HORM Devotional

Joshua 1:9 ‘Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.’

DAILY READING – John 20:1-18; 2 Chronicles 31; Psalm 87

In post war Russia, food shortages existed and so there was an introduction of food rationing in most Russian industrial centres. Small pieces of paper of different colours were given to workers on a monthly basis to be used to buy various food items. In 1947 Vladimir Zenchenkov, a government accounting clerk in Russia, was given about 400 of these ration cards by his boss for safe keeping.
However, one night, he returned home from a drinking spree to discover that he had misplaced these cards. The consequence could be imprisonment as Ration cards were a prized commodity in postwar Russia. His wife therefore advised him to hide himself so as to avoid being arrested. And so he hid himself in his house. The next day she told his coworkers that he had run off with another woman. And so for the next 22 years, according to the newspaper reports, the terrified Zenchenkov never once left his house.
However, in 1969 when his wife died, Zenchenkov was forced to go to the local police station to turn himself in. There, he was then told that the ration cards he thought he had lost had turned up in his office desk drawer the day after he disappeared in 1947.

Proverbs 29:25 says ‘The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe.’
It is amazing how fear kept this man in bondage. Out of fear he had imprisoned himself and wasted years of his life. Indeed most defeats in life are traceable to the spirit of fear.
Especially in the world now, we are at a time when men’s hearts are failing them for fear. However as believers we must learn to conquer fear through faith in God.
When you are faced with any intimidating situation always remember that the greater One lives in you.
In Isaiah 41:10 God says ‘Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.’
God’s Presence is the answer to fear. When God is with us there will be no room for fear, rather our heart will be constantly filled with praise and joy, confident that our God is ever available to deliver us.
This is why it is important that we invest quality time to fellowship with God, through study of the Word, prayers and worship.
An intimate walk and constant fellowship with God, will keep us ever conscious of His Presence. And it is those that know their God that can be strong and do exploits. When we are in an intimate love relationship with God, it will give us confidence and remove fear from us. Perfect love indeed casts out fear.
Psalms 34:4 says ‘I sought the LORD, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.’
When we genuinely seek God, we will be delivered from all fears. The more you know God, the bolder you become. The righteous are as bold as a lion.
In those times fear tries to attack our heart we must learn to turn to God.
Psalms 56:3-4 says ‘What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.’.
And we trust in God by building up faith in our heart through study of His Word.
When we constantly eat the Word, it will become the joy and rejoicing of our soul. Study of The Word will inoculate your heart with strength and fill you with boldness. And it is only when we can say, “The Lord is the strength of my life” that we can be able to say “Of whom shall I be afraid?”
Indeed when we are truly full of God, then we are truly free from fear!

PRAYER: Father by Your grace enable me to study Your Word with renewed zeal so that I can be full of faith. For I know that when I am full of faith there will be no room for fear in my heart in Jesus Name.

QUOTE :
For you to enjoy victory in The Kingdom of God, you need to develop a kingdom mind, that thinks in line with The Word of God. – WORDBITE 222

Psalm 32:7 ‘Thou art my hiding place; thou shalt preserve me from trouble; thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance’

DAILY READING; John 19:16-42; 2 Chronicles 30; Psalm 86

On Friday October 21, 2016, ISIS suicide bombers and gunmen launched a surprise pre-dawn attack on the Iraqi town of Kirkuk. When these ISIS fighters invaded the region, they rushed into some surrounding buildings, including the Dominican nunnery and homes, which housed some Christian students.
About 30 girls found themselves trapped inside the building. They faced imminent danger because the terrorists were heavily armed with explosive belts and guns.
Though the Iraqi security authorities launched an immediate rescue operation and were able to rescue majority of these girls, yet seven of them remained trapped within the building. To make matters worse, the authorities discovered that the ISIS terrorists had occupied a room just opposite where the young girls were hiding. Things became even more tense, when at one point, these terrorists went into the same room where the girls were hidden, to say their prayers. However, they eventually left the room without spotting these girls.
It was indeed incredible how these girls were in the same room with the blood thirsty ISIS fighters and yet, miraculously God protected and shielded them.
These students remained hidden under the beds for 18 hours without any noise or movement, occasionally sending out messages from their phones, requesting for prayers. Miraculously, security forces were eventually able to sneak into the room and rescue each of those seven girls, without alerting the terrorists in the opposite room.

