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GOD’S PLANS unfold through relationships. He told Abraham to leave his land, his kindred and his father’s house for the land that he would show him. God called him into a relationship to bless him. (Genesis 12:1) Similarly, God has saved you to bless you. GOD will put you in a relationship to show you the future. He will share secrets with those who fear him. Shall I keep secret from Abraham [My friend and servant] what I am going to do? For I have known (chosen, acknowledged) him [as My own], so that he may teach and command his children and [the sons of] his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing what is righteous and just, so that the Lord may bring upon Abraham what He has promised him. (Genesis 18:17 and 19) ‘When God wants to bless you, he puts you in a relationship.’ GOD will put you in a relationship to favour you. (Psalm 5:12) When his brothers sold him into slavery, Joseph found favour with his master, Potiphar, who put him in charge of his household. (Genesis 37:18-36) So your relationship with men will be an expression of your relationship with God. When you find favour with God, you'll find favour with men. (Psalm 5:2) GOD will put you in a relationship to make you align with His will, and when you're obedient, he will connect you with people for your future. Joseph understood the necessity of relationships, so when Potiphar’s wife came unto him, he stood his ground and said: He is not greater in this house than I am, nor has he kept anything from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do this great evil and sin against God [and your husband]?” (Genesis 39:9) He knew that if the enemy could have his relationships, he would have his goods. Relationship ANYTIME you are tempted, know that the enemy is after your relationships. He wants to put you in the shallow end and make you shallow-minded; he wants to distract you, so you cannot lay hold of the future that God has for you. Jesus saw the enemy’s plans against Peter, so he warned him that the Devil had planned to sift him, but he had prayed for him. (Luke 22:31-55) GOD will put you in a relationship to extend his grace to you and through you. When the two Hebrew spies walked into Rahab’s inn, she knew they were strangers, so she hid them on her roof. Her fears were later confirmed when the king’s soldiers came looking for them, so she told the soldiers that they had left at dusk. Rahab protected them, and they, in return, extended grace to her and her family—God’s grace found her. Similarly, God extended his grace to the Widow of Sarepta when she fed Elijah. (1 Kings 17:7-16) So God can make all grace abound to you. (2 Corinthians 9:8) GOD will put you in a relationship to safeguard your future. At a point, God saw that the wickedness (depravity) of man was great on the earth, and that every imagination or intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. But Noah found favour and grace before Him, so God told him to build an ark to safeguard his future. (Genesis 6) God will share his secrets with those who fear him. He will let them know his covenant and reveal to them [through His word] its [deep, inner] meaning. (Psalm 25:14) YOUR RELATIONSHIPS will tell you who is genuine. When Jesus told the people that he was the bread of life, they felt he was beside himself, so many left and stopped following him. Then, he turned to the twelve and asked if they wanted to leave too. However, Peter said, Lord, to whom shall we go? You [alone] have the words of eternal life [you are our only hope]. We have believed and confidently trusted, and [even more] we have come to know [by personal observation and experience] that You are the Holy One of God [the Christ, the Son of the living God]. (John 6:60-71) Bringing it Together ENOCH walked with God, and he was not because God took him. (Genesis 5:24) Moses could not express God until he encountered Him at the burning bush. (Exodus 3) The missing piece of your life would only be found in a relationship with Him. Prayer for the week: God, cause me to know that you are the Holy One of God.

