In our previous meditation we hinted that there is something special with being a seed of Abraham. We see this as Jesus justified the healing of the woman with the spirit of infirmity of 18 years duration. Another example of this is in the matter of Zacchaeus who received Jesus into his house. This man got the gift of salvation on account of being a seed of Abraham. “And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham” (Luke 19:9). This privileged position was restricted to the Jews only before Jesus went to the cross. His sacrifice paved the way for the gentile nations to have direct link with Abrahamic covenant. Accordingly the Bible says, “Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.” (Galatians 3:7). Faith in Jesus makes you a seed of Abraham.

Being in faith makes you a joint-heir (at least potentially) with Abraham in his blessing. Through him came the one who redeemed the world. But he was blessed in other dimensions as well…If the Bible says we are blessed with him let us enlarge our coast of faith and not limit God.

The story does not end just there. Being in faith makes you a joint-heir (at least potentially) with Abraham in his blessing. This is the truth conveyed by the Holy Spirit through Paul’s writing to the Galatians. “So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham” (Galatians 3:9). How was Abraham blessed? This question is directly answered in our meditation today. At the last count it was recorded that God blessed Abraham in all things! It will be an act of mortgaging scripture to think this is only talking of spiritual blessing. Abraham was blessed spiritually, no doubt. Through him came the one who redeemed the world. But he was blessed in other dimensions as well, including family and finance. If the Bible says we are blessed with him let us enlarge our coast of faith and not limit God.

When the ruler of the synagogue challenged the people not to come for healing on the Sabbath day he was indirectly taking a swipe at Jesus Himself. Literally he charged Jesus for breaking the law of God. Here he was simply playing the devil’s advocate, for the Bible describes him as the accuser of the brethren. Thank God, for every accusation that the adversary might bring against the elect we can count on our Advocate. “My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous” (1John 2:1). When a woman was caught in adultery and people were clamouring to stone her to death, Jesus played the Advocate for her and she was freed. On another occasion the authorities accused the disciples for violating the law concerning ceremonial washing of the hands. Jesus rose in their defense. Let it be known that if Jesus handles Your case you cannot lose!

Let it be known that if Jesus handles your case you cannot lose! God promised that if the seed of Abraham obeyed Him they would be free from the troubles that plagued other nations…If you are of faith you are of the seed of Abraham. Your case is different!

In trying to advocate for the woman in question Jesus appealed to an ancestral sentiment. Being a daughter of Abraham the woman ought to be loosed from her infirmity, Sabbath day or not. The question is, what is peculiar with being a son or daughter of Abraham that made infirmity an illegality? Abraham walked with God in every detail. God then cut a covenant with him and extended it to all his children after him. There is not a single thread in that covenant that promised infirmity. As a matter of fact the contrary obtains. God promised that if the seed of Abraham obeyed Him they would be free from the troubles that plagued other nations. If you are of faith you are of the seed of Abraham. Your case is different!

Religion cannot only be described as futile but equally wicked. It is difficult to explain many cruel things that people all over the world are subjected to in the name of religion. We see an expression of this in the reaction of the ruler of the synagogue to the woman’s deliverance. Rather than rejoice that a woman who had suffered 18 long years can now walk free, he became angry because one of his much cherished religious codes had been violated. We are forced to ask, what is the essence of religion if it cannot liberate from bondage? That is why you will not find in any of the teachings of Jesus that He came to set up some religious order. He came to destroy the works of the devil in human life; and this He did wherever He went without minding whose ox was gored.

God may choose any day to work, including religious holidays…Healing and other miracles are the works of God; and He is still doing that today.

But something is revealing in the words of the ruler of the synagogue. He argued that work ought to be done within the six days period stipulated by the Law of Moses, and anyone could come and be healed in that context. At least he testified that healing was the work of God. The error of this man is this: if he agreed that healing was the work of God, who is man to query God as to when He should carry out His work? God may choose any day to work, including religious holidays. Anyway, our joy is in the fact that God is still at work today.  “But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work” (John 5:17). Healing and other miracles are the works of God; and He is still doing that today.

We return in our meditation to the woman with the spirit of infirmity that had lasted for 18 years. This woman represents many who have put in everything they know but have not been able to alter their state. We are told she was bent over and could by no means lift herself up. That only suggests to us that she tried everything within her capability. It will be gross biblical illiteracy to suggest that people like this have no faith. If others do not have the kind of result you post in an area of life, don’t jump to conclusion about their stand. They may have done all they know. Somewhere along the line you will discover that it is the pure mercy of God that makes for the difference in people’s station in life. This woman also represent another group of people; those who keep serving the Lord even when the challenges of their life have not been resolved. We notice that Jesus found her in one of the Synagogues. The foul spirit that bent her body over had
not succeeded to twist her trust in God. It is a great estate that a man has come into when his spirit is free to relate with God irrespective of the pressure of the outer life.

