Diligence is  a Combination of Perseverance and Persistence (Part 5)

Perseverance and Persistence are other words for diligence. It's a quality that divides winners from losers and heroes from failures. It is a valuable characteristic that enables a person to excel in a certain area. Being successful in life, like excellent cuisine, needs a high level of diligence. Keep in mind that diligence is defined as the deliberate, persistent, and determined pursuit of a specific goal. It takes a lot of effort to achieve your goals. It's rife with misfortunes. Winners, on the other hand, are capable of triumphing. Persistence is defined as a dedication to and/or determination to achieve one's goals. It's enjoyable to persevere. It's a choice between commitment and perseverance. Athletes train for years in order to perform for a few seconds or minutes. To turn a vision into reality, diligence relies on commitment and endurance. Perseverance and diligence are both choices. It's a promise to complete what you've begun. Quitting appears attractive when we're fatigued. Winners, on the other hand, stick around. If you ask a successful athlete, he will tell you that he overcame adversity to complete what he began. Several failed companies got off to a good start then fizzled out. Purpose leads to perseverance. Without a sense of direction, life becomes a whirlpool. A person who lacks a sense of purpose will never succeed or be satisfied. Perseverance and dedication are two qualities that might help you achieve your goals. Being steadfast and persistent is what perseverance is all about. You commit to your goals and overcome barriers through tenacity, no of how long it takes. You don't give up when you persevere... you just keep going. You won't be pummeled or blown off course, just like a powerful ship in a storm. You simply go with the flow. Perseverance and persistence are thus synonymous with diligence. "Permanence, tenacity, and persistence in the face of all barriers, discouragements, and impossibilities: it is this that distinguishes the strong soul from the weak," Thomas Carlyle wrote. Persistence is unrivaled by anything else in the world. Talent will not save you; there is nothing more common than a talented man who fails. Genius will not go unnoticed; it is virtually a proverb that unrewarded genius will go unnoticed. Education will not solve the problem; the world is littered with educated scumbags. Only tenacity and drive are capable of achieving omnipotence. Calvin Coolidge said that the phrase "Press On!" had solved and will continue to solve the challenges of humanity. "It's not that I'm so smart, it's just that I remain with difficulties longer," Albert Einstein said in reference to his achievements. "Making your impact in the world is hard," America's first black president Barack Obama put it wonderfully. Everyone would do it if it were simple. However, this isn't the case. It takes time, effort, and a lot of failures. The ultimate test isn't whether you can escape failure; you won't. It's a choice of whether you let it harden or humiliate you into inaction, or whether you learn from it and choose to keep going." "Perseverance is failing 19 times and succeeding the 20th," Julie Andrews put it succinctly. Persistence is defined as sticking to one's beliefs or actions in the face of adversity or opposition. Perseverance, tenacity, determination, resolve, resolution, resoluteness, staying power, purposefulness, firmness of purpose, patience, endurance, application, diligence, sedulousness, dedication, commitment, doggedness, pertinacity, assiduity, assiduousness, steadfastness, tirelessness, indefatigability, stamina Stickability, or stick-to-it-iveness, is an informal term for it. Consider what our world would be like if we didn't have this quality: a zoo, waste, a world devoid of outcomes, results, and accomplishments. Thank God for endurance and tenacity, which we are able to acquire as a result of incorporating this quality into our daily lives. "The power to hold on is characteristic of all men who have accomplished anything great; they may lack in some other areas, have many weaknesses or eccentricities, but the quality of persistence is never absent from a successful man," said Orison Swett Marden, author of Pushing to the Front, in his booklet An Iron Will, commenting on persistence. Drudgery, barriers, and labor cannot disgust him; tragedy, sadness, and reverses cannot affect him, no matter what opposition he faces or what discouragement he faces. A great man is defined by his perseverance of work and consistency of purpose, not by his brilliance of mind or abundance of resources. Those who succeed in life are the men and women who remain at it indefinitely, who do not consider themselves geniuses, but who recognize that if they are to achieve anything, they must do so through tenacious and persistent effort." "Persistent intention is a force," he went on to say. Others will have more faith in you as a result of it. Everyone admires the self-assured individual. When he sets out to do something, he already has half of the battle won since everyone who knows him believes he will succeed. People understand that opposing a man who uses his stumbling blocks as stepping stones; who is unafraid of defeat; who never, in the face of slander or criticism, shrinks from his task; who never shirks responsibility; who always keeps his compass pointed to the north star of his purpose, no matter what storms rage around him, is pointless. The tenacious person never considers whether or not he is succeeding. His only concern is how to go forward, to come a little closer to his goal. He had to get there, regardless of whether it took him across mountains, rivers, or morasses. Every other concern is put on hold in order to fulfill this one overarching goal. In American history, the achievement of a mediocre or ordinary adolescent and the failure of a bright adolescent has always been a source of surprise. However, a detailed examination of the many situations reveals that the solution lies in the seemingly dumb boy's perseverance, his capacity to remain steady as a rock in any setting, and to allow nothing to distract him from his goal." The Parable of a Pencil Just before putting the pencil inside the box, the Pencil Maker moved him aside. He told the pencil, "Before I send you out into the world, there are five things you need to know." You will become the greatest pencil you can be if you remember them and never forget them." One: You'll be able to accomplish a lot of fantastic things if you let yourself be held in someone's hand. Two: Sharpening will be difficult at times, but it will be necessary if you want to improve your pencil skills. Three:  You'll be able to fix any errors you make. Four: What's within will always be the most significant aspect of you. And, finally, you must leave your mark on every surface you interact with. You must keep writing regardless of the circumstances." With purpose in its heart, the pencil understood and promised to remember. Now, in place of the pencil, replace yourself; remember and never forget the five secrets, and you will become the finest person you can be. One: You will be able to accomplish many wonderful things if you allow yourself to be held in the hands of God. Allow other people to benefit from your many talents. Two: You will go through a painful sharpening as a result of dealing with various challenges from time to time, but you will need it to grow as a person. Three: You'll be able to fix any errors you make. Four: What's on the inside is always the most significant aspect of you. Finally, you must leave your mark on every surface you pass through. You must continue to perform your responsibilities regardless of the circumstances. Let us live our lives on this planet with a meaningful purpose in our hearts by comprehending and remembering - Author Unknown. Keep in mind that you are a unique individual who is capable of achieving the goal for which you were created. Never let yourself down by believing that you are insignificant and incapable of making a difference. Yes, this is possible.

