A BREATH FROM GOD

"The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore" - Psalm 121:8.

I got this from Christian Stories

Life’s a little thing! Robert Browning once wrote. But a little thing can mean a life. Even two lives. How well I remember. Two years ago in downtown Denver my friend, Scott Reasoner and I saw a tiny and insignificant change the world, but no one else even seemed to notice.


It was one of those beautiful Denver days. Crystal clear and no humidity, not a cloud in the sky. We decided to walk the ten blocks to an outdoor restaurant rather than take the shuttle bus that runs up and down the Sixteenth Street Mall. The restaurant, in the shape of a baseball diamond, was called The Blake Street Baseball Club. Tables were set appropriately on the grass infield. Many colorful pennants and flags hung limply overhead.


As we sat outside, the sun continued to beat down on us, and it became increasingly hot. There wasn’t a hint of a breeze, and the heat radiated up from the tabletop. Nothing moved, except the waiters, of course. And they didn’t move very fast.


After lunch Scott and I started to walk back up the mall. We both noticed a young mother and her daughter walking out of a card shop toward the street. She was holding her daughter by the hand while reading a greeting card. It was immediately apparent to us that she was so engrossed in the card that she did not notice a shuttle bus moving toward her at a good clip. She and her daughter were one step away from disaster when Scott started to yell. He hadn’t even got a word out when a breeze blew the card out of her hand and over her shoulder. She spun around and grabbed the card nearly knocking her daughter over. By the time she picked up the card from the ground and turned back to cross the street, the shuttle bus had whizzed by her. She never knew what almost happened.


To this day, two things continue to perplex me about this event. Where did that one spurt of wind come from to blow the card out of that young mother’s hand? There had not been a whisper of wind at lunch, or during our long walk back up to the mall. Secondly, if Scott had been able to get his words out, the young mother might have looked up at us as they continued to walk into the bus. It was the wind that made her turn back to the card– in the direction that saved her life and that of her daughter. The passing bus did not create the wind. On the contrary, the wind came from the opposite direction.


I have no doubt it was a breath from God protecting them both. But the awesomeness of this miracle is that she never knew. As we continued back to work, I wondered at how God often acts in our lives without our being aware. The difference between life and death can very well be a little thing.


Miracles often blow unseen through our lives!

They surely do.

What a loving God!

Thank you, Father.

OUT OF THE MOUTH OF BABES

"Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger" Psalm 8:2


I came across this on Youtube and I just had to share.
What a powerful prayer, made even more so by the 'mouth of babe' it came from.
Be blessed!

And the people say AMEN!!!

I ASKED GOD

"To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen" - 

Jude 1:25

I got this from Christian Stories, a wonderful site full of stories and testimonies and revelations of God and His Word from thousands of Believers all over the World.


I asked God to take away my pain. God said, No. It is not for me to take away, but for you to give it up. 
I asked God to grant me patience. God said, No. Patience is a by-product of tribulations. It isn't granted, it is earned. 
I asked God to give me happiness. God said, No. I give you blessings. Happiness is up to you.  
I asked for all things that I might enjoy life. God said, No. I will give you life so that you may enjoy all things. 
I ask God to help me LOVE others, as much as he loves me. God said... Ahhhh, finally you have the idea.


It reminds me of a quote on the wall of my church - "Thank you, Father, that your answers are always wiser than my prayers" It is indeed something worthy of thanking our God for.


Image from Contra Culture E-Magazine

EAGLES

But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint - Isaiah 40:31

I saw this on Emmanuel Oluwatosin's Website and I want to share it exactly as he posted it.

I got this in the mail from one of my mentors and decided to share it with you. I am sure you will be able to pick one or two things from it.  You may have seen this before but I bet you that it will do you more good if you can diligently read it again.

PRINCIPLE  1: Eagles fly alone at high altitude and not with sparrows or other small birds. No other bird can go to the height of the eagle. Stay away from sparrows and ravens. Eagles fly with Eagles.

PRINCIPLE 2: Eagles have strong vision. They have the ability to focus on something up to five kilometers away. When an eagle sites his prey, he narrows his focus on it and set out to get it. No matter the obstacles, the eagle will not move his focus from the prey until he grabs it. Have a vision and remain focused no matter what the obstacle and you will succeed.

