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Tag: In His Presence

  • [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Stop beating yourself

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Stop beating yourself

    By Oke Chinye

    Read: 1 peter 1:5-11

    Meditation verse:

    “When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things” (1 Cor 13:11).

    You are not yet perfected. You are a work in progress. Your confession and acceptance of Jesus as Lord and Saviour is just the beginning of your walk with the Lord after which you would need to grow unto maturity. Therefore, you will make mistakes and stumble from time to time, or you may yield to temptation. When you do, be certain to make it right with God immediately. For though a righteous man may fall seven times, he will get up again (Proverbs 24:16). By His divine power, God has made available to you everything you need to live a godly life, but you need to obtain and utilise them. You were saved by grace through faith, but faith without works is dead.

    Make every effort to grow unto maturity, and how do you grow unto maturity? 1 peter 2:2 says, “as new-born babes, desire the pure milk of the word that you may grow thereby”. You need to spend time in God’s presence and study His word. The more time you spend in God’s presence, the more your life exhibits the virtues of godliness, perseverance, and self-control. “But also, for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these things is short sighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins” (2 Peter 1:5-9).

    Philippians 2:12-13 says “therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure”. Working out your salvation is very different from working for your salvation. The wonderful gift of salvation is inside of you, you need to live out the character traits and attributes of your salvation by faith. That is what it means to grow unto maturity. You need to work out your salvation and ‘the working’ is a continuous process.

     

    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 is the object of your focus?

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: What is the object of your focus?

    By Oke Chinye

    Read: Genesis 30:25-43

    Meditation verse:

    “And when they mated in front of the white-streaked branches, they gave birth to young that were streaked, speckled and spotted” (Gen 30:39, NLT).

    Your mind is a dynamic and innovative gateway. It is where you feel, think, dream, imagine, and create. It is the seat of your thoughts and beliefs. What you see and hear influence your thoughts and your thoughts influence your actions. Your actions determine your outcomes and results.

    Jacob’s strategy for building his flock depicts this powerful principle. He had asked Laban, his father in-law, for the livestock that were streaked, speckled, and spotted. Whenever the stronger females were ready to mate, he would place the peeled branches marked with white streaks in the watering troughs in front of them. And when they mated in front of the white streaked branches, they gave birth to young that were streaked, speckled, and spotted. He did not do this with the weaker females. So, he built a great flock of strong livestock.

    There is a connection between your mind and the outcomes you get out of life. You conceive in the womb of your destiny and birth whatever you focus on. Whatever you focus your mind on will eventually spur you on into a path of success or defeat. It is always a case of garbage in and garbage out. As a man thinketh in his heart so is he.

    What is the object of your focus? “Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue, if there is anything praiseworthy, meditate on these things (Phil 4:8).

     

    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 two realms of existence

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Your two realms of existence

    By Oke Chinye

    Read: John 17:14-19

    Meditation verse:

    “They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.” (John 17:16).

    As a believer in Christ Jesus, you are not of this world. You are a spirit being in a body living in a physical world. As a result, you can dwell in the physical and the spiritual realms. You can be catapulted into the spiritual realm. How does this happen? By speaking the language of the Holy Spirit.

    Every territory, locality and nation have its own unique language. The language spoken in Mexico is different from that spoken in France. Within Nigeria, there are different languages for each locality. When you spend time praying in the language of the spirit, you get transported into the realm of the spirit.

    In this world, you will have tribulations (John 16:33). But when the challenges of this physical world become unbearable, you have the option of moving into the spiritual realm. Begin by worshipping God in the beauty of His holiness, then start to pray in the language of the Holy Ghost, and as you continue, you will become enveloped by a sense of peace. At that moment in time, you have been transported into the realm of the spirit. This is a strategy I use when I get weighed down by the exigencies of the present times.

    Another way is by being in the presence of God, constantly. John 4:24 states that: “God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth. The more time you spend worshipping God, the more time you spend in the realm of the spirit. “You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore” (Psalm 16:11). Feeling completely overwhelmed? Begin to speak the language of the Spirit right away.

     

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

    For Prayers and Counseling email rockteachingministry@gmail.com

    or call +2348155525555

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

  • [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: It will happen suddenly

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: It will happen suddenly

    By Oke Chinye

    Read: Psalm 126:1-6

    Meditation verse:

    “Restore our fortunes, Lord, like the streams in the Negev” (Ps 126:4, NLT).

    The Negev is a dry arid land surrounded by mountains, located in the Southern region of Jerusalem and Judea. It takes its name from the Hebrew word ‘Neghev’ which means dry. For most of the year, it remains a dry riverbed (wadi) with no water at all. However, something miraculous happens in the springtime. During the rainy season, the wadi collects water from various areas. Suddenly and swiftly, the dry riverbed turns into dangerous torrents of water within a short while of torrential rain. For a day or two, the dry wadi becomes torrents of flash floods, its dry riverbed overflowing with flood waters into the desert.

    In the journey of your life, you may encounter a Negev experience every now and then, spiritual dryness, financial crisis or marital barrenness. Just like the streams of the Negev, God can turn the tides suddenly in your favour. He can swiftly bring back your captivity and restore your fortunes. God can furnish a table for you in the wilderness. And when He does, you will be like those who dream. 2 Kings 3:17-18 says, “For thus says the Lord: ‘You shall not see wind, nor shall you see rain; yet that valley shall be filled with water, so that you, your cattle, and your animals may drink.’ And this is a simple matter in the sight of the Lord”.

    And this is God’s word for you today. Suddenly, that which you have been asking of the Lord, will be before you. You will not know how it came to be. It will happen suddenly. God will restore your fortunes, like the streams in the Negev.

     

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

    For Prayers and Counseling email rockteachingministry@gmail.com

    or call +2348155525555

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

  • [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: It can’t be me

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: It can’t be me

    By Oke Chinye

    Read: Matthew 7:3-5

    Meditation verse:

    “And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye”? (Mathew 7:3).

    Most of us are masters at seeing what is wrong with others; we can explicitly describe the details. But when it comes to seeing our faults, we become rookies. We are so blind to our faults. When issues arise, we focus on looking for the cause outside of us. We have perfected the blame game. Have you not noticed that when you point your forefinger at the other person, your thumb is pointing right back at you?

    Televangelist and best-selling Author, Joyce Meyer told a hilarious story of a conversation she had with God. She said she had reported her husband, Dave to God, but God said that Dave was not the problem. So, she asked “if Dave isn’t the problem, then who is? There’s just two of us in this home”. As far as she was concerned, it couldn’t be her.

    How often do you blame the other person for everything that is wrong, whilst failing to look inwards: -that annoying spouse, sibling, friend, child, coworker, or boss? Is there a remote chance that the problem lies with you? Does it even cross your mind to look inwards? If you are prone to saying, “it can’t be me”, here’s God’s word for you today:

    “Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.” – Mathew 7:1-5.

    Let the change begin with 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: Integrity pays

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Integrity pays

    By Oke Chinye

    Read: Luke 8:16-18

    Meditation verse:

    “His lord said to him, well done good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord” (Mathew 25:21).

    The story is told of a CEO who was about to retire and needed to select a successor from amongst his top managers. He sent for them and gave each a seed to plant in a seedling bag. The bag was to be placed by the window in their different offices. He informed them that in a year’s time, the person with the biggest plant would become the next CEO. As time went by, seeds of all but one of the managers began to sprout. Everyone laughed at the manager whose seed showed no sign of growing. He felt dejected and wondered why his seed had failed to thrive like the others. He had watered it daily and positioned it to receive adequate sunlight.

    Eventually, a year passed, and it was time to present their plants to the retiring CEO. One after the other, they presented their thriving plants with pride, and everyone scoffed as the manager with the dead seed showed up with an empty seedling bag. The CEO inspected all the plants and to their utmost surprise announced that the manager whose seed did not grow will become the next CEO. He said “every one of you except him has proven to be dishonest. I gave you seeds which had been boiled in hot water, there is therefore no way the original seeds I gave to you would have grown. What you did was to swap my seeds with another when you discovered what I gave to you was not growing. Only this man stuck with the seed that I gave to him even when it would not grow. How can you become the next CEO when you lack integrity?”.

    Luke 8:17 says “for nothing is secret that will not be revealed, nor anything hidden that will not be known and come to light”. The folly you commit in secret may become known in a manner and time you least expect. And it may lead to a significant loss. Who are you when you believe no one is watching? Remember, God sees and rewards all. Integrity pays.

     

    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 suffering from short cord syndrome?

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Are you suffering from short cord syndrome?

    By Oke Chinye

    Read: Isaiah 54:1-3

    Meditation verse:

    “Enlarge the place of your tent and let them stretch out the curtains of your dwellings; Do not spare; Lengthen your cords and strengthen your stakes” (Isaiah 54:2).

    Some people live in such a way that the ‘tent’; of their lives have very little room for others. These people live in their own world. They are mostly alone with very few or no friends. They live life on a unilateral lane, moving only from their homes to their place of work and back to their homes. They have very few strong relational ties with their own family members and may not even have a spiritual family that they fellowship with. They are not willing to put in the effort required to make and keep friends. These kinds of people are said to be suffering from “short cord syndrome” (SCS).

    People with SCS are usually very critical of others. They disconnect from people at the slightest offence and burn every bridge in their lives. They have succeeded in ostracizing themselves from every relational tie. As a result, when afflicted, they suffer alone. Interestingly, people with SCS live in denial. They see nothing wrong with the way they live and tend to believe others are to blame for their short cords.