 

 

                                  Diligence involves a sense of urgency (Part 4)

“Without a sense of urgency, desires loses its value.” – Jim Rohn

 “Only those who dream with a sense of urgency get to wake up from their dreams.” – Edmon Mbaika

 “Dream audaciously. Have the courage to fail forward. Act with urgency.” – Phil Knight

 Diligence (Greek: spoud) is a virtue that refers to the ability to think and act with a sense of urgency and zeal. The Greek term literally means "hurry" or "eagerness," and Paul specifically adds that, along with faith, wisdom, and love, Christians should excel at diligence (2 Cor. 8:7). Many people are in hell today because they approached life with a sense of sluggishness, believing that there was still time to spend. They didn't feel a sense of urgency regarding Kingdom business, and it wasn't given top priority since they were preoccupied with other things. They are unaware that "the King's business required haste" (1 Sam. 21:8). Life must be approached with a sense of urgency, as we are running out of time and the King's business is on the line. Never fool yourself into thinking you have lots of time; instead, remember David's cry, "I made haste, and delayed not to keep thy commandments" (Psa. 119:60). You must take action right now to come closer to your goal. Create a sense of urgency in your life, according to H. Jackson Brown Jr.

“Make haste, my beloved, and be thou like to a roe or to a young hart upon the mountains of spices” (SoS 8:14). Do not be like the Egyptians who only saw the urgency of their situation when all their firstborn were slayed and there was a great cry in Egypt. There was no house where there was not one dead (Exo. 12:30-31).

“And the Egyptians were urgent upon the people, that they might send them out of the land in haste, for they said, we be all dead men” (Exo. 12:33).

Learn to live your Christian life on your toes. Edmon Mbaika said it well that, “Where there is no sense of urgency, there is usually a strong habit of procrastination.” Be urgent about your assignments and never give room to procrastination or the thinking that you still have plenty of time to make it. Les Brown painted it well when he said, “We have to live life with a sense of urgency so not a minute is wasted.” And John Kotter concurred when he opined that without a sense of urgency people won’t make needed sacrifices. Instead, they cling to the status quo and resist.

