“And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter; so he made it again into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to make.” Jeremiah 18:4   REFERENCE Jeremiah 18:1-6 The potter’s wheel usually spins around while the lump of clay is being worked on. That is so much rotation for the clay, enough to cause dizziness, but while that’s happening, the potter’s hands are wrapped around it, so that through the spinning, a beautiful shape is evolving. Like the pot on the Potter’s wheel, you may feel like you have...

That the sharing of your faith may become effective by the acknowledgment of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus. Philemon 1:6 REFERENCE Philemon 1:4-7 When you look at areas of your life you think you are disadvantaged in, discouragement sets in, and several times a sense of despondency comes and you get stagnated. But, in God and with God on your side, you are never at a disadvantage. Yes, you are not…you have God on your side. This is not the time to sit and moan over what you lack or lost, it is a time to count your...

And Boaz said to the elders and all the people, “You are witnesses this day that I have bought all that was Elimelech’s, and all that was Chilion’s and Mahlon’s, from the hand of Naomi. Ruth 4:9   REFERENCE Ruth 4:1-11   In life, when it gets dark is when some people find the opportunity to shine. While some may be swept away by the waters of an economic wave, those with foresight will be lifted by it. Boaz was one such person that was lifted by an economic wave while others drowned in it. The book of Ruth reveals Boaz’s character and some practical...

…Boaz commanded his young men, saying, “Let her glean even among the sheaves, and do not reproach her.  Also let grain from the bundles fall purposely for her; leave it that she may glean, and do not rebuke her.” Ruth 2:15-16 REFERENCE Ruth 2:1-16   The greatest temptation in times of famine/economic downturn is to become tight-fisted and to hold back from giving to God and to others. The need for self-preservation becomes very strong, and the fear of not having enough if you share what you have tends to take center-stage in your heart. Considering what transpired in this story...

Now behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem, and said to the reapers, “The Lord be with you!” And they answered him, “The Lord bless you!”  Ruth 2:4 REFERENCE Ruth 2:1-4 Stephen covey, an American author, told a fable about a struggling farmer who had a goose that laid golden eggs. This farmer soon became rich by selling the goose’s golden eggs. He was too fascinated with the eggs that he seldom feed the goose. One day, in his eager quest for more golden eggs, he decided to ‘cut open’ the goose. To his surprise, there were no eggs inside the goose;...

There was a relative of Naomi’s husband, a man of great wealth, of the family of Elimelech. His name was Boaz. Ruth 2:1 REFERENCE Ruth 1:19-22 & 2:1-9 The book of Ruth begins with a famine in Bethlehem that pushed Elimelech and his entire family to leave the city for Moab in search of greener pastures. However, our text reveals that Boaz, who stayed back in Bethlehem, was a man of great wealth – he had prospered through the famine. On the other hand, Elimelech’s widow, Naomi, and widowed daughter-in-law, Ruth, returned to Bethlehem empty-handed   How did Boaz and his business survive the...

So it was, whenever Israel had sown, Midianites would come up; also Amalekites and the people of the East would come up against them. Judges 6:3   REFERENCE Judges 6:1-6   It is frustrating to labor and not see the reward of your labor. This was Israel’s unfortunate reality in today’s text. They planted and watered their seed, but that was where it all ended; getting to reap their harvest was impossible because their enemies would destroy what they had planted before it got to harvest season. This pattern continued until the Israelites became impoverished. Our text clearly states that ‘whenever Israel...

Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age: and he made him a coat of many colours.  Genesis 37:3 (KJV) REFERENCE Genesis 37:1-11, 23-28 (KJV) Joseph had a coat of many colors given to him by his father; a symbol of his love for him as well as to show him his significance and uniqueness in life. Unlike an earthly father, God doesn’t have favorites amongst his children; He loves us equally and has given each of us a unique coat of colors which differentiates us from others. Your coat of...

The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ,… - Romans 8:16-17 REFERENCE Romans 8:14-17 An heir is a Legal inheritor who holds the right to receive property, position, or title of somebody else when that person dies. As believers, this passage reveals our status as joint or co-heirs with Christ Jesus; this connotes that we can partake freely of our Father’s goods. The significance of this is that firstly, we have equal position with Christ: – The new birth puts us in the...