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MANY THINGS are essential to arriving at true peace of mind—and one of them is faith. The Narrative IN THEIR PURSUIT to lay hold of God's promises, Joshua sent two spies on a secret mission. Go in and see what you can find out about the people in that area. Pay special attention to the city of Jericho. (Joshua 2:1) When they entered the town, they stayed at the home of a prostitute named Rahab. Somehow, word reached the king that some Israelite spies had slipped into the city and might be visiting Rahab. That night, the king sent soldiers to her house with a message. The king commands you to turn over the Israelite men who are staying with you because they are here to spy on all the land and its defences. But Rahab had hidden them in the stalks of flax laid on her roof—and she told the soldiers that they left before the city gates were closed; so, the soldiers went in pursuit of the men. I know that the Lord has given you this land, and your fear has fallen on us, said Rahab to the spies. (Joshua 2:8) Lord, what do you have me do? THE PEOPLE OF JERICHO were not just anxious; they feared for their lives. They had heard how the Lord dried the Red Sea and how Israel defeated the Amorite kings. They knew they were next, but Rahab begged the spies to show mercy to her and her family—and save them from death. Whenever you hear some news, what comes to your heart? For Nehemiah, it was to stand in the gap, to intercede for Israel and go back to rebuild. (Nehemiah 1:1-7) In David's case, it was to fight Goliath and put an end to the reproach. (1 Samuel 17) But for Rahab, it was to align to the Will of God and keep the spies safe. When next you hear a thing, ask God, "Lord, what will you have me do?" Cut a covenant with God. TO RECIPROCATE her gesture, the spies made her a promise and took an oath—they made a covenant with her. "You had the power to turn us in, but you saved us. Now we will do the same to you. Promise that you will not tell anyone what we are doing, and you'll have our word. We will treat you with kindness when the Lord gives us this land," said the spies. (Joshua 2:14-15) Since her house was part of the city wall, she let the men down with a rope; she told them to escape into the mountains and hide there for three days. But they told her to tie a red ribbon to her window, gather her family in her home, and be safe. And when the Lord gave them Jericho, they brought Rahab and her family out of the city and burnt everything else. (Joshua 6:23) My heart is blank Lord, "Write your story." See with the eye of faith EVERY CHALLENGE becomes an opportunity when you view life through the eye of faith. If you allow, challenges will change your perception, grow your faith and deepen your relationship with God. Anytime you walk in obedience to God, you create possibilities—by faith, the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with disobedient people. (Hebrews 11:31) Rahab built her success upon her willingness to keep them safe and trust that they will keep their promise when they attack Jericho. BRINGING IT TOGETHER MANY HAD SEEN her as a failure, and the inability to change will be fatal, so she aligned herself to the Will of God. To respond to life, you must decide—that's where the heart chooses. You must get to the point where you present your heart to Him and tell Him, "My heart is blank, Lord, write your story."

THE WORLD wants love. We are designed to want it—but there’s only one place to find it. We all have legitimate desires to succeed—but we fail when we try meeting our needs the wrong way. And our greatest failure occurs when we look for love in the wrong places—we ruin lives and relationships. The Narrative JESUS had returned from Mount Olives that morning to teach in the temple, and the Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery to Him. Moses says in the law that we must kill such women by stoning. What do you say? Jesus knew this was a setup, and he said nothing. But they kept badgering him as he wrote something in the dirt with his finger. Let the one throw the first stone among you who has not sinned. And Jesus continued to write on the ground. The Pharisees stood for a moment, and they began to leave one after another. Eventually, only Jesus and the woman were left. Jesus looked up and asked, “Where are your accusers?” “They are gone,” she replied. Jesus said to her, “Well, I do not condemn you either; all I ask is that you go and from now on, avoid the sins that plague you.” (John 8:1-11) The men accused her of sin, but they did not bring the man with whom she sinned. When they looked down on her, they exhibited arrogance—and those who looked up at the Pharisees showed envy. How does love respond to failure? JESUS bore her sin. He covered her inadequacy—helped her deal with it and grow after it. Jesus was gracious to her. When you hear a negative thing about anyone, do all you can to put the person in a good light. For instance, if you planned to meet a person, and the person does not show up—assume the person couldn’t make it. A circumstance shouldn’t define a person. Love believes the best of people. What does love demand? GOD EXPECTS YOU to maximize love in response to failure—but love must demand the truth. When Jesus said to the woman at the Well of Samaria to go and call her husband, he demanded the truth. And the woman told the truth. She said, “I have no husband.” (John 4:1-17) The woman was desperate to satisfy her soul, and she moved from one man to the other. Then, she met a prophet who believed in her, and she ran into the city, telling people that she had met the Messiah. Jesus showed her the truth. You cannot show love to anyone without telling them the truth; neither can you go on enabling without confronting. You must uncover so as not to enable—share grace and love. BRINGING IT TOGETHER THE WOMAN of Samaria chose the path of bravery by owning her mistakes and confessing her sins. People will not know you by the bible verses you quote, but the way you live—your love will reveal who you are and tell the story of your King.

