What's Your Motive For Giving?

I have had a few jives thrown at me over this subject of motive for giving. At one of them of course, I pretended not to notice (love doing that a lot) as the opinion was not worth noticing as far as I was concerned.

People judge motives for reasons best known to them. I give as I do for reasons known between me and God. I have an instruction that I am committed to despite my lacks and insufficiency which might not be obvious to others' eyes.

I love this as it confirms that in matter of personal decisions having to do with your private life and relationship with God, to Him you owe your conscience.

The piece was from Bob Gass.
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"... do not do your charitable deeds... to be seen... " - Matthew 6:1 NKJV

God measures your giving in two ways:
a) Your means; how much do you have?
b) Your motives; why are you giving?

'Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven... do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly' (
Matthew 6:1-4 NKJV).

Here are two stories that illustrate the point Jesus was making.

Story one: In 1977 a couple agreed to donate the three million dollars needed to build a new children's zoo in Central Park, NY. But problems arose because the two-inch tall plaque acknowledging their gift, wasn't big enough. Plus, a couple who'd donated half a million dollars thirty years earlier to build the original zoo, had a bigger plaque. It was proposed that the names of the original donors be replaced by the names of the new donors. When the park commission refused, the couple withdrew their gift.

Story two: It's said that Charles Spurgeon and his wife would sell, but refused to give away the eggs their chickens laid. Even close relatives were told, 'You may have them if you pay for them.' As a result the Spurgeons were misrepresented as being greedy. Only after Mrs. Spurgeon died was the full story revealed. All the profits from the sale of the eggs went to support two elderly widows. Apparently the Spurgeons were more concerned with how God felt about their giving, than how people felt.

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No Matter How Busy You Are by Jim Rohn

I thought this piece is worth sharing. It is from the late performance expert, Jim Rohn. Enjoy and find it useful.
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No matter how busy you are, make sure to find some time over the next two weeks to reflect, think, give and plan.

The week between Christmas and New Year's is the ideal time for this. Try to slow things down. Spend time with the ones you love and care about. Take some time to talk with your spouse and kids about goals and dreams for the next year. Use this as a time to recharge your batteries (and not just by watching TV the entire time), and with excitement, think about a handful of changes or additions you want for your life in the New Year.

I believe you will find the act of reflecting, thinking, dreaming and planning (with your family) to be one of the most important exercises you can do that will positively impact the next 12 months.

And, remember, do not neglect to commit yourself to set this time aside, or you will find that the business of life can and will get in the way.

So, let's all take a moment to gather up the past year of victories and defeats, growing as well as those times of stagnation, and use it to wipe a clean slate and thoughtfully design the next year the way we truly desire it to be.
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Shaped Outside-In or Inside-Out by James A. Harnish

When it comes down to it, Paul is pretty well convinced that there are two options for our lives. One option is to be squeezed. We can allow our lives, our values, our attitudes, our convictions, and our relationships to be shaped and formed from the outside in by the forces of the world around us. The other option is to be transformed. Our lives can be remolded, reshaped, redesigned from the inside out by the wind and breath of the Spirit of God.

Paul hangs those options out in front of us. With great passion he calls for our response. Therefore: because you know the mercy and grace of God, because you've seen how God loves lost, disoriented, confused and broken people, because you know how God's love has been made real for us at the cross, therefore, for God's sake, for your own sake, don't let the world around you squeeze you into its own mold. Rather, let God remold your life from the inside out so that you may demonstrate in practice the good, acceptable, loving, life-giving will of God for you.

Paul is correct, of course. You and I know that if we let it, the world around us will squeeze us into its own mold. If we let it, the world will shape our attitudes, our values, our convictions from the outside in, until it squeezes the life right out of us.

If we let it, the world will squeeze us into the mold of materialism. That's the belief, the ideology, the conviction, the assumption that everything that really matters in this life can be bought and sold with money. It's the belief that I can have what I want and have it now; all I need is plastic. We will mortgage our grandchildren's future to have what we want and have it now.

One of the emerging pastoral concerns that we share is the concern for good folks, Christian people, who are being squeezed to death by the demon on debt and the demonic power of plastic. People whose lives are being controlled and managed by their credit cards. The crisis for many families today is not only the high cost of living, but the cost of high living. It's a profoundly spiritual thing, and later this fall, we want to try to work on that.

If we let it, the world will squeeze us into the mold of self-centered amorality. That's the assumption that there is no objective standard of right or wrong in this universe, and that my behavior is determined solely on the basis of what satisfies me. It expresses itself in many ways. We desperately need gun control in this country, but we will never control the violence of our culture until we deal with the underlying desire to have whatever we want, whenever we want it, by whatever means it takes to get it. It works itself out in a multitude of ways, but if we let it, the world will squeeze us into the mold of self-oriented amorality.

If we let it, the world will squeeze us into the mold of "squishy spirituality." I borrowed that term from Jonathan Yardley, the book critic for the Washington Post. When I shared it on the Internet a few weeks ago, I received more response than anything I've sent out there since I wrote on Moncia Lewinsky. In a scathing review of a book on "boomer spirituality," Yardley described "squishy spirituality" as a "blend of all the most self-absorbed aspects of pop psychology, New Age pseudo-mysticism . . . and half-baked religiosity. It completely rejects anything remotely smacking of authority . . . It is self-indulgent rather than self-sacrificial, and it is utterly devoid of anything approximating intellectual rigor." He says the bottom line of most contemporary spirituality is "What's in it for me?"

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Establishing Dreams and Goals

Establishing Dreams and Goals by Jim Rohn

One of the amazing things we have been given as humans is the unquenchable desire to have dreams of a better life, and the ability to establish goals to live out those dreams. Think of it: We can look deep within our hearts and dream of a better situation for ourselves and our families; dream of better financial lives and better emotional or physical lives; certainly dream of better spiritual lives. But what makes this even more powerful is that we have also been given the ability to not only dream but to pursue those dreams and not only to pursue them, but the cognitive ability to actually lay out a plan and strategies (setting goals) to achieve those dreams. Powerful!

What are your dreams and goals? This isn't what you already have or what you have done, but what you want. Have you ever really sat down and thought through your life values and decided what you really want? Have you ever taken the time to truly reflect, to listen quietly to your heart, to see what dreams live within you? Your dreams are there. Everyone has them. They may live right on the surface, or they may be buried deep from years of others telling you they were foolish, but they are there.

So how do we know what our dreams are? This is an interesting process and it relates primarily to the art of listening. This is not listening to others; it is listening to yourself. If we listen to others, we hear their plans and dreams (and many will try to put their plans and dreams on us). If we listen to others, we can never be fulfilled. We will only chase elusive dreams that are not rooted deep within us. No, we must listen to our own hearts.

Let's take a look at some practical steps/thoughts on hearing from our hearts on what our dreams are:

Take time to be quiet. This is something that we don't do enough in this busy world of ours. We rush, rush, rush, and we are constantly listening to noise all around us. The human heart was meant for times of quiet, to peer deep within. It is when we do this that our hearts are set free to soar and take flight on the wings of our own dreams! Schedule some quiet "dream time" this week. No other people. No cell phone. No computer. Just you, a pad, a pen, and your thoughts.

Think about what really thrills you. When you are quiet, think about those things that really get your blood moving. What would you LOVE to do, either for fun or for a living? What would you love to accomplish? What would you try if you were guaranteed to succeed? What big thoughts move your heart into a state of excitement and joy? When you answer these questions you will feel great and you will be in the "dream zone." It is only when we get to this point that we experience what our dreams are!

Write down all of your dreams as you have them. Don't think of any as too outlandish or foolish. Remember, you're dreaming! Let the thoughts fly and take careful record.

Now, prioritize those dreams. Which are most important? Which are most feasible? Which would you love to do the most? Put them in the order in which you will actually try to attain them. Remember, we are always moving toward action, not just dreaming.

Here is the big picture: Life is too short to not pursue your dreams. Someday your life will near its end and all you will be able to do is look backward. You can reflect with joy or regret. Those who dream, who set goals and act on them to live out their dreams, are those who live lives of joy and have a sense of peace when they near the end of their lives. They have finished well, for themselves and for their families.

Remember: These are the dreams and goals that are born out of your heart and mind. These are the goals that are unique to you and come from who you were created to be and gifted to become. Your specific goals are what you want to attain because they are what will make your life joyful and bring your family's life into congruence with what you want it to be.

The article above was excerpted from The Jim Rohn One-Year Success Plan.

visit at:
http://boluwatise.blogspot.com or
http://amittai.wordpress.com
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Will They Truly Not Depart?

Will They Truly Not Depart?
- by Earl C. Davis

When we read Proverbs 22:6 and say a child who is trained up in a godly fashion will always return to his roots, no matter how far he roams, it is true as a general rule, but not absolutely and always true, because every child has his own free will. But there is enough promise in this verse to let us know, when we are raising our children, that it is not in vain; enough promise to comfort the faithful and broken heart when the child strays.

Children are the source of great joy: Proverbs 23:24-25; Psalm 127:3-5; Proverbs 17:6. They can also be the source of great sorrow. The same man who spoke of children as a joy, as arrows in a quiver and said, "Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them " -- this was David, who also moaned those heartbroken words: "O Absalom, my son, my son. Would to God I had died for you! " His son Solomon would have broken his heart, too, if David had lived to see his idolatry. Rebekah said twice in Genesis that the marriages of Esau were a "grief of mind" and that she was "weary of life" because of him.

