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The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me…He has sent Me…to proclaim liberty to the captives - Luke 4:18

Among other noble missions, Jesus also came because of the captives; He came to set them free; He came to proclaim an end to their captivity and declare their new lease of life as free people. Some of us are similarly called.

People found themselves in captivity for various reasons, some out of ignorance, some due to circumstances beyond their control, some became lawful captives because of their sins, and some are held captive through the forceful will of others. Whichever it is, captivity is not a desirable state; being a captive limits one’s options and restricts one’s liberty, as the captive is always at the mercy of the captor.

Meanwhile, God did not create any of us to be captive to people or circumstances. He desires us to operate in our full stature, with no hold or bar. We are most useful to Him and fellow humans in our free state. But, seeing that humans by their own doing or external factors sometimes became captive and restricted, He had to send Jesus to wreak a once-for-all freedom for man among other works of deliverance. Jesus came to effect liberty from taskmasters, from oppressive systems, and from inimical phenomena such as poverty, societal pressures and forms of restraint.

Are you greatly disturbed seeing people confined to the barest by others or circumstances such that they are underperforming or living below their potential? To some, this may not be a big deal; but, if the mere thought of it bothers you and the actual exposure to it throws you into a fit, then you might have been called to collaborate with Jesus in tackling the problem headlong.

If injustice or oppression of any kind nauseates you, you do not necessarily need a platform to fulfil your calling. You only need to start from where you are and God will back you.

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

Daily Dew is published by Sons of Issachar Concepts. To subscribe by email or read previous editions, visit www.daily-dew.com

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Thank you.

megachuks: A good one write up, thanks.

Now godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. - 1 Timothy 6:6-7

He then took the bag to a table and emptied it out and began to count the coins. Doing so, he realized that there were 99 coins. He thought that was an odd number, so he counted again, and again, and again only to come to the same conclusion... 99 Gold Coins.

He began to wonder, what could have happened to that last one coin? For no one would leave 99 coins. He began to search his entire house, looked around his backyard for hours, not wanting to lose out on that one coin. Finally, exhausted, he decided that he was going to have to work harder than ever before to make up for that one gold coin so as to make his entire collection an even 100 gold coins.

He got up the following day in an extremely horrible mood, shouting at the children and his wife for his delay. He had spent most of the night thinking how he would work hard so that he would have enough money to buy himself that one gold coin. He went to work as usual - but not in his usual best mood, as he grumpily did in his daily errands.

The King was puzzled to see that the man's attitude had changed so drastically. He promptly summoned his assistant to his chambers and related to him his new observation about the servant. The King could not believe that the servant whom until yesterday had been singing away and was happy and content with his life had taken such a sudden downward slope in attitude, when he ought to be happier after receiving the gold coins.

To this the assistant replied "Ah! But your Majesty, the servant has now officially joined The 99 Club." He explained: "The 99 Club is just a name given to those people who have everything but yet are never contented, therefore they are always working hard and striving for that extra one to round it up to 100!

We have so much to be thankful for and we can live with very little in our lives. But the minute we are given something bigger and better, we want even more! We are not the same happy and contented person we used to be, we want more and more. And by wanting more and more we don't realize the price we pay for it. We lose our sleep, our happiness; we hurt the people around us just as a price to pay for our growing needs and desires. That is what joining The 99 Club is all about."

Hearing this, King decided that from that day onward, he was going to start appreciating the little things in life.

Learning point: Striving for more is always good, but let's not strive so hard and for so much that we lose all those near and dear to our hearts, we shouldn't compromise our happiness for moments of luxuries!

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

Daily Dew is published by Sons of Issachar Concepts. To subscribe by email or read previous editions, visit www.daily-dew.com

Please share this with your loved ones. God bless you.

Now godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. - 1 Timothy 6:6-7

Hearing this, the King dismissed the servant and summoned his Personal Assistant to his chambers.

The King related his personal anguish to him and then told him the story of the servant, hoping that somehow, he would be able to come up with some reasoning that would explain why he, a King who could have anything he wished for at a snap of his fingers, was not contented, whereas his servant, who had so little, was extremely contented with life.

The Personal Assistant listened attentively to the king and then said, "Your Majesty, I believe that the servant has not been made part of The 99 Club."

"The 99 Club? the King inquired curiously, “What is it all about?"

The Assistant replied, "Your Majesty, to truly know what The 99 Club is, you will have to do this; place 99 gold coins in a bag and leave it at this servant's doorstep. Then you will then understand what The 99 Club is."

That very same night, the King arranged for 99 gold coins to be placed in a bag at the servant's doorstep. Although he was somehow hesitant and thought he should have put 100 gold coins into the bag instead. But since his Assistant had advised 99, that is what he did.

The following morning, the servant was stepping out of his house when he saw a bag at his doorstep. Wondering what its contents could be, he took it into the house and opened the bag. When he opened the bag, he let out a great big shout of joy, “Gold Coins!” And so many of them! He could hardly believe it. He called his wife to show her the coins.

He then took the bag to a table and emptied it out and began to count the coins. Doing so, he realized that there were 99 coins. He thought that was an odd number, so he counted again, and again, and again only to come to the same conclusion... 99 Gold Coins.

He began to wonder, what could have happened to that last one coin? For no one would leave 99 coins. He began to search his entire house, looked around his backyard for hours, not wanting to lose out on that one coin. Finally, exhausted, he decided that he was going to have to work harder than ever before to make up for that one gold coin so as to make his entire collection an even 100 gold coins.

To continue…

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

Daily Dew is published by Sons of Issachar Concepts. To subscribe by email or read previous editions, visit www.daily-dew.com

Please share this with your loved ones. God bless you.

