GOD'S CHOSEN VESSEL

Luke 1:26,28-38 ERV During Elizabeth’s sixth month of pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to a virgin girl who lived in Nazareth, a town in Galilee. She was engaged to marry a man named Joseph from the family of David. Her name was Mary. [28] The angel came to her and said, “Greetings! The Lord is with you; you are very special to him.” [29] But Mary was very confused about what the angel said. She wondered, “What does this mean?” [30] The angel said to her, “Don’t be afraid, Mary, because God is very pleased with you. [31] Listen! You will become pregnant and have a baby boy. You will name him Jesus. [32] He will be great. People will call him the Son of the Most High God, and the Lord God will make him king like his ancestor David. [33] He will rule over the people of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.” [34] Mary said to the angel, “How will this happen? I am still a virgin.” [35] The angel said to Mary, “The Holy Spirit will come to you, and the power of the Most High God will cover you. The baby will be holy and will be called the Son of God. [36] And here’s something else: Your relative Elizabeth is pregnant. She is very old, but she is going to have a son. Everyone thought she could not have a baby, but she has been pregnant now for six months. [37] God can do anything!” [38] Mary said, “I am the Lord’s servant. Let this thing you have said happen to me!” Then the angel went away. Who is a chosen vessel?

A chosen vessel is whoever is regarded as receiving or able to contain something. One into whom something is conceived as poured, or in whom something is stored for purposeful use. At work or in ministry, you may have someone, a chosen vessel into whom you pour your experience, knowledge, wisdom, and expertise that can step in for you or take over when you leave, they are chosen because they can be filled with whatever you carry. Anyone can be a chosen vessel, even with flaws according to Matthew 22:14. The Lord can choose anyone He desires for His will and purpose. Did you know that you were God’s idea—created with a specific purpose in mind according to Jeremiah 29:11? It’s easy to lose sight of that, in a world that is insistent on telling us what our purpose should be determined by man’s standard. The prophecy of the birth of Jesus was first mentioned in Isaiah 9:6. To make the prophecy more precise, the location of the birth was then mentioned in Micah 5:2 but still no mention of the vessel that will carry the baby Jesus. Previously the Lord gave the Israelis as a sign in Isaiah 7:14, the revelation that a "virgin" will birth a son. A virgin, it could have been any girl. God didn't affix a name to the vessel, only what qualifies her. A virgin. Mary, like every other girl at that time in Israel, may have wondered who this virgin would be but may never have imagined it could be her. She couldn't have known that God had His eyes on her as the "chosen vessel" who would bear and rear the One who will be called the Saviour of the world according to Matthew 1:21. Who is a chosen vessel? Has the Lord called or chosen you for a specific purpose? Through the ages, God calls for special workers, fitted for the kingdom, who are referred to as vessels of election. God called Saul as His chosen vessel for that generation, an instrument, for the work elected and selected by God. From this, we understand that anyone can be a called, selected, and elected chosen vessel of God. But maybe like Mary, you are asking the Lord questions, as seen in verse thirty-four. The answer in verse thirty-five is still relevant to you and me today; The Holy Spirit will lead, help, teach, enable, and guide us in whatever God has chosen us for and He chooses whomever He wants to use and honour according to Psalm 65:4 and Romans 8:28-33. There are times we ask the Lord "how can this be?" like Mary or wonder how God could do something through us (I still ask God such at times). Every chosen vessel is sanctified by the Lord Jesus Christ, through His saving and redeeming work on the cross as prescribed by 1 Corinthians 6:11. You are called, selected, and chosen by God, says 1 Peter 2:21 and we all need to be as wise as Mary and respond the way she did. "I am your servant! May it be as You have said for, I am Your chosen vessel. Shalom Women of light international prayer ministries.

MY LABOUR IS NOT IN VAIN

Luke 5:1-6 ASV Now it came to pass, while the multitude pressed upon him and heard the word of God, that he was standing by the lake of Gennesaret; [2] and he saw two boats standing by the lake: but the fishermen had gone out of them, and were washing their nets. [3] And he entered into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, and asked him to put out a little from the land. And he sat down and taught the multitudes out of the boat. [4] And when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Put out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught. [5] And Simon answered and said, Master, we toiled all night, and took nothing: but at thy word, I will let down the nets. [6] And when they had done this, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes; and their nets were breaking;

We all labour to attain profit and Proverbs 14:23 says there is profit in all labour, if we work at anything, it will yield an increase of profit over time. Many people labour in vain, with little or no result for their toiling. So many spend time and resources investing in enterprises for their future but when it’s time to reap from their investment, there will be little or nothing to show for the time and capital invested, as seen in Matthew 13:24-30, or sometimes, someone else will reap from their labour. No one would like to labour without positive results. We do everything right, labouring in all areas of our lives, yet we catch nothing, we see no blessings or favour, and we receive no reward for our labour. The light of God in us according to Matthew 5:16 is supposed to glorify and showcase us for God, but the enemy wants to turn our glory to shame and colour us unfavourable. When we obey the word and instructions of the Lord, no matter how mundane, our glory begins to take a new dimension and becomes lifted. What is in your hand? Whatever God has put in our hands is to glorify Him and so cannot and shouldn’t be in vain as seen in Exodus 4:2-3. The fishermen laboured all night and caught nothing until they met the Master and obeyed His instructions. For one thing, if you have been labouring in shallow waters, like these fishermen, you may not be catching anything yet, so, just as the Lord commanded in verse 4; "go into deeper waters and let down your nets”. Location may not be an issue in our labour when we are in Christ according to Deuteronomy 11:24 and Genesis 47:6. But we must apply the principles of the scriptures to whatever we’re doing according to Colossians 3:23, and Ecclesiastes 9:10. Look again at Luke 4, what changed to bring a harvest of plenty? It was the same boat. The same water/river. The same net. So, nothing changed! But something changed! JESUS stepped into the boat and their labour. We need Jesus to step into our boats and matter too. We may not need to change location or job, it's not about our connections, network or background- it's all about Jesus. When we follow the scriptural instructions of Colossians 3:23 the Lord promises to not only give us the power to labour but He helps us profit in that labour according to Deuteronomy 8:18, Isaiah 48:17. The Lord is entering into your business in this season. Don't give up on your labour, even if it's tedious and challenging, it will be profitable as prescribed in Proverbs 16:3. The change we need is about to step into our boats. Your story is about to change, and your light is about to shine brighter. You have laboured and you shall eat the fruit of the labour declares 2 Timothy 2:6, you will not store up for someone else to spend but will live on the produce of your labour according to Psalm 128:2. The tide will turn in time, but you must trust the Lord and leave Him room in your boat to work with you. You certainly shall not labour in vain. Shalom Women of light international prayer ministries

