Dad, are you there?

 

 

Mat 27:46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? That is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

 

In writing this piece my mind goes to a scene of a little child, who in his room, is under the covers in the middle of a stormy night. The flashes of lightening come through the window as the rain pounds heavily on the roof.

He hides his face under the covers hoping that the storm will pass and trying to be a ‘brave boy’ like Dad says he is but at some point the child seems to have had enough and can’t take any more. So, he does the next reasonable thing he knows.

 

He grabs his teddy bear, puts on his fluffy slippers and drags his sheets along as he heads towards his parents room. On his mind he is wondering if he is doing the right thing. Cause dad calls him a ‘big boy’ now. He doesn’t know if he will be disappointed with him for not being the brave little solider he calls him. His fear however overcomes all these concerns as he goes towards his parents’ room. He timidly knocks, pushes the door open a little and asks this question ‘Dad, Are you there?!’

 

Never mind the gender issues in the scene above but have you ever been in one of those places? Where in the middle of a trying situation or a stormy time in your life, you wonder if God is there for you? Have you tried positive faith confessions, tried to be strong like the pastor told you to be and for some reason you would really like to know if ‘Dad’ is there for you. I know God is omnipresent but I don’t know if you have ever come to that point in your walk that you just want to ask ‘where are you?’ Are you here for me? Yes me, not just for everyone.

In the above text we see Jesus in a tight corner, well more than a tight corner. He was about to die and the very person who put him up to this seemed unavailable! The one that sent him to pay this price seemed to have run off when he needed him the most. Please note that Jesus was every bit human and felt the agony of being left to his plight on the cross. Just when things got bad it looked like God has left him. But do you know the Spirit of God was present with him on that cross? Read Heb. 9:14.

 

 

Are you there now and you feel that God has abandoned you? Well you’re still not alone! In Mark 4:38, the disciples had to wake Jesus up and the question on their mouths was don’t you care that we are about to perish. Do you need other examples? Well look at Job. He came to a point he too felt forsaken by God and so did David, Jeremiah, Josuah even Abraham.

 

Do you feel like that problem is about to take you out? Does it look like your boat is about to capsize? Are the pressures so much that you feel like giving up? Then employ the wisdom of that little boy. What wisdom is that?! Am glad you asked and I’ll tell you. Run to your father! But unlike that Boy don’t knock timidly. He says we should come boldly to his throne of grace to obtain mercy and find grace to help in our time of need (Heb. 4:16).

The wisdom of every person who made it through the storm is that they knew to ask for help from God. Friend it is not angels that He helps but the seed of Abraham! Are you a seed of Abraham? Are you born again? If you are then you are qualified for His help.

 

Friend, before you give up can I challenge you to pray again? Can you reach out to your father one more time? Kneel down again and come before him. Tell him how you feel. Don’t get offended or bitter. Don’t bother with who did what or did not do what or who is there for you or who has left. Just reach out to your father.

In the illustration I gave of that little boy can you imagine the father kicking out the kid and telling him to grow-up? Some parents may do that but not if they love their kid and friend you are loved by God. You have your fathers love. I am so grateful that God loves me. Yes am not perfect, I stumble now and again. I’ve made big blunders but God loves me! If you can’t imagine a loving parent mistreating his kid how can you think that God will treat you like that?

 

He is big enough to hold the universe in His hands but soft enough to answer when you wisper. You will not get a busy signal on his line.

 

The young boy in the above illustration does not know that his parents can’t do anything about the lightening or the storm but friend when he gets into their room, he would not lie awake thinking of the storm outside. He will go to sleep in the comfort and warmth of his parents. What makes the boy sleep? When he can see the flashes of lightening, the thunder and hear ponding rain? The thing that scared him are still there. He can see and hear that the storm has not ended, but for him he is immune to it not because he does not know its there but because he draws strength from his relationship with the father.

 

 

Friend, am here to tell you that you can go through stuff and still have a spring in your step. You can be going through hell and still carry heaven in your heart! Sometimes, I might have to tell you what am going through for you to know that every thing isnt alright. I draw my strength from a relationship with God.

I am not just asking you to pray that the storm ceases, Oh don’t get me wrong ,you should pray for that! Fast if you have to but more importantly find time to curl into the arms of your father. In the midst of your storm seek intimacy with Him!

