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Tag: In His Presence

  • [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 fulfil 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 endeavour 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 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 you are doing today is important

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: What you are doing today is important

    By Oke Chinye

    Read: Psalm 78:70-72

    Meditation verse:

    “From following the ewes that had young, He brought him, to shepherd Jacob  His people and Israel, His inheritance” (Ps 78:71).

    Today’s work, no matter how insignificant it may seem, is not a wasted effort.  Whatever you are doing today is preparing you for tomorrow’s assignment. It is  storing up experience, skills, knowledge, and talents for future use. It is enabling  you create a reputation in a sphere of influence. And when you become known  for something, you will be sought after when that skill is needed. Little wonder  the bible says: “whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might”  (Ecclesiastes 9:10a).

    David spent his early years shepherding sheep, without knowing that he was in  training for his future responsibility as king where he would shepherd God’s  people. (1 Sam 16:11-12). At the appointed time, God took him from caring for  sheep to caring for His people. The role of a shepherd is critical. The flock is  dependent on the shepherd for provision, guidance, and protection. So, when  God was looking for a king to care for His people and not just to rule them, David  was the right person. God had tested him with sheep, and he had done a  fantastic job. As king, he did a fantastic job too. “He shepherded the people  according to the integrity of his heart and guided them by the skilfulness of his  hands” (Ps 78:72).

    Several years ago, long before my purpose in life became clear to me, I began to  develop a deep hunger to acquire knowledge, so I invested a huge amount of  time and resources building my knowledge base. I studied God’s word like my  life depended on it and I went on to acquire two master’s degree in Psychology,  which is a subject that deals with human development and behaviour. I had no  idea that God was preparing me for the assignment of building, equipping, and  transforming lives. Yesterday’s work is ‘stored work’. So, approach whatever you are doing now with all the seriousness it deserves and work at doing it  excellently. “If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones.  But if you are dishonest in little things, you won’t be honest with greater  responsibilities” (Luke 16:10 NLT).

     

    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 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 several reasons some  of which are:

    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 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: Adjust your way to the top

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Adjust your way to the top

    By Oke Chinye

    Read: 2 Peter 1:5-7

    Meditation verse:

    “Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may  see your progress” (1 Timothy 4:15).

    “Life is a lively process of becoming” (Douglas MacArthur). Success is about  progression, not perfection. If we desire to get to the top or achieve success in  life, we may need to make certain adjustments as we progress. To adjust means  to alter or move something slightly to achieve the desired fit, appearance or  result. Some of us need to adjust our mindsets from that of a victim to that of a  victor. Others need to adjust their attitudes from a negative one to a more  positive one. Your attitude affects how you feel and how you feel affects what  you do. For some of us it is our behaviours that need to be adjusted. Laziness,  anger, spiritual apathy, procrastination, and slothfulness will get you nowhere.  To change outcomes, you must change behaviour. To change behaviour, you  must get to the underlying attitudes and change them.

    Some of us need to adjust how we spend our time. Ephesians 5:15-16 says, “See  then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time,  because the days are evil”. For some of us, it the company we keep. Proverbs  13:20 says “He who walks with wise men will be wise, but the companion of  fools will be destroyed”. Still yet, many of us need to adjust what we feed our  minds with. What goes into your mind affects your thoughts and as a man  thinketh in his heart, so is he. It is always a case of garbage in, garbage out.

    2 Peter 1:5-9 (MSG) says, “so don’t lose a minute in building on what you’ve  been given, complementing your basic faith with good character, spiritual  understanding, alert discipline, passionate patience, reverent wonder, warm  friendliness, and generous love, each dimension fitting into and developing the  others. With these qualities active and growing in your lives, no grass will grow  under your feet, no day will pass without its reward as you mature in your  experience of our Master Jesus. Without these qualities you can’t see what’s  right before you, oblivious that your old sinful life has been wiped off the books.

    “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). It’s a new month. Adjust your way to the top.

