Many years ago, I received word in a very unusual way from a very unusual messenger.
The word was that, I had a very great inheritance and that there was a simple but very profound thing I had to grasp in order to take hold of the inheritance
Hhmm….., that is a bit strange, I thought to myself. Me? An inheritance for me? Is this a joke or what? I am just an ordinary guy from a very humble background. Who could possibly have left me a very great inheritance?
Grr, grrr(clearing my throat), excuse me sir - I called to the messengers attention;
Did you say an inheritance for me?
He nodded, twice, in agreement.
Are you really sure? Don’t you think you are in a wrong address? I mean, what’s going on here? Came the rather bemused questions from myself.
Calm down dear, came the reassuring answer from the messenger. In fact he went on to say that the inheritance is incomparable to anything I can imagine, it cannot be measured and neither can I put value to it and that the only thing like he said before, that I need to do is to take hold of something and make sure that it is with me all the time.
At this point, I even became more curious and a little bit frustrated, yet I could not ignore the fact that the messenger, unusual as he was had a message though I couldn’t put my head round it yet.
Ok mister, off with the parables and ‘beating around the bush’ I said, albeit with a sense of nervousness on the inside of me.
First of all, who are you? And what is this thing I need to take hold of?
I am your messenger and the thing you need to hold of, well, it is as silver, purified and refined seven times & you can take hold of it anytime you want and before I could say anything, flash! He was gone.
I was left confused, astonished and frankly, very, very curious.
I thought about those last words: “As silver, purified and refined seven times!”
I could not make sense of it and though very curious, I was very helpless. The messenger had vanished. I tried to imagine something as pure as what the messenger described but it was all blank to me.
Well, I carried on with my life as if nothing happened, but the last words from the messenger kept resonating in my mind from time to time.
A couple of years later, I found myself reading theses words from a very famous book:
“The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times” Psalm 12:6
I was about to read the next sentence, when for some reason unknown to me, I found myself re- reading that line over and over again: The words of the LORD are pure words; as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.
And, bang! Like light bulbs being switched all around me, I had this great epiphany that this were exactly the messengers words to me a couple of years ago.
That is it!!! I almost shouted to the top of my voice, it is the word of the LORD! It holds the key to my inheritance!
It was a moment of great revelation but also one of awe and great humility.
How could something so pure, so potent and so mighty be so freely given and available to all rather than perhaps be reserved for the nobles and the aristocrats. I was deeply humbled to know that I was called to take hold of this great key.
With this great revelation also came an insight as well, that is; to take hold of God’s word is to believe His word without doubt.
I found myself being reminded of the many great men and women of faith who took hold of Gods word; examples among many include; Abraham and the promise to be a father of many nations, Moses when he was to deliver the children of Israel, Noah who listened to the LORD and built the Ark, King David and the promise of the messiah coming from his lineage, Mary who in faith replied to the angles message- let it be to me according to your word, Apostle Paul when the LORD told him that “my grace is sufficient for you” and the list goes on and on.
And, the LORD has never stopped speaking since the day the day He spoke those immortal words in the beginning when darkness was upon the face of the deep: “And God said……” Genesis 1:2
Brothers and sisters, God is still saying something to you and to me this very day, question is, are we listening?
What position does the word of God hold in your life?
God can speak to you through circumstances, through other people, through the bible and a whole host of ways He chooses to. And once you take hold of God’s word, be assured that; you have a great gem in your possession.
Remember,………
“The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times”
You can’t possibly go wrong with such level of tried and tested purity, can you?
I don’t think so.
Thanks for your attention, speak to you soon a gain
Peace & Love
Sterling.
Sunday, 28 August 2011
Sunday, 14 August 2011
How much of yourself do you really know? Do you really know who you are?
If you were suddenly woken up at night and asked who you are, what would your response be? Would you mention your name or would you just stare?
Just sample out 100 people over the next 10 days and ask each and every one of them this question:
Who are you?
The typical reponse you will get will not vary much from the responses below;
I am John Smith (their name), I am the child of God, I am a brother or sister to so & so, I am the director of xyz ltd, I am a teacher, I am a doctor, I am a bus driver, I am a pastor, I am the father of ... , I am the mother of ..... The list goes on and on...
