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Tag: In His Presence

  • [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: It’s all part of the process

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: It’s all part of the process

    By Oke Chinye

    Read: Jeremiah 18:1-6

    Meditation verse:

    “And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter; so,  he made it again into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to make”  (Jeremiah 18:4).

    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, the emergence of a butterfly from a larva and the birth of a  baby from a pregnancy are not easy processes. See how the stomach of a  pregnant woman stretches and enlarges as her baby grows inside her. She  passes through so much discomfort until her baby is born. Even the process of  birth is painful. Change is a difficult process. Enlargement is uncomfortable. To  develop into a better version of yourself, you will pass through some very  difficult or painful stuff. It’s all part of the process. Comfort can only be found in  the status quo.

    In making the ornament, the clay is first marred in the potter’s hands. After a  very messy process, a beautiful vessel emerges. God sent Jeremiah to the  potter’s house to make him understand how we are in His hands. “…Look, as the  clay is in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel” (Jeremiah  18:6). God can do with you as a potter handles clay. He can rearrange the details  of your life to beautify it and sometimes this can uncomfortable.

    When you pray for God to bless you and enlarge your coast, why do you assume  that the process or the journey will be easy? Why do you assume that it will  happen instantly? The purification of gold takes some time, full term pregnancy  takes nine months. God is working behind the scenes of your life to perfect that  which concerns you. He has information which you do not have. “As you do not  know what the way of the wind is, or how the bones grow in the womb of her  who is with child, so you do not know the works of God who makes everything”  (Ecclesiastes 11:5). Give yourself a break and stop fretting. It is all part of the  process, and it is working out for your good.

     

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

    For Prayers and Counseling email rockteachingministry@gmail.com

    or call +2348155525555

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

  • [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Your family altar

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Your family altar

    By Oke Chinye

    Read: 2 Chronicles 20: 1-13

    Meditation verse: 

    “Now all Judah, with their little ones, their wives, and their children, stood  before the Lord” (2 Chronicles 20:13).

    There was an emergency in Judah. The people of Moab, Ammon, and Mount  Seir came to battle against Jehoshaphat, king of Judah. When they told the king  that a great multitude was coming against him, he feared, and set himself to  seek the Lord, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. So, all the cities of Judah gathered to ask help from the Lord.

    I recall reading this passage and pondering over the thirteenth verse: “Now all  Judah, with their little ones, their wives, and their children, stood before the  Lord”. It had already been mentioned earlier that all Judah gathered to seek the  face of God. Why was it important to emphasize the fact that the men, their  wives, children, and little ones stood before the Lord? The answer came to me  as a revelation. When a man stands before God with his wife and children beside  him, God honours that commitment and answers them speedily. Psalm 133  states, “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together  in unity! It is like the precious oil upon the head, running down on the beard, the  beard of Aaron, running down on the edge of his garments. It is like the dew of  Hermon, descending upon the mountains of Zion; for there the Lord commanded  the blessing—Life forevermore”. The picture of the family coming together in  unity and fellowship strikes a chord in God’s heart.

    The family unit is the smallest church, with the man as the priest. The  importance of the family coming together daily to pray cannot be ignored. In the  family altar, God is worshipped and glorified, the faith of each member is built  up and issues are resolved. “Unless the Lord builds the house, they labour in vain  who build it” (Psalm 127:1). A famous quote says: “a family that prays together,  stays together”. By honouring God in the place of your family altar, you are  inviting His Lordship over your home and ushering in His presence and in the  presence of the Lord, “there is fullness of joy and at His right hand are pleasures  forevermore” (Psalm 16:11). Joshua said “…but as for me and my house, we will  serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15). Do you have a family altar in your home?

     

    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 wonder of worship

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: The wonder of worship

    By Oke Chinye

    Read: Psalm 103:1-22

    Meditation verse:

    “God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” John 4:24).

    Worship is the feeling or expression of reverence for a deity, in this case GOD. It  is the fervent esteem or adoration paid to God. When you worship, you adore,  adulate, honor, praise oridolize Him. True worship is a lifestyle. It is spontaneous  and continuous; it cannot be rehearsed. It is all encompassing expressed in our  emotions, attitudes, thoughts, desires, words, and actions.

