Category: Inspiration

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The cost of knowing Jesus

[The Glory Unveiled]

“To truly know him meant letting go of everything from my past and throwing all my boasting on the garbage heap. It’s all like a pile of manure to me now, so that I may be enriched in the reality of knowing Jesus Christ and embrace him as Lord in all of his greatness.” [ Philippians‬ ‭3‬:‭8‬ ‭TPT‬‬ ]

There is always an attitude and an approach to knowledge acquisition. Acquiring knowledge involves letting go of something: ignorance. On the journey of gaining knowledge, letting go of ignorance is a non-negotiable step. In the case of the apostle Paul and his quest to know Jesus, he had to relinquish everything from his past, including boasting and arrogance. Whatever he thought he knew hindered his true understanding of Jesus. So, he had to let go of his preconceived notions. Interestingly, Paul refers to the negative aspects of his past as “manure,” suggesting that even bad experiences and erroneous information can fertilize our new knowledge experiences if we’re willing to release them. A wise inventor once remarked, “The mistakes I made in the past show me ways that something wouldn’t work out.” In our pursuit of the knowledge of God, sincerity is crucial. We must confront truth and reality, acknowledging that what we think we know might impede our true understanding. To grasp what we need to know, we must release what we already know, just as the apostle Paul did. The Holy Spirit assists us in this process if we allow Him since He is the greatest teacher. In Paul’s attempt to know Jesus, he emphasizes the strategy of letting go of the past in verse 13, choosing to forget what’s behind and focus on the future. Following his example can be beneficial in our own pursuit of knowledge.

Prayer_Bead: Omniscient God, thank you for your grace and the privilege of knowing your Son Jesus Christ.

Wisdom_Quote: Forget the past, aim for the future.

#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.

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The mind of a new creation

[The Glory Unveiled]

“For the rest, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is worthy of reverence and is honorable and seemly, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely and lovable, whatever is kind and winsome and gracious, if there is any virtue and excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think on and weigh and take account of these things [fix your minds on them].” [ Philippians‬ ‭4‬:‭8‬ AMPC‬‬ ]

The mind can be like a boundless ocean, wandering and lingering in many wonderlands of thought. However, we can determine the continuous habitual preoccupation of our minds by consistently feeding it with specific content. The saying, “You cannot stop birds from passing over your head, but you can decide whether or not they make nests in your hair,” holds true in this context. We have the right to decide the course of our lives. The soul, governed by the mind—comprising our emotions, desires, intellect, and will—can be influenced by what it is familiar with. This influence is why, even though the old sinful nature may die in a born-again Christian, they sometimes live as if they are not renewed, behaving exactly as they did before encountering Jesus. The life they led before becoming born again becomes imprinted in the mind, emotions, and desires. So, even after an individual becomes born again and their spirit is renewed, the mind retains the old data of the acts of the flesh. This is where we need to renew our minds, deleting the old data and filling our mental system with new information consistent with our new nature. Our anchor scripture guides us on how to acquire new data, focusing on things that are true, worthy of reverence, honorable, just, pure, lovely, lovable, kind, winsome, gracious, virtuous, excellent, and praiseworthy. This guideline directs us to receive data for renewing our minds, and encourages daily contemplation of these things.

Prayer_Bead: Omniscient Creator, thank You for the privilege to have my mind renewed from dead works. Glory to your name.

Wisdom_Quote: An unguided mind is the canvas of a boundless ocean.

#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.

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Joint checking account

[The Glory Unveiled]

Now if we are children, then we are heirs —heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. [ Romans 8:17 NIV ]

The love of God is unfathomable. It may seem preposterous for God to bestow His inheritance upon us, who rejected Him through our disobedience. However, this is the reality. As 1 John 3:1 tells us, “See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.” In his commentary on the book of Romans, Andrew Wommack explains our anchor text as follows: When two people share a joint checking account, one cannot withdraw money without the signature of the other. Jesus is our joint-heir, which means we share the inheritance account with Him. Even though we may be tempted to sign away our inheritance, as Esau and Adam did, the Lord will never cooperate with that. He will not put His signature on any of our bad choices. Adam was not a joint-heir with Jesus; his joint-heir was Eve, and they both sinned by signing away the account. However, as joint-heirs with Jesus, He will not yield to our lusts and disobedience. He will prompt us, through His Spirit, to live in agreement with God’s will and desires. As co-holders of God’s inheritance account, everything that Christ Jesus has access to is potentially ours too. When we align with Jesus and His sufferings, we can appropriate the inheritance to bring glory to God. Unfortunately, many desire the inheritance without accepting the accompanying suffering, and this is where they rob themselves. Don’t rob yourself.

