HORM Devotional

Matthew 6:33 KJV
But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. –
• DAILY READING          1 John 2; 2 Chronicles 35; Psalm 89:38-52

You can set a piece of paper ablaze without lighting a fire. This can be achieved through the effect of the sun and a magnifying glass on paper. When the magnifying glass is used to direct the sun’s rays onto one particular area, the light rays act like a laser and soon the paper catches fire. When you focus the sun’s light through a magnifying glass, it can set even grasses ablaze.

The sun’s light hasn’t changed, nor has the ability of the magnifying glass. But what has changed is the way in which the magnifying glass is used to reflect and focus the light. If you focus light even more, it can become a laser beam, that can  cut through steel, or concrete and can even destroy cancer. That is the power and effectiveness of focus. 

To progress in life we need to focus our mind on what matters. When you have focus you gain power to create amazing impact. God designed us to attract whatever we think about. Indeed as a man thinks in his heart so is he.

What we focus on is eventually what we attract into our lives.

Our destiny is consistently shaped by our thoughts.. The ability for greatness and the capability for work has it’s root in your Focus. Indeed to progress in life we need to deliberately take charge of our thoughts and focus them on the direction we desire to go. The sun’s rays do not burn until brought to a focus. Focus is the magnetic force that retains vision. Focus keeps life on the Track. 

The truth is that man is often distracted. In his mind an inner dialogue is going on all the time. Human beings think between 50,000 to 70,000 thoughts a day. These are mostly mental chatter;, images like movies playing in the head. 95% of these thoughts are repetitive of previous days and 80% of these habitual thoughts are negative. 

Our most important focus should be on God’s Word. The real influencer and game changer in a man’s life is the word of God.

Keep filling your heart continually with the Word, until your actions are dominated and controlled by what God says. Maintaining focus on God’s Word is what turns you to a focus among men. Focus on God’s Word brings divine healing, health, prosperity, favor and many other blessings into our lives.  

Indeed when you seek the Kingdom of God first, then every other thing will be added unto you.

PRAYER: Lord, please help me to seek Your kingdom first, by focusing on Your Word. Indeed by the power in Your Word my life is being transformed from glory to glory in Jesus Name. 

QUOTE : 

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

 [ADAPTED FROM THE BOOK FAITH CLASSICS] 

Jeremiah 29:11 KJV
For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. 
• DAILY READING –      1 John 1; 2 Chronicles 34; Psalm 89:19-37
Baby giraffes must be bewildered when they are born. The giraffe is the largest mammal that gives birth while standing up. Imagine how a baby giraffe must feel when it comes into the world.  Imagine it bouncing  on the ground from that great height, as his mother stands to birth him. He leaves the warm cushioned womb in which all his needs, comforts and security were provided, and finds himself bouncing unto a hard, cold, ground. As if that is not bad enough as he struggles to his knees, Mother Giraffe begins “persuading” him to stand up, by giving him a swift kick to prod him to faster action.  No sooner does he reach his feet than Mama delivers a booming kick that knocks the baby giraffe back down. Imagine the confusion the baby giraffe must be going through. First kicked to make him stand up, then kicked back down! That process is repeated several times because mother Giraffe knows that the only chance for survival her baby has is to be able to quickly get up and move out of harm’s way. Yes, kicking the baby up and down seems like a strange way to show love, but for a mother giraffe it is the ultimate expression of love as she  prepares her baby for the kind of world he would face, a world where he would be pursued up and down by predators; a world where his survival depended greatly on his swiftness. 

In Isaiah 48:10 God says ‘Behold, I have refined thee, but not with silver; I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction.’

God uses the challenges and trials that come our way to prepare us for where He is taking us to. If adversities come, realize that God uses such experiences to refine and train you. Storms do not come to break you, but rather to make you. When faced with challenges ask yourself what God’s will and purpose is. God does not bring temptations to us, but even when the enemy does, God uses those experiences to refine us and make us better. 

Whatever comes our way, God always causes all things to work together for our good. 

In Jeremiah 29:11 God says ‘For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.’

Indeed God has an expected end in mind for us. That end is glory. Therefore we must learn to align our thoughts to His. It doesn’t what challenges may face you, never forget that you have God on your side. And if God be for you, who can be against you?

