HORM Devotional

John 1:5 ‘And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not’.

DAILY READING- 2 Timothy 4; Jeremiah 11-12; Psalm 124

In 2013, Venezuela was ranked the most insecure nation in the world by Gallup polls. Crime in Venezuela is widespread, with violent crimes such as murder and kidnapping increasing annually. The United Nations has attributed crime to the poor political and economic environment in the country, which has the second highest murder rate in the world. The crime rate is such that the Venezuelan government by 2011 refused to officially publish murder statistics. Venezuela is also one of the most weaponized places on earth with one firearm for every two people.

News.com.au called Venezuela capital “the kidnap capital of the world” in 2013, noting that Venezuela had the highest kidnapping rate in the world and that 5 people were kidnapped for a ransom every day. Businesses, families and friends often gather money and put it aside for possibly being used to pay kidnapping ransoms. Wealthy Venezuelans invest in armored vehicles and bodyguards while middle class Venezuelans change routes to work, never wear jewelry in public and never travel on foot alone.

Just like Venezuela, some cities have become so violent that they are now tagged crime capitals of the world. And in this so called crime capitals, one major ways governments have been fighting crimes is by lighting up dark streets and corners. Once crime zones are flooded with light criminal activities drastically reduce. Consequently, criminals often try to put out these street lights because it removes the cover of darkness under which they operate. Indeed criminals like to hide in the darkness to carry out their evil activities, but when light comes and they have no more hiding place they are forced to quit the area.

John 1:5 says: ‘And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not’

Indeed whenever light appears, darkness disappears. There is never a contention between darkness and light. The dominion of light over darkness is unquestionable and noiseless.

The psalmist says that the dark places of the earth are full of the habitations of cruelty. Indeed it is from these spiritually dark regions that man is oppressed on earth. We do not wrestle against flesh and blood but against spiritual wickedness and the rulers of the darkness of ths world. And the only way to break the power of these forces of darkness is through the introduction of the light of God’s Word.

Faith is the victory that overcomes the world and faith comes from hearing God’s Word. Therefore to have the victory over the afflictions of darkness, what we need to do is to go into God’s Word and study until faith arises in our hearts.

In your health, finance, family etc, once you introduce the light of God’s Word every darkness in that area will naturally flee. It is indeed our responsibility to access The Word that will give us the light to dispel every darkness in our lives. The Psalmist prayed: “Open Thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of Thy law” [Psalms 119:18.]

Once you have received faith through the Word, you need to open your mouth and declare your victory. With the heart man believes unto righteousness, but with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

Your salvation and deliverance is in your mouth. Speak over that negative situation what God’s Word has said concerning you. Do not keep quiet, a closed mouth is a closed destiny. And do not get tired of saying it, you will reap if you faint not.

And as you begin today to speak faith over every attack of darkness in your life, your victory will be sure. Indeed as you fill your life with the light of The Word of God, every darkness will disappear and your dominion and victory will be established!

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for the faith that is available to me through Your Word. Please help me to always keep my life covered by Your light so that there will be no hiding place for darkness 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’ WORBITE 222

Malachi 3:17  “And they shall be Mine,” saith the Lord of hosts, “in that day when I make up My jewels; and I will spare them as a man spareth his own son who serveth him’.

DAILY READING   – 2 Timothy 3; Jeremiah 9-10; Psalm 123

Predictive prophecy stands as one of the most viable proofs of the Bible’s accuracy. An outstanding example is Ezekiel’s prophecy concerning the city of Tyre found in Ezekiel Chapter 26 and written in 597 B.C.

The Phoenician city of Tyre, on the shore of the Mediterranean Sea, was one of the most ancient and wealthiest cities in history. During the reigns of King David and King Solomon, Hiram, king of Tyre, supplied building materials and skilled labor for important structures in Israel.

However due to its transgressions against God, Ezekiel prophesied that many nations would come against Tyre and that Nebuchadnezzar would besiege the city. He also said that Tyre would be broken down and the stones, timber, and soil would be thrown in “the midst of the water;” and the city would become a “place for spreading nets;” and would never be rebuilt.

All these prophecies came to pass. The siege of Nebuchadnezzar took place within a few months of Ezekiel’s prophecy as Nebuchadnezzar besieged Tyre for thirteen years and destroyed the mainland city, leaving only the island city.

