HORM Devotional

Hebrews 12: 2 ‘Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.’

DAILY READING; – John 18:1-18; 2 Chronicles 26; Psalm 83

In 2003, many Media News outlets reported the miracle story of 17-month-old Kennisen Knifong. The toddler was playing near his mother in their garden, when he accidentally tumbled 20 feet down into a nearby turbulent creek. He was swept through a culvert and carried 300 yards downstream.
His mother kept screaming out to Jesus for help. She called the sheriff’s department immediately and an officer arrived within minutes. Searching in the Creek, he found Kennisen’s lifeless body, he was apparently dead.
An ambulance was called and Kennisen was rushed to the local hospital, but doctors found no vital signs whatsoever, he had no pulse nor blood pressure.

As the news of the tragedy spread, family and friends gathered together and began to pray.
After over two hours of CPR, the medical team finally got a heartbeat but Kennisen’s organs had all shut down.

It seemed a hopeless case, but the head doctor believed in miracles and asked Kennisen’s parents to get everybody they knew to start praying.
As prayers intensified, soon, Kennisen’s vital signs started improving. Three days after going into the hospital, he was taken off life support and brought out of his coma.
The doctors were amazed because they had never seen such a miraculous recovery..
Doctors had told his parents that even if he survived, he would have brain damage, and not be able to walk or talk but few days later, Kennisen was discharged with no complications.
Kennisen later told his mother that when he fell into the creek, ‘someone’ had been with him, while he was in the water.
She knew of course that the ‘Someone’ must have been God’s angel, who had kept the little boy and brought him back to life.

While battles are real to life, our victory is always guaranteed through Christ. In every situation we must always keep our eyes on Jesus.
We have to learn to always trust in the Lord with all our heart, even in the midst of desperate situations .

Psalm 56:3 says “But when I am afraid. I will put my trust in you.”

As long as you can focus on God there is always a way out of every predicament. There is no problem, trouble, situation or circumstance that God cannot handle. He is the God of miracles and with Him nothing shall be impossible.
Therefore, let us always focus on God’s Word and trust in His promises.
Rather than worry or fret, let us turn to prayer and praising God. In the face of problems always declare to yourself ‘I live in grace, so I can’t be disgraced!’
In every situation we must always keep our faith strong in God’s deliverance ability.

Joshua 1:9 says, “Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified: do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

Certainly, God is with us wherever we go. When we pass through the water and the fire, He is right there.
He has said He will never leave us nor forsake us. His Word and promises endure forever.
Throughout the scriptures we find expressed God’s excessive benevolence towards His children. His capacity to do far exceeds our capacity of asking or our capacity of even imagining.
There is no situation He cannot turn around.. 
There is no inability in Him. Whatever His mouth promises, His hand is also able to perform. Nothing handicaps Him.
Indeed we serve the God of excessive power, excessive grace, and excessive might. He is the God of miracles, signs and wonders.
Therefore, let us keep looking unto Him in every situation because He is abundantly able to turn every mourning into dancing for us.

In case, you are facing impossible looking situations today, don’t get discouraged. Don’t think that is the end of your journey. As long as you can keep your focus on Jesus, be assured that His help is on the way. He is organizing a rescue for you. Though it may seem your darkest hour, God is about to turn in into your finest hour.
God will not only do amazing things for you, He will do it in ways and manners that exceeds your every imagination.

PRAYER: Lord, I know with you nothing shall be impossible. Please help me to always praise you in every situation, because I know that even right now, You are turning around everything for my good in Jesus Name.

QUOTE
It is only when you can see God in the light of who He truly is that you can begin to walk in the overflow of His blessings. – WORDBITE 222.

Luke 21:36 ‘Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.’

DAILY READING’; John 17; 2 Chronicles 25; Psalm 82

On January 23, 1943, about 900 newly recruited soldiers boarded a ship in New York that was to take them to an Army base in Greenland.
This was during World war 2 and many dangers lay ahead of them on this journey. The greatest danger, was the ever-present threat of attack from the enemy forces.

At that time, German submarines had been sinking almost a hundred Allied ships every month.
One particular point had seen such heavy attack from the Germans that it came to be known as “Torpedo Junction”.

As the ship carrying these young American soldiers embarked on its journey through the frigid Atlantic ocean, it had to sail through this “Torpedo Junction”.

