The dead in Christ.

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 And now, dear brothers and sisters, we want you to know what will happen to the believers who have died so you will not grieve like people who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus returns, God will bring back with him the believers who have died.

We tell you this directly from the Lord: We who are still living when the Lord returns will not meet him ahead of those who have died. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the Christians who have died will rise from their graves. Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever. So encourage each other with these words.

According to the Word of God, man is destined to live and die, and be judged. Hebrews 9:27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment. Although this is the destiny of man, Jesus has purchased by His Blood, eternal life to all who believe in Him . John 11:25-26 Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?"


Jesus reiterated this in several passages - John 3:36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on them.

John 5:24 "Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life.

John 6:47 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.



There is great hope for anyone who dies knowing Jesus Christ, so take heart if you are grieving. On the other hand, if you believe and have accepted Jesus and live in fear of death, please shed those fears, and rejoice in the truth that you will live forever - I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die.



















WHAT IS NEXT?

Learning to say no.

You must learn to say no politely and without regret, when it is necessary to do so. Eve was unable to say no to the serpent's offer. Adam did not say no to Eve's offer and this has brought mankind lots of pain.


When the devil tempted Jesus, He boldly said no to the devil's offers. Daniel said no to the directive of the King not to pray. He knew it was necessary to pray to God, so he ignored the King's  order and prayed. The peril of being thrown into a lion's den did not deter Daniel. The three Hebrew boys - Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego said no to everything that represented idol worship - they said no to eating at the King's table because the slaughtered animals were first sacrificed to gods. Then they said no to bowing to an image , even to their own detriment. They chose God and being thrown into a hot furnace, to serving an idol.


Samson could not resist Delilah's seduction, and revealed what eventually weakened him. Samson had not mastered the act of saying no. David could not say no to Bathsheba, this led to him committing one sin after the other - adultery, then murder. In the end, David's sin had repercussions on his entire family. Seeds of sexual sins and murder were sown and they blossomed in the lives of his children. Amnon, David's son raped his sister Tamar. Absalom killed Amnon for raping his sister Tamar. David's own son Absalom openly slept with the King's concubines to fulfil what Prophet Nathan had said to David when he sinned with Bathsheba -   2 Samuel 12:11-12 “This is what the LORD says: ‘Out of your own household I am going to bring calamity on you. Before your very eyes I will take your wives and give them to one who is close to you, and he will sleep with your wives in broad daylight. You did it in secret, but I will do this thing in broad daylight before all Israel.’”

Absalom, David's son slept with his concubines in 2 Samuel 16:22 - So they pitched a tent for Absalom on the roof, and he slept with his father's concubines in the sight of all Israel. If David had said no to Bathsheba, all the pain he went through would probably have been prevented.


We must say no, no matter how appealing sin appears. We must say no to anything that does not honour God. Saying no politely and without regret when need be is an essential mature act to master.










WHAT IS NEXT?o

Crossing over on God's Word

Key Scripture: Mark 4: 35-41

Jesus spoke a word to His disciples - “Let us go over to the other side.”
What followed after He had spoken this word seemed like a great obstacle to its fulfilment. The journey to the other side appeared to be hindered by a great storm. Jesus's intentions to cross over looked almost impossible as the storm raged. His disciples actually thought they were all about to perish in the storm - And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling. But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?”


Jesus had peace enough in His heart to sleep soundly through this storm because He knew that the Words He spoke were spirit and life, that is to say that His words were alive and able to create that which He sent them to do. John 6:63 It is the spirit that quickens; the flesh profits nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. God's Words create and pave ways through deserts and rivers. They pull down strongholds and hindrances, and build bridges where there was none.


God re-iterates this in Isaiah 55:11 So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.


On the boat, Jesus knew the words He had spoken would carry Him to the other side. Confidence in His words gave Him the peace to sleep. He was unperturbed by the storm, unlike His disciples who woke Him up out of fear. Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm. But He said to them, “Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?”


Jesus marveled that His disciples had no faith in His previous Word. He was relying on His word to cross over, and expected same from His disciples. God's Word is sure and reliable. We have to hold on to it, to securely reach our God given destination.








WHAT IS NEXT?

Jesus, the great servant.

Mark 10:45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.


Jesus is the greatest servant ever lived. He was the King of all kings who lowered Himself to become a servant of man, in order to rescue man from future damnation. Jesus left all his Heavenly regal pageantry to be born in a stable, and to become a carpenter's son, who in the end was falsely accused and brutally crucified.


Jesus had a will power, but chose to obey His Father, for it was the Father's desire to bruise Him. It was prophesied of Him way before His birth - Isaiah 53:10-11 Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise Him; He has put Him to grief. When You make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, And the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in His hand. He shall see the labor of His soul, and be satisfied. By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many, For He shall bear their iniquities.


Jesus lived by what God the Father had purported, and at the end of His life, it was testified about Him - Philippians 2:5-11 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.


We ought to emulate Jesus. We must endeavour to think of others first and serve others unconditionally in love.









WHAT IS NEXT?

Selflessness

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.


Love is not self seeking sums up how we ought to relate to God and man. As Christians, we have a duty to love God first, then our neighbours as ourselves. We have to give others the love, care and attention we believe we deserve. Not everybody is approachable. There are some people we can love on our knees - by praying for them. Mark 12:30-31 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”


God echoed this same issue in Leviticus 19:17-18 “Do not nurse hatred in your heart for any of your relatives. Confront people directly so you will not be held guilty for their sin. “Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against a fellow Israelite, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD.


