The Oscar Ajoku Blog: Daily Vitamin Devotional

DAILY VITAMIN - Overcoming Problems (2) "Do not [earnestly] remember the former things; neither consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs forth; do you not perceive and know it and will you not give heed to it? I will even make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert." (Isaiah 43: 18-19 AMP) For every time we read the story of Jacob, we fall in love with the part where he changes his ways before God and man, and completely rescinds from his supplanting; we love how wrestled with angels; had a change of name, and became a great man like his father and grandfather. And while in the euphoria of those moments, we willfully forget about the part when he suffered, had difficulties and problems; and to top it all up ran away from his own brother and uncle afterwards. In other words, we forget the fact that prior to his successes, Jacob really had gigantic problems. He didn't have an easy life even though he came out with a victoriou

DAILY VITAMIN - Overcoming Problems (1) "And there is hope for your future, says the Lord; your children shall come back to their own country." (Jeremiah 31:17 AMP) Most times, we try to be so perfect that we tend to believe that if we do something at any given time, it might affect our future, whereas we fail to realize that we affect our future even when we do nothing at all. Our fear of failure has so much as eaten up even the slightest bit of zeal to try out something before commenting on it. In fact, nowadays we give remarks before trials, not because this things can't be done, but because the fear of failure has overshadowed any hope of the actual possibility of such a deed by us. But guess what? A friend once said 'Failure is not a name'; and I wish to also say that failure often times is a process that can be redirected through another pathway into something worthwhile.....into success, depending on how you look at it, and think of it. It's not yo

DAILY VITAMIN - So Little Yet So Great ''...but what are they among so many?''(John 6:9) On seeing the multitude that surrounded them for help, the disciples said unto Jesus, 'it is impossible to feed such a crowd to their full': and Jesus asked for the available resources, but they exclaimed 'it is too little to make any impact'. Yet Jesus said through His action of asking them to get seated ''PROCEED'': teaching us firstly that availability with God, and before God, supersedes ability. Can you find a similarity in your life? Do you ever think that what God has given you isn't enough to be all He says you can? Well, He says He's given us all things that pertains to life and godliness in order to live a life full of endless virtues (2 Peter 1:3). Oftentimes, we hear a lot of complaints from people who wished they were born in the White house, of which I used to be a victim of such wishful thinking; yet as Jesus told His disci

DAILY VITAMIN - Becoming A True Friend "There are friends who pretend to be friends, but there is a friend that sticks closer than a brother" (Proverbs 18:24 RSV) Have you ever had a friend who would give himself for you? Who would place your needs above his debts? Who would choose to die just so that you live? I don't know about you, but I believe I have such a friend. The beauty about such people is that they do not only do good deeds towards us, but also teach us the very principle of life through their deeds......which is to have a much more deeper cause in life other than gain, violence, and unneeded societal feuds, but rather to leave an indelible imprint on everyone we meet; an impact men would carry even unto eternity. Friends are in fact the best gifts, and oftentimes the worst in life; but I tell you if you have a good friend, you have something greater than gold. The Children of Israel were expecting a King who would grant them parole from the hands of th

DAILY VITAMIN - God Wants To Teach You "And your ears will hear a word behind you, saying, This is the way; walk in it, when you turn to the right hand and when you turn to the left." (Isaiah 30:21 AMP) One of the greatest gifts men can receive from God, other than true life in Christ, is the opportunity to be taught by the All-knowing God. Though we tend not to appreciate it as depicted every time we fail to heed His Word, but believe me, a single piece of revelation you get from God is a gazillion times more profitable than what any college can teach you. This is because, first of all, revelation supersedes information. It is divine, unadulterated and truth; and secondly, once God has taught you, you are not only ten steps beyond the other man, but also such knowledge can be applied in the physical as well as the spiritual, unlike our human education. For instance, despite all the qualifications of the wise men of Babylon, they couldn't solve the ridiculous task of

