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Tag: devotional

  • [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Recognizing and dealing with the ‘but’ in your life

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Recognizing and dealing with the ‘but’ in your life

    By Oke Chinye

    Read: 1 Kings 10:14-11:1-25

    Meditation verse:

    “But King Solomon loved many foreign women, as well as the daughter of Pharoah: women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians and Hittites” (1 Kings 11:1).

    King Solomon had great wisdom and wealth. “All his drinking vessels were gold, and all the vessels of the House of the Forest of Lebanon were pure gold. Not one was silver, for this was accounted as nothing in the days of Solomon. For the king had merchant ships at sea with the fleet of Hiram. Once every three years the merchant ships came bringing gold, silver, ivory, apes, and monkeys. So, King Solomon surpassed all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom. Now all the earth sought the presence of Solomon to hear his wisdom, which God had put in his heart. Each man brought his present: articles of silver and gold, garments, Armor, spices, horses, and mules, at a set rate year by year” (1 Kings 10:21-25).

    But King Solomon loved many foreign women. He clung to them in love and when he was old, they turned his heart after other gods; “and his heart was not loyal to the Lord his God, as was the heart of his father David” (1 Kings 11:4). Solomon’s lineage suffered severe consequences because of this. God tore the kingdom out of the hand of his son. He also raised up adversaries against Solomon.

    No matter the height you have attained in life, it will take just a little foolishness on your part to bring you down. Sexual immorality, pride, ego, and anger are some common sins with a great potential to destroy you and everything you have built, in a matter of seconds. Several great men have sacrificed their greatness on the laps of strange women. Refuse to be numbered amongst the lot.

    If there is a ‘but’ you are currently struggling with, rather than denying its existence, own up to God and let Him help you deal with it before it is too late.

    “For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live” (Romans 8:13).

     

    IN HIS PRESENCE is written by Dcns 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: It is written

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: It is written

    By Oke Chinye

    Read: Luke 4: 1-13

    Meditation verse:

    “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16).

    When Satan tempted Jesus as He came out from the wilderness after forty days and night of fasting, Jesus overcame him with the words “it is written…” Three times the devil tried, and three times Jesus withstood him with scriptures. The word of God works in all and for every situation. “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12). There is an “it is written” for every situation that you are currently passing through.

    If you are in lack, remember that it is written “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want” (Ps 23:1). If you are sick, remember that it is written “But He was wounded for our transgressions. He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes[c] we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5). If you are afraid, remember that it is written “The Lord is my light and my salvation, whom shall, I fear? (Ps 27:1) or “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9).

    When you doubt your ability to take on a task and succeed, remember that it is written “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13). When faced with trails and temptations, remember that it is written “no temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it” (1 Cor 10:13).

    What are you currently battling in your life? Which ‘it is written’ can you apply to that situation? “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17). Go ahead, say to that situation: “it is written…”

     

    IN HIS PRESENCE is written by Dcns 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: Tell God exactly as it is

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Tell God exactly as it is

    By Oke Chinye

    Read: Psalm 103:1-22

    Meditation verse:

    “As a father pities his children, so the Lord pities those who fear Him” (Psalm 103:13).

    When my last child was three years old, we had a party for her and as expected, I was all over the place making sure everything was going as planned. As I went about delegating, giving instructions, she came to me and said “mummy, I want to weewee”. I told her I was coming but continued attending to guests. She came a second time and repeated her request, again I said I was coming. A few moments later, she came a third time and said in a desperate tone “mummy, please don’t let me weewee on myself”. I dropped everything I was doing and quickly took her to the bathroom. By letting me know the consequences of my delay, she promptly caught my attention.

    Psalm 103:13-14 says that “As a father pities his children, so the Lord pities those who fear Him. For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust”. Tell God exactly as it is with you. Tell Him that you are about to give up and without His help, you cannot make it in life. Tell Him not to allow your marriage fail. Tell Him that if He does not help you, your business will collapse. Tell Him that you have no one else to turn to. He knows your condition anyway; He is just wants to know that you depend on Him.

