₦airaland Forum

Yesterday, the Holy Spirit spoke to us on giving whatever we have to those in need, no matter how small it may be. Indeed, what seems small to you might actually be big to those receiving your benevolence. Today, the Holy Spirit wants to teach us that nothing is too big to give. God Himself demonstrated this principle to us by giving us His only begotten Son. John 3:16 says:
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
The Almighty God gave the greatest gift He had for the redemption of mankind; this is the height of generosity! Abraham, the father of faith; was also ready to give up his son of promise, even though he had waited so long to have him. This act endeared him to God’s heart, and it opened the door of an irrevocable blessing to him.

Beloved, as we sing the popular songs claiming Abraham’s blessings, we need to get some things straight. Unless we do the works Abraham did and walk in his footsteps, our songs may end up as mere wishful thinking. Abraham did not consider what God requested from him to be too big. He went ahead and gave up his only son of promise. The Jews who claimed to be Abraham’s children were told by our Lord Jesus Christ in John 8:39b:
“If ye were Abraham’s children, ye would do the works of Abraham”
What He said to them, He is also saying to us today. If you want to be blessed as Abraham was or partake of his blessings, then nothing should be too big for you to give to God’s prompting.

Take a cue from farmers: the size of their seed determines the size of their harvest. The more you are given to hospitality and benevolent acts, the more you will be blessed by God. The devil has nothing to do with this divine principle, and so he cannot prompt you to give to God. The truth of the matter is, whatever you are not ready to let go of, you cannot get back in greater proportions. Establishing this principle, the Lord said in John 12:24:
“Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.”
Knowing this truth, nothing should therefore be too big for you to give. A gift may leave your hand but it cannot leave your life; it is surely coming back to you in multiples.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

An African adage says, “Saying ‘this gift is too small to give’ makes one miserly.” In the spirit of giving, I believe that a simple orange is enough to entertain four guests or even eight! It is just a matter of slicing it into four and slicing those four again to make eight pieces. Served on a clean plate along with a clean bowl of water and a neat hand towel in tow, you have done the needful if that is all you have. Matthew 15:32-39 tells the story of a young lad who did not see his lunch pack as being too small to give to the Master. He released it and it became a point of contact for divine multiplication. One great lesson from this is that anytime a small thing is released into divinely anointed hands, it multiplies. Any business that has God as its CEO will always prosper, irrespective of its size. We see an example of this in the story of a man who started a business with five hundred dollars and a vow that 90% of the business would be God’s, while just 10% would be his. In a few years, he became a multi-millionaire! The lad who offered his meal to Jesus can be regarded as a true son of Abraham in that he was given to hospitality just as Abraham was. Abraham was so hospitable that he unknowingly entertained angels (Hebrews 13:2).

You don’t necessarily need to be a multi-millionaire before you can become a giver. Indeed, having the whole world at your disposal does not make you a giver! The widow of Zarephath gave her last meal to the man of God. This meal was so small that it took only two sticks of firewood to prepare it (1st Kings 17:12)! Beloved, for you to move from your present level of blessings to a higher level, you need to learn how to give. Through the principle of giving, some heroes of faith in the days of old used what they had to obtain a good heritage for themselves. This principle has not changed today. There is this story of one of my sons in the Lord, who was in his house one evening when a young man came in to beg him for some money to buy food for his young baby. This son of mine said he had only ten naira on him at that point. The value of the naira back then was very strong, so strong that five naira was enough to take him to work and back. So, he gave the man five out of the ten naira with him, and he forgot about that incident. Months later, this young man came back again, this time asking my son if he was interested in owning some landed property. My son answered yes, even though he had no money for such a project at that time. To his surprise, the young man offered him a plot of land from the portion of land allocated to him and his siblings, with the option of paying later. When my son insisted that he was not going to take the land, the young man reminded him of the five naira he gave him many months ago that saved his child from staving to death. It was then my son remembered what had happened, and he consented to the land offer. That land was the beginning of some other properties God blessed him with. Beloved, nothing is too small to give. Learn to give from today, because you do not know what doors it will open for you.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Every time I make a pronouncement that wealth will change hands, my children in the Lord usually shout “Amen”, but I believe they don’t fully understand what I am saying. If they really understood, they would not need to say “Amen”, because I am only echoing the word of God that is already settled in heaven for ever (Psalm 119:89). Rather than say “Amen”, I would prefer that they act on the conditions that will bring this prophetic word of God to pass in their lives. If you are a child of God, I announce (not pray) that wealth will change hands for your favour, and your songs of “not enough” shall change to “more than enough” in Jesus’ Name. I am declaring this to you for your information and necessary action. In Isaiah 61:4-5, the Holy Spirit declares:
“ And they shall build the old wastes, they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the waste cities, the desolations of many generations. And strangers shall stand and feed your flocks, and the sons of the alien shall be your plowmen and your vinedressers.
For this to happen, we must pay close attention to the mistakes of those from whose hands wealth will come into ours. Proverbs 28:8 reveals some of their mistakes. Because they increase and gather their wealth unjustly, God is saying that their wealth shall be taken away from them and be given to those who will pity the poor. If you are awaiting the transfer of wealth that is to come, are you ready to consider the poor and reach out to them with this wealth? If your answer is yes, I congratulate you because God’s word will be fulfilled in your life. Those who will receive the wealth of the wicked are those ready and willing to redistribute the commonwealth of the populace, stolen by greedy treasury looters and lying fallow in both local and foreign bank accounts. Isaiah 61:6 is food for thought for those who want to partake of the divine wealth transfer that is to come. It says:
“But ye shall be named the priests of the LORD: men shall call you the Ministers of our God: ye shall eat the riches of the Gentiles, and in their glory shall ye boast yourselves.”
In other words, to qualify for the fulfilment of God’s prophetic word on wealth transfer, your lifestyle must be in tandem with what He requires of His priests and ministers. Some of these requirements are that His ministers and priests should not indulge in strong drink (Titus 1:7, Proverbs 31:4-5, Isaiah 28:7), nor should they be married to more than one spouse (1st Timothy 3:2). Do you measure up to His standards? With the little God has blessed you with, do you remember the poor? These are the pertinent questions you need to answer today. God bless you.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Youthful exuberance can be a very dangerous thing if left unchecked. It can even leave an indelible negative mark on an individual for the rest of his or her life. Are you still a youth? I rejoice with you, but you need to give heed to what the Holy Spirit is saying in 1 Timothy 4:12, because in today’s world where the internet never forgets, the enemies of your destiny will hunt for any information about your way to the top. May your enemies never find anything with which they can destroy your great destiny in Jesus Name. In the political arena, opponents are always searching for what they can use to destroy each other’s political ambition. Examples abound of how political gladiators dig into the past of would-be political office holders, telling the world the many reasons why they should not be voted into power based on past conduct, even if they have managed to change for the better. Unfortunately, many youths do not listen to profitable counsel when they are gallivanting from one bad habit to another in the name of youthful exuberance.

