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Tag: devotional

  • [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Ageing gracefully

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Ageing gracefully

    By Oke Chinye

    Read: Psalm 92:12-15

    Meditation verse:

    “They shall still bear fruit in old age; they shall be fresh and flourishing” (Psalm 92:14).

    Developing and nurturing a right relationship with the one who created your body is the only guarantee you have for ageing gracefully and transiting peacefully unto the life beyond. Isaiah 40:30-31 says, “even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall, but those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint”. Athletes have been known to collapse and die during sporting events and fitness addicts have been afflicted with deadly diseases such as cancer. The bible states that “bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come” (1 Tim 4:8).

    God promises to uphold and deliver you from the time you are born to your old age (Isaiah 46:3- 4). He says that He will satisfy you with long life and show you His salvation (Psalm 91:16). He declares that you shall bear fruits even in old age and you shall be fresh and flourishing. What an amazing life He has in store for us, and His promises are worth holding on to because He never fails. However, God’s promises are usually tied to conditions. Deuteronomy 5:33 states that “you shall walk in all the ways which the Lord your God commanded you, that you may live and that it may be well with you, and that you may prolong your days in the land which you shall possess”. Ecclesiastes 12:1 instructs us to remember God in the days of our youth, so that He would remember us during the difficult and dark years of ageing.

    A life without God will lead to a lonely and unfulfilled old age, full of regrets. A life centred around and lived for God will bring fulfilment and cause you to age gracefully. Even if sickness or difficulties arise, you will experience joy and peace. You will glow in the assurance that God is upholding you and will eventually carry you safely to the other side when your time on earth is up. Seek God now whilst you are young and active. Love Him with all your heart, soul and might and keep His commandments. Serve Him with joy and gladness and stay away from sin. “When you let God’s love fill your heart, it will show on your face” (Joanie Yoder).

     

    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: Train them in the way they should go

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Train them in the way they should go

    By Oke Chinye

    Read: Deuteronomy 6:1-9

    Meditation verse:

    “You shall teach them diligently to your children and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up (Deuteronomy 6:7).

    Every parent has a God ordained responsibility to raise his or her child in a godly environment in which the knowledge of Christ is evident. Parents should be (in words and deeds), the image of Christ, which the child sees because children learn mostly by observation and association. Parents are the first people they observe as they spend most of their formative years with them. Bring up your children in the fear and admonition of the Lord. Implant God’s word in their hearts from a very early age and encourage them to pray, using bible verses.

    Teach them biblical principles of relationships such as sacrificial giving, kindness, sharing, mutual respect, acceptance, diligence, forgiveness, and self-control. These are very important values that can serve them for life. Ensure that rules for acceptable behaviours are in place and let each child know the boundaries that cannot be crossed. For instance, let them know that inflicting physical injuries or using vulgar languages on one another is prohibited. Be sure to enforce discipline when such lines are crossed. “Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child: The rod of correction will drive it far from him” (Proverbs 22:15).

    Raising godly children in the current digital age is a nightmare. Never has raising children been as challenging as it currently is. We are living in an era where all information, including those which are perverse, make their way to the Internet, available for our young ones to see. Movies, videos, songs, and games unashamedly promote violence, sex, pornography, and other satanic activities. Social media friendships through the various online platforms have replaced face-to-face communication, exposing our children to dangers from sexual predators, cyber bullying, and cyber-attacks. Technology is impacting negatively on family relationships, as children would rather spend countless hours on their devices, than with their parents or other family members.

    Whilst the benefits of technological advancements cannot be overemphasized, the dangers are equally glaring. You must teach your children how to safely navigate the Internet if they are to escape being ensnared. You need to be a watchman or guardrail on this highway of online information by monitoring and supervising their Internet use. Rules must be put in place and adherence to these rules, strictly monitored. For instance, there should be time limits for the use of devices and certain online platforms should be out of bound for younger children. Parental control apps should be utilized to restrict what your children can access.

    Romans 12:2 cautions against conforming to the traditions of this world. It is imperative that your children realize that not every lifestyle advertised on the Internet should be copied. Raising godly children requires wisdom, commitment, sacrifice, and discipline, but it is potentially very rewarding. If you invest in your children, you will reap a fulfilled old age, if you do not, you will reap bitterness and regret in your old age. “A wise son makes a glad father, but a foolish son is the grief of his mother” (Proverbs 10:1). 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: Thriving against all odds [2]

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Thriving against all odds [2]

    By Oke Chinye

    Read: 2 Corinthians 4:7-18

    Meditation verse:

    “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory” (2 Corinthians 4: 17).

