WHAT OF THE PUBLIC PERCEPTION OF THE MAN OF GOD? (20/01/14) Good morning dearly beloved, How are you this morning? How was your Sunday? Oh, mine was a Super Sunday. All what I wrote you yesterday morning to expect came my way in church. Talk of a SPECIAL SUPERNATURAL touch, I was so touched. Talk of being UNDER His glory to be showered of His blessings, it was an abundant rain of his blessings yesterday in church. And I know it was so for you. Great expectations breed great experience and manifestations of the miraculous. Always expect the best when you go to Him. He does not disappoint....Hope you read THINKING BIBLE yesterday? My dear, I have decided to follow Jesus, no turning back, no turning back. I have put the world behind, I only see the Cross upon which the King of glory died for me. And as I go from mere sighting to survey this Cross, my richest gain I count but loss, and pour contempt on all my pride. I have nothing else to boast about, save in the death of Christ my God. All the vain things that charm me most, I sacrifice them to his blood....Once, these were mere lyrics of a song to me, but I have been praying through the years that they coalesce together to become my life. From mere lyrics to a lifestyle. And God is answering me....That is why going back is out of it. Going back to where? My brother, my sister, where we are heading to is where to be. There is nothing where we are coming from...Please PRESS ON! Message 35 of GLEANING THROUGH A PASTORAL EPISTLE. Yesterday we discovered that maturity is a matter. Until Moses came to years, he thought there was much in being called the son of Pharaohs daughter (Heb.11:24). He may having been walking with a kind of swagger because of that. Pharaoh in waiting they called him and he was raising his boyoyo hands up. Bragging is for boys, men decide. Men take definite decisions and stands. It was when Moses became a man that he made the choice that marked his destiny out (Heb.11:25-27). The choices that matter most in a mans life are better made when a man comes to years. You cannot be a boyoyo Christian forever. Grow up! This morning we make progress into verse 7 of 1Timothy Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil. Good News Bible (GNB) puts it like this He should be a man who is respected by the people outside the church, so that he will not be disgraced and fall into the Devils trap. Your public respect as a man of God is a function of your reputation as a man of God. What is the general opinion and views that are held about you? Is there a high opinion that people hold about you? How are you rated? How you are respected is dependent on your rating. Your reputation is more character based than any other thing. You build reputation as you build character. It takes time, effort, labor and sacrifice to build a good reputation. And when built, reputation must be jealously guarded and protected, for a reputation built over a long period of time can be destroyed within minutes. Even goods and brands have their reputation. Coke Cola is a good brand in soft drink production. Its reputation helps its marketing. I did marketing to a level as a Banking & Finance student. Product brand is very crucial as a marketing strategy. And one need to protect a reputation or brand a lot. Some older ones reading me who know Onitsha some years back know about a brand of bread called Our Lady. It was truly a delicious bread. But some years ago, possibly some bad bellying competitors came up with all stories about that bread. They even alleged that the Our Lady name there, is the mermaid spirit that lives in the river Niger. That the owner of the bakery had a covenant with this Queen of the Coast. That was it. We never heard of Our Ladys bread again. Possibly, the owner did a rebrand and moved on in his bakery business. Build your reputation. It is what sells your product. Never compromise your reputation once you earn it. Do you know Coke and Pepsi do not taste the same irrespective of sharing the same color? Coke had over the years stood out. They must have paid a lot in building, protecting and keeping their brand. Man of God, your message is your product. Your evangelism is your product. And it must have to sell. If it must sell and sail through, you must not undermine your public perception. You must not say Let him who wants to talk, talk whatever he wants to talk, the doer will go ahead to be doing what he wants to do. You cannot sell with that premise. As a preacher and pastor, your product is your person. How can you do effective evangelism and win souls on the same street where you are known as a serial fornicator or a street fighter. You will have very bad business of soul winning on that street. Your brand, your good reputation matters a lot. It was said of the Ananias that came to pray with Jesus that he was not only a devout man according to the law but also having a good report of all the Jews which dwelt there (Acts 22:12). See, to an extent, the people know who is who among them that call themselves pastors. You remember the story I told you of my pastor friend currently working in Congo who a lady colleague in the office called A Different Nigerian. That is it. It is a brand. The lady explained that most Nigerians that come over there to work behave as if they have not seen women before considering the way they chase around Congolese girls. They may have approached her. Possibly she had slept with some. You know the way a lady you have made advances on before calls you Pastooooor is not respectable. Build and keep your REPUTATION. How? R - Practice RIGHTEOUSNESS and hate iniquity like Jesus (Heb.1:9) E - ENDURE hardship and some difficulties in insisting to be a soldier of Christ (2Tim. 2:3) P - PRACTICE what you profess and preach (1Tim.6:12;Titus 1:16) U - USE and utilize Gods grace maximally ( 1Cor.15:10) T - TELL yourself all the truth you need to tell yourself. Do not pamper yourself about living right (1Cor.9:24-27) A - Give ATTENTION to your outlook. Use the mirror of life to keep checking your looks (James 1:22-25) T - Learn to TARRY before the LORD over your life (Isaiah 40:31). Be prayerful. I - IGNORE not all that people are saying about you. They may be saying some truth. Examine yourself on the light of truth. Check up (2Cor.13:5) O - Be OPEN and transparent in your actions. Do not be needlessly opaque and secretive. Walk in the light and not darkness ( Eph.5:10-17) N - NURTURE your reputation. Feed it. Fend for it. And give it all the protection it needs. Work on it to keep it. Neglect it not. Please, I will encourage, you read the scriptures attached. In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works; in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity and sincerity. Sound speech that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you (Titus 2:7-8). Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation (1Peter 2:12). Can you this morning (if you have not done so) lay your life on the altar of sacrifice (Rom.12:1-2). Stop owning your life. Surrender it to the owner that He may use you as it seemeth good to Him. May the Holy Spirit reveal this message to you. And may you be blessed through it. I love you as always. Shalom.
Posted on: Mon, 20 Jan 2014 04:26:22 +0000