HORM Devotional

Prov. 3:5-6 ‘Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not unto your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths’.

• DAILY READING Revelation 18; Isaiah 3-4; Psalm 109:1-19

Following instructions is critical to a pilot’s survival during a storm, fog or at night. In such situations, a pilot can lose all sense of direction.  In order to survive, he must adhere strictly to the instructions on his instruments panel.  Rain, fog, and haze can all cause pilots to perceive distance inaccurately. Rain, for example, can cause approach and runway lights to seem brighter at night, causing a pilot to feel like they’re lower than they should be, in which case they might incorrectly begin to fly at a higher-than-normal approach. And fog and haze can both make the runway look farther away than it really is, causing an illusion of being too high. Snow-covered terrain combined with a gray overcast layer can cause a complete white-out illusion that makes it difficult for a pilot to gain any sort of visual reference, which means it’s tough for a pilot to determine how high or low they are on the approach.. Such illusions can cause disorientation in pilots, especially at night or in low-visibility conditions. For almost all of these illusions, the fix is simple: Trust the instruments,

An aircraft’s orientation relative to the ground cannot be perceived via the sense of balance. When devoid of external visual references, the pilot must rely on instruments. At low altitude–below 5,000 feet–over the ocean at night, there is nothing to see that can orient the pilot’s senses to the horizontal, except for the moon and stars. The horizon is where the stars stop, and the blackness–the ocean–begins. When the clouds obscure the stars or low visibility obscures everything beyond a few miles around the aircraft, there is nothing to tell the pilot which way is up. Experienced pilots simply begin to fly the aircraft almost totally on instruments, relying primarily on the “artificial horizon” on the panel before them to control the aircraft. Pilots know that they cannot rely on their senses to know which way is up and whether or not the aircraft’s wings are level. In other words, trusting his instruments can save a pilot’s life!

Likewise spiritually, in those times, when it seems we are going through a storm or a fog in life, we need to rely on God’s guidance through the “instruments” of His Word.

Storms are often indicative of spiritual warfare. And don’t forget our wrestle is not with flesh and blood, but against spiritual wickedness in high places. This is therefore not the time to rely on physical senses, but rather to engage the force of The Spirit. Our physical senses can be misleading and deceptive. To follow our minds can be dangerous. The book of Proverbs says there is a way that seems right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.  To fly through the storms of life, we need to strictly adhere to the instructions of scriptures.

Isaiah 30 says you shall hear a voice behind you saying this is the way, walk ye in it when you turn to the right or to the left.

Jesus said in John 5;30, ‘I can of My own self do nothing, as I hear I judge’. Jesus relied heavily on the instructions of The Spirit to escape the plots and plans of the Jews.

In the same way to survive the storm, and escape the traps of the wicked, we need to follow strictly the instructions of the Spirit.

Prov. 3:5 tells us to trust in the Lord with all our heart, and not to lean on our own understanding.

You cannot afford to trust your senses or rely on men’s advice. Even people who are sincere, can be sincerely wrong. This is why we follow only what God has said.

Because His Word never fails. His counsel will stand forever. He has promised to be with us when we pass through the waters, and  through the fire. He is our way maker and light in the darkness.  He is our beacon of hope as we navigate through the treacherous waters of this world.

Therefore we keep trusting His guidance, even if it seems we can’t trace Him. We trust His  dealings with us, and not in our feelings.

We do not go by what is happening, but rather by what is written. We  keep focused on God’s Word and His promises, knowing He never breaks covenant nor alters what has gone out of His lips. No one who has trusted what God said has ever been let down. And if we cannot seem to see Him at work, it does not mean that He is not actively involved in our lives. He is always there.

And trusting Him means that when we cannot see anything else and do not know which way to go, we must simply follow His Word, and fly by instructions. We walk by faith not by sight. We must therefore fly by instructions.

PRAYER Lord Please enable me to follow closely the instructions of Scriptures, as I walk through the narrow corridors of this life.  By Your grace, help me always to walk by faith and not by sight. Indeed I have victory and have overcome the world through the faith that is in Christ Jesus.

QUOTE

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

 Psalm 3: 3,5 ‘But thou, O Lord, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head…I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people, that have set themselves against me round about.’

