QUIT CRYING AND ACT

“And The LORD said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me? speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward: But lift thou up thy rod, and stretch out thine hand over the sea, and divide it: and the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea” EXODUS 14:15-16

“Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done” MATTHEW 21:21

 

The powers granted believers in accordance with our commission and being the children of God is much more than some of us can imagine. Jesus before His ascension said unto His disciples that all power in heaven and earth is given unto Him. Having received this power, He commissioned them and us which believe on Him afterwards to go in this power (MATTHEW 28:18,19). He has delegated us to walk in the same power granted Him, and exercise it just like Himself would. Paul the Apostle spoke of the exceeding greatness of His power to us-ward who believe according to the working of His mighty power (EPHESIANS 1:19). If only we can understand this, if only we can know how empowered we are to handle situations that come our way! Regarding the working of God’s mighty power, there is no limit to what He can do in and with your life. I read the accounts of Elijah and Elisha and I ask myself, so what couldn’t these men do? If they wanted to cross a river, all they needed was their faith in God, they never had to worry about any boat. They wrap their mantles and smite the river and it parts here and there, they walk on dry ground (2 KINGS 2:8,14). They never once doubted the working of God’s mighty power in them. They never once doubted if it was going to work or not, it was natural to them just as walking is to you and me. See, I never wake up in the morning wondering if I am ever going to be able to walk, I just get up and walk. That was how natural the supernatural had become to them. They believed according to the working of God’s mighty power and therefore had an exceeding great access to that power.

God wants us to know that this power is granted us to deal with various situations in our lives. All we have to do is rise up, and with our faith deal with the situation. Scripture says that all things are possible to him who believes (MARK 9:23). The problem is sometimes we cry and cry to God when He expects us to rise up and deal with the situation through our faith and the power granted us. Just rise up and speak to the situation. Jesus said, if you shall say unto this mountain… All you have to do is to exercise that power and the problem should obey. Is it not interesting how God responded to Moses’ cry? Wherefore criest thou unto me, He asked? The power to divide the sea was in his hands, all he had to was lift up his rod and stretch his hand over the sea. Could it be that sometimes God approaches our problems the same way? Could it be that He is expecting you and me to rise up and go forward? Could it be that He expects us to exercise our authority rather than our constant crying? It is about time we exercised that exceeding greatness of His power granted you and me. It is time to walk in faith and in the power of God. Every power in heaven and earth given Jesus is accessible to you and me. Quit worrying and exercise your authority. You will never be the same again. In The Name that is above all names, Jesus Christ, Son of The Living God. Amen and Amen!

DIVINE SUFFICIENCY AND EFFICIENCY

“So she went from him, and shut the door upon her and upon her sons, who brought the vessels to her; and she poured out. And it came to pass, when the vessels were full, that she said unto her son, Bring me yet a vessel. And he said unto her, There is not a vessel more. And the oil stayed. Then she came and told the man of God. And he said, Go, sell the oil, and pay thy debt, and live thou and thy children of the rest” 2 KINGS 4:5-7

“And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the fragments that remained twelve baskets full” MATTHEW 14:20

 

We have said before this is going to be our year of supernatural provision. It is also going to be a year of total walk of faith with Christ Jesus. It is going to be a year where our walk will solely be by faith and not by sight. The All Sufficient God is going to perform miracles, He is going to make miraculous provision for His people. The little you have in your hand is all He will need to fill your need. God will use that little seed you have in your hand, He will multiply and meet all your needs. You will have to believe God to provide more than enough to cancel your debts. His provision will also be sufficient to stay debt free this year. I want you to understand clearly that God is still the same and hasn’t changed at all. Just as He was in the past, so is He now, “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever” HEBREWS 13:8. What He did yesterday, He will do today. He is asking for what you have in your hands, He will multiply that little thing. He gives seed and multiplies seed. The All Sufficient God, Jehovah El-Shaddai, will make all grace abound that you will have sufficiency and abound in every good work. God will bless the works of your hands, and you will still be living off the old stock the following year. Is anything too hard for our God? He said, in an acceptable time have I heard thee (ISAIAH 49:8), and yes this is the acceptable time, this is the year of The LORD’s favour.