The waywardness of children is no respecter of persons. I think of a dear friend in the ministry who had a child on drugs, wandering over the country for years. No parent can point a finger at any other parent, for children are not robots who can be completely controlled, even by a loving Christian parent. And I do not wish to heap a pile of guilt on parents who have done all they could to train up their children right, and still the result has not been anything to write home about. There are no perfect parents, but most Christian parents I know truly desire to impart their faith to their children, and do the best they can.

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Your Self-Esteem Must Come From God by Bob Gass

"... I have called you by your name; You are Mine." - Isaiah 43:1 NKJV

Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones said, 'Though you are one of the teeming millions in this world, and though the world would have you believe that you do not count and that you are but a speck in the mass, God says, 'I know you.' How wonderful is that? Take a moment and consider the things in life that rob us of self-esteem. Words such as, 'I don't want you; I don't love you anymore.' Or 'You're unsuitable for the job; sorry, we have to let you go.' Or, 'You keep making the same stupid mistakes. You'll never get it right.' Or, 'Why can't you be like your brother, or your sister, or so-and-so?' Understand this:

1) Your self-esteem cannot be based on what you do for a living. Because when you can no longer do it you'll feel worthless. Think about some of the famous people you know: athletes, artists, speakers, etc. When they can no longer do what they do they often get depressed, even suicidal.

2) Your self-esteem cannot be based on what you own. Recently the U.S. housing market lost up to 40% of its value in one year. Millions of people saw their social status go down and their financial security go up in smoke.

3) Your self-esteem cannot be based on other people's opinion because it will always make you vulnerable to rejection. What's the solution? Discover what God thinks about you and build your life on it. '... thus says the Lord, who created you... who... redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are Mine.' (Isaiah 43:1 NKJV) It doesn't get any better than that!


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More Tomorrow by Larry Hatfield

Immediately after World War II the allied armies gathered up many hungry, homeless children and placed them in large camps. There the children were abundantly fed and cared for. However, at night they did not sleep well. They seemed restless and afraid.

Finally, a psychologist hit on a solution. After the children were put to bed, they each received a slice of bread to hold. If they wanted more to eat, more was provided, but this particular slice was not to be eaten - it was just to hold.

The slice of bread produced marvellous results. The children would go to sleep, subconsciously feeling they would have something to eat tomorrow. That assurance gave the child a calm and peaceful rest. More tomorrow! Isn't that really the basic longing deep inside each of our hearts?

It doesn't take an Einstein to figure out why we're that way. The longer I live, the more I see taken away from me. Oh yes, I've got more stuff than I've ever had in my life. I've accumulated a lot of stuff. I've got books I'll never read, work manuals I'll never work, catalogues I'll never order from.

Plus, I've got jars and jars of assorted nuts and bolts, electric wire nuts, picture-hanging brackets, and curtain rod implements. Stuff. The funny thing about it is that when I need some of this stuff I can never find it, so I wind up going down and buying more stuff.

Would you like to know what I do with the leftovers? I put them in the jar alongside the stuff I was looking for when I went down and bought new stuff. It's right beside the half empty gallon paint can I saved from one of my projects back in 1991.

Yeah, I got stuff all right but I'm also losing things — lots of things. My mind, for instance. My once active brain picks the dumbest times to go on sabbatical. Some things I'm still good at; some things I'd rather not discuss. I'm sort of like the professor on Gilligan's Island who was smart enough to make a two-way radio out of a coconut; but didn't have sense enough to fix a hole in the bottom of the boat. That's me all right.

And my eyes aren't as keen as they once were, which might have some redemptive value. At least when I can't think of someone's name I can always use the excuse, "I couldn't see you very well."

Yes indeed! I want more tomorrow, like the little children in the war camps. I need something to hold on to; something that will let me know that tomorrow is taken care of already. God knew that we were all going to be like those little children. That's why he so often referred to us as 'little children'. And one of my favourite 'little children' talks Jesus gave, came to us by way of the pen and parchment belonging to Matthew, His disciple: "Don't worry about having enough food or drink or clothing," Jesus said. "Why be like the pagans who are so deeply concerned about these things? Your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you."

That's better than stuff stuffed into the closet. Better than stuff on shelves in the garage. Better than stuff in jars. That's even better than sliced bread!

Larry Hatfield is Pastor of Grand Assembly of God in Chickasha, OK.

Visit at www.boluwatise.blogspot.com

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Don't Give Up....

Don't give up....

One day I decided to quit...

I quit my job, my relationship, my spirituality... I wanted to quit my life.

I went to the woods to have one last talk with God.

"God", I asked, "Can you give me one good reason not to quit?"

His answer surprised me...

"Look around", He said. "Do you see the fern and the bamboo?"

"Yes", I replied.

"When I planted the fern and the bamboo seeds, I took very good care of them.

I gave them light.

I gave them water.

The fern quickly grew from the earth.

Its brilliant green covered the floor.

Yet nothing came from the bamboo seed. But I did not quit on the bamboo.

In the second year the Fern grew more vibrant and plentiful.

And again, nothing came from the bamboo seed. But I did not quit on the bamboo. He said.

"In year three there was still nothing from the bamboo seed..

But I would not quit.

In year four, again, there was nothing from the bamboo seed. I would

not quit." He said.

"Then in the fifth year a tiny sprout emerged from the earth. Compared

to the fern it was seemingly small and insignificant...But just 6

months later the bamboo rose to over 100 feet tall.

It had spent the five years growing roots. Those roots made it strong and gave it what it needed to survive.

I would not give any of my creations a challenge it could not handle."

He asked me. "Did you know, my child, that all this time you have been struggling, you have actually been growing roots".

"I would not quit on the bamboo.

I will never quit on you."

"Don't compare yourself to others."

He said.

"The bamboo had a different Purpose than the fern.

Yet they both make the forest beautiful."

"Your time will come", God said to me. "You will rise high"

"How high should I rise?"
I asked.

"How high will the bamboo rise?" He asked in return.

"As high as it can?" I questioned.

"Yes." He said, "Give me glory by rising as high as you can."

I left the forest and brought back this story.

I hope these words can help you see that God will never give up on you.

Never, Never, Never Give up.

For the Christian, prayer is not an option but an opportunity.

Don't tell the Lord how big the problem is, tell the problem how Great the Lord is!

And heaven's door opened this very moment.
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"Keep Driving"

A lady was driving along with her father. They came upon a storm, and the young lady asked her father, What should I do?"He said "keep driving".. Cars began to pull over to the side, the storm was getting worse.

"What should I do." The young lady asked?"Keep driving," her father replied. On up a few feet, she noticed that eighteen wheelers were also pulling over. She told her dad, "I must pull over, I can barely see ahead. It is terrible, and everyone is pulling over!"Her father told her, "Don't give up, just keep driving!

"Now the storm was terrible, but she never stopped driving, and soon she could see a little more clearly.

After a couple of miles she was again on dry land, and the sun came out. Her father said, "Now you can pull over and get out."She said "But why now?"He said "When you get out, look back at all the people that gave up and are still in the storm, because you never gave up your storm is now over.

This is a testimony for anyone who is going through "hard times".Just because everyone else, even the strongest, gives up. You don't have to...if you keep going, soon your storm will be over and the sun will shine upon your face again.

Someone shared this with me. Feel free to pass it on to some people you know.  Tell them, "never give up", because GOD will never give up on them!
 
Keep Driving!  This story touched me! I hope it touched you! 

IATB
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The Story of Appreciation

One young academically excellent person went to apply for a managerial position in a big company. He passed the first interview. The director called him for the last interview and made a lasting decision.

The director discovered from the CV that the youth's academic achievements were excellent all the way, from the secondary school until the postgraduate research. Never had there been a year when he did not score.

The director asked, "Did you obtain any scholarships in school?" the youth answered "none".

The director asked,  "Was it your father who paid for your school fees?"

The youth answered, "My father passed away when I was one year old, it was my mother who paid for my school fees."

The director asked, " Where did your mother work?" The youth answered, "My mother worked as clothes cleaner. The director requested the youth to show his hands. The youth showed a pair of hands that were smooth and perfect.
The director asked, " Have you ever helped your mother wash the clothes before?" The youth answered, "Never, my mother always wanted
me to study and read more books. Furthermore, my mother can wash clothes faster than me".

The director said, "I have a request. When you go back today, go and clean your mother's hands, and then see me tomorrow morning".

The youth felt that his chance of landing the job was high. When he went back, he happily requested his mother to let him clean her hands.
His mother felt strange. Happy but with mixed feelings, she showed her hands to the kid.
The youth cleaned his mother's hands slowly. His tears fell as he did that. It was the first time he noticed that his mother's hands were so wrinkled, and there were so many bruises in her hands. Some bruises were so painful that his mother shivered when they were cleaned with water.

This was the first time the youth realised that it was this pair of hands that washed the clothes everyday to enable him to pay the school fee. The bruises in the mother's hands were the price that the mother had to pay for his graduation, academic excellence and his future.
After finishing the cleaning of his mother's hands, the youth quietly washed all the remaining clothes for his mother.

That night, mother and son talked for a very long time.
Next morning, the youth went to the director's office. The Director noticed the tears in the youth's eyes and asked: " Can you tell me what you did and learned yesterday in your house?"

