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HAVE YOU ever believed a lie? You'll believe a lie when you hang around one for too long. And when you spend time with the truth regularly, you’ll embrace it. The NEPHEW of Abraham, Lot, had hung around lies for quite some time, and when he had the chance not to return to Sodom, he did not seize it (Genesis 14:14-17). JABEZ refused the enemy's lie when 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!” (2 Chronicles 4:10) When BALAK , the king of Moab, wanted Balaam to curse Israel, God told him not to because they were blessed (Numbers 22:12). Proverbs 14:7 says, “Walk away from the company of fools, for you cannot find insight in their words.” Watch your association PETER and JOHN had spent so much time with Jesus that when they preached, people could tell they had been with Him (Acts 4:13). They knew that their association would be their definition , and their definition would be their direction , so they watched the company they kept and their lives. Trust God SIMEON and ANNA trusted God. They were blessed because they kept the company of the righteous (Psalm 1). So, God promised Simeon that he would not die until he saw the Messiah (Luke 2:26). God’s promises are sure. I DO NOT KNOW what lies you have been told or what you’re trusting God for, but I know his promises are sure. God is not like people. He tells no lies. He is not like humans. He doesn’t change his mind. When he says something, he does it. When he makes a promise, he keeps it (Numbers 23:19). God wants you to finish your year strong Be led by God. You must be a man of prayer to be led by God. GOD kept his promise when the HOLY SPIRIT led Simeon to the temple as Jesus was brought in. The value of persistent prayer is not that God will finally hear us but that we will finally hear God - William McGill. So, I do not pray because I only want him to hear me but to hear him first. Prayer is a two-way street. Finish Well The BEST PLACE to be is where the Holy Spirit leads you. When he visits you, he gives a revelation of Christ. And when he leads you, you finish strong . God wants you to finish your year strong, as Simeon did. Be a confirmation of the prophecy As Jesus’ PARENTS brought him to the temple, Simeon took him in his arms and said: I have seen your salvation, which you have prepared for everyone to see. He (Jesus Christ) is a light that will reveal salvation to the nations and bring glory to your people, Israel (Acts 2:30-32). By his confirmation , the parents understood who their son was. God wants you to confirm His Word in someone’s life this Christmas. He wants you to give hope to the hopeless. Wait Actively SIMEON had a heightened expectation of what was promised—and God met it. He knew that if God said it, he would do it. Indeed, surely the expectation of the righteous will not be cut short (Proverbs 24:18). Live a Life of Worship ANNA worshipped God day and night (Luke 2:37). Her eyes were single; no wonder her body was full of light (Matthew 6:22). She understood that in the process of God being worshiped… God communicates his presence to men – C. S. Lewis. Tell people about Jesus ANNA spoke about Jesus to those who waited for Jerusalem to be set free. Jesus's revelation is to be shared with others. You begin by being a witness. But how will people call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how will they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher (messenger)? (Romans 10:14) Bringing it Together CHRISTMAS is about the PERSON of CHRIST . Remove him from the season, and it becomes a mere event. Celebrating the season without him is like living without air. However, you can have Him by accepting Him as your Lord and Saviour. Have yourself a Merry Christmas!

MANY PEOPLE would love to be in their best place. But God wants you in His best place. God knows the thoughts he has for you, plans of peace and well-being, and not of disaster, to give a future and hope (Jeremiah 29:11) ABRAM understood God wasn’t haphazard. So when he called him to leave his father’s house for a country, he would show him; he knew God meant it. Then, God made him a promise. I will make you a great nation, and I will bless you [abundantly] and make your name great (exalted, distinguished); And you shall be a blessing [a source of great good to others]. (Genesis 12:1-3) Abram needed to be elsewhere. He realized that his place of calling was God’s place of promise . The place of God's Spirit is where you find His Will ISAAC was in God’s place of promise when God told him not to leave because of famine. As he sowed in the land, he reaped one hundredfold that year (Genesis:12-33). Your place of promise is where you’re most pleasurable to Him. God’s promises come from his heart; this is where you go to know the WILL of GOD . PAUL and TIMOTHY had shared the gospel in different places. But the Spirit of Jesus did not permit them when they got to Bithynia. So, they went elsewhere (Acts 16:1-7). They knew the place of His will was the place of His Spirit. To experience God's power, they walked in His Will. ABRAM was on his way to the promised land when he told Abimelech that Sarai was his