A SHIP GOING DOWN TO TARSHISH.

MEMORY VERSE: But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD, and went down to Joppa; and he found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD.Jonah 1:3

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Zechariah 8-12

Tarshish simply represents a place outside the presence of the Lord. Jonah 1:3b says so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD. This prophet knowingly, deliberately, willingly, intentionally, left the presence of God to go to Tarshish. When he left the presence of God, the first place he went to was Joppa. 'Joppa' is the middle ground between God’s presence and Tarshish. You see, no one travels from God’s presence straight to Tarshish; they have to get to Joppa first. Backsliding is not instant. It is gradual; this is why many fall without knowing. To avoid falling, you and i, must watch and pray. David had already started to backslide, long before he committed adultery with Bathsheba (Uriah’s wife). 2 Samuel 11: 1 saysAnd it came to pass, after the year was expired, at the time when kings go forth to battle, that David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the children of Ammon, and besieged Rabbah. But David tarried still at Jerusalem. The ark of God was at the battlefield and David stayed back at home. His Royal Highness, decided to rest before God gave him rest. The leader of the army of the Lord, the man who was meant to be fighting for the Lord, desired to rest during battle. Friends, are you resting before the finish line? Sir, have you the left the task of praying for your family, to your wife while you sleep? Sir, have you left the task of praying and interceding for the church, to the prayer warriors while you sleep?

One would have thought, the king would busy himself, with the task of praying and fasting. Instead, he slept. 2 Samuel 11:2 says and it came to pass in an evening tide, that David arose from off his bed, and walked upon the roof of the king's house: and from the roof he saw a woman washing herself; and the woman was very beautiful to look upon. His Excellency, King David, spent the whole day sleeping. The bible says and it came to pass in an evening tide, that David rose from off his bed. As you can see, he had begun to backslide, long before he saw the naked woman. He had left God’s presence and was now sleeping. No wonder, immediately he saw the woman, he could not resist the temptation. He fell and paid dearly for it. David left the presence of God and began to see strange things – some one’s wife bathing. Out of God’s presence are many strange things. It is when you leave God’s presence; you start to see nothing wrong in watching pornographic movies. It is when you leave God’s presence; you start to observe that, you no longer have time for yourself again. You suddenly realize, you are spending too much time for God. It is there, you start to see nothing wrong in passing the night at your fiancé’s house.

PONDER: Are you beginning, to see nothing wrong, in telling little white lies? Are you beginning, to see nothing wrong, in missing church services? Ask the Lord to wake you up.
Bro Samuel | Reaching the world for Jesus.

NOW

MEMORY VERSE: Now the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the son of Amittai, saying. Jonah 1:1

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:  Zechariah 5-7

Jonah was a mighty prophet of God. The bible introduced him to us, as a man unto whom the word of the Lord came. Do you know all the people that became great (in the things of God), became great because of the word of the Lord that came unto them? All the people, referred to as prophets (in the bible and today) became prophets when the word of the Lord came to them. The same way the bible described Jonah, is exactly the same way, the bible introduced John the Baptist (the greatest of the Old Testament prophet). This is how the bible described Jonah in Jonah 1:1: “the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the son of Amittai, saying.” Let us look at how the bible, introduced John the Baptist in the book of Luke. Luke 3:2 says Annas and Caiaphas being the high priests, the word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness. What made John the Baptist great was the word of the Lord that came unto him. The same thing Isaiah, the bible says and the word of the Lord came to Isaiah (Isaiah 38:4). Jonah was an established prophet of God, the word of the Lord came to him regularly and those words came to past. For instance, Jonah prophesied that Jeroboam will restore the coast of Israel from the entering of Hamath unto the sea of the plain and it came to past ( 2 Kings 14:25). Everyone around knew Jonah, the prophet of God, a servant of God, the man whose prophesies always comes to past.

