JUST A MINUTE, PLEASE! [THE PREACHER'S CORNER] 🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆 GRACE IN THE MIDST OF THE FIRE! 🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆 As a Christian believer, have you experienced real pain...pain that can't be put into words...pain that no matter how masculine you are,only hot boiling tears can express? Yes,there are some pains that are so overwhelming that we are tempted to shove the Cross aside. Having been in it for a better part of my life,and still in it, without giving up,by His Grace and Mercy, I can boldly tell you, though it isn't easy, THERE'S GOD'S GRACE RIGHT THERE BY YOU, IF YOU DECIDE TO SEE IT! Quitting your Faith is what the devil expects,but YOU AIN'T GOING TO GIVE hIM THAT SATISFACTION. Indeed,there are some fires that most fervent believers are passing through today, that are worse off than Nebuchadnezzar's fire. But because,much of it today is spiritual,many will not understand. As a believer,I must admit that, oftentimes I feel it isn't just worth it, but such thoughts aren't for Christians. I say this because, I know that God is working in my trials and I do believe He has a purpose. But truly, there are days when I struggle to see beyond the pain and, in my humanity, my present feelings cloud my eternal perspective. But some how, I see the GRACE,and I survive the moment. Some days...I want to be rescued, rather than sustained. That's why we're flesh and blood. Remember this, it doesn't matter how blazing the FIRE, He Meets Us There. His GRACE is there to sustain us. Don't bulge... don't yield! He never fails. When our heart grows weary and we feel like giving up the fight, the Spirit draws near, carries us through those moments, and as fix our gaze on Him and cry out to Him, we are gradually infused with a fresh sense of hope and perseverance to trust the One who rules over the length and heat of the fire. He will do that for you today as you re-read Proverbs 17:3...“Gold is put in the fire because it is gold.” It sounds so obvious. But it holds far more meaning than it may seem at face value. You and I are not in the fire to be burned, but to be refined. And He only refines His treasures...that which carries great value and worth in His Eyes. Yes, to be rescued would be temporary relief, but to be refined is a lasting blessing that cannot be lost or taken when the next fire comes. I ask, have you prayed for a miracle and wonder why God has allowed your trial to continue? Have you seen other’s situations improve while yours only seem to worsen? Remember this...God only refines that which He Loves. And to add insult to injury, the enemy often unleashes on those whom God sees worth refining because they are a greater threat to him than those who are drunk with comfort. If God rescues you (which He sometimes does), it shows the world His Power to change circumstances at His Word. But if He doesn’t, and we choose to serve and trust Him anyway, it shows the world His Power to change a heart...a heart that loves Him above all else. Many people (even non-believers) can make sense of our joy over an answered prayer and improved circumstances. And it’s often easy to attribute earthly reasons for why or how our changed circumstances came about. But to the one who continues to endure hardship with a heart that is “sorrowful yet always rejoicing,” there is no earthly explanation for it. It causes us to stop and wonder when someone GROWS in character, peace, perseverance, contentment, hope, strength, and joy in circumstances that should naturally destroy those very things. He Stands With You and I. Brethren, I pray you will be encouraged to press on today...not because you’re strong or resilient enough to endure the flames, but because if you have been chosen in the furnace of affliction, Rather than standing over us with the fire of condemnation (which we all deserve), Christ Jesus stands with you and I, and HE is strong enough to not only endure the flames, but to bring you forth as gold through them. And they will not last a moment longer than HE deems necessary. Charles Spurgeon wrote; “You often think that Christ Jesus does not care because He has not interposed with a great miracle. Gradually you are getting poorer or becoming more afflicted in body. My dear friend, sometimes God works a greater wonder when He sustains people in trouble than by delivering them. To let the bush burn with fire and not be consumed (Ex. 3:2) is a greater thing than quenching the flame and saving the bush.” May our lives bear such testimony. Eternal Life is worth all the Fires of this world. And remember, HIS GRACE IS WITH US IN THE MIDST OF THE FIRE! 🙏🙇!

