“…he did what was right in the sight of the LORD, but not with a loyal heart.” (2 Chronicles 25:2)
 
The Bible recorded about Amaziah, the King of Judah, “…he did what was right in the sight of the LORD, but not with a loyal heart.” (2 Chronicles 25:2)The story of Amaziah is evident to the fact that doing right without a loyal heart is not enough to be considered as a righteous walk. In the story of Amaziah, it is clear for us to learn and know what it is for man to do right before God without a loyal heart. The first right Amaziah did was his obedience to the Law of God. After Amaziah became king, “…he executed his servants who had murdered his father the king. However he did not execute their children, but did as it is written in the Law in the Book of Moses, where the LORD commanded, saying, “The fathers shall not be put to death for their children, nor shall the children be put to death for their fathers; but a person shall die for his own sin.” (2 Chronicles 25:3-4)
ACT OF AMAZIAH’S OBEDIENCE
There is nothing that marks a man as being righteous like one who yields and obeys the word of God. Amaziah did not allow his need to avenge his father’s death to cloud his obedience to the law of His God. He could have went further and execute the children of his father’s executors. Are you allowing a revengeful spirit to cloud your decision making and not the commands of God? You can do right by restraining yourself in painful situations when you allow God’s command to have its place in your life.
SECOND ACT OF AMAZIAH’ S OBEDIENCE
Amaziah was in the process of going to war against the Edomites with the help of the troops of Israel which he had paid with hundred talents. A man of God came in the name of God and stated, “…O king, do not let the army of Israel go with you, for the LORD is not with Israel—not with any of the children of Ephraim. But if you go, be gone! Be strong in battle! Even so, God shall make you fall before the enemy; for God has power to help and to overthrow.”Amaziah did not reject the word of God through the man of God but only responded saying, “…but what shall we do about the hundred talents which I have given to the troops of Israel?”(2 Chronicles 25:9) The man of God responded and Amaziah reacted in obedience, “The LORD is able to give you much more than this.” So Amaziah discharged the troops that had come to him from Ephraim, to go back home. Therefore their anger was greatly aroused against Judah, and they returned home in great anger.” (2 Chronicles 25:9-10)Amaziah’s doing right before God was rooted in his faithful obedience to the word of God through the man of God.
LACK OF LOYAL HEART
Despite his obedience he failed to demonstrate a loyal heart and that ruled him out of God’s favor. Amaziah loyalty to God was exposed when he went to the war that God fought on his behalf and came back to set up the enemy’s God for his people to worship. The Bible records Amaziah’s foolishness, “after Amaziah came from the slaughter of the Edomites, that he brought the gods of the people of Seir, set them up to be his gods, and bowed down before them and burned incense to them. Therefore the anger of the LORD was aroused against Amaziah, and He sent him a prophet who said to him, “Why have you sought the gods of the people, which could not rescue their own people from your hand?” (2 Chronicles 25:14-15) Amaziah’s behavior and action can be compared to one that is blessed by God and later turned to the blessing as his god.
WORSHIPING THE BLESSEING INSTEAD OF THE BLESSER?
Does Amaziah’s case sound like you? Are you one that moved God to bless you because of your doing right? Having been blessed by God have you consciously or unconsciously turned your heart to what the Lord God has blessed you with instead of keeping your heart loyal to God? Today, many have forgotten that where they are or what they have is not the evidence of hard work. However, working hard to maintain the blessing has now taken over from their work and service to God. It is a sorrow state when one shift focus or allows the blessings of God to become their focus. The God that helped Amaziah to defeat the Edomites is greater than the gods of the Edomites and He is enough for Amaziah to focus on. Also, the God that bless you will not withdraw His hand over is blessing if you will maintain your righteous act and loyalty to His name. Remember, “The blessing of the Lord makes one rich, and he add no sorrow with it.”(Proverbs 10:22) God is a jealous God. Know fully well that attention is the antidote for jealousy. In all your doing, do not trade God’s deserve attention over your life for what He has blessed you with. Do all that is right, act with a loyal heart your blessing shall not cease.
 