The youth answered, " I cleaned my mother's hands, and also finished cleaning all the remaining clothes'

The Director asked, " please tell me your feelings."

The youth said, "Number 1, I know now what is appreciation. Without my mother, there would not be the successful me today. Number 2, by working together and helping my mother, only now do I realize how difficult and tough it is to get something done. Number 3, I have come to appreciate
the importance and value of family relationship".

The director said, " This is the one I am looking for to be my manager. I want to recruit a person who can appreciate the help of others, a  person who knows the sufferings of others to get things done, and a person who would not put money as his only goal in life. You are hired".

Later on, this young person worked very hard, and received the respect of his subordinates. Every employee worked diligently and as a team. The company's performance improved tremendously.

A child, who has been protected and habitually given whatever he wants, would develop "entitlement mentality" and would always put himself first. He would be ignorant of his parents' efforts. When he starts work, he assumes that every person must listen to him, and when he becomes a manager, he would never know the sufferings of his employees and would always blame others. This kind of people, who may be good academically, may be successful for a while, but eventually would not feel any sense of achievement. He will grumble and be full of hatred and fight for more.

If we are this kind of protective parents, are we really showing love or are we destroying our kid instead?
You can let your kids live in a big house, eat a good meal, learn piano, watch a big screen TV. But when you are cutting grass, please let them experience it. After a meal, let them wash their plates and bowls together with their brothers and sisters. It is not because you do not have money to hire a maid, but it is because you want to love them in a right way. You want them to understand that no matter how rich their parents are, one day their hair will grow gray, same as the mother of that young person. The most important thing is your kid learns how to appreciate the effort and experience the difficulty and learns the ability to work with others to get things done.
You would have forwarded many mails to many and many of them would have back mailed you too...but try and forward this story to as many as possible...this may change somebody's fate...

You cannot live a perfect day without doing something for someone who will never be able to repay you.

IAT Boluwatise
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Are You Too B-U-S-Y?

"... that Satan might not outwit us... " - 2 Corinthians 2:11 NIV

Addressing a worldwide convention of demons, satan told them: 'As long as Christians stay close to God we've no power over them, so:
1) Keep them busy with non-essentials.
2) Tempt them to overspend and go into debt.
3) Make them work long hours to maintain empty lifestyles.
4) Discourage them from spending family time, for when homes disintegrate there's no refuge from work.
5) Overstimulate their minds with television and computers so that they can't hear God speaking to them.
6) Fill their coffee tables and nightstands with newspapers and magazines so they've no time for Bible reading.
7) Flood their letter boxes with sweepstakes, promotions and get-rich-quick schemes; keep them chasing material things.
8) Put glamorous models on TV and on magazine covers to keep them focused on outward appearances; that way they'll be dissatisfied with themselves and their mates.
9) Make sure couples are too exhausted for physical intimacy; that way they'll be tempted to look elsewhere.
10) Emphasise Santa and the Easter Bunny; that way you'll divert them from the real meaning of the holidays.
11) Involve them in 'good' causes so they won't have any time for 'eternal' ones.
12) Make them self-sufficient. Keep them so busy working in their own strength that they'll never know the joy of God's power working through them.

Do these twelve things faithfully. I promise-it'll work!'

Have you figured out the difference between being busy and being successful in what God's called you to do? Sometimes being B-U-S-Y just means Being Under Satan's Yoke!


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Relationship with Christ

In My Utmost for His Highest, Oswald Chambers wrote, "There is only one relationship that matters, and that is your personal relationship to a personal Redeemer and Lord. Let everything else go, but maintain that at all costs, and God will fulfill His purpose through your life. . . . Always remain alert to the fact that where one man has gone back is exactly where anyone may go back . . . Kept by the power of God - this is the only safety."

Sincerely,

Isaac Boluwatise
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The Incredible Message

Speaking to a renewal conference some time ago, former Asbury Seminary President Maxie D. Dunnam said, "An incredible message has been entrusted to us, a powerfully compelling message of an earth-shattering, world-changing, person-transforming fact. At the heart of it is

Jesus, His incarnation, life, teaching, death and resurrection." 

"People within and outside the church are starving spiritually. Within the church they ask for bread and are given stones. Witnesses abound. Persons in pain and sadness share stories of their long endurance in one of our mainline congregations, but they could take it no longer. Their pastors not only disregarded, they denigrated the authority of

God's word. So the person sought another congregation where Scripture was honoured and preached . . . They were starving for the Word.

"People outside the church are starving as well. They are starving because the church has betrayed her first love, has become so ideologically bound that she is spiritually barren. Committed to theological pluralism and making diversity redemptive within itself, we are diverted from the core dynamic of the

Christian faith: what Christ can do for persons and for society.

"Redemptive, transforming power is in the Cross of Jesus - His sacrificial death for our sins. ... The fire is there to burn up the filthiness, decadence and destructiveness of sin and unrighteousness. The energy and fire are there in the fact that God became incarnate, walked the earth, died, rose again and turned evil's seemingly supreme triumph in its most crushing, irrevocable defeat." 

(The Layman Online, October 31, 2002)
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Character-The Beauty That Lasts

"... clothe yourselves... with the beauty that comes from within... " - 1 Peter 3:4 NLT

When it comes to beauty, get your perspective right: 'Don't be concerned about the outward beauty of fancy hairstyles, expensive jewellery, or beautiful clothes... clothe yourselves... with the beauty that comes from within... ' (1 Peter 3:3-4 NLT).

The public relations department of a beauty products company asked its customers to send pictures along with brief letters, describing the most beautiful women they knew. Thousands of letters came in. One caught the attention of the employees and was passed on to the president. It was written by a boy from a broken home who lived in a run-down neighbourhood. With lots of spelling errors, an excerpt from his letter read: 'A beautiful woman lives down the street from me. I visit her every day. She makes me feel like the most important kid in the world. We play checkers and she listens to my problems. She understands me. When I leave she always yells out the door that she's proud of me.' The boy ended his letter saying, 'This picture shows you that she is the most beautiful woman in the world, and one day I hope to have a wife as pretty as her.' Intrigued, the president asked to see the woman's picture. His secretary handed him a photograph of a smiling, toothless woman, well advanced in years, sitting in a wheelchair. Sparse grey hair was pulled back in a bun. The wrinkles that formed deep furrows on her face were somehow diminished by the twinkle in her eyes. 'We can't use this woman,' said the president, smiling. 'She would show the world that our products aren't necessary to be beautiful.'


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God's Dream

Charles Peguy, the French poet, expressed this dream of God as the heart of the matter of all Christian ministry

I will dream a dream within you.....
Good dreams come from me, you know.......

My dreams seem impossible,
not too practical,
not for the cautious man or woman......
a little risky sometimes,
a trifle brash perhaps.......

Some of my friends prefer
to rest more comfortably,
in sounder sleep,
with visionless eyes......

But, from those who share my dreams
I ask a little patience,
a little humour,
some small courage,
and a listening heart........

I will do the rest.......
Then they will risk
and wonder at their daring.....
Run...and marvel at their speed....
Build... and stand in awe at the beauty of their building....

You will meet me often as you work....
in your companions, who share the risk....
in your friends, who believe in you enough
to lend their own dreams
their own hearts
to your building....

In the people who will stand in your doorway,
stay awhile,
and walk away knowing that they, too, can find a dream

There will be sun-filled days,
and sometimes it will rain......
a little variety...
both come from me.

So come now be content

It is my dream you dream....
my house you build....
my caring you witness....
my love you share
and this is the heart of the matter.


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When You're The Leader

"... the leader should be like a servant." - Luke 22:26 NLT

Michael Bruner writes about how, as a brash young college student, he attended a lecture by a former U.S. Attorney General. He says: 'Afterwards I approached him to see if we could meet for coffee. To his associates' shock, he said, "How about tomorrow"... We met and talked for an hour... I peppered him with questions. What famous people had he met? What was it like to be Attorney General in the 60's? When I asked him who was the greatest person he'd ever met, he said, "I don't think of people in those terms." He went on to tell me something I'll never forget. "Don't ever seek to be the greatest. Seek instead to do great things. If you aspire to greatness, your greatness will die with you. But if you aspire to do great things, your legacy will live on. The only way to do this is by being a servant. Lead by serving and you'll do great things." I was too young in the faith to know he'd taken those words from Scripture... Jesus was the embodiment of servant leadership. He didn't just tell the disciples what they should do, he did it along with them... As I left the hotel that morning and waited to cross the street, a blind man with a seeing-eye dog came up alongside me. I stared at the beautiful Lab... his senses alert, his sole purpose in life to serve his... master. Then the light turned green and gently the dog led [him] across the street... God had sent me a living parable. I learned a lesson that morning I would never forget. Pursue great things, not greatness; lead by serving.

Courtesy: Bob Gass and TWFT
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Mountain Moving Faith

Mountain Moving Faith

A small congregation in the foothills of the Great Smokies built a new sanctuary on a piece of land willed to them by a church member. Ten days before the new church was to open, the local building inspector informed the pastor that the parking lot was inadequate for the size of the building. Until the church doubled the size of the parking lot, they would not be able to use the new sanctuary.

Unfortunately, the church with its undersized lot had used every inch of their land except for the mountain against which it had been built. In order to build more parking spaces, they would have to move the mountain out of the back yard.