IF PEOPLE were watching your life story on a large screen, what would they say about you? When Queen Sheba saw Solomon, she said: The report which I heard in my own land about your words and wisdom is true! I did not believe the report until I came and saw it with my own eyes. Behold, the half of it was not told to me. You exceed in wisdom and prosperity the report which I heard. How blessed (fortunate, happy) are your men! How blessed are these your servants who stand continually before you, hearing your wisdom! (1 Kings 10:6-8) Paul saw the best of God in Timothy, and reminded him to fan into flame the gracious gift of God, [that inner fire—the special endowment] which he received through the laying on of hands. (2 Timothy 1:5-6) PEOPLE’S interaction with you will mirror how they see you, and they will treat you based on what they think of you. Mirror When Simon hosted Jesus, he saw the woman with the alabaster box as a sinner. So when she anointed Jesus, he said: “If this Man were a prophet, he would know who and what sort of woman this is who is touching Him, that she is a notorious sinner, an outcast, devoted to sin.” But Jesus forgave her sins. (Luke 7:36-48) When BLIND BARTIMAEUS shouted Jesus, son of David, have mercy on me, they shouted him down and told him to be quiet. (Mark 10:46-52) They tried to silence him. They were going nowhere, so they wanted him to remain where he was. They had no expectation, and they did not want him to have any. However, Jesus wanted him to have one. Likewise, he wants you to have an expectation. Jesus said: “Ask and you will receive. Seek and you'll find. Knock and it shall be opened to you.” (Matthew 7:7-8) JESUS was touched when some men came carrying on a stretcher a man who was paralyzed. They tried bringing him and laying him down in front of Jesus. But finding no way to bring him in because of the crowd, they went up on the roof [and removed some tiles to make an opening] and lowered him through the tiles with his stretcher, into the middle of the crowd, in front of Jesus. When Jesus saw their [active] faith [springing from confidence in Him], He said, “Man, your sins are forgiven.” (Luke 5:17-39) The sick man was surrounded by friends who did the needful to get him to Jesus. People around you can act like a double-edged sword—they can push you into your miracle or hold you back; they can be a blessing or a curse. NAAMAN’S staff were a blessing to him. When he got angry because the prophet did not lay hands on him, his staff told him that if the Man of God had told him to do something greater, he would have done it. So Naaman plunged into the river seven times as instructed and came out with fresh skin. Naaman was blessed with good people. (2 Kings 5) If God will bless you, he will send men; if the enemy will attack you, he will send men. The best of men is men. BARTIMAEUS was in his talk-down moment, but Jesus believed in him. He stopped and said, “Call him.” So they called the blind man, telling him, “Take courage, get up! He is calling for you.” “Go; your faith [and confident trust in My power] has made you well.” Immediately, he regained his sight and began following Jesus. (Mark 10: 46-52) When God intervenes in your matter, he gives you hope. You will not begin from the beginning; you will continue from where you stopped. Final Thought Hope in God is defiance in the face of adversity.

YOUR HARDEST TIMES often lead to your greatest climbs. When she had a son in Egypt, no one knew what would become of him. But when she saw that he was [especially] beautiful and healthy, she hid him for three months [to protect him from the Egyptians]. (Exodus 2:2) Moses’ mum’s moment with God began when she would not give him up. And when she couldn't hide him any longer, she made an ark, put him in it and set it among the reeds by the bank of the River Nile. (Exodus 2) Box on the water I do not know where you are on your life journey, but I do know that God knows what you've been through. When MOSES’ MUM put him in the ark, she relinquished control and gave faith a chance. She looked beyond her situation to God, who had promised to deliver his people. God wants you to do the same—to see the miracles of God, your faith in Him will be your anchor. THE APOSTLES made faith their anchor when they prayed for the release of Peter. They cried to God, and God sent an angel to deliver him. (Acts 12:5) When you seek the face of God, you seek His heart. And when you seek his heart, you give him control. JEHOSHAPHAT cried to God when the enemies were on their way to his city. He told God that his people were powerless against the armies coming to them, and they did not know what to do, but their eyes were on Him. (2 Chronicles 20:12) WHEN Moses’ mum looked to God to work things out, she walked by faith. And wherever you find faith in God, hope is nearby. ABRAHAM was hopeful when God made him a promise. In hope against hope, Abraham believed that he would become a father of many nations, as he had been promised [by God]. (Romans 4:18) He did not doubt or waver in unbelief concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong and empowered by faith, giving glory to God, being fully convinced that God had the power to do what He had promised. (Romans 4:20-21) God knows how to stand by you. WHEN MIRIAM stayed behind to see what would happen to her brother, she had an expectation. God will look at you and when you do not look away, God will stand by you. He stood by Jehoshaphat when he wouldn't look away, and God stood by Miriam when Pharaoh’s daughter came to the Nile for a bath. PHARAOH’S DAUGHTER saw a basket among the reeds and asked her maiden to get it. When she opened it, she saw a baby crying inside, she took pity on him. She knew he was a Hebrew child but favoured him. Favour is an offshoot of grace. It comes from God. When a person’s ways are pleasing to the Lord, he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him. (Proverbs 16:7) When you give God pleasure, he makes your enemy gracious to you. God knows the real you. When Miriam ran to Pharaoh’s daughter to ask if she could get a wet nurse from the Hebrew women to nurse the child, the daughter told her to go ahead. God knew the heart of a mother, so he allowed her to raise her child in the way of the Lord. God allowed her to raise the deliverer of Israel. Bringing it Together MOTHERS should never underestimate their influence on their children. As you cannot schedule a miracle, mothers should not postpone conversations with their children. They should have them as situations present them. Happy Mother's Day.

