The Oscar Ajoku Blog: Daily Vitamin Devotional

The account of the instructions of God to Jeremiah gives us a clue to what God expects of us in life. In His words to the prophet at the time of his call, the Lord said to him, "Do not be terrified by them, or I will terrify you before them" (Jer 1:17 NIV). These words reveal to us how much God hates it when we second-rate Him, thereby rating our fears higher than our trust in Him. In other words, He is saying 'if you won't trust me, then why don't I just give you what you trust is coming your way'. If despite all God has said concerning how He cares about us, and will save us, we still neglect Him by exalting our fears more, we literally tell Him He doesn't have the power we need right now- and that mindset, my friend, disgusts Him. God seeks a people that would look straight into the eyes of the dreadliest problem and yet still choose to trust His words above the tension it conveys. He seeks those who would humble themselves before Him, trembling at His

DAILY VITAMIN   "Let thy work appear unto thy servant, and thy glory unto their children" (Ps 90:16). From the above, we can see that works are complementary to servants as glory is to children. The scripture here reveals that the best mere servants can get from God are just His works- evidences of His power. It may seem good right, but look at what the children get- Glory. Those who seek to attain the glory prepared by God for them must learn to grow in their stewardship to Him from the basis of servanthood to that of sonship and daugthership. Being a child-His child is the only assurance that we have an inheritance awaiting us....in this world and His to come. Remember like Jesus said 'the bread are prepared only for the children'(Mk 7:27); and that's why God's desire for us is to move up the ladder from mere workers and servants of God to a plane where we can live as children of God. To the plane of those who have an inheritance from Him, bred in Him, dire

Another covenant we can hold on to of God is that of his reliability. When to moses he said i am that i am, he was literally i wiill be all i said i would. You can count on me. His faithfulness is more constant than pi. You can rely on him. Christianity is only complete when there is a full reliance on God through Jesus Christ. Reliance for our salvation, sustenance, and satisfaction; without which we wouldn't have gotten to the pinnacle of faith in Him. In response, God freely makes Himself available to those who put no confidence in the flesh, but wait upon Him for their every morning dew of refreshment. He has a solemn vow to always be reliable to those who are reliant on Him If we are willing to learn from Him, we will understand all we need to overcome the obstacles surrounding us. Daniel understood from the scriptures that the set time had come (9:2). Solomon knew that in seeking God we understand all that is right for us and from us (pro 28:5). God desires we depend on Him

DAILY VTAMIN - Pursue Purpose With Zest Until You Fulfil It  Greatness is established where purpose meets diligence, dedication and determination. That is, know your purpose and pursue it unswervingly until its accomplishment is realized. The most important thing to you should be your purpose; and this is because our destiny is characterized in our purpose for living. Thus, if there is anything you should crave passion for in order to fulfil, it must be your purpose. Your  purpose is who you are. It is your inherent program in-and towards-life. It is the only phase of your life that gives you a sense of fulfilment and completeness. And to show the inanimosity of the need to chase purpose with all we are, Paul retorted as it pertains to this subject, saying, "So i run straight to the goal with purpose in every step. I fight to win. I'm not just shadow boxing or playing around" (1 Cor 9:26). God created man for His pleasure and purpose; and this accomplishment of purpose

DAILY VITAMIN You know it's funny how people react when you tell them about hell; and thus begin to wonder about what their rudimentary knowledge of hell is. You tell a guy that his present amoral actions according to scripture would lead him to hell, and he just shrugs off your opinion, and responds with the most amusing yet confused belief i've ever heard: "That ain't a problem to me; the party continues in hell". Such a response usually begs the question-from you to them: "Why do you want to go to hell?". Did anyone ever tell you that people dance all night long in hell? Well they lied. God describes the state of hell in only about 4 characteristics- and dancing wasn't one of them. He calls it a place of 1)weeping, 2) wailing, 3) gnashing of teeth, 4) a place where the worms of torment never die. So, in case you ever thought that hell is a place where you continue dancing with rhythmic movements where we left off on earth, then you have been dece

