HORM Devotional

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

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

Some accounts of Israel’s survival sound too incredible to be true. But they are only testimonies of God’s miracles in the midst of His people. In the television documentary series, “Against All Odds: In Search of a Miracle,” Journalist Michael Greenspan explores the question of why Israel has survived against all the odds. The 13-part dramatic series took a fascinating journey into the documented stories of supernatural phenomenon, which birthed and preserved modern Israel. This includes eyewitness accounts and commentary by high-ranking government officials, generals, soldiers and foreign leaders.

One very famous case of such miracles happened in 1958 when the IDF [Israel Defense Force] went into the Golan Heights to fight the Syrian army. In the course of the battle, a soldier from the IDF got run over by a Syrian tank and was seriously wounded. As the Syrian soldiers saw this man lying helpless on the battlefield, they approached him and pulled out their guns ready to shoot him. But all of a sudden the Syrian soldiers started to run away for no obvious explanation. When later questioned by their superiors, these Syrian soldiers stated that they saw thousands of angels around this man. And at about the exact time, this wounded Israeli soldier said that he heard the voice of God telling him that He was not finished with him yet. And this man survived.

In another incident in 1973, a lone Israeli soldier took an entire Egyptian patrol all by himself. And this lone soldier, who became a hero, said that he couldn’t make any sense of it, he thought that he was going to be killed, but instead the Egyptian forces just turned themselves in and allowed him to lead them into Israeli territory. And when the Egyptian commander was questioned on why he and his men gave themselves up to this lone soldier, he replied, “One soldier? No, there were thousands of them.” According to him, it was only after they had crossed into Israel’s territory that these ‘thousands of soldiers’ disappeared!

And in another case a small Jewish community with no soldiers was under attack by Arab forces, when all of a sudden the Arabs began to run away in great fear. The Arabs later stated that they were being attacked by huge strange beings with flaming swords. These stories, as incredible as they seem, have been documented and collaborated by eyewitnesses. Indeed, the survival and existence of Israel is a living proof of the truth of God’s Word.

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.’

It is God’s will for His people to rule and dominate in the midst of their enemies. Israel is a tiny nation surrounded by large hostile nations, yet by the power of God Israel has continued to dominate and rule in the midst of its enemies.

Likewise, according to God’s end-time agenda, the Church is in its era of dominion. God has given believers the power to tread upon serpents and scorpions and over every power of the enemy.  It is God’s will that we dominate our environment. We are called to be the head and not the tail; above only and never beneath. We are to take the lead, while others follow. That is our heritage. But you cannot dominate without being empowered.

1John 5:19 tells us that ‘the whole world lieth in wickedness.’

To live and thrive in such a wicked world, we need power.  It is the power content at work in your life that makes you dominate. It is the level of power you operate in that will authenticate the level of dominion you can manifest.

Power is the beauty of Christianity. It is the identity and portion of every child of God. The kingdom of God speaks in power not just in word. It is through the manifestation of God’s power that our enemies shall be subdued. Through the power of God we rule over sickness, disease, poverty and every enemy of our lives and destiny.  It is therefore time to go for power. And power is encountered through prayer and in-depth study of the Word of God. Let us determine to pay the required price to walk in dominion. Enough of excuses, enough of explanations! Indeed it is time to begin to rule in the midst of our enemies through exercise of God’s power!

PRAYER: Father, I desire to live a life of victory and dominion. I know it is Your will and plan for me to be the head and never the tail.  By Your power, I am indeed ruling in the midst of my enemies in Jesus’ name.

QUOTE:

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

Psalms 102:13 ‘Thou shalt arise, and have mercy upon Zion: for the time to favour her, yea, the set time, is come.’

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

Sam Walton, who was once the richest man in the world, was the founder of Wal-mart which is one of the world’s largest corporations. He built Wal-Mart into the biggest retailer in the world, transforming the way Americans shopped and making himself very rich in the process. However what is interesting is that he began his business supposedly late in life. He was already forty four years old when he opened the first Walmart store.

