₦airaland Forum

Your ability to perform well depends largely on the power and resources available to you. Every human being will be faced with the reality of insufficient resources in the face of a pressing need at one point or the other. Hence, economists advise us to forgo certain alternatives, and draw up a scale of preference on our needs. Man’s limitations have caused the introduction of certain words and phrases into our vocabulary, such as: impossible, cannot, too late, irreversible, etc. All these reflect our state of human limitation and incapacity. Even God recognises man’s limitations. Psalms 103:14 says:
“For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.”
Our natural frailty and limitation is exposed in Isaiah 40:6-8, where man is described as grass that withers easily. Also, Bildad the Shuhite describes man as a frail worm in Job 25:6:
“How much less man, that is a worm? and the son of man, which is a worm?”
It is therefore evident that as long as we are confined within our natural sphere, human beings remain seriously limited.
 
However, God is not limited. He declared in Jeremiah 32:27 thus:
“Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me?”
Since He owns the Heavens and the earth and everything in them, and because He has all power, He is able to do all things. He does not accommodate limiting words in His vocabulary like men do. How then can we break the yoke of limitation in our lives? It is by being connected to the only One who cannot be limited. When such a link is in place, whatever cannot limit God cannot limit you. What cannot stop God cannot stop you. This is because you have become a partaker of the divine nature (2 Peter 1:4). But you must renew your mind to walk in this reality. To this end, it is necessary to re-examine your vocabulary and delete all limiting words from it. You are what you think; your mindset determines your reality. Many people who had the potential of reaching great heights in their lifetime were stopped by their wrong belief system and limited mindset. You would be amazed to know that what witchcraft cannot stop can be stopped by the limiting thoughts you hold about yourself. Beloved, from now on, do not limit yourself. Rather, believe everything God says about you and confess it. Speak God’s Word over that impossible situation, and you shall see it change to conform to your confessions.

Shortly before Israel’s death, Joseph his son visited him with his two sons. When it was time to bless the boys, he positioned Manasseh his firstborn to come under his father’s right hand, while Ephraim would come under the left. He knew the implication of position and blessing. But when Israel stretched his hands to bless the boys, he crossed his hands, placing his right hand on the younger and his left hand on the older. Joseph protested but Israel insisted. Let us draw out a few lessons from this passage. The first of these is that after a period of service comes a time of reward. Hence, John the beloved warns in 2 John 8 that:
“Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward.”
It is therefore possible to labour for something and never get the reward.
 
There will always be a time to reap after sowing. Hence, you need to be very careful what you sow, because the harvest is always around the corner. Another lesson from Genesis 48:13-19 is that after a long stretch of service, there comes a time for the impartation of generational blessings. That is, after serving God for several years, a time comes when the blessing that transcends you will be delivered to your children. This can only be done if you have brought up your children in the way of the Lord. Generational blessings come from God. It is more than just a right; it is a reward for quality and consistent service. Psalm 22:30 says:
“A seed shall serve him; it shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation.”
When the time comes for a generational blessing to be transferred to your children and your grandchildren, may they not be found wanting in Jesus’ Name. The implication of this is that whatever effort you put into God’s Kingdom is duly recorded, and that for all your efforts in God’s kingdom, a reward awaits your children. This is why you cannot afford to get tired of loving, serving, pleasing and sacrificing to God. Such efforts help to lay a solid foundation for your children’s future. To what extent are you preparing your children for their tomorrow? Abraham served God and it created a higher platform for Isaac. Isaac also served the Lord and Israel rode on that pedestal. Israel continued from there and Joseph was given a soft landing. Joseph loved the Lord and it affected his sons positively. What kind of blessing will be transferred to your children through your service?

In trying to rationalise and condone certain types of sin, some people have painted them in different colours. Take lying for instance. This evil act has been categorised by some into white, black and so on. Whether it is a grave lie or a lie that cannot hurt a fly, a lie is a lie. Leviticus 19:11 says it is wrong to lie to other brethren. The devil is the father of all liars according to our Lord Jesus Christ (John 8:44). If you wilfully engage in lies, you definitely have the devil as your father. The Bible declares that outside the gates of Heaven are liars:
“For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.”
Revelation 22:15
If a lie is as trivial as people say it is, why would liars be categorised with fornicators, murderers and idol worshippers? If a lie is not grievous, why would the gates of Heaven be shut against liars? Also, in the above Scripture, a distinction is made between those who love lies and those who tell the lies. In other words, some people are branded liars not because they told a lie, but because they are an accomplice to a lie. If you cover up someone who has lied, you are an accessory to the lie and as a result, a liar yourself.
 
We understand from Romans 1:32 that while two people may commit a particular sin, ten others may be punished along with them for complicity. This is why you must be very careful. In the process of recommending someone for ordination for example, the fellow may lie that he is a house fellowship leader and provide an address, whereas he is not. If his pastor knows the truth but turns a blind eye and goes ahead to present such a candidate for ordination, he has become an accomplice to a lie and might be on his way to Hell unless he repents. This goes for everyone who knows the truth but cover it up. Do not be taken over by the sin of others! If some people choose to sin, let them face its consequences all by themselves. Never support, sponsor or encourage anyone over a sinful act. You must be able to tell the fellow that he or she has sinned and condemn that action with all gravity. Never become the pillow on which the sinner will find solace whenever he or she wants to sin, or else, you will partake of divine judgment and end up in Hell together.

If you are enjoying God’s love, you must be ready to give something in return to Him as a demonstration of your love for Him. This was demonstrated by the church at Philippi in Philippians 4:14-19. Paul reported that they were the only ones who stood with him during the period of his trial and need. After he left Macedonia, some churches used that as an excuse not to support him anymore, but not the brethren at Philippi. Even after he travelled to Thessalonica, they repeatedly sent provisions to meet his needs there. Today, some people still hide under the cover of distance to shy away from showing love through giving. They would say “You are so far away and that is why it is so difficult to send assistance to you.” If it is difficult to send assistance now, it was much more difficult to do so then. As challenging as it was then, the brethren in Philippi found a way around the difficulties and supported Paul. They knew what they were doing. They became a major financial backbone of the ministry of Paul. Paul declared that by virtue of their being so sacrificial in giving, he was full, having all his needs met. It was based on this that he prayed that God would supply all their needs in Philippians 4:19.
 
