HORM Devotional

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

DAILY READING – Mark 1:21-45; 2 Samuel 3:2-39; Daniel 2:1-23

Indeed we have every cause to thank God! He has done great and mighty things for us! He has answered the cry of our hearts and has continued to work in strange and mysterious ways to favor His people and His church in our nations.

When we think about all the goodness of Jesus, then we are bound to thank Him. Indeed in this season we must especially appreciate God for arising for the Church and executing His council in our nation. Left to the enemy so many things would have gone wrong, but God has been mighty in the midst of His people. The truth is that so many times the things we ought to be thanking God for, are things we take for granted.

For instance we go to church as a routine, and openly declare our identities as Christians. But do you know there are countries where to be identified as a Christian is a death sentence? North Korea is ranked as the most oppressive place in the world for Christians. In this totalitarian communist state, Christians are forced to hide their faith completely from government authorities, neighbors and often, even their own spouses and children. In October 2016, a 55 year old North Korean defector reveals he was tortured and nearly killed just for being a Christian.  He managed to escape from one of the country’s notorious jails, fleeing into China and is now living in Los Angeles, US. He  described being tortured in the hermit state because of his religion.  He told Fox News about how he was forced to hide his religious beliefs . He along with eight others started an underground church, but because of the repression of Christians, they were forced to keep it a secret. But in 2008, officials caught and arrested him.  He was about to be sent to one of the country’s terrifying labour camps – where prisoners must undergo “re-education” treatment – when he managed to escape across the border. He  now lives in LA where he has promised to continue spreading the word about North Korean injustices.

Besides North Korea, there are many other repressive countries where Christians are persecuted for their faith. Christians who live in such regions of persecution, whenever they escape, find it strange how those of us who live in religious freedom can be casual about our faith. It is said you don’t appreciate what you have until you lose it. This is why people who have a near death experience often come out of it with a new appreciation for life.

We therefore must lift our voice in thanksgiving to God. Thanking for what He has done and what He will continue to do. Thanksgiving is important because it adjusts our attitude and calibrates our hearts so that we stop complaining and rather begin to appreciate God.  By His grace the enemy will not turn our nation into a place where we will not freely hear the Gospel. While we pray for Christians in persecuted areas, we believe that our own freedom will never be tampered with. And it is through praise that God takes over our battles. So as we continue to praise God in this season we can be assured that the church in our nations will continue to go forward and the gates of hell shall never prevail against it in Jesus Name.

PRAYER:  Lord from the very depths of my heart I bless You for keeping covenant. I thank You for preserving us as individuals and as Your Church, indeed by Your grace we shall continue to advance forward and the gates of hell shall never prevail against us in Jesus Name.

QUOTE

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

Zechariah 9:11  ‘As for thee also, by the blood of thy covenant I have sent forth thy prisoners out of the pit wherein is no water.’

 DAILY READING Mark 1:1-20; 2 Samuel 2:1-3:1; Daniel 1

Nicolaus Ludwig Zinzendorf was born in 1700 into a royal family background and was of noble descent. When he graduated from the university,  part of the tradition to mark the end of that period of formal education, was a grand tour throughout Europe to visit some of the cultural high-spots. While visiting an art museum he saw a painting of Christ entitled “Behold the Man”. It was a portrait of Christ with the crown of thorns pressed down on his head and blood running down his face. As he stood there, watching the blood of Jesus dripping down, he was greatly moved. At that point he realized he had been living for himself, neglecting Christ who shed His blood and died for him. He therefore, rededicated his life to Christ and decided to serve God anyway God wanted him to. His opportunity to serve came when some persecuted Christians, who fled to Germany, came to him asking for refuge.  These people were received by Zinzendorf and allowed to settle on his estate.

