THE LUCKY ONE: Understanding the Fate of the Fated

THE LUCKY ONE: Understanding the Fate of the Fated

In Helon Habila's "Oil on Water", the protagonist has an elder sister who always calls him the "lucky one". This description goes by the fact that out of her father's children, it's only him who has the journey different. He's the second born and not the first but he's the only one who has it different. 

If you ever read the novel, you'll see that though he also passes through some hard times, yet it never kill him but rather launches him into his deep waters as a seasoned Journalist - a man of destiny. He even escapes death on a number of times. This solidifies his sister's claim of calling him, "the lucky one". Don't call any man 'lucky' who has no event to prove him so. 

Again, in Alex Agyei Agyri's Unexpected Joy at Dawn, the idea of being the lucky one as it contrasts against being the scape goat is revealed in Joe and Tally O. Joe and Tally O are two mineral stealers though with others who engage in the illegal business of gold mining in a region of Gold Coast (now Ghana). Having a feel of their experience would make you see clearly the idea of being lucky and unlucky. One is always the scape goat and the other, the spared. However, in all your encounters, may you have the outcome of the spared. 

"Tally O is seated in a small but thick forest waiting for the arrival of his colleagues in their illegal mining business. Soon, he begins to entertain fears about the possibility of his colleagues having fallen into the hands of the law. Shortly, six men, all members of the Daga group, arrive to meet Tally O. They all shake hands with him, and one of the men go inside the hut to check whether some of the gems they kept there are still intact. After discovering that all is well, they become more relaxed and change into work clothes. All of them, now including Joe, walk to the Nubo mines. They walk to a mountain, climb past it and swim across the river next to the mountain. When they get to the mine field, each chooses different areas suspected to be rich in minerals. 

Tally O moves to the direction of some abandoned and carefully sealed holes he has always suspected to be rich in diamonds. Joe stops at a crossroads, bids goodbye to a colleague and then turns to take the path to his right. He moves down to a stream where he is able to pick many gem stones and feels good about his picks. 

Tally O crawls into one of the holes after gathering away the dead wood and leaves that have collected at its mouth. Inside, he is able to get many sparkling stones. 

Suddenly, the peace of the forest is disturbed and animals are fleeing. Before he realizes what is happening, a gunshot slashes through his left shoulder and he falls on the floor of the hole, as he bleeds profusely. 

Not too far away, Joe struggles with his heavy sack. Soon, he hears a sharp sound. Initially, he thinks the sound comes from the fleeing animals but when a gunshot hits the dead wood very close to him, he wakes up to the reality of the danger around him. 

Soon, Joe manages to discover three huge trees they call the three sisters and takes cover in their roots. With his heavy sack, he is completely surrounded by the roots and darkness. By now, he has realized that they are being hunted by armed guards. 

Joe is seized by fear, knowing that they lack arms to confront their hunters. He recalls how he had been against the idea of coming into the mines now, and how he had been swayed by the majority opinion. He also recalls two past encounters with the mine guards during which his men had killed two mine guards on the first occasion, and another on the second occasion. Tally O had been involved in the killing on the second occasion. Joe struggles on as he manoeuvres his way through the forest, driven by the will to survive. 

The other members of the team are still in the dense forest, struggling to get Tally O out of the hole. After a brief argument about what to do, as they find it difficult pulling him out, one of them picks up an axe, swings it upwards and lands it on Tally O's head. His head is split and the rest promptly pile pieces of wood and leaves on the mouth of the hole to cover the dead man. 

Thereafter, they split up and run towards the marshes. Besides Tally O, they all make it to the hut where they wait to be sure that the guards have gone". 

This is where the narrative ends but did you see clearly for yourself the idea of being, "lucky" and "unlucky". Joe is a target of death as Tally O is. A shot got Tally O down but for whatever reason it may be, Joe is spared of likewise shot that could have taken him down. The idea or truth of being the lucky or fortunate one isn't a cook up but a reality that we see in our day to day world. We've heard of survivors of fatal accidents which includes flight crashes before. If death claims the life of one and leaves the other behind (despite the attempt of death to claim all), one may need to reason as to why one is spared and the other sacrificed at such nearness. Reading entirely the novel, I found out the author still have parts for Joe to play. Due to this, Joe is spared to see better days. He turns away from his criminal act and even get married. While Tally O faces poetic justice, Joe seems to carry the label of the lucky one and conveys the idea that life always make choice of men and how they're treated differently. The hard truth which off course carries weighty significance. One time, Jesus seeks to align some people to proper thinking and choice making. So, He brings home His message by taking them on a trip of an unfortunate event that they're all aware of.

Luke 13:1-5, KJV

"1 There were present at that season some that told him of the Galilaeans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. 

2 And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galilaeans were sinners above all the Galilaeans, because they suffered such things?  

3 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.  

4 Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem? 

5 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish".

This narrative of Jesus tells me something. That there'll always be "the lucky" and "the unlucky". Even amidst the unqualified, a choice and separation is always being made. Some will be fortunate and some unfortunate. These two forces rule in human affairs but you can always have your tent pitched on the other side - the good. 

You see, "the lucky one" is how it is called in the secular. That idea means "fortunate". It's a kind one undeniably. If I would say it, I'll say, "the destined" or "the fated". We're fortunate. We're not meant for slaughter. We can always in any circumstance hope for an expected end. We can trust that whenever we are on our way down, there would be a sort of intervention that would ensure, "on their hands they bear us up lest we dash our foot on a stone." Be assured, as the lucky one, the fated one and the destined one, intervention will always be organized for you. Yes, even at the eleventh hour. Before you fall and hit, there'll be interception and a bearing back or restoration to position. 

There are marks of being the "lucky, fortunate, chosen, fated, destined one". Let us consider Joseph and what makes him the lucky, fortunate, destined and chosen one - one we can smell that something will happen for in the future. First, he's one we can resolve of that with the salvation God has granted him in life, it's because God still has need of him. Whenever God has need of something, He spares it for Himself by a divine claim. Mark that, "for Himself". God does sparing for Himself - so that His will and purpose would be furthered. That's where our salvation is hidden. That's a sure mark of destiny. You can always wait on it because it is faithful. The colt that no man has ever sat on should have been used. At least, it should have entered the heart of one man to playfully sit on it but this colt has the witness that "no one has ever sat on it" when that's the exact purpose for its creation and existence. Why would this colt therefore remain till mature stature without being intruded into for use (even once) by anyone? It's because the Lord has need of it. For this reason, all other operating laws must be suspended and the "need of the Lord" honoured. Do you know why I know I can't die until I discharge all? I've been found for HIS will. He has need of me. I'm discharging it and so He's faithful to watch over me. Let me ask, "where are you a part of His will if you're born again?" Your calling and the purpose you serve in the Kingdom is also a reason for your preservation and sparing. That colt is spared and reserved because by ordainment (having looked into the future of Jesus' assignment), it'll one day bear the Messiah and serve a purpose in the overall will of God.

