Category: Gospel

[The Glory Unveiled]

“Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” Nathanael asked.
“Come and see,” said Philip. ( John 1:46 )

The world may have a predefined perspective of you or your source. The world may tag you with a label that says nothing good can happen to you and nothing good can come from you. And as long as you believe their negativity their statements will continue to prove to be true. Everyone in Israel thought that nothing good can come from Nazareth but it was that same tribe that God decided to come into the world through. Let this be your comfort that God’s ways are not the ways of the world and His plans are utterly different from the world’s. Your name may be a reproach to people. Your presence may be abhorred by many but God loves you nonetheless. There may be times when you question who you are or even your importance in the world. You may think that you are not contributing anything to the world because of the competitive nature of our time but the truth is that, you are, in ways you probably won’t understand. There is a treasure in you. Through Jesus, the tag on Nazareth changed. It is possible to change the tag in your family and your clan because of you. With the Lord Jesus on your inside, you are a new breed who will break the greed of this world. Something good is in you, let the world see it.

Prayer_Bead: Our Father, who is in our hearts, hallowed be your name. For your kingdom has come and your Will is being done through us. Use us as a mark of the good things you will do on earth. Show the world the expanse of your glory through us.

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[The Glory Unveiled]

He [John the Baptist] sent them to the Lord to ask, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?” ( Luke 7:19 )

John the Baptist was asked by the Pharisees who he was. In response, he couldn’t give them anything solid about his identity. Whereas before his birth, it was prophesied that he will go in the spirit of Elijah (Luke 1:17). It was also prophesied that before the Lord comes, Elijah will come first (Mark 9:11-13). He came after the order of Elijah. But then, the man, John couldn’t truly recognize that he was Elijah incarnate. Our ability or inability to recognize who we are translate to our relationship with other people. Because John couldn’t really figure out who he was, he didn’t also truly believe that Jesus was the one to come after him, even though he was told that the one upon whom the Holy Spirit will come down and remain is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit (John 1:33) and in the next verse, John the Baptist said I have seen and I testify that this is God’s Chosen One. But then, in the face of challenges, when John was imprisoned, he began to doubt if Jesus was truly who he was. And so he sent his disciples from the prison to ask Jesus if he was the one or someone else will come. Without a firm standing in our identity we cannot really be identified with anything. We must discover who we are through the word of God and then be true to that identity. Even if the responsibility of our identity seem overwhelming, we must trust that God will live it through us. Believe in God, believe also in His plan for you.

Prayer_Bead: Omnipotent Father, Omniscient King, the foundation of all things, thank you for the kindness of your grace. Thank you for who I am in You through Christ Jesus. Help me to fully live my predestined life.

#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.

[The Glory Unveiled]

But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed. ( Luke 5:16 )

Anything that is expendable must be used with wisdom. And plans must be made to replace it if continuity will be achieved. The power of God is inexhaustible but our dispensing of it without continuous resupply of the Spirit makes its expendable. The Lord Jesus, being fully God and man had the power while he was on earth to do anything and everything but even He, regularly withdrew himself to pray. He made time to refuel His soul and His Spirit. He continually communed with the Father. In the account of the woman with the issue of blood, the Bible says, Jesus said that virtue left Him when the woman touched Him. That means that Jesus always knew when a miracle took place because something would leave him. But anytime something left Him, he would go on a solo mission to refill Himself. Prayer to us is our lifeline to the power of God and all the treasures that are at our disposal. There cannot be a true believer who does not have a prayer life. It is what we lean on to have the results that astonishes the world. Before our verses of Scripture, Jesus had just cured someone of leprosy. But that didn’t stop Him from praying, it rather drew Him to the secret place of prayer. When the testimonies keep flashing in and all the breakthroughs break in on us, we must still pray; even more.

Prayer_Bead: Everlasting God, king of glory, thank you for the power that is at work in me. Help me through consistent prayer to keep active the manifestation of this anointing.

