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ANNA

MEANING: Grace. SORROW: As a widow, she would probably have been among the most vulnerable members of society, with no one to provide for her financially or to take care of her if her health failed. JOY: That her own eyes beheld the Messiah she had longed to see. STORY IN BRIEF: Anna, a Prophetess from the tribe of Asher, became a widow after seven years of marriage. She spent whole of her widowhood fasting and praying to God. Anna worshipped in Herod's temple. This temple had tour segments - the outer court for Gentiles or non-Jews; the inner court divided into Women's and Israelites'; the Priestly court for the Leviticus Priests which also surrounded the temple. Anna could only access the Women's court yet God was merciful to her - She witnessed the Messiah; while Anna worshipped in the temple one day, Someon came holding the baby Jesus in his laps. REFERENCE SCRIPTURES: Luke 2 : 22 - 38
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LISTEN CAREFULLY !

    " Be careful therefore how you listen..."  Luke 8:18. Words do not only have the efficacy to colour our thoughts; with their forceful potency, they simulate and propel our Spirits into a certain direction. Whereas some words deepen our fears, others expand our faith depending on their source. God-originated Words do not only invigorate us with His POWER; they also never disappoint when we live them out. So we are charged from our opening verse to listen to God alone. And when we do, we must also understand Him so we can aptly effect His Words. Here's the reason for the failure of some prophecies -  The Prophet of God might be mistaking another voice for God's voice or he misinterpretes what he actually heard God say leading to an erroneous application. It's the reason why James says, " be quick to listen but slow to speak". James 1:19. Ezekiel, the Prophet of God, full of this wisdom, would never prophesy until God first commanded him. And when he di...
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EZEKIEL

  MEANING OF NAME: God is strong or The Man God strengthens STORY IN BRIEF: Ezekiel, son of Buzzi, like Jeremiah, started first as a priest, but later had the calling of a Prophet at age thirty. He served in the Temple of Jerusalem that was later destroyed by the Babylonians. In the midst of events, God warned that the desire of his eye would die. And after his wife died, he was disallowed from publicly wailing - a sign of how Israel would suffer in the hands of their captivators without lamenting.  While in exile ( in Babylon by the River Chebar), the Prophet, also an artist, made a model of Jerusalem city, laid prostate and always prophesied over it. He either used symbols or demonstrations to deliver his messages. Ezekiel acted strangely because of the strange nature of his visions; he would either cut his hair and burn it, or he totally went dumb for a period of time. He had two major metaphorical visions where God - Israel's husband, was betayed by his wife after He had g...
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JOSHUA

  MEANING :  Jehovah is salvation or God's Help. ALTERNATIVES : Jehoshua, Jehoshuah, Jeshua, Jesus SPECIAL ATTRIBUTES: Joshua was a 1. slave - Joshua 24:15; 2. soldier - Joshua 5:13-15; 3. servant - Numbers  11:28; Josh. 1:1; 4. spy - Numbers 13:1-16; 5. saviour; 6.  stateman, and 7. Saint for the following reasons: He was filled with the Spirit of God (Deut. 34:9). He enjoyed the presence of God (Josh. 1:5; 6:27). He was indwelt by the word of God (Josh. 1:8). He was ever obedient to the will of God (Num. 32:12; Josh. 5:14). STORY IN BRIEF: His first name was "OSHEA" or "HOSHEA" meaning " HELP" . Joshua was the son of Nun, of the tribe of Ephraim. Born during the weary years of bondage his nation suffered in Egypt under Pharaoh, Joshua knew something of the lash of the whip, the almost impossible task in the brick-fields, and the deep sigh of liberty. Joshua had also witnessed the moral and social degradation of his countrymen brought about by the ter...
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THE GREATEST WEAPON ( Part 2))


And Samuel said, Hath 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 hearken than the fat of rams.

1 Samuel 15:22 KJV .

Our preliminary article has established that of all the weapons, including prayer, praise/worship, knowledge and faith, obedience is the greatest. Faith is proved by obedience. As the popular adage is, ” practice makes perfect.”, so knowledge itself is also not complete without obedience. Prayer, praise and worship are all forms of sacrifices, yet God says obedience is better than them all. Today’s piece reveals why Obedience is God’s number one !

As quiet as obedience is, it remains the loudest tone of faith amongst prayer, praise and worship. The three Hebrew boys had not even the slightest hint of deliverance from God if they disobeyed the king’s orders.But their faith-oriented obedience was voiceferous in the ears of God ! How about Daniel, Job and Joseph? They equally had no tangible sign of God’s presence yet their continued obedience saved them ! Beloved, faith is expressive but obedience is not because it is powerful in itself; what fast or prayers could not offer, obedience would. However, the extent to which we obey God determines the amount of POWER we wield !

Now, obedience is not only powerful but also fiery – it is a good servant but a bad master. Same Power that enthroned Saul dethroned him when he disobeyed ! If Ananias and his wife obeyed they would enjoy. But for disobedience, they were killed by God’s Power contained in Peter. Prophet Isaiah says, ” If ye be willing and obedient,you shall eat the good of the land. But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.” Isaiah 1:19-20(KJV). Apparently, obedience serves right but when we do not obey, it ( our disobedience) becomes a troubling master !

By strength no man prevails – 1 Samuel 2:9; God does not expect us to excel in obedience by our physical strength. He rather suggests that we constantly ponder over His Words. Then, His Spirit whom He has already deposited in us would help us live them out. And to keep obeying, there is the need for a prayerful, praiseful life as well; prayer and praise are preservatives of obedience. They require purity, and as such serve as checks to obedience. Remember Daniel? His prayerfulness helped him obey God to the end ! Likewise Jesus ! – Joshua 1:8, 1 Timothy 4:15, Ezekiel 36:27 & Matthew 26:41.

Moses would overcome his fear of being attacked for murdering, obeying God’s instructions to go back and lead His people out of Egypt. Naman, a proud military officer, decided to rather humbly obey so he could be healed of leprosy. Isaac shunned his starving belly to obey God when he was asked never to step in Egypt during the farmine. Beloved, like these elders, let us chose obedience over the quests of the flesh. what great honour await us who follow these elders ! Glory to God ! ( 1 Samuel 2:30 ).

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