https://renewalchristiancenter.org Mon, 01 Jun 2026 02:00:00 +0000 Mon, 01 Jun 2026 02:00:00 +0000 hourly 1 3600 SnapPages.com https://renewalchristiancenter.org/blog/2026/06/23/you-never-know-what-god-has-in-store-for-you Tue, 23 Jun 2026 22:00:00 +0000 https://renewalchristiancenter.org/blog/2026/06/23/you-never-know-what-god-has-in-store-for-you

Jesse had seven of his sons pass before Samuel, but Samuel said to him, “The LORD has not chosen these.” So he asked Jesse, are these all the sons you have?”
“There is still the youngest...but he is tending the sheep.”...So he sent for him and had him brought in...Then the LORD said, “Rise and anoint him; this is the one.”
So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the LORD came powerfully upon David.
I Samuel 16: 10-13.

Samuel saw Jesse’s firstborn, Eliab, and said to himself, “surely, the LORD’s anointed stands before the LORD.” But God said, I have rejected him. Jesse had seven of his sons rejected by God as unsuitable for the special assignment God had in mind. God wanted a person who was after His own heart. A person who truly loved God and was genuinely hungry for Him. Someone who would honor God and lead His people to seek him. I can only imagine the shock on Jesse’s  face and that of his seven sons who were all rejected by God. I can only dare to imagine the surprise on their faces when David was announced and anointed as God’s future king!

David was faithfully serving the family by taking care of their flock. Needless to say, God used David’s training as a shepherd to prepare him for the future assignment of shepherding the people of God. It was through his shepherding experience that David learnt to depend on God as his own shepherd. It was through his shepherding experience that he learnt to depend on the power of the Holy Spirit to kill lions and bears! That experience is what gave him the confidence to go against Goliath and strike him dead.

Faithfulness in whatever “unglamourous” assignment God has called us to do is critical. You never know what God has in store for you.The Bible says if we are not faithful in little then God can’t trust us with much. Scripture admonishes us not to despise the day of humble beginnings.

I have a friend who ministered to us recently. He started his career as a security person in a hotel. But today, he is the General Manager of one of the most prestigious hotels in the world!
He reminded us in his talk of how I had gone to visit him in his hotel one day and his mentioning to me that he felt the Lord wanted him to be a preacher. I held his hand, pointed to the vast hotel and said, “This is your church. Shepherd them and preach to them.” That, he said, changed his whole perspective toward his job. Needless to say, he got promoted later as GM at another location. Faithfully do what God has given you now.
 You never know what He has in store for you!

PRAYER:
Lord, I thank you for my current assignment. There is no wasted experience in your economy. In all things, you work together for our good. Please help me to stay faithful and diligent in my current assignment. Amen

]]> https://renewalchristiancenter.org/blog/2026/06/23/it-s-all-about-the-heart Tue, 23 Jun 2026 05:39:34 +0000 https://renewalchristiancenter.org/blog/2026/06/23/it-s-all-about-the-heart

The LORD said to Samuel, “How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and be on your way, I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem. I have chosen one of his sons to be king...Samuel did what the LORD said...Then he consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.
When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab and thought, “Surely the LORD’s anointed stands here before the LORD.” But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance but the LORD looks at the heart.” 
I Samuel 16:1-7

It’s all about the heart! It’s all about the heart! It’s all about the heart!

Two things: 
First: Be careful how you judge others because God sees what you and I do not see. We only see what is visible by way of outward appearance. But God sees beyond the visible; God sees the heart! It’s all about the heart! Sometimes we slander, discount people and write them off because of how we perceive them or their situations. In his time of trial, Job’s situation was so deplorable that friends wrote him off as a sinful person.  Even his wife asked him to curse God and die. But God knew his heart. God knew that he was a righteous man whose blessings were soon to be doubled. People wrote him off but God knew his heart and caused Job’s latter end to be more glorious than his beginning.

Second: Take a moment every day to search your heart and your motives. The condition of your heart is what matters most to God. Let the prayer of David be on your lips daily, “Search me  O God and know my heart;  try me and know my anxieties; And see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” When our heart is upright, there is no telling what God will do with us.

It’s all about the heart! It’s all about the heart! It;s all about the heart!

PRAYER:
Father, it’s all about the heart. I ask that you point out every form of ungodliness and wickedness in me. Please give me the humility to accept them and repent from them. I ask this in the mighty name of Jesus. Amen.  

]]> https://renewalchristiancenter.org/blog/2026/06/21/obedience-is-the-greatest-music-to-god-s-ears Sun, 21 Jun 2026 22:00:00 +0000 https://renewalchristiancenter.org/blog/2026/06/21/obedience-is-the-greatest-music-to-god-s-ears

“But I did obey the LORD,” Saul insisted. “I carried out the mission He gave me...Then my troops brought in the best of the sheep...and plunder to sacrifice to the LORD your God in Gilgal.”  But Samuel replied, “What is more pleasing to the LORD: your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to His voice?
Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission is better than offering the fat of rams. Rebellion is as sinful as witchcraft, and stubbornness as bad as worshiping idols. So because you have rejected the command of the LORD, He has rejected you as king. Then Saul admitted...I have disobeyed your instructions and the LORD’s command, for I was afraid of the people and did what they demanded…”
Samuel never went to meet with Saul again, but he mourned constantly for him. And the LORD was sorry He had ever made Saul king of Israel. 
I Samuel 15:20-35.

God gave specific instructions to King Saul to attack the Amalekites and completely destroy them.  He was bringing divine judgment on them for the horrible way they treated the Israelites when they were on their way to the Promised Land. King Saul was simply the instrument of divine judgment. Contrary to the instructions of God not to leave anyone or anything alive, He spared the life of the Amalekite king and refused to destroy the choice sheep and cattle because the soldiers pressured him not to! The pretext was that those animals could be used as sacrifices to God! He listened to man rather than God! Saul disobeyed God.

God’s response was swift and severe; He rejected Saul as king of Israel for Saul’s rejection of God’s command. Samuel was so dismayed that he never went to meet with Saul again.
 God regretted that He had made Saul king.

Obedience is the greatest music to the ears of God. God values obedience to His word more than anything else we could ever do for Him. We could give the largest offering or go on every available mission for God, but without obedience to His word, it means nothing to Him! In fact, God sees rebellion and willful disobedience in the same light as idolatry and witchcraft!
 
I remember a situation early in my ministry when I was trying to get out of a particular thing I felt the LORD wanted me to do. I simply resolved it by asking myself, “what will I say to God when I stand before Him at the end of my days?”

Are you struggling with obedience to God’s clear instructions to you in any area of your life? 
Do you realize that disobedience and rebellion are just like witchcraft and idolatry?
Listen: obedience is the greatest music to God’s ears. There is simply no substitute for that.

PRAYER:
Father, I ask for forgiveness for the many ways in which I have been disobedient to you. Please help me never to substitute anything for plain and simple obedience to your word. Amen.

]]> https://renewalchristiancenter.org/blog/2026/06/20/what-matters-most Sat, 20 Jun 2026 22:00:00 +0000 https://renewalchristiancenter.org/blog/2026/06/20/what-matters-most

Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter; Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind.
For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or bad. Ecclesiastes 12:13-14.

