#Wordfortheweek 2019 Week 47 Fooled or Foolish?

"For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts, always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth." II Timothy 3:2-7 NKJV

When I read the passage above recently, I thought surely these types are unbelievers but alas! They are in the church.

It is not everyone who calls themselves a Christian that is a Christ follower. By their fruits you shall know them. We must always be careful and be led by the Spirit even in the household of God. It is sad to say but it is the reality of our fallen world.

As we are mindful of others, we should also reflect on our own life. What does our character say about Christ in us? How are we perceived by other people? Are we guilty of any of these sinful acts? Are there any of such characters in us?

Men and women are both deceived because of various lusts. They lack the knowledge of God in them because though hearing and learning the word, they never come to the knowledge of truth.

Let us diligently study the word, apply it in all areas of our life, be spiritually aware and put to death the lust of the flesh.

#Prayerfortheweek

Almighty Father, thank You for the gift of life and salvation of my soul. Give me the grace to diligently study Your word, apply it in all areas of my life, be spiritually aware and put to death the lust of the flesh. In Christ Jesus I stand. Amen.

I pray this inspires you to be more and do more for Yeshua Ha Mashiach (Jesus Christ). Spend this week to meditate on the passage and take relevant step to live out your faith.

# AdeolaAkintoye©

#ajourneytospiritualmaturity

#Wordfortheweek 2019 Week 44 Who are you following?

“But you have carefully followed my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, long suffering, love, perseverance, 11 persecutions, afflictions, which happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra—what persecutions I endured. And out of them all the Lord delivered me.” 2 Tim 3:10,11 NKJV.

Who are your spiritual teachers? Paul again and again told Timothy to follow his doctrine (teachings) and life examples. He was able to assure the young protégé with a clear conscience, that he was worthy to be followed.

Who are we following? We are sometimes quick to call someone spiritual father, spiritual mother, mentor etc because they are in a position of authority. Are we assured about their life? Is their manner of life, purpose and faith a reflection of Christ?

Whoever you follow, will lead you where they are going, the question is; ‘Is where they are going where you should be going?'

The essence of being in a leader-follower relationship is that you learn from the leader and in most cases, you imitate the leader as well. "But you have carefully followed my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, long-suffering, love, perseverance," 

Be mindful of who you are following…

#Prayerfortheweek
Almighty Father, thank You for the gift of life and salvation of my soul. I desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus. Give me mentors after Christ to be examples to learn from. Give me the wisdom to discern all wolf in sheep’s clothing, all demons disguised as angels of light. Let me not be deceived nor derailed from a life after Christ, in His name I pray, Amen

I pray this inspires you to be more and do more for Yeshua Ha Mashiach (Jesus Christ). Spend this week to meditate on the passage and take relevant step to live out your faith.
# AdeolaAkintoye©
#ajourneytospiritualmaturity

#Wordfortheweek 2019 Week 43 How is your #Heart?

'To the pure all things are pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure; but even their mind and conscience are defiled. They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good work.' Titus 1:15‭-‬16 NKJV.

What you are quick to see in others is most likely inside you as well. 
Let us be quick to see 'good' first in others because our minds and hearts are filled with the goodness of the Lord. 
Let us be quick to show mercy to others because our hearts are full of the mercy of God. 
Let us be quick to show love because our hearts are filled with the love of God. 
Let our works be a manifestation of the knowledge of God in us. 

#Prayerfortheweek
Almighty Father give me purity of spirit, of soul and of body. Help me to see things the way You see. Cleanse my mind and conscience from everything that defiles. May my works not deny You. In all ways may I be acceptable, obedient and qualified in Christ Jesus, Amen

I pray this inspires you to be more and do more for Yeshua Ha Mashiach (Jesus Christ). Spend this week to meditate on the passage and take relevant step to live out your faith.
# AdeolaAkintoye©
#ajourneytospiritualmaturity

#Wordfortheweek 2019 Week 46 #Unbelief

Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God; Hebrews 3:12 NKJV

The writer of Hebrews was addressing ‘holy brethren'. I want to believe these were Christians. He warned them to beware -be careful lest there is any evil in their heart because of unbelief. Really! How come? These are born again, sanctified holy brethren. How is it possible to have any part of their heart in unbelief? 

Yes, it seems it is possible. We might profess faith with our mouth, but if our heart were to be exposed, the worms of unbelief and doubt would be swarming around unfettered.

There are many religious acts and activities we have been taught through denominations that gives us this false sense of ‘righteousness.’ We judge by what we ‘see’, as such it is easy to fool people about the content of our heart. If you always attend all the church programmes, always in attendance at Sunday service, first to volunteer at every opportunity, can fire off bible passages and like manner, you have ticked all the right boxes.What about your heart brethren?

But the writer of Hebrew is saying, ‘Beware...’ Are your actions reflecting your heart?

Are there still elements of doubt, unbelief in your heart about God or even the hope of salvation? Do you go through the acts of faith but secretly doubt what you profess? Beware brethren lest you are nurturing an evil heart of unbelief.

#Prayerfortheweek
Almighty Father forgive me for my unbelief. I believe but help my unbelief (Mark 9:24). Cleanse my heart from every evil thoughts of unbelief. Give me the grace to walk in faith no matter what. In Jesus name, Amen.