Prayer_Bead: Father in Heaven, thank you for bringing me into your inheritance through Christ Jesus. I am an heir and a co-heir with Christ. Amen.

Wisdom_Quote: We are joint checking account holders with Jesus.

#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.

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Nothing good here: Self-life

[The Glory Unveiled]

For I know that nothing good lives within the flesh of my fallen humanity. The longings to do what is right are within me, but willpower is not enough to accomplish it.” [ Romans‬ ‭7‬:‭‭18‬ ‭TPT‬‬ ]

Some people have spent their entire lives attempting to extract “goodness” from themselves. The harsh reality, however, is that there is no inherent goodness in our flesh. We may aspire to do what is right and deceive ourselves into thinking we can accomplish righteousness through our own strength. Yet, our willpower will inevitably let us down every time. The startling truth is that not even a born-again man or woman can obey God’s laws using their own fleshly energy. The purpose of the law is to reveal the nature of sin and our inability to save ourselves. The sole escape from sin is the grace of God. Our reliance on Christ is the way out. We must continue to depend on Christ at all times, especially after accepting Him as Lord. The flesh is both unwilling and unable to fulfill God’s law, whether a person is saved or lost. The sooner we acknowledge this truth, the sooner we can cease striving to meet God’s standards through our own fleshly power. Certain religions impose strict rules for living in holiness, and often, as adherents rely on their willpower to obey, they end up doing the opposite. Their awareness of what they should do arouses lust within them, and the desire to indulge in these lustful desires grows stronger. The apostle Paul, using himself as a hypothetical case study to illustrate what happens when one depends on their willpower, stated, “For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing.” (Romans 7:19). This is the outcome for anyone embarking on the futile journey of trying to honor God in the strength of their flesh. Regardless of how convinced you are about your self-life, do not trust it to lead you toward righteous living. It will fail every time. In short, we must reach the end of ourselves before we can truly come to God. There is no alternative path.

Prayer_Bead: Father of Lights in whom there is no shadow of turning, thank you for your grace. The life I live in the flesh, I live by faith in your Son, Jesus Christ.

Wisdom_Quote: The self-life has no shelf life.

#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.

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Holiness: A journey into the rest of God.

[The Glory unveiled]

Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done. [ Genesis 2:3 NIV ]

Many times, when holiness is mentioned, a certain image is conjured in our minds, a particular way of conduct is envisioned, and rules and principles are formulated. But what is holiness really about? In Leviticus 19:2, the Lord instructs the Israelites to be holy because He is holy. “Speak to the entire assembly of Israel and say to them: ‘Be holy because I, the LORD your God, am holy.” God expects us to be holy because He is holy. This means God serves as the template for our holiness. To “be” implies a state; it is not merely a set of conduct to which one subjects themselves. To “be” holy means to assume the state of holiness. A close examination of our anchor scripture and the first mention of “holy” in the Bible reveals that “rest” and “holy” were used together. This underscores the truth that holiness means “entering the rest of God.” The writer of Hebrews reveals that there is a rest for the people of God to enter and that Joshua didn’t bring the Israelites into the true rest of God. The writer also states, “for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his” (Hebrews 4:10). Resting from the works of the flesh is the hallmark of holiness, and we enter God’s rest in Christ; a state we assume through our position in Christ. The outcome of that position may be observed in our obedient conduct as godliness. However, “godliness” may not necessarily be an indicator of holiness. True holiness is a divine nature, conferred on us like righteousness, from which we live as God does. And so, it starts with God.

