Praise the Lord! O my soul and all that is within me, praise His Holy Name. He has done great things, praise His Holy Name. What the Lord has done for me, I cannot tell it all. He save me and wash away my sin, so that I can shout alleluia, praise the Lord.
My beloved, shout alleluia in the highest to the King of kings, the Lord of Lord, and The Lofty One sitteth in heaven and oversees the affairs of men. Let us praise and worship Him with our heart full of praise, glory, honour, adoration be unto the Him forever. Amen.
God is too faithful to fail, but in all things His Name Alone must be praise. He lift up the poor and the needy from the dungeon and sitteth them among the prince and princess to show forth His power. In the midst of it all, He is God and He does His things as it pleases Him.
Who can cause you; when God has blessed you? As a bona fide child of God operating under grace obtained through the blood that was shed on the cross of Calvary, you are causeless. You are standing on the Rock that never fails. He who raises against you will hit the rock and if the Rock raises against your enemy it will smash it to pieces. Praise God.
I want to create a right atmosphere for the weekend. We are in the holiday mood already, but I want you to go before your mirror, probable a standing one, have a good look at yourself. What are you seeing? Write your perception of you down on a book. Having done that, do I ask you a question, what did you see?
Be real here. Say it as it is, you can make everyone feel good about you but you know the truth about yourself. Same way you can be feeling very sad about yourself, wishing things were better than it is now. Good; Well done, either way, you are right, at least that is what you are seeing and feeling as well.
When last did you make a good compliment about the next person? Now am not talking about you, am focusing on people around, everybody outside “you”. Can you remember the last time you spoke nicely to the next person, either to your spouse, children, domestic helps, colleagues, neighbor, parents or siblings? Have you ever commend them for a job well done? Ever corrected them in love? Offered help when and where necessary?
Or rather your department is “Perfectionist” “On Point Solution” “Error Free Zone”. “On Time Delivery Outlet”. Check yourself and know where you fall in. As good as all this qualities are but sometimes we over do it. We are so high handed and that discourages the people around us or working with us.
We are not blaming anyone yet, neither are we condemning anyone too, our mission and purpose here is to bring the Word in season that blesses our souls and set us in the right standing with God. However, if after you have heard but you refuse to do as the spirit commanded you then you have your case with God. Praise God.
Most of us fall in the category painted above, but God want you from now on be deliberate about it, slow down (not in quality), be more patient, more kindly, more loving as your Heavenly Father is to you, apply same to those you are overseeing. Stop breathing it down. Stop giving excuse for your extremity, which is now a weakness and you hid under a perfect disciplinary. God help us.
As I said earlier, I want to set the mood right, if you have not been doing it, take this time off and be nice to someone especially those you have not been so kind or friendly recently. I said be deliberate about it, then watch what happens to (Yourself and those concerns).
Come along with me as we read the experience of one of us in the market place evangelism:
Good Compliment
“I can live on a good compliment for six months.“ – Mark Twain
Recently two senior Christian leaders visited my wife and me.
One of them conveyed a cool, censorious, and detached manner as he doled out dry, emotionless suggestions on how we should improve. For several days we carried his bags, pampered him in his whims, and catered to his idiosyncrasies.
As he departed to “minister” at his next destination, we found ourselves left with a curious mixture of angst and relief.
A few days later the other Christian leader visited with us. Traveling as he was with his severely infirmed wife, his circumstances were extremely trying. Yet he managed to convey a gracious, sensitive, and caring spirit.
In the course of his interaction with our friends, he commented (in my presence), “Dwight is a faithful man.“
I am amazed at how that one brief encouraging remark has bolstered me in the week or two since it was uttered: “This fine Christian leader believes I am a ‘faithful man‘”!
Hey! I can live on that compliment for six months! And it cost him nothing to offer it.
As I reflected back on these two men, two Scriptures came to mind:
- Regarding the censorious gentleman: “Death and life are in the power of the tongue… ” (Proverbs 18:21a)
- Regarding the gracious gentleman: Paul said of Onesiphorus, “He often refreshed my spirit… ” (2 Timothy 1:16b)
QUESTION: How are you doing in the compliment department? Do you come off as coolly detached, or as compassionately involved? When was the last time you took a colleague aside and gave him or her a word of encouragement? Or put your arm around your spouse or one of your kids and said, “I think you are dynamite! I am proud of you!“
The cost of giving a compliment is infinitesimal, but the reward to the recipient could be immeasurable: Perhaps six months of a bolstered spirit!
Wow! Did you hear that beloved, six months or more of a bolstered spirit is no joke. Do you know that the fastest way to kill without a knife or gun is with mouth as you also read.
How do you want carry on your life going forward? Do you want be refer to as a “Mentor or Sadist? There is still to make amend, ask God how to become more like Him “Passionate, loving, enduring, long suffering, kindness and tender mercies”
Even God knew how feeble a man is but even at that He quip such a person to do exploits in His Name. some find it difficult to impart the knowledge the possess to another. Is only our Master Jesus who encourages His followers to do more than He did while here on earth just by asking.
Another account of the nature of God. In His presence there is fullness of joy, is it the case with you? When people come around you they leave fulfilled or unhappy, their countenance drop. Probably you will learn of Him, How one look from Him transform lest man in a clan and made him a mighty warrior. Read on:
“And the Lord looked upon him, and said, Go in this thy might, and thou shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites: have not I sent thee?.” Judges 6:14
What a look was that which the Lord gave to Gideon! He looked him out of his discouragements into a holy bravery. If our look to the Lord saves us, what will not His look at us do? Lord, look on me this day, and nerve me for its duties and conflicts.
What a word was this which Jehovah spoke to Gideon! “Go.” He must not hesitate. He might have answered, “What, go in all this weakness!” But the Lord put that word out of court by saying, “Go in this thy might.” The Lord had looked might into him, and he had now nothing to do but to use it, and save Israel by smiting the Midianites.
It may be that the Lord has more to do by me than I ever dreamed of. If He has looked upon me He has made me strong. Let me by faith exercise the power with which He has entrusted me. He never bids me “idle away my time in this my might.” Far from it. I must “go,” because He strengthens me.
What a question is that which the Lord puts to me even as He put it to Gideon! “Have not I sent thee?” Yes, Lord, thou hast sent me, and I will go in thy strength. At thy command I go, and, going, I am assured that thou wilt conquer by me.
Good compliment is a good medicine for the soul and healing to the bone. A week ago, someone told me what keep on my toes from morning till evening, working out my project, though full of obstacles and discouragement. I refuse to give in, I keep rejecting that negative remark at the end instead being my bend, it became by splint, it motivated into accomplishment instead of discouraging me. It became a pillar upon which I stood and stand out tall.
That also help me to have a good understanding of this message, have had it for a while and I didn’t know how to put it forward for better understanding. I now realize that negative words stab deeper than a sharp knife and the pain is ever alive except heal by the Lord.
Be nice this week end, say some good thing to people around you, people you meet in shopping mall, café and many more. Run though the week’s message and have more insight. See you next week by the grace of God.
Remain blessed in the Lord.
