Jehovah Elshaddai

There is a God that answers prayers and His name is Jehovah Elshaddai. Prayers is one of the most important things in the life of Christians. It is prayers that have brought us thus far, and it is also prayers that would still take us far.

it is discovered that the reason many people don't pray when they are given assignments or when they are going through issues in their lives, is largely because they always rely on their own mights, intelligence, social status, professionalism and self, in order to carryout their assignments. If we pray without ceasing (as the Bible commands), we would find less time to engage in petty gossip, quarreling and back-bite our neighbours.

A certain woman was in trouble, her husband has died, she is just left with her sons, and the husband's creditors are on their neck, trying to take her sons as slaves. She cried to the Prophet of God and adhered to all the instructions the Prophet gave her. She never relied on her might, expertise or profession. She totally obeyed and she was blessed.

 ¹ A certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets cried out to Elisha, saying, “Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that your servant feared the LORD. And the creditor is coming to take my two sons to be his slaves.”
² So Elisha said to her, “What shall I do for you? Tell me, what do you have in the house?” And she said, “Your maidservant has nothing in the house but a jar of oil.”  
³ Then he said, “Go, borrow vessels from everywhere, from all your neighbors—empty vessels; do not gather just a few. ⁴ And when you have come in, you shall shut the door behind you and your sons; then pour it into all those vessels, and set aside the full ones.”  
⁵ So she went from him and shut the door behind her and her sons, who brought the vessels to her; and she poured it out. ⁶ Now it came to pass, when the vessels were full, that she said to her son, “Bring me another vessel.”  
And he said to her, “There is not another vessel.” So the oil ceased. ⁷ Then she came and told the man of God. And he said, “Go, sell the oil and pay your debt; and you and your sons live on the rest.” (2 Kings 4:1-7, New King James Version)

There are lots of lessons to be learnt from this passage of 2 Kings chapter 4 verse 1 to 7:

1. Neighbourhood Involvement: Be very much involved in what is going on in your neighbourhood or else when you need any empty vessels, you wont be able to find anywhere to get or borrow them. The woman was in very good terms with her neighbours, that was why she was able to borrow lots of empty vessels when her own containers were finished. According to some scholars, this was the origin of Crude oil production. (Don't ask me, am not a Petrochemical Engineer, neither am I a renewable Energy practitioner - lol just mussing)
2. Counseling: It is important that you should always seek counsel from Trusted Spiritual Leaders.
3. Obedience to Authority: As Christians, we should be obedient to men of God and people in Authority. The Man of God gave instructions, and she obeyed and the result was an untold abundance.
4. Personal Expectations: Always make it a point in your life to not limit your expectations from God.
5. Aim High and Dream Big: Do not limit your Dreams and aspirations.

Women/wives must be people who can and must have a constant channel of communication with God, so that when their man / husbands are gone, they would ba in a better possition to take over the handling of affairs in the homes.

Surely troubles and problems will come our ways, but God has already given us something in our various homes to solve these problems.

Kingdom Commitment

The first thing you would ask yourself is "What is Commitment?"

Commitment could be defined as "In-dept or total involvement in anything one does".

Having said that, what then is Kingdom Commitment?
On can say that Kingdom Commitment is "being zealous in the things of God with knowledge", or simply put, Kingdom Commitment is "being totally involved in the work of the Kingdom of God"

Like Jesus made us to understand in the book of Luke 9:62, Kingdom Commitment is the Main Key to everything you want in the Kingdom of God.

62 But Jesus said to him, “No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.” (Luke 9:62, New King James Version)

Why must you be committed to God's Kingdom?

1. In the Kingdom business, there is no slothfulness.
1. You must make sure that you have overcome all level of laziness in you. (1 Cor 15:58)
2. You must be very steadfast in all you do.
3. You must be immovable and always abounding in your work for the Lord, with the knowledge that every work you do for God is never in vain.
2. Salvation is not a cheap thing. Therefore its important that you strive to "work out your own Salvation with fear and trembling" (Phil 2:12)
3. You must be very mindful of every step you take in life, every thing you do or say etc. Its important you guide and guard your lips, and think before you talk.
4. The Coming of Jesus Christ is at Hand.
• You have to be watchful of the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. Make sure you live each day as if Jesus is coming the next minute. Be anxious for nothing, but remember that in all things, you have the key to effective communication with God through Prayer and supplication.

You may have noted that I said "Effective Communication With God". This is because many of us forget that Prayer is a two-way Communication. Whenever you go to God in prayers, always wait to hear from him. It is not good to just heap all your requests to God without waiting for Him to give you an answer or just talk to you in His own way. You must develop a good communication technique or channel with God.

Benefits of Kingdom Commitment

There are lots of Benefits you will gain when you are totally committed to the Work of the Kingdom of God.

