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

“...Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.” (Ephesians 5:15–16) Be “On Purpose” Time is one of the most valuable commodities we have. It’s more valuable than money. You can make more money, but you can’t make more time. To “redeem the time” means don’t waste it. We have a responsibility to use our time wisely. Paul said in effect that if you’re going to reach your highest potential, you have to be an “on purpose” person and invest your life in what’s best for you. You know where you’re going. You’re not vague, distracted, waiting to see what happens. You’re focused. You’re making the most of each opportunity. God has given you a present. It’s called “today.” Are you living it to the full? With purpose and passion? Pursuing your dreams? Or are you distracted? Indifferent? Just doing whatever comes along? Make this decision that you’re going to redeem the time. Get focused. Get organized. Set your go...

Do You Serve God or the Things of This World? “… for Demas, because he loved this world, has deserted me and has gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, and Titus to Dalmatia. ”  Scripture: 2 Timothy 4:10 None of us want Demas’s choice to be a part of our legacy. We do not want it said of us that we so loved this world that we abandoned opportunities to live a life that will echo into eternity. Exchanging a life of eternal value for one that is perishing is not a good exchange at all. As a companion in the service of Paul, Demas was living a life that would echo into eternity. But the allure of the world deceived him. Scripture says that friendship with the world makes us enemies of God. We are not to love the things of the world more than we love God. This does not mean we cannot be  in  the world, and serve effectively for the Lord. God’s people are spread throughout the world system, joyously doing his work. Scripture tells us that even in Caesar’s househol...

“...No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.” (Hebrews 12:11) Don’t Feed the Negative It can feel good to give into the temptation to watch something you shouldn’t, to gossip about a friend, to be lazy, to tell someone off. The flesh likes the easy way. The reason some people don’t grow is because they’re not disciplined to do the right thing when it’s hard. You have to be consistent. The flesh is not going to go away. The apostle Paul said, “I die daily.” Every day we have to say no to things. “No, I’m not going to watch that. I won’t be sarcastic. I’m not going to hang out with that friend. I’m not going to eat whatever I feel like.” Remember that every time you give into that temptation, become impatient, or get offended, you’re feeding and growing the flesh. If you’ll start to not give in to the temptation, the temper, the bad attitude, you’re going to...

Root Your Zeal in the Knowledge of God Scripture: Romans 10:2-4 “ For I can testify about them that they are zealous for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge. Since they did not know the righteousness of God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness. Christ is the culmination of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes. ” What a huge red flag for us to heed in these verses from Romans! Indeed, zeal is a wonderful attribute to have in doing the Lord’s work. However, we must be sure our zeal is based on the right knowledge of Christ. We do not want to have a zeal that is unproductive. Instead, we need to be fueled by the Spirit of God. The religious establishment of Jesus’s day had a zeal for God, but it was based on the law, self-effort, works, and self-justification rather than faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. When Jesus was in this world, zeal for his Father’s house consumed his life. When I think o...

Holy God, I trust in you. With a humble heart I praise your holy name. Thank you for your steadfast love and care. Draw me close to you and teach me your ways. Amen.

God’s Timetable Scripture: Genesis 7:16 “ A male and female of each kind entered, just as God had commanded Noah. Then the Lord closed the door behind them. ”  With all of the turmoil in the world, God is turning up the volume and asking, “Do you hear me now?” God has a timetable. He has a plan, not only for the world, but also for each Christian in this world. God has a plan for YOU! We want to make sure we are living according to his plan, his values, and his timetable. Noah was obedient to God.  People must have laughed at him when he was building an ark in the middle of a desert-like environment. However, Noah had his instructions from God. He did not care about the world’s opinion. God’s opinion was what counted. Noah was a spiritually motivated person.  When he finished the project God gave him to do, what happened? Noah and his family entered the ark, and God shut the door! For us to be faithful in practicing Kingdom of God, we need to be aware...

God’s Ways are Higher than Ours “ As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. ” (Isaiah 55:9) “ But Naaman went away angry and said, ‘I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, wave his hand over the spot and cure me of my leprosy. ’” (2 Kings 5:11) Namaan, the Syrian general, was furious! When he came to see Elisha to heal his leprosy, he never imagined Elisha would send a messenger. He assumed Elisha himself would come out, call on the name of the Lord, wave his hand over his leprosy and cure him. How mistaken he was! God had a different plan. Perhaps he wanted to break Namaan’s pride. Namaan was told to go dunk himself in the Jordan River seven times. This made no sense to Naaman, and he almost missed the blessing of God’s healing by refusing at first to do as he was commanded. He mistakenly thought he could have dunked himself in a river bac...

Sovereign God, I seek to serve you faithfully and to obey your laws. Help me to turn away from evil and to repent and return to you whenever I sin. Thank you for your steadfast love, mercy, and forgiveness. Amen.