We must treat others fairly and put their needs first. We ought to consider that which will benefit others, and desist from focusing on 'me, me, and me!' Philippians 2:3-4 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.


Jesus set the perfect example for us when He left His place in Heaven , and became lowly on Earth, just to lead men back to God the Father. We ought to follow this great example!

God is love

1 John 4:8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.


Love is a word used very often but greatly misunderstood. It is easy to use the gifts of God and pride yourself as a great child of God, but if you have no love, the truth is, your works do not count. 1 Corinthians 13:1-3 If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.


God is love, and it is the love of God emanating from us that will show us off to the world as children of God. 1 John 3:11 - 15 For this is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another. Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own actions were evil and his brother’s were righteous. Do not be surprised, my brothers and sisters, if the world hates you. We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love each other. Anyone who does not love remains in death.
Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him.


As Christians, we must perfect ourselves in love, for through love, we can conquer all else - And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13:13




WHAT IS NEXT?

Be kind to strangers

Hebrews 13:2
Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.



Abraham entertained three strangers, and they happened to be God visiting him - Genesis 18. Lot also entertained angels without knowing, and the men from Sodom and Gomorrah, thinking the angels were mere men tried to have homosexual relations with them - Genesis 19.
Rahab, a prostitute helped the men Joshua sent to spy Jericho. She helped strangers escape from the wrath of the King of Jericho - Joshua 2. As a result, she was helped by Joshua. Her family and her escaped unscathed when Joshua and the Israelites attacked Jericho - Joshua 6:22-25 Joshua said to the two men who had spied out the land, “Go into the prostitute’s house and bring her out and all who belong to her, in accordance with your oath to her.” So the young men who had done the spying went in and brought out Rahab, her father and mother, her brothers and sisters and all who belonged to her. They brought out her entire family and put them in a place outside the camp of Israel.

Then they burned the whole city and everything in it, but they put the silver and gold and the articles of bronze and iron into the treasury of the LORD’s house. But Joshua spared Rahab the prostitute, with her family and all who belonged to her, because she hid the men Joshua had sent as spies to Jericho—and she lives among the Israelites to this day.



In Genesis 24, Rebekah was kind to a stranger. Her kindness opened the door to a visitation from God. Rebekah, through her kindness found a husband. Time and time again in the Bible, we read of how people have received blessings by entertaining strangers who happened to be instruments of God. In this age and time, with all the crime in the world, we seldom do this. But the Word of God is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. It does not change. Angels still visit men unawares. We ought to pray to discern which stranger to entertain and which ones to avoid.


Remember the words of Jesus - Matthew 25:31-40 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, 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.’

“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.











WHAT IS NEXT?

EXCUSES

When Adam ate the fruit that God had instructed him not to eat, he offered this excuse to God when confronted - Then the man said, “The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate.” Likewise when Eve was confronted, her excuse was - And the LORD God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?”
The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.” Genesis 3:12-13


Then came Saul, he was told by God to conquer Amalek , and destroy everything in it, but he disobeyed God and when confronted by Samuel, his excuse was - “But I did listen to the LORD!” Saul answered. “He sent me on a mission, and I went. I captured King Agag and destroyed his nation. All the animals were going to be destroyed anyway. That’s why the army brought the best sheep and cattle to Gilgal as sacrifices to the LORD your God.” 1 Samuel 15:20-21


“Tell me,” Samuel said. “Does the LORD really want sacrifices and offerings? No! He doesn’t want your sacrifices. He wants you to obey him. God wants us to simply obey Him. When we gives excuses for disobeying Him, it incurs His wrath. God punished Adam and Eve, and likewise He dethroned Saul for disobeying Him.


However, when we happen to sin or disobey God and humbly come before Him like David did when confronted by Nathan of his committed adultery and murder, we appeal to the mercy of God, and He will forgive us.

2 Samuel 12:13 So David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the LORD.”
And Nathan said to David, “The LORD also has put away your sin; you shall not die.


1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.












WHAT IS NEXT?

A man that loved God

Genesis 6:5-9 The LORD saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time. The LORD regretted that he had made human beings on the earth, and his heart was deeply troubled. So the LORD said, “I will wipe from the face of the earth the human race I have created—and with them the animals, the birds and the creatures that move along the ground—for I regret that I have made them.” But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD.

This is the account of Noah and his family. Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked faithfully with God.

Noah was not a perfect man, but he loved God, and walked faithfully with God, doing his best to follow and obey God. Noah stood out in a day when the inclination of the thoughts of men was evil. Men ate and thought evil every second of the day, walking shamelessly in sin. However Noah sought after God and His ways. He was able to hear the instruction of God to build an arc, and followed it obediently to the letter.

Genesis 6:22 Noah did everything just as God commanded him. (NIV)


Noah loved God and pleased Him by faith. He knew there was a Sovereign being and was conscious of Him, trying to walk obediently in His ways.

Hebrews 11:7 By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith. (NIV)


The Word of God reminds us in Hebrews 11:6 that And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.


God knows that without Him we are weak and sinful, our righteousness comes by faith in Him, and now by faith in Him through Jesus Christ. We may have our weaknesses like Noah - he got drunk and disgraced himself before his children. Genesis 9:20-23.


Noah was seen by God as a faithful servant because his heart loved and sought after God. In spite of any weakness, he had faith in God and daily tried to walk with God in obedience, and by faith. Such is the kind God seeks- men that will worship Him in spirit and in truth , no pretences!
















WHAT IS NEXT?

The offer from the World.

