IT'S THAT EASY

Spirit & Life Devotional
Monday, December 22
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

IT'S THAT EASY

Matthew 9:5 NKJV "For which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Arise and walk’?"

Brothers and sisters, it's that easy for God to do whatever you desire Him to do for you! Just a word from Him is sufficient to change your life forever! Things can change "suddenly"! Hallelujah!

Hear the word of the Lord, “Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for Me?" Your answer today is the key to the transformation of your life and your situation.

Jeremiah 32:17 says, "‘Ah, Lord God! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. There is nothing too hard for You." There is nothing too hard for the Lord! It doesn't matter that there are only a few days remaining in the year, God can do it for you! With God there are no hopeless situations! With God death is not final! With God it doesn't matter if something is missing or removed He can replace it with a brand new one! You can still have that job you've been believing for! Yes, it's that easy for God to do! Hallelujah!!!

CHOOSE TO SHINE

Spirit & Life Devotional
Sunday, December 21
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

CHOOSE TO SHINE

Isaiah 60:1 NKJV "Arise, shine; For your light has come! And the glory of the Lord is risen upon you."

We've been talking about the glory of God since Monday. Part of what I shared from the word of God is that the glory of God is in you now, if you're born again. Hallelujah. But having it isn't enough, it has to be manifested.

Isaiah 60:1 says to arise and to shine. That's what we've got to do, we've got to shine! Jesus said we should let our lights so shine; don't prevent yourself from shining for any reason, choose today to shine for the glory of God. And note that it is not God's responsibility to shine for you, He has given us His glory, it's up to us now.

There are awesome things within you that need to be expressed. There are creations within you, inventions, ideas, and much more that need to come forth from within you! Jesus went about doing good; in other words, manifesting His glory. From today choose to touch lives, choose to do good, choose to bring forth every good thing that God deposited within you, choose to shine!

THAT THE EARTH BE FILLED WITH HIS GLORY

Spirit & Life Devotional
Saturday, December 20
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

THAT THE EARTH BE FILLED WITH HIS GLORY

Numbers 14:21 NKJV "But truly, as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord."

It's God's desire that the whole earth be filled with His glory. For me, that means more salvation of souls and more manifestations of His power, His goodness and His grace. It also means more and powerful interventions of God on earth.

I'd like us to pray today. That the earth be filled with the glory of God. Psalms 72:18-19 says, "Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel, Who only does wondrous things! And blessed be His glorious name forever! And let the whole earth be filled with His glory. Amen and Amen." That's the prayer of the Spirit right now! Pray for your community, your state, for your country and for the world at large.

We will keep praying until it comes to pass! We will keep praying until like Isaiah, we see visions of heavenly beings crying one to another and saying: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; The whole earth is full of His glory!” Hallelujah! Oh! I can sense in my spirit that 2015 will be a glorious year for us who believe! Hallelujah!! Glory to God!!!

7 THINGS THE GLORY OF GOD CAN DO FOR YOU

Spirit & Life Devotional
Friday, December 19
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

7 THINGS THE GLORY OF GOD CAN DO FOR YOU

We started talking about the glory of God on Monday and I have been sharing with you my message preached at The GloryLand 2014. We learned that God made us in His image, and that the image of God refers to His glory; we learned that sin robbed man of the image of God, and that Jesus came to restore the image of God in us. Today, God expects us to manifest the glory in us just as Jesus manifested His glory while on earth.

We dwell in the glory of God today! 1 Peter 2:9 says that we were called out of darkness into His marvellous light. Hallelujah! As we continue to have fellowship with the Lord, we will enjoy more and more of His glory.

Here are some things that the glory can accomplish in our lives:
1) The glory quickens our physical bodies (Deuteronomy 34:7).
2) The glory protects (Job 1:10, Isaiah 58:8).
3) The glory prospers (Isaiah 60:1-11).
4) The glory empowers for exploits (John 2:11).
5) The glory beautifies (Isaiah 60:15).
6) The glory will make you shine (Isaiah 60:1).
7) The glory will make you walk in dominion (Genesis 1:26-28).

Isaiah 60:1-2 says, "Arise, shine; For your light has come! And the glory of the Lord is risen upon you. For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, And deep darkness the people; But the Lord will arise over you, And His glory will be seen upon you." I pray that from today, the glory of God will be seen upon you, in Jesus name.

A GREATER GLORY

Spirit & Life Devotional
Thursday, December 18
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

A GREATER GLORY

II Corinthians 3:7-8 NKJV "But if the ministry of death, written and engraved on stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of the glory of his countenance, which glory was passing away, how will the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious?"

There are levels of glory. It's easy to think that because the face of Moses shined, that he had a great glory upon him, but that's not true! Our faces may not be shining "physically" but our spirits are! There's glory in us! Jesus had great glory in Him but they didn't know until He was transfigured before Peter, James and John. When the devil looks at us, he sees the glory! Hallelujah!

Look at how the glory upon Moses was described, "a glory that was passing away". It was a glory from the ministry of condemnation; but today, we are able ministers of the New Testament, a ministry of life! What was upon Moses was nothing at all compared to what's in us! Hallelujah!

II Corinthians 3:9-11 says, "For if the ministry of condemnation had glory, the ministry of righteousness exceeds much more in glory. For even what was made glorious had no glory in this respect, because of the glory that excels. For if what is passing away was glorious, what remains is much more glorious."

MANIFESTING THE GLORY WITHIN YOU

Spirit & Life Devotional
Wednesday, December 17
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

MANIFESTING THE GLORY WITHIN YOU

II Corinthians 4:3-4, 6 NKJV "But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them. For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ."

John 2:11 says, "This beginning of signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory; and His disciples believed in Him." In the past two days I've shown you from the Scriptures that having been born again, the image of God (that is, the glory of God) is within you. 2 Corinthians 4:3-6 shows us that the glory came by the word when we believed it. Hallelujah

The glory is meant to be manifested. It's the divine nature of God in us that overcomes every form of darkness in the world. The world eagerly awaits our manifestation, and we've got to manifest as Jesus did if we are serious about having them saved.

We are the light of the world! Isaiah 60:1 says to arise, and shine, because the light has come and the glory of God has risen upon us. 2 Corinthians 4:6 says that God has shone in us! Wow! That's mind-blowing! When you arise and begin to shine, it says that kings shall come to the brightness of your rising! The more of the glory in you, the more you shine. 2 Corinthians 3:18 says that as we continue to behold Him, we are changed into the same image, from glory to glory! Glory to God!

CONFORMED TO HIS IMAGE (GLORY)

Spirit & Life Devotional
Tuesday, December 16
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

CONFORMED TO HIS IMAGE (GLORY)

Romans 3:23 NKJV "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."

