The Oscar Ajoku Blog: Daily Vitamin Devotional

DAILY VITAMIN   Does the idea of speaking to the invisible ever make you feel weird? Though to the normal world, it seems so abnormal that they even have a name for it that reflects how delusional and psychotic such an individual is, but to God it's what He terms true living especially when He is the invisible. Talking to God, and having Him talk back to you is the first giant step to enjoying our mortal lives on earth, such that if everyone of us engage ourselves in conversations with God daily, the world would be less amoral, more conservative with the good, and more better to our personal appeals than what we see around today. Talking to Him, though He's invisible, gets us closer to knowing Him which on its own is our hoist towards true self discovery, and thus better living. And guess what? It is not as hard as theology or men's philosophies make it appear, it really is as simple as you talking to me. All you have to do is get conscious of His presence, and His wanting

DAILY VITAMIN   As perplexing as it may seem, Paul, in his acts, presented salvation as a transmissible virtue- a contractable benefit. He once retorted "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and ye shall be saved, and your house" (Acts 16:31). He wasn't saying your singular faith buys your family's way to the God-gifted life. He wasn't also literally saying that one person's salvation automatically covers one family; rather he depicted how as Jesus taught, one man's salvation- your salvation can affect other lives until they are coerced into being saved themselves in unison with God. Here's the sequence: After you receive Christ, you carry within you a light unquenched by the darkness that ruins our world. The same light that shines brightly in the dark, and darkness never understands. Yes! that's the light we receive. After our reception of the same, our every action in line with God's will causes us to shine as the lights we are. The more we act with

DAILY VITAMIN Whatever we shall be is not determined by what we had been, but by what we shall choose to become. Our future is not a function of the past, it's a function of now. The choices we make now decides what we get. We may not be able to change the past, but we can change our futures by changing our nows. This concerns all aspects of our lives. We may have done bad in the past, but if we make a decision to get better, we would be better. A vehicle going the wrong way would only get in the right direction when it chooses to make a U-turn in its now moment. Furthermore, even the Bible says if any man be in Christ, he is a new creation (2 Cor 5:17). It isn't discriminatory. It didn't say a man born in a puritanical city, nor a man who's regular at church. It says ANY man. His past isn't the primary factor; his today is. His decision now is what makes him a new creation. So, cheer up! Your past may not be as bright as you expected, but luckily for you the diffe

DAILY VITAMIN What distinguishes men from one another is an extra touch. What separates the healed from the unwhole is an extra touch. Yes! We were all created by the hands of God, but what redefines us to be different from others inorder to receive and relish in all we receive differently is a result of God's extra touch upon our lives. For instance, while others were being slain by wild animals and by the hands of men, sinful Cain could not be harmed. Why? An extra touch. "And God set a mark on Cain lest anyone on finding him kills him" (Gen 4:15). And fortunately, when God marks a man, nothing can waste the man. Not disease, not failure, not stagnancy, because He usually marks His own for good health, success and progress, regardless of how long it takes to materialize. As believers we have the extra touch upon our lives already. Being in Christ gives us the advantage as Paul said "From henceforth let no man[anything else inclusive] trouble me, for i bear on my b

DAILY VITAMIN Until we start doing what God wants us to do even in our problems, it will continue to remain a problem. Until you change the phase of your deeds and perceptions, your problems won't get the cue that it's now the phase when they vanish. The poor Zidonian widow may have felt like God was punishing her when He instructed her to feed Elijah her last meal, but unless she had done so, she wouldn't have lived in abundance all the days of her life. The lepers who were willing to meet the priest at Jesus' command despite societal stigmatization wouldn't have been healed if they had paid mind to the opinion of their predicament more than their obedience to Him. Their decision to trust God more than they feared their condition launched them to a new level of bliss. Similarly, only when we decide to trust all He tells us to do more than we fear what might happen due to our present state, are we ready to let those frightful conditions go. Our problems don't d

DAILY VITAMIN These days we hear the story of Abraham so much that it would even seem as though it happened next door last night while we slept. Nevertheless to this day, what worked for Abraham would still work for all. It is recorded that even when there was no reason to hope that any good thing could happen to him, Abraham believed it could and became the father of many nations (Rom 4:18). From Abraham's story we can see that having faith in hopeless situations doesn't only keep us in the game, it gives us the drive we need to win the game. Every day we see people breaking barriers against all odds, and while we stand and admire them, we can only be like them, achieving all they achieved when we choose to stay believing as they did. There were times when Edison's research seem hopeless, but he kept believing he could produced light from a tungsten filament. And guess what? He did all because he re-believed 999 times. So, he never gave himself any break to disbelieve. An

DAILY VITAMIN There are certain truths we need to embrace to enjoy our walk with God while we remain on the earth. Receiving God's best has never been a difficult task, rather it's the module we choose to engage in and build on that either hampers it or quicken its happening. So, here are 3 things we can do to secure our delivery: 1) Praise God first for the promise before the evidence: To get anything from God we must believe that He is, which means we must trust that He doesn't lie nor fakes. And as such making His very promise just as real as its evidence of realization. For instance, when God promised Solomon all the good things of life in First Kings 3, in verse 15 he didn't wait for the evidence, he went ahead with thanksgiving and celebrations. He counted God faithful when all he had was a promise, and due to his response to it that promise became a reality. Thus, after a promise comes thanksgiving. Know that. 2) Take His word as a living manual: The scripture

