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

"Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me…" (Psalm 51:10) Christ Makes Everything New With the new year comes fresh starts, resolutions and new beginnings. It is a time for making plans, setting goals and writing visions. But the greatest "new start" of all comes through Jesus Christ. Second Corinthians 5:17 says, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a NEW creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new." If you need a new beginning this year in any area of your life, allow Christ to make you a new creation, and the old will pass away! He will put a new and right spirit within you when you call on His name! This year, make your relationship with Him your number one priority. When you put God first place and make it your highest priority to please Him, you can expect to live a blessed, fulfilled life. Scripture states, “God is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” Notice who God

The Newness of Life “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland. ” (Isaiah 43:18–19) God’s Word is wonderful, telling us continually that he is in the renewal business. It is exciting being a Christian because we anticipate that God will always do something new and exciting in our life. Our responsibility is to place ourselves in a position so God can work through us. How do we do this? First, we need to stop dwelling on the past. When we dwell on the past, it is like trying to drive a car always looking in the rear view mirror. There is nothing we can do about our past except to put aside the parts that pull us down, and to learn not to make the same mistakes in the future. God is always moving. He is in the creation business. He is in the renewal business.  “ For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works

"Now Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, "Oh that You would bless me indeed and enlarge my border, and that Your hand might be with me, and that You would keep me from harm that it may not pain me!" And God granted him what he requested..." (1 Chronicles 4:10) Enlarge Your Territory In 1 Chronicles 4, Jabez was a man that people said was supposed to have trouble and heartache and lived depressed and defeated, but he shook off the negative mentality. Despite how people labeled him, he had the boldness to ask big, that God would bless him and enlarge his territories. He was saying, “God, let me see abundance. Let me see more of Your favor.” And God blessed him indeed. Like Jabez, you may have plenty of reasons to settle where you are—what you didn’t get, what people said, how impossible it looks. The odds may be against you, but the good news is that God is for you. He wants your new year, your life and everything about you to be successful and wonde

How Wise! “ On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. ” (Matthew 2:11) The wise men were students of their age. They followed the star, found Jesus, bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts. Perhaps these were the first strategic kingdom investors in the church age. What an example for us to follow! As students of our age, our purpose or mission is to be  heavenly minded , but also  earthly sensitive . We know there is a world to come, the real world. Preparation must be made to enter that world if our life is to echo into eternity. The wise men first gave their hearts to the Lord by bowing down and worshiping him. The “star” in our life is Jesus Christ.  Once the Lord has our heart, he has everything else related to us. We seek to conduct ourselves in a manner worthy

Kind and loving God, in your mercy you have saved me and given me new birth and new life. By the power of your Holy Spirit, you have washed and cleansed me. By your grace I am put right with you through Jesus Christ my Savior and have been given the hope of eternal life. Amen.

Knowing God: More Valuable than Gold or Silver “ I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death ” (Philippians 3:10).  “ Submit to God and be at peace with him; in this way prosperity will come to you. Accept instruction from his mouth and lay up his words in your heart. If you return to the Almighty, you will be restored: If you remove wickedness far from your tent and assign your nuggets to the dust, your gold of Ophir to the rocks in the ravines, then the Almighty will be your gold, the choicest silver for you ” (Job 22:21–25).  Here it is in a nutshell: Knowing God through Christ is priority number one in the life of the Christian.  As we get to know God and store his Word in our heart, the Word of God will become personally operative in our life. Paul wanted to know Christ and the power of his resurrection above all.  Job realized that a relationship with God was more valuable tha

Capture the Vision “ For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. ” (Ephesians 2:10)  Have you noticed that when you meet someone new, the conversation often focuses on things you feel passionate about and what each person does for a living?  That’s similar to the way  Kingdom of God  works. We learn from Scripture that each of us is a work of God. “ He fashions their hearts individually; He considers all their works ” (Psalm 33:15). Isn’t it exciting to realize that God made you for a purpose?  As our relationship with God develops, he reveals more of himself and his plans for us. As we flow with the Holy Spirit, he empowers us to accomplish his purposes. Transformed  Kingdom of God  thinkers come to appreciate that we are living in a “perishing environment”; we have a limited period of time to prepare for entering the eternal world. Our natural desire to spend our time, talent, and treasure on the values

Holy God, my Lord and Savior, teach me to be an example of good behavior and to live a godly life in this world while awaiting the blessed Day when your glory will appear. Amen.