We live in a physical world, and as a result we react to physical things. What we see has an effect on us. We behold beautiful people, buildings, clothes and admire them. We recognise and acknowledge fame and riches. The world tries to lure us into things that really are not priority with God.


James 4:4 Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.



God is a very jealous God. He wants to take first place in our lives. He desires to be priority in all our endeavours. We cannot seek after earthly riches and fame whilst ignoring God or putting Him second place, and think He will be okay with it. It is either He is the most important person and God of our lives, or that other things are most important to us and the gods in our lives.


The world can offer us beautiful things to the eye, it can present to us things that will boost our pride, and gratify our lusts. But behind these attractive things lies destruction. Being one with the world makes you a hater of God, awaiting eternal condemnation. Jesus faced the same temptations we face. The devil showed him the beauty of Earth, and promised to give it all to Him, provided He would bow to him, Satan. Matthew 4:8-10 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”

Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’”


Jesus refused to worship Satan. He refused the World and its pleasures. When He took this decision, Satan left Him, and God sent help His way. When we say no to the world and its luring lusts, we indirectly say no to Satan and his kingdom, and respond to friendship with God. When God sees our hearts seeking after Him, He will help us to become what He desires us to be. Satan will have no choice than to flee from us.


Matthew 4:10-11 Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’”

Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.




WHAT IS NEXT?

When the oil dries up

Oil lubricates engines. The Holy Spirit is like oil that lubricates the follower of Jesus. He helps us to pray, convicts us of sin, works through us, and expounds God's Word to us as well as directs our footsteps.


We need this oil all the time. This oil automatically refills when we are using it up. However, when not in use, it dries up. That's when praying becomes a dread, studying God's Word becomes boring and we happen to find the things of God as a bother.


The Holy Spirit is our helper. He's there to help our weaknesses, if only we would allow Him.




WHAT IS NEXT?

Honesty pays

Once in a while, we come across  an article, message or song  that speaks to us throughout our lives. This is one of such articles I happened to read. I do not know its writer, but it blessed me so much, that I wish to share it with you.


When God sent Nathan to David, he used a story to expose David's sin. Stories can bring home a point in an inexplicable way. I pray this story has this effect on you.


An aging King realised that he had no one to take over the throne. He decided to adopt a son, and launched a competition. Ten boys made it to the top. The King said to them, " I have one last test and whoever comes top will become my adopted son and heir to my throne." He gave each boy a seed of corn and told them to take the seed home, plant and nurture it for three weeks. The ten boys took their seeds and ran home to plant them.



In one home, the boy and his parents were sad when the seed failed to sprout. The boy had done everything possible but he failed. His friends advised him to buy a seed and plant it, but his God fearing parents who had always taught him honesty refused. The day came and the ten boys went back to the palace. The other nine boy all seemed successful.



The King went to each boy asking - "Is that what came out of the seed I gave you?" And each boy answered - "Yes, your Majesty." The King would nod and move down the line until he got to the last boy on the line who was shaking with fear. The King asked him - "What did you do with the seed I gave you?" The boy answered - " I planted it and cared for it, your Majesty, but it failed to sprout."



The King went to the throne with the boy and said - " I gave these boys boiled seeds to plant, and boiled seeds cannot sprout. If a King must have one quality, it must be honesty, and only this boy passed the test."



We live in a society where people will do anything for success. God sometimes does not give us things because He wants to teach us a lesson. How many people out there have achieved success the wrong way? Many have attained positions, certificates, money, etc through dubious means.



How many will Jesus say have been faithful till the end? Will you get your crown in Heaven? Please be faithful to Jesus no matter what life throws at you, even if it gives you boiled seeds.











WHAT IS NEXT?

A man that loves God

Romans 8:35
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, nakedness, or peril, or sword?



When you truly love the Lord God, there is nothing that shall befall you that will separate you from God. Abraham loved the Lord. He left family and home to follow after God. He nearly killed his son Isaac for sacrifice unto God, borne out of his love for God. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego refused to eat from the King's table. This was borne out of respect for God. And even when they were summoned , and threatened to be thrown into a hot furnace for not bowing to the Kings image, they still remained defiant and chose death over disobeying God. Even the sin of adultery could not separate David from God. The prison walls could not silence Paul and Silas from praising God.


Those that truly love God can never be hindered from worshipping and serving Him. Are you one of the true lovers of God?







WHAT IS NEXT?

Leave the past in the past

Isaiah 43:17-19 NLT

I called forth the mighty army of Egypt with all its chariots and horses. I drew them beneath the waves, and they drowned, their lives snuffed out like a smoldering candlewick. “But forget all that— it is nothing compared to what I am going to do. For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland.



We can limit God when we focus so much on the past and what He has done for us, or through us, so much so that we do not hear or see what He is saying or doing. God expects us to acknowledge the past. We must admit what He has accomplished for us, but tarrying longer than needed in the past, and interacting more than necessary with the past will stagnate your growth and make you stale.


God's power and might cannot be fathomed. We have only seen and witnessed glimpses of His Glory. What seems like sky scrapers on Earth are only tiny elements when you are very high up on an aeroplane. We must make room for the things God wants to do - they are far greater and glorious than we can ever imagine. As righteous people, our paths ought to shine brighter and brighter, no dimming experience, if we walk hand in hand with God, and at His pace. Proverbs 4:18 The path of the righteous is like the morning sun, shining ever brighter till the full light of day.



Is your heart ready for what God wants to do?













WHAT IS NEXT?