FROM THE EARTHLY SHEPHERD'S DIARY! 🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥 IMPATIENCE...THE VIRUS THAT CAUSES MOST OF US TO BE LOST IN TRANSIT! 🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥 Patience is a very necessary tool in everyone's life, regardless of religious beliefs. But it's even MORE NECESSARY AS A VIRTUE, more than anything in the LIFE OF THE CHRISTIAN BELIEVER! For ye have need of PATIENCE, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. (Heb 10: 36) Lack of patience has made many of us seeing ourselves ARRIVING OUTSIDE DIVINE TIMING OF OUR DIVINE ASSIGNMENT! Impatience is a dark and prevalent sin that we love to explain away. What excuses do you reach for when your patience runs low? Like Saul,that the people were becoming restless as they didn't see Samuel and so made himself a priest? We all know what it costed him. Do we know that it was IMPATIENCE THAT BREEDED MOSES' ANGER? Lack of patience more often than not, brings our real self...our sinful nature to the surface(Matt.15:11) So where does impatience come from? At bottom, impatience grows out of our unwillingness to trust and submit to God’s timing for our lives. Many pastors have wonderful assignments from God but couldn't wait to be SENT by WHO Owns the assignment,and so they SEND themselves,only to have regrets as their reward. For it's either they're working in a wrong location and labouring for someone else to receive the eternal reward,or they're bluntly disappointed in ministry. Impatience is a child of our pride and unbelief. It rises out of our frustration that we do not control what happens and when in our lives. We see this dynamic in the wilderness, among the people God has just delivered from slavery and oppression: From Mount Hor they set out by the way to the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom. And the people became impatient on the way. And the people spoke against God. (Numbers 21:4–5) “Impatience grows out of our unwillingness to trust and submit to God’s timing for our lives.” Even after God had brought them out of Egypt, and walked them through the Red Sea, and wiped out their enemies behind them, and fed them with food that fell from heaven, they still grew impatient. Why? Because the life God had promised them, the kind of life they really wanted, didn’t come fast enough. The path he had chosen for them was longer and harder and more painful than they expected. They grew angry over how much they could not control. So much so, in fact, that they even began to long for the cruelty of Pharaoh,for to them,they at least got to choose what they ate (Exodus 16:3). Our impatience has much in common with theirs. But we ought to know that God’s plans for us are famous for upending our plans for ourselves; For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. (Jer 29: 11) So when we are confronted with our lack of control, when life inevitably interrupts what we had planned, when we are forced to wait, we typically respond with discomfort. IMPATIENCE tries to wrestle with God for control, while PATIENCE gladly kneels, with hands spread wide, ready to receive all that God has planned and given. Impatience grumbles, while patience rejoices, even while it experiences real pains of delay. So where does PATIENCE come from? If IMPATIENCE is a child of our pride and unbelief, PATIENCE springs from humility, faith, and joy. Humility subverts impatience by gladly admitting how little we can see in any given moment, however difficult or inconvenient the moment may be. When we grow impatient, we overestimate our own ability to judge our circumstances, and we underestimate the good God can do through unwanted inconveniences and unexpected delays. The humble receive the same inconveniences and delays as callings, not DISTRACTIONS...as God revealing HIS WILL and TIMING through them. 👉 IMPATIENCE IS A TOOL OF DISTRACTION BY THE DEVIL, TO STEAL, KILL AND DESTROY(SKD)OUR MANDATE...OUR DESTINY...OUR JOY! You see, if the enemy can’t destroy you he will distract you. But our adversary is predictable and uses the same old tricks time and time again. It is up to us to stay alert so that we won't fall prey to the enemy. The purpose of distractions are to get you out of God’s will. The enemy wants you so preoccupied with your situation that you take your eyes off of God. Focusing on your situation will make it seem like it’s bigger than God, but it’s not. God is greater than anything we could be up against. For instance, he will make a woman look at herself that, she's getting old and still unmarried. Impatience then makes her to marry outside God's Will for her. And when married with no child,the enemy makes her see her friends' bubbling with children,not taking cognizance of the fact that God is reserving her womb for a great seed. And so, impatiently,she seeks for children outside God...and the consequences are usually hard to bear. For the men,they see their school mates hitting it big, living in mansions and driving big cars,and