 

Consider Simon Peter and Andrew his brother, when Jesus met them and said unto them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” There was a divine witness in their hearts about the urgency of this commission. The Bible says, “They straightaway left their nets and followed Him (Matt. 4:19-20). They did not ask questions, but immediately dropped their nets and followed the Master. They sensed or perceived or received by revelation the urgency of the assignment.

In the same manner, when Jesus saw James and John the sons of Zebedee in a ship with their Father, mending their nets, he called them. “And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed Him” (Matt. 4:22). The call was urgent and they responded with a sense of profound urgency. They abandoned their boats and even their father and followed Jesus. When a deep realization of a sense of urgency hits us, we will handle our assignments with promptness and serious dispatch. The Bible tells us of another who in response to the same charge Jesus gave the fellows above said, “Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.” The Message Bible renders his response this way, “Certainly, but first excuse me for a couple of days, please. I have to make arrangements for my father’s funeral.”

Jesus responded and said, “First things first. Your business is life, not death. And life is urgent. Announce God’s Kingdom!” (Lk. 9:60 MSB). Truly life is urgent. The matters of life are critical, do not postpone them. Act now!

Another fellow volunteered himself but, he said, “Lord, I will follow thee, but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house.”

Jesus said, “No procrastination. No backward looks. You can’t put God’s kingdom off till tomorrow. Seize the day” (Lk. 9:62 MSB).

Your strength is your sense of urgency. When you recognize that everything you do is urgent, you won't have any time for relaxing, waiting, hoping, or even making excuses. Consider your vital activities to be urgent necessities, and make every effort to achieve your major life objective with a sense of urgency. Don't make the mistake of assuming that things can wait. You only have time to spare when you are dead.

When you understand that your time on this planet is short, you will approach your tasks with a greater feeling of urgency. You generate urgency, not it happens to you. That implies you must commit to create urgency and hold yourself responsible for it. Let us elevate our standards from where we are to where we want to be, and work toward that goal while keeping in mind that time is limited.

We will do much more and be ultra-productive if we make this fundamental mental shift and approach life with a sense of urgency. Do you have any pending assignments? Is there a more powerful exhortation to action than "Seize the moment"? There will be no looking backwards or procrastination. First and foremost, everything must be evaluated. Remember, your business is your life, and life is urgent. With a sense of urgency, proclaim God's kingdom.

 

    Diligence is the zealous and careful commitment to Work                                             (Part 3)

 

“The  smell of the sweat is not sweet, but the fruit of the sweat is very sweet.”

– Amit Kalantri

 

Diligence appreciates hard work and sacrifice. How you approach work speaks a lot about who you are. Do you have a strong work ethic, budget your time, keep track of your activities to avoid being lazy, and devote 100% of your attention to your task? CEOs and company managers, as well as other leaders, emphasize the importance of the quality of diligence in ensuring optimum results in their workplaces. God is a laborer in his own right. He made the world and everything in it in six days and then rested on the seventh. In general, zeal refers to a strong desire to achieve or gain a goal. Do you have a burning desire to do the task you've been assigned? It makes no difference what kind of work you do as long as you agree to participate. If you're doing ministry work, give it your all. Do it as if you were doing it for the Lord. "Achievement is not possible in the absence of zeal," Kishore Bansal stated, and I agree.

 "And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do all in the name of Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him" (Col. 3:17).

 "The sluggard's spirit yearns for and receives nothing, whereas the diligent's soul is abundantly filled" (Prov. 13:4).

 "There is profit in every labor, but mere chatter leads to poverty" (Prov. 14:23).

 Diligence is defined by the Vines Hebrew/Greek Dictionary as "working" that is suggestive of a process. For example, in business, profit is earned via hard labor, effort, pain, earnestness, and zeal. To rush through something (rather than postponing or deferring it); to pay close attention to a task."