God's trail

Acts 14:15-18

“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 not left himself without testimony - He has surrounded man with a lot of His splendour. The very formation of a human being is intriguing. Beautiful and diverse flowers , animals, and varied living things grace the Earth, beautifying our planet . We get all sorts from these - our food, clothing, medicine ,etc.


All around us, the presence of God yells at us in thunderings and lightnings. God whispers his love via sunshine and moonlight. He affirms His promises by rainbows, and confirms His sovereignty by making foolish, man's wisdom - men keep making new findings, thus abandoning old findings. God does not force Himself on man, but has given us the will power to acknowledge or deny Him.


The trail of God cannot lie. And within every man is a need. Men are in need of something to satisfy an inner need. Many are not aware of what they actually need. Certain people seek to satisfy this looming need by finding love, but are soon disappointed. Others seek to quench this need through riches, but after obtaining great riches, they often than not still feel a vacuum in their lives. People look for God through all sorts of queer mediums.


God created man in His image, and breathed into us to make us living beings. God is in us, therefore to deny Him is to be in self denial of who we truly are. God is as close to you as your breath. For your breath is from His breath. Don't look far, God is nearer than you think. Call on Him and He shall hear you. Draw close to Him, and He will draw close to you.



WHAT IS NEXT?

Jesus, the conqueror of death

Death came to man through Adam and Eve - Genesis 3:2-3;17,19 The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’”

To Adam he said, “Because you listened to your wife and ate fruit from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘You must not eat from it,’

By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return.”


Man became sinful through the original sin of Adam and Eve, the wages of which is death - both physical and spiritual death. 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.

Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Jesus demonstrated through His ministry that He had authority over life and death. In Mark 11:12-14; 20-21, we read of how by the words of Jesus, death came to a fig tree. Jesus virtually took the life of the fig tree. This was a demonstration of His power over life and death.
The next day as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to find out if it had any fruit. When he reached it, he found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs. Then he said to the tree, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard him say it.

In the morning, as they went along, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots. Peter remembered and said to Jesus, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree you cursed has withered!”


He also raised the dead in His Earthly Ministry : Jesus raised the son of the widow of Nain from the dead (Luke 7:11-15).
Jesus raised the daughter of Jairus from the dead (Luke 8:41, 42, 49-55).
Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead (John 11:1-44).


Then, He died a painful death on the cross. It was unbelievable, after having said in John 11:25 - “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; However, though He died, He conquered death, for on the third day He rose from the dead - (Matt. 28:5-8; Mark 16:6; Luke 24:5, 6).

Also, many saints rose from the dead at the resurrection of Jesus (Matt. 27:50-53).

Jesus demonstrated in life and death that He was Lord over life and death. 1 Corinthians 15:55-57 O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR VICTORY? O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR STING?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law; but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.


We must no longer fear death as the wages of sin, for Christ has saved us, and in the place of death, we have gained eternal life. We can speak to dead situations in our life, just like Jesus did to Lazarus, and bring life to them. We can also speak death to unfruitfulness in our life, and like the fig tree, put an end to any unfruitfulness.


To be alive in Christ Jesus means to live is Christ and to die is gain. Philippians 1:21 , For Jesus has conquered the power of sin, the grave and death.












WHAT IS NEXT?

Try again!

Mark 8:22-25 And they came to Bethsaida. And they brought a blind man to Jesus and implored Him to touch him. Taking the blind man by the hand, He brought him out of the village; and after spitting on his eyes and laying His hands on him, He asked him, “Do you see anything?” And he looked up and said, “I see men, for I see them like trees, walking around.” Then again He laid His hands on his eyes; and he looked intently and was restored, and began to see everything clearly.


There is nothing wrong with not having perfect results the first time, and trying again until you get the desired results. In the above scripture, Jesus had to touch the blind man a second time to get the desired results. In 2 Kings 4: 8-37 , Elisha sent Gehazi his servant to raise the dead son of the Shunammite woman. Gehazi followed Elisha's instruction and lay Elisha's staff on the dead boy, but nothing happened. Elisha did not give up, he tried again, and again, until the boy came back to life.


In 1 Kings 18:41-45, we read of how Elijah prayed for rain after a long period of draught. He had prophesied it will rain, but after praying, there was no sign of rain. Elijah did not give up, he sent his servant to go and check for rain seven good times. Finally, Elijah received his first sign of hope- a cloud as small as a human's hand had arisen. He rose up in faith and sent a warning to Ahab saying - ‘Hitch up your chariot and go down before the rain stops you.’” True to his words and faith, the sky grew black with clouds, the wind rose, a heavy rain started falling and Ahab rode off to Jezreel. Elijah therefore had to try seven times before he had the desired results.


We may not always get the desired results at our first attempt. The saying " the first pancake usually spoils" stands true sometimes in our lives. We must not give up, but try again. Do not be afraid to try again, trying again is not a sign of weakness.



WHAT IS NEXT?

God's lens.

Isaiah 55:8-9 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, said the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.


The way God sees things are different from the way we do. So is His thought line different from ours. When Samuel was sent by God to anoint one of Jesse's sons as King. Samuel was looking for the obvious physical features of Kings - nice stature and a regal looking appearance. He found it in Eliab, but God thought otherwise - 1Samuel 16:6-7 When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab and thought, “Surely the Lord's anointed stands here before the LORD.”
But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”


God looks beyond what our eyes can see, God looks at our hearts, and many times what we regard as acceptable is often times unacceptable in God's eyes. The widow who gave her last mite was not the best giver in the eyes of the men and women gathered, yet in God's eyes , she was the one who gave the most. Mark 12:41-44 Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents.

Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.”


When the daughter of Jairus lay dead, all the people gathered wept, for they knew she was gone forever. God saw it differently. To Jesus, she was just sleeping. To the amazement of all, Jesus raised her from death - Mark 5:21-24; 37-43. God of all possibilities sees death of His children as just a long sleep - 1 Thessalonians 4:13-14 Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.


Let us look at things through God's Word. That is our light. They are His thoughts and ways. His Word will point us to His Will.






WHAT IS NEXT?

Favour and trials

Most people read the end bit of Joseph's story when he was elevated to the position of a Prime Minister , and desire a similar favour. Favour looks beautiful on people. It takes them where one cannot go naturally. Favour clads people with great grace and privilege, however, favour can also bring great trials and pain.


When David was favoured in a mere song , King Saul hated him, and his ordeals begun from there. The favour on David's life caused him to sleep in caves, for he was much sought after to be killed. Joseph was also put through great hardships because he was favoured. he was sold as a slave by his brothers who hated him for the favour he attracted.


When the Israelites were living in Goshen, they enjoyed the favour of God, that made them great and strong - Exodus 1:6-10 Now Joseph and all his brothers and all that generation died, but the Israelites were exceedingly fruitful; they multiplied greatly, increased in numbers and became so numerous that the land was filled with them.

Then a new king, to whom Joseph meant nothing, came to power in Egypt. “Look,” he said to his people, “the Israelites have become far too numerous for us. Come, we must deal shrewdly with them or they will become even more numerous and, if war breaks out, will join our enemies, fight against us and leave the country.”


The Israelites were oppressed because of the grace and favour on their lives. Favour bestows honour and a great reward that can attract enemies who will oppose and try to oppress you. However, if you stand firm in God, He shall continually deliver and honour you.




















WHAT IS NEXT?

Obedience, not sacrifice

Saul disobeyed the instruction of God. He did not destroyed all that God had instructed him to destroy from Amalek. He also had the cheek to sacrifice to God what he had not destroyed. God was displeased, and sent Samuel to Saul.


Samuel rebuked Saul - 1 Samuel 15: 22-23 Samuel said, “Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, He also has rejected you from being king.”


God seeks our obedience, not our sacrifices. Do what God wants you to do, not what you want to do for Him. God should be our focus, and obeying Him must be our aim and priority. Rebellion is just as the sin of witchcraft. It is evil and an abomination to Him. Stubbornness is an iniquity, and is as idolatry. We cannot place our made up sacrifices in the stead of obedience. Obedience is better than sacrifice.


God desires your obedience. A sacrifice in obedience is what is acceptable to God. David, a man God described as after His own heart, knew how to please God. He wrote in Psalm 40:6-8 Sacrifice and offering you did not desire—but my ears you have opened —burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not require. Then I said, “Here I am, I have come—it is written about me in the scroll. I desire to do your will, my God; your law is within my heart.”


David wrote God's word on his heart, and his greatest desire was to do God's will. He faltered at times, but always sought God and made things right between himself and God. God loves such souls. May you be called a person after God's own heart - one that seeks to do His will.



WHAT IS NEXT?

Obedience or sacrifice?

1 Samuel 15:1-3 Then Samuel said to Saul, “The LORD sent me to anoint you as king over His people, over Israel; now therefore, listen to the words of the LORD. “Thus says the LORD of hosts, ‘I will punish Amalek for what he did to Israel, how he set himself against him on the way while he was coming up from Egypt. ‘Now go and strike Amalek and utterly destroy all that he has, and do not spare him; but put to death both man and woman, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.’”


God gave an instruction to Saul through Samuel - the King was to war against Amalek and utterly destroy its inhabitants. King Saul partially obeyed this instruction of the Lord. He did go to war against the Amalekites, but refused to utterly destroy its inhabitants - 1 Samuel 15:7-9 So Saul defeated the Amalekites, from Havilah as you go to Shur, which is east of Egypt. He captured Agag the king of the Amalekites alive, and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword. But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep, the oxen, the fatlings, the lambs, and all that was good, and were not willing to destroy them utterly; but everything despised and worthless, that they utterly destroyed.


We cannot, and must not choose which commands and laws of God we want to obey and which ones we want to disregard. God does not mince words. Whatever He tells us is for a very good reason. He seeks the heart that will totally worship and obey Him in spirit and in truth. God is looking for men and women who seek Him whole heartedly, not half heartedly. King Saul decided on which of God's directions he wanted to follow, and which ones he wanted to discard, as though God was not wise enough to give those specific instructions. God was not amused. Saul acted as if he needed to assuage God on half obeying Him, thus sacrificed to Him some of the animals he was meant to destroy.


The impudence! King Saul was indirectly mocking God, maybe that was not his intention, but to sacrifice to God what He has specifically asked you to destroy is untenable. Does God seek our sacrifices, even when we do not obey Him? Is God in dire need of our praises, even when we deliberately live in sin? Can we pacify God with our offerings , when we are not willing to change our hearts?


Your obedience or sacrifice? Which one is God after?









WHAT IS NEXT?

Favour that distinguishes and promotes.

Psalm 75:6-7 For promotion comes neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. But God is the judge: he puts down one, and sets up another.


The favour of God bestows an advantage over others. David had the favour of God on his life. He was not on the scene when Samuel came looking for one of Jesse's sons to anoint. And yet still, every other son was not accepted by God as King. They all had to stand and wait for David to be called back from minding sheep. His brothers were refused for David to be accepted. The Israelites had favour before God, so Goshen , the place where they resided, was spared the plagues brought upon the Egyptians.


