Olabode Ososami's Blog, page 14

Pardoned

Nehemiah 9:31 Nevertheless for thy great mercies’ sake thou didst not utterly consume them, nor forsake them; for thou art a gracious and merciful God.

There is a hymn that sings of the great mystery of mercy that even angels cannot grasp. If we have not been absolutely shocked at God’s mercy then we have yet to encounter it. In spite of persistent disobedience and rebellion that repeated itself in cycles, God does not forsake His children. Perhaps it is His great mercy in our life that provokes us to love and praise Him even more. See the woman caught in adultery asked to go and sin no more …and how she cannot help but bow and adore this most unusual savior. There is an inherent pride that causes mankind to always want to earn what they get. The great American dream … that comes after hardwork and recognition is wonderful, but that is not how God chooses to operate. God desires that none should glory in His presence and calls our best ways “filthy rags” ……offensive to Him.

Just consider how things would be if God were not great in mercy. Christ came as His ultimate sacrifice for us, the demonstration of His grace and mercy in human flesh. When He asks us to surrender our lives to Him, we are invited to bask in a completed work and a finished salvation as we receive a new Spirit transforming us from glory to glory. How could any other news be more good than this? His precious blood having paid for our sins … so unbelievable even to angels. If you are reading this and have not received Christ as your Lord and Savior …I sense the Holy Spirit telling you …now is the time, do not wait another second. Come to receive forgiveness from the gracious and merciful God.

Verses for further meditation

Matthew 6:14 ; Matthew 18:21-35

Thoughts for Business and the work place

Forgiveness and reconciliation comes naturally to the leaders who will make the greatest and most positive impact on society.

Suggestions for Prayer

Lord, help me to forgive again and again, as I have been forgiven. Amen

As Nehemiah’s wall was built,  so will we see a reconstruction in all that may appear in distress and in waste. Nehemiah trusted and feared God, putting his faith in the Almighty whose strength is limitless to exceed all our expectations. Look out daily for Nehemiah’s Wall in 2015 and do invite friends to subscribe to the free email or social media posts.

I am praying someone with a burden to be used by God in building will receive a fresh vision and get the job done.

To subscribe to the devotional, please  enter your email address (the left column) above the “subscribe” button (and enter on the green button). God bless you.

Recessionproofchristianlife.com is a privately owned blog/media site started in 2009 as the internet ministry of the author. It promotes the absolute authority and divine inspiration of the Holy Bible as the Word of God – Infallible and Sufficient.

 

Many Years

Nehemiah 9:30 Yet many years didst thou forbear them, and testifiedst against them by thy spirit in thy prophets: yet would they not give ear: therefore gavest thou them into the hand of the people of the lands.

So many verses repeat again and again the message of God’s forbearance. To forbear is to restrain yourself from that which comes naturally for you to do. Prophets testified repeatedly against the evils but they did not listen … God had no choice but to hand them over to the people of the lands. What does it mean to be handed over to the people of the lands. There are only two dominion platforms …the kingdom of God and satan’s. When God takes His hands off, it means darkness has permission to take over … in government, education, science, social issues etc… but God does not completely give the enemy carte-blanche or we would all be destroyed in seconds.

There are many years that it seems we are allowed to do as we please, but this is only because God forbears as He is still holy. I encourage someone to think deeper and consider the matters at hand. Are there areas where it seems God is just forbearing in a pained patience? Is there a link between our troubles in the land and the rebellion in our hearts. The leader must look beyond the surface to understand how God’s people may have betrayed the King of kings only to be left at the mercy of forces that work only to afflict.

Verses for further meditation

Romans 2:4 ; Psalm 36:5

Thoughts for Business and the work place

Great Leaders tend to be great thinkers.

Suggestions for Prayer

Lord, direct my thoughts … Turn my heart back to you. Amen

As Nehemiah’s wall was built,  so will we see a reconstruction in all that may appear in distress and in waste. Nehemiah trusted and feared God, putting his faith in the Almighty whose strength is limitless to exceed all our expectations. Look out daily for Nehemiah’s Wall in 2015 and do invite friends to subscribe to the free email or social media posts.

I am praying someone with a burden to be used by God in building will receive a fresh vision and get the job done.

To subscribe to the devotional, please  enter your email address (the left column) above the “subscribe” button (and enter on the green button). God bless you.