 "Zeal  will do more  than knowledge." — Hazlitt, William

 A diligent person should be a model of virtue at all times. "Strive forward with diligence," was one of Budha's last remarks. As a result, all Buddhist teachings have a component of diligence. A work ethic is defined as a notion that effort is beneficial in and of itself. Applying the virtue of diligence to your daily activities will help you live a better life. Every man's prosperity depends on his diligence. It's not only a question of work; it's also a question of heart. You succeed in life not because of your greatness, but because you nurture and value your dreams on a daily basis. I can tell you that perseverance can transform your life. The Bible says, “The diligent hands will RULE, but laziness will end in the slave labour” (Prov. 12:24 NIV).

 “The hand of the diligent shall bear rule: but the slothful shall be under tribute” (Prov. 12:24 KJV).

 “Hard work will give you power; being lazy will make you a slave” (Prov. 12:24 GNT).

And, once again, this is precisely correct. We've all been summoned to some sort of "job," and we must all conduct ourselves appropriately. We must behave ourselves with energy and care in order to deliver outcomes in the life assignment we have properly defined. The hands who work diligently will RULE.

                        Diligence has to do with Intensity  (Part 2)

“What we hope ever to do with ease, we must learn first to do with diligence.”

-   Samuel Johnson quotes (English Poet, Critic, and Writer (1709-1784)

As we continue in learning the secret key to our life's victory, it's critical that we dissect the concept and stay on the same page. Diligence is one of the virtues that have the ability to "set you on fire," keep you focused on a goal, and keep you on the verge of victory. It is stated that ten percent inspiration and ninety percent sweat equals achievement in life. Success is determined more by your capacity to stay to a purpose than by your talent.

 Success is certain if you are committed to diligence.  Diligence is a choice. "The expectancy of life rests on diligence," Confucius correctly stated, "and the mechanic who wishes to perfect his work must first sharpen his tools."

 “It sometimes seems that intense desire creates not only its own opportunities but its own talents.” Eric Hoffer

  “The time that leads to mastery is dependent on the intensity of our focus.” Robert Green

 

In the Christian race, a certain level of intensity is demanded of us, and there is no space for lethargy. The Christian must not rust out, even if he burns out. To have an impact on the world, you must keep burning and shining. You must attain a certain level of intensity in order to achieve your breakthrough. The American Dictionary of the English Language, 1828, defines intensity as "a state of being increased to a large degree, to the extreme, to the excess." To be intense means to be strained stretched, fiery, and impassioned, to be kept on the stretch, and to be nervously watchful. Are you adamant about getting outcomes or do you take it lightly? You will limit your potential until you are eager, fervent, and willing to be stretched to the utmost.

Without this attribute, not much will be accomplished in life; therefore, as Christians who want to make a difference in our generation, we must be intense in prayer, Bible study, and our pursuit of life's general themes. "Life is not merely the passage of time," Jim Rohn said. "Life is a series of experiences with varying degrees of intensity."

"Let thy clothing always be white, and thy head never be without ointment." Ecclesiastes 9:8

Consider the possibility of falling back into deadening spiritual inertia if you recall your early glow and ardor as a young Christian. The Lord's service demands our best, and we must never allow anything to hinder (limited from within) or prevent us from serving our Master (limitation from without). Our devotion to God must grow in intensity as we progress from glory to glory, faith to faith, and one level of excellence to the next. That is exactly what God wants from us. A life without intensity will leave no legacy and, of course, will end in disaster. You quit up when your breakthrough is only a fingertip away if you don't put in the effort. Because you lack intensity, you do not go the extra mile. But, if that intensity is missing, your life may best be described as mediocre, typical, normal, simple, and a big sacrifice. "Genius is nothing more than common faculties polished to a greater intensity," as Benjamin Haydon so aptly put it. “There are no awe-inspiring methods for achieving awe-inspiring results. Ordinary resources are used to accomplish all extraordinary feats."

“I call upon you therefore to ensure that you keep the fire on the Altar burning, it must not go out. Replenish the wood for the fire every morning, arrange the whole burnt-offering on it . . . the fire shall ever be burning upon the altar, it shall never go out” (Lev. 6:12+13).

 

Maintaining the flame and keeping the altar burning requires a lot of effort. Is your fire still burning? Restore your manifestations by reviving your intensity.

What's holding you back?

"What am I limiting?" you might wonder. Is it a restraint or a prohibition? Remove yourself from your own constraints. Gain control over the fear that is preventing you from releasing the best version of yourself. The days of seeking the Lord only when it is "absolutely necessary" or as a last resort are long gone. Our sole focus must now be on Jesus.

