GLORY NEWS BROADCAST
[The Glory Unveiled]

Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. [ Matthew 1:19 NIV]

Many times, when faced with challenges and situations of life, we usually, out of desperation look for shortcuts and exits rather than true solutions. We tend to avoid making careful decisions by thinking through our options to make good decisions. Just like every other person usually does, Joseph, Mary’s husband to be came to that point where he had to make a very important decision of his life. Unfortunately, out of desperation and the limitations of his options as he thought, he could only come up with two options. Now, he was engaged to be married to Mary but before they could finish the processes involved, he discovered that his wife to be was pregnant. And in their culture, the woman must not be with child before her proper marriage rituals. At this point, after Joseph discovered that Mary was pregnant, he thought he could either inform the authorities for Mary to be publicly disgraced and humiliated or he would divorce her secretly—his two options. But because he loved Mary, he wouldn’t side with his first option but rather fall on the second one. As he contemplated on what to do, the messenger of God came with a third option. And the third option was for him to go ahead and marry Mary. There’s always a third option in every seemingly two way situation. The third option is always with God. So, instead of whining and complaining, let’s consult God from the beginning for His options and opinion on every stressful matter.

Prayer_Bead: Omnipotent Father, Omniscient King, thank you for always making a way where there seem to be no way. Thank you for being my best option in the stress and troubles of life.

GNews: Unveiling the glory of God

[The Glory Unveiled]

But Peter said, Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten any thing that is common or unclean. [ Acts 10:14 KJV]

A few verses down from our anchor verse are these words, “Now while Peter doubted in himself what this vision which he had seen should mean, behold, the men which were sent from Cornelius had made enquiry for Simon’s house, and stood before the gate” (Acts 10:17). Peter’s doubt of the vision was because he thought it was a test. He had just fasted. The sheets came thrice, and for three times he had denied the Lord; three times Jesus asked if he loved him. All these in the background of his mind, might have made him say “not so Lord”. Even though he acknowledged Him as Lord, he wasn’t ready to disappoint the Him again. He wouldn’t want to fail if it was a test. His actions, were as a result of his past but Jesus had forgiven His past. In fact, Jesus left his past in the past. This time, the Lord had need of him for a different purpose and assignment but Peter’s past will imprison him and interfere with his carrying out that mandate. Many times, in trying to avoid our past from repeating itself, we give it opportunity to hold us back from entering into our future. Peter allowed the past to pierce into his future and that voice of his past became louder in his conscience than the voice of His Lord. He could barely tell if what He saw was actually from the Lord, or whether it was a test or an instruction. But if the Lord is our Lord indeed, we must always say “yes” to Him. Once we are sure it is the Lord, our response should always be “yes, Lord!”

Prayer_Bead: Dear Lord Jesus, thank you for the great privilege to submit to you. Help me to discern your voice and your works in my life. And teach me to always say yes to you.

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[The Glory Unveiled]

I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work. [ John 9:4 KJV]

Over two thousand years ago, Jesus walked the earth on an assignment to deliver a message to a lost and dying world. Somehow, throughout his ministration, he ministered as if he didn’t have enough time and indeed he didn’t. On several occasions, he would encourage his disciples to do something urgently (Mark 6:45). The statement at the center of it all is the one in our anchor verse of scripture. Jesus knew that there would come a time when we cannot do the work of the one who sent us and so while we have the time, it is wise to work. At one time, he had to forgo food just to minister to the woman at the well. And when his disciples asked him, he said he had food they didn’t know of—doing the will of the father ( John 4:32;34 ). In the epistles, the apostles carried on that need and urgency to be busy about the work of God because the time is far spent ( Romans 13:11). Have you been called to a work of God? Have you been sent to a group of people with a message? A time comes when you cannot carry out that assignment. Now is the best time to carry it out. Don’t waste another minute. The world is racing to hell, the word of God like a signpost is with you, why don’t you stand by the way to direct souls into the Ark of God instead of allowing them enter hell? It’s not too late, wake up and make good use of the time!

Prayer_Bead: Lord Jesus, Lover of my soul and my soon coming King, thank you for your deliverance and my salvation. I embrace everything you did for me and I go out to share with others what you did for them. Help me make good use of the time and not waste it on frivolities.

