. Our texts today suggests another dimension of God's schedules, his planned events for our lives. God told Joshua, " the time has come..." and Jesus had a sense to know that " his time has not come"
What does this mean? When God told Joshua " The time has come..." It is like saying, " Now you have come to the hour, minute and second in your life that I have scheduled for you to step into this leadership position. This is what I have scheduled for you now!". A schedule is "a plan for carrying out a process or procedure, giving lists of intended events and times ". It is " a plan for performing work or achieving an objective, specifying the order and allotted time for each part" God was telling Joshua. This is what I have allotted for you now in my orderly plan for your life.
What does this mean to you? First it lets you know that every day, whether you are aware of it or not, there are divine appointments God has prescheduled for you. Somewhere in God's scheduler, a melodius tune is ringing alerting all of heaven and earth of something that is about to happen to you today. Can you hear the tune? Just as we sometimes don't hear or heed the tunes of our schedulers and instead do something else, it is possible to miss the tune of God's scheduler and instead go about your own agenda and plans. That is why you must be sensitive to the Holy Spirit, maintaining a soft pliable heart that is responsive to his timing.
That is why the Holy Spirit says, “Today when you hear his voice, don’t harden your hearts as Israel did when they rebelled, when they tested me in the wilderness. There your ancestors tested and tried my patience, even though they saw my miracles for forty years. So I was angry with them, and I said, ‘Their hearts always turn away from me. They refuse to do what I tell them.’ So in my anger I took an oath: ‘They will never enter my place of rest.’” Be careful then, dear brothers and sisters. Make sure that your own hearts are not evil and unbelieving, turning you away from the living God. (Hebrews 3:7-12 NLT)
They refused to move in God's timing and they suffered of it. God has a time for every event he has scheduled for your life. Your whole life is a page in his planner. You are not always ready for the biggest things he shows you, just as Joshua was not yet ready until Moses departed, but you can rejoice in the fact that there is something scheduled for today. Something awesome is ripe in time for you. As you are faithful in keeping today's schedule, the big appointments become inevitable. If you neglect today's appointments, then you run the risk of missing the coming ones. So decide today to be sensitive to the Spirit ; to keep every appointment he orchestrates. Living with such expectations will keep your life filled with God moments.
Decision of the Day
I choose to be aware of God's scheduled appointments for me today. Something is ripe in time for me. I will keep my appointments with destiny daily and watch God's preplanned events for my life unfold.
“Dear woman, that’s not our problem,” Jesus replied. “My time has not yet come.” (John 2:4 NLT)
Schedules!
From primitive methods like by observing shadows cast by the sun, to the use of the sand clock, to mechanical devices and now digital devices, for thousands of years, humans have kept times and schedules. Somehow instinctively, humans came to know that life is made up of chunks of time beginning at birth and ending at death and that proper measurement and planning would help its maximization. Scheduling appointments and events is now as simple as typing on a digital device and waiting for faithful reminders sang in your favorite tunes.
However today, our subject is not human schedules but God's. A basic search of scriptures reveals a God who schedules events. He does not live in time but he created and uses time. He scheduled the coming of the Messiah eons before it happened. We read of events to come in the future that God has scheduled for a time only he knows. Our texts today suggests another dimension of God's schedules, his planned events for our lives. God told Joshua, " the time has come..." and Jesus had a sense to know that " his time has not come"
What does this mean? When God told Joshua " The time has come..." It is like saying, " Now you have come to the hour, minute and second in your life that I have scheduled for you to step into this leadership position. This is what I have scheduled for you now!". A schedule is "a plan for carrying out a process or procedure, giving lists of intended events and times ". It is " a plan for performing work or achieving an objective, specifying the order and allotted time for each part" God was telling Joshua. This is what I have allotted for you now in my orderly plan for your life.
What does this mean to you? First it lets you know that every day, whether you are aware of it or not, there are divine appointments God has prescheduled for you. Somewhere in God's scheduler, a melodius tune is ringing alerting all of heaven and earth of something that is about to happen to you today. Can you hear the tune? Just as we sometimes don't hear or heed the tunes of our schedulers and instead do something else, it is possible to miss the tune of God's scheduler and instead go about your own agenda and plans. That is why you must be sensitive to the Holy Spirit, maintaining a soft pliable heart that is responsive to his timing.
That is why the Holy Spirit says, “Today when you hear his voice, don’t harden your hearts as Israel did when they rebelled, when they tested me in the wilderness. There your ancestors tested and tried my patience, even though they saw my miracles for forty years. So I was angry with them, and I said, ‘Their hearts always turn away from me. They refuse to do what I tell them.’ So in my anger I took an oath: ‘They will never enter my place of rest.’” Be careful then, dear brothers and sisters. Make sure that your own hearts are not evil and unbelieving, turning you away from the living God. (Hebrews 3:7-12 NLT)
They refused to move in God's timing and they suffered of it. God has a time for every event he has scheduled for your life. Your whole life is a page in his planner. You are not always ready for the biggest things he shows you, just as Joshua was not yet ready until Moses departed, but you can rejoice in the fact that there is something scheduled for today. Something awesome is ripe in time for you. As you are faithful in keeping today's schedule, the big appointments become inevitable. If you neglect today's appointments, then you run the risk of missing the coming ones. So decide today to be sensitive to the Spirit ; to keep every appointment he orchestrates. Living with such expectations will keep your life filled with God moments.
