Psalm 114:5-7  ‘What ailed thee, O thou sea, that thou fleddest? thou Jordan, that thou wast driven back?  Ye mountains, that ye skipped like rams; and ye little hills, like lambs? Tremble, thou earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob;’

DAILY READING     •       Revelation 6; Nehemiah 8:13-9:37; Psalm 101

Some people have a certain sound or song that can set their teeth on edge. They  try their best to avoid such sounds.  This fact however is utilized by the US army in a type of psychological warfare,  known as  “music torture”. In ‘music torture’ an enemy is forced to listen non-stop  to the kind of sound or music he hates, until he finally surrenders.

On Christmas Day, 1989, the military leader of Panama, General Manuel Noriega became the most famous victim of ‘music torture’

As the leader of Panama, General Noriega’s rule was marked by corruption and violence. When Panamanians organized protests against Noriega and demanded his ouster, he declared a national emergency, shut down radio stations and newspapers and forced his political enemies into exile. When the US failed to get Noriega to resign, President George H.W. Bush authorized “Operation Just Cause,” which saw U.S. troops invading Panama.

To avoid arrest Noriega holed himself up in the Vatican’s embassy in Panama City. Even when the embassy was surrounded by US troops,  he refused to give himself up. Since The US army could not trespass into the embassy, they decided to use psychological warfare – by blasting a wall of rock music non stop. It was a kind of music Noregia hated, being rather a lover of opera music.

The US army blasted Noregia with this kind of music for days until he couldn’t take it anymore.  On 3rd January 1990, he surrendered himself to the US army.  Noriega was flown to Miami the following day and was later convicted of drug trafficking, money laundering and racketeering.  He was sentenced to 40 years in prison.

Blasting the enemy with the kind of sound or music that irritates him, is a part of psychological warfare. Spiritually  also, there is a kind of music the enemy hates to hear. It is the sound of praise.  Hearing believers praise God can drive the enemy nuts.  It is a sound he hates and would quickly flee whenever he hears it. Therefore, if you sense the enemy at work in your environment you can organize a praise assault or praise warfare against him. When you decide to mount a warfare of nonstop praise, the enemy is going to be flushed out from wherever he may have been hiding around you.

Many of the challenges we face on earth may appear natural but when we look closer, there is an extension to the world of the spirit. More than a physical challenge it is a spiritual warfare. And every spiritual battle requires a spiritual approach.

And one spiritual approach the enemy has no defense against is Praise.. When you begin to praise God nonstop, the enemy is going to pack his load and flee. Your greatest guarantee for victory in every battle is God’s presence, and praise is what it takes to get God on the scene. An environment of continual praise is an environment where God’s presence dominates.

Psalm 114 talks about when Israel left Egypt, and God became their sanctuary. Due to the Presence of God with them. Verse 5 to 7 says  ‘The sea saw it, and fled:  Jordan was driven back.   The mountains skipped like rams, and the little hills like lambs.   What ailed thee, O thou sea, that thou fleddest?  thou Jordan, that thou wast driven back?  Ye mountains, that ye skipped like rams;  and ye little hills, like lambs?  Tremble, thou earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob’

The sea, hills, mountains which represented problems were trembling and running away because of the Presence of God that surrounded Israel. In the same way, you can flush out all demonic harassment from around you through continual praise. Praise invokes God’s tangible Presence and when God arises all His enemies must surely be scattered.

PRAYER: Lord, I thank You for granting me the grace to praise You always. As I praise you today, I know that every enemy of my life and destiny will surely flee faraway from my environment  in Jesus Name.

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Praise always guarantees you power for a raise, learning to praise God in season and out of season is key to fulfilling destiny. – WORDBITE 222.

Proverbs 18;21 ‘Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.’

• DAILY READING – Revelation 5; Nehemiah 7:5-8:12; Psalm 100

Evidence of the power of the tongue to bless can be seen in the Jewish tradition of the Shabbat. Every week as the sun sets on Friday evening the Jewish holiday of Shabbat begins, to end when the sun sets on Saturday. And on Friday nights the father or mother lays hands on their children’s heads and recites special blessings upon them.

