HORM Devotional

Hebrews 12: 2

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

• DAILY READING Matthew 23:1-12; Numbers 22:41-23:26; Song of Solomon 3:6-5:1

When Mel Gibson tried to sell the idea of his film Passion of the Christ, he could not get backing from the Hollywood studios: it was a film that nobody wanted to touch, some even thought he was crazy, for attempting such a project. So he began production on the film without securing outside funding or distribution. Gibson and his Icon Productions company  provided the film’s sole financial backing. And even when he had produced the film, it became difficult for Gibson to find an American distribution company. Again he decided to distribute the movie in the United States himself, with Newmarket Films.

The Passion of the Christ was also heavily promoted by many church groups,, many of whom felt the film presented a unique opportunity to share the Gospel.

When it was released, despite initial resistance from some governments, the film enjoyed relative success in even countries with large Muslim populations, such as in Egypt, where it ranked 20th overall in its box office numbers for 2004. The Passion raked in over $600 million in worldwide box-office receipts, making it 25th on the list of highest-grossing films of all time,

The film also became the highest grossing non-English-language film of all time. And its impact extended far beyond the bottom line.. as it made an unquantifiable impact on people around the world . For instance in Dallas, a local businessman Arch Bonnema was so moved by his preview of The Passion that he purchased 6,000 tickets – $42,000 worth – to give away on the film’s opening day. The Passion was indeed a true cultural phenomenon, especially among the evangelical Christian subculture.

The phenomenal success of the film made many Hollywood producers to regret their initial rejection of the film.

If Mel Gibson had listened to these naysayers he would never had made the film. Thank God he decided to ignore them and forge ahead.

This is why you should never allow negative people or disappointments to knock you down. If one door closes another is bound to open up. Just keep trusting God and keep moving forward. The bible says they shall come against you one way and flee seven ways. The enemy trying to block your one door, as he flees he will leave behind seven open doors. That is for one closed door, expect seven open doors. It is a biblical principle that when the thief is caught he pays sevenfold. So don’t cry over one shut door, because your blessings are just about to open up. Seven doors are about to pop open before you.

What men call a setback may only be God setting you up. It doesn’t matter how bad it may look right now, you are being set up for a comeback. Maybe as they did to Joseph, they have cast you away and trodden upon you and maltreated you. Perhaps they have looked at you and concluded that there is no value to you. Don’t worry, it is only a setup. Your day is coming. The same people who mocked you just as they did to Mel Gibson will soon begin to regret their actions. They will wish they had treated you well when they had the opportunity to do so. Often it seems God allows men to mock you first before He makes you.

You may be in your night season, everything may look dark and hopeless, but then as long as you continue to trust in God and never give up, your day is coming. It may even seem as if you can’t see your way forward, as if you don’t know which way to go or what to do, never mind your joy is on the way. Weeping may endure for the night but joy cometh in the morning. Keep your gaze on Jesus, keep looking unto Him.  He is working it all out for your good. And no matter what it may look like right now, never forget, Jehovah alone has the final say in your life.

PRAYER:  Lord, help me to keep my life focused on you.May I never regard setbacks or allow them to weigh me down., because You  are indeed working out all things for my good in Jesus Name.

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

 [ADAPTED FROM THE BOOK TRIUMPH OF LIGHT OVER DARKNESS]

Psalm 18:44-45

As soon as they hear of me, they shall obey me:  the strangers shall submit themselves unto me. The strangers shall fade away, and be afraid out of their close places.’

• DAILY READING  Matthew 22:23-46; Numbers 22:1-40; Song of Solomon 2:8-3:5

When a lion roars it can be heard up to 5 miles away. Any animal that hears  the roar  freezes with fear. This intimidating roar has the power to paralyze the animal that hears it . The roar is meant to establish the lion’s  presence and ownership of territory, and also act as a warning to its enemies. Even without seeing the lion, the sound alone has identified it and communicated its presence.

This is similar to what happens in the realm of the spirit. Spiritually everyone is identified by the sound they make. When you make a sound spiritually it identifies where you belong, and it also communicates whether you are to be feared or not. When you are a child of God carrying the power of God, as soon as the enemy and his cohorts hear you, they flee away.

Psalm 18:44-45 says  ‘As soon as they hear of me, they shall obey me:  the strangers shall submit themselves unto me. The strangers shall fade away, and be afraid out of their close places.’

