CONDUCTING OURSELVES RIGHTEOUSLY IN THE WORLD

Spirit & Life Devotional
Friday, February 7
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

CONDUCTING OURSELVES RIGHTEOUSLY IN THE WORLD

II Corinthians 7:2 NKJV "Open your  hearts to us. We have wronged no one, we have corrupted no one, we have cheated no one."

As simple as those words sound, they are so powerful and profound. To be able to say that you have wronged no one, corrupted no one, and cheated no one is a big deal!

So much is expected of us as believers, especially if we are going to be effective ministers of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Obedience to the law and rules, being ethical, how we relate with people, what we do and say to others matters a lot. If you're a boss, have you behaved in such a way that you can boldly preach to your subordinates? If you are a business man or woman, have you been fair enough to your customers that you can decide at anytime to witness to them? And you in any kind of relationship, have you been fair and faithful?

I will have you know that evangelism isn't just what you do when you go out with other members of the church from door to door, no, it has everything to do with how you relate with everyone you meet, with what you do, how you conduct yourself, how you behave indoor and outdoor, and the things that you say.

To do: Determine to live right.

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REDEEMED FROM THE CURSE

Spirit & Life Devotional
Thursday, February 6
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

REDEEMED FROM THE CURSE

Galatians 3:13-14 NKJV "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."

Moses proclaimed the curses for disobedience to the law: Deuteronomy 28:15 NKJV “But it shall come to pass, if you do not obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully all His commandments and His statutes which I command you today, that all these curses will come upon you and overtake you:"

Sadly, some teachers of the word still threaten us with curses of the law. The most common one being the curse for not paying tithes found in Malachi 3:9, "You are cursed with a curse, For you have robbed Me, Even this whole nation." That's a very wrong teaching because it is written that Christ Jesus has redeemed us from every curse that came with the law, being made a curse for us when He was crucified on the cross! Hallelujah!

You can encourage believers to do the word, but don't tell them that they will be cursed or that they are cursed! Jesus redeemed us from the curse of the law, that we might receive the blessings of Abraham! We are blessed! Yeah, we were called to inherit blessings! Abraham's blessings are ours, not because of what we have done or not done, but because of what Jesus did for us! Hallelujah!

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GLORYING IN GOD

Spirit & Life Devotional
Wednesday, February 5
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

GLORYING IN GOD

Judges 7:2 NKJV "And the Lord said to Gideon, “The people who are with you are too many for Me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel claim glory for itself against Me, saying, ‘My own hand has saved me.’"

Deep within each one of us is the desire to accomplish something great all by ourselves. We start to see this desire in kids, at a point, they begin to want to do things by themselves. But God is a jealous God not willing to share His glory with anyone. He wants complete reliance on Him; not on our qualifications, talents, connections or on anything else.

God warned the Israelites not to take credit for whatever He did for them. Deuteronomy 8:11-12, 17 says, “Beware that you do not forget the Lord your God... lest— when you have eaten and are full, and have built beautiful houses and dwell in them; then you say in your heart, ‘My power and the might of my hand have gained me this wealth.’" But the world loves to say that people are self made! No, we must never claim the glory of God. That's pride.

I Corinthians 1:29 says "that no flesh should glory in His presence." You want God to get involved and intervene in your life? Then you must position yourself by letting Him know that your trust is in Him alone. God resists those who want to take His glory, but He gives grace to those who are humble enough to seek His intervention. Success is not a function of numbers, qualifications, beauty or brains; it is by God! Good health is not a result of many exercises or good diet; it's by the stripes of Jesus! Child of God, let us glory in God alone!

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PEACE IN THE MIDST OF THE STORM

Spirit & Life Devotional
Tuesday, February 4
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

PEACE IN THE MIDST OF THE STORM

Philippians 4:7 NKJV "And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."

I still wonder how Jesus was able remain asleep in the midst of the storm. That was the peace of God in action! It is beyond the limits of human understanding!

