The power of your disposition and decision

Ayo Ayodele Ph.D

As a teenager, I had the privilege of growing up in a strictly Christian environment- my late father was a chief lay reader, and had a very early exposure to spiritual counsel. One of such is the belief that God rules in the affairs of man. It is a teaching that accentuates the supremacy of God and drives home a sense of destiny implying that everything about man is divinely programmed. Experiences in my adult life have further reinforced this belief. I have watched people make beautiful plans that ended in unexpected outcomes. I have also seen many getting to positions and place in life which they never imagined. And not a few have surpassed family and societal expectations breaking barriers through God’s divine providence. Can life and living, therefore, be summed up as a mere succession of chance happenings? To pursue a chance argument would be to make both God and man onlookers in matters that affect the latter. Yet to argue without blinking a “man proposes God disposes” proposal would amount to making man completely irresponsible.

Adam, the first man, had everything made for him in the Garden of Eden. He however also had responsibilities. His first responsibility was to name all things, exercising in the process his discretion in line with his disposition and eventual decision.  In his first assignment, Adam was outstandingly successful, as all the names he gave got God’s approval. The unmistakable implication here is that Adam had and operated in the mindset of God: he saw, thought and spoke exactly what God was seeing, thinking and speaking.  For all who will walk with God, having the mind of Christ is a necessary condition for earthly distinction and victory. Unless one has the mind of Christ, it will be difficult to have a relationship with God for two cannot walk together except they are agreed. Every human relationship on the horizontal plane has the tendency to degenerate into selfish pursuits if not ruled by the mind of Christ.

In contrast to Adam, the ten spies who returned with a negative report from their visit to the promise land of Canaan failed in their assignment because they did not have the mind of God. Whilst Caleb, one of the twelve spies, was convinced they could posses the land, the ten were overtaken by fear which ultimately was their undoing.  In addition to the pomegranates, the milk and the honey, they saw the giants, the sons of Anak and came to the unfortunate conclusion that; “we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their own sight.”  They saw, thought and spoke differently from God, in clear violation of God’s instruction to not ‘look at the things which are seen’. Their fearful disposition was traceable to what they saw physically and perhaps what they knew of the Anaks- their antecedents as giants. Carrying the wound and pain of the past into present circumstances or seeing things only from the standpoint of the wrong information we have been fed can only produce in us a wrong disposition. Any decision therefore taken on the basis of such a wrong disposition could spell disaster.

In life, your disposition which is the tendency to behave in certain ways under given circumstances accounts for your decision that is the set of choices you make under such circumstances. The question is what makes you think, speak and behave the way you do? What informs your opinion about others, issues and places?  For Adam who acted as an extension of God, it was his relationship with God.  For the ten spies whose actions were rooted in their human nature, it was what they saw and what they knew of the Anaks. One marked difference between Adam and the spies was that Adam had no previous experience to rely upon. Though experience may be your teacher, whatever it teaches cannot be truer than what God says. God’s report has the capability to put to rest all that you know and see- when you choose to believe it. Indeed, God’s admonition is that we attend to his words and keep them in our heart because they are life unto those that find them. When we do what the word of God says, our ways will become prosperous and we shall have good success. The word of God gives birth to faith in our hearts and prompts us to see what God is seeing and saying what God is saying. This is what brings to us what God has for us.

Faith is the spiritual disposition that activates positive faith-filled decisions. It places man in the same supernatural atmosphere where God operates and gives the ability to influence natural circumstances. Through prayers of faith, faith declarations and confession of God’s words, we can change the natural order of things and cause them to align with God’s will. A faith-filled life is the single most powerful antidote to a timid and fearful life. It liberates from the oppression of negative mental images imposed on our minds by our unfavourable circumstances and locates us in the empowering atmosphere of supernatural revelation given by the Holy Spirit. Walking in this realm develops in you the courage, perseverance and diligence needed to overcome every obstacle that comes your way. For instance, when confronted with Goliath, David, who by all natural standards was no match for Goliath, refused to see the giant as a ‘natural’ enemy. He invoked God’s presence and handed the battle to God by addressing Goliath as an ‘uncircumcised Philistine.’ David’s disposition was that of faith, hence the decision to fight Goliath with just a sling and five stones rather than the heavy armour offered by Saul. He saw, thought and spoke the mind of God, not according to his own human mind. The result God stepped into the battle and gave victory to the Israelites.

