God and his Plans

Jeremiah 29:11 NIV

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord , “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

These days, it is becoming more and more difficult to get people to plan beyond today. We hear of Christians in despair now, already doubting if even God can make sense out of the disorder and discontent in this country. A lot of us have become fatalistic in our thinking, looking heaven-ward, not caring anymore about what goes on here on earth. Our experiences have made us so  cynical that we now say that even God cannot help this country anymore.
But I'm bold to say this: even for Nigeria, things were just as bad as it was then for Israel. There was idol worship in Israel, there was grave injustice, oppression and murder. Was it not in Israel that due to famine, 2 mothers agreed to eat their children as food until one refused to give up hers after eating the other one's child? Was it not in Israel that a king killed another citizen over a vineyard? Was it not in the same Israel that a prophet who spoke the truth was hounded into prison and almost killed? What was happening then that is not happening here in Nigeria now? Where has the rot not spread to? Families, communities, societies and the state seem to have been bitten by the corruption bug. Even the church of Christ is being threatened by this rot as those of the world want to bring in their practices into the church. We have almost given up hope; we seem to have accepted the rot. Most times, we don't even bother to pray anymore, just believing that our going to heaven will give a final solution to the problems we face.
But in the midst of all these, I hear God saying: I have great plans ahead. When we hear that atimes, our logic and reason kicks in and tries to rationalise how these things will be. We weigh our present with what God has said and we wonder just how it will be. Gratefully, God's power does not depend on me for efficacy, his power is awesome even if all of us deny him. What backs up his word is his power and nature, and as he has said: he is not a man. Man makes a promise and has to be reminded most times because he has forgotten or he may have to amend his promise because there is no more capacity. But God has capacity, capability and cause to fulfil every promise he makes because he is the owner, holder and giver of all he has promised. Who else would be trusted to give you something other than the person who has full, effective and total possession of that thing?
Whatever you may be going through, know this: there is a promise of a good end. It is not the present that matters most, it is the end. Maan works from the NOW, praying that he makes it to an end that he is not even sure about. God works from the end, ensuring that all your experiences, good or otherwise, tallies with his own predetermined good end. Trust his wisdom, timing and Word. There's no record of failure.

Take heed....

1 Corinthians 10:3-5, 12 GNB

All ate the same spiritual bread and drank the same spiritual drink. They drank from the spiritual rock that went with them; and that rock was Christ himself. But even then God was not pleased with most of them, and so their dead bodies were scattered over the desert.  Those who think they are standing firm had better be careful that they do not fall.

We are constantly reminded of the danger of routine- doing the same thing over and over again every day of our lives. We live in a world where routine is accepted and change is resisted. Over time, our senses are dulled and the unusual is not noticed or recognised.
Israel found itselfil in a delicate situation. The land had been through hell in Egypt and gone through cycles of oppression and depression. God had brought them out of Egypt with a mighty hand; they saw God at work battling their enemies and making even the elements and nature to favour them. But their reactions and experiences pose the challenge today: in spite of the great things they saw, heard and knew God did, they still had problems believing and cooperating with God. It was as if they had made up their mind that God wouldn't find it easy leading them into that promised land. They rebelled, murmured, complained and even made Moses so angry that he disobeyed God. Then the unthinkable happened: God wasn't taking this generation into the promised land; he was taking the next into it. Then began 40 years of wanderings till all of the 600,000 men who left Egypt,excluding Joshua and Caleb, died in the wilderness.
That is the danger- Joshua and Caleb were all in Egypt too, and had the same experiences with everyone. Why were their own experiences different? Why was their walk with God different? That is the thrust today.
We all come to church on Sundays. We all hear the same messages and are moved by the same inspiration. Yet, the end-product of our beliefs and convictions show a massive difference between what we hear and what we do. We live a different life when things are easy and a more complicated one when things go south. We can struggle through difficulties and learn to trust God in the most distressing of circumstances but we just can't sit up straight when success comes. We pray and fast when troubles come and then struggle to do the basic early morning devotion when all seems well.
That is the warning in today's text- if you THINK you are standing, take heed. Earthly comfort is deceptive; in fact, nowhere in scriptures did God lay empasis on earthly conveniences at the expense of eternal relevance. We will all hear the same messages and sermons, and have the same Spiritual experiences but it then boils down to the things that we allow God to do in our lives. Do we allow God hav his way, or does he have to knock hard, disrupting our peace or witholding our blessings before he can catch our attention?
God is the ultimate. He alone has all we need and there is no demand we can make on earth that can exhaust the resources of heaven. We must trust God completely and take our eyes off the physical manifestation of his blessings. Don't substitute God's reality with the emptiness of possessions, power and position. Take heed, allow God unhindered access into your life, decisions and destinations. His time of favour is here.

The Easy Life

Amos 6:1 GNB

How terrible it will be for you that have such an easy life in Zion and for you that feel safe in Samaria — you great leaders of this great nation Israel, you to whom the people go for help!

On this great Democracy day, it is just apt that we talk about the nation God has graciously given us and examine how far we have come. There's a need to critically assess where we are, where we should be and what God has got to do with all these things.
I wonder why God would pronounce war on those who were ar ease in Zion in those days. A bit of context here will help: Israel was passing through idolatry and rebellion. God had sent many prophets to warn his people but the people simply turned a deaf ear to all God was saying. They kept up all the symbols of worship- the regular feasts, the daily sacrifices and the burnt offerings. They kept up the usual practices but their hearts had wandered away from God into rebellion. God was warning of impending judgement but here were people, content with their achievements and set in their ways of unrighteousness. God was warning of coming judgement but the people were not bothered- they had businesses to run and money to make and lives to live. God could wait.
Unfortunately, God was tired of waiting. He had warned long enough and it was time to act against the people's rebellion. Retribution was swift, hard and long and a lot of them went into exile, never to return. As a country, I doubt if we are too far away from this state either. We have many churches, churchgoers but few true members of the church of Christ- redeemed, clean and upright. We run the Spiritual angle through the weekends and in church, but on Monday mornings, we become tigers in the corporate world, ready to tear down people if it will work to our advantage and ready to kill if need be, only if it can advance our own causes. Just heard yesterday how a civil servant, a Customs officer, demanded that a clearing agent pay him a bribe in dollars as naira will be too bulky to carry. The officer was paid an equivalent of N1.3m. The same officer goes to church on Sunday, lifts up 'holy' hands, pay his 'tithes', and thinks he's justified and godly.
We have mastered the art of self-deception. We have managed to keep our lives in different layers and phases, showing only the parts that are convenient for each moment. There's no consistency, integrity or certainty about the quality of our convictions. Our politicians speak now and we sneer, knowing that it is the usual stuff. At home, we make promises to get our children or partners to do things for us, and then turn around and renege on our promises, expecting them to understand. No wonder then that we come to church,thinking we have come to meet with mere man, we make promises flippantly and carelessly, forgetting that with God, our word is our bond.
There's an urgent need to retrace our steps and get back in line. We must allow God's Word, Will and Way be our ultimate and only desire. It is then that our nation, community and family can enjoy the grace and goodness of God.
Find God, follow God. He alone holds the key to our peace, security and safety. Nothing else will last- money, power, possessions or position. Only God and his Word will endure. His time of favour is here.

