The Oscar Ajoku Blog: Daily Vitamin Devotional

DAILY VITAMIN - How To Keep Your Joy  Joy, just like any other emotion, is a choice we must trigger consciously for it to have its fullest effect; Such that we can't just sit and expect to feel joyous at a certain time of the day. It is a virtue that requires conscious engagement to materialize. It is a choice for all, but a duty to those who serve God. By God's own verdict, every single one who lives in Him must possess this unique quality; and why is that? This is because the strength of everyone who dwells in Him is found in joy (Neh 8:10). Having this knowledge, the enemy lives with one target in mind- which is to steal our joy. The bad health, the unsuccessful mortgage, the rejected offer and the simple delays are only meant to kill every bit of joy in us. This he does because he knows that a joyless believer has nothing in common with God, and if nothing similar with God, then can never be able to possess all God naturally commands. So the key to survive this malignancy

DAILY VITAMIN  You don't need people's approval to feel worth something. All you need is what God has to say about you. What we call reputation is the people's assumption about you, so not everyone is going to think you are who God says you are. Even Jesus in His days on earth had some calling Him the messiah and others calling Him a demoniac and a mere carpenter from Nazareth, and He didn't feel any lesser about Himself because He knew God called Him Son. You don't have to let people drive you into thinking you have no value; and nowadays there are many bad people who want you feeling sad because they are to and want you down because that's where they are. You are precious to God, and so you have to think precious to God. Furthermore, it's your word against theirs. No one can make you feel bad without your permission. No one can tell you who you are unless you agree with them. Jesus said the world won't accept you. So you don't have to squirm becau

DAILY VITAMIN  The words we speak and the thoughts we give ourselves to are the two major defining tools of our lives. David knew this, and so he prayed that the words of his mouth and his meditations be acceptable (Ps 19:14). Our daily meditations and expressions go a long way in determining the outcome of our lives. That is, they can either make a future for us or mar that which we already have. Once God has you saved, the next thing He does is to redefine your mind. This He does because while you might be saved, the sustenance of it depends on the things you harbour acceptably within the inner closet of your soul. Little wonder why in one part Paul advised we focus our minds on the things of Christ (Col 3:2), and in another He instructs that we never conform to the world's thought pattern but be renewed in mind by God's Spirit (Rom 12:2); showing us that whatever happens to our minds happens to our lives. Such that if your mind is filled with positives, you stand a big chan

DAILY VITAMIN  The influence of God upon a man is what makes him a force to be reckoned with. Our efforts are important since God made man to work when He placed him to tend the garden, yet it's not his best effort that makes the radicle sprout out from the dying seed, it's God's doing. So we must know that before it is us, it must first be God. Our advancement in life is a function of God's hand over us. 'Not by power nor might, but His Spirit' (Zech 4:6). God is the only indivisible factor in life that cannot be altered or hindered by circumstances. Thus, it becomes wisdom to do as the Psalmist did. On the spot, he made a new covenant with himself, that no matter what happened, only God shall guide him. Not himself, not circumstances. Not primarily best efforts or worst efforts, because if God guides us to a state of renown, then we'd rather have Him lead than have us lead (Ps 48:14). Hence, we may not be where we want to be; circumstances may stand as on

DAILY VITAMIN  Sometimes，it's all about just seeing the bigger picture， relying on His words in Jer 29:11. "I(God) alone know the plans I have for you, plans to bring you prosperity and not disaster, plans to bring about the future you hope for" (GNB).  You know, if you can confidently live on those words, nothing would ever make you feel sad. Why? Because in the midst of chaos, all you would see would be awaiting order. In the midst of shredded hopes, you would see things falling into place; all because God has placed Himself in a bond to do so if you would let. You would realize that though the problem transversed through your life, but that's the only place it is bound for- through. It's not staying. Comprehension of the same would help you understand that the things that are now aren't what would continually be, but what God says would be; and He says good things, peaceful things and a hope filled future. A rock won't always remain a rock; in due time

DAILY VITAMIN  Praising God even in the midst of a storm tells a lot about you. In fact, it completes your resume before God. Just so you know: God's greatest delight is always to find someone who would stick to Him not for the gifts He offers, but for the Person He is. As similar as it is to our secular relationships where we all seek someone who would stay with us not for what we have but for who we are, so it is also with God. When God sees us trust Him, praise Him, and believe Him despite our unpleasant circumstances, it reveals a lot to Him; like for instance how we are not just there for the gift but for the Giver, not for the made but for the Maker, not for the gold but for the God. When God called David a man after His own heart, it was for the very reason that before David sought a benefit, he sought God's heart (will). Before he lifted up his need, he lifted up his arms (in worship). Even on the day his son died, knowing fully well that God was involved, instead of p

