Divine Encounters

Day 166 Reading: Proverbs 1:1 - Proverbs 3:37 Welcome to a new book in the Bible. The Book of Proverbs is attributed to mainly have been written by King Solomon. However, as we read we shall discover that there are proverbs that were written by other wise men. This book is filled with wisdom for daily living. It is full of practical applications that will help one walk uprightly and not stumble in their daily pursuits. I encourage you to study and meditate carefully on each chapter so as to draw all the wealth that is necessary for your going forward and lifting in life. You may be asking why I should I pay attention to the Book of Proverbs? In the first chapter, the author notes the blessings that are released as one studies Proverbs. By studying the Book of Proverbs you will know wisdom and instruction . As stated earlier the Book of Proverbs is a practical book filled with practical instructions for daily life. There are no grey lines in obedience to God. The Book of...

Day 165 Reading: Psalms 141:1 - Psalms 150:6 The Book of Psalms is filled with promises that release the power of praise. I have every reason to praise God. God is the Creator of the Heavens and the Earth Genesis 1:1 . He is the Author of my life Genesis 2:7 . God is the one who is able to save Psalms 103:1-5 . I praise God because His thoughts about me are uncountable Psalms 139:17 . God is mindful of me Psalms 8:5-8 . God cares so much for me that He set a crown on my head. I know maybe my life doesn't look like it has a crown however like David I will yet praise God because even if Goliath boasts I know who I represent and praise Jehovah. As I praise Him I see His power displayed.  When I praise God His power is displayed because praise enthrones God in our lives Psalms 22:3 . Many times we go through situations where the enemy seeks to be enthroned. All we talk and think when in the valley is about that which is a shadow of death. However, remember that though you ...

Day 164 Reading: Psalms 131:1 - Psalms 140:13 God loves you and I. His love is undiminished. As I meditated on what to write I began to hear the following words; "God desires the best for you. Reading through the passages of scripture above my heart was captivated with how much do we take for granted what God desires for us? Many times we seem to think that God doesn't have the best intentions for us yet God desires the best for us. The Psalmist understood that God is interested in everything about humanity. God is so big and yet so interested in the mundane that He was there when you and I were being formed. There is nothing insignificant to God. You are not insignificant. You were born with a purpose and God was involved in your making. You are not an accident nor an incident or coincidence waiting to happen. God planned and fashioned your timeline. He formed and covered you whilst making you. Your days were written in His books before you were born. His desire ...

Day 163 Reading: Psalms 120:1 - Psalms 130:8 How many times when faced with a difficult situation have you ever just taken a psalm and read it out? Personally, I do it a lot. I find that the language of the Book of Psalms is one that is able to represent my emotions and state of mind when I am dealing with challenges in life. As I have been reading through the Book of Psalms I have been learning to read the Psalms aloud. This fills the atmosphere with words that provoke faith in God. Our reading today contains a portion of the Book of Psalms that has some short psalms that are very powerful. They are short psalms that are loaded with explosive dynamite that fuels the faith of the believer. Reading through the reading today I began to see how the psalmists were filled with faith and had the understanding that only God could provide help for every situation. Where do you look for help? We live in a world today where self-help is being pushed to everyone and being advocat...

Day 162 Reading: Psalms 119 Giving praise to God continually is to be a habit we cultivate or inculcate in our daily life. We should allow praise to flow from our inner being to the Most High effortlessly. Let everyday present you and me with an opportunity to celebrate the works of God.  Reading through the Book of Psalms, you will encounter the longest Psalms and or chapter in the Bible, Psalms 119. The shortest chapter or Psalms is 117. The middle point of the Bible if you were looking for the centre of the Bible when measuring using the chapter count then it is Psalms 118. Today, however, we shall look at Psalms 119 and especially one phrase that struck me as I meditated on this portion of Scripture. I use the New King James Version and I was struck by this phrase "according to Your Word". The Psalmist understood that life was to be lived according to God's Word and not man's word. Throughout the Bible, speaking the Word of God releases the power ...

Day 161 Reading: Psalms 109:1 - Psalms 118:29 God is the creator of family. In the beginning, He placed the family in His plans for creation. One reason why Adam was not to live alone was that of family. Through family, society was grown and the population would increase. However, we find that this unit of society is under duress. When the family unit is destroyed then society's fabric begins to crumble. God desires to see families abound in His goodness. The Psalmist listed various blessings for the family.  God's love is unending to His children Psalms 103:13 . The manner in which a father pities the plight of His children how much more the Father of all fathers, the Creator, the Lord Almighty. God's love and desire for your wellbeing cannot be quantified. Man is finite while God is infinite. We cannot comprehend all that God has for us with our minds. Throw yourself on His love and watch as God's love bathes your life swaddling you with joy and peace. Go...

