Jeremiah 29:11 ‘For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.’

• DAILY READING – James 3; Jeremiah 25-26; Psalm 131

IN THE AFRICAN savanna, the strong animals  will survive, and the rest may become meals for hungry predators. The birth of a giraffe brings this reality into view. Giraffe mothers are pregnant for about 15 months. This long gestation period is necessary to allow the calves to become highly developed in the safety of their mother’s womb.

Once the calf is born it  falls from its mother’s womb, some eight feet above the ground. It shrivels up and lies still, too weak to move. The mother giraffe lovingly lowers her neck to smooch the baby giraffe. And then something incredible happens. She lifts her long leg and kicks the baby giraffe, sending it flying up in the air and tumbling down on the ground. As the baby lies curled up, the mother kicks the baby again. And again. Until the baby giraffe, still trembling and tired, pushes its limbs and for the first time learns to stand on its feet.

Happy to see the baby standing on its own feet, the mother giraffe comes over and gives it yet another kick. The baby giraffe falls one more time, but now quickly recovers and stands up. Mama Giraffe is delighted. She knows that her baby has learnt an important lesson: Never mind how hard you fall, always remember to pick yourself up and get back on your feet.

Why does the mother giraffe do this? She knows that lions and leopards love giraffe meat. Death rates for newborn giraffes can be 50 percent or more in areas with high predator densities.  So unless the baby giraffe quickly learns to stand and run with the pack – it will have no chance of survival.

Yes, kicking the baby up and down seems like a strange way to show love, but for a mother giraffe it is the ultimate expression of love as she  prepares her baby for the kind of world he would face, a world where his survival depended greatly on his swiftness.

1 Peter 4:12-19 says ‘Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy’

God uses the challenges and trials that come our way to prepare us for where He is taking us to. If adversities come, realize that God uses such experiences to refine and train you. Storms do not come to break you, but rather to make you. When faced with challenges ask yourself what God’s will and purpose is. God does not bring temptations to us, but even when the enemy does, God uses those experiences to refine us and make us better.

In Isaiah 48:10 God says ‘Behold, I have refined thee, but not with silver; I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction.’

Whatever comes our way, God always causes all things to work together for our good.  In Jeremiah 29:11 God says ‘For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.’

Indeed God has an expected end in mind for us. That end is glory. Therefore we must learn to align our thoughts to His. Challenges only come to make us stronger to prepare us for the heights we are destined to attain. Adversity pushes us to accelerate the development of our greatest potential. So if challenges come, see them as opportunities for rising, trusting That God is too faithful to allow you to be tempted more than you are able to handle. See them as times to praise God, because He is about to raise you. And as you praise, God will indeed cause you to ride upon your high places.

PRAYER: Lord, please help me to learn the things you are teaching me today, so that I can be prepared to ascend the throne you have prepared for me tomorrow. Thank You Lord for causing all things to work together  for my good in Jesus Name. . .

QUOTE

God is preparing you for the season He prepared your breakthrough. – WORDBITE 222

Psalm 71:7-8 says  ‘ I am as a wonder unto many; but thou art my strong refuge. Let my mouth be filled with thy praise and with thy honour all the day’

DAILY READING          James 2; Jeremiah 23-24; Psalm 130

The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The distinguishing factor of this team is their bold declaration of faith in Christ. The Philadelphia Eagles have always made it known that the secret of their success is God. And how these players have been conducting themselves on and off the field is gaining them a whole new legion of fans..

The team sometime ago released a video on its Facebook page chronicling how Christianity has become “the locker room’s binding force” and how its impact is palpable. The Eagles even have a chapel at their team facility that hosts services and weekly Bible studies for the players and their families. This is so because they don’t want to miss going to Church, since most Sundays during the football season are busy game days.. Thus the chapel serves as an outlet where they come together to share their faith. No  doubt, the Philadelphia Eagles, with their great focus on God, is a rare team indeed.  Many of them are “prayed up” when they go into major competitions. And immediately after the game, the eagles gather to give God worthy praise. As a result of this God-first lifestyle, the team in the 2017 season, against all odds,  won Super Bowl LII. It was their first Super Bowl win in franchise history and their fourth NFL title overall. Though they were the most unlikely team to win, through God’s grace they beat far more superior teams to clinch the prize. And as the Philadelphia  Eagles  continue to give glory to God with their lives and talent, God in turn makes them a wonder to their world.

