Walk With Me #Deararn.

Mary Magdalene made it! So can you.

Pushed to Favour

Hi, my name is Leah; I am my father’s oldest daughter. They describe me by my eyes; tender, pleasant, delicate, lovely are few of the words used by many to label them. At first, it did not bother me, after all, I came first, and certain privileges come with the position. I enjoyed my father’s undivided attention until my baby sister came. She was stunningly beautiful, pitched side-by-side I did not stand a chance. Life now demanded that I prove myself. Beyond my eyes, I had to have something else. My circumstances made me insecure, always needing to prove that I exist and I matter. I have a lovely heart, and I love my God, I mean the God of my fathers; the idols of the land did not interest me.

My sister and I got on reasonably ok; there were only us two after all until this guy showed up. Rachael had gone to water the flocks this fateful afternoon; she returned with news of some cousin from far away land. The guy was handsome, some dude. He already struck a relationship with my sister, and they looked good together. It's just that somewhere in my heart I find that I am also attracted to him. Time passed, and we gather that Dad had struck some kind of deal with him. He had expressed interest in Rachel and Dad had asked the dowry to be seven years of shepherding. They did not consult me, so I had no say, just some secret desires.

When will my chance come? This guy did not hide the fact that he was in love with my sister, and I could not bear the fact that I liked him. When dad informed me he was going to switch me for my sister, I welcomed the idea. I mean I had been secretly hoping that by some miracle, this guy would be mine and here was my chance. So I grabbed it with all I had.

The night came, and I was packaged and sent off to him. That night was sweet, but the morning was bitter. He woke up and there I was. I saw his disappointment. I was not the desired, and my heart broke in many pieces. He could not divorce me because he already had me, so he was stuck. I knew he did not like the situation at all. He chose to serve another seven years so he could have my sister, the love of his heart. I confess I did not like the feeling of being the unwanted one, so I set out to woo him, I resolved to make him see that my beauty was inner and I was God's answer to his quest.

When the Lord saw that Leah was not loved, he enabled her to conceive, but Rachel remained childless. Leah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Reuben, for she said, “It is because the Lord has seen my misery. Surely my husband will love me now.” (Genesis 29:31-32)

Rachael was still preferred even though she could not bear children. I got pregnant immediately I weaned Reuben. I hoped, at that point, Jacob would look my way in the day. He only showed any affection when he wanted sex. That did not feel good at all, but what could I do, at least he showed something even though it was only in the dark. When Simeon showed up, he was reason to believe that someone had mentioned to God that I was hated. God hears the heart, you know! Then I had my third son, still at the attention-seeking stage. I believed by now; he would be joined to me; I had three sons after all.

I hoped in vain. Levi's arrival did not do the trick. I went again, by that time, I was already getting tired of throwing myself at him, so I chose to look up to God. I decided to praise. Judah arrived, and I had another object of my attention. God was now going to be my stay. I would face God; I got myself to believe He must have a plan in his heart for me. Indeed God had, but I was too consumed with chasing shadows to notice. Even though I was the unloved one, I was still the envy of my little sister; she was barren. She resorted to competition and decided to give her maid to our husband. I chose to do the same, you see, I did not want to lose grounds. Now we were producing children through maids so that we could each secure our positions.

...

Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty warrior. His father was Gilead; his mother was a prostitute. Gilead’s wife also bore him sons, and when they were grown up, they drove Jephthah away. “You are not going to get any inheritance in our family,” they said, “because you are the son of another woman.” So Jephthah fled from his brothers and settled in the land of Tob, where a gang of scoundrels gathered around him and followed him.

Some time later, when the Ammonites were fighting against Israel, the elders of Gilead went to get Jephthah from the land of Tob. “Come,” they said, “be our commander, so we can fight the Ammonites.”

Jephthah said to them, “Didn’t you hate me and drive me from my father’s house? Why do you come to me now, when you’re in trouble?”

The elders of Gilead said to him, “Nevertheless, we are turning to you now; come with us to fight the Ammonites, and you will be head over all of us who live in Gilead.”

Jephthah answered, “Suppose you take me back to fight the Ammonites and the LORD gives them to me—will I really be your head?”

The elders of Gilead replied, “The LORD is our witness; we will certainly do as you say.” So Jephthah went with the elders of Gilead, and the people made him head and commander over them. And he repeated all his words before the LORD in Mizpah. Judges 11:1-10ff

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Then Samuel asked, “Are these all the sons you have?” “There is still the youngest,” Jesse replied. “But he’s out in the fields watching the sheep and goats.” “Send for him at once,” Samuel said. “We will not sit down to eat until he arrives.” So Jesse sent for him. He was dark and handsome, with beautiful eyes. And the Lord said, “This is the one; anoint him.” So as David stood there among his brothers, Samuel took the flask of olive oil he had brought and anointed David with the oil. And the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon David from that day on. Then Samuel returned to Ramah.

