What Kind of Legacy Should We Leave Behind?

If life was a relay race, and if you were one of the runners on the track, wouldn’t you run as fast as you can, to the best of your ability, within the time and distance you have, to pass the baton to the next runner in line?
Well, legacy is such. It is best when it is passed on.
In the Christian context, leaving a legacy behind means fulfilling the purpose(s) of God during your allotted time here on Earth, for your generation and possibly for generations to come, according to His sovereign will.
Biblical legacies for us to follow
There are many Biblical characters that have left outstanding legacies behind. Joseph’s legacy of being sold as a slave by his own brothers also extends to him becoming a Governor of Egypt. Abraham has a legacy of being a father of faith. King David served the purpose of God in His own generation by establishing the Lord’s Word, His Justice, and His Kingdom here on Earth. Jesus Christ, being the son of the most high God, left a remarkable legacy of conquering sin, death and hell through his resurrection to eternal life; so that whoever believes and follows Him will not perish but have eternal life.
Ecclesiastes 12:13 exemplifies an ideal legacy. It says, “Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.” (KJV) Why does the writer call it ‘the whole duty’? In other words, could it mean ‘the whole purpose of a man, including all people? When we rephrase that sentence, it could be something like this: “The whole purpose of mankind is to fear God and to do what He wants us to do, nothing more and nothing less”.
When you study world history, there are plenty of human beings who have lived sacrificial lives, leaving behind legacies to follow for many generations after them. But, what is the difference between their legacy and a godly legacy? Have all of them fulfilled the purposes for which they were originally created or called to fulfill? The answer is surely “No.”
A legacy of godly obedience
The purpose of life for every human being comes from God. It is not self-made. What you do is solely accounted to you. There is no system of proxy for your life. Whether you mess with it or produce meaning from it is your responsibility. Let’s face it: we’ve got to fulfill the purpose for which we were created in the first place. God alone knows the blueprint of our lives. The more we delay and disobey, the less of a godly legacy we will leave behind.
As followers of Christ, leaving a godly legacy is important. As we read on further, we will see the kind of godly legacy we can think about as an individual, as married couples and as parents.
As an individual, what legacy can you leave behind?
A legacy of fearing God and doing His will is every individual’s protocol. Love the Lord with all that you have. When you love God sincerely, you may end up spontaneously doing all that He wants you to do. When you love God, you will fear Him and obey His words. It becomes easier for you to love people as well. Give Him the best. The only way you can know Him is to spend time with Him. Enjoy the choices God allows you to make in life. Be thankful to Him for everything.
It’s no longer a secret that people observe the way you live your life and make their judgments based on that. Create opportunities to direct people to God, who is the source of all life. Help your fellow human beings to become better stewards of their gifts and abilities. Trust me, the legacy you leave behind with God will be truly amazing and eternally rewarding.
As a married couple, what legacy can you leave behind?
God works His ways through the family in an unimaginable fashion. The fact is – there are no perfect couples; at least not in the context of marriage. However, with the imperfections of the husband and the wife, it is still possible to live in harmony within a relationship. Marriage represents the relationship Jesus shares with His Church, in the context of him being the bridegroom and His church being the bride. It is important to love your spouse as Christ loves the church. When you love God uprightly, He will inspire and help you to love your spouse uprightly. In difficult times and in merry times, respect your spouse and honor God.
Placing God above all else within your family will bring blessings beyond our imagination. Help your spouse recognize what God has for him/her in this life. If both of you have different callings to serve God, it is recommended that you compliment and pray for each other’s calling and ministry. Stand with each other in prayer and genuine love. That is a legacy that you can leave behind as a family.
As parents, what legacy can you leave behind?
Children look up to you as their role models. They observe and imitate what you are and they love to see you as their examples. Set the example of the character that you want them to carry or practice throughout their lives. The best example of this is Jesus. Place before them the benefits of obedience and the consequences of disobedience. The values you plant in them are the ones they will nurture and pass on to their children when they are older. Respect them as much as you discipline them. Either extremes of love or discipline can be an unwise method for nurturing your child. Teach your children to make appropriate choices. Above all, seek God to inculcate a healthy balance in your relationship with your children.
When you learn to run to God for everything, your children may do the same when they grow older. Pray that God will give your children a sense of purpose, direction, and mission. Leave a godly legacy that your children can absorb and pass on to their children.
When we analyse the apostle Paul’s legacy in the New Testament, we see three powerful statements that he makes at the end of his discipleship journey – “fought the good fight,” “finished the race,” and “kept the faith.” What an excellent testimony to talk about. What an admirable heritage to pass on. The best legacy is when God acknowledges you and says “Well done, good and faithful servant.” I doubt if we can find anything better than this.
Our opportunity to leave behind a godly legacy is already one day shorter than it was yesterday. Aren’t we all running out of time? Recognize the world’s need for compassion and allow God to lead you in His ways