Psalm 71:7-8 says ‘I am as a wonder unto many; but thou art my strong refuge. Let my mouth be filled with thy praise and with thy honour all the day’

Indeed when our mouth is filled with praise to God, we become a wonder to many.  When you belong to the tribe of Judah, the tribe of praise, you become part of the company of those that must be praised. This heritage is part of the blessings bestowed upon Judah by Jacob in Genesis.49:8-12. The tribe of Judah has a heritage of triumphs and undeniable breakthroughs. Indeed when praise becomes your life style, triumph becomes your heritage.  And on the  highway of praise, you only keep going  from triumph to triumph, and from victory to victory! No one puts God first and comes last. And when we make God our priority, He also makes us His priority. And if you are faced with any challenging situation today, you can turn the tables around in your favor through praise. Because God inhabits the praises of His people whatever cannot resist God, cannot resist your praise.

PRAYER Lord I thank You for granting me the grace to keep praising You at all times. No matter what situation I may face today, I will not be afraid or be discouraged. And as I keep praising You, my victory is sure in Jesus Name. .

QUOTE

When God places His hand upon a man in life nothing can come against him, this is because the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.  WORDBITE 222.

Romans 8:28  ‘And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.’

•          DAILY READING            James 1; Jeremiah 21-22; Psalm 129

When she was young, Florence Chadwick wanted desperately to be a great speed swimmer. At the age of six she persuaded her parents to enter her in a 50-yard race. She came in last, so she practiced every day for the new year. Again she entered and lost. When she was an 11-year old, Florence won attention and praise for completing the San Diego Bay endurance swim — 6 miles in all. But she still wanted to be a speed swimmer. At 14 years, she tried for the national backstroke championship but came in second. At 18 years, she tried out for Olympic speed swimming and came in fourth , she didn’t make the team. Frustrated, she gave up, married, and moved on to other interests. As she matured, however, Florence began to wonder if she might not have done better if she had specialized in endurance swimming, something that came more naturally. So, with the help of her father, she began swimming distances again. Twelve years after she had failed to make the Olympic team, Florence Chadwick swam the English Channel, breaking the existing 24-year-old record.

She then her goal at being the first woman to swim the twenty six miles between Catalina Island and the California coastline. On the fourth of July 1952, Florence aged thirty four years, embarked on this long swim. Her quest was a difficult one, looking out for sharks, battling fatigue, and then finally a thick fog that set in, preventing her from seeing the shore ahead of her. After about fifteen hours swimming, Florence began to doubt her ability, and she decided to quit. Exhausted and frustrated, she gave up and asked to be brought into a nearby guide boat. To her dismay, she discovered she was only a mile from the shore. She said had she known how close she was, she surely would have completed her race successfully.

Two months later, Florence got back in the water to try once more. This time was different. She swam from Catalina Island to the shore of California in a straight path for twenty six miles. The same thick fog set in, but Florence made it because she said that while she swam, she kept a mental image of the shoreline in her mind. Florence Chadwick became the first woman to swim the Catalina Channel, eclipsing the men’s record by two hours! She didn’t lose sight of the shore because she focused on that image of the coast in her mind, and in this way, she reached her goal.

Sometimes in our journey it seems conditions like a “thick fog” settle around us, keeping us from seeing how very close we are to our victory. We need to keep pressing forward no matter what. It is true that sometimes life’s race can become discouraging, but keep reminding yourself that the path of the just is as a shining light that shines more and more unto the perfect day. What it means is that it can only get better. And when you are tempted to give up remind yourself that God is causing all things to work for your good.

Romans 8:28  says ‘And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.’

