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

Luke 5:1-11

All year long, weekly and monthly, you have been toiling and nothing has changed. You have reduced your time for fellowshipping to make ends meet but nothing is different. You have run where you were suppose to, walked when you should have, but there is no breaking news. It does not take power and determination to break through or get enough of what you are toiling for. One day, Simon, a professional fisherman, toiled all night and nothing seemed to be working for him. Simon needed a divine intervention. Jesus was around at the time of his toiling. Luke 5:4 ÒWhen He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, ÔLaunch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.ÕÓ Simon heard from where he needed to hear, despite the fact that nothing was working for him in his profession, he did not dispute or disregard direction from the Master. Luke 5:5, ÒBut Simon answered and said to Him, ÔMaster, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net.Ó Yes!  Just a word will terminate your entire struggle. Just at His word, the all-night-toiling of Simon rose up with uncontrollable abundance; it became history because he did not let the lack dictate doubts to him. Your all-year-months-and-weeks of toiling will turn into abundance if you seek Him first. Matthew 6:33, ÒBut seek first the < ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.Ó  Let worrying be worn out, let toiling be toppled, seek Him and you will see what He can do to establish you for His glory.

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

Luke 1: 18-38

Remembering the work of His hand will give hope. The works of God are miraculous and with constant remembrance of His miraculous works, He will work miracles on your behalf. When Zacharias, a minister in the temple, received the news that his wife is having a baby, he could not hold on to the news, but responded with a question, Luke < ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>1:18, ÒAnd Zacharias said to the angel, ÔHow shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years.Ó  Zacharias did not remember GodÕs miraculous hand at the time of his breakthrough news. When Mary received her news from the angel, she had a testimony to hold on to. Luke 1:36, ÒNow indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her with who was called barren.Ó  As Mary received her news with testimony, she could not doubt or further question the angel of the Lord. Mary responded to the angel in Luke 1:37, ÒFor with God nothing will be impossible.Ó Upon receiving the news, Mary responded in Luke 1:38, ÒThen Mary said, ÔBehold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word. And the angel departed from her.ÕÓ  The angel did not take anything away from Mary because she believed. Good news will be coming your way this season, donÕt fail to remember that with God nothing will be impossible. Just like Mary, remember the testimonies of God. Always receive, believe, and become so you can celebrate.

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

Exodus 14

This day, everything that is representing hindrance in your progression to the promise land, God will deny it. Pray that that agent of hindrance in your way will be changed by the Unchanging changer–from hindrance, to a wall of protection against other forms of hindrance as you pass through to your promise land. He alone is the Almighty God, the Healing healer. He alone is perfect in knowledge, and He alone is mighty in strength of understanding. The numbers of His years cannot be discovered and He is excellent in power. Ask that the power of God that divided the Red Sea, and made a way for the children of Israel to go forth, to make way for you against all forms of hindrances in your journey today. Exodus 14:22, ÒSo the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea on the dry ground, and the waters were a wall to them on their right hand and a wall to them on their left.Ó Do you believe in a prayer-answering God? If you believe, begin to advance this day knowing that the prayer-answering God has answered you. The children of < ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>Israel, knowing that God answered their prayer, went into the midst of the sea instead of backing up in fear. They walked on a dry ground where water was supposed to be covering. The same water of hindrance gave them a passage, and also turned out to be a wall on both sides for a safer passage. It was not recorded that anyone was trapped dead among the children of Israel, neither was it recorded that they were soaked as they progressed in their journey. That tells you that GodÕs deliverance is perfect! See it as a picture and it will become your own personal album. God is faithful. He has answered you before you pray it because He knows you will pray it. What He said He will do, He has done it. Glory be to the Almighty God! Amen and amen.                                                           

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

1 Samuel 15:10-23

How long should you remain little? It is better to remain little forever. Being little does not indicate that you have to be small in stature or in thinking when you are in the midst of your colleague. Being little will always be a blessing because it keeps you spiritually locatable. Being little will always make you receptive to ideas and suggestions when it matters. Above all, being little will definitely make you consistent to GodÕs direction. Saul was little in his own eyes when God spotted him for a great assignment. 1 Samuel 15:17, ÒSo Samuel said, ÔWhen you were little in your own eyes, were you not head of the tribes of < ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>Israel? And did not the LORD anoint you king over Israel?ÕÓ It is clear that Saul was anointed king because of the spirit he had in the beginning of GodÕs placement of his life. When he became king, when he was elevated with a title, and when he was in a place of power, he was no longer little in his own eyes. Saul became a man that followed only the dictate of his heart. No wonder Jesus said in Matthew 18:3, ÒAssuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.Ó To be little must fall in line with one being as little children. Have you really considered where God has positioned you today? Have you considered it as a special place for a special assignment where the purpose of being there is yet to be revealed unto you? Let not your shoulder rise above your head because you are not beyond GodÕs hand. Give no room to what could cause GodÕs hand to be withdrawn in your life assignment. Do not let God regret His placement of your life. Ask for grace to carry you through. He is a faithful God. 

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

1 Samuel 13:5-15, 15:1-9

The first time King Saul failed was when he began to focus in the strength of his army. The second time he failed, it started with his army. In his first failure, Samuel required of Saul to wait for him in carrying out burnt offerings and peace offerings before going to war against the Philistines. Saul waited but he could not wait long enough before he carried out the offerings himself. 1 Samuel < ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>13:11, ÒAnd Samuel said, ÔWhat have you done?Õ Saul said, ÔWhen I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that you did not come within the days appointed, and that the Philistines gathered together at Micmash.ÕÓ So he took the law into his own hands and did what was not supposed to be done by him. One will think Saul learned from the first mistake, but Saul did not, instead he went into a repeated failure. He was to go and attack the Amalekites by GodÕs command. After receiving the command from Samuel, the first thing he did was to turn again to the army.  1 Samuel 15:4, ÒSo Saul gathered the people together and numbered them in Telaim, two hundred thousand foot soldiers and ten thousand men of Judah.Ó Saul always looked to the army. Saul wanted to make sure he could carry out the command with what he had instead of what God can do through him. He was concerned in the numbers, but God does not operate by numbers but by act of obedience. If he had gone by virtue of the lesson learned from the first experience, God would not have regretted His calling of Saul. Saul probably acted without purpose, but before God, there is no excuse. It is possible to get into a repeated mistake but the result is always failure. Repeated failure is a careless mistake and it can be extremely costly. Today, ask God to deliver you from careless mistakes.