SECRETS FOR RECEIVING FROM GOD

Spirit & Life Devotional
Tuesday, September 30
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

SECRETS FOR RECEIVING FROM GOD

1 Corinthians 14:1 ERV "Love should be the goal of your life, but you should also want to have the gifts that come from the Spirit. And the gift you should want most is to be able to prophesy."

There are so many things we assume, but it's good to live by knowledge. One of the things that we assume is that because God knows what we need, He will give us what we need. No dear, not so. Yes, there might be exceptional cases but many times, He gives to us only what we ask for. You must learn to ask for what you need.

We ask for things we want. The first step to receiving from God is to have a want. God did not provide a lamb for the sacrifice until Abraham had set up the altar; fire did not fall from heaven until Elijah placed the sacrifice on the altar; the Red Sea did not part until the Israelites were standing in front of it and needed to pass through! Do you understand? Until there is a desire, a want, a need, there will be no miracle! Until there's a genuine hunger there'll be no filling. Until there's a preparation there'll be no satisfaction! In other words, realize your need for it. You will have it if you really want it. And if you really want it you will prepare for it (create space for it, set up the altar, sow the seeds so God can cause it to multiply, step out of the boat so you can walk on water).

God enjoys giving but He's not like Santa Claus; it doesn't seem like He enjoys surprising people! James 1:5 ERV says, "Do any of you need wisdom? Ask God for it. He is generous and enjoys giving to everyone. So he will give you wisdom." So want it, need it, desire it, then ask for it with faith, and keep asking until you receive it. Jesus said, "So I tell you to ask for what you want in prayer. And if you believe that you have received those things, then they will be yours." Mark 11:24. It shall be yours in Jesus name!

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THE PATIENCE OF GOD

Spirit & Life Devotional
Monday, September 29
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

THE PATIENCE OF GOD

Jeremiah 25:3 ERV "I have been a prophet for these past 23 years, from the 13th year that Josiah son of Amon was the king of Judah. And from that time until today, I have spoken messages to you from the Lord again and again. But you have not listened."

For 23 years, God kept sending messages to the people of Israel asking them to repent and to do right; for 23 whole years! Yet they did not listen! I can imagine how Jeremiah felt; preaching for 23 years without results; preaching to a very stubborn hearted group of people who even persecuted him sometimes; yet he had no choice but to obey God Who sent him.

Paul taught that love is patient. And because God is love He is very patient. This present world still exists today because of the patience and love of God, not because the world will never end nor because God is not eager to execute His plans. Peter said, "The Lord is not being slow in doing what he promised—the way some people understand slowness. But God is being patient with you. He doesn’t want anyone to be lost. He wants everyone to change their ways and stop sinning." 2 Peter 3:9

But sir, God cannot continue to wait for man forever. He has fixed a time when this world will come to an end. And you, my dear reader, what message has God been sending to you that you have refused to listen to? What's that thing you keep doing that displeases God? When are you going to obey God? When are you going to get serious? When? When?? When??? Hebrews 4:7 says, “If you hear God’s voice today, don’t be stubborn.”

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YOUR TIME FOR PROMOTION

Spirit & Life Devotional
Sunday, September 28
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

YOUR TIME FOR PROMOTION

Psalms 75:6-7 KJV "For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another."

As a child of God, I'm happy to know that my Father is responsible for promoting and lifting people up. Because He is my Father, I can be sure that my promotion is sure at the due time. And you know, when God promotes, it is evident to all! Hallelujah!

1 Samuel 2:6-8 NLT says, "The Lord gives both death and life; he brings some down to the grave but raises others up. The Lord makes some poor and others rich; he brings some down and lifts others up. He lifts the poor from the dust and the needy from the garbage dump. He sets them among princes, placing them in seats of honor. For all the earth is the Lord's, and he has set the world in order."

I have a good word for someone today, your time for promotion, exaltation and lifting up has come! You may or may not have been expecting it, you may or may not deserve it, but it will happen because God has decided to be gracious to you! Hear me, it may not come as you expect it, God has a thousand and one ways to elevate you! From today you have become a dignitary! From today, you have become a Very Important Person! From today, all those who looked down at you will begin to look up to you! From today, every setback is reversed! Gears have just been changed! You are moving up with divine speed! Hallelujah!

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WHAT IS GOD SAYING ABOUT YOU?

Spirit & Life Devotional
Saturday, September 27
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

WHAT IS GOD SAYING ABOUT YOU?

Revelation 3:17 ERV "You say you are rich. You think you have become wealthy and don’t need anything. But you don’t know that you are really miserable, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked."

You know, we were taught to make confessions about ourselves, our future, and all that, and it's very good to do that. But we must always remember that it is what God is saying about us, right now, that's more important. We've got to be sincere with ourselves at all times and do a honest appraisal of our spiritual conditions.

