THE "S.H.I.P" SERIES

There's S.H.I.P in every RELATIONSHIP. The way one relates with people is crucial in determining how far a person can go in life. Yet still many people downplay on importance of good interpersonal relationship to their own detriment. They take every relationship for granted not knowing it might have been God's way of bringing them into their fulfillment of destiny.

SEEK THE GIVER, NOT THE GIFTS...

2 Chronicles 26:5b "As long as he sought the Lord, God gave him success." This scripture passage is referring to a man named Uzziah, king of Judah. He began his reign when he was just sixteen years old. Actually, compared with the beginning of his grandfather Joash, who reigned as king at the age of seven, Uzziah was matured. But how can someone at 16, rule a great kingdom like this? Where lies his strength, wisdom and experience?

SERVANTHOOD...THE WAY TO BEING GREAT!

Matthew 20:26b-27 "...but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant." If there is one thing I have learnt and desire to work on more in the coming years, it is the ability to serve others with my gift in humility. It may look like one difficult thing to do, but it is stated clearly that, "the only way to be great, comes through servitude/servanthood.

YOU CAN'T THINK FOR HIM

Isaiah 55:8. "My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts" says the Lord. "And my ways are far beyond anything you can imagine". God can do things that can blow our minds should we try to understand them. His wisdom is unsearchable, unreachable and incomparable. The way God see things are far above the degree to which our minds can perceive.

OPEN UP FOR A CLEAN UP!

Prov. 28:13 "People who conceal their sins will not prosper, but if they confess and turn from them, they will receive mercy." A sister shared her story with me and it inspired me to write today's devotional. No matter what she has gone through, she is still standing. The fact that you have faced a lot of challenges this year is no justification for you to stay down. God is fully aware you have had those shortcomings but He still has your name in His palms.

YOU CAN'T DO WITHOUT HIM!

John 15:5b "For without me ye can do nothing." No one on earth can make such a serious statement, knowing very well that man's strength is limited. Jesus is not one of the people you need to make it in life, but the one person you cannot do without. You may 'know book', have a high IQ, have the best links, come from an affluent background and so on. But none of these can substitute the role Jesus plays in your life.

GET A GOOD NAME AND RICHES WILL FOLLOW

"A good name is to be chosen and desired than riches...". Many people these days crave for "riches" at the expense of a good name. Riches in itself is not a wrong choice, but the pursuit of it to the extent that one can do anything, anyhow, anywhere to get it, makes it a problem. You can even find out in the scriptures that 'it is the blessings of the Lord that makes a man rich.'

THERE IS SOMETHING SPECIAL ABOUT YOU...

Genesis 12:14-16 "And sure enough, when Abram arrived in Egypt, everyone noticed Sarai's beauty. When the palace officials saw her, they sang her praises to Pharaoh, their king, and Sarai was taken into the palace. Then Pharaoh gave Abram many gifts because of her..." There are 3 Key things I want us to consider in today's text.

YOUR TIME TO BE FAVORED HAS COME!

SEARCH FOR YOUR RUTH!

Ruth 1:16 "But Ruth replied, Don't ask me to leave you and turn back. Wherever you go, I will go; wherever you live, I will live. Your people will be my people and your God will be my God." Some people come into our lives for a season and others but for a reason. Some people may not support your vision and may fall off along the line.

YOU DARE NOT QUESTION GOD

Isaiah 44:24 (NLT) "This is what the Lord says-your Redeemer and Creator: "I am the Lord, who made all things. I alone stretched out the heavens. Who was with me when I made the earth?" There is no inventor who made anything and didn't need assistance at some point in time. At least someone had to be present to hold one thing or the other.

LEARN TO SHUT YOUR MOUTH

Proverbs 10:19 "Too much talk leads to sin. Be sensible and keep your mouth shut." Sometimes many of say certain things which we don't even take time to carefully consider. And later have to bear the consequences, which could have been averted had we considered the matter thoroughly. Sometimes the best thing to do is to say nothing. It doesn't mean you are too weak or soft. It is simply a sign of wisdom!

TODAY IS THAT DAY

Isaiah 65:21-24 "IN THOSE DAYS people will live in the houses they build and eat the fruit of their own vineyards. Unlike the past, invaders will not take their houses and confiscate their vineyards. For my people will live as long as trees and my chosen ones will have time to enjoy their hard-won gains. They will not work in vain, and their children will not be doomed to misfortune.

GOD IS CLOSER THAN YOU THINK

Isaiah 65:1-2 "I was ready to respond, but no one asked for help. I was ready to be found, but no one was looking for me. I said, 'Here I am, here I am!' to a nation that did not call on my name. All the day long I opened my arms to a rebellious people. But they follow their own evil paths and their own crooked schemes." If God could accuse a nation like this, then it was a serious matter.

I NEED YOU, YOU NEED ME!

Matthew 7:12 "Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets." I personally find something interesting about most people these days. They seem to complain about what the don't receive and don't bother to find out what they are equally supposed to give. It is a give and take affair. Instead of saying "People don't like me" why don't you ask "Do I like people?".

