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There are some people who never knew what sickness, failure, poverty or stagnation was until they committed fornication or adultery. Fornication/adultery is a sin that attracts the automatic wrath of God because it involves your Body, Soul and Spirit. Those who secretly engage in the sin of adultery end up being reduced to a piece of bread. Some think that as long as their sins are not found out, they are safe. Ask King David, he will tell you that your sins will always find you out. Fornication and adultery will reduce you to a state of nothingness. Every precious thing in you will shut down permanently, the grace of God upon your life will be automatically removed and you will immediately become exposed to all forms of satanic attack. The cover of the Almighty God is removed and shame and reproach will become a daily occurrence to such a person. It doesn't matter how long you may have spent in building your life, it begins to crash the moment you invite destruction.

A righteous person will be wise enough to avoid the dangers that come with the act of immorality. Joseph understood this and preferred that his garment be torn in the hands of Mrs Potiphar than that his destiny and colourful future be destroyed by a few minutes of pleasure. All those who give excuses about the negative sides of their spouses as an excuse for sleeping around are only being foolish. There is nothing outside that is not already given to you by God through your wife or husband. Don't allow your life to end in shame and disgrace, because that is always the end of those who continue in extra-marital affairs. Stay with the spouse that God has given you and receive your emotional nourishment from that spouse. If you can't find contentment in your marriage, then you can be sure you will never really find it anywhere else.

The plan and purpose of God for marriage is - one man to one woman. There is no perfect man or woman anywhere, you have to work with what/who you have, make lemonade out of your lemons.

You must stay far away from those people who can cause you to sin. This was the case with Samson in the book of Judges. Everywhere Samson went; his focus was always on women, and he lost his life and all he had through a woman. You have to examine yourself to find out if there is any possible channel through which you can become a victim of fornication or adultery. Disconnect yourself from that man or that woman that wants to disconnect you from the place of grace. God is not just holy; He wants us to be partakers of His holiness. It is the holiness of God that secures the grace of God in our lives.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Haters of God are those who put the fear of man over and above the fear of God. They believe more in the inventions of man than in the creation of God. They are those who rely in their vain imagination rather than the absolute truth of God. They prefer to stay away from God and His house because they don't want His truth to locate them. They prefer to use their wisdom to solve their problems rather than find solution in Christ alone. When they are in trouble, the first thing on their minds is running to the wrong places for solution, which eventually compounds their problem.

Looking up to a man when one should trust in God can be a very futile endeavour. Those who put their confidence in man will always end up with frustrating experiences. If you keep to God He will keep you in perfect peace. There are many people who have no experience of what the Peace of God is. May this never be your portion in Jesus' name.

Haters of God allow their hearts to be dominated by impure thoughts. They allow demons to control their hearts, and this is why they find it impossible to experience the Peace of God. You can make up your mind this day to be a lover of God.

Those who hate God will never know the peace of God. Don't allow the power of hell to dominate your life. Every place of activity through which evil ideas come into your life must be avoided. Separate yourself totally from those things separating you from the blessings of God. Keep a distance from those negative connections and influences that lure you into evil including Internet views and impure television programmes. Stop feeding your eyes with lust inducing items and materials. Don't give yourself further to those things that will attract the wrath of God upon your life, things such as masturbation, fornication, incest, rape, same sex relationship, occultism, and pornography. Through the power of God, you can dominate these evil practices that keep you away from the grace of God.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

There are different categories of sorrow; the ungodly sorrow and the godly sorrow. Ungodly sorrow leads to deadly actions that drag it's victims to either temporal or eternal perdition. The Bible says that Cain was sorrowful because his offering was not acceptable by God. That type of sorrow was ungodly because it pushed him to commit a great sin against God. He became the first murderer in the history of man, a deviant one at that. The Almighty God asked him, "Where is Abel thy brother? And he confidently told God that he didn't know where Abel was. Another example of ungodly sorrow is found in Judas Iscariot. The Bible says he actually felt sorry for how the event turned out, but his sorrow was not godly; he only felt bad because his plan to swindle the chief priests failed. He did not think of the injustice of the action in the first place. He would have been happy if Jesus had slipped away from His arresters like He had in John 8:59. No wonder Judas Iscariot ended up killing himself.

On the other hand, godly sorrow is positive. 2 Corinthians 7:10 says:
"For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death."

When someone realises that he or she is a sinner and knows that the final destination is eternal perdition, if he becomes penitent like David after his encounter with Prophet Nathan, he will be forgiven.

Also, in the story of the people of Nineveh, after Jonah had handed down the coming judgement of God upon the city, they all, from the king to the least, engaged themselves in godly sorrow. The king declared a fast for both humans and animals.
Jonah 3:10 says:
"And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not."

This positive sorrow was found in the Publican Jesus spoke of in Luke 18:10-14, he had godly sorrow void of self-righteousness and in verse 14, Jesus said:
"I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other..."
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

To be a reprobate is very dangerous for the society and for the Christian faith in particular. The reason is not far-fetched; a reprobate does immoral and unethical things without any sense of guilt or remorse because his or her conscience has been seared with hot iron of defiance. In 2 Corinthians 13:6, Apostel Paul affirmed his confidence in the Corinthian Church premised on the fact that they would do according to the godly instructions he gave them.

The problem of some of the 21sth century believers is the philosophy of relativism which makes them think that an acceptable statement or action in th time of war will also be acceptable in the time of peace. For instance, if you kill while on a battle field, you are valiant and patriotic, however, if you kill in the time of peace, even as a soldier, you will be charged with murder. An extreme case of relativism is when killing in the time of peace is considered the same with killing in the time of war. This is a human error that should not be allowed in the body of Christ because it turns believers into reprobates.

In 2 Corinthians 13:5-8, Apostle Paul admonished the Church at Corinth, and by extension, the church of today to make sure they are still in the faith. He goes further to challenge us to prove that we are carriers of Jesus' image. This is the reason why John, the beloved wrote in 1 John 3:9:
"Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God."

Some people have sold themselves to reprobate minds, and so no number of sermons they hear can change them. They keep saying, "My conscience does not condemn me. "The truth is that a dead conscience cannot condemn, because it is not active.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Having said this, we must also acknowledge the fact that His anger does not last forever. There is a condition though. When you don't take God and His mercies for granted, and you genuinely turn away from your wickedness, He will deal with you as if you have never sinned before. Proverbs 28:13 says:
"He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy."

