Divine Encounters

Day 298 Reading: 1 John, 2 John, 3 John We live in a world that is craving for love. Many are looking for love and looking in all the wrong places. The world is fuelled by a lust that many have mistaken as love. The devil has disguised his offering of lust and camouflaged it as love. We see it every day presented and served to us in many different forms. What many don't understand is that the devil's offering is presented to the world with an icing that covers the contents of what is laid on the plate offering from the enemy. Paul writing to the Corinthians warned them that the enemy does camouflage as an angel of light 2 Corinthians 11:14. The result of consuming what the enemy has served us is that our hearts have been dulled and many of us have shifted from having our moral compass guided by the Bible to become humanistic in our morality. Compromising doesn't begin with a big sin, but with a subtle shift of the heart from loving God wholly to having a mixtur...

Day 293 Reading: Hebrews 1:1 - Hebrews 6:20 In constructing a building they will tell you that the foundation is key to how the structure will stand. We constantly find that the writers of the letters in the New Testament had to grapple with the folk who believed in the superiority of the Law of Moses to the finished work of Jesus Christ. This was an issue that the author of the letter of Hebrews had to contend with. The Book of Hebrews lays foundations of the faith. The author makes us understand that God is the builder of all things and that Jesus is the sure foundation. Why do we need to understand the foundation of our faith and its basic tenets? So that we may not be drawn away from the place of knowing our faith. For many believers today we only have a fuzzy knowledge of Christianity? You may respond and tell me I am not a pastor or you didn't study theology. However, this is the misconception of today that has blinded many. Imagine living life without knowing th...

Day 287 Reading: Colossians 1:1 - Colossians 4:18 When Paul wrote the letter to the Ephesians he focused on Christ and the body. The letter to the Ephesians is about what Christ has bestowed on the body. Thus we believers discover that we are sat in heavenly places in Christ from Paul's letter to the church in Ephesus. However, to the church in Colossae, he focuses on Christ the Head. Notice that Paul prays for the believer to be filled with wisdom in both letters to the Ephesians and Colossians. We all need wisdom, however, divine wisdom is more important. One of the first things that Paul speaks about is that the believers in Colossae had a faith in Christ that was spoken of. As I read this statement the Holy Spirit reminded me of the importance of having faith in Christ alone. Many today have faith in people, things, money, a gift from God and forget that faith is to be rooted and grounded in Christ alone. Faith in anyone and anything else is bound to fail. The ...

Day 282 Reading: 2 Corinthians 5:1 - 2 Corinthians 9:15 Before you think I want your money and switch off give me a few moments of your time. Today I find that many believers are frustrated by this topic and don't want to give. My concern is that we have become hard-hearted and moved from the position of generosity they once held. Let me ask you a question I asked myself? Have I become more of a miser as I have grown older or generous? I have noticed that many people have been hurt by people taking advantage of their generosity. Why is it important that I maintain a generous heart even when people hurt me by taking advantage of my generosity? How do I avoid the heart of a miser from becoming my heart? How do I maintain a generosity that pleases God? Tithing doesn't signify generosity. The tithe belongs to God. As I was meditating on this I renewed my commitment to being a tither. Many may not agree with tithing today due to doctrinal differences. That is not a ...

Day 281 Reading : 2 Corinthians 1:1 - 2 Corinthians 4:18 Recently while talking with my mum she mentioned how many people are tired of trouble. As she continued talking I kept silent and allowed her to just share her burdened heart regarding all the challenges facing her and many she knew. She knew that her son would say something to encourage her in the midst of all the turmoil facing her and her friends.  Paul faced trouble. From being stoned, hated for preaching, to being arrested on numerous occasions. He understood trouble so much that when reading through the Book of Acts I was encouraged by his attitude towards all the situations he faced. In this second letter to the Corinthians, though theologians tell us that this was actually the third letter, Paul looks at the challenges we all face in a different way. As I read the first 4 chapters of 2nd Corinthians I realised that Paul looked at the issues of life in a particular way. As I read the more I became aware th...

