Welcome to Benjamin Oshoffa's Blog.

An eager anticipation of the Lord’s return keeps us living productively. Throughout Scripture, we find three admonitions given to us about the Lord’s return: 1. We’re to watch faithfully.  The Word of God encourages us to stand fast in the faith with courage and strength (1 Cor. 16:13), watching soberly and arming ourselves with faith, love, and salvation (1 Thess. 5:8). As we watch, we’re to remain especially aware of false prophets, discerning the spirits and rejecting all who do not confess that Jesus Christ is God in the flesh (2 Peter 2:1; 1 John 4:1-2). Jesus spoke to John in a vision and gave this great promise to those who remain watchful: “Behold, I am coming like a thief. Blessed is the one who stays awake” (Rev. 16:15). 2. We’re to work diligently.  Why does Jesus leave us here on earth after He saves us? Why aren’t we born again, then immediately taken into the Lord’s presence? Simply because we still have work to do! We’re to be the Lord’s witnesses,...

The Lagos state commissioner of police, Imohimi Edgal has advised parents to warn their children to desist from the use of illicit drugs, cultism, unlawfully possessing and using firearms.  In a statement signed by the PRO, Chike Oti, the command revealed that youths who challenge law enforcement officers with firearms would be met with proportionate force.  In view of the recent development in the state whereby some youths in Aguda Surulere, Itire and Akala-Mushin areas of Lagos State engaged in acts of brigandage, sell and use of illicit drugs, cultism, unlawfully possessing and using firearms  to fight rival cult groups, the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, CP Edgal Imohimi today Wednesday, 28th  February, 2018,  met with stakeholders, traditional rulers and opinion leaders of Itire community,  in Itire/Ikate  LCDA. At the meeting, attended by the Hon. Commissioner, Ministry of Local Government and Community Affairs, Hon. Muslim ...

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), through its director-general, Audrey Azoulay, has condemned the abduction of the Dapchi school girls - Azoulay, in an international conference, said that the attack on the girls is a violation of their right to freedom and education - He said that the organisation will partner with the federal government to ensure the safe release and recovery of the missing girls The director-general of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Audrey Azoulay, has condemned the abduction of schoolgirls from the Government Girls Technical College, Dapchi, Yobe. Azoulay, who was speaking at the ongoing international conference on saving the Lake Chad in Abuja on Wednesday, February 28, said the organisation would support Nigeria in ensuring the girls' safe return, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports. Newsmen reported that the conference is attended by Presidents Muhammadu Buhar...

Speaker, House of Representatives,  Honourable Yakubu Dogara, on Tuesday asked security agencies to take responsibility for failing to stop the abduction of 110 school girls in Dapchi, Yobe State, adding that the buck-passing between the Nigerian Army and the Nigeria Police Force is unacceptable.   In a press statement, issued by his spokesperson, Mr Turaki Hassan, Honourable Dogara said rather than trading blames, the various security agencies should strengthen inter-agency collaboration and intensify efforts towards rescuing the girls. The statement read: “The statements credited to the Army and the Police in which they tried to exonerate themselves from any culpability in the unfortunate and embarrassing abduction of innocent girls from their school in Dapchi, Yobe State, is highly condemnable. “This is unacceptable and the House of Representatives, and indeed Nigerians, will hold the security agencies responsible. They all bear responsibility for this unf...

We learn more in our valley experiences than on our mountaintops. Adversity, anguish, trials, tribulations, and heartaches operate as lessons in the school of experience. They bring us to a place of new insight and understanding. They can alter our perceptions of the world, our views of God, and lead us to change our behaviors. The Lord, of course, is the ultimate Teacher. He’s the One to whom we must look for the meaning of any lesson related to adversity. God allows adversity for at least three reasons: 1. To Get Our Attention The Lord uses a wide variety of methods to gain our attention when necessary—and adversity is one of them. Don’t delay in responding to the Lord when He moves to get your attention. Respond quickly and humbly. Hear what He has to say to you. 2.   For Examination At times, God allows adversity to motivate us to self-examination. The winds of adversity blow away the surface issues and force us to cope with things on a deeper level. Nothing has...

No Christian has ever been called to “go it alone” in his or her walk of faith. In Hebrews 10:25, the author makes it clear that believers should not stop meeting together. God wants us to regularly meet with other believers—He wants His people in church! There are those, however, who don’t take this admonition seriously.

Change is never easy, especially when our choices affect other people. Change means important decisions will be made—which introduces the possibility of terrible mistakes and ongoing consequences. When we make those choices without seeking the Lord’s leadership, we are headed for disaster. But when we pray to God, requesting His guidance and committing ourselves to His will, He moves in astounding ways to help us. Prayer is always life’s greatest time saver. The Lord knows exactly what you need, and He will always answer your prayers as is absolutely best for you. Therefore, spend time listening to Him, receiving His wisdom and direction, and drinking in His presence and power. Be quiet before Him, rest in Him, and allow Him to order your steps. He will keep you from moving in the wrong direction or from wasting your time doing useless things. Are you willing to stop and listen to Him? Are you ready for Him to make you the most fruitful you can possibly be? Then no matter what ...

