Gerald Dagogo

Crusader of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

[Gerald Dagogo @dagogolagos]

Some people use prayer as a way to show off their knowledge or impress others. Instead of talking to God, they're trying to impress the people around them. This can make prayer feel empty and unmeaningful. Prayer should be a real conversation with God, not just a repetition of words or phrases. When we pray, we should come with a sincere heart, expressing our true thoughts and feelings. This is what makes prayer powerful and meaningful. Some people pray in a way that's too repetitive or formulaic. This can make others feel like they're not really talking to God. We need to pray with passion and sincerity, coming from a place of genuine love and desire. When we do this, our prayers will be more meaningful and impactful.

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[Gerald Dagogo @dagogolagos]

We are bound to obey God’s will because we are his creatures; but when it is his testimony, we should regard it the more, for God stands not only upon the honour of his authority, but of his truth: 1 John 5:10; He that believeth not hath made God a liar, because he believeth not the testimony which he has given concerning his Son. We may urge it thus upon our hearts-What! shall we make God a liar, after he hath so solemnly given his word, that word which hath many signatures, characters, and stamps of God upon it? Carelessness now is not only disobedience, but unbelief; it puts the highest affront upon God, to question his veracity and truth, and does not only unlord him, but ungod him, by making him a liar.

[Gerald Dagogo @dagogolagos]

If indeed you were dead to the world, and your life hid with Christ in God, you would set your affections on things above, on those things which are there where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God; (Col. 3:1, 2, 3;) but the want of this temper shows that you are carnally minded, which it is death to be; (Rom. 8:6;) and that the redeeming love of Christ has never exerted its influence upon your souls, nor his cross had any due efficacy upon you; for if it had, the world would have been crucified to you, and you to the world. Gal. 6:14.

[Gerald Dagogo @dagogolagos]

If you govern yourselves by worldly maxims alone, and your great care is to obtain those riches and honors, which the children of the world pursue; if the importance of eternity has never appeared in such a light, as to make you judge everything trifling that can come in competition with it; or rather, whatever your views of eternity have been, if you are not practically carrying on a scheme for it: and if you cannot, and do not, deny your worldly interest, when it cannot be secured without hazarding your eternal hopes; it is plain you are friends of the world, in such a sense as none can be, but he must be an enemy of God. Jam. 4:4.

[Gerald Dagogo @dagogolagos]

Evil characteristics appear in a context of respectability. Religion is not gone; in fact, these character qualities are frequently exhibited by people known for their "religiousness." However, as Paul wrote in 2 Tim. 3:5, they practice a form of godliness-that is, using godliness as a cloak of respectability while denying God's power over their lives. The "form" or appearance of godliness includes going to church, praise conferences, knowing Christian doctrine, using Christian cliches, and following a community's Christian traditions. Such practices can make a person outwardly look good, but if the inner attitudes of belief, love, and worship are lacking, the public appearance is hollow, meaningless.

[Gerald Dagogo @dagogolagos]

It is possible to be a perpetual student and never graduate to putting theory into practice. But honest seekers and true students look for answers. The accumulation of seminars, classes, Bible studies, and books without specific application in our daily lives can easily become our own version of what Paul was describing in 2 Tim. 3:7. Remember this as you study God's Word. Seek to find God's truth and will for your life.

[Gerald Dagogo @dagogolagos]

We understand that under these two words, faith and love, we have comprehended the whole perfection of Christians. For the mark at which the first table of the law aims is that we should worship one God only and cling to him for all things, acknowledging ourselves to be so indebted to him, that we ought to flee to him alone for all refuge and endeavour to spend our whole life in his service. That is the sum of the first table of the law. The contents of the second are nothing else but that we should live together in equity and uprightness, and deal in such a way with our neighbours that we strive to help all men without hurting any man. And we are sure that God has set forth so good and perfect a rule of good life in his law that nothing can be added to it. (see Matt. 22:34-40)

