Category: Sunday’s Shaper

Gift, Speak Forth

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Let the gift that God has placed on the inside of you, speak for you and work for you to deliver you and bring forth your triumph over hardship.

Many of us will wait for ages, praying for God to change a situation that He has given us the very tools to change ourselves!

The back story of Joseph in the bible, is that he was sold into slavery by his brothers due to their jealousy towards him. Then in the midst of him serving in a foreign land he was falsely imprisoned for a crime he didn’t commit. Sour circumstances…

However when the very time came for Joseph to arise… he most definitely did! When his time had come for him to shine forth and for the bondage of imprisonment to be broken away from his life – it was the very gift that God had placed on the inside of him that caused him to find favour in the eyes of man – and thus his head was lifted and his glory and gift SPOKE FORTH.

“Now there was a young Hebrew man with us there, a servant of the captain of the guard. And we told him, and he interpreted our dreams for us; to each man he interpreted according to his own dream. And it came to pass, just as he interpreted for us, so it happened. He restored me to my office, and he hanged him.” Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they brought him quickly out of the dungeon; and he shaved, changed his clothing, and came to Pharaoh.” – Genesis‬ ‭41:12-14 NKJV‬‬

We then read that Pharaoh tells Joseph his dreams, and Joseph again uses his gift of interpretation to enlighten Pharaoh on what God was showing him.

Then in Genesis 41:37-41 – we read about Joseph’s rise to power.

“So the advice was good in the eyes of Pharaoh and in the eyes of all his servants. And Pharaoh said to his servants, “Can we find such a one as this, a man in whom is the Spirit of God?” Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Inasmuch as God has shown you all this, there is no one as discerning and wise as you. You shall be over my house, and all my people shall be ruled according to your word; only in regard to the throne will I be greater than you.” And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “See, I have set you over all the land of Egypt.”” – Genesis 41:37-41 NKJV

Please do not miss the importance of this word…

Despite him being a foreigner, and even a prisoner, Joseph’s life saw glorious elevation, all because he did not allow his GIFT to sit and lie dormant within him!

Today I pray, that when the opportunity arises and the need and demand for your God-given gift arises – you will not be asleep or inattentive to a point that you won’t realise it. Rather, in Jesus’ Mighty Name, the Spirit of God in you will cause you to know that it is time to ACTIVATE your gift and it shall be onto your glory in Jesus’ Mighty Name.

Speak to God and ask Him;

‘In the midst of this chaos Father, please show me how I can be a solution to my community.’

Have a wonderful week.

Keep the Faith, Don’t Stop Believing

Foundation Scripture: Genesis chapters 40 & 41.

By Their Fruit…

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…You will recognise them.

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Before I say a word to you, let’s read these verses;
“By their fruit you will recognize them.
Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?
Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.
A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit.
Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.”
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven,
but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.”

My question to you is, what will you birth this year?

And I’m not necessarily talking about new creations or ideas or businesses, but actually when the 31st December 2019 comes around, what will the summary of your character be for this year?
In the last post, we discussed how special this year will be.
We embraced the great news of 2019 being a year in which many things will unravel in our lives and bring forth purpose and meaning to our very existence.
We’re now in the second month of the year, (by God’s mercy and grace), and hopefully many of us are still working on the various plans and goals that we set for ourselves for this year.
I want you to think of those plans/ideas/resolutions, and ask yourself – how much of what I have planned involves God?
Reflect on your desires for this year and just check – is God at the forefront of all this, or have I left Him on the back burner?
Did I focus my plans around me, my pleasures and my will, or have I put God centre stage, for all eyes to be on Him, and for His glory to shine through?

 

When God planted Matthew 7:16 into my heart, He gave me a message for you and I, saying that in this year (and always) we ought to ensure that God shows through in absolutely everything that concerns us!

The King wants us to be intentional about showing Him forth.

So here are a few specific things this means:

(But this list isn’t exhaustive)

1. Our decisions must minister Christ.
That is, the things we actively choose to do by ourselves.
E.g. Abstain from sexual immorality, pay the correct public transport fare, obey laws of the land that others may commonly seek a loophole for, attend church more often, engage in more kingdom-directed activities (fellowships/bible studies/evangelism) (Galatians 5:13-26, Romans 13 particularly verse 6). The list goes on.
We need to take our spiritual walk seriously, align our will with the instructions we find in the word of God, and really cultivate habits and behaviours that will affirm our love for Christ, rather than do the opposite.
Going back to our plans for this year – I’m asking that we go to God and find out what He wants, find out how we can be used by Him for His name to be praised, find out what His agenda is for us in this year, and then ask how we fit into all that, rather than the other way round.
In being intentional about showing God forth in our lives, we need to actively set out to do, or equally, refrain from doing, certain things. These intentional and purposeful decisions will set us apart within our environments, and thus minister to the world that there is something different about us, and indeed it is Jesus!
Let us be mindful of our decisions; making sure that we’re choosing the options that will more and more display that we truly do have a heart for God, ultimately causing people to draw onto us to get to know this God!
2. Take up a voluntary task/charitable deed to benefit the less fortunate.
Matthew 25:31-40 – read it.
We’re 41 whole days into 2019 – how many of those days have been spent selflessly?
Often times, particularly at the beginning of the year, and especially if it wasn’t one of our ‘resolutions’, many of us get so stuck and fixed and focused on achieving these sparkly new goals, that we neglect the needs of the community around us.
We’re head strong, we’ve got the eye of the tiger and we really want to achieve all the ME goals that we’ve set, that we forget that we have a world of people around us that God has both directly and indirectly put under our care. This includes those we know personally and those we don’t.
Where do the homeless, poor, needy, and underpriviledged come in our plans for this year?
I’m asking that we go back to those plans and ask God where they fit in. Tell God that we WANT them in our plans, and that He should give us a mission to HELP those who are in need. Let it become a regular activity in our lives, by God’s grace.
This also includes those friends or family members that require our emotional, financial or just any kind of support too! Let us factor them in, take some time out to really be there for them and see how we can be a blessing in their lives, in accordance with God’s will.
3. Manage ill situations graciously.
Yep! I’m talking about our  R E A C T I O N S  here.

