Joel Kwesi Baidoo

  #BeInspiredToday 29-09-2022 Take Away The Stone! Today, let's tap into the faith of Jesus. When He got to the tomb of Lazarus, the first instruction He gave was for the stone at the entrance to be removed. “Take away the stone,” he said...”(John 11:39) The stone represented a conclusion of the issue - an expectation of no return for Lazarus. The stone meant the case was over and done with. Lazarus will not, cannot and should not come back! Jesus therefore attacked the stone first.  The removal of the stone was a strong statement to the mindset of the people. Now that the stone has been removed, the perception that Lazarus' case was over has been challenged, paving way for anything to now happen. "So they took away the stone…" (John 11:41) Jesus then gave the life-giving instruction to Lazarus. When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” (John 11:43) The dead man came back to life!  Beware of people, with their pessimistic mindset, who p...

 #BeInspiredToday 27-09-2022 The One You Love Is Sick Let's face it: some of the most difficult moments of our faith is when bad things happen to good people. It disturbs us to imagine the Omnipotent God allowing a misfortune to befall someone He loves. Such was what happened to Lazarus, the brother of Mary and Martha. This family has played host to Jesus several times whenever He was in Bethany, and it's on record that Jesus loved Lazarus. So when the latter fell ill, his sisters sent word to Jesus. So the sisters sent word to Jesus, “Lord, the one you love is sick.” (John 11:3) To their utter surprise, Jesus did not turn up until Lazarus was dead and buried. Why should Jesus allow the person he loves to fall sick and even die? The answer is in the next verse.  When he heard this, Jesus said, “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.” (John 11:4) When God allows the unpleasant to happen to His beloved, we ca...

  #BeInspiredToday 26-09-2022 You Better Survive Your strength is proved by your ability to survive difficult moments. "If you falter in times of trouble, how small is your strength!" (Proverbs 24:10) It is said that "A smooth sea does not produce skillful sailors." Spiritually speaking, trying times separate weak from strong Christians. If you are going through any hard period in your life right now, be resolved never to falter by compromising your values or your faith. The wisdom of God's word gives us the strength to survive any and every situation. "A wise man has great power, and a man of knowledge increases strength." (Proverbs 24:5) Our knowledge of God through His word is the source of our strength. "...but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits." (Daniel 11:32) The crown only comes at the end of the struggle. The glory follows the suffering. As God gives you the strength, you better survive! Remain inspire...

 #BeInspiredToday 22-09-2022 The Best of Both Worlds We can indeed have the best of both worlds - this present world and the one hereafter. The key is godliness! "For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come." (1 Timothy 4:8) Physical exercise profits a little, but godliness has value for both this life and for eternity.  The reason why physical exercise profits a little is that it's value is just for this life. But this little profit must not be despised. We must do all that it takes to take good care of our bodies. However, when we practise godliness, we get the best of both worlds.  "For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age." (Titus 2:11-12) Godliness teaches us to say NO to substance abuse, i...

 #BeInspiredToday 21-09-2022 Find A Reason To Laugh "For our heart is glad in him, because we trust in his holy name." (Psalm 33:21) You may not be able to add years to your life but you can add life to your years. Your life is full of blessings if only you can recognize them.  Appreciating your blessings - including the seemingly little ones - is what brings us joy. The happiest person is not the most successful or the richest but the person who has the greatest gratitude for what they have and worries the least over what they are yet to have. Find a reason to laugh because worry does us more harm than good. "A glad heart makes a happy face; a broken heart crushes the spirit." (Proverbs 15:13) Laughter is a symbol of joy, a sign of faith, and a characteristic of hope. It will do you good today and everyday to find a reason to laugh. “He will once again fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy.” (Job 8:21) Remain inspired!