Just as you have needs, so does God have needs. If you can meet Gods needs, He will surely meet yours. The project of expanding God’s kingdom on earth has needs. There is therefore a need to support anyone or any cause that is dedicated to meeting these needs. Why did Paul not pray the same prayer for the other churches? It is because a person has the responsibility to provoke the blessings that come to him or her as an individual, family or church. Before you expect so much from God, ask yourself what you have done to provoke what you are expecting. As revealed in Philippians 4:17, know that everyone has an account with God:
 “Not because I desire a gift: but I desire fruit that may abound to your account.”
Everything you give to God grows that account. It is when your account is full that your harvest will come. The church at Philippi got their harvest. What about you? What have you given to God in demonstration of your love for Him? What contributions have you made to grow your local parish and meet their needs? How have you met the needs of your pastor and his family?

When you pay the price for greater heights in your relationship with God and in ministry, you will be moved up to operate at a new level. When the price is paid, you will not only see the invisible, you will also hear the inaudible. In 1 Kings 18:41, while others were busy discussing the miracle fire that fell suddenly from Heaven, Elijah rose up and declared the sound of abundance of rain. Note that no other person saw the sign or heard the sound. You shall hear the inaudible from today in Jesus' Name! However, to operate at this level, you must be given to fasting and prayer. In 2 Corinthians 11:27, Paul said that he fasted often. The moment you sign up for this level of ministry, the struggle between your flesh and your spirit will take a new dimension. While the flesh will be pulling you forcefully to the left, the spirit will be pulling you to the right. You need fasting in order to weaken the flesh and strengthen your spirit.
"It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life" John 6:63.
Using the arm of flesh at this level of ministry will definitely meet with disappointments. You need to walk in the Spirit by following the Holy Spirit's directions; this empowers your spirit-man and subdues the flesh. A while ago, one of my sons asked me "Daddy, now that you are over 70, will you stop fasting?" I laughed and replied, "The moment I quit fasting, you can begin to expect my departure, because I have resolved not to be a relic. As far as I am concerned, the day I cease to be relevant, I go". Elisha remained relevant until death. Even on his deathbed, he was still dictating the future, instructing the king on what would happen and how he could have victory. In the Name of Jesus, you shall not be lost in oblivion. You shall be relevant in your generation and beyond your generation. Are you prepared to subdue your flesh? The flesh has pegged the rise of many a child of God. If you do not have control over your stomach or appetite, you are not prepared for the ministry of signs and wonders. If you are still indulging in sin, you are not yet serious about the move of the miraculous in your life. Consider what is outstanding in your life and strive to meet up today! Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

In 1 Samuel 30:1-8, while David and his men were away, the Amalekites invaded Ziklag, defeated the city and set it on fire; after which they took members of their families - wives, sons and daughters as captives. When they returned and saw the situation of Ziklag, David and his men were really distressed, disappointed and discouraged. It was more so for David because the incident brought so much disaffection, bad blood and misunderstanding between him and his men; to the extent that they blamed him for the incident and spoke of stoning him to death. 1 Samuel 30:6 says:
“And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the LORD his God.”
 
There are some lessons we can learn from this. The first thing we see here is that whenever you arise to fight the people of God, you lose your defence and you or your family may suffer for it. David was running from King Saul and he went to take up refuge with the Philistines, who were enemies of God (1 Samuel 27:1). When a battle ensued between Israel and the Philistines, he decided to team up with them to fight his own people (1 Samuel 29). Thank God he was sent back home by the Philistines who realised who he was. By the time he got back home, the covering over his family was blown, and his loved ones had been taken captive. Never team up with the enemy against the people of God! Whatever your justification might be, never fight anyone who is named after the Name of Christ, irrespective of how long he or she has been in the faith. You will blow your cover and endanger innocent lives. Certain things that should not be heard of are happening to believers today, because they are busy fighting one another. The second lesson here is that even when he had not fought against his people, just because he had pitched his tent with the enemies of God, his family suffered for it. If you pitch your tent in Sodom, when the fire comes to destroy Sodom, it will equally engulf you. Check your life today! Are you fighting, speaking against or treading upon on any child of God? You are courting trouble! Have you partnered with unbelievers to torment, oppress, rob, deny, persecute or deal with a believer in Christ? Repent today, apologise and desist from such actions before they boomerang on you or your family.

God created us to be interdependent. This is why there are several parts in the human body, but all of them work towards the same goal. No man or woman is an island. For you to fulfil your destiny, there are certain people God has sent your way to help you. The degree of success you record and the pace or speed at which you move will depend to a large extent on your ability to meet your helpers and gain access to their help. On the road to his destiny in Egypt, Joseph was at a loss, wandering in a field while looking for his brothers. God sent him a helper who connected him to their location in Dothan. Genesis 37:15 says:
"And a certain man found him, and, behold, he was wandering in the field: and the man asked him, saying, What seekest thou?"
This is one thing that the anointing can do for you. It connects you with your destiny helpers and compels them to help you. After being anointed, Saul was told of certain men he would meet on his way, who would help him. One way the devil keeps people on the same spot for years is by preventing them from meeting their helpers. If this fails, he blindfolds them so that they do not recognise their helpers even after they meet them. Every plan to separate you from meeting with or recognising your helpers shall be destroyed in Jesus' Name.

However, some people meet their helper but never find favour before them. This also is one of the ways the enemy hinders people's progress. But when you are anointed, your helpers will not only favour you, the anointing will compel them to help you. Saul and his father's servant had exhausted their supplies while returning home; but on their way, they met three men loaded with provisions who offered them some even without being asked.
"And they will salute thee, and give thee two loaves of bread; which thou shalt receive of their hands" 1 Samuel 10:4.
Saul and his servant had no choice but to accept what was offered to them. The anointing covered their shame, so much so that even when they did not have, they did not have to beg. This season, the anointing will connect you with your destiny helpers and compel them to help you. Even before you express your need, the need would have been met. The anointing will cover your shame. By the anointing, all your helpers that have abandoned you shall locate you and help you in Jesus' Name.

One great lesson from Jacob’s Peniel experience, documented in Genesis 32:24-32, is that prayer provokes blessings. A key part of this experience in Genesis 32:28-29 thus read:
“And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed. And Jacob asked him, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, thy name. And he said, Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my name? And he blessed him there.”
After changing Jacob’s name to Israel, the Lord further blessed him. This tells us that having a new name is desirable, but securing a blessing that will empower the new name to achieve its prophetic meaning in the life of its recipient is even more preferable. Some people who once had negative names have changed them; this is good but don’t stop there. Ask that God will bless your new identity, so that your new name will speedily work for you and finally take you to your place of destiny.
 
