DON’T THROW IN THE TROWEL!

 No doubt you’ve heard the phrase, “To throw in the towel,” which simply means to quit. The phrase comes from the sport of boxing. 

Years ago, corner men used sponges to clean the boxer’s face of blood and sweat in between rounds. If at any point during the fight the boxer’s team felt the fighter could not continue without risk of personal safety, they would toss the sponge into the ring and the referee would immediately stop the fight. Over time, the towel replaced the sponge, and hence the expression.

I’d like to offer you a word of encouragement with a modified expression: Don’t throw in the trowel! A trowel is a tool used for building, primarily by masons who use a trowel for leveling, spreading, or shaping substances such as cement or mortar.

In the boxing world, “throwing in the towel” can mean the difference between life and death. Boxers have died in the ring, often because a fighter does not know when enough is enough, which is why a discerning corner man is critical in this combat sport. 

However, in the world of believing, throwing in the trowel is not an option. Those who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and are counted among His ranks are called to spend a lifetime in the process of building, shaping, and growing to maturity in their faith.

Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen. (2 Peter 3:18)

Peter gave us a tremendous reminder that growing up into Christ is a lifelong project that will not be completed until we get to the other side. And notice that this not simply a suggestion for us to make a decision about. It is a divine imperative, which means we are commanded by God to grow to maturity.

The Bible knows nothing of the stunted saint who has decided to stop growing along the way to glory. Let me ask you a question: How high will a tree grow? The answer, of course, is “As high as it can!”

You may be thinking, “That’s an odd question. Of course a tree will grow as high as it can!” And you’re right. Everything in God’s creation will grow as much as it can . . . except people. We are the only members of God’s creation who often make a decision to stop growing.

But this is not for you! 

God has given us several means of grace that assist us in the process of growing to maturity, such as Bible study, prayer, fasting, service, giving, and corporate worship, to name just a few. It is our responsibility to appropriate these means in our life. God has given us the trowel, but we need to pick it up and use it to shape our growth!

I have written this before, but it is always important to remember that it is not the means that grow us to maturity; it is our Master! And yet He has ordained the means that we are to use in the process as He pours out His grace in our lives.

So . . . how are you doing in your life-long building project? The key that unlocks the door that leads to growing in grace is the understanding that it happens daily, not in a day. There will certainly be those days when you will feel like you have taken one step forward and two steps backward. That’s simply part of the process, so don’t get discouraged! 

If some failure or setback has caused you to consider “throwing in the trowel,” keep looking to the One who promised to finish in you what He started (Philippians 1:6), knowing that one day, you will be brought home into glory, conformed perfectly into the image and likeness of Jesus!

This is the Gospel. This is grace for your race. NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!    

By Pastor Tommy

The Blind Girl

There was a blind girl who hated herself because she was blind. She hated everyone, except her loving boyfriend. He was always there for her. She told her boyfriend, 'If I could only see the world, I will marry you.'

One day, someone donated a pair of eyes to her. When the bandages came off, she was able to see everything, including her boyfriend.

He asked her,’ Now that you can see the world, will you marry me?' The girl looked at her boyfriend and saw that he was blind.

The sight of his closed eyelids shocked her. She hadn't expected that. The thought of looking at them the rest of her life led her to refuse to marry him.

Her boyfriend left her in tears and days later wrote a note to her saying: 'Take good care of your eyes, my dear, for before they were yours, they were mine.'

This is how the human brain often works when our status changes. Only a very few remember what life was like before, and who was always by their side in the most painful situations.

It pays to mind the things that really matter in the end! God bless you!

"The Wolves Within"

An old Grandfather, whose grandson came to him with anger at a schoolmate who had done him an injustice, said, "Let me tell you a story. I too, at times, have felt a great hate for those that have taken so much, with no sorrow for what they do. But hate wears you down, and does not hurt your enemy. It is like taking poison and wishing your enemy would die. I have struggled with these feelings many times."

He continued, "It is as if there are two wolves inside me; one is good and does no harm. He lives in harmony with all around him and does not take offense when no offense was intended. He will only fight when it is right to do so, and in the right way."

"But the other wolf, ah! He is full of anger. The littlest thing will set him into a fit of temper. He fights everyone, all the time, for no reason. He cannot think because his anger and hate are so great. It is hard to live with these two wolves inside me, for both of them try to dominate my spirit."

The boy looked intently into his Grandfather's eye and asked, "Which one wins, Grandfather?"

The Grandfather solemnly said, "The one I feed."


PS: 
When you feed 'anything' in your life, it grows, it blossoms, it develops, it multiplies. That's scary right? Especially looking at all the 'junk' we take in these days in the name of INFORMATION and COMMUNICATION. This is the very reason why you need to feed your FAITH by studying the Word of God, and STARVE your DOUBTS by refusing to dwell on BAD NEWS. What you need is the GOSPEL, the gospel is GOOD NEWS. It would build you up to withstand EVERY LIE of the devil against your life and FUTURE.