I began yesterday to share with you the message I preached at THE GLORYLAND 2014. We saw that man was made in the image of God, and I showed you from the word that the image of God refers to His glory. I also said that Adam lost the glory of God when he sinned. From Romans 3:23, we see that sin robs a man of the glory of God. After Adam sinned, for the first time, God referred to him as dust.

When Adam lost the glory, he immediately began to hid from God. Genesis 3:8 "And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden." Also, he began to give birth after his own image (the glory of dust). Genesis 5:3 says, "And Adam lived one hundred and thirty years, and begot a son in his own likeness, after his image, and named him Seth."

But thank God, Jesus came to restore the glory of God to man! Hallelujah! I Corinthians 15:49 says "And as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly Man." Romans 8:29 says, "For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren." Hallelujah! If you have been born again, you have the image of God in you now! Glory to God!

To be continued tomorrow...

MADE IN THE IMAGE OF GOD

Spirit & Life Devotional
Monday, December 15
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

MADE IN THE IMAGE OF GOD

Genesis 1:26-27 NKJV "Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them."

This is a bit of the revelation I shared yesterday at the GloryLand 2014, an annual event that began yesterday. I hope to share more of that message with you this week.

Many teachers of the word have tried to explain what it means to be created in the image of God. Brothers and sisters, the image of God refers to His glory and it is revealed in the word! Hebrews 1:1-3 says, "God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person..."

It is clearer in II Corinthians 3:18. It says, "But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord." You see, the Scripture says that as we look at the glory of God we are being changed into the same image! Hallelujah! Adam lost that image, I will teach you that tomorrow, but Jesus came to restore the image of God in us! Jesus was the express image of God as we say in Hebrews 1:3. Talking about Jesus, John 1:14 says, "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth." Hallelujah!

A NEW REVELATION OF JESUS

Spirit & Life Devotional
Sunday, December 14
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

A NEW REVELATION OF JESUS

John 21:1 NKJV "After these things Jesus showed Himself again to the disciples at the Sea of Tiberias, and in this way He showed Himself."

Everyone of us must have a hunger for a fresh revelation of Jesus at all times. Paul cried, That I may know Him! That was after several revelations of the Lord, yet he wanted more of Him!

At Paul's conversion, Ananias said to him, "The God of our fathers has chosen you that you should know His will, and see the Just One, and hear the voice of His mouth. For you will be His witness to all men of what you have seen and heard."

You will be an effective witness when you have had a revelation of Him. Witnessing is powerful when you have seen and heard Him! The more of Him you know, the more of Him you can share. Jesus is real! And you've got to know Him beyond the pages of the Bible! That's my prayer for you today, that you will have a fresh revelation of Jesus today. Amen.

YOU ARE THE ONE

Spirit & Life Devotional
Saturday, December 13
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

YOU ARE THE ONE

Genesis 5:29 NKJV "And he called his name Noah, saying, “This one will comfort us concerning our work and the toil of our hands, because of the ground which the Lord has cursed.”

After Adam and Eve sinned by disobeying God, God said to Adam, “Because you have heeded the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat of it’: “Cursed is the ground for your sake; In toil you shall eat of it All the days of your life. Both thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you, and you shall eat the herb of the field. In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for dust you are, and to dust you shall return.”

In those days, they were living very long, up to nine hundred years! But even though they were living long, they were labouring very hard as a result of the curse. By the time Noah was born, their suffering had become unbearable, and he was called Noah, the one that would bring comfort to his family.

I came to prophesy to you this morning! You are the one that will turn things around in your family! Where there has been hardship and unfruitfulness, through you the blessing of the Lord comes in! Laban and Portiphar knew that they were blessed because of Jacob and Joseph. From today, the blessing of God will follow you and manifest wherever you are and in all that you do, in the name of Jesus!

HE CARES FOR YOU

Spirit & Life Devotional
Friday, December 12
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

HE CARES FOR YOU

I Peter 5:7 NKJV "Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you."

God cares! That's noteworthy. Have you been in situations when it seems that no one cares? You run from pillar to post seeking help but no one is willing to help, you have issues bothering you but there's no one who you can share with; you feel all alone in this world: but God cares! He's more than a lover, a friend, a parent and a brother; He's your Creator!

Cares refer to worries and anxiety. Chances are that you have things on your mind, things that make you cry at night, things you probably can't share with others, things that have stolen your peace of mind. Today God is asking you to throw all your worries and anxiety on Him.

Philippians 4:6 says, "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God." It's not that God is ignorant of your issues and your pain, He simply wants you to talk to Him about them and to trust in His everlasting love for you. He cares for you. And when you do cast them upon Him, don't take them from Him afterwards. If you could do something about your issues I'm sure you'd have done so by now. So forget about them, be happy, and just keep thanking Him in faith.

THE WORD OF THE LORD IS WITH YOU

Spirit & Life Devotional
Thursday, December 11
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

THE WORD OF THE LORD IS WITH YOU

II Kings 3:11-12 NKJV "But Jehoshaphat said, “Is there no prophet of the Lord here, that we may inquire of the Lord by him?” So one of the servants of the king of Israel answered and said, “Elisha the son of Shaphat is here, who poured water on the hands of Elijah.” And Jehoshaphat said, “The word of the Lord is with him.” So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom went down to him."

Brothers and sisters, God is still speaking today! Hallelujah!

But a lot of us still don't have an understanding of the things of God. We go about looking for the word of God, from church to church, prophet to prophet, program to program, as if we are Old Testament people without the Holy Ghost. When are we going to grow up! If so many believers are in need of help, who will rescue the world?

Romans 10:8 says that the word is near, in our mouths and in our hearts! Your solution will not come by running around (this word is for someone), sit down, be still and hear the Spirit of God speaking to you! I like what David said, "He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul." Are you lying down? Are you being led by the still waters? Job 33:14-16 says, "For God may speak in one way, or in another, yet man does not perceive it. In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls upon men, while slumbering on their beds, then He opens the ears of men, and seals their instruction." May you begin to perceive His voice in Jesus name. Amen.

THE PLEASURE OF THE LORD

Spirit & Life Devotional
Wednesday, December 10
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

THE PLEASURE OF THE LORD

Psalms 35:27 NKJV "Let them shout for joy and be glad, Who favor my righteous cause; And let them say continually, “Let the Lord be magnified, Who has pleasure in the prosperity of His servant.”
There's a debate about if God wants us to prosper or whether Christians should be prosperous in this world; but God has pleasure in the prosperity of His servants. Hallelujah! 3 John 1:2 says, "Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers." Amen!