Similarly, you will notice that a blessing was pronounced on Israel in the place of prayer, not at some other place. Blessings are attracted to you while you are praying. The blessings that manifest after your moments of concerted prayers were first delivered to you in the place of prayer. In Acts 12:1-17, it was while the children of God were taking turns to pray that freedom was delivered to Peter who had been incarcerated by the authorities. In addition, the gift of a baby boy, in the person of John the Baptist, was delivered to Zacharias while he and the people were praying in the temple. This gift manifested nine months later (Luke 1:65-66).
 
Effective prayer is like a collection basket for blessings. If you can pray, you will have a place where your required blessings will be dropped for you, but if you cannot pray, you can be certain that even when God decides to give you a particular blessing out of mercy, you will not have a receptacle to receive it. This is one reason why some blessings that are brought to people are returned to Heaven. Effective and sustained praying over an issue tells the heavenly hosts that you are truly prepared to receive what you are asking for. Prayer provides the landing platform for your miracles and blessings. You desire God to bless you; have you prepared the platform on which the answer to your request will be laid?

Miracles have a lesser degree of awesomeness when compared to wonders. Let us closely look at examples of these. It is undeniable that the raising of the dead through prayer is a great act of God. In 1 Kings 17:17-24, when the son of the widow of Zarephath died and Elijah was informed; he prayed, paced up and down, threw himself on the child about three times and the child came back to life. This was a miracle no doubt; but when dead bones cause the dead to be raised to life, it is a greater miracle. This happened in 2 Kings 13:20-21. Someone died and was being conveyed to the burial site, but because the mourners sighted a band of enemy soldiers heading in their direction, they threw the corpse into a nearby grave. Coincidentally, that was where Elisha had been buried. Elisha’s body had decayed, leaving only his bones behind. As soon as the corpse touched his bones, the dead man came back to life and ran after his fleeing relatives.
 
However, when you compare all these great miracles with Ezekiel’s experience documented in Ezekiel 37:1-10, you will conclude that they are incomparable in awesomeness. What Ezekiel experienced was a wonder. Ezekiel was taken to a valley full of dry bones and God asked him if the bones could live again. This man of God immediately realised he had come face to face with a situation his faith could not handle. “Lord, this is beyond my faith. Only You can tell”, he replied. God then said to him, “Don’t pray, don’t touch, just prophesy to them and say, Dry bones, hear God’s word and come together, every bone to its bone as it was originally”. Oh! That was easy to say, and he said it as he was commanded, even though he knew it sounded far-fetched. How can you ask dead, dry bones to hear? Oh yes, they can hear, though not your words but God’s Word. This is why you should not stop speaking the Word of God to dead situations, people and things. They all have ears to hear God’s Word and they respond to it. Meanwhile, as the dry bones began to move to form their original bone structure, Ezekiel must have been saying, Wonderful! But God was not done yet; He commanded Ezekiel to prophesy to the wind. Now, this was a bit more outlandish! At least the bones he could see, but the wind he could not see. He however obeyed, and the wind began to blow. Breath came into the lifeless entities that had been formed from the dry bones. In no time, a valley full of dry bones was taken over by a strong and able army. Always use God’s Word to call up what you want to see in the Name of Jesus Christ, and it will be so.

It is unfortunate that some people make promises and don’t bother to keep them. This is one area that requires restitution. Broken promises can stand against you in eternity. This is why you should not make a promise you are not prepared to keep. Politicians easily fall prey here. When they are campaigning for votes, they will promise heaven and earth, but after their election, many of them fail to live up to their promises. If you are a child of God and a politician, let people know the difference between light and darkness by making sure you fulfil your promises. One of the characters of a person who will enjoy the ever-abiding presence of God and make heaven is keeping of promises. Psalm 15:1&4b says:
“LORD, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill?....He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not.”
There is someone reading this: you have made several promises to individuals and even to the Church of God but failed to keep them. Your inability to fulfil them is keeping back certain promises made to you from being fulfilled. If you can repent and fulfil your pending promises, the door will be opened for promises made to you to be fulfilled.
 
Closely allied to the issue of trustworthiness is the use of fake weights and measures, especially in trading activities. Some people beat in their measuring cups so that they can make more profit. That is fraudulent. Believers should not manipulate their instruments, but measure accurately. Serve completely and charge for it. Sell a full cup for the full amount and not 3/4 of a cup for the full amount. You cannot be asking for God’s blessings and be doing what He hates. Proverbs 11:1 says:
“A false balance is abomination to the LORD: but a just weight is his delight.”
Just as individuals offend here, so also do governments and government agencies. For instance, any government agency making people pay for services not rendered is fraudulent and destroying itself. One way this happens is through the use of fixed estimates by power companies. When a person’s monthly consumption of energy is 200 units, why must such a person be compelled to pay for 300 or more units? This is serious fraud. This also applies to fuel (gas) stations. Some of them tamper with their meters so that instead of the requested quantity being delivered, fewer litres are dispensed for the same price. They believe people will not know, but what about God? In any way you are delivering below what is expected of you or your organisation, repent and return the difference to the owners before it is too late.

God loves us so much that He gave us Himself as a gift. Giving Jesus Christ to die for us was the same as giving Himself to us (1 Timothy 3:16). But He did not stop there; He went further, pointing out to us in Romans 8:32 that:
“He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?”
However, love should be a two-way exchange, and not one-sided. If you love someone and your love is not being reciprocated, after a while, something will happen to that love. That love may grow cold or even die. The same applies to the relationship between God and us. If you check through the Scriptures, you will learn that whenever God does something for someone, He expects them to do something in return. It is one thing to be loved and another thing to abide in that love. While you were in your sins, God demonstrated His love for you by sending Himself, in the person of Jesus Christ, to die for you. When you respond to this divine initiative by repenting of your sins and accepting Jesus as your Lord and Saviour, you will be washed by His blood and forgiven. After this, God increases His love towards you, and when you reciprocate, that love increases.
 
Love begets greater love. If you want to sustain or increase the love that God has for you, reciprocate His love. In John 15:9-10, Jesus tells us that when He came to earth as a man, He was loved by the Father; but to sustain that love, He had to keep the Father’s commandments. What the Father expected of Jesus is what He expects of us today. There is no way you will continue in God’s love when you deliberately break His commandments or refuse to obey Him. If He has loved you, He expects you to love Him too. He expects your obedience. He also expects you to love other brethren. How have you reciprocated the love of the Lord? Even though afflictions, persecutions, angels, Satan, what we see and what we can’t see cannot separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:35-39), disobedience, manifested by violation of His word, can deal that love a terrible blow.

