You can make it

‘At that time there was a Jewish man in the fortress of Susa whose name was Mordecai son of Jair. He was from the tribe of Benjamin and was a descendant of Kish and Shimei. His family had been among those who, with King Jehoiachin of Judah, had been exiled from Jerusalem to Babylon by King Nebuchadnezzar. This man had a very beautiful and lovely young cousin, Hadassah, who was also called Esther. When her father and mother died, Mordecai adopted her into his family and raised her as his own daughter’ (Esther 2:5-7).

Esther’s story will inspire anyone to prominence.  As an orphan who had lost both parents she was adopted, taken in and raised by Mordecai her cousin. Unknown to Mordecai, his little poor cousin that he was raising as his own daughter, was the future queen of the Medo-Persian empire, and it was through her that the entire nation of Israel will be delivered (Esther 2:15). Esther’s rise to prominence is a reminder of the fact that, with God all things are possible. By the grace of God Esther rose from a place of insignificance to a place of honor, and rewrote the genealogy of her family. With the blessings and grace of God, there are no heights you can’t climb in life. This study focuses on Esther’s Journey to prominence and the lessons it offers.

Unlike Daniel and Ezekiel who remained in Babylon after being taken there by Nebuchadnezzar, Mordecai was taken to the palace of Shushan and he was made an official there. Mordecai’s role in Esther’s life was noteworthy. His compassion, foresight, mentorship, counseling and guidance were that which molded Esther into her destiny. Esther 2:11 reveals that, ‘every day Mordecai would take a walk near the courtyard of the harem to find out about Esther and what was happening to her’. The Harem was the place where the young beautiful women that were been prepared to be chosen to replace Vashti (the previous queen) were being kept (Esther 2:8). Clearly, everybody needs somebody and no one can survive as an island. Isaac Newton said, ‘If I have seen further it is only by standing on the shoulders of giants’.

Based on Mordecai’s advice, Esther kept her mouth shut about her Jewish identity until after many years when her position was secured as the queen (Esther 2:20). Sometimes learning to be quite saves us from unnecessary battles. She also accepted the advice of Hegai, the eunuch in charge of the harem, which led Ahasuerus the king into choosing her as his wife (Esther 2:15). The lesson here is, God always brings our ‘Mordecais’ and ‘Hegais’ our way to guide us to our promised land, but it is our responsibility as individuals to recognize them and allow them to play their role as mentors in our lives. Everyone needs a mentor. Proverbs 1:5 says ‘let the wise listen and add to their learning’. Most people bring untold hardships on themselves and make their journeys to their promised lands longer all because, instead of humbling themselves and learning from others, they only learn from their personal mistakes. Remember, lessons of a life time can be learnt in a day if you can humble yourself and learn from others.

Finally, Esther’s preparation before being chosen as the queen offers another significant lesson. Before being taken to see king Ahasuerus, the young women that were vying for his heart were taken through a whole year of beauty treatment - ‘six months with oil of myrrh, followed by six months with special perfumes and ointments’ (Esther 2:12). This definitely called for focus and discipline. To make it to where God has ordained you to be, you surely need some preparation. God calls us as we are, but he doesn’t use us just as we are. He molds and prepares us through His word, prayer, people and places or circumstances. When preparation meets opportunity there is success. Without preparation you will only see your future but not possess it.

A lot of people have come to a point in life where they have stopped dreaming. Life’s storms like illness, the loss of loved ones, loss of jobs etc, have knocked them down and they have stopped dreaming and have given up all hope. No!! It is time to get back up, don’t give up. It is not over until God says so. Dream again. Today, may God remind you of any forgotten dreams and may you receive the grace and strength to pursue your dreams again.

Finally, Esther beat all the odds and was chosen as the one to replace Queen Vashti. If Esther made it, you can make it.  Dream big, think big and take the limits off God. His word for you today is, open your eyes and ‘see, I am doing a new thing’ (Isaiah 43:19). The next lesson is a follow up to this one entitled, ‘Born for a reason’.

God is Waiting on You

‘And therefore will the LORD wait, that He may be gracious unto you, and therefore will He be exalted, that He may have mercy upon you’ (Isaiah 30:18).

In Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary on the Whole Bible he writes this about Isaiah 30:18 ‘He will wait till you return to Him and seek His face, and then He will be ready to meet you with mercy. He will wait, that He may do it in the best and fittest time, when it will be most for His glory, when it will come to you with the most pleasing surprise. He will continually follow you with his favors, and not let slip any opportunity of being gracious to you."

As co-workers with God, He has placed in our hands the power to pull down into manifestation on earth His purposes in heaven. God made man in His image by giving him His spirit. However, before God breathed His spirit into man He used the dust of the earth to give man a body to be able to live on earth. God’s purpose was that, with His spirit and a body made for the earth, man will rule on earth; bringing  into fruition on it, God’s plans and purposes in Heaven (Gen 1:26,27).

