HORM Devotional

2 Corinthians 3:18 ‘But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord’

DAILY READING;  Colossians 1:1-23; Ezekiel 25-26; Isaiah 53

John D. Rockefeller, while still in his youth, had a burning desire and determination to make  money. As a result he drove himself to the limit, so that by the  age of 33, he had earned his first million dollars. At age 43, he controlled the biggest company in the world. At age 53, he was the richest man on earth and the world’s only billionaire.

Then he developed a sickness called “alopecia,” where the hair of his head dropped off, his eyelashes and eyebrows disappeared, and he was shrunken like a mummy. His weekly income was one million dollars, but he could only digest milk and cracker biscuits. He could not sleep, he stopped smiling and seemed to enjoy nothing in life. The doctors predicted he would not live past another year. The newspaper had gleefully written his obituary in advance—for convenience in sudden use.

However, one sleepless night set John D. Rockefeller thinking. He realized with a new light that he “could not take one dime into the next world.” Money was not everything. Realizing that he had pursued wealth to the detriment of his soul, there and then he surrendered all to Christ and asked God to change his heart.

The next morning he awoke a new man. He began to help churches with his amassed wealth; he also generously helped the poor and needy. He established the Rockefeller Foundation whose funding of medical researches led to the discovery of penicillin and other wonder drugs. Soon John D. Rockefeller began to experience positive changes, he could now sleep well, eat well and enjoyed life. And though the doctors had predicted he would not live over age 54, he eventually lived to be 98 years old.

Proverbs 10:22-32 says ‘The blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it.’

Men often go through life focused only on their goals, dreams, and ambitions, but a man can make all the money in the whole world and still end up miserable. The grief, anxiety, discontent and pain that often accompany the pursuit  of  success, can eventually lead to a  breakdown. This was what happened to John D. Rockefeller.

Today there is an overhyped message that says becoming rich and successful is all that matters in life, but that’s false. True success is living to please God and becoming a blessing to humanity.

Indeed success without God is never true success, because riches  pursued outside of God’s will end in sorrow. It is only the blessings of God that makes rich and adds no sorrow with it. Truly, the most important thing in life is not the pursuit of success  but the pursuit of our relationship with God. No one will leave the earth with any earthly possession or attachment, everything will be left behind. The only treasure that will accompany us will be our relationship with God. That relationship will be the ticket to our eternal location and allocation.

In Mathew 6:19-21 Jesus said: “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

While we are to live in dominion and victory on earth, manifesting God’s glory, we should keep our focus Heaven-ward where true treasures abide.  Indeed our life on earth is only a temporary adventure, a fraction of the life we will spend in eternity (Jam. 4:14). Therefore our focus should be on preparing for our main destination, through becoming daily more and more like Christ. And this we do through allowing the Word of God to transform us.

2 Corinthians 3:18 says ‘But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord’

Indeed the more we look into the perfect law of liberty the more we will be transformed by the Spirit of the Lord to live in a way that constantly pleases God and blesses humanity.

PRAYER: Father please grant me the wisdom to walk on the path to true success in life. Give me the grace to seek Your kingdom first so that every other thing can be added unto me in Jesus Name.

Quote :

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

Mark 9:23 ‘Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.’

DAILY READING –• Philippians 4; Ezekiel 24; Isaiah 52

Over a hundred years ago, light bulbs were made of clear glass and produced a glaring light, which was harsh to the eyes. To solve this problem, scientists tried numerous techniques to produce frosted light bulbs that would diffuse the light, but all to no avail. Eventually they gave up trying and declared the problem impossible to solve.

At the General Electric company this seemingly impossible task was then turned into a big joke for new employees. Whenever a new scientist started work at the company, he would be given this problem to solve, while the others would have a good laugh watching him struggle and fail at what they already knew was impossible to accomplish.

When a young scientist named Marvin Pipkin came to work at General Electric, again this joke which had now become a ritual for new employees was played on him. His manager named W.I. Enfield told Marvin Pipkin that there was an urgent contract to supply 50,000 frosted light bulbs and he needed to solve this problem and get those light bulbs produced. Unaware his assignment was a joke, Marvin immediately went to work. As he fussed around with frosting experiments, everybody laughed at him behind his back. However they didn’t have to laugh for long, because Marvin soon shocked everyone by succeeding to create durable frosted light bulbs. Though it was a task which the experts had said was impossible, because Marvin didn’t know it could not be done he went ahead and did it. His patents were developed into General Electric’s popular Soft-White bulb series and today his name remains etched in history for achieving this amazing feat.

