RELEASED ON 06/ SEPTEMBER/ 2019
REMAIN RELEVANT FOR GOD'S USE!
Apostle Paul wrote;
"Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will stand before kings; He will not stand before obscure men".
Proverbs 22:29.
If there is anything that was once the core of our values in Nigeria; which shaped our thoughts, upbringing and was the bedrock of successes recorded by our forefathers, it is hardwork.
There are no secrets to great achievements and successes, it is the cumulation of day to day hardwork that amount to success.
Someone once said;
"If you do the work, you get rewarded; there are no shortcuts"
For some of us that schooled in the western part of Nigeria, the theme of our upbringing back then was embedded in a poem titled;
"Ise logun ise", meaning: work is the only antidote for poverty. That poem was like our second Anthem.
The first stanza of the poem says;
Mura si se, ore mi (Be very hardworking my friend)
Ise la fin deni giga (Hard work is the only key to success..)
In order words, to be relevant in the society back then, is either you go to school, learn a trade or train in any artisan work and you must be committed to it.
Brethren,our God places great value on hardwork. Apostle Paul wrote;
"The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share"
1 Timothy 2:6.
As someone righty said;
"there is no elevator to success you will have to take the staircase". In reality, nothing good comes easy, you will have to work for it.
"What you did not work for does not last!"
If you get to a position through back door or you cheated to attain an height,how to sustain or work effectively in that position will definitely be a challenge.
The bible says;
"Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, where you go".
Ecclesiastes 9:10.
Children of God, success is no accident. It is the result of your hard work, perseverance, learning, studying hard and making sacrifices.
That's why the bible says;
"The hand of the diligent will rule, while the slothful will be put to forced labor".
Proverbs 12:24.
Unfortunately, hard work is gradually fading out in our society today. Many people have developed lackadaisical attitude towards work, yet everyone wants successes and wants to be remunerated for doing nothing.
The popular slogan in this generation is "sharp sharp" ; which translates to doing things faster, but in reality it is about cutting corners or getting things done in a shoddy way to get result.
In contrast, the word of God says;
"Wealth gained hastily will dwindle, but whoever gathers little by little will increase it".
Proverbs 13:11.
Some of our youths have been engaging in fraudulent activities through the internet; which is popularly known as "Yahoo Yahoo business.
Somehow that "business" has grown so much prominence around us to the extent that songs that tend to promote the business sell faster among the youths.
That explains how someone had the audacity to establish an institution of Learning and name the School; "Yahoo Yahoo Training School"; to train young men and women on how to defraud unsuspecting people and institutions all over the world.
How did we get to this state that our Nation is gaining popularity across the globe for the very wrong reasons?
Unfortunately,
some of the preaching emanating from our places of worship have not helped matters either.
We celebrate people in our society who give so much without bothering to know the source of their wealth.
Most Preachers of the Gospel in this generation have concentrated so much on sermons of giving and receiving, but hardwork cannot be taken out of the total equation.
The bible says;
"For God is not unjust. He will not forget how hard you have worked for him and how you have shown your love to him by caring for other believers, as you still do".
Hebrews 6:10.
Apparently, hardwork cannot be substituted with prayers, tithe, offering or church attendance. Our
God does not condone indolence, neither does He honour mediocrity.
Jesus said;
“My Father is working until now, and I am working.”
John 5:17.
Majority of the people God used were active and hardworking people.
It was David's mastery in musical instruments that made him to appear in the palace of King Saul.
Moses was tending the sheep of his father in law; Jethro when God found him.
Exodus 3.
Elisha was also
plowing behind 12 pairs of oxen
when Elijah found him.
1 kings 19:19
Obviously,
Idleness does not attract God in anyway.That's why the bible says;
"As for you be strong and do not let your hands be slack; for your work shall be rewarded."
1 Chronicles 15:7
Show me a Church that is growing rapidly, you can be sure is a Church that is prayerful and create adequate time and work for soul winning.
