The Cave, the Stronghold, and the Forest-Part III ( A Series by brother Joel)

The Stronghold.

From there David went to Mizpah in Moab and said to the king of Moab,"Would you let my father and mother come and stay with you until i learn what God will d for me?"So he left them with the king of Moab, and they stayed with him as long as David was in the STRONGHOLD.
BUT the prophet Gad said to David," DO NOT STAY IN THE STRONGHOLD.Go into the land of Judah.( 1 S 22;3-5a)
Stronghold is a place of safety. Two strongholds come to my mind, the city of Jerusalem and coastal fortifications of the Germans during the WWII. The strongholds provide protection from attacks and are usually built consisting of elements that are either natural or man made or both in many cases. The original city of Jerusalem is naturally fortified because it is built up high on a hill.It was so safe there in such a way the Jebusites, who were the natives, mocked David's troops who were surrounding them, believing that it was not humanly possible for any one to conquer the city.( 2 S 5:6-16). Fast forward to 20th century, the Germans had fortified the coasts of Normandy and others to the point they had no doubt no military on earth could penetrate them, the Wikipedia put it this way," Omaha was also the most heavily fortified beach, with high bluffs defended by funneled mortars, machine guns, and artillery, and the pre-landing aerial and naval bombardment of the bunkers proved to be ineffective." One thing to keep in mind is the fact that besides people putting their 100% trust in the strongholds, eventually, the stronghold gave way to foreign invasions. David's garrisons did take over Jerusalem and the Jebusites were brought to submission. So did the German strongholds failed to seal them from attacks from the Allied Forces who, despite heavy causalities, conquered Normandy and thus set off a series of events which resulted in the loss of war by the Germany.

From the above examples, one can easily see that while man-made strongholds can provide security for people temporarily, a 100% trust in them is an illusion. No one is safe in this world. No place is safe either. It is true that there are places that are less volatile than other but still not 100% safe. We can spend years and lots of money, sacrifice our time for our family and fellowship with other believers in order to build strongholds in our lives which we believe will guarantee security and still end up as vulnerable as a sheep before its slaughters.
In 1 S 22, David had found a stronghold in Moab which he could live and also keep his family and followers safe.We, believers, do have our own strongholds which provide cover for us. It could be a job, a family, a network of friends, money, a place or even a church. These things give us reason to feel comfortable, secured and free from harm. I have been leaving in an area where there have not been a homicide in about a decade. A good reason to feel no fear for murder. However, a few weeks past a 21 years old guy was gunned down- gangsta style. Currently, there is still a make shift memorial for the guy. I believe i have seen the guy about twice while driving. I for sure know one of his friends who told me he was with the guy just two hours before he was gunned down just few feet from his residence by a road. When this happened all sense of security in the neighborhood flew out of the window. No body trust anyone because the murderer(s) are not yet known and the motive behind the homicide is unknown. My neighborhood is no longer my stronghold!
It was just few months a go before this incidence while driving with my friend in the Lord, reverend Jonathan Senkipen from Liberia, i had a confrontation with a group of youth who had taken over the main road in such a way drivers were forced to via the opposite side in order to pass through. This happened just yards away from were the guy was gunned down. I took my stand and asked nicely the youth to clear the road but my request got them so mad,they refused to move and surrounded my car insulting us and challenging us to step out of the car in order to fight us.I refused to back off and called police immediately because tension was escalating. The kids did not budge either so i told them we are not leaving until the police come. I couldn't tell if they were not carrying any weapons but i knew in my heart i was doing the right thing, regardless of the threat. Slowly the gang started to clear off, i presume in fear of facing the police.
..............To be continued next week.

Prayers for Final Exams and Service

Please remember in your prayers the students in Tanzania who are currently taking Final Exams. We need to pray for their good health, sound mind, great memory and peace of mind. Also, keep mentioning this year final service that will be held on the 27th of this month of November.

From the Teaching Ministry of Bro. Timothy Kyara, in UK - Now Visiting U.S.A)

The Disease to Please!
“…am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ…” © Gal 1:10, NIV italics and emphasis mine

Dr Harriet Braiker (2001) wrote the New York best seller titled ‘The Disease to Please’ in which she shows how and why people with disease to please are manipulated (used) and abused…Little do we realize the ‘price’ we pay to stay on the ‘good side’ of everybody, not wanting to ‘upset’ anyone.

Paul, in the above scripture, says if he were to please people he would not be a servant of God. If one is ridden with the disease to please, one is never free to be and do what God created one to be. This doesn‘t mean you are reckless with people, but it means God’s approval takes priority over and above all.

The Cave, the Stronghold, and the Forest ( A Series by brother Joel)

Continues from last week...

God Cave:
God put people in a cave.. Yes, you are reading right that God can have something to do with a Christian, washed in the blood of Jesus to be in a cave. When reading to the previous chapters before chapter 22, it was God who sent Samuel to anoint David to be a replacement to the renegade king Saul. Some God let them be thrown into a den of lions (Daniel 6), another one banished to a rocky island of Patmos (Revelations 1) and others lost everything (Job).
A child of God must pray and be discerning enough to understand what is the nature of his or her cave. If it is purely RAP- rulers,authorities, principalities, behind the situation, he/she has to exercise his/her authority over them( please read brother Timothy's article on the authority of the believer in his blog light2mypath.blogspot.com).