"...his favor lasts a lifetime..." (Psalm 30:5) You've Got It Success in this life isn’t necessarily about how popular, influential or educated someone is. Success is about living a life of excellence in obedience to God’s Word. When we step out to do what God has called us to do, Scripture says that His favor surrounds us like a shield. When we have His favor, we have everything. We have an advantage for success! God’s favor opens the right doors. His favor will bring good breaks. The favor of God will cause you to accomplish what you could not accomplish on your own. It gives you an edge. Now, if you’re going to see the gracious hand of God at work in your life, you can’t go through the day feeling intimidated, thinking that you’re average, comparing yourself to everyone else. No, you have to live like you have His favor, think like you have favor, talk like you have favor, walk like you have favor, dress like you have favor! Not arrogantly. Not in a way that

Son-Tanned Christian “ The same thing is true of the words I speak. They will not return to me empty. They make the things happen that I want to happen, and they succeed in doing what I send them to do. ”  (Isaiah 55:11) God wants to make things happen in our life. God wants his living and powerful Word to produce change in our attitude, thinking, feelings, and actions.  He wants to put to death the sin that lurks in our soul, so Christ can continue his ministry through us. He wants to use us to meet the spiritual, physical, and material needs of others. God does not want his Word to return to him empty—that is failing to accomplish the purpose for which it has been sent. One of the questions he will ask us when we meet him face to face is, “To what extent did you allow God’s Word to prosper in your life, and to accomplish the purpose for which it was sent?” As I reflect on this truth, I find it to be very sobering. We can tell when others have been spending time in the s

Do Not Be a Consumerlator “Demas has deserted me because he loves the things of this life and has gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, and Titus has gone to Dalmatia.” (2 Timothy 4:10) Demas deserted Paul because he loved the temporary perishing things of this life more than the eternal aspects of life promoted by the gospel. Being actively involved as a CONVERTERLATOR is one of the best protections against falling into the plight of Demas. This brings another new word to be aware of as we navigate our way through this world: CONSUMERLATOR. A CONSUMERLATOR is an agent or modality that is engaged in stealing, killing, and destroying our opportunities to CONVERTERLATE our perishable time, talents, and treasures into the imperishable values that will last for eternity. Demas was a CONSUMERLATOR because he was apparently unwilling to defer experiencing some temporary pleasures of this world in order to accumu

"...I will walk within my house with a perfect heart…" (Psalm 101:2) Perfect Toward Him This time of year, people often take time to reflect and set goals for the new year. But have you ever set “perfection” as a goal on your list? Now, that may seem a little strange or unobtainable to many, but really, in God’s eyes perfection isn’t about performance. In fact, it isn’t about behavior at all. What God is looking for is a heart that is perfect toward Him. Scripture says that man looks on the outside, but God looks at the heart. That means that He is more pleased with someone who has a heart toward Him who may mess up than He is with someone doing all the right things for all the wrong reasons. The condition of your heart is extremely important to God. When you have a right heart, you are humble before Him. You seek His ways. You get up each day with a desire to please Him. You submit every area of your life to Him, and you are willing to make adjustments and receive co

"For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder…" (Isaiah 9:6) Unto Us When Jesus came to the earth in human form, He brought with Him everything you need to be empowered to live a life of victory. He came as a little baby, but as the Son of God, He represented all authority in heaven and earth. When you choose to serve Him, you are no longer a part of the kingdom of the world. You become a part of His kingdom, and you have access to all His resources. You have access to His peace, power, authority, provision, joy and strength. He brought all this to us. Unto us victory is given. Unto us peace is given. Unto us provision is given. Unto us hope and healing are given. Unto us eternal life is given! Whatever you need today, remember, when Jesus came into the world, He made a way for every one of your needs to met spiritually, emotionally and physically. Take hold of His promises by faith, knowing that He has good plans

Experiencing God’s Favor   “ Those who find me find life and receive favor from the Lord. ” (Proverbs 8:35)  I find this verse highly motivating. This verse alone makes me want to know God; value his Word; practice the principles of SOAK, SOW, and FLOW; be transformed, and capture the vision God has for me. Psalm 36:9 is another major “Button Pusher” verse for me. The psalmist writes, “ For with you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light. ”  I want to experience the life the Holy Spirit can and will impart to me as I practice the principles of SOAK, SOW, and FLOW. I also want to place myself in a position, subject to God’s sovereignty, to experience his favor on my life. What a Spiritual M&M to munch on!  Ephesians 5:14 serves as a wake-up call: “ This is why it is said: ‘Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.’”  When Christ shines on our lives, things happen.   When we bring our lives in harmony with his will, God favors us

"Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests…" (Luke 2:13-14) With The Angels On the night Jesus was born, there were some shepherds out in the field. An angel appeared to them to tell them about Christ’s birth. Then suddenly, a host of angels appeared who were praising God. Scripture tells us that there are angels in heaven singing God’s praises day and night. Think about this: When you praise God, you are joining with the angels in heaven! What an awesome thought that we can be one with the heavenly hosts when we worship. As you celebrate Christmas Eve, take time to rejoice with the angels. Turn your thoughts toward Him because He is good and worthy of all our praise! A Prayer for Today "Father, what an awesome privilege it is to come before Your throne of grace and worship You. Thank You for sending Your son,

