HORM Devotional

1 Peter 5:8 ‘Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:’

DAILY READING; 2 Peter 3; Jeremiah 45-46; Psalm 141

The Azusa Street Revival is commonly regarded as the beginning of the modern-day Pentecostal Movement. It began in 1906, in Los Angeles through the ministry of William J Seymour.
In September of 1906 Seymour began a publication titled, ‘The Apostolic Faith’, which carried testimonies and news of the revival. Within a few months, this publication quickly spread to reach thousands of people in many cities.
The influence of the publication was immense and ensured a continuous flow of visitors to the Azuza street Mission. It also brought in financial contributions that enabled Seymour to advance the work.
Ironically, this Newsletter that brought so much blessing and expansion, also became a major cause of the Mission’s demise.
Two white women, Clara Lum and Florence Crawford, who were active in the work of the Mission, helped publish the Newsletter.
However, these two women had objected to Seymour’s plan to marry a young black woman named Jennie Evans Moore. When Seymour went ahead to marry Jennie on May 13, 1908, they secretly plotted to undermine his ministry.
Clara Lum and Florence Crawford left the Azuza street Mission and relocated to Portland, Oregon, where Florence founded another mission. Clara Lum who was the Azuza street Mission’s secretary had taken with her the entire national and international names and addresses on the mailing list of the ministry’s publication.
These women began publishing the magazine with the same old name but now with their new address in Portland, Oregon. The new issues carried no mention of Seymour and all references to Azusa street Mission were omitted entirely.
Many people without realizing the change, continued to send testimonies and finances to the new address in Portland.
Without a mailing list, Seymour could not continue the publication of the Newsletter and gradually this terminated the initial world-wide influence of Azusa and the Mission’s worldwide base of support. By 1913, the revival at Azusa Street had lost momentum, and most of the media attention and crowds had left by 1915.
These women, through stealing the publication, virtually crippled the great Azuza street ministry.

Anyone who is making a headway in life must beware of destiny killers. As we pursue after progress, the enemy often sends people whose purpose is to hit where it hurts most and cripple our efforts.
These can be Achans in the camp who through their actions knowingly or unknowingly bring defeat to the tribe.

In Joshua chapter 6, God gave the Israelites victory over Jericho and delivered the city into their hands. Joshua chapter 6 ended with these words “So the LORD was with Joshua; and his fame was noised throughout all the country.”
However, just after this victory, immediately in chapter 7 the story changed.
Though Israel had just defeated the greatly fortified Jericho, without losing a single man, when they went up to attack Ai, a comparatively small city, Israel was woefully defeated and lost 36 soldiers.
The reason for Israel’s defeat was found to be internal. The actions of Achan who had stolen forbidden spoils had brought this trouble and defeat on the whole nation of Israel.

The lesson we learn here is to beware of the Achans in our camp. Some people have suffered losses in life without knowing that it was due to an enemy within their camp.
The greatest challenge, before anyone seriously pursuing their destiny is distraction from people on a mission to curtail their vision. There is no one seriously on a mission for God that will not face such challenges.
To make progress, we must therefore not be ignorant of the enemy’s devices. People that usually fall victim are those who take the enemy for granted.
The book, ‘Art of War’ is one of the oldest and most successful books on military strategy, having influenced military strategies for centuries. The author, Sun Tzu, says, “He who exercises no forethought but makes light of his opponents is sure to be captured by them.”

The Christians who will triumph in this end-time are soldiers who are ever sober and vigilant.
Certainly as we remain spiritually alert we will be able to overcome the hidden battles against us. Indeed God has given us mighty weapons with which we can pull down the enemy’s strongholds.[ 2 Corinthians 10:3-4].
The weapon of God’s Word is the sword of the Spirit, through which we receive the wisdom and faith to triumph always. Also employing the weapon of fervent prayers and worship will sharpen us spiritually to discern the plots of the wicked.

Certainly, through the Lord’s mercy we shall be saved from every wolf in sheep’s clothing.
By God’s grace every evil plan targeted at truncating our progress will surely fail woefully.
What the enemy planned as disappointment, the Lord will turn it around to divine appointments for us.
And whatever we may have lost in the past due to lack of spiritual discernment, in this season, through God’s help, we shall experience recovery and restoration.
Indeed throughout this year we will have every cause to be joyful and thankful because of God’s grace that continues to prevail against every device of the wicked.

PRAYER: Lord, please help me to always walk by the light of Your Word so that I can avoid every trap of the enemy and overcome his evil devices. Lord, by Your grace nothing shall stop or hinder my progress throughout this year in Jesus Name.

QUOTE;
As a child of God you have to recognize that you are in the middle of an ongoing battle, but through faith we have the victory. WORDBITE 222

Jeremiah 30:17 “For I will restore health to you, and your wounds I will heal,” declares the Lord, “because they have called you an outcast: ‘It is Zion, for whom no one cares!’”