Its NEVER to late to make a TURN no matter how far you have traveled along the road of bad doctrine, negative associations, and falsehood. Anywhere on that road you are, you are can STILL turn back and be delivered and saved.


Make a DECISION today to come out of bad company who would not let you fulfil your destiny on earth! God bless and lift you up in JESUS Name!


(Leave a message if you made that decision, or leave a comment below with an email address, if you want a deeper fellowship with JESUS. I'll get back to you.)

Finding Happiness

Once a group of 50 people was attending a seminar. Suddenly the speaker stopped and started giving each person a balloon. Each one was asked to write his/her name on it using a marker pen. Then all the balloons were collected and put in another room.

Now these delegates were let in that room and asked to find the balloon which had their name written, within 5 minutes. Everyone was frantically searching for their name, pushing, colliding with each other, and there was utter chaos. At the end of 5 minutes, no one could find their own balloon.
Now each one was asked to randomly collect a balloon and give it to the person whose name was written on it. Within minutes everyone had their own balloon.
The speaker began: This is exactly happening in our lives. Everyone is frantically looking for happiness all around, not knowing where it is. Our happiness lies in the happiness of other people. Give them their happiness, you will get your own happiness. And this is the purpose of human life.
(Culled from Inspirational Stories)

NB: The above story is made perfect in the scriptures below.
John 13:34-35, "A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another."  AND   Galatians 6:2, "Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ."

MORE SUCCINCTLY: Hezekiah Walker's all time hit song, 'I NEED YOU TO SURVIVE,' reads in the first two lines of its first verse,
"I need you, you need me;
we’re all a part of God’s body."
Find your happiness today, by finding someone's needs and meeting it! You'd be shocked how much selfishness has robbed you of.
God bless and lift you as you seek his joy.

Don’t Hope, … Decide!

While waiting to pick up a friend at the airport in Portland, Oregon, I had one of those life-changing experiences that you hear other people talk about — the kind that sneaks up on you unexpectedly. This one occurred a mere two feet away from me.

Straining to locate my friend among the passengers deplaning through the jet way, I noticed a man coming toward me carrying two light bags. He stopped right next to me to greet his family.

First he motioned to his youngest son (maybe six years old) as he laid down his bags. They gave each other a long, loving hug. As they separated enough to look in each other's face, I heard the father say, “It’s so good to see you, son. I missed you so much!” His son smiled somewhat shyly, averted his eyes and replied softly, “Me, too, Dad!”

Then the man stood up, gazed in the eyes of his oldest son (maybe nine or ten) and while cupping his son’s face in his hands said, “You’re already quite the young man. I love you very much, Zach!” They too hugged a most loving, tender hug.

While this was happening, a baby girl (perhaps one or one-and-a-half) was squirming excitedly in her mother’s arms, never once taking her little eyes off the wonderful sight of her returning father. The man said, “Hi, baby girl!” as he gently took the child from her mother. He quickly kissed her face all over and then held her close to his chest while rocking her from side to side. The little girl instantly relaxed and simply laid her head on his shoulder, motionless in pure contentment.

After several moments, he handed his daughter to his oldest son and declared, “I’ve saved the best for last!” and proceeded to give his wife the longest, most passionate kiss I ever remember seeing. He gazed into her eyes for several seconds and then silently mouthed. “I love you so much!” They stared at each other’s eyes, beaming big smiles at one another, while holding both hands.

For an instant they reminded me of newlyweds, but I knew by the age of their kids that they couldn’t possibly be. I puzzled about it for a moment then realized how totally engrossed I was in the wonderful display of unconditional love not more than an arm’s length away from me. I suddenly felt uncomfortable, as if I was invading something sacred, but was amazed to hear my own voice nervously ask, “Wow! How long have you two been married?

“Been together fourteen years total, married twelve of those.” he replied, without breaking his gaze from his lovely wife’s face. “Well then, how long have you been away?” I asked. The man finally turned and looked at me, still beaming his joyous smile. “Two whole days!”

Two days? I was stunned. By the intensity of the greeting, I had assumed he’d been gone for at least several weeks – if not months. I know my expression betrayed me.

I said almost offhandedly, hoping to end my intrusion with some semblance of grace (and to get back to searching for my friend), “I hope my marriage is still that passionate after twelve years!”

The man suddenly stopped smiling.

He looked me straight in the eye, and with forcefulness that burned right into my soul, he told me something that left me a different person. He told me, “Don’t hope, friend… decide!” Then he flashed me his wonderful smile again, shook my hand and said, “God bless!”

– By Michael D. Hargrove and Bottom Line Underwriters, Inc.
Copyright 1997

PS: God is asking me to tell someone on this page right now, "Don't Hope, DECIDE!"  

Just as there is no faith without hope, there is also no effective HOPE without faith, and FAITH is an action, James 2:14, "What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him?....Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works," - a decision, James 2:23, "And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called the friend of God," - a resolve, Daniel 1:8, "But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself."

