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

..."The Lord is with you, you mighty man of valor!" (Judges 6:12) What Can God Do Through You? Many people feel inadequate to do anything for God. But God doesn’t see you as inadequate. He sees you as complete, lacking nothing in Him! In the Scripture, Gideon was hiding out from his enemies. He was afraid and didn’t feel equipped to do what God called him to do. Gideon was focused on his circumstances and his limitations, but God was focused on what He could do through Gideon. Gideon felt weak; God saw him as strong. Gideon felt unqualified; God saw him as competent to do the job. Gideon felt insecure and full of fear; God saw him as fearless and full of boldness. Sure enough, when Gideon obeyed God, against all odds, he ended in victory! You may feel that you’re average. You may think you’re ordinary, but God sees you as a champion. He believes in you and regards you as a strong, courageous, successful, overcoming person. You may not see yourself that way, but tha...

Join the Adventure! “ I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. ” (Galatians 2:20) God has made provision for Christ to live his life in us as we allow him to overcome the desires of our flesh and overcome the lures of the world. Have you ever asked yourself why he has done this? God has made this provision so Christ can be formed in us. He wants to continue his ministry in this world through each person who has come to know him personally. This is the greatest adventure a person can experience. Christ can live his life through us to the extent God performs his Word in and through us as we are empowered by the Holy Spirit. Ask him to make his Word personally operative in your life every day. This is why the Kingdom of God thinker relishes practicing the principles of  Soak, Sow,  and  Flow  . Ask him to deliv...

"Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name." (Psalm 100:4) Enter with This What an amazing privilege we have to enter boldly into God’s presence. Scripture says that we can come to His throne of grace and receive His mercy. Because He loves us, He has given us unlimited access to Himself 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. But notice that today’s verse tells us that we shouldn’t just come any old way to God. We shouldn’t come empty-handed to the King of kings and the Lord of lords. What can we bring? What do we have that’s worthy of Almighty God? Our praise. Our thanksgiving. Our worship. We are to enter His gates with an offering from our hearts of adoration because He is worthy! Praise isn’t just about singing songs on Sunday mornings. Praise is the expression of gratefulness to Father God for Who He is and all that He has done. Praise gets God’s attention. Praise is a powerful tool ...

The Son Empowers Us to Cast Darkness Aside Memorize and Meditate “‘ So may all your enemies perish, Lord! But may all who love you be like the sun when it rises in its strength.’ Then the land had peace forty years. ” (Judges 5:31) Soak your Heart When we experience Christ—the Morning Star—rising in our heart, it feels like the sun when it rises in its full strength. The sun scatters the darkness. When the Son rises in our heart, he brings light to our innermost being and empowers us to cast the works of darkness aside. He brings an increasing desire to invest in the imperishable rather than just the perishable. He brings to light a new worldview with a focus on the life to come in the real world of eternity. Sow to the Spirit Pray: I pray, Father, that the Morning Star will rise in my heart, overcoming any desires that are contrary to your will and best plan for my life. The more I am crucified to my flesh and the lures of this world, the better advertisement I can be to the ...

"My times are in Your hand…" (Psalm 31:15) Trust His Timing One thing I’ve learned is that God doesn’t always work on our timetable. In fact, He rarely does. But in a single moment, God can change your life! All throughout Scripture, we see examples of how God was working behind the scenes and instantly turned things around for His people. Scripture tells us He is the same yesterday, today and forever, which means if He did it for them, He can instantly turn things around for you, too! You may be going through some difficulty today, but be encouraged because your times are in God’s hands. Trust that He has your best interest at heart. He wants to pour out His favor. He wants to take you further than you dreamed possible and work in your life in ways beyond what you have ever imagined. And while you’re waiting, don’t try to figure everything out. That’s only going to frustrate you. Let this truth sink down into your heart today. Resist discouragement by speaking H...