The story of Reuben in Genesis 49:3-4 should be a wake-up call to any unruly youth reading this devotional study. A sin he committed in the distant past, probably in his late twenties, was revisited at the time he ought to have received the blessing of the firstborn far later in life. He probably thought he was clever, handsome and the desire of all young women, including his father’s wife, so much so that he slept with her (Genesis 35:22)! The most perplexing thing about this case is that Jacob never mentioned a word about it to him. If he did, probably Reuben would have pleaded for mercy. Some pastors destroyed their marital testimonies when they were still young because it never occurred to them that they would be pastors later in life. Down the line, after becoming pastors, they are forced to keep mute whenever any discussion on marital infidelity arises. They cannot authoritatively divide the word of truth on this subject-matter because of their past deeds. Some Christian teachers cannot disclose how many children they have because it will generate questions such as “Is it mummy that gave birth to this or that? If not, who is their mother and where is she? Did you marry her? If yes, how come you divorced her to marry another person, contrary to what you have been teaching us?” To avoid the agony of such questions, I admonish young people to stay away from the so-called youthful exuberance that leads to regrets later in life.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Experience has shown that people who receive kindness from God and man sometimes turn out to be terrible tyrants. Some people who were delivered from the jaws of death by God’s benevolence and mercy in the past have become takers of lives. Such people forget that as recipients of God’s mercy, much more is expected from them. They are like the wicked servant in Matthew 18:23-35; whose debt to his master was so great that the master knew there was no way he could repay it, and so forgave him out of compassion. In Matthew 18:28, the Lord describes what this servant did after he was released from prison, saying:
“But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest.”
As if that was not enough, this wicked and inconsiderate man put his fellow servant in jail until he got his money back. Some of us might cringe in horror at this awful attitude, but the question is, are we not doing the same thing against our fellow human beings, even in the household of faith? Many of us would have died if God were to repay us according to our sins, but thank God for His mercies. Are we however showing the same level of mercy to those we have authority over or within our sphere of influence? Are we not seeking vengeance on those who have wronged us in one way or the other? The story of what the wicked servant did got to the master and, in annoyance, he revoked the pardon he had given the wicked servant, casting him back into prison. In Matthew 18:35, our Lord Jesus Christ concludes the story thus:
“So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.”

We became children of God when He forgave our sins. We should therefore not find it difficult to forgive those who offend us, knowing that if we had not been forgiven, we would have been in a sorry state. Having been relieved of our heavy load of sin through forgiveness, let us also forgive at all times. However, if you have not received forgiveness of your sins, it may be that you have not repented of them. Repent today, and you will receive the joy of being forgiven.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Many years ago, during one of our church services at Ebute-Metta, Lagos, I announced that there would be no prayers on that day, because we were only going to praise God. Incidentally, a woman in a wheel chair had been brought to that service for prayers. When those who brought her asked to see the pastor for prayers, the ushers told them that the pastor has instructed that no one would be prayed for; instead, everyone should dance and praise God. These people felt disappointed, but the woman asked them to help her up and support her as she tried to dance even in her pain. However, before long, she pushed them aside and was dancing without any help – she had been healed! Some people have their miracle right in front of them, but they never get it because they do not make any move of faith. Ephesians 5:14 says Christ will give you light after you have awoken and arisen, not before. In other words, you have your role to play in getting whatever God has promised you.

As a lecturer and pastor in Ilorin many years ago, I was so ill one day that I could not go for the midweek service that day. I lay in bed and decided that since I couldn’t go to church, I would at least listen to a sermon on the radio. As I lay there in pain listening to the radio, it seemed as if the preacher was talking to me directly. He said “If you are sick and you have asked God to heal you, then what are you still doing on the bed? If you are still lying in bed, then you don’t believe that God has healed you, and you will remain there until you believe.” I immediately got up from the bed and went to church; even though I was still in serious pain. Getting to church, I met the brethren still praising and worshipping God, since I, the pastor, wasn’t around to preach. I stayed at the back and tried my best to dance, even though I was still in pain. Soon, I felt like using the toilet, so I went to the restroom. By the time I was done, all the pain and sickness was gone! Hallelujah!

Are you expecting something from God? Tell Him about it and then make a move. If you have faith that is not combined with works, it is dead faith. Make your faith come alive today by moving in the direction of your miracle. Healing is already yours by His stripes; all you have to do is get up and claim it.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Atheism is simply the absolute denial of God’s existence. Who then is a practical atheist? It is he or she who theoretically believes in God but in practice leads a life that denies His existence. These are the type of people described in 2 Timothy 3:5. How do we know practical atheists in our midst today? Jesus said we shall know them by their fruits (Matthew 7:20). Apostle Paul in 2 Timothy 3:1-9 lists some of the characteristic traits of practical atheists, summed up in their denial of the power to live a godly life in this world. Practical atheists believe that holiness is an illusion and teach others to believe so too, thereby causing people to live a lifestyle of sin. Unfortunately, they have crept into the Church and have succeeded in leading people astray. They are deadly in the sense that they appear to be religious and well-informed, but their conduct contradicts their claim of faith. In 2nd Timothy 3:7-8, the Bible describes them in the following terms:
“Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith.”

Practical atheists are found among great Church men and women who use the cover of their successes in ministry to peddle heresies as sound superior teachings. As stated in 2nd Timothy 3:8, they are like Jannes and Jambres, who withstood Moses by displaying magical powers to counter the miracles Moses performed in a bid to convince Pharaoh to let the Israelites go (Exodus 7:11-12, Exodus 7:22). Although practical atheists tend to have knowledge through extensive learning, they never come to the knowledge of the truth which sets free from living a life of sin (John 8:32). Some of them are like the Pharisees and Scribes of old. Just as Jesus questioned Nicodemus, a professor of the law, He is asking such people today, “Didn’t you claim you have a Master’s degree or PhD in theology, and yet you didn’t know that without holiness no man shall see the Lord? you say you’re a professor of religious history, and yet you don’t know that I Am the same yesterday, today and forever? Don’t you know that My standards cannot be changed by modern society?” Mere belief in God is not enough; we must live according to His standards. Even demons believe in the existence of the one true God but that hasn’t changed who they really are (James 2:19). From now on, let your life always conform to your beliefs.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Three vital ingredients are necessary to make any parent successful in the task of nurturing children as precious gifts from God. These are knowledge, understanding and godliness. Unfortunately, many people who are privileged to be parents do not have what it takes to effectively fulfil their responsibilities. Parents need the type of knowledge that is found only in God’s word to carry out their parental responsibilities in line with God’s expectations. Speaking on the significance of children in our lives, Psalm 127:3 says:
“Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.”
Parents need to understand that through procreation, God gets His reward for all the care He has bestowed on them from the time they were born! In other words, because of human reproduction, God does not need to repeatedly go through the process of moulding clay to create new generations of worshippers that He desires. Children are God’s reward, so nobody should attempt to share His glory with Him over them. Parents must stop “playing God” over their children; rather, they should nurture them to meet God’s expectations, according to Ephesians 6:4.

1 Samuel 22:1-2 tells an interesting story of “abandoned children”, who were once social miscreants, identifying with a man who had the heart of a father to take them in. It is equally interesting that this man, David, was also a fugitive. He was on the run because a jealous king wanted to kill him. David did not discard those boys; rather, he nurtured them to become useful for themselves, their families and the society at large. In Nigerian street parlance, he became the “area father” of about four hundred “area boys” who became soldiers for the nation of Israel when he became king. Here is a roll call of a few of them and their exploits in 2nd Samuel 23:8-10:
“These be the names of the mighty men whom David had: The Tachmonite that sat in the seat, chief among the captains; the same was Adino the Eznite: he lift up his spear against eight hundred, whom he slew at one time. And after him was Eleazar the son of Dodo the Ahohite, one of the three mighty men with David, when they defied the Philistines that were there gathered together to battle, and the men of Israel were gone away: He arose, and smote the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand clave unto the sword: and the LORD wrought a great victory that day; and the people returned after him only to spoil.”
From their example, let us learn to nurture and train our biological and spiritual children to the point of fulfilling their destinies. When we develop them like David did with the abandoned vagabonds, they will go on to become useful assets for God and humanity in the near future.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

In the Nigerian culture, musician hired to entertain guests at parties often compose songs hailing wealthy and notable people in attendance, calling out their names and listing their exploits. As the musicians go on, these rich fellows find themselves on stage in excitement, pasting cash on the singers forehead. Needless to say, these musicians often go home with a bag full of money after such parties, unless they did not celebrate the right people well enough. In like manner, I have discovered that those who have the attitude of praising God live in abundance.

