WAIT AND MURMUR NOT (July 2021, Newsletter)

Text: Psalms 40:1-3
“I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; He set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear the Lord and put their trust in him.”

INTRODUCTION
To wait is to stay where one is, or to delay action until a particular time or until something else happens (Google Dictionary).

In the Biblical context, to wait is to suspend your actions; to bring yourself down before the Lord and let Him have His way in your life.

As a matter of fact, it’s not easy to wait. This is the foundational problem of man since creation. God originally integrated waiting/patience into the program packaged to perfect His work on the man. The inability to wait is the cause of trouble many are into today.

Murmuring is a soft, indistinct sound made by a person or group of people speaking quietly or at a distance. It is a sound made out of the agony of long awaiting promises, unpleasant feelings, and disappointment.

Murmuring is a sign that someone is ingrate, impatient, uncertain, and has lost focus.

If you read Exodus 16: 2-15, the people of Israel murmured against God and He proved Himself to them. Many who murmured while passing through the wilderness, because of their unbelief, perished in the wilderness.

Rick Warren says,  ‘…there’s always a delay between planting and harvest. When you plant a seed in the ground, you don’t get an ear of corn the next day. You plant in one season, and you harvest in another.’ (Daily Devotional, June 17, 2021).

God will be speaking to you as we explore the said topic in subdivisions.

What happens when you are waiting?
• YOUR STRENGTH SHALL BE RENEWED;
• GOD IS WORKING OUT SOMETHING BETTER & GREATER FOR YOU;
• GOD FILLS YOUR MOUTH WITH TESTIMONIES.

May you be richly blessed as you navigate through this inspired Word of God.

1. YOUR STRENGTH SHALL BE RENEWED
Eagle can be used as a metaphor to demonstrate waiting and renewal of strength. Among birds, Eagle has extraordinary power to soar higher above mountains. When it is getting weak, it will fly to a very high mountain and hide there. The process is called ‘moulting.’ Eagle will stay there for 150 days. During this period, the old feathers will be removed to be replaced with new ones. An African adage in Yoruba says, “AWODI LOSIBA LO RE YE…”

The Bible makes it clear in Isaiah 40:31, “But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary, and they shall walk, and not faint.” When you cultivate the habit of waiting on the Lord, you shall find your strength renewed. During that period God is working something great in your life. David testified to this in the anchor scripture up there; “I waited patiently…” Not murmuring, but with great expectations and a song of praise cum assurance.

I am encouraging you to be a bit patient; it won’t be long for your expectation to come to fruition.

2. GOD IS WORKING OUT SOMETHING BETTER AND GREATER FOR YOU.
Your anxiousness cannot fast-track the plan of God for your life; it will only weigh you down. God is in the process of bringing out the best in your life. He uses your period of waiting to get His plan ready for you.

All the great people mentioned in the Bible experienced their waiting moments, even Jesus Christ endured His waiting period to perfect the work of redemption.

Some challenges would tend to arise in the course of waiting that might want you to be murmuring, just summon the courage and know that tough times don’t last.

David spent years on the field taking care of his father’s flocks, he didn’t give up. He later made it to the palace.

Joseph faced hell in his own waiting period, yet he didn’t give up. He too got to the palace.

Elisha exercised patience to get a double portion of his master’s (Elijah’s) anointing.

Jesus Christ, while eating with His disciples, gave them this command in Acts 1: 4, “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about.” It took them 50 days to wait for the fulfilment of this promise after the ascension of Jesus Christ. It is always being said, ‘It is not how far, but how well.’

Rick Warren once said in one of his daily devotionals, ‘While you’re planting and waiting, you can trust God will provide grace so that having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.” (June 17, 2021). Individual time of waiting is different, so you must endure your period of waiting because God is working out greater things for you.

3. GOD FILLS YOUR MOUTH WITH TESTIMONIES
No one is identified in the time of waiting because it’s a time for lone cross-bearing. The pains and weakness you are feeling are what no one can help you with, but God.

David could boldly say this, “He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand.” He was the only one who could explain how severe the experience was with him. During the waiting period, he saw God with him, and that gave him the courage to say; “He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear the Lord and put their trust in him.” That’s the testimony.

Your mouth shall be filled with testimony too, and the pain will soon be over. Whatever waiting period you are going through right now will surely expire very soon. Don’t give up; never compromise. Activate your faith, you are next in line for a miracle.  The whole world is waiting for your manifestation and testimony, it will be widely heard.

