A standard practice by fishermen is to wash their nets. They do this for several reasons, one of which is to remove debris and trash that may have meshed with the nets. Untangling is another reason. It has been observed, too, that regular washing helps in the preservation of the nets’ original shape and size, and for prolongation of their lifespan. Fishermen wash their nets after each fishing trip or at regular intervals like weekly or monthly. Invariably, the practice helps to improve fishing efficiency. In our text, the fishermen were carrying out this routine practice of net washing. Incidentally, it was a day that they caught nothing after all toils. They must have queried the condition of their nets as the reason for the zero catch and determined not to go back to sea until they had fixed things.

Every little while, we should engage in “net washing”, no matter our calling or vocation. The idea is to sit down to find out what hasn’t worked and why.

This is a strong metaphor for our pursuits in life. Every little while, we should engage in “net washing”, no matter our calling or vocation. The idea is to sit down to find out what hasn’t worked and why. It is also to consider what has worked and map out to make that hold for a very long time. Net washing time is a time for strategic thinking and critical analysis. There is no better time to do this than now that the year is drawing to a close. Whatever you come up with at the “net washing” moment should become subjects of prayer. This important step may be the tonic for 2025.

There is a warm assurance from John’s epistle as in other portions of the Bible that we can obtain forgiveness when we sin. Specifically, John says the Blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sins. For the carnally minded, this might be taken as a license to sin unabatedly. That would be presumptuous, and such people will have a rethink when you consider the aftermath of sin. Although sins are forgiven once they are confessed, they leave scars behind. Imagine for example that a believer sins a hundred times and turns round that same number of times to confess. Though his sins are forgiven, he is sure to have a hundred scars left behind. Too many scars spoil beauty. In the physical, hardly do you find people expose their scars to others to see. That same is true in spiritual parlance. If you see a supposed believer reveling in sinful escapades of the past, you need to question the root of that salvation.

The price you pay for the gospel is not to be ashamed of; it is your badge of honour and will serve the basis for your reward in heaven.

But there is a different kind of scars that can be worn as a badge of honour. That’s the kind our passage seems to be indicating. Apostle Paul spoke of having in his body the marks of the Lord Jesus. What exactly does that mean? Some might think he was referring to the hand or calling of the Lord upon him. This will be an imposed meaning or at best a secondary application. The marks referred to the sufferings he endured for the sake of the Lord and in the course of fulfilling his life calling. The price you pay for the gospel is not to be ashamed of; it is your badge of honour and will serve the basis for your reward in heaven.

What is known today as THE PARETO PRINCIPLE or the 80/20 rule is traceable to Vilfredo Pareto, an Italian economist. In 1896, he observed that 80% of results come from 20% of efforts. Though The Pareto Principle is an observation and not a law, it has since been applied to several areas with proven validity. For example, crime statistics has shown that 20% of offenders commit 80% of crimes. Perhaps, one can borrow this principle to explain a scenario in the Bible. The people who instigated Israel to murmur against God were not the vast majority. They were the mixed multitude. They were probably people who hadn’t the Hebrew blood in them but had become fascinated by what God did among His people.

This seemingly little group had enough influence to pollute the entire landscape, a pointer to that Scripture that a little leaven can leaven the whole lump.

Knowing how they were variously described will prove some worth. The Good News Translation (GNT) calls them “foreigners”. The Message Bible (MSG) employs the word “riffraff” and the English Standard Version (ESV) use “the rabble”. I think they were a group of people who loved what the God of Israel could do but were not willing to subject their carnal appetites to His Lordship. They had enough grace to leave Egypt but refuse to take extra grace to get Egypt out of them. They were neither here nor there. Call them the company of the Laodiceans. This seemingly little group had enough influence to pollute the entire landscape, a pointer to that Scripture that a little leaven can leaven the whole lump. This is a timely reminder of that verse of scripture that says, “one sinner destroys much good.” Ecclesiastes‬ 9‬:18‬ NKJV‬‬. We must be careful of the people we allow into our space.

Little is known about Gideon prior to the time that the angel of the Lord met him in the field. He was net threshing corn by the winepress to hide it from the Midianites. There was no preceding record that showed Gideon’s involvement in any military campaign. How then could he have been described as mighty and valiant? Does a valiant man creep into holes for fear? It doesn’t add up. The only explanation we can offer for this is that God saw some potentials in Gideon that prevailing circumstances were trying to smother. God looked beyond the immediate conditions to see what Gideon would accomplish for Him. He eventually conquered his fear and did a mighty work of deliverance for the people of God. A proof of his brilliance is the fact that he was chronicled in Hebrews 11 as a man of faith.

