Everyday Devotion

By Richard Owusu

In our world today, man has been running tirelessly in pursuit of material happiness, monetary gain, good health and well-being. However, the pursuit of happiness without the Word of God does not lead to a fulfilled life.

God has revealed Himself completely, as well as His eternal plan through His WORD. His Word has been described, as pure, restraining, perfect, trustworthy, true, enduring, effectual, sanctifying, inspiring, living and active. It has been compared to a lamp, fire, hammer and seed.

The Word of God heals, makes free, illuminates, bears witness, produces faith and rejoices the heart. We are called to search it thoroughly, speak it boldly and handle it correctly.

"Everyday Devotion" comes with devotions and lessons that would help the reader in understanding the essence of the Word of God.

The daily scriptures, short exhortations and prayer outlined will help build the faith of any individual who lays hold of a copy of this book.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Page Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Aug 31, 2022
• ISBN: 9781662488412

Book preview

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Everyday Devotion

Richard Owusu

Copyright © 2022 Richard Owusu

All rights reserved

First Edition

PAGE PUBLISHING

Conneaut Lake, PA

First originally published by Page Publishing 2022

ISBN 978-1-6624-8842-9 (pbk)

ISBN 978-1-6624-8841-2 (digital)

Printed in the United States of America

Table of Contents

Acknowledgment

Introduction

January 1

January 2

January 3

January 4

January 5

January 6

January 7

January 8

January 9

January 10

January 11

January 12

January 13

January 14

January 15

January 16

January 17

January 18

January 19

January 20

January 21

January 22

January 23

January 24

January 25

January 26

January 27

January 28

January 29

January 30

January 31

February 1

February 2

February 3

February 4

February 5

February 6

February 7

February 8

February 9

February 10

February 11

February 12

February 13

February 14

February 15

February 16

February 17

February 18

February 19

February 20

February 21

February 22

February 23

February 24

February 25

February 26

February 27

February 28

March 1

March 2

March 3

March 4

March 5

March 6

March 7

March 8

March 9

March 10

March 11

March 12

March 13

March 14

March 15

March 16

March 17

March 18

March 19

March 20

March 21

March 22

March 23

March 24

March 25

March 26

March 27

March 28

March 29

March 30

March 31

April 1

April 2

April 3

April 4

April 5

April 6

April 7

April 8

April 9

April 10

April 11

April 12

April 13

April 14

April 15

April 16

April 17

April 18

April 19

April 20

April 21

April 22

April 23

April 24

April 25

April 26

April 27

April 28

April 29

April 30

May 1

May 2

May 3

May 4

May 5

May 6

May 7

May 8

May 9

May 10

May 11

May 12

May 13

May 14

May 15

May 16

May 17

May 18

May 19

May 20

May 21

May 22

May 23

May 24

May 25

May 26

May 27

May 28

May 29

May 30

May 31

June 1

June 2

June 3

June 4

June 5

June 6

June 7

June 8

June 9

June 10

June 11

June 12

June 13

June 14

June 15

June 16

June 17

June 18

June 19

June 20

June 21

June 22

June 23

June 24

June 25

June 26

June 27

June 28

June 29

June 30

July 1

July 2

July 3

July 4

July 5

July 6

July 7

July 8

July 9

July 10

July 11

July 12

July 13

July 14

July 15

July 16

July 17

July 18

July 19

July 20

July 21

July 22

July 23

July 24

July 25

July 26

July 27

July 28

July 29

July 30

July 31

August 1

August 2

August 3

August 4

August 5

August 6

August 7

August 8

August 9

August 10

August 11

August 12

August 13

August 14

August 15

August 16

August 17

August 18

August 19

August 20

August 21

August 22

August 23

August 24

August 25

August 26

August 27

August 28

August 29

August 30

August 31

September 1

September 2

September 3

September 4

September 5

September 6

September 7

September 8

September 9

September 10

September 11

September 12

September 13

September 14

September 15

September 16

September 17

September 18

September 19

September 20

September 21

September 22

September 23

September 24

September 25

September 26

September 27

September 28

September 29

September 30

October 1

October 2

October 3

October 4

October 5

October 6

October 7

October 8

October 9

October 10

October 11

October 12

October 13

October 14

October 15

October 16

October 17

October 18

October 19

October 20

October 21

October 22

October 23

October 24

October 25

October 26

October 27

October 28

October 29

October 30

October 31

November 1

November 2

November 3

November 4

November 5

November 6

November 7

November 8

November 9

November 10

November 11

November 12

November 13

November 14

November 15

November 16

November 17

November 18

November 19

November 20

November 21

November 22

November 23

November 24

November 25

November 26

November 27

November 28

November 29

November 30

December 1

December 2

December 3

