the watcher

1Peter 5:6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: It is always said that what brought Satan down and made him lose all his glory was that sting called pride. Proverbs 15:25 The LORD will destroy the house of the proud, but He will establish the boundary of the widow. James 4:6 But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble." Pride could mean you forgetting who is in charge, God, then placing yourself in His place. The Lord may not act immediately but when He does the result is not pleasant. Isaiah 42:8 I am the LORD, that is My name; and My glory I will not give to another, nor My praise to graven images. When we place ourselves in God's place we find it easy to find faults in others, we always feel offended and rarely see ourselves offending others. Pride will make one always see oneself above others, always the one needed to be apologized to, wanting to be revered, a...

Genesis 15:6 And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness. There is this error of confusing the works of faith with the works of the law. This misunderstanding could make a believer think that faith is just a feeling or a profession. As we go on this new year, we would have received lots of instruction, prophecies, and made lots of plans. We would have set goals and also resolved to change some methods and strategies including our lifestyle. We do all this because we have faith in God that they would all come to pass. Yes, this is the right thing to do, but we must be complete. James 2:17&20 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? The working of faith must be effective if we are to succeed. * We do the speaking; Matthew 17:20 And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this m...

Psalms 26:7 That I may publish with the voice of thanksgiving, and tell of all thy wondrous works. Psalms 30:11 Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing: thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness; She was born into royalty, her father was the king. She did not know what it meant to look for food to eat, to be rejected as a bastard child by one's father and be left to cater for sheep. He was not even called when the other sons were called for one of them to be anointed. Spear was thrown at him, by the one he came to bring healing to. He had to face a lion and a bear, yet the Lord gave him victory. He had to face one of the greatest giants who ever lived, Goliath and the Lord gave him victory. He had to hide in caves to run away from a king who wanted his head. This is the story of Michal and David. She did not know why he, who was now king, danced and gave thanksgiving to God in such a vile way in front of all his subjects. She had no idea what he had been ...

John 10:9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture Many have tried to take over the heart of men. Wise books, wise sayings, nice quotes and impressive philosophies. Yet man is not limited by his intellect or feeling but an inner conviction that tells you "I am more than this". More than the social animal that all this philosophy, science or religions would want to reduce us to. Worst still is the enemy's plot to take over our mind completely by destroying our faith and an abandon to sin. He has failed! If one believes there is God and desires to end on the good side of eternity, one needs to know what is at stake. The parable Jesus gave of the rich man and Lazarus illustrates to us the circumstance that would ensue after we leave this earth. Many things we worry about, wouldn't bother us anymore. That which we may not have put in much bother then becomes the only issue! Really we live in a mortal body, whic...

Matthew 21:22 And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive. After Jesus made this statement, He went on to say that if we had faith, and doubt not, we would move mountains. Never underestimate the power and essence of prayers in the life of the believer. It is our life force. When we pray a lot of activities take place, we need to remember that we pray to change things. Just like we see with Jabez' prayer.  Listen! Do we also understand that when we change a part, the other part is automatically affected. Take the case of the sons of Zebedee: Matthew 20:20 & 21 Then came to him the mother of Zebedee's children with her sons, worshipping [him], and desiring a certain thing of him. And he said unto her, What wilt thou? She saith unto him, Grant that these my two sons may sit, the one on thy right hand, and the other on the left, in thy kingdom. Well we may all attack her as selfish, in fact, the other disciples were not happy with them. It is...

Matthew 22:37   Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. As we enter the second Sunday this year , I hear our Saviour asking: "Do you love me?". The bible talks about the evidence of our love for God: 1. We keep His commandments 1John 5:3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous. Joshua 22:5 But take diligent heed to do the commandment and the law, which Moses the servant of the LORD charged you, to love the LORD your God, and to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and to cleave unto him, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul. The love of God is actually His commandment. I remember my dad saying, why should someone teach another to love God? However he was born into a christian home and taught to pray and worship God from his youth. Others may not have had it so, some may have been born into different bel...

Philippians 4:6 Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. There was a time I used to wonder how God handles all things and how many of us praying at the same time would all be able to get God's attention. How does He take care of all the issues in this world and also those things in heaven. These were childish thoughts. Isaiah 55:8&9 For my thoughts [are] not your thoughts, neither [are] your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For [as] the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. God is indeed great, the mind of man is too small to comprehend the mystery of God, His power, His might, His glory, His splendour, majesty and strength. No wonder none have seen Him except the son. Even Moses was only able to see a reflection of Him. Isaiah 40:22 [It is] he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof [are] as g...

Jeremiah 42 : 3 & 7 That the LORD thy God may shew us the way wherein we may walk, and the thing that we may do.  And it came to pass after TEN days, that the word of the LORD came unto Jeremiah. It is ten days into the new year, at this time we would be busy doing many things. However nothing as important as seeking from the Lord the direction, plan, purposes and "expo" for 2025 if you are yet to fully receive it. We remember what we requested for, from our lecturers before the examinations began. We ask for the area of concentration. Rightfully because we serve the God who knows the end before the beginning, He is able to take us ahead. The prophets of old had that privilege and we the later "prophetic" can enjoy even a greater revelation: * That idea that would take your business to the next level in 2025; * That course you ought to study; * That man/woman you need to make serious plans with; * That job you must apply for; * Those changes you ought to make in...

Daniel 2:21 And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding: As we go on this new year, we must understand that there is a distinction between the timing of the earthy calendar and the season of God's move. We could decide to move according to the timing of things according to the natural perspective or preferably we could move with the divine change of season. After the ascension of Christ, Peter had to stand twice in the midst of the brethren. At the first standing the Holy Spirit was yet to be poured on the disciples so his standing led to the casting of lots to appoint a twelfth disciple: Acts 1:15 And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples, and said, (the number of names together were about an hundred and twenty,) Acts 1:25-26  That he may take part of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go...

