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“Forsake me not, O Lord.”

By
Evang. Ifeoma Ohondu
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0

Do not allow me, do not allow me, do not allow me, Jesus to go empty handed 2x.// he is alive forever He is alive my Jesus is alive forever He is alive amen!

Thank God we are serving a living God in the land of the living. O God! We Thank You for Your faithfulness. Thank You for helping us thus far, we are not unmindful of Your goodness and love towards us. And we are here to say Thank You Lord.

Heavenly Father, we glorify Your Holy Name, we exalt You above all other gods and we worship You. Blessed be thy Name forever and ever. Mighty in battle, Wonderful Redeemer, Precious I Am. Thank You.

Beloved, how are you doing today? Is good to know that we are to enter into His presence and the result will speak in our lives in Jesus Name.

One significant thing about prayer is that it helps us to see the way God sees. When you pray with scripture, reminding God His own Word or Word as it is written in the book of liberty, it result is awesome. God will walk through that situation and you will never know it once existed. Praise God.

One of the ways in achieving greater effect as we consistently instill the spirit of patience in our live is by praying. As we pray unto God for His help, He grant us the grace to wait on Him. Waiting on God faithfully renews our strength.

It is a great time to search out the scripture as concerns what you are trusting God for. It is a time to go before God and let Him know that we are nothing without Him. It is a time to draw strength from the Word of live. It is a time to lean totally on God for His renewal and we must not take it for granted.

A child of God does not just run through the life without constantly touching base with the owner of His life. You cannot run through the year without seeking renewal and infilling from the Spirit of God. As we learnt during the week “depression and despair” can set in. So, we must be ever ready to get ourselves renewed in the Word, through Worship, praying and fasting and any other instruction as it will please our Father to reveal unto us.

Renewing our Spirit man helps to subdue the flesh and help us to live as God’s intended us to live else we grieve the Holy Spirit (Eph 4:30). Like the eagle we are likened to, its renewal process is fascinating and awesome. There came time its life, he must renew himself, especially when his take off is not as fast as it was years ago; his sharp talons have grown dull; his feathers have worn and give off a telltale when he dive for his prey. He is still an eagle, but he has lost much of his strength and prowess.

When this happen the eagle knows that it is time to renew himself, the process is not easy, he does that enduring much pain but at the end it pays off. The regrowth he needs will take at least forty days and while waiting for new feathers to grow, he also sharpens his talons by rubbing it back and front on the rock. Other eagles who have already gone through this process may drop food to him. He goes through a quiet season of relative weakness but his strength is renew.

I believe there is someone God is saying the same thing to “You need renewal. You have to wait patiently on me as there something which needs to be taken off and yet some others that need to be added to you before you continue on the journey ahead. Like we learnt from Elijah too, after he was refreshed, he went on a forty day journey without getting tried.

Take out time beloved and learn from the eagle for I also believe God has something for us to learn from this process the eagle endures.  There are times we feel dry, weak, defeated, and discouraged. There are times when life deals a bitter blows, and our dreams crumble right before our eyes, when someone we love hurts us, when someone we trust betrays us, when we really thought something was finally going to work out. These are the kind of situations that makes us want to quit.

Beloved, during those times, we really need to be renewed. If we don’t take time for renewal, we are in danger of reacting to our circumstance emotionally, which always means responding without wisdom and often contributes to making bad situation even worse.

In today’s teaching, we just want to remind us that God can never forget you. It might look as He is not hearing you when you pray, not responding to your request as fast it was in the past. Just know you might be in a season when He is drawing your attention to something big, new vision or assignment. Be patient to find out which season you are now.

Did Christ felt abandoned, yes at a time on the cross and he yell out. Do you remember in our teaching of yesterday that “groaning is permissible, but grumbling, murmuring and complaining not allow.” Praise the Name of the Lord!

Is time to go for more discoveries:

“Forsake me not, O Lord.” Psalm 38:21

 

Frequently we pray that God would not forsake us in the hour of trial and temptation, but we too much forget that we have need to use this prayer at all times. There is no moment of our life, however holy, in which we can do without His constant upholding. Whether in light or in darkness, in communion or in temptation, we alike need the prayer, “Forsake me not, O Lord.” “Hold Thou me up, and I shall be safe.”

A little child, while learning to walk, always needs the nurse’s aid. The ship left by the pilot drifts at once from her course. We cannot do without continued aid from above; let it then be your prayer today, “Forsake me not. Father, forsake not Thy child, lest he fall by the hand of the enemy.

Shepherd, forsake not Thy lamb, lest he wander from the safety of the fold. Great Husbandman, forsake not Thy plant, lest it wither and die. ‘Forsake me not, O Lord,’ now; and forsake me not at any moment of my life. Forsake me not in my joys, lest they absorb my heart. Forsake me not in my sorrows, lest I murmur against Thee. Forsake me not in the day of my repentance, lest I lose the hope of pardon, and fall into despair; and forsake me not in the day of my strongest faith, lest faith degenerate into presumption.

Forsake me not, for without Thee I am weak, but with Thee I am strong. Forsake me not, for my path is dangerous, and full of snares, and I cannot do without Thy guidance. The hen forsakes not her brood, do Thou then evermore cover me with Thy feathers, and permit me under Thy wings to find my refuge.

‘Be not far from me, O Lord, for trouble is near, for there is none to help.’ ‘Leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation!'”

 

“O ever in our cleansed breast,

Bid Thine Eternal Spirit rest;

And make our secret soul to be

A temple pure and worthy Thee.”

Beloved, I feel reassured that my heavenly Father will not forsake us, neither will He leave us. Do not believe any lie from the devil. God is constantly around You, He is closer than the very breathe in your nostrils, He will never forsake you neither will He abandon you.

Jesus cried while on the cross, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” but God need Him to bear through with our sins for He cannot behold iniquity, not ever on His own Son even though He (Jesus) was on a mission He (God) sent Him (Jesus). Notwithstanding that, He humbled Himself and died on the cross just for you and I to be save. What a priceless gift. Come on along as we read more.

 

“He humbled Himself.” Philippians 2:8

 

Jesus is the great teacher of lowliness of heart. We need daily to learn of Him. See the Master taking a towel and washing His disciples’ feet! Follower of Christ, wilt thou not humble thyself? See Him as the Servant of servants, and surely thou canst not be proud! Is not this sentence the compendium of His biography, “He humbled Himself”?

Was He not on earth always stripping off first one robe of honour and then another, till, naked, He was fastened to the cross, and there did He not empty out His inmost self, pouring out His life-blood, giving up for all of us, till they laid Him penniless in a borrowed grave? How low was our dear Redeemer brought!

How then can we be proud? Stand at the foot of the cross, and count the purple drops by which you have been cleansed; see the thorn-crown; mark His scourged shoulders, still gushing with encrimsoned rills; see hands and feet given up to the rough iron, and His whole self to mockery and scorn; see the bitterness, and the pangs, and the throes of inward grief, showing themselves in His outward frame; hear the thrilling shriek, “My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?”

And if you do not lie prostrate on the ground before that cross, you have never seen it: if you are not humbled in the presence of Jesus, you do not know Him. You were so lost that nothing could save you but the sacrifice of God’s only begotten. Think of that, and as Jesus stooped for you, bow yourself in lowliness at His feet. A sense of Christ’s amazing love to us has a greater tendency to humble us than even a consciousness of our own guilt.

May the Lord bring us in contemplation to Calvary, then our position will no longer be that of the pompous man of pride, but we shall take the humble place of one who loves much because much has been forgiven him. Pride cannot live beneath the cross.

Let us sit there and learn our lesson, and then rise and carry it into practice.

Did you read that, pride cannot live beneath the cross? Beloved, humble thyself before the Almighty God and learnt from Him.

As we pray today, may we receive grace to be obedient to every instruction as we into the law of liberty. May we be refresh and our strength renew in Jesus Name. Get down to it, where and how you get renew to avoid burn- out, depression or despair (Matt 26:41).

Don’t forget, He will never forsake you come what may; He is Your El-Shaddia.

 

Remain blessed in the Lord.

 

“…, the little foxes that spoil the vines.”