PRINCIPLE 3: Eagles do not eat dead things. They feed only on fresh prey. Vultures eat dead animals, but eagles will not. Be careful with what you feed your eyes and ears with, especially in movies and on TV. Steer clear of outdated and old information. Always do your research well.

PRINCIPLE 4: Eagles love the storm. When clouds gather, the eagles get excited. The eagle uses the storm’s wind to lift it higher. Once it finds the wind of the storm, the eagles uses the raging storm to lift him above the clouds. This gives the eagle an opportunity to glide and rest its wings. In the meantime, all the other birds hide in the leaves and branches of the trees. We can use the storms of life to rise to greater heights. Achievers relish challenges and use them profitably.

PRINCIPLE 5: The Eagle tests before it trusts. When a female eagle meets a male and they want to mate, she flies down to earth with the male pursuing her and she picks a twig. She flies back into the air with the male pursuing her. Once she has reached a height high enough for her, she lets the twig fall to the ground and watches it as it falls. The male chases after the twig. The faster it falls, the faster he chases it. He has to catch it before it falls to the ground. He then brings it back to the female eagle.
The female eagle grabs the twig and flies to a higher altitude and then drops the twig for the male to chase. This goes on for hours, with the height increasing until the female eagle is assured that the male eagle has mastered the art of catching the twig which shows commitment. Then and only then, will she allow him to mate with her. Whether in private life or in business, one should test commitment of people intended for partnership.

PRINCIPLE 6: The Eagle Prepares for Changes: When ready to lay eggs, the female and male eagle identify a place very high on a cliff where no predators can reach. The male flies to earth and picks thorns and lays them on the crevice of the cliff, then flies to earth again to collect twigs which he lays in the intended nest. He flies back to earth and picks thorns laying them on top of the twigs. He flies back to earth and picks soft grass to cover the thorns. When this first layering is complete the male eagle runs back to earth and picks more thorns, lays them on the nest; runs back to get grass it on top of the thorns, then plucks his feathers to complete the nest. The thorns on the outside of the nest protect it from possible intruders. Both male and female eagles participate in raising the eagle family. She lays the eggs and protects them; he builds the nest and hunts. During the time of training the young ones to fly, the mother eagle throws the eaglets out of the nest. Because they are scared, they jump into the nest again.
Next, she throws them out and then takes off the soft layers of the nest, leaving the thorns bare When the scared eaglets again jump into the nest, they are pricked by thorns. Shrieking and bleeding they jump out again this time wondering why the mother and father who love them so much are torturing them. Next, mother eagle pushes them off the cliff into the air. As they shriek in fear, father eagle flies out and catches them up on his back before they fall and brings them back to the cliff. This goes on for sometime until they start flapping their wings. They get excited at this newfound knowledge that they can fly.
The preparation of the nest teaches us to prepare for changes; The preparation for the family teaches us that active participation of both partners leads to success; The being pricked by the thorns tells us that sometimes being too comfortable where we are may result into our not experiencing life, not progressing and not learning at all. The thorns of life come to teach us that we need to grow, get out of the nest and live on. We may not know it but the seemingly comfortable and safe haven may have thorns. The people who love us do not let us languish in sloth but push us hard to grow and prosper. Even in their seemingly bad actions they have good intentions for us.

PRINCIPLE 7: The Eagle Knows when to Retire: When an Eagle grows old, his feathers become weak and cannot take him as fast as he should. When he feels weak and about to die, he retires to a place far away in the rocks. While there, he plucks out every feather on his body until he is completely bare. He stays in this hiding place until he has grown new feathers, then he can come out. We occasionally need to shed off old habits & items that burden us without adding to our lives.

How beautiful!
No wonder the Bible constantly compares believers to Eagles!
Thank you for this, Emmanuel Oluwatosin. God bless you!

THINK BIG, THINK NEW, THINK IMPOSSIBLE

“But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him” 1Co 2:9

This is 2012!

Thank God for bringing us safely and triumphantly into it.

Now that you are in it, what are your plans for this year?

I am not talking of New Year resolutions here. I’m talking about goals, plans, aspirations, desires, dreams, call it what you want, those things you wish you can achieve, realize, experience and live this year.

