Dealing With Anger

Spirit & Life Devotional
Tuesday, 31 May 2016
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

Dealing With Anger

"But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca!’ shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of hell fire." Matthew 5:22 NKJV

It's frightening when you realize that Jesus was talking about murder, and that He put anger and murder in the same category! Here's what He said, “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.’ But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca!’ shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of hell fire." Same punishment for anger and murder! So when you harbour anger in your heart against anyone, in the sight of God you've murdered that person in your heart!

Listen to me, anger is very costly. You really don't want to pay the cost of anger. The Bible says that it went ill with Moses because of the Israelites; God asked him to speak to the rock so that water would gush out, but Moses spoke rashly with his mouth, and struck the rock twice: that singular act made Moses die prematurely and he did not enter the Promised Land.

Don't let people determine your reaction! Take control of your feelings. Choose how you respond to whatever is said or done to you. Proverbs 25:28 says, "Like a city that is broken down and without a wall, so is a person who cannot control his temper." James 1:19-20 says, "So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God."

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Having An Edge

Spirit & Life Devotional
Monday, 30 May 2016
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

Having An Edge

"If the ax is dull, and one does not sharpen the edge, then he must use more strength; but wisdom brings success." Ecclesiastes 10:10 NKJV

How we worked some years ago is different from how we do the same work today; we did most things manually in the past, but a lot of processes have now been automated because of which we now achieve results faster and are more efficient. Some are still using the old tools for the same work; they may eventually achieve the same results but they'll probably be worn out by the time they are done.

If you want to achieve success (faster) you must apply wisdom to whatever you do. Wisdom makes life easier, it makes work less stressful, it takes some pressure off you; wisdom prolongs your life and gives you the edge over others. You may not hate Mondays that much; you may not be so frustrated; and you may not consider quitting if you would employ the wisdom of God at your work and business.

Always think: what wisdom can I apply at this point in time. Yes, because knowledge is progressive. Today's wisdom may be completely worthless tomorrow! Let's conclude with the Message Bible translation of our opening verse. It says, "Remember: The duller the ax the harder the work; Use your head: The more brains, the less muscle." You will succeed in Jesus name.

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Humbling Ourselves Before God

Spirit & Life Devotional
Sunday, 29 May 2016
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

Humbling Ourselves Before God

"When he humbled himself, the wrath of the Lord turned from him, so as not to destroy him completely; and things also went well in Judah." II Chronicles 12:12 NKJV

When Rehoboam had established his kingdom and strengthened himself, he became proud and forsook the law of God; and all Israel followed his ways. God was displeased and permitted Shishak king of Egypt to attack Jerusalem, because they had transgressed against the Lord. However, God sent Shemaiah the prophet to Rehoboam and the leaders of Judah, who were gathered together in Jerusalem, and he said to them, “Thus says the Lord: ‘You have forsaken Me, and therefore I also have left you in the hand of Shishak.’”

Realizing their error, the leaders of Israel and the king humbled themselves; and said, “The Lord is righteous.” God saw that they humbled themselves, and sent Shemaiah back to them, saying, “They have humbled themselves; therefore I will not destroy them, but I will grant them some deliverance. My wrath shall not be poured out on Jerusalem by the hand of Shishak."

God said in II Chronicles 7:14, "If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land." Our lives, families, businesses, communities, states and nations will be better if we all humble ourselves before God. It doesn't take God long to turn things around for people who humble themselves before Him. Let us as individuals and a people humble ourselves before Him.

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Make Yourself Strong Again

Spirit & Life Devotional
Saturday, 28 May 2016
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

Make Yourself Strong Again

"Therefore strengthen the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees." Hebrews 12:12 NKJV

The Easy-to-read Version says, "You have become weak, so make yourselves strong again."

The Bible tells the story of David and his men whose wives and children were captured by Amalikites while they were away. When they returned to Ziklag and realized what had happened, David and the people who were with him lifted up their voices and wept, until they had no more power to weep. Even David was greatly distressed, because the people spoke of stoning him, for they were aggrieved. But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God.

You know, there are times when you take a beating; there are times when you lose your strength; there are times when you feel like giving up because you feel that all hope is lost, and there are times when you have lost your focus, visions and passion for whatever reasons: never give up! What you are going through right now was not meant to last for too long! Make yourself strong again and push again. You can still succeed, and it is never late to achieve your dreams.

"So then, brace up and reinvigorate and set right your slackened and weakened and drooping hands and strengthen your feeble and palsied and tottering knees." Hebrews 12:12 AMP

Twitter: @PastorChinae
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Such Blessing!

