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Time and tide, they say, waits for no man. We are all given 24 hours for each day and when it is gone, it can never be regained. So learn to use time wisely. In this write up, I am particular about the folks who want their life to count for now and eternity. Those who want to fulfil God’s purposes for their lives and have the fulfilment that they are on course for the destinies in God to be fulfilled. By that I mean whatever God has designed for their lives to contribute that is what they want too. We are looking at four different aspects of this journey called life and see how we can be encouraged to pursue this walk of faith to fulfil our part in the eternal plans of God for our lives. They are: 1. Motive and Focus 2. Existing preconceptions 3. Faith to participate with God 4. The role of relationships Motive and Focus Why you do what you do will eventually determine what you do. Our motives are our reasons for doing what we do. When motives are wrong, results are not usually what we expect them to be. Wrong motives affect the eternal quality of what we do. When the bible says our works will be tested, one of the biggest tests will be our motives. The true or correct motive should be our love for God. If you love Me keep my commandments. God says to us. We will delight to do His will if we love Him. Whenever things go wrong one of the areas we all seem to need correction is usually in our motive area. Because of the fallen nature we tend to be selfish and greedy. Let the love of God replace those vices in us and do it because we love God and His people. Our focus is the mental image we carry that inspires our actions. We should look unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith. He ran the race and finished His course; let Him inspire you to do the same. Receive grace to change in these areas and watch your contribution into peoples lives go to another level. If your motives have been wrong, do not stop the good you are doing simply change your motive and go on. PRECONCEPTIONS AFFECT OUR FOCUS A concept is that which governs our thought patterns and usually overrides other opinions and provides the underlying structure for our actions and behavioural patterns. When Apostle Paul wrote that we should not allow the world to squeeze us into its mould, the idea is that the world will deposit its concepts in us so that these will in turn govern our thoughts, actions and sense of progress. When the same apostle warns about the warfare going on inside our minds in 2 Cor. 10:3-5, we are to pull down strongholds cast down imaginations, high things and bring every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. (I recommend the message titled “Winning our warfare” a 4 part series available on our website www.wisdomestore.com or www.fowm.org). More recent translations use the word preconceptions and arguments for strongholds and high things. The singular effect of the fall of man is that it created in man a desire for independence from God. We have our independent judgements, opinions and thoughts and these mainly flow from our natures and nurture (environmental factors and upbringing). When God’s Word comes to us it meets with these preconceptions and they tend to reduce or completely nullify the effect that God’s word could have had on us. Who would have thought that Joseph’s incarceration after a righteous act of not yielding to his master’s wife would be met with seeming silence from God? He went to prison and God’s judgement did not fall from heaven to destroy the lady who wanted to cheat on her husband. Rather the innocent went to jail for doing what was right. You see our concept of right and wrong can affect our perspectives in life. This is why forgiveness is hard on us; love in its purest motive is strange to the fallen nature, and really why we should keep the level of our yieldedness to God to be a high priority in our spiritual walk. We need faith in God to participate with His plans. FAITH We need to develop our faith in God’s wisdom, God’s ways and God’s power. Many consider faith for only one aspect of faith; faith to receive from God. They do not know that there is faith to refuse too. In Hebrews 11 we are told some refused deliverance through their faith. Faith is actually our tool to participate with God, for His plans to be executed on earth. It will entail believing, acting and speaking His word. Faith is involved in seeing what God sees so when we say what He has said, we are on the same wavelength. Many major on one aspect of faith. The aspect we major on is faith for receiving; some have gone beyond that to have faith for the giving side of it. If the truth be known, faith is a lifestyle that respects, reckons, obeys, honours and applies God’s Word to any and every situation. It takes faith to say “If God does not deliver, we will still serve Him.” The 3 Hebrew children were ready to lay down their lives for the belief they had in their God. I wonder how many in the church today will joyfully preach when persecution scatters them. Without faith it is impossible to please God. Pleasing God is the real goal of faith. RELATIONSHIPS This is the testing pot for our maturity in God. There are many things that will not come to anyone of us except through the right relationships. Others are vital to your destiny walk. Growing up, crucifying the flesh, resisting the enemy are all involved in dealing with and building the right relationships. Many back off when things go wrong in relationships as if it’s having a relationship with God alone that matters. Yes the relationship with God is the most important but next to it is relationship with the ones God has put in your life. If there is an aspect that seems to go unattended to in prayers as it should, it is in area of relationships amongst the saints of God. David learnt some things from Jonathan, King Saul’s son. Every right relationship around you has a contribution to make into your life and you have something to contribute into theirs. (Check out my wife’s Relationship series of messages on our website).  Rev. Kola Ewuosho  --------------------------------------------------------------------- Please visit our various websites for further studies, view/listen to clips of our latest messages and order products online. You can also refer your friends to our websites: www.fowm.org www.cybermessages.info www.dtnbroadcast.org www.kolaewuosho.com www.wisdomestore.com Streaming Faith Network Fountain of Wisdom Podcast Live Radio Webcast Live TV (Video) Webcast |
Author Rev. Kola Ewuosho on 10th July, 2009. 15:52
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