HORM Devotional

Mathew 10: 9-10  ‘Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses, Nor scrip for your journey, neither two coats, neither shoes, nor yet staves: for workman is worthy of his meat’

DAILY READING •      Ephesians 3; Ezekiel 8-9; Isaiah 41

William Wilberforce was born into a wealthy home and was rich, but the money did not make him happy. Fulfillment was missing until he encountered Christ. William Wilberforce  is best known today as the extraordinary Member of Parliament in the 18^th century whose tenacious efforts played a prominent role in bringing an end to the British slave trade. However, Wilberforce testified that his slavery abolition endeavors and his many other philanthropic works never would have come about without what he always called his “Great Change” – his Christian conversion

Though he was born into a wealthy family, he lacked peace and fulfillment until he encountered Christ. Prior to this encounter, he was part of fashionable society, attending the theatre and races, entertaining, socializing. After leaving university he was elected to the House of Commons, where he was not active, rather spent most of his time at the three most important gentlemen’s clubs in London. At the time he was a heavy gambler, he dressed in the colourful finery of the day and adorned many salon with his amiable manner.

Wilberforce’s “Great Change,” his gradual process of coming to embrace Christian beliefs, began in the autumn of 1784 and continued for a year and a half, through the spring of 1786. During that period of time Wilberforce became convinced of and personally embraced the truths of Christianity, including the Deity of Jesus Christ, His atoning death on the cross for sin and the Bible as God’s authoritative Word.

Wilberforce made a secret visit to the great preacher John Newton who, was then pastoring in London. Newton affirmed Wilberforce’s newfound Christian convictions and encouraged him to serve God by remaining in Parliament.

After his conversion, Wilberforce renounced all “things of the flesh”. He resigned from all his gentlemen clubs, he gave up his racehorse, gambling and “exchanged his socializing and entertaining for one of reflection and re-evaluation”. Some of his friends thought his new found belief was madness. However, as a result of this conversion, Wilberforce became active in campaigning for social reform. He and his evangelical friends were nicknamed “the Saints” by upper class circles of the house of common, but he won widespread respect. He championed many causes but it was the fight against the Slave Trade and slavery and its eventual abolition that he is known mostly for.

It was only when Wilberforce located his calling that he found  value, peace and fulfillment in life. Today, the concerns about what to eat, drink and wear, has derailed many people from following God’s call. The care of this life has diverted their attention from the divine purpose for their lives.  We have to come to the place where we fully realize that our lives can only have meaning and value when we are following God’s call. We must value our calling more than the pursuit of worldly things.  God will judge us according to how well we followed His will for our lives. Your calling is what will matter in the end. You can make all the money in the world  and still be unhappy, unfulfilled. What is more important is ensuring we are following God’s preordained plan for us. Once we are following the will of God we will be fulfilled whether we have or not have. Joy will fill our lives.

In Mathew 10, Jesus said  ‘Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses, Nor scrip for your journey, neither two coats, neither shoes, nor yet staves: for workman is worthy of his meat.’ ”

Jesus told His disciples to take no purse for your journey, because the provision will come as you pursue the vision. Step out in faith believing God. You don’t have to have enough money before you strike out in doing what God has called you to do. . Faithful is He that called you who also will do it. What God has ordered He is able to pay for.  Psalm 78:18 records that the Israelites questioned if God could furnish a table in the wilderness.  God proved He could by causing quails to fall around their camp all night long. However their doubt of His ability to provide also brought wrath upon them.

As we pursue God’s call, we have to trust that God will take care of us. Following God’s plan for our lives is what will bring provision, joy, peace and fulfillment.  When we follow God’s plan for our lives, and sincerely seek God’s kingdom first, then every other thing shall indeed be added unto us.

PRAYER: Lord, I thank You for Your continual divine provision in my life. Surely as I seek first Your kingdom, every other thing shall be added unto me in Jesus Name

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

Psalm 9:2-3  ‘I will be glad and rejoice in thee: I will sing praise to thy name, O thou most High. When mine enemies are turned back, they shall fall and perish at thy presence.’

