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Below is the final instalment on the series of how not to provoke God to anger to a devastating effect in our choices and doings.

…You provoke Me to wrath with the works of your hands, burning incense to other gods in the land of Egypt where you have gone to dwell, that you may cut yourselves off and be a curse and a reproach among all the nations of the earth? – Jeremiah 44:8

Idolatry is another way by which we instigate the anger of God to a harmful effect. Now the Dictionary describes idolatry in two broad ways; on one hand, it is “the worship of idols or false gods”, which is a common definition. In a more contemporary term, idolatry is defined as “excessive admiration or love shown for somebody or something.”

The Israelites of old usually set themselves on a collision course with God by their habitual deviations to worship articles of gold whenever they were at ease. And God never took it kindly for once, neither did He leave them unpunished for such disregard, because He had drummed it into their hearing that He is a jealous God, who does not like to be undermined, ignored, denied or replaced.

In contemporary times, while there may not be a widespread practice of the first definition of idolatry whereby folks pay obeisance to idols of various forms – indeed, some still do out of ignorance; but it is a fading practice. However, the second definition of idolatry, which borders on ‘excessive admiration or love shown for somebody or something’ is what we need to be very careful about, so that we do not run afoul of God’s command.

Having created us for His own reasons – primary among which is to worship Him – God has the prerogative of discretion as to how we live and what we do. In fact, He has his opinion about everything we do; this we can only know when we take time to read the Bible and ask for His counsel. And, where the issue of worshipping idols is concerned, He clearly states that “you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God” (Deuteronomy 5:9).

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

Also read:
https://daily-dew.com/how-not-to-provoke-god-to-anger-1/
https://daily-dew.com/how-not-to-provoke-god-to-anger-2/
https://daily-dew.com/how-not-to-provoke-god-to-anger-3/

Prayer Changes Things

They say that prayer changes things; but does it REALLY change anything?

Oh yes! It really does!

Does prayer change your present situation or sudden circumstances?

No, not always, but it does change the way you look at those events.

Does prayer change your financial future?

No, not always, but it does change who you look to for meeting your daily needs.

Does prayer change shattered hearts or broken bodies?

No, not always, but it will change your source of strength and comfort.

Does prayer change your wants and desires?

No, not always, but it will change your wants into what God desires!

Does prayer change how you view the world?

No, not always, but it will change whose eyes you see the world through.

Does prayer change your regrets from the past?

No, not always, but it will change your hopes for the future!

Does prayer change the people around you?

No, not always, but it will change you – the problem isn’t always in others.

Does prayer change your life in ways you can’t explain?

Oh, yes, always! And it will change you from the inside out!

So does prayer REALLY change ANYTHING?

Yes! It REALLY does change EVERYTHING!

Meditation: Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. – James 5:17

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

Also read:
https://daily-dew.com/the-prayer-chair/
https://daily-dew.com/six-year-olds-prayer/
https://daily-dew.com/your-hand-in-prayer/

Someone wrote this testament of belief. Be blessed are you read them.

.I believe in Miracles and dreams that will come true,

And I believe in happiness and friendship, through and through

I believe that when you cry your tears are not in vain,

And when you’re sad and lonely someone knows that you’re in pain.



I believe that when we laugh a sparkle starts to shine,

And before you know these sparks will spread

From more hearts than just mine.

I believe the gifts you have are there for you to share

And when you give them from the heart, the whole world knows you care.



I believe that if you give, even just to one,

That gift will grow in magnitude before the day is done.

I believe that comfort comes from giving part of me,

And if I share with others, there’s more for all to see.

I believe that love is still the greatest gift of all,

And when it’s given from the heart, Love will conquer all.



Meditation: And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love. – 1 Corinthians 13:13

And he believed in the Lord, and He accounted it to him for righteousness. – Genesis 15:6

— Author Unknown

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

Also read:
https://daily-dew.com/believe-there-is-a-solution/
https://daily-dew.com/why-i-believed-the-easter-story/
https://daily-dew.com/top-10-reasons-to-believe-in-the-christian-faith/

Below is the third instalment in our series on how not to provoke God to anger.

And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who did not obey? So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief. – Hebrews 3:18-19

Another human attitude that irks God to no end is unbelief. God is both mighty and awesome, among many other things, and He has acquitted Himself through the ages as ever-reliable and dependable, such that no one can claim he/she has not experienced His goodness or knows any other god bigger, higher, or more powerful than Him.

Every day we see His manifold goodness in the mundane and mega things of life: we see the rising and the falling of the Sun heralding the start and end of each day; we also go about our daily activities expecting there will be air to supply us the oxygen we need to live. At intermittent intervals, we see the air in other forms such as whirlwind, hurricane, and tornado that enable us to appreciate that all the things we see and enjoy in life can actually come in adverse forms, which we can do nothing about. Thus, we can appreciate their common form, rather than take it for granted that they will always be that way.

We must have also read in the Bible, as well as heard or seen in contemporary time, the various acts of kindness of God and His interventions (otherwise called miracles) in different cases in terms of healing, deliverance, provisions, orchestrations, favours and many other wow things He has done or is doing in the lives of folks. So, He really doesn’t need to prove Himself anymore for us to trust that He’s got our back and will always do His part.

Therefore, it upsets Him greatly when we go about doubting and second-guessing Him. He is cool when we live in the assurance of His care and ability – that is faith. “But without faith, it is impossible to please Him” (Hebrews 11:6).

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

Other readings

Beware of Him and obey His voice; do not provoke Him, for He will not pardon your transgressions; for My name is in Him. – Exodus 23:21

When I have brought them to the land flowing with milk and honey, of which I swore to their fathers, and they have eaten and filled themselves and grown fat, then they will turn to other gods and serve them; and they will provoke Me and break My covenant. – Deuteronomy 31:20

They provoked Him to jealousy with foreign gods; With abominations they provoked Him to anger. – Deuteronomy 32:16

They have provoked Me to jealousy by what is not God; They have moved Me to anger by their foolish idols. But I will provoke them to jealousy by those who are not a nation; I will move them to anger by a foolish nation. – Deuteronomy 32:21

and they forsook the Lord God of their fathers, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt; and they followed other gods from among the gods of the people who were all around them, and they bowed down to them; and they provoked the Lord to anger. – Judges 2:12

Also read:
https://daily-dew.com/how-not-to-provoke-god-to-anger-1/
https://daily-dew.com/how-not-to-provoke-god-to-anger-2/
https://daily-dew.com/purpose-sent-to-take-away-sins/

In continuation of the series that we started yesterday on how Not to Provoke God to Anger, here is the second instalment of insight on how to navigate your way away from the fatal path of divine wrath.

Now with whom was He angry forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose corpses fell in the wilderness? – Hebrews 3:17

The second way we can provoke God to great wrath is by continually living in sin without any conscious attempt to stop the sinful indulgence. God is holy and cannot behold sin. So whenever sin comes into the equation, God departs from the scene and waits until the soul of man is conducive, through genuine repentance and turnaround, for His dwelling.

