Changing The World Through Preaching

Spirit & Life Devotional
Thursday, April 30
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

Changing The World Through Preaching

II Timothy 4:2 NKJV "Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching."

One of my favourite phrases is in Acts 17:6. When Paul and Silas got to Thessalonica, their presence worried some of the men there; they said, “These who have turned the world upside down have come here too." How I wish that can also be said about me! But how did they achieve that? By preaching! Through preaching the gospel you and I can change lives around us, thereby changing the world.

II Timothy 3:16-17 says that "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work." So when we preach we are either teaching a truth, reproving, correcting or instructing people, to the end that men may be complete and empowered: these we must never be afraid to do irrespective of our audience.

The world will remain the way it is and get worse if we all don't get involved in preaching. Jesus said we should “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature" because it's only through preaching that the world can be saved and changed. If I preach to as many as I can reach where I am, and you preach to as many as you can where you are, together we will soon preach the gospel to every creature in all the world! Be ready to preach at all times; don't leave your house in the morning without a message! Everywhere is ideal for preaching; preach the truth with love, courage, passion, power, sympathy and conviction. God bless you.

Twitter: @PastorChinae
PIN:52EDCD5B

A Little Leaven

Spirit & Life Devotional
Wednesday, April 29
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

A Little Leaven

I Corinthians 5:11 NKJV "But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner— not even to eat with such a person."

One wonders why Paul warned the Corinthian Christians to disassociate themselves from certain individuals among them who were not living the Christian life: the answer is simple; a little leaven leavens the whole lump. Until we understand the fact that we are one body, and that whatever one of us does affects everyone of us, we will never get it right nor see God's power and glory manifest in our midst as it ought to.

Let me explain this further. In the Old Testament, one man, Achan, took the accursed things from Jericho and hid them in his house. He did that on his own, without the knowledge and consent of other Israelites, but guess what, the Bible says it was the children of Israel that sinned! For the sin of one man, the Bible says that the anger of the Lord burned against the children of Israel. Hmm. When Joshua prayed to the Lord, God said to him, "Israel has sinned, and they have also transgressed My covenant which I commanded them. For they have even taken some of the accursed things, and have both stolen and deceived; and they have also put it among their own stuff. Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies, but turned their backs before their enemies, because they have become doomed to destruction. Neither will I be with you anymore, unless you destroy the accursed from among you."

The sin of just one man among thousands and millions of people made a nation weak, nearly resulted in their destruction, and robbed them of the presence of God. Brothers and sisters, we are one. I need you to think seriously about how your actions are affecting your Church, your family and the universal Church at large. And we all must be truly concerned about one another, especially in our local churches. It is well.

Twitter: @PastorChinae
PIN:52EDCD5B

He Is God, And Not Man

Spirit & Life Devotional
Tuesday, April 28
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

He Is God, And Not Man

Hosea 11:9 NKJV "I will not execute the fierceness of My anger; I will not again destroy Ephraim. For I am God, and not man, the Holy One in your midst; and I will not come with terror."

A lot of us wouldn't still be here today because of the very bad things we've done. If they had left us for men, we would have since been destroyed. Someone sang, "Thank God God no be man ooh, Cause if man be God ooh, I for don die ooh, I for don peme ooh".

I know Hebrews 10:31 which says that "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God." But when given a choice, David said to Gad, “I am in great distress. Please let me fall into the hand of the Lord, for His mercies are very great; but do not let me fall into the hand of man.” God does punish, but He is very merciful. He said to Israel, “How can I give you up, Ephraim? How can I hand you over, Israel? How can I make you like Admah? How can I set you like Zeboiim? My heart churns within Me; My sympathy is stirred."

Psalms 103:8-14 "The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in mercy. He will not always strive with us, nor will He keep His anger forever. He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor punished us according to our iniquities. For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward those who fear Him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us. As a father pities his children, so the Lord pities those who fear Him. For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust."

Father we thank You today because You are God and not man. We thank You for Your mercies and compassion. Forgive us for taking Your mercies for granted in the past, and give us the grace to please You at all times. In Jesus name. Amen.

@PastorChinae

The Danger Of Pride

Spirit & Life Devotional
Monday, April 27
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

The Danger Of Pride

Proverbs 16:18 NKJV "Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall."

Pride refers to an inflated sense of one's personal status or accomplishments. Pride is also defined as a high or inordinate opinion of one's own dignity, importance, merit, or superiority, whether as cherished in the mind or as displayed in bearing, conduct, etc. Pride is about the oldest sin; it was committed by Satan, and that's what led to his fall. Everyone who is proud is bound to fall and be disgraced: Proverbs 11:2 says that, "When pride comes, then comes shame."

There's a story in the Bible that we can learn from. It's about Amaziah in 2 Kings 14. He became king at 25, and the Bible says that as soon as the kingdom was established in his hand, he executed his servants who had murdered his father the king. He also killed ten thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt, and took Sela by war, and called its name Joktheel. Those "achievements" got into his head so to say, and he began to feel on top of the world and that he could fight anyone. He sent messengers to Jehoash king of Israel, saying, 'Come, let us face one another in battle.' Jehoash warned him, "You have indeed defeated Edom, and your heart has lifted you up. Glory in that, and stay at home; for why should you meddle with trouble so that you fall—you and Judah with you?" But Amaziah did not heed. So they fought at Beth Shemesh, which belongs to Judah. And Judah was defeated by Israel. Amaziah was also captured; the wall of Jerusalem was destroyed, and the Temple was looted. Because of pride.

God Himself resists and opposes a proud man; that's what makes it very dangerous. There's nothing we have that did not come from Him; neither are we whatever we are today without His help. We must therefore be humble. There's more we can get; there's more we can achieve; and there are greater heights we can attain: humility is what will bring the grace to get them all. Be humble.

@PastorChinae

That We Might Live Through Him

Spirit & Life Devotional
Sunday, April 26
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

That We Might Live Through Him

I John 4:9 NKJV "In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him."

That we might live through Him... That's mind blowing. Think about it for a few minutes; "that we might live through Him."

Just before He left the earth, He said to the disciples, “A little while longer and the world will see Me no more, but you will see Me. Because I live, you will live also." In other words, He is the Source of our lives; the reason for our existence; our lives are dependent on His! Without Him we are dead! Let that sink in. Colossians 3:3-4 says it all, "For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory." Christ is our life! Hallelujah!

Paul said, "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me." Listen, this is not theory, it is very real and true! And you've got to walk in the light of it if you want to stop living an ordinary life. Stop being deceived by your physical body; you are so different from those of the world; there's a much greater life in you; Christ is your life now!

And if Christ is your life, then everything about you should be alive and well! That's why you cannot be barren! That's why that sickness should be out of your body now! That's why you should have perfect sight! And that's why whatever is dead should come alive by contact with you! Yes!!!