Psalm 18:32 [It is] God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect. As the year begins, naturally wisdom is to look back and see what you have been able to achieve. You want to see the targets you had set, requests you made to God and even deadlines you set to achieve or receive. Did you meet them last year? Psalm 34:8 Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him! Wait, don't rush, there is one important aspect you have to consider. WHAT ARE THOSE THINGS YOU NEVER ASKED FOR, PLANNED FOR OR EXPECTED but God still did for you? Mathew 6:8 "Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him. No matter what, my friends lets give thanks, because if you look you will see that GOD HAS BEEN GOOD. Knowing this as we plan for 2025, let us believe that there is a lot God would still do for us this year. There is nothing wrong in bringing those requests again to Him, not because you l...

Matthew 19:26 But Jesus beheld [them], and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible. That we would have expectations, desires and challenges is usual, since we are humans and we live in this world. However if we look back through the years, we will see the hand of God steering us through it all. Providing our needs, healing infirmities, answering prayers, fighting our battles even forgiving our faults. Can we say we have pleased God totally? Could we please God of our own strength? No. Living the christian life could look so bulky sometimes, it reminds me of the laws of Moses. . . impossible . . . but that is God's speciality taking care of the impossible. Christ came that we do not have to carry those burdens or yokes anymore. Glory. The Holy Spirit helps us achieve the will of God. The character of God personalised in us by the power of God's Spirit. Galatians 5:22-23 mentioned the character of the spirit. Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, K...

2Kings 6:33b what, should I wait for the LORD any longer? As believers our trust is in God, though there are things that work so directly and easily for us that we do not even bother to pray about them. However there are things that seem not to come that easily and to receive them we get to pray and maybe pray more. However when it comes to our eternity we cannot be unsure of where we stand, it is a final price, where there are no more opportunities or a second chance. Here we cannot afford to miss it. As we go through the first week of this new year, we must take stock not only of our achievements and failures in the past year but also our stand with God. Do we still hear from Him, is He still in Control? Have we erred, are we stagnant or are we growing? 1Corinthians 16:13 Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong. If we ever needed God it is now, His strength, His direction, glory and favour. His promise are fulfilled for us in Christ Jesus. Glory. As we make pl...

2 Chronicles 29:31, 34   Then Hezekiah answered and said, Now ye have consecrated yourselves unto the LORD, come near and bring sacrifices and thank offerings into the house of the LORD. And the congregation brought in sacrifices and thank offerings; and as many as were of a free heart burnt offerings. But the priests were too few, so that they could not flay all the burnt offerings: wherefore their brethren the Levites did help them, till the work was ended, and until the other priests had sanctified themselves: for the Levites were more upright in heart to sanctify themselves than the priests. Two important attributes of those who worship God are "willingness" and " diligence". Looking at the record of king Hezekiah, a king who loved the Lord and worked in His ways. We see from yesterday's study that his father walked NOT in the ways of the Lord, yet he Hezekiah chose right. In doing this his first step was to restore and bring back the place of worship: 2 C...

2 Chronicles 29:1-2   Hezekiah began to reign when he was five and twenty years old, and he reigned nine and twenty years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Abijah, the daughter of Zechariah. And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that David his father had done. It is a wonder how a father will be faithful to the Lord walking in His steps, then the son grows up and then decides to walk in the ways of evil. The same way a father walked in the ways contrary to God, doing abominable things, yet the son grows and chooses to walk in the way of the Lord. Hezekiah is an example of such. King Ahaz chose the terrible part, he went as far as locking up the temple so that no one will worship the true God there! 2 Chronicles 28:1, 3-4, 22, 24  Ahaz was twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem: but he did not that which was right in the sight of the LORD, like David his father: Moreover he burnt incense...

Psalm 1:3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. When God created man and enabled him to reproduce, He did not leave it to chance. Every human is purposeful and came to be for a reason. Thus Solomon teaches that every thing has its season: Ecclesiastes 3:1 To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven: Unlike Adam we are created to mature from young to adulthood then to old. We all are each in one of these three phases. There is nothing like the process, it ensures we are trained, matured and ready to take up our next position, promotion and assignment. Genesis 1:14 And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years: Many who fall, have not passed through the process and thus may have not been ready for the overw...

Philippians 2:13 for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure. The day you begin a thing is the day, you were born into it. It is never too late to start on that which God wants you to do or achieve. Once you have identified it go ahead and begin. It is another beginning for that particular assignment and surely you will complete it. You may have started years, months, weeks, days or even hours ago, it doesn't matter. It is another phase, the main thing is your consistency.  Have you broken it down into phases?  The day you decided to accept Jesus as Lord and saviour is your spiritual birthday so also the day you begin to fulfil that assignment God has given you. For every purpose there is a beginning. That is the procreation that God gave beyond bearing physical children Philippians 1:6  being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ; As we go on this year, I see y...

Genesis 26:13(KJV) And the man waxed great, and went forward, and grew until he became very great: Another year is here, 2025. It could be like any other year. What really makes one day different from another? The events that take place! When these events take place they could: * make you or mar you * strengthen you or weaken you * cause you profit or bring you loss * increase you or reduce you * bring hope or induce despair  The question is who decides?  The answer is awesome - YOU. Until you understand that you have been empowered to make certain decisions and changes in your life, you will remain in the mediocre state and this is not good for growth will be impeded. This year we refuse to be impeded, we must move on to the next level. We are NOT going over our heads, No. We wait on the Lord, going at His pace but going forward, yes we will. Exodus 14:15   And the LORD said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me? speak unto the children of Israel, that they go f...