HORM Devotional

Psalm 20 1 [NIV]‘May the LORD answer you when you are in distress; may the name of the God of Jacob protect you. May he send you help from the sanctuary and grant you support from Zion.’

DAILY READING; Matthew 9:18-38; Leviticus 5-6; Proverbs 21

Bibles for Mideast is an underground ministry that distributes Bibles and spreads the Gospel in the Middle East and other countries hostile to Christianity.
In 2017, they featured the story of how one of their leaders in South Asia, Pastor John and his team survived the deadly Gujarat earthquake.
It was one of the deadliest earthquakes in India’s history, with some villages near the epicenter disappearing completely.
Around 20,000 people died, more than 170,000 were injured and a million left homeless.
On the morning of January 26, 2001, Pastor John and his team were about to begin a three-day missionary conference in the five-story Ghandhidham hotel. Thirty-five pastors had travelled from different parts of India to take part, and they had rooms on several floors of the hotel.
The conference was set to begin at 9 a.m on the third floor. Pastor John arrived at the room at 8:30am with three others and began their preparations.
But suddenly, the Gujarat earthquake struck at 8:46am. As the building began to shake violently, Pastor John was thrown 16 feet and landed on a raised platform. One wall of the conference room caved in, piercing through the ceiling of the floor below. Within seconds, the hall was filled with sand, dust and smoke.
Before he could understand anything or even think of escape, Pastor John felt the whole building begin to sink downwards. He shouted to the others who were in the hall to get out immediately.
At this point, his ears and nose were covered with sand and dust and he could barely breathe. Coughing violently, he headed for the exit door but found it wouldn’t budge.
Then he cried out “Jesus, you alone are our protector and you are able to save us! Save us Lord!”
As he cried out the name of “JESUS” over and over again, something remarkable happened. Suddenly he felt the presence of Jesus in the room, and felt His loving touch on his shoulder. Amazingly, he stopped coughing and was able to breathe again without trouble.
By God’s infinite grace and mercy, Pastor John and every pastor from every floor in the hotel managed to get out safely. Miraculously, though the hotel’s walls and roof had collapsed, yet the floors had not given way, enabling them to find their way out.
When Pastor John ran outside, and saw dead bodies and that most buildings were completely destroyed, he immediately thought about his wife and children, who were in his house not too far away. He then took off running for his house .and was amazed to find his family safe and standing outside of his home which had also survived the earthquake while many nearby homes had been destroyed.
After surviving the deadly earthquake, Pastor John and his Gospel team members began relief work immediately, helping many people who had been devastated by the calamity.

God is always our way maker and our bridge over troubled waters. God’s ears are always open to the cry of the righteous.
In desperate situations and moments where there seems to be no way, God can miraculously arise to help us. However, the depth of our intimacy with Him, is what guarantees us speedy deliverance from trouble

God says in Psalm 91:15 “Because he has known My name. He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor him.’

When we know the Name of the Lord, in the times of need, He will always show up for our rescue.
He was there to rescue Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the fire, He came as the 4th man and brought them out. He was there with Daniel in the lion’s den, He closed the lions’ mouths and rescued him.
In the same way, God will not leave us nor forsake us in times of trouble.
Each time the enemy tries to get you into a fix, and it seems you are cut off from help, always remember that you serve the God who is a miracle-worker. Though the enemy may tell you there’s no way of escape, trust God to turn things around. Surely, God will send you help from Zion. He will give His angels charge over you to keep you in all your ways lest you dash your foot against a stone.

Psalm 34:7 says ‘The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them.’

Certainly, Heavenly security is the heritage of those who love and fear God. Therefore instead of fretting over negative situations, let us keep our faith in God and keep blessing Him at all times because He is at work in our situation.
As we praise Him, we will see miraculous turnarounds, inexplicable wonders and sudden divine deliverances.
Certainly, God is our ever present help in times of trouble. He will always rescue and deliver us because we have put our trust in Him.

PRAYER: Father, I praise You for always causing me to triumph over troubles and win in adverse circumstances. Thank You Lord for always being my Deliverer, Refuge and Fortress in every storm in Jesus’ Name.
QUOTE
You will never need more than God to experience the impossible in life. – WORDBITE 222

Proverbs 14:26, [NIV] ‘Whoever fears the LORD has a secure fortress, and for their children it will be a refuge.’