THE GREATEST THINGS that will ever happen to you in life will either be birthed in adversity or shaped in it—and for every step of faith, there will be opposition. James Dyson, the inventor, made 5,127 prototypes to get his first cyclonic vacuum right. Joseph's opposition came from his household—but he excelled in Egypt and became the second in command. (Genesis 37:12-36) Meshach Shadrach and Abednego stood up for God, and they were thrown into the fiery furnace, but they came out unharmed. (Daniel 3:17-30) The Narrative NEHEMIAH was overwhelmed with grief and wept when he heard about Jerusalem's state—the walls were in ruins, and its gates burned with fire. He sought the audience of the Lord waiting and fasting before Him. Nehemiah confessed the sins of his fathers and the whole of Israel. He also acknowledged the sins of his household. (Nehemiah 1:10-11) He asked God to grant him favour before the king, and when he appeared before Artaxerxes, the king granted him the request to go and rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. When he got to Jerusalem, Nehemiah did not tell anyone what God had put in his heart. He took a few men to inspect the walls at night, and no one knew where he went. Then, he called the priests, the nobles, the officials and the people to do the work together and expressed his intentions—let us build the wall of Jerusalem and no longer suffer disgrace. Returning to Jerusalem was the least of his problems—there was opposition simmering in the city. When Sanballat, Tobias and Geshem heard their plans, they derided and despised them—they formed an opposition. Opposition will come SANBALLAT ridiculed them, calling them, feeble hands, and insulted them saying, "What are they building —if a fox goes up on it, he will break down their stone wall! (Nehemiah 4:1-3) The opposition is not concerned about where you're coming from or how long it has taken you—all they want is to stop you—and kill your dream. They make you question your God-given ability—and make you feel that you don't measure up—but that's a lie from the pit of hell. Sanballat and Tobias sowed lies and doubts. Their attack was fierce, but they failed. Are you faced with a dissenting voice? Is someone telling you to quit? Weeping may endure for a night, but laughter comes in the morning. (Psalm 30:5) Stay; do not quit. You're either birthed in anxiety or shaped in it How do you handle opposition? NEHEMIAH prayed to God, and the people built the wall—for the people had the mind to work. (Nehemiah 4:6) Your first point of call, when faced with a challenge, should be God. Then, you continue what you need to do. Sanballat and his cohorts planned to come and fight and cause confusion, but Nehemiah prayed to God. He also set a guard over the wall day and night. And from that day forward, while some laboured, half of them held their weapons to ward off any attack. (Nehemiah 4:1-20) He was proactive. How do you handle oppression? AS TIME went on, some common men and their wives cried out against the Jews. Some large families had no food—and some had pledged their homes and vineyards because of the famine. They borrowed to pay King Artaxerxes. The debtors and creditors were Jews— they had forgotten that God told them not to take advantage of their people—and collect interest on their loans. God also told them to support the poor among them. (Leviticus 25) They became loan sharks and oppressed their countrymen—this angered Nehemiah. Nehemiah loved the people. He had a thoughtful consideration. He confronted the Jewish nobles, told them that they exploited the people—and their silence confirmed their guilt. (Nehemiah 5:6) They all promised to give everything back and not take anything from their brethren in the future. To follow through and prevent it from happening again, he made them take an oath before the priests. Bringing it Together NEHEMIAH loved the people. He led by example—and corrected them in love. He knew that telling the truth without love is powerless. He did the right thing when things were wrong. You are shaped less by the events of your life than how you view it. And like Nehemiah, God wants you to stand in the gap and pray for your nation and the Body of Christ till you see His Will done on earth as it is done in heaven.