THE INCOMPARABLE GOD

Isaiah 40:12-26 NLT Who else has held the oceans in his hand? Who has measured off the heavens with his fingers? Who else knows the weight of the earth or has weighed the mountains and hills on a scale? [13] Who is able to advise the Spirit of the LORD? Who knows enough to give him advice or teach him? [14] Has the LORD ever needed anyone’s advice? Does he need instruction about what is good? Did someone teach him what is right or show him the path of justice? [15] No, for all the nations of the world are but a drop in the bucket. They are nothing more than dust on the scales. He picks up the whole earth as though it were a grain of sand. [16] All the wood in Lebanon’s forests and all Lebanon’s animals would not be enough to make a burnt offering worthy of our God. [17] The nations of the world are worth nothing to him. In his eyes they count for less than nothing— mere emptiness and froth. [18] To whom can you compare God? What image can you find to resemble him? [19] Can he be compared to an idol formed in a mold, overlaid with gold, and decorated with silver chains? [20] Or if people are too poor for that, they might at least choose wood that won’t decay and a skilled craftsman to carve an image that won’t fall down! [21] Haven’t you heard? Don’t you understand? Are you deaf to the words of God— the words he gave before the world began? Are you so ignorant? [22] God sits above the circle of the earth. The people below seem like grasshoppers to him! He spreads out the heavens like a curtain and makes his tent from them. [23] He judges the great people of the world and brings them all to nothing. [24] They hardly get started, barely taking root, when he blows on them and they wither. The wind carries them off like chaff. [25] “To whom will you compare me? Who is my equal?” asks the Holy One. [26] Look up into the heavens. Who created all the stars? He brings them out like an army, one after another, calling each by its name. Because of his great power and incomparable strength, not a single one is missing.

The poignant question in verse 25, “to whom will you compare me, or who is my equal?" is one we all have to answer individually and cooperatively. Have you found anyone, anything or any deity that can be compared to the Lord? What man-made image could ever portray a God so great? The rich man makes his idol with precious metal and the poor man with wood according to Deuteronomy 27:17. Can you answer this question? To whom can you compare the Lord? No one! God alone is God. We see Isaiah sarcastically describe the process of making an idol here. All the Godliness of God is beyond compare, no man can be His measure. Isaiah 40:6-7 says man is like grass, shaky, unsure and temporal, so can’t be compared to God. Our God is beyond comparison; He is matchless and unequalled to other gods; every other god is one of futility according to Jeremiah 10:8. No entity in heaven or earth compares to the divine grandeur and splendour of God. God is incomparable according to the text. From Isaiah's writing, the picture of an incomparable God begins to appear, can you see Him? The Lord asks questions that demonstrate His unparalleled, unrivalled sovereignty over the nations in verse twelve. God alone spoke the world into existence and calls all the elements by name. who can direct the spirit of the Lord or give Him counsel? No one. The omniscient God possesses unsearchable knowledge, He does not need to search google, thesaurus or consult a shrink to know-He know all things. The God who created the world is mightier than the gods worshipped by most humans, see Exodus 20:3, 4. With whom will you compare the Lord? Who is God’s equal? God is the unequal, one-and-only God of creation. God alone is God. No one, not man, not idols made of hands is a match for God. God's incomparable creativity is seen in verses 21-26, Psalm 104:24, and Jeremiah 10:12, even the elements testify to God's incomparableness in Psalm 19:1-4. Who do you compare God to and with? God's knowledge is incomparable, Hannah puts it best in 1 Samuel 2:2-3, can you describe the Lord from all He's done for you or to what man can do for you? God's knowledge is so vast that He even knows every single strand of your hair by number, says Matthew 10:30 and the stars by name in Psalm 147:4. God's immense love is incomparable to that of any mortal, the love measurable only, and conceivable only, by the gift of His precious son; He so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son in John 3:16 to a dying world that has no idea of the magnitude of God's sacrifice for them. God’s standard, character and trustworthiness are measured by His faithfulness and word. We can’t compare God with anything or anyone. We must maintain that God is true and every other thing, especially man is a liar because the condition on which His word was given complies with His personality, name and faithfulness. Our God is the creator of the universe and sovereign over all things in absolute power and glory. To whom or what will you compare the Lord? No one! He alone is the incomparable God. Shalom Women of light international prayer ministries.

CONSULT THE WORD OF GOD

2 Timothy 3:15-17 Voice because since childhood you have known the holy Scriptures, which enable you to be wise and lead to salvation through faith in Jesus the Anointed. [16] All of Scripture is God-breathed; in its inspired voice, we hear useful teaching, rebuke, correction, instruction, and training for a life that is right [17] so that God’s people may be up to the task ahead and have all they need to accomplish every good work.

Consultation is a necessity in life, in certain quarters, we can’t get any sort of services without consultation with experts. Consultation is the action or process of formally consulting or discussing: a dialogue or conference meeting with an expert, such as a medical doctor, to seek advice. Times are uncertain and chaotic and the world as we know it, is turned upside down, the major weapon of the enemy now is fear, but glory to God, we’re not of them that fear because the Lord is our Refuge and Rock. According to 2 Timothy 1:7, we have the grace to overcome fear with love. We have nothing to fear but fear itself. When we consult the word of God, we’ll find the solution and answers we need. The divine writing of the scriptures is profitable for doctrine.  Paul stresses the authority of the Scripture. The divine origin of Scripture is the reason for its power to convert souls according to verse fifteen and its usefulness in training. God gave us two ways of obtaining godly instructions, one is wisdom with revelation and the other is His written prophetic word. God's revelation comes from His presence, where we receive revelation for the next level and stage that is particular to us individually and probably for general consumption. The presence of God and the word of God is where you receive instructions and plans for battles in your part of the overall war for righteousness on the earth. It’s through prayer that God gives a fresh word specific to our current situation, whatever it may be. The Lord will not hide information from the saints according to Amos 3:7, He is a just God who reveals what His plans are but only if we consult Him in His word. We can’t hide anything from God says Jeremiah 23:24, but we hope that if God doesn't see, He won’t know. Rather than consult man for help on what we’re experiencing, consult the Lord and see His hand move over that issue. Whatever our questions, the challenge and problems, the Word of God is the answer. The Bible is a living document. What’s so amazing is that God can use His Word to get a personal and specific message right to you. All you need to do is have a listening ear and a perceiving heart. Spend time in His Word and allow Him to give you counsel about those things you desire to know, Proverbs 23:12. Ephesians 2:8 says God took the steps to provide us with the grace needed for the race, you do not have to work to follow Christ nor work to seek grace, consulting the word will help you take your place not an as unworthy sinner but as a saved and redeemed saint. The Lord is always speaking through the pages of the bible, but you must open the pages of your heart to allow Him to write what He wants for you and not what you want for yourself. Now is the best time to begin consulting the word of God, remember the one who makes God their refuge will not be harmed as the Lord has commissioned Angels to watch over you. Consult the word-therein lies all you need. Shalom Women of light international prayer ministries.

MY GRACE IS SUFFICIENT FOR YOU

2 Corinthians 12:7-9 CSB especially because of the extraordinary revelations. Therefore, so that I would not exalt myself, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to torment me so that I would not exalt myself. [8] Concerning this, I pleaded with the Lord three times that it would leave me. [9] But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is perfected in weakness.” Therefore, I will most gladly boast all the more about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may reside in me.

