If you are in the city of Lagos, the commercial capital of Nigeria, join me and a few other friends as we share the heart of God on what it will take to fulfill the dream God has put in your heart. I, for one, will be sharing on a very crucial angle to achieving your dreams: MENTORING-YOUR GATE TO GREATNESS. The date is SATURDAY, April 7, 2012. Time is 10.00am @ RCCG, Place of Grace, 113 Akowonjo Road, Egbeda, Lagos. See the attached link for a copy of the advert. YOU WILL SUCCEED!
Category Archives: Friendship
HOW DO YOU DEFINE A FRIEND? (5)
A True Friend Stands By You in Your Hour of Need
“A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.” (Proverbs 17:17)
“A man who has friends must himself be friendly, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” (Proverbs 18:24)
The Greek philosopher, Aristotle said, “In poverty and other misfortunes of life, true friends are a sure refuge. The young they keep out of mischief; to the old they are a comfort and aid in their weakness, and those in the prime of life they incite to noble deeds.”
The opposite is also true. “False friends are like our shadows, keeping close to us while we walk in the sunshine but leaving us when we cross into the shade. Real friends stick with us when trouble comes.” (John C. Maxwell)
The test of a true friend is this: She is still there standing by you when others have fled! He is there telling you the truth when others are busy flattering and deceiving you. You must have heard it said, “In prosperity our friends know us; in adversity we know our friends.” A friend in need is a friend indeed.
Thanks for staying with me, if you have been blessed by this, you could check out the other parts of the series. YOU WILL SUCCEED!
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HOW DO YOU DEFINE A FRIEND? (4)
A TRUE FRIEND ENCOURAGES YOUR GOD-GIVEN DREAM
Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” Then He commanded His disciples that they should tell no one that He was Jesus the Christ. From that time Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day. Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, “Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!” But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.” (Matthew 16:16-23)
How can someone in five short verses go from being ‘most blessed’ to being called ‘satan’; from trusted associate to worst adversary? Jesus showed here that: Anyone who makes you deviate from your purpose in God is no longer a friend, he has become an enemy!
Mark Twain said, “Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great.” If you belittle what I hold in high esteem, you’re not my friend.
If you blur my focus on my assignment; you’re not my friend.
If you make me lose sight of my dream, I refuse you to be my friend.
If you make me doubt my destiny, you’re not my friend.
If you cast aspersion on or despise my dream, I refuse you to be my friend. I agree with pastor and leadership coach, Dan Reiland that, “A genuine friend encourages and challenges us to live out our best thoughts, honor our purest motives, and achieve our significant dreams.” YOU WILL SUCCEED!
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HOW DO YOU DEFINE A FRIEND? (3)
SOMEONE WHO DOES NOT VALUE WHAT YOU VALUE IS ANYTHING ELSE BUT A FRIEND
“Can two walk together, unless they are agreed?” (Amos 3:3)
Anyone who does not believe in what you believe in cannot be your friend.
For me, anyone who does not value my ideals; who cheapens what I treasure will never be my friend. If your ‘friend’ does not reinforce your decision to serve God, live holy or encourage your passion, focus or concentration on your assignment; that is a wrong friend.
A man who is now a successful professional speaker said that at the beginning of his career, “My friends didn’t believe I could become a successful speaker. So I did something about it. I went out and found me some new friends!” Anyone who is not headed in your direction will be a distraction. YOU WILL SUCCEED!
For the earlier posts in this series, A True Friend adds Value to You & An Unbeliever Should Not Be A Confidant of a Child of God
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HOW DO YOU DEFINE A FRIEND? (2)
Okay, in the first post in this series (read here), I established that friendship should not be by force, since a true friend is only one who adds value to you. Let’s continue from there.
The second thing I will like to say about true friends here is that AN UNBELIEVER CANNOT (and Should Never) BE A FRIEND/CONFIDANT/ADVISER OF A TRUE CHILD OF GOD. I predicate this on the truth of 2 Corinthians 6:14-18.
“Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will dwell in them And walk among them. I will be their God, And they shall be My people.” Therefore “Come out from among them And be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, And I will receive you. I will be a Father to you, And you shall be My sons and daughters, Says the LORD Almighty.”