Through this people The Lord led him to found a community of earnest Christians.  Using the Bible as his only instruction book, Zinzendorf began to establish a community devoted to prayer, praise, Bible study, and mutual edification.  Continual prayer would rise to God as the people took turns praying each hour, day and night. These were a people, utterly, and radically dedicated to making Jesus known.  This community of believers came to be known as  “The Lord’s Watch”. In 1727 this  community started a round the clock “prayer watch” that lasted unbroken for 100 years. There were about 300 persons in the community at the beginning, and various ones covenanted to pray for one of the 24 hours in the day. In 1792, 65 years later, with the lamp of prayer still burning, the little community had sent out 300 missionaries to the unreached peoples of the West Indies, Greenland, Lapland, Turkey, and North America.

Indeed the encounter that Zinzendorf had with the blood of Jesus, at that art museum, not only transformed him but has continued to positively transform many lives around the world ever since.

Titus 2:14 says, “He gave himself for us to redeem us from all iniquity and to purify for himself a people of his own who are zealous for good deeds.”

Indeed a true encounter with the blood of Jesus will birth fresh fire and zeal for the Gospel in us. Jesus shed His blood to redeem us from a life of mediocrity, therefore we cannot continue to be stuck with living an average life. His blood was shed to enable us live a life of impact on earth; to move from weakness to strength, from obscurity to a place of influence and power.

Zechariah 9:11 says ‘As for thee also, by the blood of thy covenant I have sent forth thy prisoners out of the pit wherein is no water.’

The  blood of Jesus breaks every yoke of stagnation and lifts us to a place of relevance and power. Indeed it is by the blood that we are delivered from every waterless pit.

And as we corporately engage the blood of Jesus at this time, it will bring a definite transformation to both us and our nation. Indeed there is power in the blood of Jesus to overcome every form of negativity. And as we raise the blood stained banner today, power will be released for speedy transformation. The speakings of the blood will permeate every nook and corner to  remove the infiltration of darkness, By The Blood every covering cast that has tried to keep believers in spiritual laxity and complacency will be destroyed. Every enemy of our destiny will be driven out and the peace of God restored in our lives and in our land in Jesus Name.

PRAYER: Lord, by the blood of Jesus please ignite a fresh fire and zeal in me to carry out the assignment You have ordained for me on the earth. By Your grace I will make a definite  mark in my generation in Jesus Name ..

Quote

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

2 Corinthians 4:13   ‘We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak;’

 DAILY READING  Romans 16; 2 Samuel 1; Psalm 72

Martin Luther is one of the most influential and controversial figures in the history of Christianity. He was a German monk who began the Protestant Reformation in the 16th century,  Luther’s desire for people to know the truth of God’s Word,  led him to dedicate his life to learning and teaching the Gospel. However, the more he studied, the more he felt that the Catholic Church to which he belonged had gone astray.

Finally he collected a list of 95 different points of doctrine where he felt that the Church was incorrect. And on October 31, 1517, Martin wrote these 95 points of doctrine on a placard, which he nailed to the door of the Catholic Church in Wittenberg, Germany. These 95 points of doctrine were copied and sent throughout Germany, resulting in the Catholic Church losing out on the collection of money that it collected in exchange for indulgences. The sale of indulgences was one of the 95 practices that Martin Luther disagreed with. This practice allowed people to buy forgiveness for their sins.

As the money from the sale of indulgences greatly declined, Pope Leo X grew upset and sent convoys to Martin Luther in an attempt to get him to recant his disagreement. Martin Luther refused to do so, stating that he had an obligation to God to do what he felt was right.

By 1520 A.D., the Catholic Church had had enough. They declared Martin Luther a heretic, a crime punishable by death. Luther escaped and went into hiding, where he translated the Bible into German. Martin Luther later founded a new religion known as Lutheranism. Though it was not easy to stand alone against the evil practices in the church, but because he chose to speak up, rather than keep silent, his actions set in motion tremendous reforms within the Church.

It takes courage to stand up for the truth. Often times when we see things going wrong in our environment, we like to play it safe and keep quiet. This is often because we want to be accepted, and so as a result many Christians end up, becoming people-pleasers, rather than God pleasers. But if you want to please people, you’ll become a person who seldom speaks-up to rebuke error, or to tell the truth – claiming, “I don’t want to judge.” And you will end up, preaching sugar-coated, watered-down messages instead of telling people the bitter truth.