DAILY VITAMIN Today's note is from one of my  favourite Willie Jolley's broadcasts: "Your attitude is more important than the facts. Many times we face problems that seem insurmountable or we have circumstances in our lives that we cannot change. Well, our attitudes are much more important than the facts. The fact is that Stevie Wonder was born blind, but his attitude was, 'so what? I am not going to let that keep me from being great'. Spud Webb was born short, but his attitude was that he was not going to let his stature limit how far he was going to go. He won the dunk contest for the National Basketball Association. Helen Keller was born blind and deaf, in a time when they would cast those with disabilities into institutions, but she became one of the greatest women of all times. Friends, there are certain facts in your life that cannot be changed, but your attitude can overcome those facts. You can go on to do great things". So there you have it: It'

DAILY VITAMIN The Lord desires-and demands-absolute obedience from all who are called His people at all times. In fact, obedience is the greatest pathway to the heart of God. In every thing He gives, He makes a priority of all who obey Him. This is to say that before God pours a blessing on a man because he engaged in a spiritual exercise, He has blessed the man who obeys His every word. And so we can say that obedience is the most paramount christian-even human-virtue. Remember, the Holy Spirit is given to them who OBEY Him (see Acts 5:32). Faith works by obedience; because the blessing of God is not in believing alone, but in doing all He demands of us (Luke 11:28). See also John 2:5, how the faith of the stewards were assessed by their compliance to the words "Whatever He tells you to do, do it". Even love is perfected in obedience. "If you love me, keep my commands" (John 14:15). Furthermore, obedience moves God's hands to implement all He promised with His

DAILY VITAMIN SEE THE BIGGER PICTURE#2  Like i insinuated the last time, where you are now is more than enough for God to take you higher if you'd just keep doing all He wants you to. And remember, once you get there, it remains paramount that you keep it all about doing His will first. Everywhere God places us is to facilitate the accomplishment of His purposes. That is to say that your being in a room full of somewhat different folks- towards the negative side- is to help them get better, because that is His purpose for all mankind. Your being rich or super smart is to help the world around you that needs that kind of talent and grace. However, if we refuse to do what is demanded of our position, He'll find someone else to do it. When the pharisees complained to Jesus about why He should be praised on His entry to Jerusalem, He recanted, saying that, if they stopped, the stones will immediately pick off from where they left off. Mordecai told Esther that she was made queen

DAILY VITAMIN SEE THE BIGGER PICTURE#1  God always has a reason for putting us where He places us. The method of getting us there may not be pleasant, yet it is all for a good purpose. Like gold, we may not like the heat of the fire, but it is still the same fire that makes gold, and will make us. With Joseph, it was slavery. With David, it was vagrancy. These are circumstances worthy of panicking, but they knew and trusted in God's bigger picture of the whole situation. So, let me tell you that it is not self deception to believe that that slum-like situation you're in is only your temporal abode, because He has much bigger plans for you. I'm also telling you not to judge the book of your life by the cover, because God has some pretty great things written in its chapterly anecdotes. It is not a crime to revel in optimism towards God's plans for your life even when there are no visible signs to encourage that idea; it is the right thing to do and the truth. Look at wh

DAILY VITAMIN Ralph Waldo Emerson made a remarkable quote that should keep the fire burning within you to attain regardless of how life's circumstances seem to detain your dreams. He said, "The whole course of things goes to teach us faith. We need only obey. There is guidance for each of us, and by lowly listening we shall hear the right word". Permit me to tell you that every thing going on right now that sort of try to usurp your positivity mindset is simply a weighing balance to measure up how much you truly believe in your achieving that dream. In that quote, he suggests that all you need do in this situation is to obey the principles that have worked for so long; and if you keep on, you will find what you seek. Never get discouraged, keep believing in what you anticipate to receive soon; for without faith, there can't be heroes- that is why like Abraham they are called heroes of faith. Keep walking in that belief, that it will all unravel itself into your desir

