All posts by Tunde Soniregun

A New Route

Devotions

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Mark 11:1-11

 

When the time was near for Jesus to be crucified, He knew it was time to take a new route in His journey on earth. He was to enter a route no one has ever entered for the glory of God. As a result, Jesus needed to ride on a colt that no one has ever ridden. Mark 11:2, ÒAnd He said to them, ÔGo into the village opposite you; and as soon as you have entered it you will find a colt tied, on which no one has sat. Loose it and bring it.ÕÓ Is time for you to move into a new ground where you have never been, a place where you are very reluctant to go, or a route that does not look promising to you. You sure need a new ride, a ride that no one has ever sat on. Jesus gave a command to the two who went to get the ride in Mark 11:3, ÒAnd if anyone says to you, why are you doing this? Say, ÔThe Lord has need of it,Õ and immediately he will send it.ÕÓ The crowd will ask why you are making such a move. Crowd will also wonder and doubt if you have made the right decision. Today, speak to the crowd that the Lord is in control, He knows all about you and you are going at the name of Jesus. Mark 11:6, ÒAnd they spoke to them just as Jesus had commanded. So they let them go.Ó All that the enemy has put in place for the purpose of not letting you go, at the name of Jesus, you will be let go. His name is your power to command in your new route. Philippians 2:10, ÒThat at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, 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.Ó Do you believe in His name? If you do, all you need is power, not the advice of the crowd. There is direction in the powerful name of Jesus. Your own journey will be to the glory of God. Go in the name of Jesus.

Change Of Route

Devotions

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Numbers 22

 

It is time to redirect your route for a change in your journey of life. Are you paying attention to the signals around you? Now, you are seeing unexpected changes in your journey, and sudden redirections on the road are happening too frequently. Your back road route is becoming blocked on a daily basis. Running into bumps is causing consistent delay, and your timely ride is becoming congested. Is there any need to slow down and pay attention to the causes of all these sudden challenges in your journey? A more reason for you to reexamine why challenges are slowing you down is because you are a person of faith, one that loves the Lord or serves the Lord from the heart. Balaam was a man of God, but he failed to pay attention to warning signals when his ride began to face challenges. He was going to answer BalakÕs request when his donkey left the main route and began to roam from the field to the narrow paths–to vineyards and against the wall. All the redirection was to stop Balaam from answering where God did not call him. Having roamed around back and forth, the Angel of the LORD showed himself. Numbers 22:27, ÒAnd when the donkey saw the Angel of the LORD, she lay down under Balam; so BalaamÕs anger was aroused and he struck the donkey with his staff. Then the LORD opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam, ÔWhat have I done to you, that you have struck me these three times?ÕÓ You do not have to go that far before you change your route.

October 2006 Issue

Monthly Newsletter

And Pharaoh said to Joseph, ÒSee, I have set you over all the < ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>land of Egypt.Ó (Genesis41:41)< ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>

 

A dream journey could be a dreadful journey or extremely unpleasant to go through. Have you had a dream in which you knew but seem you are in opposite direction? Joseph is a better person to ask because the Bible says all things are written for our learning.

JOSEPH

Joseph was the favorite among JacobÕs twelve sons, but was hated by his brothers. JosephÕs revelation of his dream placed him as the head among his family and it ignited the vehicle of his dreadful journey. JosephÕs journey started when he found himself wandering in the field. You may be looking back and blaming yourself for why you did not make a turn at a certain point in your life before the unwanted situation took place. Genesis 37:15, ÒNow a certain man found him, and there he was, wandering in the field. And the man asked him, saying, ÔWhat are you seeking? ÕÓ It is time for you to get over how and why you did not make a turn before it turned to be ugly. Remember, it is always better to move from ugliness to beauty, failure to success, and from wandering to wonderful. Joseph wandered before his story became wonderful. Joseph wandered into Dotham where he was able to locate his brothers. JosephÕs appearance to his brothers was met with evil plans. JosephÕs brothers negotiated for his downfall, but God was propagating a channel to lift him up. The identity of God is of good, not of evil. Be encouraged as you go through with Joseph in his unpleasant journey. Genesis 37:20, ÒCome therefore, let us now kill him and cast him into some pit: and we shall say, ÔSome wild beast has devoured him.Õ We shall see what will become of his dreams!Ó Ignore evil agents; focus on God for He is the master of good purposes.

