First, have a financial plan. The first year and a half involves a lot of sacrifice where every penny earned will have to be reinvested in the business, the owner may not be able to take a salary. Plan to draw less on salary so that more money can be reinvested.
Plan ahead on how you are going to fund the business. You can take loans if the turnaround time of your business is very short so that you can pay back the loan quickly
Plan to keep costs as low as possible. You must know your cash flow, know what you have in cash and plan for contingencies. Cut your initial budget to the barest minimum- second hand computers, printers etc. work with volunteers at the beginning. You can even hire them as and when you need them. Strip your expenditure to as low as possible.
Secondly have a marketing plan. You may have the best product or service or you may be good at what you do in the world but that does not guarantee that people will patronise your product. It will depend on how good you are at marketing and sales.
McDonald’s don’t make the best burgers but they sell most in the world because they know how to market it. It takes money to make money but word of mouth is the best and cheapest form of advert. Work hard to beat the expectation of first few customers, do some networking, take advantage of free press etc.
Above all have a marketing strategy to target your advert at your intended recipients so that you can focus on the job/business.
"Marketing is really not about telling [people] how great your products are. Good marketing is based on a deep understanding of the problem your customer has and doesn't want, or the result they want and don't have. When you focus your marketing message on the customer's problem and desired result, they notice and come over and ask for more."
Importance of relationships in business: Play to your strengths: Bring your strengths to bear in the business. Where you are weak, let those who are strong in that area help you. No one is good at everything, if you partner with someone, you build synergies with your strengths. You partner with someone who compliments you. Working alone can paralyze many would-be entrepreneurs, so consider getting a partner or two to share the workload and the risk.
2 Chronicles 2:7 Send me now therefore a man cunning to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass, and in iron, and in purple, and crimson, and blue, and that can skill to grave with the cunning men that are with me in Judah and in Jerusalem, whom David my father did provide.
Learn from your mistakes: One of the things young entrepreneurs should learn is to learn from their mistakes. As you go along, don’t let your mistakes bring you down but rather use it as a learning curve.
Start: Start whatever God is laying on your heart no matter how small it is.
Job 8:7 “Though thy beginning was small, yet thy latter end should greatly increase.” Do not despise small beginnings. It is said that taking advantage of small opportunities will get you there faster than waiting for one big opportunity.
The grace of God will always be there with you so don’t be worried about how you start.
Ecclesiastes 7:8 “Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.”
Many great businesses started small. Many started when the owners went through die financial situations and crises. Many started out of necessity. Many started as ideas without any capital. Start no matter what. You may think that you are going through a difficult time but God at times allows you to go through that so that He would glorify Himself. Joseph told his brothers that “ye meant it for evil but God meant it for good. Things are not going to get any better so start. The best time to start is now.
May whatever you are experiencing now turn out for your good.
Tuesday, 20 March 2012
ENTREPRENEURSHIP
Every business starts with a gift or identification of a need. You either have a gift or identify a need which results in producing a product or a service.
The Bible says Proverbs 5:15 “Drink waters out of thine own cistern and running waters out of thine own well”.
The word cistern, according to the Collins English dictionary means a water tank or an underground reservoir. This means tap into your own resources, tap into your God given reservoir of gifts, tap into your underground, unseen talent, tap into your skills and tap into your talent. It is a resource that God has given you so make the best out of them. Use what God has given you.
Use your skills to identify opportunities, cease them and make the most of the opportunities. Be influenced to take action. Don’t just identify them and sit down.
Proverbs 18:16 A man's gift maketh room for him, and bringeth him before great men. Identification of a need helps you spot an opportunity that you can take advantage of.
But having the gift alone or spotting an opportunity is not good enough.
You set objectives: Objectives are goals that you want to achieve. These are the reasons why you are putting your talent to use.
Proverbs 31:16 She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard.
They are the set SMART targets.
S - specific, significant, stretching: i.e. well defined, clear to anyone that has a basic understanding of the project
M - measurable, meaningful, motivational: Know if the goal is attainable and how far away completion is, Know when it has been achieved.
A - agreed upon, attainable, achievable, acceptable, action-oriented: Aim for results
R - realistic, relevant, reasonable, rewarding, results-oriented: Within the availability of resources, knowledge and time
T - time-based, timely, tangible, trackable: enough time to achieve the goal, Not too much time, which can affect project performance.
A goal may be what you want to achieve in two, three or five years time
Get organized: Plan effectively. Planning is necessary to achieve those goals you have set for yourself. If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail. Have a plan of action. Have a plan that is clear, concise, compelling and consistent. Have a plan in place how you intend to achieve those targets set above.
Proverbs 21:5(NLT) Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity, but hasty shortcuts lead to poverty.
Prov. 24:3-4 “An enterprise is built by wise planning, it becomes strong through common sense and profits wonderfully by keeping abreast of facts.” (Living Bible)
Write your plans down. Hab.2:2-3. Only 3% of people write their purpose, plans and goals down. 10% keep them in their head. The remaining 87% just drift through life. They have “the whatever will be will be syndrome”. Research shows that the 3% achieve 50 to hundred times what they write down.
The Bible says Proverbs 5:15 “Drink waters out of thine own cistern and running waters out of thine own well”.