DAILY VITAMIN The mystical benefits behind the Biblical command to give would be elusive to us if we fail to recognize the 'law of the returns', or what we may choose to call the law of sowing and reaping. As you give, you get. The more the more, the less the less. First of all, He didn't say 'Try to give'... No! He said 'Give'- an absolute command in the form of an advice, with extra benefits attached if one obliges. Now, to the real reason for this note: He said "Give, and it shall be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you" (Luke 6.38 NIV). When you give money to those in need, you're bound to have a return in time to come. It's a natural law. Even Newton's third law of motion supports the notion. When you give a good advice or a bad one as the case may be, you're bound for a return. But here's what i

DAILY VITAMIN The most matured thing to do almost at all times is to do what others are too conceited to do. Jesus noted that when almost every man would retaliate a punch or a misdeed done against them, we are not suppose to. We are peace makers- not violent brutes bent on repaying evil for evil, for not only in doing what's right and peaceful do we make full proof of our place as children of God (Matt 5:9), but in doing so we overcome the evil in men that make them think evil is the only solution to everything. He, thereby, instructs us to be the first to call out for peace, and not the first to ignite violence. David said 'I'm for peace, while they are for war' (Ps 120:7). God expects us to adopt the attributes He entails, and to breed them everywhere we find ourselves- and one of these, my friend, is the non-violent, non-hateful, peace-bringing nature. Thus, the question: In a dispute, are you the first to make a fist? Are you the one to find a way to plot a downfa

DAILY VITAMIN "Strength is for sevice, not status. Each one of us needs to look after the good of the people around us, asking ourselves "how can i help?" (Rom 15:2 MSG) Whatever God has given you is for service not to oppress others, not to torment the world but to help the world. Remember that the basic responsibility of the creature is to exemplify the Creator; and what did Jesus do with His time on earth? He imparted, He influenced, He affected, He taught, all for the betterment of men. He changed their lives and rocked their world with the ever good by and by. That's your assignment too by design. So next time, you're passing through your street, or downtown in the city, ask yourself 'what is the least good I can do for the people I encounter?' and do it. In life,  service is the greatest gain. I never quite understood why that was, but now i do. Jesus served, and He is more famous and wealthier than our self absorbed celebrities. Mother Teresa of

DAILY VITAMIN One truth i believe God wants every individual to know is that "The LORD is gracious, and full of compassion, slow to anger, and of great mercy. The LORD is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works"(Ps 145:8-9). So, let's imagine you've done the worst thing any man could ever do, how does God reply you when you return in repentance: "The LORD is gracious". God has a heart that is more bent on forgiving than punishing. In fact, He desires the wicked would just see right and live by Him (Eze 18:23,32). So, to the individuals out there who doubt if God could ever forgive them for all the wrongs they've done in the past or even some minutes ago; yes He can, and better still He wants to. All He requires of us is to seek Him with all our heart (Jer 29:13). He wants us to completely desire Him and all the graces He bear; ask for it, and it is ours- never returning to our old ways (Eph 4:22,24). Also, there are those out there pl

DAILY VITAMIN One of the greatest assurance God gives to you and I is that He will restore our souls (Ps 23:3). So, in essence He is saying to us "Though you've been bedridden for a while, I will restore you"."Though your business is failing, I will restore you". "Though your marriage is wounded, I will restore you". "Though your finances are becoming bleak, I will restore you". "Though you never seem to find hope this days, I will restore you". God is willing to restore our joy, our bliss, our abundance, our good fortunes; and He is also willing to do so in great measures. But, as with every other promise of God, you have to thirst for it. Scriptures recorded that God was shocked when in the midst of a season of chaotic events, not even one Israeli was willing and thirsty enough to cry out 'Restore'. God expects us to yearn for His restoration just as much as He is willing to give it. However, the goodnews is that with Jes

DAILY VITAMIN It is an absolute truth to say that God-as well as life itself-judges our intentions before He judges our actions. A good action with a bad intention is appalling in His sight. The blessings we receive are somewhat products of our intentions. Abraham didn't literally sacrifice Isaac, but God searched his heart and saw his true intent to do so in to honour Him, and he was blessed forever. Little wonder why the sage wrote as a man thinks, so is he. Not just what he does, but first what he thinks. To God, our intentions are as good as our actions. And that's why if we are ever going to receive wholly from God, we have to fix our intents and get it right. Do you cry to God everyday for a promotion mainly because you seek an avenue to oppress a colleague? Or do you want to be rich so you can tell every other person just how dumb and lazy they are? Get your intents right, or else forget your promotion. God blessed David out of the 7 sons of Jesse because his heart was