Mark 9:23 says ‘Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.’

Indeed what you believe is what you can achieve. Our mind is like a computer and how we program it will determine how it’s going to function. When Romans 12:2 tells us to renew our minds with God’s Word it simply means to reprogram our software with what God says about us. Often the barriers that stop people from achieving great things are the invisible walls built in the mind through thinking limiting thoughts. If Marvin Pipkin had been told the task could not be accomplished , chances are that he would never have been able to produce the frosted light bulbs. The words we hear shape our thoughts and our thoughts invariably shape our actions and accomplishments.

You must realize that God will not give you a vision if He had not already placed in you the ability to fulfill it. But you cannot go higher than your thoughts and you cannot do greater than what you believe you can. The truth is that God does not give you a vision according to your ability, He gives you according to His own capability. Any assignment God gives you will be bigger than what you can handle on your own. Your resources, experience, education and abilities will never be enough to bring that vision to pass. It will take God’s insight, interaction and instruction to accomplish it. This is why we need to daily come to God through His Word. His thoughts are higher than our thoughts and His ways higher than our ways. But through meditating on God’s Word, we receive a mind upgrade that enables us to achieve the great vision He has for us. Indeed as we enlarge our capacity to receive by daily feeding on God’s Word, we will begin to operate with the mind of Christ, and the manifold wisdom of God will be made manifest to the world through us.

PRAYER: Father please help me to drop every limiting thought and belief. Please enable me to daily renew my mind through feeding on Your Words so that I can accomplish the great vision and plan You have in store for me in Jesus’ Name.

Quote :

Illuminate your world for you are a star destined to shine. WORDBITE 222.
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Revelation 12:11 ‘And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death’

DAILY READING      – Philippians 3; Ezekiel 23; Isaiah 51

Reverend Walter L. Shaw Jr. is a Gospel Radio Legend in the United States. He is a charismatic host of three syndicated radio music shows, which includes the longest running urban radio music program in history. His program  ‘the Countdown’  has been a six-time winner of Billboard Magazine’s award. Reverend Walter, who is an ordained minister of the Gospel, uses his shows, which are popular with mainstream media, to point people to the truth.

However, few years ago, his faith became sorely tested when he was faced with  devastating news. He was told by his doctors that he had kidney cancer. Already in his family there was a history of the disease which had killed his father and great-grandfather. But despite the negative report, Reverend Walter believed that by reason of the Blood of Jesus his own case was different. And so when the doctor told him he had a 70 percent chance of dying from the disease, he immediately refused to receive the negative words. He slammed his fist on the desk of  the medical specialist and said, “I don’t want to hear anything else. All I want you to do is to listen to what I have to say. My God is going to save me. He’s going to use your knowledge of this disease, your abilities, your medical technology to save my life. Whether you believe it or not, that’s what my God is going to do. So just set a date for surgery, and let’s go.”

And faithfully God showed up for him and contrary to the doctors’ verdict, he survived the surgery and afterwards was pronounced “cancer-free”.  As he resumed his radio shows, he took a decision to serve God more with his life, and now, along with his  shows, he also serves as an associate minister at first AME Church of Los Angeles. He has written a book to recount his journey of faith.

Revelation 12:11 says ‘And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death’

Indeed the power in the Blood of Jesus is ever available for our deliverance. And we put that power to work through our declarations of faith. In every situation, we must always think in line with God’s Word. It doesn’t matter what the facts or the experts may say, God’s Word is always superior to man’s opinion. Through declaring God’s Word we are able to win the battles the enemy often wages against our minds.

In 1 Samuel 17, Goliath, constantly attacked the minds of the Israelites, with negative words, intimidating them.  His tactics worked because the Israelites fled before him each time he appeared. And for 40 days the Israelites were tormented, intimidated, worried and living in fear of Goliath. But then David showed up with a different mindset. Instead of listening silently to Goliath’s harassing words David fired back with words of faith.  He declared he would bring down Goliath’s head in the Name of the Lord, and that was exactly what happened.