Many times why it seems problem still stares us in the face is because we are not making powerful enough sounds to identify who we are.  Jesus spoke with authority, and power, and the demons identified Him as the Son of God and they bowed to Him. The Bible said His word was with power. He dominated by the powerful words He spoke.

You dominate by sound you make, that is why a closed mouth is a closed destiny. You must constantly release the Word of God over your environment, over your family, over your business.

As you speak it identifies who you are; a child of God. This is what sends every demon in the territory on a run.

Don’t keep watching situations. Begin to roar in your environment.

Let the evil beasts know that there is a lion in the neighborhood .  Let them know that you are in charge and  not to be messed with. Until the strangers hear you they may not fade away. But as you begin to release the Word of God with authority in your home, and every area around you, they will fade away from where they have been hiding.

Until you speak nothing happens. God said open your mouth and I will fill it. When you open your mouth to declare the counsel of God in your  situation God will begin to confirm what you are declaring. He confirms the Words of His servants and performs the counsel of His messengers. Enough is enough.

Begin to take authority over that negative situation. Begin to roar like the child of the Lion you are. Jesus has given you the power to thread upon serpents and scorpions and over every power of the enemy. The  reason why that negative situation seems to have been prevailing  is because you have been keeping quiet  for too long.. But now begin to roar. It is through the voice of the Lord that the Assyrian shall be beaten down. As you roar everything  tormenting your life and destiny must give way in Jesus name.

To deal with the mysteries of life pray in the Holy Ghost. When you speak thus, it is not you that speak but the Spirit of God speaking through you. This is one way to deal with issues that seem to have defied solution. Let the Holy Ghost take over your voice and begin to address those issues with Heaven’s language.

It is only the violent that takes it by force. You must decide to be spiritually violent in dealing with issues that afflict you. The devil is not a gentleman, so don’t treat him like one. Roar against him in the name of Jesus and he will have no choice than to flee. Let the lion nature in you come alive.

And you keep the lion in you alive by eating the fresh meat of The Word. Lions eat only fresh meat. So also keep spiritually alive by eating the fresh meat of The Word daily. This is how we keep spiritually alive and alert. This is how we are able to dominate.  It is the power in The Word that roars through you when you address oppositions. Jesus said it is not you that speaks, but the Spirit of God that speaks through you.

So begin to speak to your mountains. Begin to address those longstanding situations.

Understand that the greater one is in you, and when you speak, you give Him opportunity to release His power for your deliverance. Today as you begin to speak with Power and authority  all your enemies must bow  in Jesus Name.

RAYER: Lord, please help me to Speak with power and authority, let the power in Your Word be greatly manifest in my life, help me to dominate my environment by the power of Your spoken Word in Jesus Name. . .

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Until you cry out in the place of prayer certain things won’t happen WORDBITE 222.

 [ADAPTED FROM THE BOOK FAITH CLASSICS]

1 Corinthians 10: 3-4

‘For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;’

•  DAILY READING Matthew 22:1-22; Numbers 21; Song of Solomon 1:1-2:7
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 During the late 19th century, Queen Victoria of England asked her Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli the proof of God’s existence. He simply replied  “The Jews, your majesty.”

A simple answer on the surface, but profound in its implications. The continual survival of the Jewish nation against all odds is proof that there is God. Israel, a country with a population about 9 million people, sits in the heart of more than 100 million Muslims. Many of whom have expressed their dedication to the annihilation of Israel. Yet despite every effort to destroy it, this tiny nation keeps thriving.

One of the glaring miracles of God’s protection is perhaps Israel’s Missile defense system called the iron Dome. 

Hamas and other terrorist groups have fired thousands of rockets in relentless attacks on Israel, yet hardly any hits their targets. Reason? The Iron Dome anti-missile battery. This amazing defense technology shields Israel’s cities. It intercepts incoming missiles and explode them in midair.  Thus every time Hamas launch a rocket at Israel, they meet a brick wall.

During Israel’s war with Hamas in 2014, when Hamas fired 4,000 rockets at Israel from the adjacent Gaza Strip, the Iron Dome intercepted 90 percent of these rockets. And amazingly, even the 10 percent it couldn’t intercept still ended up not hitting any populated area. That is indeed a miracle!

