Divine Encounters

Day 225 Reading: Daniel 1:1 - Daniel 4:37 As I celebrated my birthday I was excited because I was not only closing Ezekiel but would be beginning the Book of Daniel. My heart is expectant that God is going to deposit truths and grace to be Daniels in our respective spheres of influence. For too long the children of God have taken a back seat as they bear no influence in places of authority. God is changing that. He is raising an army that will be influential not just affluent and this is all for His Kingdom.  Daniel and his 3 colleagues were captives who were taken from their homes and taken to live in Babylon. They were eunuchs serving the most brutal dictator that ever lived. Historians tell us that Nebuchadnezzar was a man who was famous for his brutality. If he ordered a person executed it was a painful process. The execution would see the person tied to two horses which would pull the person apart as the horses were facing different directions. Painful, yes indeed...

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 140 Reading: Esther 5:1 - Esther 10:3 The story of Esther is one of favour. Do you know that the name of God is not mentioned in the book of Esther? Yet we see the hand of God mightily at work in this book. Esther was an orphan who became queen being chosen from the large crowd of virgins. She became queen and immediately it became clear that she was there for a divine purpose. How may we access favour? How may we sustain favour? What are the benefits of favour? Here are some thoughts on God's favour from the Book of Esther.  Preparation : Esther was prepared before she met the king. Her preparation began with her listening to the instructions of Mordecai After she was handed over to the royal household to be prepared to meet the king she continued to listen to Mordecai and also heeded the advice of Hegai the king's custodian of women. Favour flows to the prepared. You cant expect to see favour in a meeting where you are unprepared. Opportunity is taken by those...

Day 76 Reading: Ruth 1:1- Ruth 4:22 God's love knows no bounds. It doesn't matter your status or the place where you are, God has a way of locating you. In our study of the Bible we find that God's dealings with man are not defined in a formula. So far all the dealings we have seen of God only those who are in covenant with Him would enjoy His benefits. The book of Ruth gives a different perspective to God. Ruth was not of the children of Israel. She was born a Moabite. Moabites are descendants of Lot. Balak was the leader of Moab who hired Balaam to curse Israel. Ruth was not in the lineage of the blessings of God. As I thought about the book of Ruth I kept hearing the word favour. May God clothe you with favour. Favour is what will cause one who is not a part of the heritage for the blessings of God to suddenly receive blessings that will amaze and astound everyone. Favour is what makes a person's life to shine in the midst of trouble. Favour will cause a...

Day 13 Gen. 40:1- Gen. 42:38 God sees the bigger picture. Many a time I don't see the bigger picture and that makes trusting God in the process so difficult. Joseph found himself now not only a slave but a prisoner. While in prison two inmates are brought and soon they have a dream and Joseph in his humility understood that God is the custodian of knowledge and secrets. No matter the gift bestowed by God understand that God is to be honoured always. Every time when faced with a situation lean on the counsel and interpretation of God.  Joseph hoped that the bigwigs he had ministered to would provide a way out for him. He knew he didn't deserve to be in prison, however, that situation or challenge currently is only for a season. It's to prepare you for the greater good. 'Charles, use moments where you are in a fight to develop a godly character. Don't worry that you seem forgotten by those you have helped. There is a day they will have to remember you....

Day 12 Reading: Gen. 37:1-Gen. 39:23 We all have dreams. Whether its the beginning of the year or start of a business, we all have a dream. I dream of making an impact to change generations, to repeal darkness from our lives that our lights may shine ever brighter. Joseph was loved by his dad, Jacob. Jacob loved his mum more than Leah so not surprised that he was cherished more than the other sons. However, I also think that the father saw something special in Joseph that made him recognise him with a special tunic. The father's special attention brought discord. Learn to love your children alike. Be careful who you share your dreams with. I have failed this article of life many a time. Joseph and I suffer from the same disease, verbiosis- made up for telling too much. It's never too late to learn to be quiet and not announce every dream to everyone. Learn to keep quiet. Let me hear of what is happening from the news. Any construction will have a wall around it...

Some days in life one feels as though its over; you know those moments when all hope seems to be gone; when the miracle your hoping for isn't anywhere near likely. Those are the days when daylight is simply a blur, when hope is not even a figment of the imagination, when darkness seems to be the best description to everything all around. As I got ready for the day, I just thought about different characters in the bible who were faced with horrific situations but still saw God come through. I just needed to encourage myself. Let me tell you about Jabez, who was called so by his mum because she bore him in pain 1 Chronicles 4:9-10 . Now I don't know how long pain killers have been around but pain and child birth are synonymous. The pain she associated him with must have been a different kind of pain that beclouded her so much that contractions seemed irrelevant. All his life he was followed by this pain whenever his name was mentioned.  I don't know what pain has followed y...

Everyday I meet people who are seeking for answers to challenges we all face as we go through life. I wake up everyday and thank God that I am a problem solver. You and I are busy solving problems at different spheres of life. As a Christian I have discovered that life hinges on one key. This key is best seen as the hinge to the solutions of issues we face. This key is the gateway to the following: Sustenance Provision Protection Deliverance Favour Abundance Promotion Everlasting life The key is found in Psalms 23:1, which begins with an announcement and declaration by David that The Lord is My Shepherd. Every subsequent verse that speaks of the blessings provided hinges on God being the Lord and Shepherd of our life. I urge that you make Him the Lord of your life and heed Him as He shepherds you to green pastures in every area of life; still waters and not stormy places; sets a table before your enemies; anoints your head; and surely mercy and goodness will follow you all the ...