Indeed through the Blood and the Word of our testimony, we can always bring down the head of every Goliath mocking our destiny. Instead of listening passively to the negative words of the enemy, we need to attack back in faith with God’s Word.  And if today, the enemy has been attacking your mind with thoughts of fear, trying to intimidate and discourage you,  counter that attack by declaring God’s counsel over your life. Whatever you may be confronted with today, in your health, family or finances  rise up and begin to engage the weapon of the Blood against that evil attack.

Indeed as we engage the weapon of Christ’s Blood and His Word, every tongue that shall rise against us in judgment shall be condemned. Truly by the Blood our victory is always guaranteed in every battle of the mind.

PRAYER: Lord, I thank You today, that I have victory by the blood of Jesus, indeed today I declare that no weapon formed against me shall prosper and every tongue that shall arise against me in Judgment is already condemned in Jesus Name. .

QUOTE

For you to enjoy victory in the Kingdom of God, you need to develop a Kingdom mindset, that thinks in line with the Word of God.  – WORDBITE 222

Leviticus 6:12-13 ‘And the fire upon the altar shall be burning in it; it shall not be put out: and the priest shall burn wood on it every morning, and lay the burnt offering in order upon it; and he shall burn thereon the fat of the peace offerings. The fire shall ever be burning upon the altar; it shall never go out.’

DAILY READING -• Philippians 2:12-30; Ezekiel 21-22; Isaiah 50

Bishop Clayton Johnson is known the world over, as the ‘miracle man’. He is a living testimony of God’s amazing grace. Yet, his story also reflects the consequence and danger of a believer allowing his fire to go out.
Although a preacher, Bishop Johnson said he came to a point where he began to ‘play Church’. He said he lost the desire for things of God, fell into sin and was just going through the motions. The things about God that used to amaze him, now became things that merely amused him. But while he could fool people, he said he found out the hard way that he could not fool God. While in this state of spiritual laxity, something happened that drastically changed his life..
On a Sunday morning, when he was meant to be in Church, he had decided to go to a facility he had newly constructed to get it ready because people were about to move into the place. While there, he noticed the gas system was not working properly and so he decided to rectify it. He went into the basement and tried severally to light the gas, he struck the matches seven times, but the flames kept going out. He said at that point he had become so spiritually dense that he couldn’t even sense God trying to warn him. Eventually at the eighth strike, he lit the fire, but the next thing he heard was boom! The gas had exploded!. The impact was such that it blew open his head, it blew out his eyes, his jaws and his lips and he fell face down into the fire and began to burn.
When he was rushed to the hospital, he was pronounced dead. But after being dead for 27 minutes, miraculously, the power of God raised him up. He suffered 80% Burns to his body and had to undergo 265 Major Surgeries. He should have been dead, but God’s mercy prevailed and kept him alive. Today, he goes about preaching about the goodness of God and also warning about the consequences of spiritual laxity.
Truly, it is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not.[ Lamentations 3:22].
In this end time, it has certainly become very dangerous for any of us to want to ‘play Church’ or become spiritually cold. To escape being hurt, we must remain spiritually hot. To survive in this age, we need to keep our light constantly burning. Indeed fire is the most valuable resource for survival in the spiritually cold world we live in today. And to maintain our fire and fervency, we must continually put in the wood of God’s Word.

Leviticus 6:12-13 says ‘And the fire upon the altar shall be burning in it; it shall not be put out: and the priest shall burn wood on it every morning, and lay the burnt offering in order upon it; and he shall burn thereon the fat of the peace offerings. The fire shall ever be burning upon the altar; it shall never go out.’

It takes the wood to keep the fire burning and where no wood is, the fire naturally goes out. Likewise, it is impossible to sustain the fire of the Spirit, if we are separated from God’s Word. Lack of revelation from the Word, leads to loss of spiritual motivation. But when we daily feed on God’s Word, the fire in us will burn brighter and brighter.

