The Shield of Faith 2

Don't drag your feet. Be like those who stay the course with committed faith and then get everything promised to them.

-Hebrews 6:12 MSG

“If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.”

- Isaac Newton

 The Bible encourages the believers to learn from heroes of Faith whose spiritual exploits could inspire our lives to stay the course and reach the finish line with testimonies. Isaac Newton, the eminent Scientist once said, “If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.”

 I believe we can draw inspiration from biblical patriarchs who exemplified living faith, and no one readily comes to mind other than Abraham, the father of faith. How did he do it? Here is his faith-inspiring story:

 “We call Abraham "father" not because he got God's attention by living like a saint, but because God made something out of Abraham when he was a nobody. Isn't that what we've always read in Scripture, God saying to Abraham, "I set you up as father of many peoples"? Abraham was first named "father" and then became a father because he dared to trust God to do what only God could do: raise the dead to life, with a word make something out of nothing.”

“When everything was hopeless, Abraham believed anyway, deciding to live not on the basis of what he saw he couldn't do but on what God said he would do. And so he was made father of a multitude of peoples. God himself said to him, "You're going to have a big family, Abraham!"

 “Abraham didn't focus on his own impotence and say, "It's hopeless. This hundred-year-old body could never father a child." Nor did he survey Sarah's decades of infertility and give up. He didn't tiptoe around God's promise asking cautiously skeptical questions. He plunged into the promise and came up strong, ready for God, sure that God would make good on what he had said. That's why it is said, "Abraham was declared fit before God by trusting God to set him right." -Rom 4:17-23 MSG

Rev Kenneth Hagin had stayed on course as a preacher of faith for almost 70 years after God miraculously healed him of a deformed heart and an incurable blood disease at the age of 17. Even though he went home to be with the Lord in 2003, His ‘Formula for Faith’ he wrote about in most of his faith-related books gives a clear guide to proof-producing faith.

 Formula for Faith

Here is a formula for faith that you can make work for you;
First, have God’s word for whatever you may be seeking; second, believe God’s word; third, refuse to consider the contradictory circumstances or what your physical senses may tell you about it; and, fourth, give praise to God for the answer. 

Hagin emphasized, “Follow these four steps and you always will get results. These are four certain steps to deliverance, healing, answered prayers, or whatever you may be seeking from the Lord.”

God’s word will work for you in Jesus name. ..bless you

Thanks

James Adekoje

For The Bible Motivator

The Shield of Faith 1

“In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one” - Ephesians 6.16 ESV

“Keep your foot on the devil’s neck by standing on the Word of God, and you will see tremendous results!” - Jesse Duplantis, American Pastor.

 ¶This short piece on faith is intended to spur you on your own personal study of this all important subject of Faith. It is so crucial that four times in the scriptures, a pointblank emphasis was placed on it, just to awaken its sense of indispensability if we must live victoriously in this wicked world as Saints of God. “The Just shall live by his faith” (Hab 2.4, Rom 1.17, Gal 3.11 & Heb 10.38)

 ¶When we are challenged, it is not weeping over the situation that helps, but wielding our weapon of faith. Bemoaning your condition may attract men but only a fight of faith moves God. In actual fact, Faith activates God and makes you battle-ready to ward off all flaming onslaughts of our enemy, the devil.

 It was once revealed by the highly influential 19^th century British preacher, Charles Spurgeon that, “Faith obliterates time, annihilates distance, and brings future things at once into its possession.” Faith is remarkably fundamental to a triumphant life such that the scripture rates it higher than all other elements in the whole armour of God. “Above all, taking the shield of faith…” (Eph 6.16 KJV)

As a matter of fact, a whole chapter in the bible was dedicated to the doctrine of faith, apart from several other authoritative references posted all across the scriptures. Faith chapter 11 – I mean Hebrew 11. And without faith, it is impossible to please God. (vs 6).

