Help in Thessalonica!

This afternoon, the Lord laid it upon my heart to pray together with my husband and a friend. As we began to sing praises, the Holy Spirit directed me to Philippians 4 verse 16, a portion of the scripture I have never read before. It simply says 'Even when I was in Thessalonica you sent help more than once'. You see, Thessalonica in this scripture represents a place of need. You know Paul travelled a lot and so there was no way he could always carry all his supplies with him. He needed to rely on heaven sent help. Most of us are in 'Thessalonica' today, we need help with our finances, our business, our health, our marriage, our children, some of us need a clear vision for our lives... the list is endless but the message is one, 'There is help in Thessalonica'. The enemy is looking at you in Thessalonica and he thinks he's got you in a corner. Tell him God is sending help your way. You will have surplus even in the midst of famine. Remember the story of Daniel (Daniel 10), where Daniel had prayed to God and because he was so precious to God, an angel was sent to grant his request. The angel was held by the spirit prince of Persia for twenty one days until the archangel Michael came to rescue him. Only then was he able to deliver Daniel's message. Please say this prayer if you believe, ask God to send help to you right there in Thessalonica, also pray that your helpers will not be held bound by the enemy. The helpers will not only feed your physical body but help you grow spiritually. I decided to post this message on the blog because as I was praying, I saw a sea of heads, a multitude, all knelt down with their hands raised to heaven. I also saw a large banner that read 'Help in Thessalonica'. I believe a lot of people out there need to hear this message. God just located you! SHALOM.

Give us Barabbas!

Jesus was on trial. The people took him to Pilate, the Roman Governor at the time. After Pilate found him innocent, he presented him to the people saying 'This man is not guilty of any crime, would you like me to release him? But they shouted back, No! Not this man. Give us Barabbas! Give us Barabbas! ... & so Pilate released Barabbas, the robber & Jesus, the saviour of the world was condemned to die a shameful death on the cross. Today, the shame belongs to the Devil. He lost the battle the moment Christ laid down his life. It was God's master plan. No wonder the bible says in 1 Corinthians 2 verse 7-8 '... If the princes of this world knew, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory'. Barabbas could not have paid the price for our salvation, it had to be Jesus. Some things happen to us that we never fully understand until much later, when we see the fuller picture. When Joseph was on a slave march to Egypt, after his brothers sold him, he never knew what God's master plan was for him in Egypt until Pharaoh put him in charge of the whole of Egypt. Haters of God conspired against Daniel and it landed him in the lions den but he came out alive because it was God's master plan. His accusers were thrown in the same den together with their wives and children and none of them was spared. David was overlooked by his father as a Shepard boy in the fields but God sought him out and made him king over the nation. Haman wanted to have Mordecai killed but in the end, he hung in the same gallows he had prepared for Mordecai. Some astrologers wanted Shadrach, Meshach & Abednego dead because they would not worship idols. They were thrown into the flaming furnace, came out alive and in the end, the king promoted them. The lesson is this, once we stay plugged into God's will, even our enemies will be working for us unknowingly. They will mean things for evil, it will turn out to be for our good because the bible says 'all things work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose (Romans 8 verse 28)'. Sometimes, when things don't go according to your plan, it is because what you have in your plan is not in God's master plan for you. If you understand what this means, the next time the people demand for Barabbas, you will be glad, knowing it is God's master plan.

Self destruct mode

Have you ever seen a movie where a robot activates the self destruct mode and the clock goes tick, tick, tick... all the way to zero & time up! The robot explodes. It is the same when we chose to live our lives without Jesus. Even robots activate the self destruct mode when they see that there is no other choice but you see, with you, you have got a choice. You don't have to pay the price for your sins because Christ already did. 1 Peter 1 verse 18 says 'God has paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors'. Every single day you spend without Christ, the clock ticks, ticks, ticks... and when your time is up, what awaits you is not a pretty sight. Romans 6 verse 23 says 'The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord'. Every day presents you with a fresh opportunity to give up your emptiness. Romans 12 verse 2 says 'Be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God. If you have made a decision to activate the Christ mode, then 1 Peter 1 verse 23-25 says 'For you have been born again, but not to a life that will quickly end. Your new life will last forever because it comes from the eternal, living word of God. As scriptures say, "People are like grass, their beauty is like a flower in the field. The grass withers and the flower fades but the word of the Lord remains forever". And that word is the gospel that is preached to you.

The Jesus I met

Born of a virgin, he walked on the surface of the earth. He turned water into wine, healed the sick, raised the dead, the blind could see, the lame could walk, the deaf could hear, he set the demon possessed free, cleared the temple. He spoke in plain language, he spoke in parables. He walked on water, he fed over five thousand people with five loaves of bread and two fishes. He said to the Jewish leaders, 'destroy this temple and in three days, I will raise it up'. Judged by the men he created, he walked all the way to Calvary, carrying my burden, bearing my shame. He was mocked, striped, beaten, spat upon, humiliated and yet all he could think of was me, my salvation! With a crown of thorn upon his head, he walked all the way to Calvary. I was made whole with every stripe, justified by every act of injustice. Not a price he had to pay, not a burden he had to bear, not a soul he had to save but he chose to. All the way he walked to Calvary, nailed to the cross, pierced on the side, he prayed to the father to forgive me, and then he laid down his life that I may live. John the baptist testified about him (John 5 verse 33). Moses wrote about him (John 5 verse 45). Abraham saw him and was glad (John 8 verse 56). Israel sought him and found him (2 chronicles 15 verse 4). Paul encountered him and he became a changed man(Acts 9 verse 4). He was the fourth man in the flaming furnace, with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and not a hair on their head was singed, and their clothing was not scorched (Daniel 3 verse 27). He walked with Cleopas and his heart burned within him as he explained the scriptures to him(Luke 24 verse 32). He was a guest in Zacchaeus' home (Luke 19 verse 5). He has gone to prepare a place for me in heaven and he will be back for me. Today, he stands at the door of your heart and knocks. If you hear his voice and you open the door, he will come in (Revelation 3 verse 20). He wants to meet you, but only if your arms are open to receive him. Mathew 24 verse 50 says "He will return unannounced and unexpected".

