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[The Glory Unveiled]

Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. ( Luke 1:36 )

Many times, great promises and wonderful prophecies fail to materialise largely due to an isolation crisis we develop. This is usually as a result of thinking that the promise or prophecy is unique to us or that we are alone in that situation. The fear of not having anyone who is experiencing our kind of situations; troubles or hardships can be very misleading. Often when we go through some rough times, we are deceived to believe that what we are experiencing is unique and peculiar to us. And on the strength of that ignorance and fear, the devil creates all sorts of thoughts which result in unhealthy attitudes that are able to sabotage the promise. Mary, the mother of Jesus found herself in a similar situation. An Angel had just appeared to her, telling her she was going to have a miracle baby. How could this be? She wondered. When we first encounter the miraculous, we are tempted to be doubtful because of fear of what if’s, how could this be’s and why me’s? But God be praised, often in times like that, God gives us a hope companion. Someone who is experiencing similar things as ourselves to urge us on. Mary had Elizabeth to urge her on and empower her. Look around, there is someone going through or has been through what you are experiencing. Contact your hope companions today and be strengthened in faith.

Prayer_Bead: Mighty God, the One who knows no impossibilities. Spirit of Wonders, wrought a wonder in me that will expose your glory to the world.

#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.

[The Glory Unveiled]

So after Abram had been living in Canaan ten years, Sarai his wife took her Egyptian maidservant Hagar and gave her to her husband to be his wife. ( Genesis 16:3 )

Many people have unintentionally interrupted the plan of God for their lives in many ways. Sarah, [Sarai] could have patiently waited for the promise of God for her family. But no, Sarai interrupted impatiently. We all, like Sarah have that dual personality in some form. There is the Sarai part of us and the Sarah part as well; there is the Jacob and Israel side. There is the old natural self that pops up ones a while. It lingers on and we see flashes of that side of us ones every now and then. That part is the Sarai or Jacob while the spiritual side is the Sarah or Israel. Before you make a decision that may have futuristic implications or just ordinary consequences, ask yourself what the spiritual man in you needs to do or say. We must allow our spirit which is in submission to God to continously guide our choices. Stop the voice of Sarai and Jacob from ruining the plan of God for your life. God will honour his promises in our lives but can we patiently wait? Can we ignore the impatient suggestions of Sarai and Jacob? Can we bear the humiliations and embarrassment of temporarily looking like a fool? It is better to wait for God’s choice than rush for our (Sarai or Jacob’s) best. Choose God’s option and stick to it.

Prayer_Bead: Father of all lives, teach me to distinguish between Sarai and Sarah [Jacob and Israel]. Help me by your spirit to choose and follow what you intend for me.

#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.

Jesus declared, “Believe me, woman, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. (John 4:21 )

Jesus made this statement to the Samaritan woman at the well. In their day, Jews and the Samaritans do not go along. But Jesus still came to her and more than that to ask her for water. Along their line of interaction, the issue of worship came in. The woman had the notion that one could only either worship on the mountain or in Jerusalem. And Jesus went right in on that, to disabuse her of that knowledge. When we reflect on this in relate to ourselves, we will realise that many of us are in a sense the typology of the Samarithan woman. We have this ideology that God is only present in a Chapel, in a place somewhere we go to meet him on Sundays. As a result, many people are just anybody or “themselves” every other day until Sundays. On Sundays, such people who believe they were going to meet God, go to these designated places of worship to feel the ecstasy of belonging to a group. But the truth is, God is not locked up in a roofed structure somewhere. God is within you and I. Let us worship Him in spirit and in truth.

Prayer_Bead: Heavenly Father, thank you for teaching me that I am your temple and your presence is my Bethel.

#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God

[The Glory Unveiled]

Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: “The one I kiss is the man; arrest him and lead him away under guard.” ( Mark 14:44 )

In a world where romantic love is just a “thing”, one would agree that a lot of emotional chaos go on in many relationships. You just cannot trust emotions too often. A kiss is supposed to symbolise love, affection, care, concern and gratitude or greetings in other cultures and situations. But who would think that a kiss could also be a signal for betrayal? We do not want to concentrate on the betrayal as much as the kiss, in this devotion. A kiss connotes a warm acceptance and reception of a person, so to use that as a hocus-pocus tool couldn’t have been anticipated. Imagine the shock and bitterness to have discovered later that what you received as a warm greeting or expression of love or care was actually betrayal. There are many people around the world with the Judas Iscariot spirit who go about in a cloak of a friend, lover, partner, brother or sister, who are actually hypocritical liars. They come with a kiss on their lips and a lie on their tongue. They smile to you with their face but frown with their hearts. Fortunately, with discernment and revelation, like Jesus, we can smoke such pretenders out. Beware, some kisses are meant to betray you.