Also as Ezekiel had prophesied, history records that many nations attacked Tyre including Babylon, Syria, Egypt, Rome, Greece, Armenia, and Persia.

Ezekiel’s prophecy that Tyre would be destroyed and its building material cast into the midst of the waters was fulfilled when the army of Alexander the great carried the stones from mainland city of Tyre into the seas to form a bridge that enabled them to reach the island city of Tyre, which they utterly destroyed and burned.

Again Ezekiel prophesied that the city of Tyre would “never be rebuilt” and “be no more forever”. This was fulfilled by the fact that the location of the ancient mainland city of Tyre, is believed today to be buried under the Mediterranean Sea and its location, over the course of the last 2,500 years, has become lost to modern knowledge.

Ezekiel’s acutely accurate prediction of the destruction of Tyre remains an outstanding and amazing proof of Biblical fulfillment of prophecy

Truly, the Word of God stands sure forever. Whatever God has said, will eventually come to pass. And just as past prophesies have come to pass, so also end-time prophesies are coming to pass in our times.

In Matthew 24, Jesus’ disciples asked him about signs of his coming, and he responded by speaking of “birth pains” that would precede His return. Jesus gave a list of things to look out for. And today, we see current events matching those things Jesus said would occur shortly before His return.

Today we are living in the last part of the last days. However, in the struggle to live our daily lives, it might not really feel like it. But we have to understand that it is the enemy’s ploy to keep men distracted and running after mundane things while their eternal destiny hangs in the balance.

Jesus said in Luke 21 that the end of the world would come upon people as a snare. That means many will be taken by surprise, because they were not really expecting it. Jesus also said that it will be like the days of Noah, where many people were eating, drinking, building and marrying until the flood came.

We truly need to live ready. We need to live in spiritual preparation by constantly studying the scriptures and drawing closer to God through intimate fellowship with the Holy Spirit. We also need to be discerning so as to understand the signs unfolding around us.

The current global pandemic is another sign of the Bible’s prediction about plagues at the end times.  And instead being apprehensive like the rest of the world, this is the time to urgently help people to be ready for Christ’s return.

Indeed the key to exemption from the end-time plagues is to serve God in spirit and truth. In Malachi 3:17 God says “And they shall be Mine,” saith the Lord of hosts, “in that day when I make up My jewels; and I will spare them as a man spareth his own son who serveth him.’

God is indeed a rewarder of those that diligently seek and serve Him.

PRAYER; Father thank You for the grace not be derailed in these end-times by the many distractions on earth, but rather I shall focus in this endtime on seeking and serving You more than ever before in Jesus Name.

Quote;

Faith is more than just believing, it is acting upon The Word that you believe. WORDBITE 222.

Ephesians 3:20  “Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us.”

DAILY READING  2 Timothy 2; Jeremiah 7-8; Psalm 122

On October 13, 2010, the world cheered as 33 miners, stepped out of the tiny capsule which had hauled them from the depths of the earth, after 69 days trapped deep in Chile’s San José copper mine.

The Chilean mining disaster of 2010 was an accident that made headlines around the world. Though not many people believed the miners, would ever come out alive, their eventual rescue has become a testimony to the power of faith and prayer.

José Henriquez Gonzalez the leader of the men had been a miner for 33 years, and as a devout Christian, he always prayed for God’s Presence before going down into the mines. And so when they became trapped, he was confident  that God would rescue them and rallied the others to begin praying two times daily.

At a depth of 2,260 feet, with all the exits caved in, and with no possibility of rescue, the men used prayer as a weapon against the serious mental and spiritual battles that they fought against the spirit of fear. And in the process of these prayers, twenty-two of the men who were unbelievers, came to faith in Christ.

In the meanwhile, above ground, the situation was beyond what the Chilean government could handle and so they called in NASA’s Engineering and Safety Center (NESC). Even to the NASA team, it looked like a mission impossible. However, they began an experimental engineering technology that no one knew what the outcome would be.

Though the miners had carefully rationed the little tinned food they had, by the sixteenth day their food was finished. But then on the seventeenth day, the miracle they had been praying for began to unfold.

A probe from the rescue team working above was able to successfully drill through the ground and reach the men. And through the drilled hole, paloma supply tubes were used to send food and fresh water down to them.

Then sixty-nine days later, after the execution of a rigorous rescue plan, all the 33 men were eventually brought up to safety at ground level. As millions around the world rejoiced, these rescued men continually gave God all the glory and praise, knowing that He alone had made their rescue possible.

