What Are You Doing With Your Life?

#SpiritAndLifeDevotional 
Friday, July 31
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

What Are You Doing With Your Life?

Proverbs 14.1 "The wise woman builds her house, but the foolish pulls it down with her hands."

Have you ever thought about the kind of life you want to live by the time you're say, forty or fifty or sixty years old? Of course, you don't want it to be worse than it is now, you want it to be better, sweeter and greater. That's what it should be; and so shall it be in Jesus' name. Amen.

Dreams come true, but they don't just happen; many times, we've got a part to play in making them happen. Life is like a building; our decisions, our choices and our actions are the tools with which we are either building or destroying our lives. A lot of people have destroyed their lives by joining bad company, using drugs, and engaging in other destructive habits. The truth is that when we do things contrary to the will of God, spiritually, financially, etc, we are in many ways using our own hands to pull down our lives! Judas Iscariot pulled down his life by betraying Jesus, he hung himself; Reuben pulled down his life by sleeping with his father's concubine, he was cursed; Esau destroyed his destiny by selling his birthright for a portion of food, he lost his blessing.

I encourage you today to make wise choices and decisions. Choose to have a glorious future; choose to please the Lord at all times; choose to be faithful; choose to be diligent; choose to build a life that generations to come would be inspired by, a life that your children would bless you for.

Twitter: @PastorChinae
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That The Word of God May Not Be Blasphemed

#SpiritAndLifeDevotional 
Thursday, July 30
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

That The Word of God May Not Be Blasphemed

Titus 2.5. "To be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed."

The Bible says that we are epistles known and read by all men. In other words, you and I are the Bible that many people read. When we say what the Bible says, and live lives that contradict what the Bible says, we give room for those who have not believed the Bible to criticize it and to blaspheme it.

We've got to view ourselves as ambassadors of the Word. Your conduct says a lot about the Bible. When Jesus read the Scriptures in the Temple, the Bible says that the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him. They didn't look at the Scriptures that He read, they looked at Him! When people look at you, what exactly are they seeing?

We are the light of the world, a city on a hill that cannot be hidden. When you fight with the conductor in the bus what's your action saying to those looking at you? When you and your colleagues don't talk, what's your action saying? When you don't even greet your neighbours or care to be a part of what's going on in your compound, what message are you sending across? When you keep breaking peoples hearts; when people see you in those corners and joints at odd hours of the day, what do you want them to think? It's not all about being able to quote scriptures and speaking Greek and Hebrew, let the Word of God be glorified by your life.

Twitter: @PastorChinae
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Dominion Over Sin

#SpiritAndLifeDevotional 
Wednesday, July 29
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

Dominion Over Sin

Genesis 4:7 "If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it.”

It's really interesting to me, that long before Jesus came, in fact, since the beginning of time, God had told man that he could rule over sin!

Many of us have often felt helpless against sin; there are sinful habits that we have struggled with for a while: indeed sin wants to control us, but we must understand that we have been free from sin!

Romans 6.12-14 says, "Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace." Amen!

Twitter: @PastorChinae
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TITHING AND THE WELFARE OF MINISTERS OF THE GOSPEL AND CHURCH WORKERS

TITHING AND THE WELFARE OF MINISTERS OF THE GOSPEL AND CHURCH WORKERS
Wednesday, July 29
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

You know, tithes the Old Testament were given to the Levites. So people have argued that ministers of the gospel and church workers today should be viewed as Levites, and that we should continue paying tithes because of their welfare.

First, it's not true that ministers of the gospel and church workers today are Levites. Nowhere in the New Testament supports that assertion.

Now, if it's also true that ministers and church workers are to be taken care of with tithes, the best place to have stated that would have been 1 Corinthians 9. But Paul said so much about the welfare of ministers without talking about the tithes. See below:

1 Corinthians 9.3-14 "My defense to those who examine me is this: Do we have no right to eat and drink? Do we have no right to take along a believing wife, as do also the other apostles, the brothers of the Lord, and Cephas? Or is it only Barnabas and I who have no right to refrain from working? Who ever goes to war at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat of its fruit? Or who tends a flock and does not drink of the milk of the flock? Do I say these things as a mere man? Or does not the law say the same also? For it is written in the law of Moses, 'You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain.' Is it oxen God is concerned about? Or does He say it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written, that he who plows should plow in hope, and he who threshes in hope should be partaker of his hope. If we have sown spiritual things for you, is  it a great thing if we reap your material things? Do you not know that those who minister the holy things eat of  the  things of the temple, and those who serve at the altar partake of the offerings  of the altar? Even so the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should live from the gospel."

Now, it's clear that those who preach the gospel should live from the gospel. How?

According to the Bible, it is the duty of members to take care of their pastors and other church workers.

1 Corinthians 9.11 says, "If we have sown spiritual things for you, is  it a great thing if we reap your material things?"

Galatians 6.6 says, "Let him who is taught the word share in all good things with him who teaches."

1 Timothy 5.17-18 says, "Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and doctrine. For the Scripture says, 'You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain,' and, 'The laborer is worthy of his wages.'"

Honour there means they should be well paid. Members must ensure that they give to they give to support their pastors and everyone else who teaches them the word.

Having said the above, ministers too must understand that they can forfeit that right by working, just as Paul did. He said to the Thessalonians, "For you yourselves know how you ought to follow us, for we were not disorderly among you; nor did we eat anyone’s bread free of charge, but worked with labor and toil night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, not because we do not have authority, but to make ourselves an example of how you should follow us." (2 Thessalonians 3:7-9)

Twitter: @pastorchinae

TITHING: UNDERSTANDING HEBREWS 7

TITHING: UNDERSTANDING HEBREWS 7
Wednesday, July 29
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

Hebrews 7 comes up in discussions about tithing as it affects us in the New Testament, especially verses 8-10. That's because it's the only verse in the New Testament that talks about the tithe.

Hebrews 7.8-10 "Here mortal men receive tithes, but there he receives  them, of whom it is witnessed that he lives. Even Levi, who receives tithes, paid tithes through Abraham, so to speak, for he was still in the loins of his father when Melchizedek met him."

Now, from the above, people argue and teach that Jesus receives tithes in Heaven. Is that correct?

