Truth sets free

Tag: teachings

  • A People Pleaser Trait

    What personality trait in people raises a red flag with you?
    Does it surprise you to see the weird traits?

    I happen to have shared many platforms with different people. And it’s certain that where people are, there you must find funny and weird personality traits and characters that becomes nuisance.

    When I find myself in a meeting or a group fellowship with a people pleaser person. I always feel for them especially seeing how they struggle to be seen. That’s not all,

    They get disappointed when not recognized publicly.

    They can do anything to make them visible – be in the limelight. I have seen people indulging in evil and sinful activities just to make themselves relevant and accepted by the current trends.

    They can use all they have to please people. I once heard from a “people pleaser person” who happen to be close to me saying that he had used all the resources he had to make a previous event colourful. I had seen this trait in him but this confession further confirmed to me that the event was not as the attendees thought but it was aimed to please them. What a sad outcome to someone working tirelessly to please people.

    Does this personality trait issue surprise me even if its a nuisance?

    No. It doesn’t surprise me at all. I am a believer in truth and the God’s truth says that man is fallen and from man comes nothing righteous but only evil and wickedness. The root problem is sin. You see this “people pleaser person in the above story”, instead of pleasing God alone, he is busy pleasing people and at the same time actively displeasing God. Which then lands him in more disappointment and adjact despair.

    Look dear reader, everyone has that personality trait that is a red flag to someone. Even me I know that I have a trait that people dislikes. One trait can be visible while some invisible. In simple terms. Everyone is guilty of sin. And sin manifest through these weird personality traits in different ways.

    Is there hope that personality traits will turn good and perfect?

    Yes. In Heaven. But for now as long as we are still living in this evil and fallen world. Sin will be there and weird personality traits will be there. The only difference is this; Those whom God has made alive with Christ and they have received the free gift of eternal life in Christ by faith, their sin have been washed away and they are being transformed day by day by the Spirit of God. Meaning their personality traits are also being transformed likewise. I am a witness of this, my character traits have changed because of the new nature I have  and spirit of God that works in me.

    But to those who are still outside Christ. They are still in sin bondage and their personality traits are still dark and will even be more darker. But there is hope, the bible say that if you call upon the name of the Lord you will be saved. And when God saves you, you will see a great transformation in all of your life.

  • How did God Speak in the Past? How Does He Speak to us Today?

    How did God Speak in the Past? How Does He Speak to us Today?

    These are two interesting questions to start with in today’s discussion. When not carefully understood, it leaves a person in a state of confusion. We are living in a world where many voices are speaking to us from all directions. Information is at the fingertips. Yet not all this information is true and beneficial. This makes people especially Christians to be in a tight corner wondering what really is the truth. In many conversations today, you will never miss the above question, how does God speak to us today?

    People are lost in between questions like; is he speaking to us directly by appearing perhaps in dreams or visions? Is he speaking to us through his creation such as some selected special people? Please spare some time to read this article to the end to get answers to the above questions.

    How Did God Speak in the Past?

    The writer of Hebrews in Hebrews 1:1-2 interestingly begins his letter with this topic. It seems like the same question was a problem for that generation as it is for us today. He confirms that God is the creator of all things. God had not gone mute for the past generation. He also has not gone mute for this current generation. The writer says that long ago, in those many years right after creation was finished, God spoke through people. These people were chosen and called by him. It is clear that God spoke to that generation through prophets. He did this, not once but many times. He visited many of his prophets at different times to communicate his message. Someone might want to ask, how did he do that?

    Well, it is clear in our bible text that he spoke through them in many ways. For instance, the word of the Lord came through visions. This is evident in Genesis 15:1, Isaiah 1:1, Ezekiel 1:1, Nahum 1:1, Micah 1:1, Obadiah 1:1, etc. And to other prophets, it was through the appearing of the angels of the Lord. God spoke to Moses through an angel, Exodus 3:1-3. We can go on and on through the bible. One clear thing is that God spoke mightily through his prophets at different times. He spoke in many ways which we can’t exhaust now. He sovereignly chose that way. And his messages were delivered as intended. But what about now, how is God speaking to us?

    How Does He Speak to Us Today?

    Is he still passing his intended message through certain special people through one-on-one encounters, visions, or appearing angels? Certainly not. The writer of Hebrews ensures that this matter is understood without any cases of contradictions. He says that in the past, God communicated in that manner to his people. In these last days, period between Jesus Christ’s first and second coming, he has spoken to us by his son whom he has appointed heir of all things and through him also created the universe. I ask you to pay attention to the choice of words in this text as we proceed.

    God in these days meaning now, is speaking to us, not through any created being. Not even through a prophet. Not even through angels. Not even through visions and dreams seen by a person. He makes it clear; that God has already spoken by his son. It is important to note that God has already given his final word, his son. He has spoken of things that happened before the earth’s foundation was laid. He has also spoken about what will happen at the end of the age. All these he has done by and through his son, Jesus Christ; the word that came from God which became flesh and dwelt among his people.

    Thus, the only way we can listen to God now is through his word alone. It is clearly laid bare in the Holy Scriptures. The word which is so powerful and alive, Hebrews 4:12 and in them are stored all things pertaining to life and godliness. All hidden treasures of wisdom and knowledge are only found in the written word of God, Colossians 2:3. We surely need to get this truth in our hearts. Why?

    We are living in times of desperation and hopelessness. Truth is fought from all corners. Even in the church, some people have crept in unnoticed. They present themselves as the current God’s mouthpiece. They claim that God is speaking through them new things concerning people’s lives. This is totally contrary to what we have seen in our bible text.

    God in these times does not speak through men new things. But remember our Lord Jesus Christ forewarned about the emergence of false prophets and teachers, Matthew 24:24. Apostle Peter clearly states that these false teachers are in the church. They are secretly introducing perverted teachings that are destructive. The worst is that they are denying the Lord who bought them, 2 Peter 2:1. They aim to lure people away from the truth. Even the chosen of God are at risk of falling victim to their swift destruction. The question then comes, how can a believer escape this trap?

    The only escape route for the elect of God is to decide to lovely cherish and believe in what God has said in Hebrews 1:2 without adding or taking away any word. Believing and proclaiming that God has spoken in his written word. And his word is enough and final. No need for any other fine-packaged-sounding arguments. The choice is for every individual to make. As Paul reminded a young leader in Ephesus church, Timothy needed to make a decisive choice. He was to carefully watch out for his life. Timothy was to take precautions on what teachings he believes in and shares with others. For by that, he would save himself and others also, 1 Timothy 4:16.

    Therefore, let no one take you captive by things that have no value. For they put your eternity at stake. God has spoken in his word. If you want to hear God loudly, take your bible and read it loudly. That’s the voice of God for us today.