Even when the rich men at these parties don’t know the performing musician personally, they are willing to give him or her all they have in their pockets in return for receiving praise; how much more our God, who not only knows us from our mother’s womb but also loves us. Most of the time, these musicians have to lie or at least exaggerate in a bid to praise a rich fellow. For example, they can call someone who is a branch manager the chief operating officer of a company. However, with our God, He is so great that no matter how hard we try to exalt His greatness, our words cannot fully capture how great He really is. During praise and worship sessions at church services, when I see people dancing as if they were dragged to church, I wonder if they know who they are dancing to at all. He is the one who made the heavens and the earth. He sits in the heavens and makes the earth His footstool. He has parted the Red Sea, turned water to wine, raised the dead back to life and done all sorts of great miracles, and yet some people still find it difficult to praise Him with all their heart.

David was someone who knew how to praise God. One day, he danced for God so much that his clothes fell off his body, still he didn’t mind (2nd Samuel 6:20). When you read through the Psalms, you will understand why David praised God that much: God had done a lot for him and he decided never to forget His goodness towards him. In return, God blessed David so much that he lacked nothing. I know this because God said He was willing to give David whatever he wanted; all he had to do was ask. 2nd Samuel 12:8 says:
“And I give thee thy master’s wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that had been too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things.”
David was indeed a blessed man. You also can be blessed as he was if only you are willing to praise God like he did.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

When chastised over sin, some people are fond of saying that their conscience does not condemn them, even when they have been caught in obvious acts of sin. They may be right after all, because its only a conscience that is alive and active that can condemn or caution an individual engaging in things contrary to the will of God. God gave everyone a conscience to serve as an internal restraining guide regulating each of our actions. However, when a person continuously refuses to yield to its control, its voice will be silenced. In that state, such a person’s mind becomes reprobated. Describing this condition, Romans 1:28 says:
“And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;”
We are therefore told in 1 Timothy 1:18-20 to hold on to our faith in Christ and keep our conscience clear if we do not want to wreak havoc on our salvation. The text also says that we are expected to engage in a good warfare. What is this good warfare? There is an internal battle that occurs in our minds every day. The devil and his agents continually propose to us things that are contrary to the will of God. We have to continually fight them with the sword of the Spirit, which is God’s word, just as our Master did (Matthew 4:1-11), in order to ensure that we live with a good conscience before God. Paul held this up as the great testimony of his life in Acts 23:1b, where he said:
“Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day.”
A good conscience is a living conscience. When a person’s conscience is dead, he or she sees everything from a skewed perspective. For example, a man may go around sleeping with other women, riding on the excuse that his wife has refused to “cooperate” with him in bed. Such a man would ask, “What do you expect me to do when this woman denied me my right?” When you try to correct some other men who marry a second wife, they may tell you to go and preach to Jacob, David and Solomon first before condemning their action. A Christian sister whose conscience is dead would dress half-naked and tell you that what she wears does not matter, inasmuch as she is born again and her conscience does not condemn her. How will her conscience condemn her when she has silenced it repeatedly, to the extent that it is now permanently muted? An example of someone with a dead conscience is Judas Iscariot. Despite the fact that Jesus exposed his betrayal plans and warned him about it, he still went ahead with it. There are many people like him in church today. No matter how hot the sermon is, the reprobate will not heed its warning. That will not be your portion in Jesus’ Name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Brethren, its one thing to look up to God and be in a hurry, its another thing to look up to Him and patiently wait for His response to your request at His appointed time. One clear lesson from Micah 7:7 is that looking up to God requires waiting patiently on Him. Speaking on this, the Holy Spirit says in Isaiah 28:16:
“Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste.”

In Mark 2:1-12, we read about four faithful friends who took a paralytic man to Jesus for healing, but because of the huge crowd around the house where Jesus was, they could not reach Him. Inspired by faith, they looked up to see how they could get their friend to the presence of the Healer, but alas, there was a barrier: the roof. Spurred on by faith, they resolved to break this barrier in order to gain access to Jesus Christ, and when Jesus saw their faith and determination, He had no choice but to give them what they wanted. Let’s take a look at some of the many lessons embedded in this great story of faith. First and foremost, looking up is the first step to solving the issues of life. Why? The Almighty God sits over and above all, and with Him there is no impossibility. Secondly, sin is a barrier that can block you from accessing the presence of the one with the ability to solve your problems (Isaiah 59:1-2). Just as the friends of the paralytic man had to remove the barrier of the roof before they could access Jesus, the barrier of sin in his life had to be removed also. That is why before any other thing, Jesus first said to him in Mark 2:5b:
“Son, thy sins be forgiven thee.”
Thirdly, we learn that immediately the paralytic man’s sins were forgiven, he received his healing. For a user of this devotional battling with one health challenges or the other, if you will remove the spiritual barrier of sin through genuine repentance and turn to Jesus Christ for healing, even before you finish reading today’s study, you will sing a song of victory over that health challenges in Jesus’ Name. There is this story of a man who was battling with a medical problem that had defied all treatments. In his search for a cure, the Lord revealed that his ailment was caused by his unforgiving stance against his son-in-law who had abused his only daughter. The day he repented and forgave his son-in-law was the day he was healed. Beloved, I encourage you to look up to Jesus today. Do not allow your present predicament bow your head down in despair. As you look up to Jesus, He will show Himself as the ever present help, and you will sing a new song of victory in Jesus’ Name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

One doctrine of the world that is gradually creeping into the body of Christ is that which says “If you cannot beat them, join them.” This doctrine is inconsistent with the values of the kingdom we belong to on multiple fronts. Our lifestyle is characterised by love – God’s kind of love – as 1 Corinthians 13:6 states, this kind of love does not rejoice in iniquity. Because the world is full of iniquity and scoffs at righteous living, we cannot walk in God’s love when we raise our hands in surrender to join the world in their way of life. Not rejoicing in iniquity simply means standing against evil – as defined by standard of God’s word. This is one of the problems facing the Church today. Those who refuse to condemn evil and wicked acts are indirectly rejecting and standing against those who are just. One cannot sit on the fence on issues; we either speak out against evil and uphold righteousness or justify evil in our silence. As seen in Revelation 2:18-29, justifying the wicked is an abomination before the Lord. In His letter to the Church at Thyatira in Revelation 2:18-29, our Lord Jesus Christ commended their charitable service, faith and patience, and then warned them against tolerating sexual immorality typified by a certain Jezebel, who called herself a prophetess. She was seducing innocent souls in the Church into sexual immorality and taught a doctrine that encouraged this lifestyle. There are such false prophets and prophetesses in the Church today, teaching doctrines that encourage immoral dressing, promiscuity, abortion, masturbation and sexual perversion in the Body of Christ. When you go to such places and see the way their followers are blessed, you will instantly know that the doctrine of Jezebel is being taught there. Thank God our Lord already spoke to us in Matthew 7:20, saying:
“Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.”

God is calling on us to stand against evil today. However, we must first reject evil within the Church before taking the battle to the gates of hell out there. As Christians, it must not be mentioned amongst us that we rejoice in iniquity (1st Corinthians 13:6), by applauding instead of condemning acts that are against God’s word and His kingdom’s cause, due to a fear of backlash and condemnation from the children of this world. This is why believers fear to preach against homosexuality in certain countries; if you do, you may be jailed, and your fellow brethren might condemn you as being foolish or even wrong! Some pastors can’t preach against corruption in high places and gain gotten through illicit means because they fear losing income and members. The truth has indeed been mortgaged in some quarters of Christendom. Beloved, arise and let us in one mind stand up against evil.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Love can be defined as a strong feeling of deep affection for someone, emanating from a firm decision to love that person. The Bible offers us an understanding of the source, character and value of love based on the nature and actions of God. It teaches that God is the source of love and that His very character is love. If you have ever been so deeply and passionately in love with someone to the point of obsession, you may actually lose your appetite and forget to eat. Your mind may become occupied with nothing else but that person. The object of your love is the last thing you think of when you go to bed and the first thing you think of when you wake up. It is clear from these descriptions that love involves the totality of a person. Love is the central theme of the Bible, and it is a primary characteristic of God’s nature. It is also the fundamental demand that God places on mankind towards Him and towards fellow human beings.

