the watcher

Romans 5:5 NLT And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love. Love could be described from many approaches or philosophy. From the question: "what type of love?", we could begin to talk of the various kinds of love,  eros, philo, agape etc. However, Love is a Person, and we know Him to be the only one who can claim this: 1John 4:8b for God is love. Many who have read the old testament would wonder at much killings, bloodshed and wrath. The truth is, God had not yet been revealed.  We could say, what of all the prophets that were anointed to shew him forth? Remember the scriptures said: John 1:18 No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared [him]. Jesus revealed God to us as who He is: Love! John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should ...

Psalms 51:11 Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. The plan of the enemy from the creation of man was to disconnect him from God. Genesis 3:13 And the LORD God said unto the woman, What [is] this [that] thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat. Genesis 3:10 And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I [was] naked; and I hid myself. That was the plan of the enemy, to separate man from God. He just didn't want the "man" project to succeed! The enemy's ultimate goal is to disconnect man from God. In the garden of Eden he lied to man,  he said,   "you will not die . . ." but of course man died, he grew old and died physically but most importantly he began to get separated from God. No matter what happens,  no matter what it seems we face or what we may have done, we must ensure we do not get disconnected from God.   The enemy and those alternatives that you think ...

Galatians 6:9 And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. It is very likely to get exhausted when you keep doing that good again and again, after a long time you begin to wonder if it is worth it especially when you see a lot of ungratefulness. Our very nature is to do good that is how our God is and that is how He revealed Himself to us in Christ Jesus. He taught us to be so. Psalms 18:30 (BBE) As for God, his way is completely good; the word of the Lord is tested; he is a breastplate for all those who put their faith in him. The question should be *Is it God's will? * Is it a good thing? * Am I on the right part? * Is God happy with me? * Am I positively influencing lifes? * Do I do it out of Love? If the answer is YES then we overlook our discouragement and keep at it. Galatians 6:9 And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Of course it is natural to feel exhausted...

1 Corinthians 13:13b —and the greatest of these is love. The greatest motivation should be love. Many serve God for fear of hell fire. Many avoid sin for fear of the repercussions of the law. But the first and summary of all commandments is LOVE. Joshua 23:11 "Therefore take diligent heed to yourselves, that you love the LORD your God. Deuteronomy 6:5 "You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might. Deuteronomy 11:13 'And it shall be that if you diligently obey My commandments which I command you today, to love the LORD your God and serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul, Matthew 22:37 Jesus said to him, " 'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.' Matthew 22:40 "On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets." God reached out to us through Love and He expects us to reach out to Him and to others through love. When e...

2 Corinthians 8: 14-15   But by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may be a supply for their want, that their abundance also may be a supply for your want: that there may be equality: As it is written, He that had gathered much had nothing over; and he that had gathered little had no lack. No man has been born empty without anything to give, none, for everyone has something to offer, we are created to be fruitful. Matthew 25:24 "Then he who had received the one talent came and said, 'Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. Everyone was created with the power to contribute, we all have something to offer. I have come to see in man that in lacking one thing we are compensated with another. The question is, what have we done with what we have? We could decide to complain of what others have that we do not have, what they know or where they have gotten to. When will we use that wh...

Ephesians 2:10  For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. Your present position is not a coincidence, there is a reason for being where you are. Every previous experience was made to prepare you for where you are both the good ones and the not too good ones. Esther 4:14b Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?" Habakkuk 2:3a For the vision is yet for an appointed time; So as you enjoy your present position or wait for the next promotion, be grateful for how far the Lord has brought you. * Enjoy the privileges you have * Be diligent in fulfilling your duties * Treat those under you and those above you with love * Have greater people mentor you * Mentor someone * Give as you are led in love * Do not look down on anyone * Do not over-trust anyone * Make integrity and dedication your house style * Show discipline when it is needed yet show appre...

 2Kings 13:19 And the man of God was wroth with him, and said, Thou shouldest have smitten five or six times; then hadst thou smitten Syria till thou hadst consumed [it]: whereas now thou shalt smite Syria [but] thrice. There is a need to look at opportunities in the positive light, this is because there are still opportunities that ought to be taken. I believe in seasons and favoured/opportune times when a thing could easily be accomplished or may I say, be accomplished with less difficulty. In the starting text 2Kings 13:9, an opportunity was given to King Joash to completely defeat the enemy, Syria. He, may not have understood the reason for striking the bow on the ground, so he struck twice and stopped. This made him have partial or limited victory. Someone has described success as opportunity meeting preparation. This is true.  There are times and seasons and it takes those who can identify the times, seasons and further know what action to be taken, that eventually trium...