Ephesians 3:20  “Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us.”

God’s power can do the impossible in our lives when we believe. When you are divinely connected to God, you can never be stranded in life.

The power of God resident in a believer, which is the anointing, can be likened to oil. And just like oil will always rise above water, the child of God can never be held down or held back by any circumstance. Indeed the power of God in you is able to break any yoke and cause you to escape every trap. And according to this power at work in you, God is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all you ever ask think or imagine.

This is why it is important to live a life of prayer and faith. The deposit of power that comes from a lifestyle of prayer and faith ensures you are always above only and never beneath.  Faith is a spiritual lifeline that can lift you out of any pit of life. The entrance of God’s Word gives you the light that will help you come out of any dark place.

If today, you feel trapped by any situation, or things seem dark and gloomy, rather than meditate on that problem, keep your gaze on God’s promises. Focus on God’s Word, until faith arises in your heart. Even if that situation looks impossible, if only you can believe, God’s promises will eventually manifest in your life. Indeed God is faithful to His word. And all of His promises are “Yes” and “Amen.”

No matter how grim any situation, refuse to exalt the negative circumstance, but rather exalt your God. Refuse to be discouraged or defeated, you’re not a victim, you’re the victor. And through faith in Christ you can rise above every valley and reach your mountaintop.

And as you keep blessing God and keep declaring Him faithful, surely God will do for you, exceedingly abundantly above all you could ever ask, think or imagine.

PRAYER Lord please grant me fresh appetite for Your Word so that I can draw the faith I need to always be an overcomer. I thank You that in every circumstance, I shall always be the head and never the tail, above only and never beneath in Jesus Name.

QUOTE

When you apply The Word of God, it will work for you, anywhere and anytime- WORDBITE 222.

Psalm 3:3 ‘But thou, O LORD, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head’

DAILY READING; • 2 Timothy 1; Jeremiah 5-6; Psalm 121

The 9/11 attack is the single deadliest terrorist attack in American history. On September 11, 2001, hijackers crashed American Airlines Flights into the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York City.
Out of the 343 firefighters from the New York City Fire Department who first responded to the emergency, only one survived. Joe Torrillo credits his survival to his faith in God.
Torrillo, was a block away from the tower, when the first plane struck, and so he headed to the scene to help. Within minutes of his arrival, the second jet passed over his head and collided with the South Tower. As the building began to collapse, he and others began running to get away. However the building came crashing down on them and Torrillo found himself buried under steel beams and concrete. He suffered a fractured skull and broken ribs. His spine had been crushed and one of his arms broken. He was also suffering from massive internal bleeding.
As people died around him, Joe cried out to God for help. And God did intervene, as rescuers found him minutes later and he was pulled out from beneath the rubble. He was strapped to a stretcher and loaded onto a boat on the Hudson River to be evacuated to a hospital, but before the boat could leave, the second tower began to fall towards them. People in the boat immediately jumped into the river, but Joe, who couldn’t move, was left behind. And for the second time he was buried alive underneath debris. In the midst of it all, Torrillo continued to pray and thank God. Miraculously, about 45 minutes later, he was once again rescued and then taken across the Hudson River to the Jersey City Trauma Center, where he underwent intense treatment. After his recovery, Joe began traveling around the world as a professional speaker sharing his testimony of God’s faithfulness.

Indeed it doesn’t
matter how many times situations try to bury you, with faith in God you can always rise up stronger and better.
Looking around today, sometimes it does feel as if the world is under a terror attack. Daily on the news are reports of wars, civil unrest, natural disasters, pandemics, rising political tensions etc.
There is financial uncertainty and anxiety about the future, even as the world tries to embrace the ‘new normal’.
And in the midst of such overwhelming circumstances people sometimes feel as if they are being buried under the weight of emerging challenges.
However, for us as believers, faith is the victory through which we always overcome.
Today, you may be facing uncertainty in your job or struggling financially or facing challenges in your relationships. But no matter how these pressures try to weigh you down and push you under, always realize that God is on your side. And with faith in Him, you can always rise up triumphant.
God is our solid rock upon which we can stand when all other grounds are sinking sand.
We serve the mighty God who can deliver out of any depth and make a way through the mighty waters. No matter the things that come against you, always realize that God has you covered. He has you in the palms of His hands. You’re not at the mercy of fate, chance or bad luck; Jehovah is the One who has the final say over your life.
God is indeed the glory and the lifter up of our heads. Therefore in every situation, let us keep praising Him and keep our focus on His Word.