@PastorChinae

Your Time For Double Honour

Spirit & Life Devotional
Saturday, April 25
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

Your Time For Double Honour

I Peter 2:6 NKJV "Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture, 'Behold, I lay in Zion a chief cornerstone, elect, precious, and he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame.'"

David prayed, "To You, O Lord, I lift up my soul. O my God, I trust in You; let me not be ashamed; let not my enemies triumph over me. Indeed, let no one who waits on You be ashamed; let those be ashamed who deal treacherously without cause." (Psalm 25:1-3). The good news is that in Christ, we will never be put to shame. I'm not saying this just to excite you; I'm not being paid to preach to you so I'm not pressurized to say nice things to you; it's the word of God; you will never be put to shame!

Romans 10:11-13 says, "For the Scripture says, 'Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.' For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. For 'whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.'" Hallelujah!

The Lord is rich to all! He doesn't discriminate; He doesn't select who He will bless and who He won't; He has no favourite children; what He does for one He is willing to do for you and everyone else who calls upon His name. He said that whoever believes on Him will never be put to shame: so shall it be for you in the name of Jesus! Isaiah 61:7 says that instead of your shame you shall have double honour. From today, double honour is your portion in Jesus name! Amen.

@PastorChinae

Fear Not, Pray!

Spirit & Life Devotional
Friday, April 24
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

Fear Not, Pray!

II Samuel 15:31 NKJV "Then someone told David, saying, 'Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.' And David said, 'O Lord, I pray, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness!'”

Faith comes by hearing, so does fear; by hearing. Ahithophel was a very wise man: according to the Scriptures, his advice was as if one had inquired at the oracle of God. So you can imagine what it's like for such a man to be working for your enemy. The normal reaction of an average person would be to fear and worry. But not David; being a man of the Word, he prayed.

We hear so many things everyday, both rumours and confirmed reports; we hear that there's a new deadly disease in town; we hear that the management of our organization will retrench some staff, or that salaries and pensions will not be paid; that lecturers will fail students who don't bribe them or sleep with them, or that results are missing; we hear that our parents or children are very sick, that awkward moment when you hear the bills! We hear that armed robbers have been stealing in our neighborhood lately; that there's economic crisis; kidnappings; and so on; these news should normally make us frightened and anxious, but instead of being afraid, we should pray, seeking God's intervention.

I love the psalm of David in Psalms 61:2-3. He said, "From the end of the earth I will cry to You, when my heart is overwhelmed; lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For You have been a shelter for me, a strong tower from the enemy." Hallelujah! The bad reports might be overwhelming, the situation might be very bad; REMEMBER! That there's nothing God cannot do when we pray to Him! Don't fear; speak peace to that raging storm; relax yourself; pray to the Most High; do whatever is necessary; and go to bed! All will be well.

@PastorChinae

The Power Of Your Testimony

Spirit & Life Devotional
Thursday, April 23
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

The Power Of Your Testimony

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.'"

Many of us don't realize how powerful testimonies are. And what we have done is to limit testimonies within the four walls of the church. But the best place to share a testimony is outside the church, at home, at work, in the bus, on Facebook, Twitter, BBM; because testimonies are powerful tools for evangelism.

Remember the Samaritan woman in John 4, that Jesus met by the well? The Bible says, "The woman then left her waterpot, went her way into the city, and said to the men, 'Come, see a Man who told me all things that I ever did. Could this be the Christ?' Then they went out of the city and came to Him. And many of the Samaritans of that city believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified, 'He told me all that I ever did.'" Many believed because of her testimony! Hallelujah!

When you have been saved and delivered from anything at all, big or small, significant or "insignificant", no matter how bad or "disgraceful" or "shameful" it may have been, you have a responsibility to share it with the world, that God might be glorified and that they might believe. When Paul testified before Festus, King Agrippa and other nobles of his past life and actions, how he was saved and called into the ministry, King Agrippa said to him, “You almost persuade me to become a Christian.” That's how powerful testimonies are. Testify!

@PastorChinae

On Xenophobic Attacks (2)

On Xenophobic Attacks (2)

An Appeal For Responsible Leadership

"Leadership is responsibility, not power." Robert L. Joss

"Leadership is influence." John C. Maxwell

I sincerely did not realize how powerful traditional rulers were until recently: the tension caused by the speech of the Oba of Lagos just before the gubernatorial elections in Nigeria, and then, the Xenophobia attacks in South Africa incited by King Goodwill Zwelithini. Well, my message is not for traditional rulers only, but for all leaders - including political leaders, spiritual leaders, community leaders, student union leaders, labour union leaders, teachers, parents, media personalities and organizations, celebrities, etc.

Human beings, including the most intelligent ones, are like sheep. Yes, there are a few exceptions, and of course we are much better, but generally speaking, a lot of us are like sheep whose behaviour is to "follow the leader". That's why I agree with John Maxwell that leadership is influence. Majority of people are under the influence of their leaders and they will do whatever they are told to do, willingly or reluctantly, good or bad. Adolf Hitler is an example: "Under Hitler's leadership, the Nazi regime was responsible for the genocide of at least 5.5 million Jews and millions of other victims whom he and his followers deemed sub-humans and socially undesirable. Hitler and the Nazi regime were also responsible for the killing of an estimated 19.3 million civilians and prisoners of war. In addition, 29 million soldiers and civilians died as a result of military action in the European Theatre of World War II". That's how powerful leadership can be. People may be inclined to do certain things, and may not until their leader says so.

That's why leaders must be responsible!

Leaders at all levels must be responsible. Understand the purposes of leadership:  use leadership for meaningful causes, use leadership to inspire people to do great and worthy deeds, use leadership to nurture the seeds of greatness in people, use leadership to improve people's lives and welfare, use leadership to protect the weak, use leadership to ensure justice, fairness and equity for all, use leadership to guide people in the paths of righteousness. The Bible is full of warnings for leaders against leading the sheep astray. It behoves him who has been entrusted with leadership to use it well. Stop speaking and acting carelessly, understand the impact your actions and words have on the lives of people, don't let power corrupt you, be sober and always think well before you speak or do anything!

I join the rest of the world in condemning the attacks on innocent people in South Africa, and send my condolences to friends and families of those who lost their lives and property, and are traumatized.

God bless you.

April 22, 2015

Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim
Author, Spirit & Life Devotional
Pastor, Able Ministers

Twitter: @PastorChinae
PIN:52EDCD5B

Know What God Is Up To

Spirit & Life Devotional
Wednesday, April 22
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

Know What God Is Up To

Exodus 14:1-2 NKJV "Now the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: 'Speak to the children of Israel, that they turn and camp before Pi Hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, opposite Baal Zephon; you shall camp before it by the sea."