YOU SHALL FINISH WHATEVER YOU START

Zechariah 4:8-9 "Then another message came to me from the Lord. Zerubbabel is the one who laid the foundation of this Temple, AND HE WILL COMPLETE IT. Then you will know that the Lord of Heaven's Armies has sent me". I am here today to encourage someone: God is not done with you yet. You shall complete whatever your started from the beginning of the year. You shall not lay the foundation for others to enjoy the fruits of your labor.

WHO IS YOUR FRIEND?

Proverbs 17:17 "A friend loveth at all times...". Some people haven't differentiated between who is a friend and who is not. They put everyone under the umbrella of "my friend". But that shouldn't be the case. In my own simple definition, "a friend may be someone who shares common beliefs and interests with you and who would be willing to stick with you in sorrow and in joy."

LET LOVE PREVAIL

I am not a love doctor neither am I an expert. But I believe I have been so much loved I can also share.
What is the proof of love where there is no forgiveness? For God so loved the world that he gave His son to us; not when the world was perfect but when all had sinned and fallen short of His glory. And without the shedding of blood there would have been no forgiveness. We can't hate those who offend us and still be called children of the light: for our father himself is LOVE (personified).

THREE (3) GREAT KEYS

Jer 51:15 "He hath made the earth by his POWER, he has established the world by his WISDOM, and hath stretched out the heaven by his UNDERSTANDING" You shall receive power, when the Holy Spirit is come upon you...". God says it is He who gives you THE POWER to make wealth. And on wisdom the Bible says "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of Wisdom." And again "Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get Understanding."

HIS WORD IS FINAL!

Isaiah 45:18-19 "For the Lord is God, and he created the heavens and earth and put everything in place. He made the world to be lived in not to be a place of empty chaos. "I am the Lord," he says, "and there is no other. I publicly proclaim bold promises. I do not whisper obscurities in some dark corner. I would not have told the people of Israel to seek me if I could not be found. I, the Lord speak only what is true and declare only what is right."

WHAT GOD SAYS IS FINAL

Isaiah 43:13 "From eternity to eternity I am God. No one can snatch anyone out of my hand. No one can undo what I have done." God speaks with so much authority no one can contend. He truly knows who He is and doesn't need any affirmation to make Him more 'God'. And He declares His existence from eternity to eternity, which means He is beyond time but works in time.

SOMEONE WATCHED YOUR BACK!

1 Sam. 30: 22-24 "But some evil troublemakers among David's men said, "They didn't go with us, so they can't have any of the plunder we recovered. Give them their wives and children, and tell them to be gone." But David said "No, my brothers! Don't be selfish with what the Lord has given us. He has kept us safe and helped us defeat the band of raiders that attacked us. Who will listen when you talk like this? We share and share alike-those who go to battle and those who guard the equipment".

NAME IT, AND SO SHALL IT BE!

Genesis 2:19 "And out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof. "There is no doubt that there is an inherent creative ability in every man. Because "God made man in His own image and likeness..."

HAVE YOU ASKED?

Let’s look @ 1 Samuel 30 today.V8 "Then David asked the Lord, Should I chase after this band of raiders? Will I catch them? And the Lord told him, Yes, go after them. You will surely recover everything that was taken from you!" It is unfortunate how many of us have failed at some things we pursued simply because we didn't enquire from God and find out what He had to say concerning the matter. Since God is all-knowing, He definitely knows how the end of anything you embark on would be. Trust Him with your life, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways and your pursuits acknowledge Him and He shall direct your path. Whether you are facing some challenge or some challenge is facing you, do not be afraid. Open up to God, enquire from Him what He would have you do in that particular situation and trust me He would show you the way to go about it. David found out whether to go or not to go, and after God's YES he became cock sure to pursue the enemies. Ask! @ABTru-worshipa

DON'T KEEP OFFENCES

"Keep thy heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life"(Prov. 4:23).
One thing that may prevent many Christians from entering Heaven is BITTERNESS! We can tell something is bitter after we have tasted it. And no one would like to keep something bitter in their mouth; not even for a short while. Why then do we want to keep it in our heart for so long?

WHAT ABOUT YOUR OWN VINEYARD?

Songs of Solomon 1:6 "Don't stare at me because I am dark-the sun has darkened my skin. My brothers were angry with me; they forced me to care for their vineyards, so I couldn't care for myself-my own vineyard." Note that 'activity does not mean productivity'. Many of us do well in helping others achieve their goals; which is a good thing to do. (I do so too personally). But we can become so involved that we may not even make time to work on ourselves, and build strong character.

DON'T LET HIM WAIT FOR TOO LONG

Songs of Solomon 5:2-6 "I was sound asleep, but in my dreams I was wide awake. Oh, listen! It's the sound of my lover calling "Let me in, dear companion, dearest friend, my dove, consummate lover! I'm soaked with the dampness of the night, drenched with dew, shivering and cold. "But I'm in my night gown-do you expect me to get dressed? I'm bathed and in bed-do you want me to get dirty?

MAKE OTHERS TOO FEEL SPECIAL

2 Cor. 8:9 "You know the generous grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty he could make you rich." Why would someone go all out to do this, if not LOVE? To become poor, so that someone else would enjoy. But that is the extent to which Christ went. People naturally gravitate towards where they are made to feel important. They are likely to go to where they are celebrated and not where they are tolerated.

