Month: November 2023

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Do the needful

[The Glory Unveiled]

“But to remain in my body is more needful and essential for your sake.” [ Philippians‬ ‭1‬:‭24‬ ‭AMPC‬‬ ]

Sometimes, we must set aside our desires and preferences and opt for the greater good by making a sacrificial choice. Many individuals enshrined in history’s hall of fame earned their places through such sacrificial decisions. Along our individual journeys, we inevitably reach a juncture demanding a life-altering choice. From that pivotal point, we grapple with the consequences, often paving a new path that unveils our truest potentials and gifts. When the apostle Paul faced the decision of departing to be with the Lord or continuing to live in the flesh, he carefully considered his options. Despite recognizing that leaving might be best for him, he chose to stay for the sake of fellow believers and their needs. He understood that his continued presence would benefit many, and for their well-being, he opted to remain. Life frequently presents us with choices between paths, opinions, and views, each with its implications and consequences. By relinquishing our personal desires and interests, we can accomplish great things in honour of God. Before taking the next step, weigh the cost, consider your options, and choose what brings glory to God, essential for the sake of others. May our lives be dedicated to the well-being of others, lived not only for ourselves but because of the impact it can have on those around us.

Prayer_Bead: Dear Jesus, thank your for helping me to live like you lived, in total service of other people.

Wisdom_Quote: One truly begins to live when they start living for other people.

#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.

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You’re not alone

[The Glory Unveiled]

Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him. [ 1 Kings 19:18 KJV ]

Elijah reached a point in his life where he believed he was the sole survivor of his kind, thinking that all the other prophets had been killed. “And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: because the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away” (1 Kings 19:14). No matter the challenge you face, remember you’re not alone in it; many others share similar experiences. Don’t let complacency hinder you from fulfilling your tasks. Some could have succeeded if they had a sense of community; knowing others faced the same struggles might have prevented them from giving up. To avoid falling into that trap, the word of God assures us of the company of witnesses: “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us” (Hebrews 12:1). God’s instruction is for us to run with perseverance the race marked for us as individuals. It emphasizes shedding hindrances, including the belief that we are alone. The powerful feeling and fear of being alone can deter us from giving our best. Armed with the knowledge that we are not alone, let’s give our best in everything.

Prayer_Bead: God of every season, thank you for the company of your presence and sure word. Amen.

Wisdom_Quote: You are not alone.

#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.

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It will end in praise.

[The Glory Unveiled]

“But I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel,” [ Philippians‬ ‭1‬:‭12‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ ]

The apostle Paul referred to his imprisonment when he said “the things which happened to me.” In retrospect, he saw it as something that had helped in the furtherance of the gospel.“ The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it” (Psalms 24:1). God as the owner and manager of the earth is able to use any situation at all to advance His agenda. Unfortunately, we label anything that does not give immediate benefit as bad. But God, who sees the end from the beginning, calls everything good because He is able to make good of every situation, causing even the “bad” to do His bidding. If only we could see as God sees, we would understand that, the negative experiences and events around and in our lives are occasions to further the course and purpose of God in His time. The apostle added that his imprisonment had boosted the confidence of many believers. People will courageously go out in the name of Jesus because Paul was imprisoned but was still preaching about Jesus. His courage gave others courage. In fact, many people became saved because Paul was imprisoned. They had the opportunity to hear the good news in prison. Wherever we find ourselves, we can make impact with the little resources we have. Paul did not fold with the excuse of his predicament. He continued the work of God as if he was actually free. Whatever is happening to you now, can turn for the good of God’s plan for you. Just play your part.

Prayer_Bead: Lord Jesus, thank you for your faithfulness. In every situation, you remain with me. Thank you.

Wisdom_Quote: God is faithful at all times.

#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.

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God is working it out

[The Glory Unveiled]

And Joseph’s master took him, and put him into the prison, a place where the king’s prisoners were bound: and he was there in the prison. [ Genesis 39:20 KJV ]

The story from which our anchor text is drawn is a frequently discussed narrative—the story of Joseph’s temptation to sleep with Potiphar’s wife. Often, the true meaning and intent behind the events are overlooked due to our familiarity with the texts. Joseph found himself in prison for an act he did not commit. It may seem unjust to be treated so unfairly for something he did not do, leaving him to wonder why his master wouldn’t believe him. Conversely, someone in his position might have succumbed to the temptation for “justifiable reasons.” Had Joseph yielded to the temptation to sleep with his master’s wife, they could have kept it a secret, sparing him from prison. However, envision the potential outcome for Joseph—he would have remained a servant for life. Surprisingly, the prison became God’s strategy for propelling him to the throne of Egypt, making him a prime minister quicker than any alternative path. Honoring God and living within His will allows everything, even seemingly disastrous events, to work for our good. Disappointments serve as God’s appointed tools to elevate us. Although Joseph might have perceived his imprisonment as a disaster and unfair punishment, from God’s perspective, it was intentional for his elevation to the position of prime minister. The prison provided him access to the king of Egypt. If we navigate the challenges the world and its systems throw at us without complaint, trusting and honoring God, we will reach His destination for us even faster.

