One of the recurring themes of life is seeing how well intentioned people are in expressing their dreams and aspirations, and yet very often all those great visions remain just where they are; in their minds or on paper. There is a huge gulf in what people say they would do and what they actually do.

As one minister friend of mine often says, and which I have touched on in a previous post, the graveyards of this world are full of unfinished novels, symphonies and various masterpieces. Moving from the conceptual to concrete, from mind to market, the drawing board to concrete blocks, is at the heart of this, the third part of our ‘Making Progress’ series.

In the first part of this series, we said that if we are going to make progress in life or more specifically in this year, we must begin with a vision, which is a clear mental picture of the preferred future.

In the second part we said that the vision needs to be given hands and feet; it needs to be granular, concrete and broken into detailed parts. This is what we call a plan, an instrument that simply takes the big picture and breaks it down into little measureable, manageable chunks; which are then worked through on a day to day, week by week and month by month basis. It is that working through that we want to focus on in this third part.

Someone has said that a key element of leadership is planning your work and then working your plan. Some say it is planning the plan and then doing the plan.

I have learned though observation that one of the most challenging parts for most people is that critical first step of starting. Fear, procrastination, external constraints are some of the main barriers to starting. But start you must. In the well-known phrase of a certain global brand, ‘just do it’. That critical first step is absolutely important. It must be taken.

Let me explain. In the planning process you work out the specific tasks, and the small, concrete steps and activities that are involved. Having done that, you need to fix the start date and begin the journey. For example, if you want to study, the first thing is to decide what course you want to do. Suppose you want to be a lawyer, you will need to identify the institution, submit an application, after receiving and accepting, begin the process of enrolment and attending classes.

The thing about working the plan is that it can be a very challenging process. There will be difficulties, setbacks and disappointments along the way. Pressures will come, the braying voices of doubt and fear will assail. Opposition, from within and without will arise. Sometimes the problems could be due to unrealistic goals and expectations, the non-fulfilment of which could lead to discouragement. Having made a start, the key thing is to refuse to be deflected, even if obstacles come along, and they often do; to stay focused on following through the plan and making any necessary adjustments.

Reviewing the plan is also essential. Check activities and progress against the timeline and make sure to adjust where necessary; not forgetting to celebrate success along the way. Something that is very helpful is to find someone or people who have made the same journey and so understand what it takes or those who are going in the same direction. Attach yourself to them; make yourself accountable, so they can be your mentors, coaches or buddies.

In the eponymous book of Nehemiah, we read the story of a man who was employed as a cupbearer of the Persian king Artaxerxes I (464-424 B.C.). He heard that the walls of Jerusalem were broken down. In the process of praying, he came by a vision to go back to the land of Judah to repair the walls. His plan included getting permission from the king for protection, timber resource; carrying out a reconnaissance, briefing leaders and getting them aligned and mobilised; before briefing the people and getting the rebuilding process underway. As he began he met with tremendous opposition; from within and from without. What he did was continue to prosecute the plan; making provision to ward off the external threat that had the potential of derailing his programme. Sometimes rubbish got in the way, but he continued. He succeeded in completing the task in a record time of fifty two days.

Here are some tips for maintaining getting started and momentum. First, remember that working the plan requires personal discipline. This is a mind-set of the person who wakes up on time, gets going on time and works hard from start to finish. Routine is another word for this. Lack of routine is an enemy of productivity or creativity. Secondly, always think two or three steps ahead. It helps to anticipate and guard against some (not all) the potential problems that lie ahead. Third, pause to reflect. Pause for thought. Look back to learn the lessons of the journey so far, ready to apply those insights to the journey that lies ahead. Also, use your coach, mentor or buddy to keep yourself accountable. They can see what you do not see. Fourth, avoid distractions. They will come, in a multitude of ways. The phone will ring; children, parents, spouses, friends; emails that can wait; the list goes on. Some are unavoidable; deal with them firmly, swiftly and wisely. Fifth, don’t procrastinate – it is the thief of time and the destroyer of destiny. Sixth, and I will stop on this one, take time to rest, relax and recharge (I speak to myself). That should be an integral part of the plan; or else, burnout awaits.

