RECOGNIZING YOUR TIMES

Spirit & Life Devotional
Monday, January 13
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

RECOGNIZING YOUR TIMES

Ecclesiastes 3:1 NKJV "To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven."

For whatever it is you desire to do, there's a time for it; same for whatever you are destined to be and for whatever God has asked you to do. This time I'm talking about is your own time and not another's. In other words, your times are different from that of another's own, the same way we were born at separate times. That's why it's unhealthy to compare ourselves with others, or to live a life of imitation.

Consider this: Jesus came to the earth to fulfil the most important task ever, but note that neither Him nor God the Father were in a hurry to get Him to the cross. He didn't die for man at age 12; He didn't even start ministering until He was about 30! People were dying all along, but Jesus waited until the time was right.

People struggle when they do things at the wrong times - before or after the appointed times. You must be wise enough, and sensitive to the Lord's leading to realize your appointed times. Jesus was concerned that man should not miss his time of visitation. Don't miss your times for whatever reason. However, if you think you may have missed any time, God can graciously restore the time lost. And if you don't understand timing, He can cause you to understand the times.

To do: Meditate on Ezekiel 16:8 then pray, "Lord, when you pass by at my set times, complete your good works in my life."

THE COMING DESTRUCTION OF THE EARTH

Spirit & Life Devotional
Saturday, January 4
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

THE COMING DESTRUCTION OF THE EARTH

II Peter 3:10-12 NKJV "But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of  persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat?"

You know, we all love the good life: to have the best things, to visit the best places, and so on; we have fallen in love with the world, as it were, and we are constantly looking forward to buying more and more pricey items, cars, clothes, jewelry, businesses, houses, etc. And when we do get them, we celebrate and display them as our achievements.

One of the most sobering truths is found in I Timothy 6:7, which says, "For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out." The earlier we realized that the better. We won't even leave the earth with these beautiful bodies of ours that we spend so much on!

Therefore, what manner of persons ought we to be? What manner of lives ought we to live? What should our priorities be? What should we really be investing in and spending on? What exactly should we be more passionate about? Of course, I'm not asking you to abandon your earthly responsibilities and dreams, what I'm asking you to do is to remember that there's something bigger and better to live and die for; a life beyond this that we must strive to be a part of.

To do: Ask God for the grace to live a holy life, and for the wisdom to live here on earth.

PREPARING WELL FOR THE NEW YEAR

Spirit & Life Devotional
Saturday, December 28
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

PREPARING WELL FOR THE NEW YEAR

James 4:3 NKJV "You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures."

As years end, we make plans for the new one; we also begin to make our requests known to God in prayer. I hope you have begun to do that: don't start the year without plans and expectations; start now if you haven't.

But to ask God for something is one thing, to receive from Him is another. Also, it's one thing to make plans, and another for you to achieve them. As we have read, one major reason why we don't receive from God is because we want to spend on OUR pleasures instead of HIS own pleasures. Prayer and fasting with wrong motives is a waste of time! So you desire that 2014 be a better year; why? Just so you can have more members in your church or fellowship and be more famous, increase the finances and capabilities, and probably earn more respect? Or so you can have more money to do whatever you want whenever you want and be more recognised in society? They may not be bad reasons; but do you think they are projects God would consider financing?

We were created for God's pleasure and for His glory. In other words, your first priorities should be to please God and to glorify Him. To receive swiftly from God, attach God-pleasing/glorifying motives to your requests and goals. Let pleasing and glorifying God be the foundation upon which every other thing is done. Not only that, beyond making requests that please God, let Him also be pleased with you! All things were commanded to hear Jesus because God was pleased with Him. Do as I've advised.

IT'S YOUR TURN TO GIVE

Spirit & Life Devotional
Wednesday, December 25
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

IT'S YOUR TURN TO GIVE

John 1:10-11 NKJV "He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him."

How would you feel if after investing a lot of your time, energy and resources to find and purchase a gift for your loved one, maybe you had to skip some meals so you could afford that gift, and then they reject it? I'm sure you'll feel sad even if you had all the money in the world.

While it's true that God would have still sent Jesus to the earth even if it was only one man in it, we shouldn't forget that His perfect will is that all men be saved. 1 Timothy 2:4 says that God "desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth." But sadly till this day man continues to reject Christ. At Christmas, man has chosen rather to celebrate a holiday, life, get together with family and friends, and do several other things other than to receive God's gift to them.

