₦airaland Forum

It is rather unfortunate that many who started their Christian journey on the foundation of apostolic faith and teachings have abandoned the faith and are now living in error. There are many who have even become heretical in the name of “pentecostalism”. It is not everything you hear from the pulpit of the 21st century preacher that is healthy for a Christian who is heaven-bound. There are many good Christians who had taken to a life of Christian modesty, but suddenly backslid on getting to a foreign country, all in the name of modernism. Today, several genuine blessings of God have been replaced with a counterfeit. Many today have replaced a lifestyle of thanksgiving, fervent prayers, intense worship and deep, regular Bible study with that of occasional indulgence in a social gospel. No wonder many of our worship centres have become so comfortable for unbelievers. They come and they remain the same because there is no genuine fire on the altar. The Church has become entertainment-focused rather than salvation-driven.
 
 “And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig trees together and made themselves aprons”
Genesis 3:7
Before this experience, Adam and Eve had the glory of God as their genuine covering, but after they disobeyed God, they were exposed to a counterfeit covering. There is nothing you can get elsewhere that can be better than what God has to give. Go for His gold and not for bronze. Adam and Eve lost their heavenly garment but continued to struggle in sin, rather than cover themselves in the ashes of humility and sober repentance. The glory of God that had been covering them disappeared and they became exposed to man-made coverings. May the covering of God over your life not be removed in Jesus’ Name. No matter how wealthy a man is, without the genuine protection of the Almighty, one will realise that his life is not safe. There are many believers today who have lost the genuine power of the Holy Spirit and are resigned to faking it. It takes the enlightenment of the Almighty for the very elect not to be deceived or carried away by the counterfeit gospel which is popular but not real. The love of many has waxed cold as prophesied by the Lord Jesus Christ (Matthew 24:12). The quality of some people’s service in the vineyard has dropped, and the commitment level of many needs to be reappraised. Like the prodigal son, you can repent today after comparing the peace of genuine salvation to the struggle of pretence. Satan is all out to deny people of genuine salvation. He is introducing counterfeits dressed as salvation to people. It is my prayer that you will never suffer loss in Jesus’ Name.

It brings great pain to God when His children refuse His guidance. There are many believers still living in bondage because they have refused the guidance of God. There are many in wrong relationships, wrong businesses, wrong careers, wrong locations and wrong vocations simply because they have refused to trust the ability of God to guide them. Many pray for God’s guidance, but they refuse this guidance when the way God is showing them seems different from what they want. Some years ago, a brother was asked to relocate from his company’s branch in western Nigeria to the northern branch. The Lord further revealed to him that he would not stay in the north for long but that he should relocate first. On hearing that he would still return to the west, he began to question God on why it was necessary for him to go up north at all, but he obeyed. Little did he know that the Lord wanted to exonerate him from a disaster that was about to happen. After this event, he appreciated the love of God. The scripture says in Isaiah 30:21,
“And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.”
 
If you partner with God, He will guide you in every area of your life for your own good. He will remove from your path those things that look good but the end of which is utter destruction. If you are in partnership with God, He will warn you of danger zones. He will warn you against “blessings” that will lead to your destruction. He will guide you against marrying someone who will cause you irrecoverable loss in the journey of life. He will show you opportunities that people despise but which possess great potentials. There are many people experiencing loss everyday simply because they have not trusted in the guidance of the Almighty God who knows everything (Proverbs 3:5-6).
 
There are times God will say “No” to a beautiful request. When this happens, the one asking feels disappointed. But to the One who has all power, there are greater things compared to what is being asked for. In spite of all the prayer efforts you have invested in certain requests, God can still say “No” if He has something greater in the offing for you. Have you been trusting God for a particular blessing for so long? I have good news for you. Do not be discouraged; God has something better for you because you are a child of covenant and because you have no appointment with failure. The best is reserved for you as you trust His guidance and submit to His will for your life. Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

After God has done something spectacular in your life, there is a need to give quality thanks to Him. You need to appreciate God for His faithfulness and blessings over your life, home and career, as well as for the peace of mind that money cannot buy. Never allow anything to limit your thanksgiving, and always colour your thanksgiving with praise and testimonies. After surviving the flood, Noah and his household offered quality thanks to God for preserving them in the midst of the destruction that came upon the earth. Some years ago, one of my daughters praised God like never before during a New Year cross-over service. Many were curious to know the reason for her uncommon thanksgiving and praise. In response, she said she was thanking God for preserving her life to see the New Year despite all that had happened to her in the previous year. In the previous year, she lost her job, lost her car to robbers and lost her flat to a fire incident. But when there is life, there is hope. There is someone reading this, every good thing you have lost before now will be restored in Jesus’ Name.
 
Many people only thank God when things are going well, but for some, thanksgiving has become their lifestyle irrespective of what is happening around them. Do you remember to thank God at those times when you have enjoyed uncommon grace to do the right thing, when ordinarily the devil would have wanted you to do otherwise? It is one thing to know how to do the right thing, and it is another thing to receive the grace to do it.
 
The Lord wants everything to change for your good. He wants you to experience the times of refreshing. Change can be positive or negative. If a man gets promoted in the office to an enviable position, it is a change. This change attracts other changes; for example, the one who has been receiving orders becomes the one issuing them. The one who has been driving himself becomes the one with an official driver. This year, the Lord will surprise you and surprise your enemies by what He will do in your life. This is why you cannot afford to be unserious with God. While things change for good for His children, for those who are not on the Lord’s side, the change will not be positive. When the Lord set the children of Israel free from the hands of their slave masters, it was a change to freedom, but on the side of the Egyptians, it was the beginning of destruction and self-service. I am speaking to the life of someone: a change is coming to you now. It shall be a change for good that will affect every area of your life and bring uncommon blessings to your life, family, ministry, business and career. Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The presence of God is very crucial in the life of anyone who wants to be influential in the things that pertain to righteousness. Any child of God who does not carry the presence of God will fail because he will be struggling when he is supposed to be shining. In the reign of King Solomon, he observed that all those who could have easily refused to obey his commands submitted to him instead. Only the presence of God guarantees such. 1 Chronicles 29:25 says that,
“And the LORD magnified Solomon exceedingly in the sight of all Israel, and bestowed upon him such royal majesty as had not been on any king before him in Israel.”
Are your subordinates rebellious or despising you? Go and receive the power of God’s presence. Are you hiding instead of manifesting? Are your children refusing to submit to your instructions? It means you need more of God’s presence.
 