We are now past the half way mark of this current year, 2011. What vision did you have at the start of the year? What plans did you put in place? Have you started implementing the plan? What specific actions have you taken? Where are you in terms of your implementation programme?

My encouragement to you is, if you are behind, don’t lose heart and stop. Re-group, re-adjust and keep pushing forward. You will get to the end. If you are on track or ahead, congratulations!! Keep going, keep moving forward and get to the end. If you have not yet started, begin. Just as Nehemiah started and succeeded, and many others before you, you too will succeed; if you persevere, if you persist, if you continue.

Remember, plan your work and work your plan; consistent, persistent, persevering, and you will surely make progress and get to the end.

Copyright Emmanuel Mbakwe 2011©

PS: If you have been inspired, provoked or learnt something from this article, why not do any or all of the following: (i) leave some feedback or a comment, either positive or developmental; (ii) recommend it to a friend; (iii) share it with a friend. This will encourage and help me to serve you better, so together we can make a difference in our world.

I have been prompted to add my voice to what is perhaps the main topic of conversation in the United Kingdom. Fiery arguments, polemics, explanations and denunciation has raged in the aftermath of the most terrifying spate of violence, looting and unrestrained carnage to hit the city streets of Britain in twentieth century Britain.

Across the political spectrum, amongst community leaders, historians, commentators, religious leaders, local and national leaders of every persuasion have weighed in with their views as to the reasons for the recent riots which affected a number of the major cities in England. Lives were lost, a horrific example being the three young men in Birmingham who were mowed down by a recklessly driven car. Shops looted and burned down, as violence engulfed and destroyed already fragile relations in a number of the most vulnerable communities in the cities most affected.

Initially triggered in north London, on Saturday 6^th August 2011, by the shooting of a young man in Tottenham, by a policeman; what unfolded over two further nights, especially in London, Manchester and Birmingham, were scenes never before witnessed in the nation, not even in the Brixton riots of 1981, that of the Broadwater Farm estate in 1985 or any of the other examples of civil disturbance in the past. What we saw, particularly in the first two nights, was a seemingly powerless police force, overwhelmed and swept aside by tidal wave violence, unbridled greed, wanton destruction of property and the brazen ransacking of stores. The other characteristic of what took place is that the damage was the widespread nature of the disturbance, the preponderance of young people and the fact that it cut across race and ethnicity.

In the aftermath of the carnage, matters have not been helped by inflammatory utterances by some notable figures. The Prime Minister David Cameron and former Premier, Tony Blair have already clashed as to the causes of the riots. David Cameron’s belief is that that the riots were symptomatic of moral decline in Britain. In an article in the Sunday Express (Sunday 21^st August 2011), he had this to say, ‘The greed and thuggery we saw during the riots did not come out of nowhere,” he said. “There are deep problems in our society that have been growing for a long time: a decline in responsibility, a rise in selfishness, a growing sense that individual rights come before anything else’.

Mr Blair has dismissed that notion as ‘highfalutin wail’ which missed the point and ignored the real cause of the problem. In his view there was no problem with moral standards in society generally. What we have, he says, is the existence of a minority of disaffected youth who are outside the mainstream of life in Britain. In an article in the Observer (Sunday 21st August 2011), he said this, ‘Britain, as a whole, is not in the grip of some general ‘moral decline’. He went on to say that young people now were generally more respectable, more responsible and more hard-working than they were when he was young.

Similarly opposing views are being expressed across the nation; in newsprint, on radio and television talk shows, in barber shops and meeting places across. The arguments will doubtless rage on. That said, what is self-evident is that that the consequences of the recent riots are far-reaching (I speak as a first hand witness to the Brixton riots of 1981). The wounds in communities across the cities that were affected are still fresh and deep, and will take a long time to heal. What is also clear is the strong divergence of views as to the underlying causes. Judging from the differing perspectives of Prime Minster Cameron and former Premier, Blair, what is evident is that we are a long way from a shared view of underlying causes. This does not augur well for finding a lasting solution.