We live in a world where money has become a standard; how much money one has is now a key factor, even in the church people think that having money means that God is with them. But I know billionaires who are unbelievers and these people are many times richer than a lot of Christians! That tells me that Christianity is a lot more than being wealthy and being powerful in the world. A man can become rich without God, men can attract crowds without God! Do you understand? The church of Jesus Christ must begin to focus on what's truly important.

We like to hear nice messages about how special we are, how fearfully and wonderfully made we are, how that we are kings and priests, true; but Jesus said to the members of the church in Laodecia, "You are really miserable, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked." If Jesus is to say something about you and I today, brothers and sisters, what would it be?

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VERY COSTLY DECISIONS

Spirit & Life Devotional
Friday, September 26
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

VERY COSTLY DECISIONS

Acts 5:1-2 ERV "There was a man named Ananias. His wife’s name was Sapphira. Ananias sold some land he had, but he gave only part of the money to the apostles. He secretly kept some of the money for himself. His wife knew this, and she agreed with it."

I fear God. Now, there are people who will start an argument because I said so, but it doesn't matter, I fear God. People have a wrong understanding of the grace of God; in Acts 4:33 the Scripture says that great grace was upon all the believers, and in Acts 5, a man and his wife drop dead right there in church for lying to the Holy Spirit, without a chance to repent! Hmm.

The decision Ananais and Sapphira made was a very costly one, it cost them their lives. What decisions have you made? What decisions are you about to make? How costly are they? The decisions you make can make or break you. You have to understand that there are consequences, good or bad, for every single decision you make.

We will one day give account to God for every word, every action, every choice and every decision that we make while here on earth. Think well before you make your decisions about anything at all. The effects of the decisions we make today could manifest in the next 16 years! The best way to live is by love and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. You can never be wrong by doing that. I encourage you today to live by the wisdom of God. Let wisdom guide you, at home, at work, in school, and every where else.

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GOD HAS BEEN GOOD TO YOU

Spirit & Life Devotional
Thursday, September 25
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

GOD HAS BEEN GOOD TO YOU

1 Peter 2:3 ERV "You have already tasted the goodness of the Lord."

I woke up singing the chorus of Kurt Carr's song titled Just The Beginning. Below are the lyrics:

I know you're blessed, but you still haven't seen God's best not yet
I already know, God's been good to you
I already know, God's been faithful to you
I already know, He's done some incredible things
But I declare, and I decree, I prophesy with authority
You haven't seen your best days yet (2ice)
You haven't seen your greatest victory yet (2ice)
This is just, this is just, this is just the beginning

Hallelujah! Peter said, “You have already tasted the goodness of the Lord!" And that's an undeniable fact. That you are reading this devotional means that God has been good to you; you slept and you woke up because God sustained you; He Who watches over you neither slumbers or sleeps; He has healed you, protected you, delivered you from all evil; provided for you and given you the desires of your heart!

God has surely been good to you! But all that you've seen is just a taste of His goodness! Oh my God! I'm trying to tell you that you're about to see greater and mightier things! Wow! I feel like this message is for me this morning! He who has began a good work in you will surely do greater works! Stop wondering what tomorrow will be like; God is already in your tomorrow and He has made all things ready for you! Glory to God!

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THE SECRET OF TOP PERFOMERS

Spirit & Life Devotional
Wednesday, September 24
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

THE SECRET OF TOP PERFOMERS

I'm a great admirer of Cristiano Ronaldo and Serena Williams. What I admire most about them is not just their talents but their consistency in winning. You can always expect them to deliver and they do! I've come to the conclusion that one of the secrets of top performance is rigorous training. Another thing that they have in common is their relentless passion to be the best and the greatest in what they do. It makes them very dedicated and disciplined to train for up to three, four hours every day. Hard work and rigorous exercises! No slacking!

Look at Jesus; I think that the secret of His great success in ministry is found in Mark 1:35: "The next morning Jesus woke up very early. He left the house while it was still dark and went to a place where he could be alone and pray." You can see it again in Luke 6:12: "A few days later, Jesus went out to a mountain to pray. He stayed there all night praying to God." Wow! I long to pray like Jesus!

So you want to be successful, to rise to the top, to be the best and the greatest, what are you doing differently from others? How discplined and dedicated are you? How focused are you? How passionate are you? Have you really read about the virtuous woman in the Bible? That's another source of inspiration for me. The Scripture says, "She wakes up early in the morning, cooks food for her family, and gives the servants their share. She works very hard. She is strong and able to do all her work. She works late into the night to make sure her business earns a profit. She is a strong person, and people respect her. She looks to the future with confidence. She oversees the care of her house. She is never lazy." Amazing! There's no short cut to the top, you must pay the price!

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ONLY GOD IS IMPORTANT

Spirit & Life Devotional
Tuesday, September 23
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

1 Corinthians 3:6-7 ERV "I planted the seed and Apollos watered it. But God is the one who made the seed grow. So the one who plants is not important, and the one who waters is not important. Only God is important, because he is the one who makes things grow."

