Monday, 6 April 2015

GETTING BIG?


MEMORY VERSE: And Samuel said, When thou wast little in thine own sight, wast thou not made the head of the tribes of Israel, and the LORD anointed thee king over Israel? 1 Samuel15:17
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Mark 7-8
It is not a good thing to be reminded, by a colleague or a friend, of how one used to behave or carry his or herself before promotion. I will be cautious if a friend reminds me of how i used to be humble. If it comes from someone older or higher, then i will be concerned. If it is coming from my spiritual parents, i will be worried. If it comes from God, Creator of heavens and the earth, i would cry out for mercy. I know you will do the same too. This is similar to what happened when Saul returned from partially disobeying God i.e. disobeying God. In 1 Samuel 15:1-3, God sent him to destroy the Amalekites because of their wickedness. Several years prior, without being provoked or anything, the Amalekites attacked the children of Israel killing several of them. When he got to Amalek, he destroyed the worthless things and kept the good and valuable things for himself and his men. When he returned, the Lord sent Samuel with a message to him. 1 Samuel 15:17 says, “And Samuel said, When thou wast little in thine own sight, wast thou not made the head of the tribes of Israel, and the LORD anointed thee king over Israel?” On hearing this, I thought Saul would bow his head and cry for mercy. I expected him to immediately put things right because it was obvious that the Most High was really displeased with him. Saul did not do any of this. Instead he gave excuses. At the end, he was replaced.
Are you like Saul? He never used to challenge his father in the Lord, Samuel, until he became king. Not only that, he used to obey God until he became king. You used to be small in your own eyes before you went to bible school. You never used to argue with your spiritual leaders i.e. pastors and bishops. You never used to challenge your pastors in public? Now that you have returned from bible school, you now see faults in virtually everything. You see faults in how the pastor preaches, you see fault in how he pronounces Greek names. Not only that, you are now beginning to challenge him in the open. Saul became familiar with the prophet when he became king - something that never happened before his ordination. He became so familiar with the man of God that he could tear his clothes. Have you now become familiar with your spiritual leaders that you now treat them as equals? Have you now become familiar with them that you no longer give them their due honour? Have you now become familiar that you now keep malice with them? Have you now become so familiar that they are now scared to correct you because you can do and undo? There was a time in Saul’s life when he used to fear God. There was a time when he used to put God and God’s work before anything else. Now, Saul had become so big and God had become so small in his eyes that he could now displease God to please man. What ‘man’ thought of him was more important to him than what God thought of him. How 'man' perceived him was more important than how God perceived him. Do you now serve God at your convenience? When God gives you an instruction, do you carry them out immediately or at your convenience? Pride starts from the heart before it manifests out in actions. What’s your heart like as you are reading this? How do you now treat the Word of God?
ACTION: Carry out a self assessment of your life. Is God still number one in your life? Are you still willing to go out of your way to please God?
PRAYER POINT: Father, help me never to become an ex-child of God.
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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world for Jesus.

Sunday, 5 April 2015

COPYING OTHER NATIONS?

