Brighter Life Ministry

2 Chronicles  20:22 And when they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten.  Praise is the expression of gratitude and respect towards God, this is a process of rendering God's pedigree, accounting how great and mighty He is, telling of the battles He has worn, the ones He is winning and those He will still win, exulting Him above all. Praise brings God into the scene. Praise opens the gates of Heaven and the doors of blessings. Praise dissipates worry and dilutes concern and fear. Praise tarnishes sadness and magnifies goodness. There are times difficult situation will visit us, a time of distress and sorrow, delay shame and reproach. You may have prayed, instead of getting better it became worse, your soul is vexed, you have tried all you could as human and you feel like given up on God.   But have you tried praise? God works wonders through pr...

Luke  17:17 And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine?  17:18 There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger.  17:19 And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole. Gratitude is the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness. As believers, It is an act of response of appreciation for all God has done for us either in the past, present or future. God expects us to be grateful because He is the source of all things and all we can ever be. But being an ungrateful Soul detest God and angers him. A lesson for us is in the story of the ten lepers whom God has just healed. As Jesus was traveling, he met ten lepers who approached him from a distance. In that day, leprosy was one of the worst plagues that could befall someone. There was no known cure, and little treatment. The disease would slowly eat away at the body. It would horribly disfigure t...

Luke  16:10 He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much. Being faithful is to be loyal and steadfast in what one finds to do. It is a true character of being just, trustworthy, dependable and reliable.  God desires everyone to be trustworthy, by this He test His servants with little things before entrusting them with greater things.  Learning from the life of Joseph, it can be revealed that it is good to be faithful in any circumstances one may find him/herself.  Joseph is one incredible young man. At the end of Genesis 39, the scripture affirms that God was with Joseph, which equates with the concept that Joseph was still faithful to God after his great disappointment.  Life was still very difficult for Joseph, he had really reached a low point. Think of all the disappointments and discouraging circumstances Joseph had experienced by this point.  He had been hated by his bro...

Proverbs  26:28 A lying tongue hateth those that are afflicted by it; and a flattering mouth worketh ruin. Lie is  a false statement made with deliberate intent to deceive; an intentional untruth. · something intended or serving to convey a false impression; Liars take no pity on those they crush with their lies, and flattery spoils everyone it touches. God hates a "lying tongue" because it destroys God's truth. It is the lie that a man tells himself and others that allow him to avoid living for God properly. As followers of the One, True God, we are to be seekers of the Truth, not self-seekers. Paul warned about being a person who chooses to do the latter. “But for those who are selfishly ambitious and self-seeking and disobedient to the truth but responsive to wickedness, [there will be] wrath and indignation.” -Romans 2:8 (AMP) The Lord spoke these words through Zechariah the prophet to the people of Israel: “These are the things which you should do: speak the t...

Acts  12:20 And Herod was highly displeased with them of Tyre and Sidon: but they came with one accord to him, and, having made Blastus the king's chamberlain their friend, desired peace; because their country was nourished by the king's country.  12:21 And upon a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat upon his throne, and made an oration unto them.  12:22 And the people gave a shout, saying, It is the voice of a god, and not of a man.  12:23 And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost.  All things are from God,  through him and to him, The reason you are alive is not because of your work if righteousness. Anything we would ever become comes from God, anything you would ever possess in life originates from God, all glory then also m ust return back to Him. From the text above, Herod Agrippa I is the grandson of Herod the Great and king over almost all his terri...

Psalms  118:8 It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man. To trust means to rely on another person because you feel safe with them and have confidence that they will never  hurt, disappoint, betray or violate you.  To trust in the Lord means more than believing in who he is and what he says; the word here for trust can also mean “to have confidence in.” Having confidence in something means having an assurance that leads to action. Trust in the Lord is a faith that lets us boldly serve. Our God is a supreme being, the creator of the universe, He is a jealous God, He expects us to put all our trust, care, confidence, and faith in Him and not anyone or any man. There is no gain or blessing that resides in putting our confidence in man, the Lord rebukes anyone who put his/her  confidence in his fellow man.   Jeremiah  17:5 Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departe...

