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  • [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: He loves you just the way you are

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: He loves you just the way you are

    By Oke Chinye

    Read: Psalm 139:1-24

    Meditation verse:

    “I will praise You; I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvellous are Your  works, and that my soul knows very well” (Psalm 139:14)..

    “Why am I this way? “I wish I was slimmer”. “You know I’m not like you, I can’t  do it”. “I wish I was more outgoing, nothing exciting ever happens in my life”.  

    Do any of the above statements sound like you? If truth be told, we are all guilty  of whining over one issue or the other and wishing we were the opposite of  some of the traits we manifest. At some point in my life, I had wished `I was a  more adventurous person, so that I could do all the seemingly exciting things I  saw some people do, but which I didn’t seem to have the natural inclination for.  Then one morning I heard the following words in my spirit “has it ever occurred to you that you are exactly who God wants you to be so that you can accomplish  the assignment He wants you to? That was such a life transforming moment for  me. 

    Psalm 139:14 says you are fearfully and wonderfully made. You are God’s  creation, and all His creation are marvellous. Jeremiah 1:5 says before God  formed you in your mother’s womb, He knew you and decided what He was  creating you for. You are factory fitted, shaped, and graced for your assignment.  If the Master and great Potter wanted you any different, don’t you think he  would have created you differently?  

    This is in no way intended to discourage you from pursuing self-improvement.  Working on your weakness and striving to become a better version of yourself  is laudable. But remember that whether you introverted or extroverted, boring, or exciting, outgoing or an indoor person, fat or thin, you are complete in Him.  Connect the dots between who you are and what you have been created to do and live the abundant life that Jesus Christ purchased for you on the cross. Just  be yourself, everyone else is taken.

     

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

    For Prayers and Counseling email rockteachingministry@gmail.com

    or call +2348155525555

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

  • [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Are you undermining your own success?

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Are you undermining your own success?

    By Oke Chinye

    Read: Numbers 13:1-33

    Meditation verse:

    “There we saw the giants (the descendants of Anak came from the giants); and  we were like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight”. (Numbers 13:33).

    Did you know that you can undermine your chances for success? It is often said  that if you want to see the person holding you back, look at the mirror. Your biggest limitations are the ones within you: fear, anxiety, self-doubt or limiting  beliefs, all of which have their roots in your mind. 

    Your mind is powerful. It is the seat of your thoughts, beliefs, emotions, dreams, and perceptions. If the mind is skewed or unhealthy, you have a big problem at  hand. “Your thoughts influence your emotions, your emotions influence your  beliefs, your beliefs influence your decisions, your decisions influence your  actions. Your actions influence your outcomes in life and your outcomes again  influence your thoughts”. It’s a vicious circle. 

    When asked to spy the land which God was giving them, the children of Israel  saw themselves as grasshoppers. Their thoughts had a huge influence on their  beliefs which evoked fear in them, leading them to say: “we are not able to go  up against the people, for they are stronger than we” (Numbers 13:31). Only  Joshua and Caleb believed differently. They ended up being the only ones  amongst the spying lot to enter the promised land.  

    Be careful how you think because your life is shaped by your thoughts. “As a  man thinketh in his heart, so is he” (Proverbs 23:7). Your internal beliefs about  yourself have a huge influence on your external success. Your thoughts  determine your behaviour or reaction to circumstances. How you behave will  eventually become your habits and your habits will eventually determine the  course of your life. Your mind can be your greatest tool for success or your  biggest destiny derailer. So, get rid of that grasshopper mentality today. The  greatest disability of a man is in the mind and not the body.

     

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

    For Prayers and Counseling email rockteachingministry@gmail.com

    or call +2348155525555

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

  • [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Are you surrounded by destiny derailers? (2)

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Are you surrounded by destiny derailers? (2)

    By Oke Chinye

    Read: Nehemiah 4:1-23

    Meditation verse: 

    “But it so happened, when Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall,  that he was furious and very indignant, and mocked the Jews” (Nehemiah 4:1).

    The third category of destiny derailers are: Contenders: A contender is an opposing individual or group of individuals bent on ensuring that your dream  does not see the light of day. They will do anything within their means to  frustrate your efforts. God had put the dream of rebuilding the walls of  Jerusalem in the heart of the prophet Nehemiah, but he faced severe opposition  in the hands of Sanballat and Tobiah. Both men plotted to stir up trouble against  Nehemiah and the labourers.  

    Contenders will often use wicked or forceful means to oppose you. Usually  driven by envy, hate or wickedness, their intention is to prevent you from  accomplishing or becoming. They are the backbiters, gossips, manipulators,  slanderers, and character assassinators, who say: “who do you think you are?  Afterall, you are not the only one here”. Remember Joseph’s brothers? They did  all they could to prevent him from actualizing his dream: “And when they saw  him from a distance, even before he came close to them, they plotted to kill him”  (Gen 37:18 Amp). By their fruits, you will always know them. Be very careful  about divulging your dreams to this category of people.  

