We give praise and thanks to the Almighty God for bringing us into the new month of the year 2023. He is ever faithful. We have published the ODM devotional for Wednesday. Our Daily Manna Devotional (ODM) Thursday 2 February, 2023. This is a daily devotional written by Bishop Dr. Chris Kwakpovwe. Incase you missed yesterday devotional, read it here: Our Daily Manna Devotional (ODM) Wedneday 1 February, 2023. February 2023 DAY 2
Our Daily Manna Devotional (ODM) Thursday 2 February, 2023
February 2023 DAY 2
Topic: THERE IS A ‘SYCAMORE’ TREE I FOR ME THIS YEAR!
Basic Scripture: LUKE 19:1 – 10; “Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. 2 A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. 3 He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he was short he could not see over the crowd. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way.
5 When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” 6 So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly.
7 All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.”
8 But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.”
9 Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
Our Daily Manna Devotional (ODM) Thursday 2 February, 2023
Opportunity can be defined as an open door or simply as a God-given chance to do something. It may come and go unused, unnoticed or misused. God can send someone across you to bless you. God can give you a chance to strike gold in your business or an opportunity to travel or help in need or give to His work.
Some have the opportunity to hear the gospel and get saved (Born Again) just once before their deaths. Opportunities are the answers to your prayers. They are the “eggs” that will hatch into your miracles! Don t joke with them or be sloppy (slow) or lazy about them. You may have the opportunity to reconcile and heal a bad relationship. Use it well and fast. There is a popular adage that says “opportunity comes but once.”
In today’s scripture, Zacchaeus knew that he may never have the opportunity to see Jesus again and truly Jesus did not pass through Jericho again. Zacchaeus, known as a tax collector, knew how to use opportunities. Verse 6 says, ” he made haste and came down.” He climbed a tree because of the crowd to see Jesus. There is always a ‘sycamore tree’ for every Zacchaeus! **Our Daily Manna Devotional (ODM) Thursday 2 February, 2023
That action shows that he did something very fast, to make sure that the opportunity of having a miracle encounter with Jesus did not pass him by. Note the word: “Haste.” In this year 2023, watch out in your family, church, business, and school, e.t.c, for opportunities to higher grounds and progress. God will send them! What you do with them determines whether you recover, or regret.
Esau regretted all his life because of opportunity misused (Hebrews 12:17). King Saul (1 Saml3: 14) also misused his God-given opportunity to register his name in “generational gold.” Judas, Ahitophel, Miriam, Korah, Gehazi, Rueben and lots more, all had failed opportunities. Be vigilant and sober to know your God-given opportunities; use them well no matter the price and always remember: One opportunity used invites another. There is a “sycamore tree” for 2023 and you must pray now that you will not miss yours! A misused one may never come again! Pray seriously now!
**Our Daily Manna Devotional (ODM) Thursday 2 February, 2023
PRAYER POINTS: Song 1: Higher ground…
I’m pressing on the upward way,
New heights I’m gaining every day;
Still praying as I onward bound,
“Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.”
Lord, lift me up, and let me stand
By faith on Canaan’s tableland;
A higher plane than I have found,
Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.
2. My heart has no desire to stay
Where doubts arise and fears dismay;
Though some may dwell where these abound,
My prayer, my aim, is higher ground.
3. I want to live above the world,
Though Satan’s darts at me are hurled;
For faith has caught the joyful sound,
The song of saints on higher ground. **Our Daily Manna Devotional (ODM) Thursday 2 February, 2023
4. I want to scale the utmost height
And catch a gleam of glory bright;
But still I’ll pray till rest I’ve found,
“Lord, lead me on to higher ground.”
PRAYER POINTS
- Repent from past sluggishness and lost opportunities.
- Lord, send me NEW OPPORTUNITIES this year! Arrows of lost opportunities; I REVERSE YOU now concerning 2023! T shall not lose godly opportunities!
- Satan, I contend with every legal ground you are standing upon TO ATTACK my opportunities this year! Lord, lead me.
- Holy Ghost, recover/restore all my lost opportunities.