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[The Glory Unveiled]

May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, ( Romans 15:5 )

Actions are not self driven. Whatever actions are taken by a person is almost always as a result of their attitude of mind. The man goes where their mind goes. The mind drives our actions. We do only those things that our minds have permitted us to do. The Lord Jesus was not identified by the many things He did while on earth. Even though Jesus did so many miracles and manifested the power of God to a degree that no one in His time was able to match. But the Bible didn’t identify Him with all those things. Instead, He was identified with the attitude of his mind. So the Bible says that we should let this mindset be in us which was also in Christ Jesus (Philippians 2:5). What is that mindset? It is the attitude that made Christ endure the suffering of a bondservant even though He was God, He humbled Himself in utter obedience to God to live as man. And through His obedience and humility, He has made a way for us to the Father. And now, we are asked to follow the example of Christ by cultivating His mental attitude because He did all that we know and more because of the attitude of His mind. May the attitude of love fill our hearts so that we can express the life of Christ.

Prayer_Bead: Dear Lord Jesus, thank you for showing me the mind of Christ. Through the encouragement of your word and endurance, help me to cultivate that mental attitude of Christ to the praise of your name.

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[The Glory Unveiled]

Then he said to the keeper of his vineyard, ‘Look, for three years I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree and find none. Cut it down; why does it use up the ground?’ ( Luke 13:7 )

A day will come in everyone’s life when they would have to account for one thing or the other. The verse of scripture captures the very fabric of accountability. We must account for what the grace of God did in our lives. God invested in our lives through Jesus. God “lost” Jesus into us so that through Him; our believing in Him, God may have many sons. We have salvation, the Holy Spirit and God’s word to help us grow and bear fruit. If for all the investments God made in us to look like His son, we still do not look like Him, then we may be removed from our place. We may have so many reasons for which we are unable to do what we are supposed to do but none of those reasons are valid enough to justify our negligence and laziness. God expects much from us because much is given to us. The question that God will continue to ask is, where is your fruit? God will want to see our fruits because He has deposited a seed in us. Let us not frustrate the grace of God upon us. We have all the resources we need to live the life of Christ. The word of God is available and by grace, we have the Spirt of God to bear fruit. So, let the body of Christ benefit from your fruit.

Prayer_Bead: Father in Heaven, thank you for gracing me with your word and your Spirit. Thank you for saving me to bear fruit to your glory. I take advantage of your grace to live the life of Christ Jesus.

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[The Glory Unveiled]

My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, ( James 1:19 )

It is amazing to discover that if you really listen, so much is being spoken. Heaven is always sending out coded messages and keys that we need for life and godliness. But it is difficult or rather impossible to hear someone while you are talking. This crisis is the reason why we are unable to hear the voice of the Father on a daily basis. Apart from the destructive noise in the world, we are always speaking. The world is now driven by the culture of commentary rather than the culture of listening. It is very likely to be caught in the web of anger if one is not a good listener. Many people who got angry at some point later discovered that they could have saved themselves from anger if they had listened well enough. Listening well to people when they speak is a good attitude that help avoid so many dangers. We are admonished to be slow to speak and quick to listen. In listening we increase in knowledge and wisdom. Instead of rushing to talk, let us listen more to people. And most importantly, instead of always talking and asking God for things in prayer, let us go to the presence of God, only to listen and to know the mind of God.

Prayer_Bead: Good Lord, Precious King, thank you for the opportunity to reflect your glory and life. Help me to be slow to speak and swift to listen. In Jesus name, Amen.

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[The Glory Unveiled]

When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. ( James 1:3 )

Everyday there are people who continue to pray and ask for things they will not receive. It seem rather common in our day how such prayers continue to be unanswered. The verse of scripture explains why. Most of us will only pray for certain things because we want God to “shame” some people for us. It is common to hear some people say that “I want God to do this for me so that some people will know that I have a great God.” The scripture says that is a bad motive. Having desires to discomfort other people and make us feel better than them. Motives are very important if our prayers will be answered. God knows our hearts and the secrets of our mind. Before we ask for anything from God, we must align our motives with the word of God and the desires of heaven. Why would you want to be blessed? Is it to impress someone or provoke them to jealousy? Everything exists and is sustained in Christ. Whatever we desire that is not having a bearing on Christ will be rejected by heaven. We are not here to serve our selfish needs but to satisfy the desires of God through our desires.

