TheNewsGuru

Tag: devotional

  • [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Keep praying

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Keep praying

    By Oke Chinye

    Read: Luke 18:1-8

    Meditation verse:

    “Pray continually” (1 Thessalonians 5:17, NIV).

    Prayer is an intimate two-way communication between you and God. It is you talking to your Father as well as listening to Him speak to you. The bible is replete with commands on how to pray, when to pray, what to pray for and the benefits of praying. Psalm 95:2 enjoins us to begin our prayers with thanksgiving. John 14:13-14 tells us to ask in the name of our Saviour Jesus Christ. 1 Thessalonians 5:17 instructs us to pray without ceasing whilst James 5:16 states that the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man will bring much good.

    Jesus Christ understood the importance of being in constant touch with His Father during His time on earth. Before every important event, He took time to be away from the crowd that constantly followed Him, to pray. Before He began His ministry, He went into the desert where He prayed and fasted for forty days and nights (Matt 4:1- 2). Before choosing His twelve apostles, He went out to a mountainside and spent the night praying to God (Luke 6:12-15). Before treading the path of Calvary to His death, He agonized in prayers in a place called Gethsemane (Matt 26:36-45). He prayed so much that once after praying, His disciples asked Him to teach them to pray.

    In today’s reading, He reiterated the importance of continuous prayers with the parable of the persistent widow. Bottom line: ‘keep praying even when it seems not to be yielding any result. This way, prayer becomes a way of living so that you are constantly in God’s will for your life irrespective of what circumstances dictate. The biblical characters who lived exceptional lives, prayed continually. David prayed in the morning, at noon, in the evening (Ps 55:17) and in the night (Ps 42:8). Even whilst on his bed in the early watches of the day, his heart was stayed on God (Ps 63:6). Daniel’s custom from his early days was to get down on his knees three times a day to pray and give thanks before God (Dan 6:10). Apostle Paul spent countless hours fasting and praying (2 Cor 11:27).

    Are you in constant touch with God through prayers? Why not spend the remaining few days of this year tarrying in prayers. In the place of prayer, God through His Holy Spirit instructs, teaches, guides, and corrects us. A great way to end this year and begin a new one.

     

    IN HIS PRESENCE is written by Pst (Mrs) Oke Chinye, Founder of The Rock Teaching Ministry (TRTM).

    For Prayers and Counseling email rockteachingministry@gmail.com

    or call +2348155525555

    For more enquiries, visit: www.rockteachingministry.org.

  • [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Lower the bar and take stock

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Lower the bar and take stock

    By Oke Chinye

    Read: Philippians 4:10-13

    Meditation verse: 

    “In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thessalonians 5:18).

    One of the main reasons why we fail to practice gratitude is that we set the bar of gratitude too high. We selectively focus on the big things that we have presented to God and are yet to receive answers for. If those requests remain unanswered, we complain and fail to give God thanks. 

    When you lower the bar of your gratitude, you will notice the small things which are big things in themselves.

    • Having a good night sleep and waking up healthy
    • The ability to breath freely without an oxygen mask
    • A loving family around you
    • The ability to move your arms and limbs
    • A sound mind with which we can make decisions

    Whilst we may view these everyday blessings from God as little things, they are big deals to some people. You just need to visit a hospital ward or morgue.

    Yes, you may not have a million bucks in your account, or that business is not doing as well as you thought, or you do not have a spouse or children and many of the things you have been asking God for. But wait a minute, you also do not have cancer, high blood pressure or diabetes. You are not paralyzed, bedridden or lying in the morgue. You also have not lost your mind. That’s a whole lot to be grateful for. The apostle Paul said “I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things, I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need” (Philippians 4:11-12). What he was saying was that he has lowered the bar of his gratitude that even in his lowest, he can still be grateful to God. 

    As we move closer to the end of the year, lower the bar of your gratitude and express genuine thanks to God in all things.

