NAVIGATING LIFE

NAVIGATING LIFE

The One Sure Guide to Successful Living
If you were going on a long voyage, you would bring along a navigational chart, wouldn’t you? Well, you are on a long voyage—life—and the One who knows the way has instructed some of His men to draw a detailed chart to help you make it safely to your final destination. To say you don’t have time to read God’s chart, the Bible, is like a sailor heading out to sea and saying, “Well, I’m in such a hurry to get where I’m going that I don’t have time to look at the nautical chart!” But if you’ll take the Bible and simply read it, believe it, and follow it, you will be on the right course and wind up at the right place.

The most amazing book
The Bible is the most marvelous book in the whole world. It not only tells us where we’re going, but also how we got here, why we’re here, how to survive and be happy while here, and how to have love, happiness, joy, and peace forever.
Yet so many people today ignore the Bible completely. Even many of those who have been through years of higher education and have read hundreds and hundreds of books of all kinds have never read the most fascinating book of all, the Bible.
In the Bible you can find almost anything: drama, romance, poetry, prophecy, history, mystery, and much more. But most important, the Bible contains the very Spirit and life of God Himself.1 It’s the means by which God activates us with His life, light, and power.

It works!
A skeptic and a Christian were discussing whether the Bible was truly a divinely inspired book. The skeptic was convinced that since no one had ever seen God and there was no scientific proof of His existence, how could anyone believe the Bible was truly inspired by Him?
“Is the compiler of the multiplication table known?” the Christian asked.
“No.”
“Then of course you do not believe in it.”
“Oh, yes, I believe in it because it works,” replied the skeptic.
“So does the Bible.”
The fact that the Bible has the power to effect positive change in each of our lives, no matter what our situation or need, is the greatest proof that the Bible is the supernatural Word of God Himself. As you read the Bible you will find that it is an absolutely inexhaustible source of wisdom and knowledge, out of which you will constantly find treasures new and old.2
And the most wonderful thing about the Bible is that through its words we can get to know its author, for the Bible is God’s great love letter to us. Its life-giving words make it the greatest book in the world, with the only author in the world who can guarantee life and love and happiness and Heaven forever through simply reading it and believing in its main character, the One who loved us so much that He gave His own life to save us—Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
If you sincerely pray, “Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things from Your Word,”3 you won’t be disappointed.

Soul food
Jesus said, “The Words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.”4 They give us spiritual life and nourishment and strength and health, which is why a good, wholesome, balanced diet of God’s Word is essential. Just like you have to eat in order to have physical strength, you have to feed on the Word to have spiritual strength.
The Bible tells us that like newborn babies desire to be fed, we should desire the pure milk of the Word, so we may grow thereby.5 Like a baby needs milk to be healthy and grow or even survive, you must be fed spiritually in order to stay healthy and grow spiritually. And just like a baby has an instinctive and irrepressible desire to be fed, so we should hunger for the pure milk of God’s Word.
The prophet Jeremiah said, “Your words were found, and I ate them, and Your Word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart.”6 Job said, “I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my necessary food.”7
There’s nothing more important to your spiritual life than the Word!

Word time
In Luke, chapter 10, we read the story of Mary and Martha. When Jesus came to visit, Mary “sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His word,” but Martha was too busy trying to be a good hostess. She tried so hard to get everything done just right for Jesus that she didn’t have time to listen to Him. So Jesus gently scolded her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.”8 What is the “good part” that Mary chose?—The Word. She sat at Jesus’ feet and listened to His words.
“But,” you say, “I’ve got so much work and so many other things to do. How am I ever going to find time to read the Word every day?” Well, if you put the Word first, the Lord will always help you find the time to take care of those other things. When you see the difference it makes in your life, you’ll wonder how you ever got by without it!

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John 4:24 (ESV) God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”

Matthew 13:52 (ESV) And he said to them, “Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house, who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.”

Psalm 119:18 (ESV) Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law.

#HappyWeekend

Onyedikachi Kingsley Ogbonna

THE BIG ROCKS

THE BIG ROCKS

An expert on the subject of time management was speaking to a group of business students. He stood in front of these high-powered overachievers, pulled out a one-gallon, wide-mouthed Mason jar, and set it on a table in front of him. Then he produced about a dozen fist-sized rocks and carefully placed them, one at a time, into the jar. When the jar was filled to the top and no more rocks would fit inside, he asked, “Is this jar full?”

