Yearly Archives: 2013
Qualify Your Relationships II
‘Then the other administrators and high officers began searching for some fault in the way Daniel was handling government affairs, but they couldn’t find anything to criticize or condemn…’ Dan.6:4
Today we will examine the remaining two relationship categories.
Comrades are not necessarily for you, they are not for what you are for, but rather they are against what you are against. It is the common enemy that has drawn them to you. If you erroneously take your comrade and make them your constituent or confidant you are going to run into problems. For instance Read the rest of this entry
Qualify Your Relationships I
‘Saul now urged his servants and his son Jonathan to assassinate David. But Jonathan, because of his strong affection for David told him what his father was planning…’ 1Sam. 19:1-2b
Your first step in growing relational roots is to qualify your relationships. It is based on the Spirit guided groupings that you know how to go about growing roots in various relationships. T.D. Jakes in his message highlighted three categories of relationships, which are very powerful. And I have added a fourth one based on the African consciousness of spiritual warfare. Every one in your life falls into one of these four categories, you need to discern them and relate properly.
Confidants are people that are for you. Your confidants are loyal to you as a person. With your confidant you do not need to explain your reason for specific actions. Whereas with people who are not your confidants, you need justify every step you take. Your confidants may not really understand your vision, they may not understand what you are doing, and they may actually think you are crazy but they are still for you. We all need people like this in our lives. Your confidant is the closest relationship you will ever have. It is the relationship you should treasure the most. Erroneously a lot of us think our confidants are those we tell our secrets to. The truth is that some of us have told our secrets to our enemies without knowing. Your secrets should be with your confidant. Your confidants are for you no matter what.
Constituents are not necessary for you but they are for what you are for. The reason they are with you is because of where you are going. The day you change direction, their direction will also change. Unfortunately many of us have grown to love our constituents and we erroneously think they are confidants. This is why we get bruised and wounded when they choose to part ways with us. Your constituents are not really for you; they are for what you are for. And as long as it can benefit them, they will stay with you. The moment it stops being of benefit to them, they will check out.
Prayer: Precious Spirit of God I ask for the grace to discern accurately the people around me. Guide me as I grow relational roots in this season, in Jesus Name.
Be Deliberate
‘All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper), and to prayer’ Acts 2:42
Community is so powerful and it is important for us to grow roots in the following areas:
- We need to grow roots in our communal relationships. In other words, grow relational roots with anyone that is in your community both physical and virtual.
- We need to grow roots in our friendships.
- We need to grow roots in our family relationships.
- We need to grow roots in our covenant relationships. There are some relationships that are covenant relationships that God brought you into. You need to grow roots with the people you have a covenant relationship with.
- We need to grow roots in our relationship with God.
We need to deliberately grow roots in these five areas. Everything that you see today was done deliberately. Nothing happens by chance. So your life too has to be deliberate. You have to be deliberate about your relationships, about the people that you listen to, and about the people you allow your roots to grow in. You cannot just let your roots grow in any relationship, for the relationships you allow your roots grow in, you have to be very deliberate. The first thing you need to do to grow relational roots is to qualify your relationships. Which is why you need the Holy Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit that knows the heart of man. So ask the Holy Spirit who people are and He will tell you directly or indirectly.
I was listening to a message a while ago by T.D. Jakes and he mentioned three categories of relationships which are very powerful. Over the next few days we will be learning how to qualify our relationships with help from the Holy Spirit. However starting today, begin to praise, worship, pray, develop friendships, and grow roots deliberately.
Prayer: Father, I ask that by Your Spirit, You teach me what I need to be deliberate about and how I need to go about being deliberate in my life daily, in Jesus Name.
Righteous Counsel
‘Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help…’ Ecc.4:9-10a
‘A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer’ Ecc. 4:12a. The friends you bounce things off determine the things that are watered in you. It is what is watered in our lives that will grow. Similarly, it is the friends you bounce things off that will Read the rest of this entry
Identity Crisis?
I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish that you were one or the other!’ Rev.3:15
I dislike it when people are on the boarder line. If God is God then serve Him. If you want to be hot, be hot. If you want to be cold, be cold. You cannot be an eagle and remain with the chickens. You need to leave the chickens alone. It may appear lonely but the sight of other eagles is sharp and they go after what Read the rest of this entry
Stand Alone
‘Thou shall not follow a multitude to do evil…’ Ex.23:2[KJV]
Flocking is typical of the bird species. In fact there is a saying ‘birds of the same feather flock together’. Yet eagles do not flock. It is almost impossible to find five eagles flocking in the same direction. As an eagle believer, you must learn how to be alone with God. I acknowledge that there is a place for corporate Read the rest of this entry
Things Above
‘Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things’ Col.3:2 [NIV]
Earth is not eternity. God created it and His desire is for us to prosper while we are on earth but you must stay in the consciousness that Heaven is the focus. You cannot afford to allow earthly things consume you at the risk of loosing out on heaven. Unlike the eagle, the chicken has no interest in gazing towards Read the rest of this entry
At The Son
‘But for you who fear my name, the Sun of Righteousness will rise with healing in his wings. And you will go free, leaping with joy like calves let out to pasture’ Mal.4:2
The eagle can gaze directly at the sun in its full strength and not go blind. When the eagle first comes out of its shell at birth two things happen. It’s mouth is open and its eyes are gazing directly at the sun. Based on that, during an attack the eagle is able to fly straight in the direction of the sun because no other Read the rest of this entry
Vision II
‘Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he’ Prov.29:18 [KJV].
A clear vision eliminates distractions totally. An example will be what ensued between Elisha, the sons of the prophets, and Elijah. The sons of the prophet said to Elisha, ‘your master is going to be taken away from you’ – distraction. Elisha’s reaction because he had vision was to sharpen his focus. Elijah himself Read the rest of this entry
Vision I
‘I am giving all this land, as far as you can see, to you and your descendants as a permanent possession’ Gen13:15.
The eagle has a keen vision. Their eyes are specially designed for long distance focus and amazing clarity. While the peripheral view of man is almost 180o, the eagle’s view is 270o which is just 90o off 360o. The eagle can spot another eagle or something just as big from 80km away. From 500meters high, the eagle can Read the rest of this entry