There are many people who have lost their relevance because they are too choosy. Many people struggle for kingdom assignments that feed their ego, while they run away from some other tasks. Some people will give God a list of why what He is asking them to do cannot be done. Making excuses to God can place you on the wrong side of His judgment (Luke 9:61-62). Excuses can move an individual from relevance to irrelevance. As a genuine Christian, wherever you find yourself, you must be concerned about impacting lives (Matthew 5:16). While David was in the cave of Adullam, all kinds of people with all sorts of problems came to him (1 Samuel 22:1-2). With the presence of God in the life of David, the problems of these people were solved and their status changed. Your success would be measured to a large extent by the number of lives that changed in your ministry. If your ministry cannot impact lives for good, it is either you are not salt, or you have lost your savour. Several years ago, I visited a friend. During my visit, I observed that his youngest daughter was carried on the back of her mother. This girl would just not allow anyone else to carry her except her mother. As I arrived at the house, the baby stretched forth her hands for me to carry her, and I did. Afterwards, I prayed for her and left. Months later, the mother of this girl confessed that on the day I visited, plans had been concluded to take the life of the baby, but these plans failed. You must pray earnestly so that your life, your ministry and your family can have more relevance in the Body of Christ. When many fall in the midst of trials, temptations and pressures, it is not because the grace of God is not there; rather it is due to a gradual loss of relevance. Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

If there is one truth every believer must know in this present age, it is that God hates laziness. God set an example of hard work for us through the creation of the heavens and the earth. Without the hard work of God, this world wouldn’t be a beautiful place. He did not rest until He had finished with creation. His hard work resulted in the excellence we can see in the beautiful world around us. Whenever God is looking for people to commit serious assignments to, He looks for people who will never give excuses for not delivering. He looks for hardworking people because He has no business with lazy bones. God is in search of diligent and resourceful people who will use all of their energy to ensure that the work of God suffers no loss. One of the secrets behind the success of Paul’s ministry is this: he went about winning souls with the same zeal with which he was persecuting the Church before he met Christ.
 
“Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise:”
Proverbs 6:6.
There are certain truths we cannot ignore from this passage. This passage is meant for those who are lazy and for those in need of wisdom. Though ants are small, there are lots of lessons that can be learnt from them. There are lessons parents can learn from their children, just as there are lessons leaders can learn from their followers. But this can only happen in the absence of pride. The more humble you are, the greater the things that will be committed to your hands, because you have learnt the secret of hard work. Through hard work, Paul achieved more than his peers. He even wrote more books of the New Testament than those who were direct disciples of Jesus Christ. The epistles he wrote are still positively affecting generations far more than you can ever imagine. Paul never gave room for excuses in the course of reaching his goals. Little wonder he emerged a great success in the early Church.
 
Today, I see a lot of people wasting their time. They have no goals for their lives. They are not after anything because success is not a desire for them. They are just comfortable with the normal routine of the average person, and that is why there is nothing significant about them. No performance, no achievement. Some people are so lazy that they are not consulted wherever performance is expected because people already know what to expect. May this not be your story in Jesus’ Name. Beloved, you must decide to take the path of greatness. No great thing comes easy. You must aim high even if you are starting small. You have no barrier, limitation or excuse for not achieving greatness in life. The seed of God is in you. You must say no to those things that are slowing you down from the fulfilment of your God-given destiny. Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Getting your breakthrough does not necessarily depend on the discovery of new methods, but on receiving fresh revelations from the Word of God. Every revelation from the Word produces a manifestation in the lives of individuals, and consequently in the life of a nation. While many view God’s Word as ordinary, a few see it as a divine weapon (Hebrews 4:12).
 
One reason why the Word fails to deliver its potential to us is our attitude to it. This includes how we see and receive the Word. If you casually take the Word as ordinary, you render it powerless, but if you take it seriously, it will aid your spiritual development. The Word is good for us because it brings hope to a hopeless situation, brings life to a lifeless situation and reverses the irreversible. The Word is the platform on which we should lay the foundation of our desires and requests. The moment the Word is released by God on any issue of life, you can safely act on it. In 2 Timothy 2:15, we are commanded to study to show ourselves approved unto God. There is a great depth in God’s Word. By engaging the Word, you are opening yourself up to great revelations, hidden treasures and fresh insight. If you do this continually, you are changing your life subconsciously (Psalm 119:11).
 
The Word of God is one of the weapons with which you can fight the devil and every unpleasant situation of life. With the Word, you can begin to defeat the enemy during temptations and attacks. The Word is good for renewing your mind, because it reveals God’s thoughts to you, and it makes you see things through God’s eyes. The Word that God sends to meet your needs is all-encompassing. Psalm 107:20 says:
“He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.”
I decree that the Word that will change your life for good and have a great impact upon your destiny will come quickly in Jesus’ Name. There are some believers who do not tremble at the Word of God. In our churches today, when the Word is going out, there are some people who will be holding discussions with others; chatting about things that do not matter. This should be stopped. We are to tremble at God’s Word. We are to pay close attention to the Word anywhere we are. If you tremble at the Word, you will take down notes while reading it and you will put the Word into practice. On the day of the Lord’s return, the Word alone will form the basis of assessing what we did. You cannot be a victorious Christian with your own strength. You have to depend on the Word of God to be able to fix every issue of your life.

In the contemporary Christian Church, there is a problem of lack of practical mentoring for new believers. Practical mentoring involves a mentor at the fore-front of practical Christian living, instructing the mentee to follow after his or her example. Such an arrangement faces two problems in today’s world. First, some so-called spiritual mentors teach and point their mentees to the narrow path that leads to eternal life, but they themselves are not on this route. They tell their disciples the truth about Christian living, but they themselves do something else. Such cannot say what Paul said in Philippians 3:17:
“Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample.”
 
On the other hand, some so-called spiritual mentors compromise the truth of the scriptures so that they can be “free” to exhibit their lusts and unethical dispositions. The youths they ought to give a sense of direction are the same ones they copy under the guise of encouraging them to come to Church. An African adage says: “The wife you marry from a dancing hall will eventually abandon you for sightseeing in the very near future.” Another adage also says: “The house you built with spittle will be demolished by the mere dew of heaven.” In other words, it does not require a tornado or tsunami to wipe away such spiritual houses built with worldly ideas. This is the reason our younger generation of Christians are easy prey to the devil.
 
In John 13:12-17, we see Jesus practically teaching, mentoring and furnishing his disciples with gems of leadership. He demonstrated to them in a practical way what He had taught them in Matthew 20:27-28:
“And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.”
Are you a Christian mentor, doing or teaching what is wrong? Beware! One dangerous consequence of wrong Christian mentoring is found in the words of Jesus in Matthew 5:19:
“Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.”

