RESPONSE TO MERCY

2 Chronicles 34:31 – then the king stood in his place and made a covenant before the Lord , to follow the Lord, and to keep His commandments and His testimonies and His statues with all his heart and all his soul, to perform the words of the covenant that were written in this book

Bible Studies: 2 Chronicles 34:1-33

Josiah was only eight years old when he became king in Jerusalem. Imagine an eight year old child, becoming the president of USA or any other country? What does an eight year old know? What experiences of life has he got? Mercy gives one an opportunity he does not deserve. The woman caught in adultery in John 8:1-11 did not deserve mercy according to the Law of Moses. Actually allowing her to live is a sin, but when they brought her to Jesus, He had mercy on her and gave her life back. If not for mercy, the Leper in Luke 5:12-13 would have been stoned to death. According to the Law of Moses lepers are not allowed in towns except they are passing through and to do that they need to inform the community priory to passing. The man risked his life to come and meet Jesus and the Lord had mercy on him and healed him. Through the tender mercies of Jesus, one of the two criminals received salvation on the cross, Luke 23:39-42. Lamentations 3:22 says it is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. Out of mercy Moses saw God and lived, Exodus 33:17-33.

To appreciate God’s mercy, Josiah went out and completely destroyed everything (idols and gods of the land) that could come between him and this merciful God. God was impressed with the way this young king responded to His mercies, so He promised him that all his life he will never face any challenge or see calamity. Josiah knew what it meant to spend a year without facing challenges and now the Lord was promising that all his life he will neither face any challenge not see calamity. This king decided to make a covenant before God that he will serve God like no one had ever done. He will spend for God and be spent by God. He promised to live holy. In Judges 15:11- Judges 16:1, three thousand men of Judah (brothers of Samson) bound him with a rope and gave him to the Philistines. The enemies with-in caught him and handed him over to the enemy with-out to kill. Out of mercy, the Lord delivered him that day. Instead of thanking God for the victory, he began to question God about his thirst. Out of mercy the Lord provided water again. Immediately he drank the water and was satisfied, he went straight into the house of a prostitute to celebrate his victory. How are we responding to God’s mercy today? The fact that we are alive it is by His mercy. Do we wake up to thank God for the gift of life or we just go about our business. Our salvation how do we take it, do we bring others to Christ, invite people to church or just watch them on Sunday go to play football or sleep of all day long? That business or job, do we tithe on our earning or just spend everything? .The good health He gave to us, do we use it to party and fornicate or join the workers in the church and work for Him in His vine yard? The way we respond to God’s mercy will determine the level of His mercies we will get. The next time the enemy caught Samson they plucked out his eyes immediately, Judges 16:21. Actually he did not leave the camp of the Philistine alive .Not even a single soul mourned Samson but till date it is a custom in Israel to lament about the death of Josiah.

KEY QUESTION: How are you responding to God’s mercies over your life and family?

WHEN IT SEEMS GOD IS SILENT

Psalm 91:15 – he shall call upon Me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him

There are many of us who have been seeking the face of God over one issue or another. We have prayed, fasted, giving tithes & offerings, sown seeds and nothing seems to happen. I want to tell you that God answers prayers and He is still in the business of answering prayers. He will answer you today and you shall rejoice.

There are several reasons why  God seems to be quiet or we do not see the manifestation of what we have asked for. One of the reasons could be God has a bigger and better plan than ours. Despite how hard Jesus prayed before his crucifixion, God did not say a word. Why? Because while Jesus was asking that the cup should pass over Him, God had a bigger plan to exalt Him to the highest place possible and give Him a name that is above every other name, Philippians 2:9. The reason why it seems God is silent over that challenge could be He has a better plan than yours. You might be asking Him for a job but He is planning to make you a business mogul. Another reason could be God has already prepared a solution or way out but it is yet to manifest. Before Daniel was thrown in the lion’s den, God had already shut the mouth of the Lion, Daniel 6:1-28. While Daniel must have been praying for deliverance from the hands of those who wanted to put him in the lion's den, God kept quiet. A sister had serious financial challenge. One morning things got so worse that she cried and cried to God but God did not say a word. Unknowing to her, God had already instructed us to bless her financially two weeks prior. We made every effort to contact her but it was impossible. Anyway that evening we were able to get to her and bless her and her joy was full. Another reason why God keeps silent at times could be due to incomplete obedience to His word. In Genesis 12:1-3, God gave Abram 7 promises subject to obedience to 3 commandments. He told Abram to leave his country, family and his father’s house. Abram left his country, family but did not leave his father’s house because he took Lot with him. Because Abram’s obedience was incomplete, when he began to run into challenges –challenges of famine , challenges in his marriage which resulted to a king taking his wife, challenges in relationships where Lot turned to a thorn in his side , God kept quiet. Immediately he parted ways with Lot, God began to speak and the promises of God came to fruition in his life. Lastly another reason why God is silent at times could be  the presence of sin. Isaiah 59:1-2 says behold , the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy , that it cannot hear but your iniquities have separated you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you , that He will not hear. God is not interested in any of His child suffering .Micah 3:4 says then they shall cry unto the Lord, but He will not hear them: He will even hide His face from them at that time, as they have behaved themselves ill in their doings. Sin hides the face of God from His children. Repent today !