DREAMERS may die, but the dreams of God never die. No wonder when Hanani, Nehemiah’s brother, came from Judah, Nehemiah wanted to know how things were back home. “The people are in distress and reproach; the wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its [fortified] gates have been burned (destroyed) by fire,” said Hanani. These words deeply hurt Nehemiah; he mourned and wept for days, and fasted and prayed. When you face a setback, what do you do? NEHEMIAH was sad, but he acknowledged God for who he is. He called him the great and awesome God who keeps covenant and lovingkindness for those who love Him and keep his commandments. Whenever you acknowledge God for who he is, you give Him his rightful place and put him in the driver’s seat. ‘Give God the attention he deserves’ David recognized God for who he is and cried to him for help, saying: When my heart is overwhelmed and weak; lead me to the rock that is higher than I [a rock that is too high to reach without Your help]. (Psalm 61:2) Rock Are you facing a difficult time in your life? Cry out to Him. NEHEMIAH begged God to be attentive to his prayers night and day and to forgive their sins. We have acted very corruptly against You and have not kept the commandments, nor the statutes, nor the ordinances which You commanded Your servant Moses. (Nehemiah 1:7) He knew that mercy is meaningful only when he takes ownership of their sins, so he stood in the gap for his people. ‘You must develop the skills to know when the Lord speaks and when he does not’ NEHEMIAH became a repairer of the bridge. He knew everything in life is in a seed form, so he began to sow seeds of prayer. He gave the moment the attention it deserved and made it a memorable one. NEHEMIAH reminded God of his word to Moses, ‘If you are unfaithful and violate your obligations to Me, I will scatter you [abroad] among the peoples. But if you return to Me and keep My commandments and do them, though those of you who have been scattered are in the most remote part of the heavens, I will gather them from there and will bring them to the place where I have chosen for My Name to dwell. (Nehemiah 1:8-9) Like Nehemiah, ask God to forgive your sins. NEHEMIAH reminded God of his dream for Israel. The framework of God’s plan for your life is found in the scriptures. So when you remind him of his word, you're setting yourself up for success. The beauty of this is that God commanded it. He promised that His word that goes out of his mouth will not return to him void (useless, without result), without accomplishing what He desires and succeeds in the matter for which he sent it. (Isaiah 55:11) NEHEMIAH knew God could be trusted. He asked that God would make him succeed by granting him favour before the king. If you desire favour in any area of life, you need God’s favour first, and when you find it, you'll find the favour of men. The following day, he stood before King Artaxerxes and found favour. The king bankrolled God’s project and put his machinery at his disposal. Bringing it Together IF YOU’RE going to seize the moment, you must study the voice of the Spirit and develop the skills to know when the Lord speaks and when he does not. NEHEMIAH realized that his past and future would depend on what he did that moment. So he gave it the attention it deserved God wants you to do the same.

HAVE you ever been in a situation where you searched for a thing and couldn't find it despite it being in front of you? Eyes that look are many, but eyes that see are few. GOD had told Balaam not to go with Balak to put a curse on his people because they were blessed. But when he went with the Moabites, an angel with a sword stood in his way. When his donkey saw the angel, it pressed Balaam’s feet against the wall, and when the donkey wouldn't move, he beat it. Then, God gave the donkey a voice and opened his eyes. (Numbers 22) When we cannot see, we take our frustrations out on other people and frown at them. If God wants to save you from yourself, He opens your eyes, and when he wants to help you, he makes you see yourself in the pages of his scriptures. (Psalm 119:18) GOD opened Hagar’s eyes when she and her son ran out of water in the wilderness. Then she saw a well, where she filled her bottle with water and gave it to her son to drink. (Genesis 21:19-21) Well God will open your eyes to show you a way of escape. PETER found an escape when an angel of the Lord led him out of prison. He thought he was in a vision and followed the angel, unaware that it was real. But when the angel left him, Peter came to his senses. (Acts 12:5-17) His natural senses were dulled for the supernatural to kick in. God will open your eyes to counsel you. (Psalm 16:7) GOD did this at Bethel when Jacob slept, and he allowed his angels s go up and down on a ladder. Jacob rose and said, “How fearful and awesome is this place, this is none other than the house of God, and this is the gateway to heaven.” (Genesis 28:17) GOD opened Pharaoh’s eyes in his dreams. When he couldn't understand the dreams, he was troubled and sent for his wisemen. And when they couldn't interpret the dreams, he was frustrated, but the cupbearer remembered Joseph. SOMETIMES, God creates scenarios that only you can fill. So your delay isn't a rejection but a decision. During Lazarus’ illness, Jesus waited another two days before he went to Bethany. He stayed back to give them a special