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

Job 34:21-30, Isaiah 5:11-17

Going backward is a way to captivity. There is no accidental entrance into captivity, but gradual backward steps from the way of God will undoubtedly lead into captivity. The children of < ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>IsraelÕs way into captivity were a demonstration to all that want to end up in captivity. Isaiah 5:12-13, ÒThe harp and the strings, the tambourine and the flute, and wine are in their feasts; but they do not regard the work of the LORD, nor consider the operation of His hands. 13 Therefore my people have gone into captivity, because they have no knowledge; their honorable men are famished, and their multitude dried up with thirst.Ó When there is a failure in regarding the work of God, there will be no regret for doing what does not glorify His Name. Also, not to have affection for what God has done will deny respect to what He is doing or what He can do. Furthering journey into the backward is a failure to constantly consider how the hands of God operate. Without a mindset or constant consideration on the operation of His hands, there will be a smooth journey into the backward. Going backward is a way of captivity and it was the same way that led the children of Israel into Babylon. The children of Israel failed to regard the work of God nor did they consider the operations of His hand. Therefore, they ended in captivity. It is iniquity not to regard His work or consider the operation of His hands because He is a Jealous God. It is a demonstration of not paying Him attention and being occupied by what goes around us. Whatever it is that is taking away your attention is actually taking you into a backward journey that is away from God. Job 34:22, ÒThere is no darkness nor shadow of death where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves.Ó The act of not paying God attention is iniquity. Attempt of hiding iniquity is a failed attempt; it is impossible to hide from Him. Take a step into the forward going. Give God all the attention for He is the Almighty Creator and there is no turning from Him.

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

Matthew 24:1-13

Developing cold love is dieing silently. In walking in the way of the Lord, there is no cold love and there is no justification for cold love. In the conversation of Jesus with His disciples, He mentioned in Matthew 24:12-13, ÒAnd because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But he who endures to the end shall be saved.Ó Lawlessness is the major generator of cold love. Lawlessness does have its root when there is inconsistency in the word of God. Spending time studying the living word of God is the main medication for not entering into cold love. Have you has a believer been drifting from your time of studying in the word of God? The time we are now living is a time that the deceiver has taken a strong stand against the children of God. Lawlessness is increasing while love is growing colder and colder. Love is a ticket to heaven and when there is no ticket, there will be no way for entrance. All that the Lord has put in place for His children to endure has been turned around by the enemy to end them all and cause them to miss salvation. Racing to the expected end is not only in the beginning but also in the end. Every believer does have a need for the grace to endure because only the ones that endure to the end shall be saved. Is your love getting cold by virtue of what you see and what surrounds you? If what you are seeing or all that surrounds you are the effects of developing cold love, enter into the word of God and let the word have its way in your life. Pray to God for consistency in faith. Knowing God and remaining in Him is the greatest miracle. It is written in Jeremiah < ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>23:29 ÒIs not My word like a fire? says the LORD and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?Ó Ask God for the fire nature of His word to keep burning in you so you will never run cold. 

DO YOU KNOW?< ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>

Haggai 2

Do you know that He is with you? Do you know it clearly that He is always with you and He will never forsake you? When you lack the understanding that God is with you, the power of His being there for you will not be activated. There has to be a conscious and deliberate tapping into what He has available for you. It is written in Hosea 4:6 that the lack of knowledge is what destroyed the people of God. It is important to constantly keep in mind that He is with us as much as we walk in line with His word. Do you know that He is with you?  The completion of the latter temple was nothing to be compared with the one that was built by Solomon. The children of < ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>Israel needed encouragement to continue in working for the Lord. God spoke the word of encouragement through Haggai in Haggai 2:4, ÒYet now be strong, Zerubbabel, says the LORD; and be strong, Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest; and be strong, all you people of the land, says the LORD, and work; for I am with you, says the LORD of hostsÓ. Are you experiencing any form of slowing down or discouragement? Take to the living Word of God that was and that will always be. The Word is speaking encouragement and power to you. Do you now know that He is with you? In deed and in truth, He is with all of His sheep and all His sheep know His voice. Be encouraged by the Word of God today and He will see you through in all your confrontations. 

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

1 Samuel 15

The spirit of rebellion and disobedience are like bread and butter. Wherever rebellion lodges, disobedience also have its place. After Saul had taken a step of rejection by God as a result of his disobedience, Samuel approached Saul in 1Samuel 15:22-23, ÒSo Samuel said: ÒHas the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, As in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams. 23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, And stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, He also has rejected you from being kingÓ. Rebellion and disobeying the Word of God lines up together; it is a way of destruction that causes man to be rejected by God. Are you as a believer paying attention to yourself? Will you be willing to search your heart and see if any of the two are actually having its way in your life? If there is a trace of one in you, there must be a line of the other one in you. In reference to < ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>Jerusalem it was written in Zephaniah 3:1-2 ÒWoe to her who is rebellious and polluted, to the oppressing city! 2 She has not obeyed His voice, She has not received correction; She has not trusted in the LORD, She has not drawn near to her God.Ó Rebellion is a demonstration of not obeying His voice (Word of God). To be disobedient to the Word of God is a way of not receiving correction. Constant denial of correction is a connection with disability in listening to what God has to say or what God is saying. A believer that refuses to be corrected is showing lack of trust in God and such a believer is taking action without God. To be rebellious, disobedient, not taken to correction and not trusting God are all in the same line. The bottom line of it, however, is drawing away from God. Search yourself and seek Him for a readjustment in your walk in life.

ENTER HIS REST< ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>

Matthew 11:25-30

As a believer that confesses Christ, why do you have to wait this long to enter His rest? Claiming to have known Him is not enough until you begin to lay hold on the promises that He has in place for you. You have been laboring long enough and yet your burden continues to be heavy. What is it that could have been wrong? Why does your burden remain heavy when it is supposed to be light? Jesus has not spoken and failed to do what He says He will do. There was a message of invitation in His communication when He said in Matthew < ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>11:28, ÒCome to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest.Ó There is a place of rest in your labor and that place is in your deliberate going to Him and letting out your heavy laden. In the letting out of your heavy laden, you will exchange it for His yoke. He said it in Matthew 11:29 ÒTake my yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.Ó His yoke is not heavy, but demanding. JesusÕ yoke requires you to learn and when you are able to learn, you will live by what you have learned from Him. A failure to live with a gentle and lowly heart is evidence that you have not learn from Him. As a claimed believer, examine yourself, look at the source of all your labor that is accompanied by heavy laden and no rest; you will found out that you have not be operating what you claim to have learned. Take to the Word of God and He will take up your heavy laden. He said it all in Matthew 11:30, ÒFor my yoke is easy and my burden is light.Ó Do not rust out; rest in Him.