After God chose Joshua to succeed Moses, Joshua was afraid, as he wondered how he could ever fit into Moses’ big shoes. Therefore, God came to reassure him, calm his fears and promised to be with him. He said to him in Joshua 1:5 that:
“There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.”
Thereafter, he had a smooth ride in ministry until the day the children of Israel fled before Ai. Joshua felt disappointed that God had gone back on His promise, so he went back to God and asked Him “Lord, I thought You said nobody would be able to withstand us. How come we are fleeing before a little city like Ai?” God replied “That is correct, but you are now disconnected from me, and until you restitute and deal with the sin, I will not continue with you.”
 
If God will use you for great signs and wonders, you must be prepared to make instant restitution. God is about to do great exploits, but if you are not prepared to pay the price, you will be a spectator and not a key player. Have you stolen God’s money, particularly tithes, first fruits and offerings? Pay back immediately! Did your members contribute some money for a particular thing but you diverted it to something else? Restitute! Have you been looking at the wrong direction? Restitute by facing the direction God wants you to take.
 
There is a price to pay to be a minister or vessel of signs and wonders, one of which is a readiness to operate in both physical and spiritual realms simultaneously. When you pay this price, you will start seeing the invisible. You will not only see angels and the heavenly hosts like Elisha’s servant in 2 Kings 6:15-17, you might equally see demons. This should not scare you. When you can see demons, you will immediately see them in any demon-possessed individual brought to you, and when you cast them out, you will be able to know whether they have really gone or are just pretending to have done so. Asking demons how many they are inside their victim is of no use when the minister cannot see them. Even if there is just one of them, because you cannot see him, he can lie to you. How prepared are you to pay the price?

Holiness is very necessary for anyone who wants to fulfil destiny and make it to Heaven. Holiness also makes God to hide you in His bosom (Psalm 91:4). In other words, holiness provides a cover for the holy, whereas sin exposes the sinner. Sin exposes the one who commits it to shame, disgrace and pain, and it makes the sinner vulnerable to the attacks of the enemy. When you combine holiness with being a vessel of honour, you become doubly precious to God. You become like a delicate egg in His hands. This is why Psalm 103:13-14 says God will treat such a vessel with lots of care, remembering how weak and fragile he or she is. From today, the Lord will treat you with special care. You will be special to God and He will hide you in His love in Jesus’ Name.
 
Moreover, as an instrument of honour, never rest on your oars. Whatever level you may be on presently, you have only started; you have not yet attained the heights that God is taking you to. If you think that you have already arrived with respect to Kingdom tasks, you may attract unwanted things to yourself. Note however that the more God uses you, the more you will be of interest to the kingdom of Satan. Satan never wants any believer in Christ to end up in Heaven; so he will do all he can to stop you. Take Peter for instance: he loved Jesus so much that he vowed never to deny Him. This he said in spite of what Jesus had foretold would happen (Matthew 26:34-35). Satan saw Peter as a vessel of honour in God’s hands and immediately marked him out as a target. He did everything possible to bring him down, but Jesus prayed for him and he overcame.
 
Similarly, Satan picked on another vessel of honour - Stephen. Stephen was holy, full of faith and full of the Holy Spirit. He was also full of wisdom and was used to perform mighty signs and wonders in the early Church. Satan therefore stirred up serious opposition against Stephen, but he overcame them. When this failed, the enemies connived and brought false witnesses to lie against him. Satan never keeps to any rule of decency when he fights. He fights dirty. He kept working at it until he got Stephen killed (Acts 7:56-60). But unknown to him, when he thought he had won that battle, his chief vessel of persecution, Saul, was arrested by God and did even far greater works for God than Stephen did. In the end, the devil regretted his action. He wished he had left Stephen alone to have been spared the immense irrecoverable losses he got from his ex-loyal fanatic - Paul.

The anointing creates the opportunity for you to be entrusted with God’s heritage. This great responsibility requires that you have divine information and guidance to carry out the assignment. As stated in 1 John 2:27, the anointing speaks to or teaches the anointed, providing him with divine information. If you have the anointing, it will speak to you; it will tell you the truth. If you say you are anointed but you cannot hear from God, your anointing is very much in doubt. Based on 1 John 2:20, one way you can know that you are anointed is by the divine information released to you. The more the anointing on your life, the more you should have access to divine information (Numbers 12:6-. To what extent does the anointing speak to you?
 
What does the anointing teach? If you closely look at Saul’s experience, you will learn that the anointing reveals future events to the anointed. After Saul was anointed by Samuel, the latter told him of a series of events that he was going to experience sequentially, and they happened accordingly. Do you know that God loves speaking to you? God is looking for those He can share certain vital information with before they occur. No wonder Amos 3:7 says,
“Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.”
Any information that is only accessible by God is God’s secret. The anointing makes God share His secrets with His anointed. Do you hear God’s voice? How often does He speak to you? Does He confide in you concerning future events that will affect you or members of your family? As we speak, there are some people who are acquainted with divine information of events that will occur in some 2, 3, 5 or 10 years’ time. May the Lord anoint you afresh and open to you the door of communication, granting you access to knowledge of events long before they happen. When you know what will happen in the future, you will be guided on how to handle your today and tomorrow.

One of the names or titles of our Lord Jesus Christ is Wonderful (Isaiah 9:6). The word ‘wonderful’ is a combination of these two words: ‘wonder’ and ‘full’, which jointly mean full of wonders. Acts 2:22 says,
“Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know:”
The terms miracles, wonders and signs in this scripture are placed according to their order of awesomeness. It means that wonders are superior to miracles in awesomeness and of a higher  grade. When you look at Jesus, you will discover that everything about Him is full of wonders. His Name is Wonderful because it is far highly exalted above every other Name (Philippians 2:9-11). His Name commands the compulsory obedience of every force or power that exists.
 
Not only is His Name full of wonders, but His love is also wonderful. No one else can love you like Jesus does. He loves you even much more than you love yourself. What about His peace? It is very unique; it is unlike anything the world can offer you (John 14:27). No wonder Philippians 4:7 says His peace passes all human understanding. If God gives you peace, who or what can trouble you? What of His power? It is equally wonderful. Matthew 28:18 says:
“And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.”
All authority comes under His divine majesty. What about His grace? It is also full of wonders. The richness of His grace goes beyond what we are currently enjoying in this world (Ephesians 2:7). His grace is inexhaustible to the fellow who knows how to relate with Him, which is why He has a throne of grace that we can boldly approach to receive mercy (Hebrews 4:16). Grace made God’s provision available to us at the expense of Christ sacrificing His life on the cross of Calvary. In addition, His joy is wonderful, and so is His strength. If you have Jesus Christ in you and you give Him the freedom to do whatever He likes in your life (i.e. you regard Him as Lord and not as a guest), His wonders will be replete in every area of your life. Do you allow Him to do His wonderful works in your life?