THE WHOLE SITUATION played out on live television when thirty-three Chilean miners were trapped in a gold mine. No one knew they were alive for the first 17 days—and when the drill went through the massive rock, the world watched as they mobbed the rescuer that came in through the hole. What an unforgettable picture of what Jesus did for us? The space they occupied became their room of refuge—their panic turned into relief, and their misery turned into delight. The Narrative THREE HEBREW MALES were taken captive in their teens. The king chose them to serve, but with the pecks came conditions antithetical to their faith. Nebuchadnezzar, the king, told all people to bow and worship his gold image—whoever doesn’t, will be cast into the fiery furnace. And when Meshach, Shadrach and Abednego did not bow, some Chaldeans told the king. The king was furious. He warned that if they do not worship, they would be thrown into the fiery furnace. (Daniel 3:1-13) What influences you? THE THREE of them were mindful of who they were. Meshach, Shadrach and Abednego told the king that even if their God does not deliver them, they will still not bow. You cannot make an adequate contribution to your world without knowing who you are—those who know their God shall be strong and do exploits. (Daniel 11:32) “If you have died with Christ to the world’s way of doing things, why do you let others tell you how to live? It’s as though you were still under the world’s influence.” (Colossians 2:20) Where is your focus? BELIEVERS CAN WALK through a maze of conflict and confusion and still have a good understanding of what’s happening to them—and this is because they are seeking things above. Since you were brought back to life with Christ, focus on the things that are above—where Christ holds the highest position. Keep your mind on things above, not on worldly things. (Colossians 3:1-2) The reason you struggle with your Christian walk is that your eyes are not on these things. When you start to look to Him, God will give you things that you need and keep the ones that will harm you away. What is your conviction? AGAINST ALL ODDS, they stuck to their faith. They were ready for anything that the king will throw at them. They were not acting; they had an understanding. They knew that God could release them from the king’s grip and move them forward. To move beyond every point in life, you must have an understanding—and with conviction comes commitment. Paul was confident that whatever he committed unto Him, God can keep until that day. (2 Timothy 1:12) Who do you worship? WHEN CHRIST spoke to the Samaritan woman, he said, “You worship what you know not, but we know what we worship, salvation is of the Jews.” (John 4:22) The Hebrew males knew who they worshipped. They were committed to God. My question to you is, “Who do you worship?” Will you take a stand? MESHACH, SHADRACH AND ABEDNEGO were willing to die for their faith. They knew that God does not always rescue martyrs. The king told his men to heat the furnace seven times. They bound and threw them in. But when he looked into the furnace, he couldn’t believe his eyes. There was a fourth man who looked like the Son of God. (Daniel 3:25) The king called out to them. They came out of the fiery furnace, and he blessed the Lord. Just as the rescuer showed up in the cave to save the miners, Jesus became the fourth man in the fiery furnace. BRINGING IT TOGETHER THE MINERS were rescued and raised to the surface of the earth. And Jesus Christ died and rose that we may rise to life. God’s primary purpose for your life isn’t prosperity but Christlikeness. Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and then all these things will be given to you too. (Matthew 6:33)

THE WAY WE VIEW the events of life shapes us. Many people’s last words indicate how they lived their lives. Some are full of emptiness, while others are full of hope. The Narrative JOSEPH HAD REVEALED himself to his brothers and told them to go and get his father. His father, Jacob, knew that this would draw on his responsibility towards the future of the people of God. He understood his stewardship toward his family and looked forward to seeing his son. And after they arrived in Egypt, Joseph took Jacob to Pharaoh. “How old are you?” asked Pharaoh. I have journeyed through life for 130 years. My life has been short and hard. But they don’t compare with the many years my ancestors travelled this earth. (Genesis 47:1-12) He could have responded differently, but he spoke about his misfortunes. In his teens, he left home. At his uncle’s place, they forced him to marry a woman he did not love. And when the woman he loved passed, something inside of him died. He was heartbroken when he lost Joseph—and no one could console him. How do you look at life? HE LIVED A LIFE of disappointments, and the prism through which he looked at his experiences shaped him. Jacob was a father in pain. He was a broken man—and like him, we are all broken people. But when he felt like dying, God spared his life. At Bethel, he saw angels going up and down on a ladder—and woke up to say. “I never knew God was in this place.” (Gen. 28:16) Are you a man in pain? Do you feel like Jacob? God has promised that when you pass through the waters, he will be with you. And when you pass through the fire, it will not burn you. (Isaiah 43:2) What do you see? GOD KEPT HIS PROMISE to him, yet, all he saw was pain—this is because you choose what you see. In human history, it’s not unusual to have interruptions. Joseph settled his father and brothers in Ramses and supplied them with food according to the number of children. (Genesis 47:11-12) Jacob lived in Egypt for seventeen years, and the time to die was drawing close, so he sent for Joseph. When I die, do not bury me here. Carry me out of Egypt and bury me where