PURPOSEFUL 

From wandering on the field, he went straight into the pit–a pit of lack, an empty pit that does not have what it takes to sustain life. Are you in a situation where your front and your back are empty? Pray that if your journey takes that route, you will not get terminated in that part of your dream journey. Any attempt of the wicked to get rid of your dream without your permission will always be a negating route of escape for you. As if the empty pit was not enough, Joseph was sold to slavery. It was a design to wipe out his name from the book of the living among the sons of Jacob. The brotherÕs design built up to a mansion of hope for their future survival. Genesis 37:28, ÒThen the Midianite traders passed by; so the brothers pulled Joseph up and lifted him out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver. And they took Joseph to Egypt.Ó At twenty shekels of silver, the price was right for Jacob and his great grand children to have a future place of survival built up. Brethren, you cannot see it now, you cannot reason it, and you are finding it too difficult to understand that your present situation will take you to the top where God has planned for you. Your journey is a training ground. Training always brings forth test and testimony that glorifies God. Joseph, a slave, became an overseer in the house of Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh. When it looks like you are getting close to your breakthrough, get down on your knees, get closer to God, and any setbacks in your journey will be a step forward for you. Joseph feared God and refused sexual offers from PotipharÕs wife. As a result, Joseph got a jail term.

DREAMER

Dreams got him to Egypt dreams brought him out of jail when he interpreted the dream for his inmates. He also went from prison to interpreting PharaohÕs dream. He did not just interpret PharaohÕs dream, he also gave a good advice. Genesis 41:38, ÒAnd Pharaoh said to his servants, ÔCan we find such a one as this, a man in whom is the spirit of God?ÕÓ From prisoner he became a prime minister. With the spirit of God in you, your dream will come to pass; they will bow for you and you will be the head, not the tail. Remember, Joseph was not the only slave in the hand of Ishmaelite traders. Among all slaves there is always a slave with a purpose. Never get disrupted by asking why me, why not you? Look up to God; He is able to carry you through. Joseph was a slave with a purpose for GodÕs glory, and maybe you are too. Do not sin, do not charge God with wrong.

 

From Prisoner Joseph, he became Prime Minister Joseph; was reduced by man but, increased by God. All can forget you, but God will not forget you– He did not forget Joseph Hope in God

Genuine Repentance

Devotions

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2 Samuel 12:12-25

 

David sinned against God for taking UriahÕs wife when she became conceived and for engineering the death of Uriah. God sent Nathan to David to unfold the gravity of his sin. David did not debate or excuse his sin, he repented immediately. 2 Samuel 12:13, ÒSo David said to Nathan, ÔI have sinned against the LORD.Õ And Nathan said to David, ÔThe LORD also has put away your sin; you shall not die.ÕÓ God in His goodness and mercy does not over look sin but will always put away sin before Him to allow the continuation of relationship with His children that repent. Repentance does not eliminate the consequences, but it restores relationships back to its proper place with God. David, by virtue of his knowing God, committed an unimaginable sin before God, and he received an inexcusable consequence of his sin before God. He gave a great occasion to the enemies. 2 Samuel 12:14, ÒHowever, because by this deed you have given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also who is born to you shall surely died.Ó As destructive as sin could be, God is consistent with restoration when there is repentance. Is there any way that your deed is giving occasion to the enemies of God to blaspheme? Have you considered going before God for genuine repentance? A born again with no integrity needs to understand and get a self evaluation before it builds up to an untimely death. God is waiting patiently for you to wait on Him.

Responsibility

Devotions

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2 Samuel 11

 

Among the determinants of being responsible is to be at the right place at the right time.

By virtue of willingness or ignorance, it is possible to be at the right place at the wrong time or wrong place at the wrong time. David was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Just as the word said, kings go out to battle during this time. David should have been in battle and not in the palace. 2 Samuel 11:1, ÒIt happened in the spring of the year, at the time when kings go out to battle, that Daivid sent Joab and his servants with him, and all < ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>Israel; and they destroyed the people of Ammon and besieged Rabbah.Ó But David remained in Jerusalem. David was at the wrong place at the wrong time. King David could have avoided another form of battle by being in the battle front, but his being in the wrong place at the wrong time brought the battle to his front. It was during DavidÕs bad timing that he saw the wife of Uraiah. David did not just see, he also inquired about Bathsheba (UriahÕs wife), and he lay with her. After she conceived, David planned for UriahÕs death. The whole issue became a household sin for David. David was anointed and established by God. It is the business of the devil to indirectly disestablish what God has done. Remember, you are not above temptation, pay attention to your right place at the right time. Ask God to extend His hand of deliverance in every wrong positioning of your life.