• DAILY READING      Ephesians 2; Ezekiel 6-7; Isaiah 40

It is truly amazing the impact and imprint the life of Dr. David Livingstone made in the world. He inspired hundreds of men and women to give their lives for African missions. Mary Slessor, for example, decided to follow his footsteps, and, in 1875, arrived in Calabar, to begin an astounding missionary work.  Peter Cameron Scott, founder of the Africa Inland Mission, was inspired to return to Africa after his first mission failed when he read the inscription on Livingstone’s tomb in Westminster Abbey: “Other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring.”

Though born into poverty yet despite his poor background Dr. David Livingstone ended up  becoming one of the most popular British heroes of the 19th century.

David Livingstone arrived in Africa in 1840 at the age of 27 as a missionary and physician. He spent most of the remainder of his life on the continent. His exploration of the African interior, particularly the Zambezi River area in 1852-1856 led to the discovery of the Victorian falls.  In early November 1855, Livingstone travelled down the Zambezi River to see for himself the area the natives called “smoke that thunders.” It was during this expedition that he became the first European to witness the magnificence of the Victoria Falls.

He made some of the most prodigious, and most dangerous, explorations of the nineteenth century, travelling through lands which no white men had ever set foot on.. His object was to open a  missionary Road or ‘God’s Highway,’ through which the Gospel could gain access to the African hinterlands. He also fought hard to stop the African slave trade. His life was a reflection of God’s amazing grace  and guidance. He suffered many bouts of fever that could have killed lesser men, yet he survived. He passed barbaric tribes and chiefs, who resisted him, and yet God gave him victory through it all. The story of his exploits remain an amazement even to the present generation. But his great secret was awareness of God’s unmistakable Presence. David succeeded due to a strong assurance of God’s abiding Presence. This also has been the secret of great men of God who have done exploits in the kingdom.

Speaking of Moses, Hebrews 11:27 said ‘By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.’

It was the invisible Presence of God that made Moses to dare pharaoh and lead the Jews out of bondage. Likewise, our greatest asset in life and ministry is awareness of God’s Presence. Knowing that you are surrounded by God’s power will change your walk and embolden your talk. It will destroy fear forever from your heart, and cause you to do the impossible, knowing the greater One is in you.

Psalm 114 records that when Israel left Egypt, it was God’s Presence that made the red sea to part, and caused the mountains and hills to skip.  And in Acts 10:38, The Bible says ‘Jesus went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.’. So it was God Presence being with Jesus, that made demons to scream at His appearance and also led to the mighty signs and wonders in His ministry.  Likewise, when we carry God’s Presence, evil will see us and flee, because evil can never stand where God abides. God’s Presence is an unbeatable asset in the journey of life. When you walk through the valley of the shadow of death, why you will fear no evil, is because God is with you.

Psalm 9:3 says ‘When mine enemies are turned back, they shall fall and perish at thy presence.’ And Psalm 97:5 says, God’s Presence causes the hills to melt like wax before you.  So God’s Presence ensures evil never survives around you. Indeed God’s Presence makes the difference. And God’s Presence is available to every child of God. The same way God’s Presence was with Jesus, so can it be with us.

In John 8:29, Jesus said ‘And He that sent  Me, is with Me, The Father had not left Me alone, for I do always those things that please Him.’

In the same way, for The Father to be with us, we have to do the  things that please Him. And one of the key things that pleases God is praise. And as we maintain His Presence through High praises today, we can be assured of unending victory in every battle of life.

PRAYER: Lord, please help me to maintain Your Presence through doing those things that please You always. Grant me the grace to praise You always, so that Your Presence can always abide with me, and make the difference in my life in Jesus Name.