Zechariah 9:9, KJV "Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass".

Now, listen to me. If a colt could be preserved until maturity and eventually until it discharges just one assignment as written in the prophetic scriptures ahead, would it be out of place not to claim that a fellow whose assignment won't be one trip be preserved and spared? So, in God's overall will, He made a choice and places a call on that colt and because that colt has a call on its head, it has to be spared for the fulfilment of its calling, assignment and life. Other colts would bear burdens and travel people but this colt remains tied (but being fed) just for a purpose that shall be. The owner never thinks it wise once to kill it because it's of no use to him though consuming resources. How come this colt - an animal for that matter have such great salvation? Didn't Jesus Himself say we worth more than animals - many sparrows? (Matt.10:31). Then, if you have a purpose to serve, will God not likewise jealous for you? He will! That colt enjoys that and that's because it is fated, called, predestined to fulfill a purpose. So, the Lord is obligated to using His own divine power and resources to ensure it's never intruded into until the call on it is answered. This is one of the privilges ever enjoyed by Jesus in the Bible. How many people use a brand new car or marry a virgin even nowadays? Here's Jesus driving one however. May I also warn you that you should never compare yourself with those who have a call on themselves yet are living contrarily to it (even if they themselves don't yet know it). While they may enjoy preservation till they're harvested, you may not. Looking at Paul, he has always carried the call but he sure lives contrarily to it. As a matter of fact, Ananias accuses him to God when he says, "I have heard a lot about this man, how he lays bear the church in Jerusalem and how he has letters from the High Priest to arrest all those that be of the Way" (Acts 9:13-14). What did Jesus say to him? "He is my chosen instrument to bear the gospel to the Gentiles, kings and the children of Israel. I'll show him how much he must suffer for My sake" (Acts 9:15-16). From this, we even learnt before hand that Saul will have a ministry to the Gentiles and even mighty men on the surface of the earth and that He'll suffer a lot for the gospel sake. When did the Lord know, plan or institute this? Obviously all these were settled from the foundations of the earth. God told Jeremiah, "before I formed thee in the belly, I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb, I sanctified thee and ordained thee a prophet unto the nations" (Jer.1:5). It doesn't matter when discovery is made. What matters is that Jeremiah has always carried the calling like Paul also. From there, we know any man's calling always predates his or her birth. There are those who carry the call but are living in defiance to that call. They'll find pardon but many others doing the same thing that they're doing may not enjoy such latitude of grace or mercy. So, be weary of comparing yourself with another. A can get killed, B can find forgiveness to the wonder of all. 

Assignment will preserve you and keep you alive. If you follow my narration in that second novel, you'll see that Agyri (the author) intentionally keeps Joe alive though he also faces death's attempt like Tally O. The bullet could have hit him. Rather, it hit a wood beside him and then he eventually escapes to a new life. Why the author spares one character and kills the other is because he has chosen who to spare and who to sacrifice. The one who gets spared however is because he still has things to do in the line of events. That's why Joe must still be given life to live, events to pass through etc. Why you're still living is because there's still events for you to live out. That colt has not fulfilled the very purpose for which it was born and so can't die. If that colt should get stolen, those who do will be in trouble of divine action. For the sake of that colt, do you know many attempts of men and intruders God had foiled? Let's even say that colt has borne burdens for years but that it is also slated to carry Jesus into Jerusalem in triumphant entry (which it has not fulfilled) will still have been the reason for its preservation. I have reasons, multitude of reasons to believe you can't go except you're done. If you're in assignment and alignment, these two will preserve you. Life is lived then. Dislocation is what always brings death. That colt never seeks to run away. It obeys and stays until it's turn to discharge and live the life upon it comes. I say, "you're the destined one". You can have it different. When others are being intruded into, because of the higher need crying over you, you'll be sanctified and set apart. Affirm it here:

Mark 11:2-3, KJV

"2 And saith unto them, Go your way into the village over against you: and as soon as ye be entered into it, ye shall find a colt tied, whereon never man sat; loose him, and bring him. 

3 And if any man say unto you, Why do ye this? say ye that the Lord hath need of him; and straightway he will send him hither".

You see, if you bear the label of "I have need of him" on you, you'll always be spared. Escape in tight corners will always be yours. In short, you'll have it different. "Who" has need of you is what matters. As long as it is God with that demand on you, be rest assured you're claimed for Him. "I have need of him", will enforces and see to it that you stay here and live on. There are those who have been slated by God to be partplayers of a script in His will. It means God has need of them. They themselves may not know why the Lord has put, "I have need of you" on their heads like we do put bounty on the head of a criminal. However, if that ever be true that the Lord has need of them (seeing God is not a man that He should lie), you can be rest assured that you will survive and live on even if you were part of the five in the recent Ocean Gate Vessel sent to explore and sight see the iconic Titanic but without sight of return. Those the Lord has need of always stay here. Yes, they always stay on this side of the world - the earth. They're the ones that don't wear off or get eroded when the battle ends and men of war are numbered. They're always found to be still standing. Their fate is life and to live. I'm saying it, "they always stay here". 

Let me see you raise your hand up if you're one of such that a bounty of "I have need of him" is on. While you'll enjoy that God in that dimesion, yet you must know He'll also put a special yoke on you. That's the sacrifice people run away from. They don't want to be yoked neither tied down. They want to be free rangers, living like others and expecting a special life, use and obligation from God. That colt didn't live that way. You see also, what some of you don't realize is that, "I have need of him" isn't a plea. It's an outright, forthworth decisive command with a claim and instruction to always keep you, free and release you to He who holds claim of "I need him" over you. And in our case, who lays claim to needing us is the Lord? If it is God, show me what or who will defy this His claim? May you hear this voice. I'm perceiving greatly that somebody is currently on the sick bed. We can even call it "death bed" because that's what I heard and see about the ongoing situation of the fellow. Death is hovering round the fellow. However, the Lord is saying I should tell you - the reader of this or to whom it may concern that the Lord, the Creator of heaven and earth has NEED OF YOU/HIM or HER.  What the Lord has need of, He holds until the day is dawn. It is always, " "who is he that saith, and it cometh to pass, when the Lord commandeth it not?" (Lamentations  3:37, KJV). 

You may wonder at why a verse like "touch not mine anointed and do my prophets no harm" is in the Bible (I Chro.16:22, Psalm 105:15). Mark some two words: "mine anointed" and "my prophet". Whose are they? Who are they working for? As long as they remain in truth God's anointed and prophets - God's co-workers or labourers, they're not touchable. If they break the hedge themselves, Satan can quickly crawl in however and deal a great blow on them but if they'll ever remain and stay under the shelter of "God's anointed" and "God's prophet", they're in a tabernacle that resists the intrusion of all evils. That's because God will always claim them for Himself. They are God's anointed/prophets. They're not man's. He therefore marks His own! He marks those who wage His war and He's committed to sparing them. That's the understanding Abigail related with towards David when Nabal had refused and resisted him. Abigail said, "you fight the Lord's battle yet one man seeks your life to kill... (I Sam.25:28-29). Conclusively, Abigail infers that no evil,not even one can come to David because the Lord who he's committed to fighting His battles or let's say doing His works will be protection to him too. Abigail speaks of Saul here as the one who's in pursuit of David's life. In all, you can testify that God protects and spares David. He sees the end of all, becomes king and sees better days. 