DAILY READING: Revelation 17; Isaiah 1-2; Psalm 108

Jackie Joyner-Kersee is widely regarded as one of the top female athletes of all times and was voted the Greatest Female Athlete of the 20th Century by Sports Illustrated for Women. She’s a six-time Olympic medalist! Her 1988 heptathlon world record still stands. However, when she first began running, her performance was very poor, she used to finish last in the race. She was greatly encouraged by her mother to trust in God and keep aiming for the best. And so instead of giving up due to her poor performances she decided to improve on herself and began to practice every day.
While still a freshman in college her mother, who was her best friend died. It was a very depressing period where Jackie could easily have given up, but rather she pushed on. Soon afterwards she was faced with another big challenge; in 1983 she found out that she was asthmatic. This made her to sometimes wear masks while competing because she was allergic to the grass. Some days it looked like she wouldn’t be able to make it through a race, yet she never allowed that to overcome her. Her faith in God remained strong.
By 1988, during the Olympics, Joyner-Kersee won three gold medals. And she would go on to win many more Olympic medals and setting unbroken world records in the process. Jackie’s track and field success brought her international recognition and she would later marry her coach, Bob Kersee, who also served as an associate pastor. Jackie believes her success has only been possible because of the grace of God at work in her life. In a recent interview with Christian Broad casting Network [CBN] she said ‘there’s no way I could have accomplished all the things I have been blessed to do because I know it just wasn’t me. And still today, Jesus leads my life.”
It is amazing that her many challenges could not stop Jackie Joyner from becoming the greatest female Athlete of the 20th Century. Truly we can do all things through Christ that strengthens us. Despite her many trials, Jackie could overcome because of the faith at work in her.
Indeed every great story in the Kingdom is by grace through faith. As far as destiny is concerned, it is to everyone according to his faith. Faith is the master key to a world of unlimited possibilities. Faith sees the invisible, dares the impossible, and delivers the incredible.
David said in Psalm 3: 3,5 ‘But thou, O Lord, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head.. I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people, that have set themselves against me round about.’

David was not afraid, because despite the challenges, through the eyes of faith he saw God fighting his battles and giving him the victory. Likewise you may sometimes feel surrounded by obstacles that try to keep you from your dreams, but you need to see beyond those obstacles. When you believe what God says about you then your belief can supersede any natural law. And despite how difficult things may seem, Jehovah alone will have the final say in your life.
Like Jackie Joyner, you may be facing today a situation that seems insurmountable. In the natural, you don’t see how you could overcome the health challenge or financial obstacle. But God is saying to you “If you will only believe, all things are possible’
Indeed when you believe, the surpassing greatness of God’s power is released to accomplish your desire. Therefore don’t be intimidated by the size of what you are facing; the bigger the problem the greater the testimony. The enemy would not be fighting you so hard unless he knew God had something amazing ahead of you. On the other side of that challenge is a new level of destiny and glory.
Isaiah 3:10 says, “Say to the righteous, ‘it shall be well with you.’
Indeed it shall be well with you! The medical situation may not look good, but never forget that Jehovah Rapha, the Lord our Healer, is on your side, therefore it is well with you. Stay in faith and keep giving glory to God. You may not see it right now, but trust that God is working behind the scenes, turning around things for you. And when it is all said and done, your life will be a manifestation of the wonder working power of God.

PRAYER: Lord, Please help me to pay the price of spending quality time in Your Word so that my faith can be strengthened to see You at work in my situation. I Thank You Lord for always exceeding my expectations and manifesting Your power in my life in Jesus Name.

Quote

When you are living and walking in the supernatural everything natural becomes subservient to you – WORDBITE 222.

2 Chronicles 20:17 ‘Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat, Thus saith the Lord unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God’s.’