When you place your faith in God, He will not allow you to be swallowed up or buried by any situation. Rather, where others fall, He will cause you to rise. While others struggle, He will cause you to soar. And while people are striving to survive, you will only keep thriving and rising higher. And though you may have gone though the fire and through the water, get ready, God is indeed about to bring you now into a wealthy place.

PRAYER: Lord, please grant me the faith to always rise above any situation that tries to weigh me down. I know indeed that no matter what comes my way, by Your grace I will only keep rising greater and stronger in Jesus Name.

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

Zechariah 9:11 ‘As for thee also, by the blood of thy covenant I have sent forth thy prisoners out of the pit wherein is no water.’

DAILY READING – •           1 Timothy 5:23-6:21; Jeremiah 3-4; Psalm 120

According to a report in Christian Post and other News outlets, on April 4, 2016, a young pastor in Basra, Baghdad miraculously escaped from a car bomb attack.

On the fateful day, Pastor Joseph had left his home and entered his car to go to Church. However, on the familiar journey toward the church where he worked as a pastor, he immediately sensed something was wrong. Then almost right away, an explosion ripped through the car, violently shaking the vehicle and—at the same time—engulfing it in flames.

He couldn’t see anything beyond the flames and heard the voice of someone outside shouting that the man inside the car was dying. Though shocked by what was happening, yet against all odds, Pastor Joseph was able to exit the rapidly burning vehicle.

The amazing thing was that, though he had been in the burning car, he came out unscathed with no burns at all. There were pieces of glass in his hair and parts of the exploded bomb in the scarf around his neck, yet he didn’t have any scratch. Nothing touched him and he did not lose even a drop of blood.

Also amazing was the fact that, after the flames had gone out, every part of the car was destroyed and damaged, except for the driver’s seat, where the pastor had been sitting. His miraculous escape became a wonder to many people in Bagdad, especially at a time when many had already been killed from similar car bomb attacks.

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

Indeed no matter how impossible any situation, God is never limited in how He can save. We serve the all-powerful God who does wonders without number. He can intervene even in the hardest of situations and show Himself mighty on our behalf.  What happened to Pastor Joseph goes to show that there can be no barrier when God’s hand is stretched out. He is not at all limited in organizing a rescue for His children.

He is the same God who rescued the three Hebrew boys from fire, divided the red sea for the Israelites and shut up the mouth of the lions for Daniel.  Indeed no matter how deep any pit, God is able to reach down and deliver us from it.

Zechariah 9:9 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.’

Through the Blood of Jesus, we have guarantee of deliverance, out every waterless pit. Through the price He paid at Calvary, we are destined to live extraordinary lives on earth. Through the redemptive benefits of the Blood of Jesus, we are born again to be a wonder to our world. Indeed the supernatural should be the natural realm for everyone that is born of God.

However, it is unto every man according to his faith. Miracles are the deliberate acts of God, in response to the deliberate faith of men. The level of your faith will determine the level of dominion and power you can walk in.

Therefore today, through in-depth study of God’s Word, let us determine today to build up our level of faith. Indeed through the exercise triumphant faith, we shall live extraordinary lives and be a sign and wonder to our world.

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for Your awesome deliverances in my life, Please  grant me fresh appetite for Your Word so that I can acquire the great faith that will enable me to continually live a triumphant life on earth in Jesus Name. .

QUOTE :

Nothing liberates like truth, the truth you know shall set you free. – WORDBITE 222.

2 Corinthians 5:7-8 ‘For we walk by faith, not by sight: We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.’

DAILY READING; 1 Timothy 5:1-22; Jeremiah 1-2; Psalm 119:145-176

On 22, September 2007, a key which is believed could have saved the Titanic from sinking, was auctioned for the price of £70,000.

The sinking of the Titanic is one of the greatest naval tragedies in history, yet the disaster could have been averted because of a single key. This was the key that opened the locker containing the binoculars used in detecting threats lurking in the sea.

What had happened was that at the last minute, just before the Titanic sailed, the second Officer who kept the key, was asked to step down from the trip and was replaced by a more senior officer. However, in his rush to leave the Titanic, this second officer with the key in his pocket, forgot to hand it over.

