#My10CommandmentsOfRelationships~ (3) GO FOR WHAT YOU NEED!!

Go for what you NEED as opposed to what you WANT! Lay your cards well in life and lay it plain on the table: men will respect your demands. (Click here to tweet this) There is something about those who are bold enough to demand exactly what they need.  In simplicity, wants are things you can do without whilst needs are things you cannot do without. We exert so much effort and money on that which doesn’t give satisfaction at the expense of that which does.

The human being in our times believes in the “instantomatics” thus our foremost desires are geared towards the self.  As a leader, I have seen too many lives destroyed because of the lack of a resolve to go for what is needed. The bible is very succinct when it comes to asking from God; my God shall supply all your NEED according to His riches in glory. Pursuing a need in life brings fulfilment. The biography of the late Steve Jobs speaks of someone who understood this argument I am raising. He stood for one thing- the need for excellence. Flip through the pages and you will be shocked at the length he will go to achieve the excellence he so desires.  If you go for what you want at the expense of need, you will be bitter and confused for the rest of your live. (Click here and tweet this).

Many I have come across find it daunting paying the price required for the fulfilment of their need. In order to be fulfilled in a relationship, questions are meant to be asked before there is an agreement.  Hard questions like why do I need that person? Why do I need that job? Does it have what it takes to bring the best out of me? These should be the benchmarks for everyone desiring to relate to someone, a vision or an environment. Interestingly, when you pursue what you need, something within tells you that you are fighting a worthy course. (Click here and tweet this). You don’t have to bow to the pressure of others who find satisfaction in mediocrity to settle for less.

If deep within the recesses of your Spirit excellence abounds, go for it. Name your price, see your prize and learn to work for. (Click here and tweet this).Weak souls often settle for that which is far below their potential and never live life to its best. Many who go for wants might seem to be winning in the immediate only to be blown away like the chaff by the winds of life. Others, who choose to pursue their need and suffer the buffeting of negative forces, will win eventually.

I am an avid reader of biographies and something is very consistent in the lives I read of. Almost every great achiever from the onset knew what they NEEDED and did not mince words in achieving it. Make no mistake, finding your need is tasking because human beings naturally gyrate towards wants. (Click here and tweet this). It will take a painstaking process to really identify your need and when you do, make sure you utilise it to your benefit. Your life is in the capsule of your need and once you find it, the real you will be free to exhibit your potential.  May God help you find what you really NEED and when you do, go for it with everything in you.

Questions: what do you NEED not WANT in a relationship? Have you made the mistake of going for a WANT not a NEED? Kindly leave your comment on the blog.

Need a personal advice? Click here and let’s talk

Yours In His Service

JOSEPH AKUOKO II

“THE HUMAN BEING”

“And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul". ~ Genesis 2:7

The person that is seen every day is not necessarily the image of God but a combo of the DNA of that individual’s parents. (Click here and tweet this). The Spiritual process is that God created man from the dust of the soil and breathe into man his Spirit and man became a living soul.  Science speaks of the creation of man from the fusing of the sperm and ovary which forms the zygote. An embryo forms out of the zygote and finally a human being.

 

The word “human” I believe is the combination of the words “humus” and man. Humus represents the dust from which man was created and “man” might also mean the breath of God in a person that gives life. This is the true sense of the image of God. One can therefore conclude that the real person is the one that lives within the confines of the features of both parents called the body. Whilst the true image of God is the breath in a person that causes him to live, move and have their being. (Click here and tweet this). It’s the breath of God in man that gives him the essence of his being. The energy of life in man is the breath of God. It’s only through this engine that man continues to live.

The presence of the divine or the breath of God is what causes man to constantly desire the worship of a deity, be it God or any other. (Click here and tweet this). It is what gives man the impetus to “BE”.  It’s out of this that Self- belief is generated. Even the most deprived person believes in what they are capable of achieving when given the opportunity. Ask anyone and they believe they are either the most beautiful, handsome or gifted inspite of what your opinion might be. Have you ever watched people sign their names? Have you noticed its sign with design, care and pride? The major quality displayed to the maximum is that of ownership and protection. It represents the nearest description of the essence of one’s being. It’s what makes a person feel at ease in whatever they do or say. The audacity people have in life comes from the essence of their being inherited from the divine in us.