Conclusion
Murmuring will do you no good than to poison your mind with negative thoughts. Murmuring is also an act of rebellion against your God. Instead of murmuring, render songs of praise and worship your God. He is bigger than all the situations of your life.

Finally, let the Lord have His way in your life. Give your life to Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, and He will see you through.

Let’s pray:
1. Father, I thank You because You are always there for me.
2. I’m very sorry for my acts of rebellion through murmuring.
3. Have mercy on me, O’ Lord.
4. Lord, give me strength to be more patient with you.
5. Father, perfect everything that concerns me.
6. My God and Father, let my life bring glory to You.
7. Lord, fill my mouth with testimonies. Amen

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THE MIGHTY HANDS OF GOD.(JUNE 2021 NEWS LETTER)

Texts: Exodus 15:5-6, Deuteronomy 7:19.

Exodus 15:5-6.
5. The floods covered them; they went down into the depths like a stone.
6. Your right hand, O Lord, glorious in power, your right hand, O Lord, shatters the enemy.

Deuteronomy 7:19
19. The great trials that your eyes saw, the signs, the wonders, the mighty hand, and the outstretched arm, by which the Lord your God brought you out. So will the Lord your God do to all the peoples of whom you are afraid.

INTRODUCTION
The hand of God is His authority over your life. His hand gives clear direction to you and leads right.
‘The hand represents divine approval, and specifically acceptance of His sacrifice, and possibly also the storm mentioned in the gospels.’ (Online Bible Dictionary).

The hand of God demonstrates His  wrath on the enemies of His loved ones. The hand stands as a seige or an umbrella over His people; it is our safety in the time of storm.

Gertrud Schiller said, ‘It is an artistic metaphor that is  genenerally not intended to indicate that a hand was physically present or seen at any subject depicted.” (Wikipedia. Gertrud Schiller (7 January 1905 – 4 December 1994).

The hand of God doesn’t come physically, but mighty in action to represent God. So, we shall be digging deep into what the hands of God can do.

HIS HAND DOES WONDERS
One of the wonders done by God that cannot be forgotten in history is the parting of the Red Sea. No one can do that, only by the mighty hands of God.

The juction you are now is like the bank of a big ocean; you don’t know what to do again. The word of the Lord to you is that, you shall walk freely on dry ground without being hurt.

Summon courage, move on and  feel the mighty hand of God around you. He shall see you through.

HIS MIGHTY HAND RESTORES LIFE
He is your creator. The original plan of your life is in the hands of the Lord. As the Potter, He engraved you in the palm of His hands; and that is how important you are.

Your destiny is not in the hands of anybody, though enemies may try to delay it, but that does not mean denial. It happened in the life of some people in the Bible, but the moment they felt the mighty hands of the Lord, their destiny changed for better.

David said in Psalms 31:15, “My life, my every moment, my destiny—it’s all in your hands. So I know you can deliver me from those who persecute me relentlessly” (NIV). David acknowledged this, and it worked for him.

Mary, the mother of Our Lord Jesus Christ, had this encounter too. Biblical meaning of Mary is “bitterness” and “rebellion.” What a miserable name! But the hands of the Lord singled her our of the miserable and vulnerable life she was living. She became a celebrated woman for all generations. The same God who restored Mary can restore you too.

HIS MIGHTY HAND HEALS
Sickness and diseases are strangers in our body; they are ‘parasites’ in our body because they are not in the original plan of God for your life.

One great assignment of Jesus Christ is to deliver you from any kind of sickness or diseases.
In Luke 4:40 (HCSB), “When the sun was setting, all those who had anyone sick with various diseases brought them to Him. As He laid His hands on each one of them, He would heal them.”

His mighty hand is still very active to set you free from whatever sickness that is battling with your health. He is Jehovah Rapha, meaning “The God Who Heals.” What you need to do is to acknowledge His presence around you and feel His mighty hands on you, He will surely heal you.

HIS MIGHTY HAND HELPS
The fact about life is that every one needs help in one way or the other. Whatever you cannot do by your own ability or strength, you need an helping hand to do it. God is a very present help in time of trouble, that is, He is always ready to help but needs you to cooperate with Him by putting your hand in his hand. How can this happen? When you put away your ego, pride, knowledge, experience and connection, and surrender to Him like David did.

Psalms 121: 1-2
1. I lift up my eyes to the mountain where does my help come from?
2. My help comes from the Lord,
the Maker of heaven and earth.

In conclusion, the hand of God does wonderful works and miracles. Believe it, activate your faith, and expect your miracle. May you be lifted by His mighty hands.

Let’s pray.