These are the words of King Solomon who was the wisest and richest person to ever walk the face of the earth. God went out of His way to make him rich and uniquely wise. People came from all over the world to listen to his wisdom. His riches were unparalleled. He ate from golden plates and drank from goblets of gold. In his days, silver was as common as stones in the streets of Jerusalem. Solomon had seven hundred wives of royal descent and 300 concubines. He was a king who had it all.

There was absolutely nothing that Solomon could not have. In his own words “I undertook great projects: I built houses for myself and planted vineyards...I amassed silver and gold for myself and the treasure of kings and provinces...I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure.”  

What advice would such a “successful” person leave for posterity by way of insight for living? Would he advise us on how to make money? Would he talk about the value of relationships? Would he advise us to hold fast to our families? 
 No, in the end, Solomon said the most important thing in life is to fear God and keep His commandments. 

The man who had it all and had seen it all also realized at the end of his days that wisdom and riches and fame amount to nothing if we live without fearing God and keeping His commandments. His seven hundred wives and three hundred concubines had led him astray from the one true God who had so blessed his life. His legacy was a torn and divided kingdom.  
He knew that there was judgment ahead; there was an accounting to give to his Maker.

The truth remains the same for you and I. The conclusion of the matter is: Our duty on this earth is to fear God and keep His commandments for there is an accounting at the end of our days on earth. That is the conclusion of the matter; that is what matters the most!

PRAYER:
Father, I ask that you keep my life in perspective of my greatest responsibility: fearing you and keeping your commandments; for that is my whole duty. Amen.  

]]> https://renewalchristiancenter.org/blog/2026/06/18/when-prayer-becomes-a-divine-responsibility Thu, 18 Jun 2026 21:00:00 +0000 https://renewalchristiancenter.org/blog/2026/06/18/when-prayer-becomes-a-divine-responsibility

The people all said to Samuel, “Pray to the LORD your God for your servants so that we will not die, for we have added to all our other sins, the evil of asking for a king.
Do not be afraid, Samuel replied. “You have done all this evil; yet do not turn away from the LORD; but serve the LORD with all your heart...For the sake of His great name, the LORD will not reject His people, because the LORD was pleased to make you His own.
As for me, be far it from me that I should sin against the LORD by failing to pray for you. And I will teach you the way that is  good and right.

The relationship between God and Israel was a rather checkered one with numerous acts of ingratitude and rebellion from Israel against God. The last straw that broke the camel’s back was when Israel asked to be given a “real” king just like all the other nations had. Both Samuel and God felt rejected but God assured Samuel that the rejection was more against Him than Samuel. As magnanimous as He always is, God selected Saul to be king. Nonetheless, Samuel reminded the Israelites that they had gravely sinned by rejecting God.  

The People asked Samuel to keep them in prayer so that they would be spared from any divine wrath. This is where we see one of the greatest assurances of divine love in the Bible: “for the sake of His great name, the LORD will not reject His people, because the LORD was pleased to make you His own.”  Forsaking His children is never an option with God. God has made it clear that even if our mother and father forsake us, He will never leave us. 

What I find most fascinating about the passage, is the very powerful lesson on prayer. The people asked Samuel to pray so that they would not die and Samuel responded that failing to pray for them would be tantamount to sinning against God. He assured them that he would teach them what is good and right. As “undeserving” as the people were and as provocative as they had been to Samuel by rejecting His leadership,  Samuel vowed to keep them in prayer. To Samuel, praying for them was a divine obligation for which God held him responsible. It had nothing to do with his personal feelings about the evil conduct of the people. Not praying for them would be a sin against God!

So, what if we approached prayer with that same sense of divine responsibility regardless of our feelings? This could apply to people we disagree with such as: political personalities with whom we are at variance; religious opponents; “Undeserving” wicked people; outright “enemies”; our detractors; people who have hurt our families; difficult and mean bosses, etc.
When prayer becomes a divine responsibility of love, it takes us to a new level of relationship with the God who has promised never to leave nor forsake us no matter what sins we commit!

PRAYER:
Father, I pray that you will give me the love and discipline I need to pray from a divine perspective of love no matter what the circumstances of the prayer might be. Amen.

]]> https://renewalchristiancenter.org/blog/2026/06/18/a-life-of-integrity-no-regrets Thu, 18 Jun 2026 02:00:00 +0000 https://renewalchristiancenter.org/blog/2026/06/18/a-life-of-integrity-no-regrets

Samuel said to all Israel, I have listened to everything you said to me and have set a king over you. Now you have a king as your leader. As for me, I am old and gray, and my sons are here with you. I have been your leader from my youth until this day. Here I stand, testify against me in the presence of the LORD and His anointed. Whose ox have I taken? Whose donkey have I taken? Whom have I cheated? Whom have I oppressed? From whose hand have I accepted a bribe to make me shut my eyes? If I have done any of these things, I will make it right. 1 Samuel 12:1-3

Godly leadership is a gracious gift from God. Perhaps, nothing affects the destiny of any group of people more than its leadership. The character and conduct of a leader will make or break a family, Church, community or even a nation.

The life of a leader is filled with all kinds of opportunities either to humble or exult oneself in pride. There are many opportunities for leaders to be corrupted and thereby pervert justice and harm innocent lives. In fact, the biblical record indicates that in his old age, Samuel’s own sons whom he had put in charge of the nation were accepting bribes and perverting justice.

Rare is the leader who can stand up at the end of his or her tenure and boldly declare, “testify against me in the presence of the LORD... if I have stolen anything or taken a bribe from anyone after these many years of being your leader!”
Rarer still is the leader who, out of humility and godliness can declare that “If I have done any of these things I am prepared to make it right.”  Those statements can only be made by leaders who have led lives of integrity. Samuel’s leadership was an excellent example of personal integrity.

In various ways we each have leadership roles in our families, jobs, communities and churches. When our time is up, can we declare in good conscience that we have led with absolute integrity? And better still, can we boldly say that we are prepared to right any wrongs we have done? When you live a life of integrity; you have nothing to worry about when your time is over!
May God help us to be exemplary in our conduct as leaders.

PRAYER:
Father, as a disciple of your Son Jesus, I am called to follow Him in character and conduct. Please help me to lead a life of integrity so that I would not bring the name of my Lord into disrepute. I ask this in Jesus’ mighty Name. Amen

]]> https://renewalchristiancenter.org/blog/2026/06/17/you-been-set-free-stay-free Wed, 17 Jun 2026 01:00:00 +0000 https://renewalchristiancenter.org/blog/2026/06/17/you-been-set-free-stay-free

Jesus replied, Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin…(but) if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. John 8:34-36.

The context of this scripture is a discussion Jesus had with the Jews in which Jesus pointed out that if they held to His teachings, they would know the truth and the truth would set them free. His opponents resisted His word and pointed out they had never been anyone’s slaves. Jesus then responded that the only people who were truly free were those who had been set free by the Son of God: “...if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”

Sometimes we try to gain freedom from our struggles through all kinds of means such as sheer will power and various detox and other forms of social and medical programs. All these have merits and various levels of success. But for a lot of people, there is a constant relapse. The battle to stay free goes on relentlessly. The reason is because sin ultimately has a hand in many forms of addiction. Our fallen human nature has caused our hearts to be corrupted by sin which evidently pushes us into different forms of less than ideal behaviors. Each of us has a natural bent to sin.