MEMORY VERSE: Thy father made our yoke grievous: now therefore make thou the grievous service of thy father, and his heavy yoke which he put upon us, lighter, and we will serve thee. 1 Kings 12:4
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 1 Corinthians 9-10
READ: 1 Samuel 8:1-22
God’s ways are different from the ways of man. Isaiah 55:9 says, “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways And My thoughts than your thoughts.” Because God is Omniscient, He knows the best way to run one’s life, a marriage, a ministry or a nation. Instead of giving Israel a human king, He deliberately appointed judges, prophets and prophetess over them but the children of Israel did not want that. They wanted to be like the neighboring nations who had a human king (1 Samuel 8:5). When the sons of Samuel, Joel and Abijah, began to accept bribe and pervert judgment, the elders of Israel used that as an opportunity to demand for a king from Samuel. Samuel knew that they wanted to do things how ‘others’ did them not how God wants it to be done and he was unhappy. After bringing the matter to God, he warned them of the dangers of leaving ‘God’s way of ruling them’ and copying other nations. He strictly warned them that a human king will put them in bondage and make life unbearable for them, but they refused to listen. As it is in the nature of God not to force Himself on anyone, He gave them the human king they requested and they suffered under him. At a point, they had to meet the king and beg him to reduce the burden on them. 1 Kings 12:4 says, “Thy father made our yoke grievous: now therefore make thou the grievous service of thy father, and his heavy yoke which he put upon us, lighter, and we will serve thee.”
The story is not always palatable when a man or a woman, abandons God’s laid down principles of doing things, and copies other ‘nations’. Take for instance marriage, there is a way God expects the singles to go about marriage. Unfortunately, many of us Christians are going about it,  the way ‘others’ do it. We want to date, get to know the brother or the sister very well before proceeding to marriage. Unfortunately, all you will see when you are dating a person is their good side. You will see the other side, the real person after marriage. Some of us even decide to have a mock marriage whereby the man and woman will live together under the same roof to see if they are really compatible. No reasonable person will commit his or her resources into such a relationship because the other party can wake up one morning and say he or she is no longer interested. At the end, one may lose out and lose all one has invested. Besides, such will only leave one with scars and nervous breakdown. The same applies to online dating. It is a waste of time. Besides, one could even fall into the hands of a player or a psychopath. Why not go to the Lord and ask Him before doing anything at all. It may appear long but it is the safest way and it is guarantees a long lasting relationship. Sending people to spy on a brother or sister for you, before going into a relationship, is not foolproof. Can the people you are sending to spy see the heart of that sister or brother? Can they see the future of that brother or that sister?
Also, many marriages are being patterned after the ways of other nations. Many women are crying for equal rights in marriage. Both husband and wife are equal before God, but they have different roles. The husband is the head while the wife needs to submit to her head. Submitting to one’s husband does not make one inferior in any way. Also, being the head does not make one superior. This what the bible teaches. Copying the way of the other nations and demanding to play the same role with your partner, in your marriage, will only tear the marriage apart. Actually, the position of the woman is the best because a man by nature will go out of his way to please anyone who submits to him and fights anyone who competes with him. By demanding to be his running mate, you are losing your opportunity to be pampered and be served as Christ served the church. Even now, ministries are copying other nations. They are forming committees to decide how to run the church. The Lord did not found a ministry to be run by people. No! He wants to be the sole proprietor, the only One who makes decision! Do you think that any man will support any decision that is not in his favour even when it will be benefit the work of the Lord? It will only take a broken man to vote for such and at the moment, we are praying to God to bless the church with more of such broken people.
QUESTION: Are you building according to God’s pattern?
PRAYER POINT: Father , open my eyes to see the wisdom in how you want to run my life.
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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world for Jesus.

Thursday, 2 April 2015

THE 'THREE' WHO MUST RUN FROM ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES



MEMORY VERSE: Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, and wine unto those that be of heavy hearts. Let him drink, and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more. Proverbs 31:6-7

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 1 Samuel 11-15

There are three groups of people who must stay away from alcoholic beverages. An alcoholic beverage is a drink containing ethanol, commonly known as alcohol. Alcoholic beverages are divided into three general classes: beers, wines, and spirits (or distilled beverage). The first group are leaders, ‘heads’, kings or princes. Proverbs 31:4 says this: “It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine; nor for princes strong drink:” When you go through the scriptures, you will see the level of havoc and embarrassment that can come one’s way if one consumes alcohol. According to Genesis 6:9, Noah was a just man and perfect in his generation. In other words, he was blameless before God. One day Noah became drunk and passed out in his tent. This righteous man lay stark-naked in his tent embarrassing himself. His children saw what they should not have seen. This is what happens when one gets drunk, people around will begin to see what they should not see. Lot, a disciplinarian, who raised two virgins in a corrupt nation,Sodom, got drunk and slept with his two daughters (Genesis 19:30-38). He was so drunk, when he woke the next morning, he could not remember what happened the night before. This man did what he should not have done as a result of wine. One may rightly argue that all this happened to these people because they got drunk. That’s true, but do you know that it is only when you drink that you will become drunk? Those who don’t drink don’t get drunk.