In the end, these ISIS terrorists blew themselves up inside the school compound. However, the school authorities were thankful to God that despite the terror attack, not one single student or teacher became a victim.

Psalm 32:7 says ‘Thou art my hiding place; thou shalt preserve me from trouble; thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance.’

Indeed God knows how to hide His Children from the enemy. It would seem natural that these girls in the same room with ISIS terrorists, should have been easily spotted. But it was not so because God shielded them.

In times of trouble God hides us in the secret of His tabernacle.
When Athaliah sought to kill all the royal seed, Jehoiada the priest took the king’s son Joash, who was then a child and hid him in The Lord’s House. He remained hidden there for six years and Athaliah was coming and going and never knew Joash was hidden quite close by [2 kings 11].

Indeed God knows how to hide His children from evil. What is ravaging and destroying others will be unable to touch those preserved by God.

At the time of the flood, God hid Noah and his family in the ark of safety so that they were not destroyed.
And likewise, today, God will shield and protect us from every flood of evil in this end time. Even if you find yourself in the same room with terror, God’s Presence will shield you from harm. A thousand may fall by your side and ten thousand by your right hand, yet it will not come near you.
Indeed God is our hiding place. He is our refuge, our fortress and our strong tower. His Presence is the ark of safety that will keep us protected from evil.. And this is why we must continually abide in His Word and maintain His Presence through being joyful and praise-full. As we dwell in the secret place of the Most High, surely, we shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. And surrounded by God’s Presence, we will be hidden from all harm.

PRAYER: Lord I am grateful for Your continual faithfulness in my life. I thank You for hiding me and my family in the secret place of Your presence. Indeed by Your grace no evil shall befall us and no plague can come near us in Jesus Name.

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

Psalm 34:1-3 ‘I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make her boast in the Lord: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad. O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together.’

DAILY READING; • John 18:38-19:16; 2 Chronicles 29; Psalm 85

Jeanne Gowen Dennis is a speaker, author and TV producer. In her book, ‘Running Barefoot on Holy Ground’, she shares the story of how God delivered her from a catastrophic storm. In July 1990 the state of Colorado was hit by one of the most disastrous hailstorms in its history, causing roughly $625 million in estimated damages.
That day, Jeanne and her friend had taken their daughters on a summer outing. The little girls were having fun skating. However Jeanne soon noticed an indigo-gray cloud on the northern horizon. This meant a storm was brewing. She quickly alerted her friend, but while they were still trying to gather their picnic things, the storm began to bear down with alarming speed, it was so fierce that there was no time even for the kids to remove their skating shoes. The mothers pulled and dragged their skating daughters along as they raced to the parking lot. As the wind began raging furiously around them, soon the thunder storm started.
Amid the chaotic situation, the 2 mothers and their 3 daughters scrambled into the car. Driving home in the furiously raging storm seemed unthinkable, but there was no other choice. As Jeanne drove, golf ball–size hail, mercilessly pelted the car, threatening to shatter the car windows.
Afraid of what could happen, Jeanne began to pray asking God for divine protection. Jeanne recalled her Bible reading that morning of how King Jehoshaphat and his army praised God and God fought their battle (2 Chronicles 20:1-24).
And so she asked everyone in the car to begin to praise God. They sang “Awesome God.” They sang very loudly, trying to drown out the noise of the storm with their voices. Though the car skidded all the way home, surprisingly, the windows held firm and they arrived safely.
Jeanne only realized the magnitude of what had happened when she heard from the News that many cars similarly caught in the storm were either wrecked beyond repair, or had shattered windows and other damages. But the car in which they sang praises to God had no damage at all—not even one dent.

