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John 1:4, 5

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Light in Dark Places

Life, what is it, where did it come from, how is it sustained? Contrary to popular thinking, life has its origin in God. He is the maker of everything – the giver of life. When He made man, “He breathed into him and man became a living soul.”

If we want to talk about life, its origin and how it is sustained, Jesus should be at the center of that discussion. The scripture says, “In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”

Everything, this world, human life, depends on Jesus for survival. “In Him we live and move and have our being.” Though most men do not recognize this, it still is the truth. Jesus is not only the sustainer of physical life he is also the giver and sustainer of spiritual life.

When he stepped out of eternity into time, into this dark and evil world, he was on a mission to lay his life down so that man might live again in newness of life, reconciled to God. By faith in his crucifixion and resurrection, he infuses us with spiritual life and that life inside of us illuminates our soul.

Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life, the scripture says…

Man without Jesus lives in spiritual darkness. Man with Jesus lives in the fullness of life. That life is the light of man. Man cannot find his way in darkness, he needs light. By faith in Jesus, we find that light to blaze our way through this dark world.

The question is – do you have his light producing life?

Lead to Inspire

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“A leader is a dealer in hope.” — Napoleon Bonaparte

“Nobody rises to low expectations.” — Calvin Lloyd

“A person, who no matter how desperate the situation, gives others hope, is a true leader.” — Daisaku Ikeda

“One cannot consent to creep when one feels the impulse to soar.” — Helen Keller

“If you want to build a ship, don’t 
drum up people together to collect 
wood and don’t assign them tasks and 
work, but rather teach them to long 
for the endless immensity of the 
sea.” — Antoine de Saint-Exupery

“Good leaders make people feel that 
they’re at the very heart of things, 
not at the periphery. Everyone feels 
that he or she makes a difference to 
the success of the organization. When 
that happens, people feel centered and 
that gives their work meaning.” 
— Warren Bennis

“If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.” — John Quincy Adams

“Lead and inspire people. Don’t try to manage and manipulate people. Inventories can be managed but people must be lead.” — Ross Perot

“Our chief want is someone who will inspire us to be what we know we could be.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson

“There are two ways of spreading light: to be the candle, or to be the mirror that reflects it.” — Edith Wharton

“We should seize every opportunity to give encouragement. 
Encouragement is oxygen to the soul. The days are always 
dark enough. There is no need for us to emphasize the fact 
by spreading further gloom.” — George M. Adams

“Where there is no hope in the future, there is no power in the present.” — John Maxwell

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Resource: Leadership Quotes

Bold and Courageous Leadership

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“A ship in the harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for.” — William Shedo

catching the wind_wide_t_nt

“Boldness, more boldness, and always boldness!” — George Jacques Danton

“Courage is the enforcing virtue, the one that makes possible all the other virtues common
to exceptional leaders: honesty, integrity, confidence, compassion and humility.” — John McCain

 “Leaders make decisions that create the future they desire.” — Mike Murdock
courage to win, the_wide_t

“Rely on your own strength of body and soul. Take for your star self-reliance, faith, honesty and industry. Don’t take too much advice — keep at the helm and steer your own ship, and remember that the great art of commanding is to take a fair share of the work. Fire above the mark you intend to hit. Energy, invincible determination with the right motive, are the levers that move the world.” — Noah Porter

 “The only safe ship in a storm is leadership.” — Faye Wattleton

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Resource: Leadership Quotes

How to Excel in Pleasing God

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In this first letter to the Thessalonians Paul begins in chapter 1:4 by recounting how the gospel – preached with the Holy Spirit’s power and full conviction – had touched and transformed the lives of many. This transformation was so plain to Paul that he declared in 1 Thess. 2:1 that “our coming to you was not in vain” and how in 1 Thess. 1:9, “they had turned from idols to the living God.” He calls them imitators of God in 1 Thess. 1:6, and boasted about how their testimony had gone forth not only in their immediate surroundings, but also to far away places (1 Thess. 1:8).

Paul also called them his hope and joy, the crown of exultation, and glory (1 Thess. 2:19, 20),  and broke out in ecstatic praise when he got news that they were doing great in their walk with the Lord even though he had not visited to impart what he thought they were lacking in their walk with the Lord. Even after hearing how great they were doing – Paul still continued to pray for them to increase and abound in their walk with the Lord. He admonished them to abound more and more in pleasing the Lord (1 Thess. 3:12).

Finally in chapter 4:1, Paul acknowledges that these guys were actually doing great – that they “were pleasing Him in every way.” Still, Paul finds a way to ask them to “excel more” – “abound more.”

The reason for this I think, is because Christian maturity is never finished on this side of eternity. No matter how far a Christian has come in love and holiness there is still room to abound more and more in his exercise of grace, his discharge of duty,  his perfection of holiness, and his determination to excel in every area of life.