As far as your eyes can see shall be yours. As many vessels you have shall be filled. God will fill and multiply every available medium you have. He is not asking for something you do not have but what Himself has already giving you. That little seed, gift, potential, talent etc is what He is asking for to multiply, “Now He that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness” 2 CORINTHIANS 9:10. He will not only fill physical needs, He will spiritual as well. Vessels of honour purged and sanctified for His use will receive greater grace. These vessels of honour will be filled and used mightly for His glory. The gifts of God and its manifestion will abound. Shutting the door upon you, and seeking God diligently in your closet shall yield many dividents. It is time to break our fallow grounds, it is time to seek His face until He rains down righteousness on us (HOSEA 10:12). As long as these vessels of honour continue to yield and avail themselves, God will use them for His glory, He will fill and make them profitable to our world. Your time with God behind closed doors will increase your spiritual efficiency mightly

The poor widow upon hearing the word of Elisha, the man of God, went and shut the door upon herself and her sons, and by faith acted upon God’s Word. The result was a divine filling which resulted in cancelling her debts, and having enough to live off with her sons. Is anything too hard for The LORD? All the multitude had was a little boy’s lunch which was, five loaves of bread and two fishes. He gave them up and God multiplied to fill the needs of the multitude. Five thousand men and women besides children all ate, were filled, and took up of the fragments that remained twelve baskets full. If you can give yourself away to God this year, He will make you profitable to your world. Shut your door upon you and seek the face of God. Your faith and diligence in waiting will open the flood gates of heaven. You will never be the same again. In The Name that is above all names, Jesus Christ, Son of The Living God. Amen and Amen!

THE GRACE OF BEING HEARD

“Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need” HEBREWS 4:16

“The Name of The LORD is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe” PROVERBS 18:10

 

One notable thing I see about the early Church reading the acts of the Apostles is, their diligence and haste in running to God so often in prayer. This was a Church under constant persecution, hated by the world for the testimony of Jesus Christ. Like their Master, they offered prayers and supplication with strong crying and tears unto Him that was able to save them and was heard (HEBREWS 5:7). The most comfortable position we can have as children of God and of the Kingdom is the advantage of running to God in prayer whenever in need. The gates to the throne room is opened every single second to the righteous when the need arises. Not many can boast of this advantage we have as children of God. Believe it or not, there are going to be times when you will need somewhere to run to. May be you are, but what better place to run, to have rest for your soul than the beaming and glorious seat of God The Father. Having the grace to be heard is something people take for granted. Not many people have such access with complete confidence of being heard like we do, “In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of Him” EPHESIANS 3:12. God has been so gracious to furnish us with a City of Refuge where we can run to and have assured safety. Prayer provides us with that medium of running to God in times of need.

You remember the story of the Shunammite woman whose son died? Scripture says that she saddled an ass and run at a high speed to the man of God Elisha to mount Carmel,”And she called unto her husband, and said, Send me, I pray thee, one of the young men, and one of the asses, that I may run to the man of God, and come again,Then she saddled an ass, and said to her servant, Drive, and go forward; slack not thy riding for me, except I bid thee. So she went and came unto the man of God to mount Carmel” 2 KINGS 4:22, 24-25. This was a woman in great need, her only son had passed and she wasn’t prepared to let go. The good thing about this woman was the perfect understanding she had of the grace to be heard and availing herself of such. She knew where to run to, if only she could get there… Without any delay this woman run in haste, and with confidence to the throne of grace in time of her need. She was convinced of being heard. She told her husband before she left that it shall be well (2 KINGS 4:23), when Elisha saw her from afar and and told his servant to run to her and ask if it was well with her, her answer was, it is well (2 KINGS 4:26). This was a woman of great virtue and basic but deep spiritual understanding. She should be an example to all not just women, who ascend the holy hills of God in prayer. She was convinced and assured of having help once she comes through the post of God’s Sanctuary to the throne of grace. She received that which her soul desired, her son came back to life.

