YOUR PLACEMENT IN LIFE

It is important for us to be reminded that our placements in life, especially at work, are for the purpose of solving problems.

You are employed to solve a problem and when you are no longer a problem-solver, you are no longer fit for the job. Your present placement was necessitated by problems, so when you are no longer solving problems, you will naturally be on the list of those to be displaced.

The positions of life are not just meant to be occupied, they are meant to be functional. Whether you are called a manager, teacher, CEO or whatever, your rating is according to your function.

When you are no longer functioning, you are dysfunctional and would soon be tagged 'redundant.' So, for you to maintain relevance and remain on line, you must remain a problem solver. Your relevance is tied to the problems you are able to solve.

That is what makes you a contributor. And when you are a contributor, your worth is enhanced. With the enhancement of your worth, your value rating will change.

 A problem solver can never be ignored; a problem solver will always have a place among men because he will always be needed. A problem solver is an asset not a liability.

THE BENEFITS OF PROBLEMS

It is the problems you solve that reveal you to your world. It is what earns you recognition among men. If there were no problem in Israel, nobody would have known David.

Problems are opportunities for fame and greatness. A man is as famous as the problem he solves. It was after David killed Goliath that his status changed from a mere shepherd boy to chief of army staff and eventually to the king in Israel.

People don't know you in your hiding place; they know you in the open place where the problems are. The problems you solve will reveal the real you. Every man is described according to the problem he solves.

 That is why you never find an ordinary name in a history book, every name in history is tied to an achievement. Think of people like Michael Faraday, in our contemporary times and Joseph, Gideon and Moses in the Bible, they were all problem solvers.

What gave them names were not their looks or appearances, but the problems they solved. You can never find an idle name in history. So, for your name to enter into history you have to be a problem solver.

If you leave where you are today, what will you be remembered for? Is it for the problems you solved or the ones you created? Wherever you find yourself, ensure that you are a problem solver and you will never need to struggle for promotion or recognition among men. Now, how do you become a problem solver?

1.    Have A Correct Perspective Of Problems!


Your number one point of victory in life is your perspective. How do you see things in life? Your perspective determines how you handle your situations. If you have a poor perspective, you will always have poor results.

Your perspective determines your control. How do you address problems? Because the problem you can't address you will never be able to arrest. How do you see problems? Do you see problems as opposition or as opportunity? When the giant called Goliath challenged the Israelites, none could face him because they all saw him as an insurmountable opposition; only David saw him as an opportunity, so he was able to overcome him (1 Samuel 17).

When you see your problem as an opportunity, solving it becomes very cheap. Problems may, initially put you under pressure but with the right perspective you can turn it into pleasure.

 It is perspective that turns pressure into pleasure. Problems may stretch you but it will ultimately spread you. There can never be a spread without problems. That is to say, problems don't leave you the way they met you. They either stretch or shrink you.

2.    Hunt For Ideas!

Secondly, you must always hunt for ideas. Ideas are talents or instruments for improvement. If you are full of ideas, you will always be on line of improvement.

 So, always hunt for ideas and the way to do that is to give yourself to deep and focused thinking on your job. How do I improve on my assignment? How do I handle this situation? How can I gain speed and time in my assignment? How do I make this and that to function? There are no dull brains; there are only unused, unutilized brains.

Every man's brain can function - God never made a useless brain! We have heard stories of people who were once described as complete dullards; but when they decided to wake up and instigate their brains, ideas began to flow.

How much use you put your brain to is what determines what comes out of it. So put your brain to work. Break through that barrier that tells you, you are not smart enough or that you can't make it. Breakthrough! You are full of ideas, you are full of inspirations. There are many resources in your brain that you can bring out to add to what you are doing.

Keep thinking! It will amaze you that ideas are so close at the corner but until you give your mind to it you don't lay hold on them.

3. You Need Fortitude
The third thing you require to do to be a problem solver is fortitude. What is fortitude? Fortitude is inner strength.