Everyone in the class said, “Yes.”

Then he said, “Really?” He reached under the table and pulled out a bucket of gravel. Then he dumped some gravel in and shook the jar, causing pieces of gravel to work themselves down into the spaces between the big rocks. Then he asked the group once more, “Is the jar full?”

By this time the class was on to him. “Probably not,” one of them answered.

“Good!” he replied. He reached under the table and brought out a bucket of sand. He started dumping the sand in and it went into all the spaces left between the rocks and the gravel. Once more he asked the question, “Is this jar full?”

“No!” the class shouted.

Once again he said, “Good!” Then he grabbed a pitcher of water and began to pour it in until the jar was filled to the brim.

Then he looked up at the class and asked, “What is the point of this illustration?”

One eager beaver raised his hand and said, “The point is, no matter how full your schedule is, if you try really hard you can always fit some more things into it!”

“No,” the speaker replied, “that’s not the point. The truth this illustration teaches us is this: If you don’t put the big rocks in first, you’ll never get them in at all.”
What are the “big rocks” in your life? Are you putting them in first?

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Matthew 6:33 ESV / But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

Romans 12:2 ESV / Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Luke 12:34 ESV / For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

#TGIF

Onyedikachi Kingsley Ogbonna

WHAT JESUS SAID ON THE CROSS

WHAT JESUS SAID ON THE CROSS

Love for enemies
“Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34).
“Them” were the Roman soldiers who had been following Pontius Pilate’s orders when they nailed Jesus to the cross to die. They had been following orders, but they had also been cruel and vicious in their mocking and whipping, proving what was in their own hearts. “Them” were also those in the mis­guided, manipulated mob that had called for Jesus’ death and forced Pilate’s hand—the same common people who had hailed Jesus as their King only a few days earlier (Mark 15:6–14; Mark 11:8–10). How cruel, how awful, how unjust! How could Jesus say that any of these people didn’t know what they were doing? To a certain degree they had to, but they didn’t realize the enormity of what they were doing—that they were killing the Son of God.
In asking His Father to forgive those who had turned on Him and those who had carried out His execution, Jesus actually spoke in their defense, and in so doing proved in the most powerful way possible that He believed what He had taught: “Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you” (Matthew 5:44). Despite the shame and pain the Romans heaped on Jesus, He forgave them. He also forgave those who had turned on Him. Now He wants us to have that much love, that much forgiveness.

Love for sinners
“Today you will be with Me in Paradise” (Luke 23:43).
Jesus spoke these words to the repentant thief who was crucified beside Him.
The following true story shows the present-day effect of these words.
A couple was robbed of their credit cards, papers, and cash. Some friends prayed with them that they would be able to overcome the trauma of the theft and that the stolen items would be recovered.
A week later the couple received a thick envelope in the mail. All of their valuables were inside. So was a note, which was signed, “From a repentant robber.” There also was a drawing of three crosses. The cross on the right was circled. Jesus’ mercy and forgiveness still change people today.

Love for family and friends
“Behold your son! … Behold your mother!” (John 19:26–27).
Jesus spoke these words to His mother and to John, the closest of His disciples, as He looked down on them from the cross. Jesus understood the void that the end of His earthly life would leave in each of theirs, and that they could each help fill that void for the other. Jesus loved them so much that even in the midst of His most trying hour, He saw the needs of His loved ones and did something about it.
Thereafter, John cared for Mary as his own mother, and Mary loved John as her own son.

Jesus needs our love
“I thirst!” (John 19:28).
One Christmas some friends did a program at a center for the handicapped that is run by the Missionaries of Charity, the Catholic order that Mother Teresa founded. I noticed a large banner on the wall that read “I thirst,” and I asked why they had chosen these two last words of Jesus.
“That cry of Christ has become our rallying cry,” one of the sisters explained. “Shortly before she passed on to her heavenly reward, Mother Teresa said, ‘His thirst is without end. He, the Creator of all, pleads for the love of His creation. He thirsts for our love. These words, “I thirst,” do they not echo in our souls?’”