Sometime ago in the news, an operator of the iron dome spoke of how a missile fired from Gaza, not intercepted by the iron dome, was going to hit a heavily populated area in Israel where hundreds could have died. The commander said they had already notified emergency services to converge on the target location and had warned of a mass-casualty incident. But Suddenly, just four seconds before the missile landed, Iron Dome, which calculates wind speeds, showed a major wind coming from the east. This strong east wind pushed the missile into the sea, where it exploded without harming anyone. What a miracle! Indeed God is Israel’s defense

Even Hamas has attributed the lack of their accuracy to hit Israeli targets to Israel’s God moving the rockets off-course to protect His people. What a testament to a merciful and loving God.

In spiritual warfare God has also ordained for us a spiritual missile defense system. Psalms 64:3 says ‘Who whet their tongue like a sword, and bend their bows to shoot their arrows, even bitter words:  That they may shoot in secret at the perfect: suddenly do they shoot at him, and fear not.’

From this Psalm we know that the enemy fires evil words as arrows. These arrows are in the form of incarnations, divinations, curses, spells etc. Words are the instruments of spiritual warfare. Ephesians 6 says we should take up the shield of faith wherewith we shall quench all the fiery darts of the enemy.

Proverbs 30:5  says  ‘Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him’ The Word of God we release constantly forms a shield around us. This Word of God surrounding us intercepts and quenches every incoming fiery arrow of the wicked. Thus we are protected and remain untouched and unharmed. God has given us His words as our shield and armory against evil arrow of the enemy. He sent His Word and healed them and delivered them from their destructions. His word goes forth as a spiritual missile deflector to destroy every incoming arrow of evil word from the wicked. This is why you must continually release the Word in prayers, in declarations, in prophesying, in praise; to go forth to intercept the evil words of the wicked, and destroy them before they can land. 

Keep speaking the Word, keep declaring it. As you do so you are forming a spiritual defense shield around you which no enemy can access. 

PRAYER: Lord, please help to continually release Your Word from my mouth, so it can be a defense around me always in Jesus Name. .

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As a child of God you have to recognize that you are in the middle of an ongoing battle.

 [ADAPTED FROM THE BOOK REJOICE]

James 3:4  

Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth.  Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!

DAILY READING – Matthew 21:28-46; Numbers 19-20; Ecclesiastes 11:9-12:14

A cruise ship is like a floating city, it is about 3 football field long, weighs about 137,308 gross tons, and can carry up to 5020 passengers and crew. Yet as big as it is it is controlled by a small wheel less than 12 inches in diameter, even smaller than a car’s steering wheel.

It’s amazing to see how small things can control or direct huge things. How tiny electronic chips can control cars and planes. Even the body as big as it is controlled by a brain which is only three-pound in weight.

In James 3:3–12, it tells how a small rudder steers a ship, a bit in a horse’s mouth directs it, and a spark sets a forest on fire. He writes how our tongues can praise God or curse people. The tongue can express great good or cause great harm. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.

However the problem is not with the tongue but with the source, which is the heart it is  out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. What is in your heart is what will overflow and out flow through the mouth. So if you can control what is in your heart you can also be able to control what comes out of your mouth. When the Word of God dominates your heart, The Word also will dominate your mouth and your tongue.

James 3:9-12 says ‘Therewith bless we God, even the Father;  and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.’

Our tongues are ordained by God as an instrument of blessing. And the evident power of the tongue to bless can be seen in the Jewish tradition of the Shabbat. Every week as the sun sets on Friday evening the Jewish holiday of Shabbat begins, to end when the sun sets on Saturday. And on Friday nights the father or mother lays hands on their children’s heads and recites special blessings upon them.

The result of this tradition of blessing is that today Jews rank among the best and the highest in every field of endeavor in the world. Though they are only 0.2 percent of the world’s population, they win an astonishing 22 percent of Nobel Prizes, more than any other ethnicity in the world.  They also account for 53 percent of the recipients of the Pulitzer prize for general nonfiction. And Jews form 85% of people in the world with an IQ over 170.

Proverbs 18:21 teaches us, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.” Words of blessings or curses will always produce fruits.

The words of blessing Jewish parents have been speaking over their children through the centuries is producing the good fruits the Jewish generation is seeing today.