…God sees great things in us even when our circumstances speak otherwise…We must learn to let grace speak out loud, and not our limiting circumstances.

The lesson from Gideon’s life is that God sees great things in us even when our circumstances speak otherwise. God does not look at us in our foibles and fumbles; He sees us through the eye of redemption. It was from this same standpoint that Jesus addressed Simon as Peter, a rock, even though he was still going to fumble. When he overcame his season of temptation he became a mighty pillar in the Kingdom of God. If there is any prayer to pray, it should be that God should open our eyes to see the extent of the grace He has put at our disposal. We must learn to let grace speak out loud, and not our limiting circumstances.

On Saturday September 21, 2024, my wife and I were guests at a dinner organized by Dr. I. S. James. The dinner had twin purpose. Firstly, it was an occasion for his birthday. Secondly, it was a way to bring together and appreciate people who have partnered with him in the ministry. I had the singular honour to bring a word of exhortation on that day. After emphasizing that every truly great person recognizes their need of help, I closed with two warnings. First was the need to avoid gloating. That was important because I had told them that the support they give is analogous to the pillars of a house. No house can stand without the pillars being in their proper places. I challenged them to avoid going around claiming that without them the ministry would not be standing. The fact remains that if they fail to stand in their places, God can (and will) raise others.

Our reward is tied to due season. Incidentally, it is only God who controls the seasons and knows who is due for reward.

The second warning was that they must avoid what may be termed compassion fatigue or altruistic burnout. This is related to another concept called HELPER’S BURNOUT – an exhaustion from repeatedly assisting others. Those kingdom partners were helping in the ministry, and it was a timely warning so they would not start to think that they had done enough. I believe this was the kind of condition that Apostle Paul was trying to prevent among the Galatians. All good works have their payday. No service in the kingdom will ever go unrewarded, but that is on the condition that we don’t stop. Our reward is tied to due season. Incidentally, it is only God who controls the seasons and knows who is due for reward.

Not long ago, we learned that access to one divine secret can be a game changer. All the lifting that Daniel enjoyed in Babylon came through access to divine secrets. It began with Nebuchadnezzar’s dream. Ability to recall the king’s dream and giving the interpretation of it brought him into honour and prominence. Moving on from there, he read the handwriting which none of the magicians could read. That also brought him additional honour. The good news is that access to divine secrets is not restricted for Daniel’s era alone. What we need to ask is what must we do to enjoy this privilege. Our text is the first pointer. We are required to call on the Lord for things we do not know. Prayer is a pre-condition for gaining access into the hidden things of God.

Prayer is a pre-condition for gaining access into the hidden things of God…God gives His secrets to those who walk in His fear.

Other condition can be found in this verse of scripture: “The secret of the Lord is with those who fear Him, And He will show them His covenant.” Psalms‬ 25‬:14‬ NKJV‬‬. Asking in prayer alone will not do the job. Prayer from defiled lip and heart will not get us anywhere with God. Saul once asked God for a secret concerning the battle that besieged him. God said nothing. “And when Saul enquired of the LORD, the LORD answered him not, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets.” (1Samuel 28:6). At this point in Saul’s life, he had lost touch with the fear of God. God gives His secrets to those who walk in His fear. Finally, continuous dependence on the Holy Spirit will make us beneficiaries of divine secrets. Part of His ministries is to show us things to come.

In the afternoon of September 19, 2024, District Judge Kevin Mullins, 54, was shot multiple times inside the Letcher County Courthouse by Sheriff Mickey Stines, aged 43. The judge was pronounced dead on the spot. It was reported that the shooting took place after an argument between the sheriff and the judge in the courthouse. Expressing his shock on the tragedy in a social media post, Kentucky Governor, Andy Beshear, said, “There is too much violence in this world, and I pray there is a path to a better tomorrow.”

A path to a better tomorrow was created over 2,000 years ago when Jesus Christ came. It wasn’t just a path to a better tomorrow, it is equally a path to a blissful eternity.

A path to a better tomorrow was created over 2,000 years ago when Jesus Christ came. It wasn’t just a path to a better tomorrow, it is equally a path to a blissful eternity. On the day that Jesus was born, the angel announced that his birth is a matter of good tidings of great joy, and it is for all people. Jesus described Himself as the way, among other descriptions. He is the way to a better tomorrow that all human beings need. What is left is to embrace Him. As many as will receive Him will soon discover that He is the author of Eternal Peace. This is another Christmas, a time to  remember that Jesus came into the world. Beyond the fanfare and festivities, we need to re-examine our relationship with the Saviour. Jesus remains the answer for the world today.

