Emmanuel Okoro (aka MrLift)

God Knows "The angel of God appeared to her and told her, ‘I know that you are barren and childless, but you’re going to become pregnant and bear a son.’" (Judges 13:3) God knows exactly how deeply your situation affects you. He knows where the pain lies, where the burden presses, and where the tears come from. Nothing about your struggle is hidden from Him. The question is not whether God knows, but whether you will trust Him through it. In our text, the angel appeared to Manoah’s wife and said, “I know that you are barren and childless.” That was not new information to her. She lived with that reality every day. She did not need anyone to remind her of her pain. Yet God mentioned it so she would understand that Heaven had not ignored her condition. God was saying, “I see you. I know your story. I understand your pain.” But the angel did not stop there. God did not only speak about her problem; He also spoke about His solution: “You’re going to become pregnant and bear...

Use What You’ve Got “After him, Ibzan of Bethlehem judged Israel. He had thirty sons and thirty daughters. He gave his daughters in marriage outside his clan and brought in thirty daughters-in-law from the outside for his sons.” (Judges 12:8–9) The saying, “Use what you have to get what you want,” has often been misunderstood and misapplied. Yet in many ways, it reflects a simple truth of life: what we become is usually connected to how we use what we already possess. God gives us time, strength, gifts, relationships, opportunities, and ideas. What we do with them determines much of what follows. When God asked Moses, “What is that in your hand?” He was pointing Moses to the very thing he had overlooked. The staff Moses carried daily became the instrument through which God displayed His power. Often, the answer to our next level is hidden in what we already have. Ibzan may not be one of the most celebrated judges in Scripture, but there is wisdom to observe in his actions. He had t...

Mother Tongue “Gilead captured the fords of the Jordan leading to Ephraim, and whenever a fleeing Ephraimite said, ‘Let me cross over,’ the men of Gilead asked him, ‘Are you an Ephraimite?’ If he replied, ‘No,’ they said, ‘All right, say “Shibboleth.”’ If he said, ‘Sibboleth,’ because he could not pronounce the word correctly, they seized him and killed him at the fords of the Jordan. Forty-two thousand Ephraimites fell at that time.” (Judges.12:5–6) There is something deeply humbling about this passage. A single word became the difference between life and death. The Ephraimites were exposed not by their faces, clothing, or strength, but by their speech. Their environment had shaped them so deeply that even under pressure, they could not sound different from who they were. It reminds us that upbringing, culture, and environment leave powerful marks on our lives. We are all products of what we have repeatedly heard, seen, practiced, and believed. Nature and nurture constantly shape ou...

Beware of the Ephraimite Spirit "The men of Ephraim were called together, crossed over to Zaphon, and said to Jephthah, “Why did you go to fight the Ammonites without calling us to go with you? We’re going to burn your house down over your head!” ” (Judg. 12:1) The Ephraimites represent people who become upset, not because they were willing to help, but because someone else succeeded without them. They are quick to complain after the victory has been won. They want recognition without responsibility, reward without sacrifice, and involvement without commitment. (South African on my mind🤔 ) We see this attitude appear more than once in Scripture. In Judges 8, the Ephraimites confronted Gideon with the same complaint. They accused him of leaving them out of the battle against Midian. Yet when the fight was at its hardest, they were nowhere to be found. Gideon responded with wisdom and humility, calming their anger with gentle words. Later, in Judges 12, the same spirit rose aga...

When a Vow Is Wrong "At the end of the two months, she came back to her father. He fulfilled the vow with her that he had made. She had never slept with a man. It became a custom in Israel." ( Judges 11:39)  There are several examples in Scripture that show us that not every vow is right before God. The Bible says that if a woman makes a vow without the consent of her husband, such a vow may not stand. The same applies to an underage daughter who makes a vow without the approval of her father. God understands that some decisions are made emotionally, rashly, or without wisdom. But in our text, we see Jephthah, a leader of Israel, making a vow that was completely wrong. In my opinion, he made it in an attempt to impress God or secure divine favor through sacrifice. It was a vow born out of emotion rather than wisdom and obedience. One reason the vow was wrong was because it violated God's commandment against killing. Even worse, he ended up sacrificing his own daughter...

God Did His Part, Now Do Yours "When he realized who it was, he ripped his clothes, saying, ‘Ah, dearest daughter—I’m ruined! I’m devastated! I made a vow to GOD and I can’t take it back!’ She said, ‘My father, if you made a vow to GOD, then do to me according to your vow, since the LORD has given you victory over your enemies.’" (Judg. 11:35–36) Balance is important in spiritual matters. Many people fall into dangerous extremes when zeal is not guided by truth and understanding. Scripture must be interpreted in the light of God’s nature and His established principles. Jephthah’s story is one of those difficult but deeply instructive passages in the Bible. Before going to battle against the Ammonites, Jephthah made a rash vow that if God gave him victory, whatever first came out of his house to welcome him would be offered as a sacrifice to God. Tragically, it was his only daughter who came out to greet him. The pain in Jephthah’s reaction was overwhelming. Yet his daugh...