The Oscar Ajoku Blog: Daily Vitamin Devotional

  DAILY VITAMIN - Trust God Through The Test "Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me." (Psalm 23:4 NIV) Let this same mind be in you. The Bible tells us the mind of God toward us. It says that even through the fire and the flood, He will be with us (Isaiah 43:2). If that be so, then why do we doubt at the slightest flinch of His promises? Truth is, sometimes God doesn't show up when appointed just to test our faith. He did it in time past and still does the same today. In 1 Samuel 13, we see what He did with Saul. The people of Israel saw the horde of Philistine soldiers and fled. In this fright, they asked for God's counsel, and He assured them to show up on a certain day through Samuel; but He didn't (v. 8). And the Bible said as a result the people scattered from Saul. Seeing this and in an attempt to keep them with him, he tried to play God and that was the beginning of

DAILY VITAMIN - Clear Off The Debris "How can a young man stay pure? By reading your Word and following its rules." (Psalm 119:9 TLB) The Bible affirms that God's Word is like a fire; it refines us and burns out every stubble that is not of God in our hearts. It is God's instrument of weeding out whatever He didn't plant in us. It is how He clears the debris out of our mind. He says by taking heed to it, we would live pure lives in body and soul.  David said he sought God with his whole heart, and thus filled his heart with God's Word, because it was the best prescribed way to overcome the shadows of sin (Psalm 119:10-11). It works all the time. Like a lamp, it illuminates your heart with light that engulfs every darkness in it. Thus, are you deep in depressing thoughts, evil thoughts, suicidal thoughts and the likes, and you feel it's becoming uncontrollable? Don't worry; just keep filling your heart with the Word. Study it day and night. Meditate up

  DAILY VITAMIN - Receive Wisdom (2) "My instruction is far more valuable than silver or gold.” (Proverbs 8:10 TLB) The Bible never tells us that the people are destroyed for lack of gold. Because where gold is lacked, silver or any other resource will suffice. It tells rather that they are destroyed for lack of knowledge (Hosea 4:6); for if knowledge is lacking, nothing else will suffice (Isaiah 33:6). And this it says is important because only knowledge can fill the chambers of our lives with precious and pleasant riches (Proverbs 24:3): reason why nothing surpasses wisdom in value (Proverbs 8:11). In our theme scripture, it is said that wisdom cries every day to the sons of men, and it will be given to those who respond by seeking after it with all they are (Proverbs 8:17). And we are told that they that find it never lack the necessary knowledge of the times (Proverbs 8:12); for by it do kings reign and the great have their place. It is wisdom that makes us forces to reckon wi

 DAILY VITAMIN - Crying Won't Cut It "If I regard sin and baseness in my heart [that is, if I know it is there and do nothing about it], The Lord will not hear [me]; But certainly God has heard [me]; He has given heed to the voice of my prayer." (Psalm 66:18-19 AMP) Crying for God to help you is not a quick fix for getting His attention, especially when there is no intention to change. That's what our theme verse says. And this is because God isn't interested in tears and pleas, He's interested in action. That's what captivated Jesus in all of Zacchaeus words-his desire and decision to be different (Luke 19:1-5). He calls men to reason with Him, declaring to make them brand new. But then He says there has to be an intention to let Him help you and one to obey Him thenceforth (Isaiah 1 :18-20). So, once there is a decision to be different, God shows up swiftly. You can't cry your way out of everything. The truth is if you could, the whole world would b

  DAILY VITAMIN - How To Consistently Trust And Sincerely Worship God At All Times "And the godly shall rejoice in the Lord, and trust and praise him." (Psalm 64:10 TLB) The godly are meant to rejoice at all times, and this scripture says is possible through trust and praise. The Bible also tells us that God speaks to us daily. In fact, it tells us He does so every morning (Job 33:15-16); whether through the voice of the Word or by His still voice in our spirit, God speaks. And we are advised to listen and obey for our good (Hebrews 3:15-19). And what does He speak? He tells us what pleases Him. The first is living in faith (Hebrews 11:6) and the second is worship (Hebrews 12:28). But now that we know this today, how can we heed it? How can we learn to do both on a constant basis? The disciples asked Jesus to help strengthen their faith, but rather than praying for it, He taught them a simple principle.  "“If your faith were only the size of a mustard seed,” Jesus answer