Some situations and people will task our strength, patience, endurance, and anything else they can sap from us. No matter how patient we are, there will always be that person or thing that will make us wish, pray, or cry for more patience. We often find ourselves doing so when we face storms of life, we look for a quick and easy fix when it seems like either God has forgotten us or is ignoring us. Wherever we are right now in life, be it on the mountain, the valley or the wilderness, the grace of God will always be available to us to see us through the process. My grace is sufficient! Paul says in our text that God’s grace “is sufficient” (in the present tense, always there whenever we need and acknowledge it). He goes further to state that God’s power is constantly available in equal measure, His power is made perfect in our weakness. Paul’s earthly weaknesses just like ours are God’s way of demonstrating his power. This emphasizes the constant availability of God’s grace and power in every believer’s journey, season, and trial. The grace and strength of God are available for anything! First, we don’t know what Paul’s thorn was, but we read that he asked the Lord three times to remove it, rather than doing so, the Lord reminded Paul, as He does us, that His grace is enough for us. What thorn are you experiencing, and what challenges do you think the Lord should take away? Paul, a motivating, passionate visioner, humbled by the thorn in his life, could have given up because of the irritating thorn when God didn’t take it away, instead, God gave him the grace to manage the thorn and carry on. The thorn kept Paul humbled and not become proud. Is the Lord using whatever thorn irritating you to keep you humbled and dependent on Him? Just as the Lord gave Paul the grace to overcome the irritation of the thorn in his flesh, the Lord can do the same for you, if you’ll only allow the grace to truly be sufficient for you. Some of the trials we face are not a punishment from God but a humbling thorn to keep us grounded and not puffed up but it’s only through discernment according to 1 John 4:1 that we know what spirit is troubling us. The Lord told Moses and the Israelites that if they failed to drive out the inhabitants of Canaan from the land in Numbers 33:55, they would become thorns in their sides. Notice that Paul didn’t get angry at the thorn or with God. So many of us get to the point of railing at God in anger for not delivering us as we think we deserve. Like Paul, our thorns should make us weak and fully dependent on God. We should understand like Paul did, that the weaker we get, the stronger God become within us. Our weakness is always an opportunity for God to manifest His glory and power, showcased by His grace. His grace is always sufficient for us, and His power is available to us. Don’t suffer outside God’s grace. Shalom Women of light international prayer ministries.

INDESCRIBABLE GOD

Psalm 19:1-14 ERV The heavens tell about the glory of God. The skies announce what his hands have made. [2] Each new day tells more of the story, and each night reveals more and more about God’s power. [3] You cannot hear them say anything. They don’t make any sound we can hear. [4] But their message goes throughout the world. Their teaching reaches the ends of the earth. The sun’s tent is set up in the heavens. [5] It comes out like a happy bridegroom from his bedroom. It begins its path across the sky like an athlete eager to run a race. [6] It starts at one end of the sky and runs all the way to the other end. Nothing can hide from its heat. [7] The LORD’s teachings are perfect. They give strength to his people. The LORD’s rules can be trusted. They help even the foolish become wise. [8] The LORD’s laws are right. They make people happy. The LORD’s commands are good. They show people the right way to live. [9] Learning respect for the LORD is good. It will last forever. The LORD’s judgments are right. They are completely fair. [10] His teachings are worth more than pure gold. They are sweeter than the best honey dripping from the honeycomb. [11] His teachings warn his servants, and good things come to those who obey them. [12] People cannot see their own mistakes, so don’t let me commit secret sins. [13] Don’t let me do what I know is wrong. Don’t let sin control me. If you help me, I can be pure and free from sin. [14] May my words and thoughts please you. LORD, you are my Rock—the one who rescues me.

The Bible is packed full of God's wonderous perfections, the testimony of His creation pours forth in glorious praise and testimony, and the beauty and splendour of His majesty are visible to the naked eyes all over the globe. How can we describe a God who’s indescribable? Everything in creation speaks of God’s sovereignty and wonder, the very things He spoke into perfect creation from His desire and ideas with the power of His words. "From the highest of heights to the depths of the sea, creations revealing Your majesty. From the colours of fall to the fragrance of spring, every creature is unique in the song that it sings. All exclaiming, Indescribable, uncontainable, you place the stars...." The above is from a very popular song, we all sing, but have you ever really taken the time to reflect on the lyrics of the song? When we read Psalm 19, does it resonate within us how mighty, how glorious, magnificent, and worthy our God truly is? Man’s mind cannot fully describe or comprehend it according to Psalms 145:3. God's greatness is truly declared by even the element and the creations shout out His wonders. How do you describe a God who is omnipotent and all-sufficient? As God’s people, we are created to celebrate the supreme revelation of Him, His glory that includes His power, wisdom, and worthiness of honour and worship. If the heavens and the heavens proclaim His name and fame in verse one, man made in God’s image can do no less. It's impossible to out-imagine God. It’s God who orchestrates time, creates light, and speaks things into existence—from the largest stars to the smallest starfish. God is a powerful, purposeful, personal and unparallel and unequal Creator. Verse 1 says, "The heavens tell the glory of God. And the skies announce what his hands have made." The indescribable ability of God displays the majesty of His creation with scientific findings, photography, and original illustrations of Space, Galaxies, Planets, Stars, Earth, Geology, Oceans, Weather, and Animals, from birds to Dinosaurs and even our Minds, Bodies, and Imaginations. Psalm 18:30 calls the Father, the God whose way is perfect, could not but do things in perfect ways. We can only perceive with spiritual intelligence the fact that the world was created by our God. Though we do not see Him or the acts of creation itself as described in Genesis 1:1-31 we read that He made everything from nothing but his spoken words according to Hebrews 11:3. Job 12:22 refers to God as a mystery, and in Daniel 2:27 even kings call God king. Human language is too limited and falls short in describing the unlimited omnipresent, omnipotent, and Omni-everything God we serve. God is both the source, resources and sustainer of creation and all creatures according to Hebrews 11:3, there are no human resources and materials needed to create and maintain His work. Only an indescribable God can give away an indescribable gift as Christ according to 2 Corinthians 9:15, yet man with all his knowledge, talent and eloquence is still unable to describe God. You can only see God and describe His wonders only through His Spirit says 1 John 2:20. All of creation preaches the sermon of God’s greatness and hailing our indescribable God. Are you? Shalom Women of light international prayer ministries.

LET THEM GO

2 Peter 3:17 CSB Therefore, dear friends, since you know this in advance, be on your guard, so that you are not led away by the error of lawless people and fall from your own stable position.

