Month: May 2024

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God Without Boarders

[The Glory Unveiled]

Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” [ Matthew 17:4 NIV ]

The nature and attributes of God put Him in a class where He cannot be limited by any environment or ideology. He transcends time and space, matter and energy, heaven and earth. He is God without boundaries or borders. By His majesty and sovereignty, God is not to be constrained by anything or anyone. No ideologies, concepts, or institutions can constrain the knowledge and person of God. Rather, He constrains us and confines us to His revealed will and identity. Many have tried to cast God, like gold or aluminum, into a predefined shape. They have tried to make Him the product of their imagination, like an idol cast in stone. Peter, the disciple, once tried to do that when he suggested at the mount of transfiguration that they build shelters for the memories of Moses, Elijah, and Jesus. God is far beyond and far above our revelation of Him. What we know of and about God, compared to who He truly is, shows a vast difference. This is why it would be a horrible mistake to freeze our understanding of God; He is not a statue. Unfreeze any fixed notions you have of God and dismantle the tents of memory you have erected. We grow in the knowledge of God when we allow the fluidity of His personality to flow within us. This is why only the Holy Spirit can teach us and provide the true picture of God. He reveals the multifaceted nature of God to each of us according to what we can handle. May we be flexible enough to allow for the revelation of God within us.

Prayer_Bead: Dear Lord, thank you for teaching me not to make a statue of you. Help me to remain in a living fellowship with you always. In Jesus’ name.

Wisdom_Quote: God cannot be hemmed in by boarders and boundaries.

#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.

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Police your heart

[The Glory Unveiled]

”So above all, guard the affections of your heart, for they affect all that you are. Pay attention to the welfare of your innermost being, for from there flows the wellspring of life.“ [ Proverbs‬ ‭4‬:‭23‬ ‭TPT‬‬ ]

Institutions have welfare schemes in place to ensure the well-being of their employees and members. A welfare system is designed to anticipate and provide for needs before they arise so that when such needs do arise, they can be easily addressed. If such care is taken to ensure the well-being of people in institutions, then it is indeed appropriate when the Bible emphasizes the need to pay attention to the well-being of our innermost selves. From our innermost selves flows the course of our lives. The outcomes of our lives are determined by the inputs or investments we make in our innermost selves—the education of our souls. We must guard against every form of undue attachment to things. Anything to which we are excessively attached, and reluctant to relinquish, becomes a god in our lives. These attachments, or idols as they are, will in turn influence every aspect of who we are. This is precisely why we need to establish personal welfare schemes for our souls. We must carefully anticipate and guard against anything that could hinder our relationship with God. Be deliberate in choosing the people you associate with and the friends you spend time with, as they have an impact on your heart. Over time, our hearts can become callous. Instead of associating with those opposed to the teachings of Christ, let us cultivate deep fellowship with the Father through His word. If Eve had remained in the company of Adam or God alone, she likely wouldn’t have succumbed to the temptation she faced. No wonder the scriptures teach that we are tempted when we are lured and enticed by our own desires (James 1:14). Resist the temptation to indulge unguarded emotions.

Prayer_Bead: Dear Lord Jesus, thank you for showing me that my life consist in the things I allow to influence my inner most being. Help me to guard my heart with your word. Amen.

Wisdom_Quote: The affections of the heart affect one’s life.

#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.

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Fish and Bread.

[The Glory Unveiled]

When they landed, they saw a fire of burning coals there with fish on it, and some bread. [ John 21:9 NIV ]

After the death of Jesus, the disciples returned to their old ways. One day, Peter told the rest that he was going out to fish, and they followed him. They went out in search of fish, but they caught none. After toiling all night and feeling despair, the Lord Jesus, who had just overpowered death, came to their rescue. He directed them on how to catch the fish. Here again, he taught Peter a second time how to catch fish. The lesson is that you don’t catch fish because you are a fisherman or experienced in fishing; you catch fish with direction and discernment. Jesus wasn’t a fisherman, but he knew where the fish were in the water at a particular time. Meanwhile, a man who had been fishing all his life couldn’t tell. Fish are not attracted to nets; they are attracted to the directives of God. On the other hand, what the disciples had spent all night toiling for was already with Jesus. Not only that, but it had already been prepared and was ready for consumption. Many of our life struggles and toils are unnecessary. We struggle because we try to do life without Jesus, or because we feel certain things in our lives are exclusive to Jesus. Meanwhile, Jesus wants to help us in every area of our lives. Make Him Lord over everything in your life. When the disciples landed from the boat, bread and fish were already with Jesus, awaiting their return. Instead of going out to the tempestuous sea of life for answers, go to Jesus because He holds the answers waiting for your invitation. There is absolutely nothing impossible for God. All things were made by Him and for Him. Your fish and bread are ready in the presence of the master. Get out of your boat and go to Him.

