Crossing over!

Crossing over into your blessing, surprisingly can sometimes be the most scariest of all. The battle is the hardest when your enemy smells defeat. The last hour of the night is the darkest.

The Israelites had been promised a land flowing with milk and honey, yet here they were as slaves in Egypt, maltreated and taken for labourers. The Israelites prayed and prayed to God, then God remembered His promise to them, and sent Moses to their rescue. Initially, Moses' attempt to deliver them from Egypt and from Pharaoh only brought untold hardships on them, so much so that Moses went back to God saying - Exodus 5:22-23 “Why, Lord, why have you brought trouble on this people? Is this why you sent me?  Ever since I went to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has brought trouble on this people, and you have not rescued your people at all.”

Then came the plagues, and finally Pharaoh released them to go. Their battle was not yet over. Their enemies saw their own defeat, and yet still were not ready to accept defeat, so pursued them. The latter part of every battle is the fiercest. The loser is usually not willing to lose, and tries the hardest to overturn the verdict. Pharaoh and his men followed the Israelites to the Red Sea, and everything looked lost in the eyes of the Israelites, for all they could see was an impassable sea before them, and their enemies encroaching on them.

Exodus 14:10-14 When the Israelites saw the king coming with his army, they were frightened and begged the Lord for help.  They also complained to Moses, “Wasn’t there enough room in Egypt to bury us? Is that why you brought us out here to die in the desert? Why did you bring us out of Egypt anyway?  While we were there, didn’t we tell you to leave us alone? We had rather be slaves in Egypt than die in this desert!”
But Moses answered, “Don’t be afraid! Be brave, and you will see the Lord save you today. These Egyptians will never bother you again. The Lord will fight for you, and you won’t have to do a thing.”

The Israelites knew God had promised them a land flowing with milk and honey. It looked impossible and a lie at this very juncture. But God is faithful, He made a way though there seemed to be no way. God put an angel behind them to protect them from their enemies. The Israelites could not see the angel, but he was there to work for their victory. God steps into our impossible situations, however we often do not see His Hand working. He works behind the scenes for our good  - Exodus 14:15-31.

The Israelites crossed over indeed! They witnessed the death of their enemies. Crossing over time is a crucial time. This time is a battle time, we cannot relent at this time or we could face defeat. However, if we follow the instructions of Moses and let go fear and act brave, we will see the salvation of the Lord, and the end of our battle, for the things that trouble us will be destroyed, and we will see them no more. Stay put and guard your faith!


















WHAT IS NEXT?

Wise men still seek Him

Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

I came across a post on facebook last Christmas which read - wise men still seek Him.  This post was referring to the three wise men that sought for baby Jesus with gifts, and alluding to the fact that those who seek God are wise .

Proverbs 9:10 reads  The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. It is wise to seek the Lord. Fools do not seek the Lord, for they say in their hearts that there is no God - Psalm 14:1a The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God.

In seeking God, we must do so earnestly, and with all due diligence.That is our service to God, and seeking Him ought to be marked by, or showing deep sincerity or seriousness  We cannot serve God Haphazardly and in an unconcerned manner. God abhors lukewarmness, and delights in those that love Him and seek Him with all their hearts. God desires that we attach seriousness to our worship of Him. 

We must make time for Him. Make time to study His Word, to pray to Him, to listen to His voice. We must make deliberate efforts to obey Him, and to do His will and bidding. To serve the Lord is a personal choice, God never forces us to serve Him. however the wise man knows that to serve the Lord is the best option, for there is only misery for those who forsake the Lord. Though their lives may look good on earth, they come to ruin after death - Luke 16:19-31 (Lazarus and the Rich Man).

Beloved, God rewards the diligent search of Him. God is like a precious gem hidden down the earth. You would need to dig deep down to unearth the treasure. In the same way, the deep gems/rewards that come with serving God are reserved for the diligent worshipper. God unveils His treasures to those He knows are reliable children. On the human level, we bequeath wealth and riches to responsible heirs.Therefore, if we want to enjoy our good inheritance in the Lord, we must study His word to learn what is ours. We must pray and overcome the thief that seeks to steal what is ours and also stay under the divine protection of God. We must seek God because we love Him and enjoy spending time with family - He is our Father. We must also obey Him - evangelise as He has commanded us to and obey all of His commandments. We ought to open up to the direction of His Holy Spirit who lives in us.


When we diligently seek God, our reward is as sure as day and night, and our Heavenly Father is delighted.























WHAT IS NEXT?

Pride goes before a fall

Proverbs 11:2 When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom. 

Proverbs 16:18 Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.

Proverbs 29:23  A man's pride will bring him low, But a humble spirit will obtain honor.

Wikipedia defines pride when used with a negative connotation as: an inflated sense of one's personal status or accomplishments.

 When we think of ourselves too highly than we ought to, we are said to be proud, and this can buy us a free fall from glory to grass.  In Daniel 4:1-37, we read about how Nebuchadnezzar became proud in himself, and how God brought him down to the level of animals, he ate and acted as an animal. His hair grew like eagles' feathers and his nails as birds'claws, until God had mercy on him and restored him. Nebuchadnezzar learnt humility the hard way, and acknowledged God as Soverign after his ordeal.

Satan also became proud and thought he could be greater than God. He lost his place in Heaven, and is awaiting an even greater punishment of brimstone and fire. In 2 Chronicles 26:16-21 , we learn of how King Uzziah became proud and suffered for it - But after Uzziah became powerful, his pride led to his downfall. He was unfaithful to the LORD his God, and entered the temple of the LORD to burn incense on the altar of incense.Azariah the priest with eighty other courageous priests of the LORD followed him in. They confronted King Uzziah and said, "It is not right for you, Uzziah, to burn incense to the LORD. That is for the priests, the descendants of Aaron, who have been consecrated to burn incense. Leave the sanctuary, for you have been unfaithful; and you will not be honored by the LORD God."Uzziah, who had a censer in his hand ready to burn incense, became angry. While he was raging at the priests in their presence before the incense altar in the LORD's temple, leprosy broke out on his forehead.When Azariah the chief priest and all the other priests looked at him, they saw that he had leprosy on his forehead, so they hurried him out. Indeed, he himself was eager to leave, because the LORD had afflicted him.King Uzziah had leprosy until the day he died. He lived in a separate house --leprous, and banned from the temple of the LORD. Jotham his son had charge of the palace and governed the people of the land.

 We must be careful not to sidetrack the Lord or His Laws, and become proud. Pride will crown us with shame and disgrace here on Earth and/or in the here after.




















WHAT IS NEXT?

