Choose Life

Luke 2 (ESV) 

11   For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

12   And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manager.

The word salvation means being delivered from sin and the penalty of sin. So, when the angel of the Lord appeared in Luke 2:10 and proclaimed that, "Unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior," he was announcing what Jesus had come to do. You will note that even before this, the prophets Isaiah and Micah had prophesied about the coming of Jesus centuries before His birth.

The Lord is not willing to leave his children in sin. He is a compassionate Father who was willing to give His only begotten Son to redeem us. Jesus did not come merely as a man; He came in the fullness of His office to redeem, save, and reconcile humanity to God. Through His life, teachings, death, and resurrection, He showed us how to live. It is because of who He is and what He accomplished that we carry and proclaim the message of Jesus today, so we do not preach the message Jesus  preached but we preach Jesus.

Jesus is the One who can carry you on His shoulders, no matter how heavy you think your burdens are. He is the Burden Bearer. 

Jesus is the One who makes life beautiful, when your heart longs for Him daily. Jesus is the One who is able to save, redeem, and restore.

Today, I bring you a reminder that God's desire is for you to come into the knowledge of Jesus Christ through salvation. The purpose for which Jesus came cannot be fully manifested in your life until you say, "Yes, Lord, I agree."

So today I admonish you, choose Jesus.

Stay Revived!

God Is Calling for Believers

Perhaps because we've reduced the word believer to just another name for Christians, we've forgotten that being a believer is not merely a title—it is a posture, a position, and a way of living that God has called us to embrace.

Abraham chose to believe God's reality above his own.

As we step into this new month, I believe God is reminding us of one simple instruction: Believe Me.

I know there is a tendency to think, "I've heard this before. Faith. Believe. It's cliché." But until I fully embrace the very Word God has spoken, I will keep listening to it, meditating on it, and believing it over and over again.

We've gradually crossed into the final stretch of the year, and while many are already talking about the last quarter, God's message remains the same:

"I want you to believe."

As long as you believe the words I have spoken concerning you, nothing has changed. My promises still stand. My power has not diminished. I am still the God who performs miracles, and I will do it again and again.

Let these be our declarations throughout August:

- Lord, I choose to believe Your Word.

- I choose to believe Your promises.

- I choose to believe You even when my faith feels weak.

- Help my unbelief.

- Let my eyes remain fixed on You alone.

Abraham knew the reality of his situation, yet he still chose to believe.

Romans 4:19

AMP: He did not weaken in faith when he considered the utter impotence of his own body, which was as good as dead because he was about a hundred years old, or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah's deadened womb.

NLT: And Abraham's faith did not weaken, even though he knew that he was too old to be a father at the age of one hundred and that Sarah, his wife, had never been able to have children.

Abraham knew—but he still chose to believe.

May that be our posture this August.

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A New Song

Exodus 15:1 (ESV)

"Then Moses and the people of Israel sang this song to the LORD, saying, ‘I will sing to the LORD, for he has triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider he has thrown into the sea.’"

This song was not merely a celebration of God's triumph over Pharaoh; but also a testimony to the mighty acts of God that brought His people out of bondage and into freedom. Every word carri weight of His faithfulness, power, and covenant love.

Beloved, even in the midst of challenges, learn to rejoice before the Lord. Thats the time to dscover your chant in the Spirit and sing it. The presence of a challenge is often an invitation of the hand of God to be revealed. He is ever-present and never absent in the life of His children.

The consistency of God in hardening Pharaoh's heart was not without purpose. Through it, He demonstrated His power, faithfulness, and His deep love for His people. This reminds us that as long as we belong to God, He already has a plan for our deliverance and a pathway into His goodness.

You may feel weary, discouraged, or broken, but remember that "the LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit" (Psalm 34:18). His desire is not that you remain in the valley of affliction, but that through every trial you will witness His faithfulness and emerge with a song of victory.

As you go into this day may the Lord give you a new song of breakthrough,of deliverance, of Favour.

Amen.