DAILY READING; • 2 Peter 2; Jeremiah 43; Psalm 140

Alcohol Anonymous (AA) is a worldwide organization that has helped millions of people overcome alcoholism.
Its history began with Bill Wilson who was greatly addicted to alcohol. He failed to graduate from law school because he was too drunk to pick up his diploma. He ruined a promising Wall Street career because of his constant drunkenness.
Wilson was committed to the Hospital for Drug and Alcohol Addictions in New York City four times. However, during his 4th stay there in November 1934, Wilson was visited by an old drinking companion named, Ebby Thatcher.
Wilson was astounded when his old friend told him he had beaten his drinking habit through the help of Christ.
After Thatcher left, Wilson on his hospital bed, cried out to God for help. This led to a divine encounter that instantly ended his taste for alcohol. He never drank again for the remainder of his life.
However, weeks after his divine experience, while on a business trip, Wilson felt the urge to drink again. In an effort to stay sober, he sought another alcoholic to help. Wilson was introduced to Dr. Bob Smith whom he eventually helped to also overcome his drinking problem.
Later the two men founded Alcohol Anonymous on June 10, 1935.
Through starting this international organization a new chapter opened in Bill Wilson’s life that restored his respect and relevance in the society. Indeed his encounter with God had brought to an end his shameful past of being a drunkard, he was totally healed and his wasted years were restored.

Jeremiah 30:17 says “For I will restore health to you, and your wounds I will heal,” declares the Lord, “because they have called you an outcast: ‘It is Zion, for whom no one cares!’”

Everyone has a past. Some portions of that past we may not be so proud of. Some of that past was spent in wasted years that seems irrecoverable today.
However in Joel 2:25, God promises to restore lost years back to us when we align to His Word.
In this chapter, through disobedience, God’s people had suffered the complete destruction of their entire harvest through swarms of locusts.
But as the nation turned in repentance to God, He promised to make up for the lost years with overflow harvest.
In Joel 2:18-19, God said, “Behold I am sending to you grain, wine and oil, and you will be satisfied.’

Truly, despite our past mistakes and failures, when we turn to God, He can bring a divinely accelerated overflow that will restore lost years back to us. Such is the power of His grace and mercy. He is indeed the God of the second chance.
Even when it feels as though you have missed the opportunity to fulfill His purpose or to step into your prophetic season, it is never too late for God. Through Divine acceleration, He can still bring His purpose and plan to come to pass in your life.
The hand of God is what engenders divine speed.

We saw in I Kings 18:46, how Elisha outran horses and chariots because of God’s hand that came upon him.
Likewise, when God’s hand comes upon a man’s life, that life begins to gather speed.
When God takes over, you find yourself caught up in a divine move that shifts your circumstances, removes obstacles and commands progress.

An encounter with God through His Word, triggers divine acceleration because the entrance of His Word gives the light and revelation that enables us see clearer and move faster.

Jeremiah 1:11-12 says ‘Moreover the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Jeremiah, what seest thou? And I said, I see a rod of an almond tree. Then said the Lord unto me, Thou hast well seen: for I will hasten my word to perform it.’

When you see the Word well, God is committed to hasten it to come to pass. The better you see, the quicker it delivers. Until you see it, you can’t seize it.
The truth is that you cannot have revelation and lose relevance. It doesn’t matter the things you may have lost, it doesn’t matter the times of your life that may have been wasted, through an encounter with God you can enjoy recovery of lost ground.

Certainly, a fresh encounter with God’s Word today, will ignite an unstoppable momentum in our lives, that will bring a definite recovery and restoration in our health, finances, family and in every of our endeavors.

PRAYER: Lord, I believe You today for a fresh encounter with Your Word that will bring full restoration, divine speed and acceleration in my life. Thank You Lord for indeed causing me to excel in all my endeavors throughout this year in Jesus Name.

QUOTE:
When God is on your side anything is possible. WORDBITE 222.

Colossians 1:14 – In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:

DAILY READING; • 2 Peter 1; Jeremiah 41-42; Psalm 139

John Sung was perhaps the most influential Chinese evangelist in the early 1900’s. At that period he played an instrumental role in the spread of Christianity in China, Taiwan, and Southeast Asia.
John Sung was the son of a Chinese pastor and as a young man he helped his father in church duties and sometimes even led the sermons.
In 1920 he was sent to America for his higher education and was a brilliant student, earning a doctorate in chemistry in five years.
However, while in America, he was exposed to wrong friends. This led him to set aside much of his Christian faith and began dabbling in other religions. He chanted Buddhist sutras, studied mysticism and became deeply lost in sin.
However, during Christmas break in 1926, John Sung came across a fifteen year old evangelist who was preaching. As he listened to the preaching of this young girl, something awakened within his soul and he became repentant.
At first it seemed that there was no way to get rid of his sins. But as he read the story of the crucifixion in Luke 23, so vivid was the sight of the Savior dying for him that he seemed to be there at the foot of the Cross, pleading to be washed in the precious Blood… Then he heard a voice saying, ‘Son, thy sins are forgiven.’”
From that moment, he rededicated himself to serve God and zealously pursued the preaching of the Gospel.
Eventually, God greatly used John Sung in China to initiate one of the major revivals of the 20th century. He came to be called the ‘Billy Graham’ of China and was instrumental in bringing many souls into God’s kingdom.