The result of this tradition of blessing is that today Jews rank among the best and the highest in every field of endeavor in the world. Though they are only 0.2 percent of the world’s population, they win an astonishing 22 percent of Nobel Prizes, more than any other ethnicity in the world.  They also account for 53 percent of the recipients of the Pulitzer prize for general nonfiction. And Jews form 85% of people in the world with an IQ over 170. Israel’s critics who have continually forecast the decline and fall of Zionism and the Jewish state have had their predictions  proven wrong, as the Nation continues to thrive.  Israel is not only a significant military power (and in the region, a superpower) but also a formidable economic machine. The power of blessing is indeed evident in Israel’s amazing progress.

Proverbs 18:21 teaches us, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.”  Indeed words are powerful.

In Genesis, Chapter 1, God created the universe by the power of His words. Then He created Adam and Eve in His own image, thereby placing creative power in our tongues, too. We must therefore  choose our words carefully. King David, prayed in Psalm 141:3  “Set a guard over my mouth, O Lord”

Words are seeds, once spoken, it is only a matter of time before they bear fruits. And whatsoever a man sows that shall he reap. We must therefore be careful to sow right seeds that will bear right fruits tomorrow. The words of blessing Jewish parents have been speaking over their children through the centuries is producing the good fruits the Jewish generation is seeing today.

And if parents can adopt this Jewish tradition of blessing their children rather than berating them at every opportunity, we will indeed have a better generation of youths, doing exploits in the world.  Meditating upon the Word of God will help us speak the right words, because it is out of the abundance of the heart that the mouth speaks. In Joshua 1:7,8  God told Joshua  “Be strong and very courageous…Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night.”

No matter, the temptation let us avoid negative speaking. Let our tongues steer our destiny along the line of God’s will. Let us speak only that which is in agreement with the word of God. As we commit to speak rightly by God’s grace we shall reap a bountiful harvest of good things. .

PRAYER: Lord, please help me to speak right ,to bless with my mouth  and allow my words to be a blessing to those around me. Let  the continual flow of your praise come  from my mouth at all times in Jesus Name.

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Your heart needs to be filled with The Word of God to the point of overflow. – WORDBITE 222

Job 14:7-9  ‘For there is hope of a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that the tender branch thereof will not cease. Though the root thereof wax old in the earth, and the stock thereof die in the ground; Yet through the scent of water it will bud, and bring forth boughs like a plant.’

DAILY READING – Revelation 4; Nehemiah 5:1-7:4; Psalm 99

In 1994, George Foreman, former heavy weight boxing champion, astounded the world when he made a comeback to win the boxing title. At age 44 he became the oldest boxer in history to win that title, but for George, the journey to that point had been a walk of faith, trusting God all the way.

Seventeen years to that time, precisely in 1977, George had an encounter with God that turned his life around. He had been a world heavy weight champion, winning most of his fights, but in 1977, after losing a fight to an opponent, he had a near death experience in which he encountered God. Later he shocked the boxing community by announcing his retirement from boxing. Many people thought he was crazy, but George became a Christian and later went into full time preaching. For 10 years he worked as a Church evangelist, then at the age of 38, despite being considered too old for the game, he decided to go back to boxing. He started his comeback by having routine fights against less established boxers. Though initially losing some fights, he was undeterred. By age 44, he entered the ring again and this time he won by a technical knockout and finally reclaimed the heavyweight title. He made history as the oldest person to win the boxing title. He also became one of the highest-paid and most recognized celebrity endorsed in the world. All because he trusted God for a comeback.

