Tag: Daniel

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!

 

Can They See You?

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What’s different about you? 

When you go for a job interview, the employers are looking for something in you that makes you stand out in comparison to others.
They’re looking for that ‘thing’ that suggests to them that you’d be better than everyone else, for that role.

As we all know this, we go to interviews with our best. We make sure that our CVs/Resumes are in tip-top shape, and we make sure that every unique thing about us is right in front for them to pick up on as soon as they see us…

Here’s my question for today:

When you walk into a room, can people see you?

No, I’m not talking about the outfit, the shoes, the hair, the watch – but I’m asking, when you walk into someone’s life, do they see something in you that is ‘just different’?

Initially, that’s exactly how they may describe it because they can’t quite put their finger on what it is, but they know that there is something different about that guy/lady.

As time goes on and they get to know you more, or just somehow find out about you more, they’ll begin to specify the attributes that contribute to this difference – ‘That lady is always positive’, ‘That guy always brings good vibes’, ‘That woman is generous’, That man is always encouraging people’….

How do people describe you when you’re not in their presence?
I’ll give you a moment to think about it.

…

Alright, so let’s hit the scriptures;

I’ve linked the whole of Daniel 4 here for you to read in your own time.
For this post, we’ll jump and skip between verses, so it isn’t too many words on a page, but let’s start here – the king of Babylon has a dream, and he seeks someone who can correctly interpret the dream for him;

“But one night I had a dream that frightened me;
I saw visions that terrified me as I lay in my bed.
So I issued an order calling in all the wise men of Babylon,
so they could tell me what my dream meant.”
[Daniel 4:5-6]

But despite calling for all magicians and sorcerers etc, he still has no one who can tell him what the dream really means;

“When all the magicians, enchanters, astrologers, and fortune-tellers came in,
I told them the dream, but they could not tell me what it meant.”
[Daniel 4:7]

But then one man came in, and he was different;

“At last Daniel came in before me, and I told him the dream.
(He was named Belteshazzar after my god, and the spirit of the holy gods is in him.)
“I said to him, ‘Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you and that no mystery is too great for you to solve.
Now tell me what my dream means.”
[Daniel 4:8-9]

Let’s pause here for a bit…

As the king reports this story, he begins verse 8 with ‘At last’.
Indicating that he had anticipated this man who was set apart from others.

Friend, does the world, and do the people around you, ANTICIPATE you?
When there is turmoil or disarray, do they wait in hope for You, knowing that your presence will bring something different?

You see, prior to this chapter 4, Daniel had shown himself to be different.
He had made bold decisions (Daniel 1:8), and in all he did to honour God, he had the Lord’s backing (Daniel 1:17).
He spent time with God, was endowed with wisdom, and so showed forth his gift in a way that caused people around him to want to worship his God! (Daniel 2:46-47)

Friend, do you show forth your gifts from God?
If you do, is it in a way that glory returns to God, and not yourself?
Do you stand strong in your beliefs despite what everyone else is doing, and like Daniel did, allow your True God to come through for you because you choose NOT to disregard Him, and NOT to defile yourself?
Ponder on these questions for a moment, and when you’re ready, keep reading…

So what we’ve seen is that prior to this chapter, Daniel had shown the king his ability before (in chapter 2) – hence the ‘at last’, and hence the anticipation.
Meaning the king had formed an opinion of who Daniel was – mystery solver, wise man, a man in whom the Spirit of the Real God lives in….

I ask, what do people acknowledge about you?
Does your daily life represent God enough, for them to desire you and associate your name with positive things?
Just as the king saw greatness in Daniel, do people around you see greatness in you?
Do they see a problem-solver, a peace-bringer, a logical-thinker?
Do they see generosity, selflessness, self-control, discipline, a joyful heart, good vibes?

What I found amazing about this story, is that the king is so sure of his opinion of Daniel!
After describing his dream in verses 10-17, the king says;

““‘Belteshazzar, that was the dream that I, King Nebuchadnezzar, had.
Now tell me what it means, for none of the wise men of my kingdom can do so.
But you can tell me because the spirit of the holy gods is in you.’”
[Daniel 4:18]

He reiterates once again, the fact that the Spirit of God lives in this Daniel guy.

So I ask, how firmly do people stand by their perception of who you are?
Yes, I know you don’t live to please others, but this question pertains to your consistency.
We all know that we should live in a way that is Christ-like, and God-fearing, but some of us seem to have a rota for when we put the armour of God on and off.

Are you someone who is hot and cold?
Are you consistent enough with what you portray, how you live, how you behave – that people see the same you at all times?

Skipping to the end of Daniel 4, a lot has happened in between; Daniel interprets the dream, the dream is fulfilled, and the king then says this;

““Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and glorify and honor the King of heaven.
All his acts are just and true, and he is able to humble the proud.””
[Daniel 4:37]

He is moved by the excellence and truth of Daniel’s spirit, that after the dream is fulfilled, the king himself worships God! The True God of Heaven and Earth.

I want to close and bring it all together by asking you this;

How much do you blend in?

Some of us are indistinguishable from unbelievers.
Some of us have days on and days off – we have a certain crowd we play Christ-like with, and another set of people we dabble in sin and pleasure with.
Some of us have that tendency of a great spirit, but every now and then you want to hide it.
Some of us have an excellent spirit – we are bold and unafraid of living for God – no we aren’t perfect, but we’re striving to be the Daniel of our environment.

Let me tell you this, as a follower of Christ, you have no business looking the same as everyone else.

When you walk into a room you ought to bring Light and Life to it.

When people see you, even if they can’t initially identify exactly what it is, they must still know that there is something Positively  D I F F E R E N T  about you!

So I ask you again – How much do you blend in? – With the crowd, with the world, with those who don’t know God…

I hope your answer to this question (if it’s anything other than ‘Not at all’) makes you so uncomfortable, that you begin working on your change from today onwards.
I pray now and forevermore, that the Light of Christ in you will shine brightly for all to see, and be transformed by!

Let us pray:

Father,
Just as Daniel didn’t compromise You, give me a heart that will always stand firm in serving and honouring You.
Let me stand out with my gift from You, that people will anticipate it and will acknowledge Your excellence as it is presented forth.
Let Your Holy Spirit be rich in me! Let Him shine through so strongly, that there is no doubt that I am a man/woman of God.
Give me a heart that is consistent in absolutely everything I do.
Just as the king was firm in what he perceived Daniel as, help me to always be hot for Your work, diligent in my service, and consistent in my living for Christ.
Let my life cause people to run to You and just as the king did, let them turn to know You, worship You and praise You.
When I walk into a room, Father let Jesus be seen in me!
All this we pray, in Jesus’ name.
AMEN.

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

#TheDanielOfMyGeneration
#MoreThan100PeoplePraying (Let’s keep our daily prayers up for the youth of today – our leaders of tomorrow)