Spirit & Life Devotional
Friday, 27 May 2016
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

Such Blessing!

"'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.'" Malachi 3:10 NKJV

Listen carefully, you cannot be blessed by God and remain poor: it is practically impossible. "The blessing of the Lord makes one rich!" But you see, there are different types of blessings; there's one for health, there's for success, there's for leadership, childbirth, etc. And there's one for prosperity. Yes, it's possible to have all; in fact, God wants us to have all; the truth is that He has blessed us with all blessings already!

Let me tell you, when God has blessed you, you will never have to ask for more blessings because the blessing brings excessive surplus (abundance!). You really cannot exhaust it! Look at the widow Elisha helped, the Bible says that she sold the oil, paid her debt, and lived on the remaining proceeds with her sons. I didn't quite see that until now; what it means is that the proceeds she got from the sales of the oil lasted her a lifetime! She was never broke again!

2 Corinthians 9:8 says, "And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work." Hallelujah! I declare today in the name of Jesus that you will never be broke again in your lifetime! Lack becomes a stranger in your life in the name of Jesus! You are blessed and it is becoming evident to all in Jesus name! Amen!

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Hidden In Christ

Spirit & Life Devotional
Thursday, 26 May 2016
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

Hidden In Christ

"Then he went to his father’s house at Ophrah and killed his brothers, the seventy sons of Jerubbaal, on one stone. But Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left, because he hid himself." Judges 9:5 NKJV

Abimelech conspired with his tribesmen who gave him money to hire worthless and reckless men, who followed him, and they killed seventy of his step brothers in one day so that he could become king. But one escaped because he was smart enough to hide himself.

My question to you today is, Where are you hiding? The Bible let's us know that the name of the Lord is a strong tower into which the righteous runs and is safe. Yes, you are a Christian, but do you take conscious steps to stay safe in Him? Do you pray and declare safety for yourself and your loved ones? Paul said, "lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices."

David said, "I will say of the Lord, 'He is my refuge and my fortress; my God, in Him I will trust.'” Brothers and sisters, what are you saying? You've got to declare that the Lord is your refuge; declare your protection and safety! Say it, "I am hidden in Christ!" It becomes your reality as you declare it. He said, "Because you have made the Lord, who  is my refuge, even the Most High, your dwelling place, no evil shall befall you, nor shall any plague come near your dwelling; for He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways." Amen!

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Destined To Grow

Spirit & Life Devotional
Wednesday, 25 May 2016
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

Destined To Grow

"I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase." I Corinthians 3:6 NKJV

I like the ERV, "I planted the seed and Apollos watered it. But God is the one who made the seed grow."

Jesus said: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field, which indeed is the least of all the seeds; but when it is grown it is greater than the herbs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches.” Matthew 13:31‭-‬32

That tells me that we are all destined to grow big and great! It doesn't matter how small you start or started; it may take a while, but you will surely grow! Whatever you do will grow! Whatever you are associated with will grow to become something great and mighty in Jesus name! Right now, begin to speak growth to whatever you desire to grow; we are children of the Most High and citizens of the kingdom! I command supernatural increase in Jesus name!

Twitter: @PastorChinae
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Holiness To The Lord

Spirit & Life Devotional
Tuesday, 24 May 2016
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

Holiness To The Lord

"Then they made the plate of the holy crown of pure gold, and wrote on it an inscription like the engraving of a signet: HOLINESS TO THE Lord." Exodus 39:30 NKJV

When God calls a person, here's what He's actually doing, He's separating that person unto Himself. And that's what it means to be holy, to be separated from the world and the things of the world unto God. Having been born again, we were separated from the world and everything associated with it, unto God.

I Peter 2:9 says, "But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light."

The challenge is remaining holy, and that's always what it has been about. We often get entangled with the world, we do as they do, we mix up with them, we walk in their ways. But God is calling us back to holiness. He says, "Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. Therefore 'Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you.' 'I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.'” II Corinthians 6:14‭-‬18. Amen.

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Doing Good

Spirit & Life Devotional
Monday, 23 May 2016
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

Doing Good

"Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. He who does good is of God, but he who does evil has not seen God." III John 1:11 NKJV

You reveal who you really are, good or bad, by the things that you do. If you do good you show that you are of God, and if you do evil you show that you aren't a Christian. This is clearly not about what you claim to be, actions speak louder than words!

