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  • [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: God has borne, He will bear

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: God has borne, He will bear

    By Oke Chinye

    Read: ISAIAH 49: 14-16

    Meditation verse:

    “Even to your old age, I am He, and even to grey hairs, I will carry you! I have  made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you” (Isaiah 46:4).

    Have you ever felt like God has forsaken you? Here is His promise to you this  day. “Can a woman forget her nursing child and not have compassion on the son  of her womb? Surely, they may forget, yet I will not forget you. See I have  inscribed you on the palms of My hands; your walls are continually before Me” (Isaiah 49:14-16). All the promises of God in Christ are yes and amen in Him, to  the glory of God through us (2 Cor 1:20). If you are in Christ, God’s  pronouncements concerning your life, are as good as done.  

    The famous spiritual poem “Footprints in the Sand” written by Mary Fishback  portrays an individual who dreamed of having a conversation with God whilst  walking along the beach: “Across the dark sky flashed scenes from my life. For  each scene, I noticed two sets of footprints in the sand, one belonging to me and  one to my Lord. After the last scene of my life flashed before me, I looked back  at the footprints in the sand. I noticed that at many times along the path of my  life, especially at the very lowest and saddest times, there was only one set of  footprints. This really troubled me, so I asked the Lord about it. “Lord, you said  once I decided to follow you, you’d walk with me all the way. But I noticed that  during the saddest and most troublesome times of my life, there was only one  set of footprints. I don’t understand why, when I needed You the most, You would  leave me.” He whispered, “My precious child, I love you and will never leave you.  Never, ever, during your trials and testing, when you saw only one set of  footprints, it was then that I carried you.” (Mary Fishback). 

    In your most vulnerable moments, God is with you. When you feel like giving up,  He is there by your side. Even when you do not feel like it, He is with you. “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” (Psalm 23:4).

     

    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: Why sit down there and die?

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Why sit down there and die?

    By Oke Chinye

    Read: 2 KINGS 7:3-16

    Meditation verse:

    “Now there were four leprous men at the entrance of the gate; and they said to  one another, “why are we sitting here until we die”? (2 KINGS 7:3).

    A well-known model for handling the challenges of living designed by D’Zurilla  and Goldfried, proffers six steps for solving problems. First define the problem,  then generate alternative solutions, list pros and cons of each solution, choose  the best one, plan and then execute it. This was what the four leprous men at  the entrance of Samaria did, when they found themselves in a desperate  situation. The famine had besieged the city, and everyone was hungry. Rather  than sitting still and doing nothing, they reasoned amongst themselves,  evaluated their options, decided on a course of action, and acted. And their  problem was resolved.  

    What difficult situation are you currently faced with? What have you done or  what are you doing about it? Can you truthfully say that you have exhausted  your options? A lot of times, when faced with adversity, we either keep shouting  at God in prayers or we sit still, expecting the problem to disappear. As you call  on God to act in that situation, is it possible that He is waiting on you to act? “All  things pertaining to life and godliness have been given to you by the divine power  of God through the knowledge of Him who called you by glory and virtue” (2  Peter 1:3). God has given you the wisdom, power, knowledge, and ability needed  to live a godly life. You are well equipped to find solutions to the challenges of  your everyday living.  

    Why then would you choose to remain in that situation until you die? In Spencer  Johnson’s book: “who moved my cheese”, four characters enjoyed a plenteous  supply of cheese until they suddenly found themselves in a cheese less situation.  Whilst three of the characters searched for other options until they found  another supply of cheese, the last one chose to remain in his cheese less 

    condition. Whilst it is okay to pray whenever you encounter difficulty, there is  always something you can do about it. So, evaluate your options today, decide  on a course of action and act. Your victory awaits you on the other side.

     

    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: 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 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: Who are the people around you?

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Who are the people around you?

