THEY HAD BEEN WITH JESUS

And when they saw the boldness of Peter and John; and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marveled and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus. ……. Acts 4:13

Just before this particular event, Peter and John had healed a lame man laid at the gate called beautiful. Everyone was astonished at this miracle for indeed they knew the man was lame. “How could this be?”.. they asked. Peter seized this opportunity to tell them about the Kingdom of God and Jesus Christ, the savior of the world.

But come to think of it…. We know these men… Peter and John were fishermen just 3 years ago. They were just ordinary men on the street….they weren’t educated…they didn’t belong to the elite class, they didn’t know how to dress, they were not into politics… Yet they were able to make a big impact, to heal a lame man. The bible says that the man’s ankle bones received strength. They had become so powerful. Why have they suddenly become the talk of the town?. The truth is that they had been with Jesus.

Jesus makes all the difference. No one can genuinely yield to Jesus and remain in him yet be a mediocre. Jesus had promised them when he called them that he would change their situations. He would give them enviable lives. He would not allow the devil run roughshod with them. He would make them FISHERS OF MEN……. That’s some elevation….from men who were fishing fishes to men who began to fish men. Now he fulfilled the promise as he gave them POWER to heal the sick and tread upon serpents and scorpions. Jesus always makes the difference.

I have been thinking. If I say I have met Jesus…that I’m born again.. yet people can’t see me shine his light…they can’t say that indeed Bukunmi had been with Jesus, then, I’m a still born. I make bold to say that Jesus is the Lord of my life. That through him I know that I have eternal life. I am not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus, for it is the power of salvation to them that believe. I will continue to obey, love and worship him because he has set me free from the bondage of sin.

There is therefore now no condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit for the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus, has made me free from the law of sin and death. Romans 8:1-2.

If you are standing for Christ, then stand for him at all times. Choose to obey him come what may. This wont be easy, I know. Following God at times doesn’t seem to make natural sense. But remember, he has chosen the foolish things of this world to confound the wise. God’s way will always carry the day ultimately. The foolishness of God is far greater than the wisdom of man. Make him your number one priority and he will sure fulfill his part of the deal.

Rounding off

We're getting to the very end of one of the greatest year of our lives....In a few days we will be celebrating the nu year 2007, I heard somewhere that 7 is the number for perfection.

I am God's child I believe I am a prophet so I can prophesy into your live concerning the nu year of perfection ... I strongly believe that God almighty will perfect all that concerns you in 2007.
I say the year 2007 is the beginning of the best years of your live...
I understand that the year 2007 is a year of obedience where and when we have to obey God more than ever before so we can get to that level of perfection in all spheres of our lives...

I enjoin you to be prepared and get ready to be perfected in Him...the one who has kept you, me alive till now...obviously entering the new year must be a big deal ...because God might has well have called us home to Him.... but to be alive means there is still work left to be done... think about it...what work do you have to do for HIM in the new year.

I almost forgot to wish us all compliments of the season...
Ti

To be GREAT!!!

What does this mean? Have you ever thought about it...we all love great people and love to meet those who are addressed as such...but what does greatness mean to you and me...
I believe this write up will enlighten us all....

I have a few friends who love the word great...to us it does not mean to be big/huge, it does not mean to be rich, intelligent or enormous. To us greatness is a combination of all these qualities but especially the ability to reach out to others...a large number of people positively and passionately in different ways and aspects relevant to each individual life.

Bringing this defination home....to me to you...as I thrive towards greatness, how am I living the above defination? We are in a very selfish world and each of us can be egotistic... I strongly believe and advocate that we reduce all the egotistical characteristics in us...this will take a lot of effort and discipline on our part.

Note that all great people have leadership attribute basically because their primary aim is to touch the lives of others...look around you and show me a great man who does not have leadership characters... not all great people are in positions of leadership but wherever they find themselves they can not help but minister to those around them...the best part is leaving that aura of greatness on the one they ministered to.

What kind of aura are you leaving in the lives of those you meet?
Ti

Preparation

It is so funny to find out that the days are still running on...before we know what is going on ...it'll be shouts of Happy new year...the point is this....as you plan for next year, take a look at your list of goals, and find out what you can do this year to make achieving your goals for next year a reality...it could be a letter to write, a poem , a verse of scripture to learn, a prayer to be said, money to be saved/invested, book to read, "I am sorry/I love you" to be said or just a phonecall...cos it is not over till it is over...

I believe everyone was created to be blessed ...I also know it is easier to remember those who have blessed us...but we rarely remember those we have blessed or been a blessing to lately...when was the last time someone called you a friend for a lifetime...not just a friend for a reason or a season...Let us think on these things...

This is a season of blessings...gifts...cards...you don't have to give a million dollars or even one kobo(Nigerian currency)...a smile, hello, goodmorning, an inspiring word, a word of encouragement and hope could do just fine ....has we go about preparing for all the festivities...let's not forget to be a blessing to the everyday people around us...especially the little children, orphans, widows...and aged ones... I believe Jesus came for all of us... let them feel the season...
Let me think on how to do my own bit...so I will not be an hypocrite.
Ti

Nu month

Happy nu month and welcome to the gift month

I've not forgotten this commitment so soon...but i'm also human in case u didn't know...the beginning of last week was a very traumatic time for me...
I made a bad decision some months ago...i saw the repercussion just last monday...i was kind of emotionally down on tuesday...It took God and words of encouragement from friends to make me feel really O.k.
Enough of my pity party...You won't believe it...the lady I spoke of in my last post(yeah the one with the accident)..She was in church on sunday the 26th of December...I really was happy...since she has spent virtually the whole year out of church.