First, 2 Corinthians 13.1 says that “By the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall be established.” So assuming that thought is correct, we must be able to support it with other verses of the Bible. Is there any that says Jesus is in Heaven receiving our offerings and tithes? The answer is no. God recognizes our offerings and He loves cheerful givers; He also rewards giving, but there's no storehouse in Heaven where God puts our tithes and offerings.

What's Hebrews 7 really talking about.

The author was making comparisons between Jesus our High Priest and the high priests of the Old Testament. He was letting them know that high priests then were Levites, in the order of Aaron, because to them was given the priesthood. But Jesus wasn't a Levite, He was from the tribe of Judah. Meaning that His Priesthood isn't after the order of Aaron. Now, there was another priest who wasn't a Levite - Melchizedek. The author of Hebrews therefore compares Jesus with Melchizedek, letting us know that Jesus, though not a Levite, is a High Priest in the order of Melchizedek. Therefore, Him not being a Levite doesn't disqualify Him from being a Priest. As a matter of fact, priesthood in the order of Aaron was abolished when a new testament came into effect, that's why you and I are priests today!

But let's look at Hebrews 7.8-10 again. It says, "Here mortal men receive tithes, but there he receives them, of whom it is witnessed that he lives. Even Levi, who receives tithes, paid tithes through Abraham, so to speak, for he was still in the loins of his father when Melchizedek met him."

People have been confused by the words "here" and "there". They think "here" means the Earth, while "there" means heaven. But that's not true. By "here", the author of Hebrews referred to the priests in the order of Aaron, and by "there" he referred to Melchizedek. Let's look at other translations.

Amplified: "Furthermore, here [in the Levitical priesthood] tithes are received by men who are subject to death; while there [in the case of Melchizedek], they are received by one of whom it is testified that he lives [perpetually]."

Young's Literal Translation of the Holy Bible, "And here, indeed, men who die do receive tithes, and there [he], who is testified to that he was living."

New Living Translation "The priests who collect tithes are men who die, so Melchizedek is greater than they are, because we are told that he lives on."

GOD'S WORD® Translation "Priests receive a tenth of everything, but they die. Melchizedek received a tenth of everything, but we are told that he lives."

The Bible in the Basic English "Now at the present time, men over whom death has power take the tenth; but then it was taken by one of whom it is witnessed that he is living."

Message: "Or look at it this way: We pay our tithes to priests who die, but Abraham paid tithes to a priest who, the Scripture says, 'lives.'"

It's obvious that Hebrews 7:8 has always been misinterpreted.

Twitter: @pastorchinae

Why Abraham Paid Tithes

Here's what the Holy Spirit just revealed to me... Still meditating but I just want to share it with you quickly.

That Abraham did not give the tithe because of financial prosperity or blessing!

After Abraham had rescued Lot and his possessions, those things would have become his; the king of Sodom even said to Abraham, “Give me the persons, and take the goods for yourself.” But what did Abraham do? He said to the king of Sodom, “I have raised my hand to the Lord, God Most High, the Possessor of heaven and earth, that I will take nothing, from a thread to a sandal strap, and that I will not take anything that is yours, lest you should say, ‘I have made Abram rich’."

Abraham tithing was not in anyway connected with his "finances" or "prosperity"!

Here's another proof... When Melchizedek met him, the Bible says "Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was the priest of God Most High. And he blessed him and said: 'Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; and blessed be God Most High, Who has delivered your enemies into your hand.' And he gave him a tithe of all."

It had nothing to do with finances; Abraham even swore not to take a thread lest they said that they made him rich! It was about God delivering his enemies into his hand!

Why's that important? When New Testament believers have been wrongly taught based on the Laws of the Old Testament, they tithe in expectation of financial miracles and prosperity; not realizing that they are already blessed! Jesus became poor so that we through His poverty might be rich! Bible called it "the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ"!

Listen to me people! We have been blessed already - not by works, but by grace! Stop trying to impress God! You have been blessed already with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ! Revelations 5.12 says: “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom, and strength and honor and glory and blessing!” Christ received all these, including riches, for the Church, while we were yet sinners!

This is the truth!

Falling From Steadfastness

#SpiritAndLifeDevotional 
Tuesday, July 28
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

Falling From Steadfastness

2 Peter 3.17 "You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked."

Steadfastness is defined, "The quality or state of being steadfast; firmness; fixedness; constancy." I like that word, constancy; it is the quality of being enduring and unchanging.

Notice what Peter warned against; falling from your own steadfastness. He was basically warning against lukewarmness, the dying of conviction, the loss of passion and zeal, the forgetting of our first love! Yes, it's true that so many of us still go to church, but how many of us are still as hot as we used to be? How many of us still pray as we used to pray? How many of us still believe the word as we used to? How many of us still evangelize as we used to evangelize? How many of us still work for God and give as we used to give? Are we still as principled as we used to be, or are we now accommodating and compromising? A lot of us have fallen from our steadfastness without even realizing it! Jesus said, "Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent."

1 Corinthians 15.58 says, "Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord." None of you reading this will fall in Jesus' name. Amen.

Twitter: @PastorChinae
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THE TRUTH ABOUT TITHING, BLESSINGS AND PROSPERITY

THE TRUTH ABOUT TITHING, BLESSINGS AND PROSPERITY
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim 
Monday, July 27, 2015

There are basically three eras: The pre-Law era; the era of the Law and then the post-Law era. Understanding this is important.

A. BEFORE THE LAW

Now, we see in Genesis that Abraham paid tithe. But it's recorded that he paid tithes just once. Jacob promised God a tithe; but note that his decision to pay tithes to God was hinged on the fulfillment of certain conditions. Genesis 28.20-22 says, "Then Jacob made a vow, saying, 'If God will be with me, and keep me in this way that I am going, and give me bread to eat and clothing to put on, so that I come back to my father’s house in peace, then the Lord shall be my God. And this stone which I have set as a pillar shall be God’s house, and of all that You give me I will surely give a tenth to You.'" Notice that Jacob was not in any way compelled to give God the tithe. And we are not told if he eventually did or not.

B. THE LAW

When God gave the Israelites the Law, He said, "And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the tree, is the Lord ’s. It is holy to the Lord." Leviticus 27:30. But God also made it clear that tithes were to be used for different purposes.

