Put off the old and put on the new

As I sat down at my desk trying to put the weekly bulletin together, my laptop started its usual “wahala”.

 The screen began to flicker, after about a few taps on the back, I finally had an “a-ha” moment.

A few years ago, my dad had given me his laptop when I asked him for a laptop. After about two years the laptop started acting up, the screen would flicker from time to time and finally one day it went completely “bonkers”. Thankfully I had been working off my flash drive and was able to save most of my documents.  My mum took the laptop to the computer village to fix it and they were able to sort it out.

During this period, the office had bought a brand new laptop for the department. The only challenge with this new laptop is that the application installed is Windows 8. Rather than taking time out to learn how the new and improved version works, I reverted to my old laptop. Today I had to climb a fleet of stairs carrying my two laptops. So what really is my problem? Why would I rather tap my old laptop on the back than take time to experience the joys of the new laptop?

I believe this is how we are with regards to our Christian walk. There are many things that are ours due to Christ sacrifice on the cross, things such as forgiveness, health, peace, joy, prosperity etc. However many of us choose the old way of life. Some of us try the new life but still hold onto aspects of the old life. We would rather stick to the old covenant than transfer to the new covenant. This thing called Grace is just too difficult to understand so we would rather stick to works and the law. If this is you, I implore you to put off the old way of life and come into the blessings of the new covenant. Christ has done exceedingly and abundantly above all we could ever imagine or hope for.

Do it Afraid

“Do it afraid, jump and build your wings on the way down”

Paul Martinelli

I procrastinated writing this article for a very longtime. My excuse has been that I am not ready; I need to get a few things in place. However, I would never be ready, things would never be perfect. I just have to do it and do it afraid too. While I am waiting for everything to be perfect, someone else is learning from their mistakes.

So I chose this topic because I’m currently living it and also I feel it is something everybody can relate to. To be honest, my first public speaking engagement was on the topic and I figured it’d be easy to just write about it.

What comes to mind when you think of the topic “Doing it Afraid”?  FEAR right? Well, that’s exactly what it is.

What is fear?

You may have heard that FEAR is the acronym for False Evidence Appearing Real, which is exactly what it is. Recently, I was listening to a podcast from one of my mentors Terri Savelle Foy and she told a hilarious story. Basically, every morning around 5am she goes jogging around a particular path which she really likes. One morning a group of women stopped her abruptly, and said she shouldn’t go down her usual route  because there was a skunk there that could attack her. She thought to herself that there was no way she was going to get attacked by a skunk. As such she decided to change her path and started jogging round another path. After a few days, she really missed her original path because this new route was narrow and not as nice. So she thought to herself, “what if those ladies were lying?” So that morning she proceeded on her original path. As she was jogging, she saw a black object with white stripes and she freaked out. She ran for her life, even dropping her phone in the process and praying silently. Anyway, later that morning she was driving out with her daughter and saw the same object in the same position. She wondered why the skunk hadn’t moved an inch and decided to take a closer look. Upon getting there, she realized it was a baseball and not a skunk. Surely the FEAR of the skunk had prevented her from following the path she loved dearly and received the most pleasure.

What are the types of fear people face?

1.      Fear of failure: “What if I fall? What if you fly?”

Trust me when I say it is okay to fail, failure is a necessary part of the process to success. Peter Drucker says “fail fast, fail first and fail often.” We are created to learn by failure. How does a baby learn how to walk? The child tries to stand up, falls down, tries again, takes a few steps, falls down again, and before you know it the child is running around. The only way you know how to do anything is to fail at it. Then, from the previous experiences, you would know how not to do it.

Most of the world’s most successful people were experts at failing. Walt Disney was fired by a newspaper editor because he “lacked imagination and had no good ideas.” This is just one of the many setbacks he faced in life. When he tried to get MGM studios to distribute Mickey Mouse in 1927, he was told the idea wouldn’t work that a giant mouse on the screen would terrify women. Bill Gates and Steve Jobs dropped out of school. Thomas Edison made at least a thousand attempts to create the light bulb.

