No Alternative

Text: I Sam. 28:1-7
More Lessons: 2 Kgs. 1:1-6
Bible Reading in one Year: 2 Corinthians 7-9

A very heart-breaking story is that of King Saul. Saul had once been anointed by God; and the day he was anointed, the Bible says that he prophesied. God gave him a new heart and he led the children of Israel in victories. However, he began to step out of the boundaries God gave him; he began to lose it till finally , ...the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD troubled him: 1 Sam 16:14.
In 1Samuel 28, we find a story that bothers me. King Saul was in a crisis; Samuel had died and Saul needed to hear God on a matter. Saul, the man that was chosen and anointed by God, became a man who said, ...Seek me a woman that hath a familiar spirit, that I may go to her, and enquire of her. And his servants said to him, Behold, there is a woman that hath a familiar spirit at Endor: 1 Sam 28: 7.A king ordained with the oil of God began to consult witches and familiar spirits as if there is no God in Israel any longer. He began to seek alternatives to God. No matter what happens, please do not ever consider an alternative to God. Many believers start patronising all forms of ungodly and unscriptural places in search of solutions to their needs. Some ministers of God do all sorts of diabolical things to move in power and anointing or gather crowd.

That is the way of Saul; it is the way of destruction. Another King named Ahaziah fell sick and he sent messengers to Baalzebub the god of Ekron to inquire. Then God told Elijah to go and send a message to the king that he would surely die because he was consulting with an alternative instead of the living God. Friend, when things happen, you may see many 'advisers' suggesting several alternatives and trying to justify their action. Some will tell you that 'heaven helps those who help themselves' but the truth is that God helps those who have come to the end of themselves because if you can help yourself, you don't need heaven's help.

No matter what you are going through, know there is a God in Israel. A good example of a man that refused to consider an alternative to God is the man Job. Many people including his wife, suggested several things to him but he said, Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him: Job 13: 15. For such a man and for you, there is no alternative to God.

Prayer/Action
* Renew your commitment to God that you will never seek any alternative to Him.
* Ask God to deliver you from anything that can make you walk away from Him.
* Ask that the Lord will keep you from evil.

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Life Without Stress

Text: Gen 3: 1-19
More Lessons: Matt. 11: 28-30
Bible Reading in one Year: 2 Corinthians 4-6

If you go to a very busy township market, you can't but notice the whole lot of activities and stress that take place there. In such a market, you see different people shouting, screaming, haggling, running, carrying loads and sweating under the heat of the sun. A person might be stressed, running helter-skelter, in the market from morning till night in order to make some money which is just a token. If you go there to buy or sell something, you might get it done but with a lot of stress. Let us compare and contrast this scenario with the Central Bank and Stock Exchange Market where all you hear is the humming of air-conditioners and the clicking of computers while people are seated comfortably transacting business in billions without stress. The point is that stress is not an indication of result.

When God created man, it was all good and comfortable. But when man sinned, God cursed the earth for man’s sake: ' . . . cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return: Gen 3:17-19. God said man would eat out of his sweat. Sweat is a symbol of stress because when you see a man sweating it is an indication that he has laboured. Stress is not the original intention of the Creator; it came after man broke the commandment of God. God didn't create man to toil throughout life. Even when men design machines, they make a provision for maintenance break when the machine will rest and be serviced. Your destiny is not designed without a provision for rest and comfort.

Jesus came to redeem man from the curse of the law and return man to the state of blessing before the curse. Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith: Gal 3:13-14.
Today, Jesus is calling you to believe and accept His provision of a life free of stress. I see God terminating your labour and bringing you into comfort. You shall not live by your sweat anymore but by the provisions of Heaven, in Jesus’ name.

Prayer/Action
* Thank God for making provision for a stress free life for you.
* Declare every stress and labour ended in your life and destiny.
* Proclaim that the blessing of the Lord that maketh rich and add no sorrow is a reality in your life from today.