Daily burden

A believer without any burden for the church of Christ may need to go on his knees and ask for one. If you are so happy with the fact that your soul has been saved but you are not sad about that brother or sister that is lost then you are being selfish. What is your prayer pattern like, God thank you for blessing me and for saving me, please bless me some more! What about praying for others, that childless couple, that sick little boy, that homeless lady, that man that can hardly feed his family, that wife beater, that drug addict, that wicked landlady, that abusive step father ..... We put on our best clothes on Sunday, stick our neck really high as we head to church, feeling like God's best but never inviting someone else to church. We come back from church and we never share the experience with nobody. The church is not a cult where things must be kept secret, the bible says freely have we received, freely we must give (Matthew 10 verse 8). The next time you lift those hands in church to say Hallelujah, ask yourself how many people you have lifted up, the next time you open your mouth in church to say 'I love you Lord' ask yourself how many people you have shown love to. The next time you place your needs at his feet, ask yourself how many needy people you have helped. The next time you ask God for your daily bread, ask yourself about your daily burden. Take a look at Paul, a man who had been beaten on several occasions, stoned, shipwrecked, spent a whole night and a day adrift at sea, traveled on many long journeys, faced danger from rivers, robbers, his people, the Jews, the Gentiles, and even from men who claimed to be believers but you know, all that did not take away the burden he had for the churches (2 Corinthians 11,verse 24-28). He called it a daily burden! In Philippians 1 verse 21, Paul said 'Alive, I'm Christ's messenger; dead, I'm his bounty, life versus even more life! I can't lose'. What can you say is your testimony today. Not all of us are as bold as Paul and would want to stand in front of Kings to preach Christ but there are subtle ways by which you can play an active part. Right on your knees you can start praying for loved ones who have not recieved Jesus as Lord. You can draw up a list of people to pray for even in your closet. You can decide to support a ministry, either by giving your time or even your funds. You have got to be a part of the good work. God did not put us on earth for sight seeing. There is a lot more and we have got very little time. A Christian without burden is like salt without savour. Jesus said in Mathew 9 verse 37 'the harvest is great but the labourers are few'. Becoming a labourer for Christ is a conscious decision born out of the burden you have to see souls harvested for him'. You should not be able to contain your love for Christ, it should overflow. In the same book of Mathew, chapter 9 and verse 38, Jesus said to his disciples, 'Pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields'. You are a city set on a hill and can not be hidden (Matthew 5 verse 14). What is your daily burden? Please pray today, that the Lord will use you as a worker in his fields, give you a burden for the church and the grace to do something about it.

A call to be fruitful

Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem when he noticed a fig tree, he stopped to have some of its fruits but found only leaves and he said to it, may you never bear fruits again! and immediately the fig tree withered up (Mathew 21 verse 18-19). As Christians, we are called to be fruitful. In John 15 verse 16, Jesus says 'You have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that you should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain'. It's funny how nowadays someone hears you talking about Christ and the next thing they ask you is 'Are you a pastor now?' the truth is this, preaching Christ, or sharing his love is not only the job of pastors, we have all been ordained by Christ himself to share his love. Read the parable of Jesus in the book of Luke, chapter 13 and from verse 6. A certain man had planted a fig tree in his garden and for three years, he found no fruit on the tree. So he says to the dresser of the vine yard, why should this tree remain if for three years it did not bear any fruit, it's just taking space in the garden, cut it down! Today, God has planted us here and for a reason, he has planted you in your church and for a reason. Search your heart, if you are good with children, make yourself available to help in the children's church, whatever you think you can do and do well. Be a worker in the house of God. Beyond the walls of the church, continue to bear fruits by impacting lives for Christ. Share his love in your home and make good use of every opportunity you have out there. Psalm 40 verse 10 says 'I have not kept the good news of your justice hidden in my heart; I have talked about your faithfulness and saving power. I have told everyone in the great assembly of your unfailing love and faithfulness'.

Lord, is it I?

Judas was one of the twelve disciples of Christ. Whenever he walked or sat with the disciples, he acted like he was indeed one of them but when he got to the camp of the leading priests and elders who wanted to have Christ arrested, he also danced to their tune. It's sad we find Christians like that today, who are only 'Christians' on Sundays and maybe during prayer meetings and bible studies. No wonder the bible says God searches the hearts of men and examines our secret motives (Jeremiah 17 verse 10). The disciples asked Jesus a question as they sat round the table, after he told them that one of them would betray him, they all asked one after the other, Lord, is it I? You might want to ask the same question today. A true Christian is no Chameleon, it shouldn't matter if you are alone or with a multitude. Will you deny him when next you sit at the table with your friends? Will you betray him at that family dinner? Will you deny him when you are with your colleagues? Judas betrayed him for thirty pieces of silver and he regretted it. The silver became to him like ashes, he threw them all out and hung himself (Mathew 27 verse 5). Today we betray him for different reasons. The truth is this, no reason will ever be good enough. Ephesians 1 verse 18 says. 'I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance'. Note that it says confident hope. We have got to be bold and unashamed of Jesus. 1 Timothy verse 1 addresses all believers to be filled with love that comes from a pure heart, a clear conscience and genuine faith. If Christ was ashamed of you, he never would have gone to the cross.

Hold nothing back

You will find the story of Ananias & Sapphira in Acts chapter 5. The couple had sold some of their property and brought part of the money to the Apostles, claiming it was the full amount and keeping the rest for themselves. Peter, disappointed at the couple asked Ananias why he had let Satan fill his heart and why he had lied to the Holy spirit by keeping some of the money for himself, after all the property was his to sell or not to sell. Ananias after hearing this fell to the ground and died. About 3 hours later, he was joined in the grave by his wife, Sapphira. Dear believer, do you know that we are in a similar situation today. God has given us life, plus the free will to give him that life or not. When we confess him as Lord and claim we have given him our life, then we must be prepared to give him all. You can't afford to hold anything back, not yourself, your time, your money, your children, your dreams and aspirations... Nothing at all. There is no room for 'half-believers' in heaven, if there is any word like that. Our life is not like departments where you can have different Lords over the different departments. It's got to be one Lord, the One you confessed. Ananias and Sapphira were not strangers in the church but this is what the Lord says in Ezekiel 33 verse 13 'When I tell righteous people that they shall live, but then they sin, expecting the past righteousness to save them, then none of their righteous acts will be remembered. I will destroy them for their sins'. Ananias and Sapphira gave only that which was convenient, what have you given him? You may need to pray for grace today, grace to give him all, all the time. Deuteronomy 23 verse 23 says 'But once you have voluntarily made a vow, be careful to fulfill your promise to the Lord your God'.

