DO YOU WANT TO HEAR?
Habakkuk 1, 2

Habakkuk was a prophet who lived in Judah during the day of King Jehoiakim. He was not a stranger to hearing from God, neither was he short of receiving answers from God when he presented his questions to God. Despite the calling in the life of Habakkuk, he demonstrated that only by patiently watching and waiting can a man prevail in seeking and receiving from God. Having established a constant communication early in the book of Habakkuk, it became obvious in his word that without watching patiently hearing back from God can be impossible. The second chapter of Habakkuk recorded what it takes to get answer back from God. Habakkuk 2:1, “I will stand my watch and set myself on the rampart, and watch to see what He will say to me, and what I will answer when I am corrected.” Habakkuk’s self talk was in direction to God. He had been engaged in communicating back and forth with God. As the communication continued, there was a need for him to wait for response. Habakkuk’s attitude of patiently watching and waiting for God’s response is a lesson that needs to be written all over a believer’s life. It does not matter at what level you are walking with God; it will never take away the attitude of watching and waiting patiently. If there are to be any who wait and watch patiently for God, it should be the ones who walk closest with God. A steady watching and waiting patiently for God will no doubt bring forth a constant and reliable hearing and receiving from the Lord God. Elijah was no exception when his need to hear from God required waiting. Having called for rain to cease, he needed to wait on God for rain to fall. In his waiting for rain to fall, it took him seven times calling back and forth before the sign of rainfall could be sighted. Unlike when he called for rain to cease, Elijah had to wait longer when he called for rain to fall. God is neither a computer nor man that can be manipulated. Wait and watch is the rule of calling and in hearing from Him. Are you having challenges in any area of life where it seems there is no answer to your concerns or where there is no way out in your journey? Have you spent time in waiting and watching? Demonstrate to God that regardless of your challenges you will not move without hearing from Him. He is a faithful God! Go and He will not fail you.

Prayer for today: I ask O Lord, for the impartation of the grace that it takes to be able to watch and wait when situations demand for watching and waiting.

ALL ABOUT UNDERSTANDING
Genesis 27:1-8

When action is based on the knowledge gained in the understanding of the Word of God, it becomes impossible for action not to prevail. The word of God declares in Matthew 18:20, “For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.” God is not a liar and His words are true and will never fail. Isaac realized that he was old and he did not know the day of his death. He wanted to make a lasting pronouncement by blessing his son Esau and he called him saying in Genesis 27:7, “Bring me game and make savory food for me, that I may eat it and bless you in the presence of the LORD before my death.” Isaac was not talking out of the blue; he recognized that with him and Esau coming with obedience, they would be qualified for gaining His presence. The Word asked for where two or three are gathered together. Isaac could have said he was going to bless Esau, but instead he proposed that he would bless Esau in the presence of God. Operating in the word of God is more than just knowing about the word of God. However, operating in the knowledge of the word will bring power into place because it is a demonstration of understanding. Paul, the apostle, was a prisoner in the process of being transported to Rome, demonstrated his knowledge gained in understanding God. In the middle of an exceedingly tempest-tossed journey, he encouraged the fellow prisoners and the ship crew to take heart against the loss of life. He went further and backed his word of encouragement when he stated, “Therefore take heart, men, for I believe God that it will be just as it was told me”(Acts 27:25) Indeed the journey that could have terminated their life in the middle of the sea did not materialize and all were save as declared by Paul. As a believer, if you will begin to consciously operate in the word of God with sincere and desired expectation, the word will bring about manifestation in your life. Many believers are missing it because they are saying it from the mouth and not from the heart. To many, the word of God has become only a signature tune instead of a means to tune heaven into response. Do not be limited by the lack of knowledge; be embedded by the knowledge that is in the word of God. The word of God is true and it is power. 

Prayer for today: Ancient of days, King of kings, let your Word of preservation reign over my life. Let me not be a victim of lack of understanding in any area of life.

WHICH ONE ARE YOU?
Matthew 13:24-30

In life, growth is possible in every area but not all growth can be measured as spiritual blessing. As a matter of fact, growing in all areas of life has never been your problem. Physically, you are growing as well as financially; you do not have problems in these areas of growth. In the physical, you constantly appear in the church and to the brethren around you as a growing believer. What else? All is well with you and to those who see you very often, all is well. However, there is only One who sees it all and He knows right from the wrong. Nothing can hide from His face. He is the only One who inhabits eternity. He is the unquestionable God and He sees tomorrow from today. Every man and woman knows themselves. Each and everyone know where they stand when it comes to their walk in the Lord. Man can be deceived; woman can be made to embrace lies; but God cannot be fooled. God judged Sodom and Gomorrah because of their wickedness. The same God yesterday, today and tomorrow will not overlook the wickedness of today. The bottom line of it all is what Jesus talked about in Matthew 13:30: “Let both grow together until the harvest and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn.’” Where do you stand? Are you a representative of wheat or tare? At every time of rainfall and all that contributes to growth, both wheat and tares are in position to be benefited. Oftentimes, there is no clear distinction identifying tares from wheat. Also, it cannot and it should never be a surprise to see tares growing better than wheat. Awaken from your sleep because the harvest time is coming. It will be here and it does not matter how long or how soon it takes to come. All that will make the difference is for you to be faithful in doing the will of the Father just like Jesus said, “Not every man who says to Me, Lord, Lord shall enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.”(Matthew 7:21) Will you be willing to step out only unto God? Have you thought about your stand lately? Be wheat and never a tare. Always remember, judgment can be delayed but it will never be denied.

