Fight to Finish in the Lord

 An Emoji Devotional for This Oct 20, 2022

Topic: Fight to Finish in the Lord

Highlight:

Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.

1 Corinthians 15:58 RSV

You have become inseparable from the Lord. Everyone who enters an athletic contest goes into strict training. They do it to win a temporary crown, but we do it to win one that will be permanent.

I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love which Christ Jesus our Lord shows us. We can’t be separated by death or life, by angels or rulers, by anything in the present or anything in the future, by forces.... Now this is a matter of striving and fighting to finish. 

This is the time true children of God will be known. It's a challenging time the world is facing right now and it's tolling on everyone. As you are in the Lord, you need to be indivisible and indestructible to your goals. The Bible made us to understand in Joshua 6:20, that The children of Israel faced a fierce battle with an inanimate Wall of Jericho and it collapsed(never to rebuilt). Are you facing a wall-like situation which is making you think it is a dead end? Remember that God will move mountains for His own. Matthew 21:21 says your faith in God will move mountains out of the way for you if you don't doubt. So you must not doubt yourself in the Lord as your life must end in a beautiful story to build others facing similar situations. 

It wasn't easy for our past heroes, but achievable in the Lord. Continue steadfastly unmovable in the foundation of your faith in the Lord forasmuch you know that your labour will not be in vain. 1Corinthians 16:58. 

"The Lord advises those who fear him. He reveals to them the intent of his promise."

Psalms 25:14 so pray this prayer.

Prayer: Father in heaven, please advise me through the Holy Spirit and reveal to me the intent of your promise. My eyes is always on you. I am grateful for your help. In Jesus name. Amen

God, my refuge at all times in all events

 An Emoji Devotional for Mon 17 Oct ,2022

By H. U. Wenger

Topic: 

"God, my refuge at all times in all events"

The Prophet Micah lived in the 8th century before Christ in the same time as Isaiah. At the beginning of Chapter 7 he depicts how rotten his contemporary society was. Let us speak him in his own words:

“What misery is mine! I am like one who gathers summer fruit at the gleaning of the vineyard; there is no cluster of grapes to eat, none of the early figs that I crave. The faithful have been swept from the land; not one upright person remains. Everyone lies in wait to shed blood; they hunt each other with nets. Both hands are skilled in doing evil; the ruler demands gifts, the judge accepts bribes, the powerful dictate what they desire – they all conspire together. The best of them is like a brier, the most upright worse than a thorn hedge. The day God visits you has come, the day your watchmen sound the alarm. Now is the time of your confusion. Do not trust a neighbor; put no confidence in a friend. Even with the woman who lies in your embrace guard the words of your lips. For a son dishonors his father, a daughter rises up against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law – a man’s enemies are the members of his own household.” In the midst of that truly deplorable situation he sets the contra point for himself: “But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord” and he is certain that the Lord will hear him.

 The verses from Proverbs 3 give us the same recipe by telling us that we are not to trust our own reasoning, but set our trust wholeheartedly on the Lord and he will direct our path. We all are in the danger to trust our own wisdom and experiences, which lead us to developing ungodly defense strategies that hinder us to live God’s message of love. Christ Jesus came into the very rotten society Micah depicts to us and spread the love of God among the evil people and many turned around, experienced his salvation and began to follow him. 

The Apostel Paul reminds the Colossian congregation and with them all of us to do the same thing. Our orientation has not to be on our rotten society, not on material things, not on what is happening in our world, but only on the word of God and on the love of God that has appeared among us in Christ Jesus. In him our live is hidden and with him it will be revealed in his glorious appearing. 

The old hymn, “Like a river glorious, is God’s perfect peace” says in the third verse: 

“Every joy and trial, falleth from above, 

traced upon our dial by the Sun of Love.

We may trust Him fully all for us to do;

Those who trust Him wholly find him wholly true.

Stayed upon Jehova, hearts are fully blest; 

Finding as he promised, perfect peace and rest.

 Dear Jesus, help me to subdue my thinking and my experience under the obedience to your word. Keep me in an intimate relationship with you and help me to trust you fully in all the givens and in all the changing situations of my life. Help me to have my eyes always upon you, so that my love for you does not grow cold because of the injustices and evils in my surroundings. Let me be fruitful for your kingdom. Amen

Promise Him

 An Emoji Devotional for 12 Oct, 2022

Topic: Promise Him

Highlights: I'll bring my righteousness near; it isn't far away. My salvation will not be delayed. I'll provide salvation for Zion and bring my glory to Israel. Isaiah 46:13

Have you been challenged by the most difficult situations of your life that everything seems to be on a standstill? You see, the way God works is His righteous judgment is approaching - that judgment which involves vengeance on His enemies, mercy and deliverance to His people. Now the promise you are going to make to God is not just by word but action speaks louder than voice.

First promise, Don't for once change your mind to doubt God. James 1:8

Second promise, to act according to Psalms 1:1 "Blessed is the person who does not follow the advice of wicked people, take the path of sinners, or join the company of mockers."

