by Mark Ibigbami GreatMark | Mar 8, 2017 | Uncategorized |
Philip, a promising young IT expert, and an astute business man, was a guest at a luncheon organized by a NGO, who is committed to humanitarian service and support for indigent citizens. It was supposed to be a prestigious dinner party with some of the Society’s elites and VIPs in attendance, and of course with this in mind, Philip was so careful to respond appropriately.
On that Saturday morning, Philip had informed his teammates that he was going to be absent at the football training so he can look his best at the occasion. Two hours before the event, he shaved, manicured, cleaned and perfumed, and dressed up in an elegant, yet tasteful manner. He desperately wanted to make a positive impression on the Host, as well as other guests.
On arrival at the venue of the dinner, he was announced, and then ushered into the banqueting room of his dream. As he walked to the front seat, his eyes began to warily make rounds across the tables, a bitter taste of bile began to rise and lodged in his throat. He was amazed to see that each guest has some sort of gross deformity beneath their gracious smiles. Neither rubies nor diamonds, neither tuxedos nor tails could camouflage the scars and gaping wounds represented around the table. He was shocked that he spent all day trying to prepare himself only to meet people who have more flaws than he could ever imagine.
The spotless splendor for the human eye to gaze upon is the Host himself, all others are merely patients: just mutilated, torn, dilapidated, disfigured caricatures of social grace and ambiance. Dear friend, do not give up on the possibility of a change into a better person. The perpetuity of your indulgence in a weakness is not enough reason to conclude that you are beyond repair. Don’t accept your failures as destiny. The power for a lasting positive change resides not in a person, rules, regulations or self resolutions. It is in Christ, the Author and Finisher of our faith (Hebrew 12:1-2). He has defeated satan, the god of this world, and has subdued the power of sin on the cross. Thus, the victory that overcome the world, is out faith in the omnipotent God.
There is a huge potentials in you for greatness! Yes, everyone has a weakness, but don’t let the weakness in you affect your greatness! There are so many also afflicted as you are, or even ore than you are. Therefore, you should be grateful for who you are, and where you are. And you must never lose sight of a bright and promising future. Provided, you are in right standing with God, the troubles you go through today can certainly not be compare with the surpassing glory that will be revealed (II Corinthians 4;17). You must never give up on yourself, even though your life has many records of failure! I challenge you to cease only form your self effort, and put your faith in God. For with Him, you are sure to win over life’s battles.
While waiting for the change, start appreciating yourself. Remind yourself, “I am valuable to God!” I am winning! Yes, we are winning!
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by Mark Ibigbami GreatMark | Mar 6, 2017 | Uncategorized |
There are so many amazing things about my creation that I should celebrate habitually. And the joy of the knowledge of who I am should keep me surviving the storms of life, and give me the impetuous to move forward even in the face of recession and uncertainties. There is no reason why I should be depressed or disilussioned because my help is in the name of the Lord, and my sufficiency in the creator of heavens and earth (Psalm 24).
Facts are temporary but Truth is eternal, and the truth is what I believe and appropriate into my life, even when factual realities steers me in the face! God’s word is true and it tells me what God had in mind before creating me; what He intends that I accomplish, and what He has in store for. I am His business, His workmanship, and His representative here on earth. And because The Lord is my Shepherd I don’t need a thing since He has bedded me in lush meadows (Psalm 23). My times are in His hands, and this is the reason am confident that all that I need for life and godliness He will provide.
I will rather dwell on the beautiful description of my person than worry about what I lack. The world tells me my relevance is only found in my social status, wealth and achievements. But it is a lie! I’m relevant because God knows me, calls me by His name, and had me in His plans. I am like a tree planted by the rivers of waters, and so am always refreshed and nourished. I’m flourishing because I’m connected to the source of life, the fountain of unending joy from whom all blessings flow. Like the tree by the river side, I am inclined towards my source, my heart is fixed on Him, and I am inactive in the path where the godless work. My affinity is towards Him and my meditation is habitually on His word. My leaves are always green and my fruits never fails it’s seasons. The Lord is acquainted with my ways, and my place is in the munitions of the rocks.
