SURPRISE THE WORLD! PROCLAIM THE WORD!!!(PART 1)

(Exodus 9:16, Jeremiah 3:12, Deuteronomy 32:3,  2 Timothy 4:2-5)

I like surprises. I think they are nice. They make the commonest of things not only look beautiful but big and precious. (Well, the surprises I’m talking about are the pleasurable ones because some can be really unpleasant and devastating.)

Take something nice whether big or small. Seek or get your creative juices on, package it nicely to a friend, fiancé, spouse, a parent (even an enemy) and you’ll see the magic it will do in your relationships.

This element of surprise is what God wants us to carry with us everyday. That is, the element of proclaiming his word to the whole world.

You see the whole world is waiting for us Christians to still proclaim the WORD OF GOD. That is, sing of his praises, show his love& for him be seen him in our speeches and actions.


THEY STILL WANT TO BE SURPRISED.(Romans 8:19)

This can only be fulfilled by the proclamation of his word because in him can we only be saved.
They crave and yearn for him yet ‘something’ withholds them from hearing, taking that step or committing enough. The below scripture explains it.

The Bible says "The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God."(2 Corinthians 4:4)

Ours is to speak, proclaim in fact inundate them with the WORD. His word(which is himself) is full of his immeasurable power that does all the ‘magic’ & transformation.

Do you know that neither the devil nor any other person  can stop US(christians) from proclaiming God's word because:

-God himself  has said it (Matt.24:14 )

-Also, just as Daniel did, if we only PURPOSE to do his will &allow his will to prevail.(Dan.1:8)

In doing this, we submit ourselves to the LIMITLESS CREATIVE WAYS he gives us to do that one basic thing PROCLAIMING THE WORD. (Yes, he has given us his boundless creative spiritual boundaries to reach the world)

Beloved ours is just to go ye therefore and make disciples...but it starts with PROCLAIMING THE WORD then TEACHING THEM before the DISCIPLES are made.(Matt 28:18-20)
Just start with PROCLAIMING THE WORD, the rest will just follow for his very WORD  totally SURPRISES THE WORLD.

Take this:

IF YOU BEING THE CHRISTIAN THAT YOU ARE FOR SO MANY YEARS ARE STILL BEING SURPRISED BY THE PROCLAMATION OF THAT SAME WORD; HOW MUCH MORE THE WORLD.



I end here with Part 1. Join me tomorrow for PART 2 for various creative, seemingly small ways by which God enables us to SURPRISE THE WORLD! & PROCLAIM THE WORD!!!

 SO I SAY:
SURPISE THE WORLD! PROCLAIM THE WORD!!!

‘ALL IN PRAISE’(PART 2) (PSALM 148)

Another glorious morning to you. We say these simple words to him...LORD, WE THANK YOU. 

So, we did PART 1 of 'ALL IN PRAISE'. We continue today. Our 'intro' as usual.

One of the things that all creatures have in common including the ‘supremo’ (Man) is PRAISE. (Later you’ll understand why man came last in the passage above just as God did with creation)

Simply, we were all created for worship (Praise).It’s an ‘ALL IN PRAISE’ thing as depicted in Psalm 148.

We see every single creation and even heavenly beings involved in praise. Ahaa,
You, yes you?... What are you doing???

Now, let’s go into the focal passage Psalm 148 and get to understand why ‘ALL IN PRAISE’, Should be in praise and Must indeed Praise.

We did from Psalm 148:1-10 & we understood that PRAISE is & will be a perpetual thing. 

Heavenly Beings, objects and other creatures are 'ALL IN PRAISE' so why not YOU?

That is where we ended.We continue right from there.

Lastly, we get to the 'Supremo' of all creations MAN and that is in V.11-14.

Of course, because we are the greatest of his creations, certainly the LORD values our Praise more than all the others. 