testimony. God wrote his story. (John 11) God will open your eyes and your ears to reveal secrets. The KING OF ARAM (Syria) had been furious with his men because whatever plan he discussed with them, the King of Israel knew it. None of us, my lord the king,” said one of his officers, “but Elisha, the prophet who is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the very words you speak in your bedroom.” So he sent soldiers on horses to Dothan to surround the city where Elisha lived. When Elisha’s servant saw the soldiers, he was afraid. But Elisha prayed, and God opened his eyes (2 Kings 6) God will open your eyes, so you, in turn, will open your heart. HE OPENED Isaiah’s eyes, and he, in turn, opened his heart. And when God asked for someone to send, he said, “Send me.” (Isaiah 6) God will open your eyes so that you can find your place in His plan. THERE are thresholds you cannot cross until your eyes are opened; doors you cannot access until you see. My prayer for you is that God will open your eyes that you may see and comprehend his plan for your life. PAUL and his companions had travelled through Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching in Asia. During the night, Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him to come and help. (Acts 16:6-10) God wants to open your eyes, to help you align with His Will. ‘There are doors you cannot access until you see' Final Thought GOD will make you see so that he can instruct you. We do not understand and then obey, that's instruction. We obey, and then understand, that’s illumination — Warren W. Wiersbe.

GODLY WISDOM is the capacity to see things from God's perspective and respond according to the scriptures and their principles - Dr. Stanley. So it's a process and a decision. When you seek the mind of men, you are vulnerable to them, but when you seek the mind of Christ, you end up in the hands of God. So wisdom is a great defence. (Ecclesiastes 7:12) When God was angry with David for commanding a census, God gave him three options for punishment: seven years of famine; fleeing three months before their enemies or three days of pestilence. But David said, “Let us fall into the hands of the Lord, for His mercies are great, but do not let me fall into the hands of man.” (2 Samuel 24:13-14) IF MEN promote you, they can demote you. However, when God promotes you, no man can demote you. 'When men promote you, they can demote you' One way to get wisdom is to seek it. (Proverbs 4:7) AT ZIKLAG, David found out that his camp had been plundered and his family and the families of his men had been taken, prisoners. And it seemed right to weep with his men. However, when they stopped crying, they thought of stoning him. So David asked for the ephod and worshipped. He asked God, “Shall I pursue this band [of raiders]? Will I overtake them?” And He answered him, “Pursue, for you will certainly overtake them, and you will certainly rescue [the captives].” (2 Samuel 30) Wisdom promoted him and gave him a clear direction for life. It saved him from a precarious situation. Another way to acquire wisdom is through observation; look around you. Go to the ant, O lazy one; observe her ways and be wise. Which, having no chief, overseer or ruler. She prepares her food in the summer and brings in her provisions [of food for the winter] in the harvest. (Proverbs 6:6-8) The way of an ant is wise Ants have a strong work ethic. The wisdom of God will take you from where you are to where God wants you to be. AT MARAH, the water was bitter, and the children of Israel grumbled. So Moses cried to God, and God showed him a tree branch, which he threw into the water, and the water became sweet. (Exodus 15:22; Exodus 16:35) You get wisdom by asking for it. (James 1:5) Every challenge they faced was a lack of what to do. So every situation you face is a wisdom problem. SOLOMON didn't want a lack of wisdom. So when God appeared to him in a dream, he said: Your servant is among Your people whom You have chosen, a great people who are too many to be numbered or counted. So give Your servant an understanding mind and a hearing heart [with which] to judge Your people, so that I may discern between good and evil. For who can judge and rule these great people of Yours?” And God said, “I have given you a wise and discerning heart (mind), so that no one before you was your equal, nor shall anyone equal to you arise after you. I have also given you what you have not asked, both wealth and honour, so that there will not be anyone equal to you among the kings, for all your days. (1 Kings 3:7 -14) God meant that if he walked in Godly wisdom, he would extend his days. If you want speed, you need God’s wisdom. ‘Every situation you face is a wisdom problem’ You acquire wisdom by walking with the wise. He who walks [as a companion] with wise men will be wise, but the companions of [conceited, dull-witted] fools [are fools themselves and] will experience harm. (Proverbs 13:20) You get wisdom through reverent fear. The [reverent] fear of the Lord [that is, worshiping Him and regarding Him as truly awesome] is the beginning and the preeminent part of wisdom [its starting point and its essence], and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding and spiritual insight. Wisdom begins with holy awe; you cannot say you fear Him without submitting to His Lordship. It is time to give your life to Jesus Christ.

