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

Daniel 3

When trouble becomes persistent and intense, when there is no way out, what the trouble is saying to you is Òand who is the god that will deliver you from my hands.Ó All that you have to do is to tell that trouble in prayer (by using the word of God that is power) and in action (which is to remain consistent in godly conduct) that you have no need to answer in the matter. Let the trouble know that your God whom you serve will deliver you. Do you serve Him indeed and in truth? Do you serve Him with all of your heart all of your soul and all of your strength? Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego were once in a situation where a problem was harassing and questioning their God. They refused to fall down and worship an ordinary gold image and they were threatened with a burning fiery furnace. Also they were questioned, ÒAnd who is your god who will deliver you from my hands?Ó(Daniel 3:15). The response of the three friends stated in Daniel < ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>3:16, ÒShadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego answered and said to the king, ÒO Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. 17 ÒIf that is the case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. 18 ÒBut if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not worship the gold image which you have set up.Ó Can you say it with confidence that you are serving Him? Serving God is not by mouth or noise making, serving Him is not by emotional display? The three friends were so sure of their stand in the Lord to the point that if God did not deliver them, it would not have been because He could not. Your courage that is based on your relationship with God and your character that is based on how you walk in the word by the grace of God is what will terminate persistent trouble. He is absolutely and undeniably a faithful God.

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

Genesis 37-41

Dream route is a dreadful route. Joseph dreamt at age 17 and it did not come to be until he was age 30. The dream route was dreadful for Joseph. At every stop of his journey in the dream route, his situation did not get better but worse. He started the journey when he could have avoided the journey. Joseph started by wandering in the field when his father sent him to Shechem to go and see his brotherÕs well being. It was recorded in Genesis 37:15, ÒNow a certain man found him, and there he was, wandering in the field. And the man asked him, saying, ÒWhat are you seeking?ÓÓ A wandering journey became a wonderful journey but not without a severe pain. At every step in his journey, when things seem to be getting better, it constantly became worse and dreadful. He was dropped into the pit by his brothers when he finally got hold of them at Dotham. One will think JosephÕs adversity was over when he moved from the pit into slavery. His brothers sold him to the Ishmaelite as a slave and he ended up in the house of Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh. In the house of Potiphar, it was supposed to get better but it got worse with a false accusation in the hand of PotipharÕs wife for a sexual harassment. Do you wonder how worse it could be for a young man of JosephÕs age? Is your situation close to that of Joseph? All that surrounds you have begin to put into account different reasons why you are the only one that moves from a deep pit of affliction to a deeper pit of affliction. The dreadful journey was not over for Joseph until he got into the prison. Despite all, there was neither single documentation that Joseph ever complained nor rebelled against the name of his God. All you can do by His grace is to remain focused. The plan of God for your calling is different to others. Joseph wandering into a dreadful journey led him up into a prisoner before he became a prime minister of the whole of < ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>Egypt. As a dreamer he became an interpreter of a dream that made his dream come true. In reading the whole story of Joseph, you will found a consolation that your wandering will turn into a wonderful celebration.

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

Jonah 1

In going right with God all will go right with you. And, when you go wrong with God all will go wrong with you. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ which is the Love of God, in combination of  the sweet fellowship the Holy Spirit is what a believer needs on everyday basis for them not to go  the wrong way. Jonah was called by God, and he heard from God, but was hard on God. He was called to go to Nineveh but he fled to Tarshish. At every time a man takes onto his course instead of GodÕs course, man will end up cursed. Jonah did not put only himself in the line of destruction ,but all the people that were on the ship were in the face of dangerous storm. Jonah was carrying the mark of disobedience. What is it that you are running away from? Have you taken a run from His presence? Can you specifically identify any clear and specific direction that has been placed upon your life? Jonah knew that he was the target of the violent storm; he could no longer run away from his disobedience. As a believer, you will know if indeed you are the cause of storm in any vessel of transportation. Jonah was requested of what could be done to bring peace and quiet in the storm. Jonah requested in Jonah 1:12, ÒAnd he said to them, ÒPick me up and throw me into the sea; then the sea will become calm for you. For I know that this great tempest is because of me.ÓÓ Without any doubt, you will know if you are the cause of storm. God has not called you on a journey over the water and it does not matter how far you have gone on the water, He will bring you back to a dry land. A dry land is where He wants to establish your footing. Jonah was thrown into the sea where he spent three days and three nights in the belly of the fish. The Bible says in Jonah 2:1, ÒSo the LORD spoke to the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land. Where has he called you to go? Jonah was not called onto a journey over the water but on dry land. He will catch up with you just like He did with Jonah.

