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Treasured assets

[The Glory Unveiled]

”Guard well this incomparable treasure by the Spirit of Holiness living within you.“ [ 2 Timothy‬ ‭1‬:‭14‬ ‭TPT‬‬ ]

National reserves, gold, and diamond mines are heavily guarded at all times. Such intentional security is provided because of the value of what lies in those premises. The human spirit is like a gold reserve, a place where incomparable treasures are kept. And just like natural reserves, we need to guard the treasure within us. The Bible says that a farmer went out to sow, and some seeds fell by the wayside, and birds came to pick them up (Matthew 13:3-4). In another place, it says, when an unclean spirit is cast out of its host, it goes to wander and then returns to find the place without guards, and it inhabits it (Matthew 12:43-44). All these allude to the fact that any treasure of worth must be guarded; otherwise, it can be lost. The unguarded seed is taken up by birds; the unguarded human spirit can be possessed. Now, we have been given a good deposit of Truth; this truth has been kept hidden from ages and generations but has now been revealed in us. We have this precious treasure within us; what shall we do to guard it? “But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us” (2 Corinthians 4:7). But we are not equipped to guard what we have within us; hence, we need the help of someone else—the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is able to guard and keep what He has committed to us. So, let’s guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit. Implore Him to guard what you have by living in harmony and union with Him.

Prayer_Bead: Father, thank you for your precious treasure deposit in me. Help me to guard it by your Spirit, in Jesus’ name.

Wisdom_Quote: Protection signifies value.

#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.

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An end time necessity

[The Glory Unveiled]

”Since we are approaching the end of all things, be intentional, purposeful, and self-controlled so that you can be given to prayer.“ [ 1 Peter‬ ‭4‬:‭7‬ ‭TPT‬‬ ]

Different times demand different strategies. The same approach to doing something will not always work, and certainly not in the future. The times in which we find ourselves sometimes dictate what we should be busy with. The emphasis of a particular time determines what we should focus on. Here in our text for today, the Lord, through the apostle Peter, tells us what to do in the times nearing the end of all things. First of all, he implies that nearing the end times, we will find it difficult to pray. “So that you can be given to prayer” means you are not given to prayer, and something extra had to be done to make it possible. The difficulty many people face, for which they will not pray, has to do with the systems of this world and technology. The world system is structured in such a way that we will find ourselves busy with many things like Martha, so busy that we cannot fellowship with the Lord and Master of our souls. On the technology front, advancement in technology has blinded many to think that what they should be praying about is already made available by technology. But scripture foresaw all these things and still made this provision for us. This means that all these are meant to keep us from intimacy with the Father. Prayer is the believer’s lifeline, and anything that threatens it threatens his/her life itself. We are given three keys to stick to: intentionality, purpose, and self-control. We must be very intentional; we must not allow life to just happen to us; we must have careful intentions for our actions that align with God’s word. Closely related to being intentional is living by the purpose for which we have been brought into the world. The changes in the world should not drive us off the target of our purpose. And more than anything else, we need self-control in a world that offers sin for free. So that can be given to prayer when these things are in order. Your prayer life requires intentionality, purpose, and self-control as the end of all things draws near.

Prayer_Bead: Lord Jesus, thank you for the keys to help my prayer life in these end times.

Wisdom_Quote: Your prayer life is your lifeline.

#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.

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Echoes of love

[The Glory Unveiled]

”Above all, constantly echo God’s intense love for one another, for love will be a canopy over a multitude of sins.“ [ 1 Peter‬ ‭4‬:‭8‬ ‭TPT‬‬ ]

The most scarce commodity in our world today is not gold nor diamonds; it’s not money, and it’s not even time. The most scarce commodity today is love. The Bible foretold this in Matthew 24:12, stating that the love of many will grow cold because wickedness will abound in our day. The nature, art, and complexity of wickedness in our day are baffling. But then, a thing is most needed when it is most scarce. So, love is needed in our time now more than ever in the history of mankind. It is true that some very horrible things were recorded in history, but the artistic complication and technology behind those of our day are outrageous. However, the good news is that the personality of love and the spirit of love dwells on in the world, manifested through believers in the Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, those who have purified themselves through the obedience of the truth have sincere love. It is this sincere love that the world is so ridden of. So, we are called to constantly echo that intense love. As we echo God’s intense love, it becomes a canopy over the wickedness (sin) of men. We echo the love of God when we express it to one another. The intense sincere love of God is already in us through our knowledge of God’s word, which is truth. Let us spread it to a world that is in dire need of it.

Prayer_Bead: Father and God, thank you for your love in our hearts. Help us to spread it to our world. In Jesus’ name.

Wisdom_Quote: We can love because God loves us.

#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.

