GOD IS GOD PT. 2

JULY 9^TH

TEXT: Matthew 20:6-16 (KJV)
⁶  And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle?
⁷  They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive.
⁸  So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the labourers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first.
⁹  And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny.
¹⁰  But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny.
¹¹  And when they had received it, they murmured against the goodman of the house,
¹²   Saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day.
¹³  But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny?
¹⁴  Take that thine is, and go thy way: I will give unto this last, even as unto thee.
¹⁵   Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good?
¹⁶  So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.

Life is a personal race with a divine purpose and graces assigned to every man. It is distraction and waste of time to focus on someone else. In every given assignment we must learn to be content with the will of God for our lives. The Lord has the exclusive right to involve us or any other person. Most of us seem not to be troubled when others are assigned to help make our work easy until the moment of benefit or reward comes. Why do we get angry when others are being blessed just like us? It may be true that it took you ten years before you got a car but it doesn’t follow that the other person have to wait for ten years. If we have the Spirit of God, we would not be angry with the progress of others. When we are envious we always want to find fault with the progress of those enjoying the favour of God. We seem to forget that others suffered to make life easy for us. Make sure that you do not allow the evil heart of envy and greed rule your life. Thank God for His mercies upon your life and rejoice for his grace upon others and you will be a better man. .

Glory Realm Devotional

By Rev. Igho L.Y

HIS PRESENCE IS EVERYTHING (Exodus 33:12-18)

HIS PRESENCE IS EVERYTHING (Exodus 33:12-18)

The story is told of a little girl that had cerebral palsy and was unable to move. The parents knew the report of the doctors but they chose to fill her room with presence of God by playing messages of faith continuously. One day they heard noise in her room and when they got there she has gotten up and to the amazement of all she said “By His stripes I am healed.” You are what you hear and believe.

CONTEMPLATION

The first time most of us encountered God the passion and satisfaction of our souls was just to be in the presence of God. But today some of us have become too sophisticated to crave for more of God. 

“I know of places where the people started with a strong

Hunger and total dependence on the Lord, but after a few successes

they became too confident and began to trust in their

wisdom, methods, gifts, and skills. They suddenly felt they

knew what to do, when to do it, and how to do it. As long as

they were still getting results here and there, they failed to see

the need to passionately seek God.” FFPW p100-101.

If you celebrate the gift of God over the presence of God you are probably more concern about glamour and the recognition of men than in the glory of God. Do not exchange your gold for brass. They do not have the same value.

PRACTICAL ISSUES

 There are worship houses and individuals that started out in the spirit but are now in the flesh because they wanted to be acceptable, sophisticated and politically correct. They have left their first love.

Whatever experience you seek after be careful not to miss the presence of the Lord.

- REV. IGHO Y. 

ANGELIC MINISTRY (PART 2)

ANGELIC MINISTRY (PART 2)

TEXT: Hebrew 13:1-2

Let brotherly love continue.

² Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertain angels unawares. KJV.

 We must be careful how we  

In the year 2012 I was in Germany for a music fair and had to travel a little distance that involves taking the Bus, Tram and Train. I did not have much cash on me so I chose to look for the cheapest was to move around and also eat quality food. In the morning of the third day I got down on my knees to ask God for some leading and help before a set out. I left my hotel for the Bus stop and met a lady who said she is from Ghana and she explained to me how to get around and how things work. With that I was able to make my way to the music fair. I during lunch I decided to walk around and see more of Frankfurt, I had walked some distance picked up a few items and then felt the need to go back to the venue of the fair then I realized that this is going to be a long distance. Just as I was contemplating a man walked up to me from the direction I was heading and spoke to me in English in a very friendly manner with some compliments and then went on to ask some questions to get familiar. He then offered to show me around and amazingly said I know a place where you can get good food at a good rate. He then took me to the university cafeteria which was along my route and offered to get a tray for me stood on the cue, explained to me the food on display, their prices and then went on to place the order as he communicates with the attendant in Dutch. He carried the food to a table where we sat down to talk as I eat. He refused to eat, he just sat there to see that all is well. I asked him for his phone number he said I should not worry about that. I asked him if he is on Facebook and for his email he said he had none. But he finally gave me an address to contact him with but this too got missing in a way I cannot explain. He then asked to see the tag hanging on my neck which had some instructions written in Dutch, after which he said do you know that with this your movement around Frankfurt for the duration of the fair has been paid for? I was so amazed and at the same time angry that I have spent some money for that which I have paid for but then I became grateful and relieved that I won’t have to spend anything on transport again. He walked me back to the exact spot where we met, showed me the way to the music fair and said good-bye. It took a long time for me yet I have not been able to figure out what really happened.

Beloved, our scripture for today tells us not to be forgetful in entertaining strangers because you just can’t tell when you may be dealing with an angel. And I want to believe that it implies that your attitude to strangers also has a way of attracting supernatural help to be rendered to you by strangers. In other words, those who wish to attract angels to their lives should also be willing to be the angel of others. 

