EXPRESS IMAGE GLORY MINISTRIES
THE MESSAGE NOW
Vol. 2, No. 37 – Monday, 11th September, 2017
(Judges.9:1-57, 10:1-18)
KNOWING YOUR GOD-GIVEN LIMIT AND BEING THE BEST AT IT
(Part 1)
Part of the unquestioned characteristics of any finished product which makes it distinct from its raw material is its beauty and its better output. Gold for example in its raw state cannot be compared to what it turns out to be after it excels the test of fire.
Today’s texts like many other texts and stories are spiritual guides to avert the pits that those who existed in Bible days fell into. But is it not a great tragedy that contemporary Christians are despite Scriptural warnings still treading the same tragic paths?
A close study of today’s texts under a spiritual magnifier reveals three serious topics for this contemporary time. First is knowing one’s God-given limits and being at one’s best within one’s spiritual parameters.
Second is the unconscionable thirst for occupying spiritual position, possession of spiritual power but without any desire for sound spiritual purity. Third is the mystery of Gerizin.
As first is prescient to the second and the third, it is onto the first topic this article will now turn.
The Holy Scripture informs in Proverbs 18:16 that: ‘a man’s gift maketh room for him, and bringeth him before great men’. ‘gift’ or talent however is never without understanding. For it is one thing to have a gift or talent, it is another thing to understand that that gift or talent exists.
It is yet another mystery to consciously realize that remaining within one’s limit of gift operation makes one a master in that God-given field. The summation of the foregoing is not unobvious; understanding is key to every revelation and to all spiritual operations.
Most revelations and spiritual operations are mysteries requiring some unraveling of some sort. As spiritual riddles or mysteries, there can be no unraveling except by the spirit of understanding being imparted into one. No wonder the instructive command in Proverbs 25:2.
It is by understanding that honour is ascribed onto a man. No gift can ever be fully developed except understanding is first attained and possessed in a man.
We understand that three out of the four trees (the olive, fig and vine) in today’s text understood their mission in life and the reason for their existence. No wonder the three of them could not be tossed to and fro by a highly inviting promotion to become king.
They understood their primary assignment toward God and toward man. They understood also that leaving their primary assignment for another no matter how inviting is akin to living out someone else’s dream whilst theirs remained languishing and eventually confined to limbo.
The fourth tree (the bramble tree) which accepted the inviting offer misfired for a number of reasons, including but not limited to:
Is this not the reason for the divine instruction to Jeremiah? The Scripture states in the first paragraph of Jeremiah 45:5 that: ‘and seeketh great things for thyself? Seek them not: For, behold, I will bring evil upon all flesh, saith the LORD: but thy life will I give unto thee for prey in all places whither thou goest’..
What does this mean? Is God desiring man to live less and in less desire of great things? No! But rather, think great and aspire higher within the boundaries of your God-appointed limits. Reigning within your God-given limits makes you thrive, expand and easily too.
What is your God-given gift? Do you understand it? Do you know how to operate within the axis of that gift? Are you envious of other persons’ gifts, not admiring them? Do you realize that your gift is the best and you are the fittest operator for that gift given to you?
No man can be at his fastest speed when he is operating in another man’s field. All that God has called some people to do in His vineyard is to plant churches from one place to another whilst He assigns the sitting pastors.
The calling of some is to build churches and hand them over to ministries. But rather, they build the church and sit over them as General Overseers. Are you called to be an evangelist with the gift of healing and the working of miracles?
What then are you doing in the choir? Your voice is polluting the choir; please go and resume in your divinely-ordained office. Heaven is still awaiting the offerings of your evangelistic service. Heaven is unaware of your unsonerous voice.
God directed that you should study journalism. You stuck to your guns that you must be a lawyer. No wonder your life is existing in profitless hardwork. Oh! You think it is Satan plaguing you? No oooooooo! It is you or your parents who caused you to miss it from the start.
You know you are not the patient type. Neither are you the sociable and loving type. So then, tell us why you decided at all cost to study nursing or become a medical doctor. Indeed, Why should one who is thin in patience be a children’s teacher in the church?
I just pray that the heads of our children will not be broken by combs, long rulers, pencils and long exercise books, AMEN!
A chemical engineer who read fishery and wild life will kill all the fishes whilst they are still tender and as fingerlings. Why? The Holy Scriptures again informs in Proverbs 30:21-22 that: ‘for three things the earth is disquieted, and for four which it cannot bear: for a servant when he reigneth; and a fool when he is filled with meat.
Aha! Pastor! Why can’t a servant become king? Hmmh! Because an intellectual fool will then rule the affairs of the nation. The office and intellect of a servant is often geared towards warfare for the kingdom, tendering animals, carrying out house chores and other menial jobs of the kingdom.
A servant lacks the mental acumen politically and spiritually to rightly govern a nation or kingdom. Such servant is bound to end up disasterously when he is allowed to become king. Do you know that heaven is closed over any one who is operating in someone else’s bishoprick or intellectual office?
Are you aware that prayers are hard to be answered when one is not on his given line of operation? To all these dearly beloved, the overall question is where do you stand? Is it not hightime to reflect and restart through God and by God?
A RESTARTER AFTER SEVERAL YEARS OF MISSING THE MARK IS NOT A FAILURE. SUCH A ONE IS INDEED THE WISE ONE (TO BE CONTINUED NEXT WEEK).
Altar call: Backslidden – living in sin – needing fresh recommitment (say):
Christ Jesus, You are the Anointed One of the Most High. I come to you today as I am. In your mercy, help me out of my situation. Heal my soul, my spirit, my body, my life and my destiny. I acknowledge you as the only true lover of my soul. Please, deliver me on every side and save me through and through. I promise from the depth of my soul to be yours from henceforth, in Jesus name. Help me now O God. Be my Lord, my Saviour and my all in all from this day. Thank you Lord (read Psalm 54 in closing and pray more).
Hymn: My Life My Love I Give To Thee
Pray now:
Pastor Mike