After 10 days at sea and few miles from its destination, the ship prepared to pass through the dangerous ‘Torpedo junction’,.
That night, the ship’s captain instructed the soldiers to sleep in their clothes and life jackets just in case.
However, it was hot and sweaty in the closely packed and cramped quarters. Many of the soldiers, confident that the next day would dawn without incident, decided to ignore the captain’s warnings and slept in their underwear. The life jackets were also hot and bulky, so many men set them aside as an unnecessary inconvenience.
However, unknown to them as the day dawned, a German submarine captain was monitoring the slowly passing American ship. Suddenly the early morning hours was shattered by the flash of a blinding explosion and the roar of massive destruction. The German torpedo hit the ship dead-on, instantly killing 100 men in the hull of the ship.
As the ship began to sink rapidly from the explosion, piles of clothing and life jackets were tossed about in the darkness where no one could find them. Without life jackets many of the men couldn’t survive as the ship sank within 27 minutes of the attack.
Of the 920 men on board, only 230 survived the icy waters.

Indeed to survive in life’s battles, we must always live ready, whether it is convenient or not. Preparation is key to survival and victory.

Indeed we must deliberately and consistently store up spiritual strength against the day of battle through a life of fervent prayers and diligent Word study.

The security of our destiny is to always ensure we remain spiritually alert and awake. The more spiritually active we are the more victorious we will be in life’s battles, the devil knows this and that is why he tries to hinder believers from maintaining a consistent spiritual life.

We must indeed always be spiritually sensitive, so as not to be caught unawares.
While it is good to serve in the Church,
involvement in Church activities is no substitute for spiritual exercises. We must diligently invest time daily in our personal spiritual preparation.

Our winning in battles in these last perilous days will be determined by how well we have prepared spiritually.
Today, in the world we are living in unusual times and there is just a little window of time left. It is a window of grace and we must not squander it. We have to seize this window of opportunity to spiritually prepare and be ready for what is coming ahead as end-time events unfold.

Jesus said in Luke 21: 36 that we should pray always so as to be accounted worthy to escape the things coming on the earth.

The 5 foolish virgins had every opportunity to get oil, while they could, but they squandered the time of grace.
As believers in these last days, we need to get oil in our lamps while we still can. We need to begin to seek God’s face while there is still time.
Grace has been made available for the race before us.

Through the Blood of Jesus we have been given the power to overcome.
However, to see the manifestation of this power, we must begin to invest time in prayers, study of the Word, worship and fellowship with the Spirit.
As we remain always spiritually vigilant and alert, we shall be able to escape the plots of the enemy and live victorious in these final days.

PRAYER: Lord, please grant me the grace to begin to live ready while there is still time. Please help me to make the needed spiritual investments in fervent prayers and study of Your Word so that I can constantly overcome and live victorious in these end-times in Jesus Name.

QUOTE:
True success is not verifiable in the fact that a man has never fallen before but in the fact that he did not only fall but also got up. WORDBITE 222

Psalm 125:1
“They that trust in the Lord shall be as mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth for ever. As the mountains are round about Jerusalem, so the Lord is round about His people from henceforth even for ever.”

DAILY READING – John 16:4-33; 2 Chronicles 24; Psalm 81

Marvin Andrews is a well-known Christian and international footballer from Trinidad and Tobago. ‘Super Marv’ as he is known, is regarded as a hero in just about every club he has played for. However, his remarkable playing career has been sustained majorly by God’s amazing grace.

In 1999, shortly after giving his life to Christ, Marvin developed an inflammation in his pelvis and doctors told him he needed a surgery or his football career would be over. But Marvin didn’t want the surgery and so began to pray to God every day for healing. Miraculously, God indeed healed him. Marvin was so amazed that he decided from thenceforth to always trust God over his health. This decision led Marvin to waive the insurance from his club while playing for Raith Rovers, in Scotland. Normally, football clubs would take out insurance policies for injuries and on-field accidents for their players. But Andrew believed he had a divine health insurance through Christ.   

At another time, when he suffered a major knee injury, the doctors and specialists insisted he had to have surgery or he would never play again. But Marvin refused the surgery and told his club that God would heal him, And again, God did heal him! Marvin, not only got healed but also won the Players’ Player title for the Year. Though doctors said he would never play again without surgery, Marvin played so well that he helped his country, Trinidad, to qualify for the 2006 FIFA World Cup.

