Flipper is not a morning person, sorry, fish. At dawn when I go out on the balcony to check on him, he just lies motionless in one spot. At first I thought there was something wrong with him, but I’ve come to see that this is normal behaviour for him. One morning however, I noticed something that made me look again. Yes, my little fish has taught me a life lesson once more.
That particular morning, I stayed out on the porch a bit longer, singing a few Twi songs of praise. As I walked past the bowl again and again, I noticed that Flipper was very excited, swimming round and round, up and down. I wondered whether it was the passing plane that had unsettled him, but by the time I left, I realised that it was my songs of praise that had him all energised. I had walked past the bowl dozens of times, so it couldn’t be that. The verse that came to mind was Psalm 150:6 Let everything that has breath praise the Lord! My fish was praising the Lord with me!
My fish’s circumstances hadn’t changed; he was still confined to a fishbowl. However, the praise made all the difference. Praise had lightened up the atmosphere. In the same way handling a difficult circumstance is always made easier to go through by praise. Praising through the storm helps you get through it. This week try it. No matter how difficult it sounds, praise the Lord through your trials, and experience His peace and joy! I have tried it, and I know its sooo true!
GREATNESS!
Would you like to be a powerful man/woman of God? Would you like to be known far and wide for the anointed words that come out of your mouth? Do you want to delve into the supernatural? Well then, hear how one man was elevated as the spiritual leader of a whole nation.
Joshua sat in the presence of the Lord long before he knew any leadership role would be required of him. Later on he was chosen as the leader of the Israelites without any struggle (Deut. 3:28). The secret of greatness in Christ is to spend time in His presence. When Jesus was choosing His disciples, He chose people who would... “be with him and that he might send them out to preach and to have authority to drive out demons” Mark 3:14. Note, the disciples needed first to be with Him, that is spend time sitting at His feet, before they would have power to preach and to have authority over demons.
Mary, sister of Lazarus knew this only too well when she chose to spend time sitting at His feet:
The secret of greatness is to spend time in His presence.
What about you? Do you choose to spend time sitting at Jesus’ feet? Or do you breeze through a quick verse and expedite a prayer to heaven at the beginning of the day? Your end could be great, but it’s up to you. The choice is yours. Which standing would you prefer?
As Moses went into the tent, the pillar of cloud would come down and stay at the entrance, while the Lord spoke with Moses. Whenever the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance to the tent, they all stood and worshipped, each at the entrance to his tent. The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks with his friend. Then Moses would return to the camp, but his young aide Joshua son of Nun did not leave the tent. Ex 33:9-11
Joshua sat in the presence of the Lord long before he knew any leadership role would be required of him. Later on he was chosen as the leader of the Israelites without any struggle (Deut. 3:28). The secret of greatness in Christ is to spend time in His presence. When Jesus was choosing His disciples, He chose people who would... “be with him and that he might send them out to preach and to have authority to drive out demons” Mark 3:14. Note, the disciples needed first to be with Him, that is spend time sitting at His feet, before they would have power to preach and to have authority over demons.
Mary, sister of Lazarus knew this only too well when she chose to spend time sitting at His feet:
As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!" "Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her." Luke 10:38-42
The secret of greatness is to spend time in His presence.
What about you? Do you choose to spend time sitting at Jesus’ feet? Or do you breeze through a quick verse and expedite a prayer to heaven at the beginning of the day? Your end could be great, but it’s up to you. The choice is yours. Which standing would you prefer?
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