sister. Abimelech, king of Gerar took Sarai to his home. That same night, God came to him in a dream. Behold, you are a dead man because of the woman whom you have taken [as your wife], for she is another man’s wife (Genesis 20:1-8). Despite his deception, God protected Sarai. WHEN HE struggled with waiting for a child, he asked God: What will you give me knowing that I am childless? ( Genesis 15:2) Knowing God’s heart took some burden off him. ELIJAH knew God's heart when he told Ahab to go and eat (1 Kings 18:41). However, he went to pray. When you receive a word from God, it’s not time to sit and do nothing. It’s time to pray until you see it come to pass—you actively wait. Simeon and Anna actively waited for Messiah’s birth (Luke 3:25-39). WHEN the believers prayed, they saw Peter delivered from prison (Acts 12:5-17). They knew that prayer was the engine room. GOD had told Israel how to conduct a census (Exodus 30:13-16). So, when David commanded one for the fighting men, Joab told him that a census would be sinful (2 Chronicles 21:1). However, when he insisted, the counting was done. God was displeased, and he punished Israel. God gave him three choices, but David fell into God's hands. Seventy thousand people died in the plague. Then, God sent an angel to destroy the people (1 Chronicles 21:14). But as the angel prepared, God told him to stop. The angel was standing by the threshing floor of Araunah, the Jebusite (1 Chronicles 21:14-15). DAVID and the LEADERS of ISRAEL put on sackcloth to show their distress. They fell face down on the ground. I am the one who called for the census! I am the one who has sinned and done wrong! But these people are as innocent as sheep—what have they done? O Lord my God, let your anger fall against me and my family, but do not destroy your people.” (1 Chronicles 21:17) The best place to be is where you take ownership of your sins (2 Chronicles 7:14). Then, the angel told Gad to tell David to build an altar. He built one and offered sacrifices on it. The place of worship is where God delights. Araunah’s threshing floor became David’s place for redemption. SOMETIMES , we move thinking things will go as planned but go wrong. Elimelek, Naomi and their two sons thought so too. They left Bethlehem for Moab because of famine. The three men died, leaving. Naomi, Ruth and Orpah. Ruth and Naomi returned to Bethlehem (the place of bread), where Boaz redeemed Ruth. (Ruth 4:1-9). Bringing it Together RUTH and BOAZ returned to the place of bread. Jesus Christ is the Bread of Life. Whoever feeds on this bread will live forever (John 6:53-59). You can only do this when you accept Him as Lord and Saviour. If you’ve done this, you’re in God’s best place.

TO MAKE  the best of anything you do in Christ, you must come from a place of knowledge with the need and the urge to know. Recognizing the need is insufficient; you must also act on the urge. JEHOSHAPHAT  came to God with both.      He said: "O our God, will You not judge them? For we are powerless against this great multitude which is coming against us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on You." (2 Chronicles 20:12) He identified their difficulty  and acknowledged their inability . He understood that he couldn't do life without  God. MORDECAI  came from a knowledgeable position, too. He said to Esther: For if you remain silent at this time, liberation and rescue will arise for the Jews from another place, and you and your father's house will perish [since you did not help when you had the chance]. Who knows whether you have attained royalty for such a time as this [and for this purpose]?" (Esther 4:14) ISN'T IT  intriguing that light  becomes significant  in darkness and our relevance becomes obvious  in adversity ? So, when you face a challenge next, know it's time for exploits. ESTHER  became relevant in difficulty as she recognized her day of visitation. Knowledge made her life meaningful. RAHAB'S LIFE  became meaningful when she heard the testimonies of the Hebrews. When two of them stopped by her place, she knew they were spies. She told them: I know  that the Lord has given you the land, and the terror and  dread of you have fallen on us, and all the land's inhabitants have melted [in despair] because of you (Joshua 2:9). Knowledge gives you insight. NOTHING  is as gratifying as facing a challenge and knowing what to do. The sons of Issachar understood the times and knew what Israel should do (1 Chronicles 12:32). JOHN  the BAPTIST  knew who Jesus was. He acknowledged him when he came to Jordan to be baptized. However, when imprisoned, he told two disciples to confirm if Jesus was the Messiah. (Luke 7:19) He moved from a position of knowing to doubt. AT THAT  very hour, Jesus healed many people  of sicknesses, infirmities, and evil spirits; He gave [the gracious gift of] sight to many who were  blind. He told them to tell John what they had seen and heard. (Luke 7:21-22) I DO NOT KNOW where you are in life, but do not make everything about yourself. The fact that you've trusted God for something or thought that God would solve a problem a certain way and he didn't does not make God less than he is. GOD  is GOD  regardless