I’m talking about us never REacting, but rather always maintaining our Christ-like character irrespective of what is being thrown at us.

What fruit are we producing when we respond to unpleasant situations?

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When we find ourselves in that complex, conflicting issue at work, home or school – who are we in that moment when our emotions are flying REALLY really high?

It could also be in terms of personal trials, hardships, let downs.
We all face disappointing and displeasing scenarios in life – but my question here is in these moments – what and who do we look like?

As a representation of Christ, who is God, who is Love, and so therefore we are Love, I believe one of the key elements in our walk is maintaining our cool when things get shaken and stirred up. We have to remember to LOVE first.
God is calling for a consistency in us, which means that we keep our peace at all times!
It doesn’t make you foolish, weak or a loser to walk away from a situation if it means maintaining your attitude and not acting out.
In situations that test our emotions, be it heat of the moment type scenarios, or even longer-term difficult ones, we must remember that we are STILL children of the Most High God. We are still children of grace, who ought to speak with words seasoned with salt always (Colossians 4:5-6), build others up with our words always (Ephesians 4:29), and bring light into situations rather than darkness.

 

Now let’s round this up and makes sense of it all.
You may notice that in the verses we read at the beginning of this word, I put Matthew 7:21 on its own, even though it’s the immediate continuation of the preceding verses.
Well that’s because this verse is special.
It helps to put everything into context.

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven,
but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.”

Often times, we speak of Jesus, but we aren’t really living out Jesus.
And essentially that’s what this word is all about – at the end of the day, will God be able to search your heart and find that you were intentional and proactive about really promoting the gospel and the things of God with your life? (Jeremiah 17:10 NLT)
When Jesus said ‘by their fruit, you will recognise them’, He was talking about distinguising the false prophets from the true believers of the gospel.
In the same light when God gave me this word and pointed me to this verse, He was asking; Are we really for Him wholeheartedly, ready to align our hearts with His will, and press in deeper, into His Spirit to get to know Him better? 
Or are we dipping our toes in and out of the water every now and then, and in fact masking mediocrity with colourful words and empty actions that sort of look Christ-like, but actually we lack a firm foundation and are easily moved by winds of the world?

Matthew 7:21 says ‘only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven’ will enter the kingdom of heaven – therefore we need to go to God, and:

  • Seek out what His will for us is, in EVERY area of our lives?
  • Ask that He enables us to live a life that truly and genuinely shows forth all of His glory and goodness, where the focus is on Him and not us!
  • And ask that He works on our hearts and perfects our hearts, so that all in all, everything concerning us will birth fruit that show we are children of God, and the light of the world.

 

I pray that your fruit will show forth great things about you, and will display your true desire to walk and work in the perfect will of God, in Jesus’ name. Amen

 

Keep the Faith, Don’t Stop Believing
God bless you.

 

#ByTheirFruit
#HisTruthWithLove

All-Round God…

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I have something short and sweet, but super important for you to feed on today!

Have a look at this lovely quote I extracted from the ‘Woman Thou Art Loosed’ study bible, by T. D. Jakes;

It says;

“Your Father is higher than the stars,

yet closer than your breath.”

This statement depicts so perfectly the Might yet Intimacy of God in our lives! And so I hope this post reminds us of the fact that God has many different amazing attributes, each applicable to the various experiences we encounter throughout life.

You see, we often forget the many qualities of God, particularly the ones that are similar to those found in a mere human, because we’ve become so accustomed to making God out as BIG and Mighty, but the truth is the bible tells us that it is we who were created in His image (Genesis 1:27). What this means therefore is that there is no characteristic found in man, that didn’t come from God first! So I’m talking about the ‘littler’ things like being a good listener, being trustworthy enough to tell your secrets, being reliable and dependable to chat with at anytime. Often these are things that we would have seen in the people we call our friends, however can I remind you that God is all this and more…
So why not tap into the original source? (I’m not saying ditch your friends by the way, but I’m just saying remember to seek God first for these things).