From the words of Jesus in Matthew 22:35-40, it is clear that we are expected to love God first with all our heart, soul and mind. However, we need to experience the love of God in our hearts before we can truly appreciate what true love is, and only then can we demonstrate this love to others. The love of God is revealed in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ as stated in John 3:16, which says:
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whatsoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
Out of love, God gave His only begotten Son as the ultimate ransom for the salvation of humanity. He now commands everyone who has partaken of His love to reciprocate it by loving one another. Speaking in John 15:12, the Lord Jesus Christ said:
“This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.”

The Bible makes it very clear that love is revealed through action, especially what is done in the interest of others. Children of God should never be identified with envy, hatred, pride, selfishness or any form of wickedness, as all these are contrary to the nature of God they possess. We should naturally show forth gentleness, goodness and kindness to our neighbours. As Christians, let us always radiate the love of God with meekness, patience and joy. Love is greater than all spiritual gifts, as the best of these gifts is useless with love. 1st Corinthians 13:2 says:
“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, I am nothing.”
Beloved, are you walking in the love of God?
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

A person’s words have enormous influence for good or evil and are a sure indicator of the person’s character. The impact of our speech cannot be over emphasised, for the Bible makes it clear that a man’s speech has the power of life and death (Proverbs 18:21), and is also capable of bringing success or misfortune to the speaker, as shown in Proverbs 12:13-14, which says:
“The wicked is snared by the transgression of his lips: but the just shall come out of trouble. A man shall be satisfied with good by the fruit of his mouth…”
Job 19:2 reveals that a person’s speech can destroy others, but it also has the capacity to give life to its hearers (Isaiah 50:4). You can easily identify the righteous by their speech. In Isaiah 50:4, this category of people are referred to as “the learned”. ‘Learned’ in this sense does not refer to legal practice, it rather refers to those who are knowledgeable in God’s word. Such people do not speak carelessly. They understand the weight of words and use their words effectively, knowing that someday, they will have to account for every idle word they have spoken. Whenever they open their mouth, a bit of what is stored within them comes forth, in line with Matthew 12:34b, which says:
“for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.”

For those who are genuinely saved, our speech and actions are controlled by God’s word that is hidden in our hearts. Psalm 37:30-31 says:
“The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom, and his tongue talketh of judgement. The law of his God is in his heart; none of his steps shall slide.”
When God’s word fills your heart, your mouth will open in wisdom. This is why the righteous take out time to hide God’s word in their heart, and their words are like food to the hearers. If you sit by a righteous man for counselling, what you will hear within a few minutes will put you on the right path. Even the foolish hear the words of salvation from them. The sick receive words of healing, while the hopeless receive encouragement from them. You cannot listen to a righteous man or woman and not be impacted. No wonder his mouth is called a well of life (Proverbs 10:11). There is a fountain of goodness in the righteous, so that whenever they open their mouth, living waters flow out of it. The righteous is a source of inspiration, and his words feed the faith of others, directing them to the path of righteousness. You need to be conscious of the manner of speech you produce. As a child of God, please watch your tongue. Wise children of God must learn to use the power in their tongue effectively to pull down the strongholds of the devil in their lives and family. I pray that your tongue will begin to yield fruits of peace and prosperity from this day in the Name of Jesus.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Matthew 5:27-29 reveals a unique characteristic of the New Covenant taught by the Lord Jesus Christ. Under the old covenant of the Mosaic Law, a person could not be accused of sexual immorality, such as fornication or adultery, unless he or she was caught in the art by at least two or three witnesses. This was the strong basis on which the scribes and Pharisees called for the execution of the woman caught in the sin of adultery in John 8:2-11. John 8:4-5 says:
“They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?”
Those who follow the Lord’s teaching with an open heart will understand His answer to this question posed by the scribes and Pharisees. Indeed, Jesus came not to condemn but to redeem those under the yoke of sin. Nevertheless, His standard says that one can be guilty of sexual immorality even without sleeping with someone other than his or her spouse. In fact, according to Jesus, one need not be caught in the act of immorality before being declared guilty of it. By the Lord’s standard, what is refereed to in common parlance as “mere looking” is enough to be adjudged to have committed sexual immorality! This is food for thought for us in the Body of Christ today. When we promote the lust of the eyes by allowing immoral dressing in the church, we are actually exposing members of the Body of Christ to sexual immorality, even when they don’t engage in the act physically. A member of the choir dressed seductively to lead praise and worship will definitely leave the congregation worse off than before they came to church. This is not a question of legalism but following divine principles established by the Lord Himself.

The sin of sexual immorality and perversion is prevalent in the world we live in today because of the ease of access to the virtual world of the internet, where pornography is common place. Nowadays, people can have a voice or video chat with a member of the opposite sex a world away, committing all manner of immorality with them. In the world today, we even have the perversion called sex dolls of various makes and models meant to further promote a terrible kind of self-delusion. In a nutshell, Satan and his agents have devised various ways of luring people into sexual immorality without having any contact with a real human being. As children of God living in these perilous times, we must not become victims of this evil. As instructed by our Lord in Matthew 5:29, we must be ready to give it all it takes to mortify our bodies to sexual immorality. You need to “pluck out the eye”, represented by internet websites, TV programmes and social gatherings that make you susceptible to sexual immorality internally. May God honour your sincere efforts by giving you strength of character in your inner man in Jesus’ Name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

In these last days, the devil is using every phony argument and deceitful practice in his arsenal to entangle the souls of the simple-minded. We must therefore be on our guard and put in earnest efforts to preserve our faith and gain eternity. The devil has gone to great lengths to rebrand the lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes and the pride of life in a most attractive package, embossed with the inscriptions of prosperity all over it. This evil package is now making Christians, even ministers of the gospel; jostle for the kind of lifestyle that is clearly identifiable as worldly, carnal or sensual to those whose spiritual eyes are still open. This is why we must be equipped with the word of God more than ever before, to correctly draw the line between the things of God and worldly desires. Youths are the most affected in this regard. Many of them don’t have a firm resolve to serve God. They have many teachers from the electronic and print media, some of whom are apostates, loading them with unsound doctrines that are not based on the totality of God’s word. Many young people are unwilling to surrender every aspect of their lives to God, preferring to do things their own way. The way many of them live shows that they are not subject to the Spirit of the Lord, who should have control over their lives. Such carnal heart need to see the beauty in living a holy life and loving God genuinely.