And so when the ship eventually set off, without the key, the crew had no access to the binoculars. This hampered their ability to effectively detect obstacles at sea as they had to watch for icebergs using only their naked eyes. As a result they did not see the icebergs looming on the path of the Titanic until it was too late. When the ship collided with these icebergs, it sank fast, leading to the death of 1,522 people on board.

Later on, the US inquiry into the disaster, determined that the Titanic may have survived that night, if only the crew had access to the binoculars, instead of depending only on their eyes to detect the far obstacles in the dark sea.

Indeed to navigate the treacherous waters of this world, one cannot just depend on sight alone.

2 Corinthians 5:7-8 says ‘For we walk by faith, not by sight: We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.’

To triumph over obstacles in life we need to walk by faith and not by sight. Faith is the light that comes from God’s Word which enables us to see far and go far in life. However without the key of knowledge it becomes difficult to access this light of faith.[Luke 11:52].

Spiritually the world lies in darkness. The Bible says the whole world lies in wickedness. [1 John 5:19]. It also tells us that the dark places of the earth are full of the habitations of cruelty [Psalm 74:20]. And Isaiah 60 tells us that gross darkness shall cover the earth. Therefore in such a spiritually dark environment, walking by the light of faith becomes crucial.

The Titanic sank, because the crew were depending on their physical eyes alone to watch for icebergs in the dark. Likewise, there are spiritual icebergs littering the treacherous oceans of life, which cannot be dictated with the ordinary eyes. Indeed there are ways that may seem right to a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

However through the key of the knowledge of God’s Word, we receive the light to detect these spiritual obstacles and easily triumph over them by faith.

The truth is that if you limit your battle to only what you can see physically, you will often suffer defeats in life. This is because our wrestle is not with flesh and blood, but with invisible forces. For instance, while there are diseases that can be detected in the laboratory, the evil forces behind those diseases are beyond what any diagnostic machine can see. And so to triumph over afflictions, a believer needs the light of faith to detect the real spiritual root of the problem and adequately address it. Indeed there are spiritual forces behind many of the things that that hold men in bondage. Whilst outwardly the children of Israel saw Pharaoh as their problem, the real forces holding them in bondage were the gods of Egypt.

God addressed the real problem in Exodus 12:12, when He said “For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD.

Likewise, today God will execute judgment against every hidden god of Egypt holding any aspect of your life in bondage. In your health, in your finances, in your family, the swift judgment of God is coming upon every invisible battle against you in Jesus Name.

To triumph always, let us take the spiritual responsibility to study God’s Word always. And when we walk in the light of God’s Word, there will be no occasion for stumbling. Jesus is the light of the world and in His light we shall see light. Truly as we walk by faith and not by sight, we shall avoid every shipwreck of destiny and triumph over every obstacle.

PRAYER. Father please help me to always trust in You with all my heart and never to lean on my own understanding. By the light of Your Word, please direct my paths and enable me to avoid every obstacle on the path of destiny in Jesus Name.

QUOTE

You don’t have light until you have The Word of God. The Word of God gives light on any issue in your life. WORDBITE 222

Joel 2:25  ‘ And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpiller, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you’

DAILY READING; 1 Timothy 4; Isaiah 38-39; Psalm 119:121-144

After Israel became an independent nation in 1948, part of the things the new  government did was to demand pay back from Germany  for the atrocities against the Jews during the holocaust.

In making a case for the reparation, the Israeli leader, David Ben-Gurion asked the Germans this biblical question, from Kings 21:29, “Have you murdered and also inherited?”

For the German people, the answer was of course ‘yes.’

Not only had Hitler killed over 6 millions Jews, their properties, lands and businesses and belongings were also confiscated by his evil government.

In acknowledgment of their nation’s atrocity against the Jews, the leader of West Germany, Konrad Adenauer tendered a public apology and also agreed to make material restitution. Although some Germans protested against this decision, the German government went ahead and paid $7 billion in reparations to Israel between 1953 and 1967. Germany also paid $1 billion to the World Jewish Congress.  By 1956, the German nation was supplying 87.5% of Israel’s state revenue. This money from Germany became very helpful in the building of the new nation. Israel used the money to buy equipment and raw materials to build up its industry, railways and electrical grid and other development projects. Reparations also went to individuals in Israel. Apart from $4.9 billion paid to those forced into labor and servitude by the Nazis, the German government in 2013 decided to pay about $1 billion for the home care of all elderly Holocaust survivors.