Mind your heart

Colossians 3:1-2 NIV

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.

There's a need again today to check our focus and our priorities. The world around us keeps getting complex and its desires and demands keep getting more and more weird by the day. Some generations ago, lesbianism was a taboo, a quiet word amongst its practitioners and sympathisers, now we have states with laws backing that practice. At a time, thieves robbed just for cash to feed and pay bills, now, they maim, rape and kill. The pursuit of wealth, power, position and properties has made us mindless, emotionless and cynical. We have replaced human interactions with a form of e-existence, preferring to pour out our angst and temper in the soulless and mindless terrain of the internet, rather than seeking to nurture human relationships and interactions.
While not trying to belittle the importance of these e-forums, I believe that God created us first to relate with ourselves. He placed man in the garden and gave him a partner. God would then come down every evening to talk with them. Why didn't he send an email? Why not write a letter?
Genesis 1:27 NIV: So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.
As we pursue this human interactions however, there's something that we dare not forget: our eventual destination. Atimes, we get caught up in the pursuit of life that we forget that it is only for a while. We were not promised eternity in this present body of ours, we were asked to live our present lives in the light of eternity. We live these days as if it is this present life only that matters, accumulating wealth for unborn generations, stealing the commonwealth, more out of fear of the unknown. We pursue technology and knowledge, seeking to make our earthly life more comfortable, making no investment whatsoever in our eternal destination. We get so caught up in the present that the future seems to have lost its relevance and importance.
Let me boldly assert here today that our lives were made for far more than we see today. God's plan was for man's total and complete domination of all he has created,but with an emphasis on that relationship with God. We can never be in charge of this creation until we have things right with the creator of all we seek to dominate. We can never really be eternity-conscious until we know the eternal God.
That is the focus of the verses quoted above: as we pursue life down here, we must do it with our minds set on eternity. As we seek to make a living out of the experiences we face daily, there must be a consciousness that we must build up something for our eternity. As we seek out earthly survival, our minds and hearts must be set on heavenly relevance. Or as the Bible says: What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul?.
People, there's no true life outside of the owner and giver of life Himself. There's no real existence until you have found relevance in God. Seek him out today, seek out his will, purpose and eternal plan, surrender your fears, struggles and labour to Him and then watch him do exploits with a life that is fully surrendered to him and totally focused on eternity. His time of favour is here.

Taking God into account

Psalm 127:1 NIV

Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the guards stand watch in vain.

Planning is good. There are many adages and proverbs that go with planning and encourage thinking ahead. One of the most common is: if you fail to plan, you are planning to fail. Another one close to it, usually attributed to the Bible in error, is that: Heaven helps those who help themselves. The world's system encourages inward thinking: how do I put structures, systems and values in place which will help me towards the fulfillment of my plans? Most times, these plans are laid and finalised without any input from God, the maker of all things and the only one who can guarantee tomorrow for anyone.
How, then, do we go on from here? Why plan, if God knows tomorrow? Why bother with tomorrow if it is not assured, and why not just live from day-to-day, hoping that someday, we will get to the eventual destination God had planned ahead for us?
I believe the verses above hold some truths for us: God's promise of success does not exclude your own part in the whole phase- your own preparation. What will not work is you putting the cart before the horse: putting your plans in place and expecting God to approve them. If I trust God to protect me, and I build a house without windows and doors, then I invite robbers to prove my foolishness. If I deliberately consume unhealthy food, while trusting that God has assured my healing, then I put God to the test and I ask him to approve even my deliberate errors of judgement even with my full knowledge of what is right and wrong.
But when I have put God first in my thoughts, plans and structures, everything else that I do is guided by Him and approved by Him. I put security in place in my home,but with the full assurance of faith that he alone is the protector. I read and study hard for exams, because I know he will crown my efforts with success.
But there's something else; another reason why God must come into the picture: he does not do his own things the way you expect. Robbers can still come in, exams could still be failed and things may not go according to plan. He remains God all the same. His plans are never wrong, because whatever he does now or allows now is done with the end in view.
I must trust his wisdom, knowlege and power. I must depend solely on Him to work out his will the way he sees best. He owns my life and holds its end in view so I must allow him work out his will the way he sees fit. It may not always look nice initially but it always ends well.
His time of favour is here.

God's Weapons

Psalm 127:3-5 NIV

Children are a heritage from the Lord , offspring a reward from him.  Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are children born in one’s youth.  Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them. They will not be put to shame when they contend with their opponents in court.

God sure does mighty things through the least expected of people. He's so mighty yet he uses some of the weakest, most inconsequential things to do some of his most mighty works.
Just like our focal passage says: children are a heritage from God. Heritage is defined as ' an inheritance, a birthright, or a tradition,something passed down from generation to generation. It is amazing that even with children, God is always looking ahead to what he can do with what he has created. He starts even before birth to lay down a course and a plan for every gift he gives. He sets children as arrows that he can use to shoot into the future so that his purpose and plan for the future can be fulfilled. No wonder Hannah could not conceive until she keyed into God's plan for the moment and asked for a child she could give back to God. All of God's gifts are exclusively his preserve and all that he gives and does are for particulat reasons.
We must therefore seek out God's plan and purpose for our children, or also seek out God's direction for the future so we can align our desire for children with his will. As we seek out his will, we find out what he wants to achieve and we can 'shoot' ourselves and our children in that direction.
Pity the generation without a plan, purpose and direction. Pity the family that seeks more children simply because there's money to take care of them. Pity the family without even a clear idea of what God can do with a surrendered life.
Let us find out what God's purpose is. As we seek this out, we key into his plan and we bring his kingdom down to earth and his redemption plan closer to the hearts of men. His time of favour is here.

Faith.....