One trick the devil is using to enslave youths today is the subtle offer of delicious gifts, appointments and promises of greatness by association rather than through hard work. In many cases, no matter how hard you try, you may not see anything wrong in such an arrangement at first. You might even think it is the result of God’s favour. Under this demonic scheme, a rich and powerful benefactor, acting under the control of demonic forces, tries to use the luxuries he or she can provide to entrap a less wealthy and vulnerable person, so as to make them feel obliged to do their bidding. However, when payback time comes, many bewildered victims have been left disappointed, enslaved and hopeless, and some have even lost their lives, I warn Christian youths that those who are addicted to pleasure, having roving eyes that are always seeking enjoyment and a luxurious lifestyle, are easily sucked in and entrapped by wicked predators. The language they speak follows the pattern of their father’s in Luke 4:6-7. I pray that you will not become a victim of mean deceivers in the mighty Name of Jesus. See to it that you do not fall for any deceptive proposal of the devil. Satan does not give favour away for free. His demands are usually much greater than the initial investment, and you may lose your soul in the process. Do not be carried away by appealing offers not founded on God’s principles, because they are deceitful and poisonous food (Proverbs 23:3). Beware of hugs from bears!
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Mark 11:12-14; 20-24 narrates a story that demonstrates faith in action and teaches what faith can do for those who live by it. Having declared to us in Habakkuk 2:4 that “The just shall live by faith,” our Lord’s primary purpose in cursing the fig tree was to show us what living by faith really looks like. That was why the first statement Jesus made after Peter drew His attention to the withered fig tree was, “Have faith in God” (Mark 11:22). Jesus further went on to say in Mark 11:23:
“For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.”
Living by faith simply means to have faith in God’s power and in His faithfulness to perform whatever He has promised. If we have faith in God, we should have the confidence to ask Him whatever we desire in the place of prayer. The Lord has told us that this is the pathway to receive our heart’s desires (Mark 11:24). If we have faith in God, we should also be confident to make declarations based on His word. We demonstrate our faith by the confessions of our mouths. Psalm 116:10a says:
“I believed therefore have I spoken”
Our Lord expects us to declare what we believe to the mountains that challenge the integrity of His word in our lives, instead of crying to Him about them. That is what living by faith is all about. A lot of us do not want to develop in our walk with God; we just want to remain at the level of babes, who expect everything to be done for them instead of taking charge. No wonder the Lord asked this question in Luke 18:8b, saying:
“Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?”

It is one thing to pray and another thing to believe in practical terms that God will do what you are asking for. The story was told of a priest who called for a prayer meeting one Sunday afternoon concerning the challenge of drought in a particular town. After the congregation had gathered for the prayer meeting, the priest looked around and said, “Brethren, you are not ready to pray.” The parishioners wondered, “What do you mean? That is what we have come to do.” He then asked them, “What have you come to do?” They chorused, “To pray for rain to fall!” He then asked them, “Where are your umbrellas and raincoats? If you believe that God will answer the prayer you have come to say, you should have brought your umbrella and raincoats!” They went back home and brought their umbrellas and raincoats, and God honoured their faith. What a lesson of faith! Beloved, have faith in God.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Bodyguards are security personnel specially trained to protect wealthy and powerful individuals. They are usually found around very important personalities and their family members. As a matter of fact, some people are not seen in public without bodyguards because they don’t feel safe without them. Nevertheless, human bodyguards are limited in power, and the cost of having them is beyond the reach of the average person. However, the good news for Christians is that we have bodyguards in this world, of the spiritual kind, who are automatically appointed to every child of God the moment we become born again. Unlimited in power, they are invincible and operate at a speed much faster than the speed of light. The most amazing thing about our bodyguards is that their services have been fully paid for with the Blood of Jesus. That is why Hebrews 1:14 says:
“Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be hairs of salvation?"
When a child is born, what happens to that child depends on the available support system. The stronger the support system, the more fortified that child is for success in life. Princes and princesses benefit from the services of royal servants. As children of God, our Father has provided angels as part of our support system. Psalm 91:10-13 says it is the duty of our Father’s angels to ensure that no harm befalls us. Angels are therefore our personal bodyguards, who go with us wherever we go. When the children of kings go out, they don’t go alone. When going to school, they are taken in chauffeur-driven cars, whereas the children of ordinary people trek even through the woods or bush paths without any form of protection. From this day onward, be conscious of and utilize the angelic protection you have around you.

A brother shared a testimony about a flight he was on. He said while airborne, the first two engines of their plane suddenly failed. In panic, their pilot told them that the plane would crash if the third engine also shuts down. Not long after, the third engine also failed, and pandemonium broke out on the plane. All the while, this brother was sitting by the window. He turned to his left to look out, and he saw a huge angel who smiled at him and whispered to him that he was carrying the plane. To the surprise of everyone else, the plane safely landed an hour later at the nearest airport. Nobody could explain how they managed to land except this brother. He said if he had told them what happened, they would not believe him. In the Bible, when Daniel was thrown into the den of lions, and angel went ahead of him to shut the lions’ mouths (Daniel 6:22). This season, you also shall receive the full complement of your heavenly Father’s support system, in Jesus’ Name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Gluttony is a trait that manifests itself through eating or drinking more than is needful. Indeed, this applies not only to food but to all material things. This habit is found in people who have given their belly or body free rein over their life, such that they are unable to hold back or restrain themselves whenever food or drink is set before them. For such people, the Holy Spirit says their god is their belly (Philippians 3:19). Gluttony causes a person to develop a deadly appetite for things that can destroy him or her. Food can do and has indeed done great damage to the destinies of many people throughout history. The story of Esau who exchanged his birth right for a meal of red pottage is a case in point (Genesis 25:29-34). No wonder Hebrews 12:16 says:
“Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel or meat sold his birthright.”
From Esau’s story, we see that food can sometimes be used as bait covering the hook of the fishermen. An adage in my native language says, “The rodent is eating free bananas and is rejoicing; it does not know that sweet things kills.”

One man who understood the principles enunciated in Proverbs 23:1-8 was Daniel. On arrival in Babylon as a captive, he determined in his heart not to forget his background and heritage, so he did not allow himself get carried away by the king’s delicacies. He and three other Hebrew boys decided to discipline themselves in anticipation of a time when their stand in God would be tested and they would no longer have access to the king’s benefits. Whatever a man gives you, he can also take away from you; this is why the source of your daily bread should be God alone. Whenever someone offers you “free lunch”, try and decipher the motive behind the offer before accepting it. When I was growing up in my father’s house, the attitude and disposition of a person offering us food determined whether we accept it or not. Proverbs 23:6 says:
“Eat thou not the bread of him that hath an evil eye, neither desire thou his dainty meats.”
Indeed, it takes self-discipline not to be gluttonous, especially in the time of need. As a rule in life, never allow your enemies know when you are ‘hungry’, because they can use your needs to get you down. It is not out of place to assume that Jacob had studied his brother Esau and was only waiting for the perfect opportunity to lure him with food. This is one of the benefits of a life of fasting. The Holy Spirit says in Proverbs 25:16:
“Hast thou found honey? eat so much as is sufficient for thee, lest thou be filled therewith, and vomit it.”
A word is enough for the wise.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The Bible teaches that there is a spiritual dimension to every battle of life, even though this is usually not obvious at the onset. Ephesians 6:12 says:
“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”
Although the credentials of our enemy can be intimidating, a Christian need not worry because to us, the enemy and his agents are conquered foes. This is the high standpoint of the Christian faith, and it should be the only ground on which a child of God would confront the devil and his agents. We are the triumphant Church of Christ! Indeed, the resources and abilities of our wicked foes pale into insignificance when compared to the victory our Lord has won for us and the tremendous power and authority this victory makes available to us. When we consider all this, it is only appropriate that we sing songs of victory in praise of the one who made us more than conquerors. Glory, Hallelujah!

The Bible presents music as a spiritual tool that can be used to move God. Whenever God wants to do something really special, He calls for an army of consecrated musical warriors to bombard the strongholds of the enemy with songs of victory. We have the example of Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, who deployed divine warriors to march into battle with musical instruments in their hands and songs of praise in their mouths. As the army of worshippers praised and exalted God, He arose on their behalf and completely destroyed all their enemies. Describing this great feat, 2nd Chronicles 20:22 says:
“And when they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten.”
Just as God destroyed the enemies of King Jehoshaphat, so will He destroy all your enemies before you today in Jesus’ Name. Songs of praise are songs of victory. Whenever, you sing songs of victory unto God, He always rises to scatter your enemies. Some thirty years ago, we went to Otukpo for a programme with some students, where I planned to speak on divine healing. It happened that as we began to praise God intensely, the glory of God descended and I forgot every scripture I had written except Luke 1:37. Suddenly, there were clusters of students kneeling and praying in tongues, who had never even heard of the baptism of the Holy Spirit before. Other students soon joined them to pray in tongues, and at the end of the day, I could not preach. That is a glimpse of what singing songs of victory can do. God is indeed worthy to be praised!
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

A lot of Christians are being buffeted daily by the circumstances of life, even though that is not God’s desire for us. From Joshua’s story in Joshua 10:18-14, we see that God’s plan for us is to live as masters over every circumstance that life throws at us in this world. Circumstances are those factors that determine the course of events around us, and they can be natural or spiritual in nature. To live as a master of circumstances is to exercise authority over events or situations of life and the factors which control them.