 ¶Faith, as described above is way beyond mere emblem of a Christian organization. It is not a religious identity either. It’s a weapon of war signifying our call to spiritual warfare. Therefore, move beyond religious dogma to the realm of spiritual reality. Tradition is the thief of power and there is no area of our lives where that theft is more evident than in the area of faith for living. The Bible says that, “this is the victory that overcomes the world, our faith (1Jn 5.4).

 ¶Faith in this context can be simply put as a practical expression of your confidence that you have in God and in His word in the face of any life challenge. Rev Larry Huggins also defined faith as confidence in the veracity of what God has said. This understanding is what instills you with inner force and resistance against negative situations.

 ¶However, we must note first of all, that faith comes from the Word of God. Living faith derives basically from the word of God. The Bible says, “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Rom 10.17). It thus follows logically that, if you are a Christian that does not constantly read and study the word, your faith level for operation will be low. This is because, “no word, no faith.” Faith can’t come if you don’t know what the word of God has to say about a particular situation. And this may be a major point where most believers meet their waterloo.

In the words of Rev Kenneth Hagin, that Apostle of faith, “Faith begins where the will of God is known. The Bible, from Genesis to Revelation, is God’s “I Will” to every seeker for full salvation of spirit, soul and body.”

The Bible is not supposed to make sense; it is supposed to make faith. Peter said to Jesus, “Master, we've worked hard all night and haven't caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the net” (Luke 5.5 niv). You get faith by studying the Word. Study that Word until something in you “knows that you know” and that you do not just hope that you know. Henrietta Mears had confirmed; “Faith is caught rather than taught.”.

 It’s important to note that there are two kinds of faith. There is the natural faith. But the supernatural faith is the gift of God.” It’s an impartation from God through His word.

 ¶The Scriptures states that “In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one” (Eph 6.16 esv). The truth is, every time you encounter a challenge, the enemy primary intention is to weaken your faith. In a perspective, the attack is not an oppression of the devil, but first and foremost a trial of your faith (see Luke 22.31-32).

 Every word of God you believed will be tested. So stand your ground when a situation challenges your faith, because if your faith is never tried than your faith can never be trusted!

 ¶In all these, the only recognized panacea in the Bible to silence all flaming arrows of negative situations is your shield of faith. The more you exercise it, the stronger it gets. Smith Wigglesworth is one of the pioneers of the Pentecostal revival that occurred a century ago. In his words as an apostle of faith, he said that “Great faith is the product of great fights. Great testimonies are the outcome of great tests. Great triumphs can only come out of great trials. Yes, seeds of faith are always within us; but sometimes it takes a crisis to nourish and encourage their growth.

 Once you lay hold on the shield of faith in your quest for victory, then refuse to quit. No matter how long it takes, or how tough it gets, do not quit. Drawing inspiration from the father of faith puts it in clearer picture: “Abraham, who against hope believed in hope” (Rom 4.18).

 In respect to this, God’s word states that, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world”

 I leave you with this profound statement from Rex Rouis; “Always remember, you are just one “hearing” away from Faith, just one ‘knowing” away from Peace, and just one “action” away from total Victory.” Shalom.

 Thank you

James Adekoje

For The Bible Motivator

In Pursuit of Excellence

Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.

Matthew 5.48

“Perfection has to do with the end product, but excellence has to do with the process”

- Jerry Moran, US Senator

I recently delivered this message at a Youth service, and I believe it will inspire you also to be your best for God. Kindly send your email to thebiblemotivator@gmail.com or whatsapp to +2348057071119 for a free pdf format of this resource. You can also download In Pursuit of Excellence online.

Thank you

James Adekoje

For the Bible Motivator

Myles Munroe [April 20, 1954 - November 9, 2014]

MYLES MUNROE

[April 20, 1954 – November 9, 2014]

A Week ago (November 9, 2014), the entire world stood still as it experienced the passing of an Icon whose impacts on humanity can never be forgotten. Dr. Myles Munroe lived “full and died empty” He taught us to have faith, to pursue purpose, to advance kingdom principles, to have vision, to be leaders and to maximize our lives.