Genesis 13 : 6 - 13 And the land was not able to bear them, that they might dwell together: for their substance was great, so that they could not dwell together. And there was a strife between the herdmen of Abram's cattle and the herdmen of Lot's cattle: and the Canaanite and the Perizzite dwelled then in the land.  And Abram said unto Lot, Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and between my herdmen and thy herdmen; for we [be] brethren. [Is] not the whole land before thee? separate thyself, I pray thee, from me: if [thou wilt take] the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if [thou depart] to the right hand, then I will go to the left. And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it [was] well watered every where, before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, [even] as the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar. Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan; and Lot journeyed east: and they separated...

Isaiah 40:31 But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew [their] strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; [and] they shall walk, and not faint. We may have prayed, maybe fasted, cried, wailed and it seems God has not yet answered our prayer. We may ask: "could it be that it doesn't bother God?". You may even find your counterparts getting that thing you are still waiting for, easily. Still we must learn to wait. Will it be easy? No. Yet we must wait. Listen, every believer waits on the second return of Christ, but has it happened yet? No. Does it mean we stay idle with no purpose or no work done? No. We then see that the waiting period is not an idle time, as we wait we work on what has already been revealed as we expect that which will be revealed. Selah! Waiting on the Lord works out our patience and proves our obedience. Micah 7:7 "Therefore I will look to the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation; my God will ...

So there was Peter who was getting to know the Lord in the flesh and Peter who knew the Lord in the spirit. The bible accounts that Peter and the disciples saw him and they were not certain it was the Lord. One thing we need to understand is that when Jesus came to the earth his physical appearance and form did not depict His might, power or spiritual self, he just looked like any man. Isaiah 53 : 2 & 3 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, [there is] no beauty that we should desire him. He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were [our] faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. So we see in 2Corinthians 5 : 16 " Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we [him] no more. " Peter who was focused on the ...

Psalms 126:1 When the LORD turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream. As we journey through our time of life here on earth the best experience a being can have is the experience with the creator. That is actually when one begins to live. John 8:56  Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw [it], and was glad. An encounter with Jesus the Christ is the best meeting ever. The awakening of life in humans. Yet this first encounter is followed by events and activities that most times draws the mind of the believer from the Son, who gave that life to man, the world, activities, challenges, preoccupations, competitions, religion, arguments, old age(not of aging in body) and many other assumed necessities that cage us again and make it seem as if we have not been liberated. Then man needs another liberation! Galatians 5:1  Christ has truly made us free: then keep your free condition and let no man put a yoke on you again. A song writer wrote: "Jesus ...

Psalms 5:3 My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning will I direct [my prayer] unto thee, and will look up. It may look orthodox or religious or whatever contemporary name we may give it. However every wise christian begins the day with prayer. Reading a psalm is a good way to set up your mind. Mature christians know that it helps to clear the mind of all the dirt and troubles of the day before. Jesus practised this and so did His disciples. Mark 1:35 And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed. This needs no philosophy, no special teaching or special revelation. Dear brethren, begin your morning in prayer, teach your children and all those in your care to do so. Jesus showed us this good example, our father's of old did same too. Remember: 1 Thessalonians 5:17  Never stop praying.  PRAYER Loving Father, thank You for the direct link to You through Your Son Jesus the Christ, I w...

Psalms 23:1 The LORD [is] my shepherd; I shall not want. Psalm 23 is one of the Psalms that became an anthem in most christian homes just like the Lord's prayer. Though some new testament teachings categorize the Lord's prayer as being under the old testament, before salvation was revealed, that is before the resurrection and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, it still remains potent and the only full prayer recorded that Jesus taught his disciples. Of course they asked to be taught just as John the baptiser taught his own disciples! Luke 11:1 And it came to pass, that, as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples. This prayer many orthodox churches such as the beloved Anglican communion still do till this day. It is a good thing to teach our children and new converts to recite these psalms though in the power of the Holy Spirit. Understand that David spoke by the Holy Spirit....

Psalms 91:1 He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. 2Thessalonians 3:3 But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep [you] from evil. When we read the psalms and other prophetic books of the scriptures we should remember: Colossians 2:17 Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body [is] of Christ. Hebrews 8:5 Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, [that] thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount. The efficacy of these books is still certain today as it was in the old times. God respects His inspired word and that was why Jesus declared himself from these scriptures: Isaiah 61:1&2 The Spirit of the Lord GOD [is] upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the ...

