THE MESSAGE NOW
Vol 2. No. 9, Monday, 27th February, 2017
(Zech.13:6, 1 Cor.15:41, 2 Sam.13:1-39)
IN THE END, YOUR FRIEND WILL END-UP BEING YOUR STAR OR SCAR (Part 1)
Today’s edition of The Message Now begins with a somewhat puzzling resonance about star or stars. Star or stars is referred to about 78 times in the Holy Scriptures. But surprisingly out of what I call spiritual blues and as a stand-alone adendum, the content of Gen.1:16 states: ‘He also made the stars’.
The puzzling and rather quite resonating question is: what could be the relevance of this addendum in Gen.1:16? Notice that Gen.1:16 is the first place where stars is first referred to in the Holy Scriptures. Notice also that the foregoing verse in question spoke about two great lights only, being the sun and the moon, not three lights.
Stars are lights in their own respect and they have the ability to shine as does the sun and the moon. Why did the Bible not refer to them as the third light? If stars are not lights in their own capacity, what then is their relevance at least in the context of the sun and the moon?
Understand dearly beloved that the Bible is not a dumb text neither is its author the Almighty God a dunce. NO! The Almighty God is the brain of all brains and He is the best brain among the best of brains.
So, to explain this I draw knowledge from principles of law. In Common Law legal systems generally, indeed the concept of adversarial law practice (openness of trials in criminal cases) in particular, the admissibility of any evidence material to any case is preponderant on two foremost tests:
(1) proper foundation and
(2) relevancy.
However, regardless of the clever erudition of any legal counsel in laying proper foundation to the tendering of any material evidence, yet relevancy of any such evidence is of greater primus inter pares value.
How? Relevancy in admissibility of documents is vitally pivotal for accuracy, clarity and for attaining the right interests of justice. In fact and in law, relevancy is perfect completeness. If a material document is erroneously deemed irrelevant by a judge, the likelihood of miscarriage of justice as outcome is more than high. The role relevancy plays is an indispensable one.
So, one of the two reasons for the addendum in Gen.1:16 is: because God and the Bible gives great attention to details, if that addendum had been left out, the Bible would have been incomplete. As such, as somewhat unimportant and infinitesimal as the phrase: ‘He also made the stars’ appears, it is but highly relevant. Without the tendering and acceptance of a relevant document into evidence, true justice cannot be attained. There is therefore relevant reason for inserting this Scriptural phrase in Gen.1:16.
Having established one out of the two reasons, I invite you to read the scientific details below with some apt attention as our Father in heaven does.
The star at the centre of the planetary system is called a sun. The size of the earth is:
(1) surface area =510,072,000Kilometre Squared.
(2) the circumference of the earth =40,041 Kilometres,
(3) the mean diameter of the earth =12,742 Kilometres.
(4) Another planet wherein is thought likely to exist some life like ours is planet Mars which is 5.9736×1024 (that is 5.9736 times 10 raise to power 24).
(5) The largest star is called UY Scuti with solar radii of 1708±192 (2.4 billion Kilometres).
(6) The smallest star is known as OGLE-TR-122b, commonly called Red Dwarf star that is part of a binary stellar system which is 0.12 solar radii (167,000 Kilometres).
(7) As each star differ in glory and beauty, so they differ in size also.
Definitionally, stars are big exploding balls of gas, mostly hydrogen and helium. As stars are containment of gases, so human beings are made from dust of the earth by God but have similarity with stars spiritually and scientifically. Man is made up of about 70% water. Of course, water is a formation from the combination of two gases: hydrogen and oxygen.
Does it interest you to know that in spite of the large size of the earth, the star called the sun is 109 times bigger than the earth? Learn a mystery from the Lord: as big as that star called the sun is, at dusk, it can shrink and become much smaller than a lawn tennis ball.
In terms of its intensity and brightness, do you also know that the sun is 600,000 (six hundred thousand Degree Centigrade) hot at its surface only? Amazing! You say! Isn’t it?
Apologies for the foregoing scientific jargons. However, it is worth noting that the Lord has something vital for our spiritual consumption. To start with, a man’s star is his true spiritual picture. It is the embodiment of God’s agenda.
One’s defined spiritual estate is his star. No man’s star is in size comparative to UY Scuti the largest star. OGLE-TR-122b (that is the smallest star) is 20% larger than jupiter. Jupiter is 11.2 times in diameter larger than the earth.
The same jupiter is 2 and half times more massive than the whole of the planetary systems put together. Nevertheless, I reiterate the fact that the smallest star (OGLE-TR-122b) is 20% larger than the entire planet called jupiter.
The mystery but soundly spiritual fact is that even OGLE-TR-122b is but a tiny dot in comparison to a man’s star or spiritual estate. Think about that for a moment.
God’s syllabus and divine agenda for every man is as expansive as far as the man can see, imagine, farsightedly envisage or dream.
But do you know that friends can shrink your star as mighty as it has been divinely designed to become smaller than even the smallest lawn tennis ball by share wickedness, ill-advice, counterproductive plans and by means of the minutest scar they can inflict on you?
More traumatically, do you know that a man’s spiritual fire at its peak is more fierce and fiery, more result-oriented than the six-hundred thousand Degree Centigrade hotness of the sun’s surface? At the peak of any Christian man’s spiritual fervor and fervency, no demon or satan from the pit of hell can stand that man.
But do you know that friends can reduce that fire to the bearest minimum or even cause that fire to become lower than no fire at all?
Most sadly, hardly do men utilise or enjoy a quarter of their star? Why? The answer is but three. First is the man himself. Second is or are the friends you keep. The third is reserved for part 2 (next week). But for the moment, can the Lord convince you with the frank fact that the greatest and most hurtful injuries to your life and destiny has and will be inflicted mostly by your friends?
Friends are the ones who know your secrets. Friends give you advice often negative but sugar-coated as nice and sincere. Friends show you the right way and yet go behind you to inform the dark world about that same way in preparation for blockage.
Was it not Brutos in the case of Julius Caesar? Think about Judas Iscariot (Mat.26:50). Remember also Jonadab in 2 Sam.13:1-39). Are you aware that it was Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida’s wedding bestman who planned the failed coup of 1986 against his best friend the then President of Nigeria?
What if the coup had hit the height of success? Listen dearly beloved, no friend is worth your time and attention if they add no value to you. Honestly ask yourself a most sincere question? In every respect, where are you now?
Whether positive or negative, you are where you are by reason of two factors: your attitude and your friend(s).
Does the smile and dimple of your so-called friend define who a friend is to you? Does the calm countenance of people sustain your attention? Does the somewhat sanctimonious and disguised spiritual fervency of men attract you and make you get close to them? Are you easily taking-in by sweet talk?
If that is your definition of a friend, how so queer and wrong you are. Be rightly informed and guided dearly beloved, I am by no means inviting you to a life of fear of everyone around you. Neither am I founding an institution of suspicion. But be very careful. Can you not make your heart your very best friend? Can Jesus not answer the secret questions and concerns of your heart? (To be continued next week).
Hymn: Through the Love of Christ Our Saviour All Will Be Well
Pray now:
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Read 8:13, 13:16, 15:34 (and say): O God, touch the heart of every hypocrite around me, in the name of Jesus.
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Any hypocrite friend who will not repent, O God, separate them from my life even if it is cause me some pain.
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Every enemy of my star, crash in the name of Jesus.
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Every power, person, force and spirit searching for my star, die now in the name of Jesus.
Pastor Mike
