Rhapsody of Realities Daily Devotional "Giving your day a Lift"

09/04/2024

08/31/2024

STUDY YOUR RHAPSODY OF REALITIES DAILY DEVOTIONAL

SPEAKING IN TONGUES HELPS FORFEND DANGER - PASTOR CHRIS OYAKHILOME

SATURDAY 31ST AUGUST 2024

📖….For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries (1 Corinthians 14:2).

Speaking in tongues is very important to every child of God. Make it a conscious habit to speak in tongues every day. That’s where the power is. Once, a gang of ruthless kidnappers accosted a young girl and dragged her away. As they did, she spoke vigorously in tongues. They threatened to kill her, but she continued speaking in tongues. The more she spoke in tongues, the bolder she got. To her utter amazement, not long afterwards, the ten armed men suddenly threw away their weapons and fled. They ran away from one unarmed young girl. Why?

The Bible says “...he that speaketh in an unknown tongue, speaketh not unto men but unto God....” God only knows what those criminals saw or heard that made them scamper off in terror. Don’t take speaking in tongues lightly. Before you go out of your house every day, speak in tongues.

A truck driver was speeding down the road when, suddenly, his brakes failed, and his truck started hurtling dangerously towards a young guy. A fatal accident seemed inevitable, and the driver closed his eyes, expecting the worst to happen. When the vehicle ground to a halt, he opened his eyes, only to discover the young guy was still standing, unscathed and unruffled.

Quickly, he alighted from his truck and said, “Young man, I thought I hit you.” The young man said, “No, you didn’t; as you came close, the power of God picked me up in the air. When your truck sped past, the power of God brought me back down.”

Then the young man narrated how before he came out that day, he had been speaking in tongues until his whole body was saturated with the power of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, when danger came, the power of God lifted him over and above the hazard.

The blessings and benefits of speaking in tongues are much more than you can imagine. The utterance may sound foolish or unintelligible to you or anyone listening to you, but that’s where the power is. Glory to God! Even now, lift your hands and speak in tongues about your life, your ministry, your family, your job, your finances, your academics, and your health.

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PRAYER

Dear Father, as I speak in tongues today, I align myself with your perfect will; my life is transformed and I’m empowered by the Holy Spirit, walking in victory in every area of my life. Thank you Lord, for the supernatural protection and safety, transcendent blessings and benefits of speaking in tongues, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

FURTHER STUDY:

1 Corinthians 14:2 For he that speaketh in an [unknown] tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth [him]; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries.

Jude 1:20 AMPC But you, beloved, build yourselves up [founded] on your most holy faith [make progress, rise like an edifice higher and higher], praying in the Holy Spirit;

Romans 8:26-27 AMPC So too the [Holy] Spirit comes to our aid and bears us up in our weakness; for we do not know what prayer to offer nor how to offer it worthily as we ought, but the Spirit Himself goes to meet our supplication and pleads in our behalf with unspeakable yearnings and groanings too deep for utterance. 27 And He Who searches the hearts of men knows what is in the mind of the [Holy] Spirit [what His intent is], because the Spirit intercedes and pleads [before God] in behalf of the saints according to and in harmony with God's will.

DAILY SCRIPTURE READING

1-Year Bible Reading Plan=> 1 Corinthians 15:1-34 & Proverbs 5-7

2-Year Bible Reading Plan=> 1 Thessalonians 2:1-9 & Jeremiah 17

08/25/2024

STUDY YOUR RHAPSODY OF REALITIES DAILY DEVOTIONAL

FOLLOW HIM - PASTOR CHRIS OYAKHILOME

SUNDAY 25TH AUGUST 2024

📖…And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men (Matthew 4:19)

Notice what the Lord said in the verse above: "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men." Your responsibility is to follow Him, and He’ll make all your dreams come true. Follow Him, and He’ll see to it that you fulfil God’s calling and destiny for your life. But how do you follow Him?

If you had lived in Jesus' day in Israel, you might have thought that following Him meant physically accompanying Him from street to street, village to village, or town to town. It’s however beyond that. Judas, who followed Jesus physically, ultimately betrayed Him and lost out with God, proving that following Him physically wasn’t enough.