Empty Tomb AT EASTER, a teacher told his students to do a celebratory project. One built a box and put a rock in it, depicting the stone at the tomb of Jesus. However, Bryan, a boy with disability, built a box with nothing in it. When his mates laughed at him, he described it as an empty tomb. On the RESURRECTION MORNING , there was an earthquake as an angel from heaven rolled away the stone blocking access to Jesus’ grave. The guards watching the tomb were paralyzed with fear. They went into the city and reported the happening to the chief priest. The chief priest and the elders connived and developed a plan of deception, saying, “His disciples came at night and stole his body.” They gave a sufficient amount of money to the soldiers to lie. They wanted them to falsify the story of the empty tomb. (Matthew 28:11-13) This is what the enemy does: he tries to alter God’s story. When they sentenced Jesus to death, they tried to change his story. However, God will always tell His story. ‘God will always tell His story.’ MARY MAGDALENE stepped out to go to the tomb of Jesus to anoint his body. But she found the stone covering the tomb had been rolled away, the soldiers guarding it had disappeared, and the tomb was empty. With much despair and emptiness, she ran to tell Peter and John. When they got there, they looked inside the tomb and found the linen wrappings. But the face cloth which had been on Jesus’ head was not lying with the other linen wrappings. It was rolled up in a place by itself. (John 20:1-18) We can surmise that Jesus did not leave in a hurry. WHILE they looked inside the tomb, Mary stood outside and wept. Then, she looked inside the tomb and saw two angels sitting there, one at the head and the other at the feet. And when they asked her why she wept, Mary told them that they had taken away her Lord, and she did not know where they laid him. Is there anything you are grateful for? She was thankful for Jesus Christ who cast seven demons out of her. (Luke 8:1-2) WHEN Mary turned around, she saw Jesus standing there, but she did not recognize him. And when Jesus asked her why she was crying and who she was looking for, she thought it was the gardener. “Sir, if you are the one who has carried him away from here, tell me where you have put Him, and I will take Him away.” Sadness can occlude your vision. JESUS said to her, “Mary.” She turned and called him Rabboni! (which means, Teacher). Mary recognized his voice. As you celebrate his resurrection, Jesus wants you to recognize His voice. (John 10:27-28) He told her not to touch him because he hadn't ascended to the Father. Jesus told his story: he told her to tell the disciples that he was ascending to the Father, His God and their God. (John 20:17) WHEN Jesus came, many Jews thought that the Messiah would be a soldier or a political leader who would topple the oppressive Roman leaders and restore an independent Israel. So when he rode on a donkey, it seemed strange. (Mark 11:9-10) When he was arrested, they were shocked, and when he was crucified, they were downcast. His death created a void. However, Mary realized there was a void only Jesus could fill. So, he searched for Him. Bringing it Together GOD redefined emptiness with the empty tomb—Jesus Christ rose from the dead, and His Person will change your life. My prayer for you this season is that you'll see the empty tomb as a redefinition of emptiness and accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour. Happy Easter.

