– anonymous |
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son…” – John 3:16
The Master Leadership Expert is God Himself. If we take time out to study His principles and methods in which He operates and relates with His subordinates we could receive a great deal of wealth in knowledge and wisdom in areas of leadership management.
The Bible tells of How God handled satan’s rebellion in heaven and how also He related with Adam and Eve when they fell. There is so much to learn in leadership and people management from the Lord Himself. He has very unique leadership styles that mark Him out as the Lord of the Universe.
Today as we look at leadership through the eyes of the creator, let us consider His exemplary leadership style. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son… Before He ever asked us to give our lives to Him, He gave us His son. Before He asked Abraham for the sacrifice of his son Isaac, he gave Him a vast possession of land and the promise of fathering an innumerable generation of children. He never asks until He has first given to us. He is the greatest leader.
As a leader, it is expedient that we place foremost the needs of our subordinates and explore avenues to meet those needs. Only then can we generate the best potentials in them to give birth to our dream goals. A leader who is poor in relationships is on his way downwards. Today, several leaders are becoming dictators and their followers wish they just get changed as soon as possible. This is not a good disposition. If you can make the people happy, they will make you laugh.
John Maxwell said, “people do not care how much you know until they know how much you care”, how true. The God example throughout scriptures for all generations is in this light. Have you noticed how that God only demands a little of what He gave you? Your offerings are a function of what you have been blessed by Him with…. nothing more.
If you want people to believe in you and to enthusiastically and passionately pursue your dreams and visions, reach out first to them. Meet their needs and you wouldn’t need to ask them… they will naturally meet yours. Let us follow the example of the Master. Put people first.
– david sanda
Jesus Christ answered the following questions correctly before he died. Apostle Paul did the same. All men whose lives were declared by God to be successful did the same. Why shouldn’t you do likewise?
# 1. Who am I? – Sounds simple and common, but it goes a long way to determine if you end up in life a success or failure. Your identity defines your activity. A fish is expected to swim. When you hear a bark, you think of a dog. The label you place on yourself determines what your mind is predisposed to do and consequently, the lifestyle you live. Paul always introduced himself as “Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God“. (Eph 1:1). Who are you?
# 2. What am I here for? – This is your purpose for living. Why do you see yourself qualified to still be on earth. The computer keyboard is used for typing information into the computer. If it stops functioning, it is not better than plywood. What are you doing that makes you believe the world still needs you? Jesus Christ said in John 10:10 (NLT) – “My purpose is to give life in all its fullness“. What is your purpose for living? If you don’t know the mission you are to accomplish, then you may never get to a point in life where you say like Jesus – “It is finished”, or like Paul, “I have finished the race”, or in modern lingua – “mission accomplished”. What are you meant to do, finish and accomplish?
# 3. Am I living in line with my purpose? – Those who have succeeded in answering the first two questions correctly should endeavour to answer this everyday. It is meant to give you focus and direction. Without focus, distractions are constantly celebrated, energy is readily wasted and life is lived unfulfilled. Without a compass, a pilot is assumed to have said his last prayer. Without a map, a voyager may not get to his destination even though he started sailing well. Paul said in I Cor. 9:26 (NLT) “I run straight to the goal with purpose in every step“. Is there purpose in every step you take in life?
Beloved, I believe one day you will love to stand before God and say confidently that – “I accomplished my mission on earth”. You will want to receive God’s commendation for living a successful life. Why not take a timeout to answer these questions correctly and consequently reflect the answers in your lifestyle. Remember, only the living can make decisions, so act now!
tope aladenusi
‘Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth IN YOU?’ 1 Corinthians 3:16
‘Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is IN YOU, than he that is in the world’. 1 John 4:4
In all of His might. In all of His Ability. In all of His Omnipotence.
Jehovah God lives in you.
Are you burdened by a list of needs and wants? The One Who fed more than 5,000 people with 5 loaves and 2 fishes dwells in you. The One Who sustained more than 2 million people in the wilderness for 40 years lives in you.
Are you afflicted by a sickness or a disease? The One Whose garment the woman with an issue of blood touched dwells in you. The One Who told Naaman the Syrian to wash in the River Jordan dwells in you.
