Theinnermaninme

And the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ  be  with you. Amen. (Romans 16 : 20) The apostle Peter warns us to “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8). And Jesus uses strong language to let us know that this thief comes only to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10). Jesus contended with him when He walked this earth. After forty days of fasting, the tempter came to divert Jesus from His mission. In each circumstance, Jesus defeated him with the Word of God (Matthew 4:1-11). Little did Satan know that this battle was only an indication of things to come! Satan thought that he was victorious at Calvary. When Jesus breathed His last and His body went into that cold, dark tomb, Satan believed that he had won. But he only struck His heel. Because three days later, Jesus crushed his head in defeat! We are not ignorant of Satan’s device...

So I answered them, and said to them, ‘The God of heaven Himself will prosper us; therefore we His servants will arise and build, but you have no heritage or right or memorial in Jerusalem.’ (Nehemiah 2 : 20) In our husband-wife relationships, we are responsible for maintaining the border of marriage. Nehemiah demonstrates a principle for us as we consider those who might discourage us in our endeavors. In complete confidence, Nehemiah declared to the triple threat: “The God of heaven Himself will prosper us.” He put his enemies on alert. No matter what they said or how they attempted to thwart him, they had no bearing on his outcome. His outcome was determined by God alone. He was the One Who would protect and prosper them. In fact, he went on to say: “…you have no heritage or right or memorial in Jerusalem.” He reminded them that the land on which they stood was covenant land. It was given to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all of the generations following. Outsiders had no role in tha...

"Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma", (Ephesians 5 : 1 - 2) With great freedom comes great responsibility. And we have received the deepest and widest of freedoms through Christ. We are free indeed! We are free from the law of sin and death to live in the righteousness of God (Romans 8:2). We are responsible to be imitators of God and to be examples “in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity” (1 Timothy 4:12). That may seem like a tall order, but once again, Jesus equips us with all that we need. When we spend time with Jesus, we become more like Him. When we spend time in His Word, we begin to see things His way. When we spend time communicating with Him, our prayers become powerful and effective. We begin to speak His heart into situations. When we follow Him and step in His footprints, we begin to look a lot...

" And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven". (Matthew 16 : 19) The person who holds the keys has the power to lock and unlock. He has the access and the authority. He can enter and exit freely. In Matthew 16, Jesus has a heart-to-heart with the twelve disciples. He asks them this question: “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?” In essence, He asked, “What do the curious say about Me?” The disciples tossed out some answers that they had overheard in the chatter surrounding Jesus. Some thought that maybe He was Elijah, perhaps John the Baptist, just a prophet like other prophets. Jesus pressed a little harder: “But who do you say I am?” He had done enough; were they convinced? Impetuous Peter passionately blurted out, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Not only was he convinced, but he was committed. Jesus rewarded him in the sa...

" Commit your way to the LORD, Trust also in Him, and He shall bring  it  to pass". (Psalm 37 - 5) In every congregation or conversation with Jesus recorded in the Bible, three types of individuals emerge. The curious came to hear what this preacher had to say. The convinced believed, through their experience and observation, that He had the power to change their lives. The third group of individuals moved beyond the curious and the convinced to a faith that changed the world – they were the committed. One day, five thousand people came to hear Jesus – some walking great distances. He had compassion on them, and He healed the sick and hurting that came seeking His help. When evening arrived, the disciples urged Him to send them off to nearby villages in search of supper. He said, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.” The twelve were convinced that Jesus was Who He claimed to be, that He had the ability to help, but they approached Him only to point ...

And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave — just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many. (Matthew 20 : 27 - 28) Social scientists have a name for the tendency to watch from the sidelines: The Bystander Effect. It’s a social psychological phenomenon that refers to cases in which individuals do not offer any means of help to a victim when other people are present. The greater the number of bystanders, the less likely it is that any of them will help. Everyone thinks that someone else will do something or step in to rescue the victim. It is easy, in the middle of our busy, fast-paced lives, to think that someone else will do what God is actually calling us to do. Someone else will witness to a neighbor or volunteer at our church or pray with a co-worker. We often think that throwing money at a need relieves us of the responsibility of wading in and getting our hands dirty. If we are all honest, God is prom...

Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: ‘Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?’ Then I said, ‘Here am I! Send me.’ (Isaiah 6 : 8) The Church today is not so much guilty of the sin of commission or omission, but of no mission. We hang back and wait for the lost to enter our world when we need to enter their world with God’s love and His heart. We have been rescued, saved, delivered, healed, showered with blessings, and highly favored. This good news should be so uncontainable that we are sharing it with every person we encounter. Instead, we often hoard it, hide it, and hope nobody asks. We stall while we wait for the grand gesture to speak to thousands, to touch the masses, to travel to a foreign land. But can we walk across the street and talk to our neighbors? Jesus’ example for us was often the opposite of the grand gesture. He held a child. He ate fish with his friends around a campfire. He touched a leper when no one else would. He discussed the Scriptures in the temple...

