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Tag: devotional

  • [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Who says you are not good enough?

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Who says you are not good enough?

    By Oke Chinye

    Read: Jeremiah 1:4-8

    Meditation verse:

    “Then said I: Ah, Lord God! Behold, I cannot speak, for I am a youth” (Jeremiah 1:6).

    “I’m not good enough”, “My best years are over” “I’m now too old”, “I have wasted my life”. Do any of these words sound like you? Who says you are not good enough? Not good enough for what?

    In the book of Exodus, Moses who was slow of speech spoke at the highest possible level of authority. He spoke to Pharoah to let God’s people go free. Little David killed giant Goliath in 1 Samuel 17. Jephthah the son of a harlot led a nation to victory in the book of judges. Impetuous Peter who denied Jesus became a great and powerful orator and Saul the murderer became Paul the greatest apostle of all times in the book of Acts.

     

    Who says you are too old? Too old for what?

    Sarah gave birth to Isaac, the promise child in her nineties. Grandma Moses, an American folk artist, successfully began a painting career in her seventies. Her paintings became very famous.

     

    Who says you have wasted your life? Who says your best years are gone? Mary Magdalene whom Jesus cleansed of seven demons in St Luke’s gospel, was the first person to see Him after His resurrection. The woman at the well in the book of John who had had five husbands, went on to evangelize a whole nation.

     

    Who has condemned you? Not God, and it is His opinion that counts.

    God does not call the qualified, He qualifies the called. Stop condemning yourself. Stop undermining your own success. Do not let your feelings of inadequacy rob you of God’s plan for your life. Most of the biblical characters who did great exploits all struggled with a sense of inadequacy. Jeremiah said he did not know how to talk. Sarah laughed. Jonah ran away. David wasn’t even considered a candidate for kingship by his father. God does not delight in the strength of a man. He has time in His hands, and He can redeem anything. You are not too old, you good enough, you are adequate, your life is not wasted, your best years are ahead. Life is what you make it, always has been, always will be”. All things are working together for your good. Hallelujah!

     

    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: God will always make a way of escape

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: God will always make a way of escape

    By Oke Chinye

    Read: 1 Corinthians 10: 1-13

    Meditation verse:

    “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 Corinthians 10:13).

    It is often said the only thing that is constant in life is change. What this means is that we have little control over certain events, and so life can suddenly happen. Things can happen suddenly that disrupt the normal course of our lives. However, no matter how badly disrupted our lives and plans become, God can never be taken by surprise. He always makes provision for you to overcome any disruption. You may however fail to see the provision due to several reasons.

    If you keep focusing on the problem. Yesterday is not ours to recover, but tomorrow is ours to win or lose. Look to God and ask Him to show you the route of escape to that problem. Psalm 123:2 says “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”.

    If you refuse to step out of your comfort zone and move forward. Due to fear of the unknown, we stay rooted in the same spot even when God has shown us what to do to navigate the problem. God had to rebuke Moses; “why are you crying out to me? Tell the people to get moving! (Exodus 14:15, NLT). God had already guaranteed them a safe passage to the promised land. Yet as they approached the red sea, with Pharoah and his men behind them, they were afraid and kept crying out to God. They choose to keep their eyes on the problem instead of on God.

    If you desperately hold on to old plans you will not be able to create a new way. When things fall apart, something new can rise to replace it. Collapse does not only mean devastation, but it can also mean opportunity. Life is a lively process of becoming. If your previous plans have been disrupted due to an unexpected occurrence, make new plans. Until you try, you may never know.

     

    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: Where’s Johnny’s cap?

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Where’s Johnny’s cap?

    By Oke Chinye

    Read: Psalm 103

    Meditation verse:

    “Bless the lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits” (Ps 103:2).

    The story is told of a little boy, Johnny, who was drowning in a neighbourhood pool. As his mother screamed helplessly, a young man jumped into the pool to save Johnny. Moments later he emerged from the pool with a thoroughly shaken and wet Johnny in his arms. As the young man handed Johnny over to his mom, she said in irritation, “where’s Johnny’s cap”?

    The irony of this story is that as soon as Johnny came out alive from the pool, his mother forgot how desperate she had been for someone to save him moments earlier. Instead, she focused on his cap which had obviously fallen off his head as he fell into the pool. If truth be told, did he even need the cap at that precise moment? Some of us are like Johnny’s mom. We focus on some insignificant need that we believe has not been met, all the while overlooking the numerous blessings that God has bestowed on us. And just like Johnny’s cap, we may not even need it at this moment in time.