In the world of football, God has indeed turned Marvin into a wonder. Even the secular media are awed by the miracles of God in his life. Many people have also come to Christ through his testimonies. Through a life of deep faith and prayers, Marvin Andrew has connected to great grace that is today causing him to stand out. 
 
When we know how to boldly come to the throne of grace in time of need, we will always obtain the help that we need. Through prayers we can connect to the grace that will deliver us from every disgrace and turn us into a wonder.

Grace is not just some abstract, spiritual state of mind, it is a supernatural force that makes things happen! Indeed, there is great power in Grace.

In Acts 4 we can catch a glimpse of what God’s grace can achieve when unleashed through prayers. After the Apostles had been threatened and commanded not to speak or teach anymore in Jesus’ name, they went into prayers about the situation. After they had prayed, the release of grace was so powerful that it caused the whole building to shake.

Acts 4:33 says, “And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the LORD Jesus: and Great Grace was upon them all.” This great grace enabled the apostles to work “many signs and wonders… among the people” [Acts 5:12].

When God’s grace abounds towards us, we will receive His exceeding, abundant power and experience signs and wonders. Through God’s great grace, we are able to receive healing, deliverance, favor, strength, and mercy.

The mystery of grace is so essential especially in the days that we live in today. From recent international news headlines, we can see how quickly the world is heading towards a precipice. The Scriptures have already warned us that gross darkness shall cover the earth, and deep darkness the people. But the good news is that God will arise upon us and His glory shall be seen upon us. No matter what happens, because we have put our trust in God, we shall be like mount Zion that will never be moved.

While the world may be full of fear and uncertainties, the grace of God will be greatly evident upon our lives. Through His Word, God will fortify us and equip us during these times. Indeed, our divine insurance and security is in the Word of God. Let us therefore invest time in the study of the Word, prayers and worship, so that we can continue to grow in grace and experience unending miracles, signs and wonders.

PRAYER
Father, I thank You that through Your grace, I have divine insurance and divine security from the fears, afflictions and uncertainties of these end-times.  No matter what happens, I know that You will always make a way for me and cause me to be a conqueror over all life’s challenges in Jesus’ name.

QUOTE
When you obey God’s instruction you are delivered from destruction. – WORDBITE 222

Psalm 124:7-8 ‘Our soul is escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowlers: the snare is broken, and we are escaped. Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth..’

DAILY READING; – John 15:1-16:4; 2 Chronicles 23; Psalm 80

In the last few days, hostilities have gradually been escalating between Israel and Hamas.
In 2014 there was a similar hostile conflict known as ‘Operation Protective Edge’. This was a military operation launched by Israel on 8 July 2014 following the kidnapping and murder of three Israeli teenagers by Hamas. This seven-week conflict was one of the deadliest conflicts between the Palestinians and Israel in decades. However, from this war came amazing stories of God’s deliverance.
One of these was the story of a miracle that the Israeli media dubbed the “Double Miracle In Gaza”.

During the fighting, a unit of Israeli soldiers were sent to look for the secret tunnels used by Hamas to sneak into Israel across a blockade. As these soldiers were moving, a Hamas fighter took shots at one of the Israeli soldiers, hitting him in his cache of grenades. Under normal conditions, the grenades should have exploded killing the soldier and anyone around him.
However, miraculously, one of the grenades stopped the bullet that should have killed this soldier. This grenade didn’t explode, rather the bullet lodged inside it and remained there. The media called it a double miracle because this soldier escaped being killed by either the bullet or the grenade.
This inexplicable miracle indeed baffled many people. However, it was only another sign of God’s amazing grace and divine protection upon His people.

The grace of God is one of the vital mysteries of life. Our survival does not depend on our strength, hard work or smartness, rather it is the grace of God that makes the huge difference.
If we are to depend on our five physical senses to survive on earth, we would be grossly limited. Sometimes we may not even be aware of the evil plots against us, yet God always causes our soul to escape as a bird out of the snare of the fowler. Somehow He will orchestrate our feet out of the trouble, lift us out of the miry clay and set us upon a solid rock.

Indeed we can never know the full details of God’s deliverance in our lives; how He
saves us from hidden battles and the secret insurrection of the wicked.
Sometimes, unknowingly we have even walked into the lions’ dens and yet God closed the mouths of the lions and brought us out without a scratch.
We are all products of God’s amazing grace. This is why we must constantly acknowledge, appreciate and celebrate His faithfulness, goodness and mercies in our lives. To take God for granted is to be grounded but to praise Him is to be raised.