I found victory on my knees

I found victory on my knees because not only did my knees bow, my heart also did and so did my will. My God, My Maker! I let go of every burden, I held on to him, to my future. My God, My Father! I looked up to heaven, convinced it was open. My arms were open, convinced I would receive. I exchanged my emptiness for his fullness, my ashes for his beauty. Silenced for too long, he gave me a voice. My God, My Shield! I went down empty, I rose up full. He restored unto me what the years had taken. My God, My Restorer! He poured his oil of gladness over my head and it runs to my toes. He silenced the wicked. He showed himself strong and mighty. My God, my Deliverer! Totally dependable, totally capable, more than able. In him there is no deciet. He is the father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning (James 1 verse 17). My God, My Shelter! He has done exceedingly, abundantly, beyond all I could ever ask or imagine. Ephesians 3 verse 20 is my testimony. My God, My Song.... What can I say?

A time to put asunder

Fear is an intruder. It comes together with every new idea. Fear turns up every time you are about to take a bold step in the right direction. The good news however is that even though fear doesnt need your permission to come, it definitely cannot stay without your express permission. David never could have faced Goliath if he entertained fear, same for Jehu as he killed Jezebel. Gideon never could have faced the Assyrian army that was so many times larger than his own if he entertained fear. Fear is anxiety, fear cripples, fear blinds, fear delays, fear manipulates, fear steals your peace, fear aborts plans, it stops the future from the present. Fear is an incomplete picture. It is a voice you need to silence. Some of us are afraid of taking that bold step but Isaiah 41 verse 13 says 'for I am the Lord your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, do not fear, I will help you'. Some of us live in the fear of other people but the bible says in Hebrews 13 verse 6 'So we say with confidence, The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid, What can man do to me'. Some of us are scared of taking that bold step because of the enemies we face today, But this is what Moses said to the people in Exodus 14 verse 13, 'Do not be afraid, and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today, The Egyptians you see today, you will never see them again'. When you have a vision and fear tags along, quickly put asunder. Phillipians 4 verse 6 says 'Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your request be made known unto God. Verse 7 says and the Peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Dont let fear take away that peace today. Let God take the lead, all you have to do is follow.

Did I stop walking?

I asked myself the question, did I stop walking? I never did, I never will. The walk got tougher so I needed him more. It felt lonely so I needed him closer. I was weak so I needed his strength. Oppressed so I needed to look up to him. Weary so that I may know that without him I will achieve nothing. I got to a crossroad so I needed direction. He heard me, he held me, he led me and once again my heart is filled with praise. Lead me Lord, lead me along the best pathway for my life.

Peek-a-boo

Adam, where are you? God had asked after Adam and his wife disobeyed him. I heard you in the garden, Adam replied, and I was afraid because I was naked, so I hid. It was no game of peek-a-boo! The penalty was death. God cursed Adam and his wife because they had eaten of the forbidden fruit in the garden (Genesis 3).

The world today is like another garden of Eden. We know the forbiden fruits... Adultery, fornication, envy, murder, lies .. And the list goes on.

God is asking you the same question today, where are you? Are you busy enjoying the fruits the world has to offer? Are you hiding from God? Are you blaming someone else for the position you are in today? Are you afraid? Are you naked? Do you hear God in the garden? Do you hear Jesus knocking on the door of your heart? It is no peek-a-boo! What God has to offer is eternal life.

Stop hiding, run to him, naked as you are, fall at his feet, and receive gladly the gift of eternal life. His covering for you this time around is not made of animal skin, it is the blood of Jesus. A ticket to eternity!

Majesty!

I was at the live recording of the song 'Eternally' by Sister Tayo Adigun yesterday. One of the songs she sang was talking about the supremacy of God and she asked the question 'have you not known? Have you not heard?..'

Today, I will be taking us to the book of Isaiah, chapter 40. It talks about the majesty of the Lord.

⁴ Every valley shall be raised up,
    every mountain and hill made low;
the rough ground shall become level,
    the rugged places a plain.

⁵ And the glory of the Lord will be revealed,
    and all people will see it together.
For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”

¹⁵ Surely the nations are like a drop in a bucket;
    they are regarded as dust on the scales;
    he weighs the islands as though they were fine dust.

¹⁷ Before him all the nations are as nothing;
    they are regarded by him as worthless
    and less than nothing.

¹⁸ With whom, then, will you compare God?
    To what image will you liken him?

²¹ Do you not know?
    Have you not heard?
Has it not been told you from the beginning?
    Have you not understood since the earth was founded?

²² He sits enthroned above the circle of the earth,
    and its people are like grasshoppers.
He stretches out the heavens like a canopy,
    and spreads them out like a tent to live in.

²³ He brings princes to naught
    and reduces the rulers of this world to nothing.

²⁴ No sooner are they planted,
    no sooner are they sown,
    no sooner do they take root in the ground,
than he blows on them and they wither,
    and a whirlwind sweeps them away like chaff.

²⁵ “To whom will you compare me?
    Or who is my equal?” says the Holy One.

²⁶ Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens:
    Who created all these?
He who brings out the starry host one by one
    and calls forth each of them by name.
Because of his great power and mighty strength,
    not one of them is missing.

²⁸ Do you not know?
    Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
    the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
    and his understanding no one can fathom

²⁹ He gives strength to the weary
    and increases the power of the weak.

³⁰ Even youths grow tired and weary,
    and young men stumble and fall;

³¹ but those who hope in the Lord
    will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
    they will run and not grow weary,
    they will walk and not be faint.

At crossroads?

Lot was moving about with Abram, and it got to a point where the land could not support them both, for their possessions were so great that they were not able to stay together. And quarreling arose between their herders.

So Abram said to Lot, “Let’s not have any quarreling between you and me, or between your herders and mine, for we are close relatives. Is not the whole land before you? Let’s part company. If you go to the left, I’ll go to the right; if you go to the right, I’ll go to the left.”