DAILY READING – – Revelation 16; Esther 9-10; Psalm 107:23-43

The story of Asia Bibi has been an item on international headlines for the past eight years. She is a Christian woman in Pakistan who was sentenced to death in 2010 on the false allegation of blasphemy. While working on a farm with moslem co-workers, she had fetched a bucket of water for them and then drank a cup of water from it. Her coworkers accused her of defiling the water by drinking from it. She was arrested on false allegations of blasphemy and sentenced to death. Her case became a test case for religious tolerance in Pakistan. It escalated to international headlines when two politicians were murdered for speaking out against the harsh blasphemy law and supporting her innocence. One of them was the governor of Punjab, who was shot dead by his own extremist bodyguard for lobbying for her release. Asia spent 8 years on death row, while Christians around the world kept praying for her. Finally, in October 2018, she was released. And though news of her release sparked a widespread riot in Pakistan, with help of Christian organizations she and her family were finally able to relocate to Canada this year, where currently they are being taken care of and protected by the Canadian government.
In Pakistan, a country of more than 200 million, where Christians make up only 1.59% of the population, it is indeed amazing that Asia and her family survived being killed. With the multitude of antagonism against her, and many calling for her death, her release from death row and eventual relocation to Canada, unharmed, is truly a miracle.
As a poor village farm laborer with no political clout, no education, no money, obviously Bibi had no might to face the battle that came against her. But somehow God arose and fought for her and gave her the victory.
In 2 Chronicles 20:12, Jehoshaphat was faced with a battle too great for him. He prayed “O our God, will You not judge them? For we have no power against this great multitude that is coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are upon You”
God’s answer to him was “Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God’s. 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:” (2 Chronicles 20:15, 17).
When Jehoshaphat and his army set themselves to praise God, though they faced enemies too strong for them, they experienced a divine turnaround. God turned their battlefield into the Valley of Berachah. Berachah means “blessings.” It was the name they gave the battlefield because it took them three days to gather all the spoils of war! God indeed does wonders in praises.

Therefore whatever may be facing you today, switch to praise and stand still and see the salvation of the Lord! Switch to praise and watch God win the victory for you. Indeed “If God is for us, who can ever be against us?” (Romans 8:31). Praise never loses a battle; As you engage in high praises to God every mockery against your life will be converted to victory. As you praise God in the midst of the challenge you shall experience a divine visitation that will put your expectations in your hand like a dream of the night. A new chapter will open up to you. What no one ever imagined could happen will take place in your life. Just like Abraham experienced a divine visitation by remaining strong in faith and giving glory to God; you too shall birth your prophetic Isaac. Indeed God is fearful in praises, doing wonders. And as you engage the weapon of high praises to secure God’s presence, you shall experience ‘fearful’ fulfilment of every prophetic word concerning you this year in Jesus Name.

PRAYER: Lord, I thank You in advance for giving me both ‘fearful’ and ‘tearful’ testimonies.  As I praise You today, I thank You for giving me a divine turnaround and granting me the victory 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

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

DAILY READING –  – Revelation 15; Esther 6:14-8:17; Psalm 107:1-22

In the days of the Old Testament, several animal sacrifices were made by the Jews on the altars of the tabernacle in the wilderness and the temple at Jerusalem. They made these animal sacrifices as atonement, in obedience to the laws of God given to them through Moses. But with the destruction of the Jewish temple in AD 70, these animal sacrifices came to an end. And in God’s agenda, with the ultimate sacrifice of Christ at Calvary, there is today no more need for the sacrifice of animals.
However, throughout history,  there were other cultures who practiced blood sacrifices as a way of engaging the aid of evil forces. Often such sacrifices were made at their planting season, harvest season and war seasons. In 2011 British Broadcasting Corporation [BBC] featured a documentary that focused on some of these ancient cultures. One of these was the ancient civilizations of the Americas, who believed that the human sacrifices they performed were necessary for their daily success. In other ancient cultures in Europe, Asia, and Africa, archaeological evidence of animal and human sacrifices abounded. And even in modern times, there are people who still practice these blood sacrifices. Through such sacrifices, they seek the aid of demonic forces for success in their endeavors.

