James 1:17

‘every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from The Father of lights, with whom there is no variableness neither shadow of turning.’

• DAILY READING – Revelation 12; Esther 2; Psalm 105:26-45

J.C Penny stores is an international chain of departmental stores which grosses billions of dollars in income annually, and is regarded as one of the greatest store chains in the world. However, according to its founder, James C. Penney, this great success came only through total dependence upon God.

J.C Penney began life as an enterprising young man, who wanted early in life to succeed. Though born to Christian parents, he didn’t think he needed God, but rather thought that by his own strength and determination he could make it. So he worked hard and started his chain of stores in 1902. At first it seemed his hard work paid off, as his stores began to thrive and enjoy some level of success. He made money and became relatively wealthy by the standards of the day. Indeed he thought he had arrived, until something unexpectedly happened that changed all of that.

His wife of several years caught pneumonia and died. While he was still struggling with this, the stock market of 1929 crashed, leaving him in total financial ruin. His debts exceeded $7,000,000 and overnight J.C Penney went from being a very rich man to being a very poor man. He lost everything he had labored for, and was totally bankrupt. Unable to bear the weight of the calamity that had befallen him, physical collapse followed immediately.  When he was admitted into the hospital, he didn’t even have money to pay his medical bills. One night while in an excruciating pain in the hospital, he felt his time to die had come. So he wrote a farewell letter to his family. As he closed his eyes in sleep, he didn’t expect to ever wake up again. But to his greatest surprise when morning came, he woke up. He then realized there must be a divine reason why he was still alive. Then at that moment he began to overhear the thread of an old, familiar hymn coming from the chapel. The hymn was ‘God will take care of you’. He listened to the words of the hymn which said ‘Be not dismayed whatever betides you, God will take care of you,’

Coming down from his bed, he followed the direction of the song to the chapel, where he found people praying. Someone then read a scripture passage ‘Come unto me, all ye that labor and heavy laden, and I will give you rest..’

On hearing this, J.C Penney finally surrendered to God. He had come to realize that without God’s help he couldn’t make it in life. And with this decision to follow Christ, soon afterwards things began to change dramatically for him. He became totally healed from all his infirmities.  In the months that followed, he miraculously recovered  his lost shops and his business once again began to thrive, but this time beyond his wildest expectations. He bought over many more stores and his business expanded to eventually become a very successful global venture.

The story of J.C Penney shows that ultimately man is dependent upon God for his success. Proverbs 11:28 says ‘he that trusteth in his riches shall fall’.

Indeed by strength shall no man prevail. God is the true source of success. It is His blessings that makes rich and adds no sorrow with it.  And truly without Him we can do nothing.  We need Him to live, move and have relevance in this life.  This is why we praise God realizing He is the source of every good thing in our lives.

The bible says in James 1:17 ‘every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from The Father of lights, with whom there is no variableness neither shadow of turning.’

When we realize that it is only God’s grace, that could have brought us thus far, we remain grateful. It is not by power nor by might, but by The Spirit of God. Indeed our help is only in the name of The Lord. He is the doer of every good thing in our lives.  And this is why we bless Him always. And when we praise Him, the earth yields her increase.  Praise is the sickle of harvest.

Therefore to see the great and amazing blessings God has lined up for us in the coming days, we need to engage the power of praise. Praise is the key to fruitfulness.  And as we praise God in everything, we are ushered into the realm of sweat-less triumphs. Indeed when we praise God, He turns our sweat to sweet and our pressures to pleasures.

PRAYER: Lord, today I want to deliberately thank and appreciate You for all Your goodness in my life. Indeed it is only by Your grace that I have come thus far.  I thank You Lord for even the greater things You have in store for me this year. Indeed I know that I will only keep going from glory to glory in Jesus Name.   

quote

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.

