THE BEST OF ALL FRIENDS

"....Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep. Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead...". John 11:11, 14

Two friends went out on a long journey through a thick forest. They felt a bit nervous but they promised to stand by each other and share the same fate. They had not gone far when a wild bear came out from among the trees. One of the friends in great fear climbed up the nearest tree, without caring to think what would happen to the other man. The other man, on his part, fell flat on the ground and held in his breath, pretending to be dead. As he lay thus, the bear came up to him and smelt him all over his body. Finding the man stiff in all his limbs, the bear took him to be dead and walked away. When the bear was gone, the man on the tree came down. He greeted his friend, saying – “Thank God that you are saved. My friend, I saw the bear put its mouth very close to your ear. Did it say anything to you?” The friend replied, “Yes, it warned me against a friend who left me in danger to seek his own safety”.

"One who has unreliable friends soon, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother" - Proverbs 18:24 (NIV)

Beloved, in good times, everybody behaves as if they are our friend. But when things are not going on as expected or when we are surrounded  by wild bears of life, they often take to their heels. Only a true friend sticks to us in difficult times. So, do you have a true friend?  Jesus Christ is the best of all friends. He did not abandon Lazarus his friend when the wild bear of sickness and premature death swallowed him. Rather, Jesus chose to visit his friend - Lazarus at such a difficult season of his life.(John 11:11)

Friends, are you passing through a thick forest in life today? Has the wild bear of sickness, failure, loneliness, depression,  poverty, joblessness, barrenness swallowed you up? Has the bear of cancer or fibroid eaten you up? Is your "Lazarus" now dead and buried? Then, you need a true friend. Jesus Christ is the true friend that you need. If you become His friend today, He will visit you as he visited His friend- Lazarus. Yes, He will invade your house/business/marriage/health with His resurrection power and those dead cases/situations will jump back to life. As the Lord lives, all your "Lazarus" shall rise up from the grave before this week is over in Jesus name, Amen.

"I no longer call you slaves, because a master doesn’t confide in his slaves. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me" - John 15:15 (NLT)

"What a friend we have in Jesus" the title of a powerful hymn that reaffirms the fact that Jesus is the best of all friends that everyone needs. Could you please meditate on the lyrics of this hymn and trust Jesus to intervene in those difficult matters that had made your friends turned their backs on you.  

WHAT A FRIEND WE HAVE IN JESUS by Joseph M Scriven (1855)

What a friend we have in Jesus,

All our sins and griefs to bear!

What a privilege to carry

Everything to God in prayer!

Oh, what peace we often forfeit,

Oh, what needless pain we bear,

All because we do not carry

Everything to God in prayer!

Have we trials and temptations?

Is there trouble anywhere?

We should never be discouraged—

Take it to the Lord in prayer. 

Can we find a friend so faithful,

Who will all our sorrows share?

Jesus knows our every weakness;

Take it to the Lord in prayer.

Are we weak and heavy-laden,

Cumbered with a load of care?

Precious Savior, still our refuge—

Take it to the Lord in prayer.

Do thy friends despise, forsake thee?

Take it to the Lord in prayer!

In His arms He’ll take and shield thee,

Thou wilt find a solace there.

It is my prayer that everyone abandoned in the thick forest of life by friends/companions/relatives/colleagues/business associates shall make Jesus Christ their best friend from today. And the great burden bearer, way-maker, ever-present help in times of trouble will honour them with "Lazarus kind of miracles" even before this month is over in Jesus name, Amen.

Good day and God bless you. 

Maranatha!

