THE BATTLES OF LIFE

THE BATTLES OF LIFE

TEXT: Judges 14-3(amp)

he battles of life are often interwoven with the pursuit of life\'s ambitions. Therefore if any man desire a successful and peaceful life he must then watch his ambitions. The road to success is often covered with subtle hidden snares. Oblivious of this danger lurking around his soul in seek a philistine bride, he threw caution to the wind and went to the camp of the enemy. Not even the rebuke of his parents was strong enough to make him abandon his useless pursuit. He made them do what he wanted (see Judges 14:1-3) but he also paid dearly for it. Many young people who once claim to be deeply in live with the angel of their lives have often returned armed with several evidences why they cannot continue to live with a demon after less than 2 years in the marriage. Like Samson, if they were patient enough to listen to the counsel of those who stand over them as fathers and mothers they would have delivered their souls from the enemy\'s trap and gotten for themselves a peaceable and blissful life. The battles of life are too intricate for your little brain to handle. Let God help you and you will see him decorate your life with amazing testimonies. Shalom!

THE BENEFIT OF GIVING Pt. 1

THE BENEFIT OF GIVING Pt. 1 

TEXT: Acts 20:33-35 (TLB)
³³ "I have never been hungry for money or fine clothing—
³⁴ you know that these hands of mine worked to pay my own way and even to supply the needs of those who were with me.
³⁵ And I was a constant example to you in helping the poor; for I remembered the words of the Lord Jesus, ’It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ "

If anyone truly understands the benefit of anything it affects the way they would respond to the opportunities. We live in a world where the majority is more concern about how much they can grab for themselves than they can bless others with. Most people will suddenly become lukewarm once they realize that a particular service will not add more money to their pocket or prestige to their name. But from our text of today we see how the Apostle Paul laboured to see to it that the need of those with him are met and that the poor can be given some help. He then went on to explain the motivation for his actions by quoting the Lord Jesus saying ’It is more blessed to give than to receive.’  When a man chooses to be a blessing to others, he provokes heaven to release more supply to him because it is obvious that once he is blessed others will be blessed too. When you choose to store your blessing in a container it has a maximum capacity but when you choose to be a distribution channel there is no limit to what you can accommodate. Make up your mind to be a blessing and you will be amazed the degree of glory that will come with it. ’It is more blessed to give than to receive.’  

 TRANSFORMED BY LOVE 1 (James 2:14-18.)

One outstanding factor common to every individual with extraordinary impact upon the lives of many is love. Mother Theresa, Billy Graham, Oral Roberts and many others touched the lives of many because they were motivated by love. What is your motivation?

CONTEMPLATION

Buried in the heart of every man is the desire to be recognized and celebrated but not many are willing to pay the price of self denial. The truth is that if you would let the Lord express His love for others through you will dwell in abundant grace, blessings and power. That you are approachable, friendly and lovely does not make you unholy or less anointed. Many houses of worship want to rise to prominence but only few bother to create the atmosphere that will make the difference.

  “In an atmosphere saturated with love you are not motivated

by religious sentiments but by intimacy with God. In an

atmosphere of intimacy people reach out to God (in a vertical

flow) and to man (in a horizontal flow) as they worship joyfully

and willingly.” FFPW p106.

There is more that the Father desire to accomplish through us and sometimes the only hindrance to us walking in this realm of glory is our unwillingness to love at all cost. Your life can be sweeter and better if you are willing to do something about it.

PRACTICAL ISSUES

Consider and list out the lessons on love from James 2:14-18.

-          REV. IGHO Y. 

ANGELIC MINISTRY (PART 12)

AUGUST 18^TH

TEXT: Matthew 18:10-11 (KJV)
¹⁰  Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven.
¹¹  For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost.

There are countless number of stories about children who were visited or delivered by angels. The ease and frequency with which angels get involved in the lives of children does suggest that their innocence and purity of heart is a major difference between them and adults. Whenever you find an adult who enjoys such visitation by angels it is obvious there is something about that life. Children don’t need to pray before they enjoy the intervention on angels. From our passage Jesus made us to understand that their angels have constant access to the heavenly Father. In other words, there are angels assigned to children all over the world and that is why just when an evil is about to take place there will be a miraculous intervention. Children have had strange experiences and have been given strange messages that were just too much for their age.

When an adult decides to offend or harm a child that individual is in trouble because their angel will certainly react.  If you want to enjoy the covering and benefits of children then keep your heart and life from evil. Angels are real, if you are ready to live the life you will attract their services.

Glory Realm Devotional

By Rev. Igho L.Y.

