March 8

Testimony Time:-Still on the general reflections to the true essence of the Passion Week. If all Christians can take the trouble to observe the whole Lenten Season at all; indirectly they are renouncing Satan's bid to recruit members away from worshiping God. Each participants would have considered the thin line which separates God from the Devil before taken the trouble to fast and observe all religious rites for the Passion Week. You Most certainly, there are laws guiding these simple practices as with other things in life. Keeping those laws would in the first instance determine if truly you are taking part in the religious acts that surrounds the Passion Week. Laws on the other hand gives birth to bondages; although those who finds themselves within the myth of any bondages often finds it hard to agree that they are the architect of their own misfortune. That singular act alone gives birth to some kind of mysteries and leads to how Christians now find themselves falling into different types of temptation. Also, Satan becomes empowered to seats at the forefront; and the willingness to gullibly fall for his tactics clearly confers his emblem of discipleship upon such individual. In Luke 4:8, Jesus showed His passion to honour His Father in heaven despite the Devil's temptation. "And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve." Just how many times have genuine Christians finds themselves faced with diverse temptations? You can always live according to your own imaginations; really you don't need to observe and keep any laws. In fact and for all I care, you can hide behind some backgrounds and continue to misbehave in His presence; what you give birth to will always come from the flesh leading to severe bondages which you may not admit. Have you considered Galatians 4:19-27? "Oh, my dear children! I feel as if I’m going through labor pains for you again, and they will continue until Christ is fully developed in your lives. 20 I wish I were with you right now so I could change my tone. But at this distance I don’t know how else to help you. 21 Tell me, you who want to live under the law, do you know what the law actually says? 22 The Scriptures say that Abraham had two sons, one from his slave wife and one from his freeborn wife. 23 The son of the slave wife was born in a human attempt to bring about the fulfillment of God’s promise. But the son of the freeborn wife was born as God’s own fulfillment of his promise. 24 These two women serve as an illustration of God’s two covenants. The first woman, Hagar, represents Mount Sinai where people received the law that enslaved them. 25 And now Jerusalem is just like Mount Sinai in Arabia, because she and her children live in slavery to the law. 26 But the other woman, Sarah, represents the heavenly Jerusalem. She is the free woman, and she is our mother. 27 As Isaiah said, “Rejoice, O childless woman, you who have never given birth! Break into a joyful shout, you who have never been in labor! For the desolate woman now has more children than the woman who lives with her husband!” Teach us Your Word Father and give us the wisdom to live away from every sinful acts so we can enjoy Your freedom according to Your riches and glory. Amen Http://testimony-times.blogspot.co.uk Just Checking into His Presence...

March 7

Testimony Time:-A little bit more of sin or a little bit more of grace? You must understand that our lives revolve round these two hypotheses. The good thing is while we have the grace to explore these two scenarios, the aftermath for one of the choices made can be ruined by regrets and the other by the declaration of His might which we were promised by God in Proverbs 8:17-"I love those who love me, and those who seek me find me." However, let us be mindful of seeking God only when we are in need. In that God's mercy are constantly renewed everyday, He knows our end from the beginning and He honors His name above all other names. For as long as we hope to see a new day, there is no guarantee that tomorrow will always come. Let us therefore form the habit to celebrate, honor and walk within the duties of His holiness; according to the prescription of Christ. Which says: "nevertheless, each person should live as a believer in whatever situation the Lord has assigned to them, just as God has called them. This is the rule I lay down in all the churches." (1 Corinthians 7:17) How then do you want to apply God's rule today? A little sin more that bring heaps of more condemnation or an exercise in the path of God that will yield a little more grace? If anyone goes by the former "that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways." (James 1:7-8) You can go to church everyday: in fact you can live in the church for as long as possible. You can preach, write, sing and declare His holiness at whims; if you are far away from from His precepts the chances of enjoying a little more of His grace is limited. In that in Luke 11:28 "Jesus replied, "But even more blessed are all who hear the word of God and put it into practice." Psalm 32:8 says "I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;I will guide you with My eye." Therefore we beseech You Father to lead and guide us to where we can always enjoy the privileges of Your grace in Jesus name. Amen Just Checking into His Presence...