Day 280 Reading: 1 Corinthians 11:1 - 1 Corinthians 16:23 God has given to you and I gifts to enhance His Kingdom. God's desire is for the Kingdom to be advanced. Jesus while here on earth spoke about the Holy Spirit. He taught that the Holy Spirit would come to instruct, guide, teach, convict the believer. Before Jesus ascended into Heaven He instructed that the disciples remain in Jerusalem until they were endued with the Holy Spirit and power Acts 1:8.   The Holy Spirit's coming onto the believer changed the landscape and empowered the believers to do the works of God. Jesus had promised the disciples that they would perform greater miracles than what He had done John 14:12 . The church in Corinth is similar to the Body of Christ today. Gifted with diverse giftings that have divided many while blessing more. As I read today's passages God asked me a question? Why would Paul write about love in the middle of his exposition of the gifts of the Holy Spirit? W...

Day 274 Reading: Acts 21:1 - Acts 28:31 We live in a world where influencers are critical to brands. For any brand to become famous it must allow influencers to help advocate for it. Few people are known to have influenced the Kingdom of God like Paul. Paul was an influencer who propagated the cause of the Kingdom. The Book of Acts records how the gospel spread from Jerusalem to the known world. We the believers of today are continuing to write the chapters of the Book of Acts. God has not stopped moving on earth and His Kingdom is advancing more than ever. What lessons have I learnt from the Book of Acts? Be willing to proclaim the gospel to everyone. Many times we are unable to preach the gospel to high ranking people. Don't be arrogant and forget that we all are in need of salvation and the status of man should not be a hindrance.  The power of God is needed for the salvation of mankind. Miracles are not to puff the preacher up but to magnify God and thus dr...

Day 273 Reading: Acts 14:1 - Acts 20:38 Suddenly I have faced challenges getting this blog going out continually. I have made the choice to keep the faith and keep fighting to have truth sent out to many that it may inspire you the reader to love God more than ever. I have maintained my joy in knowing that God is in charge of all scenarios no matter the challenge. Paul and Barnabas went around Europe and Asia Minor preaching the gospel. Everywhere they went they were bold in proclaiming the gospel. Reading through the Book of Acts one of the questions I have asked myself is what was the gospel Paul preached. He declared that Christ rose from the dead. Any message of the Cross that doesn't speak of the resurrection is half-baked. Jesus had to rise to conquer death.  All were called to repentance. Christ had judged the enemy and man now had to turn from sin and return to God.  Paul declared that the grace of God was the reason we all could come to become childr...

Day 270 Reading: Acts 1:1 – Acts 4:37 Welcome to the Book of Acts. Every believer living today continues this book. Luke the writer of the Gospel of Luke also writes the Book of Acts. Luke being a medical doctor writes with detail. Each miracle or story told is filled with detail. I can almost imagine him interviewing the participants to get a picture to present to the reader. Jesus while walking on earth kept speaking about the Holy Spirit. In the Book of John Jesus reveals the purpose of the Holy Spirit. John the Baptist while announcing Jesus had stated that Jesus would baptise people in the Holy Spirit. The word baptise in the Bible reveals an immersion and not a sprinkling. Jesus is the Baptiser in the Holy Spirit and fire Luke 3:16 .  Why do we as believers need the Holy Spirit? ·       Power for our witness . Jesus directed the disciples to remain in Jerusalem until they were endued with power from on high. This power would enabl...

Day 269 Reading: John 18:1 - John 21:25 God sent His Son on a mission. From the Garden of Eden God had announced His plan for man's redemption. In Egypt, the children of Israel had enacted the Passover meal which led to their freedom. Jesus in dying on the Cross became our Passover. In the law of Moses, the Passover was prescribed as one of the most important feasts during which the children of Israel remembered the Lord's deliverance when the angel of death passed over the houses of the children of Israel.  Matthew in His gospel pointed out that the prophecy of Isaiah that the Messiah would take on our sins, sicknesses, guilt and punishment Matthew 8:17 . Jesus become our Passover and thus He is the Lamb of God slain for you and I. Sickness has no right over you. Jesus took it all. I love what one bishop says, ‘I shouldn’t take back what Jesus has already taken away from me.’ When this reality dawned on me, I said goodbye to sickness. Earlier this year I kept figh...

Day 268 Reading: John 16:1 - John 17:26 Your sorrow will be turned into joy! John while writing his gospel only recounts 7 miracles that Jesus did. John reveals to us the most of the instructions and teachings that Jesus gave after the Last Supper. As I have read the gospels I have become more convinced that Jesus came to turn sorrow into joy. Each encounter with Jesus was one where He changed lives. Jesus told the disciples that He would be sending the Holy Spirit to help, guide, teach, and comfort them. As I read today's passage I began to meditate on the miracles of Jesus. I pray the Holy Spirit will breathe on each miracle and bring joy into your life as you read. Jesus turning the water into wine John 2:1-11 . In life, we find ourselves at junctions where everything has run out. Jesus demonstrated that He was bringing a new taste to life and that the latter would be greater than the former. Jesus has the answers to man's disappointments.  The healing of a sic...