The word cistern, according to the Collins English dictionary means a water tank or an underground reservoir. This means tap into your own resources, tap into your God given reservoir of gifts, tap into your underground, unseen talent, tap into your skills and tap into your talent. It is a resource that God has given you so make the best out of them. Use what God has given you.
Use your skills to identify opportunities, cease them and make the most of the opportunities. Be influenced to take action. Don’t just identify them and sit down.
Proverbs 18:16 A man's gift maketh room for him, and bringeth him before great men. Identification of a need helps you spot an opportunity that you can take advantage of.
But having the gift alone or spotting an opportunity is not good enough.
You set objectives: Objectives are goals that you want to achieve. These are the reasons why you are putting your talent to use.
Proverbs 31:16 She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard.
They are the set SMART targets.
S - specific, significant, stretching: i.e. well defined, clear to anyone that has a basic understanding of the project
M - measurable, meaningful, motivational: Know if the goal is attainable and how far away completion is, Know when it has been achieved.
A - agreed upon, attainable, achievable, acceptable, action-oriented: Aim for results
R - realistic, relevant, reasonable, rewarding, results-oriented: Within the availability of resources, knowledge and time
T - time-based, timely, tangible, trackable: enough time to achieve the goal, Not too much time, which can affect project performance.
A goal may be what you want to achieve in two, three or five years time
Get organized: Plan effectively. Planning is necessary to achieve those goals you have set for yourself. If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail. Have a plan of action. Have a plan that is clear, concise, compelling and consistent. Have a plan in place how you intend to achieve those targets set above.
Proverbs 21:5(NLT) Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity, but hasty shortcuts lead to poverty.
Prov. 24:3-4 “An enterprise is built by wise planning, it becomes strong through common sense and profits wonderfully by keeping abreast of facts.” (Living Bible)
Write your plans down. Hab.2:2-3. Only 3% of people write their purpose, plans and goals down. 10% keep them in their head. The remaining 87% just drift through life. They have “the whatever will be will be syndrome”. Research shows that the 3% achieve 50 to hundred times what they write down.
Friday, 7 October 2011
Overcome Your Limitation
For us, almost every month, God gives us a testimony, but I believe God is ready to move to a higher level. He is ready show us more of him like never before and for that to happen, we need to overcome our limitations. God wants our blessings to come and overtake us. He wants to take us to a position of overflow.
We need to be able to break any barrier that has been set against us.
In some families, the enemy has put a barrier of poverty. All kinds of limitations have been put in people’s lives and you need to break up any limitation.
Ezra4:1-4
“…Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah and troubled them in building”
This implies, they were being discouraged, frustrated, and they were being demoralised. When you are demoralised, you become week and feeble physically, psychologically, you can’t move forward. You are limited, when your mind is limited, the body can’t do anything, your mind itself becomes the barrier. When God wants you to take a step of faith, your mind will tell you its not possible and then you also accept it.
It is said that elephants have a very big memory so they can remember things easily. So what people in a circus do is that when the elephant is in its youthful stage, a thick rope is used to tie it up. At that stage, because it is young it will do all that it can to break away but it can’t. After some time, the young elephant gives up and just stays within the limit the rope gives it. When it grows up even though it is strong enough to break the rope, its mind becomes the limitation because it always remembers that it could not break the rope and therefore gives up without trying.
Some of us, from the beginning of the year, the enemy has put so much limitations in our way so much that we have given up. We have been so much frustrated that we have given up trying. We have given up on the promises of God.
We have given up on the fact that our God is still in the business of doing miracles. You have given up on the fact that this is the year of the Lord’s visitation. The year where we hear the sound of abundance of rain.
Don’t give up, don’t let up, you feel like stopping but don’t.
It is time for you to overcome your limitation.
The same thing happened in Nehemia4:1-4
Sambalat and Tobias threatened the Jews frustrated them and made mockery of them so in order to overcome this in verse 13, the Bible says
“…I even set the people after their families with their swords, their spears and their bows”
Vs.13-17
1.That is the people began to build the wall but this time, they were constantly ready to defend against the attacks of the enemy. They had their swords and their spears ready each time.
You have to press forward despite the challenges the enemy is putting in your way. You have to go and possess your possessions. But in doing so you must arm yourself with the sword of the spirit which is the word of God.
When the enemy comes to frustrate you and make mockery of you, begins to call you a failure, just be ready to tell him that the Lord has declared you the head and not the tail.
When he tells you that your enemies are coming to overcome you tell him it is written “stand still and see the salvation of my Lord for the Egyptians you see today you shall see them no more”. “Even though you will walk through the valleys of the shadows of death, you will fear no evil for the Lord is with you”.
When he brings debt to you tell him it is written in
Psalm 37:25 “I have been young and now I am old but I have never seen the righteous forsaken nor his seed begging for bread” so poverty shall never be your portion.
When the enemy comes against you like a flood the spirit of God will raise a standard against it. Therefore no weapon fashioned against you shall prosper and every tongue that rises against you, you shall condemn.
You tell the devil that in Revelations3:8 God says that God has opened a door for you and no one can shut it.
When he attacks you with sickness, tell him by his stripes you are healed.
Numbers 14:28 says As truly as I live, saith the Lord, as ye have spoken in mine ears, so will I do to you:
So just keep confessing the word, it becomes like a sword against the enemy.