His Name is a strong tower, those justified by the blood of Jesus Christ His Son, run into and are safe. The early Church knew where to run to in times of need. When Peter was arrested by Herod who intended to kill him after killing James,seeing it pleased the Jews, they prayed to God. They run to God in prayer and was heard. An Angel of God was sent to loose from prison, and to deliver him from the hands of Herod, and all the expectation of the Jews ,” And when Peter was come to himself, he said, Now I know of a surety, that The Lord hath sent His Angel, and hath delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews” ACTS 12:11. The Shunammite woman also run to this Name and was safe. I don’t know what you are going through right now, but if you can run to God in prayer, you will not be ashamed. There is hope of guaranteed help to all who run to Him in prayer. Avail yourself of this grace and you will never be the same again. In The Name that is above all names, Jesus Christ, Son of The Living God. Amen and Amen!

PROVISION IN GOD’S VISION

“And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering? And Abraham said, My son, God will provide Himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together” GENESIS 22:7-8

“And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work” 2 CORINTHIANS 9:8

 

It’s been great since we met God. We have not been able to completely understand the things He does, but who said that our finite understanding would anyway! Our faith has found a resting place in Him. All He said was to trust and obey, since then, it’s been an interesting journey. There’s been mountains and valleys, but through it all, we have learnt to trust and depend upon Him alone. As yet we still do not know what tomorrow may bring but one thing we know is, if He did it yesterday, He will do it tomorrow. Himself shall perfect what He’s begun already and bring it to a successful end. Faith in Him is the key. Faith became the norm, it became the way of living the day we joined His fold, “Now the just shall live by faith” HEBREWS 10:38. We have come this far by faith and not by sight, we have walked by faith without which no man can please God (HEBREWS 11:6). Talking about faith as a way of living, no man embodies that more than Abraham. He walked a complete life of faith from the day he met God. With Abraham, there was no buts and what ifs, he was sold out to a life of faith with God. This man’s obedience to the faith of God in my opinion was unparalleled  and he received a good report from God. He became as scripture says, a friend of God. The walk of faith will make a man blaze a trail unheard-of. It is what takes a man into the depths of God. Deep calls unto deep, and the Christians unflinching walk of faith will show him great and mighty things he knows not of. Faith in God will unlock the treasures of God’s kingdom and draw out supernatural provisions from God.

God’s sufficiency will always abound in every good work He sanctions, if we step out in faith and follow His lead. Every divine assignment has directions which defies all logic. Human reasoning have always found divine leading to be unreasonable, it has always found it to be foolishness. They are spiritually discerned and through the eyes of faith we see. Isaac asked a legitimate question. To him it was unreasonable to be travelling all the way to a place of sacrifice having everything in place but the most important part of the act which was the sacrificial lamb. Behold the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb, he asked? God will provide Himself a lamb for burnt offering was the answer Abraham gave him. It was an assignment by God and He had to make the provision. I know most of us may be thinking that this answer was given Isaac to actually hide the fact he was that sacrifice. You may think that it was a trick pulled by Abraham to conceal the actual truth, after all God asked him to sacrifice his son. The truth is, he believed exactly what he told his son, he knew he will return from the mountain with his son alive no matter the outcome even if God truly had him for the sacrifice, “By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called: Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure” HEBREWS 11:17-19. There is no question about the fact that he believed God would provide Himself a lamb in place of his son. The eyes of faith sees what the natural eyes can’t see. I will give you another proof of his sincerity in the answer he gave to his son, and the fact that he meant exactly what he said. Hear what he told the men that came with him, ” And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you” GENESIS 22:5. What did he say? we are going to worship (sacrifice to God) and come again (both of them) to you. He had faith in God’s supernatural provision, lo and behold, he provided the lamb, “And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son” GENESIS 22:13.