Trees are known by their fruits. "A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things." A Christian doesn't struggle to do good because it's his nature to do good; he is kind to others, he gives to the needy, he is sympathetic, his words uplift and encourage, he is willing to help, he assists strangers, etc, because there's a treasure of goodness in him.

Jesus said, "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven." You've got to be known for doing good. When people talk about you what do they say? When Dorcas died people had only good things to say about her; they showed Peter the clothes she made for them: be inspired by that. Jesus went about doing good! Acts 10:38.

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Jesus, The Great Substitute

Spirit & Life Devotional
Sunday, 22 May 2016
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

Jesus, The Great Substitute

"So Pilate, wanting to gratify the crowd, released Barabbas to them; and he delivered Jesus, after he had scourged Him, to be crucified." Mark 15:15 NKJV

Barabbas was a murderer, and he was going to be executed, but the Jews requested that he should be released to them and that Jesus be crucified instead. What happened that day, without the knowledge of the Jews, was exactly a fulfillment of Jesus' assignment on earth; He came to be a substitute for us in the place of judgement.

We sinned, and we deserved to be punished, but Jesus Who did not sin was punished and killed. Isaiah 53:5‭-‬6 says, "But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all."

II Corinthians 5:21 says, "For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." You see, we are not righteous because of our own works, but because Jesus was our substitute! And in the same vein, we are not condemned because of what we do, because Jesus was condemned for us! That's why Romans 8:1 says that there's therefore now no condemnation for those in Christ!

Even now, the sacrifice of Jesus still speaks for you and I. We sin: we tell lies, we fornicate and commit adultery, we cheat, we steal, we even kill; and yet we can still be made righteous in God's sight if we confess our sins. I John 1:9 says that "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." Glory to Jesus!

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Shimei Will Bow To You

Spirit & Life Devotional
Saturday, 21 May 2016
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

Shimei Will Bow To You

"Then a ferryboat went across to carry over the king’s household, and to do what he thought good. Now Shimei the son of Gera fell down before the king when he had crossed the Jordan." II Samuel 19:18 NKJV

When David fled from Absalom, Shimei, being from the family of the house of Saul, met David on the way and cursed him continuously according to the Scriptures. And he even threw stones at David and at all his servants.

You know that there are people who dislike you for one reason or another; they are the Shimeis in your life. You know some of them, they are as friends, but they'll show their true colours when they hear unpleasant news about you; that's when they'll rejoice, believing that you deserve it and more. Shimei thought that David was finished, but he didn't realize that when a man is walking with God, even if he falls, he will always bounce back! Shimei thought that David would never be king again that was what gave him the effrontery to do what he did, but he was wrong.

I declare to you in the name of Jesus: all those who have mocked you secretly and openly will come and bow before you; they will not die, but they will be terribly ashamed when they see how much God has blessed you! Listen to me, whatever you are passing through right now is only temporary; stay strong and remain focused on God; it won't be long when God will visit you and turn things around. Say Amen!

Twitter: @PastorChinae
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Jesus Christ Is Lord

Spirit & Life Devotional
Friday, 20 May 2016
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

Jesus Christ Is Lord

"And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." Philippians 2:11 NKJV

The Bible says that God highly exalted Jesus and given Him a name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

I love how Jesus exercised His Lordship while on earth; He gave instructions and issued commands: He said to the fig tree, "No man shall eat of you henceforth"; He said to the waves, "Peace, be still"; He said to Satan, "Get thee behind Me!" And He said to a four day old dead man, "Lazarus, come forth!" Never will you find Jesus pleading to get anything done.

But what do we do; we beg! We beg God, we beg the rain not to fall, we beg sickness to leave! When Jesus is Lord! That Jesus went to heaven doesn't mean He stopped being Lord; it was for our own good that He even went, because now we are seated with Him in heavenly places and we are His representatives here on earth! So stop begging! Let everything around you know that Jesus is still Lord and that you are His eyes, mouth, hands and feet here in this world! Give instructions and issue commands in faith! Hallelujah!

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Activating The Promise

Spirit & Life Devotional
Thursday, 19 May 2016
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

Activating The Promise

Now therefore, give me this mountain of which the Lord spoke in that day; for you heard in that day how the Anakim were there, and that the cities were great and fortified. It may be that the Lord will be with me, and I shall be able to drive them out as the Lord said.” Joshua 14:12 NKJV

Caleb was forty years old when Moses sent me along with eleven other men to spy out the Promised Land. Ten men brought evil reports about the land, to instill fear into the people, but Caleb and Joshua inspired the people to believe that they could get the Land. For that, Moses swore on that day, saying, ‘Surely the land where your foot has trodden shall be your inheritance and your children’s forever, because you have wholly followed the Lord my God."