1. Thank God for your journey since the beginning of the year.
2. Appreciate God for His sustaining hands on you.
3. Ask for God’s mercy on you, and pray that His mercy should prevail.
4. By the spoken Word of the Lord, every alliance formed by the wicked people to put you in chain  shall be thwarted.
5. The Lord will quiet every voice of doubt that might want to discourage you to move forward.
6. By the grace of God, you shall not miss your chance of connection and breakthrough, and you shall be lifted in the mighty name of Jesus Christ.
7. The mighty hands of God shall be your refuge and strength, and shall save you from troubles in Jesus Christ name.
8. The mighty hands of God shall be on you anywhere you go.

9. You and everything attached to  you shall not get lost in the mighty name of Jesus.

10. God shall turn things around for you, and your life shall begin to experience goodness.

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THE BATTLE  IS NOT YOURS. (MAY 2021 NEWSLETTER)

Text:  2 Chronicles 20:15

He said: “Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the LORD says to you: `Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s.

Introduction:
What does battle mean? It is a sustained fight between large organized armed forces (Oxford Dictionary).

There are two types of battles:
i. Physical Battles
ii. Spiritual Battles.

Physical battles are battles that confront you physically.

Spiritual battles are battles you cannot see with your naked eyes, but you can feel them. It is difficult to find the source of spiritual battle,  except through divine intervention.

Note this: the battle of life is real, it is powerful. You don’t need to offend anyone before you encounter battle.

Battles are ignited out of envy, jealousy, hatred, evil competitions, misunderstanding, unfaithfulness, rivalry, slander, anger, aggression, etc.

Unfortunately, many don’t know the reason why they are facing their current battle. It could be as a result of a curse in the family, a self-imposed curse or an evil covenant. Whatever may be the cause of the battle you are facing right now, there is an Anchor which keeps the soul. He is the only mighty Man in battle. He has never lost a battle; He will help you out because all power belongs to Him.

DO NOT BE AFRAID
To be afraid is to have an unsettled mind. Outrightly, it is the absence of faith.

There is no how you would hear the sad news that you won’t be afraid. Devil uses fear as a weapon to distract you and to make you powerless. Have this in your mind that, “What doesn’t kill you will make you stronger.”

God told Jehosaphat and his people not to be afraid. To be afraid is to give up on the wish and will of the enemies. To be afraid is to make yourself a slave to fear. To be afraid is to limit the power of God over the situation you are going through. To be afraid is to announce that you are a loser.

Put this word of God in your mind always;
Isaiah 41:10 “So do not fear, for I am with You; do not be dismayed, for I am Your God. I Will Strengthen You And Help You; I Will Uphold You With My Righteous Right Hand.”

DON’T BE DISCOURAGED
To be discouraged is to lose confidence or enthusiasm, or become disheartened (Online Dictionary).

When you feel discouraged, you will be emotionally down. If this happens, you will have no strength to confront the battle. Discouragement will make you put on the garment of a loser.

When you are discouraged, you won’t be able to strategize.

In the lead scripture, 2 Chronicles 20:15, the word of the Lord to Jehosaphat and his people is that they should not be afraid or discouraged. That is the message to you right now.

In that situation you are going through, never give up. Never compromise. Don’t be discouraged. Let your spirit be refreshed in the Word of the Lord. Look up, and begin to see yourself on the winning side.

Conclusion
I want you to develop your faith with these musical words:

Why should I feel discouraged?
Why should the shadows come?
Why should my heart feel lonely?
And long for heaven and home.

When Jesus is my portion;
A constant friend is He;
His eye is on the sparrow;
And I know He watches over me;
His eye is on the sparrow;
And I know He watches me.

Refrain;
I sing because I’m happy;
I sing because I’m free;
His eye is on the sparrow;
And I know He watches me (He watches me).
His eye is on the sparrow;
And I know He watches;
I know He watches;
I know He watches me…

The battle is not yours, it’s of the Lord.

Let’s pray.

1. Lord, I thank You that You are always ready to fight for me.

2. Thank God For His grace on you.

3. God’s goodness, grace & mercy shall be your companion as you go this month.

4. The Lord Himself will watch over you; He will hide you on His protective side and keep you from all evils in Jesus Christ’s name.

5. The grace of God shall find you at the junction of condemnation.

6. You shall operate in the abundance of God’s greater grace, and it shall not be difficult for you to break through in the name of Jesus Christ.

7. The gracious hand of God shall be on you as you go this week.

8. By the grace of God, unexpected doors of breakthrough shall open for you and it shall be well with you in Jesus Christ’s name. Amen.

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