 This was a ‘cross road’ for Lot but this is what he did, he looked around and saw that the whole plain of the Jordan toward Zoar was well watered, like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt. So Lot chose for himself the whole plain of the Jordan and set out toward the east. He pitched his tent near Sodom!

Lot’s decision brought him a lot of trouble, and twice he had to be saved by Abram. The first time was when he was taken captive by the kings of Elam, Goyim, Shinar and Ellasar (Genesis 14 verse 16).

I’m sure we remember the story of Sodom and Gomorrah, how God destroyed the cities with a rain of fire and how, through Abraham’s intervention, God sent an Angel to take Lot, together with his family to a safe place, even though he lost his wife along the way.

We all get to crossroads in life, where we have to make decisions regarding our life partner, home, work place, church, a trip we want to make, a school for the children … anything at all. Remember, this one decision could be life defining.

Instead of taking a decision based on the physical things you see, some decisions are better taken with your eyes closed as you pray to God. Psalm 32 verse 8 says: “I will lead you along the best pathway for your life”

Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take”

David formed the habit of constantly asking... Lord, shall I go?

Delilah's bosom

Samson met and fell in love with Delilah, a woman in the valley of Sorek. He found comfort in her bosom, it was a place to lay his head, find warmth, bare his heart, tell his secrets, share his source of strength, a time to trust completely..

The rulers of the Philistine came unto Delilah and said, 'Entice him, and see where-in his strength lies, and by that means we may prevail against him, that we may bind him to afflict him, and we will give thee everyone of us eleven pieces of silver..

Note that they completely spelt out what evil plans they had for Samson, it did not matter to her anyway because she was more interested in the last phrase, her reward!

In order to entice him, she must have made him his favorite meals, shown interest in his wellbeing, given him a massage when he needed one, made her funds available to him if he needed it, made herself readily available...  She made every effort to accomplish her mission and with such nagging she prodded him day after day, until he told her everything she wanted to know (Judges 16 verse 16).

She put him to sleep on her lap and called for someone to shave off the seven braids of his head, and so began to subdue him, until his strength left him... and not only did his strength leave him, God also left him! (Judges 16, verse 20).

It is very important we watch where we find comfort. Not everyone we love deserves our love, not everyone we trust deserves our trust. Sometimes, the ones who are plotting our downfall for their gains are the ones who 'appear' to be most interested in our affairs. They are the ones who are most persistent in getting information from us. When they see that they have tried and failed, they will change strategy and try again.

The truth is this, whether we like it or not, we all have a Delilah around us, and what's more, we find comfort in her. I pray today that we lose every form of comfort we find around Delilah so that when next we put our heads in her bosom, we are quick to pick ourselves up and head for the nearest exit.

Remember that they would not have been able to cut Samson's hair if they had not been able to get close, really close!

Perfect? Next!

Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.

The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’

But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’

Jesus said unto the people  “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” (Luke 18 verse 10 - 14).

If Christ comes knocking on your door today and you think you don’t need him because you are ‘perfect’ as you are, he will simply move on to the next person.

Also, if you look at yourself, maybe even your past, and you think you don’t deserve Christ’s mercy. Maybe you believe you are too far gone into the world and cannot be redeemed. The fact that you acknowledge that you are imperfect, is a good way to let you know that you need Christ.

Or maybe it’s the other side of the coin; the Holy Spirit has been drawing your mind to a neighbour, a friend, or maybe family member, but No! you say, this person has gone too deep into the world. He can never be redeemed; I can’t even imagine him giving his life to Christ!

The truth is this, if the world was full of ‘perfect’ people, then the world won’t need Christ. Jesus will not have to die for our sins, he will not have to pray for us, and what we know as salvation today would not even exist!

You know how we look at a lady and say.. Oh! She is a wife material. There is nothing like ‘heaven material’. That thing you see about yourself or that other person today that makes you say no way! Is the same thing God looks at and says Yes! There is a way.

Heaven is not for perfect people, it's for people who have been made perfect in Christ. Imperfect? Yes!

Psalm 125

¹ Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion,
    which cannot be shaken but endures forever.
² As the mountains surround Jerusalem,
    so the Lord surrounds his people
    both now and forevermore.

³ The scepter of the wicked will not remain
    over the land allotted to the righteous,
for then the righteous might use
    their hands to do evil.

⁴ Lord, do good to those who are good,
    to those who are upright in heart.
⁵ But those who turn to crooked ways
    the Lord will banish with the evildoers.

Peace be on Israel.

I'm still grateful

The last few weeks have been super hectic, with my husband away from home for a few weeks and having to take care of the baby and the home all alone. I suddenly realize how ‘smooth’ my life had been before now.

Pressure has come from all sides… the baby was down sometime last week but I thank God she is ok now, my car has made several trips to the mechanic’s and is still there even now, electricity all of a sudden is now so poor with the rumor that the transformer is faulty, ready water has almost become a dream, my finances have gone in the most unexpected direction. It’s so bad that even when I manage to prepare a message to share on the blog, posting it is ‘war’ because my internet connection has never been this unreliable; in fact, I can go on and on.

I almost feel drained of all my energy. Every new day has come with new and unpleasant challenges.  Last night, as I lay on my bed, I felt like the whole world was sitting on my shoulder, I was thinking of everything I’ve been through especially in the past week, and for some reason, even with tears in my eyes, all I could say was “Lord, I’m still grateful!”

I was reading recent posts on www.ayobolu-ayodele.blogspot.com and every line I read lifted my spirit. It almost felt like the posts were especially for me. My mind raced to 2 Corinthians 4 verse 8, it says “We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair”

The burden is lifted, and all I have in my heart is praises to my maker. Yes it is rough now, but it will only be for a while. I want to reach out to every single person out there going through a rough period. Just hold on, stay grateful, and I can tell you help is surely on the way. The bible says ‘God is our constant help in time of need’. You are not alone.

Psalm 112

¹ Praise the Lord 

Blessed are those who fear the Lord,
    who find great delight in his commands.

² Their children will be mighty in the land;
    the generation of the upright will be blessed.
³ Wealth and riches are in their houses,
    and their righteousness endures forever.
⁴ Even in darkness light dawns for the upright,
    for those who are gracious and compassionate and righteous.
⁵ Good will come to those who are generous and lend freely,
    who conduct their affairs with justice.