Now godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. - 1 Timothy 6:6-7

Some time ago, there lived a King. This King should have been contented with his life, given all the riches and luxuries he had. However, this was not the case! The King always found himself wondering why he just never seemed content with his life.

Sure, he had the attention of everyone wherever he went, attended fancy dinners and parties, but somehow, he still felt something was lacking and he couldn't put his finger on it.

One day, the King had woken up earlier than usual to stroll around his palace. He entered his huge living room and came to a stop when he heard someone happily singing some distance away. Following the direction where the song wafted from, he saw that it was one of his servants who was singing. The man had such a very contented look on his face.

This fascinated the King and he summoned this man to his chambers. When the man entered the chambers, the king asked him why he was so happy.

To this the man replied: "Your Majesty, I am nothing but a servant, but I make enough of a living to keep my wife and children happy. We don't need too much, a roof over our heads and warm food to fill our tummies. My wife and children are my inspiration; they are content with whatever little I bring home. I am happy because my family is happy."

Hearing this, the King dismissed the servant and summoned his Personal Assistant to his chambers.

The King related his personal anguish to him and then told him the story of the servant, hoping that somehow, he would be able to come up with some reasoning that would explain why he, a King who could have anything he wished for at a snap of his fingers, was not contented, whereas his servant, who had so little, was extremely contented with life.

To continue…

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

Daily Dew is published by Sons of Issachar Concepts. To subscribe by email or read previous editions, visit www.daily-dew.com

Please share this with your loved ones. God bless you.

Thank you.

delkuf: Nice. and i like ur profile name

The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me…He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, - Luke 4:18

This is Jesus speaking yet again and proclaiming another of His mission – to heal the broken-hearted.

Living comes with a lot of packages, both highs and lows; one of the lows is despondency that results from disappointments or broken promises. Many people are deflated and go about life with a forlorn posture because of unmet expectations in career, marriage, business or other aspects of life.

Many had banked all their hope on a relationship which they believed would yield them the answer to their problem, or offer them the break they need in life, only to have their hopes shattered in irrecoverable pieces. Such people might have lost faith in God and man as a result, and life might have lost its lustre to them, while the prospect of success, destiny or fulfilling purpose holds no appeal whatsoever, making them settled for merely eking out a living and awaiting the inevitability of death.

Jesus came on account of this sect of people. He came to heal their hurting hearts and offer them hope against all hope. Some of us are likewise commissioned. We are called to attend to the needs of the downcast. The fact that Jesus came on account of them means that hope is not lost yet for them. So, we need not give up on them, even if they had given up on life. Things can still turn around for better.

If you have particular burden to reach out to these people, perhaps, you are called to partner with Jesus in bringing succour to them and helping them to experience a new lease of life. You will need a lot of patience to record any impact in this calling. Facts and statistics make no sense to those hurting, you must be able to connect with them before you can help them. To do this, you need the help of the Holy Spirit. That is the reason even Jesus acknowledged the role of the Spirit of the Lord in enabling Him to minister to these people. You should take a cue from Him.

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

Daily Dew is published by Sons of Issachar Concepts. To subscribe by email or read previous editions, visit www.daily-dew.com

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The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; - Luke 4:18

This is Jesus confirming the prophecy that Isaiah had made concerning Him hundreds of years before that time (Isaiah 61). This tells us Jesus was also sent to the poor. Poverty can be terrible; it is debilitating and robs life of its meaning. The poor are always at the mercy of other people. They have no say among their peers and no matter how brilliant they may be, their ideas are quickly invalidated by their wretchedness. May you not be poor; and if you had been, may you not return there in Jesus Name.

The poor are described as people who lack money or material possessions, inferior, having little skill or ability, inadequate, weak, deficient, lacking productive potential, and deserving pity. These are no palatable state. However, there is hope for the poor. We see from the above passage that Jesus also came for them; He came to preach the gospel to them. He came to offer them hope and comfort. He came to be the solution to their problems. He came to lift them from the dunghill to prominence and change their status. Some of us are called to do the same.

Those who are partners of Jesus in this calling often find themselves disturbed by human deficiency of any kind and they consciously take steps to correct such anomaly. They may not necessarily be rich themselves, but they have the wherewithal to enrich others (2 Corinthians 6:10). Their own wealth is not accurately measured by how much they have, but by how many people they have been able to enrich. And in expending the little they have to help the poor, God will continue to increase their resources so that they are able to do more and help more people.

The natural tendency is to oppress and deny the poor, and to esteem oneself better than them. But for those assigned to them, they look beyond their present situation to what they can be. And whereas others are denying or ignoring them, these missionaries are engaged offering them opportunities that will help them to improve their lot.

If you are one of those dedicated to empowering the poor; do not count your blessing by how much you have; your blessing is rightly measured by how many people you have been able to raise.

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

Daily Dew is published by Sons of Issachar Concepts. To subscribe by email or read previous editions, visit www.daily-dew.com

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Then Simeon…said to Mary His mother, “Behold, this Child is destined for the fall and rising of many… - Luke 2:34

The above passage captures one of the purposes of Jesus Christ; He came to see to the rise and the fall of many. Sounds contradictory, but very true; otherwise, the Bible wouldn’t have recorded it. And, even more veritable is the fact that some people have the same calling in life.

Until the coming of Jesus, religion was the order of the day and a lot of people, particularly so-called religious leaders, perpetrated all sorts of evil in the name of serving God. On the other hand, many people were considered as dregs of the society; they were oppressed and denied in the socio-political and economic order of the day until they had an encounter with Jesus. To the former, the coming of Jesus and His ministry signalled the end of their influence and their ultimate fall from prominence, that is if they were not smart enough to accept Him as their Lord. To those in the second category, an encounter with Jesus was all they need to launch them from oblivion into limelight.