Today, more than ever before we need to keep our fire burning. We are in an age of media overload and mass distractions. Today iniquity is abounding and the love of many is waxing cold. With the devil knowing his time is short and going about looking for whom to devour, you cannot afford to become a cheap prey. You can’t afford to break the hedge and be bitten by the serpent..
This is why we must keep our light blazing hot. And in case, today, deep in your heart, you already know you are losing your fire, do not continue in that state, it is dangerous. Do not play with your destiny, because life has no return match. Arrest the process of spiritual decadence by taking time to daily renew your mind through God’s Word. The wood of the Word will rekindle your fire and through fervent prayers you will keep it burning.
Daily hiding of God’s Word in our heart is what will keep us from sin and insulate us from the spiritual coldness in the world. Indeed the more we renew our minds with the Word, the more our fire will burn and the more every encroachment of darkness will be kept far away from us.

PRAYER: Lord, please help me to always feed on Your Word so that my fire can be kept burning. Please help me to overcome the distractions and temptations of this end-time and grant me the grace to walk in obedience to Your will 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

Romans 12:2 says ‘And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.’

DAILY READING; Philippians 2:1-11; Ezekiel 20; Isaiah 49

Bill Wilson is the founder and Senior Pastor of Metro World Child, America’s largest ministry to children, with branches in various nations. He is a well-known speaker, author, pastor and advocate for poor, inner city children all over the world.

When Bill Wilson was 12 years, his mother abandoned him on a street corner in Pinellas Park, Florida. She said, “I can’t do this anymore. You wait here, I will be back.” Bill stayed on that street corner for three days, but his mother never came back.

Dave Rudenis, a local mechanic and committed Christian, found him there and took him to his home. Rudenis offered to pay this young man’s way to a Christian summer camp. It was during this camp that the 12-year-old Wilson committed his life to God.

After graduating with a degree in Bible and Theology from Southeastern University of the Assemblies of God, Bill Wilson returned to his home church and pioneered one of the first bus ministries in the United States.

In 1979, Bill Wilson moved to one of the roughest areas of Brooklyn, New York – Bushwick. Once again, there, Wilson’s concept of a bus ministry became extremely successful. In 1988, he created the idea of a Sidewalk Sunday School, in which he converted trucks to serve as portable stages from whence his team of ministers could share their message. This concept became highly successful.

Today, Bill Wilson’s ministry globally reaches an average of more than 220,000 children each week in over 24 countries. And today, the curriculum that Wilson designed to achieve the largest Sunday school program in America, is used in over 1,000 cities around the world.

Though Bill was abandoned as a child, today, God has used him to save so many children. Indeed what the enemy  meant to destroy you,  can be what God will use to transform you and promote you. Your misery can be turned into your ministry and your mess can become your message.

It is God’s will for us to be refined by problems rather than to be defined by them. Indeed rather than let situations of life affect us negatively we should affect them positively. Really, it is not the storm as much as our reaction to the storm that determines its effect upon us. How we respond determines whether we are beaten or blessed, whether we are victims or victors. Through faith in God’s Word, we can change problems into possibilities, and turn stumbling blocks into stepping stones.

Romans 12:2 says ‘And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.’

What determines if we conform or reform is based on our spiritual foundation. Through the help of God, what was meant to mark the end of our story can become the bend in our story. It can become our turning point.  God can turn it all around for our good. The important thing is to remain connected to The Word of God, because it is the Word that imparts faith into the heart and faith is the victory that overcomes the world.

1 Corinthians 10:13 says that with every temptation God has made a way of escape. It doesn’t matter how tight or tough situations may sometimes seem, God will never allow you to be tempted more than you are able to bear. He always makes a way of escape. Indeed you can escape every prison of problems and break every barriers or limitations.

By the grace of God upon your life, you can defy any odds. Don’t limit your options by how things may seem outwardly right now. Just stay in faith through study of God’s Word, and maintain fervent prayers and praise. Surely God will show you a token for good, God will take you further than you ever imagined. He will use you to set a new standard, turn you into a reference point this year. Surely, He will give you a change of story and turn every mourning into dancing for you.

PRAYER: Lord, I thank You for breaking every barrier and limitation in my life. Thank You for turning situations around for me and giving me a positive change of story in Jesus Name.

QUOTE

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

Psalm 139:14  ‘I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well’

DAILY READING    •            Philippians 1:12-30; Ezekiel 19; Isaiah 48

The  human body is a wonder machine. It performs incredibly complex functions on a daily basis. This is evidence of a very intelligent Designer and Creator.