The late Gospel singer David Ingles wrote a song titled – WRITE YOUR TICKET WITH GOD. He weaved the lyrics of the song around the story of the woman with the issued of blood. The woman who had suffered for 12 years without reprieve in the hand of many physicians later heard about Jesus’ exploits. She said in her heart that if she could touch the helm of His garment, she would be made whole. She added action to her word, pressed through the crowd, and touched Jesus. She got her healing instantly. David Ingles said that woman wrote her ticket with God, and went on to counsel that you also can write your ticket with God in the same manner – SAY IT! DO IT! TELL JESUS!

Everything a man does is first spoken before it takes effect…The power to do is contained in the saying. Words are energy – ability to do work!

This issue of the power of our words can never be overemphasized. Talking negatively has been established as one of the little foxes that has spoiled the beautiful vine of millions over the centuries. Everything a man does is first spoken before it takes effect. Never mind whether it is said silently or openly. Why is this so? The power to do is contained in the saying. Words are energy – ability to do work! When you speak, you release some form of energy which, when converted, makes you do what you intend doing. When you want something done, keep saying it until you find power released to make you do it. The will for performance begins from affirmative declaration. No one can rise beyond the level of their words.

The first laptop I bought was from LG stable. It served quite well until it became rather too slow for my liking. But I had a lot of stuff in there ranging from my Libronyx  library to back editions of Bread and Wine Devotionals. I knew that one day I would have cause to refer to it, so I refused to dispose it. Several months passed before I made move to check the system; but by the time I did the power would not come on. Months of idleness had taken its toll and it is now in a state of disrepair. This brings out the wisdom in our passage of scripture for today. Fold the hands, lose the house!

Fold the hands, lose the house!…It is the law of nature, that whatever is left untended will decay.

We can make more sense from this portion of the Bible by considering it from another translation. “Through indolence the rafters [of state affairs] decay and the roof sinks in, and through idleness of the hands the house leaks.” The additional sense in this is that the verse is not just talking of physical building. The same fate will befall institutions and relationships that is left untended. An area that one can cite readily here is marital relationships. Not a few of God’s children believe that all they need to have a successful home is to make a right choice. But that is just half the distance. The remaining half comes as you keep all hand on deck. Success in marriage requires that you begin again every morning. You can’t leave it for several months untended, like my laptop, and not see joy flee through the window. It is the law of nature, that whatever is left untended will decay.

Our text implies that there are two types of understanding. – infantile and mature. We are admonished to go for the latter. Invariably, our kind or level of understanding will play out in our words, actions, and reactions. Many times when king Saul is mentioned, hardly do we remember that his understanding level contributed to his undoing. It all began by Saul becoming jealous of David. The source of that jealousy was the praise of the women who said Saul killed a thousand, but David killed ten thousands. Had Saul viewed the kingdom as one, belonging to the great God irrespective of the actors, he would not have run into problem.

We must be wary of reading in-between the lines; and when we are in doubt it is good to ask questions.

Consider this from another angle. David on occasions addressed himself as a servant and son. If he had only seen David as a son and a protege, he would have simply comforted himself with the fact that whatever victory David paraded was a plus to him, the boss. Same thing would have happened if he truly took him as a servant. After all, whatever victory a servant got is the glory of his master. He read a wrong interpretation to words innocently spoken and created avoidable rifts. This scenario still plays out today among family members and professional colleagues. We must be wary of reading in-between the lines; and when we are in doubt it is good to ask questions.

Many years ago, my wife and I were making our return journey home from New York. From the beginning of the journey, we had issues. Departure from New York was delayed because the operating aircraft did not come on time. Finally, we got to Paris to change plane, and had another delay. This time the cooling system in the plane was not alright; and they had to fix it. We were already behind schedule by the time we got to Lagos to off-load the Lagos passengers. The final lap from Lagos to Port Harcourt was not different. We were number 4 or 5 in sequence for departure and there were a number of planes landing. So we were in holding position for upward of 30 minutes. The pilot did not move. He could not just get tired of waiting or he would risk the lives of hundreds of people. He waited for order from the control tower.

For believers, Heaven is the control tower…It does not matter how far behind we feel, we should do nothing until our clearance comes.

