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In spiritual parlance, revival presupposes that backsliding has hitherto taken place. In other words, it is when people abandon their spiritual fervency that the need for revival becoms inevitable. In Christianity, revival is a term that generally refers to an increased spiritual interest or renewal in the life of a congregation or church, either regionally or globally. This should not be misconstructed with evangelistic meetings that churches conduct to bring about salvation of lost souls. May the Lord revive His church in Jesus' Name. What happens when revival comes? According to Psalm 85:4-7, people turn away from their wickedness when revival comes. Salvation becomes a household commodity among the backslidden and the anger of God ceases to burn against His people. A typical example of revival is recorded in Jonah 3:4-10 concerning the people of Nineveh. One pleasant thing about God concerning sinners and backsliders is that He will always warn them so that they may repent and escape His fiery judgement. The Bible says: "But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die. All his transgressions that he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned unto him: in his righteousness that he hath done he shall live. Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? Saith the Lord GOD: and not that he should return from his ways, and live?" Ezekiel 18:21-23. Another thing that happens when revival comes is that God answers the prayer of sinners contrary to the general opinion that He does not. However, it is the prayer of repentance that God honours before any other, as seen in the case of Manasseh in 2 Chronicles 33:12-13. Revival brings about total restoration of both spiritual and physical wellbeing. The true sign of revival is when people turn completely from their past wicked ways and turn a new leaf of godliness (2 Chronicles 33:15-17). This is contrary to what we experience in the church today where people claim to be born-again and yet still maintain the status quo of their past sinful lives and habits. Manasseh died a repentant sinner and had peace, even at death according to 2 Chronicles 33:18-20. Your beginning may not matter, but how you end is what matters the most.

Rebekah, the wife of Isaac, was temporarily barren and her husband had to intercede for her before God blessed her with the fruit of the womb. She was a Syrian woman who was brought up in her native country. She grew up to know the gods of Syria but was not familiar with the God of Abraham and Isaac. This may be the reason why the Bible did not record anything about her prayers to God but rather recorded the intervention of her husband Isaac who interceded for her. However, what transpired after this reveals that Rebekah later became knowledgeable about God, and she even showed signs of being very spiritual. After Rebekah became pregnant, she noticed that the babies struggled together within her; they seemed to kick and jostle each other. Their movements prompted her worries and she sought out a prophet to explain the situation to her. Rebekah found herself in a dilemma that no human wisdom could explain. She therefore chose to seek for divine direction from the Lord. Note that this is the very first time the Bible talks about someone making enquiries from the Lord. We should learn two big lessons from Rebekah. We should learn to be sensitive to heavenly signals and seek the face of the living God whenever we need clarification on any matter. Many are in problems today because they were so complacent and carefree that they neglected the warning signals that God gave them until it was too late. Many today also seek for clarifications and directions from the wrong sources, and others patronise gods that cannot give any useful direction. "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me" John 14:6. Jesus is the Way, He is the Truth and He is the solution to all problems in life. Therefore, seek Jesus today; seek for the King of kings and the Lord of lords; seek for the only One who knows all things and can do all things, and He will give you direction. He will put an end to your confusion and misery. Jesus will quench your thirst and satisfy your hunger. Jesus will heal your broken heart and give you peace in all areas of your life. My friend, Jesus is the answer. Whatever you may be passing through, call upon His name today and your life will never be the same again.

Jacob sojourned with Laban and laboured for him for several years. At first, his host was cheating him at every opportunity, and the years of his hard labour were almost in vain. Down the line, God had to intervene to enable Jacob eat the fruit of his labour. For someone reading this, in every area that you have been deprived of your reward in the hands of your employers or contractors, the Lord will intervene on your behalf in Jesus' Name. It is evil when your sweat serves to increase the wealth of another man without you having any benefit to show for it. After God decided to bless Jacob to redeem the years of his labour under Laban, the sons of Laban and their father conspired against him, believing that he did not deserve the wealth he had earned. When God intervenes in your situation, you will become what the enemy did not think you could ever become. God's intervention brings reward for labour. This can be manifested in God helping you to set up your own business or company after faithfully serving another for a reasonable length of time. Jacob ran Laban's business as his own; he was faithful to tending the flocks and the business grew rapidly under his care. Jacob later recognised that although he had served Laban over the years, the man was not earger to grant him independence. May the Lord deliver you from the wisdom and power of those who don't want you to become your best. Reward for labour is obtained when the Lord delivers you from the hands of unfaithful business associates. Laban dealt fraudulently with Jacob; at several instances, he changed their business agreement just to make sure that Jacob lost out while he prospered. When the Lord chooses to reward your labour, He will not allow the plans of fraudsters against you to stand. Through fraud, there are many people who have lost their mouth-watering jobs innocently. Some people have been imprisoned for frauds they knew nothing about. Some people have lost millions and billions through fraud; this will never be your experience in Jesus' Name. Also, when the Lord chooses to reward your labour, He will not allow your sincere investment to go in vain. Jacob invested his time, skills and labour into the business between himself and Laban. Reward for your labour comes when God decides to judge between you and those using you for their own advantage. After over 200 years of hard labour in Egypt, God came down to deliver the children of Israel and He gave them a land where they would enjoy the abundance provided by others. May the Lord cause you to enter into an inheritance of rest in Jesus' Name.

At the beginning of the earthly ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ, discipleship was a term used to describe the process of building followers who were committed to the cause, teaching and beliefs of our Lord Jesus Christ. It later became a common term used to describe the followers of Jesus. Discipleship is the crux of the Lord's final address on earth. In this address known as the Great Commission, He charged us to make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19). Discipleship is not something that happens immediately after salvation, neither is it an optional experience for any Christian. Discipleship, which essentially means following Jesus is the essence of Christianity. Discipleship as a Christian experience is a way of life that requires paying a cost (self-denial), and commitment to the cause (taking up one's cross). These two attributes required of a disciple are clearly stated in many passages of the Bible, specifically Luke 9:23, says: "And he said to them all, if any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me". This is further enunciated in Matthew 10:38: "And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me". Luke 14:27 stretched the idea even further by saying: "And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple". The Bible always speaks of following Jesus in relation to self denial and the cross. Discipleship is therefore the way of sacrifice. Paying the cost of discipleship through self-denial and commitment to the cause of Jesus by taking up one's cross daily are two important requirements of discipleship. By denial of self, Jesus does not mean to deny one's self of something. He means to renounce self; to cease to make self the object of one's life and actions. This involves a fundamental reorientation of the principle of life. It is to place the divine will before self-will. God, not self, must be at the centre of life. This is something that is especially difficult for the average human being. I pray that as you read this, the Lord will visit you and turn your focus from self and earthly things to God and heavenly things in the Name of Jesus.