You know those yearnings in your heart that you daydream about, then jerk out of with a wistful sigh ending with your resigned ‘if only!’

Those are the exact yearnings I want you to feed on this year!

No matter how ludicrous, no matter how impossible, no matter how unachievable those yearnings might seem, don’t stop thinking about them.

Do you know why? Because you become your thoughts – “As a man thinketh in his heart, so he is” Prov 23:7. You can never grow bigger than your thoughts!

Maybe you have heard the story of a man of God, who, a few days to the end of a particular year had a Minister’s Conference with his Pastors and during the program, asked if any one believes he or she will have a brand new car before the end of the year. This was just like three days to a new year. A few raised their hands but many didn’t. It was too big, too new, and too impossible for them to believe. But for the few who dared to believe, they all got brand new cars that minute from the man of God.

What a beautiful illustration of daring to imagine the impossible!

Yet, our God is more sure, more certain, more reliable than that man of God.

How can you not trust Him for that big, new, impossible dream this year?

And the fact of the matter is, no matter how big or new or impossible your dreams are, they are nowhere near what God has planned for you - “But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him” 1Co 2:9

And you know what else? -  “Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert” Isa 43:19

Isn’t that amazing? Not only is God willing, and eager to do that big, new, impossible thing in your life, He will also be the one to make a way for it to be realized and flourish. And remember, He is the one who says a thing and does it.

In fact, do you know that desire to achieve is from God and He is just waiting for you to ask so He can fulfill it? – “At the sound of your voice I would give an answer, and you would have a desire for the work of your hands” Job 14:15

Feed on that desire, think on it, dwell on it, dream it, imagine it, and believe it until it becomes your reality. It definitely will be realized because the Bible says – “. . . He bringeth them unto their desired haven” Ps 107:30

How can your Father cause you to conceive a desire and not see that desire birthed and nurtured and raised? – “Shall I bring to the birth, and not cause to bring forth? saith the LORD: shall I cause to bring forth, and shut the womb? saith thy God”  Isa 66:9 That is not the nature of your Lord.

Dare to trust Him for the miraculous this year. Then you can afford to Think Big, Think New and Think Impossible!

THE STAR

" . . . and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. 

When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy"

 Mt 2:9&10 

I posted this story last year on NaijaStories, but I want to share it again here, because the message of Christmas never changes.

He stared at the screen, trying to make sense of the figures on it, same thing he had been trying to do for the past three hours. For some reason his mind was not cooperating, something strange was going on in his heart. It felt hollow, empty and ached ferociously.

He stood up for the umpteenth time and walked round the spacious office, his feet disappearing into the thick rug underneath.


Standing by the window, he stared out into the deepening sky and looked down at the city with its lights just coming out to battle the approaching darkness.


He loved this city. The life, the energy, the promises, the challenges! He had always loved it and just looking at it was usually enough to fill him with a burst of enthusiasm, but not today. Today, nothing seemed to work.
Deep in his heart, he knew this depression was not new, it had been lurking deep inside for some time now, but for some reason, it was worse this evening and he didn’t know why.


He turned and stared round his office: the penthouse of the fifteen story building that housed his company. The company he had built from scratch. The symbol of his hard work and much earned success. He had given his all to this company and now that it was firmly established, he should be happy, he deserved to be happy. But he wasn’t.


With a sigh, he turned back to the window and realized with a start that the sky was dark and the stars were out. Time had flown by as he pondered his inner dissatisfaction. He reached behind him to ring for his secretary, then remembered she had left for the day, so had everyone else and he remembered why – today was Christmas eve and they had all closed early. He was the only one left in the building, even his driver was gone.


He stared up at the sky, seeking – what? He didn’t know.


Then he saw one of the stars, shinning more vividly than the others. It stood apart, majestic, glowing big and bright.


Looking at it, he suddenly remembered a legend from his childhood, that if one followed the biggest star, it would lead one to what the heart needed above all else. As a man of facts and figures, he didn’t believe in such myths, or any myth for that matter, and he had no doubt that this particular one had its roots in the story of the birth of Jesus and the wise men, but today his lonely heart would not be reasonable.


Still staring at the star, he was suddenly overcome with an irrational urge to follow the star. At least, let him test the legend and prove it wrong, he tried to rationalize his illogical urge.