Apart from Matthew, who was known because of his trade as a tax collector, most of the early disciples of Jesus were relatively unknown persons until they became acquainted with Him. In fact, someone like Mary Magdalene would not have had a mention in the chronicles of her time, but for her encounter with Jesus. The disciples attained fame and significance as a result of their decision to subscribe to Jesus (Acts 4:13). In contemporary times, numerous individuals owe their rise in life to their encounter with Jesus.

Like Jesus, some individuals are called to be the facilitator of other people’s greatness. There are innumerable successes that would not have been if the successful had not benefitted from a chance meeting or relationship with certain individuals which proved instrumental to their launch. On the other hand, there are a lot of subterfuges that would not have been exposed if the schemer hadn’t encountered certain individuals who knowingly or inadvertently blew open their cover which resulted in their downfall.

Does the above sound like you? Then don’t stop doing your best to lift up good people and undoing the evil ones.

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

Daily Dew is published by Sons of Issachar Concepts. To subscribe by email or read previous editions, visit www.daily-dew.com

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He is a light to reveal God to the nations… - Luke 2:32 (NLT)

Here is one of the missions of Jesus Christ. He came as a light to reveal God to the people. His whole ministry and life on earth were centred on this focal purpose – to re-introduce God to the people, so that they are acquainted with His nature, His thinking, His ways, His will, His modus operandi, His likes and preferences, as well His displeasures. Some of us are called to this same assignment.

The people created with this mission tag usually have a great burden for souls and are passionate to see those who are yet to become saved receive Christ. This calling is crystallised in mission workers and evangelists who go out of their ways or comfort zones to minister God to unbelievers, helping them to appreciate the difference between the living God and whatever they might have been worshipping hitherto; helping them to understand the better package that is inherent in subscribing to the living God, as against wasting time on worthless idols.

Are you bothered seeing people who do not know the true God or who are misrepresenting Him? Do you get agitated seeing people living as if there is no God? Do you feel like sitting such people down and teaching them about God so that they can appreciate His existence and real nature? Would you go to any length to impart the knowledge of God to people? If these describe you, perhaps, you might have been called as one of the rare breed of individuals who are sworn to spotlight God to people; the torchbearers leading the way to God.

They are usually found in the clergy, but they do not necessarily need to be ordained as a clergy to fulfil their assignment. They are the ones consciously fulfilling the Great Commission to go into the world and make them disciples of Christ. If you are passionate about revealing God to people, you are called to be an illuminator.

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

Daily Dew is published by Sons of Issachar Concepts. To subscribe by email or read previous editions, visit www.daily-dew.com

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For even the Son of Man…come to…give His life a ransom for many. - Mark 10:45

Here is another purpose of Jesus Christ – He came to give His life as a ransom for others, so that they might be free to become, fulfil destiny, or accomplish their goals. There are people created for this same purpose as well. They are called facilitators; they make things happen for others.

People like this are willing to pay the ultimate price to ensure that someone else fulfils his dream, not minding the loss to themselves in the process. They would rather expend all they have to see someone else achieve greatness than spend such on themselves.

The individuals called to this purpose are selflessness personified. A number of women, particularly mothers, are called to this purpose. In fact, it is more common among women than men. Many women are ready to give their all in order to see their children, husband, or a relative succeed in life. These women may not make much name for themselves, but they derive fulfilment from seeing their beneficiary becoming someone in life. They are the quintessential case of somewhere around a successful man, there is a woman.

History is replete with examples of people like this who put themselves on the line and offered what was dear to them in order for another person, or a group of persons, to achieve their objectives. If you are naturally burdened by the condition of another or a group of persons and you are willing to give all it takes to help such person(s) accomplish her goals even at personal loss to yourself, perhaps, you are called to be a facilitator.

This is a very unselfish calling, as there is usually no direct benefit accruing to you on the surface; it’s all pain and no gain, no fame, no name, and no reward except for the fulfilment of seeing another person succeeding.

If you are so called, don’t despair at the thought of going unrewarded, because human recognition can only take you to a point; and that does not mean that men will not recognise you. But the reward of God, which you will certainly get, is guaranteed for being the hand through which God guides another to his/her destiny.

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

Daily Dew is published by Sons of Issachar Concepts. To subscribe by email or read previous editions, visit www.daily-dew.com

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Author Unknown

Therefore we will not fear, even though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; though its waters roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with its swelling. - Psalm 46:2-3

Years ago, a farmer owned land along the Atlantic seacoast. He constantly advertised for hired hands. Most people were reluctant to work on farms along the Atlantic, as they dreaded the awful storms that raged across the Atlantic, wreaking havoc on buildings and crops. As the farmer interviewed applicants for the job, he received a steady stream of refusals.

Finally, a short, thin man, well past middle age, approached the farmer. 'Are you a good farm hand?' the farmer asked him. 'Well, I can sleep when the wind blows,' answered the little man.

Although puzzled by this answer, the farmer, desperate for help, hired him. The little man worked well around the farm, busy from dawn to dusk, and the farmer felt satisfied with the man's work. Then one night the wind howled loudly in from offshore. Jumping out of bed, the farmer grabbed a lantern and rushed next door to the hired hand's sleeping quarters. He shook the little man and yelled, 'Get up! A storm is coming! Tie things down before they blow away!'

The little man rolled over in bed and said firmly, 'No sir. I told you, I can sleep when the wind blows.'