Words on Marble

Purpose

The greatest tragedy in life is not death, but life without a purpose

Faith

Remember, your faith is the most important power you possess

Vision

The poorest person in the world is a person without a dream

Leadership

It is not ability; it is mentality that makes a leader out of any one

Excellence

The greatest threat to being all that you could be is satisfaction with who you are

©Myles Munroe [1954 - 2014]

Victory Mentality

“Whether you think you can, or you think you can't--you're right.”

―Henry Ford, American industrialist (1863 – 1947)

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I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me

Philippians 4.3

Belief in God and in your own abilities is the bedrock of all personal victory and happiness.  ...seeing yourself through the eyes of God. Saint Paul says, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

James Allen in his landmark book, As A Man Thinketh, laid a solid background to all human success and victory – our mentality. “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.”¹ Your own thinking is what determines your overall victory or defeat.

Since it was first published in 1952, The Power of Positive thinking by Norman Vincent Peale has continued to be an inspirational best seller. To reveal the demonstration of the power of faith it promotes, the book has helped millions of people find a workable method to achieve happiness and success. It expertly teaches positive thinking not as means to fame and riches, but as a practical way to use faith to overcome defeat and achieve worthwhile goals. You can get the eBook online.

Dr. Norman admonished; “To anyone looking for happiness and success, I say to you; believe in yourself. Have faith in your own abilities. Any fact facing us is not as important as our attitude toward it, for that determines our success or failure. You are not what you think you are, but what you think, you are.”

An aspect of the Bible every Believer must appreciate and constantly engage is the transformational impact of the Word of God on our mentality and individual self-worth. The truth is, every promise of the scripture is an eye opener to our God-given innate possibilities. The Bible says, “Through these He has given us His very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature …” ²

It is thinking in line with scriptures that imbues you with victory mentality. When you believe the Word’s description of your person, an overcomer’s mentality comes alive in you. As once asserted by David Oyedepo, “until your thought lines up with the truth, your triumph is not in view.” Forget about people’s opinions of you, your own perspective of who you are is what determines your success. Besides, expose yourself to positive inspirational messages. As observed by Oliver Wendell Holmes, “Man’s mind, once stretched by a new idea, never regains its original dimensions.”

Les Brown, the eminent American motivational speaker often speaks about his dramatic turnaround when, for a long time as a school boy was mistakenly labeled EMR -Educably Mentally Retarded and nobody thought he would amount to anything in life.

But one day, an intervention came to him through a positive-minded man who disregarded all Les’ self-limiting belief & excuses with the following graphic statement painted before him; “someone’s opinion of you does not have to become your own reality.” That statement altered his mentality forthwith.

Remember, Life is warfare but the dynamics of that battle is captured in 2Cor 10.3-5. Really, life is warfare but our mind is the battlefield or the war front. Unfortunately, many believers are still careless on the battlefield, which is their mind. This is the main message promoted by Joyce Meyer, that great Bible Teacher in her book, The Battlefield of the Mind.

Capture your victory first in the mind because you are more than conqueror in Christ. That is why personal transformation begins with mental renewal, -a change of perspective. The Bible says, “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think (Rom 12.2 NLT).

As highlighted above, the legendary American industrialist and Founder of Ford Motors, Henry Ford once said that, “Whether you think you can, or you think you can't--you're right.” The implication of his assertion is obvious; every victory or defeat is rooted in your thinking. Victory mentality therefore has its source in “I CAN DO” spirit.

No matter the task or obstacle before you, if your mind can capture the possibility of victory, you are a winner because all your God-given latent possibilities will be graciously expressed.

In a book I read recently, the story was told of how an elderly schoolteacher transformed the destinies of some pupils forever, when she made a very profound statement before the class of supposedly average students. Here is her glowing, highly motivational declaration which became her perennial motto; Your I CAN is more important than your I.Q. What a statement!

Work on your mind, beloved. The greatest victory is not winning against people or problems, but winning against self. I CAN DO IT. Would you say that to yourself repeatedly today?

In His book, The Spirit of Leadership, Myles Munroe explains two leadership concepts; Leadership spirit & the Spirit of leadership. Leadership spirit refers to your inborn abilities, God’s gifts, passion, and other advantages you have in life. Conversely, Spirit of leadership represents the mentality; your perception of who you are.

