You Are Amazing! (And I Can Prove It)

By Michael Murphy
Has anyone told you lately that you are truly amazing? Probably not unless you are one of the very blessed few who have at least one powerful encourager in your life that truly does care about you.
I was 6 feet tall when I was in the 7th grade. I weighed all of 140 lbs. Skinny doesn’t begin to describe it. Toothpick would come a little closer. With the unruly and wiry hair that I tried to grow long and fight to keep straight, most of my friends called me ‘Q-tip.’ You can imagine how that did wonders for my self esteem. Yeah, not much.
I was reminded by my father that I wasn’t planned when I was born. I guess not. Three kids in LESS THAN three years. My brother was two years old, about to turn three. My sister was one year old, nine days before she turned two.
My father suffered most of his life with what we now know as bi-polar disorder. Major moods swings and a plethora of attitudes that did not serve in my best interest (or anyone else’s for that matter.) He constantly reminded me that I was an “accident” and with the constant psychological abuse that he put on me, I felt more like an intruder on this planet than a little boy.
As I got older and begin to discover personal development and what it could do for me to heal my past and create my future, I begin to develop new beliefs about myself. What I discovered changed my life. I discovered that the facts proved that I was not an “accident”, but indeed, my life was/is a miracle.
I discovered through reading personal development books that the chances that I was ever conceived to begin with were tens of millions to one. In fact, I learned that I had beaten out somewhere between 10 and 90 million other ‘seeds’ that were all vying to fertilize one egg. Tens of millions of potential suitors and only one was going to get a date. In fact, the others were going to die. It wasn’t just a race and competition for affection. It was a battle for life.
Stop and think about this. If any other seed had fertilized that one egg, neither you nor I would be here right now. Ever wonder why you’ve always felt ”special”? Maybe you felt ”lucky”? Well, you gained access into the inner sanctum to fertilize the egg and millions others died off who didn’t make it.
I don’t know about you, but that fact alone makes me feel pretty amazing! Now I’m not asking to you believe in some kind of esoteric, metaphysical or spiritual concept. I’m sharing this as an established fact. Go check out these stats with a medical doctor. Now, if those odds haven’t made you feel as amazing as they make me feel, then think about this.
Go back five generations in your family. That would be to a great-great-great grandparent. Having extensive genealogy records for my family, I know who my great-great-great grandfather was and where he was born.
He was born in 1795 in Kentucky. Just 18 years after our country declared its independence. He met his wife by some set of circumstances, which I’m not aware of. Nonetheless, just imagine your own experience, or perhaps that of your parents (or grandparents) and know that the odds weren’t good that he and this particular woman got together.
Now add to the equation that the odds that they ever conceived and had the particular child that they had, were also in the one in several millions odds. Now, THAT child grew up and met someone else and the process goes on and on.
My point? Imagine the odds that you ever arrived here on this planet. Trillions to one. Your life is amazing. You may not feel like it. You may feel the lowest emotions that a human can feel. Nonetheless, the FACT remains that YOU ARE A MIRACLE!!!
Perhaps in another article, I’ll get into to the amazing biological, skeletal/muscular make up of your body (which is itself a miracle.) For right now, just allow yourself to consider and deeply think about, how YOU got HERE.
You, my dear friend, are no accident. You are amazing! You were a miracle the day you began your existence on this planet. And, you still are. Most people are never taught to love themselves.
Most people are never taught to really understand how awesome they really are. Through a lot of emotional and psychological damage that we get from very ill informed sources in this world, we never face the REALITY of who and what we really are.
I’m here, telling you, YOU ARE AMAZING! I know it. You have talents, skills, intelligence and heart to do miracles in your own life. You have potential that you haven’t even begun to tap into its power.
You’ve likely either forgotten or, you never knew how the facts that supports you as being a phenomenal being. Take some time today and think about what I’ve shared with you here. Think about the dreams, hopes, desires and incredible vision inside of your mind. I’m not asking you to ”believe” anything.
I’m just giving you the FACTS. You are amazing! You can do, be and have more than you’ve ever dreamed possible. Let yourself awakened to the TRUTH about you. Get your dreams off of the shelf and dust them off. Let them live again in your heart, soul and mind.
Keep believing that you can and will accomplish them. Then, expect them and watch your awesome life unfold.
Meditation: I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well. – Psalm 139:14
You will succeed because Jesus loves You!