Many are the plans of God for your life, but none of them can be realized if you depend on your strength alone, without total dependence on God. On the other hand, it is wrong to neglect your responsibility of Work with the excuse of waiting on God. After God gave man all He needed to rule on earth, His Command was, ‘work the land and take care of it’. Man was given a command to work, before his fall. Thus, work was God’s purpose for man even before he sinned (Gen 2:15). Spirituality is no excuse for laziness. The focus of this study is that God is waiting and counting on you to bring into fruition His purposes and plans for your life.

The sad reality is that, instead of doing our best and waiting on God to take care of the rest, a lot of people are living in one of the two extremes. Some have put their confidence in themselves and men, taking God out of the equation. An example is when God declared to Israel in Isaiah 30:2-3, ‘you trust Egypt for protection. So you refuse my advice and send messengers to Egypt to beg their king for help. You will be disappointed, completely disgraced for trusting Egypt’. The second extreme is when one claims to be waiting on God, without fulfilling their responsibility of both spiritual and physical work.

Today, remember that even though you may be waiting on God and His time of deliverance, He is also waiting for you to prepare yourself by working on your self both spiritually and physically. Keep working and God will send the rain to bless the work of your hands in His time. God is waiting on you.

But I will Sing

‘I am so troubled that I can not speak. I have considered the days of old, the years of ancient times; I call to remembrance my song in the night’ (Psalm 77:4-6).

  

It is interesting to note in the passage above that even though the psalmist declares that he is so troubled that he cannot speak, he is able to sing unto the Lord. ‘But doesn’t singing require speaking?’ Someone may ask. A song has great power. Basically songs come from a different reservoir than speech. Psychologists sometimes speak of music as coming from “the right brain”. Not that there are two brains but while singing, brain wave activity goes on in the right hemisphere of the brain. Reasoned speech is more naturally located in the left hemisphere. Music has the mysterious power to strain out the sadness and leave us somehow feeling better. Putting our sorrows into song often enables us to sing them right out again’ (Jack Hayford –The heart of praise).

No wonder the Bible admonishes us to praise the Lord at all times regardless of our situation. Whenever God makes a command He knows that He has given us what it takes to obey that command. Sometimes the storms of life leave us at a place of speechlessness. But even there we can praise God. Are you too troubled to talk? Sing unto the Lord. Anyone can praise God when all is well, but it takes understanding to give God a sacrifice of praise or praise Him when you are troubled. The psalmist says, seven times a day I will praise him. Clearly it is our responsibility to praise God at all times. Praising God in troubled times brings great victories.

Someone may ask, ‘what should I praise God for when I am in pain?’ You praise Him for what He has done, what He is doing and for what He is going to do. Praising God in troubled times is an act of great faith that yields great results. It proves one’s understanding of God’s goodness, that He has allowed the troubles for a good purpose. Praising God in troubled times is a great act of faith and a great offensive weapon against the devil. Paul and Silas ended up in a maximum security prison for preaching the Gospel. But in the midnight instead of wining they praised and prayed; as they did, they experienced the wonders of praise. Their praise caused an earthquake, the foundations of the prison shook, their chains were broken and the prison gates broke open. Today as you count your blessings give God a praise bubbling from a heart of gratitude. May every bondage in your life give way to the power of God.

As a Christian, the joy of the Lord is your strength, when your joy is gone your strength is gone. The devil can never oppress you until he depresses you. The moment the devil steals your joy you cannot function normally, so don’t allow the devil to steal it. Those that trust in God are like mount Zion that can never be moved. Your joy is not dependent on your circumstance but it flows from the spirit of God within you. It is a fruit of the spirit of God within you.

Count your blessings, until you acknowledge and appreciate what you have in your hands; What God has done in your life you don’t qualify to ask for more. Don’t just be grateful; express your gratitude to God. Praise expresses gratitude. Let your praise be contagious and Glorious. As you praise God in the midst of your pain it will be a testimony onto the world, they will be affected by your faith and faithfulness and your God will be revealed to them. Is any troubled? Let him sing a song of praise bubbling from the heart, and be assured that help is on the way.

The Power of Gratitude

‘Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish. When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted’ (John 6:11, 12).

Many relationships have been destroyed due to ungratefulness. One of the worst experiences one could ever have in a relationship is to give out your best and not be appreciated. Simply put ungratefulness hurts. One of the keys to getting the best out of every relationship is showing appreciation. Many businesses institutions periodically appreciate the work of their hard-working employees. Wouldn’t it be a great idea to appreciate your spouse, kids, parents, pastor, etc today? Showing gratitude to a person gives the person a sense of fulfillment and empowers the person to go an extra mile and give more. Our relationship with God is not any different.