The disciples took the words of Jesus seriously. Before He went to heaven, He gave them the task of world evangelisation. However, He warned them not to be up and about until they had been filled with the power of the Holy Spirit. That was what they were observing in the Upper Room till the day of Pentecost. They all got baptized in the Holy Spirit, filled with grace and power, and went about effectively to fulfill their commission. For believers, Heaven is the control tower. That is where our marching order comes from. It does not matter how far behind we feel, we should do nothing until our clearance comes.

One early morning, I share with my family members the importance of punctuating their days with little, little telegraphic prayers. I didn’t realise that I would need to engage the advice myself soon enough. That same day, I found myself standing in front of a hotel looking for a cab to take me to a church meeting. It was like taking forever to see any cab drive pass. There and then I whispered a word of prayer, “Lord, send me help”. Because of the importance I attached to the meeting and my resolve not to go late, I resorted to taking a commercial bike. I wasn’t quite done negotiating with a rider when a total stranger stopped by. He happened to be going for the same meeting. That  evening provided me the opportunity to prove the power of telegraphic prayers. God indeed sent help.

What is the worth of a word of prayer?…Simple, short prayer can lead to powerful outcome.

What is the worth of a word of prayer? One of the malefactors that was crucified alongside Jesus would know better. In the last moment of his life he breathed a word of prayer:  “Then he said to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.”” Luke‬ 23‬:42‬ NKJV‬‬. Right there and then, Jesus gave him the assurance of salvation and of eternity in paradise. You might describe that malefactor’s case as narrow escape. Such narrow escapes do happen when we harness all the pockets of time that each day affords. Simple, short prayer can lead to powerful outcome.

Several metaphors are used to describe the word of God. There are two of such in Jeremiah 23:29 alone – “Is not My word like a fire?” says the Lord, “And like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?” God’s word is known as fire and hammer here. Fire purifies, and hammer is used to drive an object into place. Exactly, the word of God is to help us get rid of impurities of mind, soul, and spirit. The word itself is said to have been purified seven times (Psalm 12:6). Our purification is what makes us fit as precious vessels. “Remove impurities from the silver and the silversmith can craft a fine chalice.” Proverbs‬ 25‬:4‬ MSG‬‬

…we cannot fully realise the potency of the word until we learn to obey its every precept…It will not suffice to read or hear the word; it must become our governing constitution.

In addition, like a hammer, the Word  helps to keep us in place as God has ordained. While listing the armour of a Christian soldier in the Book of Ephesians, Paul described the word of God as a sword. This is for battle, as warfare is not flesh and blood. Learning to use the word is engaging the sword of the Spirit to do battle. Bear in mind that we cannot fully realise the potency of the word until we learn to obey its every precept. This is the point of our meditation. It will not suffice to read or hear the word; it must become our governing constitution. As James mentioned, those who put the word to practice are those who are blessed in that they do.

Saul had a mandate from the Lord to go and destroy everything in Amalek. On the surface, that would look an arbitrary order. However, there was more than 500 years of history behind that instruction. Amalek was the nation that first launched an unprovoked attack against Israel when they came out of Egypt. They plunged Israel into a sudden war. So, God told Moses to document it, promising to wipe out the memory of that nation at some point. Did Saul carry out the word of the Lord? Yes, but not completely. He destroyed every worthless thing but spared the fatted cows as well as king Agag. That marked the beginning of the end for Saul.

Repeated disobedience was the undoing of Saul…What we need to bear in mind is that disobeying the Lord routinely will short-circuit the ministry of the Holy Spirit in any life.

It will be rewarding to find out why God was so severe over some omissions on the part of Saul. That omission was going to invalidate the extant word of God. We notice that God is jealous over His word, and would do anything to see that it remains inviolable. Really, the assignment to Amalek was not the first act of disobedience by Saul. He had previously refused to wait as Samuel stipulated. He succumbed to pressure from people to dabble into the priest’s office. Repeated disobedience was the undoing of Saul. In our previous meditation, we learned of the need to draw grace from the Spirit of God to man the tongue. We will need the help of the Spirit in other areas of life as well. What we need to bear in mind is that disobeying the Lord routinely will short-circuit the ministry of the Holy Spirit in any life.

Jesus taught that people will be held accountable for every idle word. What is the meaning of “idle word”? To begin with, idleness in this context does not mean silence or inactivity. In the teachings of Jesus, we noticed that one can actually be busy or outspoken and still be guilty of idle words. Idleness in the light of the Master’s teaching is unproductive words. Whatever is spoken that does not add value or worse still reduces value should be taken as idle words. As we learned in previous meditations, words are powerful; they make or destroy. It is the more reason why Jesus would want His disciples to be careful of what they hear. So powerful are words that Jesus said they would form part of the basis by which people will be judged or rewarded on the last day.