In this short message, I elaborate on the need to have some sort of influence with people, and how to do so. Not to manipulate them, but surprisingly to help them. One way or the other, we either influence someone or else we are influenced ourselves. So, the power of influence cannot be undermined. Like I said in the first sentence, the ability to influence people is a vital skill in the real world. You see, I have read many books, and many times I find myself wishing I had met them while they lived ; and for those who are still alive, I hope to meet them sooner than the present. That long lasting impression that these writers have on me is what you call influence. And my friend, it's imperative we work at it to fill such position in the hearts of others if we really desire a long lasting legacy. Feel free to download and enjoy. How To Win Influence With People

DAILY VITAMIN  Paul, with little verbosity, would write to the Galatian church, "Carry one another's burden; in the way you will fulfil the law of Christ" (Gal 6:2 HCSB). Christ's love in us is measured [by Him] in how much we love God, and how much we love each other- which are the two great commandments. Other than this, the well being of society slightly depends on our reactions to our needs, and hugely on our reactions to the needs of others. The fellow who made the airplane didn't make it all because he wanted to quit road travel to move by air alone, rather because he saw a faster means of transport all could relish. In fact, i'm almost sure Faraday never enjoyed constant electric power as we do today since he died by it. Thus, history proves that development is born when selfishness is terminated, and sincere lookout for one another is borne in the hearts of men. This is the law of Christ: that you love me as much as you love you, and i do too to you a

DAILY VITAMIN  One very special attribute of God evident in man-even you and I-if we let it is the ability to make a reality from within. Jesus, in almost every conversation with someone in need of a miracle, always said 'According to your faith, let it be'. That's like saying let your physical life become exactly what you just pictured it to be. He literally gives us the audacity to determine the texture of our lives by what we decide to believe and see as possible as a result. And so now, it then becomes impossible for a man to arrive at a future he'd never seen. What am I trying to say? Just like God, we must learn to continue to see the reality of our expectations within until we see it real without. We have our example of God in Romans 4:17. Regardless of what you want to become in the nearest or farthest future, the chance that they are going to materialize is optimized only when you can see yourself as such in your mind and spirit. That reality has to consume yo

DAILY VITAMIN  One of the evidences of doubt is fear. A simple expose we give to the evil one to let him know that we are not 100% assured of what God has said regarding our lives is the symptom of fear we exhibit from time to time. Let's say God has said He would never leave you hungry, and yet because you can't find the groceries you need to make dinner four hours before time you simply start entertaining thoughts about if the promise was just not meant for that day. Every form of fear is a form of doubt towards GOD, and every form of doubt is simple distrust in Him. Now, there are some problems in our lives at the moment that will never go away no matter how hard we pray. Not because we aren't praying well or believing well, but because God has a momentary purpose for it. All He expects of us is to trust Him without fear, knowing that the ordeal won't be our inheritance for life (Gen 15:4). This we clearly see in the life of Abraham. All he did to pass the test that

DAILY VITAMIN  It wouldn't be new to say God loves you. Though it may sound cliche, but it's been definitely checked and found to be true. To prove the extent of His love for us, He first poses the question of 'Who, then, can separate us from the love of Christ?' (Roman 8:35). I clearly believe that He was referring more to the love coming from His side than that from ours. He loves us that much; and here's how He describes it: He said ' Trouble can't do it, neither can hardship nor persecution nor hunger, poverty, danger nor death'. I believe He's saying that even in our deepest troubles when it seems as though we're alone, He loves us yet and continually remains right there with us if we'll just realize it. Even when things get hard or in the midst of danger or when trapped in the circle of death, He would always love us; and He would do what any lover would- give Himself all over for us again. My prayer is that you begin July with the unt

DAILY VITAMIN  Impact is one choice-of-a-product of a man's life that has the ability to survive longer than he may ever do. It always lives beyond the doer. Legacies are borne from it, likewise memoirs and every other awesome memory people may have of us years after we cease to exist. The ability to bring positive influence to people's lives is an attribute every man should strive for; because with such great an influence, a man never dies. A man is not dead when he yet lives in the hearts of millions, he only changed his form of existence. This we see in Jesus who now lives in the hearts of multitudes, forever sitted in glory at the right hand of God. So, the watchword today is to strive to make impact as best as you can. The old lady who you spend a little time with at the hospice every now and then will never forget those minutes you made her feel important again- in that her conversations were strongly desired. The lad you convinced can change the world when he's in d