Grace is the divine help of God that shows up when we are at our wit’s end. It is the tangible and undeniable hand of God that turns us into a wonder among men.

Today, it doesn’t matter how tightly the enemy may seem to have woven his nets or dug his pit, God will surely cause you to escape. It may seem right now as if there is no way out of that looming financial crisis, health challenge or family problems, but trust God to show up for you, indeed His grace will be sufficient for you.
Especially, in this season, we need the grace of God more than ever before. With what is going on in the world right now, and the increasing state of uncertainties, we need the grace of God to keep showing up for us.
And one way we can multiply God’s grace in our lives is through knowledge. Therefore let us continually fill our hearts with God’s Word so that His grace will keep increasing upon our lives.

PRAYER, Father I thank You for Your saving grace that is at work in my life. I know that even right now You are making a way for me. Thank You Lord for enabling me to diligently study Your Word so that Your grace will be multiplied upon 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 78;40 – 42 says ‘How oft did they provoke him in the wilderness, and grieve him in the desert! Yea, they turned back and tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel.’

DAILY READING • John 14:15-31; 2 Chronicles 21:2-22:12; Psalm 79

The Guantanamo Bay detention camp is a United States military prison located within Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, which is on the coast of Cuba.
The camp was established by US President George W. Bush’s administration in 2002 during the War on Terror following the September 11, 2001 attacks. Indefinite detention without trial and torture led the operations of this camp. However, this was considered a major breach of human rights by Amnesty International and there was a call for the closure of the camp.
In 2009, there was an executive order from the US government mandating the gradual closure of Guantánamo Bay. As a result prison authorities began to reduce the number of prisoners at the camp by releasing some of them..
One of the prisoners to be released was an Al-Queda militant, who had already spent over a decade in the prison. After agreeing to disconnect himself from terrorism, he was to be sent to a new and better territory instead of being returned back to war-torn Afghanistan, where he had come from. He was being given the opportunity to begin life afresh by removing him from his old environment. However, on the day of his release, at the last minute, he panicked and refused to be taken to his new location. His reason being that he was afraid of going to a new environment, to begin life anew. He rather preferred to stay back in the prison. His refusal to accept freedom perplexed prison authorities but when he wouldn’t change his decision, he had to be returned back to the prison to stay on indefinitely with no further hope of soon being released.

Fear of the unknown often holds men back from their greater destinies.
This year, God is requiring us to leave the old behind and take bold steps to enter into a new season of wonders, we must not let fear stop us.
Through the Blood of Jesus, we have been delivered from every captivity and pit of limitations.

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

God has not only delivered us from prison but also has promised to render unto us double for our trouble. But due to the limitations of the mind, many are afraid to step out into the new season of wonders God has ordained.
Many are looking at their circumstances, rather than focusing on God’s grace and mighty power.

God is displeased when limitations are placed on His deliverance ability.

Psalm 78;40 – 42 says ‘How oft did they provoke him in the wilderness, and grieve him in the desert! Yea, they turned back and tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel.’

In the wilderness, the Israelites vexed the Holy One of Israel by not remembering His power and the mighty signs and wonders He showed in Egypt when delivering them from Pharoah.
Likewise, no matter what confronts us, we must always focus on God’s amazing deliverance power and His ability to do wonders in our lives.
God has the capacity, the wherewithal and resources to exceed our every expectations.

Ephesians 3:20 tells us that God is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us.

Indeed there is nothing God cannot do. He is God Almighty, the King of kings, the LORD of lords, the Ancient of days, the Controller of the universe, the One Who speaks and it stands fast.

Matthew 19:26 says “…with God all things are possible.”
This means that God can go beyond any kind of limitation; He cannot be limited by space. He asked in Jeremiah 23:24 “Do I not fill heaven and earth’.

Indeed God is greater and bigger than any situation that we will ever face. Therefore today let us take the limits off our minds and begin to believe God for amazing wonders in our lives.
Do not allow fear to hinder you from taking bold steps forward. Know today that there is no force in the universe that can stop you from fulfilling your God-given destiny. Indeed if God be for you, who can be against you?
Therefore, don’t settle for less when God has the best for you.
Don’t settle for the ordinary when you were designed for the extraordinary.
It’s indeed time to break out of every limitations and begin to walk in signs and wonders.

