BELIEVERS DIGEST SERIES 2

BELIEVERS DIGEST (SERIES 2)
A PUBLICATION OF CHRISTIAN PUBLISHING INTERNATIONAL
“FOR THE PERFECTING OF THE SAINTS AND THE BUILDING UP OF THE BODY OF CHRIST.”
Believers’ Digest contains series of messages that can be copied
and use freely for edification of the body of Christ.
Email:christianpubint@yahoo.com, cpi2009@live.com,
Tel: (+234)-080-36121781; (+234)-080-51109976).

2.1 BEWARE OF FALSE PREACHERS

“D
o not listen to what the Prophets are prophesying to you: they fill you with false hopes. They speak visions from their own minds, not from the mouth of the Lord¡­ I did not send these Prophets, yet they have run with their message; I did not speak to them, yet they have prophesied. But if they had stood in my council they would have proclaimed my words to my people and would have turned them from their evil ways and from their evil deeds;­ Let the Prophet who has a dream tell his dream, but let the one who has my word speak it faithfully. For what has straw to do with grain? Declares the LORD” - Jer. 23:16-28 (NIV).
A Prophet is one who foretells future events; he is an inspired teacher or revealer of the Divine will. He can foretell (predicting message of the near future) and can forth-tell messages of the present time. By this a Prophet can be said to be a Preacher. What type of preacher (Prophet) do you listen to? Preachers that speak (visions or message) from their own mind or the one that they receive from the throne of God: one standing in the council of God? The basic thing God wants His servants (preachers or prophets) to do is to proclaim God’s word that will affect lives by turning the people “from their evil ways and from their evil deeds”. Of what purpose is a blessing or success foretold which may, or may not, come to pass and the recipient remain in sin? Of what advantage is a message that is “sweet” to the ears and teaches one to “faith” things from God but kept the receivers in unholy living and dull to righteousness? Do not let them fill you with false hopes through their fluent speeches and ability to cite scripture passages. Consider what they are preaching or prophesying in line with the word of God. Are they turning your hearts towards God in righteousness as you hope to live in the abundance of blessing they prophesied? Or they make you complacent in your unholy way of life even with precious promises of God?
God allows both types of prophets (preachers) to function uninterrupted: “let the prophet who has a dream tell his dream.” Let the one who forms words from his mind and the one who sees in line with his canal mind give their messages. “But let the one who has my word speak it faithfully”. Even if people are running away from your congregation, keep preaching the word of God. Even though miracles of prosperity is not taking place, as long as the message is from the throne of God, do not waver. And you listeners, with your conviction that what you are hearing is an undiluted message of God, do not draw back. Keep your stand. All that you want in life shall be yours as you “seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness.” Time will tell “for what has straw to do with grain?” Straw is dry grass and God likened it to messages from false preachers: messages that cannot stand the test of fire. It would burn to ashes and be blown off by the wind. But messages that come directly from the throne of God is likened to grain: that which yields results on getting to (faithful) fertile hearts. The sure word of God is itself “like fire”­ and like a hammer that breaks rock in pieces” - Vs. 29. These are messages that abides and stand when tested in anyway and by whatever means.
Have ears to hear message that conform to the righteousness of God and do not develop itching ears by listening constantly to false preachers and / or prophets.
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2.2 SEARCH THE SCRIPTURES
“S
earch the Scripture; for in them ye think ye have eternal life; and they are they when testify of me”. John 5:39.
Jesus gave us this guarantee to study diligently the scriptures for it is through them we can have eternal life. Be like the Berean Christian of old that “receive the message with great eagerness and examined the scriptures everyday to see if what Paul said was true”- Acts 17:11.
Are you given to re-examining the scriptures after you heard a message? It is biblical and Jesus exhorts us to do so. And do you search daily on your own free will to learn of Christ? It is a godly habit that you must possess. This would make you a blessed child of God who prosper in all that he does, and would “keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ” - II Pet. 1:8. It is profitable for you to live like the Berean Christian rather than the people of Anthens who spent their time talking about, and listening to the latest ideas (Acts 17:21). Getting the latest information and talking about them is like the physical training which “is of some value-useful for a little”, but searching for, and living by the eternal word of God is a spiritual training which is useful and of value in everything and in every way for it holds promise for the present life and also for the life which is to come.
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FEED ON GOD’S WORD
Read the word, feed on it. Let it become the living word to you, not just columns of truth and opinions of men. Jesus wants to be known as the living Christ coming out of the pages of the Bible to us.
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2.3 SEND OUT THE WORD OF GOD
T
he people will curse him who holds back grain (when the public needs it); but a blessing (from God and men) is upon the head of him who sells it” - Prov. 11:26 Amp.
Jesus gave a parable of a farmer who was sowing seeds that fell on different grounds. The seed (grain) is the word of God that is sown on the hearts (ground) of men. The sending out of God’s word is the “selling” of the grain. Sowing of God’s word brings profit. “He who goes out weeping carrying seed to sow, will return with song of joy, carrying sheaves with him” - Psalm 126:6. NIV.
Whosoever that is in a position through which the word of God can be sent out to feed the people of God at the appointed time, and holds back the grains or the means (cash or whatever) of sending forth the grains (God’s message) shall be cursed (not receiving prayers or blessing from men) and shall not be blessed by God. But he who sells out (by preaching, publishing or assisting the sending of) God’s word shall crown himself / herself with blessings.
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2.4 THE MERCY OF GOD
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eceiving from God is not a question of human will or efforts but of God’s mercy. It depends neither on one’s own willingness nor on man’s strenuous exertion as in running a race, but on God’s having mercy on man - (Rom. 9:16 Amp). Not how much you pray with fasting, it depends on God showing mercy. Why don’t you pray for God’s mercy upon whatever you desire from God, and do not rely so much on your prayers or ability.
“Not the labour of my hands can fulfill thy law’s demand.
Could my zeal no respite know, could my tears forever flow.
All for sin could not atone thou must save, and thou alone”
- A.M. Top lady.