    By Oke Chinye

    Read: Exodus 32

    Meditation verse:

    “Now when the people saw that Moses delayed coming down from the mountain, the people gathered together to Aaron, and said to him, “Come, make us gods that shall go before us…” (Exodus 32:1).

    The people you surround yourself with can either help or derail you from your destiny. It is often said that if you want to know how far a person will go in life, check out the people they surround themselves with. The people around you affect your life because they counsel you, speak into your life and make ties with you in business or some other area of life. The bible is replete with examples of individuals who deviated from God’s purpose for their lives because they listened to counsel from people.  

    In 1 Samuel 15, King Saul defeated the Amalekites, but spared the king and took the best of the spoils, even though God had instructed him to destroy everything. When the prophet, Samuel confronted him, he said “they have brought them from the Amalekites; for the people spared the best of the sheep and the oxen, to sacrifice to the Lord your God; and the rest we have utterly destroyed.” As a result of his disobedience, God rejected him as king and tore the kingdom from his hands. Samson lost his sight and anointing because he listened to Delilah (Judges 16). In today’s reading, Joshua listened to the people’s demand to make a golden image for them to worship. 

    Proverbs 11:14 states that “Where there is no counsel, the people fall; but in the multitude of counselors there is safety.” However, you must weigh the counsel from others against God’s counsel or His word. If it is in line, then follow it, but if it contradicts God’s word or His purpose for your life, you should reject it. When Jesus told His disciples about His sufferings, death, and resurrection, one of His closest disciples, Peter, took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, “Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!” (Mathew 16:22). But Jesus turned and said to him, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.” (Matt 16:23). In this new month, be very selective of the people you let into your space.

     

    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: Never too old to begin

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Never too old to begin

    By Oke Chinye

    Read: Psalm 92:12-15

    Meditation verse:

    “They shall still bear fruit in old age; They shall be fresh and flourishing” (Psalm 92:14).

    Anna May Robertson Moses was an American housekeeper born 1860. Popularly known as Grandma Moses, she began painting in earnest at the age of 78. Her paintings became very famous. They have been exhibited, marketed in greeting cards, and sold all over the world. And she was awarded two honorary doctoral degrees for her works.

    Colonel Harland David Sanders founder of Kentucky Fried Chicken popularly known as KFC did not achieve his remarkable rise to success until his 60s. Up until that time he was relatively unknown. He is quoted as saying “I made a resolve then that I was going to amount to something if I could. And no hours nor amount of labor nor amount of money would deter me from giving the best that there was in me”. He became an icon when he sold his company at the age of 75. And he was given the tittle, Colonel by the state of Kentucky.

    What do these examples tell us? That it is never too late to start leaving your footprints on the sand of time and scriptures support this fact. Job 8:7 says,
    “though your beginning was small, yet your latter end would increase abundantly”. Haggai 2:9 says, “the glory of this latter temple shall be greater than the former, says the Lord of hosts”. Psalm 92:14 says, “they shall still bear fruit in old age; they shall be fresh and flourishing”.

    Who says it is too late for you to live a life of significance? Who says that your best years are behind you? Who says that you are too old? Not God. If His word did not say it, then do not accept it. But if His word says it, you had better believe it.

    Believe in yourself too. Discover your gifts, identify a need and be the solution. Go out there and try it out. Be seen and heard. Life is about breaking our personal limits and outgrowing ourselves to live our best lives for the good of others. “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. (Mathew 5:14-16).

     

    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: When men say ‘no’ to you

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: When men say ‘no’ to you

    By Oke Chinye

    Read: Exodus 10:1-29

    Meditation verse:

    “Now the Lord said to Moses, ‘go into Pharoah, for I have hardened his heart and the hearts of his servants, that I may show these signs of Mine before him” (Exodus 10:1).