GOD HAS A PLAN

Judges 14:1,4 "One day when Samson was in Timnah, one of the Philistine women caught his eye. When he returned home, he told his father and mother, "A young Philistine woman in Timnah caught my eye. I want to marry her. Get her for me... His father and mother didn't realize the Lord was at work in this,creating an opportunity to work against the Philistines, who ruled over Israel at that time." God may decide to bring some people your way (catalysts), to enable you fulfill your purpose.

DON'T DESPISE ME!

Luke 7:39 "When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, 'if this man were a prophet, he would know what kind of woman is touching him. She's a sinner!" A story in Luke where Jesus was visited to a Pharisee's house. At dinner, this "immoral woman" well-known in the city walks in and without permission from anyone, begins to minister at the feet of Jesus.

THIS TOO SHALL PASS

2 Cor. 4:18. "While we look not at the things which are seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal" (KJV). "So we don't look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever."(NLT). What are you seeing? And how are you seeing it?

KNOW YOUR JONATHAN, KNOW YOUR SAUL

Don't confuse a Jonathan to be a Saul and don't confide in a Saul as you would a Jonathan. Many people have missed great opportunities because they couldn't differentiate between these two personalities in their life. A Jonathan is that person who even though has the right to the same opportunities as you do, can tell you to have it all without an iota of envy. He is for you, body, heart and soul....

THE SAME GOD IN DIFFERENT SITUATIONS

In 1 Kings 20, we find the Syrians being defeated by the Israelites. Then, some of the Syrian king's advisers gave the king what they thought was the reason for their defeat. They said that they had fought on the hills and lost because Israel's God is the God of the hills. So if they were to fight the Israelites on the plains or in the valleys, they would win.
What stupid advice! They thought that the God of Israel only helped His people up in the hills and mountains, and not down in the valleys.

HE IS RIGHT THERE WITH YOU

Isaiah 43:2 "When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you." I feel personally responsible to encourage someone like I know how. The Lord knows that at some point in our lives certain challenges would confront us that may try to overcome us. So we need assurance that He is with us.

A LETTER TO MY DEAREST LOVE...

Dear Love,
I know you can feel my heart by now, because you are omniscient. And nothing can be hidden from your very eyes. Somethings have been the same for far too long. Could it be that I am doing something wrong? Or my prayer is not that long? Am I being too selfish while am asking? Or I am regarding some iniquity in me as am praying? You said I should count it all joy when I fall into divers temptations. And I have done some good counting. But when will it all be over? Because it looks like forever. I pray and I worship. I also praise and fellowship...

ON THAT DAY...

And the question would be, when is that day? Everybody is in some kind of hope for a day certain things will end for others to begin. Either in the area of a new appointment, new marriage, new accomodation or anything new. But the question is, when will that day come? Is it a year by this time, three months away or a tomorrow by this time miracle. Only God has the right answer to these perplexing questions. But hear what the Prophet Zephaniah had to say:

YOU ARE MY MINISTRY

"Dear friends, you always followed my instructions when I was with you. And now that I am away, it is even more important. Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. For God is working in you, giving you the desire and power to do what pleases him. Do everything without complaining and arguing, so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people. Hold firmly to the word of life; then, on the DAY OF CHRIST'S RETURN,

CHECK YOURSELF FIRST!

Matthew 7: 3-5 "And why worry about a speck in your friend's eye when you have a log in your own? How can you think of saying to your friend, Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye, when you can't see past the log in your own eye? Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend's eye."

I DON'T LOVE THIS WORLD

1John1:15 "Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. 17 And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever."
Most of the time, life presents us with opportunities and gifts which are usually blessings from God, because bible tells us that all good and perfect gifts are from above. Even so, we are told not to love them.

WHERE IS YOUR SACRIFICE?

It is interesting nowadays to find folks have categorized the part of the service where the music is of a high tempo and speed as PRAISES and the more emotionally intimate and slow songs as WORSHIP. That is a serious error. Both our worship and our praise are not the type and style of our music but music is a tool to praise and worship God. Worship and Praise go beyond music.

YOUR WORSHIP TO GOD MUST BE WORD-BASED

It is an undeniable truth that "the father is seeking for true worshipers-those who worship in spirit and in truth". But in my little research and study, I have come to the conclusion that, nobody can be called a true worshiper outside the WORD. Your must study to show yourself approved. Once you are full of the Word (which Jesus said is spirit and life) you can be able to truly worship the father who is a spirit. Many a people say they are worshipers, and there is nothing wrong with that. But any group of people who called themselves true worshipers must be people who love the Word.

BE TURNED INTO ANOTHER MAN

1 Samuel 10:6 "And the Spirit of the Lord will come upon thee, and thou shalt prophesy with them, and shalt be turned into ANOTHER MAN." You are a mere character not a director! You are playing a role and so you act upon instructions from your director; who has the full picture of what the play is all about. Just like we find in plays, sometimes you are not allowed to wear what you want. From costume to set location is solely decided on by the director. Yours is to role-play. Our lives on earth are quite like that. But many people don't even see God as their director and end their lives miserably. Whether or not a play would be successful, depends mostly on the characters acting according to the script given them. God has your script already written down; as He told Jeremiah "Before you were born. I knew you". So whatever you are to be has been predetermined by God. Simply follow His instructions and become what He originally intended for you to be. Allow God make you into ANOTHER MAN today. @ABTru-worshipa

NO CAUSE TO WORRY, FOR GOD IS YOUR REWARD

Genesis 15:1 "After these things, the word of the Lord came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward." Until a person becomes fully aware of what they have, they never cease searching for more. God said "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge..." (Hosea 4:6). Knowledge is the aquisition of information whiles wisdom is the right application of that knowledge (the information acquired).