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2.5 LET YOUR LAMP BE KEPT BURNING

C
ommand the Israelites to bring you clear oil of pressed olives for the light so that the lamps may be kept burning”- Exodus 27:20 NIV.
Continuous burning of lamps of prayer is always required of us by God. Jesus gave us several teachings to make us pray persistently. Our lamps, which is our prayer life, must be kept burning continuously. For this to be possible, our oil must be a “clear oil of pressed Olives”. This is obtained by crushing and pressing out unripe olives. Such oil burns with little or no smoke - perfect burning.
Unripe olives depict uncorrupted lives. Ripening is a series of events that result in ripeness. Ripened life is a life that has been affected by the corruption (events) of the world. To be blind to corruption that is in the world will prevent our hearts from ripening.
If anyone “separates himself from contact with contaminating and corrupting influences, he will be a vessel set apart and useful for honorable and noble purposes, consecrated and profitable to the Master, fit and ready for any good work” - II Tim. 2:21 Amp.
We are commanded to burn with clear oil of pressed unripe olives, and not with oil of ripened olives. The former burns with blue fames producing little or no smoke while the latter will burn with red flames that produce much smoke. It is such that wind easily affects. An uncorrupted life will burn fervently in prayer. Unless our hearts are holy, we cannot pray continuously.
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2.6 THE LAMP OF THE BODY
Y
our eye is the lamp of your body; when your eye (your conscience) is sound¡­ your whole body is full of light” - Luke 11:34 Amp.
The lamp of the body is the eye, and the light of the soul is its power of discerning between good and devil, truth and falsehood. If this eye of the soul be single (that is, If it sees clearly, if it aims at the truth only and seek it for its own sake) the whole body, the whole soul, will be full of light. But if the eye of the soul is evil, it is sure that the whole body, the whole soul, should be full of darkness. Seek for the truth (the word of God) and hold unto it; be ready to receive the light, love and power of it. It is the truth you know that will make you free (John 8:31) from false teachings of this present world.
“Buy the truth and sell it not” - Prov. 23:23. Seek for the truth, lay hold unto it and refuse to let it go from you.
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2.7 TO MOVE OR TO STAY
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od guided the Children of Israel in their wilderness wandering by the cloud covering the tabernacle. Whenever the cloud settled, they had to settle and when it moved, they had to take off. They were used to the movement of the cloud. “As long as the cloud stayed over the tabernacle, they remained in the camp” - Number 9:18 NIV.
God has a design for our lives. We only need to enquire from him whether to move or to stay. Do not move when he wants you to stay, or stay when you are supposed to move. A minute of haste can disorganize God’s plan for your life and a minute delay may bring you a set back.
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THE VALUE OF MONEY
Money is not going to have a whole lot of value except when it is used for God’s work. To those who direct their resources for His work, he will open the channel wide and there will be no limit as to how much He will bless them.
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TOGETHER WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE
Your comments for possible publication will inspire us to do more. Let us hear from you what the Lord is doing through our efforts.
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2.8 ENTERING INTO GOD’S REST

