[The Glory Unveiled]
With your help I can advance against a troop; with my God I can scale a wall. ( Psalms 18:29 NIV)
Help is needed where there are limitations in human strength and abilities. Since everything on earth and all that is accomplished through human effort is limited, we are in need of help. However, the help of man is often insufficient because all humans are limited. The writer of this verse in Psalms acknowledged that with the help of God, he was able to advance against a troop and scale a wall. He could do the impossible and overcome every hurdle and blockade in his way. Where human ability ends, God’s ability begins, covering all flaws and weaknesses. When the help of God comes, human weaknesses are concealed. A weak and frail man is only weak because he is not helped. When the help of God rests upon a person, the challenges and frustrations associated with humanity disappear. The help of God washed away the stain of human weakness in Moses. Moses was regarded as a god because he had the help of God. Whatever contradicts God’s plan for our lives or challenges His grace and provisions remains only because we rely on our own abilities and strength instead of the help of God. Humanity was created to depend perpetually on God. Relying on one’s own abilities or the help of man is the downfall of many. The arm of flesh always fails, rely on God’s help.
Prayer_Bead: Lord Jesus, thank you for the provision you have made for me in every area of my life. I receive your help daily.
Wisdom_Quote: The help of God conceals the weaknesses of men.
#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.
A walk through fire
[The Glory Unveiled]
Paul gathered a pile of brushwood and, as he put it on the fire, a viper, driven out by the heat, fastened itself on his hand. ( Acts 28:3 NIV )
Fire is not entirely a bad master, even though it has earned that name through many people’s experiences with it. As a result, whenever we see fire, we are so eager to quench it that we have institutions set up to deal with it. However, fire in its nature is not all that bad. Fire has other wonderful purposes that only fire can fulfill. In the text above, the apostle Paul and other travelers reached a point in their journey where they had to make a fire to warm themselves. Nothing happened when Paul picked up his pile of wood, but as soon as he placed it on the fire, a snake came out because of the heat. The heat of the fire exposed what had been hiding all along. In the same way, God sometimes allows fires into our lives to purify us and reveal things we don’t even know exist. Some of us harbor habits and attitudes that are unwelcome, but we may never discover them until fire is introduced into our lives. The discomfort that fire brings will drive out everything that is not meant to remain in us. For some of us, the fires might be started by people closest to us. At other times, situations and circumstances beyond our control ignite these fires. Our willingness or unwillingness to accept the lessons that these experiences bring is what defines us. The fires and heat in your life are permitted by God for a reason. The fires in our lives are there on assignment. When the same Paul complained of a thorn in his flesh, God, who could have taken it away, didn’t. Instead, He said His grace was sufficient for Paul and that His strength is made perfect in weakness. God didn’t remove the thorn because it was serving a purpose in Paul’s life. So, when we walk through fire, we must understand that God is taking us on an assignment. You will come out with a glorious testimony.
Prayer_Bead: Father, thank you for your love for me. Thank you for the fire you allow into my life to refine me and prepare me for what you are about to do. In Jesus’ name.
Wisdom_Quote: Many life assignments are discovered after taking the walk through fire.
#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.
Victory over Sin and Death
[The Glory Unveiled]
But we thank God for giving us the victory as conquerors through our Lord Jesus, the Anointed One. [ 1 Corinthians 15:57 TPT ]
Different battles require different kinds of ammunition. However, victory is not achieved solely through skill or weaponry. Victory is, in essence, a certificate we receive—either because we won something ourselves or because someone else won it on our behalf. For us, victory comes because someone else did the work. Victory over sin and death was utterly impossible through human strength or strategies. When we sinned, we fell short of the glory of God—His nature and attributes, which empower a victorious life. By falling from that glory, we were reduced to a purely human existence. Yet, the love of God refused to abandon us. God conquered sin and death so that we might have freedom and enter His rest. Until sin and death are dealt with, humanity cannot truly experience freedom. Our current state is the direct result of sin, and restoration can only come when sin is permanently eradicated. Imagine not taking an exam yet having the top student’s results credited to you. Similarly, God assigned Jesus’ victory to us. Through Jesus, we are victorious over sin and death. Victory over sin is essential for walking with God. Without it, we cannot consistently walk in fellowship with Him. This is why God took the initiative to address the problem on our behalf. While we did not physically hang on the cross to conquer sin and death, Jesus did, granting us His victory through faith. This is why our hearts should overflow with gratitude to God.
Prayer_Bead: Heavenly Father , thank you for the victory you have given me as a conqueror through Christ Jesus.
Wisdom_Quote: We ride triumphantly on Jesus’ victory parade.
#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.
The good we don’t see
[The Glory Unveiled ]
And Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” [ John 1:46 NKJV ]
There is so much the ordinary eye cannot perceive. As humans, we do not see the end of things from the beginning—but God does. He sees the end from the beginning and from ancient times what is yet to come (Isaiah 46:10). This is why His counsel always stands. Humans, on the other hand, are limited and make decisions based on the incomplete information they have. As a result, we are often quick to judge people and situations because of our short-sightedness. But because God sees all things and knows all things, His judgments and decrees are perfect. When we feel overwhelmed by our struggles, we tend to give up. We shut every door of hope, thinking there is no help for us. Yet, if we leave the door of hope open, we would learn that the challenges we face often carry some good within them—even if we don’t immediately see it. There is a purpose for everything God permits in our lives. Some of those purposes may not align with our plans or feel good at the moment, but they undoubtedly have an intended purpose. Nathanael once thought that nothing good could come from Nazareth. Yet, in what seemed like insignificance and mess, God hid the Savior in Nazareth. In the crucibles of your struggles and hardships, God has hidden untapped resources—a blessing for many. Jesus endured the suffering of the cross because of the joy set before Him. There is glory ahead of your suffering. Your struggles may become the ladder someone else needs to cross over into joy and peace. Someone’s burdens may be lifted because you endured and overcame in that area. There is good you cannot yet see in what you are going through. Stick with Jesus through it all until your only hope is in Him.
Prayer_Bead: Precious Jesus, thank you for the good you have hidden in my nothingness. Help me to see the good, so that I may have hope. Amen.
Wisdom_Quote: There is good behind everything God permits.
#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.
The cost of discipleship
[The Glory Unveiled]
Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. [ Luke 9:23 NIV ]
There is a price tag on everything in life. Nothing comes to us without a price being paid, whether by ourselves or someone else. Whether we realize it or not, the price must be paid for something to manifest. Until it is paid, the desired outcome or pursuit will not be delivered. In the verse of scripture above, the Lord Jesus tells His followers about the price required to follow Him. We know that unless this price is paid, the reward cannot be obtained. This means no one can truly be a disciple of Jesus without meeting the cost attached to discipleship. There are no alternatives or negotiations—no room for bargains. Jesus does not stop anyone from becoming His disciple; it is the price tag that distinguishes those who choose to follow from those who do not. The individual who desires to be His disciple must resolve to pay the price in full. Only then can they partake in the benefits of being His disciple. The Lord reveals deeply intimate things about Himself to His disciples. Secrets that others are not privy to are shared with them. While the price is great, so is the reward. There is so much more to being a disciple than simply being born again. There is a deeper journey to pursue and greater treasures in Christ, but these are accessible only to those who pay the price in full. Have you made the decision to follow Jesus by paying?
Prayer_Bead: Dear Lord Jesus, thank you for the privilege to join your family. Now, help me to walk with you faithfully.
Wisdom_Quote: There is a price tag to everything worthwhile.
#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.