[Gerald Dagogo @dagogolagos]

Therefore, we have to observe, first of all, that those who intend their labour to be profitable to the edifying of the church, and those who have true zeal, must not only give themselves to teaching, but also, at the same time, pray God to work with them by his power and grace. For often it happens that we simply beat the air, beat the water, even though we have the tongues of angels) because we do not pray God to further the doctrine that we preach. For of ourselves we are but unprofitable instruments, and when he has given us utterance, he must also make it effectual, in accordance with the saying that he who plants is nothing and he who waters is nothing, but it is God that gives the increase. (1 Cor. 3:7) Seeing it is so, let such as have the charge of teaching God's church walk in fear and with care, and not only endeavour to win men to God, but also humbly acknowledge that they can do nothing of themselves and that they would only be making a noise in the air, which would soon die away, if God did not work with them by the secret power of his Spirit.

[Gerald Dagogo @dagogolagos]

Now it is true the doctrine of the gospel ought not to be the less esteemed when it is preached and published openly before the whole world, but yet it behoves him who tells it to have it thoroughly imprinted on his heart and to say the same thing to himself, and before God and his angels, which he speaks before men; for otherwise it would merely be a jangle, or rather a profaning of God's Word, if a man should step up into the pulpit to talk like an angel, but, at the same time, not be affected in heart, nor be persuaded of that which he speaks. It would be better for a man to be drowned a hundred times than for him to bear the most excellent testimony everywhere to salvation and to God's truth and, at the same time, not be so persuaded in himself of the thing that he preaches, that God and his angels might know that he has the same thing imprinted on his heart.

[Gerald Dagogo @dagogolagos]

Now it is true the doctrine of the gospel ought not to be the less esteemed when it is preached and published openly before the whole world, but yet it behoves him who tells it to have it thoroughly imprinted on his heart and to say the same thing to himself, and before God and his angels, which he speaks before men; for otherwise it would merely be a jangle, or rather a profaning of God's Word, if a man should step up into the pulpit to talk like an angel, but, at the same time, not be affected in heart, nor be persuaded of that which he speaks. It would be better for a man to be drowned a hundred times than for him to bear the most excellent testimony everywhere to salvation and to God's truth and, at the same time, not be so persuaded in himself of the thing that he preaches, that God and his angels might know that he has the same thing imprinted on his heart.

[Gerald Dagogo @dagogolagos]

A person who persistently rejects the plain teaching of Scripture is not a believer—but it is also possible to believe many things that Scripture teaches and nevertheless be unconverted. True saving faith transforms those who have it. A faith without works is a dead, useless faith; it is the sort of faith that demons have. "You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe-and shudder!" ( James 2:19).

[Gerald Dagogo @dagogolagos]

The persistent reluctance to submit to the plain teaching of the Scripture is a sure indication that you have not repented of your sinful resolve to determine for yourself what is good and evil. You still have the forbidden fruit in your mouth. Spit it out and receive the words of Jesus: “Whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life" (John 5:24).

[Gerald Dagogo @dagogolagos]

If your compassion only helps people with worldly problems but doesn't care about their spiritual well-being, it's flawed. This lack of concern for eternal souls may indicate you don't value your own soul's worth either. Don't fool yourself into thinking you're truly helping others or yourself.

When kindness and compassion only focus on temporary struggles, without regard for eternal consequences, it's incomplete. True concern for others includes caring about their spiritual well-being, not just their physical needs. If we neglect the soul's eternal interests, we risk missing the most crucial aspect of human existence.

Good intentions aren't enough; we must prioritize what's truly important. Let's not deceive ourselves into thinking superficial kindness is enough. Instead, let's strive for compassion that encompasses both body and soul, temporal and eternal needs.

—TTR

[Gerald Dagogo @dagogolagos]

God demands unwavering obedience in every aspect of life. When He speaks, He expects complete surrender, not selective compliance. As servants of the Master, we don't get to choose which tasks to perform; instead, we submit to His will in all things. A child of God strives for consistency in their walk, whether in prosperity or adversity, at home or abroad. They recognize that their actions and words are intertwined, and they seek to honor God in every sphere of life.

