One of my pastimes is reading advertisements on billboards and other outlets. As I drive through the streets, I look for the new ploys of advertising companies and commercial houses. Recently, a bottling company put up an advert with the caption, LIVE FOR NOW. As simple as this is, it stomps everything the gospel of the Kingdom stands for. The Gospel did not teach us to live for now; everything it sets up is for the future.

The Gospel did not teach us to live for now; everything it sets up is for the future… Kingdom citizens do not live for now, they live for the future.

More than anything, living for now is all the devil is putting on the front burners of many lives. He wants the young men and women to live for now in sexual promiscuity. The devil wants a new start-up to live for now and squander whatever little profit comes into the business. When you look for Bible example of a life that embraced the LIVE FOR NOW philosophy the mind will immediately race to the prodigal son. Prematurely, he asked the father to give him whatever inheritance he would be entitled to when he bows in death. He chose to live for now rather than be groomed. He became a wreck in no time. No doubt, there is a part of our inheritance that can be appropriated here on earth.  However, they cannot compare to that which is reserved for us in heaven. God’s word teaches moderation in this present world and promises a lavish reward in the world to come. Kingdom citizens do not live for now, they live for the future.

In his attempt to make Balaam curse the people, Balak brought Balaam to three vantage points in quick succession. The first was the high places of Baal (Numbers 22:41), followed by the top of Pisgah (Numbers 23:14). Rather than succeed in cursing Israel, Balaam blessed them instead. In frustration Balak brought Balaam to the third and final place, at the top of Peor (Numbers 24:28). There is a catch to this third place. Peor means a gap! This comes across to me as a pivotal truth about divination, particularly when it is directed at children of God. Generally, there is a hedge of protection around believers.

Generally, there is a hedge of protection around believers…If there is no “gap” in our lives, all of Satan’s arrows are impotent…Walking in the word is walking in the light; and those who walk in the light will constantly have the hedge of God around them.

Our passage says a curse causeless shall be of no effect. If there is no “gap” in our lives, all of Satan’s arrows are impotent. Several things can amount to a “gap” occasioning the weapons of the enemy to prove lethal. Sin is the principal avenue; it breaks down people’s defenses. Again, any work of the flesh like anger will expose us to attacks from the enemy. It is absolutely essential to walk in the Spirit in order to keep the arrows of the enemy at bay. Walking in the word is walking in the light; and those who walk in the light will constantly have the hedge of God around them.

During the Second World War, an unknown author wrote: “I believe in the sun even when it’s not shining. I believe in love even when I am alone. I believe in God even when He is silent”. Sometimes, God seems silent. Particularly when bad things happen to good people we are tempted to ask where God is. The Shunammite woman must have experienced the seeming silence of God when her son died. Why would God allow such a thing to happen to someone who had been generous to a divine cause? This brings us back to the age-long question: Why do bad things happen to good people? We may not have all the answers; but from the Scriptures, we can say that what happened to this woman further revealed the miraculous power of God in her family. Without the sickness, the woman and her household would never have known God as the resurrection power from the dead.

A few things show the inner disposition of people. The way people respond to money is a revealer of their inner life. Another is their response in times of crisis. Those who have put their trust in God have inner poise that defies explanation.

Though she experienced the seeming silence of God, she nevertheless believed God’s hand in providence. This problem revealed another side of this virtuous woman; she demonstrated some calm in the midst of her trouble. When her son died she did not raise an alarm; she only quietly laid him on the bed of the man of God. A few things show the inner disposition of people. The way people respond to money is a revealer of their inner life. Another is their response in times of crisis. Those who have put their trust in God have inner poise that defies explanation.

If you are looking for a contemporary global symbol of perseverance, you may have to consider a South Korean woman, Cha Sa-soon. In 2005, she began her quest to obtain a driver’s license. She took the written test nearly everyday, five days a week, for three years. It was not until the 860th attempt before she passed the theory. Next was the practical test. She faced the skill and road tests 100 times before she passed. She desperately needed the license to help run her vegetable business. She must have spent anything between $11,000 to $21,000 for fees and lessons to achieve her goal. In recognition of her tenacious efforts, Hyundai, the South Korean car manufacturer gifted her a brand-new car.

Sustained enthusiasm is the bottom line for success…never allow a setback to destroy your enthusiasm. In all cases of falling, you must learn to fall forward…determined to get up after each failure. That is the prime attitude of all successful people.