When it was time for Jacob to bless the sons of Joseph - Ephraim and Manasseh, Jacob placed his left hand on Manasseh and his right hand on Ephraim, though Ephraim was the younger one. Genesis 48: 17-19 Now when Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand on the head of Ephraim, it displeased him; so he took hold of his father’s hand to remove it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s head. And Joseph said to his father, “Not so, my father, for this one is the firstborn; put your right hand on his head.”
But his father refused and said, “I know, my son, I know. He also shall become a people, and he also shall be great; but truly his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his descendants shall become a multitude of nations.”


God's favour placed an advantage on Ephraim's life over Manasseh. Though younger, Ephraim was destined to be greater than his brother. Joseph had dreams which predicted his brothers and parents would bow to him. God had destined it so, and had favoured Joseph to be highly distinguished. This was very obvious, for wherever he went, he stood out and was favoured as a result.


There were many maidens on Earth during Mary's time, however God's favour bestowed on her the privilege of becoming the mother of Jesus - Luke 1:28 - 32 The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”
Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David.


God's favour will place you where you do not deserve, Joseph, a foreigner and slave was exalted to the place of a prime minister. David, a shepherd became King. Ephraim, the youngest became the greatest, and Mary the innocent virgin carried the King of kings in her womb. May God's favour place you where you least expect or deserve. For your sake, another will be demoted, so you can be promoted. This is due to no fault of theirs or yours. When favour shows up, re shuffling naturally takes place.


God's favour is your portion - glow in it!












WHAT IS NEXT?

God's favour - Part 2

Again, Joseph suffered injustice . This time he was falsely accused of attempted rape and imprisoned. Even in prison, Joseph still found favour with man, because God favoured him - Genesis 39:20-23 Joseph’s master took him and put him in prison, the place where the king’s prisoners were confined. But while Joseph was there in the prison, the LORD was with him; he showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden. So the warden put Joseph in charge of all those held in the prison, and he was made responsible for all that was done there. The warden paid no attention to anything under Joseph’s care, because the LORD was with Joseph and gave him success in whatever he did.


Joseph enjoyed great favour, even through trials. The great favour of God on his life eventually elevated him to the position of a prime minister Genesis 41:41-43 So Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I hereby put you in charge of the whole land of Egypt.” Then Pharaoh took his signet ring from his finger and put it on Joseph’s finger. He dressed him in robes of fine linen and put a gold chain around his neck. He had him ride in a chariot as his second-in-command, and people shouted before him, “Make way!” Thus he put him in charge of the whole land of Egypt.


The favour of God comes upon those who love God and put Him first in their lives. God favours those who have faith in Him and seek after holiness and righteousness. I pray that God's favour shall rain on us, for it makes a way where there seems to be no way. Psalm 102:13 You will arise and have compassion on Zion, for it is time to show favor to her; the appointed time has come. When the favour of God is on us, He restores us and answers us speedily when we call on Him - Psalm 102: 16-17 For the LORD will rebuild Zion and appear in his glory. He will respond to the prayer of the destitute; he will not despise their plea.


May God favour you and I, AMEN!










WHAT IS NEXT?

God's favour - Part 1

Psalm 5:12
Surely, LORD, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield.


The Oxford Dictionary defines favour as to give an unfairly preferential treatment to someone, or to work to the advantage of someone.
The Free Dictionary defines favour as to promote one over another, give an advantage to; or to consider one as the favourite.


God grants the righteous, those who are in right standing with Him, advantage over others. The righteous receives preferential treatment from God, this trickles down to man. Luke 2:52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man.


Joseph had so much favour with God and man. His father Jacob, also known as Israel, loved him more than his brothers, causing hatred for him to brew in the hearts of his brothers - Genesis 37:3-4 Now Israel loved Joseph more than any of his other sons, because he had been born to him in his old age; and he made an ornate robe for him. When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated him and could not speak a kind word to him.


The favour on Joseph's life gave him an advantage over others, yet it also brought him so much trouble because others envied him, and betrayed him. Joseph was sold as a slave by his brothers and ended up in Potiphar house , even there, he was shown great favour. Genesis 39:2-6 The LORD was with Joseph so that he prospered, and he lived in the house of his Egyptian master. When his master saw that the LORD was with him and that the LORD gave him success in everything he did, Joseph found favor in his eyes and became his attendant. Potiphar put him in charge of his household, and he entrusted to his care everything he owned. From the time he put him in charge of his household and of all that he owned, the LORD blessed the household of the Egyptian because of Joseph. The blessing of the LORD was on everything Potiphar had, both in the house and in the field. So Potiphar left everything he had in Joseph’s care; with Joseph in charge, he did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate.



WHAT IS NEXT?

God of the sudden

Isaiah 48:3 “I have declared the former things from the beginning; They went forth from My mouth, and I caused them to hear it. Suddenly I did them, and they came to pass.

We cannot calculate the steps of God, and predict His every move. God is a wonder. His ways are far fetched and beyond our thinking. Mary and Martha had called for Jesus when their brother, Lazarus was ill. They knew and had seen Jesus heal the sick, and believed He could heal their brother. Though they waited for Jesus to come and heal their brother, he did not turn up, not until their beloved brother had died. Martha and Mary felt let down by Jesus - if only He had come earlier, their brother would have lived.

