Category: bible study

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How to overcome Fear

Combating your fears in Christ

In the Lord I put my trust; how say ye to my soul, “Flee as a bird to your mountain, 2 for lo, the wicked bend their bow and make ready their arrow upon the string, that they may privily shoot at the upright in heart;

Psalm 11:1–2

Learning the ways of God is very crucial to the life of a Christian, we are meant to be perfect as he is (see Matthew 5:48). Moreover, knowing God’s ways gives confidence in times of difficulties — the reason why Moses was not moved by predicaments encountered in the wilderness but the Israelites will always complain (see Exodus 14:11–12).

One of the children of life issues, even the first born is FEAR. Fear makes us do lots of things that can be contrary to the will of God for our lives; like turning to other source or gods for help (see Jeremiah 42:19, Jeremiah 44:19), like deserting our holy calling and doing things in unrighteous ways. For this purpose it is crucial to know how to overcome FEAR.

God’s Love

The situation of the Psalmists in Chapter 11 was one which involves the molecule of fear but drenched by the element of trust. The bible verses implies that there is no help anywhere but in God. The unfailing love of God is the reason why I should trust God in difficult times — for perfect love casts out fear (see 1 John 4:18). Beloved what manner of love the father has bestowed on us, that we should be called the sons of God…(see 1 John 3:1). He that did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all-how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things ( see Romans 8:32).

Be Still

When we are in difficult times that breeds fear, we are to remember the magnitude of God’s love for us and this is to direct the course of our actions. It is the human nature to see danger and to try to escape, its reflex. Well, if we find godly ways of escape out of difficult times, that is okay. But what if there are no means of escape. There are stories in the bible that indicates the attitude a Christian must portray in this situation. Stories like the Israelites and Pharaoh at the red sea, Paul and Silas in Prison, the three Hebrews and King Nebuchadnezzar and the Ark of Covenant in the house of Dagon. One thing is common with these stories that made them to overcome — it is there stillness; the ability to remain calm and have absolute confidence in God in adverse situations. Paul and Silas portrayed this when they were in prison — there situation did not hinder their daily devotion with God — they prayed and sang praises to God. The three Hebrews portrayed this when they said boldly to the King —

“O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If the God whom we serve exists, then He is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace and from your hand, O king. But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden statue you have set up.” (Daniel 3:16–18 KJV)

Likewise, Peter sleeping heavily in prison when he was about to be beheaded on the morrow.

Beloved when there is nothing we can do but to pray, lets commit everything to God and have absolute confidence in him.

Total Deliverance

In difficult times we may question God — why we are facing such? The probable answer is that God wants to show himself mighty in our lives and to the world. But I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I might show you my power and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth (see Exodus 9:16). No, it is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it (see John 9:3).

The biblical stories above shows similar ways by which God delivers — the deliverance of God is Total deliverance. Total deliverance is not only when a captive is delivered but when the enemy stands in total awe and admiration of your God. After King Nebuchadnezzar was confounded of the miracle of the burning furnace, he made a proclamation through the whole land that no man should speak ill of the God the three Hebrews. After the demonstration of God’s power in Egypt by the Ten plagues, the Egyptians gave their treasures to the Israelites as a parting gift. The prison guard and his household surrendered to Christ after the demonstration of God’s power in the prison.

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How to hear God’s voice

A Call to Mysteries

It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter. (Proverbs 25:2 KJV)

I believe one of the good traits of church leadership is the turning of its members to have a direct relationship with God. My former Pastor is a man of The Word, the type when he teaches the word, you get several exclamations during the session — the mysteries coming out is huge. Then one day, during the mid-week service, when we thought we were going to hear the usual, he told us to open a part of the scripture and then asked what we understood from that. When it came to my turn I could not see deep into the word but I just read out the exact same scripture. The look on my Pastor’s face was disappointing — all his teachings has been futile. I could not interpret the scriptures like he does, not to even try.

