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

  God Delivers the Righteous “ So you see, the Lord knows how to rescue godly people from their trials, even while keeping the wicked under punishment until the day of final judgment. ” (2 Peter 2:9) Soak your Heart This interesting passage comes after Peter’s account of how the Lord delivered Noah and Lot from what would appear to be impossible circumstances. Both lived in “evil times,” with their respective peer groups living lives totally inconsistent with the plan of God for mankind. However, God delivered each of them, with their families, in his way and timing. Noah had a close walk with the Lord and he obeyed the Lord’s instructions regarding building the ark. Then, in God’s timing, Noah moved his family and the animals into the ark. God shut the door, releasing the waters from the deep that flooded the earth. Righteous Lot was delivered when God sent angelic messengers to take him and his family out of the city before he sent fire and brimstone from heaven to destroy Sodom ...

  God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Psalm 46:1 A Very Present Help We know God is always with us, but when you’re in troubled situations, if you’ll invite Him in, you’ll feel His presence in a greater way. You’ll be aware that you are not alone. You won’t live frustrated because you got thrown into a difficulty. You’ll stay at peace knowing that the God who controls the troubles, the God who speaks to storms, the God who restores, who heals, who pays you back for the injustice, is watching over you, protecting you, ordering your steps. God may not deliver you from the trouble, but He’ll be a very present help in the trouble. He’ll help you overcome what looks impossible. What would have taken other people out won’t have any effect on you. That loved one you lost, that person who walked away, that heartbreak should have soured your life. But look at you, still moving forward, doing great things, fulfilling your purpose. You’re coming out free, bold, con...

  Focus on Christ, Not on the Problem Memorize and Meditate “ Do not gloat over me, my enemy! Though I have fallen, I will rise. Though I sit in darkness, the Lord will be my light. ” (Micah 7:8) Soak your Heart We must train our minds to focus on the Lord when we are dealing with problems. If we focus on our problems, we will sink in the ocean of trouble, just as Peter did when he took his eyes off the Lord. The Lord wants to purge us of self-trust so we can learn to trust in him. The mountain of self must be moved out of the way. Otherwise, we short-circuit his power from flowing through us. The way out is to  memorize, meditate on , and  practice  what Micah said in this passage of Scripture. This “formula” for deliverance is still valid today! As we focus on the person of Jesus Christ, in whom are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, then we will have a shot at deliverance. He is the source of power. He delivers us from our circumstances, subject to his tra...

  You will be called by a new name that the mouth of the LORD will bestow. Isaiah 62:2 Who Names You? There are a lot of negative names that the enemy would like to give you—average, not talented, not good enough, unattractive, inferior, washed up, a victim. From an early age, he’ll try to change your name through disappointments, through people who try to push you down, through your own mistakes and failures. But when you learn to change your name back to who you were created to be, to who God calls you, all the forces of darkness cannot stop you. Let your Heavenly Father name you—not people, not mistakes, not your past. He calls you exceptional, redeemed, and forgiven. He calls you healthy and free. He calls you one of a kind, a history maker, a giant killer. He calls you a son of strength, a daughter of destiny. Your new name is blessed, prosperous, confident, well able, and victorious. Your name is a child of the Most High God. Now you have to do your part and get in agreement ...

  Secular Failure, Spiritual Victory Memorize and Meditate “ What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. ” (Philippians 3:8–9) Soak your Heart We need to soak our hearts in this passage often. It contains some hard lessons, from both a secular and fleshly standpoint. The standards of the world system and the kingdom of God are diametrically opposed. Paul makes it clear that knowing Christ far surpasses any earthly, perishable goal the world has to offer. Paul lost everything to know Christ; he considered anything that would rob him of experiencing Christ as rubbish. He wanted his entire life sourced in Christ and hidden in Christ. He wanted his righte...

  “If you will listen to the voice of the Lord your God, and obey it, and do what is right, then I will not make you suffer the diseases I sent on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord who heals you.” Exodus 15:26 The Lord Who Heals You Most of us believe God can heal and bless us. We don’t doubt that He has the power. He created the universe. The question we have is, "Does He want to?" Today’s Scripture should settle it forever. He wants to heal you. He wants to free you. He wants to bless you. The Scripture never records a single time when Jesus did not heal someone who came to Him. It says that He healed them all. But you may have been taught that the day of miracles is long over, that what happened back in Jesus’ and the apostles’ day can’t happen today. You have to know, though, that “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” (Heb. 13:8). There never was a day of miracles; there’s a God of miracles, and He’s still alive and well. You have to make...

  Push the RESET Button on Your Prayer Life Memorize and Meditate “ It is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord. ” (Lamentations 3:26) It is so difficult to follow this seemingly simple instruction, isn’t it? We get caught in circumstances beyond our control and experience pain, frustration, anger, suffering, and mental and emotional strain. These conditions can gain control of us. Soak your Heart Scripture counsels us not to be controlled by these “fleshly” factors: “ Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn, your vindication like the noonday sun. Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret—it leads only to evil. ” (Psalm 37:5–8) Waiting for the salvation of the Lord is particularly painful when the impatient side of our sinful nature wants a so...