When God is angry with an individual, that fellow cannot know joy. Psalms 32:10 says:
"Many sorrows shall be to the wicked: but he that trusteth in the Lord, mercy shall compass him about."

Going by this scripture, every man born of a woman is doomed for sorrow until Jesus Christ redeems him from the curse of sin. Our trust in the work of redemption without taking the One who made it possible for granted, will bring unspeakable joy. When our relationship is cordial with God, we can boldly say like the Psalmist; "weeping may endure for a night..." (due to the variable nature of life) "...but joy cometh in the morning."
When I first became General Overseer, anytime I returned from my missionary journeys, my wife would be eager to tell me about all the matters that needed my attention. After listening to them all, I would ask for my food and after the meal I would go to bed. My wife kept on wondering about my attitude. I had to explain to her the fact that joy will come in the morning because I was leaving everything to God while I sleep. Faithful is He who has promised us joy in the morning; it shall surely come.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Children of God are to decide wisely what they want to do with their relationship with Him. Jesus, in Luke 14:27 said;
"And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple."

A Cross is a symbol of responsibility, to say the least. It is a pointer to the fact that the path of discipleship is rugged and demanding. It demands a high level of determination to follow without looking back when faced with sufferings and temptations. This is why Jesus said in Luke 9:62; "...No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God."

The cost of discipleship is also found in the blessed call of Jesus Christ in Matthew 11:28-39:
"Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls."

It is costly to follow Jesus Christ for many reasons. Firstly, He has a yoke and whoever wants to follow Him must bear that yoke with Him. An example of this yoke is found in John 4:34 where Jesus said; "...My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work." whoever fails to share this burden with Jesus cannot be His disciple. Secondly, the one who wants to be a disciple of Christ must learn of Him, he must pattern his life after Christ's life and one major way to pattern one's life after Jesus Christ is to be meek and lowly in heart.
Philippians 2:5-8 says:
Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be 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."

Beloved, you have to know that discipleship has its price, but it is highly rewarding. Jesus Christ said, "...and ye shall find rest unto your souls." (Matthew 11:29).
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

To know what you live for, you need to consult the Holy Scriptures and this is what we shall briefly do in today's reading. The Bible says:
"Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created."
Revelation 4:11

The unfortunate thing about life is that, people live as if they own their lives. Our Lord Jesus Christ told us the story of a certain rich man who in one year had so much money that he started boasting of many years of enjoyment. While he was ranting and boasting, God said to him:
"...Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God."
Luke 12:20-21

Beloved, we are expected to live for God the Father, through Jesus Christ the Son. We are not supposed to live for ourselves anymore, because we have been bought with a price. Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ admonished us as peculiar people to show forth the praises of Him (Jesus) who hath called us out of darkness into His marvellous light. (1 Peter 2:9). Moreover, Paul, another apostle corroborated this when he wrote:
"I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me."
Galatians 2:20

The apostle further wrote that, after we have given our lives to Christ, we should live a new life as becoming the saints. We should put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

This is the only way we can live for God and not for ourselves. May the Lord grant us the grace to live acceptably before Him in Jesus' name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The relationship between God and his human creatures could be likened to the relationship between a husband and his wife. God, who instituted marriage, patterned the relationship in marriage after His relationship with His people. This is why spiritual adultery is severely punished from time to time in the history of man and his interaction with his Maker.
"And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord, and served Baalim... And they forsook the Lord, and served Baal and Ashtaroth. And the anger of the Lord was hot against Israel, and he delivered them into the hands of spoilers that spoiled them, and he sold them into the hands of their enemies round about, so that they could not any longer stand before their enemies."
Judges 2:11, 13-14

God is jealous, like a man could be jealous over the relationship of his wife with another man, when his human creatures follow other gods besides Him (Exodus 20:5). The spiritual adultery which the children of Israel committed is vividly illustrated in the relationship between Hosea and Gomer his professional harlot-turned wife. The patience of Hosea with Gomer who was always going back to her whoredom like a dog that goes back to its vomit also illustrates God's patience with His people who court with the people of the world. The bond becomes stronger when someone at the altar of repentance, betroths himself or herself to Jesus Christ, the original Bridegroom. The Bible says:
"Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If a man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him."
1 John 2:15

Our Lord Jesus Christ also said that our love cannot be possibly shared between God and ephemeral things of this world. He said:
"No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon."
Luke 16:13

Serving God and mammon is spiritual adultery, punishable by rejection and shame. The Bible says:
"Plead with your mother, plead: for she is not my wife neither am I her husband: let her therefore put away her whoredoms out of her sight, and her adulteries from between her breasts. Lest I strip her naked, and set her as in the day that she was born, and make her as a wilderness and set her like a dry land, and slay her with thirst."
Hosea 2:2-3

Beloved, beware of spiritual adultery. Stick to Jesus Christ, the Lover of your soul and He will do you good.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The parables of Jesus sometimes were directed to the multitude and at some other times are directed to the disciples in particular. The parable of Jesus in Luke 19:13 was directed to the disciples who were being prepared for the great commission (Mark 16:15-16). They were being told to occupy till He comes.

Sometimes we think the word "occupy" means "keep yourself busy" alone; it means more than that. We must not keep ourselves busy doing nothing substantial. To understand the import of Christ's command in Luke 19:13 we must take a look at Joshua 13:1-6. The Lord gave a not too good assessment of the journey to the Promised Land under Joshua, which should be a food for thought for the Church of the 21st century.
"Now Joshua was old and stricken in years; and the Lord said unto him, Thou art old and stricken in years, and there remaineth yet very much land to be possessed."
Joshua 13:1

One lesson we must quickly learn from the above scripture is that Joshua was now old and there was no more strength and energy to lead the battle against the inhabitants of the land which God had given to them. They failed to occupy the Promised Land. In the same vein, when Jesus Christ told His disciples (and us by extension), to go into the world and preach the gospel to every creature, He was actually saying that we should go and occupy the land for Him and the Kingdom of His Father. It is beyond keeping ourselves busy just for its sake. The question now is, "Are we really occupying while we await His second coming?" Another food for thought is, in our evangelistic and missionary efforts, can we say we are occupying both the geographical and spiritual landscape and atmosphere of the world? What can we show for all the money spent on missions and evangelistic efforts? Have we taken a break in our efforts to occupy the nooks and crannies of world kingdoms like the disciples of old? We must remember that our mandate is to make disciples of all nations.