Not wanting to repeat the same mistake and show a proof of my pastor’s diligence; I went home and took it on to fast and pray about the revelation of the Word. I also started to read the bible every day, then one day as I was reading the book of Isaiah, 60th Chapter. A voice within me said ‘That promise is not only to the Country of Israel alone but to all those who have received Christ as their Lord and Savior’. Though I had no clue of Ephesians 2:12–14 then, but there was an instant assertive affirmation in me that the information is true.

I believe one of the good traits of a disciple is Turning Aside.

To Turn Aside means to direct your attention to God in the light of a prevailing mystery.

Photo by Franck V. on Unsplash

God is always speaking, all the time. There is no famine of the Word of God but a famine of hearing the Word of God (see Amos 8:11). There is a famine of hearing the Word because the Lord decides to speak in ways unfamiliar to the nature of man — in parables, burning bush. Why? because it is a means to segregate seekers of the Kingdom (disciples) from non-seekers of the Kingdom — The Word of God is available to only those who Turn Aside.

In the text Matthew 13:1–16, the Lord was talking in parables to everyone, the disciples were not exempted. The phrase ‘Why talk to them’ in the question of the disciples was probably due to the arrangement of sitting (they were sitting beside Christ and facing the large congregation) during the teaching. He was talking to EVERYONE; but what separates the disciples from the large congregation was what they value were aligned to the things of God, and so they Turn Aside and inquire the meanings of the parables (see Mark 4:10, Mark 7:17).

Why is there a famine of hearing of the Word? We are just too busy. Our hearts are fused with other things that what we value are not aligned with things of God and We seek bread rather than Christ himself. We forget that man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. The similitude of Martha who was busy serving tables instead of being Mary sitting at the feet of Jesus listening to the Word. (see Isaiah 29:13, Ezekiel 33:31–32)

It is written We shall all be taught of God (see John 6:45). Having eyes to see but do not perceive, ears to hear but do not understand (see Mark 4:12). Remember that dream you had, but could not interpret. Remember that portion of the Bible that you often come across but has never meant anything to you. Remember that Pastor that you feel he is always condemning you because his preaching always points to your weaknesses.

Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says: “Today if you hear His voice, 8. do not harden your hearts, as you did in the rebellion, in the time of testing in the wilderness, 9. where your fathers tested and tried Me, and for forty years saw My works. 10. Therefore I was angry with that generation, and I said, ‘Their hearts always go astray, and they have not known My ways.’ 11. So I swore on oath in My anger, ‘They shall never enter My rest.’”(Hebrews 3:7–11 KJV)

TURN ASIDE!!!

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The Presence Of God

A place of adjustment for our lives

He made known his ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel. (Psalms 103:7 KJV)

The healing of Naaman was not in the Jordan river but in his decision to become humble, the miraculous provision for the widow of Zarephath was not Elijah but her sacrificial giving (giving next to nothingness) and the answered prayers of Hannah was not the blessing of Eli, neither her yearly coming to Shiloh but her huge longing after God which made her forsook the amusement from her husband, stayed behind at Shiloh and made a covenant with God.

It gathers that for the miraculous to occur some things have to change in our lives.

Resonance

Physics is one of my favorite science subjects. One of my favorite topic is Resonance. It is a phenomenon that occurs when a moving body is able to induce another body to move at an amplitude or frequency equal or greater to its own. It simulates spiritual law; for the miraculous to happen we must be in the same amplitude or frequency with God — we must be in accordance with what he wants. Moses was told by God to go down to Egypt for the deliverance of the children of Israel. On his way, an Angel of the lord met him and tried to kill him. Why? Because there is a part of him that is not in accordance with what God wants. He was only delivered from the angel when he resonated with God.