Even when you do not believe in yourself, God believes in you, because He knows His abilities in you, He knows that in Christ you can do all things, He knows you are stronger, better and greater than you ever imagined; after all He created you. God is committed to manifesting His glory embedded in you..  He is watching over you to fulfill His Word. So cooperate with The Spirit of God as He begins to train you and lead you into your greater destiny. And never forget, whatever situation you may face today, God is working it all out for your good. He will never leave you nor forsake you, till He sees His glory manifested in you. 

PRAYER: Lord, please help me to learn the things you are teaching today, so that I can be prepared to ascend the throne you have prepared for me tomorrow. Thank You Lord for causing all things to work together  for my good in Jesus Name. . .  

QUOTE 

God is preparing you for the season He prepared your breakthrough. – WORDBITE 222.  

 [ADAPTED FROM THE BRING BACK THE GLORY] 

Job 14:7-9
For there is hope of a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that the tender branch thereof will not cease. Though the root thereof wax old in the earth, and the stock thereof die in the ground; Yet through the scent of water it will bud, and bring forth boughs like a plant.

• DAILY READING John 21; 2 Chronicles 33; Psalm 89:1-18
Trees are important for the continual survival of man on earth. They provide food and shelter, help keep water clean, clean the air of toxins and supply various needs of man. However trees need access to water in order to survive.
Water is essential for the health of all plants. With most plants, if they do not get enough moisture, the signs are immediate. Leaves wilt and droop and colors changes.
Some of the world’s oldest trees have existed for thousands of years, due to their connection to water. Though the old trunk may die off after some years, but because the tree’s root remains connected to water, after a while this root will sprout a new trunk, which will again grow branches and leaves. This process is known as vegetable cloning, and through it many of the world’s oldest trees continue to survive, some having existed for thousands of years.
This is what The Bible clearly describes in Job 14:7 when it says ‘though the root thereof wax old in the earth, and the stock thereof die in the ground; Yet through the scent of water it will bud, and bring forth boughs like a plant’
The important thing for the tree’s continual survival, is its connection to water. The same thing happens when as a believer you are connected to The Word. No matter where you may fail or get cut down, God says you can rise again. Job 14:9 says ‘Yet through the scent of water it will bud, and bring forth boughs like a plant.’
‘Water’ in the above scripture refers to the Word of God, because Ephesians 5:26 says ‘That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word’.
The water represents the Word of God. Every encounter with God’s Word in any aspect of our lives, springs up a new beginning in that area. No matter how old any problem facing you may be, through connection to God’s Word your miracle will be delivered to you. The Word of God carries the wonder working power of God. And when you believe on His Word, then anything and everything is possible to you.
Even when men may have written you off, never forget that God has not written you off. As long as you are still joined to the living there is hope for you. You can still sprout again. You can still have your miracle.
Let go of the past and face the brighter future ahead of you. As apostle Paul said, forget those things that are behind you and press forward. Through connection to the water of God’s Word you shall surely rise and sprout again and bring forth fruit. Indeed there is hope for you because you are rooted in Christ!

PRAYER: Lord, by the power from your Word let every dead situation in my life be revisited and revived, let the good seed You have planted within me come alive for manifestation in this season in Jesus Name.

QUOTE
The study of The Word will keep shame and disgrace far from you.
[ADAPTED FROM THE BOOK FAITH CLASSICS]

Psalm 46:1 

 ‘God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.’

• DAILY READING – John 20:19-31; 2 Chronicles 32; Psalm 88
In his book, ‘Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations,’ Paul Tan, told the story of what happened in a local church in Beatrice, Nebraska on March 1, 1950. He wrote that on that day, choir practice was scheduled for 7:30 pm at the church. But when the pastor, his wife and daughter were ready to leave for the meeting, they discovered that the little girl had soiled her dress and needed to be changed. This made them to come late. Another person meant to be at the meeting was a high school sophomore named Ladona, who usually used to come early, but that evening she  had trouble with her geometry and so stayed back to finish her homework. Two sisters were delayed from coming to the meeting  because their car wouldn’t start. A church member, Mrs. Schuster, who normally arrived for choir practice at 7:20pm, had to stop over to see her mother who needed her help. Another church member took a nap and overslept. And so, one after another, the members were detained for various reasons.