    Lastly, you have Friendly Enemies: These are wolves in sheep’s clothing.  Appearing as friends who love you but are enemies who hate your guts. They  are usually very close to you: your friends, colleagues, associates and even relations, but they can betray you for a morsel of porridge. The bible states that  a man’s enemies are those of his household (Mathew 10:36). Judas Iscariot was  amongst the twelve Apostles of Jesus Christ. He ate from the same plate as Jesus  and followed him closely, yet he betrayed Jesus for thirty pieces of silver (Matt  26:23, NIV). You need to be very discerning wherever you find yourself. Always  ask God to expose your friendly enemies, as they can do great damage due to  their proximity to you.

     

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

    For Prayers and Counseling email rockteachingministry@gmail.com

    or call +2348155525555

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

  • [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Are you surrounded by destiny derailers? (1)

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Are you surrounded by destiny derailers? (1)

    By Oke Chinye

    Read: 1 Samuel 17: 1-30

    Meditation verse:

    “Now Eliab his oldest brother heard when he spoke to the men; and Eliab’s anger  was aroused against David, and he said, “why did you come down here…?” (1  Sam 17:28a).

    Destiny derailers are those who either intentionally or unintentionally,  discourage or distract you from living out your destiny. They are also known as  dream busters, and they manifest in different forms: 

    Small-minded people: These are petty and unambitious folks who prefer to  discuss and dwell on petty issues. They are usually uncomfortable when issues  like goals, dreams and visions are discussed. When you discuss your dreams with them, they say you are too ambitious. David’s oldest brother, Eliab burned with  anger on hearing David’s discussions about going forward to fight Goliath. His  perception of David was: “my kid brother who was just a shepherd boy”. He said  to David, “why have you come down here and with whom did you leave those  few sheep in the wilderness”? (1 Sam 17:28). But David turned away from him  to someone else. I once advised a lady to change her friends when she told me  they always discouraged her from pursuing her life goals. Small-minded people  fill your mind with doubts about your dreams and if you stick around them for  long, you end up thinking small like them. 

    Miserable Sympathizers: These ones keep cheering you on even when you are  making no effort towards your dream. Rather than challenging you to go the  extra mile, they keep giving you reasons why you should remain in your comfort  zone. They say to you: “you are okay the way you are, you do not need to do this,  since you have already done that. After all, not many people have achieved half  of what you have achieved”. They are called ‘miserable sympathizers’ because  they appear to be doing you a favour and may indeed have your best interest at  heart. You may even feel good around them. However, in the long run, they will  keep you stuck in your comfort zone. 

    You would need to avoid both kinds of people if you are desirous of becoming  all you were created for.

     

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

    For Prayers and Counseling email rockteachingministry@gmail.com

    or call +2348155525555

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

  • [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Engaging the power of faith

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Engaging the power of faith

    By Oke Chinye

    Read: Hebrews 11:1-40

    Meditation verse:

    “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must  believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him”. (Hebrews 11:6).

    The bible describes faith as the substance of what we hope for, and the evidence  of the things we cannot see. What this means is that when we pray to God, even  though we have not yet seen the manifestation of an answer, our faith is what  we must hold on to as the evidence that God has answered our prayers. Faith is  the substance we hold on to, even when the manifestation tarries. Faith says, 

    “even though I can’t see the answers, I am confident that God is faithful and that  He has answered my prayers in the way He deems best”. Doubt on the other  hand says, “unless I see, I will not believe that God has answered”.  

    Faith moves people to act in ways that may otherwise seem foolish. Imagine  Noah building an ark of great dimensions in preparation of a flood, no one else  believed was coming. He must have been mocked and laughed at. Imagine  Abraham at an advanced age leaving his familiar homeland to an unknown place  at God’s instruction. The bible says he went out, not knowing where he was  going. Hebrews 11 referred to as “faith’s walk of fame” highlights various  exploits accomplished by ordinary men and women. Through faith, kingdoms  were subdued, and promises were obtained. The weak become strong, the dead  were brought back to life, and many endured all kinds of hardships. 

    What exploits have you set your heart to accomplish this year? What is that  seemingly impossible task before you? Why not engage the power of faith. Faith  transforms impossibilities to possibilities. “Therefore we also, since we are  surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and  the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that  is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for  the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has  sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:1-2).

     

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

    For Prayers and Counseling email rockteachingministry@gmail.com

    or call +2348155525555

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

  • [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Rebuilding the broken walls

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Rebuilding the broken walls

    By Oke Chinye

    Read: NEHEMIAH 1 & 2

    Meditation verse:

    “And they said to me, “The survivors who are left from the captivity in the province are there in great distress and reproach. The wall of Jerusalem is also broken down, and its gates are burned with fire.” (Nehemiah 1:30).