    Are you suffering from SCS? You can be set free through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I have come that they may have life and have it to the full” (John 10:10, NIV). Jesus Christ can help you extend the tent of your life to accommodate several people-He can give you the wisdom needed to understand others, put love for people in your heart and teach you relational skills to connect easily with people. He can direct you to a church family you will enjoy being a part of.

    Do you have a personal relationship with Him? Here’s a prayer you can say now: “Dear Lord, I am a sinner in need of grace Thank You Jesus for dying to set me free from sin. Please forgive me for all my sins and come into my heart. Be my Lord and Saviour. Fill me with Your Spirit and enable me to extend the tent of my life for others to come in. In Jesus name, Amen.

     

    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: Carrots, eggs, and coffee beans

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Carrots, eggs, and coffee beans

    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).

    A lady was tired of dealing with the challenges of life. it seemed that as one problem was solved, a new one arose. In desperation, she went to her mother for help. Her mother took her to the kitchen and placed three pots of water on a high fire. She put a carrot, an egg and coffee beans into the three pots consecutively and left them to boil without saying a word to her daughter. In about five minutes, the mother fished out the carrots and eggs and placed them in two separate bowls. She lathered the coffee and placed it in a cup. Turning to her daughter, she asked ‘tell me, what do you see?’ to which the daughter replied, ‘carrot, egg and coffee’. The mother asked her to come closer to feel each item. She felt the carrot and noted that it was soft, she felt the egg and removed the shell, the inside had become hard. She took the cup of coffee and savoured the rich sweet aroma.

    Turning to her mother, she asked ‘what does this mean’? Her mother replied that each item had faced the same adversity-hot boiling water. The carrot went into the hot water hard and unrelenting, but came out soft, wobbly, and weak. The egg had been fragile, with its outer shell protecting the liquid interior, but it came out hardened on the inside. The coffee beans had been unique. They changed the source of their adversity-the hot water, turning it into a sweet-smelling liquid.

    You are the salt of the earth and the light of the world. Do not let the challenges of life cause you to lose your flavour. Do not let adversity transform you into a weakling or a hard-hearted person. Be like the coffee beans; emerge from every adversity you face, a better and more valuable person. Let your affliction work in you, a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.

     

    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: Different but similar

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Different but similar

    By Oke Chinye

    Read: 2 Corinthians 1:3-7

    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).

    Several years ago, I attended an all-women’s career development program at the Harvard Business School in Boston. Seated in a hall were about forty women of different Nationalities in different countries and continents. We were asked to introduce ourselves and share our life’s journeys. As I listened to speaker after speaker tell their story, I marvelled at how different we looked but how similar our experiences were. The themes emerging from our stories were alike: “empty nest experience”, “in need of life partner”, “in need of a fulfilling career”, “feeling stuck” “no children”, financial constraints”, “marital issues” and the list went on. We all drew solace and comfort from the knowledge that we were not alone in our individual struggles. Whatever we were dealing with, someone had already dealt with or was still dealing with. The knowledge that as different as we looked, we were actually very similar was really empowering.

    As I ponder on this, I am reminded of the scripture that says God comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others with the same comfort wherein we have been comforted (2 Corinthians 1:4). Our life experiences are hardly for our own purpose. Your mess is your message to the world. Someone is eagerly waiting to hear your story so that they can be healed, encouraged, inspired, and comforted.

    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). Do not give in to self-pity. Turn your mess into your message for healing the world and making it a better place.

     

    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 secret chamber

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: The secret chamber

    By Oke Chinye

    Read: John 15:1-8

    Meditation verse:

    “The Lord has given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him who is weary. He awakens me morning by morning; He awakens my ear to hear as the learned” (Isaiah 50:4).

    Telling people what human teachers have taught us might be of some help to them, but the most impactful words are spoken by those who have been taught by the Lord. The times we spend in God’s presence is like going into a secret chamber where treasures are kept. God’s presence is the secret chamber and some of the treasures inside include revelation, wisdom, clarity, riches, insight, understanding, power, knowledge, peace, and strength which we can bring out for our own use or for others. The messages written in this daily devotional are received as I visit the secret chamber. How else would I have been able to write a message daily for the past one year? Indeed, most of the ideas I work on in my ministry and profession are revealed as I spent time in God’s presence.

    How often do you visit this secret chamber? When was the last time you visited? Do you even have a regular time of the day which you have set aside to meet with God? John 15:5-8 says “I am the vine; you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you[b] will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so, you will be My disciples.

    Make it a habit of going into the secret chamber each morning, and you would be amazed at the treasures you will discover. Spending time in God’s presence is a time-tested principle for success in every area of human endeavour.

     

    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.