DAILY READING – Matthew 6:1-18; Exodus 33:1-34:35; Proverbs 15

Sojourner Truth, whose birth name was Isabella Baumfree, made history as the first black person to ever win court case against a white person in America. In fact she won two court cases against white people. In the first case, Sojourner Truth was able to legally gain the freedom of her son, from her slave master. In the second, she won against a couple she sued for slander.
Isabella Baumfree was born a slave in 1797 and learned from her mother at a very young age about the God who heard her prayers. By the age of 13, she’d been sold twice and was alone, with no family.
In 1817, the New York legislature granted freedom to all slaves born before July 4, 1799. Surjourner Truth patiently waited for her freedom, from her slave master named John Dumont, who had promised to release her on a certain date
By that time, she had been married to another slave and had five children. But as she neared her emancipation date she learned that Dumont was planning to still keep her as a slave and not release her..So she picked up her last baby and ran to freedom, leaving a young son behind.
She found safety in the home of a devout Quaker couple who taught her about the laws of the state, read to her from the Bible. With their help, she worked with attorneys to become the first Black woman to win a court case against the white man – Dumont, who had illegally sold her son.
In 1843, Isabella had a vision. God was calling her to travel and teach the truth about Jesus Christ and the freedom He died to give mankind. She called herself Sojourner Truth and began preaching God’s Word.
She embarked on a journey across America to preach the Gospel and speak out against slavery and oppression. Though she never learned to read or write, yet her speeches moved audiences and were published in newspapers. President Abraham Lincoln got to know of her work and welcomed her to the White House in October 1864.
From an unknown black slave, Isabella became one of the best known abolitionists and women’s rights advocate in world history.

At the time Sojourner Truth won her court case against a white man, it was unheard of in America, yet through reliance on God, she achieved the impossible.
The decision to rely on God will always make a person’s case different. The limitations that stop others will not be able to hinder you. Through the power of God at work in you, where others fail, you will rise and excel.
Indeed through Christ we can do all things. No matter the barriers and limitations on the path of our destiny, through Christ we can break forth and break through to accomplish incredible things for God
When we put God first in our affairs, He takes care of the Goliaths, Pharaohs, Nebuchadnezzar, Herods and other formidable enemies that stand in our way to resist our progress. Through God’s power, insurmountable gates of brass and bars of iron are crushed and the crooked places made straight.

In Isaiah 45:2 God says ” I will go before you And make the crooked places straight; I will break in pieces the gates of bronze And cut the bars of iron.

Those obstacles that sometimes loom like mountains on our path cannot withstand the Presence of God when He goes before us.
When God went before Israel on their journey to the promised land, the Bible says that the sea saw it, and fled: Jordan was driven back. The mountains skipped like rams, and the little hills like lambs. [Psalm 114.[
The truth is that none of us can overcome insurmountable odds by our own strength, but when we engage the barrier -breaking, yoke destroying anointing of the Spirit, every opposition on our path becomes easily leveled.
However we must recognize that our victory over strong enemies and our ability to rise above limitations is made possible through a deep relationship with God.
When we walk in the fear of the Lord, He becomes our refuge and our fortress and stronghold in battle.

Proverbs 14:26, [NIV]: says ‘Whoever fears the LORD has a secure fortress, and for their children it will be a refuge.’

When we serve God we have a heritage of victory. It doesn’t matter the roaring of the enemy, God will always arise and fight for us.
Therefore any time you are challenged, instead of panicking, go on your knees and report the matter to God. The more you pray, the less you’ll panic. The more you worship, the less you will worry.
When we understand that all power belongs to God and all victories come from Him, then we will not fret or cry over any challenge.
No matter what you may face today, be assured that God is bigger than it. As you stay strong in faith, and keep giving glory to Him, surely God will arise to fight for you and every enemy will be scattered.

PRAYER:
Father, I know that You are indeed able to give me the victory over strong battles. Thank You Lord for enabling me to begin building a deeper relationship with You today in Jesus Name.
QUOTES;
Trials, oppositions, resistances are oftentimes only an indication that your promotion is around the corner. WORDBITE 222

Deuteronomy 6:24 ‘So the Lord commanded us to observe all these statutes, to fear the Lord our God for our good always and for our survival, as it is today.’

DAILY READING; – Matthew 5:21-48; Exodus 30-32; Proverbs 14

The book ‘A Glimpse of Grace’ is the gripping tale of Mary Forsythe’s downfall and the amazing grace of God that lifted her up.
Mary had been born again when she was 12 years old, but as she grew older, she strayed away from the Faith and lived a worldly life.
By age 20, Mary Forsythe had become a pharmacist and even owned her own store. Her pharmacy became one of the most successful in Texas.
During the AIDS epidemic of the ‘80s, her store was one of the few which sold a rare medication for HIV patients. So her client base was large, and the money was rolling in.
Everything was going great, until when the IRS discovered discrepancies in her tax records. She was charged to court.
After a very public trial, Mary was found guilty of 15 felony counts ranging from mail-fraud to theft of government property. She was eventually sentenced to five years in a Texas state prison.
The pressure, public accusation, humiliation, and shame led her to almost commit suicide. Finding herself in prison, she was overwhelmed by the sudden fall from a wealthy lifestyle to now mopping floors for 17 cents an hour. But it was in this place that God met her.
Mary cried out to the God of her youth. She asked Him to forgive her, come into her heart and take over the life she had made such a mess of. That was the beginning of her journey to a deeper relationship with God.
Every chance Mary could get, she would devour the Word of God. She began to know God personally and intimately. At that lowest point of her life, when she felt she had no one, God was there and He never left her. Mary found new purpose for her life and began to minister to other inmates. By the time, she eventually came out of the prison, Mary was a different person. She was broken, humbled, thankful, grateful, and in awe of what God had done.
Today Mary Forsythe is the president of her own ministry and travels around the globe, encouraging other people through her story..