of what you feel or how you see Him. If we are faithless, He (God) remains faithful [true to His word and His righteous character], for He cannot deny Himself (2 Timothy 2:13). JOB KNEW  this truth and told his friends: Though he slays me, I will still hope in Him. (Job 13:15) He believed in God's vindication process. THERE'S SOMETHING  about the truth that never leaves you. Paul 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 (Philippians 3:10). When you know him, you'll want to know Him more. So there's no end to knowing Him. No wonder when the other believers tried to persuade him not to go to Jerusalem for fear of arrest, he said he was willing to die. (Acts 21:12) He had reached a point where he knew that his calling would eventually lead to death. He made it about the kingdom. Until you make your walk about the kingdom, nothing will be added to you. (Matthew 6:33) Aim at heaven, and you'll get the earth thrown in. Aim at the earth, and you get neither — C.S. Lewis. Bringing it Together ONE REASON  certain things haven't happened for you is because you do not know your God. The knowledge of God will trigger something inside of you and make you act on what you know. The people who [are spiritually mature and] know their God will display strength and take action [to resist]. (Daniel 11:32b)

IT’S EASY to think there's something you can do to earn the love of God. You can do nothing to earn it, but something to receive it (Ephesians 2:8-9). God proved his love that while we were sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8). AFTER YOU receive the love of God, you’ll realize that touching the heart of God isn’t an emotion but a determination . Your heart tells a story. A GOOD MAN brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of (Luke 6:45). God seeks such. EVERYWHERE GOD goes, he seeks a pure heart (Matthew 5:8). When God saved you, he wanted one. When he sent Samuel to the house of Jesse he sought one. No wonder God wouldn’t allow Samuel to anoint anyone but David (1 Samuel 16:7). Touching the heart of God isn't an emotion but a determination The Holy Spirit is your Teacher. YOU CANNOT touch the heart of God without the Spirit of God . The Holy Spirit is your guide (John 16:7-14). When Samuel poured oil on him, God’s presence was palpable over David (1 Samuel 16:1-13). Obedience is your gateway. NOTHING touches the heart of God like obedience to his word. To ignore him and walk in disobedience is to think he does not know what he's doing. But trust me, God knows what he's doing. None of his words has ever returned to him void without accomplishing his purpose (Isaiah 55:11). Your conscience is a pointer. IN A CAVE , David cut the edge of Saul’s garment, and his heart cut him (1 Samuel 24:5). So, when his men wanted him to kill Saul, he told them he would not lay his hands on the Lord’s anointed. (1 Samuel 24:8-13). He knew that adversity was the home of understanding . Do not forget how you got here. WHEN GOD had given David rest on every side, he wanted to build God a house. That night, God said this to Nathan about David: I have been with you wherever you have gone, and have cut off all your enemies from before you; and I will make you a great name, like that of the great men of the earth (2 Samuel 7:8-9). Your house (royal dynasty) and your kingdom will endure forever before Me; your throne will be established forever (2 Samuel 7:16). God wants you to remember that he is the only reason you made it this far. Adversity is the home of understanding Seek God IS IT NOT interesting that you go seeking God —and when you leave God never takes his eyes off you? Solomon loved the Lord. He went to Gibeon and sacrificed a thousand animals. That night, God spoke to him in a dream. Ask [Me] what I shall give you (1 Kings 3:5). 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 this great people of Yours? (1 Kings 3:9) He wanted the spirit of excellence. Solomon wanted God. When you seek God, he seeks you. The truth is that God sought you even before you started to look for Him. Walk by Faith 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 (Hebrews 11:6). Rahab touched the heart of God by welcoming the spies (Joshua 2). She walked by faith by placing her future in their hands. She faced her giant (ominous future) with confidence. Do the Will of God WITHOUT the WILL of GOD , you are left with the Will of Men. The Will of God will take you to the heart of God while the Will of Men will place you in the hands of men. Ask questions. WHEN DAVID got to Ziklag and found his camp plundered. He and his men wept. But when they talked among themselves about stoning him, he prayed and inquired of the Lord. God told him to pursue, overtake and recover all (1 Samuel 40:7-8) The questions you don’t ask, you receive no answers to. SOMEONE said: When you pray, God listens. When you listen, God talks. When you believe, God works. Practice Gratitude IF YOU LOOK far enough, you’ll see why you need to be grateful. Psalm 34:1 says, “I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.” Bringing it Together THE REASON you live is to touch the heart of God. God wants you to wait on Him and wait for Him.