In Jeremiah 18:2 God asked prophet Jeremiah to go to the potter’s house. When the prophet got there, he saw how the potter worked with the marred clay and turned the broken jar into a beautiful vessel.
The potter didn’t just throw out the broken vessel or break it, rather he made it again!
From this chapter, we understand that God is able to restore us no matter how broken or marred we may become in His sight.
God is the Potter and we are the clay. No matter how we may sometimes stray, as we return to our maker, He is able to restore us again.
2 Timothy 2:20 says that in a great house there are vessels of gold, silver, wood and earth; and some unto honour, and some unto dishonor.
The vessel we eventually become in life depends on how willing we are to allow God refine us for His highest service.

To be greatly used by God we need to continually submit to the cleansing flow of the Blood of Jesus.
The truth is that, as believes, we sometimes stray from God’s purpose.
Though we may not have committed major sins, but we are not always where we ought to be with God.
We may be serving in Church but there is no fire in our bones. We sing songs and lift our hands, but there is no edge to our worship. It all has become just dull routine and ritual.
Many of us can no longer sense the intimacy and sweet fellowship we used to have with the Spirit. We meander from day to day, not pursuing any divine purpose, but rather becoming more and more entangled with the affairs of this life.

In these last days, it is very important that we understand the times we are in and do everything necessary to become spiritually fervent because of the days ahead of us.
Ephesians 5:16 tells us to make the most of every opportunity because the days are evil.
We really need to examine our hearts and cry out to God for fresh fire. It is time for us to seek revival and spiritual restoration and return to our first love.

The good news is that no matter how far you stray, you’re not beyond the reach of God’s grace! His arms are open wide and His love and mercy know no bounds.
Our value in God’s sight is not diminished by our flaws, or how many times we fail. No matter how far we may fall; the grace of God can pick us up, dust us up and restore us.
The story of the Prodigal Son in Luke 15 tells us of how he rebelled against his father’s authority, left home and lost everything. But when he returned back to his father, he was received back and restored.

Indeed God sees our destiny beyond our falling.
Though Peter denied Jesus three times, he found restoration and eventually became the leader of the New Testament church.
Anyone who comes before the throne of grace with a penitent heart and asks for cleansing by the Blood shall receive mercy.

Today as we sincerely return to God and recommit our lives to Him, we will indeed find restoration, wholeness and healing. God will give us ‘beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, and the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness…” (Isaiah 61:3).

PRAYER: Lord, I thank You for igniting my heart afresh today with Your divine fire. Thank You Lord for destroying every spiritual laxity in me. Today, through the power in the Blood, I reclaim my passion and zeal for Your kingdom in Jesus Name.

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

..

1 Samuel 12:6 ‘And Samuel said unto the people, It is the Lord that advanced Moses and Aaron, and that brought your fathers up out of the land of Egypt.’

DAILY READING; 1 Peter 5; Jeremiah 39-40; Psalm 138

In 1961, East Germany built a huge wall that stopped its citizens from migrating to the more progressive West Germany. For 28-years the Berlin wall made life difficult for many people as families were separated and the people lost their freedom.
However, in all those years Christians on both sides of the wall cried out to God to make a way. Then in 1989 , unexpected events began to unfold that brought answers to those prayers.
Somehow, government officials in East Germany made inexplicable mistakes that led to the sudden bringing down of the Berlin wall.
On Nov. 9, 1989, leader of the East Berlin Communist Party, Gunter Schabowski, was in a press conference when a journalist asked him when the borders would be opened.
In replying Schabowski mistakenly said the border would be opened with immediate effect!
The conference which was being aired over the radio was heard by many East Germans. And based on what Schabowski had said, many people began heading to the Berlin walls.
The senior officer on duty that night at the border had not received any order to open the border and as the crowd arriving there grew to nearly 1,000 people, he called his supervisors. But when this officer received a skeptical response from his superiors about his ability to control the situation at the border, he became angry. And in that anger he turned to his men and ordered: “Open the barrier!”
As the barriers were opened many East Germans began to rush across the border into Western Germany.
And that was how confusion among the East Berlin Communist Party officers led to the people’s freedom. One of the people that walked free through the walls that day, was a young woman named Angela Merkel, who would years later become the Chancellor of Germany.
Though the people of East Germany were restricted and limited for many years, yet in one night, the mistake of their enemies led to the miracle of their freedom.

Indeed God is able to orchestrate events that will cause long closed doors to suddenly open for you. He can cause your enemies to make mistakes that will cause you to suddenly experience a break through.
When God is ready for you to take new grounds, He will invade your ordinary with something extraordinary. He will disrupt your normal with something abnormal. He will create a scenario that will create confusion in the enemy’s camp and cause them to act without reasoning.

