All posts by Tunde Soniregun

Pride Ride

March 2, 2010DevotionsTunde Soniregun

FAITH CAPSULE: Pride is nothing but a personal ride into self destruction.

Jeremiah 13

“Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying, “Thus says the LORD: ‘In this manner I will ruin the pride of Judah and the great pride of Jerusalem. This evil people, who refuse to hear My words, who follow the dictates of their hearts, and walk after other gods to serve them and worship them, shall be just like this sash which is profitable for nothing.”” (Jeremiah 13: 8-10) It was a time God was speaking to the children of Israel through Jeremiah. God was speaking to Jeremiah about those who have pride and how he could deal with the situation. When God speaks to one He speaks to all. God has not changed. He is the same yesterday and forever. He alone is the Unchanging changer. In His word to Jeremiah, God had no plans for those with pride but to pass them unto destruction if they refused to humble themselves. In His word, it can be pointed out that the other name for the one who has pride is the evil one. The important point in the word of God through Jeremiah is what causes a man to fall into category of those who have pride. The word that Jeremiah received stated that, evil people (those who have pride) refuse to hear the words of God. They are in a position to hear but they choose not to hear the words of God. Just as it was then so it is today. Manifestly, not to hear the Word of God will cause a man to follow the dictates of his heart. However, following the dictates of one’s heart is following the way that seems right to man. The book of Proverbs makes us to realize, “There is a way that seems right to a man but its end is the way of death.” (Proverbs 14:12) Pride is nothing but a personal ride into self destruction. Are you one of those that have been taking a deliberate step out of the Word of God? It is good to examine our self and see if there is any unconscious step out of the word of God. Ask God for forgiveness. He is a good God and ready to forgive. Undoubtedly, God is abundant in mercy to all those who call upon Him. Among many destruction inhabited in pride is, to end up in shame and take ride into captivity. Deny yourself from taking a ride into captivity but ride on in humility and you shall get to the expected end.

Prayer for today: Restore me O Lord; cause your face to shine on me that I shall live.

No To Entanglement

March 1, 2010DevotionsTunde Soniregun

FAITH CAPSULE: Your enemy will pester and press but you should persist to prevail.

Judges 16

In the days of Samson compared to now, the world today is under the same attacks of the wicked one who constantly looks for someone to devour as he seeks to steal, to kill and to destroy. The Word of God warned, “No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier.” (2Timothy 2:4) Have you been enlisted as an army of God? Samson can be considered as an enlisted soldier for God. Samson was enticed as he entangled himself with Delilah. Samson’s entanglement with Delilah’s enticement exposed him to eventual termination from life. By his entanglement with Delilah, the lords of the Philistines were able to locate him in the secret of place of the Most High God. The Bible stated, “And the lords of the Philistines came up to her and said to her, “Entice him, and find out where his great strength lies, and by what means we may overpower him, that we may bind him to afflict him; and every one of us will give you eleven hundred pieces of silver.” So Delilah said to Samson, “Please tell me where your great strength lies, and with what you may be bound to afflict you.”(Judges 16:5-6) The lords of the Philistines used Delilah to entice Samson for the revelation of his God given strength. In the process of seeking the information, persistency was the weapon of the enemy. We have to be constantly aware that the enemy is stubborn in his attempt to bring us down. After three failed attempts, it was recorded that, “…she pestered him daily with her words and pressed him, so that his soul was vexed to death, that he told her all his heart, and said to her, “No razor has ever come upon my head, for I have been a Nazirite to God from my mother’s womb. If I am shaven, then my strength will leave me, and I shall become weak, and be like any other man.” (Judges 16:16-17) Take note, your enemy will pester and press but you should persist to prevail. Samson succumbs to pestering and pressure of the enemy and became a captive of enticement. Before his death, he recovered his strength but not his sight. Samson recovered his strength but could not remain under the covering of the secret of God for his life. Engage yourself in the Lord, disallow enticement and understand that the enemy will persist in his attempt to destroy you.