wonder what they are waiting for. They no longer remember as believers,we have our different timing by God. They may be soberly patient enough to even think about how those school mates hit it big(probably within a short time frame)! Before you know it, they're out of the PATH AND WAY OF HOLINESS THEY SO HOLD DEAR BEFORE. It's the enemy at work...steal,kill, destroy (Jn.10:10) It's the reason evil social vices are on the increase daily. Some self sent pastors go into the occult and resort to sorcery to make it in ministry. THEY WANT THE POWER, BUT AREN'T PATIENT ENOUGH TO WAIT FOR THE GIVER OF THE ULTIMATE POWER...THEY VENTURE OUTSIDE THE COUNSEL OF HIS WORD AND PIERCE THEMSELVES (1TM.6-10). The enemy also distracts us with words and with actions. Understand that when the enemy speaks it’s always a lie! There is no truth in him as he is the father of lies (John 8:44). You can discern his voice because it plants seeds of fear and doubt. He’ll use anything: past wounds, idols in your life, social media, good God-given desires (such as the desire to be married like I mentioned above), and even your friends. If we fall for the distractions then we will become ineffective in our faith. You have a unique purpose, but the enemy doesn’t want you to live it out. He’ll use social media to get you focused on how much attention someone else is getting so you’ll pursue popularity instead of purpose, ALL BECAUSE OF IMPATIENCE. BEFORE WE KNOW IT,WE ARE LOST IN TRANSIT... BECAUSE WE DECIDED TO TAKE A WRONG ROUTE,WHICH WE FEEL IS EASIER AND SHORTER... THAT'S HOW THE ENEMY WILL PAINT IT. Our adversary will send “friends” into your life who are fun to be around but discourage you from walking in obedience. Realize that not all distractions are negative or troubling. Some look like answered prayers, like a man who is seemingly everything you want as a woman,etc. That’s why it’s crucial to use discernment. All that glitters ain't God.So what do we do? How do we avoid these pitfalls? 👉Expect the attack Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. - 1 Peter 5:8 The Bible tells us in 1 Peter 5 that the devil is looking for someone to devour, but many of us are still caught off guard when the attack and distractions comes. We have to expect that we will be attacked. We may not know how or when, but we can make an educated guess. When the enemy comes to plant doubt and fear, be ready to talk back to Him with TRUTH! Throw it in his face! When you feel weak remember that God’s Power is made perfect weakness (2 Cor 12:10). God is with you, so stand up and don’t be afraid. 👉Walk in your God-given authority Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you. (Luke 10:19) Christ Jesus has given us authority over ALL the power of the enemy. The enemy knows his time and power is limited, and that you can overcome him. As a follower of Christ Jesus, be firm enough to rebuke unsolicited advice outside God's Word, and walk out of ungodly associations, no matter how genuine they look. Take time to study spiritual warfare. Read Ephesians 6 and 2 Corinthians 10:3-6. 👉Stay close to the Shepherd and Bishop of our souls. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. - Psalm 23:4 Shepherds care for their sheep. They lead them to food, guide them away from danger, and protect them from attacks. Christ Jesus is the Good Shepherd. Stay close to Him. When we are under attack by distraction and are afraid, our first instinct is to protect ourselves and run. But isolation is the worst thing you can do. Train yourself to run to the Shepherd at all time, but especially when attacks(distractions occasioned by impatience) come. That’s where the protection is. Christ Jesus laid down His life for us. We can trust Him because He’s proven His love for us. WHEN WE WALK FAITHFULLY WITH HIM IN ABSOLUTE SURRENDER, WE CAN NEVER BE LOST IN TRANSIT, AMEN🙇🙏!

FROM THE EARTHLY SHEPHERD'S DIARY! 🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥 SOME FACTORS THAT INHIBIT OUR "CONTENDING FOR THE FAITH"! (JUDE 3-4) 🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥 When asked what the opposite of faith is... these six answers verily come to mind, perhaps in the order below👇; 👉Unbelief 👉Self Sufficiency 👉Doubt 👉Fear 👉Sight 👉Inaction While it's true that all the answers(especially unbelief) are correct,yet the 4th one "FEAR," is the most resounding factor that feeds our UNBELIEF. Also,all the six answers are actually incredibly linked to one another. The environment we found ourselves in, has the potential of negatively or positively impacting on our Faith, and then, contending for it. This is where FEAR and DOUBT(UNCERTAINTY) come in. Thus, while we may look into all six, I want us to start with FEAR, and I'm sure that by the time we look into it, you will see no need in looking into the rest, for they're truly interrelated. 👉FEAR...A BROTHER TO DOUBT! “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” (Mark 4:40). “But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind” (James 1:6). I began by emphasizing on our ENVIRONMENT as a major factor at play in the exercise of our FAITH... that's CONTENDING FOR OUR FAITH! 