Genesis 15:5-6 NIV

He took him outside and said, “Look up at the sky and count the stars—if indeed you can count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.”  Abram believed the Lord , and he credited it to him as righteousness.

It is difficult to see the clear road when there are tears in your eyes. It is hard to see anything positive in the face of much negativity around us. When God says: 'Have Faith', he knows he's not joking about it but then, it is a little difficult to take, when everything around is saying the opposite.
Picture Abram- he had been promised a child years ago, but here he was,still childless and not young anymore, in fact, he was, by earthly standards, past child-bearing age. Nothing scientific or natural supported the promise, except it was from the mouth of the same God who had made science and nature. Abram had a choice: believe and hold on, or doubt and strike out in a different direction. How do you convince a childless man that his offspring will be as many as the stars in the sky? How do you tell a man who has given up hope that there's hope at the next promise?
Abram had a choice; Abram made a choice, and the reward  of that choice still lives with us today. Because he believed, righteousness, a New Testament message, was credited to Abram and he's referred to as the father of faith. We must take a cue from this. Ignore the natural signs you see, ignore what empirical statistics tell you; God is able to go above and beyond such limitations to do what you think is impossible. Faith is the key to the breakthrough. Hebrews 11:6 NIV says:
And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
Nothing else can be added. His time of favour is here.

Whose report.....?

Numbers 13:1-2, 31 NIV

The Lord said to Moses, “Send some men to explore the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the Israelites. From each ancestral tribe send one of its leaders.”   

But the men who had gone up with him said, “We can’t attack those people; they are stronger than we are.”

There are daily battles we all must face as we run the race ahead of us. There are situations that will challenge the faith that we profess. Atimes, we may sit down and wonder exactly what is expected of us in the face of these varied, diverse and difficult situations and it is what we do with these thoughts and in these times that show the quality of our convictions and the source, purpose and target of our faith.
There can be two extremes to our daily experiennces and walk in life. It is very easy to believe everything that God says when all is rosy. When you have just made some legitimate money from a business deal and you can pay all your bills conveniently, any sermon on God's ability to provide will sit well with you. When you haven't been in hospital for a while, health becomes a conclusion rather than a reason for thanks. It is easy to take for granted the things we see as common everyday but the greatest challenge comes when the convictions, beliefs and tenets you hold on to are tested by situations and circumstances. Most times, we have an idea of the Word says about sufficiency but we really can't place our hands on the exact words. When lack comes, all the passages that deal with provision and God's supply are suddenly our daily food and confession.
The people of Israel had been promised the land of Canaan long before now. They had seen God at work in Egypt and had experienced his provision, protection and provenance through the desert. Now, at the very point of their breakthrough, they looked ahead and saw impossibilities. God who had taken them through all the difficulties of the desert was forgotten and only their comfort and convenience was important.
It is just like what we have today. It is easy to take God at His Word when all is rosy but difficult to remember what he has said at the first sight of trouble. We quote these passages more out of memory than relationship and we wonder why it seems God is far away when we are in trouble. We have not mastered the art of seeking God when all is rosy and getting to know his voice, and we then want his instant answers when all is not well. Another extreme is to completely forget and to doubt all he has said in his Word also. Whichever it is, God is not a switch that can be put on and off at will or whose Words can be picked on at our own convenience. His Word must be taken as it is: undeniable, unbreakable and irreversible.
I must get a Word from God for my life. I must find out what God's will, purpose and direction for my life are. I must know what battles to fight and which ones I must learn to walk away from. As I run this race, God's grace is sufficient but I must constantly depend on him and not on my abilities, strength or wisdom.
God alone is the source of sustenance, growth and inspiration. His Word is the compass and guiding light for this journey. Find out what he has to say to you and hold on to his Word. That is the source of victory and breakthrough. Look away from the disappointments and distractions around; just focus on God. His time of favour is here.

The Appointment

Daniel 12:2 NIV

Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt.

Have you ever given much thought to your eventual eternal destination? Have you thought much about where you intend to spend eternity? Do you even know or believe if there's heaven or hell or if anything is real at all?
There must be something after this present life. We all come here, like a market-place,  we trade with words, actions, thoughts, and procedures and at the end of our trading, we go home with the rewards and eventual consequences of our actions and words.
We deceive men so easily. We can lie, pretend or swear falsely and no man will be any wiser but before God, our lives are like an open book. Because he created us and gave us breath, he knows us infinitely and he will therefore reward or punish according to the truths of your words, actions, thoughts and procedures.
At the end of our days on earth, an accounting will be done, and a destination will be determined for every life. It is the seeds you sow today that will determine that eventual destination. Yesterday is history, its joys and regrets cannot be reversed. Tomorrow isn't assured; Jesus may have come before then. What you have as a gift is today, that is why it is called the present. Open it up, make the best of it. Make it count for your eternity by doing the things that the owner and holder of your life expects, because one day soon, every single one of us will awake for judgement and the standard will be applied. Make sure you are ready. The standard has been set and it is only by accepting Jesus as both Saviour and Lord that you can be sure of heaven. Make the choice now. His time of favour is here

Who's in charge here?

Romans 6:16-17 NIV:

Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey—whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you have come to obey from your heart the pattern of teaching that has now claimed your allegiance.

It is said that nature abhors a vacuum. There's nothing like empty space or a blank mind. For every human being created in the likeness of God, the creative, nurturing power of God is deposited in that being. That is why we can witness the great advancements in transport, medicine, technology and all, pointing to the active creative nature of man. On the flip side however, we have also seen modern warfare and destruction being advanced by the same creative minds God has created, and the diverse instruments of war and death that we have managed to create. What is God saying then in the verses above? I believe that what we are seeing today is the exercise of the free will that has been given by God. God has created us in his likeness and has endowed us with all his attributes. As we exercise our free will in the matters of life and living, we must live with the consequences and effects of our decisions.
Ultimately, our decisions show who really is in charge of our lives: God or (d)evil. There's no middle ground, no sitting on the fence, no compromise. It is either God is calling the shots or he has vacated the premises.
Who have I offered myself to? Who's really in charge of my decision process? Who calls the shots in my life? Is it food, sleep, sexual immorality, position, power, possessions or is God fully consulted in every area of endeavour?
As the passage above says, whoever I offer or yield myself to becomes my master. It is an exercise of free will, I must yield myself to a master. There's a choice to be made, a course of life to determine and a destiny to decide. It all starts with the choices made today.
Who's in charge? Be sure it is God. His time of favour is here.