  DAILY VITAMIN - God Has Expectations "Happy are all who search for God and always do his will, rejecting compromise with evil and walking only in his paths." (Psalm 119:2-3 TLB) As was said to the Marvel character, "With [the desire for] great power comes great responsibility". You see it's easy to shout "God is too faithful to fail," but are you? Are you too faithful to fail Him? Everything Jesus came to do was to create a two way relationship. So, it is not about what God can do, it's about what God and you can do. There's an expectation He has of you and that defines everything. Yes, He has blessed us with the free gift of grace, but to have grace work as intended, there is something He expects of us every day. And that is called faithful devotion. Remember Hebrews 6:10, He will not forget you not because of what He has done, but because of your works and labour of love. There is a lifestyle He encourages you to put up to attract all the

  DAILY VITAMIN - Never Compromise "The Lord has said in strongest terms: Do not under any circumstances go along with the plans of Judah to surrender to Syria and Israel." (Isaiah 8:11 TLB) A lot of people do things they never intended nor anticipated they would all because of pressure. Be it parental pressure or peer pressure. You never thought you'd date a man or woman who readily lives against the principles of the Word of God, but because your friends or parents keep telling you about what you might miss out on refusing such a gorgeous person, you surrender. Well, guess what? God is saying don't you do that. Your colleagues at school or work tease you about how lame you are for still being a virgin, and you believe them and thus go on an adventure of sexual experience. All because of pressure. Our theme scripture cautions the people of God never to go along with the plans of the nonbelievers to displease God. Verse 12 says though they might call you a cat or what

  DAILY VITAMIN - Trust God, Not Your Ideas "Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don’t try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he’s the one who will keep you on track. Don’t assume that you know it all. Run to God! Run from evil! Your body will glow with health, your very bones will vibrate with life!" (Proverbs 3:5-7 MSG) A lot of us try to convince God to hurriedly help with great ideas we believe will well work out His plans best. But guess what? Before they were your ideas, they were first His. So there's no way your ways can outdo His. You have to trust that He has a perfect plan for you. If scripture says eyes have not seen it, ears have not heard it, nor minds imagined it (1 Cor 2:9), then what makes you think your plans for a great future can outshine His? you see, with God all you need to actualize the vision He placed in your heart concerning your life is trust. All you need is a heart that t

 DAILY VITAMIN - The Only Thing Strong enough To Limit God "So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief." (Hebrews 3:19) The Bible tells us that nothing is impossible with God, but there is something that can make things impossible for God in the life of a man, and that singular trait is called unbelief. Unbelief has many tentacles and forms-of which one can find doubt, fear and indifference.  These virtues can ruin the intentions of God for a life if harboured by it. The Bible tells us even when He dwelt among us, He couldn't do much because of unbelief (Matt 13:58). So, it didn't where God stayed, as long as unbelief dwells in the heart of a man, He is limited to act in such a life. Of Israel, it is said that again and again they turned away and tempted God, and limited Him from giving them His blessings (Psalm 78:41). That's why the first thing God asks of a man is to free himself of unbelief. The man with the lunatic son, when he saw his miracle

 DAILY VITAMIN - God Can Raise Up Anybody "and lifts the poor from the dirt and the hungry from the garbage dump, 8 and sets them among princes!" (Psalm 113:7-8 TLB) For men to help you toward a higher position, they ask for certain qualifications. A business degree, a professional and social proficiency certificate etc., but when God wants to lift a man up, He needs no permission nor secular qualification, just that you have a heart for Him. Our theme verse says He lifts the poor from nothing and even take hungry men from the dumpster and make them princes. And He is still in the business of doing that today. He did it with Jephthah an outcast. Scripture says He took David from the sheepfold (Psalm 78:70). He took Moses from being a vagabond to being a saviour and Joseph from a prisoner to a governor. He didn't ask them for any certificate, just a proof of their love for Him. Remember that His eyes go out through the world to lift the man whose heart is given to Him (2 C