That is why the first thing God does when we give our lives to Jesus is to forgive our past, set us free from the power of sin and give us His Holy Spirit to keep us on the path of righteousness.
The Apostle Paul reminds us that we have died to sin and therefore we are no longer slaves to sin. We have been set free by the Son and therefore we are free indeed. This is a reality we  can enjoy everyday by the help of the Holy Spirit.

A few weeks ago, I had a first hand witness of God’s power to keep us free. There was someone I had ministered to in some very dark alleys of struggle. This individual had literally  lost everything: marriage, children, home, car, you name it...it was all gone and was facing serious legal charges as well. But this person came to church as a result of an outreach event and received love, support, prayers and the word of God. God brought about a miraculous restoration and set her free from the addiction. The test came when she underwent a surgical procedure and got prescribed the same pain killers she had previously been addicted to. She sent me a picture and said, “Pastor, I will fill the prescription But I will not take it. I will take Tylenol and trust Jesus to see me through because I have been set free.” She was victorious. The Son had set her free and she was free indeed. 
You and I have been set free by Jesus; let us stay free and bring Him praise and glory.

PRAYER:
Jesus, I thank you that you have set me free. By the power of the Holy Spirit I will remain free indeed. Amen.

]]> https://renewalchristiancenter.org/blog/2026/06/16/the-truth-will-set-you-free Tue, 16 Jun 2026 01:00:00 +0000 https://renewalchristiancenter.org/blog/2026/06/16/the-truth-will-set-you-free

To the Jews who had believed Him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.
John 8:31-32

The truth will set you free.
The search for truth has plagued mankind from the beginning of time. Many have left the comfort of their homes, families and even treasures to live in communes with the hope that they will finally find the truth. In the process, they have been sorely disappointed and some have even lost their lives. Many religious leaders have misled their followers because they could not offer the truth they promised. 

In answer to a question during His trial, Jesus said to Pilate, “You say that I am a king. In fact the reason why I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone  on the side of truth listens to me.” To this, Pilate retorted, “What is truth?”

So, question: What is truth and how do we know the truth? Jesus gave the answer when He declared in John 14:6  “I am the way and the truth and the life.”  So to know Jesus is to know the truth. But a relevant question to ask is: What does this mean to us in practical everyday living? Are we to receive this as mere knowledge or does it have real life implications?
I believe the implications are life-changing. Jesus said, ``If you hold to my teaching...then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” Knowing Jesus who is the truth and holding on to the truth by way of applying His teachings to our lives is the surest path to freedom from all that can potentially trap us.

 So when we are gripped with worry and anxiety, the truth Jesus teaches is: Come to me and I will give you rest. When we feel afraid and lonely, Jesus says I will never leave you nor forsake you; even when you walk through the valley of the shadow of death, do not fear any evil for I am with you. When we are sick in our bodies and the doctors are uncertain, Jesus says by my stripes you are healed; I am the LORD who heals you. When we are shackled by strongholds of the enemy and bound by addictions and destructive thoughts and habits, the word of God tells us that we have mighty weapons that can pull down every stronghold against us.
When we feel depleted and about to give up, the word tells us that we are more than conquerors and that we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us.

God’s word is the truth. Knowing and applying the truth will set you free from any conceivable hindrance, limitation, bondage or fears you may find yourself in.  
Apply the truth of God’s word to your life and it will set you free.

PRAYER:
Father, your word is quick and powerful. It has the ability to set me free and give me victory. Please help me to stand upon your word and secure my freedom. Amen.

]]> https://renewalchristiancenter.org/blog/2026/06/15/don-t-take-it-personal Mon, 15 Jun 2026 02:00:00 +0000 https://renewalchristiancenter.org/blog/2026/06/15/don-t-take-it-personal

Samuel said to all the people, “Do you see the man the LORD has chosen? There is no one like him among all the people.” Then the people shouted, “Long live the king.”
Samuel explained to the people the rights and duties of kingship...Then Samuel dismissed the people to go to their own homes. 
Saul also went to his home in Gibeah accompanied by valiant men whose hearts God had touched. But some scoundrels said, “How can this fellow save us?” They despised him and brought him no gifts. But Saul kept silent…
The people then said to Samuel, “Who was it that said, “Shall Saul reign over us??” Turn these men over to us so that we may put them to death. But Saul said, “no one will be put to death today, for this day the LORD has rescued Israel.” I Samuel 10:24-27, 11:12-13

Saul had been appointed king under divine directives. The whole nation rejoiced and wished him success with shouts of “long live the king.” It was both a solemn divine moment and an occasion of great pride for Israel. God’s hand was obviously on king Saul, attested to by the fact that “Saul also went home accompanied by valiant men whose hearts God had touched.”  It doesn’t get any better than that: appointed by God, accepted by the entire nation and privately surrounded by a God-appointed select group of advisers.

But the wickedness of the human heart was not entirely missing on that glorious day. In spite of the obvious hand of God on the events of the day, there were some who showed contempt and total disrespect for the king. They called the king a “fellow” who had no ability to save the nation. They also despised or hated him. The Bible describes them as scoundrels. A scoundrel is a “mean, immoral or wicked person.” The interesting thing is that Saul had done absolutely nothing wrong against them. There was no justification for their hatred. Saul handled the situation with admirable godliness. He kept silent and later spared their lives when others urged that they be put to death. Saul chose to focus on the goodness of God to Israel.

Lesson: No matter how godly you live your life, you will always have people who will rise against you and despise you for absolutely no reason. That is part of our human existence due to our fallen nature. If you take those attacks personal, you will pollute your heart, lose focus, and get distracted from your divine assignment. King Saul set a wonderful example by keeping silent, sparing the lives of those who despised him and focusing on the good things God had done. Jesus, our sinless and righteous Lord, was hated and killed for no reason. He simply asked the Father to forgive His detractors. If you and I are to remain focused and accomplish our divine assignments, then we must learn not to take unjustified attacks personally! Try it for peace!

PRAYER:
Father, please help me to follow the example of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Help me to focus on the good things you are doing through my life and not to be distracted by any attacks against me. Amen.

]]> https://renewalchristiancenter.org/blog/2026/06/14/it-is-for-the-glory-of-god Sun, 14 Jun 2026 01:00:00 +0000 https://renewalchristiancenter.org/blog/2026/06/14/it-is-for-the-glory-of-god

Now a man named Lazarus was sick. He was from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha...So the sisters sent word to Jesus, “Lord, the one you love is sick.”
When He heard this, Jesus said, “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that the Son may be glorified through it. Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus...He said to His disciples, “Let us go back to Judea...Lazarus is dead, and for your sake, I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him…
On His arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days…
“Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “If you had been here, my brother would not have died. But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.” 
Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” John 11:1-12

“This sickness will not end in death. No it is for God’s glory so that the Son may be glorified through it.” The ways of God are beyond human comprehension. I believe the most challenging thing for us as humans is to hang in until we see the full manifestation of what God had in mind all along. When Jesus was told that Lazarus was sick, He did not rush there to heal him; instead, he delayed until Lazarus had died and been buried for four days.

