PRAISE AND JOYPhilippians 4

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From the Old Testament throughout the New Testament, to have joy or to rejoice is evidently demonstrated as the major if not the only accessible avenue to enter or to retain the presence of God in the life of every believer. Apostle Paul emphasized in Philippians 4:4, ÒRejoice always. Again I will say, rejoice!Ó Paul did not just say rejoice but he said it with emphasis because he was urging the need for peace with the Lord. The peace of God is the presence of God and to be able to carry His presence, joy and rejoicing are a must. Without joy, there cannot be peace and without peace no joy will be in place. Prophet Isaiah in his own revelation of letting us know the effect of joy said, ÒTherefore with joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.Ó (Isaiah 12:3) Isaiah was expressing giving thanks in the Kingdom of God. It is written in Psalm 16:11, ÒYou will show me the path of life; in your presence is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.Ó The Psalmist was requesting for direction in the path of life because in the path of life where there is GodÕs presence, the sojourner will get to their expected end. Also where GodÕs presence is absent, death will be present and the sojourner will miss getting to the expected end. To journey in the path of life successfully, GodÕs presence will have to be constantly and consistently in place. In the words of the Psalmist it is clear that joy is what will grant the presence of God that is enough for passing through the path of life. After HannahÕs breakthrough miracle, she testified in 1 Samuel 2:1, ÒÉmy heart rejoices in the LORD; my horn is exalted in the LORD. I smile at my enemies, because I rejoice in your salvation.Ó Hannah distinctively spelled out the kind of joy that grants GodÕs presence by saying, ÒMy heart rejoices in the Lord.Ó The only way that the presence of God cannot be accessible is when joy is not of or from the heart but is rather just in the mouth. This also occurs when being happy is misrepresented for joy. When joy flows from the heart, it will no doubt locate God because you cannot praise God and not be joyful. Likewise, you cannot be joyful and not praise Him. Praise and joy is an inseparable avenue of gaining His presence. The word of God confirms it when it testifies in Psalm 22:3, ÒBut you are holy, enthroned in the praises of Israel.Ó Any time praise is with joy, God is in such praise worship. Think of it, praising Him with understanding is praising Him with joy. Just like Hannah, when you praise Him joyfully, your horn (strength) will be exalted in the Lord. You will smile at every representative of enemies such as failure, lack, sickness, and every other kind of challenges that Paul advised us not to be anxious about. Be anxious for nothing. Praise God with joy and His presence will carry you through in Jesus name.  

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

Jan. 02-08

In every new beginning, there is always a need for new resolution, new or revived focus, new direction or an updated direction with a set accountability. All of the above sounds good and purposeful but the bottom line of it all is that if God is not in your all it will be like driving in the dark with no headlights on. When there is driving in the dark with no headlights on, there will be a great possibility of ending up in a way that seems right or in a wrong way. The way that seems right or the wrong way does not go far, but only leads to death or permanent termination. The Word of God is true when it says, ÒThere is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.Ó (Proverbs 14:12) In your new beginning, have you considered seeking the way of God? That means are you willing to let God have His way in your life rather than having your way for your life? If you will seek, you will find out that those who have allowed God to have His way do not have anything to regret but they only rather testify to His glory. King David testified, 2 Samuel 22:31, ÒAs for God, His way is perfect; he is a shield to all who trust in Him.Ó Does that sound convincing enough to begin to think of letting Him have His way in our life as we enter into a new beginning or new season in this wicked world? In the LordÕs way, there is neither situation nor circumstance that causes us to sink or get lost because He is the Way that knows what every way will become for His children. The way of God has no barrier or limitation; it cannot be altered neither can it be denied. Nahum 1:3, ÒÉthe LORD has His way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of His feet.Ó Can you think of anything or situation that can prevail against your life if you decide to go in the LordÕs way? Absolutely and definitely no situation or challenge will prevail against anyone that takes to the way of God. Getting in the LordÕs way is not of determination but by grace. Are you sure the way you are taking  is rather of the Lord or is it not? There is nothing prayer cannot do and that is why the Psalmist prayed this prayer, ÒTeach me Your way, O LORD And lead me in a smooth path, because of my enemies.Ó(Psalm 27:11)  Indeed it is wise to lift up our voice and ask God to help just like the Psalmist did because enemies are positioned everywhere and your challenges of a new season or new beginning will not be less compared to the previous season.  The grace to prevail, however, is always in place if you will ask God to teach you how to enter into His way. No way will then be tough enough for you not to prevail. Ask Him and it shall be given just as He promised because He is a faithful God.   

