More than a decade ago, I had an experience that brought the lesson of this text of scripture to life. Four suitcases. Two carry-on bags weighing about 8kg each. That’s what my wife and I loaded into the van that conveyed us from Carbondale, Illinois to St. Louis, Missouri. As my custom is, I wanted to engage my mind positively during the two-hour drive; so I had two iPads with me in the van, uncased. When we got to the airport at St. Louis we removed all bags, but forgot the iPads, the two little things I had with me. As little as these things are, they worth more than all those suitcases for me. That’s where I have all my sermon notes, devotional write-ups, addresses, calender of events, and much more. Through a timely reminder from my wife I made a couple of calls to the transport company and I got them back.

Character is ruined by little things. Marital harmony crumbles due to little things. All things considered, it is not the big things of life that set people back; it is the seemingly little, little things.

The moral of this story is, the little things that we tend to forget easily might be what hold the aces to our future. Only yesterday we spoke of the need to keep pressing until we reach our goal. However, if there are little flaws that we do not address, all pressing and pushing will be futile. Character is ruined by little things. Marital harmony crumbles due to little things. All things considered, it is not the big things of life that set people back; it is the seemingly little, little things. They are terrible foxes that we must remove before they ruin our garden of destiny. We must trust God to open our eyes to them, and trust Him still for the grace to remove them.

There seems to be a general concern for the health of the elderly in the society. I remember that when I was approaching my 50th birthday, everyone around me got some health tips to offer. Some told me what I needed to stop eating and when I ought to eat even the desirable ones. All of them agreed on the need for physical exercise. Of course, I also could observe that individuals who had had athletic or military career are much stronger in later years. That’s all I needed to jump on the treadmill. The first time I tried, I only lasted 15 minutes. Next time, I upped the ante to 30 minutes. Then 45, and so on. Each time I tried to push beyond the last stop.

“Every proposal offering easy short steps to success is a ruse…But if we press and push without relenting, one step at a time, and one notch beyond where we stopped in previous years, we will reach that height of glory.

Success in life comes much the same way. It has been said that the height attained by great men is not by sudden flight; it comes through steady upward climb, one step at a time. Every proposal offering easy short steps to success is a ruse. It should remind us of God’s word, those who are hasty to make it will not be innocent. But if we press and push without relenting, one step at a time, and one notch beyond where we stopped in previous years, we will reach that height of glory. So, make up your mind to always beat your own record. Then trust God for direction where you need to focus your energy on. His grace will sort out the rest.

The children of Israel journeyed through what we might call uncharted territories in their 40-year experience in the wilderness. How did they know where to go and how to camp? It was through the pillars of cloud and fire. “Moreover You led them by day with a cloudy pillar, And by night with a pillar of fire, To give them light on the road Which they should travel.” Nehemiah‬ 9‬:12‬ NKJV‬‬. Though it is no longer through the pillar of cloud and fire, God has not left His children without aid. The good news is that God has not left our guidance to a mere device; our guidance is in the hand of the Holy Spirit, the Third Person in the Godhead. This is vividly stated in our passage today. We are to be led by the Spirit of God. As a matter of fact, to be led by the Spirit is a pointer to the fact that we are the sons of God. ‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

The good news is that God has not left our guidance to a mere device; our guidance is in the hand of the Holy Spirit, the Third Person in the Godhead.

In more technologically developed nations, you can pretty well move around unfamiliar environments. Thanks to a little device called GPS. With satellite, this device can help you locate where you are and guide you to where you want to be. All you need to do is enter the address of your destination. It immediately shows a route map and gives voice prompts at each turn of the way. Even when you miss the route it simply recalculates and brings you back on track. As with other devices by man, the GPS has its drawbacks, one of them is that it can only tell you how to get to where you want to go; it is totally powerless to keep you in the way. The Spirit of God can do both. He knows the way and He has the power to preserve you in your journey. With Him in your vessel you will reach the harbour.