ONLY GOD IS IMPORTANT

God is the One responsible for all growth and success. It's easy to think that our ideas and efforts and plans and strategies are the reasons for growth, but God alone causes growth. If you desire to see remarkable growth in any area of your life you must learn to get God, not only involved, He must be seen to be the "Key Man" (for lack of words).

Knowing that, understand that every other thing is unimportant! For God to do His best for you, you've got to esteem Him greater, more valuable, higher, more important than any other thing, than any other person involved. How gifted the person is, how smart, or how resourceful they seem to be matters not, they must never become more important than God in your affairs.

When they told John, “Teacher, remember the man who was with you on the other side of the Jordan River? He is the one you were telling everyone about. He is also baptizing people, and many are going to him.” They probably expected John to become envious and to feel threatened by the increasing popularity of Christ, but he replied, "He must become more and more important, and I must become less important." John 3:30. May we become like John! May we become sensible enough to esteem Him as the most important Person in our lives.

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JUST WATCH AND SEE

Spirit & Life Devotional
Monday, September 22
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

Genesis 20:17-18 ERV "The Lord made all the women in Abimelech’s family not able to have children. God did this because Abimelech had taken Sarah, Abraham’s wife. But Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech, his wife, and his servant girls."

JUST WATCH AND SEE

When Abimelech took Abraham's wife, we do not read that Abraham protested or mobilized his army to go and get her back, in fact, he was probably too scared to do anything about it. But God would not let His servant be put to shame and cheated, He Himself arose and warned Abimelech of the consequences of keeping the wife of His servant.

Do you know that you are as special and important to God as Abraham was? I sincerely pity anyone who has tried to put himself or herself against you; what they have not realized is that you are God's property, the apple of His eyes, His special treasure, a chosen generation, chosen by God Himself!

This week, God will fight for you! Nobody messes with a child of God. Read your Bible, those who wanted Daniel dead were the ones eventually devoured by the lions, including their wives and children. This week, God will embarrass everyone who has been harassing you! This week, God will disgrace all those who have willfully deprived you of your rights and happiness, in the name of Jesus! Psalms 91:8 says, "All you will have to do is watch, and you will see that the wicked are punished." So shall it be! Hallelujah!

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THE SHAME HAS BEEN ROLLED AWAY

Spirit & Life Devotional
Sunday, September 21
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

Joshua 5:9 ERV "Then the Lord said to Joshua, “You were slaves in Egypt, and this made you ashamed. But today I have taken away that shame.” So Joshua named that place Gilgal. And that place is still named Gilgal today."

THE SHAME HAS BEEN ROLLED AWAY

Everyone has a past. This past is not necessarily when you were a sinner, it includes everything that has happened up till now. There might be things that may have happened that you are ashamed of; it may or may not have been your fault, maybe it's something that was done to you by other people which you are ashamed to talk about. Today, that shame is rolled away!

Rahab was a prostitute, and many years after her death, James and the author of Hebrews still referred to her as "Rahab the prostitute". In other words, men may have tagged you and labelled you, and it has been bothering you; listen to me, that chapter of your life is over and God doesn't even remember it! That shame has been rolled away, in the name of Jesus!

Someone reading this has been raped, and it has affected your self esteem and the way you relate with people you come in contact with. You are set free now in the name of Jesus! That shame has been rolled away! He who the Son set free is free indeed! Free from the consequences, free from the pain, free from the curse, free from the judgement, free from the damage and free from the shame. Old things have passed away, and behold all things have become new! From today, everyone who knew you will begin to see a beautified and glorified and justified you! Hallelujah!

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EXHORTING ONE ANOTHER

Spirit & Life Devotional
Saturday, September 20
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

1 Corinthians 14:26 ASV "What is it then, brethren? When ye come together, each one hath a psalm, hath a teaching, hath a revelation, hath a tongue, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying."

EXHORTING ONE ANOTHER

A church exists for worshiping God and for the edification of ourselves. That's why everyone of us must belong to a church (a group of people gathered together in His name whether they are many or few), and make attendance and participation a top priority.

The purpose for every activity done in a Christian gathering must be to edify; not to show off, not to impress, not to manipulate, nor to intimidate. Every other thing can wait; Church is all about iron sharpening iron, children of God strengthening each other, equipping one another, being there for each other, making ourselves better, more productive, more effective; helping one another fulfil our God given individual and collective purposes, to be focused, disciplined, always ready, and to remain rooted in the faith and in Christ. The stronger a church is the safer its members are and the more edified they can be.

Hebrews 10:25 says, "Not forsaking our own assembling together, as the custom of some is, but exhorting one another; and so much the more, as ye see the day drawing nigh."

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PUTTING YOUR MONEY TO WORK

Spirit & Life Devotional
Friday, September 19
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

PUTTING YOUR MONEY TO WORK

Luke 19:13 ERV "So he called ten of his servants together. He gave a bag of money to each servant. He said, ‘Do business with this money until I come back.’"