More important is the adequate preparation and preaching of true messages to feed the flock, otherwise they will indulge in worldly activities or look for where the true word is being preached.
Apostle Paul in one of his many letters wrote;
"Greet those workers in the Lord, Tryphaena and Tryphosa. Greet the beloved Persis, who has worked hard in the Lord".
Roman's 16:12.
Brethren, the recent increase in social menace and vices in our society is a testament that our values have been eroded.
However, God is interested in what you do, your commitment and hard work.
The bible says;
"The LORD will open to you His good treasury, the heavens, to give the rain to your land in its season and to bless all the work of your hands".
Deuteronomy 28:12.
The question is; are you diligent in the work you do?
There are no short cuts anywhere, ask people like Aliko Dangote and Femi Otedola, they will tell you their successes & achievements were not gotten overnight but overtime, through hardwork and persistence.
I therefore encourage you;
"Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord".
Romans 12:11.
Brethren, of more significance is the fact that there are no shortcuts anywhere to making it to heaven.
Our Lord Jesus Christ said categorically;
“I am the way, the truth and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me"
John 14:6.
Giving your life to Jesus is the only way for anyone to be accepted by God. Acts 10
If you have not given your life to Jesus, I beseech you to do so now.
In conclusion, our Lord Jesus Christ said;
"The gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few".
Matthew 7:14.
The race to heaven is not a sprint but more of a marathon; which requires perseverance and endurance. Remember, the one who endures to the end will be saved.
Matthew 24:13
I pray that we will not run this race in vain, but we will all come to the full knowledge of Christ and make heaven at last in Jesus name.
RELEASED ON 02 / SEPTEMBER/ 2019
YOU ARE EXEMPTED FROM EVIL!
#AndGodSaid ;
"A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you".
Psalm 91:7
While studying Law in the 90ties I was taught that;
"For every general rule, there is an exception"
The implication of this principle is that, a rule that is binding on everyone may have some circumstances in which it will not be applicable or persons that will be excused for obvious reasons.
Apparently, the Almighty God who is the creator of heaven and earth started this principle.
How did I know?
At a point in time after creation, when evil activities have increased so much among men and women of that generation, God said;
"I'm going to destroy every person on earth! I'll even wipe out animals, birds, and reptiles. I'm sorry I ever made them."
Genesis 6:7.
However, in the following verse the bible says;
"But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD".
Genesis 6:8.
Invariably, Noah though being in the midst of perverted people was an exemption to the general pronouncement made by God in regards to the intention to wipe out every person on earth.
Eventually; God exempted Noah, his family and all the animals that followed him into the Ark.
Genesis 7:7-9
In a similar story, When God was going to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah, the bible records that;
"Then the LORD said, "The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great and their sin so grievous".
Genesis 18:20.
However,
because of the relationship that Abraham had with the Lord;
"Then the LORD said, "Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do?"
Genesis 18:17.
After God told Abraham of His mission in Sodom and Gomorrah, Abraham tried to persuade God not to destroy the place and Abraham said;
"Will you sweep away the righteous with the wicked?
Genesis 18:23.
Brethren, what an interesting conversation that ensued between God and Abraham afterwards as
Abraham began to negotiate with God.
Remarkably, God granted Abraham audience and He was ready to do the bidding of Abraham provided there were handful righteous people in Sodom and Gomorrah.
Genesis 18:24-33.
Eventually, only Lot; Abraham's cousin and his family were rescued from Sodom and Gomorrah before God destroyed the city.
Genesis 19
Children of God, our God is not a partial God, the bible says
"For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”
1 Peter 3:12
The people God exempted from evil in the bible had a good relationship with God.
Interestingly,the same God that exempted Noah, Abraham, Lot and their families is still the God on the throne today.
Hebrews 13:8.
Brethren, we live in a very cruel world today, what happened during the era of Noah,or in Sodom and Gomorrah are happening before our very eyes today.