It does not require prophetic insight to come to a conclusion that the nation is socially, economically, morally and spiritually sick. In many ways we are not a well nation. Many speak of ‘Broken Britain’. It is not an exaggeration. Brokenness pervades many areas of national life. My main concern is the moral and spiritual sphere. In my considered view, what has happened is nothing other than a reflection of the failure, the deep rooted failure on the part of all the key institutions whose role is to make for a peaceful, strong, safe and successful community, people or nation. For brokenness, read failure.

First, the family has failed. Second, government and politicians have failed. Educators and schools have failed. The police have failed. And dare I say it, the Church (I am part of the church) has failed in many respects. Collectively these institutions have failed. We have failed morally and spiritually. However, this is not the time to apportion blame, but rather to first acknowledge the present condition and then to seek for a solution that goes beyond the superficial and tackles the root causes.

Are there answers? The answer is yes, there are! My basic premise is that any attempted solution that seeks to ignore or under-estimate the moral and spiritual dimension is doomed to fail. Indeed, that is what has been done through the years, yet the problem persists. As we read through the Bible, we find that God’s dealings with the nation of Israel sound a timely warning whilst giving a framework and roadmap to recovery. The road to recovery begins with recognition, followed by repentance. To recognise is to note very clearly, to acknowledge the present state; followed by a radical, one hundred and eighty degrees turnaround.

God made clear to Israel the best way to live and to enjoy life to the full. Simple – ‘do what I tell you’. When they chose to ignore God, serious consequences followed. God said to them, ‘I have set before you a way of life and a way of death…. therefore choose life that you may live (Deuteronomy 30:19)’. Again He said, ‘The wages of sin is death’ (Romans 6:23). Yet in another place He said, ‘Do not remove the ancient landmarks…’ (Proverbs 22:28).

I believe that the root of the social and moral malaise that grips us today in the UK is a deep and growing sense of godlessness. Therefore, any proposed solution that fails to put God right back at the centre of what is proposed will fail. Great Britain needs to recover the sense of God being at the heart of what we do; a re-discovery of the fundamental Judeo-Christian principles that underscored the victories that the nation knew in the past.

In the many arenas of public life, God who has been gagged, marginalised and muzzled. At the very heart of government, lip service is paid. He has been legislated out of our schools; airbrushed from our homes, and derided in the debates in the public square and seats of higher learning. True recovery for us as a nation will only come when we allow God to take His rightful place at the centre of national life. The words of the prophet Jeremiah are apposite at this time of reflection and discussion as to why and what next, following the riots. ‘This is what the LORD says: “Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls.’’ But you said, ‘We will not walk in it.’ (Jeremiah 6:16).

We will do well to seek the ancient paths. The call is to (re)-discover to recover. We must come back to the God of the Bible, if we are to know renewed hope for the future as a people and nation.

Copyright Emmanuel Mbakwe 2011©

PS: If you have been inspired, provoked or learnt something from this article, why not do any or all of the following: (i) leave some feedback or a comment, either positive or developmental; (ii) recommend it to a friend; (iii) share it with a friend. This will encourage and help me to serve you better, so together we can make a difference in our world.

One of the most common and disturbing features of human life is the desire to avoid blame, or put another way, accept responsibility when things go wrong. Hence the reason why someone has said that success has many fathers and failure is an orphan. This is not a new phenomenon; it goes back to the dawn of creation.

In the third chapter of the book of Genesis we read about the moment when Adam and Eve, the first couple, disobeyed God by eating the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, something that they had been specifically commanded not to do. When challenged, an interesting scenario played is out; something that has been repeated on countless occasions through the ages. Adam blamed his wife Eve, who in turn blamed the serpent, the devil, for sowing the seed of the idea in her mind.

The central point is that both Adam and Eve sought to shift the blame, or pass the buck, instead of accepting personal responsibility for their actions. I am sure as you read this you can think of many instances in life when someone you know (you of course are not included on that list) has simply refused or failed to see that they are responsible for something that has gone awry. Instead, they are in complete denial, even in the face of incontrovertible evidence; and sometimes to the point of naked aggression. You shake your head and shudder. The consequences are often devastating. Trust is broken. Friendships ended. Long term relationships poisoned or irreparably destroyed.

