Oluwafemi .The Word of God is a light to my Path.

“The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace.”  (Romans 8:6, NIV84) The battle for control of our lives is won or lost in our head.  Whoever controls our mind ultimately controls us  and  our behavior.  The Apostle John tells us that the whole world is under the sway of the evil one.  Therefore, it is all important that we make sure the Holy Spirit is in control of our thinking and attitudes. Think for a moment of your mind as a compass needle.  It can point in four main directions: CHRIST being north, WORLD being west, SELF being south, and MAN being east.  We always want our needle pointing north!  We must make a decision to keep moving in that direction.  It will require discipline to focus on the “things above” and to keep our lives hidden in Christ.  If we allow our compass to point to the WORLD, SELF, or MAN, we will get lost and fail to carry out the work that God has for us.  We are told that the mind controlled by the Spirit is

"Jesus looked at them and said, 'With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." (Matthew 19:26) You Are A Champion! Conquerors don't give up when they lose ground. They march forward with confidence knowing that they will claim victory. It should be the same with us in our daily lives. The Bible says you don't have to worry—you are an overcomer in Christ! When worry comes against us, we can choose not to dwell on those negative thoughts. Like changing TV channels, you can change the channel in your mind from thoughts of defeat to thoughts of victory. Instead of dreading what could go wrong, meditate on God’s promises. Declare His word, “I am more than a conqueror in Christ Jesus.” The Holy Spirit lives in you and is fighting your spiritual battles for you. As soon as you pray, the tide of the battle begins to turn! That's why the Scriptures say over and over again that you can overcome anything. You can claim victory thr

“Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him, and he will act.”  (Psalm 37:5, ESV) This is an incredible statement of fact and promise.  When you get up in the morning, do you ever think to commit your day, your way, and even your life to the Lord?  The Bible tells us this is the thing to do! Let’s take hold of this promise and actually see it work out in our lives.  This verse assures us that if we do commit our endeavors to God, trusting in him by an act of faith, he  will  act!  A sense of expectation for seeing the hand of God working in our lives will begin to permeate our days, bringing an excitement to all that we pursue. When we experience times when God feels distant, it is on our side of the equation.  The problem is not with God, but with us.  We need to keep moving in his direction until our lives are brought into alignment with his will.  Remember, we are a part of a much bigger story, his story.  Part of committing your way to God must involve daily studying God’s Word

"And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God's love..." (Romans 8:38) Nothing Can Separate You from God's Love No matter how many weaknesses you think you have, you are very special to God! You are beautifully, wonderfully and uniquely made, and you need to celebrate His handiwork in you! Too many times, people compare their lives to others rather than looking to God's promises and celebrating what God has given them. Worrying about your weaknesses will distract you and keep you from fulfilling your destiny. Don’t waste your time looking back, reliving what you did. You may be saying, "You just don't know how I've lived. You mean to say I'm not supposed to feel guilty and condemned? That I don't need to pay God back for all my mistakes by going around feeling bad about myself?" Yes, that is exactly right! Jesus came so you can be forgiven and have an abundant life. So begin seeing yourself today as God se

“For here we do not have an enduring city, but we are looking for the city that is to come.”  (Hebrews 13:14) “For our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ.”  (Philippians 3:20) If you feel unsettled at times and wonder just where you fit into this world, this may be God’s way of telling you not to become too comfortable down here.  This unsettledness comes because we know that this world, in its present form, is passing away!  We also know that the man who does the will of God will live forever.  The brevity of this life sends us a message–don’t fall in love with this world because we are just passing through. I love the fact that our citizenship is in heaven! Our hearts should be set on pilgrimage. We are strangers in an alien world.  We do not have an enduring city.  The more we see of this dysfunctional world, the more we need to seek the world to come.  Our citizenship may be in heaven, but in the meantime, we are ambassado

"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning." (James 1:17) Emphasize The Positive God is the provider of every good and perfect gift. Although you may have some obstacles in your path right now, thank the Lord for the strength He gives you to overcome them. Thank God continually for all of the gifts He showers on you, both big and small. If you wrote down all your blessings, you would fill up every piece of paper that you own, and then some! Instead of focusing on the parts of your life that are not going as planned, choose to focus on the good things that God has put in your life. Remember, God can take what is broken and make it whole again. A Prayer for Today "God, help me to keep my focus on the many blessings you shower into my life every day. Thank You for giving me every good and perfect gift! In Jesus' Name - Amen."