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[The Glory Unveiled]

Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared; [ Hebrews 5:7 KJV]

Any thudding sound from the house of a neighbour who likes pounding fufu can be mistaken for fufu even if it’s not. In the same manner, the scriptures can be made to say anything or imply things the original inspired authors did not intend to communicate. Usually this happens when we lift a scripture out of a book without consideration for the chapter or the theme and background of the scripture. Our anchor scripture can be easily misinterpreted if we swoop down on scriptures with no references or supporting scriptures. In order to reach the intended message the original author intended to communicate, we must locate the preset that is set upon another and the line of truth lying on another. There are those who interpret our anchor scripture to mean Jesus did not die because He prayed that he would not die and God answered his prayer. But if we look to another scripture, Acts 2:24, “But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him.” Looking at the anchor scripture, Hebrews 5:7 from the lens [angle of] Acts 2:24, we can understand that Jesus did not pray not to die but that God freed Him from the agony of death. That freedom from the agony of death came from the joy set before Him. “For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God”—Hebrews 12:2b. So Jesus died because He was raised from death according to the scriptures. And according to the scriptures, death could not keep its hold over the Resurrection and the Life. Our liberty is in the knowledge of the truth that Jesus dies and resurrected for us.

Prayer_Bead: Lord and Saviour Jesus, thank you for dying in my place and taking upon yourself the shame of death on the cross and giving me a place with you in glory.

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[The Glory of Unveiled]

Therefore let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God ( Hebrews 6:1 )

Our knowledge of God is progressive. There are many layers of revelation that is opened to us when we journey with the Spirit of God into the word. As such it will depend on us to remain with one strand of revelation or move on into another layer; a deeper depth of truth. The truth cannot be a lie but one truth can be deeper than the previous or former. This is why we need to move beyond the basic teachings of the logos and then we will be taken into the deeper truth; maturity. We are not taken into the deeper truth unless we move away from the last layer of revelation we have. And then when we begin to make the move, we will be taken by the Spirit of God into a beautiful place of insight and light. The many layers of truth do not answer to how many scriptures we can read or have seen, but how long we stay with the Spirit of the word. Acts that lead to death are the things that seek to keep us stagnant in our knowledge of the Lord. These acts will keep us hooked to the need to have a good foundation of repentance which will mean that we remain with the elementary teachings. So, let’s stay away from the acts of the flesh [acts that lead to death] by the grace of God available to us and the Spirit of God will take us into those deeper layers of revelation.

Prayer_Bead: Dear Lord, by the help of your Spirit, I walk away from the elementary teachings and move towards the deeper truth in your word. By the Spirit of revelation, open my eyes to see what you will show me. Amen.

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[The Glory Unveiled]

“Forget the former things;
do not dwell on the past. [ Isaiah 43:18 ]

It is thought that, if one loans their present to their past, their future will be terminally injured. It is also true that one of the most difficult things to do is to forget the things that should be forgotten. We are not ignoring the fact that there are certain things in our past that shouldn’t be forgotten. For example, God told the Israelites not to forget His deliverance which He wrought for them. But then, there are certain landmarks of the past that should be forgotten otherwise they form an impenetrable layer of defeat for us. In the verse that follows our anchor verse, we read that God is asking the people to forget the former things because He wants to do a new thing. God will not build a new thing on an old [wrong] foundation. And also, unless the former is removed from view, the new thing cannot be in view. The old will constrict the new unless it is removed. God is about doing a new thing in our day and time but there is the need to let go of the past and embrace the torrent of the future. The past will take as much of our present and subsequently, our future if we keep dwelling in our past. We cannot perceive a glorious future until we stop dwelling in the shadow of the past. The question therefore is, how badly do you want to see the new thing being prepared for you?

Prayer_Bead: Mighty God, Creator of all things, thank you for what you did in the past and what you are yet to do. Please give me the attitude that will attract the glorious future in store for me. Help me to forget the former things and look to the new.

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[The Glory Unveiled]

This is what the LORD says:
“Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls.
But you said, ‘We will not walk in it.’ ( Jeremiah 6:16 )

There are times when action speaks louder than the loudest words. Many of us have no rest for our minds and hearts. We are set on edge at every time and every moment. We have occupied ourselves with a lot of activities, trying to keep everything together until we come to the crossroads. The crossroads is not a place for taking actions but for looking out for the good way. Whenever we find ourselves at the crossroads, the best thing to do is not to start acting and occupying ourselves with activities. Crossroads are for sober reflections and looking out for the tried and tested routes—ancient paths— to find rest for our souls. At that point, we need to seek for the path that had been taken by those who had gone ahead of us in the same direction of our calling. Rest for our souls is only guaranteed at the shores of our calling and purpose. Until we find the path that will lead us to the place of our true calling, everything that is supposed to bring peace of mind and comfort to our lives will actually seem like they are draining our live force. For some of us, we have found that ancient path but we don’t want to walk in it because of fear. But make no room for fear, whether you have found the way or not [yet] because it steals away opportunities.