Comebacks may not be easy, but it is when the going gets tough, that the tough get going. Comebacks are the preserve of champions, they are the markings of the truly great.  Moses had come to a point in his life where he was bereft of the will to even consider starting over. After having been an affluent prince of Egypt, he was now keeping sheep in Midian. At 80 years of age, when God asked him to make the comeback to Egypt, Moses understandably was quite reluctant. He put up all kinds of excuses; however God who knows the end from the beginning, knew the latter end of Moses would greatly outshine his beginning. Eventually, when Moses obeyed God’s call and made the comeback to Egypt, his latter years indeed became the crowning glory of his life.

When God is in your corner, nothing can be a barrier to a triumphant comeback, not even age! With God all things are possible. The Bible says God has used the base things of this life to confound the wise. He will use the weak to confound the strong, He will use the poor to confound the rich. The times when men think it’s over, is when God likes to take over and make a show of your life. He likes to overturn men’s expectations so that they will know there is God in Heaven who rules in the affairs of men. Indeed, as the Bible says in Job 14, it doesn’t matter how old the stump of a tree gets in the ground, through the scent of water it will bud again. It doesn’t matter how late in the day it may seem, it is never too late for God to turn things around for you. Even though your mates may have gotten ahead, God is the God of divine speed. He can change your story in one day, just like He did for Joseph, taking him from the prison to the palace overnight! Likewise, God can give you grace for a speedy accomplishment. It is never too late. God can still turn around your story and crown you with His glory.

PRAYER: Father please  strengthen my heart through your Word, so that no matter how far I may have gone in the wrong direction, I will always be able to turn around and make a glorious comeback in Jesus’ name.

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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.

Psalm 18:44-45 ‘As soon as they hear of me, they shall obey me:  the strangers shall submit themselves unto me. The strangers shall fade away, and be afraid out of their close places.’

DAILY READING  Revelation 3; Nehemiah 4; Psalm 98

in the early 20th century, John G. Lake was used mightily by God in the area of divine healing. This was evidenced by the multitude of signs, wonders, and miracles recorded in his ministry.

Lake’s healing ministry began on April 28, 1898, through the miraculous healing of his wife. Three years prior to that time, his wife, Jennie, had been suffering from tuberculosis and heart disease and doctors had given up on her. Lake’s friends counseled him to resolve himself to God’s will and to accept Jennie’s  impending death. Lake found their advice unacceptable. But as Jennie began to draw close to her last breath, at a moment of desperation, Lake threw his Bible across the room, it fell to the floor and opened to Acts 10. As Lake walked over to pick it up, his eyes were drawn to verse 38. It read, “…How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.” Those words gripped Lake.  And he realized that Jesus is the author of life, but it was the devil, the author of death that was stealing away his wife.

With that understanding, faith filled his heart and he marched into the bedroom where his wife lay.  He declared to the unseen forces that his wife would be healed at exactly 9:30 am.  When that time came he knelt by her bedside and called on the living God.  As he prayed, suddenly, the power of God came on his wife.  The paralysis left, her heartbeat became normal, her breathing became clear, and she was totally healed. It was an awesome miracle and the story of this healing spread quickly, inspiring many to visit the Lake home. This event began for John Lake a life of ministry that would take him across the world, preaching the gospel and seeing the power of God move upon millions

Psalm 18:44-45 says  ‘As soon as they hear of me, they shall obey me:  the strangers shall submit themselves unto me. The strangers shall fade away, and be afraid out of their close places.’

Many times why it seems problem still stare us in the face is because we lack the faith to make bold declarations.  Faith is the covenant trigger for the manifestation of the power of God. Faith is a spiritual explosive that destroys the devil and establishes the dominion of the saints. Jesus has given us the power to tread upon serpents and scorpions and over every power of the enemy.  Spiritually we have been put in charge over the devil, his agents and all their evil works. But the reason why sometimes negative situations seem to linger is because we keep quiet  for too long. We need to build our faith through studying  God’s Word and then take charge in our environment by declaring The Word. It is through the voice of the Lord that the Assyrian shall be beaten down.  Until you speak nothing happens. God says when we open our mouth, He is going to fill it. When you open your mouth to declare the counsel of God in your situation God will begin to confirm what you are declaring. He confirms the Words of His servants and performs the counsel of His messengers..

