Emmanuel Okoro (aka MrLift)

At the Head of the Table Sometimes, the greatest gift you can give someone is not a position—it is the opportunity to see themselves differently. When you treat people like kings and queens, they may begin to carry themselves like royalty. It doesn’t always happen, especially when people have never seen themselves that way. But sometimes, someone simply needs another person to see what they cannot yet see in themselves. Scripture “Then Samuel brought Saul and his servant into the great hall and placed them at the head of the table, honoring them above the thirty special guests.” ( 1 Samuel 9:22 NLT ) Explanation God had already told Samuel something about Saul that Saul himself did not know. Saul saw himself as an ordinary Benjaminite from an insignificant family. Samuel, however, was seeing something bigger. So Samuel didn’t merely tell Saul who he could become—he treated him accordingly. He brought Saul into a gathering of important people and gave him the seat of...

The Future Is in Your Hands If you could write the script of your life, what would the future look like? Sometimes we become so consumed with what we have lost that we fail to see what God is about to place in our hands. Scripture “And by the way, your lost donkeys—the ones you’ve been hunting for the last three days—have been found, so don’t worry about them. At this moment, Israel’s future is in your hands.”( 1 Samuel 9:20 NLT) Explanation Israel was entering a new era—one they had never experienced before. The season of judges was coming to an end, and the nation was about to have a king. But while God was thinking nation-building , Saul was thinking about lost donkeys . God was thinking future ; Saul was thinking past . God was thinking forest ; Saul was focused on trees . Saul was worried about what was missing, while God was preparing him for what was coming. Isn’t that sometimes our story too? We can become so preoccupied with yesterday’s disappointments, t...

The Ways of God “He replied, ‘Not so fast. There’s a holy man in this town. He carries a lot of weight around here. What he says is always right on the mark. Maybe he can tell us where to go.’”( 1 Sam. 9:6 ) God knows how to orchestrate our steps, even when we have no idea what the end game will be. This does not undermine the place of planning. Sometimes, we think things worked out because we had all our plans well marshalled, but in reality, God’s unseen hand was all the while working behind the scenes, making everything work together for our good. After Saul and his servant had exhausted all their options in searching for the lost donkeys, Saul had given up hope. But his servant cut him off: “Not so fast.” He suggested that they go back home? No. He suggested that they go and see the prophet. This was never part of the original plan, but God was cooking something. Now, the interesting part is that God had earlier told Samuel the prophet that He was going to send him ...

GOD CONFIDED IN SAMUEL Hook There is a difference between knowing about God and being close enough for God to share His heart with you. One of the greatest privileges of our walk with God is that divinity chooses to fellowship with humanity. God does not merely want servants who obey Him; He desires people who know Him intimately. Scripture “The very day before, GOD had confided in Samuel.” ( 1 Samuel 9:15 ) Explanation Samuel had developed such a close relationship with God that God could entrust him with information concerning what He was about to do. God was preparing to give Israel a king, and before Saul arrived, God had already told Samuel what was about to happen. This is the privilege of intimacy: God shares His heart with those who walk closely with Him. The Bible says, “The friendship of the LORD is for those who fear him” (Psalm 25:14). The secret things of God are not revealed merely through intellectual ability but through fellowship with Him. Samuel ...

DONKEYS GOT LOST Hook Sometimes, what looks like a loss may actually be a divine detour. We often associate donkeys with foolishness, but they are actually known for being cautious. What people may interpret as stupidity can sometimes be wisdom in disguise. And if God can use something as ordinary as lost donkeys to redirect a man’s destiny, He can certainly use what seems like a setback in your life to lead you somewhere greater. Scripture “Some of Kish’s donkeys got lost. Kish said to his son, ‘Saul, take one of the servants with you and go look for the donkeys.’” ( 1 Samuel 9:3 NLT ) Explanation Kish’s donkeys went missing, and Saul was sent to look for them. Saul thought he was going on a search for lost donkeys, but God was leading him toward something far greater. He went looking for donkeys and found God’s purpose. What appeared to be a loss in Kish’s household became the beginning of Saul’s encounter with Samuel—and ultimately his introduction to kingship. ...

He Went to the LORD for Advice Hook How you act when you are upset says a lot about you. People will get on your nerves, step on your toes, disappoint you, and sometimes deliberately hurt you. In those moments, your response reveals more about you than how you behave when everything is going well. Scripture “Samuel was very upset with their request and went to the LORD for advice." ( 1 Samuel 8:6 NLT) Explanation Israel asked for a king, and Samuel was deeply upset by their request. Yet he did not lash out at them, give them a piece of his mind, pay them back in their own coin, or try to teach them a lesson they would not forget. He went to the LORD for advice. Samuel teaches us what to do with our pain, frustration, and disappointment: take it back to God in prayer. This agrees with James 5:13: “Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray.” There is another important lesson here. Samuel was upset with their request , not necessarily angry at the people thems...