Joel Kwesi Baidoo

  #BeInspiredToday 17-10-2022 Write the Vision And the LORD answered me: “Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so he may run who reads it. For still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end—it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay. (Habakkuk 2:2-3) A vision is a mental picture of the future. We may not know precisely what is yet to transpire in our lives but our imagination of a desired future is a powerful force that drives our actions today. In the passage above, God tells the prophet Habakkuk why he should write down the vision. Firstly, "so he may run who reads it." Vision inspires us to run. Our vision for the future is a great motivation to put in our maximum efforts today. Secondly, "it will surely come." Our vision gives us hope for the future. George Washington Carver, known in history as the most prominent black scientist of the early 20th century once said, "Where there is no vis...

 #BeInspiredToday 13-10-2022 Love is Kind We have already established that love is a nature to be cultivated more than an emotion to be felt (you may recap last week's message on "Love is Patient"). Love is first of all patient, and next, it is kind. "Love is patient, love is kind..." (1 Corinthians 13:4) Someone said, "When I was young I admired clever people. Now that I am old, I admire kind people." Kindness is a state of the heart that upholds the joy and wellbeing of others. This state of the heart manifests itself in pleasant words and deeds towards people. A kind heart finds it a pleasure to heighten people's joy and lessen their pain. Whatever you do or say with the intention of making someone happy is an act of kindness. It could be passing a genuine compliment, giving a gift, or just being there when needed. It was Lucius Annaeus Seneca who said, "Wherever there is a human being, there is an opportunity for kindness." And Aesop ...

 #BeInspiredToday 12-10-2022 Reformational Failure There are two types of failure - reformational and deformational, thus, one that reforms and one that deforms. The dividing line is usually one's attitude towards failure. In biblical records, at least two of Jesus' twelve disciples betrayed Him big time - Peter and Judas. Jesus predicted both situations but they still fell into their respective traps. They both regretted their actions but their attitude towards their failure differed.  Peter, after lamenting over his debacle, learnt his lessons, put himself together and moved on with his relationship with Jesus. Judas on the other hand, could hardly get over his misdeed. He could not forgive himself. Instead, he condemned himself to death, taking his own life. When you read the book of Acts and get impressed with the great works of Apostle Peter, you are seeing reformational failure at work. Dear friend, if failure breaks down your door, build another one and keep on going. B...

  #BeInspiredToday 11-10-2022 When God Borrows Your Boat He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat. (Luke 5:3) Jesus came to the scene at the lake of Gennesaret at a point where Simon and his partners in the fishing business had toiled all night without a catch. It was a point of frustration and despair. While they were washing their nets despondently, Jesus suddenly shows up with an unusual request: he wants to borrow their boat to preach. "Ah!" Simon might have thought. "While I am thinking about how to put food on the table for my family today, you are here not to offer any immediate help but to borrow my boat to preach?" Well, Simon offered his boat to the Lord. At the end of Jesus' sermon, he directed Simon where to let down his nets for a catch. Simon doubted initially that a preacher could offer any practical solution to a frustrated fisherma...

 #BeInspiredToday 10-10-2022 A Fool Does Not Take Advice One of the simplest ways to identify a fool is by studying their attitude towards instruction and correction. "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline." (Proverbs 1:7) Every successful life is built by wisdom.  By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established. (Proverbs 24:3) The repercussion for shunning instruction and correction is the destruction of one's own life. "The wise woman builds her house, but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down." (Proverbs 14:1) When a man is filled with folly, any piece of advice sounds offensive to him. Such a person is preoccupied with defending himself against every corrective feedback that is meant to make him a better person. Life is such that those who are open to good advice prosper, whereas those who remain stiffnecked end up in an undesirable state.  A good advice to you today ...