The crucial question though is this; Who are you really? It's worth noting however that, there can only be one you, and no substitute whatsoever.
But,.....
Is it really easy to know oneself?
Well, humanly speaking, I don't think so but it is possible and I will share that insight with you in a minute by the grace of God.
Lets begin first of all by looking at Identity, shall we?
Well, humanly speaking, I don't think so but it is possible and I will share that insight with you in a minute by the grace of God.
Lets begin first of all by looking at Identity, shall we?
Identity is one of the biggest crisis that has pledged the human generation for time immemorial and is not showing any signs of abating its grip on many souls and even more sadly, of being used as a vehicle for attack by the evil one.
You see, once you don't know the truth, especially the truth about who you are, you can easily be deceived and continue to beleive that who you are is for example, what you do for a living or how you identify yourself in your community
The truth though about who you are, only comes by revelation.
Let me relate to you a more detailed identity question(s) I was confronted with one time and the revelations I got in the word of God through the writings of the great men of Faith
Here is the question(s);......
Who am I?
What characterises me (what really makes up my character)?
What relates to my situation (how did I find myself in this situation whether good or bad)?
What is external to me (that which is important or not important to me)
And here are the answers;....
What I am is not at all the same as that which characterises me; nor is what characterises me the same as that which relates to my situation; nor is what relates to my situation the same as that which is external to me.
In each case the one is distinct from the other in the following respects;
- What I am is an image of God manifest in a spiritual, immortal and intelligent soul, having an intellect that is father of my consciousness and that is cosubstantial with the soul and inseparable from it. This does not change.
- That which characterises me, and is regal and sovereign, is the power of intelligence and free will.
- That which relates to my situation is what I may choose in exercising my free will, such as whether to be a farmer, a builder, a cleaner, a doctor, and architect, an accountant, an entrepreneur, a mathematician or a philosopher.
- That which is external to me is whatever relates to my ambitions in this present life, to my class status and worldly wealth, to glory, honour, prosperity and exalted rank, or to their opposites; poverty, dishonour, ignominy and misfortune.The great men of faith say that; when you know yourself you cease from all outward tasks undertaken with a view to serving God and enter into the very sanctuary of God, into the noetic liturgy of the Spirit, the divine haven of dispassion and humility. But until you come to know yourself through humility and spiritual knowledge your life is one of toil and sweat.
The enemy is in the habit of telling you that what is external to you is really the most important and nowadays he does it mostly through media; television adverts/commercials, bad companions, peer pressure and in all sorts of ways and they may all seem to be okay to you. No harm, it is not alt all evil you may say to yourself. You should however remember that the scriptures say that the devil is capable of transforming himself into an angel of light(2 Corinthians 11:140) and try to seduce us in what seemingly seems innocent and normal.
Question then is,.....
What should we do when the devil transforms himself into an angel of light and tries to seduce us with external things?
Answer,.....
You need great discrimination in order to distinguish between good and evil.
Answer,.....
You need great discrimination in order to distinguish between good and evil.
Do not therefor readily or lightly put your trust in appearances, but weigh things well, and after testing everything carefully cleave to what is good and reject what is evil (1 Thessalonians 5:21-22)
You must test and discriminate before you give credence to anything. Realise that truth is not evinced by looks, gestures or words, and God reposes not in these things but in a contrite heart, a humble spirit and a soul illumined by the knowledge of God.
You must also be aware that the effects of grace are self evident, and that even if the devil does transform himself he cannot produce these effects: he cannot for example induce you to be gentle, or forbearing, or humble, or joyful, or serene, or stable in your thoughts; he can not make you hate what is worldly, or cut sensual indulgence and the working of the passions as grace does. He produces vanity, haughtiness, cowardice and every kind of evil.
Thus you can tell from its effects whether the light shinning in your soul is from God or from satan. The lettuce is similar in appearance to the endive, and vinegar to wine; but when you taste them, the palate discerns and recognises the differences between each. In the same way the soul, if it possesses the power of discrimination, can distinguish with its noetic sense between the gifts of the Holy Spirit and the illusions of satan.