He said that, “it is not ability; it is mentality that makes a leader out of any one”. So, what you think about yourself is more important than what you do. You do have the abilities, but your mentality must measure up to your abilities before you can manifest victory.

No one can live beyond the limits of his belief. All of our abilities to achieve notable victory may still be buried under our lack of belief that we can do it. You do have potentials, but if you don’t have the belief, your potentials will soon become a victim of your present belief.

You see, it does not matter how gifted and intelligent you are, or how many degrees you have, it’s your mind that keeps you small. And it does not matter how disadvantaged you may think you are, it’s your mind that makes you victorious.

Using the imagery of lion here is highly symbolic. The supremacy of a lion in the jungle is not a function of his physique, intelligence, size or power, because there are other animals in the jungle that beat these attributes. Lion’s authority is rooted in his thinking -what he believes and thinks about himself.  And he acts the way he thinks. He radiates such a dominion mentality that makes even an elephant, the largest of all animals, run for cover.

The twelve leaders of Israel were sent to spy on Canaan, their Promised Land. Despite God’s promise and power ahead of them, their thinking sold them out to defeat. They had a grasshopper’s mentality. … We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them (Num 13.33 NIV). Their defeat is not physical, because there was no confrontation yet. It's purely psychological. Thank God for Joshua & Caleb who possessed victory mindset ...we are able!

#The secret to anyone rising is what happens in his mentality, which is the product of his belief system.

As your work this word into your life today, the word will work for you in Jesus name. Thank you.

James Adekoje

For The Bible Motivator.

1.       Prov 23.7

2.       2Pet 1.4

Your Potentials

“If we did all the things we are capable of, we would literally astound ourselves.”

Thomas Alva Edison, US inventor (1847 - 1931)

..........................

This is why I remind you to keep using the gift God gave you when I laid my hands on you. Now let it grow, as a small flame grows into a fire.

2 Timothy 1:6 NCV

  

What Have You In Yourself?

It is what you are, what you have in you that counts. It is the undeveloped resources in your mind, in your spirit, in that inward man that counts.

It is the developing of the Writer, the Thinker, the Teacher, the Inventor, the Speaker, the Leader, the Business Manager that is hidden deep in you that is important.

I venture that every one of you who reads this have in you one of these abilities. There may be an untrained voice, untrained musical abilities lying hidden under the careless, thoughtless exterior.

Let us go down with a flashlight and look over the untouched treasures that are stored away inside, that have never been touched, never been used. Then let us bring the thing up that we find and make it worthwhile; giving it a commercial value.

Remember that everything that goes towards making you a success is inside of you. The thing that makes opportunities, that makes money, that creates new things, that brings together the things that others have created but were unable to utilize, is inside of you.

Find it and make it work! That ability is there. No one else can train it. No one else can develop it. Someone else may set it on fire, but you can quench it by refusing to act. Remember the maxim, “use it or lose it.” You must put yourself on a mental diet, not a diet of idle dreams or fancies, but a diet of real mental work. Put your best into every day. Make up your day of saved moments.

There is a goldmine hidden in every life. Nature never made a failure. There is no accident in God. Every man has success hidden in his soul. Failure comes because we never sought they hidden treasure. Failure comes because we tried to find it somewhere else. You can't find it anywhere else. It’s in you! Success, victory, achievement are in you. The exceptional people are those who develop what is within them.

Genius has grown up to weed about it, just because they did not develop the things they had. I know it is hard work but you will learn to love hard work. There are no great gold nuggets lying on top of the earth now. You have to go down into the earth for them. Dig and dig until you have conquered.

You want the applause of the world? You want to make money to buy the good material things to enjoy? You want to find success and fulfill destiny? Then, stay awake! Go find that hidden place in your own nature.