TOUGH SEASONS are times of self-discovery. You do not learn things about people or yourself when things are easy. You learn when things are hard. The Chronicle AFTER QUEEN VASHTI refused to come before the king, Memucan, one of the advisors said: Let a royal command be issued by the king. Let Queen Vashti not come before the king again and her position be given to another who is worthy and more valuable (Esther 1:17-19). So the king went public and gave more people access. He appointed administrators for all the provinces to seek young virgins. The king shut Vashti out, and God gave Esther access. Trust God for Access WHEN GOD wants to move you, he gives you access. He creates opportunities and allows you to seize them (Eccles. 9:11). Believe in Strategy and Structures MORDECAI understood the times and knew what to do. So, he took Esther to the palace and placed her in the custody of Hegai but warned her not to tell anyone about her race—and Esther found favour with Hegai (Esther 2:8-18). Seek the Grace of God The GRACE of GOD will grant you favour—and the favour of God will give you the gift of men. However, to keep this gift, you must be friendly (Prov. 18:24). Appreciate the Gift of Men MOSES enjoyed the gift of men when God gave him Aaron as his spokesperson (Exod. 4:10-14). David was blessed with men willing to risk their lives to get him water from the well near the Gate of Bethlehem (2 Sam. 23:15). Daniel surrounded himself with friends, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego who believed in God as he did and stood for God in everything they did (Dan. 1:11-12). May God give you men who are willing to do God’s bidding; men who will believe in the process of God for your life. Trust God’s Process ESTHER learnt this early in life when she lost both parents and Mordecai took her in (Esther 2:15-17). She also learnt this in the harem when it took King Ahasuerus four years to choose the next queen. But she trusted God in the process. PAUL trusted the process when an angel of the Lord told him that he would stand trial before Caesar and no life on the ship would be lost (Acts. 27:22-25). Jesus trusted the process when he laid down his life (John 10:18). When you trust the process, God takes your concerns to heart and steps into your situation. Look unto God MORDECAI was so concerned about his cousin’s well-being that he went daily to the palace gate looking for the desired outcome (Esther 2:10-11). He took care of the small things and looked up to God to handle the big ones. Walk by Faith GOD honoured his faith by granting Esther favour before King Ahasuerus. The king loved her more than all the other women and made Esther his queen (Esther 2:17). Do not go to Sleep A SHORT WHILE after the coronation of Esther, Haman plotted the death of not only Mordecai but all the Jews in the Persian Empire (Esther 3:7-14). He wanted the death of Mordecai because he didn't bow to him (Esther 3:5). So, he convinced the king to write a decree that would take the lives of all the Jews in the kingdom. God is not finished with You. WHEN THINGS go wrong, people do not think that God will use such situations to his glory. But we know [with great confidence] that God [who is deeply concerned about us] causes all things to work together [as a plan] for good for those who love God, to those who are called according to His plan and purpose (Rom. 8:28 AMP). A life without self-discovery is a wasted life. Do Something MORDECAI heard the news and sent a message to Esther. Do not imagine that you in the king’s palace can escape any more than all the Jews. For if you remain silent at this time, liberation and rescue will arise for the Jews from another place, and you and your father’s house will perish [since you did not help when you had the chance]. And who knows whether you have attained royalty for such a time as this [and for this very purpose]? Royalty isn't just a declaration. It's also a manifestation. God knows how the Story Ends ESTHER discovered she was made for this purpose. So, she asked the Jews in Susa to fast and pray for her while she did the same thing with her maids. When you can't, you run to the One who can. Esther found favour with the king. The Jews were saved. Bringing it Together THERE'S ALWAYS a lesson to learn from every season of life. A life without self-discovery is a wasted life.

WHEN WE view life from God’s perspective, every hardship becomes an opportunity—and every opportunity becomes a reality. Just as your testimony was once a prayer point, so your reality was once an opportunity. BEFORE they left, God gave his people an opportunity to borrow. As they did, they were favoured by the Egyptians (Exod. 12:36). They experienced the grace for an unusual favour . Wherever you find the favour of God, there lies the grace and the mercy of God. So favour is a manifestation of God’s grace. THE GRACE of GOD creates an environment where the ability of God is available to do what you cannot do on your own. It gives you the capacity for opportunity to do exploits. PAUL ADVISED that we approach the throne of grace with boldness to obtain grace and mercy in times of need (Hebrews 4:16). As you read this post, I want you to ask God for grace. MORDECAI understood God’s grace when he took Esther to the king’s palace. When Esther was chosen to replace Queen Vashti, she experienced the grace of being a pioneer (Esther 2:16-17). ENOCH operated in this grace. He walked with God, and he was not because God took him (Gen. 5:22-26). The grace to pioneer is available for you. WHEN YOU ARE conscious of the grace of God, your life takes a new turn. But when you put yourself in a position to earn everything, you limit the grace of God. GOD establishes you when you obey His Word. He said to Abraham: I will greatly bless you, and I will greatly multiply your descendants like the stars of the heavens and the sand on the seashore. Your seed shall possess the gate of their enemies [as conquerors]. (Gen. 22:17-19) So your establishment isn't about your race but your grace. Establishment is not about your race but your grace GOD GIVES you the grace to know things. He tells you things before they happen. Elisha knew what would happen, so he promised food. Tomorrow about this time a measure of finely milled flour will sell for a shekel and two measures of barley for a shekel at the Gate of Samaria (2 Kings 7:1) HOWEVER, you can be surrounded by grace and not know it. Likewise, you can be blessed and not realize it. Cain was warned, but he did not embrace the grace of God to live above sin (Gen. 4:7). NAAMAN had the grace of God but did not know it. Through him, God gave Aram victory (2 Kings 5:1). But it took his wife to recognize the grace of God over their maid—and through this grace, Naaman experienced the grace of healing . I DO NOT know what grace surrounds you, but I know there's something you can do with it. You can make a demand on it. WHEN ELISHA recognized the grace of God over Elijah, he asked for a double portion of his anointing (2 Kings 2:9). Elisha experienced the grace for increase . PAUL recognized the grace of God when he had a thorn in his flesh (2 Cor. 12:7-10). He received the wherewithal to cope with his situation and moved from the place of pain to the space of grace. WHEN YOU walk in the Will of God, he gives you the unction to function. Moses found himself in the confines of grace when God told him to return to Egypt and perform his wonders (Exod. 3:1-10). Suddenly, the desire of over forty years became a reality. God gave him the grace for speed and moved him from mediocrity to excellence. My prayer for you is that God will give you speed. A WIDOW of one of the students in the School of the Prophets came to Elisha asking for help. Her late husband left a debt she couldn't pay, and the creditors were coming to take her sons. So, he told her to borrow pots and pour the little oil she had into them (2 Kings 4:1-5). As she did, the oil continued to flow but stopped when the last pot was filled. She experienced the grace for an unusual supply . My question is how far can you go with God? The distance you want to go with Him will determine how far he will go with you. Bringing it Together GRACE is the voice that calls us to change and then gives us the power to pull it off - Max Lucado. God made Him (Jesus) who knew no sin to be sin that we might become the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus (2 Cor. 5:21) God wants you to acknowledge that you're a sinner and you need a Saviour. Ask him to have mercy on you and make you his own. Accept him as your Lord and Saviour. If you have done this, write me. God bless you richly.