PURSUING THE RIGHT GOALS

A farmer had a dog who used to sit by the roadside waiting for vehicles to come around. As soon as one came he would run down the road, barking and trying to overtake it. One day a neighbor asked the farmer "Do you think your dog is ever going to catch a car?" The farmer replied, "That is not what bothers me. What bothers me is what he would do if he ever caught one." Many people in life behave like that dog who is pursuing meaningless goals. Pursue big IDEAS via ATTAINABLE goals.
Life is hard by the yard,
but by the inch,
it's a cinch.
--Gean Gordon

(Culled from Inspirational Stories)

NB: Find your goals by the right rules which is found in Isaiah 28:10, "For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:.."
AND
Zechariah 4:10, "Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin, to see the plumb line in Zerubbabel’s hand.”
God bless you and show up BIG in your little efforts in JESUS Name!

PASTOR CHRIS OKOTIE'S SAGA: LEARNING TO KNOW THE DIFFERENCE (Written January 18th, 2014)

                                    

We need to STOP judging what things appear to us like and become more introspective. There is ONLY one that makes righteous judgement when it comes to that which we cannot explain and that which is sacred - and that is GOD ALMIGHTY.  (Ephesians 4:31-32).

This is NOT in defense of Chris Okotie, this is in defense of the Kingdom of God on earth. People must learn that God uses men, and men have faults, just like we all are men. We must not mix the fault up with the 'CALLING.'

That a man decides to use what God gave him in a manner that does not go down well with what we personally think, does not make it a sin. Or a major fall-out with God.
We must all respect the fact that God sees things we don't, and He alone knows how some of His special servants come about what they have. As such, we should stop hating enough to believe God for our own special breakthroughs.

Everyone has what gives them joy, apart from fulfilling their God given purpose. On that note, I bring you this conversation between me and one of my FB friends who had Pastor Chris Okotie's pic on his wall.

He had a picture of Pastor Okotie, showing his statement as touching his new 120mil Rolls Royce Phantom Coupe 2014 Bespoke Edition, and his 33mil Range Rover Autobiography 2014.

The Guy Wrote: "I wonder oftentimes if stealing from fellow humans in the name of GOD amounts to hardwork which is the actual key to success."

And My Answer Was: Grow up! He did not steal from you or anybody else. He is enjoying the fruits of his labour in the Word! The bible says we labour to enter into His rest! Rejoice with him and develop ur own faith, and u will get there too! He owes no one apart from God an explanation about "how" he chooses to spend the rewards of his labour.

If hardwork is the ACTUAL key to success, then truck-pushers shld have millions, they certainly do a lot of hard work! As a believer WORKING HARD, is what it takes, not HARD WORK, and that working hard must first be demonstrated in ur application of God's Word.

The race is not to the swift..the battle is not to the strong...time and chance is the game! And to synergise time with chance, you need dexterity in the Word. Face your own calling! The answer is in the question! God bless you!

Again, The Fellow Said: "Not at the expense of poor hapless faithful who can never drive a bike by going to okotie's church."

And My Reply Was: You are right, it could never have been at their expense, bcos if they had in the first place, they wld have not been called poor. This just means that their money cld never have been what was used to buy a 120mil car.

He Left The First Issue And Said: "Okotie says Catholics will go to hell I wonder if he will need his cars in hell as he will be there too."

My Reply Was: Unfortunately (for you), you are not the judge. People, especially journalists like you, always distort things they hear so as to create sensational news. Knowing his anticidents, and having read some of his writings, and spoken to him a couple of times, I do not believe what was pubished about that statement cld have been in context. I can bet that was never a verbertim statement.

The Guy Said: "How can a man who believes in the power of God who preaches faith in Christ judge others and condemn them. Yet he is a failed husband having failed to be a man to two very fertile women in his lifetime but rather arm others to prtect him in his palace and church...even on his altar he has guards protecting him against who??? the man is a failed musicain, failed husband and failed politician-he can never be President except in his dreams-he should just keep quiet and stop bragging all over the place. He has nothing to show that he is a success. He should show us children NOT cars."

My Answer: My dear, you are the one bragging here. Children are GIFTS from the Lord. Be grateful that you received from the Lord and do not mock those who do not have. He is not a failure if he has fulfilled his pact with God. Only Jesus can judge who failed and who succeeded, according to what he has called each of us to do. I believe he has fulfilled his divine purpose. Again, he is NOT a failed musician. He was VERY successful as a musician. And he still ministers in music until now. You shld watch ur level of bitterness against someone that God has blessed. The manner of God's manifestation of His blessings upon Chris shld not be determined by ur definition, but by Pastor Christ's own desires as a person. What he asks is what God gives.

The Guy said: "I will like to ask Okotie one question what does he do for a living???"

I Replied: He is a Preacher, an Author and a Publisher. Does that not make sense? I thought it was obvious?