my people are buried. (Gen. 49:29) And when Jacob was ill, Joseph took his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, to see him. One of the wisest truths that you can teach your children is how to trust God. When he told Joseph how the Lord had promised to make him a community of peoples, he taught him how to trust God. Jacob testified of God’s faithfulness. Passing the Baton HE ASKED HIM to bring his sons to him. Jacob placed his right hand on Ephraim, the younger. Joseph removed his hand. He wanted the older to receive the blessing, but Jacob said no. The environment in which your children grow impacts their perspective of family, people and God. The mother to the boys was the daughter of an Egyptian priest who worshipped a pagan god. However, when Jacob had the chance, he prayed the blessing over Ephraim and Manasseh—and said they would be mine. Jacob’s sight was blurry, but he knew what to do by the Spirit. As a father, it’s your responsibility to lead your children the way of the Lord and pass the baton to them when the time comes. Words of Hope JACOB’S WORDS reflected the man he had become. His words were full of hope—and the promise of God to him became his theme. He was talking about the God that he knew—The God of promise. The God of certitude. Do not wait to share God’s testimonies until you’re old. Begin to share them today. BRINGING IT TOGETHER AT THE END OF LIFE, he ensured that his two grandsons did not have a dual personality. When you choose not to look at life through the prism of grace, you put yourself in prison. And whatever challenges you face, you can only be joyous when you understand the truth of God. Happy Father's day.

HAVE YOU ever sinned and had a gut feeling that you have done something wrong or continued to live your life as if nothing happened? John Newton, the writer of the Amazing Grace hymn, was a slave ship captain when he ran into a severe storm along the coast of Ireland. He cried out to God, but he did not fully accept his sin. He later made amends when he spoke against slavery in the British Parliament. There was something about his conscience that wouldn't let go. The Narrative IT WAS SPRINGTIME when most soldiers go to war, and David stayed back in Jerusalem. Early one evening, he saw a woman bathing on a roof —and she was stunning. The king sent someone to find out who she was, and a word came that she was Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah, the Hittite, one of David's officers who had gone to war. And the king couldn't get her off his mind. He sent for Bathsheba and laid with her. (2 Samuel 11:1-26) David sinned before God. How do you handle filthy thoughts? YOU MAY NOT be able to stop a thought from passing through your mind, but you can prevent it from staying there. You demolish every deceptive fantasy that opposes God and break down every arrogant attitude that rises in defiance of God's real knowledge. You capture every thought and insist that it bows in obedience to Christ. (2 Corinthians 10:5) When you become a believer, you put to death the immoral thoughts that come through you, and you do not feast on them. (Colossians 3:5) The struggle can be intense, but you have all you need to win. Watch your desire DAVID SENT for Uriah and told him to go home, but he spent the night at the king's palace entrance. And when he couldn't get him to go home, he wrote a letter to Joab, the head of his army and sent it through Uriah. He told Joab to put Uriah where the battle was fiercest and pull back so the enemy will strike him. One wonders what Joab thought when he read the letter. He knew that the king was committed to killing Uriah. These acts were some of the lowest points in David's life. A man who loved God went against his values. When Uriah died, his wife mourned his death. When the mourning was over, David sent men to bring her to his palace. Did Bathsheba know about her husband's death? She seems complicit in the plot because she told David that she was pregnant. When desire conceives, it gives birth to sin, and when sin grows, it brings forth death. (James 1:15) Obedience unlocks understanding Have this Understanding GOD KNOWS your heart, and he knows all things. (1 John 3:19-24) He sent Nathan, the prophet to David, and the Man of God told him the story of two men who lived in a city—one was quite rich, and the other was poor. While the rich man had many flocks, the poor man had a lamb raised as a pet. A traveller came to visit the wealthy man, and he took the poor man's ewe, killed it and prepared it for his guest. Since David's moral duty was to protect the poor and give them justice, he had to pronounce a verdict. (2 Samuel 12:1-12) “The man who did this deserves to die,” he said. David couldn't see himself in the story. If you are going to make progress in your walk with God, you must see yourself in the Bible's stories. Like David, we have the 'sense of oughtness.' We see the sins of others and not ourselves. We are not to focus on the flaws in someone else's eye and not notice our glaring flaws. (Matthew 7:3-5) "David, you are the man," said Nathan. Nathan reminded him that God chose him, took the throne from Saul and gave it to him. And he will bring trouble to the house of David. (2 Samuel 12:7-12) David's conscience pricked him. Take Ownership IN HIS RESPONSE, he made no excuses—and he fully acknowledged his sin. (Psalm 51) Obedience unlocks understanding - Rick Warren. We must understand that there can be no reconciliation until we acknowledge our sins—if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9) BRINGING IT TOGETHER DAVID FAILED GOD and asked for forgiveness. When you embrace sin, you bring disgrace to God's name and give his enemies an occasion to say something terrible. However, when you walk in obedience to His Word, you bring glory to His name.