Different keys open different doors and one of the keys to living in the abundance of God is acknowledging your blessings and expressing your gratitude to Him. In John 6, Philip considering the thousands of mouths to be fed declared, “It would take more than half a year’s wages to buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!” To his utter amazement, the five thousand people were miraculously fed with five loaves and two small fish. The key to that miracle was not a lengthy prayer and fasting but the simple act of showing appreciation. After Jesus received the five loaves and two little fish, He gave thanks to God for the little available and the heavenly father multiplied the little into abundance.

The Bible teaches that PRAISING GOD IS OUR SPIRITUAL RESPONSIBILITY. It declares that we are to be ‘the praise of God’s glory’ (Eph 1:12). ‘Let everything that has breath praise the lord’ (Psalm 150:6).

The following examples in scripture clearly reveal the power of gratitude.

1.     Through praise, the foundations of a maximum security prison were shaken, the doors opened and the chains of Paul and Silas were broken, setting them free from their bondage (Acts 16:26).

2.     Through praise the impregnable walls of Jericho came crashing down, regardless of the fact that they were doubled, 15 ft apart, about 30 ft high, inner wall was 6 ft thick, outer wall was about 12 ft thick. (Joshua 6:20, bible-stories-library.com)

3.     Through praise the tenth leper who came back to Jesus, had his healing sealed (Luke 17:18, 19).

‘Praise is the spiritual medium through which God takes over our battles’ (D. Oyedepo). Today, may you experience the wonders of praise. Remember, your praise is your strength and out of the mouths of the seemingly weak has God ordained strength or praise (Psalm 8:2). May your praise be contagious and may it bring blessings to others. May you overcome the enemy by the word of your testimony (Rev 12:11).

Living with an Attitude of Gratitude

‘Blessed are the people who know the joyful sound! They walk, O LORD, in the light of your countenance. In Your name they rejoice all day long, and in Your righteousness they are exalted (Psalm 89:15-16 NKJV).

A joyful and fulfilled life is one that is lived with an ‘Attitude of Gratitude’. Everyone’s attitude determines his altitude in life. Your attitude definitely determines how high you go in every field of endeavor. Gratitude is one of the primary keys to living in abundance and until you acknowledge and appreciate what you have in your hands, you don’t qualify to ask God for more. No wonder the Psalmist says, we enter into God’s gates with thanksgiving in our heart and into His courts with praise (Psalm 100:4).

On your journey to your promised land you should learn to celebrate your victories even though you have not arrived yet. Many are living miserable lives regardless of their abundance. Their craving for more blinds them from the blessings they already have. Right after they receive a blessing or a breakthrough, their focus shifts to the next need they have, without even saying thank you. They totally forget about what God has given them or done in the past.

The NIV of Psalm 89:15 says ‘blessed are those who have learned to acclaim…’ the Lord. This means that your ability to live a blessed life is dependent on your ability to thank God and celebrate your little blessings. This wisdom teaches soccer players to celebrate after they score each goal even though the game has not ended.

The Psalmist says in Psalm 119:164 that ‘seven times a day I will praise you’. This means that it is needful to bless the Lord at all times regardless of your circumstances.

HORATIO G. SPAFFORD, a forty-three-year-old Chicago businessman, who lived in the 19^th Century, lost his son. He and his wife were still grieving over the death of their son shortly before he suffered a financial disaster in the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. He realized they needed to get away for a vacation so he took the entire family to England for a Dwight L. Moody evangelistic campaign. He ended up losing all his four daughters on the Atlantic Ocean. Instead of blaming God for all the losses and giving up on his faith, he penned the words “…when sorrows like sea billows roll…it is well, it is well with my soul.” These words became the popular hymn ‘It is well with my soul’.

Take sometime today to reflect on God’s goodness and mercies to you in the past, thank and praise Him from the depths of your heart and you will receive strength to carry on your journey. Enjoy your blessings.

Begin again!

‘And he looked up and said, "I see men, but they look like trees, walking." Then Jesus laid his hands on his eyes again; and he opened his eyes, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly’ (Mark 8:24-25)

'It always seems impossible until it is done’ (Nelson Mandela). Perseverance is a primary requirement for Success. This is because, life is a learning process and success does not always come on the first try. Thomas Edison failed over 10,000 times before successfully inventing the modern electric light bulb. Finally he said, `If I find 10,000 ways something won’t work, I haven’t failed. I am not discouraged, because every wrong attempt discarded is another step forward’.

In Mark 8 Jesus prayed for a blind man and he was not fully healed until Jesus prayed again for the second time. Elijah the prophet prayed for seven times before there was rain after three years and six months of drought (1 Kings 18:44). ‘God's people had faith, and when they had walked around the city of Jericho for seven days, its walls fell down’ (Hebrews 11:30).

The fact that you are failing in an endeavour today, does not necessarily mean that you are out of God’s will. Paul the Apostle was one of the most persecuted Apostles, but finally his contributions to the Early Church and the New Testament was unequivocal.