May you have a bounty on your head, a price, a call, a mandate that's constantly crying, "the Lord has need of him." Do you know who you'll become at this instant? You'll become like Cain that no man (even when and if he's worthy of death) can't kill (Gen.4:15). You'll just seem to enjoy escapes, deliverances and salvation. Where the best of men perish and discontinue, you will get home, see the fog clear and live your days. It'll get to head that people would ask you, "why do you always have it different?" Why is it that what befalls others for evil always spares you when it picks on you? Why is it that you escaped this and escaped that and now you've continued to live? Why? Why? You yourself may not be able to explain but let me quickly tell you one overall WHY. It is because Jehovah, God of all the earth has need of you and He who He has need of is who He always spares and preserves. He puts that mark for sure on them so that they might not be troubled even when troubled. 

I knew John the Baptist could die after identifying Jesus as the Lamb of God. The sole purpose for which He came doing water baptism was to identify who the Lamb of God is. He got this evidence by the token given him - of a dove resting on Jesus. 

John 1:31-34, KJV

"31 And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water. 

32 And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him.  

33 And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.  

34 And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God".

He did that and he died after that. God lives up to His Word but if you'll see good days, don't ever truce. After John's assignment, he got into offence with someone - turns out to be Jesus and this opened the door for the spirit of Jezebel in Herodias to get him. He broke the shield around himself and a prophet becomes a piece of bread. He made himself vulnerable though God is still committed to him and he could have died fulfilling his days. But we do know that once any man finishes his course, he may decides to go home or stay also. He has that choice. That's why Paul says, "I'm torn between going and staying but I'll stay for your benefit" (Phil.1:21-26). Indeed, he stayed and defended Christ's cause for awhile from then. You have a choice to still stay here or go especially once you've lived out your course. At that time, as it occurs to me, you have a kind of discharge that makes you the sole or let me say primary signatory to your life. If you want, take or spare it. So, aged Christians and any who has finished the discharge of his course like David, Jesus, Paul or John the Baptist should take cognizance not to release themselves if their purpose or assignment is not calling or necessitating their death. For instance, Jesus' very purpose (to save people from their sins) means He must die. His own death is purpose fulfilled in itself. If God didn't call you a martyr for instance, persecution can't kill you. You can face the worst but that won't be what will take you out. That's why you must never let the call or the fate of another person become attractive to you. The reason is because you don't know the cup of suffering or sacrifice attached to it. Jesus' call as the Lamb of God has a cup of suffering by its side. Paul has his too and so any with a call. 

Today, I look to heaven and see a trumpet blasting and throwing down handkerchiefs and mantles amidst the saying, "I have need of him. I have need of her". Wear this uniform. Agree to being the called, the chosen, the fated, the destined and stay here until... 

Olusola ADEJUMO,

M'Wings. 

Morning Wings Ministry Nigeria.

+234 81 3704 6812

morningwingministry@gmail.com

WORKS CITED

1. Alex Agyei Agyri's Unexpected Joy at Dawn (A Novel). 

2. Exam Focus (Literature in English): 2021-2025 by J.O.J. Nwachukwu-Agbada et al (A Textbook). 

3. Helon Habila's Oil on Water (A Novel).

@ M'Wings.

MORNING WINGS DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE - 28/06/2023

WEDNESDAY - 28TH JUNE, 2023

MORNING WINGS DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE -  Olusola ADEJUMO

JOIN YOURSELF TO THIS CHARIOT: RAHAB IN VIEW

READ Joshua 2

Matthew 1:5, KJV

"And Salmon begat Booz of Rachab; and Booz begat Obed of Ruth; and Obed begat Jesse".

This is the third woman who enters the lineage of Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham by perception and believe in who God is and is with. She therefore gets justified (Heb.11:31, James 2:25). One principle that is principal that I believe you should hold dear in deciphering who to go with or who to choose above others is, "who's God with?" "Who's God with" shows who has the future, the glory and the honour. He or she may not look so now but if God be for him and not against him, he or she shall become like Israel - a great nation made from one man.

After leadership has been established in Joshua's hands, he sent spies to Jericho. Somehow, the knowledge of these spies is known and the king declares them wanted. However, Rahab does the unexpected. She hides these stranger spies and protects them by the misleading information she gives to the king. Later on, she asks for a show of kindness in return from these two Israelites, telling them how much her entire nation fears them and how they have heard how God dried the Red Sea for them and how both  Sihon and Og (kings of the Amorites) couldn't stand before them (Joshua 2:9-11). Looking at these indices, Rahab concludes with all faith that Jericho is already for the taking. More importantly however, she praises the God of Israel as the highest above and below. At the end, Rahab demands that she and her household be spared when Israel shall take the land. They struck a deal and a red or scarlet thread becomes the token. This is nothing but the passover lamb's blood that the angel of destruction passed over that night when final judgement was made on the Egyptians. God commanded it should mark their door posts. They request her to tie it to her window. This acts doubly predict Jesus' New Testament shedding of blood for our redemption and preservation. Whenever the blood or its sign is, it's always pass over. Preservation and sparing is enforced in the spirit. The spies say if they see the red thread by her window, they'll spare her and her household but if not, her blood shall be on her own head. Only that none of the people she wants saved must be found without her house. This is how Rahab meets with salvation and continues in existence even after the wiping out of Jericho. However, this is just Rahab's entry point into fulfilling one of her awaited destiny. 

Nobody ever knew that Rahab would become a great grandmother of Jesus. If any predicts it that the swine would become useful as a holy thing, we might oppose it. However, from simple perception of who the Lord is with and is fighting for; choosing then to identify with such, she eventually ends up marrying Salmon, one from the tribe of Judah and eventually births Boaz, the very well to do man who marries Ruth and births Obed who birth Jesse, the father of David the King.