Prayer_Bead: Impartial Father, Gracious Lord, thank you for your grace. Help me to live selflessly to the benefit of others and your glory.

GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.

[The Glory Unveiled]

Now I have heard that you are able to give interpretations and to solve difficult problems. If you can read this writing and tell me what it means, you will be clothed in purple and have a gold chain placed around your neck, and you will be made the third highest ruler in the kingdom.” ( Daniel 5:16 )

King Belshazzar had seen a writing on the wall of his palace but the writing was mysterious in to him; it was difficult to interpret. He called all the wise men and the magicians of his land to interpret what was written by the hand that appeared like a human hand but none could. At this point the king was very disturbed and terrified because he didn’t know what the mysterious writing was. Alas, his wife remembered Daniel and told the king to send for him. Now, Daniel had a track record of interpreting dreams and solving difficult problems ( verse 12). Daniel would never have been sent for if the magicians had interpreted the writings. It was the inability of the magicians and wisemen to interpret the writings that offered Daniel that golden opportunity to be the third highest in the kingdom. It is the gifts of a man that brings him before kings indeed. Whatever gifts we have must be maximized and until we maximize our gifts and the grace upon our lives, we will not be recognized. There are too many problems in the world seeking solutions but only few people have sharpened their gifts enough to be recognizably useful to others. The world, like king Belshazzar, is looking frantically for solutions, let us align ourselves with God and the world will have no option than to chase after us for solutions.

Prayer_Bead: Glorious King, Omniscient God, thank you for the opportunity to be a solution to my world. Help me not to disappoint you but rather sharpen the gift you gave me through adequate preparation and dependence on you.

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[The Glory Unveiled]

So that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places.( Ephesians 3:10 )

God has hidden within Himself a mystery that our forefathers in the Lord sought diligently to see. The mystery being that even people that are not Israelites, to whom the promise was made, have become partakers of the inheritance and members of the body of Christ. And to prove this reality, there is the need to display something of God that man does not naturally have in himself. This attribute of God—when displayed, becomes a stamp that says, “these are one with God”—is the wisdom of God. In any case, it is only God who should be able to display His wisdom, but then now we have the mind of Christ (2 Corinthians 2:16) and so we share in the wisdom of God through the connecting tube of grace and truth by the Spirit of God. This grace is the love of God that is shared abroad in our hearts. God’s love, displayed through the conduit of grace and truth in Christ has opportune us to be vessels that will make known what God hid in Himself all these years. And now, we know that this wisdom is displayed by the church; by the unity of the Believers. Our oneness as a body is the power that makes known the glory and wisdom of God. The church is a reflection of God if indeed we remain one in Him. And then we will be able to announce to authorities and rulers what that mystery contains. Let us unite as believers for the expression of the wisdom of God.

Prayer_Bead: Heavenly Father, Gracious Spirit of God, thank you for the wisdom of God that is being made known through the church. Help me to remain aligned to you now and always.

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[The Glory Unveiled]

For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. ( Ephesians 2:10 )

Before a manufacturer begins his/her design process, they are guided by a purpose that the product should serve. And it is this purpose in the mind of the manufacturer that guides the design process and all the individual little details and designs. So that by reason of the purpose of the product in the mind of the designer, before the product is finalized, it is already fully functional and existing in the mind of the designer. Likewise, in Christ Jesus, we were also created to fulfill a particular purpose. And even before we became conscious, God had a well crafted plan for the fulfillment of that purpose. And by reason of this foreknowledge, God knows our end before He created us to fit that purpose. God told Jeremiah, “before you were a clot of blood in your mother’s womb, I knew you.” God was not being idiomatic when He said these things because He is the creator and before He created Jeremiah or anyone of us, He had in mind through Christ, what we should do. This also supposes that we cannot fulfill our purposes independent of God. The surest and most genuine way into purpose is through the door of Christ Jesus. We are God’s handiwork (creation, craft) created with destiny (good works) to bring glory to God. Are you trying to find out what it is that you were created for? Find out from the manufacturer, God. You have a unique purpose, discover it in prayer and the study of the word.

Prayer_Bead: Father, Creator, Lord and sustainer of all things, thank you for the grace to come into the world. Unveil it to me, your purpose for my life, that I may live a life of destiny.

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