BY STRENGTH SHALL NO MAN PREVAIL

TEXT: PSALM 127: 1

Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labour in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the guards stand watch in vain.

God talk to His children through different means and channels. He relates with you with what you are conversant with, for instance; God can communicate the same message to people in different professions with examples and illustrations in line with their profession. For example, God can use different illustrations to explain a message to a teacher and a doctor. If you love playing golf, His illustration to you will be golf related. God’s illustration will always be from what you know and can relate with, He will not use something that is out of the blues to explain things to you, because He wants you to get the right understanding of what He is talking about. Therefore God has His way of expressing Himself to people by using different illustrations best known to the person He’s communicating with. God’s wisdom is unfathomable!

At my free time, when I feel like taking a break from work, I love to unwind by playing a particular game. The game has different levels, to move to the next level, you have to perform well and score high point. I do not play the game constantly, but only when I needed to have a break from writing or typing. There was a particular level that I got to that requires unlocking a key before I would get to the next level. I tried all I could to unlock this key, yet I was unable to do so, despite my effort and high scores.

I spent weeks (since I don’t play the game often) trying to achieve my purpose, with high scores, yet I was unable to unlock the key despite all effort, and techniques devised. All was to no avail. As I was determined to unlock the key to go to the next level, the Holy Spirit ministered to me using the game!

The Lord used the game to explain to me how human beings struggle to achieve greatness with human efforts and wisdom, with little or nothing to show for it. I was trying all human wisdom and effort to get to the next level, yet my effort was thwarted because I could not unlock the key that will take me to the next level. The Holy Spirit made me to see how human beings struggle to get to the next level of their life, by applying all human strength and wisdom, coupled with the best instrument, tools, and technique. Instead of getting to the next level, they meet with obstacles and walls of limitation.

The Holy Spirit made me to see that human effort is futile without the help of God. You cannot get to the next level of your life without God. It is God that will give you the key that will unlock your passage to the next level. Without this key, progress will be impeded regardless of the effort, tools and techniques. Ask God for the master key that will take you to your next level. I pray that the key that will unlock the door to our will not be stolen by Satan and his cohorts in Jesus name.

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QUERYING GOD?

(JOB 9:15-19)

"For though I was right, I could not answer; I would have to implore the mercy of my judge. If I summoned him and he answered me, I would not believe that he was listening to my voice. He would crush me with a storm and multiply my wounds for no reason. He will not let me get my breath, but fills me with bitterness. If it is a matter of strength, he is mighty! And if it is a matter of justice, who can challenge him?”
God is all sufficient, the all knowing God that cannot be queried or questioned. The scripture says “God does as He pleases (Job 23:13). God can decide to promote the poor and make him sit among princes, and He can demote kings and princes and relegate them to nothing. Nobody can challenge the decision of the Lord Almighty, He cannot be taken to court, and nobody can judge Him because He is the judge of all judges. In fact, He is the chief judge of the universe!

There are some circumstances that had caused people to query where God was when their lives were in shambles. Some can even take it to the extent of saying “if God is truly existing; why are evil things happening to good people? The answer to these questions are not farfetched-   He is God of all flesh, His ways are not our ways, He decides who He wants to have mercy on (Romans 9:15).

Job was a man that did the will of God, he was steadfast and God was boastful of him. Yet the devil with the permission of God; attacked him to test his faith and loyalty in God. Job was upright and yet afflicted by the devil, however, Job did not query God, and instead he pleaded for mercy. “Though I was innocent, I could not answer Him, I could only plead with my judge for mercy.” (Job 9:15).

The lesson here is that no matter what you are going through, don’t query God, and don’t be angry with Him. All you need to do is to plead for His mercy. God cannot be taken to court, He cannot be flogged or beaten, and since you cannot fight God; the best thing to do when life is tough and difficult is to ask for His mercy and wait patiently like Job, and watch God elevating you to a greater height after your trial of faith.

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ENVY NOT THE WEALTH OF THE WICKED.

PSALM 73: 3-5, 16-19

For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. They have no struggles; their bodies are healthy and strong. They are free from common human burdens; they are not plagued by human ills. (v 3-5).

When I tried to understand all this, it troubled me deeply till I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood their final destiny. Surely you place them on slippery ground; you cast them down to ruin. How suddenly are they destroyed, completely swept away by terrors! (v 16-19).

The world is full of mysteries that only God can unfold, the world is full of “the good, the bad and the ugly situations.” Many are living in affluence; some are averagely okay while some are living below average. Some people are working tooth and nail to make ends meet; hence, some are acquiring wealth without having to struggle for it.

Many people that are walking in the way of the Lord; people that are living the totality of their lives to please God are struggling to survive hardship. However, those that have sold out their souls to the devil are flourishing and swimming in the river of affluence!

As human beings, we may be wondering why this is so, that is the irony of life that only God can unravel. In curiosity and maybe in anger, we may be asking questions as to why unbelievers should be flourishing in their evil ways, and why believers are wallowing in poverty despite their righteous living.

“Is the earth and its fullness not God’s? What about the cattle on a thousand hills, are they not for God? Did He not promise to supply ALL my needs according to His riches in glory? Did He not promise us the wealth of the Gentiles? Why are Gentiles flourishing while obedient believers are languishing in abject poverty?”

It is normal to feel this way because we are human. That was the predicament of the Psalmist when he wrote Psalm 73. Our God is a good God that promise His children good and expected end (Jere. 29:11). The bible tells us that it is only the blessing of God that make riches without adding sorrow to it (Prov. 10:22). The wicked that are flourishing with wealth amassed from unclean source are placed on the slippery ground (Ps 73:18). Wealth gotten from unclean source will not last, but the sorrow and trouble that the wealth will bring to the owner of the wealth will last forever! Their final destination as explained in our text is destruction, the Lord will cast them down to ruin, and they will be completely swept away by terror!

The success of the wicked will only last for a short period, and they will have their portion in the lake of fire (Rev. 21:8)

“Do not fret because of evildoers or be envious of the wicked, for the evildoer has no future hope, and the lamp of the wicked will be snuffed out.” (Proverbs 24:19-20)

Do not envy the success of the wicked; do not run after material things at the expense of your righteous living. Do not race against heavenly things because of earthly things that are perishable. What shall it profit a man if he gains the whole world and lose his own soul (Mark 8:36). The Lord knows the best thing for you, He will fulfil His promises for you, wait upon His promises, ENVY NOT THE WEALTH OF THE WICKED.

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