PRAYER: Lord, please help me to keep my focus on You at all times. I know indeed that by Your mighty power, I have been set free from every limitations. Certainly, it is my season to experience Your signs and wonders in every area of my life in Jesus Name.

Quote
God’s promises in Christ in your life may appear delayed, but never forget that delays are not denials..WORDBITE 222

Isaiah 26:3. ‘Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.’

DAILY READING • John 14:1-14; 2 Chronicles 20:1-21:1; Psalm 78:56-72

80% of people check their smartphones within the first 15 minutes of waking up. This was part of the discovery from a research conducted by the International Data Corporation.
Indeed every morning, the very first thing many people make contact with is the information on their phones, not the natural world, or other human beings.

Also throughout the day, the urge to check on social media is difficult to resist. The dopamine fix people get from clicking on new notifications leads to this urge to continuously check their phones.
For many people it has become a daily struggle to focus on tasks without checking for new messages, e-mails, or mindlessly scrolling through Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp etc.

Today, the swirl of information on these social media platforms daily grips the minds of billions of people around the world.
For instance, in 2020, Facebook had over 2.7 billion monthly active users making it the biggest social network worldwide. These Facebook users send tens of millions of messages and view millions of videos every minute. Trillions of photos are taken on smart phones and billions of them shared online.

Indeed more data has been created in the last decade than in the entire previous history of the human race. And the result of all these is that today many people are suffering from information overload.
Studies have shown that information overload has a negative impact on the health. It can cause stress and lead to brain fatigue. Yet, despite the health risks many people remain addicted to social media. Indeed, it has been said the present generation is the most distracted generation to ever exist on the earth.

No doubt, this global addiction to social media is a spiritual weapon of mass distraction. It is a tool the enemy is using to distract many people from pursuing divine purpose.
However, as believers we must refuse to be caught in this worldwide web.

Interestingly, prophet Daniel had rightly predicted what is happening today. He said that at the time of the end, knowledge shall be increased and many shall run to and fro. [Daniel 12:4]. That is what we are seeing now.

Today, with the information bombardment, knowledge has truly increased and many are running to and fro. It has become increasingly difficult for people to find time to be quiet, to think, and to pray.
However, if we must be victorious in these end-times, we cannot live like the rest of the world around us.
There are things we must do to experience continuous breakthroughs. We must ensure we are spending more time with God than on social media or other distractions.
The more time you spend with God, in solitude, the better you know Him. And it is those that know their God that will do exploits.

It is the Presence of God that makes the ultimate difference in our lives. All of man’s race, if it lacks God’s grace, will end in disgrace. Grace is divine infusion, it is the power from God that gives us divine advantage in life’s race. And to experience more of grace, we must experience more of God.
Time spent with Him each day in fellowship must be top priority. It is none negotiable. No matter how busy we are, we cannot compromise our quiet time. It is a total necessity.
We must break out of the vicious circuit of today’s distractions and daily ensure that we maintain intimacy with God.
God is the source of all our victories. Certainly, it is His grace that makes the race great. As we fellowship with Him, His Glory rubs off on us and this glory is what makes our story great.
Like Moses, through fellowship with God, our face will be illuminated with divine light.
It is a light which shines in the darkness and the darkness cannot comprehend it. This light is the source of our dominion over the forces of wickedness.

God says He will keep them in perfect peace whose minds are stayed upon Him. Let us therefore focus on God and avoid the distractions of this age. Let us invest more time in prayers, worship and the study of the Word.
Certainly, as we focus on God, He will make us a focus among men and turn us into living wonders.

PRAYER: Lord, please help me to make You top priority in my life. May I always spend time in fellowship with You so as to carry Your Presence that will make the difference in my life, in Jesus Name. .

QUOTE
The treasures of God are never on the shallow end but are always buried in the depths of God’s Word. It takes a personal discovery to get there. – WORDBITE 222.

Ephesians 2:6-7 ‘And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.’