Indeed when you love God and you concern yourself with doing His will, things will  eventually work out in your favor. It is only a matter of time before you are ushered into a new level of glory. Presently you may not yet be where you aim to be. but look back and see how far you have come already. You may not be everything you want to be but at least you can thank God that you’re not what you used to be. Your dreams may not have turned out exactly as you’d hoped, but thank God you are still in the game of life, and to him that is joined to the living there is hope.

No matter how many times you get knocked down, keep getting back up. Don’t waver. Rather see every challenge as an opportunity to draw closer to God. Keep pressing forward in the call of God upon your life.  Daily draw strength from God’s Word and maintain a fervent prayer life. You need to build up strength in your inner man by feeding on The Word. The Word of God is our source of strength. You can never hope to overcome the opposition except by the strength of The Word within you. Indeed through  Christ you can do all things.

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for imparting into me divine strength for life’s journey. Please  grant me fresh appetite for Your Word so that I can acquire the faith I need to overcome in every challenge that comes my way in Jesus Name. .

QUOTE :

Nothing liberates like truth, the truth you know shall set you free. – WORDBITE 222.

Revelation 12:11

‘And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.’.

DAILY READING –Philemon 1:1-25; Jeremiah 19-20; Psalm 128

Joel Taylor, a leader of the Bethel worship ministry recently passed through a very challenging period of life as his two children battled a deadly disease. Taylor’s 2-year-old son, Jaxon, and 4-year-old daughter, Addie, contracted the dangerous E. coli infection that threatened to take their lives.

It all started when the youngest son Jaxon came down with a bad case of diarrhea, which quickly became something much worse. Soon doctors realized that his kidneys were shutting down. A raging E. coli infection was attacking his organs, forcing him to undergo numerous blood transfusions and to go on dialysis.

As doctors fought to save him, the parents passed through periods of seeing his lungs fill up with water. They went through a season where brain damage was a high potential as he passed through seizures. His eyes were rolling in the back of his head for a couple of days. At a time the parents completely lost all communication with him where he wasn’t responding for days. As if that was not enough after Jaxon was admitted, days later their 4 year old daughter Addie also was struck by the same dangerous infection. She also needed to be admitted to the hospital immediately. The parents went online to request for prayers and people from around the world prayed for the family.

Despite the serious illness, Joel Taylor and his wife never stopped putting their trust in the Lord and believing He would turn their tribulation into “a miracle testimony to the whole world.” They strongly believed in miraculous healing for the children by the power in the blood of Jesus.

After being bedridden for nearly a month, Jaxon, with God’s help was finally able to walk. Soon the children were all completely healed. And what a joyful day it was for the family as they all walked out of the hospital with the two children totally healed. On a  video Joel Taylor posted on Instagram, the entire family could be seen smiling, singing and dancing as they left the hospital and the fear of death behind. It was a sight thousands of people had been praying for. Taylor added to the post the  quote from Isaiah 42:3. “When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the Lord’

Indeed God is faithful. and we are grateful for the provision He has made for our divine healing. The blood of Jesus is able to bring healing and deliverance to those who put their trust in God,

Revelation 12:11 says ‘And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.’

The Greek word translated “overcame” in Revelation 12:11 means to conquer, prevail or get the victory. In the face of every challenge, the element of our victory is the Blood of Jesus. Sicknesses and diseases cannot withstand the Blood, and the enemy has no resistance against the Blood. Truly, the weapons of our warfare supersede the weapons of the enemy. In every trial, our protection, as well as our victory, lies in the blood of Christ. Our battle cry in the midst of any conflict should always be the blood.

Through the communion table, the Blood of Jesus Christ destroys afflictions and diseases. Barrenness, sickness, joblessness, poverty, iniquity, etc are all wiped away by the power in the blood. Indeed there is power in the blood to overcome every challenge we may face. Let us therefore always, approach the Communion table with faith and expectation for the destruction of everything which God has not planted in our lives. Indeed through the power in the blood of Jesus we are overcomers in every conflict.

PRAYER: Lord, through application of the blood.  please help me to begin to appropriate all You have won for me at Calvary Indeed by the blood of Jesus I have victory in all areas of my life in Jesus Name.

