HORM Devotional

Psalm 34:1 ‘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.’

DAILY READING      – – Matthew 22:23-46; Numbers 22:1-40; Song of Solomon 2:8-3:5

We don’t have to wait until it is too late before we begin to pray or praise God. We should not wait until trouble strikes before we begin to rush emergency pleas to heaven. War is prepared for in the time of peace and we should always be prepared against the day of trouble.  If you wait until the battle comes then you may have waited too long. This fact is illustrated in the following popular thanksgiving story: Two men were walking through a field one day when they spotted an enraged bull. Instantly they darted toward the nearest fence. The storming bull followed in hot pursuit, and it was soon apparent they wouldn’t make it. Terrified, the one shouted to the other, “Put up a prayer, John. We’re in for it!” John answered, “I can’t. I’ve never made a public prayer in my life.” “But you must!” implored his companion. “The bull is catching up to us.” “All right,” panted John, “I’ll say the only prayer I know, the one my father used to repeat at the table, which is ‘O Lord, for what we are about to receive, make us truly thankful.'”

Obviously these two young men had neglected prayer and thanksgiving until an emergency situation arose.  And they ended up saying a prayer inappropriate for the situation.

Thanksgiving ought to be our daily lifestyle. We need to thank God for everything and at all times. We should not wait for emergencies before we realize we need to pray and be thankful. We need God every minute and every hour to survive on earth. T.V Programs such as ‘one thousand ways to die’, make us understand how easy it could be to die, and how harmless everyday items could turn into deadly instruments. In other words, there is really no place in this world you could say you are safe, if The Lord does not protect you..

This supports what the scriptures say that safety is from the Lord. Indeed if it had not been for the Lord on our side where would we be? It is truly of The Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed. When we recall the goodness of The Lord and all He does for us, then we truly should be grateful. Thanksgiving should be on our lips at all times.

Psalm 34:1 says ‘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.’

We do not have to wait before something major happens before we remember to pray or give thanks. Life itself is a daily miracle. And we constantly owe God thanks for His many mercies. Indeed God is always good, all the time.

Glorifying God in all things should be our first priority. In every situation our first focus should always be to let God take the glory. And as we praise Him, He takes care of all that concerns us. Indeed when praise becomes your life style, triumph becomes your heritage.  On the  highway of praise, you only keep going  from triumph to triumph, and from victory to victory! Everything keeps going well for you. This is because through praise we enlist in the tribe of Judah, the tribe of praise. And so we become part of the company of those that must be praised by others. This heritage is part of the blessings bestowed upon Judah by Jacob in Genesis.49:8-12. So those who belong to the tribe of Judah have a heritage of triumphs, outstanding results and undeniable breakthroughs.

Through Praise we experience a miraculous lifestyle.. This is because God inhabits the praises of His people. And wherever God is, miracles abound. Let us therefore always focus on giving glory to God at all times. That way, we can only keep going from victory to victory and glory to glory.

PRAYER: Lord, I thank You because You are always good and faithful, no matter what happens around me. I know even now You are working out my miracle. .  Please grant me the grace to always give You worthy praise in every situation in Jesus Name. .

QUOTE

Your attitude always determines t your altitude in life. -WORDBITE 222.

Matthew 21:44
‘And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.’

DAILY READING: Matthew 22:1-22; Numbers 21; Song of Solomon 1:1-2:7

Scientists say there are times when “bad weather” becomes necessary to stimulate growth in some seeds. This is because the hard shells that cover these seeds keep out water, causing them to lie dormant on the sand for several seasons without germinating.
Therefore, there is need for the seeds to be damaged and broken by a storm so that they can absorb water that will enable them to germinate.

When heavy rains come, these little seeds are carried away in a flash flood. As they rush down the slopes carried by rainwater, they are banged against sand, gravel, and rocks. Being knocked about causes nicks and scratches in these seeds. Eventually they are dumped by the rainwater in a low area where the soil has become damp. Because of the scratches they sustained in their downhill plunge, they are now able to absorb moisture; and through the water they absorb, they are able to begin to germinate and grow.

Likewise spiritually, we need to be broken before we can grow or make progress in life.
To be broken means to come to the place where we see ourselves as truly helpless without God. It is God that works in us both to will and to do of His good pleasure, and we need Him at work in us in order to make progress in life.

Indeed, without Him we can do nothing.
Through the entrance of His Word, God works in us, empowering us to do exploits. When God’s Word enters us, we receive strength for forward movement. And we cannot absorb the water of God’s Word except we become humble and broken. As long as we think ourselves self-sufficient we remain hardened, dormant, and stagnant, without making any true progress in life.