KEY POINT: if there is any area where your obedience has been incomplete please deal with it and if it is sin repent today.

WHEN MOVED TO PRAY

1 Thessalonians 5:17 – Pray without ceasing.

A prayer-less Christian is a powerless Christian. It is impossible to conquer the world as a child of God without a life of prayer. Praying has so many advantages. It brings deliverance - while Paul and Silas prayed in the prison their bands were loosed, Acts 16:26. We receive un-shakeable confidence through prayers – the disciples received boldness to preach the gospel while they prayed, Acts 4:31.Through prayers we receive the keys to either open or shut the windows of heaven- Elijah through prayers shut the heaven for three and a half years and opened it back. Prayers usher us into the presence of God and God’s glory rubs on us – whilst Moses was praying he saw the glory of God and his face began to shine, Exodus 34:6-8 & 30. Prayer paves the way for transfiguration – while Jesus prayed with his disciples he was transfigured, Luke 9:28-29. When we pray it should not only be in understanding but in tongues also. Praying in tongues should not only be on Sundays or night vigils. One of the keys to spiritual growth is praying in tongues daily. There are a lot of advantages in praying in tongues. While praying in tongues,our spiritual life is edified, 1 Corinthians 14:4; also when we pray in tongues we are speaking to God directly, 1 Corinthians 14:2 and by praying in tongues we magnify God, Acts 10:46.

Most importantly when you are led by the spirit to pray, stop what you are doing and start praying. While singing or praying, if a particular prayer point comes to mind immediately start praying on the prayer point. Most of the challenges in the church today could have been avoided if only we prayed when moved by the Holy Spirit to do so. The Holy Spirit woke a pastor up at night to intercede for a pregnant lady in the church. Unknowingly to him, the sister was in labour and was having complications. The pastor began to pray; two hours later she put to bed safely. The pastor only found out the next morning when the husband called to inform the pastor that his wife put to bed in the early hours of that morning. There are many accidents and mishaps that could have avoided if only people pray when moved by the spirit. Many would have received the answers to their prayers, if only we prayed when moved by the Holy Spirit to do so. A particular sister had a dream, and in that dream she saw a young boy destroy her glasses. From that moment onward she lost her gift of dreams. When she came to us we advised her to pray and if possible conduct a night vigil. Few days later while we were praying at night, the Holy Spirit led us to intercede for her which we did. The next morning she informed us that she dreamt the night before. The Lord needed someone to join her in prayer for her restoration. What if we had refused, unknowingly we would have hindered her restoration. When led by the Holy Spirit to pray, immediately start praying, a life could be in danger and your prayer at that time could save the life.

KEY POINT: When moved to pray please stop everything you are doing and begin to pray, if you do not know what to pray about just pray in tongues.

WHAT TYPE OF CHRISTIAN?

Ephesians 5:23 – for the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of church: and he is the saviour of the body.

The world has changed to the extent that it is hard to single out a believer in a crowd. It has gotten to the point where believers are now invisible in the midst of a crowd. According to Matthew 5:14, we are the light of the world. If the light now becomes invisible in the midst of darkness then there is a problem. As big as the city of Antioch was, the disciples stood out despite the fact that they were very few in number. They stood out in the way they conducted themselves. They were men of integrity. They were open, sincere and trustworthy. They dazzled the whole city with their humility and good character.