Though the lives lost could not be restored, Germany has not only made restitution for the holocaust, but continues in other ways to contribute to the progress of Israel.

God included restitution as part of His Law for Israel. Restitution is the act of restoring what was taken unlawfully. And restitution in the Bible is such that, what is paid back is over and above what was taken away unlawfully. Indeed when God restores something, He makes it better than it could have been.

In 2 Kings 8, is the story of the woman whom Elisha had raised her son from the dead. At Elisha’s advice she had left town because of an impending seven years famine. However, when she returned at the end of the seven years, she had lost her property to some people.  When she went to the king to seek judgment, God gave her such favor that the king ordered immediate restoration for her.

2 Kings 8:6,  says “So the king appointed a certain officer for her, saying, “Restore all that was hers, and all the proceeds of the field from the day that she left the land until now.”

Money from all the crops harvested during the seven years of her absence were restored back to her in one day.

In Joel 2:25 God promises ‘ And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpiller, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you’

God is indeed able to restore the benefits of lost time to us. No doubt in this period of lockdown, many people have recorded losses. People have lost time, lost money, lost their jobs, lost their peace and joy  etc. But thank God we serve a God of divine restoration. And no matter what we may have lost, God is committed to restoring them back to us as we walk in faith to His Word. God not only promises to give us double for our trouble, He will make the enemy pay for bringing the trouble into our lives.

Proverbs 6:30-31 says that when a thief is caught he must restore sevenfold of what he stole. Therefore whatever the enemy may have stolen from you in this period, there is a sevenfold restoration coming to you.

Redemption qualifies us for Restoration. However revelation is the gateway to Restoration. Your inheritance is tied to your insight. It is as far as your eyes can see that will be given to you. This is why we need to labour in the Word to obtain the faith to claim the restoration that belongs to us by covenant.

With faith in God’s Word, anything you may have lost in this season will be restored to you in multiple fold.  God will restore your health, finances, joy and anything of your value you have lost. The God of Divine restoration will indeed give you divine enablement to pursue, overtake and recover all in Jesus Name.

PRAYER: Father, I thank You for granting me deep insight into Your Word to see the restoration You have in store for me.  By Your grace I shall recover every lost ground and move forward to greater heights 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.

Isaiah 49:15-16  ‘ Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me.’

DAILY READING – – 1 Timothy 3; Isaiah 36-37; Psalm 119:97-120

From the book, ‘Answered Prayer in Missionary service’ By Basil William Miller, comes an amazing story of God’s providence.  In the book, Dr. Grier, who has long been a medical missionary in India, related how God used a raven as an instrument for feeding a Hindu woman.

In the story, a missionary doctor and her assistant in India had gone to re-open a hospital that was closed for a while. After doing some work,  when noon came, it was time for them to go out to the porch to rest and eat their lunch. The assistant then brought out their lunch of meat and bread loaf to the porch. However as she stepped briefly back inside the hospital, from nowhere, a raven suddenly swooped down. Before the assistant could stop it, the ravine clutched the loaf in both claws, and quickly flew away. The doctor and her assistant found this event quite strange and perplexing.

Three days later a poor Hindu woman with her small children appeared at the hospital door. She told the missionary doctor that three days before, she had been desperately in need of food for her children. She had knelt down and prayed to every god she knew of, but no help came. At length she remembered hearing about the God of the Christians and so she called on Him for help. At that moment a great raven came swooping down and dropped a meat loaf at her side.

This amazing answer to prayer was what made her to come looking for the missionaries,  so as to know about their wonderful God.

Indeed we serve the supernatural God, who is not limited in how He chooses to answer prayers.  He can raise help even from strange quarters. He can use the unexpected and the unimagined to bring supernatural provision.

At the brook Cherith, God miraculously  provided for prophet Elijah in ways he didn’t expect. In 1 Kings 17:6, God used the ravens to feed him. Ravens don’t normally go about finding bread and meat to bring to people for breakfast, however, God used them to feed Elijah as indication that there is nothing too difficult for Him.

Truly, our God is extraordinary and as His children we should never limit how He can meet our needs. As believers, we should always expect the supernatural to be a  consistent part of our lives. In our finances, in our family, in our health, business or career, God can use any means to bring to us the solutions we need. When we sincerely call upon Him in prayer, He has promised to always answer us. And when necessary, God can even send the “ravens” to you and cause you to drink from the “brook.”

