Conventions and Convictions

There are conventions that describe social norms from which we derive collective responsibility. Equally, there are conventions that prescribe penalties for delinquencies. When these are civil and secular, we seem not to have avowed problem. The problem comes when we are introduced to conventions that claim to censor us from the heart.

Spiritual matters, especially those portrayed by Christ Jesus, demand that the conventions are not to just remain 'external force' to tame our excesses, they demand that we personally surrender the excesses and turn the conventions into convictions from the heart. Many may not like this, but it is the most established requirement that stands despite its being unpopular.

Good News!

Good News!
Finally, Tomorrow is here. It has come in style. The problem, however, is that it has come with a new name. Unless you are very keen you may not recognise him.
We usually say Tomorrow never comes, but we are wrong! Tomorrow actually comes, always! Tomorrow that has come changes its name to “Today”.
Today is therefore the Tomorrow of Yesterday.
If there is something good you promised yesterday to do Tomorrow, do it Today because Today is the Tomorrow of Yesterday. Don’t let the change of name dupe you.
On the other hand, if there is something bad you promised Yesterday to do Tomorrow, please mind the change of name: Today is not Tomorrow, continue waiting for Tomorrow.
Have a Yesterday's Tomorrow filled with a fulfilled Today.

Fooling and Being Fooled

When you like fooling people and get pleasure out of it, it may turn out that some of the people you think you are fooling may fool you instead. No wonder the Bible talks of deceiving (others) and being deceived (2Tim. 3:13). Consider the following story:

Not So Dumb After All
There was a little boy named Johnny who used to hang out at the local corner market. The owner didn't know what Johnny's problem was, but the boys would constantly tease him.
They would always comment that he was a few bricks shy of a full load, or two pickles short of a barrel. To prove it, sometimes they would offer Johnny his choice between a nickel and a dime, and John would always take the nickel.
One day after John grabbed the nickel, the store owner took him aside and said, "Johnny, those boys are making fun of you. They think that you don't know that the dime is worth more than the nickel. Are you grabbing the nickel because it's bigger, or why?"
Slowly, Johnny turned toward the store owner and a big grin appeared on his face and Johnny said, "Well, if I took the dime, they'd stop doing it. So far I have saved up $20!"
-----------------
Source: ArcaMax.

Not Wise

He is not wise who is wise enough not to seek the Lord's counsel;
He is not a fool who is foolish enough to seek God's leading in the simplest of an assignment.

He is not strong who is strong enough not to seek the Lord's enablement;
He is not weak who is weak enough to rely on the Lord's strength.

He is not rich who is rich enough to think he doesn't need God;
He is not poor who is poor enough to trust God for every need.

He is not knowledgeable whose knowledge doesn't acknowledge God;
He is not uninformed who has been transformed by the Word of God.

Height into Depth

The quality of success is not measured by the quantity of accomplishments but by the humility of the heart.

If you are successful yet remain truly humble, then you are a true success. If you become haughty because of your success, know this for sure: Pride has the power to turn the height of your climb into the depth of your fall. Therefore, "Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall", says the Bible (Proverbs 16:18).

Dumb Question

It is better to ask a dumb question than abstain from asking it only to end up doing a dumb thing. Asking a dumb question may stop you from doing a dumb thing. I came to this conclusion at the place of work where a new colleague was not sure about something, yet he feared asking because it could have been a stupid question for those who are versed with the process. The problem at the factory is that a small, or rather call it a stupid, mistake can cost the factory millions. Rather than risk putting the factory into a megalomaniac financial crisis, let us hear the dumb question please.

This is not just in a factory. Though people may rebuke or despise you for asking what to them is either obvious or dumb, you may not know what you have avoided by asking the 'dumb' question. Things are not necessarily obvious to everyone the way they may look.

Now, go ahead, ask your 'dumb' question.

Some Thoughts

While a dumb mistake will get a person into a plumb problem, he would need a grand wit to get out of that problem। The tricky thing however is that there is a strong affinity for a mistake to call for another mistake, purporting to “correct” or nullify the previous one.

There is always a disadvantage that comes with advantage: Success comes with pride; power comes with arrogance; comfort with laxity, etc. We may need to probably work harder to keep pride away than we worked to attain success.

Can The Devil Speak The Truth?

The Bible tells us that the devil is the father of all lies (John 8:44). In fact, he has the Copyright for sin generally and lying in particular.

But the answer to the question of whether the devil can speak the truth or not is, worryingly, Yes! The devil can actually speak the truth—on one condition: That his motives be desperately wicked. This is why we are called upon to watch and pray. Praying and fellowshipping with the Holy Spirit in the Word are able to unmask the “truths” that the devil speaks.

It is a dangerous thing when the devil speaks the truth. People who cannot discern the motive for his "truths" will be led a stray by these diabolic versions of the truth.

Truth is not necessarily ascertained by the superficial validity of what is said, the motive of speaking the truth must be in accord with the truth, that is to say, the motive must be virtuous(Read More about the biblical records of the devil and demons speaking the truth at some points)

Do People Really Like Free Things?

Too Good to Be True?
Some guy bought a new fridge for his house. To get rid of his old fridge, he put it in his front yard and hung a sign on it saying: "Free to good home. You want it, you take it."

For three days the fridge sat there without even one person looking twice at it. He eventually decided that people were too untrusting of this deal. It looked to good to be true, so he changed the sign to read: "Fridge for sale $50." The next day someone stole it.
(Source: Arca Max).

THE SECRET WEAPON AGAINST TERRORISM

The Secret Weapon Against Terrorism is here.

When you turn the last page of this book, you will tell why this book is not only timely but also timeless.

I highly recommend it.

View Table of Content here

Read preview chapter here