₦airaland Forum

Acts 18:24-28 tells us the story of Apollos, a knowledgeable fellow who lived in Ephesus. He was described as an eloquent man who was mighty in the Scriptures. If he had lived in the present age, he might have been called a bishop, apostle, or reverend. Apollos was well-grounded in the Scriptures and was bold enough to teach people in the synagogue. However, when Aquila and Priscila got to Ephesus, they noticed some gaps in the things he knew, and they took him aside to teach him the word of God more perfectly. Apollos was not proud, nor did he disregard the things they were teaching him. Instead, he listened to them and added what they taught him to the things he already knew. Consequently, the man who started as one who was mighty in the Scriptures ended as someone who was able to mightily convince the Jews that Jesus is the Christ through the Scriptures.

Apollos was teachable and humble enough to learn from others. Beloved, are you teachable? Are you humble enough to learn from people who might not be as popular, prayerful, or educated as you are?

One of the greatest tragedies a person can experience is to stop learning. Proverbs 1:5 says, “A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels:” Your thirst for knowledge determines your level of growth. You must never get to a point where you think you are too knowledgeable to learn more. When the widow in 2 Kings 4:1-8 began to pour the remaining oil from her pot into the vessels she had borrowed, it continued to flow until there were no more empty vessels. I believe that the oil would have continued to flow if she had more empty vessels to pour it into. This is a clear example of what will happen to anyone who thinks he or she is full of knowledge; such a person will stop growing.

Beloved, there is always something more to learn. No matter how knowledgeable you think you are in the things of God, there will always be more of Him to unravel. 2 Peter 3:18 says, “But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ…” Don’t allow what you know to stop you from learning what you need to know. I pray that the Lord will keep revealing more of Himself to you, even as you keep seeking to know more and more of Him.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Hebrews 11:1-3 makes us understand that everything on earth was framed by God’s word. This means that the things which you can see were made from things that are unseen. This is why God wants His children to focus more on spiritual things than physical things. In 2 Corinthians 4:18 Paul encourages us to fix our eyes on things which are not seen. Therefore, if you are going through a challenge, for example, instead of focusing only on what you can see physically, ask God to show you what is behind the challenge you are facing. Go to Him in prayers, and, like Rebekah did, ask Him, “If it be so, why am I thus?” (Genesis 25:22).

Whenever there is a challenge, many people waste their time focusing only on what they can see physically. However, if they go to God in prayers and ask that their eyes be opened to see the unseen, He will answer them and also guide them towards the right solution.

In Luke 15:11-32, Jesus told the parable of the prodigal son who wasted his inheritance by living irresponsibly in a faraway country. Before long, he began to be in want and struggled to make ends meet. Things got so bad that he thought of eating food that was meant for pigs because he had nothing to eat. When he came to the end of himself, however, he decided to return to his father, and all his problems disappeared instantly. He would have continued struggling and running in circles if he had not changed his focus by returning to his father.

Beloved, if you keep facing the same challenge or struggling with an issue, you might need a change of focus. You need to fix your gaze on your heavenly Father by calling on Him in prayer. It doesn’t take God ages to answer prayers, but when your focus is in the wrong direction, you will not be able to see the provisions He has made for you to overcome whatever challenge you are facing. All God wants you to do is to fix your gaze on Him so He can show you the path to your victory and release His blessings upon you. I pray that the Almighty God will help you to keep your gaze fixed on Him at all times, so you will be empowered to walk in total victory perpetually.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

In 2 Kings 6:8-23, Elisha was in Israel, but he could hear what the king of Syria was planning far away in his bedchamber. As a result, all the king’s battle plans against Israel failed. The Syrian king was seriously disturbed by that, so he sent an army to capture the prophet. It didn’t occur to him that the fellow who could hear the things he was planning in his bedroom must have some serious spiritual backing. When Elisha’s servant saw the army that was sent to arrest his master, he became agitated and ran to Elisha, shaking with fear. He could only see the troop of Syrian soldiers that surrounded his master’s house, but he couldn’t see the horses and chariots of fire of the angelic hosts that surrounded them. To put his servant’s mind at rest, however, Elisha prayed, “Lord, open his eyes that he may see” (2 Kings 6:17). I am sure that immediately the servant’s eyes were opened and he saw the mighty host surrounding them, his fear disappeared.

Beloved, what you see will always affect how you respond to situations. If all you can see is what is happening in the natural realm, you will feel threatened by challenges, just like Elisha’s servant. You will continually live in fear until your eyes are open to see that God has prepared a table before you in the presence of your enemies (Psalm 23:5). You don’t have to be afraid of the devil because He that is in you is greater than he that is in the world (1 John 4:4). Don’t tremble in the presence of the one who should be trembling when he sees you. 1 Peter 5:8 says that he is moving around as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Lions typically prefer to target weak prey; therefore, if you see yourself as being weak and vulnerable, the devil may be encouraged to attack you. However, if you understand the power of the One who lives inside you, he will stay away from you.

Child of God, do you see yourself as being too strong for any problem to overcome, or do you panic when faced with challenges? I pray that your eyes will be opened from now on, so you can see the power that backs you up as a child of God and cease to be afraid of challenges that come your way.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Yesterday, I mentioned that eyes that see are not just physical eyes. When the Lord gives you eyes that see, you will begin to experience relief in any situation where you might have previously experienced hardship. In Genesis 21:14-19, as Hagar and her son, Ishmael, journeyed in the wilderness, they ran out of water to drink. The wilderness is not a place to wander in without water; hence, it did not take long before Ishmael got dehydrated and weak. He became so weak that his mother thought he would die. Knowing that there was nothing she could do to keep her son alive, she distanced herself from him and began to weep. At that moment, God intervened and opened her eyes to see that the solution to her problem was right beside her. There was a well of water close to her, but she didn’t see it until God opened her eyes. How sad would it have been if she had died of thirst without knowing that the solution she was seeking was so close to her. If you are currently experiencing any challenges, I pray that the Almighty God will open your eyes to see the right solutions to them, in Jesus’ name.

When people don’t have seeing eyes, they will walk in darkness. They may have blessings all around them, but they may still suffer because they cannot see them. Those who do not have seeing eyes are at the mercy of others. They stumble at things that shouldn’t ordinarily trip them up because they cannot see. Darkness brings confusion and emptiness, and this is why the earth was void and without form until God commanded light to be (Genesis 1:2).

Beloved, God wants to give you eyes that see so that you can see His numerous blessings and enjoy His never-ending goodness. What He wanted Hagar to see was a well of water; however, for you, He might want you to see another source of income, a better way of doing all that He wants you to do, or better ways of relating with people. He does not want you to live in darkness; rather, He wants you to be full of light. He wants to show you the treasures of darkness and hidden riches in secret places. I pray that the Lord will open your eyes to see all the good things He has prepared for you, in Jesus’ name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

2 Kings 4:1-7 tells us about a widow who was about to lose her sons to slavery because her late husband left behind a huge debt. She was in a desperate situation, and in her desperation, she ran to Prophet Elisha and shared her plight with him. After telling the prophet about her troubles, he asked her what she had in her house, and she replied, “Nothing, except a pot of oil.” She thought that what she had was little, but she didn’t realize that it was all she needed to become financially free.