The first aspect of following Jesus is to follow Him in the Word, for He is the living Word. John 1:14 tells us, "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth." When you follow Him in the Word, you’re following Jesus Himself. The written Word is all about Jesus.

Secondly, you must follow Him through the Word. As you study the Word, you'll find Jesus and understand His mindset, His beliefs, and observe His actions. You’ll see how He responded to everything. You’ll read, for example, how He reacted to a billowing tempest; He demonstrated authority over nature and His ability to bring peace even in the midst of chaos (Mark 4:38-39).

Everything about Jesus is revealed in the Word. Learning how He responded in various situations provides valuable insights for our own lives. When He got hungry, what did He do? When He felt tired, what did He do? He did all He did to show us how to live. Therefore, we must follow Him in, through, and by the Word. Following Him by the Word means to act on His Word, to do what He says. James 1:22 NIV says, "Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says."

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PRAYER

Dear Father, thank you for the privilege to follow Jesus in, through, and by the Word. I immerse myself in your Word daily, and I’m granted deep insights to understand its mysteries, deep secrets, and apply the principles and teachings in my life. I’m a doer of the Word, and I experience victory and triumphs in every aspect of my life, in Jesus' Name. Amen.

FURTHER STUDY:📖

John 8:31-32 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; 32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

Luke 9:23 And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.

James 1:22-25 NIV Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25 But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.

📖DAILY SCRIPTURE READING

1 Year Bible Reading Plan : 1 Corinthians 10:1-13 & Psalms 135-138

2 Year Bible Reading Plan : Colossians 2:16-23 & Jeremiah 10-11

08/18/2024

STUDY YOUR RHAPSODY OF REALITIES DAILY DEVOTIONAL

HE’S “THE WAY,” NOT “A WAY” _ PASTOR CHRIS OYAKHILOME

SUNDAY 18TH AUGUST 2024

📖…Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved (Acts 4:12)

The Bible says there’s no salvation in any other, for there’s no other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved. This statement gives us no chance to think that there might be some other means for salvation. Salvation is only in the Name of Jesus; the Lord Himself was definite about this.

Some people think otherwise and believe there’s more than one way to get to God. In fact, they claim that Jesus is one of the many ways to God. Before taking their claim seriously, one first has to ask them how they came aboutwhat they’re saying and on what authority it is based.

They also need to tell if they’ve ever successfully gotten to God. If they can’t answer these questions, then their claims are false, and they have no idea what they’re saying. In John 14:6, Jesus unambiguously declared: “...I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6).

He didn’t say, “I am one of the ways,” neither did He say, “I am a way.” He said, *“I am THE way.” So, to answer the question, “How many ways are there to God? The simple answer is: There’s only one way, and that’s Jesus Christ. There’s no other way besides Him.

How do I know this? It’s because Jesus said so, and the same Jesus went to heaven alive. The people who founded the various religions of the world don’t have a similar testimony. When they died, their adherents could only hope they went to heaven. But Jesus went up into heaven alive in the presence of 120 witnesses; they saw Him go. They saw Him levitate and ascend into the clouds before their eyes. Hallelujah!

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever. He’s alive and His Name still has power today; that’s why we see so many mighty miracles happening around the world. These miracles are a testimony that He’s alive. Salvation is only in His Name, and you can receive it today if you’re yet to do so by praying the “Prayer of Salvation,” which you’ll find on page 76 of this devotional.

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PRAYER

Dear Father, thank you for the blessing of salvation and for the gift of eternal life, which is available to all in Christ. I boldly proclaim the message of salvation to those around me, with conviction and demonstration of the Spirit, such that many may come to know Jesus as their Lord and Saviour. Amen.

FURTHER STUDY:📖

Romans 10:8-13 But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; *9* That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. 12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. 13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

1 John 5:11-12 And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. *12* He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.

📖DAILY SCRIPTURE READING

1 Year Bible Reading Plan : 1 Corinthians 3 & Psalms 109-112

2 Year Bible Reading Plan :Philippians 4:8-13 & Jeremiah 3

08/17/2024

STUDY YOUR RHAPSODY OF REALITIES DAILY DEVOTIONAL

NO CONTRADICTIONS IN THE BIBLE - PASTOR CHRIS OYAKHILOME

SATURDAY 17TH AUGUST 2024

📖…All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16)

The Bible is a trustworthy material that contains the inspired Word of God and provides guidance and direction for us to live by. Some people however try to discredit it by claiming some of its details don’t add up.