The King James Version says "Occupy till I come." For a long time I didn't really know what that meant. Here are some other translations: NIV, "Put this money to work", NLT, "Invest this for me while I am gone", WEB, "Conduct business until I come back", and ESV, "Engage in business until I come back." Wow! Those guys traded with the monies given to them and got 100% returns!

So what are you doing with your money? And don't tell me that you don't have capital! Out of 1,500 successful people surveyed, 36% of them started business with $100 or less. That's about N16,000 - N17,000! So what's your excuse? That you've not gotten up to that or more since the beginning of the year? Or that you can't do business? Or that you lack ideas? Or that you are afraid? Or that you are just a lazy person?

Put your money to work! Some people earn a lot of money and spend all. They are no different from the Prodigal Son! That's not a wise way to live! Even if you can't invest or trade, save! You can get a little interest on your money. Do you understand? Let the Holy Spirit guide you on what to do with your money. Whatsoever you do will prosper in Jesus name!

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ANCHOR FOR OUR SOULS

Spirit & Life Devotional
Thursday, September 18
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

ANCHOR FOR OUR SOULS

Hebrews 6:18-19 CEV "God cannot tell lies! And so his promises and vows are two things that can never be changed. We have run to God for safety. Now his promises should greatly encourage us to take hold of the hope that is right in front of us. This hope is like a firm and steady anchor for our souls. In fact, hope reaches behind the curtain and into the most holy place."

I just finished reading the inspiring story of Dr. Ada Igonoh, the doctor who survived Ebola. If you haven't read it I encourage you to do so. The word works, prayer works, faith works, hope works! We have something and Someone we can hold on to in evil days. Hallelujah!

As I read her story I was worried about people who don't go to church, people who don't believe in God, and people who don't take their faith seriously. What are they going to hold on to in times of trouble and crisis? In what would they believe? To what tower would they run to and be safe? Mere hope? Or faith in the words of fellow men? There's nothing as powerful as the word of God! It is as a rock that cannot be shaken!

You might be asking yourself questions right now, about the potency of the word and prayer, and maybe about the existence of God. The word of God is living and powerful, His promises are yea and amen, and He Himself is omnipotent! But sometimes it depends on how firmly we are holding on. His word, His name, His promises are for us to have faith and hope, these activate and unlock His power! To you believing for something today, I declare, Be it unto you according to your faith in Jesus name!

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WALKING BLAMELESSLY BEFORE GOD

Spirit & Life Devotional
Wednesday, September 17
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

Genesis 17:1 KJV "And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the Lord appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect."

WALKING BLAMELESSLY BEFORE GOD

I can't count the number of times God has asked me to walk before Him and be perfect; maybe because I didn't take it seriously for a long time. Just as God said to father Abraham, He's still saying same to you and I today, it's God's desire that we live a blameless life.

Some people are worried by the word, perfect. They immediately take a defensive position when that word is mentioned. In modern language it means to be blameless and upright. And it's still what God wants today! Philippians 2:15 says, "That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world."

The world has not taken us seriously for a long time because we are not blameless and harmless. We seem to have forgotten that we are the lights of the world, we seem to forget that we are leading the world and teaching them by our words and actions the right way to live. But if men like Daniel, Job, Joseph, Noah, Enoch and Samuel could do it in a time when grace wasn't available, how much more you and I. How many of us can say like Paul, “Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day.” Acts 23:1. His grace is sufficient for us.

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SEEING GREATER THINGS

Spirit & Life Devotional
Tuesday, September 16
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

John 5:20 ERV "The Father loves the Son and shows him everything he does. This man was healed. But the Father will show the Son greater things than this to do. Then you will all be amazed."

SEEING GREATER THINGS

According to John 14:12, Jesus said we would do greater works than He did while He was here, and I believe that we all desire to do great things for God. I'm sure a lot of us would love to sleep and wake up with "super powers", with a great anointing to do mighty works: but first, what little works have you been doing with what you already have?

Jesus said that the Father showed Him everything He did, then He said that God would show Him greater things. Meaning that God did not, and does not reveal everything all at once. But every time He did whatever God showed Him, it qualified Him to see greater things. Hallelujah!

God wants to show us great and mighty things we don't already know, but we've got to start doing the seemingly little things that He has already shown to us. God wants to use us to do greater works but how faithful have we been in doing the little assignments He has given to us? You want big ideas, you want to conquer the world, you have great dreams; very good, but what are you doing with what has already been revealed to you?

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STOP LIVING IN SIN

Spirit & Life Devotional
Monday, September 15
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

1 Corinthians 5:11 ERV "I meant you must not associate with people who claim to be believers but continue to live in sin. Don’t even eat with a brother or sister who sins sexually, is greedy, worships idols, abuses others with insults, gets drunk, or cheats people."