FAITH CAPSULE
Doing right before God is rooted in faithful obedience to the word of God.
It is a sorrow state when one shift focus or allows the blessings of God to become their focus.
Tunde

 “Every word of God is pure; He is shield to those who trust in Him.”(Proverbs30:5)

Waiting on God is seeking God and it is the evidence of placing our trust in God. To be able to wait on God there must be a great deal of placing trust in the word of God. The word of God is pure and it is the source of faith. Proverbs 30:5, “Every word of God is pure; He is shield to those who trust in Him.”  Studying the case of Elijah and Jeremiah brings to light the importance of waiting and trusting God.
ELIJAH COULD NOT WAIT?
After Elijah executed the prophets of Baal at Brook Kishon, Jezebel the wife of Ahab the king of Israel threatened to do the same to Elijah. When news got to Elijah, he did not take the time to seek God for answers, but instead he fled for his life. The Bible recorded, “But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a broom tree. And he prayed that he might die, and said, “It is enough! Now, LORD, take my life, for I am no better than my fathers!” (1 Kings 19:4) Elijah wished death for himself because he took off running before seeking direction from God. As a believer, when we are faced with challenges it is important for us to learn how to wait on God instead of making hasty decisions to remedy challenges. Waiting on Him will enable us to run where we need to run and walk where we need to walk. As Elijah progressed in his running from under a broom tree into the cave, God responded to him, “Go out, and stand on the mountain before the LORD…” (1 Kings 19:11) The command for Elijah to stand is waiting for God to show up. Are you experiencing a similar situation, where you have taken a jump before learning how to walk? While Elijah was standing on the mountain waiting for God, the bible records, “…and behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice.” (1Kings 19:11) Trusting God is not timing God. Trusting God is taking time to wait for the Lord. God cannot be rushed out of His salvation plan. God did not show up in the great and strong wind neither did He showed up in the earthquake or fire. God’s appearance or His time of His visitation cannot be controlled by man. His timing is not our timing. We have clocks that we can manipulate in our hand but He alone has time in His hand. How or when you are expecting Him does not matter to Him but it does matter for you to take a stand in waiting. For Elijah, God showed up in a still and small voice. His visitation for you might not be the still and small voice. Do not calculate Him but respond to His communication. God’s communications for you is to trust and wait on the Lord. God has never failed.
LEARN FROM JEREMIAH’S WAITING
Waiting on God should never be considered as wasting away but way of life. The Bible points out, “For since the beginning of the world Men have not heard nor perceived by the ear, Nor has the eye seen any God besides You, Who acts for the one who waits for Him.” (Isaiah 64:4) Can you imagine the goodness of His faithfulness? Indeed He will not fail to honor His word. In this world that He created, there is none that is above waiting on God. Regardless of any man’s title outside or inside of Church, when situation or challenge calls for waiting on God there should be no hesitation but to wait. Jeremiah, a giant in the hand of God, called and sent by God, did not accept life in the lowest pit when he found himself there. Lamentation 3:55, “I called on Your name, O LORD, from the lowest pit. You have heard my voice: “Do not hide Your ear from my sighing, from my cry for help.” You drew near on the day I called on You, and said, “Do not fear!””  The testimony of Jeremiah teaches believers and non-believers of the word of God that no man is above challenges or situation that calls for crying unto God for His divine intervention. Jeremiah, a prophet ordained and called by God, demonstrated the need to always wait on God. Waiting on God should never cease or slow down in the life of those that know Him. The devil is out to kill, steal and destroy and there is none that is outside of his radar. However, he does not have what it takes to raid on any ground that is under the cover of the blood of Jesus Christ. It is only, “Through the LORD’s mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning: Great is Your faithfulness.”(Lamentation 3:22) At the time of Jeremiah’s life in the lowest pit, there was no record of regret, complain, or questioning of God about why the Lord called him and have him in the pit. Jeremiah remained focus confessing his faith. Your situations today are not worse or better than that of Jeremiah. Learn to wait on God in the same manner Jeremiah did. Know in your heart that the same Lord that saw Jeremiah through will not abandon you. Above all your challenges and the source of your challenges there is God that answers when you wait on Him. He is a good God with good thought for each and every one of His children. Will you take time to wait on Him? It is written, “The LORD is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seek Him.”(Lamentation 3:25)

FAITH CAPSULE:
We have clocks that we can manipulate in our hand but He alone has time in His hand.
Waiting on God should never be considered as wasting away but way of life.
Tunde

        “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4)  