    Another lesson we get from the story of little Joe is that it may not always be in your best interest to follow the crowd or the path that is most familiar. Neither is it useful to always tow the path of least resistance. You need to learn to search the unlikely and unknown or even difficult places for the things you desire in life. For in so doing, you may discover unexpected treasures.

    Finally, the bad things that happen to you in life are not necessarily meant to defeat you but to strengthen you and prepare you for a greater glory. The pains of yesterday can become the gains of tomorrow. The pain of losing a dear brother built an inner resolve in that old man: a resolve that yielded a desired outcome.

    “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed— always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So then death is working in us, but life in you.

    And since we have the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, “I believed and therefore I spoke,” we also believe and therefore speak, knowing that He who raised up the Lord Jesus will also raise us up with Jesus, and will present us with you. For all things are for your sakes, that grace, having spread through the many, may cause thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God. Therefore, we do not lose heart.

    Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal” – 2 Corinthians 4:7-18.

     

    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: Thriving against all odds [1]

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Thriving against all odds [1]

    By Oke Chinye

    Read: 2 Corinthians 4:7-18

    Meditation verse:

    “In this godless world you will continue to experience difficulties. But take heart! I’ve conquered the world” (John 16:33b MSG)

    The story is told of a little boy Joe, who disappeared whilst staying with his grandmother in a rural community. He had been playing outside his home and suddenly was nowhere to be found. A search party was sent out to look for him, but the search went on for hours without yielding any result. An elderly man in the community decided to join in the search. His son tried to discourage him, as he had just had a surgery for a heart bypass. Besides, he reasoned that there were already so many people looking for the boy. What difference would an old man who probably would not walk fast make? But the old man refused to be dissuaded, so his son decided to go with him. They felt it was better to go their own way since joining the crowd may slow them down. They also wanted to focus on the unlikely places that would be overlooked by the crowd.

    After a few hours of walking, they came across a thick forest, fenced off with barbed wires. The son argued that little Joe would never have wandered this far, let alone gone through the wired fence. But again, the old man insisted that it was the way to go, he entered the forest, leaving his son behind. The old man had suffered a painful loss as a little boy. He had lost his little brother in a car crash and had carried the guilt of not being able to save his brother, for several years. As he trudged along the thick bush, images of his little brother flashed across his mind, and he just kept going. After what seemed like ages, he saw a dog, and then, he saw little Joe frightened and huddled in a corner. He picked him up, held him tightly in his arms and began making his way back to the crowd. The joy in his face could not be mistaken.

    There are several lessons to learn from little Joe’s story.

    Firstly, just as little Joe disappeared without any warning, life can happen at any time. You have very little control over certain occurrences in your life. Jesus said: “In this godless world you will continue to experience difficulties. But take heart! I’ve conquered the world”. You must trust God and keep striving to get ahead.

     

    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: Run to win the race of life

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Run to win the race of life

    By Oke Chinye

    Read: 1 Corinthians 9:24-27

    Meditation verse:

    “Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it (1 Corinthians 9:24)

    The most essential ingredient that will guarantee your success in life is resilience. Resilience may be defined as ‘the ability to recover from a negative life experience or set back and become stronger while overcoming it’. What differentiates those who adapt, recover, and learn from adversity from those who give up is the concept of resilience. The fundamental difference between winners and losers is how they cope with losing battles in the cause of the ‘war of life’.

    Achieving success in life will demand a lot from you. There will be moments when you will feel like throwing in the towel. There is no doubt we are currently facing very difficult times. The world is plagued by disease, insecurity, inflation, and all kinds of evil. The pandemic ushered in so much despair and uncertainty in our personal and professional lives. These are very difficult and discouraging times. However, this is the time to press forward. There is a lot that needs to be healed and restored. Your success can come from the value you dispense to others.

    Getting to where you desire to be from where you are will not happen overnight, it will require hard work and sacrifice. You will encounter difficulties and failures, but you should not give up. Life is not made up of straight victories, but of mistakes, falls, stumbles and bruises. Through it all you dust yourself up and keep moving. See the possibilities before you and visualize the extraordinary. Stop making excuses. Stop procrastinating. Start creating the life you were born to live. You are meant to live and not merely exist. No more sitting down when you ought to be standing tall.

    “Do you see a man who excels in his work? He will stand before kings. He will not stand before unknown men” (Proverbs 22:29).

     

    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 ask-seek-knock model of receiving

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: The ask-seek-knock model of receiving

    By Oke Chinye

    Read: MATHEW 7: 7-11

    Meditation verse:

    “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you” (Matt 7:7).