In the same vein, I can tell you I have heard, read and seen some rather strange occurrences in the lives of people.
Medical science have proven that many of the life threatening sicknesses and diseases have genealogical history. especially with the tendency of being transmitted from mother to child.
You see children battling with the same sickness or life patterns their parents had.
I met someone why studying in the university who told me, no one has ever finished secondary school in his entire family of two generations.
This young man was determined and he broke that jinx as he became an exception to that limitation of life in his family, although he had to battle both financially and Spiritually.
Brethren, evil occurrences happen to some people as a result of a particular office they occupy or title conferred on them.
I have seen chain of similar accidents and misfortunes happening within a group of people in a rather suspicious manner. what a wicked world.
Whenever I come across questions that are very negative in nature while filling forms, I will simply put ; "Not applicable!"
I pray for you again; whatever killed other people untimely, will not locate you, where others failed, you will excel,
what make others to fall, will not be applicable to you in the name of Jesus. .
The good news is that you and I have become exceptions to all evil patterns by reason of our relationship with Jesus.
To this end, God is calling out on everyone under any kind of generational curse, stigma bondage or limitations of any sort to;
"Come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you."
2 Corinthians 6:17.
In order to be exempted from evil, you will need to be on the Lord's side, living a life that glorifies God.
The bible says;
"The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous man runs into it and is safe".
Proverbs 18:10.
All you need to do is to give your life to Jesus who
wiped out the evil handwriting in ordinances against us on the cross.
Colossians 2:14
However, being exempted does not mean one will not experience trials and challenges of life.
The three Hebrew men; Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were dedicated men of God so decided to be exception to the general rule of the king that says everyone must worship the Gold image of the king.
Daniel 3
Subsequently, the three men were put into burning fiery furnace and again they became exception to the general notion that fire is meant to consume.
The people that threw them inside the fire, died in the process but Jesus showed up for the boys and the bible says;
"The men were not burned, their hair wasn't scorched, and their clothes didn't even smell like smoke".
Daniel 3:27.
Invariably, God confirmed His promises for His children on the Hebrew men;
"When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you".
Isaiah 43:2
Brothers and Sisters, the choice is yours; to be exempted from evil and generational curses, you need to give your life to Jesus and start enjoying the rare privilege of exception. Your case will be different from others.
My prayer for everyone reading this message is that the Lord Almighty will make you an exemption to every evil,barrier, limitations or curses that is associated with your community, institution, family, place of work and any relationship you find yourself in the name of Jesus..
RELEASED ON 30/ AUGUST/ 2019
AN OPEN DOOR!
I was asking God on what message to share with the people and the Spirit of God said; "The Door is Open".
The bible records the great exploits of Paul and Barnabas in spreading the Gospel of Jesus;
"When they arrived, they called the church together and told them everything that God had done with them and how he had opened a door so that gentiles would believe".
Acts 14:27.
An open door is an indication that there was a closed door. An open door also signifies opportunities, it means; you now have access to what or a place that was not accessible before, it could also mean to be rescued or freed from prison and bondage.
Few weeks ago, I
was somewhere where I needed to get a document from someone, the fellow was not available, hence he instructed another person to get the document from a particular room and they began to struggle to get the door open.
They called someone on the phone to get tips on how to open that door but, all to no avail.
Then out of courtesy, I decided to help.I tried few styles it did not open, I just decided to push the door while I turned down the door handle, behold; the door opened.
That experience can be likened to how many of us have put in efforts over the years to get certain things, but could not get them.
It could be very frustrating when a door is shut before one.
I mean spiritual door.
The story of Hannah easily comes to mind when the issue of closed and opened door is being discussed.
The bible says concerning Hannah;
"The Lord had closed her womb".
1 Samuel 1:5.
That in itself was a closed door for Hannah, as far as having a child of her own was concerned at that time.
Hannah was not happy about it as she continued to pray and eventually God gave her Samuel. The birth of Samuel was indeed an open door for Hannah.