The God that remembers

We read throughout the Bible how God remembered people . God remembered Noah and stopped the waters - Genesis 8:1. God remembered His promise to Sarah, and gave her a child just as He had promised - Genesis 21:1-2. He remembered Abraham and ensured Lot, his nephew was safe (Genesis 19:29) . When Rachel and Hannah wanted children, God remembered them and gave them children (Genesis 30:22 ; 1 Samuel 1:19).

God never forgets His own,  He will always step in to fulfil His promises unto His children, and to make good His covenant with them - Psalm 105:8 ; Leviticus 26:42 ; Ezekiel 16:60 ;Jeremiah 31:20.
God is not a man that He should lie, nor is He a son of man to repent. Has He said it, will He not do it? Has He spoken, will He not make it good? Numbers 23:19

Rest assured in the promises of God , for they are yes and amen - 2 Corinthians 1:20 .They are very certain and sure. We can count on God's faithfulness all the time. Have you cried out to the Lord, do not worry, He has heard your cry, and is working behind the scenes for your good. Are you waiting on God, do not lose hope, you will see His goodness.

Cast your mind back on God's faithfulness to Bible Characters like David and Daniel. God is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. He will take care of you, and in due season will remember and grant you your heart desire. Do not despair - He will come through for you.

























WHAT IS NEXT?

Sure Wages!

Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain. 1 Corinthians 15:58 God is good, and He is a God that remembers our labour of love for Him. He is a good boss who pays His wages on time. His timing is not our timing though, for a thousand years is like a day in God's eyes, and a day is like a thousand years in His eyes - 2 Peter 3:8. This is why sometimes, we may feel as though God is delaying, as if He is never going to come through for us. I personally believe God ordered the steps of the King to honour Mordecai. Remember: Proverbs 21:1  The King's heart is like a stream of water directed by the Lord; He guides it wherever He pleases. Esther 6:1-3 That night the king could not sleep; so he ordered the book of the chronicles, the record of his reign, to be brought in and read to him. It was found recorded there that Mordecai had exposed Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king’s officers who guarded the doorway, who had conspired to assassinate King Xerxes. “What honor and recognition has Mordecai received for this?” the king asked. “Nothing has been done for him,” his attendants answered. Mordecai's good work had gone up as a memorial before God who ensured that the King lost sleep until he honoured him.  In the same way, God remembered Cornelius and his generosity, and made sure he did not miss his salvation. God blessed Cornelius with what money could never buy - Salvation of his soul. Cornelius narrated how an angel had stood before him - Acts 10:31 and he said, 'Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and your alms have been remembered before God. God has a good filing system, and never forgets what we do for Him, and for His Kingdom. Whenever we show kindness, it is recorded. Remember Jesus told of how one day , He'll acknowledge every labour of love - He shall say to those on His right hand, you fed me when I was hungry,  I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in,  I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’  As Jesus puts it - ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ Matthew 25:31-46 Let us therefore not grow weary in doing good for in due season, we shall reap , if we faint not. Galatians 6:9

WHAT IS NEXT?

Stay put!

Life's journey has hazardous turns. Sometimes, we are confronted with ferocious beasts that seek to consume the very life in us. It could be a medical report spelling your death, or debts that are strangling your peace. It may be unrest in a relationship, or a loss you may have to endure. In the midst of all these storms, you have to remain calm and trust God.


David and his men faced one of life's awful moments when they came back to Ziklag to find that the Amalekites had taken captive all their women and children, and burnt down their place of abode. Being human, David and his men were saddened by this predicament and wept. 1 Samuel 30:4 Then David and the people that were with him lifted up their voice and wept, until they had no more power to weep. Sometimes, life's challenges may cause us to weep, which is okay. To be sad is part of our human make up. We may be saddened by events of our life, however what we do afterwards is what matters. David's men after crying, tried to play the blame game - And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the LORD his God. 1 Samuel 30:6


Finger pointing for the cause of our woes would not solve or change our situation. Sometimes, as Christians we fight the wrong people for our problems and woes. David was not the cause of the trouble they were in. He was infact a victim as well of what the Amalekites had done. However, the anger that burned in the others, triggered a wrong reaction - they intended to stone him. When life's stormy winds blow, some people turn to the wrong solution. They turn to unfounded accusations and persecutions, some allow the events to turn them into emotional monsters. Others allow depression to set in , in a worse case, leading to the committing of suicide.


David nevertheless, maintained his calm, and encouraged himself in the Lord. Psalm 28:7 declares The LORD is my strength and my shield. My heart trusted him, so I received help. My heart is triumphant; I give thanks to him with my song. David trusted in God, and encouraged himself in spite of the trouble he was in. He went a step further to enquire of the Lord what he ought to do . Proverbs 3:5-6 teaches us : Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.


God directed David. Through God's direction, David recovered everything the enemy had stolen from him. If we rely on God to order our steps, we shall recover all that has been stolen from us - everything that the cankerworm or caterpillar has destroyed shall be restored. 1 Samuel 30:8,18-19 And David enquired at the LORD, saying, Shall I pursue after this troop? shall I overtake them? And he answered him, Pursue: for thou shalt surely overtake them, and without fail recover all.

And David recovered all that the Amalekites had carried away: and David rescued his two wives.
And there was nothing lacking to them, neither small nor great, neither sons nor daughters, neither spoil, nor any thing that they had taken to them: David recovered all.


Stay put in the midst of any storm you are in, go back to the Lord in prayer, seek His Will and counsel, and you shall recover what you lost -
And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpiller, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you. Joel 2:25









WHAT IS NEXT?

The precious cost of healing

The cost of our healing was very dear - Jesus paid for it with stripes on His body until His body was unrecognisable. It was written of Him in Isaiah 52:14 But many were amazed when they saw him. His face was so disfigured he seemed hardly human, and from his appearance, one would scarcely know he was a man.


For by His stripes we are healed - Isaiah 53:5 But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. When sickness rears its head, do not accept it, for you have receipt for the purchase of your health - the stripes Jesus received. Divine Health is part of our Salvation package. We have a gift card for our healing and can choose to use it to claim our healing or not.


To obtain our healing , we have to step out in faith. For Jesus has given unto us power to trample over all the power of the enemy including sickness - Luke 10:19 “Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing will injure you. Declare scriptures on God's healing power. Pray and claim your healing. Think health, you must mentally accept health in spite of what you feel in your body, for whatever you dwell on becomes bigger.


Every good gift comes from above, so do not be afraid to seek medical help where needs be. Nevertheless, keep your mind on Jesus and His stripes that healed you. Faith is seeing what is not as though it is.


God desires that you be in good health - Below are scriptures to show God desires in the healing of His children
Psalm 107: 19-20 Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress. He sent out his word and healed them; he rescued them from the grave.

Exodus 23:25
Worship the LORD your God, and his blessing will be on your food and water. I will take away sickness from among you.