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Building on our most holy faith

[The Glory Unveiled]

”But you, my delightfully loved friends, constantly and progressively build yourselves up on the foundation of your most holy faith by praying every moment in the Spirit.“ [ ‭‭Jude 1‬:‭20‬ ‭TPT‬‬ ]

The believer’s relationship with God is like an edifice under construction, a continuous and progressive endeavor. Our journey with the Lord aims to transform us into the image of Christ. In 2 Corinthians 3:18, we learn how to enter into union with Jesus: “And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” Our experiences and growth are meant to be ever-increasing. We are instructed to build ourselves up on our most holy faith, which encompasses our sacred beliefs—the truths that form the foundation of our faith. The integrity of whatever we build is determined by our most holy faith. Especially now, we need to strengthen ourselves with strong Christian convictions and truths. Fortunately, we are shown how to build on these solid beliefs: by praying in the Holy Spirit. Praying with revelation and in the attitude and power of the Holy Spirit helps preserve our faith. Speaking in the language of the Spirit is a practice that should be maintained at all times. A believer doesn’t pray in the Holy Spirit when they are led; they pray whenever they want to, and they should want to at all times. The apostle stated in 1 Corinthians 14:15 that he would pray with understanding and also in the Spirit, indicating it was a choice he made. Similarly, we can and should make the same choice.

Prayer_Bead: Heavenly father, thank you for the grace to build myself up on the truth I have received. Help me to pray in the Holy Ghost.

Wisdom_Quote: Praying in the Holy Ghost is the mason of our most holy faith.

#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.

*#GNews:* _Unveiling the glory of God._

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Multiplicity of Grace

[The Glory Unveiled]

”Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord“ [ 2 Peter‬ ‭1‬:‭2‬ NKJV‬‬ ]

Speaking of grace, the apostle Paul asks if we should continue to sin so that grace may increase, since grace increases where sin abounds (Romans 6:1). Grace is the unmerited provision of God that sustains man in spite of every tangible reason to deny him that provision. The apostle Paul teaches that when we were under the influence of sin, grace increased for us to come to the knowledge of God. But that same grace made us dead to sin because it brought us through the baptism of death with Jesus (Romans 6:3). And so, the apostle Paul reasons that if we died with Christ, we cannot continue to sin (Romans 6:2). There are some believers who think that they need to sin once in a while to increase grace upon their lives. Unfortunately, the grace that is made available because of sin brings you through death so it is no longer available. The grace that is available to the believer is the grace that comes through the knowledge of Jesus Christ. As grace increases for the sinner to come to the cross, grace is multiplied to the believer who has the knowledge of Christ and not from sinning. While we were in the world in our ignorance, sin made grace available to us. But now, grace will be made available and multiplied through the knowledge of the Son of God. It will take knowledge to get more grace and not ignorance and sin. What you know about Jesus is the room that heaven makes for your peace and comfort. How much do you know of Jesus?

Prayer_Bead: Father in heaven, thank you for the provision of grace. Help me to grow in the knowledge of your son Jesus. So that grace may be multiplied to me. In Jesus’ name.

Wisdom_Quote: Grace may increase where sin abounds but it is multiplied where the knowledge of Jesus is.

#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.

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Jesus, the gate

[The Glory Unveiled]

I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. [ John 10:9 NIV ]

Gates, doorways, and pathways always lead to something—places and things. The Lord Jesus says He is the gate, which means He must lead to something. Anytime the Lord Jesus speaks about Himself, He uses absolutes, in most cases as is here, expressed with the definitive article, “the”. He does not claim to be one of something but a particular person or attribute—different and apart from others. So in this text, what gate is He? He tells us in the same verse, He is the gate that leads to salvation and pasture. He creates an analogy of all people being like sheep in the wild, a world of sin and its consequences. Yet in that same wild, there is a good shepherd and a pen that offers pasture, protection, and salvation from the wildlings of the world. The gate through which any sheep that desires salvation and pasture must pass is Jesus. And so, the Lord Jesus is the bridge between a wild and dangerous world and a world of safety and abundance. But there is a choice to be made, “whoever enters.” The Lord does not force anyone to enter; they must enter—believing that Jesus is Lord and Saviour—by their own free will, having considered what the Lord did for them. The Lord Jesus is able to offer what He claims to offer because He earned the right to, through His sacrificial payment on the cross. Therefore, only He can lead to the kind of saving and pasture our souls need. Outside the gate of Christ Jesus, nothing can satisfy. Every other thing may seem to satisfy, but they lead to more want. Jesus as our good shepherd delivers us from wants as He leads us into green pastures. Will you go through the gate, which is the Lord Jesus?

Prayer_Bead: Lord Jesus, thank you for your saving grace. I believe you are my Saviour and Lord. Thank you for the pasture for my soul.

Wisdom_Quote: Jesus is the gate to your soul’s needs.

#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.

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How you do it matters

[The Glory Unveiled]

He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, but not wholeheartedly. [ 2 Chronicles 25:2 NIV ]

The quality of our actions is measured by the level of commitment attached to them. In the considerations of God, all actions are not the same, even if the outcomes seem the same. This means that even though two people may do the same task, one person’s action may differ in merit due to commitment. Cain and Abel both made sacrifices to God. Yes, they made sacrifices, but when God looked at what they had done, one person was more preferred. God considers the attitude of our hearts when we act, so it would seem that we have done something, whether we did it wholeheartedly or not matters to God. Whenever we do anything, it must be done wholeheartedly with full commitment as if we were doing it unto God. As a general rule, if it must be done, it should be done wholeheartedly. Otherwise, you might do it, but it will have no consequences or yield any spiritual impact. How you do anything matters because it suggests how you do everything. If you do it with full commitment, you are sending a signal to God that you can be trusted with more. The parable of the talents affirms this claim. The one who had five invested what he was given and made more. But another person hid the one he had. His attitude towards what he was given speaks about his untrustworthiness. In our anchor text, King Amaziah did what was right in the eyes of the Lord but not wholeheartedly. So, even though he did what was right in God’s eyes, how he did it nullified his efforts. You may do something in the name of God or for God, but unless your heart is fully committed to it, it wouldn’t count.