By
Evang. Ifeoma Ohondu
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0

I will lift up my voice, I will joyfully sing not for what He has done but for who is. You are the joy of my heart, melody in my heart the reason I sing is to praise You Lord! He reigns x3 forever more.// Let the Spirit of the Lord come down x2, let the Spirit of the Lord from heaven comes down, let the Spirit of the Lord come down.

Redeemer, we Thank You, we bless Your Holy Name, we worship You, we give You praise. Thank You for the rain, thank You for the latter rain that You give to Your people. O Lord, we blessed Your Holy Name, we worship You with the twenty and four elders in heaven, Father receive our worship this day in Jesus Name. Thank You for the gift of live and vitality Lord. Thank You for preserving us from all thoughts that highly exalt themselves above You. Glory be to Your Holy Name. Amen!

Beloved, our God is good! and His mercies endureth forever. He is the vine and we the branches. For every branch that beareth not fruit He takes away; and every branches that beareth fruit, He purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. Then I ask you, are resistant to the pruning God wants to do in you? If you are, then I smell trouble. Why don’t you humble yourselves under the Mighty Hand of God, Who will yet exalt you as He did His Son Jesus Christ.

Beloveth, what are those little foxes that spoil the vine in your life? The list is inexhaustible but you must locate your weakness and deal with it. We are the “Ambassadors of Christ”, we must live worthy of our calling lest we make light of this Holy calling bestowed on us which I count a privilege among many other things.

We are soldiers of the Christ and must not engage in any civilian acts lest we are cut by the arrows of the enemy in the battle field. We have to be diligent in our calling, carry out every instruction with sense of duty not trivializing the work set before us.

Do you remember when the children of Israelite we crossing over to the Promised Land, at point in their journey they grumble and murmur against Moses. And God was not happy about it and for every of then died in the wilderness except two- Joshua and Caleb. They preferred to be slaves bond other than freedom God was offering them. They preferred cumber, cabbage and carrots then the manna, heavenly meal prepared by God and serve by the host of angels.

How do we connect to such behavior at our time?  How do we identify with same in our world today? Those who did that in the wilderness never made it through to the promise land. One reason was that they were murmurers and grumblers, complainers and faultfinders.

Every time something did not go right, they found fault with Moses. Their negative attitude was just another evil and carnal way of life that included indulgence in immorality. And a result of that indulgence, one day twenty-three thousand of them fell dead. And remember they were put out of the way entirely by the destroyer (death).

Why did that happen? As 1 Corinthians 10:9 said, because the people tempted the Lord, they tried His patience, became a trial for Him, criticized or critically appraised Him and exploited His goodness.

When we do not open our mouth and give thanks, but instead murmur and complain, we are exploiting the goodness of God because no matter what is going on in our life, God is still good. The death of the entire adult that came of the Egypt, if we have sense at all, would put the fear God in us.

Take out time and examine your live and identify those little foxes, begin now to hand them over to Jesus, and as He begin His pruning, be patient enough to bear through. It is only a son with a Father that is disciplined, if you are not chastised by your Father, ask again, you may be by the way of a bastard (Heb 12:7-8; Rev 3:19; Deut 4:36). Praise the Lord.

Can we run along? Let us consider today’s teaching:

 

“Take us the foxes, the little foxes that spoil the vines.” Song 2:15

 

A little thorn may cause much suffering. A little cloud may hide the sun. Little foxes spoil the vines; and little sins do mischief to the tender heart. These little sins burrow in the soul, and make it so full of that which is hateful to Christ, that He will hold no comfortable fellowship and communion with us.

A great sin cannot destroy a Christian, but a little sin can make him miserable. Jesus will not walk with His people unless they drive out every known sin. He says, “If ye keep My commandments, ye shall abide in My love, even as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.”

Some Christians very seldom enjoy their Saviour’s presence. How is this? Surely it must be an affliction for a tender child to be separated from his father. Art thou a child of God, and yet satisfied to go on without seeing thy Father’s face? What! thou the spouse of Christ, and yet content without His company! Surely, thou hast fallen into a sad state, for the chaste spouse of Christ mourns like a dove without her mate, when he has left her.

Ask, then, the question, what has driven Christ from thee? He hides His face behind the wall of thy sins. That wall may be built up of little pebbles, as easily as of great stones. The sea is made of drops; the rocks are made of grains: and the sea which divides thee from Christ may be filled with the drops of thy little sins; and the rock which has well nigh wrecked thy barque, may have been made by the daily working of the coral insects of thy little sins.

If thou wouldst live with Christ, and walk with Christ, and see Christ, and have fellowship with Christ, take heed of “the little foxes that spoil the vines, for our vines have tender grapes.” Jesus invites you to go with Him and take them. He will surely, like Samson, take the foxes at once and easily. Go with Him to the hunting.

And discover all the foxes and drop them one after the other. Remember we have mentioned earlier that one of the foxes we can identify today is our murmuring or grumbling or complaining.

Beloved, let us point it out that groaning is permitted but you can’t grumble. Who are you to grumble before the Almighty God? And for what are you murmuring, grumbling or complaining for? Let us continue reading:

You Can Groan, But You Can’t Grumble

The pilgrimage from here to eternity was never intended to be easy.

So naturally, we are inclined to grumble about our circumstances! Perhaps our grumbling is related to the fact that we are confused about the sequence of events: Rewards occur after we get to heaven! The present however, is the time for character training in preparation for eternity.

The comforting news is that amidst this time of testing and development, we have been given the enabling presence of the Holy Spirit:

“We ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit… groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body.” (Romans 8:23)

And so… understandably, we groan.

But grumble? That is quite another matter!

When we grumble, we signify a basic discontent with our lot in life, and a challenge to God’s sovereign purposes. In effect we are saying that God has unfairly violated our rights by allowing us to experience difficult circumstances. We feel we deserve better than this!

In their trek across the desert en route to the Promised Land, the Jews responded similarly to adversity:

They grumbled.

From their perspective, there was never enough water and comfort, and the food was of the wrong variety! They felt they deserved better than this!

Citing their example, Paul admonishes us:

“Do not grumble… (or) test the Lord as some of them did… God was not pleased with most of them… ” (1 Corinthians 10:10a, 9a, 5a)

QUESTION: Amidst the trials of your life, are you groaning or grumbling? How you answer that question reflects whether or not you understand and accept the fact that this earthly sojourn is God’s time and means of making you Christlike in preparation for eternity. (Romans 8:28-30)

Beloved, do You know how many doors we open for the devil in our lives through murmuring and complaining? Sometime we ask God for something and He give us and afterward, we start murmuring and complaining because we have to take care of it.

We complains of not married and then complain because we are married. We complain because we don’t have a big house; then we get a big house and complain because we have clean it.

But look at what Phil 2:14 tell us to do all things without complaining. “All things” means everything. We clean without complaining, we mow the yard without complaining, drive to work without complaining, do our job without complaining.

Devote time and seek out those areas in your lives that needs the touch of our savior Jesus and surrender all to Him.

Be patient before Him and you will be a new creature afterward. Don’t forget groaning is permissibly but grumbling, murmuring, complaining is forbidden. Praise the Lord!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Remain blessed in the Lord.

 

 

Are You Under A Cloud, Or Following The Cloud?

By
Evang. Ifeoma Ohondu
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0

You are the Lord, let Your Name be glorified 2x, we give You glory and honour, You are the Lord, let Your Name be glorified. Heavenly Your Name is wonderful, Your Name excellent, Your Name is beautiful, we worship You Lord for You are Might, You got the whole world in Your hand. You got the whole world in Your hand 4x.

Father in heaven O God! We bow before Your Throne in worship of Who You are. Blessed be the Name of the Lord, Who can do all things. We thank You for another opportunity to serve You. Thank You for the gift of life, good health, provision and providence that can only be given by You. Thank You Jesus Thank You Lord.

Beloved, we should be grateful to our God in whose hand is our lives. He is the vine and we are the branches. Faithful is our God who slack not in His promises to us. Are you praising Him for the blessings of another day, another week through His power you are blessed.

Our topic today is asking a question we have to answer individually. Beloved, are under a cloud, or following the cloud? Looking at Your life personally, where are you identifying with topic?