DAILY VITAMIN He who lives loves, and he who loves lives.The extent of how well a life is lived is measured by the extent by which it loved. The Bible calls love the fulfillment of all laws (Rom 13:10),  and Jesus coming to fulfil same (Matt 5:17) established His place as the greatest love of all time. Therefore, the most primary step to live as Jesus do is to lead a life of love. By love, Jesus now reigns; by love you will. Also, Mother Teresa didn't own a yacht. She didn't own a top notch firm, and she definitely didn't own a professional sport team; but today she's so popular as though she owned all three. Many billionaires are dead and long forgotten, yet this non-billionaire remains clinging to the memories of many. All she ever did was love- giving it unconditionally as Christ's grace strengthened her to. Love is the greatest impact any man could ever receive, and give. And like i said in the previous note, with such great an impact, a man never dies. Time an

DAILY VITAMIN For everything God promises, Satan always has a counterfeit answer to lure the man away from the exact package he's been promised. This counterfeit is a quick and easy way but it isn't the way. And because it's easy, we hurriedly pick it without thinking twice, thereby leaving only to return in years to  come with a regretful countenance, and the remark 'if only i had waited'. God's ways are often as tough as tilling the ground with the sweat of our brows, but they are the best and true way. When God gives his word and asks you to wait for His answer, which is whenever He decides you're due, it would be folly to try to connive a separate means of getting that benefit quicker. This is because except you are supposedly lucky, you might just be an easy prey for these counterfeits the devil has laid on your path. And eventually when you do become its prey, you start living a counterfeit life. It may appear good at first like Adam's 960 years m

DAILY VITAMIN -Proving Contradictions Wrong  A category of persons often make a contradictory statement of Genesis 6:6, claiming that if God is so perfect in knowledge, didn't He know man could fall into corruption? And some go ahead to question His perfection since He supposedly regretted the decision to have made man. A lot of people have given appropriate answers to silence such gainsayings; however i would wish to make a comment myself: Now, imagine a genuis who puts all he knows in a newly written book. Now, imagine he hands it over to you, and tells you that by reading all it contains, you would come out successful from the test the next day. Imagine you fail the next day, perhaps because you didn't read as much as he instructed you to, does it make him any less a genius? Does it stop him from being a genius? No! In the same way, the self-abuse of our freewill does not stop God's perfection from being intact. Similar to the way the genius would feel like you disappo

DAILY VITAMIN -Duty Calls #1  The blessing in being blessed is being a blessing. Everyday we are given the opportunity to express the goodness of God in and to us to some other folk in search of whom God really is. Do you know what it means to be an ambassador- like when He says you are an ambassador of Christ? I guess you do. You are an earthly representation of God as long as you have breath. When people can't get a picture of God, they come to you- take a look at all your attributes and attitudes to make up a synopsis of all God may be like. So on earth, we either represent Him well or badly. Having this knowledge now, what should be your sense of duty onwards? An ambassador represent the interest of his native to foreign emissaries or government. Therefore, you should hold fast the interest of the Kingdom at heart. Addition to the kingdom and the maintenance of its values are to be your utmost concern. When God called us lights of the world, He intended we realize we are an

DAILY VITAMIN - Responding Right V  Like they say charity begins at home. That is, everything you presume should be given to you by others must first be given to you by yourself. Such that if you want to be forgiven by others, you must learn to forgive yourself. You want to be loved by others, you learn to love yourself. You want to be valued by others, you learn to value yourself. And in the same way, if you want to be hated by others, then you start hating yourself. The first step into breaking through into what you believe to deserve from others is to believe you deserve it from yourself. In essence, many of us despite being forgiven of God still hold on to the past wrongs we did refusing to let it go or forgive ourselves. You might have killed a person before you knew God, but refusing to forgive yourself even after God's forgiven you won't bring that person back; rather it would tear you down until eventually you end up dead like that person but now far from God, all bec

DAILY VITAMIN - Responding Right IV  As humans, we would always have our differences; and unless we act daily by this knowledge, we would forever get frustrated by the contrasting opinions and characters we encounter everyday. When God created us, He knew well enough that He was not making a population of individuals who think alike, and act alike- with a natural predisposition that is 100% identical. No! He knew we would have different characters as we have different faces; different destinies as we have different dreams. He knew we would be in every way different, but He anticipated that even in our differences, we'd find a way to blend in unison. Though different in makeup, He placed in us a desire and capacity to tolerate one another for the achievement of certain goals- especially those that are involved in the advancement of His will on the earth. In essence, if these differences are all part of God's grand plan, when it comes to our reactions towards one another, there

DAILY VITAMIN How do you perceive your greatest challenges? The difference maker between how you are in the problem and how you would be afterwards is your perception of the defined problem. Therefore it's time we start giving these problems their rightful place and GOD His deserved place. There's a story about a lad who had a largely built bully down the street always bothering him. One day his father bought him a new telescope, and he decided to take it for a testrun in the front yard. But he was looking through the wrong end- the big lense. His father came out and said "No son, you are doing it backward. Turn it around and it will make everything bigger like it was meant to do". The lad said " I know, Dad. But right now i'm looking at this bully. And when i look at him this way it makes him so small that i'm not afraid of him anymore". And that's how we should respond too to our frightening ordeals. Sometimes we talk to God about how big our