     

    IN HIS PRESENCE is written by Pst (Mrs) Oke Chinye, Founder of The Rock Teaching Ministry (TRTM).

    For Prayers and Counseling email rockteachingministry@gmail.com

    or call +2348155525555

    For more enquiries, visit: www.rockteachingministry.org.

  • [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Stop running and fight back

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Stop running and fight back

    By Oke Chinye

    Read: 2 Corinthians 10:3-6

    Meditation verse: 

    “Therefore, submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you” (James 4:7).

    “Apocalypto” is an epic historical adventure film set in the Mayan civilization of Southern Mexico. This fictional movie portrays the hero journey of a young man named Jaguar Paw and his fellow tribesmen who are captured by an invading force. After the devastation of their village, they are brought on a perilous journey to a Mayan city for human sacrifice. Jaguar Paw managed to escape but his captors chased after him. He ran in the forest for days, climbing on trees to hide from his captors who were hot on his trail.

    And then suddenly he stopped running and said to himself “my name is Jaguar Paw, son of Flint Sky. I am a hunter, and this forest belongs to me. My father hunted here first before me, and my children will hunt after me. I am not afraid”. And then he began to fight back. He knew the forest well, so he set traps for his chasers. One time he attacked them with a swarm of bees wrapped in leaves. Another time he got venom from frogs and used as weapons against them. Jaguar Paw fought with his last strength using weapons he made from nature and one after the other he killed his chasers. 

    You have mighty weapons to defeat every stronghold of the enemy (2 Corinthians 10:4). When jaguar Paw stopped running, he defeated his enemies. Stop running and fight back. James 4:7 says, “resist the devil and he will flee from you”. Face up to the devil or whatever is contending with you in the place of your destiny.  Say “I am …, son of the Most High God. The earth is the Lord’s and all its fullness.  I am not afraid”. Then take up your weapons and fight.

    “Take up the whole Armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which, you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit” (Ephesians 6:13-18). These are your mighty weapons as a child of God. Use them.

     

    IN HIS PRESENCE is written by Pst (Mrs) Oke Chinye, Founder of The Rock Teaching Ministry (TRTM).

    For Prayers and Counseling email rockteachingministry@gmail.com

    or call +2348155525555

    For more enquiries, visit: www.rockteachingministry.org.

  • [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: You are in labour

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: You are in labour

    By Oke Chinye

    Read: Isaiah 66:7-9

    Meditation verse:

    “Shall I bring to the time of birth and not cause delivery?” says the Lord. Shall I who cause delivery shut up the womb”? says your God.

    When a pregnant woman goes into labour, the contractions are initially far in between with mild to moderate pain threshold. As the labour progresses, the interval between the contractions become shorter and the intensity of the pain increases. Just before delivery, the labour pains become severe, with the contractions occurring back-to-back. The moment she feels such intense pressure and pain on the lowest part of her womb, she knows it is time for her to push out the baby. And once the baby is out, she forgets what she has just gone through.

    2 Corinthians 4:17 says, “for our light affliction, which is but for a moment is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory”. That intense pressure in your life may be an indication that you are in labour. You may have begun the process of delivering the dream that you have been pregnant with. Rather than complaining or giving up, ask God to help you interpret the signs appropriately. Here’s God’s promise to you, “before she was in labour, she gave birth, before her pain came, she delivered a male child. Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such things? Shall the earth be made to give birth in one day? Or shall a nation be born at once? For as soon as Zion was in labour, she gave birth to her children. Shall I bring to the time of birth and not cause delivery?” says the Lord. Shall I who cause delivery shut up the womb”? says your God.” (Isaiah 66:7-9). 

     The time for delivery has come. Do not fall into the trap of misinterpreting the times. That pressure is not meant to undermine or break you. You are in labour and very soon you would bring forth.

     

    IN HIS PRESENCE is written by Pst (Mrs) Oke Chinye, Founder of The Rock Teaching Ministry (TRTM).