Ironically, this is where the problem arises because not all men(CREATORS OF GOD) praise God. These reasons explan them:

- Another key one isthat some don't believe in God. They quash the whole idea that there is a God, he created the world hence refuse to praise him.
- Generally, we allow the troubles of this world to take the joy of PRAISE from us or not do it meaningfully.

This is where chosen to praise comes in so that even though we're all created to Praise; not all do that.You are chosen one, royal Priesthood ( Isaiah 43:21- "This people which I formed for myself, that they might tell of my praise ")

However, we allow the CREATOR'S OTHER CREATION to dictate to us what to worship.
So, it's like this:
"THE CREATOR'S OTHER CREATIONS MAKE US WORSHIP THEM OTHER THAN THE CREATOR HIMSELF."

No wonder the Lord said in Luke 19:40, if man refuse to praise him, he will raise up stones to praise him.

Hmmm...stones. Stones join the league of God's least creations yet some worship them.(IT)

Therefore, in the verse above, the LORD wants all of us to praise him-Rulers, Princes, young, old, children&all nations to PRAISE him.  

The VERSE (11-14) now:
11 KINGS OF THE EARTH AND ALL NATIONS,YOU PRINCES AND ALL RULERS ON EARTH,

12 YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN, OLD MEN AND CHILDREN.

13 LET THEM PRAISE THE NAME OF THE LORD, FOR HIS NAME ALONE IS EXALTED;
HIS SPLENDOR IS ABOVE THE EARTH AND THE HEAVENS

14 AND HE HAS RAISED UP FOR HIS PEOPLE A HORN,
THE PRAISE OF ALL HIS FAITHFUL SERVANTS,OF ISRAEL, THE PEOPLE CLOSE TO HIS HEART.PRAISE THE LORD.

Beloved, all other creations are in constant praise with what they do.

As for the heavens&highest of it, they have always been. 

You are described as a people CLOSE TO HIS HEART.

WILL YOU PRAISE HIM?

 

SO WHAT CAN I SAY THAN TO SAY:

"ALL IN PRAISE"

‘ALL IN PRAISE’(PART 1) (PSALM 148)

One of the things that all creatures have in common including the ‘supremo’ (Man) is PRAISE. (Later you’ll understand why man came last in the passage above just as God did with creation)

Simply, we were all created for worship (which surely includes Praise-Isaiah43:21).

It’s an ‘ALL IN PRAISE’ thing as depicted in Psalm 148.

We see every single creation and even heavenly beings involved in praise. Ahaa, You, yes you?... What are you doing???

Let’s go into the focal passage Psalm 148 and get to understand why ‘ALL IN PRAISE’,should be in PRAISE and must indeed PRAISE.

The V. 1-2 tells us that Praise existed even before creation. It is something that was there, done by the heavenly beings and later transferred unto the earth. ( Well, aside the other unwanted baggage that we brought upon ourselves here)

This clearly tells us PRAISE is a perpetual thing.

It's said JOY IS THE SERIOUS BUSINESS OF HEAVEN. That will surely come from PRAISE which we'll go and continue perpetually in heaven.

The VERSES now 1&2:
1 PRAISE THE LORD FROM THE HEAVENS; PRAISE HIM IN THE HEIGHTS ABOVE.
2  PRAISE HIM, ALL HIS  ANGELS; PRAISE HIM, ALL HIS HEAVENLY HOSTS.

From V.3-6, this is what i gather:
 The other heavenly creature don't cease to PRAISE our GOD.
The Sun shines, as the moon glows drawing light from the sun and the waters tumble.
They do so  IN PRAISE.

HERE, VERSES 3-6:
3 PRAISE HIM, SUN AND MOON; PRAISE HIM, ALL YOU SHINING STARS.
4 PRAISE HIM, YOU HIGHEST HEAVENS AND YOU WATERS ABOVE THE SKIES.
5 LET THEM PRAISE THE NAME OF THE LORD,FOR AT HIS COMMAND THEY WERE CREATED,
6 AND HE ESTABLISHED THEM FOREVER AND EVER—HE ISSUED a DECREE THAT WILL NEVER PASS AWAY.