I believe many of us are familiar with the topic before us, it was an instruction from God if they are to get to the promise land as ordained by God or miss out in His plan for them.

It is a demonstration of our obedience to the word of God. Are we willing to obey God and do His biddings or we want go our own way, which will only lead us depression and despair. Failing to follow God’s instruction in our lives have great consequence and we must not be trivialized it.

Be determined today to follow God’s instruction and you will excel in all your undertaking. Why am saying that, because when you obey and follow God, you are in His plans for you and the strength to pull through He will provide for you but if you are outside of His plans for you, you will see yourselves struggling to achieve.

Are you feeling depression or despair, my guess should be as good as yours, take time to reconnect back to your creator, in Him there is no fainting, no sorrowing, He is ever faithful and will always help you if you trust His Sovereignty over all He has made which includes you.

Be calm, God has not forgotten you, He can never do that if you are following and serving Him in truth and fear of the Lord.

Again, ask yourselves if you are where God wants you to be or you following Him as He is leading you or you are defining and making your choice? Let’s go into the teaching proper:

 Are You Under A Cloud, Or Following The Cloud?

You may recall that during the Jews’ migration across the desert God guided them with a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. The cloud was the visible symbol of God’s presence.

When the cloud moved, it was the Jews’ responsibility to observe the movement and to respond accordingly. When the cloud settled down over the Tent, they also were to settle down. If however, they were inattentive, preoccupied or indifferent to the cloud’s movement, they could easily miss God’s direction and protection.

“At the Lord‘s command they encamped, and at the Lord‘s command they set out.“ (Numbers 9:23)

Responding to the movement of the cloud is a beautiful illustration of our being prompted and led by the Holy Spirit.

Today, the Holy Spirit, like the cloud that guided the Jews, quietly, gently, and unpretentiously guides us… if we are spiritually attuned to His urging.

Depending upon our spiritual sensitivity, we can either be guided by the Spirit or we can grieve the Spirit:

  • “All who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God.” (Romans 8:14)
  • “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.” (Ephesians 4:30)

How easy it is for us to be under a cloud, so to speak… fogged in by spiritual dullness and insensitivity to the things of God, thereby missing His leading, convicting, and sustaining force.

So today, are you under a cloud of spiritual mediocrity, or are you following the cloud in response to God’s direction and purpose for your life?

 The consequences of negating God’s words can lead to the situation we have below. People who battling depression and despair alienate themselves from others. They live isolated lives full of self-doubt and totally lacking of confidence. No medicine can change the way you feel about yourself, I encourage you to see a doctor if you need to, but more importantly you should saturate yourself with the truth of God’s Word and began to renew your mind on who He says you are, because that will change the way you feel about yourself. Let’s keep going:

Depression And Despair

Those dark undercurrents of desperate emotions that drag us down into the murky shadows of hopelessness and despondency.

The bad news is that every follower of Christ seems to be subjected from time to time to this state of gloom… this so-called “Dark Night of the Soul:”

Job, while languishing near death cried out, “May the day of my birth perish… I despise my life… my days have no meaning.” (Job 3:3a; 7:16)

Elisha, after a great spiritual victory lamented, “I have had enough, Lord… take my life.” (1 Kings 19:5)

Paul, while suffering intense hardship in Asia, wrote, “We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death… ” (2 Corinthians 1:8, 9a).

Today, if you are in the midst of one of these “Dark Nights of the Soul,” consider and claim God’s promises from His Word. Keep in mind however, that with most promises there is a condition for us to fulfill:

Promise: “Even in darkness light dawns for the

[Condition:] upright, for the gracious and compassionate and righteous man.” (Psalm 112:4)

Promise: “I am the Light of the world.

[Condition:] Whoever follows Me

[Promise:] will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12)

Condition: “If you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed:

[Promise:] then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday. The Lord will guide you always; He will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.” (Isaiah 58:10, 11)

Because DEPRESSION and DESPAIR are tools the Enemy often uses in his attacks against Christ’s followers, it is imperative that we fight back with God’s spiritual arsenal, which includes the Word of God. So claim His promises, fulfill the Word’s conditions, and then see Him win the victory on your behalf. (See Ephesians 6:10-20)

If you are under the season of this “patiently waiting” unto the Lord, you can get involved in something that can get your mind busy and your hands too to avoid you getting despair while God is perfecting all that concerns You.

Rest is a powerful tool to achieving a greater height, if a man like Elijah got exhausted to the extend He ask God to take his life but God knew what he need, refreshment and rest. So He smooth him to sleep while  heavenly meals were given Him, not once but twice and He went in that strength for 40days (1 Kings 18:4-9). He was exhausted without knowing and because he had worked himself to exhaustion he felt threatened a solitary woman named Jezebel. He beacam e afraid, depressed, discouraged, and suididal.

Beloved, what are you going through and you think that God cannot fix for you? You simply refused to obey Him, thinking that you are wise in your own eyes? Maybe, you need to think again? nothing in life looks ggod when we are exhausted.

The Lord said tp Elijah, “You worn out. You need a couple of hot meals and a good night rest.” We need to listen to that Word too.

Beloved. this week is declared blessed in the Name of our Lord  Jesus. Be willing to obey Him that is the only way You can make it through. Receive strength to be patient before God and see Him winning all your battles in Jesus Name.

Remain blessed in the Lord.

Why Does It Often Take A Crisis Before We Totally Surrender Our Lives To God?

By
Evang. Ifeoma Ohondu
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0

Take Glory Father, Take Glory Son, Take Glory Holy Ghost now and forever more. // Faithful are You Lord, all creation calls You Lord , Worthy is Your Name, we worship Your Majesty, Awesome God, how Great Thou are, You are God Might are Your miracles…

Father we Thank You, looking up above the sky, the ocean, the hills and the mountain, looking at the Wonders of the world, I came to the conclusion that You are God, and nothing can be likened to Thee. In the Awesome of Who You are, we bow down before Your Throne and worship You. You are the very Beginning of the beginning, You made beauty to stream out of a foamless, waste and empty earth. At Your command darkness gave away to light and ages after Your Word came into being, no power has able to utter it. Lord, we worship and adore You O Lord, be thou exalted for ever and ever Amen!

Beloved, are you in awe of Who God is? He is Mighty and Powerful and nothing can withstand His Presence, no demon can survive the in His Presence. Our God is Great.

I believe by the grace of God we have been able to discover so many hidden things in Word of God this week. I am particular delighted at the move of the Holy Spirit in reminding us of those things that will help us to live a worthy live and be good ambassadors of Christ.

A rundown of this week activities. We agreed that another component that will help us in adding patience to our lives is ‘waiting’. We also discover that waiting sometime involves sitting and while sit we must as a matter of fact ‘rest,’ not just our physical bodies but also our Spirit man. It was also pointed out that waiting is not passive but must be accompanying with aggressive searching in Word of God, pleading our course before the Owner of our lives. And yesterday, we mention to you that patience is essential in our lives if we want our life to come alive afresh and meaningfully too, We must be willing to wait and get renewed.

Why are we taking out time to wait? Is to renew our strength so as to soar higher than ever before. If that is the point where you are now, the Lord is saying to you hold on, there are things ‘I’ need to do, perform, carry-out, implant, remove, before you advance further and you must be patient while all this are doing.

I quickly added also that to some ‘waiting’ can be tiring and frustrating but there is a cure. You searching the scripture and get involve in things that are of interest to you so that you don’t get morbid by the time you are meant to move forward.

You can also get involve in doing chores ordinary you will not like to get involved in but you know what? It getting your attention to something new. I am living proof to all am writing to you.

What is benefit of all these engagement while this virtue is been develop in you? You will be exposed to some many other things that will aid your journey in your desired field or and real people you will need eventually when the tide is down.

Sometime when you are in the state am discussing, you are also down financially and that means you cannot afford all you will love to have. A humbly Spirit is develop in you. You get to see people the way they are naturally irrespective of what they are saying to you or the relationship that exists between you.

Some will query your desire to an average good living just because you may need to depend on them for some time. So you don’t need to be told who is a friend or foe when you are eventual out.

Oftentimes, God uses it to bring out His purpose in our lives if we will be willing and obedient.