⁶ Surely the righteous will never be shaken;
    they will be remembered forever.
⁷ They will have no fear of bad news;
    their hearts are steadfast, trusting in the Lord.
⁸ Their hearts are secure, they will have no fear;
    in the end they will look in triumph on their foes.
⁹ They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor,
    their righteousness endures forever;
    their horn will be lifted high in honor.

¹⁰ The wicked will see and be vexed,
    they will gnash their teeth and waste away;
    the longings of the wicked will come to nothing.

A special name for a special God

Psalm 91 verse 4 says "Because he holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him; I will protect him, because he knows my name".

I believe there is so much in a name.  If you want to name your child for example, what you do is you express yourself, usually out of your experience with planning, expecting, and carrying the baby. And because the experience is different each time, you have different names for the different children.

In the same way, I have discovered that there is a special name, also based on my experience that helps me connect to God the most. I have been through a lot and only God has seen me through.

He is a constant friend and companion. He sees me in my darkest hour, feels me in my lowest moment, he hears me when all I can do is whisper. He is a constant help in time of need, he is always near, always willing.

He loves me endlessly, protects me, defends me and covers me. He is my God, my maker, my father, my king,  my saviour, my deliverer, my strength and the lover of my soul.

He is my rock and my fortress, the one who fights my battles.

I cannot express all that he represents in one word, not even in many words, but every time I call him my shelter, my heart leaps because for some reason, that has been the deepest for me. My heart is full of gratitude for all that he has done for me and for all that he means to me and even though I know that I can never thank him enough, I want to say that my heart is filled with awe for him.

I don't know what name you want to call him today, but please go ahead and call him that name as you worship him, it is true he deserves more than we could ever give or offer.

Lord, open my eyes!

Abraham sent Hagar and her child away, and after she had wandered in the wilderness of Beersheba for so long, she ran out of water and was scared her child will die. As she sat down and wept, God heard her child's voice and so he opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water, so she filled a bottle and gave the child water to drink (Genesis 21 verse 19)

Elisha's servant was scared when he saw that they had been surrounded by the Syrians but Elisha prayed and God opened the young man's eyes, so he saw that the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha ( 2 Kings 6 verse 17)

Abraham was prepared to sacrifice his son Isaac when God opened his eyes, and right there in the thicket, he saw a ram caught by its horns and he sacrificed that in place of his son (Genesis 22 verse 13)

There are some provisions around you that you would never see, use or enjoy, unless God opens your eyes. Help might just be standing next to you and you wouldn't recognize it. Opportunities might be passing you by and you wouldn't even notice. Doors may be open right in front of you and you wouldn't see them.

I believe it's important for us all to say this simple prayer "Lord, open my eyes". Your ability to see is your ability to possess that which is yours. As simple as this request sounds, the results will be amazing!

The axe head floats!

2 Kings 6

The men with Elisha were cutting down wood when one of them lost his axe head. He looked to Elisha for help, especially because the axe was borrowed. And when he had shown Elisha where it fell, Elisha cut down a stick and cast it into the place and the axe head did float so the man picked it up again.

It would be nice if you can actually imagine what happened here, a metal floating? How do you think a metal can 'travel' up from underneath the water and then stay at rest on top of the water? That is breaking every rule we know about gravity. If you drop a metal in water today, you would naturally expect it to stay under the water.

Also think about this, of what good is an axe without the axe head? Today we find ourselves holding on to remnants of what used to be whole, it could be a home, a relationship, a marriage, a business, health.. or anything at all. Maybe you have invested a lot of time or a huge part of your life in something, and all of a sudden you discover you have almost lost it all.

The God we serve is one that restores! I want to encourage you to throw a stick into that water today, and expect that God will restore unto you, all you have lost. That stick may be a sincere prayer, your faith or even a seed.

Jeremiah 30 verse 3 says "The days are coming, declares the Lord, where I will restore the fortunes of my people.."

Isaiah 61 verse 1 says "Instead of your shame, there shall be a double portion, instead of dishonour they shall rejoice in their lot, therefore in their land they shall possess a double portion, they shall have everlasting joy".

Jeremiah 30 verse 17 says "I will restore health to you, and your wound I will heal, declares the Lord, because they have called you an outcast".

Joel 2 verse 25 says "I will restore to you, the years that the locust has eaten ..."

David said in Psalm 71 verse 20 " Though you have made me see trouble, many and bitter, you will restore my life again, from the depths of the earth, you will again bring me up".

My prayer for you today, is in Ruth chapter 4 and verse 15, it says "He shall be to you a restorer of life and a nourisher of your old age". If the axe head can float, then you can be sure you will get yours back.

What is enough?

We all have dreams, hopes and aspirations. Sometimes however, they seem so farfetched or almost impossible. Because we operate in the present, we tend to be confined by present situations. We focus more on the situation at hand which of course is not always encouraging.

We say our strength is not enough, our supplies are not enough, our qualification is not enough, our supporters are not enough and our level of exposure is not enough..... Doubt sets in, and we wonder if we could ever achieve success.

I found classic examples in the bible and I've learnt from these people that once God is involved, even a grain of rice will feed Nations!

Let's take a quick look at Samson (Judges 15). The Philistines had burnt his wife and father in-law alive. He swore he will be avenged of them and even though all he had was a fresh jaw bone of a donkey, he slew 1,000 men, because the spirit of the Lord came mightily upon him.

In the same book of Judges, Chapter 7, Gideon had about 32,000 men in his army when they wanted to go against the Midianites but God told him they were too many, lest they think they achieved victory by themselves. So with God's help, he was able to screen the army down to 300 men. So he divided the 300 men into 3 companies and he put a trumpet in every man's hand, with empty pitchers, and lamps within the pitchers. Look what happens! When the time came, 135,000 Midianites came against them and Gideon and his men blew the trumpet, broke the pitchers and held the lamps in their left hands and together with one voice they shouted, the sword of the Lord, and of Gideon! And the bible records that the Lord set the enemies sword against each other, and gave Gideon and his men victory. Isn't it amazing!