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He is with You

Text: Matt 28: 16-20
More Lessons: Is. 43: 1-5
Bible Reading in one Year: 2 Corinthians 1-3

Imagine that you are in church and Jesus walks into the service saying, ''I have come to answer people's prayers and I want them to pray for the next 10 minutes''. I'm sure nobody will push you to pray that day. Imagine that Jesus Christ is physically present with you where you are right now. Imagine that He follows you to work, market and everywhere you go. How holier would you live as the Holy One Himself walks around with you? How powerful and full of faith you will be as the Miracle Worker Himself accompanies you through each day. As He walks with you to your place of work or business, I'm sure you will believe there is no difficulty or impossibility that can overcome you at work that day.

The truth is that all these scenarios happen every day but you just don't key into them. Jesus is really present with you where you are right now, even if you can't see Him with your physical eyes. He literally accompanies you everywhere you go daily. Every time you come to church, He actually walks in and says, 'I have come to answer prayers'. The reason we do not capitalize on the power of the presence of Jesus is because we walk by sight and feelings and not by faith: we only want to believe He is with us when we see Him physically. ...for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me: Heb 13:5-6. These and more promises make us know that Jesus is with us and will never forsake us. He is with you right now and will be with you everywhere you go.

There is a certain knowledge that every believer must have. The Bible in Rom 6:6 says Knowing this.... You must know that the Lord is with you and keep saying it in order to substantiate it in your heart. The Lord takes delight in being with you and you are never alone, the writer of Hebrews says, so that we may boldly say..., which means you must say it, confess it, affirm it to yourself until it becomes your mindset. Since God's Word cannot be separated from Him, it then means that as you keep proclaiming the Word, you are proclaiming God and creating His presence around you. He continued by saying that the Lord is his helper and he cannot fear what man can do unto him. Fear dissipates when you know that the Lord is with you. So walk tall, fearing nothing, for the Lord is with you. There is nothing comparable to knowing that God is with you.

Prayer/Action
* Give thanks to God for His promise to ever be with you.
* T ell Satan to get lost because your Saviour is with you as a mighty warrior.
Celebrate the presence of God with you by waving your hands to God and saying, ‘Thank you Lord for being by me now and always.

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Have Faith in the Father

Text: John 14: 1
More Lessons: Matt 21: 18-22
Bible Reading in one Year: 1 Corinthians 13-16

A friend of mine who is a servant of God in the United States was approached by the school teacher of his child who asked,‘ ‘Please sir, can you find a way of reducing your daughter's confidence in you?'’ The man of God was surprised and asked why? The teacher replied that he felt the extent of his daughter's confidence in him might be disastrous because if he fails to meet those expectations, the girl would be so deeply disappointed and there is no telling what she might do. The preacher asked the teacher to further explain what he meant.

The teacher explained that the girl had actually been going around boasting that if anyone dies, there is no need to worry; they should just send for her dad and he would pray for the dead person to come back to life. The girl actually had so much confidence in her father that she went around boasting about him. So the teacher came to warn the father because he felt if he fell short of the expectation, the might be permanently affected. The man of God replied that his girl had believed rightly that he could do anything by God. He walked over to his daughter and further encouraged her, ...to believe in God, believe also in me: Jn. 14:1. Faith is the confidence and assurance in a person's ability and willingness to do a thing. It is amazing that some children of the Creator of heaven and earth do not have as much faith in Him as this little girl had in her dad. Have faith in God, His Word and His ability. Believe that He can do what He says, and there is nothing greater than His Word. Stand on His Word and you will see mountains move for you. After having faith in God, also have faith in yourself. Have faith in the prayers you pray; believe that your own prayers also can command results. Until you believe in God and also in yourself, there is no prophecy that can be fulfilled in your life. Believe the message and also the messengers that God sends to you so that you shall prosper.

You have the honour of being God's child and He, your Father. Whatever God is, is what you are here on earth. Hence, be confident when you come before Him in full assurance of faith and do not be like a beast that perishes because it does not understand who it is. ‘‘Come boldly’’ is what the Word of God says; anything short of such confidence is borne out of ignorance which can bring even a believer to destruction. It is written, my people perish for lack of knowledge. So child of God have faith in your Father and be confident always about Him.

Prayer/Action
* Ask God to help you keep your faith in Him in all situation.
* Rebuke and renounce everything that could make you doubt God.
* Lift up your face to heaven and say to God, “Oh Lord, I believe in You!”

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