The last batch of verses to end PART 1 is from V.7-11
We come down to the Earth and Praise still continues.  With who?...with the Great Seas, the Oceans,Lightening, Snow, Winds,Mountains& the Trees.

Therefore, when we see the Seas& Oceans rise, the thunders roar, Lightening scare, the winds storm&the beautiful imagery of the Mountains, Hills& Clouds.

 They all tell us one thing.  They are ALL IN PRAISE !!!

VERSES 7-11:

7 PRAISE THE LORD FROM THE EARTH,YOU GREAT SEA CREATURES AND ALL OCEAN DEPTHS,
8 LIGHTNING AND HAIL, SNOW AND CLOUDS,STORMY WINDS THAT DO HIS BIDDING,
9 YOU MOUNTAINS AND ALL HILLS,FRUIT TREES AND ALL CEDARS,
10 WILD ANIMALS AND ALL CATTLE, SMALL CREATURES AND FLYING BIRDS.

Now if all these creatures &heavenly hosts are in PRAISE then WHAT ABOUT YOUUUU?... This leads us to PART 2 tomorrow.

 SO WHAT CAN I SAY THAN TO SAY:
"ALL IN PRAISE"\

‘EEEI, THIS UNPREDICTABLE GOD NONO’ (PART 2)

We continue with the above title. Yes, HE IS  AN UNPREDICTABLE GOD ooo.

Let’s go for our 'intro' once again:

You know ‘sometimes’ I marvel at the way God does his things ooo.

Well, I use ‘sometimes’ just as a matter of saying because we know he surprises us ALL THE TIME.

Sometimes, you clearly know this is how God deals with you yet he still surprises us every time he does it.

Again, we all believe God can do all things yet he still confounds us even the commonest ones.

With these happenings, I only stop, sit, savour and say ‘EEEI, THIS UNPREDICTABLE GOD NONO’.

Then, I can say for sure that there is one thing I can predict about him and that is his unpredictability.

So, join me as we tell him, Lord take the wheel as we ride along along.

We said we are looking at five(5) unpredictable situations of our God.

We looked at three (3)of them yesterday. Let’s wrap it up with the two(2):

The book of first and second Samuel present us with various ENQUIRIES made unto GOD by David  whenever he was going to war.Mostly, it was against the Philistines.In seeking God's direction in all these, God served him with different answers.

The striking one is the one in 2 Sam.5:17-35.

On one breath, God told David&his troops to go up against the Philistines for he will give them victory, WHICH HE DID.

The Philistines went back &came again yet this time God told them you shall not go up but circle around behind them&attack them in front.They did that&God gave them victory. 

Couldn't it have been the same but this time it was just a U-turn from the philistines. Surely, this makes you wonder at this UNPREDICTABLE GOD.

Let’s end with the mighty one(JESUS CHRIST...Luke 1).

We know this story right? It is amazing how God sent his son to the world in a very ordinary yet the strangest of fashions.

First, God made it that his begotten son’s birth won’t be by human descent, breaking the natural order of the normal fertilization process.This meant that the Holy Spirit overshadowed Mary for our savior to be born. The strangest of them which is still a wonder today.(Does that mean the Holy Spirit himself impregnated Mary?...Just kidding there)

This meant that Joseph was just made to represent something as Mary was turned into an ordinary container or carrier.

 He was born in a manger, lived  a very simple,ordinary life and in the end died a shameful death but all for our good.It was the perfect master plan that only permeated among the triune God. The devil I am sure still marvels at that.

NOW TELL ME -WHO COULD HAVE PREDICTED?...

Beloved, this is THE UNPREDICTABLE GOD we serve. Just take this He's UNPREDICTABLE. The day he will be predictable, then he'll cease to be GOD.