Christians who get trapped by the lures and glitters of the world only end up realizing that it leads to suffering, pain, failures and frustrations.
To enjoy life and peace, we must decide to walk closely with God and keep His commandments.
The truth is that following God’s Word is our anchor, safety and security as we go through the wild and dangerous world filled with all manner of evil.
As the Israelites journeyed to the promised land, God told them that observing His Word and walking in His fear was what would make them survive as they passed through ‘that great and terrible wilderness, wherein were fiery serpents, and scorpions, and drought, where there was no water..’

Deuteronomy 6:24 says ‘So the Lord commanded us to observe all these statutes, to fear the Lord our God for our good always and for our survival, as it is today.’
Today, we live in a world where the devil goes about as a roaring lion looking for whom to devour, he has a mission to kill, steal and destroy.
To survive his various traps, lures and temptations, we need to make the definite choice to walk in the fear of the Lord.
God gives the options and allows us to make our choices.
Deuteronomy 30:19 says ‘ I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:’

Today, let us choose life by making the choice to always walk in the fear of the Lord. His commandments are not grievous, rather they are for our benefits.
We would save ourselves much pain in life, by committedly walking in obedience to God’s Word.
Oftentimes, it appears that following the ways of the world is faster and more beneficial.
It can be tempting to follow the broad ways of the world to fame and riches, but it is that path that initially seems right, only to end in the ways of death.
The straight and narrow way of God’s Word is the path that leads to life, blessings, progress and peace.
But even if we stray, the beautiful news is that God’s arms still remain open to welcome the prodigals home.
The Lord is too good that even when we fail, He still chooses to give us another chance. His mercies are new every morning.
New beginnings with God are possible no matter how spiritually low we have gone.
Today, can mark a new beginning as we make the choice to deepen our relationship with God and refuse to live like people in the world.
As we give God’s Word first place in our lives, it will be our solid anchor from temptations and will establish for us a beautiful, glorious destiny.
Certainly, we can never make God first and become last.

PRAYER: Lord, please help me to always walk n line with Your Word at all times and in all situations. Lord, please always uphold me by the Word of Your power and grant me the grace to never compromise my faith no matter the trial or temptation in Jesus Name.
QUOTE
There is something that God has placed within you that the world is eagerly awaiting to see. WORDBITE 222

Psalm 34:9-10 ‘O fear the Lord, ye his saints: for there is no want to them that fear him. The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing.’

DAILY READING; Matthew 5:1-20; Exodus 28:1-29:46; Proverbs 13

William Carey was a mere shoemaker who rose to become one of the greatest evangelists in history.
He was born into poverty and at age 12 stopped his schooling to help support the family, first as a gardener and then as a shoemaker”s apprentice.
In the shoemaker’s shop, he had a fellow apprentice named John Warr, who had gotten born again. Through John’s encouragement, Carey also surrendered his life to Jesus. Then together, John and William eventually led their employer to Christ.
Carey served so diligently in the little Baptist chapel which he attended, that the church leadership encouraged him to enter into ministry.
When his master died, Carey began his own shoemaking venture, combining it with preaching and also much studying. He would spread out a book before him and study as he worked as a shoemaker. In seven years he could read his Bible in six languages.
One day, Carey, the shoemaker was asked to preach before an association of ministers. There he preached a message about the great need to spread the Gospel through foreign missions. His message was made famous by this phrase, “Expect great things from God; attempt great things for God.” As a result of that sermon, a Society for Propagating the Gospel among the Heathen nations was formed.
William Carey served as a missionary in India and accomplished so much. He translated the Bible into over 40 different Indian languages. He began dozens of schools for Indian children of all castes and launched the first college in Asia.
William Carey was a pioneer of the modern Christian missionary movement, a movement that has since reached every corner of the world.
The minister who baptized Carey gave this testimony, “In 1783 I baptized a poor journeyman shoemaker, little thinking that before nine years had passed he would prove the first instrument in forming a society for sending missionaries to the heathen…”
Despite starting out in life, with so few advantages, through trusting God, William Carey achieved great things for God and His kingdom.
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There can be no limitation to the man who fears the Lord and puts his trust in Him. Though he may initially lack necessary resources, but with God on his side, he will eventually succeed.
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Psalm 34:9-10 says ‘O fear the Lord, ye his saints: for there is no want to them that fear him. The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing.’

