Complementing or Competing

Sometime ago, I was thinking about  a couple; the wife is a fast talker, high achiever and self-motivated. The husband is more of a 'home' person, he has his own business and they both are doing well.  He seems to be happy with whatever makes his wife happy and really does not have exceptionally lofty dreams. His wife is ambitious constantly working on one new project or the other. Their lives are fascinating because they just seem to have a high level of understanding. The wife understands her husband's nature and seems to always make time for whatever makes him happy too. It makes me wonder, how come some people find it easy to understand each other while others never seem to speak the same language talkless of understanding what either party is saying.

To complement means to add to, enhance, improve or bring to completion. The question to ask is do you complement your spouse, are you a team player at work or can you function with other people when working on a project at church or in any other group you belong? Is it always your aim to outshine (nothing wrong with that please), win, be the centre of attention at the expense of others? Do you enjoy listening to yourself talk and scarcely tolerate a word or two from others? Evaluation and review bring improvement. So it will only be logical to bring our personal lives under evaluation so as to improve.

 

Competition on the other hand  means; rivalry for supremacy, contest for some prize, honor or advantage. When the Lord dropped this in my heart I said but there are some competitions that are healthy... Yes, perhaps at work for fun or at home. Maybe if you have a business then you do have to engage in competition. However, we are considering this topic from the perspective of our home, work and ministry. A godly home shouls be void of any form of rivalry for supremacy, God is not an author of confusion and such He has given us a pattern of how things should work. The man is the head, the woman the help meet. Every couple should figure out how to form a strong team and war against the enemy not against each other. This means am not allowed to compete with my spouse in terms of: education, possession and material things etc.

Psalms 133:1-3 NKJV

"Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!

It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard: that went down to

the skirts of his garments;

As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountain of Zion; for there the Lord commanded the blessing,

even life for evermore". 

 

At work, you are required to demonstrate team work, emotional intelligence, hardly does any organization want to hire you just because of what you know these days! You are expected to know how to work with others. If you and I swallow our egos and pride to function outside, why can we not do that at home? Charity begins at home... Husbands and wives, siblings, friends, ministry partners, we get a lot done by complementing(improve, enhance, add to and bring to completion) ourselves than by competition. God expects us to honor one another and if I rival with someone else to attain honor or advantage, I do not advance the kingdom of God. The word of God expects you to prefer another in place of honor. 

A level of humility is required to be able to complement others especially if you think you know better or your are more experienced! Do it anyhow to promote peace. May this new month usher in unspeakable joy, peace, abundance in all areas of your life in Jesus name.

 

Altering the Norm

I come from a culture where people have an explanation for every occurence. However, anytime a situation defers explanation, people will say; that is destiny! It cannot be changed. Premature death, generational curses, failure at the edge of success, barreness and so on are somethings that people link up to destiny, may your destiny not be destoyed or derailed in Jesus name. The story of a man that most of us know encourages us to face any peculiar situation with the boldness that comes from the power of prayer to the God of Israel.

 

I Chronicles 4: 9 - 10 NLT;

"There was a man named Jabez who was more honorable than any of his brothers. His mother named him Jabez^[c] because his birth had been so painful. ¹⁰ He was the one who prayed to the God of Israel, “Oh, that you would bless me and expand my territory! Please be with me in all that I do, and keep me from all trouble and pain!” And God granted him his request.

 

When people look at your situation, to them it seems hopeless and they try to console you in human wisdom, giving examples and talking about how you can cope or manage with an unpleasant situation,you are the one who will have to pray and keep praying to the God of Israel! God has given us access by the blood of Jesus to ask and receive in the name of Jesus. Jabez could have coined a pet name for himself so people will not know his full name... What situation are you battling with and it seems there is no way out, you trace your lineage and the evidence is glaring, you look around you and it seems none of your relations has been able to win this particular battle. You are being told that is how it is, just learn to live with it!

 

Jabez sought a solution to alter what seemed to be the norm. His birth was painful, so he had to bear that  signage of a name that repels people wherever he turned to for the rest of his life as if he caused it! Are you paying for a crime you knew nothing about just by being associated to the perpetrator; parents, spouse, family? Then it is your turn to call on the God of Israel to change  the ugly situation that wants to become normal in your life.

 

Perhaps you are from a polygamous family and when you gave your life to Christ you thought that aspect of my life is over, now I can have a marriage that is planned God's way. The enemy seems to be mocking you by the civil war going on in your home and you seem to have no control over it. The best time to rise in the place of prayer is now and alter the norm.

 

The Lord is a very present help in times of trouble! Keep calling him, he does not ignore or forsake and He will grant your request just as He did Jabez's.

Prisoners of Hope

How many times have we petitioned God over and over about a particular issue and it seems that He just does not want to respond? For some not so pressing, non-time sensitive issues, it is easy to hold on and keep our faith. However, when they are glaring and issues that can bring embarrassment unto us, we tend to lose hope and seek alternatives. Most of the time, our alternatives bring nothing but trouble and guess where we return to? God's presence and often we return with baggages...

When you trust God for a marriage partner and you are well over forty years, your options are limited and you just can't go grab a man/woman on the streets, if you make such move, you are bound to miss it, you are back to square one! Whatever you are hoping for; job, healing, a child, restoration in your marriage or finances, you need to hold on fast to your faith, God does not fail neither does He abandon or ridicule His own. I have seen one too many people who have hastened to help God only to be back asking Him to help them clean up their messes! We have an assurance that cannot fail in the word of God: Zechariah 9:12

 Return to the stronghold,
 You prisoners of hope.
 Even today I declare
 That I will restore double to you.

