At the Appointed Time

Text: Gen 29:21-26, Exo 12:31-32, Ecc 3:1-8

The appointed time is the time chosen or ordained by God to make something(s) happen.

The Bible says in Ecc 3:1, "To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven". God has timing for everything, there is time to cast away and time to gather, time to mourn and time to dance, time to plant and time to harvest, time to marry and time to reproduce, time for winter and time for summer. As flesh, you want to achieve your desired goals as quickly as possible, always in a hurry. You want answers to your prayers as quickly as possible. But our God is a God of order and He has his own timing. Hence Ecc 3:1 reminds you that there is a time to every purpose.

One of the fruits of the Holy Spirit which a christian must exhibit is longsuffering or perseverance. That is learning to wait patiently on God, wait for the appointed time for things to happen.

What are you waiting on the Lord for? Do you think He is not listening or hearing your request? That thing will surely come in Jesus name. Is it promotion? Fruit of the womb? Life partner? Admission to tertiary institution? Job? Healing? VISA to other country? Breakthrough? Freedom from bondage? Building a property? Surely, it will come. God is saying persevere a little bit - wait patiently on Him.

In Gen 29:21-26, Jacob had to serve Laban for another seven years to be able to have Rachel as wife. Because Rachel was his heart desire, he served another seven years to have her. Have you waited for so long? Jacob did so for seven years. For how long have you been waiting? Surely, you will get it at the appointed time.

In Exo 12:31-32,  "Pharaoh called Moses and Aaron by night, and said rise up, and go forth from among my people both you and the children of Israel, and go serve the Lord as you have said. Also take your flocks and your herds, as you have said, and be gone and bless me also".

At the appointed time, God allowed Pharaoh's strength to fade away and the Israelites who had been in bondage for about four hundred years got freedom. Are you in bondage? Are you oppressed? The Lord that delivered the Israelites from king Pharaoh will surely deliver you in Jesus name. Just be patient and wait on Him. The same Pharaoh who put them under bondage asked them to bless him after he had released them meaning it was the appointed time for the Israelites to get freedom. Do not be frustrated by any event. You shall be set free in Jesus name.

In Matt 3:16-18, the Bible tells us that the heaven that was closed for several years opened on the day Jesus got baptised by John the Baptist. Perhaps God was waiting for His son to be baptised before he could open the heavens and send His word. In Matt 3:17, "And lo a voice from heaven saying, This is my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased". For you to get that thing that you desire, God may just be waiting for an event to preceed it. Why don't you persevere, wait a little longer. It shall surely come, you will surely have it. Note that you can not help God to do what he alone can do. He does not want anybody to share His glory with Him.

Sarai in Gen 16:1 thought she could help God by getting Abram a child, she advised Abram to go into Hagar, her handmaid and Abram went into Hagar and the product was Ishmael. The outcome of this was not pleasant for Sarai and even the prophecy concerning the product in Gen 16:12 was that Ishmael would be a wild man and his hand will be against every man.

Whatever you are expecting God to do for you, persevere and at His own appointed time He will do it. Do you know that when a fruit matures naturally on a tree, it drops effortlessly. Every perfect gift comes from God and He does not add sorrow to it.

Highlights

• There is time for everything
  
• God has its own timing
  
• Wait patiently on the Lord for whatever you need or want
  
• You can not help God to do what he alone can do
  
• He does not add sorrow to whatever He gives you
  

Prayer

Lord, give me the grace to be able to wait on you. All that I need your hand hath provided, grant me the spirit of longsuffering and perseverance to be able to wait and receive my needs in Jesus name I pray. AMEN

Overcoming Challenges

Text: Isa 43:2, Luke 1:37, 2 Cor 12:9, Phil 4:13

To overcome is to render incapable or powerless by laughter, sorrow or exhaustion. It is to be victorious in a conflict; to surmount obstacles; to be victorious. Challenges provoke the exercise or test of one's strength, skills, abilities or faith. Overcoming challenges is to be victorious over those things testing one's strength, skills, abilities or faith.

There are different kinds of challenges and they may be physical, intellectual, spiritual, mental, social or financial. People go through different forms. Examples of challenges include:

• Having to cope with life threatening illnesses
• Loss of a loved one
• Lack or loss of employment
• Waiting on the Lord for something like the fruit of the womb
• Coping with old age
• Life after retirement
• Choosing a life partner
• Marital issues
• Choosing right in conflicting matters and everyday challenge
• Living a life of holiness in a perverse and corrupt society as ours

All these are great challenges that must be overcome. Definitely, there will be challenges. Challenges can make or mar you depending on the way and how you handle them. Challenges can even change your destiny. God knew that challenges are bound to come in our lives hence in Isa 43: 2, the Bible says "when you pass through the waters, I will be with you. When you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned, the flames will not set you ablaze".