Typically, young Lions are strong and swift and shouldn’t lack preys. But in conditions so dire that the young lions lack meat, God promises that when we seek Him, we will never lack good things.
Though our beginning may be small, our later end will greatly increase.
Certainly, a personal intimate knowledge of God is our greatest asset in life. While other people may glory in their riches, human connections or wisdom, for us, our confidence is in the fact that we know God, to whom nothing is impossible.

Jeremiah 9:23-24 says ‘Thus saith the Lord, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches:
But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me’

When you know God, you will do exploits in life. You may start out in obscurity, but you will eventually come to prominence..
God has ordained you for a glorious life of global impact on earth. Though your current circumstances may suggest otherwise, God who has the final say over your destiny, says ‘you are the head and not the tail, above only and never beneath.’
Indeed you are a divine project and God is at work in your life.
You have divine genes in you and you are born to overcome the world. As you remain persistent in seeking God and obeying His Word, you will surely triumph in life.
Therefore, never allow challenges, people or circumstances to deter you. No matter how impossible things may look like, focus on following God’s plan through prayers and consistent study of the Word.
Do not limit what God can do in your life. Raise the bar of your expectations because you are capable of greater things. There is so much God has deposited inside of you. Trust Him to bring them into manifestation in due season. As you keep walking closely with Him, each day your path will keep shinning brighter and brighter. Certainly, with God on your side you are indefatigable and truly unstoppable..

PRAYER: Lord, I thank You for Your glorious plans for my life. Please enable me to walk more intimately with You so that I can overcome limitations and soar to greater heights in Jesus Name.
QUOTE :
The tests you are going through in life today is not for your destruction, it is for your testimony. – WORDBITE

Acts 4:13 [NIV] ‘When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.”.

DAILY READING; Matthew 4; Exodus 25-27; Proverbs 12

Alexander Murdoch Mackay was a Scottish missionary who severally risked his life for the propagation of the Gospel in Uganda.
After arriving in Uganda in 1876, Alexander Mackay, was eager to convert the powerful King Mutesa, who ruled over the country. But it seemed unlikely, because King Mutesa, had a fearful reputation of being harsh and cruel. He was both a slave-trader and a slave-raider, who sent his fierce gangs of warriors out to raid other tribes and capture them to be sold into slavery.
The king sometime allowed Alexander Mackay to preach to him, but was unwilling to give up his evil ways. On Sunday, January 26, 1879, Alexander Mackay was allowed to hold service in the king’s court. That day, his sermon was about John the Baptist who came to prepare the way for Jesus and was beheaded for speaking the truth to king Herod.
After the service, as people sought audience with the king, there walked into the king’s court a tall, Arab trader, followed by a number of black men, who deposited on the floor bales of cloth and guns. The Arab, pointing to these items told the king they would be given in exchange for slaves.
The missionary could see that the cruel and ambitious king was especially eager to have the guns and ammunition and was ready to sell his own people in exchange.
Alexander Mackay felt compelled to speak up and oppose this traffic in human lives, despite the danger he knew it could put him in.
Alexander Mackay said to King Mutesa ‘ The people of this land made you their king and look to you as their father. Will you sell your children, as slaves to some strange country?’
No man had ever dared talk to the king like this before and the people in the court stirred uneasily, wondering if king Mutesa would imprison the bold missionary or perhaps put him to death.
But the king had been touched by the message he heard that morning of John the Baptist willing to lose his head by speaking the truth to the king. And seeing Alexander Mackay, emulating the Gospel he had just preached by risking his life to speak the truth, the king was impressed. He dismissed the angry Arab and announced, “The white man is right. I shall no more sell my people as slaves.”
A decree was written out and King M’tesa put his hand to it.
With a joyful heart Alexander Mackay went to his hut. Later the same day the King sent a message with the present of a goat, commending him for his sermon on John the Baptist.
Alexander Mackay achieved success as a Christian road-maker in Uganda, who paved a way for the preaching of the Gospel.

We are called to operate with spiritual boldness in the world today. In these last days, the enemy and his agents are working overtime to enslave men and send them into perdition and destruction.
As believers in Christ, we are to boldly speak the truth of God’s Word that will set men free.

Isaiah 61:1 says that Jesus came to ‘proclaim liberty to the captives, and open the prison to them that are bound..’

Indeed Jesus has come to set the captives free. And He has given us power and authority, to go into the world and spread the good news of liberty to mankind.
Today, in the world, people are being held in all manner of spiritual imprisonment. Some people are trapped in health conditions, which doctors have termed medically incurable. Some are bound in financial limitations that seem to defy every effort or hard work. Yet some others are in bondage in the areas of marriage, relationships, childbearing, family issues etc.
We are called to be the light of the world and the salt of the earth. The negative situations in our streets, offices, communities and environment are opportunities for us to shine the light of Christ and set men free from bondages.
We need to be radical for Jesus and boldly speak forth the truth of God’s Word to shatter the holds of the forces of darkness in people’s lives. To achieve this, it is important that we develop an intimate relationship with God.

