July 20, 2014–Hey! I know your name!

Joshua Mills with featherOn Monday, July 14, Sulojana and I were blessed with the opportunity to attend a meeting hosted by Eagle Worldwide Ministries in our region. Joshua Mills, son of our good friends, Ron & Nancy Mills was ministering that night.

As with any meeting where Joshua ministers, there were manifestations of God’s glory that evening. Gold flakes appeared on Joshua’s face. And an angel feather dropped on the open Bible held by a woman sitting right in front of us.

No one was surprised by these signs or made a big deal of them…that’s just what one could expect to happen when Heaven touches earth!

Although we’ve been at meetings where Joshua has ministered before, we’d never met him personally. This time, we really felt that we needed to at least say ‘hi’ to him. We caught him just as he was about to leave the tent.

“Hi Joshua! I’m Jeeva Sam and this is my wife Sulojana. We’re friends of your Mom & Dad.”

How would he respond to that introduction? Would he say something like: “Yes, of course, I recognize your name! Aren’t you the co-founder of Destiny Word of the Day with Darren Canning? My Dad worked with you and Darren on a project where you guys took turns doing reflections on the Book of Acts over 40 Days of Fasting, right? I see that you’re quite prophetic too! You’re the guy that got the download about the Barrie to Buffalo Portal, am I correct?”

NOT!

Instead, he said: “Hey! I know your name! You’re one of the supporters of our Christmas Album on Kickstarter, aren’t you? I’ve been praying for you every day.”

Before I could say anything else, he placed his briefcase on a chair, unzipped a compartment, took out a notebook and opened it up to a page which had some writing on it.

“See! There’s your name.”

There it was. Printed neatly: Jeeva Edward Sam. That’s my handle on Facebook where the Kickstarter appeal had been posted. And, yes, Joshua had promised there that he would personally pray for every person who supported him and Janet Angela Mills in this project.

I had only offered support at the lowest tier. But, a promise is a promise. And here was this anointed servant of God who was good for his word. Honestly, it blew me and Sulojana away!

Is there a correlation between keeping one’s word and manifesting God’s glory? Please pay close attention to these words from Psalm 15:

Lord, who may dwell in your sacred tent? Who may live on your holy mountain?  The one whose walk is blameless, who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from their heart…who keeps an oath even when it hurts, and does not change their mind (verses 1-2 & 4)

Among the characteristics of one who has access to dwell in the high places (glory realms) with God is a reference to one who keeps his/her word. As Jesus himself taught: “Let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’” (Matthew 5:37)

Holy Spirit showed me that the Father values integrity so much that He will manifest His glory through a follower of Jesus who gives their word and then honours it. No wonder signs and wonders manifest themselves when Joshua Mills is ministering!

Dear DWOD friend, do you want to accelerate toward your destiny? Maintain integrity in all your dealings with others. God Himself will show up on your behalf. Angels will be released on assignment to get you there swiftly. And Heaven will manifest on earth in you, through you and around you.

July 19, 2014–The Unbroken Gaze of the Soul

Nicole Warden(Be blessed by this DWOD for July 19, 2014 by guest contributor Nicole Warden)

Peter sees someone walking on the water. “Jesus, if it’s You, tell me to come to You on the water.” It is Jesus…He has no choice but to say: “Come”. Peter steps out of the boat into the water…his gaze fastened on Jesus…he walks on the water!

As Peter begins to take his eyes off of Jesus and looks at the storm going on around them, he begins to sink. But Jesus doesn’t let him drown. He reaches out, takes hold of Peter…and together they go back and get into the boat…and the winds cease. (Matthew 14:28-32)

As we walk through this life, we strive to enter the rest that He has prepared for us. The only way to do that is to keep the gaze of our soul unbroken upon Him…to keep the focus of our heart on Him Who is “the Author and Finisher of our faith” (Heb. 12:2)…to keep our trust securely established in Him…to keep our hope anchored in Him.

Then the trials of life come breaking down upon us like the waves of the sea…sons and daughters that are wayward, broken relationships with siblings, friends, co-workers…financial distress, unplanned losses that cause financial upheaval in our lives…the loss of loved ones…of the friend who struggled with drugs and alcohol for so long and has finally been overtaken by it…human trafficking going on in our world…the abduction of children…the wars…the bombings…tsunamis…earthquakes…the loss of so many lives…the death of so many innocents…

Sometimes our own gaze begins to slip from our Lord and Saviour, the Lover of our soul, and fixes on the circumstances and situations that are swirling all around us.

But, like Peter, we can lift up our eyes to the Lord and say: “Help me Lord! Give me grace to keep my eyes securely fastened on You…to keep my gaze unbroken upon You…”  

As we do so, we feel Him right there standing before us, lovingly gazing into our eyes, telling us that He loves us, that He’s with us, that He never ever leaves us…

That is where I want to stay…my faith anchored in Him…the gaze of my soul upon Him, unbroken forever…

My prayer for you, dear DWOD friend, is that no matter what circumstance or storm arises around you to distract you (and believe me they will come)…that the gaze of your soul will remain unbroken…the eyes of your heart and spirit securely fastened on Him Who is the lover of your soul

”To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy— to the only God our Saviour be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.” (Jude 1:24-25)

(Nicole Warden is a lover of Jesus whose mission in life is to love the Lord with all her heart, mind, soul, and strength, and to love others as herself. She has a passion to see people rise up to their full potential in Jesus as they learn to develop intimacy in their relationship with God… particularly in the area of prayer. Nicole and Bob, her husband of 39 years, live in St. Catharines. They have 3 grown sons: Michael (Anique), Tim (Rebecca) & Matthew and two grandsons, Andrew & Isaac…the delights of her heart).