An open door could also mean avenue for opportunities;
Apostle Paul wrote;
"When I came to the city of Troas to preach the Good News of Christ, the Lord opened a door of opportunity for me".
2 Cor 2:12.
I remember in 2017, the federal Government of Nigeria shutdown the door of Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja, for about six weeks in order to effect maintenance on the runway. The closure rendered access to the usually accessible place impossible during that time.
The good thing about the door I am preaching about is that it is not a door that can be controlled by any man or Government.
Our Lord Jesus Christ said to me;
"I know your works. Behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut. I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name".
Revelation 3:8.
Brethren,I rejoice in the Lord for this open door and I also congratulate everyone reading this message. Truly, no one can annul what God has pronounced.
Our God is the only Honourable Chief Justice of heaven and the earth. He is the most Supreme and He is ever sovereign in His ways.
Paul and Silas were put in the prison unjustly and God decided to open the doors of the prison to them.
The bible says;
"About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing praises to God, while the other prisoners listened. Suddenly a strong earthquake shook the jail to its foundations. The doors opened, and the chains fell from all the prisoners".
Acts 16:25-26.
Apparently, to open physical doors one needs the right key. Although there is a key call: master key which can open most other doors, but in reality, it does not open all doors.
In the same vein spiritual doors also has a master key. However, unlike the normal master key for physical doors, the master key for spiritual doors is the most reliable. the bible refer to it as :The Key of David.
Revelation 3:7
Although, the key bears the name of David, in actual fact the key does not belong to David; the book of Revelation made us to understand that the Key actually belongs to Jesus;
"The words of the Holy One, the true One, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, who shuts and no one opens".
Revelation 3:7.
As indicated in the story of Paul and Silas, prayers and praises were made to God before the doors of the prison were forced open by the effect of an earthquake.
Consequently, in order to have access to this key from Jesus, one needs to pray very well.
I say it again, God has opened doors in your life and my life that no man can never shut.
Rev 3:8
When the door to the womb of Hannah opened, it opened perpetually. Hannah prayed to God for a son but God gave her six children all together.
1 Samuel 2:21
I don't know what other door you want God to open in your life; it could be a door of your womb like Hannah,door of employment, marital door, door to sound health,
deliverance door, financial door or perhaps that great and effectual door that God opened for me to spread the Gospel of Jesus, they will all be open to you in the name of Jesus.
Whenever, God opens a door for anyone, the enemies; your adversaries will want to challenge you and stand in the way.
Apostle Paul wrote;
"For a wide door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many adversaries".
1 Corinthians 16:9.
I pray again, every opposition to the great work of God before me and every adversary to your open door will see the wrath of God in Jesus name.
In conclusion, Jesus said:
"I am the Door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture".
John 10:9
Connect your life with Jesus and have faith in Him that is the Door and also owns the key to every door of your life.
RELEASED ON 27/ AUGUST/ 2019
KNOW WHO YOU ARE
Apostle Paul wrote:
"For He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of His will"
Ephesians 1:4-5.
Children of God, one of the most challenging task in life is knowing who you are.
God created everyone of us with unique characteristics and purpose to fulfil on this planet earth, the truth of the matter is that we are not here by our own will.
"The LORD has made everything for His own purposes, even the wicked for a day of disaster".
Proverbs 16:4
The message of today is centred on knowing who you are, using certain biblical characters as case study.
Before you can make any meaningful impact and impression on your environment
and people around you, it is important that you discover who you are.
Someone once said;
"He who knows others is wise, but he who knows himself is enlightened.
Children of God, apart from our Lord Jesus Christ, John the Baptist remains the most iconic man that came to this world and did nothing else apart from what he was sent to do.
John the Baptist was born as a forerunner of our Lord Jesus.
