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‭I Samuel 17:33 NKJV‬
[33] And Saul said to David, “You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him; for you are a youth, and he a man of war from his youth.

Now this is the scene of David readying himself to defeat Goliath. He was told he was not able to fight him. He was also told that is a youth, indicating that he was inexperienced and too young to take on this battle or to even be qualified for it. He was compared to Goliath who had the experience since he was a youth in battle. David wasn’t like Goliath, he was a boy who kept sheep ( as seen in their eyes).

However as the scripture goes on

‭I Samuel 17:34-37 NKJV‬
[34] But David said to Saul, “Your servant used to keep his father’s sheep, and when a lion or a bear came and took a lamb out of the flock, [35] I went out after it and struck it, and delivered the lamb from its mouth; and when it arose against me, I caught it by its beard, and struck and killed it. [36] Your servant has killed both lion and bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, seeing he has defied the armies of the living God.” [37] Moreover David said, “The Lord, who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.”

David was inexperienced in the eyes of man but little did they know that God prepared David for battle by keeping his sheep.

What seemed like a miniscule task or chore was what prepared David for the victory against this Philistine.

David used the very stones and slings that God prepared him with during his time of shepherding. He had no need for the armor or other equipment that seemed more appropriate, he used what God gave him.

And in humility he fought and won.

God will use the usual. If this is convicting you remember that if God said it,He will do it.

The equipment he is giving you in this season is what will help you.

The tasks you despise, the preparation you think is insignificant, the waiting that is building and molding you – is all for the victory at the end.

And when you stand against those you thought were more qualified than you, God will show you why he had you wait and how he prepared you to be victorious from the beginning.

Your walk is different

Your pathway is different

Do NOT despise humble beginnings

And lastly, stay the course because this is most definitely your preparation.

Men will look at what seems to be inexperienced will be seen as small in their eyes, but God uses what he has been preparing all along. God looks at the heart.

Prepare the way –

John the Baptist was known as the forerunner for Jesus Christ and played a pivotal role in the salvation mission that Christ came to achieve.

For the ourpose of this reading it is important to note that John came before Jesus and it was His will for Him to prepare the way for Him.

The Amplified version of John 3 states in verse 14 that John told Jesus after He came to him to be baptized “It is I who have need to be baptized by You, and do You come to me?” Verse 15 then states “Jesus replied to him, permit it just now; for this is the fitting way for (both of) us to fulfill all righteousness.” John’s question seemed fitting because why was he the one to baptise the Messiah and saviour of all mankind? But Jesus’ response was simple and yet powerful – this was the way for them to fulfill all righteousness, it was the will of the Father for it to go this way and fulfill all prophecies.

Sometimes we think God’s way is opposite to the way we imagine it should go, or it appears ODD, out of order from the order that makes sense to us. But God’s way is His way and I will leave us with that.

God does things out of the ordinary, that is part of his nature. His way is fitting and he expects us to obey in order for what he has planned and promised to be fulfilled.

Prayer :

Lord we may never understand the magnitude of our obedience to your will, but help us never to get lost in the questioning of it that we lose sight of your powerful will and guidance for us. Help us not to step back from saying yes just because it seems odd, out of the ordinary or completely opposite. Your way is your way and we honour and obey that. Forgive us for acting as though we are the lord’s of our own lives. In Jesus’s name, amen.

I encourage you to read John 14 – 15.

‭‭1 John‬ ‭4:12‭-‬18‬ ‭KJV‬‬
[12] No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us. [13] Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit. [14] And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world. [15] Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God. [16] And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. [17] Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. [18] There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.

What is being made perfect in love?

Is it that we will be perfect as God is perfect when we love like Him? Does it mean that we become like Him as we live in the love that He is? What does being made perfect in love really mean?

