GOD’S PLAN IS SET
1 Samuel 16

God will never run out of mercy except that man often runs out of His mercy. After Saul ran out of God’s mercy by virtue of disobedience, God called on Samuel to go and anoint one of the sons of Jesse, the Bethlehemite, as king for the children of Israel. At Samuel’s arrival, he wanted to determine by sight the one that was to be anointed according to God’s command. Samuel went to business by calling for all the children of Jesse. “So it was, when they came, that he looked at Eliab and said, “Surely the LORD’s anointed is before Him!”” (1 Samuel 16:6) When God sends you, He will select for you. Samuel attempted to make a selection for God but he missed it because he moved by sight. The Lord told Samuel not to look at appearance or physical stature (1 Samuel 16:7). Let God take you through because He is the one that called you and you do not call yourself. After Samuel’s failure by looking at the physical appearance, he now responded to God by not looking but listening for whom God will announce for anointing. Samuel saw all the children of Jesse but could not complete God’s assignment because the one God set for Himself to be the king after Saul was not on location. Samuel knowing that God did not make any selection among the children of Jesse that was on location, he now said to Jesse, “Send and bring him, for we will not sit down till he comes here.” (1 Samuel 16: 11b) Despite the fact that David was not on location, that which belongs onto him could not elude him. In their waiting for his arrival, they could not sit; they were all standing. Today, all that belongs to you will not elude you in the name of Jesus. Where ever you are or whatever the situation on the ground is, they will always wait for you to receive all that God has ordained for you in Jesus name. Anointing is not what is to be struggled for it is for whom the Lord calls for His divine assignment. David the last of the children of Jesse did not struggle but in his absence his presence was called for.

Prayer for today: O Lord my God, let me become what you called me to be for your name’s glory. In Jesus name, no force or agent of denial or disruption shall have their way in my life and I shall live to the fulfillment of God’s glory for my life in the name of Jesus. 

HOW CAN I GO
1 Samuel 16:1-13

Through the pages of the Bible, God has proved Himself as a God that answers whenever His children call on Him to ask. As a believer, you have disproved God many times as God that does not answer by not calling whenever there is a need for. At every time, in every situation that God is approached for an intervention, it is a revelation of knowing God; knowing to trust in God and to fear His mighty name. Jesus declared in Matthew 7:7, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock and it will be opened to you.” What Jesus was saying is for them and it is also for us that are here now. Many times, instead of asking, we resolve into fear, complaining, questioning, or giving God excuses that do not count or excuses that does not have any base. Samuel once, was sent by God to go and anoint David as the new king while King Saul was still the reigning and active king over the people. “Now the LORD said to Samuel, “How long will you mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go; I am sending you to Jesse the Bethlehemite. For I have provided Myself a king among his sons.” And Samuel said, “How can I go? If Saul hears it he will kill me.”(1 Samuel 16:1-2) But the LORD said, “Take a heifer with you, and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the LORD.’” It was a dangerous command for Samuel to go and anoint David while Saul was still alive as king. Samuel could have shown concern for his life by giving excuses and reasons to God for him not to go, he could have entered into complaining. There was no documentation that Samuel was afraid or shaken by God’s command. Rather, Samuel responded to God by simply asking for direction of how to go for God’s command. Samuel asked God saying, “How can I go” Samuel knew his God that he was serving as the Master in charge of all and he was not going to question God’s command. As a result he asked and God answered. Asking God is not limited to asking for wants. Asking God is extended to seeking direction when the calling or command seems unreasonable in our own understanding. Do you have any doubt in responding to His calling in your life? Questioning will not move God’s hand but it is capable of removing you from under His hand. God is a faithful God; He will not fail you when you ask. Go ahead and ask Him just like Samuel did, “How can I go” and you will make a headway.

Prayer for today: Teach me Your way, O Lord; and unite my heart to fear You.

IT IS ALL ABOUT OBEDIENCE
John 2:1-12

In deed and in truth, obedience is better than sacrifice. Walking in the Word of God is obedience. Samuel could not have said it better when he stated in 1 Samuel 15:22, “Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, As in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams.” Obedience will save a lot when it is in place in the life of a believer. Obeying the Word of God will prevent a believer from shame. Obeying the Word of God is the evidence of trusting in God and what He can do. It is written in John 2:1-2, “…there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there.  Now both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding.”During the course of wedding celebration, the merriment sustenance (wine) of the wedding celebration was out. As a result, the wedding ceremony was in direction of shame, humiliation and embarrassment. Have you invited Jesus into your life, your marriage, health or finances and things not going as expected? Jesus did not just show up at the wedding but was invited. Despite the fact that Jesus was there, shame was set to cloud the wedding party as a result of wine running out. At that wedding in Cana of Galilee, the mother of Jesus approached Jesus for intervention that would save the wedding celebration from shame and embarrassment. Jesus responded to His mother’s call for intervention, “Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does your concern have to do with Me? My hour has not yet come.” (John 2:4) Jesus’ response was not discouraging to the mother of Jesus. She rather encouraged the servants at the wedding with her response in John 2:5. “His mother said to the servants, “Whatever He says to you, do it.” What is in the Word of God that is missing in your situation by virtue of your disobedience? If you will take an honest search within yourself, there is a step out of your situation by obeying what He has said to you in His word. John 2:7, “Jesus said to them, “Fill the waterpots with water.” And they filled them up to the brim.” The servants were obedient by doing exactly what Jesus instructed them. Can you state with confidence that you are doing all according to His Word and commands? Jesus commanded them to fill all the empty gallons of wine and the wedding took a new turn; a new beginning and better celebration.  Let His command reign and rule in all your undertakings and nothing under heaven will overtake you.

