IS THERE NOT A CAUSE?

IS THERE NOT A CAUSE? 

Text: 1 Kings 17. 4, 8-11, 16-18, 23-29, 45-50. Daniel 11.32

Every problem of man has a definite purpose. God allow challenges and problems in the life of His saints to reveal the courage and capabilities in them as champions or to reveal to them their purpose in life. Problems are inevitable in life but through these trying times, God makes His own to triumph. Indeed, it was a troublous time for Israel in the days of Saul when the Philistines and their champion Goliath threaten Israel and cause them by his god, defying the God of Israel. David quickly realized the ultimate purpose for his coming to battlefront at this time of the war against the slight of his brother and he declared! Is there not a cause? Meaning: Is there not a reason for my life? Is there not a purpose for me to be here at this time? Is there not a purpose for which God used my father to send me to the camp at this time when this uncircumcised philistine is defying our God? David was stirred up by the inner trust and confidence in His God whom he knew intimately, and who had delivered him before this time. His knowledge of the Almighty made him waxed strong in the face of the opposition of his own brother and most importantly at the challenge of the Philistine. He eventually did exploit because our God, who can never fail, rose up to help him (and Israel) in this trouble. This same God is still alive today and He is the very present help in trouble. All we need to do is to identify the prevailing problems confronting us as believers and bring the same side by side with God’s ability and potency, then the challenges shall melt away miraculously. David still had to use the sling and stone (which was obviously inspired of God) against this Philistine, this same God will inspire you and direct you as to what exactly you will do to conquer the Goliath in your life in Jesus name.

Realizing the Purpose of Problems among Saints.  1 Samuel 17. 1, 4, 8-11, Proverbs 26.2, Jeremiah 29.11, Jonah 1. 1-16, 1 Peter 1. 6-7, Mark 4, 37-41, John 11. 1-4, 40; John 9.3  

God never allow any challenge or problems to His children without a reason. Unfortunately, because of the limitation of our understanding, the believer looks disappointed. However, understanding God’s purpose in every situation, particularly of trials and troubles, gives us assurance of His presence and confidence in His power to deliver us from all troubles. In life, there are two discoveries that are very necessary for a Christian namely personal purpose in life and purpose of things (situations and challenges) he is passing through. In most cases, the believer’s purpose in life determines the problems and challenges he faces. A clear understanding of these factors makes the believer to know how to act or react appropriately in the face of troubles and trials. The question is, Why am I here? Why am I a Christian? Why am I passing through these situations? Is there not a cause? Is there not a reason? What is God’s purpose for allowing this to happen to me? Some of these challenges sometimes come because of these reasons: (i) To reveal personal errors and bring the believer to repentance and back to the realization of God’s purpose. This happened to Jonah and the prodigal son  (Jonah 1. 1-16), (ii)  To prepare us and equip us for His service (1 Peter 1. 6-7), (iii)To prove God’s omnipotent power in us and through our situation (Mark 4, 37-41), (iv)That God’s name may be glorified in the situation. (John 11. 1-4, 40; John 9.3)

REASONABLE  PEOPLE WITH PURPOSE  IN SCRIPTURES.  1 Samuel 17. 29, Jeremiah 29.11, Acts 7. 20-29, Acts 7. 20-29, 1 Samuel 17:29, Esther 4. 13-16, Acts 5.29, Phil. 3.8, Matt. 28.19-20, Acts 20.24.

