Good-life Daily Devotional

   By Rev Michael Benson Ajayi   "But when people keep on sinning, it shows that they belong to the devil, who has been sinning since the beginning. But the Son of God came to destroy the works of the devil." 1 John 3:8 NLT   "  Because God’s children are human beings—made of flesh and blood—the Son also became flesh and blood. For only as a human being could he die, and only by dying could he break the power of the devil, who had the power of death. Only in this way could he set free all who have lived their lives as slaves to the fear of dying. " Hebrews 2:14‭-‬15 NLT    The aforementioned scriptures says Jesus came to destroy the works  of Satan . Sin gives Satan the advantage to oppress humanity . Sin derives its strength from the laws of Moses. For were there is no law , there is no sin.     Before Jesus came humanity was under the curse of the law and there was nobody qualified to intercede on our behalf of humanity : after Adam sinned humans came into the wor

   By Rev. Michael Benson Ajayi  " I remember your genuine faith, for you share the faith that first filled your grandmother Lois and your mother, Eunice. And I know that same faith continues strong in you." 2 Timothy 1:5 NLT    Your parent's spiritual foundation can influence your worship . Children raised in homes where it is believed that demons , witches and wizards can control a believer in Jesus Christ therefore requiring powerful preachers to be protected from such  ; that child will grow to have a distorted picture of who a believer in Jesus Christ is thinking  believers are at the mercy of Satan and his agents  . The believer in Jesus Christ is above Satan and demons (Luke 10:19, Mark 16:17)     This is common in many African churches . It is common to find Christians in this part of the world changing churches up to ten times during their lifetime as a result of fear of witches ,demons and Satan . This is because they were exposed to parents who were or still in

  By Rev Michael Benson Ajayi  "He must manage his own family well, having children who respect and obey him."1 Timothy 3:4 NLT     The process of raising children requires recognition of the fact that the dreams and aspirations of a nation resides in every child . We should bear in mind that the future is in our hands to either make or break .     Adults bare on their bodies and psyche the signature of their parents or guardians. The outcome of a child's upbringing is inevitable , whatever we sow we shall reap .       Personalities are made out of the imputes from the family , community , religion , security agencies , media , schools attended and government. The state of these elements of mind moulding are registered in a person's subconscious and manifests in all that a person does. Your attitude and character is the output of a learned behaviour knowingly or unknowingly.     For instant, Nigerians had suffered military rule for over thirty years and this implants

  By Rev Michael Benson Ajayi  Mark 3:14-16 NIV  “ He appointed twelve — designating them apostles-that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach and to have authority to drive out demons. “        The word 'authority' is the Greek word  ‘exousia’ it means;  privilege, force, capacity,  competency, freedom, mastery , magistrate, superhuman, potentate, token of control, delegated influence: The believer in Jesus Christ has been given delegated influence over satanic powers and just as darkness disappears at the appearance of light so does satanic powers surrender at the presence of the believer in Jesus Christ .  Authority is positional ( a function of the office a person occupies ) and ethereal  ( divine ,effective, real : though not physically visible ) God places persons into office to reward some persons and bring judgment on some others: even Satan has a role to play in divine justice on earth (1Cor. 5:5,1Tim1:20)        Satan is not as powerful as po

   Rev Michael Benson Ajayi  " She is a loving deer, a graceful doe. Let her breasts satisfy you always. May you always be captivated by her love." Proverbs 5:19 NLT " So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them." Genesis 1:27 NKJV     Lovemaking in a marriage is ordained of God . It takes place between a married human male (husband ) and  human female (wife) according to God's original design in the Scriptures (Gen.1:27)  It is for procreation and for bonding between a husband  and his wife . It is sacred before God and should not be treated with levity .      Lovemaking should be at the forefront of discussions between a husband and a wife . The more we talk about a thing the more interesting and profitable  it appears to be. Faith in the ability of sex as a bonding and pleasurable agent comes from hearing words about it . Complaining too often  destroys the desire for sex. This is a major cause of i

Rev Michael Benson Ajayi   " Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:6‭-‬7 NLT    " He must manage his own family well, having children who respect and obey him. For if a man cannot manage his own household, how can he take care of God’s church?" 1 Timothy 3:4‭-‬5 NLT Bible   The word 'manage ' is the word 'rule ' it is from  the Greek word 'proistēmi ' it means to set or place before , to set over ,to be over, to superintend, preside over , to be a protector or guardian , to give aid , to care for, give attention to , profess honest occupations.       These are the features of a healthy family , the first objective of a husband and wife is for the family to always be set to fulfil a divine purpose .

