RAIN OR SHOWER
Genesis 6, 7

The Bible recorded in Genesis 7:11-12, “In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, on that day all the fountains of the great deep were broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened. 12 And the rain was on the earth forty days and forty nights. ” The rain that flooded in the time of Noah was the result of sin. Genesis 6:1-2, “Now it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born to them, 2 that the sons of God saw the daughters of men, that they were beautiful; and they took wives for themselves of all whom they chose.” When God allowed multiplication and increase, His creation multiplied in wickedness and all kinds of ungodliness that provoked the hand of God against man. “… LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. 7 So the LORD said, “I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth…” (Genesis 6:6-7) Sin disqualified man from His grace, “But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD” (Genesis 6:8) The same eyes that spotted sin during the time of multiplication and beautification of the sons of man are still the same eyes today, “For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him…” (2 Chronicles 16:9) God’s eye is the same as it was, He is forever consistent and He will not overlook sin. There is always sin and there is always forgiveness. However, forgiveness does not take away consequence. Has He increased you by multiplying you and adding beauty to what He has blessed you with? It is not time to dance away from Him. Do not allow blessings to blow you away from the One that blesses. God alone can send showers of blessing or showers of destruction. The shower that fell in the time of Noah was in two fold. To the wicked ones, it was a shower of destruction while to Noah it was a shower of grace. At the time of shower, while the wicked population was experiencing destruction, Noah was experiencing deliverance. The shower that flooded the whole population receded when God remembered Noah and sent forth the wind of preservation. “Then God remembered Noah, and every living thing, and all the animals that were with him in the ark. And God made a wind to pass over the earth, and the waters subsided.’” (Genesis 8:1) Sin will always bring forth showers of destruction but to the ones obeying His commands it will always be showers of blessings.

Prayer for today: Ask God to guide you so you will not miss out in His shower of blessing.

MOVE BY HIS WORD
Psalm 143:7-12

So many challenges in the world today are bringing forth all kinds of struggle and challenges calls for the word of God to overcome. For every believer that chooses to hear the word of God, it is important to know that, just a word of God is enough to terminate all kinds of struggle. What you have heard in the word of God and what you are now hearing in His word is what will carry you through every of your journey. The word of God is direction, deliverance, protection and preservation. When you hear Him right it will be right for you. When you fail to hear, you have also heard Him wrongly. You do have a need to hear Him on a daily and regular basis. Psalm 143:8 “Cause me to hear your lovingkindnesss in the morning. For in You do I trust; Cause me to know the way in which I should walk, For I lift up my soul to you.” The Psalmist demonstrated here that hearing Him in the morning is what makes the difference for the day. When you begin to make time to hear from the Lord first in the morning, trusting Him will be activated in your daily endeavors and what you heard in the morning will be your compass for the day. What you heard from Him first in the morning will be showing forth the way to walk through the day and it will be your weapon of deliverance and preservation from the enemy. There is none that have walked in the way of God that ends up in failure. As a believer, do not walk in anyway that seems right unto you because the word of God warned against it. Proverbs 14:12, “There is a way that seems right to a man. But its end is the way of death.” It is wisdom to walk in the way of God. Evidently, it is also a demonstration of trust in Him not to walk in your own way. “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding: 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him. And He shall direct your paths.” (Proverbs 3:5-6) To many believers, these are well memorized and often quoted scriptural verses. However, memorization without meditation will bring forth no manifestation. Meditation is what will cause you to observe in every step as you take them in the direction of the word. Those who walk in His way always arrive at their expected end. Also, those that are still hearing Him and walking in His way are set to end up in His divine schedule and rest. As a child of God, what are you hearing early in the day? In all that you hear, hear Him right and that will have a direct impact on how you move. He is faithful God, when you gain understanding in His word you are set to overcome in every step of life.  

Prayer for today: Ask God for understanding in your hearing.

