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Tag: In His Presence

  • [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Just do it

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Just 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).

    If you are going to reach your highest potential, you must operate on the  principle of bold obedience in your walk with God. This simply means that you  obey even when it does not make sense. Faith is not in your head; it is in your  heart. 2 Corinthians 4:18 says, “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”.

    God would sometimes ask you to do things that does not make sense to the  natural man. 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  (Mathew 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).

    God knows the end of every matter from the beginning. He declaresthe end and  then sets things in motion from the beginning. The blessing is not the first call.  The first call is usually a test and calls for complete obedience, not half  measures. If you obey, then the second call which is the blessing will follow. If  you do not obey, you will miss the follow up call. And the sooner you obey, the  faster you will discover what God has in store for you.

    What is God stirring your heart towards? Are you struggling to obey because it  looks foolish? The foolishness of God is wiser than the wisdom of men. God’s  ways are not our ways, His thoughts are not our thoughts. Do yourself a world  of good by responding quickly. Remember, obedience begins only when you take the first step.

     

    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: Your trade versus your ministry

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Your trade versus your ministry

    By Oke Chinye

    Read: ACTS 9:6-16, 18:3

    Meditation verse:

    “Paul called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God…” (1 Cor  1:1).

    The work that we do can be divided into three basic categories. A ‘Job’ which  simply pays the bills. A ‘Profession’ which is work that we undergo training for.  A ‘Calling’ which is work that is at the core of who you are and is a vital part of  your identity. Let’s look at some differences between the last two.

    Profession involves prolonged training, or a formal qualification and you get to  decide which profession you want and undergo training for it. Calling on the  other hand is divinely inspired. God decides your calling and equips you with  special gifts to fulfil it.

    Your profession is targeted at fulfilling your own needs. You are the centre of  focus, and you will reap ephemeral rewards like money, status, and fame. Your  calling fulfils the needs of others. God is the centre of focus, and He will give you  eternal rewards.

    Your profession is specialized work, and you gain mastery by continuous  training. With calling, the Holy Spirit inspires and teaches you. It is a place where  you can attain full expression of yourself because your calling is at the core of  who you are. Whilst you will not be required to give an account of your  profession on the last day, you will certainly give an account of how you fulfilled  your calling.

    To which do you allot more time, energy, and other resources? Choose wisely.

     

    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 footprints are you leaving in the sands of time?

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: What footprints are you leaving in the sands of time?

    By Oke Chinye

    Read: JUDGES 11 & 12

    Meditation verse:

    “So, teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom” (Ps  90:12).

    Jephthah the Gileadite, was one of Israel’s judges and a mighty man of valour.  Today’s reading gives an account of how he led Israel to victory against the  people of Ammon and Ephraim. He judged Israel for six years before he died.

    Three other judges led Israel after Jephthah: Ibzan, Elon and Abdon,  consecutively. However, very little was said about them. Their records merely  stated that they had many children and donkeys, nothing about any legacy left  behind; no wars fought, no territories conquered. Yet all three judged Israel for  longer periods of time than Jephthah. The next great account was that of  Samson who judged Israel after Abdon.

    We were put on this earth for a particular assignment. We were saved to serve.  We have a responsibility to make our lives count in our service to God and  others. When your time is up and your story is recounted, what would be in your  records? That you had great wealth and many children? Or that you touched the  lives of others in profound ways?

    What exploits are you doing with the gifts that God has given to you? What  service are you rendering to your generation? What footprints are you leaving  in the sands of time? This is a call to reconsider our ways. It is time to begin to  recalibrate your legacy.

     

    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: Get moving

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Get moving

    By Oke Chinye

    Read: Exodus 14:1-31 

    Meditation verse: 

    “Then the Lord said to Moses, “why are you crying out to me? Tell the people to  get moving!” (Exodus 14:15).

    God had told the children of Israel through Moses, that He would deliver them  from the oppression of the Egyptians and take them to the promised land. He repeatedly told them how beautiful and rich the land was; a land flowing with  milk and honey. But He did not give them the details of how they would get  there or what obstacles they would encounter. As they began the journey, it was  one issue after the other. Every time they encountered a hurdle, they completely forgot God’s promise to get them to the promised land. They murmured against God and complained to their leader Moses. 

    The final straw was when the red sea was before them, whilst the Egyptians chased behind with all the forces in Pharoah’s army. This time around, they  completely lost it. “They cried out to the Lord and said to Moses, “Because there  were no graves in Egypt, have you taken us away to die in the wilderness? Why  have you so dealt with us, to bring us up out of Egypt? Is this not the word that  we told you in Egypt, saying, ‘Let us alone that we may serve the Egyptians’? For  it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than that we should die  in the wilderness” (Exodus 14:11-12). And God spoke to Moses, “why are you  crying out to me? Tell the people to get moving!”. In order words, God was asking  them “have I not promised you that I would get you to the promised land? Why  do you still doubt my ability? Since God had given them His word, why did they  not simply enquire from Him how they would get across the red sea? 

