What's your burden?

   Background:Nehemiah now ready with prayer, is off to face the king. His face is sad, though he must not appear sad before the king. He could get killed for that. Yet in Nehemiah 2 we read an account of how Nehemiah spoke with the king regarding what was troubling his heart. It presents a dialogue between the king and Nehemiah, along with Nehemiah's thoughts as he spoke to the king. During this dialogue, it is amazing to see Nehemiah's readiness for the situation. He knew how much time it would take and the legal documents he would need for the plan to which God had called him.

Lessons

1. Ready to take risk for God's work-v1-3Nehemiah could have lost his job for carrying his sorry countenance before the king of Persia, yet he did. When God calls us for His work, there will always be a challenge a risk involved, probably the risk of losing your reputation as a sane man or woman, probably the risk of losing your job because you decided not to cheat another company and make profit for your company, probably being thrown out of home, probably being killed for going to a hardened mission ground. We might look like a failure before the world, but before God we would have done rightly.
2. Prayer with hope of answer- v6 Nehemiah didn't doubt the request he had made to God. Remember in Neh 1:10-11 Nehemiah prayed for favour before the king and in Neh 2:6 he knew it had pleased the king to send Nehemiah to rebuild the wall. Nehemiah, though afraid to speak with the king, yet took courage in this that God had heard his prayer and it would be answered. I think prayer is a voice of faith, it speaks for its faith in God to be manifest in the situation.
3. Prayer with preparation:v6-7 I love these verses, it talks about a man who had not only prayed but was also ready with his plan, as if his request to the king had been granted. He was ready with the set time, had speculated what he might face when the request had been granted. Nehemiah was fearful of his request to the king, yet he backed up his prayer with preparation, preparation for the positive answer of his request.
4. God always backs up His plan for our lives-v7 says "And because the gracious hand of my God was upon me, the king granted my requests. " Nehemiah knew, God was in the plan, and so his requests had been granted. Nehemiah had understood the calling for him to rebuild the temple, it was in his heart to do so. He took it seriously and with much planning and the gracious hand of the Lord worked on his behalf. Whether we've paid attention to it or not, there will be something that moves us mightily for God, we could either ignore that and continue with our work, or pay attention to it and fulfil our calling. Even though it may seem reckless, as in Nehemiah's case he could lose his job, yet he went with God's plan and God backed it up, later Nehemiah goes on to become a governor in God's Jerusalem even under the rule of a foreign king.

Conclusion: What is it that burdens our heart? God's calling of burden will never be something to do with us. It wasn't Nehemiah's life that was a burden , he was in a good position as a cupbearer to the king-he was moved to brokenness to see God's house destroyed and the disgrace of his people. Would it matter to him if he had just let go of that burden for someone else? I don't think so, he would have probably continued being a cupbearer and earning his income. When was the last time we had a burden for someone else's betterment? Know this through the example of Nehemiah's life. When Nehemiah took up the burden for the disgrace of the remnant Israelites- God took up Nehemiah's burden of his livelihood, even when it was at stake before the king and gave him favour before his boss, the king of Persia.


Let us not be afraid to take the cross which God has given us because our God has given us a command and His promise.
Command:Luke 9:23 "Then to everyone he said, "If anyone wants to come after me, let him say `No' to himself, take up his execution-stake daily and keep following me. "(Complete Jewish Bible)
Promise:Matthew 11:28-30 "28"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

Take Position

Background:The book of Nehemiah was probably written by Nehemiah, however some claim it was written by Ezra. The book is regarding the return of the captive Israelites, to their own land, Jerusalem. It records the rebuilding of the broken wall of Jerusalem in chapters 1-7 and then the rebuilding of the spiritual life of the Israelites from chapters 8-13.

For me the book of Nehemiah, brings encouragement and hope as I read God's ways of bringing back His people to His dwelling place on earth. Many a times we move away from God due to various lusts, wants, sins and disobediences,like the Israelites did, yet this book brings hope to me that there is way even for the lost to return, when they sincerely want a change from their past.

Nehemiah was a cupbearer to the king Artaxerxes. From Ezra 6:14 we know Artaxerxes was one of the kings under whom the rebuilding of the temple was done. The name Nehemiah means "comforted by YHWH". Isn't that a beautiful meaning. I love meaningful names. My name means "Mercy".

