Tag Archives: Abraham

Losing It All, To Gain It All!!

Hope and Faith, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Hello there!

It has been a while for me since I wrote a post of my own. Four weeks to be precise!!😉. The aim was really to allow God to minister to you through other anointed writers and I do believe that He truly did! September was a missions month in my church and this was my little contribution of connecting with other writers. May the body of Christ continue to grow in all dimensions! Do I hear an Amen there?🙋☺ I feel so excited to do this again and to be honest I really missed writing like this. My heart’s prayer is that you are keeping well. And for those feeling kinda low today, how I pray that you experience God’s faithfulness in your life because He truly is faithful!!🙌💃

So today we will focus on the story of Lot in the book of Genesis. He was a grandson to Terah and nephew to Abram (who became Abraham). Haran, Lot’s father, died before Terah moved from Ur to Canaan but decided to settle at Haran instead. Yes, Haran is both the name of a person and a place! 😇 Now moving on swiftly ladies and gentlemen, these details are found in Genesis 11:24-32. Please do read!

Lot was the man who left Haran to Canaan with Abraham. He was the one who never released the secret that Sarah was Abraham’s wife when they moved to Egypt because of severe famine. Lot was actually the one who chose to live near Sodom when they separated with Abraham because of constant quarrelling between the two and also with their herdsmen because of increase in their possessions. He chose the whole plain of Jordan which was well watered like Egypt while his uncle lived in the land of Canaan. Lot was the man who was captured with his possessions during a battle between Sodom and its four allies against Kedorlaomer , king of Elam and his three allies. He was then rescued by Abraham and 318 trained men, together with all who were captured from the five defeated kingdoms. It was after this victory that we see the first recording of a tithe where Abraham gave a tenth of everything he recovered. The detailed story is found in Genesis 12 to 14.

The focus of this post is on Chapter 19. Just before going deeper, it is interesting to notice how LORD (Hebrew Yahweh) in chapter 18 does not come with the two angels to Sodom on the same day they all visited Abraham. To be precise they visited Abraham in the heat of the day (I interpret that to be in the noon time) and by evening two angels were visiting Lot. I love how Lot was quick to notice and discern that they were not ordinary men. He insisted so much that they visit his home until they agreed. He lived in a wicked place evidenced by the persistent call by the men to want to have sex with his visitors. With much struggle, he refused and was willing to give his virgin daughters instead. 🙄My friend, this is just another level!! 🤔

I applaud the daughters who stayed pure despite the sexual immorality all around them but am not sure if I would be willing to give that up as their father offered to do. I still feel that he showed reverence for God and he must have had an influence in raising his daughters to abstain from sex that far. Reading verse nine tells me that the men put a lot of pressure on him for homosexuality. Here we have a man who is surrounded in the night by all men, both young and old who forcefully want sex with his visitors and he stands at the door and says no. Can you just picture this scenario for a moment? What would you do?

I can say he did “everything” that was within his power to protect his visitors who were not just any ordinary men but angels of the Most High. He could not afford to allow any harm come to them but rather offer what was precious to him. Anyone recall someone in the Bible who was willing to give up his own child?🙋Yes, his own uncle, Abraham was willing to give up his own son in reverence and obedience to God. Wow! You know am just thinking about how many times I have struggled with what I feel the spirit asking me to do for God’s kingdom, yet hear I read of a man who wanted to give it all really for this same God. Unless you feel his offer of the children to all the men in Sodom was not. I have read of how others feel it was abuse, others say that the daughters themselves were catalysts to the offer, while others say he regretted living in Sodom. Well, I read the Word of God and I see a courageous man. A man who raised his daughters in purity in a very sexual immoral land and was willing to give that up to protect the messengers of Jehovah! I believe he raised them in such a manner out of reverence for God whom he knew through living with his uncle.