ARE YOU AVAILABLE?

Ezekial 22:30 "I looked for someone who might rebuild the wall of righteousness that guards the land, but I found no one." God always seeks for people who would be committed to a course he has originally intended. Who are these people? Where can they be found? You are one of such people, I know for sure! The level to which you desire God will determine the extend to which He would be attracted to you.

YOUR MOUTH IS YOUR COMPASS

Joshua 1:8 "Do not let this book of the Law depart from thy mouth...". This was a specific instruction given to a man who was to take the place of one of the greatest characters in the Bible and actually the meekest man that ever was recorded. He is admonished not to let the book of the law cease from his mouth.

A THANKFUL HEART...

"In all things give thanks unto God." Did the Bible really mean ALL THINGS? Because I know that some situations are difficult to bear, let alone to thank God for them. But our thoughts are not His thoughts, neither His ways our ways. Why should Paul and Silas praise God whiles in prison and in chains? I understand that I dont understand. So what were they singing and praising God for? That He had allowed them to be imprisoned? It doesn't make human sense.

BORN IN SORROW, BUT YET HONORABLE I

"And Jabez was more honorable than his brothers..."(1 Chro. 4:9). You can be honorable and at the same time be in pain. (Jabez means: someone conceived in pain). Until you rise up and say enough is enough and command the pain to cease, your honorability will be hidden. But whatever be the case, your honor & dignity, would be evident for the world to behold. If we can watch our confession and begin to speak positively into our life, we would be in a better position to attract the prophecies that are meant for us.

BORN IN SORROW, BUT YET HONORABLE II

1 Chronicles 4:9-10 "There was a man named Jabez who was more honorable than any of his brothers. His mother named him Jabez because his birth had been so painful. He was the one who prayed to the God of Israel, "Oh, that you would bless me and expand my territory! Please be with me in all that I do, and keep me from all trouble and pain! And God granted him his request."

SOW IN TEARS AND REAP IN JOY

Ecclesiastes 11:1 "Send your grain across the seas, and in time, profits will flow back to you." This scripture looks similar to the one which says "what you sow is what you reap". And he that shows sparingly shall reap sparingly. And he that sows bountifully shall reap bountifully. It is a good thing to invest into things and most importantly people. For in some few years to come, those same people would become influential and great men and women in the society. And woe betides you if you had treated them unfairly.

THERE IS A KING INSIDE OF YOU!

Ecclesiastes 8:4 "Where the word of a KING is, there is power: and who may say unto him, What doest thou?"

Who is a King? Someone with authority to rule, command, decree and legislate. You have been given dominion over all creation, to call those things that be not as though they were. To decree a thing and it shall be established. To bind and lose anything on earth and it shall be done in heaven.

LISTENING: THE BEST GIFT YOU CAN GIVE TO OTHERS!

 I now realize that every person God sends my way is really seeking His listening heart at work in and through me. I am therefore trying  to look for the pain in every hidden word. I pray for wisdom to respond in a way that will promote restoration and encourage healing. I have a long way to go (I guess) but I want to be "God with skin on" when it comes to learning how to listen.

SEEK YOUR LOVER!

Song of Songs 3:1-4 "One night as I lay in bed, I yearned for my lover. I yearned for him, but he did not come. So I said to myself, I will get up and roam the city, searching in all its streets and squares. I will search for the one I love. So I searched everywhere but did not find him. The watchman stopped me as they made their rounds and I asked, 'Have you seen the one I love?" Then scarcely had I left them when I found my love! I caught and held him tightly, then brought him to my mother's house..."

THE TIME TO START IS NOW!

Ecclesiastes 11:4 "Farmers who wait for perfect weather never plant. If they watch every cloud, they never harvest." This is not only factual but very true. I am personally guilty of it. I believe the Spirit of God is drawing our attention to some things that we might have left undone.

WAITING WHILE WORSHIPPING (W.W.W)

Waiting is a very difficult task and it takes great perseverance and patience to wait on God even while we worship. Our world is caught up with the disease of 'fast track' so much that it seems we cant patiently wait any longer for anything. It has become so prevalent that we easily grow impatient in all our dealings. We cant wait for our turns in long queues, always going in for fast food, fast connections, fast track courts,fast jet planes,even the commonest is what we all are aware of now-FASTEST INTERNET ACCESS. Everything around us now is gradually moving in this fashion.

SOME THINGS ARE FOR WOMEN ONLY!

Even though worship is not a 'dress parade', many times we become too sloppy and revealing in the way we dress for worship. Our clothes do contribute to the emphasis we place on worship to God. This does not mean we are strictly to wear fine clothes. But the way we dress should be in keeping with the dignity of the occasion. Read 1 Tim. 2:9-10. Modest clothing is the way women who are professing godliness dress. The wearing of lewd and revealing clothing to worship God is unthinkable,but some do it anyway.