Lessons from Nehemiah 1

• Intercession: "I questioned them about the Jewish remnant that survived the exile, and also about Jerusalem. 3 They said to me, "Those who survived the exile and are back in the province are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire.4 When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven. ". Nehemiah's heart was moved for the people of Israel, the remnant. He himself was working at a very high position, the king's cupbearer, most trusted of the king. He not only presented food to the king, he was responsible for the safety of the king, so he would have to taste the food before it was given to the king. The king would trust a cupbearer's advice on what was safe for him to eat. Why did such a highly positioned man, worry about someone else? Yet he did, his heart was moved by the disgrace and suffering of the remnant Israelites and he firstly, interceded for them.
• Action:"v11...Give your servant success today by granting him favor in the presence of this man." I was cupbearer to the king. " Nehemiah not only interceded for the remnant Israelites, but also had a plan for them and for this he asked God's favour as he approached the king with the plan.
• God guides Nehemiah, as we will see in Nehemiah 2 onwards.

Conclusion:Without passion to change someone's situation we cannot make a difference in anyone's life. If we truly want a change, God shows us in this book, that a sensitive heart, to the needs of others is an important ingredient for an intercessor. Above all, Nehemiah went beyond that, he knew he was in a position to help and he prayed that God would give him favour as he would place his plan before the king of Persia.

God has positioned us in strategic manners, like he did Nehemiah & Esther to change the lives of the remnant Israelites under other rulers, Jesus our Lord to change the lives of people through critical preaching and breaking the strongholds of religious mentality, and Paul as the topmost Jewish figure to turn his world upside down with his preaching through conviction. In the same manner, I learnt that each one of us has a task we must fulfil, its our calling. What moves our heart is what we need to intercede and work and pray for, that God would direct our steps as He shows us His plan for what we need to do from our position.

As We Walk

Ezra 8


Decree in hand, Israelites gathered, Ezra heads out to Jerusalem to fulfill God's call upon his life. They carry with them royal treasures that would be needed for their offering at the temple. Ezra 8, lists all the family heads who returned with Ezra to Jerusalem. Ezra led the people so cautiously to the House of God, it encourages me to depend on God like he did. Why here's why

Lessons

• God is able to bring the right people into our lives- (Ezra 8:18-20)Az Ezra left with the Israelites he had no Levites with him, so he sent a few people to get some attendants for the temple. About 258 people joined him from Casiphia. Here's what he testifies " v18 Because the gracious hand of our God was on us, they brought us Sherebiah, a capable man, from the descendants of Mahli son of Levi, the son of Israel, and Sherebiah's sons and brothers, 18 men;". God is able to send the right people in our way, as we make this journey towards fulfilling His plan in our lives.


• God is willing to guide, if we're willing to ask Him-At no time did Ezra think he could go about the work in his hands, on his own. He sought direction for every single step. "21 There, by the Ahava Canal, I proclaimed a fast, so that we might humble ourselves before our God and ask him for a safe journey for us and our children, with all our possessions.
  22 I was ashamed to ask the king for soldiers and horsemen to protect us from enemies on the road, because we had told the king, The gracious hand of our God is on everyone who looks to him, but his great anger is against all who forsake him.
  23 So we fasted and petitioned our God about this, and he answered our prayer." I sometimes think, ok God knows, so I need not ask Him. Ezra knew God's hand was at work, he could have thought, God would take care, but he did not leave it at that. He went ahead and prayed with fasting. Later we read "31 On the twelfth day of the first month we set out from the Ahava Canal to go to Jerusalem. The hand of our God was on us, and he protected us from enemies and bandits along the way". Sometimes we tend to get complacent with God and forget to invite God into any new happenings in our lives, assuming God will do something. Sometimes, in His graciousness God does intervene, but it develops our relationship when we pray when we seek Him and invite Him into our lives, like we would a best friend.

Conclusion:Everything went well, the treasury stuff arrived safely. They arrived in Jerusalem safely. The royal satraps and governors of Trans-Euphrates assisted them as per the decree received from the king. God is able to make all things beautifully in our lives. I like the concept of inviting God to be at every new birth in our family, every new job we take, every new home we build, every new step we take towards fulfilling His call in our lives. Above all, who else would know the end from the beginning better than God Himself. Lets seek God to work in all areas of our life,no matter how trivial or important it may seem.He is able and He loves to be with us. Emmanuel.

God's plan continues...would you be a part of it?

