How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! – Romans 10:15 In ancient times, news was often transmitted by men. Although sometimes, there is the need for the use of animals, many times, the news was brought by foot. Someone had to do the arduous task of bringing news to a city, a town or an individual. The apostle Paul uses the illustration in Isaiah 52:7 of a messenger bringing the news of victory to the people of Israel of a war against an enemy: good news indeed for an oppressed people. God has given us salvation, the…

But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, – Acts 20:24 Paul had a resolve in his life, to do and to complete the will of God in his life. He was called by GOD, to be God’s man in many missions to reach many who are lost. Paul reached the known world for Christ and his epistles are much read and practiced as they are inspired by GOD. But Paul faced severe opposition and difficulties as he aimed to live for God. Much like many of us today who want to live for…

…Paul was pressed in the spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus was Christ. – Acts 18:5 The apostle was directed by the Holy Spirit to go to Macedonia. As Paul walked and worked amongst the people at Corinth, as he mingled with the people at Macedonia, the bible tells us that he begin to be pressed in the Spirit. Within the soul of Paul, his eyes affected his heart. He saw affected him. The word pressed means to perplex, afflict, preoccupy. It refers to a burden, and weight, a stress. Notice the pressing of the Spirit in Paul: He was pressed in the Spirit because had deep concern…

..thus saith the LORD to the men of Judah and Jerusalem, Break up your fallow ground, and sow not among thorns. – Jeremiah 4:3 Then men of the chosen nation of Israel was instructed to break up the fallow ground, the ground that is not sowed, not tilled and left to fester. They are also instructed not to sow among the thorns, for a plant growing in a field of thorns will get choked. They have been in a spiritual wasteland and they have been far from GOD. As a result of their backslidings, the children of Israel has gone far from GOD and into His judgment. Mercifully, His judgment…

But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. – Acts 1:8 God’s intention for the local church have never changed: it is still to evangelise, win people, baptize them and add them to the church, and then to teach them the truths of GOD, and for people to be transformed by the power of the word of GOD. GOD’s will is for the word to be carried to our Jerusalem, our Judea, our Samaria, and unto the uttermost parts…

The glory of children are their fathers – Proverbs 17:6 By nature children are naturally drawn to their parents. Natural observation bears this truth out. Fathers are respected and revered in the family. They have the GOD-given authority and position within the family. GOD commands children to obey their FATHERs.. However, for the children to acknowledge that their fathers as their glory is quite another matter. That means that the children are able to look to their fathers not merely based on the father’s role but also based on their works. What works needs to be gone that if seen by the children, will lead the children to consider their…

Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. – Psalm 37:5 There is a malignant fear among believers of the current age. This fear cripples the work of the Lord and sets it back; it reduces the effectiveness of the work and destroys the morale of workers. It delays completion and it encourages poor results. This is the fear of commitment. The word commitment has two parts to the meaning: one is to throw upon; lay upon and the other is to add faith to the process. GOD wants us to by faith add to whatever we need to do. For…

Where there is no vision, the people perish: … – Proverbs 29:18 Solomon makes an emphatic statement: if there is no vision, there is only destruction to the people of GOD. A vision, therefore, is God’s will for people to continue and to thrive. It helps to formulate plans and forges a direction. It unites people and it unleashes the power of GOD as the vision of God’s people unites them in prayer. For without God, we can do nothing. Why is there no vision for the people of God? There is no vision because there is a refusal of the word: They would none of my counsel: they despised…

…He leadeth me… – Psalms 23:2 Ever since our salvation, God has given us this promise of His leadership for our good. He yearns for His people to follow Him so that He can bring us to a place for our good. The hymn writer writes: He leadeth me, O blessed thought, O words with heavenly comfort fraught. What a blessing it is for God to lead us, His people. In this verse, we learn that GOD is the One who leads. The God who sees the beginning from the end, the God who knows the dangers and the valleys ahead, the one who understands the trials and foresees the…

…our God…is able to deliver us… – Daniel 3:17 Many are the distresses of life and many times we feel trapped. Satan oppresses us with hard trials that test our faith and our strength. We are torn from every side, and cast down. We are discouraged, and oftentimes, we do not see the hand of the Lord. Like Job, we complain and even curse the day we are born. When asked: is the Lord able to see us? Can He deliver us from the troubles we are in? We need to hear the testimony of three brave Hebrew children, at risk of being thrown into the fiery furnace for their…