DAILY VITAMIN - Faith Your Way Through All (3) "And Jesus said, [You say to Me], If You can do anything? [Why,] all things can be (are possible) to him who believes!" (Mark 9:23 AMP) On a generalized platform, things always seem to appear and happen in two modes: First is, the way they normally are, or should be. That is, 'black being black', or what we term 'exactly as we see it', or how it shows itself to be with an intense bravado by sight. Second is, the way we see them, or expect them to be. This, unlike the first is centered not on what the situation says it is, or natural eyes depict it to be, but on how we conceive it as; which could be even what it originally is not, but definitely what we expect of them by faith. Little wonder why Jesus always reiterated the statement 'Be it unto you according to thy faith' to everyone who encountered Him (Matthew 9:29); teaching us that it's really not about how things are in the now, but about wha

DAILY VITAMIN - Faith Your Way Through It All (2) "Fear not [there is nothing to fear], for I am with you; do not look around you in terror and be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen and harden you to difficulties, yes, I will help you; yes, I will hold you up and retain you with My [victorious] right hand of rightness and justice." (Isaiah 41:10 AMP) Many a times, a lot of us act as Elijah did on the day he fled as a result of Jezebel's threats. Prior to this time, Elijah had called down fire from up above, ceased fruitfulness in the pastures of Israel, zipped up the rain clouds, and embarrassed the servants of Baal before the entire populace. But the moment he heard Jezebel's words, he ran as though bewildered, requesting for death to engulf him. Note, at the first instances, he saw swords and bows, chariots and men, yet he wasn't scared; but in this second instance, the words of a woman ripped away every bit of faith he had left. Relating that t

DAILY VITAMIN - Faith Your Way Through It All (1) "[What, what would have become of me] had I not believed that I would see the Lord's goodness in the land of the living!" (Psalm 27:13 AMP) Most times, the problems we face in our lives are orchestrated and cemented by us. That is, not the devil or anyone else, but ourselves, are responsible for why oftentimes we don't receive our sought after reliefs. How? We may say. When Jesus healed the man born blind, they asked, 'Who did sin?' and Jesus responded 'None, but that the work of God might be made manifest' (John 9:1-4). But in a similar context, when He had called Peter to walk with Him upon the sea, and Peter fidgeted as he saw the blistering waves, sinking eventually; at the sight of this, Jesus said 'Why did you doubt?' Note the difference: In the first case, though the reason for the problem seemed unsearchable, Jesus excused the victim; but in the second under similar condition, Jesu

DAILY VITAMIN - Practicing The God-Life "You, therefore, must be perfect [growing into complete maturity of godliness in mind and character, having reached the proper height of virtue and integrity], as your heavenly Father is perfect. (Matthew 5:48 AMP) What makes a man what he is, is not in what he says he is alone, nor in what he believes he is only, but rather what makes him what he is, is what he lives as. After he has spoken and believed, it will turn out as nothing if he doesn't practice it. It is evidently true to say that for a person to be the son of a particular father goes beyond just the biological (that is, what he is said to be), and more into how much of the father such a person has in himself (that is, what he exhibits). We become children of God the day we believe, but we exhibit this heritage not when someone says we are, but when we begin to live like Him; when people begin to see His traits in us. That's why we are instructed to display our lights

DAILY VITAMIN - Maximizing His Power "Behold! I have given you authority and power to trample upon serpents and scorpions, and [physical and mental strength and ability] over all the power that the enemy [possesses]; and nothing shall in any way harm you." (Luke 10:19 AMP) For every time God intervened in Egypt after Moses and Aaron's arguments had failed against Pharaoh, even Pharaoh's aides acknowledged, saying 'This is the finger of God', showing us that: (1) The involvement of God in any matter can accomplish even what the excessive striving of men cannot (Matthew 19:26), and (2) The Kingdom indeed is not in words, but in power (1 Corinthians 4:20). In other words, people and circumstances don't submit to you because of what you say, but because of what you do (1 Corinthians 2:4-5). Even Elijah didn’t completely convince the widow until he demonstrated the power of God (1 Kings 17:24). There comes a time in life when after facing our problems, wh