Wings To My Dreams

by Jaye Lewis
That next heartbeat, that’s what we pray for. We are the medically challenged. We are the ones who keep our medical appointments because we must. To miss that appointment is just unthinkable. We are the ones who stand, or wheel, or linger between each heartbeat, hoping for new medications or praying for a cure. Most of us pray every day. We cling to a merciful God whom we are certain will give us that next heartbeat.
Please do not feel pity, for we have learned to rejoice in each moment that we are alive. We memorize sunsets and sunrises, and we celebrate the smiles and nuances of the ones we love. We are captivated by life. We revel at each new bird that stops by to visit our feeders, even the starlings, the pigeons, the sparrows and the doves. In the mountains we feel blessed to see the bluebird, the indigo bunting, the woodpecker, and the thrush. In the south near the ocean, we rejoice over the plumage of the flamingoes, with their hot pink wings, and we have committed to memory the piercing cries of the pelican and the gull. Flowers thrill us, no matter their scent, shade or hue. Nothing delights us more than the sight of spring’s promise bursting forth from it’s long winter’s rest, petals lifting their heads and reaching for the rain and sun.
We sometimes need assistance, and some of us are blessed to have family and friends who are willing to haul the potting soil, build raised beds, and make a wonderland of colorful blooms, just so that we can watch from our window and marvel at their beauty. We survivors of life look back occasionally at our healthy days, and often we regret the times that we wasted on worry, depression, anger, and fear. So, many of us have gone beyond fear, to a brave new world of hope.
We are thankful for every new medication that has not only extended our lives, but has improved its quality. We would not be here, celebrating, without the miraculous drugs available today. We would not want to miss a single moment of our lives.
We have discovered that we can still grow and change. We have learned to love more and laugh more, and, frankly, life is worth it. How could it not be?!
Just this year, in spite of record breaking winter lows that left me shivering, and now, into a cold and windy spring all the tiny twigs that I planted six years ago have thrived, and they are bursting into bloom. Through sunshine and shadow, they have triumphed over the clay and rock strewn ground that I, laughingly, call soil.
I have many reasons to be thankful, and each day I like to number a few. Sometimes the list becomes so long that I just have to sit and marvel at a God who provides so many reasons for me to celebrate life. I have dreamed of writing stories, all my life, and reaching the hearts and minds of others throughout the world. This dream would not have been possible until a few years ago, when the internet exploded into a place of instant communication and friendship.
I am thankful for the stories of my life that have been guided by a loving God who holds the outcome of every possibility in His hand. These connections through his grace have given feet to my thoughts and wings to my dreams.

Meditation: Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. – Hebrews 10:23

You will succeed because Jesus loves You!

Reasons to be Thankful

Author Unknown
A rich man looked through his window and saw a poor man picking things from his trash bin. He said, “Thank God, I’m not poor.”
The poor man looked around and saw a naked man in lunatic displays on the street. He said, “Thank God, I’m not mad.”
The mad man looked ahead and saw an ambulance carrying a patient. He too said, “Thank God, am not on the sick bed.”
Then a sick person in the hospital saw a trolley taking a dead body to the mortuary. He said, Thank God, I’m not dead.”
Only a dead person cannot thank God. Why don’t you thank God today for all your blessings and for the gift of life? Don’t forget also the gift of another beautiful day.
To appreciate life better, you need to visit three places:

1. The Hospital
2. The Prison and
3. The Cemetery

At the hospital, you will understand that nothing is more beautiful than health. In the prison, you’ll see that freedom is the most precious thing. At the cemetery, you will realize that life is worth nothing. The ground that we walk on today will be our roof tomorrow.
We all come with nothing and we will go with nothing. Let us, therefore, remain humble and be thankful to God, at all times, for everything.
Meditation: For Sheol cannot thank You, Death cannot praise You; Those who go down to the pit cannot hope for Your truth. The living, the living man, he shall praise You, As I do this day… – Isaiah 38:18-19
You will succeed because Jesus loves You!

Naked Truth

Author Unknown
One day, a schoolteacher wrote the following equation on the board:
9×1=7
9×2=18
9×3=27
9×4=36
9×5=45
9×6=54
9×7=63
9×8=72
9×9=81
9×10=90
When he was done, he looked back at the students as they were all giggling because of the first equation which was wrong.
Then he said to them: “I wrote the first equation wrongly on purpose, because I wanted you to learn something important. This was for you to know how the world out there will treat you!
“You can see that I wrote the right thing nine times, but none of you congratulated me for those. But you all laughed and criticized me because of one wrong thing I did.
“The lesson here is: the world will never appreciate the good you do a million times, but will criticize the one wrong thing you do. So don’t get discouraged! Always rise above the laughter and criticism.
“Don’t look up to man; look up to God.”
Meditation: Do all things without complaining and disputing. – Philippians 2:14
You will succeed in Jesus Name!

