The wisdom of the ant

Go to the ant, you sluggard;
   consider its ways and be wise!
It has no commander,
   no overseer or ruler,
yet it stores its provisions in summer
   and gathers its food at harvest. [Proverbs 6:6-8]

In Proverbs 30:25-28, Solomon described four things that he had observed to be small but also extremely wise.  The first of these things was an ant.

"Ants are creatures of little strength,
   yet they store up their food in the summer" [Proverbs 30:25]

The wisdom of the ant is seen in its ability to plan ahead.   Being weak tiny incents, ants cannot survive in low temperatures.  The body temperature of ants changes in response to the atmospheric temperature. In winter, their body temperature falls so greatly that their movements inevitably grow sluggish. Therefore, they hibernate restlessly in relatively warm places, such as the soil or under the bark of trees.

Ants also eat a large amount of food in autumn to put on fat, thereby allowing them to go without food through the winter.

Nobody is absolutely certain about the future.  However, we are sure that there is bound to be a rainy day sometime in our lives.  For ants, that rainy day is usually the day that the winter season begins.  To protect themselves against the dreadful effects of winter, ants gather and store up their food in the summer.  How are you preparing for the rainy day in your life?

The 5 Benefits of Planning

"In life, as in football, you won't go far unless you know where the goalposts are." ~Arnold H. Glasgow

Successful people plan ahead. I highlighted this in my last post. I also highlighted the six areas for which they plan.  You can read this article and more at http://likeed.blospot.com.

As a follow-up to last week's article, today I want to share The 5 Benefits of Planning.

1 Direction

Having a well-laid-out plan of what you want to do in the coming days, weeks, months and years gives you a campus for your life.  There is very little guessing of the course you need to take in order to reach your desired destination.  The course is set. Your plan is the campus for your life.

2 Motivation

Having a well-laid-out plan of what you want to do in the coming days, weeks, months and years gives you something to look forward to when you wake up in the morning – be it having victory over a business competitor or tackling a challenge in something that you have been working upon, there is always something you look forward to when you wake up in the morning.

3 Perseverance

Having a well-laid-out plan of what you want to do in the coming days, weeks, months and years gives you the courage to press on in and through difficulties, challenges and setbacks.  Circumstances and people have little say on what you do.  You always have the courage to press on in and through difficulties, challenges and setbacks.

4 Speed

Having a well-laid-out plan of what you want to do in the coming days, weeks, months and years gives you the focus you need to accomplish things quickly.  You do not waste time on urgent and unimportant things, but concentrate on important things that are not urgent.   You accomplish things quickly.

5 Getting Things Done

Having a well-laid-out plan of what you want to do in the coming days, weeks, months and years gives you a schedule of the things that you need to do – and you do them.  This is the most important benefit of planning: you have a schedule of the things that you need to do – and you do them.

As 2011 comes to a close, I want to challenge you to start planning for 2012.  Do not leave it for January. You will lose precious time. Others who will already be doing while you will be still planning.

Successful People Plan Ahead

If you fail to plan, you plan to fail. – Winston Churchill

Everybody has an equal chance of becoming successful in life.  If you look at it closely, you will see that those that succeed in life have a different – and better – way of doing things than those that do not succeed in life.  

They plan ahead.

Planning ahead is taking charge of your life. The things you use to take charge of your life are time, relations, money, personal development, career and leisure. If you plan and manage each of these things in your life, you will become more successful than you are today.

Time

Successful people schedule their days.  Their time is precious to them.  They do not wake up wondering what they are going to do today.  They already know.  Nor do they wait for someone to tell them what to do.  This enables them to get more things done than the average person and to succeed in life.

Relations

Successful people intentionally enter into and come out of relationships.  They understand the power of relationships.  They only pursue relationships that add value to them.  They do not pursue relationships that do not add value to them.  This enables them to get more things done than the average person and to succeed in life.

Money

Successful people master their money.  They do not allow it to master them.  They know that money is a good servant but a bad master.  They use money use money as a tool.  They make it do whatever it is that they want it to do. This enables them to get more things done than the average person and to succeed in life.

Personal Development

Successful people are pro-self-improvement.  They are involved in activities that increase their knowledge base and experience.  They take delight in being able to learn from others and sharing their knowledge and experience with others.  This enables them to get more things done than the average person and to succeed in life.

Career

Successful people pursue careers that are purposeful.  They work out of passion, not coercion.  They enjoy what they do and take great pride in it. They do the work they would do even if they were not going to get paid. This enables them to get more things done than the average person and to succeed in life.

Leisure

Successful people take breaks every now and then.  They know that time-out is better than burn-out.  They use this time to relax, have fun and rejuvenate.  They also use this time to review their progress towards their goals, recast their plans and create new plans.  This enables them to get more things done than the average person and to succeed in life.

Everybody has an equal chance of becoming successful in life. Your success in life will be determined by what you do with your time, the relationships you create, the way you handle money, your personal development goals, your vocation and your leisure activities.

To be successful in life:
·        Create a schedule of the things that you want to do with the time you have
·        Intentionally pursue relationships that add value to you
·        Master your money
·        Continually improve yourself
·        Engage in purposeful work
·        Take breaks from your work every now and then

A few thoughts on planning

1.        Planning is an exercise of faith

 "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen" – Hebrews 11:1  

Faith is to believe in something without proof of its existence – it is to hope for something which is not seen.  