Prayer_Bead: Holy Father, thank you for the Spirit of Holiness. I have your Holy Spirit because I have your Son and my life is evident of that spirit. In Jesus’ name.

Wisdom_Quote: Holiness means entering the rest of God.

#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.

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The birthplace of true freedom

[The Glory Unveiled]

“Now, the “Lord” I’m referring to is the Holy Spirit, and wherever he is Lord, there is freedom.” [ 2 Corinthians‬ ‭3‬:‭17‬ TPT‬‬ ]

To the man or woman who has tried everything, attempted every strategy, and made every possible effort but failed, it may be difficult to believe in the good news of change. Life’s trials and challenges have left many people fixated on the impossibility of a better future. For such individuals, it’s wishful thinking to consider that something different from their everyday experiences is possible. However, as challenging as it may seem to believe, there is indeed a change that can turn one’s world upside down. The apostle Paul underwent a profound transformation, becoming a new man after this change. Consequently, he advanced a theory, suggesting that the difference between the Old Testament and New Testament experiences lies in the fact that the Holy Spirit opens the eyes of New Testament seekers, while Old Testament seekers are blinded by the text they read. He argued that there is no life in the text; true life is granted by the “Spirit” of the texts. He implies that anyone who turns to the New Testament with an open heart has the veil of stagnation lifted by the Lord, allowing them to see clearly. Furthermore, he explains that the “Lord” he refers to is the Holy Spirit, and wherever He is Lord, there is freedom. This means that true freedom from any form of struggles and bondage only comes when we acknowledge and honor Him as Lord. Honoring the Holy Spirit as Lord entails surrendering to His will and His guidance. It is insufficient to claim that Jesus is our Lord while dishonoring Him. We cannot experience the freedom He provides unless we fully submit to His control. Is the Holy Spirit the Lord in your walk with God? If He is not, forget about the freedom you desperately need.

Prayer_Bead: Holy Spirit, I yield my life to you. I surrender my soul, spirit and body to you. And I enjoy the freedom you give.

Wisdom_Quote: Freedom begins from a life surrendered to the Holy Spirit.

#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.

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Teachings of grace

[The Glory Unveiled]

“This same grace teaches us how to live each day as we turn our backs on ungodliness and indulgent lifestyles, and it equips us to live self-controlled, upright, godly lives in this present age.” [ Titus‬ ‭2‬:‭12‬ ‭TPT‬‬ ]

The grace of God manifests in various ways and forms. The Gospel, according to John, notes that it came through the Lord Jesus Christ (John 1:17). Grace is the extension of God’s kindness and love to us, making us “worthy” of His acceptance. It is unconditional, unmerited favor. One unique characteristic of grace is its teaching aspect—it has a distinct voice. The grace of God brings salvation to all men, as mentioned in the verse preceding our anchor text (verse 11). However, it doesn’t leave us to figure things out on our own; it teaches us to forsake ungodliness and equips us to live self-controlled lives. God accomplishes this by bestowing so much grace upon us, acknowledging His love even when undeserved, motivating us to live the life of God that grace advertises. If we’ve received abundant grace from God’s kindness and love, we should live by turning away from things disapproved by God. The teachings of grace provide enablement and strength to handle what we couldn’t otherwise manage. When the apostle Paul faced challenges and prayed about them thrice, the Lord Jesus assured him that His grace is sufficient to help and that His strength is perfected in weaknesses (2 Corinthians 12:9). This scripture reveals that God’s grace is released at the end of our abilities and strength. When we reach the end of ourselves, grace comes to our rescue, teaching and aiding us.

Prayer_Bead: Omnipresent Father, thank you for the grace that teaches me your ways. Help me to be teachable.

Wisdom_Quote: Grace is available to teach you.

#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.

