Your Refreshing Daily Devotional

Through the prophetic ministry of Amos, God threatened that He would send a famine into the land. However, it was not a conventional famine. “Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD” Amos 8:11 KJV. Our lead scripture today is reminiscent of such period when there was a famine of the word. By saying that the word of the Lord was precious in those days, it simply means that the word of the Lord was rare to come by. Typically, God delights in speaking to His people. Whenever He withholds Himself from speaking, the people must have stayed too long in their sins. Withholding of divine presence in terms of vision or prophecy is punishment of some sort.

Withholding of divine presence in terms of vision or prophecy is punishment of some sort…scarcity of the word of God has consequences. If the word of God is scarce, then victory is far!…Believers without access to the word of God will be at the mercy of the devil.

Every believer must strive to create an environment for divine manifestation. This is because the scarcity of the word of God has consequences. If the word of God is scarce, then victory is far! God’s word is described in various ways. Jeremiah said it is like the hammer that breaks the rock into pieces. He also describes it as fire. Without access to the word of God, those rocks and chaffs will continue to assault a child of God. The importance of God’s word can be seen in another way. It was by it that Jesus overcame the barrage of temptations brought by Satan. Believers without access to the word of God will be at the mercy of the devil.

The Scripture teaches many things about the promises of God. We understand that they are yes and amen! In other words, the promises are true and constant. God will not promise you a thing now and backtrack later. We learned also that it is through the promises of God that we can partake of the divine nature. What is worth stressing at this point is that one needs more than knowing the broad promises of God to enjoy them. Every promise of the Spirit only becomes a reality through the avenue of faith. Without faith the promises only remain in the realm of probability.

Every promise of the Spirit only becomes a reality through the avenue of faith. Without faith the promises only remain in the realm of probability…When you begin to declare what you have been told, you are putting your faith to work.

Our text is an eye-opener with regard to appropriating the promises of God by faith. It says, “I will declare the decree.” By the way, a decree is an order usually having the force of law backing it. In other words, once a decree is made, there is enough power to watch over it for compliance and punish any possible deviation. Our text is a messianic Psalm. It is the Son stating what the Father has said  – “The Lord hath said unto Me, Thou art My Son.”  What the Father spoke to the Son was the decree! By extension, whatever God has spoken to you has become a decree, and it has the power of Heaven is behind it. When you begin to declare what you have been told, you are putting your faith to work. Profess the Word of God spoken to you by prophecy or revelation; and the ones given to you from Scriptures. Whether on the mountaintop or in the valley of life, never stop declaring your word from God.

Not all afflictions are owing to satanic attacks. Sometimes what people experience is because of wrong choices or indiscretion. This certainly was the case with Hagar who found herself in the wilderness. When she became pregnant for her mistress’ husband, she began to contemn the old woman. In fury, Sarai thrust her away from the house. Despite her indiscretion, God still met her in the wilderness and gave her mid-course correction and sent back to where she had fled. She later named the well where God met her Beer-lahai-roi. The meaning of that is God who sees.

…God sees with the intention to intervene and cause a change…God does not see simply to amuse Himself or chuckle in disbelief. He sees to act. Whatever your position today, be assured that God can see you and He is doing something about your life.

One comforting truth spread all over scripture is the fact that God sees. The Psalmist contended the fact that God sees by appealing to reason. “He who planted the ear, shall He not hear? He who formed the eye, shall He not see?” Psalms 94:9 NKJV. In our lead scripture, God told Moses that He had seen the oppressive hands of Egypt against His people, stressing further that God is a seeing God. But much more assuring is the fact that God sees with the intention to intervene and cause a change. R. C. Sproul said, “The God who sees is not merely a spectator: He is a God who governs what He sees.” God does not see simply to amuse Himself or chuckle in disbelief. He sees to act. Whatever your position today, be assured that God can see you and He is doing something about your life.