#BeInspiredToday 19-09-2022 The Hired leader Today, let’s continue with the leadership lessons from Jesus. After referring to Himself as the good shepherd, He went on to describe the opposite of a good shepherd as the hired hand. “The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it.” (John 10:12) This is the mentality of bad leadership. A bad leader sees his role merely as a position he occupies. He has simply been hired for the role and doesn’t have a feeling of ownership for the sheep under his care. Such a leader will not bother to go the extra mile. His comfort is his priority and Jesus tells us why in the next verse. “The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep” (John 10:13)  My question to you today is: do you have a sense of ownership over the people you lead? Do you personally care for them and have their best inte...

 #BeInspiredToday 16-09-2022 Thy Kingdom Come The hymn "Thy kingdom come O God" was written by Lewis Hensley (1824-1905) as a call for the reign of heavenly peace and justice and for freedom from the 'tyrannies of sin.' As we meditate on the words, let's sing it as a prayer to God for the revival of our love and passion for the divine and the subjugation of every form of evil. 1 Thy kingdom come, O God, thy rule, O Christ, begin; break with thine iron rod the tyrannies of sin. 2 Where is thy reign of peace and purity and love? When shall all hatred cease, as in the realms above? 3 When comes the promised time that war shall be no more, and lust, oppression, crime shall flee thy face before? 4 We pray thee, Lord, arise, and come in thy great might; revive our longing eyes, which languish for thy sight. 5 Men scorn thy sacred name, and wolves devour thy fold; by many deeds of shame we learn that love grows cold. 6 O'er lands both near and far thick darkness broo...

  #BeInspiredToday 13-09-2022 Divine Compensation "Four things on earth are small, yet they are extremely wise." (Proverbs 30:24) The animal kingdom is a repertoire of divine wisdom for our learning. Therefore, learning about animals is a great source of wisdom. In the sayings of Agur, son of Jakeh in Proverbs 30, he identifies four animals that are small in size yet have great wisdom. He mentions ants, coneys, locusts and a lizard. For what they lack in size, God has compensated them in wisdom. I have realised something under the sun. Everyone lacks something but has been divinely compensated with something else. The one who identifies and capitalises on what he has been compensated with, happy is he. But the one who always frets over what he lacks, how miserable he is! This divine compensation has been intricately designed by God to make us need each other. No one person is a jack of all trades and a master of all.  This calls for humility and responsibility. No matter how ...

 #BeInspiredToday 12-09-2022 You Did It For Me Mother Mary Teresa Bojaxhiu (1910 - 1997), honored in the Catholic church as Saint Teresa of Calcutta, was an Albanian-Indian Roman Catholic nun and missionary. She founded the Missionaries of Charity - a religious organization dedicated to helping the poor. Through this, she was able to create programs and initiatives that made her an icon of charity around the world. Today, she is considered one of the greatest humanitarians of the 20th century.  You may not be able to embark on a humanitarian enterprise of a similar magnitude. But in your own small way, in your small corner, you can make a difference in someone’s life. In Matthew 25, Jesus narrated series of parables about the kingdom of God, and in verses 31-46, He made a shocking revelation to His audience that on the Day of Judgement, God will pay particular attention to our attitude towards those who were hungry, thirsty, strangers, the naked, the sick, and prisoners. ...

 #BeInspiredToday 09-09-2022 Abide With Me The hymn "Abide with me" was written by Reverend Henry Francis Lyte in 1847 to a family member along with a tune he composed on the last day he preached to his congregation before going to be with the Lord. Be inspired as you meditate on these last words of a dying priest. 1 Abide with me! fast falls the eventide; The darkness deepens; Lord, with me abide! When other helpers fail and comforts flee, Help of the helpless, oh, abide with me. 2 Swift to its close ebbs out life’s little day; Earth’s joys grow dim, its glories pass away; Change and decay in all around I see; O Thou who changest not, abide with me. 3 Come not in terrors, as the King of kings; But kind and good, with healing in Thy wings: Tears for all woes, a heart for every plea; Come, Friend of sinners, thus abide with me. 4 I need Thy presence every passing hour: What but Thy grace can foil the tempter’s power? Who like Thyself my guide and stay can be? Through cloud and...