Are struggling under the weight of guilt from your sins? The One Whom the Baptist identified as the Lamb of God dwells in you. The One Who made an appointment with a thief on a cross dwells in you.
He is at work in you, both to will and to do of His own good pleasure!
– jide lawal
The miracle seed called ‘nothing’
Bible Reading: II Kings 4:1-7
God always gives a miracle seed to everyone and it is usually not beyond what you have and where you are. I could say that a million times. What you need to start the journey to where you want to be is something you already have or somewhere you are already positioned. Our problem most times is that we underestimate those things. This problem started thousands of years ago as we can see from these two real life stories:
- “… A certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets had cried to Elisha, saying, My husband, your servant, is dead … And the lender has come to take my two children to himself for slaves. And Elisha said to her, What shall I do for you? Tell me. What do you have in the house? And she said, Your handmaid has nothing in the house except a pot of oil”. II King 4:1-2 (LITV)
- “… And going out, Jesus saw a great crowd and was filled with pity toward them. And evening coming, His disciples came near to Him saying, The place is deserted, and the hour is already gone by. Dismiss the crowds, that going away into the villages they may buy provisions for themselves. But Jesus said to them, They have no need to go away. You give them food to eat. But they said to Him, We have nothing here except five loaves and two fish”. Matthew 14: 14-17 (LITV)
Here are some lessons we should learn from these stories:
– the miracles they desired started with what they already had. The widow had a pot of oil and Elisha later gave her instructions on how to convert it to surplus. Jesus’ disciples had access to five loaves and two fishes and He taught them how by appreciating what they had (giving thanks), they could feed multitudes with it;
– the widow and Jesus’ disciples made the mistake that most believers of today replicate by saying they had ‘nothing’;
– the definition of ‘nothing’ to most of us is actually ‘something that we have underrated’. We should pay attention to the undertone that usually accompanies the word “except” after we have said ‘nothing’, because history has proved that those things are capable of changing a person’s state. For example, some say I have nothing except the anointing; my wife is good for nothing except that she is faithful; nothing except a mere diploma; nothing except a good friend; nothing except a pretty smile; nothing except a convincing ability…
Years ago, a brother told me that he had nothing except for the fact that people trust him so much. After some time, he came up with a business idea and started discussing it with these people. Guess what happened? They all gave him money to finance it without any collateral or evidence. All they said was ‘repay me at the agreed time’. Today, he is a millionaire.
Beloved, what are those things you have that you call ‘nothing’? Identify them and think of how to start realizing your dreams with them. They are starting blocks to make you get what you want and reach where you desire to be.
– tope aladenusi
Human experiences reveal that various emotional expressions accompany our numerous challenges in life. For example, shock accompanies a bitter experience while joy certainly accompanies a pleasing experience. It is naturally not possible for someone to put on a joyful countenance when he/she has just been overtaken by an unpleasing event rather, moodiness, regrets and even curses emanates from him/her.
One event that seems to have contradicted this natural law of expression is in Acts 16: 20-33, when Paul and Silas were arrested and remanded in prison for preaching the gospel. (They told the officials, “These Jews are upsetting our city! They are telling us to do things we Romans are not allowed to do.” The crowd joined in the attack on Paul and Silas. Then the officials tore the clothes off the two men and ordered them to be beaten with a whip. After they had been badly beaten, they were put in jail, and the jailer was told to guard them carefully. The jailer did as he was told. He put them deep inside the jail and chained their feet to heavy blocks of wood. About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing praises to God, while the other prisoners listened. Suddenly a strong earthquake shook the jail to its foundations. The doors opened, and the chains fell from all the prisoners. When the jailer woke up and saw that the doors were open, he thought that the prisoners had escaped. He pulled out his sword and was about to kill himself. But Paul shouted, “Don’t harm yourself! No one has escaped.” The jailer asked for a torch and went into the jail. He was shaking all over as he knelt down in front of Paul and Silas. After he had led them out of the jail, he asked, “What must I do to be saved?” They replied, “Have faith in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved! This is also true for everyone who lives in your home.” Then Paul and Silas told him and everyone else in his house about the Lord. While it was still night, the jailer took them to a place where he could wash their cuts and bruises. Then he and everyone in his home were baptized [CEV]). Just like any other person, one would have expected that they spend that night crying, wailing, regretting and blaming themselves for yielding the call to preach or rather casting aspersion and curses on their maker who seemingly was not at their rescue at that moment; instead, He, their maker watched while they were being led to the prison yard.