Yet all these consequences could have been avoided. The key to a positive outcome in all of these things is to soberly reflect and ask ourselves when something goes wrong, what role we played in the process, and be willing to accept the objectively verifiable conclusion that is reached. When we do that humbly and without being defensive, we enable ourselves to move to a position of nurturing healthy personalities and equally healthy relationships. Simply put, honesty and humility are the two keys to accepting responsibility.

So, the next time something goes wrong, and you are the one at fault; don’t pass the buck, but rather take responsibility. Learn from the experience and use it as a platform for growth.

Copyright Emmanuel Mbakwe 2011©

PS: If you have been inspired, provoked or learnt something from this article, why not do any or all of the following: (i) leave some feedback or a comment, either positive or developmental; (ii) recommend it to a friend; (iii) share it with a friend. This will encourage and help me to serve you better, so together we can make a difference in our world.

One of the phenomenon of the times we that we live in is the frenetic hurry and scurry of our materially driven world; kneeling on at the altar of consumerism and doing obeisance to the god of hedonism. There is an all-consuming focus on the here and now.

The fundamental cosmology that drives such lifestyle is totally at odds with what God has shown us in His word, the Bible. A careful reading reveals that that there is far greater purpose for which we have been created, so beyond and above the things we do in time is a far greater reality that lies beyond the realm of time. The Bible clearly shows us that we have been created for a purpose that goes beyond the realms of time.

The Bible message is that Jesus came to show us that purpose. In Him we see the face of God, and through Him what we do in time can count for eternity, as we align our lives to the following truths:

• First, if we want our lives to count for eternity, like Jesus who submitted and surrendered his life to His Father in service and sacrifice, through His death on the cross; we must do the same. This is a life of humility and self-abnegation (Philippians 2:1-11).

• Secondly, Jesus’ life was one of sacrificial service, ultimately leading to a gruesome substitutionary death on the cross, giving his life for all mankind. We must be willing to do the same. We are called to offer our lives as a living sacrifice and like a corn of wheat, fall to the ground and die to selfish ambition and pride (Romans 12:1; John 12:24).

• Thirdly, Jesus lived a life that was radically transformational. He changed everything that he came into contact with. He broke man-made rules and the boundaries put up by attitudes of prejudice – against the poor, the broken, the marginalised, minority groups, women, and the disenfranchised. We must do the same.

• Last, but by no means least, through his life of surrender, of sacrifice and service , Jesus advanced the purposes of His Father here on earth, ultimately fulfilling his own life’s mission. Everything that he did was directed towards his Father’s work and will.

So, if you want your life to count for eternity, follow the footsteps of Jesus. The starting point of this journey is to acknowledge; believe that Jesus is the Saviour of the world, who died on the cross, taking on himself the penalty for your sin. Confess Him as your Saviour, worship and serve Him as Lord. If you do so, your life will surely count for eternity.

Copyright Emmanuel Mbakwe 2011©

PS: If you have been inspired, provoked or learnt something from this article, why not do any or all of the following: (i) leave some feedback or a comment, either positive or developmental; (ii) recommend it to a friend; (iii) share it with a friend. This will encourage and help me to serve you better, so together we can make a difference in our world.

One of the things that has exercised me over the last few years is a very worrying tendency that most of us suffer from. Christians are not exempt, and are probably as guilty as the general population in this respect. It is this tendency to either not see or underestimate what we have; the resources, and capabilities that we possess. Each one of us has been uniquely created by God, gifted with amazing potential, intellectual and spiritual capability; yet we often fail to recognise and utilise all that God has placed within us.

There is a very moving story in the fourth chapter of 2^nd Kings (2nd Kings 4:1-7) that illustrates the point. It concerns the plight of a widow, whose late husband was a student in the prophetic school of the prophet Elisha. Sadly, her husband had died and left a huge amount of debt (whilst we don’t have time for a detailed consideration of the man’s behaviour, suffice to say that he left his family in a big financial mess before exiting the scene of time. (Ladies, feel free to have a rant at the men!). The key issue however, is the fact that the creditors were closing in rapidly on the widow and her two sons were about to be taken in lieu of the outstanding debt.

