Divine Encounters

Day 295 Reading: James 1:1 - James 5:20 Whilst reading the Bible in each book I have sought to look for one main thing that is a focal point. I am sure you will agree that it's not simple to do that as each book in the Bible has numerous teachings that God desires we understand. While reading the Book of James my mind had many thoughts of what to blog. However, as I thought and prayed about it I felt I should blog about the tongue. James in writing this letter warns the believer that many destinies have been ruined by the tongue. When this small part of the body is not under God's control the havoc it can do is great. Just think of the many dictators in history. Many rose to the place of prominence because of their words.   You taste food with the tongue, not the hands that bring it to your mouth. Your eyes may see a meal and it may look delicious but the tongue will reveal whether what you saw was great to taste or not. This is the same with words. How do your words ta...

Day 261 Reading: Luke 21:1 - Luke 24:53 We live a world today full of disparity. The biggest divide we have is between the rich and the poor. Jesus while on earth tackled the issue of wealth many times. Do you know Jesus spoke more about wealth than anything else while here on earth? I know money is a touchy issue, however, we need to deal with it. Jesus observed as people gave offerings in the Temple. Child of God why wouldn't He be watching today? If anything the statement Jesus made about the woman who gave her all reveals what God is looking at in our giving.  A young man approached Jesus asking what he needed to do to obtain eternal life. Jesus replied to the young man and advised that He needed to obey the commandments. The young man replied that He did obey them and at this point asked what more should he do. The young man was obviously hungry for God why else would he be so obedient. Jesus then replies that the young man should sell his belongings and follow Hi...

Day 173 Reading: Ecclesiastes 1:1 - Ecclesiastes 4:16 King Solomon studied a lot of things. He declares that by reason of his pursuit of wisdom he undertook to study everything. His study certainly didn't stop at reading but he observed a lot of happening. The Book of Ecclesiastes is a sermon written to us by Solomon. And my does he open the sermon with a statement that immediately captivates your mind. Why would a man who was so blessed by God conclude that life is vanity? He sets to show us why he has come to that conclusion. One truth that Solomon reveals is that there is nothing new under the sun Ecclesiastes 1:9 . The troubles we see are not new. All the issues we see humanity dealing with aren't new. They seem new because we have studied history to understand what others have dealt with. Solomon gets to understand that even with all the wisdom of the world one grieves. Solomon set to know wisdom, madness and folly. Yes, the Bible declares that he set out ...

Day 131 Reading: 2 Chronicles 35:1 - 2 Chronicles 36:23 What have I learned from reading the chronicles of how Israel asked for a King in 1st  Samuel to the time of the nation being led to captivity because they had departed from the ways of God? That was the question I heard in my heart as I was studying the scriptures today. The Bible is not a storybook we read for entertainment. The Bible is God's Word for our edification, instruction and in studying it one becomes knowledgeable in the ways of God. This list of lessons learnt is not exclusive to the 2 Books of Chronicles but includes lessons from 1st Samuel to the end of the 2nd Chronicles. No one should take the place of God . The children of Israel in asking for a king to lead them like other nations despised God's leadership. Child of God where have you chosen to be like the other nations and despised God's leading? God can pick anyone to rule . The same God who chose Saul fired him and left him on the thr...

Day 123 Reading: 2 Chronicles 8:1 - 2 Chronicles 11:23 What do we need to see the world change? What will make the world yearn for the gifts, talents, wisdom of the children of God? Those are some questions that constantly run through my mind. We are to be solution providers or problem solvers yet most believers today cannot say that is true of them. Solomon was blessed with wisdom, a heart of understanding. God gave him wisdom that no other king was comparable to Him. Kings sought him out to hear his wisdom. No enigma was too hard for him. Solomon had the comprehension of matters that exceeded what was known. The Queen of Sheba arrived with some of the toughest questions and she was stunned by what she heard and saw of Solomon's kingdom. How many are amazed at what God has done for us? We should attract the world like Solomon did because we have answers to the challenges that the world is facing. God gave Solomon wealth as well. Silver was not even classed as a ...

Day 122 Reading: 1 Chronicles 5:1 - 1 Chronicles 7:22 There are many constant themes in the Bible. One such theme is prayer. Prayer is not one-way traffic to God. It's a conversation with God. It's two-way traffic where speaking and listening are involved. Prayer is a prerequisite to seeing God move in your situation. Prayer is made to God who keeps covenant and is merciful to His servants who walk before God with all their heart.  Solomon on completion of the temple brings the Ark and all the artefacts and treasuries in the temple. The Ark was brought in the midst of singing, rejoicing and trumpets being blown. The glory of God filled the place. Solomon then blessed the people and proceeded to pray. His prayer was offered from the brazen altar where sacrifices were made. Solomon's prayer of dedication is a cry to God to answer any prayer or plea made from the House of God. As soon as he finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the sacrifice, a...

Day 121 Reading: 2 Chronicles 1:1 - 2 Chronicles 4:22 God created us for a relationship. Inside every person is a desire for a relationship with God. That desire is what pulls many to look into the supernatural or divine realm. Many are seeking for answers and we the children of God have a responsibility to tell the world of the goodness and greatness of God. Somehow we seem to be inhibited and even fearful of telling the world about God. The tragedy of today is that those with the answer have hidden the solution while the world seeks for God. Solomon on becoming the King of Israel heads to Gibeon where the Tabernacle was. His father David, had not moved the Tabernacle to Jerusalem. He only moved the Ark, which was to be kept in the inner part of the Tabernacle, to Jerusalem. This is like many believers who desire to see God, however, they only want a part, not the whole. God is interested not just in the inner man but in the whole person. Solomon set about fulfilli...