Sometimes, you don’t need more than what you already have in order to receive what God has in store for you. All that the widow in 2 Kings 4:1-7 needed to have a financial breakthrough had been in her house all along, but she didn’t know it. It took Elisha’s instructions on what to do with what she had to help her experience the potential of the little that was in her possession. If God had opened her eyes to see what He could do with the little she had, she would have never been in distress. I pray that the Almighty God will open your eyes to see the solutions He has put around you, in Jesus’ name.

In Proverbs 20:12, the Bible says that the ears that hear and the eyes that see were made by the Lord. This means that a person can be surrounded by prosperity; however, if God doesn’t enable that person to see the opportunities, He has placed around him or her, such a person can die in poverty. Having eyes that see is more than just having physical eyes. When you have eyes that see, you will see opportunities where others see challenges and abundance where others see scarcity. When God opened Isaac’s eyes to see opportunities in the midst of famine, he became so wealthy that the Philistines began to envy him because he had become wealthier than them (Genesis 26:1 2-1 6).

Beloved, in order to thrive, you need to have eyes that see. You need to see beyond the ordinary to achieve extraordinary results. Over the next few days, I will share the importance of having seeing eyes and why you should ask the Lord for them. I pray that my Daddy will give you seeing eyes so you will see opportunities where others see obstacles and experience breakthroughs where others experience oppositions, in Jesus’ name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Some people choose to be passive and not apply themselves in their careers and even things that have to do with God’s Kingdom, because they don’t want to start small. They keep postponing the things they ought to do because they feel that they are not equipped enough. If God has given you an assignment, you should not wait until you feel you are good enough to start. This is because He knew your capacity and imperfections before He chose you. Even though you need to keep growing and equipping yourself so you can progressively become a more valuable vessel in His hands, you should not keep God waiting once He commissions you for an assignment because you want to become perfect for the assignment.

In John 4:1-30, when Jesus spoke to the Samaritan woman, she returned to her people and started telling them about Jesus. All she had was one encounter with the Master, but it was enough for people to follow her to see Him and encounter Him also. She didn’t first enrol in a theological school or go for classes with the Scribes; she started from where she was and with what she had.

When God called Moses in Exodus 3, he felt like he was not competent enough for the job. He kept giving God excuses and even suggested that He choose someone else. God never calls the qualified; rather, He always equips those He chooses.

God can choose to bypass individuals who seem vastly experienced and qualified, and select a totally inexperienced and unqualified person. For example, God bypassed Jesse’s older sons to choose David, the lastborn of the family, who appeared unqualified for kingship. Psalm 78:70-71 says that God picked David from the sheepfolds and brought him to feed His inheritance. God delights in using the foolish things of the world to confound the wise (1 Corinthians 1:27). He also can choose to hide some things from the wise and rather reveal them to babes (Matthew 11:25).

Beloved, has God called you to do something for Him? Look beyond your current resources and what seems to be your capacity, and launch out. Start from where you are; don’t despise your little beginnings. On Judgement Day, God will not be concerned about the skilled and qualified; rather, He will be looking to say, “…Well done, thou good and faithful servant…” (Matthew 25:21). Start small, remain faithful, and the Lord will equip you with all that you need as you carry out your divine assignments.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

In Luke 12:7, Jesus said that the strands of hair on your head are numbered. If God is so meticulous about the number of hair strands on your head, then your decision of where to fellowship with other believers greatly matters to Him. Therefore, it is important for you to seek God’s face for guidance in choosing the local assembly where you will fellowship with other believers.

Isaiah 61:3 says:

To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.

You are the planting of the Lord, so He knows best where you should be planted so you can flourish according to His will and to His glory. Acts 13:1-3 makes us understand that Paul and Barnabas attended the church at Antioch. It was while they were there that the Holy Spirit commissioned them into ministry. There was a church in Jerusalem and another at Samaria at that time, but God spoke to them in the church at Antioch. They were planted in their local assembly, and that was why God sent His word to them there.

Child of God, it is, however, not enough to know the church God wants you to attend; it is also crucial to be rooted and fully involved there. Seeds grow when they fall to the ground and die. In John 12:24, Jesus said that except a corn of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it abides alone, but if it dies, it produces much fruit. Some Christians hop from church to church because they don’t see the necessity of being planted in a local assembly; however, God can hardly bless them that way. Some others attend church regularly but are not involved in serving within a department or ministry. Such believers are out of the church building as soon as the service ends.

Beloved, only seeds that are planted can grow and bear fruit. Believers cannot enjoy the fullness of God’s blessings if they are not planted and serving in the local assembly God wants them to be because only those who are planted in the house of the Lord truly flourish (Psalm 92:13). I pray that the Lord will establish your feet in His vineyard and shower you with manifold blessings, in Jesus’ name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

As we see in Deuteronomy 30:19, God has set before everyone life and death, and blessing and cursing. You may say that you choose life and blessing, but truly, it is your daily actions that will reveal your actual choices.

In life, there are no “little’ decisions or actions. Every action a fellow takes determines whether he or she is choosing life or death. In Genesis 25:29-34, the Bible tells us how Esau returned home hungry and asked Jacob to give him a bowl of food in exchange for his birthright. He didn’t know that his action would exclude him and his unborn children from the blessing he should have received. Today, nobody says, “The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Esau,” because Esau made himself unfit to carry the blessing when he despised his firstborn position in his family. He chose wrongly, and he paid dearly for it.

In Joshua 7:16-26, the Bible tells us how Achan’s wrong decision ultimately led to the destruction of his lineage. When God gave the Israelites victory over Jericho, God expressly commanded them not to take anything from Jericho. However, Achan chose to side with greed and ended up dying with every member of his family. I pray that in any area you might have made a wrong decision that has put you and your family in trouble, God’s mercy will speak for you and help you retrace your steps, in Jesus’ name.

Beloved, for your sake and generations after you that are yet unborn, ensure that you stay on God’s side. Don’t be hypocritical and pretend to be someone you are not. Be on God’s side so that when He blesses you, your lineage will also be blessed. Love God wholeheartedly, not just for your sake, but also your lineage’s sake. Psalm 112:1-2 says that if you delight in the Lord, your seed shall be mighty on the earth. This means that your descendants will not be ordinary; rather, they will be distinguished among their peers. Isaac became mighty because Abraham chose to side with God. The Bible described him as ‘great’ and then ‘very great’. At a point, he became mightier than an entire nation, and this made the king to ask him to leave their land (Genesis 26:13-16).

Child of God, whatever or whomever you choose to side with will affect you and your descendants. I urge you to choose life with all your actions so that you and every individual in your lineage will live.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The Almighty God is truly powerful. He is Lord over all, and He is so powerful that He can bring the future into the present.