Meanwhile at the church, unknown to anyone a gas leakage had occurred. And just five minutes to the scheduled choir practice, at 7:25pm, the church building suddenly exploded! When everyone arrived a short time later, they were amazed to see how their lives had been miraculously spared. The fact that all of them failed to come on time—something that had never happened before—had to be more than coincidence. As far as they were concerned, the Lord had been their shield and protector.

Psalm 46:1 says ‘God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.’

Indeed it is because of The Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed. This is why we praise Him at all times and in all things. God is always good. Even when sometimes things seem to go wrong, we keep blessing The Lord at all times, because we trust He is working it all out for our good.  Indeed God knows how to turn disappointments into blessings for us. In every situation God is always working behind the scenes, to manifest His goodness towards us. This is why in everything we give Him thanks. 

When the men of Ammon, Moab and mount Seir, gathered to fight 

King Jehoshaphat in 2 Chronicles 20, it looked like trouble. But what Jehoshaphat did not know was that God was using those nations to bring wealth to his kingdom. But as he and his people praised God, victory was cheaply delivered to them. And it would take the men of Judah 3 days to gather the great spoils, brought to them by their enemies. In the same way what may appear as trouble right now God is able to turn around to become a blessing to you. This is why we keep praising Him. 

Indeed God is fearful in praises. And as you praise Him today, He is about to cause an unexpected shift in your situation. He is about to come from an angle no one ever expected. He is about to do the unprecedented, the miraculous. He will turn your mourning into dancing and give you beauty for ashes. 

Indeed God is able to handle whatever comes your way. If He could stop the sun for Joshua, and part the red sea for Moses, and give Abraham a child at an old age, certainly He can turn any situation around for you. Indeed He is able to turn every disappointments into blessings for you. 

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for giving  me a supernatural turnaround. Indeed by Your grace every disappointment is being into a blessing for me in Jesus Name.   

QUOTE 

The battle you are faced with today is a good warfare because God has already foreordained  victorious end for you. – WORDBITE 222. 
 [ADAPTED FROM THE BOOK FAITH CLASSICS] 

Isaiah 57:15   ‘For thus says the High and Lofty One Who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in the high and holy place, with him who has a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.’
DAILY READING –  John 20:1-18; 2 Chronicles 31; Psalm 87
Geographically, it is said the higher you go the cooler it becomes. This principle is called temperature inversion. This happens when sun rays hit the earth’s surface and produces heat. But as this heat rises from the earth’s surface it loses its hotness as it goes higher up. So while the air on the lower grounds are hot, the air on the higher grounds remain cool. Thus temperatures on mountainous areas are generally cooler than temperatures on lower lands. Temperature inversion says that with every 1 km one moves above sea level, temperature decreases by 1ºC. 

This is why people in the higher areas of the Rift Valley region of East Africa, Jos Plateau in Nigeria and the Andes in Peru enjoy generally lower temperatures than people on the low lying areas.

The same can be said spiritually. Our lives are cooler and free from heat of trouble when we learn to rise higher in the place of prayer. When you live above, it becomes harder for the heat of harassment, problems and troubles from below to reach you. 

Therefore to live victorious we must seek the higher life.

Isaiah 57:15 says ‘For thus says the High and Lofty One

Who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in the high and holy place, with him who has a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.’

When we go higher spiritually, we dwell in the high and holy place of intimacy with God. Those who abide in this secret place of The Almighty are those who like Apostle Paul, count all things dung that they might gain Christ. These people seek God with their whole heart, and it is to them that God reveals Himself.

Jesus has asked us to rise and pray so that we do not enter into temptation. So rising in prayer is an escape from temptation. Sin is a sinker that keeps men bound to the ground, but through prayer we arise above its  shackles and bondages. The more we pray the more we move from the confines of the flesh into the glorious liberty of the sons of God.

Proverbs 15:24 says ‘The way of life is above to the wise that he might depart from hell beneath.’ 

God is calling us today to rise to that higher life. As the waters carried Noah to the top of the mountain let us allow the Word to carry us up, to our high places.  

PRAYER: Father please grant me the grace to always rise in the place of prayer. Please destroy every spiritual weakness that tries to keep me on the floor. Indeed by Your Grace I am rising to my high places  in Jesus name.

