MEN PLEASERS

not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, with goodwill doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men, knowing that whatever good anyone does, he will receive the same from the Lord, whether he is a slave or free. Ephesians 6: 6-8

The life of Saul and David shows the result of being a men-pleaser or a God-pleaser.

Both were anointed king from being a nobody (even in their own families) without even lobbying/asking for it.

Saul felt so unworthy that he went to hide when it was time to show him as king to the whole nation in 1Samuel 10:22.David was so overlooked that he was forgotten when the priest of the whole nation of Israel invited the family for a national service in 1Samuel 16:5.

Saul was fit only to look for donkeys while David was fit only to take food to his elder ones at the warfront.

There ends the similarities.

Saul was never recorded to seek the face of God before a battle, David is constantly enquiring of the Lord before he goes to any battle.

Saul was first son while David was the lastborn.

 Saul was brutal in pursuing his ally-turned-enemy but David was busy avoiding any form of harm to Saul through his own hand or command.

Saul ordered the killing of 83 priests and a whole city because they helped David but when David had Saul at his grasp, he did not touch him because of the fear of God.

In all the aggression and self-will, Saul, despite being king without the input of man, lost his kingdom because he was more interested in what men want and discarded what God wants.1Samuel 15:21, 30

David, despite several opportunities did not listen nor act on people's desire for him to harm Saul....No because he can't, but because he identifies that vengeance belongs to God.

We all know whose throne God established FOREVER.

So, I ask you.... after God has favoured you into a position you NEVER thought you can ever attain in life, what do you do next.... think of how you will please men (which has caused many to sin) or how to please God?

This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live. 

Choose now, for a better nation for us all.

Shalom!

QUIT FIGHTING WARS

Lessons from today's fellowship.

For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. 2 Corintians 4:17.

What are wars? These are the challenges that we face as human beings....poverty, unemployment, sickness, delay in childbearing, accumulating bills,etc. It is not for us to fight these wars as God allows them before they can be there ( Job, Rachael, etc). People of great destiny go through a lot of tribulations but it's all to the glory of God. Examples are Elizabeth and Hannah who were mothers to great men,even Apostle Paul himself,etc

When God has a plan to make an individual great in a particular way, such an individual will face great torment in that aspect of his life as the devil will want to make sure God's plan fails. If you will be great and be mightily used by God at that career, the devil will make sure you don't even graduate.etc but we should not forget that God is still The Almighty and is in control. No matter what size the war is, at the right time, it will cease....so, why would you allow such trials steal your peace and take you away from God who has the final say? 

* Joseph did not take his gaze away from God, that is why he left prison to the palace. If he had decided to fight the war, his highest victory would have been freedom and back to his father's house.
* David did not take his gaze away from God, that is why at last, all other tribes of Israel came that he should rule over them.

When we look at our challenges, we take our eyes away from the fact that we are already victorious in Christ Jesus. Let us not be like Rachael in Genesis 30 who told her husband "give me a child or i die". She was robbed of her peace and joy already and eventually died before her son fulfilled destiny. Her husband who trusted God saw and ate from the fulfilment of God's word. She was fighting a war she should not.

Everything God allows brings us to Him and teaches us to be compassionate like Him but we are not enjoying God because we actually don't trust Him to take care of us especially those who don't know Him.

What to do while the war rages
1. Give your life to God
2. Study His word to know Him and His promises for you
3. Praise Him always
4. Keep company with people that know and love the Lord

 This is another opportunity to give our life to this God so that we can know Him and have rest from our troubles. Tomorrow might be too late. Matthew 11:28-29 summarised it all.... Come, drop your burden and take up His own, that's all!

Shalom!

RIGHT ATMOSPHERE FOR GOD'S PRESENCE

Lessons from today's fellowship.

For the second quater of this year, God said He will visit us and He did but some of our homes are not in order and so, God could not come in.

This quarter, He is coming with laughter but if our homes have not been put in order, He still won't be able to come in.

Designate a place outside the camp where you can go to relieve yourself. As part of your equipment have something to dig with, and when you relieve yourself, dig a hole and cover up your excrement. For the Lord your God moves about in your camp to protect you and to deliver your enemies to you. Your camp must be holy, so that he will not see among you anything indecent and turn away from you. Deuteronomy 23: 12-14


1, The spirit of God will not come into filthy environments. Keep your body and homes clean. Laziness is not attractive.

Some of our homes and bodies are dirty, unkept, smelly, unarranged and rough. This is a hindrance to answered prayers. These environment also attracts cockroaches and rats which brings diseases that causes sickness!!!

Let us wash, wipe, tidyup, arrange, dry, air out, shave, cut, make, repair, etc as needed in our homes and bodies. Don't leave till tomorrow what you should do today.

2, And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.Acts 2:1

The apostles were in one accord.....some of our homes are not united. Individual-living within a home. Unity is very key to God; let us all be in one accord so the spirit of God can dwell in the home.

The spirit of God does not dwell where there is chaos. This means quarrels and strife must stop in our homes and businesses for God to dwell with us and joy/laughter to abound in us.

Even if the other parties in the home are not acting right, look unto Jesus and obey God completely. Let the love of God flow from you as Jesus did to a sinful generation. This counts towards God reigning in our homes. Ask for the grace if you need to and you will be given.

Enough of anger, hatred, malice, bitterness, animosity, hostility, moodiness, resentment, etc. and the King of Glory will come in and LAUGHTER will fill our homes.

Shalom!