In John 2:1-11, Jesus, His mother, and His disciples attended a wedding. In the course of the celebration, His mother learnt that the hosts had run out of wine and she informed Jesus who responded by saying, “My time has not yet come.” Notwithstanding, Jesus instructed the servants at the wedding to fill six waterpots with water and then draw out some of it for the governor of the ceremony. As they did so, the water miraculously turned into wine. Jesus simply reached into the future and changed the time from ‘not yet’ to ‘now’. I pray that if there is anything you are trusting God for that seems to have been delayed, it will come into manifestation now, in Jesus’ name.

In John 11:1-17, Lazarus died and had been buried for four days before Jesus arrived on the scene. Naturally, his case was a hopeless one because a four-day-old corpse would have started decomposing already. However, when Jesus arrived at Lazarus’ home, He told Martha, his sister, that her brother would rise again. If Jesus had arrived on the day Lazarus died, Martha might have had a glimmer of hope that Jesus could raise her brother from the dead. However, he had been dead for four days, and she said, “Lord, by this time he stinketh…” (John 11:39). Even though Jesus had not yet died and resurrected, He reached into the future to become the Resurrection and the Life for Lazarus’ sake (John 11:25). He took on an identity that was reserved for after his death and resurrection and called Lazarus out of the grave.

Beloved, we serve a God who is not bound by time. He created time itself and is Lord over it. This is why you should not despair when it seems like you have lost some opportunities, or when you are in a terrible situation that seems to be beyond redemption. When you are faced with such circumstances, all God requires you to do is have faith in Him, and as Jesus said in John 11:40, “…if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God…” I pray today that if there is any situation in your life that has been judged to be dead and stinking, such a situation will experience the Resurrection and the Life, in Jesus’ name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Years ago, a pastor prayed and told God that if He gave him ten percent of what I had, he would be satisfied. God told him that if he could do what I do, then he would get what I had. When he asked God about what I had done in the past, God told him that I started with 40 days of fasting. The man told God to leave him as he was because he was not ready to follow that example.

Child of God, to achieve certain results in life, you must follow certain examples as it is only natural to eventually become like those whose lifestyle you emulate. When Elijah was taken up into heaven, Elisha received a double portion of the anointing on Elijah’s life, took Elijah’s mantle, rolled it up, and struck River Jordan. Then, he asked God to part the river as he had parted it for Elijah, and God did so. Elisha followed his father’s example. Paul told the believers at Corinth to follow him as he followed Christ (1 Corinthians 11:1). The question is, who are you following? Who are you mimicking? Ephesians 5:1 says that we should be followers of God as dear children.

As we follow God, there are also people of God around us whom we can also follow. Hebrews 6:12 urges us to follow those who, through faith and patience, inherit the promises. There are patterns and examples you should follow as a child of God. If someone is truly following Jesus Christ, then you are safe when you follow him or her because such a person will lead you to the Lord. God has provided many great examples in His word and has also given us fathers in the faith to emulate as they follow Christ. To truly emulate someone, you must study them closely and watch what they are doing. You cannot emulate people just from little clips you see about them on social media, because there are many things about them that you will miss. Read their books, volunteer to work with them, and study how they approach matters.

Beloved, as you emulate your heavenly Father, also become a good and worthy example to others. Follow Christ so that those emulating you will also find Him. I pray that as you emulate your heavenly Father, He will make you a worthy ambassador for Him, in Jesus’ name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Sometimes, God gives instructions that appear to be very difficult to obey, and because of that, some Christians delay obeying them for long periods. There is, however, little difference, if any, between delaying obedience to God’s instructions and outright disobedience.

When God asked Abraham to offer Isaac to Him as a sacrifice in Genesis 22:1-3, I imagine that he did not discuss the matter with his wife. He probably thought that discussing God’s instruction with Sarah would cause delays, and he wouldn’t be able to carry it out. Even though God instructed him to do something difficult, he must have decided to obey promptly and not ponder over it. As a result of his obedience, God swore by Himself to bless him and his seed forever (Hebrews 6:13-14). In the same vein, Joseph didn’t linger when an angel told him in a dream to flee to Egypt with Jesus and his mother (Matthew 2:13). If he had lingered, Herod’s soldiers could have caught up with them. Prompt obedience always leads to preservation and attracts God’s blessings.

When God gives you an instruction, He wants you to obey it promptly. Don’t query Him; just obey the instruction. In addition to promptly obeying His instructions, God also wants you to obey Him willingly. In Isaiah 1:19, He said, “If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land:” Lastly, God expects you to obey Him completely. Some Christians believe they can selectively choose which of God’s instructions to obey and which to disregard. However, when it comes to following God, there is no such thing as partial obedience; you either go all the way with Him or do not go at all. Saul made this mistake when God instructed him to utterly destroy the Amalekites (1 Samuel 15:1-3). Instead of obeying God’s express command to destroy everyone and everything they owned, he spared the king and the best sheep, oxen, and lambs. Saul’s partial obedience displeased God and led to his rejection (1 Samuel 15:26). This is because partial obedience equals disobedience in God’s sight. God will never be pleased with less than total obedience. Prompt and wholehearted obedience is always worth more than sacrifices made to Him (1 Samuel 15:22-23).

Beloved, has God given you instructions concerning any matter? Ask Him for the grace to obey them promptly, willingly, and completely. I pray that the Lord will turn every stony, disobedient heart to a heart of obedience, in Jesus’ name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Years ago, one of my daughters was diagnosed with cancer of the larynx, and the doctors told her that the only solution was to surgically remove her larynx (which is also known as the voice box). After the surgery, my wife and I visited her to pray and assure her that with God, all things are possible. Owing to the fact that her voice box had been removed, she couldn’t speak, and the only way she could communicate was by texting. One day, I returned home from a trip, and as I got out of my car, I saw somebody rolling on the ground. It turned out to be my daughter, whose larynx had been removed and when she saw me, she said, “It’s me, Daddy; I can speak again.” I was genuinely grateful to God for restoring her voice and allowing her to sing praises to Him again.

Beloved, God gave you a voice so you could use it to praise Him. As long as you are alive, you should use your voice to praise Him continually. God deserves all your praise, and it is one sure way to get answers to your prayers.

During Hezekiah’s reign, he appointed priests and Levites to minister to the Lord. Their job was to offer praise continually at the gates of the tents of the Lord, and the first thing anybody coming to the tents would see was the priests and Levites praising God (2 Chronicles 31:2). After a while, disaster struck, and King Hezekiah fell ill. He was so ill that God sent Prophet Isaiah to tell him that he would die. The king was devastated by the news, so he turned his face to a wall and cried out to God. He reminded God that he had walked before Him in truth and done things that were good in His sight. God heard his prayer and sent Isaiah to tell him that he would not die (Isaiah 38:1-. The king knew how much God loves praise; therefore, he told God that the grave could not praise him and only the living could, as we see in Isaiah 38:18-20. Praise is always good and comely before God (Psalm 147:1).

Beloved, no matter what your circumstances are, you should praise God continually as long as you are alive. When you praise God, you are also destroying the enemy’s plans and silencing the avenger (Psalm 149:6-7). Let praise be your response to everything.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Years ago, a very wealthy man came to see me and said that he was having trouble sleeping. He also said he was told that if I prayed for him, the problem would be solved. He added that he would give me 14 houses if I prayed for him, and the problem was solved. Of course, he didn’t need to offer me his houses for me to pray for him, but his desperation to be able to sleep made him say so. Being able to sleep is one of the many divine blessings that are often taken for granted until one can no longer sleep or sees people who can’t.