 #BeInspiredToday 07-10-2022 I'm Pressing On Johnson Oatman, Jr. (1856-1922) was the author of the hymn, "I'm pressing on the upward way." His father was an accomplished singer and Johnson always enjoyed to hear him sing the hymns of the faith. Johnson's hymn is a reflection of his own life in that it's on record that he wrote over two hundred songs every year and has over three thousand hymns to his credit.  No matter what has transpired in our lives and whatever comes our way, may we find the energy to press on! 1 I’m pressing on the upward way, New heights I’m gaining ev'ry day; Still praying as I’m onward bound, “Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.” Refrain: Lord, lift me up, and let me stand By faith, on heaven’s tableland; A higher plane than I have found, Lord, plant my feet on higher ground. 2 My heart has no desire to stay Where doubts arise and fears dismay; Though some may dwell where these abound, My prayer, my aim, is higher ground. 3 I want...

 #BeInspiredToday 06-10-2022 Love is Patient "Love is patient…" (1 Corinthians 13:4) The word love evokes a lot of emotions and stimulates feelings of all kinds. God is love. Therefore, any accurate definition of love can be approximated as a definition of God.  Hence, love is difficult to define but can be described just as God is described by His attributes.  In the thirteenth chapter of 1 Corinthians (the chapter of love), Paul gives us a clear picture of the nature of love. One of the most profound observations about love is that it goes way beyond feelings of ecstacy. It's more of a nature to cultivate. Therefore, to love is to work on yourself. The first attribute of love is patience. No human being is perfect. Different people have different shortcomings. To change one's object of love is simply to change the kind of shortcoming one has to deal with. Without patience, you cannot love your friend, partner, spouse or your children. Without patience, you cannot lo...

  #BeInspiredToday 05-10-2022 God Can Surprise You When Isaac blessed Jacob, he sent him to Paddan Aram to the house of his uncle Laban to marry there. On his way, Jacob stopped at a certain point to catch some rest. In a dream, he had a divine encounter where God made great promises to him. When Jacob awoke from his sleep, he thought, "Surely the LORD is in this place, and I was not aware of it." (Genesis 28:16) It was a divine surprise! Jacob was surprised at the encounter he had because he least expected it. I know you are familiar with bible verses about ask and you shall receive, seek and you shall find, knock and the door will be opened unto you. But there are mysteries of the Spirit - things we cannot explain. Sometimes, God can surprise us with things we have not specifically prayed about, expected or even imagined. Now to Him who is able to do so much more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us. (Ephesians 3:20) However, as it is...

  #BeInspiredToday 04-10-2022 You're A Masterpiece The famous Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519) was a painter, sculptor, architect, writer, anatomist, geologist, astronomer, botanist, inventor, engineer and scientist – the epitome of a Renaissance man. He was widely considered to be one of the greatest artists of all time. His most famous works included ‘the Mona Lisa’, ‘the Last Supper’ and ‘the Vitruvian Man’. If any piece of work produced by Da Vinci can be referred to as a masterpiece that merits special attention, how much more the work produced by the one who made Leonardo Da Vinci? The Mona Lisa, for instance, has spent time with several French leaders. After Da Vinci died, his favorite apprentice was in possession of the painting. It then came into the possession of King Francis I of France, who displayed it in the Palace of Fontainebleau. The  pleasant announcement to you is that you are the product not of Leonardo Da Vinci but the Omnipotent God who is the creator of Leo...

 #BeInspiredToday 03-10-2022 Your Right to Shelter Today is World Habitat Day. The United Nations’ (UN) World Habitat Day is annually celebrated on the first Monday of October to reflect on the state of human settlements and people’s right to sufficient shelter. It also aims to remind people that they are responsible for the habitat of future next generations. As we remind ourselves of people's right to sufficient shelter here on earth, we must do well to also remind ourselves of the greater importance of securing a comfortable shelter for eternity. Everyone has a right to a shelter in heaven. To claim this right, the way has been specified: Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.(John 14:6) But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal. (Matthew 6:20) Today, why don't you help someone understand their right to a comfor...