Resonance with God is always in two ways — it is either He moves you or you move voluntarily. We oftentimes fall into the first category as it is part of the Contract of Grace (see Ezekiel 36:27). This is when He moves us and most times its unbearable, an uncharted terrain, life experiences we have not had before, somethings we never hoped will happen but happened — it is called The Moment of Wilderness. It is a season to sift out those things in us that will not allow us to resonate with God and bring out the best in us that resonates with God, until God says ‘I have formed you’ (see Isaiah 43:1). The consequence of failings of Resonance with God are two 1. Stagnancy (going round in Circles) 2. Return to Egypt (Backsliding). Unfortunately, many of us have no knowledge of resonating with God;We just do not want to move voluntarily neither compelled to follow his ways.Hence, we suffer the consequences.

For two bodies to move in the same amplitudes or frequencies they must be in the same system. A system by definition in physics is a portion of physical universe chosen for test or analysis. Likewise, there is an element in our Christian walk that determines whether we resonate with God or not — The Presence of God.

The Right Question — Escape from the Wilderness

How amazing it is that He led them to and through the wilderness. Wilderness in stages — wilderness of Shur, wilderness of Sin, wilderness of Kadesh. Nonetheless, His presence was with them by cloud in the day and pillar of fire in the night.

There is something unique about the Presence of God; It changes a person. People who have experienced it were transfigured, have their character changed and got confirmation of sonship of God (see Matthew 17:5–6). An example is Moses who was known as the meekest man on earth (see Numbers 12:3). His face shone of brightness.

The simple truth about His Presence is that — He is not just there but that you might convert (transform , resonate) to him.

The good thing about the New Birth life is that it is always longing for God, for the Presence of God. As a result, he or she wants to go to church every Sundays, he or she feels not satisfied with only Sundays but also attends mid-week services, conferences and also worship in solitude. The bothering question arises when a fulfilment of the miraculous is not achieved in such a life. It is not an uncommon case in the scriptures; the Psalmist reveal the reason for the Israelites stagnation, that they knew the works of God and not his ways (see Psalms 103:7 KJV).

If Resonance with God makes the miraculous to happen, if its the escape route of the wilderness, then the right question should be ‘What do you need from me Lord?’. An answer to such request will facilitate The Adjustment to one’s live, eradicate futile prayers, create resonance with God, escape the wilderness and bring about the miraculous — the barrenness of Hannah could have been drenched a long time ago, if only she knew that God required her sacrificial giving. Likewise the Shunamite woman, if only she knew that God required her benevolence to a Man of God.

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The Word and Your Fruitfulness

The seed sown among the thorns is the one who hears the word, but the worries of this world and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. — Matthew 13:22

until his prediction came true, the word of the LORD tested him. — Psalms 105:19

Text: Luke 12:22–34

The parable of the Sower categorizes the growth of seeds in 4 ways; Two died, not attaining fruition stage, two lived, attained fruition stage — One of those, just remained, did not produce fruits at all, kept growing, remained alive, but produced no fruits at all. Those are the seeds among Thorns.

Fruitfulness is when a Spirit-filled life is productive in-accordance to the capacity entrusted to it in stewardship [Matthew 25:14–15]. Hence, unfruitfulness is the unproductivity of a Spirit-filled life. [1 Corinthians 12:7].

The parable of the Sower shows two perspectives: 1) the perspective of the sower and caution of where he is to sow to make good investments. 2) the perspective of the recipient and caution on how he is to tread with care and ensure the Word is fruitful.

There is a common misconception about readers of this part of the scripture — that it is the recipient that is unfruitful. No, rather, unfruitfulness is applied to the Word — it is the Word that is unfruitful; meaning, it does not work for the recipient. What the scripture implies is that if the Word is fruitful, the recipient will also be fruitful.

The emphasis of this article is placed on the seeds that fell among thorns and the recipient of the Word.

A Special Command

We have a special command from the Lord to fulfil. The Old Covenant is a shadow or symbol of things to come (the New Covenant), this command still shows its self as the most crucial assignment.

God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. 28 God blessed them; and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it* …..(Old Covenant) -> *Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. 19* Therefore go and make disciples of all nations*, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey all that I have commanded you ….. (New Covenant).