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14 Questions Christian Leaders Should Ask Themselves

The story of William Wilberforce fascinates me.  Born in 1759, Wilberforce became the youngest member of the House of Commons at just 21. Thanks to the influence of his mentor John Newton, the former slave ship captain and hymn writer of Amazing Grace, Wilberforce’s life changed radically. He became a born-again, devout Christian. Inspired by the Scripture’s teaching on the foundational equality of human beings, he spent his entire life leading the anti-slavery movement in the British Empire.
Behind the remarkable legacy of this leader, I discovered the greatest secret to his personal life:

His commitment to weekly withdrawals form the wild scramble of public life so that he could engage in worship, connection with a small circle of close friends, and quiet reflection.

Today, we live in a world blinded by the intoxication of consumerism. Every day, we are inundated with a litany of to-do lists. There’s simply too much “pursuits” on our plate (albeit all for the “glory” of God).

What defines us isn’t what we do, rather it’s what we stop doing.

Gordon McDonald challenges leaders to ask the following questions to engage our inner conversation.
1) What have been the beautiful moments in which God may have been revealing himself to me? And what have been the evil moments when the worst in me or in the larger world showed itself?
2) What happened this week that needs to be remembered, perhaps recorded in a journal so I can return to it in the future and recall the blessing (or the rebuke) of God? Making such a record is like those monuments and altars God had the Israelites raise up when great things worth remembering had happened.
3) What have my prevailing feelings been (and what are they at the present)? Has there been a preponderance of sadness, of fear, of anger, of emptiness? Or has it been a time where joy and enthusiasm has been the dominant mood
4) What have been the “blessings,” those acts of grace that have come through others or—as I perceive it—directly from God himself? Can I express praise and appreciation (sometimes even written in a thank-you note or journal)?
5) Have things happened for which I need to accept responsibility, perhaps leading to repentance? Why did they happen? Were they avoidable and how can they be prevented in the future?
6) What have been the thoughts that have been dominating my leader think-time? Noble thoughts? Escapist thoughts that woo me away from more important or challenging issues? Superficial thoughts that lead to nowhere?
7) Is there a possibility that I am living in denial of certain realities? Painful criticism, sloppy work, habitual patterns that are hurting me and others?
8) Are there any resentments or ill feelings toward others that remain unaddressed, unforgiven?
9) As a leader visualizing myself in the company of spouse, children, friends, colleagues: am I a pleasant person to be around? Are people challenged, elevated, enthused when I enter the room? As someone has observed, “Some people bring joy wherever they go; others bring joy when they go.” Which am I?
10) What is God trying to say into my life today? Through Scripture? Through other readings? What has he been saying through those in my inner circle of relationships? Through critics? What insights swirl up and out of the deepest parts of my soul? Which of them needs to be repudiated, and which needs to be cultivated?
11) What are the possibilities in the hours ahead? Where might there be ambushes that would challenge character, reputation, well-being?
12) What are the things I might do and say that would make the people in my inner circle feel more loved and appreciated?
13) Am I mindful of the socially awkward, the poor, the suffering, the oppressed in my local world and in the larger world? Am I in tune with appropriate current events in the world and perceiving them through the lens of biblical perspective?
14) What specific steps will I take today to enhance growth as a follower of Jesus?
Question: Which question challenged you most, and how?

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Faith You Can’t See

Atoms are defined as “the smallest building blocks of matter and everything in the observable universe is made of trillions of atoms.” In other words, the keyboard I am typing on is made up of a whole lot of atoms just like the tablet or handheld device you are reading this on. So, indirectly we can see what atoms can become but there is no way to see one, or even a few million, with the naked eye. We have faith in the fact that atoms exist because we can use, touch and feel the countless things that are made up of atoms.
Having Faith in Atoms
In my world I believe that God created atoms. Let’s think about that for a moment. If He is the Creator of all things in the universe, He would have also created atoms. As everything that we have in our daily lives is made of atoms, it makes sense that God was involved. You can argue about science if that is where your head is but what changed my thoughts on that was the realization that God would have created science as well.
God, Science and Faith
Science is defined as, “knowledge about or study of the natural world based on facts learned through experiments and observation.” Okay, then. If God created the “natural world” science is studying things of God. I love that. There is nothing that exists now or has ever existed in the past that God wasn’t connected to in some way. The invention of television? God created the inventors, the tools they used, etc. So believing in the fact that atoms exist, although I can’t actually see them, is faith. If I believe in atoms it’s not all that hard to come to the realization that God also exists.

James 1:6 (NIV) “But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.”

My faith in God is strong and continues to get stronger the more He communicates with me. It is from this strengthening of my faith that I can stay on track. How does your faith assist you with following God?