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Faithfully Steward What God Has Placed in Your Hands

God has given each and every one of us talents. He has entrusted these gifts to us so that we can bring Him glory and produce fruit for His Kingdom. We were not created for ourselves but for Him. We were created to serve, to worship, and to obey Him.

Everything the Lord has given us is meant to help us fulfil His purpose on earth. He has placed seeds of talent and ability within us, and it is our responsibility to steward them well. We are not meant to return to Him with those gifts unused, because they are needed here on earth to bless others. We are called to use our gifts for the good of mankind and for the advancement of God's Kingdom.

A person who makes a difference is not simply someone who is popular, but someone who makes life better for others and points them to God's way of living. The Kingdom of God is built on faithful service. You cannot truly say you desire to serve God while neglecting faithfulness. We must be faithful in serving, obedient to His instructions, and diligent with what He has placed in our hands.

When we read the Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25: 14-30) we see that it pleases the Lord when we faithfully use what He has entrusted to us. It is through faithful use that multiplication takes place. God blesses and increases what is surrendered to Him and used for His glory.

Today, take a moment to reflect on the gift, talent, or opportunity God has placed in your life that you may have neglected. Ask yourself how you can use it to glorify Him. Look at your neighbour, your community, or someone in need, and consider how you can be a blessing. As you faithfully steward what God has given you, you become a channel through which His love, grace, and purpose are revealed to the world.

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What Do You Believe?

Today, I watched the Holy Spirit paint the reality the whole truth of Abraham's situation. Yet, in the face of every fact, Abraham chose to believe a greater reality.

He knew there was every possibility that his body was no longer capable of producing a child. He also knew that Sarah, who had never conceived in her childbearing years, was now old and physically weak. He understood every biological limitation, every medical impossibility, every ticking clock. Yet he chose to believe.

Why?

Because he had heard a word from God, and that was all he needed.

For a while now, I have been trusting God for a testimony in a particular area of my life. There have been moments when doubt crept in. Whenever I reached out to people connected to that field, I kept hearing the same things:

"They say you can't have it until you've achieved this."

"They say you've passed the age."

"They say it isn't possible anymore."

And with every "they say," I became even more convinced that if this miracle would happen, it would only be by the help of the Lord.

Perhaps this is God's reminder to us today:

What do you believe?

Everything they have said may be true. The facts may be accurate. But whose report will you believe?

It's true you failed the entrance examination.

It's true you don't have a womb.

It's true you may not meet their standards.

But what do you believe?

God is asking you today:

Can you believe like Abraham?

Can you look beyond Abraham's testimony and fix your eyes on the God who made the impossible possible? The God who declared through His works in heaven and on earth that nothing is impossible for Him.

So, if your heart has been weary from the struggle, let this be your prayer:

Lord, I choose to believe Your Word.

I choose to believe Your promise.

I choose to believe You, even in my unbelief.

Help my unbelief, and let my eyes remain fixed on You.

Romans 4:19 (AMP)

"He did not weaken in faith when he considered the [utter] impotence of his own body, which was as good as dead because he was about a hundred years old, or [when he considered] the barrenness of Sarah's [deadened] womb."

Romans 4:19 (NLT)

"And Abraham's faith did not weaken, even though he knew that he was too old to be a father at the age of one hundred and that Sarah, his wife, had never been able to have children."

Abraham knew, but he still chose to believe.

Stay Revived! 

Walking in God’s prepared purpose

What God gives to you is a destiny you have prepared for. You may be predestined for it, but what you do not diligently work toward will not come to pass. You must also be willing to go through God's process through prayer, fasting,the study of His Word and going for any schooling or training needed. 

Obedience is one of the keys to walking on the path toward the fulfillment of your purpose. When you look at the life of Abraham, you see a man who was obedient to every instruction God gave him.

You must believe that whatever God does is good and that His desire is to bring you into His goodness. There is no form of darkness from which God cannot bring forth light, for it was out of darkness that He called light to appear. In the same way, that road to the fulfillment of your destiny that seems slippery and dark is one that God is working together for your good.

We must believe this and hold firmly to it so that we may witness the beauty and faithfulness of God unfold in our lives.

As we continue to walk the road of destiny, I pray that the Lord will continually guide our feet to trust His ways. Amen.

Stay Revived!

How Far Would You Go for Jesus?

Recently, I was studying the book of Acts and came to the account of Paul's missionary journeys. It challenged me deeply.

How often do we desire to go all out for God only as long as we are comfortable? We are quick to quote Scriptures about God's protection and His faithfulness to keep His own. But what if our journey with Christ requires us to be bound not by satanic chains, but by the chains that bring us before the very people to whom we must declare that Jesus is Lord?

When Paul was warned that he would be bound if he went to Jerusalem, all he could see was an opportunity for the Gospel to be preached. His response was not centered on his comfort or safety. It was as though he was saying, "If only I can get to Jerusalem, lives will be transformed. I no longer see myself; I only see that Jesus must be revealed through me."

Later, while sailing to Rome, there were 276 people on board the ship, yet not one life was lost. Why? Because there was a divine assignment locked up in one man. Paul had to stand before Caesar not to speak his own words, but to declare the word of the Lord.

Many times, we expect God to go the extra mile for us—to make every path smooth, every situation comfortable, and everything work in our favor. Yet God is also looking for men and women who are willing to go the extra mile for Him.

"For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain." (Philippians 1:21)

May our lives be poured out as an offering to Him—not lives we hold tightly to for ourselves, but lives that Christ fully owns.

So, the question remains:

How far would you go for Jesus?

Would Jesus only be loud in your life when everything is going well?

Would you only follow Him as long as the path isn't narrow?

How far would you go for Jesus?

When we make these choices, God not only works in and through us, but He also extends His saving grace to those connected to our lives.

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Be careful of Shapeshifters.

A word came to my mind after a dream I had: "shape shifter." I began to wonder if it described the person I saw and the transformation that took place.

As I searched for its meaning, I discovered that a shape shifter is someone or something that has the ability to change form, often to deceive others. As I continued studying this, I came across this Scripture:

2 Corinthians 11:14

"And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light."

Beloved, a deceptive spirit has been released into the atmosphere. Its assignment is to derail God's children and lead them onto paths that God never designed for them.

These "shape shifters" can appear in the form of people, places, systems, opportunities, or even policies. Their goal is the same to deceive.

To live above this deception, you must guard your perception and sharpen your discernment. Be careful of those who present themselves as friends but reveal a different nature in your absence. Be watchful of those who appear to be light, yet are darkness in disguise.

Today, make it your prayer to ask the Lord to quicken your spirit and heighten your discernment, so that you may recognize deception and walk in His truth.

May God bless you and keep you in His wisdom.

Amen.

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What Is Resounding in Your Heart?

Recently, I have found myself praying this simple prayer:

"Lord, let my heart not stray. Let my heart not go ahead of You; instead, let it follow as You walk before me."

This has been my sincere prayer—not because I feel I have done something terribly wrong, but because I recognize the tendency of the human heart to desire things that are not aligned with the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

The tendency to say we've forgiven, yet our hearts continue to dwell on the hurt until it becomes evident that we haven't truly let go.

The tendency to hold tightly to every negative experience while allowing the countless positives to slip away unnoticed.

The tendency to forget the good and constantly replay the wrong.

Today, my dear God is questioning your heart as well as mine.

He is asking:

What is resounding in your heart?

"I don't just want you to come to Me; I want you to come with your heart."

Let your heart become the meeting place, because if God has your heart, He can shape your thoughts, influence your actions, and align your life with His will.

Jesus wants it all—your heart.

So, what is resounding in it?

Perhaps we don't truly know the depth of our own hearts. If we did, Scripture wouldn't say that "the heart is desperately wicked." 

"The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?"

— Jeremiah 17:9 (KJV)

Yet that same heart that has the capacity to hold such wickedness also has the capacity to carry extraordinary goodness—if only we allow the One who is the very definition of goodness to dwell within it.

