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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

The work of perseverance

[The Glory Unveiled]

Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. [ James 1:4 NIV ]

The raw material for creating an enduring disposition to life is trials and challenges. Unfortunately, we have been made to believe that trials and challenges are a sign that God is not with us. Meanwhile, every great person who ever walked the earth faced many trials. The Lord Jesus, our example and mentor, suffered the same things when He walked the earth. He faced many trials, and after perseverance had finished its work in Him, He was “complete”. The testing of our faith is meant to produce perseverance. Trials have a way of releasing in us the grace to persevere. This is why the apostle James admonishes us to count it a good thing when we face trials of many kinds, knowing that their end product is an ability to persevere. The reality is that perseverance has a definite work to do in us. When its work is done, we are made mature and complete. But then, on the contrary, many of us try to skip classes. We do not allow perseverance to finish its work in us. While perseverance is working on us, we run out of patience and leave the class of trials that are meant to mature us. And so, we come out “incomplete” and immature, unable to handle situations that are meant to reveal God’s glory if we persevere. The world is misleading so many who would not gracefully endure the trials that come their way, knowing that God is with them, even through the fires. Don’t be one of those who are deceived. Allow perseverance to finish its work in you.

Prayer_Bead: Heavenly Father, thank you for the grace to go through the trials that are apportioned to me for my maturity. Help me not to skip classes. In Jesus’ name.

Wisdom_Quote: Maturity is the working of perseverance.

#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.

The secret of contentment.

[The Glory Unveiled]

But godliness with contentment is great gain. [ 1 Timothy 6:6 NIV ]

The world teaches us to crave more, ask for more, work for more, and seek more. We have been conditioned to always want more. We have become gullible, our appetites insatiable. Nobody seems content with anything. But contentment has great gains—delivers us from many temptations—and it has to be learnt. Contentment is not a gift or a nature that is inherently in us. In Philippians 4:11-13, the apostle Paul explains that he had learned contentment by the things he needed and those he had in abundance. He teaches that contentment is not only expected in a season of abundance but also in a season of lack. There are those who are very content with life because they have plenty. The very moment their situations change, they become gullible. For such, contentment is not yet learned. For a person who is content, the understanding that furnishes this position sits on the scripture that says “never will I leave you, never will I forsake you” (Deuteronomy 31:6). God is committed to us in all seasons and all situations. And so, having deep trust in God’s faithfulness, we can be content with whatever He commits to us in every season. Another reason why we need to be content is that “we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it” (1 Timothy 6:7). We need to learn contentment because the result or reward of all our struggles and toil in this world remains here; we cannot take them away. And if everything we are chasing is so ephemeral, then it would be foolishness to chase them to the detriment of our souls—the eternal matter. And so, let us trust in God’s faithfulness and compassion, and let us be content with whatever God commits to us in every season.

Prayer_Bead: Father, thank you for not forsaking nor leaving me. Help me to be content with everything you have blessed me with. In Jesus’ name.

Wisdom_Quote: Godliness with contentment is great gain.

#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.

The Spirit of order

[The Glory Unveiled]

And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. [ Genesis 1:2 KJV ]

The world is presently in chaos, lacking form, order, and peace. The Holy Spirit is essential for maintaining order and proper shape. Wherever the Holy Spirit is absent, there is constant chaos and disorder. At the core of any system that does not allow for the Holy Spirit’s influence lies darkness and void. Initially, the world resembled the description of our anchor verse of scripture because a personality, the Holy Spirit, was absent. The Holy Spirit, referred to as the mother of the Church and the believer’s helper, lives in us and this is why our lives are as a shining light from glory to glory. However, when the Holy Spirit is not allowed to influence a people, their every situation mirrors the description above. Currently, the Holy Spirit dwells in people who believe in Jesus, resulting in a world void of darkness and chaos for them. The Holy Spirit holds all the possibilities of God, unlocked and released only when we speak by the mind of God. Ezekiel found himself in a valley of darkness, devoid of life and order, yet the Holy Spirit was present. All that was required for change was a word spoken in faith or as led by God. When Ezekiel spoke, change occurred, and dry bones came to life. Our dark and chaotic circumstances persist due to the absence of God’s Spirit and a word spoken in faith. However, we can alter the narrative and restore order and peace to every situation by the Holy Spirit.