Background:I am moving on to Ezra. Israel has seen its share of kings and leaders, those that led them to the Lord and those that led them away too. The 2 Israelites kingdoms Jerusalem and Samaria, lost their inheritance, to the Babylonians until Cyprus the king of Persia came into ruling in Persia and the Persian empire was strong "1 In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the LORD spoken by Jeremiah, the LORD moved the heart of Cyrus king of Persia to make a proclamation throughout his realm and to put it in writing:
2 "This is what Cyrus king of Persia says:" 'The LORD, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and he has appointed me to build a temple for him at Jerusalem in Judah. 3 Anyone of his people among you—may his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem in Judah and build the temple of the LORD, the God of Israel, the God who is in Jerusalem. 4 And the people of any place where survivors may now be living are to provide him with silver and gold, with goods and livestock, and with freewill offerings for the temple of God in Jerusalem.' "

When there was no king available to head the Israelites, God moved the heart of a Persian king to do what the Israelites were required to do. He gathered them to build the the temple of God in Jerusalem. God would love His children to participate in His plan for us, for the new Jerusalem. We have a choice to either get in on the plan, because ultimately God's plan continues. When we participate in God's plan, we get a chance to see our Father in action and see how beautifully He orchestrates everything together and works them all out for good.

When nobody thought it would ever work, no king stood up like David did, Israel(both kingdoms Judah and Jerusalem) lost its inheritance to the kings of Babylon and were living as servants to them and not knowing what would happen, even through the ages when people thought Israel as a separate country was a myth from the Bible, God's plan continued to work even through God moving the heart of a Persian king and Israel as a nation was born again on the May 14 1948.

There is nothing impossible for my God. He is able , no matter how disheartening situations may get. No matter how far one may be lost, my God is able to save in His most amazing manner, and no one is ever unreachable from His love. More than that, God has a plan and it cannot be thwarted. His big plan continues on. Our individual plans are the ones that either can get aligned to God's plan or lose out on the big picture, only to find that what we have been fretting for was absolutely worthless. God wants His amazing plan unfolded in my life and yours.

Conclusion: Remember the time when Jesus entered Jerusalem with much fanfare and rejoicing and the Pharisees wanted the disciples to shut up. "I tell you," he replied, "if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out."Luke 19:39-41. God is not hampered by human failure and negligence, His bigger plan continues, with the open invitation to see His glorious design unfold as the New Jerusalem will be unveiled. Its not our pride but our humility that God would like us, His only created beings to participate as co-heirs of this New Rule. Yet if we think it's because of "me" God's plan moves, Jesus's words reminds us "Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham."Luke 3:7-9 God is omnipotent and able, He cares for us and wants us to be part of that magnificent plan He has for the whole mankind, so that we know Him and know the truth about the real plan that is working constantly and when we allow that plan of God in our life, we'll get to see God's power of His kingdom at work in our life too. Whether we realise it or not, Jesus told us, that the Kingdom of God is already here and whether we want to be a part of it, or just stand looking at it as if it wont work and looks foolish, it is our choice. God's plan continues...would you like to be a part of it?

When God moves man...

Background: In Israel, kings came and kings went, some were good, some weren't. Samaria lost its land and stand before the Lord, due to their disobedience as they chose to worship gods rather than the One True Living God who had brought them up out of Egypt. They chose death, rather than life. Jerusalem on the other hand, stood strong a little while longer, but soon saw kings who would lead them down the same road, Samaria had taken, into forfeiting their inheritance and land God has promised them. The book of 1st and 2nd Kings, 1st and 2nd Chronicles, give a detailed history of Israel, their acquiring their promised land and then forfeiting it "15 The LORD, the God of their fathers, sent word to them through his messengers again and again, because he had pity on his people and on his dwelling place. 16 But they mocked God's messengers, despised his words and scoffed at his prophets until the wrath of the LORD was aroused against his people and there was no remedy. "

Lessons: While reading of the way Israel had lost its glorious walk with the Lord and its glorious inheritance, I noticed some very important things about how and why God works in our lives

1. Man's heart constantly seeks to do evil, knowingly and unknowingly-God had seen this behaviour in man, from the beginning of creation-Genesis 6:5 "The LORD saw how great man's wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time."-Evil begat evil and it went on.
2. God seeks to move man, to enable them to do the good works He has planned for us-Ephesians 2:10 "For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." and also in Philippians 2:13 "for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose." Among all the accounts of kings I read through in 1 st & 2nd Kings and 1st &2nd Chronicles, I found God had seen and known how satan had diluted our minds with evil and God wanted to bring us back to the original image in which we were created, to do good.
3. The choice is with us-Every time, God moved man, He left the choice with man, to either go God's way or go your own selfish way. I call man's own way as selfish because, rarely now does man think of someone else when they are working towards something. I will earn this degree I will get a good job, have a good house, have lots of money, I will take care of my kids. Rarely do we think, I will pay for that man on that road, to go to college, have a good life, it doesn't matter what happens to me!!! I don't and I dont think others do too, unless, their hearts have been moved by God. The choice still remains with us, to be moved and be movers of lives into the Kingdom of God, or just get by life with the minimum we think we can do.