December 4

December 5

December 6

December 7

December 8

December 9

December 10

December 11

December 12

December 13

December 14

December 15

December 16

December 17

December 18

December 19

December 20

December 21

December 22

December 23

December 24

December 25

December 26

December 27

December 28

December 29

December 30

December 31

Conclusion

To all faithful ministers of God who are rightly dividing the word of truth, advancing the work of ministry, and fulfilling the intent of the Great Commission handed to us by the Lord Jesus Christ, remain fruitful in the Lord's vineyard.

To the love of my life and children, I say God bless you for your love, commitment, and dedication to my assignment.

Acknowledgment

I acknowledge the Holy Spirit for giving me valuable insight in the Word.

To my colaborers in the Lord's vineyard, I am eternally grateful for your continuous support on this journey.

To Minister Eunice Gyimah, thank you for offering valuable editorial assistance to my material.

God bless you!

Introduction

Having a daily devotion is one of the most important ways of maintaining a healthy relationship with God. Jesus taught the importance of talking to God alone devoid of all distractions. Daily devotions help you to discover new strength and spiritual energy that flows from the throne of grace and mercy.

Genesis 24:63 states, And Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the eventide: and he lifted up his eyes, and saw, and, behold, the camels were coming.

Isaac devoted time to meditate in the field; it became a daily practice to receive instructions from God. Devotion should be from a place of love and gratitude. Devotion should be a time of meditating on the Word of God, worship, and prayer. We need to set our minds and hearts on the works of God and appreciate His majesty and holiness. It is important that we ponder over the Word of God during the time of devotion as Mary did in Luke 2:19, But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.

This book Everyday Devotion offers short exhortations with daily prayer and biblical confessions that will strengthen the believer in his or her daily walk with God. It comes with biblical insight relevant to our everyday walk in the faith and, more importantly, steps to guide and empower us against the unexpected during the day.

It is very prudent to have a disciplined lifestyle toward devotion. A lot of distractions will want to rob you of such an important time alone with God, but endeavor to make God a priority in order for your daily devotions to become profitable.

Other Bible translations can be used aside the version stated in the book to help give the reader better understanding if need be.

Everyday Devotion is an excellent book; it is simple and straightforward. Each day comes with scriptures that will empower you to solve pressing problems and questions.

May the power of the Holy Spirit open your mind to understand the Word of God in this book as in Luke 24:25, And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures.

I encourage you to treasure the Word of God, prayer, and worship. God will show you the path and the steps to take daily while He releases His presence and brings to pass His good pleasure in your life. Amen!

January 1

Thanksgiving

Read

Psalm 105:1–2

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"Oh give thanks to the Lord; call upon his name;

make known his deeds among the peoples!

Sing to him, sing praises to him;

tell of all his wondrous works!"

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The Lord deserves thanks from His people. The Word of God instructs us to give thanks in all things. In that regard, whether the past year went the way we wanted or not, and if the coming year or anything else in our lives goes the way we expected or not, the Lord still deserves our thanks.

The scripture we read is quite specific on how we can give thanks to God. It says to sing unto Him and talk of His wondrous works. We can conclude then that our thanksgiving requires action; we must speak and sing it out. We must tell and show the world that our God is good and worthy of our thanks.

There is a reward for our praise to God. (Psalm 67:5–6: Let the peoples praise You O God; Let all the peoples praise You. Then the Earth shall yield her increase.)

The earth yields her increase when all the peoples praise God. One songwriter puts it beautifully this way: When our praises go up, His Glory comes down.

Prayer

Oh Mighty God, we praise You. Holy One, we worship You. Yahweh! Jehovah! We thank You Lord for You are good and Your mercies endures forever.

Confession

I will praise the Lord at all times, and His praise shall continually be in my mouth.

January 2

Blessings

Read

Proverbs 10:22

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"The Blessing of the Lord Makes one rich,

and He adds no sorrow with it!"

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Blessings are acts of invoking goodwill energy for the purpose of uplifting living beings. Blessings are a way of bringing the sacred into all aspects of our lives.