Whenever we speak in faith Power is released for the performance of God’s Word. Enough of begging situations; it is time to take charge.  We are created to dominate and rule over circumstances and situations.  But it is only the violent that can take it by force. You must therefore decide to be spiritually violent in dealing with issues that afflict you. The devil is not a gentleman, so don’t treat him like one. Fill your heart with God’s Word till faith arises, then roar against the enemy in the Name of Jesus and he will have no choice than to flee.. AS Psalm 18:44-45  says  as soon as the strangers hear you, they shall obey you,  fade away, and be afraid out of their close places.

RAYER: Lord, please grant me renewed appetite for Your Word, so that my heart will be constantly filled with the faith to dominate in every situation. I thank You Lord for making  me the winner in every conflict in Jesus Name.

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Until you cry out in the place of prayer certain things won’t happen WORDBITE 222

Proverbs 18;21  ‘Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.

• DAILY READING Revelation 2; Nehemiah 3; Psalm 97

In December 2009, a Turkish newspaper reported that Researchers had found seeds that were over 4000 years old. The 4,000-year-old seeds were found during an archaeological dig in the Aegean city of Kütahya in western Turkey. A team of archeologists were conducting an excavation in the district of Kütahya when they found a container holding seeds, many of which were burned and useless. However, three seeds they found were not damaged, and they began carrying out research on these seeds. For the next two years their attempts to germinate these seeds had failed, but in 2011,  one of the three seeds germinated.  Scientists have been closely studying this germinated seed of a plant which had existed centuries ago.  Through analysis of the characteristics of the plants, they hope to achieve a scientific breakthrough.

It is indeed amazing that these seeds would still be alive, and could germinate after four thousand years. But that shows us the power embedded in a seed.

Luke 8:11 tells us that The Word of God is the seed. And the seed of God’s Word, contains the power of God.  When we declare the counsel of God over situations, the power in the word causes it to germinate and bear fruit.  Power for accomplishment is released whenever we speak God’s Word. Indeed God watches over His Word to perform it.

The truth is that you can change your world through your words. Start to boldly confess God’s Word. Use the words you speak to move forward in life, to bring to life the great things God has in store for you. Instead of speaking about your mountains, speak to them. Speak light to the dark places of your life. Speak life to the dead places.  Learn to speak blessings over your life, your family, your future. A blessing is not a blessing until it is spoken. Concerning your health, family, finances, keep declaring The Word of God. Indeed there is power in your mouth.

Though, sometimes it may initially seem as if nothing is happening if we persist in speaking, The seed of the Word will eventually take root and germinate. No matter how discouraging the situation, keep declaring The Word of God. Just like a tree being cut down, the initial blow may not bring it down, but if you persist and never give up, consequent blows will eventually bring it down. Each time you speak, power for fulfillment is being released. God’s Spirit dwells in His Word. Thus, when we say, ‘It is written,’ the Spirit of  God goes forth with the word, to confront and overcome the challenge. The Word will surely work for you.  According to John 1:1 God and His Word are the same. Therefore whatever cannot stop God, cannot stop His Word from having its way in your life.

PRAYER: Lord, Please grant me the grace to always plant the right seeds, through speaking  the right words. As I keep declaring Your Word, I thank You for a rich harvest of the good things You have planned for my life in Jesus Name. .

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

John 6:54 ‘Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.’