 [ADAPTED FROM THE BOOK DIVINE ORDER FOR A LIFE WITHOUT LIMITS]

Mathew 19:26  ‘But Jesus beheld them and said unto them, with men this is impossible but with God all things are possible’

• DAILY READING Revelation 11; Esther 1; Psalm 105:1-25

Smith Wigglesworth, often referred to as ‘the Apostle of Faith,’ was one of the pioneers of the Pentecostal revival that occurred in the last century. Thousands came to Christian faith in his meetings, amazing healings and supernatural signs followed his ministry, and many dead were raised.

In his book “Ever Increasing Faith’’,  Smith Wigglesworth told of one night, when he was called at 10pm, to pray for a young girl dying of consumption. The doctors had given up on her, and as Wigglesworth arrived and accessed the situation, he knew, that unless God intervened, it was impossible for her to live. He began to wedge spiritual warfare against the sickness. He prayed from 11pm to 3:30am, and yet nothing happened. He said as he prayed it seemed as though his prayers were not getting through. And then to his dismay despite the long session of prayers, the girl died. He said at that moment the devil said to him, “Now you are done for, the girl has died on your hands.” But something roared inside of Wigglesworth and he declared “It can’t be. God did not send me here for nothing. This is a time to change strength.” He remembered the Bible passage which said, “Men ought always to pray and not to faint.” He knew if he would not faint but will continue to hold on to God’s promise, a miracle  would take place. Though the case seemed hopeless, yet he knew God was all-powerful and could do the impossible. He knew God can change the hardest situation and show that He is the almighty. He therefore stood his ground and began to declare the counsel of God. And after a while, he saw color returning to the face of the dead girl. She had come back to life! The girl was not only alive, but fully healed, hale and hearty. And by the next morning she was up and about her normal business.

Mathew 19:26 says ‘But Jesus beheld them and said unto them, with men this is impossible but with God all things are possible’

Indeed every situation is reversible by faith. Life is really a battle, you have to dig in your heels and refuse to quit. Persistence wears down resistance. Never give up. Even when it looks impossible, continue to hold on to God’s Word. And if you don’t quit you will surely win.

And never forget that faith is the victory that overcomes the world. When faith comes alive, God’s hand is stretched forth, and when His hand is stretched forth, who can turn it back? Nobody.

As far as your eyes can see, is what shall be given unto you. And The Word of God is where we see it. Whatever you can see in the Word you are empowered to possess. As we study The Word, faith is birthed in our heart to confront and overcome any challenge.

Indeed you need a lion heart to have a lion share. And it is the Word that stirs up the lion nature in you. Truly you are more than a conqueror through Christ Jesus. Therefore refuse to be intimidated by any situation. Remember you are serving the same God who parted the red sea, who shut the lions’ mouth. He has not changed. He remains forever the same. Therefore in the face of that intimidating challenge, declare to yourself ‘No shaking.’ Your God is able. He will see you through. He will undertake for you. He will overcome for you. Indeed the battle is The Lord’s. Therefore keep praising Him and keep glorifying His Holy Name. And when it is all said and done, you will see that indeed Jehovah alone has the final say.

PRAYER: Lord, I know indeed that You are able to do exceedingly abundantly above all I can ever ask or imagine. I therefore Thank You today, for giving me the victory over every challenge that comes my way 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.

 [ADAPTED FROM THE BOOK DIVINE ORDER FOR A LIFE WITHOUT LIMITS]

Exodus 11:1 God says ‘Yet will I bring one plague more upon Pharaoh, and upon Egypt; afterwards he will let you go hence:
• DAILY READING – Revelation 10; Nehemiah 13; Psalm 104:24-35
Recently in the news was the report of a planned sequel to the blockbuster movie ‘The Passion Of The Christ.’