And sometimes, in the journey of life, when there is a clash of interests, we may  find ourselves thrust into spiritual battles with such people. At those times, our confrontations with them become a battle of altars. And while they draw strength from the altar of their blood sacrifice, we draw our own strength from the power in the blood of Jesus. And truly if we understand the ultimate power of the Blood of Christ, then we can be rest assured that in every such conflict the victory is ours. The blood of Jesus has the power to protect us from any incantation, divination, enchantment, spell, etc
Indeed in every confrontation with the powers of darkness, a child of God stands victorious. You belong to a higher kingdom that rules over every principality and power. You are under an everlasting covenant ratified by the precious blood of Christ. And the blood of Jesus is more powerful than any other blood. Jesus our great high priest with the power of an endless life offered the perfect sacrifice through the eternal Spirit. And on the cross when He, declared “It is finished,” it indicated that it is finished with every power of the enemy against us. Indeed it is finished with spells, sickness, barrenness, afflictions, addictions, poverty and every harassment of the enemy.
Through the blood of Jesus, we have been given the power and authority to rule and reign over every principality and power. It doesn’t matter the demonic or occultic gang-up against your destiny, by reason of the Blood of Jesus you have the victory.
Revelation 12:11 says ‘And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony, and they loved not their lives unto the death.”
When the Blood was invoked in Egypt it brought swift divine judgment upon Pharoah. And today, the speakings of the Blood will arise to judge whatever represents Pharaoh in your life. Whoever or whatever may be standing in opposition to the actualization of your glorious destiny will experience divine judgment. Indeed the Blood that speaks better things than the blood of Abel will continually speak in your favor in Jesus Name.

PRAYER: Lord, I thank You that I have victory by the blood of Jesus, Indeed today by the power in the blood of Jesus I know that I am an overcomer and the winner in every battle of life in Jesus Name.

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

Galatians 6:9  ‘And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.’
DAILY READING: Revelation 14; Esther 5:1-6:13; Psalm 106:24-48
Billy Graham was born on November 7, 1918, on a North Carolina dairy farm. His parents were hard-working people who had great belief in God. But Billy, when he became a teenager, began to live in spiritual rebellion. He grudgingly attended church with his parents and the family’s Bible-reading, praying and psalm-singing left him feeling restless and resentful. Yet his parents kept praying to God to touch his heart and use Him as an instrument in His kingdom.
In May of 1934, the Christian businessmen of Charlotte, North Carolina, came to hold an all-day prayer meeting on the farm that belonged to Billy’s father. And one of the prayer points raised on that day was that out of their town Charlotte, The Lord would raise up someone to preach the Gospel to the ends of the earth.
Billy seemed a highly unlikely candidate for this. However, by November of that same year, he got born again. This happened when an evangelist came to hold a crusade in their town. Though Billy’s parents actively attended the crusade, to Billy it seemed like a religious circus and he felt antagonistic towards it. However, a while later, his interest in the revival picked up after reading an article in which the evangelist claimed that local high school boys and girls were living an immoral life. This statement had angered the High School students who threatened to go and disrupt the meetings. Billy was curious to see what would happen and so decided to attend the crusade that day with some of his friends. When Billy got to the crusade, he found that the students had declined to carry out their threat. However, as Billy listened to the preacher he found himself held bound by the words he was hearing. Finally, feeling deeply convicted about his sinfulness and rebellion, he got down on his knees and prayed to God for forgiveness. On that day he got born again. And later on, he would receive the call to ministry and actively began to pursue God’s plan for his life.
Billy Graham would become a successful minister who eventually preached the Gospel to more people in live audiences than anyone else in history. Nearly 215 million people in more than 185 countries and territories heard the Gospel through him.
Psalm 40: 1 says ‘ I waited patiently for the Lord, and he inclined unto me and heard my cry. ..’
Indeed God does hear us when we cry unto Him in prayers. When Billy’s parents prayed for him and the businessmen came together and prayed for God to raise a great preacher from their community, God heard their prayers. And God even went beyond their expectations and did more than they had asked for. Likewise whatever, we are believing God to do for us, if we remain steadfast in prayers, and not give up, God will not only answer, but will exceed our expectations.
We need to faithfully persevere in prayers, even when the answers do not seem to immediately come. God does not store prayers, He answers them. But we have need of the patience to persist until we obtain the promise. Whenever we begin to pray, in the unseen realm, God begins to orchestrate things. And just because you don’t see anything happening doesn’t mean the answer is not on the way. In Daniel 10:12–13, Daniel had set himself to pray and fast for 21 days, however, what he did not know was that from the first day he began to pray, God already answered. But the answer seemed delayed because the angel bringing it was resisted by the prince of Persia for twenty-one days, until Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help him.
The good news is that the angelic forces working to bring your answer are greater than the forces trying to withhold it. And as long we don’t give up praying, our answers will surely arrive. Persistence wears down resistance. And persistence means not giving up, not quitting, not giving in and not becoming discouraged when answers don’t come as quickly or in the manner we imagined.
Galatians 6:9 says ‘And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.’
Indeed there is a due season for our reaping. And if we don’t give up in praying, just as God exceeded the expectations of Billy’s parents, God will do for us far above all we could ever ask or imagine.
PRAYER: Lord, Please grant me the grace to persist in the place of prayer; help me not to be discouraged but to keep pressing on, until my answer comes in Jesus Name.
QUOTE