Prisoners of hope are those who have committed all unto God, so whether alive or dead, they continue to hope in God. These ones do not seek their own ways to make things happen and then return to God to clean up after them. Rather they trust God's faithfulness enough to come through for them.

Psalms 31:24  NKJ Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart, All you who hope in the LORD.

 

Are you a prisoner of hope? Have you given up on your marriage, that seemingly troublesome child or your business? He has the ability to restore all that you have lost as well as your dignity. Does this mean you shouldnt make effort where you need to? No! It means do not allow the anxiety of what tomorrow will bring to waste the strength of today!  Be assured that God will never fail you, as He has said so shall He do regardless of what you see or what humans say. Hold on do not lose faith, God will surely repay you double for your trouble!

Best Form of Revenge

Have you ever been betrayed, disappointed, rejected, slighted or treated with disdain? Maybe you had relatives who were better than you when younger and your family was one that needed 'handout'. You remember how you were not wanted by friends because you didnt not belong or your in-laws treated you badly because you could not conceive. Maybe you had a very strong accent and some co-workers are always out to ridicule you. The list is almost limitless when you consider what we do to one another in terms of being mean. Do you as a Christian treat others badly? Then that is not the nature of Christ, we His children and should reflect His nature.

If you fit any of the scenarios above and God has elevated you, what is your first instinct towards those who were nasty to you? Remember vengeance and payback is mine says the Lord, Deut. 32:35.

I discovered that the best form of revenge is not paying back in the same token but to do well for yourself. If someone had said you will not amount to anything or that you are over ambitious because of your family history, you do not have to live their self-fulfilling prophesy and remain at the level they imagine you should be. Remember Joseph; he had dreams but nobody believed him, the devil went to all heights to make sure his dreams did not come to pass. His own siblings were the ones who sold him into slavery hoping that he would die or become a slave at best.

 

Joseph played a key role in emerging out of that situation even in slavery; he distinguished himself, Portiphar does not second guess or look over his work, in prison he was in charge. The focus here is when he had sailed through and broken the chains of Egypt around his neck. Genesis 45: 4-5 The Message

"Come closer to me," Joseph said to his brothers. They came closer. "I am Joseph your brother whom you sold into Egypt. But don't feel badly, don't blame yourselves for selling me. God was behind it. God sent me here ahead of you to save lives."

 

When we have been treated badly, slighted or disrespected, it is easy to "execute" vengeance upon the perpetrators, giving them a dose of their own medicine. However, that brings us to the same level as those people. Joseph was able to see the good in the evil that his siblings planned for him, He recognized the hand of the Lord in his promotion and elevation. When we allow bitterness and anger to continue because of the way we were treated in the pass, we not only entangle ourselves with the way of the world but give the enemy an inroad into our lives. So whether you are going through a rough time or you went through it in the past, learn to look beyond that and deal well with those who have treated you badly...they meant it for evil but God has turned it out for your good. Afterall, God has been good to you in bringing you beyond the limitation they set in place for you. So it if it is your spouse? The grace of God is sufficient for you to live above that, forgive, commit your way unto the Lord and strive to attain a higher height in your calling in life. Human beings can scarcely argue with result or evidence... If you do well for yourself, no one can look down upon you but rather look up to you. So the best form of revenge is do exceedingly well and move beyond the hurts, limitations and betrayal. God's got your back!

 

More than a Song...

My church just concluded our annual Destined For Distinction Conference; each week we had a  guest Minister who ministered; prayer, healing, spiritual motivation and music concert to round up the conference on the last Friday of September. However, on Thanksgiving Sunday, the last day of their ministeration; Midnight Crew team was called up to minister, phew! the lights went out in the whole of the church neighbourhood! Of course those who knew about electricity went into action; we thought it was an overload of some sort. However, after about five to ten minutes, Patricia of Midnight crew started leading worship, no intruments, no microphone just our voices! Her voice could only carry so far, she enjoined everyone to connect with God in their own way, everybody went on their knees, faces to worship God. It was awesome as the presence of God was almost tangible! We all had to come into a place of intimacy, no jamboree! After sometime, lights were restored but you could tell that each one of us had exprienced God Himself and not Midnight crew! This Crew members were worshippers and not entertainers!

I was touched in a different way and I knew that God requires more than a song, offering,tithe or our time in activities or department where we function in our various churches! God desires our worship, fellowship and focus. When no one is watching or present, are we able to connect with God or do we require an audience, microphone or drums to worship Him?

Little wonder Jesus told the woman by well in John 4:23-24 NKJ

"But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. ²⁴ God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” 

 

God called you to be His own and He expects you to worship Him without any reservation. It is not about anyone else, God expects you to worship Him without distraction; physical, emotional or psychological. The next time it is worship time, position yourself to be blessed, praise Him, Love Him, appreciate Him for what He has done and would yet do. Often times, what is yet to be is a major distraction to worshipping God! God is King over all the earth and we should worship Him as such. Have you ever been to the palace of an earthly king and see how homage is being paid? Earthly kings give gifts to those who praise them, eulogise them and make them feel good. God deserves much more than that! He is the King who rules on High! The understanding and knowledge of the fact that God has all our needs and wants enable us to come into the place where He alone is. God looks beyond our dancing and singing, He sees the reins of our heart and is able to judge if what we do is carnal or true. Only when we worship Him as He deserves can we obtain whatever we want from Him. Lets remember this song and return to the heart of worship.

When the music fades and all is stripped away,

And I simply come, longing just to bring

Something that's of worth, that will bless your heart

I bring you more than a song

For a song in itself is not way you have required

You search much deeper within, through the way things appear

You're  looking into my heart...

 

God bless you and keep you as you have a God-centred week. May your desire be granted as you Worship Him.

 

Blessings.