But God doesn't want us chasing prosperity as the unbelievers do, neither does He want us cheating or stealing from others for whatever reason, instead He wants to bless us with prosperity. Jesus taught us to seek first the kingdom of God. If we do, God will bless us with prosperity. That's what Solomon did, when God asked him for what he wanted, he put the kingdom first. And God was pleased:

I Kings 3:10-13 says, "The speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing. Then God said to him: “Because you have asked this thing, and have not asked long life for yourself, nor have asked riches for yourself, nor have asked the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern justice, behold, I have done according to your words; see, I have given you a wise and understanding heart, so that there has not been anyone like you before you, nor shall any like you arise after you. And I have also given you what you have not asked: both riches and honor, so that there shall not be anyone like you among the kings all your days." Wow!

MORE THAN CAN BE NUMBERED

Spirit & Life Devotional
Tuesday, December 9
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

MORE THAN CAN BE NUMBERED

Mark 5:19 NKJV However, Jesus did not permit him, but said to him, “Go home to your friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He has had compassion on you.”

A testimony is a solemn statement of fact or truth. It's telling to others what happened. In other words, it's sharing your experiences or what you witnessed with others. God wants us to testify about all that He has done for us. Evangelism is really tesifying to others about what God has done for you.

To testify is also to give evidence. That's interesting. What's the evidence? Faith! Faith is the substance of things hoped for, and the evidence of things not seen. Understand the difference: people who testify in law courts talk about what they saw, or heard or felt, but we live by faith and not by sight! Our testimonies are not limited to the things that have already happened; well, faith is the evidence! Whether we have seen it or not, we testify once we have the evidence in our hearts (faith!).

You can't convince me that you have nothing to testify about! There are some people reading this who haven't testified this year! Come on, don't be ungrateful, give God the glory! David said, "Many, O Lord my God, are Your wonderful works which You have done; and Your thoughts toward us cannot be recounted to You in order; If I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered." That's my story! Hallelujah!

@PastorChinae
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THE POWER OF LOVE

Spirit & Life Devotional
Monday, December 8
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

THE POWER OF LOVE

Romans 16:3-4 NKJV "Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, who risked their own necks for my life, to whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles."

The greatest expression of love is risking one's life for another. Jesus said, "Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends."

In these last days, according to Paul's prophecy, men are being lovers of themselves, lovers of money and lovers of pleasure; many of us will never, for any reason, make costly sacrifices for other people, not even for our own family members.

I'm touched by what three of David's men did for him: David was in the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was in Bethlehem. In there, he said with longing, “Oh, that someone would give me a drink of water from the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate!” Getting water from the well in Bethlehem meant passing through the camp of the enemy and probably losing your life in the process! But guess what, three of his men broke through the camp of the Philistines, drew water from the well of Bethlehem that was by the gate, and took it and brought it to David! Wow! Even David was shocked at what they did for him. He offered the water as offering to God, saying, “Far be it from me, O my God, that I should do this! Shall I drink the blood of these men who have put their lives in jeopardy? For at the risk of their lives they brought it." The power of love!

@PastorChinae

UNWORTHY, BUT CHOSEN

Spirit & Life Devotional
Sunday, December 7
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

UNWORTHY, BUT CHOSEN

I Corinthians 15:9 NKJV "For I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God."

Paul was a murderer! And he wasn't just a murderer, the people he killed and persecuted were children of God, members of the church! Yet God forgave him, called him, gave him countless revelations, used him to write many epistles in the holy Bible, revealed Himself to him, and enabled him to be the greatest apostle who ever lived! That's too much! If I were God, I may never have done that; but you see, that's the power of God's forgiveness and grace!

And how about Rahab. The lady was a prostitute, I mean a well-known one in Jericho before the Israelites captured it. Yet, she became an ancestor of Christ! Unbelievable, but true! What of Mary, from whom demons were cast out, she was became the first female evangelist after the resurrection of Jesus.

Listen to me, you might be feeling unworthy as a result of the sins you have committed until now, maybe you even did something wrong last night, but I need you to understand that if you decide right now to yield yourself to God, He can, and He will make something beautiful and great out of your life. Men may judge you and call you names, but when God forgives He also forgets. Once in Christ, you are no longer condemned! Hallelujah!

@PastorChinae

WHAT DOES BEING BORN AGAIN MEAN TO YOU?

Spirit & Life Devotional
Saturday, December 6
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

WHAT DOES BEING BORN AGAIN MEAN TO YOU?

John 3:3 NKJV Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

There are people who do not like to say that they are born again. They are probably not. Well, they think that it is one jargon formulated by a group of people. That's not true. Jesus was the first to use the term when He spoke to Nicodemus; Peter also used it; 1 Peter 1:23 says, "Having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever." Hallelujah!

So what does being born again mean to you? Something or nothing? It means so many things to different people: no more sinning, going to heaven, delivered from the kingdom and power of darkness, the hope of glory, etc. Fantastic! It also means that we were born by the Spirit, God Himself, that we have His life in us and that we are joint heirs together with Christ! Hallelujah!

2 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." Romans 5:1 says, "Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ" Ephesians 2:1 says, "And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins" Wow! I feel like screaming and running around! I don't know about you, but being born again is the greatest thing that has ever happened to me and I'm forever grateful that I am saved! Hallelujah!

@PastorChinae

I CAN DO ALL THINGS

Spirit & Life Devotional
Friday, December 5
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

I CAN DO ALL THINGS

Philippians 4:13 NKJV "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

The topic would have been, You Can Do All Things, but I need you to say it yourself. You've got to be convinced, you've got to believe it and agree with the word about it, that you can do all things. For me, it has since been settled in my mind, in my spirit, in my soul, in my subconscious, that I can do all things!

If there's anything you think that I can't do, that's you thinking I can't do it, not me! Give me some time and it will be done! What's the source of my confidence? From Christ! It is He Who gives me the strength - the wisdom, the resources, the connections, the ability, the anointing - that I need! You see, I'm just staying connected to God and being like Him! Read Isaiah 40:28-31;

"Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the Lord, The Creator of the ends of the earth, Neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the weak, And to those who have no might He increases strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, And the young men shall utterly fall, But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint."

Yes! You too can do all things through Christ who strengthens you! Hallelujah!

@PastorChinae

MOTIVATING YOUR PASTOR

Spirit & Life Devotional
Thursday, December 4
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

MOTIVATING YOUR PASTOR

Philippians 1:3-4 NKJV "I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy."

It is the duty of your pastor (spiritual leaders) to pray for you and to teach you the word of God. Here's what Samuel said to the Israelites, "Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you; but I will teach you the good and the right way." But truth be told, how well he discharges his duties toward you depends on how motivated he is.

You see, your pastor or teacher is human just like you, and like any worker, it is possible for him not to discharge his responsibilities well, or to ignore them entirely. It all depends on you - how you treat him or her. Paul said he prayed for the Philippians with joy, upon every remembrance of them. Have you ever bothered to know why? It's there, he called them his partners in verse 5, and in chapter 4, he said they always gave gifts to him! It's not only when you have issues that you remember your pastors and teachers, bless them. It's for your own good!