WAY TO THE OTHER SIDE
Matthew 14:13-32

The disciples, having been around Jesus for quite a while, had learnt so much but their much was not enough for their calling. Their need to learn more became evident while at a deserted ground. The ground was empty and there was nothing to feed the multitudes. “…His disciples came to Him, saying, “This is a deserted place, and the hour is already late. Send the multitudes away, that they may go into the villages and buy themselves food.”” (Matthew 14:15) As a believer, do you think there is a place deserted enough to prevent Jesus from making a provision in the place of lack? At that juncture the disciples demonstrated a need for a learning experience. “Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away.” (Matthew 14:22) It was a compulsory trip; it was a trip of learning. The trip in a boat to the other side, at a late hour was of strong importance and urgency. The disciples needed to carry a mark of experience of what it means to lay it all on Jesus in every deserted ground. As one that has been following Him, have you been carrying a mark of experience that sets you apart for Him? It is a mark of separation unto Him and it could be that what you’re going through now is your crossing over to the other side. The learning experience is not always in the beginning of the crossing but in the middle, “But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary.” (Matthew 24:26) In the middle when turning back is bleak and going forward could be challenging with no chances of survival. The disciples saw what was not true because they were troubled. “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 14:25-26) Where there is no faith fear will occupy and trouble will prevail. He has called you, He will train you, He will instruct you, and His eyes will guide you. As one that is in training for the business of the Kingdom of God, what you are going through is a learning experience and it will prepare you for greater work to come. In the learning experience of the disciples Jesus showed up and assured them when, “…He spoke to them saying, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.”” He is true to His word.

Prayer for today: O Lord have mercy on me, in my time of crossing over, let me not sink and miss my divine calling.                

RELY TO PREVAIL
2 Chronicles 13

As many as there are millions of hearts, God alone sees all the hearts on earth. 2 Chronicles 16:9 testifies, “For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to him…” God is interested in knowing those whose hearts are loyal to Him not whose hearts are racing away from Him. A loyal heart is a faithful heart and it is the heart that relies on God. Once, Abijah the king of Judah was confronted by Jeroboam the king of Israel. In this confrontational war, Jeroboam was set in battle with eight hundred thousand men of war against Abijah’s four hundred thousand men of war. Jeroboam, by virtue of the strength and depth in his men of war, had no need to rely on God but self. However, Abijah had every need to commit it all to the hand of God. Abijah warned Jeroboam with his testimony, “Now look, God Himself is with us as our head, and His priests with sounding trumpets to sound the alarm against you. O children of Israel, do not fight against the LORD God of your fathers, for you shall not prosper!” (2 Chronicles 13:12) Despite the warning signal, Jeroboam chose to go forward hoping his reliance on man’s strength would prevail against Abijah’s reliance on God. “But Jeroboam caused an ambush to go around behind them; so they were in front of Judah, and the ambush was behind them. 14 And when Judah looked around, to their surprise the battle line was at both front and rear; and they cried out to the LORD, and the priests sounded the trumpets.” (2 Chronicles 13:13-14) Are you facing any challenge that shows there is no way out for your victory? Abijah took three steps to attain his victory: The people cried out to the Lord; the priests sounded trumpets which represented alarming call to heaven and the men of Judah gave a shout. Abijah knew who he believed and he cried unto God. Jeroboam was defeated despite his reliance on what man could do for him. God sees the heart and He will not fail to spot out the ones that rely on Him. As a result of Abijah’s reliance on God, “Thus the children of Israel were subdued at that time; and the children of Judah prevailed, because they relied on the LORD God of their fathers.” (2 Chronicles 13:18) A heart that relies on God will be loyal to Him and it is the evidence of the fear of God. 2 Chronicles 19:9, “…You shall act in the fear of LORD, faithfully and with a loyal heart” God does not sleep and His eyes will not miss when you rely on Him. Rely on Him and you will prevail.

Prayer for today: O Lord takeover my heart and let me not have any reason to rely on any other God but you.