Sustained enthusiasm is the bottom line for success. If you fail, as you would most likely do, conduct a bit of research to determine the cause of your failure. Doing this would have taught you a vital lesson on how not to do it another time. Besides, the experience gained from your previous attempts could be the lesson someone may need tomorrow. By all means, never allow a setback to destroy your enthusiasm. In all cases of falling, you must learn to fall forward. In our text, the prophet Micah was determined not to let the enemy have the last laugh over him. He was determined to get up after each failure. That is the prime attitude of all successful people.

In the pages of the book of Psalms, four things are recommended to be done at all times. In no particular order, the first thing is longing for the word or the Lord. “My soul breaks with longing For Your judgments at all times.” Psalms 119:20 NKJV. If the first is longing to know, the second is about doing, as a specific blessing is reserved for those who put the word to practice. “Blessed are those who keep justice, And he who does righteousness at all times!” Psalms 106:3 NKJV. Most people can attempt some righteous deeds sometimes, but God is looking for those who will make it a lifestyle. Third thing to be done at all times is trusting the Lord. “Trust in Him at all times, you people; Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us. Selah” Psalms 62:8 NKJV. Perpetual trust is what opens us to the God of refuge.

We all daily eat God’s bread, both physical and symbolic bread, so we must learn to daily sing His songs of praises.

Finally, thanksgiving and praise must be at all times proposition. “I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.” Psalms 34:1 NKJV. Why must blessing God be done at all times? It is because no one can fully declare His praise at once. “Who can utter the mighty acts of the Lord? Who can declare all His praise?” Psalms 106:2 NKJV. God is so gracious in His dealings that before you finish uttering praise for an item, He has done several other things. We will always be in arrears in praising the Lord. Recently, I learned of a Finnish Proverb which says, “Whose bread you eat, his songs you’ll sing.” We all daily eat God’s bread, both physical and symbolic bread, so we must learn to daily sing His songs of praises.

In one of our recent entries, I made reference to our End Time Summit that took place in June. The focus was to learn about survival strategies for the end time. What we learned at the time was the need to maintain a sensitive spirit. Our text will pass for another secret for surviving the last days. To begin with, let us be reminded of what Paul said that the last days will be accompanied by perilous times. This will be due to people being consumed by self-love. In pursuit of self-love, people will throw caution to the wind. However, as the characteristic of God is all through history, He would normally leave a remnant out. So, the grim picture painted of the last days will not overtake everybody. Our duty today is to find out how to be among the remnant that will escape the perils of the last days. The answer is detailed in our text – it is by hearkening to the Lord. As our text shows, those who do this shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil.

It is only those who listen to the Lord that will be free from the fear of evil…To listen is more than taking in information intelligently. It goes with the implication of obedience…Hearing and obeying remains our safeguard against the flood of evil that the adversary will pour out in these last days.

The word “hearken” matches our modern use of the word listen. It is only those who listen to the Lord that will be free from the fear of evil. This throws up some thoughts. To listen is more than taking in information intelligently. It goes with the implication of obedience. In other words, it is only those who give God the opportunity to instruct them and follow through with obedience that will be able to escape the perils of the hour. Time has come to tune in to God afresh to hear what He has to instruct. Hearing and obeying remains our safeguard against the flood of evil that the adversary will pour out in these last days.

There are times when we have to be intentional in asking for certain things. V. W. Grant commended Gideon for questioning the angel that visited him about the signs of God that the fathers enjoyed and recorded. It is in the same spirit that the Psalmist is raising concern about “our signs”. Signs should be a non-negotiable privilege for the believers. Whenever we don’t see them, we need to do a self-examination and cry out to God.

Generally, believers are expected to conduct routine checks on themselves to determine where they stand in relation to God…Those whose lives depend on fellowship with God will quickly seek for what is wrong and amend immediately.

Generally, believers are expected to conduct routine checks on themselves to determine where they stand in relation to God. What are the instruments for these checks? The first one is the conscience. In 1 John3:20-21, we read: “If our conscience condemns us, we know that God is greater than our conscience and that he knows everything. And so, my dear friends, if our conscience does not condemn us, we have courage in God’s presence.”(GNT). In other words, our conscience is an umpire that sees not just the actions, but also the intent of the heart. Self-assessment can also be carried out by gauging the peace within. This could be seen as the other side of conscience. When a believer misses the mark of God, the conscience picks it first. The aftermath of that is the loss of peace on the inside. Those whose lives depend on fellowship with God will quickly seek for what is wrong and amend immediately.