If you lack perception, you'll miss the moves of today and miss the moves of tomorrow consequently. Many times, one move will qualify you for many after it. If you enter into one correctly, that one will successfully hook you up to others. Rahab is a harlot and by the virtue of her job and operation of a public place where they drink and freely indulge in immorality, she must have gotten enough information on the situation of things around Jericho. It's in this her work place she got to know how the Red Sea was dried up before some certain people - an impossibility for that matter. There also, she learnt how great kings were conquered by that same people. Also, she hears that the victory of that people is in relation with a particular God that's greater than any. The very reason why in all their encounters, they've won thus far and always wins. Having learnt this, when the opportunity is availed her to meet those same people in persons, she proved herself worthy of them, partnered with them and showed her acceptance of them and their God. Perception didn't fail her. Another may dismiss that and choose comfort and certainess than strangeness of a new people. However, that's not Rahab. I could feel the sterness in her voice that day. To her, now is the time and today is the day that her salvation and that of her people must be sealed. In this way, a first class and notable prostitute crossed from darkness to light, leaving her past behind and like Ruth, chooses a new God, a new people and consequently a new path. Having being put in the status of an Israelite in the flesh, what stops God from identifying with her? No wonder, she ends up marrying Salmon, a man from the very tribe of Judah and who by the ordainment of heaven the lineage of the Messiah would be perpetuated and continued through. If Rahab had married from the tribe of Judah and not Salmon in particular, she couldn't have entered into Christ's lineage. Marrying a Christian assures you a measure of destiny fulfilment but marrying a particular Christian who's intentionally and fittingly assigned for you is what assures you of destiny fulfilment to its uttermost. At the time Rahab agrees to marry Salmon, there'll be other men from other tribes and then from the tribe of Judah itself but God is not working with any of them to perpetuate the Messiah's line. The lineage can only come from a line. The word "lineage" itself is a combination of two simple words: "line + age". Line means a focus, a restriction to somebody in a generation or a time which shall be continued by another in another generation or time. To this end, we are assured that whatsoever God does is good and upright. If you will discern of the choices before you who God is fighting for and is with and go with same even though he might not have found rest just like the Israelites at that time (though Rahab still sees the future and agrees to go with them), you'll be doing yourself a great favour. Just from that one step of obedience; just from joining herself to that chariot, she opens and avails herself to the Lord for the other things He could do with her. As far as we can testify as ministers of the Lord operating by faith, we do know if anyone believes and would profess Jesus as Lord and Savior, such shall not only be saved but shall have Christ as his hope of glory. Indeed, Rahab experiences this on her journey as she relocates her faith from idolatry and vain glory to Yahweh, the God of Israel. However, if your destiny handle or connector stands before you in spies that a cost is on their heads, will you believe them first as those with the future, glory and honour? If you lack perception and can't see, the future might as well fail you and slip from you. However, if ye shall see like Elijah told Elisha when he was to be taken away from him, "you and many others who shall see shall inherit the blessings of your seeing, perceiving and identifying with." Therefore, see and join yourself to this chariot on motion. 

PRAYER: Lord, give me a donation for special awareness and conviction about that special handle to my destiny. Let me see rest in Israel even when he has not rested.

BIBLE IN A YEAR: 2 Kings 10:32-12:21; Acts 18:1-22; Psalm 145:1-21; Proverbs 18:1

Powered by Morning Wings Ministries. Enquire or counsel through +234 80 77 63 85 50 or +234 8137 04 68 12 II morningwingministry@gmail.com & Blog @ www.morningwingsministry.blogspot.com

MORNING WINGS DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE - 27/06/2023

TUESDAY - 27TH JUNE, 2023

MORNING WINGS DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE -  Olusola ADEJUMO

JOIN YOURSELF TO THIS CHARIOT: RUTH IN VIEW 

Read Ruth 1

Ruth 1:14, KJV

"And they lifted up their voice, and wept again: and Orpah kissed her mother in law; but Ruth clave unto her". 

He will also come to you. He will not tarry. When He sees it, He'll persuade you of it. May you however be persuaded. The "go, join yourself to this chariot of the Holy Spirit (Acts 8:29)" shall forever be an instruction to some men in their own generation. While it may not be speech echoed in same words, it'll be for an intent to take a blessing that could pass by if one is nonchallant or undiscerning.

Orpah and Ruth are two foreign women who are wives to Naomi's sons: Mahlon and Chilion.  These sons however died in Moab with their father, Elimelech. This leaves Naomi with these two daughters in law. 

Naomi decides to go back to her native land and would not have these two women follow her. She praised them for having suffered and endured much for the dead and her sake (Ruth 1:8-9). From how both of them deals kindly with Naomi, we have an insight into the fact that Naomi is a good mother in law.  She's not burdensome. She requests them to go back to their land and their gods. They would not leave her alone but out of her much persuasion, Orpah turns back. She makes her choice and destiny gets sealed.  Ruth however refuses. She cleaves to Naomi. She continues to hang on. Naomi earlier says, "if she were to give birth today, will her sons grow up so soon to marry them". It means there's nothing to hope for again from her. Meanwhile, Ruth wouldn't budge. She rather vehemently sticks to her mother in law saying, "where you (Naomi) dies is where I'll die; your people and your God shall be my mine as well". This is a subtle prophecy which later comes to pass. Seeing this vehemence, Naomi allows Ruth take the journey with her. Ruth has therefore made her choice too. Nobody will ever accuse God and be successful. That's because God will avail all of us opportunities to take. Whether you do or don't is now yours to bear. 

Their arrival however is marked by abject poverty but eventually Ruth finds rest with an Israelite of the tribe of Judah called Boaz, a wealthy man (Ruth 4:13). This is how she firmly enters into Christ's lineage and passes for Christ's great grandmother. Surprisingly, the chronicles of the journey of Elimelech and Naomi is named by her name, "Ruth". We're reading the book of Ruth and not even Orpah today. Not even of Naomi, her mother in law but of a woman who follows the path that leads to blessings but first littered with hardships. That's what circumstance almost separated her from. You see, you can be joined and detached. Take heed. Morally, don't let anything snatch you from the faith. You might encounter persecution or rough days but do tarry there. Christ's lineage that these two women were formerly attached to through the handles of their two husbands is a symbol of being in Christ or in faith. Their husbands' death is likened to a temptation or any such thing that gives an excuse to be cut off from faith forever. However, any who endures shall be saved. This is revealed in Ruth eventually. 

Many mysteries shall be unfolded by God to you if you'll journey with Him. The Wise men physically sees a star that leads them on. In your own spirit, you can receive an information that'll be calling you out to a future you do not know yet. The problem of many people is that they prefer to stay in the familiar instead of going with God into the unfamiliar. The unfamiliar may be the unknown and it may be scary but that's where your profit lies. Jesus once told Peter to launch out into the deep (Luke 5). If you'll ever catch fishes that'll break your net, it's not by witholding when you should take a risk that worths it. The call to launch out or join yourself to something or someone should not be any human conception. That's where your safety is. Be quiet enough to pick God amidst your surrounding noise and act accordingly on His instruction. Who told Philip to join himself to that chariot is what matters. He'll meet everything simple and settled. Entrance and space would be afforded him. Herein will your risk pay off as you faithfully trust He Who has spoken Who also will do it. 

You must know how to take a lifetime opportunity. Your life and destiny just depends on it. If Naomi had passed all alone to her native land, what would be the fate of Ruth? If the Ethiopian Eunuch had gone on his way like that, will Philip have any joy of heart or register a witness to heaven that he's trustworthy? The chariot is one on motion. It can only avail you a time as willed by God to take it. If you won't come in when it shall give you such handle, it shall leave. This is why we must be sensitive and quick men. Men who with much discerning could see how much God is calling us to. There's someone with a calling you should join. There's a spouse you must be joined to. The reason is simply because their lives will be your leverage. Let God sovereignly shine the light of which chariot to join to you. That isn't what your head can do for you all alone except you'll like Satan waylays you somewhere. 