Forty five years later, Caleb decided it was time to claim the land which was promised to him. He said to Joshua, "And now, behold, the Lord has kept me alive, as He said, these forty-five years, ever since the Lord spoke this word to Moses while Israel wandered in the wilderness; and now, here I am this day, eighty-five years old. Now therefore, give me this mountain of which the Lord spoke in that day.” And Joshua blessed him, and gave Hebron to Caleb the son of Jephunneh as an inheritance.

Note these: that a promise has been made doesn't mean that it will automatically come to pass; you've got to go for it. And you see, because God is faithful, He will always keep His promises even if it takes you many years to claim it. The good news is that you don't have to wait many years to take whatever God has freely given to you! You can choose today to activate the promises and say, "Lord, I am ready to have all that You promised me!"

Twitter: @PastorChinae
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Distinguished By An Excellent Spirit

Spirit & Life Devotional
Wednesday, 18 May 2016
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

Distinguished By An Excellent Spirit

"Then this Daniel distinguished himself above the governors and satraps, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king gave thought to setting him over the whole realm." Daniel 6:3 NKJV

To be distinguished is to stand out; it's to set yourself apart from the rest; it's to be noticeably different from others around you, wherever you are. As believers we ought to be outstanding wherever we find ourselves; our work should be amazing and our results should be excellent. We must reject mediocrity in all its ramifications! We shouldn't even be contented being number two when we can be number one! Yeah!

See the life of Joseph; there's no where he was that he didn't excel: as a slave he was made overseer of the house; as a prisoner, he was made head of all other prisoners! And from prison he was made ruler over all Egypt! Something in Joseph made him outstanding wherever they put him: no matter where, he shined brighter than anyone else!

What made Joseph and Daniel outshine others was the Spirit of God in them. Pharaoh said to his servants, “Can we find such a one as this, a man in whom is the Spirit of God?” The question then is, "Do you have the Spirit of God in you?" More than speaking in other tongues, the Spirit of God in us boosts our capacities and enables us to accomplish more than mere men! We should be doing well; we should be doing excellently; it shouldn't be long before people notice us because of the quality of our work and results! Let this mind be in you!

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Created For His Pleasure

Spirit & Life Devotional
Tuesday, 17 May 2016
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

Created For His Pleasure

"Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him." II Corinthians 5:9 NKJV

Paul started by saying that they were confident, and that it was okay with them to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. That is, to be physically dead and alive forever with Christ in heaven. Then he said that their only goal in life was to be well pleasing unto God; to live a life that glorified God.

And why was it so important that they lived in such a manner? Because according to the Scriptures, we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, to receive rewards for the things done in the body, whether good or bad.

Brothers and sisters, please note that we will one day be judged for every single thing that we did while here on earth; everyone of us - male and female, young and old, great and little - will stand before the Lord and receive a just reward for our actions, our words and our thoughts; no one will escape judgement! He will set the sheep on His right hand, and the goats on the left. He will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: and He will also say to those on the left, "Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels."

May we be among those on His right in Jesus name. Let's endeavour to always please Him, for that's why we were created.

Twitter: @PastorChinae
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Unforgettable

Spirit & Life Devotional
Monday, 16 May 2016
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

Unforgettable

"But Zion said, 'The Lord has forsaken me, and my Lord has forgotten me.'” Isaiah 49:14 NKJV

You know, we like to be remembered, especially by those we love and those we need. When you receive some calls, the first thing you're told is, "You've forgotten me!" And then you have to start explaining that you didn't and that they are always on your mind. Lol

The truth is that sometimes it seems as though God has forgotten you: things are very difficult for you, and your desires are not being fulfilled; you pray and fast for the same things again and again, but its like your prayers are not even going beyond your ceiling! And then you begin to judge yourself; you start thinking that it could be as a result of something wrong that you did!

I've got good news for you today: God is not angry with you, and He wants you to know that He can never ever forget you. You are actually unforgettable! Here's what God says; “Can a woman forget her nursing child, and not have compassion on the son of her womb? Surely they may forget, yet I will not forget you. See, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands; your walls are continually before Me." Hallelujah!