So when Paul says I want you to excel or to abound more in your walk with the Lord or I want you to excel in pleasing the Lord – what he is actually saying is that: I am thankful to the Lord that you are doing well, but there is no stopping now, there is no slacking now, no time to become complacent, no time to settle down in a contented comfort zone, there is still room for some improvement. Paul understood the dangers of a casual, laid-back and lazy faith. So he is motivating them to excel.

So how do we excel in pleasing the Lord? Here are a few tips:

  • Keep doing what you are doing now, if it’s working
  • Beware of distraction and attractions and demonic conspiracies
  • Don’t forget that your best defense is your offense
  • Remember the good old fashion – watch, study, pray, obey
  • When you slip, don’t get caught sitting there – get up, dust off, move on
  • Challenge yourself, set goals, journal about it
  • Make yourself accountable, help others
  • Do a periodic spiritual inventory
  • Don’t stop, press on toward the mark of excellence, pursue it with intensity until Jesus returns

The list goes on. Thanks for reading – join the conversation. We would like to hear from you.

How do I get to the post office?

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following jesus_wide_t_nt

In the book, The Leadership secrets of Billy Graham, W. Clement Stone writes a story about Billy Graham trying to find his way to the post office in a small town. Upon asking a boy how to get to the post office in this small town and upon getting directions he needed, Billy invited the boy to come to his meeting that evening, saying, “you will hear me telling everyone how to get to heaven.” The boy’s response was hilarious – he said, “I don’t think I will be there, you don’t even know your way to the post office.”

Myra, Harold and Shelley, Marshall. The Leadership Secrets of Billy Graham. (Zondervan, 2005), page 49.

The Tale of Four cities

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It had finally reached the ears of all the nobles of the people of the ends of the earth. The word on the street was not very different, but the official version was short and sweet: “Across the great waters is a land of great learning and enlightenment. Anyone with enough courage to brave the great waters would find the secrets of life, depth of knowledge and heavenly wisdom that only comes from the Wisdom God.”

The decision was final, the nobles had decided, Yakobo will be the first one to take the Journey.

Unfortunately, an important piece of the information did not reach the ears of the nobles of the people of the ends of the earth. Across the great waters there were three other cities competing for the allegiance of anyone brave enough to travel over the great waters. In each of these cities there was a powerful force strong enough to captivate the allegiance of anyone.

The name of the city where the Wisdom God dwelled was ILLUMINOS

The name of the first city competing for the allegiance of the one brave enough to travel over the great waters was Enbar

The name of the second city competing for the allegiance of the one brave enough to travel over the great waters was Canal

The name of the third city competing for the allegiance of the one brave enough to travel over the great waters was Wormwood.

Wisdom was in the air in Illuminos. It dripped as from an ever flowing stream bursting with rivers of pure delight. The Wisdom God emanated something pure, peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits. Those who chose to live in this city would experience a life of purity, peace, gentleness, a life opened to reason, one full of mercy and good fruits.

But not so with the other three competing cities. Meekness or gentle were signs of weakness, cowardice and passivity. These cities emanated an enticing, yet deadly kind of wisdom. Anyone brave enough to travel over the great waters and into Enbar, the first city, the ability to excel at anything would be theirs for the taking. Personal power and prestige awaited anyone who would embrace the city’s doctrine of self-promotion and ambition.

Canal was similar in many ways to Enbar. But sensuality rule by day and by night. It was mostly a fun place of all kinds of enticing pleasures. The city offered anyone who would brave the great waters, an unrestrained indulgence in sensual pleasures. Flirting was in the air, there was a bar and strip clubs on every corner. The beach was the place to hang because everyone came in to show off a little skin and get wasted.

But Wormwood was a “whole nother level.” It was a city of disorder. A dark, sinister and satanic power roamed its streets. Disorder, strife, chaotic frenzies of fighting and dysfunction was common among the residents. Everyone thought it was normal to be rebellious, and cruel. This was the last place anyone wanted to end up, but this cosmic, demonic, territorial spirit was determined to win the heart and soul of anyone brave enough to travel over the great waters.

Back, among the people of the ends of the earth, Yakobo prepared himself for his journey across the great waters.

To be continue…

Sunshine Sunshine in my soul today

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This video captivated my imagination about Jesus, his splendor and radiance. Hope it lights up your soul as well. For truly the sun declares the glory of the King.

his face was like the sun shining in full strength.

For the Lord God is a sun and shield;
the Lord bestows favor and honor.
No good thing does he withhold
from those who walk uprightly.

From the rising of the sun to its setting, the name of the Lord is to be praised!

Praise him, sun and moon,
praise him, all you shining stars!