The most important part of the human body is the head. The head is used for identification. That is why when we apply for a visa or a job, we are required to attach a passport photograph of our head not our arm, neck or leg. In Ephesians 5:23 the bible describes Christ as the head of the church. The church is not the building but the members in it. When people come to us or when they see us, the first thing they should notice is Christ not a celebrity or a circular musical artist. The question we need to ask ourselves as believers is what are we promoting- kingdom lifestyles or worldly lifestyles? When we enter a room, what do people see? Is it our achievement, wealth, degree or business success or Jesus? Many of us have bought into the thinking that Christianity is a thing of the heart, and people around do not need to know. It is impossible to live a life of holiness and people around will not notice. When everyone is having sex before marriage and you say 'no' to sex before marriage they will notice. When everyone is accepting bribes and you say 'no' they will notice. When everyone around is using offensive words and swearing and they never hear you swear or curse they will take notice of you. When they invite you to club on Friday night or disco and you politely refuse and stay at home to study your bible they will notice. Are you a Christian brother who is single and still keeps condoms in the house or wallet? Or a sister who still keeps pregnancy prevention pills. The bible has said no to sex before marriage, what is the need of condoms and pregnancy prevention pills? What are we doing with  nude pictures on our mobiles or pornographic materials ? All these materials only pollute the mind. Christians should not be found with these things. You call yourself a Christian and you have never invited anyone to church, how do you evangelize then? We all need to ask ourselves, are we really practicing Christianity as outlined in the bible?

KEY QUESTION:  When people see us, what do they see? Is it our head which is Jesus or us?

WHO HAS THE FINAL SAY?

Revelations 22:13 - I am the Alpha and Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.

One of the interpretations of the name Alpha and Omega is the One who decides the beginning and ending of a season. He also determines the duration of a season. According to Matthew 10:29 a sparrow will not fall to the ground without His knowledge.

A synonym for the word Omega is the One who has the final say. Whatever situation you may find yourself today, i want you to know that God who has the final say. Death does not have the final say. A dead man in the coffin can still be brought back to life, Luke 7:11-17. Even the one that has been buried for four days, John 11:38-44. It is only God that decides when a man’s ministry is over. The dry bones of Elisha raised the dead, 2 Kings 13:21. It is God that helps or support not our support network. It is also God who decides if you will receive help or not. Those in David’s support network abandoned him for his enemies. They took all the help David could get with them. They thought it was over for David so they came to kill him but God used trees to fight for David and his enemies lost , 2 Samuel 18:8. The One who has the final say over curses whether generational curses or not is God. The source of the curse could be unknown or the one who place the curse might be dead. I want to tell you, such curses can still be cancelled by God. The woman who placed cursed on Jabez was nowhere to be found but he ran to God and God cancelled the curse, 1 Chronicles 4:9-10. The whole world can make up their mind not to show you mercy; just ignore them because it is God has the final say on who receives mercy. The whole community decided that the woman caught in adultery did not deserve a second chance but when she was brought before Jesus, she received a second a chance, John 8:1-11. The One who has the final say on the subject of marriage is God not your place of birth, your parents or social status. After all Esther was an orphan in a foreign land and ended up as the queen. Your case might be similar to that of Gideon, who was disadvantaged in all areas - he didn't look the part, lacks boldness, came from the smallest tribe, smallest family and the least in the family. It is God has the final say on who becomes a leader not physical quality or eloquence or status. The enemies can try but they cannot decide your end. They put Daniel in lion’s den but God said it is not over. They put the three Hebrews boys in the fire, God said it is not over. It is God who has the final say not sickness or status. The One who has the final say wants me to tell you fear thou not , for i am with thee: be not dismayed ;for i am thy God. I will strengthen thee;yea, i will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness, Isaiah 41:10.

PRAYER POINT - Lift up your hands and begin to thank God He has the final say over your challenges . Thank Him because He has promised to help . Thank Him because you all will be help at last.

FASTING VERSUS HUNGER STRIKE

Matthew 17:21 – Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.