David said, "Lord , how they have increased who trouble me! Many are they who rise up against me. Many are they who say of me, “There  is no help for him in God.” Selah But You, O Lord, are  a shield for me, My glory and the One who lifts up my head. I cried to the Lord with my voice, And He heard me from His holy hill. Selah I lay down and slept; I awoke, for the Lord sustained me. I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people Who have set themselves against me all around."

The peace of God sustains you in the midst of trouble, it makes you unafraid. Shirley Caesar sang, "There is peace in the midst of a storm-tossed life, there is an Anchor, there is a rock to build my faith on, Jesus Christ is my vessel so I fear no alarm, He gives me peace in the midst of the storm." Hallelujah!

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WALKING AS HE WALKED

Spirit & Life Devotional
Monday, February 3
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

WALKING AS HE WALKED

I John 2:6 NKJV "He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked."

We risk being called deceivers when we claim to be born again but don't live like Him. Being born again isn't a title, it's being dead to sin, to self and being raised up with a new life, the very life of God, that enables you to live like Him.

You know, preachers encourage us to remain in faith even when we sin; we are told that babies start crawling before they begin to walk; and that Jesus has paid the price for all the sins we would ever commit: yes, but for how long is a man supposed to be a babe? For how long are we going to keep preaching that message to the same man? For how long shall a man continue to walk in his old ways?

He who says he abides in Christ ought to walk as Christ walked! It's time to grow up! Time to get serious about our faith and walk with God; it's time to follow Jesus wholeheartedly and learn His ways.

To do: Ask God for the power of the Holy Spirit to live and walk like Christ.

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GRACE FOR PROSPERITY

Spirit & Life Devotional
Sunday, February 2
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

GRACE FOR PROSPERITY

Genesis 32:10 NLT "I am not worthy of all the unfailing love and faithfulness you have shown to me, your servant. When I left home and crossed the Jordan River, I owned nothing except a walking stick. Now my household fills two large camps!"

Grace! Imagine for a moment, a world without the grace of God: how terrible it would be. Imagine also your own life without grace; maybe you would have been dead by now; or broke, unhappy and hopeless.

There's not enough space to write about the benefits of the grace of God upon us. None of us deserves anything that we have ever received from God, yet He keeps on blessing us as if we have never committed an offence! Thank you Jesus!

Look at Jacob: he prospered by grace. He entered a place with nothing except a walking stick and later left there a very wealthy man! Hallelujah! Guess what; we serve the same God Who was gracious to Jacob! I prophesy to you in the name of Jesus, the grace of God that brings wealth, promotion, fulfilment, joy, peace and success will locate you today! I know you don't deserve it, but Jesus has qualified you! So shall it be in the name of Jesus!

To do: Say this: Today I will see the goodness of God. Today, I am walking in the favour of God. Today, I am blessed! Today, the lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places! Today, I receive an abundance of the grace of God! I am moving from one level of grace to another! Grace is mine in the name of Jesus! Amen!

CHASE YOUR DESIRES

Spirit & Life Devotional
Saturday, February 1
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

CHASE YOUR DESIRES

Proverbs 2:3-5 NKJV "Yes, if you cry out for discernment, And lift up your voice for understanding, If you seek her as silver, And search for her as for hidden treasures; Then you will understand the fear of the Lord, And find the knowledge of God."

The problem many of us have is that we keep on "waiting on the Lord" when we should be chasing what we want. Don't misunderstand me; don't misinterpret waiting on God for inaction; to receive you've got to ask; to find you've got to seek; and for the door to be opened you've got to knock.

To succeed as a believer and have whatever you want, you've got to learn to be a chaser. Stop waiting for manna to fall from heaven into your bedroom, stop thinking that God will do things for you without you having to pray for them to be done! Knock the door so hard, bang it, kick it if you have to! In other words, pray earnestly about what you want until they are done.

Isaiah 62:6-7 says "I have set watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem; They shall never hold their peace day or night. You who make mention of the Lord, do not keep silent, And give Him no rest till He establishes And till He makes Jerusalem a praise in the earth."

To do: Make a list of your desires, and then make each one of them specific prayer points. Determine not to give God rest until everyone of your prayers has been answered.