Releasing a culture of Victory in the face of Opposition

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One of the key truths about the kingdom of God, the church or a believer is that we always seem to triumph even in the mist of intense opposition. For example:

  • The massive Goliath falls to a boy with five smooth stones
  • Pharaoh’s pursuit and the parting of the Red Sea.
  • A great multitude of Moabites and Ammonites came against Jehoshaphat. Jehoshaphat prayed. God spoke. The worship band sang. God moved. Israel won the battle.
  • Jesus lived and died. His disciples begin to spread the good news. Opposition is as intense as it was with Jesus. Some get killed, yet the truth still lives, impacting countless millions.

Time after time we win. No matter the opposition. No matter the issue, no matter the seeming setbacks, we win. Truth gets twisted but it never breaks. Kingdoms rise, kingdoms fall, He is immovable rock, so are we.

Jesus said, “I will build my church and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it!”

Here are a few things we need to do when faced with opposition
1. Remember God and what he can do v.14

Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome

Our God can do anything, he can move mountains, he can heal the sick, he can raise the dead. If He did it before, He will do it again. The heart of the king is in his hand. By one word, He can effect change. Keep Him in the equation and never forget what He can do.

2. Remember the power of prayer v. 9

And we prayed to our God and set a guard as a protection against them day and night

Somebody once said, “Prayer moves the hand of God, there are things God cannot do unless you pray.” When we take the time to seek God, we get to see Him in action. Stop fighting unnecessary battles. Here is the problem, everybody wants to debate but nobody wants to prayer. So instead of strategically fighting the necessary war, we spend time fighting the unnecessary battles.

3. Remember the power of two or three v. 15-21

we all returned; we labored at the work

Nothing can stop you when you are working in one accord with others. Being a team player is essential to winning. Remember, you can’t do this all by yourself. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

4. Remember to stay focused and determined v.23

none of us took off our clothes: each kept his weapon at his right hand

Keeping your eyes on the prize and on the things you need to do to get you there is key,  so don’t get entangled in nit-picking. The enemy is going to do everything possible to get you off track. Stay focused even in the face of temporary setbacks.

These are just a few things I could come up with. Do you have any you would like to add or share? Please feel free to do so. God Bless and have agreat day.

1 Reason Nations come to ruin

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They cast off all restraints…

One of the most dangerous things any people, society, culture or nation can do to itself is to cast off all restraint and do whatever seems right in their own eyes. We find this phrase in the dark days of Israel’s history. A period when “everyone did what was right in his own eyes.” Judges 17:6

In our day and time, the absence of restraint is celebrated and applauded. In the words of a song writer, “we exult our rights over and above the one who makes us righteous,” and we use that to justify our behavior or lifestyle. Unfortunately, we fail to realize that this kind of moral, spiritual, and social anarchy brings nothing but destruction.

Israel cast off all restraints and they were brought to ruin.

Sodom and Gomorrah cast off all restraints and they were brought to ruin.

The Roman Empire cast off all restraints and they were brought to ruin.

Ephesus, the city where the church was warned to return to its first love, cast off all restraints and they too were brought to ruin.

The bible says, There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death. Proverbs 14:12

When we follow our own instincts and inclinations, it always leads to ruin.

We need to follow God’s way, not our own. A lot of people think God is just out to spoil the fun for everyone. No, God is not out to spoil the fun for everyone, he is out to protect everyone from the “so-called” fun that brings people to ruin. God knows that the choices we make can either make or break us. So, like a loving father who’s always looking out for His children, He sets up these guard-rills so we don’t go driving over the cliff.

In Deuteronomy 6:24, the Lord commanded us to observe all His decrees and to fear Him for our own good, so that he may keep us alive as we are today.

God has given many restraints to us:

  • the curbs of the fear of God
  • the curbs of family and right relationship
  • the curbs of justice and equality
  • the curbs of conscience
  • the curbs of law
  • the curbs of truth
  • the curbs of love

When these restraints are broken down, we go down. So, let us follow His way. It starts with me, right where I am.

Righteous exalts a nation!

Human life is a pilgrimage between two moments of nakedness

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finding contentment_wide_t_nt

There was a wealthy lady who died, and everybody in the community was extremely curious as to the extent of her fortune. One person was brash enough to come up to the pastor immediately after the funeral and whisper in his ear, “How much did she leave?” The pastor had the wisdom to reply, “She left everything.”

The apostle Paul also calls us to a lifestyle of simplicity and contentment.

I have learned,” he said, “in whatever state I am therewith to be content

Paul said,

Godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into this world and we shall take nothing out of it.

Or as Job put it,

Naked I came from my mother’s womb and naked I shall return.

Have you ever considered, brothers and sisters, that human life is a pilgrimage between two moments of nakedness? We would be wise to travel light because there is no doubt that we shall leave everything behind.

Let us be content. Covetous people always fall into a traps.

The love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.

Let us always remember that we are pilgrims and where ever our heart is there our treasure will also be.

Phil. 4:11
1 Timothy 6:6
Job 1:21
Excerpt from John Stott's "Three Challenges to the Contemporary church."