Thirdly, Rather, delights in the teachings of the LORD and reflects on his teachings day and night. PSALMS 1:2

If you continue to live up to your promise to God with your way of life, then be confident the your life is under process to be promoted to Psalms 1:3

Psalms 1:3 is the promotion to every life of all child of God who passed the test with their promise to God.

Psalms 1:3 "He is like a tree planted beside streams-- a tree that produces fruit in season and whose leaves do not wither. He succeeds in everything he does."

If you have not proceed to the next level since all these while, know that how to regroup yourself together with focus and single mind to live with your promise to scale through. Your promise is the key.

If you have been up with the promise, wait for salvation, It will not be delayed.

Isaiah 46:12 Listen to me, you stubborn people who are far from being righteous.

Isaiah 46:13 I'll bring my righteousness near; it isn't far away. My salvation will not be delayed. I'll provide salvation for Zion and bring my glory to Israel.

Maybe you are trying to be stubborn with self righteousness or using your knowledge to force-process your way to Psalm 1:3 listen to what the all time wisest man says in proverbs 3:5

Proverbs 3:5 says Trust the LORD with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding.

Proverbs 3:6 says In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths smooth.

Just promise him and keep to it, then leave the rest for God. Luke 9:62

Prayer: Lord I'm not fit to keep to my promise of life to you but I want you to help me in my journey with the grace given through Jesus Christ our Lord. For what is my gain if I lose my reward? Please come close and help me as you help Abraham, Isaac and Jacob through your Holy Spirit. In Jesus name I Pray. Amen.

Jesus Jesus Jesus (The Mighty Warrior)

 An Emoji Devotional for Thu, October 6, 2022

Topic: Jesus Jesus Jesus (The Mighty Warrior)

Highlights: 

But the LORD is with me like a mighty warrior; so my persecutors will stumble and not prevail. They will fail and be thoroughly disgraced; their dishonor will never be forgotten. Jeremiah 20:11

God gave Jeremiah the overview of his prophetic ministry. He even continued to plead God’s case against Judah during the time of Jerusalem’s destruction by the Babylonians in 586 B.C. (Jeremiah 1:3; 52:7-11).

We are in the generation of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The favor of God will soon fall on a generation that want nothing more than Jesus! God is the One who promotes and the One who gives favor… and God will lift up the LIGHT of His COUNTENANCE upon us as they go forth sowing seeds of transformation and awakening. 

"Today I have put you in charge of nations and kingdoms. You will uproot and tear down. You will destroy and overthrow. You will build and plant.”

Jeremiah 1:10 

As the generation of Jesus Christ, we must chant his name with our life as our mighty warrior. We will not be victim of persecution anymore because in Matthew 28:18 When Jesus came near, he spoke to them. He said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me."

Are you a child of God facing challenges or persecution, call Jesus "The Mighty Warrior" to come to your rescue today".

in John 15:16 Jesus said "You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you."

Like Jeremiah anyone who has given their lives to Christ has been chosen by the Mighty Warrior to bear fruit that will last, therefore whoever or whatever will stand against your fruitfulness is a persecutor which need to be dealt with.

Isaiah 49:13 says "Sing with joy, you heavens! Rejoice, you earth! Break into shouts of joy, you mountains! The Lord has comforted his people and will have compassion on his humble people."

Isaiah 49:13 

Call on Jesus the Mighty Warrior today and report all the affliction and persecution to him. Call Him like when you call your last hope warrior to defeat and disgrace your persecutors today so that they will know that God is God and men are only mortals. Psalm 9:20

Prayer: Jesus Jesus Jesus My Mighty Warrior I call you against my persecutors. Henceforth, Make them fail and be thoroughly disgraced so that their dishonor will never be forgotten. Amen.

For The Love of God

 An Emoji Devotional for 3, October 2022

Topic: For The Love of God

Highlights: 

There be many that say, Who will shew us any good? Lord, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us. Psalms 4:6

Light of countenance means the favor, kindness and smiles of God. In Genesis 6:8 The Bible says "But the Lord was pleased with Noah." While Noah found favor (grace) with the Lord, he still needed to obey Him so that he would not perish in the flood.  This means for the love of God we need to keep working in obedience to keep moving in our favor.

God is kind to you, see where you would have been today without God. Anyways we cannot be without Him, however our love and obedience to His command has kept us till this moment. God's moment is the best and we should keep looking up to him for better moments than where we were at present

by still working things out like Noah until the promised time has come. 