Irrational or not, he had always been a man of action, so he picked up his jacket and strode out of the office into the lift.


Emerging out of the building, he looked up, suddenly afraid the star would no more be there, but it was still there, looking even bigger, calling him with its unearthly glow.


He got into his car and feeling foolish, but strangely compelled, drove out of the compound, not even hearing the guard’s “Merry Christmas, sir”, and started following the star.


He drove down the road, exiting to the highway and it seemed as if the star moved ahead of him, leading him. He drove automatically, not really conscious of the road, just keeping the star in his sights, determined not to lose it.


For about thirty minutes, he followed the star as it led him into a residential area, winding round palatial mansions till it came to a stop over a huge house, more palatial than the others.


He stopped the car in front of the massive house, frowning in confusion. He hesitated for a moment then put the car in reverse and drove away from the house. He looked up for the star as he drove away, but the star was no more ahead of him. It stayed behind, hanging resolutely over the house.


He stopped again and turned around in his seat to look back at the star. It shone fiercer than before, calling him.


Against himself, he got out of the car, and like one mesmerized started walking back on foot, not even aware that he left the engine running and the door opened.


He walked back up to the house; it was bathed in the light of the moon and the two seemed fused together, becoming one in an eerie, yet, welcoming way; both calling silently to him.


He stood in front of the door, hesitated again then took a deep breathe and opened the door. He followed the sound of voices into the house and came to a large living room.


In front of a Christmas tree and carved animals artlessly arranged, stood Joseph smiling down at a little Mary with baby Jesus asleep in a baby stroller before them, his head lolling to one side.


Joseph and Mary turned at his entrance and he saw shock on their faces. He also saw Joseph glance up at the grandfather clock beside the door to check the time and turn back to look at him, a concerned frown creeping up on the face.


Staring at the scene before him, something in his heart trembled and gave way. On shaky legs, he walked over to them, reached out a trembling hand to Joseph’s face and touched it reverently.


“Honey . . . ”, his voice broke and he cleared it roughly, “Honey, can I be Joseph this year? And you be Mary?”


Before his shocked wife could answer, a tiny voice piped up indignantly, “Then what will I be?”


He looked down at his little daughter and reached out a hand to draw her close to him, “An angel, my darling. You will be my angel, the angel you have always been”


That was all he could manage before his voice broke and he started sobbing loudly. In huge heaves, the loneliness seeped out of him, the depression curled up and withered, the heaviness grew light and drifted away. And yet, he continued sobbing.


His sleeping son woke up and started crying; he knew he was scaring his daughter and wife, but he could not stop.


“Sweetheart, what is it? What is it?” his wife asked worriedly.


All he could say was “I followed the star, honey. I followed the star”


Outside the house, the star glowed brightly one more time over the house then moved away, up, up to hang back in the sky. Waiting to lead another lonely heart back home.


May that same Star, that hundreds of years ago, led those wise men to the little baby Jesus, also lead all of us back to HIM, our true HOME.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

MISTAKE BABY

Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations - Jer 1:5

Recently, my brother posted on Facebook about a young lady, a long lost and just then rediscovered friend, who attended one of his programs. The lady waited to see him afterwards and in the process of talking, she confessed to being pregnant outside wedlock. He encouraged her and before leaving her that day, handed her over to someone to be encouraging her. You can read what he wrote about the meeting here, but the long and short of the story is that the young lady attempted an abortion a couple of days later and died in the process.


I have not been able to get her out of my mind. And so many others who have died like that and all the countless number of babies destroyed in the erroneous belief that they are MISTAKE BABIES!


There are no mistake babies anywhere. What might have been an unplanned pregnancy for you is a very much carefully planned, loving crafted and joyfully created image and purpose for God.


The Bible says "I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well" Ps 139:14.


That baby inside you is fearfully and wonderfully created in the likeness and image of God and is a marvelous revelation of His handwork.


He made no mistake in creating it inside you. Do you think that precious life came about just because spermatozoa met with an egg and multiplied and divided to form a human? Thank God for Biology, but we know it is far more than that - "The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life" Job 33:4


No matter what led to that conception, that baby is part of God and an integral part of His plan for you and for our world and so are YOU.