“S
o we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief. Let us therefore fear, least a promise being left us of entering his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it” - (Hebrews 3:19-4:1).
Entering the land of Canaan is different from entering into the rest of God. Only few of the Israelites that left Egypt entered the land of Canaan. Many died along the way because of their unbelief. Not all of them that entered (those that were children when they left Egypt) got into God’s rest. Their entrance into Canaan was not their automatic entrance into God’s rest. They failed God through unbelief: not counting God’s promises a thing of reality to be awaited. Their action of disobedience - doing the dictates of their hearts rather than following God’s order - prevented them from entering into God’s rest.
May be God made promises to you personally apart from your claiming biblical promises or directly from the scriptures? Months and years have passed and those promises seem unreal? You will miss them out if you drop off from your faith stand. May be you have left job or profession, etc to answer God’s call and things seems odd? “So we see that they were not able to enter (into His rest) because of their unwillingness to adhere to and trust and rely on God; unbelief and shut them out”- Hebrews 3:19 AMP. Entering God’s rest is not an easy task. Whosoever wishes to enter therein must labour, exert himself/herself and strive diligently. The promises God made are real and would come to stand. But man must adhere no matter what the circumstances may bring.
“This mention of a rest was not a reference to their entering into Canaan, for if Joshua had given them rest, He (God) would not speak afterward about another day. So then, there is still waiting a full and complete Sabbath rest reserved for the (true) people of God; for he who has once entered into (God’s) rest also has ceased from (the weariness and pain) of human labours just as God rested from those labour peculiarly His own.” - Hebrews 4:8-10 AMP.
God laboured in the Creation Process of the World and He rested (Gen. 2:2). The labour of God in creation could involve designing by way of thoughts or wisdom. To fashion things out orderly as God did involves the work of the brain. It is labour and He rested from the strains and pains involved after six days. If God can take a rest from thoughts of fashioning out the world, then “there remains a Sabbath-rest for the people of God” - vs9 NIV.
Your salvation rest of “come unto me¡­ and I will give you rest” (Mathew 11:28) is like your entering the land of Canaan from your wilderness wandering and Egypt slavery of sin. You still struggle as a believer? There remains a rest for the true children of God. That Sabbath-rest can be entered into through abiding by faith in God’s promises. Rest from financial strangulations, from sicknesses, from anxieties, worries and cares of the life (otherwise known as breakthroughs) need be entered into after the salvation experience. He/she who will enter God’s rest must “make every effort to enter that rest.” Efforts in prayers of perseverance and of patience in faith are the pre-requisite to enter into God’s promised rest. “Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it” - Hebrews 4:1 NIV.

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BE A SERVANT
Behind every face there is a drama going on; tap into at least one person’s drama. Seek opportunities each day to reach out to someone with the powerful love of the Lord Jesus Christ.
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2.9 POSSESSING THE LAND OF YOUR PROMISE