March 6

Testimony Time:-As a child of God, are you in anyway affected by the slogan of double life/standards? How can you describe your Christian life in and away from the Church you represent? A monster in disguise in the church and or a torment in other Christians gatherings? Just what can people say about you? Has it ever occurred to you that the way people perceive you might just be the same impression God has about you? What sort of life do you lead away from the church and or your family? Let me assure you that every secret sin would eventually haunt you down and this can be before the so called judgement day which many don't even think about. "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad." ( 2 Corinthians 5:10) So brethren in Christ, you can deceive man for as long as you possibly can, without any doubt time will always catch up with you to reveal all atrocities committed whilst still living in this world. Judgement may be delayed, as result you may be saved all the trouble and embarrassment in this world; very surely in the world to come there will be no hiding place. "He hath swallowed down riches, and he shall vomit them up again: God shall cast them out of his belly". (Job 20:15) I will encourage you to continue to be different person in the Church/home and an epitome of disaster outside these premise; just have it in mind that there is no indemnity for any secret sins. Father unto Your feet we cast the burden of sins; shape our eyes and let them begin to see through You. Amen Just Checking into His Presence...

March 5

Testimony Time:-Consistency is the word for every package we may encounter in life! To continue to achieve greatness in life requires absolute consistency with the attributes that put you in the path of stardom in the first place. It does not matter how you look at it, to maintain such position of glamour brings in some essence of continuity in the pursuit of the desires that strengthened us individually and then make us to stay in the spot light. To a very large extent; consistency determines your relationship with everything in life. At home, school, work, community and in the House of God too; being consistent describes your character which can either make or unmake you as a person. The ability to be consistent stems from the word love in the first place; you must stand on love and stay focused with love in order to have intimate and intrinsic drive which ultimately will give you room for genuine relationship in achieving goals every individual may have set for themselves. By every standard, the same ploy will be used to describe your character; to be considered inconsistent at work, relationships, home and in the presence of God will always have ugly repercussions. There is a popular saying that "a dead clock is so consistent in timing that it shows correct time twice in a day". It is therefore necessary to "take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;" (Ephesians 6:13-14) Success in life comes from the determination to consistently maintain and be driven by what is good. It does not matter which company you may find yourself; people will always measure you more by what they see and hear from you, not only about paper qualifications, beauty, recommendations, positions, home, wealth and gifts of the spirit. I am a child God! Yes, I go to church! Are you standing out by your commitments in the House of God? I am in a relationship and I have a home; how genuine is your level of consistency in a place you called a home? If your thoughts are far from being consistent with what you originally professed; there will be always be regrets somewhere somehow. Matthew 5:16 says "In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven." Whatever you leave intentionally for Satan, he will loot and plunder. "Devil cometh not, but that he may steal, and kill, and destroy: I came that they may have life, and may have [it] abundantly." (John 10:10) Lead us Heavenly Father, lead us! We rely on You because we cannot face the Devil without your help. Renew our strength, thoughts and vision. Let them be knitted to Yours. Amen Just Checking into His Presence...

March 4

Testimony Time:-Today is another meeting with God. To appreciate the level of His grace we have to treat the welcome gift with surprise. God's promises are very sure; even at that He does not give us the guarantee to live forever. Today should not be seen as an entitlement which is a constant method employed by all to denounce how lucky we are to be in it. It is also the cause that many are regarded as Christians only by name but in utterances, deeds and appearances they are eternity away from the commandments of God. Many have successfully usurped the power and the ability to know what will happen tomorrow, a ploy that has incapacitated every knowledge in them to treat each day as a surprise gift from God. Acting and believing in the power to know what will happen tomorrow sets us up on the same level with God. No wonder the world can boast of lots of Christian but genuinely the world also lack true converts. Are you a true converts? Have you jettisoned every uncharitable conduct in your wardrobe? Do you sometimes go back to the same vomit and flagrantly dishonor the true Christian ethics? The ideal thing is to stop acting as if you know what the next seconds can bring, let alone the audacity to see tomorrow. Therefore today "if we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth." (1 John 1: 6) and "behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book. (Revelation 22:7) Please also read Revelation 22: 9-14 Give us the wisdom to honor You Oh Lord not by mouth but from the belly of our hearts; it is the only way to have true worship with You; so help us God. Amen Just Checking into His Presence...