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12 Leadership Lessons Everyone Should Learn From Jesus

Jesus is the quintessential leader. During His life on earth, he turned three years of ministry into a worldwide movement that changed history. Today, more people follow Him than any other leader in the world. As a model leader, Jesus practiced the most vital principles of leadership—and he provides an example for us to imitate. In the spirit of Christmas, I’d like to share 12 powerful life lessons every leader must emulate:
1. To Serve Is To Be Great
“Whoever wants to be great must become a servant.”
Here is the secret to great leadership. Leadership is not about rulership. It is about serving others. And in giving to others you will never lack for any good thing in your life.

2. There Is A Cure For Worry
“Look at the birds, free and unfettered, not tied down to a job description, careless in the care of God. And you count far more to him than birds. Has anyone by fussing in front of the mirror ever gotten taller by so much as an inch? All this time and money wasted on fashion—do you think it makes that much difference? Instead of looking at the fashions, walk out into the fields and look at the wildflowers. They never primp or shop, but have you ever seen color and design quite like it? The ten best-dressed men and women in the country look shabby alongside them. If God gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers—most of which are never even seen—don’t you think he’ll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you? What I’m trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God’s giving.”
To live a worry free life is a joy. Anxiety is a killer. So to be able to face each day, knowing that if the world can exist in such beauty and splendor, there is nothing that you need to be concerned about. Take a fresh look at nature and get the point.
3. Love Conquers All
“Teacher, which command in God’s Law is the most important?” Jesus said “Love the Lord your God with all your passion and prayer and intelligence. This is the most important, the first on any list. But there is a second to set alongside it: Love others as well as you love yourself.”
also…
“…if someone takes unfair advantage of you, use the occasion to practice the servant life. No more tit-for-tat stuff. Live generously. You’re familiar with the old written law, ‘Love your friend,’ and its unwritten companion, ‘Hate your enemy.’  I’m challenging that. I’m telling you to love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer, for then you are working out of your true selves, your God-created selves.”
When it comes to love we are given three directives: Love God. Love your neighbor. Love your enemies.
The first step forward to develop this love in your life is to learn to pray. I have found prayer to be an incredibly energizing practice. Now if this is not familiar to you, let me explain that this is not the point where you get all holier than thou on me. Prayer for me is simply sharing my heart with one greater than myself. You will often find me talking out loud as I pray, or sometimes I’m simply speaking quietly in the depths of my mind to one greater than myself.
I was actually up at 3.30am this morning praying. That happens to me from time to time. But I also pray while I’m at work. I pray while I stroll beside the ocean. I pray in the car. I pray as an individual, and we pray as a family.
But what is prayer? Simply handing over life’s good and bad that we’re handed to one far greater than ourselves – and that even includes our enemies. Seems back to front to conventional thinking – but I have seen many an enemy turned around 180 degrees through the power of simply praying that good happen in their life.
4. Follow The Golden Rule
“Here is a simple, rule-of-thumb guide for behaviour: Ask yourself what you want people to do for you, then grab the initiative and do it for them.”
This is such a wonderful principle. Simply, do as you want to be done. Often the good turn won’t come back from the one you did it for – but it will come back from somewhere in this amazing universe that we live in.
5. Ask For What You Need
“Here’s what I’m saying: Ask and you’ll get; Seek and you’ll find; Knock and the door will open. Don’t bargain with God. Be direct. Ask for what you need. This is not a cat-and-mouse, hide-and-seek game we’re in.”
Go on, I dare you. Ask. In sales I learned very quickly that if I never asked for the sale I would never get the sale. The power is in the asking. Now I’m not saying that you are going to pull a sales strategy on God. But ask, and in your asking expect to receive. When my children ask me for something, as their father I cannot resist the pull that it invokes on my fatherly heartstrings to give them the best that I have to offer.
6. Judge Not
“Don’t pick on people, jump on their failures, and criticize their faults— unless, of course, you want the same treatment. That critical spirit has a way of boomeranging.  It’s easy to see a smudge on your neighbour’s face and be oblivious to the ugly sneer on your own.  Do you have the nerve to say, ‘Let me wash your face for you,’ when your own face is distorted by contempt?  It’s this whole travelling road-show mentality all over again, playing a holier-than-thou part instead of just living your part. Wipe that ugly sneer off your own face, and you might be fit to offer a washcloth to your neighbour.”