I'm sure you are familiar with the story of Elisha and his servant (2 Kings 6 verse 17). The king of Syria was sore troubled because Elisha revealed even the things he spoke in his bed chamber to the King of Israel. So he sent horses, chariots and a great host to arrest Elisha. Elisha's servant saw that the host, together with their horses and chariots had compassed the city so he said to Elisha, Alas! what shall we do? When the host came close, Elisha prayed that God should smite the men with blindness and God answered his prayer so they were not able to capture Elisha.

What made the difference was not the donkeys jaw, the 300 men, or the fact that Elisha's servant saw the host and their horses and chariots; rather, what made the difference was the presence of God. No wonder Moses said in Exodus 33 verse 15, "If your presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here".

Ask for his presence today, no matter what situation you are faced with.

Listen to your donkey

Numbers 22

Balaam was on his way to Moab because he had been summoned by Balak, the king of Moab. Balak wanted Balaam to curse the Israelites, because he had seen what the Israelites had done to the Amorites and was scared that Moab will share the same fate.

Now, the Angel of the Lord stood in Balaam’s way to oppose him. Balaam was prepared to go on the journey, but his donkey saw the danger ahead and refused to move.

Angry Balaam struck the donkey three times until the donkey spoke and God opened Balaam’s eyes, so that he could see the Angel, who had a drawn sword in his hand. Only then did he realize that his life had been saved by a donkey.

In Exodus 23, God sent his Angel to lead Israel. Verse 20 says “Behold, I send an Angel before thee to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared.

Sometimes, we get little warnings over certain issues but we are quick to disregard them. It has happened to me so many times and when I eventually get an unpleasant result, I remember the subtle warning I got, and I say “Oh! If only the warning was more persistent”. Sometimes, it’s even over matters you won’t describe as ‘serious’.

Warnings do not necessarily mean you are on the wrong track, it could mean that the timing is not right and so you need to hold on. It won’t be out of place to pause when next you get that little warning.  You can take out time to pray over the matter again until you have peace about going ahead. Balaam was prepared to turn back in verse 34 but the Angel of the Lord gave him the go ahead, on the condition that he will speak only words God has put in his mouth.

Your donkey could be your mind, a preacher on TV or radio, a road-side sign, a passer-by talking to someone else on the road, a little child, a story you just read from a book, a little picture in your kitchen, a song… anything at all, even your dream.

Titus 3 verse 10 says “warn a divisive person once, and then warn him a second time. After that have nothing to do with him

Revelations 3 verse 19 says “for as many as I love, I rebuke and chasten, be zealous therefore and repent".

Heed that warning today. Be sure you are on track.

Mercy from the belly of a fish

I met a man a few months ago, who complained bitterly about how God was dealing with him. He talked about how everything had gone terribly wrong and how simple things had become so difficult. He said he even started a church at some point but it failed. He then made a statement which I found shocking! He said he would stop praying or having any form of communication with God because God had been unfair to him.

I was reading the story of Jonah and that young man came back to my mind.

Jonah Chapter 1 & 2

God had sent Jonah to Nineveh, to cry against it; for their wickedness had come up before him but Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord, so he went down to Joppa; and he found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord.
This angered the Lord so he sent a great storm and Jonah was thrown into the sea, where he was swallowed by a fish. God was dealing with Jonah because of his rebellion or disobedience but Jonah did not see the situation as a hopeless one, he never gave up on God, he prayed unto the Lord out of the fish's belly, and said…

 ³For thou hadst cast me into the deep, in the midst of the seas; and the floods compassed me about: all thy billows and thy waves passed over me.

 ⁴Then I said, I am cast out of thy sight; yet I will look again toward thy holy temple.

 ⁵The waters compassed me about, even to the soul: the depth closed me round about, the weeds were wrapped about my head.

 ⁷When my soul fainted within me I remembered the LORD: and my prayer came in unto thee, into thine holy temple.

 ⁹But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that that I have vowed. Salvation is of the LORD.

 ¹⁰And the LORD spake unto the fish, and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land.

I would lay emphasis on verse 4 and 9. Verse 4 says “Yet, I will look again toward thy holy temple” and verse 9 says “Salvation is of the Lord’s”. The truth is, when God is dealing with you, the only one that can save you is God himself. Don’t go running around where there is no help, and giving up should not be an option.

Say to yourself, just like Jonah did… I will yet look again, towards God’s holy temple, and if indeed, you believe that salvation is of the Lord’s, you can ask him for mercy. The bible says that God is merciful.

He will deliver you, safely ashore.

A bigger plan

I find the story of Job quite interesting and that is one man I believe we should all learn from.

Let me give you his profile:

·         He was blameless and upright

·         He feared God and shunned evil

·         He had seven sons and three daughters

·         He owned 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camel, 5,000 yoke of oxen and 500 donkeys

·         He had a large number of servants

·         He was the greatest man among all the people of the East

Job Chapter 1 records how Satan had gone to present himself before God. You know, God was so proud of Job, that he asked Satan if he had considered Job. God even added that there was none like Job on earth and went on about how perfect and upright he was and how he detested evil.

Satan was convinced Job only served God because of the material things he had, so he got permission from God to strip Job off those things.

And it came to pass that Job lost everything but his life and his wife, in a single day! His children, sheep, camel, yoke of oxen, donkeys, servants… gone!

 His reaction when he got the news is the biggest lesson I have learnt from Job. Look at verse 20, ‘ it says and Job arose, shaved his head, fell on the ground and worshipped God. Verse 21 says … he praised God saying blessed be your name.

For me, I believe the devil had lost the battle at that point. He took everything away from Job and yet, Job worshiped and praised God. I imagine God must have been smiling on the throne, saying yes! That’s my true servant. I am so proud of Job, I knew he would not let me down.

We have all had our own fair share of experiences where we have lost something or someone very dear to us. What was our reaction like? Often times, the first reaction is to start asking God why such a thing has happened to us. At that point we feel God has wronged us because we do not ‘deserve’ such a bad experience. Would you say Job deserved it? What do you think God will have to say about your reaction?

If you read the story of Job to the end you will see that God indeed had something much bigger stored up for Job and he was fully restored.

It is true when the bible says that ‘all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose’. Romans 8 verse 28.

