₦airaland Forum

It is most surprising that the children of fervent Christians of the outgoing generation appear to be missing in action today. Typically, if a Christian couple had three children for example, the next generation should therefore have at least three people standing for God, but this is clearly not so. Now we have worldly musicians whose parents are leaders in the Church. The devil may be working hard to make the world a corrupt place, but a lot of Christian parents seem to be helping him get the job done faster. How can Christian parents dress their children in revealing clothes? Everything you introduce your children now will be normal to them as they grow. If you are already dressing your daughter in revealing clothes now that she is little, she would most likely wear even more provocative ones when she is a teenager.

If you are a child of God, you must make sure that your children emulate you in the things you do, the way you talk and even the things you love. You instill this in them by showing them what is right and what is wrong as they grow up. Some parents go to Church and leave their children at home, claiming that they don’t want to force them to serve God; they want them to grow up to love God by themselves. I pity them because they are just giving the devil a free hand with their children. Do you let the child decide if he wants to go to school or not? God said about Abraham in Genesis 18:19:
“For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD…”

Can God say the same thing about you? Before you evangelise to the unbelievers outside, are you sure that there is no unbeliever in your home? Watch what they wear, what they say, who their friends are. Teach them to read their Bible and to pray. When you teach your children to live godly lives, you will have rest in your old age because the Holy Spirit in them will not allow them to misbehave. If you have a child who is already going wayward, I pray that he/she would encounter Christ and change for the better in the mighty name of Jesus.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

God wants His children to be aware of the several roadblocks on their journey to the promised land. Chief among these is the devil. He puts obstacles in our path so we can reject the ways of the Lord (1st Peter 5:7-9). He uses sin as a weapon of destruction knowing fully well that no unclean thing shall enter into the Kingdom of God (Revelation 21:27).

Seeing these obvious threats to the success of our pilgrimage, God always provides an escapes route for us (1st Corinthians 10:13)

In 1 John 3:4-10, John describes sin as a transgression of the law. It is definitely not a Christian virtue. As a matter of fact, sinners belong to the devil because he has been sinning from the beginning (1st John 3:.

The whole duty of Satan is to lure people into disobedience against God, thus truncating their journey to eternal life. He told Adam and Eve that eating the forbidding fruit would not affect their relationship with God. Eventually, they were sent from the blissful garden of Eden (Genesis 3). Today, he has introduced the concept of ‘non-essentials’ to the Christian faith. For instance, the devil convinces people that a sip of alcohol once in a while does not matter; and that premarital sex is not bad as long as the couple would eventually marry each other, without regard for Hebrews 13:4! What about lies? Many ‘Christians’ now lie with impunity and it is termed ‘white’ lies. These are very little foxes that destroy the vine of faith. This is a timely warning for Christian pilgrims to guard against seemingly insignificant habits that can exclude one from the hope of eternal life.

May the Lord grant us the grace to run with patience the race that is set before us.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

John 13:17 makes us know clearly that we can influence our happiness. We can also deduce that knowledge is a requirement for happiness and this knowledge is from God.

“If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him… Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.”
James 1:5, 17

Getting knowledge too is a choice. There are people who have refused education despite so much persuasion. Most of such people end up as failures and become unhappy for the rest of their lives. It was however their choice. Likewise, some people deliberately follow other gods and this too could be a source of sorrow (Psalm 16:4). As temporal as wealth is when compared with spiritual and eternal blessings, lack of it may cause unhappiness. Even the Bible says “The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender” (Proverbs 22:7)

How can you become happy and remain so? Beloved, it is not enough to have knowledge; we must learn to do (John 13:17).

In John 13:13-17, Jesus taught His disciples a secret of happiness – service to God and humanity. When you serve God and make Him the Lord over all your affairs, you will be happy (Psalm 144:15)

You would also be happy if you know how to get out of poverty in a Godly manner. Act according to Malachi 3:10 which commands us to pay our tithes so windows of heavenly blessings can be open upon the works of your hands.

Beloved, I encourage you to choose happiness today. Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God and the Saviour of the world is the only way to true happiness and eternal life (John 3:16-18).
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

A father has tremendous power over the life and destiny of his child. Any wise child will always seek to get the blessings of his father, whether biological or spiritual.

One day I had just returned from a journey with a big bag in each hand when two of my children-in-the-Lord came to welcome me. The one who got to me first just offered a greeting while the other took the bags from me immediately. I turned to the one who took the bags and said “God bless you”. The other said “Daddy, you did not say ‘God bless you’ to me.” I replied “You saw me carrying the bags, but you didn’t help.” If you want your father to bless you, provoke him to do so.

The father’s blessing is irreversible. In our memory verse, when Isaac realised that he had blessed Jacob instead of Esau, even he could not reverse it. Once your father blessed you, you are blessed forever.

Blessing can come from the soul, heart and mouth. Jacob asked Esau to make him a delicacy so he could bless him from the soul (Genesis 27:1-7). A father can bless three of his children, but one would still be greater than the rest because of the father’s special love for him. How much does your father love you? Proverb 10:1 says:
“A wise son maketh a glad father: but a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother.”