Virtually all who have been used of God down history to do mighty things had one infirmity or the other. Infirmity here refers to any form of feebleness of mind and body or any other limitation. How did these men and women accomplish mighty things? It was because God compensated for their inadequacies. For Moses’ speech impediment, God raised Aaron for him, a man who could speak well.  The story of Gideon starts with the appearance of an angel to him as detailed in Judges 6. When he was called to deliver Israel from the hand of the Midianites, he complained of two things. The first had to do with his age. It would appear that Gideon was of a young age – the youngest in his family. Again, having figured out that a deliverance ministry of the magnitude that God would have him spearhead would require a whopping sum of money, he complained of his financial predicament.

The grace of God provided the necessary cushion so that his infirmities did not interfere with the assignment…God’s covering grace can fit into any situation that we find ourselves in.

Strangely, when God replied the poor young man, He made no reference to his complaints but simply said, “Surely I will be with you, and you shall defeat the Midianites as one man” (Judges 6:16). Gideon thought he needed more maturing and more money to be relevant; God saw he only needed more of the divine aura. For Gideon, God gave him courage and divine presence. As for Paul who claimed he ministered with the infirmities of the flesh, God’s grace saw him through. The grace of God provided the necessary cushion so that his infirmities did not interfere with the assignment. God is aware of what you lack; and He has provisions in place to cover it. God’s covering grace can fit into any situation that we find ourselves in.

A couple of years ago, a young lady posted something suicidal on the social media. Her post became the third of such that I came across that week. When I got to church the following Sunday, I felt the need to lead the congregation to pray against depression and all suicidal tendencies. We live in the last days, and things are getting tougher. Shattered dreams, broken relationships , and other pressures are taking heavy tolls on people, including believers. The damaging effect of depression is one reason we must take the word of Paul seriously. He laid double emphasis on the need for rejoicing.

No child of God should allow himself to be trapped to a corner and pummeled unnecessarily by the devil. Help is in the house of God; and we have been mandated to bear one another’s burden.

What should believers do when it is difficult to rejoice as the Bible commands? That is when the services of other brethren may be needed. “Not for that we have dominion over your faith, but are helpers of your joy: for by faith ye stand” (2 Corinthians 1:24). These “helpers of your joy” are the people we may call merchants of joy; and their efforts must be highly priced. They could be gospel Ministers who have oversight over us; or it could be people with whom we share affinity in the house of God. They help us to see the big picture and the hope that lies ahead. Barnabas was an expert in this. (Acts 11:22-23). No child of God should allow himself to be trapped to a corner and pummeled unnecessarily by the devil. Help is in the house of God; and we have been mandated to bear one another’s burden.

Despite the volume of wisdom verses that Solomon wrote, he has been used as motivation for the wrong reason by some. A few years into my stay in Port Harcourt, Rivers State of Nigeria, I chanced upon two young men in a secluded field one day. They each had a bottle of beer on one hand and a wrap of marijuana on the other. I felt constrained to witness Christ to them; trusting in the process they would be delivered from their dangerous addiction. One of them later startled me when he said that marijuana was discovered on Solomon’s tomb, and it has the property to make someone wise! In another development, a man who married his 48th wife claimed that he got his inspiration from Solomon. He claimed that marrying many wives is ordained by God, and his model is King Solomon.

Without the skillfulness of the Spirit one can use the Bible to self-destruct…A wrong interpretation of the word will invariably lead to wrong moves.

The word of God is described as a two-edged sword. It is important we know how to handle it. When you read the Bible, take note that not everything is to be applied literally. It is important to note that the things that are written are to warn us of dire consequences of certain choices. Without the skillfulness of the Spirit one can use the Bible to self-destruct. In view of this, Paul wrote to the Corinthians that the letter of the word kills; it is only the spirit of it that gives life. The man who justified his multiple marriages is certainly hooked to the letter. A wrong interpretation of the word will invariably lead to wrong moves.

