Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Give Him Your Problems!

"Lessons From Lazarus (2) "

READ : Jn 11:1 NKJV

"Now a certain man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany."

The third lesson is about relinquishment. As long as you believe you can handle the problem on your own, you will not reach for the miracle-working power of God. You have to be in a situation so bad that you pray the prayer of relinquishment: “Lord, I’ve done all I know and things aren’t getting any better. So I’m through trying to fix it. I turn it completely over to You. I don’t know how You’re going to handle it, but I know You love me and want only what’s best for me. So here it is, Lord; it’s all Yours.” This is not a prayer of defeat, it is one of total trust. David wrote: “Though I am surrounded by troubles…The Lord will work out his plans for my life—for your faithful love, O Lord, endures forever” (Ps 138:7-8 NLT).

The pastor of a great church tells of running out of money when they were only halfway through the construction of their new sanctuary. The congregation was growing and there was no doubt that they needed the extra space. But the bank wouldn’t give them any more funds. So the pastor prayed and said, “Lord, personally speaking I don’t need this big building. I already have a place for all my children. You need a place for Yours. I don’t know how You’re going to take care of this, but those are Your kids, Lord, so I’m turning it over to You.” God answered, the money came through, and with a few years they were worshipping in a beautiful sanctuary, debt free. So give your problem to God and don’t take it back!


Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Doing What You're Suppose To Do

Doing What You're Suppose To Do

READ: 1Co 3:13 TLB

"Everyone's work will be put through the fire."

One day an ox said to a mule, “Let’s play sick.” The mule said, “No, we need to get this work done.” The ox played sick and the farmer brought him fresh hay. When the mule came in from plowing the ox asked how things went and the mule said, “Okay.” The ox asked, “What did the farmer say about me?” The mule replied, “Nothing.” The next day the ox played sick again. When the mule came home the ox asked, “How did it go?” The mule said, “Okay.” After a week of this, the ox asked, “Did the farmer say anything about me today?” The mule replied, “Well, he said nothing to me personally, but he stopped and had a long talk with the butcher!” Understand this: you were born to fulfill a divine purpose. When you don’t, there are consequences, both here and in eternity. Paul focused on his calling. Shortly before he was executed he wrote, “I have finished the race” (2Ti 4:7 NIV). Notice, Paul didn’t retire, he “finished!” In the parable of the talents, the man who buried his talent paid a huge price. That’s because in God’s eyes the greatest failure of all is failure to invest the time, talent and treasure He’s given you into His purposes. One day you life will be audited. It’s called “the judgment seat of Christ.” Paul writes: “Everyone’s work will be put through the fire to see whether or not it keeps its value. If the work survives the fire, the builder will receive a reward. But if the work is burned up, the builder will suffer great loss” (see 1Co 3:13-15 NLT).


Monday, August 15, 2011

How To Be A Great Mentor

"Each part...helps the other parts grow."

A good mentor will: (1) Affirm in public, correct in private. Your goal should be to help, not hurt. When you rebuke someone in public you humiliate them, destroying their self-esteem. But when you affirm them in public you build their self-esteem, confidence and incentive. Of course, your praise should be genuine, not just empty words. By affirming sincerely and publicly, you plant the seeds of growth and greatness in the learner. (2) Build an allegiance to relationships, not issues. We tend to build an allegiance either to relationships, or to issues. We become primarily concerned about other people, their feelings, and the relationship, or we become focused on rules, agenda, quotas, tasks and results. A good mentor always puts relationships ahead of issues. In his book, Mentoring: The Strategy of the Master, Ron Lee Davis writes: “My father was that kind of mentor, both in his own family and in the church he pastured for twenty-five years. Many times I heard him say, “The individual is always more important than the issue.” He lived this principle daily and he built it into my life. Today, I try to pass on this principle to others.” God has called each of us to run our race and finish it successfully. He has also called us to keep the torch lit and hand it off to the next runner. Don’t merely be satisfied with doing the job, make sure the job keeps getting done by teaching and training someone else. Jesus, the Master-mentor, said: “The works that I do shall [you] do also; and greater works than these shall [you] do” (Jn 14:12).

Monday, July 18, 2011

God Is Getting You Ready

God Is Getting You Ready

READ: Lk 14:28

"No man builds without counting the cost."

Before God gives you more, He observes you with what you have. Furthermore, when He speaks a word over your life it’s like a seed; it needs time to take root and sprout. If God has planned it for you, don’t get into a hurry. “Wait for it; because it will surely come” (Hab 2:3). Patience develops in us the ability to stand up to the pressures that accompany blessing. Look back; aren’t some of the things you’ve been through, the very things that have equipped you to handle what you have now? Had God given them to you sooner you couldn’t have handled them, and He loves you too much to let that happen. Think: if you’re having difficulty handling criticism from a few people, how would you do if God made you pastor or company president? Are you ready to pay the price? And more importantly, are you able to pay for it? The more God gives you, the more He holds you responsible for. Jesus said: “No man builds without counting the cost.” Sometimes we want things because others have them. You say you want a husband and children, but are you ready to start living sacrificially? You say you need a wife, but are you ready to “give yourself for her” (see Eph 5:25)? Whatever you’re going through today, there’s great peace in knowing that nothing the enemy does can preempt God’s plan. So, “Don’t be impatient for the Lord to act! Keep traveling steadily along his pathway and in due season he will honor you with every blessing” (Ps 37:34 TLB). Rejoice; God is getting you ready.


