OBEDIENCE AND PATIENCE< ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>

Exodus 24

The deliverance of GodÕs complete package for His plan and purpose is in the ability to be obedient and patient. It is not enough to obey and not have the patience it takes to receive. To have the patience that it takes to receive what is in place, but not willing to obey the calling that is in place will not complete package-receiving process. As a believer, at every time of hearing GodÕs calling obedience and patience cannot be separated it works out receiving from God. The experience of Moses on the mountain was a demonstration of working obedience and patience along together. Then the LORD said to Moses, ÒCome up to Me on the mountain and be there; and I will give you tablets of stone, and the law and commandments which I have written, that you may teach them.Ó 13 So Moses arose with his assistant Joshua, and Moses went up to the mountain of God.Ó (Exodus 24:12-13) God called on Moses and he did not hesitate nor did he ask any questions, unlike in his early days when he was yet ready to see the awesomeness of God. As a result of not questioning Moses, was able to answer in the LordÕs calling to the mountaintop. Here, there was calling and there was answering and obeying God. God did not tell Moses how long the calling was to be and he probably might have thought it was the usual calling, Òof go and come backÓ. ÒNow the glory of the LORD rested on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days. And on the seventh day He called to Moses out of the midst of the cloud.Ó (Exodus 24:16) For six days Moses was waiting without hearing from Him that called him until the seventh day. The bible did not indicate any complaint or unsteadiness of Moses while waiting for the six days. If you have given your life to Christ it is because He has called and you have answered. He has a plan of salvation for you and you are to be patient in order to be able to live a life of abundance for His glory. One would have thought after showing up for Moses on the seventh day the time on the mountain would be over. But, it took another forty days for Moses on the mountain before he could receive GodÕs plan and purpose for His children. ÒSo Moses went into the midst of the cloud and went up into the mountain. And Moses was on the mountain forty days and forty nights.Ó (Exodus 24:18) Forty days and forty nights in the midst of cloud on the mountain is what obedience and patience is about in the life of Moses. Have you been called in anyway to the plan and purpose of God? If you have not been called, begin to pray for the grace of obedience to be in place for the time of your calling because He will call. However, if you have been called, pray for obedience in your answering unto Him also pray for patience that will enable you to receive the fullness of His package. Attainment from God is by grace. 

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

EPHESIANS 5:13-21

ÒAnd do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, 20 giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 21 submitting to one another in the fear of God.Ó  (Ephesians 5:18-21) The three verses above encourage every believer with four ways about how to be filled with the Spirit. Among the four ways that are mentioned  giving thanks, always, for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus is one way to be filled with the Spirit. How are you living a Òthanks-givingÓ life? The passage requires giving thanks always when situations are going the way we want it and when situations are going the way we do not want it. Thanks-giving should always be the song. It can be challenging to give thanks when confronting situation becomes exceedingly challenging and testing. Giving thanks to God is not an every now and then sacrifice it should be a regular sacrifice. Giving thanks should not be based on how you feel, but to fill your heart with thanking God. Just as the verse above requires giving thanks for all things, another verse in the book of Romans declared what will be for those that give thanks for all things. Romans 8:28, ÒAnd we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.Ó It can be said that when thanks is given for all things all the time, all things will work together for good. The word of God is directly related and one cannot be left out to achieve the purpose of another. The word of God is meant to build us and to give us our inheritance among the sanctified. (Acts 20:32) 2 Timothy 3:16, All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.Ó The word of God cannot be separated into pieces for selfish gain or emotional satisfaction, but it has to be related to each other as a whole when it is taken as life. Believers often quote the word of God in ways of satisfying emotions. The word of God is true and it is true to the fact that all things work together for good to those who love the Lord. Are your thanks giving always to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus? Today start to give thanks for all things, and all things will work together for you just as the word of God stated in the Bible.

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

1Kings18

In the hand of God there is power to impact different men at different time in different location for different assignment. Elijah was unlike any other prophet when he was on the face of earth. When Elijah called on the rainfall to stop, the rainfall stopped and did not fall for three and half years. 1 Kings 17:1, ÒAnd Elijah the Tishbite, of the inhabitants of Gilead, said to Ahab, ÒAs the LORD God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, except at my word.Ó At the time Elijah was calling for the rain, he took a stand and made his declaration for rain to cease and the rain ceased. Elijah did not have to pray for hours before his declaration became manifested. When the same Elijah attempted to call back rainfall it took him time unlike when he made the declaration for the rain to fall. When he was calling back the rain, he could not stand but bow for possibly an extended period of time. At the time of calling rain Elijah gave King Ahab a heads up of what was about to happened, ÒSo Ahab went up to eat and drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; then he bowed down on the ground, and put his face between his knees, 43 and said to his servant, ÒGo up now, look toward the sea.Ó So he went up and looked, and said, ÒThere is nothing.Ó And seven times he said, ÒGo again.Ó 44 Then it came to pass the seventh time, that he said, ÒThere is a cloud, as small as a manÕs hand, rising out of the sea!Ó So he said, ÒGo up, say to Ahab, ÔPrepare your chariot, and go down before the rain stops you.ÕÓ (1 Kings 18:42-44) It is clearly stated above that Elijah did not just bow, but in his bowing he stuck his head between his knees and his servant had numerous errands, before the sign of rain was visible in the sky. God is a creative God and He extends His hand in different ways. How could it be that a man who took a stand in speaking to the rain not to fall ended up bowing to the core and sending numerous errands to confirm if there is an answer to his request? There is a need to think as you continue to look out for God to move in response to your request. Just because in the past, God has moved to your request faster than you can imagine does not mean that He will make the same move again. It is certain that God is going to show up on your behalf but you have to remain unmovable in your focus for an answer to your request. He is a faithful God.