After serving as an Army captain in an intelligence unit during World War II, Walton returned from the war with virtually nothing. However with a $25,000 loan from his father-in-law, he decided to go into business. And in 1962 Walton opened his first Wal-Mart store in Rogers, Arkansas. Success was swift. By 1976 Wal-Mart was a publicly traded company with share value worth of $176 million. By the early 1990s, Wal-Mart’s stock worth had jumped to $45 billion.  And in 1991 Wal-Mart had  become America’s largest retailer.

Sam Walton, who was a devout Christian and taught Sunday School for most of his adult life, believed that it was the favour of God that gave him divine acceleration. And one of his key access to divine favour was his dedication to the cause of God’s kingdom. He was a tither and great philanthropist who gave to many Christian causes. At his death he left an estimated $100 billion fortune to his wife and four children. However, he was such a strong believer in tithing that through several legal provisions on his trust funds he made it impossible for his descendants not to tithe on the revenues of his company and on their inheritance. And as a result of these legal provisions, today, all Waltons, not only tithe, but also give offerings from their inheritance.

Sam Walton’s dedication to the cause of God’s  kingdom undoubtedly was key to his success. And though by human estimation, he may have started out  late in business, through God’s favour, he overtook  many people who had gone ahead of him.

Psalms 102:13-14 says ‘Thou shalt arise, and have mercy upon Zion: for the time to favour her, yea, the set time, is come. For thy servants take pleasure in her stones, and favour the dust thereof.’

When you take pleasure in the stones of Zion; when you are dedicated to the building and expansion of God’s kingdom, there is always a set time for God to favour you. No matter how hard or long you may have been laboring, suddenly God can turn things around for you. He can pull the switch of His favor  and take you from the background to the foreground.

Time is generally defined in the Greek as “chronos” and “kairos”.

“Chronos” is the Chronological calculation of time in seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, years, etc. But “Kairos” represents an unplanned, unexpected and unscheduled time of divine visitation.  Suddenly God can bypass protocol to put you in positions you didn’t earn, didn’t qualify for, or weren’t next in line to receive.

The truth is that the destiny God has for you cannot be accomplished merely by your own strength. The places He is going to take you to, you can’t get there by yourself.

Hardwork and diligence are important and will take us up to a certain height in life, however, it will take God’s favour to cause our cup to run over. When God breathes His favor on you, sudden divine orchestration takes place that accelerates you from the back to the front. Divine favour sometimes cannot be explained or articulated by the human mind;  How can you explain Joseph, a prisoner becoming a prime minster in Egypt overnight? Or how do you explain, Esther, a Jewish orphan girl, replacing an established Queen as Vashti on the throne of Shushan?

As you remain faithful in serving God and seeking His kingdom first, God knows how to turn the tables in your favor. When your desire is for the expansion of God’s kingdom, God will accelerate your dreams. What should have taken you many years to accomplish, God will do in a sudden moment. In Deuteronomy 6:11, God said when we honor Him, He would give us houses that we did not build and we would reap from vineyards that we did not plant. Indeed God can give you favour in the place of labour. And one touch of His favor is worth more than a lifetime of labor.

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for surrounding me with Your  favour as a shield. You are the God of miracles, signs and wonders and I know that even now You are able to suddenly intervene in my situation and move me up by Your divine power in Jesus Name.

Quote :

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

James 4:7 ‘Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.’

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

In the days of king Solomon, vineyards were very important, and vine owners did everything they could to protect them. Lots of things could harm the growing grapes such as bears, thieves, wind and other natural disasters. So, the farmers would come up with a plan to protect against the big threats. But, it was not the big things that were the real problem. While the grapes were growing, little foxes would sneak in at night, under the cover of darkness, and gnaw on the tendrils and eat the flowers before the grapes were set — destroying the entire harvest in a single night.

In the same way, the greatest danger Christians today face are not the so-called “big sins” but the little foxes that can quietly slip into one’s life. This is why we need to guard our heart with all diligence.

Paul wrote in 1 Cor. 10:12, “Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.’

A frog put into boiling hot water,  will jump right out. However, if you put a frog in cool water and then slowly raise the temperature, it will stay right there until it boils to death. The enemy knows that many Christians may not jump in and commit a major sin — but, if he started out with little white lies, then eventually it could get to the point where sin completely filled the life of the Christian and ruined his walk and witness.

1 Cor 5:6 says, ” Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?

The accumulation of little foxes can spoil the vine. Fleeting thoughts that may seem harmless now, can bring  down a great Christian testimony. Therefore  give no room to the devil.