It is the conviction that the challenge before you can be handled, and not just that it can be dissolved but that you can be the one to get it done. Fortitude is 'stay power.' You stay on till the result comes out. Most people get tired too soon. They give up too soon and begin to console themselves by saying,

"I have tried." When I hear a man say, "I have tried my best", it reveals to me his lack of fortitude. A genuine worker will never commend himself until the problem is solved. Above all, when you tell him, "Well done" before the job is completed, he is not comfortable because he feels he hasn't done what he ought to do, so what are you greeting him for? If people greet you 'well done' for what you have not done well, they are only mocking you. So, beware of such greetings.

You need fortitude to look at a problem and say, "No, this problem must be solved!" Sit down and start thinking! Document the ideas that come to you and start taking practical steps. That is fortitude! You need such inner strength to be able to keep on pushing at the mountain before you, until it gives way.

4. You Must Press On!
Those who are weary will never wear the crown. Those who give up will never go into the next phase of life.

 Ironically, they give up at the eve of their going in. The closer you are to your breakthrough, the higher the pressure. That is why you must be determined to press on. The Holy Bible talking of Gideon and his men when they were in pursuit of the Midianite kings that had oppressed Israel for so many years, said

".He, and the three hundred men that were with him, faint, yet pursuing." (Judges 8:4). Even when you are fainting, keep pursuing. Most people give up too soon, that is why they never make a mark.

Talking of Jesus also, the Bible says, ".Who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross." (Hebrews 12:2). He was stumbling and falling under the weight of the cross yet Jesus pressed on. The difference between excellence and good is fortitude. Don't stop where others have stopped, stay on! Don't commend yourself the way others commend themselves.

Don't peg yourself to a particular spot by saying, "I have tried." Remove that phrase completely from your vocabulary and replace it with, "This problem can be solved and it must be solved!"

5. Go The Extra Mile!
There is the story of a great scientist called Albert Einstein.
 He had a very large laboratory, and one day, it got burnt. Rather than become discouraged, he rose up and built another one.

 When Jesus was told that John the Baptist had been killed, He went to the next village to preach. John was very precious to Him, but He couldn't stay there and allow people to start consoling Him because that might distract Him from His assignment. No matter what is happening around you now, don't wear out too soon

The difference between a worker who is watching and waiting for the closing time and the one who stays beyond the time is fortitude. And you discover that those who spend extra time are the ones who solve problems.

Only those who go the extra mile make an extra mark in life. Fortitude is the trade secret of problem solvers; those who will not sleep until the problem is solved. You need fortitude, you need extra input to become extraordinary.

If you don't want to be a burden in life, if you don't want to become a liability, then you must be an asset. Be a problem solver. Be blessed!

Author: Pastor Israel Etim (WINNERS CHAPEL INTERNATIONAL)

SETTING GOAL FOR A BETTER FUTURE

Everyone should look beyond today. Setting goal should be a pleasurable thing. A man without a goal will actually chase any goal, or no goal in life. Goal is the compass for life, to show us direction.

Goal setting allowed you to know your direction in life. It serves as a compass and does not allow waste.

WHAT IS SUCCESS?

Attaining the goal God has set for us in life, and seeing yourself advancing from where you were or more than your worth yesterday.

WHERE CAN YOU SUCCEED?


You can succeed anywhere you find yourself, either in Africa, in Europe, in America or any part of the world. You can succeed either in business or in personality, in the kingdom service to God, in family and whatever you lay your hands on.

WHO CAN SUCCEED?

Those who are informed. Life is a continuous process of learning. The information we gathered in our every day life is knowledge, and the application of this knowledge is wisdom. You can succeed, I can succeed, we all can succeed. Every contender is likely to succeed. If we all put in as a prospective contender we all could be winners. One with goal is likely to succeed nine times likely than one without goal.


WHAT IS GOAL, AND WHAT ARE THE SOURCES OF GOAL?