    What has God promised you? And what are the hurdles you are currently faced  with that is instilling some doubt in you? God in His wisdom does not give us the details, but if He has spoken it is guaranteed. “God is not a man, that He should  lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or  has He spoken, and will He not make it good? (Numbers 23:19). And Romans  11:29 says, “For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable”. So, instead of  murmuring or doubting, simply ask “What next God?”, then get moving with the light He gives you, no matter how dim it may seem. He always gives just enough  light for the step we are on.

     

    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 God of a second chance

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: The God of a second chance

    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” (Rom 8:28).

    God is the God of a second chance. Romans 11:29 tells us that the gifts and  calling of God are without repentance. This means that He will not change his  mind concerning what He has called you to do. It is irrevocable whether you  choose to do it or not.

    If you have strayed away from God’s plan, He is able to bring you back on course.  Because His calling is irrevocable, He always has a redemptive plan for us. When  the first man fell in the garden of Eden, God did not have to scratch His head  and worry over what to do next. He already had a redemptive plan in place  which he unfolded in the fullness of time in the person of our saviour Jesus  Christ.

    There is no pondering over a ‘what next’ with God. He is a God of a second  chance, so He already has a back-up plan in place for you as you journey through  the life that He has called you to. The bible says He pities those who fear Him as  a father pities his children, for He knows our frame; He remembers that we are  dust (Ps 103:13-14). What merciful and loving God, He is.

    Do you feel that you have wandered too far away, because of the wrong  decisions and choices you made in the past? Why not return to him today. He  already has a redemptive plan in place for you. His call upon your life is  irrevocable. He won’t change His mind over you. And you shouldn’t either.

     

    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 miracle is in the obedience

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: The miracle is in the obedience

    By Oke Chinye

    Read: Luke 17: 11-19

    Meditation verse:

    “So, when He saw them, He said to them, ‘go show yourself to the priests.’ And  so, it was that as they went, they were cleansed”. (Luke 17:14).

    The story of the ten lepers highlights the importance of obedience and faith. As  they cried to Jesus concerning their situation, am certain they expected Him to  say: ‘be healed’ or ‘you are cleansed from your leprosy’. But Jesus said ‘go show  yourself to the priests’ and that was it. Had they not obeyed Jesus’ command  they would not have received their miracle.

    I have often pondered on this story and wondered what our reaction would be  in today’s church. Wouldn’t we be utterly disappointed? ‘He didn’t even touch  us, how does showing ourselves to the priests count for anything? Have the  priests not seen us all this while?’ These are just a few of the complaints that we  would have muttered.

    God does not owe us an obligation to answer our prayers in the way or manner  we desire. Oftentimes, we expect Him to act in a particular way, and when He  gives a command or stirs us in a direction that does not match our expectations,  we then struggle with obeying or fail to obey. If our eyes were to be opened to  behold the miracles and blessings that we have missed due to our disobedience,  we would be greatly saddened.

    We must learn to trust God completely and commit to obeying his leading,  whether it makes sense to us or not. The miracle is in the obedience.

     

    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 you want to be made whole?

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Do you want to be made whole?

    By Oke Chinye

    Read: John 5:1-9

    Meditation verse:

    “When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he already had been in that  condition a long time. He said to him, “Do you want to be made whole?

    Jesus asked the lame man by the Pool of Bethesda a simple question: ‘do you  want to be made whole’? Rather than giving an equally simple response ‘yes, I  want to be made whole’, this man who had been lame for 38 years, began to  analyze his condition. He said “sir, I have no man to help me and put me in the  pool. I can’t help myself either, for before I enter, another man gets in before  me”. Did Jesus not know all of that before asking the question? Of course, He  did.

    Many Christians are like this lame man. We desire wholeness in different areas  of our lives: financial breakthrough, promotion at work, restoration of our  marriages and healing for our bodies. But rather than focus on God’s ability to  do the impossible, we focus on our inability and the many ways we are  disadvantaged. For instance, we desire a breakthrough in our work and  businesses, but spend the time moaning over our lack of contacts and networks.  We limit the mighty hand of God and His ability to help us.

    God may not intervene in the manner you expect. The lame man expected that  the only way he could get healed was by getting into the pool, but Jesus had  other plans for him. Ecclesiastes 9:11 says, “I returned and saw under the sun  that— the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the  wise, nor riches to men of understanding, nor favor to men of skill; but time and  chance happen to them all”. Time and chance happened to that lame man on  that fateful day; time and chance can happen in your favor today. God’s ability  to intervene in our situations is beyond human comprehension.

     

    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 are you hungry for?