Divine assignment will always have divine provisions. No matter how difficult it may be naturally, if one takes the step of faith and launch into the depths of God, He will provide Himself the necessary ingredients. He is able to make make all grace abound, He is able to make us sufficient in every good work He sanctions. Faith in Him is the key. All you do is trust and obey. You will never be the same again. In The Name that is above all names, Jesus Christ, Son of The Living God. Amen and Amen!

FULFILLMENT OF SCRIPTURE A MUST!

“…this scripture must needs have been fulfilled, which The Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake before…” ACTS 1:16

“For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled” MATTHEW 5:18

 

Our hopes, dear precious children of God, must be built on nothing else than the ever faithful and assuring Word of God. We have a hope that is established on better promises, which promises also are established on a better covenant. This hope scripture says maketh not ashamed (ROMANS 5:5). As God’s Word’s says, “They looked unto Him, and were lightened: and their faces were not ashamed” PSALM 34:5. Where can a man go to find rest for his soul? Nowhere than God’s Word which abides forevermore! Great hope we have, not in some vague promises, but the ever living Word of God which forever is settled in heaven (PSALM 119:89). Because it is impossible for God to lie, scripture says that those who run for refuge to lay hold on this hope have a strong consolation (HEBREWS 6:18). There is a great incentive in building one’s hope on God’s Word, reason being that scriptures will always be fulfilled. Receive a better witness in Jesus when He says that not one jot or tittle shall pass from the scriptures till they all be fulfilled. Nothing ever in heaven and earth receives approval from God than His Word. His name and image is bound to His Word, and since He cannot lie, He always hastens to perform His Word. God is not some politician who gives promises which sometimes may be empty to make you feel good and draw votes from you. The fact that God has lifted His Word above all His names says a lot about the value He puts on His Word (PSALM 138:2). A man is no different from his Words, neither is God from His Word. Where we draw the line is, it is easier for men take back what they said, it is easier for them to renege, but with God, it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one tittle of His Word to fail (LUKE 16:17). Like the Prophet Balaam said, ” Has He said, and shall He not do it? or has He spoken, and shall He not make it good?” NUMBERS 23:19

You have a legitimate reason, matter of fact a stronger reason to bank on God’s Words, because scripture must needs be fulfilled at all cost. God is bound by His Words and has His reputation on the line, and it will be easier for the everlasting hills to be removed than for His Word to fail. His Word will always succeed in whatsoever it is sent into, “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” ISAIAH 55:11. There was a great famine in Samaria during the days of the Prophet Elisha. Scripture says that the city was besieged cutting every traffic until an ass’s head was sold for eighty pieces of silver, and the fourth part of a cab of dove’s dung for five pieces of silver. The severity of the famine had turned people into cannibals eating their own children for food (1 KINGS 6:25-29). It was in this crazy moment that Elisha gave a Word from God addressing the situation. Tomorrow about this time he said, a measure of fine flour shall be sold for a shekel, and two measure of barley for a shekel, in the gate of Samaria. This according to the chief economist at that time in Samaria was the greatest joke ever told. Hear what he had to say about God’s Word given through Elisha, “Then a lord on whose hand the king leaned answered the man of God, and said, Behold, if The LORD would make windows in heaven, might this thing be? And he said, Behold, thou shalt see it with thine eyes, but shalt not eat thereof” 2 KINGS 7:2. The next day as God promised, same time, He used four leprous outcasts to turn the situation around and fulfilled His Word, and guess what, that man who ridiculed the fulfillment of God’s Word died that same day it happened. He saw the fulfillment but never enjoyed it according to God’s Word, ” And it came to pass as the man of God had spoken to the king, saying, Two measures of barley for a shekel, and a measure of fine flour for a shekel, shall be to morrow about this time in the gate of Samaria: And that lord answered the man of God, and said, Now, behold, if The LORD should make windows in heaven, might such a thing be? And he said, Behold, thou shalt see it with thine eyes, but shalt not eat thereof. And so it fell out unto him: for the people trode upon him in the gate, and he died” 2 KINGS 7:18-20

God’s Word will always have to be fulfilled, it must be fulfilled, none other will suffice seeing His image is bound to what He says. For this reason those who hope in His Word has a better hope. there is no shadow of turning in Him (JAMES 1:17). Trust Him and wait expectantly on Him, knowing you will never be disappointed. Your life will never be the same again. In The Name that is above all names, Jesus Christ, Son of The Living God. Amen and Amen!