John 11:21 “Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died.
John 11:32 When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”


There are times that we look to God to help us, and it appears He is deaf to our prayers and calls. God sometimes seems not to care for us. Or better put, sometimes we feel God does not care. The truth is, God truly loves and cares for us . His promises and words are true. Whatever He has declared, He will perform in His time.


Martha and Mary had buried their brother. In their minds, it was over. Then suddenly Jesus turned up and raised their brother Lazarus from the dead after four days in the tomb. God at times works suddenly. He can work in an unexpected way, in a way man cannot fathom. There are times that our enemies think they have us all trapped in their devices. They may rejoice in their miscalculated conclusions that no one can help us. Joseph was sold as a slave by some of his brothers. Those brothers believed they were rid of him forever. Potiphar's wife felt she had put Joseph where he belonged for declining her offer - he was languishing in prison. Then suddenly, God turned up and took him straight from prison to the position of a Prime Minister. The life of Joseph changed in the twinkling of an eye.


David , within a day, was promoted from a shepherd boy to an anointed King. The four lepers in 2 Kings 7 went from poor and hungry men to the saviours of a famine-wrought nation. Naaman's skin suddenly went from being leprous to being like a child's beautiful skin. Deaf people could suddenly hear when Jesus had touched them. The blind could suddenly see, the lame could walk.


God has not forgotten you. He shall suddenly turn up and cause your night to become day. Your mourning shall become dancing. Stay in faith!



WHAT IS NEXT?

Are you known?

James 2:19 You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that-and shudder.

The devil and his demons know that there is a God, and they do acknowledge His true Servants. In the spiritual realm, there's no middle ground, you are either on the Lord's side or on the devil's. You are either hot for God , or cold . Lukewarmness is non existent, it simply means you belong to the devil.

Paul had been used by God to work great miracles through the name of Jesus. Some sorcerers saw this and thought they could do same, so tried to deliver a demon possessed being. Acts 19:13-16 Some Jews who went around driving out evil spirits tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were demon-possessed. They would say, “In the name of the Jesus whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out.” Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. One day the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know about, but who are you?” Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered them all. He gave them such a beating that they ran out of the house naked and bleeding.


The demons know God and they know His son , Jesus. Remember once when Jesus was delivering a man , the demons in him shouted - Mark 5:6-8. Seeing Jesus from a distance, he ran up and bowed down before Him; and shouting with a loud voice, he said, “What business do we have with each other, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I implore You by God, do not torment me!” For He had been saying to him, “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit! The demons acknowledged God and His Son.


We cannot be servants of the devil and think we can cheat on him at the same time. Once people are the devil's and belong to him, they are expected by him to work with him, not against him. The demons knew Paul was genuinely on God's side, and admitted it. The demons actually believed in the power working through Paul, and fled from those Paul came into contact with one way or the other. In the same vein, 2 Timothy 2:19 cautions us: Nevertheless, God's solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: "The Lord knows those who are his," and, "Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness."


Whose side are you on? Does the devil know you as his opponent or supporter? Think on this!









WHAT IS NEXT?

Pay Attention!

1 Samuel 3:1-14


As Samuel served in the house of God, he was accustomed to his daily routine of serving Eli, and answering his calls. Samuel was sleeping in the House of God , where the ark of God was, and where the presence of God dwelt. Yet his mind was not necessarily on God, his mind was on the earthly things around him. Immediately upon hearing his name called, Samuel run to Eli, saying - “Here I am; you called me.” But Eli said, “I did not call; go back and lie down.” So he went and lay down. 1 Samuel 3:5


This happened three times. Eli also had his mind far from heavenly things as he could not discern that it was God calling Samuel, until after Samuel had run to him three different times. Then finally, Eli gained spiritual insight , and discerned rightly that Samuel was lying where God resides, so it may be God calling him.


1 Samuel 3:8-10 Then Eli realized that the LORD was calling the boy. So Eli told Samuel, “Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, ‘Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place.

The LORD came and stood there, calling as at the other times, “Samuel! Samuel!”

Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.”


Samuel mentally tuned into the spirit and for a moment put the earthly behind him , so he could answer a heavenly call. When Samuel took his mind off those things he could see, he was able to interact with what could not be seen. He entered a realm where he interacted with the spiritual realm. He interacted with God who could not be physically seen. God had all along been close to where Samuel was, the ark was His residence. Samuel was where God was, but oblivious to His presence. Have you ever been at a place where you were pensive so much so that you remained oblivious to the presence of another individual? This was where Samuel was. His mind was not conscious of God's presence, but more conscious of Eli's existence.


We ought to pay attention to the things of God. We must be in the Spirit, attuned to the voice of God, so we can discern the call, wordings and directions of God. God is always guiding us, we must be attentive to what He is saying and doing at every point in time.



WHAT IS NEXT?

PUT THE PAST BEHIND YOU

David had sinned against man and God. He slept with someone's wife, and got her pregnant. To cover his sin, he schemed and schemed, until he finally schemed the death trap of Uriah, Bathsheba's husband. Bathsheba was the married woman David sinned with.

God sent Nathan to David to reprimand him. This was after David had successfully plotted the death of Uriah and married Bathsheba. Bathsheba had given birth to the baby David and her had conceived in sin. After Nathan's rebuke, God struck David's and Bathsheba's baby with sickness.


2 Samuel 12:13-25

Then David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the LORD.”

Nathan replied, “The LORD has taken away your sin. You are not going to die. But because by doing this you have shown utter contempt for the LORD, the son born to you will die.”

