Good-life Daily Devotional

   Rev Michael Benson Ajayi  “I also tell you this: If two of you agree here on earth concerning anything you ask, my Father in heaven will do it for you.  For where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them.”  Matthew 18:19‭-‬20 NLTBible    There are situations where one needs to pray with others before a breakthrough can be achieved . Job's friends were instructed by the lord to give their offerings to Job who prayed for them . They were arrogant and presumptuous and portrayed a "holier than you " attitude towards Job during the latter's travail. They frustrated job by their judgemental counsel. They needed Job's forgiveness and his prayers to overcome pride and receive restoration  (Job 42:1-10)    Whenever the lord rebukes us of our pride it is best to ask a mature believer to pray for us to overcome pride . Our breakthroughs are  connected to this act of humility . The bible says " Confess your sins to...

   Rev. Michael Benson Ajayi  " Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all!" Romans 12:16 NLT   "Never speak harshly to an older man, but appeal to him respectfully as you would to your own father. Talk to younger men as you would to your own brothers. Treat older women as you would your mother, and treat younger women with all purity as you would your own sisters." 1 Timothy 5:1‭-‬2 NLT  1) COURTEOUS: The spirit of Jesus Christ in the born again Christian is  meek and seeks to serve. Jesus Christ said 'I came to serve and not to be served'. The believer respects elders, treats women as princesses and queens and men as kings and princes and priests in the house of God .God's people are described as kings and priests  Rev.1:6 says " And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.' Everyone deserves re...

  By Rev. Michael Benson Ajayi  " So anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven." Matthew 18:4 NLTBible   And Samuel told him, “Although you may think little of yourself, are you not the leader of the tribes of Israel? The Lord has anointed you king of Israel."1 Samuel 15:17 NLTBible      King Saul was anointed Israel's first king by an act of grace, he did not merit it in any way . He was of the smallest tribe and least recognized family . He saw himself as unqualified for the exalted office until pride was found in his heart and he was removed from circulation and replaced with a little known David      God uses the least likely of persons to do the extraordinary. The bible says " God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful. God chose things despised by the world, thing...

 By Rev Michael Benson Ajayi  "  I looked up again and saw a scroll flying through the air.   “What do you see?” the angel asked.“I see a flying scroll,” I replied. “It appears to be about 30 feet long and 15 feet wide.”     Then he said to me, “This scroll contains the curse that is going out over the entire land. One side of the scroll says that those who steal will be banished from the land; the other side says that those who swear falsely will be banished from the land.        And this is what the lord of Heaven’s Armies says: I am sending this curse into the house of every thief and into the house of everyone who swears falsely using my name. And my curse will remain in that house and completely destroy it—even its timbers and stones.”     Then the angel who was talking with me came forward and said, “Look up and see what’s coming.”  Zechariah 5:1-5      The word 'curse' as used in this t...

  By Rev Michael Benson.    "You will be driven from human society. You will live in the fields with the wild animals, and you will eat grass like a cow. Seven periods of time will pass while you live this way, until you learn that the Most High rules over the kingdoms of the world and gives them to anyone he chooses.’ Daniel 4:32 NLTBible   What was the crime of this king , the Bible says    "As he looked out across the city, he said,  ‘Look at this great city of Babylon! By my own mighty power, I have built this beautiful city as my royal residence to display my majestic splendor.’ In the pursuit of self exaltation he embarked on infrastructural development while the citizens languished in poverty .  Daniel 4:30 NLT This man began to ascribe glory to himself. He taught he was responsible for the air he breaths, the ability to keep his heart beating twenty hours a day , he thought he was responsible for the brain cells and molecules which generat...