Against all odds, a heart of worship was noticed in them, and they began to SING & PRAY, very strange and unbelievable reactions in the face of persecution. Obviously, when an earthquake occurred, the gates were thronged open and the soldiers were thereafter saved, it became clearer what can be achieved when we neglect norms and conventions to exercise ourselves in spiritual activities like praying and worshiping God.
Have you lately been accused wrongly? Do your challenges at work show hatred and plot against you? Is your business suffering from poor patronage & bad sales? Do you consider the frequency of unpleasing news coming to you as unbearable? Is your academics presently threatened by peer grades, lack of understanding? You don’t have to be cast down & cry, rather take time to pray and worship God. You will be shocked He will speak the way out to you during the process of praying.
– adeyiga awomuti
They passed
Dropping their coins
Each one
Today was good
At times was real bad
That I couldn’t get some food
Yet I wondered
And pondered
On how I could get yonder
To the ripple of the water
I tried again,
Telling each one of my plight
Yet they all felt fine
By dropping some dime
Then……
He passed by
Not pleasant to the eyes
So why make the cry
But he asked
Would you like to get to the well?
What a question
Maybe he would help I thought
Finally someone to show some love
So I wailed
Telling my tale
Of how I seemed so late
Just to get to the fountain
I seemed to say
Could you stay?
And help me to the way
Just to the fountain
But what love the master displayed
“Stand up, Pick up your mat and walk” He said
And I was healed
Shocked and pleased
I wondered
Not about the law
But at such love
Which didn’t wait for me to ask?
WHAT AWESOME LOVE
– Dr bolaji akanni
I conclude this periodical on the third enemy – the devil. This heading of course largely includes demons, evil spirits, etc commonly referred together as spiritual wickedness in high places.
Unbelief in the existence of demonic influence is largely unscriptural since the Word – our basis of standard, is replete with descriptions of various contacts with demons and their influence. The New Testament gives us the glorious understanding of the works of these beings of old. In the Old Testament all that happened to men was viewed as coming directly from God but in the New Testament this is better clarified as we are made to understand that every good and perfect gift comes from the father of light with whom is neither variableness nor shadow of turning.
For you that is born again, your relationship with the devil has been clearly defined from the word. Once you were held tightly by his grip and were led wherever he suggested. Scripture says once we were as sheep gone astray. Again we are reminded that we walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air – the spirit now at work in the children of disobedience among whom we all had our conversation in times past fulfilling the desires of our flesh and our mind and were children of wrath just as the others Eph 2:1 – 3.We were weak to save ourselves from this enemy for we were held in bondage by Him.
But now in Christ Jesus we have been delivered from the powers of darkness and have been translated into the kingdom of his dear Son – Col 1:13. Notice the wordtranslated signifying that there is now a change of position. You and I have crossed enemy lines. No longer are we in the place where we can be influenced directly wherein we were held.
Hebrews 2 and verse 14 describes this wonderfully: Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by His death he might destroy him who holds the power of death – that is, the devil – and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.
Now that the victory has been obtained for us in Christ Jesus, the only way to bask in the reality of this victory is by maintaining our ground of conviction. Ephesians chapter 6 defines this using a word – “stand”. This word ‘stand’ largely means to make this your place of abode, your dwelling place. The battle is not by fist fighting the devil or jostling for corrupted things He stole. The battle now is simply by maintaining your ground of conviction in all that Christ Has done for us. 1st Peter 5: 9 – Resist him (i.e. the devil), standing firm in the faith…
In conclusion, walk circumspectly not as fools but as wise redeeming the time for the days are truly evil. Don’t waste energy. There is a format and a predetermined way. Walk in this now and always.