Undaunted, the pastor announced the next Sunday morning that he would meet that evening with all members who had "mountain moving faith." They would hold a prayer session asking God to remove the mountain from the back yard and to somehow provide enough money to have it paved and painted before the scheduled opening dedication service the following week.

At the appointed time, 24 of the congregation's 300 members assembled for prayer. They prayed for nearly three hours. At ten o'clock the pastor said the final "Amen." "We'll open next Sunday as scheduled," he assured everyone. "God has never let us down before, and I believe He will be faithful this time too."

The next morning as he was working in his study there came a loud knock at his door. When he called "come in," a rough looking construction foreman appeared, removing his hard hat as he entered. "Excuse me, Reverend, I'm from Acme Construction Company over in the next county. We're building a huge new shopping mall over there and we need some fill dirt. Would you be willing to sell us a chunk of that mountain behind the church? We'll pay you for the dirt we remove and pave all the exposed area free of charge, if we can have it right away. We can't do anything else until we get the dirt in and allow it to settle properly."

"Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you." (Matthew 17:21)

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Not Professionals

"We pastors are being killed by the professionalizing of the pastoral ministry," John Piper writes in his book Brothers, We Are NOT Professionals. "Professionalism has nothing to do with the essence and heart of the Christian ministry."

Professionalism leads to spiritual decline, Piper believes: "For there is no professional childlikeness; there is no professional tenderheartedness; there is no professional panting after God."

In the chapter, "Brothers, Fight for Your Life," he urges pastors to take 20 minutes a day, six days a week, just to read.

"Without time of unhurried reading and reflection, beyond the press of sermon preparation, my soul shrinks... For your own soul and the life of your church, fight for time to feed your soul with rich reading."

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Integrity as the Best Collateral

A successful business man was growing old and knew it was time to choose a successor to take over the business. Instead of choosing one of his Directors or his children, he decided to do something different.

He called all the young executives in his company together. He said, 'It is time for me to step down and choose the next CEO. I have decided to choose one of you. 'The young executives were shocked, but the boss continued. 'I am going to give each one of you a SEED today - one very special SEED. I want you to plant the seed, water it, and come back here one year from today with what you have grown from the seed I have given you. I will then judge the plants that you bring, and the one I choose will be the next CEO.'

One man, named Jim, was there that day and he, like the others, received a seed. He went home and excitedly, told his wife the story. She helped him get a pot, soil and compost and he planted the seed. Everyday, he would water it and watch to see if it had grown. After about three weeks, some of the other executives began to talk about their seeds and the plants that were beginning to grow.

Jim kept checking his seed, but nothing ever grew. Three weeks, four weeks, five weeks went by, still nothing. By now, others were talking about their plants, but Jim didn't have a plant and he felt like a failure. Six months went by -- still nothing in Jim's pot. He just knew he had killed his seed. Everyone else had trees
and tall plants, but he had nothing. Jim didn't say anything to his colleagues, however. He just kept watering and fertilizing the soil - He so wanted the seed to grow.

A year finally went by and all the young executives of the company brought their plants to the CEO for inspection. Jim told his wife that he wasn't going to take an empty pot. But she asked him to be honest about what happened. Jim felt sick to his stomach, it was going to be the most embarrassing moment of his life, but he knew his wife was right. He took his empty pot to the board room.

When Jim arrived, he was amazed at the variety of plants grown by the other executives. They were beautiful -- in all shapes and sizes.... Jim put his empty pot on the floor and many of his colleagues laughed, a few felt sorry for him! When the CEO arrived, he surveyed the room and greeted his young executives. Jim just tried to hide in the back. 'My, what great plants, trees, and flowers you have grown,' said the
CEO. 'Today one of you will be appointed the next CEO!' All of a sudden, the CEO spotted Jim at the back of the room with his empty pot. He ordered the Financial Director to bring him to the front. Jim was terrified. He thought, 'The CEO knows I'm a failure! Maybe he will have me fired!' When Jim got to the front, the CEO
asked him what had happened to his seed - Jim told him the story.

The CEO asked everyone to sit down except Jim. He looked at Jim, and then announced to the young executives, 'Behold your next Chief Executive Officer! His name is Jim!' Jim couldn't believe it. Jim couldn't even grow his seed. 'How could he be the new CEO?' the others said. Then the CEO said, 'One year ago today, I gave everyone in this room a seed. I told you to take the seed, plant it, water it, and bring it back to me today. But I gave you all boiled seeds; they were dead - it was not possible for them to grow. All of you, except Jim, have brought me trees and plants and flowers. When you found that the seed would not grow, you substituted another seed for the one I gave you. Jim was the only one with the courage and honesty to bring me a pot with my seed in it. Therefore, he is the one who will be the new Chief Executive Officer!'

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Brothers, We Are NOT Professionals

"We pastors are being killed by the professionalizing of the pastoral ministry," John Piper writes in his book Brothers, We Are NOT Professionals. "Professionalism has nothing to do with the essence and heart of the Christian ministry."

Professionalism leads to spiritual decline, Piper believes: "For there is no professional childlikeness; there is no professional tenderheartedness; there is no professional panting after God."

In the chapter, "Brothers, Fight for Your Life," he urges pastors to take 20 minutes a day, six days a week, just to read.

"Without time of unhurried reading and reflection, beyond the press of sermon preparation, my soul shrinks... For your own soul and the life of your church, fight for time to feed your soul with rich reading."

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Have you surrendered your time to God?

In One Minute Uplift newsletter Rick Ezell repoted that a friend of his said, "My problem is that I have surrendered my time to work, to other people, and to bad habits."

Rick, however wrote that "We should first surrender our time to God. God owns it anyway. Our task is to manage properly what has been entrusted to us until he returns or wants it back, including our time."

"Think about a compass and a clock Two very important tools, but two very different instruments. One would be wise not to confuse the two. To surrender our time to God is to be governed by a compass rather than to be controlled by a clock. A compass provides a sense of direction, purpose, vision, perspective, and balance. A clock measures duration, the expenditure of time. A compass determines effectiveness-doing the right tasks. A clock determines efficiency-how long it takes to accomplish a task. Both have their place. But, the compass must come before the clock, therefore, effectiveness before efficiency. The "mega priorities" of the compass subordinate the "mini priorities" of the clock."

"A compass, therefore, becomes a symbol of an internal guidance system that provides us with our values and convictions based on God's Word. This non-negotiable governs our lives. In the same manner that the gravitational force pulls the compass needle; it is God that governs the drive of our lives. We surrender to his force." 

"Our time should be surrendered to God daily. I asked a friend who is engaged in many pursuits successfully, how he managed it all. He said, "I give my first minutes to God, then I commit the remainder of the day to his Lordship. And amazingly I work more effectively and efficiently.""

Have you surrendered your time to God?  Is your time in his hands?

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The Need for Change

It is good to hear and be moved when the spiritual clarion indicates the need for change. At such times tools (ideas) are usually assembled; Builders are usually mobilized, while action might be held back on the beach of reservation.

We cannot both eat our cake and have it. It is either we understand and heed the law of sacrifice or stay back to abide alone.

Jesus was revolutionary while He was here. while enacting the Mosaic principles beyond what the lawgiver understood, He towed the path of a revolutionary. He used the platform contemporary to him to move forward. "You have heard...", he told them; "But I say to you", he quipped in conclusion without compromising the original intention.

The traditional elders might be drunken with anger about their traditions being violated. He had insisted on why he came: it was not to appease ancient minds, but to please the one that assigned him to come for that hour; to do his will and finish the works was His preoccupation.

He spoke directly to women: they too were important to God. He healed the sick on the sabbath: that was the intention veiled in the past. The custodian of the laws and traditions that we should commend received the other side of Him.

Change must be embraced when the need is obvious. I believe Sister Aimee Semple McPherson did preach the gospel in a revolutionary manner beyond the traditions many are promoting almost a century later.

Sancrosant on the church is the burden of bridge building that understand the meaning of separation from the world which was never intended as segregation. For how long shall the church continue to play safe? Can't we simply admit that we are afraid of the world that we suppose to win for the Lord.

The church complains about the manners of the world. Shame! Why then are armed with the gospel. The same fear we have of our youth. We would like them to repeat our history and preserve the past that God is great than.

We are all here for a time like this. None will come from the past nor from the future to do it for us. In the same manner as Jesus spoke the language the people understood and less of talitha cumi; we must embrace change and stop priding ourselves in the language of the past.

My concern is that when change is not embraced as at when due, we may look back to regret it later.

We cannot continue to play safe as comfort zone never brings optimal benefit. We must be daring to go for the deep, fish are there waiting. You don't actually get much of them on the beach of reservation or resignation.

If we fail to respond now, posterity would publish the history of a dark age, when light was not sufficient; of a people that repeated the history of the early (Jewish) church which embraced and celebrated its value above the universality of the gospel.

Again, I insist, the gospel is universal in nature. It is a gospel for all. Sis. Aimee was able to reach both the 'high flying' hollywood actors and the downtown folks.

If we tarry, the Holy Spirit will once again take charge directly, by turning the Deacons to fiery evangelists. He will rock the boat of stagnancy and send the ones for the hour, those without the title of hierachical formation beyond their immediate environs to turn the world upside down; those who shall take water of the word out of the pots of tradition and have it changed on their hands to produce the New Wine needed in a generation.

We mau thereafter call tjem our products, but hte Holy Spirit would have carroed out an agenda accordmg to the design we have violated.