    Unto You I lift up my eyes, O You who dwell in the heavens. Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their masters, as the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the Lord our God, until He has mercy on us. Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us! For we are exceedingly filled with contempt. Our soul is exceedingly filled with the scorn of those who are at ease, with the contempt of the proud. Psalm 123:1-4.

     

    IN HIS PRESENCE is written by Dcns 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: Tame your imagination

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Tame your imagination

    By Oke Chinye

    Read: Romans 8:28-39

    Meditation verse:

    “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28).

    Some weeks back, I was scheduled to do a CT scan as a follow up to an ultrasound scan, I had done to investigate the severe abdominal pains I was experiencing. I did the scan and when I went back to collect the result two days later, I was informed that the person who carried out the CT had left a message for me that I was to wait and see him before collecting my result. Now, this was not the usual practice as he was not the doctor I was seeing. I was supposed to just collect my result and go back to my doctor.

    Instantly, my mind went into panic mode and my imagination went wild. “Why did he want to see me?” “Maybe he had seen something really bad, and he wanted to break the news to me himself”. As it turned out, the reason he wanted to see me was that the CT scan result was good, it did not show the problem which the ultrasound scan had revealed, and he wanted to repeat the ultrasound scan just to be sure. He repeated the ultrasound, and I was given a clean bill of health to the glory of God.

    Our imaginations make things seem worse because the brain prefers to focus on what could go wrong. Why did I not think instead that the reason he wanted to see me was because my report was so good, and he wanted to tell me himself. Why did I not even think that probably there was an error with the first scan, so he wanted to repeat it. All of these were likely possibilities, but my imagination preferred to hold on to the worst option.

    You must be intentional about taming your imagination. The brain is a pattern matching organ. If you spend your time focusing on what is dreadful, bad, frightening, or disastrous, guess what? The brain will begin to search for these types of occurrences and bring them into your reality. In every situation, therefore, stay positive because even if the enemy meant it for evil, God would bring good out of it. He moves in mysterious ways, His wonders to perform.

     

    IN HIS PRESENCE is written by Dcns 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: Whatever He says to you, do it

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Whatever He says to you, do it

    By Oke Chinye

    Read: John 2:1-10

    Meditation verse:

    “His mother said to the servants, “whatever He says to you, do it” (John 2:5).

    God longs to guide you in every area of your life. He longs to speak to you, and He can speak to you in a variety of ways. Psalm 32:8-9 says, “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye. Do not be like the horse or like the mule, which have no understanding, which must be harnessed with bit and bridle, else they will not come near you”. He may speak to you through scriptures; a particular scripture may light up before you as you study His word. He may speak to you through messages from trusted and anointed men and women or through counsel from other people. Whichever way He instructs you, be sure to do exactly what He says and promptly, rather than what you think is best.

    At the marriage at Cana, the wine got finished, so the organizers had a problem at hand. The problem was presented to Jesus and His mother told the servants to do exactly what Jesus commanded. The key to receiving your miracle lies always in your obedience, and this is where we miss it as Christians. God sometimes instructs us to do things that seem foolish to the human eye. But you must remember that his ways are sovereign.

    Imagine asking for wine and being told to fill jars with water. Imagine needing money for tax and being told to go to the sea and cast a hook to collect a piece of money from the mouth of the first fish that comes up (Matt 17:27). Imagine fishing in tested waters all night as an expert fisherman and catching nothing, then being told to cast your net into the least likely side of the river (Luke 5:5). Imagine been told to roll away the stone from the grave of a man who had been dead several days and stinking, so that he could be brought back to life (John 11:39).

    What instruction has God given to you lately? Where do you sense His leading? Are you struggling to obey because it looks so unlikely? God’s ways are not our ways, His thoughts are not our thoughts. Do yourself a favour and respond quickly. The miracle is always in the obedience and obedience begins only when you take the first step.

     

    IN HIS PRESENCE is written by Dcns 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: Enter the Ark

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Enter the Ark

    By Oke Chinye

    Read: Isaiah 26:1-4
    Meditation verse:

    “You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You” (Isaiah 26:3).