The truth of God’s Word in the life of a believer is always reflective, the results can never be hidden. – WORDBITE 222.

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Psalm 107: 20 ‘He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions. ‘
DAILY READING • Revelation 13; Esther 3-4; Psalm 106:1-23

Recently on March 11, 2019, there was a News report in ‘The New Zealand Herald’, that a man survived hours lost at sea by turning his jeans into a flotation device.
According to the report, a German tourist, named Arne Murke was knocked off a 12-meter yacht, in which he had been sailing with his brother in Tolaga Bay, New Zealand.
The brothers were delivering the yacht from Auckland to Brazil when disaster struck The yacht’s mainsheet came loose, causing the boom to swing around and knock Murke overboard into the water.  Murke found himself floating in the water not wearing any life jacket, just his T-shirt and jeans..  It was a drastic situation  and with no help in sight, Murke knew he may soon drown. The situation was beginning to look hopeless, when Murke remembered a survival trick he’d seen used by US Navy SEALs. And so he took a deep breath, took out his jeans, made knots at the end of the legs and inflated the jeans. He pulled it over water, got air inside and then pushed it under water. It became like an improvised life vest. This inflated jeans kept him afloat on the water for three hours until help arrived. Murke was eventually saved by a rescue helicopter. However, if Murke had not turned his jeans into a flotation device, he may not have been alive  when help arrived. He survived because he had knowledge of what to do. Unfortunately, there had been other people at one time or the other who drowned at sea while wearing their jeans because they lacked the knowledge of how to turn it into a lifesaver. 

In the same way, there is power embedded in God’s Word for man’s deliverance, yet many carry the Bible about having no idea of the power within God’s Word.  Some people have suffered all kinds of torments, some even lost their lives, while the Bible lay under their pillow or by their bedside. They had not known how to apply the knowledge of The Word to enforce their freedom.
Hosea 4:6 says ‘My people perish for lack of knowledge’
We need a working knowledge of God’s Word to survive the deep waters of this life. We need to know how to apply The Word to secure our deliverance. God’s Word is our ticket to freedom from every demonic harassment. Through the power in God’s Word, we can be healed from any infirmity and delivered from destructions.
Psalm 107: 20 says ‘He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions. ‘
Indeed there is power in God’s Word to heal us and deliver us. You cannot be carrying the Bible around and still be drowning in the problems of life. There is a solution to every situation and an answer to every question of life in God’s Word. It is therefore time to open it and seriously seek the knowledge contained therein. Until the book is opened weeping will continue [Revelations 5:4].
Indeed there is an answer to every problem in God’s Word. Sit down and go for a search. With the help of The Holy Spirit, you will surely find the answer. And when you find it there shall be a reward and your expectations shall not be cut short.

PRAYER: Lord, Please enable me to take up the spiritual responsibility of diligently studying Your Word. As I study, please open my eyes to behold the wondrous things that You have stored up for me within Your Word in Jesus Name.
QUOTE
Faith is more than just believing, it is acting upon The Word that you believe.