WHY ARE YOU HURTING TOO BAD?

It takes people who have been to a place to give a fair description. It also takes people who have gone through some stuff to give others a reason to rejoice. Once we have been set free from our issues of life we are better able to comfort others with the comfort we have received (2 Cor 1:3). I've had my share of ups and downs as you may have, but through it all i have learnt to trust in Jesus. God is a healer!

POEM: GOD UNDERSTANDS YOU BETTER...

We may not behave the same
Because we all bear a different name
God knows why He made us that way
And no man could have any say
I am what He chose to make me
You are what He made you to be

THE "T.E.S.T" OF LOVE

This might be a bit out of our mainstream but it would be helpful all the same. Many a people find themselves helpless in all sort of relationships and I thought it wise to send this so that we would all learn as we are being restored unto true worship.

Remember, how you relate with others would go a long way to determine how you would relate to God. "You cannot say you love God who you do not see and hate your brother whom you see."
Lets explore some things I have put together as the T.E.S.T of love.

AM NOTHING WITHOUT YOU

I am nothing without you
And I cannot hide from myself
But I know one thing about you
That you can hide me in yourself

WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN DOING?

Sometimes as believers we put too much stress on our selves as though we don't believe in God's word. Faith the Bible says comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. My purpose for this is to build someone's faith.

I have been exposed to the scripture below and read it and even quoted it on a number of occasions but a greater insight and revelation dawn on me today, which I believe was not meant for me alone. It is funny sometimes how the devil tries to take our attention from meditating on the word, because he knows when we do, we shall know the truth which will make us free. But thank God for the spirit of revelation!

THE "ME" OUTSIDE, THE "I" INSIDE

We may achieve great-ness publicly and privately be in a great-mess. Remember David and Sampson? Success that is applauded by everyone except you yourself is not as gratifying as one that you personally endorse (inwardly). Many people may see your outside accomplishments and admire you, but you know deep in your heart that, you've got issues and need serious help. If you are also not careful, the danger is; you might be carried away by those praises till you lose your head.

DON'T LOSE YOUR TEMPER AND LOSE YOUR HAMPER!

Ecclesiastes 10:4 "If your boss is angry at you, don't quit! A quiet spirit can overcome even great mistakes."(NLT). One unbearable thing is to have someone above you who puts you off by their "some way" attitude. Sometimes we think the best thing to do is to quit or run away from the situation. But that is not wisdom, according to our scripture for today. Your yielding can help you pacify great offences.

"I UNDERSTAND THAT I DON'T UNDERSTAND"

Ecclesiastes 11:5 "Just as you cannot understand the path of the wind or the mystery of a tiny baby growing in its mother's womb, so you cannot understand the activity of God, who does all things." A friend once told me that; the God you understand is the God you have put in a box. And I can't agree less. You know many times we try to use our human minds to give reasons why certain things happened to us or others, but we can't know and fully comprehend all things. That makes Him God and we men.

WHAT ARE YOU SEEING?

Jeremiah 1:10-12 "See, I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdom,to root out,and pull down and to destroy,and to throw down, to build and to plant. Moreover, the word of the Lord came unto me saying, Jeremiah, what seest thou? And I said, I see a rod of almond tree. Then said the Lord unto me, Thou hast well seen: for I will hasten my word to perform it." From this scripture, I realise that some blessings can delay in our lives by our inability to see and see well.

WHAT IS YOUR GIFT?

Proverbs 18:16 "A man's gift maketh room for him, and bringeth him before great men". I am exposing this text from two angles for today and tomorrow. Many people have not progressed in life either by sitting idle with their gifts or they are yet to be discovered (speaking to myself here). Every child of God has a unique gift to be a blessing to their world.

WHEN GOD PROMOTES YOU NO MAN CAN STAND YOU

Ezekial 17:24 "And all the trees of the field shall know that I the Lord have brought down the high tree, have exalted the low tree, have dried up the green tree, and have made the dry tree to flourish: I the Lord have spoken and have done it."(KJV) "And all the trees will know that it is I, the Lord, who cuts tall tree down and makes the short tree grow tall. It is I who makes the green tree wither and gives the dead tree life. I, the Lord have spoken, and I will do what I said."(NLT).

YOU SHALL BE SOUGHT FOR

Isaiah 55:5 "Behold, thou shalt call a nation that thou knowest not, and nations that knew not thee shall run unto thee because of the Lord thy God, and for the Holy One of Israel; for he hath glorified thee." Some people have almost concluded that, for them to get into some kind of blessings they must know somebody somewhere. Well, God may choose to work through men you know at times, but that shouldnt limit Him. He can choose to ignore those you know and use total strangers to bless you.

FAVOUR A'INT FAIR!

Exodus 3:21 "And I will give this people favor in the sight of the Egyptians: and it shall come to pass, that when ye go, ye shall not go empty." It is a good thing to be favored of God, because you can get certain things from others without asking. And even when you decide to ask, you are given more than you requested. In Esther 5:2 "And it was so, when the King saw Esther the queen, standing in the court, that she obtained favor in his sight:"

NEVER TRUST MERE HUMANS

Jeremiah 17:5-8 "This is what the Lord says: Cursed are those who put their trust in mere humans, who rely on human strength and turn their hearts away from the Lord. They are like stunted shrubs in the desert, with no hope for the future. They will live in the barren wilderness, in an uninhabited salty land. "But blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope and confidence.