   By Rev. Michael Benson Ajayi  " Jesus also taught: “Beware of these teachers of religious law! For they like to parade around in flowing robes and receive respectful greetings as they walk in the marketplaces.  And how they love the seats of honor in the synagogues and the head table at banquets."Mark 12:38‭-‬39 NLTBible     Persons who grew under oppressive guardians or parents suffer an emotional injury that results in an unhealthy desire to be honoured in their adulthood. If untreated it will result in broken homes and inability to keep a relationship. These person like to be in churches were they are given excessive  attention , exert undue control ,worshiped and praised regularly. It is symptomatic of a low self esteem. Pastors who allow this eventually fail in Christian character.     Many religious leaders especially in Africa desire worship by members and these members are conditioned psychologically to desire honour . It...

  By Rev Michael Benson Ajayi  John 1: 1 In the beginning the Word already existed.     The Word was with God,   and the Word was God.   He existed in the beginning with God.  God created everything through him,  and nothing was created except through him.  The Word gave life to everything that was created,  and his life brought light to everyone.   John1:1-3  14  So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.  John 1:14    Old testament rules demanded that the wages of sin be paid with blood. An animal exchanged its innocence for the sins of the guilty . But a dilemma is the situation where the priest and his sacrifice sacrifice fell short of God's standard because of sin. In this case a person's sins remains with them since there was no priest qualified to offer the sacrif...

By Rev Michael Benson Ajayi   Jesus Christ was manifested to fulfill the demands of the law and to fulfill prophesy . The law makes provision for substitutionary sacrifice . It says without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins .  THE INNOCENT GOAT DIED FOR THE PEOPLE'S SINS .  Aaron will then present as a sin offering the goat chosen by lot for the lord. '     The other goat, the scapegoat chosen by lot to be sent away, will be kept alive, standing before the lord. When it is sent away to Azazel in the wilderness, the people will be purified and made right with the lord.   “Aaron will present his own bull as a sin offering to purify himself and his family, making them right with the lord. After he has slaughtered the bull as a sin offering,  Leviticus 16:9-11   The psalmist says in Psalm 9:12 "When he maketh inquisition for blood, he remembereth them: he forgetteth not the cry of the humble." JESUS CHRIST IS THE SEED OF ...

  By Rev. Michael Benson Ajayi  "And Herod was highly displeased with them of Tyre and Sidon: but they came with one accord to him, and, having made Blastus the king's chamberlain their friend, desired peace; because their country was nourished by the king's country.  And upon a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat upon his throne, and made an oration unto them.  And the people gave a shout, saying, It is the voice of a god, and not of a man.  And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost." Acts 12:20‭-‬23 KJV      Happiness is a word used interchangeably with joy in the scriptures and true joy is a gift of the Holy Spirit and is given to those who obey God.      In acts 12 king Herod  was struck by an Angel because of pride , he took the glory that was meant for God only . Some  reasons for pride includes intellectual achievemen...

   By Rev Micheal Benson Ajayi   "I look for someone to come and help me, but no one gives me a passing thought! No one will help me; no one cares a bit what happens to me. Then I pray to you, O Lord . I say, “You are my place of refuge. You are all I really want in life. " Psalms 142:4‭-‬5 NLT     Good relationships are to be treasured as long as they last. Relationships will be tested and often times the crisis in our relationships may not be caused by us . Therefore, it is improper to always blame yourself whenever a relationship fails resulting in your abandonment.  Adam and Eve teamed up against God . Was God at fault for giving man so much freedom and resources.? Was God to blame ?. No. This should tell you that your best effort at demonstrating love will be rejected and treated worthless by someone you love.      Do not always blame yourself for someone's choice to reject you. You may not be meant to be together at that moment  . ...

   By Rev Michael Benson Ajayi 'The Lord is like a father to his children, tender and compassionate to those who fear him. For he knows how weak we are; he remembers we are only dust." Psalms 103:13‭-‬14 NLTBible    " Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down. And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God, a punishment for his own sins! But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed." Isaiah 53:4‭-‬5 NLTBible    The scriptures in Isaiah 53 gives us a picture of what Jesus Christ had to go through to justify our emancipation from the forces that were against us . He liberated us through a vicarious atonement as a demonstration of his love for us       He knows exactly what you are going through and has great plans for you. The scriptures says "Then the Lord told him, “I have certainly seen the oppression of m...

