All posts by Tunde Soniregun

SEE POSITIVELY

Devotions

FAITH CAPSULE: The Israelites saw fear, spoke negative, and were terminated.

Exodus 14

Undeniable manifestation of miracles brought out the Israelites out of the bondage of over four hundred years yet they could not see deliverance in their journey to the Promised Land. At a point in their journey Pharaoh approached the Israelites in attempt to return them back to where the Lord God delivered them from. It is written, “And when Pharaoh drew near, the children of Israel lifted their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians marched after them. So they were very afraid, and the children of Israel cried out to the Lord.” (Exodus 14:10) The Israelites could not see in the word of promise that was delivered to them by God, through Moses. As a result of their disability not to see in God’s promise, they saw the Egyptians that were after them. What you see is going to have a direct effect on what you think and what you say. The Israelites saw fear and spoke negative. The Bible recorded their response, “Then they said to Moses, “Because there were no graves in Egypt, have you taken us away to die in the wilderness? Why have you so dealt with us, to bring us up out of Egypt? 12 Is this not the word that we told you in Egypt, saying, ‘Let us alone that we may serve the Egyptians’? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than that we should die in the wilderness.” (Exodus 14:11-12) The Israelites saw it wrongly and said it wrong as a result they ended up wrongly.

After having been brought this far in life; after having witnessed the grace of God in many areas of your life, why is it so difficult to see that God alone is in control? Have you taken your eyes away from what God said and what He is saying to you through the pages of the Bible? Whatever a man beholds will eventually hold man down in the journey of life. Moses knew exactly the cause for the negative confession of the Israelites and he responded stating, “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.” When there is no clarity of sight it is certain that misjudgment will take place, confusion will bring forth complaint and rebellion will gain ground. Just as Moses lived through his journey meditating day and night, you also should meditate on the word of God day and night. Meditating will cause you to know that God is with you; He will not leave you nor forsake you. (Joshua 1:5-6) With meditation there will be clarity of sight. See in your new season that God shall favor you.

Prayer for today: Ask God for the grace to constantly engage in meditating the word of God.

OCTOBER 2014 ISSUE

Monthly Newsletter

                                                      HIS WAY IS HIS PRESENCE

It is written, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was in the beginning with God.  All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.” (John 1:1-3) The scriptural verse above clearly identifies that there is no need for a theologian’s interpretation to get the understanding that the Word of God is God.
Moses asked from God, “Now therefore, I pray, if I have found grace in Your sight, show me now Your way, that I may know You and that I may find grace in Your sight. And consider that this nation is Your people.” (Exodus 33:13) He wanted direction by asking for the way of God. God responded back to Moses, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” (Exodus 33:14) Obviously, God’s response to Moses’ request for the way of God indicates that God’s presence is God’s way. The way of God is the word of God and the word of God is His presence. Every God-fearing man like Moses should know better not to make a move outside of His way (word).
Once, He revealed His way to King Saul through His Prophet Samuel. “Now go and attack Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and do not spare them. But kill both man and woman, infant and nursing child, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.” (1 Samuel 15:3) King Saul moved in response to the word of God. It is written, “But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep, the oxen, the fatlings, the lambs, and all that was good, and were unwilling to utterly destroy them. But everything despised and worthless, that they utterly destroyed.” (1 Samuel 15:9) Saul moved in a way that seemed right to him; not according to the way of God. No matter how much the way seems right to you, if it is not the way of God, it is the way of man. Proverbs 14:12 warned, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.” Do not be wise in your own eyes to ever mistake your way for the way of God; regardless of how that way is pleasing to man. Heaven withdrew King Saul from retaining the royal crown as the King of the Israelites. People saw him to be king while God had already packed him up. He went the way which seemed right to him.
In God’s way, there is direction and grace to live to the fulfillment of divine assignment. His way is the revealer of His act. In His acts, there is power confirmation, deliverance and there is total victory. Psalm 103:7, “He made known His ways to Moses, His acts to the children of Israel.” It is absolutely impossible to follow the ways of the Lord and not arrive at a final destination. Likewise, one cannot see His acts and not tremble at the awesomeness of His power. The acts of God are the invention of His word and His word encased His way. The children of Israel were privileged to see His actions. They saw the move of God’s power so many times during their days in the wilderness. They saw the Red Sea open up for them to provide dry land as a passage. They saw how the firstborn of all the Egyptian masters died while their firstborns were safe. However, despite all that they witnessed, those Israelites who left Egypt and whose age was twenty and above never arrived at their expected end. The Israelites despised the word of God and they were destroyed. The word of God warns, “He who despises the word will be destroyed, but he who fears the commandment will be rewarded.” (Proverbs 13:13) Caleb and Joshua were the only ones who did not despise the word of God. Both Caleb and Joshua did not fail to keep their faith in His acts which gave them direction. In the past days, weeks, months, and years, if you have seen the wonderwork of His hand, rest and be assure that you have seen His way. However, your title or position is not a license to foolishness Fools says there is no God by their action or by word of confession. Avoid foolishness! Fear Him and trust Him to lead you through in His way.
Moses, a giant in the hand of the Lord, could not get to the expected end because he failed to fully obey God. When he was commanded by God to speak to a rock for water provision he struck the rock twice. (Numbers 20:11-12) Moses saw the Land of Promise but could not set foot on the land. Are you paying attention to the Word of God? It has never changed and it will remain the same. The unchanging Changer will change your situation if you will engage His Word for a favorable lifting in the days, weeks, months and years ahead of you. Commit to the word of God and it will lead you in the way of God. Will you commit your way to His ways and trust in Him?