Giving ourselves to the studying and meditating in the word of God as well as praying regularly will be of great help to escape the tendency of speaking unwholesome things.

Guiding against idle words, therefore, becomes a task that must be done. How do we go about this? It is by relying on the Spirit of God. James made a powerful submission about the tongue. “For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and creature of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind. But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.” James‬ 3‬:7‬-8‬ NKJV‬‬. If no man can tame the tongue, then we all need supernatural assistance. What is impossible with man is possible with God. Giving ourselves to the studying and meditating in the word of God as well as praying regularly will be of great help to escape the tendency of speaking unwholesome things.

Shortly after David returned from the slaughter of Goliath, the women celebrated the victory with an innocuous song. In their naivety they said Saul slew a thousand, but David had slained ten thousand. This did not go down well with Saul. He became jealous, bitter, and murderous in intent. Saul could not stand another man’s success. He would not want another man praised, not over and above him. He became jealous and began to think of how to end David’s life. What gave Saul the impression that the death of a successful man automatically means success for a drowning or failing man? The death of David would in no way reverse the downward trend in Saul’s life; that could only come through conviction, confession, and repentance. Rather than do this, he sank deeper into works of the flesh until he reached a point of no return.

Jealousy is what everybody will have to deal with one time or the other. The good news is that you can conquer it by the help of the Holy Spirit.

The Bible says many uncomfortable truths about jealousy or envy. James said that an atmosphere of envy is a toxic one that makes all forms of evil prevalent (James 3:16). In Proverbs 27:4, jealousy is rated far worse than cruelty and anger. Finally, Proverbs 14:30 puts the health of a jealous person at risk – “A sound heart is life to the body, But envy is rottenness to the bones.” Jealousy is what everybody will have to deal with one time or the other. The good news is that you can conquer it by the help of the Holy Spirit.

From the very first chapter of the Bible, we are introduced to the power of words. After surveying the world which was without form and void, Spirit-energized word of God began to put things in their proper places. “Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good; and God divided the light from the darkness.” Genesis‬ 1‬:3‬-4‬ NKJV‬‬. The New Testament also literally began with words. Before the public launch of His ministry, Jesus went on a long fast. After the 40-day period, the tempter came with a barrage of temptations. Each round of temptation was rebuffed by Jesus with the spoken words. So through words, God created the world and contained Satan.

So through words, God created the world and contained Satan…We are of God; therefore, there is power in our words. Whatever we say continually set the course of our future. Never say what you will not like to see.

It is important to state that we can never improve on God’s method. It is equally important that learning to imitate God is not only a sign of wisdom but also a demonstration that we are his children. “Therefore be imitators of God as dear children.” Ephesians‬ 5‬:1‬ NKJV‬‬. We are of God; therefore, there is power in our words. Whatever we say continually set the course of our future. Never say what you will not like to see. You may be pressured by situations around you to speak negatively, but always look at what God says about that situation and speak it. It has been said that people will always rise and fall to the level of their words. Refuse to let your words send your life down the spiral.

I read the synopsis of a book published in 1999 – “100 Things To Do Before You Die”. It was co-authored by David Freeman, an American advertising executive. You have never seen any recommendation more warped than some of the stuffs you have in that book. At best, you would need to borrow the popular warning you hear so often from the organizers of WWA – “Don’t try this at home”. Many of them are rather too dangerous for the soul. While the book recommends many wild things that will supposedly create fun, there was not a mention of God at all.

I concluded that if there was ever any right thing someone should pursue before death, it is to make peace with the Maker.

Recently, I attended the traditional wedding of a nephew. To my left hand was a man who had lost some of his teeth to age. I saw how this man struggled to have a bite of the meat in his plate of food. He had little success. My mind immediately raced to Ecclesiastes where the wise man warned of the day when the grinders will be few. That man was an endorsement of the wisdom of  Solomon. When I put that side by side with living, a la David Freeman,  I concluded that if there was ever any right thing someone should pursue before death, it is to make peace with the Maker. And because we have no control on the time of death, that has to be priority of the hour. By the way, Dave Freeman died at the age of 47, and had only done half of the crazy stuffs  he had on his list.

In the early 90’s, I was a guest to a Christians body at the University of Lagos, Nigeria. Among other things, I reasoned with them on importance of waiting on God. My reasoning had been that between the sowing and reaping is a waiting time. During the interactive session, one of the students asked me why God has to put a waiting time between when we pray and receive the answer, and between when we give and get the harvest. My response was to ask him a question: “Why would the University authority put a gap between when students enroll in college and when they bag their degrees?” I can’t tell whether my answer was a perfect one; but at least the student did not ask me further question.