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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 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 – •           Ephesians 1; Ezekiel 4-5; Psalm 150

On Oct. 4, 2018, four American soldiers, along with four Nigerien soldiers and an interpreter, were killed in a conflict that has sparked an angry debate among U.S officials in Washington . The anger was over why these soldiers were sent on an assignment they were not well prepared for. The casualty for America has been the largest loss of its soldiers during combat in Africa since 1993.

The dead soldiers  were  part of a military convoy of 30 Nigerians and 11 Americans who were in Niger for training. They had set out that morning  into the deserts of Niger, prepared only for a routine, low-risk patrol with little chance of encountering the enemy. But while they were out in the desert, they suddenly received  another instruction. American intelligence officials, had gotten information about the possible location of a local ISIS  leader. And so these soldiers were sent to locate the camp of this terrorist.  But it was a risky mission that required more number of soldiers. Moreover, these soldiers were not fully equipped for such an operation.  As they embarked on the new assignment, they failed to locate any militants. Instead, unfortunately, the militants found them. Short on water, they had  stopped outside a village before heading back to base. It was there, barely 200 yards from the village, that the convoy came under deadly fire from fighters loyal to ISIS.

Though outnumbered and outgunned, the troop bravely fought to stay alive. However, four Americans and five Nigerians, were eventually cut down under the barrage of heavy gunfire. The last minutes of these soldiers  were recorded on a military helmet camera worn by one of them. These soldiers had died because they entered a battle, they were ill prepared for.

Luke 14: 31,33 ‘Or what king would go to war against another king without first sitting down with his counselors to discuss whether his army of 10,000 could defeat the 20,000 soldiers marching against him? So you cannot become my disciple without giving up everything you own.’[NLT]

As disciples of Christ we are called to warfare. But we can’t afford to face the enemy at any time ill prepared for the battle. Many people have become victims because they went into warfare without adequate spiritual preparation. We are fighting a vicious enemy who has no mercy. And to win we must come against him fully armed.

Our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers and spiritual wickedness in high places. We must therefore put on the whole armour of God. We must engage the weapons of our warfare which are not carnal but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds. These includes such weapons as prayer, fasting, the Word and Praise. The weapon of praise is especially essential to our total victory. This is because Praise brings God’s Presence  and whenever God arises, His enemies must be scattered.

Anytime you feel outnumbered or overwhelmed in any battle,  switch to high praises, to bring God on your side. It doesn’t matter how great the opposition, when God is on your side you have the majority on your side.  Indeed if God be for you who can be against you?

Psalm 68:1-2 says ‘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.’

God’s enemies will always perish at His Presence. In His Presence great obstacles become miracles. Therefore as we fast and pray, let us also engage the weapon of praise. Oftentimes praise proves to be even more potent than prayer. After Paul and Silas had prayed, it was as they praised God that an earthquake erupted that brought their deliverance. You may pray amiss, but you cannot praise amiss.  Through the weapon of praise, our victory in every battle is guaranteed.

PRAYER: Lord, please help me to always maintain a tempo of high praises around me. As I praise You, I know You will arise to fight my every battle. Thank You Lord, for Your Presence that always makes the difference in my  life  in Jesus Name.

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

Philippians 4:6  ‘be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request be made known to God’.–

DAILY READING        •        Galatians 6; Ezekiel 2-3; Psalm 149

William J. Seymour was born in 1870 in Louisiana, to black parents who had recently been freed from slavery. Lacking formal education, as he grew older, Seymour taught himself to read, mainly through readingh the Bible. The social climate of America at that time was highly prejudiced and black people were largely segregated from much of mainstream American society. When he attended a Bible school, Seymour had to sit outside– because he was black. Undeterred, he preached the Gospel, wherever he could. One day, as a guest minister, he preached the message of Pentecost to a small church in Los Angeles, but this went against their doctrine. So after his first fiery sermon on The Holy Spirit and speaking in tongues, he came back the following day to find the Church door locked with a big padlock.  He had been locked out by the church administration and told not to come back!