    For Prayers and Counseling email rockteachingministry@gmail.com

    or call +2348155525555

    For more enquiries, visit: www.rockteachingministry.org.

  • [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: The Lord will make room for you

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: The Lord will make room for you

    By Oke Chinye

    Read: Mark 2:1-4

    Meditation verse:

    “Thus says the Lord, who makes a way in the sea and a path through the mighty waters” (Isaiah 43:16).

    My Consulting Office is in a serviced complex where the parking spaces are not enough to serve every office. So parking is on a first come, first serve basis. On this morning as I approached the gate, I could see that all the parking spaces had been taken. But just as I drove in through the gate, someone pulled out from the first parking space, making room for me to park my car in that choice location. Instinctively, it dawned on me that this was a prophetic word for the moment as I heard the following words in my spirit “so will the Lord make room for you wherever you need to flourish, even though it may seem crowded in the moment”.

    Four men wanted Jesus to heal their paralytic friend whom they carried on a bed, but they could not gain access to Jesus because of the crowd. So, they uncovered the roof of the building where Jesus was, let down the bed on which the paralytic was lying. And Jesus honoured their faith. In today’s competitive and overcrowded marketplace, where the competition is stiff, and opportunities are few, you may have become stranded in life. Perhaps you desire that job, position, promotion, or contract, but can’t seem to make a headway due to lack of access. And unlike the paralytic who was lucky enough to have friends who could help him gain access, you may not even have anyone, no networks, no connections to help you gain access. If this is your story, then the prophetic word I received that morning is for you. 

    The Lord will make room for you in that area that currently seems out of your reach. Suddenly, someone will pull out of the race, and you will be just in the right place at the right moment to occupy the space. If God can make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert, certainly, He can make room for you in any sphere of endeavour in today’s marketplace. 

    The song writer says:

    “God will make a way when there seems to be no way. He works in ways we cannot see; He will make a way. He will be my guide, hold me closer to His side, with love and strength for each new day, He will make a way, He will make a way” Make this song your declaration and let your faith come alive again.

     

    IN HIS PRESENCE is written by Pst (Mrs) Oke Chinye, Founder of The Rock Teaching Ministry (TRTM).

    For Prayers and Counseling email rockteachingministry@gmail.com

    or call +2348155525555

    For more enquiries, visit: www.rockteachingministry.org.

  • [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Get set to travel light (2)

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Get set to travel light (2)

    By Oke Chinye

    Read: 1 Corinthians 9:24-27

    Meditation verse:

    “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind” (2Timothy 1:7).

    Some other weights to get rid of as you prepare to enter the new year include: 

    Debts of any kind: Be sure to clear all debts, whether financial debts, forgiveness of an offence or restoration of a broken relationship. Romans 13:8-10 says “owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law. For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not bear false witness,” “You shall not covet,” and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, “You shall love your neighbour as yourself.” Love does no harm to a neighbour; therefore, love is the fulfilment of the law”.  

    Wrong mindset: “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he” (Proverbs 23:7). Your mind is powerful. It is the seat of your emotions, moods, thoughts, and beliefs. If the mind is skewed or unhealthy, you have a big problem at hand. “Your thoughts influence your emotions, your emotions decisions, your decisions influence your actions. Your actions influence your outcomes in life. Be careful how you think because your life is shaped by your thoughts. Bet rid of fear, self-doubt, low self-esteem, and other limiting beliefs.

    Excuses: If you want an excuse for not doing something, especially the things that will build our faith and help us grow in our walk with God, it is so easy to find one. We can come up with so many excuses for not doing our personal devotions and bible studies each day or not fellowshipping with others and these excuses will sound genuine. But if truth be told, people always make them for what they consider as most important. The apostle Paul said, “but I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I should become disqualified” (1 Corinthians 9:27).

    Lack of clarity: Without a clear idea of where you are going, how can you even speak of travelling? “If you do not know where you are going, you’ll end up someplace else” (Yogi Berra). Write down your vision for the new year, make it plain, lay aside the weight and travel light.