The beginning of a thing is very important because it serves as the foundation upon which everything else stands. The way you begin a thing can determine the speed, attitude and the degree of success or failure you will experience in it. I have good news for you: with Jesus on your side, you can always have a new beginning, even in a hopeless situation. There is no hopeless situation with God. He is the power behind and the source of everything you want to achieve in life (Colossians 1:17). In any situation where you may have lost hope or experienced failure, with the involvement of Jesus, you can have a new beginning. Peter was already washing his net to pack up and go when Jesus came into the picture (Luke 5:2-6). Humanly speaking, Peter had done all that was expected. He got to the river very early in the morning, had the right tools to work with and went with the right team, yet he had no result until the Alpha and Omega stepped in. Jesus will step into every area of your toiling in Jesus’ Name.
 
One challenge most believers face is the inability to reconcile God’s timing with theirs. We find it difficult to link our present to our future. One thing we need to know is that God specialises in calling those things that be not as if they were. God can call you a manager when you are presently serving as a messenger. He can call you a billionaire while you don’t even know where your next meal will come from. Do you know that the problem with many Christians is that of unbelief and fear of what God is calling them into? Many have remained on the same spot for so long because they are afraid to launch out. Many have wasted great opportunities because they don’t want to leave their comfort zone. Many great doors have been shut because those to whom they were opened did not have enough courage to step in. Because you have done all you can and nothing changed is not enough reason to give up. All you need is to call upon the Alpha which is Jesus. He will give you a brand new beginning, and He will guide you until your small beginning becomes very great. You must never despise the days of your small beginnings. There can never be glory without a story. You must cultivate the habit of always praising God for every phase of your life. Some people are so preoccupied with what God is doing in other people’s lives that they have refused to celebrate the faithfulness of God in their own small beginning. Never despise that business that is starting small. Never despise that position that looks inconsequential. Never despise that location that looks unpromising. Never despise that marriage that is starting small. That level you are on now is not your destination; you are on a mission and you can never be through until the whole world has seen the glory of God in your life.

Prayer is ordained by God as a means of communication between God and man. Christians are commanded to depend on God completely for all their needs, hopes and aspirations by bringing all their requests to Him in prayer (Philippians 4:6). In Matthew 7:7, God challenges anyone who believes in Him to ask and they shall receive, to seek and they shall find, to knock and it shall be opened to them. He went further in John 16:24 where He said:
“Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.”
This means that prayer is the means God has provided for Christians to have all of their needs satisfied. For this reason, God did not place any limitation on prayer; He tells us to pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17). So, you can continuously approach heaven without any fear of disturbing God.
 
Prayer symbolises trust and total dependence on God. Dependence on God for help with spiritual and physical needs arises out of an awareness of human helplessness (Psalm 18:6, Mark 4:38). The word of the Lord to those who would not pray because they have alternative means of getting things done is found in Jeremiah 17:5:
“Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD.”
But for those who trust in Him, He sends this word in Hebrews 4:16:
“Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”
 
God answers prayers because He is the one who commanded that we should pray, and He cannot deny Himself. Because we have access to God through Jesus (Ephesians 3:12), and because Jesus Himself gave us the assurance that He will do whatsoever we ask the Father in His Name (John 15:16), you can therefore go ahead and ask so that your joy may be full. All power in heaven and on earth belongs to God; He is the owner of all things visible and invisible. He is a loving Father, and He is only waiting to hear from you.

A mask is a full or partial cover for the face. It is used for disguise; to hide a person’s true identity, character or intentions away from being known or noticed. Also, the word “mask” could refer to a lifestyle that hides the real personality and emotions of a person. Putting on a mask portrays a hidden agenda, falsehood, hypocrisy, pretence, deception and double-mindedness. These are terms that should never be used to qualify a Christian or any action taken by a person who professes to be born-again.
 
“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”
Philippians 4:8
God expects His children to be truthful and honest in all things. Our utterances, outward appearance and the testimony about us should be a reflection of the inward person in us. Our “yes” should be yes and our “no” should be no. Children of God should know how to speak the truth without hypocrisy (1 Timothy 4:2). Living a life of pretence is bad for many reasons, but the effect is more pronounced in prayers. When a person outwardly pretends to be born-again, holy, righteous, rich, happy and fulfilled, the inward man remains fully aware of the real situation and will find it very difficult to pray. Most importantly, James 1:6-8 confirms that God will never answer such prayers.
“For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.”
James 1:7
 
The fathers and mothers of faith recorded in the Bible succeeded because they lived honest lives. From Bible accounts, Abraham, Moses, Elijah and David were very open and honest even in their mistakes. King David confessed his sins and cried to God for help and assistance. It is time to remove every mask and be sincere with God. Approach the throne of grace with genuine repentance and make your request known to God with all honesty. I prophecy that every request you make today will surely turn to a testimony in the Name of Jesus.

A lamentation is a song of mourning or sorrow. In the Bible, lamentations were usually motivated by national disasters (2 Chronicles 35:25), by bereavement (2 Samuel 3:33-34), personal suffering (Psalm 102:1-11) or by the judgment of God (Amos 5:1-2). Lamentations could also be inspired by repentance as shown in Daniel 9:4-20.
 
A lamentation can contain praise to express thanksgiving and gratitude to the Almighty God. Such was the lamentation of Daniel in Daniel 9. It was laced with praises to God even though He was mourning the captivity of the children of Israel. No wonder the Lord heard his lamentation and quickly dispatched an archangel to comfort him. Jesus in Matthew 5:4 said:
“Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.”
This reveals that there is blessedness even in mourning. There is still a reason to glorify God for His goodness and His mercy even in mourning. It shows that though there is lamentation, there will be clear reasons to praise God at the end. Singing songs of sorrow can therefore lead to comfort.
 
An example of sorrow leading to comfort is seen when we lament for our sins, mistakes and errors in such a way that leads to genuine repentance. Such repentance leads to righteousness:
“Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing. For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.”
2 Corinthians 7:9-10
In the above passage, the lamentation and sorrow of the Corinthians led to repentance. Paul rejoiced to see this genuine repentance take place in the life of the people. Godly sorrow brings repentance unto salvation. What started as lamentation or a song of sorrow, produced reasons to praise God at the end. Lamentation becomes a source of praise when godly sorrow produces genuine repentance. Such repentance leads to the joy of salvation, divine approval and blessing.

Thanksgiving to God, especially for gifts and blessings received, is required and expected. God abhors ungrateful people. God expects Christians to give thanks in all circumstances they are confronted with. In 1 Thessalonians 5:18, Apostle Paul wrote that:
“In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”
Our Lord Jesus Christ also demonstrated to us the essence of thanksgiving. Several times, He gave thanks to the Father (John 11:41, Matthew 15:36, Luke 22:17).
 
God wants His children to thank Him and show gratitude for everything that happens in their lives. We are to thank God when we are full and when we are empty. We are to continuously show appreciation for the many things we normally take for granted. Our willingness to thank God should not be based on our mood, i.e. whether we are happy or not. It should not be based only on the things we receive and recognise as gifts and blessings; we should also thank God for the miracle of sleeping and waking up, for the gift of life, for the salvation of our souls and for divine health. Thank God for the ability to use every part of your body; that you can eat, drink, see, walk, speak, learn and interact with people. Thank God because no matter what you are going through, you are still better off in certain areas compared to some other people on the face of the earth.
 
