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Tag: devotional

  • [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: The 3 Ps of purposeful living

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: The 3 Ps of purposeful living

    By Oke Chinye

    Read: 2 TIMOTHY 4:6-8

    Meditation verse:

    “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (2  Timothy 4:7).

    Not everyone who begins a race gets to the finished line. Some runners lose  their balance and fall by the way,some get distracted, others become too weary  to continue. Those who finish strong are the ones who never take their gaze off  the finish line. Similarly in the race of life, some people get distracted by the  cares of this present world, others become weary from fighting the battles of  life, still yet many do not even get started. Paul the apostle kept his eyes on the  finish line and ended well. In discharging his apostolic mandate, he completed  three long missionary journeys, planted at least 14 churches, wrote 13 of the  New Testament books and endured some of the toughest conditions,  persecutions, and trials. The life that will finish strong must be purpose driven  and there are 3 essentials of purposeful living. 

    PURPOSE: Your Purpose is what you were made for. It is your God-ordained  assignment. You are on earth to solve a particular problem, add value to the  lives of those around you and impact your world. Your purpose is the vehicle  you will use to accomplish this. God has put inside you, everything you need to  accomplish your purpose. The greatest love you can give to yourself is to  discover the reason you were created and accomplish it. 

    PROGRAM /PLAN: You should have a program(s) or plan of action for actualizing your purpose. Paul’s programs for fulfilling his apostolic mandate were  missionary journeys, church planting, letters as well as follow-up visits. 

    PEOPLE: In Mark 4:32, Jesus likened God’s kingdom to a small mustard seed that  was sown in the ground, and which became a great herb with large branches  such that the birds of the air nested under its shade. Your purpose is not for you.  There are people whose destinies are tied to your purpose. These are the people  you are called to serve; they are meant to nest under the shade of your purpose.  Do you want to end well? Identify your purpose, create a plan of action, then  find and engage your people.

     

    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: Are you carrying the donkey?

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Are you carrying the donkey?

    By Oke Chinye

    Read: 1 Samuel 15: 1-31

    Meditation verse:

    “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me” (John 10:27).

    The story is told of a grandfather who went on a trip with his little grandson. He  put his grandson on the donkey and went off, walking beside the donkey. Soon  a passer-by saw them and said “how disrespectful! See that poor old man  walking, whilst the little boy is on the donkey. So, the grandfather put the little boy down and mounted the donkey. A few yards away, another passer-by saw them and exclaimed, “how cruel! See that boy little boy walking whilst the old  man is sitting on the donkey. So, the grandfather picked up the little boy and put  him on the donkey with him. A short while later, another passer-by saw them  and sighed “poor donkey, how sad to see it saddled with the weight of a man  and a boy. By the time the grandfather and his grandson got to their destination,  they were both carrying the donkey.

    What’s the moral of this story? No matter what you do, people will always have  something to say. Not a few people have been pushed to act based on the  opinion of others and end up weighed down by the consequences, just as the  old man and his grandson ended up bearing the weight of the donkey. Jesus  Christ said, “My sheep hear My voice, the voice of strangers they will not harken  to”. You cannot be a people pleaser and a God chaser at the same time.  Understand this, God will not tell another person about you, more than He will  instruct you. Except of course, you choose not to listen.

    Put down the donkey of other people’s opinion and determine your own race  based on counsel received from God. “Looking unto Jesus, the author and  finisher of your faith…” (Hebrews 12:2).

     

    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: Be grateful for and engage each day

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Be grateful for and engage each day

    By Oke Chinye

    Read: Job 38:12-15

    Meditation verse: 

    “This is the day the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it” (Psalm  118:24).

    Every day is a gift from God. It is a privilege to wake up to another day. The  psalmist says “I lay down and slept, I awoke, for the Lord sustained me (Psalm  3:5). It’s a 3-step process. First you lie down, then you sleep, after which you  wake up. Not everyone enjoys the privilege of all three steps. We hear of  instances where people go to bed at night, sleep but do not wake up to see the  next day; they die in their sleep. Others lie down but are unable to enjoy a good  night sleep. Still yet, there are those who do not even get to lie down. They are  harassed by the terrors of the night.  

    If God sustained you through the night and enabled you to see a day, it is a  privilege because it means your assignment on earth is not yet over. Each day  comes with its own purpose and work, else it would not exist. Psalm 104:19-23  says: 

    He (God) appointed the moon for seasons; the sun knows its going down. You make darkness, and it is night, in which all the beasts of the forest  creep about. The young lions roar after their prey and seek their food from  God. When the sun rises, they gather together and lie down in their dens. Man goes out to his work and to his labor until the evening”. 

