All posts by Tunde Soniregun

QUALIFIED LIKE DAVID?

Devotions

FAITH CAPSULE: David’s fear for God qualified him to call and get support from God.

1 Samuel 17:25-49

The journey of everyday life will always encounter every representative of giants from every direction. Why not pray the prayer of David? David was in the direction of becoming what the Lord anointed him to be while the giant was also in place to deny him.   David refused to take on any form of weapon from the world to use against Goliath. David considered the weapons before him as burdensome.  As a result, David turned to heaven as his source for weapons to battle his giant. It is written, “Then David said to the Philistines, ‘You have come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with javelin. But I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defiled’” (1 Samuel 17:45) Today is privileged of God, in your going out from where you are, lift your voice to Almighty God.  Speak to the giant and let him know that you have come to deal with him in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel.
Confronting any agent of the wicked and destruction such as Goliath does not require you to go outside of the name of the living God. Call on His name in just the same manner as David did. In your calling, speak by declaring what you want to see to become of the confronting giant before you. After David had called on the name of God, he went further and declared the kind of day he had wanted for the giant (Goliath) by saying, “This day the LORD will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you and take your head from you. And this day I will give the carcasses of the camp of the Philistines to the birds of the air and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.” (1 Samuel 17:46) The same God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob is alive and active today. He is still in the business of answering prayer if you will believe and commit all unto Him in prayer. Jehovah God will fight for your battle. Today gain an understand with the knowledge of God as One that will fight on your behalf.
Above all, David’s fear for God qualified him to call and get the supporting of God against his giant Goliath. Are you walking after the Lord God? Do you fear for God? If yes, you are set to experience His help continually. Deuteronomy 13:4 buttressed, “You shall walk after the Lord your God and fear Him and keep His commandments and obey His voice; you shall serve Him and hold fast to Him.” Be true to God’s word.

Prayer for today: As one with God’s fear, speak to giants before you as desired and so shall it be in Jesus name.

 

WAITING IS NOT WASTING

Devotions

FAITH CAPSULE: With believe, ask, seek and knock persistently for God’s appointed time.

Matthew 7

Waiting on Godfrom the first month to twelfth month of the year to receive from God is not wasting time but believing on the word of God. Word of God might sound foolish to man but never fail to deliver those who believe in His word. (1 Corinthians 1:21) It is the word of God to ask, seek and knock.To be Asking, Seeking, Knocking for God’s answer is an evidence of having faith in God by looking up to Jesus.Hebrews 12:2described Jesus, “looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Jesus the author of our faith gave us the way of receiving from God by stating, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.” (Matthew 7:7-8)
Truly, waiting on God demands trusting and hoping by asking, seeking and knocking before we get the right answer. When there is no waiting on God man always rush away for God’s answer and turn to waste. King Saul could not wait as instructed and it was accounted to him as disobedient. To obey and wait is to trust and hope on God.
Waiting for God is giving attention to a jealous God. Psalmist admonished, “Indeed, let no one who waits on You be ashamed…” (Psalm 25:3)
A believer in God must understand to wait and endure period. Waiting can be a delay but never a waste of time.
God testified about David when Saul failed to wait on God. God spoke through Samuel for Saul’s disobedience, “But now your kingdom shall not continue. The Lord has sought for Himself a man after His own heart, and the Lord has commanded him to be commander over His people, because you have not kept what the Lord commanded you.” (1 Samuel 13:14) David knows the heart of God to understanding what it means as he consistently obeyed by waiting on God before making moves.
The bible recorded about prodigal son that could not know to wait for God’s timing, “A certain man had two sons. And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me.’ So he divided to them his livelihood. And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living.” (Luke 15:11-13)
Younger son could not wait for God’s appointed time to receive portion of good that falls to him. Indirectly, the prodigal son made move outside of God’s timing for his life because he could not wait. With believe, ask, seek and knock persistently for God’s appointed time.

Prayer for today: Ask for God to enable your waiting on Him.