Hebrews 13:17 says, "Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you." Did you see that? When your spiritual leaders are happy it will benefit you, and when they are not, it will be unprofitable for you. Learn and be wise.

@PastorChinae

RECEIVING GRACE

Spirit & Life Devotional
Wednesday, December 3
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

RECEIVING GRACE

Ephesians 2:8 NKJV "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God."

The grace of God is sufficient and available for everyone. The Bible talks about the "exceeding riches of His grace". But a lot of us are not enjoying enough of it even though it is available, because we do not know how to access it.

Now, grace has since been made available for man, especially for the believer. (Grace is for man and not for God. God gives grace for man's benefit). For instance, we were saved by grace. The grace has since been made available, long before we were born, but we did not use it until the day we believed. Through faith, we became beneficiaries of the grace of God. Hallelujah!

The Scripture says that God is able to make all grace abound towards us, and I'm so sure that we all desire and require His grace and more grace everyday of our lives; the way to receive it is by faith. Faith unlocks the doors of grace. What do you want - grace for your family, your job, your business, a project, for ministry, childbirth, your studies? Have faith in God, exercise your faith in that situation and grace will flow to you like a river! If you can believe, you will see the glory of God! Hallelujah! Receive more grace today! In Jesus name.

@PastorChinae

SATISFIED WITH THE GOODNESS OF GOD

Spirit & Life Devotional
Tuesday, December 2
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

SATISFIED WITH THE GOODNESS OF GOD

Ecclesiastes 6:3 NKJV "If a man begets a hundred children and lives many years, so that the days of his years are many, but his soul is not satisfied with goodness, or indeed he has no burial, I say that a stillborn child is better than he."

The above is not your portion in Jesus name! The truth is that it will never be your portion as long as you are in Christ because one of the promises of God is that He will satisfy us with His goodness! And you know, God is not a politician, when He promises, He performs! Hallelujah!

Psalms 103:5 says, "Who (God) satisfies your mouth with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s." Psalms 107:8-9 says, "Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men! For He satisfies the longing soul, and fills the hungry soul with goodness." Wow! Somebody is being filled now, in the name of Jesus! I see good things happening to you! It's the goodness of God!

Jeremiah 31:14 says, "I will satiate the soul of the priests with abundance, and My people shall be satisfied with My goodness, says the Lord.” Glory to God! There's something for every body! Receive it, in the name of Jesus!

@PastorChinae

BEING HAPPY IN JESUS

Spirit & Life Devotional
Monday, December 1
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

BEING HAPPY IN JESUS

1 Samuel 15:9 NKJV "But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep, the oxen, the fatlings, the lambs, and all that was good, and were unwilling to utterly destroy them. But everything despised and worthless, that they utterly destroyed."

God, through Samuel, gave Saul clear and specific instructions: "Now go and attack Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and do not spare them. But kill both man and woman, infant and nursing child, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.’” But notice that the Bible says they were unwilling to utterly destroy every thing. In their own wisdom, they chose not to obey God's instruction.

You know, understanding is essential for happiness in relationships; you don't relate with people the same way, you've got to know what their interests are, likes and dislikes, and relate with them based on those things. Same for organizations, you can be happy in an organization and be unhappy in another because you don't agree emotionally with their policies and culture.

No doubt, some Christians are happier than others; same God but different experiences. Brothers and sisters, to be happy in Jesus, you must learn to walk in complete obedience. Know what God wants you to do, and just do it - do them all. Isaiah 1:19 says, "If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land." There are things that are acceptable, logical and okay to do, but if it's not the will of God, ignore. You too can enjoy God's very best, and never have a reason to complain again, just trust and obey.

@PastorChinae

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THE SPIRIT OF FAITH

Spirit & Life Devotional
Sunday, November 30
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

THE SPIRIT OF FAITH

Romans 10:8-9 NKJV "But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith which we preach): that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved."

We know that faith comes by hearing the word of God, and the Scripture calls it the word of faith. Meaning that every word of God that you hear is capable of producing faith in you. Now, Paul highlighted two things, believing and confessing. That's what faith is really about, we must learn to do both for faith to produce the desired results.

Notice those two things again in the words of Jesus, "For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says." Again we see that we must confess and believe for there to be results.

2 Corinthians 4:13 says, "And since we have the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, “I believed and therefore I spoke,” we also believe and therefore speak." Hallelujah! So if you believe you must also speak! And if you speak you must also believe. Don't stagger in unbelief, keep speaking and keep believing, it will come to pass!

BEWARE OF COVETOUSNESS

Spirit & Life Devotional
Saturday, November 29
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

BEWARE OF COVETOUSNESS

Luke 12:15 NKJV "And He said to them, “Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.”

According to God's Word Translation, Jesus told the people, "Be careful to guard yourselves from every kind of greed. Life is not about having a lot of material possessions."

But many of us today seem to think otherwise. We are assessing ourselves based on the amount of things we possess, so we have all kinds of lists, richest men in the world, richest men in the church, and so on and so forth, and we tend to celebrate and honour people for the things they possess. On the other hand, those who do not have these things are now sad, unfulfilled, angry with themselves and with God and are judging themselves wrongly, thinking that they have failed.

God's judgment will not be based on how wealthy or poor we were in the world, as a matter of fact, it wouldn't even be discussed in heaven! Wealth is good and prosperity is a blessing, but you can be happy, fulfilled and very successful without them. Beware of greed! Don't get mad because of material things, they are not what life is about. 1 Timothy 6:6-8 says, "Now godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content."

REMOVING MOUNTAINS

Spirit & Life Devotional
Friday, November 28
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

REMOVING MOUNTAINS

Zechariah 4:7 NKJV "‘Who are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain! And he shall bring forth the capstone With shouts of “Grace, grace to it!”

Mountains are challenges, obstacles, sometimes huge records set by others. You don't just jump over mountains, not every one can even climb mountains! But when you are walking in grace and in faith, mountains are the least of your problems!

Isaiah 40:4 says, "Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain." As if that was not enough, Jesus said, "For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says."

From today, begin to see yourself as a mountain mover. I always tell you, fear nothing! Don't ever be afraid of challenges, never turn your back on any mountainous situation before you! Here's what you should do, activate your faith and speak to your mountains. They may not disappear the first time you speak to them, but if you remain strong in faith, every mountain will surely be removed. Hallelujah!

DOING EXTRAORDINARY THINGS

Spirit & Life Devotional
Thursday, November 27
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

DOING EXTRAORDINARY THINGS

Judges 14:6 NKJV "And the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon him, and he tore the lion apart as one would have torn apart a young goat, though he had nothing in his hand. But he did not tell his father or his mother what he had done."

