Mentor

"If I have been able to see further its only because i have stood on the shoulders of giants" - Sir Isaac Newton

Be ye followers of me, even i also of Christ - 1 Corinthians 11:1

"To be a man, a boy must see a man" 

We live in a generation obsessed by upgrades, phone upgrades, software upgrades etc, but we need to upgrade ourselves, our skills, our knowledge and our experiences. Each one of us need to identify our passion, protect it and obsessively pursue it. Great  men have gone before and walked were we long to walk, a mentor

A mentor is one who helps you shape your destiny, one who is better than you and has accomplished more than you. Someone who can correct/rebuke you. He can also be a coach (aiding in skill building). You have to make a choice on who you will pick to mentor you. The truth  though is that the mentor of our choice will not always be available, or worse still live thousands of miles away from us.

For example, your desired mentor may be Bill Gates, Warren Buffet, Usain Bolt, Barack Obama  these men in all likelihood will never cross your path. Fortunately however a lot of material is available out there on these people, books, interview clips, quotes, failures, accomplishments etc

As in the case of Elijah and Elisha (2 Kings 2:1-15) the mantle does not fall on you, it is acquired by association, Elisha followed Elijah very closely. Benny Hinn who only attended crusades held by Kathryn Kuhlman amassed so much material on her that even his stage mannerism are similar to hers. Kenneth Hagin read so much stuff on Smith Wigglesworth (Aka "the apostle of faith") and is known for the "faith movement"

My son recently pointed out that Justin Bieber dances like Usher Raymond (his manager). Michael Jackson once lived with Diana Ross. Alexander the great was tutored by Aristotle. Your success demands that you find a mentor and follow him closely. A lifetime of peoples accomplishment are available to you and me in books allowing us to avoid certain things and learn from them.

BE THAT CHAMPION!!!

Diligence

"Few things are impossible to diligence and skill, Great works are performed not by strength, but perseverance" - Samuel Johnson

Seeth thou a man diligent (skilled, passionate, hardworking) in his business?, he shall stand before kings, he shall not stand before mean (obscure, unknown) men - Proverbs 29:22

I decided to look up the word diligence in the dictionary  and found several meanings , persistence, hard work, perseverance, exertion of body and mind. I would further add that diligence is what separates you from the "average joe" the common person. Its that element that pushes you to go the extra mile. Men (and women) that have perfected their skills find that great men seek them out

David Beckham whose focus is football has found that he has been, honoured by politicians, royalty, actors, people of influence and power, his skill in one area has transcended into areas were his focus does  not lie. He has been sought out by firms to endorse there products. He has not sought out money, but money has found him because of his diligence in football. Perfect your skill, work hard and money will find you. People will fall over to pay you and seek your attention, remember diligence makes you attractive to great people and money.

Solomon the king of Israel was wiser than any man, he excelled, he was a proficient song writer, a great poet and philosopher. Men from all kingdoms came to hear his wisdom, Kings and queens came to hear his wisdom and brought tributes, he became wealthy not by pursuing it but by his diligence

...Be ye as wise (shrewd, cunning) as serpents, and as harmless as doves - Matt 10:16

"Work smarter, not harder" 

Diligence should be coupled with skill and tact to be effective. Why use an axe when you can use a chainsaw, an abacus when you use a calculator. We need to horn our skills by taking advantage of technology. Jesus found elements of the serpent admirable that he actually said be as  cunning as serpents. Read books about people who have accomplished and aim to excel, find a mentor. Work smarter

Usain Bolt the current world record holder for the 100m race has excelled his predecessors by running faster than any other human being on the planet. I guarantee you one day his record will be broken. raise the bar, think bigger.