Beloved, we must not lose grounds any more. As a matter of fact, the grounds we have lost to the enemy must be taken back. Like David encouraged himself in the Lord after the raid of his barrack at Ziklag, we must summon courage to go after the enemy and recover back the Kingdoms that once belonged to the Church. The Cathedrals that have been turned to bars must be bought back for the worship of the Kings of kings and the Lord of lords. Christian nations that have turned secular must be revived and brought back to the light of the gospel of the Son of the Living God. May the Lord help us in Jesus' name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

There is tremendous power in a touch. It may be positive or negative as there are categories and types of touches. Naaman knew the power in a touch, especially from representatives of God and said with a sense of disappointment when Elisha did not come out to touch him when he went to Samaria:
"...Behold, I thought, He will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the Lord his God, and strike his hand over the place, and recover the leper."
2 Kings 5:11

A touch can bring death as in the case of Uzzah in the book of Samuel:
"And when they came to Nachon's threshing floor, Uzzah put forth his hand to the Ark of God, and took hold of it; for the oxen shook it. And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah; and God smote him there for his error; and there he died by the ark of God."
2 Samuel 6:6-7

During one of our Conventions at the Redemption Camp in Nigeria, the Lord asked me to lay out a piece of cloth for people to touch by faith and receive their healing with a warning that it should simply be touched and not held. A man went ahead to touch (I will say without faith) because he also grabbed the cloth. It took special grace and forgiveness of God for him not to die the moment he touched outside of faith; his entire body began to shake uncontrollably from morning till evening. It would have been a touch of death but for God's intervention.
Another touch can bring healing as in the case of the woman with the issue of blood in Matthew 9:21:
"For she said within herself, if I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole."

This is the touch of faith. The touch of faith can work for the one who touches and for the touched. In the same chapter of Matthew's gospel, Jesus Christ was met by two blind men who were crying for mercy of healing. When Jesus found out that these men had faith to receive divine touches for healing, the Bible says:
"Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you. And their eyes were opened; and Jesus straitly charged them, saying, see that no man know it."
Matthew 9:29-30

The touch of faith is required anytime you need a miracle. I pray for someone reading this devotional; the Lord will touch you for healing and deliverance today, and you will have testimony in Jesus' name. I also pray that whatever you touch by faith today will prosper in Jesus' name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The Lord in many pages of the Bible warns against the lust of this material world. We are enjoined to set our affections on heavenly things, so that we may not be drawn into the perdition of covetousness. Jesus Christ in Mark 8:36 asks:
"For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?"

Also in Revelation 3:14-19, our Lord accused the Church in Laodicea of lukewarmness. They were neither hot nor cold. What could have been responsible for this spiritual state of the Church in Laodicea? They were carried away by their physical and material prosperity. Service became funfair and the clergy became time-serving.
"Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked."
Revelation 3:17

We must learn from the experience of the Loadicean Church, that material prosperity could be very dangerous if not properly managed by children of God. A man finds it easy to keep vigils in his mosquito or bug infested room, since mosquito or bug bites will not allow him to sleep anyway. However, the moment his situation changes for the better: He now owns a decent apartment with maximum comfort; it becomes difficult to pray at night. Also, when a man does not have enough food to eat, fasting may be easy, because he can only afford to eat once daily anyway. Those born with silver spoons or living in the developed world may find such situations unbelievable, but this was my experience in my trying days, when my regular meal was just one finger of plantain a day. In those days, I dared not eat two fingers of plantain, or else I will have to fast the following day. It takes the grace of God and strong determination to fast when your storehouse is full of assorted foods. King Solomon made a prayer request that we should consider:
"Two things have I required of thee; deny me them not before I die. Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me: Lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the Lord? Or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain."
Proverbs 30:7-9

God called on Adam after he had sold himself to Satan and fallen for the three main temptations in history; the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye and the pride of life. In response, he said he was hiding because he had realised that he was naked. He was right. Riches without God is unclothedness in the spirit. Beloved, don't be deceived, only Jesus Christ can satisfy, nothing and no one else can.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Another exciting thing about the Almighty God is that He is the most generous employer of labour. He pays the best wages in history. This is the reason Apostle Paul admonishes us in 1 Corinthians 15:58 to always abound in the work of the Lord because He will definitely pay us wages beyond our imagination. The disciples asked Jesus Christ what they should do that they might work the works of God? He answered them: "This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent." (John 6:28-29). You may not appreciate the ability to believe that the Holy Spirit has bestowed upon you, until you discover the outcome of those who died as a result of unbelief (Hebrews 3:12-19). God celebrates those who exercise faith in Him; this is why without faith we cannot please Him (Hebrews 11:6). In the message of Jesus Christ to the Church in Philadelphia, it is written:
"I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou has a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name."
Revelation 3:8

One serious point to note is that there are many practical unbelievers in Christ, playing empty religion. They do not believe in the Name of Jesus Christ and He knows their works! How do we explain this? The Bible says that He shall be called Jesus because He shall save His people from their sins. This category of church goers do not believe that through His Name we can receive deliverance from sins. They deny the possibility of living above the power of sin, and so their slogan is "let us sin the more that we may enjoy the grace the more". Against this background Apostle Paul worte:
"What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?"
Romans 6:1-2

Beloved, in the light of these, do you believe in the saving name of Jesus? Are you ready to keep His Word? He has promised that the agents of Satan shall not do you any harm. Rather, they would bow before you and acknowledge the fact that you are a beloved of the Lord. He promised:
"Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth."
Revelation 3:10.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Our Lord Jesus Christ is the most practical personality that has ever lived on the earth. This should not be surprising, since He is both God and man; He came to show us the way to live a victorious and fulfilled life. He affirmed that He came that we may have life and to have it more abundantly (John 10:10).