THE SECRET of change is to focus all of your energy not on fighting the old, but on building the new – Socrates. That was what Jesus did. He came to build the new covenant—and by calling this covenant new, he made the previous one obsolete. (Hebrews 8:13) He obeyed the Father’s Will. The Narrative ALTHOUGH HIS DISCIPLES had their future laid before them, they still had a lot to learn. They were worried about arrests—they hid behind closed doors. And with so much time on their hands, they wondered what to do with it. But Jesus knew their state of mind. He spent forty days teaching them about the Kingdom of God. Do you have so much time on your hands? If you do, spend some time with God—learn about his kingdom and become the person God wants. He prohibited them from leaving Jerusalem until they received the promise of the Father. When they asked him, “Master, are you going to restore the kingdom to Israel now? Is this the time?” (Acts 1:6) “The timing is the Father’s business,” he replied. And they watched him as he was taken up into heaven. Then, they returned to Jerusalem. Under the Influence FOR THEM, these were extraordinary times. But they were filled with joy, curiosity and amazement. They understood that faith in God is the platform on which to build their curiosity—so they waited at Jerusalem. On the day of Pentecost, there was like a rushing wind from heaven. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke in tongues. Devout Jews from different nations in Jerusalem had them speak their language and were amazed. And some made fun of them saying, “They have had too much wine.” But they didn’t have any wine, and the opinion polls don’t count for much—they were under the influence of the Holy Spirit. Make God famous WITH NO PERSONAL COMPONENT in anything he did, Peter stood up and explained—the people are not drunk as you may think—this is the fulfilment of prophecy. ‘In the last days, God says, “I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams.” When Peter shared the gospel of Christ, those who accepted his message were baptised—and three thousand people were added to the church. He thought globally and acted locally—his desire was to make God famous. He knew that the essence of knowing Christ can only be realised in influencing others to know Him. God’s Workmanship ONE AFTERNOON, Peter and John went to the temple to pray. At the Beautiful Gate, a lame man from birth begged them for money. Peter knew that they were God’s workmanship created for good works. And he said to him, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” (Acts 3:6) He stood up and walked. The people were amazed, and Peter shared the Gospel of Christ with them. The captain and priests ceased Peter and John. But many people believed. Peter told them that he did this by the name of Jesus. The leaders were surprised and confused. However, the leaders knew that they were uneducated and ordinary men with extraordinary confidence who had been with Jesus. BRINGING IT TOGETHER UNDER THE INFLUENCE, the apostles stopped being calculative. They became the outworking of the Holy Ghost. If you’re going to make an impact, you must be led by the Holy Spirit, and whatever matters to God must matter to you. Then, you can act locally and think globally.

