Shapes

This season I am reading “Purpose Driven Life” for devotion.

Ever wondered why when someone raved about a “must-read” book and when you got hold of it, you find it “so-so”. Well, that happens to me lots and the only reason for that is that books only appeal if they speak to your season in your life at that point in time.

For me, I have tried countless times to read through the”Purpose Driven Life” and in all attempts, failed miserably. This is in spite of all the accolades awarded on this book. Well, the fault isn’t really with Pastor Rick Warren, it’s just that when all things are rosy, things in the book were taken as a given…in short, not hungry enough.

Many years later, the book has turned yellow from the permanent position given on the book shelve and now in all its “glory”, the book has turned out to be a great devotion, a defining read in my life.

One of the facts stated is this:

“Many studies have revealed that the average person possesses from 500 to 700 different skills and ability – far more than you realise… You are a bundle of incredible abilities, an amazing creation of God. Part of the church’s responsibility is to identify and release your abilities for serving God”

Come to think of it, AMAZING is an understatement. However, reality only has it that we are to sieve through the many skills that we have and find out that which God has given for eternal purposes. I think we tend to miss this step and in the bustle of everyday life, or rather in the quest to make ends meet, this essential quality of life has been downplayed, many terming it as the idealistic lifestyle that do not exist.

However, we have also seen many successes that result from people that have discovered their skills and they are put into good use in seasons that God has prepared. (Without Bill Gates, the world of software would be a different place, Warren Buffet and his ability to read markets in a contrarian manner)

So what is more important? Finding THAT skill or just carry on chasing the rat race and trying to survive it? The key is always balance, finding THE skill takes many trial and error, we have so many and we need to try them out to see which is so natural and it almost don’t feel like work when you are doing it. Motivation is still present in different times.

It’s worth the effort to take time to discover, because when you find that, you find life. Life that God has ordained for you.

Determine your shape today..start now.

The Better Life

How do you define "A Better Life?"

A life without worries, a life with financial prosperity, a life that is smooth flowing, a life lived out avoiding all possible conflicts or things that are difficult?

I always have this thought that a better life is one that is mainly about financial abundance. I always think that only by having lots of money is the key to happiness. I am also okay to work in a job that I might not really like but it gives me the comfort of getting by every day, wife and kids have no problems with spending, food on the table is a non-issue and probably once a year, we head for a holiday.

However, if I am to be totally honest, there is a sense of loss inside.

Well, then on the flip side, does it mean that I need to be totally poor to enjoy the better life? Without money, how can I get food on the table for my family. Doesn't that then result in stress and discontentment in the family. After all, it is biblical that one of the calling of men is to bring home the dough. What about all the luxuries in life? Does in mean that I have to forsake them all for the sake of the better life..a life without distraction so that I can serve God better and money does not become a key distraction in my life?

To be frank, I have experienced both ends of the spectrum in financial capability. There was a time where money was not an issue and then there was a time when everyday you are wondering if there is money to put food on the table. Interestingly, there is a greater sense of joy within the family when we were in times of need. 2 words are key when going through times of need:

1. Dependence - totally honest with God and family about current situation and not giving up on the Hope which God has called you to.
2. Attitude - it is interesting that with the right attitude we seemed to be much happier when we were in need as a family.

Well, I am not advocating that we should all live a life of poverty to be happy. There are seasons in life where we need to go through moulding to gain character, and that character is required for us to accomplish something higher and better. It is like a stretching and growing of character. The bible did say in Matthew 6:33 "Seek Him first and ALL things shall be added unto you".

In times of lack or trouble, trust God and out of learning to trust God to bring you into the promised land and joy will still result whether in want or in plenty.

To end off, 2 useful quotes from Purpose Driven Life:

1. Meaning is far more important than money.
2. "A simple life in the fear-of-God is better than a rich life with a ton of headaches" -- by richest man in the world at time of writing book.

Appointed From

I was appointed from eternity, from the beginning, before the world began. When there were no oceans, I was given birth, when there were no springs abounding with water; Proverbs 8:23-24

There is a huge difference between the use of the word “from” and “for”.

In the use of the word “for” means that I was created to live for eternity which sounds great, meaning to say that I know that things on earth is largely temporal and thus, certain things in life takes a lower priority in the light of planning for eternity.

When the word “from” is used, it tells me that I am planned with the end in mind. A plan already laid out for me to run. Now that makes perfect sense as it would then tell me not only to align my priorities for eternity but also means that I have a specific purpose / mission to fulfil on this earth.

Why is this important?

Ever caught yourself “silently” telling yourself that “Life is meaningless” or parents saying things like “You are an accident, not planned”. Well, society adds on by telling you that you are not good enough and you cannot get things right. All these negativity seems to point us to the fact that we are created to be miserable and thus life on earth is just a learning to survive in a “Dog-eat-dog world”

However, it doesn’t have to be that way! God made you for a specific purpose. A reason that you can run through the race of life in a fashion that you feel empowered, because it is made just for you!

Even when we go through trials when operating in our purpose, it is meant to bring us to the next level, strengthen our character so that we can take on more.
So remember, take time finding out the most important aspect of your life, find God, find Life!

Just how powerful is God?

I often pondered upon this question “How powerful is God exactly?” One of my mission this year is to experience Matthew 19:28 “ With God, All things are possible..”

In the Bible, I have often read about miracles of God delivering God’s people from dire situations. Moses at the Red sea when chased by the Egyptians, Daniel rescued from the Lion’s den, Elijah fed by ravens when on the run, God’s many alternative (not too say the most unconventional warfare techniques) methods of winning a war (Joshua, Gideon, just to name a few) and the list goes on.. There is definitely one that tells us of the providing nature of God, the provision of food to multitudes just by 5 loafs of bread and 2 fishes belonging to that of a young boy!

Perhaps the most evident show of Power is found right at the beginning .. at Genesis 1.

6 days… this is all the time required by God to create a universe with life forms. Talk about effective time planning and maximum productivity! Not bad for an average work week for God and to top it off, he manages to get one off day..wow!

God took 6 days to form a universe and in that context of a show of power, Genesis 1:26 begin to take a new meaning.

Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground." Genesis 1:26

We need to awaken to the fact that we were created with the same power that has allowed Creator God to make the universe in just 6 days. Some say that we only utilise a small fraction of what the power of the mind can achieve and it is evident that a focused mind can do wonders.

Armed with this knowledge, it’s time to arise and tap on that power that God has created you with and above all, showed us many examples of how that power can be utilised to fulfil his purposes in this temporal assignment on earth.