I pray this inspires you to be more and do more for Yeshua Ha Mashiach (Jesus Christ). Spend this week to meditate on the passage and take relevant step to live out your faith.
# AdeolaAkintoye©
#ajourneytospiritualmaturity

#Wordfortheweek 2019 Week 45 #Procrastination

“Then Joshua said to the children of Israel: “How long will you neglect to go and possess the land which the LORD God of your fathers has given you?” Joshua 18:3 NKJV

It’s already November, the year is fast coming to an end. At the beginning of this year, many people had a ‘to do’ list.

When I looked back to the beginning of the year and the months since, I am thankful to be alive, many are dead.

Like many people, I had a list of what I wanted to do by the end of this year. I have not completed all the ‘to do’ on my list, reason being a combination of an over-ambitious plan to plain old procrastination.

Procrastination is a time killer. We think there is still time. ’I will do it to tomorrow.’ What about if tomorrow never comes, for you?

Laziness and fear are twin reasons for procrastination. The Israelite procrastinated in moving forward to conquer the remaining promised land. Their inheritance was occupied by those who had no right to it. What about you? Are you depriving yourself of something good because of procrastination?

To kill procrastination, just do it. Take that step today, tomorrow might be too late.

#PrayerfortheWeek
Almighty Father, thank You for Your gift of salvation in my life. Give me more grace to redeem time. I rebuke every spirit of procrastination that is detrimental to my success in Christ Jesus I pray Amen

I pray this inspires you to be more and do more for Yeshua Ha Mashiach (Jesus Christ). Spend this week to meditate on the passage and take relevant step to live out your faith.

# AdeolaAkintoye©

#ajourneytospiritualmaturity

#Wordfortheweek 2019 Week 42 If Only

So, teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. Psalm 90:12 NKJV

She sat immobile, her face ashen and her eyes fixed without blinking on his face. She did not hear anything but that one word, cancer. She had cancer, it had spread all over inside of her. She did not care where exactly but the fact that the thing was in her was enough. Only weeks at most a month, he said. Before she dies.

But she was not ready. She was too young to die. Her children needed her. Her husband needed her. She had planned to travel the world on her retirement. She wanted to see the world, she had been saving for it for the last ten years.

In seconds all the things she planned to do flashed before her eyes; one after the other. Tears pooled in her eyes and spilled over without restraint down her cheeks.... If only she had more time.

Every day, I am always thankful to see another day in the land of the living. One morning recently I woke up with this statement - ’If only’ in my head. What came immediately to my mind was a sense regret.

The one constraint and opportunity in our life, irrespective of who you are, is time. Every one of us has a finite time on earth. Many people live their live as if time was limitless, that they had the whole time in the world. Of course not.

What would happen if you were confronted with the reality of your death like the woman in the short story? What would be your ‘if only?’

As we count down to the year end, what is your ‘if only’ for this year? Have you redeemed the time or wasted it?

#Prayerfortheweek
Almighty Father, thank You for Your gift of salvation in my life. Help me to redeem time. May I never misuse your grace upon my life in Christ Jesus.

I pray this inspires you to be more and do more for Yeshua Ha Mashiach (Jesus Christ). Spend this week to meditate on the passage and take relevant step to live out your faith.

#AdeolaAkintoye ©

#ajourneytospiritualmaturity

#Wordfortheweek 2019 Week 41 Nevertheless

Wherever they went out, the hand of the Lord was against them for calamity, as the Lord had said, and as the Lord had sworn to them. And they were greatly distressed. Nevertheless, the Lord raised up judges who delivered them out of the hand of those who plundered them. Judges 2:15-16

I think it must be a sign of getting older, but time seemed to be of essence in my life now more than ever. There was something that changed in my life when I celebrated my golden jubilee a few years ago. I wished I had done some things and not done others. I wished I knew the Lord earlier so that I would not have taken some steps in my life. A lot of wishes, hindsight is a wonderful thing isn’t it?

The Israelites were a people chosen by the Almighty, shaped and nurtured to become a mighty nation. The story of great and awesome works of God beginning with their ancestor father Abraham was passed down from one generation to another. The laws and commandment of their God, written down and taught; the blessings and the curses were crystal clear. It was impossible to claim ignorance. Yet, time and time again the nation rebelled against God. Don’t we also?
If God were to judge us by our actions, no one would be found guiltless. But Elohim in His mercy did not forsake nor abandon us to the repercussion of our sins.

He is The God of Nevertheless. Despite our sins, the evil in our hearts, the acts deserving eternal separation from our Creator, He nevertheless sent His only begotten Son to redeem us from the kingdom of darkness, to take our place in death so that we might live forever. This gives us an Assurance not to look back in regret but to look forward in hope.


#Prayerfortheweek
Almighty Father, thank You for Your gift of salvation in my life. Thank You for being God of Nevertheless in my life, not counting my sins against me but sending me a Saviour. Help me not to go back like a dog to its vomit. Give me the grace to abound more in grace and faith, looking ahead to the hope of eternal life with You in Christ Jesus I pray Amen



I pray this inspires you to be more and do more for Yeshua Ha Mashiach (Jesus Christ). Spend this week to meditate on the passage and take relevant step to live out your faith.
#AdeolaAkintoye ©
#ajourneytospiritualmaturity