THE FALL< ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>Genesis2: 15-24, 3

ÒThe thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.Ó (John 10:10) Jesus the author and finisher of our faith, the One that can give and can take life, the Alpha and the Omega said in His word that He has come to give life. He is not just coming; He has already come to give life and to give it more abundantly. However, if by the way of living the ones that are to take the abundant life are not receiving what has been brought to them by not making themselves available, it becomes a sorry story. Have you positioned yourself in the place of receiving abundant life that He came to give you? One thing is to have an understanding of what has been given to you and do what it takes to receive it fully. Another scene is to lack an understanding of the life He came to give and not able to receive and live abundantly but redundantly. Adam and Eve, a sorry story, had it given to them but could not retain what was given to them because they lacked understanding that was to give them an edge over every situation. It is written in Genesis 2:15, ÒThen the LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to tend and keep it. And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, ÒOf every tree of the garden you may eat freely; 17 ÒBut of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat of it you shall surely die.ÓÓ Adam and Eve lacked in what it takes to respond accordingly when God gave them the command that will preserve and keep them forever. Obeying GodÕs command was to give them life while disobeying GodÕs command was meant by the enemy to steal, kill and destroy. The serpent came and turned the word of God upside down so that Adam and Eve could fall and not receive all the provisions of God. The same serpent is the one you encounter on a daily and regular basis. How are you positioning yourself daily? It matters that you have an understanding of what has been given by Jesus. It is that understanding that will be fueling you in the journey of life for protection against the one that has come to steal, kill, and destroy. With understanding, having a knowing-edge (Knowledge) over all devices of the thief will not be an issue. Ask God for His goodness and mercy and not

to become a victim of the thief.

ONLY GOD < ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>Genesis 40, 41:1-9

ÒMany are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him out of them all.Ó (Psalm 34:19) The Psalmist is talking about the righteous and not the wicked. As one that has submitted unto Jesus, you wonder why your situation continues to be from one affliction to another affliction. What the Psalmist is saying here is, as a believer that is having challenges, you are not alone, you are not the first and you will not be the last to be in the kind of situation that could generate doubt in your faith. In your affliction, know that you will soon get out and enter into your season of deliverance. Do not lose your focus on God because He is the only one that will deliver you at His own appointed time. Joseph, at a young age, went into the pit of no water or survival, sold to slavery in Egypt, from slavery to prison for an offence that he had not committed. Despite his coming out from one affliction and entering into another affliction, there was no record of complaining or questioning God, and he overcame. In your affliction whom are you calling or looking up to besides God? However, if your call is being placed onto God, be rest assured that all will be well. Joseph had many afflictions and there are many with different forms of affliction like Daniel and all were delivered. In your affliction let your only place of expectation for help be from God. After Joseph had revealed a positive dream to the butler, he requested for kindness instead of just hoping on mercy from God. Joseph stated, ÒBut remember me when it is well with you, and please show kindness to me; make mention of me to Pharaoh, and get me out of this house.Ó(Genesis 40:14) Joseph was looking for kindness from the wrong person. Is there any wrong place where you are hoping for deliverance to come? Take it all unto the Lord and He will not fail to deliver you from your affliction. The butler did not remember Joseph for two years. The butler could only remember Joseph when Pharaoh had a dream that no one could interpret. It took two years for the butler to remember; it was GodÕs timing, not the butlerÕs.  After two years Joseph interpreted PharaohÕs dream and his story was changed to good forever.  Do not let your affliction lead you into settling for less. With God all things and nothing can be impossible because God desires to deliver the righteous from affliction. Remember today, God is not bound by human limitations call on Him and He will answer your prayer your affliction will go

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

Numbers 14

ÒSo the LORDÕs anger was aroused against Israel, and He made them wander in the wilderness forty years, until all the generation that done evil in the sight of the LORD was gone.Ó (Numbers 32:13) Wahoo! What a mighty God we serve? Thank God for the blood that was shed on the Calvary. If not the blood of Jesus, many of us would probably have been gone before birth. God was displeased with the children of Israel that saw His hand in operation while they were in bondage and out on the way, away from bondage of over four hundred years. They saw how Moses was used to lead them out from the hand of Pharaoh the king of Egypt and they also saw how the Red Sea gave way for a passage on a dry land. Despite all that they saw, they could not see the Promised Land as theirs. The bible says it is impossible to please God without faith (Hebrew 11:6) God was displeased for lack of faith and trust in Him. The children of Israel entered into fear and complaint became their make-up when they failed to see the land as being possessed they did not and the Lord declared, ÒThey shall not see the land of which I swore to their fathers, nor shall any of those who rejected Me see it.Ó(Numbers 14:23) An act of complaint is a ground to rebel. The children of Israel saw it all and it was for them to see it through but they faltered by the lack of faith. The same fear, doubt and complain that got the children of Israel stranded is still the same that is denying blessings of God today. The same deceiver has not changed and he is still in operation because his mission is to steal, kill, and destroy. Indeed, he stole what was in place for the children of Israel (Promised Land), he got them killed, and generations were destroyed. Before the deceiver got them killed and destroyed, he caused a situation that kept them wandering when they should have been moving forward. The children of Israel wandered for forty years until all generations that did evil in the sight of the Lord was gone. Do you have a feeling or sense that you are wandering where you suppose to be moving forward? Thank God for the blood that was shed on the Calvary. However, you do have a need to call on God today. Ask the Lord to draw you unto Him if you have consciously or unconsciously withdrawn from Him. He is a merciful God and He will answer because there is the Blood of Jesus in place for salvation. Avoid wandering and enter into what has been rendered unto you. The Lord will have mercy.