WAY TO SEEK HIM< ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>

Luke 13:22-35

ÒAnd He went through the cities and villages, teaching, and journeying toward Jerusalem. 23 Then one said to Him, ÒLord, are there few who are saved?Ó And He said to them, 24 ÒStrive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you will seek to enter and will not be able.ÓÓ (Luke 13:22-24) As Jesus was going back and forth while on the face of earth in the person of man preaching the gospel, so He has positioned so many that are going back and forth preaching the gospel and introducing the Kingdom of God today. As He was questioned about who is saved and who is not saved, so the same question persists today about who is saved. When Jesus was asked about who is saved, He emphasized that the way of salvation is a narrow way and not the wide and popular way. Also in His response, He emphasized that it is an issue of striving to gain entrance but not of parading or by another means. Jesus also pointed out clearly that many will seek to enter and will not able to. Are you seeking Him through the narrow way or the broad way? The narrow way is the unpopular way while the broad way is the popular way that carries the majority number of people. Seeking Him is not only when going to church is visible and crowded. Seeking Him is not only when we are doing what pleases us or whatever is convenient to do in His commandment. Seeking God is not convenience, but rather a commitment; a covenant. Seeking God is not in following crowds to places of worship no is seeking God  only in answering or claiming to be a Christian. How are you seeking Him? If you have been receiving and believing the word of His commandment then you will behave the word. Behaving His word is living the word of God. Determination will fail but the grace of God is the only way to seeking Him indeed and truth. It is not possible to claim seeking God when your ways are not His ways and when all that surrounds you are of the wicked world. Many are claiming to be seeking Him at the time of doing one or another of His commandment instead of His entire commandment. God cannot be deceived nether can any man hide from His presence. The Bible makes it clear the time of seeking and finding Him, ÒSeek the LORD while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near. 7 Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; Let him return to the LORD, And He will have mercy on him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.Ó (Isaiah 55:6-7) Seeing God and finding God are not of the wicked or broad way, but it is of those whose ways are in the light of His word. God will guide and direct if you will desire to walk in the way of seeking Him indeed and in truth. 

CELEBRATIONDaniel 3

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When Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, the three friends of Daniel in captivity at Babylon, refused to worship a gold image, the three friends of Daniel were sentenced into a burning furnace by the command of Nebuchadnezzar. It was not just a burning furnace, but a fiery one that was unusually hot and its flame killed those men who took them up to the fire. The three friends were also bounded when they were thrown into the burning fiery furnace. Have you been in a familiar or similar situation where the law of the land or the command of the government has kept you bounded in any form of a fiery furnace? It has become aggravating, disturbing, and stressing, and it is causing displacement in every function able area of your life. You have been relegated, aggravated and provokingly stagnated where you had the ability for motioning. Does any of the above describe your situation like that of the three friends of Daniel? DanielÕs friends were in much deeper situation, but in that deep, God showed up on their behalf. The three friends of Daniel fell in the fire yet they were up and not consumed by the fire. Interestingly, God did not bring them out of the burning fiery furnace, but He kept their company against any form of destruction or pain. With GodÕs presence the burning furnace became a miracle ground when King Nebuchadnezzar declared, ÒLook!Ó he answered, ÒI see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire; and they are not hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.Ó (Daniel 3:25) The enemy meant it for evil, but their faith prevailed when the presence of God joined them. The King was not the only witness of God parading His visiting power concerning His children in the midst of a burning (trouble) fire. There were witness from every level of the government, ÒÉthe satraps, administrators, governors, and the kingÕs counselors gathered together, and they saw these men on whose bodies the fire had no power; the hair of their head was not singed nor were their garments affected, and the smell of fire was not on them.Ó (Daniel 3:27) They all saw the power of God in parade and, ÒNebuchadnezzar spoke, saying, ÒBlessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, who sent His Angel and delivered His servants who trusted in Him, and they have frustrated the kingÕs word, and yielded their bodies, that they should not serve nor worship any god except their own God!Ó (Daniel 3:28) The kind of testimony that answered for DanielÕs three friends will answer for you in the New Year, new month, and new week. And you will celebrate in the New Year. As the New Year goes on, the presence of God will make you to thrive in the face of every kind of challenge that persists or comes in your way in Jesus name. Celebration shall be your portion in the New Year in Jesus name.  

SIGHT FOR LIGHT< ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>

Mark 8:22-26

ÒThen Jesus spoke to them again, saying, ÒI am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.Ó (John 8:12) Indeed and in truth Jesus is the light of the world that no darkness will ever be able to comprehend. Jesus is also identified as the word of God that came to us. John 1:14, ÒAnd the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.Ó A blind man in Bethsaida encountered Jesus, the Light and the Word of God. Jesus came to where the blind man was to be found, but the blind man needed sight to see the Light that came to his presence. The blind man had light, but there was no sight for him to see the light, the Living Word of God. How long have you been carrying the word of God or how long will you carry the word without sight to actually see through the word? In attempt to give the blind man another sight, Jesus took him out of the town away from every kind of distraction, Jesus spit on his eyes yet he could not see. How often have you been out of distraction unto separation and yet nothing happened? The blind man was blindly blinded. How blind you are is what will determine what it takes for you to gain the sight that will enable you to see the light. Jesus spit on the blind man of BethsaidaÕs eye yet there was no clarity of sight. Eyes without clear sight is like half knowledge in the word of God. Half knowledge could be more dangerous than having no knowledge. The blind man of Bethsaida who was supposed to be seeing clearly, but was seeing men walking like trees. Jesus knew that the blind man of Bethsaida needed to see clearly, so He could not release him on his own as a result there was an extension of JesusÕ hand for the blind man of Bethsaida, ÒThen He put His hands on his eyes again and made Him look up. And he was restored and saw everyone clearly.Ó (Mark 8:25)  The blind man of Bethsaida eventually gained the sight that enabled him to see the light.  There should be no pretending of having sight where there is no sight to see the light. Attending to prayer for an extension of GodÕs hand in our life in every area of physical or spiritual blindness is what is best. Jesus moved the blind man of Bethsaida out of town to his healing ground before he could gain sight for light. Ask God to move you to your healing ground of deliverance and gaining sight that can see the light.