I know you may want to say, "But I'm a good person." Yet instead of counting and recounting our goodness, can we simply pray:

"Lord, have my heart. Search through it until it is able to carry Your goodness, and until You alone are deeply rooted in me."

"I the LORD search the heart and examine the mind, to reward each person according to their conduct, according to what their deeds deserve."

 Jeremiah 17:10

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Do Not Move with the Idols from Your Father's House.

What is the need of holding on to idols in a place where God desires to work through you and in you?

It may be understandable if you left your father's house carrying some idols, but you must not continue to keep them. Through prayer and a conscious effort to change, those idols must be dealt with.

These idols may not always be physical objects. They can be harmful habits, sinful behaviors, unhealthy attitudes, or destructive patterns that are familiar in your family or bloodline. Although they weigh you down, you may struggle to let go of them, because most you cannot control.

We see this in the life of Rachel in Genesis 31:32–42. When Jacob was running from Leban's house, Rachel his second wife, secretly carried her father's household gods. When Laban searched for them, Rachel pretended not to know where they were. She had physically left her father's house, but she was still carrying what belonged to it.

Likewise, there are character traits, attitudes, and behavioral patterns that have no place in the destination God is taking you. Yes, you have come out of that environment, but you must ensure that the environment also comes out of you. Make a conscious decision not to carry those idols into the next season of your life. 

Beloved, do not move through life carrying the idols from your father's house. As God leads you through life's journey, be intentional about setting aside time for prayer, self-examination, and transformation. Remove everything that could disqualify you from the destiny God has prepared for you. 

So, what should we do?

Search your heart honestly. Examine yourself continually to see if there is anything within you that has the potential to hinder your walk with God or derail your purpose. Ask God to transform you, not only in your actions but also in your character, your thoughts, and your behavior.

God is not only interested in bringing you out of your troubled past, He wants to remove your past from within you and cause you to come into his good.

Stay revived!

Would You Choose to Become the Enemy's Tradesman?

If I were to conduct a poll with the question, "Would you choose to become the enemy's tradesman?" I would probably receive a resounding "No!" Simply because the question sounds evil. We can easily recognize the misalignment with the life Christ calls us to live.

Yet today, as I studied the book of Acts, these words became more glaring to me. Perhaps it is because, as I journey with God, He is continually transforming me into His image, while the enemy is seeking people who will trade in his goods and carry them into the marketplace.

I cannot knowingly buy what the enemy is selling. But what if his goods are disguised in garments we admire, garments we have not yet surrendered to Christ?

The strategy of hell is not only to deny us access to God's purpose. It is also to recruit people who unknowingly buy from and sell on its platform. When we are unaware of our misalignment, we cannot repent of what we do not recognize as wrong.

So, what have you been purchasing lately?

Every day we engage in a trade. God has set before us the trade of life or the trade of death. The level of understanding we possess determines which trade we choose and continue to invest in.

In Acts 19:38, Demetrius and his fellow tradesmen remind us that every tradesman represents something. As I reflected on this passage, I asked myself: What am I trading? Whose goods am I carrying?

If God were to take you on a journey through the marketplace called your life, what goods would He find stored in your warehouse?

Are you truly trading in the marketplace called life?

Do your decisions lead toward life, or do they quietly lead toward death?

Is there a need for a reroute?

David's heartfelt prayer was:

"Give me understanding, that I may live."

Perhaps that is one of the greatest equations of life:

Understanding = Life.

No understanding, no life.

Today, this is my prayer for the JJ's family:

"Lord, give us understanding, that we may live."

Stay Revived!

When the blessing is hidden in the pattern

Patterns often reveal the presence of a blessing. When you notice recurring events or situations within your bloodline, family, or across generations, it is important to pause and ask questions. Your ability to ask the right questions and seek God in prayer is what shuts the door to negative patterns and positions you to walk in His blessing.

We see this in the life of Isaac. Although his father was Abraham, and God had promised Abraham, "I will make you a father of many nations," the promised child did not come immediately. The pattern of waiting a long time for a child repeated itself in Isaac's life. Yet there was already an existing promise, which meant that the children would eventually come through him.

What Isaac understood was that a promise does not eliminate the need for prayer. God was looking for a heart that would not only believe the promise but also pray until it became a reality. We see this in Genesis 25:21, where Isaac pleaded with the Lord on behalf of his wife so that she would conceive.

Genesis 25:21 (NKJV):

"Now Isaac pleaded with the Lord for his wife, because she was barren; and the Lord granted his plea, and Rebekah his wife conceived."

The presence of patterns may indicate that there is a blessing attached to your life. However, for you to enter into its fullness, you must break free from the cycle of destructive patterns and step into God's promise.

What has God said to you? Do you see His word being manifested in your life? The manifestation of God's promises is closely connected to your alignment with Him in the place of prayer. Take His word back to Him. Pray over it, and allow Him to reveal truths about yourself and your family that you may never have known. As you remain steadfast in prayer, you position yourself to experience the fulfillment of His promises.

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What If God Asked for the Blessing?

What if God asked for the blessing? What if the very thing you have waited and prayed for over the years is the very thing He asks you to place back into His hands?

If I'm being honest, my human mind immediately thinks, "Lord, please ask for something else." But have you ever considered that when God asks for a blessing He has given you, or a seed He has placed in your hands, it is because there is a dimension of Himself He wants to reveal to you? He is inviting you into a deeper place of trust and obedience.

We see this in the life of our father Abraham.

Whenever I read Abraham's story, I cannot help but wonder, What kind of heart did this man have? In Genesis 22, when the Lord asked Abraham to offer Isaac, He specifically said, "Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love." God wasn't mistaken. He knew exactly who Isaac was to Abraham. He knew the years of waiting, the tears, the promises, and the joy that surrounded this miracle child.

Yet God asked Abraham to offer him as a burnt offering.

What amazes me even more is Abraham's response. Scripture records that he rose early the next morning and began his journey of obedience. There is no record of him arguing with God or delaying the instruction. Neither do we see him consulting Sarah. Sometimes there are sacrifices that, if shared with others too soon, may be met with discouragement rather than faith. This is why it is so important to know the voice of God for yourself.

The next move of God in your life is often connected to your obedience.

God is looking for men and women who are willing to trust Him completely, even when His instructions seem painful or beyond human understanding. Abraham's obedience led to one of the greatest covenant promises in Scripture. God swore by Himself and established a covenant with Abraham and his descendants. That covenant did not end with Abraham; we still see its impact today.

So I ask again:

What if God asked for the blessing?

What if He said, "Give Me that job. Give Me that career. Give Me that business. Give Me that relationship. Give Me that husband. Give Me that child."

Remember this: whenever God asks for something, it is never because He wants to leave you empty. It is because He desires to reveal a dimension of Himself that you have not yet encountered. Your obedience becomes the doorway to a greater revelation of His faithfulness, provision, and covenant.

May God give us hearts like Abraham's—hearts that trust Him completely, obey Him willingly, and believe that whatever is surrendered into God's hands is never truly lost.

God bless you.

Scripture Reference

Genesis 22:1–3

"Now it came to pass after these things that God tested Abraham, and said to him, 'Abraham!'

And he said, 'Here I am.'

Then He said, 'Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.'

So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son..."

Is Your Soul Whole?

Song of Songs 6:12

NKJV: "Before I was even aware, my soul had made me as the chariots of my noble people."

God's Word Translation: "I did not know that I had become like the chariots of my noble people."

Our soul has the tendency to shape who we become.

The soul is the seat of a person's mind, emotions, and will. When this part of us is wounded or injured, it has the tendency to lead us into becoming people who would never have made certain choices or walked certain paths.

This is why, when we ask the Lord to restore our soul, it is not a prayer born out of ignorance. It is because who we become—and what our lives ultimately reflect—depends greatly on the wholeness of our soul.

The Lord has deposited within our spirit great possibilities and divine opportunities, but many of these can only be accessed through a restored and whole soul.

So, let me ask:

Is your soul whole, Ese?

If you were to do a soul check today, would you discover that the recent disruptions in your life are actually the result of wounds your soul is still carrying?