DAILY VITAMIN  If something matters to you, it matters to God. That's how so great He knits Himself to all who love Him. By His undeserved grace, we share in His glory, just as we also share in His stripes according to Paul's letter. However, the impeccable thing about this sequence is that He also shares in our glory as humans as well as our stripes as men. He cares for us that much. He's saying that 'you might think you're alone, but I'm here. You may not see Me, but I see you'. Personally, i believe if we'd just stop for a minute in our numerous worries when things are cut-throat unpleasant, and just listen, we'd hear God's footsteps everywhere we go, because He never leaves us alone. Jesus, before ascending, said "I am with you always even to the end of the world" (Matt 28:20). That means His love towards those who hope in Him are timeless and limitless both in life and death. Hence, if you are a person who sincerely trusts God, th

DAILY VITAMIN  Hardwork creates the platform for success, but it is wisdom that assures it. To get things done as appropriate as possible, working hard isn't enough, we must learn to work wise. A story is told of two lumberjacks who were both given 7 hours to bring down a huge tree each. While the first fellow kicked off immediately striking his blade against the hard-barked tree, the other sat on the floor sharpening his. This went on for 4 hours; and after that the second fellow began his. At the end of the 7th hour, the second fellow had fallen a tree, while the first who had been hitting since the 1st hour still had more to do to bring it down. The secret was that while the first man kept using a blunt blade, thinking longer time would make it work sharper than it was, the second fellow used his first hours to ensure he had his working equipment at closely 100% efficiency. In simple terms, the second engaged more wisdom than mere hardwork, and broke every barrier of hardluck.

DAILY VITAMIN  Confucius said "Success is not in never falling, but in rising every time you fall". In our pursuit of the better life, there will always be times when we fall short, or- in terms men use- fail. However, that's not a problem. Like they say, a man is not measured by how long he stands, but how fast he rises whenever he falls. Man is yet imperfect, and because of this not-so-perfect nature he is bound for some falls- be it in his daily enterprises or emotional hookups. Nevertheless, there is a mandate for us to strive to attain near perfection, at least if not certainly perfect; and one way of achieving that is to stand up every time we fall short. In fact, our success rates are measured by the number of times we rise and blossom better than before; and that's why a true success story never seems complete without a time in which a backlog/setback occurred. Hence, you might have had failed acquaintances with people in the past, that doesn't make you a

DAILY VITAMIN  All God has sought for throughout the centuries, through the mass population of the civilized and the non-civilized, the generations of the wise and the simpleton, and through the grim marshes of the tropics and the plain temperate regions, is a people. From the days of Adam to the day when you and I stood with our hearts searching for a source of hope, God has been standing right there in front of mankind saying 'I'm here, I'm it'. For a long time coming, He has been seeking a group to share His person with, a people to grant His royal inheritance to, a people to share a walk with every time He steps a foot on our familiar routes. However, while on His part He has made up His mind to draw in as many as desire to stand where He does by His Son, the onus falls back on us to do the walking towards Him. The truth is, we will never really be able to be sure we are with Him as He wants us to be, or to find Him as He's made Himself accessible to us, until

DAILY VITAMIN  According to God's own judgment, we remain unfinished products. But not in a bad way, in a good way. This means that regardless of what we are now, God still has the capacity to make room in us for more. We are raw materials for more glory. Speaking to Jeremiah, using the illustration of the potter and the clay, He says 'Like clay in the hands of the potter, so are you in my hands' (Jer 18:6). The potter has the capacity to take a worked on clay and shape it into a new pot. Even if it's been marred in his hands, he can form a much better brand as it seems best to him. Similarly, God has the power to add to our glory and also the power to remove from it. He has the power to take us higher even when are at the highest peak as He did with John in his revelation. So, altogether we remain as subjects with the tendency to be worked on more- whether to our increase or our depletion. Thus, at this juncture, our smartest move would be to please the potter so that

DAILY VITAMIN  A lot of us get asked questions about our most prioritized goal in life. Or what achievement would feel like just consuming our most favourite meal? While we may be quick to point out our career ambitions, business plans, marriage wishes, spousal specifications, research expectations, desired car model and property brands- which are definitely a 'wow' kind of options, as i would probably do the same myself- Jesus, on being asked that same question, said 'My food is to do the will of Him who sent me and to finish His work ' (John 4:34). Well, it may seem now like i'm hitting the religious road on a subject that permits us to express our personal desires; but guess what? While we may have personal objectives in life, there's nothing more satisfying than fulfilling the exact purpose for which you exist. A calculator which can build a network firewall, or take a photo of you, or quickly browse through your twitter account would look awesome, right? Y

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