ACT OF DOUBLE EVIL
Jeremiah 2

When you go far from God you will not remember to acknowledge Him for all He has done, there will be a failure to identify with what He is doing and as a result, failure to do what is right will be in place. God spoke through Jeremiah to the children of Israel, “What injustice have your fathers found in Me,
That they have gone far from Me, Have followed idols, And have become idolaters? 6 Neither did they say, ‘Where is the LORD, Who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, Who led us through the wilderness, Through a land of deserts and pits, Through a land of drought and the shadow of death, Through a land that no one crossed And where no one dwelt?’” (Jeremiah 2:4-6) Knowing God to be a jealous God, giving Him constant and consistent attention and identifying Him as He who saw you through in the past and acknowledging Him for the present is important. At the time He was speaking through Jeremiah, the children of Israel had failed to do what is right by not identifying Him for the past and not acknowledging Him for the present. In your new beginning, in your new position, it is worthy to identify Him for what He has done and what He is doing. The children of Israel at that time failed to serve God but turned to gods. Jeremiah 2:11, “Has a nation changed its gods, Which are not gods? But my people have changed their Glory for what does not profit.” God is the God that does not overlook sin and He did not overlook the failure of the children of Israel. Are you in any way taking the kind of steps that were taken by the children of Israel as mentioned above? As a believer, it is required to constantly acknowledge God for what He has done, what He is doing and what He will do. When there is a failure to acknowledge Him, there will be knowledge of turning away to another god. Some turn to money, profession or sport as their god. God responded to the children of Israel’s act as “two evils”. Jeremiah 2:13, “For My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, And hewn themselves cisterns—broken cisterns that can hold no water. ” Children of Israel committed two evils and God lay down the consequences of their evil deed. The word went further for the children of Israel, “…Know therefore and see that it is an evil and bitter thing that you have forsaken the Lord your God, and the fear of Me is not in you says the LORD of hosts.” (Jeremiah2:19)  It is never too late to stand up where there is evidence of falling short. However, not to rise and stand but to remain on the ground is self destruction.
 
Prayer for today:O Lord my God, search me, help me and redirect me from every wrong step that I have taken away from You.

RUTHLESS PRAISE
2 Samuel 6

What do you have in your possession to offer Him in your sacrifice? What has He blessed you with that is worthy to be rendered to praise Him? As much as the Bible is written for our learning, hearing and living, the Word will no doubt produce notable result just as it did in the Bible days. King David was an example of one that demonstrated ruthless praise during the transportation of the Ark of God to the city of David. The Ark of God represented the presence of God. Having been in the presence of God many times, how many times have you given unto Him a ruthless praise? If you will learn to know and engage yourself in ruthless praise in His presence, every agent of mockery in your life will be ruthlessly rendered marred. How King David offered unto God ruthless praise is evident in the process of transporting the ark of God. “…So David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-Edom to the City of David with gladness. 13 And so it was, when those bearing the ark of the LORD had gone six paces, that he sacrificed oxen and fatted sheep. 14 Then David danced before the LORD with all his might; and David was wearing a linen ephod. 15 So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the LORD with shouting and with the sound of the trumpet. ” (2 Samuel 6:12-15) Identifying David’s Ruthless praise: Gladness was in the beginning of his praise and worship, sacrificing the material wealth that the Lord had blessed him with (the oxen and fatted sheep) was an addition. Above all, during his praise and worship, he forgot himself by dancing with all his might and not paying attention to his garment and all that surrounded him. David declared the title of his praise and worship as: undignified and humble in the sight of God. During his undignified and humble praise before God, his wife Micah the daughter of Saul mocked him and despised him in her heart. The end result of Micah’s mockery of King David was not farfetched when King David responded, “So David said to Michal, “It was before the LORD, who chose me instead of your father and all his house, to appoint me ruler over the people of the LORD, over Israel. Therefore I will play music before the LORD. 22 And I will be even more undignified than this, and will be humble in my own sight. But as for the maidservants of whom you have spoken, by them I will be held in honor.” (2 Samuel 6:21-22) It was documented that Micah remained barren all the days of her life. Could Micah’s barrenness be the result of her mocking king David’s praise and worship? Are you being mocked because of your faith and praise?
 
Prayer for today: Lord I ask today, that you cause every situation that is mocking my waiting on you to cease from having life.