Beloved, you have a lot to thank God for, and living a life of thanksgiving makes you quick to recognise God’s goodness in your life. Even amid challenges, when you are thankful, you will find many reasons to praise God. You will be quick to acknowledge that God is the reason things are not worse. You will also be confident that God is working things out in your favour (Romans 8:28).

When people thank God, He opens the windows of heaven to pour out His blessings upon them. In Matthew 15:30-38, there were 4,000 hungry men, besides women and children, with Jesus and His disciples. Jesus had compassion on them and wanted to feed them; so, He asked His disciples to tell Him how much food they had. They replied that they had only seven loaves of bread and a few fishes. Despite the obvious inadequacy of the food to feed thousands of people, Jesus gave thanks, broke the bread, and handed them to His disciples to share among the multitude. His first response to the scarcity of resources was to give thanks. Jesus’ heart of gratitude opened the windows of heaven for multiplication, and suddenly, the food that was too little to feed the multitude multiplied so much that everyone was filled, and they were left with seven baskets of leftovers.

Beloved, are you facing any difficult situation? Are you in dire need of resources, help, or a change in the circumstances surrounding your life? Do not despair or complain; rather, give God thanks. Despair or complaints will not multiply the little you have; however, thanksgiving will give you access to the miraculous. I pray that the Lord will open your eyes to see His grace at work in every facet of your life and help you to cultivate a heart of genuine gratitude, in Jesus’ name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Many years ago, when my children were still little, one of them fell terribly ill. We had already made Jesus our Great Physician, so whenever anyone fell sick in our family, we would simply pray, and God would heal the fellow. In this instance, however, I prayed to God, worshipped Him, and did everything I knew to do for the boy’s health to be restored, but he did not get better. In my frustration, I asked, “Lord, why have You refused to heal my son?” and God responded, “He is your son; why don’t you heal him yourself?” I immediately realised my mistake and said, “I’m sorry, Lord, he is Your son; please heal Your son.” Within an hour, the boy was back on his feet, playing around.

Parents do not own their children; they are only caretakers. Children are gifts from God, so the owner of children is God Himself (Psalm 127:3); therefore, they are to be taken care of according to His will. Parents who fail to realise that their children belong to God will tend to raise them contrary to His plan. When an angel appeared to Manoah and his wife to tell them that they would give birth to a son, Manoah asked a crucial question that every parent should ask about the children God gives them:

…How shall we order the child, and how shall we do unto him?
Judges 13:12

Manoah understood that the child they were about to give birth to was from God and belonged to Him. He knew that he was limited as a person in knowing the best way to teach and nurture the child. After asking the crucial question above, the angel gave him and his wife specific instructions on what to avoid during her pregnancy, and how to raise the child after birth.

Parents should not lean on their understanding when raising children. They should not try to raise the children God has committed into their care the way others are doing it, because He has customised instructions for raising every child. If you are a parent, ask God to show you how He wants you to raise His child(ren) in your custody. Furthermore, don’t be tempted to own the child(ren) God has put in your care. Always involve Him in your decisions concerning His child(ren), and He will help you to raise them to fulfil His purpose for their lives, in Jesus’ name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

In John 6:53, Jesus Christ said that only those who partake of His flesh and blood will have life in them. This implies that anyone who does not accept Him as his or her Lord and Saviour is as good as dead. Such people may seem to be alive, but really, there is no life in them, and it would be correct to refer to them as ‘the living dead’.

As we see in 1 Corinthians 11:24-26, Jesus Christ instituted the Lord’s Supper, also known as the Holy Communion, to illustrate the eating of His flesh and drinking of His blood. He shared bread and wine with His disciples that night, describing it as the new covenant in His blood. Partaking of the flesh and blood of Jesus gives us life as Christians, and this is why the Holy Communion is such a powerful meal.

The Lord Jesus also commanded His disciples to continue having the meal in remembrance of Him until His return. So, as often as we believers partake of the Holy Communion, we bring the sacrifice of our Lord and Saviour to remembrance. This has several benefits for us believers, one of which is that it helps us to keep Him before us at all times. This means that as a believer, when Christ is always before you, satan has no chance to attack you.

As we see in Psalmb16:8, David said that he had set the Lord always before him, and because He was at his right hand, he would not be moved. This was the confidence David had that nothing could shake him since the Lord was always before him. When you partake of the Holy Communion often and worthily, you will be secured from evil and surrounded by favour because the Lord will always be before you.

Apart from those who do not partake of the flesh and blood of Jesus, those who do so while wallowing in sin can also be referred to as the 'living dead’. This is because, as they partake of the Holy Communion, God is right before them, and they incur His wrath because they are living in sin. This can also make such persons sickly and even cost them their lives (1 Corinthians 11:29-30).

Beloved, don’t be among the ‘living dead’. Accept Jesus as your Lord and Saviour if you haven’t, stay away from sin, and always make the best of the privilege to sit at the Lord’s table as often as you can.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

I once spent the night in the house of a wealthy man, and he invited me to stay for breakfast. When I got to the dining table, I was presented with a variety of dishes to choose from. There were so many options that I became overwhelmed and began to long for the simplicity of the meals in my house.

Beloved, I have spent a little over 80 years in this world, and I have realised that it takes really simple things to truly enjoy life. It is good to be wealthy; however, if people make their material possessions the focus of their lives to the extent that even regular things in their lives become complicated, it can lead to depression.

In 1 Timothy 6:17-19, Paul urged Timothy to tell those who were rich in the church he was overseeing not to be high-minded but to be rich in good works. God doesn’t give people wealth so they can flaunt it; He blesses people with wealth so they can be good stewards of His resources. Any fellow who hoards what God has given him or her will not enjoy happiness because it is always more blessed to give than to receive (Acts 20:35). God wants His children to be rich in good works. He wants them to be like the women in Luke 8:2-3 who used their resources to minister to Jesus and advance His earthly ministry. The blessings that God has given to you should be used to bless others.

No matter how big your house is, you cannot sleep in all the rooms in it at the same time. No matter how rich you are, it will be foolish to wash your hands with oil instead of water because you will only be causing trouble for yourself. Life is simple; it should not be complicated in the process of trying to flaunt wealth. Many people have fallen into a state of depression because they allowed their wealth to distract them from the simplicity of life.

Beloved, the only way the wealth God blesses you with can truly make you happy is when you are rich in good works like feeding the poor, supporting missionaries on mission fields, building churches, and expanding God’s kingdom in whatever way you can. Therefore, rather than spending your money on the most expensive things you can get, use it to make an impact for God’s kingdom in the world.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Many years ago, a fellow believer said he wanted to change to another religion because he had observed that many of those who practise this other religion are very rich. I quickly made him realise that being wealthy is not a function of religion, nor is it an indication of godliness. Genesis 4:16-17 tells us that Cain built a city after he departed from the presence of the Lord. Building a city is a mighty feat; however, Cain was no longer dwelling in God’s presence when he built that city. Don’t be deceived into thinking that every green and flourishing branch is connected to the root, as some branches will remain green and seemingly healthy for a while even after they have been cut from the tree. Eventually, however, they will turn yellow and wither away.