In Matthew 28:19-20, Jesus commanded us to go and teach people to observe all the things that He commanded. Jesus commanded us to call people to repentance (Matt 4:17) and to have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them (Eph 5:11). And in the book of Ezekiel, God told us that if you do not warn the wicked and he dies in his sin, his blood will be required at your hands. We therefore have a responsibility to boldly preach the truth, exposing lies, and not backing down from opposition and religious bullies. At a time when darkness is increasing in the world, as believers, we must rise to shine the light of Christ in our environment and speak the truth. .

2 Corinthians 4:13 says ‘We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak;’

If we really love people enough, we would tell them the truth because love rejoices in the truth (1 Cor 13:6). Yes, there may be a price to pay for speaking up. But there is a greater price to pay if you don’t. Let us be encouraged to keep holding up the banner of truth in our families, society and nations.  The gospel is preached so that people may be saved. May God grant us the courage to shine His light into the darkness, that men may be delivered and brought to the saving knowledge of Christ.

PRAYER: Lord, Please help me to always focus on Your Word so that I can be filled with Your light and boldly proclaim Your truth to my generation. As I shine Your light in the darkness, may many souls be drawn to You as a result in Jesus Name. 

QUOTE;

It is only when you can see God in the light of who He truly is that you can begin to walk in the overflow of His blessings. – WORDBITE 222.

Psalm 2:8,  ‘Ask of Me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession. You shall break them with a rod of iron, And dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.’

DAILY READING Romans 15:14-33; 1 Samuel 29-31; Psalm 71

Though John Knox was often imprisoned for his faith, and  under constant threat of persecution, yet through prayer he brought reformation to the church in Scotland, and changed the course of history for that nation.

John Knox’s ministry of preaching and prayer were so well known that Mary, Queen of Scots, whose government had persecuted Knox, is reported to have said, “I fear the prayers of John Knox more than all the assembled armies of Europe.”  John Knox wanted the nation of Scotland to come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.  At this time the church in Scotland was in a sorry state.  The nation was steeped in doctrinal and ecclesiastical compromise. John Knox would often cry out to God “Give me Scotland, or I die.”  He prayed fervently for his nation, believing God for a change of situation. However, Mary, Queen of Scots who was a Roman Catholic, saw Knox’s prayer for reformation as a threat to the throne of Scotland. John Knox preached and prayed to the end that God would rescue Scotland. And by the time he died in 1572, his prayers had been answered; Scotland had been transformed and the Scottish Parliament had adopted the Reformation doctrines. 

  Chronicles 7:14 says ‘If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.’

Indeed there is power in prayer. God will heal our land when we arise and stand in the gap for our nation. Mark 11:24 tells us ‘What things so ever you desire when you pray believe that you receive them and you shall have them’

 This is the promise of God. Whatsoever you desire is an open cheque. It means  it doesn’t matter how impossible things may presently look in any nation, as long as the believers there will take up the spiritual responsibility to pray, God is committed to answer.

In Psalm 2:8, God says ‘Ask of Me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession. You shall break them with a rod of iron, And dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.’

God has put the destiny of nations in our hands. The nations are there for the asking. God is calling us to partner with Him through prayer so that things can be positively changed and His will be done in the earth. As we rise up in this season to spiritually contend for the heritage which God has given us,  much will happen in our nation, above all we could ask or expect. Indeed prayer changes things and affects the course of history. And the key to effectiveness is persistence. John Knox did not just pray one day for Scotland and stopped, He prayed until his answer came, and so can we.  Let us therefore continue to push in prayer until something happens. As believers we must arise with one voice in prayer to enforce the establishment of God’s will and to positively rewrite our  history. 

 PRAYER: Lord, please  give me the grace to persevere in the place of prayer until my answer comes, help me not to grow weary but to persist until I see my desired result in Jesus Name. . 

quote

Until you cry out in the place of prayer certain things won’t happen

– WORDBITE 222.

