[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.
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 blessing
[The Glory Unveiled]
The LORD bless you and keep you; ( Numbers 6:24 NIV )
We could discuss the multifaceted nature of God—His vastness, omnipotence, and omnipresence. Yet, there is something we cannot overlook: the blessings of the Lord. Throughout Genesis, the words “bless” or “blessing” appear repeatedly. From the very first chapter, which marks the beginning of all things, God blessed the things He had created. In Genesis 1:28, He blessed humanity, commanding them to be fruitful and multiply. This blessing has underpinned every human endeavor since. The blessing of God is the glue meant to hold all of humanity together. This is why, after God destroyed the world during the days of Noah, He blessed humanity once again to restore order (see Genesis 9:1). To bless means to empower for abundant living in every sphere of life. Without God’s empowerment, we can accomplish nothing. During the time of the Old Testament, God’s help came through the law of Moses. In the New Testament, we see God’s help revealed as grace, enabling us to live out His purposes for our lives. God’s blessing creates the opportunity for the realization of His plans for us. As we strive to walk with Him, it is His blessing that makes the journey easier because our own strength will inevitably fail. May the blessings of God—which encompass His grace, love, and fellowship—be with us always, particularly throughout this year.
Prayer_Bead: Father, thank you for your blessings and what they’re doing in my life.
Wisdom_Quote: The blessing of God adds no sorrow.
#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.
Opened Eyes
[The Glory Unveiled]
Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law. [ Pslams 119:18NIV ]
There are wonderful things in God’s law, but only perceived by “opened eyes”. No matter the wonders in the law of God, they can only be seen by those whose eyes have been opened to it. We might assume that our eyes are opened whenever we study the Scriptures but it may not always be the case. Elisha’s servant, for instance, had his eyes wide open when they were surrounded by angelic beings, but he did not see them until Elisha prayed for his eyes to be opened. Thus, the servant thought he was seeing clearly until his eyes were opened to a different dimension of reality (2 Kings 6:17). There are indeed different dimensions of reality we can interact with. Paul the Apostle, before his encounter on the road to Damascus and subsequent conversion, believed he knew everything he needed to know. Based on that limited knowledge, he was seeing from a narrow reference point. However, after his encounter, he realized how little he truly knew and that there was a Savior he had not yet met. Later, in his letter to the Ephesians, this same apostle prayed that the eyes of their understanding would be enlightened (Ephesians 1:18). Having experienced this transformation, he could now see beyond the written words and desired his audience to also perceive beyond their immediate environment and limited perspectives. The Psalmist similarly asked God to open his eyes so that he might see the wondrous things in God’s law. All the individuals mentioned above, along with many others in Scripture, only perceived these wonderful things when their spiritual eyes were opened. Our walk with God will not truly change until our eyes are opened to the spirit behind the Word of God that we read and hear. There is so much more behind God’s Word than what meets the eyes.
Prayer_Bead: Father, thank you for the wonders of your word. Let it make me a wonder as it changes me.
Wisdom_Quote: There are different layers of reality the eyes can interact with.
#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.
Impossibility specialist
[The Glory Unveiled]
And he said, The things which are impossible with men are possible with God. [ Luke 18:27 KJV ]
The “Omni” attributes of God distinguish Him from all humans and every other deity. In life, there are things we cannot understand or control; they are simply beyond us. For such things, we often say they are impossible. But these are the very things God overcomes in victory. Humans are limited in many ways, and in His wisdom, God has reserved our sufficiency in Himself, so only He can complete us. Without God, the void of incompleteness in us cannot be filled. This highlights the distinction between God and humanity—the things that are impossible for us are possible with God. When we face the impossible, we can call on God for help. God has designed this relationship so that we can always depend on Him for life and godliness. What impossible situations confront you? It is time to turn to God. He has an active role in our lives, and no one can replace Him in that role. Sometimes we give up because we don’t know what to do or where to turn in the face of challenges or obstacles. But God specializes in impossible situations. In the first book of Kings, we see how God demonstrated this specialty when He brought fire down from heaven through His servant Elijah. Elijah had drenched the altar and wood with water, even digging a trench to hold it. It was clear to everyone that, under natural circumstances, there was no way the altar could catch fire—yet it did, by the power of God. Meanwhile, the prophets of Baal tortured themselves all day but couldn’t call down fire on dry wood. The things that are impossible for humans are possible with God. So, stop trying to do what only God can do. Quit tormenting yourself with impossibilities, and let the true specialist in the impossible take over.
Prayer_Bead: All-Powerful God, I trust you for doing the impossible for me. I thank you for turning my situations around for glory. Amen.
Wisdom_Quote: God is eternity’s impossibilities specialist.
#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.