This is why sometimes, God allows us pass through great storms so as to break us and bring us to that place of utter dependence on Him. We can only become great through God’s grace.

In 1 Corinthians 15:10 Apostle Paul says, ‘But by the grace of God I am what I am.’ Indeed, every story of greatness is rooted in God’s grace, and we connect to grace through God’s Word. The Word of God is what provides us strength and stamina for the race of life. The force of faith in the Word is what moves men forward. Therefore, you need to feed constantly on God’s Word to be empowered to fulfill your destiny. .

If you have faced stagnation or lack of growth in any area of your life this year, it is time to connect to God’s Word for a forceful turnaround of the situation. The power in the Word will push you forward and break every barrier resisting your progress. Indeed, God’s Word is able to break and crush to powder every opposition in our way.

Matthew 21:44 says, ‘And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.’ God’s Word is indeed power-packed. The Word is light that shatters all gang-ups of the powers of darkness.

John 1:5 says, ‘And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.’ And as we feed on the Word, we are feeding on the divine nature that enables us to become more like Christ and puts us in command of the supernatural.

As we begin to engage the power of God’s Word today, our desired turnaround shall be delivered to us in Jesus’ Name. Indeed, when we are empowered by the Word, we become truly unstoppable.

PRAYER
Lord, please help me to always diligently study Your Word so that I can receive strength for supernatural progress. Thank You for destroying every form of stagnation in my life. Indeed, I am moving forward in every area of my life in Jesus’ Name.

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

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

DAILY READING Matthew 21:28-46; Numbers 19-20; Ecclesiastes 11:9-12:14

In 2014, the Islamic State (ISIS), in a sudden wave of terror, launched a genocide against the Yazidi community in Sinjar, northern Iraq. Members of the Yazidi community became their target mostly becuase they were Christians. During the ISIS invasion, most of the men were executed and thousands of women and children were transported to ISIS slave markets. These women and girls became doomed to odysseys of violence, slavery, and abuse – being sold again and again to different ISIS fighters. In cities such as Mosul and Raqqa which were the strongholds of ISIS, there were systematic slave markets where these women were sold off. A report from the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) said that some 5,000 Yazidi women were sold into slavery during this period. For many of those held in slavery, there was little hope of escape and they were subjected to all manner of atrocities. However in response, some humanitarian groups began to emerge who took it upon themselves, at great risk, to begin to work towards the rescue of those held in slavery. One of these groups is The Liberation of Christian & Yazidi Children of Iraq [CYCI].

CYCI is run by Steve Maman, a Jewish Canadian businessman who became passionate about securing the freedom of these enslaved Yazidi Christian women. According to an interview he granted to The Jerusalem Post, Steve Maman said he stumbled across the plight of Yazidi women during his business trip to Iraq. After an Anglican priest enlightened him on the pitiable plight of these ISIS slaves, Maman then formed the charity organization, CYCI, which was able to raise more than $500,000 to buy back the freedom of more than 120 enslaved women and girls. Money “refunds” were made to slave owners for their release.

It is indeed disheartening that the evil of slavery, could still exist in this modern times.But thank God for these organizations which work tirelessly to rescue those in bondage. Through paying money to slave owners,  they are able to free many from the shackles of slavery to once again live as free citizens.

Spiritually also, many of us were in the same state of bondage and slavery. But when we were without hope, Christ came and paid the ultimate price of His precious blood to set us free.

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

The word “redemption” means “the act or process of buying back.” The blood of Jesus is the cost of our redemption. Jesus paid the price for us to be free from the shackles of spiritual enslavement. Through the blood of Jesus we are truly set free from every form of suffering, shame and reproach of slavery.

Zechariah 9:11 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.’

By the blood we have been brought out of every pit of imprisonment. Spiritually, every affliction is a type of imprisonment. Disease, infirmity, poverty, sin, etc., are all demonic bondages that hold people in spiritual slavery. This was reflected in Luke 13:16 when Jesus said: ‘And ought not this woman…whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond?’

It is Jesus’ desire to loose us from every bondage of the enemy. By His blood, ‘Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us, that the blessing of Abraham might come upon us’ (Galatians 3:14).

While Jesus was being beaten and later hung on the cross, our freedom was being paid for and the curses on our lives were being averted. Therefore today we have a comprehensive redemption in Christ and as long as you serve The Lord, you are entitled to total liberty.  However it takes knowledge of the truth to walk in freedom.

John 8:32 says: ‘And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free’. Lack of spiritual knowledge is what keeps men in captivity. If you remain a babe in knowledge, you run the risk of spiritual enslavement. Galatians 4:1-2 says that a child is no better than a slave because he remains under governors and tutors until he is able to grow up and take charge. There is, therefore, a need for us to grow in knowledge of God’s Word to establish our freedom.