BE THAT CHAMPION !!!In the words of Zig Ziglar- "See you at the top"

The baddest man on the planet

"You can tell what a man is made of by how much pain he can take" - Mike Tyson

I recently watched an interview on Sky with Mike Tyson being asked which was his best fight he proceeded to respond Donovan "Razor" Ruddock, Tyson was severely punished,  but eventually won. Tyson had a perforated eardrum while Ruddock had a broken jaw. When asked what drove him he responded "You have to believe that you are greater than what you actually are"

Tyson's confidence transcended the ring, every aspect of his life exhibited over confidence and excess, traits that guarantee success (but can also lead to a downfall if not focused on the right things). Inevitably pain comes with the territory. The sweeter the victory, the greater the pain.

"Pain is temporal, quitting lasts forever" - Anon

Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith who for the joy (Victory) set before him endured (the pain) the cross - Hebrews 12:2

Confidence is a prerequisite for victory, life has no room for the timid. Boxers and wrestlers "trash talk" to build their confidence and intimidate the opponent, we need to speak to ourselves, play the part, walk the walk, be the man. Be like Mike Tyson call yourself "The baddest man on the planet." even the Lord God calls those things that be not as though they were (Romans 4:17). Do not confuse arrogance and pride with confidence. Confidence displays refined ability, while pride is a boastful attitude. Be confident

"Believe in yourself and one day they  will come a day when others will have no choice but to believe in you." 

BE THAT CHAMPION!!!
  

Know thyself

For Gods gifts and his call are irrevocable - Romans 11:29

God has wired every man with gifts and desire to succeed, they are part of your genetic make up. Glimpses of your success are evident every time you reach that quiet place when your imagination runs amok plotting out your future.

The thing i aim to address is the how some established "success stories,"have failed in relation to integrity. i remember being told to be weary of 3 things in life "the 3 G's". Gold (money), Girls and Glory (pride).

Napoloeon Hill in his book "Think and Grow Rich" seeks to show that sex desire is the strongest of all human desires. Moral failure, misappropriation of funds, substance abuse seem to be the stain of our heroes and our societies. It is not because are we are not susceptible to them but to the contrary its because we are that we need to address them and deal with them.

"I count him braver who overcomes his desires than him who conquers his enemies, for the hardest victory is over self "- Aristotle

.....let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which clings so closely and run with endurance the race that is marked out for us  Hebrews 12:1 

Recently, a great preacher Eddie long was recently embroiled in a moral scandal that involved boys alleging inappropriate behaviour, Rick Hatton (boxer) recently hit the headlines with his drink and drug scandals. Michael Jackson also had his issues. I could go and name celebrity, after politician that have failed but all it proves is that we are all susceptible to these issues and failures

As dead flies give perfume a bad smell, so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honour- Eccl 10:1

King David was involved in moral failure which also involved murder, God forgave him but these failures had consequences and similar failures persisted in his family, with his very son sleeping with his concubines. The consequences of our sins (failures) linger on even when  the situation has been rectified. We need to sort out the issues before they are irreversible.

Even when these "greats" have proved themselves to be champions they will always been associated with their scandals some will also disappear into obscurity, never to reappear. We need to subdue our wrong desires, the body seeks instant gratification which is detrimental to our legacy and lives.

Self control is the chief element in self respect, and self respect is the  chief element in courage

Lets deal with all the toxic stuff, that might undermine the hard work we put in pursuing our goals.

BE THAT CHAMPION!!!

Bring your "A" game

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

I have always been of the impression that the man who does anything in excess tends to stand out from his peers and leaves a mark whether it is positive or negative. I am always a bit cautious when i use the quote "Moderation in all things". To get to the top or stay there you have to go further than your predecessors, train harder, read more etc

"A little more moderation would be good, of course my life hasnt exactly been one of moderation" - Donald Trump 

" Impossible is potential, impossible is temporary, impossible is nothing".- Muhammad Ali.

Who ever thought that man would be able to run sub 10 second times in the 100 metre race, who ever thought phones would be wireless, that knowledge  would be at the tip of fingers via the internet. Impossible truly is nothing

Jesus states all things are possible to him that believes - Mark 9:23

The book of Daniel tells us Nebuchadnezzar the King  had communed with the 4 young men Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah they was no-one that equalled them in their fields, actually they are described as 10 times better than all the smart men in Babylon. Job was described as the greatest man in all the East. Moses was said to be mighty in word and in deed.


