HORM Devotional

 Habakkuk 3:17-19

 Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: 18 Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation.

 DAILY READING Matthew 6:19-34; Exodus 35:1-36:38; Proverbs 16

Sometimes we need to deliberately sit down and recount the goodness of God in our lives. To count our blessings and deliberately thank Him for all He has been doing for us; the many deaths we would have died but God did not allow us to die. Do you know that the same road you passed without harm, some people passed through it and their blood got shed. The sickness you passed through and recovered is what has killed many others. The reason why you are still alive today is because of the grace and mercy of God. Left to your enemies you would have been dead long ago. Do you know how many times death came for you, but God said, ‘No.’ The psalmist says it is because of His mercies that we are not consumed.

Yes, things may not be perfect right now in your life, but you are still alive, aren’t you? The psalmist said, ‘let everything that has breath praise the Lord.’ So as long as you have breath, even if it your last breath, it is your duty to use it and praise God, because He is worthy. And as you do so, God will ensure you will have as many breath as you need. Don’t let the enemy deceive you from praising God, by showing you the things that are not working in your life. You are still alive. And a living dog is better than a dead lion. And to him that is joined to the living there is hope.

According to our text, no matter what it may look like, be thankful. When you praise God, He raises you and causes you to walk upon your high places. The wonderful thing is that when you praise God, deliverance comes for you. So let the thing the enemy thought would hinder you from praising God, be the very reason why you praise Him.

It may seem as if your destiny has been shut in a prison. You cannot understand why there is no forward movement in your life. Paul and Silas were shut up in prison, but when they praised God at midnight, there was an earthquake and their bonds were broken. There is a mystery about  praise that breaks every prison and bondage around you. Spend time in praising God. Praise is a defense, because praise brings God’s presence. Psalm 22 says that God inhabits the praises of His people. The more you praise God, the more His presence surrounds you and when God is around you, no evil can come near you. If you are faced with a situation you don’t know how to handle then praise God. When armies came against King Jehoshaphat in 2 Chronicless 20, he said ‘we do not know what to do.’ And God says I know what to do: ’praise Me.’ And when they praised God, He turned the enemies against themselves and they killed each other. Some of us need God to turn our enemies to fight against each other. Praise is the instrument we need. It is time to enter into a lifestyle of continually praising God. This is the agenda for the end time Church because God says He will return to set up again the tabernacle of David that is fallen down. And the tabernacle of David is the tabernacle of praise. So the end time generation is a generation of praisers and worshippers of God; you cannot afford to be left out.

PRAYER:  Lord, please enable me to begin to praise You like never before,, grant me the grace to enumerate Your faithfulness in my life and to give You worthy praise for  all You have been doing for me in Jesus’ name.

 Quote

Praise is proof that you believe God to do what He said He would do in your life. – WORDBITE 201.

[ADAPTED FROM THE BOOK REJOICE]

1 Corinthians 13:1 KJV

Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.

DAILY READING – Matthew 6:1-18; Exodus 33:1-34:35; Proverbs 15

God takes the issue of love seriously. No matter what you do for God, if it is not done because of your love for Him, it has no value to Him. That’s why He says in the book of 1 Corinthians 13, even if you burn your body for His sake, but you have no love, then it is all in vain. If you do not love God, whatever you do for His Kingdom, does not count.

God is looking for those who love Him. And for those who love God, the Bible says ‘eyes have not seen, ears have not heard, neither has entered into the hearts of men the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.’ Now love for God is not lip service. Songs of Solomon says, Love is as strong as death. When we love, we must be willing to lay down our lives for Him. When we love God, we must be willing to pay the price of following Him at all costs. Nothing should be able to separate us from the love of God; not tribulations or trials, or heights or depths. Nothing should be able to separate us from the love of God which is Christ Jesus. When you love God, you must be willing to give up everything to follow and serve Him. 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. Today, we must prove our love for Him by forsaking the world, taking up our cross and following Him.