Recessionproofchristianlife.com is a privately owned blog/media site started in 2009 as the internet ministry of the author. It promotes the absolute authority and divine inspiration of the Holy Bible as the Word of God – Infallible and Sufficient.

 

God suffers long

Nehemiah 9:29 And testifiedst against them, that thou mightest bring them again unto thy law: yet they dealt proudly, and hearkened not unto thy commandments, but sinned against thy judgments, (which if a man do, he shall live in them;) and withdrew the shoulder, and hardened their neck, and would not hear.



Pride and continued sin against God’s judgments have been the way that God has been paid back for all He has done. Rather than love God and thank and obey Him, the children of Israel persisted in deviating from His laws, shutting their ears to all reason. God did not destroy them but just had to be patient with His children. God is pained but His enduring mercy cannot fail to find new ways to bring His remnant back to Himself. God suffers long and so will we in certain scenarios of life, until the appointed time of revival.

Nehemiah wants the people to know that there were good reasons for being where they were … and they had only themselves to blame. We can learn from this verse by not blaming others for our situations …more often we have brought things upon ourselves. Meanwhile, many till today will not hear God, have hardened their necks and do not want to hear about the laws of God. How is the leader going to succeed in such an environment? Popularity will not come from challenging moral lapses. The leader has a tough job ahead.

 

Verses for further meditation

Exodus 34:6 ; 2 Peter 3:9

Thoughts for Business and the work place

Leaders cannot just flow with the tide in an environment of ethical collapse.

Suggestions for Prayer

Lord, give us patience and wisdom to know what to change and how and when to change it. Amen

As Nehemiah’s wall was built,  so will we see a reconstruction in all that may appear in distress and in waste. Nehemiah trusted and feared God, putting his faith in the Almighty whose strength is limitless to exceed all our expectations. Look out daily for Nehemiah’s Wall in 2015 and do invite friends to subscribe to the free email or social media posts.

I am praying someone with a burden to be used by God in building will receive a fresh vision and get the job done.

To subscribe to the devotional, please  enter your email address (the left column) above the “subscribe” button (and enter on the green button). God bless you.

Recessionproofchristianlife.com is a privately owned blog/media site started in 2009 as the internet ministry of the author. It promotes the absolute authority and divine inspiration of the Holy Bible as the Word of God – Infallible and Sufficient.

 

The Cycle of Fools

Nehemiah 9:28 But after they had rest, they did evil again before thee: therefore leftest thou them in the hand of their enemies, so that they had the dominion over them: yet when they returned, and cried unto thee, thou heardest them from heaven; and many times didst thou deliver them according to thy mercies;

There is a cycle that foolish children find themselves … going over and over again the same situation because of refusal to learn. As soon as people are delivered from one problem they rest and soon begin to do evil again. Again, they are left in the hands of the enemy to be pained which causes them to cry to God. This continues again and again until they stop doing the evil. At the root of the issue is that they put the laws of God behind them and delight in the good things. They should put the good things behind them and delight in the laws of God.

Many times God delivers because of His mercies but we are left with an important principle. God needs our enemies to bring us to perfection and that the way out of our troubles and vexations is to bring correction to our straying ways and wanderings. It may be trendy to disregard the laws of God, but we will be unable to disregard the dominion of the enemy …until we cry to God and get right.

Verses for further meditation

Proverbs 14:9 ; Proverbs 16:22

Thoughts for Business and the work place

Leaders can detect destructive repetitive patterns and make structural adjustments

Suggestions for Prayer

Lord, help me to come out of folly. Amen

As Nehemiah’s wall was built,  so will we see a reconstruction in all that may appear in distress and in waste. Nehemiah trusted and feared God, putting his faith in the Almighty whose strength is limitless to exceed all our expectations. Look out daily for Nehemiah’s Wall in 2015 and do invite friends to subscribe to the free email or social media posts.

I am praying someone with a burden to be used by God in building will receive a fresh vision and get the job done.

To subscribe to the devotional, please  enter your email address (the left column) above the “subscribe” button (and enter on the green button). God bless you.

Recessionproofchristianlife.com is a privately owned blog/media site started in 2009 as the internet ministry of the author. It promotes the absolute authority and divine inspiration of the Holy Bible as the Word of God – Infallible and Sufficient.

 

The Hand of Their Enemies

Nehemiah 9:27 Therefore thou deliveredst them into the hand of their enemies, who vexed them: and in the time of their trouble, when they cried unto thee, thou heardest them from heaven; and according to thy manifold mercies thou gavest them saviours, who saved them out of the hand of their enemies.