    Worship is humanity stripping away every pretense and revealing her deep need  for a divine God. Worship is the meeting place of humanity in all weakness and  divinity in all power and might. It is therefore a strategy for warfare. Worship  guarantees victory over the battles of life. In 2 Chronicles 20, the people of  Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir came waged war against Judah. Jehoshaphat  and the people of Judah began to praise and worship God. God set ambushes  for their enemies, and they began to destroy one another. God took over the  battle, so Judah did not need to fight. Worship is a warfare strategy that  neutralizes the bitter taste of fear and hopelessness. When you are confused,  worship. When you are afraid worship. When in lack, worship. When you are at  the end of the rope, worship.

    The subject of our worship; God, is a wonder, and He does great things that are  past finding out and wonders without number (Job 9:10). Psalm 103:3-6 says,  “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. The Lord executes righteousness and justice for all who  are oppressed.

    When we worship, God leaves His throne and comes down to inhabit our  worship and praise. And guess what, He does not come empty handed, He brings  provision, healing, and deliverance. Exodus 23:25-28 says “Worship the Lord  your God, and his blessing will be on your food and water. I will take away sickness from among you, and none will miscarry or be barren in your land. I will  give you a full life span. I will send my terror ahead of you and throw into  confusion every nation you encounter. I will make all your enemies turn their  backs and run”. Psalm 22:3-5 says “But You are holy, enthroned in the praises of  Israel. Our fathers trusted in You; they trusted, and You delivered them. they  cried to You, and were delivered; they trusted in You, and were not ashamed”.

     

    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: Not everyone will get you

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Not everyone will get you

    By Oke Chinye

    Read: 2 Timothy 1:15-18

    Meditation verse:

    “But when he arrived in Rome, he sought me out very zealously and found me” (2 Timothy 1:17). 

    Certain people will be drawn to you, others will be repelled by the very essence of who you are. There are about seven billion people on earth and each one of these is different. No two individuals are the same, even identical twins. We are all wired differently, with our own abilities and personalities. Your personality type is your preferred and natural way of living and relating with the outer world; in terms of how you process information, make decisions, relate with others as well as your approach to life. Some people are extroverts, others are introverts. Some people prefer a structured approach to life, other prefer a more spontaneous and flexible approach. Some people are logical, preferring to deal with hard facts, others see the big picture.

    If this is the case, why would you expect everyone to like and accept you? Why would you feel rejected when you do not fit into certain groups? Not everyone will get you. Certain personality types will naturally gravitate towards you, others will not. You would be naturally drawn to certain groups of individuals and environments, and you will be repelled by others. Pause for a moment and write your name on a sheet of paper, then using your other hand write your name again. You will discover that when you used your preferred hand, you could easily write down your name and the letters were clear. Using the other hand was difficult and clumsy. You will also discover that you were more comfortable in the first instance.

    You have a preferred way of doing things. There are people you would naturally gravitate towards and vice versa. There are environments you would flourish in and there are others you would struggle in. Once you acknowledge this truth, your life will be easier and your relationships better. Rejections will become easier to accept. So, understand this, not everyone will get you and you will not get everyone.

     

    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: Winning the battles of life

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Winning the battles of life

    By Oke Chinye

    Read: 2 Chronicles 20: 1-30

    Meditation verse:

    “And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the Lord and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah” (2 Chronicles 20:3).

    Life is a lively process of becoming; change is therefore one thing you should expect. Some of these changes will be in the form of battles that you will need to surmount every now and then. Today’s reading highlights some important strategies for winning the battles of life.

    On hearing the news that several nations had come up against him; King Jehoshaphat set himself to seek God’s face and ask for help. “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” (Psalm 41:1). He is always willing to intervene in our situations. A verse in the famous song by Alan Jackson says: “what a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear, what a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer”. Turning to Him for help is always a good place to start.

    In response to Jehoshaphat’s plea, God gave him a command “You will not need to fight in this battle, position yourselves, stand still and see the salvation of God”. In the place of prayer, the Holy Spirit instructs and directs our hearts. There will be times when you will need to take action to overcome that battle, other times you would need to be still and allow God deal with the issue. The miracle is always in the obedience; do exactly what He has commanded, no matter how foolish seems.

    God always inhabits the praises of His people. So, praise Him, even during the challenge. Jehoshaphat appointed singers to go out before the army as they went to war. Do not wait to see answers to your prayers, before praising God. By praising Him, you are declaring His authority over that situation. Why not rise and begin to declare God’s authority over your issue. Praise the Lord, right now.