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

Exodus 15:20-27, 16, 17:1-7

After the destruction of the enemies of the children of God at the Red Sea, after the Egyptians that were a visible threat to the children of Israel at the entrance of the Red Sea became unseen-able anymore, After they had been consumed in the Red Sea, Moses and the children of Israel declared a new song to praise God. In their praise a line was stated, ÒYour right hand, O LORD, has become glorious in power; Your right hand, O LORD, has dashed the enemy in pieces.Ó (Exodus 15:6) Indeed and in truth, His right hand is still as powerful as it was then. The right hand of God has not changed, but changing and turning stagnation into motion. To the children of Israel, after crossing the Red Sea, the glorious hand of God that saw them through the Red Sea was more than enough to make their Journey glorious. The journey that was to be glorious became rigorous. The children of Israel twisted their blessing from a glorious journey to rigorous journey just because of the spirit of complaining. Acts of complain is a demonstration of disobedience. It was a quick turn around from victory and deliverance to complaining and looking back. The first complaint came when they got to a place called Marah, ÒNow when they came to Marah, they could not drink the waters of Marah, for they were bitter. Therefore the name of it was called Marah. 24 And the people complained against Moses, saying, ÒWhat shall we drink?Ó (Exodus 15:23-24) If you can count your blessings, should there be any reason for complaining at this point in your journey? Knowing God for whom He is, merciful God that will not look away from His children, He gave them water through Moses. After the Marah Episode was the drama of crying for what they have left behind in Egypt. There was no realization to them that getting to the Promised Land involves leaving behind lot of things of the past. The children again cried and complained for meat and bread. God in His usual goodness and mercy showed up to meet their need for meat. It is easy to assume or believe that, all that the Lord did for them should have been enough not to generate any more complaints for lack in their journey. And yet again they complained for water at a place called Rephidim. Exodus 17:3, ÒAnd the people thirsted there for water, and the people complained against Moses, and said, ÒWhy is it you have brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?Ó. The complaints at Rephidim did not settle well because it was like digging a grave for themselves by virtue of their confessions. They confessed death and none of them saw the Promised Land. Stay away from complaining, and stay tuned into giving compliments for all He has done.

TESTIMONIES< ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>Psalm 119:1-8, Daniel 3, Mark 16:1-8

It is testimonial to the fact that DanielÕs three friends, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego were cast into a burning furnace when they refused to bow but stood up before the image of Nebuchadnezzar. It was not a regular burning furnace; it was a fiery one because of the fury that was generated by Nebuchadnezzar. The furnace was intended for their destruction because they refused to bow for any image. But while King Nebuchadnezzar was expecting a different result from the furnace, God showed up on behalf of DanielÕs three friends. ÒThen King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished; and he rose in haste and spoke, saying to his counselors, ÒDid we not cast three men bound into the midst of the fire?Ó They answered and said to the king, ÒTrue, O king.Ó 25 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 3:24-25) It is testimonial to the fact that God will never forsake anyone that stands for Him rather than bows for any other God or image. Indeed, God showed up in the midst of a burning furnace. It is not where you have been, or are, trapped when you stood for His name that matters, but how He will extend His glorious hand of deliverance is the one that counts. In all your standing, continue to take your stand for His name. Also it is testimonial to the fact that Jesus our Lord and Savior was crucified because of His truth that was threatening, but the tomb of death could not hold Him down when He rose on the third day. When His followers sought Him at the tomb to anoint His body they were redirected by a young man clothed in a long white robe, ÒBut he said to them, ÒDo not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid Him.Ó (Mark 16:6) Jesus has risen and He is alive and He is King forever. Through the pages of the Bible, there is enough testimony to keep you going, to keep you encouraged, and to keep you focused if you will chose to be meditating on His testimonies day and night. The Psalmist knew exactly what was working for Him in the journey of life when He shared it in Psalm 119:2, ÒBlessed are those who keep His testimonies, who seek Him with the whole heart!Ó Are you constantly keeping His testimonies in the center of your heart? It cannot be clearly said more than the way the Psalmist has said it. When you keep His testimonies, you will be blessed because in all your seeking you will be seeking Him with your whole heart. To seek Him is to see Him and to see Him is to be endued with power.