John  3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. Our reunion with God after the separation in the garden of Eden through sin was founded on the birth and sacrificial death of our Lord Jesus Christ  It was not just an easy way through to give one's only begotten son to die for the ransom of a condemned sinner, but His love brought about this to existence.  Jesus is Unique because He is God’s ONLY son, being the only son makes His death is so impotent to God Jesus is fully God. “Christ was truly God. But he did not try to remain equal with God.” (Philippians 2:6 CEV) Jesus is fully man. “but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.” (Philippians 2:7 NASB) His favorite name for Himself was “Son of Man”. Jesus is Unique because He is God’s ONLY sufficient sacrifice.John  10:17 Therefore doth my Father love me, because I...

Jeremiah  31:3 The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee. It was a time when the children of Israel were in captivity that God spoke through prophet Jeremiah,  The prophesies of his book is mostly, but not all, a book about God’s judgment. The painful ‘rooting out, pulling down, destroying, and throwing down’ spoken of in Jeremiah’s commission was but a purging, to make room for later ‘building and planting’ (Jeremiah 1:10). When we undergo the chastening of the LORD, it is because ‘Whom He loves, He chastens’ (Proverbs 3:12; Hebrews 12:6). But at a time when all other hope was lost,  the LORD reassure all the families of Israel that He will not cease to be their God, and they His people (Jeremiah 31:1). The New Testament gives us warrant to extend this to include all who are ‘chosen in Christ from the foundation of the world’ (Ephesians 1:4). In Jeremiah 31:2, the LORD s...

Ephesians  6:6 Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart;  6:7 With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men:  6:8 Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free. Eyeservice is attendance to duty only when being watched, work done is never from the heart but just to impress men.  Paul was addressing the problem of doing things only for the sake of gaining other's approval. He calls it literally "the way of eye-service," or the problem of only working hard when the master's eyes are directly on us. Paul also notes this type of behavior as being a "people-pleaser." Some serve, but do so for wrong motives.  This might be to feel good about themselves, or to impress someone else. This might also include those who seek to do as little as possible, while "putting on a show" to make an overseer think they are d...

James 1:5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. 1:6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. Faith is a strong belief in the doctrines of a religion, based on spiritual conviction rather than proof. It takes faith to believe in Christ; it takes faith to believe that what God says is always right and true; and it takes faith to trust and walk in that each and every day. However, if your faith doesn’t continue to grow in your relationship with Christ, you won’t have the faith to see God’s Kingdom come not only in your life, but in the lives of those around you. Whatever faith you have inside of you will determine the outcome of the faith level you’ll have for God at work around you. If you don’t have faith for God to move, there’s a good chance you won’t be looking for anything to take place. When we read all thro...

1 Timothy  5:1 Rebuke not an elder, but intreat him as a father; and the younger men as brethren;  5:2 The elder women as mothers; the younger as sisters, with all purity.  5:3 Honour widows that are widows indeed. Honour  means to have deep admiration for someone, usually because of their abilities, achievements, or special qualities. An elder is someone who is older, and often this is also someone who has authority or high regard, the could be our parent, teachers, boss, etc  An elder is also defined as an official in a church, such as someone who serves as a spiritual leader or shepherd, sometimes with a preaching or pastoral role. In many areas, the scripture talks about respecting our elders among us.  Leviticus 19:32 urges the people to “stand up in the presence of the aged, show respect for the elderly and revere your God.” Proverbs 31:23 mentioned how the husband of a woman with noble, honorable character is “respected at the city gate, where he tak...

Philippians  4:19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Apostle Paul was giving a closing remark to the Philippian believers,  while encouraging them, Paul was confident that God would meet their needs because they were generous in their giving. This is not a promise of wealth, or even an easy life. Rather, the concept of "need" has to be considered according to God's will. What we "need" and what we "want" are not always the same thing. God tends to bless those who will use the resources they have according to His purposes. This is something Paul observed specifically happening with the Philippians. Their needs would be met through Christ, the one who made and controlled all things. They would never lack with Christ as their provider. From the earliest pages of Scripture, God has been known as the Lord who will provide (Genesis 22:14), affirmed by Peter as well (2 Peter 1:11). But in this context...

Galatians  5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,  5:23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.  5:24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. This fruit of the Spirit is an attribute of action. It means living one's life with good morals and motives as well as doing good things for others. Producing the fruit of goodness is a true mark of godliness. It is the evidence of our total submission to God through Christ and being endowed with the Holy Spirit  Those who have turned from depending on themselves have turned to depend on the direction of God. Thus, the fruit of the Spirit is brought forth in the lives of those who seek direction from God for moral attitudes and behaviour. Paul's list of the fruit of the Spirit is the true manifestation of those whose lives are motivated by thanksgiving.   The fruit of the spirit is the result of one's reco...