Is your father usually encouraged to pray for you or are you a child who provokes him to anger regularly? Some people hardly send money to their old parents; some hardly call them talk less of going to visit them. Treasure them. Whatever you do, ensure that you get as many blessings as possible from your father before he dies.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Are you aware that your strength can remain intact even as you grow old? According to Deuteronomy 34:7, Moses was One hundred and twenty years old, yet had 20/20 vision and was not weak.

Isaiah 65:20 says a young child will die at the age of one hundred years. Just imagine that if in the church when we say “We lost a child” we are talking of someone aged One hundred years. That is the promise of God. Joshua 14:10, 11 says:
“…and now, lo, I am this day fourscore and five years old. As yet I am as strong this day as I was in the day that Moses sent me: as my strength was then, even so is my strength now, for war, both to go out, and to come in.”

In the verse above, Caleb said, at eighty-five he was still as strong as he was at forty. He could still fight battles! Compare your age to that of his and see if it is normal to feel weak. God will renew your youth like the eagle’s in the mighty name of Jesus (Psalm 103:5)!

No matter your age, sickness has no place in your body because it is still the temple of God (1st Corinthians 6:19). The devil has deceived many of us with the idea that certain sicknesses are typical for old people. It is a big lie. My Bible tells me that I am healed by the stripes of Jesus. It didn’t say I will enjoy the healing when I am fifty. It will work for me all through life. So, I decree: no sickness can stay in your body in the mighty name of Jesus.

Now, with age come wisdom and discipline – wisdom to eat only what is right and discipline to stay away from eating anything that would hurt you. As an adult with experience, the effects of diabetes you have seen should keep you from consuming sugar. You should have seen people die of cancer so much so that you know consuming organic food is better than processed ones with chemicals in them.

If you are faithful in playing your part to stay healthy, just leave the rest to God. He is faithful to keep you strong.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Generally, ignorance kills. It is however even more lethal when people do not know God. Such people could fall into the hands of God just as Nebuchadnezzar did (Daniel 4:33).

Pharaoh was reluctant to free the Israelites because he was ignorant of God’s power (Exodus 5:2), yet that was not enough to excuse him and his kingdom from God’s judgment. God will never accept ignorance as an excuse for disobedience to His will.

Knowledge however, is power, more so the knowledge of the Most High God. It is the ultimate power.

How do we know God to the extent that we can draw maximum benefits from Him? How do we avoid walking contrary to His will?

God is the source of both temporal and eternal blessings. To know Him, you must first know Jesus. Matthew 11:27 says:
"All things are delivered unto me of my Father; and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomever the Son will reveal him.”

Knowing Jesus Christ is knowing the mind of God and those who know their God shall be strong and do exploits (Daniel 11:32). No wonder Paul prayed passionately to know Jesus intimately (Philippians 3:10)

When we look at Paul’s prayer, we may understand why he did great exploits in the ministry. To achieve the same kind of result in our Christian walk, we also must be knowledgeable in the word of God. Search the Scriptures daily to know Jesus Christ the more (John 5:39), His mission before (Matthew 1:21), during (John 14:6) and after His earthly ministry (Revelation 22:12).
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

“It is finished” was the very last statement that Jesus Christ uttered on the cross at Calvary, just before He died. There was a build-up of events, both physically and spiritually, which culminated in the solemn moment that produced that statement. It started in the garden of Eden when God created human beings in His own image as His personal object of love, and began to have a most intimate fellowship with them. Satan then played a trick on humanity by tempting them to sin against God, thereby severing the beautiful relationship between God and man. Therefore, God warned that the battle was far from being over. Genesis 3:15 says:
“And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.”

God put hostility between the seed of the woman and that of the devil. Without any doubt, Jesus Christ is the seed of the woman. He was the only human being ever to be born into this world without the input of a man as it was the Holy Spirit the brought about His conception. Theologically speaking, it is believed that God in His infinite wisdom carefully coded the plans of redemption into Genesis 3:15. This code remained hidden to the devil until the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Jesus was however, fully aware of this divine plan to save mankind; thus, in John 19:30, He triumphantly cried with a loud voice “it is finished!” as a declaration of victory over the devil and his agents. Anyone who wishes to be part of that victory must accept Jesus as his/her personal Lord and Saviour.

This acceptance must however not be in verbal confession only but in all our actions as well. I pray that the devil’s reign of terror over your life and family will come to an end today, in the mighty name of Jesus. Jesus already won the battle and indeed, it is finished!
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

God uses miracles in so many ways. Today, we will see how faith and miracles could be tools for soul-winning.

A miracle is an effective weapon that destroys doubts and draws men to God. While it is not the only means of winning souls, it plays a vital role in boosting the faith of man in God. Even Jesus admitted this in John 11:42.

In Acts 4:4, after five thousand souls were won due to the healing of the lame man, the angry religious leaders arrested the Apostles and questioned them on whose authority they performed miracles. Peter mentioned Jesus – whom the Jewish leaders killed on the cross, as their source. Though the leaders were annoyed, they could not deny their reality of the miracles.

“Saying, what shall we do to these men? for that indeed a notable miracle hath been done by them is manifest to all them that dwell in Jerusalem; and we cannot deny it.”
Acts 4:16

So as to limit the spread of the gospel, these leaders warned the Apostles not to preach in the name of Jesus again. However, they did something significant on getting to their brethren – they lifted up their voices to God in one accord and prayed.