 DAILY VITAMIN - God Doesn't Do Things Halfway "God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it?" (Numbers 23:19) A lot of us question God's faithfulness because of our fear of the unknown. Because of the fear of not being sure. But guess what? God is sure. The scripture says when we are out of faith, God is yet faithful (2 Tim 2:13). Yet we are scared He will back out just before before he completes the miracle like Hezekiah was. In Isaiah 37 after he had seen the enemy king besiege his capital, Hezekiah cried out, "This is a day of trouble and frustration and blasphemy; it is a serious time, as when a woman is in heavy labour trying to give birth, and the child does not come" (v. 3 TLB). He had received God's plentiful promise of peace but as soon as his biggest act of devotion was over, an enemy came (see 2 Chro 32:1). Like a roaring lion, he came boasting threats and Hezekiah

 DAILY VITAMIN - Understanding Your Rights And Duties "Then Samuel told the people again what the rights and duties of a king were..." (1 Samuel 10:25 TLB) Every leader has a right - a right to be honoured; but he or she also has duties - duties to serve. However, a lot of leaders cling to their rights and forfeit their duties. We see this every day in dictators and selfish CEOs. Nevertheless, God calls us to uphold both. Remember, He says we are kings and priests on the earth (Rev 5:10); and as much as we have the right of dominion and the Kingdom life here, we are also expected to exert ourselves in certain duties. For starters, a general duty is to fear God wholesomely (Eccl 12:13); and then there are more personal duties God gives us individually. Purpose is about discovering these duties and using the strength obtained from our rights to fulfill them. Consider Jesus. He told Pilate that He had come to witness for truth. He also told His disciples He had come to minister

  DAILY VITAMIN - God Will Help You "The Lord is fair in everything he does and full of kindness. He is close to all who call on him sincerely. He fulfills the desires of those who reverence and trust him; he hears their cries for help and rescues them." (Psalm 145:17-19 TLB) Whenever people ask you what gives you the audacity to think or believe God will help in that dire situation of yours, remind them of this theme scripture. It says God is fair in all He does, such that there are principles set down to obtain certain things regardless of who we are or where we are from; however it then assured us that He is kind. And as a result, when we call on Him sincerely at such times, He is close to aid us; fulfilling all of our desires if we reverence and trust Him. Then it says for such persons, He will help them in their times of need. Remember that He is a very present help at such a time (Psalm 46:10), with His eyes running to and fro the earth ready to act on our behalf (2 Chr

 DAILY VITAMIN - Trust God Without Conditions "If you want favor with both God and man, and a reputation for good judgment and common sense, then trust the Lord completely; don’t ever trust yourself." (Proverbs 3:4-5 TLB) The scripture admonishes us to trust God. With a part of our heart? No; with all of our heart. That is, without reservations or conditions. And how do we do this? By choosing to believe Him in the absence of signs. In the old days, Gideon asked for a sign in order to believe, and God accepted; but when men asked Jesus for a sign, He refused them, saying they had enough in history to believe already. Now, God stopped using signs to make men believe Him after a man chose to believe Him without them. Ahaz. God told him to ask for a sign to prove His Word will come true, but Ahaz refused (Isaiah 7:11-12). In other words, Ahaz was saying 'I believe your word LORD. That's enough for me'. However, God would still give them an eternal sign in Christ (v.

  DAILY VITAMIN - God's Word Is Not Ordinary "For whatever God says to us is full of living power: it is sharper than the sharpest dagger, cutting swift and deep into our innermost thoughts and desires with all their parts, exposing us for what we really are." (Hebrews 4:12 TLB) The world we are told was created through the Word (Hebrews 11:3). In fact, everything God made, He did through the Word. Angels and the very universe; all were made from the Word. And God says He is as much His Word.  Now, if the Word which became flesh to redeem all did all these, what makes you think it can't do what God intend to do in your life. Isaiah 55:11 says "so also is my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It shall accomplish all I want it to and prosper everywhere I send it." (TLB). It can. As our theme verse says, it can cross borders to do anything. The Word can injure the heart of the sinful and heal the heart of the broken. It is that powerful in all w