We are all clingy by nature and have the habit of clinging to things or people that usually have gone past the sell-by date. We cling to old clothing that is too tight, small, big and can no longer wear because we like them, we even hold onto the broken and damaged things to fix them. How about those relationships and friendships that are no longer serving any purpose or making any impact? According to 2 Corinthians 6:14, we mustn’t remain in relationships that are unequal and detrimental to us in any way. Sometimes the Lord tells us to let something or someone go as seen in Acts 15:39 but we stubbornly cling and refuse to obey God's directives, instead of avoiding them as Proverbs 4:14-17 instructs. We habitually hold on to pain, grudges, malice, old and broken relationships, as well as damaged, and useless things that occupy spaces that could be used for better things. The Lord doesn’t want us to just let go of these things but to not allow them to occupy us, our minds need to be set on things that will edify us and positively affect our emotions, see Colossians 3:2. The storms of life are sometimes to shake off unwanted things and people from our life, and when or if you don't allow the shaking, the storm may grow bigger or worse like in Jonah 1:10-13. Letting go of someone does not mean the end of loving or caring for that person, it simply means God wants you to make room for a new season which usually will need new skill sets, strength, talents, and influences to support you. Letting go of anything, good or bad can be exceedingly difficult and painful, and it's not normally so easy to let them go either. Relationships are great and have so many good rewards for all involved, but we must run from any toxic relationship and negative or ungodly influence that may be detrimental to us in any way, see 1 Timothy 6:10-11, and 1 Corinthians 10:14. God uses the right people around us to help and bless just as the enemy uses the wrong people to destroy, but we must differentiate and appreciate healthy relationships from toxic ones and be strong enough to let go of such. Unfortunately, letting go is one of the hardest things to do, it's easy to hold on to the wrong things and people but remember that if our hands and life are occupied with the wrong things and people, there’ll be no room for the better thing and people God want to bless us with. Letting go of hurts, regrets, and worry plagues us, while we have all kinds of feelings but remember that God will use these to build us up because He always has something better, but what He has is in front of us and not behind, so let go and keep moving towards Him according to Philippians 3:13-14. Looking back and holding on will distract us from our tomorrow, the devil will try to remind us of our past mistakes, but don’t allow failures and sin to carry you through life with distractive habits, relationships, and things because you refuse to let them go. Let them go! Shalom Women of light international prayer ministries.

THE ARM OF FLESH WILL FAIL

2 Chronicles 32:1-33 After these things, and the establishment thereof, Sennacherib king of Assyria came, and entered into Judah, and encamped against the fenced cities, and thought to win them for himself. 2 And when Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib was come, and that he was purposed to fight against Jerusalem, 3 He took counsel with his princes and his mighty men to stop the waters of the fountains which were without the city: and they did help him. 4 So there was gathered much people together, who stopped all the fountains, and the brook that ran through the midst of the land, saying, Why should the kings of Assyria come, and find much water? 5 Also he strengthened himself, and built up all the wall that was broken, and raised it up to the towers, and another wall without, and repaired Millo in the city of David, and made darts and shields in abundance. 6 And he set captains of war over the people, and gathered them together to him in the street of the gate of the city, and spake comfortably to them, saying, 7 Be strong and courageous, be not afraid nor dismayed for the king of Assyria, nor for all the multitude that is with him: for there be more with us than with him: 8 With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the Lord our God to help us, and to fight our battles. And the people rested themselves upon the words of Hezekiah king of Judah. 9 After this did Sennacherib king of Assyria send his servants to Jerusalem, (but he himself laid siege against Lachish, and all his power with him,) unto Hezekiah king of Judah, and unto all Judah that were at Jerusalem, saying, 10 Thus saith Sennacherib king of Assyria, Whereon do ye trust, that ye abide in the siege in Jerusalem? 11 Doth not Hezekiah persuade you to give over yourselves to die by famine and by thirst, saying, The Lord our God shall deliver us out of the hand of the king of Assyria? 12 Hath not the same Hezekiah taken away his high places and his altars, and commanded Judah and Jerusalem, saying, Ye shall worship before one altar, and burn incense upon it? 13 Know ye not what I and my fathers have done unto all the people of other lands? were the gods of the nations of those lands any ways able to deliver their lands out of mine hand? 14 Who was there among all the gods of those nations that my fathers utterly destroyed, that could deliver his people out of mine hand, that your God should be able to deliver you out of mine hand? 15 Now therefore let not Hezekiah deceive you, nor persuade you on this manner, neither yet believe him: for no god of any nation or kingdom was able to deliver his people out of mine hand, and out of the hand of my fathers: how much less shall your God deliver you out of mine hand? 16 And his servants spake yet more against the Lord God, and against his servant Hezekiah. 17 He wrote also letters to rail on the Lord God of Israel, and to speak against him, saying, As the gods of the nations of other lands have not delivered their people out of mine hand, so shall not the God of Hezekiah deliver his people out of mine hand. 18 Then they cried with a loud voice in the Jews' speech unto the people of Jerusalem that were on the wall, to affright them, and to trouble them; that they might take the city. 19 And they spake against the God of Jerusalem, as against the gods of the people of the earth, which were the work of the hands of man. 20 And for this cause Hezekiah the king, and the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz, prayed and cried to heaven. 21 And the Lord sent an angel, which cut off all the mighty men of valour, and the leaders and captains in the camp of the king of Assyria. So he returned with shame of face to his own land. And when he was come into the house of his god, they that came forth of his own bowels slew him there with the sword. 22 Thus the Lord saved Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib the king of Assyria, and from the hand of all other, and guided them on every side. 23 And many brought gifts unto the Lord to Jerusalem, and presents to Hezekiah king of Judah: so that he was magnified in the sight of all nations from thenceforth. 24 In those days Hezekiah was sick to the death, and prayed unto the Lord: and he spake unto him, and he gave him a sign. 25 But Hezekiah rendered not again according to the benefit done unto him; for his heart was lifted up: therefore there was wrath upon him, and upon Judah and Jerusalem. 26 Notwithstanding Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart, both he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the wrath of the Lord came not upon them in the days of Hezekiah. 27 And Hezekiah had exceeding much riches and honour: and he made himself treasuries for silver, and for gold, and for precious stones, and for spices, and for shields, and for all manner of pleasant jewels; 28 Storehouses also for the increase of corn, and wine, and oil; and stalls for all manner of beasts, and cotes for flocks. 29 Moreover he provided him cities, and possessions of flocks and herds in abundance: for God had given him substance very much. 30 This same Hezekiah also stopped the upper watercourse of Gihon, and brought it straight down to the west side of the city of David. And Hezekiah prospered in all his works. 31 Howbeit in the business of the ambassadors of the princes of Babylon, who sent unto him to enquire of the wonder that was done in the land, God left him, to try him, that he might know all that was in his heart. 32 Now the rest of the acts of Hezekiah, and his goodness, behold, they are written in the vision of Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, and in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel. 33 And Hezekiah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the chiefest of the sepulchres of the sons of David: and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem did him honour at his death. And Manasseh his son reigned in his stead. When we’re faithful in seeking God, He in turn is faithful to saving and delivering us. The best of man is always going to fail at some point because they are a man. The arm of the flesh refers to natural strength, power, might, and methods. It’s natural for us to want to look for help anywhere we can when we’re desperate but that’s the time we must concentrate on the Lord to help us as Psalm 121 says to look up to the mountain, the mountain of God where our help comes from and He promises in Psalm 20:2 to send us help from His sanctuary. When Israel was faced with the Assyrian army and Sennacherib’s officers threatened destruction, they had a choice to either bow to fear, seek help somewhere or trust God, the God of Isreal that had never let them down, especially as the enemy was trying to convince Isreal that their king-Hezekiah was not to be trusted. The question then is true for us today, if their king Hezekiah was not to be trusted, is the Lord God Almighty to be trusted? If we can’t trust a man that we can see, how are we to trust the invisible God? God wants us to not only trust Him but to put all our hope in Him and leave our challenges in His capable hands. Letting us know in such strong terms in Isaiah 31 that sorrow, disappointment, and problems await those who go looking for help somewhere, seeking help from and relying on a man. We love to rely so much on human help but the human strength on which we are all so inclined to lean will very likely prove to be nothing more or better because humans can only do what is in their capacity to do. King Hezekiah could have looked at the other nations around him for help, he could have hired armies and chariots from neighbouring troops to fortify Isreal’s army but he as well as his officials turned to the Lord’s prophet for help, asking for God’s intervention. And then we see God display His greatness as promised in Romans 8:31, who can come against you when the God of heavens’ army, the Lord of host is for you? Nobody! Verse twenty-one says the Lord sent an angel, who cut off all the mighty warriors and commanders and officers in the camp of the king of Assyria. So he returned with shame of face to his land. And when he came into the house of his god, some of his sons struck him down there with the sword. When the Lord is on your side and your helper, victory is assured. Shame was the result of the arrogant Assyrian king who tried to destroy God’s people. God does not help us partially as most people will do. The arm of flesh, representing human power, is described in the Bible as unreliable and failing and God warns us of the disaster of trusting in the human arm according to Jeremiah 17:5. Verse eight tells us clearly what Hezekiah thought about the bragging of the Assyrians, he was not too troubled because his trust was the Lord his God. Who are you trusting? the arm of flesh or the God of heaven’s army? Shalom Women of light international prayer ministries.