The second group are spiritual heads e.g. bishops, pastors, elders, etc. 1 Timothy 3:2-3 says, “A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach; Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;” Our God is sovereign. He can choose to speak at any time. He can choose speak to you whilst you are in the bathroom. He can choose to wake one up at 2am and speak to the fellow, probably to expound the scripture to the person. He can choose to speak whilst you are in conversation with people. And when He speaks, most times, it is in still small voice (1 Kings 19:12). If He decides to speak whilst one is sitted with a bottle of bear or a glass of wine, one may miss it. Or if one drinks a glass of wine and falls asleep and He decides to wake one up that night to intercede because a member is going through a spiritual attack, the fellow may not wake up. According to Isaiah 28:7, wine causes one to err in vision. God maybe saying ‘child don’t enter that blue car.’ Because of alcohol in the system, one may hear ‘child enter that blue car’. People may point to Paul's admonition to Timothy in 1 Timothy 5:23 as a reason to drink wine. That wine was for health not pleasure, just as an antibiotics is for health not for pleasure. The third group are those who want to stay alive and be strong and healthy. Proverbs 31:6-7 says, “Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, and wine unto those that be of heavy hearts. Let him drink, and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more.” Studies have shown that alcohol kills more teenagers than all other drugs combined. Also, 39 per cent of all traffic deaths involved alcohol. In addition, 40 percent of violent crimes occur under the influence of alcohol. One may argue that taking alcohol once in a while is not harmful. Well, according to Proverbs 23:32, wine bites like a snake and stings like a viper. Only one encounter with a snake is enough to get a snake bite. A glass is enough to increase one's chances of having liver cirrhosis.

NOTE: You may know a lot of people who have been drinking for donkey years who are still healthy. Remember we are not all the same. Some are allergic to certain things while others are not. Some people's liver are made of 'iron' while others are made of tissue. Unfortunately, you don’t know what type of liver you have.

FACT: According to 1 Corinthians 6:9, no drunkards will be allowed through the pearly gates!

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world for Jesus.

Tuesday, 31 March 2015

IT WILL SURELY COME TO PASS

MEMORY VERSE: For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry. Habakkuk2:3
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Genesis 48-50
There are a lot of agitations and palpitations all around us. The moment our single sisters enter into any social gathering or a church, unconsciously, they begin to glance around to see if there are any eligible bachelors there. Not that they intend to approach them or something, and most of them are very decent, they won’t stoop so low to do anything that is not befitting for a daughter of God. It is just an unconscious thing. They want to be settled as soon as possible. I know that most single brothers will pretend and say they don’t do this or they have never done this before, but many a time, the moment they see a sister, the first thing they do is check her finger to see if she is wearing a wedding ring. Also, it is an unconscious thing.These reveals the deep desire for the will of God, concerning their marital life , to come to pass.
There are a lot of inner cries to God. Oh Lord i am getting old, when will i meet that man? Oh Lord, my younger cousins have children, when will i meet that woman? Lord, when will those things you said about me come to pass? Oh Lord, when will the doctor take me off these medications? Father, when will i become a citizen of this land? Lord, when will those doors open unto me? Oh Lord, when will this business grow? Father, you called me to start this work, when will this ministry grow? When will our congregation grow? Father, i saw myself preaching to a multitude of people, healing the sick and raising the dead in a dream, when will this dream come to pass? I dreamt that i owned a business, when will that materialize in my life? Lord, i am getting old as a parent, when will my daughters and sons meet their partners? When will my son-in laws give birth? When will i become a grandparent? When will my son-in-law get a job? When will my daughter-in-law get promoted? When will my situation change? When will i get a job? When will i start to work with my degree? When will my abusive husband give his life to Christ? When will my husband begin to see my sacrifices and appreciate me? When will my children love me? When will my children begin to respect me and reciprocate my love to them? When will this siege be over in my life? These and many more are the cries of many hearts to God.What is the Lord saying this morning, in response to our cries to our Father in heaven? IT WILL SURELY COME TO PASS. Habakkuk2:3 says this: “For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.”
To those questions of ‘when will this be’ or ‘when will that be’? The Lord is saying to us this day, "wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.” Sir, you will surely become a grandfather. Ma, you will surely become a grandmother. Friend, you will surely become a father. You will surely become a mother. God’s will for you in marriage will surely come to pass. Beloved sister in Christ, that brother will surely come. Beloved brother in Christ, you will surely meet that sister. That ministry will surely grow. You will surely work with your degree. You will surely be a citizen of that country. That siege will surely be over. God is working things out for you. You will surely be celebrated. You will surely give a testimony. The doctors will surely take you off that medication and declare you fit. You will surely pay off that debt. And to those saying, 'God, if only You will do this for me, this and that is what i will do for you' . God is saying, 'I will surely do that thing you have asked for ,for you'. God is the controller of seasons. Your season has surely arrived! You may have made a mistake and gotten pregnant, don’t abort that pregnancy. God will surely look after that child. That fellow will surely remember you. Those God has sent to help you will surely remember you and render the help. Those who are owing you money will surely pay.
NOTE: God has not forgotten you. Don’t compromise your faith because God will surely do that thing for you.
TO DO: Father, thank You for Your Word
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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world for Jesus.