Sin also hinders the move of God anywhere and restrains His hand from doing much for anyone. That is why the Scripture says, “Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; nor His ear heavy, that it cannot hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God; and your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear” (Isaiah 59:1-2).

That means sin holds back the hand of God, blocks His ears to our prayers, alienates Him from us and screens His face from seeing us. Imagine if an individual receives this treatment from his/her benefactor or a business receives the same treatment from its clients; that may have some long-term negative effect on such individual and spell doom for the business.

As humans, it is almost impossible not to sin or have some habit you are struggling with; God sees them all and is willing to help us overcome such as long as we honestly seek His help. But in a situation where we cite our human frailties as an excuse for habitual indulgence in sins, then we leave little room for God not to give us the cold shoulder treatment because He “is angry with the sinner every day” (Psalm 7:11).

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

Also read:
https://daily-dew.com/how-not-to-provoke-god-to-anger-1/
https://daily-dew.com/purpose-sent-to-remove-sins/
https://daily-dew.com/purpose-sent-to-take-away-sins/

Below is a Daily Dew insight on how not to provoke God to anger such that we incur His wrath instead of His favour.

Now when the people complained, it displeased the LORD; for the LORD heard it, and His anger was aroused. So the fire of LORD burned among them and consumed some in the outskirts of the camp. – Numbers 11:1

Often times, when we are embattled with challenges, or we don’t have our desire or answer to our prayers, there is a tendency to resort to complaint, whining and griping endlessly in a bid to arm-twist or blackmail God to look at our side. However, instead of getting our objective, what we usually achieve by so doing is to provoke God to anger.

Complaint is one of the human habits that easily irritate God. It displeases Him to no end and attracts His consuming fire. Fire? Yes, Fire. Even if the He does not send a fire, the fact that He is angry is enough to spark up a fire!

God expects us to have an attitude of gratitude in all situations. Why? Because even when it doesn’t look like it, He is actually working all things out for our good. That may be very difficult to believe. But the truth is that God genuinely loves and cares about every one of His children, both the obedient and the wayward. His love is as constant as the rising of the Sun, even more so.

Imagine how you would feel if you were planning a surprise for your loved one only for that person to start acting up, complaining and picking faults in your conducts. How would you feel? Hurt? Disappointed? Frustrated? That is the same way God usually feels whenever we complain about our situation, which is only a process He is using to ferry us to the destination He is taking us.

In the case of the Israelites, God was taking them to the Promised Land. But their undoing was their constant cries as they passed through the wilderness on the way to ‘the land flowing with milk and honey’. They did it to a point that God did not even bother to inform Moses ahead, as was His custom, before He started to punish them by raining fire on them.

These days, there may not be physical fire from heaven, but the feeling of being burned with the same intensity as if one is really under fire will nonetheless be there. In order to avoid this kind of divine retribution, let us start to praise God more and cry less; thank more and gripe less; sing more and groan less. In other words, let us imbibe the spirit of the passage that says, “IN EVERYTHING, give thanks. For this is the will of the LORD for you…”

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

Also read:
https://daily-dew.com/what-you-should-note-today/
https://daily-dew.com/how-to-excel-in-the-workplace/
https://daily-dew.com/life-from-the-view-of-an-embroider/

Leadership is the focus of our meditation in this third instalment on the lessons to be learned from the daughters of Zelophehad, we will be considering some Leadership lessons from the person of Moses.

Then came the daughters of Zelophehad the son of Hepher…And they stood before Moses, before Eleazar the priest, and before the leaders and all the congregation, by the doorway of the tabernacle of meeting, saying: “Our father died in the wilderness; but he was not in the company of those who gathered together against the Lord, in company with Korah, but he died in his own sin; and he had no sons. Why should the name of our father be removed from among his family because he had no son? Give us a possession among our father’s brothers.” So Moses brought their case before the Lord. – Numbers 27:1-5

The third insight for our meditation from this passage is a leadership lesson; particularly the leadership style of Moses. Two lessons stand out from this. Firstly, he was an accommodating leader and was neither high-handed in his reception of the daughters of Zelophehad nor dismissed their request as women’s talk. Rather, he welcomed and heard them out.

While this may not seem like a big deal, it is. Many persons at the helm of human endeavours – politics, business, religion, and other affairs – are more interested in downloading what they have to say rather than hearing out the people they are leading. The hospitality threshold of many leaders is very thin, and they are only at their indulgent best when they are in the glare of public eyes. Move closer or watch them at a close range and you will be shocked at what you will see. Moses wasn’t that way.

The second lesson is the humility of Moses. He did not make out to have an immediate answer to the request of the daughters of Zelophehad. He did not pre-empt God or make as if he had all the answers, after all he had been communing with God at close quarters. On the contrary. he requested for time and then took their matter to God for counsel. This show of humility is not common in these days of super, all-knowing leaders who make as if they have at their fingertips the solution to all the problems of humankind.

It requires humility on the part of a leader not to try to show or prove to his people that he has all the answers to their questions at the asking. It takes a great leader to consult God on knotty matters rather than show bravado and act in error. Moses was that kind of leader, and that is how you ought to be.

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

Also read:
https://daily-dew.com/leadership-lessons-from-a-janitor-part-1/
https://daily-dew.com/leadership-lessons-from-a-janitor-part-2/
https://daily-dew.com/parenting-how-to-make-life-easy-for-your-children/

Here is a lesson in parenting, an insight on how to make life easy for your children such that they d not have to suffer unnecessarily on account of your actions after you are gone. And it is a lesson from the example of Mr Zelophehad.

Then came the daughters of Zelophehad the son of Hepher…And they stood before Moses, before Eleazar the priest, and before the leaders and all the congregation, by the doorway of the tabernacle of meeting, saying: “Our father died in the wilderness; but he was not in the company of those who gathered together against the Lord, in company with Korah, but he died in his own sin; and he had no sons. Why should the name of our father be removed from among his family because he had no son? Give us a possession among our father’s brothers.” So Moses brought their case before the Lord. – Numbers 27:1-5

The second lesson for our meditation from this passage is the legacy of the man called Zelophehad, whose five daughters tabled their case before Moses and the elders of Israel.

The first striking lesson about Zelophehad was that he had a good testimony. See what his children said about him, “Our father died in the wilderness; but he was not in the company of those who gathered together against the Lord, in company with Korah, but he died in his own sin; and he had no sons. Why should the name of our father be removed from among his family because he had no son?”

Zelophehad conducted himself in a proper manner during his lifetime such that his daughters could publicly defend his integrity without anyone disputing them. At a time when Moses and Aaron seemed like the villain and the other priests of Levi’s lineage, led by Korah, felt that they knew better and could commune with God more effectively, Zelophehad did not join them. He respected the authority of Moses and Aaron and refrained from toeing the path of rebellion as his peers. He was man enough to stand his ground and did not allow himself to be influenced by peer pressure or to do what everyone else was doing.