Hebrews 4:12 says God’s Word is quick and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword. God’s Word is able to cut away all shackles of slavery in our lives. Indeed when you know the truth, you shall be set free; and whosoever the Son of God has made free is truly free indeed (John 8:36).

PRAYER

Lord, thank You for the redemption I have through the shed blood of Jesus. Please enable me to drop every slavery mentality and walk every day in the full consciousness of my redemption and victory 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.

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: Matthew 20:17-34; Numbers 15-16; Ecclesiastes 9:13-10:20

In 1919, in the center of enterprise, Alabama, was erected a marble sculpture of a woman carrying a bowl with an enormous boll weevil on it. It is quite interesting that the people of Alabama had a monument honoring the boll weevil when, in truth, it is the most destructive pest in American history. The plaque in front of the monument reads, “In profound appreciation of the boll weevil and what it has done as the herald of prosperity.”
However for the people of Alabama, this pest, which almost destroyed their cotton industry, forced them to begin to plant an alternative crop that eventually brought them great prosperity.

By 1909, the weevil had almost destroyed cotton, which was their main cash crop. After losing the battle to control the insect, farmers then began to look for other crops that would not be eaten by the boll weevil. One of the few crops that could tolerate those conditions was peanuts. In 1916, when a farmer, Mr. Baston, planted his entire crop in peanuts, that year he earned $8,000 from his new crop, paid up his debts accumulated over previous years, and still had money left over.

Word of Baston’s success spread quickly. Farmers who had once scorned the idea of growing anything other than cotton jumped on the peanut train, and by 1917 regional farmers produced over 1 million bushels of peanuts that sold for more than $5 million. This new crop brought prosperity like nothing they had ever seen. They made more money in a few months off peanuts than they normally made the whole year off cotton crops. Soon Alabama became the largest producer of peanuts in the country, and shortly thereafter became the first in the region to produce peanut oil. Peanut brought so much prosperity that when the boll weevils finally left, the farmers never went back to planting cotton; they stuck with peanuts. It was really thanks to the boll weevil that they diversified and prospered, which is why the town erected a statue of the pest.

God can sometimes use things that are trying to push you down to push you up. If you don’t understand this principle, you’ll often get discouraged by negative circumstances that pop up on your path. The opposition isn’t meant to stop you; it is meant to establish you; and when you overcome it, you will step into a new level of your destiny.

Many times God will use negative situations to catapult you to success. Sometimes when God wants to promote you, He will cause a Goliath, Pharaoh or Judas to turn up in your path. But always understand that these people and situations trying to stop you cannot keep you from your destiny; God alone has the final say over your life. God has only strategically placed those Goliaths and Judases to serve His purpose in your life.

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.’
Indeed, God will make your enemies your footstool. This means that situations and people trying to push you down will be footstools that will be used to lift you up to greater heights. Their persecution, betrayals, and disappointments will eventually serve as the steps to your next level.

While there are divine connections lined up for you, also lined up are Goliaths that are ordained to push you into your greater destiny. And sometimes what you think is a setback is really God setting you up to do something new. Though they might have mocked you or walked away, they didn’t set you back; rather, they set you up for the fullness of your destiny.

The truth is that our greatest potentials are often developed through adversity. Sometimes those critics are there to help you grow and mature spiritually. If God removed some of the opposition, we would never reach our highest potentials. If some of your critics had not been against you, you would not have prayed so hard. If they hadn’t made fun of you and said you didn’t have what it took to succeed, you might have become complacent and ended up mediocre.

Now it is true that we often face these oppositions; however, a heart of gratitude is our fastest escape out of every negative situation. When you are grateful, you wouldn’t need to fight to win your battles because God takes your place in battle while you just watch. Gratitude is a spiritual force that empowers us to scale great heights. Indeed, it is your gratitude that determines your altitude in life. And as we remain grateful and praise-full this season, God will make every enemy our footstool and cause the earth to yield her increase to us in Jesus’ Name.

PRAYER
Lord, help me to be always full of gratitude, no matter the oppositions I may sometimes face. I know indeed that as I remain grateful to You, You shall fight my battles and cause the earth to yield its increase to me in Jesus’ Name.

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

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

DAILY READING: Matthew 20:1-16; Numbers 13-14; Ecclesiastes 9:1-12

In 1987, the story of Terry Waite dominated global newspaper headlines. While working as a hostage negotiator for the Archbishop of Canterbury, Waite travelled to Lebanon to negotiate the release of hostages there. However, while in Beirut, Waite himself was suddenly taken captive by the terrorists he had gone to negotiate with. He would spend almost five years in captivity, four of which were in solitary confinement.