Though rudely rejected, he was however received by a couple who had been touched by his message. In their home, Seymour locked himself up and spent many hours in prayers. After many days of prayers, others began joining him and soon a prayer meeting developed. The meetings were filled with prayer, testimonies, worship and supernatural phenomena. The crowd grew so much that at a point the porch of the house where they held the meetings collapsed under the weight of all the people. And so in April, 1906, the group moved to an old building on 312 Azusa Street, Los Angeles. And a massive spiritual awakening erupted now known as the ‘Azusa Street revival’. It grew very rapidly and continued to spread like wildfire. The event was so great that its effect has been felt throughout the world. It marked the beginning of the Pentecostal Church. Thousands of pastors and leaders from all over the world visited this place of divine visitation, especially during its vibrant early years between 1906 and 1908.  And today over 550 million Pentecostals and Charismatics trace their spiritual ancestry back to this awesome event.

Indeed, William J. Seymour’s life illustrates the fact that God being for you is more than the world being against you.. People may try to discredit you, and reject you – it may hurt, but that doesn’t stop your purpose.  God is on the throne, He knew who wasn’t going to like you and who was going to try to push you down. When you know that God has the final say, you don’t live frustrated, or worried. You stay in peace knowing that nothing can stop God’s plan. You are not doing life by yourself, God is behind the scenes orchestrating things in your favor. And the place God has for you no man can take it, when you are sincerely serving Him. At the right time, He will cause the lines to fall for you in pleasant places.

If our destinies were in the hands of people, then David would never have been  heard of. When prophet Samuel came to Jesse’s house to choose the next king,  Jesse didn’t see David as king material and didn’t bother to bring him out. But  David is a generational celebrity today, because God doesn’t choose the way man chooses. God judges by the heart not by outward appearance. Therefore be encouraged to know that though people may have counted you out, God has already counted you in.

This is why we seek the face of God in prayers. God is really the one we should concern ourselves with pleasing. When a man’s ways pleases The Lord, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him. When we succeed in pleasing God no man can stop our destiny. God is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him. So ignore whatever opposition may be coming against you and spend time in seeking God’s face in prayers. And when you find God there shall be a reward and your expectations shall not be cut off.

PRAYER: Lord, I trust You are in control of my life. Am sincerely grateful that my destiny is in Your hands. And I know that even right now You are working out everything for my good in Jesus Name. .

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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…

Revelation 5:12 ‘Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.’

DAILY READING            •    Galatians 5:16-26; Ezekiel 1; Psalm 148

In the 1980s, archaeologists discovered an ancient papyrus dating back to around 170 BC. The document is a receipt for payments made over the course of several months. Because the papyrus is only a fragment, it is not clear to whom these payments were made, but one thing is very clear; written at the top is the Greek word ‘tetelestai’, indicating that the accounts listed had been paid in full. This is the same word Jesus used on the cross, translated in English, “It is finished.”

Jesus paid in full the price for our salvation. He purchased for us all that we need to live in victory. Yet our state as believers today is somewhat like the state of Ancient Israel whom God allocated so much land to, yet they were unable to claim it all. The size and area of the land that God promised to Abraham was vast. Yet, when God delivered Israel from slavery in Egypt, the people refused to enter the Promised Land. It took forty years in the wilderness before they finally began to take possession of what God had promised. And even then, they did not do a thorough job. Joshua 13:1  says “Now Joshua was old and stricken in years; and the LORD said unto him, Thou art old and stricken in years, and there remaineth yet very much land to be possessed”.

Even at its greatest extent under the reigns of David and Solomon, the land still was not fully possessed. And sadly, even up till today, Israel has never reached the boundaries of the land God originally promised to Abraham. This was not a failure on God’s part, but rather a failure on the part of Israel to fully claim what was theirs..