He must have also been a very good father too who allowed his female children to grow in an atmosphere of freedom and respect, without making them feel less human because they were not boys. He must have given them the same affection and discipline he would have invested in raising a male child, that was why they grew up to appreciate themselves and to demand what was theirs in such matured manner.

Zelophehad did well as a father, faring better than some notable father figures in the Bible. He died a righteous man and gave his children the chance to talk. Moreso, he left a name that his children were eager to continue. We should learn from his example.

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

Also read:
https://daily-dew.com/getting-a-divorce/
https://daily-dew.com/the-wisdom-of-a-child/
https://daily-dew.com/purpose-created-to-preach/

Speak gently. It is better by far
to rule by love than fear.

Speak gently. Let no harsh word mar
the good you may do here.

Speak gently to the young, for they
will have enough to bear;
pass through this life as best they may,
’tis full of anxious care.

Speak gently to the aged one
Grieve not the care-worn heart,
whose sand of life are nearly run,
let such in peace depart.

Speak gently, kindly to the poor,
let no harsh tone be heard.
They have enough they must endure
without an unkind word.

Speak gently…’tis a little thing
dropped in the heart’s deep well;
The good, the joy that it may bring
eternity shall tell.

— Author Unknown

Meditation: Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. – Ephesians 4:29

Are the consolations of God too small for you, And the word spoken gently with you? – Job 15:11

Whoever rebels against your command and does not heed your words, in all that you command him, shall be put to death. Only be strong and of good courage. – Joshua 1:18

Your words have upheld him who was stumbling, And you have strengthened the feeble knees; – Job 4:4

How sweet are Your words to my taste, Sweeter than honey to my mouth! – Psalm 119:103

My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment. For we all stumble in many things. If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body. Indeed, we put bits in horses’ mouths that they may obey us, and we turn their whole body. – James 3:1-12

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

Also read:
https://daily-dew.com/judge-gently-2/
https://daily-dew.com/gods-embroidery/
https://daily-dew.com/the-blessings-of-thorns/

I have always had a special love for words. Words have such power in them. The right words can uplift, inspire, heal, and create endless joy and love in our lives. The wrong words can depress, discourage, hurt, and bring us endless misery and pain. It is so very important then to try and choose the right words in our lives. By choosing the right words I don’t just mean saying the right words or writing the right words either. I also mean thinking the right words. It is amazing the garbage that so many of us allow ourselves to think each and every day of our lives.

In order to live a truly blessed life, we must haul away the garbage and start to plant words that will grow into a garden of joy and light in our minds. Start today then to make the words in your life work for you and not against you. Do away with “can’t” and “no”. Try “can” and “yes” instead.

Say, “I can be happy, I can choose joy, and I can share love.” Say, “Yes” to life, to learning, and to growth. Begin to use words like Wonderful, Beautiful, and Delightful when you speak to others. Find a word of praise for everyone you know and then share it with them. Look the people you love straight in the eye and tell them, “I love you.” Seek our every fantastic, fabulous, and glorious word that you can and start to use them in your life.

Words are such simple things and yet they have the power to change our lives forever if we use them right. Make the choice every day of your life to use all of the good, positive, and loving words you can every second that you can. If you do this you will find that your life will become a paradise of love and joy, that other people will become your brothers and sisters in happiness, and that God’s goodness will shine through every word you use….

— Author Unknown

Meditation: Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. – Ephesians 4:29

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

Also read:
https://daily-dew.com/words-of-great-wisdom/?swcfpc=1
https://daily-dew.com/joy-juice/?swcfpc=1
https://daily-dew.com/the-power-of-three-little-words-1/?swcfpc=1

Here is an insight on what you can do when you find yourself in a disadvantaged position for reasons not of your own making or out of your control, and how you can turn a disadvantage to an advantage. Lesson From the Daughters of Zelophehad.

Then came the daughters of Zelophehad the son of Hepher…And they stood before Moses, before Eleazar the priest, and before the leaders and all the congregation, by the doorway of the tabernacle of meeting, saying: “Our father died in the wilderness; but he was not in the company of those who gathered together against the Lord, in company with Korah, but he died in his own sin; and he had no sons. Why should the name of our father be removed from among his family because he had no son? Give us a possession among our father’s brothers.” So Moses brought their case before the Lord. – Numbers 27:1-5

There are three lessons for our meditation from this passage: firstly, there is the forthrightness of the daughters of Zelophehad whom, finding themselves disadvantaged by the traditions of their patriarchal society, did not accept the disadvantage as a fact and bemoan their lot in silence.

By virtue of the traditions, inheritance was supposed to be shared among the male children in the family. But in the case of Zelophehad, he had no male child to whom all his belongings would go. He only had five daughters who were not eligible to inherit their father’s heirloom.

However, rather than resort to murmuring and castigating God and men for their chauvinism, Zelophehad’s daughters stepped out and made a dispassionate case as to why they should be given their father’s property. This proved to be a remarkable landmark in Israel as it signalled a new era in allotting inheritance.

There are certain blessings that can only be released to you after you set out of your comfort zone, challenge the status quo and demand for it.

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

Also read:
https://daily-dew.com/the-hand/
https://daily-dew.com/visiting-day/
https://daily-dew.com/benefits-of-wisdom-9-triple-advantage/

Today we will meditate on how to prevail in the battles of life while still drawing insights from the passage below. Specifically, we shall dwell on the value of self-motivation in achieving success.

So the people sent to Shiloh, that they might bring from there the ark of the covenant of the LORD…And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God. And when the ark of the covenant of the LORD came into the camp, all Israel shouted so loudly that the earth shook. Now when the Philistines heard the noise of the shout, they said, “What does the sound of this great shout in the camp of the Hebrews mean?” Then they understood that the ark of the LORD had come into the camp. So the Philistines were afraid, for they said, “God has come into the camp!” And they said, “Woe to us! For such a thing has never happened before…Who will deliver us from the hand of these mighty gods? These are the gods who struck the Egyptians with all the plagues in the wilderness. Be strong and conduct yourselves like men, you Philistines, that you do not become servants of the Hebrews…Conduct yourselves like men, and fight!” So the Philistines fought, and Israel was defeated, and every man fled to his tent. There was a very great slaughter, and there fell of Israel thirty thousand foot soldiers. – 1 Samuel 4:1-11

The third lesson derived from the passage above, which will form the basis of our meditation today, is that self-motivation is required to prevail in the battles of life.

If the Philistines had given up and withdrawn from the battle after hearing that the Ark was brought into the Israelites’ camp – especially considering the terrible things they had heard that God did to the Egyptians and those who dared to cross the Israelites’ path – then they wouldn’t have known that they could, in fact, win that war. They would have fled and never got to savour the victory that was awaiting them.

But they encouraged themselves to go ahead and fight, despite the odds; and they won the battle.

Therefore, it is usually not what is happening on the other side that determines the outcome of a matter. Oftentimes, it is what is happening at your side that does. What are you telling yourself? Are you psyching yourself up for the challenge or talking yourself out of contention? What are you doing? How are you preparing? These are what really matter and determine the result you get in most cases.