With the situation in the world today, we truly need miraculous help in order to thrive. Many people are quite worried about how they are going to survive in the present economic climate. But as believers this is the time for us to walk by faith and not by sight. We need to look away from the situation of the world and trust in the eternal truth of God’s Word. The economy or financial climate can never alter God’s promises  or change His faithfulness towards us.

What we ought to do now is to constantly feed on the scriptures, until what God is saying becomes more real to us than what the world is saying. God is indeed mindful of us and is committed to divinely taking of His children in this season.

Isaiah 49:15-16 says ‘Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands;’

Indeed our lives and times are in God’s hands. And today, no matter what you may be facing God will indeed surprise you with His divine assistance. He will cause Help to arise for you from the least expected quarters. In the place of frustration God is bringing forth joy and laughter. He will give you double for every trouble and cause you to walk upon your high places.

PRAYER: Lord, I thank You for the good plans You have for my life in this season. Indeed I know that even right now, despite the economic situation in the world, You are working supernaturally in my life to  perfect all that concerns me 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

Deuteronomy 6:10-11 ‘..to give thee great and goodly cities, which thou buildedst not. And houses full of all good things, which thou filledst not, and wells digged, which thou diggedst not, vineyards and olive trees, which thou plantedst not;..’

DAILY READING 1 Timothy 2; Isaiah 34-35; Psalm 119:65-96

Thomas Dexter Jakes, popularly known as TD Jakes, was born in 1957 to working-class parents in South Charleston, West Virginia. After his father died in 1973, things took a turn for the worse in their family. In his senior year in high school, TD had to drop out of school. He later took up a job at a chemical plant, and on the side, at the age of nineteen, he began to preach the Gospel.

In 1980 he opened a storefront church, called ‘the Greater Emmanuel Temple of Faith’. It didn’t take long for Jakes to be noticed; because of his distinctive and fluent sermons. However, in 1982,  he lost his job, at the chemical plant in Charleston and things became really tough. Having gotten married, he had to sometimes work at cutting grass and digging ditches in order to provide for his wife and children. All this while, he faithfully continued to pastor his small congregation, trusting God for a positive change of story. .

Things began to turn around in 1991, when he held a special service for women, with the topic ‘Woman Thou art loosed’. The teaching left a deep impression on his listeners and word of it began to spread, leading TD Jakes to be invited to other churches to share this sermon.

Things finally took a full turn for the better when he was invited to speak at a televised revival held by Carlton Pearson in Oklahoma. There was a short clip of TD Jakes preaching at this event, which happened to be playing just at the very moment when Paul Crouch, founder of Trinity Broadcast Network[TBN] had paused to briefly watch television, in his busy schedule. And in that short interval, TD Jakes caught the eyes of Paul Crouch. Paul was so impressed that within a year he had signed on TD Jakes for regular appearances on the TBN Network.

This singular act brought  TD Jakes into great visibility, as his television program began to be viewed all over the world. And as his ministry continued to expand and grow, today, TD Jakes has virtually become a household name and a well recognized figure globally.

Indeed God can suddenly change a man’s story. And truly it doesn’t take time, it takes God.

We must understand that God is not following a rigid script in playing out the events of our lives. He can suddenly break protocols and overturn schedules, just to accelerate you to His place for you in destiny. While you may be busy trying to follow things sequentially, God can suddenly cause an unexpected shift that will catapult you from obscurity to notoriety.

There is really nothing too difficult for God to do in our lives. This is why we need to constantly stand in faith and always trust God for the miraculous.  Though trying situations and problems may sometimes seem to linger, when you trust God and believe in His Word, God will eventually orchestrate events to work out in your favor.

It is indeed true that the faithful are fruitful. God rewards the diligent seekers of His Word, who stand in faith and continue to trust Him even in the midst of difficult situations. When you abide faithful in the little, it is only a matter of time before God brings you into an overflow.

Joseph was a prisoner in Egypt, but when he interpreted Pharoah’s dream, his story suddenly changed.  And from a prisoner he became a prince of Egypt.

David was a shepherd boy, but  when he killed goliath he experienced a sudden turnaround. When you honor God, He will put you in a position you never could have attained by yourself.