    I recall having a conversation with a lady some weeks back about the insecurities of the times. As we mused about the current difficulties, she said that her husband had told them that as a family they were all inside Noah’s ark. I laughed, but as I recalled our conversation moments later, I couldn’t help agreeing with her. The bible records a time when there will be so much iniquity and lawlessness in the land that God instructed Noah to build an ark and enter it with his family, because He was going to destroy the earth with flood waters.

    The ark in biblical times was a symbol of YAHWEH’s presence. Amid the present insecurities, we need to enter the ark with our loved ones and shut the door. We enter the ark by daily abiding in God’s presence through prayers, worship, and consecration. Psalm 91:1-7 says, He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High, shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress; my God, in Him I will trust.

    Surely, He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the perilous pestilence. He shall cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler. You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, nor of the arrow that flies by day, nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday. A thousand may fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand; but it shall not come near you.

    “But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God” (2 Timothy 3:1-4). We are currently living in such times. So, enter the ark with your household and shut the doors behind you.

     

    IN HIS PRESENCE is written by Dcns 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: He will never leave you

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: He will never leave you

    By Oke Chinye

    Read: Psalm 34:1-22

    Meditation verse:

    “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.” (Psalm 34:19).

    The story is told of a construction worker named Jim who was such a passionate lover of Jesus Christ. Every day at work during his lunch break at 12 noon, he would go to a quiet place in the construction site to pray whilst the other workers proceeded to have lunch and chat with one another loudly. And he would always begin with “hello Jesus, this is Jim”. One morning there was an accident at the construction site, Jim was badly injured, and he was rushed to the hospital. At exactly 12noon, as Jim lay on the hospital bed, he heard a voice say, “hello Jim, this is Jesus”. Jim could not keep his appointment with Jesus at his corner in the construction site by 12 noon, so Jesus came to him to keep the appointment at the same time.

    If you draw near to God, He will draw near to you (James 4:8). If you seek Him with all your heart, you will find Him (Jeremiah 29:13). God rewards those who diligently seek Him (Hebrews 11:6). We are not promised a life free of troubles, so do not think that God is far away from you anytime you are in a difficult situation. John 16:33 says “In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” And Isaiah 43:2 says, “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you”.

    “The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart and saves such as have a contrite spirit” (Psalm 34:19). He will meet you at your point of need. Today, He will meet you right where you are.

     

    IN HIS PRESENCE is written by Dcns 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: He is able to keep it

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: He is able to keep it

    By Oke Chinye

    Read: Psalm 91:1-16

    Meditation verse:

    “For this reason, I also suffer these things; nevertheless, I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day” (2 Timothy 1:12).

    When you have a valuable item, you would want to keep it safe. So instead of leaving it to lie around the place, you take it to a safe deposit box and custody it there. Similarly, you take your money to the bank to keep it safe.

    The enemy is the thief that comes to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10). He wants to steal your peace of mind, your health, the joy in your marriage, your finances, the destiny of your children, your job and even your life. God can safeguard whatever is entrusted into His hands. Psalm 127: 1-3 says “Unless the Lord builds the house, they labour in vain who build it; unless the Lord guards the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows; for so He gives His beloved sleep. Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb is a reward”.

    Are you currently anxious because you are on the brink of losing that which is precious to you? On your own, you are unable to safeguard anything, no matter how hard you try. And no other power can help you. Instead of struggling why not commit that difficult marriage, stubborn child, ailing body, failing health, unsaved loved one, financial situation or whatever it is unto the hands of God? The wording of a famous song says, “I am safe whatever ills betide me, in the hollow of His hands”. You can be sure that the One who neither sleeps nor slumbers will keep whatever you have committed to Him.

    “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall [b]direct your paths. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and depart from evil. It will be health to your flesh, and strength to your bones” (Proverbs 3:5-8).

     

    IN HIS PRESENCE is written by Dcns 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: When the gap becomes a wilderness [2]

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: When the gap becomes a wilderness [2]

    By Oke Chinye

    Read: ROMANS 8:18-39

    Meditation verse:

    “Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God” (Psalm 42:11).