Wow! Did you just read that? Samson tore a lion apart with bare hands! Amazing! The Spirit of the Lord descended mightily upon him and he did what could not have been done by natural strength. Hallelujah!

That's the key to doing extraordinary things; the power of the Spirit, the anointing. There's a limit to what a man can achieve with his strength, his intelligence, his knowledge, experience and his skills; not by might, not by power, but by the Spirit of God!

The anointing is not only for killing lions, Jesus and the apostles did not kill physical lions, they used the power to do good, to do miracles and to heal all who were oppressed by the devil. Samson killed the lion without a weapon! Maybe people have told you that you are not gifted, or that you are not well educated, or that you have no connections and long legs, or that you broke; hear me, we are talking about the same power by which the world was created! Have you received the Holy Ghost since you believed? Then you too can do exploits!

@PastorChinae

THE LORD HAS NEED OF THEM

Spirit & Life Devotional
Wednesday, November 26
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

THE LORD HAS NEED OF THEM

Matthew 21:2-3 NKJV “Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Loose them and bring them to Me. And if anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord has need of them,’ and immediately he will send them.”

What will you do if someone came to you asking for your car, or cars, saying that "The Lord has need of them"? Will you release them immediately, or will you say, "I've not heard from God, let Him speak to me first, I also hear from God"?

We become too wise and funny when it comes to giving to God. That's when, suddenly, every body wants to hear from God first, meanwhile, we didn't need to hear God before we paid school fees, house rent, bought new clothes and shoes, travelled abroad, and even got married. And God is just "shaking His head". We are just too funny.

Well, we all have something that the Lord needs; our time, our talents, our voices, our strength, our resources, our friends, our education, and so on. Some of us have been too busy for God, some are avoiding Him in several ways, and some others are giving Him excuses and trying to make Him see reasons why He cannot get whatever He wants from them. He still has need of them.

@PastorChinae

THE KEYS OF THE KINGDOM

Spirit & Life Devotional
Tuesday, November 25
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

THE KEYS OF THE KINGDOM

Matthew 16:19 NKJV "And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”

In the United States, people are awarded with the Key To The City. In old times, the key was given to trusted visitors and deserving citizens of a kingdom to show that they were free to enter and leave the kingdom through the gates at any time. They had become trusted friends. But in the verse above, the keys of the kingdom refers to divine authority vested upon a person.

Now, with the keys of the kingdom, Jesus said that whatever is bound on earth will be bound in heaven, and that whatever is loosed on earth will be loosed in heaven. In other words, whatever is forbidden or prohibited or disallowed on earth will be forbidden, prohibited and disallowed in heaven, and vice versa. Awesome!

Someone says Jesus was talking to Peter alone. That's not true. Jesus repeated those words to everyone in Matthew 18:18-19, “Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven." Come on! What do you want to happen or not happen? You are waiting for God to do something, He's waiting for you to say something! Use the keys!

@PastorChinae

YOUR HEART AND YOUR DESTINY

Spirit & Life Devotional
Monday, November 24
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

YOUR HEART AND YOUR DESTINY

Matthew 15:11, 19 NKJV "Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies."

People are trying to change their actions, focusing on the outside, when they should be looking within to change their lives. All actions, and inaction, are born in the heart; therefore the state of a man's heart determines his destiny.

The heart is like a womb. It receives seed from without, through the eyes by the things it sees, and through the ears by the things it hears; those things become thoughts and beliefs, and then the thoughts and beliefs become actions. Someone said, "Watch your thoughts, they become words; watch your words, they become actions; watch your actions, they become habits; watch your habits, they become character; watch your character, for it becomes your destiny." However, the watching must begin at the heart.

Proverbs 4:23 says, "Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life." You want a wonderful marriage, guard your heart; you want a successful career, guard your heart; you want a great relationship with God, guard your heart; you want your life to be better than it already is? You now know what to do: guard your heart! There's so much interest for your heart: people are trying to get information into your heart in order to control your life; Satan too is interested in order to ruin your life. Resist anything that's contrary to the word of God! Feed on the word, meditate on it always, it produces a glorious and beautiful life.

@PastorChinae

PRAISE THE LORD

Spirit & Life Devotional
Sunday, November 23
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

PRAISE THE LORD

Revelation 19:5 NKJV "Then a voice came from the throne, saying, “Praise our God, all you His servants and those who fear Him, both small and great!”

We often talk about praising God as a way to get something from God or as a weapon of warfare, but how about just praising God for who He is, praising Him for what He has done, and praising Him just to make Him happy.

Great is the Lord and therefore greatly to be praised! He's awesome, mighty, glorious, He's good! He heals us, He keeps us, He delivers us, He feeds us, He clothes us, He did not allow the desires of our enemies come to pass, He is our comforter, our guide, our shield, He makes ways for us even when there are none! O give thanks to the Lord for He is good, for His mercies endure forever!

"Praise the Lord! Praise God in His sanctuary; Praise Him in His mighty firmament! Praise Him for His mighty acts; Praise Him according to His excellent greatness! Praise Him with the sound of the trumpet; Praise Him with the lute and harp! Praise Him with the timbrel and dance; Praise Him with stringed instruments and flutes! Praise Him with loud cymbals; Praise Him with clashing cymbals! Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!"

@PastorChinae

EXCEEDINGLY GREAT AND PRECIOUS PROMISES

Spirit & Life Devotional
Saturday, November 22
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

EXCEEDINGLY GREAT AND PRECIOUS PROMISES

2 Peter 1:4 NKJV "by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust."

God makes promises. And He keeps His promises. He is also able to perform all His promises. He never lies. He never says what He cannot do - I mean, there's nothing He cannot do! Hallelujah!

Peter called them exceedingly great and precious promises. That's exciting. Exceedingly great and precious promises! That's just like God! He only does great and amazing things!

If only you can believe His promises. Abraham staggered not at the promise of God to him in unbelief, but he was strong in faith, giving thanks. God has just started with you! Trust me, you haven't seen anything yet! He doesn't make exceedingly great and precious promises and then do small and common things, no, He does wonderful things! That shall be your testimony in Jesus name. Amen.

@PastorChinaeSpirit & Life Devotional
Saturday, November 22
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

EXCEEDINGLY GREAT AND PRECIOUS PROMISES

2 Peter 1:4 NKJV "by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust."

God makes promises. And He keeps His promises. He is also able to perform all His promises. He never lies. He never says what He cannot do - I mean, there's nothing He cannot do! Hallelujah!

Peter called them exceedingly great and precious promises. That's exciting. Exceedingly great and precious promises! That's just like God! He only does great and amazing things!

If only you can believe His promises. Abraham staggered not at the promise of God to him in unbelief, but he was strong in faith, giving thanks. God has just started with you! Trust me, you haven't seen anything yet! He doesn't make exceedingly great and precious promises and then do small and common things, no, He does wonderful things! That shall be your testimony in Jesus name. Amen.

