Squeaking wheels

Friends,

It is often said that the squeaky wheel gets the oil. And truly, when we here a strange noise in our automobile, we focus our maintenance efforts on that part. This kind of thing is really obvious in our governing style. The brash, noisy problems get the attention, while the fundamental problems of our culture expand unabated.

In his timeless address on the worthlessness of a life lived without Christ, King Solomon gives us wise counsel on this very habit.

Words of the wise, spoken quietly, should be heard
Rather than the shout of a ruler of fools.
Ecclesiastes 9:17 (NKJV)

How many times will we, as a people, ignore these words?
How many times does their truthfulness need to be proven until they are heeded?

Our Lord does not often blast His voice. Rather, He speaks in the quiet of our conscience and in the everlasting words of Scripture. Knowing this gives us an advantage, because it prompts us to ignore the tumult and chaos around us. Instead, let us focus on Christ, our Lord and Savior. We will then hear the words of the wise, leading us to peace in His presence.

Be encouraged, Jose

Look up

I will lift up my eyes to the hills— From whence comes my help? My help comes from the LORD, Who made heaven and earth.
Psalm 121:1-2 (NKJV)

When you hit crossroads, or are at dire situations, never forget to look up. When you run out of ideas and can't seem to comprehend the grasp of things in your life, ministry, business, family, studies, etc. look to a source that gives eternal peace and comfort through all lives situations. King David, a man who ruled over a nation, had abundant resources at his disposal, an army of battalion and battle ready troops, etc but yet had needs that required fulfilling. He simply looked up to heaven for 'real and lasting' help for that is where that comes from.

What is the situation you are going through? Never lose sight of where real help comes from. Look up to Him who made heaven and earth. For that's the sure help you can count on.

Be encouraged,

Afolabi

Happy Today

Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding. Proverbs 3:13 [KJV]

Have you ever heard the relief in a voice that has just said, "Now I know what is going on!!". When we understand what is happening, we are excited to move to the next topic. We feel that we know why things happened the way that they did. Many of us feel that the old song of "You will understand it better by and by" is so true that we cannot wait. We want to know, be in the know and have complete knowledge of what Christ has planned for our lives. That is not always the case.

Part of our lives, we will get understanding. Wisdom comes when we ask God for it. However, there are mysterious ways that God moves and we will not understand now. We will understand in the future and we will be ecstatic about what God did and how that led us to where we are now. He has all the influence that we need to be Happy Today because we know that He who holds the future will be He that directs our lives. Let's be happy today, knowing that we will all understand it better by and by.

Be Encouraged

Martin

Take heed

Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.
1 Corinthians 10:12-13 (NKJV)

There is nothing new under the sun, The eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing (Ecc. 1:8). So the preacher so eloquently put it. As branches connected to the main vine, we must never forget our source and giver of life. When connected to the vine, we flourish and bosom and bear fruits, yet we must take heed in all these things. We must watch and pray like the Savior advised us lest we fall into temptation. Even whenever a fall happens, He makes a way of escape for them that can connect back to their source and retract their steps.

Remember, you are not alone, it is not just about you, staying attached to the vine will cost nothing, but detaching, falling off and trying to reattach to the source again will cost more. Hence let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.

Be encouraged,

Afolabi

Daily Hygiene

Friends,

When they go into the tabernacle of meeting, or when they come near the altar to minister, to burn an offering made by fire to the LORD, they shall wash with water, lest they die. So they shall wash their hands and their feet, lest they die. And it shall be a statute forever to them - to him and his descendants throughout their generations.
Exodus 30:20-21

I have this scripture posted in our bathroom. I figure it's a good reminder of what to do after you're done doing what you have to do. But all kidding aside, why is it that the LORD demanded that His servants wash away the dirt of everyday life before entering into His chamber?

The answer for back then is the same as it is for now. The activities of daily living contaminate us. There is no getting around it. We live in this world, and this world will affect our Spirit. If it didn't, then Christ would not have washed His disciples' feet before leading them to pray at Gethsemane. It is a daily reminder that we are completely dependent on the Father's mercy, and that daily we must make up our mind to walk in the Spirit.

To be covered with the dirt of the natural world is normal and common. To be cleansed of it, with the outpouring of the Word, is demonstrate holiness.

Be encouraged, Jose

Fit for habitation

But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain You. How much less this temple which I have built!
1 Kings 8:27 (NKJV)

When King Solomon and the nation Israel completed the building of the magnificent temple, he declared before all men in the above scripture... Will God leave His throne and dwell on earth? Certainly not. The firmament and the heavens are not enough to contain His majesty. Certainly not the passing structures built and put together by a passing away creature will fit the bill. There is however a place that He continues to yearn to live in, and that is the heart of men. There He gains access to the soul of men, there He meets and communes with men. Out of this place also comes the various cares, issues and worries of life. Men bring thoughts that edify or chase Him out of our inner abode.

Is your heart fit and habitable for the Holy Spirit? Can God in you thrive with the tenants and thoughts that emanate from your heart? We will either edify Him or chase Him out with what's in the inside. He wants to reside in you and I. We must give our heart to Him.

Be encouraged,

Afolabi

Hold On

If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small. Proverbs 24:10 [KJV]

I had a pastor once who would always warn us about hard times coming. He would say, "if you have not had hard times yet, keep living". We can interpret this many ways, but I like to look at it like the verse above. Keep the faith in the hard times for they are coming. In the age of financial crisis and worry about economy, our faith has to be in something larger than the world financial market. We should hold on to the unchanging hand of God.

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. 2 Timothy 1:7 [KJV]

God gave his only begotten son as a ransom for us here. We should realize that we are passing through here and know that our home is somewhere else. We know that we have to live here, but we can be in the world, but not of the world. When the hard times come, just remember to hold on to Christ and keep the faith. Don't be afraid, but show others the peace of God that passes all understanding. Because when we represent God well, He will represent us well in our times of adversity.

Be Encouraged,

Martin