Whether as individuals, groups, institutions or a nation, our disposition and our decisions will ultimately be responsible for the outcomes we have. Our challenges may be daunting. The obstacles may be overwhelming. Neither their bigness nor their enormity can overwhelm God who has given assurances of fighting the battles on our behalf.  When we have a faith disposition rooted in the word of God, we will make choices that align with God’s will and promises. And that is the only guarantee that we will overcome life’s battles and challenges. What overcomes the world and gives us victory is nothing other than faith

Bible Texts: Numbers 13: 23-33, 1 Cor 2:16, Numbers 13:23-33, 2 Cor 4:18, Proverbs 4: 20-22, Jos.1:8, I John 5:4

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Daddy’s Empty Chair
A brother’s journey to knowing God

A man’s daughter had asked a local minister to come and pray with her father. When the minister arrived, he found the man lying in bed with his head propped up on two pillows. An empty chair sat beside his bed. The minister assumed that the old fellow had been informed of his visit. ‘I guess you were expecting me,’ he said. ‘No, who are you’, said the father. The minister told him his name and then remarked, ‘I saw an empty chair and I figured you knew I was going to show up’. ‘Oh yeah, the chair’, said the bedridden man; ‘would you mind closing the door?’ Puzzled, the minister shut the door. ‘I have never told anyone this, not even my daughter’, said the man, but all of my life, I have never known how to pray. At church, I used to hear that pastor talk about prayer but it went right over my head’.

“I abandoned any attempt at prayer”, the old man continued, “until one day four years ago, my best friend said to me, ‘Johnny, prayer is just a simple matter of having a conversation with Jesus. Here is what I suggest, ‘sit down in a chair, place an empty chair in front of you and in faith see Jesus on the chair. It’s not spooky because he promised, ‘I will be with you always’. “Then just speak to Him in the same way you’re doing with me right now”. ‘So I tried it and I’ve liked it so much that I do it a couple of hours every day. I’m careful though, if my daughter saw me talking to an empty chair, she’s either have a nervous breakdown or send me off to the funny farm’.

The minister was deeply moved by the story and encouraged the old man to continue on the journey. The he prayed with him, anointed him with oil and returned to the church. Two nights later, the daughter called to tell the minister that her daddy had died that afternoon. Did he die in peace? He asked. Yes when I left the house about two o’clock, he called me over to his bedside, told me he loved me and kissed me on the cheek. When I got back from the store an hour later, I found him. But there was something strange about his death. Apparently, just before Daddy died, he leaned over and rested his head on the chair beside the bed. What do you make of that? The minister wiped a tear from his eye and said, ‘I wish we all could go like that’.

Prayer is one of the best free gifts we receive. I asked God for water, He gave me an ocean. I asked God for a flower, He gave me a garden. I asked God for a friend, He gave me all of you. If God brings you to it, He will bring you through it.

Happy moments, praise God. Difficult moments, seek God. Quiet moments, worship God. Painful moments, trust God. Every moment, thank God. It’s the spirit of the season. Merry Xmas!

Adapted by TOSIN BANKOLE

By Yomi Agbabiaka

Life is beautiful and you can enjoy it because that’s what its meant to be, be lived and enjoyed!

There are so many ways to find inspiration in daily life. It does not require a lot of money or time.
The only requirement is to open your spiritual eyes and choose to see life, and life’s natural wonders, in a new light.

1. Watch the sunrise and sunset from the best vantage point possible.
2. Look up into the sky on a bright day and observe birds in flight.
3. Read a book or inspirational quotes that help you to believe in the magic of life.
4. Acknowledge at least five experiences or people in your life that you are grateful for. Express gratitude to anyone on your list.
5. Take a walk to a special place that makes you feel connected to nature. Enjoy the sights and smells of a beach, garden or greenery.
6. Watch children at play.  Take a moment to appreciate the spirit and joy they express, and the way they live in the present.
7. Put on your favorite music and dance, or just listen.
8. Gaze at a piece of art or a photo that makes you feel hopeful and happy. Let the colors and images lift your spirits.
9. Pet an animal you love and feel its heart beat against your skin.
10. Sit by a waterfall or on a beach, and feel the pure and positive feelings that emanate from water
11. Watch a movie or have a fun moment with a loved one that makes you laugh, and laugh some more.
12. Smile, as often as possible, even when you do not feel like it. Just the act of smiling will change your day.
13. Do something nice for someone in need and allow others to do for you.
14. Light a candle and enjoy the warmth of the light. Watch the fire dance, as it casts a light in your life.
15. Tell someone you love them, and mean it. Allow someone to express love to you.
16. Call or get together with an old friend and reminisce about a truly happy time and generate feel-good memories.
17. Treat yourself to an uplifting movie, a poetry reading, an event, or an experience with others that opens your heart.
18. Turn your world into a happy and loving place by surrounding yourself with people and things you love.
19. Make a list of things you would love to do if you had the time, money, and energy. Every day, allow yourself to daydream that they all come true!
20. Make a wish or say a prayer for world peace, and in that moment, believe it can be so.