Exodus 15:26 Saying, If you will diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord your God and will do what is right in His sight, and will listen to and obey His commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases upon you which I brought upon the Egyptians, for I am the Lord Who heals you.

Psalm 103:2-3 Bless the LORD, O my soul, And forget none of His benefits;
Who pardons all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases;

Jeremiah 30:17 But I will restore you to health and heal your wounds,' declares the LORD, 'because you are called an outcast, Zion for whom no one cares.'


God cares about your healing and health. He has already made provision for it - step out in faith and take it!



WHAT IS NEXT?

Bearing one another's burdens

Galatians 6:2 Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.


There are many people who are hurting alone. They could be around people, but do feel so lonely. Some have been misjudged, others are being maltreated, persecuted and abandoned. It is worrying when you have to go through pain all alone. I remember how I have dealt with some low moments of my life, and realise I got round some of those difficult times because I had people praying for me, and people supporting me. Sometimes all you need is someone who will listen, and not judge you. Sometimes you need someone who will hear your jumbled up feelings and thoughts. Those thoughts, words and actions you are trying to decipher and currently do not make sense.


There can be lonely moments in life... when your world may look like its turning upside down. It is soothing in those times to know someone is there for you. I remember times like these in my own life - a smile for me was worth a thousand words. A hug without words was enough. There are times that all another person needs is a little support - spiritual, emotional, financial, etc. As Christians, we ought to look beyond our own to care for others.

I came across this on http://revtrev.com , and thought it worth sharing:

4 ways we can practically bear one another’s burdens.

1. Listen - don’t judge, don’t fix, don’t commiserate with lies the enemy tells, but show your love and care.

2. Help – in practical ways that the person is comfortable with.

3. Smile – hug, laugh – it doesn’t have to be big to be profound.

4. Pray – Oh that we would have a revelation of the power of our prayers. It’s not sending good wishes to someone, it’s interceding for someone else as if our own lives depended on it. The fervent prayer of the righteous gets so much done.


Let us help one another in every Christian way possible - 1 John 3:16-18
We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoever has the world’s goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him? Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth.










WHAT IS NEXT?

Suffering for others

Every pain that Jesus bore was for our salvation. He thought of you and I all the way to the cross. Jesus did not suffer as a result of a wrong he had done, but because of our wrongs. Unlike the two thieves who were dying besides him, He had committed no evil.


Isaiah 53: 1-5 is a prophesy about Jesus , way before he was born :
Who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?
He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.
He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem.
Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted.
But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.


Jesus chose this way of suffering willingly . Paul also suffered for preaching the Gospel of Christ. Paul chose to go this way, because he had the opportunity to disown God and His Will. Acts 21:10-14
After we had been there a number of days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. Coming over to us, he took Paul’s belt, tied his own hands and feet with it and said, “The Holy Spirit says, ‘In this way the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem will bind the owner of this belt and will hand him over to the Gentiles.’”
When we heard this, we and the people there pleaded with Paul not to go up to Jerusalem. Then Paul answered, “Why are you weeping and breaking my heart? I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” When he would not be dissuaded, we gave up and said, “The Lord’s will be done.”


Paul truly was put in shackles and imprisoned when he went to Jerusalem, but all this, Paul did to set others free with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Today, if you are suffering for God's work and purpose to be accomplished, you still have a choice to bow out, or to grin and bear the suffering for the sake of the souls that will be saved though your obedience.


Philippians 1:29 For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him.




















WHAT IS NEXT?

The Invincible Hand of God

The Hand of God is invincible but powerful. He works on our behalf without us knowing sometimes. Jesus had forseen that Peter was going to deny him, He prayed and delivered him from losing his faith. The prayer of Jesus, saved Peter from losing his total salvation, even though there were traces of denial. Can you imagine what would have happened if Jesus had not prayed? The prayer of Jesus for Peter was God's invincible act to preserve the faith of Peter. Luke 22:31-32 And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: But I have prayed for you, that your faith fail not: and when you are converted, strengthen your brothers.


God chose Saul to be the King of Israel. He told Samuel all about Saul, and set Saul up to lose his father's donkeys. God orchestrated it all for Saul and Samuel's path to cross. Eventually , according to God's plans, Saul was anointed King by Samuel - 1 Samuel 9,10:1-2. The Hand of God planted Esther in the palace to redeem the Jews. As Mordecai said to her - For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?” Esther 4:14. Esther's presence in the palace was timely - possibly another act of God's invincible Hand to save those He loves and calls His own.


Would we say it was mere co-incidence that Rebekah turned up at the well, and was the exact answer to the prayer of Abraham's servant? The invincible Hand of God provided Rebekah as a wife for Isaac. Genesis 24. The Hand of God works behind the scenes to make our lives meaningful - delivering us from harm, and providing what we need. God sets a table for us, it is up to us to identify and make a conscious effort to partake of His goodness.


Walk consciously knowing that God is with you, working all things together for your good.







WHAT IS NEXT?

Rejoicing in hope

Romans 12:12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.

Life can throw at us very undesirable moments. The journey of life has smiles and tears. There are events and situations in life that are chilly and virtually tears our hearts apart, but as Christians, we must stand firm, hoping in our God and knowing that He has assured us of His good intentions for us in Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.


This hope is what caused Jesus to walk boldly into God's Will , even after developing cold feet - Luke 22:41-43 And he was withdrawn from them -about a stone's cast, and kneeled down, and prayed, Saying, Father, if you be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but yours, be done. And there appeared an angel to him from heaven, strengthening him. …


Jesus had faith in God, and hoped in Him. On Earth, He was made man, and had limited powers. His exhibited power was via the Holy Spirit, just like us. Jesus knew if the Lord forsook Him in the grave, He would be miserable, but He stayed in prayer, was patient in His Tribulation, and put His Hope in God, saying on the cross - "Father into your hands I commit my spirit."


Ours is a win -win situation. We are winners on Earth, and in death we win. Sometimes, it looks contrary on Earth, just like in Job's situation, but Job was winning in the parlance of Heaven. Paul did not appear like a victor in 2 Corinthians 11:23-28 when he recounted his pain , tribulations and sufferings for the sake of Christ:

• whipped with 39 lashes (5 different times)
• beaten with rods (3 different times)
• pummeled with stones (1 time)
• shipwrecked (3 times)
• adrift at sea (one night, one day)
• journeys (frequent)
• danger from rivers
• danger from robbers
• danger from his own people
• danger from Gentiles
• danger in the city
• danger in the wilderness
• danger at sea
• danger from false brothers
• toil and hardship
• sleepless nights (many)
• hungry and thirsty (often)
• cold and exposed
• the pressure of anxiety for all the churches (daily)

Paul was able to endure all this because he had great hope in God, and knew suffering for God will end in only good. For all of God's plans for us are good, even in trials, pain and suffering, we can lift up our heads, and say like Paul - For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day. 2 Timothy 1:12










WHAT IS NEXT?