The Lord spoke to Moses, saying: “Speak to the children of Israel, that they turn and camp before Pi Hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, opposite Baal Zephon; you shall camp before it by the sea. For Pharaoh will say of the children of Israel, ‘They are bewildered by the land; the wilderness has closed them in.’ Then I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, so that he will pursue them; and I will gain honor over Pharaoh and over all his army, that the Egyptians may know that I am the Lord.”

God had a plan which He revealed to Moses, and which the children of Israel were ignorant of. The Bible says that when they lifted their eyes, and saw the Egyptians marching after them they were very afraid, and cried out to the Lord. They said to Moses, “Because there  were no graves in Egypt, have you taken us away to die in the wilderness? Why have you so dealt with us, to bring us up out of Egypt? Is this not the word that we told you in Egypt, saying, ‘Let us alone that we may serve the Egyptians’? For it  would  have  been better for us to serve the Egyptians than that we should die in the wilderness.” Lol. If they knew what God was up to, they wouldn't have complained: their tears were unnecessary!

I love 1 Corinthians 2:8, which says, "for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory." Brothers and sisters, God is always up to something good as long as you, His dearly beloved child, is concerned. All things work together for your good! You may not comprehend it now, but if you trust God and remain positive, you will understand it later. Cheers.

@PastorChinae

The Powerful Name Of Jesus

Spirit & Life Devotional
Tuesday, April 21
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

The Powerful Name Of Jesus

Mark 9:38 NKJV "Now John answered Him, saying, 'Teacher, we saw someone who does not follow us casting out demons in Your name, and we forbade him because he does not follow us.'”

This is very interesting, noteworthy and important. First, the man they saw wasn't a known disciple of Jesus neither was he always with Jesus; in fact, from John's description, the man was a complete stranger! And yet, he was casting out demons! Now, many believers today haven't cast out demons; the truth is that a lot of us are afraid of demons! But a man in the Old Testament was casting out demons! How? Using the name of Jesus. And that was before Jesus was glorified! If the name could cast out demons back then, I wonder what it can't do now.

Brothers and sisters, there's power in the name of Jesus! Unfortunately, a lot of us have not realized what we have. You may not have mansions, you may not have people, you may not have opportunities, but sir, you have the key to unlock any door! Peter said to that lame man, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.” And the man walked! Which surgeon can make a lame man walk in a few minutes? None! Hallelujah!

Faith in the name of Jesus activates its power. People have used the name of Jesus to raise the dead, to open blind eyes, to cleanse lepers, to make lame men walk, to avert danger and for a lot more amazing things. You want a miracle? The name of Jesus can do anything you desire! If a man who wasn't following Jesus could cast out demons in the Old Testament, then there's no reason why it wouldn't work for you today. Don't delay, use the name now!

@PastorChinae

You Will Rise Again

Spirit & Life Devotional
Monday, April 20
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

You Will Rise Again

Micah 7:8 NKJV "Do not rejoice over me, my enemy; when I fall, I will arise; when I sit in darkness, the Lord will be a light to me."

Someone said that the downfall of a man is not the end of his life: so true, especially when you are a child of God! For a righteous man may fall seven times but he will rise again! I like the ERV; it says, "Good people might fall again and again, but they always get up." I have a good word for you today, you will rise again! Hallelujah!

There's something in you that cannot keep you on the ground! It gets you up every time you fall; it's the power of the Holy Ghost! Just when they think it's over, suddenly you bounce back and it's as if you never fell! Remember Samson? He fell, and they even had a party to celebrate his fall, they thought that by cutting his hair, Samson was a goner; forgetting that sooner or later, a man's hair will surely grow again! Right there on the ground, his hair began to grow again, and he accomplished in that final hour of his life, more than he did for many years before he fell!

Maybe you just lost your job, a business, or a very important opportunity; just maybe you lost an election; the enemy thinks he has just won a victory; no he hasn't! People may be laughing at you now, calling you all sorts of names, cheer up brother, cheer up sister, you will rise again, and you will have the last laugh! It doesn't matter how many times you've fallen before now, you are not a loser, you are not a failure, it is not over yet! You may have been knocked down several times, maybe the final whistle has even been blown; it still doesn't mean that it is over; it will never be over until you win! Rise up! Try again! Apply again! Fight again! You are destined to succeed! I see you not just rising, I see you soaring higher and higher! So shall it be, in Jesus name.

Twitter: @PastorChinae

Take It To Jesus

Spirit & Life Devotional
Sunday, April 19
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

Take It To Jesus

Matthew 17:16-18 NKJV "So I brought him to Your disciples, but they could not cure him.” Then Jesus answered and said, “O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him here to Me.” And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him; and the child was cured from that very hour."

What the disciples could not do, Jesus did in a few minutes! A song says, "He has done for me, what my mother can not do, He has done for me, what my father can not do, He has done for me." Hallelujah!

Brothers and sisters, there's nothing Jesus cannot do for you! Maybe you have gone from church to church, pastor to pastor, healing school to healing school, faith clinic to faith clinic, deliverance center to deliverance center; and there has been no change; it doesn't mean that your situation is hopeless, or that it is over; Jesus can still do it for you!

Take your problems to Jesus in prayer, He cares for you, and He has the power to do anything and to deliver from any condition. He said, "Call upon me in the day of trouble and I will deliver you." Jesus never fails! Men may fail, but Jesus never fails! He has never failed, He will never fail! All things are possible when you put your trust in Him!

Twitter: @PastorChinae

The Grace To Finish

Spirit & Life Devotional
Saturday, April 18
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

The Grace To Finish

Zechariah 4:9 NKJV “The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this temple; his hands shall also finish it. Then you will know that the Lord of hosts has sent me to you."

Building a temple was no mean feat; it took Solomon seven years to build the first temple, and that was a time of prosperity and peace. Zerubbabel's financial strength was not as much as Solomon's, and in his time there were people that opposed the rebuilding of the temple: so God's word to Zerubbabel was a great boost and encouragement to him and the people of Israel at that time.

Sometimes we allow the size of a project or an assignment to overwhelm us; a lot of us will even give up before the work begins. As a child of God, understand that there's supernatural ability and supernatural assistance available for you at all times; all you need to do is to connect yourself to grace! God said to Zerubbabel, "Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the Lord of hosts." Hallelujah! Don't be fixated on the size of the mountain before you, neither be bothered by the number of opposition or their strength; with God all things are possible!

I prophesy to you in the name of Jesus; you will finish whatever you start in the name of Jesus! When you start a thing, you will live long enough to finish it, nothing will cut you or your assignment short, in the name of Jesus! When you start a family, you will live long enough to see your children's children, and you will be divinely enabled to provide for all their needs! When you go to school, you will graduate! You will not be affected by any curse or evil policies, and all the help you need will be quickly made available to you! I declare today that your hands are strengthened and blessed! Whatever you do will succeed and last in the name of Jesus! So shall it be!