Acts 13:22 And when he had removed him, he raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom also he gave testimony, and said, I have found David the [son] of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will. David was one man who had an understanding of who God was in His time, his Psalms are full of revelations of the Father, the Son and even the Spirit. We cannot fully get enough songs from his worship and thanksgiving to God. No wonder God said of him: " . . . I have found David the [son] of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will." In Psalms 24 there was a declaration: Psalms 24:1 The earth [is] the LORD'S, and the fullness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein. Do you know that everything rests on these, every definition is all around or about God. I wrote on some atheist's platform recently that they are all still about God (they say there is no God) the Psalms still have something for them: Psalms 14:1 The...

Psalm 48:14 For this God [is] our God for ever and ever: he will be our guide [even] unto death. The journey with God is a complete one, there is no forsaking, the promise is an everlasting one from when we are born (salvation), through our growth period, through all the challenges and even when we finally leave the body.  Hebrews 13:5c for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. The question then is why do we feel sometimes that He is not there? The truth is that He is but we are not tuned to His presence. Genesis 28:16 And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the LORD is in this place; and I knew [it] not. 1Kings 20:28 And there came a man of God, and spake unto the king of Israel, and said, Thus saith the LORD, Because the Syrians have said, The LORD [is] God of the hills, but he [is] not God of the valleys, therefore will I deliver all this great multitude into thine hand, and ye shall know that I [am] the LORD. That is why we operate by faith and...

Proverbs 4:23  Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life. I always emphasize that the battle begins and ends in the mind.   We know we live in a world where we do not have total control over all that happens. Information is communicated to us through many sources consciously or unconsciously, it could be through  * tele media  * social media  * radio  * paper media  * friends  * colleagues  * family  * employer/employee * government and their officials  * people we come in contact with casually  * religious leaders  * lecturers/teachers/facilitators  and so on . . . All these sources seek to feed our mind one way or the other and if they persist enough, they reach our soul.  There is therefore the need, time and again, to "purge"  The same way we gather up a lot of unwanted substances in our body through what we take in, we need to keep detoxifying our system now and ag...

Isaiah 31:2 Yet he also [is] wise, and will bring evil, and will not call back his words: but will arise against the house of the evildoers, and against the help of them that work iniquity. Isaiah 30:18 And therefore will the LORD wait, that he may be gracious unto you, and therefore will he be exalted, that he may have mercy upon you: for the LORD [is] a God of judgment: blessed [are] all they that wait for him. The old testament seems sometimes to be filled with killings and disasters especially to those who prefer to live with their head buried in the sand. The question is: who is in charge, and who dictates the pace?" Does the creator not have the right to dictate to His creation? Are we not of a source, should we not give an account? Was man created to live anyhow without consequences? We live in times when the word of God has been revealed to many, yet many have decided to live in disobedience. They devise means to justify their wickedness.   *Some say there is no God,  ...

When you pray, remember what Jesus said: Matthew 21:22 And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive. When we pray a lot of activities take place, we need to remember that we pray to change things. Just like the prayer of Jabez. Do we also understand that when we change a part, the other part is automatically affected. The change we provoke from our prayers may impact another person and their prayers or normal lifestyle or even their destiny. We must not pray amiss. Selah! 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. What a request? How many seats are there at that position, what of others more qualified than them? Well we may all attack her as selfish...

2Thessalonians 1:2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul kept repeating this statement in all his letters why? John 14:27  "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. When Jesus was leaving the earth he left us with peace. Troubles may arise, temptation may keep coming, things might look tough but the child of God will have God's peace which passes all understanding and which can calm every storm. Mark 4:39 Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, "Peace, be still!" And the wind ceased and there was a great calm. His peace resides in us in the presence of the Holy Spirit. That is what the kingdom of God is about Romans 14:17 for the kingdom of God is not food and drink, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. You carry peace in your inside if you have been born again God is present with you by His...

1Corinthians 4:7 For who made you better than your brother? or what have you that has not been given to you? but if it has been given to you, what cause have you for pride, as if it had not been given to you? Why do we have issues and problems in the groups, committees, churches and communities. It arises when we do not understand that "we are not all in the same phase". Everyone goes through a phase, from one to the other and of course it is not always of the same degree with another. Ephesians 4:2 With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; There are: * the freshers - those who just began the journey * the children - those who are in the early stage of growth, though this is not a matter of how long, many may have been there a while, yet grow at a very slow pace. * the youths - these are moving from childhood to adulthood * the matured - these have grown and have begun to eat strong meat, this category is also subdivided into levels ...