ARE YOU TIRED ALREADY?

Jeremiah 12:5 "If thou hast run with footmen, and they have wearied thee, then how canst thou contend with horses? and if in the land of peace, wherein thou trustedst, they wearied thee, then how wilt thou do in the swelling of Jordan?"(KJV). Sometimes the difficulties we face are meant to draw out the virtues that God placed in us. Our natural body would always assume a state of rest until some external force is exerted, that would cause it to move forward.

WATCH YOUR WORDS

Proverbs 10:19 "In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise (KJV). "Too much talk leads to sin. Be sensible and keep your mouth shut."(NLT). It is unusual for one to be a constant talker without committing sin and defaming the character of someone. The control of the tongue is a show of wisdom. "A truly wise person uses few words; a person with understanding is even-tempered. Even fools are thought wise when they keep silent; with their mouth shut, they seem intelligent. (Prov. 17:28, NLT)

WHAT WOULD YOU SAY IF YOU WERE JOB?

Job 23:10 (NLT) "But he knows where I am going. And when he tests me, I will come out as pure as gold". As children of God, the trials and sufferring we may go through are for an exceeding great glory-to bring out the best in us. It is not always evil, because the thoughts and plans God has for us are only good (even though it might appear to be painful for while), it is to bring us to an expected end. (Jer 29:11)

DONT BE AFRAID, YOUR GOD IS AROUND

Isaiah 41:8-13 "But as for you, Israel my servant, Jacob my chosen one, descended from Abraham my friend, I have called you back from the ends of the earth, saying 'You are my servant' For I have chosen you and will not throw you away. Dont be afraid, for I am with you. Dont be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.

YOUR NEED "R.E.S.T"

Written on July 1, 2012.

As I woke up this morning and realised today being a holiday, I was tempted to start planning my day in my mind and I just heard within my spirit REST! Didnt really get it, because I thought I had done that all night. But as I picked my Bible, it all started adding up. This R.E.S.T as I am going to show you was something things I should and shouldnt do today as I read the scripture from Psalm 37:1-5. The keywords are Relax.Enjoy.Submit.Trust.

TRUE SUCCESS IS DETERMINED IN GOD

Psalm 90:17 "And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us: establish thou the work of our hands upon us: yea, the work of our hands establish thou it."(KJV). "And may the Lord our God show us His approval and make our efforts successful. Yes make our efforts successful!"(NLT). In my own opinion and based on the scripture above, I can dare to say that no man can truly be successful in life just by hardwork.

POEM: "KEEP WORSHIPPING"

I wrote this poem some time ago, and going through my stuff today I saw it and it brought back good memories:

Keep worshipping: when you feel no one is around.

Keep worshipping: when everything is falling to the ground.

Keep worshipping: when all your friends are no where to be found.

Keep worshipping: when all is bad and no peace abound.

Keep worshipping: when it seems everything is turning round...

YOUR BODY, HIS TEMPLE

Are you ready for church? I would kindly request that you put your temple in order before service begins this morning; because the King of glory shall come in. Hmm...which temple you might ask? And I would gladly tell you: YOURS! You want to know more? Read on: "Dont you realize that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in you? God will destroy anyone who destroys this temple. For God's temple is holy, and you are that temple". (1 Cor. 3:16-NLT). Wait a minute! I think some of us need to do some clean-ups in our temple right away.

BE WHERE HE TOLD YOU TO BE AND HE WOULD MEET YOU

1 Kings 17:2-4 "And the word of the Lord came unto him saying, Get thee hence, and turn thee eastward, and hide thyself by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan. And it shall be, that thou shall drink of the brook; and I have commanded the raven to feed thee there."(KJV). What a mighty God we serve. In fact the Spirit of the Lord will never lead you to a place where His grace will not be sufficient for you. Then it is not my God!

CAN YOU HEAR HIS VOICE?

Isaiah 30:21 "Your own ears will hear him. Right behind you a voice will say, 'This is the way you should go' whether to the right or to the left." It is good to hear a voice, if only it is from God. We would have been saved from so much trouble if at some specific times and in certain areas of our lives we could hear God's voice clearly. But there seem to be a lot of distractions. God has been speaking since creation.

KNOW WHEN TO PAUSE!!!

Acts 16:6-10 "Next Paul and Silas travelled through the area of Phrygia and Galatia, because the Holy Spirit had prevented them from preaching the word in the province of Asia at that time. Then coming to the borders of Mysia, they headed north for the province of Bithynia, but again the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them to go there. So instead, they went on through Mysia to the seaport of Troas.

YOUR GOD SHALL SUPPLY

Philippians 4:19 "But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus." Paul had experienced the manifold dimensions of God's provisions that he admonished others to put their trust in Him. God had dealt with him in a remarkable way and there was no doubt of His ability to supply for others too. It is a faith dimension: To tell other people who have needs that all of them can be met by your God which means that you know Him too well.

WHAT GOD STARTS, HE FINISHES!

