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

Gen.28:1-22, 34:1-31, 35:1

Jacob encountered God when fleeing from Esau. After that encounter, he named the place < ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>Bethel. In that encounter, God blessed him with the promises of Abraham. As he continued to move forward, he was also growing in number (wife and children) and became a man with household. He journeyed to Shechem where the Children of Hamor defiled Dinah (JacobÕs daughter). By virtue of deception, Simeon and Levi went and killed Hamor, they slew and plundered the city. Gen35:30, then Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, Òyou have troubled me by making me obnoxious among the Canaanites and the Perizzites; and since I am few in number, they will gather themselves together against me and kill me. I shall be destroyed, my household and I.Ó Jacob knew the consequences of what had taken place. His household was about to put him in jeopardy. He has been far from a land where he encountered God: Bethel, a place of worship. In his journey, he had ended in a land of defilement. He needed a divine intervention. Gen.35:1 then God said to Jacob, ÒArise, go up to Bethel and dwell there; and make an altar there to God, who appeared to you when you fled from the face of Esau your brother.Ó God called him to rise and go up from where the household had caused him to be. In his journey, his household had derailed him. Where are you in your journey? Do not pretend; be sensitive to the spirit of God. Do not spiritualize what needs to be dealt with. Learn from Jacob: let God intervene. The need for you is to rise from where you are and take on your journey back to Bethel (your place of worship). God will not let His people perish if His people will humble themselves enough to acknowledge their ground of offense. Bethel is your dwelling place.     

Secret Place< ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>

Ps.25:14, 15, and 91:1-16

Ps.91:1, ÒHe who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. In these perilous days where thereÕs war left and right; in these days where thereÕs war ahead and war behind, have you been able to spend some of your time thinking about where your secret place is, especially when war refuses to slow down in your community, in your home, or where you dwell? These days there are living time bombs that move from place to place in an effort to destroy. As a believer, have you thought about this secret place the Psalmist experienced? The secret place of the most High is not a secret to those that care to locate and dwell in it. The secret place of the Most High is there for you to enter when you choose to. Ps. 25:14, Òthe secret of the LORD is with those who fear Him, and He will show them His covenant.Ó Do you care to dwell in the secret place of the Most High? Begin to spend a reasonable time in the word of God, and then the fear of God will envelope you. You can only fear Him when you know Him. You do not know God if you do not spend time in His word. There is no security anywhere except in His covenant. He is a faithful God. Enter into His secret place and no weapon formed shall fashion against you.

Training Ground< ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>

Deut. 8:1-20

As one that sets his or her love on the Lord the wind of challenges is blowing, the storm is raging; things are not going the way you would have hoped to see. All of a sudden, without warning or announcement, your life seems not to be going forward. You wonder if you have missed it somewhere or the Lord has turned His back against you. It really does not matter if you have caused it yourself; the fact is God knew you and all that will cross your way even before you were born. He is still in control. If there is guilt of sin, ask Him for forgiveness and He will answer. Take and learn from the situation of the children of < ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>Israel. It is clear that their journey of 40 years instead of 11 days was orchestrated by their behavior towards the Living God. However, in Deut.8:2 it is written, Òand you shall remember that the LORD your God led you all the way these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and test you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandment or not.” Does that quote make sense to you? Does yours seem to be the same or different? You are in training to become humble. After the training, He wants to test you so you can have a testimony. Let God see you through; He wants to test you. It is the level of your training and testing, which determines the next level of your assignment in the LORD. God will uphold you; take a hope in Him–enjoy your training.

Secret of strength< ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>

Judges13:1-25, < ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>16:15-21

The secret of strength is to keep it secret. He was a miracle baby. He came to a family that has waited on God for a child over a long time. He was destined by God to deliver his people. For him to get to where God wanted him to be, a special power was in place in his life that will enable him for the special assignment from God. The special power was strength like never before. God has added to you an enablement in His calling of your life. You probably did not activate it or you are not sensitive enough to know you are a peculiar child of God. As a result, your secret of strength is wasting away. Somehow, you might have been revealing your secret of strength because you continue to take it for granted. Above all, you have not been taking your secret of strength seriously. Samson failed to take the secret of his strength seriously. As a result, he made himself a victim of his unveiling, relinquishing his secret of strength. Josh.16:16, 17 and it came to pass, when she pestered him daily with her words and pressed him, so that his soul was vexed to death, that he told her all his heart, and said to her, ÒNo razor  has ever come upon my head, for I have been a  Nazairite to God from my motherÕs womb. If I am shaven, then my strength will leave me, and I shall become weak, and be like any other man.Ó You are not like any other man or woman. God made you special; do not turn yourself into becoming like any other man or woman. You are a peculiar one; take your stand and let nothing position itself in your life to the point of pestering and pressing out the secret of your strength. Do not become a victim of your own unveiling.     

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

Ezra1:1-11, Jer.1:1-5

When the end of the Babylonian captivity was at hand, God stirred the spirit of a king in < ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>Persia. When the end of all thatÕs been holding you captive is at hand, only God will move on your behalf. There is nothing any man or government can do on the face of the earth to help or delay the end of captivity in your life. He said to Jeremiah in Jer.1:5, Òbefore I formed you in the womb I knew you: before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations.Ó You choose to runÉit is your choice. Go ahead and run; you will never pass GodÕs timing for your life. King Cyrus, whose name means fairness, was stirred in the spirit to put in place the freedom of the children of Israel from captivity. Ezra1:1 the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and also put in writing, saying: LORD God of heaven has given him and commanded him to build Him a house in Jerusalem. ItÕs amazing how God works. He can move your enemy to bring forth your blessing. His understanding is unreachable. Every area of captivity in your life — spiritually, maritally, and financially — God will stir the spirit of him that will bring forth your breakthrough, if you believe in Jesus name. The same God that was, is still, and He will always be.