God finds use for our enemies to bring us to our senses. Their enemies are permitted to trouble the children of Israel only so that they can cry to God to send saviors, as they repent of their lawlessness. We see a principle that God has to permit our enemies to defeat and trouble us before it can happen and this also has purpose. God has no comfort or strategy for children of perdition as they have been destined to destruction. It does not matter that they are fattened, untroubled and spread undisturbed.

When we sense spiritual resistance to our advancements, it could mean God wants our attention and that we repent of certain misdeeds. But God is merciful and loves to restore His own when we can humble ourselves to go back to delighting in His laws and complete obedience.

Perhaps you are having business trouble, or vexations in your family or even health issues. It could be that God is seeking your attention to correct certain ways that do not please Him. Ask God to reveal where you have gone amiss …plead for His mercies, be humble to repent once you know what the law requires. God will send His saviors to help you … to rescue you. Christ is the ultimate Savior.

Verses for further meditation

Psalm 34:19 ; Psalm 119:67

Thoughts for Business and the work place

Leaders have learnt tough lessons in previous times of affliction.

Suggestions for Prayer

Lord, do whatever you must to keep me on the path of your holiness. Amen

As Nehemiah’s wall was built,  so will we see a reconstruction in all that may appear in distress and in waste. Nehemiah trusted and feared God, putting his faith in the Almighty whose strength is limitless to exceed all our expectations. Look out daily for Nehemiah’s Wall in 2015 and do invite friends to subscribe to the free email or social media posts.

I am praying someone with a burden to be used by God in building will receive a fresh vision and get the job done.

To subscribe to the devotional, please  enter your email address (the left column) above the “subscribe” button (and enter on the green button). God bless you.

Recessionproofchristianlife.com is a privately owned blog/media site started in 2009 as the internet ministry of the author. It promotes the absolute authority and divine inspiration of the Holy Bible as the Word of God – Infallible and Sufficient.

 

Disobedience

Nehemiah 9:26 Nevertheless they were disobedient, and rebelled against thee, and cast thy law behind their backs, and slew thy prophets which testified against them to turn them to thee, and they wrought great provocations.

Whenever people stop delighting in the laws and thoughts of God, disobedience is at the door. Soon they will cast the law behind them … finding some doctrine that will justify the negation of the need to obey God. They will say “the time of laws are passed because of grace, now we can do as we wish” …and the laws are soon forgotten …and they begin to provoke God with abominations. Nehemiah reminds the people that the path of disobedience is one they have taken before and it has its consequences. Sometimes we need to be reminded that disobedience is not a new response … humanity have been practiced in provoking God and the consequences are already known.

We are in a time when disobedience to God has taken an elegant form, and is almost trendy. Whoever criticizes disobedience or testifies against rebellion is not just ignored but slain … silenced. Again this has not changed. Crusading for higher standards of ethics in the workplace can have major adverse implications. But God’s leader must remain strong.

1Sa_15:22 And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.

Verses for further meditation

2 Cor. 10:16 ; Job 36:11

Thoughts for Business and the work place

Leaders set the tone in adherence to ethical standards.

Suggestions for Prayer

Lord, help me to be salt and light wherever you have sent me. Amen

As Nehemiah’s wall was built,  so will we see a reconstruction in all that may appear in distress and in waste. Nehemiah trusted and feared God, putting his faith in the Almighty whose strength is limitless to exceed all our expectations. Look out daily for Nehemiah’s Wall in 2015 and do invite friends to subscribe to the free email or social media posts.

I am praying someone with a burden to be used by God in building will receive a fresh vision and get the job done.

To subscribe to the devotional, please  enter your email address (the left column) above the “subscribe” button (and enter on the green button). God bless you.

Recessionproofchristianlife.com is a privately owned blog/media site started in 2009 as the internet ministry of the author. It promotes the absolute authority and divine inspiration of the Holy Bible as the Word of God – Infallible and Sufficient.

 

The Taste of Victory

Nehemiah 9:25 And they took strong cities, and a fat land, and possessed houses full of all goods, wells digged, vineyards, and oliveyards, and fruit trees in abundance: so they did eat, and were filled, and became fat, and delighted themselves in thy great goodness.