Prayer_Bead: Lord Jesus, thank you for your care and provisions for me. Help me to trust you enough to depend on you solely for my livelihood. Amen.

Wisdom_Quote: Your boat does not hold the answers you seek.

#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.

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A civilization of light

[The Glory Unveiled]

But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. [ 1 John 1:7 NIV]

People who gather in a well-lit room are able to see each other and are more likely to connect and bond. But a group of people in a dark room are most certainly going to bump into each other. Having a common environment gives us a shared experience. The light that provides us with the opportunity and platform to walk without stumbling is the light of the life of God. This is why for the believer, walking in the light means participating in the life of God. And then we can be called a fellowship because we are fellows in identifying with the life of God. We are a civilization of light and we live in the life of God. In this civilization, provision is made for everything that seeks to put blemishes on us. The blood of Jesus takes care of our struggles against disobedience and the laws that try to lead us back to what we turned our backs on in Christ. Walking in the light should therefore be the believer’s default position. Walking outside the corridors of light, for a believer, is a death warrant. But sharing in the life of God with one another keeps us in an impenetrable place where the darts of sin cannot reach. One can choose to walk in the light or not, and that is how we live out the truth or not. There are those who are believers and are committed to the truth, but that does not automatically translate into living out the truth, we each have the choice to live out the truth or not. Yet how we live out the truth tells whether we share in the life of God and have fellowship with Him and with one another or not. May we have the desire to walk in the light of God as He is in the light.

Prayer_Bead: Father Lord, thank you for the provision of the blood of your son Jesus. Help me to walk in the light as you are. In Jesus’ name.

Wisdom_Quote: The believer’s civilization is light.

#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.

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Remember Lot’s wife

[The Glory Unveiled ]

But Lot’s wife looked back, and she became a pillar of salt. [ Genesis 19:26 NIV ]

In Luke 17:32, the Lord Jesus instructed His listeners to recall Lot’s wife. In the subsequent verse, He stated, “Whoever tries to keep their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life will preserve it.” In this context, Jesus illustrates that Lot’s wife acted in unbelief by attempting to save her life, including her belongings and possessions. She couldn’t part with her possessions, so she turned into a pillar of salt, clinging to the things she cherished. The Bible teaches that our lives are not defined by our possessions (Luke 12:15), but by our faith (2 Corinthians 5:7), which is essentially obedience to God’s word. Whenever we act in accordance with God’s word, we demonstrate faith. For instance, when Peter asked Jesus if he could walk on water, it wasn’t faith, but when Peter obeyed Jesus’ command to come and began moving towards Him, that was faith. Once again, faith is adherence to God’s word. In Lot’s case, God, through the Angels, instructed him and his household not to look back at what they were leaving behind in judgment. However, Lot’s wife chose to glance back, revealing her reluctance to let go of what she had—a lack of trust in God’s word. Jesus urges us to remember Lot’s wife so that we won’t lose what is most precious to us by clinging to them in disregard for God’s word. Disobedience to God’s word is unbelief, which can stagnate us and lead us into spiritual death. Therefore, let’s heed the lesson of Lot’s wife.

Prayer_Bead: Father in Heaven, thank you for reminding me of Lot’s wife so that I will not follow her ways. Help me to be obedient to you in all things. In Jesus’ name. Amen

Wisdom_Quote: Disobedience to the word of God is unbelief.

#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.

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Kingdom-conscious partnerships

[The Glory Unveiled]

As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy [ Luke 1:44 NIV ]

The people and things we associate with greatly influence the outcomes in our lives. We tend to replicate what we absorb. Just as a phosphorescent object emits light after exposure to light, we bring forth what we have beheld. Our environments influence our output. Elizabeth, despite being barren and aged, became pregnant with John the Baptist. When Mary, also carrying a miracle baby, visited her, Elizabeth’s baby leaped for joy upon hearing Mary’s greetings. While Elizabeth may have encountered other women, her baby only reacted to Mary’s presence because Mary carried something that resonated with Elizabeth. In Genesis 30, Jacob applies this concept under the guidance of an angel. He presents a symbol of what he desires the stronger female animals to reproduce, placing it before them when they are in heat. By doing so, he ensures the desired outcome. For believers, the Holy Spirit enables us to bring forth the glorious possibilities within us. It is in His presence that we bear fruit, bringing glory to God. Merely associating with the right people isn’t enough; we require the brooding presence of the Holy Spirit to bring forth transformative results. Foster kingdom-conscious partnerships.

Prayer_Bead: Dear Lord, thank you for the family of believers with whom you surround me. Help me to walk more closely with you because of them. So help me, God.

Wisdom_Quote: A similar anointing and mandates cause a stirring in the soul.

#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.