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[The Glory Unveiled]

Then God said [to Abraham], “Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about.” ( Genesis 22 :2 )

Isaac was an extention of Abraham. So for God to request of Abraham to sacrifice Isaac to Him meant Abraham was actually going to sacrifice Himself [alive] to God; he was supposed to be made a type of living sacrifice. The apostle Paul admonishes us to present ourselves as living sacrifices unto the Lord (Romans 12:1). There is the need for sacrificial giving before there is a multiple manifestation of God’s promises. We are tested before we are given testimonies. Even though this moment was probably the hardest for Abraham, it was also a necessary stage for him if he must go beyond being a man who was promised to be father of many nations to actually becoming the father of many nations. It doesn’t really matter what the promises and the prophecies concerning our lives may be. There is a role we need to play in the realization of our true calling and purpose. And if we will go beyond the promise into the manifestations, then we must go beyond making declarations to living the realities of what it means to make sacrifices.

Prayer_Bead: Father in Heaven, help me to freely give to you any and everything you have bestowed to me as a custodian. Make the realities of your promises experiential in my life.

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[The Glory Unveiled]

After a little while, those standing there went up to Peter and said, “Surely you are one of them [Jesus’ disciples], for your accent gives you away.” ( Matthew 26:73 )

[This is a record of when Peter denied Jesus three times]. The statement made by the bystanders in this verse of scripture is very profound. The people in that community could actually tell that Peter had a distinctive manner of expression which was identical to that of Christ. For a person to have their accent changed as a result of associating with someone else meant that such a person is a great influence on them. Our Christian life is actually supposed to be a replica of what played out in this verse. Our accents must introduce us as belonging to Christ wherever we find ourselves. We wouldn’t have to preach any sermons to be identified as Christians if our lives truly mirror the life of Christ. People must see us and know our anchor without having to pull out our church membership card. Until our manner of verbal and attitudinal expressions reflect Christ, we have not truly begun to learn Christ. His admission criteria is for us to deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow Him in submission (Luke9:23). And whenever we obey this instruction, we discover that the nature of Christ is mirrored through us to the world. Let your words be seasoned with salt—Let your words heal, let it empower and encourage. Be a balm to someone.

Prayer_Bead: Dear Lord Jesus, help me to deny myself and take up my cross daily in submission to your Lordship and power. Let my accent and manner of life expose you to the world.

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[The Glory Unveiled]

And he said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting. ( Mark 9:29 )

Everything in this life and the realms yonder, answer to organised systems of operations. Nothing happens haphazardly in an intentional world like ours. There is always a cause and effect at play at all times. All circumstances in our lives also follow in this pattern. There are certain situations that do not seem to conform to norm, in spite of the predictability of events. Like the one in today’s scripture where the disciples couldn’t exorcise a little boy [and then they had to ask Jesus why they couldn’t]. It takes more than just knowing the Lord to handle certain situations. And it takes discernment to know which situation to handle with what mechanism. Life’s drama does not always follow the script of our expectations. Things may just go on autopilot and then there is nothing you can humanly do to change the course of events. In such, circumstances we need to remember the lessons in this scripture which teaches that prayer and fasting are effective when dealing with certain degree of everyday challenges. There is a kind of situation that needs a strategic counter measure to subdue it. And that measure is fasting and prayers.

Prayer_Bead: Merciful Father, help me to discern when to do what and what mechanisms to use to that effect. Awaken my prayer life, Lord.

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[The Glory Unveiled]

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 royal position for such a time as this?” ( Esther 4:14 )

Our positions in life are intended to serve as a platform for the benefit of others. But when in position, it is very common to have one’s opinions skewed as a result of that position. The statement in the scripture above was made by Mordecai, Esther’s Uncle. The Jewish tribe was under attack and Esther who was then occupying an “influential” position was called upon to help them. Mordecai explained that she [Esther] was probably in that position at the time because of their predicament but even if Esther refused to help, God could still save them through another person. No one is placed in any position just to occupy those positions; just to be silent and watch the wrong things happen. You are where you are to serve a purpose. And that purpose is to serve others. But when we refuse to carry out the mandate we are positioned to fulfill, God will choose another person to carry it out. Queen Vashti lost her royal position and Esther became Queen. That means anyone could be removed from their positions no matter how highly exalted they may seem. Guard your position by fulfilling your purpose because the only way to guard our positions is by fulfilling our responsibilities.