👉 MATRIMONIAL ENVIRONMENT Like all married couples, my wife and I occasionally used to express our disagreements with a certain unhelpful zeal… In other words, we fight,which unfortunately often opens the door to the enemy, always lurking around(1Pt.5:8) However important the issue might seem at the time, we have come to realize that our disputes are often over stupid or trivial things,so that we can claim the title of the *Rightiest Person in the Room.* And having discovered that, we mutually agreed to respect each other's opinion,going forward, to avoid "frigidity" in all our discourses. Unfortunately,this also affects BIBLICAL ISSUES oftentimes, where we may have different understanding in some scriptural doctrines. Here,though we are fully convinced of our beliefs, DOUBT AND FEAR OF THE CONSEQUENCES OF ENFORCING SAME ON OUR SPOUSES,WHO MAY NOT SHARE THE SAME ZEAL,END UP SHUTTING US UP. Why? We are avoiding friction in the family. The truth here is that,we are doing a great DISSERVICE TO OUR FAITH,AND BY EXTENSION,OUR GOD! It might be okay in secular issues, but certainly not in issues that involves our ETERNAL LIFE. Therefore,we must prayerfully and in love,spiced with patience and tolerance bring our disagreeing spouses to the Light of God's Word convicted in us. NO STAKES ARE HIGHER THAN OUR ETERNITY, EXCEPT WE DON'T TRULY LOVE OUR SPOUSES! 👉PEER AND EXTENDED FAMILY ENVIRONMENT The fear of *WHAT WILL THEY THINK OF ME, AND THE POSSIBILITY OF LOSING FRIENDS AND FAMILY RECKONING,* has made many of us to doubt the wisdom in CONTENDING FOR OUR FAITH when in their midst. And as such,we lose many opportunities of winning souls to God. Personally, I've this problem,and I see in it selfishness more than fear,for Salvation is involved here. Thus,we must redefine our priorities and put God first in all our dealings,no matter how hard the situation is.(Jas.1:22) 👉 WORKPLACE ENVIRONMENT This is almost like our peer and extended family environment. The FEAR OF LOSING OUR JOBS BY OFFENDING OUR EMPLOYERS AND COWORKERS MAKE MANY OF US TO HIDE OUR FAITH. Very sadly, in many cases,we find ourselves compromising our Biblical standards,just to fit in...and even sometimes end up enjoying these laxities and eventually lose our spirituality on the altar of the flesh. IT'S VERY ACCURATE TO SAY THAT MANY LOSE THEIR FAITH IN THEIR WORK PLACES/ENVIRONMENT, IN PREFERENCE TO "TEMPORARILY" LOSING THEIR JOBS! We have cases where Female marketing officers(including christians) sleep with potential clients in order to meet targets. Here,we have doubt,self-sufficiency and trusting the physical at work. We don't believe that God can make us meet target,"IF WE DENY HIM NOT," and resort to sinfully misleading human wisdom; “Apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). “We walk by faith not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7). Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. (Jas 1: 17) 👉 ENVIRONMENT OF SOCIAL AND CULTURAL PRESSURES Traditional beliefs and practices often clash with Christian values, oftentimes leading to social pressure and discrimination...This includes Religious Extremism. And this leads to not just discrimination,but persecution as it's being experienced in Northern Nigeria and other parts of the world. BUT, THERE'S NO BETTER TIME AND OPPORTUNITY TO "CONTEND FOR OUR FAITH!" (Jude 3-4) Easier said than done,you say,but God giveth Grace in all things. Everyone who has begun to travel down the road of faith knows that there can be obstacles along the way. Some spiritual obstacles cannot be avoided, but they can be overcomed. 👉 HOWEVER, IN CONTENDING FOR THE FAITH, WE MUST; (A)Demonstrate humility: Christians can and must contend without being contentious. Just like Jude’s audience, we have been called by, purchased by, and kept for Christ Jesus. Whatever insights we may have into Scripture are not due to our superior intellectual or moral attainments...they are gifts from God meant to bring Him glory and honor. This is why, in all our contending, we must reject “an unhealthy craving for controversy” (“1 Timothy 6:4), and instead “be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people” (Titus 3:1–2). The contentious person is simply looking for a fight. He “stirs up division … is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned” (Titus 3:10–11). (B) Love others: Contending is not about making doctrine more important than people. Christ Jesus’ message to the church at Ephesus is instructive for us on this point. In Revelation 2, we read: I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false. I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name’s sake, and you have not grown weary. (Revelation 2:2-3) This is what Christ Jesus wants from us,as *WE CONTEND FOR THE FAITH!* May God grant us grace to love others with no less fervor than we love the truth...Amen🙇🙏!