PRAYER: Father, guide me in my choice. Let me see destiny in people and not despise my destiny handle. 

BIBLE IN A YEAR: 2 Kings 8:1-9:13; Acts 16:16-40; Psalm 143:1-12; Proverbs 17:26

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MORNING WINGS DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE - 26/06/2023

MONDAY - 26TH JUNE, 2023

MORNING WINGS DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE -  Olusola ADEJUMO

JOIN YOURSELF TO THIS CHARIOT: TAMAR IN VIEW

Read Gen. 38

Acts 8:29, KJV

"Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot".

The Holy Spirit will sensitize you to opportunities but He won't take it for you. The Holy Spirit owes you communication but He doesn't owes you action and obedience. That is your own faith steps. May I say why the future now seems bleak for a lot of Christians isn't because God didn't make provision for them but because they missed the provision of God. We have the Word of God. Taken and accepted but we do have the Holy Spirit as well. The Holy Spirit won't tell you to do anything that's not consistent with the Bible. Both always agree. There's leading in the Bible and you can learn and see how to be led. This will be beneficial because a day will come when your life will depend on a swift move of obedience to the Holy Ghost. You can open a whole generation to the blessings that follow just by one taken step of the Holy Spirit. As Philip is at the road that leads to Gaza and as a chariot begins to drive by, he hears, "go near and join thyself to this chariot". More than any man's expectation, the rest was easy for him and great was his reward for keeping that Word. 

That instruction of Philip hasn't just being spoken to die. It is still in the mind of the Spirit to communicate to those God wants to join to a flow, work and destined people. However, will you hear and if you do hear, will you obey? We all know Tamar. Tamar is a lady married to Er, Judah's first born. For Er's wickedness, God slayed him. So, Tamar is given to Onan to raise seeds for his brother but he knew the seed won't be his. So, he spills the semen every time on the ground. This displeases God and so he kills him also. Seeing this cycle, Judah fears that death might befall his last born Shelah. So, Judah told Tamar to go and dwell in his father's house until Shelah becomes a grown up. In the meantime, Shelah becomes a grown up but Tamar is still not given to him in marriage. On that note, Tamar prepared himself like an harlot and goes on to get pregnant by Judah himself. Her excuse is, "for Shelah has grown up and she's not given unto him for wife". 

More importantly however, there's a beat I keep hearing; there's a voice that keeps speaking to me. May we all be sensitive and jealous in our spirits for the future. If you look at the insistence of Tamar and how far she went to marry into the tribe of Judah, you'll wonder if she couldn't have conveniently married another instead of almost putting her life in jeopardy. Satan will seek to separate you from those you should be join to. Offence has equally and successfully done so to some people. Lot separated from Abraham and we all know it was the beginning of his undoing. Curses and blessings are summarily the two things that each of us are carrying. It's either we carry destiny or woes and God having made a plan for you in His will would seek to move, breathe and lean you towards companying with the right multitude. In this way, He'll separate you your own crowd. As a careful observer of what God does, I have found out that Tamar could smell a specialness in the Judah's tribe, in his children and in himself. She knew there's an opportunity, flow, destiny there for the taking. The Messiah would come from that tribe. She is a Canaanite woman, she couldn't have read about that but I judge her as a woman with a special faculty to pick Spirit things and what the future holds. So, at the time her husbands were dying and she would have been forever seperated from the tribe of Judah (because Shelah was not given to her) and because it's improper for her to marry or be with child by her father-in-law, she disguised and sought her way into the Judah's tribe. In this way, she arrived somewhere - a place where the Bible could account her as one of the great grandmothers of Jesus. 

Matthew 1:3, KJV

"And Judas begat Phares and Zara of Thamar; and Phares begat Esrom; and Esrom begat Aram".

That is what she saw when it seems she was pushing too much. Like the Wise Men, she saw the star and the lion in Judah's tribe but secretly and silently in her heart. She has the eyes of faith to pursue what is invisible probably to Judah himself. She saw "this family is mine for a taking. I'll not agree to be separated from the history and greatness of this ancestry". Eventually, it was, 'boom' for her. Result time. If you check the ancestry record of our Lord Jesus Christ in Matthew 1, you'll observe only three women made the record apart from Mary. I don't know why but since all Scripture is breathed by the inspiration of God, I have every confidence to believe the Holy Spirit would want to make a special choice of women to list. The first was Tamar, second was Rahab the harlot and third was Ruth herself. Now, if you study the Bible, you'll observe these three were not originally Israelites. However, they weaved their faith to join the flow, the move and the ancestry of the Saviour. This radicalness of faith might have informed their being noted down. Sarah and Rebekah were not even mentioned. 

Christian, I believe God is still joining people to the future greatness that they themselves may not have a total comprehension of. There's no one God invites on a journey of faith or asks to take a leap of faith that has full explanation for it. That would be bribing if you have one. Faith would be cancelled. Can you as a person see that this is the fellow to marry, partner with or join his chariot? Do you have that special awareness of who to choose, agree with, succumb to, knowing, "theirs is the kingdom, the future and the glory". If you know, when you hear the Holy Spirit giving you hand out saying, "join this chariot", you'll immediately like Philip leap at it. When the Holy Spirit told Philip that, there may not be any other chariot at sight yet we know that God was making a choice - a choice of whose chariot to join. All of us can be happy for Philip that he obeyed. From that obedience, the Ethiopian Eunuch got born again and the gospel entered into Africa. What will happen if you obey the "join yourself" of the Holy Spirit can't yet be measured. But after joining yourself, you'll begin to identify the whys as you go on the journey. The whys never end. It is always transgenerational. No one can because of envy now says he'll remove Tamar's name from Jesus' ancestry. Don't waste time, the Scripture has been written. History has been made, purpose and special awareness have been lived out. May the Lord give you hearing ears and obeying heart. May your steps be hastened to things that will make you to be numbered among God's jewels. May you not forbid good and destiny for yourself.  

PRAYER: I increase the unction that knows all things. I have special awareness. I shall not be passed by. 

BIBLE IN A YEAR: 2 Kings 8:1-9:13; Acts 16:16-40; Psalm 143:1-12; Proverbs 17:26

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MORNING WINGS DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE - 25/06/2023

SUNDAY - 25TH JUNE, 2023

MORNING WINGS DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE -  Olusola ADEJUMO

WHEN LIFE MAKES SENSE

Genesis 2:7, KJV 

"And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul".

Today, I present to you Adam, the living soul. Prior to that, Adam was a lifeless statue. Thanks to the God investment. Thanks to the breath. It is known for its ever wonder. 