Prayer for today: O Lord my God, Let those who seek to destroy my life, go into the lower parts of the earth.

March 2010 Issue

March 1, 2010Monthly NewsletterTunde Soniregun

“And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony…” Revelation 12:11,

If there is any ground a believer needs to be standing on during the challenging days that are here, it should be on an overcoming ground. The Bible helps us realize that there are two major overcoming powers that are in place for every believer that will take the position of an overcomer. Revelation 12:11, “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony…” Two overcoming powers that can be identified here are: Blood of the Lamb and word of testimony.
Blood of the Lamb:
Jesus is the Lamb of God that shed His blood on the Calvary for those who will receive and believe in Him. John the Baptist referred to Him, “…Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! This is He of whom I said, ‘after me comes a Man who is preferred before me, for He was before me.’” (John 1:29-30) Have you received Jesus and believe in Him as your Lord and Savior? Truly as lamb, He shed His blood on the Calvary and that is the reason why He stated, “…I have come that they may have life and that they may have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10) If you will get yourself in the flow of His blood, you will be set for overcoming.
Word of Testimony:
Testimony can be defined as an open declaration or profession. As a believer, what are your open declarations concerning the greatness and might of God? In most cases, whatever you declare is what will decorate you. The Word states that they overcame by the word of their testimony. As a believer, when your testimony to great and good things He has done and those that He is doing becomes consistent in the word of your mouth and your meditation, great and good things will become your decoration. Inhabited in every testimony is positive or negative confession. Through the pages of the Bible, there is evidence of what positive or negative testimonies delivered into the lives of the testifiers.
Evidence of Positive Testimony:
King David, by the word of his testimonies, had a great and mighty deliverance when he overcame Goliath. In his attempt to go and fight Goliath, King Saul was discouraging when he said to David, “…You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him; for you are a youth, and he a man of war from his youth.” (1 Samuel 17:33) David refused to be discouraged, but gave account of what he was able to do as he responded to King Saul. “…Your servant used to keep his father’s sheep, and when a lion or a bear came and took a lamb out of the flock, I went out after it and struck it, and delivered the lamb from its mouth; and when it arose against me, I caught it by its beard, and struck and killed it.” (1 Samuel 17:34-35) David was not intimated by the confronting challenge that was posed by Goliath neither was he slowed down. Instead, David dwelt on what The Lord his God had enabled him to do in the past and he gave a testimony, “The LORD, who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.” (1 Samuel 17:37) David, by the word of his testimony, was able to overcome the giant challenge of Goliath that was before him.
Evidence of Negative Testimony:
The children of Israel experienced the great miracle when they were coming out of their bondage of over four hundred years and passing through the Red Sea on a dry land. However, by the word of their testimonies, they shut down their Promised Land. In responding to the spy’s negative report after investigation of the Promised Land, they had no better testimony but to confess, “…If only we had died in the land of Egypt! Or if only we had died in this wilderness! Why has the LORD brought us to this land to fall by the sword, that our wives and children should become victims? Would it not be better for us to return to Egypt? So they said to one another, ‘Let us select a leader and return to Egypt.’” (Numbers 14: 2-4) God distinctively heard the children of Israel’s request of death in the wilderness and He responded by sending Moses, “Say to them, ‘As I live,’ says the LORD, ‘just as you have spoken in My hearing, so I will do to you.’” (Numbers 14:28) In truth, entire numbers from twenty years old and up except Caleb and Joshua, failed in getting down to the Promised Land because of their negative testimony.
What are your testimonies? Which words are being produce in you and being released by your tongue as testimony? Proverbs 18:21, “Death and life are in the power of tongue…” David saw challenges, he testified to the power of God and he overcame. The children of Israel saw challenges, however, confessed negative and could not have life. In facing your challenges ahead, think of the great testimonies in His Word and the ones in your life. Meditate, confess and you shall have life and overcome.

In most cases, whatever you declare is what will decorate you.
Which words are being produce in you and being released by your tongue as testimony?
Tunde

Go Beyond Sundays

February 28, 2010DevotionsTunde Soniregun

FAITH PRESCRIPTION: You cannot seek God in His word and not have encounter with Him.