Be Still!

There are times in our lives that we have a lot on our minds and on our plate. God may seem so far away and we may not have the strength to carry on.


However, if we can be still, we shall see God's salvation. Elijah had run out of strength. He had been threatened by Jezebel, and was afraid he was going to be killed, he asked God to let him die. He had had enough. God came to Elijah not through an earthquake, not through strong winds, not through fire, but through a gentle breeze. Elijah stood ! He was still, not moving, just being still. That was when God appeared - 1 Kings 19:11-13 “Go out and stand on the mountain,” the LORD replied. “I want you to see me when I pass by.”
All at once, a strong wind shook the mountain and shattered the rocks. But the LORD was not in the wind. Next, there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. Then there was a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire.
Finally, there was a gentle breeze, and when Elijah heard it, he covered his face with his coat. He went out and stood at the entrance to the cave.
The LORD asked, “Elijah, why are you here?”


God came through when Elijah was still. Sometimes God is nowhere when our world shakes when strong winds of life blow - when we are faced with pain, sickness and disappointments. During such times, we ought to stand and be still. We ought to stand on God's Word, stand on His promises, stand on His proclaimed love for us, stand on His faithfulness and in hope. Ephesians 6:11-14 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place,


Take note of this in the above scripture: Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to STAND your ground, and after you have done everything, to STAND. STAND firm then.


We are cautioned to stand, stand and stand. That is what we can do when faced with the battles of life. We ought to wear the full armour of God - truth, righteousness, the Gospel of peace, faith, salvation , the Word of God and prayer - and then, stand , be still and see the salvation of God.














WHAT IS NEXT?

When the righteous pray

Psalm 34:15 The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, and his ears are attentive to their cry;

Proverbs 15:8 The LORD detests the sacrifice of the wicked, but the prayer of the upright pleases him.


History has recorded wonderful happenings through the prayer of the righteous. Hezekiah prayed after God had declared he was about to die. His fervent prayer was heard and his life extended by fifteen added years - 2 Kings 20:1-6. Elijah prayed that there shall be no rain, and there was no rain for three and a half years. By his fervent prayers, he once again prayed for rain, and the rains came - James 5:17-18.


Peter prayed and raised Dorcas from the dead - Acts 9:40 Peter sent them all out of the room; then he got down on his knees and prayed. Turning toward the dead woman, he said, "Tabitha, get up." She opened her eyes, and seeing Peter she sat up.


Prayer has recorded a lot of Miracles through great men that lived on Earth. Men such as Smith Wigglesworth who was a man of prayer. In fact Wikipedia reports that Wigglesworth was said to have raised between three and twenty-three persons from the dead.
Men like William Branham were men of prayer who prayed and through them God healed many people. Through William Branham God healed US congressman Upshaw who was confined to a wheelchair for over sixty years, and this was carried by the Reader's Digest.


Up to today, God is still interested in answering the fervent prayer of the righteous. I have personally witnessed many healings that have taken place after righteous men and women prayed. I have personally experienced miraculous acts through prayer. Prayer if made in accordance to God's will (1 John 5:14-15), continually (1 Thessalonians 5:17), humbly and by faith has great results (Mark 11:22-24). May we as children of God continue to write the book of Acts through our prayers. God is still in the healing , miracles and saving of souls business. Please join in!




WHAT IS NEXT?

The prayer of a righteous man

James 5:16b
The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. (NIV)

The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.(NLV)

The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.(KJV)

The above scripture wonderfully tells us about prayer and what it can do. Prayer is a weapon we have in our hands in a wicked world to protect us against the wiles of the enemy, Satan. Prayer is our means of communicating with God. Prayer strengthens us and weakens the enemy.

When we pray, we open up for God's Heavenly intervention. We connect to Heaven's live wire through prayer, and paralyse Satan's evil power.God tells us in 2 Chronicles 7:14 - If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

For our prayer to be effective, we must be called by God's name. We ought to be His children - John 1:12 teaches us how to become God's children - Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God. We ought to believe in Jesus, confess Him as Lord and get saved and christened into God's family. Secondly, we must remain as humble children of God , then make it a point to seek God - praying, fasting, studying God's Word. We must not grow weary in doing these.

James 4:8a Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.

Deuteronomy 4:29 But if from thence thou shalt seek the LORD thy God, thou shalt find [him], if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul.

Proverbs 8:17 - I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me.

Jeremiah 29:12-13 Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. And ye shall seek me, and find [me], when ye shall search for me with all your heart.

Isaiah 55:6 Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near.

Jeremiah 33:3 ‘Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.


The above scriptures are different ways by which God draws our attention to the importance of praying and seeking Him. We must seek the Lord at all times. We must also repent of all evil, thus allow God to step in and heal everything that concerns us.

















WHAT IS NEXT?

Enemies of progress

Nehemiah had a vision, he had an objective, a dream that made his heart tick. He wanted to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.


He knew that except the Lord built, he would labour in vain. So he sought God from the conception of this dream- his baby! Nehemiah started making progress, but then some enemies who could not stand his progress attempted to discourage him. Nehemiah 2:19-20 But when Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite official, and Geshem the Arab heard of it, they laughed at us and despised us, and said, “What is this thing that you are doing? Will you rebel against the king?”
So I answered them, and said to them, “The God of heaven Himself will prosper us; therefore we His servants will arise and build, but you have no heritage or right or memorial in Jerusalem.”


Nehemiah was doing God's will by rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem. Yet his detractors found it an ideal time to commence their job of discouraging him. Nehemiah did not succumb to their negative words - he rose above them. Sanballat, Tobiah and Geshem did not relent in their efforts to discourage Nehemiah , they were persistent - Nehemiah 4:1-6. Nehemiah prayed to God and continued with his Godly assignment, this angered his detractors who planned to attack him - Nehemiah 4:7-23. Nehemiah was steadfast in God, praying, watching and working for God. He surrounded himself with people who believed in his vision, and who were willing to help him fulfil the vision God had placed on his heart. They all worked hard, and often gave up sleep to see the work of God done.


In the end, the plans of Nehemiah's enemies did not come to pass . Nehemiah progressed because he depended on God and refused to be brought down. You are well able to do what God has called you to do. Do not give in to fear and negative criticism. Do not allow people who have nothing to offer to your vision discourage you. There are more people that God will give to help you, than there are who will be against you. Jesus had twelve disciples, but one betrayed him. Even that one helped to fulfil God's will. Everything will work out well if we keep focused on the author and finisher of our faith. In the end, Nehemiah rebuilt the walls - that was the most essential!


Finishing our course is the most essential, we must keep our focus on God and what He has called us to do. He who has started a good work will bring it to completion, even until the day of Christ.