1 Samuel 16:11‭-‬13 NLT

Jesus, teaching His disciples to pray, stressed:

And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins. (Mark 11:25)

"Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. (Luke 6:37)

So, watch yourselves. "If your brother or sister sins against you, rebuke them; and if they repent, forgive them. Even if they sin against you seven times in a day and seven times come back to you saying, 'I repent,' you must forgive them." The apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith!" (Luke 17:3 – 5)

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and His word is not in us.

(1 John 1:9 -10)

We have all being there! Many are still there. People have offended us, and we have also offended others. Let us go back to that place… pause… think long… think hard. Some of us do not have to go far. For many, the journey is long.

Who offended you: a parent, a trusted family member, friend, pastor/priest, an authority figure or even a stranger?

What did they do: betray, rape, steal, malign, abandon, murder, lie or cheat? What could it be? Jesus says, forgive! The pain may be deep; the scars may remain, the wound may be sore, the circumstance may be unfair but forgive you must.

Un-forgiveness is a self-created prison. Who wants to be in one? Visiting that place may bring back pain (you may have tucked it in so far away, you don't want it revisited). You may break down in tears. Negative emotions may flood back, but you must forgive.

Many of us are in such prisons, and our inner selves are craving freedom. Let the real you come out. Let it go!

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Man of God, Really?

But this seemed very wrong to Jonah, and he was angry. And he made prayer to the Lord and said, O Lord, is this not what I said when I was still in my country? This is why I took care to go in flight to Tarshish: for I was certain that you were a loving God, full of pity, slow to be angry and great in mercy, and ready to be turned from your purpose of evil. So now, O Lord, give ear to my prayer and take my life from me; for death is better for me than life. And the Lord said, Have you any right to be angry? Then Jonah went out of the town, and took his seat on the east side of the town and made himself a roof of branches and took his seat under its shade till he saw what would become of the town. And the Lord God made a vine come up over Jonah to give him shade over his head. And Jonah was very glad because of the vine. But early on the morning after, God made ready a worm for the destruction of the vine, and it became dry and dead. Then when the sun came up, God sent a burning east wind: and so great was the heat of the sun on his head that Jonah was overcome, and, requesting death for himself, said, Death is better for me than life. And the Lord said to Jonah, Have you any right to be angry about the vine? And he said, I have a right to be truly angry. And the Lord said, You had pity on the vine, for which you did no work and for the growth of which you were not responsible; which came up in a night and came to an end in a night; And am I not to have mercy on Nineveh, that great town, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand persons without the power of judging between right and left, as well as much cattle?

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The God of second, many chances

Then the word of the LORD came to Jonah a second time: “Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you.”

Don’t you just love GOD, ever so willing to give another chance? Remember the gifts and callings of God are without repentance. He is not like us that will yank you off at the least sign of let down.

Jonah obeyed the word of the LORD and went to Nineveh. Dear MOG, If they give you another shot at your assignment, you better grab it and run with it. No matter how long or how difficult the assignment might be, (actually, you find that it gets a little more complicated when you have to go at it again. It is always easier to obey the first time out. Now Nineveh was a very large city; it took three days to go through it. Jonah began by going a day’s journey into the city, proclaiming, “Forty more days and Nineveh will be overthrown.” The Ninevites believed God. A fast was proclaimed, and all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth. Can you believe this, a whole city in repentance? O for that kind of reaction in our time, what a revival that would be!

When Jonah’s warning reached the king of Nineveh, he rose from his throne, took off his royal robes, covered himself with sackcloth and sat down in the dust. This is the proclamation he issued in Nineveh:

“By the decree of the king and his nobles:

Do not let people or animals, herds or flocks, taste anything; do not let them eat or drink. But let people and animals be covered with sackcloth. Let everyone call urgently on God. Let them give up their evil ways and their violence. Who knows? God may yet relent and with compassion turn from his fierce anger so that we will not perish.” When repentance begins at the palace and extends to the animals, then you know you have a revival. Lets us stop here and say a prayer for our world; dear Lord, thank you for the world we live in. we pray today that you would pour out your spirit into the world that men and women would be convicted of sin, and of righteousness. We ask that revival will sweep through every nation and tribe and that Jesus will be king and Lord over us all. Please Lord, pour out your healing and grace, help our world to know you in Jesus name we pray. Amen

When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he relented and did not bring on them the destruction he had threatened. Listen, dear child of God, He does not like it when you go against Him and better know this, He is in pain when He has to punish you. It is not in God’s interest for you to be lost

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Then Jonah made prayer to the Lord his God from the inside of the fish, and said, In my trouble I was crying to the Lord, and he gave me an answer; out of the deepest underworld I sent up a cry, and you gave ear to my voice. For you have put me down into the deep, into the heart of the sea; and the river was round about me; all your waves and your rolling waters went over me. And I said, I have been sent away from before your eyes; how may I ever again see your holy Temple? The waters were circling round me, even to the neck; the deep was about me; the sea-grass was twisted round my head. I went down to the bases of the mountains; as for the earth, her walls were about me for ever: but you have taken up my life from the underworld, O Lord my God. When my soul in me was overcome, I kept the memory of the Lord: and my prayer came in to you, into your holy Temple. The worshippers of false gods have given up their only hope. But I will make an offering to you with the voice of praise; I will give effect to my oaths. Salvation is the Lord's. And at the Lord's order, the fish sent Jonah out of its mouth on to the dry land. Jonah 2

God, forever married to the backslider.