     

    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: His grace is sufficient for you

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: His grace is sufficient for you

    By Oke Chinye

    Read: 2 Corinthians 12:7-10

    Meditation verse:

    “And He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness…” (2 Corinthians 12:9a).

    The exact nature of Paul’s infirmity is unknown. But whatever it was, it must have been uncomfortable because he pleaded with God on three occasions to take it away. He seemed desperate to get rid of. When God in His infinite wisdom refused Paul’s appeal, he did not let the ‘thorn in his flesh’ prevent him from fulfilling his ministry. He recognized God as His true source of strength and knew he could depend on His power to remain effective and useful. By affirming God’s strength, he accepted the reality of his weakness and refused to let it stop him.

    There may be challenges or weaknesses in your life that have lingered on for years and you desperately need God’s intervention. If you have been waiting for a long time for it to change, has it occurred to you that God may decide to allow you to live with it? He would already have made His grace available to you. Grace is an enabler that propels you forward even in difficult situations.

    You may need to appropriate God’s grace in certain situations. You appropriate God’s grace by repeatedly declaring it over that situation and walking in its consciousness. If for instance, you recognize that you have a temper and are prone to outbursts of anger, you need to live in the consciousness that God’s grace is available to help you exercise self-control. Rather than giving in to angry outbursts when faced with an upsetting situation, why not declare: “Lord, Your grace is sufficient for me, Your strength is here to help me stay calm. I depend on it over my weakness. I surrender my will to yours.

    “Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God” (Rom 10:17). The change you desire may not happen instantly, but as you continue speaking God’s word over that situation, you will ultimately experience victory. This same principle will work for a recovering alcoholic or sex addict who has surrendered his will to God. If you are battling with fear, self-doubt or low self-esteem, the grace to forge ahead is in you. Tap into it and press forward. Make decisions and act, despite your struggles. Do not let them stop you, for when you are weak, then you are strong in the power of Christ.

     

    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: Becoming guilt-free

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Becoming guilt-free

    By Oke Chinye

    Read: Romans 8:1-17

    Meditation verse:

    “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit (Romans 8:1).

    Guilt and self-condemnation are two of the strongest weapons the enemy uses to hold you captive. The bible refers to him as the “accuser of brethren” (Rev 12:10). Irrespective of what you have done in the past, if you have sincerely asked God for forgiveness, accepted and confessed Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour, you are totally and completely forgiven. There is therefore now no condemnation. The blood of Jesus has washed you clean, and you have become guilt-free. Jesus said to the woman who was accused by the scribes and Pharisees of committing adultery; “neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more” (John 8:11).

    Don’t let your past poison your future. If anyone needed to feel guilty, it was Saul of Tarsus who later became Paul the Apostle. Saul zealously persecuted the Christians. He held the coats of those who stoned Stephen, the first Christian martyr (Acts 7:58). After his encounter with God, he refused to let his past hinder. No other human impacted Christianity like Apostle Paul.

    Decide to move forward today. Resist the devil and his accusations and he will flee from you (James 4:7). Realize that you are completely forgiven and move on to a life of faith, holiness, and obedience. Ever wondered why your car has a very big windshield in front, but a small rear mirror? What is in front of you is more important that what is behind you. Your future is what matters and God has great plans in store for you. The plans He has for you are plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11). Why not embrace that hope today?

    However, if you are still indulging in sin, why not repent today before it is too late. No one is guaranteed tomorrow. Cry out to God for mercy. Free your soul from condemnation. When there is no condemnation in our hearts and minds, we are free to live victorious lives.

     

    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: Pray through it all

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Pray through it all

    By Oke Chinye

    Read: Philippians 4:4-7

    Meditation verse:

    “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God” (Philippians 4:6).

    Prayer is an intimate two-way communication between you and God. It is you talking to your Father as well as listening to Him speak to you. A key secret to a more peaceful and fulfilling life is praying your way through any and every situation in your life. You must learn to cast your cares upon the Lord and let Him carry your burdens.

    In the place of prayers, your burdens are exchanged for God’s yoke which is light and easy. In the place of prayers, your understanding is enlightened, your mind is renewed, and your strength restored. In the place of prayers, you call back life into the things that are dead around you. You can speak life to every area of your life where are experiencing deadness. You do not have to live in marital deadness, or spiritual apathy, or physical weariness or financial misery. You can settle all of this in the place of prayer.