Acts 4:13 [NIV] says ‘When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.”

Spending time with Jesus is the key to living life with power and boldness.
Through spending time in the Word, we will receive inoculation of faith to boldly preach the Word so that souls will saved and God will be glorified.

PRAYER: Lord, by the Blood of Jesus, I receive the grace to draw closer to You so that faith will be imparted into me to proclaim Your Word with boldness and power wherever I go in Jesus Name.
QUOTE;
When you are living and walking in the supernatural everything natural becomes subservient to you, as long as you can ‘see it’, it is changeable. – WORDBITE 222.

Deuteronomy 23:5 ‘but the Lord thy God turned the curse into a blessing unto thee, because the Lord thy God loved thee’

DAILY READING; Matthew 3; Exodus 24; Proverbs 11

Granville Oral Roberts began a life in poverty and nearly died of tuberculosis at age 17, but was miraculously healed by God and called into ministry.
In 1947, at 29 years old, Oral travelled to Tulsa, Oklahoma because he sensed that Tulsa was the place for him to begin ministry. He rented a five-room house and started his ministry, but he was largely unknown.
At this time, he was invited by a pastor named Steve Pringle who had a thousand-seat tent to preach a couple of nights for him;
After preaching on Tuesday and Wednesday nights, the crowds doubled and the pastor asked Oral Roberts to stay on and he ended up preaching there for nine weeks.
During this first crusade in Tulsa, Oral Roberts had his first brush with death. On one of the days of the Crusade a man stepped across the street, pulled out his gun, and shot at Oral Roberts. The bullet narrowly missed his head, by only 18 inches. After the Police arrested the man and questioned him, he said he didn’t have anything against Oral but just felt compelled to shoot at him. Oral forgave him and went on his way.
However, what the devil had meant for evil, God turned it around for good. Somehow, the newspapers got hold of the story and it turned into a big headline news in almost all the major American Newspapers.
This made Oral famous overnight and many other pastors began inviting him to preach in their churches. His name became nationally known and he launched his ministry, Oral Roberts Evangelistic Association.
He became a televangelist and his ministries reached millions of followers worldwide for more than six decades. He had many outstanding accomplishments, including founding the Oral Roberts University.

It is instructional that the attacker said he didn’t have anything against Oral but just felt compelled to shoot at him. .The man was of course being moved by the enemy’ to truncate Oral’s life before his ministry could fully take off .
There are times people will arise to fight you for no just cause. Oftentimes, it is the enemy moving them to hinder you because he is afraid of what he sees of your future..
It is therefore important we continually hide ourselves in God as we make progress in life. God knows how to take what the enemy meant for harm, and turn it to our advantage. He can cause the attacks against you to backfire and rather launch you into your greater destiny.
The setbacks, end up becoming setups for greater comebacks.

Deuteronomy 23:5 says, ‘The LORD your God turned the curse into a blessing.’

The word ‘turned’ in this verse is the same word we find in Exodus 7:14-15, where the Lord tells Moses to confront Pharaoh with the rod which was ‘turned’ to a serpent. It swallowed up the serpents of the Egyptians and became Moses’ rod for signs and wonders. God turned what should have been harmful into an instrument of usefulness and deliverance.
Certainly, when we trust God, He works in every situation to turn things around for our good .
If today, you are being confronted by obstacles or impossible situations,, be assured that it’s not how your story ends.
We serve the turnaround God, who turned the Red Seas into dry pathways for His people to go through. God will turn the obstacles into miracles for you. Where you were meant to stumble, God will cause you to soar.
No matter the difficulties or challenges that may come our way, God has it all under control. He has a plan and a purpose. And as long as we maintain an intimate relationship with Him, He will cause adversities to end up advancing us This is why we need not bother about evil schemes against us. Our focus should be on hiding ourselves in God through deepening our relationship with Him. Certainly, God knows how to fight for us and turn whatever the enemy meant for evil, to work together for our progress and promotion.

PRAYER: Lord, I thank You for a positive change of story for me in this season. I know that even right now, You are causing everything to work together for my good. By Your grace I am moving to greater heights of glory in Jesus name.
QUOTE
Eat God’s Word and boost your Joy level – WORDBITE 222

2 Corinthians 7:1 [AMPC] ‘Therefore, since these [great] promises are ours, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that contaminates and defiles body and spirit, and bring [our] consecration to completeness in the [reverential] fear of God.’