QUOTE :

Until you cry out in the place of prayer certain things won’t happen

Psalms 105:13 – 15  ‘When they went from one nation to another, from one kingdom to another people; He suffered no man to do them wrong: yea, he reproved kings for their sakes; Saying, Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm.’

DAILY READING  Titus 3; Jeremiah 17-18; Psalm 127

Sometime ago, some Christian News outlets carried the story of the miraculous escape from ISIS of Pastor Daniel, who served in a church in the tribal area of Maasim in the Philippines. This pastor was alone in his church when two men with rifles walked in and ordered him into their car.  They drove him on a rut-filled dirt road deep into the jungle. As soon as they arrived their destination, he saw the black ISIS flag on a pole.  They escorted him over to a hole about nine feet deep and a dozen feet across. Once on the edge they took his phone and pushed him in. As he landed in the soft mud at the bottom, he knew his fate. He’d heard about these holes. No one came out of them alive.

He prayed and waited. He spent about two days in the hole. Cold and coated with mud he got very little sleep. Occasionally, someone would drop down a little food and some water. On the third day, four men, three with rifles and one with a handgun, circled the hole. They accused the pastor of passing out bibles in the area. The ISIS commander told him “You are guilty of counter-Islamic activity. You must die.”

The Commander raised his pistol. Pastor Danial closed his eyes and prayed for God to save him. At that moment a phone rang. He opened his eyes in time to see the Commander back away holding a cell phone. He couldn’t make out what was being said but it was clearly an argument and the Commander seemed upset.

After a short time, the Commander appeared and glared down at Pastor Danial. He said “You must have important friends. I’ve been told not to execute you.”

Pastor Danial only nodded, totally amazed at God’s timely miraculous intervention. Though he didn’t have any friends in high places, he knew the Most High had somehow orchestrated events and organized his release and he silently praised God

Indeed  God does protect His servants. When our trust is in Him, in times of need, God rises to show Himself mighty on our behalf.

Psalms 105:13 – 15 says ‘When they went from one nation to another, from one kingdom to another people; He suffered no man to do them wrong: yea, he reproved kings for their sakes; Saying, Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm.’

Indeed every child of God carries a ‘touch not seal’ that makes him or her inaccessible to the forces of wickedness. Through Redemption, divine protection has become our covenant right. Supernatural protection is one of the several blessings every child of God should enjoy. The truth is that we are not alone in this journey of destiny. Once you are born again, you have made God your trusted companion. And as we walk in God’s will His Presence will always surround and protect us.

Psalm 23:4-5: “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou prepares a table before me in the presence of mine enemies…”

Indeed, wherever we go, we should be conscious of God’s ever abiding presence. No matter what you may face and no matter the plot against you, always remember that “..Greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world” (1 John 4:4).

As long as we are in God’s will, no devil is permitted to touch us. We are too defended to be victims. A thousand may fall at your side and ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you. The Lord will be your shade on the right hand and on the left.

As a child of God, your safety and security are not in the hands of any man, but in God’s hands.  And as you continue to seek  God in a closer walk, you can be sure of His total protection. Indeed no weapon formed against you shall ever prosper. God is too faithful to fail. And as you remain divinely connected to God, wherever you go, whatever you do, you can always be sure of His protection.

PRAYER: Father, because my life is hid in Christ, and Christ is hid in You, I know I am totally protected. Thank You Lord, for giving Your angels charge over me to keep me in all my ways in  Jesus Name. .

QUOTE

When you obey God’s instruction you are delivered from destruction.

Matthew 5:15-16  “Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.  Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven”.

• ’DAILY READING – Titus 2; Jeremiah 15-16; Psalm 126

In the 18th century, Mary Pryor was a known preacher and teacher of the Gospel from Britain. When she was in her 60’s, after her last child had married, Mary felt called to preach the Gospel in America. She boarded a ship  named ‘the Fame’. The ship was in such bad shape that it sprang a serious leak in the course of their journey. The sailors and passengers had to work the pumps night and day to keep it afloat. This effort continued for several weeks as the ship made slow sailing. All became exhausted. But Mary resorted to constant prayers and seeking the face of The Lord.