SPIRITUAL HEALTH CHECK

2 Corinthians 13:5-9 TLB Check up on yourselves. Are you really Christians? Do you pass the test? Do you feel Christ’s presence and power more and more within you? Or are you just pretending to be Christians when actually you aren’t at all? [6] I hope you can agree that I have stood that test and truly belong to the Lord. [7] I pray that you will live good lives, not because that will be a feather in our caps, proving that what we teach is right; no, for we want you to do right even if we ourselves are despised. [8] Our responsibility is to encourage the right at all times, not to hope for evil. [9] We are glad to be weak and despised if you are really strong. Our greatest wish and prayer is that you will become mature Christians.

Health checks are important to maintain good health and know when something is wrong and needs medical intervention. Health checks could be physical, mental and emotional examinations carried out to determine whether a person is suffering from any illness or injury. We all get health checks at intervals-monthly, quarterly or annually, all done to establish that nothing is out of sync. We even carry out health checks on cars to keep them running smoothly. Everyone needs an occasional visit to the doctor for a check-up to make sure everything is working fine and that nothing is off internally. Spiritual health checks are as important or even more than other checks, as we often miss clues that indicate that our spirit is not enjoying the good health that God created it for. As creatures of habit, we tend to go through life on autopilot until it’s too late to deal with things that should have been dealt with earlier. We may visit the doctor for health checks either by choice or by prompting from the doctor because of previous medical histories and to make sure that they give us the appropriate medication or treatment for any anomalies. A spiritual health check is to evaluate ourselves, to prove we are still walking according to the expectations of the gospel and the leading of the Holy Spirit. Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith—try yourselves; pierce your hearts; try yourselves by what I have written and see whether you retain the true faith of the Gospel. Paul says to test ourselves as we would try gold or silver suspected of adulteration. 3 John 1:2 shows how important our health is to God, health in every area of our lives. This includes three particulars: 1. Health of body. 2. Health of soul; and 3. health in secular affairs, called prosperity. These three are so necessary for the comfort of life. We must actively depend on the Holy Spirit to guide us in God’s ways, so we don’t get wrapped up in ourselves. If not, are we willing to confess to God that His ways are better than yours and that we need the Holy Spirit’s guidance to live above the fray? Just as with physical and medical checks, we need to occasionally carry out a spiritual health check on ourselves to discover if we: Are still reading God's word and standing in obedience to the word as seen in Joshua 1:8. Still proclaiming the word in faith says Joshua 1:8. Do we repent of sins immediately according to Isaiah 55:7? Do we forgive offence quickly as instructed in Matthew 6:14-15? Do we follow Proverbs 3:9’s instructions to honour God with our substance? Aa Matthew 4:4invites, do we ask God for daily supply? Would we keep praising God while in the storms as seen in Exodus 15:2? Are we willing to allow God to choose what is best for us according to Jeremiah 29:11? Our spiritual health check when done regularly and honestly will help us know to always do the right and Godly things. We have everything in the word of God to carry out our spiritual health check according to God’s standard. Your spiritual health check should be updated regularly to align your path, plans and will to the Lord's. Shalom Women of light international prayer ministries.

GOD'S RESPONSES

Isaiah 65:1-16 CSB “I was sought by those who did not ask; I was found by those who did not seek me. I said, ‘Here I am, here I am,’ to a nation that did not call on my name. [2] I spread out my hands all day long to a rebellious people who walk in the path that is not good, following their own thoughts. [3] These people continually anger me to my face, sacrificing in gardens, burning incense on bricks, [4] sitting among the graves, spending nights in secret places, eating the meat of pigs, and putting polluted broth in their bowls. [5] They say, ‘Keep to yourself, don’t come near me, for I am too holy for you!’ These practices are smoke in my nostrils, a fire that burns all day long. [6] Look, it is written in front of me: I will not keep silent, but I will repay; I will repay them fully [7] for your iniquities and the iniquities of your ancestors together,” says the LORD. “Because they burned incense on the mountains and reproached me on the hills, I will reward them fully for their former deeds.” [8] The LORD says this: “As the new wine is found in a bunch of grapes, and one says, ‘Don’t destroy it, for there’s some good in it,’ so I will act because of my servants and not destroy them all. [9] I will produce descendants from Jacob, and heirs to my mountains from Judah; my chosen ones will possess it, and my servants will dwell there. [10] Sharon will be a pasture for flocks, and the Valley of Achor a place for herds to lie down, for my people who have sought me. [11] But you who abandon the LORD, who forget my holy mountain, who prepare a table for Fortune and fill bowls of mixed wine for Destiny, [12] I will destine you for the sword, and all of you will kneel down to be slaughtered, because I called and you did not answer, I spoke and you did not hear; you did what was evil in my sight and chose what I did not delight in.” [13] Therefore, this is what the Lord GOD says: “Look! My servants will eat, but you will be hungry. Look! My servants will drink, but you will be thirsty. Look! My servants will rejoice, but you will be put to shame. [14] Look! My servants will shout for joy from a glad heart, but you will cry out from an anguished heart, and you will lament out of a broken spirit. [15] You will leave your name behind as a curse for my chosen ones, and the Lord GOD will kill you; but he will give his servants another name. [16] Whoever asks for a blessing in the land will ask for a blessing by the God of truth, and whoever swears in the land will swear by the God of truth. For the former troubles will be forgotten and hidden from my sight.