1) Tithes were to support the Levites who had no inheritance. In Numbers 18.20-21, God said to Aaron: “You shall have no inheritance in their land, nor shall you have any portion among them; I am your portion and your inheritance among the children of Israel. “Behold, I have given the children of Levi all the tithes in Israel as an inheritance in return for the work which they perform, the work of the tabernacle of meeting."

2) Tithes were to support the strangers, the fatherless and the widows.

Deuteromomy 26.12-15. “When you have finished laying aside all the tithe of your increase in the third year— the year of tithing—and have given it to the Levite, the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, so that they may eat within your gates and be filled, then you shall say before the Lord your God: ‘I have removed the holy tithe from my house, and also have given them to the Levite, the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, according to all Your commandments which You have commanded me; I have not transgressed Your commandments, nor have I forgotten them. I have not eaten any of it when in mourning, nor have I removed any of it for an unclean use, nor given any of it for the dead. I have obeyed the voice of the Lord my God, and have done according to all that You have commanded me. Look down from Your holy habitation, from heaven, and bless Your people Israel and the land which You have given us, just as You swore to our fathers, 'a land flowing with milk and honey.'"

Notice the people God asked them to give the tithes to: those who had no inheritance in the land and were helpless. For God is a gracious and merciful God.

C. MALACHI 3:8&9 AND THE CURSE OF THE LAW

Malachi 3:8-9 says, “Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, ‘In what way have we robbed You?’ In tithes and offerings. You are cursed with a curse, for you have robbed Me, even this whole nation."

That's understandable because God told them that the tithes were His. But why the curse? In Deuteronomy 11.26-29, Moses said, “Behold, I set before you today a blessing and a curse: the blessing, if you obey the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you today; and the curse, if you do not obey the commandments of the Lord your God, but turn aside from the way which I command you today, to go after other gods which you have not known. Now it shall be, when the Lord your God has brought you into the land which you go to possess, that you shall put the blessing on Mount Gerizim and the curse on Mount Ebal."

That's the curse God referred to, because in the Old Testament, there was a curse for not obeying the Law.

D. REDEEMED FROM THE CURSE OF THE LAW

First, it's important to state that the Law has been abolished. Jesus fulfilled the entire Law. Ephesians 2.14-15 says, "For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that  is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace."

But tithing preceeded the Law. So, that the Law was abolished doesn't necessarily mean we should automatically stop tithing (assuming we choose to). But here's what Jesus did that no one should overlook: He redeemed us from the curse of the Law! Galatians 3.13-14 says, "Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”), that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith."

E. WE ARE BLESSED

Believers must realize that we are already blessed. I mean since the very day we believed. 1 Peter 3.9 "knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing." Ephesians 1.3 "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ."

F. PROSPERITY IS FREE!

1 Corinthians 2.12 says, "Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God." What are these things? I can tell you without fear of contradiction that prosperity is one of them. 2 Corinthians 8.9 says, "For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich." 1 Corinthians 3.21-23 says, "Therefore let no one boast in men. For all things are yours: whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas, or the world or life or death, or things present or things to come—all are yours. And you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s." All things are ours!

We are blessed by grace!

G. DON'T BE LIKE THE PHARISEE

Jesus told a parable: “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’  And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” Luke 18:12-14.

Sadly, a lot of Christians are boasting today: they brag about paying tithes and condemn those who don't; ignoring the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ Who became poor so that we could be rich!

H. WHY YOU SHOULD GIVE

Give because you love God and men. That, really, is the true reason why God wants us to give. I tell you, when brethren of the Early Church gave all their possessions, they were not expecting anything in return. They gave because they didn't want anyone among them to lack. That was love. And that's what Paul spent time doing, getting from those who had in order that those who didn't have might be well catered for. He said to the Corinthians: "I speak not by commandment, but I am testing the sincerity of your love by the diligence of others." 2 Corinthians 8:8

Twitter: @PastorChinae
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Eating The Tithes

#SpiritAndLifeDevotional
Monday, July 27
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

Eating The Tithes

Deuteronomy 14.23 "And you shall eat before the Lord your God, in the place where He chooses to make His name abide, the tithe of your grain and your new wine and your oil, of the firstborn of your herds and your flocks, that you may learn to fear the Lord your God always."

Now, I must warn that what I'm about to say may not go down well with a lot of people. And you really don't have to share it. But I pledged to tell the truth always.

I've been a Christian all my life; I've read the Bible several times; I preach it every day; and by the grace of God, I receive revelations from God. I know what people teach about the tithes, I understand that it's somewhat controversial, and I also understand how useful it is to churches.

It's okay to pay tithes, and it's okay for pastors to encourage their members to do so: but what's not okay is when people are threatened to pay tithes with Malachi 3:8&9. It's so wrong and teachers of the Word must immediately stop it. We are under grace! And God does not bless us financially just because we pay tithes. Of course, we are taught to give in the New Testament, and we will reap if we sow; but you see, in the New Testament, the blessings of God are not conditional. The curse came with the Law of Moses, and Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the Law!

Even in the Old Testament, the purpose of tithing was to first honour God. Proverbs 3:9 says to honour God with our substance. Moses said that the purpose of tithing was that they might fear God. The people ate their tithes! They were not always required to take it to the Temple.

I'm not against tithing, and I sincerely encourage you to tithe. But do it not out of fear, but because you love God and acknowledge Him as your Source.

Twitter: @PastorChinae
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Life In Heaven

#SpiritAndLifeDevotional
Sunday, July 26
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

Life In Heaven

Revelations 7.16-17 "They shall neither hunger anymore nor thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any heat; for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”

Heaven is a wonderful place! While it's true that we are citizens of heaven now, it's also true that we are still living here on earth. But we live with the consciousness that we are strangers and pilgrims in this world. The day will come, soon I believe, when our time here will be over, and we will forever be with the Lord! I can't wait!

Life In Heaven will be glorious! There will be no hunger, no thirst, no heat! Revelations 21.4 says that God will wipe away every tear from our eyes; "there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” Hallelujah! Whatever you're going through right now is only for a while. Endure till the end. Even if things do not get better for you here on earth; even if you die a beggar like Lazarus; even if you build no house, drive no car, achieve nothing meaningful here, there's hope of a much better life in heaven!