Bro. Okanlawon Taiwo

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http://okanlawon.webnode.com

http:// okanlawontaiwo.blogspot.com

Twitter: @tammytaiwo

WHEN SERVANTS ARE NOT APPRECIATED

 "When the Master of Ceremonies tasted the water that was now wine, not knowing where it had come from (though, of course, the servants did), he called the bridegroom over. This is wonderful stuff!, he said. "You are different from most. Usually a host uses the best wine first, afterwards, when everyone is full and doesn't care, then he brings out the less expensive brands. But you have kept the best for the last" - John 2:9-10 (TLB)

During the wedding at Cana, the wine suddenly finished and some servants were mandated to carry out damage control operations. Jesus told them to fetch several gallons of water into the six waterpots and thereafter draw it out to serve the Governor of the feast. They did and as soon as the Governor tasted the wine, he was so excited and began to shower praises on the bridegroom. The servants that Jesus used to brew the wine might have felt very disappointed. Instead of getting some encouraging words or rewards for their labour, they were ignored by the Governor and everyone on the high table. They must have said to themselves: "This is not fair! This Governor is an ingrate. He could not even say "thank you" to us for all our efforts in fetching several gallons of water that eventually turned to wine? He just ignored us and started talking to the bridegroom who knew nothing about what we did to get the best wine to the high table?"  

"For God is not unjust; he will not overlook your work and the love that you showed for his sake in serving the saints, as you still do. And we want each one of you to show the same diligence so as to realize the full assurance of hope to the very end" -Hebrews 6:10‭-‬11 (NRSV)

Friends, has God ever used you to supply wine to someone on the high table who in turn refused to reward or appreciate you? Do you feel bad that your efforts was not appreciated? Please note that your service is unto God and not to man (Ephesians 6:7). The one who send you to go fetch water knew how best to say "thank you" to you for the wine you are serving. No man can appreciate you more than God who engaged you. God is the best employer and the great rewarder of men (Hebrews 11:6b) ! The truth is your Governors/Chairman/CEO may ignore your contributions. Even your Pastor, friends, colleagues, parents, business partner, siblings, children may not remember to appreciate you. But God is not unjust to forget your labour of love (Hebrews 6:10). As the Lord lives, your reward is on the way so please wait patiently for it. Don’t be discouraged by the action and inaction of those men/women on the high table (Jeremiah  31:16a). You stand the risk of losing your divine reward when you concentrate more on getting the applause of man. So, keep your gaze on God and God alone.

"Thus saith the LORD; Refrain thy voice from weeping, and thine eyes from tears: for thy work shall be rewarded, saith the LORD; ......"- Jeremiah  31:16 (KJV)

One special song that reiterates the need to keep serving faithfully even when no one is willing to appreciate, reward or celebrate us is titled "Go, Labor on; Spend, and be Spent". As you meditate on the lyrics of this wonderful hymn, please trust God for grace to labour fervently and be spent for Him till Christ returns. However, if you are not yet saved, you cannot partake in the divine reward. Therefore, please surrender your life to Jesus Christ today. Tomorrow may be too late! 

GO, LABOR ON; SPEND, AND BE SPENT By Horatius Bonar (1808 - 1889)

1. Go, labor on; spend, and be spent;

  Thy joy to do the Father’s will;

It is the way the Master went;

  Should not the servant tread it still?

2. Go, labor on: ’tis not for nought;

  Thy earthly loss is heav’nly gain;

Men heed thee, love thee, praise thee not;

  The Master praises, what are men?

3. Go, labor on; your hands are weak,

  Your knees are faint, your souls cast down;

Yet falter not; the prize you seek

  Is near, a kingdom and a crown.

4. Go, labor on while it is day,

  The world’s dark night is hastening on;

Speed, speed thy work, cast sloth away,

  It is not thus that souls are won.

5. Men die in darkness at your side,

  Without a hope to cheer the tomb;

Take up the torch and wave it wide,

  The torch that lights time’s thickest gloom.

6. Press on, faint not, keep watch and pray;

  Be wise the erring soul to win;

Go forth into the world’s highway,

  Compel the wanderer to come in.

7. Press on, and in thy work rejoice;

  For work comes rest, the prize thus won;

Soon shalt thou hear the Master’s voice,

  The midnight cry, Behold, I come!

It is my prayer that God will grant us grace to serve faithfully till Christ returns. And when the trumpet shall sound, the reward for all our labour on earth shall be delivered to us on the golden shore in Jesus name, (Amen).

Good day and God bless you. 

Maranatha!

Bro. Okanlawon Taiwo

For more articles, please visit -

http://okanlawon.webnode.com

http:// okanlawontaiwo.blogspot.com

Twitter: @tammytaiwo