I perceive you had never thought they were the same. But they are since the Old Covenant is a shadow of the New Covenant; which infers our spiritual birth as Sons and Daughters of God, in this realm we are commanded to give birth spiritually.

In our endeavours to fulfil this great commission, the outcome is justified by one thing: Fruitfulness of the Word.

The Word is an essential ingredient to the soul. The scriptures records, that after natural food, the next thing that ensures Man’s survival is the Word of God [Matthew 4:4]. Its fruitfulness in our lives determines the level of spirituality [Hebrews 5:14, 1Corinthians 3:2] — It is the food of the Spirit.

The Puncture of Thorns

The Thorns: worries of life and deceitfulness of riches. They choke the Word and the Word becomes unfruitful. The Word does not work for these recipients of the Word.

The ground the seeds fell on is the mind of man. The mind being filled with thorns (worries of life and deceitfulness of riches) leads to Chaos. Chaos leads to impatience, which betrays (choke) the Word and inhibits its fulfilment. Thus, the Word is unfruitful.

Chaos is what stops believing and trust in God and seek other alternatives. Chaos is what stops the reading of the scriptures and replacement with a rational mind. Chaos is what makes people faint and not to pray. It alters the stance of faith in God and thus makes the Word unfruitful.

Danger of Severance

The Scripture shares two perspectives to every recipient of the Word in respect of its fruitfulness 1) Part of Big Tree family 2) A Standalone tree.

The Word is a necessity for spiritual growth, its fruitfulness is an evidence of spiritual development. Its fruitfulness can only be attained by the recipient who makes Christ his dwelling place; ‘Dwell in Me, and I will dwell in you. [Live in Me, and I will live in you.] Just as no branch can bear fruit of itself without abiding in (being vitally united to) the vine, neither can you bear fruit unless you abide in Me’ — John 15:4 AMP Classic.

The unfruitfulness of the Word in the life of the recipient is an evidence of not dwelling in Christ and leads to Spiritual Degradation. We are warned of severance by the two perspectives — As Member of Big Tree family — ‘Any branch in Me that does not bear fruit [that stops bearing] He cuts away (trims off, takes away)’ — John 15:2a; — As a Standalone tree — ‘So he said to the vinedresser, See here! For these three years, I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree and I find none. Cut it down! Why should it continue also to use up the ground [to [e]deplete the soil, intercept the sun, and take up room]?’ — Luke 13:7,, [Revelation 3:16]. Note: Severance is not an unjust act of God but Resource management (‘why should it continue also to use up the ground’) and Hygiene management technique (‘a branch is severed to avoid affecting other parts of the tree, as it might be infected by virus’).

Conclusion

Let the Word work for you, let it be fruitful and thus affect your Spiritual growth positively and thus be fruitful, so that you can fulfil the Special Command. Otherwise, face the danger of severance.

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Where is your Oil?

Lessons from parable of the Ten Virgins

She said, “The Philistines are upon you, Samson!” But he did not know that the LORD had departed from him. (Judges 16:20)

The parable of the ten virgins (see Matthew 25) tells a story of those who are zealous for God. These anticipated the return of their master, they have been doing all that is required of them as stewards and thus, were prepared for him. But the master tarried in his coming and they fell asleep. Not that they fell asleep consciously or intentionally but unconsciously; the result of weariness (you dont know when you doze off, until someone taps you from behind and alerts you, you have been sleeping) such was the case. They waited until they fell asleep unconsciously — unknown to them.

Suddenly, there was a shout, calling attention to their lord’s arrival; this is synonymous to when you are indoors in your house sleeping and suddenly you hear someone hard banging at the door. You wake up from your sleep, startled at the sound you heard, not knowing where it originated from, you eventually realise its from the door. You ask who it is, you find its a person of interest and want to go and open, but then you realise that you are not prepared to open the door because you have no clothes on. You put something decent on and go and open. Such is the case of these ten virgins, a loud sound awoke them from their slumber, found its the alert to the arrival of their master, then they trimmed their lamps with Oil. 5 trimmed their lamps and 5 could not — we know the end of the story according to the text.