As the Lord moves His Church into a season of change, may we understand the time and the demand of the season, to fly on the wings of the unreserved Holy Spirit. With Him we shall be safer than what we arrange for in our reservation. Let the church keep the legacy, not by the celebration of human tradition, but in the joy of being dynamic.

May the Lord advance His kingdom uniquely in our time.

Isaac Tolu Boluwatise

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Preaching Must Lead People Toward the Image of Christ

In his presentation at the E.Y. Mullins Lectures Pastor John MacArthur made the following assertion which I consider valuable and pivotal for every pastor.

"I have learned through the years that the deeper you go into the things of God, the higher the people go in worship. Shallow preaching produces shallow worship. I can basically walk into a church and listen to the music for 15 minutes and tell you how profound the people's understanding of the things of God is because it will be reflected in that.

"If people are really going to know what it is to worship God with the mind, they're going to have to understand the deep things of God, and that doesn't mean you are oblique, it doesn't mean you are obscure.

"What is my responsibility as a shepherd? Is it to entertain people? To ignore my people while I talk to the non-people of God? What is the goal of my shepherding and my preaching? It is to conform my people to the image of Christ as much as possible as God uses me as an instrument of the teaching of His Word which does the conforming. The church is precious to me because it is so identified with Jesus Christ.

"I preach only the Word of God, only one book, because it is by the Word of God that sinners are saved and the saved are sanctified. ... I leave the effect of that truth to the purposes of God and the mighty work of the Holy Spirit." 

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Providence

The only survivor of a shipwreck came upon a small, uninhabited island. He prayed repeatedly for God to save him and everyday scanned the horizon for his answer. Even though he was exhausted and in despair, he eventually managed to build a little hut to keep him out of the weather and to store his provisions.

Then one day, after searching for food, he came home to find his little hut on fire. The worst thing that could have happened had happened. Everything he had was consumed. In his grief he cried out, "God, how could you do this to me!" Early the next morning, however, he was awakened by the sound of a ship that was approaching the island. They had come to rescue him. "How did you know I was here?" asked the castaway. "We saw your smoke signal," they replied.

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"Mister, are you ready to find Jesus?"

A drunken man stumbles across a baptismal service on Sunday afternoon down by the river. He proceeds to walk into the water and stand next to the old country preacher. The minister notices the old drunk and says, "Mister, are you ready to find Jesus?"

The drunk looks back and says, "Yes, preacher, I sure am."  So the minister dunks the fellow under the water and pulls him right back up.

"Have you found Jesus?" the preacher asks."No, I didn't!" said the drunk.

The preacher then dunks him under for quite a bit longer, brings him up, and says, "Now brother, have you found Jesus?"

"No, I have not, Reverend."

The preacher now holds the man under for at least 30 seconds this time, brings him out of the water, and says in exasperation, "Man, have you found Jesus yet?"

The old drunk wipes his eyes and says to the preacher, "Are you sure this is where he fell in?"

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Is Submission to God a Loss of Freedom?

Many people believe that if they submit their lives to the Lord Jesus Christ, they will lose their freedom; they cannot do anything that they want to do in life. A tragic flaw in this reasoning is that a person who is not under the lordship of Jesus is not free. The Bible says that you are in bondage to sin, to the lusts of your own flesh, to the whims of an evil spiritual opponent who wishes you destroyed, and to a world that is alienated from the one who brings true freedom. Or as that great theologian Bob Dylan put it,

You're gonna have to serve somebody,
Well, it may be the devil or it may the Lord
but you're gonna have to serve somebody.

This myth then precipitates another lie: You can be a disciple of Jesus without a radical submission to Jesus in every area of your life. This desire to have it both ways took on a very seductive heresy a few years ago when we heard about Jesus being our Savior but not our Lord. This is a lie. If He is not Lord, He is not Savior.

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Christian Decision

Several years ago, a preacher from out-of-state accepted a call to a  church in Houston , Texas . Some weeks after he arrived, he had an occasion to ride the bus from his home to the downtown area. When he  sat down, he discovered that the driver had accidentally given him a  quarter too much change. As he
considered what to do, he thought to himself, 'You'd better give the quarter
back. It would be wrong to  keep it.' Then he thought, 'Oh, forget it, it's only a quarter. Who would worry about this little amount? Anyway, the bus company gets too much fare; they will never miss it. Accept it as a 'gift from
God' and keep quiet.'

When his stop came, he paused momentarily at the door, and then he  handed the quarter to the driver and said, 'Here, you gave me too much  change.'

The driver, with a smile, replied, 'Aren't you the new preacher in town?'

'Yes' he replied.

'Well, I have been thinking a lot lately about going somewhere to  worship. I just wanted to see what you would do if I gave you too much change. I'll see you at church on Sunday.'

When the preacher stepped off of the bus, he literally grabbed the nearest light pole, held on, and said, 'Oh God, I almost sold your Son for a quarter.'

Our lives are the only Bible some people will ever read. This is a really scary example of how much people watch us as Christians, and will put us to the test!

Always be on guard -- and remember -- You  carry the name of Christ on your shoulders when you call yourself 'Christian.'

Watch your thoughts; they become words.

Watch your words; they become actions.

Watch your actions; they become habits.

Watch your habits; they become character.

Watch your character; it becomes your destiny.

I'm glad a friend forwarded this to me as a reminder. So, I choose to do same to you. To pass this to someone, recommend the blog to a friend. I am sure you'll be glad you did.
In doing that you will have ministered to someone today.

May the Will of God continue to guide you, and His Grace, protect you.

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Translating Christianese

I couldn't laugh while reading this. While it is quite funny, it also indicates the way an average christian thinks today. Lord have mercy!

It was shared on the website of The Evangelical Press Association (EPA). Please read it for yourself:

Christianese is a language used in the Christian subculture and understood easily only by other practicing Christians. As Christian communicators it's important to avoid words in our writing that could be misunderstood or fail to communicate — terms that have meaning only in the Christian subculture.

As a public service, here are some common phrases used in the church, along with their English-language equivalents:

Christianese: "If it be God's will."
Translation: "I really don't think God is going to answer this one.

Christianese: "Let's have a word of prayer."
Translation: "I am going to pray for a long, long, long time."

Christianese: "That's not my spiritual gift."
Translation: "Find someone else."

Christianese: "Fellowship"
Translation: "Organized gluttony."

Christianese: "The Lord works in mysterious ways."
Translation: "I'm totally clueless."

Christianese: "Lord willing . . ."
Translation: "You may think I'll be there, but I won't."

Christianese: "I don't feel led."
Translation: "Can't make me."

Christianese: "God led me to do something else."
Translation: I slept in instead of going to church.

Christianese: "God really helped me with this test."
Translation: "I didn't study but I guessed good, so I'm giving God credit in the hope that He helps me again."

Christianese: "She has such a sweet spirit!"
Translation: "What an airhead!"

Christianese: "I have a 'check' in my spirit about him."
Translation: "I can't stand that jerk!"

Christianese: "I'll be praying for you."
Translation: "There's an outside chance I'll remember this conversation later today."

Christianese: "Prayer concerns"
Translation: "Gossip"

Christianese: "In conclusion . . . "
Translation: "I'll be done in another hour or so."

Christianese: "Let us pray"
Translation: "I'm going to pretend to talk to God now, but I'm really preaching at you."

Christianese: "You just have to put it in God's hands."
Translation: "Don't expect me to help you."

Christianese: "God wants to prosper you!"
Translation: "Give me all your money."

(Author Unknown)

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To The Disgruntled Preacher - By Gregory K. Hollifield

There's a fable about a hermit who lived in the desert of northern Africa. Satan's agents had tried their worst but failed to draw the man into sin. Angered with the incompetence of his subordinates, the Devil himself decided to take a crack at the old man and to teach his demons a lesson. He hissed, "The reason you've failed is that your methods are too crude for one such as this. Watch me."

Cautiously he approached his target then whispered softly in his ear, "Your brother has just been made Bishop of Alexandria." Instantly the holy man's face showed that Satan's venom had hit his veins as a great scowl formed over his mouth and his eyes tightened.

For every preacher whose ministry has been destroyed because of sexual indiscretions, I wonder how many more have had their ministries spoiled by a sulky, dissatisfied spirit? I know from experience how easy it is to fall
victim to this sin. You feel the Lord's call upon your life. You surrender. Filled with ambition for the Kingdom, you prepare yourself for ministry.
Then one day while you're out there in the vineyard, toiling away, you look up and see another brother who started later and prepared less enjoying greater success than you. Before you realize what has happened, you have become a disgruntled minister.

In Acts 9:10-19, Luke records the Lord's conversation with one such servant, a man
dealing with his own mixed feelings. Having struck Saul blind on the road leading to Damascus, the Lord turns His attention to Ananias. (Acts 9:10-19a.)

You can excuse Ananias for being a bit hesitant when he first heard God's command to go to Saul's bedside. Through the grapevine he'd heard about what Saul had done to the church in Jerusalem, how he'd been as destructive as a
bull in a china shop. Ananias also had it on good authority that Saul was coming to Damascus to continue his bloody crusade. But was there something more than fear behind his objection? Did the very thought that the Lord
wished to heal Saul and a sneaking suspicion that He was willing to accept and use him just like anyone else take Ananias aback? It's possible.