In these days, we must seek God in all things on a daily basis. Small disobedience, no matter how big or small, is typically what causes us to miss God's big purposes. God's voice, or the sound of his presence, the rhythm of his manifestations, and the time of his priceless anointing must all be discerned. We must be on the same page as him and in the same moment as him. If we want to perceive the manifestation of his power, we must have that divine alignment.

Things will no longer be as simple as snapping our fingers; we will have to press, push, and persevere in order to achieve them. Many of God's promises will be fulfilled only after great effort. We'll have to look for answers over and over until we find them. We must come believing in order to find numerous solutions; else, we may not be able to find them. "The most distinguishing feature of champions is their intensity of purpose," Alymer Letterman stated.

Many of us, I am sure, will attest that seeking is more difficult these days, and authentic solutions are becoming increasingly difficult to come by. God's ear, on the other hand, is constantly drawn to the righteous, who are intense, fervent, violent, and sold over to him.

 "Call upon me, and I will answer thee, and I will show thee vast and powerful things that thou hast not seen" (Jer. 33:3).

According to Benjamin Franklin, anyone with these two essential abilities can overcome anything.

1. Energy

2. Perseverance (or perseverance)

To be sustained, intensity necessitates violent energy. "Energy, like the Biblical grain of mustard seed, will remove mountains," Hosea Ballou stated. If you think "removing mountains" is impossible, remember what Kopmeyer said: "A goal must first be impossible to be relevant."

"The world belongs to the active," Emerson wrote. "The reward of a job well done is to have done it," he continued. "Resolution is omnipotent: Determine to be something in the world, and you will be something," Joel Hawes, a wise and well-cited preacher, used to preach. The main secret of effort and distinction is this. "I can't do it," as they say, has never worked; "I'll try," on the other hand, has worked miracles.

"Energy will do anything that can be done in the world," Goethe wrote. "Great deeds are accomplished not by power, but by patience," stated Samuel Johnson. "Great endeavors come from industry (energy) and perseverance," Bacon stated. "Victory belongs to the most tenacious!" Napoleon declared. Today, how true are these words?

"The strength with which the force is directed is determined by the degree of your desire." McDonald, John D.

Every person who has ever excelled in life has one thing in common: intense belief in his or her own ability to succeed! It was because of their unwavering faith that each of these individuals rose to the pinnacle of success in whichever career they chose. You can accomplish and get whatever you want, according to M. R. Kopmeyer, no matter what you choose to succeed in doing and attaining! However, you must take the following steps:

1. Make a clear decision on what you want to achieve in life. You have complete freedom to accomplish and obtain whatever you desire.

2. Have a strong belief that you will succeed. "Belief produces the actual fact," according to psychology.

3. Desire it so much that you're willing to pay the price to have it. Knowing what to do and doing it is the cost.

 The majority of people fail because they do not have a strong belief in their ability to succeed. Even if you have all of the official schoolings, you will fail if you do not have a strong belief that you will succeed. However, if you have a strong desire to achieve but lack the essential education, you will be able to obtain it, sometimes through unexpected opportunities that you never believed were open to you until you began to believe strongly that you would succeed. This is true not simply in terms of schooling, but in every endeavor in which you wish to excel. It is a law of life that believes attracts all of the elements that enable it to be realized.

My mother was burdened and consumed by the desire to acquire a home when she had a few years to retire from the Civil Service. After her husband died many years ago, she was left to care for herself and build a shelter over her head. Her acts demonstrated her desperation as much as her confidence in her ability to construct a home. The level of belief was quite high.

She started laying the foundation in the only land available at the time. However, God organized a great opening in a short period, and her tale was turned around in approximately two years. She now has her own home, complete with all of the furnishings she could ever desire. Her strong belief in the project's viability resulted in a positive outcome.

"No impediment can stand up to deep belief and concentrated persistence... concentrated persistence and belief in your ability to do something gives you incredible power to do it!" - Kopmeyer

"Success or failure is caused more by mental attitudes (beliefs) than by mental capacities," observed Dr. Walter Scott, a famous Psychologist and President of Northwestern University. In other words, your success is the product of your strong belief in your ability to succeed, rather than exceptional intelligence. "Nothing magnificent has ever been accomplished except by those who dared to think that something within them was superior to their surroundings," Bruce Baton remarked. Intensity and diligence are inextricably linked. "One should live as if one's life were the only thing that mattered." Marty Rubin is a writer who lives in New York City.

