Go To Your Father For Your Bread

Are you a child of God? If you are, then you are entitled to the blessings of God, you have a right to whatever God can provide. A true father takes care of at least his children’s basic needs, and God is not an exception.  This post emphasizes the Father and child relationship between you and God that ought to give you your inheritance in Christ and supply all your needs.

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him! – Matthew 7: 7-11 (NKJV, emphasis mine).

Christians are struggling, crying and suffering to get things that are already their inheritance in Christ Jesus. Many people are children of God but live like slaves. They are ignorant of the blessings that are theirs as members of the family of God.

A child enjoys great privileges for being part of his family. As a child, he is entitled to his father’s inheritance. He does not bother or worry over how to meet his daily needs. He is too sure that his parents will take care of him. All he knows is to ask and expect results from them. Likewise, as a child of God, you are to ask and expect results from God your father.

God is a model of a true father. The scripture mentioned in Matthew 7:9-11, that if a man can give his son bread and not stone when he asks for bread, your Father in heaven will much more give good things to those who ask Him. The Lord is ever ready to give you your inheritance in Christ as a member of the family of God.

The challenge is that many Christians won’t go to God first for their needs. They would rather try to do it themselves first or go to someone they think has the capacity to help them, before remembering to go to God for help. This displeases God. In 2 Kings 1:1-4, God rebuked king Ahaziah for sending messengers to another god to inquire of his health when He, God almighty, was in Israel. It is wisdom to always go to your Father in heaven for your needs first. It is left for Him to lead you on how to get your prayers answered. Read more...

The Root Cause Of No Peace

Peace has eluded many people today. Some of them have done all manner of things in attempts to find peace to no avail. Many solutions are available but are only temporary. You cannot find lasting solution to no peace without identifying the root cause of it. This article states the main cause of lack of peace in nations or people’s lives. 

The LORD is my shepherd; I have all that I need.  He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams – Psalm 23:1-2 (NLT)

These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world – John 16:33

“Yes, come,” Jesus said. So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he shouted. Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. “You have so little faith,” Jesus said. “Why did you doubt me?” Matthew 14:29-31 (NLT, emphasis mine)

When a root cause of a problem(s) is identified, the problem is half solved. Having no peace at any time can be caused by so many intermediary causes. But no matter the intermediary causes, they all originate from one main cause: Loss of focus on Jesus. 

Any moment you cease to look up to Jesus (the prince of peace) for anything, peace will disappear from you. When your focus shifts from Jesus, it lands on carnality, fear, anxiety and troubled mind, etc. Read more...

All Things Work Together For Your Good

Can all things work for your good? Is it possible for God to use bad situations for your good? The problem that came your way is not the end of the matter. God has another plan for it. This post is to share how God can use an undesirable situation in your life to make life desirable for you.

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose – Romans 8:28 (KJV). This is God’s promise in His word and He is a covenant keeping God (Psalm 89:34). What He says He means and does. God is able to make all things work for good for you! 

Some people may wonder if an individual is suffering for his/her sins, how God can use the consequences for his/her good. Others may say Christianity is not that simple. But the truth remains that God is greater than our conscience (1 John 3:20) and always has a plan B to execute if we will allow Him. Truly, you will suffer for your error but what the enemy planned to destroy you, God can use to make you.

The book of 2 Kings 4 tells a story of a Shunammite woman whose son died and God brought him back to life by the hands of Elisha. And in 2 Kings 8, years after, God used the same death of her son (that the enemy planned to destroy her joy) to still bless her. The King restored her house and land to her when he heard the story of how Elisha restored her son to life.

Also, the books of Matthew 26 and Luke 7 tell the story of the woman with the alabaster box who poured the ointment on Jesus’ feet. In Luke 7:37 she was called a sinner but in Matthew 26:13, Jesus declared that she will forever be remembered for her action wherever the gospel is preached in the whole world. This is happening till today. I am even mentioning her in this article.

Now, for all things to work together for good for you, you need to meet the requirements given by God in Romans 8:28

Requirements

A.      You must love God – To love God is to obey His commandments (John 14:15,23-24) and the first thing to obey is to accept and confess Jesus as your personal Lord and saviour (Romans 10:9-10)

Read more...

God’s People Shall Pray And God Will Heal Their Land

Do you know that Christians will be held responsible for the state of their nations, whether good or bad? Man was given dominion to subdue the earth, which he lost after the fall of Adam, but was restored back through Jesus Christ and now in the hands of believing Christians. The exercise of this dominion or lack of its exercise determines the happenings around us. This post emphasizes the position of Christians in the affairs of their nations.

If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land – 2 Chronicles 7:14 (NKJV)

And seek the peace of the city where I have caused you to be carried away captive, and pray to the Lord for it; for in its peace you will have peace – Jeremiah 29:7 (NKJV)

How much have you contributed to the state of your nation? Many Christians unfortunately join the world to criticize their leaders, they talk and talk and do not exercise their dominion over the situations on ground. Some have even worsened the situation by the words of their mouth – you shall have what you say – Mark 11:23.

Some Christians are even waiting on God to do something about the situations, while God is waiting on them to do something about them. The power and authority over circumstances have been handed over to the Christians for them to establish the will of God upon their nations.

God said in 2 Chronicles 7:14 that if His people who are called by His name will humble themselves,  seek Him in prayer, and turn from their wicked ways, He would hear from heaven, forgive their sins and heal their land. God is waiting on the Christians to repent and pray for His intervention in their nations. He doesn’t need the whole nation to do that, he needs just His children. The question is, are you praying?

Also, God expects you as a foreigner in a nation to pray for the peace of that nation if you are to enjoy peace in it (Jeremiah 29:7). Furthermore, in 1 Timothy 2:1-3, the Lord admonished Christians to pray for those in authority so they can live a peaceable life, and He said it is good and acceptable in His sight.

The above scriptures make it clear that praying for your nation and leaders releases God’s blessing, intervention and peace on the land. Read more...

Not All Bad Situations Are Actually Bad

Have you given up? Bad situations are real, but what's more real is that it is not meant to consume you! Whatever situation you may be in now that is gloomy, rejoice for the end of the tunnel is at the corner and it opens to a bright and mouth-watering future. This post is emphasizing the need for you to swim over every situation for your better tomorrow.
 
Again the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: ‘Like these good figs, so will I acknowledge those who are carried away captive from Judah, whom I have sent out of this place for their own good, into the land of the Chaldeans. For I will set My eyes on them for good, and I will bring them back to this land; I will build them and not pull them down, and I will plant them and not pluck them up – Jeremiah 24:4-6 (NKJV)
 
And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose – Romans 8:28 (NKJV)

God was saying to the children of Israel in Jeremiah 24:1-10, that it was better to go as captives from Judah than to remain in Judah. Captivity is seen as a bad situation, but in that case it was the best route for their preservation and wellbeing.
 
The fact and the truth
It is a fact that as long as you are on earth, challenges will come. Sometimes, they may come like a flood, valley of the shadow of death, wilderness or an insurmountable mountain. The intensity of challenge may be so overwhelming that you may be tempted to wonder where God is and why He abandoned you.

However, the truth is that God forever remains in heaven above all situations (Ephesians 1:20-21) and that He is very much with you (Hebrews 13:5). Also, He has ordained for you to come out victorious (1 John 5:4).

Some bad situations are allowed by God because it is the best route for your deliverance or blessing to come to you. An understanding of this will help you to hold unto God till the end. It will help you not to open the door for the enemy to scatter God's plan through your thoughts, words or actions. Read more...