The Bible emphasises the fact that God is sovereign over all of creation. In other words, He has absolute authority and control over everything in heaven and earth. Yet, He has delegated a limited degree of control over His creation to mankind. Through this delegated authority, man has gained tremendous knowledge of the universe over time and this has given him a greater level of control over situations and circumstances of life. Without a doubt, man has made giant strides and acquired advanced knowledge in several fields of human endeavour. However, because of these achievements, a great part of humanity wrongly assumes that they are masters of the universe and are therefore in charge of things. How wrong they are! Daniel 4:35 says,
“And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?”
From this Bible passage, it is clear that God is unquestionably in charge. He does as He pleases in the distribution of His mercy, blessings and favour. He gives strength, makes great, promotes and gives knowledge and wisdom, all at His pleasure. The Lord controls the hearts of kings, and He also controls times and seasons. He deposes kings and installs others in their place. He is the source of every element in creation, the fountain of life and the fountain of goodness from whom all blessings flow. All hail the true Master of the universe, the Redeemer of mankind and the Saviour of the whole world! Our God can empower anyone He likes to become a master of circumstances of life. He gave His prophets the power to see into the future and control rain from heaven at will; He gave the apostles the power to heal the sick and raise the dead, and He also gave them authority over demonic powers and natural elements of life. This same God is ready to give you power and authority over all circumstances of life today if you are ready to become a willing tool in His hands. Are you ready to surrender your all to Him?
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Out of envy and hatred, Joseph’s brothers wickedly plotted evil against him. They even wanted to kill him but God intervened, so they decided instead to sell him to slave merchants who led him to Egypt, where he served Potiphar as a slave for several years before being sent to prison. Jailed for a crime he did not commit, his chances of regaining his freedom became slimmer and slimmer as the days went by. After a period of about fifteen years, God visited Joseph with His mercy and brought him out of prison and slavery with a strong hand. He became second in command to Pharaoh in the whole Egyptian empire; a position that was by all means impossible for a foreigner to occupy, not to mention a slave and ex-convict. Most remarkably however, throughout his experience, Joseph was never bitter, angry or vengeful towards his brothers, because he believed that God’s purpose was being fulfilled through everything he faced. Indeed, the ways of God are past finding out. What Joseph said to His brother in Genesis 45:5-8 is so instructive to us today:
“Now therefore be not grieved, not angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life. For these two years hath the famine been in the land: and yet there are five years, in the which there shall neither be earing nor harvest. And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance. So now it was not you that sent me hither, but God: and he hath made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt.”

Joseph did not want his brothers to feel sorry for their past wickedness against him, because he did not view what happened to him entirely as an act of hatred but rather as God’s way of strategically positioning him for the fulfilment of His great purpose. Although he did not try to whitewash the evil his brothers did, he was determined to show them that God had a saving purpose in the cruel events of his life, otherwise how else could he have gotten to the position he found himself in Egypt if he had remained with his father in the land of Canaan? This same message is echoed to us by the Holy Spirit in Romans 8:28, which says:
“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”
I therefore pray that God will strategically position you, and that all things will begin to work together for your good and the overall blessing of your entire family in the mighty Name of Jesus.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

In Philippians 3:10-16, Apostle Paul’s example stands as a shining light on the importance of the role that our mind-set plays in determining whether we succeed or fail in life. His persistence and tenacity contributed to his success, coupled with a mind-set that was content but not complacent. Till he went home to be with the Lord, he was ever desirous of attaining new heights in God, regardless of his prior achievements. Like Paul, we should realise that it is not over until it is truly over. Many of us seem to be celebrating the victory we are yet to win, relaxing as if we have arrived. Beloved, I am using this medium to tell you that believers in Christ are a continuous ‘work-in-progress’ in the hands of the Almighty. Therefore, run the Christian race with a mind-set that is never complacent, always remembering the words of the Holy Spirit in 1st Corinthians 10:12, saying:
“Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.”
Beware of the spirit of pride and all the subtle ways it manifests itself. If given room to operate, pride will stop you from seeing yourself as a work-in-progress that needs to be examined and re-examined from time to time before the day of delivery and commissioning. Let Jesus remain your Master-builder and allow Him work on you until you see Him in glory.

If we look at our Christian race in the light of sporting activities and apply the lessons learnt to our live, it will give us a fair understanding of how well we are faring in our journey. We should not be athletes who are satisfied to just participate and enjoy the support and encouragement of spectators. Our ultimate goal should be to make heaven and receive the crown of righteousness, and so we must be prepared to undergo rigorous training in the word of God and persevere through the process of sanctification. Like the eagle, we should focus on our flight to heaven and ignore the multitude around us. Our minds must be fixed on the crown of righteousness and the glory that awaits the saints in heaven, so that we can go through our course in this world with joy. Let us submit ourselves to the discipline, control and regimented lifestyle required of us from time to time by our divinely appointed coach, who is the Holy Spirit, and strive to live by the mind-set enunciated in Philippians 3:13-14, which says:
“Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”
God bless you as you do so. Amen.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

A person who possesses competency in knowledge and skill has great potential to succeed in life. When such competency is derived from God, it is referred to as divine understanding. Succeeding in life is all about recognising and utilizing the opportunities God brings our way, coupled with making the right choices in life. A person endowed with divine understanding is therefore able to excel in life because he or she has the ability to discern what is true, ethically right and sound, based on God’s word. God alone possesses wisdom and understanding in the absolute sense, and He gives these to these who seek them from Him with a humble heart. In relation to people, divine wisdom refers to the abilities God gives in every area of life, including craftsmanship, knowledge and insight for right decisions. Divine wisdom cannot be received by those whose confidence is based on human cleverness and insight without God’s revelation. This kind of human wisdom may produce temporary success in life, but it often comes to nought in the long run (1st Corinthians 3:19-20).

Understanding is built on the foundation of knowledge and the ability to use it correctly. There are different ways God imparts understanding to a person. For example, understanding can be received in the place of observing how others live or do things (Proverbs 24:30-32). It can also be acquired through studying God’s word and His wondrous works in the universe (Psalm 119:130, Job 37:14-20). Understanding can also come from parental guidance or as a result of practical experiences in life (Proverbs 4:1-5). Above all, it can be received through the impartation of God’s Spirit in the place of prayer, as it happened to Solomon (1st Kings 3, Ephesians 1:15-18).

