ojaysjoel blog

Scripture focus: Even from the days of your fathers ye are gone away from mine ordinances, and have not kept them. Return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith the LORD of hosts. But ye said, Wherein shall we return?  Malachi 3:7  KJV. Devotion: King David was at ease. While his men were at the battlefield, he remained at home. One evening, as he reclined on the rooftop, he saw Bathsheba bathing. He desired her, took her to bed, and she conceived (2 Samuel 11:2–5). To cover up, David tried to make her husband, Uriah, sleep with her, but Uriah refused (2 Samuel 11:9–11). Finally, David sent him to the frontlines where the battle was fiercest, ensuring his death (2 Samuel 11:14–17).     David’s fall began in a season of comfort. He was not where he should have been, and idleness opened the door to temptation. Scripture warns: “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8). ...

Scripture focus: “We love because He first loved us.” — 1 John 4:19 Reflection: God’s love for us is beyond measure. Even while we were still sinners, He gave His Son, Jesus Christ, to die for us and deliver us from sin (Romans 5:8). This is the greatest demonstration of love the world has ever known. If God loved us so deeply, then we ought to love Him back — not just in words, but in obedience.  “If you love me, keep my commandments.” — John 14:15      Loving God means living in obedience to His Word and turning away from sin. When we deliberately go back into sin, we show that we do not truly appreciate His sacrifice and His love.     Several years ago, I met a young man who said, “If at 35 I’m not wealthy, I will make ritual money. Then at 60, I will give my life to Christ.” Thank God he is still alive today and did not go down that dark path. But his story is a reminder that not everyone will live to 60 to accept Christ.    I urge y...

Scripture - John 10:10 — “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”   - Hebrews 10:10 — “We have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.”   - Romans 6:14 — “For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace.”   - 2 Corinthians 5:17 — “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”   Reflection In the past, life was marked by hardship — people lived without electricity, modern medicine, or technology. Communication was slow, and diseases that are easily treated today often claimed lives. Yet beyond physical struggles, humanity was bound by spiritual darkness: idol worship, sacrifices, and rituals that could never truly cleanse sin.    But now, through Christ, everything has changed. We live in an age of grace. Jesus has become our perfect sacrifice, once and for all. We no longer need to s...

Scripture Reading - “Be still, and know that I am God.” — Psalm 46:10   - “Seek the LORD while He may be found; call upon Him while He is near.” — Isaiah 55:6   - “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” — Psalm 119:105   Reflection: There was a period of over 400 years between the Old and New Testament when God did not send a prophet to Israel. No visions, no dreams, no fresh revelation. To many, it may have seemed like abandonment. Yet, God was not absent—He was watching, preparing, and waiting for the fullness of time to send His Son (Galatians 4:4).     In our own lives, we sometimes experience seasons of silence. We pray, but answers seem delayed. We seek, but the heavens feel closed. This silence is not rejection—it is an invitation. God’s silence calls us deeper into His Word, into prayer, and into fellowship with His people. It is in these moments that our faith is tested and strengthened.     When in th...

My dearly beloved, welcome to September — the ninth month of the year, the beginning of the Ember months. It is a season of harvest, new beginnings, and preparation to finish the year strong.     We give thanks to God for bringing us this far — for life, health, protection, and every blessing. “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:18).     As you journey through this new month, may the Lord order your steps. “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and He delights in his way” (Psalm 37:23). May He provide for you, protect you, and fill your home with laughter and love.      The Lord will bless the work of your hands. “The Lord will open the heavens, the storehouse of His bounty, to bless all the work of your hands” (Deuteronomy 28:12). He will go before you and make every crooked path straight. “I will go before you and make the crooked places straight” (Isaiah 45:2...

Scripture Foundation "Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up… And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken." — Ecclesiastes 4:9–12 KJV. Life was never designed to be lived in isolation. God Himself declared in Genesis 2:18, “It is not good that the man should be alone.” Friends are gifts from God to help us walk through challenges, celebrate victories, and grow in faith.     - Companionship: Friends provide warmth and encouragement when life feels cold and heavy.   - Support: When we stumble, a faithful friend helps us rise again. Proverbs 17:17 reminds us, “A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.”   - Strength: Together, friends can withstand trials that would overwhelm one person alone.   ...