Your life's purpose doesn't end because you got pregnant unplanned, unwanted, broke, out of wedlock etc. Infact it is the opposite - "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose" Rom 8:28

That baby's conception is at the right time for your good and His purpose in your life.

Don't destroy that precious life, He/She has so much to offer you and us if you will just allow God to have His way.

God gave you that child because He loves you and wants to bless you and make you a blessing - "Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward. As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate" Psalm 127:3-5

You might think, how can God reward me for fornication and/or adultery by blessing me? - "As thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit, nor how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child: even so thou knowest not the works of God who maketh all" Ec 11:5

Just trust Him - "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end" Jer 29:11.

He has a wonderful future for you and that precious life in you. A future you cannot even begin to comprehend - "But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him" 1Co 2:9

Are you right now contemplating what to do with that unwanted and unplanned for pregnancy? Or you know someone who is? Then rejoice. You have been blessed and trusted with birthing God's image and and being the Mother/Father of that Blessing we all have been waiting for - "And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth. For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord" Luke 1:14&15

And you have been given the unique opportunity to be a partner with God in bringing that to pass. And it is a privilege not everyone has - "For many are called, but few are chosen" Mt 22:14

No matter what society thinks or says, no matter what scandal and discrimination is attached to that pregnancy by people who don't know any better, i can assure you without a single doubt and with every certainty in the God I know and serve, that what you have been given is a blessing that will add to your life in ways you cannot even begin to grasp right now.

It is something worthy of CONGRATULATIONS!

FOR THIS PURPOSE WAS I BORN: MARRIAGE AND PURPOSE

“Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began” 2Tim 1:9

“You first have to know the harbor to which you are headed before you know the right wind to take you there” – Old Seneca Proverb


Just as this old proverb says, you don’t have any business getting married till you know your purpose in life. Can you imagine a ship setting out to sea without a destination in mind? It will be carried to and fro by any and every wind. That is what happens when you get married without any idea what your purpose is in life.

Do you know what the greatest tragedy in life is? Discovering your purpose after marriage and realizing you are mismatched! Let me tell you the only three outcomes of such a tragedy – a) giving up your purpose so as to hold on to that marriage or b) following your purpose and giving up your marriage or c) trying to fulfill your purpose and dragging your partner with you.

John Maxwell in one of his books said “It is better to go it alone than drag someone along with you. That person will forever be a weight holding you down”. Sadly, that is what most of us do.

There was a young woman in one of our universities some years ago. She was articulate, intelligent, had loads of charisma and was an awesome politician and strategist. When she talked, we all listened. She was chosen as Student Union Running mate by the would be president just to garner in votes and she did. I could tell she was going places. I knew she would one day be a political force in this country, maybe even the first female president. I came across her again last year and my heart broke. She was married to a man who did not want such a wife. She had three children, was selling provisions and completely broken. She had lost her shine and was desperately unhappy. But she could not leave her marriage. In that death of purpose, she not only lost herself but Nigeria also lost a great leader. Imagine what she could have achieved with a like-minded politically motivated husband. The sky would have been just a beginning for both of them.

Purpose determines marriage. Your spouse is your life partner! Have you ever asked yourself what he/she is partnering you to do? A pastor of mine once jokingly said “the next time a man asks you to marry him, ask him, ‘as your helpmeet, what am I to help you to do?’” What a wise question to ask!

If you know your purpose, you can never make a wrong choice. Purpose will guide you right. You will know the kind of character, principles, beliefs, passion that will fit into your life goals. If you and your spouse share the same purpose and passion, nothing will ever break you apart.

In Eccl 4:12, the bible says “a threefold cord is not easily broken” Many people interpret it to mean a unity of husband and wife with the Holy Spirit cannot be broken. But the number of broken Spirit filled Christian homes belies that. Do you know what that third cord is? – PURPOSE. Nothing can ever separate a couple united in purpose. Quote me anywhere on this!

Unity of purpose is the strongest bond that can ever be between a man and woman. That is why the bible asks “Can two walk together except they agree?” Am 3:3. Agreement i.e. unity of purpose is what makes two ‘walk together’. Please tell me, if both of you have the same vision, the same goal and are pursuing it with zeal and single-minded focus, what can come between you? Absolutely nothing! YOU WILL BE ONE IN THOUGHT, MIND, AND ACTION! ONLY PURPOSE CAN DO THAT!!!