Finally, the men felt they could no longer drive the pumps. At that point Mary came from her cabin, promising them that God had shown her that all would be rescued that very day if only they worked the pumps. She even named the ship that would rescue them: the Archibald. However, water was now entering faster than they could pump it out. The ship began to sink under them. Mary urged them to work for just two more hours. Rescue would come within that time, she said.

The crew threw overboard all that they could. Within the two hours, the Archibald was spotted as Mary had promised. It was just a sixty-ton fishing boat and short of water. The coast of America was still 600 miles away. But the fishermen agreed to reduce their own water rations and they crammed the Fame’s entire crew and passengers aboard.

Mary landed in Philadelphia on March 15, 1798. Immediately, she fell to the ground, praising God. The Captain, the crew and the passengers gathered around her, removing their hats, in awe of the God she served, following her to give thanks to God.

Matthew 5:15-16  “Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven”.

Being the light of the world, means we are redeemed to be Pace-setters, pathfinders and trail-blazers for the world to follow. Jesus also said that we are light of the world and the salt of the earth; which means we are designed to preserve humanity from decadence and to give taste to the tasteless world. As salt of the earth, many destinies are meant to be preserved through us. Just like for the sake of Paul the passengers in the ship were all preserved, so also the men in the boat were preserved because of Mary Pryor. In the same way, for your sake, anyone connected to you by destiny will be preserved.

We must understand what our purpose on earth is. We are not just here to occupy space, there is a reason and a purpose for which God created us. Essentially that purpose is to manifest His glory. The world is meant to see the power and nature of God manifested in us. As lights of the world, we are to let our light shine so brightly that others can see their way out of the dark.  We are to be problem solvers and solution providers. The world is a dark place and lies in wickedness. As light carriers we are here to make a difference. It is our responsibility to keep our light shining brightly to lead men out of darkness. We are agents of heaven meant to establish the light of God’s glory in a dark world. Those men would have drowned had Mary Prior not been in the boat. Looking around us are there people who may drown if we don’t allow God’s light to shine through us to reach them. Yes, it is true we are the light of the world, but when the light refuses to shine, it gives room for darkness to reign.

John 1:5 says:  “And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.’

We are indeed the light of the world, but only if our switch is turned on. Indeed when our light is shining brightly, darkness will not be able to overcome it.

It is the entrance of The Word that gives light. Without Christ we can do nothing. But through Christ that strengthens us we can do all things. When we  have been lighted by God’s Word, we are in turn to light others.

Daniel 12:3 says ‘And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.’

Jesus said that we are cities set on hills which cannot be hidden. Through our light men shall be guided to the true light of Christ. Realize that in this generation, God has ordained you at this time to be the solution provider. When men are about to descend into darkness, point them to the light.  God is raising an army of believers who will be doing exploits. Right in the midst of gloominess and darkness of the world God is raising this army. It will be a body of believers who will command signs and wonders in their generation. . They will be those people will look up to in times of trouble. They shall be Elijahs – deciding the destinies of nations! They will be Samuels, anointing and appointing kings. We must therefore strive to be part of this glorious company who will be the salt of the earth and the light of their world.

PRAYER: Lord, please whatever You are doing in this season, may I never miss out on it. Please help me to be spiritually sensitive to Your every leading, so that I can take my place in Your great army in Jesus Name.

QUOTE :

Illuminate your world for you are a star destined to shine. WORDBITE 222.

Philippians 1:6 ‘Being confident of this very that thing He which hath begun a good work in you , will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.’

DAILY READING – Titus 2; Jeremiah 15-16; Psalm 126

Henry Parsons Crowell was a mighty man of God and an extraordinary entrepreneur. Affectionately called “The autocrat of the Breakfast Table’ he is the founder of Quaker Oates.  When he made The Holy Spirit, His Senior Partner, God began to open Him up to many nouvelle ideas. Henry P. Crowell faithfully gave 60 to 70 percent of his income to God’s causes, having advanced from an initial 10%.