In the Lord's letter to the Church at Sardis, He told the Church that they were living in self-delusion; that they thought they were vibrant and full of life, whereas, they were half dead and something must be done urgently to preserve the remaining half of their lives, because their works were not perfect before God. They were to watch and pray to rejuvenate their spirituality. Our compassionate Lord, who would not want anyone, particularly those who have confessed Him as Lord to perish is here in Revelation 3:1-6 appealing to and warning the Church to remember how they started and hold fast the Word of truth. One lesson here is that God is not interested in the death of a backslider but that the backslider should repent and be saved.
"Turn, O backsliding children, saith the Lord; for I am married unto you; and I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion."
Jeremiah 3:14

Another interesting lesson we must learn from Revelation 3:1-6 is that the Almighty God knows the state and details of our lives, both spiritually and physically. In spite of the indictment of the imperfect works of the Church at Sardis, the Lord still revealed the truth that not all the members of the Church were corrupt.
"Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy."
Revelation 3:4

The accurate Judge said that there are names (though few) that are worthy! I pray that you will be declared worthy in Jesus' name. However, you have to watch over your soul in this pervert generation and pray always if you will be worthy at the end of the age. Moreover, the Lord promised that He would judge individuals in the church, according to each person's deeds. There shall be no collective responsibility when it comes to spiritual accountability.
"The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him."
Ezekiel 18:20.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

It is amazing and at the same time fearful to realise that the Almighty God takes note of the so called minor misses of the Church as seen in Revelation 2:18-24. God is mindful of those who occupy His altar and He will hold in contempt, not only those who climb the altar with profanity but also those who allow them to climb. In Revelations 2:20, God said:
"Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols."

The first lesson to be learnt from Revelation 2:18-24 is in verse 18. The One that is assessing the Church in Thyatira has eyes like unto a flame of fire! In other words, He sees everything done both in secret and in public. Absolutely nothing is hidden from Him. Psalms 139:11-12 says:
"If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me. Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the light shineth as the day; the darkness and the light are both alike to thee."

As we have mentioned over and over, the Almighty God knows the details of our service. This should always be a consolation to us, especially when it seems our services in the Church are not being appreciated. Know this; your Father in heaven who sees in secret will always reward you in the open. If you are a Deacon and you labour for the church like the General Overseer, it will amaze you that the reward of a General Overseer will pursue, overtake and stay with you. David was fighting like the commander-in-chief of the hosts of Israel and God rewarded him handsomely in many respects even before he was crowned. The greatest lesson with a strong warning is that your service is not perfect when it is laden with immorality and any form of evil. A Church is in danger when she allows profanity to take over the sanctuary. The Lord is warning someone reading this devotional that has been using service to cover up his or her immorality and greed. Please, repent today and stop polluting the sanctuary of the Lord. The consequences of your defiant attitude to this warning are severe as seen in Revelation 2:22-23. May the Almighty God have mercy in Jesus' name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

In Revelation 2:12-17, Jesus Christ commended the Church in Pergamos, reassuring them that nothing about them is hidden from Him. The interesting thing about this Church is that in spite of the nearness of the Church to the seat of Satan, they still held on to the Name of Jesus Christ, they never denied their faith even in the face of terrible persecution. However, Jesus Christ had a serious allegation against them. They tolerated in their midst those who were holding on to and practising false doctrines. This is a food for thought for Christians of the 21st century. In this end-time, we compromise a lot of the apostolic orthodox in the name of civilization and fundamental human rights. We have forgotten that just as God is not a democrat, He is also not a human activist. He has His set of rules that we must abide by, however, we compromise this divine standard because we think we can through that, win these blasphemers into the Kingdom. As a matter of fact, because we have tolerated them so much, they now see themselves as Christians too, setting worldly standard for the Church as they dangle their wealth at the saints.

Will Jesus not hate such a compromise in the name of magnanimity when it becomes a stumbling block to the saints? The saints are leaving their first love because of the doctrine of Balaam. This compromise spoiled the good works of the Church in Pergamos. In Revelation 2:16, Jesus warned the Church:
"Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth."

One major revelation in this passage is that the message of repentance was preached to the Church in Pergamos. We are hereby encouraged to heed this warning too, so that we can overcome these temptations through genuine repentance. When we overcome, our reward will be the hidden manna and a testimonial of perfection written on precious stone.

Beloved, do not be deceived by your longevity in Church. God knows your works and He will reward you accordingly.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The Almighty Father knows all that we do, nothing we do is hidden from Him. This should make us rejoice because it means that our Master knows our works, (assuming that our works are good) and He will appreciate and commend us for them. In other words, even if people don't appreciate us or if they misunderstand us, God never misunderstands. In Revelations 2:9, the Lord sent a message of goodwill to the Church in Smyrna:
"I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan."

There are beautiful things to note from the above scripture: Jesus knows about the tribulation we are passing through. Little wonder one of the saints of old wrote a hymn titled: "There's not a Friend like the Lowly Jesus." The Chorus reads:
Jesus knows all about our struggles,
He will guide till the day is done;
There's not a friend like the lowly Jesus,
No, not one! No, not one!

Another interesting thing about Revelation 2:8-11 is the courage that the Master gave to the Church in Smyrna. He said: "Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer...Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life." Beloved, this is a message from Jesus, the Lover of your soul. Before this time, in John 16:33, Jesus made a categorical statement void of ambiguity:
"These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world."

Jesus further assured us of the great reward of escaping the second death if we will strive to overcome (Revelation 2:11). May the Lord help us to overcome in Jesus' name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Come back Home to God; He has Nothing against You

Many people think of a high level of sin and crime when we talk of backsliding, whereas to backslide does not require going into heinous sins as some erroneously think. What is backsliding? Simply defined, backsliding is failure to do the good things you were doing before. James 4:17 says:
"Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin."

It becomes a serious matter when you have started doing a good work and you stop doing it; that is backsliding in its practical form. This was the situation in the Church at Ephesus. The Lord commended their labour, their patience and their zero tolerance for evil. The Lord also knew how careful they were in scrutinizing and distinguishing between true and false apostles. In other words, they did not take any message in the Name of the Lord if they were not persuaded in the Holy Ghost about its authenticity. They held fast the faith, labouring to defend it without compromise. However, the Lord had something against them; they had left their first love. As a Christian, where is your first love? Is it still intact or have you left it for the theology of relativism? Is the end justifying the means of your livelihood? Your Church is swelling up in attendance after you compromised the faith. Those who you could not tolerate on God's altar are those that are frequently invited. Those singers that you could never allow near God's sanctuary are those who now frequently "minister" in songs to your congregation. Where is your first love? The Master in Revelation 2:5 is saying:
"Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent."