You must test and discriminate before you give credence to anything. Realise that truth is not evinced by looks, gestures or words, and God reposes not in these things but in a contrite heart, a humble spirit and a soul illumined by the knowledge of God.
You must also be aware that the effects of grace are self evident, and that even if the devil does transform himself he cannot produce these effects: he cannot for example induce you to be gentle, or forbearing, or humble, or joyful, or serene, or stable in your thoughts; he can not make you hate what is worldly, or cut sensual indulgence and the working of the passions as grace does. He produces vanity, haughtiness, cowardice and every kind of evil.
Thus you can tell from its effects whether the light shinning in your soul is from God or from satan. The lettuce is similar in appearance to the endive, and vinegar to wine; but when you taste them, the palate discerns and recognises the differences between each. In the same way the soul, if it possesses the power of discrimination, can distinguish with its noetic sense between the gifts of the Holy Spirit and the illusions of satan.
So, to know yourself means that you must guard yourself diligently from everything external to you; it means respite from worldly concerns and cross-examination of your conscience. In other words, things like; status, worldly wealth, poverty, prosperity, misfortune etc, should not define who you are and you must make a conscious decision not to allow such things define who you are.
You must test and discriminate before you give credence to anything, your identity lies in God.
Speak to you soon,
Peace & Love
Sterling
Thursday, 19 May 2011
Can you stand to your feet? Or would you rather continue sitting down.
I am sure most of you are wondering and asking yourselves, hmmm..., what kind of question is this?
Well, I am glad I got you thinking.
My question put in other words is: Can you be respected, appreciated, admired and consulted as a role model?
Our society is gone haywire. Morals are flying off through the windows of homes and corporate organisations, super injunctions seem to be the order of the day and sheer self indulgence and lack of self control seem to rule the masses.
What I am about to share with you will, inspire some of you and for others, it might make no difference. Whatever it will be, we as abody of Christ need to truly live as the salt of the earth and light of the world.
It's all about INTEGRITY.
Integrity is perhaps the foremost differentiator of your long term sustained success and a very fundamental aspect of a truly remarkable and excellent character.
Integrity bestows upon you; honour, admiration, respect, goodwill, favour and a truly lasting success and legacy.
Without integrity, trust is very difficult to build and without trust, no meaningful relationships can stand the test of time. All that will be eminent will be treachery and betrayal of all sorts.
A life of integrity is a choice. It calls for a commitment to excellence, love for all and hatred for none.
And,...
It involves performing your moral, ethical & legal duties justly and, fulfilling your personal and or business commitments. It's really a question of being one with your word both in private and in public.
None of us is perfect. However, I believe we all have a moral obligation to lead exemplary lives, both in word and deed.
Folks who particularly hold positions of prominence in society, be it in government or private sector, should use those positions to champion moral good and promote ethics and discipline. it shouldn't be used for careless self indulgence and promotion of moral decay.
Any position of trust is to be honoured and respected. And I believe all of us hold positions of trust relative to somebody or something. Betrayal of trust often has devastating consequences for all parties concerned.
Among those whom I have observed and admire because of their integrity, I do notice that, there are certain common aspects that I can see consistently in them.
Namely;
They say what they mean and mean what they say most of the time. Its is plain, simple and clear.
They demonstrate high levels of humility. They are so polite in the way they deal with people, they treat others with kindness, courtesy, and respect.
They understand that relationships are very important. They nature their relationships and saw good things(time & effort) into them.
Integrity can be emulated, and their is one person I believe who can be a perfect role model for these purpose.
The only person I believe who lived a life of complete/absolute integrity is the LORD Jesus Christ. And, any of us at any time in any place will do well to emulate Him. In fact, he does invite us to do so! Question is, will we?
I hope so.
Peace & Love
Sterling
Well, I am glad I got you thinking.
My question put in other words is: Can you be respected, appreciated, admired and consulted as a role model?
