You will be Celebrated and not Tolerated

Today, we shall quickly look at the book of Judges Chapter 11.  Jephthah was a mighty man of valour who grew up normally with his half brothers.  But a time came in his life when he was denied of his inheritance because his mother was a harlot and he had no choice than to flee for his dear life.  Not long after that, his people the Israelites were attacked by the Amorites and their existence became threatened.  It was at this point that the elders sought after him because they realized that he was the only person who could rescue them from their aggressors.  Of course he obliged them but not before making a vow to God in exchange for His support first.

There are many points that we can deduce from the account above but we shall consider only a few of them in this write up.

1.  Your personal or family history may work against you at some point.  Jephthah was not responsible for his mother being a harlot but this historical fact worked hugely against him later in life.  There are many people like Jephthah whose personal or family history is working against at the moment.  If you are one of them, I bring good tidings to you.  Be of good cheer because God is set to have mercy on you (1 Peter 2:10) and to deliver you from the burden of your unpleasant past.  He did it for Jephthah and others before you and he will do it for you too in Jesus name.  Amen.

2.  Attention will be drawn to you one day and you will regain your position and your voice.  At the appropriate time, God directed attention to Jephthah and he regained his position and his voice amongst his people.  Irrespective of what your past history may be and irrespective of what you may be going through as a result, please don’t conclude yet that God has abandoned you.  Those who are making your life difficult and making fun of you today will soon look for you whether they like it or not.  However, be prepared to please God by having absolute faith in Him.  Remember that without faith it is impossible to please God and that he rewards those who seeks him diligently (Hebrews 11:6).  Not only that, even your enemies will be compelled to be at peace with you (Proverbs 16:7). 

3.  A vow to God may be necessary so as to achieve greatness in life.  Jephthah made a vow to God to help him win the battle against the Amorites and He agreed.  Sometimes you may have to make a vow to God if you want something spectacular from Him.  This does not connote bribery at all; it only shows that you mean business.  Hannah vowed to God and she had Samuel (1 Samuel 1:1-19).  Many people in the bible and in this age and time also vowed to God at one time or the other and they had stunning miracles.  Are you prepared to be great in life? If you do, then go ahead today and make a vow to God.  Note that your vow does not have to involve human life as the case was with Jephthah.  You may vow to serve God more, to praise Him more, to dance in His honour, to pay your tithes and offering as a matter of priority, to assist the needy and the poor steadfastly and to lead more people to Christ etc.  However, you must not default in redeeming it (Ecclesiastes 5:4-5).

4.  Victory will eventually come your way.  Jephthah made a vow to God, fulfilled it (unfortunately with the life of his daughter), won the war against the Amorites and became the indisputable leader of his people.  When you make a vow to God, He will give you victory over the particular situation for which the vow was made in the first place (Psalm 61:5).

Friend, remember that once a person is in God’s and by extension Christ’s plan, then his or her past will slide into irrelevance (2 Corinthians 5:17).  Jephthah was harassed by his brethren on account of his mother’s past but because he was in God’s plan, they turned round and made him their leader.  Fortunately, you are also in God’s plan therefore, your so called sordid past will no longer work against you therefore, you will be Celebrated and no longer Tolerated (Jeremiah 29:11 NIV) from this time forth in Jesus name.  Amen.

Jesus is Lord!

Get Ready For a Lifting Up!

Let me start this write up with a question.  Did you find things easy last month? If you did, glory be to God Almighty and if you did not, glory be to him all the same.  Imagine what the situation would have been without God.  Definitely not better!  Friend, know that your experience last month, which may not have been very pleasant will not continue forever.  It must and it will improve this month in Jesus name.  Amen.  Your time for a lifting up has come and I urge you to start celebrating it and by faith challenge God thus:

‘’You who have shown me great and severe troubles

Shall revive me again

And bring me up again from the depths of the earth

You shall increase my greatness

And comfort me on every side’’

(Psalm 71:20-21)

Remember that in God’s business, agony is not a rule. Therefore, supposing you started this month CRYING be rest assured that you will end it SMILING in Jesus name.  Congratulations!

Finally, let me use this opportunity to commit you into God’s hands and to wish you a month of victory.

JESUS IS LORD!