God is assuring you of his presence, He says you should not fear, you are His, you belong to Him. Whatever challenges you have, God is greater than them. He is in control. He has solutions to all problems and keys to all doors. In Luke 1:37, the Bible says "for nothing is impossible with
God".

To overcome every challenge, you need divine guidance, applying the word and believing God for His promises. What are your challenges? They should not diminish your faith. Do not focus on them but focus on God.

David in 1 Samuel17:45 did not focus on Goliath the Philistine who come to attack him. In spite of David's small stature compared with the hugeness of Goliath. David said, "You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel". David overcame because he focused on God and God backed him up.

Is there any Goliath in your life? You will overcome it in Jesus name. Apostle Paul has a thorn in his flesh but he kept on forging ahead with his gospel assignment. Despite the ill health and pressures from people and unbelievers around, God assured him in 2 Cor 12:9, "But He said to me, My grace is sufficient for you and my power is made perfect in weakness". He is saying that when your challenges seem overwhelming, that your little strength when connected to Jesus is more than sufficient for you in all things.

In John 6:11-13, there was a challenge of having to feed a multitude who had been congregating with Jesus for days. The Lord fed five thousand people with only two fishes and five loaves of bread and after, twelve baskets were left over. In Matt 9:20-22, the Lord healed the woman with the issue of blood after suffering for twelve years. You too can be healed and restored. In Mark 10:46-52, Blind Bartimaeus got his sight when he had an encounter with Jesus.

Gen 21:1-2, the Lord blessed Sarah with the fruit of the womb at age ninety and this same God is still alive. Is there anything that has remained an unremitting challenge to you? God is able.
In 1 Ch 4:10, God changed the story of Jabez from sorrow to joy.
In John 11:43, the Lord raised up Lazarus who seemingly had been overcome as he was already dead. Do you think you have been overcome by any challenge? Forget it. You can still overcome and be on top of it!

In Est 2:17, the Lord changed the status of Esther from a slave girl to a queen. In Gen 41:46, the Lord blessed Joseph in a foreign land and he rose from the position of a slave boy to become a governor.

God can move you to any height. What position are you eyeing? You can be elevated.
2 Chr 20:15-25, God gave Jehoshaphat victory over the three nations that rose against him. God can subdue your enemy.
In Exo 14:21-23, the Lord dried the red sea for the Israelites to pass for safety against their enemies. God can deliver you from oppressors.
In Gen 17:5-8, the Lord blessed Abraham more than he could imagine. He provided ransom for Abraham to replace Isaac whom he wanted to slaughter in Gen 22:13. God can do this for you as well.
In Gen 7:1-24, the Lord saved Noah and his family members with some animals during the flood that he used to destroy the earth. In all calamities, he can safe you.
In Ruth 4:9-16, the Lord provided succour for Ruth and Naomi miraculously through Boaz.
In any way, God can provide for you and meet your need. What are your challenges? God is greater than them. You must familiarize yourself with the word of God.

Eph 3:20 says "Now to him who is able to do something more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, and Phil 4:13 says "I can do everything through him who gives me strength". God gives you strength to do whatever you need to do and He will continue to strengthen you and make you be victorious and to overcome.

Another great challenge to overcome is to choose whom you will serve. Deut 30:19 says, "This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before your life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live". The Lord is your life. Choose God and not Satan. If you want to live, choose God. I want you to know you cannot live in isolation, people will entice you into sin. But anytime you are being enticed, remember the word of God. Prov 1:10 says, "My son if sinners entice thee, do not give in to them". In Gen 39:7-12, Joseph overcame enticement from Potiphar's wife. You can overcome even greater enticements. I am reminding you to note that these challenges may come in diverse ways, they are temporary, remember the word of God and rest on his promises. Focus on Him and not on the challenges. With Him all things are possible, all mountains are surmountable, he can do more than you ever imagine. He is very faithful and He is always playing His role.To overcome challenges play your own role too. It may well be that the role to play is:

• To live a life of holiness
• To choose Him and not Satan
• To seek Him diligently without wavering and
• To persevere
• To put Him first in decision making
• To believe His word and live it

Romans 8:37 says, "No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us". You will overcome in Jesus name.

Prayer
Lord, I know and I believe that with you all things are possible. Grant me the strength, the grace and all the support to be able to focus on you and not on the challenges, so that I can overcome whatever challenges I have in Jesus name I pray. (AMEN).