TAKE HEED TO YOURSELF

Enjoy the lyrics of this video song by Casting Crowns:Just click on the link, "TAKE HEED TO YOURSELF"

Be careful little eyes what you see

It's the second glance that ties your hands as darkness pulls the strings

Be careful little feet where you go

For it's the little feet behind you that are sure to follow

It's a slow fade when you give yourself away

It's a slow fade when black and white have turned to gray

Thoughts invade, choices are made, a price will be paid

When you give yourself away

People never crumble in a day

It's a slow fade, it's a slow fade

Be careful little ears what you hear

When flattery leads to compromise, the end is always near

Be careful little lips what you say

For empty words and promises lead broken hearts astray

It's a slow fade when you give yourself away

It's a slow fade when black and white have turned to gray

Thoughts invade, choices are made, a price will be paid

When you give yourself away

People never crumble in a day

The journey from your mind to your hands

Is shorter than you're thinking

Be careful if you think you stand

You just might be sinking

It's a slow fade when you give yourself away

It's a slow fade when black and white have turned to gray

Thoughts invade, choices are made, a price will be paid

When you give yourself away

People never crumble in a day

Daddies never crumble in a day

Families never crumble in a day

Oh be careful little eyes what see

Oh be careful little eyes what you see

For the Father up above is looking down in love

Oh be careful little eyes what you see

ARE YOU BLACK OR DARK?

A good friend of mine just had an experience and here was his comment, "Am mad as hell! I just got pulled over in my own neighborhood. My crime: am a black man driving an Escalade in a nice neighborhood!"

When I heard that, some thoughts came to my mind and I feel like sharing them with you. Read and enjoy it…

Black and lack are not synonymous! Being black does not mean you are dark. To be dark is to be ignorant, and it has nothing to do with the color of your skin but has everything to do with the state of your MIND. If you carry a first class MIND, nothing can resist your shining. And your shining is a function of the intensity of your LIGHT.

Light signifies success, advancement, progress etc. I have met a lot of people who are not BLACK but very DARK. When you are DARK, you are gullible and can be deceived or deceive yourself easily…the king of deception is the man the holy writ called, the PRINCE OF DARKNESS. The word prince means FIRST. That means the number one person to possess a DARK mind is that great enemy, and every other DARK person you see around is just being deceived into working with THE prince of DARKNESS.

My advice: The only solution to darkness is LIGHT. If you are black and you focus on increasing the INTENSITY of the LIGHT in your greatest asset – MIND. You will not only live in a nice neighborhood, ride escalade, fly a jet but also become an instrument that dislodges DARKNESS wherever you go. No matter the color of your skin – white, black, yellow or whatever, darkness has no regard for you. Only “LIGHT-minded” people will be able to ride on their high places in this world. Either in my village, United States, Canada, Europe, Iraq, China, Haiti or anywhere, LIGHT has the same EFFECT. Shine!!!

September 2009

Beloved, as I woke up this morning appreciating God in my heart for the great and mighty things He's done in my life and family just this year, I feel like challenging your heart with this question:


Many at times when we are faced with a challenge (which a lot of people calls problem), the usual thing is to go around telling people how big that problem is and throwing a pity party. Few of us who remember to turn to God (instead of turning to people) in such situations often bombard His hearing with our view of the problem – it’s size, bigness and frustrating look, whereas God expect us not just to be telling people or Him about the magnitude of the problem, but rather turn to the situation and tell it HOW BIG OUR GOD IS!

No wonder Jesus said, “If you shall say unto the mountain…” (Mark 11:23). In other word, tell that mountain or situation the bigness of your God! I don’t care how big that project or dream in your heart is, if it’s a vision from Him and the ultimate purpose is to bless humanity and glorify God, then go ahead and start! May I ask you, what is that challenge you are faced with now? Is it barrenness? God is bigger than it! Is your marriage going through the toughest financial tension? God is tougher that the toughest financial crisis! Is yours a health issue? His name is Jehovah Rapha – the Lord that heals!

Let me share a testimony with you, few years ago my wife went for a medical check up and the doctor discovered a health concern which according to them was a serious issue. Not only that, the implications medically speaking is serious! But hear me; I know my God is bigger than the biggest negative discovery of the smartest doctor in this world! We prayed over it once and that was it! The next time she went for the check up, the problem that supposed to gulp thousands of dollars had disappeared! God is great!

