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  • [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Beauty for ashes

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Beauty for ashes

    Read: Isaiah 61:1-7

    Meditation verse:

    “To console those who mourn in Zion, to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of  joy for mourning. The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they  may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He may be  glorified.” (Isaiah 61:3).

    Beauty for ashes evokes a sense of restoration or comeback. It symbolises rising  from destruction or desolation or receiving something good amid evil. This is  God’s promise to you in this new month. He is giving you the oil of joy for  mourning and the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness. He is doing this  so that you may be called a tree of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, and that His name may be glorified.

    If you have been locked up in a place of mourning, shame, guilt, despair, loss or  whatever your ashes may be, it is time to rise in faith and take back what the  enemy has stolen from you. You need to begin to rebuild the old ruins and repair  the desolations. There is work for you to do. The next verse says, “And they shall  rebuild the old ruins, they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall  repair the ruined cities, the desolations of many generations” (Isaiah 61:4). God  has anointed you with the oil of joy. He has wrapped a garment of praise around  you. He has done His part; you need to do yours. Generations are counting on  you; you cannot afford to remain in the place of desolation.  

    Get up and open your life to new opportunities and relationships. There is a well  of endless possibilities waiting for you on the other side of life. Remove the  chains of despair, fear, guilt, self-condemnation or whatever is holding you back.  Shake away the ashes and take a step of faith, no matter how little. God can overwhelm you with new splendour. He can jumpstart your life again. You do not need to keep sitting down on the ruins of your ashes heap. God has already  given you beauty for ashes. In Jesus name, rise up and go!

     

    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: Freedom in forgiveness (2)

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Freedom in forgiveness (2)

    Read: PHILIPPIANS 3:13-14

    Meditation verse:

    “Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do,  forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things  which are ahead” (Philippians 3:13).

    How do you begin your journey today towards forgiveness and wholeness?  

    Accept God’s forgiveness: When God forgives us, He wipes the slate clean and  remembers the offence no more. So, you must accept God’s forgiveness and  move on, else you will continually dwell in self-condemnation. That voice of  condemnation within you belongs to the devil. The bible calls him the ‘accuser  of brethren’. Resist him and he will leave you alone (James 4:7).  

    Forgive yourself: You must also forgive yourself before you can forgive others.  You must settle scores with yourself. Learn to pardon yourself for the very many  ways you may have messed up your life, you did not know any better. If you  knew it all, then you would be God. But you are not, you are human. You must  make peace with the old. With peace comes clarity, hope, and the inspiration to  dream again. The heart is a bucket of ideas and vision, but it must be guarded  with peace. With calmness, comes the ability to hear God’s voice.  

    Forgive yourself and Let God’s peace guard you out of the storms of  unforgiveness. If you persist in the storm, your dreams, vision, relationships and  even your health may be destroyed. When Jesus was preparing to leave His  disciples, He said “peace I leave with you, My peace I give you, not as the world  giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid”  (John 14:27). On appearing to His disciples after His resurrection, again He said,  “peace be with you”. Peace is very important. 

    Forgive others: You must forgive others if you want God to forgive you. “And  forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors” (Mathew 6:12). You are doing  yourself a favour by forgiving others. Forgiveness sets you free; it restores order  and wholeness within you. By forgiving them, you are opening your heart to  receive God’s blessings. Why not begin your journey towards forgiveness and  wholeness in this new month?

     

    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: Freedom in forgiveness (1)

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Freedom in forgiveness (1)

    Read: Luke 13:10-17

    Meditation verse:

    “Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do,  forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things  which are ahead” (Philippians 3:13).

    Life would have happened to many of us by the time we hit midlife. Many of us  are carrying around the yoke of unforgiveness, self-condemnation, and guilt.  The woman with the spirit of infirmity was bent over and could not raise herself  up. Unforgiveness is an infirmity that can cause you to bend over. Being bent  over is a dangerous posture to adopt because you cannot see what is ahead of  you or above you. You only see what is beneath and what is beneath is the grave. 

    If you are bent over by the weight of unforgiveness because of what someone  did to you in the past? It is time to let go and straighten up.  