Matthew 5:16   Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. Naturally people get acquainted with us because of one good nature or the other they observe that we have. Even places of employment take us in because of one good quality or the other they believe we have. Those qualities qualify us and make us useful and a blessing to others. Matthew 5:16 "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. Our good friends came close to us because of those good characteristics we carry. (although some might just be there, cause of what they can get from us). Titus 3:8 This is a faithful saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men. In all, as time passes by we must not let those good qualities of ours fade away due to pressures,...

Hebrews 11:6 But without faith [it is] impossible to please [him]: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and [that] he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. The whole christian life is all about faith. Our faith began in believing that God exists, that He created us and goes further to believe what He says and further to what He has done. Definitely we believed after we heard! Romans 10:17 So then faith [cometh] by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. We should thus ensure that God's words come to us day after day to strengthen our faith. (that is one reason for this devotional). Any christian living or acting away from faith . . . sins Romans 14:23b for whatsoever [is] not of faith is sin. So no matter what the enemy brings, no matter what comes our way, nothing should take away our faith. Hebrews 3:18 And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not? Yes, things may arise since we are still in the body and we ...

2Corinthians 9:8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, have an abundance for every good work. 2Corinthians 8:2 that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded in the riches of their liberality. It is easy to reach out when all is well with you. In a multitude of wealth  to give little.(although some still find it hard to give). God never ignores those who know how to give. They are the ones useful in God's hands, they attracted prophets of old and were the ones who gave them shelter, God made sure they had supply. However the true test of giving is when you give out of a little. I remember the event in scriptures when many gave, yet Jesus recognised only the widow who gave so little but it was all she had. Mark 12:42-44 Then one poor widow came and threw in two mites, which make a quadrans. So He called His disciples to Him and said to them, "Assuredly, I say to...

Psalms 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. The issue about prosperity is not the prosperity itself but the drive to get it. Most of the examples of people we have in scriptures who prospered did not set out to get rich or make great wealth, NO, their intention was to make an impact and to glorify God. It was either: * they had direct instruction from God on what to do, like Noah, Abraham, Moses and David * they made a decision to live and do things God's way, like Joseph, Job, Daniel * or they requested that God make them valuable and useful to their generation like the case of Jabez and Solomon. Of course many would have been in these three categories and failed. They could have heard from God and either did not obey or were afraid. Some may have decided to do it God's way then fell when temptation came. Yet still others would have ...

Matthew 7:27 And the rain came down and there was a rush of waters and the winds were driving against that house; and it came down and great was its fall. We are God's building and we must be the right structure and constituents of we are to be of use to God. Everyone who builds definitely plans for the rains. Physical structures built for living fall under this category. Else it is destined for destruction. The foundation is always the primary concern and of course the first to be constructed. Thus every effort must be made to have a good anchor, a very solid ground. This cannot be compromised. We as believers know that there is only one true ground, where we can build a good foundation and He is Jesus the Christ. 1Corinthians 3:11  For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ Life has its own rains and Jesus has assured us, He says that we should be of good cheer, He has overcome the world. John 16:33  "These things I have s...

1Corinthians 10:13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God [is] faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear [it]. We have to have in mind that temptation itself is not sin, everyone gets tempted one time and/or the other. Yes, however temptation can come to us "or from us". Temptation comes from us most times when we let ourselves loose to the vices of the enemy or we let loose/ or give way to the three elements of the carnal world: 1John 2:16 For all that [is] in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. * Lust of the flesh * Lust of the eyes * Pride of Life Scriptures teach that we of our own accord can pierce ourselves with sorrow: 1Timothy 6 : 9 - 10 But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and [into] many foolish and hurtful l...

James 1:3 Knowing [this], that the trying of your faith worketh patience. Temptation itself is not sin, everyone gets tempted one time and/or the other. Temptation comes in different forms and from various sources. It could be what you do or not do. * Thoughts * What we see * A raising appetite * An emotion/desire/lust * Anger * Pride/Ego * Fear * Doubt * Riches The sources of temptation abound. Just like a pit, the problem is falling into it. It may be by ignorance, lack of self control or just mere carelessness. The consequences are there, every error has its consequences and if you have studied the scriptures, you will understand that they are of different degrees. Thus every instruction and guidance of God is for our benefit. So, what do we do? James 1:13-15 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceive...