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Tag: In His Presence

  • [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Living the life

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Living the life

    By Oke Chinye

    Read: Romans 12:1-21

    Meditation verse:

    “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect” (Romans 12:2).

    Romans 12 offers instructive guidelines on how to live the life we were called and saved to live:

    Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us.

    In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So, if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.

    Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection and take delight in honoring each other.

    Never be lazy but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically. Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble and keep on praying.

    When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality.

    Bless those who persecute you. Don’t curse them; pray that God will bless them.

    Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep.

    Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all!

    Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.

    Never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, “I will take revenge; I will pay them back,” says the Lord. Instead, if your enemies are hungry, feed them. If they are thirsty, give them something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals of shame on their heads.

    Lastly, don’t let evil conquer you but conquer evil by doing 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: Restore your total wellbeing

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Restore your total wellbeing

    By Oke Chinye

    Read: 3 John 2

    Meditation verse:

    “Beloved, I pray that in every way you may succeed and prosper and be in good health [physically], just as [I know] your soul prospers [spiritually]” (3 John 2 Amp).

    God’s plan for you is that you prosper in every aspect of human endeavor: spiritually, emotionally, mentally, intellectually, financially, socially, psychologically, maritally, and occupationally. He wants you to stay connected to Him, He wants your mind to be alive, He wants you to think intelligently, He wants your body to be sound, He wants your relationships to flourish. He wants you to live out your purpose fully, He delights in your financial prosperity. He wants you to be emotionally sound. This is the wholesome and abundant life that Christ came to give us.

    Your spirit, soul, mind, and body are all connected. What happens to one affects the other. Your body responds to the way you think, feel and act. This is often called the “mind/body connection.” When you are stressed, anxious or upset, your body tries to tell you that something isn’t right. For example, high blood pressure or a stomach ulcer might develop after a particularly stressful event. Our emotions have a direct connection to our body. Repressed strong emotions affect many things in your body like high blood pressure, back pain, change in appetite, chest pain, constipation or diarrhoea, general aches, headaches, and insomnia (trouble sleeping).

    Restoring your total wellbeing begins with spiritual wholeness. Your spirit is the part of you that connects to God. Psalm 11:3 says, “if the foundations are destroyed, what will the righteous do? Reset your foundation. Your foundation is your relationship with Jesus Christ and connection to the Holy spirit. Next, restore your mental and emotional wholeness. Being whole in the mind begins with letting go of all the baggage; whether it is unforgiveness, hate, anger, envy or whatever it is that has taken root in there. Let go of the pains of failed relationships, broken dreams, abusive marriages, hurt, unforgiveness, neglect, unfaithful spouse, bottled up emotions, unmet expectations, financial hardship, grief, deceit, divorce, separation, regrets of the past. Let go of the deep-rooted stuff. Let go and let God begin to heal you. God wants to set you free today, but you must be willing to yield.

    Lastly, true wholeness cannot be achieved until you identify and begin to live out your purpose, because your purpose is the very reason you were created. So, how can you achieve total wholeness outside of your purpose? Your purpose is important to your self-esteem, satisfaction, contentedness, and sense of value in life.

     

    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: Fight with your natural armour

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Fight with your natural armour

    By Oke Chinye

    Read: 1 Samuel 17: 1-59

    Meditation verse:

    “And David said to Saul, ‘I cannot walk with these, for I have not tested them’. So, David took them off” (1 Sam 17:39b).

    Everything you need to succeed in the assignment that God has given to you is already inside of you and you are uniquely shaped for your assignment. You do not need to become like any other person and have their ability to accomplish what God has called you to do, it amounts to ‘borrowing some other person’s armour’. You have yours and it’s all you need for the job. You are unique and your assignment is unique to you.

    In preparing David for his fight with goliath, king Saul clothed him with his own armour. David tried to walk in the borrowed armour and could not. It was untested terrain for him, it was unnatural to him. So, he took it off. “Then he took his staff in his hand and he chose for himself five smooth stones from the brook and put them in the shepherd’s bag, in a pouch which he had, and his sling was in his hand. And he drew near to the Philistine” (1 Sam 17: 40). When he put on that which he was familiar with, he advanced confidently towards the Philistine and defeated him.