Jesus knew all along that Lazarus was going to end up in the grave but He was unperturbed because He also knew that Lazarus would rise again. Things were going to get worse but it would get better and a greater glory would come to God. The undaunting faith of Martha was significant: “If you had been here, my brother would not have died. But I know that even now, God will give you whatever you ask for.” Martha had no doubt that with God all things are possible. Even the dead could rise again!

There are times when it seems as if God is completely silent. Things actually go from bad to worse. It seems as if God has allowed death to take place when He could actually have intervened earlier! The truth is, when God allows things to go from bad to worse or “from sickness to death, He might have a resurrection surprise in store for us. Jesus assured Martha: “Your brother will rise again.” 

Can I encourage you not to give up because things have moved from “sickness to death?”
Even now, believe that God can “give you whatever you ask for.” It could well be that God has allowed you to encounter this difficult situation for His glory so that Jesus may be glorified through it. The greater the testimony, the greater the glory that comes to God.
 The question is: Are you and I willing to be a Lazarus for God’s glory?

PRAYER:
Lord, I know things have gotten from bad to worse; but I also know that even now, you can give me whatever I ask for. I am believing you for a turnaround that will bring glory to you and my heavenly Father. Amen.

]]> https://renewalchristiancenter.org/blog/2026/06/13/changed-by-the-holy-spirit Sat, 13 Jun 2026 01:00:00 +0000 https://renewalchristiancenter.org/blog/2026/06/13/changed-by-the-holy-spirit

Then Samuel took a flask of olive oil, poured it on Saul’s head and kissed him, saying, “Has not the LORD anointed you ruler over His inheritance?”...you will go to Gibeah of God...as you approach the town, you will meet a procession of prophets coming down from the high place with lyres, timbrels, pipes and harps being played before them and they will be prophesying. The Spirit of the LORD will come powerfully upon you and you will prophesy with them; and you will be changed into a different person. Once these signs are fulfilled, do whatever your hand finds to do, for God is with you….As Saul turned to leave, God changed Saul’s heart and all these signs were fulfilled that day.

Saul was ordained to be king of Israel; God anointed and appointed him for the role. It is interesting that before Saul was publicly commissioned into the office of the king, the Spirit of God came powerfully upon him and he was changed into a different person. The coming of God’s Holy Spirit, changed the heart of Saul.  I believe one reason why Saul’s heart was changed was so that he could have a better grasp of what it meant to undertake divine assignments and walk with God. Samuel said to Saul, “once these signs are fulfilled, do whatever your hands find to do for God is with you…” It was not by chance that the Spirit came upon Saul before he embarked on his royal assignment. Without the Spirit of God, he could not effectively fulfill his divine assignments.

Each of us has a divinely ordained purpose. David reminds us in Psalm 139 that each day of our lives is recorded in God’s Book before they materialize. We are also reminded in Ephesians that God has prepared good works in advance for us to do. In order to effectively fulfill our divine callings, we must first be anointed and changed by the Spirit. It is only the Holy Spirit of God who can change our hearts and help us to serve with humility and godliness. Without the touch of the Spirit, our natural inclinations will lead us astray. Saul learned this bitter lesson later. 

The presence of the Spirit means God is definitely with us and we can confidently do whatever our hands find to do. May the Spirit of God come upon you powerfully and may you succeed in everything your hand finds to do because God is with you.

PRAYER:
Holy Spirit, I invite you to come upon me afresh. I desire that you fill me with power and might to undertake all that the Father has established for me to do. Amen.

]]> https://renewalchristiancenter.org/blog/2026/06/12/disobedience-is-the-beginning-of-the-end Fri, 12 Jun 2026 22:00:00 +0000 https://renewalchristiancenter.org/blog/2026/06/12/disobedience-is-the-beginning-of-the-end

The Philistines assembled to fight Israel...When the Israelites saw that their situation was critical and that their army was hard pressed, they hid in caves and thickets, among the rocks and in pits and cisterns...Saul remained at Gilgal and all the troops with him were quaking with fear. He waited seven days, the time set by Samuel ; but Samuel did not come to Gilgal and Saul’s men began to scatter. So he said, “Bring me the burnt offerings and the fellowship offerings.” And Saul offered up the burnt offering.
Just as he finished making the offering, Samuel arrived… “What have you done?” Asked Samuel. Saul replied, “When I saw that the men were scattering, and that you did not come at the set time...I thought… I have not sought the LORD’s favor.” So I felt compelled to offer the burnt offering.”
“You have done a foolish thing.” Samuel said, “You have not kept the command the LORD your God gave you; if you had, He would have established your Kingdom over Israel for all time. But now your kingdom will not endure; the LORD has sought out a man after His own heart and appointed him ruler of His people because you have not kept the LORD’s command.” I Samuel 13:5-15

God is a promise-keeper. His timing might sometimes scare us to death but He will always show up no matter what! The prophet Samuel had specifically instructed king Saul to wait for him until he came to offer the burnt sacrifices. But Saul was frightened by the sight of enemy soldiers who had assembled to attack Israel. His own soldiers were fleeing in fear and Saul felt compelled to take matters into his own hands. He decided to function independently of the law of God and the word of the prophet of God. He acted in disobedience.

As king, offering the burnt sacrifices and fellowship offerings was outside his bounds of authority. It belonged to Samuel the prophet. Somehow, Saul did not factor in the cost of going outside his boundary of authority. His circumstances drove him to cross that line. The result was that he lost the right to a future dynasty. This act of disobedience was the beginning of the end for Saul. From that point on, it was all downhill.

 One of the very effective strategies of Satan is to put so much pressure on us that we are compelled by our circumstances to act in disobedience to God. Such disobedience, needless to say, can result in the forfeiture of divine blessings. 

Let us not be ignorant of the devices of the enemy. Let us be sober and vigilant at all times so that we can discern the ways of the enemy and stick to the path of obedience no matter how pressed we are by our circumstances. Faithful is He who has promised and He will always come through. Disobeying God’s word is never worth it. Disobedience is the beginning of the end.

PRAYER:
Lord, your word is clear that obedience is the path to divine favor and blessings. Please help me to walk in steadfast obedience and shun every path of disobedience. Amen.

]]> https://renewalchristiancenter.org/blog/2026/06/12/the-amazing-ways-of-our-god Fri, 12 Jun 2026 02:00:00 +0000 https://renewalchristiancenter.org/blog/2026/06/12/the-amazing-ways-of-our-god

...Saul said to  his servant, “Come, let’s go back, or my father will stop thinking about the donkeys and start worrying about us.” But the servant replied, “Look, in this town, there is a servant of God, he is highly respected and everything he says comes true. Let’s go  into there now. Perhaps he will tell us what way to take...They went up to the town and as they were entering it, there was Samuel, coming toward them…
Now the day before Saul came, the LORD had revealed this to Samuel. “About this time tomorrow I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin. Anoint him ruler over my people Israel; he will deliver them from the hand of the Philistines. I have looked on my people and their cry has reached me.”
When Samuel caught sight of Saul, the LORD said to him, “This is the man I spoke to you about; he will govern my people.”  

