CONFIDENCE
Matthew 14:22-33

Fear in the face of trouble or fear in the face of sudden terror is the demonstration of no confidence in the Lord. Proverbs 3:25-26, “Do not be afraid of sudden terror, Nor of trouble from the wicked when it comes; 26 For the LORD will be your confidence, And will keep your foot from being caught.” It is easy to confess our hope and trust in the Lord but when trouble or sudden terror comes like a wave, our faith becomes tested. However, the more we hear and hear about how different troubles and sudden terrors were overcome by the presence of the Lord, our faith supposedly will rise. Jesus made His disciples get into a journey where there faith was tested. It was not accidental but a passage through incident that was to qualify them as ones that have seen it all, being in it all and experienced it all so that they could be our model. He sent them on a journey at a late hour to a point of no return, “…Now when evening came, He was alone there, 24 But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary. 25 Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea. 26 And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out for fear. ” (Matthew 14:23-26) Jesus’ disciples were not only afraid of the condition they were into but they were also afraid of what they saw. The waves that were tossing their boat and the misrepresentation of Jesus as Ghost generated enough fear for them to cry out in fear. The disciples have seen different miracles, they have walked with the Lord enough to know better that whenever or wherever He sends them, He would not leave them nor forsake them. Jesus, the One that sent the disciples in the boat across to the other side before Him did not forsake them despite the lost of confidence of the disciples. Has He called you and all that you are dealing with are challenges upon challenges and waves after waves? The word of God came for Jeremiah, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you…”  (Jeremiah 1:5) The same word is speaking to every man today. He that formed us knows our steps and He is able to guide and direct in our entire journey. It is worthy to know and be encouraged that, Jesus will not forsake us. He did not forsake the disciples because at their cry unto Him, “… immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.” (Matthew 14:27) Our God is still in the business of hearing the cry of His children and He will hear us.

Prayer for today: Ask God to enable you to operate in the spirit of power, love and sound mind.    

PATIENTLY WAITING
Psalm 39, 40

Psalm 14:1, “The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none who does good. ” To be God-less is to be evil-full. Inside of any mind that says there is no God there will be no seeking of God and God is not always in their thoughts. As an acclaimed believer that frequently sleeps before Him, is there any situation that has made you a reproach of the foolish? Prayer is the weapon to every situation. However, if there is any situation that has made you a reproach of the foolish, pray the prayer of King David as stated in Psalm 39:8, “Deliver me from all my transgressions; Do not make me the reproach of the foolish.” Ask God to hear your prayer and give ear to your cry. Once, King David shared how he was brought out of the state of mockery, a place where he was made to become a reproach of the foolish. Psalm 40:1-2, “I waited patiently for the LORD; And He inclined to me, And heard my cry.2 He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, Out of the miry clay, And set my feet upon a rock, And established my steps.” King David claimed to have waited patiently before he overcame. Waiting will fail when it is not in patience. A waiting that lacks patience is a wasting of time. A waiting without expectation in getting the attention of God is also a waste of time. Is there any area where you are waiting on God in expectation? Are you waiting patiently or you are wasting away? Wait on God patiently and He will attend to you. King David made us recognize that God inclined (to lower or bend head as to give a nod) to him in his waiting. God heard King David’s cry. King David’s waiting delivered him from the horrible pit which represented a situation or condition where there was no way out for him. He also came out of the miry clay that represented a slippery ground; a ground that took away his ability of maintaining firmness in his stand. King David’s waiting yielded positively. He came out of being a reproach of the foolish and gained his footing on the rock to stay. Conscious copy king David and you will be coupled with breakthrough. Also, when you get your breakthrough remember to praise Him with a new song. Trust Him, wait on Him and He will not ignore you but ignite you with blessings.
 
Prayer for today: Deliver me O Lord my God from all of my transgressions and let me not become a reproach of the foolish.

DELAY IS NOT DENIAL
Ezra 1, 4

During the time of captivity of the children of Israel, the temple was destroyed. At the time when the door was opened for the captive to return, the word of God came to manifestation. A pagan ruler, Cyrus the king of Persia was moved as prophesied that a man named Cyrus would issue an order in support of the rebuilding of the temple. Ezra 1:1-2, “Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and also put it in writing, saying, 2 Thus says Cyrus king of Persia: All the kingdoms of the earth the LORD God of heaven has given me. And He has commanded me to build Him a house at Jerusalem which is in Judah.” What the Lord has purposed for you will not fail; neither shall it be disconnected by any position of authority. Proverbs 21:1, “The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD, Like the rivers of water; He turns it wherever He wishes.” The heart of the ones in authority will be stirred on your behalf for your favor. The heart of the king of Persia was stirred yet the devil did not give up and wanted to have a part or role so as not to make the building of the temple come to pass.  Just as there was an open door for the temple to be built, there were also agents and adversaries, the enemy of progress. As the building progressed the resistance to build also presented itself. This was God’s project facing resistance in the hand of the evil ones and his agents. If God’s project can face such a resistance yours can also face resistance. The adversaries of the children of Israel succeeded as far as making the project of God cease. Ezra 4:24, “Thus the work of the house of God which is at Jerusalem ceased, and it was discontinued until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.” The project of God ceased and it was delayed. Are you experiencing delay in any area of your life? The adversaries could only delay but they could not deny the project from getting completed. Your project will be completed. Who can shut what God opens? It is recorded in Ezra 6:14-15, “So the elders of the Jews built, and they prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. And they built and finished it, according to the commandment of the God of Israel, and according to the command of Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia.  15 Now the temple was finished…” Are you concerned about any delay? Be encouraged that the same God will complete your project. Be mindful of this, a blessing in delay is not a blessing in denial.