During his incarceration, he was blindfolded, beaten, and subjected to mock executions. He lived much of the time chained to a wall in a room without natural light.

Through long, lonely days and nights, he was unsure that his life would be spared. Nevertheless, every morning he offered a prayer of thanksgiving to God for His manifold mercies so abundantly bestowed upon him. Despite the situation, he chose to give God thanks in all things. And miraculously, God preserved his life and he was finally released in 1991. Reflecting on his time in captivity, Waite told the media that his faith in God gave him the strength to persevere during this terrible ordeal.

Today, Terry Waite is the co-founder of Hostage UK, an organization that provides support to those taken hostage and their families. And he has captured his story in a book titled, ‘Taken on Trust’.

In Acts 16:25, Paul and Silas were held in prison, and instead of murmuring and complaining they chose to give thanks to God. And as they praised, God came down and delivered them from their captivity.

1 Thessalonians 5:18 says, ‘In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.’

We have to learn to be thankful to God in every situation. The truth is that tests and trials come to everyone. In Mathew 5:11-12 Jesus said, ‘Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for My sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.’

Here Jesus is asking us to ‘rejoice and be exceeding glad’ even in the face of trials. Despite the circumstances of life, we are to rejoice in God. We are to delight ourselves in God and His Word and not fret over situations. We are to rejoice in God’s goodness, mercy, and abounding grace. The truth is that harvest is not in view until our praises rise up to God. Indeed, it takes high praises to access our high places. And until we decide to give God His place, we are not qualified for our place.

Habakkuk 3:17–18 encourages us to rejoice despite how bleak things may sometimes look. Our attitude of gratitude will enhance our altitude. Indeed, if we are thoughtful, we will be thankful.  No matter what you may be confronted with today, for the fact that you are still breathing, you owe God thanks. Someone may be worried about the things not yet accomplished as this year comes to an end. Perhaps you are worried about your finances, getting married, having children, education, business, career, etc, but then, it is only because you are alive and have sound mental health that you can even think about those things.

We should align our priorities properly. Therefore instead of worrying or complaining, we should be thankful to God who has preserved us all year long and given us abundant life.

Ecclesiastes 9:4 says, ‘For to him that is joined to all the living there is hope: for a living dog is better than a dead lion.’

Indeed, as long as you are in the game of life there is hope for you, and this is why we should remain praise-full.  Psalm 150:6 says, ‘Let everything that hath breath praise the LORD.’
We are commanded to give God praise as long as we have breath, because even the life that we have belongs to Him. Giving thanks to God is the way to our miracles. Thanksgiving will bring any man out of the grave of poverty, barrenness, stagnation, sickness, lack and want. It was thanksgiving that brought Lazarus out of his grave. In John 11:41-44, when Jesus gave thanks to God for hearing Him, God caused Lazarus to come out of the grave. And today as we engage the sickle of praise, whatever things may seem dead in your health, business or career are suddenly jerking back to life. As you begin to praise, every area of dryness will suddenly burst forth into fruitfulness. Indeed, as we align with God’s will by giving Him thanks at all times, then the earth will yield her increase to us and God will bless us. (Psalm 67:5-7)

PRAYER: Lord, I am indeed grateful and thankful for all the amazing things You have done in my life this year and in previous years. Thank You, precious Lord, for Your continual faithfulness to me, 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

HABAKKUK 3:17-19  ‘Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield now meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: yet I will rejoice in the lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation. the joy of the  Lord God is my strength,…

DAILY READING – Matthew 19:16-30; Numbers 11-12; Ecclesiastes 8

As the year rounds up, the echo of different News Headlines can be heard from around the world.  Unfortunately many of these headlines are negative. For instance of the 13 major global headlines in November 2019, all of them were mostly negative news. From political clashes in Ethiopia that has claimed many lives, to  escalation of protests in places like Iraq,  Hong Kong  and Colombia; to spates of hate killings and even Internet Blackout in Iran; are all negative news. This is perhaps a mirror of the increasingly confusing state of the world. Apart from these major headlines there has also been several unfortunate  international incidences of terrorist attacks, kidnappings , mass shootings etc,

While these may be taking place in the world, on the contrary most of us as believers  can testify that God has been good to us this year.  Indeed it seems while darkness  prevailed in Egypt, we as God’s people in Goshen , have been dwelling in the light. Somehow God has preserved us from evil and blessed us on every side. 2019 may have not been perfect, we may have seen some tough times,  but still, we can’t deny that indeed God has been good to us. Whatever we may have lost, we have not lost our lives or lost our minds. We are still in the game of life.  And to him that is joined to the living there is hope.