THERE  is a measure of grace that's strange to us but a life of grace we must embrace. This was the grace that the good Samaritan extended to the stranger attacked by thieves on the way to Jericho (Luke 10:29-37). JESUS  extended this same grace to the woman caught in adultery and told her to go and sin no more (John 8:1-11). FOR   THE THIEF  on Jesus’ right side on the cross, he forgave his sins and told him he would be with him in paradise (Luke 23:43). WHEN  a Woman met him at the well of Samaria, he said: you have had five husbands, the one you're with isn't your husband.  Jesus extended this grace and forgave her sins (John 4). Today, God is extending this same grace to you. God does not share peoples’ secrets with you to gossip WHEREVER  you find the secrets of men, you will find the grace of God. The woman with the issue of blood had a secret. She had been sick.   If she were a Jew, her sickness would have kept her away from public gatherings (Lev. 15:19-33). However, she knew that Jesus carried the grace of God—and the grace of God was what she needed. So, when she heard that he was in town, she went there. As people pressed around him, she touched the hem of his garment, and she was healed (Matt 9:20-22). Then, Jesus asked for who touched him. And when she showed herself, he said, your faith has made you whole. HAVE YOU EVER  shared a secret with someone and felt it was safe? But to your surprise, you heard it from someone else. GOD IS MINDFUL  of who he shares   secrets with. He shares them with those who fear Him (Psalm 25:14). God does not share peoples’ secrets with you to gossip. If you are truly your brother's keeper, their joy will be your joy, and their pain will be your pain. When you know their secret or hear things about them, you’ll not quickly cancel them. Sometimes, their story isn't yours to tell. ABRAHAM  did not cancel his nephew, Lot when they went their separate ways.   When he heard that he was taken captive, Abraham went with 316 men to rescue him (Gen. 14:14-16). And when God shared his plan for Sodom, he interceded (Gen. 18:22-33). Lot’s pain was his pain—and God’s concern was his stay. THE TEST  of maturity is what you do with people’s secrets. If you learn to handle the secrets of God, it will be easier to manage the secrets of men. Rahab knew the secret of the Israeli spies but did not spill it (Joshua 2:1-8). A GOSSIP  betrays confidence, but a trustworthy person keeps a secret (Prov. 11:13). So, who is your secret keeper? KING DAVID  had three of them after he committed adultery with Bathsheba. The first secret keeper was Bathsheba who knew what David did to her (2 Sam. 11:4). IN HIS ATTEMPT  to cover his tracks, he let one of his generals into his secret. He wrote Joab: “Put Uriah out in front where the fighting is fiercest. Then withdraw from him so he will be struck down and die” (2 Sam. 11:15). When Uriah died, David had her moved into the palace. I wonder how Joab saw David after this incident. Then, GOD  sent NATHAN  the prophet to him. And he told him the story of a rich man and his neighbour. David was angry about what the rich man in the story did. And Nathan told him that the rich man was him. The king will not die but there would be consequences—the son would die and things that he did in secret would be done to him in the open (2 Sam. 12). After Nathan left, David pleaded with God for this child, but he died. What you do with the rebuke of the Lord is a reflection of your heart. A broken and contrite heart, God will not despise (Psalm 51:17)   OUT OF THE THREE  secret keepers, one stood out to David. Nathan knew the king’s secret and shared it with no one. He created a path to reconciliation with God. Anyone who truly loves you will bring you closer to Christ. GENUINE SECRET KEEPERS  will make you see the grace of God and reconcile you to Him. The grace of God will humble but not humiliate you. It will not bring you shame. BRINGING IT TOGETHER GOD is the ultimate secret keeper—your secret is safe with Him.