STOP LIVING IN SIN

Living in sin is a habit. It's normal for a sinner to live in sin, but very odd for a man or woman who claims he has been born again to continue living in sin. He may sin, but sin should not be something he does continually because he has a new nature that is righteous and holy.

In the Corinthian church, there were brothers and sisters who were living in sin. And it is so, unfortunately, in our churches today. We sin from Monday to Saturday, even after church on Sunday these days, and then we go to church for temporal cleansing. What a dangerous way to live.

You must stop living in sin! You are not a slave of sin because you are under grace. In other words, there's sufficient grace for you to overcome sin! What you are to do is to decide to stop sinning. Hebrews 4:16 says, "With Jesus as our high priest, we can feel free to come before God’s throne where there is grace. There we receive mercy and kindness to help us when we need it." Receive mercy for your past sins today, and grace to help you not to live in sin again.

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SHARING IN CHRIST’S SUFFERING

Spirit & Life Devotional
Sunday, September 14
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

1 Peter 4:13-14 ERV "But you should be happy that you are sharing in Christ’s sufferings. You will be happy and full of joy when Christ shows his glory. When people say bad things to you because you follow Christ, consider it a blessing. When that happens, it shows that God’s Spirit, the Spirit of glory, is with you."

SHARING IN CHRIST’S SUFFERING

A Christianity without persecution is suspicious!
2 Timothy 3:12 says, "Everyone who wants to live showing true devotion to God in Christ Jesus will be persecuted." The Scripture leaves no one out. Every Christian, living, speaking and doing the works of Christ will be persecuted in some way.

There are different ways we could be persecuted. It could be verbal. Jesus said, “How bad it is when everyone says nothing but good about you. Just look at the false prophets. Their ancestors always said good things about them." Luke 6:26. There are people who say they don't like insults. They haven't seen anything yet! People are going to say nonsense about you just because you believe in Jesus and are living His life and doing His works.

It's really a great thing to share in the sufferings of Christ; it qualifies us to share His glory as well. Romans 8:17b says, "But we must suffer like Christ suffered. Then we will be able to share his glory." And 2 Timothy 2:12a says "If we remain faithful even in suffering, we will also rule with him." Hallelujah!

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THERE SHALL BE A DIFFERENCE

Spirit & Life Devotional
Saturday, September 13
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

Exodus 8:22-23 ERV "But I will not treat the Israelites the same as the Egyptians. There will not be any flies in Goshen, where my people live. In this way you will know that I, the Lord, am in this land. So tomorrow I will treat my people differently from your people. This will be my proof.’”

THERE SHALL BE A DIFFERENCE

When God is with a man there ought to be a difference between him and the rest of the world! I refuse to be in the same condition as those who do not know God; there should be a clear difference between them and I, because God is with me!

In the Bible we see that Joseph, Daniel, Isaac, Job, Jacob, and many others were distinguished among their peers because God was with them, so that whether they were in prison, in a class, in famine, in business, etc, they were found to be better, more prosperous, healthier and greater than those who did not know God. Genesis 39:2 says, "The Lord was with Joseph, and he was a successful man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian." It doesn't matter what you are doing or where you are, there should be a difference!

Zechariah 8:23 says, "The Lord All-Powerful says, “At that time many foreigners speaking different languages will come to a Jewish man, take hold of the hem of his robe, and ask, ‘We heard that God is with you. Can we come with you to worship him?’” Unbelievers will be attracted to God when there's a clear and remarkable difference between us and them! I prophesy to you in the name of Jesus, There shall be a difference!

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GOD CARES ABOUT OUR PHYSICAL NEEDS

Spirit & Life Devotional
Friday, September 12
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

Mark 8:1-2 ERV "Another time there were many people with Jesus. The people had nothing to eat. So he called his followers to him and said, “I feel sorry for these people. They have been with me for three days, and now they have nothing to eat."

GOD CARES ABOUT OUR PHYSICAL NEEDS

You know, we often have the impression that God is only, or more interested in our spiritual lives, and in taking us to heaven; but God cares about our physical lives too! He wants us healthy, satisfied and fulfilled. Hallelujah!

Jesus said to the disciples, "I feel sorry for these people. They have been with me for three days, and now they have nothing to eat." That's what He's saying about you today, "He has been following Me for months and years, and now he has no money." "She has been following Me for a while, and now she has no one to help her." Hear Him talking to the angels about meeting your needs today!

Jesus said, "If God makes what grows in the field so beautiful, what do you think he will do for you? It’s just grass—one day it’s alive, and the next day someone throws it into a fire. But God cares enough to make it beautiful. Surely he will do much more for you. Your faith is so small!" Matthew 6:30. Wow! Do you believe that? Can you just believe Him to provide all your needs? He cares! He knows what you need, and He will do something about it! Hallelujah!

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SEEK TO KNOW

Spirit & Life Devotional
Thursday, September 11
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

Acts 19:1-2 ERV "While Apollos was in the city of Corinth, Paul was visiting some places on his way to Ephesus. In Ephesus he found some other followers of the Lord. He asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” These followers said to him, “We have never even heard of a Holy Spirit!”