Prayer for today: Ask God to permanently terminate and destroy any adversary that is playing a role in the delay of your breakthrough.

THE IDENTITY OF THE WICKED
Jeremiah 12

One thing is certain and that is, the wicked will not go unpunished. Proverbs 11:21, “Though they join forces,] the wicked will not go unpunished; But the posterity of the righteous will be delivered.” Throughout the Bible it is evident that being wicked does not activate immediate consequences of sin. It is pointed out in different books of the Bible that the wicked could enjoy as much as the righteous do or more than the righteous most times but the end is where the difference is clear. Are you wondering why the wicked seem to be having it well or you are wondering if you fall into the identities of the wicked? Job asked in Job 21:7-8, “Why do the wicked live and become old, yes become mighty in power? 8 Their descendants are established with them in their sight, and their offspring before their eyes.” Just like Job, many others in the pages of the Bible were curious about the sustainability and well being of the wicked. King David must have been reacting to an act of the wicked when he declared in Psalm 7:9, Oh let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end…” Curiosity over the way of the wicked did not end with King David. The Psalmist also asked in Psalm 94:3 LORD how long will the wicked, how long will the wicked triumph?” Once, God pointed out to Jeremiah, “LORD, how long will the wicked, How long will the wicked triumph? ” (Jeremiah 12:5) God was responding to Jeremiah’s curiosity of knowing why the wicked were prospering. Jeremiah, a prophet of God, was called into proclaiming God’s judgment against the people of Judah for their idolatry, unfaithfulness to the covenant, and their disobedience to the will of God. At a point in time when he could not hold on to the reason why the wicked prospered he went further and asked God, “…Why does the way of the wicked prosper…” (Jeremiah 12:1). Evidently, in the curiosity of Jeremiah before God, it was clear that the wicked ones grew just like the righteous ones; the wicked ones could be happy just like the righteous ones. Is there any way that you have been walking the walk of the wicked while there is nothing that identifies you as wicked? You know yourself and God knows you better. Inside of Jeremiah’s curiosity, the identity of the wicked was spelled out when he mentioned, “…You are near in their mouth but far from their mind.” (Jeremiah 12:2)  As an acclaimed believer, is the word near in your mouth but far from your mind? Word in the mouth and not in the mind is the full name of wickedness.

Prayer for today: Ask God to deliver you from every wicked way so that you may be preserved for the kingdom of God.

TRAPPED AT THE TRACK?
John 5:1-9

Promises of God are written all over the pages of the Bible. Above all, to inherit any of His promises every believer of His word will have to be in the right position. In every area of life, being in the right position at the right timing of God is equal to possessing possessions. However, it is not impossible to be at the right position and miss the right of possessing one’s possession. In other words, it is possible for a man to be at the right track in the race track of life and remain trapped.  To be trapped is to remain stagnated in a position or situation where there is no motion. An example of being on the right track and getting trapped can be seen in the life of a certain man with infirmity of thirty eight years. The man with infirmity lay by the Sheep Gate, a pool, just like all the other people that were looking for healing and a way out of stagnation of life into motion. It was mentioned that there were many and different kinds of diseases that were waiting for the move of water, “For an angel went down at a certain time into the pool and stirred up the water; then whoever stepped in first, after the stirring of the water, was made well of whatever disease he had.” (John 5:4) Many must have been receiving their healing while that certain man’s healing continued to elude him. He was there at the water of healing, the water was there for him but he was not there for the water to heal him. The position of healing denied him while he could not deny the forces that kept him stagnated. In the coming days, weeks, and months God has made available an abundance of grace for every one of His children to posses. In possessing your possession, the position you have taken could fail you like that certain man with infirmity. In your position, rise and do not lay in waiting so that the name of the Lord can be glorified in your life. Thank God for Jesus in the life of that particular man. “When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, “Do you want to be made well?”” (John 5:6) Thank God for Jesus because He came to give us abundant life. In gaining possession there is always an evidence of being at the right position at the right time. In your position, be awake, pay attention, be expectant, and do not allow lying down to deny you your position to posses.
 
Prayer for today: Ask God to terminate every agent of adversary that often denies man from receiving from great effective doors that have been opened by God.