2. The second thing you have to do is to getting direction from God and walking in obedience. (Jos.6:1-) The walls of Jericho were brought down by praise and by faith. But if the people of Israel had used their common sense and said this command of God is weird so we will not obey, they wouldn’t have overcome Jericho. It was not the shout that broke the walls of Jericho, but the obedience set forth the power of God to work for them. Obedience is important for victory. Obedience is better than sacrifice.
Genesis 26:12 Then Isaac sowed in that land, and received in the same year an hundredfold: and the LORD blessed him.
Isaac had no land and had to obey God’s command by borrowing somebody’s land and sowed that year. The bible says that in the same year he received a hundredfold. May be he had a just few grains left to live on but he obeyed God and sowed. Others had reaped nothing yet he still obeyed God.
The children of Israel were able to cross the red sea whilst the Israelites drowned because they obeyed the command of God. They did not argue or debate or disobey God. But they did just as He said they should do.
That is the next tool you need. Our walls of limitation can be pulled down through obeying the command of God on how to deal with the situation. It is not by might or by power but by the spirit of God.
2 Samuel 22:30 For by thee I have run through a troop: by my God have I leaped over a wall.
We need to be able to break any barrier that has been set against us.
In some families, the enemy has put a barrier of poverty. All kinds of limitations have been put in people’s lives and you need to break up any limitation.
Ezra4:1-4
“…Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah and troubled them in building”
This implies, they were being discouraged, frustrated, and they were being demoralised. When you are demoralised, you become week and feeble physically, psychologically, you can’t move forward. You are limited, when your mind is limited, the body can’t do anything, your mind itself becomes the barrier. When God wants you to take a step of faith, your mind will tell you its not possible and then you also accept it.
It is said that elephants have a very big memory so they can remember things easily. So what people in a circus do is that when the elephant is in its youthful stage, a thick rope is used to tie it up. At that stage, because it is young it will do all that it can to break away but it can’t. After some time, the young elephant gives up and just stays within the limit the rope gives it. When it grows up even though it is strong enough to break the rope, its mind becomes the limitation because it always remembers that it could not break the rope and therefore gives up without trying.
Some of us, from the beginning of the year, the enemy has put so much limitations in our way so much that we have given up. We have been so much frustrated that we have given up trying. We have given up on the promises of God.
We have given up on the fact that our God is still in the business of doing miracles. You have given up on the fact that this is the year of the Lord’s visitation. The year where we hear the sound of abundance of rain.
Don’t give up, don’t let up, you feel like stopping but don’t.
It is time for you to overcome your limitation.
The same thing happened in Nehemia4:1-4
Sambalat and Tobias threatened the Jews frustrated them and made mockery of them so in order to overcome this in verse 13, the Bible says
“…I even set the people after their families with their swords, their spears and their bows”
Vs.13-17
1.That is the people began to build the wall but this time, they were constantly ready to defend against the attacks of the enemy. They had their swords and their spears ready each time.
You have to press forward despite the challenges the enemy is putting in your way. You have to go and possess your possessions. But in doing so you must arm yourself with the sword of the spirit which is the word of God.
When the enemy comes to frustrate you and make mockery of you, begins to call you a failure, just be ready to tell him that the Lord has declared you the head and not the tail.
When he tells you that your enemies are coming to overcome you tell him it is written “stand still and see the salvation of my Lord for the Egyptians you see today you shall see them no more”. “Even though you will walk through the valleys of the shadows of death, you will fear no evil for the Lord is with you”.
When he brings debt to you tell him it is written in
Psalm 37:25 “I have been young and now I am old but I have never seen the righteous forsaken nor his seed begging for bread” so poverty shall never be your portion.
When the enemy comes against you like a flood the spirit of God will raise a standard against it. Therefore no weapon fashioned against you shall prosper and every tongue that rises against you, you shall condemn.
You tell the devil that in Revelations3:8 God says that God has opened a door for you and no one can shut it.
When he attacks you with sickness, tell him by his stripes you are healed.
Numbers 14:28 says As truly as I live, saith the Lord, as ye have spoken in mine ears, so will I do to you:
So just keep confessing the word, it becomes like a sword against the enemy.
2. The second thing you have to do is to getting direction from God and walking in obedience. (Jos.6:1-) The walls of Jericho were brought down by praise and by faith. But if the people of Israel had used their common sense and said this command of God is weird so we will not obey, they wouldn’t have overcome Jericho. It was not the shout that broke the walls of Jericho, but the obedience set forth the power of God to work for them. Obedience is important for victory. Obedience is better than sacrifice.
Genesis 26:12 Then Isaac sowed in that land, and received in the same year an hundredfold: and the LORD blessed him.
Isaac had no land and had to obey God’s command by borrowing somebody’s land and sowed that year. The bible says that in the same year he received a hundredfold. May be he had a just few grains left to live on but he obeyed God and sowed. Others had reaped nothing yet he still obeyed God.
The children of Israel were able to cross the red sea whilst the Israelites drowned because they obeyed the command of God. They did not argue or debate or disobey God. But they did just as He said they should do.
That is the next tool you need. Our walls of limitation can be pulled down through obeying the command of God on how to deal with the situation. It is not by might or by power but by the spirit of God.