Point one finger in the direction of another in judgment and you have three pointing straight back at you. Not good. Resist the slippery slide towards judging others.
7. Keep Your Word
“Just say ‘yes’ and ‘no.’ When you manipulate words to get your own way, you go wrong.”
If you can say yes. If you can’t say no. Don’t muck about by telling a lie when you know that you cannot do what you have promised. The word ‘no’ can be your most liberating friend if used wisely. You can’t do everything, so start practicing the use of it. And if you say ‘yes’ ensure that you do what you say – even if it is inconvenient. This builds a depth of character in your being and trust from those around you.
8. Give In Secret
“When you help someone out, don’t think about how it looks. Just do it—quietly and unobtrusively.”
There is nothing worse than someone blowing their own trumpet. Practice the art of giving in secret. Your reward will be great.
9. Forgive Others
“In prayer there is a connection between what God does and what you do. You can’t get forgiveness from God, for instance, without also forgiving others. If you refuse to do your part, you cut yourself off from God’s part.”
To forgive others is to free you from the disabling chains of unforgiveness. Sorry is sometimes the hardest word to say, but once said it is liberating. Don’t wait for others to apologize. You lead the way and be the first to offer the hand of forgiveness. This is not about wrong or right, but rather living a life of freedom.
10. Speak Good Words
“A good person produces good deeds and words season after season. An evil person is a blight on the orchard. Let me tell you something: Every one of these careless words is going to come back to haunt you. There will be a time of Reckoning. Words are powerful; take them seriously. Words can be your salvation. Words can also be your damnation.”
Death and life are in the power of the tongue, so use words wisely. Put a watch over your mouth and analyze the words that leave your lips. Are they positive? Or are they tinged with negativity and judgement? This is serious business, so pay heed to the advice given. It is truly the difference between salvation and damnation – here on earth – let alone throughout eternity.
11. Nothing Is Impossible If You Have Faith
“The simple truth is that if you had a mere kernel of faith, a poppy seed, say, you would tell this mountain, ‘Move!’ and it would move. There is nothing you wouldn’t be able to tackle.”
Faith is a small word, but a powerful one at that. Faith is trust in a greater one than yourself, trust in the abilities that have been placed within you, and trust that with every step forward you will find your way towards your dreams and your goals. With a sprinkling of persistence added to the formula you can do but one thing – win!
12. Use It Or Lose It
“It’s also like a man going off on an extended trip. He called his servants together and delegated responsibilities. To one he gave five thousand dollars, to another two thousand, to a third one thousand, depending on their abilities. Then he left. Right off, the first servant went to work and doubled his master’s investment. The second did the same. But the man with the single thousand dug a hole and carefully buried his master’s money. After a long absence, the master of those three servants came back and settled up with them. The one given five thousand dollars showed him how he had doubled his investment. His master commended him: ‘Good work! You did your job well. From now on be my partner.’ The servant with the two thousand showed how he also had doubled his master’s investment. His master commended him: ‘Good work! You did your job well. From now on be my partner.’ The servant given one thousand said, ‘Master, I know you have high standards and hate careless ways that you demand the best and make no allowances for error. I was afraid I might disappoint you, so I found a good hiding place and secured your money. Here it is, safe and sound down to the last cent.’ The master was furious. ‘That’s a terrible way to live! It’s criminal to live cautiously like that! If you knew I was after the best, why did you do less than the least? The least you could have done would have been to invest the sum with the bankers, where at least I would have gotten a little interest. Take the thousand and give it to the one who risked the most. And get rid of this ‘play-it-safe’ who won’t go out on a limb. Throw him out into utter darkness.’”
Every one of us has been endowed with a specific gift or natural talent that requires use. If you fail to lose it you will lose it. Whatever you do, don’t compare yourself with the other guy or girl who seems to have been given a bunch of talents. Use the one that you have and develop it. These represent your personal strengths, and like any muscle, the best way to develop a strength in your life is by strengthening it. So at every opportunity use it – and that way you will never lose it. You will in fact enhance it and position yourself to become a leader in your chosen field of endeavor.
If there is one of these life lessons that you have developed in your life with great results, comment how it has helped you.