Enraged by the response, the farmer was tempted to fire him on the spot. Instead, he hurried outside to prepare for the storm. To his amazement, he discovered that all of the haystacks had been covered with tarpaulins. The cows were in the barn, the chickens were in the coops, and the doors were barred. The shutters were tightly secured. Everything was tied down. Nothing could blow away. The farmer then understood what his hired hand meant, so he returned to his bed to also sleep while the wind blew.

When you are prepared, spiritually, mentally, and physically, you have nothing to fear. Can you sleep when the Wind blows through your life? The hired hand in the story was able to sleep because he had secured the farm against the storm. We secure ourselves against the storms of life by grounding ourselves in the Word of God. We don't need to understand, we just need to hold His hand to have peace in the middle of storms.

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

Daily Dew is published by Sons of Issachar Concepts. To subscribe by email or read previous editions, visit www.daily-dew.com

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- Author Unknown

Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. - James 4:8

The story was told about a young man and an old preacher. The young man had lost his job and didn't know which way to turn. So he went to see the old preacher.

Pacing about the preacher's study, the young man ranted about his problem. Finally he clenched his fist and shouted, "I've begged God to say something to help me, preacher. Why doesn't God answer?"

The old preacher, who sat across the room, spoke something in reply, something so hushed it was indistinguishable. The young man stepped across the room. "What did you say?" he asked. The preacher repeated himself, but again in a tone as soft as a whisper. So the young man moved closer until he was leaning on the preacher's chair.

"Sorry," he said. "I still didn't hear you." With their heads bent together, the old preacher spoke once more. "God sometimes whispers," he said, "So we will move closer to hear him." This time the young man heard and he understood.

We all want God's voice to thunder through the air with the answer to our problem. But God's is the still, small voice; the gentle whisper. Perhaps there is a reason.

Nothing draws human focus quite like a whisper. God's whisper means you must stop your ranting and move close to Him, until your head is bent together with His. And then, as you listen, you will find your answer. Better still, you will find yourself closer to God.

In the word of Johannes Tauler, “If you keep watch over your heart, listen for the voice of God and learn of Him; in one short hour you can learn more from Him than you could learn from man in a thousand years.”

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

Daily Dew is published by Sons of Issachar Concepts. To subscribe by email or read previous editions, visit www.daily-dew.com

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For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve…” - Mark 10:45

Here is another purpose of Jesus Christ, from His own mouth – He came to serve. Now, isn’t that a contrast to the first purpose we meditated on in this series? Then, we saw that He came to lead. Now, we are reading Him saying that He also came, NOT TO BE SERVED, but to serve.

This establishes two things: Firstly, even as we have established at the outset and is unfolding in subsequent editions, all the purposes of mankind are encapsulated in Jesus. Secondly, Jesus was created to lead and to serve. That means there is no leadership without service; the two go hand in hand. But, considering this in a literary sense, Jesus came to serve, and so are many of us today.

Although, this may not sound palatable, very few people are called to lead – maybe, using the 80/20 rule, about 20% of humanity are called to lead; while, the rest people in the 80% bracket are meant to fulfil their own calling by supporting and serving them in various capacities. On the other hand, leadership is also contextual; as one may be called to lead in certain places and still function as a subordinate or follower in another context. An example of this is in a church setting where the overseer is usually the leader. But there could be heads of government, heads of organisations and dignitaries in other setup attending that church, who are leaders of people in their own right. In church, these people are subject to the pastor; but, in their own calling, people are subject to them.

Meanwhile, there are people who are at home receiving orders from others and being told what to do. There are people who would feel extremely frustrated when put in a pole position with the responsibility of leading and directing others. There are people who derive great joy working behind the scene as part of a leader’s support system, making him look great to the world. If any of these describes you, perhaps, you are called to serve. Now, this is not a thing of shame; it is a blessed calling (Acts 20:35). The key is to be true to yourself and do your best to fulfil your calling, because God will not bless you or demand accountability from you based on the title of your calling, but on account of what you do with it. Many delude themselves about their calling, holding that they are meant to lead others; whereas they are better suited serving a leader whose assignment resonates with their own inclination. Most people in this situation end up doing nothing and leaving no imprint whatsoever anywhere. That will not be your portion.

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

Daily Dew is published by Sons of Issachar Concepts. To subscribe by email or read previous editions, visit www.daily-dew.com

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But He said to them, “Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also, because for this purpose I have come forth.” - Mark 1:38

Preaching is one of the missions of Jesus Christ on earth. Likewise, some of us are sent to preach the gospel. There are people who can be called born preachers, as every encounter they found themselves is an opportunity to charge and exhort others, never missing a chance to sow a seed of the word.

If you are the type who loves sharing her knowledge to inspire and impart others; perhaps, you might have been called to preach. Being a preacher means you must be versed in the word of God. Otherwise, you will be found wanting in your calling and will end up propagating heresies and dogma. A panoramic knowledge of the Holy Bible is the major resource you need to preach – in addition to a life of constant prayer and fasting.

As a preacher, you must also have a persuasive mien and cultivate good communication skills in order to keep your audience engaged and interested in what you are saying. Jesus did this with flourish; He was always punctuating His sermons with parables and miracles.

You also need wisdom, because people will come and seek your counsel on all sorts of issues, even in areas you are not specialised in. The modern day preacher is a potpourri consultant of sorts, handling various issues on relationships, business, career, marriage, parenting, et cetera (But, those are even the preachers who are perceived to know their onions). To be able to resolve all these issues, you need wisdom; and that is where the word of God comes in handy; it is the source of wisdom. The counsel of God concerning all matters has been documented in the Holy Bible for your reference. To fulfil your calling to preach, you must make the Bible your companion.