Indeed when we chose to fight our battles with the weapons of praise and joy, God’s power to deliver arises. Praise moves God into action. Though God is everywhere, He does not work everywhere. It is when we create the right atmosphere of praise that He steps in.
When praise is on, God is up. And when God arises mountains and obstacles are moved out of the way. When we create an atmosphere of praise, God comes to inhabit it. And when God appears every evil disappears. Just as light and darkness cannot cohabit, problems cannot stand where God’s Presence abides.
Learning to give God praise through the storm is one of the greatest lessons we can learn about how to navigate through life’s seasons.
Circumstances do not dictate your life. Whatever you may be going through now, someone else has gone through it and succeeded. So, it’s not your circumstance, it is your approach to it and what is inside of you.
In Psalm 34 David wrote, ‘I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth.’
David wrote this psalm during a particularly stormy season in his life. He had gone through what could have caused other men to despair and give up. This was the time he had learned that Saul intended to kill him, so he had fled and faced dangers on his way and then he sought refuge from Achish, king of Gath, but when he realized he could be killed, he had to pretend to be a mad man, so as to escape.[ 1 Samuel 21:10-15]
Yet in the midst of all this David still wrote ‘I will bless The Lord at all times.’
And because David maintained his joy even in the storm, God protected him and delivered him and elevated him above his enemies.
And so shall be it for us also. As we continue to give God praise and bless Him at all times, surely He will protect and deliver us and give us continual victory.

PRAYER: Lord, I thank and praise You for indeed You have done all things well for me. Thank You Lord for all Your faithfulness towards me and my family. May the flow of Your praise continually be in my mouth at all times in Jesus Name. .

QUOTE

Praise always guarantees you power for a raise, learning to praise God in season and out of season is key to fulfilling destiny. – WORDBITE 222.

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

DAILY READING; John 18:19-38; 2 Chronicles 27-28; Psalm 84

There is a certain unique medical condition that doctors are calling anhedonia. Anhedonia is someone’s loss of the capacity to experience pleasure. It means that the person can no longer find joy from normally pleasurable experiences.  This situation has been attributed to the pressures of modern existence. Today, anhedonia is becoming a more common condition, because many people are living worried and anxious and full of fear.

Anhedonia has also been identified as one of the core clinical signs of depression. In January 2020, the World Health organization [WHO] stated that depression is a leading cause of disability worldwide and is a major contributor to the overall global burden of disease.

Living in a world full of problems it can be understandable why men are living depressed. The world is full of joy stealers.  It is the devil’s ministry to “steal, kill, and destroy”, and he is doing everything possible to steal people’s joy especially at this crucial time in history. Today, many people are going about life joyless and cheerless.

However, as believers we must be careful to constantly guard our joy.  Though there may be reasons to get upset every day or go around frustrated, you can’t afford to let anything steal your joy. Whatever steals your joy is stealing your strength, because the joy of The Lord is your strength.

No matter what comes against you, be of good cheer. Don’t lose your joy.

In Mark 6, the disciples were fighting against a contrary wind, they were toiling and rowing and it must have been quite frustrating. But then Jesus came walking on the water and He said to them “Be of good cheer!”

In other words, He was telling them to cheer up, despite the storm.

Whatever tries to steal your joy is actually preparing you for oppression.  Because the devil will always first try to depress you before he can oppress you. This is why you must do everything to guard your joy.

Therefore decide to wage war against every joy stealer in your life. The Blood of Jesus is available to deal with every affliction and oppression. Therefore by the Blood of Jesus come against anything that tries to steal your joy. Through praise constantly abide in God’s Presence where there is fullness of joy.  When you have the joy of The Lord, you have the strength to overcome whatever comes your way.