In the past, Christians didn't walk in the counsel of the ungodly. They didn't stand where sinners stood, and they didn't sit at the forum of the scornful (Psalms 1:1). Nowadays, Christians promote and applaud jesting and ungodly jokes. We seem to have forgotten that not only doers will be punished but also those who love the doers. Romans 1:28, 32 says:
"....Who knowing the judgement of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them."
Beloved, we should never allow our love for Christ go cold. Let us go back to our first love and be ready to suffer fleshly loss so that we can ultimately win Christ.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

One thing that thrills me about the Bible is that it is a library of books that confirms that there is no new thing under the heaven. Everything good, bad and ugly has happened before and they are written so that we can learn from them. We have had many leaders in both secular and religious history; we still have leaders in the present age. The question is; who is your role model? Show me your role model and I can tell you who you are. In Philippians 3:14-19, we read about someone who was bold enough to tell his audience to follow him because he was a follower of the Great Master, Jesus. He went further to tell the Philippians what he did with his life:
"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."
Philippians 3:13-14

In his effort to please his Master and Lord, the apostle said that those things which were gain to him, he counted as nothing so that he may win Christ and His righteousness. He aspired to become like Jesus Christ to the point of no return. He said in Philippians 3:10:
"That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death".

We can learn many things from the life of this apostle: If we look at the dramatic change that followed his encounter with Jesus Christ on the way to Damascus, we cannot help but ask whether we plan to go to the same heaven with this soldier of the Cross. His memoirs are clearly written in 2 Corinthians 11 and 12. He spoke in part about the price of not only his discipleship but also of his apostleship, as he talked of a thorn in his flesh that buffeted him and then concluded in 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 by saying:
"And he said unto me, "My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness". Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong."

Beloved, who is your role model? We have living role models in the present age; those that are sold to the righteousness attainable only in Christ, those who have not corrupted themselves with the affairs of this life. Their lifestyles may not be amiable but if we follow them, our heavenly destination is guaranteed. Paul, the apostle under study, warned us thus in Philippians 3:17:
"Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an example."
The reason he gave was that many, even as early as the first century Church, did not walk uprightly. As it was in the beginning so it is now. Therefore, beloved, watch out for good role models and pattern your life after them as they do after Christ.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

One unfortunate thing about the spiritual warfare of this end-time is that many warriors of the Cross use weapons that have not been proven. As a result, they either die on the battlefield or become prisoners of spiritual wars.
Many of us are familiar with the story of David and Goliath, but it is possible that we missed one or two lessons in the story. As we continue to read and meditate on this popular story, we can gain insights into more reasons why the story was recorded for us to learn from. The first lesson we can learn is the fact that king Saul, as bad as his state of spirituality might have been as at that time was very concerned about the safety of the young man who was proving to be a "dare devil". He put on David the weapons of his own defence. The question is; if this armour could help, how come the original owner did not use it to free his nation from the threat of the giant? We can quickly learn that it is a curse to be under a weak or discouraged leader. What saved the day was that David realised that the battle was not just a physical battle. So, he quickly turned spiritual in his approach to the battle with, (humanly speaking) the most ridiculous weapon of war. In fact, Goliath himself felt that the battle had turned to a comic drama. 1 Samuel 17:42-43 says:
"And when the Philistine looked about, and saw David, he disdained him: for he was but a youth, and ruddy, and of a fair countenance. And the Philistine said unto David, Am I a dog, that thou comest to me with staves? And the Philistine cursed David by his gods."

Another lesson, particularly from the above scripture is that in spite of the disdainful weapon that David was carrying, Goliath still employed his spiritual allies; he cursed David by his gods. How I wish that all children of God will realise that it is not the grammar of the language they use that will do the work of conversion; it is by the Spirit of our God. Human methods have never worked in the history of the Church, men and women of God who succeeded in the ministry were those who allowed the Spirit rather than self might, power or administrative acumen to lead in their ministries. David was a better match for this warrior who was fighting through the spirit of divination and sorcery. He said: "...Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied." The end of the story was victory for Israel and great defeat for the Philistines. David used the weapon he had proven and found to be true; the Name of the Lord.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

What is the link between divine partnership and consideration of the poor? As we may know, divine partnership has to do with partnering with the Almighty God. What is the connection between being in the same business with God and our attitude towards the poor? In Psalms 41:1-3, we discover that when we remember and help the poor, the Lord will deliver us from trouble. The reason is that the Almighty God watches over the poor and listens to their cry. When you respond to the cry of the poor, you are responding on behalf of their Maker who will in return replenish your pocket. The Bible says in Proverbs 19:17:
"He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the Lord; and that which he hath given will he pay him again."

Another thing that will happen to someone in divine partnership is that the fellow shall be preserved. The tendency is high and it is common to many cultures that the poor live at the mercy of the rich. In Isaiah 3:14, the Bible says:
"The Lord will enter into Judgment with the ancients of his people and the princes thereof: for ye have eaten up the vineyard; the spoil of the poor is in your houses."

So, when someone decides to take care of the poor instead of maltreating them, the Lord will preserve the fellow so that he can continue the good work. The one who partners with God in taking care of the poor earns longevity for himself. The Lord promised in His Word that whoever spares the poor of violence shall live. The Bible says that the poor shall never cease out of the land, therefore, He commanded us to remember the poor and the needy (Deuteronomy 15:4-11). When we partner with God in taking care of the poor, the Lord will bless us mightily beyond our wildest imagination.
Another blessing which accrues from partnering with God via taking care of the poor, is that the Lord promised to deliver us from the will of our enemies. Every right thinking fellow will do all things possible to keep a dutiful servant alive. Divine healing is the portion of whoever will take it upon himself to care for the poor on behalf of God. The Lord promised to visit the caretakers of the poor on their sick beds if at all they become sick; and when He visits, healing is guaranteed. The Lord also promised to make your bed for you if you will remember the poor and meet him at the point of his or her need. Beloved, there are many ways whereby we can partner with God; caring for the poor is one. We can learn a lesson from developed countries that take care of the poor. They are more comfortable than those countries which have no plan for the poor in the land. This is a food for thought for developing countries.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

As it was pointed out yesterday, the power and authority which Jesus Christ has made available to believers cannot be imagined by natural minds. Some people subject themselves to life-long bondage because they are looking for power and protection outside Jesus. Hebrews 2:14-15 says:
"Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage."