Indeed when we look at Creation, we see the wonders of God everywhere. Yet, the greatest wonder in all of God’s creations remains man himself. Man is God’s masterpiece—His workmanship, the crown of creation.

Psalm 139:14 says ‘I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well’

Indeed we are fearfully and wonderfully made. Without a doubt, the most complex information-processing system in existence is the human body. The human body is a marvelous machine—precise and efficient. The body has a chemical plant far more intricate than any plant that man has ever built. This plant changes the food we eat into living tissue. It causes the growth of flesh, blood, bones and teeth. It even repairs the body when parts are damaged by accident or disease. Man-made machines are lubricated only by outside sources. But the body lubricates itself by manufacturing a jelly-like substance in the right amount at every place it is needed.

The body has its own cooling system, that maintains the right body temperature. Drops of perspiration pour from millions of tiny sweat glands in the skin, and form a cooling system that keeps body temperature at about 37°C .

Indeed when we look at the wonder of the human body and how it functions efficiently, we realize how great God is. It is by His doing that we are alive and our body functions well every day. For keeping us alive and well, God continually deserves our praise. Indeed as the psalmist has said, let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Breath represents life. This is why when we are born, the first thing the doctor does is to make sure there is breath coming out of us.

Therefore, if we are breathing and alive today, then we ought to continually praise the Lord. Even, breathing is not as simple and as easy as we may think. The process of inhaling oxygen and exhaling carbon dioxide is a complicated respiratory task that requires physiological precision. Yet we breathe effortlessly everyday, without even thinking about it. If anything causes a man to stop breathing that would mean the end of his life. Yet God keeps us breathing even when we are sleeping. Each person takes approximately 23,000 breaths every day, but how much of that breath do we really use in thanking God?

We need to sometimes deliberately sit down and bless God for His goodness and faithfulness in our lives.  We need to count our blessings and sincerely thank Him for all He has been doing for us; The reason why you are still alive today is because of the grace and mercy of God. Therefore today and always let us consciously always give God praise for all His kindness towards us. No matter what other concerns we  may have, we ought to always bless the Lord for keeping us alive. Because to him that is joined to the living there is hope. As long as we have breath let us use it and praise God, because He is worthy. Indeed let everything that has breath praise the Lord.

PRAYER:  Lord Please enable me to begin to praise you in every situation. Please,, grant me the grace to always enumerate your faithfulness in my life and to give you worthy praise for  all you have been doing for me in Jesus Name. .

QUOTE

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

Proverbs 23:18 ‘For surely there is an end; and thine expectation shall not be cut off.’

DAILY READING   Philippians 1:1-11; Ezekiel 18; Isaiah 47

In 1987, Gospel singer Delia Knox was only 23 years old, She felt at the peak of her life and never imagined that she could end up  paralyzed. However, on Christmas day of that year, while heading home from church, she became involved in a ghastly car accident.  A drunk driver hit the car she was travelling in, and Delia suffered major injuries and became paralyzed from the waist down.

Doctors told her she would likely be confined to a wheelchair for the rest of her life. But  Delia believed God would heal her. And despite the paralysis, she determined to live her life.  An accomplished Gospel singer, she refused to give up and continued her work in the music ministry, singing from her wheel chair.

She later got married and her husband became a major source of inspiration for her. He began to speak faith into her life. By 2010 Delia had been in a wheelchair for over 22 years. Yet, she still had not lost hope. Then in August of 2010, she and her husband were attending a conference and sat at the front of the church. During the service, the conference host  began to pray for Delia. As he prayed, Delia began to feel sensations and for the first time in over two decades, she could feel the hands that were touching her legs. As she felt the power of God  come all over her, Delia suddenly stunned everyone as she got up and started walking!

After believing for 23 years, finally, she was beholding the manifestation of God’s promises being fulfilled right before her eyes. She was walking!  It was indeed a phenomenal and life-changing experience.

Ever since, Delia has been walking perfectly  and  continues to sing God’s praises all over the world.

Truly delays are not denials. When you trust God against all odds and continually hold on to His Word, you will indeed end up with your miracle. Despite the wait, God’s promise will certainly come to pass. As you keep looking to God’s Word, you will never be ashamed.