Philippians 4:4 says “Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.”

Indeed when you rejoice always, you will be surrounded by God’s Presence always. And you can be sure of victory, because if God be for you, nothing and nobody can be against you.

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for the redemption I have through the shed blood of Jesus. By Your grace, I have overcome every source and cause of depression. Thank You Lord for your joy that constantly fills my heart in Jesus Name. .

QUOTE

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

Psalm 68:1-2 ‘Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered: let them also that hate him flee before him. As smoke is driven away, so drive them away: as wax melteth before the fire, so let the wicked perish at the presence of God.’

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

In June 2019 Hong Kong witnessed  one of the worst crisis in its history. This was the protests over an extradition law made by the Hong Kong government which  allowed criminal suspects from Hong Kong to be transferred to China for trials.  People in Hong Kong said this law would expose them to unfair trials and violent treatment from the Chinese government.

Christians especially, saw it as a hidden attempt by China to extend its severe restrictions on religion into Hong Kong. Currently the Chinese communist government has been persecuting Christians in China, and Hong Kong Christians believed China was intending to extend the same punitive measures to churches in Hong Kong.

Hong Kong was a British colony for 156 years before it was handed back to China in 1997. Under the British rule, Hong Kong, was a hub for Christian missionaries and is home to about 850,000 Christians and more than 1,500 churches. Though Christians make up only a small proportion of the population, they have long played an important role in the politics of Hong Kong.

And in this protest, their influence was very striking and noticeable. While other people protested in different ways, some even fighting with the police, the Christians turned to praising God. In the midst of the chaos, Christians sang songs of praise that caught the attention of the international media. Especially the hymn ‘Sing alleluia’, which rose continuously from the crowd, has become known as the anthem of the protests.

Taking on an adversary as big as the Chinese Communist Party would have seemed intimidating, but through praise, Hong Kong Christians declared God mightier and bigger than the problem. Some of the Christian protesters were armed with Bibles, and often held hands to pray together.

And eventually they won the victory as the extradition law was suspended and then finally scrapped.

In the midst of difficulties, praise can confront and bring down any enemy, no matter how formidable.

Praise is a spiritual medium through which we transfer our battles to God: Praise has the capacity to crush our toughest and roughest battles in life. Some of the toughest battles in scriptures were won by praise. For instance the walls of Jericho came down at the blast of the trumpet and the shout of praise (Joshua 6) and through praise God took over the battle of Judah, set an ambush for their enemies and gave them total victory (2 Chronicles 20)

When confronted by trials or challenges bigger than you, switching to praise is one way of engaging the help of God.  Praise is a platform through which God intervenes in our affairs. Indeed through praise, we prevail where others travail.

God is in our praises because He inhabits the praises of His people (Psalm 22:3). The presence of God that dwelt with the Israelites was the factor that ensured their successful entry into the Promised Land, despite all the bigger nations that opposed them.

Whatever may seem too big for you today, God can handle it. Instead of fretting or worrying, just keep looking unto Jesus, keep looking to God’s Word and keep your switch of praise turned on. By doing so, you are inviting God to take over your battle. And when  God’s Presence is engaged through praise, He will arise to scatter all your enemies and give you the total victory.

PRAYER: Lord, please arise for me, so that every enemy confronting me today will be scattered. I thank You Lord that through the mighty manifestation of Your power in my life, my victory is guaranteed in every battle in Jesus Name.

Quote :

The tests you are going through in life today is not for your destruction, it is for your testimony. – WORDBITE 222

Romans 8: 28  –“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

DAILY READING     John 17; 2 Chronicles 25; Psalm 82

Antonis Mavropoulos  was the only passenger that missed the Ethiopian Airlines plane that crashed in Addis Ababa on March 10, 2019.  Mavropoulos, who is president of the non-profit International Solid Waste Association, said he was initially angry at the airport staff for not helping him to get into the plane on time.