On that day when God said, "let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness", He got to work and eventually arrives at a man with the body of clay. He lies there rigidly, immovable and static on the slab. His body has been made but the body is not only what makes a human. Adam still lacks one vital thing. The ability to give Adam that sole thing posed a threat to Science and Technology for years. Go check the earlier toys. They were mere statues. Now, toys can talk. I'm not saying they have life but to an extent, they have a style of life either because they're powered by a battery etc. They therefore can speak. They've been given a recorded or programmed voice. Humans have discovered how to replicate and create after God. What a wonder that man could not only beat into his own creations speech making but the lifting of limbs and the exercise of actions.  

God stooping down breathes into Adam's nostrils His own breath. This breath is described someway. It is called, "the breath of life". If you say something is the breath of life, it means it can revive, rouse up, wake up, make work and activate. That breath is a self activating breath. When Adam receives it, like a fellow receiving blood transfusion, every inner part of him the breath travels or gets to immediately at that snap receives life. It comes up "from the dead" and from "lock down" and rigidity where it immediately is. This breath is simply wind. So, it can travel and travel but at an amazing speed. So much more that within a second, life has been caused in Adam. I mean life in its mature stage. The wind so much travels at such hard to measure velocity that though some parts had received life earlier than others, Adam as a whole became a living soul at a jiffy of the breath's roaming. Therefore, he came alive. This wind filtered through his nostrils immediately travels and tranfuse round his head/brain to his entire body, energizing and stirring him to activity. At that instant, man became a living soul. He came alive or awoke. At that instant, he receives sensitivity or irritation. Note it, at this instant that the Bible says, "man became a living soul", it seems to me there was a standing ovation in heaven celebrating God having caused Adam to live and having communicated life to him. Looking at the wonder He has created, God was just to be praised as He unveils and announces the man. Till today, you know He's still to be praised for having made us with such details. At that instant of becoming a living soul therefore, he could have opened his eyes, moved a finger and then moved or lifted his whole body. 

This is when life makes sense! Not when Adam remains bedridden and couldn't exercise his will or weaponize himself. When does life makes sense? When does it not make sense? Which experience do you want to have and retain of the two described above? The experience of the body without breath or body with breath running around in it. I want the kind of life that breath whirls and plays round in it. So much more that if you shake me or examine me, you could hear or feel me being overinflated with the breath. Life makes sense when you have the breath in you. When you do have the breath or this wind, you'll be like an inflated balloon. You can't sink. Depression can't dampen you. You'll always have and maintain buoyancy. You'll ever float in spirit. This floating in spirit and being of high spirit or in joy is what will outwardly be borne by your body that is now robust and full of activity from the contagion of your made alive human spirit. You'll always want to be engaged and occupied. You won't suddenly find yourself depressed with crossed hands and bowed head - casting in the towel and saying, "my hope is dry." You'll always be hopeful and full of a bright future. That's why any without this breath is easily broken, conquered by thoughts, criticism, persecution and eventually casted down. 

When life makes sense is when the breath comes and roams around inside you. We understand this breath to be the Holy Spirit given the church on the day of Pentecost which makes the church functional - coming alive (Acts 2:1-3). One mystery about the breath is that it is life and a life causer. If you'll observe Adam at creation, he could therefore do nothing of himself or by himself until he was revived and woken up by that breath. If Adam will ever walk, speak, write, jump etc, he must first be filled with that breath. Unless the breath is given him, he'll have the body but he won't have the potency with which to drive the body. Drive the body as how? Move the body I mean. But you can witness what the testimony is when the Bible says, "and man became a living soul". Common, give God a round of applause! When a Creator is designing a robot, the robot is not yet magical because it has the stature of man and has holes representing eyes where they should be. That robot becomes a robot wonder when it begins to walk, talk and grapple things. Do you think a statue you call robot that can't do human actions is a wonder. No! That's why drones amaze us now. We have drones that can fly like birds now and see - storing information in their brain (memory). Previously, we only have a statue bird and not a "living soul' bird. For any to cause awe, for you to surprise me, for you to be a type of God, your creation must of necessity become a "living soul". What is Science and Technology doing that God hasn't done? They are only mimicking what God did here. God is the first Robotic  Engineer and Fashioner. So, here we are at this juncture where man can now declare the praises of He that created Him by being able to live to His glory and for His pleasure. That's the intent for which man became a living soul. It's so that he might  have God's coding to fellowship with Him. From the beginning, man is a spirit being like God. With the God flame in him, he can therefore meet God and be initiated into His council. Like we've always read. God comes visiting, interacting with man at the cool of the day (Gen.3:8). Thanks to that breath also. If not for it, where would Adam have the activation to till the ground and govern it from? He became lord of creation and exercises authority over it because he was made alive. 

You know, one part keeps striking me. The part that says, "and man became a living soul". Adam became what? A living soul! So, before, Adam was dead. So before, Adam was not alive. Now, what are the significant proves that he was dead with his back on the ground -  can't rise neither move. That's why at death when the spirit has gone back to God who gave it, man will once more lie helplessly like Adam here. The spiritless beginning of Adam is the end of all man. Our eyes shall one day be closed in death. The breath is all that makes the difference therefore. That you can rise, stand, run around is basically because of the breath with which the body of Adam was made alive. If not, you'll have the body but what a pity, what will a lifeless or spiritless body do? It can't perform one bit human actions. 

The being of Adam made alive here symbolizes and foreshadows Holy Ghost baptism. I know of nothing which makes life makes sense than the Holy Ghost. If not, you'll become a rigid choleric trying to make things run. I know of nothing that can author a devotional daily than the Holy Ghost and that's because He keeps breathing it and inspiring it. Authoring daily is not by memorizing doctrine and finalizing as a matter of fact on which to write daily. I know of nothing that can keep you fat, robust, peaceful, joyful etc in challenging periods when the outside is cracking than the Holy Spirit. You may be a human with life - like the one breathed into Adam that made him into a living soul to discharge all the human actions but without the Spirit (Holy Spirit), you're really not alive as a person and as a Christian. That's why baptism of the Holy Spirit is a provision to aid us. What became of timid Peter when the Holy Spirit came on him? He was enlivened. He began to preach extemporaneously and inspiringly. He's now being aided and made smooth and effortless by the Holy Spirit. What he thus says makes sense. He's not hindered in any way for all his human infirmities are gloried over (Acts 2:14).

When life makes sense is when you're alone and the Holy Spirit gives you a lamp to understand something. The thing will just come like that and in a moment, you'll have a progressive or perfect understanding of it. When life makes sense is when by the Spirit you are never tired but keeps living and breathing. This is what makes life meaningful. The mind of some will collapse and they'll commit suicide but if this breath be in you, you'll beat that. Him in us, we're buoyant. We don't drown! We don't sink! We keep existing and living. We become not survivors on activities but we give activities meanings. Oh, you must become a living soul. Therefore, if you're a Christian who has not yet being baptized in the Holy Ghost, you can receive now. As long as you're born again with desire, you can receive. After receiving today, you should get baptized in water by immersion also. But just have faith as I pray. Father, you're a good Father. What we ask is what You'll give us. If a child asks bread of his father, the father won't give him a stone. Today, I ask the Holy Spirit on behalf of those desiring it. Give them this your gift and let them burst forth in tongues. Adam moved his body when the breath came into him. He proved being alive. Let them also thunder and speak forth in the language they haven't learnt before to affirm the breath (better still Holy Spirit) having entered them as power. Receive that. Speak it. Don't withhold. Speak that language bubbling inside you. Thank God for it. You may as well call for further interactions. 