God doesn’t do anything without a purpose. He created man in His image for a definite purpose of His worship and praises. He sent Joseph to Egypt as a slave to form and to preserve a nation through Jacob. He called Abraham out of Luz to fulfill and preserve His redemption of mankind through Jesus Christ. Moreover, He made the disciples to be scattered by persecution so the gospel can go to the uttermost part of the world. Is there not a cause? Yes, God always has His reasons for everything. He is the Omniscient God. However, He also has specific plans and purposes for specific individuals like you and me. We also need to discover God’s purpose for our lives so we can give attention to this unique assignment earmarked for us. Some biblical characters are good examples for us today. (i) Moses was miraculously preserved in Egypt and made to be trained by Pharoah in all the understanding and knowledge of the Egyptian laws, science, and management, but later had to be sent by Providence to the back of the desert as a fugitive. Was it not for him to learn patience and prepare him for human leadership? (Acts 7. 20-29), Joseph discovered his purpose in Egypt  and this made him deal kindly with his brethren though they taught they had done wickedness to him (Genesis 45. 5-7), David, had initially been anointed secretly by Samuel, he had fought secretly against the bear and the lion and killed them, then in our text today suddenly realized his purpose of coming to the battlefield at this time, even though unplanned and criticized by his brothers he declared “What have I done now? Is there not a cause?” (1 Samuel 17:29). Esther needed Mordecai to charge and challenged her of the present terrible situation of the Jews in Shushan before she discovered her purpose in the palace (Esther 4. 13-16). In the New Testament, the disciples (Peter and John) faced fierce persecution before the Jewish leaders and commanded them not to speak of Christ anymore. But they had been with Him for years, seeing His miracles and attending to His convincing doctrines, and he had commissioned them to go and preach the gospel. They quickly discovered their purpose and said “we ought to obey God rather than men”. Paul the Apostle said Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ. He gave all in his power to preach the gospel. (Phil. 3.8) In Scotland, John Knox seeing the decadence of the society and knowing what God had done through him, He knelt and prayed, “Give me Scotland or else I die”. People with discovered purpose are men of vision, they are people who can meditate on their path in life and know how God deals with them. They know their God intimately and they get directives from Him regularly. To discover your purpose, you must be born again. You must key into God’s plan for His children to live a holy life always. You must also submit yourself into the corporate purpose for which Christ died for the world preaching the gospel to every creature. This is the reason for which we are left here on earth, to proclaim His name everywhere.

Reviving Personal Purpose through Prayer and Supplication. Jeremiah 29. 11-14, Gen. 32.24-30, Ps. 139.23-24, 2 Kings 6.17, 2 Kings 6.6, Acts 4. 24-31, 2 Corinthian 10.5.

Every believer must discover his or her purpose in life, and renew this day by day through prayer. Such are fervent prayers that are focused on specific intention, that God should open the heavens and pour out revelations of His greatness upon oneself. Jacob was meant to be a great nation and to inherit the Abrahamic covenant, but he needed to seek God’s face in prayer for this to be fulfilled (Gen. 32. 24-30), such must be a prayer of self-examination (Psalm 139. 23 -24), It must be a prayer of repentance and restoration, It must be a prayer of God’s revelation of all hidden secrets and discovering of lost potentials and possibilities (2 Kings 6.17, 2 Kings 6.6), It must be a prayer of revival of Pentecost where the Holy Ghost fire will come back again upon His people (Acts 4. 24-31), It must be a prayer of breaking down all barriers to fulfilling God’s purpose for our lives, It must also be  a prayer of pulling down all strongholds contending against us in our families and our homes (2 Corinthian 10.5)

GROWING IN PERSONAL PRAYER

Growing in Personal Prayer

TEXT:   Mark 1. 35, Psalm 1. 1-3, Psalm 55. 16-17,

Man, as a spiritual being, needs an intimate relationship with his creator. Even God established this in the Garden of Eden through His fellowship with man before the fall. In the same way, every born again child of God required this close fellowship with his redeemer daily for nourishment, guidance and mutual relationship. Much more than this, he needs to grow in this exercise so as to increase in God’s grace and in His knowledge. Christ in our text gave us a good example through His lifestyle of personal devotion and prayer life to the father. Personal prayer is a means of seeking the Lord regularly for adoration, fellowship, and relationship, self-examination, guidance, request, and reassurance in times of challenges. We also cannot afford to do anything less than this as this is the only way to show we are cleaving to the Lord and abiding in Him. Jesus practiced it and preached it (Matt. 6.6). It is a period of personal closet relationship with God. A time we are personally left alone with God (Gen. 32.24) for reshaping and remolding us. The purpose of this message, therefore, is to teach ourselves on how to develop a vibrant and dynamic yet growing attitude of personal prayer and intimacy with the Almighty which will make us grow into maturity in our Christian experiences.

Basic preparations and planning for Growth in Personal Prayer. Amos 3.3, Rom. 10.9-10, Gen 3.9, 1 Peter 2.2, Mark 1.35, Luke 5.16, Mk. 14.23, 1 Cor. 14.10-11, Acts 17.11,