If there is anything still hindering you from fully serving God, then your love for Him becomes questionable. To truly love is to die to yourself so as to become one with the one you love. You cannot say you love God and yet be unwilling to pay the price to follow His laws and His ways. Jesus said ’he that keeps My commandment, he it is that loves Me,’ and ’if a man say he loves Me and keeps not My commandment he does not love Me.’

To serve God, we must seek to know Him in His Word. Why people find it difficult to praise God is because they do not take the time to study the Word to know His deeds, His nature and character. You cannot know the greatness of God, His awesomeness, His great and mighty acts through studying His Word, and not want to praise Him. It is through study of the Scriptures that the Holy Ghost begins to shed abroad the love of God in our hearts. And from this love flows out continuous praise to God. God is looking for worshippers who will worship Him in spirit and in truth. True praise is not just singing popular gospel songs while your mind is on other things. No, true praise is concentration on God, and all His goodness and mercies and faithfulness, through knowing Him in His Word. And when we praise God, things begin to happen miraculously in our favor. Indeed, God is good.

PRAYER:  Lord, please grant me the grace to love You by the revelation of the Spirit so that my service in Your Kingdom can be acceptable.

Quote

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

 [ADAPTED FROM THE BOOK SUPERNATURAL LOVE OF GOD]

Mark 11:24 KJV

What things so ever you desire when you pray believe that you receive them and you shall have them.

DAILY READING Matthew 5:1-20; Exodus 28:1-29:46; Proverbs 13

There have been many great men of prayer through the ages who stood resolute in the place of prayer and moved nations. John Knox is one of them. He was a Scottish clergyman and leader of the Protestant Reformation who brought reformation to the Church in Scotland through fervent prayers.  Imprisoned during the late 1540s for supporting the Protestant Reformation in Scotland, Knox prayed daily, “Lord, give me Scotland, or I die!” 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. But Knox’s was unwaveringly commitment to the pure preaching of the gospel, which was a bright and shining light amidst the darkness. During the sixteenth-century, Scottish Reformation, Knox’s ministry of preaching and prayer were so well known that the Roman Catholic Mary, Queen of Scots saw it as a threat to the throne of Scotland , she is reputed to have said, “I fear the prayers of John Knox more than all the assembled armies of Europe.” 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.

God answers prayers. 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 it may presently look; as long as you can commit to pray about it, God is committed to answer.

Prayer indeed works. If only you will dig in your heels and refuse to quit and continue to call upon God, for sure, your desire will surely come. If you don’t give up praying, God will eventually answer. That means to get answers in prayers requires resoluteness and certain ‘stubbornness.’ You have to decide  that you will not quit until you get your result. One thing you can be sure of is that God will not refuse you your desire.

Many people give up too soon before their answers comes. After a few prayers and nothing seems to be happening, they just decide it’s not going to work and they give up and conclude that God did not answer their prayers. You have to understand that everything is possible to him that believes. Perhaps you are believing God for the salvation of your loved ones, or for a breakthrough in a certain area, make up your mind to push in prayer until something happens. Prayer does change things, prayer does level mountains. The key is persistence. Refuse to give up. The enemy knows that if you persist you will receive, this is why he tries to discourage and weary you to give up before your answer comes. But tell yourself, it doesn’t matter how long it takes, I will keep praying because I know God has promised me an answer and He keeps His promises. You will reap if you faint not.

You have been believing God for a certain miracle, why not begin to commit that situation to God in constant prayer, and watch as He begins to move to bring to pass your request? John Knox did not just pray one day for Scotland and stopped, He prayed until his answer came, and so can you.

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.  . 

Quote

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

– WORDBITE 222.

[ADAPTED FROM THE BOOK FAITH CLASSICS]

Psalm 23:1

The Lord is my Shepherd I shall not want, He makes me to lie down in green pastures, He restores my soul.. 