And that brings me to the misconception people have that a woman is just to help a man achieve his purpose. That is utter baloney. Every single human being created by God has his and her own purpose. The way to choose a partner is to choose the man or woman that has the same purpose and passion as you and whose talents are a balance to yours. For example, both of you might have the same purpose and passion for pastoring but you might be good in preaching while your partner is good in prayer.

You MUST share the same purpose and passion but your talents should differ so you can bring the richness of variety to your purpose. She might be a good writer and you a good speaker but you both have the same purpose of motivating and inspiring people.

I beg you in the name of all that is holy; please do not ever marry without knowing your purpose. Do not marry till the passion of purpose has overwhelmed your heart, mind and life. Only then can you know who to walk that life path with. Only then can you, your partner, your marriage and your life ever find meaning and fulfillment.

And if you are already married without knowing your purpose or just discovering your purpose after marriage – return to God who knows you and made you for His purpose. He is the one to whom nothing is impossible. The Great and Only Fixer who can make all things right.

FOR THIS PURPOSE WAS I BORN: CAREER AND PURPOSE

“Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began” 2Tim 1:9


A wise man i respect very much asked, “What is that thing you will do for free? What is that particular thing that even if you make no money from it, you would still do? That is your career” but he did not stop there. He went on to ask, “What is that other thing that you would actually pay people to allow you do? That particular thing that you would give up your money, properties and even life to achieve? That is your purpose”. Do you see the difference? WE POSSESS OUR CAREERS BUT OUR PURPOSE POSSESSES US!

In some cases, your career and your purpose are one and the same. Like in the case of Bezalel in Ex 31:1-5. God had endowed him with crafting skills and talents to carve and mold all sorts of wood and metals and stones into exquisite carvings. Bezalel had with all certainty been using this talent as a career in Egypt. We are told he was a professional carver, which means he had been carving professionally for a long time. Carving was his career.

But what I want you to note here is that Carving remained just a career with Bezalel until God told him what he had those skills for. He never entered into his purpose till he was told by God what those skills were for – to build the Tabernacle and the Ark of the Covenant! What does this tell us? Career is for you, Purpose is for God.

Your talent can bring you money and fame and success through your career, but until you step into using those talents for the God who gave them to you and start using them for the things He planned them to be used for, you never enter into purpose and consequently, you never have fulfillment.

That’s why we have men and women seemingly at the height of their careers, successful and powerful, simply enter their rooms one day and commit suicide. They never moved from career to purpose. They never found fulfillment.

Notice also that with Bezalel, it took God telling him for him to know what his purpose was and why he had those talents and skills. Purpose can only be discovered in God. This simply means that until you are in Christ, you don’t have a snowball’s chance in hell of even discovering your purpose. In case you are not clear, let me repeat it in layman’s language – if you are not born again in Jesus Christ, you will never ever discover your purpose talk less of fulfilling it. You will live and die a wasted life. I say that without apology. No matter what you achieve career wise, it will never fulfill you because that career will never evolve to purpose without Christ.

In some cases, your career might seem to differ from your purpose as in the case of Paul in the bible. He was a lawyer before he became an apostle/evangelist, but it was the training he had as a lawyer that helped him most as an apostle. He could because of his legal training stand up to the so called teachers of the law and show them how the very law they were defending spoke of Christ; he could address men of learning and repute anywhere. No matter how wide the difference between your career and purpose might seem, it always, ALWAYS, has a role to play in your purpose.

Your career and purpose might be the same or your career might be the kind that evolves into your purpose or your career and purpose might run hand in hand together, but there are salient differences to note between the two –