Reasons Prayers Are Not Answered (Final)

Catch us the foxes, the little foxes that spoil the vines…
– Song of Solomon 2:15

8. Sins

The final reason for unanswered prayers is sin. Oftentimes we rob ourselves of divine privileges by our sinful indulgence in thoughts, in words and deeds. The Bible informs us that ‘God is angry with the wicked every day’ (Psalm 7:11), how then can we hope to get anything from Him if we are always rubbing Him on the wrong side? Little disobediences here and there: an evil or lustful thought you allowed to roam in your heart, a wrong word you said to or about someone, a harmful scheme you planned or did to someone, or your disregard for the injunctions of the Bible; these are ‘the little foxes that spoil our vine’. But we often do not know.

Another way that sin robs us of our miracles is through little compromises we allow from time to time. You see, God tests us now and then to see the disposition of our hearts in relation to Him. He tests our faithfulness, our commitment, our loyalty, our maturity, our patience, and our preparation before committing certain things to us. How we fare during and after the trial determines whether or not we are ready for the blessing.

God does not use or commit resources to an untested hand. Examples of this truth abound in the Bible. Just as we have to write exams to pass from one class to a higher one, so does God test us from time to time with circumstances and real life situations. If you fail, the blessing is delayed; but if you overcome, it is delivered to you. However, because of God’s infinite mercy, we are usually presented with multiple opportunities to prove ourselves worthy. Therefore, with God, once failed is not forever failed.

At this point, it is essential to examine ourselves and ascertain that we are not falling short in any of these reasons, so that we can be able to say that we have indeed ‘done all to stand’ toward obtaining our blessing.

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

Reasons Prayers Are Not Answered And Sacrifices Not Honoured (7)

Catch us the foxes, the little foxes that spoil the vines…
– Song of Solomon 2:15

7. THE LAW OF SEED AND HARVEST

Another way we unwittingly delay or even truncate our miracle is by violating the ageless law of seed and harvest. God Himself decrees in Genesis 8:22 that “While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest not cease.”

That means the law of seed and harvest is as immutable as God Himself; it does not change. “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap” (Galatians 6:7). Oftentimes we tend to despise the effect (result) of something whilst nurturing its cause.

Have you denied someone in the past when you shouldn’t have? You can be rest assured that you will also be denied too, if you are not being denied already. Have you wronged, robbed, cheated, condemned, judged, short-changed, or done something untoward to someone in the past? You will reap the harvest of your (in)actions in due time, if you are not reaping it already. And we all know that the harvest is usually bigger than the seed!

Violating the principle of seed and harvest is one major area we usually fall short and thus shoot ourselves in the leg. Granted, God is merciful, but He is a just God. He is not fair; He is only just. Now that may sound unreasonable, but it is the truth. Most times, God does not interfere with the course of justice. Therefore, we suffer the natural consequences of our shortcomings, even after we have sought forgiveness and have indeed been forgiven their eternal consequences.

We get to reap the harvest of the seeds we have sown in the past or are sowing presently, good or bad. That is why it always pays to be good. Even when you are the one that is wronged, you are not expected to wrong your offender in return because by so doing you would have planted a negative seed which will produce its own harvest in time. Little wonder God repeatedly admonishes us not to repay evil with evil.

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

Reasons Prayers Are Not Answered And Sacrifices Not Honoured (6)

Catch us the foxes, the little foxes that spoil the vines…
– Song of Solomon 2:15

6. NOT TAKING A STEP OF FAITH

Even after we have done all we possibly could, some of us still short-change ourselves by not taking the necessary steps required to get our desire. Rather than take sustained action, we procrastinate by crying, whining, and bemoaning our lot to whoever cares to listen, lamenting all we had done in the past without any result.

God is not impressed by tears and complaints. He doesn’t dig pity party either. He is only moved by faith. The Bible says ‘without faith, it is impossible to please God’. Because we are yet to grasp the import of Bible’s definition of faith as “the confident assurance that what we hope for is going to happen” (Heb 11:1 NLT), we wait (you call it tarry?) for the time when it is going to look like it before we take a step, and by so doing languish in abjection for as long as that may be.

Listen brethren, the best time to do anything is NOW. Don’t wait until it looks like it before you act, otherwise it may be too late by then. The Bible says “He who observes the wind will not sow. And he who regards the clouds will not reap” (Ecclesiastes 11:4). The New Living Translation (NLT) puts it simpler, “If you wait for perfect conditions, you will never get anything done!”

