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).

 

 

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.

I am, I can, I will…wait a minute; really?

I’m anointed, I’m talented, I can do this thing… I’ll do it.

Yes you can, but does it all depend on your gifting and anointing? Aren’t you leaving out something or maybe SOMEONE?

I’ll like to talk about gifting, talent, anointing and the place of God in this.

I’m gifted, talented and anointed, so why can’t I just call the shots when, where and how I want? Do I really need God’s opinion seeing He’s already given me all I need for this project? If He didn’t want me to do it, would He give me all these tools? Do I really need His opinion here?

But check this out:

• Our gifting and anointing does not place us above God’s sovereignty.
• No matter how anointed or gifted we are we can’t force God to do what He won’t.
• Our gifting and anointing is nothing else but God working through us, so we must submit to Him to get the best results.
• God’s will is greater and more important than our anointing and gifting.
• Sometimes we can be tempted to use our gifts and anointing for the wrong purposes, so we still need Him to guide us along.
• When we focus only on our gifts and anointing leaving God out of the game we could become proud and too self-confident to give Him the glory.
• In everything God must be the overall leader; we can’t drag Him along. He shows us the way. He must be GOD for the universe to function normally.
• No matter how heavy the branch is with fruit, it still needs the roots and the stem to sustain itself. A declaration of independence here will be fatal.

So, no matter how gifted, talented and anointed we are we still need God; we need to work in collaboration and synchronization with, and submission to Him if we desire the best results with no embarrassments along the way.

The attitude with which we use our gifts and anointing will either ensure a continuous flow and an increase, or a steady reduction till the tap runs dry.

 

Passing the submission test

What if you aren’t going to have that mega church you so dream of having?

• What if God does not heal you when you want and how you want it?
• What if you’re asked to serve in an environment you really don’t like?
• What if you are required to work with people you don’t like?
• What if the finances you’re expecting don’t come in?
• What if that kid you’re praying for dies anyway?
• Will you like Job’s wife desire to Curse God and die?
• Will you succumb to pressure from your followers and do it your way like King Saul?
• Will you like David say “your will be done?”
• Will you go consult “the witch of Endor” like Saul
• Will you try to prove to God He’s unfair like Job?

Sometimes the trials we go through are a test for us to express what lies dormant in our hearts.

I pray you won’t fail your test as a leader in God’s school of ministry.

 

 

They don’t deserve it, but they need it: the place of love in the healing ministry

Christian leadership usually reaches out to those who are in great need. Most often we are called to minister to people who are going through a lot of trauma which could be physical, emotional or spiritual. This category of people needs our compassion and sympathy the most. In fact, they need our love more than any other group of individuals.

When Jesus saw the multitude He was moved with compassion to heal all their sicknesses and liberate all the captives. After ministering to them He then told them to stay out of the mess.

Love and compassion are very necessary ingredients when it comes to administering healing and deliverance.

This is especially so because those we are called to minister to might be very “undeserving” and “unworthy” people according to our human wisdom and calculation.

Most of them do not know God. Some do not want any relationship with God. They want a quick fix and that’s it.

How then do we reach out to such individuals without judging them in relation to their attitude and character? How do we show love to those who are hurting, yet despise and ridicule our faith?

It takes a heart that has been remolded by God himself; a heart that can love unconditionally; a heart that can love the unlovable.

God is looking for such vessels so that He can fill them with His anointing and then use them to reach out to a hurting world.

 

 

 

 

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.

Unpopularly faithful

No matter how unpopular your message appears to be, if it’s from God just stay faithful to it and you’ll never lack an audience.

• Don’t change your message because it looks silly, lousy or unpopular.
• Never try to imitate those who seem to be making it big. No two people are called to do exactly the same thing.
• Don’t change your message according to the times and seasons. Don’t become a fashion victim.
• Trends come and go; God and His word remain the only immutable.

Some are called to be crowd pullers. Others are sent to impact specific individuals. Find out where you belong and stick with it.

You will be rewarded according to how well you did your assignment, not how well you copied mine.

The hardest part of Christianity:The crucified life

If I’m sharing this, it’s not because I’ve crossed the finished line and can now turn around and mentor those who are still behind. I still have my own struggles in this area; but as I learn, I share to bless others.

What does it mean to live the crucified life?

• Putting God first in everything I do. Not seeking my own pleasure first, but seeking to please Him first.
• Always seeking to know what He desires and wants me to do in each situation.
• Willingness to suffer rejection, humiliation, persecution and pain for His sake.
• The willingness to accept His will even at my own inconvenience.
• Acceptance that my own wishes, desires, will and pleasure are valid only if He validates them.
• Refusal to take the glory for any victory won, but giving all the glory to Him.
• The ability to say “Thy will be done”, from the very bottom of my heart.

Folks, this is the hardest part of Christianity and those who have attained to it receive of His spirit without measure.

May the Lord Himself help us to attain to such full stature so that we can indeed be His ambassadors on the earth.

THE DREAM AND THE DREAM-GIVER

The pursuit of your dream should not take you away from the dream-giver. It is not about you becoming famous, rich and celebrated. It is about establishing the kingdom of God on the earth. It is all about letting God do His will on earth through you.

How then can God do His will through you if you are disconnected from your of source of power, anointing and inspiration? Jesus gives us a stern warning in John 15:5 about trying to serve God without God. Sometimes we could become so purpose oriented that we rush ahead with our won plans leaving God behind. It is when we hit a wall that we look back and realize we left the ‘driver’ somewhere behind and raced ahead on our own.

Sometimes it is when we start drying up that we realize we are no longer connected to the vine. If we must bear fruit then we must receive nourishment from the vine every minute of every day. God has a word for you today. Do not be contented with what He told you last week.

Remember we are created for God’s pleasure and glory. He gives us the dream but He equally determines the timing and the funding. When we bring back the dream to Him in humility, He will give us the blueprint we require for its accomplishment.

If you run away from a dream God gave you, it could be that you stopped receiving the daily nourishment for its fulfillment.

Dream big; work with the Dream-Giver.