In most 21st century societies, the hustle for survival is the preoccupation of many families and individuals living below the poverty line, while fashion, entertainment, lavish spending and accumulation of state-of-the-art technology are the concern of those that are well-off. The lifestyle of many, and ultimately what they pursue in life, is driven by their philosophy of life and the economic class they belong to. Many people seek wealth, fame, power etc, and they would do anything including participating in heinous crimes to achieve their goal. However, the Bible in Matthew 6:31-32 says that God knows we have need for food, clothes and accommodation: "Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? Or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things". The Bible also says in Proverbs 10:22 that the Lord is able to bless His own: "The blessing of the LORD, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it". Since the Lord is able to bless and prosper His children without them engaging in illicit activities, it is therefore not befitting for a Christian to participate in the same crazy pursuit for material things prevalent in the world today. Furthermore, the word of God in 1 Timothy 6:9-10 says: "But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows". Evidently, those who want to be rich at all costs usually fall into diverse temptations and traps of the devil. Out of desperation to be rich, they are easily drawn into sinful acts in the form of questionable businesses, partnership with dubious characters and dealings in substandard and harmful products. The question therefore is: what do you seek? What are you running after? Be warned that what you seek determines what you get. Seek the kingdom of God and His righteousness; seek the Lord Jesus with all your heart and He will surprise you with joy, peace, prosperity and a host of other heavenly blessings that money cannot buy.

In most 21st century societies, the hustle for survival is the preoccupation of many families and individuals living below the poverty line, while fashion, entertainment, lavish spending and accumulation of state-of-the-art technology are the concern of those that are well-off. The lifestyle of many, and ultimately what they pursue in life, is driven by their philosophy of life and the economic class they belong to. Many people seek wealth, fame, power etc, and they would do anything including participating in heinous crimes to achieve their goal. However, the Bible in Matthew 6:31-32 says that God knows we have need for food, clothes and accommodation: "Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? Or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things". The Bible also says in Proverbs 10:22 that the Lord is able to bless His own: "The blessing of the LORD, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it". Since the Lord is able to bless and prosper His children without them engaging in illicit activities, it is therefore not befitting for a Christian to participate in the same crazy pursuit for material things prevalent in the world today. Furthermore, the word of God in 1 Timothy 6:9-10 says: "But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows". Evidently, those who want to be rich at all costs usually fall into diverse temptations and traps of the devil. Out of desperation to be rich, they are easily drawn into sinful acts in the form of questionable businesses, partnership with dubious characters and dealings in substandard and harmful products. The question therefore is: what do you seek? What are you running after? Be warned that what you seek determines what you get. Seek the kingdom of God and His righteousness; seek the Lord Jesus with all your heart and He will surprise you with joy, peace, prosperity and a host of other heavenly blessings that money cannot buy.

The materialist is somebody with great regard for material possessions, a person who considers material possessions and physical comfort more important than spiritual values. To a materialist, the end justifies whatever means is employed in acquiring wealth or possessions. Materialists would cheat, steal, hurt fellow human beings and even kick against God's commandments in order to amass wealth and get great possessions. One irrational and foolish confidence that is often displayed concerning earthly wealth and possessions is exposed in Psalm 49:9. This scripture reveals that those who trust in their wealth and boast in the multitude of their riches always hope to live forever and expect to be secure from sickness, sorrow, pain, oppression, accidents and disaster. The Bible teaches that this wrong attitude to wealth and prosperity robs a person of his or her dignity and degrades such persons to the level of beasts. The Bible also teaches that there are limits to the purchasing power of wealth, especially when it comes to the deeper demands of the soul, where financial wealth has no relevance. Another irrational and foolish miscalculation of human philosophy is that a person's worth is summed up in his or her earthly wealth and possessions. Based on this wrong assumption, materialists seek to acquire wealth and possessions at all costs and by all means. Meanwhile the Bible in Luke 12:15 tells us that the worth of a man's life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses. The idea that wealth has value for a person beyond the grave is a mistake. This is why the Lord asked these questions in Mark 8:36-37: "For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?" We must give truthful answers to these questions in order to avoid committing the mistakes of the materialist. If you acquire a world full of wealth and possessions and lose your soul, what will you offer in exchange for your soul? Be wise! The truth is already revealed in the word of God; poverty is bad, wealth is good, but you must not pursue wealth and possessions in a way that will make you lose your soul.

Failure is defined as lack of success in a set objective or a loss of ability to function normally. Failure occurs when an event doesn't accomplish it's intended purpose. Failure usually ends up as a double tragedy because when a project fails, you lose your investment on the project and afterwards you must pay for the future repercussions of that failure. In most cases, the repercussions of failure are far-reaching and irreversible. With this perspective, it is clear that failure is something of inestimable loss. However, failure always disguises itself as a normal everyday event. If you carelessly give your consent without discernment, such a seemingly normal event may develop into a serious tragedy. So it was when Sarah innocently offered her maid to Abraham to conceive a child in Genesis 16:3, and when Jacob suggested to his brother Esau to trade his birthright for pottage in Genesis 25:31. These are examples of ordinary events that resulted into terrible tragedies. I pray that you will not commit any blunder that will lead to terrible tragedies in your life in Jesus' Name. What started as a generous gift of love later developed into something that brought grief to Abraham in Genesis 21:11. Having to separate from his son was painful and as the father of Isaac (Jews) and Ishmael (Arabs), we can see that the outcome of Abraham's failure is far-reaching and irreversible as evident in the Arab-Israeli relationship today. When you consider Esau's reaction to Jacob's proposal, you will immediately see that he trivialised the matter. He later paid dearly for his miscalculation in his lifetime and his descendants are still paying for his careless mistakes till date. Father Lord, please have mercy, and let your mercy prevail over every evil judgment and repercussion of sin and failure in our lives in the Name of Jesus! We can see from the above cases that the immediate cost of failure is expensive and the future repercussions inestimable. You cannot afford to suffer the loss of failure, therefore you must do everything in your power to prevent and avoid it. First, you must view everything in life according to the Bible and submit totally to its authority. You must also ask for the guidance of the Holy Spirit in all things. The fear of God and complete obedience to His commandments is the sure antidote to failure. May you never experience failure again in Jesus' Name.