To enter into a relationship with God, there are some basic principles that must be understood clearly which requires adequate preparations. There is a need for both physical and spiritual preparations to enjoy an enriched personal prayer with God. Personal prayer to God is a process and not a spontaneous phenomenon. It must be cultivated bearing in mind the following principles and planning guides. (i) The Person: It is important that you must be born again before you can have devotion with God. (Amos 3.3). The broken relationship at Eden must have been restored through the blood of Jesus at salvation (Rom. 10.9-10). (ii) The Priority: You must know that the purpose of personal prayer is for your own good, and you must make it a priority to grow in it. God is Supreme and He demands your devotion and fellowship (Gen 3.9). It is therefore highly essential for you to maintain a closer walk with God through learning from Him and speaking to Him, and grow thereby. So, give it the topmost priority every day and discipline yourself not to miss your devotion any day. (iii) The Pattern: This refers to what you do during personal devotion. You must create time to praise God as your father, Read His words (the Bible), and meditate (Josh 1.8) on it to apply its message to your life, make promises to receive the corrections and obey the commandments thereby (1 Peter 2.2). (iv) The Planning: You need to plan your personal prayer time very well to suit your lifestyle so that you won’t be in a hurry before your God. Planning requires that all necessary arrangements be made to have a good time when you are not under any pressure to meet any other target either of work, business or family (Mark 1.35). You may choose early in the morning like Christ or late at night. (v) The Place: As part of the plan is the place of your personal devotion. Your place of personal altar must be conducive enough free from all distractions (Luke 5.16, Mk. 14.23). (vi) Proper materials: Growth depends on feeding. Your spiritual growth and intimacy with God in prayer will be determined by your spiritual diet. Depending on your level of literacy, and your interest, you need a good study Bible with concordance, Devotional outlines e.g daily manner etc and maps. (1 Cor. 14.10-11, Acts 17.11). The Duration and frequency: The duration of your prayer must be determined by you but must be made constantly stable initially, then gradually increasing. You must be ready to spend quality time not less than 30 minutes daily before Him.  (vii) The Prayer: Sincere prayer of humility is required from every believer who comes to God. Your prayer must be deep and full, expressing your gratitude, your trust in God and your deficiencies. Also, make your fears known to Him. And hand over your battles to Him. Make your prayer flow from your heart, towards adoration, and intercession and then, personal challenges (Phil. 4.6, Ps. 5.3). The necessity of Faith Faith in God's ability to answer and respond to our prayers is very important. Believing God is to trust His ability to do whatsoever you ask of Him. (Heb. 11.6)

Barriers that prevent growth in personal prayer life: 2 Cor. 13.5, Ps. 66.18, James 4.8, Eph. 5. 3-8, 1 Thess 5.22.

We need a thorough examination as we come to the presence of the Lord. Sin is a great barrier and would separate anyone from his maker. Although God desires our fellowship and relationship and He is ready to walk with us, yet He abhors sin. Therefore un-confessed sin is a principal factor that may hinder our fellowship with God. Others include pride, animosity, lying, careless lifestyle of jesting and playfulness, evil communication etc. We must remove these far away from us if we must have our prayers answered as we walk with God. Another obstacle is obscene and immoral pictures in our house that may make the mind to wander away from Christ to fl.eshly lusts. We must also avoid absent-mindedness, indiscriminate sleeping, and dosing during prayers. Prepare your mind for it and don’t overwork yourself before you approach your personal altar. Avoid unbelieve and doubt in God's power and ability so you can always approach the throne of grace with faith and confidence.

Blessings and profits of purposeful prayer lifestyle. Ps 91. 1-16, Ps 16.11, Ps. 23. 1-6, 1 John 5.14, Job. 1.5, 10, 2 Chro. 20. 6, 20-24, Dan. 6. 3, 5-7, 10, 19-23, Isa. 40.31, Ps. 84.1, Gen. 32.24

There are tremendous benefits in the Christian’s life if we can discipline ourselves to maintain a daily walk with God. The joy of heaven fills our heart that we are with the Almighty God. Not only that He creates us now, but that we have Him in person and this brings confidence always that God is for me. He guides and lead us as our shepherd daily (Ps. 23. 1-6). He makes a hedge around us protecting us from danger. He prospers us abundantly. He fights our battles for us as He did for Jehoshaphat and Judah (2 Chro. 20. 6, 20-24), He also promoted Daniel, a devoted believer from all the conspiracy of the enemy. (Dan. 6. 3, 5-7, 10, 19-23). Indeed, great benefits await us as we walk with the Lord. He prospers us and promotes us like He did for Daniel; He protects us like He did to David, and preserves us from evil as He did to Abraham, and He will eventually take us home to reign with Him like Enoch (Gen. 5. 22-24). We can also make up our mind to begin today to walk with God. And if you had started before, you can renew your personal altar today and reap abundant benefits and blessings, and eventually, when Christ shall come, we shall all reign together with Him.