  #BeInspiredToday 08-09-2022 Don't Forsake Connection Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another--and all the more as you see the Day approaching. (Hebrews 10:25) I have personally realized that every biblically-prescribed spiritual exercise has both physical and spiritual benefits. According to a 2018 study by the US organization AARP – which advocates for people as they age – 22 percent of American adults report being socially isolated, either often or always. This is the case all over the world. Additionally, several research works have concurred that people who attended religious services at least once a week were less stressed and lived longer. It is difficult to pinpoint what exactly does the trick. Is it the spiritual nourishment we receive or the connection to the brethren? It could well be these and many more that come with congregational harmony. All we know is that there is great blessing in fellowship. Someo...

  #BeInspiredToday 07-09-2022 A False Start In athletics, a false start occurs when an athlete is either slow to take their starting position or leaves before the shot is fired to start the race. The athlete is usually cautioned on the first false start, and upon the second is totally disqualified. Life can be likened to a race, and a false start is akin to starting your day on a bad note. Beginning your day with broken pieces of yesterday is a false start. We must start our day with a renewed awareness of God's love and mercies towards us. We must refresh our consciousness with a new zeal to go for gold. Everyday is a new opportunity to live and not simply exist - an opportunity to glorify God and to bless humanity with our lives. The best actionable advice for preventing a false start is to start your day in God's presence. Feed on His word and seek divine strength for the day. Rid yourself of the ills and failures of yesterday and be poised for a great day today. The steadfa...

 #BeInspiredToday 06-09-2022 Build Someone Up Some of the best investments we can make in this life is investment in people. It yields an unending dividend of blessings throughout posterity. One of the most valuable human investments is investment in the confidence of people. We never forget the people who believed in us. Always have eyes that see the best in people.  Johann Wolfgang von GoetheWeimar, the German poet, playwright, novelist, scientist, statesman, and theatre director, regarded as the greatest German literary figure of the modern era, made the following statement: "If you treat an individual as he is, he will remain how he is. But if you treat him as if he were what he ought to be and could be, he will become what he ought to be and could be." Don't be disappointed or discouraged even when people don't show gratitude for what you do for them. Someone once said, "People don't appreciate what you do for them until you stop doing it."  Sometim...

 #BeInspiredToday 05-09-2022 Do You Want to Get Well? There was at the pool of Bethesda in Jerusalem an invalid who had been in his condition for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, “Do you want to get well?” (John 5:6) The next verse reveals the mental attitude of the man. “Sir,” the invalid replied, “I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.” (John 5:7) The man was full of crumbling. The lesson here is that lamenting over our problems doesn't solve them. Complaining and pity-partying doesn't get us any far. The question to ask ourselves is, do we want to get well? Do we want to get better results? Do we want to improve the situation?  Thinking about this question instantly switches our mindset from the negative, pessimistic mode to a positive one that is ready to embrace solutions.  After ad...

 #BeInspiredToday 02-09-2022 It Is Well The hymn "It Is Well" was written by Horatio Spafford, an American lawyer and a businessman.  Horatio and his wife, Anna, had five children. They lost one of them to pneumonia in 1871, and the remaining four drowned after a naval accident in 1873. Mr. Stafford booked the next available ship to meet his grieving wife who had miraculously survived the same accident that took his kids away. When he got to the exact spot where his children had drowned, he was inspired to write the hymn, "It Is Well with My Soul." Be blessed as you meditate on the lyrics. 1 When peace like a river attendeth my way, When sorrows like sea billows roll; Whatever my lot Thou hast taught me to say, “It is well, it is well with my soul!”       It is well with my soul! It is well, it is well with my soul! 2 Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come, Let this blest assurance control, That Christ hath regarded my helpless estate, And hath sh...