EVERYTHING God does is to establish a relationship. When he said let there be light, God made the greater light to govern the day, and a lesser light to govern the night (Gen. 1:16-18). So the sun comes out during the day and the moon at night. As the lights govern the times, God governs his people. The Light (Jesus Christ) shines in darkness, and darkness cannot overcome it (John 1:5). ONE WAY he governs is by giving names. He named everything he created. He changed the name Abram to Abraham and Sarai to Sarah (Gen. 17). He also changed the name Jacob to Israel (Gen. 32:26-32). God changes names to express His Will and establish a relationship. SOME PEOPLE realized this as they encountered God. When the people of the land stopped blocking wells dug by Isaac, he called the place Rehoboth—God has made room for us in the land. (Gen. 26:22). Jacob saw a ladder from heaven with angels walking up and down on it and called the place Bethel—the Gate of Heaven (Gen. 28:12). THE EARTH rotates on its axis and revolves around the sun. God made the moon to mark the seasons and the sun knows when to go down (Psalm 104:19). The relationships between the earth, the sun and the moon give them relevance. SIMILARLY , as the earth revolves around the sun, so our lives must revolve around the Son of God. Our relationship with Him must put him first and make us relevant to His plan. For in Him, we live, we move and have our being (Acts 17:28) PAUL of TARSUS realized his relevance to the plan of God after he accepted Jesus as his Lord and Saviour. God told Ananias that Saul was chosen to proclaim His name among Gentiles and their kings and the children of Israel (Acts 8:10-18). So, your relationship with God will determine your relevance to Him. For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him (Col. 1:16). THE BEST TEST of any relationship is its expression. When the Samaritan saw the wounded, he stopped and cared for him (Luke 10:25-37). Jesus called him his neighbour. So God wants you to be your brother’s keeper. When the Pharisees brought the woman caught in adultery to Jesus, he asked for anyone who had no sin to throw the first stone (John 8:1-11). He reconciled the woman to God. We are called into the ministry of reconciliation so souls will be saved 2 Corin. 5:17-19). Relationships as God-intended are expressive and must be God-centred. FOR YOU to have a relationship with Jesus, there has to be an expression. When God spoke to Samuel, he said: Speak Lord for your servant hears (1 Sam. 3:6-11). When Jesus met Paul on his way to Damascus, Paul asked him: What will you have me do? (Acts 9:1-6) God is speaking to you today. He's saying, Come to me. Confess your sins to Jesus. And ask Him to be your Lord and Saviour. If you've done this, I would like to hear your story. God bless you.

HAVE YOU ever been overlooked or betrayed by somebody you love? Then, you are not alone. The Bible is full of people who were maltreated by others and cheated out of their inheritance. ESAU was cheated out of his birthright by the kid brother he admired—and the mother he loved was part of the plot (Genesis 27). MORDECAI was stabbed in the back by Haman who plotted the death of all the Jews (Esther 3). And Jesus Christ was betrayed by one of his disciples (Matthew 27:3). Your calling is your place of suffering. DAVID was forgotten by Jesse, his dad when Samuel came seeking the next king. When God rejected his older brothers, Samuel asked if Jeese had another son. There is still the youngest,” Jesse replied (1 Sam. 16:11). TO JESSE , David did not qualify. However, God chose him. God does not call the qualified; he qualifies the called. Your calling is where you're terrified the most. ESTHER was scared when Mordecai told her to speak to the king because no one appeared before him without an appointment. When he told her that perhaps she was made for such a time, she knew she was called to do it (Esther 4:14). And she said: If I perish, I perish (Esther 4:6). GOD knew Joshua was terrified when Moses died. So he told him to be strong and courageous (Joshua 1:8). WHEN DAVID chose to fight Goliath, Saul said: “You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight him. For you are [only] a young man and he has been a warrior since his youth.” (1 Sam. 17:33) But David did not back out. He told the king the testimonies of how he killed the lion and the bear (1 Sam. 17:34-36). Then, he proceeded to fight Goliath and killed him. Your place of calling is where you are tempted the most. AFTER Jesus had fasted forty days and nights, Satan came to tempt him (Matt. 4:1-11). At different times during his ministry, the Pharisees and Sadducees tempted him. They brought the woman caught in adultery to him waiting to hear what he would say (John 8:1-11). They accused him of allowing his disciples to pick grain and eat on a Sabbath (Matt. 12:1-8). They asked him why he ate with sinners (Matt. 8:11). Your place of calling is your place of fulfillment. SIMEON was relieved when the Holy Spirit led him to the temple at Christ’s christening. He had waited for the consolation of Israel, and God had promised him that he would see the Messiah (Luke 2:25-35). THERE was a sense of relief and fulfillment when David stood before the king holding the head of Goliath (1 Sam. 17:57). He was delighted when the women of Israel sang his praise. God does call the qualified; he qualifies the called. HANNAH was fulfilled when she had Samuel and gave him to the Lord (1 Sam. 2:1-11). JOHN the BAPTIST was fulfilled when he realized that Jesus was the Messiah (John 1:29). JESUS expressed his fulfillment when he said: I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do (John 17:4-5) Your place of calling is your place of relevance. PAUL became relevant when he accepted Christ as Lord over his life. He became a vessel mightily used by God (Acts 9). MOSES found his relevance after he met God in the burning bush. He moved from a life of mediocrity to one of purpose. He moved from being a fugitive to being a deliverer (Exodus 3:1- 17). Your area of calling is where you trust God the most. JESUS more than once confessed that he came to do his Father’s Will (John 6:38). He recognized his purpose to die. He trusted the Father with his life. He laid it down so that he might pick it again (John 10:18). Final Thought THE MINISTRY of JESUS was only for three years and he made so much impact. Only what you do for Christ will last.