Words are seeds, once spoken, it is only a matter of time before they bear fruits. And whatsoever a man sows that shall he reap. So be careful the words you speak over your life or those around you. Be careful to sow right seeds that will bear right fruits tomorrow. And if parents can adopt this Jewish tradition of blessing their children rather than berating them at every opportunity, we will indeed have a better generation of youths, doing exploits in the world.

No matter, the temptation do not give in to negative speaking. And if perhaps you have made negative utterances in the past be quick to repent and pray for the abortion of their negative harvests. Let your tongue steer your destiny along the line of God’s will. Speak only that which is in agreement with the word of God.

PRAYER: Lord, please help me to speak right ,to bless with my mouth  and allow my words to be a blessing to those around me. Let  the continual flow of your praise come  from my mouth at all times. 

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Your heart needs to be filled with The Word of God to the point of overflow. – WORDBITE 222

[ADAPTED FROM THE BOOK REJOICE]

 Proverbs  29:18 KJV

Where there is no vision, the people perish, but he that keeps the law happy is he.

DAILY READING   Matthew 21:1-27; Numbers 17-18; Ecclesiastes 11:1-8

You must see beyond the ordinary, before you can do the extraordinary. No one succeeds by accident, men who succeed have already seen their success before it comes to pass. And this is what gives them the confidence to keep moving. Despite failures and oppositions, they know beyond doubt that at the end of the rainbow lies a pot of gold. How can you explain why Thomas Edison would keep trying to produce the electric bulb after 1000 failures?. How can you explain why Marie Curie would keep searching for uranium even when it seemed that nothing like that existed? Because it had been revealed to them and they knew it was only a matter of time before they got there if they never give up. This is the power of vision and revelation.

Florence Nightingale is viewed as a heroine the world over today. But that is so because she obeyed the call she heard from God when she was only 17 years old.  At a time when girls were debuting into the society, marrying and starting families Florence shocked her parents by making the unthinkable request of wanting to become a nurse.  At that time nursing was not considered a respectable profession because nurses were often drunk and conditions in hospitals were dreadful. Nursing was considered a disreputable occupation performed by women who were alcoholics and prostitutes. . Her family tried to talk Florence out of it, but she was determined to sacrifice herself because of the call, she was sure she heard from God.

And through obeying the call she heard from The Lord, she went on to become a historical icon and is regarded as a heroine today.

Though she faced a lot of oppositions initially but because of her deep conviction of her call, she was able to prevail and achieve success in the end.  It is the conviction of being in the will of God that gives men the power to forge though oppositions and achieve vision.

As part of his famous speech Rev. Martin Luther king said ‘we got difficult days ahead but it doesn’t really matter now, because I have been to the mountain top, I just want to do God’s will’.  Getting to the mountain top, getting to know God’s will gave him the stamina to forge ahead.

Men go to the mountain top to get a view of the promised land. You must see it before you can march into it. And you can’t see it until you seek God. Only God can show you what lies ahead and when He shows it to you, it is as good as done. This is the  secret of men who succeed,  they seek God to see it before they walk into it. And when they see it, it gives them the confidence to move against any opposition, knowing God is backing them.

Life is a battle, there is an enemy that doesn’t want you to succeed, he is battling viciously against your progress, he is marking your every step trying to get you to stumble, therefore you can’t afford to  keep moving about in life blindly without knowing where you are going.  Jesus said ‘if a man walks in the night he stumbles, because he knows not where he is going’.  To walk successfully, you need light, you need revelation, you need vision.

You can’t keep living your life by guesswork or by your human calculations. You need divine illumination to get ahead. One word from God can change everything for you. You need to hear from God for yourself. And we hear God through His Word. Take time to sit down with The Word and hear what He has to say concerning your situation. When you can hear God on any issue, then it is as good as done.

PRAYER Lord help me to hear You Clearly concerning the assignment you have for me, no more guess work, I desire to receive your precise instructions, please grant me that  grace in Jesus Name. .

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

 [ADAPTED FROM THE BOOK REJOICE]

Hebrews 12: 2

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

• DAILY READING  Matthew 20:17-34; Numbers 15-16; Ecclesiastes 9:13-10:20

David Livingstone, is called  “the apostle of Africa”. Strongly devoted to Christ, in 1840  when he was 27 years he was ordained as a missionary and set sail for South Africa.  By 1855, in his  expeditions,  he  had crossed the entire continent, a feat which never before had been  accomplished by any European.

