What Are U Sowing?

As a farmer sets out to sow seeds, expecting to reap a harvest from it in due time, so do we in all the things we do. There is always a return in all you do, good or bad. 
This principle holds, regardless of gender or creed.

Do not be deceived, God is not mocked [He will not allow Himself to be ridiculed, nor treated with contempt nor allow His commands to be scornfully set aside]; for whatever a man sows, this and this only is what he will reap. For the one who sows to his flesh [his sinful capacity, his worldliness, his disgraceful impulses] will reap from the flesh ruin and destruction, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.
GALATIANS 6:7‭-‬8 AMP

What are u sowing? Is it to the flesh (worldly acts and deeds) ?...
Now the practices of the sinful nature are clearly evident: they are sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality (total irresponsibility, lack of self-control), idolatry, sorcery, hostility, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions [that promote heresies], envy, drunkenness, riotous behavior, and other things like these. I warn you beforehand, just as I did previously, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
GALATIANS 5:19-‬21 AMP

Or is it to the fruits of the spirit...
But the fruit of the Spirit [the result of His presence within us] is love [unselfish concern for others], joy, [inner] peace, patience [not the ability to wait, but how we act while waiting], kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature together with its passions and appetites. If we [claim to] live by the [Holy] Spirit, we must also walk by the Spirit [with personal integrity, godly character, and moral courage. Our conduct empowered by the Holy Spirit]. GALATIANS 5:232-‬25 AMP

What are you sowing for your faith to grow?...
Is it trust in what the Word of God says? Is it trust and faith in what God has spoken to you, promised you?
Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God ROMANS 10:17
...So will My word be which goes out of My mouth; It will not return to Me void (useless, without result), Without accomplishing what I desire, And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.
ISAIAH 55:11 

Or are u sowing trust in your own abilities (pride) because of impatience, lack of self control, fear of the unknown, that even leads you to unrighteousness & ungodly decisions.
Is your fear in the Lord, (are your actions influenced by God, or by man) or in your boss, your family, your peers

Remember David sowed in the desires of his flesh resulting into his shedding of blood, murdering an Innocent man, then losing his son's life, and his legacy of building the Lord's temple erased by God
I had made preparations to build it. But God said to me, "You shall not build a house for My name because you are a man of war and have shed blood.... Your son Solomon is the one who shall build My house and My courts." 1 Chronicles 28:2-3

Brethren, do not end up losing the purpose that God has prepared for you, what He has spoken in your life, or delay in His blessings for u.
Start by repenting (changing from your ways), sowing fruitful seeds in your life, your family, your marriage, your workplace...and walk in obedience, righteousness and Love

A friend recently said this to me, ..."gifts are given, but fruits are grown" 

The one greatest fruit to sow is Love. Love heals, edifies, restores, not only the recipient, but also the one giving it.

This is the definition of Love according to the word of God in 1 Corinthians 13:1-13

If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not [a]love [for others growing out of God’s love for me], then I have become only a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal [just an annoying distraction]. 2 And if I have the gift of prophecy [and speak a new message from God to the people], and understand all mysteries, and [possess] all knowledge; and if I have all [sufficient] faith so that I can remove mountains, but do not have love [reaching out to others], I am nothing. 3 If I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body [b]to be burned, but do not have love, it does me no good at all.

4 Love endures with patience and serenity, love is kind and thoughtful, and is not jealous or envious; love does not brag and is not proud orarrogant. 5 It is not rude; it is not self-seeking, it is not provoked [nor overly sensitive and easily angered]; it does not take into account a wrong endured. 6 It does not rejoice at injustice, but rejoices with the truth [when right and truth prevail]. 7 Love bears all things [regardless of what comes], believes all things [looking for the best in each one], hopes all things [remaining steadfast during difficult times], endures all things [without weakening].

8 Love never fails [it never fades nor ends]. But as for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for the gift of special knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part [for our knowledge is fragmentary and incomplete]. 10 But when that which is complete and perfect comes, that which is incomplete and partial will pass away. 11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things. 12 For now [in this time of imperfection] we see in a mirror dimly [a blurred reflection, a riddle, an enigma], but then [when the time of perfection comes we will see reality] face to face. Now I know in part [just in fragments], but then I will know fully, just as I have been fully known [by God]. 13 And now there remain: faith [abiding trust in God and His promises], hope [confident expectation of eternal salvation], love [unselfish love for others growing out of God’s love for me], these three [the choicest graces]; but the greatest of these is love.

Try and sow seeds of Love in your surroundings, marriage, family, workplace, school etc, just for a month, you will be astounded by the results.

Much Love...

R.K

Your Purpose in Life...

                                 

At one time or another you've probably asked yourself, "What is the purpose of my life? What is its meaning? Why am I here on Earth, and what am I supposed to be doing?"

Mark Twain once said, “There’re two important days in your life, the day you were born, and they day you find out why”. So let me pose a question. Have you figured out why?

Chances are, you work tirelessly, be it as an accountant, barber, chef, bus driver, nanny, teacher, house wife, the list goes on. Our days are filled with endless chores and to-do lists that never end. Perhaps sometimes, when you get tired or stressed out, life can seem like just one long and meaningless exercise, that at the end of the day leaves u with no fulfillment.

I’m sure that, for the majority of us, given the right circumstances, we could do much more than we’re doing now. Perhaps you long to make a real difference in the world, pursue those childhood dreams that you had, to assign meaning to your life in whatever you do, and to listen to the yearnings and passions of your very soul.

People that we know as successful in sports, great speakers, philanthropists, inventors, those that have left a positive impact on this world, all had a vision and a passion to do whatever they set out to do. These people are not any different from you and me. All they did was pursue their self-defined goals, dreams and passions with steadfast dedication and unwavering determination.