DAILY READING – Matthew 4; Exodus 25-27; Proverbs 12

Shepherds are mentioned several times in the Bible. Great men such as Abraham, Moses, and King David were shepherds during their time. The sheep depended on the shepherd for provision and protection. In spring, each day a shepherd will take his flock outside to graze on fresh, succulent pastures. When summer heat sets in, shepherds move their flocks to cooler pastures on higher grounds. And for many days the shepherd would work and sleep outdoors, allowing the flock to graze on the green hills. During the night, he will be awake guarding the sheepfolds. At times, the shepherd might shelter his flock overnight in a cave, where they would be protected from wild animals such as lions, jackals and hyenas. If the howl of a wild animal panicked the flock of sheep in the dark of night, the shepherd’s calm, reassuring voice would still them. Each evening, the shepherd counted the sheep and checked the health of the animals. In the morning, he would call, and the flock would follow him to the pasture ground. Then at midday, shepherds led the animals to cool pools of water to drink. When the pools dry up, the shepherd guides them to a well and draws water for them. When the cold rains began, he would lead them back home to winter, indoors so that the animals do not perish outside in the lashing rains, hailstorms, and snow. The sheep is totally dependent on the shepherd for survival.

So, when the psalmist says ‘the Lord is my shepherd,’ we understand how crucially dependent we are upon God for our provision and protection. The shepherd knows where the green pasture is. A sheep that departs from its shepherd will not last long. It will either be killed by hunger or by wild beasts.

Jesus, our Great Shepherd takes responsibility for our wellbeing, but we must follow while He leads. This is why before we venture into anything, we first seek counsel from God and ensure He is the one leading us into it. When we let God be the one leading us and guiding us, then He also takes the responsibility for our provision.

Understand that God has a purpose He wants to accomplish on earth. He is not just going to take care of you for you to do things contrary to His work. He will take care of you when you are walking and working in accordance with His divine purpose and plan. God’s will is His bill. God will only pay for what He orders for. So, to enjoy divine provision, follow the voice of the Shepherd. Follow the vision God has for your life. The problem is that many people are doing their own things and expecting God to still take care of them. Many times, God out of mercy still takes care of them, but to enjoy true divine provision, we need to align with God’s vision and guidance. When God led the Israelites through the wilderness, He also took up responsibility for their provision. When God leads you He provides for you. When He is your Shepherd, He ensures you do not want, because He will lead you in the path preordained for you, and in that path God has already provided everything you need to fulfill your destiny.

PRAYER: Lord, please help me to submit to Your guidance; help me to hear Your voice so that I can follow Your will to the  great destiny You have for me. 

quote :

God’s will is God’s bill; God always makes provision for His vision

– WORDBITE 222.

 [ADAPTED FROM THE BOOK OPEN HEAVENS]

 Luke 4:20 KJV

And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him.

DAILY READING Matthew 3; Exodus 24; Proverbs 11

You cannot truly read the Book of Life, give it all your attention and not become celebrated. In Luke Chapter 4, all eyes were fixed on Christ after He read the Book.

Diligent study of the Word of God will always elevate a man. Just as people study in preparation for examinations and when they pass the exams they get promoted to the next level, knowledge of the Word elevates us to higher levels in life. You have to study to show yourself approved. God first proves you, before He approves you. You first pass through God’s school by sitting with His Word and when He has approved you, then you are qualified to receive power, produce signs and wonders in your generation.

Exams always come before promotion. And passing them is determined by how well you have studied. The exams of life can come suddenly. The tests and trials come to reveal how much of the knowledge of the Word of God is in you. When you are able to overcome through application of the Word, then you are promoted to the next level. God will not promote you until He is sure you have learned what you need to learn at your present state.

Every new level has its own devils. You will not be elevated to more than you can handle. Until you have been able to overcome the devils at your current level, promoting you will expose you to stronger oppositions that might destroy you. Proverbs 1:32 lets us know that the prosperity of fools will destroy them and Hosea 4:6 says, ‘My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.’