Conclusion-What if Noah, had not listened to God's voice about the flood that day? What if Abraham had not been moved by God's promise of his own land and generations to come? What if you and I heard God's voice regarding our lives and were moved?

Working out God's Plan

Elijah 18:1 says " 1 After a long time, in the third year, the word of the LORD came to Elijah: "Go and present yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain on the land."

Elijah obeyed God and went to meet Ahab. Here's an interesting thing happening in Elijah's life
".....Elijah climbed to the top of Carmel, bent down to the ground and put his face between his knees.
43 "Go and look toward the sea," he told his servant. And he went up and looked. "There is nothing there," he said. Seven times Elijah said, "Go back."
44 The seventh time the servant reported, "A cloud as small as a man's hand is rising from the sea." So Elijah said, "Go and tell Ahab, 'Hitch up your chariot and go down before the rain stops you.' "
45 Meanwhile, the sky grew black with clouds, the wind rose, a heavy rain came on and Ahab rode off to Jezreel. 46 The power of the LORD came upon Elijah and, tucking his cloak into his belt, he ran ahead of Ahab all the way to Jezreel." (1 Kings 18:42-45)

There are 2 things I noticed here, God promised Elijah about the rain. Elijah had to pray seven times and see that small hand of a cloud rise up in the horizon and then the rain poured.

1. Knowing what God has promised God is able to do-When God has promised something it sure will happen. We see this in the way Elijah persisted in prayer. Elijah had known from God that it would rain and that gave Elijah the base to build on to pray even more than ever. Has God given us a promise that He said He will bring to pass, take heart, trust the Word of God more than any thing. No matter what happens, or what the situation looks like right now, God will come through and His Promises will come true. Elijah knew that he knew that he knew, that what God has promised is true and will come to pass. If it has not, then maybe we're not hoping enough for it. Another thing of note is that, if we were to count all the verses in the bible and find the center verse, you know it would be Psalm 118:8 and it says "It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in man."
2. Who's report will you believe??- While Elijah prayed he asked his servant to keep bringing him back the status of the rain situation. The servant kept bringing a negative report, yet Elijah did not give up because he wasn't looking for the report from the servant but the result of the Word from God. Who's report do we readily believe. The moment we start praying for God's plan in our life, we are sure to get all sorts of reports in our lives, but above all we've got to stick onto what God says about our situation. If we've been praying for a loved one to meet our Saviour Lord Jesus and to be saved, we will find the appearance of the situation in our life and theirs going in a totally different direction, yet do not give up, God's foremost purpose and promise is that He came that all may know our Lord Jesus and be saved. We MUST (P)ray (U)ntil (S)omething (H)appens. So PUSH. Like Elijah did to bring God's Word to pass.
3. Pray in accordance to God's Word and His plan-Does praying mean praying anything we want? No. Elijah shows us that He had a mandate from God which had to happen and he prayed accordingly, without giving up hope, without being slack. Praying is a very very powerful means of bringing God's plan to come to pass on this earth. Even Jesus, when He taught us to pray "..let Your will be done on this earth as it is in heaven" Who can bring God's will to pass on this earth. Believers who pray God's will. Prayer is not ONLY for meeting our needs and blabbering our needs to God, it is bringing God's will to happen in our lives and in this earth.

Conclusion: Praying is an amazing tool, God blessed us with. Before knowing our Lord Jesus we did not know to pray. God opened the way for us to enter when Jesus died on the cross for our sins and the curtain tore in the temple and the Holy Place the Holy dwelling of God was accessible to us, because of our Saviour Lord Jesus. Hebrews 4:16 "Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need." Elijah prayed in confidence on God's Word regarding the rain, and it did rain and that small hand of a cloud rained so heavily and so quickly became rain cloud I am sure, no one could have imagined. Why doesn't our prayers work that way? The Bible says in James 4:3 "When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures." Dear brothers and sisters, lets get with our Father's business. Its been a long time since we prayed for God's will to be done in our individual lives and on this earth. Pray Until Something Happens, the Something that God has planned and promised will happen, if we pray according to His plan. Its ok if right now you don't know what to pray. The Holy Spirit will help and guide us and help us pray expectantly, like a pregnant mother, knowing for sure that in 9 months she will see her baby.

