Toju Ogunremi

Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.” John 4:10 (ESV). Like the Samaritan woman at the well, God often calls us to come away with Him to be refreshed with living water. Some of the most profound encounters and divine assignments were unveiled in the secret place (one-on-one) conversations between God and man. These were encounters of spiritual intimacy, refreshing a[...]

"Peter was very perplexed; what could the vision mean? Meanwhile, as Peter was puzzling over the vision, the Holy Spirit said, "Three men have come looking for you." Acts 10:17a, 19 (NLT). In life's journey, we can feel like discovering God's specific purpose or calling for us is a bit like building a complex puzzle. The good news is that you don't need to go alone as a puzzler. The Holy Spirit leaves clues and whispers directions to us. Like a puzzler solving a 3000-piece puzzle, Peter may have had glimps[...]

"Above him stood the seraphim; each had six wings: with two, he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one called to another and said: "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!" Isaiah 6:2-3 (RSV). It is impossible to fully understand the holiness of God as mortals. How does the created describe the Creator with no beginning and no end? We have no natural reference point for this type of holiness. Our only chance of understanding God'[...]

Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, 'Give me a drink,' you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water." John 4: 10 (ESV) Like the Samaritan woman at the well, God often calls us to come away with Him to be refreshed with living water. Some of the most profound encounters and divine assignments were unveiled in the secret place (one-on-one) conversations between God and man. These were encounters of spiritual intimacy, refreshing and stren[...]

"They said to him, 'John's disciples often fast and pray, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees, but yours go on eating and drinking.' Jesus answered, 'Can you make the friends of the Bridegroom fast while he is with them? But the time will come when the Bridegroom will be taken from them; in those days they will fast.'" Luke 5:33-35(NIV). The Bridegroom's presence called for feasting; His absence called for fasting. A difference of one letter produces two words of opposite meanings. Although those words[...]

"For who knows a person's thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way, no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us." 1 Corinthians 2:11-12 (NIV). My mind is known and led by my spirit; therefore, my spirit needs to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit. For a disciple of Christ, having a disciplined mind is about having the mind of Chri[...]

“Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win! All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. So I run with purpose in every step. I am not just shadowboxing. I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others, I myself might be disqualified.” 1 Cor 9:24-27 (NLT). The analogy of the athlete is used i[...]

"Peter was very perplexed; what could the vision mean? Meanwhile, as Peter was puzzling over the vision, the Holy Spirit said to him, "Three men have come looking for you." Acts 10:17a, 19 NLT In the journey of life, we can feel like discovering God's specific purpose or calling for us is a bit like building a complex puzzle. The good news is that you don't need to go it alone as the puzzler. The Holy Spirit leaves clues and whispers directions to us. Like a puzzler solving a 3000-piece puzzle, Peter may h[...]

“I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called.” Ephesians 4:1 ESV. The Pulpit Commentary states that Paul is entreating us on God's behalf to live in a way befitting our high calling. A line from CeCe Winans’ song ‘Worthy’ (“He counted us worthy, so let’s be worthy”) reminds us that it is Jesus who made us worthy. We now need to walk in obedience to His Word and heed His call. A universal calling AND a specific calling[...]

“The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is safe.” Prov 29: 25 (ESV). I shudder when I think about the impact making decisions based on what people think had in my life. I am not even talking about sinful decisions, just everyday life choices made from the perspective of pleasing man. Would I have chosen differently if I knew it was a snare? There is only one who lays a snare – the enemy of our souls. I admire godly people who seem to have conquered the fear of man, and while I ha[...]