IF YOU THINK you’ve blown God’s plan for your life, you’re mistaken because you are not strong enough to do so. HIS PLAN extends beyond you and puts you where you belong. It transcends your reasoning. His ways are not your ways neither his thoughts are your thoughts. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are his thoughts higher than yours (Isaiah 55:8-9). WHEN GOD has you, he redirects your walk to ensure you fulfil his purpose. He incorporates your mistakes into his plan and reorders your steps to do His Will. You need to understand God. PAUL of TARSUS misunderstood God when he went around persecuting Christians thinking he was doing the work of God (Acts 8). So it's possible to think that you're doing the work of God. Meanwhile, you're doing the work of the devil. But one day on his way to Damascus, he saw a bright light shining from heaven. He heard a voice saying: Why are you persecuting Me? ( Acts 9:1-22) God in his mercy interrupted his life and redirected his movement to walk in His Will. That pain you’re having may be God calling your attention to something. The situation you are facing can be God shifting your focus. Do not help God. AT DIFFERENT TIMES in Abraham and Sarah’s lives, God called their attention to something. After Abraham and Lot parted ways, God told him: Walk through the length and breadth of the land, for I am giving it to you (Gen. 13:17) Abraham and Sarah had walked in God’s Will for some time until they acted out of character. They opted to have a child through Hagar (Gen. 16:1-13). When the child was born, there arose a contention between Sarah and her maid, Hagar. God also added pain to the promise when he told him to circumcise every male in his house (Gen. 17:1 & 9). He taught Abraham how to walk in submission and not desperation. He taught him how to wait. If you are going to walk with God, you must make no pact with the Enemy. WHEN DAVID left his camp unguarded and went to make a pact with the enemy, he bungled everything (1 Sam. 29 & 30). He returned to see Ziklag plundered and the women and children taken as prisoners. And his men thought of stoning him. Then he cried out, and God told David to pursue, overtake, and recover all (1 Sam. 30:8). God will tell you what to do when you retrace your steps. He will make a way of escape when you turn to Him. The fact that God allows you to have something does not mean you are walking in His Will Seek the counsel of God. ELIMELEK and NAOMI missed it when they left Bethlehem during a famine. They lost Elimelek and his two sons (Ruth 1:3-21). They got to the end of themselves. However, when Naomi and Ruth returned, God gave them a second chance at life. God knows all things, and he sees all things. GOD KNEW that Samuel would be old . He knew a day would come when Israel asked for a king. So when they asked for one, God said: "They hadn't rejected Samuel; they had rejected Him." They are doing what they've done since they left Egypt—leaving me and serving other gods (1 Sam. 8:7-8). But God gave them Saul to rule over them. Seek God’s Will THE FACT that God allows you to have something does not mean you’re walking in his Will. Some people believe that God has two Wills — perfect Will and permissive Will. But that is not true. God has only one Will and that will is perfect. Ephesians 5:17 says, Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s Will is. GOD’s WILL for your life is first the posture of your heart — and this is how to get it right. Do not allow this world to mold you in its image. Instead, be transformed from the inside out by renewing your mind. As a result, you will be able to discern what God wills and whatever God finds good, pleasing, and complete (Romans 12:2). Final Thoughts THE SHORTEST ROUTE to fear is disobedience to God. Obedience is the route to joy. Choose obedience today!