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About Temptation

There is one thing among others that will shake all that can be shaken in us and confront us recurrently throughout our Christian life. I am referring to this belligerent force called temptation. Even the Lord had to face it time and again as it came against Him in all sorts of disguises and manners.

The temptation of Jesus

To think that Jesus’ temptations were confined to the three classic examples found in Luke 4:3-13 amounts to a belief conflicting with the testimony of the Scripture. Luke makes clear that these three temptations were only the culmination of what had lasted forty days:

Then Jesus, being filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, being tempted for forty days by the devil” (Luke 4:1,2).

Only when these forty days of temptations had ended came the three well-known occurrences in which the Son of Man’s holiness was challenged.
It is interesting to notice also how Luke ends the narration of this event: “Now when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from Him until an opportune time” (Luke 4:13). The words “until an opportune time” seem to imply more temptations came afterward. I doubt the Spirit would have inspired Luke to add these meaningful words if such opportune time was not going to come at all.
Be that as it may, one thing is certain: Holiness doesn’t protect a person from temptation.

Our temptations

Now if the Devil believed he could make Jesus fall, what about us frail, vulnerable and helpless mortals?
Happily, there are promises in the Scripture that have the power to fortify us at the point of absolute resistance; promises expressed through words that are spirit and life (John 6:63), for their origin is in God.
I think all of us have read that God’s word works efficiently in those who believe (1 Thess. 2:13), and that faith can be an effective shield for all who trust in Him (Eph. 6:16). All this means there is substantiality in the Scripture. It is not hanging from the clouds. It is anchored in God’s very character at the point of oneness.

God’s promises in the face of temptation

One of God’s promises that should strike the believer is found in 1 Corinthians 10:13: “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is  faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it”. Here we have a well of fortitude. These words are solid, authoritative, and reliable.
This is the sort of scripture the meditative mind should ruminate on, for it imparts expectation, courage, and true grit. It attests that God, in his faithfulness, will not allow us to be tempted beyond what we are able to handle, but with the temptation will also make a way of escape to make sure we are able to bear it. This promise is as true as God Himself. It is more solid than the rock that has survived the clashes of the ocean waves for millenniums. It is trustworthy, and as such, should fill our hearts with hope.

Jesus sympathizes with our weaknesses

As I have already mentioned, Jesus was in all points tempted as we are. This particular aspect of His life makes Him apt to identify Himself with our state:

For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin” (Heb. 4:15).

This divine commiseration should comfort us and assure us of His present help, for He doesn’t look down on our weaknesses as the devil wants us to believe. Instead, he sympathizes with them.
Actually, the difficulties we face in time of temptation move our High Priest with compassion to the point of intervention. As the psalmist declares: “As a father pities his children, so the Lord pities those who fear Him. For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust” (Psalm 103:13,14). Understanding that the Son of Man is emotionally involved in our struggle should motivate and strengthen us.
These wonderful truths seem to have gotten lost in several evangelical milieus. Many seem to believe that the sheep should fight with the lions and bears at the best of their ability as if the Good Shepherd would be on a sick leave. But nothing could be farther from the truth. The Shepherd who keeps us doesn’t slumber or sleep (Psalm 121:4). He is on the alert 24 hours a day and is eager to assist those He loves dearly.

Hope in the midst of suffering

“For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted” (Heb.2:18).

True temptations always entail suffering, for they reach the deepest fibers of our humanity. It is precisely this characteristic that made an impression on the author of Hebrews. His observation should engender hope in us, as well as a vivid sense of expectation.
Yes! The One who has undergone the sufferings of temptation has the ability to aid us. Let us proclaim it from the pulpit and from our rooftops. For in the heat of the storm the glorified Son of Man is at our side. He is not passively here as a mere observer, but He is here with might to shame the devil now as He did in the wilderness more than two thousand years ago.
Indeed, He is our shield, our glory, and the lifter up of our head (Psalm 3:3).

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6 Portraits of a Godly Leader

Countless trees have been consumed in the name of advancing leadership. Every month, scores of leadership books are published by so-called leadership experts. This tells me two things. First, leadership is a hot topic. Warren Bennis said, “Leadership is always in the air; it’s a topic that has no shelf life.” Second, the deluge of leadership books beg the question Which leadership model or style Christians should embrace in the sea of leadership principles, theories, and model that compete with each other. For many, the bombardment of leadership books is honestly confusing.
Well, in that case, my suggestion is to always go back to your foundation. For Christians, that’s the Holy Bible. The Word of God is “sharper than a double-edged sword.” There is enormous power in the Scripture – it’s not merely the world’s best-selling book. We are talking about spiritual forces here.
What does a godly leader look like? In 2 Timothy, apostle Paul identifies six portraits of a godly leader. Here, Paul is writing to his protégé, his young son in faith, Timothy who is in his thirties at this time. Timothy is given the responsibility to carry on the work in the churches Paul began himself and in this particular book, Timothy is struggling. First, apostle Paul reminds Timothy to “fan into the flame the gift of God which was in him.”

1. Teacher

 “and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.” (2 Timothy 2:2)

The operative word is “teach”. The first and foremost priority of godly leadership is the imparting of truth, divine truth, transmitting the truth to others. In fact, in Hebrews chapter 13 verse 7 says, “Remember those who led you,” and then immediately it defines what that meant, “who spoke the Word of God to you.” By dispensing the Word of God, we are called to be teachers and preachers of God’s truth and to produce teachers and preachers for the next generation. It’s important for godly leaders to “desire the word as a baby desires milk that you may grow by it.” (1 Peter 2:2) When Jesus was restoring Peter in John 21, He asked him three times if he loved Him, three times Peter responded and three times Jesus said, “Feed My sheep.” Man does not live by bread alone but the very Word of God.