ARE YOU IN DOUBT?

“You asked, ‘Who is this that questions my wisdom with such ignorance?’ It is I–and I was talking about things I knew nothing about, things far too wonderful for me” JOB 42:3 (NLT)

“LORD, my heart is not haughty, nor mine eyes lofty: neither do I exercise myself in great matters, or in things too high for me. Surely I have behaved and quieted myself, as a child that is weaned of his mother: my soul is even as a weaned child. Let Israel hope in The LORD from henceforth and for ever” PSALM 131:1-3

 

One of the greatest mistakes we could ever make as believers and children of God is to question God and exercise ourselves in things we do not understand when facing challenges. This is what I mean, sometimes in difficult moments of our lives, we get pressed to standing in doubt and questioning our faith. We kind of suddenly switch to, Oh so why would God allow this to happen to me? I have been serving Him all this while but why? We go on and on about, why this, why that? We exercise ourselves in things way beyond our understanding, and then begin to stand in doubt. In the parable of the sower, Jesus made reference to such folks. He said of these people that when persecution arises because of The Word, by and by they get offended (MATTHEW 13:21). If I could remember clearly, I had this brother asked me this question, why would God allow John the Baptist to be beheaded by Herod? Why didn’t God save Him? This brother was kind of confused in a way by what he must have been going through at that moment as a Christian. May be he wanted a respond from God in a certain way but found Him quiet. Having seen various instances in the scriptures with certain men of God having suffered in certain ways without any response from God, he was offended and began to exercise his thoughts in things too high for him. I couldn’t tell him why because I didn’t know why. One thing we would have to understand in this journey is, there will be mountains and valleys, high and lows. There will be incidence that will be way too high for us to understand. Our faith may be tested in such situations. All we have to do in such situations is to keep our faith and trust in Him who has promised never to leave nor forsake us. You can comfort yourself with this, ” And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose” ROMANS 8:28

If His plans for your life are of peace and not of evil, to give you an expected end (JEREMIAH 29:11), you can trust Him with things you do not understand, knowing your latter shall always be greater than your former. A word from the Preacher might help, “As you know not what is the way of the wind, nor how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child: even so you know not the works of God who makes all” ECCLESIASTES 11:5. Who is this that questions my wisdom with such ignorance was a question God asked Job when He appeared to him in his trials. Job was in the dark and couldn’t understand why he was going through all that. You can’t blame that man, he went through a lot. Not many can go through what he went through and still remain sane. His sons and daughters died in one day. In just one day he lost everything he had materially, and we are talking about a man who was described as the wealthiest in all of the east in his days on earth. This was a man God Himself testified of as perfect, upright, having the fear of God, and eschewer of evil. If we had received the witness from any man apart from God, we could have somehow ascribe his sufferings to certain things. We could have given reasons and justified his sufferings, but no, God Himself said there was nothing evil in that man. If you will receive any witness, receive that of God. Job was upright and still suffered as an evil doer. How do you explain this? Why would God permit such horror in his life? When he began to stand in doubt, that is when God came in and asked, who is this that questions my wisdom with such ignorance?, or as another version puts it, who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge? We might not have a perfect knowledge of all the things we go through as believers, but all we to do in all situations is to trust and obey. To his credit Job admitted that he had exercised himself in matters too high for him and repented. Your attitude in situations like that must be like that of the Psalmist, ” neither do I exercise myself in great matters, or in things too high for me. Surely I have behaved and quieted myself, as a child that is weaned of his mother: my soul is even as a weaned child. Let Israel hope in The LORD from henceforth and for ever”. Just trust and obey, and nothing else. You will never be the same again. In The Name that is above all names, Jesus Christ, Son of The Living God. Amen and Amen!