The Philistines decided to damn the consequences and braced themselves to fight anyway rather than bail out. And, much to their own surprise as well, they routed and defeated the Israelites who seemingly looked favoured to carry the day. You never can tell what you can do or how far you can go until you try. And to try at all, you need to motivate yourself in the face of many discouragements.

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

Also read:
https://daily-dew.com/how-to-become-influential/
https://daily-dew.com/why-you-dont-manifest-the-power-of-god/
https://daily-dew.com/how-to-remain-current-and-take-sure-steps-2/

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Today we will meditate on the dynamics of God’s presence in relation to success.

So the people sent to Shiloh, that they might bring from there the ark of the covenant of the LORD…And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God. And when the ark of the covenant of the LORD came into the camp, all Israel shouted so loudly that the earth shook. Now when the Philistines heard the noise of the shout, they said, “What does the sound of this great shout in the camp of the Hebrews mean?” Then they understood that the ark of the LORD had come into the camp. So the Philistines were afraid, for they said, “God has come into the camp!” And they said, “Woe to us! For such a thing has never happened before….Who will deliver us from the hand of these mighty gods? These are the gods who struck the Egyptians with all the plagues in the wilderness. Be strong and conduct yourselves like men, you Philistines, that you do not become servants of the Hebrews…Conduct yourselves like men, and fight!” So the Philistines fought, and Israel was defeated, and every man fled to his tent. There was a very great slaughter, and there fell of Israel thirty thousand foot soldiers. Also the ark of God was captured; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, died. – 1 Samuel 4:1-11

Another lesson for our meditation from the passage above is that, the fact that you invite God’s presence into an endeavour before stating, or at any stage of it, does not guarantee that it is going to succeed.

From our reference scripture, we can see that both Israelites and the Philistines had different false hopes. The Israelites were jubilant that the presence of God, symbolised by the Ark of Covenant, was now with them. So they were very confident that they would overrun their enemies in battle. The Philistines, on the other hand, were fretful that the end had come for them, since the Israelites now had God’s presence, which had wrought great havoc on their adversaries in times past. So they were not looking forward to taking them on in battle – they just had to fight.

Both parties were proved wrong by ensuing events, as the confident Israelites were routed, slaughtered and captured by the fretful Philistines. Now what could have gone wrong for the Israelites? Why couldn’t they defeat their enemies even with the presence of God in their midst?

The answer is simple: if the persons involved do not have a relationship with God and are not in right standing in His sight, the name of Jesus which makes all knees bow will be a mere mouthing, and the Ark – whatever it represents to them – will just be another article of furniture.

Therefore, the fact that you have invited God into a venture does not guarantee its success if you are not right with Him. Also, a project can carry the name of God and still fail if the people behind it are not aligned with Him. If God does not have your heart, He cannot take up your fight.

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

Also read:
https://daily-dew.com/insights-from-psalm-23/
https://daily-dew.com/all-is-in-divine-order-part-2/
https://daily-dew.com/attracting-divine-presence/

Our meditation today shall be on how to attract divine presence and have God for company in your journey through life.

Now the Lord was with Jehoshaphat, because he…did not seek the Baals, but sought the God of his father, and walked in His commandments and not according to the acts of Israel. Therefore the Lord established the kingdom in his hand; – 2 Chronicles 17:3-5

The passage above presents us with a principle that attracts the company of God in the journey of life. In summary, the Scripture says Jehoshaphat was not given to idolatry; but he sought God and walked in His commandments. Those were enough reasons for him to have God for company.

Life can be tough even for people who are committed to God, not to talk of those who do not have an ongoing relationship with Him. The latter have no divine cover and are susceptible to all forms of troubles and afflictions.

Jehoshaphat made himself attractive to God because he shunned idolatry by not seeking another god apart from the Almighty God. In this context, “sought” portrays a sense of conscious, deliberate and sustained efforts. That means, Jehoshaphat consciously, deliberately and regularly sought to understand God; how He reasoned, what He wanted, how He wanted it and when, then he disciplined himself to abide by the dictates of his findings.

He also chose not to do the popular things of his time. The Scripture says he did not walk “according to the acts of Israel.” He did not allow himself to be influenced in the opposite direction of God; instead, he shunned the distractions and followed God’s counsel all the way. Those were enough considerations for God to stay with him and establish his kingdom. And God doesn’t stay anywhere without impacts. Perhaps, we can learn from his example.

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

Also read:
https://daily-dew.com/being-human/
https://daily-dew.com/insights-from-psalm-23/
https://daily-dew.com/all-is-in-divine-order-part-2/

Our meditation today shall be on the process of creation; a process which you can apply to your life and affairs. Be blessed as you read it.

The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep… Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good; and God divided the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night. So the evening and the morning were the first day. – Genesis 1:2-5

The above passage captures the process of creation. For there to be a creation or production of something, there must first be a Conception (imagination) of its image in the mind of the creator. It takes an imaginative mind to create. God is the Father of all dreamers; that was why He could see the Light that existed in the formlessness, the voids and the darkness that was upon the deep.

The second step in the creative process is Speaking It Forth. Words are substance; the spoken word has creative power. Appraisal is also one of the processes of creation. God didn’t just stop at the appearance of the Light. He appraised it and adjudged that it was good. But He didn’t stop there; He went ahead to Divide the Light from the darkness, thus Finetuning the good product He had created to make it even better.

Another creative step derived from the above passage is Definition. After “refining” Light from darkness (that was the first refinery to be done in world history!), God gave each an identity, calling the light Day and the darkness, Night.

After all these, He went ahead to create humans after Himself. That means you and I have the capacity to function and create things like Him.

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

Also read:
https://daily-dew.com/what-the-bible-means/
https://daily-dew.com/the-history-of-creation/
https://daily-dew.com/things-you-should-always-remember/

One night in a church service a young woman felt the tug of God at her heart. She responded to God’s call and accepted Jesus as her Lord and Savior.

The young woman had a very rough past, involving alcohol, drugs, and prostitution. But, the change in her was evident. As time went on, she became a faithful member of the church. She eventually became involved in the ministry, teaching young children.

It was not very long until this faithful young woman had caught the eye and heart of the pastor’s son. The relationship grew and they began to make wedding plans. This is when the problems began. You see, about one-half of the church did not think that a woman with a past such as hers was suitable for a pastor’s son. The church began to argue and fight about the matter. So, they decided to have a meeting. As the people made their arguments and tensions increased, the meeting was getting completely out of hand.

The young woman became very upset about all the things being brought up about her past. As she began to cry, the pastor’s son stood to speak. He could not bear the pain it was causing his wife-to-be. He began to speak and his statement was this:

“My fiancee’s past is not what is on trial here. What you are questioning is the ability of the blood of Jesus to wash away sin. Today, you have put the blood of Jesus on trial. So, does it wash away sin or not?”