Prayer_Bead: Omnipresent God, thank you for being with us in every situation. Thank you for your grace to go through everything that is intended to lead us to the top.

Wisdom_Quote: When God is involved, it always leads to glory.

#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.

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The cost of knowing Jesus

[The Glory Unveiled]

“To truly know him meant letting go of everything from my past and throwing all my boasting on the garbage heap. It’s all like a pile of manure to me now, so that I may be enriched in the reality of knowing Jesus Christ and embrace him as Lord in all of his greatness.” [ Philippians‬ ‭3‬:‭8‬ ‭TPT‬‬ ]

There is always an attitude and an approach to knowledge acquisition. Acquiring knowledge involves letting go of something: ignorance. On the journey of gaining knowledge, letting go of ignorance is a non-negotiable step. In the case of the apostle Paul and his quest to know Jesus, he had to relinquish everything from his past, including boasting and arrogance. Whatever he thought he knew hindered his true understanding of Jesus. So, he had to let go of his preconceived notions. Interestingly, Paul refers to the negative aspects of his past as “manure,” suggesting that even bad experiences and erroneous information can fertilize our new knowledge experiences if we’re willing to release them. A wise inventor once remarked, “The mistakes I made in the past show me ways that something wouldn’t work out.” In our pursuit of the knowledge of God, sincerity is crucial. We must confront truth and reality, acknowledging that what we think we know might impede our true understanding. To grasp what we need to know, we must release what we already know, just as the apostle Paul did. The Holy Spirit assists us in this process if we allow Him since He is the greatest teacher. In Paul’s attempt to know Jesus, he emphasizes the strategy of letting go of the past in verse 13, choosing to forget what’s behind and focus on the future. Following his example can be beneficial in our own pursuit of knowledge.

Prayer_Bead: Omniscient God, thank you for your grace and the privilege of knowing your Son Jesus Christ.

Wisdom_Quote: Forget the past, aim for the future.

#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.

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The mind settings of Christ

[The Glory Unveiled]

“And consider the example that Jesus, the Anointed One, has set before us. Let his mindset become your motivation.” [ Philippians‬ ‭2‬:‭5‬ ‭TPT‬‬ ]

The Lord Jesus set an example for us with His life. While on earth in the flesh, He had His free will which was independent of the will of God like everyone of us. This means He could do whatever He wanted or what God wanted. However, at every moment, only one will could be given the opportunity to express itself; the will of God or His own will. The Lord Jesus chose throughout His life to forbid his will from being expressed. He gave the wheel to God to express His will through Him in all things. He practically relinquished His right to the controls that determined which will was being displayed. He abandoned His will, down to the minutest thing and the tiniest second; whatever He did was determined by God. That is the example He left for us. If we allow His mindset to motivate us, we can live in this body, in this world as if Jesus were actually living through us. In the body of the born-again believer is their will and the will of Jesus. Each of us will have to make a choice at every point, and whatever choice we make gives permission to which will would be in control. We can choose to sit behind the wheel of our own lives or hand over the controls to Jesus, as He did with the Father; the choice is ours to make. The apostle Paul encourages us today to allow ourselves to be motivated by the mindset of the Lord Jesus Christ. We can only emulate the Lord Jesus’ example when we are motivated by His mindset. Unless we have His mindset, we cannot have his example and results. His life is the product of His mindset, which is allowing God to live through Him.

Prayer_Bead: Lord Jesus, thank you for the privilege to have your mindset. Help me to live for you in all things.

Wisdom_Quote: The mindset of Jesus produces His lifestyle.

#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.

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The mind of a new creation

[The Glory Unveiled]

“For the rest, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is worthy of reverence and is honorable and seemly, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely and lovable, whatever is kind and winsome and gracious, if there is any virtue and excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think on and weigh and take account of these things [fix your minds on them].” [ Philippians‬ ‭4‬:‭8‬ AMPC‬‬ ]

The mind can be like a boundless ocean, wandering and lingering in many wonderlands of thought. However, we can determine the continuous habitual preoccupation of our minds by consistently feeding it with specific content. The saying, “You cannot stop birds from passing over your head, but you can decide whether or not they make nests in your hair,” holds true in this context. We have the right to decide the course of our lives. The soul, governed by the mind—comprising our emotions, desires, intellect, and will—can be influenced by what it is familiar with. This influence is why, even though the old sinful nature may die in a born-again Christian, they sometimes live as if they are not renewed, behaving exactly as they did before encountering Jesus. The life they led before becoming born again becomes imprinted in the mind, emotions, and desires. So, even after an individual becomes born again and their spirit is renewed, the mind retains the old data of the acts of the flesh. This is where we need to renew our minds, deleting the old data and filling our mental system with new information consistent with our new nature. Our anchor scripture guides us on how to acquire new data, focusing on things that are true, worthy of reverence, honorable, just, pure, lovely, lovable, kind, winsome, gracious, virtuous, excellent, and praiseworthy. This guideline directs us to receive data for renewing our minds, and encourages daily contemplation of these things.

Prayer_Bead: Omniscient Creator, thank You for the privilege to have my mind renewed from dead works. Glory to your name.

