YOUR BEST IS YET TO COME

Job 8:7
“Though thy beginning was small, yet thy latter end should greatly increase.”

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Our GOD is not just the GOD of a good beginning, but of a better ending. Hence, no matter how badly or poorly a person starts, if he or she remains in GOD. The person has the hope or assurance of ending very well. Also, no matter how goodly a person starts, there is hope of a better ending. Is that why scripture admonishes us that as long as we are in CHRIST, we should never lose hope of being glorified ...

Colossians 1:27
"To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:"

That was why JESUS said except we abide in HIM, we can't be productive…

John 15:5
“I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.”

So, it doesn't matter how you started, once you remain in HIM, a glorious end you shall evolve into. But the challenge many people have is to abide before the time of fruitfulness because we live in the day and age of instant gratification. It is the “now-now” generation. We are in the generation that believes that if it is not now, it is not good, hence, it can’t be GOD. And if you don't really know your GOD, you will be talked out of the way by concerned or confused citizens of the world, who make it appear to you that a strange thing is happening to you when you are yet to gloriously evolve.

1 Peter 4:12-13
“Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: 13 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.””

Though GOD can do a thing instantly, HE is also the GOD that decides to do some things over a certain period of time, to arrive at a certain result. So, the early starters or early receivers should not think that some late starters or receivers are inferior to them. Not really. In some cases, the late receivers are just manifesting GOD’s agenda as they are too, because GOD is the GOD of variety…

Mark 10:51-52
“And Jesus answered and said unto him, What wilt thou that I should do unto thee? The blind man said unto him, Lord, that I might receive my sight. 52 And Jesus said unto him, Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way.””

It was the same JESUS that took a blind man by the hand on a journey before healing him …

Mark 8:22-25
“And he cometh to Bethsaida; and they bring a blind man unto him, and besought him to touch him. 23 And he took the blind man by the hand, and led him out of the town; and when he had spit on his eyes, and put his hands upon him, he asked him if he saw ought. 24 And he looked up, and said, I see men as trees, walking. 25 After that he put his hands again upon his eyes, and made him look up: and he was restored, and saw every man clearly.””

You can see that they brought the blind guy to JESUS, and the man was led out of that town by JESUS, meaning the man was still going to remain blind a little longer, yet, he was in JESUS’s HANDS. “You don't mean that even when someone is in GOD’s HANDS, the person could still have his or her issues unresolved for a while?”. Yes! I didn't write the scriptures. Before any of us was born, it had been written.

Also, note that even after JESUS had touched him, he still was not totally healed, but HE had to touch him again. So, who says that problem must always be instantaneously solved to be GOD?

Just like the Chinese bamboo tree. In its first year, we see no visible signs of activity. In the second year, again, no growth above the soil. The third, the fourth, still nothing. Our patience is tested and we begin to wonder if our efforts (caring, water, etc.) will ever be rewarded. And finally in the fifth year – behold, a miracle! We experience growth. And what growth it is! The Chinese Bamboo Tree grows 80-90 feet in just about six weeks!

But let’s be serious, does the Chinese Bamboo Tree really grow 80-90 feet in six weeks? Did the Chinese Bamboo Tree lie dormant for four years only to grow exponentially in the fifth? Or, was the little tree growing underground, developing a root system strong enough to support its potential for outward growth in the fifth year and beyond? The answer is, of course, obvious. Had the tree not developed a strong unseen foundation it could not have sustained its life as it grew. The same principle is true for people. People, who patiently toil towards worthwhile dreams and goals, building strong character while overcoming adversity and challenge, grow the strong internal foundation to handle success, while get-rich- quickers usually are unable to sustain unearned sudden wealth.

Had the Chinese Bamboo Tree farmer dug up his little seed every year to see if it was growing, he would have stunted the Chinese Bamboo tree’s growth as surely as a caterpillar is doomed to a life on the ground if it is freed from its struggle inside a cocoon prematurely. The struggle in the cocoon is what gives the future butterfly the wing power to fly, just as tension against muscles as we exercise strengthen our muscles, while muscles left alone will soon atrophy.

The first time I was to do bus evangelism. I kept on procrastinating because of fear, but one day, I summoned up the courage, and I opened my mouth to preach. What spoilt the message was that I didn't know the terrain of the place I was going. So, I had barely started preaching when the conductor mentioned my bus stop, and I said “”Owa o”. Imagine! Somebody preaching, wanting to come down. Shame caught me that day. I quickly got down and disappeared into the crowd at the bus stop.

It was as if I should not preach again. It was a major disaster… but … I tried again.

You see, if you must win, or be good at something, you must not give in to failure. Rise from the ashes of the failure into the beauty of success. I continued preaching. Some, I saw as impressive, and some, I saw as nothing to write home about. In all, I never stopped preaching. Anytime I had the opportunity to preached, I utilized it.

Today, GOD is helping me to become better at preaching than I was when I started. All Glory to GOD.

Abraham started in a seemingly unimpressive way. His first child came when he was 86 years old, and by the time he was 99 years old, his body function and desire for sexual relationship had dropped. That was why Sarah laughed when she heard the angels saying she would bear a son …

Genesis 18:12-14
“Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also? 13 And the LORD said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old? 14 Is anything too hard for the LORD? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.””

Also, the state of Abraham’s body at 100 years was revealed to us in …

Romans 4:18-21
“Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be. 19 And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara's womb: 20 He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; 21 And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.”

As at the time Sarah died, Abraham was 137 years old, and only had Isaac by her, and Ishmael by Hagar…. But he must have remembered that GOD showed him stars in the sky one night when he was still much younger; and said to himself that GOD would have more for him than that…

Genesis 15:5-6
“And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be. 6 And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.””

If GOD could quicken his mortal body once to produce Isaac, HE would do it again. And after the death of Sarah, he married again, and this time, he had six children! What?! What he could not achieve when he was young, GOD release HIS Grace for him to do much more than he had ever done collectively with Sarah and Hagar…

Genesis 25:1-2
“Then again Abraham took a wife, and her name was Keturah. 2 And she bare him Zimran, and Jokshan, and Medan, and Midian, and Ishbak, and Shuah.”

GOD said I should tell someone listening to me here this: Stop looking at the discouraging signs of times, I will fulfil all I have spoken of you, and you will see that I AM the GOD that does wondrously and abundantly beyond your widest imagination.”

On the final note…

Ecclesiastes 7:8
“Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.””

Prayer: FATHER, please let the better than the best I have experienced in every area of my life start manifesting in JESUS’ NAME.