  By Rev Michael Benson Ajayi     "So I advise these younger widows to marry again, have children, and take care of their own homes. Then the enemy will not be able to say anything against them." 1 Timothy 5:14 NLT     The biblical  definition of a marriage is the union between a male and female human beings . The bible says in Mark 10:6 " But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female. "  Each partner in the marriage has a specific role to play as prescribed by the Bible.     When a woman opens herself to be  led by the scriptures she gets rewarded with virtue and honour . This requires a lot of discipline and a determination to have a peaceful home. A virtuous woman starts her day with the Word of God and prayer. This is her source of strength and hope . A woman with a poor prayer and bible study culture is unstable, easily irritated , bitter , full of complaints, open to temptation and eventually destroys her home.      The first duty of the

By Rev. Michael "I do not let women teach men or have authority over them. Let them listen quietly. For God made Adam first, and afterward he made Eve". 1Tim2:12    In the old testament ( Exodus 12 ) the head of the home carried out the act of atonement that was meant for the priest's office by sacrifice of a lamb .   In Genesis 14 Abraham the husband to Sarah was introduced to his high priest Melchizedek to whom he gave tithes as a mark of humility and submission to God  , submission to divine authority and in Genesis 15 he began to operate in the priestly office. Only the priest made a sacrifice to God . The husband's first duty is to play the role of a priest to his wife. The bible says in 1 Cor. 11: 3 "But I  would have you know, that the head of every man  is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man;  and the head of Christ is God."   Apostle paul spelt out the role of the husband as priest to his wife . the word 'head' is the Greek word kep

  By Rev Michael Benson Ajayi       " Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper who is just right for him.”Genesis 2:18 NLT     “Haven’t you read the Scriptures?” Jesus replied. “They record that from the beginning  ‘God made them male and female.’ ”  And he said, “‘This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.’  Since they are no longer two but one, let no one split apart what God has joined together.” Honor your father and mother. Love your neighbor as yourself.’ ”Matthew 19:4‭-‬6‭, ‬19 NLT   The word 'joined ' is the Greek word 'proskollaō ' it means : to glue upon, glue, to join one's self to closely, cleave to, stick to "  The marriage relationship is like conjoined twins. Each persons shares in the other person's hurts and joys , it changes the lives of the married dramatically and under the Lord's leading, it is one of the most ext

  By Rev Michael Benson Ajayi  "You have died with Christ, and he has set you free from the spiritual powers of this world. So why do you keep on following the rules of the world, such as,"Colossians 2:20 NLT " I do not treat the grace of God as meaningless. For if keeping the law could make us right with God, then there was no need for Christ to die." Galatians 2:21 NLT    The laws of Moses places the burden of salvation on man ; while the law of grace places the demand on the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross . The born again Christian is saved because of the obedience of Jesus Christ. The law demands absolute obedience to the six hundred and thirteen laws for a person to be saved.     Despite the stringent nature of the law, those under the era of the law enjoyed God's love and mercy . The high priests  who were bound by the law sometimes broke it (John7:22-24; Matt12:10-13) . There were exceptions that allowed the law of Moses to be broken . For ins

   By Rev Michael Benson Ajayi    " Well then, should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more of his wonderful grace? Of course not! Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it?" Romans 6:1‭-‬2 NLT  " And if another believer is distressed by what you eat, you are not acting in love if you eat it. Don’t let your eating ruin someone for whom Christ died." Romans 14:15 NLT   The new law in Jesus Christ also known as the perfect law of liberty (James1:25) the holy commandment ( 2 Pet.2:21) The new covenant (Her 31:31) the law of faith ( Rom3:27) the law of the Spirit of life ( Rom8:2) is often interpreted to mean liberty or the license to be free . While it gives us freedom from the demands of the laws of Moses ,it does not give is freedom from the Lord . The law of Christ is a Law like any other law . Laws have governing abilities and punitive capacities. It is not a license to live in sin and rebellion against godly authority.    A pi