Decision of the Day
I choose to be aware of God's scheduled appointments for me today. Something is ripe in time for me. I will keep my appointments with destiny daily and watch God's preplanned events for my life unfold.
Monday, May 6, 2013
No Extra Parts
"All of you together are Christ’s body, and each of you is a part of it" ( 1 Cor 12:27) NLT.
"Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it" ( Psalm 139:14) NLT.
The movie, Hugo, has a plot and an inspiring story. An instructive scene in the movie is where the following dialogue takes place between a young girl Isabel and Hugo:
Isabelle: "I wonder what my purpose is..."
Hugo: "Everything has a purpose, clocks tell you the time, trains takes you to places. I'd imagine the whole world was one big machine. Machines never come with any extra parts, you know. They always come with the exact amount they need. So I figured if the entire world was one big machine... I couldn't be an extra part. I had to be here for some reason. And that means you have to be here for some reason, too."
What a wonderful way to illustrate the concept of purpose. God made the world and everything he made has a unique purpose. He did not create any extra part lacking purpose. Sometimes humans refer to vestigial organs in the body that have no particular purpose. This however contradicts what the bible reveals to us about God and his purposeful precision in creation. Anything without a purpose is a nuisance but God created no nuisance. Everything he created fits somehow into the machine, adding a unique contribution.
In the same way, you are not an extra part of the machine even though you may sometimes feel that way. You are a significant part of God's plans. Think of this too, even the very small part of a machine is important. The loss of a tiny diode or transistor in an electronic equipment could cause the entire system to shut down. That is how significant you are. You are designed to contribute something unique to the world and the world will not go quite as well if you do not discover, develop and deploy that unique contribution. Without your input, the clock will not work as well. Also, just as parts of machines are crafted, shaped and designed for the function they are to fulfilled, you were also crafted to specification for your unique function. You look just perfect for your purpose.
So decide today to live on purpose. Discover what makes you tick. What do you love doing? What do you do with ease? What do you hate? What gets you angry? What gets you going? What catches your attention easily? What gives you joy? What makes you cry? These are pointers to your purpose. Get into fellowship with God and let him clarify things for you. Then get moving on purpose so the machine can run as it should. Choose to live on purpose.
Decision of the day
I choose to live on purpose. I will find my place in God's plans, recognize my significance and get to work, making my unique contribution to my generation.
Friday, May 3, 2013
Eliminating for Progress
"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us." ( Hebrews 12:1)
"And if your hand--even your stronger hand--causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell." ( Matt 5:30)
Nature teaches us many things. We know about compensation, seeds and harvests through agriculture. We know much about how the power of God operates through electricity. We learn about the sabbath of rest through the seasons and cycles of nature and our bodies. Truly as Paul said, the invisible things of God are plainly revealed in creation for all who care to see.
One other lesson of nature we concern ourselves with today is that of elimination. Nature practices elimination to maintain health. Using the human body as an example. A part of the food we take in is designated as waste. Every minute, you eliminate 30,000 to 40,000 dead skins which are immediately replaced by fresh skin tissue. We must breath out to eliminate carbon dioxide. We sweat and urinate to eliminate toxins from our bodies. Our kidneys and livers are working overtime to eliminate toxins. The entire ecosystem incorporates some form of elimination to maintain homeostasis.
In your walk with God and in life, as our texts today suggest, we must also allow this principle of elimination to take its course. In fact,we must regularly initiate it. As you get involved in the business of life, you receive various intakes from various sources and interactions.
Some of these are necessary for your healthy functioning in life while others are unwanted baggage clinging to you in the journey of life. All these start to accumulate in your life and soon become weights that hinder you in your walk. The constant practice of elimination helps you to keep in shape for your purpose in life. Here are examples of a few things you must constantly eliminate:
1. Wrong relationships. ( 1 Cor 15:33). Are your relationships drawing you closer to God and his destination for your life or away?
2. Moral impurity. (Psalm 19:12) Are your thoughts and actions empowering you or hindering you?
3. Wrong atmospheric exposures ( Lam 3:51). These include depressing TV shows, sensual music, suggestive movies and books etc.
4. Negative conversations (Eph 4:29). What kinds of conversations do you engage in? Are they empowering or disempowering?
5. Bitterness ( Eph 4:31). Bitterness is like cancer. It eats you up.
6. Time wasters (Ephesians 5:15,16). Do you waste time on nonessentials? Learn to chart your course.
The word of God guarantees a change in your life as you practice elimination. Why not do it today?
Decision of the Day
I choose to practice the principle of elimination. I cut of from my life everything that hinders me from running my race.
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