Friday, February 26, 2016

HYMN: JESUS, LOVER OF MY SOUL

FEB. 28TH.

MEMORY VERSE: The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in Him (Nahum 1:17)
TEXT: Psalm 37:39, 40;2 Corinthians 1:3-7; Revelation 7:17
The universal recognition of a personal dependence upon the infinite God has no doubt made this appealing hymn the best love of the more than 6500 texts of Charles Wesley. Written shortly after Charles’ “heart-warming” experiences at the Adlersgate Hall in London in 1738, this text has since brought comfort and inspiration to countless numbers during “the storms of life.”
The simple yet vivid language of this hymn gives it a special quality. Some have called it the “finest heart-hymn in the English language. Also the exaltation of Christ is truly noteworth in such picturesque terms as “lover,” “healer,” “fountain,” “wing,” and pilot.” But possible the greatest appeal of these lines is the assurance they give of Christ’s consolation and protection through all of life and then for eternity.
There is no authenticated information as to what particular situation caused Wesley to write this text. A frightening storm at sea that he experienced while also has been mentioned of a bird flying into Charles’ cabin for safety, while another incident is given of his hiding under a hedge after an attack by an angry mob opposing his ministry. Still others see this text as a picture of Wesley’s own life as a young man as he struggled to find his peace with God before his dramatic Aldersgate conversion experience. How important it is that we learn the truth taught in these words!
Jesus, lover of my soul, let me to thy bosom fly. While the nearer waters roll, while the tempest still is high! Hide me, O my savior, hide – till the storm of life is past; safe into the haven guide. O received my soul at last!
Other refuge have I none – hangs my helpless soul on thee. Leave, ah, leave me not alone; still support and comfort me! All my trust on thee is stayed – all my help from thee I bring. Cover my defenseless head with the shadow of thy wing.
Thou, O Christ, art all I want, more than all in thee I find. Raise the fallen, cheer the faint, heal the sick and lead the blind just and holy is thy name – I am all unrighteousness; false and full of sin I am; thou art full of truth and grace.
Plenteous grace with thee is found, grace to cover all my sin; let the healing streams abound; make and keep me pure within. Thou of life the fountain art – freely let me take of thee; spring thou up within my heart; rise to all eternity.

KEY POINT: Remember to fly to Christ for refuge whenever the “storm of life” becomes overwhelming. He alone is our refuge and the one true foundation of life. “AMAZING GRACE; 366 INSPIRING HYMN STORIES FOR DAILY DEVOTION”

THE GLORY REALM

FEB. 27TH.

TEXT: Psalm 8:1-9King James Version (KJV)
8 O Lord, our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens.
2 Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.
3 When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained;
4 What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?
5 For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour.
6 Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet:
7 All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field;
8 The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas.
9 O Lord our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!

The natural realm is only a starting point; there is more in the realm of the spirit.

CONTEMPLATION
When man was created, he was born into a realm of glory. It was a realm of divine intimacy with the Father. It was a realm that made him the envy of the angelic beings. Though he was on earth, he was beyond mere mortal because he was made in the image of the immortal; though clothed with flesh made from earth.
He walked in the realm of glory until iniquity was found in him, that was when he lost the covering glory of God. The absence of the glory became the beginning of nakedness, shame, and misery (see Genesis 3:7, Romans 3:23 and Revelation 3:17).
He who was born immortal now has to taste the cruel sting of death (Rom 3:23) and this was how the cry for a redeemer (one who will pay the debt and help restore man back to the place of glory) began.
The greatest need of our souls is the need to return back to the realm of glory. Many are busy chasing after money, fame, prestige and other frivolities of life, thereby settling for the shadow instead of the substance.
The realm of glory is the place we truly belong. Any life outside the realm of glory is nothing but a fish outside water. True satisfaction in life comes from being where God expects you to be; fulfilling His agenda for your soul (see Proverbs 32:8).
It is very possible to succeed in your personal pursuit only to fail in the ultimate goal of life. It is possible for our individual visions to be interwoven, but it is an error to devote your life to helping others fulfill their dreams while yours is unattended to (SS 1:6).
Every man must diligently bear his own burden (Galatians 6:4-5 Philippians 2:13 “Work out your salvation…” Amplified version).
PRACTICAL ISSUES
There is a place where the law of sickness and death cannot operate. It is a place where darkness has no power to dominate. It is a place of unusual divine insight and sensitivity. It is the place of divine intimacy where the voice of God provides for you divine leading and guidance. It is the glory realm. Where are you?
The glory realm is the place of eternal bliss and confidence. This is the place where sin cannot molest. It is the place of divine intimacy and contentment.
Take out your writing material and begin to record your journey from this moment and you will be amazed the progress you would have recorded at the end.

Thursday, February 25, 2016

THE GLORY OF GOD’S PRESENCE (PART 7)

FEB. 26TH

TEXT: Numbers 11:25 and 1 Samuel 10:9-11Amplified Bible (AMP)
25 Then the Lord came down in the cloud and spoke to him; and He took some of the Spirit who was upon Moses and put Him upon the seventy elders. When the Spirit rested upon them, they prophesied [praising God and declaring His will], but they did not do it again.