Various forms and types of blessings are outlined in the Bible. In fact, the words bless and blessing occur over four hundred times in the Bible. There are

priestly blessings (Deuteronomy 10:8, Deuteronomy 21:5, 2 Samuel 2:20);

blessings from fathers (Genesis 27:26–29);

blessings by obedience (Deuteronomy 28:2);

blessings by choice;

sacrificial/covenant blessings;

blessings by service;

blessing from family; and so on.

In a perfect world, all waking thoughts would be toward the blessing of everything and everyone on earth. Hence, blessings are conscious-raising efforts given toward the good of all, even if it is a particular person or place that is being blessed. The power of any blessing is heightened whenever there is group energy being united in thought and intent. The purer the energy of any blessing, the more effective and powerful it is in its manifestation.

Blessings are true selfless gifts that can heal us, others, and our world. There can never be too much true blessing, so go ahead, get blessed out. As children of God, let us keep in mind that every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning (James 1:17).

Prayer

Bless us, O Lord, with Thine heavenly blessings.

Confession

I invoke the blessings of the Lord over any and everything concerning my life in Jesus's name.

January 3

Thoughts

Read

Proverbs 23:7

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"For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.

‘Eat and drink'! he says to you,

but his heart is not with you!"

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Everything originates in thought. We are a product of our thoughts. All thoughts, our own, other peoples', and the collective world's thought, affect us one way or the other. Thoughts form the by-product of our mental clarity or otherwise.

Thoughts also take form and impact our lives and the world at large. Until we fully comprehend that the power of our mind is sufficient to create the world we live in, we can delude ourselves into believing that so long as we are not aware of what we are thinking, we will be spared the consequences of those thoughts. However, all thoughts do have consequences. Ignorance of what we are creating with our thoughts is not a protection from the repercussions of those thoughts.

All thoughts demand a response. The quality of the thought determines if it will contribute to one's own well-being and, subsequently, the world's well-being. Such is the power of the God-created mind. When we focus our thinking on what we should avoid, what we do not want, what we fear, or what is destructive, dreadful, or painful, we are actively praying for the unwanted to occur. Thus, our prayerful thoughts empower those things which are contrary to our well-being or which oppose the integrity of our being.

It is simple to ascertain the quality of one's thinking since there are only two kinds of thought. Spiritually and physically, thoughts are either

positive, loving, constructive, and peaceful; or

negative, hateful, destructive, and combative.

Since thoughts have that much power and influence, we would be better served by adhering to the words in Philippians 4:8: Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.

Prayer

Oh Lord, may we stay our minds on thee so that we may find and be kept in perfect peace.

Confession

I will keep my thoughts positive, loving, constructive, and peaceful!

January 4

Pride

Read

2 Timothy 3:2 and Proverbs 20:6

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"For men shall be lovers of themselves,

lovers of money,

boasters, proud, blasphemers,

disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy."

"Most men will proclaim each his own goodness,

But who can find a faithful man?"

____________________________________________________

Haven't we all bragged at some point? I won this and this and that! Haven't we all at least once, in order to lift ourselves up, belittled someone else? At some point, every one of us has been proud. We have spoken proudly, given a proud look, and plainly bragged away. The basic definition of pride is A sense of personal dignity; a feeling of pleasure because of something achieved, done, or owned. We can feel pleased about something we have achieved, but it is when we exalt ourselves above others and brag to others that we become proud in the biblical sense.

Proverbs 6:16–19 reads, "These six things doth the Lord hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren."

Proverbs 8:13 says, "The fear of the Lord is to hate evil: pride, and arrogance, and the evil way, and the forward mouth, do I hate."

Pride is evil, and the Lord hates it! It will be in our interest, therefore, as children of God, to stay away from it; and our solution? Philippians 2:3 states clearly, Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than themselves.

Prayer

God of Glory, keep pride away from our hearts and cover us with a mantle of humility, O Lord.

Confession

I will keep pride out of my heart!

January 5

Christ's Humility

Read

Philippians 2:5–11

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Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

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Love and truth lead to humility. Humility comes out of love, knowing the truth of the above scripture and serving each other. Therefore, be humble. These scriptures throw some more light on the subject.

Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. (1 Peter 5:5)

Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 18:4)

Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up. (James 4:10)

Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time. (1 Peter 5:6)

Humility is obviously very important to God. One cannot truly serve God and others without humility. In our walk with Him, we are required to make a conscious effort to show humility in all things. It is in doing so that we exhibit the true nature of our Lord and Master Jesus Christ.

