Monday, March 10, 2008

Purpose

Purpose. I've read so many books about success, motivation and - purpose. Most of the authors, however, get it wrong when it comes to the issue of purpose. Most of them will tell you that, to discover your purpose, you should look inside yourself first. Then, they give you a list of other things, and then, they tell you to look up to God - usually as an afterthought! Nothing could be more erroneous. That's the wrong order of things. The first step towards discovery of purpose is not to look inside, but to look up to God. When it comes to finding your purpose, God is the first - and not last - person you must turn to. Why? Because, in the first place, God knows you better than anyone else does - even you. That's right, God knows you better than you know yourself. In the second place, God made you and He knows the reason why He made you. It's ridiculous to ask a thing why it was made. You'd have to ask the maker of that thing why he made it. God alone knows what He had in mind when He made you. You have to ask Him what He had in mind when He made you. It would be silly of me to ask my computer why it was made, it would be silly of me to ask my pen why it was made, it would be silly of me to ask my chair why it was made. To know the purpose for those things, I would have to ask their manufacturers. So you see, the first step towards finding your purpose is not to 'know thyself' but to 'know thy maker.'

Wednesday, February 27, 2008

Message 5

How so very often we pray to God for us to reach our set goals and yet, how so very often we set the wrong goals. Some people don't even set goals at all and they pray to God to reach these goals! Many times, we don't even know what we want, and we pray to God for those things!

Tuesday, February 26, 2008

Message 4

There is one law of success that we usually overlook. I've read so many books on success and other motivational books but they don't mention anythin about this law. Even though the law is contained right there in the Bible, even christians don't usually point it out as a law of success. The law is contained in the book of Joshua 1:8 which reads.

This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then, thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then, thou shalt have good success.
Joshua 1:8


That is the law! Read your Bible everyday, meditate on the word of God, and obey everything that is written in it. Only then would we be able to prosper and be successful. Throughout the Bible, nothing is more directly related to success than this! yet, how so very often we over look this very vital law.

Read the word of God everyday and everytime, meditate on it, and obey everything that is in it. It is a law and it has its own consequence; prosperity and success.

Monday, February 25, 2008

A message from TWFT Sun, Feb 10, 2008.

The Bible doesn't tell us to rejoice when we mess up and get into trouble. God can certainly use our mistakes to teach us, but that's not what James has in mind. Some of our trials just come from 'living.' Things aren't going right. Usually it's not one big thing but a lot of little things. We encounter physical, financial, relational or emotional trials that knock us for a loop. Peter calls this 'the trial of our faith (1 Peter 1: 7). What's on trial? Your faith! Whatever the size or length of our trial, there's nowhere we can go to escape the trial of our faith. Trying to avoid it is like changing schools in hopes of avoiding a test you don't want to take. But the next school will have tests too, probably harder than the ones in the school you just left, and now you're that much further behind in your studies and preparation. You can't outrun God-ordained trials. He knows where to find you!

The Good news is, there's no such thing as a purposeless trial! Each trial is designed to launch us to a new spiritual level. The interesting thing about our trials is, they're custom made; they have our name on them. Paul discovered 2 things about his trials: (a) the reason for the trial. 'To keep me from becoming conceited' (2 Cor 12:7). (b) The result trial. 'That Christ's power may rest on me' (2 Cor 12:9). Like a tailor measuring you for a new suit that will fit perfectly, the Holy Spirit customizes the trials we encounter to meet our spiritual need, to mould us, and to make us more like Jesus.

A message from TWFT Sun, Feb 17, 2008.

Before David became qualified to rule as King in Zion, he first had to be found faithful in 3 places. Examine them carefully, for you too must pass these 3 tests.

(1) At home in Bethlehem: That's where David learned to be responsible, to earn living and support his family, to develop his relationship with God, and to overcome resentment of others because of God's favour on his life. 'Charity begins at home.' It's here you become qualified to handle bigger assignments by being faithful in smaller ones. It's here your character is developed and your dependability proven.

(2) In the cave of Adullam: By living among the misfits and rejects of society David learned to give himself to others without expecting anything in return; to love and serve others even when his own life was under attack. 'Adullam' is where our kingdom dies and God's kingdom is showcased through us. It's here that God deals with every self-seeking, self-serving motive in our hearts. Sadly, some of us never make it out of this cave.

(3) On Mount Hebron: The word Hebron means 'covenant.' It was the highest mountain in Israel and there was no easy road to the top; it was uphill all the way. And it's that way with cvenant relationships! They require loyalty regardless of circumstance, truthfulness, regardless of cost, and forgiveness regardless of pain. When we begin to live this way the world will look again to Zion (the Church) for answers, because they'll see God working in us.

Monday, February 18, 2008

A message from the Bible

I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to the men of understanding nor yet favour to the men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all


Ecclesiastes 9: 11

A message from the preacher

I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to the men of understanding nor yet favour to the men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all

Ecclesiastes 9: 11

Monday, February 11, 2008