‘The Passion Of The Christ,’ released in 2004 became one of the greatest movies ever made. The movie which primarily covers the final twelve hours of Jesus’ life, not only affected its worldwide audience, but also affected even the actors involved in the project. The lead actor Jim Caviezel after he played the part of the crucified Savior, said in an interview with CBN news that his life became drastically changed afterwards. Through the film, he got a glimpse of the sufferings of Christ. The scene where Jesus hung on the cross was perhaps the most trying scene to shoot. While shooting that scene, Jim almost got killed himself. On the day of the shoot, the film crew had climbed up to a 1000 feet cliff, where the crucifixion scene was to take place. The cross was cemented into the ground  and they thought it was safe for Jim to climb on it. But when he got up on the cross, right in the middle of a shot, suddenly the winds began to blow. At that point the cross began swaying from one direction to the next. Jim knew if the wooden cross snapped in the wind, he would fall over the cliff and be dead. He couldn’t come down and the crew didn’t know what to do. The air up there was so cold, he was almost freezing and his entire body was itching. As the cross swayed in the wind, he suffered a shoulder separation. But through it all God intervened and he was able to eventually come down safely. The challenges with that particular scene was such that they would spent another five weeks, just shooting it. At another point while up on the hill, he was struck by a lightning bolt, fire was coming out of the right and left side of his head, and there was illumination around his whole body. He could have died, and yet again he survived. Daily they saw miracles of God’s intervention. The entire experience of shooting the movie gave the film crew a glimpse of what Jesus could have gone through at Calvary. And the effect was so profound that for many of them their lives drastically changed. An actor on the set, who was a Moslem after the whole experience, got converted to Christianity.    

At the release of the film, many people all over the world  would weep at the realistic portrayal of Jesus’ suffering. Yet the film crew felt they still hadn’t scratched the surface in truly capturing the sufferings of Jesus at Calvary

Indeed no earthly movie can fully capture the price Jesus paid for us. 

Isaiah 53:4-5 says ‘But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.’

Jesus paid the ultimate price for man’s redemption. His blood was shed to deliver us from every form of bondage and satanic assault. Just as the mystery of the blood was engaged to deliver Israel from 430 years of bondage, the blood of Jesus delivers us from every form of bondage. Jesus is our Passover Lamb. 1 Corinthians 5:7 says ‘For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us’ 

The mystery of the Blood Covenant is so essential in this wicked world and the days that we live in. It is what it takes to silence the opposition. It is the ultimate of our victory. 

In Exodus 11:1 God says ‘Yet will I bring one plague more upon Pharaoh, and upon Egypt; afterwards he will let you go hence: when he shall let you go, he shall surely thrust you out hence altogether.’ That “one more plague” God sent against pharaoh was the mystery of the Blood. Once the blood was invoked, pharaoh was urgent upon the Israelites to leave. In the same way, by the invocation of the blood of Jesus everything holding you captive will be in a hurry to let you go.   

And you will not go empty. When Israel left Egypt they did not go empty. The Blood of Jesus guarantees double restoration of all that you may have lost. 

Zechariah 9:9, 11-12 says ‘As for thee also, by the blood of thy covenant I have sent forth thy prisoners out of the pit wherein is no water. Turn you to the strong hold, ye prisoners of hope: even today do I declare that I will render double unto thee’

By the blood we are guaranteed double for all our troubles. Therefore today, by the blood, expect speedy restoration of lost time, health, peace, joy, relationships, finances etc. 

It is expedient that we receive, believe and engage the mystery of the blood in order to command mastery over every force of wickedness. Enough is enough! By the blood, every force hindering or resisting your due season of harvest is today destroyed. By the blood every handwriting of every ordinance against you is erased. By the blood every thing tampering with your joy or contesting your glorious destiny is terminated. You have victory by the blood. You have power by the blood. You have overcome by the blood. Truly you are more than a conqueror through the blood of Jesus.  
PRAYER: Lord, Thank You for the power you have made available for me through the blood of Jesus. Indeed by the power in the blood, I have the victory in every battle of life in Jesus Name.

QUOTE 

The battle you are faced with today is a good warfare because God has already foreordained  victorious end for you. 

 [CULLED FROM THE BOOK SUPERNATURAL LOVE OF GOD] 

Isaiah 2:2 

 ‘And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it.

’DAILY READING – Revelation 9; Nehemiah 12; Psalm 104:1-23

The Dead sea is one of the most intriguing places in the world. It is a majestic and mysterious looking lake with salt crystals,  located in the Jordan Rift Valley, on the border of Israel. In the Bible it is recognized as the region of the strongholds of En Gedi, where David fled to, when pursued by king Saul. 