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Being A Blessing To Your Country

Spirit & Life Devotional
Sunday, 15 May 2016
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

Being A Blessing To Your Country

"Now after many years I came to bring alms to my nation, and offerings." Acts 24:17 KJV

While delivering his inaugural address in January 1961, one of the shortest and best presidential inaugural speeches in American history, John F. Kennedy said, "And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country." Those words were not taken lightly; again and again, even till now, you can see how willing the Americans are to even die for their country.

They say that "East or West, home is the best;" that's why after many years of preaching to the Gentiles in other nations of the world, Paul went back to Israel with alms for the poor and offerings for the Church of God. That was his own contribution to his country.

Countries are made up of individuals, and even though we elect certain persons to represent and lead us, we must never forget that we have responsibilities as citizens of our countries. It's an error to abdicate our responsibilities as citizens just because we have a government; as we have seen again and again, we can't always rely on the government to make the right decisions! So it's really up to us as citizens to make our countries great. No contribution is too little. If you can provide water for others to drink, please do! Stop wishing you were a citizen of another country because it's people like you who made those countries what they are today! Seek to play a role in the development of yours. Amen.

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I'm Not A Write Off!

Spirit & Life Devotional
Saturday, 14 May 2016
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

I'm Not A Write Off!

"And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see." John 1:46 KJV

A write off has been dumped; they've considered you, and judged you to be useless to them; they've ignored you; they are unwilling to invest in you because they don't believe that they will have any returns! To them you are replaceable, and they don't expect any good thing to come from you.

Nazareth was a write off to other Israelites: when Philip told Nathaniel about Jesus, Nathaniel said to him, "Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth?" Ah! But I love Philip's simple response; "Come and see."

I prophesy to you in the name of Jesus; all those who have written you off in the past will hear fantastic news about you and will come and see you in your elevated place of glory! I declare to you today that you are not a write off! Nothing may seem to be happening right now; you may not be producing the type of results that you desire; don't write yourself off; there's a life in you that is about to manifest! Maybe they've even told you to go away; relax, very soon, the stone that the builders rejected will become the cornerstone, and they will all say, This is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes! Hallelujah!

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God Will Embarrass Your Enemies And Deliver You

Spirit & Life Devotional
Friday, 13 May 2016
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

God Will Embarrass Your Enemies And Deliver You

"And he also stripped off his clothes and prophesied before Samuel in like manner, and lay down naked all that day and all that night. Therefore they say, 'Is Saul also among the prophets?'” I Samuel 19:24 NKJV

King Saul was bent on killing David, but he simply couldn't because God was with David. When he gave the first order, it was his own son, Jonathan, that God used to deliver David! The second time, God used Michal, his daughter to deliver David from Saul. Saul still wanted David dead, so he sent some of his soldiers to get the job done; but when they went, the Spirit of God came upon them and they prophesied! Saul heard about what happened and decided to go himself; his was even more embarrassing; the Spirit of God came upon him, he stripped off his clothes and prophesied before Samuel, and lay down naked all that day and all that night! Imagine a king naked and rolling on the floor! Hahaha. God knows how to make your haters look stupid!

Listen, when God is with you, you are untouchable! It doesn't matter how tough and powerful your enemies are, when God is fighting for you, He will disgrace them all and all you will have to do is watch! That's what Moses said to the Israelites; “Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever. The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace.” Hallelujah!

Twitter: @PastorChinae
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Attracting Wealth

Spirit & Life Devotional
Thursday, 12 May 2016
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

Attracting Wealth

"And she gave the king one hundred and twenty talents of gold, spices in great abundance, and precious stones; there never were any spices such as those the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon." II Chronicles 9:9 NKJV

Solomon was a wealth attractor; people from all over the world brought him gifts on their own volition. The Bible says that the weight of gold that came to Solomon yearly was six hundred and sixty-six talents of gold, besides what the traveling merchants and traders brought. And all the kings of Arabia and governors of the country brought gold and silver to Solomon.

The wisdom of God in Solomon made him a wealthy man. Enough of poverty and lack! Enough is enough! It's time for you and I to activate the wisdom of God that's in us!

Put the wisdom of God in you to work; be a problem solver; be the one that people come to for counselling and directions. Let me tell you; you don't need to struggle to be rich! Solomon did not fight any battles yet kings and governors brought gold and silver to him! Oh, receive grace to attract wealth in Jesus name!