This major crisis moment made her to approach the prophet Elisha. Having briefly narrated her story; he responded with two questions rolled into one: ‘How can I help you? What do you have in your house?’ Her response gives us an insight into the universal condition that afflicts most of us. She replied, ‘I have nothing at all except a little oil.’ Elisha told her to go with her sons and borrow containers, bring them into her house and begin to pour the little oil that she had into the numerous containers that she had borrowed from her neighbours. This is where the miraculous drama unfolded, because as she poured and poured and poured, the oil in her little container kept on flowing and filling the huge number of empty containers that she had borrowed. Eventually she ran out of empty containers. She then went and sold the oil, paid off her late husband’s creditors and had money spare for her and her children to live on.

This was a woman who had previously declared that she had nothing. However she had so much. Perhaps in her moment of despair and desperation, her mind had been beclouded by all sorts of anxieties, such that she was unable to see what she had in her house and in her hands.

The widow woman had much more than she recognised or realised. Let me point out briefly what she had. The first and most important thing that she had was a legacy of a personal relationship with God. Her husband had been one of Elisha’s students. This spiritual heritage and legacy was a vital spiritual asset. It was the basis on which she was able to connect with the Ultimate Source of the solution to her problem. Secondly, she had a major asset in her children. She saw them as costs and liabilities, and even though they were her future pension, she did not see them as producers and contributors to wealth creation. Yet it was their energy to go around the neighbourhood, collecting empty containers, which helped in the process of wealth multiplication and expansion. We live in a world in which children are seen as an inconvenience, tolerated, and often abused and murdered; including the most vulnerable and defenceless in the womb. We call it choice. God calls it murder.

Thirdly, the woman also had a tremendous asset in her good relationship with her neighbours. If she did not have a good relationship, she could not have approached them, or sent her children to approach them with any degree of confidence, let alone hope of success, but the huge credit balance of good neighbourliness that she had helped her enormously. Last, but by no means least, she had the jar of oil which was supernaturally multiplied and ultimately converted into money which was then used to pay off the creditors. By way of an aside, note that the woman did not borrow consumer goods; all the containers are what economists would term producer goods. After using them she washed and returned them to her neighbours. Many of us tend to borrow to consume rather than borrow to invest, add value, produce and multiply. This is another lesson. Be an investor-producer, not a borrower-consumer-debtor.

Back to the point of the message; what do you have in your house? Much more than you think! Look around, look within, and look up. The widow had her relationship with God, represented by the prophet Elisha; she had her children; she had her neighbours and she had her container of oil, which though small, had the potential for miraculous multiplication. This applies to individuals as well as organisations. Leaders, look again at what you have in the house. What do you have in your house? Look! Look carefully. Search diligently. Spot and deploy them in line with the Divine direction. Like the widow, you too will experience the miracle of multiplication, wealth creation, deliverance of the next generation from servitude and freedom from debt.

Copyright Emmanuel Mbakwe 2011©

PS: If you have been inspired, provoked or learnt something from this article, why not do any or all of the following: (i) leave some feedback or a comment, either positive or developmental; (ii) recommend it to a friend; (iii) share it with a friend. This will encourage and help me to serve you better, so together we can make a difference in our world.

The story is told in Matthew’s gospel (Matthew 19:16-22) of a man who it seemed really wanted to get make progress. He had a desire, on the face of it, to be the best that he could be and do the best that he could in his relationship with God. He was young, wealthy and a religious leader. He came to Jesus and asked, ‘Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?’ What this suggests is that here was a man with a real need. Even though he seemed to have it all, his question clearly suggests otherwise. His was a question of how to get to heaven.

The application of this initial point is self-evident. It is that it does not matter how comfortable or well-established by intellectual, material or temporal terms, being assured of the way to heaven is what matters most.

In his dialogue with Jesus, it was evident that the man was very religious; and that as far as the pursuit of a dutifully religious lifestyle was concerned he had it seemed made very good progress. However, Jesus, having listened to his response, was not prepared to let him off the hook. He had asked about what it took to inherit eternal life. If he had it he would not have come to Jesus. The lesson here is that if you are not sure of something ask until you are certain. Pride and self-satisfaction are twin killers to be avoided.