A goal is the purpose or objective towards which an endeavor is directed. And there are three sources of goal:
1: Dream
2: Vision
3: Mission in Life
From our dreams, we get a vision and the mission to achieve it. Dreams are series of images, ideas, emotion, and sensation occurring involuntarily in the mind or in our subconsciousness.

WHAT GOAL DO I SET?

Have something in mind to achieve. We can indeed take great example from our Lord Jesus Christ. There are two things in Jesus. His life on earth takes us to Heaven, while His principle makes us a success on earth.

GOAL DISTRACTION

Goal distraction are things we see if our eyes are off our goals. These may come in form of Obstacles, Criticism, Circumstances, other people and lack of self control.

WHAT IS VISION?

Vision is a calculated attempt to achieve your dream. Where you are, where you are going and how to get there, and what to do when you get there. These steps have to be calculated and mapped out your strategies. Vision sees the invisible, believes the incredible. Lets go biblical a bit. Noah's vision of an ark, Gen6. Abraham's vision of a city in the wild Gen.12. Nehemiah vision of a completed wall, Nehemiah 1. Peter's vision to evangelize the gentiles Acts 10. Such are the power of vision.

                                                               


WHAT IS A MISSION?

Mission is the task, together with the action to achieve it. 20% of what we do will accomplish 80% of what we want.

 Dream big act big.  Dream more while awake.  Set a goal for yourself and go after it.  The goal you set for yourself should be S-M-A-R-T-E-R

S- Specific
M- Measurable
A- Attainable
R- Realistic
T- Time Bound
E- Enjoyable
R- Rewarding

Your goal should be endless, once one is achieved, set another goal for yourself. Goal must be personal, stated positively, and should include character change, and must be in writing.

The Seven areas of goal listed below should be prioritize.
1. Ministry
2. Family, social and cultural
3. Physical and Health
4. Financial
5. Professional
6. spiritual Ethics
7. Intellectual & Educational

Here are simple methods in defining action plan for your goal.

1. Select your goal in each area
2. Brainstorm the action needed
3. Prioritise them
4.  think on possible obstacle
5. Think of solution

6. Set Time limited for achieving this goal.  You could be on time or late in achieving this. Reward yourself.
7. Do same for all goal you have outline.

Why do people fail to set Goal?
These are probable explanation I could find why people fail to set goal for themselves.

1. Misunderstanding of the scripture
2. Laziness
3. No desire to grow
4. Fear of change.  Champs don't fear failure.
5. Fear of failure. No one makes you inferior without your consent.

Hear this:  GOAL required HARD WORK, DETERMINATION AND COMMITMENT

BUILDING A GODLY CHARACTER

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Character is a life of a living being. The ways and who we are, truly reflect through our characters.  Who God is can be known by his character.  God's character is in earthen vessel.  A man's character is like smoke.  It can not be hidden, no matter how hard we try to camouflage it. My mother always say, no dead thing is hidden from the fly. A man's true character will always comes out sometimes when he least expected.


Our body respond when they are pull or attracted to something. First, discover who you are, and how you respond to certain things in life.  Unless you understand your character, you may not be able to know God's.


Our godly character  can be reflected as: Preparation, foundation, carcass, finishing. 


1.  Preparing ourselves through the journey of life.

2.  The foundation determine the structure our life takes.  As in building, the foundation determine the number    of floors it can accommodate.

3. Carcass: The quality of work done during the building process determine the life span and durability of the house. How you build your life, tells how durable and enviable your life would be. How you make your bed, that is how you lie on it, so to say.

4. Finishing has to do with the fittings. We are the finishing point of the end of end time era. We are the AC, paints, electrical socket, etc in the household of God.  What are your values in the church, society, and for humanity today?  Life is a continuous movement.  For a christian, the Bible says, it's up & up on to a perfect day, for others, it's full of ups and down, so they say. Keep refining yourself and keep riding less you fall.







5. Control yourself of all sort of sinful pleasure, so as to keep the spirit alive.

6. Say of yourself, I am a temple build by God to last. I shall last. Temple, are structure build for God or gods to dwell and for worship.  We are God's living temple-God's building.