At the last Women in Business & Managament - WIMBIZ - conference my aunt shared her story at how she failed to attract investors for her hotel project and after about 7 years of trying, she finally gave up. Shortly after, her dream investor came onboard. Today, her hotel has been number one on the trip advisor list for Lagos.

“Is it a risk making a change from what you are currently doing to what you want to do? You might fail, you might find out that you don’t like it as much as you expected. But there is also a risk in staying where you are? You might fail. You might get fired, you might take a pay cut. Or worst of all you might come to the end of your life feeling regret for never having reached your potential or doing what you love. Which risk would you rather live with?”

-          John Maxwell.

2.      Fear of Trading Security for the unknown

After I informed my mentor, my now ex CEO, that I was leaving the company which I loved so much,  he was intrigued and wanted to speak with me because when someone wants to take a leap of faith like I was, certainly that person was on to something. He proceeded to tell me his own story. When he was about 31, he resigned from a well-paid job. He wanted to come back to Nigeria to do something in the asset management space. This was about 20 years ago when the financial industry in Nigeria was very premature. He was leaving the security of a well-paid, stable job for the unknown. Today this company is the largest non-bank financial institution in Nigeria.

3.      Fear of what others will say or think?

People fulfilling other people’s dreams such as studying medicine because your father is a doctor or dating or marrying a particular person because of parental pressure usually fit into this category. I recently read an article about a hospice worker who shared on the “Top 5 regrets of the dying”. The most common regret was “I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me”. Life is precious. You only have one life to live. There is no dress rehearsal, this is the real thing. Why don’t you live the life that you want to live, so that you don’t end up like those referenced by the hospice worker.

4.      Fear of not being able to cope financially?

This is what I believe may be the most common fear. Trust me you would be fine. You will just have to make some adjustments. It’s all about delayed gratification as opposed to instant satisfaction. Would you rather pay now and play later or play now and pay later? My story would provide further insight.

Why is it important to do it afraid?

Basically you only live once, so live. Life is too precious to spend it doing what you do not like or living someone else’s dream. What if you do it afraid and succeed?  What if it pays off and you live the life of your dreams. Wouldn’t you like to know?

My story

Growing up we had financial challenges. I grew up never wanting to experience lack and decided to work my way silly. I admired an aunt of mine who worked at Citi Bank at the time. She lived in a nice flat and drove a nice sports car. So I figured, I would follow her path and decided to study accounting and finance. After a couple of years, I got my dream job in my dream company and loved it but then life happened. I had kids and didn’t get a chance to see them often. Also, I wasn’t fulfilled and so I began to feel uneasy. Then life began to happen, my mum was diagnosed with a brain tumor for the second time and I had to travel with her abroad for about 6 weeks which gave me plenty of time to think. Just before that a school mate who was so full of life had passed away at a very young age and not long after that, the Dana crash happened and many young people I knew passed away. This coupled with some other life experiences, made me realize that life and time are both precious. What if I passed away? What have I done with the time that has been given to me? Have I spent enough time with those that matter to me? What’s the point of doing something that didn’t bring joy, fulfillment? What legacy have I left? I began to think of leaving my job but then I was afraid. My job was my security, I didn’t want to live the life of my childhood. My job was my identity, what would people think? What if I failed? I joined a discipleship class in my Church, Guiding Light Assembly called Masterlife, and my life began to change. I shared my fears with my group members and they began to pray with and for me. I prayed and sought God and He showed up. He told me to resign. I said to Him but I don’t have a plan B. I don’t know what I want to do or what I’m good at. Then He took me to Genesis Chapter 12 when he told Abraham to leave his family and the land he knew to the land that He would show Him. Abraham didn’t have a Plan B, he didn’t see the end result but he jumped and that was my cue? Today I have done things that I would never have dreamed of; I’m working in a job I love and living the life of my dreams. I’m spending time with my family. It’s not easy but it is so worth it!  