DAILY VITAMIN One of the most beautiful attributes of God is that, unlike men, He is ever reliable. God doesn't promise to help and then fail to. More so, He doesn't see a man in need of help, and just pass by. Before any man can claim the role of the 'good Samaritan', God has always been the Good Lord. Jesus, speaking to the wearied band of persons that listened to His sermon, said "I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now continued with Me three days" (Mk 8:2). He was concerned about them so much that He couldn't send them back empty. In the same way, God never sends us back as empty as we came when we come with all of our heart (see Jer 29:13). He ensures that we are filled to the brim with His goodness. God doesn't leave us the same way we come to Him, He makes us better. The Bible says that He is the sort of High Priest who feels exactly how we feel, and provides a means for us to obtain grace to help in time of need (see Heb 4:1

DAILY VITAMIN Never serve God only for the sake of a miracle, you may never get it; because it means that once you get it, you are gone. No one who God values can ever get His hand before His person..... His major aim is always to reveal His person to us; and so to keep us in Him, He will never give us just His gifts, but His entire person first.  God doesn't want to be your genie, He wants to be your Father. Hence, serve God because it is the most necessitated truth to; and when we do this, we flow in abundant miracles. Miracles are the byproducts of service to God; and the fruits of choosing Him first. In Exodus 23:25-26, God said "Ye shall serve me, and I shall bless thy bread and water....., and I will take sickness from the midst of thee......and the number of thy days will I fulfil". The simplest way to getting all our needs met is to serve God sincerely; and when i say serve God, i don't mean serve Him only for what He can do, but firstly for who He is. Nobody

DAILY VITAMIN Never believe those self-deprecating feelings that tell you you can't amount to anything great in life. Feelings are inconsistent. What you see, hear and fear influences it. The only consistent thing is what God's word says. So believe the word that says you can, and not the feeling that you can't. You can be just as great as you want to be; all God demands is that you do all He points out as a prerequisite, and that you do it trusting Him all the way. In fact, every time i've had a new note to put up here, there's always a feeling that says it won't make a bit of an impact, but in shaking that false feeling off and putting up that note, i realize it does make more than just a bit of impact. Similarly, your feelings will tell you you may flop if you try singing, or in giving that important presentation; but your job is to shake off that feeling and stick to what God says about it, and He says you can do all things. God believes you can do anything

DAILY VITAMIN Life is going to keep hitting us so hard as though it knows we are going to break at some point, yet it's our job to refuse to get broken. No matter how it bends you, decide to never break. And how do you do this? By consistently stretching yourself to see the somewhat faint light in that dark tunnel where you find yourself presently. Keep your eyes on that light. Remind yourself of how great a future lies ahead of you, and how a single compromise against staying steadfast in that vision can ruin it all. Many a person have destroyed his prospect of attaining greatness all because he chose to faint when it was demanded of him to remain firm. Joseph had every reason to be broken- since he was in a confinement for more than a decade- but he kept his eye on the promise, and left his eyes there with corresponding works until he got its realities. I would be a liar if i told you that there wouldn't be any challenges on your way this year, but whether you back out or yo

DAILY VITAMIN In case you've never appreciated the words "God cares for your soul", you should today. In those few words, you can affirm that God is ardently concerned about you. He cares about your eternal sentence immensely that He gave Jesus to take up all your every wrong that you may have access by faith to this grace of a blissful life without end in His kingdom. He also cares about your present life that He gives Himself daily to serve in guiding you in your every day life. He loves your soul and every other part of you. He's concerned about how you feel daily- little wonder why He instructs us to think on goodly and pure things (Phil 4:8) so as to abate negativism and depressing feelings out of our persons; He cares about your relationships, your health, your education and in fact your every chore; and wants to be involved in every single detail of your life. God doesn't just want to save you and take you to heaven while you live a miserable life on the e