Psalm 9:2, “I will be glad and rejoice in You; I will sing praise to your name, O most High.” Psalm 16:11, “In Your presence is fullness of joy…” Proverbs 8:30, “…I was daily His delight, rejoicing always before Him.” All of the above quotations testifies to the truth, without joy no man is accessible to God. The Apostle Paul articulates this perfectly when he states, “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4) The Apostle Paul’s call for joy was expressed with clarity, emphasis and with a shout!
MEETING WITH GOD
Children of God must go before the Lord with joy, when they meet with God. By this virtue, coming before God is celebrating in joy. Let it be clear that the evil one never shy away from where there is joy. His agenda is to convert joy to sadness. However, our calling is to maintain our joy regardless of challenges. Remember Job? Job 1:6-7, “Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them And the LORD said to Satan, “From where do you come?” So Satan answered the LORD and said, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking back and forth on it.” (Job 1:6-7) Satan’s interruption was and is always with bad intention. He is empowered to go to and fro looking for one to devour. He was able to secure his wish against Job. He initiated pain for Job where the sons of God are gathering in His presence. It is written in Job 1:11-12, “But now, stretch out Your hand and touch all that he has, and he will surely curse You to Your face!” And the LORD said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your power; only do not lay a hand on his person.” So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD.”” Can you imaginehow in the place of celebration, joy is being tampered with? The wicked one, at his coming out of the place of joy and celebration delivered every form of affliction on Job. In between and through it all, Job did not complain nor did he condemn God. Job cried to God and he eventually received more blessings after his time of testing, than when he first started to enjoy the blessings of God.
REMEMBER TO MAINTAIN JOY
The children of Israel came out of the bondage of over four hundred years. They were able to witness the awesome power in the hand of God that brought them out. In the course of their journey, the hand of God did not withdraw upon their life as they witnessed the hand of God, through Moses, dividing the Red Sea while giving them passage on a dry land in between divided sea. They celebrated a great deal in the presence of God while Moses and Miriam the prophetess (sister of Moses) led them in songs of joy and praise. The echoes of celebration must have been hanging in the air and around them when they travelled three days. While they became thirsty, the water they came across was bitter. With thirst, their story changed, “And the people complained against Moses, saying, “What shall we drink?” So he cried out to the LORD, and the LORD showed him a tree. When he cast it into the waters, the waters were made sweet…” (Exodus 15:24-25) The children of Israel soon forgot what the Lord had done for them when he parted the red sea. The point here is if Job did not forget all the goodness of God, but remained in the thought and memory of God’s goodness; we too should not be quick to forget too soon as did the Children of Israel. Job cried unto God as did Moses, but neither of them complained. Job’s wife attempted to sway Job into sinning with his lips, “Then his wife said to him, “Do you still hold fast to your integrity? Curse God and die!” But he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips.” (Job 2:9-10) Always remember that in midst of every Godly celebration, Satan wants to gain attention. Fail to attend to Satan and he will flee. Do not forget too soon, cry unto Him and prayer will turn bitterness into sweetness.

FAITH CAPSULE:
Let it be clear that the evil one never shy away from where there is joy.
Always remember that in midst of every Godly celebration, Satan wants to gain attention.
Tunde

               The vehicle of transportation for His calling is continuity.
 
CONTINUITY
Whom He calls, He will always send. He has a clear and defined purpose in His calling and sending out. In every of His calling, regardless of the magnitude of the assignment, there should be in place a vehicle that will carry the called through. The vehicle of transportation for His calling is continuity. Answering God’s call will not be established in the life of the called if there is no continuity. Continuity is to be constant and consistent in focusing on God. The journey of life is like racing towards a mark, and the rule of the race is continuity. Having a purposeful mind is the officiator. When God called on Isaiah, he responded and there was no record of Isaiah falling short in continuing to answer the Lord. “Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here I am! Send me.”” (Isaiah 6:8) From the time of Isaiah’s calling to the end, there was no record of discontinuity recorded against Isaiah. Daniel, despite the challenges of being held captive at a young age, was never recorded against him any iota of complaining against his God. There was no excuse for him to discontinue in serving the Lord; rather, he continued serving the Lord with his heart, and serving God became an identifiable custom in the life of Daniel. In Daniel’s life, it is clear that as a captive, continuity was carrying him and a purposeful heart became an officiator in the life of Daniel. Have you in anyway received the calling of God or you have decided to call yourself? God is not a failure and He will never fail.
POWER IN SALVATION
When He places His call on any of His creation, He will back it up with power. He alone called the children of Israel out of the bondage of over four hundred years. The Lord chose Moses to lead them out of Egypt. God frustrated the plan of Pharaoh with plagues upon plagues before Pharaoh could let them go. When it was time for the children of Israel to be released and go forward to the land that has been promised to them, they left with boldness. “And the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued the children of Israel; and the children of Israel went out with boldness.” (Exodus 14:8) Despite the threat of Pharaoh the children of Israel entered into the calling of salvation and deliverance of over four hundred years with boldness. Indeed, the Old Testament is a shadow of the New Testament. Just as the children of Israel received salvation from bondage so we have received salvation from bondage of the devil and the world of wickedness. At the time of salvation we entered into His calling with boldness.
BOLDNESS AND CHARACTER
Every new believer always starts the race with boldness that is rooted in the word of His promise. However, in the course of the journey, different scenes start to unfold. The children of Israel left with boldness but it did not take long before it evaporated and fear became incorporated in the life of the children of Israel. The Bible recorded in Exodus 14:10, “And when Pharaoh drew near, the children of Israel lifted their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians marched after them. So they were very afraid, and the children of Israel cried out to the LORD.” Boldness turned into fear. When He places His calling, it has to be answered with boldness and character. The children of Israel believed, but they could not behave what they believed. The word that took them–the word that brought us–to the saving knowledge of God is with power and it generates boldness. However, when there is a failure to be living the word, there will be no character of the word in place in the life of the believer. Boldness and character are the winning combination. Complaint is the root of rebellion and the substitute of disobedience. The children of Israel had boldness and complaint instead of boldness and character. They could not hold on to the victory the Lord placed in their hand. As a result, they became lost as a nation. God said to them, “The carcasses of you who have complained against Me shall fall in this wilderness, all of you who were numbered, according to your entire number, from twenty years old and above.” (Numbers 14:29) Without any doubt, the race is for those that finish it. If you have received the grace of His calling, continuity is the rule of the game; a purposeful heart is the officiator. Run the race with boldness and character and you shall become a winner to the glory of God. He will back you up if you will not back yourself out of the race. 