DAILY VITAMIN - You Are Not Alone "And the Lord said, My Presence shall go with you, and I will give you rest." (Exodus 33:14 AMP) With all the suffering happening all around, one constant view in motion we all have is the face of an individual soaked with bitter tears- that's mostly what we see nowadays as a result of the violence, assaults and non-prevented demeaning events that earth's politics have caused us. But in the midst of this all, there lies a vibrant chosen individual inside of you who can't take the pain anymore, perhaps on the behalf of others or for your own personal reasons, and cries the Golgotha cry of ''Why has Thou forsaken me, God?'' One way or the other, we have all been at this position where it seems like our faith is being swallowed up by the pain we experience every day. We literally cry because the weight of the cross has become too heavy for us to bear. And though Mark never recorded God's response to that cry

DAILY VITAMIN - What The Word Will Do For You "This is my comfort and consolation in my affliction: that Your word has revived me and given me life." (Psalm 119:50 AMP) The story of Elisha is similar to a lot of us men. He had just begun his stewardship as a squire to one of God's holy prophets- an opportunity that was worth more than gold, being a feat that was very hard to come by back then. However, all of a sudden God was going to cut short this service, at least that's what it looked like. Elijah tried to leave him at Gilgal, but he persisted to serve unto the end; the seers blabbed about how their visions were pointing to his disadvantage, yet he kept his eyes not on their words, but on the truth of God's will for his life. And this he continued in with persistence until he himself grew into a servant of God, from the steward of a servant. What's the lesson here? In life, times would come when it would seem as though all hope is lost.....that that o

DAILY VITAMIN - What God's True Emissaries Must Do "Welcome those who are weak in faith...." (Romans 14:1 GNB) From the Genesis, when God rolled open the curtain for life to have its way upon the earth above the darkness that once overwhelmed it, we can clearly see that segregation was never God's doing. He brought all of creation under one umbrella of love, and nurtured them through the man of His likeness, Adam. The act of castigating others, calling them all sort of names was never part of God's nature, as we saw reflected through Christ Jesus, and neither should it be His children's. Though some people may argue that He separated the Israelites from surrounding nations in old times. True, but this He did not because He had written the whole world off, but for the purpose of protecting the vulnerable Israelites, to whom He had made the pioneers of the promise and were yet highly susceptible to negative influences; because even though He set these natio

DAILY VITAMIN - It's Your Duty To Reverence God "Love the Lord with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength." (Deuteronomy 6:5 GNB) Sometimes I wonder how we would feel if we created puppets, and watched them behave rashly towards us the way we sometimes behave towards God. However, we are more than puppets in God's sight. We are His children. And while a puppet's misbehavior may be condoned, a child's wouldn't. "For the Lord corrects and disciplines everyone whom He loves, and He punishes, even scourges, every son whom He accepts and welcomes to His heart and cherishes. You must submit to and endure [correction] for discipline; God is dealing with you as with sons. For what son is there whom his father does not [thus] train and correct and discipline? Now if you are exempt from correction and left without discipline in which all [of God's children] share, then you are illegitimate offspring and not true sons [at all]&qu

DAILY VITAMIN - Walking In Love "Love one another with brotherly affection [as members of one family], giving precedence and showing honor to one another." (Romans 12:10 AMP) One beaut of the Scripture is that it shows us the depth of God's heart, and how big it is springing out of itself so great a love towards us. It reveals His mind and His intention towards us. And do you know what that is? Good, hope, and peace (Jeremiah 29:11) And the truth is, unless we learn to appreciate and build ourselves on this love, we cannot completely conform to the Person of Christ (Philemon 1:6) - for if we are complete in Him, then we must live as He lived.....in the love of God. Showing love to others does not give a confirmatory guarantee that they would love you back, but it sure does show that we are doing what God does, and living as He lives. We may not choose who loves us, but we choose who we love, and God calls us to love all men without measure; for at the rendering of Hi