Twitter: @PastorChinae
PIN:52EDCD5B

Divine Exaltation

Spirit & Life Devotional
Friday, April 17
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

Divine Exaltation

Joshua 4:14 NKJV "On that day the Lord exalted Joshua in the sight of all Israel; and they feared him, as they had feared Moses, all the days of his life."

Until God exalts you, you will continue to struggle for endorsements and recognition. But when God lifts you up, and announces you to the world, even presidents will salute you. And make no mistakes about it; divine exaltation is not all about occupying an office or bearing titles. You can have all the titles in the world and still be irrelevant; you can also be in a great position and not be respected. You must let God exalt you.

Perception matters. You can have a fantastic message; you can have very important and relevant skills and talents; but if people have a wrong perception of you, you will continue to struggle as any other man without what you possess. That's why many gifted men die unknown!

It doesn't take God much to exalt you; just one act of His will make you celebrated for life. It took just one wise judgment of Solomon to command global attention and respect: The Bible says, "And all Israel heard of the judgment which the king had rendered; and they feared the king, for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him to administer justice." 2 Peter 1:17 says Jesus received from God the Father honor and glory when such a voice came to Him from the Excellent Glory: “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” When God spoke from heaven He instructed all men to hear Jesus. Hallelujah!

You are divinely exalted from today in the name of Jesus! Your voice will be heard, and when you speak, men will listen! God will exalt you in school, at home, at work, in your country and in the world, in the name of Jesus! When you step into a place demons will flee, in the mighty name of Jesus! You are divinely lifted and no force will bring you down. So shall it be; in Jesus name. Amen.

Twitter: @PastorChinae
PIN:52EDCD5B

THE POWER OF A THOUGHT

THE POWER OF A THOUGHT

People often separate thoughts and actions. But I want to show you how thoughts produce actions.

We think between 50,000-70,000 thoughts per day, this means between 35 and 48 thoughts per minute per person. The truth is that we are not conscious of most of them. That's not to say that thoughts are useless; not at all! Thoughts are very powerful! Just one thought you keep thinking can change your life forever!

Begin by understanding that everything begins in the mind. Life doesn't start outside you; what you do, what you say, what you will become, they all begin inside you. The wise king of Israel, Solomon, said, "Above all, be careful what you think because your thoughts control your life." Jesus attested to it when He said, "But the bad things people say with their mouth come from the way they think. And that’s what can make people wrong. All these bad things begin in the mind: evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual sins, stealing, lying, and insulting people."

Every action is a baby of a thought. You've got to understand that. Before you do it, you must think it first, even if it is for a second. And if you think about it long enough, chances of you doing it are very high. Why it seems that people have to be told to act on their thoughts is because they don't let their thoughts consume them. They don't often hold on to their thoughts. Their thoughts become one of the wasted 50,000 thoughts we think everyday.

Jeremiah said something. He said, "Sometimes I say to myself, 'I will forget about him. I will not speak anymore in his name.' But when I say that, his message is like a fire burning inside me! It feels like it is burning deep in my bones! I get tired of trying to hold his message inside. And finally, I am not able to hold it in."

That's how powerful a thought is. That's why some of us can't sleep well at night; that's why you can jump out of bed at midnight and start working on a project or an idea! Because the thought is strong enough to propel you to action! Some of us have held on to certain thoughts for years and it seemed we were restless individuals.

Think! Learn to use your mind! Thoughts are not always accidental; you can control your mind to think certain thoughts, and then with those thoughts, you can create the life you desire and become whatever you want to be. You can think your way out of poverty! You can think your way out of joblessness! You can think you way out of depression and sickness! And you can think your way out of sin. Yes, you can! You can also think yourself into problems and unpleasant situations! If you think anything long enough and passionately too, like a vehicle, your thoughts will lead you to that destination sooner or later.

Let's end this with Philippians 4:8: "Brothers and sisters, continue to think about what is good and worthy of praise. Think about what is true and honorable and right and pure and beautiful and respected."

April 16, 2015

Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim
Author, Spirit & Life Devotional
Pastor, Able Ministers

Twitter: @PastorChinae
PIN:52EDCD5B

Give Orders

Spirit & Life Devotional
Thursday, April 16
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

Give Orders

II Samuel 14:8 NKJV "Then the king said to the woman, 'Go to your house, and I will give orders concerning you.'"

You've got to understand your authority in Christ, over the affairs of this life. A lot of things will have changed in our lives if we were exercising our authority as we should. Remember the centurion? He needed Jesus to heal his servant, and when Jesus wanted to go with him to his house, he said to Jesus, “Only speak a word, and my servant will be healed. For I also am a man under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” I hope you get this truth: whatever you say will surely come to pass!

Ecclesiastes 8:4 says, "Where the word of a king is, there is power; and who may say to him, 'What are you doing?'” When you dare to open your mouth and speak, no devil can resist your words! Job 22:28 says you will also declare a thing, and it will be established for you. Hallelujah!

Jesus said to the fig tree, “Let no one eat fruit from you ever again.” And it was done. Joshua spoke to the sun and the moon: “Sun, stand still over Gibeon; and Moon, in the Valley of Aijalon”, and it was done! Speak to your body! Speak to your business! Speak to your job! Speak to your nation! Speak to your money! Speak to the clouds! Speak to your car! Speak to your office! Speak to that sick child in the name of Jesus! Do you understand? Give orders concerning whatever you want done; don't be shy; shout if you have to; let everyone around you hear what you say; don't doubt. Your words will come to pass!

Twitter: @PastorChinae
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ON XENOPHOBIC ATTACKS

ON XENOPHOBIC ATTACKS

Let Brotherly Love Continue

Dictionary definitions of xenophobia include: "deep-rooted, irrational hatred towards foreigners" (Oxford English Dictionary), and "unreasonable fear or hatred of the unfamiliar" (Webster's).

There have been xenophobic attacks on foreign nationals in South Africa recently, a number of people have been killed, and businesses looted. This is not the first time it is happening in South Africa.

It is not peculiar to South Africa, xenophobia has been witnessed in other countries as well, in several forms. According to the BBC, "anti-foreigner attacks by the far right rose by 20.4% to 473, compared with 393 in 2012", in Germany. Xenophobic attacks have also been reported in Europe and in other African countries. Xenophobic attacks occurred in Nigeria too in 1983 when up to two million immigrants were asked to leave the country, mostly Ghanaians. Reports say that some of them were burnt alive.

There was xenophobia even in Bible days: wells dug by Isaac's herdsmen were seized by the men of Gerar; the Levite's concubine was raped by a gang in Gibeah, etc.

Xenophobia occurs when "citizens are quick to assert, nationalistically, that the "aliens" have come to take over their country, their resources, their jobs, their culture, and what have you." Xenophobia is fuelled by unemployment, fear, greed, unequal distribution of resources, and sometimes too, just hatred for strangers.

