July 2020 – Latterdayglory

THE TRAGEDY OF ASSUMPTIONS

July 12, 2020

“A few days ago in the village, I went to an event, a house-warming ceremony.

When I entered the compound, I saw some village elders I knew sitting in one corner. I went up to them and started to greet them one after the other.

I shook their hands, even with the ones I didn’t know until I got to one man. I didn’t know him and when I extended my hand, he ignored it. After a few seconds, I withdrew the hand.

I felt very embarrassed and angry. Embarrassed for myself and angry at the man.

What was he feeling like, I thought. All those other men accepted my greeting, older men even. And to my knowledge, I hadn’t done anything wrong. I gave him a very scornful look, greeted the remaining men and went to take a seat.

Now, even after I sat down, I was still pissed. I kept stealing glances at the man to see how he would react to other people.

Then I saw it…

He was blind!!!

His eyes were open, but he couldn’t see at all! The other people who came to greet him had to touch him first, then take his hand if they wanted to shake hands with him.

Now my embarrassment level tripled. In addition to that, I felt stupid, very stupid. I was still angry, just angry at myself. I felt like that till I left the occasion.”

Assumption kills like poison. Any small thing, we assume…

Someone doesn’t pick our calls, we assume he or she is avoiding us or is up to something…

Someone doesn’t give us the money we asked for, we assume he or she is stingy and wicked…

Once we are turned down or rejected, we start assuming…

We don’t put into consideration what the other party might be going through.

The guy that promised you money might get into a financial situation a day before he’s supposed to give you the money.

The person that didn’t pick your call was probably in a meeting or too busy at that moment, or even sleeping. He might not be in the mood to take your call.

But we just assume instead…because it’s easier and it tends to make us the good guys…the one who is always right.

Give someone benefit of the doubt…..make an excuse for that person……

Don’t judge without the benefit of both sides of the story. If you can’t get both sides then you must give the benefit of the doubt.

Story

S I L E N C E…..

July 12, 2020

A seed grows with no sound, but a tree falls with huge noise. Destruction has noise, but creation is silent. In your success remain silent as there is power in silence. Grow Silently. Cultivate Silence…..

A farmer discovered that he had lost his watch in the barn. It was no ordinary watch because it had sentimental value for him…..

After searching high and low among the hay for a long while, he gave up and enlisted the help of a group of children playing outside the barn…..

He promised them that the person who found it would be rewarded. Hearing this, the children hurried inside the barn, went through and around the entire stack of hay but still could not find the watch…..

Just when the farmer was about to give up looking for his watch, a little boy went up to him and asked to be given another chance. The farmer looked at him and thought, “Why not? After all, this kid looks sincere enough.” So the farmer sent the little boy back in the barn…..

After a while the little boy came out with the watch in his hand! The farmer was both happy and surprised and so he asked the boy how he succeeded where the rest had failed…..

The boy replied, “I did nothing but sat on the ground and listened. In the silence, I heard the ticking of the watch and just looked for it in that direction.””””””

A peaceful mind can think better than a worked up mind. ….

Sometimes the noise in our life is so much with no clarity on what to do. The mind seems so occupied with lots of thoughts that promote fear, discouragement & anxiety……

Let peace guard your heart all the time. *Consciously clear your head and mind; be patient and listen.When you are busy talking or your mind is clouded with things, God will not speak to you. So learn to be quiet!

Story

BIBLE STUDY PRACTICAL

July 12, 2020

A group of women were in a Bible Study on the book of Malachi. As they were studying chapter three, they came across verse three, which says: “He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver.” This verse puzzled the women and they wondered what this statement meant about the character and nature of God.

One of the women offered to find out the process of refining silver and get back to the group at their next Bible Study. That week, this woman called up a silversmith and made an appointment to watch him at work. She didn’t mention anything about the reason for her interest beyond her curiosity about the process of refining silver.

As she watched the silversmith, he held a piece of silver over the fire and let it heat up. He explained that in refining silver, one needed to hold the silver in the middle of the fire where the flames were hottest as to burn away all the impurities. The woman thought about God holding us in such a hot spot then she thought again about the verse, that “He sits as a refiner and purifier of silver.” She asked the silversmith if it was true that he had to sit there in front of the fire the whole time the silver was being refined. The man answered saying, he not only had to sit there holding the silver, but he had to keep his eyes on the silver the entire time it was in the fire. If the silver was left a moment too long in the flames, it would be destroyed.

The woman was silent for a moment. Then she asked the silversmith, “How do you know when the silver is fully refined?” He smiled at her and answered, “Oh, that’s easy – when I see my image in it.”