And this is why as we come into this last month of the year, we must deliberately look back and  say ‘Father thank You’.  And there is so much to thank God for. We thank Him for protection, for provision, guidance, for His grace that endures  and for His help. Indeed if it had not been for The Lord on our side, where would we be?  God has not allowed the year to see the end of us rather we are seeing the end of the year.  Left to the enemy many of us would not be here, but despite all the arrows sent our ways, we have been shielded by God’s grace. Through the Blood of Jesus we have been preserved. And even today, concerning us, that precious blood of the lamb continues to speak ‘Passover’ to every evil. Indeed by the Blood our lives are protected in the remaining days of this year and in the years to come in Jesus Name.

Certainly we have every reason to be grateful to God. Therefore, whatever the situation we must maintain our joy. 1 Peter 1:8, tells us to rejoice ‘with joy unspeakable and full of glory.’ Unspeakable joy, is unexplainable joy. It is the joy you can’t explain in natural terms.

Habakkuk 3:17-19 says ‘Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield now meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation. The joy of The  Lord God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds’ feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places.’

Though you may not have seen all your goals fulfilled, there is still every reason to thank God for all His marvelous works.. When you are a thanksgiver, the earth will continually yield its increase to you. Psalm 67:3,7 says ‘Let the people praise thee, O God; let all the people praise thee. Then shall the earth yield her increase; and God, even our own God, shall bless us.’

So no matter the situation today maintain your joy. This Joy is the source of your rising to your high places and still seeing even greater goodness before the year finally rounds up. Depression or lack of joy can stop you from getting to your destined place. The harvest fails when joy is withered away from the sons of men. [Joel 1;12]. Therefore, ensure you remain thankful, praise-full and joyful in this new month. If the devil steals your joy, he has stolen your strength. But as we begin to engage the mystery of joy, we will move up to our high places. Only the joyful become fruitful, because Joy secures for us divine Presence which causes us to win all the time.

PRAYER: Lord, please help me to remain joyful and keep praising You in the remaining days of this year. No matter the situation, let nothing ever stop the continual flow of your praise from my mouth. As I praise You, I know indeed that I must surely ride upon my high places 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.

2Corinthians 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 – – Matthew 19:1-15; Numbers 9-10; Ecclesiastes 7

Athletes train vigorously for years in preparation for the Olympics. Though they seem to perform with effortless grace, their success is only as a result of grueling hard work. Just to run a 10-second race, a runner would train for at least four years!

Studies have shown that the average Olympian needs to train four hours a day, at least 310 days a year for six years before succeeding. The four years before an Olympics, divers probably practice each of their dives 3,000 times. A gymnastic would probably have done every flip in their gymnastics routine at least 20,000 times, and a runner may have  completed more than 240,000 laps on the tracks. Swimmers train an average of 10 miles a day, at speeds of 5 mph in the pool. Marathon runners average 160 miles a week at 10 mph.

Getting better begins with working out every day. By 7:a.m. most athletes have done more than many people do all day. How well an athlete performs depends on how well he has trained. The better-trained athlete can generally outperform the one who did not give a serious effort to training.

In the days of Apostle Paul, the Isthmian games in Corinth were like the Olympics of today. And this is what Paul refers to in 1 Corinthians 9:24-25 when he said “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.”

Paul used this earthly games to demonstrate a spiritual truth.

Indeed life is a race, and  God will award His “gold medals” to those who have run faithfully. We are all in a race of destiny.

In Genesis 1:26-28, God created man in His image and entrusted him with a glorious destiny to dominate, rule and reign on the earth. Though Adam failed, yet through the victory of Christ, we are restored to reign as the sons of God on earth.

Our goal in this race is to be Christ-like. And for us to fully manifest as sons of God we must be guided and trained by The Holy Spirit. Because as many as are led by The Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

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’

The Spirit of God trains us daily to conform to the image of Christ so as to manifest His glory.

Through training the treasures God imbedded in us are made manifest for the world to see. The account of David in the cave of Abdullam paints a graphic picture of the benefits of training in the life of any man. We saw how David gathered riffraffs under his tutelage and they became the mighty men of David. Although, they were basically human trash, training brought out the treasure in them.

It doesn’t matter where you  may be today, as you submit to the training of The Spirit, He will take you from a zero to a hero, from a nobody to a somebody, from a little shot to a big shot.

