God sent Moses to tell Pharaoh to let his people go, after having them in slavery for over four hundred years. The interesting thing is that the scripture says, that God hardened Pharaoh’s, heart so that he did not listen to Moses. Due to the hardness of Pharaoh’s heart, God sent pestilence and diseases on the land and caused the death of every first born son in Egypt. It is almost as if God had a score to settle with Pharaoh. This was because of all the inhumane treatment, that he handed out to his people for hundreds of years. Despite the years of free labour, now that God sent Moses to tell Pharaoh that it was time to release his people Pharaoh refused. Pharaoh cannot say that God did not warn him before he sent the plagues.

Even after the Israelites were released from captivity, Pharaoh again became hardened and tried to pursue them. “I will make Pharaoh so stubborn that he will pursue them. Then, because of what I do to Pharaoh and his entire army, I will receive honor, and the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord” (Exodus 14:4). We know how this story ended, as Pharaoh’s army drowned in the Red Sea.

We see another story of God settling the score in the book of Judges, when Samson fell in love with a Philistine woman. His parents disapproved as the Jews were forbidden from marrying the Philistines. “His father and mother did not know that it was from the Lord, for he was seeking an opportunity against the Philistines. At that time the Philistines ruled over Israel” (Judges‬ ‭14:4‬). On this occasion, God had placed this desire in Samson, because he had a purpose to accomplish. As result of Samson’s love for this woman and the reaction from the Philistines against this, he waged war against them and destroyed their stronghold.

There are battles that we are in the midst of, that God is using as an occasion against the enemy. We know that God loves justice and he hates robbery (Isaiah 61:8). This battle may feel like it is all about you. Could God be using it to exercise justice and judgement over an oppressive system? One thing is certain, that when God is fighting for you, you are guaranteed victory. “Stand still and see the salvation that the Lord will bring you this day against this great army. The Egyptians you see today, you will shall never see again” (Exodus 14:13).

A.P.-Y.

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..a time to keep silent, and a time to speak. Ecclesiastes 3:7

Solomon said that wisdom is the principal thing; therefore we should desire to gain wisdom and increase in understanding. Proverbs 4:7

Holding back what we think is an area of weakness for many of us who often without malice feel the need to say what is on our minds. We have to train ourselves to know when to speak and when to keep silent. The adversary understands our weaknesses and will try to temp us in this area.

We have to understand when we are being tested and what to respond to and what things we need to ignore. Overtime we become better at ignoring and practicing a time to keep silent. It is our peace that the devil is after and our ability to remain calm and choose not to react every time we feel offended. We don’t always need to try to defend ourselves as some people are not interested in a resolution. Remember that Jesus is our defender and he was accused yet he remained silent up to the point of death.

The tongue is a hard thing to tame and although small can do significant damage. For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. James 3:7-8

We have the power to build each other up with what we say and the same ability to tear people down. This is why Paul warns us to bless and curse not. Romans 12:14

My daily prayer is that God will help me to be at peace with others and to hold my peace. To daily understand when to speak and when to keep silent.

A.P.-Y.

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“Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!” Psalm 27:14

Have you ever felt like you were being rushed into making a decision or felt like you were being recruited into someone else’s scheme. The bible warns us against being entrapped by seducing spirits and doctrines of devils.

Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” Genesis 3:1 Some strategies set up for our downfall are not as blatant and straightforward as we may think. People are good at using sinister strategies to win people over or to recruit us into plans that mean us no good.

That is why the bible reminds us in 1 Peter 5:8 to be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: We cannot be ignorant of the devices of the devil and allow him to get the advantage against us. 2 Corinthians 2: 11

This is why God often reminds us to be still and listen to his voice. We all have weaknesses and areas where we are vulnerable. Many times when you think you are able to master one strategy at work against you, the enemy always has other subtle strategies to pull you into his traps. His strategy against Eve in Genesis was not an aggressive one, but more subtle and deceptive. Did God actually say…?

Subtle forms of deception are at times more harmful than aggressive strategies because we do not always see it coming. The only sure way to protect ourselves is by spending regular quite time with God where we listen to his voice and wait for his instruction. We also need time out to rest as we are less inclined to make rational decisions when we are exhausted.

A.P.-Y.