And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. (John 10 : 28) How reassuring is this beautiful promise from Jesus! No matter what chaos swirls, we can rest confidently in His commitment to us. Jesus declared Himself to be the Good Shepherd. He knows each one of His sheep. He calls us by name, and He leads us in and out of the sheepfold to find green pastures. We are so familiar with the sound of His voice that we will not wander off to follow a stranger. He loves us so much that He lays down His life for us. Nothing and no one can pluck us, His precious sheep, from His hand. Centuries before this promise was penned in the New Testament, the Psalmist declared that He is our God, that we are the people of His pasture and the sheep of His hand (Psalm 95). Safe in His hand, we can be certain that nothing reaches us that is not filtered through the loving fingers of our heavenly Father first. He promises to strengthen us, to he...

".....w hen he came, and had seen the grace of God, he was glad, and encouraged them all, that with purpose of heart they should continue with the Lord" .(Acts 11 : 23) Every warrior needs a battle plan. Every warrior who goes into combat without a plan becomes a casualty. As David prepared to fight Goliath, he went to the brook, found five smooth stones, placed them in a pouch, and grasped his slingshot in his hand. Most importantly, he went out to fight the giant in the “name of the Lord of hosts.” Proverbs reminds us that a person can make many plans, but the Lord’s will always prevails. We purpose in our hearts to seek His direction and allow God to plot the journey. We may chart our courses, but He will guide our feet. To be certain that we are in step with Him, we await our marching orders. We do not drift aimlessly into success. His Word is our guidebook that instructs how to respond in battlefield situations. Prayer keeps us in constant contact with our Commander-...

Father Lord, I thank You because this month shall be our month of signs and wonders, in the name of Jesus. I take authority over this month, you must cooperate with our destiny, in the name of Jesus. MY PRAYERS FOR YOU This month of October, every word of God spoken to you will not fall among thorns. They will not be choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection. Rather, they will fall on a good ground, in an honest and good heart. You will hearken to God’s Word and keep the word, until you bring forth fruit with patience. You are continually filled with the knowledge of God’s will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God. You and your family will be rooted and built up in Him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. In this month of Octobe...

" …when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed  it  not  as  the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe..." (1 Thessalonians 2 : 13) God has graciously given us the life-giving truth of His Word to guide and to guard our steps. It is a border and a blessing – the very foundation of our lives in Him. When we choose to live within the border of His Word – and to not pursue our own paths – He blesses that obedience and rewards us with the promises found within the chapters and verses. Moses understood this concept. When the children of Israel sinned, God told Moses that He would no longer travel with His chosen people. He would send an angel before them, but He Himself would not go with them to the land flowing with milk and honey. Moses went to meet God in the tabernacle. He told the Lord that he would rather call off the whole trip than to take one step without Him (Exodus 33:...

" Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free…"(Galatians 5 : 1) Come October 1st, we would commemorate our Independence as Nigerians! From sea to shining sea, we celebrate with waving flags, marching bands, family picnics, and fireworks exploding in the night sky. Our Founding Fathers placed such importance on liberty that they named it as one of the inalienable rights with which our Creator endowed each of us. We have staunchly defended, preserved, and advanced this freedom for ourselves and for others suffering under tyranny. God understood the importance of liberty, the cry of every human heart to be free. He saw us groaning under the weight of unrighteousness, slaves to sin. We were in bondage to every form of evil and corruption, held captive by Satan. In His loving kindness, He sent Jesus to proclaim the Good News, to bind up every broken heart, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and to open up the prison doors for those who were bound (Lu...

" But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness". (1st Timothy 6 : 11) Satan is an enemy who attempts to draw us in, to bring us near. Since he is a roaring lion who walks about seeking whom he may devour, he knows that he needs to be close enough to pounce (1 Peter 5:8). When it comes to fleeing from temptation, Joseph provides us a prime example. Young Joseph’s brothers sold him into slavery; he was bought by Potiphar, the Egyptian captain of the guard. Because the Lord was with Joseph, Potiphar saw that everything he put his hand to prospered. He made him overseer of his household. Since he was a handsome man, he caught the eye of Potiphar’s wife. Day after day, she attempted to seduce him. Day after day, he refused her. He would not stoop to dishonor Potiphar’s trust or to sin against God (Genesis 39:9). One day, when no one else was around, as Joseph went into the house to work, she grabbed hold of his g...

