ojaysjoel blog

On my birthday this is my prayer and testimony. "Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name!" Psalm 103:1 Devotional Praise Heavenly Father, With a heart overflowing with gratitude, I lift my voice in praise to You. Like the psalmist, I declare: "Praise the Lord, my soul; all my inmost being, praise His holy name." You are the King of Heaven, the Almighty God, worthy of all honour, glory, and praise. Lord, You have been faithful to me all the days of my life. Despite my weaknesses, failures, and shortcomings, Your love has never failed. Your Word assures me that You will never leave me nor forsake me ( Hebrews 13:5 ), and I have experienced this truth time and time again. Through every season, You have remained my refuge, strength, and ever-present help. When I was weak and almost fell, Your mighty hand upheld me. Just as Your Word says, "For I, the Lord your God, hold your right hand and say to you, Do not fear; I will h...

Scripture focus : 2 Chronicles 7:14 - "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land."* Reflection:  In the days of old, Israel derailed from the precepts and laws of God. They forsook the true God and sought after other gods. They became wicked and committed grievous sins before the Lord.  As it is written: "But your iniquities have separated you from your God; and your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear." - Isaiah 59:2 Because of this, God turned His face from them and allowed them to be taken captive. He allowed neighbouring nations to conquer and oppress them.  Yet, God still loved them because of His everlasting covenant with Abraham. In His mercy, He did not destroy them completely, but called them to repentance. The Bible says: "The Lord is not slack concerning his ...

Scripture Reflection Throughout the Bible, God honored those who trusted Him even when circumstances seemed impossible. Sarah was barren and advanced in age, yet she held on to God's promise. In due time, God gave her Isaac, the child of promise. "Is anything too hard for the LORD? At the appointed time I will return to you, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son." (Genesis 18:14) God fulfilled His promise "And the LORD visited Sarah as He had said, and the LORD did for Sarah as He had spoken."(Genesis 21:1) Elizabeth endured years of barrenness, but God remembered her and gave her John the Baptist, the forerunner of Jesus Christ. "For with God nothing will be impossible."(Luke 1:37) Elizabeth rejoiced and said "The Lord has dealt with me... to take away my reproach among people."(Luke 1:25) Hannah wept before the Lord and refused to give up. God answered her prayer and gave her Samuel, one of Israel's greatest prophets...

Scripture Reading: "Have we not all one Father? Has not one God created us? Why do we deal treacherously with one another, profaning the covenant of our ancestors?" (Malachi 2:10) KJV  Reflection: Throughout history, humanity has struggled with the sin of discrimination. The term apartheid became widely known during South Africa's era of racial segregation, where people were divided according to race and denied equal opportunities in education, worship, healthcare and public life. Similar injustices have appeared in many nations and cultures, proving that prejudice is not limited to one place or time. Sadly, discrimination continues to exist today, though it may appear in different forms. People are judged based on their tribe, social status, skin colour, gender, economic standing, or denominational affiliation. Even within families and churches, favouritism sometimes replaces genuine love. Wealthy individuals and major donors may receive special attention, while others a...

Scripture focus:   "Therefore say thou unto them, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Turn ye unto me, saith the LORD of hosts, and I will turn unto you, saith the LORD of hosts." Zechariah 1:3 KJV  Reflection: Throughout history, God has never stopped reaching out to humanity. In the Old Testament, through the prophet Zechariah, God issued a tender yet urgent plea: "Turn ye unto me... and I will turn unto you." Centuries later, in the New Testament, we hear that exact same loving invitation echoing from the lips of our Savior. In Matthew 11:28, Jesus extends His arms wide to all of us: "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." This is the ultimate demonstration of God’s boundless love—not just for a select few, but for all of mankind. God knows that the heart of man can stray, and that we are easily weighed down by the trials and temptations of this world. Yet, because He does not want a single soul to perish, He continua...

Habakkuk 2:1  I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will watch to see what he will say unto me, and what I shall answer when I am reproved. Reflection: ​ In the quiet solitude of a watchtower, a guard stands alert against the dark, scanning the horizon for the slightest movement. Habakkuk 2:1 captures this same posture of spiritual readiness: "I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will watch to see what he will say unto me..." The prophet was surrounded by turmoil, injustice, and unanswered questions, yet his response was not to retreat in despair or wander in confusion. Instead, he intentionally positioned himself in a place of focused stillness, waiting patiently for God to speak. ​Living in a fast-paced and noisy world, it is easy to let the clamor of life drown out the gentle voice of God. We often seek immediate answers, forgetting that hearing from the Lord requires an intentional heart. To "keep watch" means ste...