Jesus promised us an abundant life, but abundant life isn't the absence of adversity, it is growth in the midst of it. When you experience times of testing, you've two choices: give up, or grow up. Without obstacles we'll always be ordinary! Hard times paralyze some people, yet energize others. You can't always control what happens to you, but you can decide how you'll respond to it. What can seem impossible is often possible with courage.

The most important thing is to know the will of God concerning your dream. If your dream is God’s will for your life, He will make provision for the vision and bring it into fruition in His time. So whatever difficulties you're facing today, draw on God's grace and keep trying. '...You have heard of the perseverance of Job...' (James 5:11)

Remember, the world never denies a persistent person and the thing to try when all else fails is begin again. The next lesson will be, ‘God is waiting on you’.

The Most High Rules in The Affairs of Men

‘You will be driven from human society, and you will live in the fields with the wild animals. You will eat grass like a cow, and you will be drenched with the dew of heaven. Seven periods of time will pass while you live this way, until you learn that the Most High rules over the kingdoms of the world and gives them to anyone he chooses’ (Dan 4:25).

Nebuchadnezzar was the king of the Neo-Babylonian Empire, who reigned 605 BC – 562 BC. He conqueredJudah and Jerusalem, and sent the Jews into exile and is also credited with the construction of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon and also known for the destruction of the First Temple (Wikipedia). However, as a result of his sin and pride, this ruler of this Neo-Babylonian world empire was driven from human society and was made to live in the fields with wild animals and to eat grass with them as a cow, and was drenched with the dew of heaven. It is believed that his form was not changed into that of a beast but he was stricken mad and he avoided man’s company and was cast out because of his tyranny. He remained in this state for ‘seven years’ until he acknowledged and learnt that the Most High God rules in the affairs of men and that He gives them to anyone He chooses. Before the incident occurred it was prophesied by Daniel and it all happened just as he prophesied (Dan 4).

At the end of the seven year period, Nebuchadnezzar looked up to heaven and thanked the Most High, and praised and honored Him as the one who lives forever, that his power lasts forever and His kingdom lasts from one generation to the next. And he also declared that, ‘everyone who lives on earth is nothing compared to God. He does whatever He wishes with the army of heaven and with those who live on earth, and that there is no one who can oppose Him or ask Him, “what are you doing?” (Dan 4:35). Just as he was making those declarations, his mind came back to him. His royal honor and glory were also given back to him. His advisers and nobles wanted to meet with him again. He was given back his kingdom and made extraordinarily great. Then he said, ‘now I, Nebuchadnezzar, will praise, honor, and give glory to the King of Heaven. Everything He does is true, His ways are right, and He can humiliate those who act arrogantly’ (Dan 4:37).

The main lesson here is that the Almighty God, the creator of heaven and earth, reigns on high and is sovereign; He has the power to do anything and everything, in accordance with His purpose, and for man’s benefit. He even changes human governments in favor of His children. God’s word translation renders Dan 4:25 as, ‘the Most High has power over human kingdoms and that he gives them to whomever he wishes’. Sometimes in our times of trials we tend to limit God and his ability to do all things. But the truth is God can do anything and everything. With men some things are impossible but with God all things are possible to them that believe (Mark 9:23).

Today, take those limits off God, He reigns in the affairs of all men. If you will acknowledge Him as the God of all creation and the savior and master of your life, He will deliver and restore you like He did for King Nebuchadnezzar, believe in Jesus and you shall be saved together with your household (Acts 16:31). 

Secret Anger

‘Look after each other so that none of you fails to receive the grace of God. Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many’ (Heb 12:15). 

Anger is a natural emotion that was given by God; its role can be very beneficial if it is controlled and it does not lead to sin. Like pain and fear, anger is a natural emotion that usually comes as a natural reaction to a negative situation. It is usually a signal that something is not right. Ignoring these emotions can be very detrimental, even causing loss of lives. There are numerous examples of acceptable anger in the Bible. Psalm 7:11 says, ‘God is an honest judge. He is angry with the wicked every day’. There are other examples of God being angry when men sin. There are also accounts of Jesus being angry when men sinned (Mark 3:5). Clearly, it can be established that anger cannot be always classified as sin. So Paul told the Church in Ephesus, “be angry, and do not sin” do not let the sun go down on your wrath” (Eph 4:26).

The Bible is very clear about the importance of controlling anger. Many are in jails because of actions they took during a few minutes of rage. Also, there are others who have a habit of been easily angered at the slightest provocation, pushing people away and destroying valuable relationships. Another aspect of anger that can be more dangerous is secret anger. It can breeds bitterness. This bitterness can become a deadly poison that can destroy a person, families and an entire society if not dealt with (Heb 12:15). This lesson focuses on the dangers of secret anger and how to deal with it.