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves;  it is  the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast". (Ephesians 2 : 8 - 9) At the border of the Cross, God has poured out His grace for salvation. God’s riches, at Christ’s expense, were extended to us. So undeserved! From the beginning, He made us the focus of His love and planned to adopt us into His family as His own dear children. Through the generosity of the grace He lavished on us, we are now accepted in the Beloved (Ephesians 1:6). His grace bought our redemption through the blood of Jesus. It washed away our sins and justified us in God’s sight. He sees us as clean, washed as white as snow, just as if we had never sinned at all. Though He was rich, the Lord Jesus Christ emptied Himself and became poor for our sakes, suffering death on the Cross. His poverty made us rich; we are now co-heirs with Jesus of every treasure that He possesses. It is only by grace that we have been s...

"Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any  people".  (Proverbs 14 : 34) Border control is a subject on every Nigerian minds, a topic that cannot be escaped. People are examining it through many different lenses – politically, economically, legally, culturally, and ethically. Spiritually, we are struggling with righteousness-versus-unrighteousness, light-versus-darkness, and truth-versus-lie kinds of issues because we have violated God’s borders. God has gifted us with the Bible – a book of borders. As long as we live within the borders He has designated, we receive His blessings, His provision and protection. The moment that we step across and outside of those borders, we begin to struggle. All around us, the world is struggling with all kinds of issues. Those issues are symptoms of a spiritual problem that we have created. We crossed the line! We have changed our perspective on borders. Until recently, borders were considered blessings. Borde...

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life". (John 3:16) THE TRUTH At the border of the cross, God sent His One and Only Son to draw all people – whoever believes – back into relationship with Himself. “Whoever believes” is more than an intellectual acknowledgment because even demons know about Jesus. This type of belief involves commitment, confidence, and identification with Jesus that leads to trust and obedience. When the Light of the world came, He shone a light on our sin – not to shame or humiliate us – but to bring us to repentance. God goes out of His way to interrupt our lives to save us with limitless, unconditional love. Like all gifts, we have to reach out to receive it. “Whoever believes” means that He allows us the choice. He is not a master puppeteer pulling our strings and forcing us to comply to His will. At the Cross, He lovingly provided a way home. He held nothin...

"...... Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But let each one examine his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another". (Galatians 6 : 2 - 4) We cannot change what we will not confront. And even while confrontation is often uncomfortable, it is necessary for healing and restoration. Second Samuel 11 finds King David walking on the roof of his house. On that spring night, his eyes fell on a beautiful woman as she was bathing. Upon discovering that she was the wife of Uriah, the soldier, David did the unthinkable. He sent a command to have Uriah placed at the front of the fiercest battle so that he would be killed. After Bathsheba mourned the death of her husband, David took her as his wife. This evil deed displeased the Lord (2 Samuel 11:27). The Lord sent the prophet, Nathan, to confront David regarding this grievous sin (2 Samu...

And according to the law almost all things are purified with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no remission. (Hebrews 9 : 22) The idea that sacrifice is the purchase price of freedom is not new. In the book of Genesis, we grieve as Adam and Eve hide in humiliation after eating the forbidden fruit. God, in His mercy, sacrificed an animal to cover their nakedness and shame. In the book of Exodus, we watch as God set His divine plan in motion to free His chosen people. As the Israelites packed their bags and prepared to walk out of Egypt after four hundred years of cruel slavery, God commanded a curious thing. Each family was to sacrifice a spotless lamb and apply its blood over the doorpost. God set apart and spared His own at the sight of that dark stain. Later, as the Israelites wandered in the wilderness, God demanded that an animal be sacrificed, that its blood be poured on the altar for the cleansing of their sin. The blood was the means by which the Israelites could e...

" He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed  us  into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins ". (Colossians 1 : 13 - 14) For all that Jesus Christ did for us at the Cross, as much as He makes possible through His sacrifice, it is only accessible to us when we cross the border from unbelief to belief. Our faith unlocks His promises in our lives. As we travel from country to country, when we cross borders, we are given forms and asked to declare certain things. From where are we coming? Where are we going? What are we carrying with us? How long do we plan to stay? When we come to the Cross — the border of salvation — we have some declarations to make. We declare that we believe that the Word of God is true. We recognize that we are sinners in need of a Savior, that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). We come from the other side of the border of salvation. And w...

"I have written to you, fathers, because you have known Him who is from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the wicked one". (1 John 2:14) Fathers, God has a plan and a purpose for each one of you! Those on “the home team” need you, our “most valuable players,” more than ever before. Fathers, your children need you. Your children need to see you loving God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength (Mark 12:30). Your sons need you. They need a real-life example of how a man of God lives his life with integrity. They need for someone to demonstrate a strong work ethic, to tell them that diligence is worth the effort, to exhibit the honor in providing for and loving your family well. Your daughters need you. They need your tender embrace, to know that your arms are a place to find confidence, comfort, and strength. They need you to show them how real men love and respect their wives...