ELIJAH AND FEAR< ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>

1 Kings 18, 19:1-3

When Elijah, a prophet in the hand of God approached King Ahab of Israel, he prayed that it should not rain and the rain ceased for three and half years (1 Kings 17:1). Having caused a drought in the land because of lack of rain, he became a fugitive in the land and he fled in the direction of the Lord. He was sought for everywhere in the land but could not be located. When it was time to show up to King Ahab God directed him. At his showing, he did not call for the rain right away but he requested for a Òpower paradeÓ between his God and the prophets of Baal. It was a show and demonstration of power on Mount Carmel. Elijah wanted to humiliate Baal worshipers, their prophets and the Baal god itself. He wanted the children of Israel to answer if the Lord is God. The Baal prophets failed and could not live up to the task of demonstrating the fact that their god was a living God. The name of the Lord was exalted and lifted high among the people because the God of Elijah, the One and only true God, answered by fire. At this juncture, Elijah requested that the Baal prophets be rounded up, seized and executed. Elijah was operating without fear. At the time when Jezebel heard all that Elijah had done, ÒThen Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, ÒSo let the gods do to me, and more also, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time.Ó(1 Kings 19:2) Jezebel the wicked wife of King Ahab threatened the prophet Elijah, which God has used, mightily. Elijah did not just receive the message but he saw it as real because the Bible declared that, ÒAnd when he saw that, he rose and ran for his life, and went to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there.ÓÓ (1 Kings 19:3)  One would not have thought that a prophet like Elijah would run away at the threat of a kingÕs wife. Despite all that God did through Elijah, he could not wait to hear from God before running. Elijah ran from the wicked queen after demonstrating power of God a number of times because he saw the threat as being there. How are you receiving news that comes your way? Elijah proved that it does not matter the level at which you operate in the hand of God. If you begin to see negative as being there it will end up causing you to neglect faith for fear. Elijah did not wait for the word of the Lord before running. Fear does not have respect of whom to approach or not to approach. How do you respond when fear comes? Determination will fail but the grace and mercy of God will not fail you except if you fail yourself.

MIRACLE NOT MAGIC< ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>

Exodus 7

Remember this day that He alone is worthy of our praises. He is the God of gods, the King of kings and He alone inhabits eternity and dwells in the praises of His people. Are you ready to praise Him today? If your answer is a resounding yes, you have invited Him into all that are before you. He is God of miracles; He is a miracle working God. Miracle works are not magic. Miracles are of God, while magic is a device of the enemy. Miracles lasts forever and run deep. If magic glitters it will only be for a moment and magic never lasts neither does it runs deep. Despite not being able to see in the physical that you have come too far and close to your breakthrough, let not magic come into play. Magic will fail you no matter how it glitters; waiting on the miracle hand of the Almighty God is the only way out. Pharaoh was reluctant of letting the children of Israel go and serve the Lord at the request of God through Moses, ÒSo Moses and Aaron went in to Pharaoh, and they did so, just as the LORD commanded. And Aaron cast down his rod before Pharaoh and before his servants, and it became a serpent. 11But Pharaoh also called the wise men and the sorcerers; so the magicians of Egypt, they also did in like manner with their enchantments.Ó (Exodus 7:10-11) The magic worked for the magicians and Pharaoh, but could not answer to serve the purpose of matching with the hand of God in the rod that was in Aaron and MosesÕ hand. Any power demonstration outside of the name of God will not stand even when it is present. The enemy can copy but he cannot coordinate for the result to be established. Imagine what would have been the reaction to the children of Israel if they were in the place at the time the magicianÕs rods were dropped down and became serpents just like that of the rod of God in MosesÕ hand? Doubt would have built up in the hearts of the children of Israel and with an increase of complaining. Magic could not last as the rod of the magician failed to survive. ÒFor every man threw down his rod, and they became serpents. But AaronÕs rod swallowed up their rods.Ó (Exodus 7:12) If you will look up and hope in the Lord your miracle will come at a set time and every distraction of the wise men, the sorcerers and the magicians of Egypt will not have its way in hindering your breakthrough. Magic will fail but miracles will not fail you.