    You cannot fulfil the purpose that God has for you or win the battles of life with someone else’s armour. If you do, you will either get stuck or keep going round in circles. No matter how much you admire a person’s talent or ability, do not attempt to copy it. You can commend and admire, but do not be a copycat. Discover who you and identify your areas of giftings. Then confidently advance towards your assignment and you will have good success.

     

    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: Keep pressing towards the mark

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Keep pressing towards the mark

    By Oke Chinye

    Read: Philippians 3: 12-16

    Meditation verse:

    “Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me” (Phil 3:12).

    The Apostle Paul said he forgets what is behind and presses forward to obtain what is ahead. If anyone had things to regret it was Paul. He had persecuted the Christians with an unmatched zeal, he held the coats of those who stoned Stephen to death. He had a thorn in his flesh which was so uncomfortable that he begged God to remove it three times. But, as he reviewed his life to the Philippians, he was not speaking from a place of regret, but from a place of gratitude. Gratitude to God, who had brought him this far despite his past, gratitude also in the knowledge that the One who had begun this good work in his life will be faithful to complete it.

    In the wake of turning 50, I found myself in a place of constant restlessness and anxiety. I would review my life unconsciously and feel thoroughly dissatisfied in certain areas. I was barely sleeping and even when I managed to sleep, I would wake up suddenly, with my heart pounding. As I turned to God for help, He began to teach me from His word. One morning today’s meditation verse hit me like a brick wall. The restlessness was in a way urging me to press towards the mark.

    We all have a mark to press towards in our walk with God. There is so much ahead of you. There are territories to conquer. Irrespective of what life has handed to you, press towards the mark and do so from a place of gratitude, not from a place of striving, fear, anxiety, or regret. Today, press forward to take hold of all that Christ took hold of you for. Being confident that “The Lord will perfect that which concerns you” (Ps 138:8).

     

    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: Create multiple streams of income

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Create multiple streams of income

    By Oke Chinye

    Read: Ecclesiastes 11:1-8

    Meditation verse:

    “In the morning sow your seed, and in the evening do not withhold your hand: for you do not know which will prosper. Either this or that, or whether, both alike will be good” (Ecclesiastes 11:6).

    To achieve financial security in today’s economy, you will need to create at least one additional stream of income to your major source. Creating multiple streams of income, is no longer a luxury but a necessity, which will ensure that you are protected against unavoidable ups and downs. Today’s reading enjoins you to “cast your bread upon the waters… for you do not know what evil will be on the earth”. This means that you should be willing to take risks and seize the opportunities that life offers rather than trying always to play it safe. You must be prepared, for life offers no guarantees.

    God has equipped you with gifts, talents, abilities, and resources that can be used to generate various streams of revenue. He has commanded you to sow not only in the morning, but in the evening as well. There is so much you can do with the gifts that God has put inside you. If you are knowledgeable on a subject matter, create multiple streams of income by teaching it to others, writing and publishing books on the subject, hosting seminars or taking on speaking engagements. If you have a musical ability, produce an album, write songs for others, give voice lessons, or teach people how to play musical instruments.

    God’s blessings are always manifested in multiple streams. In blessing Abraham, He gave him flocks, herds, silver, gold, menservants, maidservants, camels, and donkeys (Genesis 24:35). Isaac was no different. He had possessions of flocks, of herds and a great number of servants. Isaac prospered, continued to prosper, until he became very prosperous (Genesis 26:13-14).

    God has made this same grace of multiple resources available to you. He has given you the grace to excel and be sufficient in all things, so that you may overflow with abundance for every good work (2 Corinthians 9:8). Do not be like the woman in 2 Kings 4:1, who found herself in financial difficulty when her only source of income dried up with the death of her husband. Create multiple streams of income. “In all labour there is profit, but idle chatter leads only to poverty” (Proverbs 14:23).

     

    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: Take charge of your life

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Take charge of your life

    By Oke Chinye

    Read: 1 Timothy 4:12-16

    Meditation verse:

    “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity (1 Timothy 4:12).

    You are the architect of your life, not someone else. You have a responsibility to take charge of your life and ensure that it counts for something good. Sometimes we unknowingly give this control away without understanding the implications. Here are some ways you may be doing that.

    When you notice every little offence and let it get to you, you are allowing other people control your state of mind and peace. By allowing the actions of other people control your emotions and determine your actions, you are giving them control over your life. Your actions determine your outcomes. So, in essence, you are letting other people determine the outcomes you get out of life.