Henry Crowell saw American Cereal’s Quaker Oats as affordable, nutritious alternative for housewives to feed their families. While 15,000 other businesses went bankrupt and many others were cutting back, Henry made bold investments in advertising, putting billboards on train box cars promoting, “Quaker Oats, the World’s Breakfast,” and adding display ads to newspapers and magazines. He researched and wrote the ads himself. He pioneered the use of celebrity endorsements. He invented contests with prizes for mailing in the top of the box. Prior to this, businesses advertised and hired sales people in order to sell the grocers on why they should stock the item. Henry by-passed this and went straight to the consumer so that they would request the item to be stocked by the grocer. He turned housewives across America into his sales people. by 1908, the Quaker trademark was a known by more people in more countries than any other brand on any kind of good in the entire world.

Henry and Susan were well known around Chicago due to their financial prosperity, but they were also known for their Christianity as they shared the Gospel at every given opportunity. Henry shared his faith within his business circles and Susan within her social societies. Many corporate giants came to Christ as a result of their association with Crowell. And the Henry Parsons and Susan Coleman Crowell Trust donated to more than 100 Christian organizations, including the Moody Bible Institute.

The more money Henry gave to Christian causes, the more he prospered. In 1901, Standard Oil was accumulating large ponds of coal oil with no use for it. John D Rockefeller was introduced to the Perfection Stove and immediately, John had 3,000 new sales people selling Henry and Frank’s lamp stoves, bringing them astronomical sales. Much of the fortune Henry created from this business. went to fund church and missionary ventures

Remember it is always darkest just before the day breaks. So don’t be discouraged by the things that may try to frustrate you. Keep pushing forward in pursuit of the vision God has put in your heart. Don’t be discouraged by the challenges that may come your way. Every problem has an expiry date, yours is no different. Whatever challenges confronting you now shall not linger forever. It too shall come to pass. No matter how deep or dark the night it has never stopped the day from breaking forth. Weeping may endure for a night but joy comes in the morning.

PRAYER: Lord, please help me to trust you with the journey of my life,  in all I do may I always be an instrument for the expansion of Your Kingdom on earth in Jesus Name.

QUOTE

God protects and shields us when we are being led by Him. – WORDBITE 222.

Jude 1:22 ‘And of some have compassion, making a difference:’

DAILY READING  2 Timothy 4; Jeremiah 11-12; Psalm 124

Dr. Rick Sacra is a medical missionary who has worked for many years in Liberia. Currently he serves as a doctor at ELWA hospital, outside Liberia’s capital Monrovia. ELWA stands for ‘Eternal Love Winning Africa’.

Dr. Sacra knew from a young age that he wanted to make a difference in this world. He said the conviction that he had in his heart ever since he was a little boy was that he wanted to be someone who would portray the love of Christ. The Bible story of the Good Samaritan had a profound influence and impact on his life when he was a kid, He wanted to be somebody like the good Samaritan who would help others who were in need. And that was where the idea of being a medical missionary was birthed. He made his first trip to the West African nation of Liberia in 1987 to discover if the idea of serving as a missionary doctor was even feasible. At that time, he was in medical school. But during his short term visit to Liberia, he fell in love with the people. What drew him was the calling and conviction of The Lord. It seemed God had put the love for Liberia in his heart. And so in 1995, he and his wife, Debbie, decided to move there permanently.

Rick and Debbie were on a trip to the United States when the news hit the headlines in 2014 of the deadly Ebola outbreak in West Africa. They were heartbroken  to hear that the virus was spreading and killing thousands across the region. When Rick heard that all the hospitals in Monrovia had closed, his concern was for women in labor who had no place to go to deliver. He knew he could help, He knew he could make a difference. And so he flew back to Liberia during the height of the Ebola epidemic. However unfortunately, a month later he got infected while caring for a pregnant woman at the Hospital.

When he got the fever on August 29, 2014, he suspected right away that it was Ebola. He was airlifted from Liberia to a treatment center in Omaha, Nebraska. Thankfully he survived. But as soon as he recovered he was itching to return to Liberia to continue helping. In an interview with  TIME Magazine he  said”God led me to become a medical missionary many years ago, the passion that motivated me then is still the one that motivates me now: ‘Love your neighbor as you love yourself.’