There is a treasure in you. There is greatness that God has embedded within you, however, it will take The Holy Spirit for it to come into manifestation. You are to rule and reign in the midst of your enemies. You are to be the head and never the tail; above only and never beneath. You are the light to your world, a city set on a hill that cannot be hid.

We have seen that athletes train rigorously to win a medal. In the same way we need to commit to a life of tireless spiritual exercise. More than a gold medal there is a crown of life laid up for us. And if we faint not, surely we will reap in due season.

PRAYER: Lord, please help me to submit daily to the training of The Spirit, as He helps me to live in conformity with Your Word. Please grant me the grace to daily become Christ-like. By Your grace, I will surely win this race and obtain the crown, You have laid up for me in Jesus Name.

QUOTE :

Illuminate your world for you are a star destined to shine. WORDBITE 222.

Philippians 1:6 “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:”

DAILY READING:   Matthew 18:21-35; Numbers 7-8; Ecclesiastes 6

In his youth, Tyler Perry was poor, abused, homeless, and suicidal. However, in 20 years, the actor, writer, and producer went from living in a car to living in a Beverly Hills mansion. Today, he’s worth at least $400 million  and credits all of his success to God. How he made the leap from poverty to fortune is a testament to God’s grace.

His life got off to a rocky start. One of four children, he grew up poor in a house in New Orleans. As a young boy, he suffered abuse severally from people around him. Perry even attempted suicide as a teenager. However in the midst of his pain, he found God and continued to hold on to Him. In 1991, he heard something on Television that encouraged him to start writing. Perry put pen to paper and filled a journal with letters to himself, writing down his feelings of pain and rejection. Those journal entries turned into plays. They grew into his first play, ‘I Know I’ve Been Changed,’ about survivors of child abuse. That script was the start of Perry’s career, but it took years to come to fruition. When he lost all of his money on the show, he had to live on the streets. The play would go on to help make Perry a millionaire. Now his career spans theater, movies, books, television, and a film studio. Perry made it purely by God’s grace. His story shows that with the right mindset, anyone can overcome daunting obstacles to find success. It is not what happens to you that determine how far you go in life, but what you do with what happens to you.

It has been said that great people are ordinary people with extraordinary amounts of determination. Despite the obstacles on their path they persevere by the grace of God, and press on to truly become winners and achievers. Even in the scriptures, we find that most of those greatly used by God were those who first passed through fire.

Joseph, for example, went through slavery and imprisonment before mounting the throne of Egypt. For David, most of his Psalms were written in very difficult times. Apostle Paul wrote most of the Epistles from prisons. Even today, most of the present-day great men and women of faith, have had to pass through various physical and spiritual oppositions. Therefore, today, no matter the  resistance against the fulfilment of God’s word in your life or the delay, do not be discouraged, Keep pressing forward.

Philippians 1:6 “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:”

Indeed God is at work in us, performing His plan and purpose. The believer’s life is an overcomer’s life. It is a life of continually triumphing over challenges and moving from victory to victory. And our victory comes through the faith imparted to our heart by God’s Word. This is why in times of trials, we do not focus on the negative things; rather we focus on Christ Jesus. No matter the trial, we keep ‘looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith.’

Serving God does not mean you will never have challenges; rather, it means that despite the tribulations in the world, through Christ you will always have the victory. You may fear the Lord, be serving Him, and still sometimes find yourself in a difficult situation. Daniel found himself in this kind of situation when thrown into the lions’ den. But then, did his trial change his confession? No! He still believed God, still trusted God through the trial, and God saw him through and gave him victory in the end. Therefore if challenges come, we must learn to hold on to God’s Word to overcome. Even when it seems you cannot see your way, walk by the light imparted to your heart by the Word of God. We do not walk by sight, we walk by faith.  Listen to the voice of The Holy Spirit within you and walk by the instructions He gives. Indeed, they that put their trust in the Lord shall never be ashamed. It doesn’t matter what it may look like now, God will surely see you through. He will make a way for you. He will lift you up. He will turn your mourning into dancing. He will put off your sackcloth and gird you with gladness. He will turn your test into your testimony and put a new song in your mouth. Therefore, keep praising God even in the midst of trials. God will surely come through for you. Despite the roaring of the storm, you will survive, you will thrive. Through it all, God will give you  a resounding testimony.

PRAYER: Lord, please help me to always know that You are at work in my situation. Indeed with You, nothing is impossible. Help me never to limit You in my thinking but to understand that You can do exceedingly above all I could ever ask or imagine, in Jesus’ name.

QUOTE: When God is on your side, anything is possible. – WORDBITE 201

Psalm34:10 “But those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.”’