He had arrived at the airport through a 30 minute connection flight. However, his connection ambassador, who was supposed to assist him and take him to his next flight in the Ethiopian Airline plane, did not come on time. And so Mr. Mavropoulos was forced to carry his luggage all by himself, which delayed him and made him to arrive two minutes late at the boarding gate. By this time the gate was already closed. In anger and despair, he watched the last passengers hurrying down the corridor to enter the plane. He screamed to the airport staff to allow him board, but they wouldn’t let him pass.

Mr Mavropoulos was then placed on the next flight to Nairobi. Feeling angry and frustrated, he sat waiting in the airport lounge. However, few minutes later the news filtered into the airport that the Boeing plane to Nairobi had crashed six minutes after taking off killing all 157 people on board.

Mavropoulos was of course shocked. And his attitude immediately changed to gratitude, as he now realized how he had missed death by only 2 minutes! Miraculously, through what looked like a delay, God had saved him from boarding the crashed plane.

Many times when we feel bad over what may look like a delay or set back, we may never know what God could have saved us from. Often, what may look like a disappointing situation could be God steering you away from evil and orchestrating your steps to a destined place. As human beings we are grossly limited in our knowledge of the future. But though we may not know tomorrow, when we trust the God who knows tomorrow, He will always direct our steps.

Proverbs 16:9 says, “In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps” (NIV).

In Romans 15:24 Apostle Paul spoke about his plan to travel to Spain to visit the brethren, however he never got to Spain, but rather ended up in the prison in Rome. This seemed clearly to be a disappointment, but then it turned out to be a divine appointment, because it was from the prison that he wrote the epistles.

What often looks like a disappointment could actually be God’s appointment!

Many of us had great plans for this year, but then it suddenly seems as if the global pandemic has changed all of that.  But then have you also considered that the season of isolation, could actually be a season of separation, in which believers are to spiritually prepare for what could be coming next upon the earth?

When you put your trust in God, you can be sure He is at work in whatever situation you go through. That setback or disappointment that seems like it’s working against you, God knows how to turn it around for your good. When you face adversity, you need to remind yourself that whatever is trying to defeat you could very well be what God will use to promote you.

When you live a life wholly sold out to God, you will be confident that He is always at work in your life. The Bible says that the steps of a good man are ordered by The Lord. When you trust that your life and times are in God’s hands, then you will be at rest knowing that He is in total control of all your affairs. .

Learn to trust God’s timing, even when you may think He’s not working, behind the scenes, God is arranging all the pieces to work together for your good..

And this is why in every trial we count it all joy. No matter what has happened in your life, no matter the disappointments, keep thanking God for everything. Keep praising Him in every situation. Believe it is all working out for your good. Though you may not see how now, but as you keep blessing God at all times and give Him thanks in everything, you will see every disappointment turn into a blessing for you.

PRAYER; Lord, thank You for turning every disappointment to a blessing in my life. No matter what situations I go through, I know it is working out for my good because You always have bigger and better plans for me in Jesus name.

Quote

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

Psalm 110:1 -2 ‘The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.  The LORD shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion: rule thou in the midst of thine enemies.’

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

Some stories of Israel’s survival sound too incredible to be true. But they are only testimonies of God’s miracles in the midst of His people.  The documentary series ‘”Against All Odds: In Search of a Miracle‘ is a 13 part dramatic television series, that takes a fascinating journey into the documented stories of supernatural phenomenon, which birthed and preserved modern Israel. These include eyewitness accounts and commentary by high ranking government officials, generals, soldiers and foreign leaders.

One very incredible case of such miracles happened during the Six Day War, when Israel needed to retake the Egyptians’ heavily fortified Kusseima outpost.