PRAYER: Lord, enliven me. Make me buoyant by your Spirit. Thank You for Holy Ghost baptism. My mind won't collapse. 

BIBLE IN A YEAR: 2 Kings 4:18-5:27; Acts 15:1-35; Psalm 141:1-10; Proverbs 17:23

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MORNING WINGS DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE- 24/06/2023

SATURDAY - 24TH JUNE, 2023

MORNING WINGS DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE -  Olusola ADEJUMO

IS THERE NOT A CAUSE?

I Samuel 17:28-29, KJV

"28 And Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spake unto the men; and Eliab's anger was kindled against David, and he said, Why camest thou down hither? and with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know thy pride, and the naughtiness of thine heart; for thou art come down that thou mightest see the battle.  29 And David said, What have I now done? Is there not a cause?"

How many people are here who knows their time is in God's hands? Probably few and those few even seem to be ministers. An average Christian now is easily shaken and put to flight. The kind of relationship they have come to cultivate is not of utmost intimacy where they speak to God and are spoken to. One of the things that can ever give you guarantee that your time is in God's hands is that you hear God for yourself. 

Psalms 31:15, KJV  

"My times are in thy hand..."

It's written this way in the Bible but you'll doubt that if you see your contemporaries making progress and you're not on motion yourself. If you however do hear God, you'll receive comfort from Him and doubt and shivering would be staunched. The manifest presence of God that you have felt and which you always experience, which you have come to believe in would be enough to assure you that God is also always with you and more importantly hasn't forgotten you. However, if we are far from Him, we can't but at moment of shaking call ourselves a stranger all together. How do we want to approach Him? With what do we supplement it and have that precious Word that takes heaven to speak when the tides are contrary?

God's sovereign hand has moved David to the battle. For forty days, the Philistine, Goliath of Gath torments the army of the Lord. Now is the time to make a move that'll cancel the move of Satan and his own presentation of a tormenting voice. What does God do? He administers David. Immediately, Jesse releases him to battle but under the disguise of a reason not known to him but known to God. To Jesse, it's to go check the welfare of his brothers and to hand them some provision, asking, "if all is well." 

When God is ordering your step, you'll meet with time and not miss it. You see, as habitual of Goliath, he'll come out boastfully in the morning and evening to speak his thrash to the face of Israel, withdraw for awhile to the camp and then come back again to rouse them up to the competition. That's what he has been doing for those forty days. At the arrival of David to the war front, he came when the soldiers were proceeding to the battle. At that time, Goliath also comes forth boastfully again to torment the children of Israel. Goliath could have spoken while he's not around and so David wouldn't have asked anyone why it makes sense for him to defy God's army but God slated David to meet and witness Goliath's defying of the Living God and His army.

I Samuel 17:22-23, KJV

"22 And David left his carriage in the hand of the keeper of the carriage, and ran into the army, and came and saluted his brethren. 23 And as he talked with them, behold, there came up the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, out of the armies of the Philistines, and spake according to the same words: and David heard them".

Did you read, "and David heard them?" Heard what? All Goliath of Gath said. How lovingly would it have been for Goliath never to have been caught up in boastfulness at the very arrival and presence of David? He could have escaped death that day but God so timed it that his morning and evening boastfulness continues in that same cycle until to the face of his would- be challenger, he spits the challenge. Who made it so? God did. He slated them to meet. As David speaks with his brother asking after their welfare etc, Goliath came saying those same words. Here comes the moment, the moment when purpose shall be delivered. But probably David would have been handicapped from ever bringing Goliath down. At the time he needed to be sure of what would be in it for any who brings him down, his brother Eliab confronts him debasing him for having come to only sight see and watch the battle. It's at that moment David says, "is there not a cause?" That reply is unusual and also prophetic. It is a revelation of what purpose David has come to serve other than being sent on an errand by Jesse. Is there not a cause means, is there not a purpose for which I am here at this particular time? Have I come of my own? One, Jesse has sent me but more importantly with what I've met here, there's a very great cause to believe, "God would have me here and right here at this particular time". How many of you believe this about you? That you are on time; that you are not late or too early. That you have not arrived as a misfit to the occasion at hand but that you're an answer and their long expected but unacknowledged answer. Do you believe there's a cause (an overall purpose of God) behind your being where you are now, for being a witness of that event currently ongoing? Or do you think your journey is like that of the many soldiers who lack a cause for which they are on the battle field that day? This is what I said. If you've never believed that there's an author, mover and will- it - man behind your life, you'll blame your life and blame your living at each time or at every turn of events. You'll see yourself in the mirror other critical people are showing you. But we must come to a place where even if it were Jesse (a human authority) who sent our David on physical errand, we can publicly declare that this isn't an ordinary journey but a destiny one as events begin to unfold. We should begin to smell and perceive that there's a purpose looming than ordinary for which you are here now. We should be able to say, "beneath this physical errand is another that God is commissioning me". This is living with purpose in view. It means David is actually not lost. It means David knows he's a located man and wherever he is is where God would be. You must be able to decipher the invisible hands behind your movement and transportation. The day your travelling abroad is without a cause any longer is the day natural disasters can find you to kill there. If you know you're a man sold out for whatsoever God is ready to do, that purpose you have found and are servicing under God will continue to preserve you. This interpretation would fill you with confidence of specialness and that God has only one plan for you - of welfare. Where you are therefore brethren and what has unfolded before you so far, could you say, 'there's a cause to their overall happening?" If you were jilted, have you become so taken over by God that out of revelation and understanding, you can say, "it's for a cause." You yourself may not know that cause now but you're sure God will work it out because all things when it eventually works for your good shall reveal that cause - intent God is working at for having allowed that. Joseph knew there's a cause. He told his brethren not to be aggrieved with themselves and that's because through what they did, God sent him here to preserve lives and Israel a remnant because the famine would still last some  years. Can you say, "there's a cause" to what you're currently experiencing? I don't need to know what you're passing through or how overwhelming it is. God knows but can you reckon, "there's a purpose for this?" May we be this men of depth who search beyond the ephemeral and longs to pitch events and happenings into their divine global station knowing we have a man who has declared He'll never leave us nor forsake us.

PRAYER: Open my understanding to see the cause of my living and living at a time like this. I plough beyond the ephemeral.

BIBLE IN A YEAR: 2 Kings 4:18-5:27; Acts 15:1-35; Psalm 141:1-10; Proverbs 17:23

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MORNING WINGS DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE - 23/06/2023

FRIDAY - 23RD JUNE, 2023

MORNING WINGS DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE -  Olusola ADEJUMO

WHEN YOU'RE A MAN

Exodus 2:11, KJV

"And it came to pass in those days, when Moses was grown, that he went out unto his brethren, and looked on their burdens: and he spied an Egyptian smiting an Hebrew, one of his brethren".