Our society is gone haywire. Morals are flying off through the windows of homes and corporate organisations, super injunctions seem to be the order of the day and sheer self indulgence and lack of self control seem to rule the masses.
What I am about to share with you will, inspire some of you and for others, it might make no difference. Whatever it will be, we as abody of Christ need to truly live as the salt of the earth and light of the world.
It's all about INTEGRITY.
Integrity is perhaps the foremost differentiator of your long term sustained success and a very fundamental aspect of a truly remarkable and excellent character.
Integrity bestows upon you; honour, admiration, respect, goodwill, favour and a truly lasting success and legacy.
Without integrity, trust is very difficult to build and without trust, no meaningful relationships can stand the test of time. All that will be eminent will be treachery and betrayal of all sorts.
A life of integrity is a choice. It calls for a commitment to excellence, love for all and hatred for none.
And,...
It involves performing your moral, ethical & legal duties justly and, fulfilling your personal and or business commitments. It's really a question of being one with your word both in private and in public.
None of us is perfect. However, I believe we all have a moral obligation to lead exemplary lives, both in word and deed.
Folks who particularly hold positions of prominence in society, be it in government or private sector, should use those positions to champion moral good and promote ethics and discipline. it shouldn't be used for careless self indulgence and promotion of moral decay.
Any position of trust is to be honoured and respected. And I believe all of us hold positions of trust relative to somebody or something. Betrayal of trust often has devastating consequences for all parties concerned.
Among those whom I have observed and admire because of their integrity, I do notice that, there are certain common aspects that I can see consistently in them.
Namely;
They say what they mean and mean what they say most of the time. Its is plain, simple and clear.
They demonstrate high levels of humility. They are so polite in the way they deal with people, they treat others with kindness, courtesy, and respect.
They understand that relationships are very important. They nature their relationships and saw good things(time & effort) into them.
Integrity can be emulated, and their is one person I believe who can be a perfect role model for these purpose.
The only person I believe who lived a life of complete/absolute integrity is the LORD Jesus Christ. And, any of us at any time in any place will do well to emulate Him. In fact, he does invite us to do so! Question is, will we?
I hope so.
Peace & Love
Sterling
Tuesday, 21 December 2010
How silently,...the wondrous gift is given
The title above is taken from third stanza of the popular carol - O little town of Bethlehem written by Rector Philips Brooks(1835-1905) of Philadelphia following a pilgrimage to the Holy land.
The second stanza of this carol is particularly reminiscent of the current season we are celebrating - Christmas, here are some excerpts of it:
For Christ is born of Mary....
O morning stars together
Proclaim the holy birth
And praises sing to God the King
And Peace to men on earth
Great lyrics, wouldn't you agree? Certainly.
For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace(Isaiah 9:6)
It is a blessing to be grateful for the continuous outpouring of God's Love and mercy which can not be merited but given by grace(of which we celebrate on this occasion of Christmas).
Lets get more enlightenment from the hand of Apostle Paul. shall we?
O yes! here we go...
When the fullness of time was come, God sent forth His son, made of a woman, under the law to redeem them that were under the law that we may receive the adoption of sons(Gal 4:4)
Man O man! What a great inheritance we have in Christ Jesus! It's immeasurable.
This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners(1Timothy 1:5)
For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men(Titus 2:11)
Lets stand fast therefore in the liberty where with Christ has made us free and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage(Galatians 5:1). Lets by Love serve each other, bear one another's burdens and so fulfil the law of Christ. For He has given us a new commandment; that we should Love one another as he has loved us. The scriptures say he loved His own which were in the world, He loved them unto the end(John 13:1b)
And in this season of Christmas and indeed at all times and in all places, lets not be weary in well doing; for in due season we shall reap if we faint not. As we have therefore opportunity, lets do good to all men especially those who are of the household of faith(Galatians 6:9-10)
And whatsoever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the LORD Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by Him(Colosians 3:17)
And...
As the new year dawns, may it bring your way joy unspeakable and refreshing and fruitful seasons in your life and family.
May God grant you according to the riches of His glory to be strengthened with might by His Spirit in your inner man, and may you by the abounding grace of God always have all sufficiency in all things that you may abound to every good work.