ABOVE ALL< ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>Lamentation 3

In any or every uncomfortable position, a position that is not the design of God for life, a position that is representing the lowest pit in life needs to be addressed before God for a divine intervention. Regardless of your title in the church or outside of the church, there is a need to take the matter unto God. Jeremiah, a giant in the hand of God, called and sent by God, did not accept life in the lowest pit when he found himself there. Lamentation 3:55, ÒI called on Your name, O LORD, from the lowest pit. 56 You have heard my voice: ÒDo not hide Your ear from my sighing, from my cry for help.Ó 57 You drew near on the day I called on You, and said, ÒDo not fear!ÓÓ  The testimony of Jeremiah teaches every believer of the word and non-believer of the word of God that no man is above challenges or situation that calls for crying unto God for His divine intervention Jeremiah, a prophet ordained and called by God, demonstrated the need to always wait on God. Waiting on God should never cease or slow down in the life of those that know Him. The devil is out to kill, steal and destroy and there is none that is outside of his radar. However, he does not have what it takes to raid on any ground that is under the cover of the blood of Jesus Christ. It is only, ÒThrough the LORDÕs mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not. 23 They are new every morning: Great is Your faithfulness.Ó(Lamentation 3:22) In the time that Jeremiah found himself in the lowest pit there was no evidence of regret, complain, or questioning why the Lord called him. Jeremiah remained focus confessing his faith. Your situations today are not worse or better than that of Jeremiah. Learn to approach God the same manner Jeremiah did. Know in your heart that the same Lord that saw Jeremiah through will not abandon you. He did not abandon Jeremiah. Above all that has come upon you, above all that the enemy is using against you, above all that you have lost, above all that is beyond your control, know that God is the God of deliverance. He will remember you with favor and He will visit you with salvation. Above all your challenges and the source of your challenges there is a God that will answer when you cry to Him. He is a good God with good thought for each and every one of His children. Will you take time to wait on Him? Lamentation 3:25, ÒThe LORD is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seek Him.Ó Believe in the one that is above all, the Eternal God of creation.

SERVE HIM CONTINUALLY< ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>Daniel 6

When you serve God continually you will encounter challenges continually and you will overcome continually. Daniel served God continually, he encountered larger than life challenges continually, and he overcame all his challenges consistently. Once he was sentenced to death by the mouth of a starved lion. It was a trap to get Daniel down, but in their evil plan God had a way to lift Daniel higher. When you serve God continually the devil will always fail to get you down. When it was clear that Daniel petitioned to his God the report was brought to the King in order to sign the death penalty, which was given to Daniel. Daniel 6:16, ÒSo the king gave the command, and they brought Daniel and cast him into the den of lions. But the King spoke, saying to Daniel, your God, whom you serve continually, He will deliver you.Ó The unbelieving King recognized that Daniel was a man that served God continually. Who can testify to the fact that you are one of a kind that serves God continually? If you have man to testify to the fact that you serve God continually, will the test of time testify on your behalf? It is good for man to testify, but it matters that the test of time should be able to testify or else you are a living dead. Daniel 6:17, ÒThen a stone was brought and laid on the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the signets of his lords, that the purpose concerning Daniel might not be changed.Ó It was purposed for Daniel that there would be no way out of the den of the lions. From every indication, nothing or no man could change the situation concerning Daniel. It was the law of the land that no man that committed the magnitude of DanielÕs sin against the law would be able to get deliverance from the hand of any man or king. However, the hand of God that is power, the hand of God that delivers, went before Daniel into the den of the lions. Only God knows the number of lions in the den but none could touch Daniel regardless of the number of the lions. Daniel served God continually and God was with him continually. How are you serving Him? How others are serving God around you should having nothing to do with your service unto God. Today ask God for the grace to render unto Him a reasonable service.

TWO WAYS       < ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>Matthew 7:13-23

There are two ways to go in this life. One is the way of God, and the other is the way of the world. It is not possible to walk both ways at the same time and get through. In life, it is either you walk in the way of God or the way of the world. Knowing God as a true and merciful God, He will not force or push any of His creation to a particular direction which way to take. However, He will do all that it takes for His creation to enter the way of life everlasting. All of His creation has that choice to make in regard to entering the right way. The command is the LordÕs and the choice is ours. Jesus commanded in Matthew 7: 13, ÒEnter by the narrow gate; for wide is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. 14 ÒBecause narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.Ó There is no need for any further interpretation neither is there a need for expounding the word of Jesus. The message here is clear and sound, take the wide gate and broad way and settle for destruction or take the narrow and difficult gate and end up with everlasting life. Which way are you taking? Have you considered or thought about the way you are taking? Is it a popular way like the one every man is taking? If it is that popular with no challenges, it is time for you to challenge yourself by searching for the truth in regard to the direction you are taking because you might have entered the narrow way. The way which every man is running away from, the way that you have entered, through the narrow gate, the way that is unusually different from the popular and smooth is the way you want to consider. Psalm 103:7, He made His ways unto Moses, His acts to the children of Israel.Ó The way of the wilderness is the unpopular way, it is the uncomfortable way, and it is the difficult way. The way of the wilderness is the way that the Lord chose to take the children of Israel through because it was and is the one that leads to life. Among the children of Israel, Every man and woman that attempted to look outside of the way of the wilderness by constantly looking back to Egypt ended up complaining and could not get through to the life that is promised in the narrow way and difficult way.