One of my spiritual children testified that it was the grace of Jesus Christ that prevented him from entangling himself in occultism. Before he met the Lord, he had determined to join as many secret societies as could be found on earth, to ensure his security. Fortunately for him, he met the Lord and he is now exercising the authority of a believer.

Beloved, the believer's authority is yours if you genuinely accept Jesus Christ. This authority was given to us without measure. Our Lord said He has given to us authority over all the powers of the enemy and that nothing will by any means hurt us. When we rely on this, we will live our lives in peace even in the midst of a storm. Our Lord Jesus Christ is in the boat, it will not capsize. However, we must use the authority to our advantage. The story was told of a man who inherited magical powers to ward off evil and dispel whoever might want to harm him on a journey which he set for himself. As he started on the journey, he sighted robbers, instead of putting the magic power to use; he started shivering, and cringing. His wife then burst into a song "encouraging" her husband to keep on shivering because that is how he usually shivers to kill hundreds and thousands. The robbers, taking the song to be true of the man, ran away for their lives. And that was how the woman saved the day for her husband. The lesson we should learn from this story is that, though the authority to conquer the devil and his cohorts are available, unless we exercise it in holy boldness, we remain as powerless as though it isn't available. To exercise authority over sickness, demonic oppression, poverty and all unpleasant situations, we need to be believers indeed by being born again through faith in Jesus Christ our Saviour. Also, we need to live according to the Word of God. We must be doers of the Word because it is the authority of the Word that we honour that helps us in times of trouble.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

A believer's power and authority are two potent legacies that are highly irresistible beyond any man's imagination. However, it is unfortunate that many children of God do not recognize them. This the reason why the devil batters them on every side. As a result of this ignorance, the victor becomes a victim of circumstances. I pray for someone reading this devotional; you will never be a victim of circumstances in Jesus' name.
Power is the ability to perform a function and this is what Jesus Christ has made available to all His genuine disciples. Authority is more valuable than power because you can have the ability to do something but if you don't have the authority, you may not be able to. For example, with the power of the gun, you can hunt wildlife in the jungle, but if you are not licensed to hunt and you do, you may be jailed. In John 5:25-27 the Bible says:
"Verily, verily, I say unto you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; and hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man."

Interestingly, according to Luke 9:1, this power and the authority to perform have been given to us by our Lord Jesus Christ:
"Then He called his twelve disciples together, and gave them power and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases."

When a (so called) child of God is now caught in situations that are unbecoming of a saint and he then says "it is the work of the devil!" such a believer does not know the authority he has. The power to live above sin is made available through the work of redemption that Jesus Christ wrought at Calvary. The Bible says in 1 John 3:8:
"He that commiteth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil."

When you come to Jesus Christ and you believe that He came to save you from the power of sin, He will not only forgive you, but will also give you the power to go and sin no more (John 8:11). This is the assurance that we have; that the grace of Jesus Christ will deliver us from the dominion of sin (Romans 6:14). My prayer is that you will not be beaten by the power of sin in Jesus' name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The child-like faith is what everybody requires, not only to make it to heaven but also to enjoy his or her days on the earth. If we do not believe this because it sounds illogical, we must believe it because Jesus said it. What is then required of us is to pray for the kind of faith that is comparable with that of a little child. The first thing about a little child is that he is very trusting. In my living room several years ago, there used to be a portrait of a little child looking so innocent with the inscription; "No Problem". The faith that will enable us not to see problems but see only God who specialises in solving problems is the best for us.
Another characteristic trait of little children is that they forgive easily. Unlike adults who keep malice, children forgive and forget the wrong done to them almost immediately after it's done. The Bible says in Ephesians 4:32:
"And be ye kind one to another, tender hearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you."

Children fulfil this Biblical injunction freely. Children could be very generous with their things except in some unusual occasions. Without knowing the spiritual implication of their actions, children are tender hearted with their peers. This is exactly what God wants from us. In Colossians 3:12-13, the Bible also says:
"Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; Forbearing one another and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye."

There are many blessings we will access from the throne of God our Father if we can begin to take after children. For example, if we freely forgive those who wrong us like a child will do, our prayers will receive quick answers from God. In Mark 11:25, Jesus Christ said:
"And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have aught against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive your trespasses."

This instruction that comes from our Lord is simply saying that before we pray, we must first forgive! We can see the reason many of our prayers are not answered; we refuse to forgive. I pray that a reader of this devotional will find grace to forgive and be kind hearted in Jesus' name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

For Jesus Christ to be fully formed in us, we must learn the secret of reducing our carnal nature to the level of divine approval. In Colossians 3:5-6, Paul an apostle of Jesus Christ said:
"Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience."

When a person is born, he is born loaded with traits that are in enmity with God and consequently brings His wrath. Another apostle of Christ lists some things that make a typical fallen man; the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye and the pride of life (1 John 2:15). These are the sins into which the first man and woman fell and we inherited. We must get rid of them if we want Christ to be fully formed in us. The pride of life is a subtle and complex sin for many reasons. Firstly, the proud will never accept that he is proud; this makes the sin very complex until the power of regeneration comes upon the individual. He surrenders his life to Christ for total deliverance. It takes the direct opposite of pride to go to Calvary and confess one's sins. Moreover, it takes an acceptance of his actions as sinful before the fellow can confess them. Our Lord Jesus Christ spoke on this matter when He told the story of the Pharisee and the Publican in Luke 18:9-14:
"And the Publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner... I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted."