Psalm 34:5 says “They looked unto him and were lightened and their faces were not ashamed.”

Indeed you must never give up. Even if you don’t see immediate improvement , keep praying and keep speaking life and blessings over your situation. If you refuse to faint it is only a matter of time before you reap.

According to Zechariah 9:12, God knows how to give you double for your troubles. But you have to stay faithful, you have to persevere, keep pushing forward and never quit. Like Job, decide to wait all the days of your appointed time until your change comes. And indeed your change is coming soon. God did not bring you this far to leave you. He has a great plan in store for you. Therefore keep believing and keep your hope and expectation alive. .

Proverbs 23:18 says “For surely there is an end; and thine expectation shall not be cut off.”

Expectation is a key factor for the miraculous. The force of expectation is a very powerful force that draws whatever you are expecting towards you. Indeed expectation is the mother of manifestation.

God is able to do what He has promised He will do.  And no matter the situation, God is always faithful to His Word. If you have been believing for a miracle for so long, don’t give up hope yet. Your day is coming. Your  expectation will not be cut off. Be assured that the best is still ahead. See with your eyes of faith. See into the plans of God for your life, and Learn to always judge God faithful.

No enemy can have the final say over you. Sickness, disease, poverty or lack cannot have the final say. Only Jehovah alone has the final say over your life and His purpose concerning you shall surely come to pass. So keep your faith alive by  constantly renewing your mind through God’s  Word.  Suddenly  that miracle you have been believing so long for, will soon manifest. Suddenly God will lift you out of the pit, set your feet on a rock and put a new song in your mouth [Psalm 40].

PRAYER: Lord, please help me to keep my focus on Your Word at all times. I know indeed that You are not a man that You should lie, neither the son of man that He should repent. What You have promised, You shall surely perform in my life in Jesus Name.

QUOTE :

The study of The Word will keep  shame and disgrace far from you. WORDBITE 222

2 Corinthians 10:4–5 ‘For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds; Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.’

DAILY READING; • Ephesians 6; Ezekiel 17; Isaiah 46

The book, ‘A Woman of No Importance’  is about the story of Virginia Hall. She was perhaps the most important and most deceptive American female spy during World War II.  She was able to highly deceive the Nazis and constantly escaped capture because she assumed very ordinary harmless looks.  A hunting accident had caused Virginia’s left leg to be amputated above the knee, making her use a clunky wooden leg. As a result, the Germans never suspected  that this one-legged American woman could be a deadly spy.

After World War II erupted, she was sent by British intelligence into Nazi-occupied France in 1941, posing as a reporter for the New York Post. She got a makeup artist to teach her how to draw wrinkles on her face, she also got a dentist to grind down her white teeth so that she looked like a French milkmaid.

Going undetected, she was very successful  in gathering crucial information that  helped the allied forces to advance deep into France and eventually defeat the German army. At its peak, Hall’s network consisted of about 1,500 people who worked to secretly collect information. Eventually her activities were discovered and she was hotly pursued by the Gestapo who put up “wanted” posters about her that read “The Enemy’s Most Dangerous Spy — We Must Find And Destroy Her!”

Despite all their efforts, Virginia eluded arrest. She constantly changed her appearance and could appear as four different women in the space of a few hours. Eventually around the end of 1942, she narrowly escaped to Spain. She was never caught by the Germans and was  later presented with the Distinguished Service Cross in 1945 by the American president, which made her to become the only civilian woman so honored in World War II.

Indeed looks can be deceptive. In spiritual warfare  deception is a tactic  the enemy employs heavily in his battle against the mind.  Often times, the temptations that bring people down, were things that at first appeared harmless, but in the end proved to be deadly.  When those little lies, lusts and negative thoughts  gradually infiltrate the mind, they become strongholds that form habits that eventually  lead to defeats.

Samson certainly wouldn’t have imagined  Delilah’s real intention. Deceived by her harmless looks, his defenses came down and she easily infiltrated his heart. And just like Delilah, some deceptive thoughts are capable of infiltrating a believer’s mind to cut off the hair of his anointing.

We are in age where humanity is facing the greatest media bombardment in history. All kinds of negative things are daily assaulting the mind. through  various gadgets. This is why we must guard our heart with all diligence. We need to be very careful the things we allow to access our minds. Some of the seemingly harmless movies or music or conversations we expose ourselves to may end up leaving behind a negative deposit that becomes a battle to overcome later.