DAILY READING:  Matthew 18:1-20; Numbers 5-6; Ecclesiastes 5

David Boudia, is one of America’s most heralded young divers. In 2008, at age 19, he qualified for the Olympics in Beijing. He trained obsessively and wholeheartedly, with the hope of winning a gold medal in his first Olympics. However, during the event, he failed miserably, finishing in the 10th position. He did not win a single medal. Disappointed, he cried inconsolably. He felt he had let his country down, disappointed his team, his parents, and everyone who had invested in him. He felt like a complete and utter failure.

After the Olympics, he returned to college, and while battling with depression, he began to pursue a lifestyle of partying. He was drinking heavily by his sophomore year, with his satisfaction always coming from the next drink. But that satisfaction was fleeting, and life began to make less and less sense. One Saturday it all came to a breaking point and he reached out to a Christian friend for help. This friend then introduced him to Jesus, and from that moment David Boudia’s life turned around. After his conversion, as he began to seek God earnestly, his sport became insignificant and unimportant. To him, sports could not be compared to the weighty, eternal matters he was pursuing. And with this new understanding, he began to see diving as a means to bring glory to God rather than for promoting himself.

In 2012, he once again made the Olympic team. This time, however, things were different. He was no longer desperately seeking to win a gold medal. He went to the London Olympics, seeking to honor The Lord, to minister to his teammates and fellow competitors. And with the new focus, God also honored him and enabled him to win a gold medal and a bronze medal.

What made the difference? He had changed the focus of his quest from seeking gold to seeking God. He was no longer seeking glory for himself  but rather seeking to give glory to God. David Boudia’s story is captured in his book ‘Greater Than Gold’, there he tells readers that when they put God first, they receive what they’ve been seeking all along.

Indeed when your focus is bringing glory to God, you will never end up in shame. Pursuing after the heart of God is the secret card for experiencing success in life.

Psalm34:10 says “But those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.”

When we seek God and His kingdom, good things run after us. Indeed what you seek after, determines what seeks after you. And putting God first in all our affairs causes success to come after us. God is not ‘a’ factor for our success, God is ‘the’ factor for our success. The truth is that all the labour of man is futility without God’s input.

Psalm 127:1 says, “Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it.”

Also in John 15:5 Jesus says “Without me you can do nothing “. And in Phil. 4:13 Paul says “I can do all things through Christ which strengthened me”.

Indeed we cannot make a mark in life until God has first put His mark on us. And we will have no effect until He has first affected us. We can never impact our world until God has first impacted us.  God is the maker of men’s destinies, and it is only through following Him that we become made in life (Matt.4:19).

When you put God first, you will never end up as last. And when you advance His kingdom, you’ll never end up at the back. Mighty men are made by the Almighty God. He is the Most High God, and all who are joined to Him end up in the high places of life.

Mathew 6:33 said, “Seek ye first God’s kingdom and His righteousness, and every other thing shall be added unto you”.

Certainly when we seek God first and His kingdom, good things run after us. If you have been experiencing stagnation in any area perhaps you need a change of perspective. If you’ll change your focus today and decide to let God take first place and give Him the glory in all things, He will certainly change your story. And it doesn’t take time, it takes God. Just one touch of His favor is enough to bring you into an overflow of blessings.  Therefore as you evaluate your priorities in these last days of the year, be encouraged to resolve in your heart that you are going to give God first place in everything. And when you give God your best, He’ll take care of the rest. Indeed as you seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, everything else shall be added unto you.’

PRAYER: Father, today I choose to put You first in everything. I indeed acknowledge that without You, I can do nothing. Thank You Lord for having Your way in my life and perfecting all that concerns me in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Quote: The tests you are going through in life today are not for your destruction; they are for your testimony. – WORDBITE 222

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Colossians 2:14  ‘Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross.’

DAILY READING – – Matthew 17; Numbers 3-4; Ecclesiastes 3:16-4:16

It is difficult to retrace with accuracy the path the Cross of Jesus  has taken over the centuries. According to history, after the death of Jesus, the Jews, who were afraid that His disciples would want to retrieve the relics, hastened to make any object involved in the crucifixion disappear. Therefore for many years afterwards, it seemed there was no account of the whereabouts of the cross upon which Jesus was crucified.

However, early in the 4th century, the Roman Emperor Constantine I, became the first emperor to be converted to Christianity. His mother Empress Helena also became a Christian, and at that time began to enquire of the whereabouts of the cross. At the age of 80, she travelled to the Holy Land in 326–328AD, in search of the Cross of Jesus. Historical writings of that time claimed she eventually did find the true cross upon which Jesus was crucified. On finding it, she promptly ordered the building of a church where it was discovered – which she called the Church of the Resurrection. According to Christian tradition, this relic of the cross was well preserved until 614 AD and visited by a multitude of Christians.