It is a great estate that a man has come into when his spirit is free to relate with God irrespective of the pressure of the outer life. Afflictions may have been protracted, God’s hands can reach deep down to the root and provide solutions…God has what it takes to deal with them.

Of great interest to us today is the fact that Jesus located this woman, placed His hands on her and loosed her from that bondage. What a consolation to note that the age of our problems notwithstanding, God has what it takes to deal with them. Afflictions may have been protracted, God’s hands can reach deep down to the root and provide solutions. Let us go with an assurance today, that the hands which Jesus laid on this woman are still as powerful now as it was then. Jesus is still looking out for people on whom He can lay His hands. You can be the next in line for God’s touch.

The trouble with this woman was caused by what the Bible describes as the spirit of infirmity. This is not the only woman we read about whose problem was of demonic origin. A number of times we come across passages where a foul spirit saw Jesus and gave out a scream. The uniqueness of this woman’s story was that the demon responsible for her illness never gave a hue and cry. What we make of this is that not all demonic activities are lousy, and these might even be more difficult to tackle. Where demonic manifestation is loud and clear one can easily identify it and confront it headlong. The devil does not like to be dislodged; it is for this reason many of his operations are done imperceptibly. A high degree of sensitivity is necessary to handle cases of a non-vocal demon.

One of the best ways to expose activities of the devil is to be in the atmosphere of  undiluted teaching of the word of God…the word is capable of discerning even to the thoughts and intents of the heart. If you expose yourself to the word constantly the devil will find it hard to operate in your life.

Now let us examine the environment where Jesus came across this woman. It was in one of the synagogues where He was teaching. One of the best ways to expose activities of the devil is to be in the atmosphere of  undiluted teaching of the word of God. We are given powerful description of what the word can do in the following terms: “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12). Take note that the word is capable of discerning even to the thoughts and intents of the heart. If you expose yourself to the word constantly the devil will find it hard to operate in your life.

Everyone you meet holds in the mind the image of who they want to become. There is nothing wrong in having an image, except that for most people the picture they hold is far from the ideal. Many people are simply living to attain certain picture painted for them by others. If you fall into this temptation you will step into a life of unhealthy competition. This may ruin your peace and joy. It may even ruin you spiritually as the pressure to seek extra biblical means to attain certain ends will keep mounting. Apart from drawing inspiration from what other people are doing, it will bring you harrowing experience if you set yourself up to be like them. The only honorable thing for one to do is to compete against self, seeking to maximize one’s potentials in God and surpass previous achievement.

If you must set a goal of becoming like someone, then that someone should be Jesus…when you use human beings as your standard you will either become envious or proud. What God is looking for is to release people who carry the full nature of Christ into the world.

God’s ultimate plan for everyone is to line up with the image of Jesus. The Son of God is the plumb line to assess our operations. If you must set a goal of becoming like someone, then that someone should be Jesus. Because the standard set by Him is so high you will always find areas of your life that needs improvement. On the other hand when you use human beings as your standard you will either become envious or proud. Envy if you don’t measure up to them; pride if you surpass them. Either way you will still fall short of God’s approval because His word does not condone these attitudes. What God is looking for is to release people who carry the full nature of Christ into the world. This is what will give Him glory. Your prayer should be to reflect more of the beauty of Jesus.

In his book, 21 IRREFUTABLE LAWS OF LEADERSHIP, John Maxwell included a chapter that he called THE LAW OF SOLID GROUND. The focus of this is integrity of the leader based on a transparent lifestyle. His submission is that many things can change but trust, like the ground, remains the same everywhere. Borrowing from this thought there are two things believers should maintain, no matter where they find themselves. Their godly disposition must never be compromised. This is the essence of our chosen passage for meditation. As we have observed in the last couple of days, the truth of God in the heart of Joseph shone like a million stars in the midst of the most vicious temptation. There is an unquantifiable blessing whenever we hold on to our integrity.

Wherever you go, don’t leave your gift behind…Your salvation and promotion is hidden in your gift.