DECEMBER 2018 FAITH-MAIL

Monthly Newsletter

THE GIFT OF GOD

In every season or with reason to give or receive, let it be with sincere heart knowing that God sees all. Whatever you can afford to give is what will count before God. With a sincere heart, only engage in giving or receiving without lying or deceiving in your celebrating moment.
Honestly, the gift that matters and counts best, for giving or receiving at all time is Jesus. Jesus’ introduction is not limited to those who know or those who do not know Him. Bible recorded Jesus’ self-introduction to the woman of Samaria which does not know Him, “…If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.” (John 4:10) Jesus is the GIFT of God for all man. Romans 6:23 buttressed, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Which kind of expensive or cheap gift are you chasing after to lay hands for impressing families or friends? Why not decide for giving the GIFT of God that is free to give out to your world?
Do you know the GIFT of God for you? GIFT of God is near and not far from man but not knowing the GIFT of God is man’s ignorance not unwrapping GIFT of God.
Often, man is decorated by the GIFT of God but not declaring the GIFT of God. God is not evidence in the way of man’s life. In life, it can be recklessness or destructive in the effort of giving or receiving the gift of this world which is evident in the testimony of Gehazi the servant of Elisha; the life of Ananias and Sapphira.
CASE OF GEHAZI
After the healing of Naaman, Elisha refused to accept gifts from Naaman. Without any direction from Elisha, Gehazi the servant of Elisha deceitfully went after Naaman and stated, “My master sent me to say, ‘Two young men from the company of the prophets have just come to me from the hill country of Ephraim. Please give them a talent of silver and two sets of clothing.’” (2 Kings 5:22) Gehazi deceitfully claimed gift from Naaman against Elisha’s will. Elisha knowing about Gehazi’s deceptiveness, he asked Gehazi for his deception to claim gift from Naaman. Elisha responded to Gehazi’s deceptiveness stating, “…was not my spirit with you when the man got down from his chariot to meet you? Is this the time to take money or to accept clothes—or olive groves and vineyards, or flocks and herds, or male and female slaves?  Naaman’s leprosy will cling to you and to your descendants forever.” Then Gehazi went from Elisha’s presence and his skin was leprous—it had become as white as snow.” (2 Kings 5:26-27) Gehazi’s appetite for the gift of this world derailed him from arriving at his journey of divine assignment. Just like Gehazi, make the right choice to run after the gift of God not the gift of this world.
CASE OF ANANIAS AND SAPPHIRA
Have you been getting away with lying and deceiving others for so long that there are no bounds as to when or where you lie? Lying and deceiving can be destructive to a liar’s life. As much as it reigns outside the church, so it is rampant inside the church. Acts 5:1-2 recorded, “But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession. And he kept back part of the proceeds, his wife also being aware of it, and brought a certain part and laid it at the apostles’ feet.” Ananias and Sapphira were to sell their possessions voluntary without any pressure. Ananias and Sapphira voluntary move resulted in deceiving their brethren. Deception is lying, dishonesty and insincere. Are you an acclaimed believer who will lie, fake, or deceive to get attention or to impress fellow believers? All conduct is accountable before God without hidden from God that does not sleep.
Peter knew that Ananias and Sapphira were lying and not sincere before brethren. Peter responded as stated, in Acts 5:4, “But Peter said, ‘Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land for yourself?’” Was it a good intention by Ananias and Sapphira that prompted their lying to deceive their brethren? Deception is not impressive before God. Whatever is worthy for doing before God is worthy to be well done. The bible recorded the result of Ananias and Sapphira’s deception in Acts 5:5, “Then Ananias hearing these words fell down and breathed his last. So great fear came upon all those who heard these things.” Lying and deception took the life of Ananias and Sapphira. Telling lies is a gift of this world. Telling lies is deception which can go unnoticed for years, but it will only take one day for the truth to expose you.  Give up the gift of this world, receive and unwrap the gift of God in addition to your journey of life.  