2 Samuel 22:30 For by thee I have run through a troop: by my God have I leaped over a wall.
Thursday, 29 September 2011
The Glory must return
1 Samuel 4:1-11
The Israelites were losing the battle and thought that if they brought the Ark of the Lord to the battle field, they would be assured of victory just like in the days of old.
When it arrived, they made a great noise that even the Philistines were scared when they head that the Ark of the Lord had arrived at the camp of the Israelites.
With great confidence they went into battle but they lost heavily, the two sons of Eli the high priest were slain and the Ark of the Lord was taken.
What went wrong? They were counting on their previous experiences with God and assumed that God was with them.
Their shouts were empty shouts, without the power and presence of God. These were vain religious repetitions and noise.
1Samuel 4:19-21
This situation was summed up by the wife of Phinehas when she named her son Ichabod meaning the glory is departed from Israel.
Many Christians and churches may be operating from this angle today. There are many churches that look vibrant, shouting, singing and making a joyful noise yet God has written on the doorpost ‘Ichabod’. What they may be practising would be well rehearsed repetitions of religious activities.
They may be doing all that seems on the surface to be Godly, they may be running all the religious programs but the spirit of God may have departed from them a long time ago. Ichabod means the glory has departed. The glory of God may have departed from these ministries and they may not even know it. The fact that God was with them in times past does not mean God is still with them. The fact that God used them previously does not mean God is still using them. Most of them are just holding on to their previous relationship with God.
There are many Christians today who also do everything called Christian yet on the door to their hearts, God has written Ichabod- the glory has departed from this person. He may be speaking in tongues yet it may not be inspired by the Holy Spirit. He may be professing to be Christians, they may be still used to heal the sick and great miracles may be taking place but the presence of God may have left him/her.
This teaches us that past experiences with God including miracles and answers to prayer are never a proof that God is still with us. People around him may not realise it because he may still be doing all the religious activities yet when God looks down into his heart, God sees an empty shell. No freshness of the relationship with God. That relationship has become dormant.
It is important that people who are called by God to fulfil purpose in this life make sure that they are always close to Him and do not blindly rely on the past or even on miracles that are happening today because;
Romans 11:29 For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.
The fact that He was with you yesterday does not necessarily mean He is with you today. That’s why we need to maintain a constant relationship with Him. That’s why our personal relationship with God must always be on a high tempo.
God is always doing new things. He is always making new wines which need new wine skins. You cannot put new wine in old wine skin. The problem with us is that we want the new wine but we want to maintain our old wine skins which cannot contain it.
What causes us to come to this point is self-centredness. The God who delivered them from slavery and from the hands of the enemy has now become an idol in the figment of their imagination. He is just there to do as they wish and nothing more or less.
Proverbs 23:23 Buy the truth, and sell it not;
This means to acquire the truth by all rightful means and cleave to it, guard it and defend it even to the risk of your life.
Many have sold the truth, we have not held on to it even at the least challenge. We have forgotten so soon what our God did for us and is able to do in the face of the pending challenges
We have forgotten that we were made for Him alone and have to love Him supremely above all else. We are to lay aside our own plans, ambitions and purposes and seek to fulfill His will only. This will keep us coming to Him every day for fresh instructions on what He expects of us.
We have forgotten how to have compassion on the needy, do medical and disaster relief, help people in slums, take care of widows and the abandoned children, empower the poor, give water to those who don’t have i.e. wells, Bibles and literature to those who need them most, support missionaries, livestock for the needy etc.
How do we restore our relationship with the Lord?
1. We need to seriously repent from this sin which has separated us from the Lord and come back to Him. 2 Chronicles 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
2. We have to humble ourselves in the presence of the Lord so that He will lift us up. James 4:10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.
3. We have to seek the things that are above only and not on the things of this world. Colossians 3:1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
4. Love not the world neither things of the world that seperates us from the Lord. 1 John 2:15-17 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.
The Israelites were losing the battle and thought that if they brought the Ark of the Lord to the battle field, they would be assured of victory just like in the days of old.
When it arrived, they made a great noise that even the Philistines were scared when they head that the Ark of the Lord had arrived at the camp of the Israelites.
With great confidence they went into battle but they lost heavily, the two sons of Eli the high priest were slain and the Ark of the Lord was taken.
What went wrong? They were counting on their previous experiences with God and assumed that God was with them.
Their shouts were empty shouts, without the power and presence of God. These were vain religious repetitions and noise.
1Samuel 4:19-21
This situation was summed up by the wife of Phinehas when she named her son Ichabod meaning the glory is departed from Israel.
Many Christians and churches may be operating from this angle today. There are many churches that look vibrant, shouting, singing and making a joyful noise yet God has written on the doorpost ‘Ichabod’. What they may be practising would be well rehearsed repetitions of religious activities.
They may be doing all that seems on the surface to be Godly, they may be running all the religious programs but the spirit of God may have departed from them a long time ago. Ichabod means the glory has departed. The glory of God may have departed from these ministries and they may not even know it. The fact that God was with them in times past does not mean God is still with them. The fact that God used them previously does not mean God is still using them. Most of them are just holding on to their previous relationship with God.
There are many Christians today who also do everything called Christian yet on the door to their hearts, God has written Ichabod- the glory has departed from this person. He may be speaking in tongues yet it may not be inspired by the Holy Spirit. He may be professing to be Christians, they may be still used to heal the sick and great miracles may be taking place but the presence of God may have left him/her.
