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

Genesis 6, 1Samuel < ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>2:12-17

Dishonesty, immorality and cheating are the relatives of corruption. Any believer who claims to know God and is constantly caught up with any act of corruption an evidence of actually not knowing God. It is written and confirmed in the Scripture that corruption is an evidence of not knowing God. Eli sons were referred to in 1 Samuel 2:12, ÒNow the sons of Eli were corrupt; they did not know the LORD.Ó Corruption was the sin of Hophni and Phinehas, the two sons of Eli. Eli became part of the sin because he lost control of his two sons and this led to corruption.  The sin of corruption led to a generational curse on EliÕs family and it also lead to his death and the death of his two sons on the same day. God is a good God and He will never do wicked; except man chose to enter into wickedness and wickedness have its reward. The reward of wickedness is destruction. Corruption becomes an eternal terminator when man decides to live a life of corruption. Throughout the pages of Scripture, there is no one testimony that is favorable to corruption. In the Bible days, it was not favorable and today it cannot be favorable for corruption because the same God that was is the same God that is today. The earlier one steps out of corruption and seeks God for forgiveness, the better it is. The fact that you are still getting away with corruption in your name or in the Name of the Lord is not an evidence of escape, success or prosperity. You can believe that judgment will come. In the days of Noah, corruption is what brought the whole population down into eternal termination through the flood. Genesis 6:11-12 testifies to the effect of corruption, ÒThe earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. 12 So God looked upon the earth, and indeed it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earthÓ. The same God that looked upon the earth then is still looking upon the earth today. He will not be longsuffering forever in regard to what His creation is doing that does not glorify His Name. It is wise for every man, including self-claimed believers, to have a clear understanding that the work of their hands will not be hidden forever. The Lord God sees all and He knows all.

ANOINTING OF YESTERDAY< ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>

Joshua 6, 1Samuel 4:1-11

The anointing of yesterday is not enough to carry you today. It is possible that it might get you started, but it will not carry you as it did yesterday. It is a fresh anointing that is needed for each and every day if your desire is to operate as an army of the Lord. This tells you the reason why a soldier will always find a time to tune and keep his weapon sharpen on a daily basis regardless of if the enemy is at work or if the enemy is on withdrawal. The children of < ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>Israel were once on the verge of defeat in the hand of the Philistines. There was a need for them to overcome and with the arrival of the ark of the Lord in their camp, they busted into a shout. The shout of the children of Israel was so loud to the point that the Philistines were afraid because they realized that the ark in the camp for the children of Israel was an indication of GodÕs presence with His children. Nevertheless, the children of Israel suffered a great defeat and the ark Lord was taken away by the Philistines. The same children of Israel brought down the wall of Jericho with a shout when Joshua delivered the LordÕs message in Joshua 6:5, ÒIt shall come to pass, when they make a long blast with the ramÕs horn, and when you hear the sound of the trumpet, that all the people shall shout with a great shout; then the wall of the city will fall down flat. And the people shall go up every man straight before him.Ó The shout that worked for them yesterday against the wall of hindrance could not work for them on that day of open battle with the Philistines. There is a need to be conversant with the Lord on a regular basis. God is not a consultant that should be dealt with back and forth only when there is an emergency. He is a God of consistency that requires a constant and consistent engagement with His children. It is time for you to stop running a risk by counting on what was there yesterday, but is not there today. It is only your consistency in walking in Him yesterday, today, tomorrow and every day that will bring you victory over the walls and enemies in your life.

