[The Glory Unveiled]
“I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.” ( Luke 19:40 NIV )
Jesus’ disciples were joyfully praising Him for all the miracles they had seen Him perform. The Pharisees saw this and asked Jesus to rebuke His disciples. In response, Jesus said that if His disciples kept quiet and did not praise Him, the stones would cry out in their place. This is where we want to draw our lessons from. Many times, when we neglect our assignments and obligations, someone or something of lower status carries them out—and often does so even better. For instance, the gospel first came to the Jews, God’s chosen people. However, when they neglected it, the gospel was sent to the Gentiles, a people who were once rejected. And they embraced it. Paul writes that the aim was to provoke the Jews to jealousy (see Romans 11:11). In another instance, Balaam’s donkey spoke to him when he was bent on disobedience. At that moment, an Angel of the Lord had blocked the path, but Balaam couldn’t see him. Since Balaam was blind to the angel’s presence, God chose an animal—a lower-order creation—to see the angel instead (see Numbers 22:21-30). When Saul disobeyed God, the throne was taken from him and given to David, a younger and less regal person. Mordecai, Queen Esther’s uncle, gave us insight into this principle when he told Esther that she had been brought to her royal position for such a time as this. However, if she refused to do what was expected of her, God would bring help from another place—likely outside the royal palace (see Esther 4:14). This teaches us that sometimes, the seemingly negative things we see around us, such as sickness and poverty, may be allowed by God to manifest His glory. It could be that our disobedience has activated and empowered such things against us. Therefore, whatever we are supposed to do within our power, let us do it to the glory of God.
Prayer_Bead: Heavenly Father, thank you for your divine directives to me. I walk in absolute obedience to your word. So help me God.
Wisdom_Quote: Your replacement is activated when you neglect your responsibility and duties.
#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.
Seeing Jesus
[The Glory Unveiled]
So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way. ( Luke 19:4 NIV )
The text above speaks about a wealthy tax collector in the days of Jesus named Zacchaeus. The Scriptures describe him as short. However, his height did not impede him from seeing Jesus; it was the crowd that hindered him. If there had not been such a large crowd, he would have seen Jesus. Sometimes, people and our environment try to hinder us from encountering the Word of God. The woman with the issue of blood had to press through the crowd to reach Jesus. The blind man, Bartimaeus, was discouraged by those around him from encountering Jesus, but he broke through with persistence. The world around us does not want us to engage with God’s Word. This is why, like all the people mentioned who were hindered by their environment and those around them, we need to rise above every obstacle. Social media could be a hindrance to our walk with God, but we must rise above it. Until we overcome the things that stand in our way, we cannot fully engage with the truth of God’s Word. We live in a world where everything seems to flow without resistance—except the Word of God. Because so much seems to fight against our encounter with the Word, we must run ahead of the obstacles, just as Zacchaeus did. The Word of God comes to us daily, but due to various obstructions, we must take deliberate steps to engage with it. Rise above the obstacles that stand in your way.
Prayer_Bead: Father, thank you for the privilege to hear your word. Show me a way out of the obstacles that impede my access to your word.
Wisdom_Quote: Climb above the obstacles that stand between you and God’s word to you.
#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.
Standing firm
[The Glory Unveiled]
If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand. (Mark 3:25 NIV )
There are substances that bind materials together—adhesives. However, these adhesives do not just bind things together; they operate based on certain principles that must be adhered to. Many times, for something to stand firm, it requires necessary support. And that support must be capable of bearing the load it is intended to carry. The substances that bind things together do so not merely because they are adhesives, but because the materials involved obey the rules of engagement that allow for binding. When Jesus made the statement about a house divided against itself not being able to stand, He was not only referring to families. This principle also applies to any institution or establishment. Where people disagree, they cannot stand together. A house divided against itself can symbolize families, relationships, or businesses. But whatever the “house” represents, division will ultimately lead to its downfall. Therefore, for any house to stand in any situation, there must be agreement. We cannot stand with God if we are not in agreement with His Word. Stability comes not only from the components that make up a structure but also from the elements that bind those components together. A brick wall does not stand merely because it is made of bricks; it stands because of the mortar that holds the bricks together. In your walk with God, are your ways divided against His ways? The sons of Sceva attempted to do what Paul was doing but failed because their ways were divided against the established ways and practices of God (Acts 19:14–16).
Prayer_Bead: Lord, thank you for teaching me this principle of life. Help me to gather where you gather.
Wisdom_Quote: Wherever the carcass is, there the vultures gather.
#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.