SO I SAY:
‘EEEI, THIS UNPREDICTABLE GOD NONO’

'‘EEEI,THIS UNPREDICTABLE GOD NONO’'(PART 1)

You know ‘sometimes’ I marvel at the way God does his things ooo. Well, I use ‘sometimes’ just as a matter of saying because we know he surprises us ALL THE TIME.

Sometimes, you clearly know this is how God deals with you yet he still surprises us every time he does it.

Again, we all believe God can do all things yet he still confounds us with even the commonest ones.

With these happenings, I only stop, sit, savour and say  ‘EEEI, THIS UNPREDICTABLE GOD NONO’.

Then, I can say for sure that there is one thing I can predict about him and that is his unpredictability.

Let's just go to his manual then,the Bible for it is pregnant with a lot of his unpredictable ways.

We look at 5 ways of God’s unpredictable ways thou there are countless of them that only seem outlandish and even abnormal.

However, to God this is part of his usual and he wants us to trust him every step of the way.( Remember, EVERY GOOD AND PERFECT COMES FROM HIM. (James 1:17)

Let’s start with the first book of the Bible, Genesis 12 and go to our Great Great Great Grandfather Abraham.The man God associated his great name with(THE GOD OF ABRAHAM) 

Abraham was living 'sooo' peacefully and modestly in his father’s house when all of a sudden God told him that i have chosen you and we‘ll make you great (FATHER OF ALL NATIONS).

That was understandable but not this way. To do this, God told him ”Leave your country, your people, your father’s household and go to the place I will show you.” 

Imagine your father calls you in Accra to move to your new MANSION in Kumasi but fails to provide you with any direction. He only tells you to come and he’ll show you a way to the mansion.'You just prepare and come' he says.(Amazingly, he has the direction so why not simply give it?... hmmm) 

Let’s go to the new testament  and to Mark 8:22-26 where Jesus healed a blind man using SALIVA. Certainly, that is quite unorthodox . ‘Saliva paaaa… eeeei Jesus ..hmmm’

I’m looking at the numerous Jesus miracles and this one can be a stand out in terms of  its unorthodox& unpredictable nature.

 He could have just declared or touched him as he normally does. Mind you, he is JESUS but he...(Read the full passage and tell me if it wasn't odd and if you could have predicted.)

Another from the old Testament account of his unpredictable nature is in 2 Chronicles. 20. This is when three (3) strong nations unprovoked(unprovoked oo) joined forces to fight Israel. King Jehoshaphat, Israel’s king  cried unto God for victory against their enemies.

Of course, our faithful God heard him and gave them victory.However, the HOW is what is shocking and couldn’t have been predicted. 

As he had been doing it was expected the Lord will lead them to deal with their enemy as he normally through his known vessels but simply he just used SONGS OF PRAISE. 

The surprising thing was that when they sang, God caused their enemies to attack themselves..yes one after the other till they all died.

Again, you wonder when it got to the last person, who killed him/her?  Was it God himself?

Hmmmm...these clearly speaks of his mighty&unpredictable nature. 

Join me tomorrow for Part 2 of  two other unpredictable situations of God.

SO I SAY:
‘EEEI, THIS UNPREDICTABLE GOD NONO’

OPEN LETTER TO THE CHURCH (ON RRR)

Inching into the Month of December, we are all filled with excitement, thrills & gratitude.
I am too.

The reasons are the obvious... it's almost the end of the year and we're all thankful to God for that.

Although, there are special times in the year, December is when all the parties, celebrations, merry making, fun...I mean the real fun are finalized.

Speaking of that, Christ has already finalized the redemptive work on the cross for us &that makes the whole celebration VERY SPECIAL.

So as my teeth crack the bone, my head nods & my feet taps to that melodious song whiles enjoying that riveting play, I pause for a moment...

It's the 30th of December. A peep into the coming year and RRR stares you right in the face.

Oooh No..not again...So is my bouncy face about to undergo some slimming course???