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

Daily Dew is published by Sons of Issachar Concepts. To subscribe by email or read previous editions, visit www.daily-dew.com

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But He answered and said, “I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” - Matthew 15:24

We saw yesterday the calling of Jesus to the Gentiles so that they could be saved and become part of the commonwealth of Israel. Another assignment He came to execute is seen in our reference scripture above – He was sent to the lost sheep of Israel.

The Bible already redefines the descendants of Abraham as those who believe in Jesus (Romans 4; Galatians 3). This is referring to Christians.

But, having confessed Jesus as Lord does not mean one is forever saved. The transitional nature of salvation requires that one continues to work out his/her salvation in thoughts, in speech, in attitude, in conducts, and in action. If one does not take heed to these, there is tendency to stray from the Way.

Straying in this regard does not nullify one’s status as a believer, it only means one would not enjoy the full benefits of the redeemed. And if such person persists in his/her waywardness, he/she would be giving satan a good ground to stake a claim for his/her soul.

It is so that this does not happen that Jesus was sent to this category of people as well – the lost sheep of Israel. Note that these are not the same people as those who have not believed and received Jesus as their Lord. The lost sheep of Israel are those who are already believers, but have backslidden. Jesus was sent to bring them back into the fold. Some of us are called for this same purpose too.

Are you more inclined to working on believers who are either struggling in their Christian life, are at the brink of backsliding, or who have already gone astray? That could be an indication to your calling. While no believer should neglect the universal commission to reach out to the unsaved, it is also important that those who have been saved are not lost to the wiles of satan and the pressures of life.

If you are naturally disposed to doing all you could to encourage struggling or backslidden believers to remain in the faith, you are very important in the divine scheme of things, as you are partnering with Jesus to retain His flock.

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

Daily Dew is published by Sons of Issachar Concepts. To subscribe by email or read previous editions, visit www.daily-dew.com

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I will put My Spirit upon Him, and He will declare justice to the Gentiles. - Matthew 12:18

One of the purposes Jesus came to execute on earth was reaching out to the Gentiles. A Gentile is anyone who is not a Jew. At a point in history, God called out Abraham, the ancestor of the Jews, to Himself, and ordained him and his descendants for intimate fellowship. God entered a covenant with Abraham, with terms and benefits, and He subsequently related mostly with the children of Abraham – the Jews.

Because of His intimacy with them, God also placed strict regime of conducts on the Jews so that they would not get too familiar with Him and would maintain an enabling state for intimacy. The Jews were also forbidden from mingling with the peoples of other nationalities - the Gentiles, so they don’t become compromised. Therefore, in the divine order then, anyone who was not a Jew was an outcast. Such person had no part in the Abrahamic covenant and its benefits. Meanwhile, it was possible to become a Jew by naturalisation, but the requirements were so stringent.

At a point in time, even the Jews themselves lost connection with God and became outcasts in His reckoning. Jesus then had to come, among other reasons, to reconcile the estranged Jews and the willing Gentiles to God. So that they can all be part of the new commonwealth of Israel and be beneficiaries of all the privileges reserved for the Jews alone.

In other words, we can say Jesus came to reach out to the outcasts and offer them the privileges of a royal born. He came to remove the wall of partition that had hitherto blocked the Gentiles from the knowledge of God and His benefits. He came to give the outcasts a sense of belonging. Some of us are also created for this same purpose - with a burden to reach out to the oppressed, the denied and the cast-away and offer them succour.

Do you feel disturbed seeing injustice meted out to anyone or a group of people who do not have a say? Do you become worried when you see people being marginalised? Do you have a mind of doing good to all without leaving anyone out? Perhaps, you are one of these people. If you can confidently say you are, then this should not be a mere head knowledge; you need to start doing something about it. And if you are already doing that, then please don’t stop.

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

Daily Dew is published by Sons of Issachar Concepts. To subscribe by email or read previous editions, visit www.daily-dew.com

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jacobscros: explain the third three significance

Please read the explanation in the second part.

For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance. - Matthew 9:13

Here is one of the reasons Jesus came to earth - to call sinners to repentance. Repentance is a state of being that precedes salvation. It is that point when one’s steel resolve is broken, in the light of an encounter with Jesus, and one admits his/her wrong and is willing to make a fresh start. Just like Jesus, some people are created for this same purpose. They are called to show the unreached and the unbelievers the better options that are available in Jesus Christ.

Indeed, every Christian is called to preach the gospel. Evangelism is part of the mandates that come with the Christian calling. But, the truth is, some Christians are more burdened than others about the salvation of souls. To this category of Christians, ministering the gospel is not just a matter of being asked to do it at church or fellowship, it is an addiction. They are naturally compelled to do it, and their day would not be complete until they have reached out to someone.

This does not excuse the other Christians who are not doing this. In fact, any Christian who is not doing it is operating below par.

But, beyond the general calling, there are Christians who are greatly agitated seeing people who live as if there is no life after death. They are disturbed when they meet people who have not accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord. They always want to preach to everyone who comes their way. Even if such people don’t listen, these soul-winners would still have their say. They don’t give up and they are not easily deterred when their targets give them a tough time.

God considers them wise (Proverbs 11:30), and great are their rewards in heaven. Does this sound like you?

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

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Author Unknown

A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps. - Proverbs 16:9

[Continued from yesterday]

When the first tree arrived at the carpenters, he was made into a feed box for animals. He was then placed in a barn and filled with hay. This was not at all what he had prayed for.

The second tree was cut and made into a small fishing boat. His dreams of being a mighty ship and carrying kings had come to an end.

The third tree was cut into large pieces and left alone in the dark.

The years went by, and the trees forgot about their dreams.