A plan is premised on the hope of turning dreams, desires and aspirations into reality.

Dreams, desires and aspirations are things which are not seen.  

Planning involves hoping for things which are not seen.

Planning is an exercise of faith.

2.        We succeed when we plan and fail when we don't

"The wisdom of the prudent is to give thought to their ways, but the folly of fools is deception." – Proverbs 14:8

There are two kinds of people that I come across everyday – those who live their lives by design and those who live their lives by default.

Those who live their lives by design make plans for the future.

Those who live their lives by default do not make plans for the future.

Winston Churchill once said, "If you fail to plan, you plan to fail."

We succeed when we plan and fail when we don't.

3.        Our plans succeed when God is involved in every aspect of our lives

"Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed." – Proverbs 16:3

The biggest of our dreams, desires and aspirations must be to always give the Lord first place in our lives.

When we give the Lord first place in our lives He directs, guides and protects us.

With the Lord's direction, guidance and protection, we have a better chance of succeeding in whatever we do than without them.

Our plans succeed when God is involved in every aspect of our lives.

4.        Our plans succeed when we get input from others

"Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed." – Proverbs 15:22

There are those of us who say, "It's either my way or the highway."

We do not see that that the only people that we are hurting are ourselves.

"My way" is not always the right path.

We sometimes need others to show us the way we should go.

Our plans succeed when we get input from others.

God is on your side

When things do not work out according to our aspirations and desires, we sometimes blame God and render Him undependable.

Is God truly at fault?  Is He ever undependable?

"God causes all things to work together for the good of those that love Him and are called according to His purposes" (Romans 8:28).  God cannot be at fault.  He always causes everything that takes place in our lives to work together for our good.

What more, God says "I have plans for you … plans not to harm you, but to give you a hope and a future" (Jeremiah 29:11).  We can always depend on God. His plans for our lives are not to harm us but to give us a hope and a future.

 Whenever things do not work out according to your aspirations and desires, always remember that God is on your side. His plans for you are not to harm you. They are to give you a hope and a future.

It Couldn't be Done by Edgar Guest

I found the following poem by Edgar Guest inspiring and decided to pass it to you. I hope it will motivate you to do the things that people discourage you not to do.

Somebody said that it couldn't be done,
But, he with a chuckle replied
That "maybe it couldn't" but he would be one
Who wouldn't say so till he'd tried.

So he buckled right in with the trace of a grin
On his face. If he worried he hid it.
He started to sing as he tackled the thing
That couldn't be done, as he did it.

Somebody scoffed: "Oh, you'll never do that;
At least no one we know has done it";
But he took off his coat and he took off his hat,
And the first thing we knew he'd begun it.

With a lift of his chin and a bit of a grin,
Without any doubting or quiddit,
He started to sing as he tackled the thing
That couldn't be done, and he did it.

There are thousands to tell you it cannot be done,
There are thousands to prophesy failure;
There are thousands to point out to you, one by one,
The dangers that wait to assail you.

But just buckle right in with a bit of a grin,
Just take off your coat and go to it;
Just start to sing as you tackle the thing
That cannot be done, and you'll do it

10 Ways to Motivate Yourself & My 10 Confessions - Part 2

4.        Make victory your daily goal

Give victory to the king, O LORD ~ Psalm 20:9

When victory is your daily goal yesterday's victory reassures you of your competence and you have a sense of accomplishment to look forward to in the victory that you are going to attain today. You are motivated all the time.

Confession: Victory is my daily goal.

5.        Appreciate what you have

For everyone to whom much is given, of him shall much be required. ~ Luke 12:48

When you appreciate what you have, you want to bless others and you are self-motivated.  When you do not appreciate what you have, others want to bless you and to motivate you.

Confession: I appreciate what I have and use it to bless others.

6.        Start slow

I'll pursue them! I'll catch up with them! ~ Exodus 15: 9

Like athletes running a marathon, when the route to your destination is long, start slow and increase speed as you draw closer to the end. Like athletes, you need a lot of momentum to make it across the finish line.

Confession: when the route to I destination is long, I start slow and increase speed as I draw closer to the finish line

Watch out for more ways to motivate yourself and confessions in my next post.

Stay motivated.

10 Ways to Motivate Yourself & My 10 Confessions

1.        Motivate others

He who refreshes other will he himself be refreshed ~ Proverbs 11:25  

As water cannot pass through a hosepipe without wetting the hosepipe, motivation cannot pass through me without motivating me.

Confession:  I am writing to motivate myself as much as, or probably more than, you.  

2.        Hang out with motivated people

Whoever walks with wise people will be wise, but whoever associates with fools will suffer. ~ Proverbs 13:20

We become like those with whom we associate with. Their attitudes rub off onto us. Really motivated people are motivating.

Confession:  I hang out with motivated people a lot so that their motivation rubs off on me.

3.        Make your passion the first thing on your to-do list

Doing something that you are passionate about is always easy, fulfilling and uplifting. It also give you energy for the things that you are less passionate about.

Confession: The first thing on my to-do list is something that I am passionate about.

Watch out for more ways to motivate yourself and confessions in my next post.

Stay motivated.

It is not everyday that I read a book written for WOMEN but....

It is not everyday that I read a book written for WOMEN but that is exactly what I have been doing since Sunday evening and I am not ashamed to tell you this.