2. Soldier

“Suffer hardship with me as a good solder of Christ Jesus, no soldier in active service entangles himself in the affairs of every day life so that he may please the one who enlisted him as a soldier.” (2 Timothy 2:3-4)

Godly leaders are know how to win the warfare. Paul uses this metaphor view leaders as soldiers who are engaged in war. God’s leaders fight this warfare, not with fleshly weapons but with divinely powerful weapons, and with those weapons we are literally demolishing fortresses. (2 Corinthians 10). It’s interesting to note how we wear the full armor of God where the sword of the spirit is the Word of God. In verse 3, Paul says we are to suffer bad treatment, mistreatment, maltreatment.” Paul warms Timothy to be ready to suffer.
So many leaders wash out of leadership here. Many see it as a path to glory and aren’t willing to see it as warfare and take their share of pain.

God is not interested in prima donnas but true soldiers who are willing to suffer.

When you ask Paul his credentials for leadership, he doesn’t given a list of his academic accomplishments, but rather his list of credentials is interesting. He says that I’ve been in far more imprisonments, beaten times without number, often in danger of death, five times I received from the Jews 39 lashes, three times I was beaten with rods. I have been in labor and hardship through many sleepless nights in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. Those are my credentials.
In verse 4, Paul says godly leaders are full-time soldiers who does whatever he can do please the One who enlisted him as a soldier. You can’t be a man pleaser. That will paralyze you. Paul was a man pleaser for a long time. In Galatians 1:10 he says, “Am I now seeking the favor of men or of God? Am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men I would not be a bondservant of Christ.” We have to answer to the Commander and to Him alone.

3. Athlete

“An athlete is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules.” (2 Timothy 2:5)

The next picture of a godly leader is one of an athlete. Games were an important part of the Greco-Roman life as they are of our life in this time. The key verb is “compete” which means to strive and agonize. It is a word of devotion, discipline, and passion. Paul is saying that you have to look at your ministry like an athlete who looks at an Olympic event. An athlete needs to abide by the rules and give his all in win the competition. You must compete lawfully.
The second part of the verse is “not crowned.” An athlete always competes with a prize in mind that he wants to win. What separates great athletes from good athletes is desire and self-control. The talent level is much the same when you get at the pinnacle of the athletics. It’s the passion and drive that makes all the difference.
John MacArthur once heard from a professor long time ago who said to him, “I never met a powerful preacher, a successful preacher in my life who wasn’t competitive.” The professor said, “I don’t’ mean competitive against other preachers. I mean competitive against his own weakness, his own ignorance, his own sinfulness, his own lack of priorities, his own laziness. If you can’t win the battle there, you can’t win the race.”
Summing up, the godly leader must be one who is willing to complete all his strength, must be one who really wants to win motivated by future reward not present pleasure, must be one with strong self-discipline, willing to conform to God’s standards without letting up.
In Part 2 of the post, I’ll be sharing the next three portraits of a godly leader. Stay tuned!

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Amanda Iriekpen from Ambrose Alli University (AAU) on Mtn project fame West Africa season 9. view her on this link and like her video

Like her link and view her video. 

 http://projectfamewestafrica.com/index.php/episodes/wild-card-entries/video/59-iriekpen-amanda-wild-card-project-fame-season-9

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Http://projectfamewestafrica.com/index.php/episodes/wild-card-entries/video/59-iriekpen-amanda-wild-card-project-fame-season-9

Amanda Iriekpen  from Ambrose Alli University (AAU) on Mtn project fame West Africa season 9.  view her on this link and like her video 

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Miss Tourism Nigeria 2016 contestant dies at 20

Organizers of the Miss Tourism Nigeria 2016 have announced the death of one of their contestants.
The contestant, a finalist representing Ebonyi State, Maureen Onu, reportedly died in the early hours of Thursday.
This disclosure was made known by the CEO of the organization, Mr. Santiago Roberts, at the weekend.

In a statement, Roberts said, “The brand lost a true and great gem.
“Maureen was always prompt to carry out instructions/tasks giving and willing to learn; she was looking forward to representing her state with pride during this year’s finals and with the hopes of becoming the first ever national tourism queen from Ebonyi State.
“The organization promises to redesign the content and production of the event to honour the lost contestant,” the statement added.
The deceased died at the age of 20.

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Nelson Mandela is the definition of going after what you believe in, no matter how hard it may be to do so.
Check out our powerful collection of the greatest Nelson Mandela quotes!