And do you know what happened when he had made up his mind to give his precious treasures, his virgin daughters? God delivered him and his family from the destruction that was waiting Sodom. The angels pulled him back into the house and struck blindness to all the men and gave time to Lot and his family to escape! Wow! I love this story! I am reminded that God made available the offering needed when Abraham showed obedience in offering his son. Wow! Just Wow!!🙆

What can be said of me in the area of giving? What can be said of you? I used to think am a giver until the story of Lot hit my mind one morning. I bet my lesson is that there is room for improvement. Great room indeed!!😇

Thank you so much for your time today! May God continue to ever be with you!!🙏 Amen!!🙌

#Lot #Giving #Hopeforyouandme

The Certainty of the Promise

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royalnzioka

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Have you ever gone through a disappointment as a result of broken promises, or unmet expectations?

It is said of a certain commander that when he was marching to help a friend, his troops faltered:

“It can’t be done!”

His answer was, “It must be done! I have promised to be there – promised, do you hear? You would not have me break my word!”

He would not be hindered, for his promise had been given.

We all admire men and women who keep their promises. Out tendency and proclivity is to trust and confide in people who have a track record of keeping promise!

The truth is that the promise of man is not foolproof…

Even trusted friends can disappoint!

….and I am realizing that sometimes disappointment is a blessing in disguise…

..Because it teaches you to expect little or nothing from man while fully depending on God!

In…

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What Would You Tell Your Sixteen Year Old Self?🤔😇🙃

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Once upon a time, in a small village in the countryside, there lived a girl called Eglyne Esther. She very much enjoyed indoor activities as her personality was more of a quiet and shy one. Her parents adored her as she was not so much trouble raising as a child. Eglyne grew up as a God fearing young lady who always kept her parents, three brothers and sister in much prayer. How do I know all this? Well, I know her.

So, I happened to meet Eglyne last week to just catch up about life. We had not had a girl talk for quite some time and I had really longed for one with her💃💃. She shared how much she is grateful for the far that the Lord has brought her. Her birthday was actually on the day before we met. So the curious me poked this lost friend of mine to open up of what resolutions she set herself now that she was one year older. It was amazing to listen to her share of what she would have done differently in her life instead of the future plans I inquired about. To be precise, she talked of what advise she would give her younger self…a sixteen year old Eglyne Esther?🤔🤗 She would tell her have her always remember Matthew 6:25-34

Do Not Worry

25 “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 than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 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? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you— you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Wow!! I starred with amazement as she beamed, her eyes twinkling with pride, her mouth moving with utmost confidence. “This must definitely be out of experience given such vigour and assurance of the word”, I thought to myself. Whom am I kidding? My poking self could not just keep calm and so I gave into the temptation of asking to hear more of the inspirational sharing🙃😉!! As she opened I realized how much she focused on verse twenty nine that says “ Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendour was dressed like one of these”. It really struck me that Solomon with all the wealth he had was not as beautifully dressed as the lilies of the field. I hope we are all on the same page of how wealthy Solomon was. Or do we need to do a lifestyle audit?🤔😂😂. Oops, seem to be digressing here. I know my countrymen understand 🤣😉!!

Okay now going back to the man who asked God for wisdom when He handed him a blank cheque. The Bible says in 1Kings 10:21, “All King Solomon’s goblets were gold, and all the household articles in the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon were pure gold. Nothing was made of silver, because silver was considered of little value in Solomon’s days“. 1Kings 10:23 also says, “King Solomon was greater in riches and wisdom than all the other kings of the earth”. Did you also know that during his time, silver was common in Jerusalem as stones?😱🙄🥈💰🤑. Come read 1 Kings 10:27, “The king made silver common in Jerusalem as stones, and cedar as plentiful as sycamore-fig trees in the foothills.” I guess we now all know. Forbes would have definitely loved this guy💯😎💃🕺!!