DAILY READING; Matthew 2; Exodus 22:1-23:33; Proverbs 10

The largest non-nuclear blast in modern history took place on August 4, 2020, in Beirut, Lebanon, after an estimated 2750 tons of unsafely stored ammonium nitrate exploded.
The blast was so powerful that it physically shook the whole country of Lebanon. It was felt in Turkey, Syria, Palestine, Jordan, and Israel, as well as parts of Europe, and was heard in Cyprus, more than 240 km away.
It resulted in at least 218 deaths, 7,000 injuries, and US$15 billion in property damage, as well as leaving an estimated 300,000 people homeless.
This catastrophic event was due to negligence that allowed highly volatile 2750 tons of ammonium nitrate to be unsafely stored for about seven years, at a port in the heart of the city. Investigators traced the cause to longstanding corruption and mismanagement at Lebanon’s main port, so well known for corruption that its common nickname was “Ali Baba’s Cave”.
The port had seized the ammonium nitrate, a chemical used in fertilizers and explosives, from a cargo ship from Georgia which was impounded, when it was unable to pay port fees.
This extremely dangerous stockpile continued to be hoarded by some interested individuals in authority, despite several warning letters sent to them.
Investigations showed that at least 10 times over the past six years, authorities from Lebanon’s customs, military, security agencies and judiciary raised alarm over the massive stockpile of explosive chemicals being kept with almost no safeguard at the port.
Yet nothing was done until the explosion that spread death and wreckage for miles around.
In its aftermath, protests erupted across Lebanon that led to the resignation of the Prime Minister and the Lebanese cabinet.

Hoarding very dangerous materials can indeed lead to catastrophic consequences.
As believers, God has ordained for us glorious, colourful and enviable destinies. But to see its manifestation and fulfillment, we should give no room to the devil in our lives.
It is dangerous to hide secret sins, which can be volatile, deadly and explosive.
Many people who were ordained for great destinies in the Bible lost it due to sin’s deadly consequences.
The wealthiest and wisest king of his time, Solomon, lost his place to strange women. The strongest man of his time, Samson became a toy in the hands of Philistines because of Delilah.
Elisha’s servant Gehazi was destined to obtain a double portion of his anointing, but he lost it to the sin of covetousness.
On their way to the promised land,
23,000 Israelites died in one day due to immorality! This was the highest rate of calamity throughout their journey.
Sin’s mysterious hold on men is what the Bible calls ‘the mystery of iniquity’(2 Thessalonians 2:7).
It takes the ‘great mystery’ of godliness to overcome sin’s evil grip.
Godliness comes from walking in the fear of the Lord.
Some consider the fear of God to be an Old Testament concept, no longer relevant now that we understand God’s love and are under grace.
But walking in the fear of God characterized the church in the book of Acts, where we read that the churches were “walking in the fear of the Lord” (Acts 9:31).
The apostle Paul, writing in the New Testament, told believers to be “perfecting holiness in the fear of God” (2 Corinthians 7:1).
While it is true we are under grace, we also need to understand the “goodness and severity of the Lord.”
Hebrews 12:28-29 tells us that ’God is a consuming fire’.
We therefore need soberness and vigilance in our journey so as not to lose our place in destiny.
God’s Word carries sanctifying virtues that liberates from sin. Psalm 119:9-11 says ‘Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee’
Also, when we maintain a lifestyle of arising and praying, we will not fall into temptations.
It is certainly our heritage as believers, to walk in signs and wonders, but until sin goes, signs will not flow.
Let us therefore today, make the definite choice, to continually walk in the fear of the Lord, by taking heed to His Word, so as to avoid the fatal consequences of sin and arrive at our amazing glorious destiny.

PRAYER: Lord, please grant me the grace to live a life that constantly brings glory to Your Name. Please help me to live a life of holiness and purity so that I can experience the glory you have ordained for me in Jesus Name.
QUOTE
When you make God your priority, God automatically makes you priority in His own plan. – WORDBITE 222

1 John 4:4 ‘Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.’

DAILY READING; Matthew 1; Exodus 20:1-21:36; Proverbs 9

Charles Fox Parham was an American preacher and evangelist and one of the central figures in the emergence of American Pentecostalism. It was Parham who first claimed that speaking in tongues was the inevitable evidence of the baptism of the Holy Spirit. He is often referred to as the “Father of Modern-day Pentecostalism.”
Throughout his ministry Charles Parham suffered heavy persecutions for preaching the truth of God’s Word. But despite the attacks of the enemy God protected him and his team.
In 1905, Parham traveled to Orchard, Texas and while ministering there was such a great outpouring of the Spirit, that Parham was inspired to begin holding Rallies. These were a series of meetings that were strategically planned and held throughout America. Many workers volunteered to assist in the outreach. The parades helped to spark the interest of many who attended the evening services.
However, heavy persecution came their way. Several of Parham’s workers were poisoned during one meeting making them very ill, with severe pain. But Parham prayed for each of them immediately, and they recovered completely.
Parham’s own life was threatened several times, but he always escaped. Once, after taking a drink of water on the platform, Parham was doubled over with tremendous pain. But he began to pray and the pain left instantly. Later when the water from his glass was examined chemically, it was found to contain enough poison to kill a dozen men.
Undaunted by the persecution, Parham continued to spread the Gospel, declaring and demonstrating the power of God everywhere he went.