Monday, 30 March 2015

THE CALLER, THE CALLED AND THE CALLING

MEMORY VERSE: Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you. John15:16

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Job 23-24, Isaiah 62-66

Merriam Webster dictionary defines a ‘calling’ as a strong desire to spend your life doing a certain kind of work (such as religious work). I love to read autobiographies, especially autobiographies of those who, despite all odds, achieved something meaningful. Although, i have not read as much as i would like to, i can tell you that by reading autobiographies, you learn the secrets of great achievers. One thing i have found with all great achievers is they are hard working. They wake up at odd hours of the morning, to either train or work. Michael Phelps, the most decorated Olympian of all time, wrote about how he wakes up at 2am in the morning, to train. Also, these great achievers knew their calling from a young age and they pursued it. Your ‘calling’ maybe to make shoes or to paint. It maybe to start a NGO that catches people who traffic young girls for sex trade. I thank God for what He is doing through Tiny Hands, bringing wicked men who sell young girls to face judgment. It maybe to design godly clothes and make them. Don't be shy of that ‘calling’, pursue it with all you have inside you. The people around you may not fancy your ‘calling’; they don't have to fancy it anyway. You just pursue it, one day they will fancy it. Your ‘calling’ doesn't have to make sense to the society where you find yourself. It is your ‘calling’, and in most cases, it will only make sense to you at particular point in time. Your ‘calling’ could even be to make ladies' hair. The fact that no one you know as ever succeeded in pursuing their calling does not mean you will not succeed in pursuing yours. Your ‘calling’ doesn't have to have a big name or a fanciful name.

We cannot talk about ‘calling’ without making references to the ‘caller’- the one who calls, and the ‘called’- the one who receives the call. The ‘caller’ is always higher than the ‘called’. The ‘caller’ exercises authority over the ‘called’. In other words, the ‘caller’ is able to reward or punish the ‘called’. John 15:16 ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.” In this verse, we have the ‘caller’ who is Jesus Christ; the ‘called’ which is you and i; the ‘calling’ which is not only to bear fruits but to ensure that our fruits remain. Also, in Matthew 11:28: “come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest”, we have the ‘caller’ again which is Christ; the 'called' which is you and I; the ‘calling’ which is a call to salvation. As you search through the scriptures, you will find examples of the ‘Caller’ i.e. God, calling the ‘called’, you and i, to take on assignments and tasks. If we heed to His ‘callings’, we will be greatly rewarded. If you bear fruits and they remain, you can go to God for anything and He will give it to you. If you come to Him, eternal rest will be yours. Most of these great achievers, sport personalities, inventors, entrepreneurs, etc, all heeded to their ‘calling’ and they were greatly rewarded for it. Michael Phelps could have decided not to heed to his calling to become a swimmer. Had he done that, he would have lost his rewards. There is a reward for heeding to your ‘calling’. It is not too late to heed to your calling. You maybe a celebrated doctor now, but deep inside, you know you are called to be an engineer. If i were you, i will quit medicine and pursue engineering. As loving parents, let your children pursue their calling. You may not approve of what they want to study in the university, but leave them alone. The divine Caller as called them to pursue that discipline. Just pray along with them and at the end, you will be happy that they heeded to their calling. Although, many of us know this in our head, it is worth repeating so that we can know it in our heart. There is a powerful calling on our life, more important than any ‘calling’ one maybe currently pursuing and that is the 'call to serve'. This is the most rewarding 'call' any man can receive. The rewards for serving Christ are eternal. You will be rewarded on earth and you will reign with Him in His kingdom in heaven.