True Freedom

2 Corinthians 3:14-18 NIV:

But their minds were made dull, for to this day the same veil remains when the old covenant is read. It has not been removed, because only in Christ is it taken away. Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts. But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

Indeed, the world is in darkness. It only takes true light to reveal the extent and depth of that darkness but its manifestation and effect is seen all around us. We see and hear death and its messengers, we experience natural disasters and man-made negative decisions, we see the effect of the fall of man from grace everywhere we turn. It is almost as if man keeps inventing new and novel ways of perpetuating evil. What, then, is the way out?
The solution may sound simple but it is as profound as it is confusing. Christ is the answer.  Sounds corny and childish but consider this: with all the theories and policies that the most learned men of this world have propounded and put into effect, how many of them have even scratched the surface of the myriad of problems that we have? Men have gone to the ends of the earth and their wits, searching for that wand that will end all problems. They forget that as long as a man has not found his purpose in Christ, his journey to fulfillment has not begun. I'm not talking about a mouth-confession of religion that masks a greedy and self-centred life; I'm talking about a living, breathing life that has experienced the freedom that a knowledge of the Giver and Sustainer of life Himself can give. It is not religion as we know it; it is a way of life, thinking and behaviour birthed in the liberty that Christ alone can give.
As long as we pursue knowledge outside of Christ, we remain learned yet ignorant about the things that matter. Doctorate degrees don't guarantee destinies, only a knowledge of the Giver and Molder of destinies does. He it was who took a Jabez and made him a testimony; he it was who took a David and made him a king. He it was who took a barren Hannah and made her a mother of 6. Until you turn to the Lord, you never really become free. Until a man turns his eyes to Jesus, helpless in himself and totally dependent on the saving, liberating freedom only Christ can bring, it is then that life for such a person truly begins. Wherever God lives, there's freedom. Invite him into your life and watch the progressive glory that he will bring your way. His time of favour is here.

Fear.....or Faith

2 Timothy 1:6-7 NIV
For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.

This is the season of fear induced by the devil and his cohorts. In the past 2 weeks, I have had close friends and relations who have been robbed and harassed. One was robbed at 2am in his house at gunpoint and beaten, another was robbed and really hurt pretty bad. A lady relation was pushed from a moving vehicle and almost killed while yet another friend had the house almost burnt down but for divine intervention. But it just doesn't end there, does it? There's a choice that must be made: fight or flee. You can decide to give in and accept all that comes or you can decide to dig in and fight back, drawing inspiration from everything God has done in the past or promised for the future.
Fear can be a legitimate emotion, after all, fear is simply the absence of faith. If all you have when you consider all the events around you is fear, then you need to examine yourself again. When the Spirit of God inhabits a life, fear doesn't come up. That is the assurance of the passage quoted above. In the face of daunting challenges, faith says: 'I will trust what God says, not what events around me are saying'. Faith says:' no matter what happens, I will hold on to the promises of God and his word'.
Fear on the other hand flees at the first sight of trouble. Most times too, sin could be the fear-inducing factor. When a life is under the influence of sin, there's nothing faith in God can do. Sin is a limiting factor to Faith or the promises of God. That is why Romans 6:1-2b NIV says: What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means!
Make a choice today: live in sin and remain in bondage to fear and the devil OR live above sin and live within the amazing provision that faith in God guarantees. The choice is ours. His time of favour is here.

What's the Inspiration?

Ezekiel 3: 17 KJV
Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me.

Watch the progression for a man that God will use- there is no place for a self-made or an i-made man when it comes to God. Most times, we are tempted to think that there are some areas of our lives that God can't be really interested in. We reason that he's a busy God, so we can work out some life details by ourselves without really bothering God. We then launch out with the best of our abilities, striving hard to ensure that we make it, forgetting that Life itself isn't ours to sustain or that success isn't determined by our own standards but God's standards.
Ezekiel was MADE a watchman by God. He didn't push for it, he just MADE himself available for use by God. God made him a watchman: he could have made him anything else: a refuge, a rock, a bishop, God chose the work of a watchman for Ezekiel. God then set out equipping him with the tools needed for his assignment: Spiritual eyes, hearing and speech. The lesson: God owns, holds and determines the course of our lives of earth and his assignments and empowerment are according to his awesome knowledge of us. We can never really know ourselves more than the Creator of the entire universe does so we must trust his wisdom and power.
Ezekiel was warned: it is what you hear from my mouth that you must speak to these people. O, how sad that these days, men have become God, laying down various rules and commands God has not inspired and playing God in the lives of gullible people and young Christians. Many pastors have become the all-in-all in their churches, running the group like it was their blood that redeemed the members or it is their present wealth that will guarantee a place in heaven for the members. O the need to be careful as we run the race that God has set before each of us.
There is a specific person God has called, a specific assignment given, a specific target audience for each assignment and a specific purpose for every assignment given. God determines every part of this assignment and the only thing expected of me is to show up and be available. The rewards are amazing but the effects of rebellion and disobedience or self-promotion will be disastrous.
Watch your life, conduct and conversation closely. Who's your inspiration? Who's the power behind your pursuits? His time of favour is here.

Standing still..... or moving forward?

Exodus 14:13-14 NIV
Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.”

We live in an action-packed world. There is a taboo against standing still or folding your arms. You just must either br busy, look busy or act busy. When you are not seen as 'doing' something, you are seen as lazy and without initiative. I have even heard people say that God says: 'Heaven helps those who help themselves', though in all my years of reading the Bible, I have not come across that particularly revealing 'truth' yet.
What then is the way forward? I believe that faith in God and his nature and ability is the starting point for all that we do. Most times, we put the cart before the horse, we launch out on our own, expecting God to back up our 'initiative', expecting his stamp of approval on a step he didn't originate or a decision he didn't inspire. We try and try first, and then go to God when all efforts have failed. The other end of the divide is to go to God first before starting the journey, and then when the journey has begun, self- interest, personal prejudices and logic take over and God's instructions are either ignored or unheard.
How then do we do this properly? There must be a clear idea from God as to where he's taking you to. Never set out on a journey God has not approved or inspired. When he sents you out, he backs you up and guides you. It doesn't matter the quality or the quantity of the opposition against you, you just need to check the quality of your relationship with God himself. If you dont know or recognise his voice, how do you convince yourself of your inspiration and leading? If you are in constant motion, how do you pause long enough to hear what God is saying? Does his voice have any impact on your daily decisions or is it as it comes?
Pause long enough to get a word from God before you set out daily. He wants to lead you from the wilderness to the promised land but a lot depends on my standing still while he leads. It sounds strange in a world that rewards 'quick thinking' and smart moves, but Lot used logic to choose a place to live. We all know what happened to sodom and gomorrah.
Wait on God then move at his command. Stand still, let him clear the way so you can possess the promise. His time of favour is here.