Pursue your dreams with tenacity if you want to be a trailblazer in life. Let's wrap up this chapter with Napoleon's story. Napoleon was traveling through Paris one day when he peered through the open door of a Synagogue; what he saw piqued his interest. A large gathering of Jews sat on the floor, shivering and wailing with ashes on their heads. He came to a halt, perplexed, to inquire about the source of the wailing. His servant explained, "They are mourning for the loss of their temple." "Return and inquire as to when it occurred. "I haven't seen anything in the newspaper about this." "They told me close to two thousand years ago," the servant replied when he returned.

"If a people still cry with such emotion for an incident that occurred so many years ago," Napoleon marveled, "you can be convinced they will be restored to their land at some point." Because of the intensity of their prayer, Israel was restored in 1949, and yours may be answered as well.

 

The Danger of Casual or Plastic Christianity and the

 Power of that Quality Called Diligence (Part 1)

"We are what we repeatedly do.  Excellence then, is not an act, but a habit." Aristotle

Today's church is full of people who had great dreams to achieve outstanding testimonies for the Kingdom and who probably started out well, but along the way, obstacles arose, difficulties arose, oppositions arose, circumstances grew unfavorable, those barriers grew magnified, and they began to give up in their hearts, and their great dream became a wasted adventure.

So many people all around the world have caged or boxed their God-given goals because they were discouraged on the road to victory and couldn't keep up the tempo of tremendous commitment, industry, and assiduity.

I understand that life is supposed to progress from one level to the next. We are expected to continue to grow with each passing day. God expects you to grow in your knowledge of Him every day. God intended for your relationship with him to become stronger over time, but many Christians have a history of beginning well and ending badly. Our affection has cooled. A cycle of failures runs through our lives. We've lost our concentration and are no longer determined to live lives that matter. We are a generation of people that are dissatisfied with life at best. We've cried out to God as if the problem stems from him, but the truth is that we've underutilized or even ignored the character of diligence.

Why are you not succeeding in life?

Why are more people failing today in their personal relationships with God and with other people?

Why are more marriages and ministries failing?

Why are churches developing worldly strategies to hypnotize, and mesmerize their members to pay their compulsory taxes?

Why are you no longer producing satisfying results in your kingdom activity?

Why are so many worthy causes of the kingdom which you have dreamed about, some of which you have already started ending up as mere stories?

I believe with all my heart that the bottom line to most of these non-performances is the absence of that quality called diligence.

Why aren't you achieving your goals in life?

Why are so many individuals today failing in their personal relationships with God and others?

Why are so many ministries failing and so many marriages ending in divorce?

Why are churches adopting worldly tactics to seduce and enthrall their congregations into paying their mandatory taxes?

Why aren't you getting the outcomes you want in your kingdom work?

Why are so many excellent kingdoms cause that you have dreamed about, and some of which you have already begun, turning into simply stories?

I am convinced that the lack of that trait known as diligence is at the root of the majority of these underperformances.

Casual Christianity

 Casual Christianity has risen to prominence as the most popular and most accepted kind of Christianity. The deeper life and Bible-believing faith are increasingly becoming a practice of a select few who are currently demonstrating dramatic outcomes and, of course, outstandingly excelling in the undertakings they are involved in.

 We appear to be running the Christian race for the glory of God rather than the prize, which is why we run in such a way that others may praise us. We run to please man rather than to satisfy God.

 "Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown" (1 Cor.  9:24-25 NKJV).

 

"No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier. And also if anyone competes in athletics, he is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. The hardworking farmer must be first to partake of the crops" (2 Tim. 2:4-6 NKJV).

A failure mentality has captured us. We are no longer willing to pay the prize for our salvation. Many even think that as soon as they confess Christ as savior they are heaven-bound and must not do anything to maintain it. The Bible said the opposite, “work out your salvation with fear and trembling.”

“Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling” (Phil. 2:12).

 Because we give willful loyalty to slothfulness and laziness, we have modified God's commandment concerning work. We are a group of people that are solely interested in God's goods. With the smallest challenge or barrier, we readily give up. My brother, it is still true that one individual with dedication, perseverance, and endurance may do more than a thousand people with mere interest.