Likewise, Jesus  through His Blood, has won a total victory for us at Calvary. But it is up to us what extent of that victory we can enjoy. Revelation 5:12 says Jesus was slain to receive for us power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.  Jesus paid the redemptive account in full. But ignorance or lack of knowledge is the reason why many are still not walking in the full reality of their redemptive inheritance.

By covenant every child of God, belongs to the top. We are to be the head and never the tail, above only and never beneath. Christ has paid the price for every affliction, that is why concerning you, affliction cannot arise a second time. But it is only through the knowledge of God that we can walk in the fullness of our inheritance.

2 Peter 1:3 says  ‘According as His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him.’ Indeed our inheritance is tied to our knowledge of God. Let us therefore seek to know God more and more through quality time spent with Him in worship, prayers and in-depth study of The Word. Through such intimate fellowship,  faith is birthed in our hearts to go forth and fully possess all God has given to us.

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for the price You paid at the cross for my salvation. Please grant me fresh appetite for Your Word and Your Presence, so that I can acquire the faith I need to go forth and possess my possessions in Jesus Name. .

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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

Matthew 7:21-23  ‘Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.’

• DAILY READING – Galatians 5:1-15; Lamentations 5; Psalm 147

In recent times, planet Mars has become the focus of much scientific study about possible human habitation. With discouraging news about the earth’s degenerating  environment, some of the richest people on earth are seriously planning to eventually relocate to Mars, as a way of escape. As technology advances, arguments favoring movement to Mars has gained momentum. Though water on Mars is scarce, and there is less water there than in the Earth’s driest deserts, yet scientists say it is possible to grow food, make breathable air and harvest energy from solar panels.

Indeed building colonies on Mars has entered the realm of the possible. And within the next 10 years regular flights of supplies and people will begin and  the first set of travellers will make the six-month journey to Mars. These pioneers will have to build habitable indoor spaces and, later, domed communities. Scientists believe that by 2040 there should be a thriving colonial Martian town.

Space travel companies are now rapidly springing up, such as SpaceX, Blue Origin, Stratolaunch Systems and Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic. These companies are set to facilitate the growth of the human presence on Mars. Their ultimate vision is for millions of people to eventually live and work in space.

But the bottom line is that only the wealthy will have the means to move to Mars.  The cost of the flight and setting up on another planet will hover well past the means of almost anyone but the superrich. Target ticket price is $500,000 per person, and that’s just to get there. Imagine then the cost of setting up a home there and catering to one’s comfort.

However none of these manmade plans to escape from the earth can save man in the end. Man’s salvation is not in building structures to escape to in outer space, but our hope and salvation is in building a lasting relationship with Jesus Christ.

In Matthew 7:21-23  Jesus said ‘Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.’

It is our knowing God and our intimate relationship with Him that will help us escape the evil of the last days.. Just as Noah built an ark of deliverance from the flood, Jesus is the ark that will deliver men from the wrath to come.  During the time of Noah, things seemed normal, people were still eating and drinking until the last moment. So it is now, but though things may appear normal,  there is a groundswell in the realm of the spirit. Things are gradually coming to a climax. And intimate knowledge of God is what will save us from destruction. Our love for Him is what matters most. Knowing God is our guarantee of eternal life, it is our passport to Heaven. And we build up intimate relationship with God, through time spent in prayers and fellowship. And so while men plan to escape to Mars, let us plan to go deeper in our relationship with God, because that indeed is our only guarantee of safety.

PRAYER:  Lord, please help me to keep focused on knowing you more and more. Please grant me the grace to persevere in prayers and to continually seek You with all of my heart in Jesus Name.

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Nothing liberates like truth, the truth you know and act upon will set you free.

WORDBITE 222.

Romans 8:28  “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.