CONQUERING THE SPIRIT OF ERROR & DECEPTION (PART 2b)

15. CONQUERING THE SPIRIT OF ERROR & DECEPTION (PART 2b) 
TEXT: 2 Corinthians 11:10-15 (KJV)
¹⁰ As the truth of Christ is in me, no man shall stop me of this boasting in the regions of Achaia.
¹¹ Wherefore? because I love you not? God knoweth.
¹² But what I do, that I will do, that I may cut off occasion from them which desire occasion; that wherein they glory, they may be found even as we.
¹³ For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.
¹⁴ And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.
¹⁵ Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.

It is unfortunate that many believers are very gullible, once some people hear someone say, “I had a vision from God” or that the Lord appeared to them, they suddenly lose their sense of reasoning and become jittery as they swallow the message and instruction hook, line and sinker. Satan knows very well that this is the basic problem of many Christians and that is why time after time, he would renew the application of this approach. The scripture goes on to say in verse 15.
“Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.”
Take note of the fact that the scripture says, “his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness...” 
Why do they transform themselves as ministers of righteousness? Has it occurred to you that most of those who lead people astray often come with a message that seems to be emphasizing on holiness? But the truth is this, they are not truly emphasizing holiness; what they actually focus on is sectional doctrine that has a form of godliness but it is meant to call attention to and promote some individuals or organizations.
Instead of building the faith of people in God they make them become devoted to a form of religious practice. Instead of growing peoples’ faith in God through a strong emphasis on the study of the whole truth in the Bible, they pull out a few scriptures out of context to emphasize  more on the work of man and outward form of religion. 
And it is so unfortunate that such requirements for someone to become acceptable to God are often attack against women and their way of dressing. I do not by any way support indecent dressing but I have found out that the requirement for righteousness outlined by these people is far too cheap and deficient. Holiness transforms a life from the inside out. God is too great to be reduced to dress code. Those who truly know Him cannot remain but help to be clean. 

.ANGELIC MINISTRY (PART 11)

.ANGELIC MINISTRY (PART 11)

TEXT: Acts 12:6-11 (KJV)
⁶  And when Herod would have brought him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains: and the keepers before the door kept the prison.
⁷  And, behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison: and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands.
⁸  And the angel said unto him, Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals. And so he did. And he saith unto him, Cast thy garment about thee, and follow me.
⁹  And he went out, and followed him; and wist not that it was true which was done by the angel; but thought he saw a vision.
¹⁰  When they were past the first and the second ward, they came unto the iron gate that leadeth unto the city; which opened to them of his own accord: and they went out, and passed on through one street; and forthwith the angel departed from him.
¹¹  And when Peter was come to himself, he said, Now I know of a surety, that the Lord hath sent his angel, and hath delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews.

In the life of the Apostle Paul, there were different occasions where he was delivered from the wicked plans of the enemy by the timely intervention of angels. From the reading of our text for today it became so clear that sometimes some of the encounters some people have had may be perceived as a dream. When someone is in the kind of situation that Peter found himself in and there seem to be no way out many people will become discouraged like Peter that the thought of a divine intervention looks too good to be possible. But when the Lord has an assignment for somebody there is no way they can be cut off before they are done with the assignment.

On several occasions the Lord delivered the children of Israel from their enemies by sending angelic beings to their rescue. Are you living for God? Do you have a divine assignment to carry out? Then no one can terminate your life before your time. Those who live for themselves will have to protect themselves but those who are passionate about the work of God have the greatest insurance policy ever. What about you?

ASK GOD FOR HELP (PART 4)

ASK GOD FOR HELP (PART 4) 

TEXT: Psalms 127:1-2 (TLB)
¹ Unless the Lord builds a house, the builders’ work is useless. Unless the Lord protects a city, sentries do no good.
² It is senseless for you to work so hard from early morning until late at night, fearing you will starve to death; for God wants his loved ones to get their proper rest.

Our lives are full of expectations and dreams. We want to be able to accomplish so much within our short life therefore we are either doing this or that and that’s where a number of us miss it. Psalm 127 says, ^“Unless the Lord builds a house, the builders’ work is useless. Unless the Lord protects a city, sentries do no good”. Without God taking the lead in your lives all of your efforts are in vain. It has to be the Lord building the house before the house will become a reality. The sincere question we must ask ourselves is; whose idea is this?  We often start things lead by our own selfish ambitions and then want God to bless it. Sometimes in His mercies he allows us to have some victory but if we have asked for his help before we started it would have been far more glorious. If we are always careful to hear from God before you step out things will be different. It is possible that what we spent some time, energy and resource to accomplish God intend to give to us by favour. Somebody once said a day of favour is better than a life time of labour. From verse 2 of psalm 127 we learnt that it is useless to rise up early and then sleep late only to eat the bread of sorrow. Be more diligent to get God’s leading than to do anything. Ask God for help.