The whole church began to weep as they realized that they had been slandering the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Too often, even as Christians, we bring up the past and use it as a weapon against our brothers and sisters. Forgiveness is a very foundational part of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. If the blood of Jesus does not cleanse the other person completely, then it cannot cleanse us completely. If that is the case, then we are all in a lot of trouble. What can wash away my sins? Nothing but the blood of Jesus–end of case!

– Author Unknown

Meditation: If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness…Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed. – 1 John 1:9; John 8:36

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

Also read:
https://daily-dew.com/i-found-jesus-there/
https://daily-dew.com/theprice/
https://daily-dew.com/the-blood-transfusion/

Jesus is the reason for the season.

All the Christmas rush, the party preparations, the Christmas shopping and the terrible Christmas traffic could really drive even the best of us to insanity. Just read the following story.

A woman was out Christmas shopping with her two children. After many hours of looking at row after row of toys and everything else imaginable, and after hours of hearing both her children asking for everything they saw on those many shelves, she finally made it to the elevator with her two kids.

She was feeling what so many of us feel during the Christmas holiday season – overwhelming pressure to go to every party and every housewarming, to get the perfect gift for every person on the shopping list, and to make sure no one on the card list and those who sent us a card is forgotten.

When the elevator doors opened, there was already a crowd in the car. Exasperated, she pushed her way into the car, and dragged her two kids in with her and all the bags of stuff. When the doors closed, she couldn’t take it anymore and stated, “Whoever started this whole Christmas thing should be found, strung up and shot.”

From the back of the car, everyone heard a quiet, calm voice respond, “Don’t worry. We already crucified him.” For the rest of the trip down, the elevator was so quiet you could have heard a pin drop.

The One who started this “whole Christmas thing” should constantly be in our every deed, word, thought, and even purchase.

Don’t allow commercialism to replace the significance of the season.

By Francis J. Kong

Meditation: For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. – Colossians 1:16

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

Also read:
https://daily-dew.com/the-christmas-gift/
https://daily-dew.com/best-gifts-this-season/
https://daily-dew.com/the-best-seasons-gifts/

You Are Cordially Invited To A Birthday Celebration

Guest of Honor: Jesus Christ

Date: Every day. Traditionally December 25, but He’s always around, so the date is flexible.

Time: Whenever you’re ready, (please don’t be too late, though; or you’ll miss out on all the fun!).

Place: In your heart. He’ll meet you there (you’ll hear Him knock).

Attire: Come as you are …grubbies are okay. He’ll be washing our clothes anyway. He said something about new white robes and crowns for everyone who stays till the last.

Tickets: Admission is free. He’s already paid for everyone. (He says you would not have been able to afford it …it cost Him everything He had!).

Refreshments: New wine, bread and a far-out drink He calls “living water, followed by a supper that promises to be out of this world!

Gift Suggestions: Your heart. He’s one of those people who already has everything else. (He’s very generous in return though; just wait until you see what He has for you).

Entertainment: Joy, Peace, Truth, Light, Life, Love, Real Happiness, Communion with God, Forgiveness, Miracles, Healing, Power, Eternity in Paradise, and much more! (All rated “G” so bring your family and friends).

R.S.V.P. Very Important! He must know ahead so He can reserve a spot for you at the table. Also, He’s keeping a list of His friends for future reference. He calls it the “Lamb’s Book of Life”).

Party Being Given By His Kids (That’s us)

Hope To See You There!

“Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear.” (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of the saints.) … ‘Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!”

– Author Unknown

Meditation: Then he said to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!’” And he said to me, “These are the true sayings of God.” – Revelation 19:9

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

Also read:
https://daily-dew.com/remember-my-birthday/
https://daily-dew.com/how-to-celebrate-christs-birthday/
https://daily-dew.com/top-ten-reasons-to-believe-in-the-christian-faith/

Obedience is the actual profile of success.

Very early in life (almost from birth) we are trained to be successful according to the world’s definition of success. We are driven by goals and accomplishments from the day we take our first steps and ride our first bike. As we grow older, we are pressured to accumulate knowledge and “things” in order to prove our success.

In our Christian walk, Jesus calls us to a new definition of success – one determined not by what we accomplish, but by our obedience. The disciples walked and talked with Jesus, but they still faced many challenges with faith and obedience. One morning after fishing all night without a catch, Jesus called from the shore. John 21:6 “He said, ‘Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some {fish}.’ When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish.”

The disciples were successful that morning. But we must understand that the large number of fish did not define their success. They would have been successful even if the nets remained empty. They were successful the moment they were obedient and threw out the net.

One thousand years earlier, King Saul was told to “attack the Amalekites and totally destroy everything that belongs to them,” (1 Samuel 15:3). But Saul allowed the Amalekite king and the best livestock to survive. He tried to cover His disobedience by saying the calves and lambs were for a sacrifice to God. “But Samuel replied: ‘Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.'” (1 Samuel 15:22).

In any task we undertake for God, it’s easy to become discouraged by our apparent lack of success. We often feel inadequate – and those feelings increase when our goals seem to be elusive. But we must remember, the outcome of the task is secondary to our obedience. God doesn’t need our “fish” – He wants our devotion and trust. He desires that we love Him with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. Let’s take our eyes off the accomplishment of the “catch” and what we can produce. Rather, let’s focus on walking each step according to His leading. Let’s concentrate all our effort on obeying His call to cast out the net.

– Author Unknown

Meditation: So Samuel said: “Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, As in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams. – 1 Samuel 15:22

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

Also read:
https://daily-dew.com/the-big-picture/?swcfpc=1
https://daily-dew.com/what-god-wants/?swcfpc=1
https://daily-dew.com/to-keep-gods-word-you-need-to-do-this-first/?swcfpc=1

Our meditation today shall be on the divinely backed power inherent in saying.

Then God said, “Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb that yields seed, and the fruit tree that yields fruit according to its kind, whose seed is in itself, on the earth”; and it was so. And the earth brought forth grass, the herb that yields seed according to its kind, and the tree that yields fruit, whose seed is in itself according to its kind. And God saw that it was good…. Then God said, “Let the waters abound with an abundance of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the face of the firmament of the heavens.” Then God said, “Let the earth bring forth the living creature according to its kind: cattle and creeping thing and beast of the earth, each according to its kind”; and it was so. – Genesis 1:11-12, 20, 24

The herb and the trees were all in the earth, covered by layers of soil. The same way abundance of living creatures were buried in the belly of land and seas. But all these creatures did not surface until God called them into being. Until we read about them after the calling forth, we might not have known that they existed.

In the same vein, greatness, success, virtues and solutions abound inside all of us, but unless we put our Godlike nature to bear and call them forth or speak them into being, they will remain dormant, undiscovered or unused potentials. What a waste!

Starting from today, why not cultivate the habit of saying by calling to physical manifestation the greatness that lies within you? You have to say it to see it. So stop whining about the harsh layers of reality and start to say what you really want to see. This may sound like a cliché; but, it is the key to releasing your creative power to get what you want.