THOUGHT OF THE DAY: One of the most unwise things to do is to put your earthly calling before your divine calling.

NOTE: You are called to finish that course you have started. You are called to finish that project. You are called to pass that exam.

QUESTION: Have you heeded the call to worship God in spirit and in truth?

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world for Jesus.

Sunday, 29 March 2015

MY TESTIMONY

My name is Samuel Oluwatoki but people call me Sam. I will like to share My TESTIMONY with you.
Late one evening, I way lying on the bed and the thought of what death felt like began to go through my mind. For some un-explainable reason, i was really curious and wanted to know what happens after death. Suddenly, something like a spirit left my body and i could see my lifeless body on the bed. I tried to touch it but i couldn't. It was as if i was trying to grab vapor. At this point, i knew something was seriously wrong. I began to panic. Am i dead?....does it mean that i will never see my beloved mum again? ... how will i get back into my lifeless body? All these thoughts began to pass through my mind. All of a sudden, i found myself in a small room. There was light in that room but i could not see any bulb. Somehow, i knew that small room was some sort of a waiting room. Two angels were on there way to pick me for judgement. In that small room, there was no concept of time. It was in that small room i understood the word 'eternity'. It was as if time froze.Psalm 90:4 says: " For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night." I began to feel cold and lonely. I can't find words to describe the quietness. It was frightening! I could hear my heartbeats. No friends, family, no one except myself and the records of how i spent my life.
As i stood there, feeling lonely, i began to think about my life. I remembered everything. I remembered the times i missed church services. I remembered how people witnessed to me about Christ and i didn't listen. I remembered the times i fornicated, told lies, fought with people, stole as a kid, etc. I remembered all the terrible things i had done and became scared. My heart began to beat fast. It was as if i was waiting for the result of an exam or a driving test. It was as if someone opened a file before me and was reading all my sins to me, one after the other. I tried to remember the good deeds i did but it was nothing compared to the terrible things i had done. Daniel 5:27 says,"TEKEL means that you have been weighed in the balance and found deficient." I was found wanting and i began to cry. It was in that small room i understood how big God was. I felt like an ant in the presence of a million foot tall man. I knew where i was heading to. With deep regrets, i knelt down and i began to cry and ask for another opportunity. All i wanted at that point was another chance to return to earth to put things right. Whilst i was crying like a baby, pleading for another chance, i woke up in sweat. That night gave my life to Jesus!
On Tuesday 13 August 2011, I had another dream. I was in a small town. We were all expecting something. Terror was written all over our faces. All of a sudden, people started running helter and skelter. Some climbed on tall trees, others a dug a huge tunnel and hid there. Few boarded trains going to the next city. I have never seen commotion of this magnitude before in my life. Parents ran off leaving their children behind. Husbands ran to the left and the wife to the right. There were a lot of screaming children in the streets. The chaos was too much. As this was going on, i walked into a small house where some soldiers held some people captive. They had every one - those that hid in tunnels, those that climbed on trees, those that boarded trains, etc. They caught everyone. There was something else in the room but i didn't see it. I immediately ran to the next town to warn them. They began to made fun of me. They laughed me to scorn. Out of anger i screamed "death is coming" and i woke up. When i slept back, i saw the beginning of something. There were groups of people working in a small office. Some of them were working very hard whilst others played around. Since no one was watching, everyone did what they liked. After a while , some took the hard working ones to a palace to meet a very rich king. I was taken to where the king sat and i saw a group people around him rejoicing. They gave the hardworking ones a tour around the palace. As they went round , i woke up.
The Master is coming soon. Isaiah 1:3 says, "the ox knows its owner, the donkey its master's crib but Israel does not know, my people do not consider." Revelations 22:12 says, "behold I am coming quickly and my reward is with me, to give to everyone according to his work."
It was in that small room, waiting to be taken for judgement, that i understood that everything in this present world is vanity. Ecclesiastes 1:2 says, "vanity of vanities, says the preacher; vanity of vanities all is vanity." If you have not given your life to Christ, repent today and give your life to Him today. Repent whilst there is still time. Make restitution whilst you can now. Once Christ returns that will be it.
John 3:16 says,"for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believe him will not die but have everlasting life." John 14:6 says, "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." The only way to heaven is by accepting Jesus Christ as your personal lord and savior. Romans 10 :9, "says That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. "
If you are ready to give your life to Christ, please pray this prayer with me. Lord Jesus, I give myself to you, for you to be my only Lord and Savior. I renounce and repudiate all other loyalties, and I desire no other Lord but You. Please come into me and take control of my life. Mold me to your will and to your use.I ask that you drive out all other spirits which conflict with you in anyway. I want to belong only to you, to be subject only to you. I make this prayer to you,in your name, the name of Jesus. Amen.
Brethren please forward this to all your friends and family.

