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Tag: In His Presence

  • [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Run to win the race of life

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Run to win the race of life

    By Oke Chinye

    Read: 1 Corinthians 9:24-27

    Meditation verse:

    “Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it (1 Corinthians 9:24)

    The most essential ingredient that will guarantee your success in life is resilience. Resilience may be defined as ‘the ability to recover from a negative life experience or set back and become stronger while overcoming it’. What differentiates those who adapt, recover, and learn from adversity from those who give up is the concept of resilience. The fundamental difference between winners and losers is how they cope with losing battles in the cause of the ‘war of life’.

    Achieving success in life will demand a lot from you. There will be moments when you will feel like throwing in the towel. There is no doubt we are currently facing very difficult times. The world is plagued by disease, insecurity, inflation, and all kinds of evil. The pandemic ushered in so much despair and uncertainty in our personal and professional lives. These are very difficult and discouraging times. However, this is the time to press forward. There is a lot that needs to be healed and restored. Your success can come from the value you dispense to others.

    Getting to where you desire to be from where you are will not happen overnight, it will require hard work and sacrifice. You will encounter difficulties and failures, but you should not give up. Life is not made up of straight victories, but of mistakes, falls, stumbles and bruises. Through it all you dust yourself up and keep moving. See the possibilities before you and visualize the extraordinary. Stop making excuses. Stop procrastinating. Start creating the life you were born to live. You are meant to live and not merely exist. No more sitting down when you ought to be standing tall.

    “Do you see a man who excels in his work? He will stand before kings. He will not stand before unknown men” (Proverbs 22:29).

     

    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 ask-seek-knock model of receiving

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: The ask-seek-knock model of receiving

    By Oke Chinye

    Read: MATHEW 7: 7-11

    Meditation verse:

    “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you” (Matt 7:7).

    Today’s reading highlights a powerful model for receiving answers to our prayers: ‘the ask-seek-knock model’. To ask means to demand for what you desire. To seek means to search for or go in search of that which you desire. It goes beyond just asking. Knocking entails striking a surface noisily to attract attention, until you get what you want. It can also entail knocking down or demolishing barriers that may prevent you from getting that which you desire.

    Unfortunately, most of us stop at asking. We make a few hard-hearted attempts at asking and give up, then we wonder why our requests are not answered. In Luke 18, Jesus tells the parable of the persistent widow, who continually cried out to the judge for justice against her adversaries. Jesus concluded by asking “and shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them?

    If you are yet to receive answers to a long-awaited request from God, can you of a truth say you have thoroughly applied the ask-seek-knock model? There are certain miracles we will not receive until we persist in ask, seeking and knocking.

    Mathew 17:21 states, “however, this kind does not go out except by fasting and prayer” Keep asking, keep seeking, keep knocking, for everyone who asks receives, everyone who seeks find and to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. God’s word is forever settled.

     

    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 called to be a Levite?

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Are you called to be a Levite?

    By Oke Chinye

    Read: JOSHUA 13: 14-33

    Meditation verse:

    “But to the tribe of Levi, Moses had given no inheritance; the Lord, God of Israel, was their inheritance, as He had said to them (Joshua 13:33).

    The tribe of Levi was dedicated to solely to priestly service, which demanded their total commitment and time. Giving them an allotment of land would saddle them with the responsibility of taking care of the land, which would distract them from their priestly service. So, what did God do? He commanded the other tribes to meet their needs. The Levites were to receive cities within each tribal territory.

    God’s ways are unchangeable. In modern times, He has called some people to be Levites: a life of full-time service in ministry. They are to devote themselves to the work of the ministry. Are you called to be a Levite? Do you sense this call of God upon your life? You may know by a strong stirring in your heart. God will always stir your heart in the direction He wants you to go. You can also know from a scripture coming alive in you, through counsel from others or from a significant life experience.

    Have you responded to His call, or are you holding back, due to fear of lack, failure, indecision, or other factors? If God has called you to be a Levite in these times, He has already put in your life a person or people who would guarantee your sustenance. He can position someone in your path to fend for your needs. He can also make a way for you to support yourself with minimal efforts whilst focusing on the ministry. Paul was called to be an Apostle, which was a fulltime ministry, but God caused his path to cross with those of Aquila and Priscilla who were of the same trade with him, to enable him to make a living through tentmaking.

    When you neglect or delay God’s call, you are robbing others of the benefits of your ministry. You are also undermining your own progress as you may experience struggles, failure, and disappointment in the other endeavours you choose to embark on instead. Sometimes, it will take humility, faith, and total surrender to accept God’s call, but the rewards are enormous. The CEO of the universe pays the best dividends.