I have never understood the psychology of killers. I have never comprehended why a human being will kill another human being intentionally, especially when they are not on a battle ground. It just doesn't make sense to me. Murdering innocent individuals, for any reason, irrespective of who they are and where they reside cannot be justified. If immigrants are residing and doing business in a place illegally, the right thing for individuals to do is to report to the appropriate authorities to have them deported. However, if they are there lawfully, then they must be allowed to live and do their legitimate businesses in peace without fear!

The world has become a global village, with foreigners living, working and studying in nearly every country. These demonic attacks must stop! People should not allow themselves to be used by the devil to hurt other individuals in any way! People must stop taking laws into their hands! Governments must live up to their responsibility of securing every life and property within their borders!

Let brotherly love continue!

April 15, 2015

Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim
Author, Spirit & Life Devotional
Pastor, Able Ministers

Twitter: @PastorChinae
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Hard Pressed, But Not Crushed

Spirit & Life Devotional
Wednesday, April 15
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

Hard Pressed, But Not Crushed

II Corinthians 4:8 NKJV "We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair."

To be hard pressed is to be heavily burdened or oppressed; it is to be subject to severe attack. Sometimes, we are hard pressed by people; bosses at work, family members, creditors, landlords, etc; some other times, we are hard pressed by "life", by work, financial difficulties, health challenges, etc. Also, there are people who are being oppressed for their faith. There are ladies and men, for instance, who are under pressure to compromise; just like Joseph who was hard pressed by Potiphar's wife; the Bible says she spoke to him day by day!

Some people cannot sleep in their houses; some cannot sleep at night; and some are being harassed all the time; trust me, it's not easy for some people out there. Paul said to the Corinthians: "For we do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, of our trouble which came to us in Asia: that we were burdened beyond measure, above strength, so that we despaired even of life."

I have a good word for you today; you will not be crushed! You will survive in Jesus name! David said, “Many a time they have afflicted me from my youth; yet they have not prevailed against me. Let all those who hate Zion be put to shame and turned back." Whoever or whatever is pressurizing you today will not prevail against you, instead, they will be put to shame in Jesus name! Remain calm; say to yourself, "be still"; don't lose your peace; trust in God; this is just a phase; this pressure will not kill you, instead it will bring out all the good things in you!

Twitter: @PastorChinae
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Stop Telling Lies

Spirit & Life Devotional
Tuesday, April 14
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

Stop Telling Lies

Ephesians 4:25 NKJV "Therefore, putting away lying, 'Let each one of  you speak truth with his neighbor,' for we are members of one another."

I think that lying is the sin that will send many people to hell. It was called "the quintessential sin of the 1990s". I wonder what the sin of the 21st century is. That aside, it seems that we all tell lies! Leonard Saxe, Ph.D., a polygraph expert and professor of psychology at Brandeis University, says, "Lying has long been a part of everyday life. We couldn't get through the day without being deceptive."

Someone mentioned eight different kinds of lies; white lies, broken promises, fabrication, the bold-faced lie, exaggeration, deception, plagiarism, and compulsive lying. A research showed that college students lie to their mothers in one out of two conversations; and DePaulo found that dating couples lie to each other in about a third of their interactions—perhaps even more often than they deceive other people. Spouses too lie to each other in "only" about 10 percent of their major conversations. How about those we tell at work, on why we were late, or couldn't attend meetings, etc.

Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession, kept back part of the proceeds, and brought a certain part and laid it at the apostles’ feet. But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land for yourself? While it remained, was it not your own? And after it was sold, was it not in your own control? Why have you conceived this thing in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God.” Hearing those words, Ananias died on the spot. Three hours later, his wife came in, unaware of what had happened. And Peter asked her, “Tell me whether you sold the land for so much?” She said, “Yes, for so much.” Then Peter said to her, “How is it that you have agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord? Look, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out.” Immediately she fell down at his feet dead. And she was buried by her husband.

Please stop telling lies; Revelation 21:8 says, "But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”

Twitter: @PastorChinae
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If God Be For Us...

Spirit & Life Devotional
Monday, April 13
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

If God Be For Us...

Jeremiah 15:20 NKJV "And I will make you to this people a fortified bronze wall; and they will fight against you, but they shall not prevail against you; for I am with you to save you and deliver you,” says the Lord."

You know, God never said there will be no wars, or no troubles or troublemakers; so don't expect a life without battles; but understand that battles are not meant to scare you, they are only meant to toughen you and to make you experience the goodness of God! Hear me, whatever the battle, you will surely come out victorious; it will end in your favour! Hallelujah!

Jeremiah 20:11 says, "But the Lord is with me as a mighty, awesome One. Therefore my persecutors will stumble, and will not prevail. They will be greatly ashamed, for they will not prosper. Their  everlasting confusion will never be forgotten." Psalms 2:1-5 "Why do the nations rage, and the people plot a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and against His anointed. But He who sits in the heavens shall laugh; the Lord shall hold them in derision. Then He shall speak to them in His wrath, and distress them in His deep displeasure."

Here's what you are to do; whenever you hear that they are making plans against you, or plotting how they will "show you pepper", as we say, just start laughing! You know why? The Bible says, "Indeed they shall surely assemble, but not because of Me. Whoever assembles against you shall fall for your sake." That is exactly what will happen! For God is with us! If God is for us, who can be against us? Here's how I like to say it, "If God is for us, who can be against us and win? You know the answer!

Twitter: @PastorChinae
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Leading By Example

Spirit & Life Devotional
Sunday, April 12
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

Leading By Example

I Peter 5:3 NKJV "Nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock."

The best way to lead is by example; in fact, it is the only way to lead. And make no mistake about it, it's not only the "ogas at the top" who are leaders, you and I are leaders wherever we are; as long as people are looking up to you and following you; your children, colleagues, converts, students, admirers, fans, social media followers, etc; you are to lead by example.

The tendency is to tell people what to do; we want to give them rules and regulations; to preach to them; but we rarely set the examples for them to follow. Some people are like the Pharisees who said what they never did. And that's why Jesus rebuked them, He said, "They bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers."

You tell people to pray, do you pray? You encourage people to fast, do you fast? You ask people to read the Bible daily, do you? You tell people not to tell lies, do you tell the truth always? You ask people to give, do you give often? You want others to forgive and forget, do you forgive and forget? You must be the first to do whatever you want others to do, and you must continue to do same. Paul said to the Corinthians, "Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ." He said to Timothy, "Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity." And Jesus said to the disciples, "If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you."

Twitter: @PastorChinae
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It Shall Come To Pass

Spirit & Life Devotional
Saturday, April 11
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

It Shall Come To Pass

Joshua 21:45 NKJV "Not a word failed of any good thing which the Lord had spoken to the house of Israel. All came to pass."

God said so many things to the children of Israel; He told them words they found very hard to believe; and He made them promises at times when the situations and conditions weren't right at all. But God is faithful! Hallelujah! Not a word failed of any good thing He said, they all came to pass!