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One of the reasons why the statement quoted above stuck out to me so much, is because it nicely puts two key aspects of God in one sentence. It describes the God that we popularly know as a Huge guy, up in the Heavens, who has dominion and authority over EVERYTHING, but it also portrays another key fact about Him, which is that He is not far away…
It’s a statement of reassurance that God is both; more than Capable, Powerful and Supreme to take absolute control of every situation in your life, but at the same time He is Attentive, acknowledges every fine detail concerning you, and is extremely near that you can feel Him closely.

This statement reaffirms to us that God’s magnitude of Greatness does not for one second reduce His availability to us. He doesn’t have to compromise one quality for another.
HE IS all things at once, Perfectly.
Therefore, friend, I want you to be confident in the fact that God can be your Strong Tower (Proverbs 18:10) as well as your Best Friend! (John 15:15)
He can be your place of safety as well as your confidant.
Simply put, He is, and always will be All-Sufficient for you, you just need to open up and allow Him to be that God in your life!

#PressIn

Have a great week and enjoy every great grace that comes with having a God who is Enormous, as well as a perfectly Reliable Friend who sticks closely.

Check out the many names and traits of God in a site linked here, use a few different ones this week to stir up a new worship to your King!

Keep the Faith, Don’t Stop Believing
God Bless you.

A C H I E V E

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First things First!

CELEBRATIONSSS

The Blog turned One year young in the past week, and I want to say a huge thank you to everyone who has supported and read and shared and liked and commented and prayed and just done something, someway, somehow to encourage and build this ministry.
God bless you all from the bottom of my heart.

There definitely will be a post coming up to reflect on the past year, but in order to keep our F.C.A. series all together, I’ll delay this until after today’s post.

With the celebration of One Year online in the atmosphere, our word today to conclude the series is very apt…

Let’s look at the word A C H I E V E…

In 2018, you will not just labour for the sake of it, rather you will surely reap your harvest in due season; ripe produce, exactly as God has pre-ordained for it to be, and exactly how God has designed for it to be, in Jesus’ name.

When we look at the meaning of the word Achieve, according to the Oxford dictionary, it says it is to “successfully bring about or reach, a desired objective or result, by effort, skill or courage”.
The word Achieve is a verb, therefore it is an action word – a word that requires you to be Proactive and Do…
We’ll pray about all this at the end, but first, I want us to look at a man in the bible; Noah.

An inspirational character, who obeyed God’s word, and did exactly what we are doing this year – Noah Focused on what he had to do, Noah Led the process of reaching his goal, and Noah Achieved his desired outcome.

Let’s read,
And actually, I want you to click the link for Genesis 5:32 – 8:21, to read the story of Noah and the great flood, before heading back here for us to explore it…
(See you in a few mins).

…

Back?

Perfect!

So in this passage, the bible tells us that the men and women on earth at the time were just absolutely atrocious! Their behaviour and decisions were constantly displeasing to God, therefore He decided to wipe them out.
But Noah – the word of God tells us that he found grace before God, because he was perfect in his generations and he walked with God.
So amongst all of these innumerable humans on the earth at that time, Noah was the only one whom God could single out as pleasing in His sight.

Let’s pause here for a moment…

You see, one thing that is special within this context is that the bible tells us that Noah was a ‘just man’ (Genesis 6:9). And I look at that and I wonder what it means.
But what God uses this word to tell us is that He is pleased with us in our plain and simple state.
He didn’t choose Noah because he was a king, or a highly esteemed individual within the society, but rather because Noah did what was right in God’s eyes, and in his plainness, he knew, and had a relationship with God.
Reiterating what we’ve discussed in F O C U S, in order to Achieve this year, we must desire and pursue an upright, up-close and personal relationship with Almighty God.
Let God know you are that one that He can depend on, because He hears from you daily, you obey when He instructs, and you long after His heart.
         Father, like Noah, let us please You with our entire being. Enable us to walk closely with You, and grant us a heart of obedience, in Jesus’ name. Amen

Now let’s proceed.
We read that God gives Noah an instruction – ‘Make an ark’ – (Genesis 6:14).
In this year, in order to Achieve what God has truly designed to be ours, we must listen carefully to what He says, and not just run with what we have on our own agendas.
I’m not telling you not to have your own goals, but what I’m saying is that you should take them to God, and before you move – ask Him for the instructions of how to go about them, because look at what happens next with Noah and God…
When we read all of Genesis 6:13-21, we see that God gives Noah details!
God gives Him specifics, and God gives Him clarity! How good is it for us to be clear on what we’re doing?!
If only you can rest in God, and lean not on your own understanding (Proverbs 3:5-6), He will tell you exactly what you need to do to reach your goals this year.
And once we have those instructions, our Achievement this year will come through complete Obedience to God – the bible tells us in Genesis 6:22 that Noah DID, according to all God commanded Him. We too must DO, exactly as God commands us.

Now just as we linger here in this avenue about instructions, God wants me to tell you not to be afraid. And this is very very important…
He is saying, when you get the instructions from Him, do not be overwhelmed by the magnitude of work you have to do – You Can Do It – remember in L E A D we establshed that we are more than capable.

You see, Noah wasn’t scared of accomplishing what God told him to do.
And in 2018, I pray that all fear that has crippled your ability to Achieve in the past, be destroyed and removed from your life, from today onwards in Jesus’ name.