Wisdom_Quote: An unguided mind is the canvas of a boundless ocean.

#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.

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Joint checking account

[The Glory Unveiled]

Now if we are children, then we are heirs —heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. [ Romans 8:17 NIV ]

The love of God is unfathomable. It may seem preposterous for God to bestow His inheritance upon us, who rejected Him through our disobedience. However, this is the reality. As 1 John 3:1 tells us, “See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.” In his commentary on the book of Romans, Andrew Wommack explains our anchor text as follows: When two people share a joint checking account, one cannot withdraw money without the signature of the other. Jesus is our joint-heir, which means we share the inheritance account with Him. Even though we may be tempted to sign away our inheritance, as Esau and Adam did, the Lord will never cooperate with that. He will not put His signature on any of our bad choices. Adam was not a joint-heir with Jesus; his joint-heir was Eve, and they both sinned by signing away the account. However, as joint-heirs with Jesus, He will not yield to our lusts and disobedience. He will prompt us, through His Spirit, to live in agreement with God’s will and desires. As co-holders of God’s inheritance account, everything that Christ Jesus has access to is potentially ours too. When we align with Jesus and His sufferings, we can appropriate the inheritance to bring glory to God. Unfortunately, many desire the inheritance without accepting the accompanying suffering, and this is where they rob themselves. Don’t rob yourself.

Prayer_Bead: Father in Heaven, thank you for bringing me into your inheritance through Christ Jesus. I am an heir and a co-heir with Christ. Amen.

Wisdom_Quote: We are joint checking account holders with Jesus.

#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.

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Nothing good here: Self-life

[The Glory Unveiled]

For I know that nothing good lives within the flesh of my fallen humanity. The longings to do what is right are within me, but willpower is not enough to accomplish it.” [ Romans‬ ‭7‬:‭‭18‬ ‭TPT‬‬ ]

Some people have spent their entire lives attempting to extract “goodness” from themselves. The harsh reality, however, is that there is no inherent goodness in our flesh. We may aspire to do what is right and deceive ourselves into thinking we can accomplish righteousness through our own strength. Yet, our willpower will inevitably let us down every time. The startling truth is that not even a born-again man or woman can obey God’s laws using their own fleshly energy. The purpose of the law is to reveal the nature of sin and our inability to save ourselves. The sole escape from sin is the grace of God. Our reliance on Christ is the way out. We must continue to depend on Christ at all times, especially after accepting Him as Lord. The flesh is both unwilling and unable to fulfill God’s law, whether a person is saved or lost. The sooner we acknowledge this truth, the sooner we can cease striving to meet God’s standards through our own fleshly power. Certain religions impose strict rules for living in holiness, and often, as adherents rely on their willpower to obey, they end up doing the opposite. Their awareness of what they should do arouses lust within them, and the desire to indulge in these lustful desires grows stronger. The apostle Paul, using himself as a hypothetical case study to illustrate what happens when one depends on their willpower, stated, “For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing.” (Romans 7:19). This is the outcome for anyone embarking on the futile journey of trying to honor God in the strength of their flesh. Regardless of how convinced you are about your self-life, do not trust it to lead you toward righteous living. It will fail every time. In short, we must reach the end of ourselves before we can truly come to God. There is no alternative path.

Prayer_Bead: Father of Lights in whom there is no shadow of turning, thank you for your grace. The life I live in the flesh, I live by faith in your Son, Jesus Christ.

Wisdom_Quote: The self-life has no shelf life.

#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.

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Holiness: A journey into the rest of God.

[The Glory unveiled]

Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done. [ Genesis 2:3 NIV ]

Many times, when holiness is mentioned, a certain image is conjured in our minds, a particular way of conduct is envisioned, and rules and principles are formulated. But what is holiness really about? In Leviticus 19:2, the Lord instructs the Israelites to be holy because He is holy. “Speak to the entire assembly of Israel and say to them: ‘Be holy because I, the LORD your God, am holy.” God expects us to be holy because He is holy. This means God serves as the template for our holiness. To “be” implies a state; it is not merely a set of conduct to which one subjects themselves. To “be” holy means to assume the state of holiness. A close examination of our anchor scripture and the first mention of “holy” in the Bible reveals that “rest” and “holy” were used together. This underscores the truth that holiness means “entering the rest of God.” The writer of Hebrews reveals that there is a rest for the people of God to enter and that Joshua didn’t bring the Israelites into the true rest of God. The writer also states, “for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his” (Hebrews 4:10). Resting from the works of the flesh is the hallmark of holiness, and we enter God’s rest in Christ; a state we assume through our position in Christ. The outcome of that position may be observed in our obedient conduct as godliness. However, “godliness” may not necessarily be an indicator of holiness. True holiness is a divine nature, conferred on us like righteousness, from which we live as God does. And so, it starts with God.

Prayer_Bead: Holy Father, thank you for the Spirit of Holiness. I have your Holy Spirit because I have your Son and my life is evident of that spirit. In Jesus’ name.

Wisdom_Quote: Holiness means entering the rest of God.

#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.