 

Have fellowship with you father! Tell Him how its been with you. Tell him that you trust him to bring you out. Cry if you feel like but tell him you still love him. Ask him to help you stand. Real men don’t cry the world tells us but Jesus cried. The bible says He cried with strong crying and just in case you want to argue that it means he just shouted the bible adds... and tears-Heb. 5:7

 

Luk 4:1 And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness,

 

Luk 4:14 And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and there went out a fame of him through all the region round about

 

Yes it’s important to get through this wilderness but don’t lose your relationship with the Father. Don’t let that hardship take away your relationship with God. Don’t just get into the wilderness; determine to return in the power of the Spirit.

 

Its not just important that you come through that stuff but its important at the other end your relationship with God is still intact. Some have gone through stuff and have stop trusting God, Stopped praying, stopped believing God,stopped worshiping, stopped church or stopped this or that, but determine to come out the other end intact.

 

You can loose your coat to Mrs Potiphar but don't lose God's presence in your life! Friends may mock you,servants despise your person, wives advice you wrongly but dont lose your relationship with God.

Friend I know you will come out of this but decide that you will not lose your relationship with God.

 

Let’s Pray.

 

Father, we know you are aware of every storm we are going through but teach us in the middle of all the chaos and confusion to come to a place where we still stand and trust you. Even when we are barely hanging on, help us to hold on to you. Like Habbakkuk bring us to a place where we can say that although things may not have worked out as we planned or thought it would that we will trust in you. Thank you for hearing us and loving us so much that you sent your Son to die for us. We trust you to bring us through this in Jesus name. Amen

A Surprising and Complete Reversal For God's people!!

Ps126:1
When the Lord turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream.

Captivity of Zion? A very strange concept! I thought if any one is to pass through any form of captivity surely the people of God should be exempted. Think about it for a minute. You may have heard all those songs that say "me I no go suffer.." but here, It was not talking about the problems of unbelievers but of God's chosen people!

Why would God let his people pass through stuff like this? Things that will require him to intervene in order to sort out?

The only way I could wrap my head around these questions is to think of Job and here lies an answer for you. Are you ready for this?.... God is so proud of you that He just boasted about you! He knows you can get through this and He is there with you cheering you on to victory. Don't give up on God cause he has not given up on you!!

If you read the above scripture in the King James version of the bible as written above, you could be tempted to reach the conclusion(like I did) that the Lord needed to turn around the captivity of his people again.

It kind of leaves you with an impression that these guys keep getting into trouble,so much so, that they need to be rescued again and again. I would like to tell you that you would be correct to think of God as one that comes to our rescue again and again but that's not what happens here. I can honestly tell you in my life, that He has come through more than once for me(and am going to send a mail on some amazing testimonies of what God has done soon)

As correct as that way of thinking is, may I shock you by saying that this is not the case in the scripture above.

In the above it speaks of a people who where in a particular state of Honor or had some position or privilege that was taken from them. Here God restores them back.

Are you reading this mail and your thinking,"well, that sounds like me".
Someone may have made you lose something in your life, perhaps a promotion or a favor.
have you lost something in the cause of your walk with God?
Maybe a job, a child, a marriage or even your joy as a child of God.

May I tell you that God wants to restore you. He wants to turn it around. For Some of you, God has just started your turn around. He may have given you a new job but that not enough until you look back in surprise at what God has done. Yes, I mean that your new job will be better than the last one!

In the above verse the bible says "...we were like them that dream" O, Praise God!!

God did not just turn their captivity but they were so shocked they could not talk!! How do I know that you may ask. Please read the next verses of this Psalm. It took the comments of unbelievers around them to wake them up. People began to talk about them. The heathen said" the Lord has done great things for them" Ps. 126:2. They were not part of it but when God did it they recognized it could only be God!!

Friend, someone is about to comment on what God did in your life!! They will announce your breakthrough before you even have had time to respond.

Haven't you read about the man that was born blind in John 9? People kept arguing if he was the one or not? The Pharisees could not even believe the man when he confirmed his identity! They had to bring his Birth parents and ask if this was their son that they said was born blind!! (John 9:18-19)

Permit me to shout it in your ears as best I know how!!
The SAME people that called you useless will change their statement!!
The same ones who tagged you barren will change their confession!!
The very people who said you are finished will reconsider their words!
They will be forced to eat their words that spoke evil of you because your God will TURN it around!!

Friend note that you are not left out in God's surprise package. You will be just as amazed as the people around you.
Just when you thought there was no Hope, God will come with Hope.
Just when you concluded you will die in this issue, Your God will show up!!
Just...Just at the right time he is never late.

Prepare to be surprised and be a surprise to many.

When THE ALMIGHTY GOD shows up.