Some have said it is not possible for a believer to live with out sinning and have said rather a saint is a sinner who sins less, but that is not true. God’s will is not that we sin less — God’s will is that we do not sin at all. All unrighteousness is sin.

In John 8:11 Jesus said to the woman caught in adultery “Go and sin no more!”

If Jesus says it is possible to sin no more, then it is. Jesus has given us the power to resist the enemy and overcome sin.

James 4:7 says ‘Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you’.

We have a spiritual responsibility to resist the enemy. Through Christ we can do all things including to overcome sin. You are born again to manifest the holiness and righteousness of God. You are born again to be a light to your world. But you cannot be a light if you are a slave to sin and temptation.  You are who God says you are and you can do what God says you can do. And if God has called you a ‘chosen generation and a holy nation,’ so are you.

And it is through feeding on The Word of God that our minds can be daily renewed to live righteous and holy. God’s Word carries sanctifying virtues. In John 17:17 Jesus said ‘Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth’.

And in John 15:3 Jesus also says ‘Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you’

Furthermore the Scriptures tells us in Psalms 119:9 ‘Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.’

And Psalms 119:11 says ‘Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.’

All these scripture verses help us to understand that the war with sin can be won through The Word. Every struggle with the small foxes of sin can be overcome as we hide The Word of God in our heart.  It doesn’t matter the depth of bondage, when you consciously engage the power of Christ, the yoke and hold of sin will be broken easily off you. The truth is that you can walk out on the devil anytime. Therefore, enough of toying with sin. Enough of harboring small foxes. It is time to get serious with God. It is time to embark on holy living. Therefore make up your mind today to commit to spending more time in God’s Word. Indeed the more we hide the Word of God in our hearts, the more we will win the victory over sin and temptation.

PRAYER: Lord, Please grant me the grace to always pursue holiness and righteousness in all I do. As I spend more time in Your Word, the little foxes of sin will never gain a hold on my life in Jesus name. .

Quote

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

Psalm 124:6-82 ‘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: John 16:4-33; 2 Chronicles 24; Psalm 81

In the Australian bush country grows a little plant called the “sundew.” It has a slender stem and tiny, round leaves fringed with hairs that glisten with bright drops of liquid as delicate as fine dew. Woe to the insect, however, that dares to dance on it. Although its attractive clusters of red, white, and pink blossoms are harmless, the leaves are deadly. The shiny moisture on each leaf is sticky and will imprison any bug that touches it. As an insect struggles to free itself, the vibration causes the leaves to close tightly around it. This innocent-looking plant then feeds on its victim.

Truly not all that glitter is gold. There are many things that may appear innocent but in reality are quite deadly. This is why we can’t afford to walk by sight, but rather by the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

There is a way that seems right unto men but the end thereof is death. To escape the many ‘innocent’ looking traps of the enemy, we need to be guided by the Holy Spirit. Only Him knows the right way we are to go per time. Our guarantee for safety in the journey of life is dwelling in the path of light, which is walking in line with God’s Word. The ways of the world are slippery, their boundaries are continually shifting, and you cannot afford to walk on such shifting sands lest you sink. Not all that glitters is gold. Not all open doors are from God, some are traps in disguise. But it is only by the help of the Spirit that we can discern rightly. Obedience to God’s instructions is the way out of every deception. Obedience may be costly, but the reward is priceless. God leads by instructions. His Instructions are the high way to distinction. The Word of God is a lamp unto our feet and light unto our path. It is in His light that we can see light. To avoid destruction we must heed instructions.

Don’t just assume. Hear clearly for yourself what the Spirit is saying. A daily quiet time spent in studying the Word and praying, is one way of receiving daily instructions from the Spirit of God. We are to trust in the Lord with all our heart and not to lean on our own understanding. And as we acknowledge Him in all our ways, surely, He will direct our paths.

PRAYER:

Lord, please help me to take heed to the instructions of scriptures. Enable me to be totally dependent upon You, as I travel in this journey of life. Please guide me always in the path of life, so that I can escape the paths of death and destruction 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.

Romans 12:20 “If your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in doing so, you will heap coals of fire on his head.”