But what usually happen most time is what we are going to consider today in our teaching. When God is drawing us closer to Himself, we prefer to be on the move until crisis set in and everything come clashing down on us.

If you have not gotten to these point, beloved, hold on, wait, be patient else, let’s get into the teaching of the day for more discoveries:

Why Does It Often Take A Crisis Before We Totally Surrender Our Lives To God?

  • A disintegrating marriage
  • One of our kids on drugs
  • A failed business venture
  • Cancer

My guess is that total surrender to God is not something that comes easily for you, especially if you are the kind of person who can “make things happen” rather easily.

After all, why bother trusting God when you can pull things off so effortlessly on your own?

St. Paul, a man of no meager ability, also struggled with total dependence upon God. The fact that he was the product of an enviable pedigree, possessed the equivalent of two or three Ph.D’s, and had political connections that would be the envy of any power broker, made dependency upon God just that much more difficult.

After all, if anyone could pull things off on their own, it was Paul.

SO… GOD BROUGHT HIM TO THE BRINK…

“We do not want you to be uninformed… about the hardship we suffered… We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life… Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death… “

TO TEACH HIM THE IMPORTANCE OF DEPENDENCY UPON GOD:

“But this happened that we might not rely upon ourselves but on God… ” (2 Corinthians 1:8, 9)

So… if you tend toward cool-headed self-reliance that pushes God to the edges of your daily life, hold on to your hat:

Your loving Father is committed to arranging the circumstances in your world

  • to get your attention, or
  • to take you to the brink, if necessary:

IN ORDER TO TEACH YOU “NOT TO RELY ON YOURSELF BUT ON GOD.“

Beloved, are you willing to humble yourself under the hand of the Almighty God or He will do it for You. Why must we get to such a stage of helplessness before it done on us to surrender to God? Methinks the next teaching have an answer to it. Let’s ride on:

 We All Admire The Guy Who “Makes It”

We’re talking about that “Fortune 500” type who grabs the brass ring and makes things happen!

Here’s the brief autobiography of one such man:

“I built…

“I made…

“I bought…

“I owned…

“I amassed…

“I acquired… “

And finally:

“I BECAME… “

In other words, he arrived, having achieved affluence. Visibility. Status. Perhaps even respect.

And then he indulged! “I denied myself nothing… ” (Ecclesiastes 2:1-10)

But here is the kicker: According to his autobiography:

“When I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun.” (Ecclesiastes 2:11)

How is this possible? Had he not achieved it all? The answer is, “No, he had not.” And the reason?

  • None of his achievements could fill his inner emptiness. As Pascal sagaciously observed, “Inside of every man there is a God-shaped vacuum that only God can fill.“
  • Jesus Christ cautioned, “What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?… A man‘s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” (Matthew 16:26; Luke 12:15)

How tragic it would be to have climbed the ladder of success, only to realize too late (as did Solomon) that you had leaned it against the wrong wall.

SO THE QUESTION IS: “Which wall is your ladder leaning against?”

May we not learn this too late that our ladder in life is leaning against the wrong wall. Praise the Lord. Take it easy when the Lord said so and you won’t regret it.

The Lord is bring out beauty in our choratic and formless situation today in Jesus Name. You are created for His glory therefore anything in your life that is not honoruing must bow before God today in Jesus Name. receive the Light of God afresh in Jesus Name. Amen!

Have a blessed weekend. see You next week by His grace and be richly blessed in Jesus Name. Don’t forget that another Name for Jesus “is the soon coming King”, don’t be cut napping.

Remain blessed in the Lord.

Sure-Footedness 

By
Evang. Ifeoma Ohondu
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I am God’ project, I will never be abandon. Am God project I will never be abandon. The Lord is working on me, He will never abandon me until He finishes His process in my life. // What shall say unto the Lord, all I have to say thank You Lord 2x Thank You Lord 2x all I have to say is thank You Lord.

Our Father in heaven, we bow before Your Throne to worship and praise Your Holy Name for Your faithfulness and uprightness in taking care of all You have made. Thank You for loving and caring for Your children who place their confident in You. Be glorified forever more.

Beloveth, how is it going with you? Hope you are blessed in God’s presence yesterday? Glory be to God in the Highest. In His presence there is fullness of joy. Praise God. Thank God another faith clinic is here and He will yet make us once again beautiful.

No one is exempted from the need for renewal, everyone needs time of rest, refreshing, and restoration. As you go through life, you grow weary ranging from disappointment, meet up with deadlines and budgets and quotas, even as you prepare your exams.

When weariness set in, bad situation can arise, weary people often make comments without thinking, take shortcuts they later regret, and settle for less than the best because they are tired of waiting. Weary people are being unwise if they do not allow their strength to be renewed. Poor decision making often times are characterizes by falling to draw closer to God and wait on Him so they can be strengthened and restored.

Spending time with God guarantees better choices in life, you hear God speaking to you, you may be unaware that He is speaking to you but He will take over their affairs of your lives and it will run smoothly and if you are sensitive enough you will see traces of God’s hand in all your achievement.

Are you ready to be renewed? Take lead from what God is telling you at this moment, run your affairs with a lot of patience. Don’t allow fret to set in but allow God to control your affairs going forward (Ps 91:1).

Are willing to be renewed, obey the voice of God and allow Him to be God. When we speak about faith it goes beyond your doing is it standing more on trusting than on doing.

What ever be it God is saying to you can be patient as I work it out and get you back on track?  How do we get renewed? More will be coming our way in subsequent teaching.

Today’s teaching is an interesting one. The assurance we have in Christ is worthy more than gold. Come and learn more as you humble yourself at His feet:

                                                       

“The Lord God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hind’s feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places.” Hab. 3:19

This confidence of the man of God is tantamount to a promise; for that which faith is persuaded of is the purpose of God. The prophet had to traverse the deep places of poverty and famine, but he went down hill without slipping, for the Lord gave him standing. By-and-by he was called to the high places of the hills of conflict; and he was no more afraid to go up than to go down.

See! the Lord lent him strength. Nay, Jehovah Himself was his strength. Think of that: the Almighty God Himself becomes our strength!

Note, that the Lord also gave him sure-footedness. The hinds leap over rock and crag, never missing their foothold. Our Lord will give us grace to follow the most difficult paths of duty without a stumble. He can fit our foot for the crags, so that we shall be at home where apart from God we should perish.

One of these days we shall be called to higher places still Up yonder we shall climb, even to the mount of God, the high places where the shining ones are gathered. Oh, what feet are the feet of faith, by which, following the Hind of the Morning, we shall ascend into the hill of the Lord!

Yes, that is the gift from our heavenly Father, eternal life is our confident in Him, only be willing to obey Him as He is speaking to you by His prophet. Why are people afraid to approach issues in their lives with patience? The number one enemy is ‘fear’, and its twin is ‘doubt.’ But God is saying something to you dear beloved, “only be strong and courageous:”

“Only be thou strong and very courageous.” Joshua 1:7

Our God’s tender love for His servants makes Him concerned for the state of their inward feelings. He desires them to be of good courage. Some esteem it a small thing for a believer to be vexed with doubts and fears, but God thinks not so.

From this text it is plain that our Master would not have us entangled with fears. He would have us without carefulness, without doubt, without cowardice. Our Master does not think so lightly of our unbelief as we do. When we are desponding we are subject to a grievous malady, not to be trifled with, but to be carried at once to the beloved Physician.

Our Lord loveth not to see our countenance sad. It was a law of Ahasuerus that no one should come into the king’s court dressed in mourning: this is not the law of the King of kings, for we may come mourning as we are; but still He would have us put off the spirit of heaviness, and put on the garment of praise, for there is much reason to rejoice.

The Christian man ought to be of a courageous spirit, in order that he may glorify the Lord by enduring trials in an heroic manner. If he be fearful and fainthearted, it will dishonour his God. Besides, what a bad example it is. This disease of doubtfulness and discouragement is an epidemic which soon spreads amongst the Lord’s flock.

One downcast believer makes twenty souls sad. Moreover, unless your courage is kept up Satan will be too much for you. Let your spirit be joyful in God your Saviour, the joy of the Lord shall be your strength, and no fiend of hell shall make headway against you: but cowardice throws down the banner.