So people let's start counting our blessings and praising God who has kept us till this time.
You may be broke,unemployed,depressed...whatever your case..Thank God for LIFE.
Ti

Be Careful

It's been a week since we decided on this blog....I hope we reach out to someone somewhere on being and getting ENDORSED...It has been a week filled with activities... and the funny thing is that, time....irreplaceable time has been spent...how did you spend your last week...what did you do with the time God gave to you....where did you spend this time...
The question that strikes me as most important is WHAT DECISIONS DID YOU MAKE...i mean life decisions...we may not know it but even little decisions such as...what to wear, eat,means of transportation to use, who to speak to, what to say...can determine what our futures will be like...time and time again our little decisions affect us for life....

I have a friend...smart, intelligent, beautiful, always ready to serve God... Sometime in the early weeks of January,2006...she went to God's house to pray...on her way back...she had to take a public bus... she alighted from the bus at the stop nearest to her house....therafter she decided to walk the rest of the journey home... she also took a decision to cross after watching out that it was safe to cross over...next moment she was 3/4 way off the street...it was BANG... she had been hit by a motorcycycle(okada)...coming from the wrong direction... she spent the better half of the year in hospital..from one surgery to the other...she has been on cruthches since her discharge...till this moment she has not set her foot in that same house of God where she went to pray...
I don't know what went wrong or where she made the wrong choice...but I know God is able to make things right

Will your decision today...help you win a presidential election in future or make you a preachers wife, will people you be able to testify about your past and all the good therein or you just want it covered up because its such a mess...
Imagine if there will be a day when our pasts will be played on a big screen for the whole world to see!!! i can just imagine what you're thinking...of course all your secret deeds too...
God help us to repent and start building afresh for a good past....Have a nice weekend.
Ti

So We Are Endorsed....What Next?

I believe the saying that "God only directs a moving ship"......Indeed God has empowered us to go get that thing we so desire...yet some of us still chicken out of the race shamefully........ I'm a strong advocate of leadership tennets....I believe it instrumental for taking our place in the world.......I've experienced for the umpteenth time astronomical changes brougtht about by exceptional leadership.....the ability to be inflenced and influence others to achieve some worthy purpose..... It's really an herculean task for anyone to achieve greatness without some measure of leadership exhibited.

I know there are loads of books on leadership and I really enjoy reading these books......... however, i'll like to suggest something that's been of immense benefit to me..... FILMS.....i've seen some great films on leadership and strongly believe in the messages projected. You'd be surprised how much of leadership you can learn from these films.....May I just suggest that you see the following films......

1. The Patriot ... Mel Gibson
2. Men of Honour ...... Cuba Gooding
3. Brave Heart ....... Mel Gibson
4. Rules of Engagement ...... Samuel L. Jackson
5. Finding Forrester ..... Sean Connery
6. Caoch Carter ..... Samuel L. Jackson
7. Anna and the King ...... Jodie Foster,Chow Yun-Fat
8. Shawshank Redemption ...... Tim Robbins

I'll fill you on other films that will be worthy of your time.....

Buks

My thots

Early this morning...a friend complained about her present job....like many of us complain about our present status/position in life....she wants a change...just like we all do...she wants God to do something extraordinary concerning this job change... i have noticed that she has taken steps in the right direction...she is not grumbling on her current job but still doing her quota of work...at the same time ... she is looking out for better opportunities... the whole process is stressfull... but nothing good comes easy..... in all this i appreciated one statement she made... it made me think and spurred me to post this message...

A simple statement...but how easy is it for us to apply to our own lives... " I WANT A NEW JOB BUT I WANT GOD TO HAVE A HAND IN IT" ... aaaahhh not again must God be in everything....so we think atimes...but truth is if u want to be great in life...you must recognize and acknowledge that there is a higher authority... WHO IS YOUR HIGHER AUTHORITY...government....parents...friends...boyfriend/girlfriend...boss...teacher...think about it.

To my friend and all of us i say...Trust in God with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding...in all your ways(schooling, finances, marriage, work, health, emotions, feeding....whatever...fill in the gaps...) acknowledge Him and He shall direct your path...
Ti

A fresh start

A very busy day at work in Naija...the sun is out and hot...but work must go on....i called my friend to suggest a name...we tried different names and ended up with ENDORSED... WHY ENDORSED...i believe there is a reason...this blog is a place where our minds are expressed...I would say the concept behind "endorsed" is that God has endorsed/given us the go ahead to achieve whatever we wanna achieve....we should just go ahead in that understanding and achieve so much for him..... Remember Nike sign?...dats the sign for endorsed........feel free to comment, criticise, contribute...welcome to a fresh start...
Start living ENDORSED FOR GREATNESS....Ti