This is how Bob Gass describes the dangers of secret anger, ‘It can ‘eat away’ at you, replacing kindness with animosity. You try to keep a lid on it, but inevitably it explodes, surprising (and sometimes devastating) those who thought they knew you so well. Secret anger hurts most the one who carries it, for it colors your world, embittering you to everything around you. As it percolates, you feel less and less joy, and all your experiences are filtered through the lens of resentment, instead of gratitude. It can hide behind smiles and laughter, yet still be simmering towards the person you eat and sleep with. It can take some event that happened 20 years ago, label it “irreconcilable differences,” and make it the basis for a divorce.

Instead of being consumed by it, God tells you to forgive it and let it go. When you deny your feelings and stew under the surface, you give the devil the advantage over you (2 Corinthians 2:11). But by dealing scripturally with the situation your painful experiences can make you better, not bitter. If you're struggling with bitterness today do these three things.

         First, forgive. Forgiveness isn't based on an emotion. Don't wait until you 'feel' like it; decide today to let the offence go. When you do, God's Spirit will calm your emotions and help you overcome the urge to retaliate. Jesus said, 'blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy' (Matthew 5:7 NIV). Since you yourself will always need to make withdrawals, God calls you to keep making 'mercy deposits'. 

         Second, pray about it. The moment you sense resentment, turn to God and He will give you the strength to act in love rather than react in anger. When you commit to living this way He promises to give you '...power to keep [yourself] calm in the days of adversity...' (Psalm 94:13 AMP).  

         Third, think scripturally. Look up every verse you can find on showing forgiveness and meditate on them. Remember, each time you choose to do the right thing, a little more of the old you dies and the new you develops. That's how God prepares you for greater blessing. But you must be in position to receive it. So decide now that although you've been 'burned', you won't become bitter’. Remember, ‘Better a patient man than a warrior, a man who controls his temper than one who takes a city’ (Proverbs 16:32 NIV).

On the other hand, if you have wronged others, it is your responsibility to apologize to them. Make an effort and apologize to them and help their healing process.

Are you a Nicolaitan?

‘Thus you also have those who hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate’ (Rev 2:15).

The Nicolaitans are mentioned in connection with two of the seven churches mentioned in the Book of Revelation. According to the NIV Compact Dictionary of the Bible, ‘the Nicolaitans were a group of persons whose works both the church of Ephesus and our Lord hated (Rev 2:6) and whose doctrine was held by some in the Pergamum Church (Rev 2:15). Their Doctrine was similar to that of Balaam, through whose influence the Israelites ate things sacrificed to idols and committed fornication. God told the Pergamum Church, ‘Nevertheless, I have a few things against you: There are some among you who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin so that they ate food sacrificed to idols and committed sexual immorality’(Rev 2:14). A sect of Nicolaitans existed among the Gnostics in the third century. The word Gnostics is sometimes used of false teaching within the period when the New Testament was written, it more accurately describes the systems of knowledge in opposition to the Orthodox Christianity in the second and third Centuries. It linked aspects of traditional Christianity with attractive ideas taken from Greek philosophy and Eastern religion, magic and astrology’.

The Church in every century has its own challenges but one of the challenges of the 21st Century Church is the temptation to be ‘politically correct’ - accepting the philosophies of our time that are not in line with the infallible Word of God. Today, Internationally respected leaders of the church are sometimes afraid to declare in public circles the message of the Gospel, that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life, and that no one goes to the Father except through Him (John 14:6). Like the Pergamum Church there are people in our churches today who are holding unto and propagating the message of the Nicolaitans. I pray that the Church in the 21st century will be encouraged by the example of the first century Church, who defended the gospel at the expense of their lives. Peter and John were imprisoned for preaching and healing in the name of Jesus. After they were released they were forbidden to preach in the name of Jesus, but full of the Holy Spirit, ‘Peter and John replied, “Which is right in God’s eyes: to listen to you, or to Him? You be the judges! As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard’ (Acts 4:19-20).

Another group of Nicolaitans in the church today are those that teach false doctrines in the Church and do not uphold purity or righteous living, but hide behind the phrase ‘once saved forever saved’. The fact that an individual is personally struggling with his flesh does not give him the right to teach others that it is alright to live in sin. Jesus said ‘blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled (Mat 5:6). Paul the Apostle told the church in Corinth that, ‘do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God’ (1 Cor 6:9).

Can God say of you like He said of the church in Ephesus, ‘…you have this in your favor: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate’?

The Power of Gentleness

‘So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love me more than these?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed My lambs” (John 21:15).