So take a step of faith now; cast your net into the deep right away; do that thing you have been putting off for so long TODAY! You will be amazed to see that YOU are the one who has been delaying God from releasing His blessing to you all along, not that He doesn’t care nor is slow in hearing, as you probably thought.

When you do the possible, God will do the impossible. Nothing moves until you move. A tortoise cannot make progress unless it puts out its head and legs out of its shell. So get out of your own shell and break through into your blessing.

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

Reasons Prayers Are Not Answered And Sacrifices Not Honoured (5)

Catch us the foxes, the little foxes that spoil the vines…
– Song of Solomon 2:15

5. MOTIVE

Another reason we often do not get our heart’s desire – regardless of our fervent prayers or sacrificial service – is because of our motive for seeking such things. In James 4:3, God says, “You ask and do not receive because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.” That tells us God does not honour prayers asked amiss or those that are meant to satisfy selfish whims. And though we may present our requests to Him as if we are striving for the benefit of others, we should also reckon with the fact that He is all-knowing and sees into the inner recesses of our hearts.

One of the most liberating scriptures I came across in the few years I have been studying the Bible is 1 Samuel 16:7b. It says, “For the LORD does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” That means humans consider the action, the appearance, the outlook, the tangible, and the ‘what’; but God only examines the motive and the whys.

Some of us pray to God to bless us so that we can spite or “show” someone who has offended or denied us in the past. God does not answer that kind of prayer. Whatever He blesses you with, He wants it used for your benefit and the benefit of those around you, not to oppress them.

So if you want a speedy answer to your prayers, or a quick reward for your service, check your motive to ascertain WHY you desire that thing. If your motive is genuine enough, God will be more than willing to grant it to you. But, if your intention is not pure, then the answer may yet be long in coming.

You really need to settle this issue of motive first before making your plea, because God cannot be deceived; He is fully aware of those things you are not saying with your mouth. Our innermost thoughts are laid bare before Him. I once read a book in which the author claims an angel told him that they hear our thoughts louder in heaven than what we say with our mouths on earth. Can you beat that?

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

REASONS PRAYERS ARE NOT ANSWERED AND SACRIFICES NOT HONOURED (4)

Catch us the foxes, the little foxes that spoil the vines…
– Song of Solomon 2:15

4. NOT QUALIFIED/MATURE YET TO HAVE IT

Sometimes, we behave like little children and ask God for something we are neither mature nor equipped to handle. Imagine a ten-year-old boy asking for a car? That is the picture we present at times in our pursuits and prayer requests. We ask for and aspire after what we are not mentally, spiritually, emotionally, psychologically, financially, or socially equipped to manage. And when God, Who knows better, decides not to release them to us, we whine and complain and doubt if He really cares about us as we are made to believe.

There is a world of difference between a gift and ability to manage it; the possession of the first does not necessarily connote the ownership of the second. A popular saying says, “Anointing (a gift) can launch one to a height where character (ability to manage it) is not able to sustain him.” Such is the case when we ignorantly seek certain things at a time that it may result in our humiliation or public disgrace to the point that we will not have the courage to ever venture out again.

God is omniscient. He knows the appropriate time to give us everything we need. But due to our limited knowledge, we often strive, scheme, and struggle for what we cannot hold on to at a particular time.

Wisdom is required to know the when of everything we desire in life. Imagine if Daniel had prayed for the liberation of the captives in Babylon in their 20th or 40th year in captivity, he would have only been praying into the future because God had already decreed that the captivity would last for 70 years.

It takes Wisdom to know the appointed time you are due for something, while then pursuing and praying for it at the appropriate time, not way before or after then, “Whoever obeys his command will come to no harm, and the wise in heart will know the proper time and procedure. For THERE IS A PROPER TIME AND PROCEDURE FOR EVERY MATTER, though a man’s misery weighs heavily upon him” (Ecclesiastes 8: 5-6 NIV).

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

REASONS PRAYERS ARE NOT ANSWERED AND SACRIFICES NOT HONOURED (3)

Catch us the foxes, the little foxes that spoil the vines…
– Song of Solomon 2:15

2. NOT DOING ENOUGH (praying, giving, sacrificing etc)

Another reason we do not receive what we seek from God is because we do not do enough of what it takes to receive them. The Bible says, “If the clouds are full of rain, they empty themselves upon the earth; and if a tree falls to the south or the north, in the place where the tree falls, there it shall lie” (Ecclesiastes 11:3).