I met a man in the first quarter of this year. He is an estate developer who seemed to have done quite well for himself. As we broached over various topics, he reminisced on his younger years which he described as time of stupidity. He recalled how he wasted the opportunities that youth came with. When the chips are down, the difference between two persons may be traceable to how they handle their favourable moments.  This truth is applicable in all realms – physical, spiritual, economic. At our favourable moments we sense a rush of energy, a chance meeting with someone with vital information, or an open door for higher service. Failing to seize the moment may lead to life-long regrets.

When the chips are down, the difference between two persons may be traceable to how they handle their favourable moments…Failing to seize the moment may lead to life-long regrets…When it comes to issues of life and destiny, our motto should be JUST DO IT! You cannot afford to wait endlessly for things to be convenient before you act.

From our passage we see that a favourable moment came to Felix to reconcile with God. As Paul preached on the subject of righteousness, temperance, and the Judgment of God, Felix’s heart was literally burning. He came under heavy conviction of the Holy Spirit. That should have been the turning point in his life, a time to commit to the saving grace of God. However, he failed to seize the moment, promising to call for Paul at a more convenient season. Few things are achievable in life with convenience, not the least the salvation of our soul and an intimate walk with God. When it comes to issues of life and destiny, our motto should be JUST DO IT! You cannot afford to wait endlessly for things to be convenient before you act.

Our annual end time summit for this year was held June 26th-28th. The theme was “Survival Strategies for the End Time”. A key factor for survival these days is sensitivity of spirit. In a number of passages, the Bible warns against excesses with regard to the appetite. Hear what Proverbs 25:16 says for example: “When you discover something sweet, don’t overindulge and eat more than you need, for excess in anything can make you sick of even a good thing” (TPT). Still on the need to exercise restraint, Thomas Brooks said, “Many more perish by intemperance than by violence. Intemperance is the source and nurse of all diseases. More perish by surfeiting than by suffering. Every intemperate person digs his own grave with his own mouth and teeth, and is certainly a self-tormentor, a self-destroyer, a self-murderer”. Put in other words, intemperance is violence against one’s body.

…intemperance is violence against one’s body… Intemperance will lead to deadness of spiritual faculties, making it difficult to receive signals from the Spirit of God.

Now, if by some stroke of luck an intemperate person is able to maintain his health and stay alive physically, yet there are other dimensions of existence that are at risk. This is the point of our text. Intemperance will lead to deadness of spiritual faculties, making it difficult to receive signals from the Spirit of God. This may prove more ruinous than physical death as one may be out of alignment with God and not know it. Temperance has the power to keep both the physical and spiritual components alive. There is a time appointed by God to round off the affairs of the world as presently constituted. It will give way to the golden era of the saints. Such a season requires keen spiritual sensitivity. If there is no danger of missing the time, Jesus would not have sounded the warning.

Job 29 will readily pass for a lamentation on the part of the author. As we would say, Job was longing for the good old days. He hit at something of interest in verse 4 – “As I was in the days of my youth, When the secret of God was upon my tabernacle” Job 29:4 KJV. What made those days peculiar? It was because Job lived by the secret of God. Someone may ask, “How much is the worth of a divine secret?” Daniel would explain it better. By divine secret, Daniel was able to recall the king Nebuchadnezzar’s dream and decipher its meaning.  That became the escape from death not only for him and his colleagues, but for every other wise man in Babylon.

…one divine secret became a lifeline for several people, as well as serving as a ladder for career growth…the secrets of God are not just thrown around indiscriminately. An essential condition to fulfill before we can enjoy divine disclosure is stated in our text – the fear of the Lord.

On his part, Daniel was promoted. And when he spoke to the king on behalf of his friends, they were equally promoted in Babylon. So, one divine secret became a lifeline for several people, as well as serving as a ladder for career growth. It is comforting to note that God has not run short of secrets. Daniel describes God as one who “reveals deep and secret things” (Daniel 2:22). Revelation of deep things is a continuous and beneficial act of God. Whatever secrets that the Lord might choose to reveal now will not be any less potent in their effect than what we have recalled here. The only thing we need to add is that the secrets of God are not just thrown around indiscriminately. An essential condition to fulfill before we can enjoy divine disclosure is stated in our text – the fear of the Lord. In its basic elements, the fear of God refers to departure from evil. You can boil this down to complete obedience to the voice of God.