The Bible teaches mutuality among believers. We see this playing out in the epistle of Paul to the Philippians. For example, in Chapter 4, he recalled how the brethren ministered to his physical needs. In return, he invoked on them a great supply from heaven according to God’s riches through Christ. Chapter one also stands as a proof of mutuality. Yesterday, we noted how Paul was thanking God for them. Today, it was Paul’s turn to count on their prayers for his deliverance. Hezekiah Walker’s song – I NEED YOU TO SURVIVE – comes to mind here. Let’s go over the words of the first stanza together. I need you/You need me/We’re all a part of God’s body/Stand with me/Agree with me/We’re all a part of God’s body/It is His will that every need be supplied/You are important to me/I need you to survive.

It is important that we build godly, loving relationships long before needs will arise. Such relationships will come to the rescue in trying days. 

The principle of mutuality must have played a major role in the incredible life of Apostle Paul. Just as Paul was praying for the brethren, they in turn were praying for his release. Paul waxed confident that the prayer of the saints will stimulate supply from the Spirit of Christ and that would translate into his freedom. It is a medical certainty that when sick persons have a strong support base from loved ones, they tend to pull through quicker even from most debilitating diseases. This is true of other problems that can confront us. If we are surrounded by affectionate people, we can face the worst of storms. It is important that we build godly, loving relationships long before needs will arise. Such relationships will come to the rescue in trying days.

The lead scripture for our meditation yesterday was Romans 8:28. There we learned that God has all it takes to work out all things to the advantage of those who love Him. Paul did not write that as mere rhetorics; he believed it, judging from the experiences of his life. One such experience was the letter he wrote to the Philippians. He wrote it from prison. Generally, jail of any type and of whatever nation is no luxury; but something makes the Roman jail system more deplorable. In his introductory note to the book of Ephesians, Eugene Peterson says anyone in Roman custody is on his own. Feeding and keeping warm in cold weather, writing paper, ink and pen that a prisoner might need has to be at his personal expense. Largely then, a prisoner would depend on the goodwill of friends and relatives. This we can verify from this epistle as Paul later acknowledged what the Philippians sent to him, which inspired that apostolic blessing of Philippians 4:19.

Firstly, thanking God is not what we do only in our pleasant state; it is meant for all times. We ought to move from thanking God for things and situations to thanking Him in-spite of them.

This brings us to our text. Paul mentioned his devotion to giving thanks on behalf of the Philippians even in his incarceration. Two things come to mind from this. Firstly, thanking God is not what we do only in our pleasant state; it is meant for all times. We ought to move from thanking God for things and situations to thanking Him in-spite of them. When we can look beyond our unpleasant circumstances and still bless God we touch a chord in the heart of the Father; and it indicates that we are maturing in the way of the Spirit. Secondly, our inspiration to thank God for all things must be knowledge-based, knowing that God has all things under control and He is working them out for good.

Not a few believers over the centuries have found our text as a source of strength and consolation in unpleasant situations. The veracity of this scripture may not be proven immediately, but if we wait without murmuring it will play out well. I once read about Corrie ten Boom and her Sister Betsy at the Nazi concentration camp. That particular camp was overcrowded and flea-infested, a situation that would generally be nauseating. They managed to smuggle a Bible into the camp, and in it they found that they were to give thanks for all things, and that God could use anything to advance His plan for His children. Corie ten Boom’s sister took this literally and insisted that they thank God for the fleas. Strangely, the guards did not visit that camp for several months, giving them the luxury of holding open Bible studies. It was later they learned that the soldiers avoided that camp because of the fleas!

If you have an  issue that won’t just go away after doing all that is humanly and spiritually possible, you need to come to terms that God must have a purpose for it. Thank God for whatever the case may be.