       By Rev Michael Benson      "I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” John 16:33 NLTBible    The word 'overcome' is the Greek word 'nikaō ' it  means to conquer , carry off the victory, come off victorious . It means Jesus Christ is victorious over all His foes and the same goes for the  believers  that hold fast to their faith in him even unto death against the power of their foes , temptations and persecutions.  The devil constantly  accuses the believer and seeks for legal grounds to possess the souls of his victims . Through Jesus Christ -our great advocate- we have won the case and can now maintain our course in line with the fulfilment of our purpose in life .      With this understanding the spirit of the believer cannot be summoned by any voodoo , magician or enc...

    By Rev. Michael Benson Ajayi     "Instead, be very glad—for these trials make you partners with Christ in his suffering, so that you will have the wonderful joy of seeing his glory when it is revealed to all the world. But it is no shame to suffer for being a Christian. Praise God for the privilege of being called by his name!" 1 Peter 4:13‭, ‬16 NLTBible     Suffering is part of the human life experience more so if you have chosen the part of righteousness. The born again believer is seen as an easy prey by the wicked given the peaceful disposition of the Christian towards life.     The believer is likened to water and gold ; one of the processes of purification of these elements is by fire. Fire does not burn gold and water. The hotter the fire the purer the gold and also the higher its value . It is a win win situation for the believer.     It is with this understanding that Job said " Though He slay me, yet wi...

   “The wicked writhe in pain throughout their lives. Years of trouble are stored up for the ruthless." Job 15:20 NLT   All of the sufferings on earth are man-made ,they are the results of the wickedness and selfishness of man. Suffering is facilitated by the devil and his demons. The wicked gets their inspiration from Satan while the godly from God.     Suffering turns the righteous towards God as they seek for his help . Some of the wicked  become more wicked during hard times . The bible says " Lord , you are searching for honesty. You struck your people, but they paid no attention. You crushed them, but they refused to be corrected. They are determined, with faces set like stone; they have refused to repent ".Jeremiah 5:3 NLT      Instead of seeking for repentance and deliverance ,the truly wicked would rather chose to curse God the more . The Bible says  "They will go from one place to another, weary and hungry. And because the...

   By Rev. Michael Benson Ajayi  Now the king of Sodom said to Abram, “give me the persons, and take the goods for you  yourself  But Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have raised my hand to the Lord , God Most High, the Possessor of heaven and earth, that I will  take nothing, from a thread to a sandal strap, and that I will not take anything that is yours, lest you should say, ‘I have made Abram rich’—Genesis 14:21‭-‬23 NKJVBible  " Favour is deceitful and beauty is passing, But a woman who fears the Lord , she shall be praised." Proverbs 31:30 NKJVBible  The word  'favour' in this text is the Hebrew  word 'chên ' and it means , grace, charm favour, grace, elegance favour, acceptance , kindness .     In Genesis 14 Abraham was offered part of the spoils of war  by the king of Sodom but he understand the implications behind  receiving such a gift and gladly rejected the offer.      The concept that a...

  "Neither give place to the devil.' Ephesians 4:27 KJV   The word 'grant or give ' is the Greek word 'didōmi' it means to grant permission and the word 'place' is the Greek word  'topos' and it means to power, opportunity or occasion for acting .  This means the devil always seeks for legal grounds before attacking anybody . You must first give him the licence through our utterances and thoughts before he can take over your marriage, business, family  etc  Our cries and murmuring are music in his ears .     He is controlled by the word of God and persons who are ignorant of Gods word easily fall prey by unknowingly giving Satan the right to operate in their lives. These persons are guided by their feelings like Eve was before losing Eden to Satan. God is not moved by our feelings the same way your cable or phone network subscriptions is not moved by how you feel but by the terms of the contract that binds you with the company . They will di...