Slide yourself into Ananias's sandals for a minute. By the standard of the Law you're a devout man, respected in the community. That's how Paul describes Ananias later in Acts 22:12. For Paul to call anyone "devout" by the Law's standard was not faint praise. For years you've devoted yourself to Yahweh and have been one of the few Jews you know to accept Jesus as Yahweh's Son. Now He wants you to go and welcome the butcherous Saul into the Christian community. How would you feel?

Looking back we see that Saul's entrance into the Church forever affected the face of Christianity. This was a watershed event, but Ananias couldn't see it then. His uncertainty, his mixed feelings about the whole matter were
hindering the Kingdom's progress.

So what does the Lord say? Without explaining or defending Himself, He repeats the command: "Go." Then He says something more, something we need to hear when we're dealing with our own feelings about the way God uses us as compared with others. About Saul, Jesus says, "he is a chosen vessel to Me."
What a rebuke! These words remind us that the Lord uses whom He chooses.

Let's make an important distinction at this point. Jesus calls Saul a "chosen vessel" and not a "choice vessel." The designation "chosen vessel" draws attention to the One Who does the choosing. The phrase "choice vessel" draws attention to the character of the vessel itself. In the days prior to His resurrection, Jesus chose the Twelve. Following His resurrection, He chose Saul. In the years since, he has chosen thousands more, including you and me.

He has chosen us to be vessels. As vessels we are to bear His name to others, clay jars carrying the water of life. Second Corinthians 4:7 reminds us that none of us in ourselves are sufficient for this task. Only the power of the God Who has called us can keep us from cracking up under the stress of it all.

Like Saul of Tarsus, every true minister of the Lord is a chosen vessel. Before we move on, let's pause here to ask an important question. Can a man make himself commendable for God's use? Yes and No.

Yes, according to 2 Timothy 2:20-22. By forsaking, fleeing from, and following after the things Paul mentions in these verses, you can make yourself commendable for the Lord's greater use. That may sound presumptuous, but that is what the Scripture indicates.

I remember how this thought rubbed me the wrong way the first time I seriously considered it. I had a friend in Bible college named Tim. On a Sunday night we were driving back to school from a weekend of preaching at a local church. Tim said, "Holly," that was his nickname for me, "I believe the sky's the limit for me. I grew up in a preacher's home. I've been preaching since I was a kid, and I've kept myself pure. There is no telling what God can do with me." That sure sounded arrogant at the time, but based upon 2 Timothy 2, he may have had a point.

The Lord looks for certain things in a servant. Men look for degrees; God looks for desire. Men look for a charismatic personality; God looks for a quiet and teachable spirit. Men look at what the man has made of himself; God looks at what He can make of the man in the future.

Can you make yourself commendable for the Lord's use? Yes, and no.

No, based upon Romans 9:10-13. Before Jacob ever drew his first breath, before he ever prayed his first prayer, before he ever rejected his first temptation, God chose him. In the same way, He chose Jeremiah, John the Baptist, you, and me. That's a humbling thought, isn't it? Before you were born, the Almighty God chose you to follow in the footsteps of His own Son
and serve as one of His messengers.

That thought humbled Paul. He knew that the Lord had chosen him. Ananias told him so, the Spirit confirmed it, so, too, did the church at Antioch. Paul knew that he was chosen, but listen to his testimony, "For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am..."

Imagine for a minute how it humbled Peter and the rest of the apostles to hear that the Lord had chosen Saul to join their band. They had walked with the Master and rode the roller coaster of public sentiment with Him for three years, and now, out of nowhere, God wants to add Saul. More than that, He wants to give him a ministry that they would never have. That's humbling. What do you do? You either accept it as the King's prerogative, or you bow up and become an obstacle to the Kingdom's progress.

Ananias needed to be reminded, we need to be reminded, that the Lord uses whom He chooses. To carry it one step further the Lord uses whom He chooses as He chooses.

The Lord's choice of a man encompasses the scope of that man's ministry. Jesus chose to give Saul a cross-cultural, international, prominent ministry. He chose Saul to bear His name before the Jews, Gentiles, and kings. What about Bartholomew? You remember him. Bart was one of the Twelve who walked with Jesus for three years. We really don't know what kind of ministry he had. Certainly it wasn't anything as big or as flashy as Saul's. It seems unfair when you think about it.

Have you ever gone to an associational meeting and heard some old boy stammer his way through a sermon? He couldn't preach his way out of a brown paper bag laying on its side with the top open, but then you thumb through
the minutes and see that his church is running 500 while yours is running 50.

There's a passage from the Psalms that you need to remember in times like those. Psalm 75:6-7: "For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. But God is the judge: He putteth down one, and setteth up another." To quote Ecclesiastes 9:11, "the race is not to the
swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill," and I would add, nor is the biggest pulpit to the best prepared.

If you're a Type A personality, that's hard to accept. None of us want to be like Reuben. Two statements summarize his life: What potential! and What a waste! We all want to succeed and succeed big, but God doesn't always measure success like we do. When He chooses to use a man, that choice will encompass the scope of that man's ministry. He chooses some for big
ministries and others for smaller ones but none for unimportant ministries.

For most of the men God chooses to use, that choice will include some suffering.

Suffering in ministry is not necessarily consequential. Saul the minister did not suffer as a consequence for inflicting so much pain upon others during his unsaved years. That is unfortunately the way we often read this
text. Ananias complained about what Saul had done, and we read God as saying, "Don't worry. I'll get even with him."

Yahweh is not the Hindu god Vishnu in disguise. You don't have to worry about working off bad karma from your pre-conversion days during your post-conversion days. If you pastor a small church, are fighting an unruly board, or are the target of a gossip's sharp tongue, it isn't because of something you did before you were saved.

The Lord told Ananias that Saul would suffer for His sake. Chances are, if you're suffering as a minister, you're suffering for His sake and not for some past sin's sake.

Suffering is not incidental to ministry. If Saul's sufferings were to be incidental, Jesus would not have brought them up here.

Suffering is a real and significant part of the ministry. A few years back a friend told me that I looked like I was 38 or 39 years-old. Problem was I was only 33 at the time. He added six years to my age. Then it hit me. I had pastored about 6 years. The way I figure it, one year of a dog's life equals six years of a man's life, and one year of a preacher's life equals two years of a layman's life. Ministry can be tough, and suffering is not incidental.

Suffering is more than additional to ministry. The Lord was not saying, "Saul will bear My name to the Jews, Gentiles, and kings, and, oh, by the way, he will suffer for Me, too." Suffering is not just something thrown into ministry for good measure. So what is it? What was it for Saul?

Suffering is often central to ministry. Officers in the Lord's army aren't known by the stripes on their sleeves but by the stripes on their backs.
Suffering was to be central to Saul's ministry. For him, the purest gold of ministry emerged out of the hottest flames of tribulation. The Lord said that Saul would stand before kings bearing His message. Read Acts again. Rarely, if ever, did Paul stand before any government official except under duress, in the chains of a prisoner. Were it not for the suffering, Paul
would not have enjoyed much of the ministry that he did. Think of it, he wrote five books of our New Testament from prison.

Unbeknownst to you, you will perform some of your best ministry during your worst moments. Missionary Adoniram Judson suffered through years of barrenness trying to win the cultured Buddhist Burmese to faith in Christ. He spent years witnessing to them and translating the Bible into their language. Early on, he took a rough character by the name of Ko Tha Byu
under his wing. Kotie was of the Karen people.

The Burmese looked down upon the Karens. "You can teach a buffalo, but not a
Karen," is what they said. Judson finally succeeded in winning Kotie to Christ. As he traveled throughout Burma, Kotie went with him, witnessing to the Karens scattered across the land. To Judson, the Karens were a
side-issue. His main concern was ministry to the Buddhist Burmese.

Today the mission to the Buddhist Burmese counts a membership of 20,000. The number of Christians among the Karens and Karen-related peoples numbers into the hundreds of thousands. Church growth father Donald McGavran claimed, "The Christward Movement among the Karens may well be the source of a Church numbering millions, and exercising a decisive influence upon the history of all South-East Asia" (Perspectives on the World Christian Movement, B149). Judson did not realize that he was performing his greatest ministry while
suffering through those barren years. So take heart! The most important results of your ministry may be taking place when you feel your worst.

Ananias knew on the front end that suffering would be central to Saul's ministry.

Over time, Paul learned to embrace his suffering. In Philippians 3:10 he expressed his heart's desire with these words, "That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death." If you truly desire to know Him, to serve Him, you'll probably need to suffer along the way.

After some initial resistance, Ananias went. Saul received his sight back, was baptized, and received the Holy Spirit. Christianity would never be the same. All of that happened only after Ananias learned to accept the fact that whom the Lord uses and how is His choice alone. The sooner we learn to accept that fact, the better off the Kingdom will be.

The Christian mystic Meister Eckhardt claimed that the foundation for spiritual blessing is to live alone before the goodness of God with nothing and no one in between. Out of His goodness God has chosen you and me to be
His vessels. What He chooses to do with or through anyone else is no loss to us but is a gain for the Kingdom. Let's learn to accept that and let the Kingdom move forward.

Courtesy: preaching.com

Presentation Versus Content

In a past issue of the Preaching Now newsletter, Michael Duduit wrote: "As the father of two boys, I'm learning some of my most important lessons around the breakfast table.