Thanksgiving to God can be expressed in several different ways. However, offering thanksgiving to God in an acceptable manner guarantees an immediate response from God. Solomon chose to give a thousand burnt offerings (2 Chronicles 1:6), one of the lepers in our Bible text fell down and glorified God with a loud voice (Luke 17:15-16), while David showed gratitude in song and with dancing (2 Samuel 6:14). God responded to Solomon by giving him a blank cheque to ask for anything he wanted. The leper had a partial healing at first, but Jesus made him completely whole after he offered thanks. God was pleased with David and He established his throne forever. Each of these three received a blessing from God that was irreversible. I pray therefore that as you praise and thank the Lord for His goodness and mercy over your life, you will receive irreversible blessings from Him in Jesus’ Name.

One of the first things that a genuinely born-again Christian will quickly recognise about the Christian experience is the fact that there is power in the Name of Jesus. Immediately a fellow accepts Jesus as Lord and Saviour, the powers that used to manipulate and control things in the person’s life become paralysed as he or she begins to call upon the Name of the Lord. This is simply because all power belongs to Jesus (Matthew 28:18), and He has deposited so much of this power in His Name. Seldom do you have the Lord making the same statement twice at one instance, but He did this with regard to His Name in John 14:13-14, saying:
“And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.”
 
At the mention of the Name of Jesus, irrespective of the environment or circumstance, every knee shall bow in heaven, on earth and under the earth (Philippians 2:10-11). The power in the Name of Jesus is so potent and active that there is no limitation whatsoever to what you can achieve through the application of the Name. The dead has come alive by the Name, sorrow has been turned to joy in many lives by the Name, and the Name has brought salvation to billions of souls.
 
The Name of Jesus carries supreme authority and unlimited power. Having understood this truth, you ought to praise His Name at all times and deploy the power in His Name against all challenges and circumstances you are confronted with. A certain man caught the revelation of the power in the Name of Jesus even before His death and resurrection, and he deployed it. He was not even one of the disciples who were with Jesus or among those who followed Jesus at all times. Yet, he understood the power in the Name of Jesus and he took advantage of it. Mark 9:38-39 says:
“And John answered him, saying, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name, and he followeth not us: and we forbad him, because he followeth not us. But Jesus said, Forbid him not: for there is no man which shall do a miracle in my name, that can lightly speak evil of me.”
The power in the Name of Jesus will do you no good if you do not apply it. As you call upon the Name of Jesus today, may the potent power in His Name work for you in Jesus’ Name.

Apostle Paul was taking a walk through the old city of Athens as a visitor when he noticed an altar with this inscription: “TO THE UNKNOWN GOD”. Paul was aware that Athens at that particular period was filled with philosophers of either epicurean beliefs or those of stoic principles. Epicureans were devoted to sensual pleasure. They had sensitive tastes, especially in food and wine, and they loved to enjoy the good things of life. On the other hand, Stoics were professedly indifferent to pleasure or pain, free from passion, unmoved by joy or grief and submissive to the natural law. These philosophers prided themselves as custodians of exceptional wisdom and knowledge in all areas of life including issues about God and religion. When they met Apostle Paul, being persuaded of their superior wisdom, they were quick to ask “What will this babbler say?” However, their folly was already evident in this inscription. This story still rings true today. Because knowledge has greatly increased all over the world, scientists and philosophers proudly try to impose their limited mortal theories as superior to the knowledge of the Almighty God.
 
However, like the Athenians of Paul’s days, there are genuine seekers among today’s scientists and philosophers, who will readily accept Jesus as Lord and saviour and submit to the authority of the Scriptures if the right opportunity is made available to them. The truth is: God is a spiritual being. His existence cannot be investigated or proved scientifically; neither can He be searched out through philosophical investigations. Therefore, God can only be known by faith, through the revelation knowledge made available by the gospel of Jesus Christ (Luke 10:22). And more importantly, the whole Bible provides extremely convincing factual evidence that God exists and that Jesus Christ is the Son of the Living God (Colossians 1:15-17)
 
It is therefore time to expose the error of the unknown God and begin to propagate a more perfect knowledge of the Living God. We must use every available opportunity to reach the world with the message of the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is the power of God unto salvation. It is the sure way to forgiveness, deliverance, healing, peace, joy and prosperity. Remember, time is short. Begin to vigorously propagate the gospel today, and great rewards will accrue to your account here on earth and in heaven in Jesus’ Name.

In 2 Chronicles 20:21-23, the Bible clearly presents worship as a lethal weapon of war. Here, three powerful nations rose up against Israel in battle. Knowing that they could not match their enemies in physical warfare, King Jehoshaphat appointed singers unto the Lord, and they went before the army to praise the beauty of God’s holiness (2 Chronicles 20:21). When they began to sing and praise God, suddenly, worship turned into a lethal weapon of war, and the Lord decided to waylay the armies of their enemies. As you praise and worship the Lord today, your worship will work against your detractors as a lethal weapon of war in the Name of Jesus. Another example of worship as a lethal weapon of war took place in Joshua 6. After the Israelites got to Jericho, they were confronted by its mighty wall that seemed impossible to breakthrough. Jericho was shut in; the only available option therefore was to mount a siege that could last for months. However, the people shouted a great shout after the priests blew the trumpet, and the wall of Jericho fell down flat (Joshua 6:20). Again, in the Name that is above all other names, I command everything that represents the wall of Jericho in your life to fall down flat before you.
 
I have always maintained that if you are faced with a challenge of any kind and you have fasted, you have prayed, and done all that you can do without getting any appreciable result, it’s time to try praise and worship. Worship has proved to be a very potent weapon of warfare in many cases where everything else appeared to be ineffective. Whenever a child of God begins to praise His holy Name and hail Him as the Alpha and Omega, King of kings, Lord of lords, I Am that I Am, Mighty Man in battle, Lord of hosts, Omnipotent God, Omniscient God, Jehovah Nissi, Jehovah Shalom, the Present Help in the time of trouble, Ancient of Days, the Almighty etc, He responds immediately, because He cannot deny Himself. Such was the experience of Paul and Silas in Acts 16:25-26. The Bible states that they prayed first and nothing seemed to happen, but when they started singing, suddenly, there was a great earthquake. Today, your worship will become a lethal weapon against your problems and challenges in the Name of Jesus. Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

We can worship God in various ways and manners. It is possible to worship God in song, dance and even in silence. However, throughout the Bible, practical worship is the preferred mode of worship whenever God does something great for His people. On the day that God miraculously delivered Israel from Pharaoh and the Egyptian army, the people practically worshipped God with songs and dancing (Exodus 15:1&20). After each victory or manifestation of the signs and wonders of God in the wilderness, the Israelites always responded with shouts of joy accompanied with singing and dancing. Moses, Hannah, David, the women of Israel and even the prophets at different times in history composed various songs to glorify the Name of the Lord. It is clear from all of these cases that practical worship, also known as the sacrifice of praise, always begins with the fruit of the lips. Hebrew 13:15 says:
“By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.”
 