FROM THE EARTHLY SHEPHERD'S DIARY! 🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥 WHY MANY OF US CHRISTIANS SUFFER AFFLICTIONS! (PLEASE,NOT TRIALS) 🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥 Though we are enjoined to pick our cross and follow Christ Jesus...which by implications mean that, the life or pilgrimage of a Christian isn't expected to be a vacation trip or rosy ride, yet, very many of us invite those bumpy and uneasy rides(afflictions) by ourselves. Afflictions are relatively different from trials though we use the two terms together. TRIALS ARE GOD APPROVED AFFLICTIONS THAT WE FACE BECAUSE OF OUR BELIEFS, WHILE AFFLICTION ON ITS OWN, IS A PUNISHMENT WE FACE FOR EITHER ACQUIRED OR INHERITED SIN! Without argument,sin is the main reason we fall into demonic bondage (afflictions). If you have a demon and are under attack, it is because there is sin. It could be you,or someone in the family with spiritual authority over you, an extended family member or an ancestral committed sin. If you are tormented by the devil, it is because of sin. It is not any more complicated than that. Sin is the reason most of us suffer. I want to us to be specific about some deadly but seemingly insignificant sins that open the door to demons. These are; 👉Pride 👉Greed 👉Wrath 👉Envy 👉Lust 👉Gluttony 👉Sloth (Laziness) Modern-day Christianity doesn’t seem to think in terms of these as being the definition of evil because we have more contemporary ways of explaining sin. It is good to have a measureable mark to know things that we should not do, as Christians... difficult...yes,but by His Grace and Mercy,we can overcome. 16. These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: 17. A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, 18. An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, 19. A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren. (Pro 6: 16-19) I believe we can identify the sins listed in the verses with the ones stated above. In our walk with the Lord, while we should do all we can to walk circumspect, knowing that the times are evil, we should not forget the fundamental scripturally outlined things that are just as dangerous in opening one’s life up to the devil. Let us look at the list in the book of Proverbs in detail. 👉A Proud Look This describes someone who is haughty or looks down on others. They think of themselves more highly; we may call them narcissists. You might think that this is not you or me but have we ever thought of ourselves as better than other Christians? Some unbelievers are much humbler than us christian believers. Pride is such a detestable sin to God that in 2 Corinthians, Apostle Paul was even given a thorn in the flesh to keep him from becoming proud. 👉A Lying Tongue We have even classified lies into white and black lies,but a lie remains a lie. This means you speak a falsehood with the deliberate intent to deceive. This clearly denotes intentionality and purpose to the lie; you are out to deceive. A lying tongue deliberately obliterate the character of another person and flatters disingenuously. There is nothing more like the devil than a lying tongue(John 8:44). 👉Hands That Shed Innocent Blood We call it cold-blooded murder. But this does not only include wielding a weapon and taking a life. Christ Jesus taught us in Matthew 5 that anyone who was unreasonably angry with someone and offers no room for forgiveness, commits a sin equivalent to murder (1 John 3:15). EVEN A LIE THAT LEADS TO AN INNOCENT'S DEATH MAKES US THE LIAR COMPLICIT TO THE DEATH! 👉A Heart That Devises Wicked Plans What might instantly come to mind here is a terrorist or an assassin. But having a wicked plan is simply thinking about how you can bring hurt or harm to someone else. It is very sinister. King David did this to get rid of Uriah the Hittite, so he could have Bathsheba, Uriah’s wife. 👉Feet That Are Swift In Running To Evil This describes someone who acts on impulse all the time. Like Eve in the Garden of Eden, they don’t think their actions through and show very little resistance to temptation. The moment the sin showed itself, they responded. That is running quickly to evil. Contrast that with Christ Jesus. He was hungry after 40 days and 40 nights fasting in the wilderness but when the temptation came to turn stones into bread, He didn’t yield to it. Be careful about responding or acting quickly because sins aren’t usually things that you mentally process. People who are driven by desire without thinking about the consequences are overcome by the spirit behind this sin. 👉A False Witness Who Speaks Lies This has similarities but is different from a lying tongue. In this case, the lie is against an innocent person. It's still a lie. 