Concentration is an undeniable reality that unlocks the door to success. Concentration is the first law of success, and it takes a conscientious person to attain it.

Be your best for Jesus by overcoming the mushroom cloud of mediocrity in your life. And if you recognize yourself in some of the concerns I've mentioned above, I will be considering a series that will show you how to escape using the ancient manual of success, the Bible.

This study on diligence, will illuminate your heart and lead you into the realm of practical application in daily interactions. As you approach your life's purpose with that attitude of radical diligence, your life will change dramatically.

I am so confident that your encounter with God through the revelation and inspiration contained in this series of articles on diligence will certainly enrich your life and your life will never be the same.  Maranatha.

                                                 IT’S NOT BEYOND YOU!

Rufus & Puele Landi

 

Don’t give up too early. There’s always a way. Help is just around the corner. The best is within your reach.

 So many people finish as failures not because their circumstances were more than they could contain, but because they fail to reach out for the help they needed to shoot up beyond their personal weaknesses.

 The fact that you don’t have money, connections, first-class education or you are not a spiritual superstar does not mean you should fall!

 Don’t resign to fate and back out on life just because you think you don’t have what it take to make it.

 No! No matter how bad or worthless you’ve grown to be, you don’t deserve to die when a touch, a word, perhaps a dear gracious heart or just a smile somewhere within your reach can make a difference.

 You shouldn’t die of dehydration in an ocean; of cold in the heat of summer; or of hunger in the midst of plenty. You have a chance down and out, stuck in doom. It’s not over yet. Don’t be another suicide. Look beyond the mountains. Can you see that your star will shine again?

 Don’t be like them that end seeking wrong help, trusting wrong helpers, or neglecting the right help. Around you God has placed every help you will ever need.

 You’ve not tried enough until you meet appropriate and sufficient grace to take you beyond `short’. If you have been disappointed, betrayed, or rejected before – you can count on God now! He won’t let you down. He welcomes you into His warm embrace where you can find help whenever, forever. Help to heal your hurts. To empower you to handle responsibilities. To tidy up the mess. Turn around your life for good and make your dreams come true.

 Can you believe God wants to handle your most delicate and complex biddings? He’s gracious and merciful. He loves you and cares. When you cry He understands; when you call he will ride upon the heavens beating down all obstacles to come to your help (Deut. 33:26).

 Please pray with us:

Father God, come into my life and help me get past my limitations and weaknesses. Give me that extra touch I need to secure my great destiny in you. Come into my life and give me a new start in life.  Thank you for paying the price so I can always have a way out and for setting me free to be your wholesome precious child again.

                                                                                                                             CRFN

How Long?

 How Long?

“How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? And the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge? Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you.” Prov. 1:22+23

 Do you know…?

God has wonderful plan for your life? Far too long he have been expecting you to discover it in Christ, but it seems everyday you go further into the wilderness of life and deeper into the mire of sin. But God is saying, “For how long will this continue?” How long will you continue to serve Satan and to live like a beggar without hope and without a future? You may be rich with earthly treasures but do you know that as long as you are not rich towards God you are poor, naked and hopeless by the standard of heaven?

 For how long will you play church, for how long will you confide in religion or denomination and in man-made traditions rather than in Christ and His words? For how long will you love exhibitions and empty- shows, how long will you love the praises of men rather than a well-done from the King of Kings? For how long will you continue in your carnality and hypocrisy? For how long will continue to mock and scoff at the truth of the Scriptures, in fear of responsibility and duty? For how long will you be a lukewarm, earth-bound, ice-block Christian who is ever learning but never able to come to the knowledge of the truth, and though having the form of godliness deny the power thereof?

 Oh how long will you provoke God, and grieve the Holy Spirit by your way of life an still think you will make it to heaven? For how long will you be satisfied being just a water-baptized, Holy-Communion eating, Tithe-paying, Sunday-to-Sunday Christian? The Lord’s plan for your life is for you to mount into the higher realms of glory. Smith Wigglesworth once said to his people, “I want to bring you people to a place of dissatisfaction, a place where you will never be satisfied anymore, but only satisfied with an unsatisfiable satisfaction.” And I believe this is where God want you wants you to be today. Sinner man, for how long will you love wickedness, how long will you continue to rebel against the Master plans of God for your life?