Victory tastes good … the children of Israel were fat and delighted themselves in God’s goodness. God is not against them nor does He begrudge the joy they have …God wants us to enjoy His goodness and the provisions He has made available. God is not against well-furnished houses, good food and the good things. But He demands some moderation and abhors waste and excess…

Mat_23:25 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess.

“Excess” suggests we are holding that which should have been released for someone else …huge gaps between haves and have-nots cannot please God … we are to be conduits for resources to flow and not dams to trap assets. Think about this. God also wants us to delight ourselves in His laws and not just His goodness. The issue is balance. Give away the excess and be as emptied as you need to be, so that more may be blessed by what God has provided.

Verses for further meditation

1 Cor 9:25 ; Galatians 5:23

Thoughts for Business and the work place

Leaders also lead in exercise of temperance.

Suggestions for Prayer

Lord, help me to be temperate in all the good things you have provided for enjoyment. Amen

As Nehemiah’s wall was built,  so will we see a reconstruction in all that may appear in distress and in waste. Nehemiah trusted and feared God, putting his faith in the Almighty whose strength is limitless to exceed all our expectations. Look out daily for Nehemiah’s Wall in 2015 and do invite friends to subscribe to the free email or social media posts.

I am praying someone with a burden to be used by God in building will receive a fresh vision and get the job done.

To subscribe to the devotional, please  enter your email address (the left column) above the “subscribe” button (and enter on the green button). God bless you.

Recessionproofchristianlife.com is a privately owned blog/media site started in 2009 as the internet ministry of the author. It promotes the absolute authority and divine inspiration of the Holy Bible as the Word of God – Infallible and Sufficient.

 

Clearing the Way

Nehemiah 9:24 So the children went in and possessed the land, and thou subduedst before them the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, and gavest them into their hands, with their kings, and the people of the land, that they might do with them as they would.

Again, we see the reason not to be surprised when things work out much better than you think. God goes ahead and subdues all the resistance before you arrive on the scene. This does not mean we should not push, but there are doors that He prefers shut and none can open them … only wasted efforts result from certain advances …because God has not gone ahead. We succeed when we stand on the word of God, and not on our own strengths. God does not fight any battles and we should be careful to presume that He does. Because of Achan’s hidden treasure, the children of Israel failed woefully in what should have been so easy. The simplest tasks can be so hazardous where God has not gone ahead. We should learn like David did to ask God whether to move forward or not. Sometimes we will hear Him ask us first to deal with the accursed thing …or to wait… or to move.

Demons also understand that there must be a green light from the devil to signal the best attack timing, again the principle is the same. Observe Haman’s plot.

Est 3:7 In the first month, that is, the month Nisan, in the twelfth year of king Ahasuerus, they cast Pur, that is, the lot, before Haman from day to day, and from month to month, to the twelfth month, that is, the month Adar. 8 And Haman said unto king Ahasuerus, There is a certain people scattered abroad and dispersed among the people in all the provinces of thy kingdom; and their laws are diverse from all people; neither keep they the king’s laws: therefore it is not for the king’s profit to suffer them.

We thank God that there are more on the side of light and only God is omnipotent. Leaders should in their prayer closet seek guidance on the timing of important events.

Verses for further meditation

Joshua 7:1-11 ; 1 Samuel 30:8

Thoughts for Business and the work place

Leaders should in their prayer closet seek guidance on the timing of important events.

Suggestions for Prayer

Lord, lead me all the way … let me not go ahead of your divine appointments. Amen

As Nehemiah’s wall was built,  so will we see a reconstruction in all that may appear in distress and in waste. Nehemiah trusted and feared God, putting his faith in the Almighty whose strength is limitless to exceed all our expectations. Look out daily for Nehemiah’s Wall in 2015 and do invite friends to subscribe to the free email or social media posts.

I am praying someone with a burden to be used by God in building will receive a fresh vision and get the job done.

To subscribe to the devotional, please  enter your email address (the left column) above the “subscribe” button (and enter on the green button). God bless you.

Recessionproofchristianlife.com is a privately owned blog/media site started in 2009 as the internet ministry of the author. It promotes the absolute authority and divine inspiration of the Holy Bible as the Word of God – Infallible and Sufficient.

 

Growth

Nehemiah 9:23 Their children also multipliedst thou as the stars of heaven, and broughtest them into the land, concerning which thou hadst promised to their fathers, that they should go in to possess it.