For example, he wrote, "I have learned that the nutritional value of the cereal is of far less concern than the box: what's on it and what's in it. Is there something interesting to look at on the box, and/or does it have some special prize inside? If Jimmy Neutron is on the box, then it's a keeper. (For those of you without small children, and who are thus culturally unaware of the latest cartoon celebrities, you'll just have to trust me on this.)"

It appears that his boys consider presentation more important than content. While he knows that's not true, he's also learned that they'll absorb some pretty nutritious content if the presentation gets their attention. They'll even eat healthy stuff if it looks interesting enough!

This, I believe, is a great lesson for preachers and public speakers.

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Discover Your Language by Max Lucado

Suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. (Acts 2: 2–4)

Oh to have heard this moment in Jerusalem. Andrew describing God's grace in Egyptian. Thomas explaining God's love to the Romans. Bartholomew quoting the Twenty-third Psalm to Cretans. John relating the resurrection story to the Cappadocians.

Some in the crowd were cynical, accusing the disciples of early morning inebriation. But others were amazed and asked, "Whatever could this mean?" (v. 12).

Good question. Crowded city. Prayerful followers. Rushing wind and falling fire. Fifteen nations represented in one assembly. Disciples speaking like trained translators of the United Nations. Whatever could this mean?

At least this much: God loves the nations. He loves Iraqis. Somalians. Israelis. New Zealanders. Hondurans. He has a white-hot passion to harvest his children from every jungle, neighborhood, village, and slum. "All t
he earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord" (Num. 14:21 ESV). During the days of Joshua, God brought his people into Canaan "
so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of the Lord is mighty" (Josh. 4:24 ESV). David commanded us to "sing to the Lord, all the earth! . . . Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples!" (Ps. 96:1–3 ESV). God spoke to us through Isaiah: "I will make you as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth" (Isa.49:6 ESV). His vision for the end of history includes "people for God fr
om every tribe, language, people, and nation" (Rev. 5:9 NCV).

God longs to proclaim his greatness in all 6,909 languages that exist in the world today. He loves subcultures: the gypsies of Turkey, the hippies of California, the cowboys and rednecks of West Texas. He has a heart for bikers and hikers, tree huggers and academics. Single moms. Grayflanneled executives. He loves all people groups and equips us to be his voice. He commissions common Galileans, Nebraskans, Brazilians, and Koreans to speak the languages of the peoples of the world. He teaches us the vocabulary of distant lands, the dialect of the discouraged neighbor, the vernacular of the lonely heart, and the idiom of the young student. God outfits his followers to cross cultures and touch hearts.

Pentecost makes this promise: if you are in Christ, God's Spirit will speak through you. Don't miss the opportunity to discover your language.

With whom do you feel most fluent Teenagers? Drug addicts? The elderly? You may be tongue-tied around children but eloquent with executives. This is how God designed you. "God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well" (Rom. 12:6 NLT).

For whom do you feel most compassion? God doesn't burden us equally. "The Lord looks from heaven; He sees all the sons of men . . . He
fashions their hearts individually" (Ps. 33:13, 15).

[God] comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. (2 Corinthians 1:4 NLT)

Gracious Father, I am deeply grateful that you took the initiative to reach out to me—even in my sin and selfishness—in order to bring me into your eternal kingdom, through the work of Christ. I cannot fathom such love! And yet, Father, I admit that too often I try to hoard your grace, putting up walls of protection that I might keep hurt out and blessing in. I confess I am like the clam that shuts itself up in its shell, afraid of threats from the outside. Lord, I recognize that you call me to unshell myself and to partner with you in your mission of love. Unshell me, Lord, so I, too, may reach out to a lonely, discouraged, and even hopeless world. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

From Outlive Your Life: You Were Made to Make a Difference Copyright (Thoma
s Nelson, 2010) Max Lucado

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Appearances

Recently, through YouTube, the world became aware of Susan Boyle of Scotland. She was a contestant on the TV show "Britain's Got Talent." Susan is single, middle-aged and matronly as opposed to young and glamorous.

The judges and the audience dismissed her, many rolling their eyes while others snickered.
But when she began to sing, the audience and the judges were shocked and spellbound. The smiles gave way to cheers and a standing ovation.

All three judges gave her high marks. They even admitted their prejudices. It was a great, feel-good story; but it also reveals a flaw in contemporary culture.

Too often we make judgments on the basis of externals. By the way, Susan developed her extraordinary singing ability in the church choir.

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MARRIAGE WORKS, IT CAN!

I read a statistics on marriage very recently that was somewhat scary. It summarily said marriage doesn't work again as many of the marriages that were 'contracted' have been blown apart. Imagine the joy that was given much celebration shattered into fragments after practically "no time". Some survived for so long as a month before giving way to whatever the pressure was.

Should we therefore simply climb the dais and declare that the institution was an ancient phenomenon, no longer relevant to modern minds.

A younger lady asked me few months after I got married how it was. She was dead serious in asking me:

"Pastor, how is marriage? She pulled me aside.

Is it boring"? I am serious, she said. I'd really like to know.

"No! Exactly opposite of that, I found it", was my reply.

She looked into my eyes as if she was searching for a clue. "Are you serious sir", she said.

Could this be the reason for the growing alternative lifestyle? Many are scared stiff of the oldest institution. Other are reserved. The preference of many for 'making babies' are being given special arrangement; the penchant of others for pleasure that should be reserved for marriage are been given expression of the platform of 'no limit, no bounds'. Is there an end to the list of the many alternatives in vogue?

This crisis cannot be resolved with mere suggestion that it can work; there must be renaissance based on realisation, reconsideration and resolve.

We all must realise that this phenomenon called marriage is not human idea to meet human need. It is rather God's idea. We must attempt to recognise the very need that God considered. It is more than sex and babies. It is life being share. It is not to cure loneliness, but to end alone-ness in our vision, assignment, and pursuits. It is not for the immature (not in age, but in attitude) and the unprepared (not in the sense of having built up wealth to fend for feminine specie that considers herself a project to be taken care of. It is for two who are resolved to constitute help and share burdens mutually.

We must institute a reconsideration of our ways. The way of man through his challenges is not in himself, no apology to new age concept and various dubbing of it. Our consideration must lead us back to God and his ways or principles.

We must make a resolve to make it work. Yes, it can work, if we have admitted our failures and concluded on the need for a change. Our resolve must be to make it work, beating all odds; our resolve must be to live by the word of God; our resolve must be to shine as light in the midst of a perverse generation.

Marriage works, when it is considered from God's viewpoint; it works when it is ordered in a life of obedience.

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Christian in Politics

When the church understands that there is no divide between the secular and the spiritual (that the spiritual life finds expression on the secular platform) the complaints against christian participation in politics will stop.

It was only in Israel that prophets were as fathers to the kings. Simply because the selection and the anointing/installation of the kings was their official prerogative

The work of God is a man's life calling. Some serve him in the business world, others in the christian ministry; some on the political platform. Daniel wasn't a conventional prophet, rather he served in the palace fulfilling the interest of the Lord God of Israel. He gave no prophecy as a prophet speaking forth. he rather accounted for the things he saw and interpret the prophecies he read all in the political arena. Governance is also a calling. Against public demand or judgment, everyman should understand what God would want him to do.

Faith, Prayer, Atheism

There was a little old lady who would come out every morning on the steps of her front porch, raise her arms to the sky and shout, "Praise the Lord!"

Well, one day an atheist moved into the house next door. Over time, he became irritated at the little old lady. So every morning he would step out onto his front porch and yell after her, "There is no Lord!"

Time passes with the two of them carrying on this way every day. Then one morning in the middle of winter, the little old lady stepped onto her front porch and shouted, "Praise the Lord! Lord, I have no food and I am starving. Please provide for me, oh Lord!"

The next morning, she stepped onto her porch and there were two huge bags of groceries sitting there. "Praise the Lord!" she cried out. "He has provided groceries for me!"

The atheist jumped out of the hedges and shouted, "There is no Lord. I bought those groceries!"

The little old lady threw her arms into the air and shouted, "Praise the Lord! He has provided me with groceries and He made the devil pay for them!"

Thanks and best regards,

IAT Boluwatise
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Worth Sharing

This is a story worth sharing indeed. It came in a mail from a friend. I love it, you should too.

A group of alumni, highly established in their careers, were talking at a reunion and decided to go visit their old university professor, now retired.

During their visit, the conversation soon turned into complaints about stress in their work and lives. Offering his guests coffee, the professor went to the kitchen and returned with a large pot of coffee and an assortment of cups -- porcelain, plastic, glass, crystal, some plain-looking, some expensive, some exquisite --telling them to help themselves to the cof
fee.

When all the alumni had a cup of coffee in hand, the professor said, "Notice that all the nice-looking, expensive cups were taken up, leaving behind the plain and cheap ones. While it is normal for you to want only the best for yourselves, that is the source of your problems and stress. Be assured that the cup itself adds no quality to the coffee. In most cases, it is just
more expensive and, in some cases, even hides what we drink.What all of you really wanted was coffee, not the cup, but you consciously went for the best cups, and then you began eyeing each other's cups.

Now consider this: Life is the coffee; your job, money, and position in society are the cups. They are just tools to hold and contain life.

The type of cup one has does not define, nor change, the quality of life a person lives. Sometimes, by concentrating only on the cup, we fail to enjoy the coffee God has provided us."God makes the coffee, man chooses the cups. The happiest people don't have the best of everything. They just make the best of
everything. Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly. Enjoy your coffee!

