“The future starts now!””
“Don’t get swallowed up in a cup of water”
“Do not create a storm in a tea cup”
“Truth is heavy, so few men carry it” – Jewish proverb
“Following the path of least resistance is what makes man and rivers crooked” – Larry Bielat
Warning: This column may be hazardous to areas of mediocrity in your life!
I know that you have entrusted to me one of your most precious resources, your time. I promise to do my best by the grace of God, to be a good steward of the minutes we spend together. Thank you. Mucho gracias.
Great men are little men expanded. Great lives are ordinary lives intensified. Just one ‘little extra’ will turn your daily ordinary life into extra ordinary living.
Life is not a zero-sum game. Life is a choice not a chance. The willingness to go the extra mile actually does make a difference.
I pray from the depth of my heart that you will earnestly locate that ‘little extra’ that will make your joy complete and full.
COMIC RELIEF…just for laughs, ‘…a merry heart does good as medicine’ – Proverbs 17:22
A man and his wife were traveling to Italy by air, as they were at the peak of the journey, the pilot announced that: “Ladies and gentlemen, we are sorry to announce that one of the engines has stopped working while the remaining one is not functioning as required, therefore, we may crash in a few minutes from now. We advise that everyone should reconcile with God and settle every issue that need to be settled.” At that point, Mr. Bolaji touched his wife Elizabeth and said, “Honey, please forgive me ooooo, your sister, Sefunmi, that stays with us is my sex machine; we had several abortions, and she has even planned to poison you on our return from Italy; so that the both of us will elope to the U.S.A. Please find a place in heart to forgive me.”
“No problem dear” responded his wife! She continues, “Since it’s a confession moment, let me also confess. Please you must also forgive me oooo, John and Esther among our three children are not your biological children. Your biological child is Victoria and the rest belong to Mr. Adekunle your best friend. I want you to remember that you were robbed by armed robbers last year November?” He answered, “Yes I remember” She continues, “I actually set you up by some gangs who robbed you because I needed to pay for my boy-friend (Boluwaji)’s tuition fee. He got admission into Oxford University in England. Even now as we are talking, I have arranged for your death through hired assassins on our return.” Mr. Bolaji responded,“No problem I have forgiven you.”
Meanwhile as the confessions are going on, the pilot announced again. “Ladies and gentlemen, is like you people are powerful men and women of faith because, God has answered your prayers, the two engines are now perfectly ok and we are sure of safe landing” At that point, the whole passengers became mute instead of celebrating the good news. One of the passengers shouted, “Pilot, pilot, this plane must crash ooooooo! Or else we will crash the plane ourselves” Everybody echoed, “YES oooooooo” …wishing you a safe lafta! That’s life!!
DEEP MEDITATION……vanity of life
A man is born today, tomorrow he is dead.
A man lives in a mansion today, tomorrow he lives underground (grave).
A man drives a car today, tomorrow an ambulance drives him.
A man reads books today; tomorrow a biography is read for him
A man eats whatever he wants today; tomorrow he becomes food for insects
A man is always early for work today; tomorrow he is addressed as late Mr/Mrs, etc.
A man is seen resting in his house today, Tomorrow he is resting in a coffin
A man wants to be a hero and goes to war for his country but in return, he is termed FALLEN HERO
A man eats all kinds of fruits in his house today; tomorrow he becomes manure to those trees
A man is on suit today; tomorrow he is on casket garment
A man is known today as the richest man ever, tomorrow he doesn’t even know where or what will happen to his riches.
Life happens in phases and stages, those who embrace this truth turn out successful.
Life is compared to a game. It is a race that we run. It is a wrestle. A fight that we fight.
It is a war that we are engaged in.
Some months ago she was a minister in Africa’s most populous nation and the president of OPEC making her one of the world’s most powerful women alive.Today she is begging the cold hands of death to spare her life from the grip of cancer. Some months ago he had won the biggest soccer league in the world as manager of one of the world’s most talked about football teams. Today he is the butt of the cruelest of jokes in the sports world. He was released after one year to serve a four (4) year house arrest term for culpable homicide of his model South African girlfriend. Then suddenly, on December 3rd he was convicted of murder for the same action by an appeal court. On a Saturday afternoon, he was leading the polls to be governor of his Nigerian middle belt state. By 7.00pm he was pronounced dead by the doctors.And so the stories of Diezani, Mourinho, Oscar and Audu remind us of what effect the snap of a finger can have on our lives and how unready life can make us look regardless of the insight and work invested into securing tomorrow.