Yet another thing to embrace at all times is the gift of God in our life. Concerning spiritual gifts, Paul noted that they are given to us to profit therewith. Wherever you go, don’t leave your gift behind. We also see this confirmed in the life of Joseph. Though he was unjustly thrown into jail his gift went with him. He was still there interpreting dreams for others. It was only a matter of time before another opportunity surfaced, and he was called to interpret dream in Pharaoh’s court. Isn’t it an irony that Joseph’s gift remotely took him to jail and in due time the same gift brought him out of it? If you are a singer, don’t stop making melody even if you are in captivity. If you are a writer, keep writing even if all you can get to write on is a ply of tissue at the moment. Your salvation and promotion is hidden in your gift.

Joseph must have had so much more going for him than the festive coat of many colours that his father made for him. I think he must be a man of a high spirit, an upbeat individual. Colourful attire is of little worth when won by a man with cracked spirit or personality. As one would expect, he had initial moments of sorrow when his brothers fetched him from the pit to sell him. “And they said one to another, We are verily guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the anguish of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear; therefore is this distress come upon us.” (Genesis 42:21). But it seems Joseph never allowed this anguish to swallow him up, as he soon became the life of the party in Potiphar’s house. His enthusiasm must have contributed to his choice as the chief of staff to Potiphar.

The only reason Joseph could show concern that his fellow inmates were downcast was because he operated by another spirit…What will dictate your lot eventually will not be what is happening to you, but the attitude with which you treat them.

A stronger confirmation of Joseph’s upbeat nature is conveyed by our meditation today. He was concerned that two of his fellow inmates were looking wretched and sad. Really, if anyone must be sad it should be Joseph. He was treacherously treated by his brothers. He was separated from the love of his father. His master’s wife lied against him and he ended up serving a jail term for living a holy life! The only reason Joseph could show concern that his fellow inmates were downcast was because he operated by another spirit. He rose above the forces of his environment that were not alright. Talk of positive attitude, Joseph had it in large dosage.  What will dictate your lot eventually will not be what is happening to you, but the attitude with which you treat them.

The story of Joseph is a good illustration of the point we stressed in our previous meditation. He made it to the top of God’s plan for his life, but the ride was far from smooth. The vision that God imprinted on his mind was to be a ruler. That took thirteen long years to make any meaning. He first had to endure the envy and cruelty of his own blood brothers. Not only were they uncomfortable with his dream but they hated the gut with which he asserted it before them. So they seized him and threw him into a dungeon. Later they sold him to a slave trader. To them that was like a good riddance to an arrogant youngster. There is no way anyone will connect any of these experiences of Joseph to what God showed him. And that was not the end of his travail. He would still have to fence off the temptation from his boss’s wife, which landed him in jail. Many wrongdoers will gladly receive the just recompense of their action; but few will dare suffer innocently.
Joseph did. Anyone reading about Joseph at this season of his life would not be able to correlate what was happening to what he claimed. Finally he was brought out of the prison and ushered in straight to the palace, having the whole world at his beck and call.

God’s word to Joseph eventually came to pass when his brothers came to him to buy corn. They could not hide their shock to see a man whom they thought had been forgotten becoming their succour…God can make good things to proceed from every evil you have been through.

God’s word to Joseph eventually came to pass when his brothers came to him to buy corn. They could not hide their shock to see a man whom they thought had been forgotten becoming their succour. Joseph’s word to his brothers is captured in our passage today; everything done to him by his brothers (and of course his boss’s wife) were meant for evil; but God turned them around for good. God can make good things to proceed from every evil you have been through.

On the surface this Scripture will paint a perfect, seamless transition for believers as they move from one level to another. Such assumption will however melt away like cubes of ice when you place it by other Scriptures and in the light of real experiences of the saints of God in and out of the Bible. David did not only have troubles of his own, but he observed the same trend in other godly people. That moved him to pen Psalm 34:19. “Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all.” In similar vein Paul recalled his own challenges in these terms: “But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience, Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me.” (2Timothy 3:10-11). These witnesses have two things in common. They both establish that there will be some difficult moments even for the most righteous among us. But the good part is that God will work out our deliverance.

God knows how to work everything together for good to the advantage of those that love Him…we can be rest assured that God will not allow anything that will not add up somehow, to our overall destiny.

So what do we make of our theme Scripture that says the path of the just shines more and more? There are no contradictions in this at all. God knows how to work everything together for good to the advantage of those that love Him. Even though we may go through occasional ups and downs, we can be rest assured that God will not allow anything that will not add up somehow, to our overall destiny. When we hit some troublous situation, we normally fix our gaze on the moment; but God looks at it from the final position. The end will be worth the process.

