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HAS GOD DONE wonderful things in your life this year, 2018? If you are in the habit of keeping testimonies in your bag without praising God’s name, then change your attitude to enable you have more miracles this year. Someone has said, “God does miracles for those who will use them to lift His name up before men.” The Samaritan woman became popular because she gave testimony to Samarian City when she encountered Jesus. “Many Samaritans in that town believed in Jesus because they heard the woman’s testimony, So, when they came to him, they urged him to stay with them and Jesus stayed there for two days” Jn 4:39-40. Through her testimony, God brought salvation to many Samaritans. Unfortunately, most of us tell people what God has not done for us and hide thousands of miracles he did for us. Miracles are more or less, talents given you to multiply converts and increase your faith as well as those of your hearers. When you fail to testify to the Lord’s goodness, why do you grumble that your prayers are not heard? “Then you should have deposited my money in the bank, and you would have given it back to me with interest on my return. Now, take the talent from him, and give it to the one who has ten. For to the one who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance; but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away from him” Mtt 25:27-29. King David won a lot of favors perhaps because he was always praising God. “David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned for forty years” 2 Sam 5:4.Take time to look at the praises attributed to David by the Psalmist. “I will bless the Lord all my days; his praise will be ever on my lips. My soul makes its boast in the Lord; let the afflicted hear and rejoice. Oh, let us proclaim the greatness of the Lord; together let us glorify his name!” Ps 34:1-3. If you place yourself at God’s disposal when he chooses you for a mission, you will bear fruits that will last. When the man born blind was healed, he went about testifying to God’s miracle and this brought many people to Jesus; they saw and believed in him. “You did not choose me; I chose you and appointed you to go and bear much fruit, the kind of fruit that endures. And so, the Father will give you whatever you ask of him in my name” Jn 15:16. In Mk 5:1-20, Jesus met a mad man by the side of Lake Galilee, in the territory of Gerasa. The man with evil spirit lived among tombs. Falling before Jesus, he screamed aloud, “Jesus, Son of the Most High God! What do you want with me?” The evil in the man “Mob” begged Jesus not to send them out of that region but to let them go into the pigs. When Jesus let them go, the whole herd (about 2000 pigs), rushed down the side of the cliff into the lake and were drowned. Then, Jesus told the man, “Go back home to your family and tell how much the Lord has done for you and how kind he has been to you.” The man went all through the ten towns, telling what Jesus had done for him. And all who heard it were amazed. Jesus has not stopped healing us but we are too busy asking for more without thanking him for what he has done for us by way of testimony. Some years ago, a friend had a new born baby and as usual, I congratulated him. In his response, he said, “There is no money to pay hospital bill, feed mother and child; here you are, congratulating me!” Then, I said to him, “One of my neighbors has been married for nearly 28 years and she is just pregnant for the first time while you are having a third child within 6 years of marriage.” It was only then he calmed down and changed his countenance. Psalm 119, the longest chapter in the bible is full of praises. When you think God has not answered your prayers, reflect on it and you will have many reasons to be grateful to God for many things he has done for you. Every parent will be happy to lavish more love on his or her child who recognizes and appreciates favors received. “Blessed are those who keep his testimonies, who seek him with their whole heart, who also do no wrong but walk in his ways” Ps 119:2. Are you having difficulties? Your afflictions may enable God glorify his name in your life. “Lord, he whom you love is ill” but when Jesus heard it he said, “This illness is not unto death; it is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified by means of it” Jn 11:3-4. Your testimonies can rekindle hope for the hopeless. Learn to praise God in all your circumstances! |
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