    One of the greatest healing balms of The Holy Spirit is “forgiveness”. Forgiveness  breaks the link between you and your past. With forgiveness comes freedom,  with forgiveness comes wholeness, with forgiveness, comes restoration and  resurrection of all things dead. Refuse to blame, choose to forgive. There is no  healing in playing the blaming game. Things that are covered do not heal fast.  Uncover the old wounds and let The Great physician heal you now. Jesus Christ  is here right now. Open to Him and allow Him to pour His healing oil on all those  wounds. Wounds caused by hurt, abuse, deceit, abandonment, betrayal,  adultery, divorce, failure or lack. He is the balm of Gilead.  

    In Philippians 3:13-14, the Apostle Paul said “Brethren, I do not count myself to  have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind  and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal  for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus”. Realize that your past  does not necessarily determine or dictate your future. You cannot open a new  chapter of your life if you keep reliving the previous one. You cannot inhale new  fresh air until you exhale the old. Get rid of the old, there’s much more waiting  for you ahead. Happy New Month!

     

    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 blessing of the ‘latter’

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: The blessing of the ‘latter’

    Read: Job 42:1-16

    Meditation verse:

    “Now the Lord blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning; for he had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, one thousand yoke of oxen, and one thousand female donkeys” (Job 42:12).

    The word “latter” means occurring or situated nearer to the end of something than to the beginning. There are several scriptures that highlight the blessings of the “latter”. Job 8:7 says, “Though your beginning was small, yet your latter end would increase abundantly”. Haggai 2:9 states, “The glory of this latter temple shall be greater than the former; says the Lord of hosts. ‘And in this place, I will give peace,’ says the Lord of hosts.” Ecclesiastes 7:8-9 says “The end of a thing is better than its beginning; the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit. Do not hasten in your spirit to be angry, for anger rests in the bosom of fools. Do not say, “why were the former days better than these?” For you do not inquire wisely concerning this’. Deuteronomy 8:16 says “who fed you in the wilderness with manna, which your fathers did not know, that He might humble you and that He might test you, to do you good in the end”.  Ezekiel 38:8 says “After many days you will be visited. In the latter years you will come into the land of those brought back from the sword and gathered from many people on the mountains of Israel, which had long been desolate; they were brought out of the nations, and now all of them dwell safely”. Zechariah 4:10 says “For who has despised the day of small things?”.

    What can be inferred from these scriptures? Firstly, a small or bad start does not transmit to a small or bad end. The fact that the beginning of the year has been very difficult does not necessarily mean the year will end on a difficult note. Also, that your life has been challenging this far does not mean that you will live in sorrow for the rest of your life. God’s ability to restore that which has been wasted, broken, ruined, lost, damaged or even dead is beyond human comprehension. Psalm 126:1 says, “When the Lord brought back the captivity of Zion, we were like those who dream”. Job suffered so much loss, but God blessed his latter days more than his beginning. He died old and full of days. 

    Your present loss is nothing compared to that of Job, so be rest assured that your season of joy and restoration is coming. Ecclesiastes 3:1 says, “To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven”. That suffering, pain and defeat will not go on forever. There is a ‘latter rain’ blessing coming your way. The latter part of the year will be better than the beginning. The latter part of your life will be better than the former. What do you do in that situation? In all his suffering Job did not curse God. Keep your faith and trust in God. He is never late. The end of a matter is better than its beginning. Scriptures cannot be broken.

     

    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: Prepare for the new thing

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Prepare for the new thing

    Read: ISAIAH 43: 18-21

    Meditation verse:

    “Behold, I will do a new thing, now it shall spring forth; shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert” (Isaiah 43:19).

    “No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; or else the new piece pulls away from the old, and the tear is made worse. And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; or else the new wine bursts the wineskins, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But new wine must be put into new wineskins” (Mark 2: 21-22).

    To receive the new, you must get rid of the old. Before God announced to the nation of Israel that He would do a new thing, He first instructed them to forget the former things. You cannot open a new chapter of your life if you keep reliving the previous one. Do you desire a new experience in an area of your life? How are you preparing for it? 