Psalm 64

  ¹ Hear my voice, O God, in my prayer;
   preserve my life from the fear of the enemy.
 ² Hide me from the conspiracy of the wicked,
   from the plots of evildoers.
³ They sharpen their tongues like swords
   and aim cruel words like deadly arrows.
⁴ They shoot from ambush at the innocent;
   they shoot suddenly, without fear.
 ⁵ They encourage each other in evil plans,
   they talk about hiding their snares;
   they say, “Who will see it?”
⁶ They plot injustice and say,
   “We have devised a perfect plan!”
   Surely the human mind and heart are cunning.
 ⁷ But God will shoot them with his arrows;
   they will suddenly be struck down.
⁸ He will turn their own tongues against them
   and bring them to ruin;
   all who see them will shake their heads in scorn.
⁹ All people will fear;
   they will proclaim the works of God
   and ponder what he has done.
 ¹⁰ The righteous will rejoice in the LORD
   and take refuge in him;
   all the upright in heart will glory in him!

Amen.

Naked we come, Clothed we return.

I grew up listening to people who said ‘naked we come, naked we return’. I heard it so many times, I started to believe the same until a got a different revelation. It is true that we come into the world naked, but as believers, do you know that when we leave, we leave clothed in glory and carrying our deeds with us!

Sometimes, because of the mentality that we return naked and with nothing, as Christians, we don’t do enough while here on earth, especially for the kingdom of God. We dont realize how important our deeds are. The truth is, our deeds today are being stored up and will follow us when we depart from this world. Revelation 14 verse 13 says “ Blessed are the dead which lie in the Lord… that they may rest from their labors, and their deeds do follow them”.

Now is the time to do those things God has laid on your heart to do, for your church, your neighbour, even for yourself.

Tabitha’s good deed was enough to bring her back from the dead! The bible said she was full of good works and almsdeeds (Acts 9, verse 36). She fell sick and died, they washed her body, laid in an upper chamber and sent for Peter.

When Peter arrived, they showed him the coats and garments which Tabitha had made while she was with them. The Bible says , Peter put them forth, knelt down, and prayed. Then he turned to the body and said, Tabitha, arise! And she did.

I want to lay emphasis on the fact that he looked at her ‘good deeds’ first, before turning to her body. It’s the same when we die, God wants to know what we have done with our time on earth, and every deed we have carried out in obedience to his word counts. What you do with your time here and now, determines what awaits you after death. It determines whether you will enjoy eternal life or suffer eternal death.

1 Corinthians 15, verse 42-44 says “So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable;  it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power;  it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body’. This spiritual body reflects the glory of Christ.

2 Corinthians 4, verse 17-18 says “For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all”. Such great reward!

Destination Guaranteed

Maybe you have travelled by air, and the pilot announces the destination,  and all that...  and for some reason, your mind is at rest, you believe every word he has spoken. You don’t even know anything about him, not his history, background, experience, not even his color, yet you believe every single thing he said, even the time he said you will arrive at the destination. 

You want to sit close to the window, where you can see what you would describe as a ‘beautiful view’.. the trees, buildings, rivers, seas, mountains, clouds and everything.

You look at your wristwatch, saying ‘Oh! I will arrive at 5:15am’, then you take your mind off the trip and just spend the time relaxing, maybe reading a book, watching tv, chatting or even sleeping. You start making plans already, for when you arrive at the destination.

Now, change of scenario, You are on a flight, this time around, the pilot is Jesus. You spend all the time on the flight clenching to the next passengers seat because you are scared. What was a ‘beautiful view’ in the first scenario now becomes your ‘worst nightmare’!

‘Oh! you say, we are going to crash!’ You imagine the sea below, and you already have thoughts of drowning. You imagine the mountains and you are scared you might crash into them. ‘Oh! These clouds are coming at me too fast!’ You even complain the pilot’s voice is not loud enough ‘I can’t hear him, you yell!’

Then the hostess (Holy Spirit) comes around and tries to calm you down, but you are so engrossed in your fear that you pay absolutely no attention!

Now you start to ask the other passengers for help, where indeed there is no help. You start to look for the nearest exit, you want to jump out of the plane, forgetting that you cannot by yourself, bear your weight up.

In the book of Luke, Chapter 8 and verse 22, Jesus said to the disciples, let us go over to the other side of the lake. As soon as they set out on that journey, the storms arose, and the disciples soon forgot that the destination was not the middle or bottom of the lake, but the other side of the lake!  

They were in jeopardy and in their panic, they woke Jesus up, and He rebuked the wind and the raging of the water. And he said to the disciples, ‘where is your faith?’ The truth is this, their destination was guaranteed!

We are in a world where spiritual things are as real as the physical things that surround us and when we focus too much on the things we feel or see, we begin to lose sight of God. If you have made him Lord over your life, and you are willing to hold on to him, through it all, then your destination is guaranteed.

Check your luggage!

Genesis 31

Jacob had become uncomfortable in the house of Laban, his father-in-law. Laban's sons envied him and Laban's countenace had also changed towards him.

The Lord, seeing the situation Jacob was in said to him, "Return to the land of thy fathers, and to thy kindred, and I will be with you". Personally, I believe the most important thing God said to him was the last phrase, "I will be with you" because it meant that every other good thing he could hope for or dream of, was guaranteed.

.. So Jacob called his wives, Leah and Rachel, told them what God had said, and set them upon camels. They were on their way to that place, where God had sent them, and had also promised that he will be with them. But look what happens... Rachel 'stole' the gods her father worshiped and took them along with her!

Let's apply the same to our lives today, God has promised us a beautiful future, he said our expectations will not be cut short, so many promises we can find in the bible. Sometimes, it is even personalized when the Holy Spirit confirms these things to us, or maybe when we are in church, and a word is given, and you know for sure, that that word is for you.

We all have pasts, we were all raised in different ways, somethings we pick up along the way, others have been imbibed in us from childhood, but this is what matters... When we come to Christ, we come under a new covenant, and it is time to check our luggage for anything that is not of God because the truth is, those things will hinder us from getting to the place of promise.

God gives a word, but you still want to consult your father's oracle, or one man with great reputation for 'seeing the future', you claim you are looking for confirmation. The truth is, The Holy Spirit in us confirms the word of God.