Signs and symbols are signals to important events in life. Signs usually have their origin in the spirit realm. Some signs manifest physically while some can only be viewed with spiritual eyes. Those with the ability to read the signs of the times have been in existence for thousands of years. The star-gazers from the east were able to correctly identify the star of our Lord Jesus Christ. Today, scientists have developed advanced technology for more accurate prediction of weather patterns. Major world events are regularly being transmitted via dedicated spiritual broadcast stations, but only those with active decoders are able to receive such privileged broadcasts. It takes the spiritually sensitive person to determine spiritual signs that are not apparent to the physical eyes. It is important to be able to discern the time of your favour or else you may miss it completely. It is the work of the Holy Spirit to point your attention to the signs signalling your time of favour. He is mandated by God to share secrets of things to come with us (John 16:13). The Holy Spirit can use any available means to communicate signs to you. It could be through dreams, open visions, or God's audible voice. He could speak through a prophet in a programme, or He could send one to you directly. God has a thousand and one ways that He could use to inform you of happenings in the spiritual realm. What is important is whether you know how to cultivate your relationship with the Holy Spirit. If you do, no event will take you unawares. However, it is important to note that Satan and his cohorts easily identify the time of one's favour and move at such times to provoke the proposed recipient to take steps capable of triggering a loss. There are people who have determined not to compromise with sin, but when their time of favour comes, they would suddenly observe that they are under intense demonic pressure to sin. It is at such times the devil reawakens their old appetite for sin. Satan uses this strategy a lot to debar Christians from receiving their blessings. Therefore be wise, watch and pray. Whenever you come under intense pressure to sin, your time of favour could just be around the corner. Do everything you can to keep your relationship with God intact. Most importantly, cultivate your friendship with the Holy Ghost. Open your spiritual eyes; be sensitive to the signs of the times and you will never be caught napping.

Self-examination is the contemplation of your own thoughts, desires and conduct. Our Lord Jesus Christ admonished that before a person would begin to counsel and advise others on how they should live their lives, self-examination is always necessary. Before a Christian partakes in spiritual activities that require some level of sanctification and holiness in the church, it is also necessary to carry out self-examination. This is clearly stated in 1 Corinthians 11:28 which says, "But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup". Consequently, self-examination should precede taking part in the Holy Communion or the acceptance of ordination into a position in the church. However, we should remember that God does not call the qualified; rather, He qualifies the called. No Christian can claim adequacy in qualification because we're not worthy of the great gift of salvation He obtained for us at the cross of Calvary. Therefore, the purpose of self-examination is not to qualify yourself or to prove that you are worthy before God, but to do that which is honest and truthful before God and man. This is why the Bible in 2 Corinthians 13:7 says: "Now I pray to God that ye do no evil; not that we should appear approved, but that ye should do that which is honest, though we be as reprobates". Self-examination is needed in the 21st century church to check whether we are still in the faith. Adherence to basic Bible doctrines has become a thing of the past. Obedience to commandments of the Bible is now subject to whether such commandments do not infringe on a person's human rights and if it meets with his or her personal approval. The concept of sin, righteousness and holiness as clearly defined in the Holy Bible is now relative to a person's choice with serious considerations for culture and environment. Therefore co-habitation of unmarried couples, immodest dressing and behaviours that translate to a total departure from Biblical teachings are exhibited in the church of God with impunity. Examine yourself today; are you still in the Faith?

Going in circles is a term that denotes making considerable efforts without commensurate progress. It could also mean wasted efforts, to wander about and to waste time doing things without achieving results. The Bible gives us many examples of this but the story of the Israelites in the wilderness on their journey to the Promised Land gives a very good illustration of this. The children of Israel started their journey to the promised Land with full assurance by the Almighty God that He would be with them all the way. True to His word, He stayed with them day and night. They lacked and suffered nothing throughout the journey. To these Israelites, God was good, gracious, kind and loving; showering them with His mercies which endure forever. But it got to a point where God noticed that they persisted in sin and would not heed His warnings. Then He became angry with them. Numbers 32:13 says: "And the LORD'S anger was kindled against Israel, and he made them wander in the wilderness forty years, until all the generation, that had done evil in the sight of the LORD, was consumed". We need to remember that this whole scenario started with Abraham receiving an unsolicited promise of a land flowing with milk and honey from God. Many years had passed and the descendants of Abraham had lost both hope and interest in the promise, but God revisited them out of love and compassion. He delivered them from oppression and slavery with a strong hand. He did many wonders in the wilderness to prove He is a mighty God. He fought their battles and defeated all their enemies. Above all, He blessed them and made His tabernacle with them. God had done so much for them to justify His expectation of simple appreciation, trust and obedience. The least that God expects from His children is this, and He is disappointed when we fail in this regard. Consequently, God made them wander about in circles in the wilderness for forty years. I challenge you to take a critical look at your life. Are you making progress or going about in circles? Are you in good standing before God? Is everything alright with your spiritual, family and business life? Are you doing well physically, financially, and emotionally? Are you suffering from stagnancy in any area of your life? If anything is amiss, turn to God in prayer now.

God in His infinite wisdom created every human beign with the potentials and abilities that they need to fulfil His purpose for their lives. Unfortunately, some pass through life without realising this potential; some others who do, fail to fully exploit it. Only a negligible few are able to exhaust their God-given potentials on earth. Recognising your potential starts from knowing the Lord Jesus and discovering your purpose in life. Knowing your purpose in life is tied to a relationship with the Creator of the heavens and earth. John 1:11-13 makes us understand that a very vital part of God's plan for everyone created in the image of God is to become a "son of God". Being born-again is not the same as becoming a son. The journey begins at the point of being born-again and then continues far into the spirit realm. This is where divine encounter comes in. It is absolutely impossible for anyone to undertake this journey except the person has a divine encounter with God. Even Jesus had to go through a process before He could go to the Cross. It took encountering the power of the Holy Spirit to prepare Him to fulfil destiny (Acts 10:38). I pray that you will not leave this world without fully realising your potential, in Jesus' Name. Divine encounter is a special visitation of heaven on earth; a meeting divinely arranged to accomplish an unusual spiritual agenda in the life of a chosen beneficiary for the ultimate fulfilment of God's purpose. Without an encounter with the power of the Spirit, you would remain trapped and live far below your potential. To fulfil your destiny, you must partner with the Holy Spirit. This partnership must be kick-started by a divine encounter. Apart from Jesus Christ, another character who realised his potential was Peter. If you compare Peter before the descent of the Holy Ghost at Pentecost with the Peter after Pentecost, you will notice some sharp differences. Before Pentecost, Peter was full of fear. He found it difficult to stand on his convictions. Even a maid could make him deny the Lord. But after Pentecost, he became so bold that not even the Council's threats could stop him. Before Pentecost, Peter realised his leadership potential but lacked the fire, zeal, direction and divine backing of the Holy Spirit to fulfil it. As a result of this, after the death of Christ, he dumped his main purpose of existence - fishing for souls, and went back to his old business - fishing at sea (John 21:1-3). After Pentecost however, he was able to perform according to Heaven's expectations. Are you feeling weak, fearful and discouraged from taking the necessary steps to fulfilling your purpose on earth? Like Peter, you need to encounter the power of the Holy Spirit, and what you lack will suddenly be provided. You shall fulfil your destiny in Jesus' Name. Ask God for the power to become who you were meant to be.

