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

  Listen! The LORD’s arm is not too weak to save you, nor is his ear too deaf to hear you call. Isaiah 59:1 No Excuses We all go through things that are unfair—people do us wrong, the company let us go, we came down with an illness. It’s easy to live with a victim mentality, thinking we’re at a disadvantage, we were shortchanged, we can’t do anything great. We can’t love again because the last person hurt us. We can’t be happy because we’ve lost too much. As long as you accept that you’re a victim, you’re going to get stuck. Don’t use what you’ve been through as an excuse to feel sorry for yourself, to limit you, to not pursue your dreams. You have to take the hand you’ve been dealt and make the most of it. Nothing that’s happened to you has stopped your destiny. When someone did you wrong and walked away, it may have been painful, but they didn’t ruin your life. They don’t have that much power. With His strong right arm, God will work out His plan for you. Now do your part and be the

  A Person after God’s Own Heart After removing Saul, he [God] 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 to fulfill his mission. David was such a man—a man after God’s heart. His greatest desire was a 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 once said that the road to hell is paved with good intentions. God needs people who will execute and obey his will wholeheartedly. Two Chronicles 16: 9 tells us, “Certainly the Lord watches the whole earth carefullyand is ready to strengthen those who are devoted to him. ”   When we practice  Kingdom of God , we demonstrate our d

  Yet you, LORD, are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand.  Isaiah 64:8 Something Beautiful There’s nothing beautiful about clay. It’s just an earthy material that develops plasticity when wet. But when the potter puts the clay on the wheel and begins to spin it, he never takes his hands off it. It doesn’t look like much, but the potter keeps molding it until it begins to take the shape of a vase, plate or bowl. The potter says, “Just give me some time. You see a lump of worthless clay, but I see something beautiful and valuable.” God is our potter. He never takes His hands off us, shaping and molding us. All those times when you thought God had forgotten about you, His hands were on you. When you weren’t making good decisions, when you were giving in to temptations, He didn’t throw you out because you’re clay, with faults and weaknesses. His hands have always been on you, and He’s never going to take them off you. If you stay in faith and g

              O Lord, Open My Eyes The prophet’sattendant got up early in the morning. When he went outside there was an army surrounding the city, along with horses and chariots. He said to Elisha, “Oh no, my master! What will we do?” He replied, “Don’t be afraid, for our side outnumbers them.” Then Elisha prayed, “O  Lord , open his eyes so he can see.” The  Lord  opened the servant’s eyes, and he saw thatthe hill was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.  (2 Kings 6:16–17) We are in a spiritual battle. Seemingly insurmountable circumstances perplex us, frighten us, and unsettle us. Life seems like a planned obstacle course intended to test us and strengthen our faith. In today’s passage, Elisha’s servant was afraid when they were surrounded by the Syrian army. Elisha asked the Lord to open the eyes of the servant so he could see the spiritual reality of their advantage. The world we see is in tremendous conflict and turmoil. In many ways it is the outward manifestat

  Holy God, may I never forget to honor you with a sacrifice of thanksgiving. When you speak, Lord, I will listen, and I promise to obey you. I praise your holy name and your saving love. Amen.

           Are you Focused on the Son? “I keep my eyes always on the Lord. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.”  (Psalm 16:8) When you drive a vehicle, you keep your eyes focused on the road. Pilots of aircraft keep their eyes focused on their instrument panels, particularly in inclement weather. Focus is a critical factor as we navigate through life. If we focus on the wrong values, we will crash. But, like the psalmist, when we keep our eyes on the Lord, we will not be shaken. Christ is the goal of life—pleasing him, doing his will, being transformed into his likeness, and ultimately, being with him in heaven. Clarity of mind is key. Staying focused on God requires discipline. When our minds are consumed with worry and anxiety, divine counsel can get blocked. Disturbing events that fill the news make it difficult to keep looking straight ahead. But God is always with us! The psalmist also says, “I will praise the Lord, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me

  The LORD said to Samuel, “This is the one—anoint him!” 1 Samuel 16:12 Tune Out the Lies When Samuel came to the house of Jesse to anoint one of his eight sons to be the next king, Jesse didn’t think David was king material. David’s brothers looked down on him and tried to make him feel less than them. But the moment Samuel saw David, he knew this was the next king. God has already lined up people who will see your greatness, speak destiny into you, and use their influence to take you higher. But most of the time you will first encounter critics, naysayers, even family members who try to discourage you. If you’re going to see Samuel, you have to become deaf to all the negative voices that try to discourage you, to get you to give up on dreams, to live below your potential. Don’t fall into that trap. Start tuning out all the lies that diminish you and make you feel less-than, not valuable, not worthy. Tune in to what God says about you. He says you’re His masterpiece, crowned with favo

              Don’t Follow a Mirage “Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life.”  (John 6:27) The self-life is a dead end. Unfortunately, most people concentrate on how they can meet their immediate desires and needs and give little thought to their eternal destiny or the eternal destiny of others. When we labor for the food that endures to eternal life, we become more heavenly minded and earthly sensitive. We realize we are in this world to serve the interests of God. We begin to join others who are in the process of bringing their lives into conformance with God’s will. And as we do this, God empowers us to serve him and others, bringing us a life of fulfillment. Following the self-life and the pursuit of more and more never satisfies for long. It is a mirage that ultimately leads to self-destruction. Paul said, “For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Phil. 1:21). He was a follower of Jesus Christ. Living a life in Christ all