God spoke the promises through Moses, Joshua testified years later that they came to pass: “Behold, this day I am going the way of all the earth. And you know in all your hearts and in all your souls that not one thing has failed of all the good things which the Lord your God spoke concerning you. All have come to pass for you; not one word of them has failed." Again, hundreds of years later, Solomon also testified that the promises had come to pass: “Blessed be the Lord, who has given rest to His people Israel, according to all that He promised. There has not failed one word of all His good promise, which He promised through His servant Moses." In other words, the promises of God have no expiry date, they are not limited to a particular era, generation or dispensation; if you believe, they can still come to pass even today!

God said, “For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, and do not return there, but water the earth, and make it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it." Hallelujah! Every word God has spoken to you will come to pass in Jesus name! And the blessings and fulfillment will extend to your generations unborn in Jesus name; Amen!

Twitter: @PastorChinae
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He Lives In Us

Spirit & Life Devotional
Friday, April 10
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

He Lives In Us

I Corinthians 6:19 NKJV "Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?"

Do we really know that God lives in us? Have we really understood what it means for God to live in us? Has it actually dawned on us that the Almighty God, the Creator of the heavens and the earth, the King of glory, the Holy God, the Monarch of the universe, dwells in us now?

I'll like to compare us with the Ark of God in the Old Testament. Are you aware that a man died just by touching the ark of God? Are you aware that an entire family prospered in every imaginable way just because the ark of God was kept in their house? Are you aware that the children of Israel won their battles by taking the ark to battle? Are you aware that physically made gods fell before the ark? And are you aware that when the ark was captured, God struck the people of the land and surrounding territories, with tumours?

Ha! Brothers and sisters, the ark, as important as it was, is nothing compared to your body today! Because the glory available to us today is greater than what they had in the Old Testament! How can you be scared of kidnappers? You kidnap me, you get burnt! I don't need to do anything, God lives in me! You employ me, or live with me, or even befriend me, and you get blessed, because God lives in me! You touch me wrongly or try to harm me, and you get into serious trouble, because God lives in me! I am a blessing wherever I am, and healing flows to everyone and everything around me, because God lives in me!!! And I am always fully conscious of His presence in me! So henceforth, I won't abuse my body, because God who lives in me is holy! Hallelujah!

Twitter: @PastorChinae
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Try God Now

Spirit & Life Devotional
Thursday, April 9
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

Try God Now

Malachi 3:10 NKJV "Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and try Me now in this,” Says the Lord of hosts, “If I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you such blessing that there  will not be room enough to receive it."

There are not many times that God asked people to try Him; but when He talked about tithing, He asked men to try Him. That's to show you how important it is to tithe.

During the famine in Egypt, a time came when the money of the Egyptians finished; then they exchanged their livestock for food; and when they had nothing else to give in exchange for food, they said to Joseph; "Why should we die before your eyes, both we and our land? Buy us and our land for bread, and we and our land will be servants of Pharaoh; give us seed, that we may live and not die, that the land may not be desolate.” Then Joseph said to the people, “Indeed I have bought you and your land this day for Pharaoh. Look, here  is seed for you, and you shall sow the land. And it shall come to pass in the harvest that you shall give one-fifth to Pharaoh. Four-fifths shall be your own, as seed for the field and for your food, for those of your households and as food for your little ones.”

The point is this: when you see everything you have as God's property, and commit it to Him, He becomes responsible for your sustenance. Again, when God has empowered you to make money, He is entitled to a portion of it. Pharaoh took twenty percent of the people's income, but God is only asking for ten percent yet a lot of us find it difficult to give tithes. God loses nothing when we don't tithe, we are the ones who will not receive the blessings of tithing.

Twitter: @PastorChinae
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THOUGH TRIBE AND TONGUE MAY DIFFER

THOUGH TRIBE AND TONGUE MAY DIFFER

Do young Nigerians know our former national anthem, "Nigeria, We Hail Thee", sung between 1960 and 1978 when it was replaced with "Arise, O Compatriots"?

The first four lines of the former anthem are:

Nigeria, we hail thee,
Our own dear native land,
Though tribe and tongue may differ,
In brotherhood we stand.

The Nigerian state was created in 1914, as an act of British colonialism, by the amalgamation of two existing British colonial states, the Protectorate of Northern Nigeria and the Colony and Protectorate of Southern Nigeria. It's been over 100 years and Nigerians have chosen to continue to remain united. There are over 370 tribes, and according to Wikipedia, 521 languages have been spoken in Nigeria (nine of which are now extinct).

Nigeria is a multi-ethnic and culturally diverse society, and the composer of our former anthem, Lillian Jean Williams, was obviously fully aware of that. But though our tribes and tongue differ we have managed to live together as brothers and sisters for over a century. Despite threats of secession we have remained united. I think that's something you and I should be proud of.

Living together has not been without challenges; but that's not surprising: in the Bible, we read of a time in the Early Church when there was a dispute between the Hebrews and the Hellenists; the Hellenists felt they were being neglected in the daily distribution of food. So if food could cause issues in the Church, it's expected that distribution of proceeds of our natural resources would equally come with complaints. What matters, therefore, is how our leaders respond to the complaints of the people.

The last four lines of our former national anthem are:

Help us to build a nation
Where no man is oppressed,
And so with peace and plenty
Nigeria may be blessed.

In this nation of ours, it is very important that no one is oppressed by another. The rich must not oppress the poor, the majority must not oppress the minority, the strong must not oppress the weak, leaders must not oppress the followers, teachers must not oppress the students and employers must not oppress their employees. We must continue to say no to all forms of oppression.

According to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Every person has a right to life, and no one shall be deprived intentionally of his life. Every individual is entitled to respect for the dignity of his person. Every person shall be entitled to his personal liberty. Every person shall be entitled to freedom of thought, conscience and religion, including freedom to change his religion or belief. Every person shall be entitled to freedom of expression, including freedom to hold opinions and to receive and impart ideas and information without interference. Every citizen of Nigeria is entitled to move freely throughout Nigeria and to reside in any part thereof. And subject to the provisions of the Constitution, every citizen of Nigeria shall have the right to acquire and own immovable property anywhere in Nigeria. These are the rights of every Nigerian and it must be clearly understood by all.

Nigeria is undoubtedly a great nation. And we are capable of becoming greater than we already are if together, we continue to work for the peace and prosperity of our country.

I am proud to be a Nigerian!

God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria!

April 8, 2015

Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim
Author, Spirit & Life Devotional
Pastor, Able Ministers
Founder, Future Nigerian Leaders Group

Twitter: @PastorChinae
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Victory Over The Flesh

Spirit & Life Devotional
Wednesday, April 8
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

Victory Over The Flesh

Romans 8:8 NKJV "So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God."