Our God is holy and His eyes cannot behold evil at all. Evil, which is a synonym for sin, is a serious matter with God. It is so serious that God the Father had to forsake His Son Jesus when the sin of the whole world was put upon Him on the cross of Calvary (Matthew 27:46). Therefore, one way you can prove your love for God is by abstaining from all appearances of evil. God cannot stand the sight of sin; Habakkuk 1:13 reveals that His eyes are too pure to behold evil. Anyone that is truly born-again will hate sin with a passion. Your spirit man would be grieved each time evil is practiced around you. Those who are true children of God always distance themselves from immoralities such as fornication, cigarette smoking, alcoholism, gambling, drug abuse, illegal business, bribery, etc. The instruction to depart from evil, to avoid evil or flee from every appearance of evil, is the best check against temptation for the Christian who is serious with his or her Christian life. The moment you become comfortable in the company of evil doers, something has gone wrong with your relationship with God. The question is: what should you depart from? What appearances of evil should you flee from? Usually these are things that may not be generally identified as immorality or sin; they could be seemingly harmless suggestions of friend or a loved one. Whenever you are advised to do something capable of breaking your relationship with God, such as attending night parties, doing something in the company of smokers and drinkers, seeking solutions to a nagging problem from questionable sources, these surely are appearances of evil. Brethren, be wise. Christians who ignored this simple warning from the Lord in the past have paid dearly for it. Many who are addicted to pornography today stumbled on nude images on television or magazines years ago and didn't flee. Some innocent kids were invited to try smoking or alcohol some years ago and didn't flee; today, they are adults battling with how to do away with the habit. The availability of mobile Internet has made access to sin and immorality more affordable and private. The honest truth is that Christians who got converted to God after much interaction with the sinful world should avoid viewing commercials that are related to their bad habits, going to beer parlours, clubs and parties. They should avoid the company of an ex-boyfriend or ex-girlfriend. They should keep away from polluted places. Above all, they must avoid anything or anyone that is a source of negative influence.

The Bible speaks of counting the cost in several passages. But counting the cost is particularly presented in a very powerful way in Philippians 2:5-8. Verse 5 of this scripture admonishes us to have the mindset that was also in our Master Jesus. "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:" Philippians 2:5. What mindset is the Bible talking about here? The succeeding verses answer this question. Jesus Christ is the Second Person of the Trinity. Before He took the form of a Godhead, and therefore equal in power and authority with God the Father and God the Holy Spirit. By accepting to take the form of a man, He relinquished His equality and became completely subordinated to the will of His Father. All these did not happen suddenly; it was not a spontaneous reaction. The Lord Jesus was able to accomplish this because He had counted the cost and had made a personal commitment to follow through with it. Despite the great personal loss to His Person in heaven, humiliation, the suffering and death he had to suffer here on earth, He went through it all because it was a deliberate decision he consciously made. Jesus indeed counted the cost. The lives of many Bible characters show that they were familiar with the principle of counting the cost. Abraham counted the cost. He properly understood the instructions of the Almighty God and followed through with it without looking back. He never at any time considered going back to his native country because he had counted the cost. The Four Hebrew ambassadors were well aware of what was at stake the moment they got to Babylon. They quickly counted the cost and in Daniel 1:8, Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego made a commitment to God that cost them their right to the king's table, because they had counted the cost and had made a commitment to follow through with it at all cost. They dared the lion's den and the fiery furnace and came out victorious. The good news is that when you make up your mind with a strong commitment to serve the Lord at all cost, it attracts great heavenly rewards. Count the cost of going all the way with Jesus, count the cost of surrendering all to Him, count the cost of living holy, and then make a strong commitment to serve God at all cost. How committed are you to God?

A student is a person who is enrolled to study at an educational institution or under a master who is skilled in a particular area of life. A student is someone who is open to knowledge and learning, or a person who takes an interest in a particular subject, for example the Bible. A scholar on the other hand is a specialist in a particular branch of study, a person who is highly educated or has an appetite for study, a learned person, and someone who by long study has gained mastery in one or more disciplines. With these definitions very clear in our mind, the question is: are you a Bible student or a Bible scholar in the school of the Almighty. Characteristically, a Bible student would approach the word of God with curiosity and with a spirit of humility. A Bible student is conscious of his or her status and therefore the whole focus is centred on learning. But for a scholar, it is not so. The curiosity of a scholar is not always accompanied with humility. Because a scholar has gained mastery in one or more discipline by long study and research, he or she speaks with the certain confidence of one who knows. It is for these reasons that the Bible says in 2 Corinthians 3:6 that the letter kills and in 1 Corinthians 8:1 that knowledge puffs up. Nicodemus was a Pharisee, a leader of the Jews and a teacher who may be at the level of what is known as a professor of theology today. He acknowledged his limitations in the knowledge of God's word and came to recognise that Jesus was in a position to enlighten him. This scholar quickly reduced himself to the status of a student, and because of his humble approach, Jesus took His time to tutor him. Jesus gave him the secret of the kingdom which he never knew before, and he shouted in amazement: "how could this thing be?" I believe that the teaching of Jesus both challenged and transformed Nicodemus that day. Some Christians are not like Nicodemus, they approach God with the arrogance of their limited knowledge in the word of God, thereby denying themselves the revelation knowledge that is available to all that come to Jesus with the humility of a student. When it comes to the matters of salvation, Holy Spirit baptism, sanctification, power over sin, righteousness, the special touch of Master Jesus, the rapture and other kingdom truths that cannot be logically explained or empirically proved, the great Rabbi is definitely required.

Doubt is one of the greatest weapons that the devil employs in order to confuse and destroy a child of God. Doubt is a feeling of uncertainty or lack of conviction about something. Usually, doubt does not manifest itself until you have received knowledge or instruction about something. When you know what the Bible says about a particular subject, but something else is pushing a constructing opinion in your mind, suggesting to you that the knowledge you have of that commandment is not perfect, that there is a better way to such matters, be sure to quickly identify it as the spirit of doubt from the pit of hell. Though it's suggestions come in very subtle ways and it's arguments usually appear reasonable, this spirit is the bestselling author of confusion with millions of years of experience in the business. The first stage in its methodology is to bring confusion into a person's mind; thereafter it pushes it's victim into error and then backs off to watch how the person will handle the repercussions. Doubt is such a deadly weapon that the devil has successfully used it to bring down great men and women of God in history. Some do not count doubt as evil. Doubt is correctly identified as the opposite of faith and the Bible says that without faith, no one can please God. It therefore implies that anything gone in doubt is an abomination to God. John the Baptist is an example of a powerful prophet who got captured by doubt. In John 1:29-30, the Bible says, "The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me". John the Baptist is an example of a powerful prophet who got captured by doubt. In John 1:33-34, the great prophet was fully conscious of the heavenly instruction he received. He was firm in his words, confident in what he must do and humble in his understanding of his relationship with the Lord Jesus. He made it clear to his listeners that it was not about himself, but it was all about Jesus. He made it clear that he must decrease for the Lord Jesus to increase. Soon after these powerful affirmations though, the spirit of doubt struck while John was in prison. He sent a very pathetic message to Jesus to confirm if indeed Jesus was the messiah. The great prophet doubted the whole essence of his existence (Matthew 11:2-6). I pray that the Lord God Almighty will deliver you from the spirit of doubt today in Jesus' Name.