The Dead sea is so named because of its extreme saltiness which means no life can exist in it. It is the lowest point on Earth, at 1412 feet below sea level. However, with its extremely high mineral content, the water is said to have healing benefits, and doctors even prescribe a visit to the Dead Sea as part of natural healing for their patients. The deposits of black mud, from its seabed, are found to be beneficial to the skin. Tourists from around the globe flock to this hypersaline phenomenon, making the Dead Sea the biggest natural free spa on earth. 

Perhaps the most amazing thing about the sea, is that it is almost impossible for anyone to drown in it. Because its salt water is denser than the human body which is 70%, unsalted water, no one can sink in it. Visitors literally float around, without the aid of any flotation devices.  It is common to see pictures of people with black mud slathered on their skin, floating in the Dead Sea reading the newspaper. 

As amazing as the dead sea may seem, what has made the difference in it, is the presence of salt. The Dead Sea has the highest concentration of salt of any body of water in the world. The whole lake is 33.7% salt. It is around 9 times as salty as other oceans of the world.  This large quantity of salt has made it unique and a phenomenon.    

Indeed salt is a very powerful element in nature. Salt has been used for centuries to dry and preserve foods. It is an essential part of man’s health and existence on earth. saltwater can also generate electricity thereby producing light.

In Mathew 13-14, Jesus  says “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.’

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 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. For the sake of Paul the passengers in the ship were all preserved. In the same way, for your sake, anyone connected to you by destiny will be preserved. 

In addition, Jesus said that we are cities set on hills which cannot be hidden. That helps us to recognize that every child of God is ordained for global relevance, influence and exploits. 

Isaiah 2:2 says ‘And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it.’

God’s plan is for the end-time church to be established at the top and exalted above the nations. Therefore Heaven is about to release the Church into the fullness of her redemptive colour! God is about to enthrone believers with supernatural authority, to reign in their field of endeavor. 

Romans 8:29-30 tells us that every child of God is a child of destiny. Not just any kind of destiny, but a glorious destiny. Realize therefore that God has ordained you at this time to be the envy of your world. God is raising an army that nations will identify and respect. They shall be Elijahs – deciding the destinies of nations! They will be Samuels, anointing and appointing kings. 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 strange wealth, manifest strange affluence, and  inexplicable abundance. According to Joel 2:2 the garden of Eden will be recreated before them. This is God’s plan for the church. 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. 

 [ADAPTED FROM TRIUMPH OF LIGHT OVER DARKNESS] .

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 – Revelation 8; Nehemiah 11; Psalm 103

Milton Wright was the father of the Wright brothers, the first inventors of the airplane, He was a bishop in the United Brethren Church and a man of strong fundamental Christian values, who always stood up for the truth.  As a result of his stand, he severally faced battles from those who wanted to water down biblical doctrines. He was a reformer and a principled person who stood boldly for The Word of God.  As a result of his determination not to compromise the Gospel, he became embroiled in a longstanding dispute with liberal church members, which eventually resulted in the permanent splitting of the church into two factions. However while he fought battles to maintain the integrity of God’s Word, little did he know that God was arranging to imprint his family name in global history, through his two sons. 

His Preaching took him on the road frequently, and he often brought back small toys for his children. In 1878 he brought back a small model helicopter for his little boys. Made of cork, bamboo and paper, and powered by a rubber band to twirl its blades, this small toy was to birth an idea that would change his family life forever.  Fascinated by the toy and its mechanics, his sons Wilbur and Orville from then on, would develop a lifelong love of aeronautics and flying. Later on in their adult lives, after abundant experiments and years of hard work, in 1903 the Wright brothers achieved the first powered, sustained and controlled airplane flight; They changed the world through their invention, which ushered in the modern aviation industry. Their invention of the airplane has since impacted many facets of life including travel, commerce, war and communication.