Learning from prophet elijah

It has now been some time since Solomon's death, right now Ahab is ruling the Israelites and Asa is ruling Judah. "29 In the thirty-eighth year of Asa king of Judah, Ahab son of Omri became king of Israel, and he reigned in Samaria over Israel twenty-two years. 30 Ahab son of Omri did more evil in the eyes of the LORD than any of those before him. 31 He not only considered it trivial to commit the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, but he also married Jezebel daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, and began to serve Baal and worship him. "( 1 Kings 16:29) So now you know the kind of ruler Israel had. However things aren't looking down during this time. The Israelites will see their God show them His power, His love and His concern for them, through one of the most powerful prophet, Elijah.
When we think, everything is going wrong, no one can ever correct this situation, no one serves the Living God anymore.... right in the midst of all that negative, God has His choicest people working for Him. God has His important tools of ministry hidden by the brook. God's timing is amazing. If Elijah lived on planet earth at any other time, it wouldn't have made much impact, like the way it did when he lived during Ahab's reign.

1 Now Elijah the Tishbite, from Tishbe [a] in Gilead, said to Ahab, "As the LORD, the God of Israel, lives, whom I serve, there will be neither dew nor rain in the next few years except at my word."
2 Then the word of the LORD came to Elijah: 3 "Leave here, turn eastward and hide in the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan. 4 You will drink from the brook, and I have ordered the ravens to feed you there."
(1 Kings 17:1,2)

When situations are looking doomed, remember God has placed His army men and women in critical places ready for action when called to do so by the Lord. Even you are one of them!!! God has placed you and me at this time in the nations of the world so that when the time is right, we will be brought out of our " Kerith Ravine" and be sent for our assignments.

Lessons:

1. God has us hidden before our real assignment, to learn total dependence on Him- Elijah was hidden in the Kerith Ravine, where he was fed by ravens and drank from the brook. He wasn't doing anything great there, just hiding and being fed. He was all alone.The hebrew word Kerith means "the cutting ". It is the place made by a natural cutting off of the place. This is where Elijah learnt to be totally cut off from people, from society, from earning for living..from family even, being fed by ravens, drinking from the brook. And this episode happened soon after he had made an appearance before the king Ahab and warned him of drought.Cut off means nothing else is there to divert your attention from God and there is no one to provide except God. If we're in a place where we aren't doing much, just waiting, even though our heart so wants to serve the Lord, lets remember, God is teaching us to wait and depend upon Him. We are waiting for the opportune time of assignment, when God would have us face, probably even to chase out, the prophets of baals. You wanna see something ...even Jesus was in the wilderness for 40 days and nights before He started His mission on this earth. Paul (Saul) was blinded by the power of God and was waiting and praying (Acts 9:10-12 ). After which we all know the tremendous ministry that came out through Paul's (Saul) work and the amazing power that shone through the life of our Lord Jesus. Such kind of immense demonstration of power can come only through lives which have been in the "cutting".
2. Waiting on God for our provisions-I was wondering at this next point. Now God had told Elijah that the rain wouldn't come unless by his word, as Elijah had declared to Ahab. Now the brook from which Elijah was drinking dried up. I wonder whether Elijah would have even thought of using the 'power' to make it rain. After all God had given him that word. Yet he did not. For God gave him different directions. He obeyed God and went to Zarephath to an old widow who would give him food and drink. I dont know what distance it was from Kerith Ravine to Zarephath, but Elijah went. We'd have to learn to use the power God gives us at the time that He wants us to use it. This can come only with total dependence on God, even to move.
3. Learning to be faithful in few things- Elijah's first encounter with a person after that "cutting" experience is with a widow in Zarephath and his first amazing task is the neverending jar of flour and oil. Wow, I just realised wasn't this the first thing Jesus did too at the wedding!!!.(John 2) and the Word of God says "11This, the first of his miraculous signs, Jesus performed in Cana of Galilee. He thus revealed his glory, and his disciples put their faith in him."(John 2:11) Elijah didn't start on the very first day calling fire from heaven, but started with the simple miracle of flour and oil. God will teach us to walk in His power little by little. Thats why the Word of God says "Matthew 25:21"His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'" God starts with us little by little so that we will learn to be faithful in the few things He gives us and from there we grow step by step. We cannot handle God's immense power in a split second from the day we were born again, so God teaches us to dwell in His obedience and walk in His Spirit as we learn His ways.