Are you there yet?

1 Kings 19:9b NIV
.......And the word of the Lord came to him: “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

Elijah was arguably the most prominent prophet of his day. He prophesied during the reign of arguably the worst king Israel ever had. Ahab was wicked, yet his wickedness paled in comparision with his wife, Jezebel. Elijah had led a Spiritual revolution- the worship of Baal and Ashteroth had been eliminated and the peoples' hearts had been turned back to God. Elijah had prayed down rain, something that had not happened in the land for more than three and a half years. Elijah then took off running and still got to Jezreel well before Ahab and his chariots. That is what God can do with a vessel completely yielded to Him.
And then the unbelievable happened: Jezebel sent a message of death to Elijah and the prophet took off running. No looking back, no asking God, no rememberance of the past miracles, no acknowledgement of the power of God to save. Elijah just got up and ran.
Before we criticise the prophet, let us check our lives too. It is easy to trust God for the mighty things but it is the 'small stuff' that we sweat on. We know how to fast and pray for the awesome breakthroughs but we just can't grasp the daily grind of life. It is the small, usual and daily things that throw us off, causing us to doubt God atimes. That's where Elijah found himself. Just a day before, he was calling down God's fire, a day after, he was running for his life because of the threat of an ordinary man like him, created by the extraordinary and omnipotent God.
Let us check our lives too. We must not become so fixed on the big things that we forget to thank and trust God for the small things. We must constantly remind ourselves of the journey ahead and the grace already provided for the journey. If God could feed Elijah who was on the wrong journey and then strengthen him for a 40-day walk in the wilderness, then God is interested in your welfare. Even in the face of the most daunting of circumstances, trust God to work out his end-purpose in your life. He will bring it to pass because it is his plan. Your mistakes, errors and misjudgements can't stop his plan. He can work out his best no matter what life throws at us. Rejoice, his time of favour has come.

Whats in your hand?

Psalm 30:5 NIV
For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.

Looking at the history of life will reveal a host of amazing stories. We hear of Pastor Nick, a man born without arms, but who has impacted his generation much more than his contemporaries with complete limbs. We read about Helen Keller, who became blind and deaf at 19 months, but at her death, had an NGO sponsoring millions of projects to help the blind. What, then, will be your excuse?
We read of the boy in the Bible who gave his lunch of 5 loaves and 2 fishes to Jesus to help feed the hungry. He could have thought it small, but the touch of Jesus made it sufficient and enough, with plenty left over. That is how it starts- availability.
We all complain about what we don't have, we long for the better skills, better jobs, more money, bigger houses and cars, thinking that these are the things that will push you into your purpose. None of these things can aid a directionless life. None of these things can birth a breakthrough. What God needs to start is what is in your hands NOW.
What do you hold presently- a pencil, an idea, a seed, a book, anything. God starts from where you are now and moves you to where he wants you to be but when you do not know who you are, whose you are and what you have, then how does God take you anywhere?
Do I spend my time admiring the green grass of the field beside me, or do I cultivate mine, at my own pace and with God's help? Moses had only a rod, no good speech or accent and we know what impact he made with what he held. Abraham had just the promise and till now, we all claim the blessings of that promise.
Jesus had a purpose in mind when he came and he faced it squarely. Distractions abounded around him but he stuck to the purpose. Now, we all lay claim to the blessings, benefits and breakthroughs that his death and life have sealed for us.
Check your hands- that which you hold NOW is the seed for your miracle and breakthrough.

The Assignment

Mark 16:15-16 NIV
He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.  Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.

Have you ever considered the nature, scope and assignment of the task that God has committed into your hands? Do I even know what He has called me to be and do, and what am I doing in pursuit of that purpose? Do I have a clear idea of the direction I'm headed or do I just live from day to day, guessing along the way and groping in the dark, trying to mentally pick the best out of all the options open before me?
There's an assignment given to every kingdom citizen- speak about the kingdom. There are people all around us who we know their origins simply from the way they speak. Their accents, mannerisms and culture simply speak volumes about where they come from. Should ours be any different? When we open our mouths to speak, do people know we are citizens of God's country or just people with no identity, open to all sorts and ready for all sorts?
This assignment is divine, ordained by God and rewarded by Him. He commands us to tell others about Him but the concern is: are we speaking at all? Do we know what we are to talk about? Do our lives support the confessions of our mouths so that people who come in contact with us know who we are, where we belong and whose we are?
As we go out today, let us make it a point of duty to point others to God's kingdom. Our speech is the revelation of our identity, citizenship and inspiration. Our response also to what we hear is the key to determining our eventual destination. Let us watch our words and conduct closely so that we remain rapturable and redeemable.
If you believe God, you are a citizen of heaven. If you do not believe, eternal death is the end of such unbelief. Make the right choice today. His time of favour is here.

Certainties

Hebrews 13:8 NIV
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

It is an ever-changing world.  Nothing really lasts; nothing is permanent; nothing is fixed.  We live in an age and generation of ever-shifting values, principles and focus. Man only pursues the things that appear to bring him gain and pleasure, while a lot of damage is done to the earth as we pursue our selfish motives and goals. Man finds it very easy to make and break promises in the same breath, without really considering the weight and effect of these decietful acts. In the face of these daunting challenges, where then is the consolation? What hope do we have that things will ever get better?
There can be no other answer except Jesus. Looking at the verse quoted above gives a picture of constant presence in the midst of shifting shadows, ever-present care in the midst of a care-free and careless world. It goes to show that if what you are looking for is an anchor in the storm, a stronghold in times of trouble, a refuge in times of distress, comfort in times of tribulations, you can only find them in Jesus. It then begs the question: what qualifies Jesus to hold the answers to all these things?
Have you ever considered that there must be something more to life than waking up, working hard and sleeping at the end of the day? Have you ever considered that there must be a power working behind the scenes to ensure that your world is still intact? Do you even pause to think about your source or origin, and if indeed, there's more to you than what you are presently? The answers to these questions are found in Jesus.
He has been there ever before creation was created. He is the Word that was spoken to create the world as we see it. He has been the dominant focus of our present age, with volumes of books and messages written and preached about him. Even today, he fills our lives with his presence so much so that our identity and name as CHRISTians start with his name. He still holds and sustains his creation till today and his promise that he will do so till the end of time is a comfort indeed.
When God calls himself: ' The I Am that I Am' , he was referring to his ever-present status. He is never referred to in the past tense, no matter how grammatically incorrect that could be. He's always constantly there as an  'ever-present' help.
When next you are tempted to think that God has forgotten or forrsaken you, be comforted in the knowledge that the nature of God abhors absence. Even when you don't feel him near you, he's always there. Even the most filthy of sinners receive salvation, because he's also near them to save them.
Receive comfort as you walk this walk of faith, run this race and fight the good fight. He will never leave us alone. His time of favour is here.