Oftentimes we settle for the average or even below average performance in our pursuits. We do not pray enough; fast enough, give enough, serve enough, or do enough of what is required to get our miracle. We do not fill our clouds with enough water so that they might burst out and rain upon us in return, nor do we push our tree with enough force that it might fall and create an impact that will speak for us.

3. ASKING FOR THE WRONG THINGS

“You ask and do not receive because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures” (James 4:3). Some of us seek after or ask for the wrong things in prayer.

God is good. And it is because of this His goodness that He does not give us some of those things we frantically seek or pray for. He knows that if we should get them, they might harm us or ultimately deprive us of getting to heaven. And knowing that no earthly pleasure – which is at best for a lifetime – can compare with the everlasting glory He has prepared for us in heaven, He will stop at nothing to ensure that we partake of this glory, even if it means denying or disciplining us at times.

It is therefore important we know that God is not under any obligation to satisfy all our whims, irrespective of how long or earnestly we badger Him in prayer about them; rather, He is only obliged to supply our needs, as a caring Father that He is.

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

REASONS PRAYERS ARE NOT ANSWERED AND SACRIFICES NOT HONOURED (2)

Catch us the foxes, the little foxes that spoil the vines…
– Song of Solomon 2:15

b) Not Knowing the Required Principles:

The second way ignorance robs us of our breakthroughs is by not knowing the appropriate thing to do to get what we want. We have often heard  that God operates by principles. And, truly, the Bible is replete with passages that hinge the attainment of certain blessing on the fulfilment of one condition or another. These are indicators of what it takes to get such blessings.

For instance, someone who desires financial prosperity may not attain it by constant prayer and fasting alone. That is like taking soporifics to cure stomach ache. The Bible is very clear on what it takes to be financially prosperous; it is by giving and adhering to the counsel of God. Another example is someone who desires power (the ability to control or influence happenings both in the spiritual and the physical), but who is not given to constant fasting and praying, such person is only deluding himself. She may not have it; no matter how great she can sing, give or how committed she may be in the church. The list of “what to do” to get specific “what” is endless.

That is why it is good for us to be devoted to studying our Bible; for, apart from the primary benefit of availing us the knowledge of God, it also contains all the instructions we need for life and godliness as well as the relevant principles needed to obtain various good things we desire in life. But most people don’t seem to know this, which is why they use the wrong approach to achieve the right end, and thereby end up not getting the desired result.

The Bible says in Hosea 4:14c “people who do not understand will be trampled.” Ignorance is the major cause of most of our sufferings.

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

REASONS PRAYERS ARE NOT ANSWERED AND SACRIFICES NOT HONOURED (1)

Catch us the foxes, the little foxes that spoil the vines…
– Song of Solomon 2:15

Truly, the Bible says, “Ask, and it shall be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened” (Matthew 7:7-8). However, we all know that this is not always the case. There are many times we might have fervently asked, sought, and knocked at the door of God or man for one thing or the other without being granted.

For the next few days, we will be looking at reasons some of our prayers and services to God are neither answered nor rewarded:

1. IGNORANCE

The first reason some of our prayers are not answered is because of our ignorance. The LORD says in Hosea 4:6a that ‘My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge’. While most of us know this scripture very well and quote it quite often in our discourse, we nonetheless fall victim to its veracity. It is amazing to see the zest with which we go all out to seek something, and then how we truncate our own efforts or chances of getting it by our actions or inactions, done in ignorance. There are two ways ignorance robs us of rewards and answered prayers.

a) Self-sabotage: Oftentimes, we are diligent in our supplications to God about something and even do all we could to ensure that we get our heart’s desire. But little carelessness in a seemingly unrelated or unimportant matter may foil our chances of getting what we have long sought the face of God for. A wrong thought, a wrong statement, a wrong action, or a wrong indulgence entertained when it did not seem to matter can prevent our much sought-after blessing from being delivered to us.

We all know that the earth is spherical in shape. However, what is not general knowledge is the fact that life itself is cyclical. What this means is that even as the earth orbits or goes round and round, so do our thoughts, words and actions revolve around the ultimate entity that is our being. Therefore, there is nothing like “it does not matter”, “it does not affect…”, “it does not relate to…” or “it is not important to…” in the cycle of life. Every single thought, word, and action impacts on our state of being at any point in time.

Nurturing evil thoughts and intentions towards someone, saying the wrong thing to or about someone, or doing wrong to someone may not seem to be connected to what we are seeking the face of God (or man) for, but the truth is they in fact affect it and may be the reason we do not get our desire at times.