77 Greatest Nelson Mandela Quotes

1. “A good head and a good heart are always a formidable combination.” – Nelson Mandela
2. “Human beings have got the ability to adjust to anything.” – Nelson Mandela
3. “In my country we go to prison first and then become President.” – Nelson Mandela
4. “One of the things I learnt when I was negotiating was that until I changed myself, I could not change others.” – Nelson Mandela
5. “There is no passion to be found playing small – in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living.” – Nelson Mandela
6. “You take the front line when there is danger. Then people will appreciate your leadership.” – Nelson Mandela
7. “Extremists on all sides thrive, fed by the blood lust of centuries gone by” – Nelson Mandela
8. “If there are dreams about a beautiful South Africa, there are also roads that lead to their goal. Two of these roads could be named Goodness and Forgiveness.” – Nelson Mandela
9. “No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background, or his religion.” – Nelson Mandela
10. “The chains on any one of my people were the chains on all of them. The chains on all of my people were the chains on me.” – Nelson Mandela
11. “When a deep injury is done to us, we never heal until we forgive.” – Nelson Mandela

12th of 77 Nelson Mandela Quotes

12. “Courage is not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.” – Nelson Mandela
13. “I have walked that long road to freedom. I have tried not to falter; I have made missteps along the way. But I have discovered the secret that after climbing a great hill, one only finds that there are many more hills to climb. I have taken a moment here to rest, to steal a view of the glorious vista that surrounds me, to look back on the distance I have come. But I can rest only for a moment, for with freedom come responsibilities, and I dare not linger, for my long walk is not yet ended.” – Nelson Mandela
14. “Let there be justice for all. Let there be peace for all. Let there be work, bread, water and salt for all.” – Nelson Mandela
15. “Resentment is like drinking poison and then hoping it will kill your enemies.” – Nelson Mandela
16. “We must strive to be moved by a generosity of spirit that will enable us to outgrow the hatred and conflicts of the past.” – Nelson Mandela

17th Nelson Mandela Quote

“A winner is a dreamer who never gives up.”

18. “I detest racialism because I regard it as a barbaric thing, whether it comes from a black man or a white man.” – Nelson Mandela
19. “It is in your hands, to make a better world for all who live in it.” – Nelson Mandela
20. “Our march to freedom is irreversible. We must not allow fear to stand in our way.” – Nelson Mandela
21. “There were many dark moments when my faith in humanity was sorely tested, but I would not and could not give myself up to despair.” – Nelson Mandela
22. “Greed and power has turned brother against brother.” – Nelson Mandela
23. “If you want to make peace with your enemy, you have to work with your enemy. Then he becomes your partner.” – Nelson Mandela

24th of 77 Nelson Mandela Quotes

24. “One cannot be prepared for something while secretly believing it will not happen.” – Nelson Mandela
25. “The habit of attending to small things and of appreciating small courtesies is one of the important marks of a good person.” – Nelson Mandela
26. “You may succeed in delaying, but never in preventing the transition of South Africa to a democracy.” – Nelson Mandela
27. “As a leader of a mass organization, one must listen to the people.” – Nelson Mandela
28. “I have never cared very much for personal prizes. A person does not become a freedom fighter in the hope of winning awards.” – Nelson Mandela
29. “It is what we make out of what we have, not what we are given, that separates one person from another.” – Nelson Mandela
30. “Overcoming poverty is not a task of charity, it is an act of justice. Like slavery and Apartheid, poverty is not natural.” – Nelson Mandela
31. “Together we must set out to correct the defects of the past.” – Nelson Mandela
32. “A man is never more truthful than when he acknowledges himself a liar.” – Nelson Mandela
33. “I am fundamentally an optimist. Whether that comes from nature or nurture, I cannot say.” – Nelson Mandela

34th Nelson Mandela Quote

“It always seems impossible until its done.”

35. “Only free men can negotiate. Prisoners cannot enter into contracts.” – Nelson Mandela
36. “There is no such thing as part freedom.” – Nelson Mandela
37. “You will achieve more in this world through acts of mercy than you will through acts of retribution.” – Nelson Mandela
38. “For to be free is not merely to cast off ones chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.” – Nelson Mandela
39. “If wealth is a magnet, then poverty is a kind of repellent. Yet poverty often brings out the true generosity in others.” – Nelson Mandela
40. “No one truly knows a nation until he has been inside its jails. A nation should not be judged by how it treats its highest citizens but its lowest.” – Nelson Mandela
41. “The death of a human being, whatever may be his station in life, is always a sad and painful affair.” – Nelson Mandela
42. “When a man is denied the right to live the life he believes in, he has no choice but to become an outlaw.” – Nelson Mandela
43. “Difficulties break some men but make others. No axe is sharp enough to cut the soul of a sinner who keeps on trying.” – Nelson Mandela
44. “I knew as well as I knew anything that the oppressor must be liberated just as surely as the oppressed.” – Nelson Mandela
45. “Men and women, all over the world, right down the centuries, come and go. Some leave nothing behind. Not even their names.” – Nelson Mandela

46th of 77 Nelson Mandela Quotes

46. “Significant progress is always possible if we ourselves try to plan every detail of our lives and actions.” – Nelson Mandela
47. “We must use time wisely and forever realize that the time is always ripe to do right.” – Nelson Mandela
48. “After climbing a great hill, one only finds that the are many more hills to climb.” – Nelson Mandela
49. “I have a special attachment to the people who befriended me during times of distress.” – Nelson Mandela
50. “It is through education that the daughter of a peasant can become a doctor, that the son of a mine worker can become the head of the mine.” – Nelson Mandela
51. “Our people have the right to hope, the right to a future, the right to life itself.” – Nelson Mandela
52. “To go to prison because of your convictions and be prepared to suffer for what you believe in, is something worthwhile.” – Nelson Mandela
53. “Every community in our country has a fundamental right to be free from fear.” – Nelson Mandela

54th Nelson Mandela Quote

“I was made, by the law, a criminal, not because of what I had done, but because of what I stood for.”