Understanding the season of life is valuable; it gives you a sense of belonging, sets you apart from your contemporaries and creates a distinction. IT CREATED a sense of belonging when Abraham left his father’s house to go to a land that God would show him. (Genesis 12) It made a distinction when Abraham increased and became very wealthy. (Genesis 24:35) It separated his descendants from everyone else when God warned Balaam not to curse Abraham’s descendants because they were blessed. (Numbers 22-24) And it created a distinction between the sons of Issachar and the other tribes of Israel because they knew what Israel should do. (1 Chronicles 12:32) Understanding your season of life shapes how you act. THE FIRST SEASON of life is the sitting season, a period in which you learn. In his sitting season, the boy Jesus acted a certain way: he sat in the temple courts among elders, listening and asking questions. And when he returned home with his parents, he was obedient to them (Luke 2:49-51) When Mary told him they were out of wine, although he granted her request, he made it clear that he was in his sitting season, and the season did not diminish his prominence. (John 2:4) PAUL understood the importance of this season, so he did not immediately consult with anyone [for guidance regarding God’s call and His revelation to him] when he was saved. Nor did he [even] go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before him; but he went to Arabia and stayed awhile, and afterward returned once more to Damascus.” (Galatians 1:16-18) To remain in his calling, he needed to understand his season. ELISHA sat at the feet of Elijah and followed him everywhere he went. And just before he was taken, Elisha asked for a double portion of his anointing. (2 Kings 2:5-11) THE QUESTION you'll need to ask is if you've sat long enough. We miss it when we stand when we are supposed to sit. Then, we blame it on the enemy rather than on our disorderliness. In God’s order, there is a Sitting Season. ‘There is a Sitting Season’ THE SECOND SEASON is the Standing Season — your season of manifestation. However, standing will make no sense if you haven't sat. JESUS did not start his ministry until he was thirty, and from the moment he entered his standing season, he put certain things in place. He knew he couldn't do the work alone, so he built capacity by choosing his disciples and putting systems and structures in place. (Luke 6:23-26) In three and a half years, he was done. So, it isn't about how long but how well. DURING his baptism, the heavens opened, and the spirit of God descended as a dove, and a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” (Matthew 3:13-17) God the Father announced the Son. BEFORE the disciples started the work, Jesus told them to wait (sit) in Jerusalem until they were endued with power (Acts 2:1-4) They needed power to do the work. WHEN you're ready to stand, God will confirm his work in your hands. While they fasted and prayed, God told them to separate Paul and Barnabas to him for the work he had called them. (Acts 13:2) God called them to manifest his glory. (Acts 13:6-28) Blossom THE THIRD SEASON is the Sitting Season —a season in which you are nearing the end. PAUL reminds Timothy of his sincere and unqualified faith, which first lived in his grandmother, Lois, and his mother, Eunice. (2 Timothy 1:5) This season is when legacies are passed on. He told Timothy not to allow anyone to look down on him because he is young, but he should be an example of a believer in speech, conduct, love, faith, and moral purity. He told him to devote himself to public reading, preaching and teaching of the scriptures. (1 Timothy 4:12-13) We have sat long enough to stand and having done all to stand, now stand. Final Thought Be aware of what season you are in and give yourself the grace to be there — Kristen Dalton.

ONE MISTAKE we make is equating our lives with those of others, forgetting that as our faces differ, so do our races. When God saved Paul, he mentioned that he would reveal how much Paul would suffer for his name's sake. (Acts 9:16) Paul would have great opportunities, and with them would come various challenges. ‘We forget that as our faces differ, so are our races in life.’ Opportunities ON THE DAY that Elijah would pass, he said to Elisha, “Ask what I shall do for you before I am taken from you.” “Please let a double portion of your spirit be upon me,” said Elisha. And Elijah replied, You have asked for a difficult thing. However, if you see me when I am taken from you, it shall be so for you; but if not, it shall not be so. (2 Kings 2:9-10) Elisha asked for a miracle but got an instruction. SIMILARLY , when Naaman sought a miracle, the prophet gave him an opportunity to walk in obedience. (2 Kings 5) When the wife of one of the sons of the prophets sought a breakthrough, she got an instruction instead. (2 Kings 4) So as you seek a miracle, ask God what you need to do. WHEN DAVID wanted a miracle, he asked God for instructions. And God told him to pursue the Amalekites, that he would surely overtake them and recover all. (1 Samuel 30:8) KNOWING what to do and doing it will make you a champion for God. Daniel knew what to do and did it. (Daniel 1:8) However, Jacob was unsettled when God appeared to him at Bethel. (Genesis 28:10-22) WHEN God wanted to expand Moses, he came to him in the burning bush. (Exodus 3:2-5) So, when God wants to change the season of your life, he gives you an opportunity in the form of an instruction. GOD gave Israel an opportunity when he told them to spy out the land of promise. He wanted them to connect to what they had heard. God did the same when he told Abraham to walk the length and breadth of the land that he would give him. (Genesis 13:17) GOD guarantees equal opportunities but not equal outcomes. When the twelve spies were sent to Canaan, ten of them returned saying, they couldn't while the other two, Caleb and Joshua, returned saying, they could. EVERY TEST or temptation is an opportunity to walk in obedience. So every situation in life presents an opportunity to live right. And every opportunity you seize in Christ will give you a God-ordained outcome. When you believe God’s report, you'll have his result. Final Thought We are faced with a series of great opportunities brilliantly disguised as impossible situations — Charles Swindoll.