Rachel was convinced she needed the gods of her father for protection, prosperity and survival, she was wrong! Do we have things or beliefs that we hold on to today, that we put our trust in, contrary to the will of the father. It's time to throw them all out, because only then can we be sure of a safe arrival at that place which God has pre-destined for us.

If God has said He will be with you, what business do you have with other gods?

Who do you seek?

I slept in the living room last night with the TV on. I woke up like three times or more in the middle of the night and I could hear the same message on the TV, all different preachers! I thought I was the only one who noticed it, until my husband confirmed the same this morning. They were all talking about Faith!

I was reading a sister’s comment this morning on the post “Misplaced Trust” and she was kind enough to share her experience with me. She talked about how she had waited 6 years after marriage to have her first child. She shared how her husband exercised faith throughout the waiting period and how she learnt from that, and you know the spirit indeed is one, because the message the Holy Spirit has laid on my heart to share today, also has a lot to do with faith

In the book of Mathew, chapter 28 and verse 6, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary had gone to look for the dead body of the Messiah, but when they got to the tomb, they met an angel who asked them why they were looking for the living amongst the dead.

 Often times, when we face challenges, we find ourselves running around for solutions. The truth is, real solutions can only come from God; the problem however, is that we look in the wrong place! Seeking solutions in the wrong place(s) is like looking for the risen Christ amongst dead bodies in the tomb.

Jeremiah 29, verse 13 says, “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart”. There is a condition to finding God  and that is “seeking him with all our hearts”!  The problem is that we find it hard to trust him completely so we seek Him partly and then we spend the rest of the time seeking quick solutions in all the wrong place(s).

Often times, we follow the counsel of ’strangers’, men who claim to be godly, and we take the solutions offered by men who also claim to be godly.

Hebrews 11, verse 16 says “And he who comes to God must believe that he is and that he is a faithful rewarder of those that diligently seek him”. God doesn’t go on leave! He is our ever present help in time of need (Psalm 46 verse 1).

Challenges will surely come but they can not overcome us, except we permit them. Psalm 34, verse 19 says, “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all”.

Hebrews 4 verse 16 says “Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need”. That confidence is faith! We are not to pray to God over a matter, not really expecting results, and then the next thing; we run off to other men or gods who offer ‘solutions’.

Mathew 16 verse 26, “What does it profit a man if he gains the world but lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” There is a saying in Yoruba language that ’when the devil offers you a cap, he demands your head!’ You see, any solution outside of God is NOT a solution, even though it may appear to be, for a little while.

Remember today, The Lord is near to all who call him! (Psalm 145, verse 18)

Never mock tomorrow!

I want to take our minds back to the book of 2 Kings, chapter 7. I would be comparing 2 groups of people;

1.      The king and the officer on whose hand he leans; I will like to describe them as the privileged

2.      Four men with leprosy; permit me to describe these men as the less privileged.

They lived in the same land, at the same time, and at a season where there was famine in the land. God sent a word through his servant, Elisha, the word was supposed to benefit all in the land. A word so precise it talked about time, produce and location.

The privileged

In verse 1, Elisha said, “hear the word of the Lord. This is what the Lord says: About this time tomorrow, a seah of the finest flour will sell for a shekel and two seahs of barley for a shekel at the gate of Samaria.  The officer said to Elisha, “Look, even if the LORD should open the floodgates of the heavens, could this happen?”

This is Elisha’s response to the officer, who was full of unbelief, “You will see it with your own eyes, but you will not eat any of it!”

The less privileged

Now there were four men with leprosy at the entrance of the city gate. They said to each other, “Why stay here until we die?  If we say, ‘We’ll go into the city’—the famine is there, and we will die. And if we stay here, we will die. So let’s go over to the camp of the Arameans and surrender. If they spare us, we live; if they kill us, then we die.”

 At dusk they got up and went to the camp of the Arameans. When they reached the edge of the camp, no one was there, for the Lord had caused the Arameans to hear the sound of chariots and horses and a great army, ……so they got up and fled in the dusk and abandoned their tents and their horses and donkeys.

 The men who had leprosy reached the edge of the camp, entered one of the tents and ate and drank. Then they took silver, gold and clothes, and went off and hid them. They returned and entered another tent and took some things from it and hid them also. Then they said to each other, “What we’re doing is not right. This is a day of good news and we are keeping it to ourselves. If we wait until daylight, punishment will overtake us. Let’s go at once and report this to the royal palace.”

 Taking a closer look..

At this point I will like to tell you why I described them as the privileged and the less privileged. It has nothing to do with their physical state, position or health, but everything to do with access to the word of God!

Note that the Bible did not say that God sent Elisha to the four men with leprosy, they did not enjoy that privilege of hearing the word from the man of God; but on the other side, the man on whose shoulder the king leans had first hand information! He was present when Elisha spoke; He heard him clearly, but chose to disregard the privilege.

Most of us are like that today, God sends his word to us but we fail to see what a privilege it is. Are we saying that God is a liar, or are we saying that there are some problems too big for him to solve? Are we saying we would be better off without the word of God?

The word he gave to Elisha, like I said earlier had to do with time, produce and location. Let’s see how it applies to us today. Sometimes God sends us his word, he even goes an extra length at times to confirm the word through two or more witnesses, but this is our reaction….

With the ‘time’ we say, “oh! I believe God can do this thing but not anytime soon, maybe in a few months time, maybe next year.. but definitely not now.

With the ‘produce’ we say, “oh! how am I going to survive on this salary, or, we say, this business can never generate the funds I need to take care of my family and I.

With the ‘location’ we say, “Oh well, maybe there is hope but not in this town, or not in this country, I have to travel really far to get help.

Do you know that it is a privilege every time God sends his word? We mock tomorrow, and God; the one who created time, everytime we exercise unbelief!

After the men with leprosy had told the king what they saw, and the king had sent his messengers to confirm… In verse 15-18, “ …the messengers returned and reported to the king. Then the people went out and plundered the camp of the Arameans. So a seah of the finest flour sold for a shekel, and two seahs of barley sold for a shekel, as the LORD had said.

 Now the king had put the officer on whose arm he leaned in charge of the gate, and the people trampled him in the gateway, and he died, just as the man of God had foretold when the king came down to his house.

 He mocked tomorrow, and it cost him his life!