Friday, July 8, 2011

What Is Your Destiny?

"I am compelled to preach. Woe to me if I do not."

Only when you accept failure as final, are you finally a failure. Any time you learn from failure, you’ve taken a step toward success. You can’t hit a home run unless you step up to the plate and face the pitcher. Baseball legend Babe Ruth hit a record 714 home runs, but he also struck out over 1,300 times. During a low period, an interviewer asked him how he overcame discouragement. He replied, “If I just keep swinging the bat, the law of averages says I’ll catch up. In fact, when I’m in a slump, I feel sorry for the pitcher because I know that sooner or later he’s going to pay for it.” When Benjamin Disraeli attempted to speak in Parliament for the first time they booed him into silence. But he said, “Though I sit down now, the time will come when you will all hear me.” And they did! He became one of Britain’s best orators and prime ministers. Today Disraeli’s critics are forgotten, but his contribution to history lives on. You say, “How can I recognize my destiny?” First, your destiny is a desire that won’t let you go.Paul said: “I am compelled to preach. Woe to me if I do not.” Second, your destiny will be more than a job, it will be joy. The Psalmist said: “I delight to do thy will” (Ps 40:8). Third, your destiny will unlock your creativity. When God called Gideon a “mighty man of valour” (Jdg 6:12), he was hiding in a cave. But God wasn’t addressing his present state, He was speaking to the potential within him. So, what are you called to do?


Wednesday, June 22, 2011

From Bedros K. Love it! You gotta read this!

For me these are the 7 universal truths of success
in all aspects of life:

1) Understand the laws of the universe

This might sound a little woo woo to you, that’s fine with me, but I
can tell you that you’ll ALWAYS get what you deserve in life,
because you always get that which you focus on most – good or bad.

If you’ve seen the movie “The Secret” you might know what I mean.

Sure, you can’t just sit there and wish for millions and expect
the universe to manifest it for you. If that’s what you got from
The Secret then just stop reading this now.

What I can tell you is that you have a lot more control in what you
get in life than you think. Here’s how the universe works… if you
want financial freedom in life, then make it your goal to helps others
get financial freedom.

You want a thriving training business? Help 100 people get into the best
shape of their life and watch what happens… connections happen,
opportunity appear, and business will almost effortlessly grow.

Ever think of an friend and suddenly your paths cross out of the blue?

That’s the universe at work.

2) Relentlessly manage your time and energy

When I was operating my five training facilities I realized that I personally
had two assets that had to be ruthlessly protected if I wanted a successful
training business; my TIME and ENERGY.

If I allowed others to eat up my time with bullshit stuff then I had to barrow
more time from else where, like from my family time.

And if I used up my efforts or energy on trivial stuff that I could have outsourced
for $10/hr then I’d end up putting in half hearted effort in the critical things
that mattered.

Once you prioritize your time and energy, delegate trivial tasks and start
saying NO more often to the things that aren’t aligned with your values,
you’ll get more of what you want out of life, faster.

3) Be a value creator

At our most primal level we are designed to be attracted to those who add
value to our lives, just like we’re designed to repel value extractors, people
who only want to take and take.

Zig Ziglar sums it up best by saying: “help as many people as you can get what
they want, and you’ll get what you want.”

This goes back to #1 above… the law of the universe. Plus it just plain feels
good to add value to the lives of others. If you haven’t noticed, folks are willing
to part with large sums of money if you can demonstrate a REAL value
proposition.

4) Cut out the crabs and energy vampires

Look, we all have these people in our lives, people who are negative,
always criticize, piss on your dreams, are scarcity minded, and
have this bad energy about them that just kills your mojo.

They could be family, friends, co-workers, or a spouse. Harsh words here…
CUT THEM OUT OF YOUR LIFE.

You’ve probably heard this before: You are the average of the five people
who you surround yourself with the most.

5) The burning desire formula

Don’t just want something. Come with the burning desire that hell or high
water YOU will achieve what you set out to achieve.

When I used to dabble in person training I had two other jobs just to
make ends meet.

But once I committed to the thought and lit the fire of burning desire within
me I created the most bad ass personal training business in the area.
I charged the most, we delivered amazing results and practically every client
referred their friends and family to us.

Commit to your idea… don’t just ‘try’ it out.

6) Give a shit

This universal truth is actually the most simple, most powerful, and yet
most misunderstood. Give a shit… I mean truly give a shit about what
you do, the people you work with, your customers and clients, the people
you love and how you interact with them, like REALLY GIVE A SHIT.

It’s easy to act like you give a shit when people are watching, but what
really counts is how you are when no one is watching.

Just look at Facebook. If aliens came down from Mars tomorrow and only
read Facebook status updates on all of us they’d conclude that we’re the
most compassionate, caring, thoughtful and considerate beings in the
solar system.

Why?

Because it’s Facebook and we know that everyone is watching.

You get my point here, right?

7) Be cool

In my late teens and twenties I was a different person; scarcity minded,
blamed others for my failures, and never took personal responsibility.

I was anything but cool.

These days my motto, if I chose to have one, is when in doubt, be cool.
Over deliver on value. Exceeds people’s expectations. Don’t sweat the minor
things. Learn to let go, and take time off to chill.

Live in abundance, be prosperity minded, manage your emotions, and take
personal responsibility.

Like I said, these 7 universal truths have helped in all aspects of life.

Hope one or two of them will do the same for you ;)