3 John 1:2 says “Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth..”

 DAILY READING – –Romans 15:1-13; 1 Samuel 27-28; Psalm 70

Billionaire David Green is the largest evangelical benefactor in the world. According to Forbes magazine, he has already given hundreds of millions of dollars  to Christian causes. David Green pours his money into the spreading of the Gospel. He has turned his arts and crafts empire into a massive missionary organization, Through foundations he supports, he has already distributed nearly 1.4 billion copies of Gospel literature in more than 100 countries, mostly in Africa and Asia.  Furthermore, he sponsors the YouVersion free Bible app, which offers almost 300 different versions of Scripture in 144 languages.

It is however interesting that David Green started out in life working as a stock boy at McClellan’s general store, where he spent most of his time sweeping floors and unloading boxes for 60 cents an hour. His father was a small-time preacher and his family had  subsisted on hand-me-down clothes and food donations from the congregation, sometimes going weeks without having meat to put on the table. However one thing Green learnt from his parents was the secret of sowing towards the Gospel. Poverty and hardship did not stop Green’s parents from giving to the work of the Gospel. Following his parent’s diligence and faithfulness would later help Green turn a small  business he began into a multimillion venture. And today, God has expanded him to become one of the richest men in America. Yet despite his great wealth , Green remains focused on always seeking God first. His strong foundation in God’s Word, has kept him from being swayed from following Christ.

We are in the season of massive wealth transfer, where wealth be falling like manna upon many believers. But we must be first prepared spiritually so as not to be swayed by the many temptations that accompany such wealth.

Proverbs 1:32 says ‘For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them.’ The prosperity of fools destroys them because they are unable to resist the full options of temptations that wealth  brings.  Therefore in God’s agenda we must first be spiritually established, so that what was meant to aid us does not end us, and what was meant to help us does not harm us.

Proverbs 11:16 says ‘strong men retain riches’. Strong men refers to those who have been strengthened and built up by God’s Word. Such men have built up spiritual strength and tenacity within them and so are able to say ‘No’ when temptation knocks.

3 John 1:2 says “Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth..” When inwardly your soul has prospered through feeding on God’s Word, then outwardly you will prosper in wealth and health. If a man has not built his life on a strong foundation of God’s Word, he can become spiritually weak and easily swayed by temptations. Hosea 4:6 “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.” It is instruction that leads out of destruction.We must therefore, in this season  invest in diligent study of scriptures, so as to be strengthened with might in our inner man. Indeed when we dig deep and build our house upon the rock of God’s Word, despite the rain, wind and storm, we will surely stand and not fall.

PRAYER:  Lord please help me to build my life upon the solid foundation of Your Word. I know that when I seek Your kingdom first, then every other thing, including  health and wealth shall be added unto me in Jesus Name. .

 quote

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

Psalm 34: 1-2 ‘I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make her boast in the Lord: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad.’’

DAILY READING –   – Romans 14; 1 Samuel 26; Psalm 69

In this fast paced age of the ‘human race’ we must learn to set our priorities right. And top on our priority should be seeking God’s face. Like Moses we need to take time out to go  to  the mountain to seek the glory of God. When we spend time in God’s Presence, glory is imparted into us that turns us into a wonder to our world.

When George Frederick Handel took time for 23 days to sit in God’s Presence it not only changed his life but it also changed the history of classical music. Though at a young age George had become a musical genius and achieved success, later in his adult life, he found himself swimming in great debt. Things looked bleak and very rough leading him to believe his musical career was over.   On April 8, 1741, at the age of 56, Handel gave what he thought was his last performance. Afterwards a friend of his gave him some lyrics based on the life of Christ to compose  into music. Knowing he desperately needed God’s help, Handel locked himself away to seek God’s face while composing the music. He started work on August 22, 1741 and barely left his room or ate anything during this time. And within 24 days he had completed the composition of the  “Messiah”. He was so caught up in God’s Presence, that when he wrote  the Chorus for the music he was in tears and he said it was as if he did see all of Heaven before  him. Later when he was asked what he felt while writing the music he said “Whether I was in the body or out of my body when I wrote it I know not.” At its premiere performance on April 13, 1742, the “Messiah” became an instant success. And uptill today, the Messiah remains perhaps the greatest classical music in the history of the world.