They prayed for the ability to perform even more miracles that would permanently shut the mouth of their persecutors and at the same time convince people of the truth they were preaching (Acts 4:29-30). That was profound!

From the example of the Apostles, we can conclude that any Church that denies the reality and necessity of the working of miracles should be questioned. The early Church built their mandate to preach on the signs, wonders and miracle-working gift of the Holy Spirit. God is still seeking vessels He can perform signs and wonders through today (John 14:12). Are you available?
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The survival of Christianity is threatened if we refuse to raise our children the godly way. If that happens. We would have failed as parents.
“Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.”
Proverbs 22:15

It is important that we train children in the way of the Lord because whatever they learn early in life tends to remain with them for a long time, if not forever. This means that children will grow with knowledge, ignorance or half-truths. What do you want them to grow with?

To have a future generation of true Christians, we must deliberately teach our children what God requires of them because soon, leadership will rest on their shoulders.
What does God require of His children?
1. Reverence and obedience: Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 says the duty of man is to fear God and obey Him. we must teach the coming generation the fear of God which is the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 1:7). They must get wisdom.
2. Work: 2nd Thessalonians 3:10 says whatsoever will not work should not eat. Tell them eating the food of idleness is not a mark of a Christian.
3. Trust: Human efforts shall fail (Psalm 127:1), hence, they should be taught to depend solely on God.
4. Holiness: Without holiness, no man shall see the Lord (Hebrews 12:14). We must prepare them to be pure brides.
5. Love: Charity is the greatest of virtues (1st Corinthians 13:13). Teach them to love like Christ, not just in words, but in deed and in truth (1st John 3:18).
6. Give: If they love like Christ, they should also learn to give to God’s work and to the needy (Proverbs 11:25).
7. Evangelism: Teach them to win souls. Proverbs 11:30 says that soul-winners are wise.

If we are faithful – as a Church and as parents, God will be pleased and a future generation of genuine Christians will be guaranteed.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

“Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is.”
Mark 13:33
Jesus is coming soon and although no one knows exactly when (Mark 13:32-33), we know some significant occurrences will mark the end of this age (2nd Timothy 3:1-3). Some of them are already happening and this is why we must watch out for:

. Backsliding: Many men of God are parting from the faith. Even some Christian denominations that started on a Bible-based foundation have derailed. They are succumbing to the pressure from the ‘digital’ world. While about a hundred years ago, it would have been unthinkable for any church to debate whether homosexuality should be considered, today it is a bone of contention. Seduction, fornication, adultery, divorce and other abominable practices are now commonplace not only in vestries but also on the altars. Watch and determine not to look back.
. Wiles of the devil: According to 1st Peter 5:8, the devil is cunning and he wants to deceive unsuspecting and careless believers. He keeps telling the Church, “its is not too bad”; but what is not too bad is still bad. Watch and don’t fall for the trap.
. Temptation: There will be temptations and we have to watch and pray to avoid them (Matthew 26:41) While the spirit is willing, the flesh is weak. You must be armed with the word because it is the sword of the Spirit (Ephesians 6:17).
. False teachers: Not all teachers and prophets who call the name of Christ are genuine (Acts 20:29-30). Watch out as hypocrites have crept into the Church like Simon the sorcerer in Acts 8:13-21.
. The second coming of the Lord: This is the most important of all. 1st Thessalonians 5:6-8 admonishes us not to sleep. Like the wise virgins, we must be awake and prepared.


Perilous times are here; watch, so you will not be a victim of the dangers of the end time.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

“So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”
Romans 10:17

I cannot overstate the importance of the word of God in the life of a believer. Romans 10:14-17 emphasizes this and also reveals the need of preachers in the world today. We need witnesses so faith of people can be built on the sure foundation of the word of God.

Today, while some preachers minister as oracle of God; others do so as orators – teaching human philosophy and traditions of men. Paul warned against this in 1st Timothy 1:4-7 and Titus 1:14. 2 Timothy 2:19 tells us clearly why we must be careful of any teaching that does not warn against sin. Such is not from God.

Living by this foundation keeps you from sin. Matthew 7:21-27 has many lessons for us.
· First, it is wisdom to walk according to the word of God. Some people will say the Bible is too old to offer solutions to the present world issues but what did Jesus say concerning the word of God? He said “For verily, I say unto you, till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled” (Matthew 5:18).

· There will be trials and persecutions against your faith. However, God’s word is a sure anchor. Jesus assures that a house built on the sure foundation of the word of God shall stand.

· It is foolishness to equate the word of man with the word of God. The word of man has no sure foundation; therefore, any house built on human philosophy will crumble in the face of a storm.

Beloved, are you building your house of faith on the solid and infallible word of God or on the sandy soil of the ideology of man? Think about it now and take a decision to walk only by God’s word.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

I believe everyone desire all-round success but do we all know the condition required to get it?
“But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.”
Psalm 1:2-3

According to the text above, the condition for complete success is living by the book of law – the word of God. This is why God asked Joshua to get acquainted with it (Joshua 1:. Today, it is painful that many ‘children of God’ have abused grace so much that the law of God does not matter to them anymore. This is a deception of the devil.

To succeed, you must be wise because foolishness leads to failure (Proverb 14:24). If you would be wise, you must be Bible-compliant (2nd Timothy 3:16). There is no negotiation; God’s word is the surest way to all-round success. James 1:25 says “But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.”