DAILY READING – – Revelation 1; Nehemiah 1-2; Psalm 96

For many centuries men have been in a great quest for the fountain of eternal youth. From ancient times many methods have been practiced to reverse aging and stop the death process. Some of these ancient methods included the transfusion of blood or drinking of its components. Some centuries ago scientists began to explore the possibility of using the blood of young people to rejuvenate the old and aging. In the mid-19th century, a scientist named Paul Bert began experimenting with a process called parabiosis. In this process, young and old animals were surgically connected to share the same blood circulatory system. From this experiment, it was found that the blood of the young animals could rejuvenate the old. Paul Bert was awarded the Prize of Experimental Physiology in 1866 for his discoveries. Recently scientists began to take Bert’s experiment a step further by applying it to humans. The result is what they now believe to be a potential biological Fountain of Youth and anti-aging panacea. According to the claim of these scientists, taking a young person’s blood and infusing it into an older person could ward off aging. The therapy of parabiosis has greatly fascinated many rich and famous people who have been investing heavily in the research, hoping it will provide a way for them to live forever young on earth.
A company named ‘Ambrosia’ now charges $8,000 per patient for its human clinical trial of parabiosis. However, in January 2019, the U.S food and drug administration [FDA] sent strong warnings to the public to be wary of companies like ‘Ambrosia’, saying there is yet no proven clinical benefit of parabiosis to cure or prevent aging conditions. The stance of the U.S government doesn’t seem to have deterred the many people now on the waiting list of ‘Ambrosia’. Each of them is to be transfused with 1.5 liters of blood from young donors aged between 16 and 25 years. ‘Ambrosia’, based in San Francisco has been so successful that it now has additional locations in Los Angeles; Omaha, Nebraska; Houston, Texas; and Tampa, Florida.
It is amusing and amazing that men are so desperately in search of a man-made eternal life. But eternal life, cannot be purchased through money or infusion of young blood. The truth is that there is only one, whose blood has the guarantee of eternal life. That is Christ Jesus.  Eternal life can only come through our divine connection with Christ, which transfuses His divine life and blood into us.

In John 6:54, Jesus says ‘Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.’
While the world run after the elusive fountain of youth, we already have the promise of renewal and rejuvenation through the eternal life that is in Christ Jesus. The Blood of Jesus has already made the provision for eternal strength and vigor for us through the Holy Communion.  The holy communion is more than a Church rite or Christian ritual, it is a covenant mystery that God has given to us for daily renewal and rejuvenation

The Communion is a mystery of life transplant. While Jesus walked on earth, He was vibrant, and His body was full of life and health; Jesus was never sick. However, at the cross there was a divine exchange, He took all our sicknesses and infirmities, while we received His eternal life. When we partake of the Blood of Jesus, there is a spiritual blood transfusion that ejects our defiled blood in exchange for His undefiled and incorruptible Blood. As we partake of the communion, our bodies are serviced and infused with new life and strength, as the virtues of Christ flow into us.
The Power of the Holy Communion neutralizes body poisons and diseases. As you take it daily, it will make you younger, stronger and cause you to live longer. Through the blood covenant, we will never have any need to seek after an elusive fountain of  youth, because already eternal strength, vigor and eternal life are ours through the power that is in Christ’s blood.

PRAYER: Lord, I thank You for the supernatural grace made available to me through the blood of Jesus. By the power in the blood, I shall live life fully, fruitfully and fulfill Your destiny for me in Jesus Name.
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Nothing liberates like truth, the truth you know and act upon will set you free.- – WORDBITE 222.

John 13;34-35 ‘A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another’