PRACTICE TO PERFECT< ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>

Acts 11:19-30

Despite our inconsistency, God remains to be consistent in all His Word. Whatever you practice, you will perfect. That also which you continue will be consistent. God is a God of consistency and Jesus meant good from all that He required to be done in remembrance of Him. When there is a remembrance of the consistency in what Jesus did, what He said, and all His commands, there will be an undoubted manifestation of imitating Him in all areas of life. The apostle Paul required in 1 Corinthians 11:1, ÒImitate me, just as I also imitate Christ.Ó This is a clear statement of what made Paul the kind of apostle he was in his days and after he was long gone to rest. Among all the disciples that walked hand in hand with Jesus before He was lifted, there is hardly one that contributes to the New Testament like Apostle Paul. With the grace of God in place, the sense of imitating Christ must have been one of the driving forces behind the ministry committed into the hand of Apostle Paul. It was the activities of Paul and Barnabas in the Lord while in Antioch that gave birth to the word ÒChristiansÓ which means Christ like (Acts 11:26). Paul and Barnabas were living by the testimony, confession, and the word of their mouth. Are you as a believer living by the confession of your mouth or are you living by your exposure to the world? Who are you imitating? Who or whatever you imitate is what will manifest itself in your life. Imitating Christ should be a conscious and consistent drive; it should be with the purpose of heart and encouragement in the Word of God. Regardless of all the persecutions, Paul maintained his practice and consistency in the things of God. If Paul then, a man like us, was able to live a life centered on Christ, this means it is possible for man today to live a Christ-centered life. Practice is what makes perfect. Will you make a choice and to be a practicing Christian instead of a programmed Christian. That is, get out of religion and enter into Jesus reality. It is God who is able and He will enable you, if you desire it.

THINK OF THIS< ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>

Judges 14

The Spirit of the Lord is power and nothing can be compared to the power embedded in the Spirit of the Lord. For Samson, like many other over-comers mentioned in the Bible, in his entire encounter where he prevailed, it was the Spirit of the Lord that was coming upon him. Once in Judges 14:5-6 it was recorded, ÒSo Samson went down to Timnah with his father and mother, and came to the vineyards of Timnah. Now to his surprise, a young lion came roaring against him. 6 And the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and he tore the lion apart as one would have torn apart a young goat, though he had nothing in his hand. But he did not tell his father or his mother what he had doneÓ. The Spirit of the Lord came upon Samson when a surprise lion came roaring at him. As a result of the Spirit that came upon Samson, he overcame the roaring lion. Are you facing a lion challenge in your walk with the Lord, in your marriage, in your finances, in your health or in any area of your life? Jesus said in John 6:63, ÒIt is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.Ó The Spirit of the Lord that is power is the Word of God. The Word of God is the generator of faith and when it enters, it gives light. When the light of God is inhabited inside a man that believes in the Word of God, there will be no cause for stumbling. The Word of God is true and it is power. It did not work just once for Samson, but this power also delivered him from enemies and agents of deception. Take your time daily and take it into the Word of God. Do not leave home without the Word. Think of it; pray it and God will give you the grace to increase in spending more time on the Word of His deliverance. The roaring lion caught up with Samson by surprise, but the Spirit of the Lord upon him overcame a surprise attack of the lion. The Spirit of God will not only deliver you from lions that you know but also from surprise lions in Jesus Name.

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

1 Samuel 3:1-14

As a believer who knows how to minister to God, knowing to hear from God is also important. Before Samuel could hear from God, he missed the calling three times. Twice it was stated that Samuel was ministering to God. 1 Samuel 3:1 stated it and 1 Samuel 3:7 also said, ÒNow Samuel did not yet know the LORD, nor was the word of the LORD yet revealed to himÓ. Despite the fact that Samuel was ministering to God, the Word had not yet been reveled to him. Are you a believer that is ministering to God faithfully and yet the Word is not being revealed to you? God is not a difficult God and He wants His children to hear Him when He speaks. God wanted to speak to Samuel, but Samuel had to know how to answer God first before hearing from Him was possible. Eli, his mentor, out of favor with God knew it would take answering the call of God before God speaks. EliÕs instruction for Samuel says in 1 Samuel 3:9, ÒTherefore Eli said to Samuel, ÒGo, lie down; and it shall be, if He calls you, that you must say, ÔSpeak, LORD, for Your servant hears. So Samuel went and lay down in his place.ÓÕ Indeed and in truth, when God called back the fourth time, Samuel knew what to do before hearing from God. It was recorded in 1 Samuel 3:10, ÒNow the LORD came and stood as at other times, ÒSamuel! Samuel!Ó And Samuel answered, ÒSpeak, for Your servant hears.Ó God spoke and Samuel heard from God. What is holding you back from answering to God? Is it ignorance or lack of understanding? It took four times for Samuel, who was ministering, to answer the Lord. When there is understanding, there will be a knowing (knowledge) to prevail. Now that there is understanding, ask for help from God. Ask God today to deny every force that is causing or denying you from answering to His calling. It does not matter how long you have been ministering to God. Until you answer His calling, you will not be able to hear Him speak. Samuel answered GodÕs calling and he was enabled to hear God speak.