The onus therefore is on you and I to represent God's gift of His Son to everyone around us. God gave Jesus to you, so you have Him: now it's your turn to give Jesus to someone else. Don't only distribute food, drinks, clothes and so on this Christmas, share the gospel of God's undying love and grace to your world!

I wish you a Merry Christmas!

HIS INTENTION WAS TO MAKE US HIS SONS

Spirit & Life Devotional
Tuesday, December 24
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

HIS INTENTION WAS TO MAKE US HIS SONS

1 John 3:1-2 KJV "Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is."

After reading John 3:16, we can quickly conclude that Jesus came just to deliver us from the impending doom: and even though that by itself is a fantastic purpose for His birth, that's not just why He came.

Anyone can be delivered: a servant can be rescued; even non-living things can be rescued! The love of God for man was and is so great that He sent His only begotten Son, so we would not perish; but more importantly, to make us His sons! Hallelujah! Now are we the sons of God entitled to all the rights and privileges of sons! Wow! (I rejoice greatly in my spirit! ).God is so good!

By believing in Jesus we became children of God! Galatians 3:26 says, "For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus." People think Christianity and being born again is all about escaping from hell; no! that's not the main thing: it's first about becoming the sons of God! Determine to enjoy your benefits of sonship! That's why Jesus came! We who were aliens to the commonwealth of Israel, strangers to the covenants of promise, without hope and without God, became members of the family of God! Glory to God!

A LITTLE SLEEP, A LITTLE SLUMBER

Spirit & Life Devotional
Sunday, November 3

A LITTLE SLEEP, A LITTLE SLUMBER

"I went by the field of the lazy man, and by the vineyard of the man devoid of understanding; and there it was, all overgrown with thorns; its surface was covered with nettles; its stone wall was broken down. When I saw it, I considered it well; I looked on it and received instruction: a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest; so shall your poverty come like a prowler, and your need like an armed man." Proverbs 24:30-34

Your field refers to your life, your business, your calling, your ministry, your work, your studies, your family, your relationships, etc. Why are the fields of some in bad conditions while others with similar fields are doing well? There are several reasons, and it might be because of just a little sleep, a little slumber, and a little folding of arms! God gives His beloved rest, but He never intends for you to be in rest mode for too long, else He would take you to heaven! You must know when to get up and get to work!

Sleep and slumber refer to laziness and lack of understanding. Both of them are doors of poverty and lack. A man maybe very hard working, but if he is devoid of understanding of how a certain thing works, he would still be poor and in lack. That's why Proverbs 4:7 says that we should get understanding.

What's your field like today? Overgrown with thorns, covered with nettles, walls broken down, reducing or not growing? Talent has never been enough; being anointed is not enough; being creative and full of ideas isn't enough; being a graduate isn't enough either; get understanding, and continue to update your knowledge and understanding; and don't be lazy! With just a little sleep, a little slumber, and a little folding of arms comes lack and poverty!

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THE LORD IS MY INHERITANCE

Spirit & Life Devotional
Saturday, November 2

THE LORD IS MY INHERITANCE

Deuteronomy 10:8&9 says, "At that time, the LORD separated the tribe of Levi to bear the ark of the covenant of the LORD, to stand before the LORD to minister to Him and to bless in His name, to this day. Therefore Levi has no portion nor inheritance with his brethren; the LORD is his inheritance, just as the LORD your God promised him."

What a privilege that Levi was given! Brothers and sisters, when the Lord is your portion you have everything, because everything belongs to Him and every good and perfect gift comes from Him! When the Lord is your portion whatever is His is yours as well. Hallelujah!

Don't fight to lay hold on things; fight for God! Trust me, God is all you need to have a great and fulfilled life here on earth. If you take everything I have and leave Jesus, I'll receive double of it in a short time; because God is the source of them all! He is my inheritance!

David said, "O LORD, You are the portion of my inheritance and my cup; You maintain my lot. The lines have fallen unto me in pleasant places; yes I have a good inheritance." Psalm 16:5-6. When the Lord becomes your all, you begin to enjoy the very best things of life and of heaven. I ain't trading my Jesus for anything in this world, I'm so content with Him!

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