JUST A MINUTE, PLEASE!
[THE PREACHER'S CORNER]
LOOKING AT THE "SEEN" AND THE "UNSEEN!" [2COR.10:12]
This message is for many of us practicing christian believers, whose joy in the Lord is denied us by our concentration on the the visible things we see around us, rather than the invisible,the Almighty God, the "UNSEEN!"
We are taught by God's Word not to walk by sight but by faith. It's more explicitly clear in Hebrews;
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (Heb 11: 1)
But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. (Heb 11: 6)
Having established this, let's connect to our anchors Scripture;
For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise. (2Co 10: 12)
This Scripture is very weighty,but we will take the aspect of it that concerns *Looking at the SEEN and the UNSEEN.*
We are very good at comparing ourselves to others so much that we limit ourselves to Sight rather than to Faith. When we walk by Faith and not by Sight, it will be difficult for us to*dare make ourselves of the number or compare ourselves to some that commend themselves.*
In 1Samuel 17,we are presented with the account of David and Goliath.
Now, Goliath was walking by sight and compared his gigantic figure to small boy David,and mocked him, though apparently he was surprised.But he didn't make use of the surprise element. Had he,he would have been more conscious and think about why a small boy with a catapult should challenge him out of the whole army. He would have seen the INVISIBLE...the LORD of hosts behind David.
For David,he saw him physically first, and refused to compare himself with him. Instead,he saw an already slain giant...*I see your sword,spear and shield,but I don't need them to bring you down,for I COME IN THE NAME OF THE LORD GOD ALMIGHTY*
With just one stone, David brought Goliath down to a shameful death.
Any man that can train himself to the point of saying, when I see troubles or storms, I will not see them nor think about them,but I will only see God. If we're yet at the stage where we compare ourselves to others,and always physically interpret all situations, I'm afraid,we fell before Goliath did.
Take for instance,this simple example. As a believer,you left home in high spirit, probably humming a Gospel song. And on the way, you met a familiar younger person,who disrespected you by arrogantly rebuffing your greetings, and you settled for a tit for tat, and before you know it, you couldn't even go back to your humming again... because someone refused to greet you, your joy and inner peace have evaporated.
We must train ourselves to look beyond the physical, and this can only be achieved by Faith and not "daring to not make ourselves of the number and compare..."
Another illustration is of a believer who joyfully purchased a motorcycle and glorified God for the favour. And then, as he got to church, another brother who he has never seen with a car,drove past him in a new Jeep and parked where this believer wanted to park his bike. To worsen matters,he came out of the Jeep and told him to go park in another place. Now, this man who was praising God for his bike began questioning HIMSELF WHY HE IS PRAISING GOD FOR A MOTORCYCLE WHEN OTHERS ARE DRIVING JEEPS AND BENTLEYS!
Again,we do not dare to compare ourselves with others...2Cor.12:10...why are we looking at things that are SEEN?
Again,we may have fallen into some issues like police problem and detained innocently,or we fell sick for a while,and nobody from the household of faith visited us to pray with and comfort us. And then,we remember when brother and sister so and so, were in so and so difficulty, how we visited them three times a day to pray with and encouraged them(sometimes,even financially) and we are imprisoned in sorrow and grief... WE LOSE OUR JOY AND INNER PEACE...we look at things at their outward appearance and not by Faith...we dare to make ourselves of the number that compare ourselves to others...2Cor.12:10.
This is what prevents most of us from working for God...comparing ourselves to others. Paul was engulfed with both inner and outer infirmities,but he NEVER compared himself with others;
And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. (2Co 12: 9)
We shouldn't allow ourselves to at things that are SEEN... from their outward appearance...Paul was abandoned and felt lonely and he wrote;
This thou knowest, that all they which are in Asia be turned away from me; of whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes. (2Ti 1: 15)
It is easy to cope with friends of the world forsaking us,but for our christian family... it's more difficult. Apostle Paul laboured so much in Asia Minor that almost everyone received the Word of God,but listen to this...what the same people did;
At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge. (2Ti 4: 16)
Even our Lord Christ Jesus was abandoned by His Own;
And they all forsook him, and fled. (Mar 14: 50)
Why don't we trained ourselves to not look at things that are SEEN? We are not greeted,good for them! We are not visited in our times of trouble though we did same for others... good for them! We are drinking garri(processed cassava)with groundnut in our homes while others are eating whatever they wish to eat, good for them!
We have bicycles and motorcycles, while others are driving big cars and flying private jets, good for them! Why are we looking at things that are SEEN...outward appearance...THESE THINGS ARE PERISHABLE, THEY WILL FLY AWAY...THEY ARE CHANGEABLE IF GOD DESIRES TO.
WHY DON'T WE TRAINED OURSELVES TO YIELD OUR TOTALITY TO THE LORD?
We that are in the church are different... should be different... ought to be different...we dare not make ourselves of the number that compare ourselves to others who commend themselves...2Cor.12:10
May God help us in Christ Jesus' Name Amen,!