Prayer_Bead: Father in heaven, thank you for bringing me to the crossroads. Show me the good way so that I may find rest for my soul. May I not be distracted by fear or foes but keep me on the path of my calling for the benefit of others.

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[The Glory Unveiled]

Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”( Luke 5:5 )

The best time to fish according to expert fishermen is at night. Maybe because at night the temperature of the water and the quietness helps the creatures in the water much. And so, to have a great catch, a fisherman must study the water and also consider the time of day. In Luke 5, Peter had toiled all night with his companions but they caught no fishes. Now, we established that, the night was a better time to have a catch but at this point, they couldn’t catch anything even at the most convenient time—night. It seem that the window of opportunity had closed on them. Nothing could be done because it was already day and they may have to go home empty handed and hope to come back the next evening—at the next opportunity. But Jesus will ask Peter to go fishing at the time of the day when it was almost impossible to find any fishes out there. I believe He chose that time of day so that Peter will see the impossible of catching a fish and if he did, he will not depend on his expertise. God is the custodian of all opportunities (doors), He permits them to come our way or go from us. He leads those He would to the right opportunities even when it seems too late for anything substantive. This is why with God, we cannot lose what He intends to make available to us even if it seem delayed. So, hold on, trust in His word, and He will drive the fishes to your net.

Prayer_Bead: Master Jesus, Saviour and Redeemer, thank you for the wonderful opportunities available to me through your word. Please restore to me whatever I lost trusting in my strength. In Jesus’ name. Amen!

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[The Glory Unveiled]

Pharaoh said, “I will let you go to offer sacrifices to the LORD your God in the wilderness, but you must not go very far. Now pray for me.”( Exodus 8:28 )

The enemy has an ancient skill of being crafty and cunning. And most of his dealings right down from the garden temptation to the next person he will tempt. His offers at first sight seem good and very convenient. Sometimes it seems like there is nothing to lose in trading with him. But whatever the offer is, do not transact business with the enemy because even his best offer is a trap. We know very well the story of how the Israelites had been in slavery in Egypt and how difficult it was for them to attain independence. After four devastating plagues, the architect of their bondage decided to “give in” and yet still be in control as the devil always does. He will make you feel you are free and in charge but it is only a tethering. And he will keep you within His boundaries. He will permit you to go only as far as he wants and not as you should. The solution is not to accept his offer. Make your demands clear to him and that you will take nothing less than what you want. Moses didn’t accept Pharaoh’s offer to not go very far to pray to their God. What is apportioned to us in Christ is ours legally, but sometimes we must contend with the enemy based on our knowledge of that reality. Stand in the place of pray and say I accept nothing less than what is rightfully mine.

Prayer_Bead: Father Almighty, Redeemer and Saviour, I take full advantage of what is mine in Christ and I refuse to take anything less than that. In Jesus’ name.

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[The Glory Unveiled]

Because you [Saul] did not obey the voice of the Lord or execute His fierce wrath upon Amalek, therefore the Lord has done this thing to you this day. [ 1 Samuel 28:18 ]

Humans are to God as gloves are to the hands [fingers]. The gloves cannot do anything by itself except what the hand bids it to. The gloves takes the shape and form of the hands so that it can be filled with the hands to perform as if the hand were doing it directly. We were created after the image and likeness of God so that we can do everything on earth as if God were doing the deeds Himself. Saul as the King of Israel at one time was supposed to be a representation of the desires, mood and emotions of God. So that a people could tell much about God by looking at the king. Saul was called into that office of being a container through whom God could let out His identity and person; His glory. At a time, God was angry with the Amalekites and He wanted to express His wrath towards them through Saul because he was called out to represent the interests of God. But Saul decided, contrary to the emotions of God to spare the King of the Amalekites and some animals and the things he thought were worth saving. Whereas God had instructed him to kill everything; man or animal. And because Saul disobeyed, God took from him, the privilege of representing God and being used to demonstrate His moods. Just as a glove is only useful when it is filled with a hand, humans are only useful when filled with God. Unless we are in the service of God and being used for His pleasures and purposes, then we are not yet living. On Hence, we must let God fill us up with His Spirit so that we can represent Him.

Prayer_Bead: Omnipotent Father, Omniscient Lord, thank you for the privilege to be used for your glorious purposes. Touch my heart and let it beat for you. Amen.

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