Prayer for today: In you O Lord I trust, let me never be ashamed; deliver me in your righteousness.

WHAT IS YOUR ISSUE
Mark 5:25-34

The woman with the issue of blood came to Jesus to be delivered from what had been a heavy burden upon her life. She came expecting and she left with manifestation. If she had not come to Jesus, her story would have been like many that live and died because of their issue. Jesus was not telling jokes, neither was He sharing fables when He declared in Matthew 11:28, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden and you will find rest for your souls.” What is stopping you from taking your issue to Him today? Yesterday is gone, and the result of yesterday should not be a discouragement for today.  The woman with the issue of blood by law should not have been near anyone Leviticus 15:19, “If a woman has a discharge, and the discharge from her body is blood, she shall be set apart seven days; and whoever touches her shall be unclean until evening.” The law as stated in Leviticus could not prevent her nor set her apart from her deliverance when she went after Jesus to touch His garment. The Bible recorded that she came from behind. She was desperate for her healing after twelve years; she refused to remain quiet to herself but violated the law with expectation for her healing. The woman with the issue of blood, the man with an issue of lack, the brother with the issue of financial difficulties, the couple with the issue of barrenness, the people with issues that are troubling, and all kinds of issue will get their breakthrough if they reach out and touch the same garment of the Healing Healer. Nothing is too difficult for Him if you will not find it difficult to bring it to Him, regardless of all surrounding circumstances of denial. “Now a certain woman had a flow of blood for twelve years, 26 and had suffered many things from many physicians. She had spent all that she had and was no better, but rather grew worse. When she heard about Jesus, she came behind Him in the crowd and touched His garment.” (Mark 5:25-27) The woman with issue of blood had suffered enough to give up, but she didn’t. The Bible said when “she heard about Jesus” she made all the necessary effort to come and reach Him by touching Him. The woman with issue of blood exercised “against all odds faith”. Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. Go and remind Him concerning the work of His hands and He will be provoked to answer you.

Prayer for today: Hear my cry O Lord my God; give ear to my prayer, answer me according to the multitude of your mercy.

GOD IS AWESOME
Exodus 1:15-22, 2:1-10

“Then the king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives, of whom the name of one was Shiphrah and the name of the other Puah; and he said, “When you do the duties of a midwife for the Hebrew women, and see them on the birthstools, if it is a son, then you shall kill him; but if it is a daughter, then she shall live.” (Exodus 1:15-16) There is no work of God that is accidental. After king Pharaoh’s command to kill all the Hebrew sons, a boy was born by a couple from the house of Levi. Pharaoh’s plot was to kill and to destroy while the hand of God was in place to heal and to deliver. Moses’ birth came in due season. However, his due season was a season of destruction yet he lived as a vessel of deliverance for his people. The kind of season you are will not determine or affect what God wants to do with your life. It does not matter how people see your situation, but it does matter for you to believe that the God who delivered Moses at the time of destruction will have a way of seeing you through. Moses, after three months, the parents placed him in an ark of bulrushes to protect him from the being killed by Pharaoh. As God will have it for Moses, the ark ended up in the hand of Pharaoh’s daughter and that called for a need to have someone to take care of Moses. “Then his sister said to Pharaoh’s daughter, “Shall I go and call a nurse for you from the Hebrew women, that she may nurse the child for you?” And Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Go.” So the maiden went and called the child’s mother.” (Exodus 2:7-8) Miracle working God placed Moses on the same ground where judgment was passed for the killing of Hebrew sons. He was also delivered into his mother’s hand and he did not have to miss the early infant age from his mother. When the mother took over the caring contract, “Then Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Take this child away and nurse him for me, and I will give you your wages.” So the woman took the child and nursed him.”” (Exodus 2:9) God did not only deliver Moses, but He also preserved him. The house of Pharaoh was responsible for all of Moses’ provision. God does have His own way of operating and no man or situation can derail the operations of God. God is an awesome God. He will deliver you and preserve you for His glory in Jesus name.

Prayer for today: Ancient of Days, the Excellence of Jacob, allow your mercy and let me not be placed outside of Your plan in all areas of my life.