I am like the palms of cedar, flourishing because God reckons with the righteousness of Christ, who lives in me. I grow heavenwards, daily fashioned into the image of Christ, and this is my destiny! “The [uncompromisingly] righteous shall flourish like the palm tree…” (Psalm 92). I am stately, upright, useful, and fruitful. Like the Cedar in Lebanon, I am majestic, stable, durable, and incorruptible. I am growing in grace and flourishing in the
house of the Lord. I am full of spiritual vitality, and rich in the verdure of trust, love, and contentment. I am a living memorial, an evidence of God’s faithfulness to His promises.
Psalm 8 reveals how we’ve so narrowly missed being gods, bright with Eden’s dawn light. And how God put us in charge of His handcrafted world, repeated to us His Genesis-charge, and made us lords of sheep and cattle. It’s amazing who we are. If we imbibe the truth about who we are in relation to God, our maker, then we can be sure to flourish even in he midst of recession and life’s difficulties. Say with me, “I’m flourishing! I am winning! Yes, we are winning!
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by Mark Ibigbami GreatMark | Mar 2, 2017 | Uncategorized |
“Every day will not feel dreamy and some may feel like a nightmare, but if you never get off your intentions, your visions for your life may never become a reality. Even the road to hell is paved with good intentions. Therefore, It is not intentions that matter, it is actions! We are what we do and say, not what we intend to do. You need to have faith in God and in yourself and know that together the two of you can do anything! If you can see the invisible, you can do the impossible.” For with God is no impossibilities!
Therefore, in order to achieve your dreams you may have to stretch yourself or enlarge your circle of associates. You may have to expose beyond your comfort zone or speak when you are naturally introverted. Stretch yourself beyond what you know to be reachable. You will be surprised at what you can accomplish.
Stretch yourself; it’s worth it! “For you will spread abroad to the right hand and to the left; and your offspring will possess the nations and make the desolate cities to be inhabited.” Isaiah 54:3. The road to heaven is paved with relentless faith. A Faith which requires the prenatal care of dreams, the nourishment of dream makers, and the feeding of dragon slayers until the abstract becomes concrete.” A cloud as small as a man’s hand is arising out of the sea…Go up! You’re winning! Yes, we are winning!
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by Mark Ibigbami GreatMark | Mar 1, 2017 | Uncategorized |
I have discovered that one subtle but most destructive way to lose your mind is by Worry! “There is scarcely any sin against which our Lord Jesus more warns his disciples, than disquieting, distracting, distrustful cares about the things of this life. This often insnares the poor as much as the love of wealth does the rich. But there is a carefulness about temporal things which is a duty, though we must not carry these lawful cares too far. He urged the disciples saying, “Therefore I tell you, stop being worried or anxious (perpetually uneasy, distracted) about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, as to what you will wear. Is life not more than food, and the body more than clothing? (Matthew 6:25).
The cares of this life is potent to destroy our peace and diminish our health. Therefore, the secret to stay sane is to acknowledge and expect that God will provide food and raiment, and that he holds your tomorrow. Matthew Henry puts it this way, “Take no thought for your life. Not about the length of it; but refer it to God to lengthen or shorten it as he pleases; our times are in his hand, and they are in a good hand. Not about the comforts of this life; but leave it to God to make it bitter or sweet as he pleases. Take no thought for the morrow, for the time to come. Be not anxious for the future, how you shall live next year, or when you are old, or what you shall leave behind you. As we must not boast of tomorrow, so we must not care for to-morrow, or the events of it.”