A story was told of a father who was dying. He had two sons. The boys had always felt that he had gold that he had hidden away somewhere. He had never been a strong, healthy man, so his farm was not developed. Back of the house was ten acres of stump land. When he was dying he said, “The slump lot.” Again and again he said, “the stump lot”

As soon as the funeral was over, the boys said, “The gold is out in the slump lot.” How feverishly they worked. They tore up every inch of it. But they found no gold. The older one said, “We have the land in good condition, let’s put in corn.” In the autumn, they found in the ripened corn the gold.

You have a slump lot in you –your potentials, talents, gifts, passions, interests… Dig it up, clean it up, and you will find the gold in it.

God bless you.

Source Inspiration: ©Essek William Kenyon (E. W. Kenyon) (1867–1948)

Find It & Fix It

"The Bible is not just a book; the Bible is a living force that creates its path when applied"

-Napoleon Bonaparte.

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When your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart's delight, for I bear your name, LORD God Almighty

-Jeremiah 15.16 NIV

The WORD of God carries everything required in our making.¹ The Bible says that, “by His (Jesus) own mighty word, He holds the universe together” (Heb 1.3 cev). And this includes your life and mine. If you want to truly live a dignified life, then endeavor to develop a sincere devotion to the Scripture. It’s the kingdom Achievers’ success secret.²  

In fact, the renowned King David in his Psalms says, “by Your words I can see where I’m going; they throw a beam of light on my dark path.” (Psa 119.105 msg). That is how fundamental the Word (Bible) is to our lives’ adventure. The truth is, the Word of God defines the limits of your life.³ Inspired by this insight, Adoniram Judson, that renowned American Congregationalist and Baptist missionary once said that “the future is as bright as the promises of God.” There is power in the Word for you.

“Knowledge is power” This revolutionary insight is at least four centuries old as once formulated by Francis Bacon. That is dunamis. As time progressed, it became an indisputable fact that, knowledge on its own is not power, but knowledge applied is power at work. The Word of God carries the ever dynamic power which is unleashed through your faith and conscious application.

The anchor scripture inspires us on individual productive disposition to the Word, i.e. prompt appropriation and intentional application of every word you encounter. Find it and fix it! You don’t accumulate scriptures for any reasons other than for use. You discover it and dutifully deploy it –translating the Word content into material reality.⁴ As the saying goes, use it or lose it. Jesus revealed that, “When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it (or use it), the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart.” (Matt 13.19 msg)

The creation episode of the Bible in Genesis chapter one is an inspiring story of the Word triumph in the midst of serious chaos, when God, armed with the living word, consistently engaged it to create a lasting change, …with a word making something out of nothing (Rom 4.17msg).  What a wonderful world we now have! ⁵

As observed first hand by General Napoleon Bonaparte, a respected french statesman, “the Bible is not just a book; the Bible is a living force that creates its path when applied.” Receiving the Word in its totality through unreserved internalization and prayerful appropriation can transform any life into a living proof. Please understand that every promise of the Scripture demands that you press into it by faith and prayer before it becomes evident on you. See Luke 16.16. Just find and fix it.

Action point! The beauty of this insight lies in your sense of urgency. Do not just pass a revelation over for a positive action in the future. Do it now! Whatever change you have to create with the Word, the time is now. No more procrastination. Do it now!

To maximize the provision of every promise in the Word, here is Jesus’ rule of the game;

“But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it (or fix it), and bring forth fruit with patience.” (Luke 8.15 kjv)

As you try your hand on this truth in some specific contexts of your life, the Word will work for you In Jesus name. God bless you.

James Adekoje

For the Bible Motivator

References

1. John 1.3

2. Joshua 1.8

3. Deut 32.46-47

4. Isa 34.16,

5. Genesis 1.31

You Have A Destiny

“For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.”

(Ephesians 2:10 NLT)

Your life isn't an accident. You have a destiny, one that only you can complete. The Bible says, “All the days planned for me were written in your book before I was one day old” (Psalm 139:16 NCV).

God knows everything that’ll happen in your life. He’s not surprised by anything. And he knows your days have a destiny. We all get about 80 years, the Bible says. In the scheme of eternity, those 80 years are insignificant. So the Bible says this life is preparation for the next. God wants you to practice on Earth what you’ll do forever in eternity.