THINGS YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW OF YOURSELF AND WHAT OTHERS KNOW OF YOU

From the above diagram or information box, human has for characteristic-fold. Each dependent on the other. Our characters are like smoke.  It cannot be hidden, no matter how hard we try. Those with dual personality, if any still cannot tell when they leak out what they intended to hide.


1. YOUR & YOURSELF:  In the first box, it tells us of what you know of yourself of your character, and others don't know. Your secrets, how your mind works, how you think within.  No one can read your mind, except you and you alone. 

2. YOUR & OTHERS: In the second box, this is simple. Our everyday interaction with ourselves and others.  What we know of ourselves and others know about us.


3. NOT YOU BUT OTHERS: What others know about you, that you don't know of yourself.  You may wonder, what on earth is he talking about.  Is there something I might not know of myself and someone from outside of me can tell of me?  Yes, there is.  Many a times, we have fallen victim to others or to ourselves. For instance, our laugh, smile, the way we move our hands, blink our eyes.  Generally, our mannerism.  People around us can read this signs about us, yet we are the possessor and we can.  Maybe, you have heard something like this.  "...the way the guy smile at me, is like he is in love with me." or You might have approach a lady or a man, and you hear words like, "...hey, since when or I don't expect this from you".  Before then you were convince such a person will never say no to what your advances, because you thought you have assurance from the way he/she act with you.

4. UNKNOWN: We are always afraid of the unknown.  There is nothing much here to hide from anyone.  It's basically, what you don't know of yourself and others don't know about you.  God alone knows.  

In all that you do in trying to build a perfect character, never ever give up.  Nothing good comes easy.  Try, try, and try again.  No pain, no gain.

In summary, does our character truly reflect God's image?  Does it help others to draw near to you?  Does it help us come close to know God through you? Does it leave you and other around you in a happy state? Does it make the earth a better place to live?  

Yes, we can please everyone, we can't satisfy all.  You are not in this world to live to my expectation,

YOUR HEALTH, PERSONALITY, AND SOCIETY

Make out time to pray and talk to your God.  He hears in silence and grant request speedily.  God has no store room for prayers of a righteous one.  Mathew 7:7 An Assurance from the great mediator Himself...Ask, and it shall be given to you...

YOUR HEALTH

Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a beggar.  BEGGAR!  You actually need little or nothing before going to bed.  It's advisable to take fruit or very little beverage before going to bed.  As an African, we were thought to eat a lot at all time even at night..  Food was never a problem.  The danger is this, the food you eat at night before going to bed can kill you.  This is what happen to the undigested food.  It roam about in your system finding a place to rest.  Two things can happen at this point.  The food can therefore becomes a poisonous gas in the system that can be harmful to our health.  Secondly, if by chance the undigested food float to your chest, liver or through region, it can choke and kill instantly.  Also, drink less liquid at night; this could be harmful to you and to the bladder.


Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants.  Organic food are best for our health.  I could remember my grandmother, she was 125 years when she died.  She never lived in a town or city all her life.  She lived her life on farm produce, organic product. At age 115 she was still walking on her feet unaided.  But today, most of our food are container food, processed food, and canned food.  The chemical used for the preservation process are harmful to our health.  We have seen sickness like cancer, cancer, cancer.  Where is it from?  Why is it rampant in the west and not in Africa?  Africans eat less of canned food and are having less cancer compared to the west.  My advice is Drink Plenty of Water at all time except at night, Eat less of Processed food.


Try in all you do to live with the 3 E's.  Energy, Enthusiasm and Empathy.  Happy people live long, stay young and are charge forth with bustling energy from others.  Ever stop tho think why soldiers match n uniform or why jet fighter take their flight in triangle or why birds on a long trip fly in triangles?


Read more books than you did the previous year.  Read anything readable, out of that nonsense, there is more-sense in it.  The faintest ink is better than the best brain, I have heard that before.  The books you read today tells how your life will in the next four or five years.