Hebrews 12: 2 ‘Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God’

DAILY READING; Revelation 12; Esther 2; Psalm 105:26-45

Amy Carmichael  was an Irish Missionary to India, who served in India for 55 years without ever returning back home to Ireland. Early in her life, when Amy was called to the Lord’s work, she never hesitated to answer. After extensive mission work in her native Northern Ireland, Amy set off to distant shores. She longed to be in China where many of her missionary friends had gone to spread the Gospel and help those in need, but the Lord had another plan for Amy. She would soon find herself in the mysterious land of India where the suffering was great and where her faith would be tested to the utmost . In November 1895 she arrived in South India, never to leave. While still learning the difficult Tamil language, she commenced itinerant evangelism with a band of Indian Christian women. She soon found herself responsible for Indian women converts. And in 1901, she and her Indian colleagues settled in Dohnavur. During her village itinerations, she had become increasingly aware of the fact that many Indian children were dedicated to the gods by their parents or guardians, became temple children, and lived in moral and spiritual danger. It became her mission to rescue and raise these children, and so the Dohnavur Fellowship came into being. Known at Dohnavur as Amma (Mother), Carmichael was the leader, and the work became well known through her writing. Workers volunteered and financial support was received. In 1931 she had a serious fall, and this, with arthritis, kept her an invalid for the rest of her life. She continued to write, and identified leaders, missionary and Indian, to take her place. The Dohnavur Fellowship still continues today.

it is indeed amazing that Amy would leave her comfortable homeland and head to India to spread The Gospel.  But trailblazers go where others have never gone, to forge a road for others to follow. They do the unusual, the uncommon. But to be able to do this they have within them the inner confidence that God is backing them up.

You need courage and confidence to move forward to achieve your vision. How could Amy  Carmichael a white woman, ruggedly dwell among the native Indians, despite  the discomforts and oppositions to preach The Gospel? She knew God had sent her and was with her.  One way to move with confidence is to know you have been sent by God. Knowing that God sent him was what gave Moses the confidence to confront pharaoh, it was also what gave David the confidence to run towards Goliath, whom the whole army of Israel were running away from. Knowing that God has sent you gives you the confidence to confront any challenge and level any mountain. Because when God sends you, He also backs you up.

The  road to greatness is an uncommon way. It is the preserve of the brave, those who are strongly connected to their God.  For sure there will  be oppositions on the way. There will be pharaohs to confront, giants to fight and red seas to cross. But though it is a road fraught with dangers and uncertainties, when God is with you, there is no fear. You move with confidence knowing that He will take care of every opposition. It is this strong confidence that God has sent you and God is with you that gives you the courage to break barriers and cross frontiers.

Knowledge of God will give you the unusual confidence required to fulfill your ministry on earth.  And knowing God comes through spending quality time in His Word. So commit today to get to know God more through His Word. For they that do know their God, they shall be strong and they shall do exploits.

PRAYER:  Lord please grant me the  revelation of Your abiding Presence with me always., so that by The Spirit I can go forth to do great things in Jesus Name .

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It takes a heart for God to make a mark in the sands of time. – WORDBITE 201.

Habakkuk 2:3  ‘Though it tarry wait for it, because it will surely come, it will not tarry.

DAILY READING –  Revelation 11; Esther 1; Psalm 105:1-25

3,000 years ago, Jewish prophets wrote of how the land of Israel would be transformed. For instance Isaiah 27:6, prophesied about a future restoration of Israel saying, ‘He shall cause them that come of Jacob to take root, Israel shall blossom and fill the face of the world with fruit.’ This prophecy was made by Isaiah about 2700 years ago. But after he made that prophecy, there was nothing in Israel’s history at the time that would suggest that such prophecy would ever come to pass. In fact, everything suggested otherwise. In AD 70, Jerusalem and the temple were destroyed and the Jews were carried into exile. And for almost 2000 years afterwards the Jews were scattered all over the world among the nations. During that period, nothing like the tribe of Israel existed anymore. Their land was taken over by the Arabs and the name of the region was changed to Palestine. For about 2000 years, Israel was in exile, scattered to different parts of the world.  However in the twentieth century we saw the re- establishment of the state of Israel, and the return of the Jewish people to the Land. To date, there are close to 7.5 million Jewish people who call Israel their home. Many have returned there since the country’s re-establishment in 1948. Their presence is an incredible testimony of the faithfulness of God’s Word.