SEEK TO KNOW

The difference between what you are now and what you should be might just be what you do not know; the difference between where you are now and where you want to be could be some knowledge that you are unaware of; and your life could change dramatically if you get a hold of some rhema!

I was a student of Mayflower School for a few months before I gained admission to Federal Government College, Ilorin. The motto of the school is, Knowledge is Light. You will remain in some kind of darkness and be limited until you grasp a life changing truth. True knowledge is light and knowledge is power: wrong knowledge is very dangerous, and some have been destroyed by it.

What some of us need right now is not some more fasting and praying, or some more crying and begging; you can actually move from one level to greater levels by the acquisition of knowledge! Seek to know, put the light on, empower yourself continually, and always grow in knowledge. Never get to a point where you think you know it all. Knowledge is strength. Get knowledge about what makes marriages succeed and last, get knowledge about raising children, about starting a business, about ministry, anything at all, and more importantly about the Way. Take advantage too, of the ministry of the Holy Spirit and be a diligent student of the Scriptures. Cheers.

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YOU WILL HAVE A SON

Spirit & Life Devotional
Wednesday, September 10
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

Genesis 15:2, 4 ERV "But Abram said, “Lord GOD, there is nothing you can give me that will make me happy, because I have no son. My slave Eliezer from Damascus will get everything I own after I die.” Then the Lord spoke to Abram and said, “That slave will not be the one to get what you have. You will have a son who will get everything you own.”

YOU WILL HAVE A SON

We all have desires, and some are more important to us than the others. When we get whatever we desire, we are happy, and when we don't, we are unhappy. Let's call your desire "a son"; today, God is saying that you will have a son! Glory to God!

Our desires are different: some people have lots of money, they don't want more messages about prosperity, all they want is for God to change the lives of their children; there are some who are healthy, what they need now is not a message on divine healing, what they want is a job! I don't know what your desires are today, but I do know that God wants to give you the desires of your heart! Look at how swiftly He told Abraham that he would have a son.

Psalms 37:4 says, "Delight yourself also in the Lord , And He shall give you the desires of your heart." I prophesy to you today in the name of Jesus, you will have a son! You may have lived for many years without that thing that you desire so much; maybe men have even mocked you for being without it; cheer up! Your son is on the way! It will come effortlessly, miraculously, and amazingly! The Bible says that God remembered Hannah and she had a son. God has remembered you today, and you too will have a son!

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THE OPPOSITE WILL OCCUR

Spirit & Life Devotional
Tuesday, September 9
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

Esther 9:1 NKJV "Now in the twelfth month, that is, the month of Adar, on the thirteenth day, the  time came for the king’s command and his decree to be executed. On the day that the enemies of the Jews had hoped to overpower them, the opposite occurred, in that the Jews themselves overpowered those who hated them."

THE OPPOSITE WILL OCCUR

A day was set when people of all nations were to destroy the Jews, but on that same day, the exact opposite happened, the Jews destroyed all those who had planned to destroy them! We serve a mighty God!

Have you ever been threatened? Have people planned to use their power, position or office against you? Is there a judgement against you right now? Is there something you've asked the Lord not to come to pass? Do you have haters plotting against you? This message is for you!

When Ahithophel gave advice against David he was the one that ended up dead; and on the gallows that Haman prepared for Mordecai was he himself hanged! And when Herod the enemy of the church stretched forth his hand to destroy the church, God destroyed him so that his body was eaten by worms! Hear the word of the Lord today, good shall happen to you where evil was planned for you! Those planning to frustrate you are hereby frustrated! In that same place where they have agreed to demote you and stagnate you, God will promote and glorify you! Those who want to disgrace you are hereby disgraced! The hope of you enemies becomes their portion now, in Jesus name! Say Amen!

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BE THE CHANGE

Spirit & Life Devotional
Monday, September 8
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

Nehemiah 5:15 ERV "But the governors who ruled before me made life hard for the people. The governors forced everyone to pay 1 pound of silver. They also made the people give them food and wine. The leaders under these governors also ruled over the people and made life even harder. But I respected and feared God, so I didn’t do things like that."

BE THE CHANGE

In 2011, I organized a conference for students at the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, in Abia State. I shared a quote by Mahatma Ghandi, the preeminent leader of Indian independence, "You must be the change you wish to see in the world." And that's what Nehemiah did, governors before him had made life hard for the people, they collected high taxes, and made the people give them food and wine. But Nehemiah chose to be different because he feared God.

We have too many talkatives, too many people sending broadcasts about change, too many people tweeting about change, too many people preaching change, but only a few people doing things differently. People complain about the Church, but how many are bold enough to be the change that they seek to see? No wonder little or nothing has changed.

Permit me to share this quote by Barack Obama the current US President, "Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we've been waiting for. We are the change that we seek."