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

Purpose: Sent to Save Sinners

We probably have considered this all-important purpose of Jesus in one of the previous editions of our Purpose series. It is one purpose that cannot be overemphasised, as the understanding of it is at the core of our wellbeing and optimal manifestation. It is true that Jesus came to the world primarily to save all sinners. The apostle affirms that it is not just true, but is a faithful saying that is worthy of acceptance by everyone.

Sin became the second nature of humans after the fall in the Garden of Eden, while subsequent activities and descendants of man were all enmeshed in sin and marked with imperfection. Eventually God decided it was enough seeing humans operating in the fallen state – deprived, denied and reduced on account of sin. So there was need to upgrade humans from the level of sin to the heights of glory where communing with God and functioning on earth would be with ease, as God intended it to be in the beginning.

To achieve that, certain things must be done: there must be a judgement, there must be suffering and there must be death as representations of what each individual would need to experience in his/her individual capacity as a sinful soul. But, instead of handing over humans to be punished as deserved, God decided to send His Son, Jesus Christ, into the world so He could stand in the gap for humans and take the judgement, the suffering and the death due to everyone; thus nullifying the power of condemnation over us and positioning Himself as the propitiation for our sins.

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

Understanding Purpose (7)

…walk worthy of the calling with which you were called.
– Ephesians 4:1

We are still considering calling as a second type of purpose.

We usually miss out on God’s intentions for our various callings by putting our personal agenda first. Remember purpose is others-centred; it is always devoid of selfish interests. So, when we allow our activities in any of our callings to be dictated by thoughts of personal gains, we neglect our purpose and fail to fulfil the mission for which God located us there.

A man who relates with his wife based on his own wants and desires is falling short in his calling as a husband, and vice versa. A worker who premises her performance at work majorly on what she can make for herself, apart from failing God, would not get to live up to her full potential. A member of a church, community or other forms of association who hinges his commitment on what he can gain from there is abusing his calling. A leader who puts selfish interests before that of the people she is leading is negligent of purpose. The truth is, every calling you answer is not just for the title alone, but for the mission you are meant to perform in that calling. That is why the Bible says, “whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men” (Colossians 3:23).

It takes a measure of God-consciousness to fulfil your mission, because you can’t be conscious of God and not be mindful of people and your environment. And the more mindful you become of people and your environment, the easier it is to identify their needs or what is lacking in that place, until you are filled enough to be able to meet such needs or provide what is lacking.

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

Understanding Purpose (6)

…walk worthy of the calling with which you were called.
– Ephesians 4:1

The second category of purpose is situational. It is both general and specific. General in the sense that it is applicable in many settings; specific because the manner you fulfil it in one place may not be the same way you will achieve it in another.

This is the kind of purpose that relates to specific callings. We all have multiple callings with attendant roles in different contexts: as husband, wife, parent, child, student, leader, worker, member of a community, citizen of a country, member of a church, politician, and so on. These are all callings with different roles attached to them. And, in performing such roles, you are either fulfilling purpose or neglecting it.

God does not make mistakes. And nothing happens without His knowledge; His cActs 15:18). Nothing catches God by surprise; absolutely nothing.

ontrivance, in the event such happening is from Him; or His permission where such is an act of the devil. “Known to God from eternity are all His works” (

So, wherever you find yourself, God knew even before you were born that you would be there. He knew you were going to marry that man/woman; He was also in the know about the identity of your child, parents, or siblings. He knows you are where you presently work or worship. He positions you in places for a reason – so that you could execute a specific mission there.

Let’s use the instance of where you work; God put you there for a reason greater than your job description or pay cheque. He put you there for a noble reason, to add value to the firm and make a difference in the lives of fellow humans such as your co-workers and/or outsiders whom you meet in the course of your work.

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

Understanding Purpose (5)

Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.
– Revelation 4:11

Generally, purpose can be explained in a threefold sense, namely the universal purpose, situational mission and individual assignment.

The universal purpose is that which is applicable to every human, irrespective of race, colour, societal status, exposure, education, vocation and so forth. The universal purpose of all humans is to worship and honour God. That is non-negotiable; it is the general duty of man, atheist or non-atheist. There is no differentiation in this particular mandate, although the way each individual goes about doing it could be different from person to person.

God created humans firstly for fellowship. Whilst the word fellowship may be considered in a loose term as a relationship between equals; however, in the equation of God and man, there is no equal. God is greater than the biggest, the richest, and the most powerful of men, since He created every one. And He created all for His own pleasure. By configuration, there is a void in every human that can only be filled by the Supernatural. People who don’t know the true God seek to fill theirs by worshipping non-God elements.