• DAILY READING Galatians 4:21-31; Lamentations 3-4; Psalm 146

The Watergate scandal was a major political scandal that occurred in the United States during 1972 to 1974. It started on June 17, 1972  when five men broke into the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate office complex in Washington, D.C.  During investigations, an array of clandestine and often illegal activities undertaken by members of the Nixon administration were uncovered. Those activities included such dirty tricks as bugging the offices of political opponent and multiple abuses of power. When President Richard Nixon became implicated, members of his administration subsequently attempted to cover up his involvement. This cover up, led to the commencement of an impeachment process against President Nixon and his eventual resignation from office. The Watergate operation and the intrigue surrounding it led to the criminal indictments and convictions of most of Nixon’s closest aides. Among those found guilty was Mr. Colson. Colson was Nixon’s top aide and ‘hatchet man’who on June 21, 1974 was sentenced to prison and fined $5,000. However in the heat of these problems Colson began to seek the face of God. As a result he became born again. Nevertheless he still went to prison and served seven months in Alabama’s Maxwell Prison. But while serving in prison, he began to sense that God had put him in prison for a purpose. At his release he announced that he would devote the rest of his life to serving God. In 1976, he founded Prison Fellowship Ministries, which delivers the message of redemption to thousands of prison inmates and their families. In 1983, he established Justice Fellowship, which is America’s largest religion-based criminal justice reform group. In 1993, he won the $1 million Templeton Prize for Progress in Religion, and by  the end of the 1990s, Mr. Colson had become a leading voice in the evangelical political movement, with books and a syndicated radio broadcast.

What had looked like the end of Colson was turned around by God to become a new beginning for him. Indeed there is no situation so grave or hopeless that God cannot turn it around.  When God took Ezekiel to a valley of dry bones, the bones were dead and very dry. Yet God asked Ezekiel to prophesy.  And when Ezekiel prophesied over the dry bones something began to happen. Ezekiel 37:7 says ‘So I prophesied as I was commanded:  and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold a shaking, and the bones came together, bone to his bone.’

The noise and shaking began when Ezekiel began to prophesy. Before then, there was no movement, there was only stagnancy and deadness. It was very quiet in that valley, just like it is often said ‘as quiet as a graveyard’. But when Ezekiel began to prophesy, things began to happen, there was sudden movement and the bones began to come alive.

Indeed there is no situation impossible to God. There is no condition He cannot turn around for us, when we pay the price of prayer. This is why you can’t afford to keep quiet. You are the prophet over your life. And what you speak is what you see. Things begin to happen when you begin to speak. A closed mouth, it is often said is indeed a closed destiny, but when we open wide our mouth God will fill it with good things. No matter how dead any situation, the moment the wind of The Spirit begins blow as we pray, things will begin to happen.

Romans 8:28 says   “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.’

There is no situation God cannot turn around when we sincerely come to Him in prayers and entreat His help.  And as we begin to speak  and make bold declarations over our situations things will surely begin to turn around positively in our favour in Jesus Name.

PRAYER: Lord, I thank You for granting me the grace to persevere in  the place of prayers. I know that even now You are positively changing my story and causing all things to work out together for my good in Jesus Name.

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God is preparing you for the season He prepared for your breakthrough

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 – Galatians 3:19-4:20; Lamentations 1-2; Psalm 145

Israel though a small country, and threatened on all sides,  is nonetheless making major contributions to the world in such areas as hi-tech and medical advances. Israel is also leading the way in agricultural innovations and water conservation. It pioneered drip irrigation and currently recycles over 80 percent of its wastewater, far outstripping any other nation. And, although over half of its land is still arid desert, Israel exports high-quality farm produce in all seasons, even while its neighbors must import food to feed. It also would surprise many to learn that the Israeli people are blessed with one of the most nutritious food supplies in the world. In a recent global survey by the Bloomberg news agency of the world’s healthiest countries, Israel ranked an impressive sixth, far ahead of the United States at number 33. Yet the land of Israel was not always so fruitful. In fact, the land lay desolate for all the centuries of Jewish exile, and in both Christian and Muslim lands where the Jews were dispersed, they were largely forbidden from owning land. This meant they had basically lost the ability to farm and had to rely on the Gentiles to feed themselves.  The desolation and exile Israel suffered was prophesied in the Bible and God had warned them that this would be their fate if they turned their backs on Him. The land itself would “vomit out” those inhabitants who turned to wickedness (Leviticus 18:28), and the fields would lie desolate in their absence. Meanwhile, the Jewish people were also told they would be scattered among the nations and would never find a place to rest their feet . The sword would follow after them, and they would bear the reproach of famine while in exile.