Twitter: @PastorChinae
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The Joy Of Childbirth

Spirit & Life Devotional
Wednesday, 11 May 2016
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

The Joy Of Childbirth

"A woman, when she is in labor, has sorrow because her hour has come; but as soon as she has given birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world." John 16:21 NKJV

Someone said that the best kept secret in the world is the joy of having a baby. A woman carries a child in her womb for nine long months, some while working and doing their businesses, it's surely not easy carrying a baby, especially when it gets to the point of labour; I can only imagine how painful it is, it's so painful that some even die! But when a woman gives birth, she immediately forgets all about the pains of the past months and is overwhelmed by the joy of having a baby!

Making a dream and a vision a reality is just like having a baby. You'll have an idea of what I'm saying if you have had to set up a business, or probably read about people who founded some of the great organisations that you are well aware of today; the beginnings were rough and tough. A study actually reveals that only about 5% of new startups survive after a while; just to show you have difficult it can be. But those who overcome all the odds are happy, rewarded with success and fulfilled when their dreams eventually become a reality.

Be encouraged! Don't abort your dreams and visions just because of the fear of the pains associated with bring them forth. And don't think that the sorrow of labour is a punishment, or that God is not with you; it's normal and it's temporary and short! Soon, everything that you have always wanted will come to pass and you will experience the joy of childbirth! Amen.

Twitter: @PastorChinae
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Hindrances To Prayer

Spirit & Life Devotional
Tuesday, 10 May 2016
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

Hindrances To Prayer

"Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered." I Peter 3:7 NKJV

A hindrance is defined as "a thing that provides resistance, delay, or obstruction to something or someone." There's no prayer that God is not interested in hearing or answering, the problem most times is that our prayers are hindered, by the things we do!

And you'll find people blaming God for not answering their prayers, not knowing that they themselves are responsible. Like Isaiah 59:1-3 says, "Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; nor His ear heavy, that it cannot hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God; and your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear. For your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies, your tongue has muttered perversity."

Find out those things that are hindering your prayers and your blessings. Believe me, there's so much that God is willing to do for you and to release to you, but He can't as long as there are hindrances in your life. Discover those things, ask the Holy Spirit to reveal them to you, and deal with them in order to receive all the desires of your heart.

Twitter: @PastorChinae
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Turn On The Light

Spirit & Life Devotional
Monday, 9 May 2016
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

Turn On The Light

"Then God said, 'Let there be light'; and there was light." Genesis 1:3 NKJV

The very first thing God created was light. That's quite a revelation. When you are in a dark place, or when you sense darkness anywhere, the first thing to do is to turn on the light. Light refers to the word of God; it refers to revelation of God's will.

Psalms 82:5 says, "They do not know, nor do they understand; they walk about in darkness; all the foundations of the earth are unstable." In other words, when you are ignorant of the word of God on any issue, or do not have an understanding of His will, you are walking in darkness! And dark places are where the devil loves to operate; he does all he can to keep people in the dark so as to be able to deceive and manipulate them; he wants people in the dark so as to make them stumble.

Matthew 6:22 talks about the whole body being full of light! Wow! Have you been into a very bright room before? That's what Jesus was talking about; filling up yourself with too much word that there's no space at all for darkness! No wonder Paul said to let the word of God dwell in you richly! When you are full of light, you will not stumble because the word of God in you will be a lamp unto your feet and a light for your path! Hallelujah!

Twitter: @PastorChinae
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Every Time Is A Perfect Time

Spirit & Life Devotional
Sunday, 8 May 2016
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

Every Time Is A Perfect Time

"And the whole multitude sought to touch Him, for power went out from Him and healed them all." Luke 6:19 NKJV

You will not find anywhere in the Bible where Jesus met a sick or tormented person and didn't heal him because it was not the person's time or turn to be healed; no where. Jesus even healed at seemingly "inappropriate" times like on the Sabbath! What does that tell you? That every time is a perfect time to receive from God!

The Bible says that power went out from Jesus. You see, power is always available in Jesus. There's never a time when He is not powerful, or less powerful; and there's never a time when He is inaccessible! We have free access to His power every time of the day! Hallelujah!

All you have to do is touch Him in faith. Many people touched Jesus, but the woman with the issue of blood touched Him differently. The others got nothing, not because the power was insufficient, but they weren't expecting to receive anything! On the other hand, the whole multitude in Luke 6:19 all sought to touch Him with great expectancy, and as many as touched Him was made whole!

You can receive your miracle now! Your prayers can be answered right now! Every time is a perfect time! Receive now in Jesus name!