Why is the trimming of their lamps so important? If 5 can trim their lamps, why cant the other 5 share in the glow of the other 5 until the arrival of their lord? Why is the oil so important, that they have to go and get it? We must understand what these instruments symbolises, if we are to understand these parable.

According to the revelation given by the Holy Spirit, the lamps represent the Zeal of each virgins. The Oil represent The Spirit of God. While they slept unconsciously or slumber as you may put it, they forgot the coming of their master and their lamps (Zeal) started to die out. Their slumberness equates the dying out of their lamps. The bible counts those that brought oil with them as wise and those that didn’t as foolish. Car engines run on gas or petrol for cars to function, the lamps (Zeal) run on Oil (the Spirit of God) to glow. Can you forget your phone at home or someplace and not worry but these people forgot the Oil (the Spirit of God). Can a lady forget to wear her makeup in anticipation of the coming of her beloved, but these people forgot the Oil (the Spirit of God). But why will they forget such an important ingredient? The answer — the Value they placed on the Oil. They did not anticipate for the long tarrying of their master and hence, believed that a little Oil will suffice them: ‘Oh, little oil will be enough, we dont need much’. It reflects the usage of the Oil in their daily dealings of their stewardship, their usage of it not only to provide light but to lubricate meshed joints (life challenges) — the value they placed on it, is less. If they had placed much value on it, definitely they must have said ‘We may need the Oil’. Such, is the type that arise from slumber, like Samson and lo and behold, no Oil. Such is the type with big visions about revival, but lo and behold, no Oil.

Perhaps, its high time we ask ourselves; Where is your Oil?

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A New Type of Insurance : The Ultimate Insurance Policy.

Dear Reader, do you have your car insured or your house or any of your assets insured? Dont know much about your answer, but I presume you should have something insured or be knowledgeable about Insurance.

Why do I ask these questions? Simply because I sell Insurance and I am very serious about you getting one. The type of Insurance I sell covers my many aspects of your life, if not all. Before I tell you about the details of the Insurance I sell, lets enumerates some points.

Why should you or Why do people get Insurance?

People get Insurance simply to prevent their precious assets against eventualities or unfortunate unforeseen circumstances, in exchange for future value of the assets at the occurence of the eventualities. So if you just purchased the latest Rolls-Royce and you really care about it, to the extent you dont just like anybody riding in it, it is advisable you insure it, so you can get it back or an equivalent of its worth when its stolen or damaged. In a nut shell, we always insure what we value.

What do you care about?

Do you have priorities as regards to what you really care about? Do you care so much about your assets than anything else? What about your life? Which is paramount to you? I prefer you care more about your life, and insure it; this is what the Insurance policy I sell covers and its called The Ultimate Insurance.

The Ultimate Insurance

No, no, its not the usual type of life insurance you know about. The Ultimate insurance covers eventualities thats peculiar to others. It gives an answer to questions of uncertainty about death. It takes the subject of life so important. It gives a guarantee for your life after death; that you will get it back. Its a Super Life Insurance. What’s more, its absolutely free.

As with all Insurance, the details of the Insurance policy is very important. It enumerates what is insured by the Insurance. Some details in the Ultimate Insurance policy states thus:

  • For God so loved the world, that He gave is only begotten son that whosoever believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. — Gospel of John Section 3 of The Ultimate Insurance Policy, verse 16.
  • I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world.” — Gospel of John Section 6 of The Ultimate Insurance Policy, verse 51.
  • Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, 14 but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.” — Gospel of John Section 4 of The Ultimate Insurance Policy, verses 13–14.

the only requirement is to Believe in Jesus Christ.