When the bible wanted to report on the life of Jonah in Jonah 1, it started with the word ‘now’, before telling us how the word of the Lord came to him, and how he disobeyed and ran to Tarshish and so on. The word ‘now’ means ‘at this present time’. The word ‘now’ discountenances the past and the future. It takes into account, only the present not the past, or the future. Whatever a man was, is history; whatever he plans or hopes to be, is an unsure future. What is most relevant is our ‘now’. There is a reason, why the bible started Jonah’s story with the word ‘now’, whatever Jonah was or did in the past is history. His prophecies that came to past; how he served the Lord; how the word of the Lord came to him; etc, were all Jonah’s history. The bible is interested in telling us about his ‘now’; his current relationship with God; his current attitude to word of God; his spiritual life presently. What the bible recorded about Jonah’s, present, spiritual life is disappointing. We read about a mighty prophet of God, who used to be hot for the Lord, now intentionally, willingly, deliberately disobeying God. Friends, whatever you have done for the Lord in the past is history, what matters, is what you are doing for the Lord now. How the Lord used to speak to you is history, presently, does He speak to you? How you used to win souls for Christ is history, presently, do you still win souls for Christ? How you used to serve in the vineyard of God; how you used to share tracts; how you used to fast and pray for hours; etc, is all history. What matters is your present. What you and I, used to be is history, and honestly, it does not matter. What we are now, presently, is what matters. God is interested in your ‘now’, not your past! Your sacrifices of the past are history, what are you sacrificing for Christ now?

TO PONDER AND PRAY : Is your spiritual life , presently, a shadow of your past spiritual life? Cry to God for restoration.

Bro Samuel | Reaching the world for Jesus.

DISGUISED AS A DISADVANTAGE

MEMORY VERSE: Therefore, also I have lent him to the Lord; as long as he liveth he shall be lent to the Lord. And he worshipped the Lord there. 1 Samuel 1:28

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Hosea 4-6

　Romans 8:26 says and we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose. Although, many of us know this verse by heart, deep within , we find it hard to accept. How can being sacked for a minor mistake, work to my good? Recently, a brother sent his experience to us and I will like to share it with you. Not too long ago, he went to do a job for someone. Whilst working, he made a minor mistake (something anyone would overlook) and was sacked. On his way home, sad and dejected, his phone rang. It was a particular client he had vowed never to work for due to his experience with him in the past. Because he needed a job badly, he picked the call and was given a job. After completing that job, the client gave him another job. After completing that, he gave him another. Ever since, he has been receiving jobs after jobs from this client (he vowed never to work for again). Had it been, he was not sacked from the first job, he would not have picked this client’s call and the job would have been given to another.

As I said yesterday, nine out of ten times, opportunities do not always appear as opportunities at first glance. At times, they comes disguised as a disadvantage. While other children grew up at home, Samuel grew up in the temple (1 Samuel 1:27-28). Whilst other children saw their mums and dads daily, this boy saw his parents once a year. Whilst every child was playing with toys and all, he was busy washing the temple floors and pots. At first glance, no one would count that as an opportunity, but at the end, Samuel became a national leader. That ‘temple boy’ ended up as a kingmaker. Not growing up with your parents does not put you at a disadvantage as far as God is concerned. It could actually be an opportunity for you to be trained for your future. That appointment that seems like a 'set up for failure' could be an opportunity for promotion. Before rejecting that offer, why not take it to the Lord in prayer, it could be a divine opportunity to turn things around for you. Have you been posted to an area where no one has ever recorded success? Do not fret or panic, just commit it to God. Others may go and fail, you will go and succeed.

　

PRAYER: Father, please help me to recognise opportunities around me

Bro Samuel| Reaching the world for Jesus.　

BEING HATED?

MEMORY VERSE: and when they saw him afar off, even before he came near unto them, they conspired against him to slay him. Genesis 37:18

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Hosea 1-3

A wise man once said, ‘if you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.’ Do you know that, nine out of ten times, opportunities do not appear as opportunities at first glance? This is why many of us miss it. Who would have thought, the agenda to wipe out tiny Judah in Chronicles 20, was a divine opportunity to enrich them? Opportunities can also come disguised as persecution or hatred for no good reason. A typical example of this can be found in Genesis 37. The brothers of Joseph hated him for no good reason. Genesis 37:8 says and when they saw him afar off, even before he came near unto them, they conspired against him to slay him. What a world! Thank God, Reuben rescued him from their hands; otherwise, they would have beaten him to death. At the end, they sold him to slavery. The brothers thought, they had succeeded in putting an end to his dream. Unknown to them, they were fulfilling God’s plan. In Egypt, Joseph became a prime minister and a father to Pharaoh. Had it been, they left him alone, he would have remained at home and end up as a nobody. That persecution in your place of work could be an opportunity for you to start your own business.