DAILY READING    Jude 1; Ezra 9-10; Psalm 95

Dwight L. Moody was used by God to lead thousands of people to Christ. However when Dwight was  a teenager, he had no interest in the things of God. At that time it appeared as if his life was headed nowhere; he had not attended school beyond the fifth grade; he couldn’t spell, and his grammar was awful. To help him, his uncle who was a shoemaker, took him on as a shoe salesman–on the condition that he be obedient and attend Church regularly. Though Dwight attended the Church, he had no real conviction within him, he had decided that he wanted to enjoy the pleasures of the world and wait to get saved when he was old and just about to die. At that time Dwight Moody’s manners were brash and crude, and his Sunday school teacher, Edward Kimball,  would later say he had never seen anyone whose mind was as spiritually dark as Moody’s .  But despite his disinterest  in Church, the kindness of his Sunday School teacher,  eventually encouraged Moody to increase his church attendance.  On April 21, 1855, Kimball came to the shoe store where Moody worked,  and gently explained to Moody about the  Christian life. Dwight listened closely and was eventually convicted by The Holy Spirit. That day, He gave his life to Christ. He immediately began sharing his faith with others, including his own family. When he later moved to Chicago he wandered the streets to find young boys to bring to his Sunday School class. He had a passion for saving souls and determined never to let a day pass without telling someone the gospel of Jesus Christ. God used this converted shoe salesman to become the leading evangelist of his day, who led an estimated one million people to faith in Christ. Among his many achievements was the founding of Moody Bible Institute. Indeed Dwight L Moody’s  life could impact many because one unknown Sunday school teacher, went out of his way to help the lost boy find his way to Christ.

John 13;34-35 ‘A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another’

God’s love is not exclusive; it’s inclusive. It doesn’t exclude people or write them off because they’re not where they should be in life.  The truth is that if not for the grace of God, we could be in a worse position than them, so let’s take off the judgmental lens and show genuine love to others. We have to realize every person is on a journey. Where they are right now is not where they are going to end up. They’re not yet a finished product and are still on the potter’s wheel. Part of their growth process is the seeds of love God will use us to plant in their lives. Your kindness and encouragement, are all part of the plan God has to nurture them. And God is counting on us to make a difference. Jesus commanded us to love one another. Let’s therefore learn to walk in love and see the best in everyone.  When you decide to simply reflect the love of Christ to all who come your way, you will indeed make a huge difference. A seed of a smile, an uplifting word, a kindness, may seem a small thing to do, but you may never know the extent to which that little seed may grow. When we decide to go out of our way to genuinely love others, we will surely make a difference in our world. 

PRAYER: Lord, I know that when I am impacted by You, I will be empowered to impact people positively. Therefore please help me to adhere daily to Your Word, so that I can constantly walk in love towards others around me in Jesus Name. .

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For you to enjoy victory in the Kingdom of God, you need to develop a Kingdom mindset, that thinks in line with the Word of God.

Prov.14:12 ‘There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death’.

DAILY READING    Jude 1; Ezra 9-10; Psalm 95

John Bunyan was an English writer and Puritan preacher, best remembered as the author of the Christian classic ‘The Pilgrim’s Progress’. Amazingly, he wrote this all-time best seller while serving in prison for refusing to compromise his faith.
Bunyan was a fearless preacher of the Gospel who refused to stop preaching even in the face of great opposition.
In 1660, in England, religious freedom came to an abrupt end when King Charles II mounted the throne. Anglicanism was designated as the official state religion. It became illegal to conduct church services outside of the Church of England and unlicensed individuals were forbidden from addressing a religious gathering.
However, Bunyan would not bow to these laws and continued to preach the Gospel. In November 1660 Bunyan was preaching in a private home when he learned that a warrant for his arrest had been made out. Though warned of the danger, he continued to preach, until officers arrived and arrested him for preaching without a license. His growing popularity, though, prompted the judge to seek some sort of a compromise. He promised Bunyan immediate release if he only promised not to preach again. But Bunyan replied, “If you release me today, I shall preach tomorrow!”
Bunyan was eventually arrested three times, for preaching without a license and spent over twelve years in prison. At any time during those years, he could have secured his freedom by simply promising not to preach. But Bunyan knew God’s calling on his life and so he adamantly refused to compromise his convictions.
In those prison years Bunyan wrote the book ‘Pilgrim’s Progress’. Its immediate success and ongoing popularity made it a Christian classic and the second most read book in English literature after the Bible.
Indeed the history of Christian persecution is filled with inspiring stories of such people as Bunyan who are immortalized for refusing to compromise their beliefs.
The question we need to ask ourselves is; will we also be able to stand when faced with fire?
Though we may not be faced with imprisonment, sometimes situations of life try to get us to compromise our faith. Sometimes problems come offering solutions that only lead to shifting our Christian standards.
When men are under pressure that is when what is in them truly shows up. Adverse situations will either bring it out the best or the worst in you, depending on what is in your heart.
Some people would do desperate things just to get out of the fire, but those who truly know their God will always say to Nebuchadnezzar ‘we will not bow’.
And when you decide to stand your ground, God sends help out of Zion. He will come as the fourth man in the fire to carry out a rescue operation. He will never let you burn. The truth is that those who say ‘if I perish I perish,’ never really perish. They survive the fire, not only that, they come out with a great testimony.