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

Years after Hutu extremists killed about 1 million Tutsis in a devastating genocide, the Rwandan nation has embarked on the path of healing, mostly due to the willingness of its people to forgive and forge ahead.

A CNN documentary sometime ago, focused on the story of Mukantabana, a woman who lost her family in the genocide but who has reconciled with her family’s killers and moved on with her life. Mukantabana was only one of the many people in Rwanda who suffered unbelievable terror from their neighbours during the 100-day slaughter in Rwanda when neighbours killed each other along the tribal divide. The Hutus killed the Tutsis, while the extremist government through vile radio broadcasts urged them on.

In her own case, Mukantabana’s husband and five children were hacked to death by marauding Hutu militias. Most painful to her was that among her family’s killers was a man named Jean-Bosco Bizimana, who was her neighbor and husband to her friend, Mukanyndwi. After the war, Jean-Bosco Bizimana spent seven years in jail for his crime. And then he went before a tribal gathering, part of the reconciliation process, to ask for forgiveness. Yet, for Mukantabana  that was not enough to account for the loss of her family. For 4 years, Mukantabana did not speak to her neighbors, Mukanyndwi’s and her husband. But being a Christian who prays a lot, she knew she had to forgive. Though it was difficult, she eventually opened her heart and reconciled with Jean-Bosco Bizimana and his wife.

As at the time of the CNN report, Mukantabana spends days weaving baskets with her friend Mukanyndwi, and often shares lunch with her and her husband. As difficult and as it impossible as it seemed, by God’s grace she has learned to let go of the past and embrace the future.

Ephesians 4:32 encourages us to be tender hearted, not adamant, ready to forgive even as God has forgiven us. Learning to forgive is one of the hardest, but yet most important lessons one must learn in life. As Christians, forgiveness is the basis of our faith. We learn to forgive because we are instructed by God to do so.

Matthew 5:23-24 says, “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.” We also need to be forgiven ourselves. We are not perfect people and we often make mistakes. Everyone has offended God at one time or the other. Despite this, He did not cast us away but allowed us to confess our sins and return to Him.

Jesus says clearly, offenses will come. No matter who you are, the one guarantee you have about life is that you will be offended at one time or the other. We must therefore always remember that it does not matter why someone has chosen to hurt us. What really matters is that we recognize that forgiveness is a necessity.

The truth is that unforgiveness is life-destroying. It is the root of many terminal illnesses and in medical books it is listed as a disease. Forgiveness has less to do with the guilty person’s reaction to it. It’s about obeying God’s instruction to forgive. It is also a decision not to allow yourself to be victimized twice by giving the pain room to continue to operate in your life and affect you. Forgiveness liberates your heart from the anger and pain. It means you have moved on with your life and no longer continually victimized by rehearsing that issue or incident. The forgiving process means letting go and leaving all judgment to God.

Romans 12:20 says, “If your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in doing so, you will heap coals of fire on his head.” God’s instruction is for us to love our enemies and leave the judgment to Him. No matter where you are in life, or what has been done to you, God’s grace is available to help you put it all behind you. Jesus is able to wipe the slate clean and bring restoration. He is able to heal, make you whole and cause His peace to flow like a river through your heart.

PRAYER:

Lord, wherever there is still any root of bitterness or anger in my life, please uproot it and fill my heart rather with Your peace and joy always in Jesus’ name.

QUOTE:

Your attitude always determines your altitude in life.

Psalm 46:1-2 ‘God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea.’

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

2018 is the most destructive wildfire season on record in California, the largest amount of burned acreage recorded in a fire season. The wildfires brought a great amount of devastation to California. As recently reported on GOD TV, one of the fire incidents involved Pastor Mel Ayres and his wife, Desiree, who clung to the truth of God’s Word when fire encroached on their home. The devastating fire approached until it reached their backyard. However, Pastor Mel, along with 10 others knew about the authority the LORD Jesus gave them. And so, instead of panicking, they exercised their authority. In faith, they spoke to the flames and wind and drew a blood line by declaring, “You’ll not come this far in the name of Jesus. Be still, peace, be still!” They sealed Pastor Mel’s property with the blood of Jesus. However when the fire went 5-feet high because of a tree in their backyard, they decided to evacuate.