Can this still be your heartfelt prayer?

"Lord, restore my soul."

Restore my soul so that I will not measure Your willingness to provide for me or answer my prayers by the rejection and denial I have received from people.

Restore my soul so that I will not carry the trust issues I have encountered on my journey into not only my future relationships but also my walk with You.

This is why soul restoration is necessary.

Just as we continually present our bodies and spirits to God, we must not neglect our souls.

Because a broken soul cannot journey well with a whole God.

Stay Revived!

Sarah Laughed too

How often do we laugh when God shows us what He intends to do in us and through us? How often do we ask, "How can this be?" when our present reality seems to contradict what the Lord is saying?

Genesis 18:12-13

Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, “After I have grown old, shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?” And the Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh, saying, ‘Shall I surely bear a child, since I am old?’

This is not a new experience. We see it in the life of Sarah, who laughed when God's message was delivered to her, that she would bear a son in her old age. Many times, I find myself asking the same question: "Lord, how can this be?"

Yet, as children of Abraham, God has called us to walk by faith. He calls us to take steps that align with His promises, even when we cannot yet see their fulfillment. The supernatural requires our faith and our prayers to manifest. It requires our willingness to obey instructions and build structures around the words God has spoken.

Today, I want to encourage you: everything the Lord has said He will do requires a response from you. Take steps of faith. Build structures around His word. Pray, believe, and wait for its manifestation.

Just as a seed must be planted and given time to germinate, God's promises often require patience and perseverance. Do not be discouraged if you do not see immediate results. Keep trusting, keep obeying, and keep building for as the earth remaineth seed, time and harvest will not seize.

God bless you.

A Heart Like Abraham's

Lately, as I have been reading about the journey of Father Abraham, I cannot help but wonder what kind of heart he had.

Imagine a man who woke up one day and received a simple yet life-altering instruction from God: "Leave your father's house." And he did. Scripture records no hesitation, no negotiation, and no indication that he ever returned to the life he left behind. He simply obeyed.

Abraham was not only a man of vision; he was a man of faith. He was willing to build for a future he would never fully see. He obeyed God's instructions, followed through with unwavering trust, and became a recipient of divine promises and covenants that would shape generations.

Even today, we continue to see the evidence of one man's walk with God.

«"I will make you a great nation;

I will bless you

And make your name great;

And you shall be a blessing."

 Genesis 12:2»

As I reflected on Abraham's life, a thought settled deeply in my heart:

The next move of God that you desire to see may be hidden within an instruction you have neglected.

God desires to work in us and walk with us, but He will not force His will upon us. Partnership with God begins with agreement. To agree with Him is to adopt a posture of "yes"—a willingness to obey every instruction, even when the outcome is not yet visible.

It means being willing to place the seed in the ground before seeing the harvest. It means building for a future you may never witness in your lifetime, yet remaining fully convinced that what God has spoken, He is faithful to accomplish.

Abraham lived with that conviction. He trusted God beyond what he could see, and his obedience became the foundation for generations to come.

Today, I encourage you to search your heart and ask the Lord to give you a heart like Abraham's—a heart that trusts completely, obeys willingly, and remains steadfast even when the promise seems far away.

May we become people who say "yes" to God, knowing that every instruction carries within it the potential for His divine purpose to unfold.

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The Devil Wants a Harvest in You

These words came to my mind while I listened to a message, and they fit perfectly into the recent study I’ve been doing. It’s very easy to point out the failures of Adam, Eve, Ananias and Sapphira, and Judas Iscariot, but we never look inward to confront the part of us that reflects the brokenness we see in them.

What if, just like Peter when the devil demanded to sift him, the Lord said, “But I am praying for you”? Those words remind us that Satan constantly seeks to corrupt the seeds inside us and reproduce his agenda through us.

He wants us to become carriers of his agenda, but he never shows up with a label. Subtly, he plants seeds in our hearts and watches them yield an unlimited harvest.