The Bible in Ecclesiastes 5 admonishes us on what our attitude should be when we go to the house of God. We are advised to watch our carriage to prevent causing distractions. Out of fear and reverence for the Almighty God, we are admonished to keep our mouth shut and speak sparingly. There is need to tremble with fear in the presence of this Holy God. This passage shows that there is a great gap of understanding between who God really is and who we take Him to be. This realisation should affect our entire being and our posture before Him. Coming to God's presence prepared to listen all through does not mean that we should not speak at all in His presence; it does not mean that we should not bring our troubles, needs, petitions and prayer requests before Him. What it means is that we must not speak rashly; we must speak in His presence with utmost care and with reverence deserving of the King of kings and the Lord of lords. When we are before the Almighty God, we should offer acknowledgement that He is the Author and Finisher of our faith, our Maker and the Creator of the heavens and earth. Children of God must be careful not to think that the God of the Old Testament is different from the God of the New Testament. There is the tendency for 21st century Christians to view God from the perspective of Jesus: born in a manger, the son of Mary and Joseph, walked among men, was hungry ate the food of men, was tired and had to rest, was beaten and tortured by men for sins He didn't commit, died and rose again on the third day. Contemporary Christians seem to be carried away with the image of Jesus as the Son of Man that they completely forget that He is also the Lion of the Tribe of Judah and the King of Glory. The presence of God should be approached with much humility and reverence. God is happy with us when we offer Him the veneration, honour and adoration that He deserves. As you begin to honour God anew, He will manifest His power in your life mightily in Jesus' Name.

One of the greatest temptations facing the human race today is that of comparison. Making comparisons about virtually everything has become part of life from childhood to old age. We compare family background, physical appearance, intelligence, character, abilities, endowments, life achievements etc. It has systematically turned life in general to a kind of competition. Even little children are known to tell lies in order to measure up on the comparison scale of their mates. Have you compared yourself to others and didn't quite measure up? Have you ever thought that you are not as beautiful, handsome, smart, capable, charming, gifted or as godly as your friends? Going into this kind of comparison makes it so easy to think that if you had more or knew more, you would be secure and happy. But as a matter of fact, people who have it all, even the most endowed individuals in the world, still struggle with feelings of insecurity. In the beginning, God created Adam and Eve in His own image. He blessed them and gave them dominion over all creation. He provided everything that anyone could desire for them. He gave them intimacy and attention, He also gave them beauty, security, significance, and purpose. Nevertheless, Satan confused Eve by giving her feelings of insecurity that pushed her to take her eyes away from her precious inheritance and focus on the forbidden fruit. Comparisons will always make you ignore what you have and focus your attention on what you lack. It will push you to doubt God and yourself, convincing you to seek for solutions outside of God's provision. By making comparisons, you will become convinced that something is missing in your life and that kicking against God's commandment will make you be "like God". The Lord will help you to recognise Satan's lies and overcome his temptations in Jesus' Name. Do not fall for the lies of the devil anymore; learn to refute his temptations with the truth. Always appreciate and thank God for His wonderful provisions and promises. Believe the word of God in Colossians 2:10 that says, you are complete in Him. As you hold on to the word as a weapon against the schemes of the devil in your life, the word of God will work for you in Jesus' Name.

1 Corinthians 1:17-24 reveals that there are many kinds of wisdom. All types of wisdom except the wisdom of God are grossly inadequate and limited in their ability to deal with life situations as it relates to the created universe. For King Solomon, all types of wisdom were the same. Many like him find it difficult to differentiate between the different kinds of wisdom. This is why Solomon in Ecclesiastes 1:13 gave his heart to seek and search out by wisdom all things that are done under heaven and came to the wrong conclusion that it is a sore travail deliberately programmed into the human life by God himself. God loves us so much and He would not programme vain and futile exercises into the life of His children. Solomon proceeded with his research and by the time he got to Ecclesiastes 7:29, he arrived at another conclusion; this time it was the right conclusion. He said: "Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions". So God did not deliberately programme sickness, sorrow, failure, confusion and war into the life of His children at all. It was in the process of seeking many inventions that so many evils that we did not bargain for entered into human life. In the first place, God did not give wisdom to human beings so that they can redefine, redesign, correct or improve on His work. His work is perfect and all His ways are just. Any attempt by man to correct or improve on God's work is tantamount to arrogance against the Almighty, and it is bound to end in futility. Furthermore, the Bible in Ecclesiastes 3:14 says, "I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it and God doeth it, that men should fear before him". This time, Solomon speaks with much confidence and assurance that he knows whatsoever God does shall be forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. He concluded here that the work of a perfect God does not need correction; that everything He did is free from error and that those things that seem to us like errors are deliberate designs because known unto God are all his works from eternity to eternity. HALLELUJAH!

Wisdom is commonly defined as the correct application of knowledge. Wisdom therefore feeds on knowledge, and the type of knowledge applied determines the type of wisdom you get. According to the Bible, there are many kinds of wisdom. There is the wisdom of words in 1 Corinthians 1:17, the wisdom of the the world in 1 Corinthians 1:20 and the wisdom of God in 1 Corinthians 1:24. I am happy to inform you today that the only wisdom that is reliable is the wisdom of God; all other kinds of wisdom are grossly inadequate and limited in all ramifications. May the Lord open your eyes to see the inadequacies and limitations of human knowledge and wisdom in Jesus' Name. King Solomon was a man who God blessed with great wisdom. He said of himself in Ecclesiastes 1:16 that he had more wisdom than all who lived before him in Jerusalem, and that he had great experience of wisdom and knowledge. His fame as a wise king was so great that powerful kings and queens from kingdoms far and near visited Jerusalem to pay homage and to see things for themselves. However, despite the fame and success of this wise king, he could not hide his disappointment when he said: that which is crooked cannot be made straight, and that which is lacking cannot be supplied. He went on to say that with great wisdom comes great frustration and whoever increases knowledge merely increases his heartache. Obviously, the frustration and disappointment of King Solomon was as a result of his false impression that by wisdom, man could examine, redefine, redesign, correct or improve on the work of God. Children of God may want to deny this fact, but it is a truism that haunts all great people. We tend to ascribe so much importance to human knowledge and wisdom far beyond its scope and real ability. Knowledge and wisdom are tools created by God to assist human beings to worship and glorify God through total obedience to His commandments. What good is knowledge and wisdom to the Almighty God if not for this purpose? Anything other than this is vain. Searching for knowledge for the sake of it is sure to leave anyone that will pursue such in a state of dryness and emptiness. I therefore pray that all your efforts in life will not end up as chasing after the wind in Jesus' Name.