>2 Kings6:24-33, 2 Kings 7:1-20
 
An Impossible situation...
Samaria has been surrounded by an enemy, The gates of the city have been locked and none of its merchants could trade.There was scarcity in the Land, The city was suffering from lack and poverty/famine was destroying the land.

An "Easy" but Costly Temporary Solution...

This state of affairs drove two Women to reach and unusual and a terrible agreement.Their agreement was to eat the children born from their own wombs!!! Note that these were not the sons of strangers they wanted to eat (Though that would have been strange enough)These were children they had nursed and raised all these years.

Sometimes the circumstances we face can drive us to take terrible decisions. A woman who has been barren for a long time toys with the idea of visiting a native doctor. We are tempted to cut corners or to give bribe to get ahead in life. We are always tempted with an easy way out to a problem that seems too great for us to handle.

These women choose an "easy but costly solution".

How much are you willing to pay for that easy solution?When you go to the native doctor, the price tag is always hidden and always costs more than is advertised.

You may be wondering if these women had any faith at all.You may question there spirituality But the truth is that no matter how much faith you have it takes God to keep you from taking that easy solution

For Example,
Abraham, the father of faith, who did not have a son slept with a maid to get a seed. This solution still affects all of Abraham's descendants till date. Elijah, after calling down fire from heaven and slaughtering 850 false
prophets, wanted to die instead of face the threat Jezebel.

Are you willing to do anything to ensure your survival? These women having reached their agreement took the first child and killed him. I wonder how it must have been for the woman who gave birth to this child. To look into your child's eyes and kill him! Did the child beg for mercy? Did he trust mummy not to do this?

All this does not matter as the evil deed has been done.

The first child is dead and digested.The women are hungry again and the time to kill the second child has
come. that's the problem with such a solution its never permanent

The second woman finds she can not do it and hides her child. The aggrieved former mother takes her case to the king.

Seeking Help from the Helpless... (When the Helper needs Help)
I think you need to her appeal as the king was passing," Help, my lord, O King!"(2 Kings 6:26) People only seek help from others whom they assume have the solution to their problem. No one goes to a poor man for money; No one asks the blind to look after his property for him.
>
The king in this case was being looked at to judge the issue and probably give a judgment in favor of this woman.While I would like to know how the king might have judged this case, of greater interest is his reply to the woman. Hear him:
"If the Lord does not help you, where can I find help for you? ..."

After he heard the problem, he rents his Kingly robes to reveal that the King Himself needed help too!
When your supposed help needs help what can you do? When the one you consider to be the solution to your problem has a few questions that require answers.What do you do?

The idols that Goliath trusted in could not help him.That's what Satan does; he leads one to a battle only to abandon him on the battlefield. In Egypt the bible says God judged not only the people but the gods of Egypt that was supposed to be their source of help.
What is your source of confidence?  Trust God He has never lost a battle.

The King got so upset and canceled his fast!He had been waiting on the Lord with sack cloth but when he heard this cry he became dissatisfied.He was in desperate and in need of a solution and he faced off with the man of God.
And God Stepped in

The solution to their problem can by the word of the Lord. Can you imagine how the woman that ate her child would have felt when she heard that by the next day the famine would be over?
 
Can you imagine when the next day the word of God came to pass?
"At this time tomorrow a seah of fine flour shall be sold for a shekel and two seahs of barley for a shekel at the gate of Samaria"

Praise God!! No matter how bad the situation may be it takes t he word of God to turn it around.He can speak to that situation and change it,He can raise your Lazarus; Heal your issue of blood; Calm your storms; help you Slay your Goliath;Divide your red sea; Make fruitful Barren Sarah.

The beauty of this is that he can do it in an instant!!
 
A famine that had lasted for a while was dealt with by the next day by God.God did not only provide a solution but he made it easy to access. It is at the gate of Samaria that the solution will be at.Your situation will not be an exception.
 
He can deal with that mountain,
 
He can handle that situation if only you would trust him. Don't be impatient, Wait on God. He would do it. It is well. God will show up for your sake!

CAUTION, GOD AT WORK!!

Ps 126:1
When the Lord turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream.

 

How valid any promise or statement is, depends to a great extent as to who said it.If my 5 year-old niece promises me a car, I would in order to humor her or to help her have more confidence in her own opinions, ask her what sort of car she wants to buy for me, but deep down in my heart I don't count such promises as valid. Even if I believed it, I would have to prepare myself for a long wait before it comes to pass.