WHAT IS NEXT?

Don't believe in a lie.

The devil always has a way of making us see things other than through the eyes of faith, which is God's way. He caused Adam and Eve to believe God had lied to them, and made Cain to kill Abel because he considered him a threat. The devil caused Abraham and Sarah to consider helping God to fulfil His promise to them, by Abraham going for Haggai. The ten spies saw themselves as grasshoppers , and unable to fight the giants of the promise land God had offered them. Through the lie of the devil, Peter tried to stop Jesus from going to the cross.


We ought to be alert through prayer and studying of the Word, in order for us to discern God's voice from the devil's. The two spies with a different spirit were Caleb and Joshua. They saw the giants through God's Word and knew they could conquer them. When we are alert, we will not fall prey to jealousy and envy like Cain did. We would not be a hinderance to God's perfect will like Peter nearly bacame .


Let us offer ourselves to the truth of God and eschew the lies the devil throws at us. There is truth in God!




































WHAT IS NEXT?

When we fail the Lord

Peter's heart was broken - he had just betrayed his Lord and friend, Jesus. Not long ago, he had been emphatic - “Lord, with You I am ready to go both to prison and to death!” (Luke 22:33) He had just broken his promise and had denied Jesus three good times, simply because he feared he would be arrested to prison and put to death with Jesus.


There are times in our lives that we may feel like Peter felt, broken and hurt because we have denied Jesus, or because of a sin. Peter wept as a result of his sin, signifying remorse, leading to repentance. Mark 14:70-72 And he denied it again. And a little after, they that stood by said again to Peter, Surely you are one of them: for you are a Galilaean, and your speech agrees thereto. But he began to curse and to swear, saying, I know not this man of whom you speak. And the second time the cock crew. And Peter called to mind the word that Jesus said to him, Before the cock crow twice, you shall deny me thrice. And when he thought thereon, he wept.


When David sinned against God, his heart was broken as he described in Psalm 51. He admitted his sin before God - For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight; so you are right in your verdict and justified when you judge. David then asked God to cleanse him from his sin . In other words, he no longer wanted to be associated with it - Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice. Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity. David not only asked for cleansing, he wanted a new life to replace his sinful life. He asked for restoration. The essence of this is to prevent one from going back to one's sin - Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.


David made a decision in his heart to turn from his sin and to work for the Lord - Then I will teach transgressors your ways, so that sinners will turn back to you. Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God, you who are God my Savior, and my tongue will sing of your righteousness. Open my lips, Lord, and my mouth will declare your praise.David chose to serve God in spirit and in truth - My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise.


David was a seed of Adam, and therefore susceptible to sin, and yet he knew how to please the Lord, for he did not allow his sin to rule him, rather, he sought God in his sin and allowed God to rule his heart. In the end, after he had died, God was able to say of him to Solomon - “As for you, if you walk before me faithfully with integrity of heart and uprightness, as David your father did. Also, to Jeroboam, God said about David - I tore the kingdom away from the house of David and gave it to you, but you have not been like my servant David, who kept my commands and followed me with all his heart, doing only what was right in my eyes.


We are of the seed of Adam, so can, and may sin or fail the Lord. What we do after that, is what reveals the substance we are made of. Jesus died so we can live a sin free life, and be cleansed from sins - past, present and future. We ought to search our hearts like David did in Psalm 51, and allow God to continually cleanse and restore us in His presence. Though we have found grace in God, we cannot abuse this grace by deliberately doing what we know does not please God.


God is love, whose love calls out to anyone that feels broken- Come to me and I shall give you rest.









WHAT IS NEXT?

God as revealed to the World

God's sweet nature is seen in His creation - the beauty of flowers; the delicacy of birds; the variety of animals; the wonder of a rising and setting sun. We are surrounded by beautiful hills, mountains, valleys, rivers, seas and skies lit with shiny stars and a bright moon.

God's power is made evident in His ability to give life and cause His creation to create, procreate and multiply.The making of human babies is a wonder. God 's awesomeness is seen through flashes of lightning and strikes of thunder. God's grace is experienced when a sinful soul embraces Jesus and forgiveness.

God's love was perfectly shown when Jesus lived on Earth, died and rose again, and was seen by men and recorded. God has shown Himself to the world. Now we are without excuse if we disregard Him. We will be likened to fools if we deny God's existence.

In Lystra, Paul and Barnabas. cautioned those that regarded them as gods: Acts 14:15-17 “Friends, why are you doing this? We too are only human, like you. We are bringing you good news, telling you to turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made the heavens and the earth and the sea and everything in them. In the past, he let all nations go their own way. Yet he has not left himself without testimony: He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy.”


God has revealed Himself to man through what we see around us - we have no excuse not to believe in Him.

















WHAT IS NEXT?

The heart of a child

Matthew 18:1-3

At the same time came the disciples to Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? And Jesus called a little child to him, and set him in the middle of them, And said, Truly I say to you, Except you be converted, and become as little children, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.


A child innocently trusts an elderly person, especially his or her guardian or parent. A child imitates what he or she sees or hears. A child believes and soaks up everything he is given on a sponge - virtually believes wholeheartedly what he is told. 1 Corinthians 1:18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. The Gospel sounds gibberish - a virgin giving birth to a sinless man, who died on a cross, and rose again to save all men from sin.


Many men do not see the logic in this story, and therefore choose not to believe in God's saving grace through Jesus. Mark 10:15 warns us that Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it." We ought to accept God and His Kingdom like we are told by Jesus and his Apostles in the Bible. We have to swallow what the Spirit of God has revealed through scripture, just as it is - in its unadulterated form.


Children are naturally meek and humble. Jesus reminds us to be like these children and serve. For in His Kingdom the greatest serve. Matthew 18:4 Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. We must bear the heart of a child to make it to Heaven. When we become too wise in our own eyes , we become foolish and disregard God, just like Lucifer.


WHAT IS NEXT?

The splendour of God

God's greatness is awesome. There is no telling of His power. What man deems impossible is possible with God. Matthew 19:26 confirms this -Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”


When God steps in , what is naturally impossible becomes possible. Joshua was able to cause the sun to stand still. He believed in God's power and spoke to the sun to stand still for night not to come. God listened, and night was delayed a whole day - Then spoke Joshua to the LORD in the day when the LORD delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel, Sun, stand you still on Gibeon; and you, Moon, in the valley of Ajalon. And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the people had avenged themselves on their enemies. Is not this written in the book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the middle of heaven, and hurried not to go down about a whole day. And there was no day like that before it or after it, that the LORD listened to the voice of a man: for the LORD fought for Israel. Joshua 10:12-14


Joshua tuned in to God's wavelength. He knew that humanly speaking, there is always day and night. He needed daylight in order to fight, he therefore moved in faith, and spoke to the sun to stand still. God listened to the voice of man and caused the sun to stand still. The impossible became possible. In like manner, Jesus was able to speak to the stormy seas for it to listen and calm down. God shut the mouth of lions so they would not harm Daniel. God was able to make a walking path in the middle of the sea for His children to walk on. God raised Lazarus who had died for four days. Many things that are deemed humanly impossible are made possible when God steps in, His power and splendour is evident, in that the impossible becomes possible.