Knowledge both of the supernatural and the natural is the contact point for God and man to relate. This knowledge from God is the ultimate conduit for the perpetuation of the human being. Every attack of the devil is to deplete the knowledge of God within a person that is meant to empower the divine in them. Without this kind of knowledge, a person is kept ignorant of the plans of God. When Adam bought into the lie of the Satan, he sinned and subsequently the divine in him was corrupted. Now man became a living soul that was dead. He lost everything and was reduced to nothing. Whenever you allow the devil to twist and tell you that which you already should know, you become his slave. (Click here and tweet this). Remember the temptation of Jesus? Selah

The humus man is glorified and elevated above all else that God had created. Sin can momentarily disconnect you but run to God and you’ll be reconnected through Christ. (Click here and tweet this). As you embark on discovering your true essence and to remain in the glorified state created you to be do these-

A.     Accept Jesus as your Lord and personal saviour he is the only one who can bridge the gap between your now and the state God created you to be.

B.     Meditate on the word of God it’s the only way you will have divine clout to rebuff the thoughts and imaginations the enemy attacks you with.

C.     Bask in the knowledge that God takes delight in who you are. God is mindful of you and we are friends of God.

Questions: Do you really know who you are? Do you believe you are glorified through Christ? Do you know you can find redemption from your sins and weaknesses through Christ?

Kindly leave your comments on the blog.

Need a personal advice? Click here

Yours In His Service

JOSEPH AKUOKO II

#My10CommandmentsOfRelationships ~ (2) RELATE TO YOUR KIND

A friend recently made an interesting remark; a fascinating joke which really makes sense within a certain context.  She said “birds of the same feathers confuse the owner”…something like a spoof of the original quote that says birds of the same feathers flock together. A great lesson can be learnt from this as I believe these birds flock together because the colour, design, weight and even the size of their feathers creates an identity they can relate to.  Relating to your kind becomes the rallying point that engenders unity and development. It beats my imagination when people say opposites attract. There might be but what does a shifty, mendacious and dishonest person have in common with an honest and hardworking individual? Realistically how can such characters attract? Often times we buy into the pressure of society and end up in relationships only to be casualties. I have never seen eagles fly with sparrows and neither have lions hunted with goats. God created all to relate to their kind for harmony and the achievement of maximum results.

The problem with many relationships is that the people involved are many at times on different wavelengths. When people operate strongly on different wavelengths, nothing in heaven or on earth will allow for serenity. They might try everything possible to be in tune with the opposite person but will end up failing miserably. Even musical notes have taught us that when the right cords are not used, they end up giving a bad sound: it’s called being in discord. Have you ever met someone you suddenly hit off with? Infact the closer you got to know them, the more you realised you have a lot in common. What was the feeling like? Now take a look at the vice versa look of the same situation, you will realise that taking your time to know your kind is the most profitable aspect of any relationship.

Relating to someone who understands your level of thinking, style, beliefs and passion creates a connection that is not easily broken.  Once you are in sync with your kind, you minimise time wasting and becoming a casualty. It also allows you to be yourself thus releasing enough energy to achieve the unachievable. Interestingly, this concept is now being practised by dating agencies who request that you fill a form with all your likes and dislikes in order to be matched with your kind.  I have been in a relationship where I had to struggle even to please the person. The individual never appreciated anything I did. Even when I had gone out of the way to make them feel loved and appreciated, I ended on the wrong side of their books. After a long and careful analysis, I found out that interestingly, we had nothing in common. I love reading, writing, being creative whilst the person liked everything opposite. It took me four solid wasted years to realise it was time to move on.

I experienced the same when a few years ago I tried to change jobs. I was working for a multi-national company in charge of their foot ware department. The down side was that my position wouldn’t allow me to go to church on Sunday. I loved the job but had to leave I but made a wrong decision going to work for a small and somehow insignificant company compared to my former job. Wow! I hated the place of work; very claustrophic compared to my old one, didn’t like the manager who I knew I was over qualified to work under and started making some grave mistakes. I could list a gamut of ills I experienced whilst being there. Why this story of my life? Simply because I could have stayed with my kind and negotiated but left without realising I was operating against this commandment. I could go and tell you also about my business endeavours that ended badly due to the wrong kind of relationship. Got into doing business with the wrong relational advice in an environment and ended up losing everything from my money to the stocks.