Recently, an ex- NASA scientist (now a pastor), shared with us an incident that changed his life forever. Whilst in secondary school, back in Africa, his mathematics teacher gave the class an exercise from the mathematics workbook. On completing the exercise, he took the workbook to his maths teacher. After marking his work, the teacher asked why he did not complete the Part B of the question. ‘Oh sir, you only asked us to do Part A,’ he responded. The man, huge peace corps from USA, stood up and gave him a dirty slap. He went back to his seat wondering, what he did wrong. Whilst everyone made fun of him because of the dirty slap, he sat quietly and wondered what he did to deserve the dirty smack in the face. Suddenly, it dawned on him; the teacher expected more from him because he was the best. The next day, at class again, the man gave another exercise from the same workbook. This time around, he completed all the exercise in the workbook. Whilst in form 4, the man told him to get the mathematics workbook for form 5 and complete all the exercise. That was it! He graduated from secondary school with distinctions. He graduated from university with a first class; NASA heard about him and employed him. All of these, came at the cost of a dirty slap whilst in secondary school. That thing you are facing could be what God wants to use to prepare you for your glorious future. That persecution in ministry is your desert experience, it is your opportunity to learn to depend on God for virtually everything.

PRAYER POINT: Father, please open my eyes so that I will not miss any opportunities again in life

Bro Samuel | Reaching the world for Jesus.

AND THERE WERE THREE DAYS IN GATHERING OF THE SPOIL

MEMORY VERSE: And when Jehoshaphat and his people came to take away the spoil of them, they found among them in abundance both riches with the dead bodies, and precious jewels, which they stripped off for themselves, more than they could carry away: and they were three days in gathering of the spoil, it was so much. 2 Chronicles 22:25

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Daniel 9-12

Most of us miss opportunities, not because we are lazy or unserious. We miss opportunities simply because they come disguised. As i mentioned yesterday, opportunities come disguised as hard work. Many have missed the opportunity to become a chartered accountant because of the hard work involved in preparing for ACCA. My mum will always say, ‘work does not kill, it is idleness that kills.’

Opportunities also come disguised as big challenges. It is impossible to have a great victory without a great fight. You want to make heaven? First, die to self. Big opportunities come disguised as big challenges that will frighten you. The opportunity for King Jehoshaphat (a worshiper) and the inhabitants of Judah to be mightily blessed by God came disguised as a big war. The Ammonites, Moabites and inhabitants of Mount Seir, without being provoked, decided to wage war against tiny Judah ( 2 Chronicles 20). When King Jehoshaphat heard this news, the bible records that he feared i.e. his knees shook. He was confused, perplexed, and troubled. Unknown to this king, the decision of their enemies (Ammonites, Moabites, and Inhabitants of Mount Seir) to wage war against them was a blessing in disguise. It was a divine opportunity to enrich the inhabitants of Judah. Whilst praying, the Lord spoke through one of his prophets. ‘The battle is not yours but God’s, ‘he said. Jehoshaphat prepared a choir and they began to sing. As they praised and worshiped God, fight broke out in the camp of the enemies and they began to kill each other. By the time, the people of Judah got to the battlefront; the enemies had killed themselves and left their spoils. 2 Chronicles 22:25 says And when Jehoshaphat and his people came to take away the spoil of them, they found among them in abundance both riches with the dead bodies, and precious jewels, which they stripped off for themselves, more than they could carry away: and they were three days in gathering of the spoil, it was so much. Those who run from battle miss the spoils of battle. That challenge you are going through, is a divine opportunity. When i received the news, that myself and some colleagues were going to be made redundant, i felt very sad. Unknown to me, it was a divine opportunity to become a PRINCE 2 Practitioner. The same week i was made redundant, God helped me and i passed both exams. Had it been, that challenge did not come, i probably would not have sat for the exam. Child of God, do not give the enemy of the gospel an occasion to say where is your God? Stand firm in Christ and face that challenge, victory is yours in Jesus name, amen.

ACTION: Develop yourself to begin to see the positive side of things not the negative side of things.

Bro Samuel| Reaching the world for Jesus.

OPPORTUNITY DISGUISED

 
MEMORY VERSE: The hand of the diligent shall bear rule: but the slothful shall be under tribute. Proverbs 12:25
 
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:  Daniel 4-8
 
Whether that prophesy or dream will come to pass in your life, will be determined by how you treat the opportunities that come your way. Also ,whether that prophesy or dream will come to pass in your life, will be determined by how you treat your wife. Asides God, you need your wife to succeed. Focus on her strengths not weakness. The more you focus on her strength, the less of her weakness you will see. Deciding not to eat at home after every little quarrel is not the best way to run a family. Most importantly, comparing her to your mother or big sister is a big no no. Remember, mama or big sister have been married for a while , they appear perfect because they have had a lot of practice. Comparing someone who have been married for ten years with another who have been married for thirty years is wickedness.
 