And he has given you a destiny — something to do in this life, something only you can do. Before you were born, God wired you with certain ambitions, desires, and drives to play a particular role in history — one that only you can play.

The Bible says in Ephesians 2:10, “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago” (NLT). Before you were born, God gave you a unique mixture of spiritual gifts, passions, abilities, personality, and experiences. There’s no one like you in the entire universe because, in part, there’s no one with your unique mix of talents. It’s why your destiny is so unique. It’s your destiny. Not your mother’s, not your father’s, not your pastor’s. It’s your destiny.

But here’s the painful part: You can miss God’s destiny for your life. People do it all the time. In fact, you can go through your entire life and miss God’s purpose for your life — by your own choices. If you choose to chase pleasure, popularity, or money instead of God, you’ll miss it. And that’s tragic.

God’s will is not automatic. He allows us to make choices. Many of the things that happen to you are not God’s perfect will. We all have to choose between God’s will and our will. We often choose our will.

If I got drunk, fell in a pool, and drowned, that wouldn’t be God’s will for my life. It would be my own stupid decision. God has a destiny for your life, but he won’t force it on you.

But you can have God’s will for your life. Even when you mess up, God can turn disaster into destiny. It’s never too late to have his perfect will in your life. Just pray, “God, I want your purpose for my life,” and you won’t miss it — no matter where you’ve been. He’ll get you in line with his purpose. He wants you to fulfill your destiny more than you do!

It’s why Jesus taught us to pray, “Thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven.” God’s will is done perfectly in Heaven. He wants it done perfectly in your life, too.

But your destiny is your choice.

© Rick Warren -rickwarren.org/devotional/english/your-destiny-your-choice

TODAY is your day

Don't judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plant.

Robert Louis Stevenson

This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it

Psalm 118.24

Today is foundational to the rest of your life. And it is wise to approach each day of our lives with this deep sense of personal responsibility and long-term investment. In his wisdom, Moses prayed to God; “teach us to number our day so that we may apply our heart to wisdom”.¹ Zig Ziglar, with the same thing in mind once admonished “make today worth remembering.”

A proactive approach toward today is to make every act a seed that it is. It could be transactional, relational, career-wise, or spiritual. As stated by President Abraham Lincoln, “The best thing about the future is that it comes one day at a time”. Therefore hold each day responsibly with both hands and get from it the best it has to offer. Making conscious bible-based affirmations to shape your day and your daily life may be one of the mostly important things to start off your day. Plan your day, cast your vision and stay resolutely focused.

Shalom!

Thank you

James Adekoje

For the Bible Motivator

1. Psalm 90.12

IMPACT









IMPACT

      

 "Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing"

-Benjamin Franklin, An American Statesman

"For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God"

Romans 8:19

Life is all about impact -making your positive contributions to the rest of humanity. To leave this world the same way we met it is nothing but a wasted life. Humanity is eagerly waiting for our impacts. Step out! Benjamin Franklin, one of the founding fathers of the United States, captured this so aptly when he said that, either write something worth reading or do something worth writing." Make an investment of your life in a worthwhile cause -that's impact.

Jesus, in a parable, redefined the whole idea of Christian service when He revealed that, every human being is an extension of God, and any impact you make in a life echoes 

eternally.¹ Norman Cousin had the same idea in mind when he thoughtfully asserted that “if something comes to life in others because of you, then you have made an approach to immortality.”

Caution! If not you, then who? If not now, then when? Martin Luther King Jr once remarked that "the time is always right to do what is right." Plan Big. Start small. Begin now. As buttressed by King Solomon in the Bible, dont wait for a perfect time,² take action and go out there to make a difference.

Remember, your potentials and destiny in God redefine your role in life -you are the light of the world, and you are the salt of the earth.³ What a life of impact!

Bless you.

Referrences:

1. Matt 25:40 

2. Eccl 11:4

3. Matt 5:13-14

Stay Still

"Having the answers is not essential to living. What is essential is the sense of God's presence during dark seasons of questioning."