Yet despite these punishment, God also promised that one day He would come and find His people, no matter how far they had been scattered, and restore them back to the land promised to Abraham and his descendants as an “everlasting possession”). This promise of a future restoration is spoken of by all the Hebrew prophets and is affirmed by all the great covenants of the Bible.  And today God has brought back restoration to His people according to His promise.. This small country with a population of about 8 million people, continues to amaze the world with its prowess.

In Joel 2:25   God says ‘And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpiller, and the palmerworm,’

The restoration of Israel is a sign to us that God is faithful to restore back to us what we may have lost, when we reconnect to Him. It is through sin or disobedience that we suffer losses. But when we repent and return back to God He restores what was lost. God has a plan of restoration for His people. It doesn’t matter how much the enemy has tried to tamper with your life and destiny there is restoration. Your joy will be restored, your peace will be restored, everything stolen from you is about to be restored fully  in Jesus name. But don’t forget, if you remain far away from God you remain far from this restoration. Understand that the enemy only has power over you as long as you are in rebellion to God. As we have seen from the story of Israel, suffering losses only come as a result of straying outside  of God’s will. But the moment you return back to God, He turns His hand against your enemies and brings restoration to you. So make up your mind today, to pay whatever price it takes, to  stay in the center of God’s will . Never mind what you may seem to have lost in the past, as you draw closer to God today, be assured of all round restoration in Jesus Name. .

PRAYER: Lord, please help me to draw closer to You, so that I can begin to experience restoration of the years the canker worms may have eaten away from my life. Thank You Lord for enabling me to begin to experience full restoration, in every area of my life in Jesus name. .

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

Luke 6:48 ‘He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock’

DAILY READING  Galatians 3:1-18; Jeremiah 51-52; Psalm 144

The worst civil disaster in Israel’s history occurred on May 24, 2001. During the wedding of a couple;; Keren and Asaf Dror, a large portion of the third floor of the four-story building collapsed. As a result, 23 people fell to their deaths through two stories, including the groom’s 80-year-old grandfather and his three-year-old second cousin, the youngest victim. Another 380 were injured, including the bride who suffered serious pelvic injuries that required surgery.

Such collapse of buildings are often blamed on wrong foundations,  It is the foundation of a building that will determine if a building will be stable and durable.

Likewise, the foundation upon which we build our lives matter. Jesus spoke of two men who built houses, one built on the rock and despite the storms that came against him, his house stood; but the other built on the sand and when the storms came, his house fell. Therefore every life will stand or fall depending on what foundation it has. And spiritually the deeper your foundation in The Word of God, the stronger and higher up, your life goes.. It is our depth in The Word of God that determines our height in life.

And Psalm 11:3 says ‘If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?’

Every faulty foundation will give birth to a faulty life. You cannot go beyond the level of your foundation. The healthier your foundation, the healthier your life and the better result you will get in life.

When our life is built on the foundation of God’s Word, we learn to trust God in every situation, knowing that whatever He has said concerning us will eventually come to pass. Situations can change and men can disappoint, but The Word of God will never fail.

Without a strong foundation in God’s Word, you sway or topple when hit by life’s storms. Don’t think you can stand by your own strength. The arm of flesh will fail you. It is through the strength of God’s Word that you are strong in the face of temptations and not fall into sin.

Psalm 119:11 says ‘Thy Word have I hid in mine heart that I might not sin against Thee’.