FEAR GOD TO TRUST AND HOPE IN HIM

Devotions

FAITH CAPSULE: Give self to a lifestyle with the fear of God, trust, and hope in Him.

Proverbs 3

Trusting God is relying on God. Trusting God is not a mouth act but an act from the heart. Many claims to trust God with no understanding of what it means to trust God. It is true that what does not understand will not work. Do you have trust in God?  One that is having a lifestyle with no fear of God is not possible to truly trust God. Give self to a lifestyle with the fear of God, trust, and hope in Him. The book of Isaiah 50:10 clearly points it out, “Who among you fears the Lord? Who obeys the voice of His Servant? Who walks in darkness and has no light? Let him trust in the name of the Lord and rely upon his God.” God cannot be deceived by what we say and not behave. God clearly warned Samuel about the idea of approving man by appearance when Samuel was about to mistake David’s brother for David as the king after Saul. God warned Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7)
In the heart of one with the action of noise about trusting God with no fear for God is not hidden to God. God sees all heart. Are you one with the heart to truly trust in God or you only talk about your trust in God?
The Lord spoke in Jeremiah 17:6, “Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart departs from the LORD. For he shall be like a shrub in the desert, and shall not see when good comes, but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land which is not inhabited.” Who do you trust? Ones that are placing their fear in man does not have their trusts in God. Trusting God is not just the word of the mouth. Jeremiah’s verse above pointed it out a curse as the portion for ones that places trust in man.
Just as the word of God declared that curse belongs to ones with no fear and with no trust for God, His word identified that there is a blessing for those that trust in Him. Jeremiah 17:7-8 recorded, “Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, and whose hope is the LORD. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, which spreads out its roots by the river, and will not fear when heat comes; but its leaf will be green and will not be anxious in the year of drought, nor will cease from yielding fruit.” (Jeremiah 17:7-8) God is true at His word. God is not a liar. The word of God does not return void to Him.  In your heart, fear God and your trust in God with hope will glaringly flow.

Prayer for today: Ask God to enable you for a diligent heart.

IN DEEP TIME

Devotions

FAITH CAPSULE: With obedience, respond to God’s word by launching out into the deep to catch.

Luke 5:1-26

Peter and his fellow professional fishermen failed to catch fish all night.  As they wash their nets, the One in charge of every creation showed up. Having observed the challenging situation with the professional fishermen, He spoke the solution word to address professional fishermen’s challenging situation. Jesus is the One that is in charge with power. Bible recorded His word to the professional fishermen, “…Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” (Luke 5:4)
Just like the professional fishermen, are you experiencing a challenging situation which persists with no solution all year long? Are you being denied where you deserve moving forward? Can it be that doubt is interfering your faith to respond to the word which is power? With Jesus, it is never too late to show up with a solution over any challenging situation.
For the professional fishermen, He showed up at the time of their giving up the faith to gain and not lose. With obedience, professional fishermen responded to the word power by launching out into the deep to catch.
As a result of their obedience, “…they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking. So, they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats so that they began to sink. When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!” (Luke 5:6-8) Are you in any situation where all your turning has turned out wrong? Is there any area of life where you have been toiling?
Are you experiencing the persistency of Pharaoh’s representative in your life? The Israelites had the experience of Pharaoh persistent. Despite the entire miracle that brought them out of the bondage of over four hundred years, Pharaoh remained stubbornly persistent going after the Israelites’ life. You are not immune to experiencing challenges of wicked ones. However, God has sent His word to heal and to deliver us from destruction. When Pharaoh refused to back off from the Israelites, the word of God which sounded through Moses buried Pharaoh’s might and strength in the middle of the Red Sea.
It is written, “And Moses said to the people, “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.” (Exodus 14:13-14) Give self to the word of God and your Pharaoh will be terminated.
With any challenging situation, God’s help is always available when there is a look up to God. The psalmist testified, “I will lift up my eyes to the hills—from whence comes my help? My help comes from the LORD, Who made heaven and earth.” (Psalm 121:1-2)

Prayer for today: Ask for the word of God to sound in your direction against your challenging situation.