     

    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 salvation is a personal relationship

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Your salvation is a personal relationship

    By Oke Chinye

    Read: 1 Corinthians 12:1-31

    Meditation verse:

    “And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers” (Ephesians 4:11).

    When you accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour, you entered a personal relationship with Him. Note the word ‘personal’, for it is significant in your salvation experience. Bob Gass in his devotional; ‘The UCB word for today’ highlights the personal nature of our salvation experience. He says that “you need to pray in a distinctly personal way, so that your prayers are easy, natural expressions of who you are. You need to go before God just the way you are and give Him the pleasure of enjoying the company of the ‘original’ that He made you to be. You need to approach Him with your own strengths, weaknesses, uniqueness, and everything else that so wonderfully distinguishes you from everyone else. God enjoys meeting you where you are, developing a personal relationship with you, and helping you become everything He wants you to be”.

    It is therefore pitiable when we strive to be like other Christians. We compare ourselves to them, covet their spiritual gift or ministry because we sense it is more glamourous than ours. We even resent our area of gifting or who we have been called to be, preferring to be just like the other person. We take it further by mimicking their manner of speaking, preaching, singing and appearance. 2 Corinthians 10:12 says “but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise”.

    You are uniquely crafted to be who you were created for. Romans 8:29-30 says “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. Moreover, whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.”. As you live out your faith, approach God as you are and let Him enjoy the company of ‘the original you’ that He foreknew from the beginning of times. Don’t pray in a certain way because someone you admire prays that way. Personalize your worship, praise, thanksgiving, confession, and intercession. That way when God opens His hands to bless you, He is delivering packages that are specifically designed for 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: Sexual issues in marriage [2]

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Sexual issues in marriage [2]

    By Oke Chinye

    Read: Proverbs 5:1-23

    Meditation verse:

    “May your fountain be blessed, and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth… may her breasts satisfy you always” (Proverbs 5:18-19).

    How you deal with the sexual problem in a marriage depends on what the underlying factors are. If you are a wife who has been deeply wounded by her husband’s infidelity or other act of betrayal, you need to let go and forgive him wholeheartedly. Harbouring a grudge is like cancer, it will eat deep into the fabric of your soul. It will eventually destroy every element of your marriage and not just your sexual relationship, because when you feel deeply hurt by your husband, it is impossible to give yourself wholly to him. Let him know that you still feel hurt irrespective of how long ago it was and then ask God to help you forgive and release him. You will be amazed at how free you would feel.

    If you are a man struggling with erectile dysfunction, which is the ongoing inability to obtain or sustain erection that is sufficient for sexual intercourse, there is nothing to be ashamed of. Research indicates that more than 50% of men over 40 years will experience some form of sexual dysfunction at some point in their lives. Treatment for erectile dysfunction has improved significantly over the years. Speak to a Urologist who will assess the cause of the dysfunction and proffer a solution, either in terms of drug prescriptions or lifestyle changes. Fortunately, most cases are successfully dealt with.

    As a woman, if you feel your excess weight is inhibiting your sexual fulfilment, why not determine to do something about it today. Excess weight in a man can also reduce his libido so staying in shape is vital for both the man and his wife. If you recognize that the demands of life are affecting your sexual relationship, be deliberate about making time for each other. The bible states that there is a time for every purpose and activity on earth. Nurturing your marriage is an important purpose, so take time to nurture it. When you put in the time and effort needed to make your marriage great, you will be the better for it. Lastly, sexual preferences are dynamic, stay in touch with the needs of your spouse. When you are committed to satisfying his or her preferences, your sex life will remain passionate and fulfilling irrespective of how long you have been married.

     

    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: Sexual issues in marriage [1]

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Sexual issues in marriage [1]

    By Oke Chinye

    Read: Proverbs 5:1-23

    Meditation verse:

    “The husband should fulfil his wife’s sexual needs, and the wife should fulfil her husband’s needs” (1 Corinthians 7:3, NLT).

    Sex was created by God as an expression of love between a husband and a wife: to provide physical, emotional as well as spiritual bonding. “Therefore, a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh” (Genesis 2:24). Your sexual experience in marriage enhances your wellbeing. Sex is also a key cause of marital strife. Since God created sex, He knows how destructive it can be if used in the wrong context, hence He set very specific boundaries for it. It must be within a marriage. “Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body, but he that commits fornication sins against his own body” (1 Corinthians 6:18).