The Bible talks about two categories of people that cannot please God: those without faith (Hebrews 11:6), and those who are in the flesh (Romans 8:8). Notice the words used in both verses; "impossible" and "cannot". If you are going to church every day, reading the Bible, reading devotionals like this, and living in the flesh, you may feel good, but don't be deceived, God is not pleased.

How to know if you are living in the flesh: check your mind; your thoughts and your desires. What are the things you are always thinking about; what are the things you love to do; what places do you go to often? Romans 8:5 says, "For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit."

You want victory over the flesh? Do you desire to please God? As a Christian that must be your desire because we were created for His pleasure. There's only one way; to walk in the Spirit. Galatians 5:16-17 says, "Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish." In other words, you can't serve both masters at the same time; you've got to engage yourself, body, soul and spirit on the things of the Spirit. Galatians 5:24 says, "And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires." Hallelujah!

Twitter: @PastorChinae
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It Will Surely Come

Spirit & Life Devotional
Tuesday, April 7
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

It Will Surely Come

Habakkuk 2:3 NKJV "For the vision is yet for an appointed time; but at the end it will speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it; because it will surely come, It will not tarry."

When God says that it will surely come, you can take it to the bank; it will surely come! What is it that God has spoken to you about, it may seem to be taking too long; it might even seem it will not happen again, cheer up, God says it will surely come! Hallelujah!

God revealed to Joseph in a dream that he would one day be a great ruler; and ever since that day, he began to experience troubles. His brothers sold him into slavery and he was imprisoned. But they could only hold him for so long; the instant his time came the vision was fulfilled. Within a few hours, Joseph became a Prime Minister, from prison! David too: he was told he would be king, he was even anointed. But right after his anointing, he became a servant in the palace! As if that was not enough, he became the most wanted man in Israel; he became a wanderer! But when the time came, everyone came together and made David king of Israel!

I prophesy to you in the name of Jesus: the time for your promotion has come; the time for your prosperity has come; the time for your healing has come; the time for your job has come; the time for your marriage has come; the time for your business has come; the time for your visa has come; the time for your admission has come; the time for your graduation has come, in the name of Jesus! Amen! The obstacles are being removed! Nothing can stop you now, in the name of Jesus! And if God is asking you to wait a little more, wait with confidence: He is faithful!

Twitter: @PastorChinae
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The Lord Is My Shepherd

Spirit & Life Devotional
Monday, April 6
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

The Lord Is My Shepherd

Psalms 23:1 ERV "The Lord is my shepherd. I will always have everything I need."

I will always have everything I need! Hallelujah! Because the Lord is my Shepherd; my Provider; my Supplier! I don't need a sugar daddy or sugar mummy, I don't need rich friends or rich members or rich relatives, I don't need to know anyone in Aso Rock or in the White House; whether I work with an oil company or not is irrelevant; I know God, and He is all I need!

Philippians 4:19 says, "My God will use his glorious riches to give you everything you need. He will do this through Christ Jesus." That's the first level of blessing; having just what you need. But God can also give you excess! 2 Corinthians 9:8 says, "And God can give you more blessings than you need, and you will always have plenty of everything. You will have enough to give to every good work." Yeah!

Let me tell you; God doesn't need to use anyone to bless you, you've got to take your mind off people and just look up to Him alone; relax and let Him decide how He will do it. When there was no rain, the Bible says that "ravens brought Elijah food every morning and every evening, and he drank water from the stream." That was supernatural supply! He's still doing miracles today! Jesus said, “Don’t worry and say, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’ That’s what those people who don’t know God are always thinking about. Don’t worry, because your Father in heaven knows that you need all these things. What you should want most is God’s kingdom and doing what he wants you to do. Then he will give you all these other things you need." Amen!

Twitter: @PastorChinae
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Walking In Newness Of Life

Spirit & Life Devotional
Sunday, April 5
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

Walking In Newness Of Life

Romans 6:4 NKJV "Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life."

Something is wrong if after everything Jesus did you are still living and sinning as if you were never saved; something is wrong if after the sufferings of Christ before and on the cross you are still suffering and in the same condition you were before you got born again. Jesus gave us a new life, we should be walking in it now!

Today, a lot of us are celebrating the fact that Jesus died for us, but not many realize that we were in Him the entire time! When He died, we died with Him; when He was buried, we were buried with Him; and when He rose from the dead, we rose with Him! No wonder it says that if any man be in Christ he is a new creature! We are new creatures with a new life, the God life, and God expects us to live it here and now!

Brothers and sisters, if the Son set you free, you are free indeed! Sin has no dominion over you; poverty has no dominion over you; failure has no dominion over you; sickness has no dominion over you; curses have no dominion over you; even death has no dominion over you! Stop living the old life! Get rid of the mentality of the old man; the old man was crucified with Jesus! Choose to enjoy this new life; decide that from today you will walk in it and live it to the full. Become aware of it! Walk in righteousness, holiness, dominion and love.

Happy Easter!

Twitter: @PastorChinae
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The Words Of Your Mouth

Spirit & Life Devotional
Saturday, April 4
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

The Words Of Your Mouth

Psalms 19:14 NKJV "Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer."

You must have heard of the Miranda warning, "You have the right to remain silent when questioned. Anything you say or do may be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to consult an attorney before speaking to the police and to have an attorney present during questioning now or in the future." What many of us haven't realized is that every single day, the words we speak are working for or against us in the court of life! How I wish we consult the word before speaking!

It's not only in the day of judgment that our words would matter; even here, even now! It has always mattered. Apostle Peter said that "he who would love life and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips from speaking deceit." You can actually determine the quality of life you'd have! Your life is a fulfilment of all the words you've been speaking!!! You've been prophesying all your life and they have been coming to pass!

Mind what you say! James 3:2 says, "For we all stumble in many things. If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body." Some words should never come out of your mouth whether you are joking or not, or even when you are afraid. Your job is not responsible for how your life is or will be; the government of the day isn't responsible either; I don't care if the Naira is getting stronger or weaker, or if the price of crude oil is crashing: God responds to your words! Job 22:29 says, "When they cast you down, and you say, ‘Exaltation will come!’ Then He will save the humble person." Say it and God will do it! Keep saying it and God will keep doing it! Hallelujah!

Twitter: @PastorChinae
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No Power Against You

Spirit & Life Devotional
Friday, April 3
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

NO POWER AGAINST YOU

John 19:11 NKJV "Jesus answered, 'You could have no power at all against Me unless it had been given you from above. Therefore the one who delivered Me to you has the greater sin.'”

This was one of the few recorded statements Jesus made during His trial. It was in response to what Pilate said; “Do You not know that I have power to crucify You, and power to release You?” Jesus, Who had been quiet all along replied immediately that Pilate had no power at all against Him, or over Him, and that he could do nothing to Him without God's approval.