    Psalm 103: 1-5 says:

    Bless the Lord, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless His holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits: Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases, Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies, Who satisfies your mouth with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

    God’s ways are not our ways, His thoughts are much higher than ours. If your expectation is yet to be met, relax in the knowledge that God knows the plans He has for you And He may be saying to you, ‘you do not need this at this time’.

    Focus instead on the many present blessings that you enjoy and thank Him for them.

     

    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: Increase comes from God

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Increase comes from God

    By Oke Chinye

    Read: 1 Corinthians 3:1-15

    Meditation verse:

    “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase” (1 Corinthians 3:6).

    We were created to work and not to be idle. Ephesians 2:10 says, “we are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them”. As soon as God created the first man, he gave him an assignment; to till the garden, be fruitful and dominate the earth. You were put on this earth to fulfill your own assignment and take dominion over the earth. There will always be work for you to do. Ecclesiastes 9:10 says that whatever your hand finds to do, do it well. The size of a task is immaterial, your responsibility is to always give it your best. The outcomes and results you get whilst accomplishing a task are up to God.

    The Apostle Paul said he planted, and Apollos watered but God was the one who gave the increase. In order words, the results of their efforts were in God’s hands. This is an important insight for anyone feeling discouraged by the outcomes of their efforts in whatever task they are doing. If you have toiled in a particular endeavor but have seen minimal results, keep toiling. Proverbs 16:33 (NLT) says “we may throw the dice, but the Lord determines how they fall” Ecclesiastes 11:5 says as we do understand the path of the wind or how the bones grow in a woman with a child, so we do not understand the working of God. Psalm 75:6 says that promotion does not come from the East, West, or South. Romans 9:16 says that it does not therefore depend on man’s efforts.

    Increase comes from God. Keep working at the tasks you have been given. Commit to whatever your hand finds to do. Stay faithful and do not relent. “Now the just shall live by faith; but if anyone draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him” (Hebrews 10:38). Do not cast away your confidence, for in due season, you will reap if you do not lose heart (Galatians 6:9). Be rest assured that whatever God is involved in must grow. So, commit your work to Him and you will succeed.

     

    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: The rule of first

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: The rule of first

    By Oke Chinye

    Read: Mathew 6:25-34

    Meditation verse:

    “But seek first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you (Mathew 6:33).

    Whatever it is that we consider most important in life is what will always come first. And whatever comes first, we would always prioritize and make time for. This is the rule of first. This rule also states that we commit our resources: be it time, attention, money, energy, commitment or focus to what comes first in our lives. Whatever comes first to us, we preserve, nurture and service.

    It therefore follows that whatever you put first in your life will be the master of your life. “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one, and love the other or else, he will hold on to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money” (Mathew 6:24, NLT). The amplified version stretches it further by saying “you cannot serve God and mammon (money, possessions, famer, status or whatever is valued more than the Lord)”.

    God is not against your prosperity. Psalm 35:27 says He delights in the prosperity of His saints. In John 10:10, He says he came that we may have life and have it in abundance. 3 John 2 states “Beloved, I pray that you may [prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers”. However, God understands the rule of first and so He wants you to put Him first before any other thing. Mathew 6:33 says, “But seek first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you”.

    Here’s the difference. When you put these other things first, you miss out on God’s best for you, but when you put God first, you get His best and in addition, He adds the best of these other things to you. Given both options, which would you choose? Choose wisely.

     

    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 may sometimes seem foolish

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: It may sometimes seem foolish

    By Oke Chinye

    Read: 1 Corinthians 1:18-31

    Meditation verse:

    “Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men” (1 Corinthians 1:25).

    Consider the following scenarios:

    • Abraham packing all his things at over ninety years and leaving his homeland to a place he knows nothing about.
    • Noah telling people that God was bringing flood waters to destroy the whole earth and then proceeding to build an ark the size of three hundred cubits in length, fifty cubits in width, and thirty cubits in heights.
    • Young Joseph telling his parents and older brothers that they would bow before him and then ending up locked up in prison.
    • Daniel stubbornly refusing to stop praying to his God and then ending up in a pit surrounded by hungry lions.
    • The son of a carpenter whom everyone saw growing up, starts telling people He is the son of God and then ends up being crucified between two notorious criminals.