On the journey to the promised land, the children of Israel were stopped by the 30 foot high wall of Jericho. The thick wall stood between them and their destiny.
Though they didn’t know how to break through the barrier, God asked them to walk around the walls and praise Him.
As they obeyed, the wall miraculously came tumbling down.
Indeed God knows how to break through impossible barriers and advance us in our journey.

1 Samuel 12:6 says ‘And Samuel said unto the people, It is the Lord that advanced Moses and Aaron, and that brought your fathers up out of the land of Egypt.’

It certainly takes divine advancement to come into our promised land. It takes the power of God to destroy the battles against us and the limitations that resist our progress.
Indeed there are forces that must be cut down for our destiny to move forward.

Just as the Israelites brought down the wall of Jericho through praise, as we obey God’s Word and praise Him, every wall of resistance against our progress will be destroyed.
The weapon of praise is essential to our victory because praise brings God’s Presence. And whenever God arrives, His enemies will be scattered and obstacles become miracles.
As we praise God in this season, He will enlarge our territories and open new doors before us.
Certainly it is our season to see divine increase, new levels and new opportunities. Indeed it is time for every spiritual embargo to be lifted, as we experience breakthroughs, promotions, healings and speedy divine advancement on every side.

PRAYER: Lord, I thank You because I know You are about to break every barrier and limitation and usher me into a new level of life. It is certainly my season to experience divine advancement and restoration in all my endeavors in Jesus Name.

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

Isaiah 30:21 ‘And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left.’

DAILY READING; • 1 Peter 4; Jeremiah 37-38; Psalm 137

In 2010, several Media outlets carried the News of a missing 11 year old girl, Nadia Bloom.
On the morning of April 10, 2010, Nadia Bloom, who lived in Seminole County, Florida, had hopped on her bike, and sped off to a wooded area, to take some pictures of nature. But that was the last anyone would see of her for the next few days,
When she didn’t come home in time, her mother went to search for her, but only saw her bike neatly parked by a tree, near a swampy area. After searching the dense thicket unsuccessfully, she called 9-1-1.
The police arrived and searched until night fall and still there was no sign of Nadia. As word spread throughout the community, their Church pastor gathered people to pray.
There was great concern over Nadia’s safety because the swamp was rife with alligators and other predators.
However after four days of fruitless search, the police decided to call off the rescue operation assuming the girl had died.
That morning, a close friend of Nadia’s family and member of their Church named James King, went in prayer before God. He specifically asked God to lead him to where he could find Nadia. As he prayed, he sensed God was asking him to go in a particular direction. As he followed the divine leading and began to search in the swamp, miraculously he found the missing girl!
She was standing waist deep in water. She said she had gotten lost while trying to take pictures of nature and had been eating plants to survive and sleeping on a tree stump at night. Apart from some bug bites and a little dehydration, she was relatively alright. King immediately called the police on his cellphone, and they came in and helped to carry the girl out of the swamp.
The police found it amazing that all it had taken James King was prayer and God’s guidance to find the missing girl. They couldn’t understand why they had been unable to locate her despite employing sniffer dogs, dive teams, a helicopter and a vehicle equipped with sonar probe, searching intensely for four days. Yet a simple prayer of guidance had led James king to quickly find her.

Indeed divine guidance is the secret behind speedy recovery.

In 1 Samuel 30, after David and his men lost their families and possessions to the Amalekites, they cried till there were no more tears left. But, David came to realize that crying would not solve the problem and so he called for the ephod. The ephod was the priestly garment that the priest wore in order to meet with the Lord and inquire of Him.
When David inquired of the Lord, God answered him, “Pursue, for you shall surely overtake them and without fail recover all.”[I Sam. 30:8.]
Searching after the Amalekites would have been long and fruitless because they had gone far ahead. But because David had enquired of the Lord, he was guided and granted divine speed. Through finding an abandoned Egyptian servant of the Amalekites, he was able to quickly locate them and finally recover all. David’s tragedy was turned to triumph because the Lord had ordered his steps.

Certainly, to enjoy recovery and restoration, we need to seek divine direction.
God alone knows the forces behind the losses in life.
The root causes of most losses in health, finances, relationships etc, can only be unraveled by God. Some people can’t explain why they are working like elephants in their career but eating like ants. Some can’t explain why in their business, they take one step forward only to take two steps backwards. Some can’t understand why their relationships keep deteriorating despite all their efforts.

You can read all books and materials on the problem and apply all the expert advice, but sometimes until you address the spiritual root, you may not see any fruit.
The truth is that behind most losses is the operation of the spiritual thief who comes to steal, kill and destroy. Therefore to effectively recover all, you need a spiritual approach to your search. You need to go on a destiny rescue mission on your knees as you inquire in prayers and study the Word.
Divine instruction is what delivers from destruction. One Word from God can certainly change your life.
As you study the Word long enough, you will hear a voice behind you saying this is the way, walk in it [Isaiah 30:21]

Today, it doesn’t matter the Amalekites that may have tried to steal and plunder from you, through divine instruction, you can enjoy speedy recovery of every loss.
As we diligently seek God’s guidance, every wasted year, time, gift, talent, resource you have lost, will be divinely restored.
Indeed the Lord will grant you divine acceleration that will enable you to pursue, overtake and surely recover all without fail.