   By Rev. Michael Benson Ajayi   "When God speaks of a “new” covenant, it means he has made the first one obsolete. It is now out of date and will soon disappear. "Hebrews 8:13 NLT   “The day is coming,” says the Lord , “when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and Judah. “But this is the new covenant I will make with the people of Israel after those days,” says the Lord . “I will put my instructions deep within them, and I will write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people." Jeremiah 31:31‭, ‬33 NLT   The death of Jesus Christ on the cross fulfilled and ended the laws of Moses ( Matt5:17) " For Christ has already accomplished the purpose for which the law was given. As a result, all who believe in him are made right with God." Romans 10:4 NLT  The law came with a curse for anyone who breaks one of the 613 laws ‘Cursed is the one who does not confirm all the words of this law by observing them.’ “And all the peopl

   By Rev.Michael Benson Ajayi  "Their worship is a farce, for they teach man-made ideas as commands from God.’ ”Matthew 15:9 NLT " Then he said, “You skillfully sidestep God’s law in order to hold on to your own tradition."Mark 7:9 NLTBible     The laws of Moses were mixed by the religious teachers with human traditions to produce another law to oppress their followers . There was no equity and fairness in the judicial  system . The same applies to many Churches today ,they teach man made theology which promotes corruption in the society . Tradition teaches that your sins are acceptable as long as you keep donating money to religious leaders. Human traditions lacks the life transformation power of Gods word ." Then he said, “You skillfully sidestep God’s law in order to hold on to your own tradition."Mark 7:9 NLT    The Bible warns us against exalting man's traditions above God's word . Human tradition is not bad in itself as long as it is just , fair

  By Rev Michael Benson Ajayi "So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.1 Cor 15:58 NLT . " And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him. Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness."Col  2:6‭-‬7 NLT      The believer in Jesus Christ is likened to a tree : trees of righteousness (Isaiah 61:3) Regular uprooting and replanting of a tree over a long period of time eventually results in an unfruitful tree . A tree has to be nourished , pruned , watered  and in the right environment for it to be fruitful.  This is what it means to be stable .      The bible says in Eph 4:14 "That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine,

   By Rev. Michael Benson Ajayi  " In a burst of anger I turned my face away for a little while. But with everlasting love I will have compassion on you,” says the Lord , your Redeemer." Isaiah 54:8 NLT  “For if you return to the Lord , your relatives and your children will be treated mercifully by their captors, and they will be able to return to this land. For the Lord your God is gracious and merciful. If you return to him, he will not continue to turn his face from you.”2 Chronicles 30:9 NLT    One of the consequences of backsliding is emotional and physical slavery by terrorism . Many of God's people have lost the joy that comes with salvation. They suffer emotional and physical pains silently in the hands of persons who use them as tools or objects of pleasure. Emotional insecurity is a major cause of diseases suffered by God's people .    Among the consequences of backsliding the bible says the backslidden is brought to nought ( Deut28:63) they shall be hurt in

   By Rev. Michael Benson Ajayi  "Your boasting about this is terrible. Don’t you realize that this sin is like a little yeast that spreads through the whole batch of dough? Get rid of the old “yeast” by removing this wicked person from among you. Then you will be like a fresh batch of dough made without yeast, which is what you really are. Christ, our Passover Lamb, has been sacrificed for us."1 Cor 5:6‭-‬7 NLT   In 1Cor.5 a backslidden christian man was engaged in a sexual relations with his father's wife : such sexual perversions brings shame to the church . The Holy Spirit is grieved whenever a Christian backslides . It is an act of betrayal .Every miracle of healing , employment , finance ,marriage ,children etc we received was given to us for the promotion of the gospel and for soul winning  .The bible says  "Search for the Lord and for his strength; continually seek him. Remember the wonders he has performed, his miracles, and the rulings he has given, He gave