Having perfectly ticked the box for religious knowledge and observance, one would have thought that the man had arrived. No! Jesus decided to raise the bar. He got straight to the point by asking the man to sell all that he had, divest himself of all his real estate and give all the proceeds to the poor, which would give him treasure in heaven, and then come and follow Jesus. We read that the man went away rather sad because he had many possessions or great wealth

What is clear is that the man’s wealth was getting in the way of his commitment to and relationship with Jesus. It will be easy for us to be self-righteous and even judgemental about this wealthy young man; prompted by all sorts of perceptions, even jealousy. However, even the poor have things that get in the way of their commitment to Jesus.

The heart of this message is simply this; what is it in your life that is getting in the way of you committing your life to Jesus Saviour and following Him as Lord? Is it family, colleagues, friends, fame, pleasure, status or wealth?

Copyright Emmanuel Mbakwe 2011©

PS: If you have been inspired, provoked or learnt something from this article, why not do any or all of the following: (i) leave some feedback or a comment, either positive or developmental; (ii) recommend it to a friend; (iii) share it with a friend. This will encourage and help me to serve you better, so together we can make a difference in our world.

One of the things I have observed in life is that the world is full of ‘Big Brothers’. By ‘Big Brother’ I am not referring to the overbearing organs of the State; meddling and invading, getting involved in the private lives of its citizens…So, this is not a political piece. ‘Big Brother’ here refers to phenomenon that at some point or the other has affected most of us, often negatively, slowing down or even destroying potential, often derailing or killing wonderful dreams which if nurtured and realised would have transformed the life of the dream-carrier and of others around.

This issue is well illustrated in a narrative we find in 1^st Samuel chapter 17. It concerns a young man by the name of David, the eighth son of a man called Jesse, from the town of Bethlehem. Those readers who are Bible students will know that Jesus was born in Bethlehem, and that indeed he is an ancestor of Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the world. Let’s get back to the scenario in the first book of Samuel.

The heart of the narrative is one of a military stand-off between the armies of Israel and that of their arch enemy, the Philistines. David’s father, concerned about his older sons who were part of the army of King Saul that was confronting the Philistines, sent him on an errand to deliver some much needed supplies for his brothers.

For forty days and nights the army of Israel, commanded by King Saul had been teased, provoked and roundly abused by the chief warrior of the Philistines, a giant of a man by the name of Goliath.

When David came on the scene, he heard the insulting and provocative pronouncements of the Philistine. Stirred by a holy anger by what was being played out in front of him, David heard the promise that the King had made to anyone who would be able to stand up, fight and defeat the giant Philistine. Having verified the King’s word, David offered himself.

Eliab, David’s eldest brother was enraged. He rebuked his younger brother sharply, telling David that he was nothing but an arrogant young man, with ideas that were well above his station, and should go back and take care of the few sheep that he had left behind.

Now, this is the main point. We are surrounded by ‘Big Brothers’; people who are full of fear, lacking in courage, and filled with jealousy. They have a tendency to talk down to others because of their own fears and other personal limitations; their own inner inadequacies driving the negativities that they spew out in order to kill the dreams and visions that others carry. These are often wounded and broken people; those who are unable to rise above their own, often self-imposed, self-inflicted limitations. And, because they have not risen above a certain station, they insist that no one else must go beyond where they are in life; often going to great lengths to ensure that that happens. Have you met this kind of person? Do you know any?

Eliab, David’s eldest brother is a picture of a ‘Big Brother’ – naturally, psychologically and spiritually. This story applies in the natural and spiritual, individual as well as corporate. Big Brother is characterised by anger, jealousy and suspicion. Big Brother lacks initiative and feels threatened when others seem to rise in faith, boldness and courage to attempt great things. He is a master dream-killer as well as an enemy of progress.

David refused to be cowed or intimidated by the presence or the voice of Big Brother. He was not rude, he was not angry, but rather he focused on the potential and the power of the anointing and the grace gifts of God that was flowing in and through him.

