TODAY’S DEVOTION (SUNDAY 1ST MAY 2022)
“But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!”
And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased.
Then those who were in the boat came and worshiped Him, saying, “Truly You are the Son of God.”
When they had crossed over, they came to the land of Gennesaret.
And when the men of that place recognized Him, they sent out into all that surrounding region, brought to Him all who were sick, and begged Him that they might only touch the hem of His garment.
And as many as touched it were made perfectly well. Matthew 14:30-36 NKJV
WELCOME TO THE 121ST DAY OF OUR YEAR OF AMAZING GRACE
The LORD God has favored us again with another set of days. We just concluded a 30-day set of days called April. It was a set of days the LORD blessed us with amazing insights on doctrine, a life to live, a path to follow, a peace to allow to reign in our hearts and lots more.
We are face to face with another set of days; this set will be 31 and is called May. If God kept us in the previous, we should not doubt His power. He will still keep us in this one.
Yes, we are in a new month, and someone may be apprehensive about the month. But if we serve the God who has times and season in His hands, then we should not worry about this or any other set of days lying ahead of us.
The Bible says;
“You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, Nor of the arrow that flies by day, Nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, Nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday.” Psalm 91:5-6 NKJV
This scripture tells of things that characterize our days and nights; terrors, arrows, pestilences and destructions. That means there will be 62 of such this month alone – 31 in the day and 31 in the night. The night will be greeted with terrors and pestilence that walks in the darkness. The day will be greeted by arrows and destruction. These categories of evil captured in Biblical metaphors will take place this month.
That explains why some people will die this month, some will be sick, some will suffer financial distress, others will be attacked spiritually and a lot of other bad things that are bound to happen. In fact we do not need a prophet to prophesy to us, the Bible has already prophesied. The things will happen because of these things that the Bible says characterize days and night. But the word of the LORD have us the way out. It says the secret place of the Most High is the way out.
In my opinion, these hazards and dangers calls for a life of dwelling in the secret place of the almighty.
BECAUSE IF YOU TAKE FEW STEPS BACKWARDS, THAT SCRIPTURE SAYS;
“He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide
under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust.”
Surely, He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler And from the perilous pestilence.
He shall cover you with His feathers, And under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler.
You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, Nor of the arrow that flies by day, Nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, Nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday.” Psalm 91:1-6
This scripture makes it clear that not everyone will be consumed by the 62 evils that will characterize this month. People who dwell in the secret place of the Most High; the secret place of His presence, mercies, compassion, favor, and all that the shadow of His glory makes possible will be safe.
A portion of our devotional text tells us something more. It says;
“But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!”
And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased.” Matthew 14:30-31 NKJV
You see, sometimes these evils that walks by day and night come like boisterous winds and blow very close to us, putting some of us in a state of needing help; the immediate presents help that God offers in time of trouble. Being in the secret place has a way of sealing us up in such a way that we do not even see these devils on sight. We just enjoy a peace from GOD. But there are times that things happen differently.
Maybe because of our carelessness or because of the imprecations of our humanity. Those are times when we come face to face with them like a boisterous wind and even come under the grip of their power like the disciples did. Do not forget, they were with Christ not away from Christ.
There are times that people will even fight for their lives like Peter, even in the presence of the LORD. At such moments the LORD waits for our call. That is why we must all learn to cry out to the LORD and not just assume things will be fine.
Peter cried unto God saying “LORD, save me.” That was prayer, intense prayer for quick intervention from the LORD. And the LORD responded because his presence was there. Yes, sometimes enjoying the blessing of being in the secret place do not happen automatically. It happens when we pray.
IN OTHER WORDS, BEING IN THE SECRET PLACE OF THE MOST HIGH DO NOT CANCEL THE NEED FOR PRAYER FOR HELP.
In fact, it should boost prayer for help because one is sure of getting the answers. If you want to enjoy the best of God in the secret place, learn to call on Him in time of trouble not on any preacher out there. Jesus Christ should be the first to hear from you before His servant anywhere in the world.
Sometimes, like we see in the case of Isaiah and Hezekiah, it is after you have spoken to God in intense and protracted prayers that He will speak to His servant on your behalf to release a word that will grant you victory over the enemy. So, do not make this month a month of running after men. Make it a month of running after God.
Now, we cannot run after God if we are not running after His word, because running after GOD will require the belt of truth around our waist. That is why what the LORD will lay in our hearts through this platform this month (like He has done before) will be important. A part of Psalm 91 says;
“He shall cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler.” Psalm 91:4 NKJV
This scripture makes it clear that His truth being our buckler is very important to our running after GOD and being under the shadow of the almighty. We have experienced truth upon truth so far, and this month will not be an exemption. The month has its own set of Bible truths that GOD want us to make our buckler.
For the next 30 days of this month (with today making it 31), we will be looking at the Cry of the Spirit on practical Christian living. Are you ready?
Yes, it is time to get practical in the demonstration of our faith in Christ, and our walk with GOD. We live in a kingdom of power and glory. The world needs to see it as it is. We have sent too much stench to the world in form of sinful living and scandals, now it’s time to repent from all that and begin to send the aroma of Christ every where by being practical, in righteous living, peaceful co-existence and kingdom advance, and GOD will be showing us how this set of days.