One thing that is most talked about on the global stage is peace. This is because without peace nothing else can be guaranteed. Ironically, the more the debate on peace goes on, the more conflicts we seem to experience. Every year, May 8 is remembered as V-E Day, short for Victory in Europe. It is commemorative of the victory of Great Britain and the United States over Nazi Germany and its allies in 1945. That was the day the German troops laid down their arms throughout Europe. The following day being May 9, 1945, V-E Day was celebrated in Moscow when Stalin announced on radio, “The age-long struggle of the Slav nations has ended in victory. Your courage has defeated the Nazis. The war is over”.

…without peace nothing else can be guaranteed…Jesus the Prince of Peace will announce the cessation of all armed conflicts among nations…Those who share this hope, as John wrote, must keep on purifying themselves even as He is pure.

However, history has proved Stalin wrong. Though there has not been war on a global scale since 1945, there have been rumours of war and actual wars in pockets of places all over the world. A conflict database, ACLED/UCDP put active armed conflicts worldwide around 40. The scriptures give us hope of a peaceful future. Jesus the Prince of Peace will announce the cessation of all armed conflicts among nations. It is then that our text will find literal fulfillment. When He takes over the affairs of this world, the war shall be effectively over. Our text is reserved for such moments. Those who share this hope, as John wrote, must keep on purifying themselves even as He is pure.

According to Apostle Peter, believers have been given “exceeding great and precious promises” 2 Peter 1:4. Be that as it may, we must admit that these promises in no way state that we have immunity against all life’s difficulties.  Christianity does not paint a picture of El Dorado here on earth. Nowhere is it written that once you enter the ship of salvation, the voyage will be on calm waters only. Life generally is a difficult terrain because of the fallen nature of all things. Even the Captain of our salvation had to go through suffering to chart a course for our deliverance. Without mincing words, Jesus told His disciples that tribulation would come their way in this world. Rather than being downcast, they should rejoice because He has already overcome on their behalf. So, believers can rejoice in spite of the troubles.

Perspective is the key to survival in the difficult seasons of life. God will not allow a thing that He would not turn around for your joy by and by.

Our rejoicing in the midst of trouble should stem from two considerations. Firstly, as we hinted earlier, Jesus won a victory which has effect on all who put their trust in Him for salvation. Secondly, we can rejoice in difficult moments because we know they will not last forever. This consideration made Paul write to the Romans that they should rejoice in hope (Romans 12:15). Similarly, he made it clear to the Corinthians that whatever suffering we may endure at the moment is insignificant in the light of the eternal glory that awaits us. Perspective is the key to survival in the difficult seasons of life. God will not allow a thing that He would not turn around for your joy by and by.

The Bible is clear about the fact that we are in a warfare. It further spells out the fact that the warfare is spiritual in nature. So I often find it funny, in not tragic, when I see believers resort to physical weapons in the name of doing battles. I have seen videos of some who went to prayer with dane guns, cutlasses, brooms, or what have you. How those items would be able to deal with principalities and powers is beyond my comprehension. The book of Ephesians gives details of the weapons available to us for the battles of life. No physical weapon made the list. On another note, being familiar with the appropriate weapons alone is not sufficient for victory. Those weapons work in conjunction with a life of obedience. Apostle Paul made it clear to the Corinthians that though our weapons are mighty through God for pulling down all strongholds; they are only effective when our obedience to the Lord is complete.

…victory or failure is not determined by the size of battle we face. Small battle without God on our side is doom; big battle with the Captain of the Hosts is a walk-over. Unfailingly, obedience will always woo God to our side.

The place of obedience in battle is better illustrated with the campaign of the children of Israel at Ai. Joshua’s first campaign was a huge success. Following the instructions of God, the massive wall that shielded Jericho came crashing down, and they defeated the country. But when they faced a small, little known city called Ai, they suffered a defeat. The reason was because they had disobeyed God. Achan took of the stuff that God had forbidden them from touching. We understand from here that victory or failure is not determined by the size of battle we face. Small battle without God on our side is doom; big battle with the Captain of the Hosts is a walk-over. Unfailingly, obedience will always woo God to our side.

Ahaziah succeeded Ahab, his father. Bible account shows that he had a domestic accident that left him seriously injured. He was so apprehensive about his health and future that he sent to inquire of Baal-Zebub the god of Ekron. He wanted to know if he would survive. The messengers had not got the chance to deliver their errand when the angel of the Lord sent Elijah to denounce the king. God’s displeasure was that the king abandoned Him as the true source of information and the controller of the future for a lesser god. The verdict was that he would not survive the illness. He died shortly after.