After the wildfire, when Pastor Mel and his wife went back home, they were amazed by what they saw. Their house was completely safe and not even one piece of grass on their property was singed! In the video that Pastor Mel took, he showed where the fire completely stopped. He said, “The fires burned everything right up to our grass line, and burned into a crisp.”

Beyond the grass line was a view of completely scorched and crisped plants. To him, there was no natural reason the fire would stop right there because there were no firemen to hold it back. On top of it all, there was not even a drop of water used to prevent the spread of the fire. Indeed, there is power in the Blood of Jesus to stop even wild fire! Truly God protects those who trust in Him.

Psalm 46:1-2 says, ‘God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.  Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea.’ The power in the blood of Jesus has provided everything we need to live in victory and dominion on the earth. Through the Blood, we have salvation, protection, healing, and provision.

To live a life of victory we must learn to receive fully the benefits of Christ’s sacrifice.  We must draw these benefits by always applying the blood of Jesus over our lives and all that concerns us. The blood of the Lamb is irresistible and inexhaustible. It is an unlimited supply. According to Isaiah 53:4-5, Jesus’ sacrifice covered every area of man’s need. He bore spiritual torment for our sins, mental distress for our worry, care, sorrow and fear, as well as physical pain for our sickness and disease. The stripes He bore and the blood He shed were for our healing. By His stripes we are healed. Every time we apply the blood, there is created a barrier between us and all the works of the devil.

The blood of Jesus Christ has the power to rescue us from Satan’s death-grip. Paul stressed this power of the blood in Ephesians 1:13 which says that our Heavenly Father “has delivered us from the power of darkness and translated (or moved) us into the Kingdom of His dear Son.” Without Jesus Christ, we would have been trapped by Satan in spiritual darkness and death. But Jesus came to rescue us from darkness and death! Let us therefore continuously apply the blood of Jesus to the doorposts of our lives in faith. Through the power in the blood we defeat every part of the curse that tries to take residence. When we plead the Blood in the face of sickness, disease or danger, the power contained in the blood will always arise for our deliverance!

PRAYER:

Father, I thank You for delivering me from every plan of the wicked through the Blood of Jesus. I thank You that indeed affliction can never arise a second time in my life in Jesus’ name.

QUOTE:

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

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

Dale Hanson Bourke is a well-known author and writer. In her book, ‘Second Calling’ she tells the story of what happened at a conference she attended years ago. When the conference was over, her friend, Bruce offered her a ride to the airport. As they were about to leave, another man from the conference asked if he could join them. As they drove away from the hotel, she asked the man where he worked, and he mentioned a Christian organization. Bruce said, “I have fond memories of that group, because I attended a retreat of theirs one time, and that’s where I became a Christian. It was in 1972 in New Hampshire.” Bruce went on to explain that eventually his whole family became Christians and went into Christian work. His sister was a Wycliffe missionary and Bruce himself became publisher of a major Christian publishing house, which brought many significant Christian books to the public. Bruce finished the story by saying that in his own opinion, the retreat had made a worldwide impact going by the results that had emanated from it.

After Bruce finished speaking, the man was silent. Dale and Bruce thought that maybe they were boring him. Then the stranger quietly said, “I led that retreat. It was my first time as a conference leader, and I felt like a total failure. Until this moment, I have always believed it was one of the biggest failures of my life.” It then indeed seemed that God had divinely arranged for that man to meet with Bruce and hear the impact produced by the retreat he had deemed a failure.

It can take some time after we have obeyed God to finally begin to see major results of what our obedience to God’s call has produced. God’s training period simply requires us to do what He tells us to do when He tells us to do it, without questioning or trying to figure everything out.

Ecclesiastes 3:1 tells us: To everything there is a season, and a time for every matter or purpose under heaven. Probably the worst enemy of enthusiasm is time. Human beings have a remarkable capacity for quickly getting tired or discouraged if immediate results are not seen.

In our Christian journey, as long as we are obeying God’s leading, we can trust Him to work out the end results.

God gives us hopes and dreams for certain things to happen in our lives, but we may not immediately always see how it is being worked out. Although it can be frustrating not seeing the immediate results we want to see, but when we trust God’s timing, we can learn to live in hope and enjoy our lives while believing God to  work out the issues around us.