You will make heaven in the name of Jesus! No, you will not backslide, neither will you be castaway! You will run the race to the very end; you will overcome every obstacle and distractions in the name of Jesus! Demas forsook Christ, having loved this present world. You won't love this world in the name of Jesus! And I pray for the restoration of many who have gone astray, may they be drawn back by the love of God!

We may never meet here, but I sincerely hope to meet you in Heaven! Amen!

Twitter: @PastorChinae
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The Ideal Believer

#SpiritAndLifeDevotional
Saturday, July 25
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

The Ideal Believer

Colossians 1.9-12 "For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him,  being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light."

That was Paul's prayer to God for the Christians in Colosse. He prayed for them to be a certain kind of people: in other words, that was who they were meant to be; that was his vision concerning them; that's who we should be - Paul painted the picture of an ideal believer.

Being a Christian, that is, being born again, is fantastic; how I wish that all men would be saved! But we must not stop at that. We must grow up: there's a standard; there's a prototype (Jesus) that we all must desire to be like - a believer filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; walking worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all might, and always giving thanks to the Father. Hallelujah!

Twitter: @PastorChinae
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He Is Lord

#SpiritAndLifeDevotional
Friday, July 24
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

He Is Lord

Leviticus 24.11-12 "And the Israelite woman’s son blasphemed the name of the Lord and cursed; and so they brought him to Moses. (His mother’s name was Shelomith the daughter of Dibri, of the tribe of Dan.) Then they put him in custody, that the mind of the Lord might be shown to them."

A lot of us need to slowdown; we need to learn to wait patiently for God. We take actions on our own, do whatever we like, and then when there are issues, that's when we run to God for damage control. Why then do we call Him Lord?

It's really sad that a lot of us have no relationship with the Holy Spirit. You see, prayer is not only about asking God for things; the prayer of a believer should be more about seeking His will! And that's why there are no real testimonies! We would rather consult men like us with limited insight. Is Christ truly the Lord of our lives?

We must involve God in our decision making. Actually, we must let Him make decisions for us. Especially when you're an overseer of God's sheep! I know that you have the wisdom of God in you, but He's the Boss! Look at Acts 16.6-7 "Now when they had gone through Phrygia and the region of Galatia, they were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to preach the word in Asia. After they had come to Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit did not permit them." What you want to do might be fantastic and would even glorify God, no doubt, but please seek the mind of God first; that's when He's truly glorified. And that's when success, safety and satisfaction are guaranteed.

Twitter: @PastorChinae
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Glorying In Tribulations

#SpiritAndLifeDevotional
Thursday, July 23
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

Glorying In Tribulations

Romans 5.3-4 "And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope."

Tribulation refers to "unhappiness, pain, or suffering" or to "an experience that causes someone to suffer." By definition, tribulations are not things to celebrate or to be happy about; rather, they should make us sad, miserable and worried. But God says to rejoice! James 1.2-4 says, "My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing."

But we don't glory in tribulations for the sake of it, we glory in tribulations because we are aware of the good things it produces in us. You know, pain is bearable when we understand it's purpose. The Bible says that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. In other words, they make us better people. James said, that we "may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing."

They say that whatever doesn't kill you makes you stronger. You may be going through tough times; you may be experiencing pain and suffering: it's not a time to "curse God and die", it's not a time to quit either; maintain a right attitude, learn the lessons, go through the process till the very end; let God use whatever you're experiencing right now to bring out the best in you.

Twitter: @PastorChinae
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The God Of Men

#SpiritAndLifeDevotional
Wednesday, July 22
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

The God Of Men

Jonah 4.9 "Then God said to Jonah, 'Is it right for you to be angry about the plant?' And he said, 'It is right for me to be angry, even to death!'"

You know the story: God sent Jonah to preach to the people of Nineveh, but he was reluctant, he even tried to flee from the presence of God. Well, after a dramatic experience, he went, and because of his message the people of Nineveh repented, and God forgave them. That greatly upset Jonah: he had already judged and condemned the people; they deserved no mercy, neither did they deserve forgiveness.

God decided to teach Jonah a lesson: He prepared a plant and made it come up over Jonah, that it might be shade for him. Jonah was very grateful for the plant. But as morning dawned the next day God prepared a worm, and it so damaged the plant that it withered. And when the sun arose, God prepared a vehement wind; and the sun beat on Jonah, so that he grew faint. Then he wished death for himself, and said, “It is better for me to die than to live." Jonah was angry with God for taking the shade away, and God said to him, “You have had pity on the plant for which you have not labored, nor made it grow, which came up in a night and perished in a night. And should I not pity Nineveh, that great city, in which are more than one hundred and twenty thousand persons who cannot discern between their right hand and their left—and much livestock?”

That was the problem Jesus had with the Pharisees who didn't want Him to heal on the Sabbath. He said to them, “What man is there among you who has one sheep, and if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not lay hold of it and lift it out? Of how much more value then is a man than a sheep?”

A lot of us value our cars, our pets, our jobs, our monies in the bank, our properties, our businesses and other investments and assets more than we value souls of men who are perishing and have needs: we would rather spend hours praying and fasting to God for things than for beings! We've got to change our mindset and begin to truly love as God does. We must put people first before anything else.

Twitter: @PastorChinae
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Deliverance From Evil

#SpiritAndLifeDevotional
Tuesday, July 21
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

Deliverance From Evil

2 Timothy 4.18 "And the Lord will deliver me from every evil work and preserve me for His heavenly kingdom. To Him be glory forever and ever. Amen!"

When Jesus taught us to pray, deliverance from evil was one of the things He said we should pray about. And that's because evil is real. And we must not be oblivious of its reality.

Now, it's important to differentiate between being delivered from evil and being delivered from the devil. We have already been delivered from the devil, and we are far above principalities and powers of darkness; but we live in a wicked world of unbelieving men who can be tools in the hand of Satan! For instance, we read in Acts 23 that some of the Jews banded together and bound themselves under an oath, saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul. The Bible says that they were more than forty who formed that conspiracy. Now that's evil!