“Better than” standard
[The Glory Unveiled]
The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. ( Luke 18:11 NIV)
The habit of thinking ourselves better than others on the merit of a standard we created ourselves is a negative one. People measure their righteousness and godliness by how others live their lives. And if they feel they are doing “better than” those other people, they are okay with themselves. Or if they think they are doing better than they used to do, then they are good. But we or other people are not the standard of righteousness or life. Jesus is. In God’s eyes, there is no comparative standard. His standard is absolute. In our anchor text, we see a Pharisee praying to God and comparing himself with a tax collector. The Pharisee was trying to present himself to God as better than someone he thought was worse than himself. Meanwhile, he didn’t use God’s standard of measurement for the comparison. And because he was doing well in his own eyes, he was arrogant. But then, the ways of God are not our ways and His thoughts are not like ours. He does not operate with the “better than” standard. He works with the “as Christ” standard. So that anything and everything that falls short of Christ, no matter how brilliant it is, falls below the standard of God. Don’t measure yourself by the standard of being better than others or than you used to be. Measure yourself by the standard of God, asking for grace to look like His Son, Jesus Christ.
Prayer_Bead: Father, thank you for your standard for all of humanity. Help me to live by them. In Jesus’ name.
Wisdom_Quote: The standard of God is Jesus Christ.
#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.
Sacrifices
[The Glory Unveiled]
“Did you bring me sacrifices and offerings forty years in the wilderness, people of Israel? ( Amos 5:25 NIV )
There is a hefty price for everything under the sun. Sacrifices and offerings began in the Old Testament as instructions from God and as a principle that makes things happen even when they seem impossible. Different kingdoms, including the kingdom of darkness, operate through sacrifices. For something new to happen, something must be sacrificed—something must be given. When a grain of wheat is placed in the ground, it breaks down and dies. Yet, it is from that place of death that new life emerges, and it multiplies. For God to have many sons and daughters, He had to sacrifice His only begotten Son. Even God had to make a sacrifice to gain many in return. Sacrifices are essential for anything meaningful to happen. Often, when people do good, it comes from a position of sacrifice. It is easy to do wrong or withhold good from others, but helping others often requires sacrifice. You have to let go of alternatives to meet a need—that is sacrifice. God said that in the wilderness, the Israelites did not bring Him sacrifices or offerings. Yet, in reality, they lived at the expense of someone or something. They may have thought it was free, but someone always paid the price. Moses often stood in the gap for them, interceding on their behalf without their knowledge. Through his sacrifices, God showed mercy to the nation. Everything comes at the cost of a sacrifice. What are you willing to sacrifice for the glorious life awaiting you? Unless the price is paid in full, the delivery cannot be made.
Prayer_Bead: Mighty God, thank you for the privilege to experience a new life by the sacrifice of Jesus. Help me to also sacrifice for the new things waiting for me.
Wisdom_Quote: Sacrifice is the price for the new thing.
#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.
Inner Identity
[The Glory Unveiled]
As in water face answereth to face, so the heart of man to man. (Proverbs 27:19 KJV )
In the world of your mind, who are you? The mind is a realm of an alternate reality that shapes our physical reality. It serves as the backend of the coding of our lives, while the frontend is how we live and interact in the world. What happens behind the scenes in our hearts drives what happens on the frontend—the stage of our lives. Therefore, we cannot change what happens on the stage without first adjusting the settings that create those outcomes. Often, we focus on addressing people’s actions, attempting to change their behaviour, rather than addressing the root cause—the underlying factors that drive their actions. In reality, people are merely expressing who they are in the world of their minds. Unless they redefine their identity within their mental world, they cannot transform who they are in the physical world. This side of reality acts as a mirror, reflecting what exists on the other side. The scripture says that just as water reflects the face of the person staring into it, so a man’s heart reflects who he truly is. If you don’t like the face you see in the mirror, don’t get angry at the mirror or attempt to alter the reflection itself. The mirror only reveals what is placed before it. Instead, deal with what stands before the mirror. Similarly, if you don’t like who you or someone else is, focus on changing the posture of the heart, and the external reality will follow suit. A person moves in the direction their heart leads. Guide your heart, and your life will be guided accordingly.
Prayer_Bead: Lord Jesus, thank you for the world of my heart. Help me to submit to you in all things. Amen.
Wisdom_Quote: A man is not different from the identity they have in their hearts.
#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.
Sin’s antidote
[The Glory Unveiled]
I consider your Word to be my greatest treasure, and I treasure it in my heart to keep me from committing sin’s treason against you. (Psalms 119:11 TPT)
The Word of God is the antidote to sin. From the very beginning, in the Garden of Eden, the provision for sin was the Word of God—Christ Jesus. When sin struck humanity in the Garden, God provided a cure: His only begotten Son. No one can overcome sin without the help of Christ. He is God’s righteousness and the ultimate answer to sin. The Psalmist also discovered that the solution to sin’s rebellion is a heart that treasures the Word of God. He chose to value God’s Word above everything else in his life. Notably, he didn’t store it anywhere else but in his heart. The Bible teaches that the heart is the driver of a person’s life; it dictates the direction one’s life takes. As it says, “Out of the heart are the issues of life” (Proverbs 4:23). Recognizing this, the Psalmist hid God’s Word—the antidote to sin—in his heart to avoid sinning. He attacked sin at its root: the heart. The world and everything in it aim to drag us into sin and keep us there. However, the Spirit that resides in us is a Spirit of righteousness. This Spirit is made alive and powerful through the Word of God. For this reason, believers live above sin only by immersing themselves in God’s Word. When the Word of God becomes the believer’s ecosystem, sin becomes extinct. What is your greatest treasure? Does the Word of God guide your life, or do the world and its pleasures?