PRAYER: Lord, please ignite in me a fresh desire to seek Your guidance on every issue of life. Please let Your Word be my constant meditation, so that I can make the discovery that will lead to speedy recovery and restoration in my life in Jesus Name

QUOTE;
It’s never over in your life until you win, God is still in control of your life. WORDBITE 222..

Psalm 61:2-4 ‘..When my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy.’

DAILY READING 1 Peter 3; Jeremiah 35-36; Psalm 136

Frail plants, such as Perennial Flowering Vines and Climbers, are often unable to survive strong storms and hurricanes.
However such frail plants that can barely survive on their own, can gain protection when they cling to stronger trees such as oaks.
During a storm, these frail plants that cling to the oak, are protected from the force of the fierce winds by the oak’s large trunk. And if the wind blows on the exposed side of the vine, the tempest only presses the vine closer to the oak’s trunk, where it is still protected from being blown away.
Oaks are known to withstand incredibly strong storms, like tornadoes and hurricanes. Even when they are stripped of their leaves, oak trees survive because of their strength, their curvy branches, and their incredible root systems.
Oaks are a great example of hurricane “survivor” trees because they are able to survive the extensive damages that hurricanes and tropical storms can cause. They are among the hurricane-resistant trees that are often planted to shield and protect landscapes from strong winds.
And so some of the frail plants who ordinarily would not survive in such harsh weathers, through clinging to stronger trees like oaks, find protection and preservation.

In Jeremiah 13:11, God gave a demonstration to Jeremiah to explain our need to always cling to Him. The Lord told him to take a cloth and wrap it around his waist tightly. Then God said to him ‘For as the waistband clings to the waist of a man, so I made the whole household of Israel and the whole household of Judah cling to Me,..that they might be for Me a people, for renown, for praise and for glory; but they did not listen.’

Just as frail vines cling to the stronger trees to survive storms, spiritually we must cling to God to survive in life.
Holding on to God is how we can triumph in life’s harsh situations. God is our only hope and guarantee of victory in life. Therefore when the storms of life come, we should cling to Him with everything in us.
In times of challenges, as we draw closer to God, we will always triumph through Christ.
Stormy winds, rather than separate us from God, should drive us deeper into God’s Presence. In drawing closer to God, we experience great intimacy with Him. Indeed some of our most profound and intimate experiences of worship have come from those times when we had no one else to turn to but Jesus.
Afflictions are designed not to break us but to bend us toward our loving Father.
Psalm 62:1 says “In God, alone, there is rest for my soul, From Him comes my safety. With Him, alone, for my rock, my safety, my fortress, I can never fall,” –

Today, be assured that there is rest for your soul in God.
Don’t be broken by the wind, rather let it bend you towards God. God is good to those that trust in Him. And He really wants you to trust Him especially at those times it seems the storm is blowing the hardest.

Psalm 61:2-4 says ‘..When my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy.’

In the seemingly dark days, when your heart seems broken, that is the time you have to run deeper into the arms of Jesus. Take the time to stay in the Word, in prayers, praise and worship.
In every situation, learn to magnify God above that problem. What the enemy meant to bring tears to you let it be the very reason why you praise God. Even though you may not see the whole picture yet, continue to thank God who causes us to triumph always through Christ.

In John 16:33 Jesus says ‘These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.’

Truly, the world is full of tribulations, but through Christ we are destined for victory and jubilation. While others may be travailing, through clinging to the Lord, we will keep prevailing.
Certainly, as we keep praising Him even in the storm, we will emerge more than conquerors in every of life’s challenges.

PRAYER: Lord, please help me to cling to You at all times. Without You I can do nothing, my hope and trust is in You, and I know You will shield me through every storm of life in Jesus Name.

QUOTE
You will never need more than God to experience the impossible in life. WORDBITE 222..

Nehemiah 8:10 ‘Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the Lord is your strength.’

DAILY READING; 1 Peter 2; Jeremiah 33-34; Psalm 135

IN May 16 1894, Baltimore’s baseball team, named the Baltimore Orioles came to Boston to play a routine game with Boston’s baseball team. But what happened that day was not at all routine.
One of the team members of the Baltimore Orioles, John McGraw got in a fight with a member of Boston’s team.
As anger flared and emotions overflowed, the quarrel spread to other team members. Soon both teams were battling and the warfare spread from the field to their fans on the stands.
As the fans fought among themselves, the conflict went from bad to worse. Some of the fans set the stands on fire. The fire spread and the entire ballpark burned to the ground. That was not all, the fire spread to nearby houses and burned 170 other buildings in Boston.
This was a great loss to the people of Boston and the memories of that event were so bitter that years later it stopped the two teams from playing each other in the 1904 World Series which is the annual championship of Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada.
The teams’ inability to overcome their anger and resentment led to loss of the financial gains and opportunities that could have come from playing together.