A good example of practical worship is found in Exodus 15. After the deliverance of Israel at the Red Sea, the Bible says that Moses and Miriam composed songs (the fruit of their lips) which led to the use of timbrels and dancing. In another example, Chenaniah the choir master and the singers of Israel were singing high praises to the Lord with the national orchestra. This resulted in King David and all of Israel shouting and leaping to the praise of the Most High God (1 Chronicles 15:27-29).
 
Those who have been with the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) over the years know that one of the secrets of our success is practical worship. I am so addicted to practical worship that from my early days in the ministry, I was nicknamed the dancing pastor. The RCCG is known to be a singing and dancing Church. Many have also identified us as a shouting Church. It is therefore because of our disposition to practical worship that God has been so wonderful to us. The Lord is good. More than ever before, He is worthy of our praise this year. For His love and mercy, for His countless miracles, for His signs and wonders, we need to appreciate Him. Go ahead and give Him practical worship in songs and dance throughout today. As you worship Him today, may He multiply His blessings in your life in Jesus’ Name. Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

2 Timothy 3:1-5 reveals some strange characteristics of the last days that should in no wise be mentioned among children of God. Unfortunately, many of these behaviours dominate the Church today. Frankly speaking, behaviours such as being a lover of self, blaspheming, being unholy, treachery and loving of pleasures beyond loving God, more accurately describe ungodly people (atheists). But because professed Christians are found among those who openly manifest and defend such behaviours today, the designation “Christian Atheists” has become necessary. Christian atheists are therefore professing Christians who believe, act and defend behaviours and characteristics that are contrary to Christian values as recorded in the Bible.
 
The most noticeable error of a Christian atheist is commitment to the philosophy and ways of the world. They profess to be Christians but find it easy to identify with the world in principle, word, action and general worldview. This is contrary to the word of God in James 4:4 that says,
“Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.”
and the admonition of Titus 2:12:
“Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;”
 
Furthermore, preoccupation with the things of this world is incompatible with holy living. The commitment of the Christian atheist to the world is especially seen in the area of materialism and worldliness, which the word of God warns against in 1 John 2:15. This commitment to the world leads to disappointment, failure, physical and spiritual loss, and ultimately God’s judgement (Luke 9:25, Ephesians 5:6). Perilous times are here! The right attitude to take in times as these is to heed the admonition of the word of God in Romans 12:1-2, by resisting the temptation to conform to the standards of this world. Rather, we should seek to be transformed into the image of Christ by the renewing of our minds.

The Scriptures make it clear that it is possible to acquire the knowledge of God. As a matter of fact, God has systematically and painstakingly revealed Himself to humanity through nature and through the Bible. The Bible teaches that God can be known, and that it is possible to have the perfect knowledge of God through Jesus Christ His Son. Our Lord Jesus revealed that eternal life lies in knowing God and the person of Jesus Christ (John 17:3).
 
Many people conclude in error that God cannot be known because He is beyond human imagination. It must be admitted that God cannot be fathomed by the imagination of man. We cannot form a mental image of the infinite and eternal God. It is for this reason that God sent us His only begotten Son, so that by beholding Him, we might understand the nature and the character of God. Jesus came to give us the perfect knowledge of God. Hear what Jesus said to Philip in response to his request for a revelation of the Father in John 14:9:
“Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?”
Having the perfect knowledge of God does not imply having a complete and exhaustive knowledge of Him. It does not mean knowing all of His essence, nature and attributes. Simply put, God is past finding out, but we can know Him by faith to the extent that He has revealed of Himself in His Son and through the Scriptures.
 
No man knows the Father except the Son and whomever the Son shall reveal Him to (Luke 10:22). Jesus is the incarnate Word of God and the manifestation of His person and glory (Hebrews 1:3). Accepting Jesus as Master, Lord and Saviour is a necessary first step towards knowing God Almighty. ACCEPT JESUS INTO YOUR LIFE TODAY! Daniel 11:32 makes it clear that the people who do know their God shall be strong and do exploits. I therefore decree in the Name that is above all other names, that as you endeavour to have the perfect knowledge of God through the diligent study of His word, you will receive the power to do exploits physically, spiritually, materially and financially in Jesus’ Name.

Service is work done for the benefit of other people or as a form of worship to God. Service characterised the essence of the ministry of Jesus, and it is at the core of discipleship. Service means to work, to labour or to minister. According to Romans 12:1, service must meet certain conditions in order to be considered worthy and acceptable to God. First of all, mere correct religious observance is inadequate; rather, a wholehearted commitment to God in total submission and obedience is required. It is in this regard that Deuteronomy 10:12-13 says,
“And now, Israel, what doth the LORD thy God require of thee, but to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul, To keep the commandments of the LORD, and his statutes, which I command thee this day for thy good?”
Furthermore, Amos 5:22-24 tells us that except service is rendered in holiness and righteousness, our persons, prayers, expensive offerings, noise of songs and the melody of musical instruments would mean nothing to God.
 
Secondly, total compliance with instructions in the word of God is required in service. In the case of Saul in 1 Samuel 15:22-23, because of his half or partial obedience, God labelled him with rebellion and witchcraft. It was recorded against him that he rejected the word of the Lord, and he was punished for it. May you never incur the wrath of God in Jesus’ Name. The Almighty God will find your service worthy and acceptable in His sight in Jesus’ Name.
 
Service to God must come from a willing heart, with gladness, reverence and godly fear (Hebrews 12:28). The Lord is the Alpha and Omega, the Bishop of our soul, our Maker, Saviour, and Redeemer. We owe Him our lives. There is nothing we can offer in service to God that will be too much. Service to God is highly rewarding; offer Him quality service today.
“Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing. Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.”
Psalm 100:2-3

The first thing to learn about worthy worship is that worship should be in accordance to the commandments of God, but it should not be mechanical. In other words, obedience must precede any act of worship and it must come from the depth of our being. 1 Samuel 15:22 says,
“And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.”
Any worshipper who is not living in obedience to the word of God worships in vain. Of such are Christians who call Jesus “Lord, Lord”, but fail to do the will of God. Their effort is fruitless and their act of worship does not move God. You will not worship God in vain in Jesus’ Name.
 