In John 3:25-30, John the Baptist teaches us some lessons, in spite of his position as a prophet, he knew his limitation; he knew his boundary. He pointed his audience to the original Messiah. From his proclamation, we got the title for today's devotional reading: Jesus must increase while we must decrease. Our carnal man must be mortified so that Jesus Christ can increase in us, and gradually, we shall be transformed to conform to the image of the Son of the living God. Beloved, I want to encourage you to make a decision to decrease, that Jesus may increase. Let the fruits of the Spirit listed in Galatians 5:22 characterise your lifestyle.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Divine provision is in play when you know that what you have is not by your strength, power or ability. For example, when you work like a rat and you get the wages of an elephant without being fraudulent, you can be sure that the blessing is from above. On the contrary, when a man works like an elephant and all he can show for his labour is the wages of a rat, you can be sure that the fellow needs divine provision. The reason for the last scenario is the fall of man which earned him a curse associated with poverty and suffering. As a matter of fact, every man, particularly a child of God, needs divine provision to be able to make ends meet. This is the reason Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, told the Church at Philippi that God will supply all their needs according to His riches in glory through Jesus Christ, who has taken care of the sin that brought hardship and insufficiency to the life of man.

Divine provision begins with the provision God made for the atonement of our sins. God gave His only begotten Son as provision for our sins. John 3:16-17 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. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved."

Having settled the problem of sin, the Lord now makes available to us the abundance of His riches. The death of Jesus Christ cancelled the curse that subjected us to a life of penury and made available to us divine provision. 2 Corinthians 8:9 says:
"For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich."

He demonstrated this by the thousands he fed with that incredibly small meal which He multiplied just so that the need of the people will be met. Also, in the Bible reading for today, divine provision came forth to meet His personal need and that of Peter from the mouth of a fish. I pray for someone reading this devotional today; the Almighty will cause His divine provision to come upon you and meet you at the point of your needs in Jesus' name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The title of today's devotional "The Lord My Healer" requires deep thought. The Lord is asking us to personalise this truth today? The reason is not far-fetched; the healing virtue of Jesus Christ is very potent and available for YOU.
In Isaiah 53:1-5, we are reassured that Jesus Christ is the Ultimate Healer because He paid for our healing with His Blood. Apart from reassuring us, the Bible passage also draws our attention to some other truths; not believing that God heals His ailing people is an ancient unbelief that is meant to subject humans to perpetual suffering. In the book of Numbers 21:6-9, the serpents sent to the Israelites as a result of their sins had bitten them, God then directed Moses to make and lift up a serpent for whoever was bitten to look upon for healing; as many as looked lived. This is the type of healing God provides through our Lord Jesus Christ. In John 3:14-15, Jesus Christ said:
"And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life."

The power and secret of sickness and diseases which ultimately leads to death is hidden in sin. This is the reason why Jesus Christ often first of all attacked sin in the lives of the people He thereafter healed (Matthew 9:2-6). Healing is easily procured when the sick's sin are forgiven him. This is why the Psalmist says:
"Blessed is the man whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered."
Psalms 32:1

He is our unfailing Healer because He paid the dues for our healing, in that He atoned for the cause of sicknesses and diseases (Matthew 26:28).
To access divine healing, therefore, we must have a covenant relationship with the Healer, because by His stripes only, can we be healed. In other words, by the atonement of Jesus Christ, our healing is forever settled. To have a covenant relationship with the Healer, therefore, we must respond to His call to repentance, and surrender the totality of our lives for Him to control. The body that has been dedicated to Jesus Christ shall be spared the sicknesses that make people miserable. When we give our lives to Christ, the next thing to do is to graduate to the level of belief that, henceforth, Jesus Christ will be our Healer. We now become candidates for divine healing and we can graduate to the level of enjoying divine health.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The worst of all thieves in the church are the ministers who take the tithes, offerings and first-fruits collected from members for their personal use. You hear them say, "He who serves at the Altar must eat from the Altar." As true as this statement may be, custodians of the Lord's sanctuary should be wary of greed and the love of money. 1 Timothy 6:10-11 says:
"For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. But thou, O man of God, flee all these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness."

In 1 Samuel 2:12-17, the children of Eli corrupted the people's sacrifice through greed. Unfortunately, the same thing is happening today; some ministers of God, through greed, have made the tithes, offerings and first-fruits that people bring to the sanctuary unacceptable to God. Sometimes, members of the congregation suspect this foul play and begin to ask the ministers in charge what they use their tithes and offerings for. Though the ministers should be accountable to God through men, however, the tithes and offerings become an abomination before the Lord when the givers monitor it to the extent of wanting to know what God does with it. This is the reason some people claim to be paying their tithes and offerings and there is nothing to show for their giving. In Matthew 6:3-4, Jesus Christ said:
"But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly."

It is dangerous when brethren are not being encouraged or motivated to give more because they do not have anything to show for their previous giving. This happens when they begin to develop a negative attitude towards the way their pastors handle the finances of the Church. Some people leave their local assembly to go and pay their tithes and offerings elsewhere. This counterproductive. Hence, the ministers handling God's assets must be very careful. They must not become thieves in the sanctuary. The Lord enjoins us to fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life whereunto we have been called, and keep away from the love of this world. If it is dangerous to rob God by not paying our tithes and offering, it is deadly to steal out of the one that the brethren are faithfully contributing for the advancement of the Kingdom business. We must learn from the children of Eli and the children of Samuel himself (1 Samuel 8:1-5).
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

One sad thing going on among the children of God is that some are stealing from the sanctuary of God and the people concerned are doing it with impunity.

There are many ways a person can steal from the sanctuary of God. The most common way to almost every Bible reading Christian is when you deny God one-tenth of your income, Malachi 3:8 says:
"Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings."

When someone eats all his income without giving back one out of ten of it, the fellow is stealing from the sanctuary, because the tithe belongs to the santuary of God.
"Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it."
Malachi 3:10

Another way of stealing from the sanctuary is by refusing to give your first-fruit to the Lord as He requested from His covenant people in Deuteronomy 26:2:
"That thou shalt take of the first of all the fruit of the earth, which thou shalt bring of thy land that the Lord thy God giveth thee, and shalt put it in a basket, and shalt go unto the place which the Lord thy God shall choose to place his name there."