We need to stand strong in the face of every trial of faith. Compromise can be dangerous. Prov.14:12 says ‘There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death’.
Let the word of God be your standard of living. When you have a consistent prayer and study life, there will be hidden strength in you. This is what helps you not to compromise or bow no matter the temptations. God’s promise in Deuteronomy 31:6 says ‘Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the Lord thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.’

Indeed no matter what we may go through, God will never leave us nor forsake us. He is forever faithful and will always help us and give us the victory in the end.
PRAYER: Lord, please help me to obey You always, please enable me to follow the path You have set before me, even when it seems difficult. By Your grace I am an overcomer, and will surely arrive at my glorious destiny in Jesus Name.
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When you make God your priority, God automatically makes you priority in His own plan. – WORDBITE 222.

Isaiah 48:17 KJV ‘Thus saith the LORD, thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; I am the LORD thy God which teacheth thee to profit, which leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldest go’.

DAILY READING 3 John 1; Ezra 7-8; Psalm 94

In the Exodus  when the Israelites departed from Egypt their goal was the land of Canaan. In their urgency to get out of Egypt and escape Pharoah’s reach, there was a shorter route they could have taken; it was  a few days journey of not more than 200 miles. Yet Moses did not take this shortest route​ which led along the sandy coast—​it would have led straight through Philistia, enemy territory. The Bible says “The people would probably have repented when they saw war, and would have returned to Egypt.”

At the same time also Moses did not head across the vast center of the Sinai Peninsula, where intense heat baked the gravel and limestone plateau.  Rather, being instructed by God, Moses led the people south, down the narrow coastal plain. It was on this longer route that the people saw God’s wonders  as He led them through the Red sea, destroyed Pharaoh and his host, and brought them into the wilderness where they were taught the laws by Moses. The first camp was at Marah, where Jehovah made bitter water turn sweet.* After leaving Elim, the people murmured for food; God sent quail and then manna. At Rephidim, water was again an issue, attacking Amalekites were vanquished, and Moses’ father-in-law urged him to get help from capable men.​—Ex, chaps. 15-18.

Moses then led Israel toward the mountains farther south, camping at Mount Sinai. There God’s people received the Law, built the tabernacle, and offered sacrifices.

Indeed on this longer route the people saw God prove His faithfulness in meeting their needs and demands. However the Israelites, did not fully appreciate God’s choice of this route, nor submit to His good intentions for them on this path, so they continuously rebelled. As a result of their rebellion what could have been a few weeks journey of only about 240 miles, ended up taking them 40 years. For the older rebellious generation it became a journey of death..  .

The problem with this people was their wrong perception of God. They couldn’t see Him as the loving God who had kept covenant with their fathers by coming to bring them out of bondage and to take them to a good land. Their wrong image led to mistrust, which birthed rebellion that eventually destroyed them.

Isaiah 48:17 says ‘Thus saith the LORD, thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; I am the LORD thy God which teacheth thee to profit, which leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldest go.’

To benefit in the journey of life you need to submit to God’s divine guidance. God is a loving Father who is committed to leading you aright. Trust Him as the good God who is intent on leading you on the right way. And one way to know God is through His Word. Through The Word we are able to see God’s goodness and His plan to give us a future and a hope. God’s desire is to give good things to His children.  If you cannot see this, you will keep wanting to go your own way, and eventually end up struggling on the journey of life. Understand God loves you, and whichever way He leads you, is the best way.