"...Give them bouquets of roses instead of ashes..." (Isaiah 61:3) Beauty For Ashes Ashes represent what's left over when everything is burned up. These ashes represent your broken dreams, your disappointments, your hurts and your pains. We all have our share of ashes. God wants to give you beauty for ashes, but an exchange must occur. You can't hold on to your ashes and receive something beautiful. You have to lay aside the ashes and accept the bouquets of roses God has for you. If you’re going to see the beauty, you have to shake off the ashes of self-pity. You have to shake off the discouragement. We all have wounds, but He wants you to be the victor, not the victim! Make a decision to let go of the ashes of the past and grasp the "roses" God has for you. A Prayer for Today "God, thank You for promising to sweep away the ashes of my past and give me something beautiful in their place. I choose to give them up to You and

“Wake up sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”  (Ephesians 5:14) “Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” ( Matthew 5:16) When we are consumed by the Word of God, Jesus Christ shines upon us and through us. Focusing on Jesus gives clarity and meaning to our lives.  For this reason, we must get to know him better every day.  He is the one who gives direction on how best to use our time, talent, and treasure in his world.  He is the one who gives us lasting purpose for our lives. Great things happen when God’s favor shines on us.  If we believe in God, and that he is the rewarder of those who diligently seek him, then we will be spending time in his Word, listening to his voice.  This allows us to become partakers in the service of Jesus Christ!  And as we serve, his light shines on and through us. We have the opportunity to become radiant Christians.  Jesus is waiting to shine forth in us!  And wh

“Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who acts on behalf of those who wait for him. You come to the help of those who gladly do right, who remember your ways.”  (Isaiah 64:4–5) In these verses, we see an example of the soak, sow, and flow principle. Isaiah  reaped  from the Spirit a  response  in direct correlation to his  relationship  with God.  This gives us insight into how God moves and works in the life of the believer who has a heart that is hungering and thirsting for his presence!  When we spend time with God, we will experience the power that flows from the Holy Spirit.  It is the Holy Spirit who enables us to perform the activities that God has planned for us! It is the Holy Spirit who reveals to us what God wants us to do.  It is the Holy Spirit who opens the doors of opportunity that enable us to accomplish the works God has set for us to do.  It is the Holy Spirit who makes us into instruments that God can u

Lord God, thank you for loving me and calling me to be your child. Teach me to obey your commands so that I may live in union with you and in a way that demonstrates true love in action. Amen.

PRA Y Holy Spirit, make me ever mindful of the promises of Christ. Teach me the ways to live in union with Christ, to obey his teachings, and do what is right. In the name of Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen.

                  “‘Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.’”  (Jeremiah 33:3) This passage is impossible to read without wanting it to be true!  For me, personally, this is a “button pusher.” It indicates that God wants to be an integral part of our lives. Not only does God reveal his will to us by his Spirit, but he also shows us other great and mighty things.  These can include his counsel, guidance, blessing, or opportunities in our professions or for ministry.  Nothing is beyond the sovereignty of the Creator of heaven and earth! Job, when he acknowledged the awesome acts of the God as the One who hangs the earth on nothing, who stirs up the sea in all of its power, and by his Spirit adorns the heavens, said that we have indeed only seen the mere edges of God’s ways!  This is also true of our  relationship  with the almighty God.  We have so much more to see and experience in the days ahead as we continue to learn more about