A common strategy to walking in the victory Christ has obtained for us is simply maintaining our ground of conviction. The deed on the cross cannot be changed. You are a victor. Walk in this reality now and always
– Dr bolaji akanni
I once asked a young believer how he would spend the rest of his life if Jesus suddenly appeared to him with the information that he had one month to live. He giggled and said “…Well, I will quickly do what I know I won’t have the opportunity to do in heaven. So if I have just one month to go, I will get married before my time is up…”
Hmnnnh! Although this response seemed funny, I was particularly interested the fact that there are so many good things we won’t have the opportunity to do in heaven despite its glamour. If you were to answer the same question, how would your response be? Permit me to guess …
Praying and Bible reading may become more regular.
The walls of your church may easily recognize you when you are 20km away.
Church meetings may now look so short.
Your postponed kind gestures to extend to others may suddenly begin to unfold.
The poor may even feel your impact.
Your parents may suddenly be remembered for good.
The worries and fear of what your tomorrow will be may fizzle into the air.
You may exercise greater passion and attention towards your ministry.
Holiness may erupt out of your system with ease.
Your spouse may now see you as a genuine love being.
Your children may now notice the difference in the size of your right and left arm.
There may be no need for bad-mouthing and gossiping.
Prolonged anger may no longer be necessary.
You may decide to apologize to everyone you have offended in time past, and also say goodbye to grudges and resentment.
The courage to witness to that unbeliever close to you may swiftly engulf you…
You are free to draw up your list, remember I was only trying to guess. If you can identify those things you will quickly want to do if you were sure you had just a month to live, then it is high time you began to do them. Stop postponing your manifestation. Let it be real to you that you time on earth is getting shorter and shorter. “…I urge you as strangers and aliens in the world to …live such good lives among the pagans…” I Peter 2:11-12 (NIV).
tope_aladenusi
Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful and endures through every circumstance. 1 Corinthians 14:17 NLT
Be patient in trouble and always be prayerful. Romans 12:26 NLY
I once heard the story of a man who gave his son a puzzle to solve. He disarranged a world map puzzle and gave his son to arrange it back because he was disturbing his meditation. Unknown to him, at the back of the world map puzzle was the picture of a man. The boy did not waste time arranging it back and this surprised the father greatly. He asked the little boy how he did it and his response was “If the man is right, the world would be right”.
When problems arise in your marriage and everything seems to be in disarray, and you are considering where to start from, remember what that little boy said – “If the man is right, the world would be right”. The solution could just be you. How do I mean? When you act right or decide to put things right in your own life, it influences a change in your partner thereby making your marriage right. Let the change in your marriage or relationship start from you. You don’t have to wait for your spouse to change first. Be an actor of love and not only a ‘reactor’. Take time to pray about the problems and situations you are going through, committing your spouse to God. I am confident that He would make a way out for you. One thing I found out about prayer is that it changes you first. So let your prayers change you for your situation to become right. Allow God to work in your life and your spouses’. Let your actions be commensurate to your prayers. Pray for a change and expect a change.
At times, the solution may be a change in character or habit. Majority of problems in homes are caused by character and habit differences. For instance, a dirty wife with a shabby dress sense and unsubmissive attitude has gracefully invited problems into her home. Such a woman would be wasting her time if she goes 40days fasting and prayer because of the problem. All she needs to do is to change her ways first. Check your life first; it could be your spending habits, nagging attitude, pride, anger, culinary skills, nonchalant attitude…
What are those things you need to do away with? Let the change start from you, be determined to win your spouse back with love and humility. Pray to God, learn of Him and let Him work on your character. God wants to dry away your tears, heal your heart and relieve you of your pains, only just allow Him to perfect His work in you, remoulding your character. For when He changes you, it influences your partner to change, normalcy returns and then your heart is filled with joy. I Peter 3:1 sets the tone – Wives, in a similar way, place yourselves under your husbands’ authority. Some husbands may not obey God’s word. Their wives could win these men for Christ by the way they live without saying anything.
After the change has come, remember to always succeed in your marriage everyday.
busola oshinubi