The God of Knowledge

1 Samuel 2:3, 9b NIV
“Do not keep talking so proudly or let your mouth speak such arrogance, for the Lord is a God who knows, and by him deeds are weighed. “It is not by strength that one prevails;

Indeed, God is a God of ultimate knowledge and power. He's a God who can do all things and has power over all he has created. He has power to pull down or pull up and he has power to kill and to give life. History will testify to his power through the ages, as we consider the lives of Nebuchadnezzar, in contrast with the 3 Hebrew men- Hannaiah, Mishael and Azariah. Nebuchadnezzar spoke proudly, thinking he could equate himself with God. God gave him the mind of an animal and for 7 years, he ate grass like an ox until in kercy, he was restored. The Hebrew men called on the God who knows all things; they were ready to die for the faith they professed. No wonder God showed himself mighty in their lives.
There's a need for us to examine our hearts, search our consciences and be honest with our motives. God cannot be deceived or mocked. All the days he had appointed for each of us had been written down and noted by him even before any of those days came to be so we cannot lie to the One who already knows what we are going to say.
No man can predict the next moment or minute, yet man lives contantly on the edge, planning and plotting for a day he's not absolutely certain about. We talk like we can plan for the future by our reasoning and logic; we plan with no God in mind and no care in the world but the truth is this: God is central to everything we do or can be. He is the One who can upset the best-laid plans and the same One who can fulfil a long-forgotten promise. He's the most important part of our Christian journey and we need his wisdom, guidance, protection and leading if our lives are to make sense.
Depend on Him today; let him lead and guide you in all aspects. He alone can sustain only that which he has ordained. His time of favour is here

Words and Grace

Colossians 4:6 NIV
Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.

Words are powerful. They come in variants, sizes, content and context but they are one of the most powerful forces in the universe. The power of words is seen and best appreciated in the story of creation, where God brought the entire complex universe into being simply by speaking. Even after creating man from dust, he spoke his purpose into existence and man has been at that business till today- fill the earth, subdue it and have dominion.
No wonder then that the power of the words we speak are always emphasized. We have been encouraged to seek out words that create and build up and not words that tear down and destroy. Easier said than done until your rights are being trampled upon and denied. Your words then will matter- do I handle this with grace, while insisting on my rights or do I just strike out whichever way I feel is best, after all, it is my right thst is being denied?
God's word quoted above leaves no room for options. In whatever situation you find yourself, you are to respond with grace. A Christian who has been described as the salt of the earth has to sweeten and add flavour to the world around him. There's no room for selective influence, such that in some places, you act all nice and in some other plaaces, you 'claim your right', being nasty about it. Salt changes the environment it finds itself, always improving the situation. It does not seek its own best interests, it just seeks to improve the soup of life it has been added to.
What are my priorities? Do I seek my own interests? Do I even know how to answer criticisms, questions and peoples' prejudices against me? Or do I just react as I see fit, not caring the weight attached to my words?
Watch your words- they carry the potential of either life-giving or death-inducing possibilities. The choice is mine. His time of favour is here.

Giving and Receiving

Acts 20:35 KJV
I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.

2 Corinthians 9:8 NIV
And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.

A careful look at the world's standards shows a very great departure from God's set standards. It is a world that places great emphasis of possessions,  properties, provisions, power and privileges. We love the things we see and touch and we spare no expense to get them. We are a junk- gathering community, where wealth, success and relevance are measured by the sizes of bank accounts, houses and degrees.
Unfortunately, God's acceptable standards have no room for such things. He runs with a different focus and destination in mind. Reading the first passage in Acts above raises fundamental questions for this present generation of 'grab-it-all - how do I get blessed if I give out all I have? That's the logic, God's Word gives the illogical answer - the more you give out, the more room you open up to receive more. The more you open your door and heart to others, the more open you are to God's amazing provision. That's illogical by the standards of the world. It is only in the dictionary and by the world's standard that Pride comes after destrution or humility comes after honour. God runs by a different standard and holds his children up to a different standard. He tells me that I must humble myself if I want to be honoured and that pride always precedes destruction. That is his eternal standard. The same goes for giving. The more I open my hand to give others, the more I free up space to receive more. The more I give, the more capacity I build to receive more. That's how God does his things.
As you give, the other passage says there's a grace of abundance that causes you to abound to do more. How God does it I do not know but haven't you noticed that the people who keep amassing wealth never seem to have enough while those who have learnt to keep giving keep receiving and never seem to lack? You don't see any visible sign of ostentatious wealth in them, yet they have distributed wealth into the lives of many around them. That's the secret of those who have learnt the fine grace of giving as God desires.
God is bound to bless you if you live according to his standards so learn it today- give, give and give more. You can never give more than what God has given and God's Word of provision can never be broken.
Reach out, open up, touch someone. It is a ripe field out there, waiting for God's children to touch it with the grace of God. His time of favour is here.

Touch of Faith

Mark 5:29-30 KJV
And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague. And Jesus, immediately knowing in himself that virtue had gone out of him, turned him about in the press, and said, Who touched my clothes?