Evil deeds are done daily: people cheating and defrauding others; ritual killings; child molestation; rape; violent attacks; robbery; plots and conspiracies; etc. There's an extent to which you can protect yourself and your family; only God can truly deliver. And I pray for you today in the name of Jesus, that you and all your loved ones will be delivered from every evil work. You will only see evil, but you will never experience it. The arrows of the wicked will never hit you, in the name of Jesus! Amen!

Twitter: @PastorChinae
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Prepare To Receive Your Wealth

#SpiritAndLifeDevotional
Monday, July 20
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

Prepare To Receive Your Wealth

Zechariah 14.14 "Judah also will fight at Jerusalem. And the wealth of all the surrounding nations shall be gathered together: gold, silver, and apparel in great abundance."

The Bible says in Proverbs 13.22 that the wealth of the sinner is stored up for the righteous. Job 27.13 & 17 says, “This is the portion of a wicked man with God, and the heritage of oppressors, received from the Almighty: though he heaps up silver like dust, and piles up clothing like clay— He may pile it up, but the just will wear it, and the innocent will divide the silver." And Ecclesiastes 2.26 says, "For God gives wisdom and knowledge and joy to a man who is good in His sight; but to the sinner He gives the work of gathering and collecting, that he may give to him who is good before God." Wow! Hallelujah!

I can't tell you exactly how God is going to do it, but I can tell you that God is about to release some wealth to you! I'm not concerned about the process of how what has been piling up will get to you; my job is to make the announcement to you, that something good is on its way to you! Amazing opportunities; surprise gifts; contracts; giveaways; huge discounts; awards; promotions; relocations... receive them, in the name of Jesus! Those things that have been delaying your wealth are hereby declared non-existent! Glory to God!

Twitter: @PastorChinae
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The End Of Oppression

#SpiritAndLifeDevotional
Sunday, July 19
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

The End Of Oppression

1 Chronicles 17.9 "Moreover I will appoint a place for My people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in a place of their own and move no more; nor shall the sons of wickedness oppress them anymore, as previously."

"Oppression is when a person or group in a position of power controls the less powerful in cruel and unfair ways." It is also defined as "prolonged cruel or unjust treatment or exercise of authority."

There are students who are oppressed by their lecturers; there are people who are oppressed by their spouses; there are employees who are oppressed by their bosses and employers; and there are tenants who are oppressed by their landlords. Some are oppressed spiritually by Satan. They have been afflicted with sicknesses and diseases that have refused to be cured; some haven't slept well in a while; some cry every night; some are always worried, hoping for the day they would be delivered. Today is that day, in the name of Jesus!

Acts 10:38 says, "How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him." The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He has anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed. Receive your freedom now, in the name of Jesus!

Twitter: @PastorChinae
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The Generational Effects Of Your Actions

#SpiritAndLifeDevotional
Saturday, July 18
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

The Generational Effects Of Your Actions

Hebrews 7.9-10 "Even Levi, who receives tithes, paid tithes through Abraham, so to speak, for he was still in the loins of his father when Melchizedek met him."

By the time Abraham met Melchizedek and paid tithes to him, he had not given birth to any children. But the Bible says that Levi paid tithes through Abraham! Note that Levi was not even Abraham's own son; he was Abraham's greatgrandson! But what Abraham did, he was said to have done!

Have you ever stopped to think about the generational effects of all your actions? Especially as a single person. Are they actions that would bless your future generations or those that would cause them pain? Would you be happy to hear that your greatgrandchildren are said to have done whatever you're doing today, just because they were in your loins? Think! Think about the things you're doing today and their effects on your unborn generations!

God said to Moses, “Phinehas the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, has turned back My wrath from the children of Israel, because he was zealous with My zeal among them, so that I did not consume the children of Israel in My zeal. Therefore say, ‘Behold, I give to him My covenant of peace; and it shall be to him and his descendants after him a covenant of an everlasting priesthood, because he was zealous for his God, and made atonement for the children of Israel.’” May we all be like Phinehas who secured blessings for his descendants in Jesus name!

Twitter: @PastorChinae
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Speaking Life

#SpiritAndLifeDevotional
Friday, July 17
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

Speaking Life

Job 16.5 "But I would strengthen you with my mouth, and the comfort of my lips would relieve your grief."

Job called his friends "miserable comforters"; the man was in a terrible condition and they kept on adding salt to injury. Even God was unhappy with them.

Your mouth is not for cursing, provoking people, condemning people and making them feel bad; on the contrary, your mouth is for edifying souls of men. Your mouth is for healing the sick; your mouth is for binding broken hearts; your mouth is for making people happy, for cheering them up, for making them feel good about themselves, for giving them hope, for inspiration, for building their self confidence, filling them up with faith, delivering them from depression, and bringing them closer to God!

Ephesians 4.29 says, "Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers." Amen.

Twitter: @PastorChinae
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Always On His Mind

#SpiritAndLifeDevotional
Thursday, July 16
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

Always On His Mind

1 Peter 3.12 "For the eyes of the Lord  are on the righteous, and His ears are  open to their prayers; but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”

When Moses spoke to the Israelites about the Promised Land, he said, "For the land which you go to possess is not like the land of Egypt from which you have come, where you sowed your seed and watered it by foot, as a vegetable garden; but the land which you cross over to possess is a land of hills and valleys, which drinks water from the rain of heaven, a land for which the Lord your God cares; the eyes of the Lord your God are always on it, from the beginning of the year to the very end of the year."

Here's the point: when God cares about a thing, His eyes, His mind, His attention is always on it! Moses said, from the beginning of the year to the very end of the year. Now, Peter, quoting Psalms 34, told us that God's eyes are always on us, and that His ears are always open to hear our prayers! In other words, God cares about us, and from the beginning of the year to the very end of the year, His attention is always on us; we are always on His mind! Hallelujah!

What's the implication of that? It means that when you seek Him, He will always hear you; it means that you will never be put to shame; it means that He will always deliver you from all trouble; it means that the angels will always protect you; it means that He will always provide for you; and that God is always with you - wherever you are and at all times! The Bible says that He guards all our bones, not one is broken. Hallelujah!

Twitter: @PastorChinae
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The Lord Will Fight For You

#SpiritAndLifeDevotional
Wednesday, July 15
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

The Lord Will Fight For You

Genesis 12.17 "But the Lord plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai, Abram’s wife."