OPPOSITE OF FRUITFULNESS
1 Samuel 1

“But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.” (Luke 1:13) The angel that appeared to Zacharias pointed out to Zacharias that to be afraid is a prayer hinderer. Prayer and being afraid cannot go together before the manifestation of prayer request. The prayer point of Zacharias was not mentioned but it can be concluded, from the response of the angel that Zacharias must have been praying against barrenness in his marriage. Prayer opens heaven for the extension of God’s hand over every prevailing force. Absolutely, there is no door that prayer cannot open. Barrenness will succumb to every effective fervent prayer that is rendered unto God. Psalm 128:1 states that, “Blessed is everyone who fears the LORD, who walks in His ways.” The psalmist went further and mentioned the kind of blessings. Among such blessings that are mentioned in Psalm 128:3 is, “Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine in the very heart of your house, your children like olive plants all around the table.” Barrenness is the opposite of fruitfulness and through the whole Bible, the only one that was mentioned for barrenness was Micah (Wife of David, the daughter of King Saul). Micah mocked King David for praising God. Besides Micah, it is evident that prayer opened wombs and terminates barrenness. Hannah having waited for a long time for the fruit of the womb, prayer was her only avenue to confront the agent of barrenness. 1 Samuel 1:12-15, “But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.” Pouring out our soul before God is also an effective fervent prayer and it will open every door that has been shut on us. Barrenness, the representative of lack and of stagnation, will undoubtedly respond to prayer. In the life of Zacharias and Elizabeth, in the life of Elkanah and Hannah, prayer unlocked the door of barrenness and they were blessed with fruitfulness. Are you experiencing barrenness in any area of life? Today be encouraged, in your experience, experiment with prayer and an effective fervent prayer by pouring your soul out to the Lord. The blessed, good and merciful God will not pass you by.
 
Prayer for today: O Lord my God I ask that you intervene in all that is representing barrenness in my life. I ask in Jesus name that you make me a fruitful vessel.

TROUBLED?
Psalm 27

In every area of life, in every confronting situation, not having been through is an evidence of no qualification to take a position of consoling those that are encountering troubling situations and challenges. Among the giants in the Bible, Job is one of the most qualified to tell what it is when trouble comes. Job stated, “I am not at ease, nor am I quiet; I have no rest, for troubles come.” (Job 3:26) The evidences of trouble in the life of the troubled ones are: not being at ease, not being in a quiet state of mind and lack of rest. Anywhere there is trouble, confusion will abide also and making wrong decisions will have its way. Pride is a prominent avenue to trouble. King Herod had no reason to be troubled at the announcement of the birth of the King of kings, Lord of lords. Matthew 2:1-3, “1 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, 2 saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.” 3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.” King Herod’s reason to be troubled could be caused by a wrong perception and intimidation of the birth of a new King. The trouble that came into the life of King Herod led him to make wrong and confused decisions. Trouble is the root of wrong and bad judgment or bad decision making. Herod made an error in judgment and a wrong decision in his attempt to terminate God’s divine agenda. The decision of the wicked king to terminate God’s divine agenda brought to life the way and the infallible word of God to manifestation as it is written in Hosea 11:1, “When Israel was a child, I loved him, And out of Egypt I called My son.” The trouble in King Herod brought confusion into his life to think he could terminate the King of kings. Are you experiencing any kind of trouble? Are there any signs of trouble that are evident in you now? There is a place in the time of trouble where a believer can bubble and triumph. The Psalmist pointed out, “For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion; In the secret place of His tabernacle He shall hide me; He shall set me high upon a rock.” (Psalm 27:5). God is at work on behalf of all who seek refuge in time of trouble.

Prayer for today: O Lord my God, I ask that every representative of Herod in my life be activated so that Your word concerning my life will come to pass in Jesus name.  

IT IS ALL ABOUT KNOWING
1 Samuel 3

Knowing about the God that you believe is not the same as knowing Him. It is possible to know about the Word of God and not behave the Word. However, it is impossible to know the Word of God and not behave the Word. There is a difference in knowing about God and knowing God. Once a knowing is set in the life of a believer, living godly will become of the believer. I Samuel 3:1, “Now the boy Samuel ministered to the LORD before Eli. And the word of the LORD was rare in those days; there was no widespread revelation.” The fact that the boy Samuel was ministering to the Lord before Eli was not evident that Samuel knew God, but only knew about God. When the Lord came calling on Samuel, Samuel could not relate neither could he identify with the word that was calling him. The Lord repeatedly called Samuel but Samuel had no understanding of where the callings were coming from, “Then the LORD called yet again, “Samuel!” So Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” He answered, “I did not call, my son; lie down again.” 7 (Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, nor was the word of the LORD yet revealed to him.)” (1 Samuel 3:6-7) At the time of Samuel’s calling there was no understanding of who God was and Samuel could not answer like the one that knows God. Knowledge is wealth and there is power to be different when knowledge is in him that understands, “…Go, lie deep inside of the carrier. Eli, by virtue of his experience with the Lord, enlightened Samuel by making down; Therefore Eli said to Samuel, “Go, lie down; and it shall be, if He calls you, that you must say, ‘Speak, LORD, for Your servant hears.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place.” (1 Samuel 3:9) Samuel with understanding that was acquired knew exactly what to do to begin to hear from God. “Now the LORD came and stood and called as at other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel answered, “Speak, for Your servant hears.” 11 Then the LORD said to Samuel: “Behold, I will do something in Israel at which both ears of everyone who hears it will tingle.” (1 Samuel 3:10-11) The boy Samuel understood and he knew how to hear from God and that made the difference in all the days of his life. God is a God that wants to maintain constant and consistent communication with His children but the lack of knowing often denies believers. Gain understanding of knowing Him and you will be enabled in your living for His glory.

Prayer for today: My Lord and my God I ask for the grace to know you more abundantly in Jesus name.