We often have to deal with spiritual resistance when carrying out our God given assignments. This is why it is important to walk closely with God, because it is through the greatness of His that our enemies will be subdued..
The power of God is designed to put us in command over the oppositions against our progress.Certainly, when God is for you no one can succeed in being against you..
The truth is that in every man’s promised land there will always be giants, but through God’s power we can overcome them all.
No one succeeds in life without fighting battles. Champions emerge through great challenges.
To possess your possession, there are forces that must be cut down for your destiny to progress.
No matter how tough the situations that try to resist you, don’t ever get discouraged, because you are born to overcome them, you are wired to win.
Whenever you are confronted, always remember that the Greater One lives in you. And He who is in you will always be greater than anything confronting you.
Through the power of God you can overcome every stronghold, oppositions, limitations and hindrances arrayed against you.
When we take the spiritual responsibility to fast, pray, praise and study God’s Word, we receive the power to break down every limitation and barriers. Through the exercise of power we can subdue the forces fighting against our open doors and silence our mockers.
As we dedicatedly walk in the fear of the Lord and obey His Words, we become positioned to overcome every resistance.
Certainly, in this season as we continually maintain intimacy with God, we will walk in dominion and power. Through carrying His Presence, we will rule in the midst of our enemies and arise to our glorious next level of destiny.

PRAYER;
Father I thank You for releasing upon me the power to overcome everything that has been resisting my progress. Surely by Your grace I have the victory over every opposition and I am rising to my next level of destiny in Jesus Name.
QUOTE
When God is on your side anything is possible. WORDBITE 201

Psalms 33:18-19 Behold, the eye of the LORD is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy; To deliver their soul from death..”.

DAILY READING– Hebrews 13; Exodus 18:1-19:25; Proverbs 8

Darnisha and Scott Taylor are experienced scuba-diving couple who have dived in exotic locations including -Hawaii, the Bahamas, the Virgin Islands etc. Recently they shared on the CBN news the miracle of God’s deliverance in their lives. As experienced divers, they were often prepared to handle any situation. But that was until they went to dive in the waters of Crystal Lake, Michigan, not knowing that death lurked underwater.
That day at the Lake, as usual, they had carefully put on their gear, and waded out into the water to explore the bottom of the lake for 30 minutes.
But after a while Danisha found her equipment was not functioning well, air was escaping from somewhere. So she swam to the surface to try to fix it, while Scott waited for her 50 feet below.
Treading water, she tried to fix the escaping air on her equipment, but it only got worse until Danisha found herself running out of oxygen and couldn’t breathe properly. Realizing that she was in trouble she began to pray for God’s help. Danisha struggled for several minutes, but without enough air, she began to lose strength and soon lost consciousness.
When Scott waited below and didn’t see her, he got up to the Lake’s surface. He was surprised, that he couldn’t see any sign of his wife and started yelling our her name.
Scott finally saw her floating lifeless about 200 yards away. He swam toward her and by the time Scott reached Darnisha, she was sinking to the bottom of the lake.
It was an absolute miracle that he even found her in that wide lake. He put his arm around her back, and began pounding as hard as he could on her chest, and breathed into her mouth. But what he could hear was just the horrifying sound of water gurgling in her lungs.
At that moment, Scott spotted a boat passing, and he screamed for help. As the boat approached, he could hear the three people on the boat already calling upon Jesus as they saw the critical situation. God answered the prayers. As soon as Danisha was brought up into the boat, she coughed up all of the water out of her lungs, and started breathing.
She was taken to the nearest hospital, 45 minutes away. After MRI tests and x-rays, she was treated and released the same day.
Scott and Danisha know beyond a shadow of a doubt that she only survived because of divine intervention. Somehow in that vast lake, her husband had been able to locate her drowning body and then the boat had come along at the right time, with Christians praying and crying out to God on her behalf. All these miracles had worked together to save her life.

When the Bible says God is an ever present help in trouble, it means He is right there in the darkest nights and the strongest storms to deliver those who trust in Him.. In the face of utmost difficulties when we cry out His Name, He reveals Himself as Jehovah Shammah, the Lord Who is there.
He is Jehovah Shalom, our Peace. He overcomes the battles stronger than us and moves the mountains that try to overwhelm us.

Psalms 61:2 says ‘From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I.’

Christ is the great and high Rock that shelters us from life’s troubles and tribulations. His Spirit, raises a standard against the enemy that comes like a flood. In a world of trials and troubles, our God is our strong refuge and confidence. His eyes constantly watches over those who fear and love Him, to deliver them.

