“You dear children are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world” – (1 John 4:4).
When Moses, the prophet, stepped up and faced Ramses, the pharaoh, and calmly asked, “Let my people go” it was not like old times (Exodus 5:1). Prior he had run off when it became known he had killed an Egyptian to save the life of a Jew (Exodus 2: 11-25). He had not lingered to see if his God could fight back for him. Moses was terrified of the dark power of the enemy.
Far off in exile he must have reflected on the power of the God he believed in against that of his enemies. Who was more powerful? Finally God would reveal himself to him one day in a bush fire and tell him to go back and free the Jews under captivity (Exodus 3).
It was a different Moses who faced Ramses this time. He wasn’t afraid as before. He knew his God was greater than all other gods of Pharaohs as he clearly revealed through numerous miracles.
As believers in Jesus we are faced with all kinds of enemies who dare the God we believe in. These range from enemies who want to snatch our livelihood to even physical attacks on our health. Let us be like Moses who after an encounter with God himself knew the power he had. It is the same power we all have here. That no matter the size or nature of the enemy our God is far greater than all the forces out there. For “The Lord will grant that the enemies who rise up against you will be defeated before you. They will come at you from one direction but flee from you in seven” (Deuteronomy 28:7).
Prayer for today: Lord Father in heaven, today I pray in the mighty name of Jesus that whatever force that rises up against me, I know your power is greater than all the forces out there, and I am an overcomer, this I pray in Jesus’ name.
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09/05/2024 - 10/05/2024 All day“The LORD will send rain at the proper time from his rich treasury in the heavens and will bless all the work you do. You will lend to many nations, but you will never need to borrow from them” (Deuteronomy 28:2 NIV)
For some reason very often some Christians are found despising the importance of being enterprising. To some being enterprising
can be equated to the love of money and it’s pitfalls (1 Tim 6:10). There are some Christian communities where running enterprises is frowned upon as being overtly worldly. On the contrary, far from it, being enterprising is clearly an avenue God has given believers to raise resources for their well being and promotion of the rich Gospel.The Bible is full of enterprising characters who were used mightily of God. Abraham was apparently a good rancher that he “became very wealthy in livestock and in silver and gold” (Gen 13:2). Job was hated by Satan who sought to destroy him because “He owned 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 teams of oxen, and 500 female donkeys. He also had many servants. He was, in fact, the richest person in that entire area” (Job 1:3). The Lord Jesus Christ was born and raised in the house of Joseph, the carpenter (Mathew 13:55). Carpenters do not create works of beauty to donate for free. To prosper they must run sustainable enterprises which pay taxes and make profit.
The Apostle Paul would often rely on enterprising people to support him in his ministry. One of his worthy converts “was a woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth. She was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message, she invited us to her home. “If you consider me a believer in the Lord,” she said, “come and stay at my house” (Acts 16:14).
Though Paul was a ranked Jewish legal scholar once he went to the mission field, other than cling to his titles by burdening his hosts he often dabbled in tent making to support himself. In Corinth he teamed up with an amazing couple, Priscilla and Aquila, and “because he was a tentmaker as they were, he stayed and worked with them” (Acts 18:3). This couple run a successful tent making business that enabled them support mission work.
And then of course, there is the noble woman of character, as told in Proverbs 31, who “selects wool and flax and works with eager hands. She is like the merchant ships, bringing her food from afar. She considers a field and buys it; out of her earnings.. She sees that her trading is profitable...She makes linen garments and sells them, and supplies the merchants with sashes (vv 13-25). What better illustration is there to emulate being enterprising.
When the body of believers is filled with enterprising people it generates resources important for church upkeep. Further, the work of God is then supported without being dependent on sources that might compromise the mission, as sometimes we see!
Prayer for today: Lord father God of creation, as we see in scripture you have given us the gift of enterprise, and so, I pray to use this gift such that you bless me as you did to our father Abraham and all other great saints before for the glory and expansion of your kingdom, this I pray in Jesus’s name!
