#Wordfortheweek 2019 Week 52 Who is your #Praise.

He is your praise, and He is your God, who has done for you these great and awesome things which your eyes have seen. Deuteronomy 10:21

Today is the last day of the year, many people will be giving thanks for the year.

Thank you is an expression of gratitude. What I feel in my heart is much more than an expression of gratitude. When I look back at this year; each second, minute, hour, day, week and month it is praise that bubbles up and burst forth for the One who is My Praise – Almighty God whose name is JEHOVAH.

What do you see when you look back at this year? Starting from where you are today – alive! Only Jehovah is the giver of life, it is a gift not an entitlement. So many started this year but are no more. You and I are not better than they are or more worthy. Yet we are still alive. Praise the name of our God Jehovah!

Okay, maybe this year has been full of ups and down, tears of joy and sadness, health and sickness, good times and bad ones yet we shall praise the LORD. It is because of His mercies that we came through to see the end of this year.

Only the living can praise the LORD. Our praise is worth nothing when we are dead, so make it count today. Do a praise list and dance with joy to the One who is your Praise.

I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. Psalm 34:1

#Prayerfortheweek
I will extol You, my God, my King, my Praise. I will bless Your name forever and ever. Every day I will bless You and I will praise Your name forever and ever. Great is the Lord in my life, and greatly to be praised. His greatness is unsearchable, indescribable and unending. I praise Your Holy Name for the year 2019 and this decade. You have been merciful to me and my family oh LORD, I just cannot tell it all. May Your Name forever be glorified in me oh LORD. Amen

I pray that this inspires you to reflect on your relationship with Elohim and be determined to be more and do more for Him in 2020. 

I praise Jehovah for those that followed the journey to spiritual maturity blogs this year. The praise belongs to Jehovah because He is our teacher. I look back at 52 blogs, one for each week and I am humbled by the insights Jehovah entrusted to share through me for the glory of His name. It has been a journey of spiritual maturity for me as I have been the first partaker of the lessons of His Kingdom. I can only but praise His Holy name. I look forward so much to what Jehovah will reveal and teach us in 2020. Shalom

#AdeolaAkintoye©
#ajourneytospiritualmaturity2019

#WordfortheWeek 2019 Week 51 #Uncompromising

“Thus says the LORD: ‘Stand in the court of the LORD’s house, and speak to all the cities of Judah, which come to worship in the LORD’s house, all the words that I command you to speak to them. Do not diminish a word.”’ Jeremiah‬ ‭26:2‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Jeremiah stood up to preach prophetically in the house of the Lord. He passionately warned the priests, prophets, royal house and the people about the coming wrath. He begged them to turn from their evil ways and works and turn back to their God. The princes who were not in ‘church’ heard about the prophetic declaration and came running. 

The priests and prophets who were meant to lead people to God, broke out in violent argument. You can just imagine the commotion because of the bleak message from Jeremiah. They would have tried to shut him up, called him names. One against many, the lone voice of the truth directly from the Throne of Grace. 

Why would they believe him when their lives were going well, the rich was getting richer, the  stories of the mighty hand of God were exactly that - stories passed down from generations to generations. The fear of God was a thing of the past. Why believe the old prophet, they were after all the chosen nation, God’s people how could any calamity befall them.

Fast forward to our generation, where are the voices of the true prophets that calls out sin for what it is and warn of the coming wrath of the Lord? Would they also be cursed, abused and ridiculed? How about we the chosen generation? Is God now too familiar to us that we have taken Him for granted and become dull of hearing? How much have we compromised God’s standard to satisfy the lust of our flesh and body with the pride of life?

We do not need to wait for a prophet of God to tell us about HIs commandment, we have the Holy Scriptures and the Holy Spirit.

God is the same yesterday, today and forever. God will never compromise His standard for anyone. God’s wrath when it comes will be swift.

#PrayerfortheWeek

Father, Almighty God, thank You for the gift of my salvation. I  ask for forgiveness in anyway I have continued in sin. May I never be dull of hearing towards Your voice Lord. Help me to be sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit that I might not sin against You. Help me never to compromise in any way Your standard and Kingdom principles. In Jesus name I have prayed. Amen. 

As we count down to the end of 2019, I pray that this inspires you to reflect on your relationship with Elohim and be determined to be more and do more for Him in 2020.

#AdeolaAkintoye©

#ajourneytospiritualmaturity

#Wordfortheweek 2019 Week 50 It Belongs to Him

And He is the head of the body, the church…, Colossians 1:18 NKJV

Sometimes we forget that Jesus Christ is the head of the Church. He is the only one with authority to be judge and jury over His Church.

I was reminded and rebuked about this recently. When the Lord blesses you with revelation of things that are and should not be, it is vital to ask for wisdom on how to use the revelation.