Moreover, labour is light to a man of cheerful spirit; and success waits upon cheerfulness. The man who toils, rejoicing in his God, believing with all his heart, has success guaranteed. He who sows in hope shall reap in joy; therefore, dear reader, “be thou strong, and very courageous.

Is someone rejoicing in is Spirit right now. Doubt is no small sin before God, keep it off your path by handing everything over afresh in the hand of God of victory.

As God to renew your faith today and give you a patient spirit to wait on Him.

May the God of Patience and encouragement visit today in Jesus Name (Rom 15:5). Be also assured that you are His project, He will never abandon you until the process is complete in Him. Praise the Lord.

Remain blessed in the Lord.

 

Is There A Difference?

By
Evang. Ifeoma Ohondu
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How wonderful, how glorious is thou loving kindness O lord 2x. // Ancient of days how old are You now, how old now, You will never change, 2x.

Heavenly Father, indeed Lord who can imagine how old You are today? But You changeth not (Num 23:19). Thank You for another breaking of the day and we say Thank You Lord. Gracious God, we Thank You for so many of Your goodness that comes with each day (Ex 33:19). Great are You Lord! Thank You Excellent Jehovah.

Beloveth, another Wednesday is here and I come with good news, “God Never Change.”

He never change, He never change, 2x, is a popular song and an encouraging one for that matter. When you remember that He never change, you are encourage to stand or do whatever He tells you to do.

God never change but His methods and approach changes. And that is where most of us miss it. You listen to a particular testimony and you key into it whole heartedly (no problem) but God is saying “Am not going to do it same way but You will have same result.” That is where the problem begins. We want God to do it our own way not the way it bring glory to His Name.

Your creation from the beginning is to give God glory and so are other works He has ordain for you. Will you patiently wait on Him to perfect all that concerneth You?

Another way of patiently waiting on God is simply to “spend time with Him, begin in His presence, mediating on His Word, worshipping Him, keeping Him at the center of our lives.

Beloved God want us be in union with Him through all that have been mention above. And that is what we are going to spend our day doing.

It doesn’t matter whether you are at work or at home, let you mind be focus on Him to lead you in all your activity today as you adore Him and hallow His Presence in all you do. (people around you will be amazed of what you are becoming).

Patient is one thing I did not have in my early days in relationship. So I hardly keep friends. I like to keep going, therefore, if you must be my friend, you must be up and doing and most importantly you must know your onion (know-all). In fact I don’t know how to wait for anybody and I don’t keep friends that slows me down. But to become what I am today, God had to slow me down, so that I can see and be all He has made me to be.

I can now identify with someone who is not hitting the nail at the head and be patient enough to guide such one to be better. That is the brain child of this ministry. “To help you overcome and be victorious in any area of your life by the help of God.”

But I also discover that most ignorant people don’t want to be guided. They prefer to make mistake, not to learn from it but to keep complaining and being bitter. I pray for someone reading this devotional today that you will not be found among those that are not teachable in Jesus Name.

Another danger in that type of life style is that they don’t easily appropriate the grace of God in their lives. They also find it very difficult to accept the finish work of Calvary. Praise God.

Is important I point out this out early in the course of teaching this subject “Patience” so that you will not misunderstand my teaching. We have agreed that one of components that will help you in the course to pursuing patience faithfully is “waiting”.

Now here this “waiting is not passive, it is very active spiritually. (I always suggest you get involve with things You like doing or will expose You to another world, it mean entail learning a new thing. Just to prevent you from getting bored and want to do things your own way).

While we wait, we need to aggressively expect God to do great things in us and in our lives. An intimate relationship with God will strengthen you in the innermost part of your being. It will strengthen your heart, it will carry you through the hard time in your life with a sense of peace and confidence that all is well, no matter what is happening. It will give you strength to endure tough situation in such a way that many of the people around you may not be able to detect even the slightest stress in your life

When you wait on God the way I describe, you draw everything you need from Him. He is your refuge, your enabler, your joy, your peace, your righteousness, and your hope. He give you everything you need to live in victory over any circumstances.

Considering our topic today, God is not a partial God. what He did to one of His children, He will still do for another. His resources are not limited neither will it be exhausted. What did for the children of Israelite in the days of Pharaoh, He will do for someone who is ready to obey Him and patiently wait for His appearing in that situation.

Don’t forget that while you are waiting on Him through prayers, asking Him for direction, He is working it out so that when He eventually release you back into your world you will be a “Wonder to be hold” If you are the one the Spirit of God is speaking to right now shout a big “Alleluia”.

Today, God will begin to put a notable difference between you and your stubborn pursuers. As Pharaoh fail and perish so will the Lord orchestrate their end. Remember also He is making your enemies to be under footstool.

Let read on:

“But against any of the children of Israel shall not a dog move his tongue, against man or beast: that ye may know how that the Lord doth put a difference between the Egyptians and Israel.” Exod. 11:7

What! has God power over the tongues of dogs? Can he keep curs from barking? Yes, it is even so. He can even prevent an Egyptian dog from worrying one of the lambs of Israel’s flock. Doth God silence dogs, and doggish ones among men, and the great dog at hell’s gate? Then let us move on our way without fear.

If He lets dogs move their tongues, yet He can stop their teeth. They may make a dreadful noise, and still do us no real harm. Yet, how sweet is quiet! How delightful to move about among enemies, and perceive that God maketh them to be at peace with us! Like Daniel in the den of lions, we are unhurt amid destroyers.

Oh, that today, this word of the Lord to Israel might be true to me! Does the dog worry me? I will tell my Lord about him. Lord, he does not care for my pleadings; do thou speak the word of power, and he must lie down. Give me peace, O my God, and let me see thy hand so distinctly in it that I may most clearly perceive the difference which thy grace has made between me and the ungodly!

And I add Amen! God promise is what we are going to read next, He promised to “be with you alway, (until tomorrow) God said, unto the end of the world”. Beloved, till your end and unto eternity, God will be with you. so read on:

“I am with you alway.” Matthew 28:20

It is well there is One who is ever the same, and who is ever with us. It is well there is one stable rock amidst the billows of the sea of life. O my soul, set not thine affections upon rusting, moth-eaten, decaying treasures, but set thine heart upon Him who abides for ever faithful to thee.

Build not thine house upon the moving quicksands of a deceitful world, but found thy hopes upon this rock, which, amid descending rain and roaring floods, shall stand immovably secure. My soul, I charge thee, lay up thy treasure in the only secure cabinet; store thy jewels where thou canst never lose them.

Put thine all in Christ; set all thine affections on His person, all thy hope in His merit, all thy trust in His efficacious blood, all thy joy in His presence, and so thou mayest laugh at loss, and defy destruction. Remember that all the flowers in the world’s garden fade by turns, and the day cometh when nothing will be left but the black, cold earth. Death’s black extinguisher must soon put out thy candle.

Oh! how sweet to have sunlight when the candle is gone! The dark flood must soon roll between thee and all thou hast; then wed thine heart to Him who will never leave thee; trust thyself with Him who will go with thee through the black and surging current of death’s stream, and who will land thee safely on the celestial shore, and make thee sit with Him in heavenly places for ever.

Go, sorrowing son of affliction, tell thy secrets to the Friend who sticketh closer than a brother. Trust all thy concerns with Him who never can be taken from thee, who will never leave thee, and who will never let thee leave Him, even “Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, and today, and for ever.” “Lo, I am with you alway,” is enough for my soul to live upon, let who will forsake me.

Beloved, are still struggling with the patient God wants You to instil in your life? Don’t build on a quicksands that will not carry through the storm but patiently wait on God, he will show you and take You through to dominate Your world.

You have been struggling before now why don’t you obey the voice that say I will make a way for you in the wilderness. For some of us  God creating a new thing, to some others He is bring them out from the dungeon and to some others God is working on their attitude while He keep them in the waiting room.

Do waste another opportunity in your haste rather hang on there and patiently wait for Him to complete the good work He has started in you.

Pray today, God put in me the Spirit that can only go when You say so and wait as long as You want me to wait. Enough of mess in live Lord! Help me I pray Thee in Jesus Name (Ps 72:12).