Kingdom Focus Whatever controls your mind—whether it’s God or money or something else—controls you. Once we begin to follow Christ seriously, all the targets change for us. We’re walking a new road, and therefore we look for different landmarks. And as we are changed by the Holy Spirit, our goals change too. The greatest target change of all, of course, is whom we live to please. In our human nature, we believe that life is all about self-help and self-emphasis; everything is me oriented. The choice to serve God and God alone means that we live to please him rather than ourselves. There’s no way to overstate how great a leap in perspective that is. Our flawed, sinful human nature keeps pointing us toward the self-driven life at every turn: “Look out for number one!” “You have to toot your own horn.” “You have to do what’s best for you.” But Christ beckons to us, saying, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me” (Luke...

Lord God, keep me in fellowship with you and teach me to do what is pleasing in your sight. Keep me from evil and from doing anything that is not in accord with your will. Amen.

The Fountain of Life Memorize and Meditate “ It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life. ” (John 6:63) We need Jesus Christ’s Word for life, for they are the way the Spirit of God works inside of us. His Word is living and powerful, and it works inside those who receive it as the Word of God and trust it to work in them. In fact, when it is humbly planted in one’s heart, the Word of God is able to save the soul. Soak your Heart No wonder the Word tells us to desire the “milk” of the Word as newborn babes so we can grow up in our salvation. Without food a baby cannot grow. Without the Word of God we cannot grow in the knowledge and grace of the Lord Jesus Christ. As we soak our heart in the Word of God, we grow from the increase that comes from God. Sow to the Spirit Let us acknowledge in our prayers that it is God’s Word that gives power for living the Christian life. Let us acknowledge that our flesh, ...

Eat’ the Word!   Memorize and Meditate “ Your words were found, and I ate them, and Your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart; for I am called by Your name, O Lord God of hosts. ” (Jeremiah 15:16) This verse says something very important about the Word of God: Jeremiah ate the Word. It became his heart’s delight. That means he thought about it all the time. He SOAKED his heart in it! Soak your Heart Jeremiah sets the example for us. David said God’s Word was more precious to him than thousands of pieces of gold and silver. Job said he treasured God’s Word more than his necessary food. These men thought about God’s Word – perhaps more than they thought about anything else. God’s Word gives life. It cleanses. It gives light so we can see things from God’s perspective. It is living and powerful. It works in those who receive it and believe it. Sow to the Spirit Pray and recite today’s verse to the Lord. Emulate Job and David by treasuring God’s Word, and realizing t...

You, Lord God, are my light. You dispel my darkness because you are the living Lord! Thank you for protecting me. You are my refuge and my place of safety. I will praise you and honor you all my days. Amen.

…your godly lives will speak to them without any words. They will be won over." (1 Peter 3:1) Win Them By Your Actions Oftentimes we try to “win” people over by telling them all about what we know or explain how they should act. We may have good intentions and really want to help people, but in reality, it’s our life of excellence and integrity that speaks to the hearts of others. In this particular Scripture, Peter is writing to women who received salvation after they were married and whose husbands were not yet believers, but the principle applies to every believer. The first thing people should notice about us is our love, patience, kindness, gentleness, strength and joy. People are going to know that we’re believers when we’re helping other people, meeting needs, and blessing people with our words and actions. We were created to make a difference in the lives of others through our love for them. True love is seen in our actions—giving our time, our money, an encouragi...

Soaking in the Word of God   “ But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. ” ( Luke 2:19 )  Can you imagine Mary’s reaction when the shepherds told her about the supernatural events they experienced when Jesus was born?  We learn an important lesson from Mary in this passage.  She treasured and pondered these things in her heart.  When we treasure things in our heart, they are special and we think of them often. They are the “go-to things” we reflect upon. These thoughts help us develop convictions that impact our behavior. In Kingdom of God, we believe in soaking our heart in the Word of God. The heart absorbs whatever it is soaking in, so a cursory reading of the Word of God is not enough. We must treasure its content and ponder what it is saying to us. Scripture is living and powerful; it impacts how we think, feel, and act. The supernatural exposure the shepherds experienced to the Word, as expressed by the heavenly...