    By Rev Michael Benson Ajayi   "Obviously people who say such things are looking forward to a country they can call their own. If they had longed for the country they came from, they could have gone back."Hebrews 11:14‭-‬15 NLT ". But as for me, I almost lost my footing. My feet were slipping, and I was almost gone. For I envied the proud when I saw them prosper despite their wickedness." Psalms 73:2‭-‬3 NLT     Backsliding is a term used to describe a condition were a person loses interest in the lord and his will . From the above scriptures, it is as a result of a christian desiring to live like a non believer .      When a persons gets born again there is a need to renew one's mind. Renewing ones mind is liking pouring water into a clean glass cup . The backslidden heart is like pouring clean water into a dirty cup and expecting the water to be clean . The human heart is likened to a cup (vessels). "In a wealthy home some utensils are made of gold and

   By Rev. Michael Benson Ajayi  "You will be driven away from people and will live with the wild animals; you will eat grass like the ox. Seven times will pass by for you until you acknowledge that the Most High is sovereign over all kingdoms on earth and gives them to anyone he wishes.”  All the peoples of the earth are regarded as nothing. He does as he pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth. No one can hold back his hand or say to him: “What have you done?” Daniel 4:32‭, ‬35 NIV "By me kings reign and rulers issue decrees that are just;  by me princes govern, and nobles—all who rule on earth."Proverbs 8:15‭-‬16 NIV    God rules the world and has instituted governments to fulfill his purpose for a period . Jesus Christ was quick to remind  Pilate who was in charge during his trial .The Bible says “Do you refuse to speak to me?” Pilate said. “Don’t you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?”  Jesus answered, “You would have n

   By Rev Michael Benson Ajayi   "We live in such a way that no one will stumble because of us, and no one will find fault with our ministry. In everything we do, we show that we are true ministers of God. We patiently endure troubles and hardships and calamities of every kind." 2 Corinthians 6:3‭-‬4 NLT     " Then you will not be criticized for doing something you believe is good." Romans 14:16 NLT     The Spirit of the Lord liberates and the liberty a person enjoys is not meant to bring others into bondage. Liberty without boundaries is a glorified bondage:  it does more harm than good . An example of this is drinking and getting drunk while driving beyond speed limits through a neighborhood filled with children . The consequence of this act is best left to be imagined.     The disciple of Jesus Christ is called to be a good example wherever they are . We are called to be honest and sincere examples in society . The bible describes the believer in Jesus Christ as

   By Rev Michael Benson Ajayi     " Even though I am a free man with no master, I have become a slave to all people to bring many to Christ. When I was with the Jews, I lived like a Jew to bring the Jews to Christ. When I was with those who follow the Jewish law, I too lived under that law. Even though I am not subject to the law, I did this so I could bring to Christ those who are under the law. When I am with the Gentiles who do not follow the Jewish law, I too live apart from that law so I can bring them to Christ. But I do not ignore the law of God; I obey the law of Christ. When I am with those who are weak, I share their weakness, for I want to bring the weak to Christ. Yes, I try to find common ground with everyone, doing everything I can to save some." 1 Corinthians 9:19‭-‬22 NLT   The gospel spreads best in an atmosphere of peace and love . You cannot minister the gospel to anyone until you prove that you care about what they care about . The disciple of Jesus Chris

   By Rev. Michael Benson Ajayi  "You adulterers! Don’t you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? I say it again: If you want to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God." James 4:4 NLT     "Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world." 1 John 2:15‭-‬16 NLT    A true disciple of Christ is driven by the divine purpose of winning souls for God's kingdom. Any person claiming to be a follower of Jesus Christ and  is comfortable not leading anyone to God's kingdom has a questionable salvation .     The power of the gospel : the anointing - is revealed in the salvation of souls for God's kingdom ( Rom.1;16-17) Our lives should lead people t

  By Rev. Michael Benson Ajayi  "All the believers were united in heart and mind. And they felt that what they owned was not their own, so they shared everything they had. The apostles testified powerfully to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and God’s great blessing was upon them all. There were no needy people among them, because those who owned land or houses would sell them and bring the money to the apostles to give to those in need."Acts of the Apostles 4:32‭-‬35 NLT   The disciple of Jesus Christ is sold out to him and lives to glorify Jesus Christ. Whenever disadvantaged members of society join the church their welfare becomes part of the disciple's responsibilities. This includes feeding ,clothing ,transportation to and from church meetings , medical care , school fees until they are able to find sound footing .      The early church gave money to the disciples to carry out these responsibilities  and whenever the resources were not enough  disciples are expect