    Therefore, esteem each day as a gift from God, be grateful to Him and ask Him  to direct your path. Then engage the day fully in a manner that will enable you  profit maximally from it. “In the morning sow your seed, and in the evening do  not withhold your hand; for you do not know which will prosper, either this or  that, or whether both alike will be good” (Ecclesiastes 11:6). As you live out each  day of your life, let God see by your deeds that you are grateful to be alive and  be a part of the day; do good to others and put in your best, working diligently  at whatever your hand finds to do. Remember that there is no work or device or  knowledge or wisdom in the grave where you will end up someday. (Ecclesiastes  9:10).

     

    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: Break loose from that yoke

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Break loose from that yoke

    By Oke Chinye

    Read: Genesis 27:30-40

    Meditation verse:

    “By the sword you shall live, and you shall serve your brother. And it shall  come to pass, when you become restless, that you shall break his yoke from  your neck” (Genesis 27:40).

    Yokes represent burdens, servitude, or bondage and are usually placed on us  by others. There is nothing pleasant about a yoke. It weighs you down, slows  down your pace and causes you to exert more effort in any accomplishment.

    Jacob had stolen Esau’s blessings by pretending to be him and as Esau pleaded  with his father for a remnant of the blessing, Jacob told him that he would be in  servitude under his younger brother but when he became restless and fed up,  he would break loose from the yoke.

    There are certain situations and conditions that you have permitted in your life  and allowed to go on, even though you don’t like them because they are  weighing you down or making you feel less than you were created for. They may  even be there legally, but they are hindering your progress and advancement in  life. Sometimes these yokes are not visible to the naked eye, they can only be  discerned spiritually. Today’s reading helps us understand that they will remain  yokes on your neck if you permit them to remain. The moment you get fed up; you will find a way to break loose.

    After years of battling with fear and low self-esteem and missing out on the  many opportunities that God sent my way, I knew it was time to break free from  the yoke of fear. The bible says that fear hath torment. God has not given us a  spirit of fear but of power, love, and a sound mind.

    What is that yoke that you have continuously tolerated in your life? Lack, sin,  marital issues, abuse, persistent pain, excess weight, or a sense of  worthlessness? Call that yoke by its name and announce to it that its time is up.  God’s power is available to back you up. Job 22:28 says “you shall declare a thing  and it will be established for you, so light will shine on your ways”. Get restless  in the place of prayer and break loose today.

     

    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: Who do you fear?

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Who do you fear?

    By Oke Chinye

    Read: GALATIANS 2:11-16

    Meditation verse:

    “The fear of man brings a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord shall be safe”  (Proverbs 29:25).

    Fear can have either a positive or negative effect on your life. On the positive  side, it can help you steer clear of danger. Conversely, it can hinder your progress  or cause you to do things that are contrary to who you are and what you stand  for. The key lies in who and what you fear. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning  of wisdom” (Proverbs 9:10). “The fear of the Lord is to hate evil” (Proverbs 8:13). 

    This type of fear is liberating. It is a deep reverence for a powerful God and a  wholesome dread of displeasing Him. This type of fear causes you to abstain  from sin so that you are always within the boundaries of God’s favour and  protection.  

    The fear of man brings a snare. It can prevent you from becoming who God  created you to be. The fear of man can become a “goliath” in your life and  torment you. It can make you afraid to speak up when you know you should or  lead you into wrong relationships. It can also cause you to lie or compromise  your values and in its worst form make you deny your faith in Christ. The disciple, 

    Peter was a man with a tendency to display this type of fear. As a result, he  sometimes behaved in ways inconsistent with his faith in Christ. He denied Jesus  Christ before a little maid because he feared those who were in the courtyard  (Luke 22:56-57). Years later, whilst a church leader, he withdrew and separated  himself from eating with the gentiles because he feared those who were of the  circumcision. It took the rebuke of Paul to get him back on track. 

    What type of fear rules your life- the fear of God or the fear of man? Jesus said  to His disciples “…do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have  no more that they can do. But I will show you whom you should fear- fear Him  who, after He has killed, has power to cast into hell: yes, I say to you, fear Him”  (Luke 12:4-5). Next time you are tempted to act in a certain way because of the  fear of man, ask yourself ‘what is the worst thing that can happen if I do not fear  this person’?

     

    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: What is God saying to you?

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: What is God saying to you?

