Nothing Missing, Nothing Failing

Text: Gen. 1:28
MORE LESSON: Job 5:23-26

The word “missing” connotes loss and “failing” implies lack of success. These twin words are the architects of misfortune and frustration. When a man incurs loss, he is bound to fail and when a man fails, he is bound to incur loss. The desire of God for man is not to miss anything nor fail, but to multiply and be fruitful. Gen. 1:28 says, …And God blessed them and God said unto them, Be fruitful and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. Loss, failure and frustration originated from the point that the first Adam disobeyed God and in the process lost his place of comfort and birthright to Satan …And unto Adam He said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree..., cursed is the ground for thy sake, in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of your life: Gen. 3:17.

Since God spoke these words to man in Gen 3:17, Satan has been determined to manipulate man's destiny. Since then man’s efforts to be fulfilled have been characterised by losses, failures and frustration. This battle started with Adam and Eve who while in the process of fulfilling God's desire to replenish the earth, lost one of their children (Gen 4:8). Job lost all he had laboured for in life in one day (Job 1:12-19); King Saul lost his throne in Israel; likewise Samson who was ordained to deliver his people from the hands of the Philistines encountered loss, failure and frustration. Except God helps your efforts and struggles in life you are bound to fail. This is why the Psalmist said, Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it, except the LORD keep a city, the watch man waketh but in vain: Psa. 127:1.

You can position yourself for God’s help when you make up your mind to link up with Him and continue in His ways. Then your destiny will be secured, your labour will not experience failure or frustration and whatsoever you lay your hands upon shall be blessed. Even if in the process of working for more blessings you encounter failure and frustration, God will restore you as He did to Job …And God turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends; also the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before: Job 42:10. What qualified Job for hundred-fold restoration was his continuous relationship with God despite the trial? Remember, when he heard that all he had laboured for were lost, he fell down and worshipped God (Job 1:20). I want to assure you that as you continue to live in the fear of God, the Lord will continue to send you help from His sanctuary and deliver you from failure, in Jesus’ name.

Prayer/Action
* Commit yourself and family into the hands of God for help against loss of life, property and money in 2015.
* Ask God to help you so that whatsoever you do this year will not fail.
* Take authority over the powers of darkness that make a man to labour in vain.

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The Lord Makes a Way

Text: Exodus 14:10, 21-22
MORE LESSON: I Sam. 30:7-8

As long as one lives, challenges of life are bound to come but the Lord will make a way out for His people. In view of this, worrying and crying over challenges of life do not help any man. What actually helps a man who is in an unpleasant situation in life is getting closer to God, knowing God's promises concerning his situation and taking the Word of God back to Him in prayer . David encourages this category of people in Ps 37:1-9. Be assured that whatsoever you are passing through in life, as long as God continues to preserve you from death, He will surely one day make a way for you.

Remember, the children of Israel were desperately running away for their lives from the Egyptians and got stuck at the Red Sea. It seemed to them that there was no way further; they thought the end had come. They became helpless, discouraged and sore afraid but our text says, And when Pharaoh drew nigh, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians marched after them; they were sore afraid: and the children of Israel cried unto the LORD... And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the LORD caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided. And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand and on their left: Exo. 14:10, 21–22.

Per-adventure in your place of work, others are promoted and you are delayed or denied the promotion, or you have been struggling with financial dryness and living on monthly overdrafts from banks, God is more than able to make a way for you in 2015. Also, if you are in business, and nothing seems to be working out for you, the God who made a way for the Israelites at the Red Sea will surely make a way for you out of that unpleasant situation and your business will flourish in 2015.

On what basis does God make a way for His people? 1. They must know Him; they must be born again. 2.They must believe that He is more than able to do what He promises. 3. They must persistently and consistently cry to Him in prayer 4.They must continue to move forward or take a positive action in faith 5. They must be able to wait patiently until He makes a way for them. God is always willing to make a way for you as long as you continue to abide in Him. Make up your mind today to stop worrying and crying over unpleasant situations of your life. Rather, choose to relate with God, believe that He is more than able to do what He promises, and take your matter to Him in prayer. Take a step of faith and patiently wait on Him, then He will surely bless you (Lam 3:25).