Come to think of it, has anyone by fussing in front of the mirror ever gotten taller by so much as an inch? Of course not! You cannot by worry add a cubit to your height, but you can by worry lose you health and mind. ‘The day you stop worrying will be the first day of your new life; anxiety takes you in circles.. ‘Leon Brown” Worrying does not take away tomorrow, it takes away today’s peace. Therefore, Look at the birds, free and unfettered, and not tied down to a job description, yet God takes good care of them. And you count far more to God than birds, so If it worries you, it means it’s beyond you. So leave it in God’s sufficient hand. Depend on God and keep at it because in the Lord God you have a sure thing (Isaiah 26:3). Be careless in the care of God; you’re winning! Welcome to March. Even if it seems that you are out of the line, don’t lose your mind, Move forward. Yes, we are winning!
by Mark Ibigbami GreatMark | Feb 25, 2017 | Uncategorized |
“I wish I could say that I believe in Jesus Christ, that He loves me and cares, but I no longer believe that. From a mother who is vicious and has wrecked my adoptive family to the death of my adoptive brother, I no longer believe. I even find myself wondering if God really exists. I look around at all the Christians who say that they help people who don’t know how to ask for it, but they have not even noticed my pain. If God loved or cared for me, He’d at least help, wouldn’t He? But no help has come! Why? God doesn’t love me!” —Anna.
A disillusioned and devasted Anna wrote this painful letter to a Christian councellor. She was caught up in a feeling of hurt, abondonment and doubt, and this made it difficult for her to see God’s love, or appreciate His care. Invariably, hardship is able to make us cast aspersion on God’s goodness. And this of course is the root of all sins -when you think that God is not mindful of you -you are liable to do anything against his will.
“There are times when it is difficult to understand God’s method. There are moments when discerning His will is a frustrating endeavor. Perharps we have these moments because we havent been given all the information we need to ascertain His ways as well as His acts. Many times we learn more in rhetrospect than we do while in the thick of the struggle. Indubitably, there were times in everyone’s life when you feel so lonely and fearful. At such times, it is either we draw near to God, or allow our challenges to push us far away from Him.
When Jesus was faced with abandonement on the cross, He cried out to God, saying, “My God, My God, Why hast thou forsaken me?” Yes, He felt for once and for all the pains of loneliness because He was carrying the sins of the whole world. Thus, God turned his face against him, and He felt forsaken and condemned. This made him questioned the acts of God, but he never questioned his relationship with God like Anna did.
Unlike Jesus, Anna doubted the existence of God! She believed one of the lies of Satan, that God is a moral tyrant who knowing her predicaments has deliberately refused to help. Jesus’ statement means, “Even though you have forsaken me, You are still My God, My God!” Jesus never doubted or questioned his relationship with God, knowing that His affliction was justifiable, and temporary, and more importantly that God will be glorified by his troubles.
Yes, I agree that it is not easy to remain calm and faithful in frightening times, but looking unto God, the author and finisher of our faith, is sure the way of victory. Everything around you may fail, but God’s love for you is eternal, and independent of you. If God feeds the birds of the air, He cares for you so much more! You are winning! Yes, we are winning!
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by Mark Ibigbami GreatMark | Feb 23, 2017 | Uncategorized |
Oftentimes we celebrate God’s promises but we disdain His instructions. The word of God cannot fail because of God’s integrity and Sovereignty. However, the word spoken over your life and destiny can fail if you ignore divine instructions. The widow of Zaraphath followed instructions given by Elisha and got out of financial insufficiencies (II Kings 4:1-7). God will always bring anything and everything you need into your life by instructions.
There is a standing instruction from God to you on how to overcome your finaicial problems. God is not just going to supply your needs, He already did! You already carry the potential for financial abundance. Asking God for financial blessings is a prayer amidst. All you need to ask for is instructions on how to manifest financial abundance which is already in you. Your prayer is to ask God to release unto you instructions and guiding you need to manifest the blessings already given to you.
What you need to be financially independence has nothing to do with what is around you but it has everything to do with what God has put in you when you were made (Genesis 1:26-27).
Discovered the instructions to manifest financial abundance with Muyiwa Afolabi, of Frankly Speaking. For more secrets to overcoming your financial problems, listen and order the message on Audio CD, MP3, and DVD. For injuries please call Bunmi +2347062936083.
You are winning! Yes, we are winning!
Credit to Muyiwa Afolabi, Business & Career Coach
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