Conclusion: Our God is a wonderful teacher. He is able to guide us to our best potential, when we learn to listen to His every command so that the best in us is brought out. Not of our mind and our plan, but of God's plan and God's work. Only then can we be powerful in God and see God's power work through our lives, to bring healing to bring God's directions, to bring God's Word to His children who are living in these desolate times, like the time Israel was going through under king Ahab. Only then can the people see the great difference there is in the power of God and the power of man. Only then will the distinction be clear and evident to the people of the potential of our Living God and only then can we stand before the 450 prophets of baal and demonstrate how powerful our Living God is.If we haven't been able to show our God's power through our lives to the people around us I think its because we ourselves haven't experienced God's power in our own lives in staying dependent at the cutting place. Lets learn at our the Kerith Ravine where God has placed us, to find spiritual strength(food and water) through our Lord's provisions.

A life that can bless other lives

David had in his heart to show kindness to Saul's family, because he was anointed, but then there were the Zeruiah's sons, Joab and the rest, who were bent on killing them all. It was for the 'good cause' so to speak, because it would make David king. But this is not what David had in mind. After the death of Saul's important man, Abner, "38King David said to his servants, Do you not know that a prince and a great man has fallen this day in Israel? 39And I am this day weak, though anointed [but not crowned] king; these sons of Zeruiah are too hard for me. May the Lord repay the evildoer according to his wickedness!"(2 Samuel 3:38-39) .David kept his conscience clear before God, no matter what people might have thought.
Now, after David is crowned king, at the age of 30 yrs, he goes for the first battle against the Jebusites. The Jebusites had been living in Jerusalem. When David went there to take it back, the Jebusites "...said to David, You shall not enter here, for the blind and the lame will prevent you; they thought, David cannot come in here. 7Nevertheless, David took the stronghold of Zion, that is, the City of David."(2 Samuel 5:6-7). Those people discouraged him, nevertheless, David took that city.
As we read on, we see the Bible records " 10David became greater and greater, for the Lord God of hosts was with him."( 2 Samuel 5:10). Not only does the Bible record, how David's life was turning out to be after all that running for life was coming to an end, it also records, David's relationship or spiritual growth in the Lord "12And David perceived that the Lord had established him king over Israel and that He had exalted his kingdom for His people Israel's sake."( 2 Samuel 5:12) . In spite of all the fame David was receiving, his foundation was firmly established in God. He knew where he had come from and how God had led him thus far.

Lessons I learnt:

1. There are no short cuts in God's plan.David could have easily killed all the people coming in between him and his becoming a king, and he would become a king, after all he was anointed. But then for David, God's statutes were of more value. It was critical for him to obey God's Word, in the time when Saul was in his hands-one blow away from death, at the time when Saul and his sons died on the same day-when it could have been a day of joy for him David mourned for them, at the time when Saul's important man was killed by Zeruiah's sons-the main guy behind the plot of making Saul's sons king was gone-David cried and grieved at how wrong but powerful Zeruiah's sons were. If David would have taken these short cuts, they wouldn't have been a 'genuine' victory, because God never asked David to kill Saul or his sons to become king.Moreover David knew God's commands too well.Psalm 119:11 (Whole Chapter) "Your word have I laid up in my heart, that I might not sin against You. ". David was not fulfilling a 'given outcome' by becoming king, he was living a life with God.
2. When God is with you, it will be evident in your life-Its true that David was running once upon a time for fear of being killed by Saul. He could trust no one.He was hiding in caves, eating whatever he could find. Now thats not a lavish lifestyle of a king. He eventually had to live in enemy territory for a year, before he actually returned to his own country.However at the end of it all, we see the Word of God says "10David became greater and greater, for the Lord God of hosts was with him." (2 Samuel 5:10). Just because, David was staying in a cave to hide from Saul, we can't settle that, thats what God wanted from him. God hadn't finished with David yet. Thats just a temporary situation. How can a nomad, become greater and greater and a king staying in a palace become weaker and weaker!!! The essence of David's greatness was in the fact that "The Lord of hosts was with him". The Word of God says "Matthew 1:23 (Whole Chapter) Behold, the virgin shall become pregnant and give birth to a Son, and they shall call His name Emmanuel--which, when translated, means, God with us. [Isa 7:14 ] " Also Jesus said "John 15:5 (Whole Chapter) I am the Vine; you are the branches. Whoever lives in Me and I in him bears much (abundant) fruit. However, apart from Me [cut off from vital union with Me] you can do nothing." David knew that apart from God he could do nothing.He knew how important it was for him to stay connected to God and it showed through his life, in spite of all the trials, in spite of all the chase, David became greater and greater.
3. David perceived -12And David perceived that the Lord had established him king over Israel and that He had exalted his kingdom for His people Israel's sake."(2 Samuel 5:12)
   It is one thing of God being in our lives, but it is another thing to be aware that a Living God is working in our life. David acknowledged and was able to see how God was working. David knew he wasn't becoming a king on his own strength, he wasn't owning a city by himself, he could see God's hand working in his life. Many times when we have believed God and God does something for us, we start thinking oh thats because 'I' worked hard, 'I ' prayed hard, 'I' did it.....but here David knew/perceived (became aware of, achieve the understanding) that God had done this. This is an awesome knowledge that any believer can have, to know, to be assured that God has established. Its knowing that A Living God is guiding you, it strengthens your faith, and you would know how beautiful, and fearful the knowledge is that God chose your and my life to be an example to the masses.It is a knowledge of humble devotion and honour to God for doing so, with a life, that would have just gone by, if lived at their own desires.