March 3

Testimony Time Teasers Today:- ARE YOU JESUS? This write up touched my heart. I am sure it will touch yours too. Shared from Barrister Dipo Bada's Facebook post. A few years ago a group of salesmen went to a regional sales convention in Chicago .. They had assured their wives that they would be home in plenty of time for Friday night's dinner. In their rush, with tickets and briefcases, one of these salesmen inadvertently kicked over a table which held a display of apples. Apples flew everywhere. Without stopping or looking back, they all managed to reach the plane in time for their nearly-missed boarding... ALL BUT ONE!!! He paused, took a deep breath, got in touch with his feelings and experienced a twinge of compassion for the girl whose apple stand had been overturned. He told his buddies to go on without him, waved good-bye, told one of them to call his wife when they arrived at their home destination and explain his taking a later flight. Then he returned to the terminal where the apples were all over the terminal floor. He was glad he did. The 16-year-old girl was totally blind! She was softly crying, tears running down her cheeks in frustration, and at the same time helplessly groping for her spilled produce as the crowd swirled about her; no one stopping and no one to care for her plight. The salesman knelt on the floor with her, gathered up the apples, put them back on the table and helped organize her display. As he did this, he noticed that many of them had become battered and bruised; these he set aside in another basket. When he had finished, he pulled out his wallet and said to the girl, "Here, please take this $40 for the damage we did. Are you okay?"She nodded through her tears. He continued on with, "I hope we didn't spoil your day too badly." As the salesman started to walk away, the bewildered blind girl called out to him, "Mister...." He paused and turned to look back into those blind eyes. She continued, "Are you Jesus?" He stopped in mid-stride .... and he wondered. He gently went back and said, "No, I am nothing like Jesus - He is good, kind, caring, loving, and would never have bumped into your display in the first place. "The girl gently nodded: "I only asked because I prayed for Jesus to help me gather the apples. He sent you to help me, so you are like Him - only He knows who will do His will. Thank you for hearing His call, Mister." Then slowly he made his way to catch the later flight with that question burning and bouncing about in his soul: "Are you Jesus?" Do people mistake you for Jesus? That's our destiny, is it not? To be so much like Jesus that people cannot tell the difference as we live and interact with a world that is blind to His love, life and grace. If we claim to know Him, we should live, walk and act as He would. Knowing Him is more than simply quoting scripture and going to church. It's actually living the Word as life unfolds day to day. You are the apple of His eye even though you, too, have been bruised by a fall. He stopped what He was doing and picked up you and me on a hill called Calvary and paid in full for our damaged fruit. Please share this, {IF you feel led to do so}. No condition attached just that it could bless someone. Thanks Just Checking into His Presence...

March 2

Testimony Time Teasers Today:- A story shared by my brother Mr Opeoluwa Sokoya and fit enough as the main message for today. Please read- A man before leaving for work, left a letter on the dining table for his wife. Chores around the house kept the woman from seeing the letter until about 12 noon. When she finally chanced on the letter she was so excited to see that her husband had taken time to write her a letter. She kissed the paper when she saw “my beautiful wife” at the top, hugged it when she saw “I love you with all my heart” at the bottom, and sniffed it when she realized it smelled of her husband’s perfume. Out of excitement, and without even bothering to read the content of the letter, she made up her mind to cook him his favorite meal for dinner that night. She quickly rushed to the kitchen and got to work. After cooking and setting the table, she went to the wash room and took a shower, put on her most attractive night gown and dressed the bed. Just as she was about to finish laying the bed her husband walked into the house. When she heard him come in she went out to welcome him. To her surprise, her husband was very furious when he saw her. She became very confused and asked why he wouldn’t even let her welcome him with a hug but instead have that angry look on his face. The husband asked, “Did you read the letter I left you on the table?” The woman responded, “Oh yes I saw it. That’s why I went through all the trouble to prepare your favorite meal for you. Thank you so much honey, it was sweet of you.” She leaned in to give him a kiss but he pushed her away to her surprise. The husband went on, “If you did, then why haven’t you done any of the things I instructed you to do?” The man went inside and came out again quickly with an already packed suit case. He headed straight for the door and said to his wife, “See you in 7 days.” The woman stood there confused but before she could utter a word, the door had slammed behind him. She went back to the dining table to take a second look at the letter. It reads…… My beautiful wife, My company has asked 4 colleges and myself to go on a seven day trip to Dubai for a training program. They said that we can bring along our wives and I thought this will be the best opportunity for us to have the honeymoon we never did after we got married. I have already packed a suit case for myself, so please pack yours. Our flight leaves at exactly 7pm so I will be home at 6 o’clock for us to go to the airport. No need to cook dinner since there will be food on the plane. Just be prepare to go as soon as I get back. Please be ready before I get back so we don't miss the flight. I Love you with all my heart. I bet you thought this woman was unwise when you realized her mistake as you read this piece. Well unfortunately this is the state of many Christians in the Body of Christ today. We have accepted Jesus as our Lord, and are excited about being children of God and the fact that He will come back again for us one day. But we have not taken into account what He expects us to do before His return. This is because our Bibles are closed. We have read a few scriptures in the Word and are excited about promises but have completely ignored most of his instructions. You do not know a man if you do not know His Word. How then do we profess to be married to a groom whose word we have relegated to the background in the pursuit of signs and wonders? Unfortunately what many don’t know is that the Word is the power for signs and wonders, so if we go for the word these things we are chasing will chase us. Let us pay attention to His letter, which is the Word of God. It will draw us close to His desire for us and enable us to walk in victory over this world and it's challenges. Amen Adapted Maranatha - Jesus is coming soon! Http://testimony-times.blogspot.co.uk Just Checking into His Presence...