We must understand that God trusted Noah.
And just in the same way, God trusts you.
He has looked at your ability, your qualities and the gifts He has endowed you with and He KNOWS you can execute the plans He has for you, Excellently.
Therefore again I emphasise that when you hear the instructions from God about how to move and advance towards your glory this year – Do Not Fear that it is too big for you to do.
Rather, Trust in God’s trust in you, and like Noah, be Proactive and DO.

So the ark was built successfully, and it served its great purpose, in that it contained and covered Noah, his family and all the animals from the great flood that took over the earth. (Genesis 7:1)
And friends, even though we know that the ark was built by now, yes it means Noah Achieved his building goal, but we’re not quite done yet with this story.

The rain stopped (Genesis 8:2), but Noah and co. were still in the ark.
Why? Because God’s plan wasn’t quite done yet.

I want us to understand that our Achievements are bigger than just what we’re going to get out of them.
You see, from the beginning, we are made to understand that God desired to protect Noah from the flood.
So let’s apply simple logic; by nature, after it rains, though the showers may have ceased, the waters still remain on the land for a while don’t they?
Therefore in order for God’s word to be fulfilled and for this true protection from the destructive power of the flood to happen, it meant that Noah and his people were to remain in that ark until the land was dry and safe for them to tread on again.
What is God saying to us with this?
Friends, He’s telling us to allow our testimony to be full!
We will have many small victories towards our goals, but let us have patience to allow the whole glory to manifest in its entirety!
If we go to Genesis 8:3, this is the verse straight after we are told that the rain has stopped – but it doesn’t say ‘So Noah and family evacuated the ark immediately’. In fact none of the next few verses say such.
Noah was not in a rush for God’s plan of protection to be fulfilled, but rather he endured a waiting season in order for the perfection of God’s plan to manifest.
In Genesis 8:6-12, we see that Noah waits to ensure the waters have dried up completely. He sends a dove back and forth to determine the state of the earth and he doesn’t step out in haste without hearing from God. We must do the same.
Great Achievements are already our portion in 2018, however we ought be extra sensitive to God’s voice, and we mustn’t desire a premature fulfilment of God’s word, because trust me, anything that comes before its appointed time, is incomplete.
In 2018, allow the manifestation of the glory God has for you to come exactly when He has planned for it to come, and you will see that not only will your joy be full, but through the mercy of God, other people will be blessed, favoured and delivered because of your Achievement and Obedience to God. (Genesis 8:20-21).
Some of us in the past have reached a point in our goals which in our eyes seemed like the end result – but God has more for us!
In 2018, we will wait to receive the ‘more’, in Jesus name, and I pray in addition that all the past ‘mores’ that our impatience has caused us to miss out on, shall be restored onto us and given to us in fullness in Jesus’ Mighty Name.
Now finally, let’s pray with that loaded Oxford definition of Achieve,

In 2018, [EFFORT] I pray that you will rid yourself of all laziness and nonchalance, and you will apply yourself in the best way you possibly can!
[SKILL] I pray that you will discover every single gift that the Lord has given you, and you will put it to work with excellence and wisdom in order to produce great results.
[COURAGE] I pray that God will give you the heart of a Lion, to know that nothing is beyond your reach, and nothing is too hard for you to do, through His strength!

 

Friends I am so excited for us to go forth in this year and grab everything that God has purposed for us!

I pray that the words;

F O C U S      L E A D    A C H I E V E

will remain clear in our hearts and minds, and surely we will use them along with the grace and wisdom of God to optimise our entire existence in 2018!
Go Get It!
Keep the Faith, Don’t Stop Believing
God Bless you.
#FocusLeadAchieve
#FOCUS
#LEAD
#ACHIEVE

L E A D

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You will  L E A D  your own (God-directed) way to your destiny this year.

Meaning, you aren’t going to get there by following.

In 2018, God is commanding you to step forth, step out and possess your possession (Deuteronomy 10:11).

He wants you to
Take charge.
Stand up.
and Be Bold.

When God gave me this word – L E A D – He was speaking to me about conviction.
As I engaged in a reflection of my actions and various decisions made in the past year, I remembered times when I had been swayed, or had ‘gone with a flow’, though it hadn’t  really been designed for me.  
Thus, God began to speak to me about sticking to my guns, sticking to my beliefs in the word of God, and sticking to what I know would make Jesus proud.
He also spoke to me about being forward, having self-belief, and fearlessly pursuing whatever I truly desire to do – regardless of if I have people’s approval/agreement or not.
Through this meditation with Him, He therefore made it clear that this year I would need to LEAD my way to where He has purposed for me – not piggy-back on other people’s journeys.
I would need to be bold in my convictions and not compromise; and shake off fear and self-doubt, and stop standing in the background.

So here we go friends, I’ve got to tell you;

The word ‘LEAD’ will push us out of our comfort zones this year.

It will set us apart from the crowd, and single us out from the midst of those doing what isn’t pleasing to God.
It will force us OUT from wherever/whomever we’ve been hiding behind all this time, and it will require us to finally start having some faith in what God has placed in us –  the He that is within us (1 John 4:4).