Jacob is here showing a privileged information to his beloved son, Joseph. It was time to peep into his final will for all his children. In that will Jacob reflected again the preference he had for this child of his old age. Besides this it was a way to compensate him for the injustice he suffered, and for how he had taken care of his father and his brethren in the days of famine. He gave Joseph one portion above what his brothers got. The particular emphasis here was how he got the land that was now being passed on as inheritance. Jacob got the land “with my sword and with my bow”. I find this interesting because early readings on Jacob showed him as a man of the tent; it was his brother Esau that was a man of the field. Jacob took so much to their mother that he picked all the culinary skill that literally won him an award. (That’s what Esau did when he ceded his birthright for the pottage Jacob prepared). At what time then did he become a man of the
sword and the bow?

God can teach you to wield the sword of the Spirit so you can be effective in spiritual warfare.

The point we are trying to make is this: Sooner or later every believer will find out that there are some battles to fight if we will attain to the mark God set for us. In the past couple of days we noted that our purpose requires warriors, those who will need to fight along. It bears stressing here that while others may join us in the battle and strengthen us, we cannot totally delegate the battles of our life to them. Remember that those people also have their own battle to fight as well. God can teach you to wield the sword of the Spirit so you can be effective in spiritual warfare.

Our line of meditation in the last two days has been hinged on one fact: purposes, no matter how divine in origin, don’t just get fulfilled. There is people element to every vision. We have established that your purpose will require friends who will speak into your life and the life of your vision. Again, your purpose will require those who can war on your behalf. There is one more group of people  we need to add, that is the financiers. If you must make meaning of the dreams in your heart you need to believe God for those who will fund it. You see, lack of finance will not keep you from having dreams; but it will certainly keep you from translating those dreams to reality. Of course, no one needs to be told how painful it is just imagining what could be, being rendered impotent for financial reasons.

If you must make meaning of the dreams in your heart, you need to believe God for those who will fund it.

Our passage lends credence to this thought. Jesus’ mission took Him to the cities and the villages. In all of these mission trips He was surrounded by people. This portion of Scriptures identified those with Him. There were the Apostles. These can adequately fit into the categories of friends and warriors. Remember these were the people He would later call friends. It was also among them He chose three and demanded that they watch with Him. (Never mind that they failed on that occasion; future accounts show that they woke up to their responsibility). Then there were those women who followed Him and ministered to Him out of their substance. Call this group the financier of His mission. Many have had their purpose come to a standstill because of lack of support. As you pray God to unveil His purpose for you, believe Him also to raise people up who will be willing to spend and be spent until His plan for you come to the limelight.

David was in his teen years when God promised to make him a ruler over Israel. That was on the heel of Saul’s persistent disobedience to the Lord. But between that promise and when David finally became crowned, more than ten years of fierce fighting had taken place. In the first instance he had control over a limited amount of the land when he reigned in Hebron for some seven years. It was while he was here that men of war came to him to help actualize what God had already intended. This story brings us to the second category of people that our purpose might require; they are the warriors!

That God promised to give you something or make you a great man does not preclude battle…You need men and women who can stand with you in the place of prayer to dislodge all opposition of hell in your life.

That God promised to give you something or make you a great man does not preclude battle. As a matter of fact that is the more reason the devil will like to fight you. He will cast obstacles in your path to see if he could discourage you. That is when you will be required to dig deep into your inner recesses to fight the battle of destiny. Sometimes the battle may get fierce; fiercer than you alone can manage. So you will need those who will come ready armed to fight alongside with you until the eternal counsel of heaven over you is fulfilled. Mark you, the battle in our own context is not physical; it is a spiritual one and can only be won on the spiritual plane. You need men and women who can stand with you in the place of prayer to dislodge all opposition of hell in your life. Even Jesus asked His disciples to watch with Him in prayer. Paul repeatedly requested the brethren to pray for him. Both Jesus and Paul were mighty men of prayer in their own
right; yet they needed the input of others. If they did you certainly need people to stand in the gap for you.

What God assigned you to do is what we referred to yesterday as the “must do’s” of your life. That is what passes as God’s purpose. Our meditation today and the next couple of days will build on this line of thought. After you come up with whatever you regard as God’s calling for your life you will soon discover that people are indispensable in your pursuit. Moses understood this point very well; and that was why he voiced out his frustration in the above passage of Scripture. He wanted to know the people that God will send with him in the onerous task of leading Israel. A purpose without people backup will lead to paralysis.