Its a Super Life Insurance; it does not only protect against the eventuality of life (death) but also protect against unfavourable life conditions and give restoration. It states thus in the policy:

  • Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like: 48 He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock. Gospel of Luke Section 6 of The Ultimate Insurance Policy, verses 47–48.
  • Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Gospel of Matt Section 11 of The Ultimate Insurance Policy, verse 28
  • who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time — houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions — and in the age to come, eternal life. Gospel of Mark Section 10 of The Ultimate Insurance Policy, verse 30.

Cases during the great recession, some people committed suicide because of loss of money — You will not have to commit suicide because there is promise of restoration and you are grounded upon a rock or Cases that involves fear of what will be after life — You will not have to worry because your life is secured. The condition : Only believe in Jesus Christ (free payment), you and your household and you will be saved (insured) from these eventuality and unfavorable unforeseen circumstances.

Concerning the plethora of questions about the existence of God which often leads to believing in nothing; I thinks its wise to believe in a hope, a promise that guarantees that you will get your life back after death, save from the eventualities that may occur afterlife than to believe in nothingness. Why would you insure your assets and forget your life (Soul)? Is your life not important to you? “What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his soul?”

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Tweaking Your Perception to God’s Ways

How to never miss a blessing

Blessed be the Lord, who daily loads us with benefits, even the God our salvation. Selah. (Psalm 68:19 KJV)

The Psalmist records “bless the Lord who daily loadeth us with Benefits”. In other words, if God daily loads us with benefits, then we should be in expectancy of benefits everyday. Moreover, the aftermath of our prayers, is the belief that blessings will follow: “Give us this day our daily bread”.

FAQs

  1. What are the benefits?
  2. But why is it that sometimes I go through a day, without receiving the daily loads of benefits as promised?
  3. Does it mean that I missed a daily benefit?

Answers

  1. Benefits are blessings. The Amplified bible version interprets the memory verse this way: Blessed be the Lord, Who bears our burdens and carries us day by day, even the God Who is our salvation! Selah pause, and calmly think of that!. In other words, benefits are blessings.
  2. You go through a day without your share of daily benefits because of lack of anticipation or misconception of what you think daily benefits are.
  3. You didn’t miss it, it came, you just didn’t want it and thus you missed it.

The significant point to derive from 2 Kings 5:9–14, which describes the meeting of the Man of God with Naaman; is “Wrong Perception” , hence, wrong anticipation towards Daily loads of benefits: “I thought he would …..” (see 2 Kings 5:11). Moreover, over the course of history, there has been a constant battle between man’s perception of things with the ways of God. Such is the case of the kings Lord (see 2 Kings 7), also the case of the Israelites spying into the land of Canaan (see Numbers 13). Well, that’s not surprising as he is the Almighty and he said “My ways are not your ways…” The moral point to derive is that the blessings of the Lord comes in unexpected ways.

To anticipate daily loads of benefits which comes in unexpected ways;

  1. We should expect blessings in unexpected ways. Your greatest enemy may be a vehicle of blessing, that poor but potentially rich dude may be the Crown for your head, the little contract may be a channel to learn, as a stepping stone to huge ones. (see Romans 11:33, Ecclesiastes 11:1)
  2. We should be open to all options But supplemented with inquiry from God. Expect blessings in all ways but we should also make inquiries about them from God before acting on them. (see Psalms 37:23, Proverbs 16:3, Psalms 35:7)
  3. Study the word daily. Despite the opposition of man’s beliefs to God’s ways, The Word of the Lord is the bridge between these two worlds. (see 2 Peter 1:20,2 Timothy 3:16, 2 Corinthians 10:5)
  4. We should act the fruits of the Spirit. Anger could be the reason for missing your blessing, hence watch out. (see Galatians 5:22–24, James 1:4)
  5. We should be grateful even if its only little we get, after all Daily benefits doesn’t necessarily mean your answered prayers but “A Daily Bread” apportioned according to the Father’s will. (see Philippians 4:4)