2016: Talk is cheap!

 As we start a new year, I do not need to reiterate the frenzy with which we plot plans and goals and prayer requests. Churches allover the world come up with a watch word for the year. For some it's just a scripture vers; others attach a slogan to it : 'my year of ...'. It's all well and good. I too have a word for this year and it is 'talk is cheap'. You may be wondering how that can be a word for the year so before your mind gets messed up, let me explain.

The scriptural records started with chaos in Genesis chapter 1. And so it was until God spoke. Speech is the concretization of the musings of our heart. Jesus made this clear when he said 'out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks' (Matthew12:24). Before you can speak something out, your heart must be FULL of it. However, when we speak out, tremendous energy is released to bring our words to fulfilment.

Mark 11:23 KJV
For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.

Ephesians 3:20 KJV
Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,

Ezekiel 37:4 KJV
Again he said unto me, Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the Lord .

Ezekiel 37:4 NLT
Then he said to me, "Speak a prophetic message to these bones and say, 'Dry bones, listen to the word of the LORD!

We can see the power of the spoken word in this verses. In Proverbs 18:21 (NLT) we read: 'The tongue can bring death or life; those who love to talk will reap the consequences.' No doubt the tongue has power, I hope you agree.

So let's wrap it up. Seeing the power we can unleash with our tongue, talking, I say talk is cheap. It costs you and I nothing to speak into the atmosphere. To prophesy to your circumstances. To say what your heart is full of!

Talk is cheap dear friends and it can set great things in motion! Talk is what set our whole world in order for 'God said.... and there was...'

In this year 2016, say it until you have it, say it until you become it, say it until it looks like it,say it until you get there. No one's going to charge you a dime for it.

Talk is cheap!!

Shalom

Keeping a straight walk

1 John 2:26-27 NLT
I am writing these things to warn you about those who want to lead you astray. [27] But you have received the Holy Spirit, and he lives within you, so you don't need anyone to teach you what is true. For the Spirit teaches you everything you need to know, and what he teaches is true-it is not a lie. So just as he has taught you, remain in fellowship with Christ.

He is here for you!

Over the past few months, I've toyed with a thought in my mind trying to concretize it. It is the thought that 'God exists for us'. Yes, that might sound counter intuitive but just hear out my warped logic :-) .

Personally, time and time again, I have experience God step in and literally pull me from the edge of the fire. Many times I was on the brink in diverse circumstances and he just shows up and saves the day even though I've ignored asking for his help. Gently, he nudges to remind me that 'I am here for you. Call on me'

The bible tells us that it is in him we live and move and have our being (Acts 17:28). We are also told that it's in him that everything holds together (Colossians 1:17). Friends, God is here for you. He exists to keep your life together. Another scripture tells us that Jesus lives forever to make intercession for us! (Hebrews 7:25).

How then can we go about life ignoring the very essence of our life? How can we ignore the mighty power that God makes available to us in himself and rather decide to live life being harassed by the devil? The only sane reason I can give is, IGNORANCE. The bible alludes to the fact that ignorance kills (Hosea 4:6).

In case you didn't know, or in case it slipped your memory, let me tell you: God is here for you! Quit struggling in the dark alley of life! Stop dwelling on your guilt! Stop measuring your future by your present! GOD IS HERE FOR YOU!! Waiting, knocking, longing for you to call out to him.

Let's stop this cycle of defeat. Decide today that henceforth, it's no longer back and forth but on and on! For if God be for you, who can be against you!! (Romans 8:31)

Selah.

The Power of Fear

There is the common cliché acronym that goes like this: Fear= False Evidence Appearing Real! If you think about it a bit, you'll get the point.

One of the symptoms of fear is worry. A lady who was given to worrying a lot was once asked, 'why do u worry so much'? Her reply: ' Well someone's got to worry about things. If I don't, who will?' She went on to add, ' and half the things I worry about don't happen. So, I must be doing something right!' What do you think of that?
Fear has a great impact on our mind. Take the phobias for example. A phobia is an irrational negative reaction (fear) to certain things or situations. Fear incapacitates us! Phobias are particularly powerful. They are so strong that a person can put himself in greater danger just to escape his phobia. For example, a person with arachnophobia (fear of spiders) will not hesitate to jump out of a moving vehicle if he sees a spider on board!
That's the power of fear! It completely blocks our rational thinking. It counteracts our power of self will! It simply holds us bound!!
If you think about your life, maybe you can find some fears you have harboured in the past, and some that are still present. Our fears may affect others. For example, a parent can fear his child being injured and thus deny the child of stepping out of the house. A boss may fear his subordinates not getting a job done well and thus, holds back from delegating.
The mental attitude of fear, takes a heavy toll on our whole being. It has been linked to many heart and brain problems and even death!
We all have fears. We all come in contact with fear. How can we overcome its incapacitating power?