There are pressures all around us. There's a big need to impress our ideas and personality on others, thinking that there's an advantage in making others small so you can be seen. The other end of this thought is to try and impress others too, somehow thinking that you would get what you want by doing what they want. It could also be that the opinions of people around you may be your guiding light and compass, so that whatever you do is guided by a careful consideration of what people around you think.  But then, is it worth it at the end of the day? Does it pay to deny who you are for the benefit of seeking the approval of people like you- struggling, in need of help and cleansing and mostly without an idea of their direction and purpose in life? Or is it better to ignore the pressure and strike out in the other direction, somehow trusting that faith in that direction will get you what you need?
The story quoted above reveals a lot about our human nature and our helplessness and need for total dependence on God. Here was a womaan who had had issues for more than 12 years. She had tried all she could, but there was no healing. Then she heard about Jesus. Her reaction is the focus- many of us go to church with the multitude, we hear the Word of God, it moves you emotionally, but that's where it all ends. There's no root, no fruit, no seed,no potential for growth.  We have become accustomed to the Daraprim culture- it is Sunday, let's go to church. We go and hear, but we don't actually listen to God. Our notions, experiences and beliefs are our values, and whatever doesn't agree with our value system isn't just good enough.
This was a woman. She wasn't supposed to be heard in public. She didn't care about culture or procedure; she wasn't interested in 'proper behaviour'. She needed help and she went for it. She had it planned: touch and be healed. No room for buts, errors or mistakes, just healing. And she got it because she acted in faith.
She wanted a quiet miracle, but got a quick public miracle announcement. The Great Physician had people milling around him, content with being part of the great multitude, yet within the press, Jesus felt one single touch of faith.
He knows your touch, if only you can reach out. If God could create over 7billion people, each with a unique fingerprint code, then he knows when it is YOU that has reached out in faith. Many were there, in need of healing too, but none got it like this woman.
The world may have forgotten you and consigned you to the dustbin of history. God, your creator, doesn't forget. All our lives are before him and if we could only act in faith, then we will see him at work in our lives.
Touch him in faith today and shame the crowd. Dare to receive by faith that which the world will struggle for eternity to get but will fail. Reach out in faith and be physically, emotionally, financially and spiritually healed. His time of favour is here.

Choices!

Revelation 21:7-8 KJV

He that overcomes  shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

For every phase of life and every passage of time, there's a fundamental step that we all must make and live by- choices. We face them from our waking moment till we sleep and while we sleep, the battle continually rages. Everywhere we turn to today, we see the effects, results and consequences of the actions, steps, decisions and choices we had taken earlier in our lives. We see death, sickness and disease as the result of the choices the first man-Adam- made. We still live with the consequences of those actions till today.

You may then wonder if there's a way out. Christ himself made choices- he got to a crossroad where he had to decide if he should go on to die on Calvary or to opt out. The result of his choice is what inspires the verses quoted above. He chose to go the way of the cross so the way to God for us would be easy for us to find. He chose shame and curses so that the blessings of God could be ours for the asking. He risked separation from his father, while he bore the sins of the world and those yet unborn at the time, so that we could walk the path of life and honour. He took on our infirmities and sicknesses by the flesh-tearing lashes he endured so we could walk away from sickness into perfect,permanent good health.

Why then are we not all celebrating this breakthrough? The answer lies in the verses above also. If we were all to be saved as the only option available,  going to hell will not be an option, but because choice is a personal privilege and power, God gives us the freedom to choose by ourselves where we want to go. When you read a verse like: Revelation 3:20 KJV: Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. - you get the understanding that even the Creator of your life and all things connected to it and the One who owns and holds your breath will never go against the exercise of your freewill. You have got the key to the door of your heart and you can choose who you open it to. The consequences of either decision that you make have been spelt out ahead of time. You choose life, you end up with rewards and eternal life in heaven; you choose death, then there's a second and permanent death that is the consequence of that choice.

Choose wisely today. Before you make a choice, you hold all the aces. You can take the time to make that choice. The moment you have made that choice, it is the consequence of that choice that begins to control you, whether good or bad. Choose wisely and choose life. His time of favour is here.

Love...

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 KJV
Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

One of the most devalued word today is the word 'love'. We now find people who are meeting each other for the first time and there's a strong physical, erotic attraction. The act of sex between them is called 'making love'. People with no plans to marry and settle down responsibly use ,'love' as a smokescreen to mask deceit. There are many instances where love has been misunderstood, misinterpreted, misrepresented and misapplied.
How then can we best understand love? Is it an act or a state of being? Is it best understood as something you do, something you see, something you receive or something that is abstract.
A careful examination of the love chapter-: 1 Corinthians 13 will show that love encapsulates a lot of these features. It is a state of being, it is an act that can be seen and felt, it is an emotion that can be expressed and reciprocated. It has a source and a target audience.
When the Bible talks about love, God is a personality not too far away. Love can never be understood outside of God and anything we may express for our fellow man must be founded upon our understanding of who God is and what his terms of love are. If someone is the embodiment of love itself, it then means that anything that is to be called love must follow his example.
It does not start with sacrificing a lot for your fellow man; it is not a question of giving all you have to the poor. The proper starting point is KNOWING the source of love himsef and having him. Then all the acts of love can make sense and make impact. Most times, we seek fulfilment in these acts, trying to find peace of mind outside of God. That's why you find many rich men still constipated, angry and unfulfilled, even after giving so much to the poor. The foundation is important- the knowledge of Love himself, then the act of love can make sense.
Check your stand- do you know Love? Are you seeking fulfillment in the wrong places? Do you even know who to seek for? If you find yourself seeking to command love from others, or trying to win their love by doing 'great works', then it is a wrong understanding of true love. True love frees you to be yourself and give your best without judging you. Find true love, find freedom. Find God, find freedom. His time of favour is here.

Relationships!

Psalms 139:14 KJV
I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.

Have you taken stock recently of the things that make up the unique personality that you are? Have you ever wondered why you are the way you are or why it appears you are peculiar and nobody else looks like you or could do the things you alone can do?
Have you sat down to consider if there's more to your life than what you have presently? Do u think it could have been better or worse? Is there anything you would have loved to change about you?
I'm sure these are legitimate questions that we all have thought of at one time or the other. We face circumstances that we can't comprehend and we wonder just why we need to go through them. We ask why it has to be us passing through conflicts. We question our salvation atimes, wondering whether we are saved or not, examining ourselves to see if we have missed it somewhere or somehow. In all these, there's God- quietly moving around the scenes of our lives like the all-wise director that he is, bringing about the various stages of our lives into the perfect conclusion he had planned long ago. It is He who has written down the days of our lives long before we were born and as we live from day to day, all our struggles, experiences, disappointments and achievements are all part of his book of contents for our lives. Nothing escapes his attention and nothing happens to us by chance or by luck.
What should be our reaction then: passive acceptance of all that comes or active resistance fo anything bad? Do we fold our hands in helpless surrender or do we force change? This is the beauty of relationship with God. He's a God of awesome power and knowledge that even evil can be turned into good by Him. He can work out good out of the most distressing of circumstances and he can bring about hope out of the most hopeless situation. That is the God who craves a relationship with us. He's the One who owns the heavens and the earth, yet he's interested in the tiny details of our lives.  We must learn to seek him and find out his will in all circumstances. Then can we have peace no matter what our external circumstances look like. His peace will outlast any experience and his life will outlive death. Seek him today, find his purpose and live life to the fullest. His time of favour is here.

