From: Bayo Afolaranmi Dear Beloved, BEWARE OF YOUR FRIENDS
"Beware of your friends; do not trust your brothers. For every brother is a deceiver, and every friend a slanderer. Friend deceives friend, and no-one speaks the truth. They have taught their tongues to lie; they weary themselves with sinning" (Jeremiah 9:4-5, NIV). The life of an average Jew in the time of Jeremiah was so deteriorated and corrupted that it was difficult to trust a fellow Jew. Each one was doing what seemed right in his eyes. The political leaders had abandoned the living God for worthless gods. Even the religious leaders were not trustworthy as they were misleading the people with false prophecies. Isaiah depicted this dishonest situation thus, "So justice is driven back, and righteousness stands at a distance; truth has stumbled in the streets, honesty cannot enter. Truth is nowhere to be found, and whoever shuns evil becomes a prey. The LORD looked and was displeased that there was no justice" (Isaiah 59:14-15, NIV). This situation made Jeremiah to warn the people to beware of their friends and not to trust any brother (Jeremiah 9:4-5). Prophet Micah, who lived sometime before prophet Jeremiah, also had a similar warning. Hear him, "Do not trust a neighbour; put no confidence in a friend. Even with her who lies in your embrace be careful of your words. For a son dishonours his father, a daughter rises up against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law - a man's enemies are the members of his own household" (Micah 7:5-6, NIV). Are these warnings relevant today to us as they were to the people of Judah? Have honesty, truth and righteousness not been relegated to oblivion? Can we trust our friends, neighbors, co-workers, siblings and even our spouses today? Can my friends, siblings, neighbors, co-workers, as well as my spouse trust me? These are thought-provoking questions in our present-day society that have deteriorated morally with all sorts of atrocities in the name of civilization, rationalization and liberalization. However, "there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother" (Proverbs 18:24, NIV). This Friend can be trusted at all time even when all others have disappointed you. The friend is Jesus Christ (see John 15:13-15). While you may find it difficult or cautious to trust a friend, put your total trust in Jesus Christ. You will never regret you did. ============================================ From: "Bayo Afolaranmi" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Dear Beloved, SUCH A TIME AS THIS "For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father's family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?" (Est. 4:14, NIV) She was an orphan brought up by her cousin in the land of captivity. She had favor with everyone she came across. She later became the queen in that land of captivity. However, in such a time as this, she was reluctant to use her position to save her people. The woman was Hadassah popularly known as Queen Esther. Mordecai - one of the captives of Judah - brought her up. By divine favor, she became the queen of King Xerxes of Persia. In obedient to her cousin, she did not reveal her identity. A plot was planned to annihilate her people the Jews. Mordecai, her cousin came to her for the rescue of the Jews. She was reluctant to interfere in this matter because of the protocol of the palace. Mordecai then challenged her that she should not think that she was saved in the palace for she could not say whether God put her in that royal position in such a time as this. Queen Esther reacted with one of those remarkable statements in the Bible, "Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my maids will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. AND IF I PERISH, I PERISH" (Est. 4:16, NIV). After the fasting (and possibly prayer), Esther wet to the king and reported the matter to him. As God would have it, the Jews were delivered by the good position of Esther. God placed Esther in that royal position in such a time as this so that He would continue His redemptive act through the Jewish race. God has placed many people in one position or the other for a particular purpose. Do you know why you are in the position that you are presently? What do God and people around you expect of you in that position? Who knows whether you have come to that position for such a time as this? In His service, Bayo Afolaranmi (Pastor). +234 805 515 9591 http://www.afolabayo.org/ http://groups.yahoo.com/group/spiritualdigest2003/ "I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. FOR TO ME, TO LIVE IS CHRIST AND TO DIE IS GAIN" (Philippians 1:20-21, NIV). =========================================== From: Suzianty Herawati "Before destruction the heart of man is haughty." --Proverbs 18:12 It is an old and common saying, that "coming events cast their shadows before them;" the wise man teaches us that a haughty heart is the prophetic prelude of evil. Pride is as safely the sign of destruction as the change of mercury in the weather-glass is the sign of rain; and far more infallibly so than that. When men have ridden the high horse, destruction has always overtaken them. Let David's aching heart show that there is an eclipse of a man's glory when he dotes upon his own greatness. 2 Sam. 24:10. See Nebuchadnezzar, the mighty builder of Babylon, creeping o! n the earth, devouring grass like oxen, until his nails had grown like bird's claws, and his hair like eagle's feathers. Dan. 4:33. Pride made the boaster a beast, as once before it made an angel a devil. God hates high looks, and never fails to bring them down., All the arrows of God are aimed at proud hearts. O Christian, is thine heart haughty this evening? For pride can get into the Christian's heart as well as into the sinner's; it can delude him into dreaming that he is "rich and increased in goods, and hath need of nothing." Art thou glorying in thy graces or thy talents? Art thou proud of thyself, that thou hast had holy frames and sweet experiences? Mark thee, reader, there is a destruction coming to thee also. Thy flaunting poppies of self-conceit will be pulled up by the roots, thy mushroom graces will wither in the burning heat, and thy self-sufficiency shall become as straw for the dunghill. If we forget to live at the foot of the cross in deepest lowliness of spirit, God will not forget to make us smart under His rod. A destruction will come to thee, O unduly exalted believer, the destruction of thy joys and of thy comforts, though there can be no destruction of thy soul. Wherefore, "He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord." CH Spurgeon ========================================= From: Suzianty Herawati "Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands." --Isaiah 49:16 No doubt a part of the wonder which is concentrated in the word "Behold," is excited by the unbelieving lamentation of the preceding sentence. Zion said, "The Lord hath forsaken me, and my God hath forgotten me." How amazed the divine mind seems to be at this wicked unbelief! What can be more astounding than the unfounded doubts and fears of God's favoured people? The Lord's loving word of rebuke should make us blush; He cries, "How can I have forgotten thee, when I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands? How darest thou doubt my constant remem! brance, when the memorial is set upon my very flesh?" O unbelief, how strange a marvel thou art! We know not which most to wonder at, the faithfulness of God or the unbelief of His people. He keeps His promise a thousand times, and yet the next trial makes us doubt Him. He never faileth; He is never a dry well; He is never as a setting sun, a passing meteor, or a melting vapour; and yet we are as continually vexed with anxieties, molested with suspicions, and disturbed with fears, as if our God were the mirage of the desert. "Behold," is a word intended to excite admiration. Here, indeed, we have a theme for marvelling. Heaven and earth may well be astonished that rebels should obtain so great a nearness to the heart of infinite love as to be written upon the palms of His hands. "I have graven thee."It does not say, "Thy name." The name is there, but that is not all: "I have graven thee." See the fulness of this! I have graven thy person, thine image, thy case, thy circumstances, thy sins, thy temptations, thy weaknesses, thy wants, thy works; I have graven thee, everything about thee, all that concerns thee; I have put thee altogether there. Wilt thou ever say again that thy God hath forsaken thee when He has graven thee upon His own palms? CH Spurgeon