Think God, think possibilities!



WHAT IS NEXT?

Let go of bitterness - Part 2

"As I walked out the door towards the gate that will lead to my freedom, I knew if I didn't leave my bitterness and hatred behind, I'd still be in prison." NELSON MANDELA


You must identify bitter feelings and put an end to it before it imprisons you and drives you into madness and a cycle of wrong doings. Nelson Mandela realised he was bitter and was full of hatred for the unjust way he had been treated. He had a good reason to be bitter, but realised that if he allowed himself to fall into the trap of anger, hatred and bitterness, he would be entering into a mental prison which will imprison many more people. In the end, his freedom from the physical prison would only be a fallacy. Many people get raped or abused, but never leave the dark hole they are placed in. They become bitter and become the cause of pain to many more people. Sometimes we have a genuine right to be angry, but if we do not suppress our anger and wave bye to it, our anger imprisons us and causes us to sin.


In 2 Samuel 2, we learn of Abner and Joab both commanders of different armies - King Saul's and King David's respectively, were engaged in a fierce battle. King David's army conquered King Saul's army, tempers were high that day. Joab had two other biological brothers : Abishai and Asahel. Abner killed Joab's brother Asahel in the heat of the battle. This did not go down well with Asahel's two brothers -Joab and Abishai, who pursued Abner with the intention of rendering justice and vengeance for their brother's death. In the course of their pursuit Abner called out to Joab, “Must the sword devour forever? Don’t you realize that this will end in bitterness? How long before you order your men to stop pursuing their fellow Israelites?”
Joab answered, “As surely as God lives, if you had not spoken, the men would have continued pursuing them until morning.”
So Joab blew the trumpet, and all the troops came to a halt; they no longer pursued Israel, nor did they fight anymore. 2 Samuel 2:26-28


There is a time for cease fire - a moment to realise that the anger in us must die. A brief period of deep thinking when we must hold out an olive branch and call truce. Anger and animosity cannot go on forever or it will defile and destroy many souls. Let go off jealousy and greed, of anger,hatred and bitterness. Free yourself from this mental prison. Call on God to help you, and He shall hasten to your call. You must walk to your freedom, and you cannot do so with a baggage of anger, hatred and bitterness. Bitterness is poison - do not drink it!
















WHAT IS NEXT?

Let go of bitterness - Part 1

Thinking about the great hero, Nelson Mandela, I am reminded of one of his words - "As I walked out the door towards the gate that will lead to my freedom, I knew if I didn't leave my bitterness and hatred behind, I'd still be in prison."


Bitterness and hatred are evil traits that imprison our freedom. Hebrews 12:15 cautions us - See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many. This scripture describes bitterness as a root. Roots are usually an unseen part of a plant, but it is what holds the plant together. Anger, pain, jealousy and greed can foster bitter feelings. Absalom became angry when his half brother raped his sister. He felt pain for the disgrace shown to his sister. This anger and pain became a root of evil that imprisoned Absalom all the days of his remaining life.


This bitterness caused him to kill his brother Amnon, and made him to dislike his dad, King David. Probably because he felt his dad the King should have punished Amnon when he committed an evil against his sister, Tamar. Absalom's hatred and bitterness extended to others and defiled them as well. For instance, he was able to marshal support against his father's throne and kingship. He caused Ahithophel to rebel against King David which eventually led to Ahithophel committing suicide. Absalom's rebellion against his father caused much sorrow to many people, including his father, King David. In the end, he died imprisoned by bitter feelings, hatred and rebellion. 2 Samuel 13 -18.


In life, wrongs can be done to us, we may be treated unfairly and wrongly. But we must not allow bitter feelings to take a hold of us, as such feelings would only imprison us and drive us deeper into an abyss of pain and cruelty. We must not let anger. jealousy and greed to control us. These can make us bitter and spread from us to others, poisoning the minds of many and commencing a vicious cycle of hurt , pain, abuse, robbery, murders, and all sorts of evil. Nip bitter feelings in the bud. Do not let the sun set on your anger - "don't sin by letting anger control you." Don't let the sun go down while you are still angry, Ephesians 4:26.















WHAT IS NEXT?

Love not the World

I John 2:15  reads Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them.


We are warned explicitly in the above scripture not to love the world. This does not mean we ought to hate people who live in this world, nor abhor everything from this world. Though as Christians, we are not of the world, for the time being, we live here as ambassadors of Christ, and of His Kingdom, Heaven. Therefore the world is where we temporarily reside.


The way of the World is opposite to God's ways. The laws of this World almost always contradicts God's laws. The World and its systems are controlled by the fallen nature of man, which is the evil nature of Satan. We need to pattern our lives after the nature of God,which is sown in us when we make Jesus our Lord and Saviour. The very nature of God is frowned upon by this World, and the physical glories of this World are inconsequential in God's Kingdom.


To not love this World is to love God. It is putting God and His Kingdom first in your life. Then the good Lord who knows all you need in this World and life, will supply all your needs. Matthew 6:33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.





WHAT IS NEXT?

The pride of life

I had a short conversation with a survivor of a brain tumour. His words touched my heart and soul. He said -" I used to be very materialistic, but after my battle with brain tumour, I feel very lucky to be alive. I no longer care about material things. I cannot be bothered to even shop for myself. I now think of others first, and want to make others happy. I am no longer self centered."


I saw genuity in his eyes, his fight for life a year ago had brought to him a realisation of how fleeting life is, and how vain human possessions are. 1 John 2:16 says For everything in the world--the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life--comes not from the Father but from the world. The New Living Translation puts it this way - For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world.


Let not your heart be in physical possessions and attainments. They are fleeting. One day we will have to leave this world, and these things have no relevance where we are going. Don't let what you have or do not have control you. Do not put such things before God. God is everlasting but human possessions and physical things are not lasting. They come and go. They expire, die, spoil, etc ,etc. Keep your eyes on God, be faithful to the call of Jesus. In this way, you will be called wise - one who built his house on a rock.










WHAT IS NEXT?

Stand up for God

The laws and decrees of men sometimes go against the laws and instructions of God. As Christians, we must not fear man above God, nor disobey God by obeying man. It is better to lose your life obeying God and disobeying man, than the other way round. If you lose your life to God, you will gain your soul. You will have a better eternity.


Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were three people that stood for God in spite of imminent danger. They disobeyed the King of their land in order to obey God. God had instructed the Israelites via Moses that - You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make to you any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down yourself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; And showing mercy to thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments. …Exodus 20:3-6


However King Nebuchadnezzar had decreed that everyone ought to bow down and worship a golden image he had made - “Nations and peoples of every language, this is what you are commanded to do: As soon as you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe and all kinds of music, you must fall down and worship the image of gold that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. Whoever does not fall down and worship will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace.” Daniel 3:4-6 .This law of the King clearly contravened God's law.


Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego(the three Hebrew boys) defied the King's command. They ignored the opposing voices and braced themselves to face the punishment spelt out for them. They did this because they loved God, and obeying God was paramount. They were ready to stand up for God, even though they were alone. Every other person was taking the easy way out. They were all ready to walk on the broad way, but the three Hebrew boys were willing to walk the narrow path with its dire consequences. In defiance to the King's decree, the three Hebrew boys declared - “King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand. But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.” Daniel 3:16-18


The King kept his word, he ordered for the three Hebrew men to be thrown into a very burning furnace. This was adhered to, and the faithful God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego came to their rescue. Daniel 3:23-25 ...and these three men, firmly tied, fell into the blazing furnace.
Then King Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet in amazement and asked his advisers, “Weren’t there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire?”
They replied, “Certainly, Your Majesty.”
He said, “Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods.”


Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego trusted God to the point of death. Therefore God protected and promoted them - Daniel 3:26-30.


In Hebrews 11:35-40 we read of some who trusted and obeyed God and died as a result of this - Women received back their dead, raised to life again. There were others who were tortured, refusing to be released so that they might gain an even better resurrection. Some faced jeers and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were put to death by stoning; they were sawed in two; they were killed by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated—the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, living in caves and in holes in the ground. These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised, since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.


To them to live was Christ and to die was gain. You can never lose with God. If you are obeying God , it's a win-win situation. So stand up tall and win!







WHAT IS NEXT?

Ungodly boasts.

Psalm 20:6-9 Now this I know: The LORD gives victory to his anointed. He answers him from his heavenly sanctuary with the victorious power of his right hand. Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God. They are brought to their knees and fall, but we rise up and stand firm. LORD, give victory to the king! Answer us when we call!


Those of us that trust in the name of the Lord often get amazed at the sheer insolence of those that make mockery of God, openly insulting and bringing His Holy name into disrepute. It saddens our hearts when men boast of what they can do, and rely on themselves defying God's existence, and even sometimes blaspheming that God cannot do anything to them, or that there is no God, and they are gods unto themselves.


The King of Assyria made such ungodly boasts against God when he threatened to defeat Judah. He sent his field commander to King Hezekiah of Judah saying to him and all of Judah -Isaiah 36:13-15,18-20 “Hear the words of the great king, the king of Assyria! This is what the king says: Do not let Hezekiah deceive you. He cannot deliver you! Do not let Hezekiah persuade you to trust in the LORD when he says, ‘The LORD will surely deliver us; this city will not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria.’

“Do not let Hezekiah mislead you when he says, ‘The LORD will deliver us.’ Have the gods of any nations ever delivered their lands from the hand of the king of Assyria? Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim? Have they rescued Samaria from my hand? Who of all the gods of these countries have been able to save their lands from me? How then can the LORD deliver Jerusalem from my hand?”


Psalm 14:1 The fool says in his heart, "There is no God." The Bible describes those that blaspheme God's name , existence and might as fools. When such ones talk, they mock the very existence and power of God. Just like Goliath , they defile God's name. The book of Proverbs guides us as to how to answer fools - Proverbs 26:4-5 Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you yourself will be just like him. Answer a fool according to his folly, or he will be wise in his own eyes.


What the above scripture basically means is that there are times we ought to keep quiet and not answer people that blaspheme the name of our God. King Hezekiah instructed his subjects not to answer the King of Assyria. Isaiah 36:21 But the people remained silent and said nothing in reply, because the king had commanded, “Do not answer him.” He rather turned to God who assured him through Prophet Isaiah that He was going to punish the King of Assyria for his ungodly boasts.


God punished Assyria by sending an angel who killed a large number of their army, and in the end their King who fled back to Assyria was killed by a sword - Isaiah 37:36-38 Then the angel of the LORD went out and put to death a hundred and eighty-five thousand in the Assyrian camp. When the people got up the next morning—there were all the dead bodies! So Sennacherib king of Assyria broke camp and withdrew. He returned to Nineveh and stayed there.

One day, while he was worshiping in the temple of his god Nisrok, his sons Adrammelek and Sharezer killed him with the sword, and they escaped to the land of Ararat. And Esarhaddon his son succeeded him as king.


On the other hand, when David faced the ungodly boasts of Goliath, he answered him - 1 Samuel 17:45-47 David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the LORD will deliver you into my hands, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head. This very day I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds and the wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves; for the battle is the LORD’s, and he will give all of you into our hands.”


Whether we decide to answer a fool who says in his heart that there is no God, or we choose to be silent , if we rely on God, He will show Himself strong. For some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God. They are brought to their knees and fall, but we rise up and stand firm.










WHAT IS NEXT?

Avoid the family of liars

John 8:44 For you are the children of your father the Devil, and you love to do the evil things he does. He was a murderer from the beginning and has always hated the truth. There is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies.


Satan, the devil, the evil one is an expert at lies. He is the originator of sin into the world. Eve narrated to Satan what God had instructed them to do - “It’s only the fruit from the tree in the middle of the garden that we are not allowed to eat. God said, ‘You must not eat it or even touch it; if you do, you will die.’” However, Satan enticed her by lying to her - “You won’t die!” “God knows that your eyes will be opened as soon as you eat it, and you will be like God, knowing both good and evil.” Genesis 3:3-5


The devil is cunning. He made God sound like a liar and enticed Eve to sin. When sin entered into the heart of Eve, she became one with the devil, and she also enticed Adam to sin. Adam and Eve bore a son, called Cain who was a murderer, and murdered his brother Abel. Sin and lies are like a vicious cycle. They spread from one person to another , with ripple effects. Romans 5:12 Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned.


Satan has from the days of Adam and Eve been enticing men with all sorts of lies. He fills men with lust - lust of the flesh that causes them to be immoral, lust of the eye , and the pride of life. - Romans 1:25-32 They traded the truth about God for a lie. So they worshiped and served the things God created instead of the Creator himself, who is worthy of eternal praise! Amen. That is why God abandoned them to their shameful desires. Even the women turned against the natural way to have sex and instead indulged in sex with each other. And the men, instead of having normal sexual relations with women, burned with lust for each other. Men did shameful things with other men, and as a result of this sin, they suffered within themselves the penalty they deserved.