Gentleness (Greek- epiekeia and prautes) involves not standing on one’s right, being conciliatory and showing forbearance (NIV Compact dictionary of the Bible). It is a fruit of the spirit (Gal 5:22) and it describes the character of God (2 Sam 22:36, Psalm 18:35). Another word that is synonymous with gentleness is meekness; which means real strength under control. Isaiah 40:10 describes God as coming to Israel with a strong hand, but it is interesting to note that the next verse says that, ‘He shall feed His flock like a shepherd… and shall gently lead those that are young’. Contrary to the world’s perception, gentleness is no sign of weakness but it is real strength under control. It is the master key to possessing the earth.

Gentleness requires tenderness and carefulness in correcting someone or something without being destructive. It takes into account the strength of the one that is being corrected. It is a crucial virtue in every relationship; whether it is in a marriage, a business or in the church setting. Gentleness is one of the marks of divine wisdom (James 3:17, 18).  In dealing with people, it takes the wisdom of God to know when to be gentle as a dove and when to be bold as a lion. That balance is very important in building relationships especially when one is in the role of leadership. As a leader, Paul wrote to the Thessalonian church saying, ‘we are gentle among you even as a nurse cherishes her children’ (1 Thess 2:7).

This lesson focuses on how Jesus used the virtue of gentleness to handle a very precarious incident among his apostles. After the death of Christ, Peter the Apostle decided to go fishing, contrary to the commission that Christ gave him to be a fisher of men. To add insult to injury, Peter took along with him Thomas, Nathanael, James, John and two other disciples. After they had toiled all night without any catch, they saw a man standing on the beach. He asked them, ‘children do you have any meat’? And they answered Him no, without knowing that it was Jesus. He then directed them to cast their net to the right side and their obedience resulted in a catch that was so much that they couldn't draw the fish into the boat. It was at that point that John told Peter that, ‘it is the Lord’. After they joined Jesus at the other side He asked them to bring some of the fish they had caught and He had breakfast together with them. Today may your obedience bring you mind-boggling blessings that will cause you to know God better.

After they had eaten and were full, Jesus said to Peter, ‘Simon, son of Jonas, do you love me more than these?’ Clearly, Peter had failed Jesus, by neglecting his calling and influencing others to do likewise. But the gentleness with which Jesus handled the situation offers a great lesson. He could have rebuked them straight away when He saw them, but He helped them find fish and went on to dine with them before rebuking Peter by asking him questions. By the time Jesus was done with them, Peter and the rest were back to their senses and on course to fulfill their calling.  Jesus handled the disciples who were certainly wrong, with great love and care. Love is the root of gentleness. David loved his son Absalom so much that even when Absalom was seeking to take David’s life, he instructed Joab, Abishai and Ittai, ‘deal gently for my sake with the young man Absalom’ (2 Sam 18:5).

In as much as a leader has to be firm and decisive, gentleness is crucial in making an impact. Today be gentle in your dealings with others, ‘speak evil of no one, be peaceable and gentle, showing all humility to all men’ (Titus 3:2)..

The Lessons of Calvary

^‘Then one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him, saying, “If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us” (Luke 23:39). 

The period that Christ hung on the cross was the moment of His greatest trauma both physically and spiritually. As He hung on the cross He said, ‘Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani’ which in Aramaic means my God my God why have thou forsaken me (Mat 27:46, Mark 15:34). This reveals how deeply He felt His separation from God as He bore the sins of the whole world.  Physically, He had travelled a long journey to the site of His crucifixion, carrying the cross which weighed between 30 to 40 pounds, not forgetting the effects of the floggings He had received from the Roman soldiers. As He hung on the cross, He suffered from bleeding due to His wounds and He also suffocated because of His body posture. Due to His body posture He struggled to exhale, even though inhaling was relatively easier.

The focus of today’s study is the character that Christ exhibited on the cross in the midst of the physical, emotional, mental and spiritual torture. In our spiritual warfare, our flesh is one of the main weapons the devil uses against us. In the case of Christ, Satan made sure that at that crucial hour, whatever blows or jabs he gave Jesus on the cross were the best and most effective ones he could ever give Him, in order to tempt Him to give up on His mission of dying to save the world. However, Jesus displayed tremendous strength in the form of love, self control, focus and a passion for souls among other virtues in this moment of His greatest pain. Below are some important lessons that can be learnt from Christ’s character on the cross:

         “One of the criminals who was hung there hurled insults at Him”, the chief priest, the scribes and the soldiers also mocked Him (Luke 23:35-39). But there is no record of Christ answering back in any of the four Gospel accounts. Here Jesus exhibited great self control and focus. His heart and mind were fixed on heaven and the billions of souls to be saved, not forgetting the glory that was awaiting Him. Heb 12:2 says, He endured the cross and despised the shame, (Prov 19:11).

         The criminal went on to say “Aren’t you Christ save yourself and us”. There again Christ passed the test. He exhibited great self-worth. The lesson here is, be confident of who God has made you. There is no need to prove who you are, your capabilities and status to others, against the will of God. Don’t measure your self-worth by your net worth. Remember, the praise of men will not last but the praise of God will last forever. Those who lead many to Christ shall shine like stars forever in heaven (Dan 12:3). 