     

    IN HIS PRESENCE is written by Pst (Mrs) Oke Chinye, Founder of The Rock Teaching Ministry (TRTM).

    For Prayers and Counseling email rockteachingministry@gmail.com

    or call +2348155525555

    For more enquiries, visit: www.rockteachingministry.org.

  • [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Get set to travel light (1)

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Get set to travel light (1)

    By Oke Chinye

    Read: Romans 12:1-17

    Meditation verse:

    “Examine yourself as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Christ is in you? – unless indeed you are disqualified” (2 Corinthians 13:5).

    It is about two weeks to the end of this year. As 2022 comes to an end and we prepare to enter a new year, it is a good time to do some self-evaluation. How did you fare in your walk with God this year? Are you satisfied with your progress in the areas of personal devotion, worship, thanksgiving, bible study, fellowship, service and giving? If not, what things do you think hindered you and how can you ensure that you do not carry the same baggage (s) into the new year? Romans 12:1 says “therefore, we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us”. What weight do you need to toss aside to ensure that you travel light into the new year? Here are a few suggestions                                                                         

    Sin: Romans 6:1-2 says, “what shall we say then, shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? Sin in any form is a weight that not only has the power to slow down your progress but can also waste your life. “Therefore, strengthen the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed” (Romans 12:12-13). 

    Wrong association: If you continue to hang out with the wrong crowd you will eventually end up in the wrong place. “Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? …Therefore, come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord (2 Corinthians 6:14-17). 

    Laziness: Lazy people want much but get little. But those who work hard will prosper” (Proverbs 13:4, NLT). If you desire worthy accomplishments, you cannot travel with this baggage. There is a price to pay for success, the price is hard work. “Genius is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration” (Thomas Edison).

     

    IN HIS PRESENCE is written by Pst (Mrs) Oke Chinye, Founder of The Rock Teaching Ministry (TRTM).

    For Prayers and Counseling email rockteachingministry@gmail.com

    or call +2348155525555

    For more enquiries, visit: www.rockteachingministry.org.

  • [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Is your gift yielding any profit for God?

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Is your gift yielding any profit for God?

    By Oke Chinye

    Read: Mathew 25:14-29

    Meditation verse:

    “Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them…” (Romans 12:6).

    Your spiritual gift is the ability you receive from the Holy Spirit after your salvation. You receive it by grace and not by your efforts. God expects you to use it to profit His kingdom. Your gift could be spiritual, such as the gift of healing or prophecy. It could be physical such as a creative or musical ability. It could also be mental, such as an intellectual ability or great leadership skills. I Corinthians 12:4-7 says, “there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all” 

    Here are some things to note about spiritual gift(s)

    • God gives spiritual gifts in different measures and proportions. In today’s reading, we see the parable of the talents, where the master gave his servants measures of five, two and one.
    • Your spiritual gift was given to you for a purpose. “And Bezalel and Aholiab, and every gifted artisan in whom the Lord has put wisdom and understanding, to know how to do all manner of work for the service of the sanctuary, shall do according to all that the Lord has commanded.” (Exodus 36:1). God expects you to use yours to expand His kingdom.
    • When you use it for God’s glory, He will multiply it. Many great musicians like Beyonce and late Whitney Houston began their singing careers in the church.
    • If you do not utilise your spiritual gift, it would diminish in value and eventually disappear. The master referred to the servant who buried his talent as unprofitable and collected it back from him.
    • Your gift is the easiest route to your success and wealth because you are uniquely gifted to do what only you can do in a way that only you can do it. “A man’s gift makes room for him and brings him before great men.
    • Lastly, when all is said and done, you will stand before the Judge and Master to give an account of how you used your gift. (Mathew 25:15)

     

    IN HIS PRESENCE is written by Pst (Mrs) Oke Chinye, Founder of The Rock Teaching Ministry (TRTM).

    For Prayers and Counseling email rockteachingministry@gmail.com

    or call +2348155525555

    For more enquiries, visit: www.rockteachingministry.org.