Since they thought it foolish to acknowledge God, he abandoned them to their foolish thinking and let them do things that should never be done. Their lives became full of every kind of wickedness, sin, greed, hate, envy, murder, quarreling, deception, malicious behavior, and gossip. They are backstabbers, haters of God, insolent, proud, and boastful. They invent new ways of sinning, and they disobey their parents. They refuse to understand, break their promises, are heartless, and have no mercy. They know God’s justice requires that those who do these things deserve to die, yet they do them anyway. Worse yet, they encourage others to do them, too.


Men are victims of these evils, as well as perpetrators. This is because they have believed the lies of Satan. If you stand up for the truth you are mocked and persecuted. People kill each other for no good reason, and justify the evil they do. Satan has always glorified evil, and has darkened the hearts of men to do same. The spirit of lies is fast spreading in these evil days, and is entering the fold of Christ. Therefore, we must be vigilant and prayerful, studying the Word of truth so we can rightly divide it. We must live by the guidance of the Holy Spirit, lest we fall prey to the evil lies of Satan.


There is however hope to men, for the Family of truth has extended an invitation for all men to join them. The family of truth is also the family of love fathered by God. We can join this family through having faith in Jesus and confessing Him as Lord and Saviour. John 14:6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
1 John 5:20 We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true. And we are in him who is true by being in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.







WHAT IS NEXT?

Deep calls unto deep

Jesus promised His Church the empowerment of His Holy Spirit to enable her to be witnesses of Him to the length and breath of Earth. Acts 1:8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."


In the book of Ezekiel, chapter 47, Ezekiel narrates an experience he had with water coming out from the temple. Initially, he was led through the water flowing, and it was ankle length. It then became knee length, and then later waist length. Ezekiel 47:3-5 As the man went eastward with a measuring line in his hand, he measured off a thousand cubits and then led me through water that was ankle-deep. He measured off another thousand cubits and led me through water that was knee-deep. He measured off another thousand and led me through water that was up to the waist. He measured off another thousand, but now it was a river that I could not cross, because the water had risen and was deep enough to swim in—a river that no one could cross.


The Holy Spirit in us as followers of Jesus Christ flows like water from us - John 7:38 He that believes on me, as the scripture has said, out of his heart shall flow rivers of living water. The Holy Spirit of God must flow out of us to the ends of the Earth to bring life to souls that are perishing. The water flowing out from the Temple started from knee length, to ankle length, and then to waist length. There are times that things in our lives can hinder the flow of the Holy Spirit. Where there are dissentions, sexual immorality, greed, and all sorts of uncleanliness, the work of the Holy Spirit is hindered. But when as a Church we repent from all uncleanliness and unholy living, we allow the unhindered flow of God's Spirit through us to the World.


In Ezekiel 47:8-9,12
He said to me, “This water flows toward the eastern region and goes down into the Arabah, where it enters the Dead Sea. When it empties into the sea, the salty water there becomes fresh. Swarms of living creatures will live wherever the river flows. There will be large numbers of fish, because this water flows there and makes the salt water fresh; so where the river flows everything will live.
Fruit trees of all kinds will grow on both banks of the river. Their leaves will not wither, nor will their fruit fail. Every month they will bear fruit, because the water from the sanctuary flows to them. Their fruit will serve for food and their leaves for healing.”


When we allow the unhindered flow of the Holy Spirit in our lives as Christians, we shall heed God's call to be witnesses of Him unto the ends of the Earth, and shall be fully empowered by Him to bring God's saving power to lost souls, and cause them to gain eternal life, and bear good fruits - Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. These good fruits will bring healing to the World and its way - Galatians 5:19-21 The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.


When we become an outlet for the flow of God's Spirit, we become trees planted by streams of water, and flourishing - Psalm 1:1-3 Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the LORD, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither—whatever they do prospers.







WHAT IS NEXT?

Good + bad = good

Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.


In the parlance of God, all things - good and bad work for the good of those who love the Lord and are called by Him. My husband told me about his Secondary school days. He was a Moslem then , but wanted to argue with his Christian friends about their faith, so took World Bible School courses to enhance his knowledge of the Bible. My husband harboured a lot of love for God, but was not aware then he ought to accept Jesus as His Lord and personal Saviour. God profitably used my husband's wrong zeal . Through this zeal, he was able to study the Bible, become born again, and is now a Bible Teacher. His bad ideas worked for good in the end, because it was borne out of love.


God uses our experiences - both good and bad for His divine purposes. He used Joseph's bad experience in Egypt as a slave to save the nation Israel from dying of famine. Jesus's painful suffering on the cross bought our redemption. When we love the Lord, and even make mistakes, God is able to cause the end to be good, if only we repent and submit to Him. David sinned when he slept with Bathsheba. However, it was Bathsheba who gave birth to Solomon, one of the wisest men to walk on the face of Earth. David repented of his sin, and it worked out for his good. When we walk faithfully with the Lord, He orders our steps. He ensures that our paths are secure and brings us good things. Sometimes we lose sight of God's guidance, but God in His wisdom leads us back to Himself, redeeming our lost years and time.


Trust God and He will cause all things to work out for your good - both the good and the bad.
















WHAT IS NEXT?

Let God lead!

How many of us scurry ahead of God, and yet claim He is leading us?

Isaiah 48:17 reads - This is what the LORD says— your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel:
“I am the LORD your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go.


God desires to direct us to the best of places. He wants the best for us as His beloved children, but only if we would allow Him to lead us. The Israelites were led by God day and night. He led them by a pillar of cloud at day and a pillar of fire at night. God is able to lead us during the day or night of our lives. Life is not always a smooth drive, we may face trouble and trials - these times are our nights. God is able to walk us through these dark nights...He is able to take us through the most difficult times of our lives and lead us to rest and peace. Psalm 139:12 assures us that God is light that consumes darkness - even the darkness will not be dark to you;the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.


God holds the operating manual for our lives - He created us and knows our purpose in life . Jeremiah said LORD, I know that people’s lives are not their own; it is not for them to direct their steps. Jeremiah 10:23. David also said in Psalm 139:16 that Your eyes saw my unformed body;all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. David acknowledged that God was His originator and producer of his days in this world.


Though God has good plans for our lives, He does not force them on us, He rather tries to lead us with our consent. So when we decline His leadings, we can come to destruction following wrong paths. Psalm 25:9-10 reminds us that He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way. All the ways of the LORD are loving and faithful toward those who keep the demands of his covenant. In verse 12 we read -Who, then, are those who fear the LORD? He will instruct them in the ways they should choose. Therefore we need to submit to God to benefit from His leadings.


Please trust in God, seek His direction through prayer , fasting and via His Word. Listen for His voice and direction at all times.“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6







WHAT IS NEXT?