Dr. Myles Munroe said, "If you want a brand new world, you've got to have a brand new people. If you want a brand new people, you've got to have a brand new life. If you want a brand new life, you've got to have a brand new spirit. And if you want a brand new spirit, you've got to come to Jesus Christ." Meaning that you and I are the ones qualified and capable of changing our world. But if we do nothing, nothing will change!

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DON'T LOSE YOURSELF

Spirit & Life Devotional
Sunday, September 7
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

Nahum 2:10 ERV "Now Nineveh is empty. Everything is stolen. The city is ruined. People have lost their courage, their hearts melt with fear, their knees knock together, their bodies shake, and their faces turn pale."

DON’T LOSE YOURSELF

This message is specifically for someone who has lost a lot lately; yes, you have lost something precious and valuable, but you can recover them all if you do not lose yourself! Don't lose your courage, don't lose your faith and don't lose your integrity.

When Job lost everything including his health, his wife advised him to curse God and die; but he refused. When David too lost his wives, children and his belongings, and his men talked about stoning him, instead of breaking down and feeling betrayed by both God and his men, the Scripture says that he encouraged himself in God. And he recovered all! Hallelujah!

You too can recover all, and even double! Don’t let the pain that you feel in your heart cause you to err. God is very able to restore all that the locusts ate. Worrying, alcohol, drugs, hatred and suicide are not the ways out, they will only worsen the situation. God cares and He is a very present Help in time of need.

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RECEIVING GOD'S PROMISES

Spirit & Life Devotional
Saturday, September 6
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

Deuteronomy 9:1 ERV “Listen, you Israelites! You will go across the Jordan River today. You will go into that land to force out nations greater and stronger than you. Their cities are big and have walls as high as the sky!"

RECEIVING GOD'S PROMISES

God's promises are yea and amen. If God said it, His word will not return to Him void. But that God has made a promise to you doesn't mean it will happen automatically, you've got to take it by the force of faith! Why take it by force? Because there are forces that don't want you to have them, because the just shall live by faith and because without faith it is impossible to please God.

But if God has said it, and you agree with Him enough to take possession of it, He will give you sufficient grace and aid you to get it. Moses said to the Israelites, "The people there are tall and strong. They are the Anakites. You know about them. You heard our spies say, ‘No one can win against the Anakites.’ But you can be sure that it is the Lord your God who goes across the river before you—and God is like a fire that destroys! He will destroy those nations and make them fall before you. You will force those nations out and quickly destroy them. The Lord has promised you that this will happen." Hallelujah!

Here's a secret to receiving the promises of God. Isaiah 62:6-7 says, "Jerusalem, I put guards on your walls. They will not be silent. They will keep praying day and night. Guards, keep praying to the Lord. Remind him of his promise. Don’t ever stop praying. Don’t give him any rest until he rebuilds Jerusalem and makes it a place that everyone on earth will praise." Don’t ever stop asking for it, don't ever stop seeking, and don't stop knocking! Bang on the door! Scream if you can! Pray as if it's only your prayer that has to be heard! Take it by force! If a blind man named Bartimaeus could receive the promise you too can. Yes!

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UNAFFECTED BY THE STORMS

Spirit & Life Devotional
Friday, September 5
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

Jonah 1:5 ERV "The men wanted to make the boat lighter to stop it from sinking, so they began throwing the cargo into the sea. The sailors were very afraid. Each man began praying to his god. Jonah had gone down into the boat to lie down, and he went to sleep."

UNAFFECTED BY THE STORMS

Imagine sleeping in the storm, I mean one that made them throw the cargo into the sea and pray to their gods for safety; how was Jonah able to remain asleep in such an environment? Jesus too didn't wake up in a similar situation. Matthew 8:23-24 says that "Jesus got into a boat, and his followers went with him. After the boat left the shore, a very bad storm began on the lake. The waves covered the boat. But Jesus was sleeping." He was still sleeping even when the waves had covered the boat! Wow!

There are, and will always be storms in life that come in different ways; they could arise in our families, offices, communities, countries, etc; as a child of God, that's not a time to panic as other men: you can remain asleep while others are running helter skelter! In other words, remain calm. God said, "Be still, and know that I am God." Hallelujah!

Psalms 119:165 KJV "Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them." It's possible to have great peace both within and around you. They that dwell in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty! Psalms 46:1-3 says, "God is our protection and source of strength. He is always ready to help us in times of trouble. So we are not afraid when the earth quakes and the mountains fall into the sea. We are not afraid when the seas become rough and dark and the mountains tremble." That should be your testimony! Glory to God!

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HOPING AGAINST HOPE

Spirit & Life Devotional
Thursday, September 4
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

Romans 4:18 ERV "There was no hope that Abraham would have children, but Abraham believed God and continued to hope. And that is why he became the father of many nations. As God told him, 'You will have many descendants.'"