It was through the word of God in Malachi 3:10 that I discovered why my salary was not enough for me – I was not paying my tithe. It was the word of God that taught me to take care of my flock as a Pastor. For many years as the General Overseer I had to stay at the Headquarters, building the source before launching into other parts of the world. Even now, the word of God teaches me that it not over until it is over. The secrets of all-round success are inexhaustible in the word of God.

Beloved, read, study, meditate, hear and live by the word of God and from now, you will begin to experience all-round success.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.”
1st Peter 3:7

It is not God’s will for His children to do so well across many areas of life and then fail in their marriage. He wants us all to have successful Christian homes. Today, we shall look at the secrets of making your marriage heaven on earth.

Firstly, the couple must respect each other’s opinion even in controversial matters. Nobody has a monopoly on wisdom; hence they must be able to counsel each other. A man should never feel that his wife cannot give godly counsel. What is deficient in the husband may abound in the wife and vice versa.

Secondly, the wife must submit to the lordship of her husband. Some women have been misled by modern concepts to think submission is stupidity or slavery; this is not true. Obedience to God’s word – no matter how illogical, brings success in life, including marriage. Years ago, one of my daughter-in-Christs came in for counselling because of cracks in her marriage. I realised she was arrogant, and the Lord asked me to tell her to be submissive to her husband. She disagreed, saying she was just as educated as he. When the crisis in her home persisted and I would offer no alternative, she complied and peace returned.

Thirdly, the husband must love his wife unconditionally. Don’t love her because of what you can gain from her; rather, love her selflessly as Jesus loves the Church. This is the only way to guarantee success in marriage (Ephesians 5:25). Jesus loves us with all our imperfections and is still working to perfect the saints for the last day.

With the foundational truths and other lessons the Holy Spirit will teach as we study the word of God on marriage, every believing couple can rest assured of a home that is heaven on earth.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

In John 3:5, Nicodemus did not ask Jesus to tell him how he could enter the Kingdom of God; he merely praised Him. However, Jesus knew that Nicodemus needed to be shown, like us all, how to get to Heaven, so He said “... verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.”

Jesus knew that any praise that would lead to the Kingdom of God must be packaged in the garment of salvation. He once told His audience.
“Not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.”
Matthew 7:21

Beloved, have you been blown away by the recent wind of liberalism? Have you been engaging in endless arguments on what is or what is not true about the Kingdom of God and the hope of eternal life? It will do you no good.

Some argue that being born again may not be immediately evident – forgetting that the Bible says “by their fruits ye shall know them” (Matthew 7:20). This confirm that being born again has to be evident.

Jesus queried in Luke 6:46: “And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?” Our citizenship in the kingdom of Heaven is based on obedience to the Kingdom ‘constitution’ – the Bible. Anyone who says the Bible is outdated is obviously no longer a citizen of the Kingdom.

1st John 3:7 says he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as He is righteous. Hence, answering Biblical names or ministerial titles are not requirements for being a Kingdom citizen, rather, regeneration and a new life of holiness in Christ are.

Are you a citizen of the kingdom of God?
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

In Daniel 2:1-19, King Nebuchadnezzar had a dream he couldn’t remember let alone interpret. So, he sought help from the wise men in his kingdom and set a death penalty for any who failed among them (Daniel 2:1-19)

When Daniel heard about the decree of the king, he wondered why he was so hasty to destroy the ‘think-tank’ of the land. Jesus said in John 10:10 “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy…” All the hasty plans of the devil concerning you and yours shall be destroyed today by divine intervention in the mighty name of Jesus.

Daniel and his companions were faced with an insurmountable challenge humanly speaking but Daniel got a vision that resolved the predicament (Daniel 2:19). All we need to avert a looming disaster is a vision from God. Prevention is so much better than cure.

How do we become visionary children of God?

“That they would desire mercies of God of heaven concerning this secret; that Daniel and his fellows should not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.”
Daniel 2:18

If we must get the vision like Daniel and his friends, we must pay the price of waiting upon the Lord according to His promise.

“Tell them therefore, Thus saith the Lord God; I will make this proverb to cease, and they shall no more use it as a proverb in Israel; but say unto them, The days are at hand, and the effect of every vision.”
Ezekiel 12:23

Beloved surrender all to God and He will surely make His words come to pass in your life. Faithfully and patiently wait on Him and you will become a man or woman of vision. With Godly vision, your destiny is secure and shall be fulfilled in the mighty name of Jesus.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Many Christians are impatient with God for the manifestation of His promises, forgetting that there are some necessary steps required of them as we have observed from the scriptures.

· Pray: Daniel, a visionary prophet prayed for the fulfilment of God’s promises – the return from the captivity of Israel (Daniel 10:1-14).
· Wait: Habakkuk 2:3 says what our attitude towards God-given prophecies should be: “…though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.” We must learn to wait patiently.
· Believe: Even if visions and prophecies delay, we must continue to believe because such a delay does not necessarily mean it is false. Daniel 10:1 say “… and the thing was true, but the time appointed was long.”

Never be in a hurry to grab the pleasant promises of God. Faith is required for the fulfilment of His promises. Hebrews 11:11 says:
“Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judge him faithful who had promised.”

Whatever promise you are waiting for, don’t get so carried away that you miss the benefits the vision carries. You must know the timing of the fulfilment of the vision and when to act upon it.