    God may choose to harden the heart of men against you so that He may display his miraculous signs in your life. He wanted to display His awesome power before Pharoah as well as build up the faith of the children of Israel ahead of their journey to the promised land, so He said to Moses: “Go in to Pharaoh; for I have hardened his heart and the hearts of his servants, that I may show these signs of Mine before him, and that you may tell in the hearing of your son and your son’s son the mighty things I have done in Egypt, and My signs which I have done among them, that you may know that I am the Lord.” (Ex 10:1-2).

    Not everyone you ask for a favour, will oblige you and not everyone who refuses to oblige you is doing so from a point of wickedness. Proverbs 21:1 says: “the king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord, like the rivers of water; He turns it wherever He wishes. God can cause a man to favour you in any situation, He can also cause a man to withhold that favour from you. “For it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure (Phil 2:13). Certain rejections and disappointments are a set up for God to do the miraculous in your life. If you fully understand this, you will fret less in the face of disappointments. You will hold your peace when those you expect to come through for you fail to do so.

    If you are currently nursing a grudge because the one you expected to be of help to you in your time of need, deserted you, do yourself a favour and let go of that grudge. The help of man is useless anyway and cannot be compared to the might of The Almighty. (Ps 60:11). If you have exhausted all your options at this moment, why not boldly declare: “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?

     

    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: Calling the things that are not as though they were

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Calling the things that are not as though they were

    By Oke Chinye

    Read: Genesis 1:1-31

    Meditation verse:

    “…in the presence of Him whom he believed—God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did” (Romans 4:17).

    Hebrews 1:1-3 says “now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good testimony. By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible”. This is a spiritual mystery which the physical mind may find difficult to comprehend. In the physical world, we make stuff with materials that we can see and touch. Not necessarily so in the spiritual world. You can call things into existence from that which is invincible to the human eye.

    In the book of Genesis, the bible records that in the beginning, the earth was without form and void; darkness was upon the face of the earth. Nothing was visible to the physical eye. But God saw what the earth could become. He saw light, dry land, grass, trees, fruits, birds, animals, and man. And then He began to call them forth into existence. You have the DNA of your Father, and you too can create according to the working of the Holy Spirit in you.

    A popular quote is “if you can think it, you can do it”. In order words, if you can see it with your spiritual eyes, you can create it in the physical world. This is the powerful concept known as “envisioning”. The power behind it is: “we become what or receive what we see because the brain wills the body to move towards what it has seen. The brain captures a picture of what you have seen and creates a hunger for it within you.

    Stop waiting the see the evidence with your physical eyes before you believe. Call forth by faith with your mouth, the things you want to see in your life. Then believe that you have them and you will. It’s only a matter of time.

     

    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: Pray for those who despise you

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Pray for those who despise you

    By Oke Chinye

    Read: Genesis 37:12-36, 50:15-21

    Meditation verse:

    “But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to  those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute  you” (Mathew 5:44). 

    We live in a world full of broken and hurting people who sometimes take out  their frustrations on others. How do you react with people are unjust and  discourteous towards you? Do you know that a major reason why people are mean to others without cause is that they are unhappy or dissatisfied with their  lives? They despise you when they believe you have been greatly blessed in  areas they haven’t. In their discontentment, envy and bitterness, they lash out  at you. Why then would you choose to retaliate? You ought to pray for them. 

    The sad reality is that it may even be those of your household as we see in  today’s reading. Joseph the dreamer was blessed with an ability to interpret  dreams, but he was a very naive lad. In his naivety, he expected his brothers to  rejoice with him, when he revealed ‘his dream of greatness’ to them. But they  were already displeased by their father’s undue favoritism and show of affection  towards him, so they unimpressed. In their envy and bitterness, they plotted to  kill him but eventually sold him as a slave to a bunch of rich merchants  journeying to Egypt. The brothers’ action was intended to end Joseph’s dream  of greatness. Through his brother’s wicked deed, Potiphar’s wife’s accusation,  and the butler’s neglect in prison, he refused to succumb to bitterness or hate. When eventually faced with an opportunity to retaliate, he chose the path of  forgiveness. 