Discovering the universal purpose of worship is not far-fetched either, and does not require elaborate self-examination. It is inborn. Man will essentially worship something. Now, in the right context, worship is beyond what is done in church or other spiritual gatherings, although that is an important part of it. Worship is all-encompassing and covers all aspects of life, including the way you live, the way you work, the way you do things, and the way you conduct yourself generally. That is why the Bible says, “Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31). Glorifying God is the first purpose of humankind.

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

Understanding Purpose (4)

I applied my heart to know, to search and seek out wisdom and the reason of things…
– Ecclesiastes 7:25

Still in continuation of our meditation on purpose, let us further consider some sublime thoughts on purpose and related matters from James Allen’s classic, As A Man Thinketh:

– Only by much searching and mining are gold and diamonds obtained, and man can find every truth connected with his being, if he will dig deep into the mine of his soul.

– Man is buffeted by circumstances as long as he believes himself to be the creature of outside conditions, but when he realizes that he is a creative power, and that he may command the hidden soil and seeds of his being; he then becomes the rightful master of himself.

– Circumstance does not make the man; it reveals him to himself.

– Until thought is linked with purpose there is no intelligent achievement.

– Aimlessness is a vice.

– They who have no central purpose in their life fall an easy prey to petty worries, fears, and self-pityings…which lead…to failure, unhappiness, and loss.

– To put away aimlessness and weakness and to begin to think with purpose is to enter the ranks of those strong ones who recognize failure as one of the pathways to attainment. Who make all conditions serve them, and who think strongly, attempt fearlessly, and accomplish masterfully.

– Purpose, energy, power to do, and all strong thoughts cease when doubt and fear creep in.

– He who has conquered doubt and fear has conquered failure.

– Thought allied fearlessly to purpose becomes a creative force. He who knows this is ready to become something higher and stronger…He who does this has become the conscious and intelligent wielder of his mental powers.

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

Understanding Purpose (3)

I applied my heart to know, to search and seek out wisdom and the reason of things…
– Ecclesiastes 7:25

We are still considering some pertinent factors about purpose:

8. It takes an accountability system to live and fulfil it: purpose blossoms when anchored on an accountability system. Having someone in your life who holds you accountable for your daily activities and pursuits would help you to stay on course in the fulfilment of your assignment.

9. It will give you a sense of fulfilment: the greatest fulfilment you can get is in knowing that you are making a difference as well as fulfilling your life purpose.

10. It helps you to identify your destiny partners: purpose is the best metric through which you can ascertain whom to marry, whom to be friendly with, whom to go into business with, whom to hire as workers, whom to submit to, and so on. As the Bible says, two persons cannot walk together except they agree. Knowing your purpose helps you to identify who is compatible with you, and who is not.

11. It is in the Word of God: your purpose is not far-fetched. It can be found in the Holy Bible, God’s manual for life. Any proclaimed purpose that has no root in the Bible is mere personal agenda.

12. It takes God and His resources to fulfil it: there is no fulfilling your purpose outside the help and provision of God. Any purpose that you can conveniently afford to execute with your own resources is probably not big enough.

13. Your success is hinged on fulfilling it: to God, the fulfilment of your purpose is the real indicator of your success, not your bank account, asset, or networks.

14. It guides you to make the right choices and decisions in life: purpose is the best benchmark by which you could make choices and decisions.

15. It has been in you all along: your purpose is already wired into your DNA, merely awaiting discovery. It is not something you have to travel anywhere to discover. It is within you and it is crystallised in the Bible for your identification.

16. You might have been fulfilling it without knowing: you might have been fulfilling your purpose one way or the other, but without giving a name to it or knowing that is what you are doing.

17. You can make a career out of it: happy is the man or woman whose purpose synchs with his/her professional career or business. Your purpose can be the core of your professional pursuits, business or other commercial endeavours.

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

Understanding Purpose (2)

I applied my heart to know, to search and seek out wisdom and the reason of things…
– Ecclesiastes 7:25

In continuation of our meditation on Purpose, here are additional facts about purpose:

2. It is always people-centred: God-given purpose is usually focused on people. A purpose that is worth its name is premised on service to others in various ways, rather than pursuing own interest. In the equation of purpose, the self is usually non-existent. It is all about people; what you can do to serve them, help them, better them, encourage them, etc.

3. It has nothing to do with family background or standing in the society: everyone, old and young, noble and lowly born, clergy and laity are released on earth with specific mandate. Purpose is not only for the rich, nor is it the sole prerogative of the poor or the idle.

4. It helps you to set your priorities in life: knowing your purpose will help you to determine what is really important, as against what is not. This will therefore help you to know the degree of importance you accord various activities based on their value returns in relation to your purpose.