How to do it afraid?

1.      Change your belief system:

I recently read an interesting story in one of John Maxwell’s books about the elephant. Do you know how trainers control massive 5 ton elephants and keep them from running away? When the elephants are babies, they tie one foot to a wooden post that is secured in the ground. The elephant tries to get away but because it is not yet strong it is unable to break away and it gives up. From that moment on whenever the elephant’s leg is secured it believes it cannot get away - even though it is able to and has been able to for a long time. Humans are like that. We are all programmed by our self-belief. We are limited by our thinking and what limits us is fear. However, fear is a thief and will limit us from breaking away and accomplishing our God given desires. Imagine this I hate flying but I love travelling. So I have to make myself see the benefits of travelling and the wonderful places I would not get to see, if I give into my fear of flying.

2.      Believe in yourself and believe in your dreams

Paul Martinelli says, “When your belief matches your potential then your life will change”. “Where your focus goes your energy flows”. “Your results reflect your belief”. “You cannot out-perform your own self-belief”. The Bible says “As a man thinketh so is he”.

3.      Build your faith

Think positive thoughts. Stay away from negative people. You need to be in a conducive environment and surround yourself with people who believe in you. Celebrate your victories. Believe what God says about you. He says “You can do all things through Christ”. He says He has not giving us a Spirit of fear but of power, love and of a sound mind.

                                       

4.      Do it now:

Most people like myself, want to wait till everything is perfect but remember while you are waiting for things to be perfect someone else is learning from their mistakes. I recently read a story of a young, struggling actor. He wanted to write a script about a young, under-dog boxer who surprised everyone by winning the title but he thought he was being unrealistic and no one would buy into the story. So he left it. In 1975, he watched a match where a young relatively unknown underdog Chuck Wepner, knocked Mohammed Ali to the ground in the 9^th round. The match lasted 15 rounds and even though Mohammed Ali retained his title, the young boxer almost defeated him. The young struggling actor was inspired by this match and began to write the script that night. Within three days he was done and that movie won three Oscars and launched the actor into a multi-million dollar career. That movie is ‘Rocky’ and the actor is Sylvester Stallone. Susan Jeffers says “Every time you take a step into the unknown, you experience fear. There is no point in saying, ‘When I am no longer afraid, then I will do it’, you’ll be waiting for a long time. The fear is part of the package.” 

5.      Take the first step without knowing what lies ahead?

This is what I did; see where I am today. A few weeks ago, I was invited by one of the world’s top consulting firms, to speak to its staff on financial planning. I was invited alongside top investment houses in the country, one of which was the company I resigned from. Everyone was surprised that I was the only person representing myself. Abraham in the Bible didn’t know where he was going but he took the first step of faith and today we are talking about him thousands of years after. I didn’t have a plan but I was secure in God’s plan for me.

6.      Build a Dream Team: You need to surround yourself with a dream team. People that believe in you. You need a mentor (someone who has walked the walk and you can look up to), a coach (someone who believes in you), a confidant (someone you can share deep concerns and thoughts with), a buddy ( someone you can have fun with or have a laugh with), a sponsor ( someone who believes in you and would sponsor you or find the funds to support you), and a Judas ( someone to keep you accountable and remind you that you can’t share your dreams with the world).

In conclusion, Isaiah 41:10 of the Bible says, “Fear not, there is nothing to fear, for I am with you”. In 2^nd Timothy 1:7, the Bible also says “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”

I hope you are inspired to send that manuscript to the publisher even though you are afraid it would be turned down. Audition for the part in the movie even if you are scared you are not good enough. Go back to college to get your degree even though you feel you are too old or not smart enough. Preach that message even though your knees are shaking. Launch that business even if you are scared it won’t work out. Get out of that abusive relationship even though you are scared of being alone.