Reality shows have proved that society demands for the something different and better than the last. In your pursuit you need to raise the bar. I recently was amazed that "the celebrity" that earned the most this  year was Michael Jackson someone who had raised the bar so high that his impact is still felt a year after his death.

We have to choose to bring our "A" game, pursue with vigour what has been laid our hearts to accomplish, do it better than the last person who tried it.

Study to show yourself approved .......(2 Timothy 2:15)

"The man who does not read good books has no advantage over the man who can't read them" - Mark Twain

.In anything that  you seek to excel in demands that you study that field, read about people that are accomplished in that field, after all knowledge is 50% of the battle. Daniel 9:2  says .....I Daniel understood by books

The Chinese bamboo when planted remains in the earth for 4 years being nourished  and in the 5th year will grow to heights of up to 80 feet. Do not neglect training, reading. Perfect your art, the fifth year is upon us. recently my son reminded me "Dad its not practice that makes perfect, but perfect practice makes perfect"

BE THAT CHAMPION!!!

"Age aint nothing but a number"

Many men have accomplished greatness regardless of their age, they have pursued the dream and achieved it. Susan Boyle became a star at 48, Benjamin Franklin did not add his signature to the Declaration of Independence till he was 70. Ray Kroc at 52 started to make the Mcdonalds brand what it is today, Stan Lee (associated with marvel comics) started his superhero comics when he was 43, Nelson Mandela became the first black president of South Africa at 75, while Alexander the Great had conquered empires by the time he was 23. Jesus had completed his purpose by 33. The Bible mentions Methuselah as the oldest man that ever lived dying when he was 969 years old, his entire life summed up in a verse without any significant accomplishments. Old age does not guarantee wisdom only grey hairs.

Jesus Christ was crucified when he was 33 over 2000 years ago, but we still feel his impact today. Mike Tyson became the youngest Heavyweight champion at 21, while George Foreman the oldest at 40 and was still in pursuit of the championship at 45. Surely "Age aint nothing but a number". David the shepherd boy slew dangerous beasts and warriors as a teenager. Abraham had children in his old age.

A champion is one who does not place significance on age but pursues the dream.

BE THAT CHAMPION!!

"The Greatest"

Muhammad Ali was notably known as "the greatest", he is also known to have lost 5 of his professional fights and once stripped of his title.A champion faces defeats and discouragements, but dusts himself, stands up and carries on. Our philosophy in life should be to learn from defeat and move on. It should be i failed but so what i am going for it again

When Ali refused to go to war in Vietnam, they was a public outrage and he become public enemy number 1. In our walk people opinions will always swing when we are down. 1Samuel 30 tells us when David and his men had come back to Ziklag to find his town had been set on fire by the Amalekites, and their wives and children  taken. They was an outcry against David, they threatened to stone him, questioned his leadership.

Somehow it always seems that a crisis always births another crisis, the scripture tells us that David encouraged himself and strengthened himself in the Lord. He did not wallow in self pity, but did what he did best enquired of the Lord. When defeat and discouragement comes the worst thing you can do is feel sorry for yourself.

David sought out someone to help him do what he did best, a priest. First he found strength in himself then he sought out strength in one with a like mind. Always surround yourself with positive people when you are down.

A true champion is one who arises from his defeat and goes to regain his belt.

BE THAT CHAMPION!!