Love for God
“My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” (Matthew 27:46).
Did Jesus doubt God’s love as He died? Had God forsaken Him? These words always troubled me until I read the following explanation from David Berg:
“What caused Jesus the greatest agony on the cross was not our sins, because He knew that we were going to be forgiven and saved. What broke His heart was thinking that His Father had turned His back on Him. Jesus went through an experience that, thank God, we will never have to go through—not just crucifixion, not just the agony of the body, but the agony of mind and spirit, feeling that God had actually deserted Him. ‘My God, My God,’ He cried out, ‘why have You forsaken Me?’ (Matthew 27:46). Had God forsaken Him? Yes, momentarily, that He might die the death of a sinner, without God.
“Jesus took upon Himself the sins of the whole world on the cross, and these sins temporarily separated Him from His Father. He voluntarily gave Himself to die in our place—He loves us that much!” (1Peter 2:24).

Love for you and me
“It is finished!” (John 19:30).
What was it that He finished? On the same evening that Jesus hung on the cross, the Passover lamb was being sacrificed. Like the blood of the lamb saved the Hebrew people from destruction in Egypt, Jesus’ blood—the ultimate Passover sacrifice—redeems us from the power of sin and death.
When He died on the cross His work was done, and our salvation was won!

Love’s reward
“Father, into Your hands I commit My Spirit.” (Luke 23:46).
Jesus, help us to trust our lives to You and live to please You, like You trusted Your life to the Father and lived to please Him. Then what a day of rejoicing that will be when we see You face to face and enter into our heavenly reward—eternal life and love with You and the Father!

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John 1:14 ESV / And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

John 1:1 ESV / In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

Revelation 22:18 ESV / I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book

Onyedikachi Kingsley Ogbonna

You Are a Steward

You Are a Steward

Dear Friend,

Did you know there is more written in the Bible about finances than on heaven and hell, prayer, or faith? Jesus taught more about this subject than any other, so it's obvious that the stewardship of money is very important to God.

 
I know that as soon as a minister begins to speak on this subject, it is often met with skepticism, with people wondering about the motives behind the teaching. I understand why, and honestly, there are a lot of other subjects I would rather teach. But as God's steward of this ministry, it's not up to me--it's up to Him--and God wants His people to understand how to operate in this area.

When I teach on healing, it's not so I can be healed; I'm already walking in divine health. Likewise, when I teach on financial stewardship, it's not for my financial benefit but for yours. Jamie and I love you and just want to see you walking in the grace of God, full of faith, healthy, and prosperous.

Financial stewardship is probably one of the most misunderstood subjects in the Bible, yet one of the most important.

Jesus said in Luke 16:10-11,

 
He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much. [11] If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?

 
In other words, if you can't deal with finances and become faithful in that, you can't be trusted with anything. Finances are just the starting point.
 

Many people believe the money they have belongs to them. After all, they earned it. They've scrimped, and they've saved. They may even be working two jobs to make ends meet. They earned it, so it must be theirs. Right?

Wrong. It may seem that way, but it's just not true. Your bank account may be in your name, and you may have the title to your car or the deed to your home. But God is the one who gave you the ability to prosper.The first step in becoming financially responsible and blessed is to recognize God is your source. He gave you your life, your breath, your talents, and your abilities.

 

Deuteronomy 8:18 says, 

But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day.

When we understand that God is the source of all our blessing, it's easy to realize that we are merely the stewards of all that He gives us. One definition ofsteward is a person who manages the affairs, especially the money, of another person. And when we get the mindset of a steward, it totally changes the way we think about and use money.

 

Abraham is a great example of a person who had the mindset of a steward. He completely understood and acknowledged who his source was, and because of that, God abundantly blessed him.

 

Genesis 12:1-3 says,

 

Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee: [2]And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: [3] And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.

 

A lot could be said about this passage, but I want to point out that the blessing was independent of what Abraham deserved and independent of his performance. It was the favor of God on his life that caused him to prosper. Do you realize that it's about the favor of God?

 

That isn't saying that you can sit in front of the television and expect God to put money in your mailbox. In 2 Thessalonians 3:10, the Bible says that if you don't work, you don't eat. But you need to recognize that even though you work, it is God's favor and blessing that bring the increase.

 

It all begins with the understanding that you are a steward.

ONE SOLITARY LIFE THAT CHANGED THE WORLD

ONE SOLITARY LIFE THAT CHANGED THE WORLD

Here is a man who was born in an obscure village, the child of a peasant woman. He grew up in another obscure village. He worked in a carpenter shop until He was thirty, and then for three years He was an itinerant preacher.

He never wrote a book. He never held an office. He never owned a home. He never had a family.