Though we pass through many difficulties in life, we should not give up because life is not about what you couldn’t do so far, it’s about what you can still do. While there is enormous stupidity in living recklessly under the umbrella of “One Life”, there is a want of wisdom in believing that tomorrow is guaranteed as a result of individual struggle and will. Even the prophets of God disagree with that notion, teaching that you prayed for DAILY bread and let the anxiety over tomorrow be.
No excuse at all to be plan less for even ants are not that senseless. Please appreciate the gift of grace that you have nothing to do with. In the words of Nigerian comedian: “If you think say na by your power you dey wake up, set alarm clock for the head of dead body”
Plan your life very well to end well! When your life is well planned you won’t be afraid of anything. TAKE LIFE EASY AND SERVE GOD IN TRUTH. What is life after all? Life is compared to a game. It is a race that we run. It is a wrestle. A fight that we fight. It is a war that we are engaged in.
“I was raped at the age of nine” – Oprah Winfrey
“I didn’t even complete my university education” – Bill Gates
“I was sexually, mentally, emotionally and verbally abused by my father as far back as I can remember until I left home at the age of eighteen” – Joyce Meyer
“I struggled academically throughout elementary school” – Dr. Ben Carson
“I used to serve tea at a shop to support my football training” – Lionel Messi
“I used to sleep on the floor in friends’ rooms, returning Coke bottles for food, money, and getting weekly free meals at a local temple” – Steve Jobs
“My teachers used to call me a failure” – Prime Minister Tony Blair
“I was in prison for 27 years and still became president.” – Nelson Mandela
“I drove taxi to finance my university education” – Mike Adenuga
Though we pass through many difficulties in life, we should not give up because life is not about what you couldn’t do so far, it’s about what you can still do. Decide to be UNSTOPPABLE. That’s who you are! That’s life!! Life happens in phases and stages, those who embrace this truth turn out successful.
Who would have known that the world acclaimed motivational speaker, John C. Maxwell was once a
- Stock clerk at a local food store
- Dish washer at a local restaurant
- A janitor at an office building
- Fry and prep cook at a steak house
- Cleaner of cars and a bus boy?
Today, he stands as one of the most popular leadership instructors.NEVER QUIT…you are unstoppable! Life happens in phases and stages
Life is compared to a game. It is a race that we run. It is a wrestle. A fight that we fight. It is a war that we are engaged in. Paul the Apostle compared our lives to that of an athlete, a wrestler, a boxer and a soldier. Life indeed is a game that we play. It is a race that we run. It is battle that we fight. It is the goals that we score. It is the victory that we celebrate. It is the testimony that we share. It is the song that we sing.
It is the legacy that we leave behind. Life is the gain or loss we record. Life…….
Joyce Meyer began her own ministry 30 years ago at the age of 42. She now has one of the largest ministries in history. A divorced, abused, uneducated woman with a call, a tremendous work ethic, a truckload of faith and a connection to everyday people…wow. She’s 72.
Joel Osteen wasn’t the obvious choice of John and Dodie to take the reins of the great Lakewood Church and its international television ministry. Joel was the shy, ORU dropout who did the editing for the television ministry. Life happens in phases and stages, those who embrace this truth turn out successful. He wore his dad’s shoes for his first sermon. The church has grown 500% in membership and added millions to its international ministry becoming a voice of hope to the unchurched and believers around the world. Joel is 52 years old and Victoria his wife is 54. Joel has sold millions of inspirational books and has the world’s most watched television ministry.
Beth Moore, at 58 years old, has built a teaching empire climbing the forbidden ladder of the Southern Baptist Convention, a denomination who will not ordain women into the 5-fold-ministry. She has crossed denominational boundaries and won the church world with her scriptural unfolding of powerful truths that address ordinary lives.
Thomas D. Jakes is 58 years old. He answered the call to ministry in the coal mining Appalachian Mountains of West Virginia where black people represented only 2% of the state’s population. He pastored his storefront church with a coal stove in the sanctuary, a lisp and without a college degree. He took his Sunday School lesson he developed, “Woman Thou Art Loosed”, and brought a delivering word to millions of broken women and is now possibly the greatest preacher of our generation with great success in the movie business, the publishing world as a bestselling author, the music world and pastors the great Potters’s House in Dallas with several satellite churches.