The Word God spoke through prophet Isaiah is finding fulfillment. Israel is indeed blossoming, being one of the leading nations in technology and innovation today. Practically also, Israel is indeed filing the face of the world with fruits as one of the highest producers and exporters of fruits and flowers in the whole world today. 2700 years after Isaiah made that prophecy, it is coming to pass. This is yet another evidence of the infallibility of God’s Word.

What God says He will do, He will surely do; God is not man that He should lie, neither the son of man that He should repent. Has He said it? He will surely make it good. This should be an encouragement to you, that as long you stay in faith, the promises of God concerning you will surely find fulfillment. It’s not enough to just trust God, you have to also trust his timing. There is an appointed time for the promise of God to be fulfilled in our lives. 

Hebrews 6:12 says  that it is through faith and patience that we inherit the promises. Many times we are the ones that move before God’s Word arrives for fulfillment. Moses, as a young man,  knew he was supposed to deliver the Israelites. He had the promise, but he didn’t have the patience. And so he got in a hurry and moved out of God’s timing and killed a man. As a result  he had to spend 40 years in the desert all because he got out of God’s timing.

We need to be sensitive to God’s timing so that we don’t move out of His perfect plan  for us. We become sensitive to through deeply studying The Word and a lifestyle of constant prayers. It is important that we wait for God’s time for His Word to be fulfilled in our lives. God may not be early, yet He is never late, He is always on time. His timing is always perfect because He is working with a divine blueprint that will cause everything to work together for our good. As Habakkuk 2:3 says, ‘Though it tarry wait for it, because it will surely come, it will not tarry.’ As His promise came to pass at the appointed time over Israel, so shall it come to pass concerning you!

PRAYER: Lord, please help me to wait for Your promise, enable me to rest in You until Your word is fulfilled in 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.

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 no 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.’

DAILY READING –Revelation 10; Nehemiah 13; Psalm 104:24-35

When you pick up almost any modern hymnal, and look in the index column, the name “Watts, Isaac” has a long list of hymns beside it. Isaac Watts was a popular Christian hymn writer, credited with writing over 750 hymns, many of  which remain in use today and have been translated into numerous languages. However, reading through the hymns written by Watts, one would never suspect that while writing those hymns, he  fought battles  with his health. But despite the numerous challenges he faced, he decided to continually give God worthy praise. He refused to focus on his problems but rather focused on God’s promise.  As a pastor in London, sometimes his illness would keep him away from his growing congregation, yet he would write them letters filled with hope and good cheer. He sought to bring joy to others and out of his compassion, one-third of his allowance was given to the poor.

His Hymn writing began when as a young boy, he realized that the hymns of the day were not expressing the kind of joy he felt. He desired to write hymns that would bless The Lord and impart joy into the hearts of people. One day when he complained to his father about the dull hymns  being sung at their family church, his father encouraged him to write better ones. And so he began writing hymns that expressed the joy of The Lord within him. One of these is the very popular Christmas hymn; “Joy to the World; the Lord is come.”  Isaac Watts wrote mostly hymns of praise, which were widely accepted and well loved even up till today.  Isaac Watts had every reason to have focused on his health challenges and remained depressed. However, he chose to give God praise instead, and today the world is blessed with so many beautiful hymns from him as a result.

Often times, we may have a good reason to feel down and discouraged, but we have to make a decision not to follow our feelings. Depression will only give room to the  oppression of the enemy. We walk by faith and not by sight. You need to stop looking at the problems and focus on God’s promise. The ‘sacrifice of praise’ is praising God even when our circumstances dictate the contrary.

Hebrews 13:15 says ‘By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name’

We don’t just praise God when it feels good, looks good, or benefits us in some way. We offer praise, “continually.” As I Thessalonians 5:18 says “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”

The truth is that in life’s journey sometimes you may have to pass through some valleys before you can get to your mountaintop. A valley is defined as a depression. When you come to those places of depression in your journey, when it seems as if life has taken an unexpected twist or turn, what do you do? It is easy to praise God when things are going well, but what of those times, when it seems as if life has thrown you a curve? Despite the circumstances you have to give God praise because praise is what activates God’s favor and causes things to turn around for you.  And though you may sometimes walk through the valley of the shadow of death, never forget that ahead, God has prepared a table for you, and your cup is about to  run over. But you have to stay in praise in other to see the harvest God has promised you.