Prayer_Bead: Father in the name of Jesus, help me to responsibly fulfil my purpose. Teach me to honour my position and show me the needs around me to serve.

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[The Glory Unveiled]

Where the word of a king is, there is power; And who may say to him, “What are you doing?” (Ecclesiastes 8:4 )

No man questions [challenges] the authority of a true king. Anyone who does, will do that at their our detriment. Queen Vashti knows better (see, Esther 1:12;15;19). She actually lost her royal position as Queen to Esther because she disobeyed the word of a king. There is something about the word of a king that cannot be downplayed. When the word of a king is spoken, no family member of his nor friends can alter it. It is as if the word of the king and the king are one. So that an alteration in his word meant that an alternation or impeachment of the king. God be praised, our words as Believers carries the same power as any true King. Revelation 1:6 says that we are Kings and priests…. And as Kings–both men and women–we have the right to exercise the authority of Kings with our words. Do you need something changed in your life, do you want to stop the works of the kingdom of darkness in your home? Use your kingly and priesthood authority. Your words are potent and creative because of the Spirit of Christ. Exercise the power of your position in Christ Jesus to the glory of God. The kingdom of God is about the demonstration of power.

Prayer_Bead: Father in Heaven, thank you for making me a king and a priest. Thank you for the power of my words. I exercise my authority in Christ Jesus to the glory of your name.

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[The Glory Unveiled]

And he said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?” ( Genesis 3:11 )

A blessing activated before its maturation is a curse in disguise. Just as an incubated egg, prematurely taken is useless both in the making of an omelette and the formation of a chicken. God was going to give Adam and Eve the fruit from the tree of life (and probably of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil) eventually but when they took it by their own volition before the appointed time, they discovered rather too late that they had activated a curse. Every scripture that forbids us from any action is for our preservation and not our slavery. So even if the word of God revealed to us seem to bond us—even in the confines of grace—then we need to understand that it is inconspicuously for our preservation. What would have happened if Joseph had allowed Potiphar’s wife? The best thing is, he would remain just the master of the house and not the prime minister of the whole of Egypt. Our seemingly harmless actions may carry in them the seed for our destruction and others. Let us not truncate our blessings prematurely through disobedience and unnecessary indulgence. We are a channel of blessing and breakthrough to some people and we cannot deny them their destiny by our indiscipline actions and ways. In the end, if we obey the word of God without questioning His motives, we would learn that God loves us and wanted us to have good memories and not regrets.

Prayer_Bead: Thank you Father for reminding me today of your love for me through my need to obey you without suspicion.

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[The Glory Unveiled]

“How do you know me?” Nathanael asked. Jesus answered, “I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you.” ( John 1 :48 )

Nathanael, hitherto his encounter with Jesus was a staunch sceptic. He never believed that anything good could come out of Nazareth, to say the least of the Messiah. The first question He asked Jesus which was also His first utterance to Him was about identity. He asked, “How do you know me?” Identity distinguishes between two things and sets the course for their purpose. Before anyone came near to God, long before the message of salvation came to them, God knew them. Like Nathanael, Jesus knows and sees each one of us before we approached Him for grace. Jesus replied thus, “I saw you while you were still under the fig tree… ” The fig tree symbolises a place of temporary success and comfort or a temporary covering intended to conceal shame. Sometimes in the shade of “institutional fig trees”, we become content and unwilling to make new discoveries. Nathanael was content in His knowledge; he was okay with the revelation he had under the fig tree which was actually erroneous until Philip approached him. Maybe what we think to be true may not be entirely true; oh it may be far from the truth even. But we must be curious and willing to go on the journey in the school of enlightenment and revelations. Don’t be content with your fig tree revelation, press further for fresh insights.