No pain, no gain

Anything that means anything to you will demand that you sacrifice something to accomplish it, be it your time, your friends, your money. Bodybuilders know that to build your muscles demands performing an action against a resistance and that resistance has to be sufficient enough to fatigue you. As the muscles are pushed they begin to rapture and the healing process adds more muscle. No pain, no gain

Looking unto Jesus the Author and Finisher of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross - Hebrews 12:2

Your victory is at the end of that pain, that sacrifice, Jesus endured pain, he endured the cross for the Joy that was beyond that cross. I recently heard a quote that just stood out "Champions are made when no-one is looking, history is made when everyone is watching." That training period, that sacrifice is unseen to many, but the rewards can be great. When David slew the lion and the bear no-one was watching, but when he slew Goliath in front the Army he was celebrated and promoted. To David he had done this before in his back yard and it was not a big deal.

David said moreover, the Lord that delivered me out of the paw of the Lion, and the paw the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine 1 Samuel 17:37

Genesis records the account of  Jacob wrestling  an angel, he wrestled till it was daybreak, when the angel could not prevail he dislocated Jacobs hip, but Jacob did not let go, (he was tenacious and focused), he demanded a blessing and he got an upgrade from a Jacob (supplanter, deceiver) to an Israel (one who wrestles with God, Prince of God). Jacob still came out of the fight with a limp caused by the dislocation.

Sometimes the price for that victory is the pain that lingers on, lost friendships, alienation, etc. Jacob wrestled for the blessing (victory), "No pain, no gain."

Michael Jackson sacrificed his childhood for his excellence in his music and dance, the pain lingered for the loss of his childhood and this was demonstrated by his continuous association with children. Nothing worth accomplishing can be done without sacrifice.

... let us throw off every thing that hinders, and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us Hebrews 12:2

The legacy that you choose to leave, identify it, pursue it, fight for it, sacrifice for it.
 "

All human actions have one or more of these causes, chance, nature, compulsion, habit, reason, passion, desire." - Aristotle

BE THAT CHAMPION!!!

The Comeback

"Inside of a ring  or out, ain't nothing wrong with going down. Its staying down that's wrong." - Muhammad Ali 

There are two distinct times when a person is most likely to quit, after a failure or a victory. Failure is a delay,  a mere detour to our victories. The scripture reminds us "though a righteous man falls seven times, he rises again. The key is not to wallow in your defeat,  but to remember that you may be down but not out.

Psalm 37:24 states the steps of a righteous man are ordered of the Lord...... though he fall he shall not be utterly cast down, for the Lord upholds him with his hand

A champion will always set his course for a victory, but defeat and failure are sometimes inevitable this is an opportunity for a major comeback.

"Only a man who knows what it is like to be defeated can reach down to the bottom of his soul and come up with an extra ounce of power it takes to win when the match is even."- Muhammad Ali

  Every trial, every failure is an opportunity to be complete (victorious), but we will only be crowned champion when we learn from from our defeats and emerge victorious from the rematch.

Consider it pure joy, my brothers whenever you face trials of many kinds .... so that you may be mature and complete - James 1:2.

David the shepherd boy spoke of defeating a lion and a bear (the largest land based carnivore), your opponents become stronger as your victories continue and then he (David) saw an opportunity to defeat Goliath (a man).

BE THAT CHAMPION!!!.

Frugality

I woke up this morning being very aware of my journey in life and seeking its relevance and trying to seek out why i am alive. I begun to think about men who have been influential and have established themselves in their field. Warren Buffet, Bill Gates, Richard Branson,Michael Jackson etc

For the most part these are people who have not showed their wealth with excessive bling bling, pimping their rides or showing off their mansions on MTV. Their are great philantropists. These men have focussed on their purpose and in pursuit of that have practiced being frugal. Don't get me wrong, i am not opposed to amassing wealth after all scripture does say "the blessing of the lord maketh rich...Prov 10:22," but the hoarding of it that i am opposed to.

Their dressing is moderate but their accomplishment are great, Warren buffet was known to have given $31 million dollars to the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation, Michael jackson was known to have given $350 million to variuos charities. Wealth in itself is not an end but a means to an end. Principles of success are universal regardless if you are Christian, Muslim, atheist, Buddhist. The Lord Jesus was quoted saying "it is more blessed to give than to receive."The word "bless" infers to bestow good of any kind, to empower.