There are dozens of audio books that I have loaded onto my laptop and one of them is titled "CAPTIVATING".  I have never read this book before, nor have I ever head anybody talking about it, but I just stumbled upon it as I was looking for something to listen to as I lay in bed on Sunday evening.  I fell asleep while it was still playing so replayed it yesterday morning as I was preparing for work.

CAPTIVATING is a captivating book on the beauty of the woman.  It's an excellent book on the desire of the woman to be "CAPTIVATING".  It clearly explains the root of this desire and how it is sometimes extinguished by a person's life experiences. The book also reassures women that they are beautiful and capable of being captivating regardless of what life throws at them.

For women, this book is a must read. It will liberate you and change your world.

I also recommend this book to the men. It will help you liberate the women that are around you and give you helpful insights on their psychology.  It will also teaching you a thing or two on parenting your daughters and liberating your wives.

This is a good book for everyone. Do not just hear it from me.  Go out and get your copy today.

Nobody Should Stop You

Getting things done is hard for a lot of people. While this is frequently attributed to indiscipline, I believe that the people around you have a big part in this and this has often been overlooked.

The people around you either motivate or discourage you from getting things done. The people that motivate you to get things done praise you, affirm your capabilities and offer you a hand when you have something that needs to be done. The people that discourage you from getting things done belittle you, question your capabilities and disrupt you when you have something that needs to be done.  Invariably, these people make it hard for you to get things done.

Someone once said, "People who say it can't be done shouldn't stand in the way of the person who is doing it." In my analysis, they were right. You should never allow someone who is pessimistic to disrupt you from what you are doing.

Not everyone is optimistic. Some people are pessimistic and that is just how they are. I have no problem with this so long they do not interfere with other people's efforts to get things done. So should you!

Persevere in these things

1.        In righteousness (doing good)
"Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." – Galatians 6:9
"To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life." – Romans 2:7

2.        In pursuit of God
"Look to the LORD and his strength; seek his face always." – 1 Chronicles 16:11

3.        In showing love
"Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres." – 1 Corinthians 13:6-7

4.        In sound doctrine
"Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers." – 1 Timothy 4:16
"We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away." – Hebrews 2:1

5.        In pursuit of purpose
"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us." – Hebrews 12:1

6.        In the hope of the resurrection
"Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful." – Hebrews 10:23

7.        In prayer
"Pray without ceasing." – 1 Thessalonians 5:17
   

God equips us for ministry way ahead of time

"All things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose"
- Romans 8:28, New King James

God equips us for ministry way ahead of time.  Part of the things we learn and go through up to the time we get to know and follow the call of God upon our lives is part of the training that we need in order to be able to fulfill this call. This truth is revealed in the bible time and again:

n        As a religious enthusiast Paul acquired extensive knowledge in the Law, including Jewish customs and traditions, which he used to build a case for Christ throughout his ministry.  

n        As he looked after his father's sheep, David developed a shepherd's heart, which made him a leader with great compassion for his followers.  

n        Being knowledgeable in the royal etiquettes of Egypt, Moses was the best person to send to Pharaoh when it was time for God to deliver the house of Israel out of many years of Egyptian bondage.

n        Joseph used the administrative skills that he had acquired in Potiphar's house to run the largest food distribution scheme in Egypt.

Each of the bible characters that I have mentioned above acquired the knowledge and experience that they needed for ministry way ahead of time. Part of the things you are learning and going through right now is part of the training that you need in order to be able to fulfill the call of God that is upon your life. Are you aware of this?

Victorious Christians move from Suffering to Hope…

… is what Paul says!

In Romans 5:3-4, Paul writes:

"…we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope."

Victorious Christians progressively move from suffering to hope, Paul says.  When victorious Christians bear pain, loss, distress, injury or grief, they persevere.

According to Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, perseverance is:

"a steady persistence in a course of action, a purpose, a state, excetera, especially in spite of difficulties, obstacles, or discouragement."

Through perseverance, the victorious Christian's character is formed.  

In everyday language, the term character is used to mean a number of things; in this instance, however, it refers to strength of mind or resolution.  The resultant strength of mind or resolution is a determination or strong will to see the suffering end.  

Being more than an attitude of the mind, character drives the victorious Christian to decisive action towards bringing his sufferings to an end and in due process give him or her hope.

According to Webster's Dictionary, hope is:

(1) a desire of some good, accompanied with an expectation of obtaining it, or a belief that it is obtainable

(2) an expectation of something which is thought to be desirable

(3) confidence

(4) pleasing expectancy.

Suffering weighs most people down, but some individuals have become better persons from the pain, loss, distress, injury or grief of suffering.  Paul says that victorious Christians progressively move from suffering to hope.  Are you a victorious Christian?  Can you move from suffering to hope?

Harness the Power Within You – of Vision and Faith

What is a vision?  What is faith?  How much inner strength can you derive from your vision and faith?

• Vision

“Where there is no vision, the people perish.” – Proverbs 29:18

A vision is a clear picture of the future.  A great vision will give you the strength to persevere in and through every situation and reassure you that there are brighter days ahead.

• Faith

"Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." – Hebrews 11:1

Faith is activated when you look at things as you believe they ought to be, not as they are, and act in line with that.  Faith reassures you that you are in charge, not the situation. 

There is so much strength that each of us can derive from within ourselves.  Two of the ways we can do this is by creating a clear vision and activating our faith.  Spend some time on your vision and faith this week.

