2 Chronicles 27:6 ‘So Jotham became mighty, because he prepared his ways before the LORD his God’.

 

DAILY READING; Luke 8:1-25; Genesis 12; Psalm 6

 

George Whitefield is said to be America’s first celebrity due to his overwhelming popularity during the 18th century. When only in his twenties, he became perhaps the person most recognized by everyone in colonial America. He was the most popular preacher of the Evangelical Revival in Great Britain and of the Great Awakening in America.

While the suddenness of Whitefield’s acclaim at the time disarmed skeptics and baffled his critics, what they failed to recognize was that Whitfield was only seeing the fruit of the seed he had sown in diligent spiritual preparation.

When he was 15 years of age, George Whitefield was so hungry for God, that though he served in his father’s drinking bar, once the bar closed, he would go up to his room and read his Bible by the light of a candle. He would spend hours in studying, praying and having sweet communion with the Holy Spirit.

Later ,while studying in the university, Whitefield associated with Charles and John Wesley who  helped to deepened his spiritual life. In his search for God, Whitefield often prayed and fasted so much that at a point it broke down his health and, under doctor’s orders,  he was confined to bed for seven weeks. 

As he continued to increase in spiritual strength, at only 25 years old, he took America by storm when he embarked on a preaching tour in 1739. America’s Great Awakening was sparked largely by this  preaching tour. During another great tour through New England, though only 26 years at the time, he drew thousands and shops and businesses were closed as people trooped to hear him.  

Whitefield kindled religious revivals throughout Britain and North America and prompted the founding of about fifty colleges and universities in the United States.

He remained a magnet that drew many people to the Gospel throughout his lifetime. And up till the day before his death, he preached until late at night to a rapt audience and then died the following morning.

 

Genesis 8:22 says “While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease.”

For our life to truly count on earth, it must be sown deeply in the service of  God. The principles of seedtime and harvest control every man’s life and destiny.  Whether we  realize it or not, everything  we  are experiencing  now is a direct result  of the  spiritual investments we have made in our lives in the past. Indeed the fruit our lives  eventually produce is a reflection of how we have spiritually invested our time.

Our life is made up of our time. That is why our period on earth is called a ‘lifetime’. And for us to reap a fruitful life on earth it is important that we sow our time rightly  in the diligent pursuit of God.

Our choice for dedication today is what  guarantees our distinction tomorrow. Indeed our actions today are seeds of our future that grow in the soil of time to bear fruit for us. We can therefore determine to reap a  glorious life, by investing time  in the place of adequate spiritual preparation.

We must understand that it is God’s plan in this end-time for His glory to be seen upon us. In spite of  the growing gloominess and darkness in the world, God is raising an army of  believers who will command influence and  be celebrated by their  world.

But that will happen when we take time to adequately prepare spiritually. Every sudden manifestation of glory is usually a product of long term spiritual preparation. Nobody’s life can be more glorious than his level of  dedication to God.  

Spiritual preparation demands discipline in the place of diligent study of God’s Word, fasting, praying, sacrifice, worship and service. It is only  those who pay the due price in spiritual preparation that become due for manifestation. The truth is that  God won’t project you unless He has first prepared you.  When our life is planted as a seed in God’s kingdom, we will eventually manifest as a sign and a wonder to our world.  Indeed as we pay the spiritual  price of diligent pursuit of God, we will arise and shine and the glory of the Lord will be seen upon us. 

 

PRAYER: Lord, please  help me to pay the needed spiritual price so at to  manifest Your glory to the world  around me. Please help me to invest my time  rightly in the pursuit of Your kingdom,  so that I can reap the  harvest of Your overflowing blessings  in  Jesus’ Name.  

QUOTE :

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