We know the end of the story. David destroyed the giant Philistine. However, if he had listened to his older brother, we would not have this universal storyline that has inspired generations in virtually every field of human endeavour – from the field of politics to the sports arena, and many other settings. Beware of Big Brother. Ignore his anger, jealousy and put-downs. Rather, let faith arise in your God, and deploy the grace gifts that God has given you to be a giant killer, as David did.

Copyright Emmanuel Mbakwe 2011©

PS: If you have been inspired, provoked or learnt something from this article, why not do any or all of the following: (i) leave some feedback or a comment on our facebook page, either positive or developmental; (ii) recommend it to a friend; (iii) share it with a friend. This will encourage and help me to serve you better, so together we can make a difference in our world.

For the third year running the organisers of AblazeUK, the international convention of the Apostolic Church, UK,  are looking for talented songwriters, musicians and producers within our local churches to submit an original song(s) that reflects the theme for this year’s conference.  The theme for this year is “Proclaiming Jesus”, taken from Acts 4:12.

Past winners have been Rolake Akinola – Kennington, “Increase” (2009) and Tolu Greensides & Onyinye Chiazor – Newcastle, “His rule, His reign (2010). This year it could be you!

“How do you take part?” you may be wondering…

1. GET YOUR SONG IN TO THE LONDON OFFICE

All submissions need to be recorded and sent to the church office in London, either by email (in MP3 format) or on a CD, with sheet music (where possible) and lyrics.  The deadline for submissions is Sunday 26th June 2011.

All submissions should be marked ‘Ablaze 11 Theme Song’ and include; your name, the Apostolic Church you attend and your Pastors name. Email to admin@apostolic-church.org or post to;

The Apostolic Church Office
PO Box 51298
London
SE11 9AJ

2. SONGS WILL BE SHORTLISTED BY A JUDGING PANEL

After the deadline, the songs will be judged by a panel, which will produce a shortlist of three songs. Please note the identities of the songs writers are anonymous when given to the judges.

3. VOTE FOR YOUR FAVOURITE SONG ONLINE

The winning song will be judged by you! The top three songs will be posted on our facebook pagehttp://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Apostolic-Church-UK/107337635963202?sk=wall. The identity of the songwriters will be kept anonymous. Voting opens at 9 am on Monday 11th July 2011 and will close at midnight. If you hear a song you like just click ‘like’.  The winner will be announced on Tuesday 12th July 2011.

Please call 020 7587 1802 if you have any question

I confess to making an initial misjudgement on the potential of the Holy Spirit to quicken a longing in God’s people regarding prayer. I later discovered that He had already been at work in their hearts producing not only a recognition of the need, but a growing and sincere desire to be refreshed and encouraged in prayer ministry.

The PrayerWorks Conference in Scotland had been planned hesitatingly, but it actually turned out to be a surprising success, not only in terms of the number of attendees, and the quality of the speakers material and the variety of subjects, but in people returning home after a day together greatly encouraged, taught and ready to refresh their relationship with God and re-engage with His Divine Life and Power.

After all, we all know the importance of prayer – that it is only what is birthed, achieved and maintained through prayer which actually works and lasts. And yet, for so many of us, it seems sometimes not to be a priority and often the last resort when all other attempts have been exhausted. And this was the vision behind the Scottish PrayerWorks Conference held in Glasgow at the end of March – that leaders and people would return after the day together with a fresh enthusiasm for both personal and collective prayer, and that churches would find a reviving of purpose, direction and power to move into growth.

Ps Ian Meldrum delivered the two main seminars in the morning entitled ‘The Power of Personal Prayer’, intended to strengthen our personal relationship with God, and ‘The Church at Prayer’ with some very practical teaching on How to make the Prayer Meeting both dynamic and effective. In the afternoon delegates were able to visit two of three workshops. The subjects were ‘Prophetic Praying’, ‘Prayer and Spiritual Warfare’ and ‘Prayer and Fasting’.

I dare say the title ‘PrayerWorks Conference’ is a good one, because, well, actually, Prayer Works!

Most of those who attended, including some from other churches, have already signed up to the possibility of a second PrayerWorks Conference in Scotland later in the year.Quite amazing really……………………… and it certainly inspires hope for the future!