 

The same may not be the case of a rather well-known billionaire makes the promise. Oh I would go all over town with that promise, pick out the color of the car and start thinking like a car owner(some of the people I will drive pass in my new ride, so they can taste the dust from the tyres) but like every promise made by a man, He can fail. Oh how men have failed us. The disappointment we have faced in the hand of those we thought were the greatest source of our help!

 

In the passage above, the Almighty God is the one that is charged with the responsiblity of turning things around for good.  The verse clearly says " When the LORD turned...". Oh! Praise God. Not when the angel turned, or a fellow man turns it, at best they can do to the best of their ability and no more.

 

Your case is not going to be handled by an angel, cause even Angels cant do certain things, think about the angel sent to deliver a message to Daniel(He had to admit he needed help) or angel Michael that was sent to collect the body of Moses that Peter talked about, the angel said may the Lord rebuke you Satan!

 

God has not assigned another to your case!! He is taking personal responsiblity for your matter.  I can imagine God rolling up his sleve(figuratively) and saying this case is MINE!!!God is at work in your life! Satan, approach with caution.

 

Your God has an incredible resume and I would like you to know that.

 

He created light out of darkness(is your situation different from what you expect to see?)

He made a mother out of a 90 year old woman(Did I hear you say what of meno-what?!!)
He Lifted a Boy till he became a Prime Minister.

He divided the rea sea and Men walked on dry ground in the midst of the sea.Shut the mouth of Lions, changed the temperature of the fire,

He walked on water, raised the decaying(not just dead), healed the sick, rose from the dead. Need I say more?

 

If His acts were an action film, then there is not a dull moment.Oh, what a WONDERFUL GOD we serve!!

 

Friends with a resume like that I know that, You can trust that yours will be no different.

Please note that He is not a man that he should lie, nor the son of man that can change his mind.

 

He is the Alpha and the Omega, He was here before the begining and will be here long after the end. He is the First and the Last, the resurrection and the life. The Lily that is in the midst of that valley. He is the bright and morning Star!, the light of His countence is brighter than the sun at noon(can you imagine a light brighter than the sun at noonday?). The Lion of the tribe of Judah, the lamb of God......

 

Oh I think you need to start dancing,praising Him and declaring that its over!!

 

Cause God is on my case! God at Work, Satan beware!!!

 

Remember its not over yet, God bless you.

When is this "WHEN OF GOD"?

First of all I want to correct the scripture quoted in my earlier mail. I typed it off the top of my head then but this is the way the old King James Version puts it:

Ps 126:1
When the Lord turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream.

Sorry about this error but all other aspects of the message remain unchanged. and thanks a lot to those that wrote back for the encouragement to write again. Here is today's topic:

When is this "WHEN OF GOD"?

In today's discussion, I would like to throw up another issue. As we considered yesterday a time will come when God will turn things around and there are severally scriptures we can use to reconfirm that. the bible says weeping may endure for the night but Joy comes in the morning. it also tells us that the righteous falls seven times but he rises back up.

While we have all this promises to us from the word of God sometimes we are tempted to ask Just when will this happen? When will my own case be treated? When will God intervene in my situation? I know God will do it but When?  These questions if you are like me may have crossed your mind.

Now lets digress awhile, some people preach and say '' Why ask God why?" But I believe that its not wrong to ask why if we ask in faith, wanting to understand what we don't. The disciples went to Jesus and asked Him Why they could not cast out a demon. Their question led to us knowing that prayer and fasting is important too. So I don't think God is annoyed when we ask questions but Please let us not go to the other extreme of doubting the word of God and questioning it.

Having said the above, the question may come up in your heart that when is this when of God? and it is a question that has to be answered. what are the things that can delay the answers we need?

So here goes, I can honestly tell you that I do NOT know what it was that is delaying your own specific when but please before you hit the delete button and consider me a waste of your precious time let me explain something to you.

Job was passing through something in his life and his friends thought he had sinned against God  and deserved what he was going through but we know that this was not the case.

In the case of the man that was beside the pool, Jesus told him to sin no more after he had healed him least a worst thing come upon him.

So I am not one of those who tries to act as though I know it all about what you are going through but the encouragement I want to bring to you is that no matter the cause God can turn it around!!

when is this "when of God"? i can tell you by faith that the moment your faith gets a hold of the word from God and believe that word, then your turn around has started!!

In John 11:23  Jesus said to Martha " Your brother shall rise again" but Martha post-phoned the day of Lazarus' visitation. Left to Martha, Lazarus' case would have only been handled on the resurrection and on the last day!!