    Nehemiah had just received a disheartening news; the city of Jerusalem was in ruins. The wall of Jerusalem was broken down and the gates were burnt down. The surviving Jews were in a desperate situation; without the city gate and walls, they were easy prey for further invasion. On hearing the news, the prophet wept, but then he realised that weeping would not change anything, so he turned to God in prayer and fasting. However, he did not stop there. He knew the walls had to be rebuilt and was willing to put himself forward instead of waiting for someone else to do it. “And I said to the king, “If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favour in your sight, I ask that you send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers’ tombs, that I may rebuild it” (Nehemiah 2:5).

    There is so much decay around us. There is so much that needs to be fixed in our world today. Broken individuals who are victims of drug addiction, prostitution, rape, bullying and sexual molestation who need help. There are broken families, hungry and homeless children. There are nations with broken systems infested with corruption, decay, insecurity, crime, terrorism, and other forms of lawlessness. 2 Timothy 3:1-3 (NLT) says that: “In the last days there will be very difficult times. For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good”. We are currently living in such times.

    The question then is what are you and I doing about the brokenness that is around us? Have we set ourselves to wait on God in fasting and prayer? “If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land” (2 Chronicles 7:14). Have we identified an aspect we can help and put ourselves forward to begin? Remember the famous saying: “There was a task that needed to be done. Anybody could have done it, but nobody did it because everybody was waiting for someone to do it”.  Be a Nehemiah today. Identify a broken wall around you, ask God for help, then step out and begin to rebuild.

     

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

    For Prayers and Counseling email rockteachingministry@gmail.com

    or call +2348155525555

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

  • [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: 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 Pst (Mrs) Oke Chinye, Founder of The Rock Teaching Ministry (TRTM).

    For Prayers and Counseling email rockteachingministry@gmail.com

    or call +2348155525555

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

  • [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Your 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 Pst (Mrs) Oke Chinye, Founder of The Rock Teaching Ministry (TRTM).

    For Prayers and Counseling email rockteachingministry@gmail.com

    or call +2348155525555

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

  • [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Thriving against all odds (2)

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Thriving against all odds (2)

    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).

    Another lesson we get from the story of little Joe is that it may not always be in your best interest to follow the crowd or the path that is most familiar. Neither is it useful to always tow the path of least resistance. You need to learn to search the unlikely and unknown or even difficult places for the things you desire in life. For in so doing, you may discover unexpected treasures. 

    Finally, the bad things that happen to you in life are not necessarily meant to defeat you but to strengthen you and prepare you for a greater glory. The pains of yesterday can become the gains of tomorrow. The pain of losing a dear brother built an inner resolve in that old man: a resolve that yielded a desired outcome. 

    “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.  We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed— always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.  For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.  So then death is working in us, but life in you.

    And since we have the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, “I believed and therefore I spoke,” we also believe and therefore speak, knowing that He who raised up the Lord Jesus will also raise us up with Jesus, and will present us with you. For all things are for your sakes, that grace, having spread through the many, may cause thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God. Therefore, we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal” – 2 Corinthians 4:7-18.

     

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

    For Prayers and Counseling email rockteachingministry@gmail.com

    or call +2348155525555

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

  • [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Thriving against all odds (1)

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Thriving against all odds (1)

    By Oke Chinye

    Read: 2 Corinthians 4:7-18

    Meditation verse:

    “In this godless world you will continue to experience difficulties. But take heart! I’ve conquered the world” (John 16:33b MSG).

    The story is told of a little boy Joe, who disappeared whilst staying with his grandmother in a rural community. He had been playing outside his home and suddenly was nowhere to be found. A search party was sent out to look for him, but the search went on for hours without yielding any result. An elderly man in the community decided to join in the search. His son tried to discourage him, as he had just had a surgery for a heart bypass. Besides, he reasoned that there were already so many people looking for the boy. What difference would an old man who probably would not walk fast make? But the old man refused to be dissuaded, so his son decided to go with him. They felt it was better to go their own way since joining the crowd may slow them down. They also wanted to focus on the unlikely places that would be overlooked by the crowd.

    After a few hours of walking, they came across a thick forest, fenced off with barbed wires. The son argued that little Joe would never have wandered this far, let alone gone through the wired fence. But again, the old man insisted that it was the way to go, he entered the forest, leaving his son behind. The old man had suffered a painful loss as a little boy. He had lost his little brother in a car crash and had carried the guilt of not being able to save his brother, for several years. As he trudged along the thick bush, images of his little brother flashed across his mind, and he just kept going. After what seemed like ages, he saw a dog, and then, he saw little Joe frightened and huddled in a corner. He picked him up, held him tightly in his arms and began making his way back to the crowd. The joy in his face could not be mistaken.

    There are several lessons to learn from little Joe’s story.

    Firstly, just as little Joe disappeared without any warning, life can happen at any time. You have very little control over certain occurrences in your life. Jesus said: “In this godless world you will continue to experience difficulties. But take heart! I’ve conquered the world”. You must trust God and keep striving to get ahead.

     

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

    For Prayers and Counseling email rockteachingministry@gmail.com

    or call +2348155525555

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