So Two Aspects to our Leadership this year;

1 – Leading our lives away from sin.

2 – Taking the Lead on the journey to our place of glory and purpose.

And here’s the scripture we are going to focus on;

““You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.  
“You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.
Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”
[Matthew 5:13-16]

 

1 – Leading our lives away from sin…

You see, what the word of God tells us in the scripture above, is that we must not blend in any longer. (We’ve touched on this before, have a look at ‘Dare to be Different‘ to refresh your memory).
As the salt of the earth, we have an essential role to play in transforming the world. We are a key factor in the successful process of affecting change in our societies, and the way God has called us to do this is through the renewed minds and lives we have in Jesus Christ.
For this very reason, we must live boldly in our convictions in 2018, and remove ourselves from situations that will denounce Christ.

So errrm, be prepared to feel uncomfortable. Be prepared to stand alone sometimes. And be prepared to break some ungodly bonds (with things and people)…
Simply put, some of the Leading steps you will take, out of the crowd, out of the muck and out of the darkness, into the light, will not be easy.
Many times they won’t be the popular choice or decision that everyone else is going with, therefore you’ll often find yourself feeling lonely even though you are doing the right thing.

But it’s okay – because you are starting something here…
The stand you take as an Example and Ambassador of Christ, will speak to the lives of those around you and that’s what God wants from you this year and always.
He wants you to be unashamed of the gospel, and rather than be timid and silent about the things of God, He wants you to rise up to fulfil them, and not conform to the things of the flesh such as sexual immorality, lying, cheating and deceit.

The more you LEAD your life out of the pleasures of this world, and into the kingdom of God, you’ll notice a difference in the dynamic of your journey towards your goals, as you will hear and feel the directions of God much more distinctively.
A life more aligned with the kingdom, will allow you to be undistracted and unclouded, and will permit a clearer mind to operate with.

Let us remember that whilst our Leadership and Boldness to flee from sin this year will benefit our personal walk with Christ, actually, as little seeds are sown in the lives of others, we will also inspire a change within them too!

2 – Taking the Lead on the journey to our place of glory and purpose…

Now let’s address this shyness, or laid-back attitude, which has been keeping many of us in the back for all these years…
God Himself has called us OUT!

(1) Some of us are very polite; we like to step back and give others a chance, or we’re so sure of ourselves (in an accurately humble way) that we don’t we feel the need to battle with others to take up roles when it comes to certain tasks, jobs, or assignments.
(2) Some of us are gripped with fear however, and we are overtaken by worry, doubt, and anxiety, and a lack of self-belief. Even though we know we are good in our own right, we always believe someone else is better and therefore is more deserving of the opportunity/limelight than we are.
(3) Then there are those of us who are simply too lazy to care. We can’t be bothered to use too much of our energy, or apply too much effort to do things, therefore we just chill at the back and allow others to do the work.

Whichever category you fall into, and even if your description isn’t here – we all have to change this year.

You see, as much as our spiritual uprightness and cleanliness is important, so is our excellence on this earth!
Our reference scripture above says;
“A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.
Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.” 
This is God’s call for us to stop hiding, and instead, step out as the beacon of light that He has called us to be.
He hasn’t created us to be second best, or a follower of any man, rather we are meant to LEAD and take charge, in every area of our lives, so that this Light can shine, and people will acknowledge the goodness of God and give Him glory.

Now look, I’m not telling you to be arrogant and shove everyone else aside. I’m not telling you hog the spotlight and become self-obsessed, in fact in your Leadership, you must still carry others along, and serve others in many ways (Luke 22:24-27).
But what I am saying here, is that you must live as though you truly know and believe that you are a Chosen Generation. (1 Peter 2:9)
You must grab opportunities firmly (when God tells you to) when they are presented before you, and run with them and never look back.
You must strive to achieve excellence in all things concerning you, and never settle for anything less.

The bible tells us that Daniel was described as having an extraordinary spirit, (Daniel 6:3). Prior to this impressive description, he had displayed confidence by standing out for his God.
Daniel Led.
He Led by not conforming, and he also led by showing forth the gift of God within him, and in fact he turned the heart of an idol-worshipping king, to come to know our true God of heaven and earth. (For more insight, read Daniel chapters 1–4, and ‘Can They See You?‘).

Just like Daniel, Leading your way to your destiny this year will manifest through you being the ‘shot-caller’. (But notice the wisdom with which this was executed in his case).
You’ve done enough observation and listening over the years, and it’s now time for you to put the learnt theory into play and let some fruits begin to yield forth from it all.

I’ll leave you with this;
When God gave me this message, He wanted me to emphasise the fact that You are so Capable.
And friend, you must remind yourself of this fact every single day.
You are Capable, and endowed with so much greatness, therefore with your humility intact, this year is about you fully becoming YOU – Stepping into your full glory and manifesting forth the very gift, talent, skill-set, qualities and qualifications that God Himself has given you in order to prosper throughout this land.

That Bold, Fearless and Forthcoming spirit to LEAD, is what I prophesy that we each possess from today onwards, and with it, we will encounter every great thing designed for us in this year, and beyond, in Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Return in a few days for our third keyword for this year;
A C H I E V E.