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

Also read:
https://daily-dew.com/leading-without-tears/
https://daily-dew.com/how-to-make-your-sayings-sure-1/
https://daily-dew.com/how-to-make-your-sayings-sure-2/

1. Position: Farm Supervisor
Attributes: A self-starter who is able to build a farming enterprise from scratch. Must be able to work with little supervision and willing to live in Iseyin, Oyo State, Southwest Nigeria.
Qualification: interested candidates must have a degree in Agric economics or any of the Agric courses
Apply to: send application to mail@ogidiolufarms.com
Deadline: Sunday, December 27, 2020

2. Position: Admin Officer
Engagement: Mixed [Remote & Office]
Attributes: A young graduate with above average writing and speaking skills. Must be IT savvy, current and good in the use of social media.
Qualification: Any discipline
Apply to: admin@literaryrenaissance.org
Deadline: Monday, December 28, 2020

3. Position: Acquisition Editor
Engagement: Remote
Attributes: A lover of books and one who is well-acquainted with the classics as well as current about trends in the literary world – authors, titles, new releases, etc – with an extensive network of authors, editors and publishers.
Qualification: A degree in English Literature or any of the Humanities
Apply to: info@iwe.store
Deadline: Tuesday, December 29, 2020

4. Position: Copywriter
Engagement: Remote
Attributes: Must be creative, outrageous, trendy, and resourceful with a studied or natural knack to churn out attention-grabbing copies and sales pitches. Ability to work with any of the visual/graphic softwares is an advantage.
Qualification: Any discipline
Apply to: jobs@trwconsult.com with samples of copies/pitches
Deadline: Wednesday, December 30, 2020

5. Position: Copyeditor
Engagement: Remote
Attributes: A lover of letters. Not just a proofreader, but one who knows how words work and how best they can be strung together for effect in different writing contexts.
Qualification: A bachelor’s degree in Literature or any related discipline.
Apply to: send your resume in prose format to mail@thereadywriters.com
Deadline: Thursday, December 31, 2020

Here is the final part of the series on the gestation of faith.

The seeds that were planted on good ground are people who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patience. – Luke 8:15

Faith without patience is like planting a seed and then uprooting the seedling before it has time to produce fruits.

If we want to live fruitful lives, we must learn patience (Luke 8:15, James 5:7-. Even God is patient, and He has made patience one of the built-in features of our universe. For instance, you cannot force a tree to produce fruits before its time. You cannot force the day to break before dawn. You cannot harvest immediately after you plant.

It takes time for a seed to become a tree. Just like it takes a process of time for the germinal vesicle to become an ovum, the ovum to be fertilised by the sperm to give a zygote, and for the zygote to become a foetus and finally a complete human being (a new creation that did not exist before), it takes a similar process of time for the seed of God’s Word to become implanted/engrafted in our hearts and create new realities that did not exist before.

The importance of patience cannot be overemphasised. Every Christian should do a personal Bible Study on this crucial factor without which our faith becomes ineffective and unproductive. In the meantime, you’ll do well to remember this: “There is no conception without faith; no delivery without patience. It takes faith to conceive and patience to deliver.”

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

Also read:
https://daily-dew.com/the-gestation-of-faith-1/
https://daily-dew.com/the-gestation-of-faith-2/
https://daily-dew.com/the-gestation-of-faith-3/

Here is another instalment on the meditation on the gestation of faith

There’s more to come: We continue to shout our praise even when we’re hemmed in with troubles, because we know how troubles can develop passionate patience in us, and how that patience in turn forges the tempered steel of virtue, keeping us alert for whatever God will do next. (Romans 5:3-4 MSG)

As we continue our discussion on faith and patience, we’ll do well to note that patience is not passive resignation to fate. It is not accepting anything and everything the devil throws at us. Rather, patience is resisting the devil by actively standing on the Word.

While waiting for the manifestation of God’s promise, we must continue to declare the truth of God’s Word with conviction. This is how we still the raging storms of doubt and fear that the devil brings our way as we await the physical reality of God’s Word. We must hold on to our confession of faith – and we must be willing to hold on forever. That willingness to hold on to our confession until we see our manifestation is what the Bible calls patience.

Patience is the womb of faith. There is a gestation period between your confession of faith and the manifestation of your desires. It is patience that nurtures faith through that gestation period. Patience provides a conditioned environment that shields faith from the harsh realities of external circumstances until the delivery day.

By faith, we confess the reality of things that are not, as though they were. By patience, we wait for the physical manifestation of what we are confessing. May the Lord infuse you with strength to wait patiently for the fulfilment of His promises to you.

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

Also read:
https://daily-dew.com/the-gestation-of-faith-1/
https://daily-dew.com/the-gestation-of-faith-2/
https://daily-dew.com/top-ten-reasons-to-believe-in-the-christian-faith/

To a Friend – Loyalty

To an Enemy – Forgiveness

To your Boss – Service

To your Child – A good example

To your Father – Honor

To your Mother – Gratitude and Devotion

To your Spouse – Love and Faithfulness

To Yourself – Respect

To All Men – Charity

To God – Your Life!

– Author Unknown

Meditation: “To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices to Me?” Says the Lord. “I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams And the fat of fed cattle. I do not delight in the blood of bulls, Or of lambs or goats.”… The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, A broken and a contrite heart—These, O God, You will not despise. – Isaiah 1:11, Psalm 51:17

If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him! – Matthew 7:11

For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. – Romans 11:29

Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; – Romans 12:6

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

Also read:
https://daily-dew.com/gifts-from-children/
https://daily-dew.com/the-twelve-gifts-of-birth/
https://daily-dew.com/the-greatest-gift-of-all/

T’was eight centuries before Christ came to the earth,
The Holy Scriptures foretold of the Messiah’s Birth.

The world was in peril with distress and gloom,
Far and wide there was destruction and doom.

People were lost – they were deaf, blind and dumb;
God promised a Savior one day would come.

The prophesies gave the details of His Birth,
It was certain He’d come to transform the earth.

He’d be born of a virgin, laid in a manger with hay,
Then His Hands and Feet pierced on His final day.

It was told where He’d be born and His Ancestral Line,
He would be King of Kings, completely Divine.

An angel told Mary that she would be the one
To give birth to God’s Child, His Only Begotten Son.

The Lord had a purpose for which He came;
God would be with us – Immanuel, His Name;

Mankind would learn about peace, hope, and joy;
It would all come about in this small Baby Boy.

He was the Prince of Peace, a real Beacon of Light;
Reverent and Righteous; He taught wrong from right.

He came to restore us and showed us to care
And to help one another; He taught us to share.

Many followed and listened to all that He said.
Hearts and lives changed as their souls had been fed.

His Wisdom was divine, far beyond what they’d known;
Many traveled great distance; crowds really had grown.

He was a Humble Servant as He showed us pure love.
He taught us to know our Heavenly Father above.

He was Holy and Sinless, never even told a lie.
He was mocked, and beaten, then crucified to die.

Folks were amazed and confused with all that went on,
They didn’t understand…until He was gone.

He made the sacrifice for our debt to be paid.
For upon Him all of our sins had been laid.