God is a righteous God, and as a result, He hates all forms of fraud. According to Leviticus 19:13, it is a crime to delay your worker’s salary for 24 hours. Do you promptly pay your staff – whether church or secular? Another aspect of fraud is manipulating your workers’ salaries. One Bible character who was a victim of this was Jacob. All the years he worked for Laban, he suffered a great deal. He was deceived, cheated, made to bear the losses his boss should have borne and earned an ever-decreasing wage. Laban was extremely wicked. But do you know that some employers today are like Laban? They take all the gains of their businesses and push all the losses to their staff, irrespective of what caused such losses. Also, while they plan to make more profit and push their staff to work hard at it, they hardly ever plan to increase their salaries. If anything, they continue to come up with excuses as to why such salaries should remain at the same level, or even be reduced.
 
Laban reduced Jacob’s wages 10 times. If you are happy to cut down your staff salaries rather than increase them, though your business is not diminishing, you are toying with Hell. If your business cannot afford an employee anymore, it is better to let such staff go after paying their entitlements. Take note of the words of Romans 13:8:
“Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.”
Every cent, kobo or penny you fraudulently cut off the wages of your staff amounts to a debt you owe them. Also, the fact that you owe your staff shows your lack of love for them. You cannot be cutting down the salary or wages of those you love, while your business is doing fine. Do not be surprised that some employers who claim to be believers in Christ will die and get to the gate of Heaven, only to be told that they cannot enter in because of the debt they owe their staff. At that checkpoint, the entire amount owed will be found on them. They will then say “I am sorry; I am now prepared to pay the debts I owe my staff”, but the angels will say “Sorry, it’s too late.” The money such persons fraudulently stole from their staff will follow them to Hell-fire and torment them there for eternity. For your own good, go and restitute all the wages you have cut off without just cause! Happy New Month!

The story was told of a preacher who went to church one Sunday morning, fully prepared to deliver his sermon, only to find out that the bad weather had prevented members from coming to church except one little boy. This preacher, as the story goes, preached as if the whole auditorium was full of members. After the sermon, the preacher made an altar call and the boy gave his life to Christ that glorious Sunday morning. It was one morning, one preacher, one-member congregation and one convert. That little boy became a world-renowned evangelist.
 
Ephesians 6:5-8 encourages us to render our service, either in church or outside of church, as to the Lord, not with eyeservice or as men-pleasers. Unfortunately, there are men-pleasers today in Church, who would rather offend God instead of offending the feelings of people, even when this is unscriptural. Such an attitude affects our service to God negatively. It taints our holy service to God. Paul in Romans 12:1 says thus about Christian service:
“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.”
 
The work ethics in our church organisations should require little or no supervision. This is one of the first things we were taught when we applied as volunteer workers in church. There is danger in working with eyeservice, because when the one you intend to impress is not around, you will do something else.
 
Some civil servants short-change themselves when they think that government work is not to be done wholeheartedly as if one’s life depends on it. If you work in any organisation, particularly a government establishment, and you think you can loaf around and still get paid at the end of the month without repercussion, you must have been deceived. The law of natural justice and equity establishes the fact that if your work is worth 50,000 of your country’s currency but you receive 1,000,000, by the time you have spent the last unit of the money, you will realise that the value of what the 1,000,000 obtained is not more than what is obtainable with 50,000. Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The Christian journey is more often than not a long distance race. This is particularly true because of the long life that our Heavenly Father has promised us (Psalm 91:16). We therefore need a lot of patience to run the race. Apostle Paul in Philippians 3:10-14 gives insight on the nature of the race we are engaged in. It is a non-stop marathon. Once you start, you cannot go on sabbatical leave. Because you are already grafted into Jesus Christ once you start the race, you must ensure that you don’t pull yourself away from Him who first ran this race and finished well (Hebrew 12:2).  How do we sustain the tempo and determination to finish well? Paul answers this question in Philippians 3:13-14:
“Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”
 
Many Christians live in the glory of their past achievements, and this has resulted in their undoing. The various indictments Jesus levelled against the seven Churches in Asia in Revelation 2-3, should be food for thought for all end-time Christians. In the past, when a Christian mistakenly said something that was not untrue but also not 100% true, he quickly corrected himself with an apology. For example, in the days when my father-in-the-Lord was still alive, I remember travelling to Ilesa, a city in south-west Nigeria, and forgetting to buy some oranges along the way as I used to. I remembered after I got to Lagos and quickly bought some in Lagos. I gave them to my father-in-the-Lord and he asked if I bought the oranges on my way. I said “Yes sir”. Immediately, the Holy Spirit rebuked me that I was not telling the whole truth. I bought them on the way, yes, but not on the way from Ilesa as the old man meant to ask. I quickly corrected myself and he exclaimed “Holy Spirit!” in adoration of the Holy Spirit’s rebuke of love. Today, many children of God tell lies with impunity and they do not feel the pain of lying, even against the Holy Spirit. Their first love is all gone. Be warned that the race is not over yet. Ezekiel 18:24 says:
“But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doeth, shall he live? All his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned: in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die.”  Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Everything in this life will come to an end one day. However, the life of a man does not end in death, it continues in eternity, either with God in Heaven or with the devil in the place of torment. Those who believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ and live by the expectation of experiencing the same someday, have the hope of eternal life. The Bible in 1 John 3:2-3 says:
“Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.”
 
Jesus Christ promised that He will come back to take us home after preparing a place for us. Here are His words in John 14:2-3:
“In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.”
Those who have this hope in them will conduct themselves in a way that is expected of saints.
 
“LORD, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill? He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart.”
Psalm 15:1-2
This scripture reveals the condition to be met by those who will triumph over death, while Revelation 21:1-7 gives a brief description of the eternal life of bliss awaiting those who give their life to Jesus Christ. But for those who remain resistant to the invitation of Jesus, what awaits them is the second death. This is described in Revelation 21:8:
“But the fearful, the unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”
 
I pray that an eternity in the Lake of fire will not be your portion in Jesus’ Name. Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Some Christians allow their past to haunt them so badly that they have no confidence in their heritage as children of God. Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, is an example of someone who did not allow his past to haunt him or prevent him from fulfilling his destiny. He gave the following testimony about himself in Galatians 1:15-17:
“But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb, and called me by his grace, To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood. Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus.”
One noticeable reason why the past haunts some children of God is their lack of knowledge and understanding of the word of God. It is necessary for every child of God to possess very sound knowledge of who they are in Christ through God’s word. As revealed in Romans 8:1-3, any individual who is born-again is free from every form of condemnation of past sins. The past should therefore not torment you if the reality of this scripture has been received in your spirit. Let us look at this passage very closely and learn one or two truths about our new life in Christ.
 