Judges 2:6-23

It is impossible to love God and not be obedient to His word. You can claim that you love God, but in reality you don’t really love Him. Knowing to love God that is, having a personal relationship with God goes beyond the knowledge gained through a preacher. Preaching to people is not an indication of reaching the people. A believer can be preached to and not be reached. To know and love God personally goes beyond going to church service. To read The Bible one or two times per week is not enough. When we read the Word of God, we will find out how close Jesus is to us. If you a have a child in school and you ask someone to pick the child up without informing the school authorities, they will not release the child until they get a written word or consent from the parents. Just as how your word speaks for you, so does God’s Word speak for Him. God’s Word is alive and active. Look at what happened to the children of Israel after Joshua had died: “Now Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died when he was one hundred and ten years old. And they buried him within the border of his inheritance at Timnath Heres, in the mountains of Ephraim, on the north side of Mount Gaash. When all that generation had been gathered to their fathers, another generation arose after them who did not know the LORD nor the work which He had done for Israel.” (Judges 2:8-10) How can we know the Lord if we do not spend time in His written word? The Bible mentions that the later generation of the children of Israel did not know God or the work of His hand. They failed to seek and know the word that would have given them life. As a result, “…the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and served the Baals.” (Judges 2:11)They did not just serve the Baals or other false gods; they were lost in evil deeds because they had neglected the word of God. You cannot seek God and not have an encounter with Him. Also, it is the amount of time that you spend in His word that will determine how much you desire God to carry you in your daily walks. Sunday service alone is not enough to feed or satisfy your soul. Whatever it is that is preventing you from spending time in the word of God, ask God to deliver you from it for His glory and He will do it. He is a faithful God and He will give you the desires of your heart. When you know Him, you will love and be obedient to Him.

Prayer for today: Deliver me O Lord from every agent of distraction.

Awesome God

February 26, 2010DevotionsTunde Soniregun

FAITH CAPUSLE:God’s way will prevail and His plan will not be terminated.

Number 22, Judges 14

There is only one true God. He is undeniable, purposeful and powerful. God will use His creation to accomplish His purpose or address any situation under heaven. Only God alone can manifest himself as the true and living God. When Samson made his choice of marriage, it was outside of God’s will. Samson’s choice provoked his parent’s response, “Then his father and mother said to him, “Is there no woman among the daughters of your brethren, or among all my people, that you must go and get a wife from the uncircumcised Philistines?”(Judges 14:3) Between the time Samson made his decision of who to marry and his parent’s response, no one had the idea of God’s involvement in the whole situation. The Bible makes it clear to us, “But his father and mother did not know that it was of the LORD—that He was seeking an occasion to move against the Philistines. For at that time the Philistines had dominion over Israel. So Samson went down to Timnah with his father and mother, and came to the vineyards of Timnah.”(Judges 14:4-5) What a mighty God we serve! He alone is the most high God, the King of kings and the Lord of lords. Who could have identified that Samson’s move was the plan of God to inflict destruction on the enemies of His children. God used the defiant wisdom of Samson to defeat the Philistines. It was a defeat that gave His children their much needed relief. The same God preferred to speak through a donkey in His attempt of averting enemies’ secret plan to destroy the children of God. During the journey of the children of Israel to their promise land, Balak the king of Moabites was overwhelmed by the fear of loosing his land to the children of Israel. As a result of his fear, he hired Balaam to help destroy the children of Israel by spiritual means. Balaam’s attempt was not of God and therefore he could not have succeeded. While Balaam was on his mission to destroy, “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?” (Numbers 22:28) It was the donkey’s voice that caught the attention of Balaam to see the angel in his way. After witnessing the move of God, Balaam clearly got the message that God was not attempting to help Balak attain his mission. The same God is still in the business of moving in His awesome power. God’s way will prevail and His plan will not be terminated.

Prayer for today: Deliver me from my enemies O my God; defend me from those who rise up against me.