Eglyne (whom I call Queen Esther) really got me thinking. Isn’t God just amazing? What is impossible with Him? Nothing, absolutely nothing 🙅. He has everything under control. Eglyne wishes her younger self would not have wasted so much time worrying about how things would turn out. Rather she would have purposed to fix her eyes on things above, be at peace and enjoy life in Christ. Anxiety and worry just bursts the fun out of the life balloon. Nearly three decades on this earth has taught her that if she surrenders control to her creator, the giver of all things, then she is certain of God’s will being fulfilled in her life. Some answers to prayers may not turn out exactly how she wanted, but then time proved that truly God’s ways were better than hers. Not as easy as it sounds, and that is where the Helper comes in, the Holy Spirit. To teach us all things.

So what would you tell your sixteen year old self today?😕😎😍🙋💖💜💝

It is obvious that it is only after time passes by that some things start to make sense. You get to understand and appreciate the crooked turns and bends, the mountains and the valleys of your past life. But most of all God’s faithfulness. This is my personal testimony. That I serve the God of Abraham (Covenant keeping God, the God of Isaac (God of Impossibilities) and the God of Jacob (God of change/transformation). Amen and Amen and Amen!! So what would your advise be to your younger self?

See you next week Friday and God bless!!!😇🙏

#Hopeforyouandme #UnchangeableGod #QueenEsther #Eglyne

Are You A Joseph🤵🙋😇🙏?

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Image by Walter Chavez via Unsplash

Hey there!

I trust that our God who never sleeps nor slumbers has been watching over you. Am glad you have taken the time to not only read but also hear from Him. May He truly meet you at your point of need! Amen

So am still stuck in the first few chapters of Matthew and today’s post is really on Joseph’s first actions. Am truly intrigued by the role he played in Mary’s life and by extension in Jesus’ life thereof. At first, my curiosity was where he disappeared to as I moved on in reading but my eyes opened to the great value he brought instead. So am back to chapter one, specifically verse 18 to 25.Did you know he was only mentioned in Matthew and Luke seven times each while twice in the book of John? Did you also know that an angel of the Lord appeared to him, and not just any angel, one of the three in the Bible mentioned by name. The three angels mentioned by name are:

(1) Michael, the Archangel in Jude 1:9

9 But even the archangel Michael, when he was disputing with the devil about the body of Moses,did not himself dare to condemn him for slander but said, “The Lord rebuke you!”

(2) Abaddon in Revelation 9:11

11 And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon.

(3) Gabriel in Luke 1:19

19 The angel said to him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news.

He was actually recorded as the first man to see an angel in the first book of the New Testament. Of course the Old Testament had several others such as Abraham, Hagar,Lot,Joshua, Gideon, Balaam, Zechariah, Manoah and his wife who were parents to Samson.

Given that I do not believe in coincidence or luck I write with absolute awe of God’s perfect ways in Mary’s life. Imagine if Mary would have been betrothed to another man, would that man have taken the path that Joseph did? Or what if Joseph chose not to marry her even after an angel spoke to him? Why was Joseph chosen to assist Mary in fulfilling her purpose in giving birth and raising the Son of God? Well my personal response would be in Matthew 1:19..Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and… I want to truly believe that Joseph’s way of living prepared him for the journey ahead of him. It allowed his heart and spirit to be in a position ready to discern what and when God is directing him in a certain path. I do not feel that the appearance of an angel changed who he was but rather confirmed the fear of God in him. His mind may have conceived to divorce Mary quietly but his heart and spirit made a complete turn around upon receipt of the direction he ought to take. And that was to marry Mary….ululation please🙌🙌😊😆😃🤗!! This was not only courageous but obedient too. The Bible states that when he woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and he took Mary home as his wife...verse 24.

Verse 20 of Matthew chapter one states that the angel called Joseph(Mary’s husband) the son of David while his father was actually called Jacob. I guess the culture of calling children after their forefathers was existent from long ago😉. I find the angel to be very intentional with his choice of words. What is the first thing that comes to mind when you hear or read of King David? Well for me, it is the fact that he was a man after God’s own heart. So out of all the names of Joseph’s ancestors that he was a “son of”, the angel chose to pick out David. I want to believe there was something inside of Joseph that was also in David that was significant enough to call for such relation and distinction in who he really was….as God saw him. A righteous man. A man faithful to the law!!