    Today’s bible reading is an allegory of faithfulness in marriage. Couples are enjoined to drink water from their own cistern and never allow their springs to overflow unto the streets. Sex is likened to a spring or river, which if contained within the banks (marriage) will lead to enjoyment and satisfaction. If the spring exceeds the banks and spills unto the streets, great devastation can occur. Keep your marriage bed pure and stay faithful to your spouse. God’s purpose for marriage is for a husband and wife to always enjoy a sexually fulfilling relationship regardless of how long they have been married.

    Maintaining a healthy and fulfilling sex life in a marriage requires a conscious effort on the part of both parties. According to Psychologist and marriage counsellor, Dr Richard Nicastro, sex is not always simple and straightforward. A whole range of factors can negate the experience of sexual fulfilment in a marriage. An underlying physical or medical condition, or the side effects of prescription drugs can impact a man’s libido or lead to loss of erectile function. The demands of child rearing, juggling work and housekeeping can wear a woman down and cause sex to drop to the bottom of her list, leaving her husband sexually unsatisfied. Emotional issues such as unresolved anger and resentment can result in a total loss of sexual desire.

    A negative self-image can also diminish sexual fulfilment in marriage. Some women pile on excess weight after having children and complain that their spouses no longer find them sexually appealing. Others begin to feel self-conscious about their bodies. With all these factors, many couples find themselves struggling to keep the sexual passion and desire alive in their relationships. Research on long term relationships and sex show that as many as 15% of married couples have not had sex in the last six months to a year. Married couples in a sexless marriage are more likely to consider divorce than couples who argue constantly but remain sexually active. Sex is not just important for its sake, it is important for the marriage relationship, as it can make or break it.

    If you and your spouse are struggling with dwindling sexual desires or a loss of sexual activity, if your sex life is currently boring, unsatisfactory, or devoid of passion, you need to know that this is not God’s desire for you. Faithfulness in marriage needs not be boring, dull, or lifeless. The first and most important step in dealing with this is to acknowledge that a problem does exist. Communication is important. You and your spouse need to come together in an atmosphere of honesty and love to uncover the underlying factor(s). Discussing your sex life builds up your excitement and anticipation around it. Unfortunately, most Christian couples consider such discussions carnal and refrain from having them.

     

    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 state of your marriage?

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: What is the state of your marriage?

    By Oke Chinye

    Read: Ephesians 5:22-33

    Meditation verse:

    “Nevertheless, let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband” (Ephesians 5:33).

    A great marriage is a product of the efforts of the husband and wife. The husband is commanded to love and nurture his wife as his own body. No one ever treats his own body with disdain. God is concerned with how a husband treats his wife. The bible contains commands and warnings on this. In 1 Corinthians 7:3, husbands were entreated to render to their wives the affection due them. In Proverbs 5:15-20, husbands were warned to stay faithful to their wives. Hebrews 13:4 reiterated the need to respect the marriage vows and Malachi 2:16 expressed God’s hatred for divorce. “Take heed to your spirit and let none of you deal treacherously with the wife of your youth” (Malachi 2:15).

    The person your wife has become today is in part the fruit of what you have been sowing into her life. If your wife is tainted with emotional blemish or character defects, check what you are sowing into her life. If she is a nag, you may need to consider whether you willingly listen to her views on issues or whether you constantly shrug them off. If she is unattractive or uninteresting, consider whether you have sown love, attention and praise or criticisms and neglect. If your home is in disarray, determine whether you have provided the loving leadership that is required of you. God is not mocked, whatever a man sows, he reaps. If you want to see beauty and splendour in your wife and in your home, purpose today to change the seeds you are sowing.

    A wife is commanded to submit to her husband. Proverbs 14:1 says, “the wise woman builds her house. But the foolish pulls it down with her hands”. A wise builder chooses to lose the argument to win the battle. She overlooks offences and forgives easily. She is willing to submit to her spouse even when it is difficult to do so. The foolish builder is contentious and proud, unwilling to bend or yield to her husband. She would rather win every argument to prove she is right. Philippians 2:3-4 says, “let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem (the other) better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of (the other)” “A good marriage is a contest of generosity” (Diane Sawyer).

     

    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: Dealing with stress

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Dealing with stress

    By Oke Chinye

    Read: 2 Corinthians 4:7-18

    Meditation verse:

    “Come to me, all you who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Mathew 11:28).