After Nathan had gone home, the LORD struck the child that Uriah’s wife had borne to David, and he became ill. David pleaded with God for the child. He fasted and spent the nights lying in sackcloth on the ground. The elders of his household stood beside him to get him up from the ground, but he refused, and he would not eat any food with them.

On the seventh day the child died. David’s attendants were afraid to tell him that the child was dead, for they thought, “While the child was still living, he wouldn’t listen to us when we spoke to him. How can we now tell him the child is dead? He may do something desperate.”

David noticed that his attendants were whispering among themselves, and he realized the child was dead. “Is the child dead?” he asked.

“Yes,” they replied, “he is dead.”

Then David got up from the ground. After he had washed, put on lotions and changed his clothes, he went into the house of the LORD and worshiped. Then he went to his own house, and at his request they served him food, and he ate.

His attendants asked him, “Why are you acting this way? While the child was alive, you fasted and wept, but now that the child is dead, you get up and eat!”

He answered, “While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept. I thought, ‘Who knows? The LORD may be gracious to me and let the child live.’ But now that he is dead, why should I go on fasting? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me.”

Then David comforted his wife Bathsheba, and he went to her and made love to her. She gave birth to a son, and they named him Solomon. The LORD loved him; and because the LORD loved him, he sent word through Nathan the prophet to name him Jedidiah.


The lesson to learn from the above scripture is that we can learn from the past, however must endeavour to let go the past. David had sinned seriously against Uriah and God. He had messed up Bathsheba's life, and had brought doom upon an innocent child. He could have held a perpetual pity party, but did not. He showed deep repentance, and even prayed for God's mercy to heal his child. God had judged David's sin, so the baby died. David was wise, he understood that one should not cry over spilt milk. He also knew when to let go things he could not change. He accepted God's correction and will, and moved on joyfully.


When David put his sinful past behind him, and accepted God's forgiveness, he brought newness into his marriage with Bathsheba. A union which commenced wrongly produced one of the world's wisest men - King Solomon. This was possible because David though fallible had a positive attitude towards God and life. When we give our past to God, we must also accept the forgiveness He renders, and walk away from our past and its guilt, glories and consequences. We ought to allow God to do a new thing in our life.


Keep the past behind you - that's where it belongs!




WHAT IS NEXT?

The Peace of God

Isaiah 32:17-20
The fruit of that righteousness will be peace; its effect will be quietness and confidence forever. My people will live in peaceful dwelling places, in secure homes, in undisturbed places of rest. Though hail flattens the forest and the city is leveled completely, how blessed you will be, sowing your seed by every stream, and letting your cattle and donkeys range free.


When we are in right standing with God, He grants us quiet confidence in His faithfulness. This simple trust in God instills in us an inner peace we cannot explain. This is the peace that enabled Jesus to sleep through a storm. It is the peace that caused Paul and Silas to sing though imprisoned. This peace led to the confidence Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego demonstrated before they were thrown into a burning surface.


When all around you is chaos, if your trust is in God ,you shall know His peace. Isaac did sow in famine, yet reaped a hundred fold. When you are right with God, it does not matter what is against you. God can work all things for your good, and give you results that beats all human understanding.


Psalm 30:15
This is what the Sovereign LORD, the Holy One of Israel, says: "In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it.


To enjoy this peace of God, you must first be repentant of your sins. You must come to God with a right heart. In repentance and rest is your salvation. Repentance brings rest, and rest in God means you are standing right with Him and have been saved. Once saved by God through His
Son Jesus, you must learn to be still before Him, to spend some quiet time with Him, learning from Him, praying to Him and trusting Him. Then shall your strength be renewed daily to face all that comes your way.


The peace of God is available to all who seek to be right with God.
























WHAT IS NEXT?

When your help is God

Psalm 121
I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.

My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.

He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber.

Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.

The LORD is thy keeper: the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand.

The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.

The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul.

The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.



God is supreme, He is above all. He created all of the universe including the angelic host. He created Satan and all the fallen angels, now known as demons. God made all human beings.

If such a great God is on your side, who can be against you, or who shall you be afraid of? You do not have to be afraid of evil, or bad news, for the Lord is mighty to save you.

Desist from walking around heavy burdened with worry and anxiety, lift your eyes to the Great God who made Heaven and Earth. He will step into your situation, if only you'll let Him.

Philippians 4:6-7 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.


The remedy for stress and anxiety is to turn to God in obedience, trust , prayer, amidst thanksgiving. God will then give you peace that surpasses all understanding.

















WHAT IS NEXT?

The thankful heart

1 Thessalonians 5:18  Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.

Ephesians 5:20  Always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Job said in Job 2:10 - Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble? If we are genuine and true worshippers of God, then we are not serving Him for any ulterior motives. True worshippers serve God because they love Him, and not because of what they can get from Him. God wants us to be joyful at all times, and to have a thankful heart. Job praised the name of the Lord even though he had lost his children and wealth. Job was not aware of the plots of Satan against his life, but he still thanked the Lord, his faith was steadfast in God, hence he was able to declare even when stricken with sickness that - Job 23:10 Because he knows the road on which I travel, when he had tested me, I'll come out like gold.

We must be like Job, and have a heart that thanks God in whatever circumstance we find ourselves in. We must be like the Psalmist who said - I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth. Psalm 34:1 

God is faithful even when we walk through the shadow of death. We must therefore fear no evil, for He is with us. Let us praise and thank God, for everything will work out for our good in the end. Have a thankful heart, it is the mark of a true child of God.






















WHAT IS NEXT?