Merry Christmas to you.
Peace & love
Sterling libs
The second stanza of this carol is particularly reminiscent of the current season we are celebrating - Christmas, here are some excerpts of it:
For Christ is born of Mary....
O morning stars together
Proclaim the holy birth
And praises sing to God the King
And Peace to men on earth
Great lyrics, wouldn't you agree? Certainly.
For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace(Isaiah 9:6)
It is a blessing to be grateful for the continuous outpouring of God's Love and mercy which can not be merited but given by grace(of which we celebrate on this occasion of Christmas).
Lets get more enlightenment from the hand of Apostle Paul. shall we?
O yes! here we go...
When the fullness of time was come, God sent forth His son, made of a woman, under the law to redeem them that were under the law that we may receive the adoption of sons(Gal 4:4)
Man O man! What a great inheritance we have in Christ Jesus! It's immeasurable.
This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners(1Timothy 1:5)
For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men(Titus 2:11)
Lets stand fast therefore in the liberty where with Christ has made us free and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage(Galatians 5:1). Lets by Love serve each other, bear one another's burdens and so fulfil the law of Christ. For He has given us a new commandment; that we should Love one another as he has loved us. The scriptures say he loved His own which were in the world, He loved them unto the end(John 13:1b)
And in this season of Christmas and indeed at all times and in all places, lets not be weary in well doing; for in due season we shall reap if we faint not. As we have therefore opportunity, lets do good to all men especially those who are of the household of faith(Galatians 6:9-10)
And whatsoever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the LORD Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by Him(Colosians 3:17)
And...
As the new year dawns, may it bring your way joy unspeakable and refreshing and fruitful seasons in your life and family.
May God grant you according to the riches of His glory to be strengthened with might by His Spirit in your inner man, and may you by the abounding grace of God always have all sufficiency in all things that you may abound to every good work.
Merry Christmas to you.
Peace & love
Sterling libs
Tuesday, 7 December 2010
Here is how to be an Achiever
What does success mean to you, if I may ask? Whatever it is, soon or later you will realise that if you want success, you have to take action and go for it.
Being action oriented and results focused will do a lot to keep you on track in your path to achieving your well desired and deserved goals.
The bottom line is that, you are responsible for the results you achieve in life. Not the government, not your parents, not your friends, not your mother in law. No, none of them. YOU are responsible. You are the common denominator to both your triumphs and your mess-up’s.
Day in and day out, a lot of people realise their dreams while yet a lot shatter theirs. The gift of 'today' is a great gift. The truth is every day is the perfect day to do the right thing, to pursue your dreams, to take action, to begin.
Brian Tracy truly encapsulates this notion of the achiever in his piece of writing; “10 steps to Success”. I will quote them here for you.
“1. Start by clarifying the dream. Dream it big, dream it often, and always in living colour! Imagine the problems, the benefits, the skills you’ll need the people you’ll meet along the way. Dream often and dream the details.
2. Create a plan. What will your dream cost? How will it work? How long will it take? Who will help you get there? How will you solve the challenges, overcome the obstacles, and become the person you’ll need to become to reach your goal?
3. Reach out. We live in an amazing time. You can write, phone, fax, or email just about anyone on earth! Consult with experts. Talk to people who have achieved whatever you want to achieve. Truly successful people are usually delighted to show others the way. Make the calls.
4 Tell others. There is no substitute for talking about your dreams. Saying the words makes them powerful. Talk about where you want to go, what you want to do, and who you will become. And as a benefit, you will discover people who will help you along the way.
5. Take action. No matter what your dream, there is a step you can take today. If you are serious, there is someone you can call or write to. There is a book you can read, or some action that will start you on the path. Steven Spielberg snuck into movie lots as a teenager, just to look around. What action will you take today?
6. Set deadlines. Set deadlines for each of your small/big, personal/official, long-term/short-term task AND always try to finish the task by that deadline.