👉One Who Sows Discord Among The Brethren Psalm 133:1 is one of many scriptures that tell us Christians are to live in unity with one another. Despite our differences, we have one Father. This becomes sin when it purposely disrupts the body of Christ Jesus. We are called to be peacemakers and thus be sons of God, according to Matthew 5 but it is the very spirit of lucifer whose objective it is to divide and conquer. It’s number one aim is to destroy and disrupt the church of Christ Jesus. Beware of discord among the brethren. IF WE CHOOSE TO DWELL ON THIS EVIL RAVAGING THE CHURCH,WE WON'T END,BUT WE DO KNOW OURSELVES AND THESE THINGS. What about the Cravings Of The Flesh... though all categories fall under lust? We have considered these blatant sins that make a person susceptible to demonic invasion. However, there is a more general way in which sin operates. 15. Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. (1Jn 2: 15-16) The three elements described here all make us vulnerable targets to the devil: The cravings of the body, wanting whatever you see, and the pride of life. 👉The Devil’s Two Basic Strategies Though our wily foe has many methods at his disposal, his whole strategy to attack people, boils down to two things: INTENTION AND OPPORTUNITY. Demonic occupation by intention is when satan has a specific plan to attack and the door to evil in your life is open by willing cooperation on your behalf. In other words, we intentionally make ourselves vulnerable to the enemy. The fact that there is a curse against your family isn’t sin but when you fixate on it, and feed it, you open the door for attacks. The other way demons attack is very clever, and it is by opportunity. That means they detect the weakness in your life and seemingly randomly exploit it. Not everything is intricately planned by the devil to present temptation. He simply observes the things that happen, and when he sees a potential opportunity, he seizes it. It is becoming increasingly difficult to BE IN THE WORLD AND BE NOT OF THE WORLD. The Bible encourages us therefore to be watchful and prayerful. BY BEING WATCHFUL(DISCERNING SPIRIT) AND THE FULLNESS OF GOD IN OUR LIVES, VICTORY IS CERTAIN; These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. (Joh 16: 33) Amen🙇🙏!

FROM THE EARTHLY SHEPHERD'S DIARY! 🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥 AN UNBRIDLED TONGUE IS THE DEVIL'S WORKSHOP (JAS. 3) 🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥 Before we begin, let's remind ourselves that we we are warned by the scriptures that ALL CARELESSLY SPOKEN WORDS shall be accounted for. (Matt.12:36-37) Thus, it's not strange that apostle James(Christ Jesus' half brother) had to deal with the TONGUE as a very important subject, which Christians and non-Christians are often guilty of. The apostle James says; For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body. (Jas 3: 2) This tells us that everyone is at the risk of not controlling his tongue. James says we all stumble in many things including in words. Simply put, if anyone does not stumble in words, he is a perfect man, able also to control the whole body. THAT SHOWS HOW MIGHTY OUR TONGUE IS! IT CAN LIFT US, OR BRING US DOWN, DEPENDING ON HOW WE USE IT. Apostle James describes the tongue as a small member of our body, which boasts great things (James 3:5). He says just as a tiny spark can set a forest on fire, so the tongue is a flame of fire, which can set on fire a whole life. Fire is good but uncontrolled fire is dangerous. It can wreak havoc. The tongue is not evil but an uncontrolled tongue is dangerous. It can cause enormous damage. Read Jas.3:7-12. The tongue we use to bless is the same tongue we use to curse and the apostle James says this should not be so. Although people can tame every kind of beast, bird, and reptile, and creature of the sea, nobody can tame the tongue. It is full of deadly poison. It can only be controlled or tamed by the Holy Spirit, not by human power. Self-control is part of the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:23). When the Holy Spirit controls someone’s life, he will be able to control his tongue so that he will not poison his life and the lives of others. He will not ruin his life and that of others. Lack of self-control can lead one to sin as one easily falls into temptation. What is true of lack of self-control with regard to sexual immorality is also true of the uncontrolled tongue (1 Corinthians 7:5, 9). The ability to control one’s tongue is a mark of spiritual maturity. The apostle James says; If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain. (Jas 1: 26) Beware of the danger of uncontrolled tongue. Don’t say what you’re not supposed to say just because you’re provoked, careless, or trying to impress or please another person or other persons. FOR INSTANCE, THE GOD'S GENERAL WE LOST RECENTLY, SAID IN A TRENDING VIDEO THAT AT HIS SECOND PRESENCE IN HEAVEN,GOD TOLD HIM THAT HE HAS 34 MORE YEARS LATER TO PREACH *THE WORD!