Spread it out

Thanksgiving




Have you received a letter of concern, spread it out before your Creator.

I am reminded of a story in the Book, where a King named Hezekiah received a threatening letter from another king, more powerful than him. King of Assyria demanded worship and even warned King Hezekiah not to trust God. This was said of Hezekiah before this incident "Hezekiah put his whole trust in the God of Israel. There was no king quite like him, either before or after. He held fast to God—never loosened his grip—and obeyed to the letter everything God had commanded Moses. And God, for his part, held fast to him through all his adventures".

The King's servant had a very humiliating letter for Hezekiah in his possession. He started making threats speaking loud to everyone's hearing. “Please, speak to us in the Aramaic language. We

fear paralyses
Hiding under cushions
understand Aramaic. Don’t speak in Hebrew—everyone crowded on the city wall can hear you.” Defiantly, the Assyrian King's servant replied ''We weren’t sent with a private message to your master and you; this is public—a message to everyone within earshot. After all, they’re involved in this as well as you; if you don’t come to terms, they’ll be eating their own turds and drinking their own pee right along with you.” What a frightening message both to the King and his subjects. Continue reading Spread it out →

Praise Him continually

Praise

Praise is an act of faith.

I read a story this morning that really challenged me and this is what the author has to say :

When Becky Harling was diagnosed with cancer over ten years ago, she begged God for healing. A friend of hers had another idea. She challenged Becky to spend twenty minutes a day in praise. Becky thought, What if I’m not feeling thankful? But as she intentionally praised God, she began to experience new joy—and her relationship with God has never been the same. She took a step of faith.

Now, in The Thirty-Day Praise Challenge, Becky guides you in praising God for twenty minutes every day for one month. Arranged topically, the book includes music selections to enhance your praise journey and creative ideas for continuing the habit of praise.

Let’s praise Him.

As Becky writes, “If you take this challenge, your faith will grow more than you dreamed possible. You will experience more joy, less insecurity, more courage, less anxiety. Thirty days of praising God. Are you ready?” Taken from    ‘The 30-Day Praise Challenge’    available on Amazon

Discover the Power of Praising God  

We are commanded to praise Him continually:  Hebrews 13:15 ‘Through Jesus we should always bring God a sacrifice of praise, that is, words that acknowledge him’. God’s word translation: ‘Through Him, therefore, let us constantly and at all times offer up to God a sacrifice of praise, which is the fruit of lips that thankfully acknowledge and confess and glorify His name’.  We need to respond in obedience to what we read. Continue reading Praise Him continually →

You have the power to get wealth

Money matters, Thanksgiving




I want to explore these few words I read in the Book saying 'But you shall remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms His covenant.......'.  It refers to you first. The power is within because the creator dwells within us if we have the faith to believe he does. The beginning of the verse actually mentions remembering him. We need to be in communion with the one that dwells inside us then the rest of the words makes sense.  We all like to quote the highlighted bit and forget it comes first. Everything we receive from above is by faith and this is very difficult for many to accept.  Faith involves taking action, faith without works is dead.

Why do we need faith?  We need it because He gives you the power so that you have the resources to make a difference in the world. We need it to fulfill our purpose on earth. We are blessed to be a blessing. As we bless others, our lives are enriched. You will be receiving power from someone you cannot see. That takes faith. Faith takes the first step even though it cannot see the whole staircase according to  Martin Luther King Jr. Proverbs 3:6 encourages us to remember God in everything we do and He will direct our ways.Photo by Clem Onojeghuo on Unsplash

In defining wealth you need to be comparing yourself to those who have less than you. Am I saying here, ‘don’t aspire for greatness by looking at the people wealthier than you’.  I’m simply saying by comparing yourself to people less privileged, you have the opportunity to continually give praises to your Creator who is always willing to endow you with more.  Look at the needs all over the world. where do you place yourself? This article helps to put things in perspective. It has some shocking statistics.
Continue reading You have the power to get wealth →

Problems are disguised opportunities

Thanksgiving

“Any big problem is a big opportunity…. No problem, No opportunity, No Business…. Nobody will pay you for solving a non-problem.” Vinod Kholsa

Every Business is solving a problem. People are paying for solutions by buying a product or service. Problems are said to be the universe’s way of helping us to learn to accept reality. These problems can help to show our fortitude and energy. We should never see times of adversity as time to complain but as the time to ask:

  • What new lesson is life trying to teach me.
  • What new skill am I about to unleash in me
  • What new contacts is this about to give me.
  • Who would be the beneficiaries of my  new opportunities
  • What problem am I  prepared to solve




It is important to always look at the positive side of events that happens around you.  You may be refused at a job interview. That job may not be yours at the time. An opportunity may turn up in the same place later which suits better. Shali went for an interview and was refused because there was a better-suited candidate. A feedback for the interviewer revealed,  ‘ You did very well and your presentation was the best but for the particular post requirement, we had a perfect match’. Later a new vacancy arose and she was requested for. Her job at the time was going through a restructuring and her post was being suspended. The new job offers more hours and better work satisfaction.  A woman tele evangelist once narrated how she began to run her own ministry. ‘I was sacked from one job or the other’. ‘I started running small meetings and it blossomed’ she said. She could have sat complaining and do nothing about her situations.

Continue reading Problems are disguised opportunities →

Wish to be a TV

Thanksgiving

A Primary School teacher asked her pupils to write an essay on ”A wish you want from God?” At the end of the day, the teacher collected all the essays given by her pupils. She took them to her house, sat down and started marking.

Whilst marking the essays, she sees a strange essay written by one of her pupils. That essay made her very emotional. Her husband came and sat beside her and saw her crying. The husband asked her, “What happened, What’s making you cry?”

She answered “Read this. It is one of my pupil’s essay.”

“Oh God, Make me a Television. I want to live like the TV in my house.

In my house, the TV is very valuable. All of my family members sit around it. They are very interested in it. When the TV is talking, my parents listen to it very happily.

They don’t shout at the TV. They don’t quarrel with the TV. They don’t slap the TV. So I want to become a TV.

The TV is the centre of attraction in my house. I want to receive the same special care that the TV receives from my parents. Even when it is not working, the TV has a lot of value.

When my dad and mom come home, they immediately sit in front of the TV, switch it on and spend hours watching it. The TV is stealing the time of my dad and my mom. If I become a TV, then they will spend their time with me.

I love to be the centre of attraction ( they watching me)

While watching the TV, my parents laugh a lot and they smile many times. But I want my parents to laugh and smile with me also. So please God make me a TV.

And last but not the least, if I become a TV, surely I can make my parents happy and entertain them. Lord I won’t ask you for anything more. I just want to live like a TV. Please turn me into a TV. Continue reading Wish to be a TV →

5 ways to get rid of fear

Thanksgiving

Fear is real.  It is sometimes disguised as excuses.  It is defined as False Evidence Appearing Real. ‘Fear not’ appears 365 times in the bible some say.It doesn’t  appear exactly as quoted but could be ‘be courageous’. It is a destiny robber. It is the creator of many identified and unidentified diseases. Fear and doubt are twins. It is crippling. Fear if not dealt with can lead to health issues, especially mental ones like anger, hate and the list going on.

Fear can come in dressed in many attires:

  • Fear of failure (caution)
  • Fear of the unknown
  • Fear of success (always disguised in false humility)
  • Fear of anything technical
  • Fear of people
  • Fear of heights
  • Fear of Loss
  • Fear of rejection

Naomi has a high powered job with a big firm. She was recently challenged to start her own business having heard a preacher for so long. She considered the big salary she would loose but against this is the children she never knew because they were being cared for by house help. domestic life had greatly suffered. One day she summed up courage and resigned from her job to start her own business. Six months later she reported, ‘my income in six months has superseded my income in one year’.  We need to face our fears. Continue reading 5 ways to get rid of fear →

Count it all Joy

Praise, Thanksgiving

‘Count  it  all joy when you fall into various trials or temptations, knowing that the testing handof your faith produces patience’. James 1:2 It  goes on to state that patience produces maturity and contentment.

This is another challenging verse. Our natural reaction is to be angry, disturbed, upset when bad situations arise.

If I lose my job, I should count it all joy? This requires a high level of thinking or maturity. Loosing your job is not the end of the world. It may be an opportunity to regroup and enter a different industry or take on another challenge. Opportunities abound in many difficulties only if we have the eyes to see it. Rejoicing in the midst of adversity may be the key that just unlocks the opportunities

I thought I’m supposed to avoid difficult situations or curse people who bring such situations into my life. The answer is not avoiding situations or feeling bad when they occur but in asking for the grace to accept such situations as opportunity for growth and development of character.