  “How beloved and gracious were Saul and Jonathan!” 2 Samuel 1:23 The Poison of Unforgiveness David served and showed great honor to King Saul, but Saul grew jealous of David’s popularity, tried to kill him, and then had his soldiers pursue David in the wilderness for years. Yet when Saul was killed in battle, David wept and wrote a beautiful funeral song for Saul and his friend Jonathan that is recorded in 2 Samuel 1. David called this man who made his life miserable and caused him heartache “beloved and gracious.” Can you imagine writing a song to honor your biggest enemy? A key to David’s success is that he didn’t let the things that weren’t fair—the betrayal, the hurts, the injustices—get inside. He forgave Saul and turned his situations over to God. It’s not always easy to forgive, but it’s harder to deal with the poison of unforgiveness. It’s not easy to move forward after a disappointment, but it’s harder to stay stuck in anger. Let go of the bitterness, the regret, the remorse

          Experiencing God’s Favor For the one who finds me has found life and received favor from the Lord.  (Proverbs 8:35) I find this verse highly motivating. This verse 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. The psalmist writes, “For with you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light” (Psalm 36:9). 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. Ephesians 5:14 says, “ 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 God’s will, we receive his favor. “For they did not conquerthe land by their swords, and they did not prevail by their strength, but rather by your power, strength

  “If a soldier demands that you carry his gear for a mile, carry it two miles.” Matthew 5:41 Extra-Mile Blessings In the New Testament times, the Roman government could compel anyone into its service to carry a load as far as a mile. Jesus was saying to go beyond obligations to others and exceed all expectations with expressions of love and service. There are times when God asks us to do things that are hard, things that don’t make sense. It might be to give something to others when we need it more than them. Perhaps it’s to take a step of faith when we don’t have the experience or to forgive someone who doesn’t deserve it. Everything in our logic says, “This isn’t right. It’s not fair.” God is asking you to go the extra mile. When you obey, there’s a blessing that follows. If you’re going to see extra-mile blessings, you have to have extra-mile obedience. When you do the hard thing that God’s asking you to do, it’s not because God’s trying to make your life miserable. It’s because He

            You Have a Purpose! For we are his creative work, having been created in Christ Jesus for good works that God prepared beforehand so we can do them. (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? 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). God made you for a purpose! As our relationship with God grows, he reveals more of himself and his plans for us. As we flow with the Holy Spirit, he empowers us to accomplish his purposes. KingdomNomics thinkers come to appreciate that we are living in a “perishing environment,” we have a limited period of time to prepare for entering our eternal home. Our natural desire to spend our time, talent, and treasure on the values of this world is trumped by our desire to focus on unseen eternal values. Our souls and God’s

  “These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your Heavenly Father already knows all your needs.” Matthew 6:32 All Your Needs We all have plenty of reasons to live worried and stressed, trying to fix everything in our own strength. That’s overwhelming. Come back to a place of peace. Your Heavenly Father knows all your needs. He knows what you’re facing. He knows the dreams He’s placed in your heart. He sees the struggles, the unfair situations, the times you were put at a disadvantage. You don’t have to do life on your own, trying to make up for it, trying to accomplish the dream. Jesus says, “Come to Me, and I will give you rest.” Stop depending on your own efforts, your own ability. That striving is draining. If you start depending on Him, you’ll feel that load lift off you. God has you in the palms of His hands. He hasn’t let go of you. If you’re going to feel His strength and see His favor, you have to put Him first place and abide in Him. You can only do so much in you

       Do Whatever He Tells You to Do “Whatever he tells you, do it.”  (John 2:5) Obedience to God always results in blessing. Many times we experience a blessing far beyond any reasonable expectation. This happened when Jesus turned the water into wine at a wedding feast. The host of the wedding feast ran out of wine and the mother of Jesus told the servants that whatever Jesus told them to do, they should do it. When they obeyed the instructions of Jesus to pour the water into large jars, Jesus turned the water into the best tasting wine of the wedding feast. This was totally unexpected since the best wine was usually consumed at the beginning of the celebration. Professions of our faith in God mean little without confirming acts of obedience that are in response to our relationship with Jesus Christ. Our obedience comes in response to our love for him. As we practice listening to him and obeying him, he will reveal more of himself to us. When we read God’s Word and put it into pract

  “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ says the LORD, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’” Jeremiah 29:11 Prosper Where You’re Planted Today’s Scripture was spoken right after the Israelites had been taken from Jerusalem as captives and settled in Babylon as exiles, unable to go home. Their whole world was turned upside down in disappointment. I’m sure they were praying for a deliverance, but God said they were going to be there for seventy years. God didn’t say, “I’m going to get you out of Babylon and back to Jerusalem so I can prosper you.” He said, “I’m going to prosper you in captivity, in disappointment, while you’re dealing with loss. But you have to take steps of faith—build houses, plant crops, marry, pursue new goals, look for opportunities. I have plans to prosper you in your difficulty.” Perhaps you’re facing a disappointment, a breakup, a big setback. You feel like you’re in exile and want to give up. No, get your passion bac