@PastorChinae

STAYING HOLY

Spirit & Life Devotional
Friday, November 21
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

STAYING HOLY

Ezekiel 4:14 NKJV "So I said, “Ah, Lord God! Indeed I have never defiled myself from my youth till now; I have never eaten what died of itself or was torn by beasts, nor has abominable flesh ever come into my mouth.”

Holiness in the Old Testament was by works that they did. But in the New Testament, we are given a nature that is righteous and holy when we are born again. We are born again by an incorruptible seed, by the word of God. Hallelujah!

But we are not without our own responsibilities. The onus is on us to stay holy. I John 5:18a says, We know that whoever is born of God does not sin. Some translations say that whoever is born of God does not continue in sin. We ought not to continue doing the things we were saved from, else we corrupt ourselves.

Now, think about this: if folks in the Old Testament could discipline themselves not to be defiled, how much more us in the New Testament who have received an abundance of grace and have the Spirit of God living in us. There will always be temptations to do wrong, but according to the Scriptures, temptations that come to us are those we can overcome. Christ loved the church and gave Himself for her, sanctified and cleansed her, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish. Let's stay holy. It pleases God.

@PastorChinae

NOT AUTHORIZED TO JUDGE

Spirit & Life Devotional
Thursday, November 20
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

NOT AUTHORIZED TO JUDGE

Romans 14:4 NKJV "Who are you to judge another’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. Indeed, he will be made to stand, for God is able to make him stand."

Here's the point: you didn't die for anyone, you didn't shed your blood for anyone, you weren't crucified on the cross for anyone, you didn't advise God to send Jesus to die for anyone, and you cannot save anyone and take them to heaven, therefore you are not supposed to judge anyone!

Here's what Jesus said, "And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye." Matthew 7:3-5

Doesn't mean that you should do nothing about people erring. Pray for them, don't write them off, don't condemn them, don't criticize them, love them, receive them. Truth is that if we spend time praying for people we will not have the time to judge them. And, you really can't pray for someone and condemn him or her at the same time, when you are doing one, you are certainly not doing the other.

@PastorChinae

KNOWING HIM - THE SECRET OF GETTING WHATEVER YOU WANT

Spirit & Life Devotional
Wednesday, November 19
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

KNOWING HIM - THE SECRET OF GETTING WHATEVER YOU WANT

John 4:10 NKJV "Jesus answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.”

Imagine someone like Bill Gates giving you an opportunity to ask him for anything at all and you ask for just a $100! The reason something like that would happen is because you do not have an idea of what he's worth and what he's capable of doing for you.

Guess what, that's exactly what a lot of us do everyday in our relationship with God. We ask for nothing or for too little than He's capable of giving us and doing for us. Because we haven't really known Him and the extent of His ability.

Jesus Himself said He would do anything we ask for in His name. Paul said that God is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we can ask or think! I'm saying that you can even ask Him for life! Oh, I wish you can comprehend this! Get to know the God that you are worshipping! Brothers and sisters, there's nothing at all that He cannot do! There's no where He cannot get to, there's no door He cannot open, He is omnipotent! If you can think it, and believe for it without doubting, note this, He is able to do much more! Hallelujah!

@PastorChinae

DWELLING TOGETHER WITH HIM

Spirit & Life Devotional
Tuesday, November 18
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

DWELLING TOGETHER WITH HIM

1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 NKJV "For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord."

We are citizens of heaven now (Philippians 3:20). Hallelujah! You must always be conscious of that truth about yourself. You are more than a Nigerian or South African or American, you are a citizen of heaven!

But we live here now, in natural bodies. But remember the words of Jesus before He left, He said, He was going to prepare a place for us. He said, "And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also." Wow! Jesus is coming again, to take us home!

I'm excited about being with Jesus throughout eternity! The mansions, the luxuries, the private jets, and all other things here on earth are not enough enticement to make me feel so comfortable down here! I can't wait to be with Jesus  - forever! One day, our time here would end, either through death or the rapture, or maybe through translation! and we would leave. That is our hope. Hallelujah!

@PastorChinae

GOD'S GRACE IS SUFFICIENT FOR YOU

Spirit & Life Devotional
Monday, November 17
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

GOD'S GRACE IS SUFFICIENT FOR YOU

II Corinthians 12:9 NKJV "And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me."

Have you ever felt weak and incapable, have you ever felt like quitting? Have you gotten to a point when you didn't know what next to do, when the task seemed so difficult and the burden so great? I guess it's a common experience for all of us.

We have our limitations as human beings. Isaiah said that even the youth shall grow weary. Yes, there are times when we require extra strength, there are times we need new ideas, there are times we need external aid, new anointings, reassurances and fresh inspirations.

I have good news for you! God's grace is available in excess measures for you! And you have access to it at all times! Hallelujah! The Scripture says that we do not have a High Priest who doesn't know how we feel, and who doesn't understand our challenges, for He was once a Man like us and had similar experiences; and it says we should come boldly unto His throne of grace to obtain mercy and find grace in time of need! So cheer up! God's grace is sufficient for you!

@PastorChinae
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ON GUARD AGAINST A GRUDGING AND CONTENTIOUS SPIRIT

Spirit & Life Devotional

Sunday, November 16

Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

ON GUARD AGAINST A GRUDGING AND CONTENTIOUS SPIRIT

Philippians 2:14 NKJV “Do all things without complaining and disputing.”

Other translations say, do all things without murmuring, grumbling and arguing. The Weymouth New Testament Translation says, “Be ever on your guard against a grudging and contentious spirit.”

There are people who always complain about almost everything; nothing ever pleases them. They complain about their husbands, their wives, their children, their jobs, what they eat or do not eat, they complain about things that do not even concern them; in church too; they complain about how long the service was, what they preacher said, that they were ignored, etc. They are just never satisfied. It’s a dangerous way to live!

It is practically impossible to have such attitudes and walk in faith at the same time. Even when things are not as we want them to be, we ought to maintain the right attitudes at all time. 1 Corinthians 10:10 tells us not to complain as some of the Israelites did, because when they did, they were destroyed by the destroyer. Learn to trust God. He is good all the time. Instead of grumbling, the Bible says, in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.

Twitter: @PastorChinae

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BEING VERY GOOD AT WHAT YOU DO

Spirit & Life Devotional

Saturday, November 15

Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

 

BEING VERY GOOD AT WHAT YOU DO

 

“Now King Solomon sent and brought Huram from Tyre. He was the son of a widow from the tribe of Naphtali, and his father was a man of Tyre, a bronze worker; he was filled with wisdom and understanding and skill in working with all kinds of bronze work. So he came to King Solomon and did all his work.”