Prayer/Action
* Lord, intervened in all my affairs.
* Father, send me help from above to overcome my financial dryness.
* Change my name from borrower to lender in 2015, in Jesus’ name.

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Arrows in your Quiver

Text: Psa.127:1-5
MORE LESSON: Psa.144:11-15

Evidently, from today’s reading, God loves children and wants people to have and nurture children. Children are not “little terrors' as some erroneously put it; rather, they are agents of happiness to the man who has his quiver full of them. Careful meditation on this Psalm shows that children are a blessing; not a single negative word was used to describe them here. They are called “heritage of the Lord”, “reward from the lord” and “arrows in the hand of the mighty man”.

Why then does the latter part of the scripture today remain unfulfilled in several homes? ...happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies at the gate: Psa. 127:5. Rather, what happens in several homes is that children bring shame and reproach to parents and families through wayward living, reckless and immoral lives.

The Psalm also gives the reasons: Except the LORD build the house, they labor in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain: Psa.127:1. Several parents raise children their own way not the Lord's. They use traditions and mere principles of men. Some use the rod heavily and verbal abuses constantly thinking that will transform children into arrows in their quivers but instead the children have become rebellious, thorns in their flesh.

What is the way of the Lord to get children to become arrows in the quiver to deal with the enemies at the gate?
- First, pray before children are conceived, pray after they are birthed and never cease to pray as they grow up to become youths and adults.

- Second, dedicate children to the one who gave them; commit them to their maker who is able to keep them. Several people think baby dedication is just a religious ritual in church. No! When it is done consciously, it's a way of committing children to Him that is able to keep.

- Third, teach them the word of God consistently. Ps.119:9. The word will constantly cleanse them and guide them.

- Fourth, love them. Treat them as humans with a complete system as you; spirit, soul and body. Take time out to listen to their questions, give polite and clear answers. Don't shout them down, rather be their friends.

Children who have loving, though, firm parents cope better with issues of life than children with strict, unloving and unreasonable parents. May your children be sharpened instruments in God's power to take away shame from your life and family, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Prayer/Action
* The children in my home will bring me honour and glory, not shame and reproach.
* My happiness and joy will increase because of the children the Lord has given me.
* I receive the help of God to train my children in the way of the Lord.

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Safety Alone

Text: Exo.23:25-28
MORE LESSON: Exo.9:22-26

The promises of God for His people are sure when it comes to the issue of safety in their land of sojourn. When they went from one nation to another, from one kingdom to another people; He suffered no man to do them wrong: yea, he reproved kings for their sakes; saying touch not mine anointed and do my prophet no harm: Ps.105:13-15.

True! Scary events are happening all over the nations of the world that tend to make the hearts of many to fail them: insurgencies here and there, terrorism and persecution of the church, incurable diseases and plagues and such like these. Y et the assurance of God is still very definite and strong to His own.
Who are the people who will enjoy safety in the year? Blessesd is everyone that feareth the Lord, that walks in His ways. For thou shall eat the labor of thine hands: happy shall thou be, and it shall be well with thee: Psa.128:1-2. I am sure that from these verses you can answer the question of who will enjoy safety in the year. First, the man who fears the Lord; to fear God means to depart from all evil acts no matter how much others portray evil as good. Second, the man who will walk in the ways of God:-
I) His ways are righteous (Ps.145:17). Do what is right in God's sight and walk in His ways.

ii) His way is holy (Ps.145:17). Be holy in all your works and shun all acts of ungodliness and uncleanliness.
iii) His way is that of humility (Dan.4:37). Hate all acts of pride and you will be accepted and lifted by the Lord.
As long as the Israelites walked with God in obedience and godliness, they enjoyed amazing and miraculous safety so much so that even enemy nations fled before them.
The promises of God for safety for His people are as sure as God is. He cannot lie and His Word cannot fail. Do you want to enjoy safety this year? Then ensure that you and your household fear the Lord and keep His commands.

Prayer/Action
* I will dwell in the secret place of the Almighty and I will enjoy safety all through the year.
* The Lord will give the wicked as a ransom for me and my household. This year, it shall be safety alone.

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