It’s easy to read these words and think, “Surely this isn’t for me.” But what if, to Ananias and Sapphira, it wasn’t “a sin,” it was just “my property”? Yes, Satan plants seeds of deception in our hearts, but he also finds the loophole: the soil that can hold the seeds he wants to sow.

Our constant posture shouldn’t be defense, but surrender. Surrender ourselves to the workings of the Lord, because most times we don’t even realize that this, in itself, is sin against God.

God wants to birth His agenda through us, and so the enemy seeks to birth his agenda in us.  

Would you let him find his way?  

Would you consciously ask the Lord to search your heart, even in the places where you’ve built a wall? Break it open and let Him give you His life.

Because we cannot be ignorant of the devices of the crafty...  (2 Cor 2:11 - so that we would not be outwitted by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his designs.)

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Have We Neglected the House of God?

Nehemiah 10:39 says:

"For the children of Israel and the children of Levi shall bring the offering of the grain, of the new wine and the oil, to the storerooms where the articles of the sanctuary are, where the priests who minister and the gatekeepers and the singers are; and we will not neglect the house of our God."

As I read this passage in Nehemiah, one statement struck me deeply: "We will not neglect the house of our God."

I began to ponder what it truly means to neglect the house of God. Is there a posture I can take that signals to heaven that I do not regard God? Could there be attitudes, actions, or patterns of speech that reveal a lack of honor for His dwelling place?

As I reflected further, I realized that we are no longer in the days when God primarily dwelt in physical temples made by human hands. Through Christ Jesus, God now resides in us.

The Apostle Paul reminds us in 1 Corinthians 3:16:

"Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?"

If we are now God's temple, then the question becomes: How do we honor this temple He has given us?

Honoring God's Temple

Honoring the temple begins with caring for it both physically and spiritually.

When we study the book of Exodus, we see the detailed instructions God gave Moses concerning how Aaron and the priests were to approach His presence. There were protocols regarding cleanliness, preparation, clothing, and reverence. These instructions reveal a principle: God desires that His people approach Him with honor and respect.

This means that our bodies matter to God. It is not only our spirits that we present before Him; we also present our bodies. We should therefore care for ourselves, maintain cleanliness, rest adequately, eat properly, and steward our health wisely.

The Danger of Defiling the Temple

Scripture warns us against joining what belongs to God with what is contrary to His will. Sexual intimacy was designed by God to be expressed within the covenant of marriage. Outside of God's design, it often leaves emotional, spiritual, and even psychological wounds.

Many people have experienced significant changes in their lives following ungodly relationships or sexual encounters. Brokenness, confusion, and spiritual oppression can often be traced back to violations of God's divine order.

God's instructions are never meant to restrict us but to protect the precious treasure He has placed within us.

Protecting the Good God Placed Within You

When God created man and woman, He declared His creation "good." Yet He did not stop there. He blessed them and commanded them:

"Be fruitful, multiply, and replenish the earth."

This reveals God's intention for humanity—to multiply His goodness throughout the earth.

The enemy understands this, which is why he constantly seeks to attack the good that God has deposited within every believer. His objective is to corrupt, weaken, or destroy the potential God has placed inside us.

Neglecting the temple of God is therefore more than simply failing to attend a church building. It can be any posture of disobedience, ignorance, or carelessness that damages the work of God within us and hinders the expression of His goodness through our lives.

Living as Carriers of God's Presence

Everything God created has protocols that govern how it relates to Him. Scripture tells us that God feeds the birds of the air. If God makes provision for the birds, how much more does He care for those He has chosen to dwell within?

We are not merely people trying to survive after the fall of man. We are living temples of the Holy Spirit.

Because of this, we should carry ourselves in a way that allows the Holy Spirit to reveal Himself through us. We must steward our lives well physically, emotionally, and spiritually.

Take care of yourself. Bathe regularly. Eat well. Rest adequately. Stay healthy. Grow spiritually. Spend time in prayer and in God's Word. Follow God's protocols and depend on His grace to help you walk in obedience.

When we do this, we demonstrate that we have not neglected the house of God, for we recognize that we ourselves are His dwelling place.

Stay Revived!