Sound study of the Word will grant you speedy promotion to the next levels in life. Remember that promotion does not come from the East, West or South but it comes from God, and He will approve and promote you based on your depth of knowledge of the Word. God ensures you have passed the tests of your present level before He takes you higher. When David passed the examination of Goliath, he was promoted to the throne.

Study to show yourself approved, it is when you study that you can be sure of approval when you are examined. You may be asking God to promote you but He knows you are not yet qualified for the next level because you have not yet overcome the temptations of your present level. If being given a thousand dollars now keeps you away from Church, how do you think God will give you a million dollars? He doesn’t want to destroy you. When you are faithful in the least you will be faithful in the much. It is by study of the Word that we can overcome the temptations of our present level and be qualified for approval to the next level.

PRAYER: Lord, please help me to be a diligent student of Your Word, so that I can be qualified to be promoted to my next level in life.  

Quote

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

WORDBITE 222.

 [ADAPTED FROM THE BOOK FAITH CLASSICS]

Matthew 5:16 

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.  

DAILY READING Matthew 2; Exodus 22:1-23:33; Proverbs 10

In November of 1904, the Welsh Revival broke out in Britain. Spearheaded by the great preacher, Evan Roberts, it swept through the landscape like a hurricane drastically affecting lives and lifestyles. Its emphasis was on seeing sinners saved, as a result, many turned to God. The rise in spiritual hunger brought a great decline to social activities. National sports were deserted; theatres were emptied; pubs closed and crime dropped. In Cardiff, police reported that drunkenness dropped by 60% within one month of the revival beginning. This revival even invaded brothels and gambling dens. Hardened, cursing miners would have been regarded to be the hardest people to reach in the land were suddenly transformed. Agnostics repented, children prayed down the power of God. Even politicians had to take note. Mr. Lloyd George, a Member of Parliament (and later Prime Minister of Britain) said “… it is certainly the most remarkable spiritual movement this generation has witnessed… It seems to be rocking Welsh life like a great earthquake.”

The nation as a whole was touched and transformed by this revival. Evans Robert through the power of the Gospel, changed the lifestyle of the Welsh society. He allowed God to pass through him to invade that community and establish divine order.

God has called us to shine as lights in our world. We are to positively affect our environment by the power of God. This is why when we get born again, God does not take us to Heaven immediately, He keeps us on the earth so that we become His agents to change the world, to bring men into alignment with His will. That’s why Jesus said in John 17, ‘Father don’t take them out of the world just keep them from the evil.’

God is not interested in taking us out of the world now, because there’s work to be done. Lives are ruined and our job is to make them whole again, by letting our light so shine that men may see our good works and want to come into the Kingdom.

In generations past, God planted Joseph, Daniel and Esther among evil systems. They went in as agents of God to affect and change their environments. They let their lights shine, so that men saw their good works and glorified God.

Jesus walked on the earth 2000 years ago, and the light He shined shattered the darkness of the ages. Today, we are Jesus’ legs, hands and mouthpiece. We are the manifest form of Jesus that men see. You and I are invading the earth system. The Kingdom of God must dominate the kingdom of this world; and we are the agents of change God has sent to effect this. We must allow the glory of God to be seen through us.

You are a change agent; an ambassador of Heaven. Everywhere you go, the atmosphere should shift. We should release the power of Christ to affect our world. Lives are to be changed, destinies recovered. There should be a difference, because we came. God is looking for Moses, Joshuas and Esthers who will rise up at this end time and say ‘God use me.’ God is going to use us as battle axes to root out and to build up. He will use us to make His enemies His footstool.

PRAYER: Lord, I am available, please use me in this generation to affect my world. Let my light so shine that men may be brought into Your Kingdom.

 quote

There is something that God has placed within you that the world is eagerly awaiting to see.

 [ADAPTED FROM THE BOOK TRIUMPH OF LIGHT OVER DARKNESS]

John 14;29  

‘And now I have told you before it come to pass, that when it is come to pass ye might believe.’