Indeed to see glory manifested through us, God must have the first place in our live. Time spent with Him in fellowship must be top priority. It is none negotiable. No matter how busy we are, we cannot compromise our time of intimacy with God. It is a total necessity. We must break out of the vicious circuit of the ‘human race’ and daily ensure we spend quality time in God’s Presence.  To birth God’s divine plan for our lives, we must break out of the circuit and come into the place of worship. It is in this place of intimacy that we receive from Heaven. We cannot allow the distractions of this age, to keep us from God’s best for us. God is the source of all our victories. When we bow in God’s Presence, men will bow to us.  Job  29 :19 – 21 speaks of how the dew lay all night upon his branch, and  his glory was fresh in him, and as a result men gave ear to him and  kept quiet at his counsel. As you fellowship with God, His Glory rubs off on you. And like Moses when you come out of the place of fellowship, your face will shine with a light which darkness cannot comprehend. Evil people see you coming and they take another route, because they cannot stand the fire emitting from you. Also as a result of  carrying  God’s Presence your environment changes to favor you. Isaiah 55:12-13 declares  ‘for ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace, the mountains and hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. Instead of the thorns shall come up the fir tree, and instead of the briar, shall come up the myrtle tree.’

This signifies a divine change of story. God’s Presence will always make a  difference. Why environments resist men’s advance is because of lack of God’s presence. Psalm 114 speaking of when Israel left Egypt, and God’s Presence was their sanctuary, said ‘ the sea saw it and fled, Jordan was driven back , the mountains skipped like rams, and the little hills like lambs.’ The sea, river, mountains and hills, which  represented resistance  and hindrances on their way, all fled at God’s Presence.  Isaiah 64:1 says the mountains flow down at God’s Presence. Indeed His Presence makes the difference. And key to accessing God’s Presence is worship and praise. When we bless The Lord at all times and His praise is continuously on our lips, then His Presence becomes our natural habitat, that causes His glory to constantly manifest through us.

PRAYER: Lord, please help me to make You top priority in my life. May I always endeavor  to spend quality time in fellowship with You so as to carry Your Presence that will make the difference in my life, 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.

2 Corinthians 6:14  ‘Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers, for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness, and what  communion hath light with darkness?

DAILY READING    •      Romans 13; 1 Samuel 25; Psalm 68

Throughout his administration, American president, Abraham Lincoln was under fire, especially during the scarring years of the Civil War. And though he knew he would make errors of office, he resolved never to compromise his integrity. So strong was this resolve that he once said, “I desire so to conduct the affairs of this administration that if at the end, when I come to lay down the reins of power, I have lost every other friend on earth, I shall at least have one friend left, and that friend shall be down inside of me.”

Living as a Christian can sometimes be a lonely walk.  To live right and do what is right you will have to be careful the company you keep. The issue of keeping the right company becomes even more challenging when we live in a world where we constantly have dealings with unbelievers. As Christians, we are not called to huddle away from the world, because we are bound to have dealings with unbelievers. As long as we are in the world we are going to be meeting and relating with unbelievers at one level or the other, either as colleagues, clients, customers, relatives etc.

Often times this association, if unmonitored can become a trap the enemy uses to plot a believer’s downfall. Some believers have fallen because they were ignorant of the devil’s devices. Oftentimes we have lamented over politicians who started well as Christians, only to later backslide through continual association with unbelievers.

In as much as we do not want to be seen as bigoted, at the same time we have to be very careful in forming relationships with people outside the faith. Friendship with an unbeliever can adversely affect even strong believers, if that friendship is not prayerfully monitored. Paul tells us not to be unequally yoked with unbelievers. If you take delight in the company of someone with worldly morals, you run the risk of being influenced by their behaviors, language, and habits. It’s a matter of time. And peer pressure is not exclusive to youths. A woman was interviewed by reporters on her 102nd birthday. When asked about the benefits of living past the century mark, she answered, “No peer pressure!”