While the Egyptian soldiers at this outpost were well equipped and capable of a great counterattack, the Israeli soldiers were weary from a full day of battle. However, as the Israeli Defence Forces drew near, they heard massive explosions. When they arrived they saw that the Egyptians had destroyed their own equipment and abandoned the base, for no apparent reason!

As the day continued, it became clear that the Egyptians were hastily abandoning many of their outposts and their supplies along with them. The Israelis later found out that the reason for this hasty departure of the Egyptian soldiers was a mysterious report of the battle. It was said that when Egyptian soldiers were  approaching the Israeli border, they saw a gigantic hand come out from the sky.  Immediately terrified, they began to run away, after witnessing this supernatural phenomenon.

These stories as incredible as they seem have been collaborated and documented. Indeed the survival and existence of Israel is a living proof that if God be for you nobody can be against you.

It didn’t matter how many times enemies tried to destroy the Jewish people, they have only kept rising stronger and thriving greater.

Indeed it is God’s will for His children to dominate, and rule in the midst of their enemies.

Psalm 110:1 – 2 says ‘The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.  The LORD shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion: rule thou in the midst of thine enemies.’

We have to understand that, as a Church, we are now in the era of dominion. According to God’s endtime agenda, Kingdom dominion is the portion of every child of God. You are to dominate your world. You are to be the head and not the tail, above only and never beneath. You are to take the lead, while others follow. That is your heritage. Because you are born of God, you are born to overcome.

It is indeed time for our enemies to be made our footstool. The world and the wickedness thereof shall be subdued. But you cannot dominate without being empowered. The kingdom of God speaks in power not just in word.  It is the power content at work in your life that makes you to dominate.  It is the level you operate in that will authenticate the level of dominion you can manifest.

It is therefore time to go for Power. And power is encountered through prayer and in-depth study of The Word of God and a lifestyle of praise.

In this season, with all the things happening in the world right now, you cannot afford to be a spiritual weakling. You cannot afford to be victim to fear over the global pandemic, or suffer any affliction of these end-times. Understand that God is on your side and He is able with supernatural signs and wonders to deliver you from every enemy.

Therefore determine to experience the dominion apportioned to you by God in this season. Determine to rule over afflictions and diseases and over every evil agenda of the wicked. Indeed through Christ you are more than a conqueror in every battle.

PRAYER: Father,. I know it is Your will and plan for me to live in dominion and victory. I thank You Lord, that by Your Power I am indeed ruling in the midst of my enemies in Jesus Name.

QUOTE :

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

Psalms 27:5 “For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock.’

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

In 2018, Russia’s Ministry of Emergency Situations, said that in the event of World War3 and a nuclear attack on Moscow, they had enough space in underground facilities for all of their population. While this is a very bold claim, Moscow is famous for the massive amount of bunkers it has available for Civil Defense and the military.

Years ago this information was kept top secret by Moscow, but now details for these bunkers are public knowledge, and there are even documents describing the minimum specifications.

Some of these giant bunkers underneath Moscow, are designed as places where the rich can live underground for months after a nuclear attack. Highly effective life-support systems may permit independent operations for many months following a nuclear attack.

A deep underground facility at the Kremlin and an enormous underground leadership bunker adjacent to Moscow State University are intended for the national command authority in wartime

Some of these enormous bunkers go as deep as 985 feet underground and can house thousands of people in the case of nuclear Armageddon.

However, Russia is not the only one, other western countries  are also preparing against nuclear war by building massive underground bunkers, where they can hide.

Now it is interesting to note what the bible says in Revelation 6:15-17, ‘ And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains;’

So even before these projects came into existence, the Word of God had predicted it. However from what we can understand from the book of revelations, none of this man-made structures can save humanity in the end.

Man’s salvation is not in building structures, but in building a lasting relationship with Jesus Christ. So while they make plans to hide in bunkers, let us decide to hide deeper in the rock of ages, the ark of safety, called Christ. His Presence is the only hiding place from trouble.

Psalms 27:5  says “For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock.’