1 Samuel 10:9-11Amplified Bible (AMP)
9 Then it happened when Saul turned his back to leave Samuel, God changed his heart; and all those signs came to pass that day. 10 When they came to the hill [Gibeah], behold, a group of prophets met him; and the Spirit of God came on him mightily, and he prophesied [under divine guidance] among them. 11 Now when all who knew Saul previously saw that he actually prophesied now [by inspiration] with the prophets, the people said one to another, “What has happened to [Saul, who is nobody but] the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?”

There are realms of glory to which only those who have been called and selected by God can access. In the book of Revelation chapter 4, when John saw the heavens open, he was unable to partake in that realm of glory until he heard the call asking him to come up. This is worship reserved for only those who are invited to partake in this dimension of glory. The word of God tells us that when John responded to this call, he was only able to do so in his spirit. He went in his spirit. Not all can access this realm of worship. In Numbers 11:25, we were told that Eldad and Medad were not at the tent of meeting but yet they prophesied. How is this possible? When God told Moses to select those who were to partake in this divine dialogue, both of them were chosen. But for some reason that the Bible did not tell us, they could not make it to the place of meeting, but because they were chosen to be part of the divine dialogue, when the grace to function was released on the 70, they got their own portion.
Like in the case of these guys, when you are selected by heaven to share or walk in a particular dimension of glory, things will begin to work in your favor. When Saul walked into the midst of the prophets, because he was already anointed by the prophet Samuel, several things began to fall in place for him. The glory of God came on him and he began to prophesy. For everyone who dwells in the place of deep and intimate fellowship with God, as you progress in your walk with the Lord, the day will come when you will be ushered into a greater dimension of glory. Psalm 42:7 tells us so. God deeper with God and as you do, certain things will begin to work in your favor. Shalom!

GLORY REALM DEVOTIONAL BY REV. IGHO L. Y.

Wednesday, February 24, 2016

THE GLORY OF GOD’S PRESENCE (PART 6)

FEB. 25TH
TEXT: Numbers 11:25 and 1 Samuel 10:9-11King James Version (KJV).
25 And the Lord came down in a cloud, and spake unto him, and took of the spirit that was upon him, and gave it unto the seventy elders: and it came to pass, that, when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied, and did not cease.

1 Samuel 10:9-11King James Version (KJV)
9 And it was so, that when he had turned his back to go from Samuel, God gave him another heart: and all those signs came to pass that day.
10 And when they came thither to the hill, behold, a company of prophets met him; and the Spirit of God came upon him, and he prophesied among them.
11 And it came to pass, when all that knew him beforetime saw that, behold, he prophesied among the prophets, then the people said one to another, What is this that is come unto the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?

The problem with most us is that we have not been able to tell the difference between a mere religious gathering and a place of divine encounter. Neither have we been able to tell the difference between a fortune telling and a prophesy. 1 Corinthians 14 tells us what true prophesy will do when you hear one. Whatever does not edify, exhort or comfort you is not the prophesy the scripture speaks of.
When someone is in the place of true worship, edification, exhortation and comfort are not hard to come by. If you went in there troubled, suddenly your eyes become enlightened by the glory in His presence and you begin to see and hear divine solutions.
In a worship service, you can tell when God is speaking and giving you divine ideas. When the praise and worship in a service stops, it does not necessarily mean the end of the move of God. Those who are sensitive and open to the divine dialogue will still hear and see by the help of the Holy Spirit.
In the Old Testament, the people did not have the privilege of having the Spirit of God living in them, He only came upon them, yet, they had such outstanding results. But since we have the Spirit in us, we should produce more results than they did. We must go beyond speaking dry tongues, making empty noises without results. Walk in power and glory, and glorious results will follow. God bless you.

Tuesday, February 23, 2016

THE GLORY OF GOD’S PRESENCE (PART 5)

FEB. 24TH

TEXT: Numbers 11:25 and 1 Samuel 10:9-11King James Version (KJV).
25 And the Lord came down in a cloud, and spake unto him, and took of the spirit that was upon him, and gave it unto the seventy elders: and it came to pass, that, when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied, and did not cease.

There is a supernatural dimension to worship that is expected to be the norm when we worship, but it is unfortunate that this is scarce to find these days. We see mega churches with sophisticated equipments worth millions of dollars, but the worship is devoid of the power and glory of God. They are more like a religious theatre than a place of divine encounter. Whatever is only capable of amusing your soul but not capable of captivating your spirit with the power and presence of God, is only an amusement park.
In the days of trouble, you do not need an amusement park, you need a place where you can hear, “Thus saith, the Lord.” This life is full of many unpredictable twists and turns, you cannot afford to be careless. Get yourself into a place where you can be truly intimate with God so you can hear and encounter Him for yourself.
If we are truly in His presence, there will be manifestations that we cannot explain ourselves. Whenever we truly worship, we experience a reverential awe that leaves in us a consciousness of the presence of God. How often do you encounter such power and glory? Do something serious about your walk with God today. Shalom!

GLORY REALM DEVOTIONAL BY REV. IGHO L. Y.

Monday, February 22, 2016

THE GLORY OF GOD’S PRESENCE (PART 4).

FEB. 23RD.