Any act of worship that is mechanical, devoid of true love, faith, reverent adoration, honour, and praise to the Almighty God will not be acceptable. Worship that is worthy and acceptable to God must be offered in spirit and in truth; it must be offered wholeheartedly and with total submission to the will of God. In Matthew 22:37, Jesus enjoined us to love the Lord with all our heart, soul and might; this means that worthy worship requires putting in everything we have. The right attitude is required for our worship to be counted worthy and acceptable to God. The first step is to carry out a self-examination to be sure that our heart is right with God (1 Corinthians 11:28). Then we are to carefully follow the footsteps of David in 2 Samuel 12:20a:
“Then David arose from the earth, and washed, and anointed himself, and changed his apparel, and came into the house of the LORD, and worshipped:”
 
David got up from the earth; this means he separated himself from earthly things. Next, he washed up to properly cleanse himself from every form of dirt and iniquity. He proceeded to anoint himself and change his filthy garments to that of holiness and righteousness. Only then did he have the confidence to enter the presence of God and was able to worship God without any hindrance. As you approach the presence of God today, your worship will be counted worthy and acceptable before Him in Jesus’ Name.

1 Kings 18:42-44 is a popular Bible story that serves as a perfect example to illustrate God’s view on small beginnings. The Almighty God seems to favour the principle of things starting in a small, manageable way and then growing progressively. This principle runs through almost everything in creation. In the book of Genesis, God only created a sample of each species of plants and animals which He commanded to reproduce, then multiply and go on to replenish the earth. The outcome can be seen today. It is amazing to note that the Redeemed Christian Church of God started more or less like a house fellowship with about 12 members. Today, by God’s grace, it has grown into a Church with thousands of parishes spread all over the world. I therefore pray that though your beginning may be small, your latter end will be great in Jesus’ Name.
 
It is important to know that the message of Jesus Christ in the story of the mustard seed in Mark 4:30-32 was to show that though the size of a mustard seed may be small, it grows to become a massive plant. He likened this to the kingdom He came to establish, to show that the kingdom of God will grow and its final manifestation will be surprisingly great. Its final manifestation will bear no resemblance to its small beginning. True to those words, the Church has grown beyond measure and the gospel of Jesus Christ has almost travelled round the whole world. Whatever you are doing or planning to do, be it in ministry or in business, do not kill yourself to start big with everything in place. Do not be discouraged by negative comments of despisers. Focus on your assignment and look on to God for increase (Job 8:7).
 
After prophet Elijah had laboured vigorously in the place of prayer by casting himself down on the floor and putting his face between his knees, all he received was a little cloud like a man’s hand. But soon after, the sky was black with clouds and there was a great rain. There is somebody reading this, maybe you are at the beginning of your education or training; maybe you are just starting a new parish or ministry, a new career or business. Do not be afraid because your beginning is small, the Almighty God will cause your latter end to be great in the Name of Jesus.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 makes it clear that God has a timetable. Obviously, this timetable is tied to a heavenly calendar. The Lord in His infinite wisdom designed the heavens and the earth, and He allotted times and seasons to every plan and purpose. There is some truth to the quote from Shakespeare which says the entire world is a stage. The world began in Genesis and has closely followed the pattern of a drama. The timing of every act, the duration of each scene and the role of each actor strictly follows a divine script written by God Himself. Therefore, there is a time to be born, a time to laugh, a time for war and a time to die. There is a time for salvation, deliverance, and judgement. Also, there is an appointed time for the rise and fall of individuals and nations of the world.
 
In God’s timetable, there is a time for favour. When the time to favour you comes, you will receive divine intervention like Daniel in the lion’s den. Favour will locate you like David in the wilderness; a higher authority will become interested in your case like Joseph in prison, and all your prayers will be answered. I therefore pray in the Name that is above all other names that your time of favour shall come speedily. When your time of favour comes, the word of God in Romans 8:28 will become reality in your life:
“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”
Romans 8:28
 
Moreover, in God’s timetable, there is a time for the fulfilment of prophecy. To be destined for such a glorious position in the agenda of the Almighty God is not a general gift and not by accident. It is usually for a purpose – a divine purpose. When your time of fulfilment of prophecy comes as experienced by Abraham, Jacob, Israel, Joseph, Joshua, Esther, David and Jesus of Nazareth, God will suspend natural laws and break protocols for your sake. He will make ways for you where there is no way. He will connect you to your destiny-helpers, and your journey to success will be accelerated. May the time for fulfilment of prophecy come quickly in your life in Jesus' Name.

It is necessary to first establish the fact that the statement of James that “faith without works is dead”, applies to the fellow who knows the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. Such a person knows the facts about God in the mind, is persuaded of the truth of the gospel and is in agreement with Christian principles. In fact, such a person takes part in Christian worship, is a church-goer and believes with all sincerity that he or she is a true child of God. The only issue is that such a person fails to commit to Jesus in a way and manner that leads to changes in lifestyle. Such people refuse to allow old things in their lives to pass away – there is no crossing the line from darkness to light, there is no spiritual development or growth and such a person does not bear the fruits of righteousness. James 2:17 describes a person whose faith is dead because there are no works to show for it. In Matthew 7:21, Jesus was referring to such people when He said:
“Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.”
 
It is very clear therefore that there is a form of action that must follow any profession of faith in Christ Jesus before such faith can be called a living faith. When profession of faith is not backed up with action, then such faith is dead. Many are in the Church today living their lives the same way as people who do not know Christ. The Bible in 2 Timothy 3:5a, described such people as
“Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof:”
Such people profess faith in the Son of God; they claim that they believe in the Gospel of Jesus Christ but they flatly deny the transforming power in the Word of God. They would do anything in the Name of God except allow any genuine transformation to take place in their lives.
“And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”
Romans 12:2
 
Children of God, faith without works is dead, and dead faith is of no use to anyone. Renew your faith today by backing it up with active works of righteousness. Put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge and transformed into the image of Christ (Colossians 3:10).

God is sovereign! He possesses ultimate power and exercises supreme authority over an unlimited territory. Psalm 135:6 explains that God is able to do as He pleases in heaven and on earth. Luke 1:37 says that with God, nothing shall be impossible, and Daniel 4:35 says that He is unquestionable; no one can restrain Him.
 
It is very important to realise that God cannot be successfully opposed (Job 9:12, Isaiah 43:13). He is the Lord of heaven and earth. 1 Timothy 6:15 calls Him the only Potentate, the King of kings and the Lord of lords. He reigns supreme and His kingdom is forever (Psalm 29:10). God’s sovereignty extends over all things. He is sovereign over creation because He created all things for His own pleasure (Revelation 4:11). He is sovereign over human life and over even the minutest details of life – for example, He said the very hairs of our head are all numbered (Matthew 10:30). He is sovereign over world history and governments. In Proverbs 21:1, He said the king’s heart is in His hands. Daniel 4:17 also affirms that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and He gives it to whomsoever He pleases.
 