    When burdened by the challenges of life, go to God in prayers, and pray through those challenges. Psalm 126 says: when The Lord brought back the captivity of Zion, we were like those who dream. God’s ability to restore life is beyond our understanding. Trees are burnt down and can grow back, broken bones heal, dead tissues are restored. That’s the life-giving power of God. He can renew your youth as the eagles (Isaiah 40:31). He can make all things new. He can restore the years the canker worms have eaten. And He has given you the keys of the kingdom so that whatever you bind on earth is bound in heaven and whatever you lose on earth is loosed in heaven. He says you shall decree a thing and it shall be established for you.

    So, speak life into every area of your life that is experiencing dryness and watch God back you up. Whatever you allow is allowed, whatever you forbid is forbidden. Pray through any and every situation. Your harvest of joy and restoration will come.

     

    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: Change your attitude, change your life

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Change your attitude, change your life

    By Oke Chinye

    Read: John 16:31-33

    Meditation verse:

    “Keep your heart with all diligence for out of it spring the issues of life” (Proverbs 4:23).

    Two little girls went to the beach with their parents and whilst playing by the shore, a huge wave arose in front of them. The first child screamed in horror, ‘I can’t believe our parents brought us here to die’, and frantically tried to get away from the wave as fast as she could. The second child screamed in delight “I can’t believe it took our parents this long to bring us here”, running excitedly towards the wave. How do you explain the different reactions to the same event? ATTITUDE. The first child perceived the wave as a threat, the other saw it as fun. The same event resulted in opposite reactions, based on two different attitudes and thoughts around what had occurred.

    Your attitude towards the things that happen to you in life is extremely important, as it will determine your outcomes. You may not be able to control some of your life events, as life can happen any time. Businesses may fail, relationships may fail, people may be nasty to you, there will be times when you experience lack. As long as you are alive, changes can occur, but you can control your attitude and reaction to the things that happen to you.  And your attitude and reaction to it will determine the action you take which will determine the outcome or result you get. Therefore, if you want to change your outcomes in life for the better, you will need to change your attitude.

    You need to understand the following:

    You have little or no control over what life throws at you, but you can control your attitude and thoughts towards them and by extension control your life’s outcomes. As you live your life daily, remember that nothing means anything except the meaning you give to it and the meaning you give to it is not the only meaning. There are always several perspectives to every event. The glass can either be half empty or half full. Jesus told His disciples to be of good cheer as they live in the world; that speaks of having a positive attitude, irrespective of what is going on around you. Choose to see your adversities as opportunities for growth. Choose to see your glass as half full, rather than half empty.

     

    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: What has God said to you?

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: What has God said to you?

    By Oke Chinye  

    Read: Psalm 119:89-106

    Meditation verse: 

    “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Psalm 119:105). 

    When God gives you a word of promise, He expects you to do something with  it. He gave it to you as a guide so that you do not grope or stumble in darkness.  The bible states that God’s word is a lamp to our feet. Your feet are for going  forth. When you take hold of a lamp in a dark room, you do not just stand still.  You put the light in front of you and move forward. That way, you do not grope  in the dark, stumble, fall or end up in a wrong place. Similarly, with God’s word,  you will not stumble through life or miss your way entirely. But you must run  with the word, for it to light up your path.

    It took several years before I understood this principle. Towards the end of each  year, I would take out time to wait on God in fasting and prayers. I would ask  Him for a theme based on a scripture to guide me in the coming year and He  was always faithful. One evening, I sat at my desk looking at all the themes that  God had given me in the past years and wondering why they had not yielded the  resultsI expected. It suddenly dawned on me that God had expected me to order  my plans and activities for each year based on the word He had given me. I had  however sat still, expecting a magic wand to make things happen.

    For instance, the year He gave me “purposeful advancement towards a life of  significance”, did I in the cause of the year, come up with a plan on how I would  advance into significance in key areas of my life? Did I seek out enough  opportunities to show case my gifts and talents? Purposeful means intentional,  planned or thought off and to be significant, you must show up. When He said,  “grow unto perfection”, did I increase the time I spent studying His word? Did I  ponder on what childish things I needed to do away with to become mature?

    When God gives you a specific word, it is because He wants to accomplish  something specific in that area of your life, but unless you act based on the word,  nothing happens. What has God said to you? What have you done or what are  you doing with what He has said to you?

    If His mouth has spoken, then His zeal has already perfected. This month, run  with the word that He has given to 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.