Saturday, 28 March 2015

GETTING TO KNOW PEOPLE


MEMORY VERSE: But the liberal deviseth liberal things; and by liberal things shall he stand. Isaiah 32:8
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Psalm 33-35
One thing you can’t do without, as far as you are alive, is relating with people. It is humans God will use to answer most of our prayer requests especially ones pertaining to material needs. You and i, can’t do without relating with people and as such, there is a need to know them. Our knowledge of people informs how we relate with them. Our knowledge of people determines who we do business with, who we employ as a nanny for our children, who we put in positions in our ministry or business, who we entrust with things, who we go to for counselling and many more. Even when we don’t know people directly, we depend on the recommendations of people we know who knows them or who have dealt with them. Knowing people, very well, before doing business with them, bringing them under our roof, putting our integrity on the line for them or relating with them at any level is crucial. A lot has lost life savings, valuables, inheritances, ministries, visions and things of eternal value because they dealt with the wrong people. Many have scars that only God can heal because they went into relationships with people they thought they knew.
When it comes to knowing people, the only One you can trust His assessment of people is God. If you really want to know a man or a woman, you have to check his or her heart. Proverbs 23:7a says, “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he.” The only One who knows the content of every heart is God. According to 1 Samuel 16:7, He sees the heart. Not only does He know the present heart condition of a man, He knows how that fellow’s heart will be in fifty years time. Isaiah 46:10 says, “Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:” One way to know a person is go to God in prayer and ask Him to reveal who the fellow is. Or you ask Him to give you the gift of discernment. With the gift of discernment, as an employer, you don’t need to ask a lot of questions before you know who the right candidate is, in an interview. Another way to know people is by checking their fruits. Matthew 7:16 says, “Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?” Unfortunately, we have some wolves among the sheep. Among us, there are people who appear genuine, they look like us, they quote the bible like us, they shout and jump in the church, they talk like us but they are not part of us. How can we know them? Jesus Christ says, “By their fruit ye shall know them”. What type of fruits? Fruit of the spirit (Galatians 5:22). How else can we know people? By their association. I can’t claim to be a child of God and my best friend enjoys sin. How can that be? According to 2 Corinthians 6:14 says, “For what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?” Another way to know people is by what they do, not what they say. A wise man once said, ‘action speak louder than words.’ 1 John 3:7 says, “Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.” Lastly, you can know people by what they stand for. Isaiah 32:8 says, “But the liberal deviseth liberal things; and by liberal things shall he stand.” How can one identify a genuine child of God? Firstly, they fellowship with other children of God. Secondly, they live their life as a child of God. Thirdly, they stand for godly principles. They stand for purity. They stand for mercy and kindness. They stand for fairness and integrity. They stand for love.
NOTE: People will judge you by your association.
QUESTION: What do you stand for?
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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world for Jesus.