Billy Graham is 97 years old and has a wonderful reputation and has been able to bring diplomacy to divided people and surpass political parties, denominations and modern limits reaching millions around the world with the simple gospel of Jesus Christ. He is one of history’s greatest evangelists.
Whether you are called into the ministry to pastor 40 people or to lead worship at a retirement center or to minister to millions, you are not too old or too unqualified for God to use you. Obey the call of God on your life. Step out and minister to God’s precious people. God’s not through using you. Someone needs you to survive. You can do this!
ARE YOU LIVING OR MAKING A LIVING?……chasing shadows?
Some years ago, around three hundred whales were found stranded on a beach. Scientists speculated that the whales had been chasing sardines and became trapped in shallow water when the tide went out. Now that’s an amazing thing. By chasing little sardines, these gigantic creatures were ultimately led to their doom. Many people waste their lives chasing non-essentials. They major on the minors and have no clear focus or objectives in life. But God tells us what should be our primary goal in life. If we can get our priorities straight in this area, everything else will come together. In fact, if we can get these two principles operating in our lives, then all the commandments of God will be fulfilled in us. What are these principles?
- You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and your entire mind.
- Love your neighbour as yourself.
In 1923, nine of the wealthiest people in the world met at Chicago’s Edge Water Beach Hotel. Their combined wealth, it is estimated, exceeded the wealth of the government of the United States at that time. These men certainly knew how to make a living and accumulate wealth. Attending the meeting were the following men:
- The president of the largest steel company
- The president of the largest utility company
- The president of the largest gas company
- The president of the New York Stock Exchange
- The president of the Bank of International Settlements
- The greatest wheat speculator
- The greatest bear on Wall Street
- The head of the world’s greatest monopoly
- A member of President Harding’s cabinet.
That’s a pretty impressive line-up of people by any ones’ yardstick.
Yet, 25 years later, where were those nine industrial giants? Let’s examine what happened to them 25 years later.
- The President of the then largest steel company (Bethlehem Steel Corp), Charles M Schwab, lived on borrowed capital for five years before he died bankrupt
- The President of the then largest gas company, Howard Hubson, went insane
- One of the greatest commodity traders (Wheat Speculator), Arthur Cutten, died insolvent
- The then President of the New York Stock Exchange, Richard Whitney, was sent to jail
- The member of the US President’s Cabinet (the member of President Harding’s cabinet), Albert Fall, was pardoned from jail just to be able to go home and die in peace
- The greatest “bear” on Wall Street, Jesse Livermore committed suicide
- The President of the then world’s greatest monopoly, Ivar Krueger, committed suicide
- The President of the Bank of International Settlement, Leon Fraser, committed suicide
- The president of the largest utility company, Samuel Insull, died penniless
What they forgot was how to “make” life while they got busy making money! Money in itself is not evil; it provides food for the hungry, medicine for the sick, clothes for the needy. Money is only a medium of exchange. We need two kinds of education:
(a) One that teaches us how to make a living and (b) One that teaches us how to live.
In the film, “Gladiator”, Maximus Decimus Meridius, leading his troops into battle, declared, “What we do in life echoes in eternity.” That is a true statement. What we do in life echoes in eternity. We act as though everything that can be done must be done during our life on earth, and we must do all that we can with our time, abilities, and resources.
There is a great element of truth to that, because we certainly don’t want to waste our lives. And when life is cut short or hindered by a disability or an illness, when a child dies, or a young man or a young woman dies, it is a big loss. Each life should be lived to the full to the glory of God. But there are people who live wicked lives, who do nothing with what God has given them and opposed God in every way; even doing damage with their lives.
Those who live godless and selfish lives are considered blessed in our present society.
The end now justifies the means. They say to themselves, ‘….let’s eat and drink, tomorrow we die.” Why do we think that way? Because we think all that will happen will happen in this life, and then it is over. But that is not what the Bible teaches. The Bible teaches that life goes on, and God will judge our every action. We must remember that death is not the end of life but a continuation of it in eternity. We will appear before the judgment seat of God, and each of us will be rewarded according to our works. Whatever sacrifices you are making for God’s kingdom will be made up to you. God will not be your debtor.
Prayer: Lord, help me to live for eternity with you, IJMN.
Further Reading: 2 Corinthians 5:1-11
‘Because Your loving kindness is better than life, My lips shall praise You. Thus I will bless You while I live; I will lift up my hands in Your name.’ – Ps 63:3-4 NKJV
Good morning! (Psalm 30:5)
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