When we are made to wait for something, it is a way of God trying to wean us from babyhood to maturity, and from carnality to spirituality.

Waiting is an essential part of our walking with God. The Bible says that those who believe will not make haste. Saul’s loss of patience spelt doom for him and his kingdom. Waiting does a number of good things for us. One, it is God’s way of killing the flesh! The flesh hates waiting. It often behaves like spoilt child, wanting everything here and now. When we are made to wait for something, it is a way of God trying to wean us from babyhood to maturity, and from carnality to spirituality. On another note, waiting is God’s way of adjusting our own time-table and align it with His. God’s work always occurs at a particular time; and it is called the fullness of time. (Galatians 4:4). It is at such times that all things are made beautiful. Before this time everything may appear hard and difficult, perhaps they might even look impossible. But when the appointed time comes, God knocks everything in shape to bring His promise to manifestation.

When people go through tough times, they are tempted to ask, “Why me?” or “What did I do to deserve this?” These are wrong questions. The correct question is to find out what God has for you at such moments. When you go through stuffs, keep in mind that there are lessons which God wants you to internalize. If you get preoccupied with the inconvenience or the pain, you may miss the lessons. Again, rather than get crushed by unpleasant circumstances, draw inspiration from where God is bringing you into. From our passage today, we can see that when we go through difficult season, God is only preparing us for a wealthy place. The New Living Translation puts our text this way: “You captured us in your net and laid the burden of slavery on our backs. Then you put a leader over us. We went through fire and flood, but you brought us to a place of great abundance.” Psalms‬ 66‬:11‬-12‬ NLT‬‬

…it is important to keep our eyes on the end which invariably will be glorious.

For another perspective, read the text from The Message Bible – “Brought us into hardscrabble country, pushed us to our very limit, Road-tested us inside and out, took us to hell and back; Finally he brought us to this well-watered place”. Something to keep in mind in the going-through phase of life is that God will not abandon us. Also, it is important to keep our eyes on the end which invariably will be glorious. Jesus went through the tough times because of the joy that was set before Him. That should be our approach as well.

King Nebuchadnezzar had a dream, the content of which he could not remember. He summoned all the wise men and magicians in his vast domain to remind him of it and give the interpretation. All of them tested the strange demand of the king for size to no avail. Then Daniel took the gauntlet. He asked the king to give him some time. In the interval, he contacted his colleagues with whom together they sought the Lord in prayer. God did not only replay the dream to Daniel but gave him the interpretation as well. Our text was part of Daniel’s worship to the Almighty God. Daniel teaches us that when prayers are answered, due glory must be given to God.

If we are not enjoying divine secrets as much, it must be that we are not asking enough.

Access to that one secret fetched a long list of benefits. The magicians who would have been executed for not having a clue were spared. That also meant many women and children who would have been widowed and orphaned respectively had a new lease of life. On the part of Daniel and his friends, it marked the beginning of their lifting in Babylon. There is no telling how far one secret that is revealed can take you. The good news is that God delights to reveal secrets to people, particularly His children. “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.” Deuteronomy 29:29 NKJV. If we are not enjoying divine secrets as much, it must be that we are not asking enough.

The Lord met Saul of Tarsus on the way to Damascus where he was going to persecute the saints. In that blistering encounter in the noonday, he temporarily lost his vision. His restoration would not come until he had entered the city for further instruction. Meanwhile, God had told another disciple, Ananias, to go and minister to Saul. Initially this disciple was jittery, having heard so many terrible stories about Saul. God had to bring assurances his way not to be afraid. Ananias eventually went, prayed for Saul to receive his sight, and got him baptized in water.  Imagine if Ananias did not obey the Lord as soon as possible!  Saul would have groped in darkness a little longer than God had intended.

Both partial obedience and delayed obedience are a hinderance to the plans and purposes of God.

When you fail to obey the Lord fully and in time, the lifeline that God wants to give to others through you may be delayed. That would mean additional suffering for someone. The same is true for you. When you pray, God may choose to push answer to you through somebody else. Unless that person promptly obeys the Lord, your waiting period may be extended unduly. Really, sometimes when we think God is delaying, it could be His human agents that are not cooperating. It is important to stress that we cannot obey God on our own terms. Choosing to obey God on our own terms is what leads to partial or delayed obedience. Both partial obedience and delayed obedience are a hinderance to the plans and purposes of God. True obedience is both prompt and total, and this is how the fullness of blessings come our way.