Prayer_Bead: Dear Lord Jesus, thank you for grace to obey you wholeheartedly. I am fully committed to doing your will in Jesus’ name.

Wisdom_Quote: How you do anything tells how you do everything.

#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.

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Unique Possession

[The Glory Unveiled]

Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, [ Exodus 19:5 NIV]

It is possible to have a favourite among many things of the same kind. Though they may appear equal on the surface, there is often something extra, sometimes infinitesimal, that sets one apart from the rest. Many people will look at the full picture and not recognize the unique attribute that distinguishes this one. The distinguishing characteristic is only unique to the one for whom that particular attribute is important or a favourite. Even among children born of the same parents, some parents have their favourites among them. They seem to be more attached to and caring for their favourite. And many times, the object of that affection or love is known only to the lover. In our anchor Scripture, the Lord shows us how an individual or a nation can become His treasured possession. He gives just one criterion for becoming His unique possession: to fully obey God and keep His covenant. There are those who are in the habit of obeying God partially and partly. But if anyone wants to be God’s treasured possession, they must obey God fully, regardless of other alternatives or reasonable interventions. Yes, you are a child of God, but are you His treasured possession? Do you obey God fully? Do you keep His covenants with you as a person? God loves us, but there is a dimension of intimacy that we ascend to by our choices and actions. Out of the lot, may God single you out for honor through your intentional obedience.

Prayer_Bead: My Father and King, thank you for making me a treasured possession through my obedience. Let your name be glorified in Jesus’ name.

Wisdom_Quote: Full obedience gives full access to God’s heart.

#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.

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Encounter Jesus Christianity

[The Glory Unveiled]

Now get up and stand on your feet. I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen and will see of me. [ Acts 26:16 NIV ]

Your Christian life is a reflection of your encounters with Christ. In other words, your walk with God is a testimony of your encounters with Christ. You can differentiate between two believers: one who has had an encounter with God and another who has never had such encounters. The true Christian life begins on the strength of our encounters. No matter how or what we do for God or in the name of God, without an encounter, that gesture is a waste of our purpose. The Apostle Paul, before his encounter that redefined his relationship with God, pursued believers in the name of God, thinking he was eliminating God’s enemies. However, he was actually persecuting the church, the body of Christ. Then, he encountered Jesus. All this time, he was a believer in God, but until he encountered Jesus, his walk with God didn’t bring glory to God. The same goes for many believers, including those who claim or think they are walking with Jesus, without any real encounters with Him. The strength of our walk with God is sourced from encounters. What exposure have you received from God’s word? Has the Lord Jesus revealed Himself to you through His word and person? If you have not truly met Jesus in His word, then your journey and walk with Him may just be a walk in the park. What you have seen and witnessed of God is the platform on which your true walk with Him is staged. Encounters are the landmarks that guide us back into the loving arms of God when we stray. May God orchestrate an encounter for the next phase of your walk with Him.

Prayer_Bead: Mighty God, thank you for the encounters You have given me. Help me to remain in a loving relationship with you. In Jesus’ name.

Wisdom_Quote: Encounters are spiritual landmarks.

#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.

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The testimony

[The Glory Unveiled]

”And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.“ [ I John‬ ‭5‬:‭11‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ ]

God has given a unique gift to the world, and this gift is universally available: eternal life, a life separate and distinct from condemnation and damnation, characterized by perpetual existence with God in joy and glory. Eternal life is essentially the life of God. However, God did not merely bestow this gift upon the world; rather, He concealed it within a package—the personality of His Son, Jesus Christ. The solution to our transient life and the consequences of our actions through Adam and Eve is found in the life of Jesus. Embracing the life of God, which terminates this challenging yet temporary existence, necessitates embracing Jesus. We cannot possess the life of God except through Him. Essentially, to attain the solution God offers—eternal life—we must first have the Son. And this is our testimony: whoever possesses the Son possesses life; conversely, those who do not possess the Son lack life (1 John 5:12). God has concealed His life within His Son and dispenses it through Him. Anyone desiring the life of the Father must encounter and possess the Son; this is non-negotiable. It is impossible to sidestep Christ and still attain the life of God. Any human endeavor outside of Christ is ultimately futile, leading only to further struggle and destruction. Therefore, rather than pursuing life through other people, tokens, or signs, pursue Jesus, for He embodies the life of God.

Prayer_Bead: Heavenly Father, thank you for the package of eternal life. Thank you for your Son Jesus.

Wisdom_Quote: Whoever has the Son has life.

#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.