Prayer

We bow before You, King of Glory, and we humble ourselves, O God, under Your mighty hand.

Confession

I will walk in humility!

January 6

Love Is Everything

Read

John 3:16

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For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

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Perhaps one of the most misunderstood and misinterpreted words in the world is love. However, for us believers, love was personified in the scripture above. For the love that He had for mankind, God gave away His only begotten Son to die and reconcile man to Himself.

To know what love is, one must know God because He is the very definition of love (1 John 4:8). God does not merely love, He is love, and everything that He does flows through this love.

God's unconditional love (agape) is seen throughout the Bible. From creation through to Christ's ultimate sacrifice on the cross, God has demonstrated that He loves us and wants us to be His. God looked for Adam and called out to him (Genesis 3:9). He sought Adam to reconnect with him because He loved His creation.

1 John 3:16 says, This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. What better way can we accept and appreciate this incredible gift than to do likewise? In Matthew 22:37, Jesus says the greatest commandment is to love God.

God has demonstrated His Love. It is up to us to accept what He has so freely given, by living for Him and obeying His Word (John 14:15).

Just as God called out to Adam out of love, He is still calling. But this time, we do not have to hide away in shame. His love and the blood of His Son make it possible to step out and boldly stand before His glory.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, we thank You for Your love. We yield to Your call and say, Lord, we love You.

Confession

I love You, Lord, because You first loved me!

January 7

How to Walk in Love

Read

1 Corinthians 13:1–3

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If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.

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Love is the ultimate, and nothing counts without it. The above scripture speaks to the fact that if one has all the giftings and the fantastic workings of the Spirit but has no love, it is of no significance and is literally empty of any real purpose or influence. In effect, we cannot go anywhere, either spiritually or in any relationship, until we begin to walk in love, the God-kind of love.

The Bible admonishes us to pursue love (1 Corinthians 14:1a). This is because living a life ruled by the love of God is what opens you up to walk in the Spirit and live in the highest measure of the blessing and power of God (Ephesians 5:2).

Walking in love has to be a conscious effort. Our human nature is filled with selfish tendencies, and we have to make that conscious decision to yield to the force of love within us and live a life governed by love rather than fulfilling the sinful nature of the flesh.

If we love God, truly love Him, then we would be able to love one another as well. The Bible says that one cannot love God and hate your brother (1 John 4:20); the two go hand in hand. Love for God is love for one's brother. Matthew 25:40 says, Truly I say to you, Inasmuch as you have done it to one of the least of these my brothers, you have done it to me.

We must allow God's love to flow to us and through us to others. As 1 John 4:12 says, If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and His love is perfected in us. As we make a conscious effort to pursue God's love and show it forth in all we do toward people, we will keep on developing and growing up a little more every day into the image of Jesus. We will then be able to boldly work the works of Him as stated in John 14:12, and our relationships with God and others will blossom as others see Him in us.

Prayer

God Our Father, may You help us love one another as You love, O Lord.

Confession

I will love my neighbor as myself.

January 8

The Deception of Sin

Read

Hebrews 10:26–27

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For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries.

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More often than not, it becomes difficult to get back on track with God after every (willful) sin we commit. The scripture above gives more insight. When we know the truth and yet, against all good reason and the promptings of the Holy Spirit, still go ahead to offend God by our actions, what else is there to go back to God with, especially if it becomes a cycle?

There's a story of a young, promising, and anointed minister whom the enemy baited and used every means to get to. The Spirit did not abandon this young minister. He helped, guided, and prompted him to watch out, but in the end, his own fleshly desires overcame him, and he gave in. The guilt, shame, and remorse that came with the sin he committed against God and himself was too much for him to bear, and in spite of knowing that God still loved him and forgave him when he repented and confessed, he could not allow himself to get back on track. Eventually, he ended his life by committing suicide. The guilt was too much for him to bear. The pain of what he had done was too much. His mentor was telling this story to another group of young ministers, and he gave them a scripture in Hebrews 10:26–27, where Jesus said, If you love me, you will keep my commandments.

If we love God, we must obey Him and not sin against Him. How do we do this knowing that we are human? Our solution is in 1 John 3:9. The Bible says, Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.

If we are born of Him, truly born of Him, we cannot sin. That is not to say that the temptation to sin and yield to our human natures will not come. However, if we have it deeply rooted in our minds, spirits, and souls that we are God's and therefore sin does not and cannot have dominion over us, then we would be able to resist the devil for him to flee from us. And of course, through it all, we have the Holy Spirit to guide and lead us as well.