  • [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Watch your emotions

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Watch your emotions

    By Oke Chinye

    Read: Galatians 5:16-26

    Meditation verse:

    “He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city (Proverbs 16:32).

    An emotion is an instinctive or intuitive feeling, distinguished from reasoning and knowledge. It is a sentiment which is not necessarily based on fact. The dictionary puts out the opposite of emotions as ‘intellect’. Emotions are transient, fleeting, and contagious. They are therefore not a true representation of your reality. The fact that you feel afraid does not necessarily mean that there are very dreadful events in your life. Similarly, your current feelings of hopelessness do not in any way translate to a hopeless life or future.

    It is not so much the activating event that affects our emotions and actions. It is our belief about the event that causes us stress. Your thoughts about your life’s circumstances affect how you feel, and this affects how you react which by extension determines the outcomes you get in life. Consider this; two ladies lose their jobs at the same time. The first one thinks excitedly to herself “well this gives me an opportunity to set up that business I have always wanted”. The second hunches her shoulders and thinks to herself “I am a total failure and loser; this is the end of the road for me”. Which one of them is more likely to succeed in her future endeavor? 

    It is dangerous to judge your circumstances based on how you feel about an event. Proverbs 19:11 says “The discretion of a man makes him slow to anger, and his glory is to overlook a transgression. Ecclesiastes 7:10 says “Do not say, why were the former days better than these? For you do not inquire (think) wisely concerning this. The bible says “A man’s steps are of the Lord; how then can a man understand his own way? (Proverbs 20:24). “O Lord, I know the way of man is not in himself; it is not in man who walks to direct his own steps” (Jeremiah 10:23). So, watch your emotions and stop short-changing yourself!

     

    IN HIS PRESENCE is written by Pst (Mrs) Oke Chinye, Founder of The Rock Teaching Ministry (TRTM).

    For Prayers and Counseling email rockteachingministry@gmail.com

    or call +2348155525555

    For more enquiries, visit: www.rockteachingministry.org.

  • [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: You give them something to eat

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: You give them something to eat

    By Oke Chinye

    Read: Mathew 14:13-21

    Meditation verse:

    “But Jesus said to them, “they do not need to go away. You give them something to eat”.

    They came from the towns and followed Jesus wherever He went. He taught them and healed the sick, but a problem arose when evening came. The crowd had not eaten all day and they were in a remote place. Jesus’ disciples felt they had the perfect solution, so they said, “send the crowd away, so they can go to the villages and buy food for themselves”. But Jesus replied, “they do not need to go away. You give them something to eat”. They had only five loaves of bread and two fishes which belonged to a little boy, but at the end of the day, a multitude comprising of five thousand men, excluding women and children were fed with twelve baskets full of fragments left.

    As we go about our activities each day, we encounter people with different needs, whether at our places of work, church communities, or home environments. People with deep needs who may not ask for our help, notice that the multitude did not ask Jesus’ disciple for food.  How do we respond to such people? Are we even sensitive to their needs in the first place? Some are hungry, hurting, or sick, others are homeless, broke, and confused.  They need food, a little change, counsel, prayers, friendship, or just a kind word of encouragement. 

    God expects you and I to meet the needs of those He sends our way whether they are physical, spiritual, financial, or emotional needs. He has equipped us for this purpose, and it may surprise you to know that what you have is always sufficient for the needs He sends your way. All you need is a willing heart and a generous spirit. Next time you discern a need around you, why not offer the little you have, trusting that God is able to bless and multiply it? God will not use your resources and leave you worse off. You will always gather your twelve baskets of fragments at the end of the day.

     

    IN HIS PRESENCE is written by Pst (Mrs) Oke Chinye, Founder of The Rock Teaching Ministry (TRTM).

    For Prayers and Counseling email rockteachingministry@gmail.com

    or call +2348155525555

    For more enquiries, visit: www.rockteachingministry.org.