    Today’s reading highlights a powerful model for receiving answers to our prayers: ‘the ask-seek-knock model’. To ask means to demand for what you desire. To seek means to search for or go in search of that which you desire. It goes beyond just asking. Knocking entails striking a surface noisily to attract attention, until you get what you want. It can also entail knocking down or demolishing barriers that may prevent you from getting that which you desire.

    Unfortunately, most of us stop at asking. We make a few hard-hearted attempts at asking and give up, then we wonder why our requests are not answered. In Luke 18, Jesus tells the parable of the persistent widow, who continually cried out to the judge for justice against her adversaries. Jesus concluded by asking “and shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them?

    If you are yet to receive answers to a long-awaited request from God, can you of a truth say you have thoroughly applied the ask-seek-knock model? There are certain miracles we will not receive until we persist in ask, seeking and knocking.

    Mathew 17:21 states, “however, this kind does not go out except by fasting and prayer” Keep asking, keep seeking, keep knocking, for everyone who asks receives, everyone who seeks find and to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. God’s word is forever settled.

     

    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: Are you called to be a Levite?

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Are you called to be a Levite?

    By Oke Chinye

    Read: JOSHUA 13: 14-33

    Meditation verse:

    “But to the tribe of Levi, Moses had given no inheritance; the Lord, God of Israel, was their inheritance, as He had said to them (Joshua 13:33).

    The tribe of Levi was dedicated to solely to priestly service, which demanded their total commitment and time. Giving them an allotment of land would saddle them with the responsibility of taking care of the land, which would distract them from their priestly service. So, what did God do? He commanded the other tribes to meet their needs. The Levites were to receive cities within each tribal territory.

    God’s ways are unchangeable. In modern times, He has called some people to be Levites: a life of full-time service in ministry. They are to devote themselves to the work of the ministry. Are you called to be a Levite? Do you sense this call of God upon your life? You may know by a strong stirring in your heart. God will always stir your heart in the direction He wants you to go. You can also know from a scripture coming alive in you, through counsel from others or from a significant life experience.

    Have you responded to His call, or are you holding back, due to fear of lack, failure, indecision, or other factors? If God has called you to be a Levite in these times, He has already put in your life a person or people who would guarantee your sustenance. He can position someone in your path to fend for your needs. He can also make a way for you to support yourself with minimal efforts whilst focusing on the ministry. Paul was called to be an Apostle, which was a fulltime ministry, but God caused his path to cross with those of Aquila and Priscilla who were of the same trade with him, to enable him to make a living through tentmaking.

    When you neglect or delay God’s call, you are robbing others of the benefits of your ministry. You are also undermining your own progress as you may experience struggles, failure, and disappointment in the other endeavours you choose to embark on instead. Sometimes, it will take humility, faith, and total surrender to accept God’s call, but the rewards are enormous. The CEO of the universe pays the best dividends.

     

    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 salvation is a personal relationship

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Your salvation is a personal relationship

    By Oke Chinye

    Read: 1 Corinthians 12:1-31

    Meditation verse:

    “And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers” (Ephesians 4:11).

    When you accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour, you entered a personal relationship with Him. Note the word ‘personal’, for it is significant in your salvation experience. Bob Gass in his devotional; ‘The UCB word for today’ highlights the personal nature of our salvation experience. He says that “you need to pray in a distinctly personal way, so that your prayers are easy, natural expressions of who you are. You need to go before God just the way you are and give Him the pleasure of enjoying the company of the ‘original’ that He made you to be. You need to approach Him with your own strengths, weaknesses, uniqueness, and everything else that so wonderfully distinguishes you from everyone else. God enjoys meeting you where you are, developing a personal relationship with you, and helping you become everything He wants you to be”.

    It is therefore pitiable when we strive to be like other Christians. We compare ourselves to them, covet their spiritual gift or ministry because we sense it is more glamourous than ours. We even resent our area of gifting or who we have been called to be, preferring to be just like the other person. We take it further by mimicking their manner of speaking, preaching, singing and appearance. 2 Corinthians 10:12 says “but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise”.

    You are uniquely crafted to be who you were created for. Romans 8:29-30 says “for whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover, whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.”. As you live out your faith, approach God as you are and let Him enjoy the company of ‘the original you’ that He foreknew from the beginning of times. Don’t pray in a certain way because someone you admire prays that way. Personalize your worship, praise, thanksgiving, confession, and intercession. That way when God opens His hands to bless you, He is delivering packages that are specifically designed for 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: Sexual issues in marriage [2]

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Sexual issues in marriage [2]

    By Oke Chinye

    Read: Proverbs 5:1-23

    Meditation verse:

    “May your fountain be blessed, and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth… may her breasts satisfy you always” (Proverbs 5:18-19).