A purpose without people backup will lead to paralysis.

For the avoidance of doubt, every purpose you carry requires at least three categories of people. First, you need a friend or circle of friends. When we talk of friendship here, we do not mean the kind of friend Jonadab was to Amnon. Jonadab was the one that gave crafty counsel to Amnon how to force his sister to bed, thereby preparing the way to his death ultimately. Incidentally he was also the one that announced Amnon’s obituary. The kind of friendship that your mandate requires is the type of friend Jonathan was to David. A good friend will give you counsel that will save your life and your vision. A good friend will watch your back. Jonathan did more than this for David; he actually relinquished what would have been his natural right to the throne to pave way for the fulfillment of God’s promise to David. Your friend will not envy you, but support you. True friends will not mind to step aside so you can step ahead.

Our meditation today is advocating the pursuance of what makes for peace. The world is in a state of great confusion, as it were. Despite this we can obtain peace if we know exactly what is required. There are three aspects of peace that we need to be conversant with. First of these is peace with God. This is foundational, as no lasting peace can be achieved except one has made peace with God. The sacrifice of Jesus for the sins of the world is the basis to expect this type of peace. If we confess our sins and renounce them, God sends His peace into our hearts. This is what the Bible describes as the peace of God that passes all understanding. Then there is peace with our neighbours. This will include everyone we have to deal with in close quarters. You cannot know real peace except you are walking in understanding with your spouse and other members of your family. Those who are closest to you impact your joy and peace more than you can imagine. Apart from understanding them you will also need to practice a lot of forgiveness as occasional friction may not be ruled out.

When you discover the “must do’s” of your life, and face them squarely, you will be at peace with yourself.

Yet there is another angle to this issue of peace. You need to be at peace with yourself. This can only happen when you are in your elements, doing exactly what you are cut out for. If you are in a wrong occupation you will hardly know total peace, even if you make all the money in the world. Abraham Maslow was quoted as saying, “A musician must make music, an artist must paint, a poet must write, if he is to be ultimately at peace with himself”. When you discover the “must do’s” of your life, and face them squarely, you will be at peace with yourself.

The Bible is full of seemingly little characters who became distinguished by what they did or said. One of such was a little maid called Rhoda. She was a domestic staff in the house of Mark’s mother. That was the place prayer was being held for Peter when he was incarcerated by Herod. A night preceding the day Peter would have been killed. God honored the prayer of His people, and sent His angel to effect the release of Peter from the prison. Straightway he headed for the venue of the prayer meeting. He must have been led by the Spirit to go to that place. When he knocked it was Rhoda that answered, and she immediately recognized Peter’s voice. When she announced to the group of “prayer warriors” they did not believe her. At first they said she was mad. Later they said it could have been Peter’s angel. Throughout all of this the lady maintained her stand, because she was sure of what she heard.

If you are sure of what God has said on a matter, discount the negative witness of your environment. Hold fast to your confession.

How many times have we been confronted with feedbacks contrary to what we believe God has spoken! We seem so sure of what we know; yet everything on the outside is mocking our conviction. The world even says we are crazy for daring to say what we believe. How should we deal with such situation? Exactly the way Rhoda did: Keep on affirming that it is so. If you are sure of what God has said on a matter, discount the negative witness of your environment. Hold fast to your confession. Your agreement with the word of God is forceful enough to alter the environment. For those who dare to hold on to their profession of faith the external situations will eventually line up with God’s counsel.

A Nigerian couple serving in Kempton Park, South Africa gave me a set of mug on one of my visits to their place. Call that wonder mugs, if you please. Although they are black in colour, they have other pictures ingrained in them. The only time when these pictures show is when you put hot substance in the mugs. At that moment the colour changes and what is hidden comes to the surface. Things do manifest when the heat is on. This can tie up with Paul’s story. After they escaped the menace of the sea they got to an island called Malta. Because it was cold season Paul wanted to heat himself by making some fire. One of the sticks he gathered had a venomous viper inside it; but it was concealed until the heat of the fire forced it out.

Whatever is inside of you will have no hiding place when pressure mounts…Let your goal be that of becoming like Jesus.