And months after surviving Ebola, Sacra was back in Liberia continuing his calling of loving and caring for people. For his work among the Liberians he has been acclaimed internationally and received awards as a result. Among these is  the prestigious L’Chaim award for Outstanding Christian Medical Missionary Service.

Jesus asked us to lay down our lives for others. In the story of the Good Samaritan, the priest, and the Levite saw the man in need and took to the other side of the road, but the Samaritan came by and took care of him. Jesus told this parable in response to the question, ‘who is my neighbor?’ And before His ascension He told the disciples to show love to one another by laying down their lives.

Often times, like the priest and Levite, we like to take the other side of the road when we see a need, and we even find good reasons for doing so; we don’t just want to get involved with people’s issues. We would rather observe from a distance. But the world is full of hurting people, even in the Church. They need someone to reach out in love. Love is practical; it is more of what you do than what you say. We need to go beyond the walls – we have to reach out and touch. Let us not love in words alone but also in deeds. Let us be physical manifestations of Jesus to those around us. Let us love our neighbor indeed and in truth. Though many saw Dr. Rick Sacra as a hero for risking his life to aid the sick, he only saw himself as doing only what Jesus would do. For him it was practically living his faith even if it meant risking his life. He could have chosen to do nothing and look the other way, even as many more died, but he knew he had a call to answer. Likewise we need to reach out and touch. We are the hands and feet of Jesus to our world and wherever we go we need to make a difference and let the world see Christ’s love through us. .

PRAYER: Lord, help me to show true love and compassion to people in need. Help me to reach out and touch, and show love as You would to people. Please help me Lord to live a life of impacting others positively wherever I go in Jesus’ name.

Quote

When you obey God’s instruction you are delivered from destruction

Psalm 150: 4-6 ‘Praise Him with the timbrel and dance: praise Him with stringed instruments and organs. Praise Him upon the loud cymbals: praise Him upon the high sounding cymbals. Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord.

DAILY READING  2 Timothy 3; Jeremiah 9-10; Psalm 123

Billy Sunday was one of the early professional baseball players in America. He grew up as a poor farm kid, but rose to become a celebrated baseball player. In 1886, when he was 24 years old, he encountered Christ and became a changed man. And a few years later, he left baseball to pursue a Christian ministry. During the early 20th century, he became well known as America’s  most famous evangelist who  preached to millions around the world. He held widely reported campaigns in America’s largest cities, and he attracted the largest crowds of any evangelist before the advent of electronic sound systems. Yet despite his success, Billy Sunday remained ever grateful to God for His many blessings. His attitude of gratitude was witnessed one day by a policeman in Chicago. The policeman was walking his beat when he observed a man standing before the Pacific Garden Mission. The man had removed his hat, and the officer thought he was acting rather strangely. Thinking the man might be drunk or ill, the policeman approached him. He noticed that his eyes were closed, so he nudged him and said, “What’s the matter? Are you sick?” The man looked up and smiled, then said “No, sir. My name is Billy Sunday I was converted right here in this mission. I never pass this way without taking the opportunity, if possible, to stand quietly for a moment and whisper a prayer of thanksgiving.”

Indeed Billy Sunday never forgot God’s mercy in saving him, and used every opportunity to praise God.

Psalm 150: 4-6 says ‘Praise Him with the timbrel and dance: praise Him with stringed instruments and organs. Praise Him upon the loud cymbals: praise Him upon the high sounding cymbals. Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord.’

Indeed we need to use our every breath to praise God. We need to constantly count our blessings and deliberately thank Him for all His goodness in our lives. Like Billy Sunday, we ought to sometimes pause and thank God foremostly for our salvation. Do we ever wonder where we would be today, if God had not intervened and saved us in the nick of time. We could never thank Him enough for saving us from the fires of hell and giving us the hope of Heaven.

Indeed God is worthy of our every praise. He deserves our constant adoration. It is only because of His mercies that we are not consumed. The reason why we are still alive today is because of His grace that richly abounds towards us.