 The occult promises to provide safe landing for the future…Any attempt to put the security of our future into the hands of the occult is a recipe for trouble.

What happened here was that the jealous nature of God kicked in. God did not hide it from the people the fact that He is jealous! Take a look at Exodus 34:14 – “For thou shalt worship no other god: for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God:” (KJV). Look at that again for confirmation. God is not only jealous; His name is Jealous as well! The dictionary gives several ideas of what it means to be jealous. I like the one that says to be jealous is to be “intolerant of rivalry or unfaithfulness”. God will not accommodate a rival. It is either Him alone or not at all. This is the spirit behind the first commandment where God said we should not worship any other God besides Him. The world is gradually being sucked into the occult. The occult promises to provide safe landing for the future. It is all deception. God’s word already warned that there should be no palm readers or necromancers among his people. Any attempt to put the security of our future into the hands of the occult is a recipe for trouble.

In general parlance, we say that the first impression matters. That is because many people will not have the opportunity to get a second impression of a person or situation before drawing conclusions. Yet, first impression could be misleading. Samuel was a prophet of God of no mean repute. However, he became a victim of first impression. The Lord asked him to go into Bethlehem Judah, specifically to the house of Jesse, to anoint a king in place of Saul. He was completely taken by Jesse’s first son. “So it was, when they came, that he looked at Eliab and said, “Surely the Lord’s anointed is before Him!” I Samuel 16:6 NKJV. Eliab was the first son and first to be paraded. Samuel thought he had hit the bull’s eye as his language revealed – “surely the Lord’s anointed is before Him”. God had to restrain the prophet not to look on the physical attributes.

No human assessment can be hundred percent accurate, because we do not have access to the inner workings of the people that we see. So don’t be in a hurry to slam the door on people because the first impression you got was negative.

How many times have you also assessed people based on externalities? Or, how many times have you been judged because of what people can see on the outside? We make this mistake often; and it is about time we went beyond the veil of externalities, considering things from outward appearance alone. God does not judge from outside impression; He looks on the inside, including the motive behind what is seen. No human assessment can be hundred percent accurate, because we do not have access to the inner workings of the people that we see. So don’t be in a hurry to slam the door on people because the first impression you got was negative.

The social media took the world by storm in the past 10 years or thereabout. The creator of this powerful means of communication exploited an insuperable need in human beings – the need to connect. God made humans to operate in societies. Another way to view that is to say that we are made for partnership. Though we all have different purposes and assignments, some form of cooperation will be required to make good of them. In our text, Judah invited Simeon to assist him take possession of his inheritance. He built an alliance with his brother to actualize destiny. He was humble enough to ask for help when necessary.

God made humans to operate in societies…Partnership is an abiding principle we find throughout the word of God…If you can’t work with people, you will limit the scope of your accomplishment.

Partnership is an abiding principle we find throughout the word of God. It runs from Genesis to Revelation. God used it in Genesis at creation. “Let us make man in our own image”, He declared. Great feats are hardly achieved by solo efforts. They come by team efforts. Ants secure their future through teamwork. In the book of Ecclesiastes, partnership is praised. “Two are better than one, Because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, For he has no one to help him up. Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm; But how can one be warm alone? Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him. And a threefold cord is not quickly broken.” (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 NKJV). If you can’t work with people, you will limit the scope of your accomplishment.

Many years ago, a man illustrated how God guides. He compares it to driving at night. It is not possible for your car light to see the entire length of the road at one time. Perhaps it sees some 40 or 50 meters. As you drive, you see a little more and a little more until you reach your destination. This illustration is applicable to our pursuit of success and other good things of life. In our text, Moses put down what might be described as divine principle of conquest. He informed them that God would drive out the nations before Israel, so that they would be empowered to conquer them. However, the conquest would come in stages and not in one fell swoop. God would give them the land in sequence as was necessary to support their population. God’s law of conquest is a little at a time.

God’s law of conquest is a little at a time…When people bite more than they can chew, problems set in…Over time, those little, little steps will compound and give us the breakthrough we desire.

