Don't be stuck in a cul-de-sac

Don’t be stuck in a cul-de-sac

It’s easy to be misunderstood by your own

I had a hectic but interesting week! On Thursday evening I had a scheduled seminar in support of one of the local schools and also as a way to share important knowledge with the community. I prepared my best presentation in the midst of my tight schedules. In fact, I had to fly back from a business meeting the same afternoon in time for the event. I made sure I had my best attire on, that goes with the classic message I had prepared. I had also enlisted one of the best upcoming music groups to present quality music at interludes. When I arrived at the event just in time to get on with the seminar I had some great fun; the attendance was dismal! Only 4 people had turned out for the event, from the numbers I had expected. I had to call off the seminar because we didn’t have a quorum! I understood how the king whom Jesus spoke about in a parable felt when he had prepared a wedding feast and had invited all his friends to the feast ‘but they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise’ (Matthew 22 v 5). Two days later I was scheduled to speak in some place about 150km away. I was surprised at the multitudes that came and their response to the message. They insisted that I come again the following morning and the impact was phenomenal. I was touched at the transformed lives I saw! When you are up to something great it’s easy to be misunderstood by your own; but that should not slow you down. Keep moving! Even if you feel like you are hitting against a wall; don’t give up your vision. Your vision does not require a quorum or a critical mass for it to blossom. God makes ‘every thing beautiful in His time’ (Ecclesiastes 3 v 11).

 

You don’t need a referendum for you to move on

We are approaching the close of the first quarter and it’s the right time to take stock on whether 2010 is living up to your expectations. When you are paving a new path there are always challenges; but as I have always said many times over – when existing patterns are broken new worlds emerge! Everything in life worth having comes at a price! Your vision – if its one that will make a meaningful impact will come at a cost. There is no competition at the top because of the price one has to pay to get to the top. The price is a natural filter that will separate the normal or the mediocre from the champions!  There is no sustainable success without hard-work; not just hard-work but very hard-work and sacrifice. The dismal attendance for my seminar, though disappointing did not dishearten me; because I know that part of the price for success is to endure frustration but keep moving on. When you hit a snag on the road don’t give up and don’t let frustration slow you down. Keep going! I actually had great fun because ‘I know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose’ (Romans 8 v 28). If your vision resonates with the purpose of God for your life you have nothing to worry about even if you don’t get thumbs up from a referendum or the popular vote. Some day when ‘all the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the windows of heaven will be opened’ (Genesis 7 v 11).

 

Don’t be stuck in a cul-de-sac

As you take stock of yourself you need to know the difference between a T-junction and a cul-de-sac. A T-junction is when you have to stop and decide which direction to turn; but a cul-de-sac is a dead end; a situation that will never change. Evaluate where you are standing regarding your vision and plans. There are times when you realise that no matter how much effort, time and hard-work you are putting into something you are not making progress at all. It’s at that point when you need to check whether you are not investing your resources and energy in a cul-de-sac. In a cul-de-sac it doesn’t matter how hard you may work on something you never progress. That’s exactly the point when you need to practice positive quitting; quitting not because you have failed but quitting because you have enough sense and wisdom to realise that you are stuck in a cul-de-sac. This of course is not justification to make you quit at everything that you start in life. Champions are finishers; not just starters. So even if you know that you can quit on something, you must also know that to get to the top you need the spirit of a finisher.

 

Timing is everything

I had an interesting conversation with a doctor friend of mine. He has just started an exciting ground-breaking project in Zimbabwe in line with his field. He started this project after an extended time of prayer and was convinced that God is in it with him. Even as he testified to me the achievements he has had just in this first quarter of 2010 you can see the supernatural hand of the Almighty God. But as he shared the vision with several other people he has received several opposing voices and negative advice. I said to him, as long as you are in it with the Lord, your vision does not have to make sense to anybody. Don’t kick-start your vision by forming an approval committee! Rise up and exploit your dreams. Timing is everything. If you miss your timing you may miss your opportunity forever!

 

God bless you as you manouvre the remaining part of the first quarter

 

Calvary love 

Peter Mbada

 

       Thanks for partnering with me in inspiring the world by purchasing a copy of ‘Destined to Succeed; Unstoppable and Unlimitable’!

 

 

 

 

---

Debswana Diamond Company Email Disclaimer: The information contained in this e-mail is confidential and may be subject to legal privilege. If you are not the intended recipient, you must not use, copy, distribute or disclose the e-mail or any part of its contents or take any action in reliance on it. If you have received this e-mail in error, please e-mail the sender by replying to this message. All reasonable precautions have been taken to ensure no viruses are present in this e-mail and the sender cannot accept responsibility for loss or damage arising from the use of this e-mail or attachments.