Looking at the enjoyment now, this 1,814,400 secs of.../eerhmm 30,240 mins/ okay...504 hrs/ I mean 3 weeks or simply 21 days of fasting will require the TRIUNE GOD himself to make it.

Fast Forward into the new year- let's say 21st January& by this time, I'm quite if not well acquainted with the FAST.

At this time, the Fasting is not an issue 'koraa'. 'Hw3,' by this time I'm in my second week pushing into my third...'3na me huri so me yiedie a, wo se s3n. '

More  so, since the heart is already prepared for the programme,  almost everyone is possessed with the following ANOINTING:
Punctuality, Effective Participation, Attentiveness, Commitment, Prayer, Zeal, No excuses, Extra Mile...(& the other forms of ANOINTING)

Once again, I am too. Now, isn't that awesome!!!

I saw one man eee, the way he was praying eee, STOP, he had gotten the job.
Ooh the lady 'gyae' she had already 'collected' her marriage ooo.
The young teen had just keyed in on the exams success button.

SO,...SO,...

NOW,

*WHY IS THE SEAT EMPTY WITHOUT ME?

*WHY HAVE MY COMMITMENT LEVELS SUDDENLY WANED TO A ZERO IF NOT NEGATIVE?

*WHY AM I TRYING...IN FACT FORCING TO GET EXCUSES FOR GOD?

*WHY AIN'T WE GOING THE EXTRA MILE  FOR THE SAME GOD ANY LONGER?

Simply,
*WHY HAVE MY YEAR ENDED WITH RRR?
AGAIN,
*WHERE DID ALL THE VIM& VIGOUR GO?

* WHERE DID ALL THE INVIGORATING PRAYERS EVAPORATE TO?

Simply,
*WHERE DID THAT RRR MENTALITY GO?

I Stress on these:
*WHY HAVE MY YEAR ENDED WITH RRR?

*WHERE DID THAT RRR MENTALITY GO?

BELOVED, THE SOLUTION IS IN THE ABOVE QUESTIONS.
I BELIEVE IF WE ARE TO APPROACH EVERY YEAR WITH A SLICE OF THE 'RRR' MENTALITY; OUR YEARS WILL CONTINUALLY BE POINTING UPWARD.

Let it shoot you up in life

I WON'T GO ANY FURTHER BUT WOULD WANT THE ABOVE QUESTIONS TO PROVIDE  YOU WITH ALL THE NEEDED SOLUTIONS.

REMEMBER, GOD HAS ALREADY WORKED IN US BOTH TO WILL&TO DO HIS GOOD  PLEASURE.
OURS IS TO WORK OUT OUR SALVATION WITH FEAR&TREMBLING (PHIL.2:12-13)

THIS IS MY OPEN LETTER TO THE CHURCH (TBC) ON THE MOMENT OF REFLECTION, RECONCILIATION&RESTORATION THAT JUST EBBED AWAY.

THANK YOU &GOD BLESS YOU!!!

“THAT IS ALL THEY NEED”(JOHN 11:1-36)

The Bible passage above?... Of course, I’ve heard and read it on quite countless occasions.

Reading it again, I thought it was going to be the usual-The ways of God are not our ways and all that.

Anyway, let me give MY recount to you thou I know you have heard or read it before.

"Jesus loved Lazarus very much. It was not only him but his two sisters, Martha and Mary(the one who had poured perfume on Jesus)

 Lazarus fell ill and so as concerned as the sisters were; they told someone to inform Jesus as they expected a speedy response. 

More so, since their Jesus was on that healing & miracle working spree, he was just going to pull a fast one on his beloved.(Lazarus)

However, Jesus unbelievably chose to delay and amazingly go about his normal duties until when he was ready.