Today, many people can trace the losses in their life to the result of unbridled anger. Indeed many great destinies have been crippled and opportunities lost, due to inability to overcome offences.

Jesus said ‘Offenses will definitely come [Luke 17:1]. Offences occur because people are different and will often act contrary to expectations. However, how you react to offences is up to you.
As believers, we can overcome the trap of anger and other negative emotions by mortifying the flesh through the help of the Holy Spirit. [Romans 8:13].
No matter the occasional heat and provocation the enemy tries to bring through people, determine to keep your flesh under control. Ask the Holy Spirit for the wisdom to overcome the enemy’s baits of offences. Don’t give in to strive. Do not be a cheap victim of emotional traps.
One of the ways to curtail anger is to walk away if you sense yourself getting provoked. The time of anger is never the right time to say or do anything. Walking away is not a sign of weakness but of wisdom.

In Genesis 26; Isaac dug wells and the herdsmen of Gerar quarreled with him, claiming it was theirs. He walked away and dug another well, they still came and quarreled with him. When Isaac refused to be provoked and maintained his focus, God blessed him and he came to his ‘Rehoboth’, where the Lord made room for him and he was fruitful in the land.
Dr. David Oyedepo said as a young believer he used to suffer from blinding bouts of anger until the day he read Ecclesiastes 7:9, which said that anger resides in the bosom of fools.
Since he didn’t want to be a fool, he made a decision to forgive people even before they wronged him. This attitude put an end to his anger problem.
It does not mean you are never to get angry. However, Ephesians 4:26 says, “Be ye angry and sin not; let not the sun go down upon your wrath”
One of the ways to shield your heart from offences is to be filled with the Word. God’s Word produces joy in our hearts which neutralizes the bitterness of offences.
A believer who is filled with the joy of the Lord will find it hard to get offended no matter the level of provocation.
Therefore, if you are in a home, office or any environment where anger is an issue, you can deal with the situation by constantly releasing praise and joy into that atmosphere.
Don’t forget that there’s a demonic spirit behind negative emotions such as violent anger. The spiritual force of joy creates a divine atmosphere that makes it impossible for these negative spirits to operate.
As you surround yourself with praise, certainly the joy of the Lord will be your strength and give you divine immunity from the effects of negative emotions.

PRAYER: Lord, please help me to always fill my heart with Your Word so that Your joy can be my strength. By Your grace I shall overcome every attempt of the enemy to create losses in my life and continue to arise victorious over every challenging situation in Jesus Name.

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

1 Corinthians 7:35 [NLT] ‘I am saying this for your benefit, not to place restrictions on you. I want you to do whatever will help you serve the Lord best, with as few distractions as possible.’

DAILY READING; 1 Peter 1; Jeremiah 31-32; Psalm 134

The Crusades were a series of religious wars fought between Christians and Muslims in the medieval period.
In 1202, a fourth crusade was initiated to re-capture Jerusalem after it fell into the hands of the Muslims. Armies were gathered from across Europe for this purpose. A nominal leader of the crusade was Boniface of Montferrat.
However, while on the way to their mission to Jerusalem, Boniface decided to make a detour to visit his cousin, the king of Germany, known as Philip of Swabia.
This proved to become one of the costliest detours in history. Boniface’s decision to veer off from his main pursuit of recapturing Jerusalem led to a chain of events that would eventually affect Christianity negatively.
While at the court of his cousin, Boniface met Prince Alexius IV Angelus, son of the emperor of Byzantine. This prince begged Boniface to suspend the crusader’s mission and help him to regain his throne from his enemies, promising to pay an enormous amount of silver and gold in return.
Enticed by the offer, Boniface convinced most of the crusaders to abandon the mission to Jerusalem and head to Constantinople which was the capital city of the Byzantine empire.
Boniface and his men arrived in Constantinople in April 1203 and helped to reinstate Prince Alexius on the throne. However, they were enraged to later discover that the prince was unable to fulfill the payment of wealth he had promised them.
In retaliation, the crusaders chose to attack and plunder the city, despite the fact that Constantinople was the world’s largest Christian city at the time and mainstay of Christian power in the East. They stripped the city of its treasures and historical arts.
This action of plundering and destroying Constantinople infuriated many people in the surrounding Christian towns. This bitterness against the Christian crusaders made the people to later accept Islam as their religion. This eventually led to the collapse of Christendom in the region and in the long run facilitated the expansion of Islam right into the heart of Europe.

Though the crusaders were originally on a mission of recovery to the holy land, by giving room to distraction, their mission was aborted.
In seeking God’s kingdom, how we handle distractions will be the key to victory, and blessings!
Avoiding distractions is one of the most important decisions we can make in order to accomplish our mission in life.
The truth is that you are not supposed to engage in every conflict. Your time is too valuable and your destiny is too great to get baited into battles that don’t matter. Rather face your front and set your focus on your divine purpose.
If you’re going to reach your highest potential, you have to avoid the things that are not part of your mission and vision.
Understand that your assignment on earth has an expiration date, your life time is not unlimited. The realization that our time is fast going should create a sense of urgency in our pursuits.