Joseph can be any of us in the present time. Righteous. Faithful. Obedient. Courageous. It must have made the angel’s work much easier to deliver that kind of overwhelming message to a person whose heart was ready to obey despite previous considerations. Joseph’s response to the message from the angel must have put a smile on our Heavenly Father 😊😇!!

This post today is a calling to you and me to possess more of Joseph’s attributes. Those that will position you to be ready to not only hear but act as God instructs. Despite our past failures, it is still possible to get back up again and continue running the race once more. This is a calling to desire more of what the Spirit says rather than our own understanding. This sometimes can be difficult given what the physical circumstances are presenting but Joseph’s actions and the results thereof are a proof that God’s wisdom is no match for any mortal. His plans are perfect. So won’t you be encouraged that there is hope and great fulfillment in obeying God?He is calling us with a desire to plant us in various parts of this world to display his splendour. May we be counted faithful!!

God bless and see you next week Friday 🙏🙌🙋🤗😇!!

#Joseph #David #Jesus #God

#Hopeforyouandme

Elohim Is Ever Watching 💯🤗😇!!

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Has God ever spoken to you? Has He ever promised to do something great in your life? Has He ever promised to answer your prayer requests? Well, if yes was the answer, then am truly glad! Next would be to ask whether those answers and promises have manifested in the physical world? In other words have your eyes seen what you have been expecting and assured of fulfillment? Anyone raising their hands on this part 🙋? So you have still not seen them 🙆?

So first, I need to assure you that you are not alone. If it is any consolation, Abraham, the Father of Faith, is one of our ancestors who falls in this group. God promised him that he will have many descendants. That promise is still revealing itself today and will continue until the end of this earth. With that in mind, there is one thing to learn…God is watching the almond tree🙌💃😉!!

During the few years as a creation of my Heavenly Father, I can testify of His faithfulness in my life. Yes, if there is one thing that stands out for me is that assurance that if He said it, then He will do it. Phil 1:6..being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. Now the challenge for me has been the waiting period. This is where the real fiery furnace is. This period truly tests the depth of your trust and magnitude of your faith in the Kings of Kings! And let us not forget, your patience!!

It is during this period that I even forget this verse..Isaiah 55:8-13
8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. 9 “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways 9 “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways 9 “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. 10 As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, 11 so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. 12 You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands.13 Instead of the thorn bush will grow the juniper, and instead of briers the myrtle will grow. This will be for the Lord’s renown, for an everlasting sign, that will endure forever.”declares the Lord.

I do not have the intention of taking too much of your precious time, my aim is just to remind both you and I that God is faithful. That is the simple purpose of this post today. My aim is not to start telling stories but rather to quote exactly what God says in His word! Because that should be a lamp to our feet and a light to our path. Our path calls for faith through actions because without this then it is impossible to please God.

Am in a point in my life where am very expectant for my eyes to see all that God has spoken to me about concerning my future. Deep within, am aware that some will take years, but I choose to not only wait but to remain ever knocking at God’s door reminding Him of what He spoke. And to be very honest, everyone at every point in their lives, are often waiting on Jehovah to come and meet them at their point of need. Therefore, if you do forget everything else, do remember that Elohim is ever watching 😇!! Elohim means strength, might,power and authority.

As I bring this to a conclusion, I leave you with this… Jeremiah 1:11-12 The word of the Lord came to me: “What do you see, Jeremiah?” “I see the branch of an almond tree,” I replied. 12 The Lord said to me, “You have seen correctly, for I am watching to see that my word is fulfilled”. May you be encouraged that God is mindful of you.He is concerned about every detail of your life and very willing to come through for you in your circumstances. He is more than able to turn things around for your favor and for Hos glory only. He is truly not a man that He would lie. On the other side of this coin, is the importance for you to remain faithful and diligent in all that you do.

God bless and see you next wek Friday 😇😊!!

#FaithfulGod #UnchangeableGod #Hopeforyouandme