 

I have a personal motto, from the Bible, in Ecclesiastes 9:10, “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave where you are going.” Might means strength. But working with your strength shouldn’t be all that you do, you must learn to work with wisdom and be very good at what you do.

 

Huram was said to have wisdom, understanding and skill in working with all kinds of bronze. Just one thing! He knew just one thing – bronze. You may know a lot, but knowing one thing too well and being very good at it is equally great. Bill Gates is known for computers, Mark Zuckerberg is known for Facebook, Tiger Woods is known for golf, Cristiano Ronaldo is known for football, Serena Williams is known for tennis, Tara Durotoye is known for makeup, Deola Sagoe is known for fashion designing, etc. Find that one thing you can do very well and devote your all to doing it.

 

I love what Martin Luther King Jr. said, “If a man is called to be a street sweeper, he should sweep streets even as a Michaelangelo painted, or Beethoven composed music or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say, 'Here lived a great street sweeper who did his job well.’” Praise God.

 

Twitter: @PastorChinae

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THE CHOICE IS YOURS

Spirit & Life Devotional
Thursday, November 14
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

THE CHOICE IS YOURS

1 Samuel 4:22 NKJV "And she said, “The glory has departed from Israel, for the ark of God has been captured.”

How were the Philistines able to kill over 34,000 Israelites and capture the Ark of God? This was the same Ark which a man touched and died! What happened? I'll tell you; it was because God was grieved with the people.

Now I've heard people argue that nothing we do can break our fellowship with God, others say that sin breaks fellowship but doesn't affect sonship, that we are forever sons irrespective of what we do. Sounds really nice and I wish I could believe it and preach it too. But I'm not convinced because the Bible, both the Old and New Testaments, are full of Scriptures warning against sin and the consequences of continuing to sin.

Ephesians 4:30 says, "And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption." 2 Timothy 2:19 says, "Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: “The Lord knows those who are His,” and, “Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity.” Paul said, "I keep my body under control and make it my slave, so I won't lose out after telling the good news to others." 1 Corinthians 9:27. The choice is yours. When you sin, please repent immediately, and do not take it for granted. Hebrews 10:28-29, 31 says, "If two or more witnesses accused someone of breaking the Law of Moses, that person could be put to death. But it is much worse to dishonor God's Son and to disgrace the blood of the promise that made us holy. And it is just as bad to insult the Holy Spirit, who shows us mercy. It is a terrible thing to fall into the hands of the living God!"

Twitter: @PastorChinae
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DEFEATING GIANTS

Spirit & Life Devotional
Thursday, November 13
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

DEFEATING GIANTS

1 Chronicles 20:8 ASV "These were born unto the giant in Gath; and they fell by the hand of David, and by the hand of his servants."

David was young when he killed Goliath, the champion of the Philistines in battle. That was just the beginning, in the course of his reign as king of Israel, David and his men killed three other giants, who were sons and the brother of Goliath.

You too can defeat giants! Now, this is not about fighting with people on the streets, there are other kinds of giants in the world today, physical and spiritual. These giants could come against your health, your business, your job, your family, your education, etc. Sometimes they come as very huge challenges and heavy burdens that you seem unable to bear. At other times they stand in your way, trying to limit and restrain you. However these giants decide to show up, know that they are bread for you!

Never be afraid. If David was able to get his first victory over a giant as a youth, why should you be afraid? But understand that David did not fight in his own name, but in the name of Jehovah. And he said that God would deliver the giant into his hand, in order that men would know that there is a God in Israel. Victory is certain when we face all our giants in the name of Jesus and seek to glorify Him. Be conscious of who you are in Christ; greater is He that is in you! You're more than a conqueror! And at the mention of the name of Jesus, every knee shall bow! Hallelujah!

Twitter: @PastorChinae
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JOURNEYING SAFELY TO YOUR APPOINTED PLACE

Spirit & Life Devotional
Wednesday, November 12
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

JOURNEYING SAFELY TO YOUR APPOINTED PLACE

Exodus 15:16 AMP "Terror and dread fall upon them; because of the greatness of Your arm they are as still as a stone–till Your people pass by and over [into Canaan], O Lord, till the people pass by whom You have purchased."

When God brings you out of a place, His plan is to get you into somewhere much better. You will get there in Jesus name.

But there's usually a journey from where you were to where God is taking you to. Successful people tell stories of how they got to where they are today. Not many people became instant or overnight successes; there was a journey, sometimes the experience wasn't so pleasant, but thank God they are where they are today.

There are always enemies and obstacles on the way. Satan fights so hard to stop you from getting to God’s appointed place for you. But he has already failed! You will not only get there, you will get there safely! The Scripture lets us know that terror and dread were upon all the enemies of Israel until they passed by. From today, people will give way for you, in the name of Jesus! From today, victory is yours over every opposition in the mighty name of Jesus! I see you soaring higher! God will cause men to favour you and to give you every necessary support. You will get there safely with divine speed in Jesus name!

Twitter: @PastorChinae
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COMPETING FOR GOD'S PRIZE

Spirit & Life Devotional
Tuesday, November 11
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

COMPETING FOR GOD'S PRIZE

1 Corinthians 9:25 NKJV "And everyone who competes for the  prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown."

I ran in primary school, so I have an idea of what it is to compete for a prize. Competition is good and I like to compete. You may not have realized it, but all of life is a competition: you compete with people for jobs, you compete with people for admission, you compete with people for contracts, you compete with people for properties, and even to win the hearts of people you love.

But the sad truth is that there are always many more spectators than the competitors. In life and in faith too, there are people who do nothing but watch others do something. These people read and watch the news, they do not make the news. Someone said that people go to the movies instead of moving. Hmm

There's a prize in heaven folks! I call it God's Prize! It's greater than the Nobel Prize, greater than the Ballon d'OR, greater than the Grammys, the Oscars and any other human prizes and awards. Don't think for a moment that it's for everyone. No! It's for people who have fought the good fight, finished the race and kept the faith! It's for people who have advanced the Kingdom of God, it's for people who have earnestly contended for the faith, and for people who have stood up for Jesus and manifested the love of God to many others! What, brothers and sisters, are you doing for Jesus?

Twitter: @PastorChinae
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CO-OPERATING WITH THE WORD

Spirit & Life Devotional
Monday, November 10
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

CO-OPERATING WITH THE WORD

Jeremiah 49:1-2 NKJV "Against the Ammonites. Thus says the Lord: “Has Israel no sons? Has he no heir? Why then does Milcom inherit Gad, And his people dwell in its cities? Therefore behold, the days are coming,” says the Lord, “That I will cause to be heard an alarm of war In Rabbah of the Ammonites; It shall be a desolate mound, And her villages shall be burned with fire. Then Israel shall take possession of his inheritance,” says the Lord."

Obadiah 1:17 says, “But on Mount Zion there shall be deliverance, And there shall be holiness; The house of Jacob shall possess their possessions."