Keep the Faith, Don’t Stop Believing
God Bless you

 

#LEAD
#NewYear
#2018
#FocusLeadAchieve!

 

F O C U S

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In 2018, I pray for the ability for you to  F O C U S  well, and  F O C U S  right.

Two scriptures we’re going to take for this topic;

Psalm 121:2

Philippians 3:13-14

So let’s start with our King of Kings…

In 2018, I want US (because I’m part of you all too!) to walk with God closer than ever before.
Some of us, through the years or past few months, have been consistent on our journey with Him, and have taken our Christian walk with pride and purpose and have truly grown in Christ Jesus. Some of us… haven’t quite had the same story.
But this year, all of us must intensify our relationship with God.
Yes, even if it was good before, it can be better, so this is for you too!

Let us be intentional about our relationship with God. Let us actively make time for Him and the things concerning Him.
The bible teaches us to seek FIRST God’s kingdom (Matthew 6:33) – therefore we must not alter that order for any one or any thing!
First means First, and therefore I want ‘A better relationship with God’ to be at the top of our goals list this year.
When our eyes are fixed on God, we can be assured that we are indeed Focusing Right – and the bible tells us in that same verse in Matthew, that everything else, will be added onto us accordingly. (Yeah, you can smile about that promise, I did too).

With our eyes fixed on Christ as advised by the word of God in Colossians 3, we will find that we will become more in tune with the things of the kingdom, and therefore the things of God. Even our goals and dreams and aspirations will point towards edifying the name of God, and with that manifesting, we will find ourselves truly becoming who God has called us to be!
Quickly, before we leave this section, don’t worry, I’ve got you covered if you’re feeling like you have absolutely no clue where, and how to start with this whole drawing nearer to God business. Just head over to a previous post called ‘Schedule Him In’ for some practical tips on actively giving more time to God.

So now we’re Focusing right, let’s talk about Focusing well, and let’s hone in on all those other goals and resolutions on your sheet of paper…

Scripture 1 says;

“My help comes from the Lord,
    the Maker of heaven and earth.”
[Psalm 121:2]

There’s a reason this verse is written as it is.
When you say this verse with your own mouth, not only are you declaring the source of your help, but you’re also reminding yourself of the magnitude of the Power, Ability and Strength of that source – The Maker of Heaven and Earth…
This tells us God is Limitless, All-Powerful, Always Able, Ever-Present, Got connections galore, Never runs dry – it basically tells us He has Absolutely Everything you and I need.
So why are we looking elsewhere?

In 2018, whatever that material or earthly goal is, please be reminded at all times to go to God first.
Be it your career goal, education goal, family goal – when you’re seeking help, direction, resources of any kind, go to Him first!
And yes, even though He may send the response through a human like yourself, you can have perfect peace knowing that it’s the right thing and the right package.

Remember in the previous post I spoke about distractions?
We will meet people this year that will be no good for where God is taking us. We will come across ‘opportunities’ this year that will be wrapped in shiny paper looking like it’s all part of God’s plan, but we must keep in mind what we have set out to do, and consult God before even considering taking any detours.
Distractions can also appear in the form of failures – you didn’t quite get the result you were looking for in that section, so you think it means you should abort the journey towards that goal – Wrong!
See, I’d be lying to us if I said we were all going to have a rosy year, with no bumps, pauses, or hurdles. The truth, rather, is that some things will come in our way this year that will not be according to our plan, nor will they be convenient for the aim we are striving towards.
But hey, let us FOCUS on what is ahead of us.
I pray for strength in our minds to constantly keep a clear sight of the glory that is to come, and in doing so, we will not be held back or thrown off track by the obstacles we encounter. Rather we will be empowered by a God who cares about us, and pays close attention to us – an Ever-Present help in time of need (Psalm 46:1), a God who does not slumber nor sleep (Psalm 121:3-4).

So now our Focus is strong, right? It’s pretty firm I’m sure, but before we go, we’ve got to do a final check to ensure it’s actually facing the Correct Direction…

Our second scripture says;

“Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.“
[Philippians 3:13-14]

Now this passage is very relevant and applicable to our Focus on Christ, however I actually want us to use its concept to understand the fact that we must Focus in the right direction!
What good is it to us if the prize is in front of us, and we’re so fixed on what’s behind? Yeah, NO Good at all!
Therefore friends, I want us to promise each other that we will allow the past to be past, and just as this scripture says, we will press on, in 2018, toward the new thing that lies ahead.

You see, the reason why many of us have struggled to achieve certain goals in previous years is not because we weren’t physically capable of doing it, but it was simply because we were mentally lagging behind. We remained so stuck on the what ifs, could haves, should haves and mistakes of the past. We wasted valuable energy on a detrimental type of recollection of our decisions/actions, rather than channelling those thoughts into a constructive reflection that would have propelled us forward.
This year, if we’re going to look back at all, I want us to only do it in the form of the latter! And don’t spend too much time there, because there is so much more waiting for us ahead.

This scripture says ‘forgetting what is behind, and straining toward what is ahead’.
Another translation says, ‘I forget everything that is behind me and look forward to that which is ahead of me’. A third says, ‘one thing I do, is forget what is behind me and do my best to reach what is ahead’.