Galatians  4:4 But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, It was at the appointed time that God sent Jesus Christ, His only son to this word for man's redemption and deliverance from the bondage of sin for there is time and seasons for everything The fullness of time means that at exactly the right moment and at the right time and place, GOD’s purpose and plan was  unfolded and revealed. It is the fullness of time that allows you to see another day. It is the fullness of time that brought salvation to mankind At GOD’s own appointed, the fullness of time, God sent His son; and it will still be in the fullness of time that GOD will show up. Has anyone ruled you out and said you cannot make it? Has anyone told you to forget it; you are wasting your time? They may seem right because nothing is happening now or it is humanly impossible. But wait for the fullness of time, GOD will show up for you, GOD will keep HIS p...

Isaiah  8:18 Behold, I and the children whom the LORD hath given me are for signs and for wonders in Israel from the LORD of hosts, which dwelleth in mount Zion. God spoke in the prophetic concerning the children of prophet Isaiah of what they would become and the significant of their birth and growth as related to the land of Israel.  Isaiah also without reservation affirmed the words of God and declared, him and his children would be for signs  and wonders.  This is speaking positively  into their future and destiny even when the children have no idea  of what life is yet, it is establishing a good foundation in God and ordering their life towards the path of life.  This is expected of every parent who are custodian of the heritage of God in this world, the foundation we lay for the little ones will be what they will build their life on as they grow up both physically and spiritually Proverbs  22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go: and w...

Proverbs  3:5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. To trust means to rely on another person because you feel safe with them and have confidence that they will not hurt or violate you.   Today, trust seems scars and becoming extinct among men, No longer can we shake hands and make a deal and be sure it will stand. Politicians make promises that we, most of the time, doubt seriously. Even when brides and grooms say, “I do,” they don’t. People will say, “Oh, yes, I’ll be there,” and are late, or never show, and then don’t call. Children are told, “I’ll play with you,” only to have their hopes dashed to be at  another event. It’s no wonder we have a problem with trust in our society, trusting people has always been a kind of  a problem, but with God it should be different. Even though many of us seems not to trust God enough but forgetting that this is the same God who opened the Red Sea and closed it at His will. This i...

Galatians  6:9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. One of the  worst enemy of enthusiasm is weariness. The  feeling that our hopes seems diminishing, when we tend to  run out of strength, patience, and endurance, when our well doing seems to be unnoticed. We have all be there. Nevertheless, Christians must be zealous to do good works, for this is one reason why we have been brought forth in Christ. We must not become lazy or discouraged in doing that which brings glory to the father. The church of the Thessalonians was started amid the heat of persecution (Acts 17:1-9; 1 Thessalonians 1:6-8; 2: 13-16 ). The persecution these believers endured was not isolated to the beginnings of the church.  Rather, they seem to have continued sometime after Paul’s initial visit, since he mentions in his second letter, their “persecutions and the afflictions that [they were] enduring” (2 Thessalonians 1:4). Therefore, we s...

Psalms  127:3 Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward. Children are a gift from God they are very important before Him and they are a gift to mankind which should be preserved according to God's Standard for life and living.   They must be introduced to God very early in life. “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it” (Proverbs 22:6).  The scripture calls them God's  heritage. This  implies possession. In other words, children are God’s property.  And as much as they are kept under our custody, we are just  caretaker. What does God expects from us is to bring them up in His own way, feeding them with His word of life    The Word of God modifies the lives of children positively and makes them useful to God and the society. If you don’t want your children to be a menace to the society, teach them the Word of God.  We failed God when we take less...

Luke  6:35 But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil. Doing good is not a mere side-line in the Christian life. It is a basic principle of Christian living, its one of the attributes of God which is evidence in the character of Christ and expected of every believer to emulate. Our act  of kindness must be expressed towards another at any point in time irrespective of who they are, even if they appear to be our enemy.  In doing this, we are fulling God's desire of peace to reign among humanity, and a means of helping those who are in needs. Nevertheless, our act of doing good will not go by without a reward if we do it with the whole of our heart towards fellow men. good deeds are indeed only rewarded by God not man but God still uses man to accomplish his purposes. The Bible states that because of the kindness...