DAILY READING Matthew 1; Exodus 20:1-21:36; Proverbs 9

Many people don’t really think the Bible talks about current issues. They see it as an ancient book that has no relevance to current happenings in the world. But nothing can be farther from the truth. God’s Word supersedes what even the most current news media has to say, because God talks from the point of eternity. No other religious book in the world compares to the Bible. Critics have been shocked to realize that the Bible is not only current but holds accurate records of the past, present and future.

It is often times interesting to note that news being carried in the media are what God’s Word have many years ago declared. The truth is, the Word carries the first edition of the news, while world media only carry second hand news. The world media are only playing catch up because before it happens, God has already proclaimed it. Jesus said in John 14:29, ‘And now I have told you before it come to pass, that when it is come to pass ye might believe.’

For instance, 2500 years ago, long before scientists found out the earth was round in shape, God already revealed through Isaiah that the earth is a circle or sphere (Isaiah 40:22). And 3500 years ago before scientists knew the earth was suspended in space God revealed through Job that the earth ‘hangs on nothing.’ Job 26:7. Even today, we have the Book of Revelations already declaring what will happen at the end of the age. Already we see end time events unfolding exactly as the Bible said they would.

The Word of God is called the Good News, but the worldly media gives people bad news that leaves them depressed and troubled. Somebody even humorously referred to CNN as Constant Negative News. On the contrary, the Word of God carries news that imparts faith and hope that assures our heart that God is in control of affairs on earth. That is the kind of news we should hear, the news that will impart faith, hope and joy. News that will cause us to go forward and succeed, not the one that will discourage and depress.

The question therefore is, which news do you listen to most?  The Good News or the bad news? If you can spend more time in the Word of God than you spend listening to world news, your life will indeed be better for it. Don’t forget what you put in is what you get out. Listen to the Word so that you can get a right perspective of the things happening in the world. It doesn’t matter the alarming headlines that scream across media front pages, set your heart rather on what God has said, because when all is said and done, Jehovah alone has the final say.

PRAYER: Lord, please help me to focus on Your Word, and not  on the happenings in the world. I know You are in control and everything is indeed working for my good.

 Quote :

You have got to learn to ignore what the devil is reporting and acknowledge the report of God’s Word in your life. – WORDBITE 222. 

  [ADAPTED FROM THE BOOK FAITH CLASSICS]

Isaiah 27: 6 KJV

He shall cause them that come of Jacob to take root, Israel shall blossom and fill the face of the world with fruit.

DAILY READING – Hebrews 13; Exodus 18:1-19:25; Proverbs 8

Down the ages we have seen several manifestations of the promise of God. One glaring example in the present time is the blossoming of the nation of Israel. In Isaiah 27:6, God prophesied about a future restoration of Israel saying, ‘He shall cause them that come of Jacob to take root, Israel shall blossom and fill the face of the world with fruit.’ This prophecy was made by Isaiah about 2700 years ago. But after he made that prophecy, there was nothing in Israel’s history at the time that would suggest that such prophecy would ever come to pass. In fact, everything suggested otherwise. In AD 70, Jerusalem and the temple were destroyed and the Jews were carried into exile. And for almost 2000 years afterwards the Jews were scattered all over the world among the nations. During that period, nothing like the tribe of Israel existed anymore. Their land was taken over by the Arabs and the name of the region was changed to Palestine. For about 2000 years, Israel was in exile, scattered to different parts of the world.  Many Jews were killed in Russia and Ukraine;  in government ordered killings called pogroms. Over 6 million Jews who lived in Europe were killed by Hitler in the holocaust. But after so many years in exile, God began to re-gather His people again. And in 1948, to the amazement of the world, the nation of Israel came again into existence! Despite all the odds against it, including constant Arab hostility, it has survived till date. The Word God spoke through prophet Isaiah is finding fulfillment. Israel is indeed blossoming, being one of the leading nations in technology and innovation today. Practically also, Israel is indeed filing the face of the world with fruits as one of the highest producers and exporters of fruits and flowers in the whole world today. 2700 years after Isaiah made that prophecy, it is coming to pass. This is yet another evidence of the infallibility of God’s Word.