“The LORD was with Samuel as he grew up, and he let none of Samuel’s words fall to the ground.”  (1 Samuel 3:19) God works in the lives of those who are growing in him and doing what he has guided them to do.  God used Samuel in a mighty way because Samuel sought to accomplish God’s will among the people. God also used David because David was a man after God’s own heart.  There are countless examples in the Bible of people who did what God told them to do, and their work was blessed in a unique way. If we desire to grow in the Lord, and if we want to be effective in our Christian walk, we must be willing to  act upon the revealed will of God.  When God knows that we will follow his direction, we become fit to be used by him and are prepared for every good work that he has for us to do. The Bible is filled with stories of men and women who carefully followed God’s Word. It is important that we regularly spend time in God’s Word, soaking our hearts in it, sowing to the Spirit by rec

"Then God blessed them and said, "Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it..." Too Busy For Joy Are you missing out on the joys of life because you are too busy? God called you to be fruitful; He never called you to be busy. Don't get activity mixed up with productivity. Just because you are on the go and always doing things doesn't necessarily mean that you're fulfilling God's best plan for your life. All work and no play is not healthy. Ask the Lord to show you which areas need to be cut back and which areas need more focus. Ask Him to show you which relationships to let go of and which relationships to develop in your life. Stop allowing the unproductive areas of your life to consume all of your time, focus, and energy. As you make adjustments to bring balance to your schedule, you will have room for the activities and relationships that bring you joy and peace. A Prayer for Today "God, order my steps

"For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16) God Loves A Giver! One of the greatest challenges facing our society today is the tendency to live selfish lives. Society teaches us to look out for number one. But did you know that God created us to be givers of His selfless and compassionate love? John 3:16 tells us that God showed His love to us by giving His Son, and we also show our love to others by our giving. You can experience a new level of God's joy, blessing and favor in your life when you step out and develop a lifestyle of giving. Be a giver rather than a taker. You won’t have to look far before you find someone you can help. First Thessalonians 5:15 says, "See that no one pays back evil for evil, but always aim to show kindness and seek to do good to everybody." Follow the leading of the Holy Spirit to meet the needs of those around y

The Spirit shows what is true and will come and guide you into the full truth.  (John 16:13) Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.  (Galatians 5:25) After we ask Jesus Christ to come into our lives, it is not long before we realize that we cannot live for him in our own strength.  The flesh, or the natural man, is weak.  We need to be enlightened and empowered by God’s Holy Spirit, which he gives to us at the time of our conversion––a conversion from a life of sin to a life with Jesus Christ. From that moment on, God works continually inside of us to work out his will for our lives and to engage us in his plans for the world.  Jesus tells us we can do nothing of eternal significance apart from him.  And if we want Christ to be doing his work through us, it must be done by the power of the Holy Spirit. As we practice setting our minds on what the Spirit desires, soak our hearts in the Word of God, and then sow to the Spirit, we reap eternal bene

"In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly." (Psalm 5:3) Expect God's Best Our God is a God of "suddenlies!" Suddenly, He breaks an addiction. Suddenly, your health improves. Suddenly, you are given that promotion. When you keep your heart open, expectant and filled with faith, God goes to work. In the same way Jesus turned the five loaves of bread and two fish into lunch for 5,000 men (Matthew 14:17), God will take your faith in Him and turn it into the provision you need! The enemy's goal is to get you discouraged so you will give up and settle where you are. Don't be deceived! No matter how many disappointments you've encountered, God can turn things around for you in a split second of time! One touch of His favor can suddenly restore relationships! One touch of His goodness can solve that problem you're facing today! Just one touch from Almighty God can i

“Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.”  (Galatians 6:8)    As we look to God for direction, it is critical that we soak our hearts and minds in the Word of God and that, out of that discipline, comes a sowing to the Spirit.  When we are consistent in practicing soaking and sowing, the result will be a  flowing  of the Spirit in and through our lives.  In Romans 8:11, it is made clear that the Spirit of Christ imparts his life to our mortal bodies. As we sow to the Spirit, we reap eternal benefits from the Spirit.  In response to this I say, “Flow, Spirit, flow!”  I want my heart and my life to overflow with his presence and power so that I can be a more effective instrument for him in this world! This is one of the primary ways that kingdom attitudes begin to grow within us. Crisis by crisis, worry by worry, relationship by relationship, the Spirit of God, speaking to us