Acts  20:35 I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive. Apostle Paul is speaking to the church of Ephesus when he quotes Jesus by saying: “‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.” When Jesus says our giving is more blessed, He’s telling us that there is more happiness or joy to be found in God when we give, rather than when we receive. This saying from Jesus is not recorded in the Gospels but was most likely passed onto Paul by those who heard Jesus teach Paul specifically states that we are to work hard to help the weak, most likely referring to the poor or those in need of assistance to care for themselves. As Paul is speaking, he is not simply seeking encouragement and prayer for the poor but is calling the church to give financially to those who are in need.  The best way to appreciate God for His goodness towards us  and inc...

Philippians  2:5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:  2:6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:  2:7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:  2:8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.  2:9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:  2:10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;  2:11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Jesus came from heaven to earth, contracted Himself to the measure of a virgin's womb, was born in Bethlehem, lived a perfect life and died on a cross an atoning sacrificial death, was buried in a tomb and was raised victoriously, and ascended in...

2 Peter  3:18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen. Growth is the act, process, or a manner of growing; the development; gradual increase of size or stage of development: Growing in God is a lifelong aspiration in a believer's faith journey, we are born newly when we gave our life to Christ and choses him as our Lord and personal saviour  Genuine spiritual growth always results in a better grasp of our own weaknesses and a greater reliance upon God's strength.  As a believer, we are expected to grow in God to the stage of maturity, moving from being infants who are fed with milk to adulthood being fed with solid food of God's word.  If we remain stagnant as a baby without proper growth in God, we will find it difficult to comprehend the knowledge of God per season, devil will contend with our faith, and temptations can easily pull us down from the ladder of spiritual buoyancy.  ...

2 Timothy  3:1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.  3:2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, It is no news anymore that we are in the last days, the end time spoken of by Christ and from the letters of the apostles, most of the prophecies are coming to pass already and some yet to come to pass and preparing to. To this, believers must be aware and keep their life in check as not to be ignorance of the tricks of the devil of which he uses to deceive the children of God. One of the menaces of the end time is backsliding and spiritual draining. Most Christians are fast forgetting the faithfulness and love of God. The scripture clearly instructs us to be vigilant. But it also teaches that no one can say for certain when the end will come, Jesus Himself repeatedly said that no one knows or can know the day or hour of His return (Matthew 24:36; Mark 13:32; Act...

Genesis  1:26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.  1:27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.  1:28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. In God's creation of man, He didn't create humans as a specimen or a test subject for greater project, man was actually created in the  likeness and image of God, having the same attribute as God in the realm of earth. His purpose for creating man is to be and function in His image, this includes dominion, fruitfulness, multiplication, replenishing a...

Job  22:23 If thou return to the Almighty, thou shalt be built up, thou shalt put away iniquity far from thy tabernacles.  22:24 Then shalt thou lay up gold as dust, and the gold of Ophir as the stones of the brooks.  22:25 Yea, the Almighty shall be thy defence, and thou shalt have plenty of silver. There was a time we were once united with our God the Father , a time we enjoy the Fullness of His grace and blessings, a time of no pain, sorrow and death. A time when everything we ever needed is provided even before we request for it.  But when son came, we become separated, and all the benefits we enjoy from him becomes withheld. We experience difficulties, problems, hardship, farming and death.  But Returning to the Lord is the key to experiencing His blessings and grace again.  Returning to the Lord is the human response that opens the supply of God’s personal grace  Returning to God means turning from my sin, which is repentance. It is impossible to...

Psalms  51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.  51:11 Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.  51:12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.  51:13 Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.  51:14 Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness. To sanctify is literally “to set apart for special use or purpose,” figuratively “to make holy or sacred,” and etymologically from the Latin verb sanctificare which in turn is from sanctus “holy” and facere “to make.” Sanctification is the natural outgrowth of the gospel and being saved by Christ. It  is not a means of receiving grace but an expression of thanks for grace that has been received. It  is a provision of God’s renewing work in salvation joined to our obedience. And it is accomplis...

Acts  1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. Baptism with the Holy Spirit is an empowering experience, equipping Spirit-filled believers for witness and ministry.  Through the baptism in the Holy Spirit, God extends His power and the blessing of His presence to all believers. Our role is to receive. This baptism is marked by an initial act of receiving and continues as a daily response of receiving what God has made available for our service and relationship with Him. The first Holy Spirit baptism took place at the upper room according to the instructions given by Christ before accession. Acts  4:31 And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness. The manifestation of the Holy Spirit ...