FAITH CAPSULE: The way of God is the word of God and the word of God is His presence.

SEE IN GOD’S WORD

Devotions

FAITH CAPSULE: Ability to see in what God says is a direct effect to possessing His promise.

Deuteronomy 1

It is interesting how God’s promises for His children in the pages of the bible are well laid while His children languishes and not able to see and possess those promises. To be able to see in the promises is the provoking force which will generate a move in direction of possessing the promise of God. God promised the Israelites a land that flows with milk and honey (Promised Land). At a point in time, during their journey from the bondage of over four hundred years they made the choice to dwell too long at Horeb. Dwelling too long, away from the promise of God for a man’s life is a terminating force that denies man from God’s promise.
As a result of the Israelite dwelling too long, God sent Moses to the Israelites stating, “The Lord our God said to us at Horeb, “You have stayed long enough at this mountain.  Break camp and advance into the hill country of the Amorites; go to all the neighboring peoples in the Arabah, in the mountains, in the western foothills, in the Negev and along the coast, to the land of the Canaanites and to Lebanon, as far as the great river, the Euphrates. See, I have given you this land. Go in and take possession of the land…” (Deuteronomy 1:6-8)
In the word of God, there was a need for the Israelites to see in the promise of God that the Promised Land was set for them. The Israelites should not have had any reason for doubt but to move forward and possess God’s promise. The Israelites proved short-sightedness by not moving forward but rather went forward with a spying mission. Moses testified, “Then all of you came to me and said, “Let us send men ahead to spy out the land for us and bring back a report about the route we are to take and the towns we will come to.” (Deuteronomy 1:22) The Israelites wanted to possess the land by seeing the world around them before seeing and engaging the word of God. It was a demonstration that they wanted to make sure God knows what He was talking about when He asked them to move forward. Evidently, the Israelites could not see as commanded by God. Ability to see in what God says is a direct effect to possessing His promise. Month after months you continue to dwell at the same ground. Could it be you are not able to see in the promises of God for you? It is time to ask for clarity of sight that you may see in God’s word and be able to move and possess His promise for you.

Prayer for today: Ask God that the new month shall be your month of clarity of sight. You shall see in His word what it takes to move from mockery into miracle and possess His package for your life.