Remain blessed in the Lord.

Evang. Ifeoma Ohondu

 

One Of Our Problems With God Is That He Seems To Be On A Different Time Schedule

By
Evang. Ifeoma Ohondu
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0

Everlasting Father, everlasting Son, Immortal Holy Ghost be thou glorified, 2x.// Lord, You are so good, blessed be Thy Name 2x, In heaven You are the Lord, on earth, You reigneth forever, O Lord! I praise Your Name blessed be Thy Name.

Heavenly Lord we Thank You, we bless Your Holy Name, we adore You we glorified Your Holy Name. Thank You for all that You have made for our comfort and discipline, blessed be thou Holy Name forever and ever. Blessed Redeemer, help us this day to fear You and hallow Thy Holy Name, help us Lord to obey all You have commanded us to do. Take away from us complaining and murmuring we ask in Jesus Name.

Beloved, just we have mentioned in our pervious teaching, Patience in a nutshell is “waiting.” They go hand and in hand. When you are characterized by patience, you are willing to wait on the Lord for His timing, you are willing to wait for other people whose personalities annoy you. And you are willing to wait for God’s answer when you are experiencing difficulties.

God compares His people to eagle.” But those who wait for the Lord shall change and renew their strength and power, they shall lift their wings and mount up as eagle, they shall run and be weary, they shall walk and not faint or become tired” Isa 40 :31.

 I believe God chose to like us like eagle to motivate us to rise to our potential in life and to encourage us to wait on Him and find our strength in Him.

Isaiah promises that when we wait on God and spend time with Him, becoming more like He is, we will renew our strength. That little prefix re means “to go back again, to be made new, to go back to the beginning of something.”

When we wait on God, our strength is made new again; we can fly as eagles do, over the storm of life, we can walk and run and not faint. We can approach situation in which we have grown weary with fresh energy and passion. We are encourage, energized, and less likely to want to give up when success eludes us.

Beloved, one reason eagle symbolize strength is that they know how to make their strength work for them. They don’t expand their energy needlessly. Just as the great bird know how to allow the thermal currents of the physical world to carry them, “eagle Christians” understand the currents of the Holy Spirit. They perceive the moving of the Spirit and can flow through life easily, without strain, striving, and undue stress.

Beloved, this comes from waiting on God which enable them to go through life with strength, power and vitality.

The benefits embedded in waiting as often characterize in patience are to enormous to neglect or overlook else you see yourselves going against the current which is a certified death warrant.

Today’s teaching will further help our understanding while we must as a matter of fact apply patience if we are to dominate all the forces raising against us as tide.

Come along with me as we through:

One Of Our Problems With God Is That He Seems To Be On A Different Time Schedule

Living as we do in the fast-paced world of deadlines and a “Time is Money” paradigm, the idea of waiting around for God to do something comes off as impractical, mystical, and… well — Irritating. We can

identify with the guy who prayed for patience, “Lord, I want patience, and I want it now!!“

And yet… that is often what God expects us to do: Wait. We have to admit that His sense of timing often mystifies us:

  • He calls Abraham, promises him a great nation and then waits 25 years before allowing him to have his first son, Isaac. (See Genesis 12, 16).
  • He allows the Nation Israel to languish under Egypt’s heel for 430 years of slavery before calling Moses to their rescue. (See Exodus 12:40).
  • And when He finally does call Moses, He first has him out tending sheep for 40 years. (See Exodus 2, 3)

Certainly we can concur with God’s statement, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways, My ways… ” (Isaiah 55:8)

So let me ask you: Are you usually rushed? In a hurry? Driving toward a goal? Anxious about getting things done?

Could it be that from time to time you get out in front of God by pushing things your way… accomplishing your agenda on your time table?

Our Sovereign Father who knows the end from the beginning, promises to make “All things beautiful in His time.” (Ecclesiastes 3:11).

Everything God intends, will happen: “Surely, just as I have intended so it has happened, and just as I have planned, so it will stand.” (Isaiah 14:24)

Perhaps we need to be reminded that the Scriptures usually equate rushing with sinning:

“It is not good for a person to be without knowledge, and he who makes haste with his feet errs.” (Proverbs 19:2)

So take heart dear friend in Christ. Rest in the Psalmist’s admonition to “Let go, relax, and know that I am God.” (Psalm 46:10)

Our loving Father is profoundly interested in every detail of your life. He will see you through to the end… if you will let Him do it His way and on His timetable.

Did you just finish reading the first message? When God is saying be patient before me He knows what  He saying as you were just reminded in Isa 14:24. Beloved, will discover more benefits in obeying God’s injunction in the next message, come on let go:

The Lord shut him in.” Genesis 7:16

Noah was shut in away from all the world by the hand of divine love. The door of electing purpose interposes between us and the world which lieth in the wicked one. We are not of the world even as our Lord Jesus was not of the world. Into the sin, the gaiety, the pursuits of the multitude we cannot enter; we cannot play in the streets of Vanity Fair with the children of darkness, for our heavenly Father has shut us in.

Noah was shut in with his God. “Come thou into the ark,” was the Lord’s invitation, by which He clearly showed that He Himself intended to dwell in the ark with His servant and his family. Thus all the chosen dwell in God and God in them. Happy people to be enclosed in the same circle which contains God in the Trinity of His persons, Father, Son, and Spirit.

 Let us never be inattentive to that gracious call, “Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee, and hide thyself as it were for a little moment until the indignation be overpast.”

Noah was so shut in that no evil could reach him. Floods did but lift him heavenward, and winds did but waft him on his way. Outside of the ark all was ruin, but inside all was rest and peace. Without Christ we perish, but in Christ Jesus there is perfect safety.

Noah was so shut in that he could not even desire to come out, and those who are in Christ Jesus are in Him for ever. They shall go no more out for ever, for eternal faithfulness has shut them in, and infernal malice cannot drag them out.

The Prince of the house of David shutteth and no man openeth; and when once in the last days as Master of the house He shall rise up and shut the door, it will be in vain for mere professors to knock, and cry Lord, Lord open unto us, for that same door which shuts in the wise virgins will shut out the foolish for ever. Lord, shut me in by Thy grace.

Am hearing a lot of sigh as sign of relief. Beloved, faithful is our God, He can never fail you but you must wait for Him, for He is the One with the time table not you. Hastening as you just read was likened to sinning.

Therefore, let us wait on the Lord for renewal of strength to attain greater height. Praise the Name of the Lord! Alleluia.

Patient beloved, be patient.

Remain blessed in the Lord.

 

“The evening and the morning…”

By
Evang. Ifeoma Ohondu
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Excellent Jehovah, Wonderful Jehovah, there is no one greater than Jehovah love Divine.// You are a mighty God, the Great I AM, alleluia, alueluia 2x.

Father, we declare that we love Thee, we declare an everlasting love for You. Thank You for the blessings of the day You have planned for us. Thank You for upholding us and helping us to be all You have made us to be. Thank You Lord.

Beloved, today is the day, amen, the day of the Lord, Amen! Are you rejoicing in God’s presence? I am rejoicing that Jesus conquered the world. Thank God for His Faithfulness never end. In God there is fullness of joy.

Are you willing to dominate all that is hitherto dominating with the patience exhibited in Jesus Christ? Being patience in face of a trouble situation takes only the grace of God. When God is saying “Patience’, what is He actually saying to you?

I want to believe that the answer to the question above is that God is saying “wait” beloved do you know that sitting is resting? Put in another way, waiting can be sitting and sitting involves resting.

Let read Eph 2:4-6 “… and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places, in Christ Jesus.”

The above passage suggest that you and I are seated in the heavenly places with Christ Jesus. This statement was made after Christ resurrected from the dead and His ascension into heaven. Jesus is seated at the right hand of His Father. Do you know what people do when they sit? They rest. Therefore, to be seated in the heavenly places with Jesus is to enter to “inner rest.” While Jesus is waiting for His Father to make His enemies to be made a footstool for His feet.

Beloved, we rest while we wait on God. Isa 40:31 teaches us that waiting on God is expecting, looking for and hoping in Him. It is spending time with Him in the Word and in His presence. We don’t worry while we wait on God. We don’t get frustrated while we wait on God. We don’t get upset while we wait on God. We rest.