When God took from the spirit upon Moses and imparted on the seventy, the power of God came upon them and they were beside themselves. But the Bible says that was the only time they prophesied. When somebody prophesied in the Old Testament, it was because they stepped into the presence of the Lord and the Spirit of God overwhelmed them. Another example is the case of Saul in 1 Sam. 10:9-11(Read the passage).
From this passage, it became obvious that even in the Old Testament, when people encounter the glory of God, they are not themselves. Saul walked into the worship arena of God’s prophets and he was never the same. There is something about worship from passionate worshippers who are intimate with God. This is one reason behind the scripture, “God inhabits the praises of His people.” These prophets of old worshipped from their hearts, and as they did, suddenly, the presence of God came so strong that when Saul walked into their midst, he too was taken. The presence of God overwhelmed them and they began to prophesy. This sort of manifestation makes me wonder; with all the noise we hear today, there seems to be nothing extraordinary happening.
Beloved, please don’t settle for oratory and empty boasts, when you can truly encounter the glory of God. There is more to worship than the present empty packaging with a form of godliness, but lacking the power of God. Go after the glory and you shall encounter God like never before.

GLORY REALM DEVOTIONAL BY REV. IGHO L. Y.

Sunday, February 21, 2016

THE GLORY OF GOD’S PRESENCE (PART 3).

FEB. 22ND.

TEXT: Numbers 11:25King James Version (KJV)
25 And the Lord came down in a cloud, and spake unto him, and took of the spirit that was upon him, and gave it unto the seventy elders: and it came to pass, that, when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied, and did not cease.

The glory of God’s presence is the place where you let God take control for your soul to be overwhelmed in power and glory. Until you yield your will to the Lord, you cannot encounter the glory of His presence.
God can only take control of a life that is under His control and this is only possible when you willingly let Him have his way. Those who want to always be in control, lock themselves away from the glory realm.
No one who claims to be a servant of God operating by his intellect can encounter this glory. Those who are more sensual than spiritual hardly have supernatural manifestations in their lives and ministry. It is only by the help of the Spirit that we get divine results.
When a man comes before God in simple trust, his eyes are opened to see beyond his natural abilities by the power of the Holy Spirit. When something is happening around him, he can see and read between the lines. The divine communion he has with God reveals to him much more than his intellect can comprehend.
The Holy Spirit does not deal with us on the surface, but He knows and reveals the depths to us. So, except a man is having a deep walk with God, he cannot see into the realm of the spirit (Psalm 42:7). God has more in store for you, don’t stop far from the glory of His presence. God bless you.

Saturday, February 20, 2016

HYMN - IMMORTAL LOVE – FOREVER FULL

FEB. 21ST.
Memory Verse: To know this love that surpasses knowledge filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. (Ephesians 3:19)

TEXT: John 15:9; Ephesians 3:1, 19; 1 John 3:1; Revelation 1:5, 6.

Love is silence – when your words would hurt.
Love is patience – when your neighbour’s curt.
Love is deafness – when a scandal flows
Love is thoughtfulness – when for others’ woes
Love is promptness – when stern duty calls
Love is courage – when misfortune falls.
The bible teaches that the three cardinal virtues of the Christian life are faith, hope, love, with love as the greatest (1 Corinthians 13:13). These virtues in a person’s life are the most convincing evidences of a personal relationship with Christ. True faith must always lead to a life of love for God and others. It also gives purpose for this life and the glorious hope of spending eternity with our King of Love. Our love relationship with others should be characterized as sacrificial, sensitive, and sharing. We should relate to people even as Jesus did. He loved individuals simply for themselves and accepted them at the place of their personal need.
In 1867 John Greenleaf Whittier, a Quaker and recognized as one of America’s finest poets, wrote a 38 stanza poem title “Our Master.” This hymn text with its emphasis upon the constancy of God’s immortal love was taken from that poem it was Whittier who once stated “a good hymn is the best use to which poetry can be directed”. The musical setting my William V. Wallace, a Scottish violinist and composer, was adapted from a longer love song, “Waft, ye Winds,” written by Wallace in 1856.
Immortal love – forever full, forever flowing free, forever shared, forever whole, a never ebbing sea!
We may not climb the heav’nly steeps to bring the Lord Christ down; in vain we search the lowest deeps, for Him, no depths can drown.
But warm, sweet, tender, even yet a present help is He; and faith has still its life’s throne and press, and we are whole again.
Thru him the first found prayers are said our lips of childhood frame; the last low whispers of our dead are burdened with His name. O Lord and Master of us all, whatev’er our name or sing, we own thy sway, we hear thy call, we test our lives by thine! ACTION

POINT: Reflect on the constancy of our Lord’s immortal love as you meditate on this thoughtful hymn text. “AMAZING GRACE; 366 INSPIRING HYMN STORIES FOR DAILY DEVOTION”

Friday, February 19, 2016

THE GLORY OF GOD’S PRESENCE (PART 2)

FEB. 20TH.
TEXT: Numbers 11:25King James Version (KJV)
25 And the Lord came down in a cloud, and spake unto him, and took of the spirit that was upon him, and gave it unto the seventy elders: and it came to pass, that, when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied, and did not cease.