The operations of the Spirit in the life of a believer are diverse. One of them is to help us understand what has been given to us by the Father. “But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.” I Corinthians 2:10 NKJV. In our previous meditation, we learned of the need to rise above ignorance. The Holy Spirit will play a principal role in bringing this to pass. Other roles of the Spirit can be gleaned from two scriptures as spoken by the Master. The first is John 14:26 which says, “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.” John 16:13 is the other one – “However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.”

He handles the past because He reminds us of all things; He is involved with the present because He teaches all things; and He connects us with the future as He shows things to come and guides into all truth.

These two scriptures show that the Spirit is involved with past, present, and future. He handles the past because He reminds us of all things; He is involved with the present because He teaches all things; and He connects us with the future as He shows things to come and guides into all truth. When you add today’s scripture then you can say that the Spirit enlarges our capacity to retain the truth and handle what has been previously too hard. In the light of these many ministries of the Holy Spirit, Paul’s admonition that we should not quench the Spirit makes sense.

In Luke 15, we have the account of the story of the prodigal son. Oftentimes our focus is on the profligate child; and there is no way we can diminish that. But it is equally important to turn our gaze to the generous father who was not only willing to give to his son, but also received him back with open hands for a second chance. His elder son was indignant, that he had never received anything to show for all his dedication. He must have been shocked to the marrows when the father told him, “all that I have is thine”!

Believers cannot fully enjoy the blessings of God if they are ignorant of who they are…Your inheritance is limited by the extent of your revelation of Kingdom realities.

This brings us to a crucial issue. Believers cannot fully enjoy the blessings of God if they are ignorant of who they are. The first thing in the sequence of Paul’s assignment was to open the eyes of the people. Were they blind? Yes, but not in a physical sense. They were ignorant of who God is and what He has made available in redemption through Christ. Hoshea says the people of God are destroyed for lack of knowledge (Hoshea 4:6). Isaiah adds this:  “Therefore my people are gone into captivity, because they have no knowledge: and their honourable men are famished, and their multitude dried up with thirst.” (Isaiah 5:13, KJV). Your inheritance is limited by the extent of your revelation of Kingdom realities. It’s about time you rose above your ignorance.

A few months into the start of Firstlove Assembly (then known as Revival People’s Church), I had a night vision. A man of God invited me to be anointed, citing a future date. Another man of God injected, saying it was not going to be a future date but right there and then. Then he began to prophesy on me: “You shall take heed to walk in your anointing; for those who have not walked in their anointing have made a shipwreck of their faith.” As he prophesied, I saw something like a whirlwind uprooting trees and clearing the debris.  What does it mean for someone to walk in his or her anointing? It is to walk in the call or assignment of God upon one’s life. This is different from walking in the Spirit, though there is a merger somewhere along the path. Knowing what your anointing is will require that you check those things that occupy your dream at night and constitute your waking thoughts in the morning.

Knowing what your anointing is will require that you check those things that occupy your dream at night and constitute your waking thoughts in the morning.

Your anointing could be found in those areas where, after you have suffered what looks like a defeat or humiliation, you still want to return to doing them all over again! The story of Moses will drive the point home. When he was in Egypt, he saw an Israelite being assaulted by an Egyptian. He rose to defend and deliver his kinsman, killing the Egyptian in the process. Because of this the king sought to kill him; so, he had to flee to exile. Guess the first thing he did on arrival. He saw the daughters of the Priest of Midian by the well and helped them. “And they said, “An Egyptian delivered us from the hand of the shepherds, and he also drew enough water for us and watered the flock.”” Exodus 2:19 NKJV. Certainly, Moses carried the anointing of a deliverer that just won’t let off. That anointing soon gave him food, accommodation, and a woman to marry. Literally, everything is in one’s anointing.

Giving in the Old Testament had regulations. It was to be done freely and proportionately. Another regulation was that the children of Israel should not be frivolous in their stewardship, throwing their gift just anywhere. This specific instruction concerning this can be found in Deuteronomy 12:13-14 – “Take heed to thyself that thou offer not thy burnt offerings in every place that thou seest: but in the place which the LORD shall choose in one of thy tribes, there thou shalt offer thy burnt offerings, and there thou shalt do all that I command thee.” It is interesting to note that all these regulations still apply today. Giving should be voluntary, and it is to reflect how much blessing we have received from the Lord. Moreover, giving should not be indiscriminately done; so we don’t become guilty of giving to places furthering the cause of Satan ostensibly called Church.