55. “Never, never and never again shall it be that this beautiful land will again experience the oppression of one by another.” – Nelson Mandela
56. “The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.” – Nelson Mandela
57. “What counts in life is not the mere fact that we have lived. It is what difference we have made to the lives of others.” – Nelson Mandela
58. “As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” – Nelson Mandela
59. “I have spent all my life dreaming of a golden age in which all problems will be solved and our wildest hopes fulfilled.” – Nelson Mandela
60. “It was during those long & lonely years that my hunger for the freedom of my people became a hunger for the freedom of all people.” – Nelson Mandela

61st of 77 Nelson Mandela Quotes

61. “People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.” – Nelson Mandela
62. “We do not want freedom without bread, nor do we want bread without freedom.” – Nelson Mandela
63. “A man who takes away another man’s freedom is a prisoner of hatred. He is locked behind the bars of prejudice and narrow-mindedness.” – Nelson Mandela
64. “I could not imagine that the future I was walking toward could compare in any way to the past that I was leaving behind.” – Nelson Mandela
65. “It is an achievement for a man to do his duty on Earth irrespective of the consequences.” – Nelson Mandela
66. “Our greatest fear is not that we are inadequate, but that we are powerful beyond measure.” – Nelson Mandela
67. “There is nothing like returning to a place that remains unchanged to find the ways in which you yourself have altered.” – Nelson Mandela
68. “Gone forever are the days when harsh and wicked laws provide the oppressors with years of peace and quiet.” – Nelson Mandela
69. “If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart.” – Nelson Mandela
70. “Of course we desire education and we think it is a good thing, but you don’t have to have education in order to know that you want certain fundamental rights, you have got aspirations, you have got claims.” – Nelson Mandela

71st Nelson Mandela Quote

“The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.”

72. “When the water starts boiling it is foolish to turn off the heat.” – Nelson Mandela
73. “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” – Nelson Mandela
74. “I shall neither impose my own customs on others nor follow any practice which will offend my comrades.” – Nelson Mandela
75. “Money won’t create success. The freedom to make it will.” – Nelson Mandela
76. “Since we have achieved our freedom, there can only be one division amongst us: between those who cherish democracy and those who do not” – Nelson Mandela
77. “We too will die but that which we collectively contribute to our national cultural identity will live forever beyond us.” – Nelson Mandela

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Police parade 11 suspects involved in the kidnap of Sierra Leonean envoy

The Nigeria Police Force on Tuesday paraded 11 suspected kidnappers of the Deputy High Commissioner of Sierra Leone to Nigeria, Maj-Gen. Alfred Claude-Nelson.
Claude-Nelson was kidnapped on June 30 along the Kaduna-Abuja Road by suspected gunmen and freed on July 5.
Presenting the suspects, the Force spokesman, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Don Awunah, said that the suspects were arrested through coordinated police operation.

“In a coordinated operation based on intelligence and technical support, the intelligence Response Team of the Nigeria Police has smashed an 11-man kidnap gang.
“This coordinated operation led to the arrest of 11 members of the notorious gang that has been terrorising the North Central states of the country,” he said.
Awunah said that the gang’s mode of operation included mounting of road blocks on highways in military uniforms and surprise attacks on unsuspecting motorists.
Others include relocating their victims from one point to the other in the forest to avoid detection and arrest, he said.

Awunah said that items recovered from the suspects included three AK 47 rifles, three AK 47 rifle magazines with 90 rounds of ammunition as well as two sets of military camouflage.
He said the Acting Inspector-General of Police, Mr Ibrahim Idris, had directed state commissioners of police and technical operation commanders to improve on response to cases of crime and criminality.
He said that Idris assured all members of the diplomatic community of their safety and adequate security in Nigeria.
Awunah said Idris had also ordered the same intelligence based operations throughout the federation to flush out all criminal elements.
He said that investigations were ongoing and that the suspects would be charged to court as soon as investigations were concluded.

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FROM THE ADMIN OF THIS SITE

We are very sorry that the site have not been updated for some time nos, it was due to our system upgrade that have been on going , we promise to serve you more better than we have ever done, thank you for believing in us #TEAM_WC 

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