When you're a man, you engage reason deeply and act differently. Purposelesness can't fret a man like when he was a child. Manhood comes with its own given vision. It imparts on you some understanding either gathered by years of experience or granted you by divine revelation. The Bible says, "when I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things" (1 Corinthians 13:11, KJV). This act of putting away childish things could occur by those two reasons I had afore given above. However, major is the fact that what puts it away is actually one's becoming of a man itself. There's an age of manhood or maturity when it's a curse continuing in childish things. It is specifically of purpose rather. It is also the age or let's say time of discovery in your life. Once you enter that zone, you'll see that the thoughts of your head would suddenly become different. There'll be a mind and thinking shift. Jesus Christ our Master realized himself at twelve. He said, "wouldn't you that I must be about my Father's business." He entered and got admission into purpose at a level at twelve and into a level of destiny and ultimate purpose at about thirty when he began his public ministry (Lk. 2:42,49 & Lk.3:23). Paul says, "but when I became a man, I put away childish things." Simply put, if any one hasn't put away childish things, it's because he has not grown up. Nobody instructs an adult on giving up childish things. He'll just see they don't fit him any longer. He'll observe persistence in childish things would bring him ridicule and reduction. Like a clothe that you've outgrown, he'll just be forced to give it out. He'll drop all behind with, "they don't fit me any longer." As he's being weaned from childish things, you can be sure some will still continue in childish things and that's basically because their own time to be weaned hasn't come yet. Until they also become men, they can't shed off childish things. Time and a season you'll enter into will wean you. As I was clocking a particular year (a landmark) in my life some times ago, I found out that the thoughts of my head tilted towards a direction like never before. Also, I had a divinely granted revelation of what to do and how to do it to possess the future. I came to reckon that I had never thought or caught with intensity such burdens like I did for a period of six months to that my landmark birthday. Like I told my wife and those around me, I just had flooded insights and understanding into many things. It was so strong that all the things I taught during that period bore the mark of those divinely granted revelations. I have never appreciated God than I did that time. I kept writing and writing and keeping a record of His thoughts of welfare to me. So, I am a living testimony to the fact that there are understanding you'll never have until you hit an age or become a man. God fixes that we see and catch some things at a particular age so that we might run with it. That's because the one caught at a stage is the prerequisite for entering and qualifying for another stage. If you miss a stage's, progression may be hindered.  

Moses, when he was grown up went out not to sight see or look like before but to do one thing - look on the burdens of his brethren. At this time, he already claims identification with the Hebrews though an Egyptian in outlook. He knows these are my brethren and he has now suddenly become concerned for them. The Bible didn't leave us to guess what his age was. We can bear he's forty at this time. 

Acts 7:23, KJV

"And when he was full forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brethren the children of Israel".

At full forty years, imagine that, Moses was said to have grown and have become a man. At forty unlike any other time in his life, it came into his heart to make a visit to his brethren, the children of Israel. Let me ask you, "when did this act he did occur to him?" At forty right? At a definite age. That tells me some things will never occur to you until you hit a particular age. Go and read books and have hands laid on you; you just can't miss this being your lot also. You must come to a particular age before some revelation, understanding, hows will begin to be clear to you. You couldn't have gathered it earlier even if you had tried. All of us have human limitations. Our mind can go far but not farther. What takes our mind farther are the divinely allowed thoughts that penetrates us but this specific thought will come by time and at a specific moment. Your friend might be operating in his own divinely granted revelation but you may not for now. You may even be of the same age but for some reasons, he might have entered this season when things are allowed of God to come or occur to him for proper action. This is what makes our act different from billions of people on the earth's  surface. The understanding and the unheard voices we heard made it so. So Moses makes a journey to check on the children of Israel. He looks on their burden and sympathized with them. What you must know is that this is untypical of Moses to do. He has never done a thing like this. He had never stepped out for the sole purpose of beholding their burdens even if he had been out some couple of occasions before. I'm sure that won't be the first time he'll be going out. However, at afore times, immaturity or lack of revelation (intentionally denied him) might have made him not develop such kind of thought or reason to even go check on the burdens of his brethren. However, when the time fully came, he couldn't forbear. He went out like a man driven to action. Indeed, that was what happened to him. The question God is giving me to ask you is that when your own time came when things began to come to your heart from God on what to do, what did you do in that time and with the communicated information? Some wasted it. They didn't see it as any different and so destiny and great life bypassed them. Now, they're accusing God of blessing a compatriot and not turning in their direction. But you once had your moment of divine revelation when divinely allowed thoughts on what action and life to lead came to you. How did you squander it? Who bewitched you? However, when a fellow  becomes a man, he puts away childish things necessarily. What comes to our heart to do which we do is what either makes us a man or reveals us continuously as a child. The mark that Moses has put away childish things is revealed in what his burden is. He became so purposeful at forty that he even killed an Egyptian for an Hebrew. According to Stephen, he thought his brethren would understand that their deliverance has come by his hands (Acts 7:25). 

When you're a man and you attain the age or time or moment of divinely granted revelation, you will put away childish things. Yes, by yourself. Just by yourself. What you ask for or aim at would receive a turn around so much more that parents or overseers over you who have known you for frivolities in times past would wonder at your new life. What we should pray for is that we'll be brought into such moment of deep revelation on time or at our time. It must not be delayed on you at all. The reason is so that we can staunch foolishness on time and begin to work purpose and righteousness - the very works of He that calls us out of darkness into his marvelous light. The night is far spent and this isn't time again to begin to dilly-dally. You can henceforth turn around and let your new phase be marked by new acts which are products of growth, knowledge gathered and revelation/understanding divinely granted you. While a Moses might have been mindful of the throne for years, while he might have proudly called himself the daughter of Pharaoh's daughter till his year forty; yet all drastically changed and got balled out as he entered his year of revelation. He receives a perfect understanding and acts in correspondence of that. He becomes willing to be identified and to suffer affliction with God's people rather than the fleeting pleasure of palace life (Heb.11:24-26). Priority changed. What interests him has become all new. Moses has therefore become a new man himself. A man who can now direct his energy somewhere God could reckon with or leverage on later. May time not therefore pass you over without the corresponding wisdom it imparts. If not, you'll never be prepared for the years ahead. May you be ushered into your moment of divinely granted revelation. Let things come to your mind to do. Receive lamps and new understanding on where to go, who to join, who to remove, what to buy, what not to eat and how to live. I say once more, let God ordain you a lamp. Let things begin to come to your heart. May your steps therefore be steps of divine wisdom and of divinely granted thoughts. 

PRAYER: Lord God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, let the summer of dryness pass over me. Open your windows and floodgates of heaven and grant me divine revelations. Cause me to see and hear from you.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 2 Kings 3:1-4:17; Acts 14:8-28; Psalm 140:1-13; Proverbs 17:22

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