    When you refuse to forgive and let go unless someone apologises to you. If you tend to need an apology after and offence before you feel okay, you are giving away some control of your life. What if the offender never apologises, would you stay angry for life?

    You let others control your life when you fail to own your convictions. For instance, allowing yourself to be talked out of a worthwhile endeavour without even trying.

    When you fail to assert yourself when you should. “Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you yourself will be just like him. Answer a fool according to his folly, or he will be wise in his own eyes” (Proverbs 26:4-5). The greatest wisdom in life is knowing when to speak and when to be silent. There are times to be still and there are times you must assert yourself.

    When you are totally dependent on a person for every iota of your existence: emotionally, financially, socially, relationally, such that you cannot function without them, you are giving them control of your life. They control everything about you including your decisions and choices.

    Lastly, when you prefer to blame others for every setback, whilst refusing to take responsibility for yourself and your actions. Or when you simply do nothing of significance with your life.

    Create the life you want and act. When you act, the Holy spirit in you does the work. “It is according to the power of the Holy spirit in you. That power includes courage, boldness, confidence, insight, ability, and authority. But when you fail to act, these resources are not activated in your life. So, take charge of your life.

     

    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: Maintain your focus

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Maintain your focus

    By Oke Chinye

    Read: Mathew 14:22-33

    Meditation verse:

    “But when he saw the wind was boisterous, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, saying “Lord, save me” (Mathew 14:30).

    Picture this scenario. You are driving in the middle of the night with your little children at the backseat. And suddenly, they start fighting one another, screaming, and creating chaos. Would you whilst driving, take your eyes off the road and turn backwards to address the chaos or you would rebuke them whilst maintaining your focus on the road?

    In today’s reading, we see Peter walking on water. As long as he maintained his on Jesus, he was good. But as soon as he took his eyes off Jesus to focus on the chaos going on around him (the boisterous wind), he began to sink. 2 Timothy 3 speaks of a time when there will be so much chaos in the world. We are currently in such a time. There is so much disorder going on: -insecurity, hunger, greed, murders, and all kinds of wickedness. John 16:33 says “in the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” The word today is “maintain your focus on God”, irrespective of all that is going on. Focus on His promises over your life, and here are a few of them you can count on:

    “Fear not, for I am with you;be not dismayed, 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). “No evil shall befall you, nor shall any plague come near your dwelling; for He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways” (Psalm 91:10-11). “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” (Psalm 23:1-6).

    So, keep your eyes on Jesus, for He is the author and finisher of your faith. What this means is that He will preserve and sustain you through it all.

     

    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: Return to your default position

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Return to your default position

    By Oke Chinye

    Read: 2 Timothy 3:1-17

    Meditation verse:

    “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvellous light” (1 Peter 2:9).

    The default position of an object is its preselected option. It is its factory fitting; the way that object is meant to be. Your default position as a child of God is found in 1 Peter 2:9. “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvellous light”. You are royalty, destined to reign.

    When a device becomes infected by virus or overloaded with data, it slows down or crashes. It then needs to be returned to the manufacturers for cleaning and resetting to its default position. In a similar manner, your lived experiences can cause you to crash out of your default position. Circumstances of life, oppression from the enemy, the cares of the world, the foolishness of the times as well as the environments you find yourself in can cause you to become infected or overloaded, leading to a crash-out from your default setting. The bible speaks of a time when iniquity will abound, and we are currently living in those times.

    A device infected with virus will not work until it is restored back. A Christian infected with sin and overloaded with the cares of this world can not reflect the marvellous light of God. He or she cannot reign as a king. If your life is currently not in its default position or if you have abandoned the faith, God wants to reset and restore you back to your default setting. A device cannot reset itself. It needs to be sent back to the expert. You cannot reset yourself. Why not cry out to God to restore you back to your default position. You are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a peculiar person. This is who you are, this is you preselected option.

    “For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30 Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified” (Romans 8:29-30).

     

    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: When your mind lies to you [2]

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: When your mind lies to you [2]

    By Oke Chinye

    Read: Mathew 15:11-20

    Meditation verse:

    “Guard your minds with all diligence, for out of it flows the issues of life (Proverbs 4:23).

    Global Labeling: In global labeling, you generalize one or two qualities into a negative global judgment about yourself. Instead of describing an error in context of a specific situation, you attach an unhealthy universal label. For example, when you say “I’m a loser” in a situation where you failed once at a specific task.