Do you know how many times death came looking for you, but God’s mercy said, ‘No.’ The sickness you survived and recovered from, is what has killed many others.  The road you passed through without any harm, is the same road some people passed through and their blood was shed. Yes, things may not be perfect right now, but happenings should not  regulate our praise. We may not yet have all we desire but let us thank God for what we have; let us thank Him for the gift of life, because a living dog is better than a dead lion. And to him that is joined to the living there is hope. No matter how today  may look, let us thank God that we have hope for a better tomorrow.  And because the path of the just shines more and more, things can only keep getting better for us.

Psalm 22 says that God inhabits the praises of His people. Therefore the more you praise God, the more His presence surrounds you and when God is around you, no evil can come near you. Indeed when you praise God, He raises you up and causes you to ride upon your high places.

PRAYER:  Lord, I truly thank You  for Your many blessings in my life. Please grant me the grace to remain ever grateful and to give You worthy praise for  all You have been doing for me in Jesus’ name.

Quote

Praise is proof that you believe God to do what He said He would do in your life. – WORDBITE 201.

Proverbs 19:21  ‘There are many devices in a man’s heart; nevertheless the counsel of the Lord, that shall stand.’

DAILY READING  2 Timothy 2; Jeremiah 7-8; Psalm 122

James Garfield, the 20th president of the United States, is the only Gospel minister to have served as the nation’s president. However, it is amazing how God dramatically changed the course of his life. Born into a Christian family, his mother taught him the Gospel right from his childhood. But as he grew older, James had no interest in living for God, but rather he desired to be a sailor. When he was 18 years old, he planned to take a trip with some of  his friends on a canal boat. But two days before the trip, he injured his foot while chopping wood. It was only a small cut, but when he put on a pair of his  homemade socks which had been dyed blue, the dye in the socks poisoned the wound making it to become worse. As a result of this, James was compelled to stay at home while his friends left on the journey without him. James was unhappy that he had missed the trip, but while he was home, a powerful preacher came to their town to hold revival meetings. With nothing else to do, James attended the meetings. The message he heard touched him deeply, and as a result, he surrendered his  heart to The Lord. He took his faith seriously and immediately began to serve God, sharing the Gospel with others.

With his new faith; new desires and purposes took hold of him. Soon he abandoned his dream of being a sailor and determined to seek an education, to enable him serve God better. He went to College, studied law and was admitted to the Ohio Bar Association in 1860. He became an ordained Gospel minister and later went  into politics. He was elected to the Ohio Senate and became a major player in national politics and then on November 2, 1880, he was elected the 20th president of the United States.

It is interesting to note that though Garfield’s plan was to be a sailor, his encounter with Christ, altered everything.  Indeed redemption offers us a glorious destiny in Christ. It is a destiny accompanied by grace and divine enablement to become all God has ordained for us to be.

It is God’s plan for the redeemed to be pacesetters and trail blazers. We are ordained kings and priests to reign on the earth. We are the salt of the earth, the light of the world, we are cities set on hills that cannot be hidden. And God has lined up the circumstances that will  bring us to this glorious destiny. In His plan, grace, favor, supernatural opportunities and divine connections are all lined up to help you arrive at your preordained place. Frustration in life only results if we leave God’s plan to follow our own paths.. No matter how beautiful our own devices, it is only God’s plan that can stand the test of time.

Proverbs 19:21 says ‘There are many devices in a man’s heart; nevertheless the counsel of the Lord, that shall stand.’

Only that which The Lord does abides forever. And only the Lord’s doing can be marvelous in our eyes. Indeed God’s plan for us surpasses whatever plans we may have for ourselves. As heavens are higher than the earth so are God’s thoughts higher than ours. But access to His  glorious destiny for us is by coming to Him because no one has the capacity to execute a divine plan except God. And it is only by His grace at work in our lives that we can become all He has ordained for us to be in this life.

PRAYER: Lord, please help me to feed constantly on Your Word, and to maintain a prayerful lifestyle, so that I can be sensitive to Your leadings. By Your grace I shall fulfill the glorious destiny You have ordained for in Jesus Name

QUOTE

It takes a heart for God to make a mark in the sands of time. – WORDBITE 201.