Harnessing the Power Within You - of Faith, Purpose and Vision

People often say that motivation doesn't last. Well, neither does
bathing – that's why we recommend it daily." – Zig Ziglar (American
motivational Speaker and Author)

Like the air that we breathe, inspiration is a necessity in our lives:
it is the power that gets us out of bed every morning; the source of
our lives, work and creativity; and the force that drives us forward
even when things don’t go our way.

Without inspiration, it is easy for us to live wimpy lives and to
throw in the towel the minute things get tough or take an unexpected
turn.  On the other hand, inspiration energises us and gives us the
power to persevere in and through every situation.

We need inspiration in our lives – and we need it daily!

Daily inspiration is not always there.  Sometimes we have to invoke it.

Invoking inspiration is a discipline that successful people use to
stay motivated, even under precarious conditions.  There are many ways
of invoking inspiration, but this article only looks at harnessing the
power within you.

Faith

"Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things
not seen." – Hebrews 11:1

Faith is activated when you look at things as you believe they ought
to be, not as they are, and act in line with that. Inspiration is
invoked by your actions that reassure you that you are in charge, not
the situation.  You have the power to create, maintain or change any
situation.

Press on to reach the end of the race

I really mean it.

Press on to reach the end of the race.

The half-way point of this year was just a few days ago (June 30^th) and I know that most of us are relentlessly pursuing our goals.   I also know that a number of us are weary from pursuing our goals and need encouragement.   Well, this is post to encourage everyone that has goals to achieve and to give you a strategy for effectively pursuing these goals.

In Philippians 3:13-14, Paul revealed a strategy for effectively pursuing goals. He wrote, "No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us."

The strategy has five steps:

1.  Articulate Your Goal
The first step to coming up with a strategy for effectively pursuing your goal is to clearly articulate what your goal is.  I know a lot of people that are pursuing goals but cannot clearly articulate what these goals are.

Although it is stated at the end of the passage, Paul knew what his goal was and could clearly articulate it: to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, had called him.  

Do you know what your goal is and can you clearly articulate it?  

2.  Establish and Accept Your Current Position
After articulating your goal, you need to establish and accept your current position. Your current position will most likely be some distance away from your goal. When this is the case, the best way forward will be to acknowledge that you are some distance away from your goal. It is sometimes difficult to accept that you are some distance away from your goal, but a prerequisite to developing a strategy for effectively pursuing your goals.

Paul easily stated his current position and acknowledged that it was some distance away from his goal: "No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it [yet]" he wrote.  

How far are you from your goal?  Have you achieved it yet?  Is it hard or easy to acknowledge that you are some distance away from your goal?

3.  Forget the Past
The past includes your victories and your failures.  Victories have a tendency of boosting your expectations of victory, leading to complacency.  Failures have a tendency of dampening your expectations of victory, leading to intimidation. Complacency and intimidation both stall your progress towards your goals.

Because Paul did not want complacency and intimidation to stall his progress towards his goal, he resolved to forget the past. Forgetting the past is letting go of past victories and failures. When you let go of past victories and failures, you release yourself to move on with a clearer vision of what lies ahead.

How are the victories and failures affecting your progress towards your goals?  Are your victories making you complacent?  Are your failures making you intimidation? Have you allowed complacency and intimidation to stall your progress? Will you let go of past victories and failures and release yourself to move on with a clearer vision of what lies ahead?

4.  Look Forward to What Lies Ahead
After letting go of the past, shift your focus to the course that leads to the completion of your goal.  You will find that there are opportunities as well as obstacles ahead of you. To achieve your goal, you need to maximize on the opportunities and to overcome the obstacles. Your chances of maximizing on the opportunities and overcoming the obstacles are increased by having a good look at the course that leads to the completion of your goal.  

Paul had his mind set on the course that would lead to the completion of his goal: "looking forward to what lies ahead" he said.

Are your eyes set on the course that leads to the completion of your goal? Do you see how you are going to maximize on the opportunities and to overcome the obstacles that are along the course?

5.  Press on to Reach the End of the Race
Finally, press on. To press on is to persevere.  Perseverance is "a steady persistence in a course of action, a purpose, a state, etcetera, especially in spite of difficulties, obstacles, or discouragement" (Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary).  

The final thing you need to do in effectively pursuing your goals is to persistently follow the course that leads to the completion of your goals in spite of difficulties, obstacles, or discouragement.  This is what Paul meant he was doing, and going to continue doing, when he said, "I press on to reach the end of the race."

Are you geared up to reach the end of your race?  Are you ready to persistently follow the course that leads to the completion of your goals in spite of difficulties, obstacles, or discouragement?

This is one thing that you must do and continue doing in order for you to achieve your goals.

Although we are past the half-way point of the year, there is still enough time for you to achieve your goals.  All you need is to developing a strategy for effectively pursuing your goals – articulate your goal, establish and accept your current position, forget your past, look forward to what lies ahead and press on to reach the end of the race.  

Unto whom shall we look?

If the farmer refuses to sow
If the fields lie bare, untilled
Unto whom shall we look?

If the rains refuse to fall
If the shoot withers and die, thirsty
Unto whom shall we look?

If the reapers refuse to reap
If the harvest withers and rots
Unto whom shall we look?

If the miller refuses to grind
If the grain is unground
Unto whom shall we look?

If the cook refuses to make bread
If the meal is not mixed
Unto whom shall we look?

