All posts by Tunde Soniregun

Do Not Hold On To Bitterness

Devotions

FAITH CAPSULE: Believe in the word and testimonies in the pages of the Bible; do not cast off restraint, your miracle is on the way.

Luke 1:1-25
It is written concerning Hannah in 1 Samuel 1:5-6, “…the LORD had closed her womb. 6 And her rival also provoked her severely, to make her miserable, because the LORD had closed her womb.” Despite her confronting challenge, she kept her faith and did not stop from going to Shiloh with her husband yearly to worship and sacrifice to the Lord in Shiloh. Are you experiencing barrenness in any area of life? God is the One and only God that can make and un-make. By virtue of your challenges, there should be no reason for bitterness in any area of life. Bitterness will not help and there should be no room for it. Pray that under no circumstances should you harbor bitterness in your life. Zacharias a minister in the temple and his wife Elizabeth lived in the days of Herod the king of Judea. Zacharias and his wife Elizabeth were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless (Luke 1:6). Despite their walk in the Lord they were barren and no evidence of bitterness and excuse in their work for God. As a believer that is looking up to God for a miracle and serving God not as much as the Bible recorded for Zacharias and Elizabeth, are you nursing any kind of bitterness? As one that serves God, the people that are surrounding you are beginning to wonder why your miracle is being delayed. It is not for man to determine how God is going to move concerning your miracle but God is the only one that is in control. Zacharias continues with his business of serving God. Zacharias did not allow any filtration of anger or bitterness towards God’s work or any man. As Zacharias continues in serving God it was recorded in Luke 1:13, “But the angel said to him, ‘Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayers is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.’” It does not matter how long you have been waiting but it matters for you to keep focus on what God can do. Believe in the word and testimonies in the pages of the Bible; do not cast off restraint, your miracle is on the way. Be encouraged and not be discouraged in the Lord; continue to serve in truth and without bitterness, frustration or anger. God will answer your prayer just like He did to Hannah, Zacharias and Elizabeth.

Prayer for today: Every situation that is representing barrenness in all that concerns your life will be terminated in Jesus name. Stay focus and hold unto God that is able and will never fail.

September 2010 Issue

Monthly Newsletter

 

        “And while he lingered, the men took hold of his hand…” (Genesis 19:16)
 
It is written, “To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven.” (Ecclesiastes 3:1) In the journey of life, there is a time to redirect our route in the face of unforeseen challenges. Redirecting our route will call for a change of direction. Also, there is a time to enter into a new and uncommon route. Entering into a new and uncommon route will call for a totally new route.
THE CHANGE OF ROUTE
Is it time to redirect your route for a change in your journey of life? Are you paying attention to the signals around you? You may be 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 delays consistently, and your timely ride is becoming congested. Should you not slow down and pay attention to the causes of all these sudden challenges in your journey? A great reason for you to re-examine why challenges are slowing you down is because you are a person of faith, one who loves the Lord and serves Him 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 Balak’s 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 going where God did not call him. Having roamed around back and forth, the Angel of the LORD showed himself. Numbers 22:27, “And when the donkey saw the Angel of the LORD, she lay down under Balaam; so Balaam’s 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, ‘What have I done to you, that you have struck me these three times?’” You do not have to go that far before you change your route.
ENTERING A NEW ROUTE
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 had ever entered for the glory of God. As a result, Jesus needed to ride on a colt that no one had ever ridden on. Mark 11:2, “And He said to them, ‘Go 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.’” Is it time for you to move into new ground where you have never been, a place where you are very reluctant to go? For sure you 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, “And if anyone says to you, why are you doing this? Say, ‘The Lord has need of it,’ and immediately he will send it.’” The crowd will ask why you are making such a move. The crowd will also wonder and doubt whether 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 in the name of Jesus. Mark 11:6, “And they spoke to them just as Jesus had commanded. So they let them go.” All that the enemy has put in place for the purpose of not letting you go, at the name of Jesus, will be let go. His name is your power to command in your new route. Philippians 2:10, “That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and 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.” 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.
ARE YOU LINGERING?
When it was time for Lot to move from his choice of land that was marked for destruction, he lingered around. The Bible recorded, “And while he lingered, the men took hold of his hand, his wife’s hand, and the hands of his two daughters, the LORD being merciful to him, and they brought him out and set him outside the city. So it came to pass, when they had brought them outside, that he said, “Escape for your life! Do not look behind you nor stay anywhere in the plain. Escape to the mountains, lest you be destroyed.” (Genesis 19:16-17) Lot lingered and did not want to take a new route, but the angels were persistent and prevailed by taking hold of his hand and those of his family and leading them unto salvation. In the coming days, weeks and months, pray to God to take hold of your hand and take you out of every area of life, every area of decision making or location, which is not of God where you have been lingering.
FAITH CAPSULE
Balaam was a man of God, but he failed to pay attention to warning signals when his ride began to face challenges.
Is it time for you to move into new ground where you have never been, a place where you are very reluctant to go?
Tunde

Contentment

Devotions

FAITHCAPSULE: The spirit of letting go is the one that brings forth moving forward.