We say things like, I prayed but God didn't answer me, where was God when…, why didn’t God help, save, heal, do something? Psalm 65:2 says everyone, saved and unsaved comes to God who responds to calls. We habitually ask God where He is in a situation when we haven't even invited Him into it or sought His counsel on it. Yet the Lord says He’s ready to respond whenever we call or ask but unfortunately we don’t call on Him. The response to the above verses is what is outlined in the text, and it still holds for us today. We normally spread out our hands in worship but in verse two, we see an extraordinary gesture of God spreading out His hands to us, inviting us for fellowship, for sinners to seek Him and for the wayward to return home as seen in Luke 15:11-32. Here is the image of God standing crying "Here am I, I am here!" But we take no notice of Him. We reject God daily in various ways, we reject when we are more interested in climbing the endless career ladder. Climbing the unsatisfactory social network ladder. Chasing after wealth. Attaining celebrity status. All the while looking down on those who are fervently chasing the Lord for their spiritual zeal. Some others try to manipulate God to bend to their rule and use all kinds of talismans to "seek" God as seen in verses 3-4. How often do we return to the Lord with only gratitude for responding to our numerous calls? How often do we simply praise Him for responding to your unlimited requests? How often do we ignore Him when we’ve got what we want until the next time? And how often do we blame God for the very thing we prayed for? Too often! The Lord responds to every situation and each person in different ways and seasons but when we don’t see things the way the Lord does, we see it as God not responding. No matter how hard we look, we can't see God or touch God or even know who God is without His help. But if God sent his son—born like us, took on human flesh—so we could relate to and know God as a loving Father who would rather die than let us self-destruct because of His love for us, as seen in John 3:16, why would He not respond favourably when we call? Seeing as He invites us to call on Him according to Jeremiah 33:3. The Lord God always responds! We may not like the response we get sometimes but it's still a respond-no matter what it is, our response to God’s response to our prayer should be; Glory! Hallelujah! How does God respond to us? Tough question! God responds in so many ways. We may experience physical response through prayer to receive healing, provision, direction and favour, in most cases, much more than we asked, less than we asked for but with a twist that reveals that God always responds in His way that exceeds our expectations. There is always a need for prayer and there is a God that answers according to Psalm 65:2, God will respond to us. Shalom Women of light international prayer ministries.

EAGERLY WAITING ON THE LORD

Romans 8:23-25 TPT And it’s not just creation. We who have already experienced the first fruits of the Spirit also inwardly groan as we passionately long to experience our full status as God’s sons and daughters—including our physical bodies being transformed. [24] For this is the hope of our salvation. But hope means that we must trust and wait for what is still unseen. For why would we need to hope for something we already have? [25] So because our hope is set on what is yet to be seen, we patiently keep on waiting for its fulfilment.

We talked about waiting on the Lord patiently and continually but most of us wait reluctantly, and grudgingly, yet God wants us to be eager in anticipating His wonders and goodness towards us. We are not the first generation to be asked to wait, Paul says believers in His days groaned in frustrated longing for God’s intervention and deliverance in their case. So many of us have been waiting continually and patiently on the Lord for certain things but how many of us are waiting eagerly for the manifestation of God’s promises? Everyone is waiting for something and sometimes it may look like suffering but believers have to especially suffer as Christ said in John 16:33 for the glorification of the father but we must eagerly wait with expectation for the Lord to come through. The core of the Lord is good through and through and it is this goodness that He shows to those who wait on Him according to Lamentation 3:25, those who eagerly anticipate His goodness and mercies. Even as we groan in suffering and frustration, we should still be eager in waiting for God’s goodness because one can only wait in hope for an expectation, eager hope. Habakkuk 2:3 promises that the expected vision will not fail, even if it seems delayed, we must wait for it, for it shall surely take place in the set time, so must look forward expectantly, in the place of expectation. So many of us are exhibiting the image expressed in Psalm 69:3, exhausting ourselves with weeping, waiting for God to “perform”, when what we should be doing is wait patiently, continually and eagerly with joy. Remember, according to Nehemiah 8:10, it is the joy of the Lord that strengthens us to wait on Him. Wait eagerly, continually and patiently. To wait for the Lord is to look to him with dependence and trust, not passivity but eagerly, which will enable one to be strong and courageous according to Psalms 27:14. The Lord is waiting to be gracious to us, so, we too must wait eagerly to receive from Him. Isaiah 30:18 says He is gracious to those who wait for Him, God is just, He knows the perfect way to achieve His purpose, the perfect time to move, and the perfect kind of miracle to send you. We wait on a man with anticipated hope that they will do what they have promised, even when it looks like they’ve forgotten or are ignoring us, yet we make excuses for them when God is the only one we really should be eagerly anticipating to deliver and save us as Psalm 62:5 says, encouraging us to place our hope only in God. It won’t be easy to wait eagerly for something we have no idea of when and if it will happen, but that’s the beauty of faith according to Hebrew 11:1, the assurance or confidence of our hope in Christ, the conviction that our waiting will pay off eventually because it’s settled on something in the future based on God’s promises. We all have the Spirit of God but we still must await the day of our final adoption, when our bodies, fully redeemed, are raised from the dead, so let’s wait eagerly on the Lord. Shalom Women of light international prayer ministries

RESERVED: THE GREAT BANQUET

Isaiah 25:6-8 MEV In this mountain, the LORD of Hosts shall prepare for all people a lavish feast, a feast of aged wines, choice pieces full of marrow, and refined, aged wines. [7] He will destroy in this mountain the covering which is over all peoples, even the veil that is spread over all nations. [8] He will swallow up death for all time, and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from all faces; and the reproach of His people He shall take away from all the earth, for the LORD has spoken it.

Reservation is something to do for certain things, to manage time, to gain admittance or acceptance and to sometimes qualify for some things. A feast is a proper and usual expression of joy in consequence of remarkable success. The Lord intends to host a feast in Jerusalem to celebrate all His people, a symbol of His rich provision for those who will receive His invitation in Revelation 3:20 everyone is invited without distinction. This is the celebration of the establishment of Christ's kingdom, which is frequently represented in the Gospel under the image of a feast; "where many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down at a table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven;" according to Matthew 8:11. The parable of Luke 14 and 15 speaks of eating with Jesus as being a celebration of marriage and Jesus spoke of how he will dine with the faithful in Matthew 8:11, and Luke 13:28-29. We must understand the full meaning of breaking bread as a celebration of victory, the future kingdom of God is set to this image; a meal on the mountain of God, the eternal feast, the marriage feast of the lamb (Christ) to the bride (the church, believers, you and I). A feast that will last an eternity with people from all nations of the earth as God's guests, no one is to be excluded except those who have not made themselves ready like the five foolish virgins in Matthew 25. God is preparing a great feast for the repentant, a sumptuous meal with the best of food, drinks, and merriment. Everyone is invited to this feast but unfortunately, not everyone will accept the invitation or attend the feast. Only those who conquer will inherit everything the Lord has prepared for them, including the great banquet, says Revelation 21:7. Have you accepted your invitation? Are you ready for the great banquet? Have you RESERVED your place? I have! In Luke 14, 15, a man planned a large banquet and sent out invitations. When the banquet was ready, he sent his servant to contact each of the guests, telling them that the meal was about to start. One after another, the guests made excuses for not coming. When the master of the house heard these flimsy excuses, he was angry. He told his servant to forget the guest list and go into the back streets of the town and invite “the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame”. The servant had already brought in the down-and-out townspeople, and still, there was room in the banquet hall. So, the master sent his servant on a broader search: “Go out to the roads and country lanes and make them come in so that my house will be full. The excuses for skipping the banquet are laughably bad, just like the excuses for not wanting to serve God today. Those who ignored the invitation to the banquet missed out as they chose their punishment. The Lord always respects our choices. So, it will be with God’s judgment on those who choose to reject Christ: they will have their choices confirmed and will never taste the joys of heaven because they rejected the invitation. Guard your reservation to the great banquet with everything, it's the most important and precious invitation you'll ever receive. Shalom Women of light international prayer ministries.