Yesterday we learned that it is no use stressing ourselves or lashing out at people and things. Well, that advice will only work if we have taken care of the inside. Whatever is inside of you will have no hiding place when pressure mounts. In a sense pressure is not always bad, because they can give opportunity to assess what is the content of the heart. God’s word says the heart of man is wicked, and no man can know it. Don’t be surprised that you don’t even know the full content of your heart. So God will allow occasional pressure to force out things that are tucked in the corner of your heart. In case you don’t like what you exhibit when pressure comes, then let that become an opportunity to change. Let your goal be that of becoming like Jesus. He handled every pressure with the serenity of the Spirit. It is possible to come to a state where, like Paul, you can say, “none of these things move me”.

I seldom go to bank; and when I do I try to choose a parking lot that can afford me easy pull out from the premises. This day was different. There were only two slots remaining, and I was made to pick the one closest to the perimeter fence. As I made my way into the banking hall I feared that someone would pull up behind me by the time I was through. That fear was confirmed. When I returned some unknown person had packed behind me and there was no way I could maneuver my way out. I had two options: either I would begin to throw tantrums and verbal grenade at the security men and other officials of the bank or seek for how to make the moment of waiting count positively. I chose the latter. I sat in my car, reached out for my Ipad and began to read. (I seldom go anywhere without something I can busy myself with in the event of having to wait). Eventually the owner of the vehicle parked behind me, a woman, leisurely walked back and drove off. I followed in her heels.

When issues are beyond you the next best thing you can do is to pray and draw on His all sufficient grace.

I have recounted this experience because everyday I see people stress themselves over matters they have little or no control over. Take for instance a snail-like traffic. There is no amount of yelling that can speed up the flow. Why don’t you pray under your breath for a more responsible government to fix the roads?
You don’t need to fuss about the rain; because that will not change anything. God’s word already informed us that varying weathers will come, just as there will be day and night. Separate between what you can change and what is outside your scope. When issues are beyond you the next best thing you can do is to pray and draw on His all sufficient grace.

I have had the privilege of working with various local congregations for more than two decades. There is none of those assemblies where there were no issues to tackle. As long as you live in a community there will be issues. Something I have noticed that what eats into the fabrics of most congregations is offence. People get offended too easily. Whole families have pulled out from congregation because they feel aggrieved. To compound the problem they leave without giving the pastor a hint of why they are offended. I know a case of a sister who loaned another sister some money. When repayment was delayed there was problem. Part of the fall-outs was that they both left the church, at different times. Offences happen between one member and another, and between members and the authority of the church. People are unaware of the corporate damage such attitude brings. It is hardly possible for someone to be offended and not speak negatively about the supposed offender. Evil speaking on its own will mitigate against the presence of the Lord in an assembly. The end product is hardly measurable.

The way to deal with offences is to pray; trusting God to prevent the root of bitterness from springing up in your heart.

It is not only the church that suffers from offences. Those who pick offence, particularly when there is no justifiable reason for it, are also hurt. Yesterday we spoke in part of the need to protect the heart from being affected. If you nurse an offence long enough it will take root in your heart. The way to deal with offences is to pray; trusting God to prevent the root of bitterness from springing up in your heart. Well, this subject can actually be an acid test of your level of spiritual development. Since we are no higher than the things that offend us, it simply boils down to the fact that if we are offended often at things we ought to overlook, we have some growing up to do.

The bathroom is quite impressive. The wall is overlaid with glossy white tiles. But whatever you have going for this washroom is countered by a couple of cracks on the surfaces of the wall. I am not a builder; but I have heard professionals explain that when faults develop on the surface it is a pointer to some cracks within the wall. Sometimes the cracks may even be traced to faulty foundations, in which case the whole building stands at the precipice.

Learn to commit every untoward external conditions to the Lord. Draw from His inexhaustible grace to deal with all situations.

Sometimes in life, we seem to wear “cracks” on our face because of the multitudes of problems we face. It could be some inexplicable tension in our marriage. Maybe one of the children is becoming unmanageable. The relationship with the boss at the workplace leaves so much to be desired. The list is endless. As bad as these conditions may appear they can be separated from the state of the heart. And as long as the cracks are not a reflection of the inner conditions we can easily overcome. It is when the spirit is broken that we are in real danger. Apostle Paul and some of his close associates endured a great trial of afflictions for their faith and work in the gospel. But they never allowed that to have a negative effect on their spirit man. This is a good example to follow. Learn to commit every untoward external conditions to the Lord. Draw from His inexhaustible grace to deal with all situations. Remember, it is the spirit of a man that can sustain his infirmities. This is why you need to toe the path of wisdom by keeping your heart from being overwhelmed by worries. A strong spirit will sooner than later alter the outer conditions.

Learn to commit every untoward external conditions to the Lord.