“...And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!” (Philippians 2:8) Walk in Humility Did you know that even Jesus had to humble Himself. It takes humility to walk in obedience. Without humility, Jesus could have thought, I’m the Son of God. I don’t have to put up with the way people treat Me. I’m not going to the cross. It was humility that caused Him to not retaliate against those who did Him wrong. Because of His humility, He could spend His life serving others when He had every right to be served. Because of His humility, He could hang on the cross and say, “Father, forgive them. They don’t know what they’re doing.” When you humble yourself and do hard things that you know God is asking you to do—forgive the person who did you wrong, honor your spouse’s request, take advice from somebody who doesn’t have your experience—your obedience will bring a blessing. As Jesus did, do what God is asking you to do. Do...

Do Paul’s Life and Writings Support a Prosperity Gospel? Are they servants of Christ? I am a better one—I am talking like a madman—with far greater labors, far more imprisonments, with countless beatings, and often near death. Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea; on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers; in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. ” (2 Corinthians 11:23-27) Some teachers promote the “prosperity gospel,” the idea that you will prosper in this world if you believe the “right” way. But do the life and writings of the apostle Paul support this idea? Consider what Paul fac...

“…Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well...” (1 Thessalonians 2:8) Become a Miracle Many people are praying for a miracle. “God, please send me a friend. God, I need help with my children. I need training. God, I need a good break.” We have to realize that we can become the miracle they need. God uses our lives to touch and encourage and bless others. God will bring people across our path so that we can be the answer to their prayers. Take time to become the miracle. You can’t help everyone, but you can help someone. Be aware of who is in your life. Listen to what they’re saying. Is there any way that you can help? Those are opportunities to become their miracle. God put them there on purpose. It’s because you are full of miracles. There is healing in you. There is restoration, there’s friendship, there are new beginnings. You can lift the fallen. You can restore the broken. You can be kind to a stra...

Be a Vessel of Christ “ I will go in the strength of the Lord God; I will make mention of Your righteousness, of Yours only. ” (Psalm 71: 16) As we navigate through this world, we need to remember that we are mere vessels. We are carrying precious cargo: the message of Christ to declare to a lost and dying world. Our mission is to proclaim  his  story, not our own story. Only by the strength of Christ can we hope to live the Christian life in a credible way. The righteousness of God saves us and gives us right standing with God. This is why the Psalmist said he would go into his everyday life in the strength of the Lord and in God’s righteousness alone. We have no righteousness of our own. In fact, Scripture says our righteousness is as filthy rags in the sight of God. The apostle Paul said he did not want a righteousness that comes from self – one based on the law, works, and self-effort. Rather, Paul wanted the righteousness that comes from God, by faith in the ...

“…So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most...” (Hebrews 4:16) Come Boldly Many people are trying to earn God’s goodness, trying to be good enough, trying to work hard enough, thinking that then maybe they’ll deserve God’s blessings. That’s a slave mentality. You don’t have to earn God’s love. You don’t have to work for His approval. You don’t have to pay God back for your mistakes. The Scripture tells us to come boldly to the throne of grace, not as a servant saying, “God, I know I don’t deserve it.” If you want to put a smile on God’s face, go to Him with boldness, go to Him like you know He’s pleased with you, like you know you have a right to be there as a son, like you know He wants to be good to you. Ask Him for your dreams. Pray bold prayers. You’re not inconveniencing Him. Jesus says, “It is the Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” God is longing to ...

Silence is Not an Option “ Then they said to one another, ‘We are not doing right. This day is a day of good news, and we remain silent. If we wait until morning light, some punishment will come upon us. Now therefore, come, let us go and tell the king’s household.’”  (2 Kings 7:9) The siege was on by Aram, and people were starving in Samaria. Four lepers decided to surrender to the enemy, hoping they’d be allowed to live. When they went to the location of the enemy camp, the lepers discovered the soldiers had fled. The Lord had made the soldiers hear sounds that caused them believe allies were approaching to help. In their haste to flee, the army had abandoned all of their food and valuables. The lepers plundered what they could, storing as much as possible for themselves. Then they realized that what they were doing was not right. People were starving just over the hill! Remaining silent was not an option.  They felt compelled to share the good news of their dis...

“…He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us...” (2 Corinthians 1:4) From Patient to Physician In today’s Scripture the apostle Paul is saying, “You were comforted in the loss of your loved one; help somebody else through their loss. You’ve been healed; now go help somebody else get healed.” God didn’t heal you just so you could be well, but so you could become a healer. He favored you so you could show people favor. He gave you a new beginning so you could help others make it through their loss. You’re no longer a patient needing help; you’ve become a physician. Every one of us has had experiences that make us a physician. If you’ve been through cancer treatment, a divorce, a loss, or a rough childhood, you are uniquely qualified to help others in that situation. You’ve been in their shoes. You know the pain, the discouragement, the battles they fight in their mind....