Unto whom shall I look?
Unto whom shall you look?
Unto whom shall we look?

Unto God shall we look!
Unto the creator of the heavens and the earth
Unto the Lord Our Provider, Jehovah Jireh

Jesus expects you to abandon your self-preservation instinct

During His ministry, Jesus had certain expectations for His disciples.  One of them was for them to abandon the self-preservation instinct.  “Abandoning one's instinct for self-preservation is a very persistent theme in the New Testament, repeated again and again,” Jeremy Rose notes in one of his article on self-preservation. 

Rose highlighted the following verses to his defense:

• "Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends" (John 15:13).
• "For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it" (Luke 9:24).
• "Whoever tries to keep his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it" (Luke 17:33).
• "Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for My sake will find it" (Matthew 10:39).
• "For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for Me will find it" (Matthew 16:25).
• "For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for Me and for the gospel will save it" (Mark 8:35).
• "The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life" (John 12:25).

Jesus expects us to abandon our self-preservation instincts and experience abundant life.  Self-preservation is an assurance of security, but necessary of abundance.  In finance, the people that expect a great return on their money very often choose the investments that have the greatest risk.  So it is in life; the people that expect a great return on their lives very often settle for the choices that have the greatest risk.

Jesus expects you to abandon your self-preservation instinct

During His ministry, Jesus had certain expectations for His disciples.  One of them was for them to abandon the self-preservation instinct.  "Abandoning one's instinct for self-preservation is a very persistent theme in the New Testament, repeated again and again," Jeremy Rose notes in one of his article on self-preservation.  

Rose highlighted the following verses to his defense:

·        "Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends" (John 15:13).

·        "For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it" (Luke 9:24).

·        "Whoever tries to keep his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it" (Luke 17:33).

·        "Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for My sake will find it" (Matthew 10:39).

·        "For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for Me will find it" (Matthew 16:25).

·        "For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for Me and for the gospel will save it" (Mark 8:35).

·        "The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life" (John 12:25).

Jesus expects us to abandon our self-preservation instincts and experience abundant life.  Self-preservation is an assurance of security, but necessary of abundance.  In finance, the people that expect a great return on their money very often choose the investments that have the greatest risk.  So it is in life; the people that expect a great return on their lives very often settle for the choices that have the greatest risk.

Jesus came that we may have life, and life more abundantly

Today, we live in a world that places great emphasis on self-preservation – an attitude of reserved existence that has landed many of us risk-averse and achieving average, if not mediocre, levels of success.  Where one could be an innovative and progressive entrepreneur, they are tightly clinging onto a day job that they hate and are content to know that they can expect a pay check at the end of each month in return for their tolerance.  Where one could be a vibrant, life transforming minister to children, you see them week-in week-out in the church pew at ease, "preserving" their dignity and respect.  Where one could be a missionary doctor to Africa, you see them practicing in one of the posh hospitals of the world.

Jesus came that we may have life, and life more abundantly (John 10:10). Abundant life sometimes means loosening the grip on yourself and your life and forging into miry waters – a new business venture, a new role in ministry, a new location, the enemy's camp, anywhere you have never been before.  Miry waters are where the avenues to abundant living are sometimes hidden.  

Take the example of some of the people that have achieved great things in their lives.  Henry Ford left the farming business that his father passed to him and pursued an engineering career instead. Ford invented the first automobile with a combustion engine and contributed to improved transportation and an improved economy in the 1920s.

George Washington Carver turned down a $100,000 salary offer from Thomas Edison, to continue research work that would improve the livelihood of mankind. Among his discoveries were more than 300 products from the peanut (including Peanut Butter), 175 from the sweet potato, and 60 from the pecan.  Before he died, Carver donated over $60,000 of his life's savings to the George Washington Carver Foundation and willed the rest of his estate to the organization so his work might be carried on after his death.

Even the bible is full of cases of people that abandoned the way of self-preservation and walked into the way of abundant living.  Take Queen Esther for example. Queen Esther broke protocol and appeared before King Xerxes without invitation so that she could plead for the lives of the Jews (which was granted).  Queen Esther's actions ransomed her life as well as the lives of the Jews.

Another example is Ruth. Ruth clung onto Naomi and landed in the land of Israel where Boaz married her and she lived a better life than the one that she would have lived if she had stayed in Moab.

The four leapers also abandoned the way of self-preservation and walked into the way of abundant living.  Not only did they save themselves, but also the city of Samaria, which was suffering from a severe draught, through their act of courage that could have cost them their lives.

Jesus came that we may have life, and life more abundantly. Are you going to give it away for self-preservation or you are going to abandon the way of self-preservation and walked into the way of abundant living?  

The Great Light

I lit a light above you
But you hid into night's darkness
Even there I lit a match and led it before you
But you blew it out
Then I set a lamp before you
But you turned your head to look the other side
I then sent a torched army to surround you
Even then you hid your eyes into the ground
Where then do you expect to see the light?
Where should I search you?
Where will I meet you?
Why are you acting so stubborn?
I lit a light above you
But you hid into night's darkness
Even there I lit a match and led it before you
But you blew it out
Then I set a lamp before you
But you turned your head to look the other side
I then sent a torched army to surround you
Even then you hid your eyes into the ground

Our Knowledge is Partial and Incomplete, but God is Omniscient

This morning, I read the story of the healing of Naaman (2 Kings 5:1-19).  From it, I learnt the importance of trusting God and not depending on my own understanding.  Proverbs 3:5 says, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding" (New Living Translation).  