         Also, Christ could have indeed saved Himself, but He rather choose to die to save the world, what a display of love and selflessness, He was indeed dead to self. ‘Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others (Phil 2:4).

         In the forty third verse, Jesus told one of criminals that, “today you will be with me in paradise”. His words here reveal that He cared about the salvation of that precious soul. He was winning souls in that period of great torment. That was a great sign of compassion for the lost.

         On the cross Jesus also said ‘woman here is your son and to the disciple ‘here is your mother, from that time on the disciple took her into her home’ (John 19:26). Here Jesus was building relationships, underling the importance of relationships.

         Lastly, Jesus prayed.  Instead of focusing on the physical abuse and trauma; He was communicating with the father, when He said ‘…Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.” (Luke 23:34). He also prayed saying, ‘why have thou forsaken me’. His last words were also words of prayer; father, into Your hands I commit My spirit’. (Luke 23:46). Isn’t it interesting to note that the last thing Christ did on the cross was prayer?

The lessons above clearly prove that Christ’s had a character test on the cross, and His love, discipline and wisdom were displayed in making the right choices. God’s strength is wrapped up in His wisdom. Jesus passed the character test both after fasting for forty days and nights, and at Calvary, are you passing yours? Without that your spiritual maturity is in question.

I will Help You

‘Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand’ (Isaiah 41:10).

In Isaiah 41:10 God speaks with tenderness to His people and four main lessons are being drawn from it in today’s study. Fear not, for I am with you: Faith is the virtue that links man to the limitless power of God and fear is the vice that enables the devil to intimidate and destroy man. The feeling of loneliness breads fear in the same way that mob psychology breads courage. Loneliness is usually a mental issue. The fact that one feels lonely does not mean he is alone. As long as you remain in Christ you are not alone, you are in the company of the heavenly host, that is the triune God together with the ten thousand times ten thousands of angels (Heb 12:22). Most of the greatest accomplishments by men were achieved when they were perceived to be alone. You can be alone physically without feeling lonely. Do you think that you are alone? It is an opportunity to talk to your father. Paul when he was alone in prison wrote most of the epistles. John when he was alone on the island of Patmos received the book of revelation. 

Do you think that you have been deserted by people and you are alone? This period offers a great opportunity to accomplish something unique. Rather than complaining, realize that there is a time for everything and a season for every purpose (Eccl 3:1). There is a purpose for this season of your life and there is a need to make the best out of it. Remember, if everyone is gone your God is not gone. Be encouraged by the words of the Psalmist ‘When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take me up’ (Psalm 27:10). God’s assurance is ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you’ (Heb 13:5).

Be not dismayed I am your God: To be dismayed is to be shocked, discouraged or overwhelmed. God is the God of all flesh but the question is ‘is He personally your God’? David said ‘oh God you are my God’ (Psalm 63:1). His statement reveals his personal relationship with God and His devotion to Him. God is the God of all the earth but He reveals Himself to those who diligently seek Him. If He is your God personally, then His word to you is do not be overwhelmed I am your God. Others have heathen gods that cannot hear nor move, but the Almighty God hears and moves mightily, when He does move, nothing stops Him. The God you serve is bigger than any giant you see.

I will strengthen you: Sometimes we get into situations in life, where we think we have come to our withes end or breaking point and all our strength is gone. At that point it feels like throwing in the towel, but that is when you have to call on your God for renewal of strength.  In Luke 22:42-43, Jesus felt like giving up on His mission but after praying, angels were sent to strengthen Him.

I will help you: You may be at a point in the journey of life where you think that you cannot go any further. God is assuring you that He will help you. What an assurance. God helps us when we think we cannot help ourselves. His strength kicks in where our strength ends. His word says His strength is made perfect in our weakness. Are you looking up to men for help instead of God, Jer 17:5 says that, ‘Cursed are those who put their trust in mere humans, who rely on human strength and turn their hearts away from the Lord’.

I will uphold you with my righteous right hand: By this God means ‘If you feel that you are ready to fall. He will uphold you with His right hand which is full of righteousness, which deals forth rewards and punishments. Hisrighteous right hand is a mighty hand of deliverance. Hold on and cast all your cares upon God in prayer. His word to you is you are mine, I love you and I will never leave you nor forsake you. The next lesson is ‘your mess is birthing a message’.

Divine Guidance

‘And thou shalt put into the ark the testimony which I shall give thee’ (Exodus 25:16).