You can probably tell that I struggled to decide which translation to quote in the full reference above, as they all read so nicely.
But what we see in all of them is an explicit delivery of the message: NO LOOKING BACK.
Whilst the beginning of verse 13 serves as an accurate acknowledgement of our current status and present standing of ‘I’m Getting There’ – it goes on to tell us the importance of this one thing to do – which is to look toward where we are going, rather than where we have come from.
It tells us to leave behind that which is now meant for ‘behind’, and work at all costs to ensure the great attainment of what we ought to grab which lies IN FRONT of us!

2018 – First step  F O C U S…

We must keep our eyes, minds and hearts firmly on the goals that we have set for ourselves – and have a positive mindset accompanying every thought of those goals.
We aren’t looking at our past failures, we aren’t looking at what our neighbour is doing, and we aren’t looking at short-cuts or ways to get there sooner (because endurance of the full journey just as God has ordained it, is what we should long for).

Friends, let’s agree that you and I are Focusing firmly, correctly, and in the right direction, in order for us to the see the fruitfulness of our goals in this year – No delays, No compromising.

 

Head back here in a few days for a word on  L E A D.

 

Keep the Faith, Don’t Stop Believing
God Bless you

 

#FOCUS
#NewYear
#2018
#FocusLeadAchieve!

Please Read…

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Important Message:

Through an overnight dream, the Lord showed me something amazing but important for us to note at all times…

I had a dream which involved a few people being somewhere and even though they had NO intention to steal, the fact that they were rushing meant that they made a bad decision, which then resulted in them being interrogated by the police.

But the one person who chose not to join them in making the mistake, was left alone to go freely.

Please be mindful,

In your good intention to do things, you have to be very careful in whatever you actually do

To avoid any police embarrassment or trouble.

In decision-making we have to be very conscious and careful

Please do not join anyone in doing anything that is not right.

Do not do anything that your Spirit feels unsettled or uncomfortable with.

Listen to the Spirit of God in you, always ask for the wisdom and Direction of God, and obey His instruction to resist doing what the other people are persuading you to do, no matter how simple/insignificant they make it seem.

Please pray that you will not be wrongly influenced, you will not be at the wrong place at the wrong time, doing the wrong thing

Pray that God will always single you out and give you victory over every trap the enemy has set

in Jesus’ Mighty Name

Amen 🙏🏾

Be led by the Holy Spirit, have a blessed week

Keep the Faith, Don’t Stop Believing

God Bless you

#Dreams

#SpiritLed

#MoreThan100PeoplePraying

Prayer: Confidence

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C O N F I D E N C E

This week,

I pray You’ll remember the child of whom you are (Romans 8:14, Galatians 4:7), and therefore remember the royalty that you are in the kingdom.
I pray that every doubt of self – every fear of inability and fear of incompetence, be removed permanently from your life and replaced with the faith and boldness that you truly ought to have.
I pray for a new spirit of healthy confidence in who you are and what you can acheive.
I pray that you will not hold back from stepping forward and boldly embracing your strengths, and therefore taking on challenging tasks (at work, school, home, anywhere), which allow the excellence and uniqueness of God in you to shine through.
I pray that no hurdle will cause you to stumble, no barrier will cause you to turn back, and no obstacle will trip you up, as you journey through this week.
When you come across any curveball from the devil, you will rise in faith, and take the opportunity to activate the glory and power of God in you, and bring that devil to shame.

I pray for the glory of God surrounding you, to be intensified all the more.
I pray for a confident spirit when making decisions, a confident spirit when executing projects, and a confident spirit to walk away from things when their season has passed.
I pray for confidence and positive self-esteem when you communicate and interact with others, and I pray for a confidence overall that doesn’t seek validation from men and women on this earth – you know and trust in your anointing, and therefore I pray that you will be led to speak when you ought to, but also be humble and hold back when you ought to.

I pray you’ll remember the strength you truly have (do I even need to quote this one haha Philippians 4:13), and therefore won’t limit your options to only what your human mind can comprehend, but will think beyond the things of this earth, and will aim to achieve the unthinkable – through Christ Jesus.

Finally, I pray that you will have confidence to spread the gospel, and obey the instructions God gives you in order to minister, inspire and capture the hearts of those who are lost, and bring them home.

This week, I pray that in all things, you will be Confidently Confident!

in Jesus’ Name,
AMEN.

 

Keep the Faith, Don’t Stop Believing
God Bless you

#ConfidenceInChrist
#ConfidenceInMe
#MoreThan100PeoplePraying

 

Prayer: Wrapped in Perfect Love

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Despite being told to listen to the song many months ago, I only listened to it yesterday after being told that I’d be singing it as part of my church choir.

Listened to it… Absolutely Loved it…

And then I understood why the friend who initially recommended it to me said she always gets emotional when she hears it.

The song is called Reckless Love by Cory Asbury – Bethel Music
and I’d love for you to listen to it, just click the link above.
I’ve also put another link here, for the version by One Voice (at the beginning of a sermon video), which is the first one I listened to and loved!