Though Livingstone suffered many illnesses and scrapes with death in his expeditions, he continued to press on deeper into Africa. At a point he pressed so deep into Africa that nothing was heard from him for a number of years and many feared him dead. On November 10, 1871 Henry M. Stanley was sent by the New York Herald to look for him, Stanley later found him in the depths of Africa exploring with the natives. Stanley who was a self-professed atheist later converted to Christ because of Livingstone’s example. Still forging on into the heart of Africa to spread the Gospel, two years later, David Livingstone was found dead– praying on his knees in a hut. His physical heart was fittingly buried in African soil, while his body was eventually brought back to England to be laid to rest in Westminster Abbey

David livingstone was quoted as saying ‘if you have men who will only come if they know there is a good road, I don’t want them. I want men who will come if they know there is no road at all.’

Trailblazers go where there are no roads at all. They go where others have never gone, to forge a road for others to follow. They do the unusual, the uncommon. But to be able to do this they have within them the inner confidence that God is backing them up.

You need courage and confidence to move forward to achieve your vision. How could Dr. Livingstone, a white man, ruggedly keep pressing into Africa, considered the white man’s grave at that time?. He knew God had sent Him and was with him.  One way to move with confidence is to know you have been sent by God. Knowing that God sent him was what gave Moses the confidence to confront pharaoh, it was also what gave David the confidence to run towards Goliath, whom the whole army of Israel were running away from. Knowing that God has sent you gives you the confidence to confront any challenge and level any mountain. Because when God sends you, He also backs you up.

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

So commit today to get to know God more through His Word. For they that do know their God, they shall be strong and they shall do exploits.

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

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

 [ADAPTED FROM THE BOOK  FAITH CLASSICS]

Roman 8: 14

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

• DAILY READING  Matthew 20:1-16; Numbers 13-14; Ecclesiastes 9:1-12

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.

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

The journey of greatness is not accomplished by your own strength. It is only  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 not 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 our 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. And then when you are certain you have heard from God, then you 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?  7 Tremble, thou earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob’

The sea, hills, mountains which represented problems were trembling and running away because of the Presence of God that surrounded Israel when they left Egypt.

Divine Presence makes the journey easy.

Do not send yourself. The reason why many take off only to fall along the way is because they sent themselves. God will only back you up on 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 it.  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 wars.  But If you do nothing, you gain nothing. No pain, no gain.

Do not look at your limitations. It is not about you, it is God that works in you, both to will and to do. 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 being alone. You must prove you faith by your works. Start where you are trusting God.

One of the things can 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, they 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 be Yours  be done in Jesus name.

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

 [ADAPTED FROM THE BOOK FAITH CLASSICS]

 Isaiah 48:17

Thus saith the LORD, thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; I am the LORD thy God which teacheth thee to profit, which leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldest go.

• DAILY READING – – Matthew 19:16-30; Numbers 11-12; Ecclesiastes 8

It takes God to teach us how to profit in life, and it takes Him to lead us for us to know the right way to go. No matter how educated a man maybe, his wisdom will always be limited until he connects to divine wisdom from God which will elevate him.

In 1987 at John Hopkins hospital, a team of neurosurgeons were faced with the very difficult surgery of separating Siamese twin joined at the head. Such a surgery had never been done successfully before, because the patients would often bleed to death. But among the team of doctors was a young neurosurgeon named Ben Carson. Being a Christian he turned to God for help to solve the medical puzzle. One day while watching water drip from a tap’s mouth, he caught an inspiration on how to develop a method to stop blood flow during surgery. When the time for the surgery came and, he applied this method, the surgery was successful. The twins did not bleed to death, they survived. It was a medical breakthrough that launched Ben Carson into international limelight and sudden fame for accomplishing what no other doctor had done before. That is how the wisdom of God can make a difference in a man’s life.

Job 32:8 says. ‘But there is a spirit in man: and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding.’  It takes the inspiration of the almighty to elevate a man.

Ben Carson began life as a ghetto kid from the inner city of Detroit, brought up by a poor single mother, and had little or no future. It is amazing to imagine how this boy who hardly had any chance of survival could today turn out to be one of the greatest neurosurgeons the world has ever known. But that is what partnership between man and God can produce.