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 no 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.’

Don’t give in to negative emotions and allow them to keep you from God’s blessings and promotion. Fix your eyes on Jesus and not on the negativity.  Choose to live each day in God’s peace, by spending time in His Word until joy is imparted into your heart. Then maintain an atmosphere of joy around you and in all things keep giving God thanks. As you do so, you will see God work in your life in greater ways than you can ever think or imagine.

PRAYER: Lord, Please help me to maintain a praise-full lifestyle, no matter what comes my way. I know that indeed You are too faithful to fail and even right now you are at work to turn every mourning into dancing for me in Jesus Name.

QUOTE

When we fight by God’s help we are sure of victory.    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         Revelation 9; Nehemiah 12; Psalm 104:1-23

Wallace E. Johnson was the co-founder of the Holiday Inn, a company that became the largest hotel operator in the world. It is interesting that Wallace Johnson’s success only came after he had been fired from his job and was left virtually penniless. Wallace was born in 1902 into a poor farming family in Edinburg, Mississippi and learned carpentry as a teenager. Later as an adult, he worked in a sawmill lumber yard, as a building supply salesman. This was during the time of the economic depression in America, and so he carefully held on to his job, as the wages, though small, helped to provide for his family. However one morning, something devastating happened; Wallace’s boss in anger told him ‘You’re fired!’
This seemed like the worst thing that could happen to Wallace. At that moment he felt as if his world had caved in. He left to his home grossly depressed and discouraged. However, despite the bleak future that seemed to face him, as a Christian he believed that God would see him through. He agreed with his wife to mortgage their little home and with a $250 loan, he went into the home-building business. His first venture was the construction of two small buildings.
In a few years his business began to grow and within five years of starting the business, he had become a millionaire. In 1952, he co-founded a motel chain called, the Holiday Inn. By 1956, they had built 30 Holiday Inns and a decade later, there were 1000 Holiday Inns operating across America. And today, Holiday Inns are all over the world.

Wallace who always recognized God as the source of his dramatic success, ensured that in each room at the Holiday Inns, there was always an open Bible, to help people find Jesus. He and his wife were deeply involved in their local church and gave liberally to Christian causes. Wallace, often spoke of how totally dependent upon God he was. He said even at the time when he was fired from his job, God was still at work, taking him to the next level of destiny. And concerning the boss that fired him, Wallace would later say “Today, if I could locate the man who fired me, I would sincerely thank him for what he did. At the time it happened, I didn’t understand why I was fired. Later, I saw that it was God’s unerring and wondrous plan to get me into the way of His choosing!”
Indeed sometimes God can use haters to propel you forward in life. God can use the people that are trying to push you down to move you up. It is all part of His plan to get you where you need to go.
Just as God has divine connections lined up for you, He has people whose assignment is to push you into your destined place. God used Goliath to propel David to the throne. Joseph’s brothers were used to transport him to Egypt to become the prime minister. Pharaoh thought he was oppressing the Israelites, but rather he only helped them to multiply. Often times the opposition isn’t there to stop you but rather to establish you.  The truth is that if your enemies hadn’t been so critical, you wouldn’t have been so driven. Some of the critics kept you on your knees and gave you the fuel to keep going forward in order to prove them wrong.
1 Peter 4:12-14 says ‘Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.’
Indeed there is glory about to be revealed in you. Some of the things they meant for your destruction, God will use for your construction. God will use it to push you to the next level. He knows how to take what was meant for your harm and use it to your advantage.
And never forget, in the game of life tables aren’t static. Tables can be turned around at any time. God can step in suddenly to alter the seasons and circumstances in your favor. If you’ll stay in faith, God will soon turn your trials to triumphs. And while the enemy thought he was hindering you, he would only end up being used to promote you. Indeed as you keep blessing God at all times, what looks like troubles will ultimately end up serving God’s plan and purpose in your life. As Romans 8:28 says, it is all working together for your good…

PRAYER: Lord I know You are always faithful and Your Word is true. I thank You, Lord, that even right now, in every situation, You are working it all out together for my ultimate good in Jesus name..

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