MANY OF US HAVE INDEED BEEN THEORETICAL CHRISTIANS NOT PRACTICAL ONES.
We have not even allowed our blood relatives to touch the Christ in us. It has hindered even our own progress. Yes, a man’s enemies are those of his house, says the word, but that is not a rule but a warning to keep the peace. Christianity is something that should touch whoever is close to it positively.
This is beyond generosity because even the devil can be generous. This is about Christ in us touching the world through us; expressing His kingdom, power and glory through us as we run the race and keep the faith, the way the Father was in Him touching the world when He was here physically.
He said in His word;
“But Jesus answered them, “My Father has been working until now, and I have been working.”
Therefore, the Jews sought all the more to kill Him, because He not only broke the Sabbath, but also said that God was His Father, making Himself equal with God.
Then Jesus answered and said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner.
For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself does; and He will show Him greater works than these, that you may marvel.
For as the Father raises the dead and gives life to them, even so the Son gives life to whom He will.
For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son, that all should honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.” John 5:17-23 NKJV
The way Jesus represented the father in this and other scriptures, and allowed the Father to touch the world through Him, is the way we are to represent Him also. He once said that as the Father sent Him so has He sent us; to touch the world the way He did with the Father on His inside.
Christ in us should touch the people around us with His loving hands, beautiful presence, and glorious deeds. As we can see in our devotional text, the Father lived in Him and touched the life of Peter when he was sinking into the sea through His hands and voice. That is practical Christian living.
IT IS A REVELATION WE MUST ALL COME INTO AS THE END TIME CHURCH.
Sons of Satan among us have been doing their bid; touching lives and seducing them to the broad way that leads to eternal death with the generosity and deliverances of the devil. You can sense the mystery of iniquity living in so many generous preachers, and you can see the evil one using them to touch lives as well, in His bid to be as GOD in every way He can.
It is not just through the ministers of Satan that we see that happen, even through unbelievers and so-called believers who have yielded to Him.
I sat down to discover that deception always have a large fellowship because of the strong network of men and women who are specialist in touching lives ‘positively’ to destroy them eternally. Those who are being touched in what they call positively, do not know that they are being destroyed eternally by the kindness, care and etc. they are getting because the enemy has no free lunch in his restaurant. That is why Jesus remains the pattern.
I remember a Church in Abuja that excommunicated their pastor because of the sin of pre-marital sex (which is sadly, no longer considered a sin by many of us today) leaving with his wife-to-be to another church. That church received them, and then made them leaders even after knowing what happened. They would one day stand to testify how that church touched their lives ‘positively.’ Of course, that is how assemblies of Satan touch lives ‘positively.’
In fact, the enemy seems to know how to touch lives that way hence his followers. He even attempted touching the life of Christ in his special ‘positive’ way by offering him the prosperity in the kingdoms of the whole world for one moment of worship – the same offer he gives to all he is touching. But Christ showed us how to handle such offers by rejecting it.
He succeeded because he was not desperate and was not human-needs oriented or conscious. He was God conscious and Heavenly burdened with what the Father had assigned Him to do on earth. But not many are that astute spiritually, hence being led astray. The Bible itself said many will follow the deceptive ways of the enemy. That is why God want to show us how to touch the lives of others through practical Christianity this month.
DURING HIS EARLY LIFE TIME, JESUS TOUCHED THE LIVES OF MANY AS A PATTERN FOR US.
He touched the life of the woman caught in adultery and pushed her into a life of sanctity. He touched the life of the woman who had been married five times and was with the sixth and turned her life around. He touched the life of those who were hungry and thirsty after righteousness.
A portion of our devotional text says;
“…And when the men of that place recognized Him, they sent out into all that surrounding region, brought to Him all who were sick, and begged Him that they might only touch the hem of His garment. And as many as touched it were made perfectly well.” Matthew 14:35-36 NKJV
This last line of the text said “as many as touched it were made perfectly well.” That is what God expects from us. The father made all who touched Him to be perfectly well. The Father want to make all who touch us to be perfectly well too, especially if they have a pure heart.
The vision of the journey this month is to bring us to the place where Christ in us will be making all who touch us with a pure heart perfectly well in Jesus precious name. Or yes, I believe, even the economic prosperity of many will be unleashed this month as never before as we reach out to learn, unlearn and relearn.
Welcome to another month of impact and release in Jesus precious name. I see us enjoying the best of God this month. Hallelujah!
MAKE THIS SCRIPTURE AN ADDITIONAL MEDITATION FOR THE DAY.
“When they had crossed over, they came to the land of Gennesaret and anchored there.
And when they came out of the boat, immediately the people recognized Him, ran through that whole surrounding region, and began to carry about on beds those who were sick to wherever they heard He was.
Wherever He entered, into villages, cities, or the country, they laid the sick in the marketplaces, and begged Him that they might just touch the hem of His garment. And as many as touched Him were made well.” Mark 6:53-56 NKJV