WHEN THE ODDS ARE AGAINST YOU

“Hearken to me, ye that follow after righteousness, ye that seek The LORD: look unto the rock whence ye are hewn, and to the hole of the pit whence ye are digged. Look unto Abraham your father, and unto Sarah that bare you: for I called him alone, and blessed him, and increased him” ISAIAH 51:1-2

“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” MATTHEW 6:33

 

Scripture says that we should be ready always to give answer to every one that asks for the reason of the hope we have in us (1 PETER 3:15). Well, to all who ask, God’s faithfulness is the reason. The fact that He never rescinds on any promise, the fact that He always watches over His Word and hastens to perform is the reason. That He looks upon man and behold our frailties knowing we do faint and get weary, that He knows we easily give up and go all length to speak heart to heart with us on a personal level is comforting. To the righteous who seeks after God, panting for breakthrough and just about throwing in the towel He says, hearken to me! It’s almost like God holding your chin tenderly and lovingly as your head is down being weary with your walk. He lifts your head up gently seeing tears running down your cheeks and say, listen to me, you who follow after righteousness, you who seek The LORD! It is like as He lifts your head, He says, you want to know why it is never late with me? You want to know why you will make it and prosper against all odds? Look to Abraham! If Abraham made it against all odds, you can make it as well. The bible says that we should be followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises of God (HEBREWS 6:12). In situations like these, God says that there is none better to look up to for inspiration than Abraham. He called him alone and blessed him.

We could go on and on about Abraham and why God sees it fit to have him as a reference to us, but in this case, God speaks of a single person who sought after God and after righteousness,and had all other things added to him. One will someday become a thousand, and a thousand, tens of thousands. When God turns your wilderness into a fruitful filed, that fruit field will eventually become a forest, “Until The Spirit be poured upon us from on high, and the wilderness be a fruitful field, and the fruitful field be counted for a forest” ISAIAH 32:15. Scripture says that against all hope, he believed in hope (ROMANS 4:18). You want to know what that means? It means that no one gave him a dog’s chance of making it. All the odds were stuck against him, but see, you can’t keep a good man down. You strike the righteous down seven times and he keeps coming at you. Against all hope he believed in hope and he was not ashamed, for hope like the scripture says maketh not ashamed (ROMANS 5:5). Here you have God saying, if somebody like Abraham made it, you can make it. When he was alone and heading nowhere, God called him, took away his reproach and made him an ensign to all nations, and to all who hope in Him. God is not through with you yet. Your end shall be greater than your beginning. We are talking about a blessing and an increase. You who seek after God and after righteousness, hope thou in Him. He is not unrighteous to forget you. You will never be the same again. In The Name that is above all names, Jesus Christ, Son of The Living God. Amen and Amen!

REST FOR THE TROUBLED SOUL

“He only is my rock and my salvation: He is my defence; I shall not be moved. In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God. Trust in Him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before Him: God is a refuge for us” PSALM 62:6-8

“Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations” PSALM 90:1

 

Where can a man go to find rest for his soul? Once a friend told me something that almost tore me to pieces. You know those moments when people are in great pain and suffering so much that you wish you could do something but find yourself powerless to help? I heard this person say, ” if I had wings like a bird, then will I fly to a peaceful place to find rest”. She wish she could fly to a place where there was no more pain. In situations like that, seeing people suffer that much, you become speechless. It reminds me of what the bible saith about Job’s three friends who came to comfort him in his ordeal. Scripture says they wept when they saw him, and for seven days and nights, sat down with him on the ground saying not a word to him, because his grief was very great (JOB 1:13). What words can you say in these moments to such people who are brutally afflicted? No amount of words will be sufficient to ease their pain. It just just like the Prophet Jeremiah said of Rachel weeping for her children, “In Ramah was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not” MATTHEW 2:18. Your situation may not be like the above mentioned but I think you have your own problems in various ways or forms that make you restless. Sometimes you wish there was somebody out there who could understand and feel your situation. You wish sometimes there was a place where you could go to find rest for your soul. Jesus said, come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest (MATTHEW 11:28)