Elisha instructed Naaman to go to the Jordan and wash himself so that he may be healed.  Naaman was reluctant at first, but eventually followed Elisha's instruction and received his healing.

Like Elisha, God sometimes gives us instructions that we do not understand.  According to our intellect, these instructions do not make any sense.  We expect something else, not the instruction that God has given us at that point in time, and are reluctant to do what God has instructed us to do.

Well, I have news for you…

God still expects us to trust him and carry out those instructions as Elisha expected Naaman to trust him and follow his instruction.

Why should we trust God and not depend on our own understanding?

Here are two reasons:

1.        Our knowledge is partial and incomplete
In 1 Corinthians, Paul says, "Now our knowledge is partial and incomplete… we see things imperfectly as in a cloudy mirror," (1 Corinthians 13:9,12).  We do not have knowledge of everything.  Our knowledge is limited to our education and experiences.  But complete knowledge spans beyond our education and experiences.

2.        God is Omniscient
In Psalm 147:5, the psalmist declared, "Great is our Lord and mighty in power; his understanding has no limit." God's knowledge is perfect and eternal. He knows all things which can be known, past, present, and future. God also knows how best to attain His desired ends. We can only but trust Him to lead us to those ends.

Like Naaman, we will only see our breakthroughs when we do what God has told us to do. God knows everything that has happened and everything that will happen. He knows how things will turn out in the end.  On the other hand, we do not have knowledge of everything.  Our knowledge is limited to our education and experiences. So, let us put our trust in the Lord. Let us not depend on our own understanding. Amen

Do not let the day pass

Do not let the day pass
Without a smile, better still a laugh, on your face
Tickle the soul with glee
Give worry and anxiety a bitter blow
 
Do not let the day pass
Without learning anything new
Each day has its lesson
Search it out at any cost

Do not let the day pass
Idle
Doing nothing
Poverty and lack will soon creep into your house

Do not let the day pass
Without working towards fulfilment of your dreams
The fulfilment is only but the last step
The journey to them is actually much longer

Do not let the day pass
Without making the most of the opportunity that is before you
Stop assuming that there will be late arrivals
They might just not turn up

Do not let the day pass
Without making peace with your neighbour
Never abandon a friend – either yours or your father's
In the day of calamity, a neighbour living nearby will be of better help than a relative far away

Do not let the day pass
Without communion with God
Life is but a moment that passes away with each new day
What is today is tomorrow no more

Mothers’ Day Special

I posted the following article once or twice before but feel the urge to post it again.  I hope it helps you remember what such a special person your mother is or, if you are a mother, what such a special person you are.  

Going through what Mama went through…  

… is what it is going to take to make your life count.

Really, I mean it!

Going through what Mama went through is what it is going to take to make your life count: her life models the path to greatness that many of us dream of.  

To justify my point, let's have a look at what Mama went through.

She was wooed by a man
A man saw her and became interested in her.  He wanted to spend the rest of his life with her so he set about wooing her to himself.  Likewise, God is interested in spending eternity with you so He is constantly wooing you to Himself.  

She had an intimate relationship with her man
When the man had wooed her to himself and she had fallen for him they began to get to know each other in a much deeper and intimate way.  Likewise, God woos you to himself so that you enter into an intimate relationship with Him.  Through this, He creates an opportunity for you to get to know Him; He knows you already.  

She became pregnant for her man and gave birth to a baby
As she pursued an intimate relationship with her man, she became pregnant for him and gave birth to a baby. Likewise, as you pursue an intimate relationship with God, He is going to impregnate you with and cause you to give birth to His vision.  

She natured her baby until it grew up
When the baby was born, she rearranged her entire life so that she could nature baby until it grew up to maturity. Likewise, you are to nature the vision that God gives you and see to it that it does not die but live to impact this generation and the generations to come.

How to Get Whatever You Want in Life

Do you have a burning desire for something?  Do you know how to get it? I have a simple process that you can use to get whatever you want. Honestly, you can use it to get whatever you want in life.

Make a strong RESOLVE
Decide what you want. See it. Feel it. Taste it. Smell it. Touch it. Experience it with your whole being. Let it become a part of your present reality.

Build-up some RESILIENCE
Think of why you should already be having it.  Why is it important to you?

Face the RESISTANCE
It will come. No doubt.  Resistance is inevitable. Stand up to it.

Chase after the RESULT
Go after it. Don't stop. Don't give up. In the end, you will get it.

It is easy to get whatever you want in life. A strong resolve, powered by resilience will produce a resistance that will lead you to your desired result.  

Timeout is better than Burnout

From time to time we find ourselves so busy that the idea of taking a break sounds absurd.

Even when we are tired, we sometimes opt to continue working until we complete our task. Only after the task is done, do we take a break.

This is a good way of getting things done, no doubt, but at times leads to burnout – a state of emotional, mental, and physical exhaustion.

Burnout is a terrible thing. It reduces your productivity and saps your energy, leaving you feeling increasingly helpless, hopeless, cynical, and resentful. Eventually, you may feel like you have nothing more to give.

However, taking a break in the middle of your task is at times a better alternative.

Think about it.

Taking a break in the middle of your task enables you to relax and prepare to be more productive. It gives you time to renew yourself emotionally, mentally and physically. It increases your productivity and boosts your energy.