DAILY VITAMIN - What God Desires "My sacrifice [the sacrifice acceptable] to God is a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart [broken down with sorrow for sin and humbly and thoroughly penitent], such, O God, You will not despise." (Psalm 51:17 AMP) How sorry are you everytime you offend someone close to you? If much, then I'd say you love such a person. Trying to make amends with someone shows just how much you really acknowledge and appreciate them. Next....How sorry are you everytime you wrong God? If much, then I'd also say that you are the kind of person God wants around Him. But note, when I say 'being sorry', I mean unto repentance, unto perfection....and not mere remorse; because that is the basics of a contrite spirit - one that never wants to wrong God, and so when it does, finds no rest until they two are in par again. Little wonder why God delights so much in such an asset. He said....''To this man will I look, even to him.... of

DAILY VITAMIN - Fear God "That you may [reverently] fear the Lord your God, you and your son and your son's son, and keep all His statutes and His commandments which I command you all the days of your life, and that your days may be prolonged." (Deuteronomy 6:2 AMP) The impartiality of God is stated clearly in Scripture, when He said 'I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance'(Mark 2:17), and also when He said through Paul ..'the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared unto all men' (Titus 2:11); but regardless of this impartial move of God unto all men, we still find some as saints and others as sinners, despite His coming the first time for the sinner, and at the latter days the saints. By studying the lives of these selected few that are still kept right, we realize that one attribute that made them the selected is written in the scroll of Malachi....''My covenant was with him of life and peace; and I gave them to h

DAILY VITAMIN - Like Abraham, Like You "Look to Abraham your father and to Sarah who bore you; for I called him when he was but one, and I blessed him and made him many." (Isaiah 51:2 AMP) In the days of Abraham's trials, God arose and spoke the most comforting words he needed to hear at that barren state of his home....the words....'I will make thee a nation'... A man who had no seed was promised he would breed trees with multiple branches; and yet in the midst of disbelief, this man still chose to believe. Note, Abraham's nationhood began twenty-five years after the promise, but was made a reality two generations after him when the twelve tribes were established. But what's important was that God saw it, told him, and he believed. You would notice that he believed not because he outrightly saw the seed, or the tree that was promised: No! He believed, rather on the platform of what he could see of himself through Him who promised, and was also able t

DAILY VITAMIN - Compassion For The Lost "BRETHREN, [with all] my heart's desire and goodwill for [Israel], I long and pray to God that they may be saved." (Romans 10:1 AMP) In His wrath against the children of Israel, God was willingly ready to disown them, when He used the words ''thy people'' while conversing with Moses, instead of the usual 'My people' (see Exodus 32:7); and at this stage, He was also ready to offer Moses a blank cheque to become the nation Israel was meant to be, and perhaps if that had happened we would have been familiar with the word Mosites and not Israelites as God's people. But note, even at the sight of this massive offer, Moses never failed to remember purpose, to remember what was his obligation to God's people, even to the extent that he indirectly wagered his own salvation on the platter of the conditions that God would forgive the backsliden Israelites (v. 32). He was willing to either be forsaken togeth

DAILY VITAMIN - Embracing Repentance "For thus said the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel: In returning [to Me] and resting [in Me] you shall be saved; in quietness and in [trusting] confidence shall be your strength." (Isaiah 30:15 AMP) The picture of Hansel and Gretel's escapade is a similitude to what God was explaining to Jeremiah as Israel's malady. Hansel and Gretel went through a path in the dark woods close to their small hamlet, placing stones even as they went, just in case they missed their way, to aid their quick returning, but as they went further they discovered they were the more lost; yet instead of returning, they kept on walking until it led them to the cavern house of biscuits of which one could have all of its pleasures, only to be sacrificed later by the old fiery witch inside. Many individuals have the same syndrome; they see themselves derailing from the faith, yet instead of admitting they were wrong and return back to God, they keep on movi