ROLE PLAY< ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>Psalm 64

Acquaintances are watching for your stumbling? What you have been hearing is mockery and fear has sneaked in on every side and it has been rocking your boat. As a child of the Most High God, you are not alone. Once, it happened to Jeremiah and he was able to stand because he remembered and he spoke ÒBut the LORD is with me as a mighty awesome One. Therefore my persecutors will stumble, and will not prevail. They will be greatly ashamed, for they will not prosper. Their everlasting confusion will never be forgotten.Ó (Jeremiah 20:11) What can you remember in the word of God that can be used in this situation that has risen against you? Jeremiah remembered the word that can elevate him and keep him going. The words of God that you have received but not without meditation will not serve as medication in time of need. Moses did not suggest to Joshua the need for meditation but he strongly emphasized it with a command when he stated to Joshua that,  ÒThis book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way a prosperous, and then you will have a good success.Ó (Joshua 1:8) What else can you do but to take to the word of God and you will not only see but also walk over all areas of trap that is meant for you to stumble. You will discover in the period of time that all mockery has been converted into miracle. He is God that will not let His word go without the word performing what it has been sent forth to perform. Are you walking in the word of God? Walk in the word of God and the world will work for you. The Psalmist called in Psalm 64:1-2, ÒHear my voice, O God, in my meditation; Preserve my life from the fear of the enemy. 2 Hide me from the secret plots of the wicked, From the rebellion of the workers of iniquity.Ó If you will get into the word of God with a heart of expectation, the word will not fail it will bring forth a manifestation unto you. Remember, you have a role to play. Before Jesus called Lazarus back to life from the dead, he called for the people to play their role when He asked them to roll the stone away. Jesus could have spoke to the stone to move but He did not. Play your role by meditating on the word of God that is power to deliver and to preserve. The Lord will have mercy.

QUICKLY< ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>Genesis 41:1-24

It does not matter any more or how long you have been in the dungeon or how you got into the dungeon. However, it matters that if you will look up to Him today, He will look down to bring you out of the dungeon quickly. Joseph was sent by his father Jacob from the Valley of Hebron to Shechem to look for the well being of his brothers. At JosephÕs arrival to where the brothers have been, his brothers sent him into the pit and later picked him up for sale to a company of Ishmaelites because of envy. While serving in his masterÕs house, the wife laid a false charge of sexual harrasment on him and he ended in the prison. Joseph did not bargain for the entire unfavorable situation that came his way while going to honor his fatherÕs request. While in prison, he interpreted favorable and unfavorable dreams for two Chiefs (Butler and Baker) that were confined by Pharaoh. The dreamÕs interpretation came out to be true. The chief forgot Joseph despiteÕs JosephÕs plead to the chief to remember him. After two years PharaohÕs need for dream interpretation called for the remembrance of Joseph by the Chief Butler. Have you been in an unfavorable situation that is least expected? Be encouraged that God does have His own plan of taking you through. Such is life and it is full of ups and downs but God that is up will lift you up at His divine timing. When it was time for Joseph to come out, there was no sign or any indication that he was to be released because it is the LordÕs doing and the same Lord God of mercy will show you mercy and give you favor this day in Jesus name. PharaohÕs dream demanded for an interpretation and none could interpret the dream. As a result, the Chief Butler remembered the prison dreamer and dream interpreter (Joseph). Chief Butler mentioned about Joseph to Pharaoh, ÒThen Pharaoh sent and called Joseph and they brought him quickly out of the dungeon; and he shaved, changed in his clothing, and came to Pharaoh.Ó (Genesis 41:14) Besides the fact that his release came quickly, his garment was also changed and he was shaved. Can you imagine Joseph coming out of the dungeon quickly and neat (changed and shaved)? In Jesus name, you will come out quickly and all that has become a stain on you will be cleansed and forever you will no longer go back into any self or manÕs created dungeon.