Dearly Beloved,

YOU CAN BE USEFUL!

"Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for ministry"
(2 Timothy 4:11, NKJV).

John Mark was a failure to Barnabas and Paul during their first
missionary journey. He was initially their helper (Acts 13:5), but
later abandoned them (Acts 13:13). His action irritated Paul so much
that when Paul and Barnabas were preparing for the second missionary
journey, Paul did not think it wise to take him, but Barnabas thought
otherwise. The disagreement on this matter was so sharp that Paul and
Barnabas parted company. Barnabas took Mark and went in one direction
while Paul took another person, Silas, and went in another direction
(see Acts 15:36-41). However, the seemingly unwanted Mark became
useful for Paul in the latter days of his ministry to the extent that
Paul had to write Timothy to bring Mark to him "for he is useful to me
for ministry" (2 Timothy 4:11, NKJV).

There have been cases of disappointment in part of some people that
have made us to write them off. We have seen such people as a failure,
and have thought that nothing good can come out of them. We may even,
like Paul, refuse to give them a second chance, and be ready to
quarrel with anyone that is ready to bring out the goodness in them.
This ought not to be so. No one is a write-off. Even, if the person
has failed several times. The person can still be useful later. Be an
encourager like Barnabas, and help that person to become useful.

Probably, you are the seeming failure. You have given up on yourself
because you have disappointed people and yourself when you ought to
deliver. Do not give up. You can still be useful. If no one believes
in you or encourages you, believe in yourself that you can make it and
be useful to yourself and to others around you. Encourage yourself.
Like it happened to John Mark, somebody, even that person that has
lost hope in you, will look for your help one day. You can be useful!

In His service,

Bayo Afolaranmi (Pastor).

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_________________________
Bayo Afolaranmi (Pastor).
+234 805 515 9591
http://www.thewordthruthenet.org/
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/spiritualdigest2003/

"I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will
have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted
in my body, whether by life or by death. FOR TO ME, TO LIVE IS CHRIST
AND TO DIE IS GAIN" (Philippians 1:20-21, NIV).