What is your upbringing and custom ?

“So He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read.” Luke 4:16

Jesus’s upbringing and custom propelled him to consistently go into the synagogue and it was there that He announced his mandate which was Purposefully fulfilled. 
How is your upbringing and custom impacting your purpose in life ?
Sometimes the choices our parents and guardians have made for us had either propelled us or removed us from our Purposeful life. 
However as we completely surrender our lives to the Lord we are to imbibe and embrace the upbringing and custom of the kingdom of God.
When Saul was converted and became Paul he embraced the custom which advanced his Purposeful life. 
“As was Paul’s custom, he went to the synagogue service, and for three Sabbaths in a row he used the Scriptures to reason with the people.” Acts 17:2
How are you doing today? 
 Is your upbringing and custom advancing your kingdom purpose?
You may also be in a privileged position to influence the lives of others entrusted to your care, are you helping them towards fulfilling their God given destiny? 
Resolve today that through your choices your upbringing and custom will be channeled to enable you to fulfill your God given destiny. 

Watching Daily

“Hear instruction and be wise, and do not refuse or neglect it. Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.” Proverbs 8:33-34
Our relationship with God requires us to constantly and consistently be in HIS presence to fellowship with HIM and hear instructions of what HE wants us to do moment by moment.
The Bible encourages us to daily watch and wait on how he wants us to spend each day receiving instructions on our purposeful assignments in this life.
Does that mean I should not plan my day and just wait to hear him? Submit your plans, your desires to Him and check with Him as you implement them.
“Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don’t try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go;   he’s the one who will keep you on track. Don’t assume that you know it all.” Proverbs 3:5-6
Samuel could tell Saul
 “Let me tell you what God told me last night.” 1 Samuel 15:16 
Are you current with God?
Resolve today that you will purposefully check with Him on daily basis what HE has purposed for you to do. Jesus said “ The Father who sent me gave me orders, told me what to say and how to say it. And I know exactly what his command produces: real and eternal life. That’s all I have to say. What the Father told me, I tell you.” John 12:49-50
Are you Watching Daily ?

Where do You Live? Come and see”

“Jesus looked around and saw them following. “What do you want?” he asked them. “Sir,” they replied, “where do you live? “Come and see,” he said. So they went with him to the place where he was staying and were with him from about four o’clock that afternoon until the evening.” John 1: 38-39
The two disciples asked Jesus where He was living and Jesus promptly replied them Come and see portrays the transparent and true leadership style of Jesus.
Are you sensitive enough to distinguish between your followers and true disciples ?
Do you have the sensitivity to look around like Jesus did and know those who are trulydisciples ? 
How many leaders today can really show their disciples where they live?
 Can you really open up your life for your disciples to see?
Jesus had nothing to hide from the disciples hence there was no hesitation to show them where he was living.
Today as a leader can your disciples really ask you some questions?
You may want to say that you have a right to your privacy hence it should be kept secret?
Jesus lived a transparent open life for His true disciples to see.
Today lets ponder on the question the disciples asked Jesus,” where do you live?”
Can we really say to our disciples “come and see”? 

God knows your Residence

“Get up and go over to Straight Avenue. Ask at the house of Judas for a man from Tarsus. His name is Saul. He’s there praying. He has just had a dream in which he saw a man named Ananias enter the house and lay hands on him so he could see again.” Acts 9:11-12

God knows exactly where you currently reside including your street and house number.
That should give you the assurance that HE cares about you and HE is working out the very Best for you at all times.
After Saul’s dramatic conversion he needed a man to complete the salvation package for him. 
Yes the Holy Spirit still does the work of conviction but HE needs a yielded man to use. 
God gave the assignment to Ananias to do.
Be encouraged today that God knows the details of what you are going through and as you continue in conversation with HIM through prayers HE is at work making things to fall in the right place for you but you must continue to pray.
In the above scriptures we see that Saul kept praying even though he did not fully understand what he had just encountered.
No matter what you are going through be assured as you pray today know that God does not only know your exact situation HE is also sending the right person to guide you through.
“The steps of a [good] man are directed and established by the Lord when He delights in his way [and He busies Himself with his every step]. Though he falls, he shall not be utterly cast down, for the Lord grasps his hand in support and upholds him.” Psalm 37:23-24
God is arranging things to Favor you and position you to fulfilling your destiny today as you yield in prayers to HIM.
God guided Saul Step by Step.
 So also HE is able to guide you from the very spot, your current location and from the very place where you reside today.

What type of friend are you?

“He who covers and forgives an offense seeks love, but he who repeats or harps on a matter separates even close friends.”  Proverbs 17:9
Are you a friend that helps the agape love of God to grow among the brethren or are you a friend that purposely repeats matters in order to separate friends?
What do you set out to do in your relationship amongst your friends, family, team members and the body of Christ?
Are you promoting true love with your conversation or your role is to bring up long often forgotten matters especially those that will alienate people against each other.
King Solomon in his wisdom observed a pattern amongst people in relating to each other.
 There are those that seek to unite people and bring that strength of unity wherever they are.
They do not necessarily condone sin but when they see a mistake they are truthful and impartial to call a spade a spade.
They speak the truth in love denouncing evil but also showing people the path to true reconciliation and healthy growth.
He also describes those who will gossip about what they have heard or what “eyewitnesses” have told them about an issue with the selfish purpose of causing division amongst brethren.
Such people will recall instances and statements that somebody said against another person so that they can appear relevant to the person they are massaging his or her ego.
Don’t allow people around you to keep telling you stuff that will boost your pride and always position you on warpath with other people.  
Today chose to be an ambassador of love, speak the truth with love and help to unify and strengthen your family, team and the body of Christ
 Whoever forgives someone’s sin makes a friend, but gossiping about the sin breaks up friendships.
Receive grace to forgive and determine not to remember wrongs that will break up friendship.