An example is about the resurrection of Jesus; the Bible says He resurrected on Sunday morning after being in the grave for three days and three nights. So, they ask, *“How could it have been three days and three nights from Friday to Sunday morning? It doesn’t add up.”

Well, the Bible never said Jesus died on Friday. Some religious people assumed this to be so because they read in the Bible that Jesus died the day before the Sabbath and they knew that Saturday was Sabbath. What they didn’t know was that the Sabbath the Bible was referring to wasn’t the weekly Sabbath but the Passover Sabbath.

This Passover Sabbath was a special event that took place on the 14th day of the month of Nisan every year. It therefore wasn’t fixed to any particular day of the week. It’sjust the same way Christmas is on the 25th of December for most of the world, but the 25th of December doesn’t fall on a Monday every year.

That year, the 14th day of Nisan fell on a Thursday. And so, Jesus was crucified on a Wednesday, the day before the Passover Sabbath. The gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke didn’t mention that this was Passover Sabbath, but John clearly stated it, “…the Jewish leaders didn’t want the bodies hanging there the next day, which was the Sabbath (and a very special Sabbath, because it was Passover week)...” (John 19:31 NLT).

The purpose of this isn’t to criticize the celebration of Good Friday; no. Rather, it’s to show that Jesus was accurate when He said, “For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth” (Matthew 12:40).

He was crucified on Wednesday, and before dawn on Sunday, He had risen. This also shows that the Bible is trustworthy. You can trust its writings because it’s more than a religious book; it’s the testimony of God.

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PRAYER🗣

Dear Father, your Word is trustworthy and true; it’s a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path. I’m strengthened, firmly grounded in the accuracy and reliability of the Scriptures, for it’s profitable for every aspect of my life, in Jesus' Name. Amen.

FURTHER STUDY:📖

Psalm 33:4 For the word of the Lord is right; and all his works are done in truth.

Psalm 119:160 Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever.

Romans 3:3-4 For what if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect? *4* God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.

Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

📖DAILY SCRIPTURE READING

1 Year Bible Reading Plan : 1 Corinthians 2 & Psalms 107-108

2 Year Bible Reading Plan : Philippians 4:1-7 & Jeremiah 2

08/12/2024

STUDY YOUR RHAPSODY OF REALITIES DAILY DEVOTIONAL

IMMUNE TO POISON - PASTOR CHRIS OYAKHILOME

SUNDAY 11TH AUGUST 2024

📖….And these signs shall follow them that believe...if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover (Mark 16:17-18)

Are you aware that now that you’re born again, it’s not possible for you to be poisoned? No infection can thrive in your body. The life of God in you will nullify and neutralize the effects of any venom in your body. Paul proved it. While on the island of Melita, he was bitten by a venomous viper. The people expected him to swell, fall down suddenly and die as a result of the venom from the snake, but the Bible says, Paul shook off the viper into thefire and felt no harm (Acts 28:5).

It doesn’t matter how venom is injected or ingested into your body; it’ll have no effect on you. That’s what the Lord Jesus meant when He said, “...if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them…” (Mark 16:18).

The word "drink" in the Greek is "pinō," which means to imbibe, suck in, absorb or assimilate. That means the deadly thing doesn't have to have gone in through your mouth; if your body absorbs, ingests, assimilates or receives any deadly thing, in whatever form, such substances will have no effect on you.

Someone says, “I got malaria because I was exposed to mosquito bites.” No! The life in you destroys parasites and disease-causing pathogens; it’s poison-resistant. Have this consciousness; live every day with the understanding of who you are in Christ. You’re of the “uninfectable” breed, immune to any venom or poison. Glory to God! Amen.

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CONFESSION🗣

I'm immune to every form of toxins, poison or venom. I walk in the reality of who I am in Christ, a new creation with the indestructible and “uninfectable” life of God in me. I walk in health, strength and victory, in Jesus' Name. Amen.