Day 160 Reading: Psalms 101:1 - Psalms 108:13 The Psalms are filled with not only desires of deliverance or cries of hope but also with declarations. We have consistently seen in the Word of God that the words one speaks have an effect on their lives. God spoke and created, Genesis 1. The words you speak are creating either good or evil. Thus I found it interesting to study different statements that were declarations not only of happenings but also resolutions of service to God. You also find that the psalmist made resolutions of service to God. Today as I read the Word I kept reflecting on the statements that were resolutions. Here are a few resolutions that the Book of Psalms reveals to us. I will declare the decree Psalms 2:7 . The Psalmist understood the power of declarations. Learn to decree the Word of God over your life Job 22:28 . I will not fear Psalms 3:6 . Resolve that fear will not be a part of you. Set it within yourself that fear will not place in your life....

Day 159 Reading: Psalms 91:1 - Psalms 100:5 The Book of Psalms is filled not only with prayers and songs of praise but also with instructions that guide the believer towards greatness. One can actually study the Book of Psalms and see the different instructions that draw us closer to God. Today I will list a few of the instructions contained within our reading. Abide in God. Learn to stay in the Presence of God. Safety is only found when one makes the Presence of God the place of habitation and not an occasional place. Notice that the promise to abide under the shadow of God Almighty is given to those who dwell in the secret place. Many people quote Psalm 91 thinking that quoting it will give to them the desired result of protection. The key to receiving what God has ordained is tied to your dwelling in the secret place.  Make the Lord your refuge. We live in a world where people make many other things, idols, people, money their refuge. The Psalmist exhorts that one m...

Day 158 Reading: Psalms 81:1 - Psalms 90:17 Who doesn't want God involved in their affairs? Yes, I understand there are those who don't believe in God. However, for those who believe that God is real and more than able to affect my affairs here on earth, we desire that His hand be in our lives. Whilst reading the Psalms we discover that many times the psalmists cried to God for His hand to be involved in their lives. The Psalmist understood that dominion in life was only possible if the hand of God obtained the land for them. The Psalmist records that the children of Israel obtained the land by the Hand of God. Yes, they fought wars to possess the land as we have seen in the book of Joshua however, they understood that the reason they were victorious is not that of a superior army but God being with them and fighting for them. The classic example is the fall of Jericho where the walls came crumbling down in a supernatural manner. The Hand of God in your live enable...

Day 157 Reading: Psalms 71:1 - Psalms 80:19 The words we speak affect us just as the words we hear. It's imperative we understand the power of what comes of our mouth. Our words are either building or destroying lives. The writers of the Book of Psalms understood this and constantly cried to God making declarations about the words they would speak. Here is a brief breakdown of what the psalmists ordered as the prescriptions for those wondering what they should speak. Tell the deeds of God. Tell the generations to come of the awesome deeds of God. Tell those around you of the wrath of God that is coming towards those who chose to walk in unrighteousness. Let your words be words that magnify God. Sing the praises of God. Too many times we sing of our love for others and forget to sing praises to the one who gives us life. Sing of His goodness. Singing has a way of generating peace and joy that enables the heart to become calm. Did you know that when you sing your brain op...

Day 156 Reading: Psalms 61:1 - Psalms 70:5 I woke up thinking of the awesomeness of God. God gives you and I breath without asking. Just think of the many times God has been good to you. Reading through the Psalms I am enjoying the various descriptions of God's awesomeness over every area of creation.  We make prayer to God because we understand that we can run to Him. He is our Safety and Rock when we are shaken by the circumstances of life. God is able to give us a support to go through life. God is a Pillar that one can hold onto when in need of help. God is also a Shelter who provides cover from the elements of this life. In the olden times during the war, the people hid in a tower. The safest rower we can hide is God. He is a Strong Tower providing protection from our enemies. Waiting on God enables us to enjoy His Awesomeness. Waiting on God enables on to enjoy the goodness and power of God. A waiter waits on your table receiving your orders and deliveri...

Day 155 Reading: Psalms 51:1 - Psalms 60:12 One of our greatest desires from friends and even to friends is to convey our inner heartfelt passions and thoughts. What separates many people from being close to anyone is the usually a matter of the heart. You don't tell everyone your inner musings. The happenings within a person dictate a lot of what, where, who, why and how they behave or are as a person. The heart as we know from biology is a vital body organ that pumps blood around the body. Without this function, one is classed as dead. God is interested in our hearts. God pays attention to the state of the heart. David understood that sin deadens the heart. Thus he cried to God to create in him a new heart. David understood the importance of a heart that is alive to God. Sin cuts us off from the place God has ordained for us. God desires an intimacy with the heart and sin is a barrier to this. See your heart as a place God desires to commune with you. See your heart ...

Day 154 Reading: Psalms 41:13 - Psalms 50:23 One statement one keeps hearing many saying is "I hope so".  I hope to do well, I hope you receive good news are statements we make or hear many days. Hope is a commodity we trade through life. Without hope, our lives are in a state of paralysis. Hope is a driver of the soul.  Life is a journey that takes us through many challenges. Challenges that usually tend to becloud our vision hence our language becomes despondent and despair. Before long a person facing the fight of their life is faced with one question. It is a question of hope. It is hope that makes one believe that no matter the odds they will make it to the other side. I like saying hope is the bridge that enables me to cross from one side of the river bank to the other.  Hope is like an oar that keeps the boat moving when you cant see how or where but you know you have to keep rowing to get through to their destination you desire. David said that te...

Day 153 Reading: Psalms 31:1- Psalms 40:17 The Book of Psalms contains many prayers covering different themes. As mentioned when we started reading the Psalms, the Book of Psalms covers many different topics. Today as I read the Psalms my heart was tagged to forgiveness.  Forgiveness is necessary for inner healing. Unless one forgives they cannot enjoy freedom or liberty in a relationship. Not only do we need to forgive one another we also need forgiveness from God.Man devises wickedness in his heart is a thought that constantly runs through the Book of Psalms thus the need to ask God for mercy. David reveals that there is a joy that is only known by those whose transgressions are covered by the Blood of the Lamb. David as a King understood that God is God of mercy and that this was only available when the Blood was applied in atonement over our sins.  Blessed is the man that God has forgiven. There is a blessing that is obtained only when one is forgiven by G...

Day 152 Reading: Psalms 21:1 - Psalms 30:12 Answered prayer is one of the most intriguing issues of the believer's walk with God. To some, it looks like hit and miss. God delights in granting our desires. God desires that we come to the place where answered prayer is normal. God loves us so much that He desires we experience bountiful harvests of His goodness. God desires to meet us with blessings of goodness and set a crown of pure gold upon our lives Psalms  21:3. Effective prayer is made with understanding. Prayer is effective when it hits the target. When we receive answers to prayer it is a result of effective prayer. Prayer is never complete without praise. Praise precedes and envelopes prayer. Prayer made with the understanding that God establishes His throne through praise will position one to be effective in prayer Psalms 22:3. When one walks with the revelation of who God is to them and His desire for them prayer becomes easy. David understood that the Go...

Day 151 Reading: Psalms 11:1 - Psalms 20:9 Trust in God. I write again trust in God. Without trust in God, one can never enjoy the benefits of the promises of God. As one reads the Psalms this issue of trust is constantly brought up. I love the encouragement in Psalms 11:1 where the author declares that his trust is in God. When your trust in God is secure then your foundations cannot be destroyed. However when we find that our trust is not in God then our foundations are not solid and we find that many times when the storms of life blow we find ourselves sinking because our foundation is faulty. How does the foundation get destroyed is a question I asked myself? Sin eats at the foundation of trust. Doubt and unbelief are other factors that affect the foundation.  This theme of trust is carried through the Psalms many times. We find in Psalms 16 David declared that only in God's Presence does one find joy. Place your trust in God alone no matter what you are facing...

Day 150 Reading: Psalms 1:1- Psalms 10:18 The Book of Psalms is a collection of prayers, songs, instructions covering a large array of topics. You can find a verse dealing with every situation in life in the Book of Psalms.  Within the psalms is wisdom for living. The Psalms are authored by different people from Moses to King David and Asaph the leader of worship in the temple.  As you read the psalms they not only encourage you by offering answers to questions but the psalms are also great at helping one develop a lifestyle of worship. Reading the psalms in the morning helps focus one on God.  The Book of Psalms begins with a psalm containing instructions to being a blessed person. God desires that you be blessed in every area of life. God desires that we walk with Him wholly to be able to access the best of what He has assigned to us. Reading through the Psalms you will get provoked to draw closer to God.  Reading through the first 10 Psalms no...

Days 149 Reading: Job 35:1 - Job 42:17 Everyone faces trouble. Trouble comes in many ways. For some it's illness, others its unemployment, sudden loss of a business, marital dispute or maybe a court case that just drags forever. You know what trouble you are  facing. I want to encourage you that there is an ending that is of God in every trouble. What lessons can be derived from the Book of Job? Fear not. Because of fear Job opened the door for the trouble he went through. What is that inner secret fear you harbour that is driving you instead of the love of God? God can boast about you. Job lived such a great life that pleased God that God could boast about him in heaven. Is God able to boast about you?  Be wary of the wisdom of friends when in trouble. Job's friends castigated him by accusing him of sin while not seeking God for an answer to his troubles. They spoke of God without His authority to declare to Job of hidden sin.  Don't allow trouble to dimin...

Day 148 Reading: Job 31:1 - Job 34:37 The world we are living is moved a lot by sight. What you see will determine where you go. You don't drive in reverse gear for a long journey. What you see in front will either attract you or repel. We need to understand the power of sight and what governs your sight. Gentlemen, you can make a covenant with your eyes to not see all the skirt wearers seeking to divert your attention from your spouse. You have to take responsibility on what your eyes are fixated to. Understand that you have to decide what or who you will look to see. It's your responsibility to decide to be faithful to your spouse. This also goes to the ladies. Yes, the man now has camouflaged his body stop looking at all the young men baring their chests and you are admiring the six pack.  When you find yourself looking at others lustfully understand that the enemy is seeking to destroy you. Learn to question your thoughts that are directing your sight? As t...