It's been God...

  

The Rock & The Devil.

To be called ‘THE ROCK’ at one point and later be addressed as ‘THE DEVIL’ is almost an irony.

When the same individual who was once publicly celebrated for having a deep sense of correctness and insight on issues would later be scolded openly for misguided utterances and blatant misjudgments, then there is a missing link.

Oh Peter, Peter! Encomiums were poured lavishly on you at one point, how did you then lead yourself to this shameful ridicule where you were referred to as THE DEVIL? Why could you not sustain your identity? Why would you be on board today and the next day, you were overboard? What is missing in your life Peter?

When the one who should help to advance the course of our vision becomes the one who wants to stand against it, then it’s time to address them differently.

Oh Peter! When did you become the mouthpiece of the opposition? Why place your zeal in the way of the Master’s Will?

Sometimes good people would express bad intentions about our mission. We must stay focused and prayerfully rebuke every ‘undertone’ that is at work. We are too close to our Canaan than to allow the voices of the Peters in our life to sap our energy.

As men on a mission, we must keep watch over our assignment; be thankful to and respectful of everyone supporting us in its accomplishment. However, we must never be afraid to resist any ideology that threatens to truncate our next level. If left on unaddressed, the voices of the Peters would weaken our resolve and potentially distract us.

Welcome or Go Away

There is nothing as disappointing as arriving elegantly at a place where you are not welcomed. 

To have put in a lot into getting ready for a great occasion and upon arriving at the event to be told sorry, there is no place for you is disheartening.

Unfortunately, this will be the fate of some when it is all said and done. Some folks, rather than receiving a rousing welcome, will be shocked with the verdict ‘go away from me.’ Guys, who would have put their time and God-given resources to the wrong agenda, will be utterly disgraced and embarrassed at the end of time.

Whao! With all the earthly accolades, recognition, achievements and laurels, heaven would still require more to book a room? Yes, elevation does not necessarily guarantee celebration. That one has achieved many feats here is no automatic passport that a red carpet will be laid over there.

An unflinching commitment to a daily lifestyle of righteousness under the guidance of God, the giver of grace, is the key to ending our journey well and securing a seat at the Grand Banquet with God.

This week – the Passion Week as it is referred to, presents an opportunity for self-reflection. Could I be on a journey to nowhere? Am I charting a course that would earn eternal condemnation? Will this lifestyle secure a place for me with God afterwards? These and many other self-check questions would help steer our life in the right direction.

Friends, again when the curtain is finally drawn and this drama called ‘life on earth’ eventually ends, it’s either a welcome (good and faithful servant) or a go away from me (workers of iniquity) that will be uttered by God. Each utterance will have eternal consequences. The choice is ours today whether we want to be welcomed or sent away.

Let’s Be Clear

In the absence of clarity, ambiguity rules; looking does not necessarily guarantee seeing.

Not knowing where you are going and wanting to blame everyone for not getting there is foolhardy.

There is a unique call on your life; something definite you are here for. Settle down today to find it. Pay every required price to develop and live it. Be humble, ready to learn and willing to be misunderstood.

Stop the Molue (bandwagon) approach to life. That everyone is in it does not mean you should get on-board. Your assignment is so special; you also cannot uncover it through an Eeny Meeny Miney Mo (random and luck-based) process. Christ is the revealer of all things and there is clarity in Him.

The clock is ticking, and ticking very fast. The Master is watching, annals are being prepared, and a great banquet is underway for achievers of their mission.

It’s time to be clear why another day matters in the achievement of our reasons for being here on earth. 

Exposure and Composure.

I have come to understand that to the open-minded, everyday is an opportunity to learn something new. To the close-minded however, the lessons of life have already been learnt - there is really nothing new under the heavens.

Those who have experienced and survived the vicissitude of certain life-defining circumstances, received and enjoyed certain rare and unmerited privileges and most importantly encountered and genuinely submitted to God, behave differently; they are unassuming, selfless and considerate.

On the other hand, those worldviews are self-constructed, who stand on the walls of nothingness, wear the garbs of emptiness and interact extensively with shallowness are typically arrogant, self-conceited and judgmental. They hastily generalize on things, situations and people they know very little about. In almost all cases, they end up being wrong. Sad enough, they really do not care as they consider themselves right in their mind; always.

As its commonly said that 'looking is not the same as seeing', exposure helps with seeing, and seeing the core of issues before coming to conclusions about them.

I choose to be exposed so I can compose myself rightly. I choose to be open-minded so I can learn the unlearnt lessons needed for my greatness. I choose to maintain my continuous enrollment in the school of life, a school without graduation.