This teaches us that past experiences with God including miracles and answers to prayer are never a proof that God is still with us. People around him may not realise it because he may still be doing all the religious activities yet when God looks down into his heart, God sees an empty shell. No freshness of the relationship with God. That relationship has become dormant.
It is important that people who are called by God to fulfil purpose in this life make sure that they are always close to Him and do not blindly rely on the past or even on miracles that are happening today because;
Romans 11:29 For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.
The fact that He was with you yesterday does not necessarily mean He is with you today. That’s why we need to maintain a constant relationship with Him. That’s why our personal relationship with God must always be on a high tempo.
God is always doing new things. He is always making new wines which need new wine skins. You cannot put new wine in old wine skin. The problem with us is that we want the new wine but we want to maintain our old wine skins which cannot contain it.
What causes us to come to this point is self-centredness. The God who delivered them from slavery and from the hands of the enemy has now become an idol in the figment of their imagination. He is just there to do as they wish and nothing more or less.
Proverbs 23:23 Buy the truth, and sell it not;
This means to acquire the truth by all rightful means and cleave to it, guard it and defend it even to the risk of your life.
Many have sold the truth, we have not held on to it even at the least challenge. We have forgotten so soon what our God did for us and is able to do in the face of the pending challenges
We have forgotten that we were made for Him alone and have to love Him supremely above all else. We are to lay aside our own plans, ambitions and purposes and seek to fulfill His will only. This will keep us coming to Him every day for fresh instructions on what He expects of us.
We have forgotten how to have compassion on the needy, do medical and disaster relief, help people in slums, take care of widows and the abandoned children, empower the poor, give water to those who don’t have i.e. wells, Bibles and literature to those who need them most, support missionaries, livestock for the needy etc.
How do we restore our relationship with the Lord?
1. We need to seriously repent from this sin which has separated us from the Lord and come back to Him. 2 Chronicles 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
2. We have to humble ourselves in the presence of the Lord so that He will lift us up. James 4:10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.
3. We have to seek the things that are above only and not on the things of this world. Colossians 3:1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
4. Love not the world neither things of the world that seperates us from the Lord. 1 John 2:15-17 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.
Wednesday, 21 September 2011
BROKENNESS
Job 13:15 Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him.
What will cause someone to talk like this? Why would Job make this statement? Of what condition is his relationship with God to cause him to talk like this?
If we want to have a right relationship with God, then the first thing we must learn is that our wills must be broken to His will.
Brokenness is the beginning of Revival in us. It is painful and humiliating but is the only way.
Galatians 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
John 3:30 He must increase, but I must decrease.
“C” is a bent “I”
The Lord Jesus cannot live in us fully and reveal Himself through us until the proud self within us is broken.
Every form of me, myself and I must give way for His will.
The hard unyielding self, which justifies itself, wants its own way, stands up for its rights, and seeks its own glory at last must bow its head to God’s will. It must admit it is wrong and give up its own way to the way of the Master Jesus Christ.
It must surrender its rights and discard its own glory, that the Lord Jesus might have all and be all.
This implies dying to self ant its attitudes. It is self which tries to live the Christian life ( the fact that you use the word try means that is self)
It is self too who is often doing the Christian work.
It is self which is irritable, envious, resentful, critical and worried.
Self is shy, it is self conscious and reserved. No wonder we need a breaking. So long as self is in control, God can do little with us.
We need to crucify self and resurrect with Christ.
Psalm 51:17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.
Our Lord Jesus was willing to be broken for us and this the more compelling reason for us to be broken. Why do we call ourselves Christians and yet are not willing to be broken.
Philippians 2:6-7 Who, being in the form of God,, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
He who was in the form of God, counting not equality with God a prize to be grasped and hang on to, but letting it go for us and taking upon Himself the form of a servant-God’s servant, and man’s servant.
Jesus was willing to have no rights of His own, no home of His own, men reviled Him and He did not retaliate or defend Himself.
Prayer: Lord bend this stiff necked I, help me bow to the will of Christ. Help me die to self and let Christ rule and have dominion over my life.
Dying to self is not a one day thing but it is continual. We constantly die to self.
2 Corinthians 4:10 Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.
It means every day, we are confronted with choices in a thousand ways, we need to die to self and let Christ do the choosing.
It means constant yielding to the will of Christ.
No longer my will but the will of Christ. As we are confronted with challenges that tempt the self in us, that is God’s way of breaking us so that we will be deeply rooted in Christ.
Every form of self centredness must die because it is the exact opposite of wht the will of God is.
We must be prepared for God to break this self-centrednes so that His will will grow in us.
We must cooperate with God to achieve this.
It is in the process of brokenness that we find strength;
It is in the process of brokenness that we find victory;
It is in the process of brokenness that we find the faithfulness of God;
Goodness and mercy follows us as we go through brokenness;
Unstoppable favour becomes our portion as we go through brokenness.
What will cause someone to talk like this? Why would Job make this statement? Of what condition is his relationship with God to cause him to talk like this?
If we want to have a right relationship with God, then the first thing we must learn is that our wills must be broken to His will.
Brokenness is the beginning of Revival in us. It is painful and humiliating but is the only way.
