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

Exodus 5:1-14

If you cannot hold on to the Lord, donÕt give up. Continue trying and hang on to Him. He has eyes to see; He has ears to hear and He can see through all your pain. The children of < ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>Israel were in bondage for over four hundred years. When it was close to the time of freedom, it then seemed like they had just started. When it was close for them to begin to move to where God had in plan for them, then affliction was intensified. When the call was close to home for salvation, the pain of bondage became a grueling force on them. After the Lord God had given the mandate to Moses for the deliverance of the children of Israel, it was then that the situation became more painful with no gain in sight. Moses and Aaron approached Pharaoh as the Lord directed, Exodus 5:3, ÒSo they said, ÒThe God of the Hebrews has met with us. Please, let us go three daysÕ journey into the desert and sacrifice to the LORD our God, lest He fall upon us with pestilence or with the sword.Ó  The message of God did not settle well with Pharaoh, but it settled the children of Israel that had just received a ray of hope for freedom from God through Moses. Not knowing that freedom was already on the roll, Pharaoh intensified the pain of labor on the children of Israel. Exodus 5:9, ÒLet more work be laid on the men that they may labor in it, and let them not regard false words.Ó The situation changed for the children of Israel because the message that Moses brought unsettled Pharaoh and he added more to the hard labor. Exodus 5:13, ÒAnd the taskmasters forced them to hurry, saying, ÒFulfill your work, your daily quota, as when there was straw.Ó Taskmasters were not excluded from bringing more pain. The long awaited breakthrough was at hand but the enemy intensified a way to break them down. Does this sound like you? It seems to be getting tougher when you expect breakthrough? Do not allow a break down. Your miracle is at hand in Jesus name.

FREE TO SACRIFICE< ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>

Exodus 3:13-22

When God called on Moses to go as a messenger of deliverance to the children of < ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>Israel, it was with a consistent command of bringing the children of Israel out of bondage so they could go and sacrifice to God. Exodus 3:18, ÒThen they will heed your voice; and you shall come, you and the elders of Israel, to the king of Egypt; and you shall say to him, ÔThe LORD God of the Hebrews has met with us; and now, please, let us go three daysÕ journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the LORD our God.Ó All through the encounter of Moses with Pharaoh was a striking message of letting the people go and serve (sacrifice) to God. Just as the children of Israel were brought out of bondage by God through Moses, so the believers today has been brought out of the bondage of sin and iniquities by the blood of Jesus Christ. The life of a believer is to be a life of service (sacrifice) unto God as the journey of life continues. The grace of salvation is to enable believers to be in consistent walk with God not to walk inconsistently in line with the world. He is a God with good plans for His children who will serve Him in all of their walks. As a believer, you have not been redeemed to serve or sacrifice to the god of this world. The children of Israel eventually gained freedom from the house of bondage (Egypt), but they entered into self-bondage in their journey. They failed in their service and could not pass unto the promise of God. It is not enough that you have come to the saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus. You also need to begin to live a life of sacrifice in serving the Lord God. Also, your knowledge about the need to live sacrificially unto God will not count against you in the Day of Judgment if you are actually living to serve God. Ask the Lord to enable you in your serving Him in truth and indeed.

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

I Samuel 17:40-54, 21:1-9

When David killed Goliath, it was the hand of God moving through David. The sling shot that knocked Goliath down knocked him out of the world. It was the sword of Goliath that David used to send Goliath into eternal damnation. I Samuel 17: 50-51, ÒSo David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone, and struck the Philistine and killed him. But there was no sword in the hand of David. 51 Therefore David ran and stood over the Philistine, took his sword and drew it out of its sheath and killed him, and cut off his head with it. And when the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they fled.Ó Evidently, the sword in DavidÕs hand was a mighty sword. When David was running away from the wrath of Saul, he ran to Ahimelech the Priest. David needed to go further in his running for his life and he had no weapon to accompany him. The priest, Ahimelech offered David a weapon, I Samuel 21:9, ÒSo the priest said, ÒThe sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom you killed in the < ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>Valley of Elah, there it is, wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod. If you will take that, take it. For there is no other except that one here.Ó And David said, ÒThere is none like it; give it to me.Ó David accepted the sword. Indeed, it was the sword that took away the life Goliath; a sword that was meant to take away the life of David. Whatever the enemy has in plan to use in taking away your life God will deliver it into your hand to take the enemy away. It becomes a weapon of testimony. Just like David testified, ÒThere is none like itÓ; ask God to deliver into your hand a weapon of testimony that will give glory to His name.

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

I John1:1-7

John was one of the three closest disciples to Jesus. If there is anywhere or from anyone to hear the message of our Lord Jesus Christ better, it is from John. John wrote in I John 1:5-6, ÒThis is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.Ó John declared that God is light that is God is pure, holy, true and no evil can be seen in Him. Above all other things, God wants our fellowship and fellowship with Him has to be in light and in truth. Among the types of fellowshipping with God is when believers gather together to seek the face of God in praise or in prayer. Fellowshipping with God is a daily walk of a believer with God. To walk daily with God requires a walk in the light; a walk that only the unstoppable light of God can penetrate and expose. John communicated the message he received to believers that anything short of walking outside of the light is walking outside of God. What kind of walk are you walking? If you are full of lies, deception, manipulation, and all kinds of ungodly life styles, you are walking outside of the light and in darkness. It does not matter how your brethren sees or perceives your walk; it only matters how plain, clear direct and truthful you are walking before God. God is light and He alone cannot be deceived. If in your walk, you have been taken a covering under darkness while claiming the Lord, it will only take a matter of time before the light of God exposes you in your walk. Walk the walk. Fellowship with Him and when you are truly in fellowship with Him, you are actually fellowshipping with others. God is light and cannot be deceived.   

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

Luke 24:13-32

Frustration is the direct cause of distraction, discouragement and disappointment.  Also, the habitation of distraction, discouragement and disappointment will lead you into the wrong direction. After the breaking news of Christ resurrection, there were two traveling away from < ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>Jerusalem to Emmaus while others were going towards Jerusalem to be a part of the breakthrough news of resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. The two were consumed by Ò3DsÓ (distraction, discouragement, and disappointment) because of JesusÕ death. What is it that has come upon you in this journey of life? What is taking the driverÕs seat in your life? Luke 24:15-16, ÒSo it was, while they conversed and reasoned, that Jesus Himself drew near and went with them. 16 But their eyes were restrained, so that they did not know Him.Ó They could see in the physical, but they had lost sight of their Savior. They knew Jesus well, but they did not know Him well enough to identify with Him at the point of visitation. The two must have been at the point of frustration thinking their hope was gone. Are your experiencing frustrations in any area of life? Remind yourself that Jesus is not dead; He is a living God. When ever frustration sets in, the 3Ds will take you for a ride in the wrong direction. When there is no sight, there will be a failure to see help whenever help is in place. The two did regain sight at the point of JesusÕ departure. Luke 24:31, ÒThen their eyes were opened and they knew Him; and He vanished from their sight.Ó Your story does not have to be like the two in this passage if you will begin to put frustration in is proper place. You then will begin to experience concentration, encouragement and effective results in your entire journey.