You see, each and every person on earth was created for a purpose. That means none of us is an error. Not even that child born in abject poverty by a homeless woman, or even as a result of the worst possible imagination, rape.  

Jeremiah 1:5 says; “Before you were even formed in your mother’s womb, I knew you…”

Just imagine with me the odds of you having been born. Scientists say that man releases up to 500 million sperms during ejaculation. However, many of them die immediately upon ejaculation. For the sperm that survive, it’s the start of a long, arduous journey through the female reproductive organs to find that newly released egg. Imagine this, of the nearly 500 million sperm that are released during ejaculation, only a maximum of 200 sperm ever reach the egg to even have a shot at fertilization, and of these, only one sperm succeeds this process. That’s YOU!

So it’s safe to say, based on those 1 in 500 million odds that, you and I are definitely not a mistake!  

Just as musicians must make that good music, poets must write, preachers must preach, and artists must paint, we all are born with a unique gift designed for a specific vocation that will eventually bring both meaning and purpose to our lives. True joy and happiness will continue to elude us until we discover, and use that gift to become who we were born to be.

"Hide not your talents. They for use were made. What's a sundial in the shade?" -- Benjamin Franklin

Most of us will spend life’s eternity without discovering our purpose in Life.  You may have all the money in the world, all the expensive toys and material things your wealth can afford you, but you will still have that elusive feeling that something is amiss. And until you find your purpose, life will continue to be an unsatisfying chore, lacking fulfillment, satisfaction and peace of mind.

There are different suggested ways to finding your purpose. I will share with you 4 seemingly simple, but critical questions.

1. WHAT ARE YOU GOOD AT/WHAT ARE YOUR PASSIONS?

No matter who or where you are in life, or what has happened in your life or career, you have a lot of gifts, talents and abilities. But it’s nearly impossible, to use your strengths if you don’t know what they are. So ask yourself these talent-clarifying questions. Please write down the answers to each of them.

• What are your dominant gifts/talents?
• What are you actually best at?
• What natural abilities do you seem to possess?
• What do you do that gets a positive response from the people you respect?
• What do you do that does not seem like work, regardless of the difficulty and hustle?
• What do you do that causes doors in life to open with ease for you?

Next find 5-7 people, and ask them to list 7 gifts and talents they see in you. Afterwards compare the lists and note down the most repetitive talents listed. After this, you will be on your way to clearly identifying what it is you’re good at.

2. WHAT GIVES YOU THAT TINGLING EXCITEMENT?

What turns your energy levels soaring?  What doesn’t?

• What dreams kept recurring in your childhood? What are your dreams today? What would you do if you knew you could not falter or fail? What would you do if you had everything you need?
• What stirs your passions? What do you believe in? What to you is worth living for, and dying for? What things do you enjoy the most socially, at work, or home?
• What are you truly passionate about?
• What do you love spending your spare time on?
• What desires keep constantly tugging at your heart?
• What motivates you when you are at your most productiveness?
• What do you do that elevates your emotional and spiritual levels?
• What work do you love to do and what would you really like to do?
• What would you choose to do, even if no one was paying you to do it?

Those things that upset you are also a good clue to your purpose in life. So ask yourself this:

• What grieves your heart and infuriates you the most?  
• What troubles your spirit?

 Take time answering the above questions. Your answers may point out one or more problems you want to solve, which will then point to your purpose, or atleast a part of it.

 3. WHAT DIFFERENCE DO YOU WANT TO MAKE IN LIFE?

You may have a good life being totally self-serving, but you will not have a great life. Most people on their death bed always have one answer in common when asked about anything, and that’s the hope of making a difference in others if given another chance in life.

Making a difference doesn’t have to be on the grand scale of Mandela, Martin Luther King, or Mother Teresa. It could be right in your immediate family, workplace, church or community.

All you need to do is make the effort, one person, one day at a time!

4. WHAT WILL I BE REMEMBERED FOR?

In his famous commencement speech at Stanford University, Steve Jobs said:

“When I was 17, I read a quote that went something like, ‘If you live each day as if it were your last, someday you’ll most certainly be right.’ Since then…I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: ‘If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?’ And whenever the answer has been ‘no’ for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something. Your time is limited…Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition…Everything else is secondary.”

By discovering and eventually living your purpose, you are inadvertently creating your legacy.

On my quest to finding my purpose, I’ve come to realize among other things, that I have a passion for inspirational and motivational writing (hence the culmination of this blog project), a passion for encouraging men, starting in my sphere of influence, to be good role models,  great dads and family men. 
I actually do believe that some of my passions have been born out of past life experiences...

I truly hope and pray that you too shall get on this rather crucial journey to finding your purpose in life, if you haven’t already. Good Luck!

R.K

About time!

 I have always thought about expressing my views, thoughts and suggestions about our purpose as Men in this world, and to also share useful insights that i have come across in my pursuit of information and others' experiences, to make me a better husband, father to my awesome kids, and a man of relevance in society. Honestly, I'm not there yet, but i'm on my way!
"Am only Man" is the result of those thoughts. 

Our vision and purpose as men influences the women in our lives and the world at large. As such, despite the name, this blog relates to both genders.

As i write now, i'm at the home of a good friend of mine, in a former colonial French/Belgian suburb in Bujumbura, Burundi on a work/mission trip. Seems like the perfect, serene setting for my first blog!

So here goes...

R.K

NB: "Am only Man" is my personal description of a man who's on a quest in life, 

(guided by God) doing the best he can to positively impact his family and the society at large.