---

They may conspire against you; but you are destined to succeed!

They may conspire against you; but you are destined to succeed!

God is the ultimate judge!

In the past few weeks, during our family bible study time, we took sometime to read through and meditate on Matthew chapter 27 and Isaiah chapter 53; both which state the details of the final moments of Jesus Christ and the suffering He endured to secure us our salvation. Salvation did not come at a cheap price; Jesus Christ paid a price we could not afford. The scriptures came very much alive as we saw how He was unfairly and painfully treated and accused. ‘He was despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed’ (Isaiah 53 v 3 – 5). If you have had a chance to watch the movie called ‘The Passion of the Christ’ you will have a pictorial understanding of the brutality, harshness and cruelty of the death He suffered. All for your salvation! They accused Him but could not find guilt on Him yet they proceeded on to crucify Him. Sometimes in life it’s not easy to stand up against false witnesses and false accusations when all your systems proclaim your innocence. Jesus found Himself in a similar situation ‘and when he was accused of the chief priests and elders, he answered nothing’ (Matthew 27 v 12). He knew that only God was the true witness. When you stand up for what is right you will attract those that will rise up to pull you down through false accusation and false witness; but God is the ultimate judge!

Your reward is from God

Pilate gave the people a chance to choose whom he should give amnesty between Jesus and Barabbas (Matthew 27 v 15 – 17). Barabbas was a crook; a thug and a murderer! He had raped their women; he had murdered their children; he had stolen their property and robbed them of their hard-earned finances. Jesus Christ had healed their diseases; he had forgiven the falsely accused; He had opened the eyes of the blind and strengthened the limbs of the crippled; He had brought hope to the hopeless and life to the lifeless. Yet at the critical hour; at the defining moment when He needed their testimony the most; they chose Barabbas. Even Pilate was surprise and said, ‘Why, what evil hath he done? But they cried out the more, saying, Let him be crucified’ (Matthew 27 v 23). Isn’t life like that!? Isn’t that the paradox of life!? That you can spend all your life sacrificing your time and resources for some people; who when they have earned what they want they wanted in life they turn their backs on you; and worse still they side up with your enemies; with those that conspire against you! Or they stand at a distance and watch when you need them to intervene and support you - they stand and watch from a distance! When you rise up to pursue your calling and vision never expect your reward from those that you serve. Don’t count on anyone! Your duty is to serve and its God’s duty to reward you – not those that you serve! ‘For God is not unrighteous, so as to forget your work and the labour of love which you showed toward his name, in that you served the saints, and still do serve them’ (Hebrews 6 v 10). Never be discouraged!

 

Don’t rise on people’s shoulders!

The ministry of Jesus did not rise to prominence on the shoulders of other people; through media campaign or belonging to the right camp. His ministry rose because He was obedient to the call that was upon His life and He executed His mission as if His whole life depended on it (and it did). Hence, when everybody turned away from Him, it pained Him yes, but it did not disorient or dishearten Him because He did not depend on them for the fulfillment of His dreams and visions. As you aspire to succeed you will definitely need people’s support, backing and assistance but never depend on people’s sympathy to earn your success. Don’t receive your success while standing on other people’s shoulders; but earn it through hard-work. Your success should not be based on an external locus of control but on an internal locus of control. That is, your success should not be dependant on other people’s feelings and views about you but should be based on your inner values, morals and self-belief and a reliance on God and God alone! People can make you up; people can crush you down! People can lift you up; and the same people will pull you down. Because Jesus did not depend on people’s views and feelings for the fulfillment and success of His mission; He managed to see the successful accomplishment of His mission – to earn you your SALVATION – and He boldly and confidently proclaimed ‘It is finished’ John 19 v 30.

 

Some day we must together proclaim ‘we have finished’ when we have seen the consummation of the dreams, gifts and visions which are in our hearts.

Calvary love 

Peter Mbada

 

v      Thank you to all who supported the seminar. The next seminar will be on the 25^th of March at Livingstone Primary School to support the school PTA. As per several requests this seminar will be on the same title as the last one ‘Mastering the art of Wealth Creation and Investment wisdom’

 

       Thanks for partnering with me in inspiring the world by purchasing a copy of ‘Destined to Succeed; Unstoppable and Unlimitable’!

 

 

 

 

---

Debswana Diamond Company Email Disclaimer: The information contained in this e-mail is confidential and may be subject to legal privilege. If you are not the intended recipient, you must not use, copy, distribute or disclose the e-mail or any part of its contents or take any action in reliance on it. If you have received this e-mail in error, please e-mail the sender by replying to this message. All reasonable precautions have been taken to ensure no viruses are present in this e-mail and the sender cannot accept responsibility for loss or damage arising from the use of this e-mail or attachments.

---