Genesis 13

It is good to be rich but when the effort to get rich takes over your heart then contentment bows out. Are you overworking yourself to be rich? Proverbs 23:4 warned, “Do not overwork to be rich; because of your own understanding, cease! Understanding is crucial and it cannot be allowed to suffer under any circumstances such as neglect. Are you neglecting time and effort to gain understanding in the things of God for material gain? Apostle Paul, in his first letter to Timothy, mentioned that, “Now godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content.” (1 Timothy6:6-8) Paul did not call it ‘gain’ but a ‘great gain’. Paul was not just using the power of the Word, but was also sharing what his experience has been by living the Word. That is a testimony of a life that is centered on God. It is not possible to be living a life centered on God and be a looser. All over the Scripture, there are many giants in the hand of God that lived a contented life with testimonies of greatness through the goodness and mercy of God. Abraham was an example. He was a man of contentment. He was always letting go all that requires a let go; never struggled with threat of lack and never doubted blessings of provision. When he was challenged, when he was in position to struggle for a better land (according to what could be seen on ground), Abraham told Lot in Genesis 13:9, “Is not the whole land before you? Please separate from me, if you take the left, then I will go to the right; or if you go to the right, then I will go to the left”. As one that is contented, Abraham sounded like he did not care, but he was counting on the promise of provision that was received in the beginning of his journey in regard to what was going to bring life for him. Just as Abraham had received promise at the beginning of his journey so has every believer received promises that are enough for a believer not to struggle with things that are visible more than the ones that are not visible. The promises of life with Jesus as the Lord and Savior will not substitute abundance with lack when a godly life style is in a place. When contentment that is embedded with godliness begins to have its way in the life of a believer, there will be power to make any choice or change without struggle. The spirit of letting go is the one that brings forth moving forward. Will you consider yourself has being contented?

Prayer for today: Ask God for the grace to make you up where you are being unmade by the liar.

Fellowshipping

Devotions

FAITH CAPSULE: What Peter experienced could become your experience.

Act 12

There are gates that have to move for a believer to be out of the reach of the wicked one. Until gates are open, believer could be trapped not only for stagnation but also termination. Once after Jesus had left the face of earth, Peter and James the brother of John found themselves behind a gate set up by King Herod Agrippa 1, the nephew of Herod Antipas who murdered John the Baptist. Behind this gate James, the brother of John, had already been killed by the outstretched hand of King Herod with the sword. Also, Peter was set for is own termination. The Bible mentions in Acts 12:5, “Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church”. Just as Jesus Christ called Peter to follow Him so you have been called. All that Peter experienced as a follower of Jesus Christ are not elusive to you. What Peter experienced could become your experience. However, do you or can you identify any group that is in accord somewhere or in some place that can stand in gap for you? Going to church, nice and quiet on Sundays, minding your business and missing out in what can be identify, as a fellowship of brethren will not be in place when you end up in place of need. Evidently, Peter had a fellowship of believers and Peter reaped from what must have been sown when he was a having his freedom. At the time when a prayer of accord was being rendered on behalf of Peter, “And when Herod was about to bring him out, that night Peter was sleeping, bound with two chains between two soldiers; and the guards before the door were keeping the prison. Now behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the prison…” (Acts 12:6-7) The power of coming together in prayer cannot be undermine. Whenever light showed up evil agenda give way. Light did not just showed up, “When they were past the first and the second guard posts, they came to the Iron Gate that leads to the city, which opened to them of its own accord; and they went out and went down one street, and immediately the angel departed from him.” (Acts 12:10) Prayer moved through the angel to have Iron Gate opened on its own accord. Are you in accord with the fellowship of believers?  You cannot forsake the assembly or fellowship of believers if you desire to live an accomplished life to the glory of God. With brethren in place that are lifting you up when there is a need, gates of hindrance, stagnation, death sentence or sudden death will have no choice but to open on its own accord for your deliverance.

Prayer for today: Ask God to deliver you from all gates of the wicked.

God’S Given Promotion

Devotions

FAITH CAPSULE: When God promotes you, no one can demote you.

Daniel 6

Daniel a young captive maintained his believe in the God of his father despite the fact that life placed him in the hand of Nebuchadnezzar at a young age. Daniel refused all that could deny his focus on God while in captivity. At one point, “Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s delicacies, nor with wine which he drank; therefore he requested of the chief of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.” (Daniel 1:8) As a captive, Daniel’s challenges did not set him up against his God but positioned him for promotion from level to level. It was God’s promotion. It has been long time that you have desired for promotion and it has been long that you have been praying to God for promotion to come. Have you prayed once that the promotion that will come your way will not be the one that will bring you down? The fact about promotion is that the challenges that are packed in promotion are greater than the challenges that are surrounding the desire for promotion. To be promoted is to be on a ground that is easily and more accessible to easy falling. Before Daniel was promoted from governor to the one in charge of the whole realm during the reign of King Darius (Daniel 6:3), he had challenges. The promotion for Daniel brought hell-raising confrontations that were challenging to his stand and belief in the God who was the God of his life. The fellow government officials worked out a death trap for Daniel in the den of the lions. They meant evil, bad and permanent termination. Daniel’s fellow government officials could not find any wrong against Daniel except through his God. Daniel 6:5 testifies to the move of the government officials, “Then these men said, ‘We shall not find any charge against this Daniel unless we find it against him concerning the law of his God’”. A very wrong way for the enemy to bring you down is in using the name of God against you if your stand is still in your God. Promotion is not bad when that promotion is rooted in God; not on any evil devices or evil deceptions. When your promotion is of God, challenges will rage like a storm, but your stand in the Name of God will prevail. Daniel ended up in the den of lion because of promotion. The lion received its promotion because he refused to touch the Lord’s promoted. Daniel came out well and the families of all the evil ones became the portion (promotion) of the lions when they received more than their regular supply of food.

Prayer for today: Ask for the grace not to shake but to keep your eyes on God. When He promotes you, no one can demote you and you will not be consumed.