Many of the inventions that have taken place today are because of the inspiration men received from God. You cannot go far in life depending on your own wisdom. It is the wisdom of God that makes stars of men. No one gets far with common sense, you need extra ordinary sense to get ahead. Just one word from God is enough to cause your generation to celebrate you,

This is the pattern God has been setting all over the bible, to show us that promotion does not come from the east, west or south, but promotion comes from God alone. In the scriptures, we see Joseph a prisoner become a prime minister, David a shepherd boy become a king and Esther a slave girl become a queen. This is God’s pattern and God has not changed. He is still showing us today that partnership with Him works. And that He turns impossibilities into possibilities.

God is more than enough.

If He could take a boy without prospects from the ghetto, and turn him into a world renowned personality, how much more you?

Seek ye first the kingdom of God and every other thing shall be added unto you. Don’t make seeking things your priority, seek God first and He will make other things to run after you. Don’t waste your time running after things that don’t matter. Make God your priority, and other things will follow including success. What He did for Joseph, David, Esther, and for Ben Carson, He can also do for you when you put your trust in Him.

 PRAYER: Lord, help me to connect to your wisdom so that I can be a wonder to my world. Help me to see right, so that I can  do  right.  Help me to stay and walk in your perfect will for me, so that what you have ordained for my life and destiny, can come  into full manifestation,  in Jesus Name. .  

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

[ADAPTED FROM THE BOOK TRIUMPH OF LIGHT OVER DARKNESS]

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   Matthew 19:1-15; Numbers 9-10; Ecclesiastes 7

One day, in 2009 John 3:16 became the most Searched Item on Google. Ninety four million people searched for its meaning. How did that happen?

Tim Tebow, regarded as the greatest player in the history of American college football, had painted under his eye this Bible verse during a match. It became even more intriguing, when in this match, he led the Florida Gators to resounding victory in the college national championship game.

His performance was so impressive, many believed the verse under his eyes had a part to play. And so by the following day, John 3:16  ranked as the top-searched item on Google, as people sought to know It’s meaning.

What a way to preach. From then on Tim began to paint different Bible verses under his eye. He also made a habit of getting on one knee to say a prayer after each win. Soon this pose became known as ‘Tebowing’. And would be mimicked by celebrities, inspiring a web page which received over 20,000 photos of people “Tebowing”.

By 2011, Tim Tebow had become a sensation, especially as he led his team to record wins, most of those wins coming in the last minutes of the match. Tebow who is a devout Christian and born of missionary parents said by painting the Bible verses under his eyes, he was just trying to be obedient to God and do the right thing. What he did brought the opportunity to many to encounter The Word of God through the different bible verses.

In honoring God, God has also honored Tebow. From a college footballer he has become an internationally known figure.

Preaching the Gospel is a duty we owe as Christians. The spirit of Christ is a missionary spirit. The very first impulse of the renewed heart is to bring others also to the Saviour . The desire to make the Gospel known to all men should be burning in us.. When the desire is in our heart God will give us the wisdom to make Christ Known to our world through creative means.

No matter how busy we may be, our primary calling is to be ambassadors of Christ. By words or by deed, our lives at all times should be expressing The Word of God; an epistle readable and accessible to all men. People should be reading the scriptures our life is projecting, as we proclaim Christ in every way possible.

Aimee Semple Mcpherson was a very well known Evangelist  in the early 19th century.   She once preached at a church where there were only two people in attendance. By the third day of the meeting, and still only two people in attendance  she asked the pastor where the crowds in the town were. When she was shown the area, she took a chair from the church and went down to the area. She stood upon the chair, closed her eyes and began to mutter a prayer.  People, curious, began to gather wondering what she was doing. When she sensed enough crowds had gathered, she opened her eyes, jumped down from the chair, and shouted ‘Quick, follow me!’’ She ran down the street, and the people ran after her, intrigued by her drama.  She got to the church and ran into the building,  She quickly whispered to the ushers to lock the door after everyone had come in and let none out until she had finished her preaching. Well, interestingly, when she started to preach, no one even tried to leave. And from that day the church became continually filled in her meetings and many gave their lives to Christ.

When we realize that thousands are going to hell everyday, no method can be too dramatic in proclaiming the truth.