Remember someone out there is waiting on you to be obedient to Gods call on your life, to be inspired by your story.

I read a very profound quote which says;

“Sometimes what you're most afraid of doing is the very thing that will set you free.”

On a final note “You can listen to your fears and pay with your life. Or you can pay the price of overcoming your fears and live. It’s up to you.”

-          John C. Maxwell

Ask yourself this question and answer it genuinely: What would you attempt, if you knew you wouldn’t fail?

A RICHER LIFE - Culled from Gemwoman magazine

I love love this article. It changed my life.

A RICHER LIFE - Culled from Gemwoman magazine

When I said I wish above all things that you prosper,
It is to let you know that prosperity is good and rightfully yours
But when you focus on the wealth and forget the source,
You open yourself up for the enemy's use.

I desire that you live a rich life,
Not necessarily of material things alone,
But in health, body, soul and spirit,
When you have this combination, the devil cannot manipulate you.

You see, the reason people have a challenge understanding you when you get blessed,
Is because you do not know how to manage wealth and character,
So you make it easy for the world to say 'Money is the root of evil'
Whereas, it is the 'lust' for money that us the root of evil.

Haven't you read in my word how my children built me temples and were blessings to all?
Did you think I rained down furniture and precious metals from heaven?
I empowered them to be so blessed that the resources were available for their use,
So you can be blessed and be a kingdom enhancer if you can manage the combo well.

Even though I desire that you are rich, I am particular about the essence of your richness,
I need you to be exceedingly great so people can understand you have a complete life in me.
They need to know that when they seek me first, every other thing would be added unto them,
I have selected you to be my 'specimen' for this cause, can you manage it well?

Can you enjoy my numerous blessings and remain humble, patient and unselfish?
Can I trust that you won't get carried away and miss the intended mark?
Can I look on earth for someone to meet the needs of the needy and find you?
Can I search for people who will build me temples of worship and point to you?

I died already and took your sufferings away,
Don't let anyone fool you to say 'the poorer you are, the closer you are to God',
Do you know you can be so poor that desperation makes you seek other means of wealth?
At the same time, you can be so blessed and greed will make you lose focus.
You must find the balance and the only way you can do that is constantly looking unto me.

I alone have the power to make you wealthy and give you grace to enjoy it.
I alone can bring you from a low estate and place you where no one can boast of taking you to.
I alone can change your path instantly, erase your past and make you a wonder!
I alone can empower you to be wealthy and holy at the same time,
I alone can make you enjoy life and give you blessings without measure
I alone can make you enjoy A RICHER LIFE! You need me to complete your 'package.'.......

Selah

Setting Goals in 2014

It is amazing how time flies. We are already in the fourth week of the New Year. At this particular time of the year we make New Year’s resolutions, however many of these resolutions are just wishes that never become reality. It is therefore not enough to just make resolutions; it is more profitable to set goals. What is the difference between a resolution and a goal? A resolution can be defined as “a firm decision to do or not to do something”, whilst according Napoleon Hill “a goal is a dream with a deadline”. For example a resolution is deciding to loose weight in 2014; however a goal would be to decide to loose 10kg by going to the gym three times a week, by the 30^th of June 2014. There are different types of goals such as spiritual goals, financial goals, family goals, health goals etc. Goals can either be short-term, intermediate or long term i.e. achievable within 1 year, 2-5 years and 5 years upwards respectively.

Essentially, goals must be SMART i.e Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic/Relevant and Time bound. As the year unfolds, it is a time to Reflect, Refocus and Review.

1.      Reflect: It is time to reflect on 2013. Ask yourself a few questions. How would you describe 2013? What are the lessons learnt? What were your highs and lows? What areas of your life do you intend to improve on in 2014?? What are your dreams and goals for 2014?