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Outstanding Debt

[The Glory Unveiled]

“Don’t owe anything to anyone, except your outstanding debt to continually love one another, for the one who learns to love has fulfilled every requirement of the law.” [ ‭‭Romans‬ ‭13‬:‭8‬ ‭TPT‬‬ ]

Love is the ultimate debt that everyone owns. God demonstrated His love for us, so that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us, leaving us an example to follow. Love seems to be in low supply in a world that is in high demand for love. The solution to the world’s problems largely rests on love. Unfortunately, godly love has been tossed out of the window. The apostle Paul advises that we owe nothing to anyone except love. This suggests that we should try to owe no material debts as much as possible. The Bible records that we are “slaves” to those we obey (Romans 6:16), and debt can make anyone a slave to those they owe. As believers, we owe the Lord Jesus because of the love of God He displayed for our salvation. He instructs us to “pay” for this debt by loving others as He loves us. Loving people is an acknowledgment of the love of God within us. It is a way of sharing the identity of God within us with them. We all owe a love debt. The good thing about this debt, unlike other debts, is that the more we pay our debt, the more we resemble God. God expects us to go out into the world and pay our debts of love to everyone we encounter. Your small acts of kindness are the solution to someone’s challenges, the medicine for someone’s illness, and healing for someone’s pain. Everyone out there needs love and help, just as we do. You are equipped to help, so please do so.

Prayer_Bead: Loving Father, thank you for the seed of love. Help me to love as much as you give me grace to.

Wisdom_Quote: You owe everyone out there love. Pay your debt today.

#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.

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Here for a reason

[The Glory Unveiled]

And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. [ Genesis 2:15 KJV ]

Wherever God places us, He does so for a reason. Locations have assignments ingrained in them. Wherever we find ourselves, we always have an assignment attached. Esther found herself in the palace, unaware that she was there to bring deliverance to her people. “For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14). Rebecca had to be at the well at the exact moment she was because the servant of Abraham had to meet her, and she had to be married to Isaac. There is a reason for which you have been placed where you are, and that’s because there is something you must do in that place. Locations give us insight into what is expected of us, but whether we are in the right place or not, we have to choose for ourselves. Unfortunately, there are many people out there to replace us if we refuse to carry out our assignments. If Elijah refuses the call of God, there were seven thousand more prophets who did not bow to Baal (1 Kings 19:18). Mordecai told Esther that if she refuses to help her people, God will raise help from another place. God has always hidden help in places. Joseph’s help came in the prison, and Paul’s on the road to Damascus. God provides for us to receive the help we need in the places He plants us. You’re not where you are by chance; you are exactly where God wanted you to be. However, whether you will continue to remain unseen or not will depend on you. The longer you stay without being seen, the less of yourself remains. So, rise, embrace your location, and own it.

Prayer_Bead: Father in heaven, thank you for where I am in this season. Help me to do what You require of me.

Wisdom_Quote: The longer you stay without being seen, the less of yourself remains.

#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.

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A chapter in their story

[The Glory Unveiled]

And the LORD God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.” [ Genesis 2:17-17 NIV ]

When God gave Adam the instructions above, it seemed as if they were given to him alone. However, the entire human race was implicated in him. So, even though the command was given directly to him alone, whatever he did with it would affect all of humanity because somehow, all of humanity was connected to him. In the same way, your stubbornness and disobedience have a way of affecting and influencing the lives of other people, most of whom you may never meet. You and I never met Adam, but somehow he altered our lives and the lives of the children to be born. So, as long as we are here on earth, our choices and decisions are not affecting us alone. Your destiny is a chapter in someone’s story. You cannot mess up because you would have messed up their story. In order not to disrupt the stories of other people, obey promptly. Don’t delay in obeying God. Whatever instructions God has given you to carry out, execute them now. Stop procrastinating; you may be wasting the destiny of some people as a result of your personal decisions. What you refuse to do may be the cause of someone’s tears and pains. Your actions and obedience are the fuel for the success and happiness of someone, somewhere. The next time you disobey, think about the person somewhere who might be suffering because you chose not to do what you were supposed to do. Certainly, someone always suffers when you disobey, harden your heart, or disregard the leading of the Holy Spirit. Think about them.

Prayer_Bead: Creator of all things, thank you for the instructions and commands you have given me for the smooth running of my destiny and that of others. Help me to promptly obey at all times.

Wisdom_Quote: You are a chapter in someone’s story.

#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.