Why should I count it all joy when going through a difficult time? Joy comes from within regardless of the circumstances I see AROUND ME. On the other hand, happiness is induced by what we see happening around us and can be temporary. It can also be based on how we feel whereas Joy is dependent on who is the author of your faith.’When they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil… rejoice in that day; and leap for joy…” (Luke 6:22-23) Continue reading Count it all Joy →

Give thanks in all circumstances ….

Thanksgiving

Is it possible to be give thanks always? Why should I give thanks when bad things are happening to me? This is only possible from a place of faith, knowing that my life is not my own and that a higher one is directing the affairs of my life. Let’s have a look at a command: ‘Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus’ is a well known verse in the Big book. It means if I don’t live a life of thankfulness, I am not aligning myself with the will of Christ Jesus.

Three things mentioned in that verse:

  1. Rejoice always
  2. Pray continually
  3. Give thanks always

How can we be joyful in our difficult human situation? Romans 5:3-4 says, “Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.” There is a purpose for your ‘temporary’ suffering. With an attitude of faith, you can overcome.

Another version : Always be joyful, always keep on praying.  No matter what happens, always be thankful for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.

Continue reading Give thanks in all circumstances …. →

As they went.

Thanksgiving

Leprosy island-526613_640As I read another part of the Book I am convicted of the many times I have procastinated or ignored an inner desire to do or start something. Most of us like to wait for perfect conditions  before we progress with ideas.

Ten lepers, standing at a distance approached Jesus and called out ‘Jesus, master have mercy on us’.  Jesus replied ‘ Go, show yourselves to the high priest’. ‘As they went‘,  things happened.

Few  things to learn from this story:

Leprosy is contagious hence they stood at a distance.  Some of our conditions though not visible like leprosy does make us stand aloft. Some of these could be rejection, fear, anxiety, depression, past failures.

They recognised their condition and asked for help. This is where some have boldly taken the bull by the horn and gone in search of solution. This could be available in numerous ways.

Jesus told them to show themselves to the priest. ‘This doesn’t make sense, he knows we are not allowed to that by law’ they must have  reasoned but proceeded. We rationalise a lot today if instructions fail to meet our standards.

They obeyed the instruction and went. ‘As they went, they were healed’. Great things happen when we act  on information or leadings and do not rationalise ourselves out of it. Taking action and at the right time is key to success. Miracles happened as ‘they went’. Luke 17:12-17

The action they took was not normal. They needed to go through some rituals before pressenting themselves to the priest but as the High Priest ordered, they obeyed. They acted in faith not waiting to see diminishing symptoms.

Thanksgiving was also an important lesson from the story. Out of the ten healed , one returned to give thanks. ‘Where are the remaining’ asked Jesus. By returning to give thanks, he did not only get physical healing, he got spiritual healing too when Jesus declared, ‘Your faith has made you whole’. Whole in body, whole in spirit.

Taking action to see results is important although it may be partial to start with. Have you started a business and wondered when the money will start rolling in. Never give up your dreams, take those small steps and see the full picture unfold.

Those ideas and hunches you shelved, why don’t you revisit them today.

 

 

 

 

 

You can feed five thousand

Bible stories, Praise, Thanksgiving

Do you know that you can feed 5000? ‘How’? you ask, by being grateful for the little resource you have. You don’t have to wait for plenty before you stretch out your hand. The power to increase and to cause increase has been given to you by your creator. Before you were created He said ‘I want to make man in my image’. If the manufacturer has decided to make you in His image you can do whatever he can do because he empowered you. In fact the book says ‘I can do all things because he strengthens me’. What ever I imagine I can do. So the problem lies in ensuring that whatever I choose to do is for the benefit of mankind. Power will move in you as you serve mankind and it is important you don’t ignore yourself.fishes_23-2147516484

The story went like this: A young boy gave his lunch as a request was made for food for a crowd. How could a boy’s lunch feed 5000? The important thing is that the boy offered what he had, five loaves and two fishes. He did not rationalise and allow analysis to paralyse his thinking. He offered, the meal was received and thanksgiving was made for the meal. The miracle started as thanksgiving was being made for the meal. Not only were the 5000 fed but twelve baskets full were left over. The officers or disciples had already done the calculation and decided that there was not enough money to feed the crowd. In those days, only men are  counted so the miracle could have fed twice or three times that number of women and children. Continue reading You can feed five thousand →