The people of Israel rejected God as King and demanded that an earthly ruler be installed over them. God lamented and warned them about the dire consequences of their choice but they still insisted and God gave in.

By divine orchestration, Saul, who was on a mission to find his father’s lost donkey, connected with the prophet Samuel and God instructed Samuel to anoint Saul to be king over Israel.
Prior to meeting Saul, God had already revealed to Samuel that, “About this time tomorrow I will send you a man...anoint him ruler over my people Israel; he will deliver them from the Philistines.”

First, I am struck by the overwhelming compassion of our God. With totally undeserved grace, He looked compassionately on the people of Israel and heard their cry even though they had rejected Him as King. He handpicked Saul to be king and gave him the mandate and favor to deliver Israel from their  arch enemies, the Philistines. I never cease to marvel at goodness and kindness of our God. Second, Saul’s expedition to find his father’s missing donkey was not as natural as it seemed. There was a divine plan designed to send him to the prophet Samuel to anoint him King over Israel. Saul was God’s solution to the cry of His people. In his mind, he was on donkey-finding expedition; but in God’s plan he was journeying into the anointing.

So, who knows what God is up to in your life? You might be innocently going about your normal business; but you could well be God’s choice for a critical assignment which might seem totally unconnected to what you are doing today. The ways of God are simply mysterious and amazing. Like Saul, you might be out looking for a lost donkey, but God might be ordering your steps into your divinely ordained destiny. You could be God’s solution to a waiting need.
The ways of God are mysterious and amazing!

PRAYER:
Father, I submit to your will and your way today. Help me be attentive to all that you might be orchestrating in my life for your purposes. I ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

]]> https://renewalchristiancenter.org/blog/2026/06/11/when-god-is-rejected Thu, 11 Jun 2026 01:00:00 +0000 https://renewalchristiancenter.org/blog/2026/06/11/when-god-is-rejected

When Samuel grew old, he appointed his sons as Israel’s leaders...But his sons did not follow his ways, They turned aside after dishonest gain and accepted bribes and perverted justice. So all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah. They said to him, “...appoint a king to lead us such as all the nations have.”
...this displeased Samuel; so he prayed to the LORD. And the LORD told him: “Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their King. As they have done from the day I brought them up out of Egypt until this day, forsaking me and serving other gods. So they are doing to you...but warn them solemnly and let them know what the king who will reign over them will claim as his rights… “you will cry out for relief...but the LORD will not answer you.”
But the people refused to listen to Samuel...The LORD answered, “listen to them and give them a king.” I Samuel 8.

This is one passage of Scripture that sends shudders down my spine. The People of Israel rejected God as their King and asked for an earthly king to rule over them. God solemnly warned them that their kings would oppress them and place undue financial burdens and demands upon their lives but they did not listen. They insisted on having a king over them “ as all the other nations have.”  Their hardness of heart prevailed and God allowed Samuel to anoint Saul as the first king of Israel. Needless to say, many of the kings of Israel were godless and wicked. There was so much sin and wickedness that God brought judgment as Israel was finally invaded by brutal foreigners and many were sent off into exile.

The Bible declares that there is a way which seems right to man but the end of it is death.
Rejecting God never leads to life. It always leads to death. When God is dethroned from a life or a nation, the ways of man are enthroned which invariably lead to death. Life without God is simply a hopeless end. As a nation, we have consistently dethroned God from almost every aspect of life. The consequences have been devastating as we see all around us. Wickedness abounds and we have lost confidence in our human leaders.

It is time for us to invite God to lead us as a nation, but the starting point is the Church. If we as children of God repent from the many ways in which we have rejected God and stand in the Gap in sincere intercession, God will heal this land as He has promised in His word.
Would you cry out to God for mercy? Would you start by examining your own heart to ensure that God is fully enthroned in your heart?

PRAYER:
Dear Lord, the consequences of rejecting your word and rulership over our lives are simply too ghastly to contemplate. We ask for forgiveness as a nation. Have mercy on us and help us to turn back to you. Forgive us and heal our land. Amen.

]]> https://renewalchristiancenter.org/blog/2026/06/10/god-delivers-the-righteous Wed, 10 Jun 2026 02:00:00 +0000 https://renewalchristiancenter.org/blog/2026/06/10/god-delivers-the-righteous

The righteous cry out and the LORD hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles.
The LORD is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as have a contrite spirit. 
Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him out of them all.
He guards all his bones; not one of them is broken...The LORD redeems the soul of His servants, and none of those who trust in Him shall be condemned.
Psalm 34:17-22

The righteous are not immune from afflictions. On the contrary, we see all through Scripture that some of the most righteous servants of God suffered many troubles.
The sufferings of Joseph are legendary: His brothers hated him so much that they put him in a pit and left him to die. He was eventually sold into slavery in Egypt. Even as loyal and faithful as he was to his master, false accusations of rape were made against him by his master’s wife because he rejected her sexual advances. He would not sin against God.

David suffered so much at the hands of King Saul simply because God had anointed him to be the next King of Israel and Saul was infuriated. Many of the Psalms are a running commentary on the sufferings of David. In Psalm 27, David writes, “When the wicked came against me to eat my flesh, my enemies and foes, they stumbled and fell.”

Of course, we could write about the legendary sufferings of Job who was reduced from riches to rags and had his body afflicted by Satan with painful boils. At one point, Job wished he had died when his mother gave him birth. He wished he had not lived to see the light of day. How about Paul who was used mightily by God but was hated by so many people and suffered imprisonment, shipwrecks, beatings, stonings and all kinds of hardships?
The good news, however, is that God gave them the strength to endure and God delivered them. Jesus Himself said in John 16:33 that we shall have many troubles in this world, but we should be of good cheer because He has already overcome the world. 

So, my fellow Christian, no matter what you might be experiencing now, be it an affliction against your family, your job, your finances, your body, or tongues risen against you in judgment; our Almighty God is perfectly able to deliver you. How do I know? Because, “many are the afflictions of the righteous but the LORD delivers him out of them all.”

PRAYER:
Father, my hope is completely in you. You are my deliverer and the one who lifts up my head. Thank you that I can call on you to deliver me from all my troubles. Amen.

]]> https://renewalchristiancenter.org/blog/2026/06/09/do-you-desire-to-see-many-good-days Tue, 09 Jun 2026 05:01:30 +0000 https://renewalchristiancenter.org/blog/2026/06/09/do-you-desire-to-see-many-good-days

Come, my children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD.
Whoever of you loves life and desires to see many good days, keep your tongue from evil and your lips from telling lies. Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it. 
The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous and His ears are attentive to their cry; but the face of the LORD is against those who do evil, to blot out their name from the earth.
Psalm 34:11-16

What is the point of life if our days are not “good” days? What is the point of wealth if our days are filled with turmoil and lack of peace? What is the point of being married and having children if our days are lived out in sorrow and misery? What is the point of having a “great” job if our days can’t be described as “good” days? What is the point of succeeding if it can’t be described  as “good success”? The greatest satisfaction in life is to be able to assert that we have a good life not because of what we have but because we are content in life. Our days are “good.”
God’s desire for us is that we “see many good days” on earth.