He never went to college. He never put his foot inside a big city. He never traveled two hundred miles from the place where He was born. He never did one of the things that contemporary society would consider a sign of greatness.

He had no credentials but Himself. He had nothing of this world, only the power of His divine manhood. While still a young man, the tide of popular opinion turned against Him.

His friends ran away. One of them denied Him; another betrayed Him. He was turned over to His enemies. He went through the mockery of a trial.

He was nailed to a cross between two thieves. While He was dying, His executioners gambled for the only piece of property He had on earth—His coat. When He was dead, He was taken down and laid in a borrowed grave through the pity of a friend.

Twenty centuries have come and gone, and today He is the centerpiece of the human race, the greatest source of guidance and divine inspiration.

I am far within the mark when I say that all the armies that ever marched, and all the navies that ever were built, and all the parliaments that ever sat, and all the kings that ever reigned, put together, have not affected the life of man upon this earth as powerfully as that one solitary life—Jesus!

Why Did Jesus Die?
Why would the Lord of the universe, God in the flesh, allow Himself to be captured, falsely accused, tried and condemned, whipped, stripped, and nailed to a cross like a common criminal? The answer is simple: Because He loved you and me!
All of us at times have done wrong and been unloving and unkind to others. The Bible says, “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”1 The worst thing about our sins is that they separate us from God, who is absolutely sinless and perfect. In order to bring us to God, Jesus, the sinless Son of God, took the sins of all mankind upon Himself. He took the punishment for our sins and suffered the horrible pain of death by crucifixion. He died the death of a sinner that through His sacrifice, we might find forgiveness and freedom from our sins.

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Isaiah 54:10 ESV / For the mountains may depart and the hills be removed, but my steadfast love shall not depart from you, and my covenant of peace shall not be removed,” says the Lord, who has compassion on you.

Psalm 26:3 ESV / For your steadfast love is before my eyes, and I walk in your faithfulness.

Revelation 3:19 ESV / Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent.

Onyedikachi Kingsley Ogbonna (Surv.)

A DECLARATION OF LOVE

A DECLARATION OF LOVE

Love is the primary solution to all of man’s problems of today, as well as those of the past—true love, the love of God and the love of fellow man. This is still God’s answer, even in such a complex and confused society as that of the world today.

It is people’s rejection of the love of God and His loving laws that causes them to be selfish and cruel to their neighbor—man’s inhumanity to man, which is so apparent in today’s weary world with all of its enslavement by oppression, tyranny, and exploitation. Hundreds of millions suffer needlessly from hunger and malnutrition, disease and ill health, poverty, overwork, and abuse—not to mention the tortures of war and nightmares of perpetual fearful insecurity. All of these evils are caused by people’s lack of love for God and each other, as well as their defiance of God’s laws of love, faith, peace, and harmony.

The solution is simple: If we truly love God, we can love each other. We can then follow His rules of life, liberty, and the possession of happiness, and all will be well and happy in Him.

This is why Jesus said that the first and greatest commandment is to love—to “love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.” And the second is “like it”—it’s almost equal, almost the same: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:37–39).

If we have real love, we can’t face a needy situation without doing something about it. We can’t just pass by the poor man on the road to Jericho! We must take action like the Good Samaritan did (See Luke 10:25–37). Many people today say of those who need help, “Oh, I’m so sorry, how sad.” But compassion must be put into action. That’s the difference between pity and compassion: Pity just feels sorry; compassion does something about it.

We must demonstrate our faith by our works, and love can seldom be proven without some tangible manifestation. To say you love someone and yet not try to help them physically in whatever way they may need—food, clothing, shelter, and so on—this is not love! True, the need for real love is a spiritual need, but it must be manifested physically, in works—“faith working through love” (Galatians 5:6). “For whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him? My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth” (1 John 3:17–18).

However, we must always remember that the greatest manifestation of our love is not the mere sharing of our material things and personal possessions, but the sharing of ourselves with others, along with our love and our faith. Jesus had nothing material to share with His disciples, only His love and His life, which He gave for them and for us, that we too might have life and love forever.

“Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends” (John 15:13). So we consider that the sharing of ourselves, our love, and our lives with others is the greatest of all sharing and our ultimate goal.

True happiness is found not in personal pursuit of selfish pleasure and satisfaction, but in finding God and giving His love to others and bringing them happiness. Do that, and happiness will pursue and overtake and overwhelm you personally, without your even seeking it for yourself.