God the Almighty is the source of greatness. To achieve greatness, you should please God. However it is impossible to please God without faith (Hebrews 11:6). Faith is therefore the master key to greatness (Mark 11:22-24). Faith is built up by the constant hearing of God's word (Romans 10:17). Abraham, Isaac, Joseph, David, Jesus Christ and Paul all had unshakeable faith in God on their way to greatness. Faith in God is the eternal elixir which gives life, power and action to the impulse of thought. Faith in God is the only known antidote for failure. Faith in God contains the seeds of achievement and greatness. God has promised us greatness and His promises for us are yea and Amen. Have faith and plug into this promise. Don't quit even if there are minor delays or you run into seasons of contradiction (Habakkuk 2:2-4). The just shall become great by his faith. Having faith in God helps you not to consider the weather or prevailing economy before you sow your seed or give to God (Ecclesiastes 11:1-4). Fruitless people are stingy people. Stinginess, especially with God can never lead to greatness. Patience is another ingredient of greatness. This means waiting on the Lord for His time to come to pass. Joseph waited for 13 years, Moses waited for 40 years while Jesus waited for 30 years. God has a reason for His timing. It might take long but it will surely happen if God has ordained it (Hebrews 10:35-39). The time of waiting is a time of preparation (2 Chronicles 27:6). Preparation precedes greatness. You don't become a boxing champion overnight, neither do you become an anointed great man of God in one day. Greatness that comes suddenly or that is gotten by surprise will be lost suddenly by surprise. Watch out for those who manipulate their way into occupying an office, especially in the ministry of the gospel. If you don't wait for your time patiently, you might become great, but your crash from greatness will equally be great. Greatness comes to people who maintain a good attitude in the period of waiting. You must have an attitude that believes that with God all things are possible. In addition, you should honour God. Recognising the source of greatness helps you to get connected to its source. All those who were divinely connected in the Bible ended up as great people. Recognising the source of greatness helps you to tap into the covenant of grace, wisdom, empowerment, humility and anointing for greatness (Genesis 41:16). Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Daniel, Jesus, Paul and all those who recognised God as the source of greatness and gave Him the glory ended up being great. You can also do the same.

King David had some skills, gifts and qualities that set him on the path to greatness. 1 Samuel 16:18 says this about him: "Then answered one of the servants, and said, Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, that is cunning in playing, and a mighty valiant man, and a man of war, and prudent in matters, and a comely person, and the LORD is with him". The first quality noticeable in David is that he was ingenious in playing musical instruments for the worship of God. David was a diligent worshipper. True and diligent worship of God sets you on the path of greatness. Secondly, he was a mighty, valiant man. Courage to take major decisions, bravery in the face of negative circumstances, boldness to confront obstacles that are on your way to greatness and heroic feats will all lead to greatness. David's greatness began when he confronted and defeated Goliath the gaint (1 Samuel 17:1-58). While King Saul and his soldiers saw Goliath as a problem too big to hit, David saw Goliath as a problem too big to miss - one problem but two different perspectives. David also was a man of war. Life is full of battles. Christianity is warfare. This is why we are called Christian soldiers and are also endowed with weapons and armour (2 Corinthians 10:3-6). Warfare has to do with strategic planning, strategic thinking, strategic sleeping and eating, strategic spending and strategic attitude. We are calibrated for greatness, hence the Bible says that we are more than conquerors (Romans 8:37). King David was also prudent in matters. Prudency means to be discreet, careful, wise and circumspect in order to avoid undesired consequences. Greatness eludes many Christians because they say God is in control and refuse to do things decently and in order (1 Corinthians 14:40). To achieve greatness, you have to be prudent in your finances and in taking decisions. In addition, he was a comely person. To be comely means to be a fine looking person, to have some charisma, to speak well in private and public, to have good carriage and to have an attractive personality. Such people attract favour easily. Greatness can be linked with favour from God and favour with men. Even Jesus had to be endued with stature and favour (Luke 2:52). When King Pharaoh asked that Joseph be brought hastily before him, Joseph thought it expedient to shave and change his clothes (Genesis 41:14). Many Christians are shabby and ignorantly think that is humility. Know how to package yourself properly in order to receive favour for greatness. Finally David was great because God was with him. Let God be with you.

How does a man experience greatness? The starting point on the path to greatness is the desire to be great. For one to be great, you must have definiteness of purpose; that is, the knowledge of what you want and a burning desire to achieve it, backed by faith in God. Desire is borne out of need and dissatisfaction with your present status or lot in life. The proof of desire is pursuit. What you pursue says a lot about you. Your life gravitate towards the desires of your heart. Desire is what gives birth to miracles. Desire inspires and motivates. It was desire that inspired the Wright Brothers to fly. Hope and wish are different from definite desire. The proof of definite desire is pursuit irrespective of the current situations and circumstances. Definite desire translate into reality. Wishing will not lead to greatness, but desiring greatness with a focused state of mind, then planning definite ways and means to acquire it and backing those plans with persistence which does not recognise failure will bring greatness. Psalm 37:4 says, "Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart". Desire is like a living organism. It is born, it grows, and it can die. People with strong desire to be great know that every setback along the path of greatness brings with it the seed of advancement. You must desire to be great because greatness is your heritage. I have come to realise that many Christians are just living life by and by because they are complacent and have accepted the status quo. Jesus was never complacent. His desire to succeed in His ministry was fired by His mission as stated in Luke 4:18. He kept moving on to the other side. Beloved, you must refuse to stay on the edge of God's blessing. There exists greatness on the other side. The strong desire to fulfil your mission in life will fire you on to greatness. If your desire is in line with the will of God, and you concentrate on it and do not associate with small thinkers, you will achieve it. Another driving force behind greatness is obedience. Obedience in this respect simple means your willingness to do what God has instructed you to do. Abraham obeyed God when God instructed him to get out of his country (certainty) and go to a land that he was yet to show him (uncertainty) (Genesis 12:1-3). Obedience is doing anything God asks you to do regardless of its cost and consequences. God has promised us greatness if only we will obey His commandments (Deuteronomy 28:1-13). You should therefore respect the principle of obedience if you desire to be great.

Greatness means largeness in size. It means to be prominent, imposing, grand, distinguished in importance and remarkable in ability, character, achievement and of course the anointing. Without doubt, our God is a great God. The greatness of our God is manifested through His Names, His creations, His wondrous acts, His love, through His Son Jesus and through us His children. Are you a child of God? You are destined for greatness because God created you in His image and commanded you through his word to be great (Genesis 1:26). Don't under-estimate yourself. You were created to multiply and to dominate. Your calling has to do with greatness. You are not ordinary (Psalm 139:14). God has done all that is needed for you to be great. He even used His only begotten Son Jesus to pay the price for your greatness. It must be understood that every form of greatness begins in a small way. Great men like Abraham, Isaac, Joseph, Moses, David, Paul the Apostle and our Lord Jesus Christ had humble beginnings. Job 8:7 says: "Though thy beginning was small, yet thy latter end should greatly increase". Every child of God should be guided by the motto: "It is not over until it is over". I believe that it cannot be over until I am fully blessed and truly great (1 John 3:2). Abraham, Isaac, Joseph and David travelled on a particular path to greatness in their respective lives. They manifested some character, attributes or traits that ensured greatness in their lifetimes. The first of such attributes is dreams. God revealed greatness to Abraham and Joseph through dreams before they became great. Whereas Abraham saw innumerable stars which were to represent his children, Joseph dreamt and saw sheaves, the sun, moon and eleven stars making obeisance to him. At the time they dreamt those dreams, there was absolutely no indication that they were going to be great men. What are your dreams? Dreams are the driving force behind greatness. Greatness involves dreaming big. The most distinguishable difference between small or unsuccessful people and great successful people is that great people are motivated by dreams which are beyond their capacity to fulfil though out of their reach, they believe that if they work hard enough, they will someday hold their dreams in their hands. Dreams motivate you into action. Vision and dreams are the sure paths to greatness.