    By Oke Chinye

    Read: HABAKKUK 2:1-4

    Meditation verse:

    “I will stand my watch and set myself on the rampart and watch to see what He  will say to me, and what I will answer when I am corrected” (Habakkuk 2:1).

    When God speaks to you, do you hear or listen? Although hearing and listening  may sound like the same thing, truth is, there’s a world of difference between  the two. Merriam-Webster defines hearing as the “process, function, or power  of perceiving sound; specifically: the special sense by which noises and tones are  received as stimuli.” Listening, on the other hand, means “to pay attention to  sound; to hear something with thoughtful attention; and to give consideration. 

    Hearing is a passive behaviour of perceiving sound by the ear. Listening is  choosing to do something; it is an action. Listening utilises more senses in your  body than hearing. In listening you move beyond perceiving the sound to  processing and understanding, to give a suitable response or act. Hearing is 

    physical, listening is cognitive. 

    Habakkuk set himself upon the rampart and stood his watch to listen to what  God had to say about the evil that was going on. That speaks of preparation and  positioning. And God spoke to him. God longs to speak to you all the time. He is  relational and He created you for His good pleasure. However, you will not hear  or understand what He is saying if you do not prepare and position yourself. God  cannot be heard in noise and chaos, only in silence. Your heart must be ready,  your ears open and He must have your full attention. I have come to realise that  the best way to position yourself to listen to God is to wait on Him in fasting and  prayer.  

    A famous song says: “God has something to say, listen, listen, pay close  attention, for God has something to say”. God has something to say about every  area of your life- your marriage, children, health, career, relationships as well as  your walk with Him. He wants to give insight into that situation. He wants to  direct your path. Isaiah 30:21 says, “right behind you a voice will say, this is the  way you should go, whether to the right or to the left” (NLT). Will you listen to  the voice?

     

    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: God has borne, He will bear

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: God has borne, He will bear

    By Oke Chinye

    Read: ISAIAH 49: 14-16

    Meditation verse:

    “Even to your old age, I am He, and even to grey hairs, I will carry you! I have  made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you” (Isaiah 46:4).

    Have you ever felt like God has forsaken you? Here is His promise to you this  day. “Can a woman forget her nursing child and not have compassion on the son  of her womb? Surely, they may forget, yet I will not forget you. See I have  inscribed you on the palms of My hands; your walls are continually before Me” (Isaiah 49:14-16). All the promises of God in Christ are yes and amen in Him, to  the glory of God through us (2 Cor 1:20). If you are in Christ, God’s  pronouncements concerning your life, are as good as done.  

    The famous spiritual poem “Footprints in the Sand” written by Mary Fishback  portrays an individual who dreamed of having a conversation with God whilst  walking along the beach: “Across the dark sky flashed scenes from my life. For  each scene, I noticed two sets of footprints in the sand, one belonging to me and  one to my Lord. After the last scene of my life flashed before me, I looked back  at the footprints in the sand. I noticed that at many times along the path of my  life, especially at the very lowest and saddest times, there was only one set of  footprints. This really troubled me, so I asked the Lord about it. “Lord, you said  once I decided to follow you, you’d walk with me all the way. But I noticed that  during the saddest and most troublesome times of my life, there was only one  set of footprints. I don’t understand why, when I needed You the most, You would  leave me.” He whispered, “My precious child, I love you and will never leave you.  Never, ever, during your trials and testing, when you saw only one set of  footprints, it was then that I carried you.” (Mary Fishback). 

    In your most vulnerable moments, God is with you. When you feel like giving up,  He is there by your side. Even when you do not feel like it, He is with you. “Yea,  though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For  You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me” (Psalm 23:4).

     

    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: His grace is sufficient for you

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: His grace is sufficient for you

    By Oke Chinye

    Read: 2 CORINTHIANS 12:7-10

    Meditation verse:

    “And He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made  perfect in weakness…” (2 Corinthians 12:9a).

    The exact nature of Paul’s infirmity is unknown. But whatever it was, it must  have been uncomfortable because he pleaded with God on three occasions to  take it away. He seemed desperate to get rid of. When God in His infinite wisdom  refused Paul’s appeal, he did not let the ‘thorn in his flesh’ prevent him from  fulfilling his ministry. He recognized God as His true source of strength and knew  he could depend on His power to remain effective and useful. By affirming God’s  strength, he accepted the reality of his weakness and refused to let it stop him. 

    There may be challenges or weaknesses in your life that have lingered on for  years and you desperately need God’s intervention. Are you sitting around,  waiting for God to make them disappear? He may decide to allow you to live  with it. He has already been made His grace available to you. Grace is an enabler  that propels you forward even in difficult situations, so appropriate His grace. 