-Ravi Zacharias

"Be still, and know that I [am] God: I will be exalted among the
heathen, I will be exalted in the earth."

-Psalm 46:10

When we are challenged, our impulsive reactions have always been that of fear and worry. Some also complain and murmur. Well, humanly speaking it is understandable. However, these emotional responses get us nowhere at the end of the day.

Drawing the best out of our momentary downtimes demands inner stillness which creates the needed mental atmosphere to gain perspective, experience God’s presence and glean valuable lessons.

There is no loss in stillness. Rather there is a lot to gain, to glean and to experience constructively. ¹ David gained consciousness of God’s presence in his dark hours.² Paul realized the benefit of certain obstacles.³ Joseph saw his challenges as a God-designed stairway to greatness & his destiny of leadership.⁴

Take grace to hear what God is saying now. Shalom!

1 Isaiah 30.15

2 Psalm 23.4

3. Romans 8.28, 2Cor 12.8-9

4.Genesis 45.7

Work From Your Core Strengths

"... 

"In life, your purpose is always connected to your giftedness."

-Bob Gass

"... Bring me seventy... who are known... as leaders... " 

- Numbers 11:16 NIV

A group of neighbourhood children built a treehouse and formed their own club. When the grown-ups were told who had been selected for each office, they were astonished to hear that a four-year-old boy had been elected president. 'He must be a born leader,' one dad observed. 'How did it happen that all you bigger boys voted for him?' His son replied, 'Well, he can't very well be secretary because he doesn't know how to read or write. He couldn't be treasurer because he can't count. He would never do for sergeant-at-arms because he's too little to throw anybody out. If we didn't choose him for anything, he'd feel bad. So we made him president.' 

Life doesn't work that way! You don't become successful by default; instead, you must work from your God-given strengths. In life, your purpose is always connected to your giftedness. God doesn't call you to do something you've no talent for. God told Moses, 'Bring me seventy... who are known to you as leaders.' You cannot grow to your full potential if you continually work outside your core strengths. Improvement is always related to ability. 

Do you know what happens when you spend all your time working on your weaknesses, and never develop your strengths? If you work really hard you could claw your way up to mediocrity, but you'll never get beyond it. Economic necessity and family responsibility may require you to work for a season outside the area of your core strengths, but don't settle there. Seek God's guidance, sharpen your gifts, be patient, and God will open doors for you.

Thank you. God bless you.

© Bob Gass, the publisher, Word for today devotionals. https://www.bobgass.com/aboutus.php

Your Life Is Powered by You Les Brown

"...I want to remind you to stir into flame the strength and boldness that is in you"

2 Tim 1:6 TLB

Handling the Word with a sense of reality

"I am profitably engaged in reading the Bible. Take all of this Book that you can by reason and the balance by faith, and you will live and die a better man. It is the best Book which God has given to man." -Abraham Lincoln

Every law of God is right, whatever it concerns. I hate every other way

Psalm 119:128 TLB

Indisputably, the universe and humankind are God’s brainchildren. He created what we can now see from vastly intangible resources of His thoughts, calling those things which do not exist as though they did.¹ Such that, He accomplished exclusively through the instrumentality of His infallible Word. Consequently, our worlds are regulated by, and run productively on established principles which have their source in God, who applies them notwithstanding.² Thankfully, God had packaged His Word, applicably labelled principles, in the Bible.  Back in the ancient Israel time, these inspired writings were the major noticeable edge God’s people had on their contemporaries.³ The efficacy of the Bible is self-evident. Approach the contents of the Book, therefore, with all sense of reality, because that is what makes the world work. ⁴  The Bible has specific lines for all aspects of human life. The Word works, and it will work for you. Thank you. God bless you.

¹Rom 4:17, ²Heb 1:3, ³Deut 4:5-6, ⁴ Psalm 119:128, 

The Living Book

"The Bible is not just a book; the Bible is a living force that creates its path when applied"

-Napoleon Bonaparte.

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The whole Bible was given to us by inspiration from God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives; it straightens us out and helps us do what is right. 

2 Tim 3:16 -The Living Bible