Galatians 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
John 3:30 He must increase, but I must decrease.
“C” is a bent “I”
The Lord Jesus cannot live in us fully and reveal Himself through us until the proud self within us is broken.
Every form of me, myself and I must give way for His will.
The hard unyielding self, which justifies itself, wants its own way, stands up for its rights, and seeks its own glory at last must bow its head to God’s will. It must admit it is wrong and give up its own way to the way of the Master Jesus Christ.
It must surrender its rights and discard its own glory, that the Lord Jesus might have all and be all.
This implies dying to self ant its attitudes. It is self which tries to live the Christian life ( the fact that you use the word try means that is self)
It is self too who is often doing the Christian work.
It is self which is irritable, envious, resentful, critical and worried.
Self is shy, it is self conscious and reserved. No wonder we need a breaking. So long as self is in control, God can do little with us.
We need to crucify self and resurrect with Christ.
Psalm 51:17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.
Our Lord Jesus was willing to be broken for us and this the more compelling reason for us to be broken. Why do we call ourselves Christians and yet are not willing to be broken.
Philippians 2:6-7 Who, being in the form of God,, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
He who was in the form of God, counting not equality with God a prize to be grasped and hang on to, but letting it go for us and taking upon Himself the form of a servant-God’s servant, and man’s servant.
Jesus was willing to have no rights of His own, no home of His own, men reviled Him and He did not retaliate or defend Himself.
Prayer: Lord bend this stiff necked I, help me bow to the will of Christ. Help me die to self and let Christ rule and have dominion over my life.
Dying to self is not a one day thing but it is continual. We constantly die to self.
2 Corinthians 4:10 Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.
It means every day, we are confronted with choices in a thousand ways, we need to die to self and let Christ do the choosing.
It means constant yielding to the will of Christ.
No longer my will but the will of Christ. As we are confronted with challenges that tempt the self in us, that is God’s way of breaking us so that we will be deeply rooted in Christ.
Every form of self centredness must die because it is the exact opposite of wht the will of God is.
We must be prepared for God to break this self-centrednes so that His will will grow in us.
We must cooperate with God to achieve this.
It is in the process of brokenness that we find strength;
It is in the process of brokenness that we find victory;
It is in the process of brokenness that we find the faithfulness of God;
Goodness and mercy follows us as we go through brokenness;
Unstoppable favour becomes our portion as we go through brokenness.
DEALING WITH THE AFRICAN MENTALITY
For us to do this, there is the need for a change in our mindset. Our mindset about our situations and circumstances must change. You are where you are because of the choices you made yesterday. Your future is dependent on the choices you make today.
Deuteronomy 30:19 “I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:”
Common perceptions of Africans
Permanently portraying themselves as victims? (More than 50 yrs of independence, we have to stop blaming the white man).
They work hard, but not enough to live beyond their means. (Laborers work the hardest but are paid the least)
Our attitude towards work has always been wrong. We are apathetic, lackadaisical, unmotivated and cannot work without supervision. We think bribery is the order of the day and cannot earn an honest day’s wage. Prov. 6:6-9
We don’t show initiative and when someone does that and is successful, everybody wants to copy.
We are not competitive enough in the market place. We think we can produce any shoddy goods and still make money from it. We accept mediocrity, we don’t strive for perfection. Anyone who pushes for perfection is called too known.
We have entitlement mentality. We think everything must be done for us. We can build an 8 bedroom house and think that the government must provide public toilets for us. Every development we do must be funded by the white man.
THE TURN AROUND
Despite our weak position, God takes the weak things to confound the mighty. 1Cor. 1:27-29.
1 Corinthians 1:27-29 But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; 28 And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: 29 That no flesh should glory in his presence.
God expects us to just take little steps out of the situation we find ourselves. Those are the steps He will use to confound the mighty. Just like the 4 lepers as they took steps to come out of the situation they found themselves in. God magnified their steps that the mighty Syrian army was scared and ran away.
David fought Goliath not because he was strong but because he partnered with God. That the same God who helped him overcome the lion and the bear will help him overcome Goliath. All he took was five little stones and God used only one to confound Goliath.
Like the Israelites when they were asked to spy on the land of Canaan in Numbers 13.
In Numbers13:27-33; 14:6-9. The twelve brought their reports. 10 brought an evil report. In fact they spoke about the facts on the ground. But Joshua and Caleb had the truth. The fact on the ground may be that your financial situation is horrible, but the truth is God can use that weak situation to confound the mighty.
The fact on the ground is doctors can tell you, you have a short time to live. The truth is God can heal you of that disease.
The fact on the ground is we Africans have a weak position economically. The truth is God can use this to show how mighty He is. In our weakness is He made strong. If we learn to partner God in such times as this and take steps as He directs us. He will surely take us to the top of the mountain. He will make a way where there is no way. All we need is to have the right attitude. We need to take little steps which God in turn will magnify it.
PROGRESS COMES WITH THE RIGHT ATTITUDE
Steps like learning the values of self-reliance, self improvement and risk-taking. Steps like having the values of drive, discipline, temperance and hard work. The values of self responsibility.
These values are rooted in a basic optimism about life and faith in free will—confidence in the fact that through hard work, sweat and tears, each of us can rise above circumstances of our birth. You may have been born in poverty but you do not need to remain in poverty. You may be born in a difficult situation but you do not have to remain there.