Indeed it is by hiding God’s Word in our heart that we can stand strong in the face of sin and not compromise. Basing our life on God’s Word is building upon the rock that will never fall. The Word of God is forever stable, solid and never changes. What God says is the same forever. and when you stand upon the solid foundation of God’s Word, no matter the kind of storm that comes your way, you will never fall.

PRAYER:  Lord please help me to set my hope upon you and never on man. I know that as I diligently study Your Word, I am building upon a foundation which will never fail in Jesus Name. .

Quote

Nothing liberates like truth, the truth you know and act upon will make you free. – WORDBITE 222.

Psalm 124:6-8  ‘Blessed be the Lord, who hath not given us as a prey to their teeth. Our soul is escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowlers: the snare is broken, and we are escaped. Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth”.

DAILY READING Galatians 2; Jeremiah 49-50; Psalm 143

The American Revolution was a time when the British colonies in America rebelled against the rule of Great Britain. At that time, Britain was the greatest military force in the world.  However after many battles the small fledgling American colonies gained  their freedom and became the independent country of the United States.

After the American declaration of Independence, their first major battle with the British, which was also the largest battle of the revolutionary War, was the battle of long island.  The battle took place in the southwest portion of Long Island, New York. This area is called Brooklyn today.  Initially the Americans had forced the British out of Boston on March 1776. And George Washington, the leader of the American side , had stationed his men to defend the city against a counter attack. Sure enough, a large British fleet arrived off the coast of New York and began attacking in the early morning hours of August 27. Soon the larger British forces surrounded the Americans. The British believed that the Americans were totally trapped and had no way to escape. However, Washington a devout Christian turned to God in prayers, asking for divine help. And the following night, he made a desperate attempt to evacuate his trapped army. He had just that night to get 9,000 men to safety without alerting the surrounding British army. Silently boats made multiple trips across the river hauling men and horses. When the sun rose, however, a large portion of the American forces were still left in Brooklyn. Miraculously a heavy fog suddenly descended over the area. It lasted just long enough for Washington and his men to make their final escape. And when the British woke up the next morning, it was to discover that the American Army had totally escaped from their ambush.

Psalm 124:6-8 says ‘Blessed be the Lord, who hath not given us as a prey to their teeth. Our soul is escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowlers: the snare is broken, and we are escaped. Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth”.

Indeed God will always make a way of escape for those who trust in Him. There is no mountain that God cannot level, no sea that He cannot dry up, and no “Jordan” that cannot be driven back, to enable you have an express way to your destination. Therefore no matter how tough the road may appear, as you seek the face of  God in prayers, understand that He is in perfect control. There is no situation, no matter how desperate, that He cannot handle in your life. And any time you feel surrounded or overwhelmed, instead of panicking, switch to praise.

In 2 Chronicles 20, King Jehoshaphat was surrounded by mightier armies. And it looked like there was no way of escape. In 2 Chronicles 20:12, he prayed ‘We have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you’.

And in 2 Chronicles 20:17, God responded ‘Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the Lord with you, O Judah and Jerusalem: fear not, nor be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them: for the Lord will be with you.’

And how did they set themselves? In praises! king Jehoshaphat took the rear and allowed God to go ahead. And God took their place in battle and won the victory for them. Likewise, when a battle seems too great for you, turn it over to God through giving Him worthy praise. Once you engage in praise, you have brought God’s Presence to bear on the situation. Praise compels Him to take over the battles of your life. He takes your place in battle, fights on your behalf, and gives you the victory.

Indeed God knows how to make a way of escape for us out of every tight situation.  So what is that battle you are faced with? What is that challenge? Cheer up and give God worthy praise. And you will find that in your praise is your victory!

PRAYER: Lord, Please help me to always praise You in every situation. And as I praise You, I know You will cause everything to work together for my good. Indeed my mourning shall be turned into dancing  in Jesus Name.

QUOTE

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

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