We must preach The Gospel.  We must stand against the traffic to hell and turn as many as we can to Jesus. It’s an urgent call.  And we must play whatever part we can. We may not need to create so much drama  as Tebow or Aimee, but in whatever way we can we must preach Christ. Paul said ‘woe unto me if I preach not the Gospel’. When your heart is open, God will show you ways and methods that work. Bottom line is winning souls.

So today ask God to show you ways to share your faith wherever you go,

PRAYER:  Lord, help  me to preach your Word wherever I go, let my life be a living epistle that men can read at all times.

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Your heart needs to be filled with The Word of God to the point of overflow. – WORDBITE 222

 [ADAPTED FROM THE BOOK ESTABLISHED IN THE WORD OF GOD]

 Romans 8: 28  –

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”      

   DAILY READING Matthew 18:21-35; Numbers 7-8; Ecclesiastes 6

In 2014, an Indonesian man was very thankful for missing a flight. He and his family were shown on the Television news thanking God. They were scheduled to travel on the missing Air Asia Indonesia flight. However his father falling seriously ill led him to cancel their tickets just a day before.  They had been planning a family holiday for months and everyone really looked forward to it. When he had to cancel the flight, it was a big disappointment for the family. But imagine how they now felt the following day when it erupted in the news that the plane from Surabaya to Singapore, had lost contact with air aviation control at 6.17am that morning, The family were very grateful to God  that they had missed the appointment with death.

Indeed in every disappointment can be hidden the seed of a blessing.

Often what may look like a disappointing situation could be God steering you away from evil and orchestrating your steps to a destined place.

In the journey of life disappointments can often lead to divine appointments. As in the story of Saul on the search for his father’s missing sheep, only to end up meeting Samuel who would introduce him to the throne.

It does seem sometimes disappointments happen just at the bend to a greater destiny. You will often find that many of the people who have risen to greatness did so as an aftermath of a disappointing situation. In the bible, we find several stories that indicate this. When Joseph was falsely accused and thrown into prison, it appeared initially to be the end of his world. But then it was only a setup for him to meet pharaoh who would later set him up on the throne.

So when you find yourself in a situation that is not palatable instead of complaining just be thankful to God. Who knows if that is the place where you will meet the destiny helpers who will catapult you to your next level. That is why the Bible says ‘in everything give thanks,’ And like Joseph instead of complaining begin rather to be cheerful and thankful for the time in the prison, its only on the pathway to your palace.

Don’t allow disappointments and failures to knock you down, don’t settle with them. Don’t sit back and keep bemoaning your situation, don’t give up, get up and keep moving forward, when God is with you it’s only a matter of time before you win. Your success may be just around the corner. .

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So no matter how much life tries to knock you down, keep getting up and keep going forward. Take the licking but keep ticking. The just man falls seven times yet rises up again and again, how? The Lord upholds him.

You may sometimes have to crawl, you may sometimes have to limp, but by all means keep moving. Don’t stay down or remain on the floor. Get up, no matter what has happened in your life, no matter how people have disappointed you and failed you, get up and keep moving forward. There is a future ahead, there is a destiny to be fulfilled, there is a world awaiting your manifestation. Keep going forward. Your generation must hear your story. You cannot die unsung, God has put so much in you and you can’t disappoint Heaven. You can still make it, you can still win, you can still overcome and be all that God said you can be.

When you are a child of God and walking in the will of God, there can be no disappointments in your life. Because all things work together for your good because you love God. No matter what happens; just look up to God, and seek His will, He has a plan and is trying to work out something in your life.

Maybe someone abandoned you, but it is only to make room for the right person to appear. Or perhaps you lost a job, perhaps it’s time for you to prepare for your own business. Perhaps you missed an opportunity, but it could be divine deliverance from a crash of destiny. Learn to live your life in attitude of gratitude, trusting God in everything. Though you may not see it clearly now yet, you can trust that He is working it all out for your good. He will never leave you nor forsake you. He will always make a way even where there seems to be no way.

PRAYER; Lord  thank  You for turning every disappointment to a blessing in my life. The divine appointments You have set up for me, please give me the grace to locate them in Jesus name.

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When God is on your side anything is possible. WORDBITE 222.

[ADAPTED FROM THE BOOK FAITH CLASSICS]