Steps like having a single mind focused on good work ethics, using technology and education as a right.
Steps like learning how to create wealth.
The West is not rich due to plunder or slavery -wealth is created through the development of saleable products which get sold to, and stimulate, external markets; consumers globally realise the value of items which enrich their lives, and change their behaviour to afford these.
Steps like having a can do attitude towards any work that confronts us and saying together with Obama that yes we can.
A never say die attitude. A readiness to what is humanly possible and let God do what is humanly impossible.
When we partner with God and take such little steps, we will be surprised what God will do with that. Just as He magnified the steps of the four lepers to confound the mighty Syrian army, He will do the same for your efforts. As you confront your Goliath in your life, God will use the little stones that you will pick to overcome your Giant. God will make you mighty. He will make you an achiever. He will make you more than a conqueror.
Never give up. Never accept the status quo. Never say never. God bless you.
Deuteronomy 30:19 “I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:”
Common perceptions of Africans
Permanently portraying themselves as victims? (More than 50 yrs of independence, we have to stop blaming the white man).
They work hard, but not enough to live beyond their means. (Laborers work the hardest but are paid the least)
Our attitude towards work has always been wrong. We are apathetic, lackadaisical, unmotivated and cannot work without supervision. We think bribery is the order of the day and cannot earn an honest day’s wage. Prov. 6:6-9
We don’t show initiative and when someone does that and is successful, everybody wants to copy.
We are not competitive enough in the market place. We think we can produce any shoddy goods and still make money from it. We accept mediocrity, we don’t strive for perfection. Anyone who pushes for perfection is called too known.
We have entitlement mentality. We think everything must be done for us. We can build an 8 bedroom house and think that the government must provide public toilets for us. Every development we do must be funded by the white man.
THE TURN AROUND
Despite our weak position, God takes the weak things to confound the mighty. 1Cor. 1:27-29.
1 Corinthians 1:27-29 But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; 28 And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: 29 That no flesh should glory in his presence.
God expects us to just take little steps out of the situation we find ourselves. Those are the steps He will use to confound the mighty. Just like the 4 lepers as they took steps to come out of the situation they found themselves in. God magnified their steps that the mighty Syrian army was scared and ran away.
David fought Goliath not because he was strong but because he partnered with God. That the same God who helped him overcome the lion and the bear will help him overcome Goliath. All he took was five little stones and God used only one to confound Goliath.
Like the Israelites when they were asked to spy on the land of Canaan in Numbers 13.
In Numbers13:27-33; 14:6-9. The twelve brought their reports. 10 brought an evil report. In fact they spoke about the facts on the ground. But Joshua and Caleb had the truth. The fact on the ground may be that your financial situation is horrible, but the truth is God can use that weak situation to confound the mighty.
The fact on the ground is doctors can tell you, you have a short time to live. The truth is God can heal you of that disease.
The fact on the ground is we Africans have a weak position economically. The truth is God can use this to show how mighty He is. In our weakness is He made strong. If we learn to partner God in such times as this and take steps as He directs us. He will surely take us to the top of the mountain. He will make a way where there is no way. All we need is to have the right attitude. We need to take little steps which God in turn will magnify it.
PROGRESS COMES WITH THE RIGHT ATTITUDE
Steps like learning the values of self-reliance, self improvement and risk-taking. Steps like having the values of drive, discipline, temperance and hard work. The values of self responsibility.
These values are rooted in a basic optimism about life and faith in free will—confidence in the fact that through hard work, sweat and tears, each of us can rise above circumstances of our birth. You may have been born in poverty but you do not need to remain in poverty. You may be born in a difficult situation but you do not have to remain there.
Steps like having a single mind focused on good work ethics, using technology and education as a right.
Steps like learning how to create wealth.
The West is not rich due to plunder or slavery -wealth is created through the development of saleable products which get sold to, and stimulate, external markets; consumers globally realise the value of items which enrich their lives, and change their behaviour to afford these.
Steps like having a can do attitude towards any work that confronts us and saying together with Obama that yes we can.
A never say die attitude. A readiness to what is humanly possible and let God do what is humanly impossible.
When we partner with God and take such little steps, we will be surprised what God will do with that. Just as He magnified the steps of the four lepers to confound the mighty Syrian army, He will do the same for your efforts. As you confront your Goliath in your life, God will use the little stones that you will pick to overcome your Giant. God will make you mighty. He will make you an achiever. He will make you more than a conqueror.
Never give up. Never accept the status quo. Never say never. God bless you.
Tuesday, 3 May 2011
Purpose
Jeremiah 29:11 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.
God has a plan for you. When God called us from among the crowd and said come out from among them and be ye separate; He had a purpose for calling us.
There is no one on earth here who is here as a decoration. There is a reason why God calls you. He never intended for you to be a pew warmer. His intention was for you to fulfill your purpose. Rom.8:28 tells us that everyone is called according to God’s purpose.
A Call: A calling is your office. What God has called you to do.
Purpose is the reason why you are here on earth. Purpose gives reason and a sense of direction to your call. Look at the following examples:
Jeremiah’s purpose;
Jeremiah 1:5 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.
Jeremiah 1:10 See, I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down, to build, and to plant.