When next you have some money to invest, ask God to show you the field He has chosen for the money. Mind you, the chosen field is the blessed field.

The admonition to not give indiscriminately can serve us in good stead even in personal pursuits. Circumspection is essential when it comes to investment. Most people rely on hearsay or investment market report to make investment decisions. As good as these are, God’s people must learn to get their final brief from the Spirit. In our passage, God taught Jeremiah to buy a particular land that would be advertized to him by his uncle’s son. By the way, that particular purchase did not make sense then; but God sees the end from the beginning. You may see your money as a physical thing, but it is indeed a spiritual thing and God wants to direct how to handle it. When next you have some money to invest, ask God to show you the field He has chosen for the money. Mind you, the chosen field is the blessed field.

The ninth commandment says that we should not bear false witness against a neighbour. Invariably, this commandment forbids lying. Whereas many people may not lie frontally, there are various ways that an infraction of this commandment can take place. Half truth, for instance, falls into this category. Abram said Sarah was his sister, not his wife. That was half truth. Though Sarah was born to his father by a different woman, she was nonetheless his wife. Calling her a sister in that instance was a cover-up. Exaggeration is another infraction of the law that forbids lying. It is common that when people want to build a case for themselves, they exaggerate issues. They feel the bigger the issue looms the greater the chance of making it believable.

Exaggeration is untenable, even when we think we are speaking on behalf of God.

This was the problem with the children of Israel in our text. They compared their state then to what life was like in Egypt. They actually meant to say that they miss Egypt! They claimed they ate fish in Egypt “freely”. If they were enjoying so freely, why did they cry to God for deliverance? If life was that good, why did they celebrate greatly when they came out of Egypt? Their claim did not match their reality in Egypt. They had exaggerated issues. Simply, they lied! This error can be committed even while we think that we are praising God. There are some who give unwarranted juicy details to the testimony they give in Church. Exaggeration is untenable, even when we think we are speaking on behalf of God.

There are two important principles to draw from our meditation today. The first is this: never consume on yourself what you are not willing to give to God. If you violate this principle, you have become a god unto yourself. Let’s break this down. After years of running for protection, God finally subdued David’s enemies. He had rest; and was even living in a paneled house. At that time the ark of God was being kept behind curtains. David felt it was out of place for him to live in a palace while there was no descent place to transact worship of Jehovah. I often get puzzled how many believers drive state-of-the-art cars and live in marbled homes and are members of churches that are struggling to have a roof on their heads! That, for me, is a misplaced priority. In Old Testament blueprint for sacrifice, the fat was meant for the Lord. While we don’t sacrifice rams anymore, the principle still holds. Ideally, the principal part of our wealth and fortune belongs to the Lord, ideally.

Those who want to please the Lord in all things must move from viewing things strictly in the light of what is good; they have to consider if they are God’s.

The other lesson from this passage is the reaction of Nathan. Without checking things up with God, the prophet gave a nod to David’s proposal to build a temple. I can relate with that as a Minister. It will be hard to turn down someone who would offer to build us new facilities for worship. It will appear too good to be refused. But that is exactly where the issue is: Good things may not always be God’s things. Those who want to please the Lord in all things must move from viewing things strictly in the light of what is good; they have to consider if they are God’s. It is possible that some good things are not God’s thing.

It was a misstep by Abram when he went down to Egypt in the days of famine in Canaan. On the way, he taught his wife to feign the sister, thinking that would be enough to save him. Hearing the testimony of Sarah that she was Abraham’s sister, Pharaoh picked interest in marrying her. Genesis 12:17 reveals God’s reaction to what Pharaoh did – “But the Lord plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai, Abram’s wife.” Whereas Pharaoh could be said to have acted in innocence, God still plagued him for Abram’s sake. We recall this story to say that God will guard all that pertains to His people.

Everyone who has put his or her trust in God should know this as well – God is guiding all that is theirs. The very thought of this can make us live without apprehension.

David’s story provides another proof that God will guard what He has earmarked for His people. On the day that Samuel visited Jesse’s house to choose Saul’s replacement, David was not invited. Perhaps, Jesse thought that things would go according to seniority, he left David on the farm. After all six children were presented and none fitted divine choice, Samuel was forced to ask if there was any left. David was eventually sent for from the farm. The one who was abandoned and unexpected received the anointing to become the king. When David spoke in the words of our text that God “guards all that is mine”, he knew  exactly what he was saying. Everyone who has put his or her trust in God should know this as well – God is guiding all that is theirs. The very thought of this can make us live without apprehension.