MANY OF OUR LEADERS were unprepared for the challenges when the pandemic broke out. Only a few weeks before, we could do some things without a second thought—like touch our faces and hug people. But now, the mundane has become a dilemma. However, we can have the science and the truth-telling but not without faith—because, without faith, it's impossible to please God. The Narrative UNLIKE OUR LEADERS, Jesus did everything to prepare his disciples for the future. He shared his thoughts with them, and they had amazing times together. At the last supper, he hinted them of his death. Then, Jesus led them to Gethsemane to pray. He took Peter, James and John a little farther. My soul is overwhelmed with grief, to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with Me. (Matthew 26:38) Then, he went to a secluded place to pray. Not My Will THERE WAS A PAUSE between the present and the future—the promise and the expectation, and he was deeply sorrowful. He was facing the greatest struggle of his life—not only the death on the cross, but he would become sin. (1 Corinthians 5:21) Jesus respected the difficulty of this task, and the beauty of the result—he became sin that we may become the righteousness of God. Father, if there is no other way for this cup to pass without My drinking it—then not My will, but Yours be done. (Matthew 26:42) But when he returned to his disciples, he found them sleeping. As they got up to go, soldiers walked in. They arrested Jesus and took him away. They tried him and condemned him to death. Later, they brought him to Golgotha, where they nailed Him to the cross. A wealthy man named Joseph approached Pilate for the custody of His body. Pilate consented and ordered that they give him the body. There was a pause between the moment and the future My Expectation AT DAWN of the first day of the week, Mary, Joana and Mary Magdalene came to the tomb. They expected a stench, so they came with spices to put on his body, but they found the stone rolled away. "Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen!" Said an angel. (Luke 24:1-6) At the tomb, Peter found the cloth covering Jesus' head lying there. And when John went inside, he believed. Suddenly the things Jesus said to them about his resurrection made a meaning. Their uncertainty changed to guarantee—and their despair to living hope. (1 Peter 1:3) My Doubts THAT SAME NIGHT, the disciples huddled together behind closed doors, hoping to avoid arrests. But Thomas wasn't there. When Jesus appeared to them, he showed them his scars, and they were happy. But when they told Thomas that they had seen Jesus, he did not believe. And he left the place a skeptic. (John 20:25 TPT) Just Believe EIGHT DAYS later, they were behind closed doors when Jesus walked in. Put your finger into my side and hands, Jesus said to him. Don't get into your doubts any more, just believe. And Thomas believed. Jesus told him, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." (John 20:26-29) Many of us belong to the second group—we have not seen Him, yet we believe—and that's faith. BRINGING IT TOGETHER YOU MAY BE A SKEPTIC, but you cannot remain there. God wants you to move from confusion to conviction and from fear to faith. Jesus Christ has risen. Have a great Easter!

WE LIVE IN DAYS of obsessive limiting preoccupation—where quiet streets, empty subways, self-isolating families and movement restrictions have created uncertainties. So, when your heart is heavy, where do you go? Who do you talk to when nothing seems to make sense? God will keep His Promise GOD HAD KEPT HIS PROMISE to Abraham, and his descendants had become a nation within a nation. The Egyptians had taken notice, and their hospitality turned into anger and their welcome turned into hostility. While the king made a decree that they should kill all male Hebrew children, the slave masters made their lives unbearable. But in their dire situation, they cried out to God. They called for an intervention only God could bring. The Bible says, "Call to Me, and I will answer you. I will tell you of great things, things beyond what you can imagine, things you could never have known." (Jeremiah 33:3) Today, call on God. God will keep you safe IN THIS DIFFICULT TIME, Moses was born. For fear of death, his mother made an ark of bulrushes and put him in it. She put the ark on the River Nile and committed him into God's hand—the sister waited to see what will happen to him. Shortly after, Pharaoh's daughter came to bathe. She saw baby Moses and loved him. His sister ran to her and asked if she could get someone to raise Moses, and his mother raised him. (Exodus 2:1-8) And Moses later grew up in the palace. In this challenging time, God will keep you safe. God will send help ONE DAY while mediating in a quarrel, he killed an Egyptian and ran for his life. (Exodus 2:11-15) While he was away working as a shepherd, Moses saw a strange sight—a bush burn and was not consumed, and God called out to him. "Do not come any closer. Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground." "I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob." (Exodus 3:10) God told him that his people were suffering, and he wants to deliver them. God called Moses to challenge Pharaoh—one of the most powerful kings—and to rescue the Hebrew children from slavery. Humanly speaking, this was a risky business. Moses was an unlikely hero. He was a fugitive and a murderer. In adversity, heroes wear many hats but in this narrative, one stood out. Moses was a shepherd called to be a deliverer. There is a hero in every one of us. God wants you to walk by faith and not by sight. (2 Corinthians 5:7) God will make you a witness MOSES STRUGGLED with accepting his calling. When Moses and Aaron told Pharaoh that God wanted the Hebrew people to go and worship him, Pharaoh said, "I will not let Israel go." (Exodus 5:2) That day, he stopped the supply of straw to the Hebrew people and told them to gather their straw themselves. God will put a distinction MOSES CRIED OUT to God, and God told Moses that he would deliver them with a mighty hand. God planned to punish Pharaoh for his defiance, and he sent one plague after another. But before he sent the tenth plague, God told each Hebrew household to slaughter a lamb and anoint their doorpost with the blood. And when he sees the blood, he will pass over them. That night, God killed all firstborn males of the Egyptians, and there was great wailing in Egypt. (Exodus 12:29) Now we are holy because of the death of Jesus Christ at Cavalry. (Hebrews 10:10) And as a result, you can dwell under the shadow of His wings. (Psalm 91:4) BRINGING IT TOGETHER WE CAN SAY SOMETHING for the tried and true—they have a story to tell. Genuine character is better modelled in us when we see it in others. We can draw our collective strength when we hold on in faith—and with God, nothing shall be impossible.