The challenge is how we can balance being more like Lord Jesus by relating with sinners, and yet not be influenced by them. Jesus kept company with publicans and sinners, He influenced them, they didn’t influence Him. This means that we are to be wise as serpents and harmless as doves, the serpent is said to be the most subtle of all animals, and it was through its subtlety that Eve was  deceived. This means you should be able to second guess what is going on in the head of the unbeliever. And the only way to handle this, is by being always  led by The Holy Ghost. When you are led by The Holy Ghost you can escape any trap. Inasmuch as you laugh and relate with an unbeliever always have it at the back of your mind that he is from a different kingdom, and possessed by a different spirit. It is not a relationship based on what you think, or feel, but based on the guidance of The Holy Spirit, because at the end of the day one person is bound to influence the other.

We have to be strong spiritually so as not to be easily influenced by the world we are trying to reach. When we maintain a fervent prayer altar and feed constantly on The Word of God, we  will be strengthened by The Spirit to live as sons of God in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom we shine forth as lights.

PRAYER: Lord, please help me to escape every trap the enemy tries to set for me in the area of friendships and associations. Grant me the wisdom in relating to unbelievers, so that in all I do You will always be glorified  in Jesus Name. .

Quote

As a child of God you have to recognize that you are in the middle of an ongoing battle. 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  Romans 12; 1 Samuel 23-24; Psalm 67

The story is told of the old mule that fell into a deep pit. When the owner saw he couldn’t bring it out, he decided to bury the animal in the pit. But as he poured sand into the pit, the wise animal began to step on the sand. The more sand the owner poured to bury it, the more it stepped on the sand and rose higher until it was able to get out of the pit. What was meant to bury it became its stepping stone to freedom. .

Indeed there are times it may seem like that old Mule, we are being buried, as pressures mount around us and problems pile on top of each other. It can be frustrating as things get in our way, or don’t go our way. Plans seem not to work, relationships may go sour and life appears hard. But the way to handle the stumbling blocks is to use them as stepping stones. When life gives you lemons, you make lemonades. Really, it is not the storm as much as our reaction to the storm that determines its effect upon us. While the same things may happen to us all, they do not have the same effect upon us all. While challenges, make some people bitter and resentful, it can make others more sweetened and refined. Rather than be defined by problems, we can be refined by them. Indeed rather than let situations affect us negatively we should affect them positively.

Romans 12:2 says ‘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.’

What determines if we conform or reform is based on our spiritual foundation. When our root is deep in God’s Word we will react in faith to whatever comes our way. And how we respond determines whether we are beaten or blessed, whether we are victims or victors. Through faith in God’s Word, we can change problems into possibilities, and stumbling blocks into stepping stones. God wants us established upon the solid rock of His Word. In all things we should trust that our God is able to deliver us to the uttermost. What the enemy meant to bury you with can become stepping stones to your victory. God can turn it all around to your good. The important thing is to remain connected to The Word of God. Because it is The Word that imparts faith into the heart and faith is the victory that overcomes the world.

PRAYER: Lord, by the power from your Word let there be a forceful turnaround in my life. Let every dead situation around me be revisited and revived. Let Your Word within me bring about a positive change of story in Jesus Name.

QUOTE

The study of The Word will keep  shame and disgrace far from you.

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    Romans 11:25-36; 1 Samuel 21-22; Psalm 66