DAILY VITAMIN God's work for us starts from within. When He promises to bless us, He's actually planning to make us a blessing- that way, our only end product would be the same blessings we desire upon our lives. The Bible states that God will supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus (Phil 4:19). However, it never stated that He will bring the solutions to these needs to our doorsteps while we sit still, rather i would like to believe that instead He gives us the capacity to procure the solutions. That is, rather than build a blessing for us, He builds us to attain blessedness. And here's why: "That He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man" (Eph 3:16)....for the reason "that you may be filled with the fullness of God" (vs 19). So, with God, every blessing begins from inside-out. He doesn't just give us a blessing, He builds the capacity in

DAILY VITAMIN Facing whatever opportunity that comes our way this year as we should is another key to burst forth into the promised manifestation. Well, one may say 'Are you kidding? We do that every day; that's how we've survived so far'. Yes, you have. But have you also noticed how you act differently towards differently placed opportunities - taking for granted the ones with little or no sign of promise, and putting all efforts in what you've humanly calculated as "the chance". Well, we all do it; but if we are going to end on the high this year, we have to debar signs and give each opportunity equal attention and vigour, because we never know which one bears the seed that yields our harvest. In Matt 16, the religious leaders demanded a sign to believe Him, but Jesus refused, recanting 'no sign would be given except that of Jonah'. Now, if Jonah had taken God's first opportunity to go to Nineveh seriously, he wouldn't have had an ordeal

DAILY VITAMIN ¤ GET MOTIVATED I once heard about the story of a certain man. He was rich, adventurous, and had a huge chateaux to show for it. In his backyard, he had a pool, and in it he had all varieties of wild animals ranging from sharks, crocodiles and alligators etc. This rich man organized a party, and set a bet that whoever could swim from one end of the pool to the other would receive whatever he desired from him. Before anyone could say jack, everyone saw a splash of water with a guy in the pool, dribbling as best as he could past all the sharks and gators. In no time he was out of the pool. The rich man ran all perplexed towards him, shocked at how easily he had performed the task; and as reward asked him what he wanted him to do for him. The man in question said, "what i want more than anything in the world is the name of the man who pushed into the water". Many of us are like that fellow; and this is another reason why superheroes' movies are somewhat borin

DAILY VITAMIN ¤ Appreciation Is The Key To Keep Friend-Ships Sailing  When you have friends, treat them well. If you can't heal the entire world with your love, at least God has given you a circle of people to whom you can always share this love with, and some of these people are what we call friends. They may not always deserve it, but it's our responsibility to reserve unfailing love for them, because that's what friends do. Jesus did that for us, and He calls us friends. Friends care; Friends share; Friends show concern. And even when we take a look at the number one friendship in scripture- David and Jonathan, we'd realize that they had these going and more. Remember, there are friends that stick as close as siblings; and since almost all of us have them, we will only do well to appreciate them. Don't worry, today is not Friend's day or anything; I'm only taking the time to say this because there are a whole lot of people i haven't been the perfect

DAILY VITAMIN -Learning Is Your Life's Way Of Earning  Unlike rubber, the mind once stretched by new ideas and inspiration can never return to its original position. The knowledge we feed on make us, and eventually make our lives outcome. In fact, man was made to survive by knowledge; for as scriptures say, people perish for lack of knowledge. To attain success, you must be willing to stretch your mind to acquire new ideas that push you to reach deeper within yourself to pursue your dreams. Like i once said in one of these notes - get inspired. Let the thought of all you can advice inspire you to do more and get more. Keep learning better ways to improve yourself. I've been writing these notes for almost six years now, and no matter how impactful they seem to get, i still rate them at better, so that i have enough room to reach my best. No matter how successful you may be now, keep getting inspired to continue pushing to accomplish more. Remember, if you don't act on life