7. Eliminate distractions. This is the tough one, and a favourite excuse of the “almost successful”. Successful people eliminate the distractions of life. Combine errands, delegate tasks, hire people to do things you don’t want to do. Simplify your life and never waste time. Turn off the TV (and some time also the computer)
8. Invest wisely. Successful people understand that their dreams will require an investment of time or money or energy and they are prepared to pay the price. Whatever your dream, it will require some risk, and some investment. Make the investment.
9. Create room for success. All of us are doing something every moment of every day, and making your dreams come true will require some adjustments. Whether it’s adjusting your schedule, your finances, or your use of energy, you’ll have to make room for success.
10. Have a mentor/coach. Whether you hire a professional coach or find a local expert, or a cyber friend. Successful people have coaches. There are very few “self made” successes! We all need someone to believe in us, someone to encourage, challenge and applaud us. Develop a close, working relationship with a coach who can show you the way to your dreams!
Success is no accident. Success is always the result of our best efforts. It is the result of investing”.
May I add that, prayer is very, very essential in helping you achieve your goals. The whole of life, in all its manifestations, must be permeated by prayer. But its secret is Love for the Lord.
Peace & Love
Libs
Being action oriented and results focused will do a lot to keep you on track in your path to achieving your well desired and deserved goals.
The bottom line is that, you are responsible for the results you achieve in life. Not the government, not your parents, not your friends, not your mother in law. No, none of them. YOU are responsible. You are the common denominator to both your triumphs and your mess-up’s.
Day in and day out, a lot of people realise their dreams while yet a lot shatter theirs. The gift of 'today' is a great gift. The truth is every day is the perfect day to do the right thing, to pursue your dreams, to take action, to begin.
Brian Tracy truly encapsulates this notion of the achiever in his piece of writing; “10 steps to Success”. I will quote them here for you.
“1. Start by clarifying the dream. Dream it big, dream it often, and always in living colour! Imagine the problems, the benefits, the skills you’ll need the people you’ll meet along the way. Dream often and dream the details.
2. Create a plan. What will your dream cost? How will it work? How long will it take? Who will help you get there? How will you solve the challenges, overcome the obstacles, and become the person you’ll need to become to reach your goal?
3. Reach out. We live in an amazing time. You can write, phone, fax, or email just about anyone on earth! Consult with experts. Talk to people who have achieved whatever you want to achieve. Truly successful people are usually delighted to show others the way. Make the calls.
4 Tell others. There is no substitute for talking about your dreams. Saying the words makes them powerful. Talk about where you want to go, what you want to do, and who you will become. And as a benefit, you will discover people who will help you along the way.
5. Take action. No matter what your dream, there is a step you can take today. If you are serious, there is someone you can call or write to. There is a book you can read, or some action that will start you on the path. Steven Spielberg snuck into movie lots as a teenager, just to look around. What action will you take today?
6. Set deadlines. Set deadlines for each of your small/big, personal/official, long-term/short-term task AND always try to finish the task by that deadline.
7. Eliminate distractions. This is the tough one, and a favourite excuse of the “almost successful”. Successful people eliminate the distractions of life. Combine errands, delegate tasks, hire people to do things you don’t want to do. Simplify your life and never waste time. Turn off the TV (and some time also the computer)
8. Invest wisely. Successful people understand that their dreams will require an investment of time or money or energy and they are prepared to pay the price. Whatever your dream, it will require some risk, and some investment. Make the investment.
9. Create room for success. All of us are doing something every moment of every day, and making your dreams come true will require some adjustments. Whether it’s adjusting your schedule, your finances, or your use of energy, you’ll have to make room for success.
10. Have a mentor/coach. Whether you hire a professional coach or find a local expert, or a cyber friend. Successful people have coaches. There are very few “self made” successes! We all need someone to believe in us, someone to encourage, challenge and applaud us. Develop a close, working relationship with a coach who can show you the way to your dreams!
Success is no accident. Success is always the result of our best efforts. It is the result of investing”.
May I add that, prayer is very, very essential in helping you achieve your goals. The whole of life, in all its manifestations, must be permeated by prayer. But its secret is Love for the Lord.
Peace & Love
Libs
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