Matthew 28:1-2:  Early on Sunday morning, as the new day was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went out to visit the tomb. Suddenly there was a great earthquake! For an angel of the Lord came down from heaven, rolled aside the stone, and sat on it.

Earthquakes are sudden and occur with little or no warning. However, following a major earthquake, the after-shocks may sometimes indicate the likelihood of a further earthquake. On some occasions, an earthquake may be preceded by  less intense tremors or foreshocks. Basic characteristics of an earthquake are:

1. It is not yet possible to predict magnitude, time, and place of an earthquake.

2. The onset is usually sudden.

3. Earthquake-prone areas are generally well identified and well known on the basis of geological features and past occurrences.

4. Major effects arise mainly from ground movement and fractures of rocks underground. The obvious effects include damage (usually very severe) to buildings, infrastructures, and sometimes come with considerable casualties.

When the angel of the Lord came down from heaven to remove the stone from Jesus’ tomb, the scriptures say a great earthquake occurred. Although the guards at the tomb were so terrified that they fainted, the two Women who witnessed it were also overcome with fear–but they were, at the same time, filled with joy!  They were in the right place, at the right time to have an encounter with God of miraculous proportions.

The exact spot underneath the surface of the earth at which an earthquake originates is known as “focus” while the point lying on the ground surface vertically above the focus is defined as “epicenter” of the earthquake.  Beloved, we are spiritually situated at the central location of a supernatural disturbance!  Knowing your position will be crucial to your breakthrough.  What will you take authority over during this season of tremors, foreshocks, and aftershocks? God has already prepared us to penetrate infrastructural strongholds, biases, and wickedness that prevails in our society and the World. When the shaking begins, don’t faint!  Rather begin to REJOICE knowing that your resurrection is at hand.

Declaring: “Lord, our Land is fractured. Make us now the Living Aftershocks of Calvary, ready to do your bidding.”  Amen

MIDNIGHT MEDITATION #15
Psalm 18:23 “I have been blameless before him and have kept myself from sin.”
Tonight our meditation draws us into the Psalmist’s incredible declaration, and self-affirmation of how he has walked the straight and narrow–keeping himself from sin. At first, one may under their breath say, “yeah, right”–blameless? no sin? No way. But with a little deeper consideration, we may see David as one who is simply giving his personal testimony to God. It’s not that the Lord needs us to recount to Him all the great things we’ve done, or to remind Him of how good we’ve been–God already knows all these things, and more! However, every now and then in the midst of our challenges, and at the peak of our victories, WE ourselves must hear our own testimony resonate from deep within! There will be only a select few people who will know the depth of the sacrifices you’ve made for the sake of the Kingdom. The world may never know about those days, times, and situations where you fought temptation with all your might–and came through it as an over comer! But God knows. And that is why He encourages us to ENCOURAGE OURSELVES! No one will ever know the real you–except you! When we think about it, we are painfully aware of how far the Lord has brought us. But today when we stand praying to God, it’s okay to speak well of yourself. Lord knows there are plenty of folks who are speaking negatively about us–most of which is urban myth! So when we celebrate a lifestyle, or a “stretch” of doing good, it’s a powerful witness…as long as it is not declared in comparison to another, done spitefully, or shouted from the rooftops on a regular basis.
PRAYER: Dear God, never let me fall into the trap of thinking more highly of myself than I ought; rather let me see declare how I never would have made it without you.” Amen
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