    You must adopt a new mindset to enter a new realm. You should identify and get rid of the former mindset that limited you. Some people are limited by fear, others by self-doubt, or the need to be approved by others. You may not receive the new experience if you are still weighed down by a self-limiting attitude or mindset. You must believe that you are worthy of a fresh start and that you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you (Philippians 4:13).

    You need to get ready for it. Isaiah 54:2 says: “Enlarge the place of your tent and let them stretch out the curtains of your dwellings; do not spare; lengthen your cords and strengthen your stakes. Enhance your capacity in the relevant areas. Sharpen your skills, develop your character, and get rid of destructive habits. It is often said that success occurs when opportunity meets preparedness. 

    Position yourself for it. “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). Lastly, earnestly anticipate and expect it. What you do not expect, you may not receive as you will not notice when it is occurring.

     

    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 sufferings of this present time

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: The sufferings of this present time

    Read: Romans 8:18-30

    Meditation verse:

    “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us” (Romans 8:18).

    As a child of God, you are not immune to pain and suffering. So, you may go through some painful stuff during your sojourn on earth. These are the “sufferings of this present time”. When Jesus Christ was about to leave the earth, He said to His disciples “in the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). Jesus Christ did not promise you a life devoid of evil, what He promised is that He will always be with you during you time here and when all is done, you will have a glorious future with Him in eternity.

    If you are currently going through difficult times, do not cast away your confidence or lose hope. 1 Corinthians 15:19 says, “If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable”. There is a glorious future ahead for you. The Apostle Paul said that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. Rejoice in this knowledge, keep the faith, and keep going.

    Therefore, we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. 17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, 18 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 4:16-18.

     

    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: Your jar of oil

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Your jar of oil

    Read: 2 Kings 4:1-7

    Meditation verse:

    “… and she said, “Your maidservant has nothing in the house but a jar of oil.” (2 Kings 4:2).

    Life had happened to this woman. Her husband was dead. She had no personal finances or investments. And now her nest was about to be emptied with the threat of her sons been taken as slaves. Finding herself at the end of the rope, she cried out to the prophet. “So, Elisha said to her, “What shall I do for you? Tell me, what do you have in the house?” And she said, “Your maidservant has nothing in the house but a jar of oil.” At the prophet’s instructions, she sent her son to borrow several empty vessels and pour out the jar of oil into all the vessels and setting aside the full ones. When all the available vessels were filled up, the prophet instructed her to sell the oil and pay her debt; and live on the rest with her sons. That little jar of oil which she despised, became her sustenance for the rest of her life. 

    God will always leave you a remnant when all else has failed. Your jar of oil is anything you can depend on to survive, during times of uncertainty when everything else is gone. Your jar of oil could be a natural talent or gift that you can utilize, a person that shows you unusual kindness, or relationship or network that you can fall back on. Your jar of oil is something or someone that you can rely on desperate and uncertain times. 

    If you are going through a season of lack, ask God to reveal your jar of oil to you. The woman did not realize that she had was more than enough. She said, “I have nothing in the house but a jar of oil”. Have you despised that talent, ability, person, or relationship, without realizing that it was meant for your sustenance? Ask God for mercy so that He can reconnect you to the remnant that He has left for you in this season of your life.

     

    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: How deep are your roots?

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: How deep are your roots?

    Read: MARK 4:1-9

    Meditation verse:

    “But the plant soon wilted under the hot sun, and since it didn’t have deep roots, it died” (Mark 4:6, NLT).

    The oak is a very tall tree between 40 and 80 feet and is said to surpass 300 years. A very interesting feature of the oak tree is the root system. It pushes downwards as deep as the height of the tree and branching out wide. It can withstand very strong storms like tornados. Even when stripped of the leaves, they survive because of the strength of their root systems. An oak has breadth, depth, and width. The Sower in today’s reading went out to sow and the seeds which fell on shallow soil sprouted quickly but alas, when the sun arose, the plant wilted because the underlying rocks had prevented the roots from growing deep down. 