2.      Refocus: “If you fail to plan you plan to fail” What goals would you like to set for 2014? What milestones would you like to achieve? Maybe you want to spend more time with God by having daily quiet time or you want to give more or spend more quality time with loved ones. It is not okay to just think these, it is important to write them down. It is also important to ensure goals are SMART.

a)      Specific: The goal must be detailed enough to give precise direction to the task in hand. It must be clear, easily understandable and unambiguous.

b)      Measurable: The goal must be measurable. You need to be able to assess/measure whether you are on target or not. This enables you to track your progress.

c)      Achievable: Your goal must be realizable or attainable i.e. capable of completion.

d)      Realistic: It is good to dream big however you must also face reality. For instance it is unrealistic to set a goal to buy a plot of land by the end of 2014 in banana island, with a monthly income of N50, 000 with 5 dependents.

e)      Time bound: Goals must have a specific time or period of completion. This would enable you to measure your progress periodically.

3.      Review: On a final note it is not enough to just set goals; you must constantly review those goals in the course of the year and on a daily basis. A recommended approach is to write your goals in a journal and review them every day after your quiet time and commit them to the Lord.

As you plan ahead, it is also important to remember that you cannot achieve all these goals on your own. We must commit all our goals and plans to God. The Bible says in Proverbs 19:21 “many are the plans in a person’s heart but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails”. However as you spend time with God and ask for direction, you will find that the goals you set will be in alignment with his will and plans. John 15:7 says “If you abide in me, and my words abide in you ask whatever you wish, and it would be done for you.”

Embrace your challenges

Do you sometimes wonder why you are going through the challenges or tests you are going through? Do you ask yourself if you are going through the challenge because of a sin committed by you or by your parents? Do you sometimes think maybe it is a curse or that God doesn’t love you? Be rest assured that you are going through the challenge you are going through because you are favoured. You have been chosen by God to show His glory, so that the workings of God would be manifested in you.

Take a look at John 9v 1-7, the story of the blind man. In verse 2 the disciples asked Jesus “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents that he was born blind?” Jesus replied saying, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him”.

At a recent sermon from the Potters House, the preacher said “you are not going through the challenge you are facing because you are cursed but you are going through the challenge because you are favoured.”

In John 11 When Jesus heard that Lazarus was sick, He said “This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it”.

Noah was given a challenge to build an ark for 120 years not because he was cursed but because he was favoured. Joseph went to the pit and prison not because he was cursed but because he was favoured. David faced Goliath instead of his brothers not because he was cursed but because he was favoured. Daniel went into the lion’s den because he was favoured. Moses left all the trappings of glamour in Egypt to be a shepherd to someone else’s flock because he was favoured. Abraham conceived his son in old age because he was favoured. Hannah’s womb was delayed because she was favoured. All these happened so that the workings of God may be manifested.

Today I encourage you to embrace your challenges and see yourself as favoured. See yourself as privileged to see the manifestations of the workings of God in your life.

A Fathers advice

Muhammed Ali's advice to his daughters... An incident transpired when Muhammad Ali’s daughters arrived at his home wearing clothes that were quite revealing. Here is the story as told by one of his daughters: “When we finally arrived, the chauffeur escorted my younger sister, Laila, and me up to my father’s suite. As usual, he was hiding behind the door waiting to scare us. We exchanged many hugs and kisses as we could possibly give in one day. My father took a good look at us. Then he sat me down on his lap and said something that I will never forget. He looked me straight in the eyes and said, “Hana, everything that God made valuable in the world is covered and hard to get to. Where do you find diamonds? Deep down in the ground, covered and protected. Where do you find pearls? Deep down at the bottom of the ocean, covered up and protected in a beautiful shell. Where do you find gold? Way down in the mine, covered over with layers and layers of rock. You've got to work hard to get to them.” He looked at me with serious eyes. “Your body is sacred. You’re far more precious than diamonds and pearls, and you should be covered too.” From the book: More Than A Hero: Muhammad Ali's Life Lessons Through His Daughter's Eyes.