To end this, Jesus made a profound statement to emphasize and give impetus to what am trying to convince you to believe. He said “father all that you gave me I have been able to keep except the son of perdition”.  In the light of this commandment, I believe what Jesus was teaching is this; that which is not in sync with you will only hurt and subsequently leave you but that which is your kind will stay and be a blessing to you.

Question:-Do you believe relating to your kind has advantages? Do you have a personal experience to share? Have you lost something or ever been hurt by relating to the wrong kind?

Need a personal advise? Let us talk clicking here

Yours In His Service

JOSEPH AKUOKO II

#My10CommandmentsOfRelationships ~ (1.1) ATTRACTION

Attraction will be my the first law of relationship!  If there is no attraction there can’t be a meaningful relationship. Square pegs will never fit round holes and vice versa! Biology states plainly that like will always produces like! This means you will only attract that which is in sphere of your “like”. It is paramount that you stick to this principle in order to have the peace you need. Interestingly, many never realise this natural law is what runs everything in existence. We have become so plastic without any thought for a pro-fluent relationship. Society has groomed us to just relate once it seems alright. We are never taught how to question ourselves if there is no attraction between the two.

I have been attracted to several things out of ignorance and ended up paying dearly: especially in some relationships.  Funny enough many of us are in a rush to be accepted!  I come across cases of this sort all the time. Why do you want to get yourself into that business? Why do you love that man or woman? Why do you want to be accepted in that group when there is no attraction? The answers people give are so fleeting and lacks concreteness. Tangibility should be derived from any relationship and when there isn’t, it becomes challenging to have a meaningful one.  Relationships are meant to be created in an atmosphere of mutuality and cordiality. The cordial aspect can only be achieved when the attraction is right.

Attraction is divine and it’s wired into every one. It’s only activated when that which makes sense to your spirit is in focus. Inspite of this divinely implanted gift, many go astray only face an uphill task of forcing that which is not. Are you truly attracted to that man or woman, that business or vision or that place you want to live? Does it speak to you in a language you alone understand? Are you accepting the proposal because you think there wouldn't be any other? Until some of these questions one should ask and introspectively search within themselves to come out with answers. Apathy has a strong influence on those who can't stand their ground and defend their beliefs.

Relationships are not meant to be one-sided but rather a symbiosis. It’s should be an effort on each side to enhance its profitability. The principle ingredient to create the harmony is the attraction from each person. I am a firm believer that attraction is not a one-sided thing.  Yet somebody has to initiate the attraction before the eyes of the other is opened to it. Never make the mistake of relating to someone, business or vision if there is no attraction or whatsoever. Many people relate based on need. Whenever that is done, you weaken the power of attraction that could have given you clarity on your way ahead.

Many walk about with a facade. How do I know that…..simply because you cannot operate apart from that which is within you? If you mistakenly get attracted to a person with a facade you are heading for danger or mistaken append your signature to that deal when you've not cleared the facade, you're are doomed. Facades are built based on the experiences people endure in life whilst others emanate out of complexes. Unfortunately most of us never realise we are a mirror reflecting the values, thoughts and visions to the outside world.

Attraction is divine I repeat and its more spiritual than what the eye will direct. In every person is a connection to the Spiritual because we are spiritual beings. If you allow your Spirit man to dictate the course of your relationship, you’ll end up saving yourself a lot of trouble. For those of us who believe in God through His Son Jesus, we have assurance that as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. The Holy Spirit becomes the conduit through whom we can access knowledge in order to attract right. You have an opportunity to get it right the first time with the Holy Spirit of God.

Question:- What does "Attraction" mean to you? 

Prayer: Father in the name of Jesus help me. I have chosen out of broken systems of  this life before. I come to you desiring that you will order my steps into the right relationships. I thank you in Jesus' name for answered prayer. Amen!

APPLIED KNOWLEDGE IS POWER

“My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge…..”

                                                                                                         Hosea 4:6

When a person acquires knowledge and has no sense of purpose, it only leads to pride and arrogance. When a sense of purpose and direction is attached, knowledge leads to humility and servitude is the offshoot. This enhances the life of both the giver and the recipients. The writer in Ecclesiastics 7:12 present money and knowledge as defenses but ends up speaking highly of wisdom the only one that gives life to the one who has it.