    Stress is an adverse reaction that we have when excessive and sustained pressures or other types of demands are placed on us either at work or outside work. It is not an illness, but a natural reaction to excessive pressure. You become stressed when you perceive that you lack the resources, whether physical, psychological, or financial to cope with the demands of your life. Certainly, you would experience a certain level of pressure in the cause of your daily existence, but this should not be interpreted as stress. Up to a certain level, feeling pressured can keep you on your toes or motivate you to meet deadlines. However, when the pressure becomes excessive, it leads to stress, which if present for a long period of time, can lead to mental and physical illness.

    The earliest signs of stress are changes in your mood, behaviour, or level of productivity. It could be a decline in performance, loss of motivation to perform tasks, moodiness, restlessness, irritability, or a lack of interest in your appearance or general affairs. Physical symptoms also emerge, and these include stomach upsets, tension headaches, backache, skin irritations, high blood pressure and heart disease.

    Why not do a stress check-up today to see if you are in danger of a mental or physical breakdown, by taking a holistic look at your life. How well are you coping with the physical and emotional demands of your job and life in general? Are you working to the exclusion of any rest? Are you happy or constantly worried? Are you overly anxious about any situation or do you feel under excessive pressure in any area of your life? If you think you are, talk to God about your concerns right now and then seek professional help. The bible advises you to “be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Phil 4:6-7). You have a great High Priest who is touched with the feeling of your infirmities (Hebrews 4:15). Therefore, come boldly to His throne of grace today and cast your cares upon Him, for He cares deeply for 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: A more excellent way

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: A more excellent way

    By Oke Chinye

    Read: 1 Corinthians 13:1-13

    Meditation verse:

    “And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love” (1 Corinthians 13:13).

    Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. Prophecy and speaking in unknown languages and special knowledge will become useless. But love will last forever” -1 Corinthians 13:4-8, NLT.

    Genuine love is much more than a feeling, it is an action. It is a decision we make to do good to someone even though we do not feel good towards that person. Jesus did not say ‘like your enemies’, He said ‘love your enemies’. Even when you dislike someone, you are commanded to love them. As Christians, loving others is a command, not an option. “By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35).

    The knowledge that ‘love’ is a decision we make is life transforming. We can separate how we feel from what we decide or choose to do. I can love someone I don’t necessarily like. I can do something or act towards that person in a certain way because I know it is what God expects of me as His child even if I don’t feel ‘lovey-dovey’ doing it.’ And guess what, when you keep acting in love towards somebody, your emotions begin to line up with your actions.

    Our thoughts affect our emotions, our emotions affect our actions, and our actions again affect our thoughts. Go ahead and try it, keep acting in love towards that spouse, neighbour, or colleague that you think you cannot stand and see if your feelings towards them would not change. “And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love”. Choose the more excellent way this year.

     

    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: Stick with your purpose

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Stick with your purpose

    By Oke Chinye

    Read: Judges 9: 7-15

    Meditation verse:

    “But the olive tree said to them, ‘should I cease giving my oil, with which they honour God and men, and go to sway over trees?” (Judges 9:9).

    Before you were formed, God knew you and ordained you for a particular assignment, this is your purpose on earth (Jeremiah 1:5). He put you here to fulfil this assignment and you have been shaped by God to accomplish it. The shape of an object determines its purpose. A toothpick is shaped to pick, a spoon is shaped to scoop, a bowl is shaped to accommodate. Similarly, ‘your shape’: Spiritual gifts, Heart (what you are passionate about), Ability (natural inclination), Personality (how you are wired) and experience (your life journey) all point you towards the reason you are here.

    Stick with your purpose this year and focus on actualizing it. We are not gifted with the knowledge of how long we must spend on earth. When all is said and done you will stand before God and give a full account of how you accomplished your purpose. You will give an account of how you used the gifts and talents that He put inside you. Whether yours is insignificant or great, stick with it. The size of your purpose does not matter to God, it is how well you accomplish it that He is interested in.

    “The trees once went forth to anoint a king over them. And they said to the olive tree, ‘Reign over us!’ But the olive tree said to them, ‘Should I cease giving my oil, with which they honour God and men, and go to sway over trees?” (Judges 9:8-9). The story is told of a missionary teacher in a small town who received an offer of a job as chief executive in a multinational organization, he declined the offer saying, ‘I will not stoop low by abandoning my purpose in life. When you abandon your life’s purpose due to cares of this world or the pressures of life, you are stooping low. When you choose to pursue someone else’s purpose because it appears more glamourous than yours, you are stooping low. The One who created you did so for a reason. Stick with your purpose and be who you were called to be, every other person is taken.

     

    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.