DAILY READING: • John 13:21-38; 2 Chronicles 19; Psalm 78:38-55

In 2010, a homeless man named Max Melitzer received great wealth from his late brother’s will.
However, when Melitzer failed to show up to claim his inheritance, a massive search began for him.
This search made News Headlines and a private investigator was hired by his family’s law firm to track him down.
At that time, Melitzer had been disconnected from his relatives and had spent almost three decades living a rough life on the streets.
His descent to becoming a destitute began after a car accident that occurred due to his faulty driving. The crash had killed his wife and two friends who were in the car. The resultant guilt and trauma eventually led to the downward spiral of Melitzer’s life until he ended up homeless and penniless.
Melitizer was eventually found by investigators on the streets of Salt Lake City, pushing a large grocery cart stuffed with his personal belongings.
When the investigators informed him that his brother had left him a sizeable estate he was greatly shocked.
He was not expecting it. He had resigned himself to living poor and homeless, but riches had suddenly come unexpectedly to him.

This is perhaps a picture of how the riches of God’s grace can come looking for us when we least expect it.
We all sometimes face setbacks in life, due to wrong choices. But even at those times when it seems we are down to nothing, God is always up to something.
His grace and mercy never forsakes us.

Sometimes we have to deal with the consequences of poor decisions in our relationships, health or finances. But no matter how bad or how tough things may get, God’s grace is able to cover our failures and mistakes and give us riches and favors we don’t deserve.

In the seemingly harsh seasons of life, the exceeding riches of God’s grace will come looking for you, bringing forgiveness, mercy, restoration and a new beginning.
The truth is that no setback can cancel your destiny. The disappointments and tough times cannot abort God’s purpose for you. Your destiny is far greater than your disaster.

God’s grace is the bridge that overrides our mistakes and gives us unmerited favors that ushers us into our divine destiny.
God loves you too much to let you miss the destiny He has preordained for you. It doesn’t matter where you’ve been, what matters to God is where you’re going.

No setback you face is too much for the grace of God.
This is why in every situation we must keep our eyes on Jesus. We must keep focusing on His Word and keep blessing Him at all times.
He is too faithful to fail. When we are weak, He is strong and He will never leave us nor forsake us.
Therefore if you face tough times, you have to remind yourself that it is not how your story ends. The loneliness, the frustrations and anxiety is not your destiny. God has greater things in store for you.
The riches of God’s grace will always come looking for you, bringing joy, healing, strength and wholeness.
You are about to see greater opportunities, greater favor, better health, wealth and relationships.
Every setback will only become a setup for God to show up in your life. Though the enemy meant it for your harm; God will turn it all around to your advantage.
Though weeping may have endured for the night you are about to see joy.
God’s exceeding grace will indeed locate you. He’ll give you beauty for ashes and turn every breakdown into a breakthrough for you.

PRAYER: Lord, I thank You for Your exceeding grace that is at work in my life even right now. Thank You for enabling me to continually study Your Word so that my faith will be strengthened to indeed see the wonders You have in store for me in this season in Jesus Name. .

QUOTE
When you obey God’s instruction you are delivered from destruction. WORDBITE 222

1 Corinthians 15:58 “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.’

DAILY READING; John 13:1-20; 2 Chronicles 18; Psalm 78:21-37

In 2015, there was a report by the Gospel Herald and other Christian News Networks about a miraculous occurrence in Iraq. This was the time when war was raging between Iraq , its allies and the Islamic State.
In Baghdad especially, violence was a major problem with constant sounds of gunfire and explosions of car bombs.
While many people fled the region, one pastor felt called to stay back and continue his ministry.
At that time, Pastor Maher Fouad was overseeing Iraq’s only Christian radio station which was reaching up to eight million people. Despite the risks, he was determined to continue spreading God’s Word in Iraq.
The grace of God upon His life became glaring when he miraculously survived a bomb attack.
That day, their Church bus had broken down and Pastor Maher and a deacon from his church went to a garage to fix it. On reaching the garage, the mechanic told Pastor Maher that he didn’t have the needed motor part but directed them to another garage.
Just as Pastor Maher drove the bus out of the garage into the street, a bomb exploded inside the garage instantly killing the owner of the garage. Another car driving directly behind the Church bus was demolished and the driver also killed. However, Pastor Maher and the deacon were completely unharmed, without any scratch. It indeed seemed the bomb had waited for them to leave the garage before exploding.
It was an incident described by many as a miracle. God spared the life of Pastor Maher so that he could continue spreading the Gospel in the war-torn country.

Isaiah 54:17 says ‘No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord..’