A lot of people adopt the “pressure cooker” approach to life. They want everything to happen and that right now. This approach may not be unconnected to the increasing cases of depression in our days. When people bite more than they can chew, problems set in. Learn to receive the word and promises of God with cautious optimism. Do same for your ideas and projects. Thinking that we can grab all the fullness of the promise at a time or pull off a gigantic project at once might lead us to a life of anxiety. When we walk with God, it is guaranteed that all things will fall into place, only that it will be a little at time. Over time, those little, little steps will compound and give us the breakthrough we desire.

The Psalmist identified three sources of joy. The first is the strength of the Lord as shown in the first part of Psalm 21:1-“The king shall joy in thy strength, O LORD.” The other half of that verse shows the second source of joy-“and in thy salvation how greatly shall he rejoice!” The third source is found in Psalm 21:6 – “For thou hast made him most blessed for ever: thou hast made him exceeding glad with thy countenance.” For David, the strength of the Lord, the salvation of the Lord, and the countenance or presence of the Lord made up the channels of his joy. If you like, the first foundation of joy is the Lord; the second foundation of joy is the Lord; and the third foundation of joy is the Lord!

…joy does not travel alone. Those who have the joy of the Lord will invariably have the peace of the Lord as well…The best way to flow with them is learning to cast your burdens on Him. He can do a better job at carrying them.

Why do so many people go through life frustrated and unhappy? It is because they seek for joy from material things. When you shift your focus to the Lord, you will discover that nothing can compare with the joy of His presence. What is more, joy does not travel alone. Those who have the joy of the Lord will invariably have the peace of the Lord as well. Peace and joy are like complimentary spiritual articles; and regardless of race and gender, everyone desires them. Unfortunately, not many people know how to go about getting them. Just as Jesus promised peace, He also promised joy. If He gave you one, He won’t deny you the other. What throws spanner into the works concerning these two commodities is anxiety. The best way to flow with them is learning to cast your burdens on Him. He can do a better job at carrying them.

Recently, I watched a video clip with awe. It was supposed to be a church service of a ministry that I am not particularly certain of right now. For whatever reason, I saw men and women in acrobatic display, ostensibly in the name of prayer. They were throwing themselves into chairs and any other object standing in their path. As far as I could see, it was a total disgrace to what the gospel of Jesus represents. It is sad how some think that for it to be fervent or spiritual, it ought to be awkward. This group of people has a theology as much flawed as that of the sons of the prophets in Jericho.

False theology and religion will always amount to fruitless labour.

These sons of the prophets exhibited inconsistent behaviours and perspectives. Shortly before Elijah was taken to heaven, they had teased Elisha that his master would be withdrawn from him. So they had prophetic insight into what was imminent. However, after his miraculous exit, they wondered if the Spirit of the Lord might have crashed him on a mountain or into a valley. Such suggestion shows that they were not properly instructed in the way of the Spirit. There is nothing unruly about the Spirit of God. Their conceptualization of the Spirit was quite different from what we know of Him. He is not the author of confusion, as these sons of the prophets seemed to suggest. When they insisted to go and search, Elisha gave them leave. Of course, the search yielded nothing. False theology and religion will always amount to fruitless labour.

The Bible did not give us any clue about the names of the 70 disciples that Jesus sent to preach. What was common with all of them was that they were all equipped same way – with the name of the Lord. On their return, they all had a wonderful testimony: “Then the seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name.” As far as they were concerned, their outing was a huge success, granting an occasion for great rejoicing. Jesus had a different perspective. The disciples were rejoicing for the wrong reason. Whereas they were rejoicing for results in their mission, Jesus would rather have them rejoice because their names were written in God’s record in heaven.

The ways and values of the world are diametrically opposed to those of the kingdom. In the world, success is measured majorly by results. In the kingdom, it is known through obedience…Obeying the Lord is by far of greater value than all the results we can boast about in this world.

The ways and values of the world are diametrically opposed to those of the kingdom. In the world, success is measured majorly by results. In the kingdom, it is known through obedience. If the disciples did not post the kind of results they reported, they would still have been successful in the eyes of Jesus because they obeyed His command to go. Moses was told to speak to the rock, but he struck it. He got water quite alright, but he displeased the Lord; so he failed. That failure was one reason he could not enter the fullness of Canaan. Obeying the Lord is by far of greater value than all the results we can boast about in this world.