E
very place the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you¡­¡± Josh. 1:3.
EVERY PLACE does not refer only to the physical land (or ground) that is mostly understood. Every place can refer to your place of works/business, town or city, the land itself, the heart of people in a denomination (if you are a minister), etc. Any situation through which man can be sustained is hereby referred to as “Every Place” or “Land”. God’s promise to give it unto you is conditional: “If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the best from the land”- Isaiah 1:19 NIV. Not only to be willing to obey, but to put obedience to God’s word into practice.
“For it is God who works in you to WILL AND TO ACT according to His good purpose” - Phil. 2:12 NIV.
Obedience is ACTING on (or DOING) what you believe. You are not obedient if you don’t act, no matter how well you believe that instruction. It is possible for you to believe (be willing) and not act (perform any positive action). Then nothing will happen. It is only when “you are willing and obedient” that you will eat the best from the land: your business/work, the town in which you are dwelling, the members of your congregation or people that surround you. For it is God Himself that will give the hearts of men unto you for your possession. Men would desire loving and supporting you wherever you may be if only you are obedient to the word of God. It is not a matter of luck or coincidence when men extend a hand of gift unto you or you get your desired blessing from your “place”. It came by God’s design according to the level of your obedience to His word. “But if your refuse and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword for the mouth of the Lord has spoken it” - (vs20) even though you are living permanently in that place of promise.

PRAYERS:
1. Repent of your disobedience to God’s word and renew your relationship with God.
2. God, let me prosper in the “land”- place or work, town, etc where you have planted me
in Jesus name.
3. Let me grow strong and fruitful in this place (mention it¡­) in Jesus name.
4. Let all my buried blessings come up for me in Jesus name.
5. I nullify every saying against my prosperity in this place in Jesus name.
6. I shall be fat and flourishing: let all leanness go out of my life in Jesus name, Amen.
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2.10 ARISE AND SHINE

A
rise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee¡­¡± Isaiah 60:1-4.
This is a command to a man/woman or situation that is either dead, sick, crippled or indifferent to moving forward. The commander (God) has a sure sight of victory for the person involved. There must have been some coverings preventing shining forth of God’s imbedded glory in such a life. You are to arise “from the depression and prostration in which circumstance have kept you; rise to a new life and shine - be radiant with the glory of the Lord” AMP. Give no thought to the prevailing situation, the Lord is with you (your light has come) and the glory of God is risen within you to shine forth upon your life no matter the thickness of darkness that prevails. The glory of God shall overshadow the darkness and many people shall enjoy along with you, the blessing of God that would manifest in your life.
PRAYERS:
1. I shall arise and shine forth in Jesus name. Let all that pull me down be burnt off by the
fire of the Holy Spirit.
2. Let every stronghold of the enemies upon my life be broken in Jesus name.
3. May all devilish things covering my blessings from God be scattered in Jesus name.
4. Oh, Lord, let my light shine forth out of obscurity in Jesus name.
5. Grant strength unto me O God, and let me shine in Jesus name.
6. Let you glory come forth upon me and let others around me benefit therein in Jesus name, Amen.
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TOGETHER WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE
Your comments for possible publication will inspire us to do more. Let us hear from you what the Lord is doing through our efforts.
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2.11 DEFEATED BY THE ENEMIES
L
et us bring the ark of the Lord’s covenant from Shiloh, so that it may go with us and save us from the hand our enemies” - I Sam. 4:3.
It is a pagan idea to identify the deity with the symbol of his presence, and to think of gaining God’s favour. For the fact that sin lodges with God’s people, Israel could not win the battle that day despite their bringing into the battlefield the Ark of the Lord’s covenant. The Philistines rather encouraged themselves against the people of God (vs. 9). It was from that battlefield that the Ark was taken away from people of God.
It is not in the number of day of prayer and fasting or of scripture memorization; not even in attendance in Church Programmes, Revival and Conferences that would bring victory over the enemies. As long as sin lodges with the people of God, the enemies must have upper hand. Remember Achan who brought sin into the camp of God’s people. Sin must be dealt with before there can be victory.
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2.12 ACCORDING TO YOUR LEVEL OF FAITH