Later the cross disappeared into the hands of the Persians. But in 630 AD, Heraclius, the Emperor of the Byzantine Empire, had a resounding victory over the Persians, and triumphantly returned a part of the Cross to Jerusalem — the other part was left in Constantinople. However, a few years later the Arab conquest began and Jerusalem came under Muslim rule. When difficulties arose and the Christians were persecuted, the Cross was withdrawn from its setting and hidden once again. Ninety years later in 1099. it reappeared once more thanks to the Crusades started by the Church to liberate the Holy Land. It was reinstated with honor in the Basilica of the Holy Sepulchre and  became the symbol of the Crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem. However, in 1187, the Cross disappeared once again, and this time definitively, on the battlefield of Hattin. The crusaders had taken it with them to bring victory against the Sultan Saladin. However, they lost the battle, and Jerusalem fell into the hands of the sultan. The Cross disappeared without leaving a trace. In 1203, the fragment preserved in Constantinople suffered the effects of the Fourth Crusade and during the French Revolution in 1794, the fragments of the Cross again disappeared. Today, only a few fragments of the cross and the nails remain. They are found around the globe in different fragments. While some are conserved in the treasury of the sacristy of Notre-Dame Cathedral, the largest fragment is preserved in Greece in the monastery of Mount Athos. Other fragments are in Rome, Brussels, Venice, Ghent, and Paris. However, while the bulk of the Catholic and Orthodox churches recognize them as genuine pieces of the cross of Christ, their authenticity is often disputed.

However, what a joy today, that we do not need proof of the  authenticity of the cross to appreciate what Jesus did at Calvary. On the cross He paid a total price for our salvation. By His sacrifice He took everything contrary to us out of the way.  

Colossians 2:14 says ‘Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross.’

According to the Roman custom, if a man was being crucified, they would put on that cross whatever that individual had done. At the time of Jesus Christ’s crucifixion the Romans nailed to the cross an inscription that He was ” king of the Jews” —it was the false charge of treason against Rome for which He was executed.

But the scriptures tell us that something else was nailed to the cross.  ” The handwriting of ordinances that was against us.”  This ‘handwriting of ordinances’ means in legal matters a record of indebtedness or the record of charges which stood against us. These charges were against us  for disobeying God’s law. But when Jesus paid the price, God canceled the note of indebtedness by taking it and fixing it to the cross.

And so when Jesus said ‘It is finished!’ It means the debt has been paid in full. We have been set free from every indebtedness.  God has forgiven us the debt we owed. The curse that was upon man for disobeying God’s law has now been taken out of the way and nailed to the cross. It therefore means that every sickness, poverty, and everything else contrary to our destiny were nailed to the cross, indicating an end to them. And as affliction cannot arise a second time such things can never rise again to torment you, as long as you abide in Christ! Through His death, Jesus  blotted out all that has been  written against you medically in hospitals. He also blotted out all the writings of soothsayers and occultic forces. He has blotted out all the handwriting against your marital destiny, against your finances, and against your family.  Whatever has been against your general  wellbeing, has been nailed to the cross.

Jesus hung on the cross and became a curse for us that the blessings of Abraham might come upon us. Therefore you are no longer under a curse, [Galatians 3:13-14.]

If Jesus hung on the tree for you, no sickness, poverty or misfortune  can hang on you anymore. The devil cannot hold you captive any longer. You’re free indeed! As long as you serve the Lord you are entitled to liberty. Freedom from oppression is your heritage in God and your birthright in Christ. Who paid the price? Jesus did!

Jesus has delivered us from every yoke of bondage. Every negative speaking against our destiny has been silenced by the speakings of His Blood. Every tongue that shall arise against us in judgment has been condemned by His Blood. Anyone who mentions our name for evil anywhere the blood will arise and answer them. Every evil writings against our destiny are blotted out by the Blood of Jesus. By the blood of Jesus, you have guaranteed peace with God in all areas of life.

Therefore our lives should be proclaiming the values of the death of the Lord Jesus Christ, that He didn’t die in vain. Our transformed lives are the proof that He rose again. Wherever we go, there should be a continuous shout of hallelujah in our habitation, and a ceaseless song of victory in our mouth, because Christ has set us free.  And whosever the son of God has set free is truly free indeed!

PRAYER: Lord, I thank you that the full price for my salvation was paid at Calvary thereby setting me free from every form of bondage. I thank You Lord that I now have the victory and dominion over every affliction in Jesus Name. .  

QUOTE

When you obey God’s instruction you are delivered from destruction