Those who always want to be in control never get to encounter the true glory in the presence of God. Those who truly love God and are hungry for more of His presence, are not afraid to lose control in His presence. They trust God so much that they are willing to easily give Him control.
It is unfortunate that like these seventy elders, many have only been able to encounter such experience only once and that is it. It was once in a life time experience for them because they were not able to position themselves to encounter a greater dimension of the power and glory of God. They were overwhelmed in this encounter because they encountered a higher dimension of God. After this meeting, that was it and this is the reason why there was nothing spectacular said of them afterwards.
If you find out that since your last glorious encounter with God nothing new has happened, start praying. The truth is that this is not meant to be once in a life time experience for anyone. The Lord desires to reveal greater dimensions of His power and glory to us again and again, but only few are willing to give Him control. Go after God like you did at first, and you will be amazed the dimensions of glory that will be opened unto you. Don’t stop where you are, go after God and you will see greater dimension of His power and glory.
Shalom!

GLORY REALM DEVOTIONAL BY REV. IGHO L. Y.

Thursday, February 18, 2016

THE GLORY OF GOD’S PRESENCE (PART 1)

FEB. 19^TH.

TEXT: Numbers 11:25 King James Version (KJV)

²⁵And the Lord came down in a cloud, and spake unto him, and took of the spirit that was upon him, and gave it unto the seventy elders: and it came to pass, that, when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied, and did not cease.

If you come into God’s presence with a shallow mind or just for the sake of coming, you will miss the glory that comes from His presence. There are depths of revelation God desires to show to us, but many of us are not ready.

When God took from the spirit upon Moses, and released same on the seventy elders, the power of God came so mightily upon them, and they began to prophesy.

This prophecy is not what most people think. When you read verse 25 from the Amplified version, it gives us a clearer picture of the prophecy we are talking about. The Amplified version explains this word as, “sounding forth the praises of God and declaring His will”. When the glory of God came upon the seventy elders, they became intoxicated; drunk with the glory and presence of God.

When a man is drunk with wine, he speaks and acts under the influence of alcohol to glorify the devil, but when a man is drunk with the Holy Ghost, he speaks and acts under the influence of the Holy Spirit to glorify God. This is the reason why when these men were under the power of the Spirit, they started by praising God and in the process, began to declare His will. This is the Amplified version explanation for the word “prophecy” (sounding forth the praises of God and declaring His will).

If you really want to be overwhelmed with the glory of God, then spend quality time in His presence through sweet fellowship. Worship in songs and the word, and watch what happens.

A drunkard is a drunkard because he spends his time and money on wine. If you desire to walk in God’s glory, then spend quality time in His presence. That is why the word of God in Ephesian 5:18 tells us not to be drunk with wine wherein in excess, but that we should be filled with the Holy Spirit.

If your life is sad, dry and empty, it is because you are not spending quality time with the Holy Spirit. Look for the things and the place that the Holy Spirit can be identified with, dwell on them and you will be amazed the glory that will saturate your soul.

Your life can be much more glorious than what it is right now. All you need to do is to go after God with all your heart, and I promise you, you will never remain the same. God bless you as you obey. Shalom!

GLORY REALM DEVOTIONAL BY REV. IGHO L. Y.

Wednesday, February 17, 2016

ACCESS TO SUPERNATURAL LIFTING (PART 7)

FEB. 18TH.

TEXT: Numbers 11:16-17, 25-26King James Version (KJV)
16 And the Lord said unto Moses, Gather unto me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom thou knowest to be the elders of the people, and officers over them; and bring them unto the tabernacle of the congregation, that they may stand there with thee.
17 And I will come down and talk with thee there: and I will take of the spirit which is upon thee, and will put it upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with thee, that thou bear it not thyself alone.
Numbers 11:25-26King James Version (KJV)
25 And the Lord came down in a cloud, and spake unto him, and took of the spirit that was upon him, and gave it unto the seventy elders: and it came to pass, that, when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied, and did not cease.
26 But there remained two of the men in the camp, the name of the one was Eldad, and the name of the other Medad: and the spirit rested upon them; and they were of them that were written, but went not out unto the tabernacle: and they prophesied in the camp.

From our study so far, you will understand that when the elders connected into the realm where God communed with Moses, they went beyond just being present in the meeting, to drinking from the source that Moses drank from.
This became possible because when Moses went into the tent of meeting, the pillar of cloud would descend by the door and the people would watch from afar at their tent door. All some people saw was a cinema, it was like a theatre for them, but the scripture says Joshua was in the tent with Moses and departed not from the tabernacle. As Moses would commune with God, Joshua was connecting and soaking into the glory. That is why it is not surprising that when it was time for someone to succeed Moses, Joshua was chosen.
When Joshua connected into the conversation between Moses and God, he was drinking from the fountain that Moses was drinking from. As he tarried where Moses was, the anointing on Moses rubbed off on him. So, it became natural for him to give a good report when he and the spies came from Jericho, because he always would hear the word of God (Rom. 10:17). When somebody has a connection to the communion that takes place between God’s servant and God, he sets himself in a place where he cannot but be used by God.

GLORY REALM DEVOTIONAL BY REV. IGHO L. Y.