Thanks and best regards,

IAT Boluwatise
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Legitimacy of Power and Sword Versus Wisdom in Prayer and Dependence

In one of the issues of Breakpoint commentary, Chuck Colson pointed out that, "This fallen world is dangerous, and out of mercy, God has given legitimate governments the power of the sword to protect us. The just war doctrine, derived from Scriptures, enables us to evaluate and hold our national leaders accountable when they must use the sword.

"We know from 2 Chronicles that King Jehoshaphat of Judah was a great warrior with a large, seasoned army. But when Jehoshaphat was confronted with an invasion, instead of riding out to meet the invaders, he led the people in prayer. "We do not know what to do," he prayed, "but our eyes are on you." And God's deliverance came in a thoroughly unexpected way. Jehoshaphat's army didn't fire a shot.

"Christians should follow the example of Jehoshaphat in prayer. Yes, we have the finest fighting men in the world... But remember that prayer is mightier than our armies, and God alone gives the victory or defeat."

Thanks and best regards,

IAT Boluwatise

Time

A friend said, "My problem is that I have surrendered my time to work, to other people, and to bad habits." We should first surrender our time to God.

God owns it anyway. Our task is to manage properly what has been entrusted to us until he returns or wants it back, including our time.

Think about a compass and a clock Two very important tools, but two very different instruments. One would be wise not to confuse the two. To surrender our time to God is to be governed by a compass rather than to be
controlled by a clock. A compass provides a sense of direction, purpose, vision, perspective, and balance. A clock measures duration, the expenditure of time. A compass determines effectiveness-doing the right tasks. A clock
determines efficiency-how long it takes to accomplish a task. Both have their place. But, the compass must come before the clock, therefore, effectiveness before efficiency. The "mega priorities" of the compass
subordinate the "mini priorities" of the clock.

A compass, therefore, becomes a symbol of an internal guidance system that provides us with our values and convictions based on God's Word. This non-negotiable governs our lives. In the same manner that the gravitational force pulls the compass needle; it is God that governs the drive of our lives. We surrender to his force.

Our time should be surrendered to God daily. I asked a friend who is engaged in many pursuits successfully, how he managed it all. He said, "I give my first minutes to God, then I commit the remainder of the day to his Lordship. And amazingly I work more effectively and efficiently."

Have you surrendered your time to God? Is your time in his hands?

Courtesy: Rick Ezell, *(One Minute Uplift* newsletter)

Grace, Divine Protection

The following story is the personal account of from an experience Pastor Rob Morgan had. It is a good illustration of the protection we enjoy in Christ.

"Several years ago, I was walking down a sidewalk in East Nashville, making a pastoral visit. Suddenly I saw a German shepherd flying across a lawn, barking, snarling, teeth bared, mouth frothing. I was so startled that as it lunged at me, I screamed and jumped backward. But between me and my would-be attacker, there was a chain-link fence. The dog struck the fence full force. My heart was racing, but I was utterly safe because of the protective fence.

Satan can growl and bark, lunge and threaten. But when we're enclosed by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, he can do us no real or lasting harm."

Courtesy: Pastor Rob Morgan in his book, The Red Sea Rules.

Thanks and best regards,

IAT Boluwatise

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Two Travellig Angels

Keep reading to the bottom of the page -- don't stop at the feet (You'll see).
 
Two traveling angels stopped to spend the night in the home of a wealthy
family.

 
The family was rude and refused to let the angels stay in the mansion's guest
room.

 
Instead the angels were given a small space in the cold basement.
 
As they made their bed on the hard floor, the older angel saw a hole in the wall and repaired it.

 
When the younger angel asked why, the older angel replied,
 
"Things aren't always what they seem"
 
The next night the pair came to rest at the house of a very poor, but very hospitable farmer and his wife.
 
After sharing what little food they had the  couple let the angels sleep in their bed where they could have a good night's rest.

When the sun came up the next morning the angels found the farmer and his wife in tears.

Their only cow, whose milk had been their sole income, lay dead in the field.
 
The younger angel was infuriated and asked the older angel how could you have let this happen?

The first man had everything, yet you helped him, he accused.
 
The second family had little but was willing to share everything, and you let the cow die..

"Things aren't always what they seem," the older angel replied.
 
 
"When we stayed in the basement of the mansion, I noticed there was gold stored in that hole in the wall.

Since the owner was so obsessed with greed and unwilling to share his good fortune, I sealed the wall so he wouldn't find it."  
 
"Then last night as we slept in the farmers bed, the angel of death came for his wife I gave him the cow instead.

 
Things aren't always what they seem."
 
Sometimes that is exactly what happens when things don't turn out the way they should. If you have faith, you just need to trust that every out come is always to your advantage. You just might not know it until some time later...

                               Oooo
Some people           (    ) come into our lives   )  /
and quickly go..      (_ /
 
       oooO
         (    )       Some people
          \  (        become friends
         \_ )    and stay awhile...
 
leaving beautiful          Oooo
footprints on our         (    )
  hearts...                       )  /  
                                    (_/
 
             oooO
              (    )      and we are
               \  (          never
                \_ )      quite the same
                            because we  have
                           made a good
                            friend!!
 
 
Yesterday is history.
Tomorrow a mystery.
Today is a gift.
That's why it's called the present!
 
 
I think this is special...live and savor every
moment... This is not a dress rehearsal!
 
            (\        /)
             ( \__ / )
             (  \()/  ) 
             (  /   \  )    TAKE THIS LITTLE  ANGEL
             ( / \/ \ )    AND  KEEP HER CLOSE TO YOU
               /      \    SHE IS YOUR GUARDIAN ANGEL
              (        )    SENT TO WATCH OVER YOU
               ____

Thanks and best regards,

IAT Boluwatise

Special Sauce

Author: Unknown   
 
I was sitting at the drive-through window at McDonald's this weekend (ok, I eat out a lot). I did the usual thing, I drove up to the menu and ordered. I proceeded to the first window and paid, then drove to the second window and waited for the order. After sitting there for a few minutes, the clerk slid back the window and asked, "Will you please pull over to the side? your order is not ready."
 
I was a little upset and even impatient, but I pulled over and waited. I thought, "How come other folks ordered and drove straight through and I have to wait." I waited for another two or three minutes. It seemed like hours before the clerk finally ran out, tapped on the window, and handed me the order.
 
Of course I asked, "Hey, what took so long?" She replied, "You wanted the Special Sauce, which meant it had to be specially made for that sandwich - it doesn't usually come with that one.
 
It seems to me this scene could be a reflection of our prayer lives. We make our request to the Lord. Our menu is His Word, where He has listed promise after promise. We stand before Him and request and plead and, sometimes, even beg. We go to the first window and pay, sometimes with fervent prayer, sometimes with prolonged suffering, sometimes with obedience, and sometimes not at all.
 
We then move to the second window and wait for our order. If God doesn't answer within a few minutes, we become upset. You know the phrase, "Jesus, it's 5:00 p.m. Friday; I prayed to You yesterday, and You still haven't answered. I can't wait much longer."
 
Why is it taking Him so long? I've seen people drive up before me and they received their orders right away! We even go so far as to tap on the window and ask if He has forgotten our order. We become impatient. We become upset. We become downright mad.
 
Lord I asked for a mate ten days ago and I don't see him/her anywhere.
 
Lord, I've been asking for a new job for two years; others have passed me by.
 
I've been waiting on a financial blessing for ten years and I still have more month than money.
 
Where are You and why haven't You blessed me?
 
And just when you think He is giving you the answer, He pulls back the royal curtain of Eternity, and says, "Please pull over to the side and wait a while longer."
 
This once frustrated me to no end, made me mad, made me want to give up, made me
want to holler; that is, until the clerk brought out my sandwich. Then, the revelation became clear.
 
Do you know why the Lord has put you on the side? Do you know why you have had to wait for this blessing longer than before? Do you know why He has put you through more this time than ever? Do you know why it seems as though He has not heard you and He does not care? Do you know why it seems like you have had to go through more tears, more pains, and more struggling this time?
 
Because this blessing is a Special Sauce Blessing!
 
This is an Overflowing, Pressed-Down, Shaken Together, Blessing!
 
You made a Special Order and God has been putting together a Special Sauce Blessing for you and He has to prepare it for you!
 
That mate you wanted . . . He's putting together a Special Sauce!
 
That job you wanted . . . He's putting together a Special Sauce!
 
That financial blessing . . . He's putting together a Special Sauce!
 
That peace on the job . . . He's putting together a Special Sauce!
 
That house . . . He's putting together a Special Sauce!
 
That deeper anointing . . . He's putting together a Special Sauce!
 
That promotion . . . He's putting together a Special Sauce!
 
For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of
peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end... [and a Special Sauce].
Jeremiah 29:11
 
How many people have driven away before the clerk brought their food, and how many people have missed their blessings because they did not wait?
 
Hang on there. Keep on waiting. You made a Special Order, now wait on God's Special Sauce!
 
But they that wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up
with wings as eagles; they shall run and not be weary, and they shall walk, and
not faint. (Isaiah 40:31)
 
They who wait shall receive a Special Sauce!

"Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken
together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same
measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again." - Luke 6:38

__________________________________________
"God has His own Time Plan for You, Wait upon Him."
__________________________________________________

Thanks and best regards,

IAT Boluwatise
08088701393 www.boluwatise.blogspot.com
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