1. Admit that you are afraid.
2. Answer the question, Why?
3. Decide that you are not going to allow fear push you to inaction or avoidance.
4. Take little steps towards conquering your fear.
5. Ask a trusted friend to help you overcome your fear.
6. Picture yourself free. Think of what you could achieve if you let go of fear.
7. Live life to the fullest!!

Selah

Invest in People

Over the years, I've been blessed with a few great friends. Every now and again I am reminded of the importance of having such people in my life and of course reciprocally too.

You know, the burden of having great friends is being one too! You don't want to be the weak link in the relationship. You don't want to turn the relationship into a parasitic one where you are the parasite!! Nope! You want to have a vibrant symbiotic relationship that adds value to your life in all ramifications!

So please invest in people. Mental illness is fast increasing in our society. Cases of suicide are also on the increase. Depression is fast becoming rampant. You might be the only lifeline your 'friend' has. Take time to build a relationship strong enough to carry the weight of trust and vulnerability. Don't be a hi-fine-bye friend. Stop, take a minute and really talk to people. Really show love to people. Really care about what's going on in their life. It is an investment worth making because tomorrow, you might be the one in need of that infrastructure!

Why not pick out 2-3 people you are going to strategically invest in? One above you, one on your level, and one below you. Begin to build a wall of people around yourself. For indeed says the Yoruba adage "People are your covering".

Cheers!

A carpenter? Give it ur best!!

A few weeks ago, my pastor preached a message titled: 'what's wrong with being a carpenter?' His thrust was that we should not forget that there is a process to every greatness. The place u are today, is right on the path to where you are going to be tomorrow!!

So what's wrong with being a carpenter? Two things:
1. People despise you.
2. You despise it.

The second point is the subject of this post.

I just bought a plate of rice from a small scale food seller aka bukka :-) on getting home, I dished out the food. It turns out she had put in more oil than actual sauce. The little sauce she put in could hardly be enough for half the rice. So here I am chewing at plain white rice smeared with oil, and am thinking to myself how I will never go back there again no matter how hungry I am! She's lost my business and my circle of influence as well!!

What's my point? In my interpretation, she is a carpenter, because that is not the highest level in the catering business but, there is something wrong! She is despising her carpenter-hood!!

When you despise your carpenter-hood
1. You miss your opportunities for moving up
2. You are telling God that you are not a faithful person

It's easy to deal with people despising your "carpenter-hood" but when you despise yourself, it is certain that you will stay at that level at best. The worse news is, you'll probably sink lower.

So dear friends, you might be a carpenter today but, give it your best shot. Give it all the love and commitment you can muster. Determine to be the best carpenter that has ever walked the earth. Do not attempt to cut corner to save a penny because when your customer finds out, you will loose his trust and patronage instantly as well as anyone in his circle of influence.

Come on, show them who is boss! Be a man!! See u at the top!

Selah

Leave me a comment below. Share your views.

Welcome to July 2015

Psalm 90:12 KJV
So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.

This is a psalm out of Psalm 90, a psalm of Moses. Yes, Moses wrote a psalm too. This scripture is usually used at birthdays to remind us that our days (years), are moving on!

This verse popped to my mind however, as we turned the half year. 181 days of 2015 had passed and it seems to make perfect sense to number them so as to apply our hearts to wisdom for the next 184 days!

Before we rush off into the rest of the year. Can we take a moment to appraise the days we've already spent?

Did you have goals at the beginning of the year? How are u measuring up now?

What impact did you make in your community/family?

What did want to you accomplish? Did you do it?

What slowed you down?

What made things work?

What did start? What did you stop?

Are you any better now than you were at the beginning of the year? Or is it same'ol and complaining?

July brings a kind of fresh start. Try to pick one thing you'll like to work on and achieve in the next few months. Without deliberate effort nothing worthwhile is accomplished! Wishful thinking won't do it either!

Wisdom says if you fail to plan, you plan to fail. So take out time this weekend, consider what's important to you, ask yourself where u want to be by year end, then make a plan and work towards it.

Even the bible says faith without works is dead. So put your faith to work by making a plan and prayerfully sticking to it.

So what are u gonna work on?

I look forward to seeing a better you at the end of the year!!

Selah!