If today you are feeling the heat of the fire, remember that God has His eye on you and will keep watching you until He sees His image in you. He that watches Isreal will neither sleep nor slumber and will never allow you to be destroyed in the fire.

BE STILL..HE’S GOT YOUR BACK, FOR YOUR CASE WILL END IN PRAISE!

Message

G00D FOR NOTHING

July 12, 2020

God told Jeremiah, the prophet, to go and get a linen girdle and put it upon his loins. After doing this, God told him again to take the linen girdle to River Euphrates and hide it in a hole of a rock.

By the word of the LORD again after many days, Jeremiah went to remove the linen girdle from where he hid it. ‘’Then went I to Euphrates and digged and took the girdle from the place where I had hid it, and behold, the girdle was marred, it was profitable for NOTHING.

‘’Then the word of the LORD came unto me saying; ‘This evil people which refuse to hear my words, which walk in the imagination of their heart, and walk after other gods, to serve them, and to worship them, shall even be as this girdle, which is GOOD FOR NOTHING.’’ (Jeremiah13; 7,8-10).

Jesus said in Matthew5; 13 ‘’ye are the salt of the earth; but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? It is thenceforth GOOD FOR NOTHING but to be cast out and trodden under foot of men.’’

A linen girdle is an article of dress, a strong clothing material especially when it is starched. When a linen lost its strength it becomes ‘’A GOOD FOR NOTHING.’’

Jesus said salt is good, and as good as salt is in seasoning our foods, such that any food without salt is tasteless, salt is good in creating thirst, salt is good in look-white, salt is good in conduction of electricity, salt is good in several other ways’

Yet if the same salt lost its savour, it becomes GOOD FOR NOTHING.

When you hold good titles such as Bishop, Reverend, Apostle, Pastor, Deacon or deaconess, Senior or Most senior Apostle prophet, Imam or chief imam, Alfa etc. You may even be a Knight or a JP, If you are still engaging in sins (secret or open), you are in the sight of God ‘’GOOD FOR NOTHING’’.

You may be very religious, keeping all the religious rites faithfully such as fasting, praying, giving of alms, observing special or holy days etc, but if you are still living in sins, you are a ‘’GOOD FOR NOTHING’’ before God.

If you give good alms, good offerings, good cash for God’s work, you may even build a church or mosque, you may pay good tithes regularly. Yet as long as your life is not right with your Maker, you are a GOOD FOR NOTHING.

When people see you outwardly, they see a fine Christian, zealous of good works, and they wish to live such fine and zealous life. You outwardly create thirst in people’s heart for righteousness, but if you are living in secret sins, you are a ‘’GOOD FOR NOTHING’’.

When you are good in kingdom service, you are good soloist or praise worship leader, you are a good instrumentalist, you are a good organizer or administrator, you are a good mobiliser or usher, that when you are not there things would not work well. Yet, if you are living in secret or open sins, you are a ‘’GOOD FOR NOTHING.’’

‘’Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? It is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out and be trodden under foot of men.’’(Matthew5; 13). This declaration from no other than your Maker is greatly dangerous. A GOOD FOR NOTHING like empty carton or tin would be cast out.

Thus no matter your title or position or status as long as in the sight of God you are ‘’GOOD FOR NOTHING’’, the LORD says you will be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth’’, (Matthew25:30)

When you get good for nothing materials in your house you don’t continue to keep such, rather you pack them out and burn. So, in the kingdom any ‘’GOOD FOR NOTHING’’ would not only be cast out but also be burnt in the lake that burns with sulfur and fire.

‘’But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and idolaters, and all liars, (And whosoever was not found written in the book of life. (Rev.21:15)) Shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone; which is the second death.’’ Revelation21:8. Then they become trodden under the foot of the saints.

With all that the LORD has invested in you; He loved you so much He laid down His life for you, He died that you might live, His blood was shed for the remission of your sins, He ever lives to make intercession for you so that you might be saved. (John3:16, Luke13:6-9). Will you allow all these to be in vain? You can still turn to God now that you are still alive. Your Maker can still make good thing out of your ‘’good for nothing’’ if only you will turn to Him right now in penitence and humbly confess your sins to Him and ask for pardon. He is merciful and just to forgive because He does not have pleasure in your death. Do not procrastinate for the best time is NOW.

‘’Seek ye the LORD while He may be found, call ye upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his ways, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return unto the LORD, and He will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon. For HE saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee; behold, now is the accepted time: behold, now is the day of salvation.’’ (Isaiah55:6-7, 2Corinthians6:2).

What else are you waiting for, this is your own day of salvation, open your heart and invite the LORD Jesus Christ into your life now, accept HIM today and now as your LORD and SAVIOUR; tomorrow may be too late.

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