JUST A MINUTE, PLEASE!
[THE PREACHER'S CORNER]
🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥
LOOKING AT THE "SEEN" AND THE "UNSEEN!" [2COR.10:12]
🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥
This message is for many of us practicing christian believers, whose joy in the Lord is denied us by our concentration on the the visible things we see around us, rather than the invisible,the Almighty God, the "UNSEEN!"
We are taught by God's Word not to walk by sight but by faith. It's more explicitly clear in Hebrews;
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (Heb 11: 1)
But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. (Heb 11: 6)
Having established this, let's connect to our anchors Scripture;
For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise. (2Co 10: 12)
This Scripture is very weighty,but we will take the aspect of it that concerns *Looking at the SEEN and the UNSEEN.*
We are very good at comparing ourselves to others so much that we limit ourselves to Sight rather than to Faith. When we walk by Faith and not by Sight, it will be difficult for us to*dare make ourselves of the number or compare ourselves to some that commend themselves.*
In 1Samuel 17,we are presented with the account of David and Goliath.
Now, Goliath was walking by sight and compared his gigantic figure to small boy David,and mocked him, though apparently he was surprised.But he didn't make use of the surprise element. Had he,he would have been more conscious and think about why a small boy with a catapult should challenge him out of the whole army. He would have seen the INVISIBLE...the LORD of hosts behind David.
For David,he saw him physically first, and refused to compare himself with him. Instead,he saw an already slain giant...*I see your sword,spear and shield,but I don't need them to bring you down,for I COME IN THE NAME OF THE LORD GOD ALMIGHTY*
With just one stone, David brought Goliath down to a shameful death.
Any man that can train himself to the point of saying, when I see troubles or storms, I will not see them nor think about them,but I will only see God. If we're yet at the stage where we compare ourselves to others,and always physically interpret all situations, I'm afraid,we fell before Goliath did.
Take for instance,this simple example. As a believer,you left home in high spirit, probably humming a Gospel song. And on the way, you met a familiar younger person,who disrespected you by arrogantly rebuffing your greetings, and you settled for a tit for tat, and before you know it, you couldn't even go back to your humming again... because someone refused to greet you, your joy and inner peace have evaporated.
We must train ourselves to look beyond the physical, and this can only be achieved by Faith and not "daring to not make ourselves of the number and compare..."
Another illustration is of a believer who joyfully purchased a motorcycle and glorified God for the favour. And then, as he got to church, another brother who he has never seen with a car,drove past him in a new Jeep and parked where this believer wanted to park his bike. To worsen matters,he came out of the Jeep and told him to go park in another place. Now, this man who was praising God for his bike began questioning HIMSELF WHY HE IS PRAISING GOD FOR A MOTORCYCLE WHEN OTHERS ARE DRIVING JEEPS AND BENTLEYS!
Again,we do not dare to compare ourselves with others...2Cor.12:10...why are we looking at things that are SEEN?
Again,we may have fallen into some issues like police problem and detained innocently,or we fell sick for a while,and nobody from the household of faith visited us to pray with and comfort us. And then,we remember when brother and sister so and so, were in so and so difficulty, how we visited them three times a day to pray with and encouraged them(sometimes,even financially) and we are imprisoned in sorrow and grief... WE LOSE OUR JOY AND INNER PEACE...we look at things at their outward appearance and not by Faith...we dare to make ourselves of the number that compare ourselves to others...2Cor.12:10.
This is what prevents most of us from working for God...comparing ourselves to others. Paul was engulfed with both inner and outer infirmities,but he NEVER compared himself with others;
And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. (2Co 12: 9)
We shouldn't allow ourselves to at things that are SEEN... from their outward appearance...Paul was abandoned and felt lonely and he wrote;
This thou knowest, that all they which are in Asia be turned away from me; of whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes. (2Ti 1: 15)
It is easy to cope with friends of the world forsaking us,but for our christian family... it's more difficult. Apostle Paul laboured so much in Asia Minor that almost everyone received the Word of God,but listen to this...what the same people did;
At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge. (2Ti 4: 16)
Even our Lord Christ Jesus was abandoned by His Own;
And they all forsook him, and fled. (Mar 14: 50)
Why don't we trained ourselves to not look at things that are SEEN? We are not greeted,good for them! We are not visited in our times of trouble though we did same for others... good for them! We are drinking garri(processed cassava)with groundnut in our homes while others are eating whatever they wish to eat, good for them!
We have bicycles and motorcycles, while others are driving big cars and flying private jets, good for them! Why are we looking at things that are SEEN...outward appearance...THESE THINGS ARE PERISHABLE, THEY WILL FLY AWAY...THEY ARE CHANGEABLE IF GOD DESIRES TO.
WHY DON'T WE TRAINED OURSELVES TO YIELD OUR TOTALITY TO THE LORD?
We that are in the church are different... should be different... ought to be different...we dare not make ourselves of the number that compare ourselves to others who commend themselves...2Cor.12:10
May God help us in Christ Jesus' Name Amen,🙇🙏!
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