    However, these stories did not end this way. Abraham went on to be the father of many nations. The floods came and consumed the whole earth, but Noah, his family and two of each type of animal entered the ark and the doors were shut. The young lad Joseph, went from prison to the palace, and became the Prime Minister of Egypt. The hungry lions did not touch Daniel all night, his God was then pronounced as the only true God in the province. And guess what? Death could not hold the carpenter’s son captive. He arose on the third day and has been saving mankind since then. What do all these characters have in common? In fulfilling their destines, they all had to do something that seemed foolish to the world.

    The foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. Conversely, what seems wise to the world, is foolishness in God’s sight. Do not interpret the events of your life based on what seems right to you. Do not reject the counsel of The Almighty because it appears foolish compared to the ways of the world. God says ““For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts (Isaiah 55:8-9). It is better to look foolish before men but be wise in God’s sight, than to be wise before men, but appear foolish before God.

     

    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: Lessons from Nehemiah

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Lessons from Nehemiah

    Nehemiah, By Oke Chinye

    Read: NEHEMIAH 1 & 2

    Meditation verse:

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Lessons from Nehemiah: “So it was, when I heard these words, that I sat down. And wept, and mourned for many days; I was fasting and praying before the God of heaven” (Nehemiah 1: 4).

    The book of Nehemiah is a very useful resource that offers a guide or template to follow as you set out in whatever task you have decided to undertake in your bid to rebuild the broken walls of decay around you. Seeking God’s face concerning that which you are about to embark on and asking for His help is always a good place to start. On hearing the distressing news Nehemiah knew he needed God’s help and mercy if he was to succeed, so, he turned to God, in fasting and praying. “And I said: I pray, Lord God of heaven, ….and let Your servant prosper this day, I pray, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man” (Nehemiah 1:5-11).

    Next, identify your key supporter. Your key supporter is usually a ‘gate keeper’ who would grant you access to the resources you need. It may be access to information, people, networks, influence, finances, platforms, or gates. Without your key supporter, you may not be able to begin. For Nehemiah, it was the king. He needed the king’s permission before he could leave his duty post.

    Thirdly, you need to do a thorough evaluation of the project or goal and come up with an action plan. Luke 14:28 says “but don’t begin until you count the cost” (NLT). You must make a thorough assessment of what the project would entail or cost you. Cost does not only imply money. That which you are about to begin may require your time, commitment, discipline, and sacrifice. It may require you to forego certain things. You must make evaluate all of these to determine whether you are ready. That way, you will not start and fail to complete. Nehemiah said, “and I went out by night through the Valley Gate to the Serpent Well and the Refuse Gate and viewed the walls of Jerusalem …” (Nehemiah 2:13).

    Choose your team: those who will join you to carry out the task. Make them understand and buy into the vision. “Then I said to them…, come and let us build the wall of Jerusalem, that we may no longer be a reproach. And I told them…., so they said. ‘Let us rise up and build…” (Nehemiah 2:17-18).

    Recognize that you may face obstacle or challenges but be determined to proceed with a strong faith in God. “But when Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite official, and Geshem the Arab heard of it, they laughed at us and despised us…., so I answered them, and said to them, ‘The God of heaven Himself will prosper us;” (Nehemiah 2:19-20).

    Lastly, arise and get started. Unless you get started, a good plan remains just what it is: a good plan.

     

    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: Rebuilding the broken walls

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Rebuilding the broken walls

    By Oke Chinye

    Read: NEHEMIAH 1 & 2

    Meditation verse:

    “And they said to me, “The survivors who are left from the captivity in the province are there in great distress and reproach. The wall of Jerusalem is also broken down, and its gates are burned with fire.” (Nehemiah 1:30).

    Nehemiah had just received a disheartening news; the city of Jerusalem was in ruins. The wall of Jerusalem was broken down and the gates were burnt down. The surviving Jews were in a desperate situation; without the city gate and walls, they were easy prey for further invasion. On hearing the news, the prophet wept, but then he realised that weeping would not change anything, so he turned to God in prayer and fasting. However, he did not stop there. He knew the walls had to be rebuilt and was willing to put himself forward instead of waiting for someone else to do it. “And I said to the king, “If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favour in your sight, I ask that you send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers’ tombs, that I may rebuild it” (Nehemiah 2:5).