It is true that God blesses His children with the power to make wealth (Deuteronomy 8:18); however, wealth in itself should never be used as a measure of godliness. God measures our godliness by our fruit (Matthew 7:16). When His children bear the right fruit, He blesses them, and one of the signs of His blessing is wealth, as seen in the life of Abraham, who was rich in cattle, silver, and gold (Genesis 13:2). Isaac was also a godly and prosperous person. The Bible says in Genesis 26:12-14 that he waxed richer and richer until he became exceedingly great and prosperous.

God wants you to be wealthy because He loves blessing His children with good gifts (Matthew 7:11). However, He doesn’t want you to measure your life by the abundance or scarcity of your material possessions (Luke 12:15). Money is a tool, and when God entrusts you with it, He wants you to be faithful with it. He wants you to be rich towards Him and use the treasures He has given you to bring glory to Him. In Luke 12:16-21 the rich fool didn’t understand that he was meant to be a good steward of his wealth. His life was cut short because he was not rich towards God and didn’t acknowledge Him as his source; rather, he decided to lay up treasures for himself.

Beloved, God places more value on your fellowship with Him and the state of your heart (1 Peter 3:4) than your material possessions or the amount of money in your bank account. Let your focus be on cultivating true prosperity, which is the prosperity of your soul (3 John 2), and not material things.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

In the 70s, when I became born again, it was widely believed among Christians that poverty is one of the criteria for being a true child of God. This belief was so strong that when someone gifted me a Mercedes- Benz, I parked it in my garage unused for months until the Lord told me I was hindering the blessings of the person who gave me the car by not using it. I was afraid that people would think I had backslidden if they saw me in such an expensive car. Because of what the Lord had said to me, I decided to drive the car just once, and I recall that I felt so ashamed that day. After that day, I said, “Lord, I have driven the car, can I sell it now?” He agreed, and I sold it. Not long after that, someone gave me a limousine with six doors. When I saw it, I said, “Lord, you know that even if they put my dead body in this car, it will jump out of it.” That is how much we thought that poverty was directly proportional to godliness in those days, and because of that, the devil cheated us. He raised people to take over companies and industries until Christians were at the mercy of evil people running different economies around the world.

There is nothing godly about poverty; it has sent many people to hell, just as riches have done. Poverty has made many youths decide never to follow the path of their Christian parents because of how badly they suffered while growing up. It has made the people of the world mock the Almighty God because they thought that Christians were dumb as a result of their devotion to God. In 2 Kings 4:1-7, one of Elisha’s proteges died in poverty and left an inheritance of debt for his family. If his wife had not run to Elisha and received the word of the Lord that turned their poverty to wealth, his two sons, who were facing a lifetime of slavery, could have grown up hating God even though their father was a godly man.

God is not poor (Haggai 2:, so poverty is not godliness. God gives his children power to make wealth (Deuteronomy 8:18), and it is His desire to prosper them even as their soul prospers (3 John 1:2). Beloved, reject poverty! It is not the will of God for your life.
Written by Pastor E.A Adeboye.

PRAYERS FOR YOUTHS

1. Father, I thank You for the youths around me. Thank You for making them strong, creative, and innovative. I am grateful for Your abundant grace towards them.

2. Father, please open the eyes of our youths’ understanding. Cause them to know the hope of their calling and Your great power that is at work in their lives, in Jesus’ name.

3. Lord, please keep the youths on the right path. Guide them with Your eyes and keep them from taking wrong turns and making wrong decisions, in Jesus’ name.

4. Father, please teach the youths to watch their mouths and guard their hearts. May they not ensnare themselves with the thoughts of their hearts and the words of their mouths in any way, in Jesus’ name.

5. Father, please teach the youths to honour You with their time, gifts, and positions. Help them see that every good and perfect gift they possess comes from You, in Jesus’ name.

6. Lord, please teach the youths how to trust completely in You. Teach them not to lean on their own understanding but acknowledge You in all their ways, in Jesus’ name.

7. Father, please bless the youths with good success. Hear their cries for help and meet them at the point of their needs, in Jesus’ name.

8. Father, please open great doors of opportunities for the youths, and help them to be adequately prepared when they come, in Jesus’ name.

9. Father, please let the mind that was in Christ Jesus be in all our youths and flood their paths with light, in Jesus’ name.

10. Lord, please cause every backslidden Christian youth to hear the voice of the Good Shepherd again and return home. Draw them back to You with Your lovingkindness and mercy, in Jesus’ name.

11. Father, please strengthen the youths so they can withstand the devil’s temptations. May they not be entangled in the devil’s web of addictions and immorality, in Jesus’ name.

12. Your personal prayer points for the youths.

Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

In December 2018, I went for the RCCG’s annual Let’s-Go-A-Fishing evangelism programme, as I usually do. The roads were bad, but I didn’t let that bother me because I was already used to travelling on bad roads. However, the roads were so bad that year that by the third day of the programme, my body broke down completely, and I had to spend Christmas Day in bed. When it was time to return to Redemption City, I was so weak physically that I couldn’t go by road. Therefore, arrangements were made for a helicopter to transport me. When the helicopter arrived, a crowd of people gathered around it, making it difficult for me to get on board. My protocol team managed to get me on board the helicopter; however, the crowd made it impossible for it to take off. They clung to the helicopter, and the situation became so charged that one of its windows broke. To God’s glory, I survived that encounter and returned home safely.

Sometimes, people who love you may think that they are acting in your best interests; however, their actions might be causing more harm to you than good. The people who gathered around the helicopter, as I narrated above, didn’t do so because they wanted to hurt me. They gathered because they love me, but they didn’t know that their actions might have seriously harmed me.

In 1 Samuel 17:26-31, Eliab was trying to protect David as every big brother would do. His younger brother had no combat training whatsoever, yet he was determined to challenge a seasoned warrior. If you were in Eliab’s shoes, you would also have done everything possible to prevent David from facing Goliath. However, even though he had good intentions, his actions might have prevented David from fulfilling his destiny.

Beloved, you must be careful to know when your loved ones are acting in a manner that would limit you from fulfilling God’s plan for your life. In Matthew 16:21-23, Peter, who had just declared that Jesus is the Son of God, started to rebuke the Master because He began to talk about His impending death. He obviously loved Jesus, yet he almost became a stumbling block to the Lord fulfilling His earthly assignment. I pray that God will help you discern whenever your loved ones’ actions are hindering His will for your life. May He give you the courage to refuse to allow their words and actions prevent you from doing His will, in Jesus’ name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Many Christians profess to be children of God; however, they still maintain really close friendships with unbelievers and are heavily influenced negatively by such relationships. They attend church regularly, but they have friends who want nothing to do with the Church. Christians such as this might hear God’s word regularly and even be involved in the various church activities; however, when they are in the midst of their friends, they never discuss the things of God with them. Eventually, their association with such friends becomes a thorn that chokes God’s word in their hearts.