The Egyptians took Abraham's wife from him because she was beautiful; however, in ignorance, because they were made to believe that she was his sister. I wonder how Abraham felt; they even gave the man lots of gifts! But neither their ignorance or generosity justified their action before God; He plagued Pharaoh and his household with great plagues.

Now, Pharaoh and his house were punished for what they did even though in ignorance; what do you think God would have done to them if they had taken her forcefully? Abraham didn't have to fight them, I don't think he could; but God stepped up and fought for him! I have a good word for someone today, God will fight for you!

The Bible says that when the Israelites went from one nation to another, from one kingdom to another, God permitted no one to do them wrong; He rebuked kings for their sakes, saying, “Do not touch My anointed ones, and do My prophets no harm!” Zechariah 2.8 says, he who touches you touches the apple of His eye! Cheer up, God is not asleep! They may have succeeded in taking your joy, your peace, your promotion, or anything else that belongs to you, hear the word of the Lord, everything that was taken will be restored, in the name of Jesus! Don't let their actions bother you, God will fight for you. Amen.

Twitter: @PastorChinae
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You Deserve The Best

Spirit & Life Devotional
Tuesday, July 14
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

You Deserve The Best

Matthew 7.11 "If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!"

When Jacob and his family moved to Egypt, Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Your father and your brothers have come to you. The land of Egypt is before you. Have your father and brothers dwell in the best of the land; let them dwell in the land of Goshen.” They dwelt in the best part of the country!

God gave the Israelites the best place: Moses said to them; "For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and springs, that flow out of valleys and hills; a land of wheat and barley, of vines and fig trees and pomegranates, a land of olive oil and honey; a land in which you will eat bread without scarcity, in which you will lack nothing; a land whose stones are iron and out of whose hills you can dig copper." Wow! Hallelujah!

As a child of the Almighty God, I need you to understand that nothing on this earth is too good for you; nothing is too expensive for you; nothing at all! Do you know who you are? You are the child of the King! A joint heir with Christ! Never be "shy" about asking God for the very best things! Psalm 84.11 says, "For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord will give grace and glory; no good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly." You deserve the best job, the best spouse, name them; receive them in Jesus name!

Twitter: @PastorChinae
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Orders Have Been Given Concerning You

Spirit & Life Devotional
Monday, July 13
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

Orders Have Been Given Concerning You

2 Samuel 14.8 "Then the king said to the woman, 'Go to your house, and I will give orders concerning you.'”

Joab sent a woman to David: the king said to her, “What troubles you?” And she answered, “Indeed I am a widow, my husband is dead. I had two sons; they fought with each other in the field, and there was no one to part them, so one struck the other and killed him. And now the whole family has risen up against me, and they said, ‘Deliver him who struck his brother, that we may execute him for the life of his brother whom he killed; and we will destroy the heir also.’ So they would extinguish my ember that is left, and leave to my husband neither name nor remnant on the earth.” Then the king said to the woman, “Go to your house, and I will give orders concerning you.”

Now, that's how powerful a king's order was. The woman didn't have to be there when the order was given, but she could go to sleep knowing that no one would harass her anymore because of the king's order.

Do you know that God has given orders concerning us? No, it seems that a lot of us are unaware of that, considering how we live in fear and worry! Psalm 91.11 says, "For He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways!" Orders have been given concerning your protection, concerning your prosperity, your success, your peace, joy, your children, your family and your work! So relax, all is well with you! Hallelujah!

Twitter: @PastorChinae
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The Expectations of the Wicked Shall Perish

Spirit & Life Devotional
Sunday, July 12
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

The Expectations Of The Wicked Shall Perish

Acts 28.6 "However, they were expecting that he would swell up or suddenly fall down dead. But after they had looked for a long time and saw no harm come to him, they changed their minds and said that he was a god."

The natives of Malta kindled a fire for Paul and those who were with him, because of the rain that was falling and because of the cold. Paul assisted in gathering sticks and laid them on the fire, unknown to him, there was a viper in them, which came out because of the heat, and fastened on his hand. When the natives saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, “No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he has escaped the sea, yet justice does not allow to live.” But Paul shook off the creature into the fire and suffered no harm. However, the natives expected that he would swell up or suddenly fall down dead. But after they had looked for a long time and saw no harm come to him, they changed their minds and said that he was a god. Hahaha. Hallelujah!

You know, there might be people who are waiting for you to fail; they are seeing you rising, all is well with your family, you're being celebrated here and there, your business is flourishing, but they are there, gossiping about you, waiting for when it would all come to an end; like the brothers of Joseph who envied him; they wanted to kill him but eventually sold him as a slave, and they said, We will see what will become of his dreams!

Proverbs 10.28 says that the expectation of the wicked will perish. Today, we agree with the word of God and declare that every evil and wicked expectations concerning us will perish in the name of Jesus! Just as they waited in vain for Paul to die, so will all of them waiting for us to fail wait in vain! The more they look at us, the higher we shall rise; the more they try to pull us down, the greater our testimonies will be! In Jesus name. Say Amen!

Twitter: @PastorChinae
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A Man Of Rest

Spirit & Life Devotional
Saturday, July 11
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

A Man Of Rest

1 Chronicles 22.9 "Behold, a son shall be born to you, who shall be a man of rest; and I will give him rest from all his enemies all around. His name shall be Solomon, for I will give peace and quietness to Israel in his days."

There are many people who are not living in peace, so they can't wait to die so that they can "rest in peace". Every day they pray for their enemies to die. There are some others, who work like donkeys; they work like prisoners who have been sentenced to a lifetime of hard labour. There are others too, who don't have inner peace. They are always worried, always perplexed, they seem to be carrying the problems of the whole world on their heads. Such people are not enjoying the rest of God.

Solomon said, "But now the Lord my God has given me rest on every side; there is neither adversary nor evil occurrence." Wow! That shall be your testimony in Jesus name! Rest is your portion too! Psalm 127.2 says, "It is useless for you to work so hard from early morning until late at night, anxiously working for food to eat; for God gives rest to his loved ones." I saw this verse many years ago: I tell you the truth, I am enjoying divine rest! I sleep well, I live in peace too! Proverbs 16.7 says that "When a man’s ways please the Lord , He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him."