Many of us have been called to great assignments but allowing unnecessary detours on the journey is threatening to abort that vision. Especially in these last days, our focus should be on building a powerful relationship with God that will lead to a life of wonders, rather than allowing ourselves to be distracted by frivolities and mundane things that won’t even matter a year, a month or even a week from now.
Indeed there is need for soberness so that our place will not be lost in destiny.
We must realize that in these end-times the tempo of distractions are now at an unprecedented level on the earth. At this time, the enemy is releasing his greatest temptations and weapons of mass distraction to derail many from their divine call in life.
As believers, our destiny is under serious contention this is why we can no longer afford to entangle ourselves with things that have no eternal value.

Therefore in this season, let our main focus be on the pursuit of God and His kingdom. Truly as we seek God’s kingdom first, we will enjoy divine restoration on all sides as every other thing will be added unto us.

PRAYER: Lord, Please enable me to maintain the right focus in life. Help me never to give room to distractions but rather to keep pursuing after You and Your kingdom so that everything else will be added unto me in Jesus Name!
QUOTE;
Everything that ultimately has a glorious ending usually has a humble beginning. WORDBITE 222

1 Corinthians 15:58 ‘Be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.’

DAILY READING; James 5; Jeremiah 29-30; Psalm 133

Adoniram Judson was America’s first missionary to an overseas nation in the 19th century. He gave almost 40 years of his life serving the people of Burma. He produced the first and only translation of the Old and New Testament into the Burmese language.
This translation took him nine painstaking years. However just as he completed the work, war broke out between Burma and Britain. As a result of this, the government of Burma began arresting the British and American citizens in their nation.
One day Adoniram’s home was suddenly invaded by soldiers who hauled him off to prison.
After Adoniram’s arrest, his faithful wife gathered her husband’s New Testament manuscripts and quickly buried them in the garden, to avoid it being discovered and destroyed by the soldiers. But soon realizing the papers would rot under the soil, she dug them up and sewed them into the lining of an old pillow.
When she was allowed to visit her husband, she brought the pillow to him. Not suspecting the content of the old pillow, the guards allowed Adoniram to keep it.
However, one early morning, without warning, soldiers came suddenly to move Adoniram to another prison. Despite his pleas to be allowed to take along the pillow, he was forced to leave it behind. Outwardly, it looked like Adoniram’s work of many years was lost. Yet God was at work to ensure his labor was not in vain.
Days later, one of Adoniram’s new converts who often visited him in prison, came around and learnt he had been transferred out. As this man was leaving the prison, he recognized Adoniram’s old pillow, tossed out in the trash!
He picked it up and later returned the pillow to Adoniram’s wife. She rejoiced to receive it and when she ripped open the pillow – there safe inside, was the translated Bible.
After some time in the new prison, Adoniram was finally released to go home. His joy knew no bounds when he learned about the miraculous recovery of his precious manuscripts. Somehow, God had ensured that his years of labour had not been fruitless.
He was able to finally complete and publish the work, and it remains today, the only translation of the Bible into the Burmese language.

Often times we may be confronted with situations that make it look as if our labor has all been in vain.
However, as a believer, you have to have faith in God’s promise that says you shall not build, and another inhabit; you shall not plant, and another eat: God says you shall long enjoy the work of your hands and you shall not labour in vain, nor bring forth for trouble; [Isaiah 65:22-23]
When you are in right relationship and position with God, you can always trust the fulfillment of His Word.
Do not let the enemy,, your own thoughts, or anyone else tell you anything different. Refuse to be wearied in well doing because in due season you shall surely reap, as you stay connected to God through faith.

Faith is the foundation for the fulfilment of every vision. It is the key for the realization of every mission, dream and purpose.
Therefore in every situation, let us hold fast the confession of our faith without wavering, for He is faithful that promised. (Hebrews 10:23).

Perhaps today, you are pursuing visions and dreams that God put in your heart, but currently every circumstance says, it is never going to happen. Continue to dare to believe God’s Word. Let God be true and let every devil be a liar.
Certainly, God is not a man, that He should lie, neither the son of man, that he should repent. What He has spoken, He is able to perform. What God started in your life He is able to finish. His resources are endless, and His power and love know no boundaries.
Even where you can’t see any progress, continue to trust the process that births the promise.
By faith keep calling those things that be not as though they were. The odds may seem against you today, but don’t let the circumstances fool you. Though outwardly, it may seem as if nothing is happening, inwardly a lot is going on. Though the ground may seem still, it does not mean the earth is not moving. God is working, even when you can’t trace Him. Therefore stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong. (1 Corinthians 16:13)
Don’t vacillate in your belief when things get tough. Your greater blessing is coming! Your setback is only a set up for a comeback!
As a person of vision, you are unstoppable. You are headed for your place in destiny and as long as you remain strong in faith, it is only a matter of time before you arrive there.
Therefore keep thanking God in that situation, even if it may look as if it is not improving. Keep speaking prophetically because the clouds are filling up with rain. Keep doing the right thing because your day of manifestation is coming.
As you remain strong in faith, giving glory to God, you shall see the fruits of your labour and surely recover all in this season.