Prayer for today: Ask the Lord to direct you into His way. Ask God in His faithfulness to deliver you from every agent of destruction.

LISTEN TO GOD
Isaiah 57

Jesus was giving instruction about humility when He said in Matthew 18:3, “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.” Jesus meant what He said and what He said is not meaningful until it is constantly being maintained in the life of every man or woman who wants to enter into the Kingdom of heaven. The Word of God testifies that there is a place for the humble ones and that place is in living Heaven on earth. When a garment of humility is evident in the life of a man, it becomes impossible to fall for the forces of the wicked. With humility, it is possible to enter and dwell on a ground where seeing every move of the wicked is activated before it takes effect against the humble. The word of God cannot lie and when God says it, He means it. This is what you should hear in what God said concerning the humble: Isaiah 57:15, “For thus says the High and Lofty One who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in the high and holy place, with him who has a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.” Did you hear it from God in the word of His mouth as recorded in the book Isaiah? His word is to be taken seriously for it to work effectively in the life of the ones who hear and do His word. God‘s Word is true and it will never fail. Furthermore, it is what you hear that will be come of you. God said, “He dwells in the high and holy place, with him who has a contrite and humble spirit.” A contrite heart and humble spirit goes together and it is impossible to have a contrite heart and not be humble. Likewise, you cannot have a humble spirit and not have a contrite heart. God said with a humble spirit and contrite heart, you will dwell in His place either on earth or in Heaven. Determination will not help; it will fail. Is pride reigning in any area of your life? It is worthy to get a cross check of yourself and know that every position is within and not above God. Always remember, pride is empty of God’s presence but humility is full of God’s presence. Pride is empty and noisy. Do not entertain pride; allow God to elevate you so you will not be a victim of self-termination.

Prayer for today: Today, ask Him to place upon you a garment of humility and humble spirit. Ask God to cause you to be able to enter and dwell in His presence.

GATE OF PROMOTION
Esther 5, 6

Promotion gained should never be a termination in the making. When pride sets into play, however, promotion becomes a preparation to a permanent destruction. This was the case of Haman after being promoted by King Ahasuerus in the book of Esther. It is recorded that after Haman gained promotion, the entire king’s servant within the king’s gate were to pay homage to him. While he was passing through the gate, “…Mordecai would not bow or pay homage.”(Esther 3:2) Mordecai’s action was enough for Haman to be filled with wrath. By this virtue, Haman sought to terminate not just Mordecai but all the people of Mordecai. Haman’s plot grew wider and more relentless against Mordecai’s people. Just as Haman continued to ride on his favorable position with King Ahasuerus; so his shoulder continued to rise above his head. Once he was coming out of the king’s palace, through the same gate, “…When Haman saw Mordecai in the king’s gate, and that he did not stand or tremble before him, he was filled with indignation against Mordecai.”(Esther 5:9) This time around, Haman sought the counsel of his wife and friends on what to do to Mordecai. “Then his wife Zeresh and all his friends said to him, “Let a gallows be made, fifty cubits high, and in the morning suggest to the king that Mordecai be hanged on it; then go merrily with the king to the banquet.” And the thing pleased Haman; so he had the gallows made.”(Esther 5:14)Is your favorable promotion setting you up in a pride that could lead to a permanent destruction? A night before Haman’s plan gets to the king for execution, God moved on behalf of Mordecai. “That night the king could not sleep. So one was commanded to bring the book of the records of the chronicles; and they were read before the king. 2 And it was found written that Mordecai had told of Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king’s eunuchs, the doorkeepers who had sought to lay hands on King Ahasuerus. 3 Then the king said, “What honor or dignity has been bestowed on Mordecai for this?” And the king’s servants who attended him said, “Nothing has been done for him.””(Esther 6:1-3) Haman was in the process of coming to present the king his plan of humiliation and destruction for Mordecai. God, however, in His highness, turned around Haman’s plan and Mordecai could not be the victim but rather the victorious. The Bible says, “Afterward Mordecai went back to the king’s gate. But Haman hurried to his house, mourning and with his head covered.” (Esther 6:12-13) The same gate where Haman had been passing through with pride now turned to be a gate of shame for Haman to pass through. God is not asleep; do not allow your gate of promotion to become a gate of termination.

Prayer for today: Father, pride is a killer. I ask let me not be a victim of pride but rather cause me to live life in humility.