2 Corinthians 6:14-17 admonishes us to be separate from the world because light has nothing to do with darkness. Believe me, it is easier for a fellow to be brought down than to be pulled up by another fellow. This means that it is easier for friends who are unbelievers to pull down a Christian than for the Christian to pull such friends up. This is why Paul advised Christians not to be unequally yoked with unbelievers.

Beloved, if you have friends who are worldly, you most likely will begin to care so much about worldly things, and James 4:4 tells us that friendship with the world is enmity with God. When your close friends always speak ill about God, the Church, and men of God, you will likely begin to mock the things of God. In 2 Timothy 4:10, Paul told us about a young man named Demas who was his companion on some of his missionary journeys but eventually forsook him and left the faith because he loved the world. When a fellow allows unholy friends to introduce little foxes like ungodly habits, unrighteous conversations, and immoral behaviour into his or her life, it will eventually ruin the fellow (Song of Solomon 2:15).

Are there wild desires or ungodly habits in your life that can be traced to your association with some of your friends? Break up with such desires and habits so that you won’t sow among thorns and miss out on God’s blessings or be pushed out of your purpose like Demas. Furthermore, dissociate yourself from unholy friends and begin to cultivate a more intimate relationship with God and other believers who can influence you positively and help strengthen your faith. I pray that the Almighty God will guide you to cultivate relationships with godly people that will influence you to be more committed to Him and strengthen you to fulfil His purpose for your life, in Jesus’ name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Many Christians profess that they are the light of the world, which is good because it is the mandate that Jesus gave his followers in Matthew 5:14. However, many of them have not even allowed the light of Christ to shine in their homes, nor have they preached the gospel of Christ to anyone around them. Do you know that if every Christian took it upon themselves to win their hometown to Christ, the whole world could have been saved by now?

When Jesus Christ stepped into my life, He not only used me to greatly extend the reach of His light in my village, Ifèwàrà, but He also used me to bring the name of my village to the world. Today, the people of Ifèwàrà are glad that Adeboye is from there because they are enjoying the benefits of the light of Christ. Believe me, the development of your hometown rests on your shoulders as a Christian because when you allow God’s light to shine there, the whole world will begin to take notice of the town. No one can ignore light.

When Jesus gave His disciples the mandate to go out and be witnesses to all nations, He told them to start from Jerusalem, then move to Judea and Samaria before taking over the uttermost parts of the earth (Acts 1:. God’s plan is always that we should start from our ‘Jerusalem’. Beloved, your Jerusalem is your family and immediate community. Tell your family members about Jesus. Preach to your neighbours. Let them see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. Your witnessing will not be effective if you want to start from the uttermost parts of the earth. In fact, God will not give you access to the ends of the earth until you have proven yourself faithful in your Jerusalem. He said that He will only commit more into the hands of the fellow who has been faithful in little (Luke 16:10). If you despise your little corner, God will not commit bigger territories into your hands.

Beloved, ask the Lord how you can be more faithful in your Jerusalem. Ask Him to show you how to shine His light before your immediate family effectively. Allow Him to teach you how to show the love of Christ to your neighbours and colleagues at work. May God shine His light through you to your family members, colleagues, members of your community, and the world at large, in Jesus’ name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Many people grow up dreaming of great things that they want to achieve. However, as they get older, if the circumstances of their lives do not seem to match what they had dreamed about, they tend to start giving up on their dreams. If someone reminds them about the dreams they once had, some of them might say, “Reality set in.” Child of God, there is no reality apart from the one you make for yourself. If you stop dreaming or working towards achieving your dreams, they may just never come to pass. However, with your faith in God, continue to dream, work towards achieving them, and you will eventually see them come to pass.

In Genesis 41:41-44, Joseph’s opportunity to rule, as he had seen in his dream, eventually came. Although his brothers tried to kill his dream (Genesis 37:18-20), and Potiphar’s wife also tried to destroy him (Genesis 39:1-20), God kept him and made him triumphant. When he was in prison, he could have said, “Reality has set in” and given up on his dreams. Rather, he continued to prepare himself by improving his administrative skills and gift of interpreting dreams. From his story, we can see that preparation is crucial in positioning you to achieve your dreams. If Joseph had been laid-back and had refused to prepare and develop himself, he would have missed a great opportunity to fulfil his dreams as he stood before Pharaoh. If all he had told Pharaoh was the interpretation of his dreams without the wise counsel on how to administer the resources of Egypt, perhaps he would have been returned to prison as a privileged prisoner.

Beloved, don’t just dream; develop the skills that are needed for your dreams to become a reality and also sharpen the skills you will need when they come to pass. You must also use your God-given gifts at every opportunity you get. Proverbs 18:16 says, “A man’s gift maketh room for him, and bringeth him before great men.“ Your gifts will give you the chance for your dreams to become a reality, and your skills will make you qualified to live those dreams. When opportunity meets preparation, destiny is sure to be fulfilled.

Beloved, do not despise your days of preparation because they will develop your character and enable you to achieve your dreams and stay relevant for a very long time. I pray that when that great opportunity you desire is around the corner, you will be prepared for it, in Jesus’ name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

In Matthew 21:13, Jesus stated that His house is to be called a house of prayer, not a den of thieves. Although He was talking about the physical temple at Jerusalem in that passage, you should note that it also applies to you because you are God’s temple (1 Corinthians 6:19). This means that God expects you to pray always. Christians who do not pray or who only pray occasionally create avenues for the enemy to attack and defile them.

As a Christian, God wants you to be a house of prayer; He wants you to pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17), James 5:17-18 tells us that Elijah prayed fervently for rain not to fall in Israel, and God answered his prayer. After 42 months of drought, he prayed fervently again that the rain should fall, and there was a heavy downpour (1 Kings 18:42-45). During the drought, Elijah prayed for a widow’s dead son to be restored to life, and God heard him (1 Kings 17:22). He was a man of consistent prayer, and he always received answers to his prayers. Those who prioritise prayer enjoy consistent answers to their prayers.

In Luke 18:1-8, Jesus told the parable of a widow who persistently disturbed an unrighteous judge until he responded to her. The reason Jesus told this parable was so that men would pray always and not faint (Luke 18:1). This tells us that when a fellow is not praying, he or she is already fainting. The widow’s persistence eventually paid off, as the judge responded to her and avenged her of her adversary. When you are consistent in praying, you are assured of answers to your prayers.

When a fellow prays consistently, he or she will not only receive answers to his or her prayers, but the person will be granted greater access to the secrets of God. Psalm 25:14 says, “The secret of the LORD is with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant.” Nobody shows a random visitor who visits his or her home the key to a hidden vault, but such a secret is typically revealed to intimate friends.