THE UNKNOWN can send you into a panic, and this may be where you are. But you must not allow your pain to use you—you must use your pain to ride the storms of life. Patta had discovered this truth when he stood on Twenty Street that afternoon. He knew that people couldn't go to church—so, he brought church to them. And led them in the hymn, 'Amazing Grace.' While some came out singing, others watched from their windows. He also prayed and led them in the Lord's prayer. They majored in unity, minored in individuality—and amid uncertainty, they put their hope in God. The Narrative WHEN THE CHILDREN of Israel were taken captive to Babylon, they lost everything. As they sat by the river of Babylon, they wept when they remembered Zion. Then, their enemies mocked them, saying, "Sing unto us one of the songs of Zion." (Psalm 137:3) But how can we sing the Lord's song in a strange land? How can they sing when they are in pain? A Legacy THE CULTURE in captivity had lulled them into complacency—but the taunting and anxiety jolted them into reality. God wanted them to change their ways. He wanted them to live a holy life, and sulking wasn't going to get them there. They had a legacy to protect—a heritage that will determine how their children will respond to God in adversity. God wants you to leave a godly legacy too. He wants you to be an example of a believer. What do you see? THEY WERE SUPPOSED to be role models, but all they saw were pain and uncertainty. Do you feel the same way? Do you feel as if you are in a strange land? Have you lost your job, and you have a debt to service? Are you in pain wondering when this will end? I have good news for you. God will never leave you nor forsake you. (Deuteronomy 31:6) What do you do? GOD WANTS YOU to sing. In adversity, God told them to build houses and settle down, marry and have children. He also told them to seek the peace and prosperity of the city where they live and pray for it. (Jeremiah 29:1-8) God was telling them to sing a love song to Him. He wanted them to live a day at a time. However, if you've not been singing, it's not too late to start. But to sing a love song to Him, you must be conformed to His image. Only those with an assurance of salvation can sing a love song in a strange land. A song of praise is a sign of faith Everything may change, but God will never change. You may be in a strange land but never allow God to be a stranger to you. And know that when you're in sync with Him, He has your back. Paul knew that God had his back when God said, "My grace is always more than enough for you, and my power finds its full expression through your weakness." (2 Corinthians 12:9) BRINGING IT TOGETHER THE EFFECTIVE WEAPON to fighting fear is worship to God. They needed to sing the Lord's song. A song of praise is a sign of faith—and when you put your confidence in God, your trust will be in the right place.

PAIN IS THE LANGUAGE that the body uses to tell that something is wrong. The Narrative SAMARIANS were in agony when the Arameans besieged their city. The siege disrupted their lives and upended their daily livelihoods. The prices of food rose astronomically—a donkey head sold for two pounds of silver, and two cups of dove's dung cost two ounces of silver. (2 Kings 6:24) They all had one question in mind—what next? The Beacon of Hope KING BEN-HADAD thought Elisha caused the famine. And when the king heard the story of a mother who ate her son, he tore his clothes and sent someone to kill Elisha. But the prophet knew that the executioner was coming, and he told them to lock the doors. As Elisha sat with the elders, the king walked in, accusing, "This trouble is directly from God! And what's next? I'm fed up with God!" (2 Kings 6:33) Ben-hadad was afraid of what will come next. He came fighting instead of seeking God's assistance. And Elisha said, "By this time tomorrow, seven quarts of flour and thirteen quarts of barley will sell for eleven grams at the market in the gate of Samaria." (2 Kings 7:1) God's Word became their beacon of hope. The Antidote to Fear THE BEST ANTIDOTE to fear is Godly competence. Elisha was competent in the Lord. He had prioritized the threats. He understood the dangers involved and wasn't overwhelmed by the noise of war. You may not be able to control the unknown, but you can choose how to respond. Let the Word of God become your stay. The best antidote to fear is competence The Approach THE PATH you adopt in adversity will give you a purpose to pursue. Elisha chose the right path and pursued the mind of God. But there was an officer of the king who wouldn't accept God's Word. Rather than believe God, he said to Elisha—"You expect us to believe that? Trapdoors opening in the sky and food tumbling out?" "You will witness the event but wouldn't enjoy the feast," Elisha replied. (2 Kings 7:2) Be All in FOUR LEPERS SAT outside the city gates. They lived on benevolence but had a moment of power. The lepers said to one another, "What are we doing sitting here at death's door? If we enter the famine-struck city, we'll die; if we stay here, we'll die. So, let's take our chances in the camp of Aram and throw ourselves on their mercy. If they receive us, we'll live, if they kill us, we'll die. We've got nothing to lose." (2 Kings 7:3-4) The decision process was like a Rubix cube. But the lepers understood that they lived in extraordinary times, which deserve extraordinary measures. Share the Good News BEFORE NIGHTFALL, the lepers went to the camp of the Arameans. To their surprise, the place was empty—there was no one there. God had caused the Arameans to abandon everything and run for their lives. (2 Kings 7:7) After a while, the lepers told themselves that what they were doing wasn't right. They told the gatekeepers about the Arameans, which in turn sent a message to the king. And when the king's emissaries checked, they found it to be true. Ben-hadad appointed his officer to man the gate. The people ran over him, and he died. Bringing it Together MANY PEOPLE think that fear is the opposite of faith, but it is unbelief. You do not attract divine sympathy by complaining, but by speaking the Word over your situation. Wherever you are, be all in—live your life to the hilt!