The Sovereign God is completely in control of the life and salvation of His chosen people, as well as everything concerning believers. As a matter of fact, because Satan and his demons are part of the created order, they are also subject to the authority of the Most High God. Consequently, God is sovereign over Satan, gods, demonic forces, principalities and powers in high places, etc. That is why Colossians 1:16 says that:
“For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:”
 
God deserves our worship and adoration, He is worthy of all glory, honour, and praises. He is greater than the greatest, yet He is full of love and mercy. All power in heaven and on earth belongs to Him. Lift Him up high. Magnify and bless His holy Name forevermore.

Divine information refers to knowledge, instruction, intelligence, facts or details relating to or proceeding directly from God. Divine information is given as an act of love to save humanity from Satan, sin and its destructive effects. There are many sources of divine information such as the Bible, the Holy Spirit and the Lord Jesus Christ. The operation of these three complement and do not contradict each other. This truth is established in John 16:14 and in 2 Peter 1:20-21 which says:
“Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.”
 
Other sources of divine information include God speaking through his prophets (Amos 3:7); through visions and dreams (Daniel 1:17) and by the use of special signs (1 Kings 13:3-5). The content of a divine revelation can be the unveiling of hidden mysteries (Daniel 2:22), a notification of future events (Genesis 41:25), a revelation of God’s glory, a revelation of God’s salvation (Luke 2:30-32) or a revelation of God’s wrath (Romans 1:18). However, the general response that God expects from you whenever divine information is sent to you is sobriety, compliance, total obedience and immediate action.
“Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts.”
Hebrew 4:7
 
Please be warned that refusal to heed divine information in a timely manner could lead to devastating results that may be irreversible. God is presently sending out several divine signals and information. He is calling the Church back from worldliness and a sinful lifestyle to holiness and righteousness. Please do not harden your hearts; today is the day of salvation, tomorrow may be too late!

There is a point in the life of every child of God when the appointed time for the fulfilment of a divine promise arrives. We know as a matter of fact that the word of God is yea and amen. We believe that His word is settled in heaven. We are also certain that heaven and earth may pass away but a dot in His word will not pass away unfulfilled. Nevertheless, as the time of the fulfilment of a major prophecy approaches, we may become overwhelmed with suspense and anxiety. This seems to be the case with Elijah in 1 Kings 18:41-45. Three years before, the prophet had authoritatively declared to King Ahab that there would neither be dew nor rain in the land of Israel, except by his word (1 Kings 17:1). Within the three years following that event, God had answered his various requests, and the victory over the prophets of Baal was still fresh in his mind. Yet he knew that if God should send rain at his word, it would be a great accomplishment and the crowning point of his life. It was with this feeling that Elijah approached Mt. Carmel for the manifestation of the power of God on the back of God’s promise.
 
There are important lessons to be learnt from the way the prophet handled the situation. First, he exhibited his faith in the Word of God by confidently giving Ahab the assurance to go and start celebrating the coming of the rain. Next is the prophet’s attitude to prayer. He decided to put his faith into action through fervent prayers. He was not tempted to leave God to fulfil His own promise. Thirdly, the sound of abundant rain must have been a sign from God to the prophet, because others could not hear it. He received it with joy as a token that his prayer would be answered, and he announced it to the world by faith. The fourth lesson is that, even though his servant told him “there is nothing” six times, he did not allow discouragement to set in. He knew what God told him, and he held on to it tenaciously. Finally, Prophet Elijah persevered in the place of prayer. He said to his servant “go again”, seven times. He continued to watch and pray and finally, there was a great rain. As you tarry in the place of prayer this year, the Lord will answer all your requests by fire in Jesus’ Name. Always remember this:
“For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.”
Habakkuk 2:3

A Christian worker is a born-again child of God; a steward who has been entrusted with the careful use, control and management of kingdom resources and possessions. The teachings of our Lord Jesus Christ on stewardship emphasised two things that are important: responsibility and accountability. Jesus speaking on responsibility in Luke 12:48 said:
“But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.”
 
According to Revelation 4:11, God created man and everything else for His pleasure. Individuals are therefore accountable for their God-given physical and spiritual endowments. Christians are also responsible for whatever is put in their care. The gifts and talents in our lives are to be used profitably for the expansion of the kingdom of God. The Bible further states in Romans 14:12 that every one of us shall give account of himself to God, and in Romans 2:6 that God will render to every man according to his deeds. Consequently, every Christian worker is accountable to God. The Bible also admonishes us not to neglect our gifts but to develop and polish them.
“Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery.”
1 Timothy 4:14
 
Christians are to be wise stewards of their God-given gifts, talents and abilities. They are to serve with humility, total submission to authority and in the fear of God. They are to serve with gratitude to God and for the benefit of others. Christian workers in whatever department should not view the work of God as an opportunity to make money. The work should not be done with eye-service but as unto the Lord, who will faithfully reward those who diligently serve Him. Finally, whatever your hands find to do, do it with all your might (Ecclesiastes 9:10), and don’t be slothful in God’s business, but rather be fervent in your physical and spiritual service to God (Romans 12:11). I pray that as you work fervently for God this year, He will reward you accordingly in Jesus’ Name.

Prior to the anointing of David as king of Israel in 1 Samuel 16:11-13, he was ordinary like any other person. But after the anointing came on him, he received supernatural grace to accomplish great things for God. The choice of David was neither an accident nor a coincidence. In 1 Samuel 13:14, the Bible says this concerning him:
“....the LORD hath sought him a man after his own heart...”
This reveals that there was a solemn search that led God to David in the wilderness. Also, in 1 Samuel 16:7, God said:
“...for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.”
It is therefore clear that qualification for divine royalty strictly depends on the condition of a person’s heart towards God.
 
Divine royalty puts a fellow in the position of authority over all circumstances of life. At the command of a ‘divine royal’, sicknesses, poverty, failure and the demons behind them must bow. The authority, responsibilities and honour attached to divine royalty suggest that a heart focused on God is necessary to be eligible for such high honour and glory. The title “Divine Royalty” is therefore strictly reserved for born-again and sanctified children of God. To this end, Daniel 7:18 reveals that the saints of God shall take and possess the kingdom forever and ever.
 
“But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:”
1 Peter 2:9
One thing is sure: a person can only manifest the status of divine royalty if and only if the anointing continues to rest upon him or her. We must note that there are things divine royals cannot do and certain types of relationships they cannot keep. 1 Corinthians 10:23 says,
“All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not.”
As you begin to live according to the high standard of heaven in agreement with the Word of God, may the anointing for divine royalty fall upon you today in the Name of Jesus. Amen.