AMBITIONS AND SUBMITION (1)

AMBITIONS AND SUBMITION (1) 

TEXT: Psalms 16:5-8 (AMP)
⁵ The Lord is my chosen and assigned portion, my cup; You hold and maintain my lot.
⁶ The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; yes, I have a good heritage.
⁷ I will bless the Lord, Who has given me counsel; yes, my heart instructs me in the night seasons.
⁸ I have set the Lord continually before me; because He is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.

It is very good for one to desire greatness in life but it is much more important to understand and submit to the will of God. It can be very dangerous to be overambitious in a particular pursuit. In trying to accomplish set goals we must be careful to continually cheek to see  if we are playing within the rules. It may be true that God has destined for you to have an international dimension of what you are doing but wisdom demands that you wait and cheek again and again to be double sure that it is time. Those who fail to do so have often than not stepped out ahead of God only to be overwhelmed by the harsh realities of life. When we submit to the will of God, the Lord will go before us and cause the lines to fall in pleasant places for us. The people, systems and laws that will work in your favour will fall in place awaiting your arrival. When the Lord goes before you every challenge and battle are taken care of because it is your time. No matter how ambitious you are, never ever run ahead of God.  Discipline yourself to always submit to the will of God and you will be amazed the glory that will follow.  

ANGELIC MINISTRY (PART 1)

ANGELIC MINISTRY (PART 1) 

TEXT: Hebrew 13:1-2

Let brotherly love continue.

² Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertain angels unawares. KJV.

I know there are those who think that all the story about the visitation and activities of angels is a hoax, but the truth is that it is very possible this same persons have already encountered angels one way or the other but because they did not see one big winged manlike creature descend from an open sky they still doubt the existence of Angels. One of the reasons it is difficult for people to notice the presence of angels is the fact that the primary mission of angels is to serve. They are not here to do the superhero thing to get the attention of men like superman and other comic characters. Rather, they are more concern about serving the purpose of their Lord and King. That’s why the word of God says they are ministering spirits sent forth to minister for them who shall inherit salvation (Heb 1:14). The word minister is same as serve. From this scripture it is clear that their primary mission is to help us inherit the salvation (the plan, purpose, presence and glory) of the Lord. The fact that they are spirits beings makes it more difficult for many to comprehend. That is why most of the time when they suddenly appear they start by saying “Fear not”. But whether you believe it or not they exist. From our text for today, in verse 1 it became very clear that love is a serious requirement. Furthermore, in verse 2 it became clear that a lovely and hospitable nature is a strong advantage in attracting and receiving angels.

Let no man deceive you, acquaint yourself with the word of God about the ministry of angels and you will be amazed what you shall discover.

GOD IS GOD (PT. 1)

GOD IS GOD (PT. 1)

TEXT: Matthew 20:6-16 (KJV)
⁶  And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle?
⁷  They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive.
⁸  So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the labourers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first.
⁹  And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny.
¹⁰  But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny.
¹¹  And when they had received it, they murmured against the goodman of the house,
¹²   Saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day.
¹³  But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny?
¹⁴  Take that thine is, and go thy way: I will give unto this last, even as unto thee.
¹⁵   Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good?
¹⁶  So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.

In life there are those who speak and act as though God need to take permission from them before He will bless someone else. Unfortunately, a good number of such person with this attitude are religious folks with a self-righteous attitude.  They measure the goodness of God by their own checklist of faithfulness. Like the first set of labourers in our text, they abrogate to themselves certain benefits using their legalistic standard. They believe that they deserve the best of everything because they have been there before every other person. They must be given special attention, seat, position, title and a bigger portion of any benefit. You dear not give them the same as others if you want peace. But like the owner of the vineyard in our passage, God does not need to take permission from any man before He releases his favour on you. When your moment comes there is nothing any man can do about it. God is God. If you are reading this today and it seems like somebody is trying to frustrate the promises of God for your life, don’t be troubled, God is always faithful and on time. Ignore the fellow and the problem and just give thanks to God for your victory. It is well with your soul. 

   

ASK GOD FOR HELP (PART 1)

 ASK GOD FOR HELP (PART 1)

TEXT: Romans 6:1-2 (KJV)
¹  What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?
²  God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?

Romans 5:11-13 (KJV)
¹¹  And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.
¹²  Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
¹³  (For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law..

It is the natural tendency for the natural man to run away from God because he feels getting close to God means restriction and bondage. Everybody wants to be free to do whatever they want and they know God will not allow them to do this so they run away from God. But the truth is that what we call freedom is either in the rule of God or in the rule of sin. Romans 6:16 from The Message version says:
^“... You know well enough from your own experience that there are some acts of so-called freedom that destroy freedom. Offer yourselves to sin, for instance, and it's your last free act. But offer yourselves to the ways of God and the freedom never quits. All your lives you've let sin tell you what to do.” Why allow sin to continually dominate your life? You think it is what you want to do yet your conscience is condemning you; No! That is not freedom, call yourself to order and ask God for help. You have the power to decide who rules and reign over your life. Be bold and make a wise decision today. Romans 6:12 from the amplified version says “ Let not sin therefore rule as king in your mortal (short-lived, perishable) bodies, to make you yield to its cravings and be subject to its lusts and evil passions.” Cry out to God for help and give you true life and freedom. See John 8:36.