Adversity is a bridge to a deeper relationship with God. What is God’s goal in adversity? His basic objective is to draw us closer to Himself. He does not glory in pain or sorrow, but He uses these things to teach us about His love and faithfulness. The moment adversity comes our vulnerability increases, and we may find ourselves wondering why God has allowed us to face such difficulty. Pain, disappointment, and trial are effective tools He uses to drive us to Himself and to the cross where we discover our personal need for a Savior. We're struck with a defining thought:  I need God.  We need His strength, wisdom, and forgiveness. Whenever you’re confronted by adversity, always remember God has a purpose for allowing it to touch your life. He’s never out of control. He has a plan and a goal, not just for this situation alone, but also for your entire life. In times of difficulty, He is your immovable strength (Prov. 18:10), and He has promised never to abandon you. W...

God blesses us so that we might bless others. God saved you and me so that we would serve as examples to others of His love and mercy at work in and through a human life. Many people seem to think the only reason for salvation is so that a person will go to heaven when he dies. Eternal life is part of God’s plan of forgiveness, but that’s not the sole reason for our salvation. God saved us so that we each might reflect His nature—that we might be His people on this earth, doing the kinds of works that Jesus Himself would do if He were walking in our shoes, through our world, during our lifetimes. He desires to manifest His character through our personalities and giftedness. When we allow His Holy Spirit to work in us and through us to others, we become vessels of His love in action. We begin to reflect His compassion, love, and mercy to others. And in so doing, we become His witnesses. God calls us to serve one another just as Jesus did. He didn’t save you or call you to serv...

St. Peter writes few practical suggestions for Christian growth. Faith is the basic foundation on which the whole edifice of a Christian spiritual life is built upon. In fact, faith is like a crown decorated with seven jewels. The life journey of a disciple of Christ begins with faith. Indeed faith is a gracious gift of God. It is based on the knowledge revealed through the Holy Scripture. The object of faith is the triune God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. It is not possible to please God without faith. (Hebrews 11:6) Whatsoever that does not originate with faith is sin. (Romans 14:23) Goodness or virtue or moral excellence is the natural divine quality that should be expressed in a Christian lifestyle. This is not an external appearance but an inner quality. In fact, St. Peter places virtue or moral excellence before knowledge. The world may prefer the other way around. Moral excellence is beyond legal and courteous requirements. For example, as required by Law, Pharisees paid tithe...

To live the Christian life is to allow Jesus to live His life in and through us. Many Christians seem content to live what they think is an  adequate  Christian life. They believe if they go to church, read their Bibles from time to time, and say their prayers once in a while, they’ll be all right with God. Though they go through the motions of being a “good Christian,” they simply don’t enjoy the power, peace, and joy that should come with the abundant life Jesus promised (John 10:10). Eventually, the counterfeit Christian life they’re living becomes a burden that doesn’t comfort them when the storms of adversity assail. This was not what you were created for. God doesn’t call you or any believer to a marginal, Christian life characterized by chores and rituals. He desires to have a daily relationship with you where you experience His presence and trust Him for wisdom, courage, and strength in all situations. With every step you take, decision you make, conversation you...

You can never out give God. It’s just a fact: You can never out give God. The Old Testament prophet, Malachi, certainly believed this principle. Through him, God instructed the people to bring Him the full tithe and said, “‘Test Me now in this,’ says the Lord of hosts, ‘if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you a blessing until it overflows’” (Mal. 3:10). To tithe is to give a percentage of our income to God for His work. All that we have is a gift from God; therefore, a tithe is a mere portion of what He’s already given to us. If we obey God’s Word and cheerfully give the portion He’s requested, He’ll bless us and the work of His kingdom. Years ago, God led us to purchase property for the expansion of First Baptist Atlanta. We began to pray He would provide the funds we needed. I also prayed specifically that He would show me what He wanted  me  to give. I’d given financially but sensed there was something more He was requiring. It wasn...

To walk in the Spirit is to obey the initial promptings of the Spirit. To whom do you turn for daily guidance on how to live or what decisions to make? Scripture tells us the only Guide worth trusting is the Holy Spirit. He’s the One who knows our pasts completely and our futures, from this day to eternity. He knows God’s plan and purpose for each of us, and He knows what’s good and right for us. Jesus repeatedly referred to the Spirit as the “Spirit of truth” and told us, “He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come” (John 16:13). It’s the Spirit of truth that’s always pointing us toward what Jesus would be, say, or do in any given moment. God wants us to know what to do and when to do it, and we can truly trust His Spirit to be our Guide. But there are conditions placed upon the guidance of the Holy Spirit in our lives. First, we must stay...