Then one day, a man and woman came to the barn. She gave birth and they placed the baby in the hay in the feed box that was made from the first tree. The man wished that he could have made a crib for the baby, but this manger would have to do. The tree could feel the importance of this event and knew that it had held the greatest treasure of all time.

Years later, a group of men got in the fishing boat made from the second tree. One of them was tired and went to sleep. While they were out on the water, a great storm arose and the tree didn't think it was strong enough to keep the men safe. The men woke the sleeping man, and He stood and Said 'Peace' and the storm stopped. At this time, the tree knew that it had carried the King of Kings in its boat.

Finally, someone came and got the third tree. It was carried through the streets as the people mocked the man who was carrying it. When they came to a stop, the man was nailed to the tree and raised in the air to die at the top of a hill. When Sunday came, the tree came to realize that it was strong enough to stand at the top of the hill and be as close to God as was possible, because Jesus had been crucified on it.

The moral of this story is that when things don't seem to be going your way, always know that God has a plan for you. If you place your trust in Him, God will give you great gifts.

Each of the trees got what they wanted, just not in the way they had imagined.

We don't always know what God's plans are for us. We just know that His Ways are not our ways, but His ways are always best.

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

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A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps. - Proverbs 16:9

Once there were three trees on a hill in the woods. They were discussing their hopes and dreams when the first tree said, 'Someday I hope to be a treasure chest. I could be filled with gold, silver and precious gems. I could be decorated with intricate carving and everyone would see the beauty.'

Then the second tree said, 'Someday I will be a mighty ship. I will take Kings and Queens across the waters and sail to the corners of the world. Everyone will feel safe in me because of the strength of my hull.

Finally, the third tree said, 'I want to grow to be the tallest and straightest tree in the forest. People will see me on top of the hill and look up to my branches and think of the heavens and God and how close to them I am reaching. I will be the greatest tree of all time and people will always remember me.’

After a few years of praying that their dreams would come true, a group of woodsmen came upon the trees. When one came to the first tree he said, 'This looks like a strong tree, I think I should be able to sell the wood to a Carpenter' and he began cutting it down. The tree was happy because he knew that the carpenter would make him into a treasure chest.

At the second tree the woodsman said, 'This looks like a strong tree. I should be able to sell it to the shipyard.' The second tree was happy because he knew he was on his way to becoming a mighty ship.

When the woodsmen came upon the third tree, the tree was frightened because he knew that if they cut him down his dreams would not come true. One of the woodsmen said, 'I don't need anything special from my tree, I'll take this one,' and he cut it down.

(To be continued)

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

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Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. - Matthew 5:17

Perhaps, to the surprise of His listeners who had craved a new world order and had hoped He would be the catalyst of that, Jesus declared that He came to earth, not to abolish the existing laws and the ancient writs of the prophets, but to enforce them. In other words, He did not come to scuttle the system, but to uphold it; not to disparage the tradition, but to sustain it. Some of us are also called to do this.

There are individuals with a natural tendency to ensure that the tradition, culture, and standards of a system are strictly upheld. These people are not necessarily leaders, but they make a great support system to any leader. They are the dreamed allies of every leader; in fact, they make a leader great. They are good managers, supervisors, subordinates or ardent followers. Career-wise, they will also make great enforcers of the law, activists or campaigners.

Do you often feel disturbed seeing standards and norms being flouted around you? Does the desecration of the system’s culture bother you? Perhaps, you are one of those created to set us right. Amusingly, individuals with this calling are usually labelled conservative, old school and sorts by the carefree. Conservative, yes; because they are here to help us conserve our heritage and beauties. But they are appropriately called the purist. We are largely indebted to them for the preservation of the historical records and artefacts we have around today.

Are you one of them? Then happy are the people around you because you will be their natural conscience. Don’t mind the criticism; only be true to God, yourself, your people, and your world. Very soon, they will come to appreciate you.

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

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…but He who is coming after me is mightier….He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. - Matthew 3:11

This is another purpose of Jesus Christ. He came to baptise us with the Holy Spirit and fire. For want of a better word to describe the Person of the Holy Spirit in this context, these are essential “resources” for exploits and wonders.

The Holy Spirit is the member of the Godhead responsible for enabling and empowerment, among other things. “You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you” (Acts 1:8. Supernatural ability to do uncommon and extraordinary things comes with the baptism of the Holy Spirit. And fire, which is one of the emblems of the Holy Spirit, represents the drive to do what needs to be done. By extension, we can say that Jesus came to impart us with the ability to do exploits and the drive to get on it.

Like Jesus, some people were created for this purpose. God sent them to impart other people with the ability to execute specific missions and assignments. They are called enablers. Moses was one of them, as he did this to Aaron, Bezalel, Aholiab, Joshua and the other people he was instructed to impart for various assignments during the exodus.

Such individuals who were created for this purpose are usually ministers of the gospel; very few are not. Perhaps, you have observed signs of this grace in yourself, but you do not know what to make of it, it is high time you went to God and seek His guidance on how you should go about fulfilling your mission. This particular purpose is not common; it is only allotted to few people. So, if you are one of those few, count yourself privileged, but don’t sit on it. You need to get going.

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

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But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, Are not the least among the rulers of Judah; For out of you shall come a Ruler Who will shepherd My people Israel. - Matthew 2:6

Leadership is the first purpose of Jesus mentioned in the synoptic gospels. Jesus came to shepherd God’s people. He came to provide leadership and every responsibility that comes with that calling. Similarly, some people are created to lead others.

Are you the kind of person people naturally flock to for direction? Do you feel burdened seeing people living without coordination or below their best? Do you always want to help people improve and become better? These are some of the burdens of leadership. Perhaps, you are called to be one.