As a young Bible College graduate, you may have seen a very large congregation in a vision even while in training. You need to ask God what to do, how to do it and when the fulfilment shall come. When a person has not won a seat at the local council and God shows him a vision of becoming a governor, it does not mean the vision is false. The person just needs to locate the time of its fulfilment and patiently work towards it. It took Joseph decades to experience the fulfilment of His dreams.

The vision is for an appointed time; wait for it. Its fulfilment will not elude you, in the mighty name of Jesus.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

If a Christian is visionary, his/her pilgrimage on earth becomes bearable. It is a clear vision of heaven that will make a child of God see nothing enticing in the present world as compared to the anticipated eternal bliss.

“Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.”
Proverbs 29:18

From the verse above, we can infer that the lack of vision about the reality of hell is what makes people carefree about the coming judgement on the ungodly. If God were to show a person a vision of heaven as Jesus described in Matthew 13:44-46, he/she would do everything possible to get there.

In Habakkuk 2:1-4, the prophet was eager to get divine vision and take instruction even if it required reproof. Fortunately, it was for his good and for those who would read it with understanding. It ended up as a warning against pride (which lead to destruction) and words of encouragement towards faith (which brings justification).

According to Psalm 53:1, it is only a fool that says there is no God. It is pride that makes an individual think that he knows better than God. Psalm 53:2 says it takes a visionary individual to seek God, especially in times like these, when everything seems to be against godliness.

It was a divine vision that ensured Noah and his household were saved from the flood (Hebrews 11:7). It is the same vision that will keep any Christian focused on holiness without which no man shall see the Lord (Hebrews 12:14)

With a divine vision, we can catch a glimpse of our eternal home like John did in Revelation 21:1-7. If you submit yourself to God, you too would see divinely inspired visions.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

It is quite sad that many people honour their Fathers but have little or no respect for their mothers. People tend to disrespect their mothers because they are soft and readily accessible, whereas the fathers are tough and usually unavailable. It is however foolish not to honour your mother. Ephesians 6:2 does not only say you should honour your father so you can live long, it asks you to honour your mother too. If you only honour your father and not your mother, then you are toying with untimely death. Mothers labour greatly over their children, so can you imagine how they feel when you esteem them lightly?

According to Proverbs 15:20, the Bible puts the man who says that there is no God in the same category as the man who despises his mother – they are both fools. This is how grievous it is to despise your mother. If your mother is happy with you, you are already in for a great life. Moses’ mother arrange for him to be raised in the Palace and it was there that he got on the path to greatness. Many people have missed their greatness because they despised their mothers and her advice.

“My son, keep thy father’s commandment, and forsake not the law of thy mother:”
proverbs 6:20

Your mother has a very important role to play in your journey to greatness; you must never despise her! I am where I am today because of the prayers of my mother. Whenever I did something to please her, I recall she would say whenever I call on one, many would respond to me. Those prayers have manifested in my life today.

As powerful as Jesus was, He never despised His mother. He performed a miracle at His mother’s request, even though His time of manifestation was not yet fully come (John 2:3-12), simply because He could not disobey her. Can your mother say the same about you?
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

God loves increase. In His first blessing on mankind, He asked man to multiply and be fruitful (Genesis 1:28). If anything, this means stagnation is never a part of God’s plan for you.

“Let us go, we pray thee, unto Jordan, and take thence every man a beam, and let us make us a place there, where we may dwell. And he answered, Go ye.”
2nd Kings 6:2

As with Elisha in 2nd Kings 6:1-4, my spiritual children in the RCCG usually seek my permission for the execution of one project or the other. To the glory of God, I support and encourage them. What lessons can we learn from this?

.The vision of expansion is not a burden of the leader alone. From 2 Kings 6:1-4, we see that the expansion idea was initiated by the sons of the prophet.
.Elisha’s ‘sons’ did not only propose the expansion they were also actively involved. Expansion requires commitment for it to be achieved.
.The sons recognised authority. They knew the implications of not involving their master. Imagine what would have happened when they lost the axe-head in the river Jordan if they hadn’t involved their master earlier. Today, some subordinates sideline their superiors because of self-glory or material gains only for them to fail.
.As a leader, do not kill the vision of your followers. Like Elisha, encourage them.
.Elisha was a servant-leader. Despite his position, he went to the field with his spiritual sons. Even when the axe-head was lost, he did not upbraid any of them; he just asked questions, performed a miracle and the project was a success (2nd Kings 6:6). We should emulate him.

From now, as you follow the Lord and obey His word, He will grant you great success in every project you embark upon in the mighty name of Jesus.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

One would think that the lame man at the Beautiful Gate (Acts 3) would ask that his ankles be strengthened; instead, he asked the Apostles for alms. Many of us are like this lame man; we do not know exactly what we need.

In Mark 10:51, Jesus asked the blind man crying after Him what he wanted. The question may appear needless as there should be only one pressing need for a blind man. Yet, if you look at the lame man in Act 3, you would understand the importance of the question. That is why God is asking you today: “What do you need? Do you really know?”

Elijah asked Elisha in 2nd Kings 2:9-10 for what he needed. The latter did not waste time as he quickly asked for the double portion of his master’s anointing. He knew what he wanted, did as his master required and got his blessing.

