Tag: #GNews

[The Glory Unveiled]
theme: the secret place

But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. ( Matthew 6:6 )

The secret place is one’s sacred place where communion takes place. It is a place of prayer and enlightenment. And for any place to qualify as a secret place, ideally, the place must be limited to the visitor of that place alone. The place should not be crowded with other people because the secret place is a place of dialogue between God and man. Just as intimacy or intercourse in the physical is not done in the open, the fellowship of the secret place, in like manner is to be carried out in secret. A more photographic description of the secret place is the sacred place of old; the tabernacle [the tent of meeting] where the tangible presence of God resided. The high priest was the only one privileged to enter the Most Holy place. The innermost court was not allowed to be crowded by people, not even the other priests. Only one man, the high priest was privileged to be there at a point in time. The secret place as a sacred place must be engaged in a reverential and saintly manner, not losing its spiritual essence nonetheless. The statement, “…go into your room, close the door…” is descriptive of isolation to God, having an exclusive interaction with God. Another graphic design of the secret place was Moses’ visit to the mountain of God to commune with God for 40 days. Anytime he wanted to commune with God, he was in the presence of God alone. One time when he decided to go with Joshua, his aide, Joshua still had to wait for him at the foot of the mountain and Moses entered the secret place alone. Our rewards [response] comes faster in the secret place because the secret place offers a kind of face to face interface in our fellowship experience with God. When we pray [want to really commune with God], let us go to the secret place and not just any place.

Prayer_Bead: The life giver of all flesh and light giver in the secret place, flood my heart with light. Let my understanding be fruitful as I frequent the secret place.

#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.

[The Glory Unveiled]

And he [Jesus] asked them, “Whose portrait is this? And whose inscription?”
“Caesar’s,” they replied. Then he said to them, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.” ( Matthew 22:20-21 )

The Herodians and the disciples of the Pharisees had been sent to engage Jesus in a discourse. Though at face value they brought up the issue of payment of taxes, the ulterior motive that incited this conversation was to trap Jesus in his words. Now, the question was whether or not taxes should be paid to Caesar? Jesus requested that the coin used for the payment be brought to him and then he asked the questions above. Now the statement, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s” gives us a platform to explore the subject matter in a spiritual context. Jesus asked them to give back to Caesar what he had imprinted his portrait [image] and inscription [signature] on. We would all agree that is a very logical thing to do. If he had his image on the money, then the money should return to him as the owner. But here is the central message in the text of scripture above, “….and to God what is God’s.” So the question then would be, what is God’s? To answer this we need to refer to the premise upon which the statement was made—Caesar’s portrait and inscription. So that if the taxes should be paid to Caesar because he had his image on the money for the payment, then we should also give to God anything that has his image on it. Genesis 1:27 says God created us in His image and likeness. That means He has put his signature and identity on us. So to give God what belongs to God means we must give ourselves to God (Romans 12:1). Giving back to God what is God’s means presenting ourselves to God as living sacrifices; that way, we would have paid our due taxes. Whose image is on us? Let us present ourselves to the one whose image we bear.

Prayer_Bead: My Father and my God, thank you for putting your image on me. I present myself to you as a living sacrifice, use me for your purpose and glory.

#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.

[The Glory Unveiled]

How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him. ( Acts 10:38 )

There is always a fire behind every smoke. Everyone saw how Jesus went about doing good in the open but only few people perceived what or who sourced all the good and healings. This is why the Pharisees would accuse Jesus of casting out demons by the devil. They could see the miracles and the goodness but they couldn’t see how it was engineered. They couldnt see what was happening behind the scenes of the optical eyes. And because of that they decided to explain it off. Usually people explain off and doubt things they can’t manipulate or control. But their denial or inability to see the mastermind putting all the pieces together behind the human periphery does not change the fact that there was a personality who did all that happened in the ministry of Jesus behind closed doors. Now this goes to explain that Jesus couldn’t have done the things He did if God was not with Him because while on earth, He was as much man as if he was not God and as much God as if he was not man. So instead of looking at the works, one must look at the performer of the actions in the background. Another thing worth noting is the fact that the anointing attracts the presence of God. And the presence of God also attracts the goodness and power of God. In our day, we need the anointing of God because the world needs goodness and healing in all facets of its make up. And then just as Jesus was propelled by the anointing, we would also be propelled into doing good.

Prayer_Bead: Loving King, precious Father, thank you for the anointing that breaks yolks and liberates the oppressed. Anoint the church and make us instrument of healing and goodness.

#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.

[The Glory Unveiled]

Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. ( Luke 18:1 )

Anytime we are asked not to do something, it means there is a possibility of doing that anyway. When God told Adam and by extension, Eve not to eat from the forbidden tree, they did, because they could. It was within their means to do that which they were asked not to. Here in this chapter, Jesus tells his disciples a parable to show them that they should not give up on praying. But like we have established, this means that it is very possible to give up on prayer. There may be times when our spiritual atmosphere feels dry and our prayer altars become empty too, sometimes as a result of the frustrations and the stress of everyday life activities. Challenges may come our way, unforseen events may veer our way bringing unanswered questions. But the surety of God’s word convinces us that whatever happens, in the end, God will prove Himself as God. And if God would always prove Himself to be God because of His sovereignty and might, then we cannot give up on prayer. Because prayer is the avenue through which we connect to heaven and heavenly provisions and supplies. Whatever prayer cannot change or do, does not exist because everything exists as a result of words equivalent to prayers. Let us not give up on prayers no matter what goes on around us.

Prayer_Bead: Loving Father, merciful God, thank you for the opportunity to commune with you through prayer. Help me to be steadfast in it.

#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.

[The Glory Unveiled]

But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. ( 1 Corinthians 12:18 )

Highly esteemed friend, you are well placed wherever you find yourself. It is difficult for many people to accept themselves for who they are and the physical attributes they have been created with. The thought and feeling of not being “beautiful” enough, tall enough, fair enough, or having enough of one thing or the other has created in many people a dislike for themselves. It has developed in them low self esteem, inferiority complex and timidity. Low self esteem has reduced well meaning dreams to just daydreams, turned mountain movers to very timid wind chasers. In the chapter for our meditation, the apostle Paul talks about the various ministries by comparing them to the parts of the human body and their respective roles and importance. He asserted that, every part of the body and their individual contribution amount to a wholistic body. And without one part of the body, the other parts are inadequate. It goes to mean that our worth and importance is tied to the supporting of other members in the body. As believers, our worth and importance is in our place of operation. We see our worth when we identify our position and role in the body of Christ. Irrespective of how small or seemingly insignificant it may be, it is that one thing that would make us confident and self-assured. So beloved, wherever you have been placed by God as a calling, is the best place you could be. Adam was placed in the garden of Eden as his place of domain. That was the best place he could have been. You have been placed well too in the body of Christ with your gifts, potentials, calling and visions. Many people depend on your gift and calling to fully function in theirs. Keep being awesome, love your gifts and calling.

Prayer_Bead: Lord Jesus, Head and sustainer of the body, thank you for the illumination through your Word. Help me by the Holy Spirit to love where I have been placed in you.

#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.