What God says He will do, He will surely do; God is not man that He should lie, neither the son of man that He should repent. Has He said it? He will surely make it good. This should be an encouragement to you, that the promises of God concerning you will surely find fulfillment. Many times we are the ones that move before God’s Word arrives for fulfillment. Out of impatience we decide to ‘help’ God by following the ways of men. Like Abraham, too impatient to keep waiting for the long promise of Isaac, we decide to birth an instant Ishmael.

It is important that we wait for God’s Word to be fulfilled. God may not be early, yet He is never late, He is always on time. His timing is always perfect because He is working with a divine blueprint that will cause everything to work together for our good. As Habakkuk 2:3 says, ‘Though it tarry wait for it, because it will surely come, it will not tarry.’ As His promise came to pass at the appointed time over Israel, so shall it come to pass concerning you!

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

 Quote

God’s promises in Christ in your life may appear delayed, but never forget that delays are not denials.  WORDBITE 222.

  [ADAPTED FROM THE BOOK FAITH CLASSICS]

 Psalm 46:1-2  KJV

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

DAILY READING Hebrews 12; Exodus 16:1-17:16; Proverbs 7:6-27

In the past 100 years alone, there have been over 200 wars and conflicts globally. And it is estimated that over 180 million people lost their lives in the wars and conflicts in the last century. This is a number far greater than in any other century in history. Presently, it is estimated that almost 60 million people are now either refugees or internally displaced because of conflict and violence around the globe. This is the highest it has been since the Second World War and equates to almost one per cent of the world’s current population.

According to the sequence of biblical events heralding the end time, there shall be an escalation of conflicts around the world. Jesus said the last days will be like the days of Noah, which were characterized by violence on the earth. And already we see violence increasing, with the rise in kidnapping, robbery, terrorist attacks, etc.

Sometimes listening to the news and what is going on it can be disheartening. But we don’t have to be afraid, no matter what takes place in the world, God will protect His children. Psalm 46:1-2 says, ‘God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea.’

God’s presence is the only place of safety in this generation. The Psalmist states that while some trust in chariots and some in horses, we shall trust in the name of the Lord our God. Trusting in chariots and horses means putting trust in the efficacy of security systems, which is an empty trust. Only God can truly protect in this perilous times. Proverbs 21:31 says, ‘The horse is prepared against the day of battle: but safety is of the Lord.’ Security systems are only the horses prepared against the day of battle, but safety only comes from the Lord. Our hope and trust therefore should be in God alone. He alone can protect His people. It is time therefore to draw closer to Him who alone is able to keep us and cover our heads in the day of battle.

This is the time to build up our relationship with God more than ever before. We should continually bring our families under the covering of the blood of Jesus, as we maintain a fervent family prayer altar. We should take our family devotion times serious. Many Christians have testimonies of how members of their families were saved from evil because of the prayer covering they received before stepping out into the day. It doesn’t matter what people in the world may be experiencing, our case is different, because we are under the covenant of divine protection. We have the mark of the blood of the Lamb, therefore we are exempted from afflictions of the Egyptians, just as the case of Goshen was different when the plagues came upon Egypt. God has promised that evil shall not befall us. Psalm 91 says that when we make the Lord our refuge, a thousand will fall by our side and ten thousand at our right hand yet it will not come near us. Why? Because of God’s strong presence. So this is a time to maintain a praiseful lifestyle so as to maintain God’s presence around us. The name of the Lord is a strong tower that the righteous runs into and is safe.

David knew the secret of maintaining God’s presence. This is why he gave himself to constant praise and despite all the bloody battles he fought, he never lost any and was never wounded.

PRAYER: Lord, I thank You for Your protection over me and my household in this trying times, by Your grace we shall never be visited by any in Jesus’ name.

 Quote

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

 [ADAPTED FROM THE BOOK TRIUMPH OF LIGHT OVER DARKNESS]