“For whatever a man sows, that he will also reap” (Galatians 6:7). If you sow love, you’re going to reap love. If you sow friendship, you’re going to reap friendship. So obey God’s laws of love—unselfish love, love for Him and others. Give others that love which is their due, and so shall you also receive. “Whatever measure you use to give—large or small—will be used to measure what is given back to you” (Luke 6:38 TLB).

Find out what wonders love can do. You’ll find a whole new world of love you have only dreamed of! There are wonders of love that you can enjoy along with some other lonely soul—if only you will try. If you give love, you will get love.

Love wasn’t put in your heart to stay.
Love isn’t love till you give it away!

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2 Corinthians 9:7 ESV / Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

Acts 20:35 ESV / In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”

Luke 6:38 ESV / Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.”

Onyedikachi Kingsley Ogbonna (Surv.)

STRESS REDUCERS

STRESS REDUCERS

Question: I’m under pressure at work and pressure at home, pressure to succeed, pressure to provide for my family, and pressure to be a good parent and spouse—pressure from every side. So often I just don’t know how to cope! What can I do?

Answer: Stress is becoming an almost inescapable part of modern life—almost, because there are things one can do to avoid getting under undue stress or living in a state of constant stress. While some of the following tips are of a strictly physical nature—getting sufficient exercise or eating the right kinds of foods, for example—others add a spiritual dimension by bringing Jesus into the equation in a very real and personal way.

Jesus can be your counselor, coach, business manager, intercessor, executive secretary, personal trainer, confidant, and best friend. In short, He is everything you need to contend with the stress that has become part of modern living and to come through a winner!

Tips for Stress Reduction
Pray. Make quiet time with Jesus a daily habit.
Go to bed on time; get enough sleep.
Get up on time so you can start the day unrushed.
Say no to projects that won’t fit into your time schedule, or that will compromise your mental health.
Delegate tasks to others who are capable.
Laugh.
Allow extra time to do things and to get to places.
Pace yourself. Spread out big changes and difficult projects over time, when possible; don’t lump the hard things all together.
Concentrate on things you have direct control over—yourself and your habits—rather than on things that you have little or no control over.
Get organized so everything has its place.
Separate worries from concerns. If a situation is a valid concern, find out what God would have you do about it. If you’re worried about something that you can’t or shouldn’t do anything about, then put it in His hands.
Live within your budget; don’t buy things on credit if you don’t have to.
Take one day at a time.
Have backups—an extra car key in your wallet; an extra house key buried in the garden; extra postage stamps; batteries for your flashlight, cell phone, etc.; back up your computer files.
Carry God’s Word with you to read while waiting or during spare moments.
Take your work seriously, but yourself not at all.
Use the time while driving or riding in your car to listen to Bible-based cassettes, CDs, or MP3s that can help improve your quality of life.
Keep a folder of favorite Scriptures or inspirational readings on hand.
Remember that the shortest bridge between despair and hope is often a hearty “Thank You, Jesus!”
Don’t take on new work until you have taken care of timely matters that are still pending.
Having problems? Talk to God on the spot. Try to nip small problems in the bud. Don’t wait until it’s time to go to bed to pray.
Remind yourself that you are not the general manager of the universe.
Simplify and declutter your life.
Every night before bed, think of at least one thing you’re grateful for that came out of your day.
Develop a forgiving attitude. (Most people are doing the best they can.)
Get enough exercise.
Be kind to unkind people. (They probably need it the most.)
Eat right.
Slow down.
Thank God for what’s coming, because He won’t send you anything that you and He together can’t handle.

—

Where Troubles Can’t Touch You

Submariners tell us that no storms ever reach very deep into the ocean. The water is perfectly calm a hundred feet down, no matter how high the breakers may rise on the surface. There is quiet in the depths that no surface storms can disturb. This is possible, too, in human lives; there can be serenity and peace within, undisturbed by the storms of the world. Jesus is our peace.

When life feels like a tiny, windowless room and its four walls are closing in, you can create a window of escape through the Word of God.

As you read and meditate on the Word, as you believe God’s promises and claim them as your own, wonderful things await you. The warm sunshine of His love will melt away the tension.

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Philippians 4:6 ESV / Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

John 14:27 ESV / Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.

Psalm 55:22 ESV / Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved.

Onyedikachi Kingsley Ogbonna (Surv.)