Tuesday, February 16, 2016

ACCESS TO SUPERNATURAL LIFTING (PART 6)

FEB. 17TH

Today, we continue on our topic “Access To Supernatural Lifting.” In our previous studies, we talked about the importance of serving others and your personal intimacy with God, being serious factors that can work in your favour, as found in the Scriptures about the 70 leaders chosen work with Moses.
As we continue today, I want you to realize that in addition to being obedient in following the leading of God for our lives by spending quality time in His presence and serving others, it has to make it clear where the lifting is coming from. The Lord made sure that what was imparted upon them was of the same spirit and calling upon Moses.
It had to be the same spirit upon Moses, or else, there will be so much conflict of interest.
God is not the author of confusion. It was important that those who were to help Moses bear the burden of the work had the same spirit of the work. When people have a different spirit from that which is of the work, they will not be able to work with the same passion or go in the same direction. Eventually there will be problems which will make the vision suffer serious setbacks.

Monday, February 15, 2016

ACCESS TO SUPERNATURAL LIFTING (PART 5).

FEB. 16TH

Today, we continue on our topic “Access To Supernatural Lifting.” In our previous studies, we concluded that part of the reason the 70 leaders chosen by Moses were given supernatural lifting was because they were individuals who were already active in their service to their community. I made it clear that if you desire true lifting in life, then you must look for opportunities to serve. Jesus said,
“If you want to be great in God’s kingdom, learn to be the servant of all.” Therefore, if you really want to lead, you must be willing to serve.
Another thing important to note from our text, is the fact that these 70 leaders that were chosen for the higher assignment, were people who were not far from the presence of God. Just before they were given this uncommon lifting, they were first introduced into the divine dialogue that was ongoing between Moses and the Lord. It was as they were in the place of divine communion that they got their supernatural lifting. So many people want to do great exploits for God, but they do not want to spend time in intimate communion with God.
The man that is estranged from the presence of God will not be able to find divine guidance for the people he is leading. Whoever seeks divine lifting must first become acquainted with God. Job 22:21-30 says, “Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace: thereby good shall come unto thee.”
God has some great and awesome plans for you, open your heart to Him, follow His ways and you will be amazed what He will do with your life. God bless you.

Sunday, February 14, 2016

ACCESS TO SUPERNATURAL LIFTING (PART 4)

FEB. 15TH

TEXT: Numbers 11:16-17, 25-26King James Version (KJV)

16 And the Lord said unto Moses, Gather unto me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom thou knowest to be the elders of the people, and officers over them; and bring them unto the tabernacle of the congregation, that they may stand there with thee.
17 And I will come down and talk with thee there: and I will take of the spirit which is upon thee, and will put it upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with thee, that thou bear it not thyself alone.
Numbers 11:25-26King James Version (KJV)
25 And the Lord came down in a cloud, and spake unto him, and took of the spirit that was upon him, and gave it unto the seventy elders: and it came to pass, that, when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied, and did not cease.
26 But there remained two of the men in the camp, the name of the one was Eldad, and the name of the other Medad: and the spirit rested upon them; and they were of them that were written, but went not out unto the tabernacle: and they prophesied in the camp.

Today, I want you to know that God has a glorious plan for your life. No matter what you are going through right now, please don’t give up. As you open your heart to Jesus today, you will encounter Him in the most unusual way.
Today is your day for a supernatural lifting. When God decided to raise up leaders to help bear the burden of the work with Moses, to some of the 70 that were chosen, that day was just like any other day. They thought they were just going for yet another meeting with Moses, but it became the day they will never ever forget in their lives.
Sometimes, all we need to do to have a supernatural lifting in life, is to have a heart that is willing and obedient. According to Isaiah 1:19, if we are willing and obedient, we shall eat the good of the land. And this is where a number of people miss it because they try to be too smart. It is obvious that these men were chosen because they were people who have given themselves to serving the purpose of God in the lives of others. Unlike many who would want to avoid taking up the responsibility to help make things work for others, these guys served till they were appointed to lead. If you desire supernatural lifting in your life, then look for ways to serve the purpose of God. Many people are ambitious to occupy important positions but they don’t want to serve. Well, they may get it through other natural means, but if you desire God to lift you, then you have to do something to get His attention. When God decides to lift a man, something very unusual will happen that will amaze everyone. Do something to make God be your promoter today. God bless you.

Friday, February 12, 2016

HYMN - DEAR LORD AND FATHER OF MANKIND.

FEB. 14TH.

Memory Verse: In repentance and rest is your salvation; in quietness and trust is your strength(Isaiah 30:15)

TEXT: MARK 1:16-20; Ephesians 4:6; 2 TIMOTHY 1:9; 1 Peter 2:9

So often in our modern lives we attach our problems with frantic and hurried activity, creating unnecessary stress for ourselves. We easily forget that our heavenly father can assist us in meeting our daily challenges with serenity and calm assurance. We need the quiet confidence in God and a peaceful resting in his eternal love that is reflected in this beautiful text by John Green leaf Whittier, “America’s beloved Quaker poet.” Whittier’s poetic lines remind us of this so clearly, admonishing us to listen carefully for God’s still small voice of calm” in the midst of all of life’s turbulence.

Whittier was a good example of quiet godly life in his speech, dress, and writings. It has been said that he “left upon our literature the stamp of genius and upon our religion the touch of sanity.”

“A good hymn is the best use to which poetry can be devoted, though I do not claim to have succeeded in writing one,” wrote Whittier. Hymnal editors, however, have collected and edited enough of his poems to make seventy-five hymns.

Dear Lord and father of mankind, forgive our fev’rish ways! Reclothe us in our rightful mind; in purer lives thy service find, in deeper rev’rence, praise.