CALL ON HIM

Devotions

FAITH CAPSULE: Calling on His name is the same as running to His name.

2 Samuel 22

Those who know to call on God must know to be persistent in waiting for His response. To be persistent in waiting is to know and not lose heart when waiting on God. In the Parable of The Persistent Widow Jesus spoke a parable that men always ought to pray and not lose heart. (Luke18:1-8) God does not go by our own timing but by His appointed time. It is certain to get answer when we call and wait on Him. Isaiah 64:4 stated better, “For since the beginning of the world Men have not heard nor perceived by the ear, nor has the eye seen any God besides You, who acts for the one who waits for Him.” Call on Him in the day or in the night He is not too busy to ignore your calling on Him if you are not too busy not to wait in your calling. He is worthy of our praise, He is the Creator and there is none like Him.
David said, “I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised; so shall I be saved from my enemies.” (2 Samuel 22:4) David was not entertaining with words but he was gaining entrance into the court of God. David was gaining entrance into the presence of God through praise because it is praise that grants access into His court. Psalm 100:4, “Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.” Thanksgiving will get you to the gate and praise will get you into the court. David wanted to get to the court when He declared praise worship for His salvation from his enemies. Praise that is driven by joy, not just mouthful praise, but praise from the heart is what will get you to His court.

Calling on His name is the same as running to His name. The book of Proverbs pointed it out stating, “The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.” (Proverbs 18:10)  Are you one that knows that indeed His name is a mighty tower? God is true to His word if we are true and not withdraw from obeying His word. We serve the God that answers. He is the same yesterday and forever. He has so many names which no other god shares because He alone is the great God. It is written, “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”(Romans 10:13)  Give God a call and receive your package of salvation and deliverance. Remember, God is not a partial God and Romans 2:11 confirms, “For there is no partiality with God.”.

Prayer for today: Ask for the grace to know to call on Him and be patient enough to hear from God.

BE OBEDIENT

Devotions

FAITH CAPSULE: Whatever He says do without questioning Him.

John 2:1-12

It is written, “Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, As in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams.” (1 Samuel 15:22)Obeying God’s word is taken step not to despise God. To disobey what the word is saying is to be setting one up for destruction. Proverbs 13:13 stated, “He who despises the word will be destroyed, but he who fears the commandment will be rewarded.” Engaging God’s command will save life. Also, it is the evidence of trusting in God and what He can do. Obeying the word of God is what marks man as being faithful. Are you constantly obeying the Word of God?
John 2:1-2 stated, “…there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there.  Now both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding.” A wedding with Jesus as a guest of honor is set not to be harassed by shame. Have you invited Jesus into your marriage or your life? Despite the fact that Jesus was there, shame showed up at the wedding to discolor the wedding when there was no more wine to serve. At that wedding in Cana of Galilee, the mother of Jesus approached Jesus for intervention that would save the wedding celebration from shame for lack of wine. Jesus responded to His mother’s call for intervention, “…Woman, what does your concern have to do with Me? My hour has not yet come.” (John 2:4) Jesus’ response was not discouraging to the mother of Jesus. She rather encouraged the servants at the wedding with her response in John 2:5. “His mother said to the servants, “Whatever He says to you, do it.” What is in the word of God that is missing in your situation because of your disobedience?
If you will take an honest search within yourself, there is a step out of your situation by obeying what He has said to you in His word. John 2:7, “Jesus said to them, “Fill the waterpots with water.” And they filled them up to the brim.” The servants were obedient by doing exactly what Jesus instructed them. Can you state with confidence that you are doing all according to His word (His commands)? Jesus commanded them to fill all the empty gallons of wine while there was nothing to show for. Disciples did not question His command as they filled the waterpots to the brink. As a result of the disciple’s obedience, the wedding took a new turn. Be obedient to God’s word and Let His command rule in every area of your life.

Prayer for today: Ask for the grace to be constantly obedient to His command.