Before you can escape the evils of your past life, the first thing you should ascertain is whether or not you are indeed in Christ, because some people are in Church but not in Christ. The evidence of a life in Christ is outlined in 2 Corinthians 5:17:
“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”
This new life is not by our power but by the power in the Blood and Spirit of Jesus Christ. The Bible says the Spirit bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God (Romans 8:16). Part of the cardinal truths distinguishing the Christian faith from all other faiths is the grace which brings salvation to us without imputing our past sins, and the power given to us to live above those past sins. Beloved, if you are still struggling with your past life of sin, you need to check your background. Are you genuinely born-again? If yes, are you still living your past life? If not, your past will not haunt you again. Demolish the bridge that links you with the past and be free.

Laziness is not a Christian virtue in any way. Our Lord Jesus Christ made this clear by His lifestyle of hard work while here on earth. A lifestyle of laziness is outrightly rejected in Scriptures typified by 2 Thessalonians 3:10. It is amazing that some people are still expecting God to rain manna on earth! It does not work that way anymore. After the children of Israel had settled in the land flowing with milk and honey and they had eaten the old corn of the land, the manna ceased (Joshua 5:11-12). What the Lord expected of them going forward was to cultivate the land and expect His abundant harvest. Some people don’t know that working is a divine attribute. They think the idea of work came as a result of sin. This is far from the truth because God worked, and Jesus Christ even said this in John 5:17:
“But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work.”
 
It was reported to Paul that some so-called brethren were not working in the early Church. Paul quickly responded to the situation with the example of himself, because he was hard-working. Read his testimony in Acts 20:33-34:
“I have coveted no man’s silver, or gold, or apparel. Yea, ye yourselves know, that these hands have ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were with me.”
Some Christians claim that they do not work for a living because they cannot get a job. From personal experience, the truth of the matter is: it is the job of their dreams that they are looking for, and because it is not forthcoming, they stay at home or loaf around, living on other people’s sweat. Such people should look for an alternative job, not only to keep busy but also to earn a modest living. Proverbs 12:11 declares that:
“He that tilleth his land shall be satisfied with bread: but he that followeth vain persons is void of understanding.”
 
Apostle Paul did not depend on any person but God for survival. Despite his extraordinary anointing, he was a still a tent maker (Acts 18:3). I pray for someone reading this who is currently unemployed: the Lord will provide you with a good job that will enable you to support the work of God and bless the brethren, in Jesus’ Name. Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Solomon was a man who enjoyed the goodness of the Lord in an unprecedented way. The crown of God’s goodness to him was that God appeared to him twice (1 Kings 9:2-3). He indeed recognised and testified to the goodness of God in His life. In 1 Kings 5:4 he testified that:
“But now the LORD my God hath given me rest on every side, so that there is neither adversary nor evil occurrent.”
Everything that Solomon desired, the Lord granted him. But the Bible in 1 Kings 11:4 says this about his latter end:
“For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father.”
The negative turn taken by the life of Solomon when he was old can be attributed to the comfort he enjoyed. This example of Solomon should serve as a lesson to every one of us. To be blessed by God is not as important as retaining your relationship with Him. Solomon started well but he could not end well.
 
The real character of a man is not revealed at the time he is experiencing need but at the time he has entered into abundance. King Solomon was prospered so greatly by God that the Queen of Sheba heard of his prosperity and fame. She personally came to Jerusalem to witness those things she had heard. It is unfortunate that Solomon did not remain true to God who had prospered him. Is the Lord doing great things through you? Don’t ever be proud. He owns the content; you are just an ordinary container. As a pastor, are there many members in your congregation? Don’t get distracted by this, God is the one drawing them to Himself. Many who started well have turned away from the faith; don’t be one of them. When people are in search of one thing or the other, they will be actively involved in the service of God, but as soon as their problems are solved and their needs are met, they will disappear from God’s service. Are you in a state where everything looks alright, but in your heart you know that you have missed it somewhere? There is no need to pretend; all you need to do is come back home to your senses. God is waiting for you. Never allow the pressures of this life to lead you to destruction. Deal with all those things that are capable of keeping the blessings of God out of your life. Come out of every weakness. Don’t allow that questionable relationship to deny you the joy of your salvation.

The character of love is seen in practise and not through empty words. This is the reason why John the beloved advised that we should make the expression of our love practical. One practical way of expressing love is through giving. The Bible in John 3:16 says that God loved the world, and this love compelled Him to give His only begotten Son, so that men could be saved. It was through the medium of giving that God ascertained the love Abraham had for Him (Genesis 22:10-18).
 
Many people deceive themselves that they love God, but God knows they are far from what they claim to be. When God lays a demand on them, even of those things that legitimately belong to Him, they give reasons why they cannot respond positively, expecting Him to understand the situation they are passing through. For example, some people deny God of tithes and offerings, and they expect Him to understand.
 
Our giving should also be directed towards our fellow human beings, since this is more direct. It is an expression of love to someone we can see. As a matter of fact, Jesus appreciates our gesture towards our fellow human being, particularly those of the household of faith. He said in Matthew 25:34-36 that:
“Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.”
John the beloved in 1 John 3:17 also asked this question:
“But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?”
 
A popular adage goes: “A friend in need is a friend indeed.” I would rather say “A brother in need is a brother indeed.” Some brethren find it difficult to pick up a stranded brother that is known to them on the road. Beloved, let us go back to the basics of love as was taught in the early days of the Church. This will make our Lord happy, and He shall bless us in return.

Any child of God who desires not to be overwhelmed by the darkness of this world needs to compulsorily shine as the light. The Bible in John 1:5 says:
“And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.”
Why is it that the darkness does not overcome the light? Simply put, it’s because the light shines. When the light refuses to shine, it gives room for darkness to reign. This is the reason why it is dangerous for children of God to abandon politics in the hands of the children of disobedience. These children of disobedience will continue to vote for politicians who are their spiritual kinsmen. Christians have no moral justification to complain of bad governance, if they refuse to shine as light in the political scenes of their country. The reason darkness did not overcome Jesus Christ was that, as the light of the world, he shone throughout his earthly ministry. In John 9:5 He declared that:
“As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”
He also defined us as the light of the world in Matthew 5:14.
 
From Daniel 12:3, we understand that to shine in this world of darkness requires wisdom. It therefore follows that it is foolish to light your spiritual candle of salvation and hide it under the table. Of course, it’s only a matter of time before the light goes out. One of my children once shared the wisdom that God gave him to always overcome being overrun by the evil of this age. Anytime he finds himself in a new environment, the first thing he does is to announce that he is a child of God. He does this by witnessing to the high and low of that place. So, from the first day of his arrival, people already know he is not someone to discuss fraud and other sins with.
 