It is possible. We can be holy and live for Him and Him alone. If we let His Word take root in us, we can stand against the fiery darts of the enemy.

Prayer

O Lord, help us live for You and You alone. May we yield only to Your Spirit, O Lord.

Confession

I will not hide iniquity in my heart. I will keep Your Word hidden in my heart, O Lord, that I might not sin against Thee!

January 9

Power of Declaration

Read

Psalm 33:6, 9 and Hebrews 11:3

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By the word of the Lord were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth…For he spoke, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast.

Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God.

____________________________________________________

One of the greatest realities we have to deal with in this world is the voice of God. The briefest and only satisfying cosmogony is this: He spoke and it was done. The why of natural law is the living voice of God emanating in His creation, and this word of God which brought all the worlds into being cannot be understood to mean the Bible for it is not a written or printed word at all but the expression of the will of God spoken into the structure of all things.

This word of God is the breath of God filling the world with living potential. The voice of God is the most powerful force in nature, indeed the only force in nature; for all energy is here only because the power-filled word was and is being spoken.

The Bible is the written word of God, and because it is written, it is confined and limited by the necessities of ink, paper, and leather. The voice of God, however, is alive and free as the sovereign God is free. The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. The life is in the spoken words. God's word in the Bible can have power only because it corresponds to God's word in the universe. It is the present voice which makes the written word all-powerful. The word of God is quick and powerful. In the beginning, He spoke to nothing, and it became something. Chaos heard it and became order; darkness heard it and became light.

Power: The ability to have control over people or events.

Declaration: To say officially and publicly that something is happening or that something is true.

Can we then say we have the power of declaration? Yes, we do, because we believe in God's son, Jesus Christ, who has the power and has given it unto us also.

Luke 9:1 says, Then he called his twelve disciples together, and gave them power and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases.

The Spirit of God dwells in us. We therefore have the ability to declare those things that are not, as though they were. We must begin to create our world by the power of declaration.

Prayer/Confession

We speak life and make declarations of good into our lives in Jesus's name.

January 10

The Keys of Heaven

Read

Matthew 16:19

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And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

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Keys are frequently mentioned in Scripture. It is called in Hebrew maphteah, i.e., the opener (Judges 3:25), and in the Greek New Testament kleis, from its use in shutting (Matthew 16:19, Luke 11:52, Revelations 1:18, etc.).

The word is used figuratively for power, authority, or office (Isaiah 22:22; Revelations 3:7; Revelations 1:8; compare 9:1, 20:1; compare also Matthew 16:19, 18:18).

The key of knowledge (Luke 11:52; compare Matt. 23:13) is the means of attaining the knowledge regarding the kingdom of God. The power of the keys is a phrase in general used to denote the extent of ecclesiastical authority. God can grant us this authority because His Word declares it so.

Prayer

Lord, grant us the keys to the kingdom, according to Your Word, in Jesus's name.

Confession

I receive the keys to the kingdom!

January 11

Can a Christian Suffer?

Read

1 Peter 1:6–7

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In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

____________________________________________________

The King of the entire universe uses trials and times of suffering for His own ends. What are God's purposes for suffering? Sometimes, God immediately reveals His purposes to us when we go through certain trials. Other times, He doesn't until after we have gone through them. Oftentimes, our pain remains a complete mystery to us. There is some pain that we will not understand until we see Him face-to-face and understand everything completely (1 Corinthians 13:12).

When we don't understand why we have to suffer, we experience a double difficulty in the burden. Ultimately, however, we must trust in the God who loves us and has promised that in all things, He is working for the good of those who love Him (Romans 8:28).

When we are ignorant of the reasons for our pain, we must place our confidence in a God who has demonstrated throughout history that He is wise and loving in all that He does. But is it God's will that we should never know the reason for our pain? Absolutely not! Spiritually, it should be enough for us to simply trust our Creator, but the Lord knows our human weakness and frailty. Therefore, in the Scriptures, God reveals to His children possible explanations for their trials, pain, and hardships. The God we love is a reasonable and purposeful God, and He has demonstrated His love for us by revealing to us reasons for our pain.

If you are going through a trial today, it may help you to know that there is an explanation for your suffering. You may be able to specifically identify the purpose for your pain, but if you can't, you must find yourself in good company. Job and many other brethren didn't know either. Yet we can get a glimpse behind their pain and see that the Lord was there. He had a purpose and was working rationally in their lives, even though they didn't understand. And in this, we should find much encouragement.