Jesus felt likewise at one time. “When He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd” (Matthew 9:36). If you are not called to do it, you probably won’t feel so burdened by it. The fact that you are so consumed about it is because God has called you to do it.

Leadership does not necessarily mean you must rule your nation; although, you could be entrusted with it. Leadership starts with doing the best you can with the number of people in your care, helping them to attain the best they can be. The test of a leader is his/her ability to influence others to achieve set objectives, whilst equipping and helping them to become better along the way.

Leadership thrives on influence. Anyone who would rather be left alone and not be disturbed by the affairs of others might not have been called to leadership, because a leader interferes and works on/with his charges until they fully evolve.

If this sounds like you, don’t wait for a push, start making a difference right away.

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

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Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. - Colossians 2:8

Perhaps, it sounds controversial that the billions of living humans – including those who had lived and those yet to be born – can all trace their individual purpose to just one Man, Jesus Christ. Logically speaking, it sounds harebrained; but then, God doesn’t operate by logic. The Bible affirms ‘it pleased God that all the fullness of life should dwell in Jesus and to reconcile all things to Himself, through Jesus, whether things on earth or things in heaven’ (Colossians 1:19-20).

That tells us there can be no better template for purpose or an ideal model for living than Jesus Christ. Corroborating this, the Bible further states, “in Him [Jesus] dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and you [humans] are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power” (Colossians 2:8-10); thus lending credence to the verity that Jesus is 100% God and 100% human. He embodies God and humanness at the same time; and He is the ultimate model for divinity and humanity.

The major reason most discourses on purpose usually leave people confused, unenlightened and unable to identify their purpose is because most teachers and authors of the topic only premise their teachings on logical reasoning and principles, postulating passion as the best way to identify one’s purpose and failing to trace the origin of the various purposes of humankind to Jesus Christ, who had lived them all.

Purpose is one of those topics it is easy to deviate from God’s word and start waxing philosophical. Perhaps, that was the reason God cautions that, “Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ” (Colossians 2:8.

Your purpose is entrenched in the Bible and is crystallised in Jesus Christ.

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

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For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell. - Colossians 1:19

In the past few days we have considered various thoughts on purpose. Subsequently, we will bring our meditation closer home by examining how you can centre on your own purpose and define it in easily understood words that will have direct meaning to you and, perhaps, others.

As we have learnt, the word of God is the only resource where you can discover your purpose. Seeking it elsewhere is an effort in futility. And there is Someone who is the personification of God’s word, He is Jesus Christ. He is the ultimate fulfilment of the word of God. He is the consummate man. The Bible says ALL THINGS consist in Him; that means without Him there is nothing that merits its name. He is the centre of the universe; He is at the core of everything created.

Jesus is the perfect example of humanness. He is 100% God, yet 100% man. His life is the perfect example of “live-ing.” And in Him all the purposes of humankind on earth are captured. He is the embodiment of all human missions. There can be no identification or fulfilment of purpose outside what He came to do. And, among other things, He came to demonstrate how we should fulfil the assignments that God has allotted to each of us on earth.

Therefore, if you desire to identify and define your own purpose, you need to study the life of Jesus vis-à-vis what are written “in the volume of the books” about what He came to do on the earth.

That is what we will be considering in subsequent editions of this devotional, so that you too can be able to discover your life purpose and put a name to it. Are you ready?

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

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Then the Lord turned to him and said, “Go in this might of yours, and you shall save Israel from the hand of the Midianites. Have I not sent you?” - Judges 6:12-14

Note that it was Gideon the angel addressed, not the whole Israelites. But, because of the people-centredness of purpose, Gideon naturally looked beyond himself and started venting about the social issue troubling his mind. He probably did not know when he started to say “us” in his emotion-laden response. In the passage, he mentioned “us” six times and at no time did he say “I!”

Purpose is people-centred and others-focused. That social problem you are so consumed with may be the guide to identifying your assignment.

Your purpose is defined by what you are willing to go out of your way to do for others, at personal costs to yourself and no cost to the recipients. It is rooted in that thing that agitates you so much or makes you uncomfortable about people, your environment or the system, which you would like fixed once for all.

If your agitation is about what you can do to improve your personal lot; that is a legitimate aspiration. But it is not your purpose. Your purpose is usually derived from what you can do for others, the society or a system to make them better.

That phenomenon that makes you go ballistic and wishing something definite could be done about it right there and then is an indicator of your life mission. And rather than look far away for the solution, the Lord is telling you now what He told Gideon then, “Go in this your drive, champion the change and make the necessary difference. Have I not sent you?”

Now that you know what the LORD has sent you to do, aren’t you going to do it?

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

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And the Angel of the Lord appeared to him, and said to him, “The Lord is with you, you mighty man of valor!” Gideon said to Him, “…if the Lord is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all His miracles which our fathers told us about, saying, ‘Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt?’ But now the Lord has forsaken us and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites.” Then the Lord turned to him and said, “Go in this might of yours, and you shall save Israel from the hand of the Midianites. Have I not sent you?” - Judges 6:12-14

Are there certain human or societal failing that bothers you to no end; that you wish you could do something to correct? That is an indicator of your assignment. There is no better way to identify your assignment on earth than by examining your agitations and fits.

In our reference scripture, Gideon only needed a harmless greeting to lapse into such fits querying God and whoever cared to listen as to why he and his people continued to live in such a state of fear, intimidation and deprivation.