…your godly lives will speak to them without any words. They will be won over." (1 Peter 3:1) Win Them By Your Actions Oftentimes we try to “win” people over by telling them all about what we know or explain how they should act. We may have good intentions and really want to help people, but in reality, it’s our life of excellence and integrity that speaks to the hearts of others. In this particular Scripture, Peter is writing to women who received salvation after they were married and whose husbands were not yet believers, but the principle applies to every believer. The first thing people should notice about us is our love, patience, kindness, gentleness, strength and joy. People are going to know that we’re believers when we’re helping other people, meeting needs, and blessing people with our words and actions. We were created to make a difference in the lives of others through our love for them. True love is seen in our actions—giving our time, our money, an encouragi...

An Insatiable Thirst for God’s Friendship and Favor  “ After removing Saul, he made David their king. God testified concerning him: ‘I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do.’ ” ( Acts 13:22  )  God is looking for people of character. If we could grasp the significance of how important this is to God, we could be candidates for fulfilling missions God has appointed to be done during the time we have on earth. David was such a man – a man after God’s heart. He had an insatiable thirst for relationship with God. He yearned for God’s friendship and favor. When he messed up, he confessed his sin. When He learned what God’s will was, he was prompt in seeing that it was done.  By the grace of God, we can determine to be a person after God’s heart. But good intentions are not enough. Someone said that the road to hell is paved with good intentions. God needs people who will execute and obey his will wholeh...

Jesus answered, "It is written…" (Matthew 4:4, NIV) Find Where It's Written Anytime you are facing adversity or trials, the first line of defense needs to be in your mind. If you allow fear to come in and take root in your thinking, it becomes a stronghold that affects every part of you. But when thoughts of fear come, you don’t have to “sign for the package,” so to speak. Instead of activating fear by meditating on it, believing it and speaking it, you can turn things around and activate faith. How do you activate faith? Hebrews tells us that the Word of God is living and active, sharper than a double-edged sword, and able to divide soul and spirit. When the enemy tried to tempt Jesus, He gave us the example of how to respond. He said, “It is written!” Instead of going through the day worried, thinking about how it’s not going to work out, start meditating on what God says. Activate faith by speaking the Word of God. Let it sink down inside of you and transform ...

Eternal Impact Author and theologian Frederick Buechner has said that God calls you to that place where your deep gladness meets the world’s deep need. This is how we’re wired. In the beginning, we discover that we have a God-shaped hole in our hearts—nothing fills it but him. Then, as we accept his lordship, we find a new empty place. This one is in the shape of the people he loves. It will be filled and galvanized by the mission he has given us. So we don’t pursue impact for the ordinary reasons of fame or impressing someone. We don’t pursue it out of sense of obligation. We’re chasing that deep gladness that comes when we address the needs God has set before us. Everywhere on earth, from mansions to slums, from deserts to cities, there are people suffering. They may be hungry; they may be sick; they simply may not have heard the saving truth about Jesus. These people are God’s children. If you’re a parent, think of how you feel about your kids. When they’re in pain, you’re ...

Worry weighs a person down; an encouraging word cheers a person up." (Proverbs 12:25) Let the Encouragement Flow When you see someone who is struggling, a coworker who is discouraged, a friend who is not up to par, how do you respond? Our words can be what keeps a person going; our compliments can put a spring back into their step. Now more than ever, we need to automatically let the encouragement flow. We need to tell others how much we love them, how we value them, and tell them that they are talented and creative. Always remember, with your words you carry life-giving water. You carry hope, healing, encouragement and new beginnings, and you can pour it out everywhere you go. Today, choose to speak encouragement. Choose to speak victory and faith into others' lives. Instead of telling people what they’re doing wrong, instead of pointing out all their faults, find what they are doing right. Focus on the good. There are already enough critical, judgmental people in th...