Knowledge is power! With temerity, I say to know is to be free. As long as the sort of knowledge is applicable to your life and circumstances, it has power. The change that occurs when Knowledge is applied is significant in that it sends a beam of freedom through a person’s life. The radiant liberty which Knowledge brings is seen in every development that goes on where it is applied. 

Current events show there is a reawakening of great minds from all over who are not only reading and searching for solutions but also writing their thoughts into books. The winds of change that is blowing is not confined to only one subject matter but to every facet of life. The twenty-first century has come with its own kind of Knowledge. The explosion of social media gives anyone a certain  kind of leverage on anything the desire to pursue. Accessing Facebook, twitter, Myspace, LinkedIn or any other will give you a wealth of knowledge which hitherto wasn't common. Even if they were, it would have been very expensive. It’s said the scarcest commodity in the twenty-first century will be human attention. However knowledge will be the cheapest and anyone desirous of greatness will have it for free if only they know where to access it.

There are two things you should always seek to control- your knowledge and finance. When anyone controls anyone of these you will forever be a slave. You can never underestimate the power that whoever controls knowledge has. In George Orwell’s book “Nineteen Eighty-Four”, we read the government of that time had absolute power over what the knowledge its  citizenry had. Even their language was termed “newspeak”. New words were coined to suit the leadership of that time. This was used to control their everyday life and make them slaves to the dictates of their government.

God recognises the superiority of knowledge and gives it credence. We are told that He founded the earth by wisdom and by knowledge He established it. Until a person pursues knowledge, they will forever be subjected or carried away by the whims of any circumstances. You have been created to be the master of your circumstances and you can do so through the acquisition of the right kind of knowledge. Never forget you are forever shackled until you break free with the knowledge you have. This is the place where you take charge over what you see and hear. 

The term “garbage in garbage out”, implies a person’s ability to decipher which knowledge is needed and what is not. You don’t have to buy into anything you see or hear. The worse will be either to listen or look but you should do yourself the favour and have a choice. Progressive Knowledge is everywhere yet it takes the determined individual to find it. You can never live a life devoid of knowledge. Seek knowledge and apply the knowledge. Applied knowledge is power!!


Yours In His Service
JOSEPH AKUOKO II

Question:- What does "applied knowledge personally mean to you? Which areas of your life do you need knowledge? How have you or do you intend to use Knowledge? Your comments will be very appreciated. 

Prayer:- Father in the name of Jesus help me seek the right kind of knowledge that will enhance my life. I thank you for the divine knowledge that emanates out of the study of your word. Amen

Affiliation- Who Are You Connected To?

“Be not deceived evil communications corrupts good manners”.

                                                                                                    1 Corinthians 15:33

Evil communications emanates out of evil relationships or affiliations. It does not matter how good your upbringing or intentions are, you will be corrupted. The Bible will call evil communicators sons of Belial! A Ghanaian folklore spells the doom of those who refuse to separate themselves from evil communicator or affiliations. The story is told of the “tree-rope”, tortoise, the partridge and a giant baobab tree. The partridge, whose home was on top of the giant baobab tree, was in the habit of making a lot of noise. One particular afternoon it became so much that the tortoise remonstrated to the tree-rope to warn the partridge of its excessive noise. It said this with the knowledge the noise could attract a hunter which could spell their doom.

The tree-rope refused on several admonishing giving reasons why it thought it wasn’t its problem. Lo and behold, the noise did catch the attention of a hunter who eventually drew near to see for himself where it was coming from. With expert marksmanship, he shot the partridge, cut the tree-rope and tied both the tortoise and partridge. A great day for a hunter but foolishness of taken for granted the things or people we associate with and what they are capable of doing to our lives.

The moral of the story is that a relationship with evil communicators is very deadly. I don’t believe you need any more signs before you change the communication you have with that evil thing or individual. Upon one or two admonitions, a person who desires to be self-aware should dissociate themselves. You don’t have to feel bad or sorry for taking a decision which will in the long run benefit your well-being.