     

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

    For Prayers and Counseling email rockteachingministry@gmail.com

    or call +2348155525555

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

  • [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: The blessing of the ‘latter’

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: The blessing of the ‘latter’

    By Oke Chinye

    Read: Job 42:1-16 

    Meditation verse: 

    “Now the Lord blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning; for he had fourteen  thousand sheep, six thousand camels, one thousand yoke of oxen, and one thousand female  donkeys” (Job 42:12).

    The word “latter” means occurring or situated nearer to the end of something than to the  beginning. There are several scriptures that highlight the blessings of the “latter”. Job 8:7 says,  “Though your beginning was small, yet your latter end would increase abundantly”. Haggai  2:9 states, “The glory of this latter temple shall be greater than the former; says the Lord of  hosts. ‘And in this place, I will give peace,’ says the Lord of hosts.” Ecclesiastes 7:8-9 says “The  end of a thing is better than its beginning; the patient in spirit is better than the proud in  spirit. Do not hasten in your spirit to be angry, for anger rests in the bosom of fools. Do not  say, “why were the former days better than these?” For you do not inquire wisely concerning  this’. Deuteronomy 8:16 says “who fed you in the wilderness with manna, which your fathers  did not know, that He might humble you and that He might test you, to do you good in the  end”. Ezekiel 38:8 says “After many days you will be visited. In the latter years you will come  into the land of those brought back from the sword and gathered from many people on the  mountains of Israel, which had long been desolate; they were brought out of the nations, and  now all of them dwell safely”. Zechariah 4:10 says “For who has despised the day of small  things?” 

    What can be inferred from these scriptures? Firstly, a small or bad start does not transmit to  a small or bad end. The fact that the beginning of the year has been very rough does not  necessarily mean the year will end on a difficult note. Also, that your life has been challenging  this far does not mean that you will live in sorrow for the rest of your life. God’s ability to  restore that which has been wasted, broken, ruined, lost, damaged or even dead is beyond  human comprehension. Psalm 126:1 says, “When the Lord brought back the captivity of Zion, 

    we were like those who dream”. Job suffered so much loss, but God blessed his latter days more than his beginning. He died old and full of days. 

    Your present loss is nothing compared to that of Job, so be rest assured that your season of  joy and restoration is coming. Ecclesiastes 3:1 says, “To everything there is a season, a time  for every purpose under heaven”. That suffering, pain and defeat will not go on forever. There  is a ‘latter rain’ blessing coming your way. The latter part of this year will be better than the  beginning. The latter part of your life will be better than the former. What do you do in that  situation? In all his suffering Job did not curse God. Keep your faith and trust in God. He is  never late. The end of a matter is better than its beginning. Scriptures cannot be broken.

     

    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: As it was in the beginning

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: As it was in the beginning

    By Oke Chinye

    Read: Genesis 1:1-31

    Meditation verse:

    “Then God said, “let there be light”, and there was light” (Genesis 1:3).

    The first book of Genesis offers an interesting insight for us, whenever we find  ourselves in an overwhelming situation or when we are enveloped by a sense  helplessness, confusion, and lack of clarity. Genesis 1 states that In the beginning  God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form, and void;  and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering  over the face of the waters. Then God began to create. The first thing He created  was light and He saw that the light was good. He then divided the light from the  darkness. He called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night.

    If you are a child of God, you are a carrier of the Holy Spirit. And because the  Holy Spirit is in you, you can call forth light to shine into the chaotic and dark  situations that you encounter. Job 22:28 says “You will also declare a thing, and  it will be established for you; so light will shine on your ways”. You have the  power to call forth order amid chaos. “Whatever you bind on earth will be bound  in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven (Mathew  18:18.

    It’s the first day of a new month. What is that circumstance before you that feels  overwhelming? A difficult spouse? Joblessness? Dead marriage? Difficult child?  Financial difficulty? ill-health? With God on your side, no situation is ever as bad  as it seems. “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love  it will eat its fruit (Proverbs 18:21). You have God’s power on your side. You have  authority in Jesus’ name to stop disorder and permit order. You can call those  things that are not into existence through the power of the Holy spirit in you.