Many Christians have been hurt by fellow brethren especially leaders in the Church - I was one of these. It is a fact that many have left church gatherings and sought alternative way of relating with other believers and walking with their God. It is very sad the personal experiences many went through in a place that was meant to be loving, forgiving and peaceful. As a result of this hurt, some have been left with a negative view about ‘Church’. Some have even turned away from the faith and do not want to have anything to do with Church.

However, it is not Church that caused the hurt but people. Even when we see how Church leaders teaches doctrines which are directly and explicitly opposed to the principles of God as written in the Holy Scriptures, it is still the act of a person or people not Jesus. It does not take away the fact that Jesus Christ is the head of His Church. He will be the judge of ALL people and especially those entrusted with HIS sheep.

Unfortunately, many Christians are using these hurts to talk negatively about the Church and the spiritual leaders. It is sad to read so many negative things said about the Church on social media platforms. A house divided against itself can not stand.

What gives us the right to talk against the Church of the Lord? When the Holy Spirit gives you revelation of things that are sinful, is it not a warning for you not to follow same and to do what is right in the eyes of God? Have we been given the authority to rebuke, castigate the Church especially through various platforms open to unbelievers? When we do this, who are we bringing reproach on? The person or Jesus Christ?

Let us focus on teaching and preaching the truth, whilst highlighting errors and heretic teachings in a way that does not bring reproach to the Church of the Living God.

Let us remember Jesus Christ is the head of His Church.

Prayer

Almighty Father, In the name of my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ I pray. I repent and ask for forgiveness of whatever I have said about Your Church that You have not sent me. Help me to focus on teaching and preaching the truth of Your word, correcting doctrinal errors and heretical teachings. Father uproot every tree you have not planted in Your Church, that You name is not brought into reproach among the people of the world. 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 49 Transformed

As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, 7 rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding [d]in it with thanksgiving. Colossians 2:6,7 (NKJV)

Paul spoke about the importance of faith, the prominence of Christ, importance of spiritual knowledge, wisdom and understanding to grow in the knowledge of Christ. He reiterated that we should walk worthy of our calling, being fruitful in *every good work*, remembering that God delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the Kingdom of the Son of His love. We are not under any principalities or spiritual powers in wicked places. They can't control our lives unless we let them.

Jesus is the image of the invisible God. He is before all things and in Him all things consist. If we are in Christ, we carry the image (original prototype of Adam and Eve - in God's image He created them) of God. Isn't that wonderful. We are to walk in Christ, rooted and built up in Him.

We are to be mindful of some religious rituals - in food, drink, festivals, new moons, sabbaths which were shadow of things to come. No false humility, worship of angel's, neglect of the body, self-imposed religion. We should seek those things above where Christ is, set our minds on things above not on earth. What is the state of your mind and thoughts today?

The character of a life transformed by Christ will reflect mercy, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering, bearing with people, forgiving freely and clothe in love. Sounds like fruit of the Spirit to me. How are you doing in all these?

Let us continue earnestly in prayer being vigilant in it with Thanksgiving (Colossian 4:2). 
God is doing a marvellous thing, only the spiritual alert will perceive it. 

#Prayerfortheweek
Almighty Father, thank You for the gift of life and salvation of my soul. May my life be transformed by grace. Help me to be merciful, kind, humble, meek, longsuffering, bearing with people, forgiving freely and clothe in love. 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 48 Stir it Up

Therefore, I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you…2 Timothy 1:6 (NKJV)

The book of Timothy is an excellent lesson for those in ministry and also for spiritual maturity. In 2 Tim 1, we learnt about the faith of a mother and grandmother passed down to the third generation. How are we teaching our Children about Jesus Christ?

The gift of God in us should be stirred up (by its use) activated by laying of hands, by prophecy (and personally I believe by your prayer and action not a religious act). We also learnt about Paul being an example for Timothy. I wonder how many of us can say without guilt that others could follow our example.

We learnt about our calling being a holy one for God's purpose through grace in Christ. Without Christ we cannot step into or fulfill our calling. We must understand that it is only in Christ that we live move and have our being. 

It is in Christ that we will 'see' our life partner and enjoy marital bliss. It is in Christ that we are assured that our children shall be alright. It is in Christ that we can move mountains, scale fences, swim roaring seas, battle spiritual wickedness in heavenly places and after all still stand. In Christ Jesus we can do all things!

Lay all your worries at His feet right now. Hallelujah👏👏👏. Have a blessed week. 

#Prayerfortheweek
Almighty Father, thank You for the gift of life and salvation of my soul. Give me the grace to stir up your gift in me for the glory of Your name. In Christ I live, move and have my being. I can do all things through Christ who strengthen me. 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