Every Christian must recognise that intimacy is cultivated in the place of prayer, and they must strive to become intimate with their heavenly Father. This is because the more you pray, the greater access you will have to God’s heart and secrets. Beloved, are you an intimate friend of God?
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Beloved, the joy of the Lord is your strength (Nehemiah 8:10), and this is one of the major reasons you should rejoice in Him always (Philippians 4:4). No matter your current situation, if you think deeply about all that God has done for you, you will realize that you have more than enough to be joyful about. For example, if you currently have financial challenges but realize that you are enjoying divine health, you won’t be under any medical restrictions on what you can or can’t eat. Many years ago, I had a friend who could only feed on milk because of a health condition. Yet, before he died, he had millions of dollars in his bank accounts.

As Christians, we have many blessings to rejoice over; however, we often take them for granted. You may not realize the value of breathing until you see someone struggling to breathe. Likewise, you may not see sleeping and waking up as a blessing until you hear stories of people who died in their sleep. You may currently be facing numerous challenges and difficulties, but there is always a reason to rejoice.

Isaiah 54:1 encourages those who are yet to bear fruit to rejoice. This is because it is with joy that a fellow can draw water out of the wells of salvation (Isaiah 12:3). When God wanted to answer Hannah’s prayer, He first ensured that her countenance was no longer sad (1 Samuel 1:18). Satan’s aim is to keep believers perpetually sorrowful, but when they choose to rejoice in the Lord always, they close the door to him.

In Habakkuk 3:18, the prophet said that he would rejoice in the Lord and joy in the God of his salvation. The Almighty God is the God of your salvation, meaning that you are assured of His salvation no matter what you face. This is another reason for you to rejoice in Him always. When you skip to the end of a movie and see that the main character is still alive, you will not be troubled if you go back to watch a scene where he or she is facing a near-death situation. Instead of getting worried, you will be at rest because you have seen the end of the movie.

Child of God, God has assured you in His word that your end is peace (Psalm 37:37). Never give in to fear or anxiety; rather, rejoice in the Lord always because with Christ in you, a glorious end awaits you (Colossians 1:27).
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The final soil type that Jesus described in His parable about the sower is what He called ‘Good ground’. The people whose hearts can be compared to good ground are those who hear God’s word, receive it, and act on it. This category of believers are fruitful to varying degrees.

In Matthew 13:8-9, 23, we see that not all the seeds in the good ground produced equal harvest. Some produced 30-fold, others 60-fold, while the rest produced 100-fold. I believe that the degree to which a fellow is separated from things that can hinder God’s word from growing in him or her is the same degree to which the word will bear fruit in his or her life.

2 Timothy 2:21 tells us that when a man purges himself from sin, he will become a purified, prepared, and useful vessel for the Master. Such a fellow will become a sanctified ground, bringing forth much more fruit. Beloved, are you a sanctified ground? Have you separated yourself from sins and lusts that harden your ground and make you unfruitful? 2 Timothy 2:22 urges you to flee youthful lust. This is because lust of any kind hinders fruitfulness.

When a fellow is in Christ, he or she will indeed be fruitful. With Jesus’ words in John 15:1-5, however, He paints a picture of how Christians can move from producing a 30-fold harvest to a 60-fold harvest, and ultimately, a 100-fold harvest. When you are simply a branch in God’s vine, you will produce a 30-fold harvest. When you take it a step further and allow God to purge and prune you, you will bear more fruit – a 60-fold harvest. Now, when you take the next step to abide in God and allow His word to abide in you richly, you will bear much fruit – a 100-fold harvest. The more intimate you become with Jesus, the more fruit you will bear, and God is most glorified when you bear much fruit (John 15:.

Beloved, you cannot become intimate with Jesus if you keep allowing sin in your life. If you are still living in sin, repent today and ask Him for a brand-new heart. Make up your mind to surrender completely to Jesus, because only those who allow God to have complete control of their hearts will be able to produce a 100-fold harvest. May your heart be a fertile ground for God’s word to yield a 100-fold harvest in your life, in Jesus’ name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The third kind of soil Jesus described in His parable about the Sower, is 'Thorny ground'. He compared this soil type to people who hear God’s word but are distracted by many things that prevent the word from bearing fruit in their lives. This type of people appears to love God’s word, but clearly not enough to change their ways or let go of some worldly pleasures. A male chorister in a church choir who serves God fervently but still fornicates is an example of someone with a thorny heart. Such people received the word of God at a point, but they did not allow it to change them.

Some Christians argue by asking questions like, “Where is it written in the Bible that drinking alcohol is a sin?” Some others even say that listening to worldly music is not a sin as long as they do not do what the lyrics of the songs say, or that gambling is not bad so long as the Bible doesn’t say so. Whenever I hear such statements, I know that they are coming from thorny hearts. They want to serve God, but they are unwilling to let go of worldly pleasures. If you find yourself trying to find loopholes through which you can serve God and still do some of the things unbelievers usually do, beware, that is a major symptom of a thorny heart.

Being God’s child is not about following rules and regulations; it is about being like Christ. When the Holy Spirit is truly dwelling in you, you will flee things that can hinder your relationship with God or cause unbelievers to blaspheme His name, whether they are clearly referred to as sins in the Bible or not. For instance, if a Christian man puts his hand around the waist of a woman who is not his wife, it can be argued that he didn’t break his vows to his wife, but it is clearly inappropriate. Also, such an action can make unbelievers speak against the faith.

Beloved, many people have lost their relationships with Christ because they do not want to change completely for Him. They want to do whatever they like and still hold on to Jesus. If you are living this way, you need to have a change of heart today because there will be no fruits to show from your walk with God. I pray that you will live a fruitful life as a Christian, in Jesus’ name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The second kind of soil Jesus described in His parable about the sower is ‘Stony places’. This soil type can be compared to people who receive the word of God with joy but turn their backs on it when they begin to encounter tough situations in their lives as a result of persecution.

Remember the word that I said unto you, the servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you…
John 15:20

In the Scripture above, Jesus said that His followers will be persecuted as He was also persecuted. Furthermore, Paul told Timothy in 2 Timothy 3:12 that every true follower of Christ will experience persecution in one form or another. Being persecuted is a painful experience, and believers are not immune to it. In fact, going through the fires of persecution helps Christians to grow in faith (1 Peter 1:6-7, James 1:2-3). Despite this, however, the devil manages to convince some believers that the pain they are experiencing as a result of persecution is proof that God is unfaithful and that He does not love them. The devil succeeds in doing this because such Christians have not grown in the knowledge of God through His word and are largely ignorant of His ways, character, and power. Thus, their foundation in faith is very weak, and they are easily swayed by the devil.

It is good to hear the word of God and even be excited by it. Beyond that, however, every believer has the responsibility to build themselves up spiritually (1 Corinthians 3:9-1 0), and one of the ways to do this is by increasing their knowledge of God through His word. There is a popular saying that ignorance is bliss, but this is not true for a believer. Being in a state of ignorance about the word of God and making no efforts to build yourself up spiritually is very dangerous because it can lead to destruction (Hosea 4:6).