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by Fatimah Oblech

Peace is a daily, a weekly, a monthly process, gradually changing opinions, slowly eroding old barriers, quietly building new structures. —John F. Kennedy

The joy and hope of this new year are tempered by heaviness in our hearts as conflict rages all around us and young lives are lost daily. Regardless of our religious, ethnic, or political orientation, we each feel the pain of this loss, and have great compassion for families whose loved ones are in one conflict or the other.  May we take care not to get so swept up in the busy-ness of our lives that we lose touch with the heartache that many in our midst are enduring. Now, more than ever, it’s essential that we bring the spirit of peace, love, and goodwill toward each other into the new year. May this be a time of healing, compassion, and reaching out–a time to transcend our differences, and strengthen our human connections. How do we stay in touch with and convey to our children spirit and meaning peace, love, and good will? How can we embody each of these in our actions?

1. Speak from the heart.
   Let people know either by your spoken words, or through notes you send, how much you love and care about them. Avoid the superficial and inauthentic. Reach deep into your heart and soul, and speak from these when you connect with others. Encourage your children to do the same.
   
   
2. Forgive someone.
   Think of one person, past or present, toward whom you have ill feelings. Be it a parent, a sibling, a spouse, child, or someone who was once your friend, ask yourself if you can find it in your heart to grant them forgiveness.
   Sit down and write a note of forgiveness to this person. This note is just for you. When you’re finished, ask yourself if you’re ready to make a phone call or send an actual note that helps mend fences. Talk to your children about your process and see if they have someone they need to forgive. Let them know that forgiving is one of the greatest gestures of generosity we can make.
   
   
3. Listen with compassion.
   So often conversation tends toward the mundane. We go through the motions of talking and listening while our internal conversations ramble on. This year, try listening with an open heart even if you disagree. Listening compassionately simply means that you’re making an effort to understand. Try putting yourself in the other person’s place as you listen, and see what you can learn. Encourage your children to do this as well. Compassionate listening is another gesture of true magnanimity.
   
   
4. Stop and notice.
   The rush-rush nature of life often compels us to engage in back-to-back activities without soaking in what we’re experiencing. Stop, notice, and take in the small moments: the look in your child’s eyes as you admire a drawing she made for you in school; the feel of your mother’s arms around you after having been apart; the sound of your friend’s voice a thousand miles away. Then, later, reflect. Take some time to write about subtle observations and emotions that you experienced just by stopping and noticing. Resist getting swept up in the swirl. Instead, stay present to the richness of each moment.
   
   
5. Make a difference for someone in need.
   What can you do to make a difference in someone’s life? My sister has a wonderful ritual of taking her children to a motherless babies home each New Year. She and her girls give homemade gifts to the kids who have no families to visit them. My sister has shared many stories with me about the tears and hugs of the people she and her children have connected with. The small handmade gifts and shared conversation are priceless to them who would otherwise be alone during this time. Think of things you and your family can do to reach out to others.
   
   
6. Continue several of the above suggestions all year long.
   If we each made the conscious decision to live in the spirit of peace, love, and goodwill every single day, our world would slowly start to change. For this new year, and all year long, remind yourself and your children that this essential change in our world begins with each of you. We can each be the candle that helps to light the world.

Whatever the situation, remember that things would always get better and joy cometh in the morning, this is yours sincerely signing out for 2014 and expectedly resuming more refreshed for 2015 and I leave you with this saying of Jim Wallis, editor of “Sojourners”,Hope is believing in spite of the evidence, then watching the evidence change. Cheers.