How resolute are you? Make a resolution and be prepared to follow through with your resolution. In addition, you should be prepared to make changes. Are you resistant to change? There are two groups of people in an ideal church congregation. These are: the Old Brigade and the New Combatants. The Old Brigades are those used to the old system of doing things and are not ready to change. To experience good success on a daily basis, you must be prepared for change. Be prepared to do things in a new way, if that is what will enhance the growth of your church or organisation. The New Combatants are young and well equipped with new systems for doing things. This group of young radicals should also be prepared for change. Be prepared to learn from the experiences of the Old Brigade. Both Old Brigade and the New Combatants should learn from the Law of Inertia. It states thus: "A body maintains it's state of rest or uniform growth unless acted upon by an external force". Be prepared to run with the vision of Christ for your life and be diligent in your business. Proverbs 22:29 says, "Seest thou a man diligent in his business? He shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men". Success is the product of getting and utilising new ideas, concepts and perceptions profitably. Success is releasing God's desires for you and responding obediently to them in order to reach your maximum potential. This will please Him and bring benfits to others. An integral part of obtaining good success is management and planning. To achieve excellence and good success, you must prayerfully plan for it and continuously manage it. Be hard working and be prepared to possess your possession in the area of prayers (James 5:16-18).

You can enjoy wealth, good health, miracles, signs and wonders when you are guided by a heavenly vision. Vision is the product of effective thinking. It is mentioned in literature that great men think because they are great, and great men are great because they think. An aspect of thinking that differentiates great men and women from mediocre ones is the ability to handle a vision. How important is vision to renowned men and women? It is very critical. Vision can be described as foresight, based on insight with the benefit of hindsight. A man of vision sees what God has for him before its fulfilment. Vision is no doubt one of the most powerful forces available to man on earth today. Vision gives meaning to life. It keeps us alive and conditions our lives. Proverbs 29:18 says, "Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he". Someone once said: "Action springs out of what we fundamentally desire". A man with no vision is at best a living corpse. He desires nothing and so achieves nothing. Every great person in history is a personal owner of a vision. A lady was once asked" "What would be worse than being blind?" She answered, "To have sight with no vision". This quote emphasises the need for vision or the power of imagination to guide one's life. We need a vision for our business. Personal ownership of a vision is needed for our walk with the Lord Jesus Christ, for our home and for our family. A man or woman of vision achieves good success in his or her endeavours. Are you a man or woman of vision? To actualise your vision, be resolute, be prepared for a change and be prayerful. Note that success has other price tags on it and these price tags read: courage, determination, discipline, risk-taking, perseverance, consistency and doing the right things for the right reasons.

A miracle is a supernatural act of God. I believe in miracles. However, God's ways are more important than His acts. The acts of God are meant to lead us into appreciating His ways. Every incontrovertible act of God is designed to propel men to seek the ways of God. God moves in mysterious ways. Isaiah 55:8 says, "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD". The way God reasons is radically different from the way we reason. His foolishness is wiser than the wisest genius on earth. Since God's thoughts are higher than ours and His ways are superior to ours, it is imperative for us to learn His ways as He reveals them to us. How do we learn God's ways? First, we learn His ways through intimate relationship with Him. As you interact with God in prayer and the study of His word on a daily basis, you learn the ways of God. You learn How God relates with His saints, how He answers prayers and corrects mistakes. Secondly, we learn God's ways by learning to fear Him (Psalm 86:11). We should not misunderstand the fear of God. The fear of God is not tyrannical fear. This is because our God is not a tyrant. Our God is Love (1 John 4:. Rather, to fear God means to love Him so much that you would neither want to offend nor disobey Him. The best friend a person can have is God. He is also the worst enemy you can have. If you fear God, you will have access to enjoying life in its fullness because in God is true life. The fear of God is attained when you allow your life to be instructed by wisdom (Proverbs 15:33). The fear of God prolongs days (Proverbs 10:27) and is better than great treasure (Proverbs 15:16). It requires understanding (Proverbs 2:5). You can be taught to fear God through the ministry of a teacher (Psalm 34:11). The worst human enemy you can have is someone who does not fear God. Such a person can steal your goods, and destroy you and your children. He or she can even use you for rituals. If a person confesses that he or she does not fear God, that person should be avoided like a plague. God is however constant. His acts are constant and serve as catalysts that propel men to learn His ways. It now depends on you as a recipient of His miracles to either seek His ways or not. God revealed His ways to Moses because Moses was His friend. If you live in perfect obedience to God's perfect will and you allow your life to glorify Him, there is no way God will not reveal His ways to you.

A Christian home is a training ground where virtues are developed. It is a place of safety and security. It is a centre for creativity and the transmission of values such as the importance of people, the idea of love, as well as moral and spiritual values. For the survival of Christianity and the betterment of society, parents should employ godly wisdom in the number of children they give birth to. In addition, money, time and energy must be invested in training children according to the perfect will of God. Children are gifts from God as stated in Psalm 127:3: "Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward". Children should be trained to love God, especially from infancy to childhood. A Christian family will achieve good success when there is genuine repentance and all members avail themselves of the grace of God by spending quality time together in prayer and in the study of the word of God. The family altar is the centre of a wise family, uniting the home and building up faith (Psalm 133:1-3). It also manifests the presence of God (Matthew 18:18-20). It shows the relevance and need for God each day. It gives members of the family the opportunity for self-examination (2 Corinthians 13:5). It empowers members to overcome problems within the family and makes the home a place where the Name of the Lord is honoured. Do you have a family altar at home? Note that the family that prays together stays together. You can organise the family altar by first and foremost preparing your mind to learn from God (Ezra 7:10). After this you should gather your family together. It is the responsibility of parents, especially fathers, to gather members of their families together and share the word of God with them. A good family altar should start with a session of worship and praises. This should either be preceded or followed by a short prayer. The crux of the family altar is the word of God. All members of the family should study the word of God together. This is better done with the assistance of a devotional aid. It is important that we study the word of God together because the Bible is inspired by the Holy Spirit (1 Peter 1:21). The Bible is also the only means of knowing how to be reconciled to God. From it, we get valuable information on what to do after you have made a start in the Christian life. It is through the Bible alone that we can know what lies ahead, what the world is coming to and what happens after death. The Holy Scripture is available to make you wise for salvation and produce the life of God within you. How strong is your family altar?