God doesn’t want us to live out our days in turmoil and sorrow. God wants our days to be “good” no matter what challenges we face. Even in situations of extreme difficulties, we can describe our days as “good” because of the assurance that God's eyes are upon us and His ears are attentive to our cry.
So how do we live the good life and see many good days? The Bible gives us the answer: “Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from telling lies; turn from evil and do good, seek peace and pursue it.”

It is amazing what pain and restlessness we invite into our lives because of the reckless use of our tongues to do evil. The Bible tells us in Proverbs 18:21 that the tongue has the power of life and death. The Bible also says in James that the tongue is a restless evil full of deadly poison.
Every utterance we make either produces life or death; good or evil. David is reminding us in this Psalm that when we keep our tongues from evil, seek good and pursue peace, God will reward us with “many good” days.

So, do you desire to see many good days? Then, “keep your tongue from evil and your lips from telling lies; turn from evil and do good. Seek peace and pursue it.”
By the Help of the Holy Spirit, we can! With God, all things are possible.

PRAYER:
Father, oftentimes we fail miserably to hem in our tongues from sinful uses. Please help us by the power of the Holy Spirit to use our tongues in ways that bring pleasure to your heart. Amen.

]]> https://renewalchristiancenter.org/blog/2026/06/08/taste-and-see-that-the-lord-is-good Mon, 08 Jun 2026 02:00:00 +0000 https://renewalchristiancenter.org/blog/2026/06/08/taste-and-see-that-the-lord-is-good

I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.
My soul shall make its boast in the LORD; the humble shall hear of it and be glad.
O magnify the LORD with me, And let us exalt His name together.
I sought the Lord, and He answered me; He delivered me from all my fears.
Those who look to Him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame.
This poor man called, and  the LORD heard him; he saved him out of all his troubles.
Taste and see that the LORD is good, blessed is the one who takes refuge in Him.
Psalm 34:1-8

There are times when we visit restaurants purely on the recommendation of others about how good the food is. I am pretty sure you know people who seem to have a very tasty way of preparing particular dishes like no one else. I have a neighbor who prepares very tasty cranberry sauce for us at Thanksgiving time every year - it’s her specialty. I have heard people talk about how tasty a particular dish from their mother’s kitchen is. In fact my children think my wife’s fresh homemade fries are like none other in the world. And I wholly agree (maybe we are biased, but so be it).

But the truth is, until you taste any particular dish you can never “see” how good it is; no matter how many adjectives are used to describe it. If something is really good, just one taste can get us hooked on it. We become believers from tasting!

David is exuberant as he praises God in Psalm 34. He wants to bless the LORD at all times. He wants the praises of God to be continually in his mouth. He is overwhelmed by the goodness of God in answering his prayers. He then invites us to taste and see that the LORD is good.

Tasting God is not a flippant impatient thing. We taste God by trusting His word completely and depending on Him to fend for us. We taste Him when we choose to believe His word even when things are most difficult and there seems to be no light at the end of the tunnel. We taste God when we sincerely believe that He knows what He is doing. We taste Him when we do not lean to our own understanding but depend on Him to direct our paths, We taste God when we take refuge in Him and look to Him to fight our battles. David found out that in the end, God always wins and vindicates His children. Those who truly taste Him can attest to His goodness.
O taste and see that the LORD is good and invite others to taste Him too.

PRAYER:
Father, you are a Good, Good Father. Like David, I can attest to the fact that you heard my cry when I called on you. Please help me to invite others to taste and see that you are a Good Good Father. I ask this in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

]]> https://renewalchristiancenter.org/blog/2026/06/07/ebenezer-stone-of-help Sun, 07 Jun 2026 03:00:00 +0000 https://renewalchristiancenter.org/blog/2026/06/07/ebenezer-stone-of-help

Then all the people of Israel turned back to the LORD. So Samuel said to all the Israelites, “If  you are returning to the LORD with all your hearts, then rid yourselves of the foreign gods...and commit yourselves to the LORD and serve Him only, and He will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines. So the Israelites put away all their Baals and Ashtoreths and served the LORD only. Then Samuel said, “Assemble all Israel at Mizpah and I will intercede with the LORD for you.”...When the Philistines heard that Israel had assembled at Mizpah, the rulers of the Philistines came up to attack them.
...Then Samuel took a sucking lamb and sacrificed it as a whole burnt offering to the LORD. He cried out to the LORD on Israel’s behalf, and the LORD answered him...The men of Israel rushed out of Mizpah and pursued the Philistines, slaughtering them along the way...Then Samuel took a stone and set it up...He named it EBENEZER, saying, “Thus far the LORD has helped us.”  I Samuel 7:1-12

The compassion of God never ceases to amaze me! It does not matter how far we have strayed from Him; genuine repentance will always result in an outpouring of divine grace.
The Israelites were living in idolatry and God had allowed the Philistines to subdue and defeat them. Samuel asked for national repentance and the whole nation responded. The  Israelites recommitted themselves and “served the LORD only.”
The result was that God heard the cry of a destitute nation and routed their enemies right before their eyes. Samuel set up a stone of remembrance and called it Ebenezer. 

Ebenezer means: “Stone of Help.” In times of destitution, we call upon God for help. But I wonder how often we take time to set up Ebenezers to remind us of how far God has helped us! 
Visual objects are great reminders of memorable times of divine intervention in our lives. Jacob set up a stone of remembrance at Bethel to remind him of the blessings of God and his vow to give a tithe of all his blessings back to God.

Ebenezers point us to the source of our help and provision:The Almighty God.
Ebenezers help to keep us continually grateful. Ebenezers keep us focused on God and not our own strength and abilities.  
May God send you help in your time of need and may your life be marked with many Ebenezers.

PRAYER:
Lord, please help me never to forget how far you have brought me. Help me to take time to set up Ebenezers to remind me that you are “my Stone of help.”  Amen.

]]> https://renewalchristiancenter.org/blog/2026/06/06/who-can-stand-before-the-lord-almighty Sat, 06 Jun 2026 02:00:00 +0000 https://renewalchristiancenter.org/blog/2026/06/06/who-can-stand-before-the-lord-almighty

After the Philistines had captured the ark of God, they took it from Ebenezer to Ashdod. Then they carried the ark into Dagon’s temple. And set it beside Dagon.
When the people of Ashdod rose early the next day, there was Dagon, fallen flat on his face on the ground before the ark of the LORD! They took Dagon and put him back in his place. But the following morning when they rose, there was Dagon, fallen on his face on the ground before the ark of the LORD! His head and hands had been broken off  and were lying on the threshold; only his body remained...The LORD’s hand was heavy upon the people of Ashdod; He brought devastation on them and afflicted them with tumors.
When the people of Ashdod saw what was happening, they said, “The ark of the god of Israel must not stay here with us because His hand is heavy on us  and on Dagon our god. I Samuel 5:1-7

As a result of the sin of Eli’s household and the nation as a whole, the arch enemies of Israel, the Philistines, defeated Israel In battle. Eli, the priest, and his two sons all died on the same day. The Philistines then took the ark of God and placed it next to their god, Dagon, in his temple! The God of Israel had been captured and put on display next to the god of the Philistines. This was meant to demonstrate that Dagon was superior to the God of Israel.