    When you are going through a wilderness experience and you feel your dream slipping away, what should you do at such times?

    o Examine your life. Unbelief, disobedience, or rebellion can lead to a wilderness experience. The children of Israel consistently doubted and rebelled against God (Ps 78:17- 18). “Therefore, their days He consumed in futility and their years in fear” (Ps 78:33). Eventually, a whole generation was wiped out and never entered the promised land. You would need to ask the Holy spirit if there is doubt or disobedience in your heart.

    o Lean on the One who has control. If there is no unconfessed sin in your life, be still and know He is God (Psalm 46:10). Wait on Him, for in the place of waiting your weariness will be turned to strength. “But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength” (Isaiah40:31). Relax in the knowledge that the One who calls you is faithful, and He will do it. David spent seasons of his life in the wilderness, either tending to sheep, running from King Saul or from his rebellious son, Absalom. Through it all, he trusted God.

    o Recall God’s faithfulness in the past: Icons of God’s faithfulness in our lives are all over the place. A restored health, miracles of provision, an act of deliverance, a fruitful marriage, or a divine breakthrough. Amid a wilderness experience, David recalled God’s faithfulness “O my God, my soul is cast down within me. Therefore, I will remember You from the land of the Jordan, and from the heights of Hermon, from the Hill Mizar… The lord will command His loving kindness in the daytime and in the night His song shall be with me” (Ps 42:6-8). I look back at ‘my near death’ experience as a symbol of God’s faithfulness as well as an assurance that His purpose for my life will be accomplished. If you don’t reflect on God’s faithfulness in your past, you may never be able to trust Him with your future.

    o Focus on the now: Work diligently at whatever your hands have found to do today (Ecclesiastes 9:10). There is no wall between the sacred and the secular world. It is all sacred. Whatever God has fired you to do in the now, do it well. “And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him” (Colossians 3:17).

    Above all, remember, that God has a purpose for allowing us to go through a wilderness experience. “For we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28). That hold up or delay is working together for your good.

     

    IN HIS PRESENCE is written by Dcns 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: When the gap becomes a wilderness [1]

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: When the gap becomes a wilderness [1]

    By Oke Chinye

    Read: Numbers 14:26- 35

    Meditation verse:

    “They bruised his feet with fetters and placed his neck in an iron collar. Until the time came to fulfil his dreams, the Lord tested Joseph’s character” (Psalm 105:18-19, NLT).

    The dream that God has placed in your heart will require seasons of preparation and training. The greater the dream, the longer and more strenuous the training. The fact that God has revealed your dream to you is no guarantee that He will immediately unleash you to begin to live it out. There may be a gap period between when He reveals your dream to you and when He gives you the go ahead. The gap period is a time of preparation. Biblical characters like David, Joseph, Paul and even our Lord Jesus Christ did not start their ministries immediately. There was a gap between David’s call and his first work experience in the court. Joseph moved from his dream to the pit, from the pit to Potiphar’s house, from Potiphar’s house to prison, before he was exalted to the palace. Every step of the way, in character and competence, he was being prepared for his dream. Saul had a three-year gap before he began his ministry as Paul, the Apostle. Between ages 12 and 30, Jesus immersed himself in scripture, worked with his father, Joseph on his trade and looked after his mother, before He began His ministry at age 30.

    Similarly, you may undergo a period of preparation before you launch your dream. Your gap period will require preparation in three main areas: Preparation of Character, Preparation of Competence and Preparation of Circumstances. Sometimes the gap period may linger until it eventually becomes a wilderness experience. The journey to the promised land was supposed to take a few days, but the Israelites spent forty years in the wilderness. The wilderness is a place where water is scarce, where a traveller walks alone devoid of protection and where wild animals live. Such a traveller is bound to experience fear, doubt, and loneliness. The bible often depicts the experience of God’s blessings or presence with the ‘imagery of water’: streams and rivers “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly… He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water…” (Ps 1: 1-3). A wilderness experience is therefore a season where you experience bareness, distress, doubt, and alienation from God. In a spiritual wilderness, God feels far away, distant, absent, and unresponsive (D. W. Ekstrand). You hear nothing, see nothing, and know nothing. At such times, you feel your dream slipping away and fear it may never happen. What do you do if you find yourself in such a place?

     

    IN HIS PRESENCE is written by Dcns 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.