Jonah, the runaway messenger of God, prayed.

Child of God, disobedience will land you in trouble, and when that happens, the smart thing to do is cry out to God, confess your sin, and He, in turn, will save and deliver you. God is forever looking out for His children to return to Him.

What did Jonah say to God? He acknowledged his self imposed troubles and his role in bringing them on. He deserved what he got and also lamented his inability to see God’s face.

My dear friend, when you are in trouble, especially the one you caused, like Jonah, run back to God, offer praise, vow to Him, cry for salvation and deliverance.

As a result, God ordered the fish to vomit Jonah; the trouble left him.

No matter how far away from the centre we may have gone, God is ever willing to take us back.

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And the word of the Lord came to Jonah, the son of Amittai, saying, Up! go to Nineveh, that great town, and let your voice come to it; for their evil-doing has come up before me. And Jonah got up to go in flight to Tarshish, away from the Lord; and he went down to Joppa, and saw there a ship going to Tarshish: so he gave them the price of the journey and went down into it to go with them to Tarshish, away from the Lord. And the Lord sent out a great wind on to the sea and there was a violent storm in the sea, so that the ship seemed in danger of being broken. Then the sailors were full of fear, every man crying to his god; and the goods in the ship were dropped out into the sea to make the weight less. But Jonah had gone down into the inmost part of the ship where he was stretched out in a deep sleep. And the ship's captain came to him and said to him, What are you doing sleeping? Up! say a prayer to your God, if by chance God will give a thought to us, so that we may not come to destruction. And they said to one another, Come, let us put this to the decision of chance and see on whose account this evil has come on us. So they did so, and Jonah was seen to be the man. Then they said to him, Now make clear to us what is your work, and where you come from? what is your country, and who are your people? And he said to them, I am a Hebrew, a worshipper of the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land. And the men were in great fear, and they said to him, What is this you have done? For the men had knowledge of his flight from the Lord because he had not kept it from them. And they said to him, What are we to do to you so that the sea may become calm for us? For the sea was getting rougher and rougher. And he said to them, Take me up and put me into the sea, and the sea will become calm for you: for I am certain that because of me this great storm has come on you. And the men were working hard to get back to the land, but they were not able to do so: for the sea got rougher and rougher against them. So, crying to the Lord, they said, Give ear to our prayer, O Lord, give ear, and do not let destruction overtake us because of this man's life; do not put on us the sin of taking life without cause: for you, O Lord, have done what seemed good to you. So they took Jonah up and put him into the sea: and the sea was no longer angry. Then great was the men's fear of the Lord; and they made an offering to the Lord and took oaths to him. And the Lord made ready a great fish to take Jonah into its mouth; and Jonah was inside the fish for three days and three nights. Jonah 1

Jonah, prophet, compelling character, 'more zealous' for righteousness than the righteous judge refuses Gods errand and faces another city. He let it slip his mind that though t5he people were in sin, they were also God's creation, and God, though holy and just, would only let you have what is coming to you if you refuse to change your evil ways.

Rather than face NINEVEH, Jonah journeyed to Tarshjip, as far away from his place of assignment as possible. What5 he was thinking, only he would tell. In his bid to run away, he put innocent souls in danger. For today, my dear loved one, which is it for you? The refusal, the zeal or the selfishness. Let's dig deeper into this exciting drama tomorrow.

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STRENGTH FOR THE JOURNEY

HEART MATTERS, LIFE MATTERS

On the day of Pentecost all the believers were meeting together in one place. Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting. Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them. And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability. At that time there were devout Jews from every nation living in Jerusalem. When they heard the loud noise, everyone came running, and they were bewildered to hear their own languages being spoken by the believers. They were completely amazed. “How can this be?” they exclaimed. “These people are all from Galilee, Here we are—Parthians, Medes, Elamites, people from Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus, the province of Asia, Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, and the areas of Libya around Cyrene, visitors from Rome They stood there amazed and perplexed. “What can this mean?” they asked each other. But others in the crowd ridiculed them, saying, “They’re just drunk, that’s all!” Then Peter stepped forward with the eleven other apostles and shouted to the crowd, “Listen carefully, all of you, fellow Jews and residents of Jerusalem! Make no mistake about this. These people are not drunk, as some of you are assuming. Nine o’clock in the morning is much too early for that. ‘In the last days,’ God says, ‘I will pour out my Spirit upon all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your young men will see visions, and your old men will dream dreams. In those days I will pour out my Spirit even on my servants—men and women alike— and they will prophesy. And I will cause wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below— blood and fire and clouds of smoke. The sun will become dark, and the moon will turn blood red before that great and glorious day of the Lord arrives. But everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’

Acts of the Apostles 2:1‭-‬7‭, ‬9‭-‬10‭, ‬12‭-‬15‭, ‬17‭-‬21 NLT