A genuine Christian's character is marked by uniformity, reflecting the beauty of a life lived in obedience to God's commandments. Just as God surveyed His creation and declared it "very good," a Christian finds joy in reflecting on their life and seeing how their actions and words align with God's will. In contrast, hypocrisy is often exposed when it's scrutinized in pieces, but a sincere heart shines through in its entirety.

—TTR

[Gerald Dagogo @dagogolagos]

I pray God to give to all his ministers and believers more and more of the spirit of wisdom, and of love, and of a sound mind and to remove far from us those mutual jealousies and animosities which hinder our acting with that unanimity which is necessary in order to the successful carrying on of our common warfare against the enemies of Christianity. We may be sure these enemies will never fail to make their own advantage of our multiplied divisions and severe contests with each other. But they must necessarily lose both their ground and their influence, in proportion to the degree in which the energy of Christian principles is felt to unite and transform the heart of those by whom they are professed.

[Gerald Dagogo @dagogolagos]

When people experience spiritual conversion, they often find that their preconceived notions about it are turned upside down. Those with great understanding and knowledge may be even more confounded, realizing that their wisdom is insufficient and that they knew little about the true nature of spiritual experiences. This humbling experience can be a blessing, as it allows them to become "nothing" and recognize the power and grace of God in their lives.

[Gerald Dagogo @dagogolagos]

The Misconception of Conversion: A Common Pitfall.

When people first experience the joy and relief of the gospel, they often don't realize they're converted. Instead, they're simply thrilled to have found a sense of hope and comfort in God's sufficiency and Christ's provision. This discovery can bring about a strong resolution to devote themselves to God and a sense of holy repose in Him. However, they may not recognize this experience as conversion because they have a wrong notion of what acceptance or conversion looks like.

They might be expecting some kind of dramatic or emotional experience, but instead, they're met with a sense of peace and complacency in God's mercy. They may not realize that their joyful response to the discovery of God's grace is, in fact, a real acceptance of it. This misconception can stem from a lack of understanding about what conversion entails, and it's only when they reflect on their experience that they begin to see the truth.

It's clear that people's understanding of conversion can be limited, and the language used to describe it may not convey the same meaning to everyone. Just as a blind person may not fully grasp the concept of color, people may not fully understand the concept of conversion until they've experienced it for themselves. Ultimately, it's the work of God's Spirit that brings about conversion, and it's up to Him to reveal the truth to those who are seeking Him.

[Gerald Dagogo @dagogolagos]

There is in this method of approaching God by asking, also, a clear sight that salvation is by grace. It does not say, "Let him buy of God, let him demand of God, let him earn from God." Oh! no-"let him ask of God." It is the beggar's word. The beggar asks an alms. You are to ask as the beggar asks of you in the street, and God will give to you far more liberally than ye to the poor. You must confess that you have no merit of your own. If you will not acknowledge that, neither will God hear your prayers; but come now with the acknowledgment of ignorance, with the confession of sin, and believing that God is the rewarder of them that diligently seek him, and he will even now give you the wisdom which saves the soul.

[Gerald Dagogo @dagogolagos]

The majority of human beings believe that people and circumstances exist to make them happy. We believe the brokenness inside will be satisfied by things outside. If we're not happy, who's to blame? People and circumstances. Do you see how this doesn't even make sense— broken people expecting broken people to fix them or expecting good things to do God things for them? It's a ridiculous notion, if we can think rightly about it. The whole thing is messed up. The system and all its parts are lacking. Doesn't Ecclesiastes show us this? There is no shalom in our hearts, and there is no shalom in the offerings of the world. We are cursed; creation is cursed. We are groaning; creation is groaning. The ache is bigger than all of us. We need a redemption bigger than all of us.