T
he Lord God called unto Moses to send spies ahead of all the Israelites to view the land of Canaan, the Promise land. God assured Moses that the land of Canaan would belong to them. Twelve men were sent forth to spy the land of Canaan. They spent forty days and came back with some fruits of the land that confirmed the fertility of Canaan: two men had to shoulder a single cluster of grapes. There was a division however among the spies: Ten of them agreed to give a report according to their negative level of faith, while two men gave their good report according to their positive level of faith.
REPORTS: Ten men spoke first; “the land to which you sent us, it does flow with milk and honey! Here is its fruit. But the people who live there are powerful, and the cities are fortified and very large¡­ we can’t attack those people; they are stronger than we are.­ The land we explored devours those living in it. All the people we saw there are of great size;­ We seemed like grasshopper in our own eyes, and we look the same to them” - Numbers 13:27 - 33.
But two of them, Joshua and Caleb, cried out: “We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it”- vs. 30.
One of the reports was without an element of faith - the majority report. The minority report was a report that was prompted by faith in God. Different people saw the same thing with different views because of the differences in their level of faith. Other thief saw the same Jesus that was seen as powerless and mocked like a criminal by one of the thieves on the cross, at the same time as sinless and as a saviour who saves people into His kingdom. Their different views stemmed from their levels of faith. It led to eternal destruction of one, and eternal salvation of the other. The same problem, under which you are dying, is what is making another man to triumph and give testimonies. The difference is the level of faith that you applied. God deals with us according to each man’s level of faith. He however expects all of us to walk with Him in believing faith. Walking with God without faith is sin. “See to it brothers (and sisters) that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God” - Hebrews 3:12 NIV.
The ten spies caused all Israel to sin against God in the matter of spying out the land of Canaan. Since death is the wages of sin, all of them had to die according to the word that came out of their mouths: “If only we had died in Egypt or in this desert! Why is the LORD bringing us to this land only to let us fall by the sword! Our wives and children will be taken as plunder” - Numbers 14:23.That was the conclusion of their unbelief in the promises of God as to give them the land of Canaan. To their level of faith in saying these negative words, God said Amen: “As surely as I live, declares the LORD, I will do to you the very thing I heard you say. In this desert your bodies will fall;­ For forty years - one year for each of the forty days you explored the land - you will suffer for your sins and know what it is like to have me against you” - vs. 28-34.
This was why the Israelites had to wander in the wilderness for forty years: a day of spying the land of Canaan for a year. God made sure that all of them died off, leaving behind their children to possess the land of promise. The ten people that gave bad report died immediately while others that agreed with the report, except Joshua and Caleb, died in succession over the forty years of their wilderness wandering.
God that promised is able to fulfill only when we walk with him by faith. No matter how precious God’s promises might be unto us, if we fail through unbelief, those promises will be of no effect. God will no more do a thing in line with His promises but will rather do unto us according to the level of our faith or rather in line with our choice by faith.
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2.13 DIVINE INTERVENTION

I
n breeding season I once had a dream in which I looked up and saw that the male goats mating with the flock were streaked, speckled or spotted. The Angel of God said to me in the dream, ‘Jacob’. I answered, ‘Here I am’. And he said, look up and see that all the goats mating with the flock are streaked, speckled or spotted, for I have seen all that Laban has been doing to you” - Genesis 31:10-12 NIV.
The record is put straight is Genesis 30:25-43. It is an account of Jacob coming out of Laban’s servitude. He served Laban for almost 20 years before he requested for his freedom. Laban admitted that God’s blessing came to him through Jacob’s services and so he wished to keep the man with him by increasing his wages. But Jacob, who had been a deceiver all his life, in taking other people’s blessings, gave a request to which Laban agreed to his own advantage. Jacob requested for spotted, speckled and dark-coloured animals as his wages so that all others with plain colours would be for Laban. That day, I believe that the spotted animals were not many; so Laban quickly admitted to Jacob’s
‘trickish’ suggestion for he also, was a cunning man.
The Bible recorded that Jacob placed spotted poplar branches in the watering arena for Laban’s animals to see when they were mating. The result was that Laban’s animals gave birth to spotted, speckled and dark-coloured young ones, which automatically belonged to Jacob by agreement (controversy clearly removed).
There is no scientific approach to Jacob’s logic of his gaining upper hand with Laban in this case of his livestock multiplication. It was only a divine intervention: A supernatural interplay by God to assist Jacob gain blessing out of Laban’s possessions. An Angel made this known to him in a dream. God produced spiritual male animals that were spotted or speckled to mate in the Laban’s flock. The semen from Laban’s male animals becomes recessive while those of the divinely produced male animals dominated. Let me say God divinely assisted Jacob to get blessing from Laban because of the way Laban treated Jacob: “­for I have seen all that Laban had been doing to you.”
Are you being cheated or prevented from receiving your due blessings or are you under a bond and need deliverance? Or do men assume you can’t make it and keep you aside? Divine intervention from God is what you need for God to spiritually intervene on your behalf, and for the blessing to be physically manifested. Jacob left Laban with abundance of blessing and God appeared to the man to “be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.” God divinely put off adversary from Jacob’s pathway of blessing so that he could enjoy his divinely accumulated blessings.
God intervened again in the life of Jacob as he was approaching Esau who vowed killing him. Since Jacob had made peace with God, his enemy (Esau) was also at peace with him. He could do him no harm.
The bed-rock of God’s divine intervention in the life of Jacob could be traced to the fact that God loved Jacob even before his birth: "Yet, before the twins were born or had done any thing good or bad in order that God’s purpose in election might stand: not by works but by him who calls, she was told, ‘the older will serve the younger’. Just as it is written ‘Jacob I love but Esau I hated’”- Romans 9:11-13 NIV. For the fact that God knew you before being formed in the womb, and while in the womb before delivery (Jeremiah 1:5), you are loved by God and destined to prosper. The devil and his human and demonic agents are always against man’s success so, a divine intervention is always needed to make man become what God intends for him.
PRAYER POINTS
1. Lord have mercy on me and repay me all that I have been robbed off in Jesus name.
2. God, send me provisions by your divine ways that no man would hinder.
3. Oh Lord, Intervene for my blessings and shut up controversies against me.
Make clear-cut line for my blessings.
4. Replace all intimidation against me with your blessings in Jesus name.
5. Intervene O Lord, and keep my adversaries off my ways. Let them not be able to do me bad again in Jesus name.