Continuity is to be constant and consistent in focusing on God.
Complaint is the root of rebellion and the substitute of disobedience.
Tunde

“In righteousness you shall be established…” (Isaiah 54:14)

Reading through the word of God can be compared to skimming through the surface of a ground that is treasure inhabited. While studying the word is like doing what it takes to discover inhabited treasure. Everything we do in the Lord with a lack of understanding will result to a lack of transformation. Psalm 47:7 stated, “For God is the King of all the earth; sing praises with understanding.” If praise worship requires understanding, every other area like studying the word of God surely requires understanding.
The Bible states, “…but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory now and forever…” (2Peter 3:18) One can understand that through studying the word of God there will be growth in the knowledge of God. However, there is no amount of studying that will help directly in the growth of grace. Also, growth in grace cannot be separated from growth in knowledge because they both go hand in hand. How then can we grow in grace and knowledge of God?
GROWING IN GRACE:
The Bible did not speak in tongue or any language to make it difficult for every believer or non-believer that read through about what it takes to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior. It is written, “You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked; but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ…” (2 Peter 3:17-18) Clearly, without further need or any interpretation, it is clear that to be Steadfast in the Lord is what makes a believer to grow in grace and the knowledge of our Lord and savior.
WHAT IS STEADFSASTNESS?
Steadfastness is to be fixed in direction; firm in purpose, unwavering, firmly established or firmly fixed in faith. When you have a purpose in life then you will be fixed in taking a deliberate walk in the direction of your purpose. Daniel a young captive in the hand of king Nebuchadnezzar had a purpose to live for God. When he was offered the best food and wine which the king had, he declined and requested to eat vegetables and drink water instead, so that it would not defy his purpose. It was recorded of him, “But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the King’s delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank; therefore he requested of the chief of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.” (Daniel 1:8) Daniel’s steadfastness could not be compromised with the king’s offer. Also, Daniel could not compromise when his life was on line for death sentence. At the time when he was about to be sentenced for praying, he would not deny His God when he went and prayed with his windows opened toward Jerusalem three times a day in the face of his persecutors. (Daniel 6:10-11) Daniel was steadfast and the grace of God that was upon his life had no bounds or limitation. With steadfastness Daniel was established in righteousness.
ESTABLISH IN RIGHTEOUSNESS:
Isaiah 54:14 commanded, “In righteousness you shall be established…” After this required command, the blessings that will make a believer of the word of God prevail were mentioned. Among such blessings are, “…You shall be far from oppression, for you shall not fear; and from terror, for it shall not come near you. Indeed they shall surely assemble, but not because of Me. Whoever assembles against you shall fall for your sake. (Isaiah 54:14-15) “No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue which rises against you in judgment you shall condemn…” (Isaiah 54:17) The blessing of God that is packaged in being established in righteousness goes beyond imagination. Jesus Christ is our righteousness (2Corinthians 5:21). He came for each and everyone, but not all will accept Him. Anyone that claims to have accepted Jesus and not be established in Him is running a risk in life like the itinerant Jewish exorcists who took it upon themselves to call the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, “We exorcise you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches. The Bible recorded, “…the evil spirit answered and said, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?” Then the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, overpowered them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.”” (Acts 19:15-17)
To be established in righteousness is to be steadfast in every moment of our walk in the Lord. With steadfastness, grace will grow and knowledge will not fail. It will take loving God with all our heart, with all our soul and with all our strength to be established in His righteousness.

Everything we do in the Lord with a lack of understanding will result to a lack of transformation.
When you have a purpose in life then you will be fixed in taking a deliberate walk in the direction of your purpose.
Tunde