There is rationality to your adversity, because God has a plan. He has not abandoned you. He is working. God is not obligated to tell us why He does what He does, but by His grace, He has revealed to us in the Scriptures the way He works in the lives of His saints. He does this so that we might have greater confidence in Him. Our Lord assures us in Hebrews 13:5, I will never leave you nor forsake you. Peter also said, Cast all your cares upon Him, because He cares for you (1 Peter 5:7).

Prayer

May You grant us the grace, O Lord, to be patient in adversity and trust You even in the most difficult times.

Confession

I may not know the purpose of my pain, but I will yet trust in the God of my salvation!

January 12

Taking New Territories

Read

2 Kings 7:1, 16

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Then Elisha said, Hear the word of the Lord. Thus says the Lord: ‘Tomorrow about this time a seah of fine flour shall be sold for a shekel, and two seahs of barley for a shekel, at the gate of Samaria.' Then the people went out and plundered the tents of the Syrians. So a seah of fine flour was sold for a shekel, and two seahs of barley for a shekel, according to the word of the Lord."

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Risk taking is very important if one intends to explore new territories. Here are some factual things to consider:

Territories are always occupied by the known and the unknown.

Territories have got designed protocols and traditions (i.e., this is the way we do it), but be determined to take a new path.

There are stages and ancient doors in all territories (Psalm 24:7).

With that said, there are several requirements for taking new territories:

It requires directions and agenda (Exodus 3:7–10).

It demands courage and faith (Joshua 1:5–7).

It requires a disciplined mind and a good decision.

It requires sacrifices (doing away with what pleases you).

Feasibility studies is needed (Joshua 2:1).

There are also problems associated with taking new territories:

Don't expect to be loved and cherished by all (Nehemiah 4:2).

It brings fear as a result of the failures of those who took such a course (Psalm 55:5).

Great benefits are to be reaped, however, when one endures and takes new territories:

It increases you and brings you to the expected end (Genesis 26:3, 12–14).

It makes you gain mastery of your new position.

It brings out the light of Christ in you because you are showing forth.

Prayer

Grant us boldness, O Lord, and the wisdom to conquer and take new territories.

Confession

We take over new territories in Jesus's name!

January 13

The Lord Shall Honor You

Read

Esther 6:1

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On that night could not the King sleep, and he commanded to bring the book of records the chronicles; and they were read before the King.

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There will come a time when a book will be opened concerning whatever you have ever done for the Lord. It is very important therefore that as believers, we watch whatever we do in the open and in secret, because a book of records is being kept for whatever we do, and it shall be opened one day.

Esther 6:2–3 says, And it was found written that Mordecai had told of Bightana and Teresh, two of the king's chamberlains, the keepers of the door, who sought to lay hand on the King Ahaserus. And the king said what honour and dignity hath been done to Mordecai for this? Then said the king's servants that ministered unto him, there is nothing done for him.

We must ensure that when our book of remembrance is opened, it will result in honor and not anything else.

Then the king said to Haman, Make haste, and take the apparel and the horse as thou hast said, and do even so to Mordecai the Jew, that sitteth at the King's gate; let nothing fail of all that thou has spoken. (Esther 6:10)

Prayer

O Lord, let a book of remembrance be opened for me, and let it bring with it honor and promotion.

Confession

My book of remembrance shall bring honor when it is opened!

January 14

Restoring the Genesis Mandate: God's Original Intent

Read

Acts 3:19–21

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Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: Who the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.

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Your kingship was God's original intent, and He hasn't changed His mind concerning that. From the moment Adam lost his kingship and was expelled from the garden of Eden, God has been working all things after the counsel of His will to restore you, this world, and everything in it back to Himself. Luke records God's plan in the above scripture.

Restoration is the act of restoring to the rightful owner something that has been taken away, lost, or stolen. The word restitution in this scripture comes from the Greek word apokatastasis, meaning to return this earth back to its perfect state before the fall. God has been working to restore the earth to its perfect state and man's kingship for thousands of years.

In the original creation, Adam was perfect. He lived and communed with God out of his spirit. He was connected to God through his spirit. He named the animals from his spirit. He tended the garden from his spirit. He exercised his kingship or dominion over the earth from his spirit.

Right from the moment after the fall of man, God determined to restore mankind