Can you stand to be blessed? “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful;” If you mean to fulfill your destiny, you will not allow an infidel to be your friend. YOU WILL SUCCEED!
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HOW DO YOU DEFINE A FRIEND?
Who is your friend? What and Who, is a friend? What is friendship? How do you define a friend? Have you been asked that before? It’s a question I have been trying to proffer an answer to, from God’s Word. Let’s explore in these series of posts, the essence of friendships. And please do let me know what you think. Blessings!
Friends are not just acquaintances. And real friends are more than just school or work mates. No! AGREEMENT is the keyword in friendship. Two people cannot walk together except they are agreed. The axe is laid at the root of every relationship. If it does not produce, get rid of it! Friendship does not have to be by force.
Wrong friends (not necessarily bad ones) will corrupt your destiny. “Do not be deceived: evil company corrupts good habits.” (1 Corinthians 15:33) Amnon was King David’s firstborn son. By descent, he was heir to the throne of Israel. But his destiny crashed through a wrong advice from one of his so-called ‘friends’ – Jonadab the son of Shimeah. The ‘prodigal son’ too had a glorious destiny but not with the wrong company he kept. Beware of the friends you keep for they determine your destiny. He who walks with the wise will be wise!
So how do you define a friend?
A TRUE FRIEND ADDS VALUE TO YOU
“As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.” (Proverbs 27:17 NKJV)
Henry Ford said, “Who is your best friend? I will tell you who your best friend is. Your best friend is the one who brings out the best that is within you.” And I think that is so true.
Every true friend brings an investment of value into your life. They do not lean on you alone; they bring something to the table in the relationship. Someone who does not sharpen your focus on your assignment is not a good friend. Anybody who does not improve your life is neither. Some relationships do not add but subtract from you, which is no friendship but parasitism.
No relationship leaves you neutral; if it’s not adding to you, it is subtracting from you whether you’re aware of it or not. Watch out! Some folks are ‘subtracters’, not ‘adders’. They are ‘dividers’, not ‘multipliers’. They are ‘minuses’, not ‘plusses’. When you discover such people in your life, it’s time to go shopping for some new friends!
YOU WILL SUCCEED!
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May Your APRIL Be FULL!
May your APRIL be FULL! FULL of IRRESISTIBLE INFLUENCE. FULL of LIFE, FULL of GRACE. FILLED with the FULLNESS of HIM that FILLS ALL in ALL. May your life count for impact in the kingdom of God this month and the rest of your days. May your light shine so bright that men will bless God for your life and gentiles will come to the brightness of your rising. Happy New Month! Welcome to APRIL 2012!
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IRRESISTIBLE INFLUENCE!
What did Jesus mean when He called us salt and light in Matthew 5:13-16? That is what I believe to be the Leadership concept of Irresistible Influence which is what I will be sharing and exploring come Sunday evening, April 1st by 4.00pm in the City of Abuja, Nigeria. It promises to be an exciting edition of our Purpose ‘n’ Life Seminar. I am looking forward to it. Will you be there? For more info: see here
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20 DEFINITIONS YOU HAVE TO CHECK OUT (part 3)
Oh! Oh! Oh! Are you feeling this? Words are powerful and the meaning you attach to them defines you. I mean, you define words and in turn, they come to define you! Let these definitions help you, motivate you, encourage you or anger you, if need be. But please do not be indifferent.
Just check out these last set of definitions: having an education is not about going to school; worldliness is not rocket science, John Wesley cuts it to the bare bones for us. Enjoy and be blessed by these. You will succeed!
14. EDUCATION is that which we remember when we have forgotten all we learnt! – Unknown
15. COOPERATION is spelled with two letters: WE. – G. M. Verity
16. WORLDLINESS is that which cools my affection towards God. – John Wesley
17. COURAGE is fear that has said its prayers! – Karle Wilson Baker
18. THE WILL OF GOD is saying and doing the right thing in the right place with the right people at the right time and in the right sequence under the right leadership using the right method with the right attitude of heart. – Loren Cunningham
19. A GOOD MARRIAGE is a union of two forgivers. – Ruth Bell Graham
20. Okay now, add yours. I’m waiting.
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If you’re in or around Abuja on Sunday, April 1, 2012, I invite you to join me at this meeting. It promises to be life-changing.