* BUT UNFORTUNATELY, JUST 3 YEARS LATER, LEFT! IS GOD THEN AN AUTHOR OF CONFUSION? OF COURSE, NOT! For believers and teachers of God's Word, NOT EVERY VISION IS MEANT FOR PUBLIC CONSUMPTION...SOME ARE VERY PERSONAL. Because of the vision,he carelessly used expletives not expected from an even baby believer on a caring and concerned doctor,who only was proffering his medical solutions. We should exercise self-control in the use of our tongue. Someone said, “Speak when you are angry and you will make the best speech you will ever regret.” How true this is! Even, the Bible says, “Let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath” (James 1:19) Control your tongue. Christ Jesus says, “But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca!’ shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of hell fire” (Matthew 5:22) This is the danger of an uncontrolled tongue. Don’t play to the gallery and speak unadvisedly just to please those who are applauding you. You could regret it later and be seeking forgiveness. Think before you speak, not the other way round; Seest thou a man that is hasty in his words? there is more hope of a fool than of him. (Pro 29: 20) Again; He that keepeth his mouth keepeth his life: but he that openeth wide his lips shall have destruction. (Pro 13: 3) Quoting Psalm 34:12-14, the apostle Peter says, “He who would love life and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips from speaking deceit. Let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it (1 Peter 3:10-11) Beware of the danger of uncontrolled tongue. In Numbers 20:1-13, Moses didn’t control his tongue when he spoke to the Israelites to bring them water from the rock as God had commanded him. He said, “Hear now, you rebels! Must we bring water for you out of this rock?” Instead of speaking to the rock, he struck it twice with his rod. Although water came out abundantly, and the congregation and their animals drank, God was displeased with him. He said because he did not believe Him, to hallow Him in the eyes of the Israelites, he would not bring them into the Promised Land (verse 12). This incident terminated the ministry of Moses and Aaron. They didn’t enter the Promised Land. David ordered the execution of the Amalekite, who claimed to have killed Saul. He told him, “Your blood is on your own head, for your own mouth has testified against you, saying, ‘I have killed the LORD’s anointed’” (2 Samuel 1:16) David did the same thing to Rechab and Baanah, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, who stabbed the king of Israel, Ishbosheth, Saul’s son, to death in his house. They brought his head to David at Hebron, telling him the LORD had avenged David of Saul and his descendants. But David commanded his young men to execute them. They executed them, cut off their hands and feet, and hung their bodies by the pool in Hebron (2 Samuel 4:5-12). Beware of the danger of uncontrolled tongue. Before David died, he told his successor, Solomon, his son, to arrange a bloody death for Shimei (1 Kings 2:8-9). Shimei had cursed David with a malicious curse after he had fled Jerusalem following Absalom’s rebellion (2 Samuel 16:5-13). Shimei never thought David would return to the throne. However, after Absalom’s rebellion was defeated, Shimei met David on his way back to Jerusalem and begged for forgiveness (2 Samuel 19:18-23). David forgave him, but he didn’t forget. Later, Solomon killed Shimei when he disobeyed his command never to go out of Jerusalem (1 Kings 2:36-46). Also, the unguarded utterance of the men of Succoth and Peniel who mocked Gideon when he asked them for bread for his weary men led to their punishment. After he had captured Zebah and Zalmunna, the kings of Midian, over whom he was mocked, he punished the men of Succoth and Peniel with thorns and briers from the wilderness. He also tore down the tower of Peniel and killed the men of the city (Judges 8:4-17). Beware of the danger of uncontrolled tongue. Yield your tongue to the Holy Spirit. Be controlled by the Holy Spirit, not your emotions. Don’t speak unadvisedly. Avoid unguarded utterances. MANY OF OUR GOD'S GENERALS TODAY HAVE MADE RECKLESS UTTERANCES TODAY, THAT HAVE BROUGHT DEFAMATION AND DAMAGE TO THEIR REPUTATION. SOME THAT ONCE COMMANDED RESPECT HAVE LOST IT... NOT BECAUSE THEY'RE FAKE OR FALSE, BUT BECAUSE THEY COULDN'T DISCERN WHEN AND WHAT TO SAY. There are things God tells or shows us for our personal edification and faith building, but we carelessly bring them to the public domain, and the devil uses the legality of pride to work with them. And unless God in His infinite Mercies... Remember Christ Jesus' Warning; 36. But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. 37. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned. (Mat 12: 36-37) Amen🙇🙏!