1. You will have Favour from God: When you are committed to the Work of God, you will receive uncountable Favour(s) from God.
2. You will have Joy and Peace of Mind: Whenever you have spent time doing Gods work, and contributing to the expansion of Gods kingdom (even in your own little way), you will always have some instant results in the form of unquenchable Joy, and absolute peace of Mind. If you are highly tunned to Gods presence and His miraculous frequency, you will always notice His joy that goes beyond all human understanding.
3. You will have greater responsibility: One of the essential benefits of being committed to the work of God's kingdom is that you become an Ambassador of Christ on Earth, thus you have a greater responsibility of keeping the Work of God afloat. Jesus Christ took a great responsibility by giving us a way to gain Eternal Life in God's Kingdom, so its is now our own responsibility to help others see the Light of God. But remember that your work is to spread the good news of the Kingdom of God, and allow the Holy Spirit to touch the hearts, and make the seeds you have sown to germinate and bear fruit.

Killers of commitment

In this race of the Kingdom commitment, there are certain things that will tend to make you fail or pull you down. It is very important that you focus on your main aim, which is to do the work of Him that sent you - God. Some of the killers of commitment are:

1. Comparison with others: You should avoid comparing yourself with others. God has made you as the ONLY you on Earth. You don't have a photocopied version of yourself.
2. Envy and murmuring / Gossip: The gift of God in our lives is in levels. Instead of envying and murmuring about other people's conditions or riches or state, you could always desire higher gifts and pray to God to enable you have them. But remember that every gift of God comes with responsibility, so ask / use it wisely, because "every good and perfect gift comes from the Lord"

Always remember that "Kingdom commitment is a personal Race". So there is no need for you to want to "be like others" be happy with whatever gift you have, and be committed in whatever thing you are doing in the Kingdom of God.

Let Wisdom Speak

¹ Does not wisdom cry out, And understanding lift up her voice?(Proverbs 8:1, New King James Version)

It's wisdom that makes people think of doing things together, just as in Genesis chapter 11. This shows that what-so ever we purpose in our hearts, we have the ability to carry it out. Men can purpose in their hearts to do things for example, many scientific and non-scientific inventions were brought about by a simple though in a man's heart. This, they further experimented upon and then the final products were made available for our understanding and enjoyment.

My prayer today is "may God help us to be able to make proper use of our talents to glorify God, and also for the goodness of our lives". There is hope for you today, to use your brain and your minds to go higher in Life.

There are two types of Wisdom that a man have access to:

1. Wisdom from above (God)

2. Wisdom from hell (Devil)

¹³ Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom. ¹⁴ But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. ¹⁵ This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. ¹⁶ For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. ¹⁷ But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. ¹⁸ Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. (James 3:13-20, New King James Version)

According to James 3: 13-20:

1. The Wisdom for excellence is from God.

2. The Wisdom to take you higher is from God.

Men who exhibited the Wisdom of God

There are many examples in the bible of men of old who exhibited the wisdom of God or who properly utilized the wisdom that God gave them.

1. Joshua

In Deuteronomy 34:9, the Bible made us to understand that Joshua needed wisdom because of where God was taking him to.

 ⁹ Now Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom, for Moses had laid his hands on him; so the children of Israel heeded him, and did as the LORD had commanded Moses.  (Deuteronomy 34:9, New King James Version)

As a Child of God, you need to be full of Wisdom for you to succeed in your Ministry.

2. Noah - He received Wisdom to build an unsinkable ship.

3. Daniel - The spirit of Wisdom was upon Daniel and God made him ten times wiser and above his fellows.

4. Joseph - Though he never went to any school or had any scholastic degree, but because of God's wisdom operating in him, he was able to advice Kings, and even went on to become a Prime Minister in Egypt.

According to Pastor Kunle Daniel of the RCCG Open Heavens Dublin, you must know that God's wisdom is part of the package of being born again. Once you accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and personal Saviour, you inherit the wisdom of God that comes with it. So if you want to move higher in life, you need to steer that Wisdom in your life.

How can you get Higher?

1. You need to be studious.

To get higher in life, you need to constantly Study the Word of God (Bible) and digest it, so that you can live by, and be strengthened by it.

2. You need to have the Power of the Word of God in your life, and this comes only from constant study of Gods words.

3. You need to Pray without ceasing. Prayer is the key to everything you need from God.
There are different types of Prayer.

• Prayer of inquiry. The Bible made us to understand that King David always seek God's face in prayers before he undertakes any ventures. (1 Sam 30:8)
• Prayer of supplication.
• Prayer for Spiritual Health.
• Prayer of the righteous
• Spoken prayer. etc.