PRAYER: Lord, please help me to make Your Word top priority in my life, so that I can always walk by faith, and not by sight. By Your grace, I shall surely eat the fruit of my labor in every of my endeavors in Jesus Name. .

QUOTE
There is more to you than meets the eyes. Don’t let anyone convince you otherwise. – WORDBITE 222.

Psalm 66:12 ‘..We went through fire and through water: but thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place.’

DAILY READING James 4; Jeremiah 27-28; Psalm 132

Truett Cathy is the founder of Chick-fil-A which rose from a local grill to become the No. 1 U.S. chicken chain in 2012.
By 1935, at only 14 years of age, Truett began working to help provide money for his parents.
Without any college degree and limited experiences, Truett and his brother began a restaurant business in 1946.
Eventually, the business began to grow and opened two branches. But tragedy struck when one of the branches burned down. As Truett was trying to recover, not long after, the other remaining branch also caught fire.
Despite the devastation, instead of giving up, Truett Cathy was determined to rebuild his business.
He created a new menu of Chicken Sandwich to attract customers. It was a great success and led to opening of more locations.
The business just kept growing and years later, it became a billion dollar business with more than 1,800-restaurants.. By 2018 Chick-fil-A surpassed $10 Billion in its annual sales! And today, Chick-fil-A is one of the top 3 fast food chains in the world.
The secret of Truett’s business success is application of Biblical principles. Truett Cathy was a devout Christian, who taught Sunday School in his Church for more than 50 years and gave generously towards the spread of the Gospel. He always saw the Bible as his guide-book for life.
Due to his strong religious beliefs, all of the company’s locations, are closed on Sundays to allow its employees to attend church and spend time with their families. The policy of closing on Sundays meant sacrificing potential profits, but interestingly, despite being closed on Sundays, their average sales are still far higher than their closest competitors.
Truett credited the turning point and success of his company to his decision to put God first in everything he did.

Though Truett Cathy’s business venture seemed to come to an end when his two restaurants burned down, yet through faith in God he experienced divine recovery and restoration.
In the Scriptures, Job went through a 9-month period where he lost his wealth, his business, his family and his health.
He was so distraught and overwhelmed by his losses that he sat down among the ashes. Yet in the midst of his difficulties, Job still declared ‘ I know, my Redeemer lives!’.
The first forty-one chapters in the book of Job was about his travails but in the last chapter we read, “The Lord restored his fortunes…The Lord blessed Job in the second half of his life even more than in the beginning” God restored to Job twice of all he had before.

Surely, no matter the trials and temptations of life, our redeemer lives!
For someone today, perhaps like Job, life has not turned out the way you had hoped. Maybe you have gone through some trials and unfair situations. But though it seems you have every reason to be bitter and discouraged, remember that God always has another season. He is a God of restoration!
You may have gone through the fire of afflictions, but that is not the end, there is still something greater waiting ahead of you.
Believe that the rest of your life will be the best of your life. Be determined that nothing and no one is going to keep you from your amazing destiny.
If you go through a loss or disappointment, the enemy loves to see you sit down among the ashes in bitterness and depression.
But don’t give in to depression because it will only lead to more oppression from the enemy. Rather remain strong in faith giving glory to God. Stay joyful, knowing that God is the God of justice, and He will surely settle your case.
Indeed through God’s help, you will overcome every obstacle, defeat every enemy, and become everything God has created you to be.
Though you may pass through the water and fire, you are surely coming into your wealthy place.
Just keep your focus on God. Keep looking to His Word and keep blessing Him in every situation.

Indeed God is in the business of restoration. He restores lost hope, lost health, lost careers, marriages, lost glory and dignity; and anything you may have ever lost in life.
Jesus came to restore everything the devil has ever stolen from us.
The case of Lazarus looked medically and humanly impossible, after he had been dead for four days. But when Jesus arrived, He announced – ‘I am the resurrection, and the life!’. Immediately there was a reversal and restoration that brought Lazarus out of the grave.[John 11:25]
It doesn’t matter how dead any situation around you, there is divine restoration for you through the Blood of Jesus. Truly, by His Blood, every reason for weeping expires in your life today. Indeed every cause of sorrow in your health, business, finances and family is destroyed forever!
Certainly, in this season there will be a complete payback of all you have ever lost. It’s indeed your time of vindication and restoration!

PRAYER: Lord, Please help me to know that You are always at work in my life no matter what I may face. Thank You Lord, for divinely restoring every loss and always causing me to triumph in all situations in Jesus Name. ….
QUOTE:
Illuminate your world for you are a star destined to shine. WORDBITE 222.