Renewing our minds daily with God’s Word is one way of flushing out negative thoughts before they gain root. Just like we take daily baths to remove dirt from our body, we should daily take spiritual baths, washing our minds with the water of God’s Word. We must be deliberate over the kind of thoughts our minds dwell on.

2 Corinthians 10:4–5  says ‘For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds; Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ

God’s Word protects our hearts from the infiltration of wrong thoughts. Indeed renewing our minds through daily feeding on God’s Word is the only way to escape the deceptions of this age. Winning the battles of life begin with winning in our minds, let us therefore indeed guard our hearts with all diligence.

PRAYER: Lord, please help me to constantly guard my heart so as to avoid the deceptions of the enemy. Grant me the wisdom to daily feed on Your Word, so that my heart can be strengthened  to overcome temptations 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.

1 Timothy 4:15 says, “Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all.”

DAILY READING; Ephesians 5:21-33; Ezekiel 16; Isaiah 45

Ravi Zacharias was an international preacher and apologist and prolific author.

He was born in India, in a world swimming with different religions. Ravi came from an ancestry of Hindu priests, a religion that is said to have over 33 million gods.  All the religious diversity Ravi experienced while growing up, somehow turned him into a skeptic. In addition, he was haunted by failure in his studies, which often led his father to beat him furiously. By the age of 17—Ravi quietly came to the decision to kill himself, as a way to exit the problems that surrounded him. One day, while at the university, he walked into an empty chemistry lab, took some packets marked poison from the cupboards, and stuffed several into his  pocket.

The next morning, when all his family members had left the house, he went to the bathroom, bolted the door, mixed the poison and drank it. However, his body revolted and he collapsed, vomiting the poison. A house servant who was working in the house, came running when he heard the commotion. He broke down the  bathroom and rushed Ravi to the hospital.

While in the hospital, Ravi was visited by a director of ‘Youth for Christ’ who brought him a Bible, opening it to the verse in John chapter 14. which said “Because I live, you also will live.”. Somehow that word ‘live’ hit Ravi like a ton of bricks, and from that moment his interest in the Bible was ignited. The more he learned about Jesus, the more he began to see life in a new light. He left the hospital a changed person and soon became an active member of ‘Youth for Christ’.  One day, while walking by the neighborhood garbage dump, he noticed a book lying on top with the title ‘Commentary on Romans, by W. H. Griffith Thomas.’ He picked up this book and studied it from cover to cover. For the rest of his life he would keep this book, which helped to shape his thoughts  to become a great Christian apologist and evangelist who preached in more than 70 countries . Ravi Zacharias also raised a global team of nearly 100 speakers and more than 250 employees worldwide, who impacted the heart and intellect of society’s thinkers and influencers with God’s Word.

John 6:63 says “The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.”

It is amazing how God’s Word changed the course of Ravi Zacharias’ life. Truly, the Words of the Bible are not just ordinary letters. Each Word is composed of Spirit and life. It has transforming power that can penetrate any heart, and bring forth a positive change.

The Word of God never leaves you the same. As you meditate in the Word, the Spirit of God reprograms your thought pattern and elevates your thinking to God’s level. However, to fully benefit from the Word, we need to give it full attention.

1 Timothy 4:15 says, “Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all.”

When you give yourself wholly to the Word, your positive change will be evident to all. As you are looking into the Word, the Spirit of God that resides in the Word  carries out spiritual surgery on your heart and changes your spiritual taste buds.

2 Corinthians 3:18 says ‘But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.’

Indeed the key  to  a real life transformation is by renewing our minds through God’s Word. Will power, psychology, strength of character etc, will not give you the desired positive change, only God’s Word is capable of overhauling negative thought patterns. The Word of God has power to break strongholds in your mind, flush out wrong thoughts and establish a new mindset that thinks in line with the word of God. The Word has a quickening power that destroys every spiritual lethargy and infuses new life and strength into us.

Indeed our situations are never the problem, but rather, our thoughts are. Truly, as a man thinks in his heart so is he. Therefore today, let us allow the Word of God to work on our hearts. As we give the Word full attention, it will give us a new mindset and transform our lives to continually reflect the glory of God.