    Three fundamental questions to ponder today are “how deep is my root?” “Can it withstand the storms of life?” “What rock is preventing it from reaching deep down”? Your root is your relationship with God. If it is shallow and superficial, you will be like a wave of the sea, easily swayed by the cares of life. You will be easily defeated by adversity. The rock hindering your roots maybe your current challenges or problems, adversity, sin, wrong relationships, self-sufficiency, fear, self-doubt, or your lack of faith. Realize however that in all of these, you are more than a conqueror, through Christ who loved you.

    For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord Romans -8:38-39. 

    So, take away the rock or rocks hindering your root from reaching down. If there is unconfessed sin in your life, ask God for forgiveness. Give attention to prayers and study of the word. Believe in yourself and God’s ability to help you. The more time you spend in God’s presence, the deeper your roots will be.

     

    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: Protect your self confidence

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Protect your self confidence

    Read: PHILIPPIANS 4:4-9

    Meditation verse:

    “Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things” (Philippians 4:8).

    It is almost impossible to live a satisfying or fulfilling life by default, so much gets thrown at us daily. You need to intentionally protect your self-confidence if you desire to live a happier and more fulfilling life. Begin by observing and auditing your focus: Ask yourself regularly: “what am I focusing on and how is this affecting how I feel? Then change your focus if you need to. By default, the human brain prefers to focus on what could go wrong. So, it would rather focus on what you have lost, why it happened and whose fault it was rather than on what you can gain and how you can do better next time. Your goal should be to spend more time on the things that build your confidence and less time on the things that erode it.

    Eliminate outside forces or influence: What is that thing in the outside world that rubs you of your self-confidence when you see it? Social media handles of certain people? other people’s views or advice? Or their presence? Take a diet of whatever it is. Focus on your strengths: Figure out what you are good at and become amazing at it. Don’t keep working on your weaknesses as this will slow down your progress or even stop you. Pay others to do what you are not good at. 

    Lastly, take charge of your life; get out of the goal post and play. Action breeds confidence, inaction breeds fear. Choose to be a thermostat which controls things rather than a thermometer that fluctuates based on the happenings around it. Control your own outcomes.

     

    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 3 Ps of living a life of influence

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: The 3 Ps of living a life of influence

    Read: 2 TIMOTHY 4:6-8

    Meditation verse:

    “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (2 Timothy 4:7).

    Not everyone who begins a race gets to the finished line. Some runners lose their balance and fall by the way, some get distracted, others become too weary to continue. Those who finish strong are the ones who never take their gaze off the finish line. Similarly in the race of life, some people get distracted by the cares of this present world, others become weary from fighting the battles of life, still yet many do not even get started. Paul the apostle kept his eyes on the finish line and ended well. In discharging his apostolic mandate, he completed three long missionary journeys, planted at least 14 churches, wrote 13 of the New Testament books and endured some of the toughest conditions, persecutions, and trials. The life that will finish strong must be purpose driven and impact the lives of others.  There are 3 essentials of living a life of influence.

    PURPOSE: Your Purpose is what you were made for. It is your God-ordained assignment. You are on earth to solve a particular problem, add value to the lives of those around you and impact your world. Your purpose is the vehicle you will use to accomplish this. God has put inside you, everything you need to accomplish your purpose. The greatest love you can give to yourself is to discover the reason you were created and accomplish it. 

    PROGRAM /PLAN: You should have a program(s) or plan of action for actualizing your purpose or mission. Paul’s programs for fulfilling his apostolic mandate were missionary journeys, church planting, letters as well as follow-up visits. Yours could be a service you offer to help others or a product that you created to solve a particular problem.

    PEOPLE: In Mark 4:32, Jesus likened God’s kingdom to a small mustard seed that was sown in the ground, and which became a great herb with large branches such that the birds of the air nested under its shade. Your purpose is not for you. There are people whose destinies are tied to your purpose. These are the people you are called to serve; they are meant to nest under the shade of your purpose. 

    Do you want to end well? Identify your purpose, create a plan of action, then find and engage your people.

     

    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.