Discipline
Be alert and of a sober mind…(1 Peter 5:8)
Yes, he is seeking whom to devour. I got up this morning with a great motivation to spend a day fasting, praying and seeking God for direction in my life.
Then the ancient serpent showed up. As soon as I opened my door, my neighbor fell on me with insults.
It almost robbed me of my date with God. But as pondered on the issue trying to figure out just where I went wrong, my Daddy just reminded me that the devil is mad because I’m going on a date with Him.
The devil like a roaring lion is always roaming around looking for whom to devour. May you never be his victim. Remember, We are not ignorant of his devices (2 Corinthians 2:11).
Give yourself some time to…
Sometimes we are in so much of a hurry to reach the next goal that we fail to take time to enjoy what we’ve achieved so far.
Take time to enjoy your achievements. There may never be another time for that.
Ready for the next level?
If you are still very comfortable with your present condition,
Then you are not qualified for your next level.
Discontent qualifies you for action
Desire motivates you for change.
The four deadly enemies of a Christian leader
As a Christian leader, your deadliest enemy is not the man next door who stares weirdly when you drive past to church; your worst enemy is right within.
Money: Yes, uncontrolled love and craving for money. Do you find yourself lying, cheating, swindling and even stealing in order to satisfy that insatiable urge to have more money? That enemy is out to ruin you. Face him squarely or he’ll destroy you.
Sex: What are you presently comprising just to satisfy that urge, that burning desire to be in their arms? Be sure you are not a victim of the spirit of lust or seduction, or both. That enemy will disgrace you when you least expect it.
Pride: You hate to be in a position of weakness; you always want to be at the top and in charge. You will intentionally hide the truth and engage in a lot of hypocrisy just to keep your pride. You hate to apologize even when you are sure you blew it. It’s hard for you to acknowledge you were at fault. Check your heart. That enemy will limit the extent to which God can use you.
Power: You can sacrifice everything and anything just to be “the one in charge here”. You hate to be the follower, even when you have much to learn from others. You want to teach everybody even when you’ve got nothing worth teaching. That enemy will keep you ignorant and empty, with the illusion that you know it all and can do it all. He will keep you from growing to greater heights.
We’ve got to always check our motives, re-examine our hearts each step of the journey. Our sincerity with God will earn us His timely intervention and save us lots of future embarrassments.
I wish you the best on this journey.
The anatomy of self-doubt
Do you find it hard to trust yourself? Are you scared of taking decisions because you’re afraid to make mistakes and bear the consequences?
Self-doubt is a thief who will steal your joy, your sense of self-worth and self-confidence; it will keep you in a stupor too fearful to try things out and discover their outcome.
Self–doubt immobilizes you with fear. You dread taking risks because you do not want to fail.
But the truth is, in life we can’t achieve much without stepping out to try things out and then see what we get at the end of the road. We only have to trust God at such moments to lead and guide us in the right direction, and to bring us back on track when we go astray.
What are some of the things that provoke self-doubt?
- You’ve messed up too many times in life and you’re afraid to mess up another time. You prefer to play it safe this time.
- You’ve been disappointed so often; you’d rather be careful.
- You’ve been hurt too much; you won’t let it happen to you again; your guards are always up.
- You’ve often been told you’re no good; you now belief it’s true. You don’t want to confirm that ugly report.
- The devil is plaguing you with the spirit of fear and dread. You are under captivity and you need deliverance.
- You just hate trying out new things; you’re the comfort zone kind of person.
Self-doubt in itself is not bad, especially the kind that pushes you to ask questions, try out new recipes and do research to find answers. This can actually lead to self-improvement which we all need.
What I’m talking about here is the kind of negative, tormenting self-doubt that makes you to devalue yourself and to doubt your own capability at achieving anything great.
When we understand that God has promised never to leave us or abandon us, that He will not be very angry with us for messing us, that He will readily take us back and continue to love us even when we’ve made mistakes, we will be more willing to take bold steps and to leap forward, counting on Him to see us through.
So what is the cure for self-doubt?
Trust that God knows your doubt and that He’s ready to give you answers when you ask him questions. Trust that He will faithfully guide and lead you along the way. Trust that Christ in you is wisdom, power and a sound mind.
Good luck to you all as you take bold steps and great leaps forward to achieve great things in this year 2016.
TOO GIFTED TO BE COMFORTABLE
Gifted people face a lot more problems in life. They are among the most misunderstood people. This usually happens because a lot of people just can’t handle the greatness that is manifesting in and through them.
Some are intimidated by their gifts; others are scared; many despise or feel jealous of them while yet others just can’t figure out what to do with them, so they end up hating or just rejecting them.
Do you fall in the category of very gifted people?
Don’t be surprised if you hardly fit anywhere; especially if you are aggressively pursuing a goal in life. The fact is that you are a threat to some, a stumbling block to many and a mirror to a whole lot of them.
Perhaps you remind them of what they wish for but can’t get to. You are a constant reminder to them about what they should be and be doing but which they aren’t.
BUT
Never devalue debase or degrade yourself in order to fit in a box and be accepted. There are many more people out there looking up to you and being inspired by your decision to be among the best.
How focused are you? Take the test.
Certainty is born out of conflict
You’ll never know whether you’re focused until something tries to pull you out of your chosen path.
Temptations and distractions can help you establish priorities if they are well managed.
- Should I marry or pursue a career?
- Do I choose adventure or my studies?
- Should I cook supper for him or take a cup tea and go to bed?
- Should I go to church or to the party?
When you face attractive alternatives and choose to remain faithful to your chosen course, then you know you are a focused and purpose-driven person.
Go for the Roses, God will take care of the Thorns
Never let the thorns keep you off the garden. Target the roses and trust God to handle the thorns for you.
Be open minded because He alone chooses the mode of operation.
He could choose to help you navigate untouched through the thorns.
He could choose to pull them off and give you free access to the roses.
He could choose to leave them there and give you the grace to live happily with them (I’ve not met anyone yet who asked for this third option; it’s rather unpopular).
God created the roses; He knows they have thorns on them. Don’t get stuck at that.
Don’t let the thorns keep you off your dream.
Leadership and Purpose 