How do we shine as stars in the darkness of this world? Daniel gave us the answer to this question also in Daniel 12:3:
"And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.”
I urge you to begin to shine through soul-winning and teaching the doctrine of righteousness, and God will back you up. The evils associated with darkness will not overcome you in Jesus’ Name. Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

There is a privately owned transport outfit in Nigeria which has “The Young Shall Grow” as its company name. This name suggests optimism concerning the potentials of the young. However, in the kingdom of God, the expectation that the young will grow is beyond optimism; it is a matter of compulsion as seen in '2 Peter 3:18. I pray that you will grow spiritually in Jesus’ Name.
 
How can a young Christian grow spiritually? Apostle Peter gives a definitive answer in 1 Peter 2:2:
“As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:”
This is one of the areas where we have issues in the 21st century Church. Some influential churchmen and women have rejected the accuracy and sufficiency of the scripture for Christian living. They have settled for the philosophy of relativism. Incidentally, this development is not new; it was manifested in the early Church also. This formed the basis of why Peter wrote the words of '2 Peter 3:15-18. Amazingly, Peter in this epistle made mention of the epistles of Paul, which he described as too hard for the unlearned and the unstable. These ones were not ready to grow; so they twisted the epistles of Paul to suit their lusts; just like they did with other scriptures. This practice still goes on today. I learnt with dismay that a senior pastor of a church said to his congregation that some of those things Paul wrote to the Church at Ephesus and to the Corinthians are not necessarily meant for European or African Christians! How on earth would the congregation of such a pastor grow spiritually?
 
Apostle Peter therefore warns us in 2 Peter 3:17 to beware of the error of the wicked, so that we are not led astray like Eve in Genesis 3:4-5. The serpent seemed to be saying to her: “Don’t mind God; you cannot die at all; God is only being unnecessarily high handed because He does not want you to be as enlightened as He is.” Apostle Peter followed up this warning with the command that all Christians must grow and continue to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:18). If a Christian would not grow in grace to do according to the word of God, such a Christian will be tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine and is doomed for perdition. Therefore, young Christians must grow by being grounded in the true word of God. Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The Church of Jesus Christ in the 21st century has been robbed of godliness due to lack of contentment. The desperation many so-called children of God exhibit in their search for money has deprived them of living a godly life. “The end justifies the means” has become the driving principle of many. Why would the Church allow herself be robbed of a virtue the Bible describes as great gain? The answer can be found in the parable of Jesus on the wheat and tares in Matthew 13:27-30: “An enemy hath done this.” The enemy of the cross is responsible for this development, and the Church must do something about it as a body and as individuals.
 
Every child of God must personally endeavour not to be caught in the web of worldliness and insatiable appetite for material things like Esau, Gehazi and Judas Iscariot. We must learn to live modestly in this world. The Bible in Hebrews 12:16-17 admonishes us:
“Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.”
 
Collectively, let us avoid what happened at Kibrothhattaavah among the congregation of the children of Israel, when their appetite for the delicacies of Egypt caused them to murmur against the Lord and His servants, Moses and Aaron (Numbers 11:4-6). We should always have this truth at the back of our minds:
“For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.”
1 Timothy 6:7
 
The story in Numbers 11:4-34 is a rather unfortunate illustration of lack of contentment. Although the Lord had been feeding the children of Israel with the food of angels free of charge (Psalm 78:24-25), they were not content with it; they wanted barbecue chicken instead. At the end, this brought leanness to their soul (Psalm 106:14-15). Beloved, if there is anything you must seek and find today, it should be godliness with contentment. Hebrews 13:5 says:
“Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.”

The level of God’s blessings on a person comes in different categories. Although all categories of blessing are desirable, only few people experience all the levels of blessing. Let’s take a look at the four levels of blessing outlined in Luke 6:38. I believe an understanding of these will tremendously bless your life.
 
The first level is the level of being blessed in good measure. Good measure connotes just enough. This is the level of blessing that the Israelites experienced in the wilderness. They were blessed with manna just enough for their needs each day (Exodus 16:16-18). The next level of blessing goes beyond good measure. At this level, blessings are compacted by being pressed down to make room for more. When the blessing of God keeps coming at a steady dose, such that there is no more room to contain it, there would be a need to make the blessing dense by pressing it down; this creates room to hold and receive more. This type of blessing is described in Malachi 3:10. The next level of blessing goes beyond the level of denseness achieved by pressing down. At this level, blessing is made denser by shaking it together after it has been pressed down. This creates the capacity to have and hold more blessings at any given time. At this level, the blessings are experienced in maximum dense doses. The next and final level is a level where maximally dense blessings keep coming as a steady stream, such that all capacity to store and hold them is overwhelmed. At this level, blessings begin to run over. Many years ago, I asked my Daddy in heaven: “Why the wastage of blessings by allowing them to run over? Why keep pouring after the cup is full?” The answer I got was: so that the world could see that He is the God who has more than enough.
 
There is a key for accessing any of the levels of blessing we have described. This key is found in 2 Corinthians 9:6:
“But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.”
You must give before you receive, because the law of harvest cannot be broken. The quantity and quality of your sowing will determine the level of blessing you experience. I pray that the seed you need to sow to take you to a higher level shall be supplied to you this season in Jesus’ Name. Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

When the Bible in 1 Corinthians 13:4 says that love suffers long, it aligns with the character of God and confirms that God is love indeed. Our God is a longsuffering God.  It is His longsuffering that has kept the world intact till now; otherwise He would have destroyed it many times over. It is however unfortunate that man tends to take the longsuffering of God for granted. Many have lost the opportunity of being forgiven because they failed to repent until death caught up with them. I was praying for a king who was sick in one city in south-west Nigeria, and the Lord told me to ask him to repent of his sins if he wanted to be healed. He was reluctant to do so, and he refused to repent until he gave up the ghost. The Bible in 2 Corinthians 6:2 says:
“(For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)”
 
One city that enjoyed the longsuffering of God and put it to good use was the city of Nineveh. The longsuffering of God kept this great city alive while God gave them time to repent. When this longsuffering started waxing thin, He sent Prophet Jonah to warn them to repent. The Bible in Jonah 1:1-2 says:
“Now the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me.”
What a gracious and merciful God He is! Thank God they heeded His warning and repented; from the king to the least person in the city. The longsuffering of God is demonstrated in the fact that even when Jonah was running away from the great responsibility of warning this city, God still put up with them until His warning got to them.
 