 Listen, Wisdom is calling aloud in the streets, she raises her voice in the   public places in the chief place of concourse, in the openings of the gates saying, “How long, you simple ones will you go on being a fool saying there is no God? How long will you scoff at wisdom and fight the facts. Listen to the Lord and he will make you a new creation. Don’t reject the counsel and reproof of God, come out of your sins and accept Jesus the way to eternal life. As long as you turn down this invitation today, there is going to come someday when God will mock at you and laugh at your calamity. How long will you continue to think or suppose that you are saved? You can be sure now. The Bible says, “He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.” 1Jn.5:12. Invite Jesus Christ into your heart today and make Him the Lord of your life. Do not put it off any more, time is short, death is sure, but are you saved? You can do it now by praying with me:

 Lord I have wasted my life in sin, but I now want to surrender my heart to you. Jesus be the Lord of my life, come into my life and make me a new creation. Write my name in the lamb’s book of life. Thank you for the answered prayer in Jesus name Amen. MJG

 THERE IS ANOTHER WEDDING COMING (Matt. 24:37-39

 

All through the ages billions of wedding celebrations have been conducted.  We have experienced wedding like that of Prince Charles and Princes Diana, over 1 billion people watched it live all over the world it was witnessed by Heads of States from over 70 countries.  Everything needed was provided and every arrangement was perfect, it was indeed a royal wedding, a society celebration, but there are still so many weddings that are marked by lack and poverty that even the cake may be just a piece of bread.

 The Bible says our days will be like the days of Noah where people will be “eating and drinking and giving in marriage…” Right now there are multitudes that are already planning and making arrangements to make history on their wedding day. There may be people from wealthy or poor families, educated or illiterates, beautiful or ugly, young or old . . . all want to marry.

 Some marriages end in the evening after the Church protocols, some last but two weeks or two years, etc. while others may remain till death ends it all. No matter how well organized, no matter how the couples love each other, every marriage involving a man and a woman has an end.

 However, let me introduce you to another wedding that is coming very soon. It is not just a wedding of high-class celebrities; it is something better, something higher. It is the marriage of the Lamb of God. It is a marriage that has no end.

 “Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints . . . Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. . .”

 There is another wedding coming. It is the wedding of weddings, the marriage of the Saints and the Lamb. It is the marriage of Christians who have remained faithful and righteous to the end with the lamb, even Jesus Christ. In this great royal wedding, all expenses are paid for, and all things required are available, but you must be found arrayed in fine linen, clean and white. You must be righteous and holy. The big question is- are you qualified to be the bride of the Lamb?

 I have seen drunkards, thieves, fornicators, HIV/AIDS and Sickle cell victims, short and black, barren and sterile people, old and young, blind and crippled people married. But there is no room for incomplete, unclean people for the wedding of the Lamb. The groom is Jesus – the holy one of Israel and there is no compromise with him. If you must be His bride, you must belong to the family of the chosen and remain fervently connected to Him in purity.

 Ask yourself, my friend, are you prepared for this  great unavoidable event of history? You will either be married to Jesus or be married to Satan. There is no option. One of the  two must be your choice. Start preparing for the great event because time is running out.

 Have you noticed how people prepare for earthly weddings that only last a lifetime? Put your all and give  your life to Christ and live for Him daily so as to be qualified for the wedding of the Lamb.

As you celebrate with us in this temporary wedding today, may it be known to you that our focus eventually is the wedding celebration of the Lamb that is soon to come. In this wedding all Christians, male and female, no matter their age or size would be the bride and Christ Himself the groom. Oh what a joy. Start preparing for it by surrendering your life to Christ and deciding to live for Him no matter the cost. Don’t deceive yourself by church attendance alone; all on that day will know the reality of who you are. You can avoid the shame if you choose to face it today by acknowledging your sins and submitting your life to Jesus now and today and be determined to live for Him daily. Only this can qualify you for this great wedding that is coming. Are you willing to pray with me now? Then say this prayer, “Lord Jesus, I come before you knowing my weakness and desiring a change of heart. Jesus come into my heart and make me a new person in Jesus name.” Amen.