You Are God's Instrument  “ So Pharaoh said to Joseph, ‘I hereby put you in charge of the whole land of Egypt.’”  ( Genesis 41:41 )  What a life Joseph experienced! Favored by his earthly father; abandoned by his brothers, sold as a slave, falsely accused of assaulting the wife of his boss, thrown into prison, made second in command over Egypt, and finally, the savior of his family. All this happened by the time he was 30 years old! Through all of these experiences, Joseph maintained a proper attitude, trusting in the Lord. He never became bitter over the brutal treatment, abandonment, imprisonment, and false promises made to him.  God worked and broke the “impossible” circumstances that literally imprisoned Joseph. God favored Joseph.  As Christians who practice the principles of Kingdom of God, we, like Joseph, have been redeemed from every lawless deed so we can proclaim the praises of him who saved us. We are a special people who are zealous to...

It is written: "I believed; therefore I have spoken." Since we have that same spirit of faith, we also believe and therefore speak." (2 Corinthians 4:13) Believe and Declare I know a man who was believing to pay his house off. It was a standard thirty-year mortgage, and he had twenty-three years left. In the natural, there was no way he could do it. But he was bold enough to say, “Father, thank You that You are Jehovah Jireh; the Lord my provider. I know that my job is not my source. You are my source. It may look impossible, but I know You can do the impossible.” Several years later, he received an inheritance from a family member whom he had never met before. He didn’t even know they were related. He was able to not only pay his house off, but he paid a friend’s house off as well. What was that? Explosive blessings Friend, when you believe God, you position yourself for a miracle. When you obey His commands, you set yourself under the open windows of heaven....

Send Out the Light “ Send me your light and your faithful care, let them lead me; let them bring me to your holy mountain, to the place where you dwell. ” (Psalm 43:3) God empowers those he is using to accomplish his purposes in this world. As kingdom of God thinkers, we know that Christ is the light of the world, the source of life, and the fountain of life where we must spend time  soaking our hearts  in his presence. This investment of time is needed if we are going to be effective as fragile vessels of clay to carry the light of the gospel into this lost world. Our life, our confidence, and our sufficiency are sourced in Christ. All of the promises of God find their  yes  in Jesus Christ. Christ-empowered light can only shine through us as we allow and trust the power of the cross to suppress the self-life that is so eager to manifest itself. Today, ask yourself: Am I trusting in Christ to live his life through me instead of looking t...

Lord God Almighty, in you we find our strength. Like a fortress of protection, you surround us in your love. Draw me close to you so that I may abide in the safety of your care. Amen.

Focus on Jesus “He must become greater, I must become less.”  (John 3:30)   God sent his son, Jesus Christ, to pay the debt for our sin and reconcile us to him. Because of our relationship with God through Jesus, it is a new day when we fully embrace the fact that this life is not all about us, but about Jesus Christ! Once we make this discovery, and realize that our story is part of a much bigger story, his story, our whole worldview and the view we have of ourselves radically changes. We begin to learn to live not for ourselves, but for the One who loves us and died for us. We begin to live for  his  purposes. As we mature, we find that his purposes for us actually become our purposes. One of the measuring sticks we can use to evaluate whether or not Christ’s purposes have become our purposes is this question: “What is consuming my life?” Are you only concerned about matters regarding this temporary world, or do you have an eternal perspective? I like to think...

Almighty God, when conflicts arise in my life among friends or family members, teach me your ways of forgiveness and peace. Help me to be reconciled with anyone with whom I may be estranged. Amen.

Know God and His Ways “Teach me your ways so that I may know you and continue to find favor with you.”  (Exodus 33:13)   Make knowing God a top priority in life!  Moses yearned to know God and to know His ways.  In turn, God revealed himself to Moses.  Moses found that through this process, he experienced God’s presence and his favor.  Later, Moses was called to lead God’s people out of Egypt.  He knew that the Israelites would die in the wilderness without God’s favor, so Moses made it a priority to teach the people God’s ways.  As they lived for God, they too experienced his presence and favor. It was this very presence of God and his favor that set the Israelites apart from others. Things happen when God has priority in our life.  His favor opens doors, changes circumstances, causes blessing, gives protection, provides counsel, overcomes barriers, and gives strength, fortitude and hope.  He  is what we need in order to navig...