    Praying for those who spitefully use you enables you to forgive and act in love  towards them even when you don’t feel love for them. When you hate those  who despise you and repay their evil with evil, you are condescending to their  level and may miss out on the blessings that often come with God’s commands.  “Without forgiveness, life is governed by…. an endless cycle of resentment and  retaliation” (Roberto Assagioli). This is not intended to make you a doormat for  others to step on. Ask God for wisdom in every scenario and let the Holy Spirit guide your actions.

     

    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: Who do men say you are?

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Who do men say you are?

    By Oke Chinye

    Read: MATHEW 16:13-20

    Meditation verse:

    “He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” (Mathew 16:15).

    As you interact with people daily, they form impressions about you which inform  who they think you are. Their opinions which are entirely dependent on their  interpretations of what you say and do, may not necessarily be a true  representation of who you are.  

    Whilst Jesus was on earth, He ate with sinners, visited the home of a tax  collector, ate without washing Hands, healed on the Sabbath and allowed a  former prostitute to anoint His feet. To Jesus, these were all acts of love- His way  of saying “I do not condemn but love you”. However, the pious Pharisees and  Sadducees saw things differently. Based on their own interpretations, they  called Jesus a wine bibber, breaker of sabbath laws and a friend of sinners and  outcasts. They even accused him of heresy when He said He was the son of God.  Jesus was not distracted by their accusations. He knew who He was remained  focused on the task at hand.  

    If you are adversely affected by what others say of you or get distracted, you are  undermining your progress and doing yourself a huge disfavor. The bible says in  Ecclesiastes 7:21, “do not take to heart everything people say, lest you hear your  servant cursing you”. If Jesus was unfairly and wrongly accused, why do you  suppose you will not be ill spoken of? 

    When Jesus wanted to know the truth about what others thought, He asked  those closest to Him, His disciples: “But who do you say that I am?”. If you truly  desire to know what others think of you, ask those closest to you and they will  tell you, warts, and all. But be sure to ask those whose judgement you trust.  

    Nothing means anything except the meaning we give to it and the meaning we  give to things differ based on our lens of interpretation. Do yourself a favor stop  whining over what others think about you. You cannot be the most popular  person on earth and focus on what God wants you to do. Let Jesus’ example  encourage you today.

     

    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: The many voices that speak

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: The many voices that speak

    By Oke Chinye

    Read: Luke 1: 1-80

    Meditation verse:

    “And it happened, when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, that the babe  leaped in her womb and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit” (Luke 1:41).

    The baby in a woman’s womb feeds on whatever the mother takes in. Food,  drugs, and poisonous substances taken in by the mother will find their way to  the baby through the placenta. The baby also responds to outside sound and  stimuli. Pregnant mothers are often counselled to begin to pray and speak life  to their unborn babies as soon as they take in. It is a mystery we may not  understand. Elizabeth informed Mary that the baby in her womb leaped for joy  as soon as she heard her greeting and the bible records that her child, John the  Baptist was filled with the Holy Spirit even from the womb.

    There are many voices that speak to us which unknowingly affect the babies in  the womb of our destinies. Whatever assignment or dream, or greatness that  you are carrying in your heart, which is yet to manifest is a destiny baby. Jealously guard it from strange voices which include false prophets, lies of the  devil, self-condemnation, and wrong counsel from others. Your experiences can  also take on a voice and speak fear and doubt into your life. Listening to the right  voice will cause your destiny baby to thrive and come forth in the fullness of  time but listening to the wrong one will cause it to shrivel and die a premature  death.

    The story is told of a man who planted two seeds in a pot and placed them by  his window to grow. Each day, he would speak to both plants, albeit different  words. He spoke words of affirmation to the first plant, whilst he cursed the  second. After a while, he examined both plants, and found that the first had  thrived and grown leaves, whilst the second had shriveled and died. Why not do  a life audit this day and ask yourself “am I listening to the right or wrong voices”?

     

    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.