THE LORD IS NEVER LATE

John 11:1,3-5,7-9,11-17,19-25 TPT In the village of Bethany there was a man named Lazarus, and his sisters, Mary and Martha. Mary was the one who would anoint Jesus’ feet with costly perfume and dry his feet with her long hair. One day Lazarus became very sick to the point of death. [3] So his sisters sent a message to Jesus, “Lord, our brother Lazarus, the one you love, is very sick. Please come!” [4] When he heard this, he said, “This sickness will not end in death for Lazarus, but will bring glory and praise to God. This will reveal the greatness of the Son of God by what takes place.” [5] Now even though Jesus loved Mary, Martha, and Lazarus, he remained where he was for two more days. [7] Finally, on the third day, he said to his disciples, “Come. It’s time to go to Bethany.” [8] “But Teacher,” they said to him, “do you really want to go back there? It was just a short time ago the people of Judea were going to stone you!” [9] Jesus replied, “Are there not twelve hours of daylight in every day? You can go through a day without the fear of stumbling when you walk in the One who gives light to the world. But you will stumble when the light is not in you, for you’ll be walking in the dark.” [11] Then Jesus added, “Lazarus, our friend, has just fallen asleep. It’s time that I go and awaken him.” [12] When they heard this, the disciples replied, “Lord, if he has just fallen asleep, then he’ll get better.” [13] Jesus was speaking about Lazarus’ death, but the disciples presumed he was talking about natural sleep. [14] Then Jesus made it plain to them, “Lazarus is dead. [15] And for your sake, I’m glad I wasn’t there, because now you have another opportunity to see who I am so that you will learn to trust in me. Come, let’s go and see him.” [16] So Thomas, nicknamed the Twin, remarked to the other disciples, “Let’s go so that we can die with him.” [17] Now when they arrived at Bethany, which was only about two miles from Jerusalem, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. [19] Many friends of Mary and Martha had come from the region to console them over the loss of their brother. [20] And when Martha heard that Jesus was approaching the village, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed in the house. [21] Martha said to Jesus, “My Lord, if only you had come sooner, my brother wouldn’t have died. [22] But I know that if you were to ask God for anything, he would do it for you.” [23] Jesus told her, “Your brother will rise and live.” [24] She replied, “Yes, I know he will rise with everyone else on resurrection day.” [25] “Martha,” Jesus said, “You don’t have to wait until then. I am the Resurrection, and I am Life Eternal. Anyone who clings to me in faith, even though he dies, will live forever.

John’s accounts of when Lazarus of Bethany was on his deathbed, Martha and Mary, his sisters, sent Jesus an urgent message imploring His assistance tells us that God is punctual. How can this be though, when Jesus stayed where He was? Why did He do that? Does this mean Jesus can be late? Would the Lord arrive too late to help and deliver us when we need Him? ABSOLUTELY NOT! THE LORD IS NEVER LATE! So many already think the Lord is late. They have prayed, fasted and waited but feel that since the Lord did not turn up when they asked, it means He’s late or may not even answer them. There is a lesson in every adversity and the process must be completed before the change, otherwise, we would find ourselves repeating the process to gain what is required. Remember the significance of names? Check out the significance and ironic meaning of Lazarus: Lazarus is synonymous with the Hebrew, “Eliezer.” meaning “my God is help.” And God did help! The Lord was aware of Lazarus’s sickness, He mentions it to the disciples, and then goes on to proclaim that “the sickness is not unto death. Why?  Yet Jesus made no move to travel to Bethany He waited two extra days before setting out, timing His arrival to be exactly on the fourth day after Lazarus’ death in verse seventeen.  Jesus was at least one day’s journey away from Bethany and by the time the message reached him, Lazarus had already died. The Lord is purposefully intentional in all He does, and the maximum glory of everything goes to Him alone. If Jesus had arrived “too early” the Jews would not have seen this event as a miracle because the Jewish tradition believes that the soul of a deceased person was believed to linger behind, hovering over the dead body for three days, desperately trying to get back inside the body. So introduces the reason why Jesus stayed two days longer. No room for doubt or dispute! He wanted the people to see his power over death, maximizing His glory in verse five. Some would ask why Jesus didn’t come on time to heal Lazarus, Jesus’ answer in verse fifteen points us again to maximum glory, healing Lazarus was not in His plan but that would have happened if He had come too early, this was an occasion to manifest the glory of God to man, and to establish our faith. Timing is everything to the Lord according to Ecclesiastes 3, the Lord is never late or too early. It was a miracle to see Lazarus was dead, at least for the disciples, as no person had come to announce it to them. It was a greater miracle to raise a dead man than to cure a sick man. And it was a greater miracle, to raise one that had been buried for four days, and in whose body, putrefaction might have begun to take place, than to raise one that just died. Don’t give up, God would never be late to help you or too early to miss you, He will arrive on time, He is punctual because time belongs to Him. The Lord is never late. Shalom Women of light international prayer ministries.

LIBERATED IN CHRIST

John 8:32 AMPC 32. And you will know the Truth, and the Truth will set you free. 36. So if the Son liberates you [makes you free men], then you are really and unquestionably free.