HOPING AGAINST HOPE

Faith is truly tested when we have to believe God for the impossible, the illogical, and the incomprehensible. It's easy to say you have faith that God will provide when you have a job and you know that you'd soon be paid, but when there's no known source of income for you, and you have to trust God for supply, that's when your faith is really tested. When like Mary and Martha, your brother has been dead for four days and you still believe that God can still raise him up from the dead, that's faith!

Sometimes the facts aren't good; nothing at all suggests that what you want, desire or have been told by God will come to pass; but you say with confidence and unshakeable assurance, "I know in Whom I have believed!" Strong faith is a product of knowledge of Who God is and what He is capable of doing. Abraham believed God because He knew that God could give life to the dead and bring to existence what never existed before! Hallelujah!

Listen to me, I'm talking about the God who put money in the mouth of a fish in order to pay taxes! I'm talking about the God who caused iron to float on water! I'm talking about the God who made a donkey to speak! The God who healed the sick and cast out demons with the shadow of a man! The God who made the sun and the moon to stand still! Surely He can do the impossible and the unthinkable! He is able to do exceedingly, abundantly above all you can ask or think if you believe!

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BE NOT UNEQUALLY YOKED

Spirit & Life Devotional
Wednesday, September 3
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

1 Samuel 25:3 ERV "This man’s name was Nabal. He was from Caleb’s family. Nabal’s wife was named Abigail. She was a wise and beautiful woman, but Nabal was a mean and cruel man."

BE NOT UNEQUALLY YOKED

What was a wise and beautiful woman doing with a mean, cruel and foolish man? Nabal means foolish. Maybe she was forced to marry him. Her association with him would have cost her her life, when David was determined to destroy Nabal and his entire family for being rude to him and his men. Thank God that Abigail knew what to do and acted fast. She later became David’s wife.

A lot of people are suffering today because they've been unequally yoked with people completely different from them; they have married unbelievers, they are partners with people who do not reason like them, they are in associations with people with bad characters who care less about integrity and are capable of cheating and defrauding others to get whatever they want. I have heard people say that it's better to do things with unbelievers. That's foolish talking. Maybe they dealt with wolves in sheep clothing; how can darkness be better than light? How can a hopeless man be better than one with the nature and mind of Christ?

2 Corinthians 6:14-15 says, "You are not the same as those who don’t believe. So don’t join yourselves to them. Good and evil don’t belong together. Light and darkness cannot share the same room. How can there be any unity between Christ and the devil? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever?" Nothing. That's the answer. You've got to be careful, if you value your life and your relationship with God.

Twitter: @PastorChinae
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UNDESERVED MERCIES

Spirit & Life Devotional
Tuesday, September 2
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

Romans 5:6, 8 ASV "For while we were yet weak, in due season Christ died for the ungodly. But God commendeth his own love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."

UNDESERVED MERCIES

We know by the Scriptures that we receive new mercies every day and that God loads us with benefits too, every day. Now, it would be a mistake for anyone to think that he or she deserves anything that they receive from God. The same way that God saved us while we were yet sinners, same way He gives us blessings we do not qualify for. I think that's good news! Hallelujah!

As a matter of fact, long before you thought of doing anything to "earn" the goodness of God, He had already blessed you and provided for all that you would ever need in life! The only "works" a man needs to do is to become aware of what God has already done, and to have the faith to receive them. Period! 1 Corinthians 2:12 says that we received the Spirit of God that we might know the things that are FREELY given to us! Yes!

I repeat, there's nothing else you need to do to receive anything from God! Romans 8:32 says again that "He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not also with him FREELY give us all things?" Hallelujah! When you know this, every thing you do for God or towards Him will be done because you love Him and are grateful to Him and not because you want to get something from Him! Some people have just been set free! Hallelujah!

Twitter: @PastorChinae
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REMEMBER GOD'S WORDS TO YOU

Spirit & Life Devotional
Monday, September 1
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

Joshua 14:6 ERV "One day some people from the tribe of Judah went to Joshua at Gilgal. One of them was Caleb, the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite. Caleb said to Joshua, “You remember what the Lord said at Kadesh Barnea. The Lord was speaking to Moses, his servant. The Lord was talking about you and me."

REMEMBER GOD'S WORDS TO YOU

Joshua and Caleb grew to become old men. I love Caleb, he did not let old age make him forget God's promise to him, and he was not going to let it go. He went and reminded Joshua the word of God, and he eventually got what was promised him.

God has spoken again and again to us, but do we remember His words? Are we reminding Him of what He said? We always seek new words when we've done little or nothing with what He has already said.

If God said it, it was because He intended for it to come to pass! He didn't say it to excite you or to give you false hopes, He said it so that you would believe it, desire it, confess it and eventually possess it. Have you forgotten that God said you are the head and not tail? Have you forgotten that He said He will supply all your needs? Have you forgotten that He said all things are yours? And much more? Remember His promises today, remind Him of His promises, desire them, declare them... until you possess them.

Twitter: @PastorChinae
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