As the seasons change in the natural, so does it change in the spiritual. When we concern ourselves with honoring God, He can suddenly change things in our favour. One good break, one good idea, one touch of His favor can put you many years ahead of where you thought you would be. 

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’s thoughts toward us are good. He wants to bring us into a new, better, more abundant season. We recognize that we serve a God of sudden visitation. On one ordinary day, God visited Abraham and Sarah, and they experienced a sudden change of season that brought their Isaac, and released a season of laughter into their lives.  

In the same way, in this season God will shift things in your favor. What you could never accomplish for yourself, God will suddenly do for you. It will be bigger than you thought. It will happen quicker than you imagined, and it will be more rewarding than you ever dreamed possible.

When Christ appeared suddenly to Saul of Tarsus on His way to Damascus, that changed his destiny forever. In the same way, we have entered a new season of change and acceleration. It is a season of divine harvest. In this season sudden turnaround shall become your  portion. Suddenly you will discover a dramatic positive change of story in every area of your life. However what you see is determined by where you stand. For you to assume the next level, you have to climb up higher. In this season therefore determine to go higher in your worship, Word study, prayer and giving. And as you do, you will experience the amazing change of season God has ordained for you. .  .                                                                                                

PRAYER: Lord, please help me never to miss my portion in this season, By Your grace I shall experience the divine increase, and sudden change of story You have ordained for me in Jesus Name.  
QUOTE : 

To get into the next level of your life, God will always give you a specific instruction. – WORDBITE 222. 

 [ADAPTED FROM TRIUMPH OF LIGHT OVER DARKNESS] 

1 John 4;4 KJV

Ye are of God little children, and have overcome them, because greater is He that in you than he that is in the world.   

• DAILY READING    – Revelation 7; Nehemiah 9:38-10:39; Psalm 102

Pastor Richard Wurmbrand was an evangelical minister who endured 14 years of Communist imprisonment and torture in his homeland of Romania. He is widely recognized there as one of the country’s greatest Christian leaders, authors and educators.

In 1945, when the Communists seized Romania and attempted to take control of the churches, Pastor Wurmbrand began an effective, vigorous “underground” ministry to oppressed believers as well as to the Russian soldiers occupying his country. He was arrested in 1948, along with his wife, Sabina, who was imprisoned as a slave-laborer for three years on the Danube Canal. Pastor Wurmbrand spent three years in solitary confinement, seeing no one but his Communist torturers. He was then transferred to a group cell, where the torture continued for five more years. Pastor Wurmbrand was eventually  released through a general amnesty in 1964. And when his wife was released,  again they resumed their ministry of preaching the Gospel, all over the world.  

We may wonder how people like these can pass through such trials, and still stand for Christ without recanting their faith. 

But the truth is that adverse situations will either bring it out the best or the worst in you, depending on what is in there. 

When men are under pressure what is in them really shows up. Some people would do desperate things just to get out of the fire, but those who truly know their God will say to Nebuchadnezzar ‘we will not bow’.   

When you decide to stand your ground no matter the opposition, God sends help out of Zion. He will come as the fourth man 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. 

The closer you get to your destiny the tougher the battles. But all that is a sign you are close to your miracle. Often times the battles of life come suddenly, with no room for preparation. At those times when you are confronted, it is what is already imbedded in you that will show up, and it can make the difference between victory and defeat. This is why we ensure our heart is always loaded with The Word of God. 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 or troubles that come your way. 

The time of peace is when to prepare for war. Have a daily habit of studying the Bible. Understand that as you do so what you are doing us building up strength that will show up for you, whenever opposition arises. And the faith that comes from the Word within you, is the victory that overcomes the world.  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, to follow the path You have set before me,  even when it seems difficult, may Your reserve strength show up to enable me to overcome and arrive at my glorious destiny in Jesus Name.

QUOTE 

When you make God your priority, God automatically makes you priority in His own plan. – WORDBITE 222. 