Suggesting taking a break in the middle of a task may seem absurd at first – especially if you are a very busy person – but when you consider the renewal that comes from doing so you will agree that timeout is better than burnout.

So here are 10 Easy Timeout Ideas:
1. Go for a walk/jog
2. Hit the gym
3. Take a friend out for lunch
4. Watch a movie
5. Spend time talking to your family
6. Clean
7. Visit a gallery or exhibition
8. Have your friends around for a braai
9. Pick up a hobby you have neglected
10. Find a popular spot to sit and people watch

All of these are just suggestions to help you get you off your task and create some time to renew yourself emotionally, mentally and physically.

Position Yourself for Success - Part 4

In the bible, one of the best descriptions of a competent person is
that of a “noble wife” (Proverbs 31:10-18). Competence is the eminent
feature in her qualities:

She selects wool and flax and works with eager hands.

She is like the merchant ships, bringing her food from afar.

She gets up while it is still dark.

She provides food for her family and portions for her servant girls.

She considers a field and buys it.

Out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.

She sees that her trading is profitable.

Her lamp does not go out at night.

She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue.

She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the
bread of idleness.

Possessing all these abilities enables her to effectively run her
home. Without them, her household would be in a mess.

In addition to enabling her to effectively run her home,

Her abilities make her valuable. “She is worth far more than rubies.”

Her abilities make her trustworthy. “Her husband has full confidence in her…”

Her abilities make her efficient. “She brings him good, not harm,
all the days of her life.”

Her abilities make her self-confident. “She is clothed with strength
and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come.”

Her abilities make her praise-worthy. “Her children arise and call
her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her.”

Like a noble wife, a competent person has a specific range of skills,
knowledge, or abilities that makes him or her very effective at what
he or she does. He or she is also valuable, trustworthy, efficient,
self-confident and praise-worthy.

Position Yourself for Success – Part 3

Success belongs to the competent.

Ecclesiastes 10:10 says, “If the axe is dull and its edge unsharpened, more strength is needed but skill will bring success.” Increasing your competence at anything is like sharpening a dull axe. As the sharp axe will always turn out more efficient than the dull one, the competent will always turn out more efficient than the incompetent.

Consequent to being more effective, the competent always have better chances of being noticed and elevated by men than the incompetent. Proverbs 22:29 says, “Do you see any truly competent workers? They will serve kings rather than working for ordinary people” The competent always reach a stage where man cannot but elevate them.

America’s 26th president, Theodore Reosevelt, once said “There are two kinds of success. One is the very rare kind that comes to the man that has the power to do what no one has the power to do. This is genius. But the average man who wins what we call success is not a genius. He is a man who has the ordinary qualities that he shares with his fellows, but who has developed these ordinary qualities to a more than ordinary degree.” Competence is seldom naturally acquired, but is habitually developed. The majority of the people that are successful in life have acquired a specific range of skills, knowledge, or abilities and developed them to a more than ordinary degree.

If you are to be successful in life, you need to acquire a specific range of skills, knowledge, or abilities and develop them to a more than ordinary degree.

Position Yourself for Success – Part 2

Opportunities are not always as visible {to us} as we might want them to be. They sometimes appear in the form of things that we have an aversion to. Work, failure, trials and charity are perfect examples.

Work – The late American Advice columnist, Ann Landers (1918-2002), once said, “Opportunities are usually disguised as hard work, so most people don't recognize them.” Hard work is indispensible to success. It is an opportunity for you to determine the outcome of your life. Through your hard work, you will posses the power to determine your destiny. People that do not work lack the power to determine their destinies. It is rare for anyone to become successful in life without a positive work ethic.

Failure – Mary Pickford once said, “You may have a fresh start any moment you choose, for this thing that we call "failure" is not the falling down, but the staying down.” Yes, failure can be your opportunity for a fresh start. Whenever you fail you have an opportunity to start all over again. And when you start all over again after a failure, you have greater chances of success as you have with you new knowledge (about yourself and about the situation) that you can use to do things better.

Trials – In Romans 5:3-4, Paul notes that “suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope” (New International Version). Trials can be a remarkable opportunity for you to build your character. While your abilities may bring some success in life, only strong character can bring long-term success. As the saying goes, "Talents and charisma can take you to the top, but only character can keep you there." Your hope for success in life lies in strong character.

Charity – According to the bible, “it is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35, New King James Version). Giving is an opportunity to give and receive blessings at the same time. Through your giving you make yourself an agent of God, minister to Jesus and open a bank account with God. God then credits our accounts with blessings whenever we give. These blessings do not always appear immediately but always add to our long-term success. God has vowed to remain indebted to no one but to reward everyone according to what they deserve.

Romans 8:28 says [that], “All things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose” (New King James). Develop a positive attitude towards work, failure, trials and charity – any one of them may be an opportunity in disguise.

Position Yourself for Success

This may come as no news to you but many of the successful people that I know are successful because they positioned themselves for success.  

How does one position himself for success?