* Career is limited. It can be affected by many factors, e.g., age, economic conditions, health etc but Purpose is ‘unlimitable’ (permit me to use this non-word). Nothing can affect or stunt your purpose except you. Things that can limit career only serve to propel you into another dimension in purpose.
* While careers can grow and wane at different times based on different conditions, Purpose just keeps getting bigger and better from season to season through all conditions. “The path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more until the perfect day” Prov 4:18.
* Career is chosen; Purpose is discovered.
* Career is the road; Purpose is the destination
* Career is for you; Purpose is for God
* Career is your gift; Purpose is your calling
* Career is the means; Purpose is the end
* Career starts and ends with you; Purpose begins with God and is an indestructible legacy you leave behind for others to continue till it ends again in God. “I have planted, Apollos watered but God gave the increase” 1 Cor 3:6
* You can achieve your career goals by yourself; You need the Holy Spirit to fulfill your purpose
* Career is you; Purpose is far bigger than you
* Career can be done alone by you; Purpose is team work and effort of the Chosen amongst the body of Christ
* Career gives you everything except fulfillment; Purpose gives you everything AND fulfillment

How can you know your career? Check out your array of natural gifts and talents and interests and effortlessly acquired skills. Those are the GPS navigators of your career path. That thing you refer to as a ‘hobby I’m just interested in’ can turn out to be your career.

How can you know your Purpose? Only one way – GOD! He alone knows why He made you and what He made you to do.

FORGIVEN

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” 1 John 1:9


As I am writing this, my mind is still trying to wrap itself around the awesomeness of it. I committed a willful sin. By willful, I mean I knew before I did it, I knew while I was doing it and I knew when I had done it. Through it all, I had the consciousness of the spirit and the awareness of what I was doing and yet, I still went ahead.

I did not want to ask for forgiveness later. Not because I wasn’t sorry but because I felt I could not justify myself and I could not defend the apology to God. So even though, my heart was repeatedly crying out my sin and asking for forgiveness, I decided to wait till I could ‘feel’ sorry enough and cry before apologizing.

Whilst waiting for my emotions to be penitent enough, I imagined all sorts of calamities that would happen because of my willful disobedience to the Holy Spirit.
I waited for God to strike me.

When nothing physical happened, I decided that something spiritual must have happened; I had been punished spiritually, I thought to myself. Or at the least, I had lost something spiritually! Oh, the foolishness of man!

The Holy Spirit broke into my ruminations and quietly asked “Are you sorry?” I answered “YES” immediately and made to add. “But . . . . . . .” He never gave me a chance, “Then you are forgiven” was the quiet declaration.

I immediately revolted against that. Forgiven??!! How could I be forgiven? No, I could not be forgiven so easily for a willful sin, I thought.

Jesus saw my mind and spoke, reminding me of Simon Peter who denied Him three times (Matt 26:33-35, 69-75). He reminded me that Peter had been warned that he would deny Jesus three times and each time he denied Jesus, while he did not remember the warning, he still knew he was doing something grievously wrong by denying Jesus. That was willful sin!

Jesus went on to tell me that by the time Peter was denying Him, forgiveness was no more an issue because Peter had already been forgiven long before the sin was committed. He had been forgiven from the time Jesus told him he would deny Him.

I still could not accept that I was getting off so lightly, I felt I should be judged for the sin I committed; not for God to have mercy on me. I asked “what of JUSTICE?” and Jesus responded and told me that in 1 Jn 1:9, His words were not that God is MERCIFUL to forgive us but that He is JUST to forgive us. JUSTICE IS SERVED IN FORGIVENESS!

OH MY GOD! A light switch just went on in my heart. I finally understood. God has forgiven me my willful sin simply because I confessed and asked Him to forgive me and because He is FAITHFUL to forgive! He had even forgiven me before I asked and before I sinned! And in forgiving me, the demands of justice had been met. The legal grounds for punishment had been met and fulfilled by the justice of forgiveness!!!

Any lingering trace of guilt was erased with the word that says “If our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart” 1 John 3:20.

YES! He is greater than my heart. If He doesn’t condemn me, no one else can, not even me!

I cannot begin to tell you what this revelation is doing to me. My heart is aglow with it. My spirit sings at this. Now I know I will never commit that sin again because now I KNOW. What punishment could never have done, forgiveness has done. I cannot take that forgiveness for granted; I can never abuse the sacrifice that satisfied the demands of justice on my behalf. That is what will keep me from falling again.

FORGIVENESS!

I AM FREE! I AM FORGIVEN!