QUOTE : 

To get into the next level of your life, God will always give a specific instruction. – WORDBITE 222. 

[ADAPTED FROM THE BOOK ESTABLISHED BY THE WORD] 

Romans 1:16 KJV 
 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek..

• DAILY READING – John 19:16-42; 2 Chronicles 30; Psalm 86

On October 8, 1871 in Chicago, D.L Moody preached a sermon titled, “What then shall I do with Jesus which is called Christ.” 

At the conclusion of the sermon Moody gave the people one week to make up their minds about Jesus. He then asked his music minister, Ira Sankey to sing a solo. 

As Sankey sang, suddenly there was the noise of clanging of fire bells and engines outside the church. Soon,  Sankey’s voice was drowned out by the increasing noise. Unable to continue the service, people in the hall rushed outside. They were shocked to find that flames of fire were sweeping toward the Hall where they were.  This was the beginning of the great Chicago fire. The fire swept across the city, destroying thousands of buildings, including Moody’s church. Property worth $192,000,000 were destroyed, 100,000 people were left homeless, and 300 people lost their lives.

This fire incident opened Moody’s mind to how fragile man’s existence was in this world. Moody wished he had not asked the people to take one week to make a decision for Christ. He called it the biggest blunder of his life, and would never again give an audience such time to think of their salvation.  From then on, whenever  he  preached, he would press upon the people to make a decision for Christ on the spot. The new urgency in his preaching, ignited revival fires, which began to blaze throughout the city bringing many souls to salvation. 

In 2 Timothy 4:2 apostle Paul says ‘Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine.’

Indeed salvation is literally a matter of life and death, therefore, our preaching should be a matter of greatest urgency. 

Let us not delay in preaching The Word, because we don’t know what next may befall men. Let us have a sense of urgency in reaching the lost for Jesus. The world is in dire need of light. Every life without Christ is in crisis. Often times, the men and women that appear to have it all together on the outside, are actually tearing up in the inside. Anyone without Jesus is living in death and bondage. They are under torment of the adversary and within them there is a cry for freedom. We can’t therefore keep ignoring this silent cry.

Twice God told Ezekiel: “Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; therefore hear a word from My mouth, and give them warning from Me” (Ezekiel 3:17; and Ezekiel 33:1-9).

We are God’s watchmen in these last hours. We have to preach The Word in season and out of season. We must  understand that we are in a fierce battle with the kingdom of darkness over the souls of men. Everyday millions are headed for hell. There is no room therefore to delay or procrastinate. We have to use every available means and voice to reach the lost. 

Paul in Colossians 1:28 compel us to “preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus’ 

Ours is to preach The Word, while The Holy Spirit does the convicting. And let us never forget also that there are many benefits attached to preaching The Gospel. Exodus 23:25-26 says ‘And ye shall serve the Lord your God, and he shall bless thy bread, and thy water; and I will take sickness away from the midst of thee. There shall nothing cast their young, nor be barren, in thy land: the number of thy days I will fulfill’. 

Indeed God is a rewarder. And as we obediently serve Him, in turning many to righteousness, we shall shine as the stars for ever and ever. [Daniel 12:3]
PRAYER: Lord, please help me to preach Your Word in season and out of season, As I speak,  may the glorious light of Your Gospel shatter the darkness in men’s hearts, and bring them to salvation  in Jesus Name. 
QUOTE : 

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

 [ADAPTED FROM TRIUMPH OF LIGHT OVER DARKNESS] 

Joshua 24:15
‘’If it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” 

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

The Boxer Rebellion was one of the darkest moments in Asian history. The Rebellion began in 1900, when a little group of revolutionaries in China, decided to get rid of western influences in their land. Members of this group were called boxers because they trained themselves in Tai-Chi—a form of boxing that was supposed to give them supernatural powers and make them impervious to bullets. 

This little group, soon grew into an enormous, ruthless army. They looted foreign businesses and murdered the foreigners they found. Christians were at the top of their list; foreign missionaries were murdered, Churches burnt, and Christian schools destroyed. 