Does God Exist?

I recently read a very profound article on a website www.gotquestions.com. The article tackles the question most people ask themselves in their lifetime. Does God exist? Enjoy

Please send in comments

Question: Does God exist? Is there evidence for the existence of God?

Answer: The existence of God cannot be proved or disproved. The Bible says that we must accept by faith the fact that God exists: “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him” (Hebrews 11:6). If God so desired, He could simply appear and prove to the whole world that He exists. But if He did that, there would be no need for faith. “Then Jesus told him, ‘Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed’” (John 20:29).

That does not mean, however, that there is no evidence of God’s existence. The Bible states, “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world” (Psalm 19:1-4). Looking at the stars, understanding the vastness of the universe, observing the wonders of nature, seeing the beauty of a sunset—all of these things point to a Creator God. If these were not enough, there is also evidence of God in our own hearts. Ecclesiastes 3:11tells us, “…He has also set eternity in the hearts of men.” Deep within us is the recognition that there is something beyond this life and someone beyond this world. We can deny this knowledge intellectually, but God’s presence in us and all around us is still obvious. Despite this, the Bible warns that some will still deny God’s existence: “The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God’” (Psalm 14:1). Since the vast majority of people throughout history, in all cultures, in all civilizations, and on all continents believe in the existence of some kind of God, there must be something (or someone) causing this belief.

In addition to the biblical arguments for God’s existence, there are logical arguments. First, there is the ontological argument. The most popular form of the ontological argument uses the concept of God to prove God’s existence. It begins with the definition of God as “a being than which no greater can be conceived.” It is then argued that to exist is greater than to not exist, and therefore the greatest conceivable being must exist. If God did not exist, then God would not be the greatest conceivable being, and that would contradict the very definition of God.

A second argument is the teleological argument. The teleological argument states that since the universe displays such an amazing design, there must have been a divine Designer. For example, if the Earth were significantly closer or farther away from the sun, it would not be capable of supporting much of the life it currently does. If the elements in our atmosphere were even a few percentage points different, nearly every living thing on earth would die. The odds of a single protein molecule forming by chance is 1 in 10243(that is a 1 followed by 243 zeros). A single cell is comprised of millions of protein molecules.

A third logical argument for God’s existence is called the cosmological argument. Every effect must have a cause. This universe and everything in it is an effect. There must be something that caused everything to come into existence. Ultimately, there must be something “un-caused” in order to cause everything else to come into existence. That “un-caused” cause is God.

A fourth argument is known as the moral argument. Every culture throughout history has had some form of law. Everyone has a sense of right and wrong. Murder, lying, stealing, and immorality are almost universally rejected. Where did this sense of right and wrong come from if not from a holy God?

Despite all of this, the Bible tells us that people will reject the clear and undeniable knowledge of God and believe a lie instead. Romans 1:25declares, “They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.” The Bible also proclaims that people are without excuse for not believing in God: “For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—His eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse” (Romans 1:20).

People claim to reject God’s existence because it is “not scientific” or “because there is no proof.” The true reason is that once they admit that there is a God, they also must realize that they are responsible to God and in need of forgiveness from Him (Romans 3:23,6:23). If God exists, then we are accountable to Him for our actions. If God does not exist, then we can do whatever we want without having to worry about God judging us. That is why many of those who deny the existence of God cling strongly to the theory of naturalistic evolution—it gives them an alternative to believing in a Creator God. God exists and ultimately everyone knows that He exists. The very fact that some attempt so aggressively to disprove His existence is in fact an argument for His existence.