Twitter: @PastorChinae
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God, Others And You

Spirit & Life Devotional
Saturday, 7 May 2016
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

God, Others And You

"Whoever shuts his ears to the cry of the poor will also cry himself and not be heard." Proverbs 21:13 NKJV

Let me go straight to the point: what you do to others, or for others, will be done to you and for you, and what you do not do to others, or for others will not be done to you. You have no right to expect from God what you cannot give to others. You determine how God responds to you by your response to others! Every single thing that you do to/for others determines what you are qualified to receive from heaven!

Jesus taught us to pray thus: "And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors." In other words, you can only expect forgiveness when you forgive others. Don't be deceived, if you refuse to forgive you will not be forgiven! Jesus said, “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." Matthew 6:14-15. He said it again and again, establishing this truth!

Luke 6:37-38 says, “Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.” So you see, it's really up to you!

Twitter: @PastorChinae
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Divine Remembrance

Spirit & Life Devotional
Friday, 6 May 2016
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

Divine Remembrance

"Then it came to pass, at the end of two full years, that Pharaoh had a dream; and behold, he stood by the river." Genesis 41:1 NKJV

Joseph was unjustly thrown into prison after being framed for sexual harassment by Potiphar's wife. You can only imagine how terrible it was for him; after being sold as a slave by his own brothers, he was jailed for a crime he did not even contemplate committing. Finally he saw an opportunity to be freed when he interpreted the dream of the Chief Butler in Pharaoh's palace; Joseph was obviously so desirous of freedom that he said to the butler, "remember me when it is well with you, and please show kindness to me; make mention of me to Pharaoh, and get me out of this house. For indeed I was stolen away from the land of the Hebrews; and also I have done nothing here that they should put me into the dungeon.”

Joseph must have been expecting some kind of order from Pharaoh concerning his freedom after the release of the chief butler; he had done the butler a favour and expected one in return; but a week passed, a month passed, a year passed, and the chief butler did not even stop by to pay him a visit! Joseph must have been so disappointed! You know how it feels to be ignored in your time of need by those who you once helped.

Man forgot Joseph, but God did not! God waited two full years to make sure that no man took His glory; and then He made Pharaoh have a dream which led to the elevation of Joseph from prisoner to prime minister! Joseph will never have become a prime minister if it was the chief butler that got him out of prison; it had to be God!

Be patient when it seems that there's a delay; God will remember you, and give you a testimony that will be heard all over the world! This month is your month of divine remembrance in Jesus name!

Twitter: @PastorChinae
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Samuel Kaboo Morris (1873 - May 12, 1893)

Spirit & Life Devotional
Thursday, 5 May 2016
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

Samuel Kaboo Morris (1873 – May 12, 1893)

"Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom." Psalms 90:12 NLT

The Message Bible Translation says, "Oh! Teach us to live well! Teach us to live wisely and well!"

Today is my 32nd birthday; and I want to share the story of Samuel Morris, one of my greatest inspirations.

Samuel Kaboo Morris was a Liberian prince who converted to Christianity around the age of 14. Around age 18, he left Liberia for the United States to achieve an education and arrived at Taylor University in December 1891.

On his first night in America, he led nearly twenty men to Christ. While at Taylor University, Samuel was used by God mightily to draw people to the Lord. Students would stop by his dorm room to pray with him. People from around the world would come to hear him speak and to have him pray for them. He was known (and heard) to spend hours in prayer with God, from late at night to early in the morning. He inspired others to look at their relationship with God. Newspapers printed stories of the boy from Africa who was charging Fort Wayne with the electric power of God. 

On May 12, 1893, at approximately 20 years of age, Samuel Morris, aka Prince Kaboo, died. Fellow students served as pallbearers at his funeral. Morris's life has been the subject of five novels, over a dozen biographies, a 1954 film, and a 1988 documentary. Taylor University has named numerous buildings, scholarships, and a society in his honor. His story helped to inspire other people to go to Africa to preach the gospel.

How old are you and how have you spent your years? Samuel Morris spent only 2 years in America and 20 years on earth, yet you can see how much impact his life had on the world. Psalm 39:4 says, “Lord, remind me how brief my time on earth will be. Remind me that my days are numbered— how fleeting my life is. You have made my life no longer than the width of my hand. My entire lifetime is just a moment to you; at best, each of us is but a breath.” May we make the most of our time here on earth in Jesus name.

Twitter: @PastorChinae
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Beholding His Glory

Spirit & Life Devotional
Wednesday, 4 May 2016
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

Beholding His Glory

"So Moses went into the midst of the cloud and went up into the mountain. And Moses was on the mountain forty days and forty nights." Exodus 24:18 NKJV

Moses was with God for forty whole days! Wow! Think about it: God appeared physically in a cloud and invited Moses to spend sometime with Him! I'm short of words! What could be greater than that?