   By Rev. Michael Benson Ajayi  "Do not enter the path of the wicked, And do not walk in the way of evil. Avoid it, do not travel on it; Turn away from it and pass on."Proverbs 4:14‭-‬15 NKJVBible “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it.  Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it." Matthew 7:13‭-‬14 NKJVBible    Temptations are part of life ,we encounter them on a daily basis . They stem from the devil .The Bible says ' And the Lord said, “Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat."Luke 22:31 NKJVBible  temptations also emanate from our own lusts ( cravings ) , the scriptures says " And remember, when you are being tempted, do not say, “God is tempting me.” God is never tempted to do wrong, and he never tempts anyone else. Temptation comes from our own desires, which ...

   By Rev. Michael Benson Ajayi " The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;  To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord , and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;" Isaiah 61:1‭-‬2 KJV    'And Jacob rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his loins, and mourned for his son many days.  And all his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him; but he refused to be comforted; and he said, For I will go down into the grave unto my son mourning. Thus his father wept for him." Genesis 37:34‭-‬35 KJV    Our best plans does not guarantee our exemption from suffering permanent of temporary losses . We all have suffered a painful  loss at one time  or the other and at such moments we need some comfort from an underst...

  By Rev. Michael Benson Ajayi " Because you would forget your misery, And remember it as waters that  have passed away," Job 11:16 NKJVBible    " You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; You have put off my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness," Psalms 30:11 NKJVBible       The sackcloth is a clothe won in the old testament period as a symbol of how repentant a person was for breaking God's laws . It was a period of deep sorrows likened to that in a funeral .       For those he loves the lord disciplines by subjecting the saints through hardships until we learn to put God first in all our considerations. Doing this makes us selfless and more humane in our decision making process. The bible says  " But beware lest somehow this liberty of yours become a stumbling block to those who are weak. But when you thus sin against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ." I Corinthians 8:9‭, ‬12 NKJ...

   By Rev. Michael Benson Ajayi  " In this all-out match against sin, others have suffered far worse than you, to say nothing of what Jesus went through—all that bloodshed! So don’t feel sorry for yourselves. Or have you forgotten how good parents treat children, and that God regards you as his children? My dear child, don’t shrug off God’s discipline, but don’t be crushed by it either. It’s the child he loves that he disciplines; the child he embraces, he also corrects. God is educating you; that’s why you must never drop out. He’s treating you as dear children. This trouble you’re in isn’t punishment; it’s training , the normal experience of children. Only irresponsible parents leave children to fend for themselves. Would you prefer an irresponsible God? We respect our own parents for training and not spoiling us, so why not embrace God’s training so we can truly live ? While we were children, our parents did what seemed best to them. But God is doing what is best for u...

   By Rev. Michael Benson Ajayi  "Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ," Philippians 3:8 KJVBible   " Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,"Hebrews 12:1 KJVBible      The Bible describes the missionary journey of the believer in Jesus Christ as a race , it is a marathon race that starts from the day a person receives Jesus Christ as  lord and savior and makes a commitment to live for him.  The speed of a vehicle in a race is directly proportional to its weight so is the rate of fuel consumption . Automobile and aircraft designers know this too well that's why new models of vehicles designed for s...

Rev. Michael Benson Ajayi  “Son of man, you’ve heard that proverb they quote in Israel: ‘Time passes, and prophecies come to nothing.’   Tell the people, ‘This is what the Sovereign lord says: I will put an end to this proverb, and you will soon stop quoting it.’ Now give them this new proverb to replace the old one: ‘The time has come for every prophecy to be fulfilled!’    “There will be no more false visions and flattering predictions in Israel.   For I am the lord! If I say it, it will happen. There will be no more delays, you rebels of Israel. I will fulfill my threat of destruction in your own lifetime. I, the Sovereign lord, have spoken!”  Ezekiel 12: 22-25 NLT     " Despise not  prophesyings. Prove all things; hold fast that  which is good. 1 Thessalonians 5:20-21 KJV      The word ' prophesyings ' is the Greek word ' prophēteia' it means,  a discourse emanating from divine inspiration and declaring...