[ADAPTED FROM THE BOOK FAITH CLASSICS] 

Proverbs 15:24 KJV
24 The way of life is above to the wise, that he may depart from hell beneath.
DAILY READING – Revelation 6; Nehemiah 8:13-9:37; Psalm 101
There is a process of transition to greater heights.
When you get into a seat on an airplane, what is the first thing you are told? Fasten your seat belt. Why? Because you are about to go up, brace yourself for the turbulence. In the same way, when you are about to move to your next level of accomplishment, you must fasten your mental and spiritual seat belts because you must endure the turbulence of change.
When you are about to soar to the next level God will always allow you to receive an ‘examination’. This is to prepare you to handle that new height. Because each level comes with new devils, and you must be prepared beforehand to overcome, so that what was meant to become your throne does not become your tomb.
Challenges often prepare us for the next level of life.
So the challenges you are facing now may just mean you are about to go higher. Perhaps you are at the very edge of your promotion, so don’t be discouraged, don’t waver. Rather see every challenge as an opportunity to draw closer to God.
Though David was anointed king by Samuel, it took years of passing through difficult challenges before he could eventually mount the throne. But all that was part of the preparation for where he was going to.
Life is a continuous succession of both small and large challenges. It seems no sooner you get control of one situation than another comes along. But yet all this challenges come to make us stronger to prepare us for the heights we are to destined to attain. Adversity pushes us to accelerate the development of our greatest potential. Without adversity there will be no growth. A moth will not become a beautiful butterfly until it has endured the struggle through the tiny hole in its cocoon. When a moth is struggling to get through the hole it is actually forcing the fluid from its body into its wings. Without the struggle the wings will not get the necessary fluid to grow, without the struggle the butterfly’s wings would never be strong enough to function and fly. And without flight the butterfly will not be able to survive.
Challenges always come at the point of growth or moving to a new level.
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 soar to your next level. 1 Thessalonians 5:18
Says ‘In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you…’

Praise is the will of God, which after you have done, you are sure to obtain the promise of signs and wonders. Therefore, no matter what you’re going through, praise God and you will see amazing signs and wonders trailing you. .

PRAYER: Father please help me to praise You always in every situation. I know that by Your grace I am rising to amazing heights this month in Jesus name.
QUOTE :
To get into the next level of your life, God will always give a specific instruction. – WORDBITE 222.
[ADAPTED FROM THE BOOK ESTABLISHED BY THE WORD]

Habakkuk 3:17-19

 Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation.
• DAILY READING    Revelation 5; Nehemiah 7:5-8:12; Psalm 100
Animal sacrifice ended in Israel, when the Jewish  temple, was destroyed in the year AD 70. Thereafter the Jews were denied access to the temple mount for many years. Since then, rather than daily burnt offerings, religious Jews now offer daily prayers instead. 

But with the return of the Jews back to their homeland in 1948 and their recapturing of Jerusalem in 1967, the temple mount once again came under the control of the Jews. As a result many Jews desired to go back to the Old Testament days of carrying out animal sacrifices on the temple mount. But the Rabbis of Israel and the government have forbidden Jews from going to the temple mount. This is because since the destruction of the temple, the exact location of The Holy of Holies has become unknown. Therefore, Jewish Rabbis feared that any Jew entering the area ran the grave risk of inadvertently treading on the sacred ground of the Holy of Holies, which only the high priest was permitted to enter — and only once a year with blood.  

However some radical Jews, disregarding this order, still try to go to the temple mount to carry out animal sacrifices. Some organizations who hope to eventually build a third temple on the site, have been holding what they call a “practice drill” for the Passover sacrifices. Though they come with priestly clothing, trumpets and animals for the sacrifice, police usually prevent them from accessing the Temple Mount. 

Other families desperate to carry out sacrifices for atonement of sin, look for ways to smuggle in their sacrificial goats. However in many cases  they are often arrested by the police and the goats confiscated and given to the city’s veterinary services department. Though these religious Jews are soon released, still each year they are back again with other goats, because they believe that either by slaughtering the goat or police arresting their goats, either way, they have still somehow made a sacrifice. 