God the Holy Spirit is pre-eminently holy. Holiness is so essential to His nature that His name consists of the word "Holy". Whenever the Holy Spirit moves, He convicts the heart of men of sin, of righteousness and of judgement (John 16:. He is a clean Spirit, and to be a friend of His, you have to move close to Him in holiness. There is no bitterness in the Holy Spirit. The fruit of the Holy Spirit, among other things, is gentleness (Galatians 5:23). To come close to the Holy Spirit is to come close to meekness and gentleness and no one is gentler than the Holy Spirit". The gentleness of the Holy Spirit must not be seen from the perspective of weakness because in His gentleness lies His strength, and in His strength lies victory, deliverance, prosperity, healing, salvation, promotion, protection and all that you need now and In future. The Holy Spirit is very swift in His dealings and He is never at a loss of what to do. As a swift and prompt Spirit, God the Holy Spirit attends to the needs of the people of God. He prays with us while we pray, He guides us in our choice of a life partner and He helps us in our business transactions. The best business is one whose senior partner is God the Holy Spirit. Invite Him into your business. He assists us in our inadequacies, comforts us in our sorrows and cheers us in our despondency. He guides us in our difficulties and He quickens us when our faith is weak. Cast your burdens upon the Holy Spirit. Let Him take over your burdens, for He cares for you.

Hypocrisy is a type of behaviour in which a person pretends to have moral standards or opinions, but does not actually live by them. Hypocrisy is a decadence condemned by the church and society. Paradoxically, it's manifestation is commonplace in both the church and the society. The Bible warns against and condemns hypocrisy in the strongest terms. Luke 11:44 says, "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are as graves which appear not, and the men that walk over them are not aware of them". Hypocrisy is manifested in many ways. First, it is manifested in giving (Matthew 6:1-4). Giving is good and scriptural. A Christian is expected to give cheerfully, abundantly, sacrificially and lovingly. We should give our time, money, talents and energy for the expansion of the kingdom of God and the furtherance of His work on earth. However, when giving, a hypocrite is pretentious. He either gives sparingly while giving the impression of abundant giving, or refuses to give while at the same time passing off as the best giver. A hypocrite wants every act of his giving to be acknowledged in public. He engages in charitable work simply for self-aggrandisement. Are you a hypocrite? How do you give? What motives are behind your acts of charity? A second area in which hypocrisy finds expression is in prayer. Prayer is an obligation, and God answers prayers. He enjoins us to ask and instructed us to pray without ceasing. The hypocrite prays. He however has a wrong motive for praying. He cannot be said to be praying to God. A hypocrite prays to be seen of men (Matthew 6:5). Hypocrites do not engage in secret prayers; they will only pray where men can see and acknowledge them as prayerful persons. What is the motive behind your prayers? When do you pray? Why do you pray? How do you pray? Do you limit your prayers to places where men can see or hear you pray? Do you pray to be acknowledged by men as a prayer warrior? A third area in which hypocrisy finds expression is in fasting. Fasting is scriptural. Christians should however not be hypocritical in fasting (Matthew 6:16). A hypocrite fasts in order to be seen by men. He announces his fast and does things to make men acknowledge the fast. This is unscriptural. Whenever you fast, let it be between you and God. Finally a hypocrite is fraudulent. He is dubious, exploitative and through pretexts appears to be religious. Are you a hypocrite?

A friend is someone who you share your heart with and who you can trust. A friend is also a person you like a lot. There are different categories of friends. There is a friend in need who is a friend indeed. This is a friend who helps you when you really need help. Ideally, friendship is reciprocal and the Bible enjoins those who have friends to reciprocate with a friendly attitude. Proverbs 18:24 says: "A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother". Jonathan was a friend indeed to David. He could perceive that David would succeed his father - Saul as king. Although this was a threat to his own personal ambition of becoming the king of Israel, nevertheless he loved David as his own soul. Are you a friend indeed? There are many so called friends who will always scheme to frustrate and destroy the destinies of others. Such people cannot be described as friends indeed. With such friends, who needs enemies? There are people who say they are your friends but will treat you badly. One of such persons is Judas Iscariot the betrayer. In Matthew 26:14-16, Judas Iscariot sold out the Lord Jesus Christ for thirthy pieces of silver. What type of friend are you, Jonathan or Judas Iscariot? Friends, no matter how sincere, can change. There have been cases of people who started as friends indeed but later became betrayers. There are also those who started as betrayers but later became friends indeed. The greatest issue is not who you are presently but who you will eventually turn out to be. Will you turn out to be a friend indeed or a betrayer? There are also situations where friends who are friends indeed disappoint. This might not be because such people are betrayers but because they are human. As human beings, we have our limitations, and there is an extent to which the most sincere of men can help. Who then is the best friend indeed? Jesus! He is the only one who will never disappoint. He knows the worst about you yet He loves you all the same. He is the best friend indeed. Since friendship should be reciprocal, who are the friends of Jesus? The Lord explains this in John 15:14, He said his friends are the ones that obey His commandments. Have you been doing whatever Christ commands? Such commandments include the injunction to live holy. Are you living holy? Do you follow peace with your fellow men? Everyone who claims to be a friend of Jesus should pay their tithes and offerings and also witness for Him. Are you His friend indeed?

One of the inevitable benefits of righteousness is the ability to generate good success. Success is self-inviting and attractive. It has a compelling force around it that draws people to its possessor. Everyone desires good success consciously or unconsciously. There are many ways of describing success. Success describes the process of setting out to achieve an outcome and actualising this outcome as anticipated. Someone observed that there are at least two indispensable requirements of good success. These are creativity and innovation. Creativity describes thinking up new ideas and concepts while innovation describes doing new things, products and processes. The relationship between creativity and innovation generates success. The above mentioned qualities of good success are inseparable and tally with scriptures. The Bible reveals that the alignment of creativity and innovation to produce good success is made possible by proper planning, creating a vision, creating a viable mission, continued learning, being prayerful and diligent, building a team, delegating and encouraging intuitive thinking, risk taking, effective listening, prompt obedience to the word of God, practicing coherent communication, accepting responsibility, promoting and developing products and services, new designs and new outcomes through patience. It can be deduced from the foregoing that proper meditation on the word of God will no doubt result in good success. Are you born-again? Are you a child of God? You are designated for success. Outstanding success is of God. It is your covenant right, it is your redemptive right and it is your kingdom right. Success is your heritage in Christ while failure is an abuse of redemption. Be aware of the fact that mediocrity is not righteousness. No ordinary son is a pride of his father. A father only rejoices over his outstanding children, not those that are failures. If God is your Father, then you are designated for good success. Good success will however come when we meditate on the word of God and promptly do whatever it says (James 1:22).