Many years ago, a mighty man of God offered us – participants at an international conference in the United States – an opportunity to ask for what we needed for our ministries. While some asked for books, tracts and financial assistance, I asked Him to lay his anointed hands on me for the work of the ministry. He was surprised but impressed about my specific and uncommon request; he did so, prayed for me and today, you are a living testimony of God’s faithfulness in our ministry.

“But seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”
Matthew 6:33

As a child of God, it is better for you to go after the Giver of gifts than the gifts themselves. This is the most needful pursuit of your life – the Kingdom of God and His righteousness.

When this is settled, your Father will meet all your other needs. He will take care of you as His child. Do the needful: accept Jesus as your Lord and Saviour, then trust Him for everything (John 3:3, 5). He will surely meet all your needs (Philippians 4:19) in the mighty name of Jesus.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

God is not a democrat. As we have seen in a previous study, He doesn’t really need numbers to work, He just needs a few faithful men.

It may appear that being on the side of God puts you in a ‘minority group’ like Joshua and Caleb among the twelve spies (Numbers 13) but the truth is, there would always be joy in the end. Numbers 14:30 records that eventually only these two were able to access the promised land.

God wants you to keep in mind that there is an earthly and eternal joy awaiting you if you take a stand for Him. No doubt, you may suffer many persecutions from the sinning majority, but through it all, you must resist the urge to join them because their judgments are not always correct on matters of godliness.

“Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.
Matthew 5:11-12

In the text above and the Bible reading of today, Jesus assures His disciples of an eternal joy after their earthly trials. Paul and Barnabas also said something similar to the people of Lystra, lconium and Antioch in Acts 14:22. Jesus wants you to maintain your decision to bear His cross and follow Him as a member of the faithful minority in the world. In John 16:20, He says whatsoever sorrow you face shall be turned into joy.

Believe the Lord and you shall be established (2nd Chronicles 20:20). Ensure you are always on His side. Never think of joining the world because you cannot beat them at their game. Remember the parable of the ten virgins! Stay on the side of God. A divine minority is the actual majority.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Tests from God are designed to prove our faith in Him (Genesis 22:1-18) while temptations come from the devil and our flesh to draw us into sin (Mathew 4:1, James 1:13). Our response to tests and temptations will determine what will become of us and our generation. Adam and Eve succumbed to the enemy’s temptation (Genesis 3:1-13) and almost ruined the original purpose of God for mankind. However, Jesus’ victory during His series of temptation in Luke 4:1-13 marked the beginning of redemption for the human race. In 1 Ruth 1:8-16, Ruth excelled in her test; this earned her a position in the family line of Jesus Christ (Luke 3:32). Test are not punishments but stepping stones to promotion. They prove our faith and show our true character.

The following are often tested in life:
. Commitment: One’s faithfulness to God could be questioned (Daniel 6)
. Foundation: Our strength could also be tested once in a while. Proverbs 24:10)
. Appetite: Your longings for food, the opposite sex and material possessions could also be examined (Genesis 25:29-34; Philippians 3:18-19).

God will however, not allow you to be tempted beyond what you can surmount and He will provide an escape route for you.
“There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.”
1st Corinthians 10:13

Jesus overcame all the temptations by the word of God. God is calling us today to do the same and we shall have good success (Joshua 1: in the mighty name of Jesus.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

As seen from yesterday’s study, there is an urgent need to change for the better. Yet, it is possible that only a few people will take up that challenge. Are you one of these faithful few?

From Isaiah 10:21, we can conclude that not all men have corrupted themselves, as such there will always be a remnant – a faithful few that still remain holy and obedient to the Lordship of Christ in spite of the godlessness in the world today.

In several passage of the Scripture, God talks about the faithful few who have been favoured.
“Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.” Romans 11:5

We see from the Scripture above that to be among these faithful few, grace has a huge role to play. In Matthew 24:37-42, Jesus talks about how only eight people in the whole world were spared from the flood in the days of Noah. This is a fearful thing, yet many people are taking the call of repentance with levity these days. We are no wiser than Noah’s generation, neither were they more sinful than the world is today. We have only enjoyed grace which according to Titus 2:12 should teach us to deny ungodliness.

Beloved, all men have sinned through Adam (Romans 3:23; 5:15-17), therefore, you must repent if you haven’t, otherwise there would be repercussions. In Luke 13:5, Jesus told the people of Galilee who did not accept the gospel that except they repented, they would all perish.

You must determine not to be among the corrupt people of this world. Separate yourself for God’s use (Romans 12:1-2; 2nd Timothy 2:21).

While it may be true that some ungodly people are ‘flourishing’ in the world today, Psalm 73 says such is to their ultimate destruction. For us the faithful few, Psalm 1 and 15 must be our watchword.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Many years ago, during a retreat at the Redemption Camp of the RCCG, a preacher said: When God sends down spiritual revival, even the most pious of men would repent! A person seeking repentance may not necessarily have left the faith; such a person may just have stopped doing the good things he/she used to, which according to the Bible is tantamount to sin. No wonder James 4:17 says:
“Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.”

So, why is this the time to change and what exactly are you supposed to change?

To start with, eternity can begin at any time for anyone of us. Hebrews 9:27 says it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment. Therefore, choosing to wait until tomorrow may be too dangerous. Also, God wants you to change from being cold or lukewarm. He wants you to become committed to doing His will.