    How you deal with the sexual problem in a marriage depends on what the underlying factors are. If you are a wife who has been deeply wounded by her husband’s infidelity or other act of betrayal, you need to let go and forgive him wholeheartedly. Harbouring a grudge is like cancer, it will eat deep into the fabric of your soul. It will eventually destroy every element of your marriage and not just your sexual relationship, because when you feel deeply hurt by your husband, it is impossible to give yourself wholly to him. Let him know that you still feel hurt irrespective of how long ago it was and then ask God to help you forgive and release him. You will be amazed at how free you would feel.

    If you are a man struggling with erectile dysfunction, which is the ongoing inability to obtain or sustain erection that is sufficient for sexual intercourse, there is nothing to be ashamed of. Research indicates that more than 50% of men over 40 years will experience some form of sexual dysfunction at some point in their lives. Treatment for erectile dysfunction has improved significantly over the years. Speak to a Urologist who will assess the cause of the dysfunction and proffer a solution, either in terms of drug prescriptions or lifestyle changes. Fortunately, most cases are successfully dealt with.

    As a woman, if you feel your excess weight is inhibiting your sexual fulfilment, why not determine to do something about it today. Excess weight in a man can also reduce his libido so staying in shape is vital for both the man and his wife. If you recognize that the demands of life are affecting your sexual relationship, be deliberate about making time for each other. The bible states that there is a time for every purpose and activity on earth. Nurturing your marriage is an important purpose, so take time to nurture it. When you put in the time and effort needed to make your marriage great, you will be the better for it. Lastly, sexual preferences are dynamic, stay in touch with the needs of your spouse. When you are committed to satisfying his or her preferences, your sex life will remain passionate and fulfilling irrespective of how long you have been married.

     

    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: Sexual issues in marriage [1]

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Sexual issues in marriage [1]

    By Oke Chinye

    Read: Proverbs 5:1-23

    Meditation verse:

    “The husband should fulfil his wife’s sexual needs, and the wife should fulfil her husband’s needs” (1 Corinthians 7:3, NLT).

    Sex was created by God as an expression of love between a husband and a wife: to provide physical, emotional as well as spiritual bonding. “Therefore, a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh” (Genesis 2:24). Your sexual experience in marriage enhances your wellbeing. Sex is also a key cause of marital strife. Since God created sex, He knows how destructive it can be if used in the wrong context, hence He set very specific boundaries for it. It must be within a marriage. “Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body, but he that commits fornication sins against his own body” (1 Corinthians 6:18).

    Today’s bible reading is an allegory of faithfulness in marriage. Couples are enjoined to drink water from their own cistern and never allow their springs to overflow unto the streets. Sex is likened to a spring or river, which if contained within the banks (marriage) will lead to enjoyment and satisfaction. If the spring exceeds the banks and spills unto the streets, great devastation can occur. Keep your marriage bed pure and stay faithful to your spouse. God’s purpose for marriage is for a husband and wife to always enjoy a sexually fulfilling relationship regardless of how long they have been married.

    Maintaining a healthy and fulfilling sex life in a marriage requires a conscious effort on the part of both parties. According to Psychologist and marriage counsellor, Dr Richard Nicastro, sex is not always simple and straightforward. A whole range of factors can negate the experience of sexual fulfilment in a marriage. An underlying physical or medical condition, or the side effects of prescription drugs can impact a man’s libido or lead to loss of erectile function. The demands of child rearing, juggling work and housekeeping can wear a woman down and cause sex to drop to the bottom of her list, leaving her husband sexually unsatisfied. Emotional issues such as unresolved anger and resentment can result in a total loss of sexual desire.

    A negative self-image can also diminish sexual fulfilment in marriage. Some women pile on excess weight after having children and complain that their spouses no longer find them sexually appealing. Others begin to feel self-conscious about their bodies. With all these factors, many couples find themselves struggling to keep the sexual passion and desire alive in their relationships. Research on long term relationships and sex show that as many as 15% of married couples have not had sex in the last six months to a year. Married couples in a sexless marriage are more likely to consider divorce than couples who argue constantly but remain sexually active. Sex is not just important for its sake, it is important for the marriage relationship, as it can make or break it.

    If you and your spouse are struggling with dwindling sexual desires or a loss of sexual activity, if your sex life is currently boring, unsatisfactory, or devoid of passion, you need to know that this is not God’s desire for you. Faithfulness in marriage needs not be boring, dull, or lifeless. The first and most important step in dealing with this is to acknowledge that a problem does exist. Communication is important. You and your spouse need to come together in an atmosphere of honesty and love to uncover the underlying factor(s). Discussing your sex life builds up your excitement and anticipation around it. Unfortunately, most Christian couples consider such discussions carnal and refrain from having 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.