    There is so much decay around us. There is so much that needs to be fixed in our world today. Broken individuals who are victims of drug addiction, prostitution, rape, bullying and sexual molestation who need help. There are broken families, hungry and homeless children. There are nations with broken systems infested with corruption, decay, insecurity, crime, terrorism, and other forms of lawlessness. 2 Timothy 3:1-3 (NLT) says that: “In the last days there will be very difficult times. For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good”. We are currently living in such times.

    The question then is what are you and I doing about the brokenness that is around us? Have we set ourselves to wait on God in fasting and prayer? “If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land” (2 Chronicles 7:14). Have we identified an aspect we can help and put ourselves forward to begin? Remember the famous saying: “There was a task that needed to be done. Anybody could have done it, but nobody did it because everybody was waiting for someone to do it”. Be a Nehemiah today. Identify a broken wall around you, ask God for help, then step out and begin to rebuild.

     

    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: Your eternity is serious business [2]

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Your eternity is serious business [2]

    By Oke Chinye

    Read: Revelation 20:11-15

    Meditation verse:

    “The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works.” (Revelation 20:13).

    My husband, who was already dissatisfied by the doctor’s ineptitude, rejected the request for a second surgery, a decision that turned out to be divinely inspired. He demanded that I be discharged from the hospital and went on to perfect arrangements so I could be flown abroad the next day. I was admitted in a hospital as soon as we arrived.

    Till date, the words of the surgeon at the hospital send cold chills down my spine. He said: “if you had gone to the theatre a second time, it would have been fatal”. He said my abdomen was highly infected, such that opening it up again would have caused the infection to spread throughout my system. A long needle guided through my rear side by a C.T scan was used to drain out the collection of pus, whilst I lay face down. I was discharged after about 2 weeks and God perfected my healing in the weeks and months that followed.

    I was given a second chance at life as I could have gone for the second surgery and died. I have shared my story for you to see that death can come knocking when we least expect it. What is your own story? Where are you today in your journey through life? Our time here on earth is limited, eternity is what counts. Where you would spend eternity is serious business. Examine your life and determine whether the life you are living now will earn your name in the Book of Life. If your answer is no, start afresh today and make things right with God by praying: “Lord, I acknowledge that the life I am living right now is not in complete obedience to Your word. I ask for mercy and rededicate myself to You this day. Fill me afresh with Your spirit and enable me to live in total submission to Your will”.

    “We are given a fresh start not only at the beginning of the year, but every morning when we wake up. We have the chance to start anew and make things right” (Maria Fontaine).

     

    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: Your eternity is serious business [1]

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Your eternity is serious business [1]

    By Oke Chinye

    Read: Revelation 20:11-15

    Meditation verse:

    “And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire” (Revelation 20:15).

    “And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment” (Hebrews 9:27). After death, everyone, small and great will stand before God and face ‘The Great White Throne Judgment’. The books would be opened, and we will be judged according to our works, by the things written in the books and “anyone not found written in the Book of Life will be cast into the lake of fire” (Revelation 20:15). The bible refers to this as the second death. This is a spiritual death signifying an everlasting separation from God. For your name to be written in the Book of Life, you must have trusted and accepted Christ as your Lord and Saviour, for “except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3).

    After salvation, the Holy Spirit comes to reside in you, and through His help, you put to death the former deeds of the flesh (Rom 8: 13-14). The Holy spirit helps you to keep God’s commandments, live a righteous and holy life to the end. “Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may enter through the gates into the city. But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie” (Rev 22:14-15). We do not know the day or hour of Jesus’ return neither is the date of our death known us. So, we must be always prepared.

    I narrowly missed an appointment with death several years ago. I had gone to a hospital for what was to be a simple surgical procedure. After the surgery, I was told that I would be ready to leave the hospital in 24 hours. Unfortunately, this was not to be. Shortly afterwards, I began to feel severe pains and my abdomen began to swell up. The most terrifying part of my ordeal was the knowledge that neither my surgeon nor any member of his team had a clue as to what had gone wrong. After 10 days of intense suffering, the surgeon requested for an abdominal scan, claiming that it was likely I had developed post-surgical abscess, which would require a second surgery to drain. The scan revealed two large collections of pus and blood in my abdomen. And I was told I would be taken back to the theatre the following day.

     

    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.