However something remarkable happened, when they came to a little missions school in Peking. They broke into the chapel, pulled a large cross off the wall and threw it out into the courtyard where it sank halfway into the mud. Then they gathered the horrified students together and told them that they were ‘free to leave’, only under one condition: on their way out, they would have to step on that cross, trampling it into the mud. If they did, they were free, but anyone refusing to do so would be shot immediately. 

The first eight students, stepped out into the courtyard, trampled upon the cross, and then walked to their freedom, while the Boxer troops laughed and cheered them on. 

But then, came one Chinese Christian girl, about nineteen years old. “Never!” she cried out. “I will never dishonor the cross of my Lord. I will never betray my Savior!” Her declaration spurred the other remaining 92 students. For them trampling upon the cross was a sign of rejection of Christ.  That young girl and 92 of her classmates went to their deaths refusing to dishonor the cross of Jesus Christ. 

We may never be faced with such extreme life threatening choices, but in our everyday lives we are faced with similar pressures. In our daily associations with this world there’s always a subtle invitation to trample on the cross. We must therefore make a definite choice of whom to serve. 

In Joshua 24:15, Joshua addressed all the tribes of Israel saying: “…If it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”. 

Indeed the time has come for each of us to ask ourselves the same question that Joshua asked! This choice faces us today. 

Man is basically a creature of choice. In our daily lives what kinds of choices do we make? Are we choosing to honor God or are we trampling upon the cross?  Are we living for Christ or are we seeking things of the flesh?  Are we living holy or are we toying with sin? 

With God, it is always all or nothing. You are either hot or cold. In Revelation 3:14-22 the church in Laodicea, had everything it needed, except for the presence, power and glory of God. And in Revelation 3:16, Jesus says ‘So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth”

The Christian life often requires difficult choices, where we must chose the will of God over what is comfortable and easy. When we love God we must be willing to pay the price of following Him at all costs. Christ proved His love for us by giving up His heavenly status and coming to the earth as a man to die on the cross for our sins. And today we must prove our love for Him by choosing Him above all else. 
PRAYER: Lord, please help me to always choose You above all else. No matter the temptation I am faced with, may I never deny You or compromise my faith. Thank You for granting me the grace to live a life that pleases You at all times, 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. 
 [ADAPTED FROM THE BOOK REJOICE] 

1 Peter 4:8 [New Living Translation]

 ‘Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.’

DAILY READING        John 18:19-38; 2 Chronicles 27-28; Psalm 84 

For thousands of years, Pearls have long been used as jewellery items by humans. Pearls compare in value to diamonds and other precious stones.  However it is interesting how they are formed. Pearls are the only gem created by a living creature. A pearl is formed when a single grain of sand creeps inside an oyster and lodges itself in its tissue. If not removed, that tiny particle of sand can cause severe damage to the tender mollusk of the oyster. The particle of sand is an irritant which causes the oyster to produce a lacquer-like substance called nacre. The oyster secretes the nacre over the irritating sand as a way of protecting itself from the sharp edges of the granule. Those smooth layers of nacre coat the sand granule, eventually sealing off the irritation and forming a gorgeous pearl. 

In the same way, we often have irritants in our lives, people or situations that irritate or offend us 

In Mathew 18:7 Jesus said ‘For offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom the offense comes.’ In other words Jesus  is telling us such offending or irritating situations are inevitable.  

Indeed in the journey of life, hurtful things may happen to us. People will let us down, break their promises, say things that hurt, and treat us unfairly. If we allow these offences to lodge in our hearts, it can keep us from God’s best. But like the oyster we must seek to cover the irritation so that it does not damage our hearts. When we refuse to allow that irritation or offence to be embedded in us, then what was meant to hurt us God can turn it into beautiful pearls of blessings in our lives. We insulate ourselves from the damage of offenses by releasing love. 

1 Peter 4:8 [New Living Translation] says ‘Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.’ The love we continually release can protect our hearts from the damaging effect of unforgiveness.  

We are to bless those who curse us and pray for those who spitefully use us. Romans 12: 21 tells us not to be  overcome by evil, but rather to overcome evil with good.

The truth is that God has shown us the example of how to love. Despite the times we have sinned against Him, He has freely given us His grace, forgiving and covering all our failures and all our mistakes. No matter how many times we fail and mess up, God never gives up on us. He is patient and His love will never run out. And as we have freely received His love so also we freely release to others. God blesses us so that we can spread the blessing.