REAL SATISFACTION  comes not in understanding God's motives but in understanding His character, trusting in His promises, leaning on Him, and resting in Him as the Sovereign who knows what He is doing and does all things well—Joni Eareckson Tada. AT A YOUNG AGE, David understood certain things about God. He knew that God stood by His people and that He could do it again if he had done it before. So when the king told him that Goliath had been a warrior from his youth, he said, "God who saved him from the lion and the bear would save him from Goliath." (1 Sam. 17:37) He understood that God was powerful enough to fight his battles, but in some situations, God would use men. When Goliath mocked the armies of Israel and God, he knew he had to do something (1 Sam. 17:8-25). ABRAHAM  understood he had to do something when God told him to sacrifice his son, Isaac. He left home with his son for Mount Moriah, the place of sacrifice. When all he had were the wood and the fire, he told his son that God would provide him with a lamb—and God did (Gen. 22:8). Abraham understood that God knew what he was doing. MOSES  knew God was up to something when he appeared to him in the burning bush (Exod. 3:1-17). He trusted in his promises and leaned on him. No wonder when Israel longed for God's wonders, Moses sought his ways and tried to understand God's character. He prayed: If I have found favour in Your sight, let me know Your ways so that I may know You [becoming more deeply and intimately acquainted with You, recognizing and understanding Your ways more clearly] and that I may find grace and  favour in Your sight (Exod. 33:13). FOR YOU  to know God, you must ask him questions. To understand Him, you must spend time with Him. Abraham asked God what would you give me, seeing I go childless? (Gen. 15:2-3) Mary asked how this would be, seeing I am a virgin (Luke 1:34-35). KNOWING GOD is not the privilege of a few. It's a call to everyone. Paul understood this well. He said, " Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me." (Philippians 3:12) God calls every child of His to a personal and intimate walk -- a call to a deeper life.   To know God, you must spend  time in His Word . NO ONE  can grow in understanding God except by spending time in his word. David said: Your word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against you (Psalm 119:11). 2 Timothy 3:16-17 says: All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. You cannot know Him without reading His Word. FOR YOU  to know God, you must spend time in worship . When you have a Bluetooth speaker, you synch your phone with it so the speaker can receive whatever is coming out of your phone. Worship helps you synch your spirit with the Holy Spirit so you can receive from God. It gives you access to God and gives you a sense of awe. Your reverence for God grows in worship. Worship helps you enter God's presence. So when God comes in His glory, you can receive from Him. Prayer  helps you know God. AS YOU  worship God, your faith increases. The bigger your faith is, the more you'll pray to him. Communion  occurs in prayer. You experience the nature of God as you pray. The bigger the image  of God to you, the more you want to spend time with Him in prayer. Prayer helps you grow your understanding of God. YOU CANNOT  understand God without His Spirit . John 14:16-18 describes Him as the Comforter and the Spirit of Truth . He is called the advocate and teacher in John 14:26. He will teach you everything. No matter what you do to know God, the Holy Spirit ties everything together. He shares the heart of God with you. So you can't know God except by His Spirit. When you pray in the spirit, he helps you pray the heart of God. He makes you effective and efficient in prayers. Final Thoughts WHEN YOU  come to know God, the initiative lies on His side. If He does not show Himself, nothing you can do will enable you to find Him. And He shows much more of Himself to some people than others—not because He has favourites, but because it is impossible for Him to show Himself to a man whose whole mind and character are in the wrong condition. Just as sunlight, though it has no favourites, cannot be reflected in a dusty mirror as clearly as in a clean one — C.S. Lewis.

YOU OFTEN go through unending challenges, and most things do not initially make sense. However, there is no time you talk to God that he does not hear you. He sees your tears and listens to your words. He saw Ishmael's tears when his mother ran out of water and left him under some bushes, not wanting to watch him die (Gen. 21:8-21). He opened her eyes to see a well of water nearby. God knows your preferences. He anticipates your needs. THE MIDIANITES had dominated and oppressed Israel for seven years. They stole their food and resources (Judges 6-8). They camped on their lands, destroyed their crops and left nothing, including their livestock. So, Israel made shelters in the mountains, hid in caves and built strongholds to be safe. Then, Israel cried out to God. Adversity is one time you need to cry out to God. God knows your preferences. He anticipates your needs. GOD heard their cries and sent them a prophet who told them what they had done wrong and what they needed to do. They needed to see that repentance was a gift. If you need anything in adversity, it's to hear God. GOD sent an angel to Gideon at the winepress. The angel said the Lord is with you, mighty warrior (Judges 6:12). God is more concerned about your future than the present. Repentance is a giftt TO SURMOUNT your challenges, you must recognize that God is with you—and he's Emmanuel, God with us (Matt. 1:23). The fact that God is not obvious does not mean he's not present. GIDEON REPLIED: But if the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are all his wonders that our ancestors told us about when they said, 'Did not the Lord bring us up out of Egypt?' But now the Lord has abandoned us and given us into Midian's hand (Judges 6:13). God's activities cannot be defined only by the presence or absence of wonders. ADVERSITY does not indicate the absence of God; he is always present. God was the fourth man in the fire when Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were thrown into the fiery furnace (Daniel 3:25-29). He held back the waters when Israel crossed the Red Sea (Exod. 14:18-31). He promised to be with you when you pass through the fire. When you walk through the waters, they'll not overflow you (Isaiah 43:2). GOD told Gideon: I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites, leaving none alive. Adversity is indicative of an impending season change. GIDEON said, If I have found favour in your eyes, give me a sign that you are talking to me. God does not have to give you a sign to trust him. His word is good enough. Adversity helps you learn to trust Him. VICTORY in Christ is not dependent on strength. It is dependent on God. Gideon was set for battle, and God said there were too many men with him. Israel will say my strength has saved me (Judges 7:2). So, God instructed him to tell the ones that are fearful to leave. With twenty thousand men left, God told him to take them to the water. The ones who lap as dogs do will go to battle (Judges 7:4). Only three hundred remained after the exercise. The men had to be truthful to themselves. Adversity is a test of integrity. God caused the enemies to turn on each other with swords when the three hundred men blew the trumpet (Judges 7:22). Final Thought Many great things come from uncomfortable spaces.