Be Open Minded< ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>

2 Kings 4:8-17

A barren Shunammite woman was able to recognize the constant passing by of a man of God. 2 Kings 4:9, ÒAnd she said to her husband, ÔLook now, I know that this is a holy man of God, who passes by us regularly.ÕÓ She had an open eye and mind to see the man of God passing by regularly. Have you been able to identify and see who God has been sending to you on a regular basis? It is important to be sensitive to what God is doing or what He wants to do in your life. God must have been sending someone to you that you have never seen or ever come in contact with. Your failure to acknowledge it might cause a failure to enter into what God has packaged through that one for you. 2 Kings 4:10, ÒPlease, let us make a small upper room on the wall; and let us put a bed for him there, and a table and a chair and a lamp stand; so it will be, whenever he comes to us he can turn in there.Ó How can you prepare for the one you have not acknowledged? You can begin to think of how to reach who God has been sending your way. The Shunammite woman did exactly what she wanted to do for the man of God. Elisha was acknowledged by the Shunammite woman that was barren. The upper room that was prepared for him became the ground of the ShunnammiteÕs blessing for fruit of the womb. While Elisha was in the room, 2 Kings < ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>4:16, ÒThen he said, ÔAbout this time next year you shall embrace a son,Õ And she said, ÔNo, my lord. Man of God, do not lie to your maidservant!Ó She thought it was a lie, but she conceived and had a son. When you reach out to your blessing, it will not pass you by. 

Shut Out< ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>

2 Kings 4:1-7

When God sends His word and you are able to hear and do accordingly, the word will terminate your struggle. A certain woman who had two sons, and with just a jar of oil, was living in the fear of debt that was to take her sons away from her into slavery. All she needed was divine intervention. Elisha came to her and gave her directions. She was to go and borrow empty vessels everywhere. It does not sound reasonable to go and add to her debt by borrowing empty vessels of oil in order to increase her vessels of oil. Also, she does not have any reason not to listen to the man of God. 2 Kings 4:4, ÒAnd when you have come in, you shall shut the door behind you and your sons; then pour it into all those vessels, and set aside the full ones.Ó The woman went and did what was requested of her. She shut out the world and there was no reason for her vessels not to be filled. Applying this to the daily living of a believer, there is a need for you to be constant and consistent in shutting out the world around you, or you will be a part of it. It is not possible for you to open to the world, at the same time open to the word of God. The womanÕs lack was turned to abundance after shutting out the world around her. When you begin to shut out everything that is not representing God in your life, peace in abundance will not cease to answer for you. With the grace of listening and hearing, ask God to give you a word that will terminate your struggles.

Be an Ambassador< ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>

2 Corinthians 5:17-21

Are you representing Him in your daily life as much as it should be? How are you representing Him? Is it by self introduction that you can be identified as a Christian, or by the way you are living your life? If you have given your life to Him, you have taken a stand to be His representative anywhere you go. Anywhere you go, before any self introduction, by virtue of your communication and lifestyle, it should be clear that you are His ambassador. 2 Corinthians < ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>5:17, ÒTherefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.Ó Does that statement represent you? Just a reminder, Christ is the center of your life, not a society, nor work, nor anything else. Are you standing out for Him or sitting out for Him? When it becomes a fact that the only way you can be identified as a believer outside the church is through self introduction, something is wrong. 2 Corinthians 5:20, ÒNow then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on ChristÕs behalf, be reconciled to God.Ó Every requirement in the word of God is possible; if they are not, it would not have been required of man to live by His word. Ask God to help you so you can actually live your life for GodÕs glory. 

Be Yourself< ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>

1 Samuel 8:10-22

As a child of God, it is very dangerous to be looking outside of God for who you want to be like. When your focus is on God and you are constantly and consistently focused on what He has done and what He is doing in your life, you will not want to be like anyone else but to be what God has made you to be. When you begin to think of becoming like someone else, you will begin to reject what God is doing and whom God is using to take you to where He wants you to be. 1 Samuel < ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>8:19, ÒNevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, ÒNo, but we will have a king over us.Ó The children of Israel took the way of self destruction because they wanted to be like other people. Do you know Him as the One and only One in charge of your life? If you do, ignore how ÒBrother BigÓ arrived at being big, be yourself and God will finish what He has started in you without failure. The children of Israel insisted on being like others. 1 Samuel 8:20, ÒThat we also may be like all the nations, and that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles.Ó Why change what is working and does not fail? When God is ordering your steps, you do not have to be like others; otherwise you will be out of order into confusion. Be yourself at all times and in all situations.

Be Careful< ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>

1 Samuel 8:1-9

Whatever you are asking God to do for you, be very careful, God is still in the business of answering the call of His children. Some things you ask for will go forth and be delivered and there will be no excuse. Proverbs 6:2, ÒYou are snared by the words of your mouth; You are taken by the words of your mouth.Ó  When they are crying out and rejecting God, it was an act of ignorance. They did not know that their call was a call of rejecting God; they thought they were rejecting Samuel. 1 Samuel 8:7, Ò And the LORD said to Samuel, ÒHeed the voice of the people in all that they say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them.Ó If you do not know what and when to ask from God, just go before Him in thanksgiving and in praise worship. When you are thanking Him wholeheartedly, and praising Him in deed and in truth, you will end up in a place where all that you are looking for is waiting and sitting for you. Psalm 100:4, ÒEnter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.Ó If you do not know what to ask Him, it can be very safe for you to go before Him in thanksgiving and praising. He is a faithful God. In the children of < ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>IsraelÕs asking, they were rejecting God as King ignorantly. Ignorance is not an excuse before God. Be very careful how you ask, what you ask, and when you ask.