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2.14 REPENTANCE AND FRUIT BEARING
“P
roduce fruit in keeping with repentance” - Matthew 3:8.
Repentance is turning away from sin unto righteous living. It comes by the conviction of the Holy Spirit. It is not a mouth confession exercise only, but from a ready heart to do right things in the sight of God.
Fruit bearing must follow repentance: that positive physical action to be taken as to prove the genuiness of the repentance. For example: If you repented from un-forgiveness towards a fellow brother or sister, you must have to go to him/her in person to make reconciliation. You can go with gifts or follow up your meeting with tangible positive action. If you repented of not attending weekly programmes in your church, you have to start attending those programmes without delay. If you repented of not doing God’s will, positive actions must be taken in line with God’s will for you. And if you repented prayerlessness and refusal to study God’s word on daily basis, you have to start off immediately to study the Bible and to go into prayers. Your repentance at whatever state, must be followed with fruit bearing: a (physical) positive action that shows genuine repentance.

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2.15 WHEN MEN’S EYES OPEN
T
hen the eyes of both of them were opened” - Genesis 3:7.
Adam and Eve were created in God’s image: with minds to reason, with eyes to see, etc. They had eyes to see the beauty of God’s creation in Eden. Pure uncorrupted eyes to see as God sees. They saw the glory of God upon each other: “they were both naked and they felt no shame”- Genesis 2:25. They felt no shame because they were covered by the glory of God. Their eyes were righteous and so were their minds. They could not see any form of nakedness on each other until they sinfully ate the forbidden fruit. God’s glory had to disappear and they saw that they were naked.
Sin opens up men’s eyes. Without sin, dealings in the home, office, church, etc would remain good and okay. But as soon as sin is allowed to enter through the senses of the eye, feelings, and so on, the eyes would see those same beautiful things in a less admirable way. The eyes would be open to see errors and not beauty. For instance, if a man commits adultery with another woman or lady outside marriage, he would begin to see fault in his wife. Those faults were there before, but they were not seen because love (God’s glory) covers them all. But as soon as the eyes open to sin, God’s beauty disappears only to uncover the deficiencies in his wife. This is also true of a wife that sins.
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2.16 ONCE GOD HAS SPOKEN
B
alak the king of Moab invited Prophet Balaam to curse the Israelites on his behalf. It was not the will of God for this prophet to accept the king’s contract; but because of financial gain promised by the king, Balaam entreated God several times and at last God permissively granted his request.
The Psalmist says, “God hath spoken once: twice have I heard” - Psalm 62:11. Balaam wanted God to speak twice for him to hear once. God had earlier said: “Do not go with them, you must not put a curse on those people because they are blessed”- Number 22:12. God is not man that He should change His mind on whatever He says or allow. Your incessant praying after God has spoken will only lead you away from His perfect will into your own desired will.
God was not pleased with Balaam and so an Angel was sent to obstruct his way. The Angel said to him: “I have come here to oppose you because your path is a reckless one before me. The donkey saw me and turned away from me these three times. If she had not turned away, I would certainly have killed you by now.” An animal gave attention to the presence of God but Balaam gave no attention to the voice of God.
If you aim at satisfying your heart’s desire against God’s will in view of a benefit to be gained, then you should expect an irreversible disaster. Do not desire to hear God twice; once He speaks, He has spoken.
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TOGETHER WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE
Your comments for possible publication will inspire us to do more. Let us hear from you what the Lord is doing through our efforts.
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2.17 GIVING YOUR BEST TO GOD