5. It is your destiny: purpose is what is popularly called destiny. It is your assignment on earth. It is your mission. It is your essence. The extent of your fulfilling it is how much you have fulfilled destiny.

6. It helps you to make use of time: knowing your purpose in life is a major factor in helping you to manage your time more productively. A conscious acceptance and pursuit of your purpose will help you know what to spend more time on and, in contrast, what will constitute a waste or less productive use of your time.

7. God will require an account of stewardship from you on it: because nobody created or apportioned life assignment for him/herself, but God; He naturally would expect an account of how you fulfil the mandate He commissioned you to execute, which is your purpose. The extent of your success at it will determine how many crowns you are given.

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

Understanding Purpose (1)

I applied my heart to know, to search and seek out wisdom and the reason of things…
– Ecclesiastes 7:25

So many things have been said and written about Purpose, and this is justifiable because it is at the centre of everything in life. Most of the lives that are celebrated on account of their contributions to humanity are so renowned because the individuals involved have probably found purpose and lived, or are living, it.

Purpose is the reason for the existence of anything, and that applies to every human. Everything around are here because they are performing one function or the other, without such function, there would be no need for such thing. And the more function an item is able to perform, the greater its value in the eyes of its owner. The same principle applies to humans, we are all here for different reasons, and there are specific functions each of us is made to perform on earth.

God created us to execute certain assignments; hence, our existence. He did not create anyone merely for the fun of it, or just for the person to loaf around – to eat, work, play, sleep and eventually die. Each one of us was created with specific mandate to fulfill. That is our purpose. The sad thing is that only few individuals get to discover their purpose in life, and yet fewer people fulfill their own purpose before passing on.

Call on Him

– Author Unknown
The boy walked along the ocean shore trying not to stray. He looked up to his father saying, “Dad, I want to play.”
His father looked upon him, with love showing in his eyes. “Do what you want to, my son, but do not leave my side.”
“I would never leave you Daddy, I love you way too much.” But the boy took a step away, out of his father’s range of touch.
He walked through the surf, the waves tickling one toe. “If I take one more step in,” he thought, “Father will never know.”
His father called out to him, “Son, to me remain true!”
The boy thought with glee, “At the moment I don’t need you!”
His father felt a sadness, but he held his tongue. Sometimes lessons need to be learned even when so young.
The boy stepped out a little further the water covering his waist. His father spoke with urgency his father spoke with haste.
“My son, come back to me,” he said, “The day is almost done!”
“Not yet, Dad,” the boy yelled, “I’m having too much fun!”
But the boy did not have his father’s insight so he could not yet tell, the tide was coming in fast, there would be no time to yell.
“Father!” he tried to scream, as the water covered his head. “I need you now, Daddy!” was what the boy had said.
And in a single instant his father was by his side.
“I thought you left me, Daddy. I thought you went to hide.”
The father looked upon his son, a tear streaming down his cheek. The boy looked upon his father and cried the sobs of the meek.
“I would never leave you son, for I love you just the same. I was only waiting for you to call upon my name.”
Meditation: In my distress I called upon the Lord, and cried out to my God; He heard my voice from His temple, And my cry entered His ears. – 2 Samuel 22:7
You will succeed in Jesus Name!

Your Operational Manual (Part 2)

…that He might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the LORD.

– Deuteronomy 8:3b

To live connotes an ability to do many things: work, interact, study, transact, pursue, marry, parent, and so on. All of these and much more are encapsulated in the word “live.”

In the passage above, we see the heart of God concerning living and every activity tied to it. God expects us to function by His word. That means He expects us to work, study, interact, pursue, marry, husband, wife, parent, prosper, and so forth in accordance with the instructions He has decreed concerning such in the Holy Bible.

A clergy once described the Bible as “the creator’s manual for maximized living.” Nothing can be truer than that. The Bible contains specific instructions of God concerning every aspect of life. It is interesting to note that the Bible addresses all life issues – marriage, career, business, ministry, relationships, service, leadership, followership, etc. That is why it is always current. No matter the number of times you’ve read it, you still get fresh insights every time you study it. It also remains relevant to various human situations, that is why it is the bestselling book of all time. We only need to make time to study it daily to be apprised with the mind of God concerning our situations and happenings around us.

It is a book of solutions. It contains ageless wisdom that can help you unlock the door to significance on the earth and grant you access to the throne of God in the hereafter. It will help you redeem time and fine-tune your character every time you expose yourself to it. Please ensure you read it every day.

You will succeed in Jesus Name!