Foundations of Light
[The Glory Unveiled]
And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. [ Genesis 1:3 NIV ]
When we walk around town, we see beautiful structures and edifices. Some are so beautiful you wonder how they were put up. But one thing is certain: no matter the engineering that went into it, each structure has something hidden underneath that keeps it standing. This invisible member is the foundation. No structure can stand without a suitable foundation. Before God brought the invisible structure of creation into the visible world, He brought light first. The light made way for the appearance of the rest of the hidden possibilities in God. Light is the canvas upon which the creation of anything is painted. It is the supernatural foundation upon which we build. For us, light is symbolic of knowledge—a kind of knowledge that gives life, a kind of knowledge that liberates. As believers, we have a role to play in seeing the manifestation of the things we believe. Light had always been present from the beginning, but God had to let it out. If God had not commanded light to be, it would have remained hidden, even though the Holy Spirit was available to make it visible. There is a body of knowledge made known to the church through Christ Jesus. It had always been there, even in the time of our fathers, but they could not find it because it was hidden from them. Yet, in Christ, by His Spirit, we can access such truth. However, availability of something does not equal access. For us to access it, we need to make efforts. We need to move beyond what we are used to and embrace what could be through Christ Jesus.
Prayer_Bead: Heavenly Father, thank you for showing us these truth and bringing us into their experience.
Wisdom_Quote: Light is the foundation of the visible and invisible realm.
#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.
Our identity
[The Glory Unveiled]
Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. [ 1 John 3:2 NIV ]
The believer’s true identity is a mystery. You cannot judge or describe the believer by their current appearance or situation—it would be a misjudgment, a misevaluation of their identity. Presently, the writer of the first book of John says we are children of God. To be a child of God means we carry the life of God in us; it means we have His identity. A little baby girl becomes a woman; a little plant becomes a big tree. Everything has within it its varied growth stages. So, even when it is not exhibiting one manifestation of its growth stage, it does not mean it does not possess it. The Lord Jesus is referred to as the image of the Godhead. The child of God embodies the fullness of God, but the measure of God we reveal (display) is dependent on factors such as our depth of knowledge and intimacy with Him—how we see Him. Although we are all sons, we are not all the same yet because we do not all see Him the same way. This is why the writer says that when Christ appears, we shall all be like Him because then we will see Him as He really is. This means we will come to the full knowledge of His person and deity. Unless we see Christ as He is, we cannot be as He is. This calls for continuous study of God’s word in our present walk with Him. The more we know Him—the more we behold Him—the more we become like Him. We cannot be like Christ unless we know Him more. No wonder scripture says we should study to show ourselves approved unto God (2 Timothy 2:15). We are approved by the testing of the things we know about Christ. If we know Him, we will live as He lived. And then we shall live as He is living in glory.
Prayer_Bead: Lord Almighty, thank you for your perfect plan for my life. Thank you for making me the image of your Son. Guide me to reveal it to the world. In Jesus’ name.
Wisdom_Quote: Unless we see Christ as He is, we cannot be like He is.
#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.
Knolwedge and Life
[The Glory Unveiled]
”My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being priest for Me; Because you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children.” [ Hosea 4:6 NKJV ]
The destruction of Adam and Eve and all of humanity began from a deficiency in knowledge. Adam was given the instruction that contained the antidote for the woes and challenges mangled in humanity’s makeup. So that as long as that knowledge is preserved and the instruction adhered to, man was going to be okay eternally in the presence of God. But then, Eve was not properly equipped with the knowledge responsible for the sustenance and upkeep of humanity. When the serpent came to test her knowledge of truth, it was discovered that she did not study to show herself approved unto God. And so, the devil exploited her ignorance. And took advantage of that lack of knowledge to invite destruction (death). Our anchor scripture says God’s people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Even though they are God’s people, they are destroyed when knowledge is absent. The surprising thing about the absence of this knowledge is that, it was rejected. Just as Eve rejected knowledge. She rejected knowledge because she could have called her lord and husband, when the serpent was trying to confuse her. But instead, she tried to prove herself to have had adequate knowledge. Our anchor scripture goes on to say, “because you have forgotten the law of God…” This was also apparent in Eve’s response when the serpent asked if God said they should not eat of any tree? In quoting what God had said, she added a phrase that was not in the original statement (Genesis 3:3). This probably means she had forgotten the intial statement God gave them (Genesis 2:17). Knowledge is key to longevity and preservation. This is why we need to equip ourselves with the knowledge of God; rightly dividing the word of truth, necessary for our livelihood and godliness.
Prayer_Bead: Omniscient Lord, thank you for all the things you have made available for my learning and growth.
Wisdom_Quote: Knowledge is the ledger that connects us to life.
#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.