But here's what's greater than that; the fact that we have the Holy Spirit with us and in us and that spending time with Him is not limited to only a few days or a few months, but forever! Now, if spending forty days with God transformed the physical body of Moses so that his face shined, how glorious do you think we will be if we spend time with the Holy Spirit consistently?

II Corinthians 3:18 says, "But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord." Hallelujah!

Twitter: @PastorChinae
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A Divine Encounter

Spirit & Life Devotional
Tuesday, 3 May 2016
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

A Divine Encounter

"As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven." Acts 9:3 NKJV

A divine encounter is usually a turning point in a man's life. Look at Paul, a man who had so much hatred for the Christians, he even volunteered himself to the authorities to help with arresting and detaining the believers and putting an end to the Christian faith. But on his way to Damascus, Jesus appeared to him, and spoke to him, and his life never remained the same! Paul never forgot that encounter; he referred to it again and again. One encounter converted Saul the terrorist to the greatest preacher and apostle of all time!

Jacob too had an encounter with God: when he was alone, God visited him in the form of a man, and he wrestled with God the whole night, and wouldn't let God go until he received a blessing! God saw his determination and asked for his name; and God said to him, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel; for you have struggled with God and with men, and have prevailed.” The change of name altered his destiny forever!

Moses had an encounter with God in the burning bush and became the greatest prophet who ever lived; Solomon encountered God in a vision and became the wealthiest and wisest man in his generation. I had an encounter with God at a prayer meeting and I've not fallen sick in 13 years! My prayer for you today is that you will have a unique encounter with God that will change your life forever!

Twitter: @PastorChinae
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Exempted From Judgement

Spirit & Life Devotional
Monday, 2 May 2016
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

Exempted From Judgement

"That they might seek mercies from the God of heaven concerning this secret, so that Daniel and his companions might not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon." Daniel 2:18 NKJV

I need you to understand that you and I are beneficiaries of the mercies of God. God said that He shows mercy to whoever He chooses to show mercy to; by virtue of the redemptive work of Christ on the cross, you are I are perpetual beneficiaries of the mercies of God!

Mercy is not all about the forgiveness of sins. Mercy is deliverance from all forms of judgement. Yes, the wages of sin is death; mercy delivers from the judgement of sin, and beyond that, mercy delivers from every other kind of trouble, punishment and terrible situation, so that even when others around you are experiencing it, it will never come near you! That's what mercy is really about!

Daniel and his friends sought the mercies of God so that they wouldn't be killed with the other wise men in the kingdom: do you know that you too can be exempted from the effects of wicked and terrible policies and sanctions at work? It doesn't matter if everyone else is being sacked, as a beneficiary of God's mercy you have nothing to fear! It doesn't matter if everyone else is being robbed; it doesn't matter if everyone else is affected by a virus; mercy excludes you and your family from every evil and destruction! Hallelujah!

I declare, that goodness and mercy shall follow you all the days of your life; you shall not be afraid of the terror by night, nor of the arrow that flies by day, a thousand may fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand; but it shall not come near you. No evil shall befall you, nor shall any plague come near your dwelling, in Jesus name!

Twitter: @PastorChinae
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Dare To Say What You Want

Spirit & Life Devotional
Sunday, 1 May 2016
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

Dare To Say What You Want

"Then Joshua spoke to the Lord in the day when the Lord delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel: 'Sun, stand still over Gibeon; and Moon, in the Valley of Aijalon.'” Joshua 10:12 NKJV

Do you know what it means to ask the sun and moon to stand still? The sun and moon standing still is not even something that we think about! That Joshua was even able to conceive such a thought in his mind is incredible! He dared to think about something that had never been done; he dared to say it to the hearing of all the Israelites, and it came to pass! Awesome!

When the king of Samaria sent his armies to arrest Elijah the man of God, Elijah said to the captain, “If I am a man of God, then let fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty men.” And fire came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty! Wow! I'm amazed every time I think about it; asking fire to come down from heaven isn't something we think about! But Elijah dared to think it, and then he dared to speak it, and it was done!

I'm trying to tell you that nothing is impossible! If you can dare to think about it, and dare to say it with your mouth, it shall be done! That's exactly what Jesus said, "Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you."

What do you want to see? It doesn't matter if it has never be done: if you can think it, if you can believe it, and if you can open your mouth and declare it, it shall be done!

Happy New Month!

Twitter: @PastorChinae
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