Well God is love, and the fruit of love is selflessness. When we live in love we become bolder because love knows no end, it covers a multitude, it reaches the deepest parts of the hidden valleys, it outstretched It’s arms, it is slow to anger, it is full of joy and compassion, it is healing, it is giving it is perfect. As we live in love we live in perfection of who God is. We have a skewed idea of love based on what we see around us, on television and the twisted mindsets the world shares with us about what love really is. I encourage you to read in the Word what love really is, it isn’t half-hearted, it is fully committed, fully devoted surrender. Love is full

God is love

So when we dwell in that all encompassing, never ending love we dwell in God and it is there where all of our flaws are dealt with and made new and perfect, we dwell in the perfection of his love that covers a multitude of wrongs.

Choose love, choose to live in the freedom of what love really is, not what you’ve been fed.

Let love lead you and do not be afraid because there is no fear in love.

Dear Heavenly Father you are calling me to love. You are calling me to be made perfect in your love. Help me not to be afraid to receive your love and to pour out the love you have given me, help me to be bold in spirit and in mind and to confess that you are Lord. Therefore, as my Lord you lead me to be like you, love. May I love the way you do and may I be made whole in love, take all of my flaws and made me new in Jesus’s name, amen.

https://bible.com/bible/1/1jn.4.12.KJV

‭‭Colossians‬ ‭3:12‭-‬17‬ ‭KJV‬‬
Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

So the theme highlighted for this week seems to be forgiveness. I love this scripture because it reminds us how to ask for the qualities of God that will build Godly character to help us withstand trying seasons. Whatever season you are facing today, we are asked to put on bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; to forbear with one another, and forgive one another.

Forgive

Lately, I’ve been finding a challenge with forgiveness especially as it relates to my personal and work life. It’s hard forgiving someone who doesn’t understand how they’ve hurt or offended you. It’s hard knowing that this person does not have the slightest care about what you may be experiencing and seem to treat you without understanding your value. It is also hard when the people you are called to forgive do not necessarily have a personal relationship with God and will not fully understand the measure of forgiveness. Forgiveness is hard especially if you think they don’t deserve it.

What I have come to do, instead of thinking of what they do or don’t deserve, is to think of my own actions. What have I been doing to add more fuel to the fire? How have I helped by adjusting my attitude? Am I worth forgiving also?

None of us are.

Which is why today we will choose to forgive because we were forgiven. Truly, we have NO IDEA the measure of Jesus Christ’s forgiveness to us, we don’t understand how our sinful nature hurts Him. We don’t have a clue the measure at which we dance with sin in the face of God and yet he loves us and has extended unmeritied favour – grace

That’s the word of the week – Grace. Let grace be your portion, receive His and extend it to others.

Forgive and release because God instructed you to,

Because it will rid you of all bitterness

And most importantly, because Christ forgave you.

Dear God,

Give us grace to forgive those who have offended us, may we be bold in our forgiveness, bold in our approach to others in kindness, humility and love which binds us together. May we let the word of Christ dwell in us richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in our hearts to the Lord. And whatsoever we do in word or deed, may we do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him. Release our unforgiving hearts, In Jesus name, amen.

Luke 7: 19 And John calling unto him two of his disciples sent them to Jesus, saying, Art thou he that should come? or look we for another?

There were many that questioned Jesus, if it was Him that was the promised Messiah or another.

Even though before their eyes he had performed various miracles through healing, deliverance, turning water into wine, providing bread and fish to the thousands of people sitting by and providing wisdom and insight only from Heaven. Jesus was still doubted as the promised one and ridiculed for his works and faith.

How many of us still question God when he has sent our promise through an answered prayer and/or through a miracle. How many of us question if this is Him or if we should look on for another sign?

Has he not confirmed to you who he is through His word and peace? Has he not told you what you should do ?

God shows His hand, confirms His word and gives you instruction but you have to be willing to open your spiritual eyes and see that it is Him, he is RIGHT THERE.

Do not continue questioning it when he has confirmed it, look before you at what God is saying and walk in faith.

May we walk in obedience and faith God, in Jesus name, amen.