Beloved, time will fail me to tell you more stories, but my challenge to you is, How Big Is your God? Is He still big enough to open the Red Sea? Is He still big enough to rain down manna from heaven? May I ask you, Is God still big enough to bring water out of the rock in the wilderness of your life? Is your God still big enough to terminate joblessness, incurable disease and financial struggles? Is your God still big enough to raise your dead visions, dreams and career back to life? Hear me! If He carried the weight of the world upon His shoulders; He’s BIG ENOUGH to carry your relationship, marriage, project, ministry, educational pursuit and you. See what He promised in Isaiah 46: 3-4, “Listen to me, descendants of Jacob, all you who remain in Israel. I have cared for you since you were born. Yes, I carried you before you were born. I will be your God throughout your lifetime— until your hair is white with age. I made you, and I will care for you. I will carry you along and save you.”

I don’t know about you, but I have made my choice to always look at any challenge in the face and say to it, “MY GOD IS BIGGER THAN YOU!” and He has never failed to prove Himself. The truth is, You are bigger and stronger than the strongest challenge if God is your strength. This new month of September 2006, I see God demonstrating His BIGNESS in your life in the precious name of Jesus.

On behalf of my sumptuous Gift – Oludolapo Precious and my angels – Blessing and Faith, I am saying we love you with the love of Christ and we shall forget to forget you.

The Law of Empowerment by Maxwell

Friends, I read the article below and it blessed my life. I want you to enjoy it as well. Have a great month. On behalf of my Jewel of Inestimable Price - Oludolapo and my angels - Blessing and Faith, I am saying no matter what you are going through, YOU ARE EXPECTED TO WIN!

Note: Remember to post your comment at the end of the article. Thanks

The Law of Empowerment
By Dr. John C. Maxwell

Biographers universally agree that personal insecurity factored heavily in the downfall of former American President Richard Nixon. Rather than empowering others, President Nixon clutched at power so tightly that he lost all sense of morality and ethics. Obsessively fearing his critics, Nixon authorized a domestic espionage group to spy on his political opponents. When members of the group were caught burglarizing the Watergate Hotel, Nixon tried unsuccessfully to cover up the incident. Eventually he resigned in shame, having left a dubious legacy of scandal. Nixon's behavior in office violated the Law of Empowerment: Only Secure Leaders Give Power to Others.

Today, at a time when managers must do more with less - less people, less budget, less margin for error - leaders have no choice but to empower followers to share the load. Insecurity simply isn't compatible with survival. Even so, human nature resists empowerment. Let's look at three common tendencies that make empowerment a tricky task.

Three Obstacles to Empowerment
1) Desire for Job Security
The number one enemy of empowerment is the desire for job security. Weak leaders worry that they will become expendable if they train up talented subordinates. As a result, they retain a monopoly on select knowledge in the hopes of positioning themselves as irreplaceable. Some misguided leaders even go as far as undercutting those they perceive as potential rivals. Not wanting to be surpassed, they intentionally make others look bad from time to time. Insecure leaders who prize job security are fiercely territorial. They stake out their turf and refuse to delegate. They want to be the go-to-guys so badly that they may senselessly refuse to train and empower others who could offer them assistance.
The truth is that the only way to make yourself indispensable is to make yourself dispensable. In other words, if you are continually able to empower others and develop them so that they become capable of taking over your job, then you will become so valuable to the organization that you become indispensable.

2) Resistance to Change
Nobel Prize-winning author John Steinbeck asserted, "It is the nature of man as he grows older to protect against change, particularly change for the better." By its very nature, empowerment brings constant change in that it encourages people to grow and innovate. Change is the price of progress. Insecure leaders view change as a threat rather than an opportunity. They fear change rather than inviting it. As a consequence, insecure leaders have been known to act coldly toward newcomers. They cling to the established order and generally resent anyone who may disrupt it. Instead of empowering incoming personnel, they avoid working with them.

3) Lack of Self-Worth
Many people derive personal value and esteem from their title or position. When either is threatened, they feel as if their self-worth is under assault. Accordingly, they will firmly resist anyone or anything that could reduce their status. On the other hand, author Buck Rogers says, "To those who have confidence in themselves, change is a stimulus because they believe one person can make a difference and influence what goes on around them. These people are the doers and the motivators." They are also the empowerers.

Summary
Enlarging others makes you larger. The purpose of power is to be distributed, not hoarded, but only secure leaders are able to give their power away. Recognize and resist the natural inclinations to keep a tight grip on power. In the long run, you'll be rewarded for letting go. I'll close with a quotation on empowerment from decorated war hero and former vice presidential candidate, James B. Stockdale:
"Leadership must be based on goodwill... It means obvious and wholehearted commitment to helping followers... What we need for leaders are men of heart who are so helpful that they, in effect, do away with the need of their jobs. But leaders like that are never out of a job, never out of followers. Strange as it sounds, great leaders gain authority by giving it away."