Love of God< ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>

Deuteronomy 28:1-14

The love of God came to us free but the blessings of God came with condition. The requirement for the blessings of God is nothing but obedience to the word of God. Deuteronomy 28:1-2, ÒNow it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the voice of the LORD your God, to observe carefully all His commandment which I command you today, that the LORD your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth. And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice of the LORD your God.Ó  As you can see, the blessing of God is not an accident it is based and rooted in obedience to His voice. Yes, you have not been obedient to the word of God and blessings have not stopped flowing in your life. Consider the fact that what you are looking at as a blessing might not be a blessing in GodÕs book. Defining GodÕs blessing is not the message for you today. However, it is written in Proverb < ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>10:22, ÒThe blessing of the LORD makes one rich, and He add no sorrow with it.Ó If God says obedience to His commandment is what will make blessings to overtake you, that is what He meant because the word of God is true and amen. Despite your inconsistency, the Lord continues to be consistent by being merciful, patient, forgiving, providing, and preserving. Look up to God and acknowledge Him for His goodness and mercy and declare His loving kindness and faithfulness. Ask God to endue you with grace to be consistent in obedience to His voice.

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

Exodus 5

The children of < ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>Israel have been afflicted by Egypt long enough. Breakthrough is about to take place and God has already moved through Moses, but the manifestation is yet to be in place. They were closer to breakthrough more than ever. As the LORD planned it, Moses approached Pharaoh to request for the release of the children of Israel. Pharaoh responded with anger and he requested for more work for the children of Israel. Exodus 5:9, ÒLet more work be laid on the men that they may labor in it, and let them not regard false words.Ó It is very challenging to see situations get more difficult when it appears you are closer to breakthrough. Moses was supposed to be getting them out, not getting them down. The children of Israel requested from Pharaoh the reasons for addition of work. Pharaoh responded, Exodus 5:17, ÒBut he said, ÔYou are idle! Idle! Therefore you say, ÔLet us go and sacrifice to the LORD.ÕÓ Pharaoh added more to their affliction. You have come a long way, it does not matter how long you have been through, it only matters that God is a true God. Is it certain to you that GodÕs deliverance is a certainty? Ignore all the noise of the liar, hold on to God. You are almost there, and the closer you get, the more it may seem you are losing. In the hand of God you are a winner, your breakthrough is at hand. 

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

Genesis 26:6-16

In the time of famine Isaac went to Abimelech, King of the Philistines, in Gerar. God instructed him not to go down to < ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>Egypt but to dwell where He asked of him. When God asks you to stay in a land that does not look secure, will you not stay and wait for Him to do what He will do? Isaac stayed in Gerar despite the threat of what could happen to his wife Rebekah. In Gerar, he wanted to take the job of security guard from the Almighty Guardian. He wanted to help God in protecting his wife from the hand of the wicked men because of her beauty. God gave him a beautiful wife, God directed him to dwell where he was, and God was teaching and instructing him. When God is in control, do not let the situation of the land control you. Genesis 26:7, ÒAnd the men of the place asked about his wife. And he said, ÔShe is my sisterÕ; for he was afraid to say Ôshe is my wifeÕ because he taught, ÔLest the men of the place kill me for Rebekah, because she is beautiful to behold.ÕÓ In his effort as the security guard, he faltered from the truth by lying. As a result, everything stopped working for Isaac. However, when the truth came out about Rebekah, the Bible confirmed in Genesis 26:12, ÒThen Isaac sowed in that land, and reaped in the same year a hundredfold; and the LORD blessed him.Ó It could not be accidental that his blessing came after truth prevailed. Give it all up to truth; He is able to see you through. Lying will not prevail; it will only delay or destroy. Ask God to strip off every agent or activity of lying and deception in your life.

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

Exodus 6:1-8

Affliction is a combination of burden and bondage. The children of < ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>Israel spent over four hundred years in affliction of Egypt before God sent Moses to deliver them. Among many of the assurances of God when He sent Moses was in Exodus 3:17, ÒAnd I have said I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt to the land of the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Amorites and the Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebusites, to a land flowing with milk and honey.Ó Is there any situation that has taken a place of affliction in your life? Affliction: Burden- something that is emotionally difficult to bear or a source of great worry or stress, Bondage- the state of one who is bound as a slave or a state of subjection to a force or influence. Is there any way your situation is identified with affliction as defined here? Is the definition of affliction in line with what you are looking up to God to deliver you from? This is how God promised to help the children of Israel in Exodus 6:6, ÒTherefore say to the children of Israel: I am the LORD; I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, I will rescue you from their bondage, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgments.Ó As the year runs out, ask God to bring you out from under every burden, ask Him to rescue you from their bondage and to redeem you. Pray the word; know about what you are asking God so that when you receive your breakthrough, you will know how to thank Him well enough for perfection to become yours. 

Issues of Barrenness< ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>

Genesis 25:21-26

It is recorded that Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah as his wife. Rebekah was barren and did not have a child until Isaac was sixty years of age. Evidently, Isaac waited for twenty years before RebekahÕs barrenness ceased. Isaac was not quiet before God during the season of her barrenness; he was pleading and asking for breakthrough. Genesis 25:21, ÒNow Isaac pleaded with the LORD for his wife, because she was barren; and the LORD granted his plea, and Rebekah his wife conceived.Ó To Isaac, it must have been a long period of waiting, which might have led to thoughts of AbrahamÕs long wait as well. History and time was not enough to stop Isaac from asking and pleading with God. How long have you been going through your barrenness? It could be financial or any other kind of barrenness, the bottom line is that barrenness is not a season that you want to go through. Have you been pleading with the LORD in deed and in truth? Do not get tired or be discouraged, God is still in the business of answering prayer. He hears your cry and when He favors you it is going to be for your lifetime. Your weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning (Psalm 30:5). Be persistent in your pleading and calling for His hand. Remind Him concerning the works of His hand and He will remember you with favor at His appointed time. The God who granted IsaacÕs plea will grant yours in Jesus name.