LEARN TO ASK FOR DIRECTION FROM PEOPLE WHO KNOWS

MEMORY VERSE: where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counselors there is safety, Proverbs 11:14

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Deut 26, Ps 117-118, Isa 53, Matt 1

BIBLE STUDIES: 1 Samuel 9:5-16.

A lot of people are stranded in the journey of life because they pretend to know but they do not know. There is no man that’s knows it all. A wise man once said, ‘the day you stop learning, you start dying’. No one knows it all except the Almighty God. A young man called Saul from the tribe of Benjamin, set out one day with his servant to look for some missing asses (donkey), 1 Samuel 9:5-16. After several efforts with no recorded success, he decided to go back home. As they were about to go back, his wise servant humbly suggested that they visit a man of God who hears from God regularly to get direction. They went to the man of God and within minutes the asses were found.

There one or two lessons to learn from this passage. First of all I want you to know that God has positioned angels around you to help you and assist you. The angel could be a colleague at work or in school or someone close to you or your pastor. When you refuse to take advantage of the angels God has positioned around you, you waste resources and struggle unnecessarily. It was obvious that Saul did not know the whereabouts of these asses. Instead of Saul to go and get direction from the angel (Samuel the prophet of God); he decided to do it on his own. In the process of doing it on his own, he wasted a lot of resources. The bread that should have lasted them for days finished within hours. If not for his servant, he would have return home empty handed frustrated and unhappy. When you refuse to ask for direction or get counsel from people who know about things, you become frustrated and unhappy.

Secondly, if you learn to ask questions problems will be solved faster. Not only that, you will get to your destination quicker. Because Saul failed, to ask for direction he began to go around in circles. A lot of people give up at the edge of success because they fail to ask for direction or ask question. You may fail at the edge of success if you don’t ask questions. I pray that will not be your portion in the mighty name of Jesus. Your journey will be faster if you will ask questions or get direction from people who know. Lastly Saul left home an ordinary boy but returned a king because he asked questions. There is a king in every man. It is in humbling yourselves and asking questions or getting direction from people who know that you will become the king the Lord has made you. You will only reach your potential in the Lord when you ask questions or get counsel from the counselors.

ACTION POINT: Humble yourself and get counsel.

LEARN ENDURANCE

Memory Verse: If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us, 2 Timothy 2:12.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Ex 38, John 17, Prov 14, Phil 1

The new living translation says if we endure hardship, we will reign with him. If we deny him, he will deny us, 2 Timothy 2:12.You will gain nothing by rushing. The reason why many get into trouble today is because of lack of endurance. Eight –five percent of divorces today could have been avoided if only the parties involved in the marriage endured. It is a fact that most of what will last in life does not come easily. Do you know that sometimes the smooth walk we are expecting would not give God glory so He takes us through the rough one so that His holy name will be glorified.

Whether we like it or not, there will be challenges. At times things will not go as planned. Once In a while some of those we depend on would disappoint us. Jesus Christ even said “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)”. The fact that something is getting harder does not mean it will break. The fact that no brother is approaching you to ask for your hand in marriage does not mean you will die single. The fact that you lost your job or lost money in a business venture or things are not going as planned does not mean you should commit suicide. The situation you are in will not kill you but it will only make you stronger.

2 Timothy 2:3 says thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Christ. To fulfill God’s plan and purpose for your life, you need to learn endurance. Failure to learn endurance could lead to permanent destruction. Where God will take you, He will take you. Don’t go and do fraud or involve yourselves in dodgey business dealings all because you want to get rich. Luke 21:19 says in your patience possess your souls. There is time for everything and time needs endurance. Do you know that the reason why God has not giving to you some of the things you have been asking is because He knows that if He gives it to you now , it might destroy you. Don’t go ahead of your time. If you persevere something will good will happen. The fellow who will reign with Christ on earth and in heaven must endure temptations, lack, sufferings, pain e.t.c. Inability to endure can frustrate the plan of God for your plan. What destroyed Gehazi and Judas Iscariot was lack of endurance; they wanted to get rich quick. What almost destroyed the life of David was lack of endurance; he could not endure sexual urge so he took someone’s wife. Inability to endure sexual urge has and is still destroying destinies. The best contraception is abstinence from sex; others fail and most sterilize women.

PRAYER POINT: Father, please help me to endure hardship that I might reign with you in heaven.