Therefore you are empowered if you give, Luke quotes Jesus saying give and shall be given to you .....and running over will be poured into your lap. as you give the cycle becomes continuos but for you it OVERFLOWS, but I emphasize the procurement of wealth should never be a goal, but an aid in the fulfilment of our collective destinies.

No one achieves greatness without being of service. "Unless life is lived for others, it is not worthwhile" (Mother Theresa) The parable of the rich fool in Luke 12 tells of a rich man who harvested greatly and had intentions of hoarding that wealth and God required his soul that very night. The only legacy he left was that of being a RICH FOOL, the legacies we leave should be of building, establishing, planting and furthering peoples lives

The parable of the sower tells us to be careful were we sow (give), as not all ground is fertile ground. In conclusion "Seek you first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you.

BE THAT CHAMPION

Champions of Faith

A champion is one who has proved himself victorious, has overcome opponents repeatedly. I seek to illustrate that any outward victory has been won inwardly before any battle. I have studied the 11th chapter of Hebrews and have picked to focus on one of these "champions of faith" Abraham.

The 11th chapter begins by telling us the seen (the visible) is a product of the unseen (invisible), everything that we see was initially conceived in the mind (unseen) of its maker before it became reality (seen). A champion sees himself victorious before he engages into battle.

"The greatest battles in life are fought daily in the silent chambers of the soul," to be a victor you have to see yourself a victor, speak like a victor and listen to what only focuses on your victory. God made a promise to Abram that he would make him a great nation and all the peoples of the earth will be blessed through him, but the first thing he said to him was to leave his kindred, his country and father's household.

SO THEN FAITH COMETH BY HEARING....Romans 10:17
God asked him to leave his kindred so as to change what he listened to and whom he associated with. His ability to believe was affected by what he heard , there is power in the words that we speak to people that are close to us. If i constantly call my son a failure that word will have root in him and eventually affect his future negatively, while if i constantly praise him this has a positive effect. Choose carefully what and who you listen to.

God repeatedly speaks to Abraham concerning his promise to him (read genesis 12-21), hearing the same promise of greatness over and over so that his faith begins to grow

People you hang around with affect you, Bad company company corrupts good character (1Corinthians 15:33). Be careful of the company you keep. losers hang out with losers, champions hang out with champions. Can 2 walk together unless they be agreed Amos 3:3. God asked Abram to leave his family so that He (God) could affect who he listened to and associated with. Choose carefully who you associate with

THE EYE IS THE LAMP OF THE BODY, IF YOUR EYES ARE GOOD, YOUR WHOLE BODY WILL BE FULL LIGHT   Matthew 6:22

God also wanted to affect what Abram saw too, he called him out of his tent and asked him to "LOOK up at the heavens and count the stars - if indeed you can count them ... so shall be your offspring (Genesis 15:5). So every night Abram saw the stars he was reminded of the promise and during the day he saw the dust of the earth (Genesis 13:16)  he remembered the promise. what you focus on manifests itself outwardly. Choose  carefully what you watch and see.

BEHOLD, WE PUT BITS IN THE HORSES MOUTH, THAT THEY MAY OBEY US, AND WE TURN THEIR WHOLE BODY  James 3:3

God changed his name from Abram to Abraham  (father of many) and his wifes name Sarai  to Sarah (Princess), so every time he had to introduce himself he declared himself the father of many. Romans 10:9 declares that if you confess with your MOUTH... and believe in your heart......, you will be saved. The mere speaking of something does not make it true, but confession is a product of the heart, output a consequence of input. .. from the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks (Matthew 12:34) Choose you confessions carefully

As a victor you have to be very selective of what you SEE, HEAR, SAY and WHO you hang around with after all Matthew tells us that the father who sees you secret (unseen) will reward you openly (seen)

BE THAT CHAMPION!!!