Fasting is not an option for Christians but a must. When Jesus was addressing the subject of fasting with His disciples in Matthew 6:16, He said “moreover, when you fast...” not ‘if you fast’ which means He expected them to fast. Fasting has so many advantages. It is used to increase spiritual strength (Matthew 17:14-21). Fasting disciplines the body and makes it a useful instrument to God. 2 Timothy 2:21 says if anyone himself cleanses from the latter, he will be a vessel for honour, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for good work. Fasting gives us victory over fleshly desires. Paul said “i keep under my body, and bring into subjection: lest that by any means, when i have preached to others, I myself show be a castaway”, 1 Corinthians 9:27. Fasting has been found to be helpful when dealing with addiction e.g. smoking, drinking, masturbation e.t.c. It has also been used to treat anger problems. By saying ‘no’ to natural appetite (food), you are building up the willpower to say ‘no’ to fleshly appetite. Fasting builds our inner strength and diminishes the power of the flesh over us, Romans 6:12-16. This was why before Jesus began His ministry, He set aside time to pray and fast. Matthew 4:2 says and when He had fasted for forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry. There are victories or breakthrough that does not come except through fasting. We can work hard and read all the books on success. Without fasting one will be hitting his head against a brick wall. That was why when the disciples could not heal the man’s child; Jesus told them that this kind does not go except through fasting and prayer.

Fasting must be done in consonance with obedience to the word of God. When fasting is done in sin it becomes a hunger strike. In Zechariah 7:3-7, the people fasted on the 15th and 17th of every month for seventy years and saw no results. When they inquired of God, He told them they were on hunger strike not fasting because of they were living in disobedience. Fasting period is not a time to seek pleasure but to be sober. It is also not the time to fight or partake in unnecessary debates. It is a time to pray and study the bible not to spend four hours watching your favourite drama or sitcoms. It is a time to excel in good works – feed the hungry, give clothes to the naked. When you fast wear nice clean clothes, be radiant and smile not look angry and haggard and people begin to ask if you are alright. Fasting can turn to hunger strike when one keeps a sad countenance or disfigure his or her face so that people can inquire what is wrong and he can boast to them that he has been fasting and will be break by 6pm. What are the results of fasting? Isaiah 58:8-9 says your light shall break forth like the morning, healing shall spring forth speedily, and your righteousness shall go before you; the glory of the Lord shall your rear guard and when you call to him He will answer.

KEY POINT: In the middle of the December celebrations, set time out to pray and fast for God’s protection. Also feed the hungry and homeless.

GREATER TOMORROW

Job 8:7 – though your beginning was small, yet your latter end would increase abundantly.
 For every beginning, there is an ending. For every first, there is a last. For every start, there is a finish. The only One who has no ending is God because He has no beginning. Colossians 1:17 says He is before all things. One common feature of every beginning is they are always small. Huge lions are born as little harmless cubs , mighty giants are born as little babies. Contrary to popular beliefs, your beginning  has nothing to do with your end. How a man starts a race does not determine how he will end the race. Saul started as an ordinary farm boy but he ended up on the throne. One’s position at the beginning does not necessarily determine one’s position at the end. Joseph started as the second to the last born but  he ended up as the first in the family. Gideon started from the smallest tribe in Israel, smallest family in his tribe, least in his father’s house but he ended as the first in the whole nation. One’s status or role at the beginning has got nothing to do with one's future . Daniel started as a slave in a foreign land and ended up as second in Command to the Most Powerful man in the world! By the special grace of God i have seen a toilet cleaner become a manager in the same company. So the beginning has got nothing to do with the ending. Rahab started as a prostitute in Jericho but ended up as the great grandmother of David in Israel.

  Your end is not determined by the support network around you or your experience or what you know or who you know. It is decided by two factors – God and you.Zechariah 4:6 says it is not by power nor by strength but by the spirit of the living God. Strength can fail – Isaiah 40:30, Riches can develop wings and fly away – Proverbs 23:5 but our God remains. God has made up His mind to give you a great future. Jeremiah 29:11 says for I know the thoughts i have towards you says the Lord of Host, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. God’s part is settled, it is our part that we need to worry about. To have a greater tomorrow it takes our willingness and obedience. Isaiah 1:19 says if you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land. It takes strong faith in God. Mark 9:23 says all things are possible to him who believes. It takes humility and submission to God and authorities. Proverbs 16:5 says a proud heart is an abomination to God. It takes prayers and fasting. Matthew 17:21 says howbeit this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting. There are some breakthroughs that come only by fasting and prayer. It takes a life of Holiness. Hebrew 12:14 says without holiness no man shall see God. You want to see God in that challenge? Live holy. God is ready and waiting to take you to the top. Are you ready?

PRAYER POINT: Father , I am ready please give the grace to pay the price to reach the top.