THE CHALLENGE isn't God not wanting to do something; it's how far we're willing to go with Him. When Ruth said to Naomi, “Do not urge me to leave you or to turn back from following you; for where you go, I will go, and where you lodge, I will lodge. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God, she showed total commitment. (Ruth 1:16) Your loyalty to God must be a hundred percent—you must be knit with Him and be willing to bet your life on Him. Faith is ongoing. A LEVITE WOMAN was willing to bet her life on God when she saw that her son was especially beautiful and healthy, so she hid him for three months [to protect him from the Egyptians]. (Exodus 2) Your faith in God will knit you to Him and make you know that God has found His place in you. Faith waits. MOSES’ Mom believed, and she kept believing. Even when she couldn't continue to keep him, she thought of her next move. Simeon and Anna never stopped waiting for the Messiah as they had been promised. (Luke 2:25-38) God wants you to be forward-looking while waiting. Faith has pit stops. PIT STOPS are used for servicing and refueling. When you get to one, it's your chance to pause, pray and decide what to do next. David stopped and asked for an ephod when he reached one. (1 Samuel 30:8) At the PIT STOP , Jacob wrestled with the angel until dawn, refusing to let him go until he blessed him. (Genesis 32:24-32) Without God’s presence, the blessing was useless, and without his partnership, Jacob’s movement was measured. Without God’s presence, your movement would be measured. JESUS prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane, “My Father, if it is possible [that is, consistent with Your will], let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will.” (Matthew 26:39) Your pit stop is your place of revelation, where you latch onto God. Faith gives hope. UNTIL you see God as your only hope in life, God will not fully find his place in you. God did not find a place in his people when ten spies returned and said they were like grasshoppers and their enemies were giants. However, Caleb quieted the people before Moses, and said, “Let us go up at once and take possession of it; for we will certainly conquer it.” (Numbers 13:30-33) So faith gives God pleasure and opens the door to Him. If at any time, you can't feel God, check your faith. Psalm 61:2 says, “When my heart is overwhelmed and weak, lead me to the rock that is higher than I [a rock that is too high to reach without Your help].” Faith has an expectation. WHEN Moses’ mother could no longer hide him, she got him a basket (chest) made of papyrus reeds and covered it with tar and pitch [making it waterproof]. Then she put the child in it and set it among the reeds by the bank of the Nile. And his sister [Miriam] stood some distance away to find out what would happen to him. She looked forward to God’s intervention. Whenever you believe God for something, you must have an expectation. AFTER Mordecai took Esther to the palace, he checked on her daily because he wanted a favourable outcome. (Esther 2:11) So you cannot trust in God without believing in Him. You cannot have faith in God without an expectation from Him. Hebrews 11:6 says, “But without faith it is impossible to [walk with God and] please Him, for whoever comes [near] to God must [necessarily] believe that God exists and that He rewards those who [earnestly and diligently] seek Him.” Faith in God does not disappoint. PROVERBS 23:18 says, “Surely there is a future [and a reward], and your hope and expectation will not be cut off.” Anything you hand over to God does not return to you without an increase. (Ephesians 3:20) Final Thought FAITH is the art of holding onto things your reason has once accepted, despite your changing moods - C.S. Lewis. So, we walk by faith and not by moods.

PEOPLE who succeed know that out of small things come great ones. They understand that expansion comes from God. God did it in the life of Abraham when he blessed him, and prospered his son, Isaac, till he was extremely great. (Genesis 12:2 & Genesis 26:13) So God will expand you when you are faithful and promote you when you make his name great. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego made God’s name great when they refused to bow to the king’s golden image, and God promoted them. (Daniel 3:16 - 28) Likewise, Daniel was faithful to God when he continued to pray despite a royal decree forbidding it. And when he was thrown into the lion’s den, God shut the lions’ mouths. (Daniel 6) I pray that you’ll see God’s expansion coming toward you. Expansion God will expand you as you abide in your calling and increase you as you trust Him. THE APOSTLES trusted Jesus when they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, fellowship, breaking of bread and prayer. As they had everything in common, God added to their number daily those who were being saved. (Acts 2:42 - 47) If the church of Christ is to expand, we must know what we are called to do and do it. The SONS OF ISAACHAR understood the times and discerned the course of action Israel should take. So they joined others at Hebron to make David king. (1 Chronicles 12:32) God will expand you when you desire it and ask for it. JABEZ was more honourable than his brethren, but his mom named him Jabez because she had borne him in pain. He knew that every growth that wouldn’t grow toward God would result in a decay. So he prayed, “Oh that You would