    Filtering: A person engaging in filtering takes the negative details and magnifies them while filtering out all positive aspects of a situation. For instance, you pick out a single, unpleasant detail and dwell on it exclusively so that your vision of reality becomes darkened or distorted. When a cognitive filter is applied to your life, you see only the negatives and ignore anything positive. For you, the glass is always half empty.

    Selective abstraction: Drawing conclusion based on one of many elements. Many things are responsible, but you are looking from a very narrow lens.

    Emotional Reasoning: Emotional reasoning is when your emotions overtake your thinking entirely, blotting out all rationality and logic. Whatever you feel is believed to be true automatically and unconditionally. If you feel stupid and boring, then you must be so. Emotions are extremely strong and can overrule your rational thoughts and reasoning. You assume that these unhealthy emotions reflect the way things really are — “I feel it, therefore it must be true.”

    Polarized Thinking (Black and White Thinking) In polarized thinking, you see things only in extremes— all or nothing. You must be perfect, or you are a complete and abject failure; there is no middle ground.

    Jumping to Conclusions: Without the individual saying so, you know what he or she is feeling and thinking — and why they act the way they do. This is a major cause of offence and conflicts between people. Because what you feel or think they are saying, or thinking may be totally incorrect and very far from the truth.

    Cognitive distortions are very unhealthy and can lead to mental health conditions like depression or anxiety. It can affect your sense of self-worth, relationships, health, and general wellbeing. Learn to question irrational thoughts. Ask yourself: Is this true? Where’s the evidence? Am I a failure just because I failed once? Who says nobody likes me? There are over seven billion people on earth, what fraction of this population do I know, or have I met? How then can I conclude that nobody likes me?

    By learning how to identify and refute inaccurate thinking this way, you can find more rational and balanced way of thinking. For instance, you can say I failed in this, but that does not make me a failure, I just need to find a better way of doing this. However, if you are overly consumed by this pattern of thinking, then you need to speak to a professional counsellor or therapist.

    You should constantly feed your mind with the right things. Renew your mind with the word of God. Meditate on and memorize scriptures that remind you of who you are and what you can do. Lastly, Guard your minds with all diligence, for out of it flows the issues of life (Proverbs 4:23). It’s always a case of garbage in, garbage out.

     

    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: When your mind lies to you [1]

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: When your mind lies to you [1]

    By Oke Chinye

    Read: Mathew 15:11-20

    Meditation verse:

    “But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man” (Mathew 15:18).

    Your mind is the element in you that enables you to be aware of the world and your experiences, to think, and to feel; It is the faculty of consciousness and thought. It is your ability to think and reason: the intellect. Your mind can be your greatest weapon for success or your biggest limitation for failure because it can lie to you. These lies are referred to as Cognitive distortions. Cognitive distortions are the ways in which our mind convinces us of the truth of something that isn’t true. Below are a few of such distortions.

    Overgeneralization: When you come to a general conclusion based on a single incident or a single piece of evidence. If something bad happens just once, you expect it to happen repeatedly. Or you see a single, unpleasant event as part of a never-ending pattern of defeat. For instance, if your busines does not do well, you conclude that you are a failure. You fail to see that some other factor outside of you may be responsible, like the market forces or harsh business climate.

    Personalization: When you believe that everything others do or say is a direct and personal reaction to you. For instance, if a good friend of yours walks past you on the road without saying hello, you immediately attribute it to something you did or said, without considering that she may just be having a bad day.

    Blaming/Denying: When you hold other people responsible for your situation in life. For instance, your father died 30 years ago, yet he is still the reason you have not made progress in life. You may also take the opposite track and blame yourself for every problem — even those clearly outside your own control.

    Magnification or Catastrophizing: When you expect disaster to strike, no matter what, or you imagine the absolute worst occurring. You may also exaggerate the impact of an insignificant occurrence such as a little mistake on your part.

    Minimization: When you downplay the importance of a positive comment or event or inappropriately shrink the magnitude of significant events until they appear tiny. For instance, if someone pays you a compliment, you down-play it. “Your dress looks nice”, and you say “oh, this cheap or old dress? You downplay the good things you achieve or own. This is quite common with individuals who suffer from a low self-esteem.

     

    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.