FAMINE: RESPOND, DON’T REACT

MEMORY VERSE: And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live. Deuteronomy 8:3

BIBLE READING: Numbers 14-16

One of the things the Lord hates with a passion is pride. Proverbs 6:16-19 says: “These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.” As a result, He humbles the proud. One of the tools God employs in humbling the proud is famine. Deuteronomy 8:3 says: “And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live.” The world, out of pride, thinks it does not need God. It has moved away from God; as such, the Lord has decided to bring it to its knee through famine. This explains why there are a lot of graduates with no job ( famine of jobs), lot of eligible bachelors and spinsters with no one to marry ( famine of marriage partner), lot of churches with few genuine shepherds and sheep ( famine of shepherd and sheep) and lot of church goers but few Christians ( famine of the Word).

Famine elicits a response. The three responses are: Do nothing, React and Respond. Doing nothing is not the best way to respond to a famine situation. Problems don’t just go away. They must be worked through or else they will remain forever a barrier to the growth and development of the spirit. Reacting to a famine situation is also not the best way to respond to a famine situation. Crying, moaning, playing the blame game will not solve the problem. The best thing to do in a famine situation is to respond. You can respond by doing what you think is good or seek the face of God and do what He tells you to do. Let me warn you against doing what you think is good (in your eyes) in a famine situation. The fact that something is good or make sense does not mean it is from God. It made perfect sense for Abram to go to Egypt, however, that was not the best course for his life. The following happened to Abram when he went to Egypt: Firstly, he went down (Genesis 12:10); secondly, he was forced to compromise his faith (Genesis 12:12-13); thirdly, he lost his wife (Genesis 12:15) and fourthly, he was embarrassed by a pagan king ( Genesis 12:18-20). Imagine an unbeliever accusing father Abram of telling lies.

NOTE: The best way to respond to a famine situation is to seek the face of God and do whatever He tells you to do. Also, praise God in a famine situation

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world.

UNDERSTANDING AUTHORITY 2

MEMORY VERSE: Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Luke 10:19

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Psalm 84-86

There are different categories of authority. For example, let us look at authority in the family or in the home of a believer. The father is the head of the family. He has a delegated authority from Christ over his household. Matthew 28:18 says, "And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth". He has a delegated authority over his wife. According to Numbers 30:6-9, if a woman makes a vow to God and her husband says “i cancel it”, it is automatically cancelled. If the woman stubbornly pays the vow to God after the husband has cancelled it, it is a waste because the Lord will not accept it. Before putting any sister into a position in the church, we must seek the consent of her husband. The man has a delegated authority over his children. According to Numbers 30: 3-5, if a child makes a vow to God and the father says, “I cancel it”, it is automatically cancelled. As a father, invested with so much authority from Christ, you can pronounce blessings upon members of your household including your wife, and the Lord will grant it. A man who has the authority to bless also has the authority to curse. So as a child of God, don't do things that will make your husband or father to put a curse on you. However, as a man who has a delegated authority from Christ, you are to love your wife even as Christ loved the church (Ephesians 5:25).

The woman or the wife has a delegated authority from Christ over her children. Although, her authority is under the authority of her husband – her head. Even if she is the founder of a ministry and the husband is just a member, at home, her authority is still under the authority of her husband. Ephesians 5:22 says, “Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.” The father and mother have a delegated authority from Christ over their children. Exodus20:12 says, “Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.” The first child, boy or girl, has a delegated authority from Christ over his or her siblings. Parents should recognize this and understand that the first child and the last child are not the same. The junior must respect the senior. Do you know the moment a believer gives his or her life to Jesus, He delegates some of His authority to him or her to rule over the kingdom of darkness? Luke 10:19 says, “Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.” As a believer, you have a delegated authority over demons, witches, wizards and all. A girl who won’t submit to her mother is not rebelling against the mother but to God (who delegated authority to her) . So also, a boy who won’t submit to dad or mum. As a child, don't talk to your parents anyhow or shout at them. When you do this, it is not your parents you are disrespecting but God.

PRAYER POINT: Father, we come against the spirit of rebellion in our homes.

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world