The whole body of Christ needs a revival – whether you are a member, worker or even a pastor. We have to return to our first love, and doing the deeds of righteousness: fasting, praying, indepth study of God’s word, regular fellowship with the brethren, sacrificial giving, faithful tithing and others. Then, God will send His fire to our lives. Can you recall 2 Chronicles 7:4?

If we will be refreshed, we must surrender ourselves to God and commit to working on our shortcomings in evangelism, missions and separation from the world. In Matthew 3:5-12, John confronted the religious leaders of his time with a message of change so they could enjoy the new testament’s spiritual blessings.

Beloved don’t get so familiar with God’s word that you stop doing the essentials of the faith. We must preach the gospel of Christ to everyone, so that as we have changed, sinners, backsliders, and persecutors can do the same.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Fighting involves violent struggles against a real or perceived enemy, either offensively or defensively. Most people have one thing or the other that they would fight for. It could be their fundamental human rights, source of livelihood, prestige, possession etc. However, the question is: Should a true Christian have any justifiable reason to fight. The answer is Yes! Ecclesiastes 3:8 says there is:
“A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.”

Indeed, Christians are not called to take up arms and launch offensive attacks on their neighbours, but we have a right to self-defence. The kingdom of God is now under immense attack; His creative order, commandments and principles are being maliciously attacked by heretics. Surprisingly, some of these enemies of the gospel have managed to rise to positions of authority both in the Church and the society at large. Their celebrity status in the world today has aided their evil attacks on the Christian faith. Do we stand aloof or fight whenever these attacks occur around us? 1st Timothy 6:12 says “Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.”

Christians are called to fight. Everyone is fully aware of the ongoing conflicts around us; physically, mentally, and spiritually. We are daily confronted with contrary doctrines and diverse kinds of temptations.

The survival of a child of God therefore depends on his or her preparedness for battle and the ability to fight. Your weapons of warfare are however not carnal. Study Ephesians 6 and evaluate the completeness and readiness of your weaponry. It is time to fight against ungodliness. We must fight for holiness, peace and love. We are soldiers and must always be alert in the spirit at all times. The devil will not succeed over you and your loved ones in the mighty name of Jesus.

Raise the banner of JESUS!
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The Bible describes love as the sum of all the commandments of God.
1st Corinthians 13:1-2 says:
“Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels…And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity (love), I am nothing.”

The Bible clearly presents the importance of love and how children of God should rate it as a virtue. God compared some rare spiritual gifts to love and made it obvious that without it (love), the other gifts are inconsequential. This simply means that love is the golden scale by which whatever gifts we exhibit and whatever services we offer to God are weighed. The big question is: In what sense does love fulfil the totality of the law? The answer is embedded in Romans 13:10 which says “Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.”

Therefore, if the love of God is in your heart, you will fulfil the law without grumbling but rather with joy. That is why Paul reduced the commandments to only one: “Love is the fulfilling of the law.” As I have often counselled my children, love can insulate you against the pains, discouragement, and difficulties associated with any given task. Jacob served a total of fourteen years for Rachel and they seemed unto him but a few days, because of the love he had for her (Genesis 29:20). Furthermore, obedience is a natural fruit of love.

You will never want to disobey or rebel against the authority of someone you truly love. Love makes obedience to God very easy.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Prayers
1. Thank God and praise His holy name for the gift of children across the world. Thank and praise Him also for all unborn children.

2. Father, I pray for the salvation of my children and every other child around me.

3. Father, teach all our children Yourself and let them all enjoy great peace as You have promised in Your word (Isaiah 54:13)

4. Father, I commit my children and all other children around me into Your care; do not permit the enemy to harm them.

5. Lord, I separate my children and every other child around me from bad friends and evil influences forever.

6. Father, put an end to every ungodly trend in my family and never let such come near my children.

7. Father, please preserve the purity of my children and every other child around me. Keep them far from the perverseness, corruption and pollution in the world today.

8. Father, like You started to use Samuel at a tender age, use my children and every other child within my sphere of influence for signs and wonders.

9. Father, do not permit any sickness or disease to come near my children and every other child around me.

10. Father, let the future of my children and every other child around me be great.

11. Lord, open the wombs of everyone trusting You for children and cause them to become fruitful in the mighty name of Jesus.

12. Special prayer request for your children.

I join my faith with yours and pray that the Lord will grant all your request in the mighty name of Jesus.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

All Christians are called to witness the gospel of Jesus Christ to the whole world. This witnessing entails telling sinners, the wicked, poor, sick, oppressed, bound, and hopeless about the power of God to set them free. Christians usually witness to others by presenting themselves as beneficiaries of the grace, mercy and love of Jesus so others may follow in their footsteps by accepting Him as their Lord and Saviour.