Conclusion:In our life too, we will get many short cuts that would lead us to probably where you 'think' God would like you to be, but when our desire is to find out what God would have us do with our life, and then see how God orchestrates everything to fall in line with His pleasant and perfect will for our lives, our lives can become lives of impact, lives that would not only be a blessing to us, but also to his people. Thats what happened to David, God made him king, for what? For His people's sake, he was to be the king who would be remembered for years and years to come, beyond the time that David would himself be alive. More than that, the Messiah Himself, our Lord Jesus, would be from his lineage. Isn't that an awesome blessing. Thats what happens to lives totally devoted to living according to God'w Word and His plan. No one can thwart God's plan for our lives, lives yielded to bring glory to our Living God.

To be an Overcomer, you will need something to overcome!!

So you want to be an overcomer, but want nothing to overcome??? That doesn't happen.
I am reading from David's life, Saul is impressed by David's victory over Goliath and "5 Whatever Saul sent him to do, David did it so successfully [a] that Saul gave him a high rank in the army. This pleased all the people, and Saul's officers as well. "(1 Samuel 18:5). Later on Saul becomes jealous of David and tries to kill him. Saul is still king of the Israelites. I was wondering, is it too difficult for a king to kill someone in his own country? I think if the president of some country wanted someone from their country dead, it wouldn't be that difficult for him to find and kill that person. However in David's life its amazing to note, that right under one roof, there were the king and his men to kill David and right there we see Jonathan and Michal who love David sooo much. Why was David so dangerous to Saul? David has realised what He can do when he works in obedience, to an Almighty Living God. When Saul tries to tell David before his fight with Goliath "You are not able to go out against this Philistine and fight him; you are only a boy, and he has been a fighting man from his youth." (1 Samuel 17:33) Remember what he said "The LORD who delivered me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine." (1 Samuel 17:35). This verse tells me the amount of confidence David had in the Living God and how close he is with God, to so boldly declare of a relation with God in whatever he does, knowing that he is being guided by a Living God. Moreover in the later chapters we read, that Saul got so jealous of David's victories, that he tried to kill him several times, but David escaped all the times.

Lessons I learnt

1. Know Who the Lord is to you- David was so confident about his being in the army of the Living God, thought technically David was not in the army of Israel, he was still a boy, but he knew to Whom he belonged, or rather to which side he belonged...remember the song, I am on the winning side and Jesus is the Winner Man" Can we identify ourselves being in the army of the Living God?
2. Hold onto the confidence you have in the Lord-Hebrews 10:35:"35Do not, therefore, fling away your fearless confidence, for it carries a great and glorious compensation of reward." Saul told David that he was a mere boy, and had no experience in warfare, yet he held onto the confidence he had in the Lord that the Lord would deliver him. Irrespective of what size and weight he is, he knows a God who can deliver him. Can we identify ourselves as people who have a Mighty God for our deliverer from ALL troubles?
3. No one can defeat God's plan for our lives other than us-When we live in total obedience to God's will and plan for our lives, no one can prevent us from becoming all that God has planned for us to be. God had desired David to be king, Saul tried to kill David so many times, hurling his spear at him, or sending men to his house to kill him, he never succeeded. When God has planned for David to be king and David has decided to follow God's plan, nothing can come in between them. So for us, as long as we are following God exactly on the way that He shows us, nothing can harm us. Thats why the command that God gave Joshua Joshua 1:7-9:7 "Only you be strong and very courageous, that you may do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you. Turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go.
   8This Book of the Law shall not depart out of your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, that you may observe and do according to all that is written in it. For then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall deal wisely and have good [a]success." Can we identify ourselves as followers of a Living God, come what may?
4. Trouble, trouble everywhere but not one that can harm David- David was having a peaceful life shepherding the flock, until the time he got anointed to be king. Well God's Holy Spirit came on him to work wonders through him, to make him victorious in all he did and to tranform him to be the kind of king that God wanted him to be. Then there was this king Saul, who wanted to kill him, David spent half of his anointed life, running and trying to hide from the king who was wanting to kill him. He could not harm the king because David respected God's anointing on any man, he respected God soo much. Well, it cannot be hidden, whenever God anoints His people and the people desire solely to follow God's commands, we'll have even more oppression than we've ever had before. I don't think I'd like to call it a price to pay for being anointed, but its an opportunity to see how God will work in a totally yielded life and bring us victoriously into the place where he promised to take us and to being the person God wants to make us. Can we identify ourselves working with a Living God, who will throw obstacles away from our path as we move to a higher place? Its like take off time, the initial run on the ground is jittery and uncomfortable, until we're airborne and no ground can touch us, no more jittery feeling, just calm sailing, well a few air pockets here and there thats all, but the plane has overcome the major force of friction from the ground.Every other friction now is just tiny compared to what has already passed.