Worldly wisdom and understanding build pride and false hope in people, who go on to arrogate success in life to themselves and not to the Almighty God. This folly has led to the downfall of many people and kingdoms all over the world, as seen in the example of Babylon in Isaiah 47:10-11. No wonder Proverbs 26:12 says:
“Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit? There is more hope of a fool than of him.”
Furthermore, in Isaiah 29:14, the Bible says worldly wisdom shall perish. The people of this world can never receive the wisdom of God. Divine understanding is only accessible to those who are willing to give up their reliance on human insight in exchange for God’s wisdom (1st Corinthians 2:14-15). May the Lord fill you with divine understanding today in Jesus’ Name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Today we live in a world that glorifies things of great proportions, with a special attraction for gigantic projects. Anything that is not massive, huge, tremendous or colossal does not seem to catch the attention of the current generation. In the common parlance of the 21st century, things that turn people’s heads usually start with the word “mega”, like mega-corporations, mega-stores, mega-cities,, mega-churches, and so on. Because society is so obsessed with all things mega, small things have become unattractive and inconsequential to a lot of people. People nowadays despise the days of little beginnings and deride small things. However, as people of God’s kingdom, our culture is different. Zechariah 4:10a states our creed as follows:
“Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin….” (NLT)
Every great work of God usually starts small, beginning sometimes only as a vision in the mind of a faithful servant of God. In this sense, the mustard seed in Mark 4:30-32 is a perfect example of a small beginning. Although a mustard seed is very small, measuring only about 1 to 2 millimetres, when it is sown, it grows into a tree of about 3 meters high. This is a 3000% increase in size! I prophesy according to the word of the Lord coming to you now, no matter how small your beginning is, your latter end will increase tremendously in the Name of Jesus.

In God’s dealings with man, there have been so many stories of little beginnings becoming great. Usually, in the days of small things, critics are numerous, unleashing vicious condemnation without reservation. The heaven-appointed builder is typically tagged a dreamer and made to face ridicule and mockery. Many times, the voice of critics will ring through repeatedly, saying that the dream being pursued is not achievable. Be careful not to pay attention to their words because there is no truth in them. Their objective is to cause discouragement and make you lose focus. In spite of such pessimistic verbal attacks and threats, Zerubbabel zealously pressed on with the work of rebuilding God’s temple in Jerusalem (Ezra 3-5, Haggi 1-2, Zechariah 4). Be assured that the glorious completion of your assignment will put to shame all those who scorned its small beginning. To the glory of God, The Redeemed Christian Church of God is a good example of how God can make a mustard seed grow to become a tree greater than all herbs with great branches. Just be faithful in the little that God has committed into your hands. Do not despise the days of small beginnings. If you are holy, diligent, and prayerful and focused, the Lord will crown all your efforts with resounding success and make your latter end to increase beyond measure, according to His word.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Our Lord Jesus Christ did not impulsively come to earth to die for our sins; He carefully considered all it would cost Him to accomplish this difficult task (Hebrews 10:5-7). He considered the cost of leaving His throne in heaven, with an innumerable company of angels at His beck and call, to live on earth as one having nowhere to lay His head (Luke 9:58). He considered the agony of rejection He would go through at the hands of those He came to save. He considered the sorrow of having those He healed, cleansed and raised back to life crying “Crucify Him!” Above all, He considered the pain of becoming sin, hanging on a cross and being separated from His Father. Shedding more light on this, the Holy Spirit says in Philippians 2:5-8.
“Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to the equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.”
Having considered the cost of all this and much more, Jesus still chose to go through it all because of the joy of our salvation that was set before Him (Hebrews 12:3). What a wonderful Saviour we have! The Holy Spirit is admonishing us to have the same mind, which counts the cost of a task before undertaking it.

The lives of many Bible characters also reflect the principle of counting the cost. Abraham is one example; he never once thought of going back to his native country after leaving it. He properly understood God’s instructions and followed through without looking back. Also, the four Hebrews boys were well aware of what was at stake the moment they got to Babylon. They quickly counted the cost, and in Daniel 1:8, we are told that Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego made a commitment to God that cost them the right to the king’s delicacies. Because they had counted the cost and made a firm commitment to follow through, they dared the fiery furnace and the lion’s den. The good news is that when we make up our minds with a strong commitment to serve the Lord at all costs, it attracts great rewards from heaven. Count the cost of going all the way with Jesus, surrendering all to Him and living holy, ,and then make a firm commitment to serve God, no matter what it takes.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Peter was one person who made several efforts in life but failed. On one occasion, he toiled all night long but did not catch a single fish. However, the day Peter met Jesus was the day his story changed for good, as the yoke of frustration was broken in his life. On that very day, he had thrown his nets into the sea several times and caught nothing, but the moment the Anointed One stepped into his situation, everything changed for him. There are many people who have worked very hard with nothing to show for it. Many have been struggling with their God-given assignment in life, and despite all their best efforts, the results are not impressive. We must realise that outstanding all-round success cannot be achieved by human efforts alone; we need to enter into a partnership with God by launching into the deep at His command. Jesus said in John 15:5:
“I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.”
Launching into the deep does not always mean venturing out into new grounds. It can also mean remaining at your duty post as a believer, doing all that God expects you to do at all times, such as sharing the good news of salvation. God wants us to be passionate about getting the lost to experience the salvation of the cross because He wants everyone to be saved.

Preaching the word of God activates the power in the word. God’s word can be used to create, bless, transform and also to destroy the devil’s activities in people’s lives. It was the spoken word that transformed Peter from being a fisherman to becoming a fisher of men. Peter realised that the Lord’s word was the source of the remarkable change in his life, and so he knew he could not afford to let go of Jesus. After he managed to bring his boat to land, he turned his back on it, forsaking all to follow Jesus. Up until that moment, that boat symbolised the security and livelihood, because fishing was his life. He however chose to put an end to his struggles and pursue after Christ with great passion. What are those things hindering you from preaching God’s word? You would do well to become wise like Peter by holding on to the One who has your interest and permanent security at heart. If you are doing God’s will the way it should be done, you will never have to worry, because He is the Great Provider who will always meet your needs. Hallelujah!
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

We often use the text of Revelation 3:20 to reach out to those who are not saved, but we often forget that our Lord pronounced those words in His letter to His Church! We as Christians need to be conscious that it is possible for us to lock the Lover of our souls out from our hearts. Therefore, it should not surprise you that the Holy Spirit’s message to us today is that Jesus is standing outside and knocking on the door of our hearts, not as a homeless person seeking for help or begging for shelter, but as the Master of the house. The Lord expects an immediate response and a red-carpet reception, and He promises to have an intimate, personal relationship with anyone who would respond with a friendly welcome. On the other hand, the consequences of a delayed response or not responding at all is clear in Song Of Solomon 5:2-7. The Lord would withdraw Himself, as He does not force Himself on anyone. When He withdraws, at the time you seek Him, and that time will surely come, you will not find Him. This has unpleasant ramifications. Song of Solomon 5:6 says:
“I opened to my beloved; but my beloved had withdrawn himself, and was gone: my soul failed when he spake: I sought him, but I could not find him; I called him, but he gave me no answer.”
May this not be your testimony in Jesus’ Name. Is the Lord not knocking on the door of your heart today? Are you asleep spiritually and can barely hear Him call out your name? Has He not been knocking on that part of your heart that you have refused to yield to Him after giving your life to Him? Is He not calling out to you concerning that secret sin you have entangled yourself in? How about the assignment He gave you which you have abandoned? The Lord is knocking on the door of your heart concerning these and much more. Will you leave Him in the cold or welcome Him to the warmth of the fire of zeal in your heart? Answer Him today by opening up your heart and submitting to His will.

Whenever God comes visiting, you can be sure you are in for pleasant surprises, because He never visits an individual empty-handed. Revelation 3:21 affirms this, promising great blessings of eternal value to anyone who opens the door of his or her heart unto Jesus. Such a fellow will be granted the authority to sit with Christ on His throne. This means that those who gladly receive Jesus with honour and warmth will receive delegated power and authority to reign with Him in His kingdom here on earth and in heaven. As you open the door of your heart to Jesus today, receive power to reign with Him in Jesus’ Name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Philip’s action following the request of the Greeks who wanted to see Jesus brings to mind the general restrictive attitude of the disciples whenever anyone sought to have audience with the Lord. The very ones who were supposed to make Jesus accessible to everyone did their best at different times to keep coming close to Him in Luke 18:15, tried to send the hungry crowd away in Luke 9:12, and in Matthew 15:23, they told Jesus to chase away the Syro-Phoenician woman who came to get help for her daughter. Two of His disciples, James and John, even tried to call down fire on those who hindered their way (Luke 9:45). Why were the disciples so protective of Jesus, to the point of being hostile to some of those who wanted to have access to Him? They were obviously very protective of Jesus, probably thinking he was too busy to be disturbed with what they considered to be petty issues. I may not have the exact answer to this question but I can authoritatively tell you one thing: whatever you do, don’t let any “disciple” keep you away from Jesus! Don’t allow anyone prevent you from getting your miracle. Every disciple of Jesus Christ should consciously avoid speech or actions that could keep anyone away from Him.

After Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, His acceptance and popularity among the people seemed to reach its peak, resulting in His triumphant entry into Jerusalem. This also caused the plot to murder Him by the Jewish religious leaders to reach its climax. It was against this background that the Greeks who sought Jesus visited Jerusalem for the imminent Passover feast. They must have witnessed Christ’s triumphant entry into Jerusalem, and would have heard that He was the promised Messiah from the tribe of Judah. They would also have heard the rumours making the rounds that He was to take possession of David’s throne and reign as king of the Jews. The expectation at the time was that something of great importance, not only to the Jewish nation, but the whole world, was about to take place, and they were right. At that time Christ knew He was approaching the consummation of His ministry here on earth. Therefore, when He heard the eager cry of the Greeks saying to Philip, “Sir, we would see Jesus,” He immediately knew in His Spirit that the time had come for Him to be glorified through His death and resurrection. Their enquiry confirmed to Him that His sacrificial offering would bring all those who believed in Him all over the world into perfect harmony with God. God’s kingdom was about to be perfected and extended throughout the whole earth. The desire of these Greeks throughout the whole earth. The desire of these Greeks therefore promoted the commencement of His voluntary self-sacrifice (John 12:27). I pray that your efforts to see Jesus will yield positive results beginning from today in Jesus’ Name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

From James 3:6 we understand that the tongue has the ability to destroy a person’s destiny eternally. Why is the tongue so deadly? A study of the tongue’s characteristics will shed light on this. Thankfully, the Holy Spirit has explained some of its traits in James 3:1-10. Most notably, the tongue is ambivalent in some of the things it does. It sings the praise of God one moment and the next moment curses a fellow humans being created in the image of God. How then can we handle this thing, which the Bible in James 3:8 describes as “an unruly evil, full of deadly poison?” We thank God because Jesus in Mark 16:18 promises that no poisonous thing can harm us; Hallelujah! Jesus is able and willing to solve every problem of ours, including those created by the tongue, if we surrender our entire lives, including our tongues, to Him. Indeed, every problem of life ends at the cross of Calvary for those who lift their eyes to Jesus Christ and call on His Name for help.

The story was told of a woman who almost destroyed her marriage with her tongue. She did not like what was going on in her marriage, but could not figure out what was wrong, so she consulted a native doctor to help solve her marital issues. The old man knew that the woman’s tongue was her problem; he therefore gave her a smooth stone he had gotten from a nearby river, instructing her to slot it into her mouth and begin to suck on it anytime her husband picked a fight with her. He also strictly warned her not to speak whenever the stone was in her mouth, otherwise the charm would fail. She took the stone from the man and went home. As usual, she did something wrong and her husband corrected her, expecting her to respond in her usual manner. However, to his surprise, this woman kept mute! Unknown to him, she had put the stone in her mouth and was being careful not to speak while it was in there. This continued for many days, and peace returned to their home. Her husband began to love and cherish her for the great change he had seen in her virtues. She ran to the old man to show her gratitude for the effectiveness of the “charm”, only to discover that the stone he had given her was ordinary and powerless. The old man then told her that if she could learn to bridle her tongue, she would enjoy peace with her husband and with everyone else for that matter. Proverbs 16:24 says
“Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.”
If a soft answer turns away anger, according to God’s word in Proverbs 15:1, imagine the power of silence!
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Whenever God calls a person into a spiritual office, it is usually for the purpose of playing a unique role towards the accomplishment of God’s agenda for mankind in a particular generation. God calls people to serve Him, and not to occupy exalted positions or obtain titles. Indeed, we are called to be a source of blessing to many lives; this is why God gives us spiritual gifts through His Holy Spirit. However, it is so obvious today that some recipients of these gifts are not using the spiritual offices they occupy to serve God’s purpose. If you have been called as a pastor, your responsibility is to shepherd the church and care for the spiritual needs of those God has put in your trust as a pastor. Sadly, many pastors are busy in the rat race for wealth, position and fame, leaving members for their flock to wander aimlessly around. Today, many Christians cannot identify their left from their right, simply because Church leaders present opposing views over important matters relating to Bible doctrine. There is no agreement among ministers of God over what the Bible says about tithing, divorce and remarriage, homosexuality, divine healing and miracles. Children of God in general and ministers of God in particular must learn to let Paul plant and let Apollo water. Simply put, we must see ourselves as co-labourers in God’s vineyard (1st Corinthians 3:9). Speaking on this, the Holy Spirit says in Romans 12:4-8:
“For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching; Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.”

There are various problems in the Body of Christ today because people are not using their spiritual offices for the purpose they were called by the Almighty God. Grace has been given to everyone according to the measure of the gift of Christ, and so people should stop causing divisions within the Body of Christ through their foolish struggle for supremacy. Spiritual offices are meant to complement each other for the edification and perfecting of the saints. The gifts that these offices represent are meant to be used together for the unity of the Church, so that God’s people can come into the full knowledge of Jesus Christ (Ephesians 4:13). I pray that God will help His Church to understand and walk in these trusts in Jesus’ Name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

One virtue that is gradually being eroded from the lives of 21st century Christians is contentment, and because contentment and godliness are actually inseparable twins (1st Timothy 6:6), it is therefore not surprising that there is also a dearth of godliness amongst us. The cure to this deficiency in the Body of Christ is the consistent teaching of God’s word on contentment. I therefore encourage all teachers of God’s word to arm themselves with the sword of the Spirit in this regard and combat this issue in the Church. We can learn a lot on contentment from our Lord Jesus Christ. Even though He created the whole universe, He was content to be born into a family that could only afford a manger as His birth place (Luke 2:7)! He owns the cattle on a thousand hills, yet His earthly parents could only afford to sacrifice two pigeons at the time of His dedication in the temple (Luke 2:22-24, Leviticus 12:. The Holy Spirit also teaches us contentment in Ecclesiastes 5:10-12, which says:
“He that loveth sliver shall not be satisfied with sliver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase: this is also vanity. When goods increase, they are increased that eat them: and what good is there to the owner thereof, saving the beholding of them with their eyes? The sleep of a labouring man is sweet, whether he eat little or much: but the abundance of the rich will not suffer him to sleep.”
The Holy Spirit is saying here that no matter how rich a person is, there will always be the urge to run after more wealth in an endless vicious circle, unless he or she has contentment from God. He also says that as we labour to accumulate more money, we might actually be labouring for people we do not know, who will consume what we have laboured for and might not even say “thank you” after eating of our sweat. When you consider the rich people in your country, I believe you can point to several hundreds of families who legitimately and illegitimately benefit from their labours and sleepless nights spent in accumulating wealth. What good have those stolen billions done for the bodies of those who loot the treasury of their countries, not to mention their souls? A poor labourer who has contentment will always have an appetite to eat the modest food available and sleep well at night. Conversely, rich people without contentment do not sleep well, because they are always thinking of how to accumulate more riches and how not to lose what they already have to those out to cheat them. For this reason, many of them are always suspicious of the people around them, seeing everyone as cheats. Beloved, seek the Lord today if you want to enjoy life in abundance, and be content with the blessings He bestows on you.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.