“See, understand something my brothers and my sisters, men are, they are projectors and women are receptive. They – men, they release and women, they get an impartation. You know why there is more pain for women that are single than it is for men? Men, after they project themselves and they get a release, what they’ve lost are strength. So, every time they sleep with a woman and that woman is not their wife, they’re losing strength. But see, every time a man sleeps with us, we’re getting a deposit. Now let me help you with something. If in fact, that the Scripture lets us know, that marriage is not going to the courthouse and standing in front of the altar, [then] our mates are chosen in the spirit realm. And I don’t know about ya’ll, but when I got my divorce, I went to court and the judge said to me, he said, “Was this marriage consummated?” And, you know, me being slow and from the ghetto, I leaned over to my lawyer, I said, “That’s a big word. What does that mean?” He said, “It m...

The Lord’s simple requests often serve as stepping-stones to life’s most wonderful blessings. Simon Peter illustrates what can happen when we say yes to God. One day a large crowd pressed around Jesus while He preached (Luke 5:1-11). Wanting to use Peter’s boat as a floating platform to address the multitude, Jesus asked the future apostle to push the vessel a little way from shore—not in itself a remarkable request. But Peter’s compliance paved the way for a life-changing blessing. From his example, we learn how essential it is to obey God in even the smallest matters. At the conclusion of His lesson, the Lord commanded Peter, “Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch” (5:4). Perhaps Peter was tempted to decline. He was a seasoned fisherman, after all. He’d worked the entire night for a catch but had returned empty-handed. Now this young teacher (a carpenter, not a fisherman) was asking him to fish again? In faith, Peter responded: “Master...

Disappointments are inevitable, discouragement is a choice. The Lord has a unique plan for your life—one that does not change according to unexpected circumstances. When you confront a situation that does not line up with your understanding of how God wants your life to proceed, you must stop and look to Him for direction. Sometimes He allows disappointments to occur so you will learn to rely on Him more fully—to walk by faith and not by sight. But never forget this: While disappointments are inevitable, discouragement is a choice. You should never allow the challenges that arise to steal your enthusiasm or confidence in Him. In the daily disappointments that threaten to consume your emotional resources and deflect your attention away from the Lord, you have real hope and a real choice for joy and abundant living in Christ. Circumstances don’t control you; Jesus does. You never have to be the victim of your feelings. You can choose to look to God, listen, learn, a...

Anything you hold too tightly, you will lose. Admit it—in a tough situation, your first emotional response is to take control. We  all  want control. We want to live with the assurance everything will be okay and the things that aren’t can be fixed with concentrated effort. Secretly, we often think, “If I plan carefully and labor enough, I can overcome any difficulty.” The problem comes when our efforts aren’t enough—when the difficulty we face is greater than all of our resources or completely outside our scope of influence. God allows these trials for an important reason: He wants us to recognize that  He  is in control. When you face circumstances that rapidly deplete your spiritual, emotional, and physical reserves, you may want to cling to something strong out of fear. The question you must consider is whether your worries drive you to the arms of God or to your own resources. Are you hanging on to something other than the Lord? Are you g...

As children of a sovereign God, we are never victims of our circumstances. Life is not simple. We face many bumps and turns along the way. The race is real, the battle continuous, and the painful experiences may pierce our hearts. However, our circumstances should not define who we are or how we react. Rather, as believers our behavior in every situation should honor the Lord Jesus, and our identity should always be based on the salvation He’s provided for us. God knows the Christian life isn’t easy. When you received the Lord Jesus as your Savior, He set you on your course. As your sovereign Lord, He mapped out all the bumps, turns, detours, hills, and valleys. He knew all the difficulties you’d face. He understood that you would continually clash with the world, the flesh, and the devil until you were home with Him. Yet He didn’t merely set you on the path, hoping you would find your way. He sent the Holy Spirit to indwell you, guide you, and encourage you. Endur...

We stand tallest and strongest on our knees. Prayer is a very powerful tool for believers—through it, the Lord blesses us and frees us from bondage. In prayer, we profess our need of Christ and ask for His solution to our problems. We also learn to worship Him and grow spiritually in His loving presence. As we spend time with Him, God lovingly teaches us how to communicate with Him and listen for His still, small voice. Through it all, we grow deeper in our relationship with Him. There are several things essential to establishing a powerful prayer life: 1.   A Definite Time —Choose a specific time to meet with the Lord in prayer. Early in the morning or late in the evening is not the issue. Consistency is key! Ask God to show you the perfect time to meet with Him. 2.   A Specific Place —Select a place where you can be alone with Him. Although you may be limited as to where you can go to have time alone with the Lord, He’ll provide the perfect place for you ...