God gives true rest, and He wants all His children to be at rest even in the midst of storms. Jesus said, “Come to me all of you who are tired from the heavy burden you have been forced to carry. I will give you rest." Receive His rest today, in Jesus name!

Twitter: @PastorChinae
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Don't Be Caught Unawares

Spirit & Life Devotional
Friday, July 10
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

Don't Be Caught Unawares

Revelations 16.15 “Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame.”

Even if the world continues for another two hundred years, it's a fact that Jesus will one day return to the earth; and the whole world would see Him in the sky! He is coming to take the saints home, and that would be the beginning of the end of the world. You better believe that.

His coming would be without announcement: now that's what makes it "frightening". You know, we say, "Let me quickly do this thing, I will repent before immediately after"; some people say, "Let me do all the bad things now, let me 'enjoy' myself now that I am young, then I will repent and live for God in my old age." If we all knew when Jesus would return, it may have been OK to think that way, but we don't! His coming would be a surprise; so what if He comes and catches you in the act? It would be too late then.

We must always be ready and watchful. And that's whether Jesus is returning tomorrow or not! Some people have slept and not woken up again; some people have died because of headaches; some people were hit by vehicles while working on the road; you won't die in that manner, but I'm just trying to let us know that we have no control over time. We've got to be watchful, and ready, all the time.

The Bible says, "But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober." And Jesus said, “But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly."

Twitter: @PastorChinae
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God Wants You To Live Long

Spirit & Life Devotional
Thursday, July 9
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

God Wants You To Live Long

Psalm 91.16 "With long life I will satisfy him, and show him My salvation.”

Adam lived for 930 years; Seth lived for 912 years; Enosh 905 years; Cainan 910 years; Mahalalel 895 years; Jared 962 years; Methuselah 969 years; and Lamech, he lived for 777 years. Those were the first men on earth, they lived for so long! And it wasn't even considered to be so long then; but for sin, man may not have died.

Long life is one of God's blessings for His children. The Bible says that 'Abraham breathed his last and died in a good old age, an old man and full of  years." Isaac "died, and was gathered to his people, being old and full of days." Joseph lived 110 years. He saw his son's children to the third generation, that is, his great great grandchildren!

See, you will live long in Jesus name! No, you will not die young! You will live long enjoy to see your children's children! And let me tell you; your life will not be characterized by pain, sickness and unpleasant experiences, your will enjoy every bit of it in Jesus name! Moses was 120 years old when he died. His eyes were not dim nor his natural vigor diminished. Wow! You will be strong even in old age, in the name of Jesus! It's what God wants for you, and so will it be! Amen!

Twitter: @PastorChinae
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Unusual Miracles

Spirit & Life Devotional
Wednesday, July 8
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

Unusual Miracles

Acts 19.11 "Now God worked unusual miracles by the hands of Paul."

Miracles, alone, are defined as unusual or wonderful events; they are said to be very amazing; extraordinary; extremely outstanding. So when you talk about miracles being unusual, you're talking about something glorious; way out of this world! There's really no word to describe it!

The Bible says that God worked unusual miracles by the hands of Paul. Yes, only God can do that! That's why we say, "It is the Lord’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes!" Hallelujah!

Today, I am believing God for unusual miracles for you. You see, it can be unusual by the way and manner it's done; in other words, if it has always happened in a particular way, God can cause it to be done in the most spectacular way! Do you understand? I'm talking about God exceeding your expectations! Receive it, in the name of Jesus!

Twitter: @PastorChinae
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Our God Is Awesome!

Spirit & Life Devotional
Tuesday, July 7
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

Our God Is Awesome!

Zephaniah 3.5 "But the Lord is still in that city, and he continues to be good. He does not do anything wrong. He continues to help his people. Morning after morning he makes good decisions for them. Not a day passes without his justice. He never gives a decision that is crooked or is something to be ashamed of."

I've known no other god; truth is, there's no other god; even if there were, I'm not interested in knowing any of them! I am satisfied with Jesus, I am satisfied with God!

God is so good! Look at Zephaniah 3:5, it says that God continues to be good; He does not do anything wrong; He continues to help us; morning after morning He makes good decisions for us; not a day passes without His justice; He never gives a decision that is crooked or is something to be ashamed of. Wow! Hallelujah!

I could sing of His love forever! He has done so much for me! He does mighty things, He does glorious things, He's a faithful God, awesome is His name! When I think of the goodness of Jesus, and all He has done for me, my soul cries out hallelujah! Praise God for saving me!

I pray for you today in the name of Jesus, may you experience the goodness of the Lord all the days of your life; may God bless you and keep you; may the Lord make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you; may He lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace.

Twitter: @PastorChinae
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Stick To Your Assignment

Spirit & Life Devotional
Monday, July 6
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

Stick To Your Assignment

Jonah 1.3 "But Jonah arose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord . He went down to Joppa, and found a ship going to Tarshish; so he paid the fare, and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord."

A lot of us are like Jonah, even though we have not realized it. We're engaged in activities we're not supposed to be doing, we're doing things no one sent us to do, we've accepted the wrong offers. We think we're making progress but we've paid fares to wrong destinations.

Have you read the parable of the trees? “The trees once went forth to anoint a king over them. And they said to the olive tree, ‘Reign over us!’ But the olive tree said to them, ‘Should I cease giving my oil, with which they honor God and men, and go to sway over trees?’ 'Then the trees said to the fig tree, ‘You come and reign over us!’ But the fig tree said to them, ‘Should I cease my sweetness and my good fruit, and go to sway over trees?’ 'Then the trees said to the vine, ‘You come and reign over us!’ But the vine said to them, ‘Should I cease my new wine, which cheers both God and men, and go to sway over trees?’"

Be careful, not all good offers are good for you. You've got to know what God's will concerning you is at all times. Be bold enough to reject any thing that will hinder you from fulfilling your assignment. Know your assignment, know the details, don't be distracted by the success of others in their assignment; if you stick to yours you too will make it.

Twitter: @PastorChinae
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A Christian That God Is Proud Of

Spirit & Life Devotional
Sunday, July 5
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

A Christian That God Is Proud Of

2 Thessalonians 1.4 "So that we ourselves boast of you among the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that you endure."