One of the key features of life is the number of people who seem to have started so well and yet never realised their hopes and dreams. They start of wanting to make something of themselves, but a few years down the line the end note is very different. The huge ambition, desires and aspiration, like their owner have ended up in the waste paper basket called under-achievement, or worse still, the slag heap called failure.

The Christian life is no exception. There are many who think of the great promises that God has given in His word; they rejoice in those promises and have great dreams of attaining and receiving those promises. Yet, the reality is something else. The journey had taken a detour; a compromise, a dilution, indeed a significant divergence from the original vision, dream or goal. Either for reasons of convenience, settling for immediately presents itself or even fear, we are driven to park at a place that is a long way from the original destination. Loss of personal drive, depression, a sense of resignation, regret, frustration, anger, even jealous sometimes overtakes the person in question.

The direct challenge of this piece is: don’t settle for second best when on the best would do.

The point I have set out is well illustrated by a narrative that we find in Numbers 32:1-5. The children of Israel had defeated the inhabitants and captured the city of Jericho. It was time for them to cross over from the east side of the river Jordan onto the west side, and in to the fullness of their promised inheritance. This was the piece of real estate that God had covenanted to their forefathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

Joshua had ordered the people to go into battle in order to possess the land. At that point, the children of Gad, of Reuben and half the tribe of Manasseh decided that they would prefer to remain on the east side of Jordan in the land of Gilead. Their reason was that because they were cattlemen, the grass on the east side of the river was lush and green and they felt it would be better for them to stay on that side where their livestock would well provided for; instead of engaging in the mission of crossing over and possessing the Promised land.

Those who are familiar with the narrative will know that there was a rather sharp exchange between Joshua and the two and half tribes. The result was that the two and half tribes committed themselves, in line with the promise they had made when Moses was alive, to join their brothers, the other nine and a half tribes, to cross over and conquer the inhabitants of the land across the Jordan. That however is not the main point.

The very heart of the matter is that the decision of the Reubenites, Gadites and half tribe of Manasseh was driven by what they saw with their natural eyes, instead of focusing on the promises that God had made with them. They had chosen to settle for second best instead of the very best of what God had for them. They opted for the immediate instead of embracing the ultimate. They had compromised the ideal for the convenient.

The question for all of us is: how many times in our lives have we chosen to settle for second best? Have we done it in our service for God, in our academic choices, in our career, in relationships?

God in His word gives us help on how to avoid settling for second best. We see the lessons in the lives of the people who walked with Him. First, in Hebrews 11:24-27, we read a highly distilled account of Moses. One of the key lessons we learn is that he focused on the prize and refused to be put off by the price he had to pay. Secondly, he set his eyes on Him who is invisible. In other words he refused to look at things with the eye of the natural man but that of faith.

We see further guidance as to how to avoid settling for second best in the life of a man by the name of Joseph (he refused the sexual advances of his boss’ wife – and ended up in jail on a trumped up charge – the vengeance of a woman scorned). Another example is a man by the name of Daniel and his three Hebrew brothers, who refused to sell out on their faith, despite the threats and the death sentence that was effectively passed on them. In all three cases, God honoured them, because they chose to honour Him.

Lastly, there is a passage in the book of Hebrews (Hebrews 12:1-2), we are presented with a challenge to persevere and finish well. First, because many who have gone on before us (those listed in the Hall of Faith in Hebrews 11) are watching and provide us with a ‘motivational pull’ to follow in their footsteps. Second, we must get rid of ‘excess luggage’ – friends, acquaintances, things we are involved in – that drain, distract and could possibly derail us from achieving our goal. As we persist and persevere, we keep our eye on Jesus, the object of our faith, Author and Finisher, who was prepared to go through the horrendous pain barrier of the cross, for the joy and prize that lay beyond the pain.

Some of us who are reading this may be thinking that it is too late. No, on the contrary, you can start again. Perhaps you have settled for the mediocre, for that which is less than the ideal that God has for you. The God I serve is the God of the second chance. He is always willing to forgive and set us back on the right path. You can start again and continue to persevere, refusing to settle for second best when only the best will do.

Copyright Emmanuel Mbakwe 2010©

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