Liberation means to be free, to be delivered from all kinds of captivity, to be free from selfishness, lust, greed, and all lust of the flesh as well as and especially from the fetters of the devil. Galatians 5:13 says freedom is not a licence to sin but total freedom from all the burdensome rites and ceremonies of the law and that we have been called unto liberty. There are two desires in life: The desires of the spirit and the desires of the flesh. John 8:36 says the only one who can set man free from any every bondage is Jesus Christ who frees us totally and permanently. The ultimate answer to all of life’s bounds, chained, and captive is Jesus Christ. Don't remain bound by sin, guilt, fear, and negative emotions. Experience is the best teacher, yes, but what does it teach you? The wrong or the right things? Some people allow such emotions or experiences to break, stunt or stop them from living a healthy lifestyle. We can change our mindset from illness, Pride, Addiction, Emptiness, Religion, and Spiritual blindness because all have been paid for by Christ on the cross completely and fully. Romans 8:1-5 tells us to celebrate the new life of the Spirit that is a result of Christ’s saving work and when condemnation comes against us, let us remind ourselves and Satan that we do not walk after the flesh but after the Spirit. Walking after the flesh is depending on yourself; walking after the Spirit is depending on God. But we must always remember that Christ has liberated us from the chains of the flesh. A lot of John 10:10 circumstances and people will come against us, situations will tie us in knots but just as only the rope that bound the Hebrew boys in Daniel 3:27, the Lord will liberate us with no harm to us.  Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were completely untouched by the fire. Their clothes were not harmed, nor their hair singed, and they did not even smell of smoke, a testimony to the Lord’s protection. The Lord will also protect us from everything trying to keep us bound. The one sure way of getting liberated as described in John 6:63 is through the word of God and dependence on the Holy Spirit who alone can clean up our mess. Knowing the truth is to gain freedom and maintain this freedom by continuing to believe and obey Jesus’ word that promises to set us free from the guilt and enslaving power of sin. The bondage of sin is the most grievous; and freedom from its guilt and influence is the greatest liberty. If we want to fulfil God's will and purpose for our lives, the flesh must die and lose its power over us. Only in Christ do we find the liberty to worship and serve the Lord in reverence and fear. Jesus quoted Isaiah 61:1 in Luke 4:18, and like Isaiah, the spirit of the Lord has been released on us all to liberate us from all bondage to bring perfect liberty to all those bound, to deliver the captives and those in prison. We are liberated in Christ. The truth will free us from darkness, lies and sin because we are liberated in Christ. Shalom Women of light international prayer ministries.

GODLY INFLUENCER TWO

1 Peter 2:12 Voice Live honorably among the outsiders so that, even when some may be inclined to call you criminals, when they see your good works, they might give glory to God when He returns in judgment.

Still on the issue of influencers! Who can be an influencer? Who is an influencer? How do we influence others and how? We are never meant to listen to the voice of a man but God’s voice, especially to men who are not listening to God’s voice. Presently, there are more social and economic influencers than spiritual or godly influencers. God created us and gave us power, authority, and dominion over all things and when we come to Christ, our authority is even more because of the name of Jesus. Naturally, there aren’t any written manuals for how to live life but according to 2 Timothy 3:16, everything we need for life is in the Bible, Paul stresses the authority of all Scripture; authority in all things, the bible should influence us in every way, finance, business, marriage, child-rearing, health, and all others. The divine origin of Scripture is the reason for its power and usefulness in training. We are not to proclaim ourselves, and our abilities but Christ according to 2 Corinthians 4:5, the opportunity, privilege, and ability to positively influence people are found in Christ. The enemy is using peoples’ skills, talents, and ability to negatively influence the world, creating a false community that impacts the rest of the world with mostly demonic, evil, wicked and unrighteous influences and because of what 2 Corinthians 4:3-4 says that ‘ and even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. People are blinded to the truth of the gospel but are very accepting of the lies of the enemy. A lot of people are so influenced that many of the godly principles that governed the world years ago, that even unbelievers adhered to are no longer necessary according to the influencers. We have influencers telling women they have a right to their bodies and therefore can abort babies as they please, but the scriptures say God sees each embryo as a person in Psalm 139:16. Even believers are influenced to go with the lie that it is better to terminate a pregnancy than to allow the child to suffer. Influence comes in all forms, we must crave, even as we offer a godly and positive influence on people we meet. Sometimes, people have bad ideas and intentions but will not act on them until an influential voice gives them false courage to carry out their actions, such as the case in 2 Samuel 13 of the friendship between Absalom’s half-brother, Amnon and Jonadab. This friendship and influence led to the rape of Amnon’s sister, Tamar. One sentence from an ungodly and negative influence created a mountain of issues that affected generations, causing murder, division, and war. We must always remember that 1 Corinthians 15:33 strongly admonishes us that, “Bad company corrupts good character.”  Jonadab was bad company. Galatians 5:9 say that a little leaven leavens the whole lump. It only takes one “bad company” influence to cause us to lose our spiritual focus. Let us be aware of the influence of those we call our friends and choose them carefully. Be a godly influencer! Shalom Women of light international prayer ministries.

THE COVENANT KEEPER

Genesis 17:2 AMPC 2. And I will make My covenant (solemn pledge) between Me and you and will multiply you exceedingly. 7. And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you throughout their generations for an everlasting, solemn pledge, to be a God to you and to your posterity after you.

The Divine Covenants of God are those covenants God makes with us. Covenants are promises of God as revealed in the Scriptures, conditioned on certain terms on the part of humans, such as obedience, repentance, faith, and righteousness. God’s covenant provides a unifying principle for understanding the whole of Scripture and defines the relationship between God and man. The heart of that relationship is found in God’s “I will be their God and they shall be My people”. God will keep His promises forever to His everlasting possession because everything God does is based on a covenant. Covenant is a bond-in-blood sovereignly administered only by God. Hebrew 6:13 says God swore by Himself when He made Abraham a promise because He couldn’t swear by anyone greater. He said, “Surely in blessing, I will bless you, and in multiplying I will multiply you.” Men indeed swear by the greater, and an oath for confirmation is for them an end of all disputes. But God, determining to show the immutability of His counsel, confirms it by an oath. Do you feel the gravity of covenant? God swearing against His character. Hebrews is an affirmation of Genesis 17:7 because all through the scriptures, we see God’s trustworthiness and faithfulness shine through. To believe that God is the covenant keeper, we must first believe Numbers 23:19 and Hebrews 6:18, which say God never lies, it does not matter how long it takes for the covenant to be affected, it certainly will come to pass otherwise Isaiah 55:11 will be a false claim on God’s part and a slur on His character. The records of God's covenant-keeping track are included in the Bible to show us that God’s word is final. Just as He did with: The Noahaic covenant in Genesis 9:11. The Abrahamic covenant in Genesis 12:1-3. The Mosaic covenant in Exodus 19:5-6. The Davidic covenant in 2 Samuel 7:12-17. The New Covenant in Jeremiah 31:31-34 I looked at all of God’s covenant testimonials and decided to cut my covenant with God based on His word of healing and health. I live and walk in divine health based on Isaiah 53:5 and 3 John 1:2. I activated my divine health covenant card with the Lord in 2012 and maintains it by the blood of Jesus and the faithfulness of God. By faith and standing on the word of God, I don’t even have paracetamol in my home. The Lord used the word “covenant” thirteen times in this chapter alone, the covenant of God is unconditional, an everlasting covenant and it’s important to note that in any covenant, it is essentially unilateral; It’s God’s covenant. No covenant left in our hands guarantees success! From the beginning, God affixed His signature on every covenant, you didn’t sign anything, because He swears in His name, that He’ll keep every covenant He made with you. He says in Jeremiah 33;20-22 that if we can't break His covenant of day and night, then He can’t break His covenant of a king on David's throne, He kept it, Jesus, the king of kings is the last of David's line and the permanent king on the throne of David. God is faithful, His covenant is forever. Get your covenant card out, the Lord is ready, willing, and faithful to cut a covenant with you. Shalom

Women of light international prayer ministries.