In simple trust like theirs who heard, besides the Syrian sea, the gracious calling of the Lord, let us, like them, without a word rise up and follow thee. Drop Thy still dews of quietness till all our strivings cease; take from our souls the strain and stress, and let our ordered lives confess the beauty of they peace.

Breathe thru the hearts of our desires thy coolness and thy balm; let sense be dumb, let flesh retire; speak thru the earthquake, wind and fire, O still small voice of calm.

PRAYER POINT: “Lord, grant to me a quiet mind, that trusting Thee……for Thou art kind…… I may go on without a fear, for Thou, my Lord art always near.”
“AMAZING GRACE; 366 INSPIRING HYMN STORIES FOR DAILY DEVOTION”

ACCESS TO SUPERNATURAL LIFTING (PART 3)

FEB. 13^TH.

TEXT: Numbers 11:16-17, 25-26 King James Version (KJV)

¹⁶And the Lord said unto Moses, Gather unto me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom thou knowest to be the elders of the people, and officers over them; and bring them unto the tabernacle of the congregation, that they may stand there with thee.

¹⁷And I will come down and talk with thee there: and I will take of the spirit which is upon thee, and will put it upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with thee, that thou bear it not thyself alone.

Numbers 11:25-26 King James Version (KJV)

²⁶But there remained two of the men in the camp, the name of the one was Eldad, and the name of the other Medad: and the spirit rested upon them; and they were of them that were written, but went not out unto the tabernacle: and they prophesied in the camp.

There are several ways we can position ourselves to gain access to supernatural lifting. Some times, by associating with or serving under someone who is graced with outstanding access to God can activate for us supernatural lifting. As an individual, I have not yet met the likes of Benny Hinn and Billy Graham in flesh and blood, but by my years of continual fellowship with them through their materials, I have experienced some of the graces upon their lives and ministry.

In Numbers 11, God told Moses to bring the leaders into the tent of meeting and as they watched and heard God commune with Moses, He took from the spirit that was on Moses and released it upon them. Please note that the scripture tells us that God took from the spirit that was upon Moses. It does not say that God gave them His Spirit. That would have been with the capital letter “S” for spirit but that was not the case. It is very important that God took from the spirit that was on Moses because that speaks of the spirit and grace of that work. If it was not the same as was on Moses, then they would not have the same vision and passion or go in the same direction, and that would have caused some strife. When someone with the spirit or calling into the ministry of music, has some body with the spirit or calling of deliverance prayer that is very passionate about fulfilling his call, somehow, somewhere, they will begin to have some problems.

Many of the time, when people join a work, they do not take time to understand the spirit of the work, and such persons, if they are not given the right orientation will soon become a concern. This is also applicable in various aspects of life. Whatever you want to spend significant portion of your life in, must be in line with your life’s purpose and calling. You are destined to fulfill certain divine agenda in life, but if you end up in the wrong place, you will become a problem to the people there and they will become a problem to you. Be double sure the spirit you identify with.

Wednesday, February 10, 2016

ACCESS TO SUPERNATURAL LIFTING (PART 2).

FEB. 12^TH.

TEXT: Hebrews 12:22-24 King James Version (KJV)

²²But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,

²³To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,

²⁴And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.

There is no place like being in the presence of God magnifying His name. I have seen the power and glory of God in the most unusual way. I discovered that this often happens when we delibrately magnify God with singing from the depths of our hearts. Each time we magnify something, we actually make room for it to become bigger, conspicuous and very great. When you use a magnifying lens, you see clearer; it gives you the ability to see beyond your natural ability. When you magnify God as Emmanuel, you magnify His name that speaks of His presence and by so doing, you create up an atmosphere that stirs up the glory of His presence. Suddenly, a manifestation of glory greater than you have ever imagine follows. The Kabod of His presence fills the place and this is when people begin to cry out to God. This is when the power of the Lord is made manifest to heal the sick and set the afflicted free.

It is very frustrating when you do not know if God is with you.

Whenever it seem as though we are estranged from God’s presence, it is often because we are not passionate enough to look for it.

People can be present in a worship service, but never get into the presence of God. They never get to be a part of the meeting; they never get to enjoy access into the awesome glory. Never be a part of a meeting without partaking of the glory meant for that meeting. Those who worship God with their spirit become a part of the divine dialogue that empowers a soul to go ahead of those who are alien to this divine communion.

The soul that is engaged in regular communion with God is miles ahead of others who function by their natural abilities.

ACCESS TO SUPERNATURAL LIFTING (PART 1).

FEB. 11^TH

TEXT: Hebrews 12:22-24King James Version (KJV)

²²But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,

²³To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,

²⁴And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.

Each time we walk into a moment of worship, something out of the ordinary happens. According to the writer of the book of Hebrews, when we step into the presence of God, something amazing happens. At such moments we actually stepped into the gathering of innumerable company of angels, the spirit of just men made perfect, where there is a cloud of glory. Not many of us are conscious of this awesome reality, and this is one reason why we trivialize moments of worship.

Except you are hungry and desperate for the presence of God you are likely to cut yourself off the glory. The man who will have access to God’s glory, is the one who is passionate about dying to the flesh.