PRAYER: Lord, please grant me the grace to give full meditation to Your Word so that my profiting can appear to all. Lord  I thank You for empowering me to live a life that constantly reflects Your glory everywhere I go in Jesus Name.

Quote

Everything that ultimately  has a glorious ending usually has a humble beginning. WORDBITE 222

AUGUST 12; PAID IN FULL

Exodus 15:26 ‘And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the Lord that healeth thee’

DAILY READING; • Ephesians 5:1-20; Ezekiel 14-15; Isaiah 44

Dr. Howard Atwood Kelly was a world-renowned surgeon and one of the founding physicians of the Johns Hopkins Hospital. He is also a founding father of gynecology, and is credited for establishing gynecology, as a medical specialty.  He was a devout, Bible-believing Christian who supported missionaries and was a personal friend to Hudson Taylor, the famous missionary to China.

Many years before Dr. Kelly rose to prominence, there is a record of a very remarkable incident that took place in his life.  As a young boy,  he had to sell goods from door-to-door, in order to pay his way through school. One day in 1863, while traveling through the countryside, he became very hungry but had little money on him. At this point, he felt overburdened by his struggles and was almost on the verge of giving up on his education goal. He then decided to ask for food at the next house he would come to. However, when he knocked at the door and a young woman opened it, he lost his nerve to ask for the food but rather asked for a drink of water. Thinking he looked hungry, the young woman brought him a large glass of milk. After devouring the milk, he asked how much he owed, but she declined any payment.  Kelly thanked her from the bottom of his heart and felt as if God had used the young woman’s act of kindness to strengthen him and encourage him to persevere and not give up.

Years later, Howard Kelly eventually realized his dream of becoming a medical doctor. Then  one day he was called in for a consultation, and on hearing the name of the town where the patient came from, he recognized it as the town where he used to sell his wares as a boy. To his amazement, when  Kelly approached the hospital bed, he found the patient to be the lady who had once given him a glass of milk. Determined to do his best to save her life, Dr. Kelly from that day, gave special attention to her case.  It was a long struggle for the ill woman, but eventually the battle was won and she became well again.

The hospital bill which she had incurred was quite huge. Dr. Kelly asked to be given her bill and then he wrote something on it. When the bill was sent to the woman, she was afraid to open it because she knew she may never be able to pay it. However, when she finally opened the envelope, she was shocked to find these words written on the side of the bill: “Paid in full with one glass of milk.”

At the cross, Jesus paid in full for every affliction in our lives. Jesus’ final words on the cross were: “Tetelestai. It is finished”. That means ‘paid in full’.

We owed a debt we could not pay; He paid a debt He did not owe. In the greatest display of love this world has ever seen, Jesus paid in full the wages of our sin and we have no balance carried forward. By His shed blood He purchased us to become God’s property.

1 Corinthians 6:20  says, For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s’.

Having been purchased by His Blood, our lives are now to glorify God. We do not have to be held in bondage or shackled by afflictions  anymore. Through the blood we have been set free to live lives that continually bring glory to God. Indeed by the power in the Blood, sickness, poverty and  every satanic agenda against our lives  have been rendered useless.

However it takes knowledge for us to walk in the liberty  Christ has purchased for us. This is why we need to continually renew our minds through in-depth study of God’s Word. It is indeed possible to live affliction free.  God has promised that when we  diligently hearken to His voice and do that which is right in His sight, and keep all His statutes, that He will put none of the afflictions and diseases of Egypt upon us [ Exodus 15:26].

Indeed today, through  the Blood of Jesus every disease of Egypt in our lives have been nullified. Through the price Jesus has paid, every yoke of the enemy has been broken. Today, His Blood speaks for us against the voices of disasters and violence. Indeed by the power in the Blood of Jesus, affliction shall never arise a second time in our lives. Surely, whosoever the Son of God has set free, is truly free indeed!

PRAYER: Lord, please enable me to  enjoy the full benefits of redemption by  hearkening to Your voice through the study of Your Word.  Thank You Lord, that through the Blood I indeed have the  victory over every affliction in Jesus Name.

QUOTE :

It takes a heart for God to make a mark in the sands of time. – WORDBITE 222.,