How do we know God exists? As Christians, we know God exists because we speak to Him every day. We do not audibly hear Him speaking to us, but we sense His presence, we feel His leading, we know His love, we desire His grace. Things have occurred in our lives that have no possible explanation other than God. God has so miraculously saved us and changed our lives that we cannot help but acknowledge and praise His existence. None of these arguments can persuade anyone who refuses to acknowledge what is already obvious. In the end, God’s existence must be accepted by faith (Hebrews 11:6). Faith in God is not a blind leap into the dark; it is safe step into a well-lit room where the vast majority of people are already standing.

Read more:http://www.gotquestions.org/Does-God-exist.html#ixzz2pi9dLckh

Be fruitful and Multiply - Seeds of greatness

Be Fruitful and Multiply- Seeds of greatness.

If you have noticed most of the fruits we eat contain seeds. If you take an orange and cut it into two equal halves you will notice that there are at least a dozen seeds in each orange. Each seed has a potential to become a tree, bearing fruits which contain seeds of their own. So assuming an orange has a dozen seeds, this means this orange has the potential to produce a dozen trees with countless number of oranges and seeds in its lifetime. The same logic can be applied in other fruits like apples, watermelons, pawpaw etc.

In Genesis 1:11 God said “let the earth put forth vegetation: plants yielding seed and fruit trees yielding fruit whose seed is in itself, each according to its kind, upon the earth”.

Now if God took time out to put so many seeds in a common fruit, how much more would He do for us who are created in His image. 

According to Genesis 1:27-28 “God created man in His own image, in the image and likeness of God He created him; male and female He created them: and God blessed them, and said to them, be fruitful, multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, and over every living creature that moves upon the earth”.

The first command or role given to man is to be fruitful and multiply. If God says we should be fruitful and multiply, it means he has deposited many seeds of greatness in us, just as he has done in the case of an orange.

When God created you, He blessed you and said you should be fruitful and multiply. It is a command that must be obeyed. There are hidden resources in you. You cannot even imagine the potential you have. Just visualize the seeds in a single orange fruit and imagine what your own seeds of potential are.

You are greater than that orange, you are not just greater, you are created in the likeness and image of God. Imagine the hidden potential in you. Imagine the great things you have been equipped to do. The greatest men that have walked the earth weren’t born with a cape, special DNA or two heads. The difference is that they were aware of their potential and did something about it. They obeyed the command to be fruitful and multiply. We are all gifted and our gifts represent the seeds of greatness God has deposited in every one of us.

Accordingly it is not enough to just have seeds in us, those seeds must be put to work. They must be sewn. Unless the seed of an orange is put to the ground, it becomes useless and dies with all its potential. There is a story in a book by Joyce Meyer titled book “A leader in the making”, that emphasizes the need to develop our seeds/potential.

“There is a gold mine hidden in every life. A young man found a vein of gold in a mountain. He tried to get it out himself but kept failing repeatedly. He felt like giving up, but instead he went into town and asked a mining agency to come take a look at it. The mining company surveyed the mountain and the vein of gold and wanted to buy it. They offered the young man a large amount of cash if he would sell it to them. 

The young man thought about it and decided that rather than selling it to the mining company, he would keep it and learn all he could about mining. Over the next year he studied practically day and night. He read every book on mining he could lay his hands on, took every course on it he could find and talked to every person who would give him any information about it. He did nothing else for that entire year but learn about mining. He laid aside everything else in his life in order to devote his entire attention to learning how to mine gold.

At the end of the year, he went back to the mountain and began to dig out the gold, it was tremendously hard work, but in the end he had millions and millions of dollars.”

Truly, there is a gold mine hidden in every one of us. As we have started a new year, I implore you to take time out to discover your “seeds” and put them to work and to be fruitful and multiply in all areas of your life. You have the seeds in you to bear the fruit of the Spirit which is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. God has deposited the Holy Spirit in you, to be able to manifest the fruit of the spirit. You have the seeds in you to be the best father or mother to your children and the best spouse to your loved ones. You have the seeds in you to make a difference in this world and achieve great milestones. It is up to you to obey the command given to you by our creator which is to be fruitful and multiply.