Many people get distracted by the pleasures of the flesh and the opinion of others, but the soul that is desperate after God is not moved by what people say or do. His hunger is strong enough to propel him to overcome every challenge. Any man who is truly desperate for God makes a progressive journey in perceiving and becoming more acquainted with God. But the man who is still passionate in the things of the flesh cannot find the glory God. Romans 8:7 tells us that those that are in the flesh cannot please God.

Only those who seek for the presence and glory of God with every passion of their being are able to access the power and glory of God.

The glory realm is only open to those whose hearts are open to God. If you want to enter His glory, you must decide to go beyond the ordinary level where most people stop. You can truly know and walk in the power of God, but you must be ready to pay the price. Go after God with all your heart and you will be amazed the glory that will follow. Shalom!

Saturday, February 6, 2016

CALL YOURSELF TO ORDER (PART 4)

FEB. 10^TH

TEXT: 1 John 5:4-5, 4:7-8King James Version (KJV)

⁴For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.

⁵Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?,

1 John 4:7-8King James Version (KJV)

⁷Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.

⁸He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.

A careful study of today’s scripture draws my attention to the biblical truth that it is not enough to speak and act spiritual. Love is a strong defining factor as clearly stated in the scripture for today.

Today’s scripture does not deal with whether you are spiritual or not, rather, that your love defines your spirituality. This love is not the cheap good face and men pleasing thing that people do by their wisdom to gain favour from others, but it is a divine ability to love both God and man. It takes God flowing out of a man for him to be able to love, because the ability to love is not in our fallen human nature. When a man who claims to be a Christian has difficulty in loving his neighbour, then there is a fundamental problem in his Christianity.

Our Bible text for today makes us understand that the fellow who loves is born of God and progressively knows and understands Him (amplified version). And this is where a lot of church folks need to call themselves to order. For the scripture goes on to tell us that he who does not love, has not been acquainted with and does not know God. The man who knows Him, experiences a progressive relationship and growth.

The more you get closer to Him, the more the darkness around you is dispelled, and the more the light of His glory is revealed in your live.

There is a glory stored up in this year for you and you must decide to enter into it. Do not let anyone or anything stop you from entering into His glory. Call yourself to order, and you will get to a point where people will begin to see God through you. The truth is that, getting to this point, requires a sincere walk with Him; cutting off from everything that is sensual. There is something God wants to accomplish through you, but walking by your sensuality will cut off His glory and plan for your life. Let God lead.

CALL YOURSELF TO ORDER (PART 3).

FEB. 9^TH

TEXT: 1 John 5:4-5, 4:7-8 King James Version (KJV)

⁴For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.

⁵Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?,

1 John 4:7-8 King James Version (KJV)

⁷Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.

⁸He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.

Only people who respect and obey divine laws and instructions are able to see the power and glory of God activated in their lives. Sometimes I wonder where the spirit with which some of us act comes from. Many christians who are out of order in their words and conduct still want to command respect with men and spirits. What is surprising to me is that they expect to command authority when what they do is not born, initiated, or stirred up by God. When the scripture says, “Whatever is born of God overcomes the world” it is not talking about a life that claims to be born again but out of order and cut off from the influence of the Holy Spirit. You cannot walk in strife and expect the glory of God to flow through your life. 1 John 4: 7-8, reveals to us that love is a key ingredient to walking in the presence, power and glory of God.

It takes God to love, because the ability to love is not in our human nature. When a man has difficulty in loving his neighbour, then there is a fundamental problem of identity. It is the presence of the Holy Spirit on your inside that gives you the ability to love the unloveable. So, even if you hate someone’s attitude, by His power, you can still love that person, because it is the love of Christ that constrains you according to 2 Corinthians 5.

When you truly love someone, if they are not living right, you can tell them the bitter truth to their face because you love them so much and do not want them to continue in unrighteous ways. Some of us believe that loving others implies making them feel good always because we do not want to hurt them, but this is wrong. Sometimes, tough love is needed and this is the real test of the love you claim to have for such fellow. If you have someone who claims to love you but is very careful not to hurt you when you are going astray, you are in trouble, because, it is a sign that you are not truly loved. The person who always wants to make you feel good, especially when you are doing something wrong, does not love you. The one who loves you will tell you straight on, yes they love to make you feel good, but when you are wrong, because of their love for you, they want to get you back in order. Only a wise person will have such rebuke and call himself/herself to order. What about you?

CALL YOURSELF TO ORDER (PART 2)

FEB. 8^TH

TEXT: Hebrews 3:1-4, 1 John 4:7-8 King James Version (KJV).

3 Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus;

²Who was faithful to him that appointed him, as also Moses was faithful in all his house.
³For this man was counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as he who hath builded the house hath more honour than the house.

⁴For every house is builded by some man; but he that built all things is God.

1 John 4:7-8 King James Version (KJV)

⁷Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.

⁸He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.

It is such a wonderful opportunity for us to come into the presence of God. His presence is beyond you and I. When you come into His presence, forget about all that happened prior to that moment so you can step into His glory and focus on Him. It is often the state of your heart not your appearance, position or title, that will grant you access to God’s presence. Remind yourself of the grace and the mercies of the Lord, so you do not attract dis-favour. Don’t let the blessings and opportunities of heaven upon your life become the reason why you forget to humble yourself. Stay focused and grateful always.

Another reason many are shut you out of God’s presence is unbelief, self condemnation and all kinds of guilt.