God’s Precious Investment “ I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called—his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance. ” (Ephesians 1:18)  As believers in Christ, we are God’s precious inheritance. He has purchased us with the precious blood of Christ, and looks forward to spending eternity with us.  “ But now you have been united with Christ Jesus. Once you were far away from God, but now you have been brought near to him through the blood of Christ. ” (Ephesians 2:13)  God has invested a lot in you and me. He has given us time, talent, and treasure in varying degrees. We will have to give an accounting for the use of these gifts; however, we should view our time in this world as the greatest opportunity to serve in advancing his kingdom.  He has given us the assurance of salvation: “ I tell you the truth, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have ete

"On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him gifts…" (Matthew 2:11) Choose The Right Gifts Can you imagine how the wise men felt as they first looked upon our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ? As part of their worship, they gave Him gifts. They gave valuable presents to symbolize the love, honor and appreciation in their hearts. In the same way, you show your love and appreciation to God with gifts of worship, and you can show your love and appreciate to others by the gifts you bring. As you celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ during this holiday season, don't just focus on the gifts you bring in the natural; focus on gifts of love, kindness and encouragement. Go out of your way to show honor to others just as the wise men went out of their way to show honor to Jesus. When you walk in love and peace, that is the place of blessing. A Prayer for Today &q

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 hosts, so impacted them

Lord God, there is nothing you cannot do. Prepare my heart to be open to receive your Word. Yes, Lord, I am your servant. Order my steps this day. Amen.

DNA Markers of a Strategic Kingdom Investor “ Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. ” (Romans 12:2)  The DNA markers of those who practice the concepts of  Kingdom of God  differ radically from those who abide by the “wisdom” promoted by the world system. Kingdom of God  thinkers focus their thoughts on the person of Jesus Christ.  Kingdom of God  thinkers understand that they have been given a “loaf of time” that is being shortened by a slice each day.  Kingdom of God  thinkers accept that they have been designed by God for a purpose to be fulfilled in the time they have left in this world.  Kingdom of God  thinkers view their 3 Ts—time, talent, and treasure—as items at risk of being consumed by perishable goals in this temporary world, leaving them with nothing in the world to come.  Kingdom of God  thinkers discov

Holy God, teach me to be obedient to your Word. I trust in your promises. Open my eyes to your daily blessings. Guide me this day in the way of your truth. Amen.

God’s Cell Phone #33:3  “ Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known. ” (Jeremiah 33:3)   “ I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. ” (John 14:18)  These are fantastic promises that God makes to us. As we call on him, he promises to answer us and to show us great and hidden things, particularly the secrets of the kingdom including his great plan of salvation for mankind. All of these things are a process of the Spirit of God’s revelation to us. Jesus himself says that he will come to us and not leave us as orphans. We are fortunate to know this truth. It gives us great comfort as we deal with the ever-changing environment of this world that is in the process of passing away. The Word of God becomes increasingly precious to us as we absorb its living and working power, transforming us more into the likeness of Christ in our outlook regarding this perishing world. As a  Kingdom Of God  thinker, we have se

"Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He will give you the desires and secret petitions of your heart…" (Psalm 37:4) Your Secret Petitions God knows the secret petitions of your heart. He knows every hidden dream He's placed within you. He knows the things that you haven't told anyone about. Maybe you thought they would never come to pass, or maybe you buried them because they didn't happen on your timetable. Maybe, in the natural, you have every reason to give up on those dreams. Be encouraged today—God is still working behind the scenes! He still has a plan to bring those dreams to pass. Do what today's verse says and delight yourself in Him. The word "delight" actually means "to make yourself soft and pliable." It paints the picture of God as the Potter and you as the clay. Allow God to mold and shape your character today. Allow Him to direct your plans and ideas. Keep an attitude of faith and expectancy, and as you submit your

The Power: Christ Formed In You “ Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. ” (Ephesians 5:18)  We have a choice to make. Who is going to control how we think, feel, and act? Christ or the old self?   We have seen that the Spirit of God gives us the power to walk in the newness of life since we are raised with Christ from the dead. We have seen how the Spirit works in the life of the believer to transform us from the inside out. “ So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. ” (Galatians 5:16)  If the Spirit controls us we will overcome the power of sin in our life. “ For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live. ” (Romans 8:13)  Both of these verses say we have the power of choice here. What will it be? It is up to us. As a child I was taken to an amusement park from time to time. Usually, we ride on

"God sets the solitary in families…" (Psalm 68:6) He Places The Solitary In Families Most everyone goes through times in life when they feel lonely or wonder where they belong. God designed family to always be a place of love and acceptance. Maybe you didn’t come from an environment like that, or maybe you’ve been away from your family. Maybe they are no longer around. God still desires to meet that need for family. The Scripture says that He is the Father to the fatherless, and He places the solitary in families. God wants to give you a circle of people whom you can trust and who will embrace and accept you. If you need family today, ask God to meet that need and show you where you belong. Or maybe, you are the one who can open your home and heart to someone who is alone. The point is that God loves family. He designed family for a purpose. Jesus said in Matthew 12 that those who do God’s will are His family. When you are part of the family of God, you are never alo