Whenever we learn to see God as our refuge, we find rest for our souls. If we learn to trust in Him and pour our hearts before Him rather than carrying the load ourselves we enter into His rest. There is no man on earth who can be touched with the feeling of your infirmities like He does. Cast all your cares upon Him for He cares, says His Word (1 PETER 5:7). Most of the times the anxieties and the instabilities we find in our souls are as the result of us carrying the burden by ourselves. Sometimes we even go to the extent of worrying over things we have no power to change. Someone said, if you trust you don’t worry, if you worry you don’t trust. If you find God as your refuge and your fortress, if you acknowledge Him as a very present help in times of need, you cannot be moved. Though the earth be removed and the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea, your soul will still find rest. You will not be shaken because God is in the midst of you. To find rest for your soul one has to make God his dwelling place. He is a strong fortress to all who take refuge in Him, “Because thou hast made The LORD, which is my refuge, even The Most High, thy habitation; There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling” PSALM 91:9-10

The beast of the field finds rest in Him, so why can’t you? “As a beast goeth down into the valley, The Spirit of The LORD caused him to rest: so didst thou lead thy people, to make thyself a glorious name” ISAIAH 63:14. He hears the young ravens when they cry so why not you? Even the sparrow and the swallow have found a resting place, a place to lay their young so why won’t you? He said be still and know that I am God (PSALM 46:10). To be still is to find rest in days of adversity. You are still and can’t be moved because you trust in His refuge. Wishing you have wings to fly to a resting place, why not at His altars? In the time of trouble He shall hide you in His pavilion, in the secret place of His tabernacle shall He hide you (PSALM 27:5). The Great Comforter will comfort you when man is lost for words. He is a refuge to all who put their trust in Him. Try Him and your life will never be the same again. In The Name that is above all names, Jesus Christ, Son of The Living God. Amen and Amen!

GIVE GOD NO REST!

“I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, which shall never hold their peace day nor night: ye that make mention of The LORD, keep not silence, And give Him no rest, till He establish, and till He make Jerusalem a praise in the earth” ISAIAH 62:6-7

“And He spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man: And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary. And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man; Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me. And The Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith. And shall not God avenge His own elect, which cry day and night unto Him, though He bear long with them? I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when The Son of Man cometh, shall He find faith on the earth?” LUKE 18:1-8

As we pray to God and wait on Him, we will have to hold on and keep believing, we will have to keep praying and never give up until we see the desired results. God doesn’t only promise that He answers prayers, He also teaches importunity and tenacity. That never say die, never give up attitude, is something God wants to cultivate in us, it is something He wants to instill in us. At the end of the day, God will never lie. He is not a man that He should lie. It is about whether you can hold on and wait on Him till you see what your soul desires, even when it tarries. A little advice from Habakkuk the Prophet might help. He said that the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarries, wait for it, because it will surely come, it will not tarry (HABAKKUK 2:3). In the end, it’s all down to your faith. Genuine faith is not bound by time, it keeps believing no matter how long, till it sees the desired results. It is going to be a big challenge, and will take a great deal of character to hold on. God will always keep His side and show up even though He tarries, but will you still be there when He shows up? Hold not your peace, give Him no rest, He said, until He establishes that which concerns you. The frailties of men is there for all to see, we faint and get weary all the time. But like the Prophet Isaiah said, have you not known, have you not heard, that the everlasting God, The LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, faints not, neither is weary? (ISAIAH 40:28). God has been working till now like Jesus said (JOHN 5:17), and He shows no sign of wear and tear.