But Yahweh is without equal. The power of God was manifested and Dagon fell flat before the ark of God. The next day, Dagon was set upright again by the hands of the Philistines. But our God needs no human help. Our Almighty God demonstrated the superiority of His power by causing Dagon not only to fall flat before the ark of God in a position of worship; but also his head and hands were broken off! This signified that the God of the Philistines had been completely defeated! His broken head and hands were the trophies of war. In a further demonstration of His power, God brought devastation on the Philistines and afflicted them with tumors.

So, who can stand before the Lord God Almighty? God Himself declares in Isaiah 28: “To whom will you compare me? Or who is my equal?”
We serve an all powerful God before whom no other power or demonic spirit can stand. The Bible declares in Isaiah 54 that, “whoever assembles against you shall fall for your sake.”
May God cause every “Dagon” that comes against your life to fall down and be decapitated because of the power of God upon your life. May God demonstrate His power on your behalf against any adversary from the camp of the enemy! So, who can stand before the LORD God Almighty? No one! Absolutely no one. Our God is without equal! He is far superior!

PRAYER:
Lord, I know you are for me and therefore nothing can be against me. Thank you for covering me with your divine protection. Amen!

]]> https://renewalchristiancenter.org/blog/2026/06/05/the-responsibilities-of-spiritual-privilege Fri, 05 Jun 2026 02:00:00 +0000 https://renewalchristiancenter.org/blog/2026/06/05/the-responsibilities-of-spiritual-privilege

And the LORD said to Samuel: “See, I am about to do something in Israel that will make the ears of everyone who hears about it tingle. At that time I will carry out against Eli, everything I spoke against his family...For I told him that I would judge his family forever because of the sin he knew about; his sons blasphemed God, and he failed to restrain them. Therefore I swore to the house of Eli, ‘The guilt of Eli’s house will never be atoned for by sacrifice or offering.’”

Recently, I had a rather interesting experience that made me ponder over the seriousness and enormity of “spiritual privilege.” The experience left me wondering whether we are a bit too casual in asking God for an increased anointing from the Holy Spirit upon our lives. I really wondered whether most of us can handle the attendant spiritual responsibilities.

Can we handle the great pressures that are likely to be released against us by the Enemy?
Can we handle the fact that, like Job, we become a choice target of the forces of darkness?
Can we really walk in the kind of purity that certain levels of God’s anointing require? Can we handle the sufferings of Paul who had to endure constant buffeting from a messenger of Satan just to keep him from becoming conceited?

Can we handle the pressures that David had to live with as a “man after God’s own heart”? 
Can we handle the hard work involved by way of long hours of prayer and communing with God that comes with certain levels of God’s anointing? And finally, can we handle the stripes that could be laid on us by God when we get out of line? Scripture tells us in James 3 that not many of us should become teachers because we would be judged more strictly by God. 

Eli had enormous privilege as the Priest of Israel but with it came the great responsibility of setting the highest personal spiritual example for the rest of the nation. This meant he had to reign in his out of control children. “His sons blasphemed against God and he failed to restrain them.” Not heeding to God’s warnings to clean up his act led to severe judgment. 
Spiritual privileges come with great expectations and responsibilities!
Question: So, what kind of spiritual privileges are you asking from God?
Are you factoring in the responsibilities of those privileges? May God graciously prepare us to handle all He entrusts our lives with. His grace is sufficient for us.

PRAYER:
Lord, please help me not to be flippant about my relationship with the Holy Spirit.
Please equip me with the grace and strength I need to function in the power of your Holy Spirit. Amen.

]]> https://renewalchristiancenter.org/blog/2026/06/03/recognizing-the-voice-of-god Wed, 03 Jun 2026 23:29:24 +0000 https://renewalchristiancenter.org/blog/2026/06/03/recognizing-the-voice-of-god

The boy Samuel ministered before the LORD under Eli. In those days the word of the LORD was rare; there were not many visions.... Samuel was lying down in the house of the LORD, where the ark of God was. Then the LORD called Samuel. Samuel answered, “Here I am.” And he ran to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.”
But Eli said, “I did not call, go back and lie down.” So he went and lay down.
Again the LORD called, “Samuel!” And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.”  “My son, Eli said, I did not call, go back and lie down.”
Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD: The word of the LORD had not yet been revealed to him. 
A third time the LORD called, “Samuel, and Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am, you called me.” Then Eli realized that the LORD was calling the boy. So Eli told Samuel, “Go and lie down, and if He calls you, say, “Speak , LORD, for your servant is listening.”...The LORD came and stood there, calling as at other times, “Samuel! Samuel!”  Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.”

What an incredible scene! The young boy Samuel hearing the very voice of God and mistaking it three times for the voice of a man. This was in spite of the fact that he was sleeping in the Temple of God right where the ark of God was. The ark signified the very presence of God.
So, Samuel was in the presence of God but he did not recognize the voice of God! 
Why was that the case? Because “Samuel did not yet know the LORD: The word of the LORD had not yet been revealed to him.”
After Eli taught him to recognize the voice of God, “The LORD came...calling as at other times...then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening” and God started speaking to him. 

Could it be that we fail to recognize the very voice of God because our focus is on something else? Could it be that we mistake the voice of God for that of a man? Are there times when we have totally missed hearing God because we have no true revelation of who He is through His word? May the word of the LORD be so richly revealed to us that we will immediately recognize when He speaks. As we spend time in His presence, let’s get to know Him through His revealed word - the Scriptures. That is the greatest revelation of God. That is the surest way God has spoken; and that is the surest way to distinguish the voice of God from that of a man. 

PRAYER:
Prayer: LORD, I desire to recognize your voice at all times. Help me to spend time in your word so that I will reject any voice that is contrary to your true voice. I ask this in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

]]> https://renewalchristiancenter.org/blog/2026/06/03/a-total-disregard-for-the-almighty-god Wed, 03 Jun 2026 02:00:00 +0000 https://renewalchristiancenter.org/blog/2026/06/03/a-total-disregard-for-the-almighty-god

Eli’s sons were scoundrels, they had no regard for the LORD. Now it was the practice of the priests that, whenever any of the people offered a sacrifice, the priest’s servant would come with a three-pronged fork in his hand while the meat was being boiled...If the priest said to him, “Let the fat be burned first, then take whatever you want, the servant would answer, “No, hand it over now, if you don’t, I’ll take it by force.
This sin of the young men was very grave in the LORD’s sight, for they were treating the LORD’s offering with contempt. I Samuel 2:12-17.

Eli was the Priest of Israel and his household was supposed to be an example of godliness. But somehow, his children became scoundrels committing unimaginable sins. They had total disregard for the things of God. They even slept with the women who served at the entrance to the Temple of God. God was patient for a while but He held Eli responsible and finally brought judgment on him.

We live in an age of total disregard for the things of our holy and righteous God.
The word of God does not mean much to many. We do whatever pleases us regardless of what God says. We are on a quest to dethrone God from every arena of life and enthrone the desires of man as supreme.
Even within the Church of God, the story is not much different.Some Pastors are afraid to preach about sin and the holiness of God because of the fear of losing members. The pure unadulterated word of God has been banished to the side. There seems to be a total disregard for the Almighty God. As the Bible says, there is a form of godliness but without the power thereof. We are breaking the heart of God.