It is clear from the two verses above that it is God's desire that we take possession of, and enjoy everything that He has made available for us in Christ. How do we do that? Paul said it, “So now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified." Acts 10:32

He said that the word is able; in other words, the word of God has the ability in itself to get for you whatever is yours and whatever you want. What you have to do therefore, is to co-operate with the word! Do whatever it says, believe it and speak in agreement with it. Even when the opposite seems to be happening, stick to the word! Refuse to doubt the word. Say to the word, "Be it unto me according to your word." That's how to co-operate with the word and have your inheritance. Hallelujah!

Twitter: @PastorChinae
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DON'T DESPISE THE WORD

Spirit & Life Devotional
Sunday, November 9
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

DON'T DESPISE THE WORD

Proverbs 13:13 NKJV "He who despises the word will be destroyed, But he who fears the commandment will be rewarded."

There are people, who even though they go to church, do not receive the word with joy; they have Bibles, but they read everything else except their Bibles; even when they are in church, they don't pay attention to the word; they buy a lot, but not Christian materials; and even when it is freely given to them they care less about it.

Such people, according to the Scriptures, bring destruction upon themselves. They have left themselves defenceless and are prey for the wicked. When the evil days come, such people crash! Understand that you can love the Lord and still despise His word. There are the Marthas and the Marys - Marthas are always busy while the Marys sit down at His feet, suspend every other thing, and hear His word.

David said, "I rejoice at Your word As one who finds great treasure." He also said, "Great peace have those who love Your law, And nothing causes them to stumble." Your love for the word determines your stability in life. When you love the word, nothing is strong enough to pull you down and keep you down because you will be as a house built on a rock. When you love the word, you just can't have high blood pressure, because you begin to function by knowledge and have great peace. Even when things aren't going as planned, you have the understanding that nothing can separate you from the love of Christ, and that in all things you are more than a conqueror! Hallelujah!

Twitter: @PastorChinae
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HELP FROM TROUBLE

Spirit & Life Devotional
Saturday, November 8
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

HELP FROM TROUBLE

Psalms 60:11-12 NKJV "Give us help from trouble, For the help of man is useless. Through God we will do valiantly, For it  is He who shall tread down our enemies."

Nigeria is in trouble and it is only God that can help us. Terrorists are taking over certain parts of the country, killing innocent people, freeing criminals and disrupting the activities of the church in that region. Their goal is to take over the country and get rid of Christianity.

The Scripture says we should not give place to the devil. Another translation asks us not to give the devil a foothold. And another says we shouldn't give him an opportunity. Why? Because if he gets a little opportunity, he would seek more; he is never satisfied by doing little damage, he seeks to utterly destroy.

We have been criticizing the government and the military, but we know better as Christians that vain is the help of man. Unless the Lord guards the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. Let's take some time to pray for our country, asking God to help us against all our adversaries. Let's also pray for our leaders, for wisdom and the will to do what needs to be done. Let's pray for the protection of our brothers and sisters in those areas who are always at risk. God will help us, in Jesus name.

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USE YOUR GIFTS

Spirit & Life Devotional
Friday, November 7
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

USE YOUR GIFTS

1 Timothy 4:14 NKJV "Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the eldership."

All gifts were given to us. That's why they are called gifts. We acquire skills, but gifts are given to us by God. Everyone has a gift - we are talking about physical gifts - everyone was born with at least one gift. We all have the ability to do something well.

But not everyone uses their gifts. Some are not actually aware of their gifts, and some who are aware, for some reason are not using their gifts. Understand that every gift is a blessing; and you know what the Bible says about blessings, they make rich! No gift is useless! Are you aware that someone became a billionaire (in Dollars) through writing? Others have also become rich by cooking and talking! And these are things many of us don't take seriously. How did David become popular? By slinging a stone! He also knew how to play instruments, and that took him to the palace! 

Discover your gifts and use them! You can even use your gifts on your job. Your gift may not be recognized as one, but it doesn't make it not a gift! You may have discovered your gift and may have been using it; develop it; take it to the next level; make it a business; market it; advertise it; do it so well that people will be willing to pay for it! God has blessed you with certain special abilities; do not neglect them.

Twitter: @PastorChinae
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YOU CANNOT BE CURSED

Spirit & Life Devotional
Thursday, November 6
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

YOU CANNOT BE CURSED

Joshua 24:9-10 NKJV "Then Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, arose to make war against Israel, and sent and called Balaam the son of Beor to curse you. But I would not listen to Balaam; therefore he continued to bless you. So I delivered you out of his hand."

Balaam was a seer. Balak saw what the Israelites had done to the Amorites and was afraid of them. He knew that he couldn't defeat them in war, and decided to use spiritual weapons instead of physical ones; so he sent his men to fetch Balaam to curse the people of God. But God appeared to him at night and said, “You shall not go with them; you shall not curse the people, for they are blessed.” Numbers 22:12

Well, because of greed, Balaam disobeyed God and went with them to curse the children of God. But something interesting happened; every time Balaam opened his mouth to curse them, God caused him to bless the Israelites instead. And he said, "Behold, I have received a  command to bless; He has blessed, and I cannot reverse it. For there  is no sorcery against Jacob, Nor any divination against Israel. It now must be said of Jacob And of Israel, ‘Oh, what God has done!’"

Hallelujah! If you are born again, understand that you cannot be cursed. Why? Not because of what you have done or not done, but because you are in Christ! It doesn't matter who opens his or her mouth against you, it doesn't matter who goes to witch doctors to attack you, you are unstoppable, untouchable and "uncurseable"! Even God will not curse you for any reason! We were called to inherit the blessing! 1 Peter 3:9.

Twitter: @PastorChinae
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IT WILL TURN OUT GOOD

Spirit & Life Devotional
Wednesday, November 5
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

IT WILL TURN OUT GOOD

Philippians 1:12 NKJV "But I want you to know, brethren, that the things which  happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel,"

I think I heard Tye Tribbett say that an experience may not have been good to you, but it was good for you. The experience may have made you cry, it may have hurt, it may have caused you to incur losses, it may have resulted in damages - it wasn't good to you, but brothers and sisters, I assure you that it was good for you.

God is a master at turning things around. Things that the enemy planned to use to hurt you, God uses those same things to bless you! The devil may seem to have won; you might not even see or understand the good that God is working out, but I assure you, that as long as you are in Christ, all things are working together for good!

Delays are not denials, they only make the testimonies bigger! Setbacks are actually pullbacks! Troubles result in doubles! Men may succeed in pushing you out of a place, but they've only pushed you into God's appointed place for your life! Joseph said to his brothers, "But as for you, you meant evil against me; but  God meant it for good." If God allowed it, then cheer up, He's got something great in store for you!

Twitter: @PastorChinae
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