Many gifted and talented people won’t go anywhere because of the people they are affiliated with. It is sad how we fail to see that the devil uses affiliations to destroy our gifts, talents and opportunities. The book of proverbs is littered with how a person can avoid being trapped into an evil affiliation. My favourite is the one that says never be a friend of an angry man, lest you learn his ways. This is so true and it transcends beyond just friendship. Who do you read off, listen or talk to, spend time with? If you are sincere, you’ll notice you’ve picked so much from him or her whether good or evil. It’s imperative therefore, that you align yourself with the right people if you truly want to be self-awareness. Just as there are caustic affiliations, so are there progressive ones.

I have always prayed to God to help me align myself with progressive people according to the purpose He had created me. That these people will have what it takes to help bring the best out of me. Truly to his promise, I have never been denied this request. God has used a lot of people to help me find my coordinates in life. For the first time, I have clarity with what I desire to achieve. I pray that you evaluate your affiliations and make adjustments where necessary. No one person is an island and we all need the next person to make us feel like we are somebody. The choice you make with your affiliations will determine where you go next in life. I will not be afraid of the devil more than the person who has a negative energy to influence my life.

Yours In His Service
Pastor Joe Akuoko II

VISION- How Clearly Do You See!!

“Where there is no vision, the people perish……” Proverbs 29:18

Everyone has a vision of some sort : this can’t be disputed. You are no different from the vision you possess. A vision that is not focused but is divided will create “a di-vision”. Until there is singleness in a person’s vision, their ability to achieve the fullness of their purpose will be miniscule. The laws of life will not permit that which is saturated to have any impact- concentration is what creates impact.

In the pursuit of vision, only a few are truly prepared. I believe there are three types of people when it comes to the pursuit of vision- those who are afraid of the consequences so they never bother, those who give up in the face of hardships and finally those who give it their all. If a person endures the test and is able to pay the price, the rewards will be great. It takes the bold to push on with the vision and successfully become a winner. Until a vision consumes you, your efforts to see it materialise will be infinitesimal. It doesn’t matter how hard it is, when the fire of a vision burns bright, slothfulness and sleep is taken away until you get the results.

My vision to see the purpose of God fulfilled in my life is what pushes me to desire excellence. We have already been given the power for a successful life but the onus to achieve it is on us. If you could spare a little more time every evening working on the book, movie script or designs you will one of these days exclaim eureka as Archimedes did. If you could separate yourself from the many “hangers on”, reduce the time you spend doing the unnecessary, you could certainly be achieving a milestone with your vision. The fact that you wish does not mean you will receive. There is nothing magical about success but with a dint of hard work (smart work) many ordinary men have become great. We are encouraged because God will help us and we won’t be ashamed if we set our faces like the flint for the prize.

Vision has to do with sight and you are only aware as to how far you can see. It’s either you see afar or near. You are only going to be rewarded based on the application of either one of the mode of sights-long or short. Your ability to see afar will stem from the level of depth you have inwardly. After all, your inside determines your outside. Your depth in life equals the distance you can see. A funny joke I share about the intensity of sunlight is that the very day you are born, even as a baby, you better decide to have a vision. The intensity of sunlight is a sign that you have light to guide you from the darkness. You must do all you can to maintain and work your vision or else life will be bitter.

Whenever a person’s vision is self-centred, the results will be miniscule compared to when it’s people focused. Anything that is people centred will stand the test of time. Arguably, a vision starts with an individual but the purpose is for it to spread to others. Right from the time of creation, God’s vision has been towards man. Anyone who follows after God’s plan prospers with whatever they do. Having a vision without the application of knowledge leads to death! One cannot claim to have a workable knowledge when it’s not with vision.

Jacob had the inkling that if he was ever going to be self-aware and regain the power over his circumstances, he needed a name change. He wrestled with the Angel for just one thing- the power to become self-aware. He surely got it as he requested after much struggle. The vision you have should push you to be self-aware. It allows you to plan your life in order not to fail. The propensity to take things for granted will be reduced when you recognise that by virtue of your vision, you have become self-aware.

The first step onto the ladder begins with self-awareness. With this comes the visualisation of what you can become if the steps on the ladder are followed. Everyone has an idea of who they can become if given the opportunity. Self-awareness releases the potential energy trapped in a person and spurs them on into doing something better to enhance their lives. To be self-aware is to be empowered. It releases the power of possibilities that begins first with a person before it spreads to others.

Yours In His Service
Pastor Joe Akuoko II