The book of Genesis tells the story of Joseph, who waited many years for the fulfillment of the dream God had given him. He was falsely accused and imprisoned before the time came for him for the manifestation of God’s promise to him.

Sometimes, because the battle is taking longer than we thought, we become weary. But Galatians 6:9 says, “Let us not grow weary in well-doing, for in due season we shall reap, if we do not lose heart.” Those who genuinely “do good” will be tempted soon enough to grow weary. Even the apostle Paul, with the utter clarity of his calling, testified to “fighting without and fear within” (2 Corinthians 7:5). Becoming spiritually and emotionally drained would have been one of the temptations in his day such that he wrote twice in his letters, “Do not grow weary in doing good” (Galatians 6:9; 2 Thessalonians 3:13).

We must learn to walk by faith in God’s promises. We must trust His timing for us. Sometimes our weariness stems from following our own sense of “due season” instead of God’s.

God has impeccable timing. His promise to exalt us if we humble ourselves under his mighty hand will come “at the proper time” (1 Peter 5:6). God will not forget your work and labour of love. Therefore, don’t grow weary of being patient, kind, good, faithful, gentle and self-controlled. Don’t grow weary of manifesting your peace and joy in all kinds of acts of love to those around you. Keep sowing faithfully. God sees. He knows. And indeed in Christ, your labor will never be in vain!

PRAYER:

Lord, please help me not to grow weary in well doing. As I continually humble myself under Your mighty hand I know, indeed, You shall exalt me in due season 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.

Romans 12:2 ‘And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.’

DAILY READING John 13:21-38; 2 Chronicles 19; Psalm 78:38-55

John Dillinger was a notorious American bank robber in the 1930s. After the FBI labeled him America’s first “Public Enemy No. 1” and placed a $10,000 reward on his head, he decided to change his features to avoid recognition. He underwent a crude face lift to alter his facial features and obliterate his fingerprints with acid. However, after he died, experts discerned a few of the remaining ridge patterns on his fingers and identified him easily.

It’s indeed amazing that in the entire world no two people have the same fingerprints. The study of fingerprints has been around for about 100 years, and in all that time, no two people have ever been found to have the same prints. Not even twins. Identical twins often share personality traits, interests and habits. They come from the same fertilized egg and share the same genetic blueprint. To a standard DNA test, they are indistinguishable. But any forensics expert will tell you that there is at least one surefire way to tell them apart – through their finger prints!

Everyone has their own unique pattern of fingerprint that can be used to easily identify them. What that means is that you are not mass produced. You are a master piece. No one else has been given exactly the same makeup as God has given you. Your face, your fingerprints, your voice, and your genetic makeup are matched by no one else’s. God has specially handcrafted you with your unique personality, talents and characteristics.

What it also means is that you have a unique purpose in life. No one else has your abilities and talents combined with your personality and standing to do the job God has called you to do.

You are anointed to be you. You are not where you are or who you are by accident. God has uniquely crafted you to fulfill a particular purpose. This is why you must follow your calling. There is a specific race set before you. Your track is different from others’. God has given to you according to your abilities. And you will be judged according to how you traded with your unique talents.

This is why you cannot afford to sit on the oars. Follow your calling. Often, the pressures of life forces men to abandon their unique calling to settle for a common existence. But that’s not you.

In Romans 12:2, Apostle Paul is essentially saying, “Don’t let the world around you squeeze you into its own mold”. There’s a constant pressure trying to squeeze you into being common, into doing what everyone else is doing. Don’t let that thinking rub off on you. If others want to be common, that’s their choice. But that’s not who you are. Stand out in the crowd. Those who despite the pressures of life persist in following their unique call, are those who walk into history books for achieving the extraordinary. That is where you belong. Therefore do not settle for less. Keep pressing unto the high calling of God in Christ Jesus for you. And as you run your race looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of your faith, you will surely reach your goal.

PRAYER: Lord, please help me to always walk by faith and not by sight. Show me the way to the great destiny You have for me, and guide me by Your Spirit until I arrive there in Jesus’ name.

QUOTE

There is more to you than meets the eyes. Don’t let anyone convince you otherwise. – WORDBITE 222.

Roman 8:44

As many as are led by the Spirit they are the sons of God.