God has always been concerned with growth and expansion and prayers of growth. He wants to see His children fill the earth spiritually, physically and even numerically. Christ asked us to go and spread the gospel … evangelism is an area of prime emphasis for the Church. But the multiplication as Nehemiah points out must be the work of God. No man can take credit for the multiplication but the Holy Spirit of God.

There are many ways to grow a Church, nation or even a business …but maturity and growth in righteousness that exalts a nation is the work of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is an unstoppable force for expansion. We saw this in the early church, in the Acts of the Apostle after the Holy Spirit descended … the church was born and took off in all directions until it reached the ends of the earth.

Deu_1:11 (The LORD God of your fathers make you a thousand times so many more as ye are, and bless you, as he hath promised you!)

Seeking growth is good …whether it be economic, numerical or spiritual… even as barrenness in scriptures is likened to a curse that afflicts those who despise God. But do not exclude the growth that God gives as He expands His kingdom. This I sense is at the heart of all that the Holy Spirit desires i.e. to see souls saved. Connect somehow to this objective and watch the multiplication of grace upon your family, home and business as the power and presence of God rests to bless all that you lay your hands upon.

 

Verses for further meditation

Matthew 25:14-30 ; Genesis 1:22

Thoughts for Business and the work place

Leaders have the grace to increase the little entrusted in their hands by others.

Suggestions for Prayer

Lord, let your divine increase be seen in all that I do. Amen

As Nehemiah’s wall was built,  so will we see a reconstruction in all that may appear in distress and in waste. Nehemiah trusted and feared God, putting his faith in the Almighty whose strength is limitless to exceed all our expectations. Look out daily for Nehemiah’s Wall in 2015 and do invite friends to subscribe to the free email or social media posts.

I am praying someone with a burden to be used by God in building will receive a fresh vision and get the job done.

To subscribe to the devotional, please  enter your email address (the left column) above the “subscribe” button (and enter on the green button). God bless you.

Recessionproofchristianlife.com is a privately owned blog/media site started in 2009 as the internet ministry of the author. It promotes the absolute authority and divine inspiration of the Holy Bible as the Word of God – Infallible and Sufficient.

 

Kingdoms and Nations

Nehemiah 9:22 Moreover thou gavest them kingdoms and nations, and didst divide them into corners: so they possessed the land of Sihon, and the land of the king of Heshbon, and the land of Og king of Bashan.



God gives political expansion as well as spiritual expansion. There is nothing that God cannot give … lands, influence … dividing His people into corners. The land they possessed was already given to them by the benevolent God. What God has not given cannot be possessed. God did not give kingdoms and nations because they were perfect or pleased Him, but because they were His people. God’s victories belong to God and not to men …completely to God. This calls for humility and gentleness … and a greater love for God.

The same God that gives entire countries and lands can do a lot for you as we pray for His will and ask of Him for our inheritance. We do not ask God or we ask God for little … when we consider what God can give … there should be no limits to what we can ask for … even awesome enterprises that will span continents…Can God not give businesses and multi-billion corporations? Indeed He can …but only few ask and many ask amiss thinking they can use God and dump Him later …but God sees the end and the present …Today is a good day to ask God for great things … do not ask small. God is looking for people to give nations and kingdoms … including financial kingdoms. Remember that to whom much is given, even more is expected. Ask … that your joy may be full.

Joh 16:24 Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.

Verses for further meditation

Jeremiah 1:10 ; Hebrews 11:33

Thoughts for Business and the work place

God’s leaders know how to possess great things already given by God. They have asked for great things from a great God.

Suggestions for Prayer

Lord, open fresh doors that I may prosper greatly in all that I set my hands on. Amen

Nehemiah’s wall was built,  so will we see a reconstruction in all that may appear in distress and in waste. Nehemiah trusted and feared God, putting his faith in the Almighty whose strength is limitless to exceed all our expectations. Look out daily for Nehemiah’s Wall in 2015 and do invite friends to subscribe to the free email or social media posts.

I am praying someone with a burden to be used by God in building will receive a fresh vision and get the job done.

To subscribe to the devotional, please  enter your email address (the left column) above the “subscribe” button (and enter on the green button). God bless you.

Recessionproofchristianlife.com is a privately owned blog/media site started in 2009 as the internet ministry of the author. It promotes the absolute authority and divine inspiration of the Holy Bible as the Word of God – Infallible and Sufficient.