1 John 4:11-12 says ‘Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and His love is perfected in us.’ 

When we can love people despite their faults or wrong doings, it is evident that The Holy Spirit dwells in us.  Because He is the one that sheds abroad the love of God in our hearts. Every time we decide to forgive people, it is like covering that offense with a beautiful layer of love.  And because a man reaps what he sows, when we release love in the place of hurt, then we are sowing good seeds from which we will reap beautiful pearls of blessings.  

PRAYER: Lord, please help me to manifest Your love wherever I go. No matter the offences or irritations that may come my way,  grant me the grace to continually release Your love rather than being offended in Jesus Name. 

QUOTE : 

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

. 

Psalm 46:10 KJV
10 Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.  –

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

We need stillness to hear the voice of  God. When we can’t clearly see the way forward, or unsure of what next direction to take, it is such times we wait upon God to hear His  next instruction. 

In 1967, Kenneth Copeland was a Bible school student and quite unsure of what direction his life would take. He was fearful of taking any step forward. One day in March 1967, Kenneth knew the Lord was trying to tell him something, but he didn’t know what. He came home from school that afternoon, and decided to go down to the quiet area of the Arkansas River bed, just about a mile from his house, to pray and listen. It was there, standing in the dried-up Arkansas River bed, that Kenneth received God’s call to ministry. There, as he stood before The Lord, he heard within him, the voice of God, calling him to preach the gospel to the nations. Afterwards Kenneth meditated on what God told him in that riverbed for months. When summer came, all the fear he felt was replaced with faith, and Kenneth was ready to accept the calling. 

Standing before the Lord, Kenneth declared he would preach the Gospel from the top of the world to the bottom, and then preach it all the way around the middle, and he would never compromise. 

Kenneth  had no money, and there were no meetings scheduled, but he was quite convinced he had clearly heard God. So he began to spiritually prepare to  preach to the “nations”. And as he began to step out by faith God began to open doors. Calls for him and his wife  to minister in various places started coming in. And ever since Kenneth and Gloria Copeland have been preaching the Gospel, from the top of the world to the bottom and all the way around. And Up till today they continue to preach the uncompromised Word to the nations.

Indeed we need the voice of God to show us the way forward. Those times when we are at crossroads or filled with confusion not knowing what exactly God wants us to do, these are the times we get still and wait upon God to hear His voice of divine direction.  Often times in the midst of life’s challenges or battles,  the Spirit of God says to us ‘ Be still and know that I am God’

Why should we be still? Because the battle is not ours but the Lords. God is able to handle every situation  we face, when we trust in Him.

Imagine how the children of Israel must have felt as they stood at the edge of the red sea! In front of them was the huge ocean, with waves rising and crashing, tempestuous winds roaring. Then behind them was Pharaoh’s army furiously edging in. Yet, in the midst of this desperate situation, Moses stands up and says to them  ‘stand ye still and see the salvation of The Lord. 

In such a tight situation, caught between the rock and the hard place, the supernatural power of God showed up. God parted the red sea and made a way for the Israelites. Indeed where there seems to be no way, God is able to make a way. This is why in  the face of confusions or  challenges we need to  be still and wait for God to show up. We need His voice to direct us and His power to break through for us.  Where it seems everything has tightened up, and all doors closed, you need God’s power to cause an earthquake and break the prison doors. Therefore no matter what situation we are faced with, we need to learn to maintain stillness in our inner man, because it will take stillness to encounter God. It will take stillness in prayer to hear the voice of The Spirit that shows us the way out. Indeed it is only when we are still, that we can experience His power and truly know that He is God.

  PRAYER: Lord, please give the strength to be still in every  storm, and the wisdom to discern your voice when you are trying to guide me in Jesus Name.  

QUOTE 

God will never allow the flames of trial to burn you more than is necessary. – WORDBITE 222. 

 [ADAPTED FROM THE BOOK FAITH CLASSICS

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 17; 2 Chronicles 25; Psalm 82
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 by problems. There can be seasons of temptations, where it seems problems pile on top of each other. It can be frustrating. 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.

 [ADAPTED FROM THE BOOK FAITH CLASSICS]