But, in spite of the prevalent disregard for God, Jesus said in John 4, that God is looking for a people who will worship Him in spirit and in truth. God is on a quest for true worshippers.
Would you and I be the ones who would respond? Can we genuinely step out and offer ourselves to God as true disciples of Jesus Christ. Can we seek to truly dethrone ourselves and enthrone God alone in our hearts? I can only imagine what God will do with us if we did that!

Please pray this prayer only if you truly mean it otherwise wait until you are genuinely ready.

PRAYER:
Father, I know you are looking for people who will worship you in spirit and in truth. I do not want to have a form of godliness without the power thereof. I truly offer myself to you today as a living sacrifice. Use me to bring glory to your holy name however you so choose. Amen. 

]]> https://renewalchristiancenter.org/blog/2026/06/02/the-joy-of-repentance Tue, 02 Jun 2026 02:00:00 +0000 https://renewalchristiancenter.org/blog/2026/06/02/the-joy-of-repentance

Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.
Blessed is the one whose sin the LORD does not count against them and in whose spirit is no deceit.
When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long.
For day and night, your hand was heavy on me.; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer. Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity.
I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD.” and you forgave the guilt of my sin.  Psalm 32:1-5

God desires that we cultivate a transparent relationship with Him. He has made provision through the confession of our sins to ensure that our relationship with Him will never be hindered. The Bible declares that if we confess our sins, He is faithful to forgive us and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

So how could David, the man after God’s own heart ignore his sin and commune with God whilst holding on to unconfessed sin? The result was a lack of peace. David groaned and wasted away. His insincerity with God sapped away his energy!
But when he finally acknowledged  and confessed his sin, God forgave and cleansed him and his peace returned.

God knows our frame. He knows we are dust. He knows we are selfish and sinful so He has made provision for our continual cleansing in our relationship with Him.
There is so much peace and joy when we acknowledge our sins and ask God to cleanse us.
Like the Prodigal Son, God will throw His arms around us and love us.

Would you search your heart today and see what sins you might not have acknowledged to God? Would you genuinely confess them and ask for forgiveness?  
Walk in the joy of repentance and forgiveness today. That is what God truly desires for our lives.
There is joy in repentance.

PRAYER: 
Search me O God and know my heart today. See if there is any wicked way in me. Help me to acknowledge and repent from them. I ask this in Jesus’ Name. Amen
 

]]> https://renewalchristiancenter.org/blog/2026/06/01/are-you-a-promise-keeper Mon, 01 Jun 2026 03:24:11 +0000 https://renewalchristiancenter.org/blog/2026/06/01/are-you-a-promise-keeper

“LORD Almighty, if you will only look on your servant’s misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but  give her a son, then I will give him to the LORD for all the days of his life, and no razor will ever be used on his head....After the boy was weaned, she took the boy with her, young as he was...and brought him to the house of the LORD at Shiloh...they brought the boy to Eli, and she said to him, “Pardon me, my Lord. As surely as you live, I am the woman who stood here beside you praying to the LORD. I prayed for this child, and the LORD has granted me what I asked of Him. So I now give him to the LORD. For his whole life, he will be given over to the LORD.” And he worshiped the LORD there. I Samuel 1:11; 24-28

God is a Promise Keeper, but are you? God remembers our requests and He answers them; but do we remember our promises to God?
Hannah was desperate for a child and she made a vow to give her son back to divine service; if God so blessed her. God remembered the cry of Hannah and blessed her with a son. Hannah kept her promise and gave Samuel to God as a servant at God’s temple. Hannah did not make an idol out of her son. She recognised that Samuel was a gift from God and gave him back to God. 

Oftentimes, we make promises to God in our times of desperate need but quickly forget to fulfill those promises when God answers our prayers. There have been times when I have suddenly remembered an unfulfilled promise to God and have made it a point to make good on it. God is a Promise-Keeper and we must fulfill our word to Him. I have seen situations where people have asked for the blessing of children and turned those children into idols right in the house of God! I have seen situations where people have made financial promises to God only to completely ignore those promises after God has blessed them! Sometimes, we solemnly promise to keep bodies pure only to fall into sin time and again. And suddenly, the promise we made to God is no longer a big deal.

God is gracious and merciful. He certainly understands our humanity. But He is also holy and righteous. So, does our holy and righteous God deserve the fulfillment of promises we make to Him? Yes, He definitely does! God remembers His word and fulfills them in our lives. Let’s remember our promises to God and fulfill them. So, are you a Promise-keeper?  

PRAYER: 
Father, I confess that there are times when I have not kept my promises to you or others. As your child, help me to reflect your character and nature. You are a Promise-Keeper so, help me to keep my promises. I want to be a promise-keeper. Amen
 

]]> https://renewalchristiancenter.org/blog/2026/06/01/the-lord-will-remember-you Mon, 01 Jun 2026 02:00:00 +0000 https://renewalchristiancenter.org/blog/2026/06/01/the-lord-will-remember-you

There was a certain man from Ramathaim...whose name was Elkanah...He had two wives...Peninnah had children, but Hannah had none...Because the LORD had closed Hannah’s womb, her rival kept provoking her in order to irritate her. This went on year after year...In her deep anguish, Hannah prayed to the LORD, weeping bitterly...
Hannah was praying in her heart, and her lips were moving but her voice was not heard. Eli (the priest) thought she was drunk and said to her, “How long are you going to stay drunk?”... “Not so my Lord...I am a woman who is deeply troubled...I have not been drinking wine or beer; I was pouring out my soul to the LORD.”…
Eli answered, “Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of Him.”…
Elkanah made love to his wife Hannah, and the LORD remembered her...Hannah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, saying, “Because I asked the LORD for him.”  (I Samuel 1:1-20).

And the LORD remembered her! And the LORD remembered her! And the LORD remembered her! Through no fault of hers, Hannah was barren. The LORD had closed her womb!
Hannah’s barrenness made her the target of her rival’s ridicule and jokes. Year after year, she suffered the pain of barrenness aggravated by the provocative stares and cruel ridicule of her rival. I can only imagine the excruciating pain Hannah suffered. Even Hannah’s Pastor, Eli, initially wrote her off as a drunken woman when she was passionately pouring out her soul to God at the altar. But God had a plan in place. Hannah called on God. The LORD remembered Hannah and blessed her with a son!

Question: Do you find yourself in a place where everyone is writing you off as a lost cause? Are you the subject of endless jokes because your situation seems hopeless? The reality is that no one knows the final tally but God alone! God is full of surprises. He is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we can ask or think according to His power that is at work in us.

I can testify to that! For seventeen years, my wife and I were childless. The longing for children was real but we never allowed that to distract us from living fulfilling lives and serving the Lord. God had a surprise in place all along. He blessed us with twins - a boy and a girl! God remembered us!
God is still remembering. No matter how long the wait has been and no matter how painful the provocation might be, cry out to the Lord and rise up from the altar with a changed countenance because God has not forgotten about you. The Lord will remember you. God still remembers! 

PRAYER: 
Father, please remember all who are waiting on you for an unmet need as was the case with Hannah. May you remember them and may the fruit you give them affect your Kingdom as wonderfully as Samuel did! Amen.
 

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