"He who has began a good work in you would be faithful to complete it." One truth about God is He wouldnt start something which He would not finish. Once He begins, He shall surely bring it to completion. You are work in progress as far as God is concerned, and your final outcome is yet to come. God has an eye on you because He wants to make you the best for His glory. And because of this He would do whatever to make you as pure as gold if even it means you have to go through fire.

CALL FORTH THE LIGHT BY THE WORD

Psalm 119:130 "The entrance of thy words giveth light: it giveth understanding unto the simple." One reason why we sometimes find ourselves in dark situations and not see our way forward is because we have not allowed the 'WORDS' of God to have full impact on our lives to further affect our situation. Darkness can be compared to ignorance, so you are seen as ignorant when you are in the dark. Light can be compared to knowledge, so those perceived to be knowledgable are called THE ENLIGHTENED.

SAFE IN THE POTTER'S HANDS

Jeremiah 18:2-6 "Go down to the potter's shop, and I will speak to you there. So I did as he told me and found the potter working at his wheel. But the jar he was making did not turn out as he had hoped, so he crushed it into a lump of clay again and started over. Then the Lord gave me this message, "O Israel, can I not do to you as this potter has done to this clay?

DONT TRY TO PROVE GOD, JUST BELIEVE HIM

Some people try to prove God...but God does not want to be proved (like in a lab, trying to put Him in our mind's test tube). He wants to be believed! The place where God clearly says we should prove Him and see is when it comes to giving our substance (like our tithe) to Him. Don't bother yourself trying to prove the "unprovables", for God is omniscient and beyond the logic of science. Just believe, don't agonize about it and complicate issues for yourself. He is God alone...period!

IS THERE NOT A CAUSE?

Psalm 3:1 "O Lord, I have so many enemies; so many are against me." There are some people who may appear to hate us so much that, as far as they are concerned we were better of dead. But most of the times they are the same people who serve as catalysts to speed up the reaction for our miracles. They kind of push us to the wall and it even makes us get to our destination even much quicker than we would have, without them. Saul wanted to kill David at some point, only to realize later he was the best friend of own his son (next of kin).

YOU HAVE A "P.A.R.T" TO PLAY

The Bible presents us with many accounts of people who received certain blessings and breakthroughs by what they could do or offer. Are you ready to sacrifice what is in your hand to be able to receive what God has in hand for you? Then you have a P.A.R.T to play. When Moses came to the red sea, God asked him what He had in his hand? And he thought it was his usual rod he had been using to tend his sheep.

BE CHILDLIKE AND NOT CHILDISH!

Be CHILDLIKE and not CHILDISH! For the two are not the same. By their fruits you shall know whether or not people are being childish or childlike. Prov. 20:11 "Even children are known by the way they act...". So whether you are being childish or childlike would be determined through your actions. When is one said to be childish? 1 Cor. 13:11 "When I was a child, I spoke and thought and reasoned as a child. But when I grew up, I put away childish things."

FOLLOW THE GOOD SHEPHERD

Isaiah 48:17-This is what the Lord says-your redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: "I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is good for you and leads you along the paths you should follow." The interesting thing I see here is that, left with God alone He would lead us to greener pastures and still waters because He is a good shepherd. But we the sheep have the problem sometimes, just to go our own ways and mostly fall into danger.

NO GOOD THING SHALL BE WITH-HELD FROM YOU

Psalm 84:11 "For the Lord God is our sun and our shield. He gives grace and glory. The Lord will withhold no good thing from those who do what is right." When the Psalmist says 'the Lord will withhold no good thing' it is a profound statement. And it means whatever the Lord will give us would be for our good. James 1:17 says "Whatever is good and perfect comes down to us from God our father...".

BEWARE OF VAMPIRES!

Proverbs 19:4 "Wealth maketh many friends; but the poor is separated from his neighbour"(KJV) "Wealth makes many friends, poverty drives them all away."(NLT). It is interesting how men are. Once they know you have a lot they can benefit from, they are always around you. But as soon as you lose it, you lose them as well. But no matter who leaves you, there is a friend that sticks closer than a brother.

THE "ART OF WORSHIP"

The 'Art of worship': Music is a tool for worship. You need two keys to minister: skill and the anointing. Every art is learnt, so study to show yourself approve. If an axe is blunt it requires more strength in cutting trees. Read Ps. 78:72. Every true minister need these two qualities to be effective. Integrity of heart and skilfulness of hands. David cared for the people with a true heart and led them with skillful hands.

HE KNOWS WHAT IS GOOD FOR YOU

It appears that everyone I know and even those I dont know have a need. It is as if man is never satisfied, no matter what they have or where they have reached in life. What are your heart's desires? If you delight yourself in the Lord and His service, He's promised to give you the desire of your heart! (Ps. 37:4). The Lord apparently feels that nothing is too good for His obedient children.

COME OUT, TO BE BROUGHT IN

Deut. 6:23 "And He brought us OUT of thence, that He might bring us IN, to give us the land which he sware unto our fathers." Unless you allow the Lord to bring you out of certain places, you may not get in to certain places. You cant be superficial and enjoy the supernatural. Deep calls unto the deep. Certain things, behaviors and people must go, for you to attain to the new heights God is taking you.