He was Goodness and Grace and came to relieve
The wretched grasp of satan to all who believe.

He was God as a Man to His last dying breath,
Then rose from the dead with His power over death.

This all actually happened, it isn’t folklore.
He told us of Heaven and showed us there’s more.

Christ had come to save the souls on earth,
He offers deliverance and a second birth.

We call Him Jesus and He is with us today;
He is Lord of all Lords and He is the Way.

He’s the Counselor, Comforter, Redeemer and Friend,
He Reigns over all; His Rule never will end.

We celebrate His Birth and all that it means
With songs and displays of Nativity scenes.

His Amazing Grace is the actual reason
That we recognize and rejoice this season.

Again this year we celebrate His Holy Birth;
Merry Christmas to all and to all Peace On Earth!

Written by Arlene Spanos

Meditation: Then Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary His mother, “Behold, this Child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel, – Luke 2:34

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

Also read:
https://daily-dew.com/who-started-christmas/?swcfpc=1
https://daily-dew.com/a-dozen-christmas-roses/?swcfpc=1
https://daily-dew.com/what-do-you-want-for-christmas/?swcfpc=1

Today we shall continue the meditation on the gestation of faith.

Our great desire is that each of you keep up your eagerness to the end, so that the things you hope for will come true. We do not want you to become lazy, but to be like those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. – Hebrews 6:11-12

When talking about faith, Abraham is one person that readily comes to mind. In spite of contrary circumstances, he believed God. He agreed with God that he was Abraham – father of many nations – when he did not even have a child. Now, that’s faith. And he continued in faith for decades, even when it seemed that nothing was happening. That’s patience.

In the process of waiting, Abraham kept meditating on the faith pictures that God had given him. He did not change his mind and revert to his old name. Rather, he continued to call himself and his wife by the names the Lord had called them, even when the physical circumstances were obviously contrary.

Abraham is popularly known as Father of Faith. But really, he is Father of faith and patience. The fact is, he became Father of Faith because he was Father of Patience. His faith would have been unproductive if he had not added patience.

God has your life all planned out. He has prepared all that you will ever need long before you were born. He has made provision for every need in advance. However, like Abraham and the other patriarchs, you need to exercise patient faith to lay hold of this provision. That is how you can join the elite league of “those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.”

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

Also read:
https://daily-dew.com/the-gestation-of-faith-1/
https://daily-dew.com/faith-is-the-ability-to-not-panic/
https://daily-dew.com/top-ten-reasons-to-believe-in-the-christian-faith/

My brothers, count it all joy when you fall into different kinds of temptations, knowing that the trying of your faith works patience. But let patience have its perfect work, so that you may be perfect and entire, lacking nothing. – James 1:2-4

Over the years, and especially in recent times, the Church has placed a lot of emphasis on faith – and rightly so – because the Christian walk is essentially a walk of faith (See Romans 1:17, Romans 10:9, Galatians 2:20, Ephesians 2:8, Hebrews 11:6). We are saved through faith, we live by faith and we maintain our relationship with God by faith. Nonetheless, the Bible is clear about the need to supplement our diet of faith with other important ingredients which I like to call “core vitamins.” Patience is one of these core vitamins (See II Peter 1:4-.

In today’s fast-paced world of jet travels, instant photography, fast food restaurants, high-speed internet and what have you; it is not unlikely that patience has become alien to quite a number of us. Well, what exactly is patience? Patience is endurance. It is holding on to the Word of God without wavering, regardless of circumstances.

Patience is that quiet confidence that awaits the manifestation of what God has promised. It is holding on to the confession of our faith without faltering, knowing that He who called us is faithful (I Thessalonians 5:24).

– Author Unknown

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

Also read:
https://daily-dew.com/faith-like-a-child/
https://daily-dew.com/faith-is-the-ability-to-not-panic/
https://daily-dew.com/top-ten-reasons-to-believe-in-the-christian-faith/

Here is a conclusion of our meditation on tips to help you remain current and take sure steps in your daily endeavours.

“For I am the Lord. I speak, and the word which I speak will come to pass; it will no more be postponed; for in your days… I will say the word and perform it,” says the Lord God.
– Ezekiel 12:25

Even as we need information from different sources to make informed decisions and take guided steps, the information we work by may not be foolproof as to prevent us from making mistakes or running into a hitch along the way. Many people have sincerely taken steps based on experts’ advice or natural course, but which resulted in grievous consequences. That tells us that even the best-resourced information does not absolutely guarantee success.

There is, however, a resource that is time-tested to always provide you with accurate information on any matter of life. It is called the Holy Bible; it contains the words, counsel, instructions, commandments, charges, opinions and thoughts of God. The Bible is an old resource, yet it is ever current and accurate in its direction about past or present issue as well as future developments. It is current because the information you will cull from a passage today may not be what you will get tomorrow from the same passage. It is ever dynamic in the insights it offers and it is relevant in all situations. It is the best tool available to us for research before making a decision on matters of life.

Therefore, even when economic forecasts or experts from other fields are predicting gloom and recess, but the word of God says there is going to be abundance, it is in your interest to align your decision and action with the word of God. If the experts or circumstances are pointing that there is no hope, but God says there are possibilities, you will be sinning to ignore God’s counsel for the verdict of His creatures. This is because heaven and earth may pass away, as the experts predict, but the word of God will never pass away or fall to the ground until it has accomplished the situation for which it was released.

So, if you want to be current in the fundamental matters of life as to ensure that your actions are on point, you need to make reading the Bible and talking to God your second nature. the word of God will always prevail over physical evidence or what the experts say, and it will prove the most accurate and up-to-date information you can get. When circumstances and experts’ advice are conflicting with what God says, your position should be “Let God be true and every man a liar.”

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

Also read:
https://daily-dew.com/how-to-remain-current-and-take-sure-steps/
https://daily-dew.com/14-questions-to-help-clarify-your-steps-after-a-flash-of-inspiration-3/
https://daily-dew.com/14-questions-to-help-clarify-your-steps-after-a-flash-of-inspiration-4/

Our meditation today shall be on tips to help you remain current as well as take sure steps in your daily endeavours.

Get wisdom! Get understanding! Do not forget, nor turn away from the words of my mouth.
– Proverbs 4:5

We are all products of our environments. And environment is not limited to physical location alone; much more than that, it includes our mental (the places we get the information we feed our mind), spiritual (the place(s) we go to for spiritual nourishment), career (factors affecting our discipline), business (industry and location of our commercial activities), as well as emotional (relationships) factors. All of these constitute our environment.

Being current about happenings and developments in your environments can be very beneficial. Apart from the fact that it portrays you as a smart person who is on top of his game, the information you garner will equally help you to make informed decisions or actions about aspects of your life that the information you have is relevant to, which will, hopefully, yield you good results.