Don't always be the tail bearer, don't always let your mouth drop in sound.  Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day.  Dedication is the food of the soul.  It brings the mind, body and soul to a perfect equilibrium.


Take a 10 to 30 minutes walk daily.  And while you do, smile.  That is the height of the benefit it gives.  Your smile helps stimulate the facial muscles and keep you younger than your age.  In addition sleep for 7 hours a day.

YOUR PERSONALITY

You don't have to compare your life to others.  You have all it takes to be the great.  God created you and put all it takes in you.  You are padded and fully load with abilities to succeed anywhere on earth.  One more thing, you never know what they journey of those you envy are like.


Be very careful that you don't have negative thoughts on things you cannot control.  Instead invest your creative energy in the positive present moment, and see how you can bend the present to suite your future, the present they say is flexible, yesterday is rigid and tomorrow is adsorbent.  Your tomorrow is accommodating to your wish and plan of today, if you have none, it gives you what it prepared for your, of which you might not like. 


Don't over do anything.  Too much of everything is bad, keep your limits.  don't take yourself too seriously, no one else does, stop trying to impress everyone but yourself.  You may end up being a failure that way.  And don't  waste your precious time and energy on gossip.  Time is precious, if not ask a businessman who misses the train by few seconds.  envy is a waste of time, you already have all you need in you.  Look within and bring it out. Everyone is package well.


Dream big act big.  Dream more while awake.  Set a goal for yourself and go after it.  The goal you set for yourself should be S-M-A-R-T-E-R


S- Specific
M- Measurable
A- Attainable
R- Realistic
T- Time Bound
E- Enjoyable
R- Rewarding


Your goal should be endless, once one is achieved, set another goal for yourself.




Forget issues of the past, and don't remind your partner with his/her mistakes of the past.  This will ruin your present happiness and put a question mark a dark cloud hanging over your future relationship.  The Bible says, he that covers the sin of a friend seek friendship, but he that reminds others of their past deed, the very same scatters friendship.  Every negative issues of the past; leave it buried and let the sleeping dog be still.  Life is too short to spend time hating anyone.  Don't hate others; this is the seed of the devil.  All you have to do is make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present and make you a wanderer tomorrow.  No one is in charge of  your happiness except you.

LET THE SLEEPING DOG LIE

Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn.  Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appears and fade away like algebra class but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.  sometimes in life we have to pass through school of hard knocks, and move on in life.  You don't have to win every argument, sometimes you have to agree to disagree for peace to reign. Smile and laugh more.

YOU AND THE SOCIETY AT LARGE


Get connected, call your family often.  give to your parent substance that will cause them to bless you from their heart.  This is the first of God's commandment that goes with promise.
Ephesian6:1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.
2 Honour thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise;
3 That it may be well with thee, and that thou mayest live long on the earth.  
In each day give something good to others especially the poor.  It is a command.  Mark 14:7 for ye have the poor with you always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good: but me ye have not always.


Forgive everyone for everything, happiness lies in forgiven others without look back. In all you do, never forget to spend time with people over the age of 70 and kids under the age of 6.  Untapped wisdom lies beneath.


As you stepped out each day, try to make at least three people to smile. What other people say about you is never your business.  No one knows you better than you know yourself. There was a time, some journalist took it upon  themselves to write something negatives about my Bishop in the newspapers.  Some of the elders came to him panicking to report what they have read in the papers. He calmly told them, '...I don't need to read those papers, can anyone outside of me know thing about me better than myself?  Except it be lies...'  There are distractors to channel you off your goal in life. Be deaf to their taunting.


Finally, your job won't take care of your when you are sick, your friends will, stay in touch and stay connected.  It is true that grief can take care of itself, but to get the full value of joy, you must have somebody to share it with. Protect yourself with friends, not with fence.  But in all, remember the words of George Washington. 'Associate yourself with men of good quality if you esteem your own reputation; for it's better to be alone than in bad company.'


I hope you find got something refreshing.


Do not hesitate to leave a comment or question.