The tablets with the Ten Commandments; a reminder of God’s guidance and His holy standard, was the first thing God commanded Moses to put in the Ark of the Covenant.  Why were they placed in the ark before the Jar of manna and Aaron’s rod (Num 17:1-4, Exod16:33-34)? There is no way a Christian can walk in divine authority and divine provision without divine guidance. Every miracle recorded in scripture, was God’s reaction to man’s action of obedience to a divine guidance. God told the people of Israel you will eat the fruit of the land if you are willing and obedient (Isaiah 1:19). 

Until a Christian allows God to be his shepherd, he will be in want. God our good shepherd knows where the green pastures and still waters are, but until you personally yield your will to Him and say, thy will be done, you may saunter everywhere twenty-four-seven and still be in lack. Remember, Peter and the other disciples toiled all night to catch fish to no avail, but by divine guidance they experienced a net breaking and boat sinking catch at the most unproductive hour (Luke 5:5).

Most of the chronic problems we have are rooted in chronic disobedience, not forgetting spiritual blindness and deafness. In Isaiah 42:18 God referred to His servants as being blind and deaf spiritually. God’s word is God’s way to His great acts. Your spirit man is energized and comes alive through the power of God’s word as you seek Him and meditate on His Word daily. Knowing God’s ways; understanding Him day by day through His Word, leads to knowing Him. Patriarchs like Abraham did not have any written Law of God, but experience God as a friend because of their hunger to know Him. Knowing Him; His voice, love, power etc leads to confidence in Him. This confidence in God and His word is what is termed as faith, and faith is the bridge that links man to the power of God.

The word was the foundation of the world and the Church. Remember, there was nothing that God Himself could do in creation without the word. Through the word of God or divine guidance the church will be built up, walking in divine authority and divine provision these last days. Until Zion (the Church) is built up, Christ will not return. Psalm 102:16 says ’when the Lord shall build up Zion, he shall appear in his glory’. Christ is returning for a glorified church.  As a Christian, you are the church. Are you walking in divine guidance, does the word of God have the highest authority in your life?

The good news is you can begin again if you have missed the mark in the past. The mercy seat was positioned on the ark, so it is above the contents of the ark including the tablets of commandments. The mercy of God is sufficient for you, begin again.

Divine Provision

‘And Moses said to Aaron, “Take a pot and put an omer of manna in it, and lay it up before the LORD, to be kept for your generations’ (Exod 16:33).

  

A healthy body, a sound mind and some material things like clothing and shelter are necessities for an accomplishment of one’s purpose in life. So Jesus said that, when we pray we should say, ‘give us this day our daily bread’, this proves that God is as sensitive about our material needs as He is, about our spiritual needs. The Bible is filled with countless examples of God providing for His children. God is referred to as Jehovah Jireh -our provider (Genesis 22:14). On the way to the Promised Land, God provided Israel with Manna - the bread of heaven, also neither their shoes nor clothing were worn out during that period of forty years on the road (Duet 8:4, Duet 29:5).   

As a reminder of His daily divine provision for His people, God commanded Moses to put a golden Jar filled with manner in the Ark of the Covenant (Exod16:33-34). Similarly, with the indwelling Spirit of God, a born again Christian is assured of God’s divine provision every day of his life. Jesus confirmed this in Mat 6:25-34 when he said, ‘do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink...’ God gave Israel some instructions about their collection of the manna. Below are important lessons that can be taken from those commands.

1.      Collect a certain quota of manna everyday (Exod 16:4).

2.      No one should leave any manna for the next morning. Some did and the manna bred worms and stank (Exod 16:19, 20).

3.      No collection of manna on the seventh day, some people did and found none (Exod 16:5, 27).

The lessons here are total dependence on God, avoiding greed, and being obedient to God’s word and His specific directions for our individual lives. Esau’s stomach cost him his birth right and blessings. Today, many people are in the wrong places, doing the wrong things and losing their blessings because of their stomach. In Phil 3:19, Paul said with weeping that, the stomach of some Christians have become their God and they are living as enemies of the cross with their minds set on earthly things. As a child of God, you operate in the economy of heaven and not the economies of this world, so do not allow your material needs to take the place of God in your life. Paul said my God shall supply all my needs according to His riches in glory (Phil 4:19).

Through Abraham’s covenant relationship with God, he, Isaac and Jacob prospered in the midst of great famine. Isaac was blessed until he became the envy of his neighbors the philistines (Gen 26). However, remember that ‘Abraham didn't call God 'Jehovah Jireh' when the ram suddenly showed up. No, before there was a ram in sight and before they reached the place of sacrifice, Abraham said, '"God will provide..."' (Gen 22:8). Faith declares, 'Before I have a need, God has already put in place a divine provision.' Note what Abraham said: '"...In the Mount of the Lord it shall be provided"' (Gen 22:14 NKJV, UCB, Word for today).

God is our source and our sufficiency is of Him. Today draw closer to Him in prayer, believe His word and take steps of faith as He gives you divine guidance. Hold onto your faith, knowing that help is on the way. The next lesson is “Divine Guidance”.