His coming was prophesied by Isaiah as recorded in the book of Isaiah 40:3 and in a more remarkable manner, our Lord Jesus; whom John came to prepare the way for, spoke about the coming of John before John came;
“Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before Me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to His temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts".
Malachi 3:1.
True to the words of Jesus, Angel Gabriel appeared later to Zachariah: the Father of John and said;
"Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great before the Lord. And he must not drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb. And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.”
Luke 1:13-17.
The above statement clearly highlights the purpose of John the Baptist on earth.
Although, the bible did not give us detail
account of the formative years of John, but there are clear evidence that he lived according to his purpose as prophesied before his birth.
The fame of John spread all over Israel despite the fact that he was only preaching in the wilderness.
Matthew 3:1
Then, the Jews decided to send Priests and Levites from Jerusalem to him and they ask him, “Who are you?”
John 1:19.
They kept pestering John; are you Elijah?, he said No, Are you a Prophet? he said No, then they became very agitated and said; “Who are you? We need to give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?”
John 1:22.
At that point, John the Baptist decided to open up:
He said, “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as the prophet Isaiah said.”
John 1:23.
John obviously knew who he was and he carried out the purpose and assignment he was meant to do on earth.
Remarkably, John introduced Jesus to the world when he said;
"Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!"
John 1:29.
What a wonderful task John did for mankind!
Children of God, many of us are only living our lives based on what we desire and not necessarily in accordance with the will of God concerning us.
While some of us are living our lives far below the Grace and potentials God has bestowed upon us.
How did I know this?
An Angel of God was sent to a man called Gideon at a time the Israelites needed to fight a war against the Midianites and the Angel said to Gideon;
"The Lord is with you, O Mighty man of valour"
Judges 6:12.
The Angel went further and told Gideon to lead the army of Isreal to fight the Midianites. Gideon replied;
“How can I rescue Israel? My clan is the weakest in the whole tribe of Manasseh, and I am the least in my entire family!”
Judges 6:15.
Many of us are like Gideon who did not realise the great potentials that he had until God sent an Angel to encourage him.
Apparently, we are God's masterpiece, created to achieve great things for God's glory, but how many of us are aware of who we are like John the Baptist?
If you know who you are in Christ, what people say or do to you will not bother you.
Moses spent his teenage years in the palace because he was found on the stream by Pharaoh's daughter.
However, despite his upbringing in the palace and the good life he was enjoying, Moses knew he did not belong to the palace and that he was meant to rescue his people from slavery.
Exodus 2.
That informs his decision to avenge for an Israelite by killing an Egyptian in the process.
Exodus 2:11-15.
The question for everyone reading this message is; Do you know who you are?
The bible says;
"We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them".
Ephesians 2:10.
If anybody asks me who I am, I will gladly stand up tall and look them in the face and say;
I am Born Again, I am a Christ Ambassador on earth; happy with the duty of proclaiming and spreading the Gospel of my Lord Jesus Christ to every part of the world.
I am that son of God that derives pleasure in leading millions to Jesus Christ and preparing them for His Second Coming.
I use this medium to urge everyone reading this message to live life with the knowledge of who you are in Christ Jesus.
A life without Jesus is a wasted life, more so is a life without discovering or fulfilling your purpose in Christ Jesus.
Irrespective of your vocation in life, as a believer and born again Christian you are referred to as;
"A chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light".
1 Peter 2:9.
Consequently, you are expected to proclaim the name of Jesus in everything that you do. You are a light that should not be hidden.
Matthew 5:15.
Brethren;
"The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few".
Matthew 9:37
We are all expected to prioritize God above every other thing or person. Your lifestyle, the words of your mouth must portray who you are in Christ Jesus.
In conclusion,
Jesus clarifies who we are in Him, when He said:
"I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.
John 15:5
In essence, no branch of a tree can survive without the vine, it is from a branch that fruits emerge. Are you winning souls for God?
I pray you will fulfil your purpose, your years and be very relevant in the kingdom of God in Jesus name.