FURTHER STUDY:📖

Acts 28:1-6 And when they were escaped, then they knew that the island was called Melita. 2 And the barbarous people shewed us no little kindness: for they kindled a fire, and received us every one, because of the present rain, and because of the cold. 3 And when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks, and laid them on the fire, there came a viper out of the heat, and fastened on his hand. 4 And when the barbarians saw the venomous beast hang on his hand, they said among themselves, No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he hath escaped the sea, yet vengeance suffereth not to live. 5 And he shook off the beast into the fire, and felt no harm. *6* Howbeit they looked when he should have swollen, or fallen down dead suddenly: but after they had looked a great while, and saw no harm come to him, they changed their minds, and said that he was a god.

Isaiah 54:17 No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is of me, saith the Lord.

Luke 10:19 Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.

📖DAILY SCRIPTURE READING

1 Year Bible Reading Plan : Romans 12:17-13:1-14 & Psalms 89

2 Year Bible Reading Plan : Philippians 1:23-30 & Isaiah 62

08/10/2024

STUDY YOUR RHAPSODY OF REALITIES DAILY DEVOTIONAL

THE “MIGHTY” AND THE “GODS” - PASTOR CHRIS OYAKHILOME

SATURDAY 10TH AUGUST 2024

📖….Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods?(John 10:34)

When you read the first six verses of Psalm 82 from where the Lord Jesus quoted the verse above, you’d observe something remarkable. It says, “God standeth in the congregation of the mighty…. Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy. Deliver the poor and needy: rid them out of the hand of the wicked. They know not, neither will they understand; they walk on in darkness: all the foundations of the earth are out of course. I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High” (Psalm 82:1-6).

Notice that God calls His people, “the mighty”; and also He says, “Ye are gods.” But then the passage goes further to outline our responsibilities: we’re to “Defend the poor and fatherless…” (Psalm 82:3). We’re to “…do justice to the afflicted and needy.” Don’t turn away from the plight of the needy; you’re the one to deliver them out of the hand of the wicked. You can understand why He calls us saviours in Obadiah 1:21.

The fifth verse of that Psalm is painful; it says, “They know not, neither will they understand; they walk on in darkness….” In other words, because these “mighty,” these “gods,” are ignorant of who they are, the earth is in a chaotic condition: “…all the foundations of the earth are out of course” (Psalm 82:5).

It reminds me of a certain young man I met who said He didn’t believe in God. When I asked him why, he said because there were too many poor and suffering people around us. “If there’s a God,” he asked, “why would He allow so many to be wallowing in poverty, pain and misery? It’s not right.”

Then I said to him, “You’re correct; it’s not right. But it’s not God’s fault. Those whom He has sent to save and help the needy aren’t doing it and that includes you.” Thereafter, I preached the Gospel to him, and he was gloriously saved.

You’re the one to rid the poor out of the hands of the wicked. You’re the saviour of the needy. Get to know who you are, and take your place as the helper and the deliverer, the one who’s been endued with power from on high to impact and change your world. Hallelujah!

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CONFESSION🗣

I’m empowered by the Holy Spirit to make a positive impact in the lives of others and make a difference in the world around me. I walk in the wisdom and courage to defend the poor and needy, to do justice to the afflicted, and to rid them out of the hand of the wicked, in Jesus' Name. Amen.

FURTHER STUDY:📖

1 Peter 2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light;

Matthew 5:14-16 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. 15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

Psalm 82:1-6 NKJV God stands in the congregation of [a]the mighty; He judges among the [b]gods. 2 How long will you judge unjustly, And show partiality to the wicked? Selah 3 [c]Defend the poor and fatherless;Do justice to the afflicted and needy. 4 Deliver the poor and needy; Free them from the hand of the wicked. 5 They do not know, nor do they understand; They walk about in darkness; All the foundations of the earth are [d]unstable. 6 I said, “You are [e]gods, And all of you are children of the Most High.

DAILY SCRIPTURE READING 📖

1 Year Bible Reading Plan : Romans 12:1-16 & Psalms 85-88

2 Year Bible Reading Plan : Philippians 1:15-22 & Isaiah 61