Manna for the Soul

Activating the Power in the Blood of Jesus I grew up in Ghana, where often, traditions for some tribes, including festivals, as well as some indigenous religious practices have involved animal sacrifices. As a child growing up in a Christian home, I always questioned such practices and even labeled it as vile. As one would imagine, the accepted belief underlying such practices was that the sacrifice bridges the gap between the sacred and non-sacred. An important aspect of this "bridging the gap" role of the sacrifice was the blood of the animal. It is believed that the blood is a vehicle of the life offered and it provides life not only to the deity to whom it is offered but also to the donors. Similar practices were dominant in ancient Israel, as recounted in the Old Testament, except that in the case of the Old Testament, the sacrifices were made to the Almighty God alone; whereas in the case of the traditional practices in Ghana, these sacrifices are made to other gods, ...

In my walk with the Lord over the last 27 years, I have come to understand certain key principles about unlocking God's blessings in our lives. I believe that these key principles, though not exhaustive, are necessary for every believer to know and understand, as we navigate life here on earth. I have often come across Christians who tell me, "I have prayed every kind of prayer but no sign of God's blessings." If you are one of those then come along with me as we review God's word especially in this critical area for the believer.  Prayer First, I would like to point out that while prayer is very important in the life of a believer, unlocking God's blessings goes beyond prayer. It is important for the believer in Christ to understand that the keys for unlocking God's blessings can be revealed only when we ask the Holy Spirit to lead us in finding them in the hidden treasures of God's word. I have made it a practice to ask the Holy Spirit to r...