Conclusion:Following a Living God is not easy or difficult, but it is exciting. It is a wonderful feeling of confidence to know that we're being backed up by God, because its no longer our own measly plan. And because it is God's plan for our lives and we are obedient to what God has for us, there is nothing that can thwart or change or damage God's plan for our lives. I once again quote Job in saying "2I know that You can do all things, and that no thought or purpose of Yours can be restrained or thwarted." (Job 42:2). I used to be afraid of God's plans earlier, its like losing control, not knowing what will happen next, even though God says "11For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome."(Jeremiah 29:11 Amp) Until one day, I knew there was nothing better I could do with my life, I would just be an ordinary person, working in a big company, serving only the clients, being good at my job, getting raises and then one day vanish from this planet having done nothing of 'real' benefit to anyone. You know when God touches a life, and that life stays in touch with God, that person's life-impact goes on beyond his/her grave. Their lives impact lives, beyond their earthly timeline.

The Joy of Knowing-God is in control

Reading through, 1 Samuel 1-16 chapters I find the Israelites, kept making mistakes and God kept finding ways to get them back into His perfect plan. I sometimes wonder, would we (the people now) have got any chance to hear this wonderful gospel if God would have given up on the Israelites when they continued to revolt against Him. When they grumbled in the desert during Moses' time or now when they chose a king for themselves. Well God knew, all this would happen Isaiah 46:10 declares" I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come...I say: My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please."

Over the years of my walk with Jesus Christ, I have been obedient and I have been disobedient sometimes too. I have learnt something from all this, that God does not give up on His children, until His children totally give up on God. We are made to give up by the enemy's voice which keeps nagging us, saying "God doesn't love you any more, you sinned, don't you remember?" Well initially I used to get bogged down by that thought. Then I learnt -NEVER TO FIGHT A THOUGHT WITH A THOUGHT, BUT WITH THE WORD OF GOD" So I did just that. Took the Word of God and found out what I should do and it always has answered all my questions and led me out.

A verse that impresses me is Job 42:2 "I know that you can do all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted. "This is Job's testimony after all that happened to him.

Well every time I see disobedience in the Bible, I saw that God makes a way around it or through it and takes His children out. Every body made a mistake from Noah onwards, but God finally had the perfect plan brought into our world through Jesus Christ who was without sin/blemish. The perfect person to take away our sins and disobedience. Now the people also paid for their mistakes, because the consequences will always be there.

In 1 Samuel 1-16 I found that the Israelites, under the leadership of Samuel, sin against God and want a king (like all other nations). God knew this wouldn't work. From the Israelites' point of view, all other nations had king and so it should work for them too. However they failed to realise, they had God Himself as king, else which nation would be able to stand without a king and stay together as a nation? Now God went with their demand, but since He knew it wouldn't work, God had a man prepared after His own heart "David". The plan was good per the people's eyes, but God had a perfect plan.

Lessons I learnt
God has a perfect plan for all His children, all who declare Lord Jesus to be their Saviour. It is really as simple as saying, no to our own selfish ways and saying "Yes Lord, let your will be done. I want you Lord and your plan be done in my life" Something amazing happens. As beings of reasoning, we like to be in control of our lives and know whats happening. I used to be like that, I wanted to know exactly what I would do next. After a certain change took place in my life, I have turned my life over to God like I've never done before. I can see God's plan now making things beautiful for me....no no troubles are not gone away.....they're very much present...but its that amazing knowledge, that God is in control . Its that joy that assures me God's plan for my life cannot be thwarted and you know what His plans are?... Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. " Now how can I not want a plan like that??? Would you?