Psalms 33:18-19 Behold, the eye of the LORD is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy; To deliver their soul from death..”.

When we are in an intimate relationship with God, we can be sure He will never fall nor forsake us.
This is why it is important to ensure that we maintain sweet fellowship with Him, because victory in battle belongs to those who know their God.

God says in Psalm 91:14 -15 “Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him; ‘

When we have taken the time to build up strong faith in God, we can be sure of His speedy intervention .
When we fear God and reverence Him, and diligently obey His Word, He will always be our bridge over troubled waters and shelter from every storm.

PRAYER: Lord, Indeed without You I can do nothing, but through You I can do all things. Thank You Lord for being my ever present help at every time of need in Jesus Name.
QUOTE
The battle you are faced with today is a good warfare because God has already foreordained victorious end for you – WORDBITE 222

Psalm 31:19-20 “How great is Your goodness that You have stored up for those who fear You, and accomplished in the sight of everyone for those who take refuge in You.’

DAILY READING; • Hebrews 12; Exodus 16:1-17:16; Proverbs 7:6-27

Operation Sea Lion, was Hitler’s code name for the plan to invade Britain in the Second World War. Very little stood in his way to conquering Britain. However, when all hope seemed lost, God used a company of intercessors, to stand in the gap for the deliverance of Britain.
About a hundred intercessors fought the battle spiritually on their knees led by Rees Howells, founder of The Bible College of Wales. The College was a training ground for young missionaries and a base for intercessory prayer.
While the physical war raged, they waged fierce spiritual warfare against Hitler.
In May 1940, Hitler’s army appeared set to overrun and overwhelm British troops and other allied soldiers, numbering over three hundred thousand men.
These soldiers had retreated to a town called Dunkirk which was close to the sea. They hoped to sail across to Britain and escape Hitler’s rapidly approaching forces. But the problem was Dunkirk’s shallow beach kept British naval ships from reaching these trapped men.
Meanwhile, German submarines called U-boats patrolled the sea like sharks, ready to attack.
The whole of Britain was under great tension, but Rees Howell remained confident in God’s deliverance ability.
As Rees separated himself for deeper intercession, he saw a vision of God with his sword drawn at Dunkirk.
Rees announced to the other intercessors “The battle is the Holy Spirit’s, He is there on the battlefield with His drawn sword.”
Thereafter, something mysterious happened. As Hitler’s army began to surround the retreating British soldiers at Dunkirk, and were pressing in to finish them off, suddenly for no reason, Hitler halted the attack. It was a military blunder no one understood, but it gave the Allies time they desperately needed to escape.
A mysterious thick fog gave cover to 4,000 ships and 11,000 planes that took Allied troops across the sea. Surprisingly, they never met a single enemy ship or plane. Because of the desperate situation, the British Prime Minister Winston Churchill was hoping to save 45,000 men, but in the Miracle of Dunkirk, God rescued 338,000 troops.
Till date, historians still have no clear explanation why Hitler stopped his attack, but Rees Howell and his army of intercessors knew undoubtedly that the power of God engaged through prayers had stopped the enemy in his tracks.
Thereafter, Allied forces were able to eventually re-strategize for the full assault that defeated Hitler in 1945.

God will perform miracles when we get on our knees and cry out to Him for assistance.
In 2 Chronicles 20, formidable enemies came against Judah and it seemed their defeat was eminent. However, as King Jehoshaphat sought God’s help, the Spirit of the Lord spoke to them saying ‘Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God’s.” [2 Chronicles 20:15].
God fought for them and gave them resounding victory..
Certainly, when we fight through God’s help, our victory is certain.
In 1 Samuel 17:44-45 Goliath was threatening David with his great strength, mighty sword and spear. But David who understood spiritual warfare said to him ‘Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel…’
When David turned the battle over to God, indeed God arose and defeated Goliath.
Likewise, we must learn to let God fight for us. Our wrestle is not against flesh and blood but against spiritual wickedness in high places, and it is only through God’s power that they can be defeated.
However, our degree of intimacy with God, determines the degree of His intervention and answers to our prayers.
Miracles are not magic but God’s response to the heartfelt cries of those who trust and fear Him.

Psalm 31:19-20 says, “How great is Your goodness that You have stored up for those who fear You, and accomplished in the sight of everyone for those who take refuge in You.’

God has great goodness stored up for you. Therefore, be assured that as you call unto Him today, He will manifest that goodness towards you. He will exceed your expectations and do things that will make you marvel! Like the miracle at Dunkirk, God will stop your enemies in their tracks. Anywhere it seems you are trapped, you will miraculously escape as God takes over your battles and gives you resounding victory..

PRAYER: Lord, please grant me the grace to seek to know You more intimately so that I can always obtain help in the time of need. I know that even right now You are set to exceed my expectations in Jesus name.
QUOTE :
The study of The Word will keep shame and disgrace far from you. Wordbite 222