WHEN THE WORLD surprises you and things do not go as planned, when your life drops and nothing makes sense—remember that God never abandons His own—He’s always working behind the scene. The Narrative THE SEAT OF POWER was in Susa when King Ahasuerus had a state banquet for 180 days. And while under the influence, he told his eunuchs to bring his wife. Ahasuerus wanted to show her off, but Queen Vashti refused. The king became angry. He turned to his counsellors for legal recourse— and banned Vashti from his presence. When the king’s fury subsided, his servants began a search for beautiful virgins for him. Path to Greatness IN THE SAME CITY was a Jew. His name was Mordecai, and he had a cousin called Esther. She was an orphan, and she was beautiful. Esther, with many other girls, were brought to the palace complex and handed over. Hegai, the overseer liked Esther; he started her on beauty treatment and put Esther and her maids in the best rooms. But she didn’t reveal her ethnicity because Mordecai had told her not to. (Esther 1:9-10) Esther knew the way of the Lord, and she followed the overseer’s instruction. When Esther appeared before the king, he was more attracted to her than the other girls. And the king made her queen in place of Vashti. The Gang Up THE ROYAL OFFICIALS sat at the entrance to the palace. While all of them bowed to Haman, Mordecai wouldn’t. Faithful to Jewish teachings, he bowed to no man—and reserved his homage for God. The other nobles spoke to Mordecai daily, thinking that he will change his mind, but he didn‘t. And when Haman found out, he planned to wipe out all the Jews. Haman told the king that there were people in his kingdom whose customs were different and who disregarded the king’s laws. If it is your wish, destroy these people. As a result, a decree was made. Haman wanted to build his strength on the weakness of the people of God, but he was mistaken. Something Isn’t Right WHEN THE DECREE got to Susa, people were confused. And Mordecai tore his clothes and mourned. When Esther sent him clothes, he didn’t accept them. Esther sent her eunuch to Mordecai to find out what happened. Mordecai told the eunuch about the plot and gave him a copy of the decree. And when she read it, she wondered what to do, and she found herself at an impasse, so it seemed. What do I do? MORDECAI TOLD HER to go before the king and beg for mercy. But there was a problem; no one appeared before the king without being summoned. And Mordecai warned her not to think that she will escape, and perhaps she was made for a time like this. (Esther 4:13-14) While she wondered about the present, he was concerned about the future. When she heard this message, she realized her why? Providence had made her a queen, and she cannot escape. You're accountable for the decisions you make, and the ones you do not make Her situation put her in a realization—that her being in the palace wasn’t her idea, but divine orchestration. God was busy working behind the scene. Esther understood that no man lives unto himself, and no man dies unto himself. So, she called for a fast. Whenever you face a situation and say, “What if?” Also, remember to consider ‘even if.’ Esther considered both and said, “If I die, I die.” (Esther 4:16) BRINGING IT TOGETHER YES, LIFE may be daunting, but God is always working behind the scene. When Esther became the queen, she thought that she entered a playground—and soon discovered that it was a battleground—but purpose had been ingrained in her. If free will indeed exists, then, you will be accountable for the decisions you make, and those you do not make—this is why you must choose wisely.