Dr. David Livingstone was a Scottish missionary, abolitionist and physician known for his explorations of Africa.  He was born to poor and pious parents who taught him about God, early in life. Their family was so poor, that at some point, he had to pull out of school.  And at a tender age he began working at the mills, while continuing his education at an evening school. But despite his poor background Dr. David Livingstone ended up  becoming one of the most popular British heroes of the 19th century.  He was a pioneer medical missionary, an explorer in Africa, whose exploits turned him into a living wonder to his generation. Dr David Livingstone accomplished unimaginable feats, travelling through lands which no white men had ever set foot on. He made some of the most prodigious, and most dangerous, explorations of the nineteenth century. 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. Dr. Livingstone succeeded due to a strong assurance of God’s Presence. As a young believer, one day while praying he had heard  the voice of Jesus assure him  with His Word in the scriptures, “Lo, I am with you always, even to the very end of the age.” This assurance of God’s Presence gave him great confidence and led to the exploits he would later do as a missionary in Africa.  In his missionary journeys, God’s Presence always made the difference for him. Many times, he ran out of supplies, yet God would raise native chiefs to give him all he needed to continue in his journey. He passed through many dangers; yet God miraculously protected him. Agents of the slave trade who wanted to stop his work, often set ambushes for him, yet  he always miraculously escaped. At one time, while walking through the jungle, spears were thrown at him, a spear grazed his neck, another missed him by a foot, but none ever hit him. 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. 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 maintain a tempo of high praise, 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.

Lamentations 3:22 ‘It is of the Lord‘s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.’

DAILY READING –Romans 14; 1 Samuel 26; Psalm 69

Flipping through the pages of history, we often find defining moments, where it seemed God reached down to directly intervene in the affairs of men. 1928 would be one of such times. At that period, with no knowledge of antibiotics, infectious diseases had been ravaging mankind. And there were no drugs that could kill infections. Could you imagine a small cut on the finger, becoming so infected with bacteria that it could lead to death? This was the state of the world then.  Doctors were trying their best but they lacked the adequate drugs. In wars more soldiers died from infections than from actual wounds. Many a mother had wept helplessly as the cold hands of death snatched away their children because of infection. Streptococcus pyogenes caused half of all post-birth deaths and was a major cause of death from burns. Staphylococcus aureus was fatal in 80 percent of infected wounds, and the tuberculosis and pneumonia bacteria were famous killers. Many cringed and cried at the suffering brought about by these infections. it was almost reminiscent of the children of Israel crying  under the oppression of pharaoh, but this Pharaoh was killer infections. However, God heard the cries of men, and sent help.

On September 28 1928, something amazing happened that changed the course of the human history. Today some will call it an accidental discovery, or mere coincidence, but indeed it was a divine orchestration aimed at ending the onslaught of diseases. On that fateful day, Dr. Flemming, a Christian doctor,  discovered the miracle drug, penicillin. Dr. Flemming had been working on some mould of staphylococci, [a source of serious and often deadly human infection] before he decided to go on a vacation.

After the vacation, when he returned to his lab, he found that on the culture dish where he was growing the mould of staphylococci,  another mould had appeared  on the plate from nowhere. This strange mould amazingly was killing and hindering the Staphylococci.  Further experiments  with the new mould led to the production of penicillin drug,  which became a wonder drug against infections.  Indeed it became a game changer in man’s battle against diseases. During world war 1, 18% of soldiers had died from infected wounds, but by world war 2, when penicillin was given to soldiers, the death rate from infections was less than 1 %. And today those deadly infections that had killed men in the past can now be stopped by a simple dose of antibiotics. It is indeed unimaginable what life would have been like without the discovery of antibiotics.

Lamentations 3:22 says ”It is of the Lord‘s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning:

Indeed God rules in the affairs of men. And it is of His mercies that we are not consumed. And if God can have mercy on the world to send help in the form of Penicillin, how much more will He send help to those who belong to His kingdom. God’s deliverance is always available to  His children. There may be times in our lives when certain problems may look like they have no solutions. but with God no situation can be impossible.  God knows how to intervene and bring about our deliverance, when we call upon Him. He can do for us exceedingly, abundantly above all we can ever think or imagine.  Therefore today no matter how tough the battle, believe that God will arise for you.  He will give you the victory.  He will do something  so amazing and life changing  that men will know that indeed this can only be the finger of God.

PRAYER: Lord, please help me to always know You rule in my affairs. Even now I know You are at work to exceed my expectations, I thank You for your goodness in my life. Indeed with You nothing shall be impossible in Jesus Name.

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You will never need more than God to experience the impossible in life. WORDBITE 222.