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: What are you hungry for?

    By Oke Chinye

    Read: Acts 10:1-23

    Meditation verse:

    “And a voice came to him, “Rise, Peter; kill and eat” (Acts 10: 13).

    Peter became very hungry and wanted to eat, then he fell into a trance where  he saw a great sheet descending from heaven containing all kinds of four-footed  animals, wild beasts, and birds of the air. Then God told him to rise, kill and eat.  Peter’s hunger put him in a state that enabled him to see the vision God had for  him. Similarly, God can create a void in your life in preparation for the vision He  has for us. This void leads to a hunger within you, which either puts you in a  state of vulnerability or creates a restlessness in you. Either way, as you look up  to God for answers, He opens your heart to perceive what He wants you to do.  The bible states that as Peter thought about the vision, the Spirit spoke to him,  revealing what the vision was about.

    It is difficult to go after what you are not hungry for or what you have no desire  for, because you are likely to give up at the slightest challenge. The hunger  becomes the motivation that pushes you further. The greater the hunger, the  greater your desire to satisfy it. When God was leading the children of Israel to  the promised land, He repeatedly told them that the land was beautiful and  good, flowing with milk and honey. He was creating a hunger in them that would  enable them take possession of the land, despite opposition from its previous  inhabitants.

    Which area of your life is there currently a vacuum or deep void? What are you  hungry for? What is your deepest heart desire? The hunger and yearning you  are feeling, may be connected to the vision that God has for you. It may be tied  to your God-ordained assignment. “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for  righteousness, for they shall be filled (Mathew 5:6).

     

    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: It takes time and effort to build

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: It takes time and effort to build

    By Oke Chinye

    Read: Luke 14:25-30

    Meditation verse:

    “For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count  the cost, whether he has enough to finish it” (Luke 14:28).

    Have you ever visited a construction site? It is very messy right? With building  materials strewn all over the place, sweaty bodies digging, filling, and molding.  It may even be a dangerous place to visit, with nails, split woods and loose blocks  posing a danger. But after all that hard work and effort, an amazingly beautiful  structure stands tall.

    Growth takes time. It takes nine months for a baby to be fully developed in the  womb of a woman, during which time her stomach is fully stretched to  accommodate the growing child. After birth, it takes several years and different  stages before the baby becomes an adult. Achieving or building the life of your  dreams will not happen overnight. It will take time and great effort on your part.  You will go through several transitions and may be tempted to give up. Your mental, physical, financial, and emotional capacity will be stretched to  accommodate the person you are becoming.

    Indeed, most processes of development that result in change from one form to  another are difficult and uncomfortable. The purification of gold, the emergence  of pearls from oysters and the emergence of a butterfly from a larva are not easy  processes. Change is a difficult process. Enlargement is uncomfortable.  Mediocrity resides in your comfort zone. If you want to grow to your full capacity  and achieve all you were created for, you will have to push beyond your limits.  “The heights by great men reached and kept were not attained by sudden flight,  but they while their companions slept, were toiling upward in the night.” – Henry  Wadsworth Longfellow.

     

    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 rights and privileges as a son [2]

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Your rights and privileges as a son [2]

    By Oke Chinye

    Read: Ephesians 1:3-22 

    Meditation verse: 

    “In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your  salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of  promise” (Ephesians 1:13).

    Other privileges you enjoy as an adopted son, are: 

    The presence of the Holy Spirit: The Holy Spirit is the guarantor and seal upon  your life that proves that you are a child of God. He is in you to teach, comfort,  intercede and help you in your walk with God. John 14:26 says “But the Helper,  the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all  things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you”. I have  received help from the Holy Spirit on several occasions in different areas of my  life. From showing me the specific area to focus on and study, when I had to  write an exam shortly after recuperating from a failed surgery, exposing attacks  of the enemy over my marriage before it was too late and teaching me several  life skills. The messages I write in this daily devotional are downloaded into my  spirit by the Holy Spirit. The greatest resource we have as Christians is the  presence of God’s Spirit in us, but you must be sensitive to His prompting if you  are to benefit from His leading.  

    An everlasting hope: Christ in you is the hope of glory (Colossians 1:27) and it is  an unending one. When all is said and done here on earth, you will reign with  Christ in eternity. John 14:2-3 says “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. And if I go  and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that  where I am, there you may be also”. 

    If you have not yet asked Jesus Christ to come into your heart, you are not yet a  son. Why not do so right away so that you can be adopted into the family of God  and begin to enjoy these privileges. Here’s a prayer you can say right away: “Dear Jesus, I believe that You died to save me from all my sins. Today, I confess  that I am a sinner and ask for forgiveness. I invite you into my heart and accept  you as my Lord and Saviour. Please forgive all my sins, fill me with Your Spirit and help me to live my life for You”. Congratulations!

     

    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.