By this time, 'Alea iacta est' that's latin meaning 'the die had already been cast'

For the readers of this passage, we were all at sea with what Jesus did but what calmed us down giving us illumination into the situation was:

John 11:4 ‘This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for the God’s glory so that the son of man may be glorified through it"

Now, expectedly with this passage, we are to talk about God’s timing and his purpose and all that. Not today for this is where the message starts for me. 

Jesus was dear to Lazarus’ family and so if not for anything they looked forward to at least seeing him even if Lazarus will die. (I’m sure we can all attest to this in extremely trying times when upon all the people present that one person is so expected just because of the relationship.)

Jesus could readily feel the mournful state of the town(Bethany) and many had come to COMFORT the family. Jesus empathized, showed some affection and later wept to show his comfort.

This was not after some innocent reprimand/blame game from Martha who had come to see him before he entered their house. 

Mary stayed indoors perhaps thinking what’s the use of his coming. Jesus reassured them of the miracle to happen but as we would have all done; they interpreted his Lazarus resurrection statement otherwise and eventually doubted what it actually meant’

Beloved, we could see that Mary and Martha had resigned to their fate. They had lost their brother. He could never come back. ALL THEY NEEDED was that comfort, love, affection, a shoulder to cry on…THE PRESENCE OF A DEAR ONE. 

I’m sure we all agree Jesus' situation here is part of those extraordinary ones. Now, in addition to Jesus presence, comfort, they got Lazarus back(that was a bonus & it was for a purpose) 

However, ordinarily, you and I know it rarely happens so.When we lose someone or are going through a turbulent storm; mostly, WHAT WE NEED is the presence and comfort of a dear one. 

Even after wishing to be alone and having some ‘me’ time, you then crave for some comfort and someone to share it with.

It won’t bring the lost person back or wipe out what actually happened. Sometimes, it may even be seen as insignificant&irrelevant.

Conversely, it gradually turns out to be the best healing,miracle& recuperative process the person had ever needed. (Try& leave such people to their fate and you’ll see how easily they will fall off or die)

I perfectly agree when it is called the GIFT OF ENCOURAGEMENT or PRESENCE (gifts of the Holy Spirit in Rom. 12:8)

Jesus knows that not all will rise again. Also, he won't be there to raise again another Lazarus.(How often did he do that?)

More so, how often do we see such miracles now? Not to say it is impossible to happen.That is why aside showing this gift ,he continues to give it through you by compassionately being there for another.

SO I SAY:
SOMETIMES, THE BEST COMFORT IS JUST BEING THERE FOR ANOTHER … FOR ‘THAT IS ALL THEY NEED.’

‘ MEDITATE!!!’ (PSALM 139 )

Today, it is a simple mandatory message to you. MEDITATE!!!

Meditate on Psalm 139. That is all there is and God will speak to you.

So the passage now:

1 O Lord, You have searched me and known me.

2You know my sitting down and my rising up;
You understand my thought afar off.

3You comprehend my path and my lying down,And are acquainted with all my ways.

4 For there is not a word on my tongue,But behold, O Lord, You know it altogether.

5You have hedged me behind and before,And laid Your hand upon me.

6Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;It is high, I cannot attain it.

7Where can I go from Your Spirit?Or where can I flee from Your presence?

8If I ascend into heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there

9 If I take the wings of the morning,And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,

10Even there Your hand shall lead me,And Your right hand shall hold me.

11 If I say, “Surely the darkness shall fall^[a] on me,”Even the night shall be light about me;

12 Indeed, the darkness shall not hide from You,But the night shines as the day;
The darkness and the light are both alike to You.

13For You formed my inward parts;You covered me in my mother’s womb.

14  I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;Marvelous are Your works,
And that my soul knows very well.

15My frame was not hidden from You,When I was made in secret,And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.

 ¹⁶Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed.And in Your book they all were written,
The days fashioned for me,When as yet there were none of them.

17How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God!How great is the sum of them!

18If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand;
When I awake, I am still with You.

19Oh, that You would slay the wicked, O God!Depart from me, therefore, you bloodthirsty men.