 DAILY VITAMIN - When Sin Becomes A Choice "Sin need never again be your master, for now you are no longer tied to the law where sin enslaves you, but you are free under God’s favor and mercy." (Romans 6:14 TLB) The Bible says that those in sin are blinded by the devil (2 Cor 4:3-4). If so, then the question becomes: Why do Christians still willfully sin? And the answer is because they are making the choice to.  John said that the born-again man cannot sin (1 John 3:9); and Paul tells us that is because the power of sin has been broken in our lives. He wrote "Of course not! Should we keep on sinning when we don’t have to? For sin’s power over us was broken when we became Christians and were baptized to become a part of Jesus Christ; through his death the power of your sinful nature was shattered." (Romans 6:2-3 TLB). And in verse 6, he explains better. "Your old evil desires were nailed to the cross with him; that part of you that loves to sin was crushed and f

  DAILY VITAMIN - Receive Wisdom (1) "If you want to know what God wants you to do, ask him, and he will gladly tell you, for he is always ready to give a bountiful supply of wisdom to all who ask him; he will not resent it." (James 1:5 TLB) The scripture tells us that silver has a depot, and that gold has a place people can have access to it; yet it says there is a path that no one knows. The fowl don't know it, the depths don't have it, and in spite of the number of brilliant men that have died thus far death still hasn't had its hand on it. It says the content of this path makes the greatest gems insignificant because it is surpassing in value, price and glory. And then tells us that God knows the path, because He is the path. He is the place where wisdom can be found (Job 28). Job 12:13 says "To God belong wisdom and power; counsel and understanding are his" (NIV). Little wonder the theme scripture tells us to ask it of Him, because it comes from Him

  DAILY VITAMIN  - Jesus Knows All You're Going Through "Because He Himself [in His humanity] has suffered in being tempted, He is able to help and provide immediate assistance to those who are being tempted and exposed to suffering." (Hebrews 2:18 AMP) Who else will you trust in times of need than He who has been in that same situation at some point? That is why Jesus is our perfect advocate. He knows how we feel, because He has also felt it. The scripture says He is constantly touched with the feelings of our infirmities (Hebrews 4:15); and why is this so? Because it is He "who can have compassion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way; for that he himself also is compassed with infirmity." (Hebrews 5:2).  And why should we trust Him? Because though He "was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin" (Hebrews 4:15). That is, it didn't surmount Him. He overcame it all. And so in Him we can find the strength to overcome it

 DAILY VITAMIN - You Will Rise Again “I deserted you for a brief moment, but I will take you back with abundant compassion." (Isaiah 54:7 CSB) What can be said to a man that is extremely jaded to help him? You may be feeling down and out based on your present experiences, but God has something for you this morning, and I'm sure it changes your approach towards life forever. In Isaiah 54, God speaking to the fellow who believes his life is over because of the series of bad breaks he is having says, "Sing..." Isn't that amusing? Not if you read on to see why He is telling them to. He said "Enlarge the place of thy tent...for thou shalt break forth on the right hand and on the left..." (v.2-3). He is literally telling us that an increase is on its way. He's making room for more. You may have thought you were done for, but God is about to give you double consolation (Isaiah 61:7). He said though it seemed like He forsook you for a moment, but He is abou

DAILY VITAMIN - Receive Strength "He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless." (Isaiah 40:29 NLT) You may be feeling jaded and weak in your spirit. You feel like giving up on God. Perhaps you're even starting to believe that there is no more hope for you; well, I have good news for you. God wants to strengthen you. He will and He can. The Bible says He gives power to the faint and might to them without strength. So it means God knows some of us might grow faint in times of adversity; and He says it is because we are depleted in spiritual strength (Proverbs 24:10). And this exempts nobody; for He says that even the young ones that are meant to be filled with might and vigour will grow weak too (Isaiah 40:30).  But thank God for His unspeakable gift; He didn't leave us without a witness. He showed us how to receive strength afresh. He says that as we wait upon the LORD, our strength shall be renewed, and we shall be renewed, and we shall soar so high as th