4. You need to be focused. (Mathew 6:22)

“The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. (Matthew 6:22, New King James Version)"

5. Keep good Company. (proverbs 13:20)

Who are the people you move with? Remember that if you move with failure, you will surely fail. so the Bible wants you to know that:

" ²⁰ He who walks with wise men will be wise, But the companion of fools will be destroyed. (Proverbs 13:20, New King James Version)"

6. You need to Encourage One another. Remember that "Iron sharpness Iron"

^"22 Do not rob the poor because he is poor, Nor oppress the afflicted at the gate; (Proverbs 22:22, New King James Version)"

7. You need to be a Giver.

To get higher in life, you need to be steadfast in your giving. Cultivate the habit of Giving to God. The life of Issac is a typical example.
While others were eating their seeds, Issac was planting and sowing seeds.

Issac was able to do this because God gave him Wisdom. So its up to you now to either utilize the GIFTS that God has given you and use that Wisdom to excel and take your life to the next level. Let Wisdom speak, and be ready to open up your heart to hear and obey.

Excellent Service

Joseph while in the house of Pharaoh, did not consider himself a "slave", but offered the best of his abilities. Despite his inconveniences as a "slave boy",he offered the best of his services to his Master and conducted himself and all the works of his hands in an excellent manner.

Excellent service is not about serving God in our convenience. It is not about "Eye Service" - doing things because you want an immediate reward.

Joseph was doing every work in his Master's house with all his might, irrespective of the fact that he was NEVER going to get any rewards.

When we render selfless service to God, temptations will surely come our ways (sometimes) in the form of "immediate/instant rewards"

We have to be contempted / satisfied with the rewards that we would get from God. Never allow your travails, unanswered prayers to be a hindrance to your service to God, and hence being a blockage to receiving your reward(s) from God.

Always remember that whoever renders an Excellent Service to God , He goes an extra mile to BLESS him beyond his imagination.

So my question to you now is: -

• Are you doing something for someone and expects an immediate reward from them?
• Are you rendering help to anyone on behalf of God and wants the whole World to hear about it without even allowing God to first evaluate your efforts?
• Are your giving an excellent service to God?

Its up to you to know if you really measure up as someone who is worthy of giving an Excellent Service to God, because God expects the best from you.

^"2 The LORD was with Joseph, and he was a successful man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian. ³ And his master saw that the LORD was with him and that the LORD made all he did to prosper in his hand. ⁴ So Joseph found favor in his sight, and served him. Then he made him overseer of his house, and all that he had he put under his authority." (Genesis 39:2-4, New King James Version)

Thanksgiving a Miracle booster

The Thanksgiving that produces Miracles

We give thanks to God for the marvelous things He has done in our lives. For being alive daily; and for the benefits of being present on a daily basis; for seeing our families; for the ability to wake up daily, go to work, and be back safely; for our safety on a daily basis; for many countless things He has done for us.
It gives God great joy to receive our thanksgiving, but only when it is properly given.

The Psalmist in Psalms 103:1 -5 constantly gave thanks to God. It is therefore very important that we ask ourselves the question:
Why should we give God thanks?
We should continually give God thanks because He is the one that:

1. Forgives all Iniquities.
2. Heals all diseases and sicknesses.
3. Redeems our lives from destruction.
4. Crowns us with His loving kindness and His tender mercies.
5. Satisfies our mouth with good things.
6. Renews our youth like the eagle's.

Also,

1. It is God's expectation that we should give Him thanks. (Psalm 50:12-15)
2. Because it is inherent in the nature of man to give God Thanks. (Luke 12:16-20)
3. Because thanksgiving, brings more of God's favour to us. (Luke 17:11-19)

How Should we Give Thanks?

According to the Psalmist (Psalm 96:1-4), we should give thanks to God by:

1. Singing and prising God with great songs and hymens.
2. Making a joyful noise to God.
3. Testifying of His goodness and mercies.
4. Verbally expressing our thanksgiving to God.
5. Giving gifts to God.
6. Giving God quality Offerings.

How can our thanksgiving produce a Miracle?

Most of the times we give thanks to God for what He has done in our lives, but God expects us to go beyond that (The extra mile) to give Him thanks for the things to come in future.

According to the book of 2 Cor. 8:5, God expects you to give/offer your lives to Him first, before you can be able to give Him an acceptable thanks. It is only when we have sincerely offered ourselves to God through Jesus Christ, that we can then give Thanksgiving that would be acceptable to God, and hence unlock the manifestations of the miracles of God in our Lives.

God is looking to you today for a Quality offering of thanksgiving; for a communion with Him. Its up to you to experience the great power of God's miracles, and this can only be made manifest when you accept Christ as your Lord and personal Saviour.

As we have reached the second half of the year, let us make it a point in our lives to give God quality thanksgiving that would produce a miracle in our lives.