For the love of God, you will receive kindness from God when you continue doing what will keeps you on His favor list. Which of you men, if you had one hundred sheep, and lost one of them, wouldn't leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one that was lost, until he found it? When he has found it, he carries it on his shoulders, rejoicing. Luke 15:5

By the smile of God, Psalms 23:1 the Good Shepherd our Lord will show His great compassionate love for all who continue living for the love of God. which  means they will never lack anything good, they will be safeguard, they will feast at God's table and enjoy the perfume of Goodness and Mercy. Psalms 23

Continue your workings for the love of God each moment you remember where you are and where you will be forasmuch you know that your labour will never be in vain. Remain blessed.  1 Corinthians 15:58

Prayer: Heavenly Father my honor is in you. Please safeguard my life and give me grace to continue living for your love in peace and happiness in Jesus name. Amen 

Every Demon making you Uncomfortable will go

 An Emoji Devotional for Tue 27 September 2022

Topic: Every Demon making you Uncomfortable will go

Highlights:

 "Ask, and you will receive. Search, and you will find. Knock, and the door will be opened for you. St. Matthew 7:7

 "Go and say to Hezekiah, 'This is what the LORD God of your ancestor David says: I've heard your prayer. I've seen your tears. I'm going to give you 15 more years to live. Isaiah 38:5

Have you ever been sick or felt uncomfortable in life before. Naturally or unnaturally things could that make one uncomfortable may occur by internal or external forces. Our life must depend on higher power to save us from the invader. No argument, it's not everything that's demonic but somehow if things gets out of hand or gets out of control. You need to pray. There was a day I felt so sick and was at the point of dying then I quote God's word in Psalms 118:17

"I will not die, but I will live and tell what the LORD has done."

Suddenly the sickness went off like as if the night suddenly turns into day and I was made whole. But some long time back when I had similar experience, I had to quote several words of God and prayed with many declarations before I got my healing.

The difference is there are demons making people's life uncomfortable and what makes them likewise uncomfortable is when make healthy declarations concerning ourselves from the Bible and having faith that they are powerful and working. And that's it! Uncomfortable situation will say bye bye to you.

So when you are faced with a situation that make your life feel uncomfortable, speak the word of God to yourself and believe you are someone special by the word.

Prayer: Father it is written, no weapon formed against me shall prosper in Jesus name. Amen

The NEW Wine

 An Emoji Devotional for Wed 21 Sept, 2022

Topic: The New Wine

Highlight:

Nor do people pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins burst, the wine runs out, and the skins are ruined. Rather, people pour new wine into fresh skins, and both are saved." St. Matthew 9:17

If you really want to see great transformation in your life. You have to change your ways to the body of Jesus Christ. "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD. Isaiah 55:8

What are God's thoughts? Sure they are good thoughts for us according to Jeremiah 29:11. We need to demonstrate that we live in God's thoughts so that our faith would not rest on men’s wisdom, but on God’s power. You have to demonstrate the power of the Holy Spirit. 1 Corinthians 2:4-5. Not folding your hands looking at the world passing you by. You must declare the will of God for your life like someone with spiritual eyes. Have you ever seen someone in charge of an office who keeps quiet when communicating with their subject? They must say something. 

So is why you need a new wine to demonstrate the power of Holy Spirit of God. 1 Corinthians 2:12 Now, we didn't receive the spirit that belongs to the world. Instead, we received the Spirit who comes from God so that we could know the things which God has freely given us.

If you don't control the world, the world will control you even if you are God's child. 

What are the things God has freely given us: It is the grace and Spirit of eternal life of Jesus Christ to impact our world into the way it should be (God's way) in divine order. You need new wine to get this done. Not like the way we get intoxicated with the canal wine to misbehave - God forbid!. The new wine gives divine wisdom that reveal the true definition of God's people demonstrating God's power. You cannot know take new wine to demonstrate properly unless you change the wineskin with which you were known for unless you will limit or defeat the manifestation of the real you when the new wine gets into you.

The person with the Spirit makes judgments about all things, but such a person is not subject to merely human judgments. 1 Corinthians 2:15-16

The new wine makes us become highly intellectual instead of intoxicated as well as more than highly intellectual because it is the same Spirit in the blood of Jesus Christ. To make you see into the difference between the dream and the reality; then you can no longer take the shadow for the substance. It is like the parable of "... treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field." Matthew 13:44

Change your wineskin: When you have discovered the new wine, you change your wineskin. It will cost you letting go of certain unacceptable things in your life. Then you begin with demonstrating power of God's spirit, You may be judged for it, condemned because of this, depreciated, slandered every day of your life, but the arrow flights of human judgment fall far short of you. Hebrews 12:14 says "Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:" 

Remember this is not just a physical fight to flout orders but a decision to fight spiritually against principalities and powers and spiritual wickedness of darkness in high places who wants to subjugate you into injustice of life. Ephesians 6:10-12. The new wine will make you see these things and give you the courage to make moves (demonstrate) to deal with them.

When you are ready to take on the challenge! Do it with confidence that Christ got your back. "For if you eat the bread or drink the cup unworthily, not honoring the body of Christ, you are eating and drinking God's judgment upon yourself." 1 Corinthians 11:29

Prayer: Holy Spirit pour your New Wine into my spirit's throat in Jesus name, Amen.