Prayer_Bead: Dear Lord Jesus, the hope of my heart, open my eyes to your love and calling. Teach me to know my identity in you.

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[The Glory Unveiled]

4 His disciples answered, “But where in this remote place can anyone get enough bread to feed them?” 5 “How many loaves do you have?” Jesus asked. “Seven,” they replied. ( Mark 8:4-5 )

In the scripture above, Jesus and his followers were in a situation that seemed like a crisis. And just like anybody will naturally react, the disciples asked the obvious question. It seems that when we lock our senses in the carnal world, we will attempt to solve every problem from that point of view. And the spiritual man also addresses their predicaments from that stand. Interestingly, Jesus ignored the question asked by the disciples because they were apparently not speaking His language. So Jesus went on to ask them what they had? Now, they were looking at a crisis of feeding over five thousand hungry people and in a remote area for that matter too. This implies that, no matter what our challenge may be, the solution is with us—-your little bread. It is possible that you are holding the solutions to your crisis right there in your hand while you seek to go out of town to get it fixed by an “expert”. But if we can just give the little seemingly insignificant bread and fish or staff like Moses did, we would see the glory of God revealed. God is always in the business of unveiling His glory through little things. Remember, God exalts the lowly and humbles the arrogant.

Prayer_Bead: God who supplies seed to the sower and bread for the eater, I bring to your loving attention all that I have. Multiply it and use it to bless nations.

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[The Glory Unveiled]

 I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. ( Romans 1:16 )

No good news brings shame. On the contrary, bad news brings shame when one is associated with such news. And since the Gospel of Christ is a good news, there’s definitely nothing to be ashamed of. As humans, we all have natural abilities while God has super abilities. And when we put our faith in God, we receive His super abilities and then our natural abilities become supernatural abilities. So that the limitations of the world do not constrain us. When the super abilities of God collide with us through faith in His word, we become new creations (2 Corinthians 5:17). Power is the ability to get desired results. When the word of God which is the power of God comes to us, we see results on every side of our lives. We actually become living Epistles rewriting the wonders of God in the sand of time. No man or woman comes into contact with power and remains the same. If you doubt me, ask Jacob, the old Testament twin who met the power of God at Peniel (see, Genesis 32:24-31). After the encounter, he couldn’t walk like the way he had walked earlier. He had met power and so he was changed. The Believers in the early Church were baptised on the day of Pentecost with power and fear stricken men suddenly became bold and the burden of the Cross begun to have expression in frail men. The power of the word of God will change us by faith in Christ.

Prayer_Bead: Father of Lights, open the eyes of my understanding to the power of your word and the glory of its  transformational power.

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[The Glory Unveiled]

The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon; ( Psalms 92:12 )

Palm-trees are one of the most wonderful trees in the world. Every part of a palm-tree is fruitful and profitable to some end. For instance, the branches are used for brooms, the fronds are used for fences and buskets. The palm nuts are used for palm nut soup and red oil while the kernel is used for making palm kernel oil. The hard nut around the kernel is used for soap. The residue from the palm nut is used to set fire. Even when you fell a palm tree, you can extract palm wine from it. And when a palm tree decays, we get mushrooms from it. In today’s meditation, the Psalmist says that the righteous will flourish like a palm tree. Having understood the qualities of a palm tree, we will realise that, when we align ourselves with Christ by faith in Him (righteousness), we naturally flourish in every aspect of our lives and ministry. Every aspect of a palm tree contributes something to man. The believer must contribute to the world. No wonder the world travails in wait for the sons of God (Romans 8:22). We must reveal our light to the world so that no man walks in darkness.

Prayer_Bead: Jehovah Jireh, I thank you for Your word of truth and for making me a fruitful palm-tree. I affect my environment with the blessings with which You bless me today and everyday.

#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.