NO MATTER WHAT...

How many times haven't you gotten to some point in your life where you thought that was the end, felt like you cant make it, and there was no hope possible? But the testimony is that, even though a lot have happened in the past years you are still moving on and even reading this right now. That means, the same God who has kept you from falling shall appear speedily and watch upon His word to perform, its just a matter of time.

IF YOU CARE ABOUT GOD HE WOULD CARE ABOUT YOU

Haggai 1:6;9-10 "You have planted much but harvest little. You eat but are not satisfied. You drink but are still thirsty. You put on clothes but cannot keep warm. Your wages disappear as though you were putting them in pockets filled with holes!" In this text we see things are falling apart. If God is not at the center of your life, even though you may be working hard you would not enjoy the fruits of your labor to your satisfaction.

NO SHORT-CUTS WITH GOD

Exodus 13:17 "When Pharaoh finally let the people go, God did not lead them along the MAIN ROAD that runs through Philistine territory, even though that was the SHORTEST ROUTE to the Promised Land. God said, 'If the people are faced with a battle, they might change their minds and return to Egypt." We truly serve a wise God. In man's own carnal wisdom He would have concluded that once God had dealt with their first enemy, the one ahead was a done deal.

THEIR HEART SHALL BE TURNED TOWARDS YOU

Our text today is in Proverbs 21:1 "The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will." Who is that stubborn ruler or king in your life who is not willing to hear your case? Your king can be a person who has an influence on you in any way or something that rules an area of your life.

It can be your finances, job, marriage, academics, family or anything that can control you. Our beginning text clearly states that; the heart of all that (the king) are in the hands of the Lord, and at his will, He turns them. God has your life as his concern, so whatever he has to do and whosoever he has to direct to be of help to you, he gladly will. Take heart and believe that the king's heart would be turned towards you today to favor your course like it was done for Esther. Your king will comply and reply! This is the prophetic word of the Lord. #ABTru-worshipa#

SAY IT SOFTLY

Let’s look at something short in Proverbs 15:1. "A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger". I have a personal experience with this text. Anytime someone approached me in anger, a soft response I gave made him or her calm down. The truth about anger is that, it is stirred up if you also respond to the other person in the same way they approached you.

GOD HAS AN EYE ON YOU

This is a bit of encouragement for you this morning to strengthen you and make your hope in the Lord strong.

 Psalm 121:4 "Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep."(KJV).

Isaiah 49:16 "Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands: thy walls are continually before me." (KJV) "See, I have written your name on the palms of my hands. Always in my mind is a picture of Jerusalem's walls in ruin." (NLT).

The above scriptures tell us of how mindful God is of his people. God never sleeps nor slumbers. And his eyes are continually, consistently and constantly watching over us, because he has written our names in his palms never to be forgotten.

WHAT IS THE LORD TO YOU?

We are shortly studying something about how the Psalmist saw God and how his confidence was boosted after his discovery.

Psalm 27:1 "The LORD IS: MY LIGHT and MY SALVATION; whom shall I fear? The LORD IS: THE STRENGTH OF MY LIFE; of whom shall I be afraid?" Fear can be induced by darkness, death and doubt! We can become so afraid of the unknown that it paralyses us and this attacks our faith in who THE LORD IS to us.

When we are surrounded by so much darkness in our life, we can be frightened to death because we doubt the presence of THE LORD. David knew better so he said "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. (Ps. 23:4).

Your acknowledgment of the fact that you have God, and your consciousness of who THE LORD IS can drive away every fear of darkness, death and doubt. Note that in our text for today, THE LORD IS three things to David: (1) MY LIGHT (2) MY SALVATION (3) THE STRENGTH OF MY LIFE. All these boosted his confidence to ask questions "who shall I fear?" and "of whom shall I be afraid?"

What the LORD IS to you will also determine what or who you would be afraid of. Thus, because the Lord is a light to David, he didn’t fear darkness. Because he was his salvation he didn’t fear death. And because he was the strength of his life, he didn’t doubt the joy of the Lord which was his strength, and nothing could make him weak in faith. What and who is the LORD to you today? #ABTru-worshipa#

DO IT THE GOD WAY

There is a need for us to keep our minds renewed by God's word so that we don’t allow the pressures of life to weigh us down. Walk with me through the following scriptures and receive insight as God speaks to your heart.

Proverbs 16:25 "There is a WAY that seemeth right unto a man, but the end there of are the WAYS of death." Proverbs 19:21 "There are many DEVICES in a man's heart, nevertheless the counsel of the Lord, that shall stand." Proverbs 16:9 "A man's heart deviseth his WAY: but the Lord directeth his steps."

 I can say that the reason for the many struggles sometimes is because we mostly want to do it our OWN WAY and not GOD's WAY!

NO ONE CAN HARM YOU!

Our devotional today is in Number 23.

I want you to know that what God says about you is the truth and no man can change that if even it is a curse! Follow through the ff verses:

V 7-8 "This was the message Balaam delivered: Balak (the King of Moab) summoned me to come from Aram; Come, he said, curse Jacob for me! Come and announce Israel's doom. But how can I curse those whom God has not cursed? How can I condemn those whom the Lord has not condemned?” For, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, who walk not according to the flesh but by the spirit.