DAILY READING  Matthew 20:1-16; Numbers 13-14; John 13:1-20; 2 Chronicles 18; Psalm 78:21-37

According to scientists, the bumblebee’s body is too heavy and its wing span too small. Aerodynamically, the bumblebee cannot fly. But the bumblebee doesn’t know that, so it keeps flying!

Looking at yourself and your limitations will only keep you grounded. When God called Moses to deliver Israel, Moses was looking at his limitations. When he told God he couldn’t talk, God asked him who made man’s mouth. But when Moses looked away from his own limitations and looked unto God, he did the impossible. He defied Pharaoh and terrified all of Egypt and delivered Israel out of bondage.

When you don’t know your limitations, you go out and surprise yourself. The only limitations you have are those that are self-imposed. When you can look away from your abilities or inabilities and look only to God you can do great things.

The journey of greatness is not accomplished by your own strength. It is accomplished by God working through you. Paul said, ‘I can do all things through Christ that strengtheneth me’. Gideon was not qualified in his own strength to face the Midianites. In fact, he was scared of them and was in hiding because he was looking at his own limitations. But when God visited him, the same Gideon defeated the Midianite army. It is neither by might nor by power but by My Spirit says the Lord.

It is time to start looking away from your own strength and start looking unto God. This is why the starting point in your journey to greatness is to be in the right place with God. It is knowing that God is with you that gives you the confidence to forge ahead. This is why you need to take time to hear from God.

What is it that God has assigned you to do in this life? Find out from Him through prayer. Only Him has the plan and blueprint for your life. Know exactly what He is asking you to do. When you are certain you have heard from God, you then can be sure that His power for accomplishment will also be released to you. Do not look at yourself, rather, become totally dependent upon God. Draw strength from Him daily through a consistent prayer life and study of the Scriptures.

When God sends you, He goes with you. Jesus said, ‘I did not send Myself, He that sent Me is with Me’. It is this presence of God going with you that destroys every opposition on the way. In Psalm 114, the Bible says, ‘The sea saw it, and fled: Jordan was driven back. The mountains skipped like rams, and the little hills like lambs. What ailed thee, O thou sea, that thou fleddest? thou Jordan, that thou wast driven back? Ye mountains, that ye skipped like rams; and ye little hills, like lambs? Tremble, thou earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob.’ The sea, hills and mountains which represented problems were trembling and running away because of the presence of God that surrounded Israel.

Divine Presence makes the journey easy. Do not send yourself. The reason many take off only to fall along the way is because they sent themselves. God will only back you up when He is the One that has assigned you. This is why it is important to wait on Him first and hear what He is asking you to do.

After Paul encountered God and got his assignment, he said ‘I conferred not with flesh and blood’. It was the confidence that he had heard directly from God that gave Paul the audacity and ruggedness to move forward in his assignment despite the many oppositions. Goers for God are getters for God.

Study everyone that God ever used in the Scriptures. They didn’t sit at home and worry over their limitations; they went forward and then God showed up with His power. God has been putting certain dreams and ideas in your mind, what have you done about them?  Dreams do not accomplish themselves. You have to run with the vision. Champions are made from challenges. Winners come at the end of the race. Warriors emerge from war fronts. But if you do nothing, you gain nothing. No pain, no gain.

It is not about you, it is God that works in you, both to will and to do of His good pleasure. So, make up your mind to fulfill destiny. What God has put in you must come out for your world to see. Don’t live an unfulfilled life. Don’t sit in one place, wishing and hoping alone. Faith without works is dead. You must prove your faith by your works. Start where you are, trusting God.

One of the things that keep men from going forward is fear of the unknown. But then all you need is to know God. For they that do know their God, shall be strong and do exploits. The more you know God, the more you will have faith, and the more fear will depart from you. Faith and fear cannot dwell in the same place. So invest time in getting to know God through His Word and He will cause you to excel in life.

PRAYER:

Lord, please help me to build my life upon the solid foundation of Your Word and prayer. Help me to pay the required price to be led by Your Spirit always, not my will but Yours  be done in Jesus’ name.

QUOTE:

When God places His hand upon a man in life, nothing can come against him, this is because the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.  WORDBITE 222.

[ADAPTED FROM THE BOOK FAITH CLASSICS]