Moreover the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 'Jeremiah, what do you see?' And I said, 'I see a branch of an almond tree.' ~ Jeremiah 1:11 REFERENCE Jeremiah 1:4-12 Seeing is everything – the only time Jesus ministered to someone twice was a case where He wanted the person to receive his sight (ability to see). When your sight is dim, you make wrong choices, your progress is impeded, and you become fearful and uncertain of the future. Sure enough, the devil will like you to grope about blindly, unable to make a headway in...
Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? ~ Matthew 6:27 REFERENCE Matthew 6:25-34 The fact that Jesus repeats over and again that believers should not worry in this passage, shows how important He considers the issue. So many of you reading this devotional would have heard this same message severally; however it is worth reiterating because many still labor under the influence of ‘worry’. Worry plagues your mind with questions you don’t have answers to. Asking you… HOW? WHEN? WHERE? WHAT? all in an attempt to put you in an uncomfortable position and...
May He remember all your offerings, and accept your burnt sacrifice. - Psalm 20:3 REFERENCE Psalm 20:1-5 One of the Hebrew names of God is ‘Jehovah G’molah’ – the God of recompense and reward. He doesn’t forget like man does (Isaiah 49:15). He is the administrator of seed time, harvest and due season. He makes sure every seed sown bears an appropriate and befitting harvest. He does not only reward financially; He will also reward your decision to serve Him, just like He rewarded Daniel’s decision not to defile himself, and Moses’ decision to forsake the pleasures of...
For instance, there was Joseph, the one the apostles nicknamed Barnabas (which means “Son of Encouragement) -Acts 4:36b (NLT) REFERENCE Acts 4: 32-37; 9:26-28 & 11:22-26 How does it feel to get an award or to be rewarded for something you have done well? How does it feel to be recognized for every effort you put into doing the right thing? How will you feel if every day, everybody around you said good things to you? Today, we live in a world where everybody tends to be harsh; finances are hard, everybody seems so stressed up and they...
For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: There will always be flour and olive oil left in your containers until the time when the Lord sends rain and the crops grow again! – I Kings 17:14 (NLT) REFERENCE I Kings 17: 8-16. Faith is the ability to take risks, based on God’s Word, being fully convinced that the outcome is positive, even when the facts don’t say so. It is taking a bet on God’s ability to make the impossible possible, the invisible visible, etc. Despite the fact that all that this widow had...
Which having no captain, overseer or ruler, provides her supplies in the summer, and gathers her food in the harvest. – Proverbs 6:7-8 REFERENCE Proverbs 6:6-11 Ants are endowed with relentlessness, – the ability to keep going despite the odds. Ants do not have overseers and captains but they are self-starters, self-disciplined, self-motivated and they get done what needs to be done. One of the most damaging traits that subverts and impedes the progress of people is dependency on others; it is a major problem when you can’t do what needs to be done without supervision. We live...
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. ~ Psalm 23:1 REFERENCE Psalm 23:1-6 David, being a shepherd himself, understood what it meant to take care of sheep. He used the shepherd/sheep illustration to tell of God’s goodness to us in this Psalm. Important truths to note about this psalm: 1. God is concerned about your well being and wants to be Jehovah JIREH (Provider) to you. He does not want you to suffer any lack; He seeks your satisfaction. 2. God is a Good Shepherd who does not want you running around in life without achieving...
And many of the Samaritans of that city believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified, 'He told me all that I ever did.' - John 4:39 REFERENCE John 4:5-30,39 Today’s passage introduces us to a woman who may have been suffering from low self esteem, rejection, and shame. She has not had very good experiences in her relationships with the opposite sex. The fact that she went to the well in the hot oriental afternoon (when most people reclined in the shade of their homes), lends credence to the theory that she was avoiding...
But those who wait on the Lord Shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint. - Isaiah 40:31 REFERENCE Isaiah 40:28-31 Most times, when we pray and see immediate results, we testify and glorify God. But when we have to wait for results, we become frazzled. Waiting can be perplexing and can get you to a place of discouragement. However, waiting is part of life, so we have to learn the art of it. The word ‘wait’ in our text is...
So when Jesus came, He found that he had already been in the tomb four days. - John 11:17 REFERENCE John 11:11-26, 43-44 Death is defined as the cessation of life; it connotes an end to something, finality, and most times, a hopeless situation. However, for a believer, death does not always mean you have come to the end of a matter, because we have Jesus, our Resurrection and Life. He restores, and makes alive that which was dead, as can be seen in Lazarus’ case. Two key phrases in this verse are JESUS CAME and FOUR DAYS....