Jesus is the ark that will deliver men from the wrath of the last days, just as Noah’s ark provided deliverance from the flood,.

In Mathew 24: 7, Jesus was speaking to His disciples telling them what would take place in the world to indicate that the end is near.

He said ‘for nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against, and there shall be famines and pestilences and earthquakes in diverse places.’

These signs are coming to pass everyday across the globe. And currently the coronavirus pandemic is a clear fulfillment of Jesus’ prediction of pestilence in the last days.

And for us, this is the time to go deeper in our relationship with Christ. During the time of Noah things seemed normal until the last moment. So it is now. However, we need to understand that things are gradually coming to a climax and God is calling us, as He called people in the days of Noah, to run into the ark now.

It is no longer Christianity as usual. There must be an urgency now to our pace. It is time therefore for us to sit up and begin to run the race before us, knowing that one day we will be asked to give account.  And more than ever before let us seek to know God personally for ourselves, because intimate knowledge of God is what will grant us access to His eternal kingdom. Whatever we do, wherever we go, let us  always keep our relationship with God as top priority.

So while nations build bunkers where to hide, Let us build an ark that will last; which a deep intimate love relationship with Christ. Indeed hiding ourselves in the depth of God’s love is what will guarantee us safety in these end-times and save us from the wrath to come.

PRAYER:  Lord, please help me to seek a deeper, more intimate relationship with You through spending time in Your Word, worship and in prayers. Please help me to always obey Your commandments so that I can qualify for Your everlasting Kingdom in Jesus Name.

Quote

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

Psalm 103:1-2 ‘Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits.’

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

There are so many things we ought to be grateful to God for. One of these is the fact that we at least have access to certain basic amenities. While that may sound menial, there are people in the world today, who consider having their basic needs met as a miracle.

In 2019, Yemen was declared the country with the worst humanitarian crisis in the world. Again this year, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) after its assessment, placed Yemen as number one on its list of countries at greatest risk of a humanitarian crisis in 2020.

According to a UN estimate made in February 2019, The Yemeni prolonged Civil War has left an estimated 24 million people in need of assistance and protection. That’s nearly 80% of the country’s population. 20 million people are food-insecure, 19.7 million are unable to get adequate healthcare, 17.8 million lack access to safe water. In 2018, this led to a cholera outbreak in the country that affected hundreds of thousands of Yemenis, especially children.

Violence is historically common in Yemen, it escalated sharply in March 2015 and resulted ultimately in the civil war that has left 3.6 million citizens of Yemen displaced. This has led to food insecurity, attacks against civilians, and political infighting. The conflict has grossly destabilized the country, and created extreme levels of need and severely limited access to humanitarian assistance. Basic services such as healthcare and sanitation and access to clean water have shut down. The war has also destroyed the country’s infrastructure, and put the economy on the verge of collapse.

Today, for many people in Yemen, their prayer is just to have food to eat and clean water to drink. However for many of us, those are things we daily take for granted.

It is often said you don’t appreciate what you have until you lose it. If any of us were to live in a place like Yemen for a few months, we will probably come back with a new appreciation for the basic amenities of life God daily makes available to us. This is the same reason why people who have near death experiences often return with a new appreciation for life.

But we don’t have to wait to be in dire situations, before we can begin to appreciate God for all the benefits, He daily loads us with.

Psalm 103:1-2 says ‘Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits.’

Indeed there are so many things we ought to be grateful to God for. While we may not yet be where we desire to be in life, let us be content with where we already are, trusting God to lift us in due season. Life is a marathon and not a 100 meter dash. Let us therefore keep thanking God every inch of the journey, and appreciate Him for His blessings in each season.