I want to pray for us with the message of this song…

A lot of us have forgotten how  B I G  and how permanent God’s love is.
We’ve forgotten what God’s love means.
We’ve forgotten that we even have God’s love.

Today I’m reminding you that you are absolutely wrapped in the love of God, and you MUST remind yourself of this fact Every. Single. Day.

The part of the song that touched me most, is when it said;

‘It Leaves the ninety-nine…’

When Jesus tells this parable in Luke 15:3-7 (please read), He explains to us that heaven truly rejoices over a lost soul that comes home.
He is therefore telling you that He personally seeks you out, to bring you up and out of whatever issue you’re in, and bring you into the perfect will of God.

‘Leaves the 99’ tells me, that He’s so focussed on each and every one of us making it to the kingdom of God, that He won’t settle for one short… (Matthew 18:10-14)
He won’t leave you behind, or give up on you, despite the multitude that may already be doing their thing and pleasing Him – He steps out specifically for you, to come and find you, and draw you in to Him.

This is the Love of God.

A Love that doesn’t get fed up of loving us, will never stop being on our side and no matter how undeserving you feel of it, it will always be there, wrapped right around you (Romans 8:38-39) – it just takes you to open up your heart and let it in!

As you listen to the song, I ask that you pay close attention to each word, as it emphasises the energy with which God’s Perfect Love Pursues you.

For those of you who just can’t fathom WHY His perfect love would chase after you – remember what Jesus said in the parable mentioned above, and go into more scripture to see it yourself (1 John 4:9-10, Romans 5:8); that even in your imperfection, God loves you and God wants you…

And with that I pray,

Father,

Help each and every one of Your children to receive and embrace Your love this week, and always.
Help us to lay aside our carnal knowledge and opinions of the type of person that deserves to be loved by You, and let us accept wholeheartedly that Your Perfect Love is just for us, even in our imperfection.
Help us to truly believe in the power of Your Love, and become strengthened by it in every way possible.
Help us to no longer run away from Your Love, but rather let us rest in it, be lost in it, and be completely wrapped in it!
We thank You for Jesus Your son, We thank You for Your unconditional, unending Love, and we ask that never again will we forget that we have it.

In Jesus’ Name,
Amen.

Keep the Faith, Don’t Stop Believing
God Bless you.

 

#PerfectLove
#RecklessLove
#RelentlessLove
#MoreThan100PeoplePraying

 

A Prayer for your Week: 23rd-29th Oct 2017

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Getting the right words down, in the right order, to mean the right thing, in the perfect way, definitely, takes time.
Which is why when bogged down with uni work, or just so many other things, you’ll find that there won’t be a post even though you expect one – why, because I can’t ever give you any old rubbish, it truly has to be God’s Untainted Word.

However I said somewhere in the welcome pages that this whole platform is definitely bigger than just me, therefore I know that being ‘busy’, is never acceptable as a reason to not keep up with the work of this ministry.

Therefore today God gave me this concept of sending you guys a prayer and best wishes from the bottom of my heart during these ‘busy’ times (Merciful King, Love hearts to Him), in order to ensure the consistency of posts you all deserve, and still give you something REAL.

So Let’s pray for our week;

Strength

Father, I pray for each of us to realise that we need not ask You for strength anymore because we already have it!
Therefore we ask for the ability to activate and believe in Your strength that already lies within us.
We thank You for making us strong;
Strong enough to get through the painful situation,
Strong enough to forgive wrongs,
Strong enough to help others,
Strong enough to keep going!
We thank You that Your strength in us shall allow us to overcome every existing weakness, and enable us to conquer in Jesus’ Mighty name.

Verse to prophesy: Philippians 4:13

Courage

Courage for the big things… Courage for the small things…
Father, we thank You for the courage You have placed in us.
You instruct us to be BOLD and Courageous in Deuteronomy 31:6, and that’s exactly what we’re going to be in this week!
Courage to stand up for others,
Courage to stand up for ourselves,
Courage to stand uprightly for Christ…
Father, we ask that You will give us the opportunity in this week to exhibit this courage and boldness, and let it bring glory and honour to Your name, in Jesus’ name.

Wisdom

“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God,
who gives to all liberally and without reproach,
and it will be given to him.”
[James 1:5]

 

Wisdom to make a decision, and not regret it immediately after because it’s the wrong one – Father we thank You for and ACTIVATE, the wisdom You have given us.
Wisdom to make the right decisions,
Wisdom to act in the appropriate way in response to scenarios,
Wisdom to deal appropriately, and lovingly with our peers in all areas of our lives…
We thank You because the wisdom You have given us, will cause us to stand out this week in one way or another.
Our wisdom-driven behaviours, mannerisms, and choices will cause someone to ask about the Jesus in us! And will cause them to come to know Him, in Jesus’ name.

In all things,

We pray that we will walk in love, walk in Christ, and be a living testimony of His Gospel.
May this week be like none other; filled with surprises, blessings and opportunities to share Christ.

All in Jesus’ Perfect name we pray,
Amen.

Go out and smash this week! 🙂 

Keep the Faith, Don’t Stop Believing
God Bless you.

 

#Blessed Week
#MoreThan100PeoplePraying