Therefore, going forward, each time you get nervous and upset, anxious or worried, you just need to tell yourself, “sit down” that does not mean just your physical body, it also means your soul-your mind, will and emotion. It is important to let our entire being rest.

Beloved in the last book of the bible, you know who wins the war, so if you are struggling, take a seat and rest. The promise of God’s peace is not made to those who work and struggle in their own strength but to those who sit and rest in Christ Jesus- and stay in their spiritual seat instead of jumping up every few minutes and getting out of rest.

Beloved, to be patient is to wait on God. Our job is to enter into the rest of God and I believe that while you are resting, God is working (Heb 4:10-11).

You may not like where you are presently, but God has a divine purpose for everything that comes your way. All you need do is to patiently wait on Him and see Him work out your salvation as He has promised. Let go into the day’s teaching:

 

“The evening and the morning were the first day.” Genesis 1:5

 

Was it so even in the beginning? Did light and darkness divide the realm of time in the first day? Then little wonder is it if I have also changes in my circumstances from the sunshine of prosperity to the midnight of adversity. It will not always be the blaze of noon even in my soul concerns, I must expect at seasons to mourn the absence of my former joys, and seek my Beloved in the night.

Nor am I alone in this, for all the Lord’s beloved ones have had to sing the mingled song of judgment and of mercy, of trial and deliverance, of mourning and of delight. It is one of the arrangements of Divine providence that day and night shall not cease either in the spiritual or natural creation till we reach the land of which it is written, “there is no night there.” What our heavenly Father ordains is wise and good.

What, then, my soul, is it best for thee to do? Learn first to be content with this divine order, and be willing, with Job, to receive evil from the hand of the Lord as well as good. Study next, to make the outgoings of the morning and the evening to rejoice. Praise the Lord for the sun of joy when it rises, and for the gloom of evening as it falls. There is beauty both in sunrise and sunset, sing of it, and glorify the Lord. Like the nightingale, pour forth thy notes at all hours.

Believe that the night is as useful as the day. The dews of grace fall heavily in the night of sorrow. The stars of promise shine forth gloriously amid the darkness of grief. Continue thy service under all changes. If in the day thy watchword be labour, at night exchange it for watch.

Every hour has its duty, do thou continue in thy calling as the Lord’s servant until He shall suddenly appear in His glory. My soul, thine evening of old age and death is drawing near, dread it not, for it is part of the day; and the Lord has said, “I will cover him all the day long.”

He will not allow any evil to befall you while you are waiting. He will watch over you to protect you from all the assaults of the devil. As you obey the voice of the Lord to patiently wait on Him. He will make your wilderness like Eden.

“He will make her wilderness like Eden.” Isaiah 51:3

Methinks, I see in vision a howling wilderness, a great and terrible desert, like to the Sahara. I perceive nothing in it to relieve the eye, all around I am wearied with a vision of hot and arid sand, strewn with ten thousand bleaching skeletons of wretched men who have expired in anguish, having lost their way in the pitiless waste.

What an appalling sight! How horrible! a sea of sand without a bound, and without an oasis, a cheerless graveyard for a race forlorn! But behold and wonder! Upon a sudden, upspringing from the scorching sand I see a plant of renown; and as it grows it buds, the bud expands—it is a rose, and at its side a lily bows its modest head; and, miracle of miracles!

As the fragrance of those flowers is diffused the wilderness is transformed into a fruitful field, and all around it blossoms exceedingly, the glory of Lebanon is given unto it, the excellency of Carmel and Sharon. Call it not Sahara, call it Paradise. Speak not of it any longer as the valley of deathshade, for where the skeletons lay bleaching in the sun, behold a resurrection is proclaimed, and up spring the dead, a mighty army, full of life immortal.

Jesus is that plant of renown, and His presence makes all things new. Nor is the wonder less in each individual’s salvation. Yonder I behold you, dear reader, cast out, an infant, unswathed, unwashed, defiled with your own blood, left to be food for beasts of prey. But lo, a jewel has been thrown into your bosom by a divine hand, and for its sake you have been pitied and tended by divine providence, you are washed and cleansed from your defilement, you are adopted into heaven’s family, the fair seal of love is upon your forehead, and the ring of faithfulness is on your hand—you are now a prince unto God, though once an orphan, cast away.

O prize exceedingly the matchless power and grace which changes deserts into gardens, and makes the barren heart to sing for joy.

Beloved, do you believe what you have just read? In whatever wilderness of life you found yourself today, be hopeful, The Lord will turn your wilderness to Eden. Remember again that while you are resting, God is working. Therefore wait until He make your enemies to be under your footstool.

Beloved, do not worry, God will yet announce you but that will be after He has fought and won the battle for you. Will you be Patient as He is instructing you to be?

This week is declared blessed. Go and be fruitful. Arise and shine for the Lord Your God is making you a masterpiece only patiently wait on Him.

Remain blessed in the Lord.

 

As The Life — So the Fruit

By
Evang. Ifeoma Ohondu
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June 3

Everlasting Father, Everlasting Son Immortal Holy Ghost be Thou glorified 2x// Lord You are so good, blessed be Thy Name, in heaven You the Lord, on earth You reigneth forever, O Lord I praise Your Name, blessed be Thy Name.

Blessed be Thy Name O Lord! Who on earth is like unto Thee. How wonderful, how precious You are Father. Thank You for watching over us all through the week and bring us to this blessed day You have made and said we should rejoice and be glad in it.

Beloveth, how are doing? Great, I supposed. Thank be to God. Our super Friday is here and I believse you know what today entails for us- “Practical Christian Living”

Today’s teaching is a very exciting one, “As the life—so the fruit.” This month theme I tell you should form every Christian foundation. Where patience is lacking, a lot of things will be a mess. You will not showcase Christ of whom you are His ambassador very well.

That is why there were so much emphases from Christ, Paul, Peter and James. Are you a born-again child of God? Your life must be a mirror for others to see Christ. (Matt 5:43-48; Phil 2:27a, 2 Cor 2:15, 1Pet 1:14-16, 19; Jas 1:2-4).

Beloved, I learnt earlier in my walk with God that my life might the only bible someone who is desiring to follow Christ might read, I therefore daily make a conscious effort to live right. It is not easy but for Christ sake, yes you have to. Am not perfect, but I strive towards perfection. I miss it sometimes, I repent and apologize if it involves a third person. Hard work I tell, but the Holy Spirit is always there to help if you keep Him in-charge.

Are willing to hand over the Holy Spirit from today to manage your affairs? To position you as a ‘Good Ambassador’ of Christ? Come with me as He is the only counselor that is right all the time, let’s follow Him:

“For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” 2Peter 1:8

If we desire to glorify our Lord by fruitfulness we must have certain things within us; for nothing can come out of us which is not first of all within us. We must begin with faith, which is the groundwork of all the virtues; and then diligently add to it virtue, knowledge, temperance, and patience. With these we must have godliness and brotherly love.

All these put together will most assuredly cause us to produce, as our life fruit, the clusters of usefulness, and we shall not be mere idle knowers, but real doers of the Word. These holy things must not only be in us, but abound, or we shall be barren. Fruit is the overflow of life, and we must be full before we can flow over.

We have noticed men of considerable parts and opportunities who have never succeeded in doing real good in the conversion of souls; and after close observation we have concluded that they lacked certain graces which are absolutely essential to fruit-bearing.

 For real usefulness, graces are better than gifts. As the man is, so is his work. If we would do better we must be better. Let the text be a gentle hint to unfruitful professors, and to myself also.

When You are abound in fruit bearing such we are considering this month, You will never lose hope. You will be hopeful and full of life. remember it is then and then alone You will bear fruits, Your live will be exemplary for others to emulate, look up to and You will disciple others for Christ. Praise God!

On Not Loosing Hope

“The tragedy of man is not that he dies, but what dies within him while he still lives.” – Albert Schweitzer

Some years ago, the wife of a close friend walked out on the marriage, leaving the husband with their four children, all under 10 years of age. When this catastrophe struck, he had just completed his Ph.D., and was embarking upon a promising teaching career at a prestigious university. Desperate now for help in raising his children, he found it necessary to relinquish his position and return to the city of his parents to enlist their assistance.

