BE A SIGNPOST AND A FOLLOWER

            John 1:6-9

The Christian task is that of John the Baptist – to point the light, Jesus, to world and follow it. It is often said of Christians nowadays that they are only signposts because they point the way but never follow it themselves. Our task, as we all are aware, is to be John the Baptist of our generation, to point Jesus to the world and follow Him ourselves.

Let’s diligently point Jesus and the kingdom of the Lord to the world and follow it with all humility. John the Baptist, our number one mentor in this regard, was beheaded in delivering this particular task. Do not fear the world, just deliver your God given task whilst you live. God be with us all.

THE VIRTUOUS WOMAN

​It should be the utmost priority of every woman to be a virtuous wife. Likewise, all men should be greatly concerned in discovering a virtuous woman for a wife. 

In the days ahead, I will be giving a highlight of the TRUE CHARACTERISTICS of a virtuous woman as described in Proverbs 31. 

Don’t miss it.

ARE YOU ASHAMED?

I remember I once asked this question on ‘WhatsApp’: what should a child of God be shameful of apart from SIN? The people of the world consider a lot of things to be shameful; poverty, poor academic performance, joblessness, old fashioned car, etc. Why should one be ashamed of family background? The God who created the rich also created the poor, and they are all equal before Him. Truly, aside sin, I don’t know anything a child of God should be shameful of.

The most shameful picture is the picture of the unsaved man – the naked man. Revelations 3:18 reveals that we should cover our shameful nakedness with the purchased white cloth of righteousness. Sin is shameful, let us awake to righteousness through the faith in the Lord Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:34).

What is going on in your life? Have you had a dream in which shame had wrapped you? A threat of disgrace from a co-worker? An inward fear of shame? Do not worry! As long as you put on the cloth of righteousness given by Christ Jesus’s suffering on the cross, it shall come to pass. Do not lose heart, put your trust in God, believe in Him, and you shall never be put to shame (1 Peter 2:6, Romans 10:11).

Henceforth, let not shame be a threat to you. May the Lord put all your adversaries to shame in Jesus’ name! And the Lord speak on your behalf that your adversaries will be silenced (Luke 13:17). I love you all Amen.

By: Ameyaw Bernice Ama

PLANT A SEED TO MATCH YOUR NEED

(Luke 6:38)

“Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”

I realized quite recently that God does not really provide out of nothing. He just reciprocates by multiplying in several folds our acts of kindness to Him or others. Sowing a seed in the Christian parlance is an act synonymous to a farmer sowing seeds. As a farmer sows, so he shall reap. Before the sowing is done, a thorough check is conducted on the fertility of the soil and when ascertained then can sowing be made. It does not end there, the seeds sown ought to be watered so they grow and bear good fruits.

When you sow something like a corn, you are assured of reaping something more, but to continue to enjoy the fruits of that seed you don’t have to stop sowing. You must constantly sow. But, when you sow something like a mango, it means you have taken the pain to deprive yourself of the sweetness of that particular mango so you could sow it. This sort of seed when sown takes a longer time to mature (much much longer), but when it does you enjoy its fruits into perpetuity.

The things that one must do to safeguard the growth of the seed sown is being watchful in prayer, averting bad company, and not harboring the thought that a seed won’t grow. Let the seed you plant match your need, for as a little as you sow is going to reflect in how much you will reap. When expecting big sow big. Seed faith never fails. Do you remember the saying that, “a giver never lacks.” I want to tell you that it is very true. Therefore plant a seed to match your need.

LOVE

A bell is not a bell till you ring it

A song is not a song till you sing it

Love in your heart is not put there to stay

Love is not love till you give it away

THE CHRISTIAN KIND OF SUFFERING

The Christian kind of suffering is not disaster, poverty and/or disease. Jesus came to heal, deliver and set us free from those kinds of suffering. It is rather satan who attacks us with those things, and we have to take them and be with them, but only for a short while, whilst we wait on God to deliver us from them; but that’s not the kind of suffering that God wants us to endure permanently. Job’s case should be a typical example and a case study. Christianity wants us to be long-suffering with each other.

Our spirit fellowship with one another can be consumed, jeopardized if we get into strife. Walking and living habitually in the Holy Spirit demands laying down the habit of hurting others. Evidently, walking in the flesh would not grant us this luxury because the flesh (our nature) demands to have its own way about everything. The flesh is self-centered and selfish. If we walk in the flesh, we will never act like Jesus Christ.

Hence, the Christian kind of suffering is long-suffering, yielding to others, denying oneself of the desires of the flesh (sexual sin, adultery and fornication, greed, drunkenness, prostitution, etc.). Realize that in order to follow God, the flesh must be told no, and when that happens the flesh suffers.

WHAT INSTRUMENT ARE YOU

God uses many different instruments to teach His lessons to us. He used a little captive maid to show Naaman, the famous Syrian general, the way to recover from his leprosy (2 Kings 5:3)

He used a shepherd lad to deliver the children of Israel from the giant Goliath and the Philistines (1 Samuel 17:20)

He used a virgin to bear the humanity of His only begotten son (Luke 2:7)

He used an illiterate fisherman to be His son’s Chief Apostle (Mark 1:17)

What are you availing yourself to be used for? If an illiterate could be the Lord’s Chief Apostle; a virgin could bear our Lord Jesus Christ; a lad could defeat a giant for the children of Israel; and, a captive maid could be a General’s Chief advisor. Then, you have no excuse for not to being of significance to the Lord. Just avail yourself and you will be amazed at the instrument you will be.