One of the reasons why people miss opportunity is because it is disguised as hard work. Ann Landers once said, “opportunities are usually disguised as hard work, so most people do not recognize them.”  The reason why many are where they are, is because they hate hard work. They love to do nothing and get big results. Life does not work that way. One of the greatest inventors of all time, Thomas Edison, said and I quote , “opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.”Hard work and diligence pays. Proverbs 12:25 says the hand of the diligent shall bear rule: but the slothful shall be under tribute. While everyone saw working in the palace as demanding, tedious, hard , something to avoid, Jeroboam saw working in the palace as an opportunity to please the king. 1 Kings 11:28 says and the man Jeroboam was a mighty man of valour: and Solomon seeing the young man that he was industrious , he made  him ruler over all the charge of the house of Joseph. Promotion always come disguised as a new , harder, tougher challenge. That master’s degree you are seeing as a hard work is an opportunity in disguise! While many see professional qualifications like ACCA, CCNP, PRINCE 2 , etc as extra hard work , some see it as an opportunity to add value to themselves. While others saw Sanctuary keeping as degrading especially for professionals , myself and some friends saw it as an opportunity to get God’s attention. One day while cleaning, the man of God turned up and said, ‘God has specifically asked me to come and pray for you brothers.’ Those who saw it as a waste of time missed out that day. During the days of Thomas Edison, many saw sciences has hard work but this man saw it as an opportunity to invent something. Today, the whole world has, is and will continue to benefit from the hard work of Thomas Edison.
 
PONDER: That thing you are calling hard work, to others, it is an opportunity for breakthrough.
 
Bro Samuel| Reaching the world for Jesus.

AND GOD SAID, ASK WHAT I SHALL GIVE THEE

MEMORY VERSE: and the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there; for that was the great high place: a thousand burnt offerings did Solomon offer upon that altar. In Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night: and God said, Ask what I shall give thee. 1 Kings 3:4-5.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Daniel 1-3

Whether a man will succeed in life or not will be determined by how he treats opportunities that comes his way. But, to take advantage of an opportunity, one must be able to identify the opportunity first. Hagar thirsted, not because of lack of water but because she could not identify the well nearby (Genesis 21:15-17). The widow struggled to pay her debts, not because God was against her but because she could not see the potential in her oil (2 Kings 4:1-7). There are a lot struggling today, simply because they cannot identify the opportunities around them.

Any time God wants to give a man breakthrough – financially, materially, spiritually, etc, He will start by throwing an opportunity to give at him. Take for instance Solomon, before he was born, God already purposed it in His mind to bless him. No wonder when he was born, God gave him the name , Jedidah , which means beloved of the Most High ( 2 Samuel 12:25). When his season of breakthrough came, God threw an opportunity to give a thousand burnt offerings at him. 1 Kings 3:4-5 says and the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there; for that was the great high place: a thousand burnt offerings did Solomon offer upon that altar. In Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night: and God said, Ask what I shall give thee. From the day, Solomon gave that thousand burnt offerings, his life never remained the same. Some months ago, a sister shared a testimony with me. She needed money to buy somethings, she had 9,000 naira on her but it was not enough. One day, while she was praying, the Lord told her to give that 9,000 naira as an offering and she did. Few days later, a family friend (she had not spoken to in months) called from abroad and said, ‘the Lord laid it on my mind to send some money to you.’ By the time she received the money, she was speechless. As a young boy, one of my desires was to study in England. My parents wanted the same too but the resources to make that a reality was not available. One day, the Lord laid it on my mind to buy a megaphone for our church and i obeyed. On receiving the megaphone, the pastor prophesied that i was going to study abroad ( mind you , i never told him of my intention to travel )’. Few months later, I was on the plane to England to study. Anytime God wants to give a man breakthrough, He will start by giving the fellow an opportunity to sow a powerful seed. Has God laid it on your mind to give something special to Him? Do not hesitate; you could be missing the opportunity of a lifetime.

PRAYER: Father, please help me never to miss an opportunity again in my life.

Bro Samuel | Reaching the world for Jesus.