Keep Burning For The Lord

I remember an old song we sang in old times:

“Give me oil in my lamp,

Keep me burning.

Give me oil in my lamp, I pray”

It’s not God’s responsibility to keep you burning neither is it His task to give you extra oil. He has given you all things that pertain to life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3). Remember the foolish virgins, they didn't get extra oil for the night but the wise virgins got enough to take them for the night. They got it by themselves; the bridegroom (Jesus Christ) didn't buy it for them.

When you become born again, God gives you His Spirit (like the oil that carries you through the night but in this case, through your life). This is His free gift to you. However, it is your responsibility to keep yourself aglow and burning; not in your energy but by the same Spirit you have received.

Expose your heart to the Lord; put yourself under His teachings by studying the Word and meditating daily. Pray in the spirit, be the doer of the Word and the results will definitely wow you, as you will be consistently aglow for Him.

It is time to wake up and take responsibility for your life. The power to succeed and fail in life is in your hands and not God’s, for He has equipped you with all you ever need. Your outcome depends on what you do with what you have been given.

Let your light so shine before men... and keep burning for the Lord!

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The Idea Bank

Luke 19:1-10; Jeremiah 29:13; Proverbs 3:5-6

Watching the TV sometime ago, I saw a nice quote – “big men are not known for their big convoys but their big ideas. A poor man isn't the man without money but the man without ideas.” This had me thinking how many people are actually bold enough to conceive an idea and act on it to better their lives and circumstances?

Currently, men with money no longer rule the world but men with ideas. Ideas are what separate you from the crowd. They make you tap into possibilities you never could have imagined. Where we are today, as a people, is a result of ideas thought-out and acted upon.

The Idea Bank

How Zacchaeus came to know the Lord was simply birthed by an idea. We cannot overrule the impact of divine manifestation but what could have led him to consider climbing a tree that he may see Jesus who was at that time passing through Jericho for the last time?

Zacchaeus could have given up and say, “besides, I am small in stature and the crowd is just too much to overcome. I will see Jesus some other time if I don’t see Him today”; but he didn't succumb to such a feeble resolution. He was determined to know who Jesus was, that the Bible says, “And he sought to see Jesus who he was…” (Luke 19:3).

As humorous as it appeared, his idea to climb a nearby Sycamore tree so he may see Jesus eventually worked out. “And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and saw him, Zacchaeus make haste, and come down; for today I must abide at thy house” (Luke 19:5). He saw Jesus that day and found salvation for his household.

David’s idea to act as a mad man saved him from his adversary. He had initially fled from Saul to Achish the king of Gath for safety. When Achish’s servants saw him, they recognized him and wanted to expose him before their king so he could be captured and returned to Saul. But the Lord was with him. The Holy Spirit taught him – an idea - what to do and in yielding, he escaped (1 Samuel 21:10-15).

There are more of such events in the Bible where a Holy Spirit incited idea has brought about victory to Patriarchs and Matriarchs of old. You never know what a simple idea can do for you till you have one and carry it out. Though it is one thing to have an idea about something, it is another thing to act on it. However, the execution of an idea is as important as conceiving it.

Don’t limit yourself in anything. Commit your plans unto the Lord and they shall be established (Proverbs 16:3). The joy of being a Christian is that we have the power to do exceedingly and abundantly above all that we could ever think of in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 3:20). All it takes is faith!

Have faith in the Lord and believe that nothing is impossible. Mark 9:23 says, “All things are possible to them that believe.” Whatever idea you may have in life – to start a business, have a family, learn a course, etc – don’t let it die. Encourage yourself in the Lord and all you need to turn it into reality shall be available by His grace.

When you have God in your life, you can never run out of ideas for He is the idea bank. It doesn't take so much or so long to hear from God; all it takes is a heart that longs and searches for Him.

The Lord says when you come looking for me, you will find me. “Yes, when you get serious about finding me and want it more than anything else, I will make sure you are not disappointed” (Jeremiah 29:13). Get serious in finding the Lord, for in Him are all the ideas you will ever need.

*** Edited by Jacobs Adewale (Admin) ***

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Fixed Right

Text: Proverbs 3:5-6; Psalm 50:15; Romans 8:18

I once heard a story of a preacher who had a son disturbing him while he was preparing a Sunday sermon which was the next day. In order to distract the son so he could focus, he picked a magazine and tore a sheet. On the front page of the sheet was a world map while behind the page was a man’s figure. So he tore the world map into bits and said to his son: “fix the world map back.”

The father was happy as he felt it would take the son long hours to do so, giving him more time for his work. In ten minutes the son was back. “What else do you want again? The father asked. “I’m through”, the son replied. “How were you able to finish in ten minutes”, the father asked in astonishment.

“I figured out that if I fix the image of the man right at the other side, the world will also be fixed right on this side”, the son replied. The preacher made a deep sigh as he finally got a sermon – when a man is fixed right, his world will be right.

You can only be right by accepting Jesus’ righteousness and living it out. This is the only way for your world to be fixed well. So fix your world right by living right today.

*** Written by Onyezia C. Amanda | Malibet Digest ***

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Live Through You

Text: Galatians 2:20; Psalm 115:1; Ephesians 2:10

Key Verse: “But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour. If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work” (2 Timothy 2:20-21)

Sometimes in the past I would cry – Oh Lord, let me live for you. The more I tried, the more I struggled. But I thank God for knowledge now. You see, God is not asking us to live for Him; He is asking us to let Him live through us (Gal 2:20).

The Christian life is not a changed life but an exchanged life (Andrew Wommack). Christianity is allowing the Christ you have received live through you; it’s allowing the world read His life in you, that is, becoming a letter from Him to them, becoming so transparent that they can see the Jesus you carry. It is positioning yourself that the world may see Him and not you in all you do.

Allow the world see, feel and taste Christ through you. Give Christ an expression by your existence. You might be the only Jesus some people will ever see, your life might be the only Bible some people will ever read. Therefore, let your life be available for the Master so He can live through you.

He is not a ‘use and dump’ God rather, He is ‘use and make’ God. Allow God make you today by saying: “Here I am Lord, live through me.”

*** Written by Onyezia A. Cynthia | Malibet Digest ***

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Welcome to 2016: It Can Only Get Better

Text: Isaiah 14:27, 43:18-91, 40:28-31

From The Truth Media family,

Happy New Year!!!

God by Himself hardened the ground that raised great men to carry Him through all the nations of the earth. Don’t shake when your foundation shakes ~ Smith Wigglesworth

Sometimes we experience certain issues that look like God is absent or cruel. Neither of the two is correct because God loves us more than we love ourselves. The trainings of a soldier by a senior commander or by a father to a son might be vigorous but will always bring out the best in him. It’s all about timing and the ability to trust.

When the ground on which you stand is not hardened enough to fulfill purpose, God steps in to solidify your ground through some experiences which will equip you for the journey ahead. Gold doesn’t come out pure until it passes through the furnace, neither does a lipton bag reveal its real content until it’s placed in hot water.

If 2015 is that year of testing with adversity and severe challenges you had to endure, be certain that testimonies await you in 2016. Sometimes, things only get better from the wealthy wisdom of experience gotten from adversity. Instead of blaming God, just bless and praise Him, knowing that it can only get better.

If circumstances and people brought you down in 2015, beleive that there is a lifting up in 2016. Happy New Year!!!

*** Culled from Malibet Digest | Onyezia C. Amanda ***

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