Check your eyes 3

Matthew 14:28-31 KJV
And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?

There's a problem that requires urgent attention and it has to do with our eyes: the things we see, the way we see them and how we react to the things we see. All around us, things are happening. There's both poverty and wealth on display around us; there's sickness and good health all around; there's relative peace and war going on all around us. Yet God is highlighting something important this morning: you get what you see!
Peter was caught in a storm. Suddenly, there was a man walking on the water towards them, unaffected by the storms. It had to be a ghost or something strange. Then came the familiar words of Jesus: it is I, be not afraid. Those familiar words filled Peter with courage and it prompted him to ask Jesus for the miraculous: to walk on water. Jesus asked him to come and he actually did walk on water.
Then the main problem: he began to see the waves and the wind. They had been there before he saw Jesus and asked to walk on water. They were there when he began to walk on water. Where,then, did the problem arise from?
We need to check what we see and how we see these things. Problems and issues will always be around us but our sight must be clearly focused on Jesus. Winds and waves are an integral part of our growth and development as Christians but they are not our destination. They help make our journey meaningful but they are not permanent. We must therefore focus on the things that are of eternal value and impact. No matter what is happening around us, our inner state must reflect the presence of the omnipotent God. No matter what we go through, we must never lose sight of the One whose words alone can calm the most raging storm. He's the One who matters. Keep your eyes on Him,keep working for Him. He wilk sustain you through thed storm and bring you into his eternal purpose.
His time of favour is here.

Time to go!

Genesis 14:4 KJV
Twelve years they served Chedorlaomer, and in the thirteenth year they rebelled.

There's a lot of blessings that God has keyed into every life he has made. God has no empty created vessel. Everything he has made has got a purpose, direction and proper usage. Psalm 139 was careful to notr that ALL the days that have been appointed for his children had been written down in a book before any of them came to pass. That's God at his best, working from wherever you are now, to where he had already ordained for you long before you were borndi.
But here's the clincher: the devil knows it too. He will do his best to keep you from knowing what you are and have in Christ. He will ensure that you are too distracted and oppresses to give a thought to your standing, entitlement and inheritance in Christ. Until you know whose you are, you can never get what the owner wants you to have.
I wonder what kept the people in this passage oppressed for so long. Was it that they didn't know any better or they were comfortable in their oppression? Was it that they had no strength to fight back?  Until they broke free in their knowledge of who they were and what they had, freedom could not come. Until we peak in our desire for the knowledge of God and his desire and will for our lives, until we come to the saving knowledge of God and his ultimate plan of redemption for us, the devil will keep us oppressed, harassed and impotent.
It is time to rebel against false knowledge, oppression and deceit. It is time to rebel against the devil. Know your stand in God by knowing what he has said about you in the Word and take a stand against the devil by the Word. It is the Word that can sustain you, not your connections, collections and consumables.  His time of favour is here

The Healing Word

Matthew 8:16-17 KJV
When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick: That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses.

The fall of man in the Garden of Eden has opened up a whole new world of experiences and possibilities. God's original plan was perfect: he created relational and rational beings who would crave fellowship with Him and to whom he could show his love. But man preferred logic and reason, and so made a choice for the things that seemingly made sense- ability to know good and evil. Unfortunately, in man's fallen state, he just couldn't help himself or keep himself from evil. It became the norm for man to do evil and then seek to justify it, because he had no capacity for any other type of behaviour.
Jesus just had to come. He sought to restore us back to God and bring us into our original stand in Him.  The devil will keep fighting this and trying to shift our focus away from what God himself can do. It has been wars, sicknesses, plagues, problems and many others from the devil all the years, but in the midst of these, there's a calming influence that God brings and makes your heart know that he's fully in charge and knows what he's doing.
Today's quote shows the plan of God for our lives- perfect health and relationships. God's Word all through the years had been that a lamb will come and bear our sicknesses and diseases. His death and resurrection on Calvary have sealed that for us but we can only enjoy it when we find ourselves in him. All who were healed were brought to him or he went to them. They had faith that His Word couldn't fail and it never did. If there's anything that can be relied on and trusted in these trying times, it is the Word of the never-changing, ever-consistent God.
Are there situations you are facing that seem to defy solutions? Are there circumstances beyond your power and reason which require a higher power to resolve? Seek His Word today. His Word unlocks the secrets to His ultimate plan for us and we can only discover this plan as we uncover these truths from the Word.
Read it, study it, meditate on it, spend time with it, believe it, live it. It is the door of success and breakthrough in all facets of life. The One who is the I Am that I Am is the author and no matter the age or generation that seeks him, he's always presently there and he's current enough to deal with the most complex of circumstances.
His time of favour is here.

Check your eyes 2

Numbers 14:2-4 KJV
And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron: and the whole congregation said unto them, Would God that we had died in the land of Egypt! or would God we had died in this wilderness! And wherefore hath the Lord brought us unto this land, to fall by the sword, that our wives and our children should be a prey? were it not better for us to return into Egypt? And they said one to another, Let us make a captain, and let us return into Egypt.

We established a fact in part 1 of this discourse: Israel was a pampered people. God had take them from physical slavery and was taking thrm into total freedom but they were yet to see themselves as absolutely free. God has promised over and over again and had showed them over and over again that he had the power to do what he had promised. Water came out of strange places and in strange circumstances; seas parted at his command and the same sea swallowed up an entire army and its king. Food was miraculously provided and the protection from God was visible and effective. Yet, with all these, the people found reason to doubt God just at the point of realisation of the promise.
That's just like us too today. We hear God speak and we begin to subject what we have heard to our logic, reasoning and intellect. We need to understand how these things will be, forgetting that God needs no input from you to bring his own promises to pass. I need faith to realise God's plan for me but my faith or otherwise isn't what proves that God is God. He's God,no matter what I think or do.
The danger in not seeing as God sees is also seen in the journey of Israel. The people feared for their children and offspring, while God was already securing the future for the entire nation. The children were the ones who entered the promised land; all the adults died in the wilderness after 40years of aimless wanderings, except Joshua and Caleb, the other spies who saw what Godd had been showing them all these years. Unfortunately, they suffered delay together with the entire nation even though their sight and hearing was perfect.
God is really God.  Our hearts must seek him alone, with no distractions or competing interests. It is then that our sight will agree with what God has spoken and we can get to our own promised land.
His time of favour is here.