20For they speak against You wickedly;Your enemies take Your name in vain.

21 Do I not hate them, O Lord, who hate You?And do I not loathe those who rise up against You?

22I hate them with perfect hatred;I count them my enemies.

23 Search me, O God, and know my heart;Try me, and know my anxieties;

24 And see if there is any wicked way in me,And lead me in the way everlasting.

SO I SAY:

‘MEDITATE!!!’

A WONDER AT JEHOVAH JIREH (PART 2) (DEUT 24:19-22, PROV. 12:11, PROV.6:1, PSALM 23)

And so we do a part 2 of ‘A WONDER AT JEHOVAH JIREH’

Refer to the part 1 from yesterday’s as we continue.( http://myinss.blogspot.com/2016/02/normal-0-false-false-false-en-us-x-none.html )

From Matthew 6: 25-26 “THEREFORE, I TELL YOU, DO NOT WORRY ABOUT YOUR LIFE, WHAT YOU WILL EAT OR DRINK, OR ABOUT YOUR BODY, WHAT YOU WILL WEAR. IS NOT LIFE MORE IMPORTANT THAN FOOD AND THE BODY MORE IMPORTANT THAN FOOD AND THE BODY MORE IMPORTANT THAN CLOTHES?...

God knows that not all will have, not because he had made it so but the poor you will always have with you. Mainly, this is because there will always be people who will continue to choose the wrong (sinful) path that leads to poverty. This is why he says for poor you will always have with you.

Of course, our God knowing this,out of his infinite mercies caters for US. US here represent ALL people- The Rich, Poor, Black, White, Atheist, the staunch Christian and playfully even the Obolo(Fat person) or chingilingi(Skinny one).

Matthew once again puts it right when he says:

‘FOR HE MAKES THE SUN TO RISE ON THE EVIL AND THE GOOD, AND HE SENDS RAIN ON THE JUST AND THE UNJUST…‘

He hears our groanings, worries and our cries but in all these he proves himself to be JEHOVAH JIREH.

It sounds so simple because the pains and the agonies you’re going through are just unbearable. For you, God doesn’t seem to understand , how does he provide… but hold on let’s go to Deut. 24:19-22:

“WHEN YOU ARE HARVESTING IN YOUR FIELD AND YOU OVERLOOK A SHEAF, DO NOT GO BACK TO GET IT. LEAVE IT FOR THE ALIEN, THE FATHERLESS AND THE WIDOW, SO THAT THE LORD YOUR GOD MAY BLESS YOU IN ALL THE WORK OF YOUR HANDS...REMEMBER, THAT YOU WERE SLAVES IN EGYPT THAT IS WHY I COMMAND YOU TO DO THIS.”

And so you see the Lord knows you even as sinful and undeserving as you are. He has willed that even at the worst,those 'leftovers' be left for you(whether poor, homeless, destitute).He has laid those provisions for you, of course not only for our survival but to lift us up and put eventually put us to where we belong

When God freed the Israelites from the Egyptians and  blessed them bountifully, he told them to leave some for the poor reminding them of who they were in Egypt.

I tell you some of these things we do or that happen unknowingly, it is all because God led us to do them just to benefit others. For us, it was a mistake, a forgotten something,blaming ourselves for beng careless, just wondering why that happened.

So to you who have lost that job that all depended on, the destitute or the homeless;  it’s been 8 months getting to a year, just take time to ponder that in all these difficulties who has been taking care of you.

I’m sure you are recounting now and for all those months how did you survive?...because you could always predict how hopeless each day will be but eventually the day turns out hopeful.

Ironically or rather purposefully, it never turns out so because he(GOD)is the hands who has been holding you all these while.

What sends chills down your spine is to hear and see the situations of others and you are grateful for yours. Other times you turn around to even encourage others.