I'm glad you asked because that is the question that I answer in this article.  In gist, I can say that one positions themselves by sharpening their skills and being at the right place, at the right time.  And doing so comes from being competent, diligent and patient in the things we do.  Below is my explanation of how.

n        Competence – Proverbs 22:29 says, "Do you see any truly competent workers? They will serve kings rather than working for ordinary people" The skilful person is always hired and promoted ahead of the unskillful person. Yes, the skilful person's ability opens doors for him.  Through his competence, the skilful person gains the favour of man and receives promotion.  

n        Diligence – Ecclesiastes 11:6 says, "Sow your seed in the morning, and at evening let not your hands be idle, for you do not know which will succeed, whether this or that, or both will do equally well" (New International Version).  The ability of the skilful person is not enough for him to succeed in life, at least not for the long haul.  For the skilful person to enjoy long-term success, he needs to make the most of his opportunities.  Any one of the opportunities that come his way may or may lead him to success.  But he will never know which one will lead him to success unless he makes the most of every opportunity.

n        Patience – Ecclesiastes 3:1 says, "There is a time for everything" (New International Version).  Galatians 6:9 says, "So let's not get tired… {for at} just the right time we will reap a harvest… if we don't give up" (New Living Translation).  The skillful person will come across the opportunity that will lead him to long-term success only if he carries on making the most of his opportunities. If he stops or lets any opportunity pass him by, he may miss the opportunity that will lead him to long-term success.  He needs to make the most of all his opportunities and believe that at the right time he will come across the opportunity that will lead him to long term success.

Ecclesiastes 9:11 says, "The fastest runner doesn't always win the race, and the strongest warrior doesn't always win the battle.  The wise sometimes go hungry, and the skilful are not necessary wealthy.  And those that are educated don't always lead successful lives.  It is all decided by chance, by being in the right place at the right time" (New Living Translation).  Sheer ability is not enough to succeed in life, at least not for the long haul.  Proper positioning and timing are what bring about long-term success.

Destined to Win

This week I have a poem for you. I was given this poem by a friend a couple of years ago and it has been a source of inspiration to me. I hope that it will inspire you as well.

He didn’t bring us this far to forsake us,
He will take us through the valley of the shadow of death.

He didn’t teach us to swim to let us drown,
He will hold up our heads in the turbulent waters.

He didn’t build His home in us to desert it,
He will make us His tabernacle.

He didn’t lift us up to let us down,
His righteousness will uphold us.

He didn’t win the Calvary battle to make us losers,
He will lead us to victory.

He did not die to make us lifeless,
But to give us life in its abundance.

He didn’t give up His throne to make us destitutes,
But to make us co-heirs with Himself.

He did not allow this to happen to destroy us,
But to shape us, mould us and build us up.

What the devil has meant for evil,
He has meant for good.

From time immemorial we were destined to WIN!

Yes, even when we seem to be loosing,
Destined to WIN!

How Leaders Inspire Followers

        "He who thinks he's a leader but has no-one
               following, is merely taking a walk."

                  JOHN MAXWELL

The main difference between leaders and non-leaders is this: leaders have followers, non-leaders have no followers!  There are people that occupy positions of authority but have no followers.  Tragically, some of them think that they are leaders when in actual fact they are not.  Leaders have followers, non-leaders have no followers.

If occupying a position of authority is no guarantee of leadership, then what is?  The answer is simple: the ability to inspire people.  Leaders inspire people to become their followers.  Becoming a leader involves inspiring people to follow you, and only those that know how to do so do it effectively.

Today, I am going to share with you three ways that leaders inspire people to become their followers.  I hope that they will help you become an effective leader, even if you do not occupy a position of authority.

1.  Leaders talk a lot about where they are going.  People like to follow people that are going somewhere and not those that are going nowhere.  Anyone that shows himself to be going somewhere will see people following him.  Anyone that shows himself to be going nowhere will not see people following him.

2.  Leaders show their followers the way.  Followers expect leaders to direct and guide them to where he is going.  Such direction and guidance gives followers clearer sight of where leaders are taking them. Without such direction and guidance, most followers lose sight of where leaders are taking them to and lose trust in their leaders.

3.  Leaders promise rewards to their followers.  The prospect of a reward motivates followers at all times.  Followers that have nothing to look forward to may at anytime become unmotivated.

That's how leaders inspire followers.

You do not have to occupy a position of authority to become a leader. Becoming a leader involves inspiring people to follow you.  Tell me where you are going, show me the way and promise me a reward for my efforts and I just might follow you.  

How to Fully Utilize the Power of Goal Setting

What connection is there between your mission and the goals that you are pursuing today?  If there is none, you are probably under utilizing the power of goal setting.  Goal setting is a tool that is designed not just to get you whatever you want in life but, rather, to get you what you need to achieve your mission.

1.        Tie your goals to your mission
Your mission represents is your ultimate goal in life.  Whatever goal you set in life should be in line with your mission.  Unless you do this, you may spend a lifetime chasing after goals that take you nowhere.

2.        Set goals that are progressive
Your goals should successively contribute to the attainment of your ultimate goal – your mission.  The journey towards your ultimate goal should be like walking up a staircase. Just as each step should be joined to the one before it and the one after it, your goals for this year should be joined to last year's goals and next year's goals.  That way you are assured of going somewhere with your life.

3.        Move from setting goals to setting strategic objectives
Goals keep your focus on what you want to do within a given timeframe.  Strategic objectives, however, shift your focus to the end to what you intend to achieve through your goal.  Focusing on the end is more energizing than focusing on the means.

Get more than just an exciting experience out of your goals – achieve your life mission in the process.  To do so, align your goals to your mission, have your goals progressively lead you towards your mission and shift your focus from what you have to do to what you want to achieve through what you have to do. That is how you fully utilize the power of goal setting.