Scriptures for Meditation

1 Corinthians 3:16

"Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?"

The Enemy Wants Your Mind

Recently, I began a study that started with a simple thought about Judas Iscariot—the most renowned betrayer of all time. As I read more about him, I found myself wondering: Did Judas ever truly accept the message of redemption, despite being so close to the Master?

Why did he choose his own way despite his proximity to the Truth? He constantly heard and received the words that flowed from the heart of the Messiah, yet he still turned away.

This led me to a sobering realization: we can submit our bodies, our actions, and even our service to God, yet never fully surrender our minds. That is why Scripture calls us to the renewing of our minds. Without a surrendered mind, transformation cannot take place.

The mind is exactly what Satan is after. He seeks to flood our thoughts with his ideas, planting seeds that he carefully cultivates until they produce fruit contrary to the will of God.

This is the same strategy the enemy used with Ananias and Sapphira. Peter's question to Ananias reveals the true battleground:

"Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit?" (Acts 5:3)

Satan wants to fill our hearts and minds with ideas of deception, compromise, and double standards. He whispers, "You can have it both ways." He seeks to lure us into complacency and make our hearts fertile ground for his agenda.

Acts 5:3 (God's Word Translation):

"Peter asked, 'Ananias, why did you let Satan fill you with the idea that you could deceive the Holy Spirit? You've held back some of the money you received for the land.'"

God does not merely want us to recognize Satan's tactics; He wants us to develop a counter-strategy. We must combat the enemy through a continual posture of surrender and declarations rooted in God's truth.

Declare:

- Satan, you will not fill my mind with your ideas.

- You will not fill my heart with your desires.

- You will not fill my heart with your thoughts.

- My heart is submitted to the will of Christ.

- I will do the will of Christ.

- Righteousness is the path I have chosen.

- I refuse you.

- I rebuke you.

- I silence your voice.

Do not hide Satan's deception behind your weaknesses. Expose it, confront it, and choose God's reality over the enemy's lies.

Stay Revived!

A moment in time

The disciples were called Christians because they lived and looked like Christ. Oftentimes, we hold on to the notion that we are Jesus' baby,  both male and female, but we fail to realize that the disciples were followers of Christ not only in name but also in speech and lifestyle.

Therefore, the message, "Be imitators of Christ," is not written or preached simply because it sounds good or pleasant to hear. It is a daily call to be conscious of our speech, actions, and lifestyle so that whatever we do on earth points people back to Christ.

Scripture says:

Luke 4:5 – "Then the devil, taking Him up on a high mountain, showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time."

In this passage, we see the vision encounter Jesus had with Satan, where he was shown all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. In other words, Satan presented before Him everything the world had to offer and attempted to entice Him with authority over it all.

This was a temptation with the capacity to alter the entire narrative of the Gospel if Jesus had fallen.I can almost imagine Jesus thinking, "My Father is the Creator of all these kingdoms, I am the word, I govern the affairs of men. Who are you to offer Me what already belongs to Me? I created it all." It's tricky how Satan still uses this foxish character today, what we think is just one off, changes the trangentry of a person's life.

A moment in time

A moment in time can be that opportunity that looks attractive because you think no one will ever know if you steal the money. It can be the temptation to commit adultery or engage in sexual immorality. A moment in time can be that decision you know God is not in, yet you expect Him to overlook it and put his blessing in it.

It can be the hardness of heart that blinds you to the efforts of a spouse who is genuinely trying to make the marriage work. A moment in time has the power either to align us with God's will or to derail us from it.

The reality is that in such moments, we are always presented with choices—the way of life or the way of destruction.

A moment in time can also be reflected in how you manage the resources God has placed in your hands. Can God trust you with greater financial resources, or would the riches of this world pull your heart away from Him?

It takes nothing for God to change the story of a person's life in a moment. However, when you are brought to the table of decision in that moment, make sure you choose life.

The moments that define destiny are often brief, but their consequences can last a lifetime. Therefore, remain conscious, remain watchful, and remain committed to living a life that reflects Christ in every decision you make.

Stay Revived!