Unfortunately, many Christians witness for Jesus in words alone. For this category of witness, their lifestyles contradict the message they preach and this pushes the unsaved further from salvation. This is where practical Christian witnessing comes into play. Practical Christian witnessing is Christianity without pretense. It is revealed in behaviour, proven, by action or performance, tested by trial and undeterred by persecution. Matthew 5:16 says:
“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”

Knowing God is not the same as going to church, and loving God is not the same as being involved in church activities. If you love God it will show in the way you conduct the affairs of your life. If you know God, the evidence will be seen in the way you relate with people around you. If anyone is living contrary to God’s word, all that he or she offers to God will amount to nothing before the Almighty. Sometime ago the Redemption Camp, I had to tell everyone “If you know you are not genuinely saved by the blood of Jesus, there is no need to give any offering to God. He will not accept the offering and worship of sinners. Our lives must count for God first, before other things can follow. God wants His children to be His true representatives. 1st Peter 2:12 says: “Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that….they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.”
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

An obsession is an excessive devotion to someone or something, even to the point of personal loss, injury or death. The word is often applied in a negative sense, but the Bible tells us that Jesus loved and obeyed God to the point of obsession. The word of God counsels us to develop the particular kind of mind that was in Christ Jesus. Philippians 2:5-8 says:
“Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus….being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.”

Jesus during His earthly ministry loved God and was obedient to His commandments even to the point of death – an excruciating death on the cross. God therefore expects all His children to follow Christ’s example by loving Him with all our being. If you have ever been so deeply and passionately in love with someone to the point of obsession, you may lose your appetite and forget to eat, your mind may become occupied with nothing else but that person. This kind of positive obsession is hinged on love. Matthew 22:37-38 has this to say: “Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment.”

Therefore, we are enjoined to first and foremost love God with all our hearts, because we need to have the love of God before we can truly appreciate what love is and then reciprocate by showing love to others. 1st John 4:7-8 says: “Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.” As Christians, we must obsessively love God with all our being, and always radiate His love to our neighbours.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Human beings have some characteristics and attributes that cut across people from all nations of the world. Principal amongst such is the adamic nature of sin we all inherited from our first parents. This can also be described as carnality – the desire to fulfil the lust of the flesh according to Galatians 5:16-17. Romans 8:6-8 talks about the carnal nature:
“For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.”

By this, indeed, a man who is led by the flesh is living at variance with the will of God. As clearly evident in human behaviour around the world, humanity is at enmity with God by rejecting His commandments, and declaring freedom to do whatever catches our interests. The desire to satisfy the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life are the major factors that drive the society across the world today. The story is however different for those who have accepted the offer of salvation made available to humanity through the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. On this, 1st Peter 2:9 says:
“But ye are a choosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.”

The peculiarity of God’s people includes the adoption into His family, whereby we can call Him Abba Father (Romans 8:15). It is indeed a privilege every human should seek as it is the best thing that can happen to anyone. If you are already a member of God’s family congratulations! Please hold fast to your faith until the end. If however, you are yet to accept Jesus as your Lord and Saviour, I urge you to do so right away, so you can Join this group of peculiar people and have cause to praise the name of God forever.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Mark 14:38 is one of the warnings in the Bible that should send chills through anybody’s spine. I consider it very scary. After the All-knowing God had carefully assessed the circumstances surrounding human existence, He concluded that humans need to be careful to survive this dangerously deceptive world. Sobriety and vigilance are the two major components of watchfulness. To be watchful is to be alert, watching over someone or waiting for some significant event. The Bible lays particular emphasis on the need to watch for fake prophets (Matthew 7:15), false doctrines (Hebrews 13:9), the antichrist (2nd John 1:7) and the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ (Matthew 24:42).

God expects every one of His children to be sober and valiant in watching against temptations and sins such as pride, worldliness, self-righteousness, immorality, complacency, lukwarmness, spiritual bareness and rebellion against constituted authority. We must not be confounded by negative news around the world; rather we should respond with understanding as persons who are informed and therefore well-prepared to watch for signs of the end times.
“Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.”
1st Thessalonians 5:6

Beloved, wake up! Christians cannot afford to lose focus for a moment; our hearts must be kept with all diligence. We must watch the crafty attempts of the enemy to attack the authority of Scripture. Watch against worldliness and the quest for ungodly pleasures. Every member of the body of Christ must watch against the secularisation of the Church and protect its sanctity against false prophets, sexual immorality and all sinful practices.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

“…Smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered: and I will turn mine hand upon the little ones.”
Zechariah 13:7
Leaders of any group are very important to the future of the followers. The character, circle of friends, background, process of decision-making and even their emotional wellbeing all have a great impact on the people they are leading. This is why it is important that you pray for your leaders regularly.

We need to pray concerning their character and work ethics. Ecclesiastes 10:16 says:
“Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and thy princes eat in the morning!”

We need to pray concerning their circle of friends and the kind of advice they give them (1st Kings 12:9-14). They are targets of the devil because he knows that once he strikes the shepherd, the sheep will scatter.

It is not just the political leaders you should pray for, but your spiritual leaders as well; their actions and inactions can greatly affect the Church as a whole. If the Church leaders are spiritually blind, there will be trouble in the land. You need to also pray for the leaders in the academic sphere – Minister of Education in the country, principals and teachers in your children’s schools, as their decisions can greatly affect your children. Pray for leaders of industries as their decisions concerning quality and prices have a great effect on millions of lives. Pray for those at the forefront of technological innovations in our generation, who wield great influence on what our children will consume. Imagine if the leaders in the technological industries were all born again; imagine the great impact that would make on the next generation. This is why I always encourage my children to go ahead and lead. Whatever sphere of life you are in, be the very best and lead the rest. The more Christian leaders we have in the society, the more the Kingdom of God forges ahead.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.