Well, just imagine the troubles these Jews go through just to be able to make an animal  sacrifice for the atonement of their sin. What a joy then as believers to know that we have free access to the blood of Jesus by His eternal sacrifice on Calvary. The power of the blood of Jesus has provided everything we need to live a life of victory, including Redemption, fellowship, healing, protection and authority over the devil. Revelation 12:11 says “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony.” 

Therefore by the blood of Jesus, we declare that we have overcome everything that has so far tried to resist our progress and eagle’s flight this year. June, for us shall be a month of divine harvest. Every effort we have put in so far in any area this year, shall begin to yield sudden amazing harvest. And let’s not forget that joy is the sickle for such harvest.

Isaiah 12:3-5 says ‘Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation. And in that day shall ye say, Praise the Lord, call upon his name, declare his doings among the people, make mention that his name is exalted. Sing unto the Lord; for he hath done excellent things: this is known in all the earth.’

As we remain Joyful and praiseful this month we shall indeed be experiencing the excellent doings of The Lord.

Because joy is crucial to harvest, therefore resist everything that tries to tamper with your joy and laughter this month. 

 Joel 1:12-17 says ‘The vine is dried up, and the fig tree languisheth; the pomegranate tree, the palm tree also, and the apple tree, even all the trees of the field, are withered: because joy is withered away from the sons of men.’

We must therefore not permit anything to wither our joy. And as we remain praiseful in every situation, this month will indeed prove to be a month of amazing testimonies  for us in Jesus Name. 

PRAYER:  Lord,  I Thank You that by the blood of Jesus I am an overcomer in every area of my life. Thank You for giving me continual victory and filling my heart with joy all through this year in Jesus Name. .

QUOTE 

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

[ADAPTED FROM THE BOOK REJOICE]

Isaiah 43:18-19

“Do not remember the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing, now it shall spring forth; Shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert’  
• DAILY READING -Revelation 4; Nehemiah 5:1-7:4; Psalm 99

As the year progresses and we run after different goals, it can sometimes have the feeling of being in a football game. The first half of the year can be likened to the first half of the game. And as tomorrow marks the beginning of the sixth month, it can be likened to coming to the last leg of the first half of the game. 
Perhaps, for you, the beginning of the year may have come with some challenges. But really, it doesn’t matter how you may have begun the year, what matters now is what happens hereafter.  
On 3 August 1996, Nigeria made history as the first African nation to become Olympic football champions at the Atlanta Games. In the course of this competition, one of the most dramatic matches Nigeria had was its match with Brazil. At beginning of the match, the Nigerian team started poorly, but by the end of it, they had made football history. 
Indeed it was a match which hardly anyone expected Nigeria to win. They were playing the star-studded Brazilian team, which had won the World Cup only two years earlier. The Brazilian team, were the overwhelming favourites, expected to clinch the Olympic gold. 
In the game’s first half, Brazil scored immediately in the very first minutes. By the end of the first half, Nigeria was down by 3-1, and it seemed there was no way they could equalize,  talk-less of win the match. However with 12 minutes left to go, when it seemed all hope was lost, something truly amazing happened. In succession Nigeria scored two goals to equalize. Then in the extra time given, Nigeria amazed the world by winning the game. 
Consequently, Nigeria went on to win its other matches, and finally clinched the Olympic gold medal, thereby making history as the first African team to do so.
Indeed it is never over until God says so. 
As we prepare to enter the sixth month of the year today, it is a chance for a new beginning. Whatever the past months may have looked like, you are about to enter into a new season of amazing victories. 
In Isaiah 43:18-19  God says  “Do not remember the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing, now it shall spring forth; Shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert’  
God has seasons for each of us to have new beginnings. We all need new beginnings! And every month starts over again as new beginnings. And in this season, we need to forget what is behind and keep pressing forward to the mark of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. 
In Exodus chapter 12, the establishment of the Passover marked a new beginning for the Israelites.
Exodus 12:2 says ”This month shall be your beginning of months; it shall be the first month of the year to you.’
The Passover was marked by the blood of the lamb upon their doorposts, which prevented the angel of death from having access. And today by the mark of the blood of the lamb we are passing over into a new season of unending victories. Whatsoever has been resisting your eagle’s flight so far will be destroyed by the blood of Jesus. Every Egyptian you saw in the past months, none shall cross over with you into this new season. Indeed you shall be experiencing the kinds of testimonies that you have not seen since the year began. God will raise help for you from strange quarters and give you amazing victories in Jesus Name. 
Like every day, each season comes with its own challenges, but God has given us the weapons to deal with these challenges. And one of the vital weapons of our warfare is praise. As we continually bless God all through this month, He shall take over all our battles. We shall be going from victory to victory and from glory to glory. 
PRAYER: Lord, please help me to praise you all through the remaining part of the year . Let nothing ever stop the continual flow of Your praise from my mouth. And as I praise You, I know unending victories shall be my  testimony all through this year in Jesus Name. .  
QUOTE 
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. 
 [ADAPTED FROM THE BOOK REJOICE]