Certainly divine protection is the heritage of the servants of the Lord. God will always make a way of escape for those who trust in Him.
No doubt, in these last days, wickedness is increasing upon the earth. Yet in the midst of all these evil, God will exempt His own.
Every day in the News, we can see the increasing concern over the security situations in many nations. Understandably, for many people the natural tendency is to want to run to safer nations. However, we have to understand that the safest place in the world is abiding in the center of God’s will.
Our security is not in our physical location, but in our spiritual location. Our focus therefore must be in ensuring we are abiding where God wants us to be and doing what He wants us to do. This is what guarantees our divine security.
Indeed those who follow divine leading will always enjoy divine backing. The most dangerous path becomes a safe place when God guides you, but the safest path becomes a most dangerous place if God does not guide you.

Though you may walk through the valley of the shadow of death you will fear no evil when God is with you. A thousand may fall at your side and ten thousand at your right hand but it will not come near you, because He will give His angels charge over you.
Certainly, when our focus is serving God, He will be committed to saving us. God is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him and whatever labour we invest in to His kingdom is never in vain.

1 Corinthians 15:58 says, “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.’

Dedication is the mystery behind distinction. How dedicated you are in serving God, determines how dedicated He will be in matters that concern you.
Our life does not get better by chance; it gets better by the choices we make. Our degree of commitment in seeking God determines the abundance of grace we enjoy in life’s race. Destiny is essentially a race of responsibilities, and the utmost responsibility for us is to seek God and His kingdom first. When we do, then we will be turned into a wonder among men.

PRAYER
Lord, I thank You for Your divine protection upon me and my family in these perilous times. Please help me to focus on always abiding in Your will for me. I know that when I seek You first, then indeed, every other thing shall be added unto me, in Jesus’ Name.

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

Ephesians 1:7, “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.”

DAILY READING – John 12:27-50; 2 Chronicles 16-17; Psalm 78:1-20

Sudan is a country born out of slavery. There are perhaps few countries in the world whose history has been so intricately linked to slavery as Sudan.
Like the story of many African cities, slavery in Sudan began in ancient times. However it had a resurgence during the Second Sudanese Civil War. During this time, the Arab Muslim government of Sudan began using slave raids as a weapon in its war against the Christians in Southern Sudan. The government armed Arab Muslim militia groups, and encouraged them to raid Southern villages, steal their property, and take their women and children as slaves. In these process, thousands of men, women and children were abducted and forced into slavery between 1986 and 2002.

By the early 1990’s, as news of the horror began to filter out to the international community, one of the humanitarian groups that arose to help was the Christian Solidarity International [CSI].
By 1995, they began working with a local network of Africans and Arabs to retrieve the abducted Christians and non-moslems. Working through a local underground network, they have rescued more than 100,000 people so far.
They often have to pay cash to the captors in exchange for freeing the captives.

One can only imagine the joy of these captives when they are finally set free
With little or no hope of liberation, when the price has been paid and they are set free to go home, it is always like a dream come true.

2000 years ago a price was paid that not only changed the course of history, but the future for each and every one of us!
We were in spiritual slavery, without hope, held captive by a vicious and wicked enemy. In our hopeless condition, the spotless lamb of God came and paid the ultimate price for us.

He took upon Himself the curses due to us by our disobedience so that, in turn, we might enter into the blessings He earned by His obedience.

At Calvary’s Cross, He willingly laid down His flawless life for ours. He broke the chains of sin and set us free from death, hell and the grave.

Therefore today, as a child of God, you are no longer slave to fear. You have been loosed from the shackles of your past, sins and failures.

By His stripes, we have been healed from sickness and diseases.
Not because we deserve it, but because His grace is greater than our sin (2 Corinthians 12:9).

Therefore, whether we stand on the greatest mountain-tops or trudge through the deepest valleys, we always have reason to celebrate: We have been redeemed by the Blood!
Because Christ lives, we shall live also. Because He lives we can face tomorrow.

Through His Blood we can now boldly approach the throne of grace, where we can obtain help in time of need..
We now have access to the place where grace abounds and mercy is poured out.

Ephesians 1:7 says “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.”

Through the riches of His grace, we have been ushered into a life of liberty from every demonic captivity.
Indeed the precious Blood of Jesus shed at Calvary for us has the power to break every chain.
And today it has broken the gates of brass and cut asunder the bars of iron in every area of our lives..

Therefore, do not allow any oppression or addiction to hold you back. Do not allow any yoke of bondage to keep you from where grace has made it possible for you to go.
Whatever you may face, always remember you are the redeemed of the Lord.