Before you laugh, Please put yourself in Lazarus' shoe, I need help now and Martha is talking about the last day resurrection!! Its not funny at all oh!! Jesus went further and said I am the resurrection and the life... but Martha just did not get it.

Friend, has your situation made you turn away from the word of God? Are you doubting that God hears and answers your prayer?(oh sometimes I have) Has it created in your heart a doubt that anything can be done on this side of eternity?

I came to re-echo to your heart the words of Elizabeth t Mary " Blessed is she that believes for there shall be a performance..."  and again for with God nothing shall be impossible!!

That doubt came to take out your faith in God!! it was designed or fashioned against your believe in God. if takes out your faith even if you come out of it by some other means you would have been finished! Yes, there could be several other ways of coming out from your situation e.g. A barren woman visits a native doctor, or compromising your faith by sleeping with that man or woman etc but if your faith is gone you are finished.

So hold on to the word of God to your heart. What God says He will do, He will do! Though it tarry wait for it. The time to work in faith is Now!! You don't Need your faith in Heaven, its for here on the earth. Start praising God for what he has promised, start rejoicing that it will come to pass. Declare with all your heart what God has said about that situation. and I can tell you that your when will no longer be delayed.

Behold I do a new thing NOW it shall spring forth...

Let me close with this passage of scripture. Prov. 24:13-14

My son, eat thou Honey(study the word), because it is good; and the honeycomb which is sweet to thy taste(oh how wonderful is God's word), so shall the knowledge of wisdom be unto thy soul: When thou has found it, there shall be a reward and thy expectation(which comes from revelation of God's word) shall not be cut off.(inserts are my comments)

God bless as you hold on to God!!

THE WHEN OF GOD

Hi All,

 

I just thought of writing a short commentary of several verses of scripture that the Lord has used to encourage my  heart in times of distress.

 

In life, several friends may forget us or abandon us, if things turn sour for us. People we thought would stand by us no matter what, sometimes end up leaving us in the middle of the flood. Sometimes its no fault of theirs. For some they meant well and wanted to stick by you no matter what but he is only human after all. He forgets,travels,or is caught in so much work or some other reason.

 

In those times, don't be discouraged or bitter or promise to revenge when you get back on your feet, just turn to that friend that has promised to be with you even to the end of the Age. Oh what a promise!! Jesus is forever there for you.

You can trust him to the very end.

 

Let me not get ahead of myself here,(I almost was carried away with that very promise). Like I said I would like to write this so you can partake of the same encouragement I have been blessed with(but if you choose not to receive this, write me and I will delete you for my mail list, I almost fill like an advert company that has a mail list, hahaha).

 

I intend to write on a weekly basis, if I can(no promises there) but I would be glad if these write-ups help you in some way to hold firmly to the only one who is truly the most faithfull friend I have found, The Lord Jesus Christ. Be blessed as you read!  here goes..

 

 

 

THE WHEN OF GOD

 

Ps 126:1 says:

 

 When the Lord turned the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream dreams.

Please note the first word in that verse of scripture, it starts with the word WHEN and not IF. This is so much of a blessing in the sense that if this verse had started with  the word IF, we would have had little or nothing to expect from the Lord.

 

Cause we would end up thinking if it is Gods will or not? If he will turn the captivity or not? The word 'if' leaves room for doubt or probability but bless God the word of God declares with all certainty that its not IF but WHEN!! Oh Praise God!!

 

When the Lord turns the captivity... this means that there will come a time that God will do it. Brethren, you can quote God, with all assurance in your heart this situation is not going to take you out! You are not going to end up being known or called by this problem!

 

The word of God assures us that a WHEN is coming.

 

People  might have concluded you were barren but When....

they said you will end up lonely and unmarried but when

they may be calling you jobless but when...

 

They might have started using you as an example of a failure already, but the when of God is coming.Those that loved to see your harm and fall will not rejoice for long cause there is a when.

 

That's why the David could say with all assurance 'Rejoice not over me my enemies, cause when I fall, I shall yet rise again'.

 

Its not over friend!!  There is a When coming.

 

Hold on to God. He will turn it around, Don't give up on Him !

Don't get discouraged.

 

The dawn of every new day,signifies that the day of your rejoicing is drawing closer. so instead of facing a new day sad, look up and thank God that you are getting closer to your day of complete and unstoppable Joy.

 

Hold on, your when will come.

 

God Bless you.

N.B

This is the first in a series like I said, so expect to hear from me soon. 

Also feel free to forward to as many people as you want, I give up my copy rights on this lol

 take care and keep smiling