Prayer_Bead: Lord Jesus, thank you for opening my eyes to the possibility of man’s deceptions. I pray for the spirit of discernment and revelation.

#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.

[The Glory Unveiled]

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. [ Hebrews 12:1 ]

The scripture above didn’t say “since we ‘may’ be surrounded…” The statement made is more emphatic, “…we are…” This goes to reason that, unarguably, we are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses who are watching us at all times like in the case of Gehazi when he was with his master Elisha (2 Kings 6:17). And like him, we are surrounded by a cloud of saints who are witnesses of the things we do daily even if we don’t see them like Gehazi. If we are conscious of the fact that a group of people were watching us, we would not undress before them. And if a thief were watched by someone else he/she would not steal. So let us throw off the sins that easily entangle us. We need the consciousness of this reality to guard ourselves against our flesh and carnal desires. An athlete like any other person aiming to receive a prize is very intentional in all their dealings in the racetrack. They become very conscious of both the spectators and the inspectors (referees and coaches). These people are the figurative cloud of witnesses to the athlete because they actually influence the overall performance of the athlete. Let us bear this in mind that our own cloud of witnesses continue to look down from heaven upon us, even in the darkest places. Be intentional.

Prayer_Bead: Thank you Jesus for opening my eyes to the existence and ministry of the cloud of witness. Help me to lay aside anything that easily ensnare me.

#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.

[The Glory Unveiled]

One day the evil spirit answered them [the sons of Sceva], “Jesus I know, and I know about Paul, but who are you?” ( Acts 19:15 )

[In the above chapter, Seven sons of Sceva were trying to exorcise a demon possessed girl in the name of Jesus, thinking it was just a matter of speaking the words.] Power is not a work of art or an experience of a dramatic display. Spiritual power is the evidence of interaction and relationship with the Spirit of God. It is an expression of dimensions of God by fellowship with Him. Anyone who operates in the domains of power is one who actually has his/her identification authenticated in the power hub of heaven. They are recognised citizens of the realms of principalities. Power in the intangible world is exercised on the grounds of understanding and encounters with such supernatural entities. Such encounters register us in the archives of heaven’s corridor of power, so that even demonic entities can recognise us each time we speak. So, for the unfortunate unbeliever or the believer who has no dealings with the Spirit of God, an attempt to demonstrate the power of God is a venture into catastrophe. We must earn the right to the power of God by consciously trading in the realities of God in faith.

Prayer_Bead: Father of Glory, the mystery of mysteries, the sustainer of all things who Himself is sustained by none, demonstrate your Kingdom through me, with power.

#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.

[The Glory Unveiled]

“At least there is hope for a tree: If it is cut down, it will sprout again, and its new shoots will not fail. ( Job 14:7 )

Forget the former things. Let go of the losses, the pain, the hurts and disappointments. Let them go. Forgive those who cut in on you, dumpened your ambitions. Those who abused you and accused you. Those who cheated you and broke your trust. Forgive then for their ignorance and wickedness. Because until you let go of the past ills, the healing of the future will be hindered. If there is hope for a tree that is cut, then there is more hope for us, no matter what we’ve been through or are going through. Sometimes, the gap between a new beginning and the old is the ability of the mind to let go of the past pains and losses. Do you feel like a tree that is cut down? Are you broken and crushed within? There is hope for you because Christ will not leave you nor forsake you in the middle of a battle or at the centre of the road. He cares too much to abandon you. But will you abandon yourself in self pity and mediocrity? Will you let the cuts from the past cut off your future? Your new shoots are ready to sprout if you let go of the old tree that is now wood. Look to Jesus, forgive the past, embrace the hope of a better future.

Prayer_Bead: My Lord and redeemer, my future and my hope, I surrender my past to you. Heal and restore my present. Thank you for my undistorted future.

#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.

[The Glory Unveiled ]

The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written: ( Luke 4 :17 )

The purpose of a thing is the reason for its creation. Everything was created with and for a purpose. Our assignment is to uncover that reason which necessitated our creation; that one thing which was set in us for the exhibition of God’s glory. Nobody creates their purpose, they only discover it. The Lord Jesus at the foot of His destiny had to discover His purpose. The scripture says he “found” it, to mean he discovered it. Jesus did not write that portion of the scroll to mean in any way that he ‘created’ what he found. Purpose is not a gamble to be stumbled upon. Its intentionally discovered when we commit to finding it. But until one discovers their purpose—reason for existence—they will just roll on hopelessly in the earth until their scene rolls out. Many who have gone down the path of destiny look back to discover that without purpose, nothing is worth doing or living for. This is the force that demands that we discover what we had been predestined to do. We must unroll our talents and passions to discover that thing or place where we are purposed to glorify God.

Prayer_Bead: Father in Heaven, thank you for my purpose and calling. Help me to discover it as you lead me through the scriptures.

#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.