    You appropriate God’s grace by repeatedly declaring it over that situation and  walking in its consciousness. If for instance, you recognize that you have a  temper and are prone to outbursts of anger, you need to live in the  consciousness that God’s grace is available to help you exercise self-control.  Rather than giving in to angry outbursts when faced with an upsetting situation, 

    why not declare: “Lord, Your grace is sufficient for me, Your strength is here to  help me stay calm. I depend on it over my weakness. I surrender my will to yours. 

    “Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God” (Rom 10:17). The  change you desire may not happen instantly, but as you continue speaking God’s  word over that situation, you will ultimately experience victory. This same  principle will work for a recovering alcoholic, a sex maniac or a drug addict who  has surrendered his will to God. If you are battling with fear, self-doubt or low  self-esteem, the grace to forge ahead is in you. Tap into it and press forward. 

    Make decisions and act, despite your struggles. Do not let them stop you, for when you are weak, then you are strong in the power of Christ.

     

    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: Why sit down there and die?

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Why sit down there and die?

    By Oke Chinye

    Read: 2 KINGS 7:3-16

    Meditation verse:

    “Now there were four leprous men at the entrance of the gate; and they said to  one another, “why are we sitting here until we die”? (2 KINGS 7:3).

    A well-known model for handling the challenges of living designed by D’Zurilla  and Goldfried, proffers six steps for solving problems. First define the problem,  then generate alternative solutions, list pros and cons of each solution, choose  the best one, plan and then execute it. This was what the four leprous men at  the entrance of Samaria did, when they found themselves in a desperate  situation. The famine had besieged the city, and everyone was hungry. Rather  than sitting still and doing nothing, they reasoned amongst themselves,  evaluated their options, decided on a course of action, and acted. And their  problem was resolved.  

    What difficult situation are you currently faced with? What have you done or  what are you doing about it? Can you truthfully say that you have exhausted  your options? A lot of times, when faced with adversity, we either keep shouting  at God in prayers or we sit still, expecting the problem to disappear. As you call  on God to act in that situation, is it possible that He is waiting on you to act? “All  things pertaining to life and godliness have been given to you by the divine power  of God through the knowledge of Him who called you by glory and virtue” (2  Peter 1:3). God has given you the wisdom, power, knowledge, and ability needed  to live a godly life. You are well equipped to find solutions to the challenges of  your everyday living.  

    Why then would you choose to remain in that situation until you die? In Spencer  Johnson’s book: “who moved my cheese”, four characters enjoyed a plenteous  supply of cheese until they suddenly found themselves in a cheese less situation.  Whilst three of the characters searched for other options until they found  another supply of cheese, the last one chose to remain in his cheese less 

    condition. Whilst it is okay to pray whenever you encounter difficulty, there is  always something you can do about it. So, evaluate your options today, decide  on a course of action and act. Your victory awaits you on the other side.

     

    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: Enhance your mental wellbeing (2)

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Enhance your mental wellbeing (2)

    By Oke Chinye

    Read: PHILIPPIANS 4:4-9

    Meditation verse:

    “Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble,  whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely,  whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything  praiseworthy—meditate on these things” (Philippians 4:8).

    Here are more ways to guarantee your emotional and mental wellbeing:

    o Be very intentional about what you focus on. It is so easy to focus on what  you have lost, times you have failed, whose fault it is and why it happened.  The human brain prefers to focus on what could go wrong.  

    o Constantly audit your focus. Ask yourself ‘why am I feeling this way’?  What am I focusing on? Then change your focus if you need to. Spend your  time on things that build your confidence rather than on what diminishes it. 

    o Regulate the influence of your external forces on your mental health. Ask  yourself, ‘what is that thing in the outside world that when I see, it reduces  my self-confidence and sense of self-worth? It may be presence of certain  people or the social media handles of some individuals, which portray them  as being perfect. Distance yourself from whatever it is.  

    o Be the observer and controller of your life. A thermometer fluctuates up  and down, depending on the temperature of the environment, whilst a  thermostat controls the temperature. Choose to be a thermostat.  

    o Figure out what you are good at and develop yourself to become amazing  at it. Stop focusing on fixing your weaknesses. It is a losing strategy for  your mental wellbeing. Pay others to do what you are not good at.  

    o Lastly, get out of the goal post of your life and play in the midfield. Action  breeds confidence. Inaction breeds fear.

     

    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.