I came to tell you today that nothing and no one has the power on their own to hurt you in any way. If they didn't have power against Jesus then they don't have power against you! Remember Job? The Bible says that God made a hedge around him, around his household, and around all that he has on every side! You may not know, but you are very secure! There's a hedge around you and your loved ones, and around everything you own! Believe it, you are well protected than the President of your country! For God has given His angels charge over you so that you will not even dash your feet against a stone!

It doesn't matter who it is that doesn't like you; it doesn't matter how many people have ganged up against you; it doesn't matter who is plotting your downfall; they will not succeed because they will never secure God's approval! Saul tried and tried to destroy David; he used everything at his disposal, including the army and the resources of the State, but still failed! Jesus suffered enough for you and I! Therefore, no weapon formed against you shall prosper and when they gather together for your sake they shall scatter and fall! So shall it be! In Jesus name.

Twitter: @PastorChinae
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WE WILL NOT BE CONSUMED

Spirit & Life Devotional
Thursday, April 2
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

WE WILL NOT BE CONSUMED

Malachi 3:6 NKJV “For I am the Lord, I do not change; therefore you are not consumed, O sons of Jacob."

What's God saying there? That even though we may change; that even though we might fail Him and disappoint Him, because He doesn't change from Who and What He is, we will not be destroyed. He saying that when He has made a promise to you, even when you don't qualify for it, and when you deserve to be punished, because He doesn't change, you will not be consumed! The NET says, "Since, I, the LORD, do not go back on my promises, you, sons of Jacob, have not perished." Hallelujah!

You see, it's not about us right now, neither is it about what we've done; it's about the faithfulness of God, it's about His mercies and about His love! 2 Timothy 2:13 says that if we are unfaithful, He remains faithful, since He cannot deny Himself. God is not like man who says, "if you do me I do you": no, Psalm 103:10 says, "He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor punished us according to our iniquities." Hallelujah!

God is merciful! The Bible says that "For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward those who fear Him." Wow! Lamentations 3:22-23 "Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They  are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness." Glory to God! I declare that you will not be consumed in Jesus name! Surely His mercies will follow you all the days of your life! He will never cease being merciful to you! Hebrews 4:15-16 says, "For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we  are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need." Hallelujah!

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ON THE ELECTION OF GENERAL MUHAMMADU BUHARI

ON THE ELECTION OF GENERAL MUHAMMADU BUHARI

A CHOICE WAS MADE

I'm a strong believer in choice. I believe in the power of choice, and that when people who are mature enough have chosen what they want, their choice(s) must be respected. I learnt that from God: when the people of Israel wanted a king, Samuel was sad, but God asked him to give them a king even though He was being rejected. God respected the choice of the people. Just as I believe in the power of choice, I also believe that every choice has its consequences. We do not only choose our actions, we also choose to enjoy or to suffer the consequences of our choices.

In the presidential elections that held on March 28, 2015, majority of Nigerians made a choice; a choice for a change of government and also, hopefully, for a change of things in our country. With our votes, we have chosen Retired General Muhammadu Buhari as our President for the next four years. Today, I congratulate the President-Elect and wish him well. It is my duty to pray for my leaders; that I shall always do.

For many years, Nigeria was a one party state. That was certainly not good for us as a nation. But what was worse, is the fact that our votes didn't always matter. But that has changed (or is changing)! The electorates are now more informed and have understood that ultimate power is theirs. For that, I am very happy. And also for that, I congratulate every Nigerian who voted. I also salute all those, living and dead, who fought tirelessly to make today a reality. I thank President Goodluck Jonathan too, for a job well done. Sir, your contributions to the strengthening of our democracy will always be remembered. Fellow Nigerians, we must continue to use this power to bring about positive change and development in our dearly beloved country.

I believe in the unity of Nigeria. We are brothers irrespective of our religion and tribe. I have a dream, that one day, we all will be able to live wherever we desire, whether in the North or South, East or West, without fear and be able to contest for elective positions wherever we reside, a day when an Igbo man can become governor of Katsina State and a Yoruba woman governor of Imo State. I was very pleased with the fact that Chief Oghene Egboh, Mrs. Rita Orji and Mr. Tony Nwoolu were elected as members of the Federal House of Representatives for Amuwo Odofin LGA, Ajeromi-Ifelodun LGA and Oshodi/I solo Federal Constituency, Lagos. I'm very excited that my dreams are coming to pass!

Finally, I wish to remind us that true change begins with you and I. Changing a government will amount to nothing if you and I continue to live, work, trade and relate with one another as we have always done. We must not be forced to change our ways else it won't last, we must willingly change ourselves. Our attitude to work must change; we must be more patriotic, putting Nigeria first and above every other interests; our politicians must change and begin to see politics as a means of offering service and improving lives; our police must change; lawmakers and judges must change; students, traders, contractors, and everyone else must change! We must stop stealing and corruption; we must stop vandalism; we must stop exam malpractices; and all other vices if we would be a great and prosperous country. Yes we can because we have all it takes.

I am proud to be a Nigerian.

God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria!

Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim
Author, Spirit & Life Devotional
Pastor, Able Ministers
April 1, 2015

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ILLIMITABLE GOD

Spirit & Life Devotional
Wednesday, April 1
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

ILLIMITABLE GOD

I Samuel 14:6 NKJV "Then Jonathan said to the young man who bore his armor, “Come, let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised; it may be that the Lord will work for us. For nothing restrains the Lord from saving by many or by few.”

When God is set to move, He doesn't need a multitude of people on His side, neither does He need many resources; He's unrestrained, unlimited, nothing at all hinders Him; many times, all He needs is just a man, or a few who are willing to trust in Him. When God is leading you to do something, it's a mistake for you to think that you must have enough of everything before you make a move; understand that God Himself is everything you need!

God does not like to share His glory with anyone. That's why He will rather use one man to achieve the results that would have required one thousand men to achieve! That's what God said to Gideon, “The people who are with you are too many for Me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel claim glory for itself against Me, saying, ‘My own hand has saved me.’" When God is moving you to do anything, don't say that you don't have supporters, or enough capital, or sponsors; God is more than enough to get the job done!

Don't restrain God with your thinking! When Elisha prophesied, “Hear the word of the Lord. Thus says the Lord: ‘Tomorrow about this time a seah of fine flour shall be sold for a shekel, and two seahs of barley for a shekel, at the gate of Samaria.’ An officer on whose hand the king leaned answered the man of God and said, “Look, if the Lord would make windows in heaven, could this thing be?” That man did not know God! No wonder Jesus said we err because we do not know the scriptures or the power of God.

Jesus fed thousands of people with five loaves and two fish; God used Samson to defeat thousands; He used Jonathan and his armour bearer to deliver a nation, and He used a little boy, David, to defeat a giant called Goliath. I encourage you today to trust God. Ignore the mountains, ignore the challenges, ignore all the reasons why it shouldn't work; when God is on your side, anything is possible.

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