  Introduction 1 Corinthians 15:1–11: Today’s reading is the opening section of a lengthy chapter in the apostle Paul’s teaching about the resurrection of Christ. He begins by reminding the Corinthians of the message he preached to them and of Christ’s post-resurrection appearances. Today’s Key Verse: 1 Corinthians 15:3–4 I passed on to you what I received, which is of the greatest importance: that Christ died for our sins, as written in the Scriptures; that he was buried and that he was raised to life three days later, as written in the Scriptures. Reading 15  And now I want to remind you, my friends, of the Good News which I preached to you, which you received, and on which your faith stands firm.  2  That is the gospel, the message that I preached to you. You are saved by the gospel if you hold firmly to it—unless it was for nothing that you believed. 3  I passed on to you what I received, which is of the greatest importance: that Christ died for our sins, as...

  The Mountain of Self: Our Persistent Enemy Memorize and Meditate Then Jesus said to the disciples, “Have faith in God. I tell you the truth, you can say to this mountain, ‘May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and it will happen. But you must really believe it will happen and have no doubt in your heart. I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you’ve received it, it will be yours. ’ (Mark 11:22–24) Other than Satan, the  Mountain of Self  is our greatest enemy. Only the Lord can deal effectively with the big “I” that needs to be broken, so Christ can live in and through us. Soak your Heart Only the work of the Spirit through God’s Word will bring the transformation we need. Only the Spirit can cast the  Mountain of Self  into the sea. Sow to the Spirit Pray:  Father, the  Mountain of Self  is too big for me to deal with alone. Only you have the power to conquer it. Only you can empower me to deny myself so you can...

  Introduction John 21:15–25: Jesus speaks to Simon Peter, and three times he calls on Peter to care for Jesus’s lambs and sheep (verses 15–17). Scholars often understand the three questions about Peter’s love for Jesus as a counterbalance to Peter’s earlier three denials of Jesus (see John 18:17, 25–27, and Luke 22:54–62 from the April 17 reading). Today’s Key Verse: John 21:16b Jesus said to him, “Take care of my sheep.” Reading 15  After they had eaten, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these others do?” “Yes, Lord,” he answered, “you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Take care of my lambs.”  16  A second time Jesus said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” “Yes, Lord,” he answered, “you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Take care of my sheep.”  17  A third time Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter became sad because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” and so ...

  A TRUST Acronym Memorize and Meditate “ It is the same with my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it. ” (Isaiah 55:11) T = THANK  God that he will accomplish his purposes in us. R = RECEIVE  the revelation that leads to renewal. U = UNDERSTAND.  Understanding leads to conviction and results in our taking action. S = SPIRIT.  Through the power of the cross and the Holy Spirit, we are crucified to the flesh and to the lures of the world. T = TRANSFORM  by degrees as we forget the past, reach forward, and press toward the call of God in Christ Jesus. Never let go of the trust handle for everyday living. Those who practice trusting in the Lord will be blessed!

  A lying tongue hates its victims, and flattering words cause ruin. Proverbs 26:28 Flattery In Daniel 6, to get rid of Daniel before he would be made the highest administrator in the Persian empire, the other administrators and high officers used flattery to get King Darius to pass a law that they knew Daniel would not obey because of his faith. The king’s ego was so inflated that it almost resulted in the death of Daniel. This king loved Daniel, but he didn’t realize they were doing it to trap Daniel. Be careful when people first flatter you, telling you how wonderful you are, and then ask you for something. When they do, just cancel out everything they said before, because even if it is true, they said it with the wrong motives. Flattery is a tool that leads to ruin. If you’re not secure in who you are and you need others’ praise to feel good about yourself, you’ll make decisions that you may regret later. You have to discount all the flattery, act as though they don’t like you,...

  Purging Trust in Self Memorize and Meditate “ In fact, we expected to die. But as a result, we stopped relying on ourselves and learned to rely only on God, who raises the dead. And he did rescue us from mortal danger, and he will rescue us again. We have placed our confidence in him, and he will continue to rescue us. ” (2 Corinthians 1:9–10) Soak your Heart At times, circumstances can seem overwhelming. Sometimes this happens so God can teach us not to rely on ourselves.  He wants us to realize that our sufficiency is from God. He wants to purge us of the leaven of trusting in self. Sow to the Spirit Christ provided us with eternal salvation, and we must learn to trust in him to live the Christian life. We can be confident that he will deliver us. Flow with the Spirit Only the power of the Spirit can purge us of the leaven of self-trust. Paul said that he and his friends carried the sentence of death in themselves so they would learn to trust in Christ. Death is a painful ...