A New Way of Living “ But… the Lord has said to you, ‘You shall not return that way again.’ ” (Deuteronomy 17:16) After the wise men’s encounter with the newborn King, the Lord instructed them to return to their homeland by a different route. Things change when Jesus Christ assumes control of our lives.  We become new creations and are transformed into instruments for service to God. We abandon the old ways of doing things. We no longer try to earn our way to God through works. Instead of living the law of the flesh, we live by the law of faith. We become ambassadors for Christ. As we practice the concepts of  soak ,  sow ,  and  flow   (explained in the book,  Kingdom  of God ), our attitudes, thinking, and behavioral patterns change. The love of Christ compels us to live in harmony with the will of God. Even though we are wasting away outwardly, we discover we are being renewed inwardly daily. As we consider this transformation ...

“…Bring all the tithe into the storehouse…and try Me now in this,” says the LORD of hosts, “if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you such blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it...” (Malachi 3:10) When You Have “the Blessing When you honor God with your life, He puts a blessing on you that gives you an advantage. Today’s Scripture doesn’t say “blessings,” plural; it says “blessing,” singular. When you have “the blessing,” all kinds of blessings will come. It causes you to rise up when circumstances are pushing you down and to prosper when others are struggling. It’s not just because of your skill, talent, and determination. There is a force behind you that is fighting your battles, bringing the right people into your life, opening doors you can’t open. Don’t discount yourself. David went out with a slingshot and a few stones and defeated Goliath. What you have may seem small compared to what you’re up against, but a slingshot wi...

Keep Moving! “ The Lord said to Moses, ‘Why do you cry to me? Tell the people of Israel to go forward. ’” (Exodus 14:15) A paper weight on my desk has the inscription, “Don’t wait for your ship to come in. Swim out to it!” In practicing   Kindom  of God, we aggressively look for ways to invest our talents for the advancement of the Kingdom of God. People often make the mistake of waiting for their ship to come in – hoping for something to come their way. Good intentions alone are not enough to accomplish any worthwhile objective. Perhaps the Lord is saying, “Stop waiting for your ship; start swimming!” Someone said it is a lot easier to steer a moving car than one that is standing still. As we participate in worthwhile Kingdom efforts, we can more easily see how the Lord is guiding us to the places where we can be the most productive. We need to be alert to areas in which the Spirit of God is moving and blessing the efforts being made on his behalf. Then we ...

Almighty God, bless the leaders of all the nations with the wisdom and knowledge they need to rule people with justice. Grant them strength and courage to lead your people. Amen.

Where’s Your Permanent Home? “ Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them. ” (Hebrews 11:16) Being heavenly minded, but earthly sensitive, is a core principle in practicing  Kingdom  of God. What does that mean? It means that we know we’re passing through this temporary world on the way to our permanent home in heaven. With that in mind, we make choices in light of investing the three Ts –  time, talent, and treasure  – for the advancement of God’s kingdom. Those who came before us did the same thing. Hebrews 11 lists people of faith who, from the beginning of time, chose to listen to God and guided their lives accordingly. The list included Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abram, and Moses. They willingly exchanged many of the temporary pleasures of this world so they could inherit the promises made to them by God. In faith, they looked forward to heaven. W...

Almighty God, with my whole being I sing for joy and praise your holy name. You are my source of strength, and my joy comes from trusting in you. Amen.

Be Sure to Pray! “ Hezekiah received the letter from the messengers and read it. Then he went up to the temple of the Lord and spread it out before the Lord. And Hezekiah prayed to the Lord. ” (Isaiah 37:14-15) I heard someone say that it takes three things to accomplish the purposes of God in this world: prayer, leadership, and money. Often, in our haste to do things or to “do” ministry, we forget to pray for God’s blessing and direction. This is a big mistake. Hezekiah , after receiving a threat to his kingdom from the King of Assyria, took the letter defining the threat, went to the temple, spread it out before the Lord, and prayed about the problem. In response, God moved in a miraculous way and destroyed the enemy. The power to change, the power to overcome obstacles, the power to overcome sin, and the power to defeat the evil one is sourced in Almighty God. We are told to boldly come to the throne of Grace to receive mercy, and to find help in the time of need. ...

“…But He said, “The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.” (Luke 18:27) Give Birth to What God Put in You Psalm 7 says the ungodly “are pregnant with trouble and give birth to lies.” The good news is, that’s not you. You are the righteous. You’re not pregnant with trouble, with bad breaks, sickness, lack, or depression. You are pregnant with favor, with talent, with victory. All through the day, keep saying, “Lord, thank You that I’m pregnant with Your promises. I believe conception has occurred.” Perhaps your dream looks impossible. It’s been a long time, you gave it your best effort, and it didn’t work out; but deep down, you can’t help it—something keeps kicking, telling you that it’s still on the way. In God’s perfect timing, when everything is ready, you’re going to give birth. Quit telling yourself that you can never get ahead, that you don’t have enough of this, enough of that. You are pregnant with success, pregnant with ideas, pregnant with your...