To someone reading this, I want you to know that the purpose of God’s longsuffering is to give you the opportunity to repent and not be destroyed. I therefore encourage you to give your total life to Jesus Christ and stop postponing the day of your salvation, because tomorrow may be too late. Jesus is standing at the door of your heart; I encourage you to open it to Him so that He can come in with His forgiveness, salvation, healing and all-round peace. Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

You are blessed when a great man commends you for executing an assignment well. Very much more, when God commends you for a job well-done, you are exceedingly and greatly blessed. Commendation is the direct opposite of condemnation. May you not be condemned in this world and in the world to come in Jesus’ Name. The wealthy man in Matthew 25:15-21 commended the servant with five talents who gained five more talents. He also commended the servant with two talents who gained another two talents. However, the one with one talent went and hid his talent in the ground, because he felt he was not given his due to trade with. On the day of reckoning, he was condemned.
 
Our Lord Jesus Christ promised that He would commend those on His right hand side on the day of reckoning. In Matthew 25:34 He said:
“Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:”
What do we do to obtain this divine commendation? One of the things we can do is to show the compassion of Jesus to the needy: feed the poor, clothe the naked and house the homeless (Matthew 25:35-36). Another channel for receiving divine commendation is exercising uncommon faith. A centurion, whose servant was sick, demonstrated uncommon faith in the power in God’s Word, and he received divine commendation for this in Matthew 8:10:
“When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.”
God celebrates people who exercise faith in Him. This is the reason why the Bible says it is impossible to please God without faith (Hebrews 11:6).
 
Those who endure to the end in the Christian race will also receive divine commendation. In Revelation 2:26, our Lord Jesus promised that:
“And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations:”
We should believe the promises of our Lord and work towards receiving His commendation.

Nobody cares for us like our Heavenly Father. The devil and the world may want to deceive you to think that they care more than He does, but you must not allow yourself to be deceived like Eve (1 Timothy 2:14). The devil deceived Eve to think that God was being too high-handed by restricting her to eat of certain fruits alone (Genesis 3:1-5). Jesus expressed the depth of the Father’s love and care for us in Matthew 6:31-34. He consequently admonished us to stop worrying about things that have already been sorted out by our Heavenly Father. He also declared to us what our priority should be (Matthew 6:33). He said when we focus on this priority, the rest of those things that are needful shall be provided for us. Unfortunately, some children of God are too mindful of the “interest” at the expense of the “principal”.  They are too mindful of the “other things”, which indeed are necessities, at the expense of our main priority, which is the kingdom of God. If you genuinely seek the kingdom of God, faithful is He that has promised; all your other necessities shall be added unto you.
 
It is amazing to know that God provided what He considered to be our needs, even before He created us. This shows us that God has ever been mindful of our basic necessities. In the creation story, God used the first five days of creation to provide all that man would ever need; after which He created man in His own image on the sixth day (Genesis 1:26-31). Man began to worry about what to eat, drink, wear and what would become of his future after the Fall (Genesis 3:7-.
 
We can see the goodness of God demonstrated even after the fall of man. In spite of man’s rebellious act, God still sought after him in the garden. He called Adam and Eve out of their hiding place, and after rebuking them, He clothed them properly. Genesis 3:21 says:
“Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them.”
There is need for us as children of God to trust that our Heavenly Father is mindful of our well-being. If we do, we will not be anxious for anything like those who don’t know God. We will have peace, joy and contentment (1 Timothy 6:6-. I want you to consider Philippians 4:19 as God’s assurance of His provision for your life. Praise Him for this blessed assurance.

In the Body of Christ, there are different types of vessels. There are vessels unto honour and vessels unto dishonour. Also, there are vessels for temporary use and there are those used on a permanent basis. Vessels for temporary use are those used and subsequently dumped; whereas vessels for permanent use are for keeps. Every child of God must decide what type of vessel he or she wants to be and comport himself or herself as such. Shepherd staffs, like the rod of Aaron that budded and was kept in the ark of covenant, are examples of vessels for permanent use (Hebrews 9:4). But the jawbone of asses, like the one Samson used and dumped, have no permanent usage (Judges 15:15-17). The status of a vessel with respect to being of permanent or temporary use is determined by the nature and preparation of the vessel. This is why the Bible in 2 Timothy 2:21says:
“If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work.”
 
A vessel of honour is not used and dumped. They stay with the Master forever. To be set apart as such a vessel, the Bible enjoins us to depart from iniquity. Jesus made a profound promise to all vessels of honour; in John 14:2-3, He said:
“In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.”
 
Irrespective of the level of preparation by a vessel, the user of the vessel has the prerogative to determine what type of use it is applied to. This is the reason why you as a child of God must be careful of who or what you allow to use you. Our God does not use and dump vessels of honour, but Satan, sin and the world do.  Romans 6:13 says:
“Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.”
I pray for you that you will be a vessel of honour for the permanent use of God in Jesus’ Name.

Food is one of the earliest weapons the devil deployed to destroy humanity (Genesis 3:6). It’s amazing that he still succeeds in using this weapon to destroy the destinies of many. He even deployed this weapon against our Lord Jesus Christ. After our Lord had fasted for forty days and nights, naturally, He became hungry. The devil, sensing an opportunity, came to Him saying:
 “If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.”
Matthew 4:3b
Unlike the first Adam who fell for the enticement of Satan, Jesus overcame the devil by the word of God (Matthew 4:4). He used the arrow of Deuteronomy 8:3 against the devil. Thank God He knew the word; of course, He is the Word of God. Beloved, the bread of stone when eaten will never digest; so, beware of the bread of stone in whatever form it presents itself.
 
The bread of stone can come in any form. For example, after four years of joblessness as a first-class graduate, the devil may dangle an employment opportunity at you that requires you sleeping with the personnel manager to secure the position. “Do it just once and get out of the labour market”, the devil may suggest. It is a bread of stone, don’t fall for it. It may also come in the form of a government minister or the secretary of a government establishment luring you to join their occult group to guarantee the steady flow of contracts. The devil may say “It is just a networking club.” Please don’t join, because if you do, you may be turning stone to bread to satisfy your hunger.
 
Remember the case of Esau. The Bible in Hebrews 11:16-17 says this about him:
“Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.”
Your adoption as a child of God guarantees you of meat; it is your birthright. Don’t allow anybody or any situation to steal that away from you. The devil will attempt to justify why you need to turn stone to bread to satisfy your hunger, but remember he is a liar. Such “bread” will never digest in your stomach; it will produce spiritual ulcer and death. May the Lord be with your soul as you wait patiently for God’s time and means to meet your needs.