    Ask God to open your eyes to understand your authority as a believer. “that the  God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of  wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding  being enlightened; that you may know what the hope of His calling is, what are  the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints” (Ephesians 1:17-18). Then  open your mouth and call forth light into that dark situation. “Let there be light!”.

     

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

    For Prayers and Counseling email rockteachingministry@gmail.com

    or call +2348155525555

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

  • [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Do not look back

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Do not look back

    By Oke Chinye

    Read: Genesis 19:1-29

    Meditation verse:

    “But his wife looked back behind him, and she became a pillar of salt” (Genesis  19:26).

    In today’s reading, God had decided to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah. He sent  two angels to warn Lot to flee with his family. The instruction was “escape for  your life, do not look behind you”. But Lot’s wife looked back, and she became  a pillar of salt. Looking back is dangerous; it stalls your movement, hinders your  progress, and keeps you rooted in the same spot. When you keep looking back  you are identifying with what is behind including your mistakes, fear, errors, and  all. Stop looking back at what should or should not have been, what is ahead of  you is more important. This month ends today, get excited about what God has  in store for you in the new month, which begins tomorrow. You cannot open a  new chapter of your life if you keep reading the previous one.

    Look up to God in gratitude, faith, and anticipation. Jeremiah 29:11 says, “For I  know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and  not of evil, to give you a future and a hope”. Psalm 121:1-3 states, “I will lift up  my eyes to the hills—From whence comes my help? My help comes from the  Lord, who made heaven and earth. He will not allow your foot to be moved; He  who keeps you will not slumber”. These are God’s promises over your life, and  he is saying to you this day, “do not remember the former things, nor consider  the things of old. Behold I will do a new thing, now it shall spring forth; shall you  not know it? I will make even make a road in the wilderness and rivers bin the  dessert”

    Isaiah 55:11 says, “so shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth. It shall  not return to Me void. But it shall accomplish what I please and shall prosper in  the thing for which I sent it”. Once God speaks, it is as good as done. So, get  excited about tomorrow.

     

    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: Keep believing

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Keep believing

    By Oke Chinye

    Read: Luke 24:1-7

    Meditation verse:

    “Then, as they were afraid and bowed their faces to the earth, they said to  them, “why do you seek the living among the dead? (Luke 24:5).

    Whilst on earth, Jesus told His disciples about the death He would suffer and  how He would rise after three days. He told them several times to prepare their  minds. Yet, on resurrection morning, certain women amongst those who had  followed Him closely, went to look for His body in the grave. They did not  remember the words that Jesus had spoken to them until two men stood by  them in shinning garments and said “why do you seek the living among the  dead? He is not here but is risen. Remember how He spoke to you when He was  still in Galilee…” (Luke 24:5-6). Then they remembered His words.

    Why did they forget what Jesus told them about His death and resurrection? Or  was it that they simply did not believe Him? Whilst we may marvel at their  unbelief, are we not also guilty of ignorantly seeking the living among the dead  in our everyday experience as Christians? Do we not forget all of God’s promises  to us in His word? Promises such as: “I will never leave you nor forsake you”  (Hebrews 13:5), “fear not, for I am your God, I will strengthen you, yes I will help  you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand” (Isaiah 41:10)? Yes, we  forget, and we fret, get depressed or run helter-skelter when we face challenges.

    Whatever has been your experiences or circumstances, do not let it cause you  to doubt the life transforming power of God’s word. Do not stay in the place of  doubt. Do not let delayed promises cause you to give up on God or bow down  to the gods of this world by seeking for solutions in places where you would  need to compromise your faith, that would amount to seeking for the living  among the dead. Hold God to His word like your life depends on it because it  does. You are not a foreigner to the covenant of God’s promises, you are a  partaker. You are not devoid of hope, Christ in you, is the hope of glory. God  has given you everything pertaining to life and godliness, according to His divine  power (2 Peter 1:3). You are destined to live a life of victory, not of defeat. Keep  believing.