IT IS NOT SURPRISING THAT JUST LAST WEEK YOU GOT A CALL FROM THAT UNSUSPECTING EMPLOYER WITH A SUMPTUOUS AND GRACIOUS OFFER.

NO WONDER THOSE YOUR FAMILY HELPED MANY YEARS HAVE COME TO YOUR RESCUE...

…AND YOU, YOU MARVEL THAT JUST THAT SINGLE INNOCENT ACT YOU DID HAVE TAKEN YOU FROM THE STREETS UP TO THE SURGE.

BELOVED, HE IS JEHOVAH JIREH AND HE WILL PROVIDE… ‘YEHOWAH B3HW3 WO’

SO WHAT CAN I SAY THAN TO SAY :

I STILL DO THIS“A WONDER AT JEHOVAH JIREH”

A WONDER AT JEHOVAH JIREH (PART 1) (DEUT 24:19-22, PROV. 12:11, PROV.6:1, PSALM 23)

Our God has a lot of names and a lot attributes. Apart from GOD, he is called LORD or (a merger of the two with a title)- 'LORD GOD ALMIGHTY'. Another name is YAHWEH but he is also called JEHOVAH.

Even in JEHOVAH, he has a lot of attributes to it. Let me concentrate on JEHOVAH JIREH today. Jehovah Jireh means God, our provider, our all sufficiency, the one who pours out his nourishment on his children meeting their needs.

As Christians, we hold such names& attributes in high esteem.  We believe in them absolutely. Our only problem is that sometimes we wonder why our God, I mean the same Jehovah Jireh doesn’t provide:

·         When it is so clear and he knows we need it

·         Why most times we have to struggle for a long time to get it

·         Why other times some of his provisions are not what was needed/seemed irrelevant. (Of course later get to understand  it and give him glory)

Therefore, it’s never in doubt that our God provides for us all the time. Dwelling on the question title today, it makes me wonder 'How'… How does our God do this? 

·       You hear true life stories of destitutes, people who live next to nothing yet you see they and their large family and you wonder if it was…(in fact, you know you can’t )

·       You know of friends who have not been working for years, acute financial distress and high dependency ratio and you wonder if i were...(Actually, you agree you  can’t )

·       You watch the lives of the poor ones whose parents are no more, ejected from the family house, property seized and the street now their best haven and you wonder if… (Stop,  you just said it I can’t)

Beloved, I can give you countless examples because we hear different stories everytime. Our wonder has always been what keeps those people going?..That large family, financial difficulties,little ones, being homeless, no source of livelihood et al...How are they able to survive every 24 hours of the year.

Isn't it a wonder?...especially when we see them or such people moving about and going about their normal duties?
Then, the question if we were in that position? The truth is that mostly we are not that ‘content’ with what we have. So, with the above circumstances, we would die seconds before they reach us.

NOW, WHEN WE THINK ABOUT IT DEEPLY AND WE SEE HOW IT ALL TURN AROUND, WE WILL SAY THE BELOW:

All these make him GOD, JEHOVAH, the JEHOVAH JIREH. In brief, we can only do this- 'WONDER AT HIM- JEHOVAH JIREH.

 

Let’s go Matthew 6: 25-26“THEREFORE, I TELL YOU, DO NOT WORRY ABOUT YOUR LIFE, WHAT YOU WILL EAT OR DRINK, OR ABOUT YOUR BODY, WHAT YOU WILL WEAR. IS NOT LIFE MORE IMPORTANT THAN FOOD AND THE BODY MORE IMPORTANT THAN FOOD AND THE BODY MORE IMPORTANT THAN CLOTHES?

LOOK AT THE BIRDS OF THE AIR, THEY DO NOT SOW OR REAP OR STORE AWAY IN BARNS AND YET YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER FEEDS THEM. ARE YOU NOT MUCH MORE VALUABLE THAN THEY?”

Let's open up more in Part 2.

SO I JUST HAVE TO SAY:

‘A WONDER AT JEHOVAH JIREH’