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od knew the state of man’s heart over whatever he has. To Abraham, God said: “­ take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest.”
The best item on Earth in the life of Abraham was Isaac, and God requested him to be offered as a burnt sacrifice! This was a trial of faith. But because Abraham “believe even God who quickeneth the dead, he offered up Issac; and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son.” Romans 4:19, Hebrews 11:7.
That which God did earlier in the lives of Abraham and Sarah in giving life (quickening) unto their dead loins to produce a seed (Isaac) was what strengthened Abraham’s heart. He believed that God could make Isaac live again if He wished even after slaughtering the boy as sacrifice to Him. This was what God saw in Abraham that proved the genuiness of his faith towards Him. God stopped him from using the son for a sacrifice: yet the Bible concluded that, “by faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac; and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son¡­ According that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead from whence also he received him in a figure”- Hebrews 11:17,19.
God accepted the state of Abraham’s heart towards the sacrifice. God deals with the heart of man. Every external behaviour of man comes from the heart. The unseen God deals with the unseen heart of man. Love from God starts from the heart. It is only God that can know the heart of man. That is what God deals with first before the externals.
What has God given to you that you think is too great to be given back to Him: Money, Education, Time, etc? Any child of God is liable to testing by God in different ways, and at different times. The trying of faith is what keeps a believer growing in obedience, righteousness and in faith.
Without such trials, there would be no prove of the genuiness of man’s faith towards God. It is the trial of man’s faith that would bring praise, honour and glory to Christ at His appearance (I Peter 1:7). We show forth our faith towards God by giving to Him the best of our lives.
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2.18 HEARING FROM GOD

G
od does speak to man. He does this through the Holy Spirit who relates the message to the spirit of man via the conscience. God’s message is always in line with the scriptures. A verse can be expounded in the man’s spirit (the inner man). In some cases, it might be as turbulence in a man’s spirit directing him to carry out some specific instructions or move in a particular line of action. The message can be direct and audible in a gentle, still small voice as it was with Elijah and Samuel.
“And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying: This is the way, walk ye in it”- Isaiah 30:21. The phase “thine ears shall hear” does not refer to the hearing by the external ears. It is the hearing by man’s spirit through the Spirit of God. This depends on how much you are being strengthened with might by the Spirit of God.
God does speak but man doesn¡¯t always hear. Desires and anxiety are weapons of obstruction against hearing from God. The devil also obstruct by giving man worldly (sinful) suggestions. Your daily meditation on the word of God, prayers and giving of thanks will develop your inner being and usher you into a mood of hearing from God through the Holy Spirit.
God’s messages don’t normally come in haste, expecting man to act almost immediately. The Holy Spirit would relate to man in a loving and gentle way, allowing grace upon man to exercise patience before carrying out the directive. This brings peace and joy to man.
The mind of man also speaks to him by way of reasoning. This is the desire of the flesh. Man’s reasoning was corrupted through the eaten of the forbidden fruit in Eden. Man cannot live by his sense knowledge but have to walk in the Spirit of God so as not to fulfill the instinct of the flesh. Allow God’s Spirit to dominate your thoughts. “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God”- Romans 8:14.
The desire of man is another factor that can obstruct hearing from God. “Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart”- Pslam 37:4. Delight thyself first in the Lord: This means to take great pleasure in the Lord and to have God’s word dwell in you richly in all wisdom, and be a doer of his words. If this is so, your desires will not dominate your heart but rather you would be able to pray for the will of God in your undertakings. Desire means what you wish to have. By claiming your desires, your mind can speak to you when you pray and you would think you have heard from God.
Your wishes may not worth desiring. They may not be in line with God’s plan for your life. If you receive answers to your requests in line with your heart desire, it might be that God inspired your desire according to His plan or that God granted you permissively due to your persistency in seeking. You don’t have to claim your desires when you pray: develop a heart to pray for the will of God (Matthew 26:39).
Sin closes the door of hearing from God. Even at the time of temptation, God still does speak; but for the lust and enticement in the heart of man, there would be no hearing. Sin renders the Holy Spirit dormant! King David cried to God: “cast me not away from thy presence, and take not thy Holy Spirit from me¡±- Psalm 51:9-11.
Disobedience to the voice and word of God hinders man’s hearing from God. Obedience is doing something (positive) about what you know God is saying either in the scripture or through the Holy Spirit. Obedience is the primary factor of hearing from God. “If any man love me he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him”- John 14:23. That means the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit will make your heart their home just by your obeying the word of Christ.