Some people will argue that the ordinance of the first fruit belongs to the Old Testament era. I have always asked them about the numerous promises of God in the Old Testament which they often quote and claim to their advantage. For example, I asked some of them who took me up on whether the promise of being "the head and not the tail" isn't found in the New Testament. Or "The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want." which is also in the book of Matthew. The truth of the matter is that the scriptures which are favourable to the flesh are easily quoted and claimed. Those that take the steam out of their so called personal freedom and finances are pushed to the background. The first fruit is the property of the Almighty God in His sanctuary. We must give it to Him through the custodians of the genuine sanctuary of God. I pray for someone reading this devotional; the Holy Spirit will convince you of the truth about tithes, offerings and first fruit.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The Christian race is not a short one but a marathon; you know there is a finish line but you can't see it. Our Lord Jesus Christ did not hide this truth from us when He said:
"But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only."
Matthew 24:36

To endure suggests that one would have to live with some things that are not compatible with our nature. This is a truth that some 21st century believers are not ready to live with. Our Lord Jesus Christ said that we should come and learn of Him. In the process of learning from Him, we must take His yoke upon us. The burden of our Lord Jesus Christ is justice, righteousness; love for God and acceptable service to humanity, particularly those in the household of faith. The Bible says:
"As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.
Galatians 6:10

What calls for endurance in the Christian walk and why should we endure? Jesus Christ confronted the people of old about the fact that they hated Him, because He stood for the truth which His Father sent Him to tell the world.
"...If ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the works of Abraham. But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham...If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me."
John 8:39-40, 42

Against this background, our Lord Jesus Christ told His disciples and us by extension, that He was sending us forth as sheep in the midst of wolves, and that we should be as wise as serpents, and as harmless as doves. He went further to tell us what was to come:
"And ye shall be hated of all men of my name's sake: he that endureth to the end shall be saved."
Matthew 10:22

Beloved, as we journey through the wilderness of this world towards our heavenly home, don't let us forget that this way is a narrow one. It takes a lot of discipline and self-denial to scale through successfully. Straight is the gate and narrow is the way according to the Words of our Lord Jesus Christ. Let us forge ahead and the Lord will see us through to the heavenly Canaan in Jesus' name. Whatever situation that may warrant your backsliding shall be destroyed this day in the mighty Name of Jesus Christ. Go into the world today and obtain your victory in Jesus' name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

It takes withdrawing from the crowd to be able to hear the message that will not only save you from evil, but will take you to the next level of stardom. An adage says: "He that is afraid of being alone will die in the crowd unnoticed." The Psalmist says that the Lord makes him to be wise "in the hidden part" (Psams 51:6).
In Daniel 2:16-19, we learn a lot from the withdrawal approach of Daniel and his friends. The king had a dream that he could not remember, not to talk of interpreting. All the wise men of Babylon and the dream-interpreting astrologers could neither figure it out nor give interpretation to it. So, their lives were put at stake including those of Daniel and his friends. When the news got to Daniel and his colleagues, he demanded for some time to seek the face of their God. Daniel and his companions went into the secret place of the Most High and sought His face for the revelation of the dream of the king. The Bible says:
"The secret things belong unto the Lord our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law."
Deuteronomy 29:29

There are lots of lessons we can learn from this story. The first that really comes to mind is the fact that we must always find time to be in God's presence, because He desires our fellowship. You can be sure that God will always present you with a gift whether you are a guest to Him in His sanctuary or you play host to Him when you invite him to come into your life. An example of someone who was a guest to Him in His sanctuary was Hannah who withdrew from the crowded festivities at Shiloh. Her gift was a bouncing baby boy, Samuel (1 Samuel 1:9-18). When God comes visiting you in your lonely condition, He comes with gifts that money cannot buy. When Abraham decided to be alone with God, coming out from his extended family, he hosted the Almighty God through His angelic representatives and what he got in return was a child of promise (Genesis 18:1-14). Another lesson in this story is that we must learn how to trust God for good knowledge. The Almighty is the custodian of good knowledge and He gives it to those who diligently seek it. The Bible says:
"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 1:17

It is wisdom, therefore, that we seek God wherever and whenever He may be found. Incidentally, from time immemorial, God is not always in the midst of the crowd. This is corroborated by the adage which says: "One with God is majority." Beloved, seek God today, not in the crowd, but in your personal and quiet life.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Other blessings of solitary living include divine authority, divine revelation and divine direction. In James 5:17, we read that Elijah was a man who possessed divine authority that controlled the weather. He commanded rain to cease and it was so; when he felt it was time to release the rain, he commanded it to start falling and it was so! The Bible says in 1 Kings 17:1:
"And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead, said unto Ahab, As the Lord God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word."

This did not come by careless and flamboyant living. This authority came as a result of solitary living and a separated life. We can understand this by what God said to Elijah in 1 Kings 18:1:
"And it came to pass after many days, that the word of the Lord came to Elijah in the third year, saying, go, show thyself unto Ahab; and I will send rain upon the earth."

It took instruction from God before Elijah could show himself to Ahab. He had been in solitary confinement ever since he made the proclamation of the drought. Some Christian ministers would want to be seen everywhere, at every public function and yet they want authority, they want divine revelation and direction. They dine and wine with the elites in the society and yet they want to exercise divine authority. It does not work like that. Elijah said, "As the Lord God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand..." Children of God, pastors, where are you standing? Before God or in the crowd?
In the reading of 1 Kings 19:9-18, it is amazing to know that not only spiritual but also physical encouragement came to Elijah during his solitary time with God. Through this divine physical provision, the Bible says that he travelled for forty days and forty nights without eating anything else. One lesson we must quickly grasp here is that God is interested in our physical and spiritual well-being. It is a pity that some Christians spiritualise so many things at the detriment of their physical well-being. Imagine God saying, "Arise and eat; because the journey is too great for thee." This divine consideration came because Elijah took time to be alone with God. One other lesson we must learn is that still in his solitude, Elijah was visited by God and he was able to lodge his complaint against the society he was living in and consequently he was told what to do. We receive divine instruction when we are alone with God. Our misconceptions about life situations will receive clarification and better understanding when we are alone with God. The Bible says:
"The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him; and he will show them his covenant."
Psalm 25:14

Unknown to Elijah that he was not the only prophet standing for God, he wanted to die. However, he was told that God Himself had preserved seven thousand prophets who had not corrupted themselves! What a revelation and a lesson. Never think you are the only one keeping the bound of holiness, there are others unknown to you. So don't give in to the deceit of Satan. God will never change and He will never lower His standards. God bless you as you continue with God in holiness.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.