Do you think he replied his greeter in a solemn tone? Judging by his words, he must have been in such a state, raising his voice and flailing his arms in helpless acknowledgement of the problem of his people and his inability to do something about it. He queried, “If God is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are all the miracle-wonders our parents and grandparents told us about…The fact is, God has nothing to do with us—he has turned us over to Midian!” [The Message]

Note that it was Gideon the angel addressed, not the whole Israelites. But, because of the people-centredness of purpose, Gideon naturally looked beyond himself and started venting about the social issue troubling his mind. He probably did not know when he started to say “us” in his emotion-laden response. In the passage, he mentioned “us” six times and at no time did he say “I!”

Purpose is people-centred. That social problem you are so consumed with may be the guide to identifying your assignment.

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

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Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come— In the volume of the book it is written of Me— To do Your will, O God.’ - Hebrews 10:7

Inasmuch as God created us with specific assignments, it is our individual responsibility to discover those assignments and begin to execute them in earnest. There is no wasted life. There is no one that God does not create with a purpose. The main challenge is discovering it, and then living it.

To discover your purpose, you must go to the assigner, God, to reveal His agenda for your life to you. He is the Maker, He is the caller, He is the Director, He is also the Provider of the resources needed to fulfil the assignment.

But, make no mistake about it, God’s purpose for your life can only be discovered in the Bible. If it is not in the Bible, then it is not your life purpose. Any purpose that has no origin in the Bible, which contains the whole mind of God, is not of God. Therefore, for a purpose to merit its name, it must emanate from God; and if it is from God, then it must derive its origin and guiding principles from the Bible.

It has often been posited that passion is the way to identify your purpose. That is not far from the truth. But, more appropriately, AGITATION is the best indicator of purpose. Your assignment is usually buried in what disturbs you in no small measure. What is that issue in the lives of people or in your society that bothers you greatly? What is that phenomenon which shoots up your adrenaline or gets you into such frenzy whenever you are considering it? That may be an inroad to discovering your purpose, and a guide to knowing your assignment.

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

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For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. - Ephesians 2:10

In the past few days, we have considered two types of purpose, namely; universal purpose, which is common to all humans and mandatory for all living beings [Let everything that has breath praise the Lord - Psalm 150:6]. We also considered situational callings, which are applicable to everyone as well, albeit in different roles and contexts. The final category of purpose for our meditation is individual assignment. That is the peculiar assignment God created each person to fulfil on earth.

Now, there could be a similarity between your life assignment and your roles in your different callings. In that regard, there will not be a clear cut dichotomy as to what you are meant to do here and there. But that shouldn’t bother you, since you are not interested in knowing your purpose for academic reasons, but so that you could fulfil it day by day and thereby make your life count on earth and worthy of heaven.

Talking about individual assignment; God does not do mass production. He doesn’t do bulk distribution either. On the contrary, He created each of us in a unique way, with unique physiological features as well as assignments to fulfil on earth. He also relates with us as distinct individuals, not as a group, because He did not endow us the same way.

Apart from the fact that God desires that we conduct our lives in a manner that will bring glory to Him, as it is the case with our universal purpose; and He requires us to make a positive impact wherever He locates us, as far as our calling is concerned; He also has a specific task in mind for us to execute while on earth. Nobody is here just to make the number. We are all created to worship God and to work for Him.

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

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…walk worthy of the calling with which you were called.[i][/i] - Ephesians 4:1

We are still considering calling as a second type of purpose.

We usually miss out on God’s intentions for our various callings by putting our personal agenda first. Remember purpose is others-centred; it is always devoid of selfish interests. So, when we allow our activities in any of our callings to be dictated by thoughts of personal gains, we neglect our purpose and fail to fulfil the mission for which God located us there.

A man who relates with his wife based on his own wants and desires is falling short in his calling as a husband, and vice versa. A worker who premises her performance at work majorly on what she can make for herself, apart from failing God, would not get to live up to her full potential. A member of a church, community or other forms of association who hinges his commitment on what he can gain from there is abusing his calling. A leader who puts selfish interests before that of the people she is leading is negligent of purpose. The truth is, every calling you answer is not just for the title alone, but for the mission you are meant to perform in that calling. That is why the Bible says, “whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men” (Colossians 3:23).

It takes a measure of God-consciousness to fulfil your mission, because you can’t be conscious of God and not be mindful of people and your environment. And the more mindful you become of people and your environment, the easier it is to identify their needs or what is lacking in that place, until you are filled enough to be able to meet such needs or provide what is lacking.

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

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…walk worthy of the calling with which you were called. - Ephesians 4:1

The second category of purpose is situational. It is both general and specific. General in the sense that it is applicable in many settings; specific because the manner you fulfil it in one place may not be the same way you will achieve it in another.

This is the kind of purpose that relates to specific callings. We all have multiple callings with attendant roles in different contexts: as husband, wife, parent, child, student, leader, worker, member of a community, citizen of a country, member of a church, politician, and so on. These are all callings with different roles attached to them. And, in performing such roles, you are either fulfilling purpose or neglecting it.

God does not make mistakes. And nothing happens without His knowledge; His contrivance, in the event such happening is from Him; or His permission where such is an act of the devil. “Known to God from eternity are all His works” (Acts 15:18). Nothing catches God by surprise; absolutely nothing.

So, wherever you find yourself, God knew even before you were born that you would be there. He knew you were going to marry that man/woman; He was also in the know about the identity of your child, parents, or siblings. He knows you are where you presently work or worship. He positions you in places for a reason – so that you could execute a specific mission there.

Let’s use the instance of where you work; God put you there for a reason greater than your job description or pay cheque. He put you there for a noble reason, to add value to the firm and make a difference in the lives of fellow humans such as your co-workers and/or outsiders whom you meet in the course of your work.

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

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