     

    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: Set your affection on the things above

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Set your affection on the things above

    By Oke Chinye

    Read: Colossians 3:1-4

    Meditation verse:

    “Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth” (Colossians 3:2).

    Do you ever think about Heaven and how wonderful it would be to live there?  In John 14:2, Jesus Christ said “in my Father’s house are many mansions, if it  were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you”. We get a  sneak peek into what this place will look like in the book of Revelations.

    A great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,  having the glory of God. The construction of its wall was of jasper; and the  city was pure gold, like clear glass. The foundations of the wall of the city  were adorned with all kinds of precious stones: the first foundation was  jasper, the second sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald, the  fifth sardonyx, the sixth sardius, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl,  the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, and the  twelfth amethyst. The twelve gates were twelve pearls: each individual  gate was of one pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold, like  transparent glass (Revelations 21:10,18-21).

    If someone comes to you today and says, “I have a mansion in France with six  large bedrooms, overlooking the beautiful French Mountains and I have decided  to give you the keys as your birthday present, next month”. What would your  reaction be? Would you be able to contain your excitement? I bet you would  tell everyone you know about it. You would keep counting the days as you  eagerly look forward to when you would hold the keys in your hands.

    Someday, when your time on earth is done, you would take ownership of a  mansion much more exquisite than a French mountain home. How excited are  you about this? Who have you told? What are you doing in anticipation of  owning a mansion in Heaven? Do you even think about this? We are all pilgrims  on earth; our time here is limited whilst our time in Heaven is for eternity. If this  is the case, why do we not live-in anticipation of this great occurrence? Why are  we so focused on earthly things? The bible clearly states “If then you were raised  with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the  right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.  For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our  life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory” (Colossians 3:1-4).

     

    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: Their accusations will work out for your good

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Their accusations will work out for your good

    By Oke Chinye

    Read: JOHN 9: 1-41 

    Meditation verse: 

    “And His disciples asked Him, saying, “Rabbi who sinned, this man or His parents,  that he was born blind?” (John 9:2).

    Jesus’ disciples began questioning Him as they passed by a certain blind man.  They wanted to know why the born was born blind. Was he the one who sinned  or was it his parents? They had concluded that the man was in that condition  because of the sin he or his parents committed. In responding, Jesus explained  that neither the man nor his parents had sinned, but he was in that condition so  that the awesome power of God could be made manifest through him. Jesus  then proceeded to restore his sight. Perhaps, He would not have stopped to heal  the man, had the disciples not began debating his condition? 

    Similarly, Jobs friends accused and judged him when calamity befell him. They  said to him “is not your wickedness great, and your iniquity without end?” (Job  22:5). But God turned the tides around. He asked them to go to Job and offer  for themselves a burnt offering so that he could pray for them. The same friends  who had accused him were now knelling before him. “And the Lord restored  Job’s losses when he prayed for his friends. Indeed, the Lord gave Job twice as  much as he had before” (Job 42: 10). Joseph’s brothers accused him of wanting  to usurp their seniority. They called him a dreamer and sold him to slavery.  Again, we see God turning the tides around. Joseph ended up in Potiphar house  and then in prison and eventually as prime minister of Egypt. And the same  brothers who had despised him, came, and knelt before him. “Then his brothers  also went and fell down before his face, and they said, ‘behold, we are your  servants” (Genesis 50:16).  

    God can turn the tides in your favour when you are wrongly accused. He is the  righteous judge who will always justify you. When others deride, accuse, or put  you down, He can take all of that and turn it around for your good. If you are  currently being ridiculed or have been unfairly treated, allow God to fight for  you. And soon you will say like Joseph: “but as for you, you meant evil against  me; but God meant it for good…” (Genesis 50:20).

     

    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.