Remembrance is the act of keeping a subject matter in mind for attention or consideration. It implies a bringing back to memory of what has been lost, forgotten or overlooked. A call to remember a subject matter is a call for timely action that carries a strong warning with it. In Ecclesiastes 12:1, the power of the word “remember” is further amplified by the word “now” which follows it. ”Remember now” is a command and a strong warning that conveys a need for urgent action.
 
Children of God must remember that every kingdom responsibility and assignment is time-bound. Time is of essence, it is more precious than money and it waits for no one. We don’t have the luxury of controlling time. When a required action is not taken on time, it passes by and the opportunity is lost. I pray that you will recover every lost opportunity in your life in Jesus’ Name. In 1 Samuel 25:18, Abigail saved herself and her whole family from destruction because she made haste to take remedial action on an explosive issue. David was able to overcome Goliath completely in 1 Samuel 17:48-51 because of his quick action. Also, when the conspiracy of Absalom got to the knowledge of David, he and his allies were saved because he made haste to depart from Jerusalem.
“And David said unto all his servants that were with him at Jerusalem, Arise, and let us flee; for we shall not else escape from Absalom: make speed to depart, lest he overtake us suddenly, and bring evil upon us, and smite the city with the edge of the sword.”
2 Samuel 15:14
 
2 Corinthians 6:2 says that now is the accepted time and that now is the day of salvation. The acceptable time for repentance and holy living is set for now. There is no room for procrastination anymore. Now is the time for soul-winning, bearing fruits of righteousness and living a victorious life over sin, sickness, poverty and failure. It is time to overflow with peace, joy, success, abundant blessings and the anointing of the Most High God.

The word ‘heritage’ can refer to a cherished property or inheritance of special architectural, historical or natural value preserved from past generations. It can also refer to an asset of monumental value. It reveals the sense of history, strength, personality, character, importance, authority and self-worth of a people or nation. God commanded Israel to document historical events, covenants, laws and commandments that formed part of their heritage in order to preserve them forever. The heritage of the Lord is therefore something of inestimable value that needs to be protected and watched over with all diligence.
 
In the beginning, God created man in His own image and for His own pleasure. Down the line, humanity fell and became enslaved to sin. God then approached the slave market and repurchased us by offering the precious blood of His Son, Jesus, as the ransom. By this heavy investment, God secured a double claim of ownership over man: first, as the beautiful work of His hands, and secondly as adopted children bought with the precious blood of Jesus. Little wonder the Bible in Psalm 127:3 refers to children as the heritage of the Lord. Apart from children, the Bible also speaks of people who identify with the Living God, such as the nation of Israel and the body of Christ (the Church), as the heritage of the Lord.
 
The realisation that children are the heritage of the Lord should stir up a sense of gratitude and a sense of responsibility in any serious Christian parent. Children must be thankfully received as precious gifts from God. A sacred charge is laid upon every parent to diligently nurture and train their children in the way they should go, so that when they are old, they will not depart from it. The desire and prayer of every Christian parent should be that God will grant them the grace to fulfil this solemn responsibility.
 
In Psalm 127:4, children are compared to arrows in the hands of a mighty man. It is a known fact that well-designed, highly refined and balanced arrows are dangerous weapons in the hand of warriors. In like manner, well trained children are powerful weapons to their parents and the Church of God. They are the future of their families, the light of the world and the hope of the Church. They should therefore be carefully instructed and nourished up in the faith.

The word “horn” is used both literally and symbolically in the Bible. It is used to describe the keratin-based growth on the head of animals. The horn of dead animals is sometimes converted to musical instruments or used as a vessel for anointing oil. However, the horn has significant metaphorical meanings. It is a symbol of power, help, victory or glory. To lift up the horn connotes success, while a broken horn denotes defeat. It is with this understanding that Hannah rejoiced in the Lord by saying my horn is exalted in the Lord. May the Name of the Lord be praised and exalted for evermore in Jesus’ Name. As you meditate on the word of the Lord today, your horn shall be exalted in Jesus’ Name.
 
Exaltation has a spiritual connotation. It means to glorify, lift high, promote or raise a person to a higher status or position. It therefore follows that exaltation is of the Lord and only God and God alone is worthy of exaltation. However, Hannah said “my horn is exalted in the Lord”. Psalm 75:6-7 also says,
“For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another.”
This means that God can choose to exalt a person. In the Bible, we see some beneficiaries of the special grace and mercy of God in this regard. They include Abraham, Joseph, Hannah, Moses, Joshua, David and Solomon.
 
God caused Joshua to be exalted in Joshua 3:7:
“And the Lord said unto Joshua, This day will I begin to magnify thee in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee.”
This same God is still alive today; He doesn’t change. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. Today, He will visit you with His love, mercy and favour. The Bible in Psalm 75:10 says,
“All the horns of the wicked also will I cut off; but the horns of the righteous shall be exalted.”
Because you are made righteous by the blood of Jesus, you are a special candidate for exaltation. Your horn shall be exalted in the mighty Name of Jesus.

An unprecedented event is an extraordinary occurrence that was never known or experienced before. It’s something of monumental importance happening for the very first time. Unprecedented events are very rare, but I pray that you will soon testify to an unprecedented blessing in your life in Jesus’ Name. The Bible records so many unprecedented events in its pages from Genesis to Revelation. Notable among these are Noah and the deluge (Genesis 7), the deliverance of the Israelites at the Red Sea (Exodus 14), the sun standing still over Gibeon and the moon staying in the valley of Ajalon (Joshua10:12-13), the virgin birth of Jesus, the raising of Lazarus from the dead after four days (John 11) and the resurrection of Jesus (Mark 16:9-10), to mention but a few.
 
Unprecedented events are usually in the realm of the miraculous. God in His infinite mercy always designs these supernatural events to meet human needs and solve our problems. Such miracles include divine provision, deliverance, divine healing, raising of the dead, miraculous birth etc, and usually bring about disbelief, laughter, astonishment, singing, dancing, amazement, great fear, thanksgiving and celebration. Very soon, God will do something in your life that will amaze your detractors and cause you to celebrate in Jesus’ Name.
 
In Genesis 22:16, Abraham’s actions caught God’s attention and called for a special blessing.
“And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the LORD, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son:”
It’s easy to see that beneficiaries of unprecedented events are history makers. A close look at each of these characters, from Noah to Abraham, Moses, Joseph, Joshua, David, Solomon, Elijah, Daniel, Esther, John, Peter, Paul and our Lord Jesus, to mention but few, reveals a common pattern in their lives. Every one of them exhibited uncommon faith, humility and obedience that moved God to arise on their behalf. God considered them fit for such miracles because they tried to do what nobody had done before. If you are looking forward to receiving an unprecedented miracle in your life, you must be prepared to outdo others in your commitment to God, in total submission, obedience, soul-winning, sacrificial giving, faith and true worship.