When a child is doing well his or her parents are quick to talk about them to their friends, colleagues and neighbours; some would even refer to them in discussions with other children. Bosses and employers do it too; there are some staff that are called superstars; the bosses want others to be like them; they boast of them to other colleagues and competitors. We all do it with our favourite sportsmen too, we boast of them and some even make bets, because they are confident of their ability to perform and deliver the goods.

I am inspired by people like Job. God said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil?” Wow!

Can God have such conversations about you? Can your pastors boast of you? Is there anything for which you are admired and referred to? Can they say that you have raised godly children? Can they boast of your marriage to others? Your relationship with God, your prayer life, your passion for the things of God, your giving, your faith, your love, your knowledge, etc, are they things to write home about? Let's be Christians in whom God is well pleased! Amen.

Happy Sunday.

Twitter: @PastorChinae
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You Will Prevail

Spirit & Life Devotional
Saturday, July 4
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

You Will Prevail

1 Chronicles 5.2 "Yet Judah prevailed over his brothers, and from him came a ruler, although the birthright was Joseph’s."

Reuben the firstborn of Israel, but because he defiled his father’s bed, his birthright was given to the sons of Joseph. You know, Joseph was the preferred one, he was the one loved by his father, the top dog; so even though he was the eleventh son, the birthright was given to him. But, the Bible says that Judah prevailed over his brothers, and from him came a ruler, although the birthright was Joseph’s. That's interesting!

Judah was not the preferred one; Judah was not the favourite; Judah was not the one expected to make it; Judah was not supposed to be the head; he was not even next after Reuben, he was the fourth child! But he prevailed over his brothers and became the head!

God wants me to tell you today that you will prevail! You will prevail at home! You will prevail in the office! You will prevail in your country! You will prevail in life! You will prevail in school! In the name of Jesus! It doesn't matter their perception of you right now; it doesn't matter where they have relegated you to; it doesn't matter if so many people arrived before you; it doesn't matter if it's not yet your turn; or if you're not the favourite; you will prevail over all others in the name of Jesus! Receive the grace to overtake and to prevail now, in Jesus name! Amen!

Twitter: @PastorChinae
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What Will You Be Remembered For?

Spirit & Life Devotional
Friday, July 3
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

What Will You Be Remembered For?

Mark 14.9 "Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her.”

The story was told about a woman who went to Jesus with an alabaster flask of very costly oil of spikenard. She broke the flask and poured it on His head. In the house with Jesus were some who were indignant, and said, “Why was this fragrant oil wasted? For it might have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor.” And they criticized her sharply.

First, I need you to note that that woman is not being remembered for what she did for herself, but for what she did for Jesus. I think that's a noteworthy point. The oil was said to be very expensive: she was obviously not a wealthy woman, else she would have been recognized by people present; she was unknown, her name wasn't even mentioned; she may have used her life savings; it must have cost her something; yet she didn't use the money for herself, she lavished it upon Jesus! What are you doing for God? What are you doing for others?

Also note that they criticized her for what she did. That tells me that great deeds are not always validated by the applause of men. What you do may not be appreciated by man; it may not make sense to your parents, it may seem like a foolish idea to your friends and family, but God recognizes it. Stop living for likes! In this age of social media, people are saying and doing things just for likes! So man may like what you do, does God like them? Man may like what you do, but will those things last forever?

Let us live with purpose. Long after you have left the world, will you be remembered for anything? And in heaven, when people are being recognized, will you be one of the outstanding ones?

Twitter: @PastorChinae
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The God Of Prosperity

Spirit & Life Devotional
Thursday, July 2
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

The God Of Prosperity

Haggai 2.8 "‘The silver is Mine, and the gold is Mine,’ says the Lord of hosts."

When people want contracts, they do their best to befriend the person who has power to award the contracts. Brothers and sisters, if you want to prosper, the One to chase is the One with the power to prosper you. When you have God, you have everything else. Hallelujah! Matthew 6.33 says, "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you."

You know, when Satan tempted Jesus, he took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to Him, “All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me.” Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.’” Here's the point: worship and service unlocks the doors of prosperity!

People miss it, they worship gold and money; they spend their lifetimes chasing prosperity instead of chasing the God of prosperity! Job.22.25-26 says, "And let God All-Powerful be your gold. Let him be your pile of silver. Then you will enjoy God All-Powerful, and you will look up to him." When God becomes more important than gold to you, when you have God and are truly satisfied, when you esteem God to be more valuable than all the gold and silver in this world, that's when you will begin to enjoy the true riches that come from God alone. You will prosper in Jesus name!

Twitter: @PastorChinae
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Making The Most Use Of Your Time

Spirit & Life Devotional
Wednesday, July 1
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

Making The Most Use Of Your Time

Colossians 4.5 "Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time."

I think that time is a constant factor in all equations. If you want to succeed, it will partly be a result of what you do with your time; if you want to be healthy and fit, what you do with your time towards achieving health matters; students who want to pass their exams, workers who want to ascend the corporate ladder, etc, will have to use their time well in order to achieve their goals. So, achieving your goals and targets, therefore, is a function of how you use your time, every day.

You don't need me to tell you that we all have an equal amount of time. The difference then, is how effectively we use the time. It's not necessarily all about working for longer hours, even though it can be an added advantage, it's more about what you do with the time. You must eliminate time wasters and time wasting habits. Be focused, do the right things at the right times, have a plan for your time and try as much as you can to stick to it.

Half of the year has gone already, and before you know it the year would end. How many souls have you won? What have you achieved in the last six months? You must avoid procrastinating and postponing things that ought to be done now. Jesus said, "When you plant, you always say, ‘Four more months to wait before we gather the grain.’ But I tell you, open your eyes, and look at the fields. They are ready for harvesting now." Finally, Ecclesiastes 11.4 says, "But there are some things that you cannot be sure of. You must take a chance. If you wait for perfect weather, you will never plant your seeds. If you are afraid that every cloud will bring rain, you will never harvest your crops." The Living Bible says, "If you wait for perfect conditions, you will never get anything done." So stop waiting till you have millions, start now with little steps.

May you accomplish more in the remainder of the year than you did in the last six months in Jesus name.

Happy New Month!

Twitter: @PastorChinae
PIN:52EDCD5B