Beloved, do not allow yourself to fall victim to the wiles of the devil and be destroyed by him. Don’t just listen to the word of God from various ministers and get excited by it or be a believer who only opens the Bible on Sundays. Rather, be like the Bereans who took responsibility for knowing God by themselves (Acts 17:10-11). I pray that as you sow the seeds of the word of God daily into your heart, you will reap bountiful fruits of His goodness and mercy, in Jesus’ name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The first type of soil that Jesus mentioned in the Parable of the Sower is ‘The way side’, as we see in Matthew 13:3-4. This soil type refers to people who hear God’s word but do not understand it or act upon it. This category of people do not study their Bibles, and even when they do, they don’t ask their pastors or Bible Study teachers any questions. They never seek to understand God’s word; they only hear His word and move on with their lives. Many of the people in this category are ceremonial churchgoers; they are often raised in Christian homes, so it is normal for them to attend church on Sundays. I was once this type of Christian. I thought that my father, being a church volunteer, and my name being Enoch, was proof that I was a child of God. I heard God’s word several times, but I never studied it. I thank God that He gave me a new heart when I surrendered my life to Jesus Christ.

Beloved, are you the same way I was? Are you only reading this devotional because it is the norm in your church, family, or office to do so? Do you ever dig deeper to understand what is discussed? When you study your Bible, do you get bored after reading the second or third verse? If you answered “Yes” to these questions, you need to ask God for a new heart; a heart that yearns to know Him more. Ask God to give you a heart that finds His word interesting and loves to spend time in His presence. Most importantly, ensure that you take some time every day to study your Bible. You can start by reading a bit further on the topics discussed in this devotional each day, or using the Bible-in-one-year passages. You may not understand much when you begin doing these things, but as you remain consistent and ask God to help you, the Holy Spirit will start explaining the Scriptures to you, and soon, your heart will begin to soak in God’s word and yield great fruit.

The best thing you can do for yourself is to seek to understand God’s word more each day. When you make this your priority, you will begin to experience His peace and favour in ways you have never done before. I pray that your life will indeed be a bountiful harvest of God’s goodness, in Jesus’ name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

According to 2 Corinthians 5:17, when a fellow becomes born again, he or she immediately becomes a new creature. In Ezekiel 36:26, God said that He will take away our stony heart and replace it with a heart of flesh. When people give their lives to Jesus Christ, they exchange their stony hearts for hearts of flesh. However, despite this, the world is plagued with many people who claim to be believers, but whose hearts appear not to be different from those of unbelievers.

Sadly, some people who serve as ministers of God also still appear to have hearts like unbelievers. Some of them go as far as not forgiving fellow ministers who have offended them. This is wrong, and it was not so at the inception of the Church. The Bible says that the Church was in one accord (Acts 1:14), and believers were called Christians because they were Christ-like (Acts 11:26). Unfortunately, however, you might find some self-professing Christians today accepting bribes or dancing in nightclubs because they still have stony hearts.

From the Parable of the Sower in Matthew 13:1-23, it is very clear that there was nothing wrong with the seeds that were sown. The seeds, which Jesus revealed to be the word of God, were potent, as God’s word is always potent. However, despite the potency of the seeds, only a fraction of them yielded a harvest. The reason some of the seeds did not bear fruit was the ground on which they fell, and as Jesus explained, the heart of a fellow in which the word of God is sown is the major determinant of whether the word will bear fruit in his or her life or not.

Beloved, if you are living in sin, or if you allow the circumstances around you to determine how you receive the word of God and how it will operate in you, then you have a stony heart, and God’s word will not bear fruit in you. For His word to bear fruit in you, you must repent of any sin that might exist in your life and cry out to Him to wash you clean, transform you, and give you a heart of flesh. God will answer you and make your heart a fertile ground for His word to grow. I pray that you will continually experience the blessings in God’s word as you surrender your life completely to Him, in Jesus’ name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

A man once swallowed a charm that was supposed to make him wealthy, but he remained poor. On top of that, he was told that he would die after seven years because of the charm he had swallowed. When he had just about two weeks left to live and was already staring death in its face, he ran to the RCCG. When he told us his ordeal, we told him that our God is the Great Deliverer. He gave his life to Christ, and when we said a simple prayer for him, he vomited what he had swallowed. He remained consistent in church for two weeks, rejoicing because of what the Lord had done for him. Then, suddenly, he stopped coming. When we went to check on him, he said, “The herbalist who made the charm for me told me that I swallowed it wrongly:” He swallowed another one, and this time, he became very wealthy. The herbalist told him he would live only for seven years to enjoy the wealth, and when the time was about to elapse, he suddenly had a ‘brilliant idea.’ He decided to relocate to London as he felt that demons could only operate in Africa. Sadly, however, he died on the plane.

My Father in the Lord, Pa Josiah Akindayomi, used to say, “Your father will take care of you with whatever he has. If he has evil, he will use it to take care of you, and if he has good, that is what you will get from him.” The devil doesn’t have anything good in him; if you go to him for anything, be sure that whatever he gives you will be evil. Jesus, however, is the Good Shepherd; whatever comes from Him is always good.

According to Psalm 37:3-7, trusting and depending on God is your access to His goodness. Those who trust in Jesus will receive the power to become sons of God (John 1:12). They will have authority over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means harm them (Luke 10:19). No weapon that is fashioned by the devil against them will prosper (Isaiah 54:17), and they will eat the good of the land (Isaiah 1:19).

Beloved, do you depend only on the Good Shepherd? Those who depend on Him are like Mount Zion; regardless of the situation around them, they cannot be shaken (Psalm 125:1). Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart (Psalm 37:4).
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

God is unlimited by time, and as such, He doesn’t grow old. In Daniel 7:9-10, He is referred to as the Ancient of Days. He existed before the beginning of time and created time in itself. As He doesn’t age, it means that His strength never diminishes.

Isaiah 40:28-31 tells us that God is never tired. A young man can wake up in the morning feeling refreshed and strong, but he will be tired by the end of the day and will need to sleep. God, however, can never become tired. In fact, He never sleeps nor slumbers (Psalm 121:4). As the Ageless God, He is eternally new, and His mercies are new every morning (Lamentations 3:23). By His mercies, He can strengthen the weary, bring seemingly dead situations back to life, and restore lost opportunities.

In Luke 1:6-7, 57-58, we see the Ageless God at work in the lives of Zachariah and Elisabeth. The couple were well stricken in years and had no hope that they could ever have a child again. When the Ageless One stepped into their case, however, He made their old bodies become new. Elisabeth received vitality and strength in her womb, and she became pregnant. No matter how old a thing is, when the Ageless One steps into it, He can make it as good as new. He did it for Sarah when He caused her womb, which was as good as dead (Romans 4:19), to bring forth a child. If you feel like you cannot be successful because you missed an opportunity in the past, or that you are too old to be fruitful, I pray in the name of Jesus that the Ageless One will visit you today. He will give you a new lease of life and cause you to be fruitful.

Caleb also experienced the ageless power of the Ageless God. At 80 years old, his strength remained as it had been when he was 40 and was sent to spy on the land of Canaan. An 80-year-old man asked for a mountain because his strength had been preserved (Joshua 14:6-12). Those who wait on the Lord will renew their strength, regardless of how aged they may be.

Beloved, if there is any area in your life where you feel like your strength has been depleted or you cannot bear fruit again, I pray that the Ageless God will renew your vitality and cause you to do the impossible, in Jesus’ name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.