Day 267 Reading: John 13:1 - John 15:27 The gospels record very many different sayings of Jesus. From the parables to truth declarations He made, Jesus introduces the Kingdom of God in a very personal way. He not only teaches us about the Kingdom but also exemplified life in the Kingdom. The gospel of John records 7 miracles of Jesus and 7 times where Jesus said I am. Today I just want to focus on the 7 I am statements. I am the Bread of Life John 6:35 . Jesus had fed 5000 men and the crowd went looking for Him the following day. Remember that the children of Israel in walking from Egypt to Canaan were fed with manna. Jesus in declaring that He is the Bread of Life was announcing that we should hunger for Him more than manna or the miraculous supply that they had encountered the day before. I am the Light of this world John 8:12 . We live in dark times where many are turning to anything in seeking for direction. Jesus announced that He is the Light of the world. In every...

Day 266 Reading: John 10:1 - John 12:50 While growing up my brother and I enjoyed going to visit my grandparents. One of my grandparents kept sheep. My brother and I loved running towards the sheep and playing with the fur. Sheep are obedient animals. My grandfather also kept goats. The goats would be a nuisance going to the tea plantation while the sheep maintained course. Many times Jesus while speaking refers to believers who follow Him as sheep. In Matthew 25 Jesus when speaking of the last days mentioned that there are sheep and goat nations which will be separated. A day is coming where the Shepherd will separate the sheep from the goats. Jesus introduced Himself as the Good Shepherd who cares for His sheep.  Lazarus was a friend of Jesus who definitely understood and saw Jesus as the Good Shepherd. His sisters had entertained Jesus, the Good Shepherd many a time. When Lazarus fell ill the sisters notified Jesus expecting Him to come over and heal His friend. Je...

Day 265 Reading: John 8:1 - John 9:41 Jesus faced a legal exam. We all face exams in life. Exams are not fun unless its a simple walkthrough with no consequences. I remember sitting for my end of primary school exams and the nightmare of being the first students to sit for an exam no one else had sat for. Yes, students had sat for Maths exams but we now had a language exam and I was never a fan of languages.  Exams require one to know what the answer is. As I grew up I discovered different kind of exams though at the root of every exam is that it seeks to find out if you the examinee are knowledgeable in that area.  One of the most difficult exams is what is called an open book exam. This is the kind of exam where you are allowed to check the books and in some cases even the internet to discover answers to the problem at hand. Now I discovered that this kind of exam is the hardest exam because the question is never straightforward.  The legal exam Jesus f...

Day 264 Reading: John 6: 1 - John 7:53 The Word is able to reveal to us our failings and weaknesses. The Word also reveals our hope and the promises we have in God. I don't read the Word because I'm bored or have nothing. I prioritise to read the Word daily because it is Life. I need the Word of God in every arena of my life. Whilst reading through the gospels I have been struck by how much the people sought for Jesus.  One particular occasion the people sought for Jesus after the miracle where He supernaturally fed 5000 men. When they found him after going to great lengths to look for Him they were rebuked. I was a startled because these people really looked for Jesus. he wasn't where they were fed or nearby. He was across the seas. They got on boats and crossed to where He was. That showed initiative and drive to be near Jesus. They were determined to be near Him yet they didn't receive a welcome but a rebuke. As I meditated on this I began to ask mys...

Day 263 Reading: John 4:1 - John 5:47 Imagine Jesus walking up to you and asking you to give Him a drink? Stunned am sure you would be. The Samaritan woman responds back to Him asking why He was speaking to her seeing that Jews didn't talk to the Samaritans. Jesus was a barrier breaker. He didn't look at someone's background, beliefs, sexuality to talk to them. He didn't entertain sin but He related to them and gave them life. In the course of the conversation, Jesus tells the lady to go call her husband. Before He could give her the Living Water Jesus needed to deal with a particular issue. You see Jesus and the Samaritan Woman were talking about life for water is a life-giving source. 70% of the human body is water. Who or what gives you life is the crux of this conversation. Many today may look at this lady and be in shock at her turnover of spouses, however, may I suggest to you that in life many of us are suffering from the same plague. As I thought ab...