Psalms 34:10  ‘The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing’.

DAILY READING – Revelation 3; Nehemiah 4; Psalm 98

In 1973, a 19 years old polytechnic student, was asked by his uncle who was an Area Education Officer, to take up a vacation job as a relief teacher. The assignment would be for 70 days. Soon the young student travelled to Dumagi Village in Shonga LGA of Kwara State to begin his teaching assignment. A vibrant Christian, he was shocked, when he arrived at the village to find that there was no single church in the area. He immediately set about the task of evangelizing the people in the village. Then within only 40 days of his arrival, he invested all the money he had towards erecting a church building on a parcel of land procured from the Village Head.  At the end of his 70 days service, on his last Sunday in the village, a farewell ceremony was organized by the church members. One of the elders presented him with a parting gift of a bush lamp and said “Silver and gold we have not; but we give you this lamp. Let this light you brought to our village shine round the world.” Indeed that gift and that speech ultimately proved to be prophetic.

In 1999, this teenager who gave all he had to erect a village church, was used by God to raise the largest church auditorium in the world. And in 2018 he was named by Forbes magazine as the world’s richest pastor. His name is David Oyedepo.  What is most remarkable is that according to him, he has never asked God for money. Rather the secret of his prosperity has been Matthew 6: 33, which says ‘But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.’ He calls this scripture the ‘greatest revelation of his life’. And as he has been seeking the kingdom of God first,  every other thing is being added unto him. 

The truth is that not all winners sweat to win. Rather positioning ourselves for God’s favour puts us in command of what others seek for by labour. 

Solomon was the wealthiest king in his days, yet he never asked God for riches; it was added to him because he sought God and the affairs of His Kingdom. 2 Chronicles 1:11 says ‘And God said to Solomon, Because this was in thine heart, and thou hast not asked riches, wealth, or honour, nor the life of thine enemies, neither yet hast asked long life; but hast asked wisdom and knowledge for thyself, that thou mayest judge my people, over whom I have made thee king.’

Serving God and the interest of His Kingdom as a lifestyle puts us in command of the good things other people are struggling to get. The key to good things is ‘seeking first the kingdom of God.’

Psalms 34:10 says ‘The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing’.

As believers, good things are part of our heritage in Christ, but we can only access them when we practically obey and serve God. 

Job 36:11 says ‘If they obey and serve him, they shall spend their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures’.

No organization or government can offer what serving God procures, which is a guarantee of wealth and health. Exodus 23:25 says ‘And ye shall serve the Lord your God, and he shall bless thy bread, and thy water; and I will take sickness away from the midst of thee.’

Indeed when we truly serve God and the interest of His Kingdom, then every other thing shall be added unto us.  

PRAYER: Lord, I thank you for enabling me to make seeking Your kingdom priority in my life. Indeed I know that as I serve You, every other thing shall be added unto me in Jesus Name. .   

QUOTE 

When you obey God’s instruction you are delivered from destruction 
[ADAPTED FROM THE BOOK TRIUMPH OF LIGHT OVER DARKNESS WANT ANY GOOD THING!