Do not try to lead yourself. Take the time to seek His counsel in all you do and no matter the route God takes you through, even if it is the longer route, trust that He is leading you to your own Canaan. Just trust and obey, and eventually you will come to your own land of milk and honey.

PRAYER: Lord, please help me to trust you with the journey of my life, no matter how I feel, may I always submit to only your  guidance  in all that I do in Jesus Name.

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

Psalm 119:89   ‘For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven.’

DAILY READING        2 John 1; Ezra 5-6; Psalm 93

One of those who paid dearly for translating the Bible is John Hus. He was a catholic priest who lived in the 14^th century. His life had a dramatic change when he began to translate some of the sermons of John Wycliffe into the Bohemian language. These sermons moved him to cry out for reform in the Church, and a return to the authority of the Scriptures as the sole source of faith and doctrine for the Christian.  For this, he at once was branded a heretic, excommunicated, and his writings were suppressed.

He found refuge outside of the city, where he continued to preach, write, and study. He categorically stated in no uncertain terms that Christ is the only Head of the church.  In 1414 he was promised safe conduct by the Pope and the Emperor Sigismund to the Council of Constance to present his views. Instead of hearing him, the Council had him arrested, gave him a mock trial without the benefit of an advocate, and condemned him to death as a heretic. He was kept in prison for seven months before he was brought forth to be burned. As Huss stood before the stake he said, “In the truth of the Gospel which I have written, taught, and preached, I die willingly and joyfully today.” Then the fire was kindled, and as the red tongues of flame driven by the wind from the Lake of Boden rose high around the body of the martyr, Huss sang, “Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God, have mercy on me.”

John Hus was killed for making the Bible easily available. Besides John Hus, other Bible translators as Wycliffe, and Tyndale had also paid with their lives. And it is because of these men that we can have free access to the Bible today.

Having the Bible so easily available today, we may disregard the great price that has been paid throughout the ages to make it easily available to everyone.   

The Bible is God’s precious gift to us. It is The very Word of God existing among us.  The Bible is the only book which  contains the actual words of God, more than 3,000 times in the Bible you will find “thus saith the Lord’, with the very words of God written down. This is God’s direct communication to us. This is God speaking to us.

This is why you should approach the Bible with reverence, knowing it contains the living Word of the Living God; Words that can transform you. The Word of God is full of Spirit and life. The Power in The Word can drive every disease away from your body. The psalmist tells us, “He sent His word and healed them” (Ps. 107:20). The word of God is so powerful that it can transform any and every life. There is power in God’s word to call forth the things into existence. There is executive power in the word to meet each and every need when you know how to operate that power.

Indeed The Bible is no ordinary book.  It is God’s medium of fellowshipping with us and communicating truth to us.  It is  Heaven’s lifeline to us.  It’s our only true light in a world of darkness. God knows  our end from our beginning, and it is only through His Word that we see light to understand the mysteries of our own lives. We can never understand out times, seasons and reasons behind them except we come to The Word and allow The Holy Spirit to unravel truth to us.  We can never truly understand the meaning and purpose of our lives outside of revelation from God’s Word. It is through The Word that we can ‘see’ God, as revealed to us by The Holy Spirit and  have a meaningful relationship with Him.  Therefore the study of The Word should be our number one priority. The one needful thing is sitting at the feet of the Master and hearing His Word. The Word of God should have our utmost reverence. When we study The Word, The Spirit in The Word enters into us and sets us on our feet. This is how we are able to make progress in life, this is how we are able to go forward and do exploits. Truly we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us.

PRAYER: Lord, Your Word is unchanging, and true. Please grant me renewed appetite to feed on Your Word constantly, so that I can be transformed daily into the image of Christ, even as my life transcends from glory to glory in Jesus name….. . 

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Reading The Bible gives you over view, Studying it takes you to depths. – WORDBITE 222.