Prayer_Bead: Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for Your Spirit’s presence in my life and situations. Let there be light and order in Jesus’ name.

Wisdom_Quote: The world is in darkness and chaos without the Holy Spirit.

#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.

The Law of Superposition

[The Glory Unveiled]

Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; [ 2 Corinthians 10:5 KJV ]

Sedimentary rocks are formed from the accumulation and consolidation of sediments, which consist of particles of minerals, organic matter, and other materials. In any sequence of undisturbed sediments, the youngest rocks are found at the top while the oldest are at the bottom because they are deposited in horizontal layers. However, in the collapse of sedimentary rocks, those closest to the surface are most susceptible to breaking and erosion. This vulnerability is due to factors such as less consolidation, surface effects, and human activities. When we apply this concept to the believer’s mind, we can see that there are numerous layers of thoughts as our feelings and emotions accumulate or layer upon the established thought of God. These newer layers of thoughts and emotions often try to elevate themselves above the present revelation of God within us. The apostle Paul teaches us to bring such thoughts that exalt themselves above the foundational thoughts of God into obedience to Christ. Just as the upper layers of rocks are displaced due to surface effects and less consolidation, thoughts that do not align with God’s will for our lives should not be allowed to remain within us because they lack the strength to withstand the pressures of this world and its systems. We push them down by bringing them into obedience to Christ. We bring every thought and imagination into obedience to Christ by subjecting them to align with God’s word rather than our desires, feelings, or emotions. Such desires and emotions collapse in the face of the word of God, losing their power over us. Let us enforce the law of superposition over such thoughts, displacing them with the word of God and positioning His word above them. Let us prioritize the word of God, and every baseless thought will lose its authority.

Prayer_Bead: Lord Jesus, thank you for the power of your word over every circumstance of my life, even over my thoughts. Let every baseless thought be brought into obedience to your will.

Wisdom_Quote: Prioritizing the word of God over every thought brings every thought into obedience.

#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.

Christ, our mirror man.

[The Glory Unveiled]

But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. [ 2 Corinthians 3:18 KJV ]

Whenever we look into a mirror, we see an image, an image we believe to be ourselves. But there is another kind of mirror that reveals another person as us. And since mirrors reveal what is in front of them, it means the image we see in this kind of mirror, though different from ourselves, is who we really are. When Moses came down from the mountain of God with a glowing face, the assembly could not openly look at his face. Some covered their faces because of the brilliance of the light. Others covered the face of Moses with a cloth to dim the brightness (Exodus 34:30-33). In the New Testament, we have the reality of that shadow event as Christ. And so, we behold the glory of the Lord but instead of veiling the face of the message (Christ), the Spirit unveils Him so that by continuously beholding His face, we are changed into His very image. The person who does the changing is the Holy Spirit who unveils the message to our hearts and minds. Through meditation, we behold the glory of the Lord. This is why a believer cannot resemble Christ without continuously looking unto Jesus—the author and finisher of our faith. The message (the Lord) is unveiled by the Spirit and so, the only way one is not changed is when they refuse to look upon the Lord. But as long as we keep our gaze on the Lord like Peter for the brief moment on the lake, he walked on the water like the Lord Jesus Himself. We are not different from the Lord when we keep our focus on Him because as we do, we are changed into His very image. Let us make it a habit to keep our gaze locked on Jesus so that the world can see several images of Christ.

Prayer_Bead: Father, thank you for the revelation of your Son by your Spirit. Thank you for the change that is taking place in me.

Wisdom_Quote: The mirror of God’s word changes the viewer into the image in view.

#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.