To operate in the more popular environments, we rely on the mass media and informal sources for the information we need to plan our day, week, month, year and future. We source for information on the weather, stock market, investment opportunities, job openings, etc. and we launch into action based on our gleaning. When meteorologists say the weather is going to be foul, we plan to stay indoor; when stock analysts’ predictions are negative, we hold on to our money; when we learn that government is focusing on a particular sector of the economy, bankers and businesspeople invest there; and so on. These tell us the importance of information in keeping us current and helping us to take appropriate steps.

But, our quest for information should not be restricted to functioning in our physical and economic environment alone. Equal attention should be devoted to our mental, emotional and spiritual environments. As our reference Scripture charges, you must consciously seek wisdom and understanding. It is to the extent that we are informed in these other areas of life that we will perform as individuals as well as attain balance.

To be concluded tomorrow…

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

Also read:
https://daily-dew.com/how-to-excel-in-the-workplace/?swcfpc=1
https://daily-dew.com/your-operating-manual-part-2/?swcfpc=1
https://daily-dew.com/to-create-anything-you-need-this/?swcfpc=1

The anecdote below captures the essence of going the extra mile as a necessary ingredient to excel in the workplace and marketplace:

Ezra and Thomas joined a company together a few months after their graduation from university. After a few years of work, their Manager promoted Ezra to a position of Senior Sales Manager, but Thomas remained in his entry-level Junior Sales Officer position.

Thomas developed a sense of jealousy and disgruntlement but continued working anyway.

One day Thomas felt that he could not work with Ezra anymore. He wrote his resignation letter, but before he submitted it to the Manager, he complained that Management did not value hardworking staff, but promoted only the favoured!

The Manager knew that Ezra worked very hard for the years he had spent in the company; even harder than Thomas and therefore he deserved the promotion. So in order to help Thomas to realize this, the Manager gave Thomas a task.

“Go and find out if anyone is selling watermelons in town?”

Thomas returned and said, “yes, there is someone!”

The Manager asked, “how much per kg?” Thomas drove back to town to ask and then returned to inform the Manager; “they are N100.00 per kg!”

The Manager told Thomas, “I will give Ezra the same task that I gave you. Please pay close attention to his response!”

So the Manager said to Ezra, in the presence of Thomas; “Go and find out if anyone is selling watermelons in town?”

Ezra went to find out and on his return he said:

“Manager, there is only one person selling watermelons in the whole town.

The cost is N500.00 each watermelon and N300,00 for a half melon. He sells them at N100.00 per kg when sliced. He has in his stock 93 melons, each one weighing about 7kg.

He has a farm and can supply us with melons for the next 4 months at a rate of 102 melons per day at N350.00 per melon; this includes delivery.

The melons appear fresh and red with good quality, and they taste better than the ones we sold last year.

He has his own slicing machine and is willing to slice for us free of charge. We need to strike a deal with him before 10am tomorrow and we will be sure of beating last year’s profits in melons by over N2,300,000.00.

This will contribute positively to our overall performance as it will add a minimum of 8.78% to our current overall sales target.

I have put this information down in writing and is available in a spreadsheet. Please let me know if you need it as I can send it to you in fifteen minutes.”

Thomas was very impressed and realized the difference between himself and Ezra. He decided not to resign but to learn from Ezra.

Let this story help us keep in mind the importance of going the extra mile in all our endeavours. You won’t be rewarded for doing what you’re meant to do, you only get a salary for that! You’re only rewarded for going an extra mile; performing beyond expectations.

To be successful in life, you must be observant, proactive and willing to do more, think more, have a more holistic perspective and go beyond the call of duty.

May you be blessed with a better perspective to do your work this year and beyond.

The life ahead needs this mentality of going an extra mile. In ministry, career, as husbands, mothers, children, etc.

Let’s learn to carry extra oil like the five wise virgins. So that even in sudden situations and circumstances, we can meet up. Don’t be like the five foolish virgins who are just about normal situations and circumstances. Life is more than normalities.

– Author Unknown

Meditation: Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. – Matthew 5:16

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

Also read:
https://daily-dew.com/psalm-23-for-the-workplace/
https://daily-dew.com/becoming-a-godly-employee/
https://daily-dew.com/how-to-achieve-success-in-the-marketplace/

Twas the night Jesus came and all through the house,
Not a person was praying, not one in the house.
The Bible was left on the shelf without care,
for no one thought Jesus would come there.

The children were dressing to crawl into bed,
not once ever kneeling or bowing their head.
And Mom in the rocking chair with baby on her lap,
was watching the Late Show as I took a nap.

When out of the east there rose such a clatter,
I sprang to my feet to see what’s the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
tore open the shutters and lifted the sash.

When what to my wondering eyes should appear,
but Angels proclaiming that Jesus was here.
The light of His face made me cover my head,
it was Jesus returning just like He’d said.

And though I possessed worldly wisdom and wealth,
I cried when I saw Him in spite of myself.
In the Book of Life that in which he held in his hand,
was written the name of every saved man.

He spoke not a word as he searched for my name,
when He said “it is not here.” I hung my head in shame.
The people who’s names had been written with love,
He gathered to take to his Father above.

With those who were ready He rose without a sound,
while all the others were left standing around.
I fell to my knees but it was too late,
I waited too long and thus sealed my fate.

I stood and I cried as they rose out of sight,
Oh, if only I’d know that this was the night.
In the words of this poem the meaning is clear
the coming of Jesus is now drawing near.

There’s only one life and when comes the last call,
We’ll find out that the Bible was true after all…

— Author Unknown

Meditation: “I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?” – Luke 18:8

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

Also read:
https://daily-dew.com/a-christmas-reunion-true-story/
https://daily-dew.com/a-dozen-christmas-roses/
https://daily-dew.com/what-do-you-want-for-christmas/

This morning I heard a story on the radio of a woman who was out Christmas shopping with her two children. After many hours of looking at row after row of toys and everything else imaginable, and after hours of hearing both her children asking for everything they saw on those many shelves, she finally made it to the elevator with her two kids.

She was feeling what so many of us feel during the holiday season time of the year. An overwhelming pressure to go to every party, every housewarming, taste all the holiday food and treats, getting that perfect gift for every single person on our shopping list, making sure we don’t forget anyone on our card list, and the pressure of making sure we respond to everyone who sent us a card.

Finally, the elevator doors opened and there was already a crowd in the car. She pushed her way into the car and dragged her two kids in with her and all the bags of stuff. When the doors closed she couldn’t take it anymore and stated, “Whoever started this whole Christmas thing should be found, strung up and shot.”

From the back of the car everyone heard a quiet calm voice respond, “Don’t worry we already crucified him.” For the rest of the trip down the elevator it was so quiet you could have heard a pin drop.

Don’t forget this year to keep the One who started this whole Christmas thing in your every thought, deed, purchase, and word. If we all did it, just think of how different this whole world would be.

Author Unknown

Meditation: And when they had mocked him, they took off the purple robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him out to crucify him. – Mark 15:20

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

Also read:
https://daily-dew.com/a-christmas-reunion-true-story/
https://daily-dew.com/a-dozen-christmas-roses/
https://daily-dew.com/what-do-you-want-for-christmas/