Day 120 Reading: 1 Chronicles 24:1 - 1 Chronicles 29:30 Success is not a coincidence. No one who is termed successful did it by chance. Success is a result of good decisions towards a goal. Success requires a system in place to enable the goal to become a reality. Reading through the passages of Scripture for today's reading I realised that many times I have assumed success would just happen. I don't know why we sometimes think this way, however, I have today reinforced it within myself that I can only be successful if I am willing to have systems in place that run a well-oiled machine to fulfil the vision within. Put people in the right place and they will function well. David had systems in place to govern the land. He oversaw appointments that ensured the worship of God was coordinated well and that had leaders appointed to various tasks. Every department of governance was overseen by a capable person. Appointments were not dished just because you were born or h...

Day 119 Reading: 1 Chronicles 21:1 - 1 Chronicles 23:32 Dear Son, I know that this sounds strange that I have chosen to write to you. Especially when I could have called and told you what I want to say to you. This letter is not to criticise you but to encourage you of the great days that lie ahead for you. I had a conversation with God and heard things about you that astounded me. I was blown away thinking of the many things that God has in store for you. No matter what you are seeing I have news for you: God has great exciting plans for you. I told God about my dream to build a temple of worship for Him. I can't understand why we have allowed God to dwell in a tent while we have built cities for our people. Yes, I know that whatever we build cannot contain Him, however, I believe we are responsible for building the best for God. If anything, all our enemies worship their idols in magnificent buildings why worship God in some dilapidated building of a tent.  A...

Day 100 Reading: 1 Kings 10:1 - 1 Kings 12:33 I am humbled that we have been on this journey for 100 days. As I wrote this tears flowed as my mouth was filled with thanksgiving for each day of learning. I only want to go deeper in my walk with God and these 'scribbles' are only a portion of the revelation of who God is. As I began to write I felt as though God desired to impart into my life a gift and today's lesson was not only about the gift but also a warning. In divine encounters don't just seek to hear the good news learn what you need to maintain the blessing. The Queen of Sheba hearing of the fame of Solomon concerning the Name of the Lord visited Solomon and came with hard questions to answer. Solomon's wisdom brought fame to the Name of God. Did you know that God is called The Only Wise God? The world was discussing how this man would answer enigmas and no question was too hard to answer. To the glory of God, everyone knew that it was the doing...

Day 99 Reading: 1 Kings 8:1 - 1 Kings 9:28 God is a covenant-keeping God. God fulfils His Promises. None of His promises can fail. It doesn't matter what you have experienced in life God cannot fail. He has never failed and will never. Write it in your consciousness that God cannot fail. It doesn't matter how long it takes, God cannot fail. Abraham and Sarah waited 25 years and God came through. Hannah saw God come through. Noah preached for 120 years that it was going to flood to a people who had never seen rain, and God didn't fail. Solomon reminded the people that indeed God had not failed them.  Once the House of God was completed the Ark of the Covenant and all the utensils in the Tabernacle were to be moved in. The priests did this and as soon as they walked out of the Holy of Holies the cloud of the glory of God descended and covered the entire place that no one could minister. Any temple of God without His manifest presence will lead to religion. Where ...

Day 98 Reading: 1 Kings 6:1 - 1 Kings 7:51 We were created to worship God not ourselves. Today's world is suffering from the effects of selfishness. A 'Me, Myself and I' approach to living has made us only want the material things of this world and not the life of fellowship with God. God desires to walk with you. His desire is that you walk in constant communion with Him. When God is holding your hand the things of this world are easily accessed. Solomon sought wisdom from God and God gave him the world in a sense on top of wisdom. Maybe we need to take a look at what we are seeking from God to enjoy life in a godly way. David desired to build the temple of God, however, God sent the prophet Nathan to him to tell him that his son would build it for him 2 Sam. 7:13. Solomon embarks on this great enterprise to fulfil the vision of the father. If only the believers of today realised that we have a responsibility to extend the Kingdom by building on what previou...

Day 97 Reading: 1 Kings 3:1 - 1 Kings 5:18 Walking with God will lead to a life full of His glory. From the beginning of the Bible, in Genesis, we see God's desire to fellowship with humanity while he continues the work of creation. Eden was a starting point. We were to extend the Garden of Eden to cover the earth. At the onset of the reign of Solomon, we learn and see of his passion for God. Solomon loved God and walked in the statutes of his father. The difference between him and his father was that he offered sacrifices in the high places to God. Solomon went a step further. It's not often that we saw David offer a sacrifice to God out of his own free will. Solomon, however, was different in this respect. On one such encounter, Solomon gives to God a sacrificial offering of a thousand burnt offerings. The Word declares that during the night God appeared to Solomon in a dream and held a conversation with him. Solomon's offering had touched God that He was...

Day 96 Reading: 1 Kings 1:1 - 1 Kings 2:46 Welcome to the book of 1st Kings. As the name suggests we will see ourselves introduced to different reigns of kings in Israel gleaning from them truths about the Kingdom of God. I commend you for being faithful in keeping up with your diligent study of the Word of God. David in his old age encounters a challenge many leaders deal with as they age. The issue of succession is one that in many societies is not dealt with properly. We find today many elderly people don't have a will and even where there is a will it is challenged in court. Every leader needs to understand the power of planning their own succession. Failing to plan your own succession is to leave people without direction. David by not intending to enforce this principle by appointing a successor created a problem. Adonijah was a son of David. He followed Ammon and Absalom and since both were dead he ascribed to himself the role of heir to the throne. Without c...