Prayer_Bead: Lord Jesus, thank you for the power of your Word. Help me to live in it perpetually. In Jesus’ name.
Wisdom_Quote: The Word of God is a world against sin.
#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.
Defy impossibilities
[The Glory Unveiled]
He turned the rock into a pool of water; yes, a spring of water flowed from solid rock. ( Psalms 114:8 NLT )
God always goes above and beyond in everything. He sets the standard so high that no one can reach it except Himself. The Israelites had been experiencing the power and wonders of God from the moment they left the walls of Egypt through their time in the wilderness. Every step of the way, God proved Himself to be unlike the gods of other nations—greater than all of them combined. Yet, somehow, the Israelites found it difficult to believe in the same God who had performed all these wondrous deeds. During their journey, they reached a place called Meribah, where the people tested the Lord and questioned among themselves whether He was truly among them, despite all He had done for them (Exodus 17:7). They quarreled and asked such questions because they struggled to believe that God was present and actively working on their behalf. In response, God once again proved Himself by bringing water out of a rock. He made the impossible possible—water flowed from a solid rock. There is water in every rock, but it will only come forth at the word of God. The water flowed because Moses obeyed God’s command. When we obey God’s instructions, He makes the impossible possible. When Peter obeyed Jesus’ instruction to come, he walked on water. The impossible will happen in your life and around you when you trust and obey God’s word.
Prayer_Bead: Father, thank you for the things you do in and around my life. Help me to trust you in every situation.
Wisdom_Quote: There is water in every rock.
#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.
Creation is Listening
[The Glory Unveiled]
Through him [the Word] all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. (John 1:3 NIV )
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1). God began the world with His Word. In Genesis chapter 1, we see how God spoke things into being. The chapter is filled with phrases like, “God said, and God said…” His Word was embedded in creation so that creation became the offspring of God’s Word. Hence, everything created by God has the Word of God embedded within it, for without it, nothing was made that was made. Because creation came from God’s Word, it obeys the spoken Word of God. For example, Jesus sent His disciple Peter to the lake, instructing him to cast a hook, and the first fish caught would have a coin in its mouth. True to His Word, the fish had the coin in its mouth (Matthew 17:27). In another instance, Jesus spoke to a tree to wither, and it did (Matthew 21:19-20). The Word of God is hidden in creation, and creation responds to it. Anything in our lives that has its roots in creation will only respond to the Word of God. Instead of complaining and whining about your situation, speak God’s Word to it. The change you desire is only triggered in creation through the Word of God. Creation obeys those who carry the Word of God on their lips. Men like Moses, Joshua, Elijah, Peter, and Paul spoke to creation, and it obeyed them because they carried the Word of God. The voice (Word) of God in creation is waiting for the sons of God, who speak by the voice of God, to give the command so creation can respond (Romans 8:19). Do not remain silent—speak to that situation. Turn it around by the Word of God.
Prayer_Bead: Dear Lord, thank you for the power of your Word on my lips. I change the circumstances of my life and destiny in Jesus’ name.
Wisdom_Quote: Creation is on tiptoes, waiting to hear the voice of God on the lips of a human.
#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.
The Spirit of Life.
[The Glory Unveiled]
Then the LORD God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.( Genesis 2:7 NIV )
The creation of man was a beautiful collaboration between earth and heaven. Part of what was used to create man came from the earth, and the other came from above. The dust was from the earth, but the breath of God came from God, who is above. The remarkable thing about the breath of God, or anything that comes from Him, is that it possesses the life of God—His divine nature. Jesus came from the Father and carried the attributes and nature of the Father. When the Spirit of God visits the land of the dead, it becomes the land of the living because the Spirit of God is the Spirit of life. When Jesus, the embodiment of God’s Spirit, went to the land of the dead, the Spirit of God transformed that place into the land of the living. Scripture records that people resurrected from the dead and tombs were emptied when Jesus released His Spirit on the cross (see Matthew 27:52). Wherever the presence of God is, there is life. No wonder Jesus said He is the way, the truth, and the life. He is the life of the believer. The Spirit of God is a quickening Spirit, bringing vitality to those who believe in Jesus. Through faith in Him, the presence of the Spirit of God brings life where there is no life and light where there is darkness. Remember, whenever heaven meets earth, life is released into the earth. If there is anything dying or dead in your life, what you need is the Spirit of God. Invite the Spirit of God into the situations of your life and watch amazing transformations take place.
Prayer_Bead: Heavenly Father, thank you for your Spirit in me. Vitalise anything that is dying in me and give life to the dead.
Wisdom_Quote: The Spirit of God is a life giving Spirit.
#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.