CLOUD OF SIN< ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>

Genesis 26:1-13

In the time of famine God told Isaac not to move to < ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>Egypt but to dwell where he was, and Isaac dwelt in Gerar. God that commanded Isaac not to move was able to provide and protect Isaac. When God gives command he backs the command with His commitment. IsaacÕs obedience by not moving as God had commanded was accompanied with a lie to protect his wife from the people of the land. IsaacÕs lie to protect his wife was a build up of a cloud of sin. IsaacÕs lie to the king of Geraar was a claim that Rebecca was his sister not his wife. The telling of lies by Isaac went for a while but it could not last forever. The truth of IsaacÕs lie was uncovered by Abimelechi. It is written Genesis 26:8, ÒNow it came to pass, when he had been there a long time, that Abimelech King of the Philistines looked through a window, and saw, and there was Isaac, showing endearment to Rebecca his wife.Ó Telling lies can go for long time but it will only take a moment for lies to be exposed. Lying does no good but only form a cloud of sin that will deny, delay or derail the blessings of God in the life of a liar. Isaac was in line on the ground of obedience but his step in the line of obedience was out of order. Half obedience is equal to zero blessing. A full obedience to the command of God will generate a fullness of His blessing. The uncovering of IsaacÕs lie by Abimelech cleared off the cloud of sinful acts of lies by Isaac. It was recorded in Genesis 26: 11, ÒSo Abimelech charged all his people saying, ÒHe who touches this man or his wife shall surely be put to death.ÓÓ Isaac was free from his self created cloud of sin and he entered into the blessing of his obedience of staying in the land. The Bible recorded in Genesis 26:12, ÒThen Isaac sowed in that land, and reaped in the same year a hundredfold; and the LORD blessed him. God is always in the business of blessing, if man remains with the lesson of obedience and living by the command of God.

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

Exodus 14:13-31, 17: 8-16

Operating with consistency, consciousness, commitment and concentration is the vehicle of a proven result. When all these are in place in your operation, it must be as a result of the understanding that is based in the knowledge of how God operates and it is rooted in evidence that is testimonies. Moses was a leader called by God, directed by God and moved by God. Moses knew what it was to demonstrate consistency, consciousness, commitment and concentration because of undeniable testimonies that were evident. At the confrontation of the < ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>Red Sea, God commanded Moses with a specific command in Exodus 14:16, ÒBut lift up your rod, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it. And the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea.Ó Moses got the command right and it worked wonderfully right for him and the children of Israel. Moses could not let go of the testimonies, and that made him to be consistent, conscious and committed with full concentration against every other form of opposition. He knew the way of God and how to walk in the way of God. As a result of his understanding, knowledge of breaking through did not fail when he approached another opposition in his leadership role. What Moses knew was used for preservation against defeat in the hand of Amalek. It is written in Exodus 17:11, ÒAnd so it was, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed; and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed.Ó Moses had the experience of victory and how God put the victory in place as a result, he did not hesitate to walk the same road that worked earlier in the journey. God is a consistent God and we are to be conscious of His power. Also, with the understanding of what God can do, our consistency and commitment will always bring forth testimony. There is power when consistency, consciousness, commitment and concentration are rooted in the understanding of how God operates.