The parable Jesus gave was to illustrate importunity and resilience in prayer. It demonstrates with the widow, how we ought to pray and never give up, how we ought to hold on and never be frustrated by lack of answers, till we have what we desire in prayer. It shows how we will always get what we want through prayer if we don’t give up. Unlike the judge who was getting worn out by the woman’s importunity, God never wears out by our continual and relentless cry. Matter of fact He desires that we keep pressing the same thing always and always just like the woman, till He makes His Name a praise. When it comes to God you never ask too much by asking too much. He never says, Oh, this person is giving me too much trouble! God said to Ahaz the king through His Prophet Isaiah, ask, either in the depth or in the height above, but he said he will not. He thought by asking too much over and over again, he was tempting God, he felt may be God might get weary and somehow snap, ” Moreover The LORD spake again unto Ahaz, saying, Ask thee a sign of The LORD thy God; ask it either in the depth, or in the height above. But Ahaz said, I will not ask, neither will I tempt The LORD. And he said, Hear ye now, O house of David; Is it a small thing for you to weary men, but will ye weary my God also?” ISAIAH 7:10-13.

I suppose you have some petitions before God. I believe that your heart cries out to God daily on certain issues. If so, He makes a direct statement to you; you who call on Him and make mention of Him, keep not silence, and give Him no rest.You always have to hold on in prayer and never give up. Call on Him and keep believing till He glorifies Himself in your life. Question is, will He still find you waiting when He shows up? Will He find faith on earth? May God give you the strength to travail in prayer till you see His glory in your life. You will never be the same again. In The Name that is above all names, Jesus Christ, Son of The Living God. Amen and Amen!

YOU’RE IN HIS SIGHT, STILL!

“But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly” MATTHEW 6:6

“Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in His sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of Him with whom we have to do” HEBREWS 4:13

 

 

In previous writing we asked a question which was whether God really cared? In this we talked about the fact that God sees us, and knows our situation, and will do anything possible to reach us. I feel we should talk a little bit more about this again, that we may know the certainty of what we believe, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses, every word shall be established. It is generally accepted, that is, among people who believe in the existence of God, that He sees all things at all times. Majority of people believe in the existence of God and His ability to see all things at all times. Even people who are not very religious have this inclination, even though they may not openly accept it. Sometimes you here such people make comments like, I know that there is somebody up there watching over me. In their hearts they believe and know that somebody to be God, they just try to be politically correct in other not to be opened to scorn in a growing society where belief in God is repugnant. But like the prophet Daniel said, those who know their God shall be strong and do exploits (DANIEL 11:32). sometimes though, even among the believing, it becomes a sort mental acquiescence rather than a deep rooted acknowledgement. It is like finding themselves in a balance, may be their constant pain in their submission to God for a breakthrough with no answer yet accounts for their present disposition. But then like we know from our lesson on faith, those who come to Him must first of all, without a shadow of a doubt believe that He is (exist), and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him (HEBREWS 11:6). Your lack of breakthrough yet may account for your leaning towards doubting a bit and not being completely sure, but then this could also be the reason you have received nothing yet. A double minded person is unstable in all his ways, and like James said, let not such think that he will receive anything from God (JAMES 1:7)

If we can establish in our hearts that God sees us at all times in any situation, and have no doubts in our hearts that He hears us, we are assured of our petition no matter the delays, ” And if we know that He hears us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of Him” 1 JOHN 5:15. Let’s hear what David had to say about God’s Omnipresence, God seeing him everywhere and at all times, “Whither shall I go from thy Spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me.Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee” PSALM 139:7-12. There is not one single creature that is not manifest in His sight. Scripture says that not one single bird falls to the ground dead without Him knowing. If He so cares about the birds and sees what each goes through, will He not much more see you who have been waiting on Him? Jesus said that God is with you in your secret, in your closet He is with you. He said that, He sees you in your secret as He is with you in your secret, and will reward your openly. In as much as He was talking about the hypocritical approach of certain in prayer, He also shed light on God seeing us at all times even in secret. God heard Jonah as he prayed to him in the belly of the whale (one for the skeptics) and had mercy on him. If He heard the prayer of a man stuck inside the belly of a whale, why will He not see you and hear your call O ye of little faith? He can see you and hear your call, and your miracle is due. I say again just like the Psalmist said, “Wait on The LORD: be of good courage, and He shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on The LORD” PSALM 27:14. Your life will never be the same again. In The Name that is above all names, Jesus Christ, Son of The Living God. Amen and Amen!