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2.19 LET JESUS SEE YOUR FAITH
T
he case of a paralytic man was recorded in the gospel of mark chap. 2. There was no way to bring the man before Jesus. So, they had to open the roof to bring him before Jesus through it. “When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, son, your sins are forgiven.” That is, when Jesus saw their confidence in God through Him, He healed the man. Their faith was seen in their action.
A Canaanite woman said to Jesus­ “but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table” when Jesus told her it is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it the dogs (Mtt. 15:21-28). Jesus commented “woman you have great faith! Your request is granted.” The faith of this woman was seen in her speech.
The woman who had been subjected to bleeding for twelve years came up behind Jesus to touch His garment believing that: “if I only touch His garment, I will be healed.” Jesus asked, “Who touched my clothes?” Power got out of Jesus with the touching of faith of the bleeding woman. Several others touched Jesus as people were crowding around Him, but the woman’s touch was different; it was a touch of faith. Jesus said to her, “your faith has healed you.” - Mtt. 9:20-22. It was such a touch on Jesus that brings result. Let Jesus feel your touch of faith.
A Centurion who had a servant sick at home said to Jesus: “I do not deserve to have you come under my roof but just say the word and my servant will be healed.” Jesus commented about the man and said, “I tell you the truth, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith”- Matthew 8:8-10.
That is, even the Israelites could not show forth such a great faith. God is a God of faith. Without faith, we cannot receive anything from him and we cannot please him. Whatever you want from God, your unwavering faith is the only means of getting it. Jesus admonishes us, “Have faith in God” - Mark 11:22. Let God see your faith in speech, in prayers of thanksgiving in action and in patience.
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2.20 IN TIMES OF ADVERSITY

“I
f thou faint in the days of adversity, thy strength is small”
- Proverbs 24:10.
“In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider. God hath set the one against the other” - Eccl. 7:14.
God allowed Satan to test Job in a very hard way. In our present day life, we find it hard to imagine that kind of a trial: a millionaire to lose all that he has in one day, and to be afflicted with a disease that defies cure! Such a man would be left desolate: all friends and relations would desert him. No wonder why Job’s wife advised him to curse God and die! God is looking for a man that will stand his integrity like Job. The first word of Job at that trying time was “Naked I came from my mother’s womb and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the LORD had taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised” - Job 1:21.
How do you react to adversities? Do you say “God why me?” Do you give God reasons why you should not be tried by the unexpected circumstances of human life? The Scripture says, “For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweigh them all”- II Corinthians 4:17. Whatever the adversity may be, God says it will be for a short moment and its after effect will be eternal glory. Was Job not better off in the end than in the beginning? God designed good and adverse times for us as human beings so that we can know Him better. Job said, “Though he slays me, yet will I trust him. Even so, I will defend my own ways before Him” - Job 13:15 NKJV. God controls all situations concerning us. Only be upright before God. Job maintained his uprightness even in the face of affliction. He would never curse God or speak perverse word against the Almighty.

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