Since the cave experience is not comfortable in most cases, a desire for an instant change is naturally expected and understandably so. However, when God allows His children to be in a cave, the child of God has to keep in mind three important truths.First, God loves His children so much that it is only when it is for the benefit of His child (specifically) or of the Bride of Christ-the Church as whole (generally/the big picture) that He allows the cave experience (Romans 8:28, Jeremiah 29:11). Secondly, God is pure and holy and so are His motives. He can never do bad, harm us or reject His children. As a parent i know i will never harm,hurt, think evil over my children or let anything hurt them. Now, if i, in a fallen state, can not do these things, how much more is God?!! Thirdly, He is there present in everything we are going through even if our emotions, feelings and mind suggests the contrary.
Two factors which moves God to allow or even orchestrate for His child to go through the cave experience are:
1. Character building- to become more like Jesus.
2. Preparation - for a specific mission God has for someone( Moses in the wilderness for 40 years in order to free the Israelite from slavery,
-a major event/calamity ( Joseph in order to counter famine- Gen 37-50)

It is worthy to go back to the life of David, a man with the promise of ascension to the throne from God Himself. Let us observe few things . Why did God allow David to go through the cave experience?
1. David formed a group of people who remained royal to him for the rest of his life. His relationships were filtered( not everyone in our life is important for us to fulfill the call that God has for us. Many are times that we maintain these harmful relationships even without our knowledge because of our natural limitations-'cause we don't see what is in the hearts of men or simply ignorance or stubbornness. In the cave we get to know people who are real royal or they have other agendas and are self seeking. Therefore God does it for us, removing those people out of our life. You don't need parasites, doubters and foes whenever possible) Also, David's older brothers finally accepted his leadership.
2. David was humbled enough in his heart that he was ready to accept the outcast, and outlaws people who were very instrumental in his quest for kingship. David answers were disguised in people that he never expected. (Are we missing God's answers to our prayer? Is it disguised in people we esteem not, the lowly, places we despise? What about the uneducated preacher? Denomination not our own? People of the other race,color, class, religion)
Can we accept the people, things or situations that though they seem insignificant to us, but accept them because that is what pleases God to use? Are we still proud? Are some tasks beneath us? Do we love everyone the way God does? Do we accept all people? Are tribes, races, nationalities, political affiliations, religions, careers the bases on how we treat others? Remember the world treat people on such factors but believers shouldn't. We are not of the world! I made up my mind here in America never again to treat people as the world does, i train my self to see people in God eyes, His One Creation. There is no superior group of people. Never! In every group you find all kinds of people; gifted, limited,rich, poor,goofy and all are short of God's requirements thus is a desperate need of a Savior(Jesus , the Christ). It just pleased God to create people in diversity. Nothing more nothing less.
I grew up hating the Germans and the white people simply because of the history of my country, also were indoctrinated to hate the Westerners even the Jews(it is funny because my mother father was 100% Jewish). Then i had a great professor while in attending Bible school who was from Germany. I liked everything about him but the major problem was his nationality. I resented him for no reason. I thank God, He put me through a cave experience in such a way all my prejudices were off my shoulders, my eyes were opened and was able to learn to love and accept all people.
David accepted learned to love people God's way in the cave. We all need the cave!
3.He had an opportunity to polish his leadership skills by being a leader of an army of 600 people before God put him as a steward of the whole nation of Israel therefore avoiding catastrophic mistakes in the future.
4.Please feel free to add your own,i am sure the above are just few of many benefits...
( to be continued next week)

From the Teaching Ministry of Bro. Timothy Kyara, in UK.

If God doesn't touch you
“…Now a certain woman had a flow of blood for twelve years…She had spent all that she had and was no better, but rather grew worse.When she heard about Jesus, she came behind Him in the crowd and touched His garment. For she said, “If only I may touchHis clothes, I shall be made well.” Immediately the fountain of her blood was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of the affliction…” © Mark 5:25-29, NKJV, italics and emphasis mine

Many of us Christians take a passive role when it comes to receiving what we are looking for from the Lord. The song, “pass me not oh gentle saviour…while on others thou' art calling, do not pass me by” is all to familiar. We wait on God to touch us, to minister to us and to respond to our needs. No no no my friend there is another way, if God does not touch you, you can touch Him…If God does not come to you, you can go to Him. Forget the old passive gospel of waiting on the Lord, you can follow Him where He is and touch Him to move on your behalf.

This woman (above scripture) became pro-active in pursuit of her desire and she got what she wanted. You can touch God like her byextending your faith into action to manifest your desires. You can also touch God by fighting and contending with Him like Jacob (Israel—Gen 32:22-30) or like the Canaanite woman pleading and interceding (Matthew 15:22-28) until you get your heart’s desire...by any means necessary, If God doesn't touch you YOU CAN TOUCH HIM RIGHT NOW!