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From The Art of War Series

“But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;” Matthew 5:44

It sounds counter productive to spend time praying for, loving and blessing our enemies and those who curse, hate, use or persecute us. Why does God require that we spend so much effort praying for our enemies. Because by doing so it releases our desire for revenge and it frees our heart and mind of all bitterness and resentment. Remember that if we regard iniquity in our hearts that God will not hear us. Psalm 66:18

We go a step further after we have prayed for those who hurt us to blessing them and wishing them well. Solomon also instructs us to feed our enemies if they are hungry and give them a drink if they are thirsty. If we do so we shall heap burning coals of shame on their heads and God will reward us. Proverbs 25:21-22

Remember that our weapons of war are not physical ones and our strategies cannot be the same as the world. Love will win the wars that we fight against the kingdom of darkness and what is operating in many people who retaliate against us is grounded in the spiritual realm. Physical weapons will not bring down our enemies and the enemy we fight is not flesh and blood.

The devil wants us to retaliate against those who hurt and abuse us. We win when we can continue to demonstrate love despite being used and abused. Our weapon in this battle is love and we continue to pray and ask God for mercy for those who mistreat us. Once our heart remains pure then God can do his perfect work through us.

A.P.-Y.

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“If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.” Colossians 3:1

Paul has already spoken in Ephesians of us being seated in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. And not only are we seated, but we are far above principalities and powers and might and dominion and every name that is named. Ephesians 2:6; 1:21

Since we are seated with Christ Jesus in heavenly realms, our perspective has to be different. If you have ever sat at the top of a double decker bus, you will realise that you will notice sites and landmarks that you would generally miss while sitting in a car or in the lower deck of a bus. So being seated with Christ, we can see the world from heaven’s perspective because our position and perspective is different.

Our mindset is no longer carnal but we view things through the lens of the spirit. “By having the eyes of your heart flooded with light, so that you can know and understand the hope to which He has called you, and how rich is His glorious inheritance in the saints (His set-apart ones),”Ephesians 1:18

We live here on earth and we daily carry out our mandates while fulfilling the purpose and design which God created for us before time began. But we know that this is not our final resting place for we have a home beyond this, an eternal place of rest and peace. So we work here while this world remains but we bear in mind that only what we do for Christ here will last into eternity.

“Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.” Colossians 3:2

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“Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” Psalm 46:10

This stillness which the Psalmist refers to is waiting before God in his presence and listening for his voice for direction and guidance. We rush to pick up the phone when we have a problem and Google is our main source of reference for many problems. For many of us prayer is the last resort after we have exhausted every other option.

Meditation has developed an orientation to Eastern religions and the Christian Church does not always emphasize stillness and solace before God. We approach God in prayer with many words and a anxious heart and very often never listen. Now it’s important to pour out our hearts to God and to bring our petitions to him. It is even more important to practice being still in his presence, waiting for his response and listening for his leading.

Yes God speaks to Prophets, Pastors and ministers but he also speaks to anyone who will make themselves available to listen. When we daily practice coming before God in repentance, worship and prayer and practice waiting in his presence he will reveal himself to us.

You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:13

God is always speaking. Will you listen, can you hear his voice speaking to you. His voice brings peace, comfort and acceptance. Listen for his leading.

A.P.-Y.

“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit” (Romans 8:1).

Do not let anyone accuse you wrongfully or try to make you feel responsible or guilty for anything that you did not do. Remember that it is the Devil’s job to accuse us as believers and try to cause us to feel guilty. Do you know that guilt is one of the main features of depression along with unresolved worry over past mistakes. Some of us feel guilty about things that wasn’t even our fault in the first place.

It is Satan’s mission to cause you to feel unworthy, not good enough and not capable enough. You can worry about not being a good mother because your child(dren) aren’t making right choices. The bible says train them up and when they are old they will not depart. My motto at work and in life is I do my best and I let God do the rest. That way I save myself from the weight of perfectionism or the need to try to live up to anyone’s standards. At the end of the day I am able to sleep if I have a clear conscience that I have done the best that I can and then God’s grace covers me in the areas where I am lacking. So God is my real boss and I work to meet his standards. Now if God is happy with me then everyone has to line up behind him.

Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifies. Who is he that condemns? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. Romans 8:33-34

Don’t walk around any longer laden with false guilt and shame. You are the righteousness of God and you are who God says you are. You confess your sins to God and he places them in the sea of forgetfulness and he remembers them no more. Ignore people who try to remind you of who you were. They even tried it with Jesus in his home town of Nazareth so he couldn’t do many miracles there. 

Shake the dust from off your feet and move on from people who try to judge and condemn you. You belong to God and in his eyes you are loved, forgiven and the apple of his eyes.

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For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen. Romans 11:36

God will not share his glory with any other Gods and it is our duty to acknowledge who God is and submit to his power. We cannot take the credit for our God given gifts and abilities and for many of the blessings we have in life. We could never guarantee that our lungs will function daily and that we will continue to have breath and life. How many times have we been through experiences that we knew could only have happened through the intervention of God.

Even negative situations when trusted to God turns around for our good. Ever wonder what people mean by ‘a blessings in disguise.’ Sometimes an experience that we think is the worst thing to happen works out in a our favour.

Paul described it by saying that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love Him and are called according to his purpose for them. Romans 8:28 God truly does work in mysterious ways, his wonders to perform.

For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. Philippians 2:13 God uses the simple things to confound the wise and our wisdom is like foolishness to God. How many times have you seen the hand of God in your life or heard people comment that a turn of events or an outcome had to have been a miracle.

Trust God to do his work in you and look for his hand at work. And when you see his hand, acknowledge him and give him the glory. “Then he said to me, “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of hosts.” Zechariah‬ ‭4:6‬

A.P.-Y.

God wants us to have health and a full life. How else would we fulfil the will of God and be used by him when we are constantly struggling. God will allow some pain and struggle if we allow him to use it for his glory. All things work together for good, to those who love God and are called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28

I know that this scripture can sound cliche and we cannot always wrap our minds around how some of our challenges are working out for good. I do not believe that all atrocities in the world are according to God’s perfect will. God controls everything but there are some situations that he will allow for judgment when people have hardened their hearts towards him. But for those who are walking in the perfect will of the Lord he uses the trials to bring glory to his name.

God can use illness to draw a family closer together and bring healing for his glory. It is through adversity when all hope is gone that we place all our trust and confidence in God. And when he delivers our faith grows stronger. We draw strength from the heroes of faith in the bible and we learn from Jesus’s example how he prayed the prayer of faith and healed the sick and gave freedom to the oppressed.

We learn from David how he constantly engaged in battle and always had victory. We also learn from the Israelites how disobedience always led to judgement and God turning away from his people. But God is always faithful to restore once his people repent and turn back to him. That’s the confidence we have in God that no matter how far we go away from his presence that he is always waiting with open arms for us to return to him. Once we repent and return to God he is waiting to restore all that was lost. God is restoring.

A.P.-Y.

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“Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked, declares the Lord God, and not rather that he should turn from his way and live?” Ezekiel‬ ‭18:23‬

People often blame God when very bad things happen in the world and cast doubt on his faithfulness and ability to heal the sick or stop major atrocities. I believe that God is a good father who loves us and wants the very best for us. And in order for us to stay under his covering and protection, we have to walk in obedience and maintain a relationship with him.

Very often we want to live life on our own terms and choose the parts of the bible that we want to obey for example. But we cannot expect all the blessings without the obedience and submission. The reality that we have to come to terms with is that God is not a convenience store where we select the items we want and leave the rest on the shelf. The commandments in His word are there for a reason and His laws are there to protect us.

There are spiritual laws that govern the universe and it is because God knows the outcome of some actions that he warns us to stay away from them. This isn’t because he is a grumpy old man who wants to ruin all the fun and make us live boring lives. In the same way that parents warn children to stay away from some behaviours because they are old and wise enough to know the outcome.

God knows the end from the beginning and his ways are higher than our ways and his thoughts than our thoughts. Isaiah 46:10; 55:8-9 God’s wisdom is infinite and He is all powerful and all knowing.

“Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?”Romans‬ ‭11:34‬ Our duty is to fear God and keep his commandments, submit to him and walk in obedience and trust that he loves us and cares for us. God cannot be tempted by evil and he is not the cause of evil around us but the safest place for us to find rest and peace is in the will of God.

A.P.-Y.