His Blood has purchased for us the ultimate freedom
And certainly, whosever the son of God has made free, is truly free indeed.

PRAYER: Lord, I thank You that I have victory by the Blood of Jesus. Indeed today I declare my freedom from every form of spiritual slavery. Thank You Lord, for granting me the grace to continually walk in liberty in every area of my life in Jesus Name. .

QUOTE
The battle you are faced with today is a good warfare because God has already foreordained a victorious end for you. WORDBITE 222

Hebrews 13:15 says ‘By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name’

DAILY READING; • John 12:1-26; 2 Chronicles 14-15; Psalm 77

Rev George Matheson was a Scottish minister and hymn writer. While he was a young ministry student, he began going blind. By the time he was twenty years old, he had become totally blind. However, he refused to give up on the dream of becoming a minister, he continued his studies and became an outstanding student

He had been engaged, until his fiancée learned that there was nothing more the doctors could do to restore his sight. She then told him that she could not go through life with a blind man.
George Matheson was heartbroken, but he was consoled by his sister’s unflinching loyalty as she stood by him and cared for him through the years. He completed his education at Glasgow Academy and the University of Glasgow, where he graduated first in classics, logic and philosophy. Later, he was ordained as a preacher in the Church of Scotland.
However, when he was 40 years old, his sister planned to get married. Her marriage brought a fresh reminder of his own heartbreak, as he was forced to confront his impending loneliness.
It was at this time that the Lord gave Matheson a hymn which is well-known today.
The popular hymn, “O Love That Wilt Not Let Me Go” was written by Matheson on the evening of his sister’s wedding. This hymn proclaimed the one thing that he believed was still true: God’s love for him would never let him go.
Despite his life’s circumstances, George continued to praise and bless God. And indeed God’s grace and love sustained and upheld him. Despite his blindness, he went on to serve effectively as a minister in parishes in Glasgow. In 1886 he became the pastor of the 2,000-member St. Bernard’s Parish Church in Edinburgh.
George Matheson authored several books. He was celebrated and was awarded many honors during his lifetime.

Certainly God’s love will never let us go. His grace will always uphold us no matter what we pass through in life. In all situations and circumstances we can always count on His faithfulness till the very end.

There is a grace that God can give you that stabilizes you no matter what you encounter. Though you may face disappointment, heartbreaks, injustice and things that try to destroy you, yet God’s grace will keep you and sustain you through it all.
Sometimes God’s grace over your life will be proven by the fires you survived. You walked through a furnace that was seven times hotter than it ought to have been, yet you didn’t burn. That fiery trial was so hot that it should have totally incinerated everything around you. Anybody else would’ve lost their mind, yet you survived because of God’s abiding grace and love.

The truth is that in life’s journey sometimes you may have to pass through some valleys before you can get to your mountaintop. A valley is defined as a depression. When you come to those places of depression in your journey, when it seems as if life has taken an unexpected twist or turn, what do you do? It is easy to praise God when things are going well, but what of those times, when it seems as if life has thrown you a curve?
Certainly that is not the time to give up or despair. Rather it is the time to continually bless the Lord at all times, because His grace is ever sufficient for you.
Though you may walk through the fire and the water, God will preserve you and give you the victory.

In Isaiah 43:2 God says, ‘When you pass through the waters, I will be with you, and through the rivers, they will not overwhelm you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned or scorched, nor will the flame kindle upon you’ (The Amplified Bible).

This verse makes it clear that even in the worst of situations, God is always there. Despite the negative situations His sufficient grace is at work in your life.
The ‘sacrifice of praise’ is praising God even when our circumstances dictate the contrary.
Praise activates grace and favor. Therefore in all things let’s learn to always give God all the praise and glory.
Though you may sometimes walk through the valley of the shadow of death, never forget that ahead, God has prepared a table for you in the presence of your enemies. Indeed your cup is about to run over.
As you abide each day in God’s Presence through spending time in His Word, prayers and praise, you will certainly see God work wonders in ways you could never have thought or imagined.

PRAYER: Lord, Please help me to maintain a praise-full lifestyle, no matter what comes my way. I know that indeed You are too faithful to fail me and even right now Your grace is at work in my life to turn every mourning into dancing for me in Jesus Name.

QUOTE
When we fight by God’s help we are sure of victory. WORDBITE 222