THE UNFORCED RHYTHMS OF GRACE

“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me – watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly” – Matt 11:28-30


The above is a direct quote from Eugene H. Peterson’s THE MESSAGE BIBLE. I love that version of the bible and it is what I use for my daily readings. Today, I came across this popular verse and the way THE MESSAGE BIBLE put it struck me. “LEARN THE UNFORCED RHYTHMS OF GRACE”. I have never thought of ‘living by His grace’ like this before. It reminded me of something that happened to me last year.

Late last year, I had a conversation with a friend. I told him then that I don’t claim my Christ given healing for small things like headache or tummy ache and all the other small aches. According to me then, there are simple over the counter drugs for things like that. I reserved “By His stripes, I am healed” (Isaiah 53:5) for serious illnesses.

A few days later, I had a very bad headache, the kind that is borderline migraine. I took analgesics and laid down for a nap. I woke up and the headache was still there. More analgesics and more naps followed but nothing helped. The headache didn’t get worse but neither did it get better. It just held steady. After four days I was getting desperate. I went to see a doctor. What followed was a whole battery of tests and examinations. Nothing turned up. More drugs, stronger analgesics were prescribed and I took them faithfully. No improvement.

I was referred to another hospital and was already scheduled for a whole new set of tests when my brother suggested praying. So that night, I prayed and reminded God that I have been healed by the stripes of His Son. Without taking any medication, I went to bed and woke up headache free for the first time in more than two weeks. I learnt that day that even if you can do it easily, there is always an easier way through Grace.

That is The Unforced Rhythm of Grace!

And that is a major part of the lesson I have been learning these past weeks. I am a go-getter, driven, passionate overachiever. I have always run the whole mile myself and I’ve always believed in “I can do it. I will do it. I must do it”. I roll under my own steam. But now the Holy Spirit is teaching me that I am in a partnership with Him and my life, career and purpose is a joint venture in which He has an active part and His own contribution is more than pointing out directions, it also includes GRACE!

Yes, I can still do it. Yes, I will still do it. Yes, I must still do it. But allowing myself to trust and rely on His Grace makes it so much easier. Working and walking with the Holy Spirit and learning how Christ does it and leaning on the Grace of God gives every task a naturalness that takes the stress and heaviness out of it all and replaces it with freedom and lightness.

That is The Unforced Rhythm of Grace!

And this Grace we have so freely was given to us at a price. A very costly price! The sweat, blood, pain, suffering and death of Jesus Christ. We might have gotten it free but He didn’t earn it free. The only way we can pay Him back is to make full use of that Grace. That’s what He intended it for. Please don’t do it on your own. For the sake of that precious blood shed on the cross, MAKE USE OF THAT GRACE! It is for your use!

LEARN THE UNFORCED RHYTHMS OF GRACE!

GOD IS GOOD

“O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good: for his mercy endureth forever” Psalm 107:1

In all the sad and difficult things that have been happening it is easy to lose sight of the goodness of God. It is so easy to stand back and ask ‘How can a good God allow such bad things?’ Very easy to query the goodness of God in the face of such ‘badness’.

But let us not forget the bible says “God is good” not that “good is God”. What that means is that good deeds do not define God. God defines good. Being good is not an attribute we ascribe to God. Good is God’s nature. That is who He is. Good is not a character, it is a person. IT IS GOD!

We define good by human standards but good can only be defined by God. Whatever God does is good because it is His nature; He cannot do anything but good; He cannot be anything else but good! HE IS GOOD!

Now I’m not saying those deaths are good things or that God killed my uncle and friends. No! Those things happened as a result of the ripple effects of the fall and they will continue to happen until we grow into the fullness of Christ and overcome death.

What I am saying is that no matter what happens, no matter how bad things seem, no matter the pervasive evil in the world, God is a good God and whatever He does is good so the only way to determine the goodness of something is to ask the question – “Did God do it?” if the answer is Yes, then that thing is a good thing.

I am convinced of the goodness of God. In the midst of so much heartache and tears, I have no doubt that my God is good. I serve a good God. I have a good Father. Even when He does things I don’t understand and because of my shortsightedness I cannot see the good right now, I still know it is good because “GOD IS GOOD” and because “we know that to them that love God all things work together for good, even to them that are called according to his purpose” Rom 8:28.

So I worship my God and thank Him for all His goodness. I honor Him and bless His holy name. There is none like Him in all the earth and above and below. He is my God and my Father. My Good God and My Good Father!