Early one morning before driving his U-Haul truck of household goods the 1400 miles north, he stopped by to say good-bye. It was painfully obvious that he was deeply crushed by the desertion of his wife, and the uncertain future awaiting him. So we talked, wept, and prayed… and finally bid farewell.

And as he climbed into the cab of the truck with his four small children he looked down, eked out a smile, and said, “Well Dwight, I still have HOPE.” As his vehicle disappeared from sight I was reminded of the words penned by St. Paul:

“We… rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, HOPE. And HOPE does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.” (Romans 2:2b-5)

Today, eight years later, my friend and his clan are doing beautifully. The children give every evidence of maturing spiritually and socially into responsible adults. Recently he was appointed the head of his department in a respected institution of higher learning.

With the sparkle back in his eyes, it is apparent that he is experiencing God’s promise that “HOPE does not disappoint us… “

So what do you do when the bottom falls out of your life?

  • Allow that which lies within you to die while you are still alive? Or
  • Choose to place your HOPE in the character and promises of God?

“Why are you downcast, O my soul?… Put your HOPE in God, for I will yet praise Him, my Savior and my God… ‘For I know the plans I have for you… plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you HOPE and a future.'” (Psalm 43:5; Jeremiah 29:11) (Adapted from FOTM).

Beloved, patience involves a lot of waiting, grooming, and hoping, are you willing to allow God to do just that in your life, or you run your race and invite God to bless your endeavours. Either way, there is way pleasing to man but the end thereof is death but the gift of God is eternal life.

Which way do you rather go? Patience worketh out perfection that is in Christ Jesus. Aim at it dearly beloved. Your dominion is assured but you must allow the Holy Spirit to do the required pruning. See you next week by God’s grace and remain ever blessed.

Remain blessed in the Lord.

Evang. Ifeoma Ohondu

 

Holy Foresight

By
Evang. Ifeoma Ohondu
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When Jesus says yes, nobody can say no 2x, when Jesus open the door, nobody can close it. When Jesus says yes, nobody can close it, up up up Jesus, down down down satan 2x// You are worthy O Lord (You are worthy) You are worthy O Lord!

Yes Father You are worthy of our praise, You are worthy to be glorify, blessed be thy Holy Name forever and ever, You created the world and all that within it should praise Your Holy Name. Thank You for the gift of a new month, blessed be Thy Holy Name. Amen!

Beloved, hope you had a nice time in His presence yesterday? Brilliant someone echoed, am hearing Whoop! From someone else, that splendid! Praise God.

Beloveth, our Father has been so good to us, He has done great things too numerous to mention. He gave us life, good health, we can move all parts of our body without help, we eat anything we desire without restraints from doctors, we can excrete without aid, my beautiful sister, my handsome brother, clap your hands to the God Almighty Who did not allow any of the diseases He put upon the Egyptians in your life.

Yesterday, we were reminded that we serve a God who healeth all our diseases, no matter what name is called, even those without name, beloveth, our Jesus heals them without trace again. He is the Great Physicians and I believe whatever be your case He is able to handle it. Praise the Lord. Beloved, lay it at His feet, you will be amazed of what become of it.

By the grace of God, this month, we will be considering “Patience” as a vital virtue (tool) in having dominion in life. Can you remember anybody in the bible that lack this virtue and the consequence thereof?

Just to help you, do you remember King Saul? What happened to him? Can you remember why his kingdom was taken away from him? To help you further please read First Sam 13:8-14.

Beloved, we need patience to walk with God. Our timing is not His, that one thing you must know and hold on very tight to also. What can make a king like Saul to be weary of waiting for the priest and prophet Samuel that anointed him a king? What was lacking in him?

Many of us are where we are today because of lack of patience. We think we can go ahead of God and be successful. It therefore means that there other things needed for “patience” to be fully express in the life of an individual. Those things by the grace of God we will also bring on board to help you and I to be thoroughly equip and by no means be ashamed of our calling.

Patience helps a man to look ahead despite all He may be going through. Patience helps a man to trust God in all situation that it will finally turn to His favour. A man who has imbibe this virtue has no problem with either waiting or preserving in what he is doing till the desire result is seen or achieve.

As we are going to see in our teaching today, be all ears and do not let your sight fail you either, come let us go:

“Nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of Heaven.” Matt. 26:64

Ah, Lord, thou wast in thy lowest state when before thy persecutors thou wast made to stand like a criminal! Yet the eyes of thy faith could see beyond thy present humiliation into thy future glory. What words are these, “Nevertheless — hereafter”! I would imitate thy holy foresight, and in the midst of poverty, or sickness, or slander, I also would say, “Nevertheless — hereafter.” Instead of weakness, thou hast all power; instead of shame, all glory; instead of derision, all worship. Thy cross has not dimmed the splendor of thy crown, neither has the spittle marred the beauty of thy face. Say, rather, thou art the more exalted and honored because of thy sufferings.

So, Lord, I also would take courage from the “hereafter.” I would forget the present tribulation in the future triumph. Help thou me by directing me into thy Father’s love and into thine own patience, so that when I am derided for thy name I may not be staggered, but think more and more of the hereafter, and, therefore, all the less of today. I shall be with thee soon and behold thy glory. Wherefore, I am not ashamed, but say in my inmost soul, “Nevertheless — hereafter.”

Be patience to see all of these happen in your life, beloved. Never give up, I tell you, continue trusting God, never faint. Beloved, do you want to continue in the faith? Perseverance is must to add to your patience in order to make it happen, let’s find out more:

“Continue in the faith.” Acts 14:22

Perseverance is the badge of true saints. The Christian life is not a beginning only in the ways of God, but also a continuance in the same as long as life lasts. It is with a Christian as it was with the great Napoleon: he said, “Conquest has made me what I am, and conquest must maintain me.” So, under God, dear brother in the Lord, conquest has made you what you are, and conquest must sustain you. Your motto must be, “Excelsior.”

He only is a true conqueror, and shall be crowned at the last, who continueth till war’s trumpet is blown no more. Perseverance is, therefore, the target of all our spiritual enemies. The world does not object to your being a Christian for a time, if she can but tempt you to cease your pilgrimage, and settle down to buy and sell with her in Vanity Fair.

The flesh will seek to ensnare you, and to prevent your pressing on to glory. “It is weary work being a pilgrim; come, give it up. Am I always to be mortified? Am I never to be indulged? Give me at least a furlough from this constant warfare.”

Satan will make many a fierce attack on your perseverance; it will be the mark for all his arrows. He will strive to hinder you in service: he will insinuate that you are doing no good; and that you want rest. He will endeavour to make you weary of suffering, he will whisper, “Curse God, and die.” Or he will attack your steadfastness: “What is the good of being so zealous? Be quiet like the rest; sleep as do others, and let your lamp go out as the other virgins do.”

Or he will assail your doctrinal sentiments: “Why do you hold to these denominational creeds? Sensible men are getting more liberal; they are removing the old landmarks: fall in with the times.”

Wear your shield, Christian, therefore, close upon your armour, and cry mightily unto God, that by His Spirit you may endure to the end.

Hello beloved, are you still here with us? Why is she talking about “perseverance” I thought we are considering ‘Patience”. Both has thin line differentiating them. Don’t forget I told you that there other things needed to get patience to be fully expressed in our life. Considering the passage you just read, if your “perseverance” is attacked by satan, what do you think will happen to the “patience” you are trying to exhibit?

Without perseverance your hope will expire, without perseverance you cannot patiently hold on as in case of wise virgin who persevered and went extra mile for extra oil. Glory be to God. We must acquaint ourselves with this virtue else will not get to the end of our journey.

Back to the reference verse for the theme of the month, Heb 12:1-3 – read it over and over again and hold on to it. Keep your eyes on Jesus. Jesus endured the cross, disregarding its shame for the joy that awaits Him thereafter. Are you willing to do the same? Then patiently run the race that are set before you and hereafter you will rejoice (1 Cor 15:57-58).

Remain blessed in the Lord.

 

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