Yes, life may have thrown you some curves this year; things may not have turned out the way you planned it and you may have gone through some trying times. But whatever you may have lost, thank God, you didn’t lose your mind. You are still here! And you still have breath. And the Bible says ‘Let everything that has breath praise The Lord.’ [Psalm 150:6]

Indeed thanksgiving is a debt we owe God, it is not optional. Thanksgiving is important because it adjusts our attitude and calibrates our hearts so that we stop complaining and rather begin to appreciate God. Indeed God has been good to us. If it had not been for The Lord on our side, especially in this season, where would we be? Let us therefore bless Him at all times. And as we keep thanking Him for His Hand in our lives, He will surely reveal His great and mighty arm to us.

PRAYER: Lord I am truly grateful for all Your blessings and benefits in my life. Please help me to never take Your goodness for granted. May Your praise continually flow from my lips at all times in Jesus Name.

QUOTE

When you praise God despite your situation power is released for a raise. – WORDBITE 222

1 Thessalonians 5:18 ‘In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you…’

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

James Cash Penney was the son of the Pastor of a small Baptist church in Hamilton, Missouri. He learned very early about business from his father, and already by age eight, James was earning money of his own.

However, James was rudely shocked when his father was dismissed from the Church where he served, simply for wanting to start a Sunday school, which many people in the congregation had kicked against. That experience disillusioned young James and made him turn his back on the organized church.

He worked hard and tried to become rich without relying on God’s help. He started his chain of stores in 1902 and was soon relatively wealthy by the standards of the day. But then unexpectedly tragedy struck!

The stock market of 1929 crashed, leaving him in total financial ruins. He lost everything and even lost his health. In deep depression he began contemplating suicide. However, he got admitted into a sanitarium in order to get medical attention. While there, one night his health was so bad he thought he would surely die before the morning, but miraculously, in the morning he woke up alive. And then he heard people singing the hymn ‘God will take care of you’.

James got up and followed the sound, until he came to the hospital’s chapel filled with worshiping doctors and nurses. And when someone read a Scripture passage: “Come unto me all you that are heavy laden, and I will give you rest,” James knew God was speaking to him. And there and then he handed over his life back to God. He realized that all his human efforts without God had come to nothing. This marked the turning point for him. Soon his health was fully restored and his business not only became successful again but exceeded his wildest dreams. Today, J.C Penny stores is an international chain of departmental stores which grosses billions of dollars in income annually, and is regarded as one of the greatest store chains in the world. And according to its founder, James C. Penney, his life and success has simply been a product of God’s grace.

1 Thessalonians 5:18 says ‘In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you…’

The truth is that whatever we achieve in life is only because of God’s grace. That is why in everything we give Him thanks. It doesn’t matter how hard a man works, without God’s grace all his efforts will eventually come to nothing. Because except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it and except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.[Psalm 127:1]

No matter your expertise, hard work or educational qualification, you will be bankrupt if you don’t bank on God’s grace. Our greatness is tied to the grace of God at work in our lives. All our human efforts can only take us to a limited point in life, but the grace of God will take us to the highest points.

And this is why we do not fret or become anxious, rather we rejoice in Christ knowing that He is able to take care of us. Whatever comes our way, we count it all joy knowing that God is in full control of our lives.

Without God’s grace, we can’t go far. This is why we must remain grateful. It is not by power nor by might, but by The Spirit of God. Indeed our help is only in the name of The Lord. He is the Doer of every good thing in our lives. And this is why we bless Him always. Indeed God is worthy of our every praise.

If challenges come, see them as opportunities to praise God, because challenges are often indicators that you are about to move to a new level. So bless God because He is about to raise you. Always know that God is too faithful to allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able to handle. And when you praise Him even in the face of adversity, surely He will turn every mourning into dancing for you.

PRAYER; Lord please grant me the grace to always rejoice in every situation. I thank You Lord for giving me the strength to always overcome discouragement. Indeed by Your grace, I am a winner in every battle in Jesus Name.

QUOTE

Praise always guarantees you power for a raise, learning to praise God in season and out of season is key to fulfilling destiny. – WORDBITE 222