His calling was a prophet but his purpose was unto the nations, to root out, to pull down and to destroy the works of the enemy and to build and plant all that exalts God. He lived to fulfill his purpose.
Samuel was a prophet to the Kingdom of Israel.
1 Samuel 3:19-20 And Samuel grew, and the LORD was with him, and did let none of his words fall to the ground. And all Israel from Dan even to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established to be a prophet of the LORD.
Paul’s purpose;
His call was to preach the gospel i.e. 1 Corinthians 9:16 For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!
However his purpose was Acts 9:15; “for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:” Paul fulfilled his purpose.
Acts 26:28 Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian. Paul would preach the gospel at every opportunity.
Noah’s purpose was to save as many people of his generation as possible into the ark and he fulfilled it. Gen.6:8. The fact that there is sin all around you is not an excuse for you to sin. The fact that there is sin all around you does not mean you cannot fulfill purpose.
God requires us to fulfill our purpose before we leave earth. Many Christians are looking out for success. In fact many Pastors are saying you must be successful. But the God whom we serve is looking out for faithfulness in fulfilling purpose.
God rewards faithfulness
Faithfulness is a prerequisite for fulfilling purpose. It is when we are faithful that we can find success. Many Christians have found success without faithfulness and God does not reward just success.
Many of us are doing what we think God wants us to do without coming to his presence to ask him. If we learn to come to his presence to seek him, he will show us what our purpose is. We have a form of godliness but we deny His leadership and direction. You just have to obey him. You may not necessarily be successful but you would be found faithful. If you read Mt.7:21-23 all the works listed there were the works of God, but the people had not identified their purpose.
Mt25:14-30 i.e. the parable of the talents.
Note that in verse 15 He gave everyone’s purpose according to your ability so you have no excuse not fulfilling it.
Matthew 25:21 His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things:: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
God rewarded the man for his faithfulness and not necessarily for his success. They entered heaven because they had been faithful with their purpose.
Matthew 25:30 And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Many people in the house of God will go to hell because they were not faithful with their talents. They were unprofitable servants of the Lord. They did not fulfill their purpose.
What is your talent and if God comes today will he find you faithful?
There are three kinds of people:
Those who do nothing,
Those who watch things happen in excitement and shout ooh, Aah and
Those who make things happen.
May you cause things to happen in your life. May you identify your call and fulfil your purpose.
God has a plan for you. When God called us from among the crowd and said come out from among them and be ye separate; He had a purpose for calling us.
There is no one on earth here who is here as a decoration. There is a reason why God calls you. He never intended for you to be a pew warmer. His intention was for you to fulfill your purpose. Rom.8:28 tells us that everyone is called according to God’s purpose.
A Call: A calling is your office. What God has called you to do.
Purpose is the reason why you are here on earth. Purpose gives reason and a sense of direction to your call. Look at the following examples:
Jeremiah’s purpose;
Jeremiah 1:5 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.
Jeremiah 1:10 See, I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down, to build, and to plant.
His calling was a prophet but his purpose was unto the nations, to root out, to pull down and to destroy the works of the enemy and to build and plant all that exalts God. He lived to fulfill his purpose.
Samuel was a prophet to the Kingdom of Israel.
1 Samuel 3:19-20 And Samuel grew, and the LORD was with him, and did let none of his words fall to the ground. And all Israel from Dan even to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established to be a prophet of the LORD.
Paul’s purpose;
His call was to preach the gospel i.e. 1 Corinthians 9:16 For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!
However his purpose was Acts 9:15; “for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:” Paul fulfilled his purpose.
Acts 26:28 Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian. Paul would preach the gospel at every opportunity.
Noah’s purpose was to save as many people of his generation as possible into the ark and he fulfilled it. Gen.6:8. The fact that there is sin all around you is not an excuse for you to sin. The fact that there is sin all around you does not mean you cannot fulfill purpose.
God requires us to fulfill our purpose before we leave earth. Many Christians are looking out for success. In fact many Pastors are saying you must be successful. But the God whom we serve is looking out for faithfulness in fulfilling purpose.
God rewards faithfulness
Faithfulness is a prerequisite for fulfilling purpose. It is when we are faithful that we can find success. Many Christians have found success without faithfulness and God does not reward just success.
Many of us are doing what we think God wants us to do without coming to his presence to ask him. If we learn to come to his presence to seek him, he will show us what our purpose is. We have a form of godliness but we deny His leadership and direction. You just have to obey him. You may not necessarily be successful but you would be found faithful. If you read Mt.7:21-23 all the works listed there were the works of God, but the people had not identified their purpose.
Mt25:14-30 i.e. the parable of the talents.
Note that in verse 15 He gave everyone’s purpose according to your ability so you have no excuse not fulfilling it.
Matthew 25:21 His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things:: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
God rewarded the man for his faithfulness and not necessarily for his success. They entered heaven because they had been faithful with their purpose.
Matthew 25:30 And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Many people in the house of God will go to hell because they were not faithful with their talents. They were unprofitable servants of the Lord. They did not fulfill their purpose.
What is your talent and if God comes today will he find you faithful?
There are three kinds of people:
Those who do nothing,
Those who watch things happen in excitement and shout ooh, Aah and
Those who make things happen.
May you cause things to happen in your life. May you identify your call and fulfil your purpose.
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