Stand Firm

There’s so much going on around us now and so many people struggling in so many areas of their lives. I will like to remind us that, God is with us through it all.
This week he wants us to know that when it gets to the thick of the battle, he shows up for his own people. We need to have absolute trust in God and know that he is in control. Sometimes we have to go through these challenges so that God can take all the Glory and be magnified. Also battles brings us back to the place of total dependence on God. In the book of Genesis after Pharaoh had let the children of go, the bible says he hardened his heart again and chased after the children of Israel.

Exodus14:2-9 5 When the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled, Pharaoh and his officials changed their minds about them and said, "What have we done? We have let the Israelites go and have lost their services!" 6 So he had his chariot made ready and took his army with him. 7 He took six hundred of the best chariots, along with all the other chariots of Egypt, with officers over all of them. 8 The LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, so that he pursued the Israelites, who were marching out boldly. 9 The Egyptians-all Pharaoh's horses and chariots, horsemen and troops-pursued the Israelites and overtook them as they camped by the sea near Pi Hahiroth, opposite Baal Zephon.

The Israelites cried out and even said to Moses that was it because there was not grave in Egypt that he brought them to the desert to die? They had forgotten just not to long the miracle of the Passover.
We are all like that sometimes. We forget the pain we endured to get to where we are. We focus on the current issue or problem and somehow forget that he who is in control is still alive, in control and will be forever.
This did not stop God from answering them because of the love her had for his people.
The Israelites were fooled by appearances and revealed their lack of faith, but God did not reject them. He stayed faithful and said, ‘Just watch what I am going to do.’ In his hands the apparent problem of the Red Sea was about to become the solution they could never have dreamt of.
Sometimes the solution to our problem is right in the middle of the issue and God is working just to be glorified and for people to know that it could only have been God. In this passage, God that killed all the first born in Egypt could have easily killed Pharaoh and all his chariots but he choose to let them even overtake the children of Israel and get to the Red sea before he threw them into confusion.

In the middle of our pain and suffering we need to just be still. V 13 Moses answered the people, "Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the LORD will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. 14 The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still."

Notice how Moses told them, the Egyptians you see today, you will never see again. We need to learn to call on God always, then be still and let God be glorified. Also we should realise that the battles that have been won will never rise again in our lives in Jesus name.
When it looks like there is no way forward, you need to realise that the battle is almost over. In tough situations when we are tempted to lose heart but we should try and stand firm and encourage others to do so. When we stick to godly ways and values and do not fall into compromises he will never let us down. Just trust him and depend on him totally.

Our Covenant with God: Are we playing our part?

In the book of Genesis 19: God spared Lot’s family when he decided to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah because of the covenant he made with Abraham which covers his entire family and generations to come. I have read this chapter a few times and always believed Lot was spared destruction just because of this covenant, however looking closely in the first verse, The two angels of God met Lot at the gateway of the city and immediately he saw them, he bowed down and offered them his hospitality. They insisted they will spend the night in the square but he persuaded them to go with him and spend the night at his house, where he cooked for them and cared for them.

Reading this chapter Lot was spared not just because of the covenant between God and his lineage but because of his generosity, hospitality and because he refused to compromise himself and encourage sin.

How many times have we missed God’s blessing because we have not blessed and welcomed people that we know will benefit from our love and blessings? How many times have missed it because we have seen our friends or family sin but we have turned an eye because according to us it’s nothing to do with us. The truth is regardless of God’s covenant with us we need to play our part. We need to follow the word of God. The greatest commandment is love

1 Cor 13:13: And now these three remain: faith, hope and love but the greatest of these is love

Matthew 22 v36-39. Jesus tells the Pharisees that the greatest commandment is love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and the second is love your neighbour as your self.

Jesus’ death is a covenant on our behalf that we are saved and we will inherit the kingdom of God but we need to play our parts by obeying God’s commandments. We need to learn to bless people we know need help, they do not even have to ask. The angels of God did not ask Lot for help but he knew what Sodom and Gomorrah was like and he offered to keep them safe.
We must also not turn a blind eye when our friends and people we know are doing what is not right. Lot begged the men of Sodom not to commit such sin and he found favour in the eyes of God.
I am not saying we need to be shouting at the roof top at our friends or family but we need to encourage them to walk right showing love and we ourselves need to be receptive to correction from people God has placed in our lives.