indeed bless me and enlarge my border [property], and that Your hand would be with me, and You would keep me from evil so that it does not hurt me!” (1 Chronicles 4:9 -10) God will expand you when you walk by faith. THE WIDOW of the prophet put her hope in God and said to Elisha, “Your servant, my husband, is dead, and you know that he revered the Lord. But now his creditor is coming to take my two boys as his slaves.” (2 Kings 4:1) My prayer for you is that God will open your eyes to see your destiny helpers. God will expand you when structures and systems are in place. NEHEMIAH trusted God to grant him favour with the king so that he could use the structures and systems of government to rebuild. Please, O Lord, let Your ear be attentive to the prayer of Your servant and the prayer of Your servants who delight to [reverently] fear Your Name [Your essence, Your nature, Your attributes, with awe]; and make Your servant successful this day and grant him compassion in the sight of this man [the king].” So God granted him favour, and the king gave him letters to the governors and soldiers to accompany him. (Nehemiah 1 & 2) God will expand you when his grace is upon your life. MANY MEN joined David—men who were in trouble, men who owed a lot and those who were unsatisfied with life. Day by day, they kept coming to David to help him, until there was a great army, like the army of God. (1 Chronicles 12:22) What he saw as a rejection became an expansion. ‘Your rejection will be your expansion’ God will expand you by making His ways known to you. (Daniel 11:32) GOD made his ways known to Moses, and his acts to Israel. (Psalm 103:7) I pray that you will know God, and your life will give Him pleasure. Final Thought THE KEY to spiritual growth is not increased church attendance or spiritual activities. People don’t grow in Christ because they are busy in church. They grow in Christ because they believe and trust their Bibles — Max Lucado.

HAVE you noticed that the great things of life come to you in seasons you would love to skip? However, you cannot love life without the hardship, or love Christ without the cross. We serve a God who enjoys going there as much as getting there, so if you're going with God, you must enjoy both. ‘Our God enjoys going there as much as getting there’ PAUL understood this and said: “That I may know Him [experientially, becoming more thoroughly acquainted with Him, understanding the remarkable wonders of His Person more completely] and [in that same way experience] the power of His resurrection [which overflows and is active in believers], and [that I may share] the fellowship of His sufferings, by being continually conformed [inwardly into His likeness even] to His death [dying as He did]. (Philippians 3:10) He knew God wouldn't do anything without a reason. So when God said: “My grace is sufficient for you [My lovingkindness and My mercy are more than enough—always available—regardless of the situation]; for [My] power is being perfected [and is completed and shows itself most effectively] in [your] weakness,” he saw another dimension of grace. He enjoyed God’s riches at Christ’s expense. Grace has brought him this far. The thing that keeps you going is the revelation of Jesus. The more you engage him, the more dimensions of Him you see. Therefore, Paul said, I will all the more gladly boast in my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ [may completely enfold me and] may dwell in me. (2 Corinthians 12:9) He made his reliance on God absolute, and God highly rated him. Likewise, God wants to make you his priority, but he must be yours first. When you believe in Him, he will give you power to become a son of God. NOAH believed in God when everyone ignored Him. No wonder, when God wanted to destroy man whom he had made, Noah found favour in God’s sight and walked in the light of grace. (Genesis 6:5-8) GOD told Noah to build an ark, and he gave him a blueprint, except there was no mention of a steering wheel so God could steer the ship. God desires to make you his own. He wants to steer the boat of your life. Will you allow Him? Will you make him the Lord of your life? JESUS said, “The Son can do nothing of Himself [of His own accord], unless it is something He sees the Father doing. (John 5:19) And as he prayed in Gethsemane, he said, “Father, if You are willing, remove this cup [of divine wrath] from Me; yet not My will, but [always] Yours be done.” (Luke 22:42) He chose the difficult one, Jesus brought the Father’s Will into everything. ‘Jesus chose the Father’s Will’ To succeed, you must do the same. HAVE YOU noticed that when you buy a make or colour of vehicle, you begin to see more of them? Similarly, when you become more sensitive to His Spirit, you see Him everywhere you go. DAVID saw God everywhere he went and asked, “Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.” (Psalm 139:7-12) JONAH realized that he couldn't hide from God when he ran from Him. God had told him to go to Nineveh and preach his word, but instead he ran to Tarshish. (Jonah 1:3) God caused a mighty storm over the sea. The mariners asked him who he was and suspected he was the cause. So he told them to throw him into the sea. And God sent a whale to swallow him and take him to Nineveh. No matter how much you run from God, he will find you. God wants you to come to him. Final Thought When you run alone, we call it race, but when you run with God, we call it grace.