Beloved, it is important that when you have a shortcoming, you deal with it before the Lord, like 1 John 1:8-9 says. Once that is sincerely done, then do all you can to avoid your previous mistakes, and refuse to focus on any of your short comings. Appropriate your access to divine restoration through the forgiveness we have in our High priest, Jesus, who has opened for us the way into the presence of God.

Remember, we can come to the throne of grace to obtain mercy and find grace to help in times of need. I want to encourage you and let you know that you are so important to God, in spite of your short comings, weaknesses and inadequacies. But you must turn a new leave. Let there be true fruit of repentance in your life, and you will come to see that God has something glorious for you. Refuse to terminate your divine blessings with your own hands.

Do all you can to cherish the divine privilege you have in the midst of God’s people and don’t forget, others who trivialized such opportunity lost, it and many of such persons can only wish for an opportunity to undo their actions. Stay focused on heaven’s agenda for your life with every passion of your life. Refuse to be counted among the talebearers and the undiscerning, let love dominate your heart. Follow the advice of Paul the apostle, owe no man nothing, but to love. 1 John 4:7-8 says if you do not love, you do not know God for he who loves is born of God.

HYMN - BE STILL, MY SOUL

FEB. 7th

TEXT: Psalm 46:10 King James Version (KJV).

¹⁰Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.

Memory Verse: Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth. (Psalm 46:10)

Spiritual revivals throughout history had always been accompanied by an outburst of new song. This was especially true of the 16^th century reformation movement when, following centuries of dormancy during the middle Ages, Congregational singing was rediscovered. However, by the 17^th century the church was once more cold and non-evangelistic. Again God lit the fires of revival in the latter half of that century with a movement known as the Pietistic Revival in Germany, which was similar to the puritan and Weslegan movements in England. The Pietistic movement also gave birth to many rich German hymns one of which incorporates the contributions of three persons.

Katharina Von Schlegel was the outstanding woman of this revival movement little is known of her other than that she was a Lutheran and may have been the canoness of an evangelical women’s seminary in Germany. However, we do know that she contributed a number of lyrics to a collection of spiritual songs published in 1752.

Approximately 100 years after it was written, this hymn text was translated into English by Jane Borthwick, a scholar noted for her fine work in translating German texts. This hymn tune is an arrangement of one arrangement of one movement from Jane Sibelius’ “Finlandia. “Sibelius was Finland’s best – known composer, and his music is general characterized by a strong nationalistic fervor.

God has used the talents of these three individuals from different lands to provide His people with a hymn that teaches so well the biblical truth that we all need to relearn daily: “they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength……. “(Isaiah 40:31).

Be still, my soul – the Lord is on thy side! Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain; leave to thy god to order and provide – in ev’ry change He faithful will remain. Be still, my soul – thy best, they heav’nly friend thru thorny ways leads to a joyful end.

Be still, my soul – God doth undertake to guide the future as he has the past; thy hope, thy confidence let nothing shake – all now mysterious shall be bright at last. Be still, my soul – the waves and winds still know His voice who ruled them while He dwelt below.

“AMAZING GRACE; 366 INSPIRING HYMN STORIES FOR DAILY DEVOTION”

Wednesday, February 3, 2016

CALL YOURSELF TO ORDER (PART 1)

GLORY REALM DEVOTIONAL BY REV. IGHO L. Y.

FEB. 6^TH.

TEXT: Hebrews 3:1-4, 6-12, 16-19, 4:1-2 King James Version (KJV).

3 Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus;

⁴For every house is builded by some man; but he that built all things is God.

Hebrews 3:6-12King James Version (KJV)

⁶But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.
⁷Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice,
⁸Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness:
⁹When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years.
¹⁰Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in their heart; and they have not known my ways.
¹¹So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.)

¹²Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.

Hebrews 3:16-19King James Version (KJV)

¹⁶For some, when they had heard, did provoke: howbeit not all that came out of Egypt by Moses.
¹⁷But with whom was he grieved forty years? was it not with them that had sinned, whose carcases fell in the wilderness?
¹⁸And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not?

¹⁹So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.

Hebrews 4:1-2King James Version (KJV)

4 Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.

²For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.

When the children of Israel came out of Egypt, they danced and praised God with musical instruments and singing. But it did not take too long before they began to complain about everything, and soon, unimaginable disobedience followed. It is so unfortunate that we easily forget the faithfulness and mercies of God. Many like the children of Israel, quickly forget where God took them from. It is amazing how people will beg for an opportunity today with sugar-coated words, only to end up abusing the privilege tomorrow. The man who came in very humble and respectful suddenly begins to speak and act with insolence and lack of respect. After the mighty deliverance and the parting of the Red Sea, Heb. 3:9 says the children of Israel tested God even after they saw His works for forty years, and He stood their test.

If miracles alone account for transformation and maturity, the children of Israel would have been transformed more than any other people on the face of the earth. They saw the hand of God; His glory and power, yet they missed it. They were not able to enter the rest of God because their unbelief and rebellion shut them out of His glory. May you not be shut out of God’s grace. Heb. 4:1-2 makes us see that it is important to take advantage of the promises of God while we still have the opportunity. The year is still early and young for you to make amends, you can still do something to make you qualify for power and glory. Act now before it is too late!