The GFW Archive

Faith. Purpose. Relevance.

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Sometime towards the end of the year 2000 I was reading Luke 14. It was a story I was familiar with and never expected to see anything new, then I reached the 10th verse.

“...that when he that bade thee cometh, he may say unto thee, Friend, go up higher”

Those four words stood out in sharp relief to the rest of the text that I could not help noticing that it was talking to me. I had been in the same position for too long and had started getting used to mediocrity that that phrase was the politest way God could tell me that I was beginning to rust.

 Friend, go up higher

And the LORD spoke unto me, saying, You have compassed this mountain long enough: turn you northward,      Deut. 2:2,3.

The children of Israel left the bondage of Egypt with one destination in mind: Canaan. But they soon found out that the Promised Land was not on the other side of the street; their carnality made the journey longer and at a time they were moving round and round a particular mountain. But rather than strive harder to get out of the nomadic, goalless travelling around, they soon adapted themselves to the   harsh conditions.

They were beginning to be satisfied with what was less than the best, and God had to tell them it was time they went northwards.

“Friend, go up higher”, Luke 14:10

Satisfaction with the status quo is dangerous; it reeks of mediocrity and a want of excellence. And my message this month is for you to strive to improve yourself in all areas of your life – emotionally, intellectually, spiritually and materially.

Emotional Increase
As a child, my friends at school had a very convenient way of offending me; all they did then was stretch out a hand at me with the fingers extended like a starfish and I’d go furious because, (as I’d later say when being punished for fighting), they were “insulting my mother”. Today, a similar gesture from anyone would only make me laugh out loud and wonder why anyone could be offended at an outstretched hand.
That, is an example of emotional maturity and in the same vein some things I lose my top over today would seem immature tomorrow. It means that tomorrow I may pine over the precious time wasted, the valued energy squandered over prize-less, inconsequential conflicts that had little or no positive long-term, let alone eternal outcome.

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven, Ecclesiastes 3:1

Some aggravations and conflicts are simply disruptions in our journey and should be allowed to pass with little or no ado; others cannot be simply overlooked and swept under the carpet, it takes the emotionally mature to know make out which is which.

 Intellectual Increase
The day you stop improving you start decaying. My pastor in Abeokuta would say, “Only a dead man has no need to learn”. Believe it if you may, but there are still persons who think they've got nothing to learn anymore; I think it's a subtle symptom of pride not to want to learn from someone else. One day, my 68-year-old Dad said to me, “tell me what the scientists are now saying about evolution”. “There is no knowledge that is not power,” a computer game used to quote. All you know is all you’ve learnt, and all you’ve learnt is not all there is.

The bible says, “the heart of him that hath understanding seeks knowledge: but the mouth of fools feeds on foolishness,” Proverbs 15:14.

He that gets wisdom loves his own soul: he that keeps understanding shall find good,” Proverbs 19:8.

“Study to show yourself approved unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed”, 2 Timothy 2:15.

Going Up, Downwards
There are various areas one has to improve his or herself spiritually, but an area that I want to zero on at this point in time is humility. He must increase, but I must decrease, John 3:30.

Yes Friend, to go up with God you have to go down. The bible says God dwells in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit. It’s self-defeating trying to be a big man in the things of God. “I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings”, Jeremiah 17:10.

Do you want to be great with God? Want to be elevated from your present level? Take these scriptural pills; they’d do you much good.

Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.   Matthew 18:4 

And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.   Matthew 23:12 

Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up. James 4:10

 Be clothed with humility: for God resists the proud, and gives grace to the humble.   Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time. 1 Peter 5:5,6. 

Material Increase?
Hey! Did you seriously think I had anything to write on this? You’ve been doing this one so well that I was worried the other areas were being left behind. The apostle John said a similar thing, “Beloved, I wish above all things that you may prosper and be in health, even as your soul prospers”, (3John 1:2, Emphasis mine).