Deuteronomy 6;10-11 says that God will give us great and goodly cities, which we did not build, and houses full of all good things, which we did not furnish, and wells digged, which we didn’t dig, vineyards and olive trees, which we didn’t plant..

It doesn’t matter where you may be today, you may not know the right people or have the money or have the right certificates. Just continue to diligently study God’s Word and pray always, so that your heart can be filled with faith. And sooner than you know it, God will do the miraculous and cause the lines to suddenly fall for you in pleasant places.

PRAYER: Lord, I Thank You for the sudden change of story You are bringing about in my life. I thank You Lord, for doing exceedingly, abundantly, above and beyond all I could ever ask or imagine in Jesus Name. .

QUOTE

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

Galatians 6:9  ‘And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.”

DAILY READING     1 Timothy 1; Isaiah 31-33; Psalm 119:33-64

Adoniram Judson was America’s first foreign missionary.

On February 19, 1812, 24 year old Adoniram and his young wife set sail for India and though they were rejected entrance into India to preach to the Hindus, they finally found an open door in Burma. On arrival, they faced many challenges. There was not one known Christian among Burma’s population of millions. They had no friends and the region where they lived was infested with robbers. They also found disturbing the various fetish practices of the people who were mainly idol worshippers. Things were worsened by the death of their first baby at eight months old. Yet despite all these challenges, they refused to quit their mission  and kept their focus on God.

For six long years they labored without recording any convert. Yet the Judsons never lost faith in God. One day while at the capital city of Burma, Adoniram gazed at the temple of Buddha and declared “The churches of Jesus Christ will soon supplant these idolatrous monuments and the chanting devotees of Buddha will die away before the Christian’s hymns of praise.”

Finally on June 27, 1819, they were able to baptize their first Burmese convert. After that other new converts were slowly added. But just as they seemed to be making progress, the Burmese government accused Adoniram to be a British spy and imprisoned him for twenty-one months, after which they condemned him to die. As his wife and other believers prayed fervently, God did answer their prayers. The British government intervened and Adoniram was freed from imprisonment.

After his release, undeterred, Adoniram preached with even greater fervency. This led to an eruption of God’s power with signs, wonders and miracles, which brought many new more converts to the faith.

Though there were no Christians when the Judsons first arrived in Burma, yet, as they persevered in faith, by the end of thirty eight years of their missionary work, there were  hundreds of thousands of Christians in Burma!

Galatians 6:9 says ‘And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not..’

One strategy the enemy often uses against believers is to try to wear them down.  When you are working hard but not seeing the immediate result, the tendency is to become weary. If a battle is taking longer than we thought, we often tend to become battle fatigued. However, in Galatians 6:9, God said “Don’t be weary in well doing”, because He knew weariness would come. Indeed though some battles may seem long and tough, but with an unshakeable faith in God, there is no mountain we cannot surmount.

Certainly, everyone will encounter giants on the road to their Canaan, but let us always remember that God is our ever present help and He is committed  to giving us the victory.

2 Corinthians 2:14 says ‘Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ’

Despite the difficulties, we are destined to always triumph. This is why we must continue to stand in faith no matter how fierce any opposition. If you refuse to quit or give up, surely in the end you will win.

Always keep in mind that trouble comes to pass, not to stay. And the greater the difficulty the more glory in surmounting it. Each storm only comes to make you stronger and they never last forever. And with the right attitude, Problems will end up promoting you.

And though it may sometimes seem as if you have been waiting too long for your breakthrough, for your divine healing, your victory, your marriage or miracle baby; always understand that it is when you endure to the end that you reap. Therefore be prepared to keep doing all you can do until your miracle comes.

Surely every storm runs out of rain, just like every dark night turns into day. And if only you will stand strong in faith and refuse to give up in the midst of trials and difficulties, you will surely win in the end. As long as you keep faith alive, through diligent meditation in God’s Word, your victory will surely come.

Our attitude will determine altitude. Therefore let us always maintain an attitude of faith and gratitude. And as we remain strong in faith, giving glory to God, surely we shall see speedy manifestation of God’s promises in our lives.

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for giving me the needed strength to overcome every obstacle on my way., Please  grant me fresh appetite for Your Word so that I can acquire the faith I need to become victorious in every battle in Jesus Name. .

QUOTE :

Nothing liberates like truth, the truth you know shall set you free. – WORDBITE 222.