Paul had some flea following him everywhere. Well, he did not call it that; he described it as a thorn in his flesh. That was what the Lord used to shut him up against any tendency of pride. He prayed three times, but the “flea” remained. At the end of it all Paul had enough to humble him before God, drawing grace daily to handle those unpleasant experiences created by the unwanted visitor. If you have an  issue that won’t just go away after doing all that is humanly and spiritually possible, you need to come to terms that God must have a purpose for it. Thank God for whatever the case may be. You can also pray that God will open your eyes to see what good He is making for you out of the problem.

I had a funny experience when I first applied for British visa. After queuing all-night long, I was denied, alongside with my wife. The second attempt was not different from the first. I have since crossed that hurdle and currently hold a 10-year visa on my passport. I fared better with the American authorities. I have never been denied visa at any time. However, the food items I once took to their borders to give to people as gifts were confiscated and destroyed.

Heaven is His throne, and He alone can stipulate what will enter…No new birth, no entry… All form of defilement, abomination, and lie will shut people out.

The import of these stories is that the authorities of any nation reserve the right to determine what they would admit or refuse. Isn’t this true of God too? Heaven is His throne, and He alone can stipulate what will enter. I have heard some people speak as if to dictate entering heaven on their own terms. There is no such thing. Jesus said, “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.”Matthew‬ 18‬:3‬ NKJV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬. No new birth, no entry. In our passage of today we are told of the things that will deny anyone access into the city of God. All form of defilement, abomination, and lie will shut people out. Those who have the goal of admission must constantly purge themselves by the Blood of the Lamb.

‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬In our previous meditation, we pointed out two things that can help us avoid leanness and frustration in our souls. We learned to deal away with lustful pursuits and never to leave God out of our legitimate interests. Invariably, our pursuits are for increases. Everyone wants increase, and this comes in two forms. We want to be blessed, in every sense of the word, and we want to be a blessing. Well, God has plans for both, and has set a template to make this happen. A clear example of this is presented in our portion of Scripture for meditation. God promised to make the Seed  that would come out of Abraham a blessing to the nations of the earth for one reason: “Because thou hast obeyed my voice”. Obedience to the voice of God sets the stage for becoming a blessing.

He who wants to increase in the blessing of God and in consequence increase his impact in the world must first learn to increase his obedience to God and fulfill divine demands.

However, getting blessed comes before becoming a blessing since we cannot give what we don’t have. The condition for getting blessed is not any different from the one necessary for being a blessing – we need to obey God. The bottom-line is this: He who wants to increase in the blessing of God and in consequence increase his impact in the world must first learn to increase his obedience to God and fulfill divine demands. On a final note, Abraham was commended and rewarded because he obeyed the voice of God. That means he could recognize the voice. We need to have our listening faculty cleaned out and retuned, so we can hear what the Spirit is saying to us presently.

‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬Generally speaking, most people are already getting tired by this time of the year. The experiences of many at this point are miles apart from the fresh hopes and optimism exercised when the year began. This is not God’s best for us. Our weariness comes from two likely sources. Firstly, when we pursue things aimed solely at satisfying our lusts. “They soon forgot His works; They did not wait for His counsel, But lusted exceedingly in the wilderness, And tested God in the desert. And He gave them their request, But sent leanness into their soul.” Psalms‬ 106‬:13‬-15‬ NKJV‬‬. The second source of frustration is pursuing legitimate things without sufficiently factoring God into the equation. We like to do it our own way; and when our ingenuity and connections fail to deliver the desired results, the soul becomes lean and frustrated.‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

We like to do it our own way; and when our ingenuity and connections fail to deliver the desired results, the soul becomes lean and frustrated.‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬..If we navigate the rest of the year by Him, we will save time and conserve energy.

With different qualifications, Jesus is described as Shepherd. He describes Himself as the good Shepherd (John 10:11,14). The author of the book of Hebrews describes Him as the great Shepherd (Hebrews 13:20). Apostle Peter says He is the Chief Shepherd (1 Peter 5:4). The focal scripture today captures two things that we stand to gain, if we subscribe to the Lord as our Shepherd. First, there will be salvation in all of its ramifications. Second, we will find pastures. This last quarter of the year can be positively different from whatever leanness you have experienced before now. The Shepherd knows what we are looking for; and He knows exactly where we can get them. If we navigate the rest of the year by Him, we will save time and conserve energy.

‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬God knows how to turn our misery into mission. He did just that for Apostle Paul. A quick check at his conversion story will reveal the scope of assignment that God had for him. “But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel.” Acts‬ 9‬:15‬ NKJV‬. His mandate covered witnessing Christ to gentiles, kings, and to a reasonable extent, the children of Israel. How did God make him to carry this out? It was through what we will ordinarily call misery. He was chained and put in prison. The chains actually became an avenue for him to stand before kings, fulfilling part of the original mission God had for him.‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

In all situations…Figure out how all things can add somewhat to the overall purpose of God for you…Whatever He allows will be convertible to your advantage and advance you in realising your place in God.

From our text, we realise that Paul would not want the brethren in Philippi to hold a pity party for him while he was in jail. Rather, he wanted them to see the opportunity to do ministry that came along with his incarceration. He made them to know that his imprisonment and chains were fulfilling the purpose God had for him. In all situations, think about your mission in (and from) God. Figure out how all things can add somewhat to the overall purpose of God for you. Become fully persuaded that God will not allow anything that will hurt your purpose in life. Whatever He allows will be convertible to your advantage and advance you in realising your place in God.

‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬There are clear indications that Paul had a great longing for knowledge. An example of that was when he requested that the books be brought to him – “Bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas when you come—and the books, especially the parchments.” 2 Timothy‬ 4‬:13‬ NKJV‬. I suppose that what the cloak was to his body, the books were to his mind; they both supplied some kind of warmth. Another indication of Paul’s insatiable appetite for knowledge is portrayed in our text. By the time this desire was expressed, Paul already had appreciable knowledge of God. In his epistle to the Galatians and the Ephesians, he had actually recalled his privilege of being taught by God directly.‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

God is deeper than the deepest sea, and higher than the highest mountain…To cultivate your knowledge of God, you have to be ready for the long haul. Your understanding will open concerning God a little at a time.

Now, how do we explain a man of such pedigree still crying out to know God as our text suggests? It is a pointer to the fact that God is deeper than the deepest sea, and higher than the highest mountain. When all is said, our best knowledge of God which we can boast of is still the tip of the iceberg. God is simply unsearchable and inexhaustible. What is more, what can be known of God cannot be acquired in a hurry. To cultivate your knowledge of God, you have to be ready for the long haul. Your understanding will open concerning God a little at a time. But the more you know Him, the more your confidence will grow in Him as well.

‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬In the second weekend of September this year, I was invited to speak at the annual convention of Kingdom Reign Chapel, Rumuagholu, Port Harcourt. The theme of their meeting is what I have adopted as the caption for this entry – AGAINST ALL ODDS. Esther will be a perfect illustration of what towering success we can attain even in the face of all odds. There are at least two odd steps we can point to in the life of this young lady. The first is noticed when she entered the beauty pageant organized with the sole aim of getting a queen for king Ahasuerus. Esther was an orphan. Also keep in perspective that both she and her adoptive father were slaves in a strange land. Whoever heard of a slave becoming a queen! But that was what happened. She beat the odds and was crowned.

She beat the odds and was crowned…Teaming up with heaven through prayer and fasting can help us beat the odds.

The other odd step was when she had to stand up for the Jews. Haman had tricked the king into signing a death warrant for all the Jews in the empire. Esther was to go and plead before the king on their behalf. The only hurdle here was that to approach the king uninvited had only one certain end – death. When Esther chose to go, it was an odd step indeed. But without that there would have been no survivors among the Jews. Esther received both the direction and the courage to do what she did through the prodding of Mordecai. There is a final lesson here. Before Esther went to see the king, she requested for corporate fasting and prayers. Teaming up with heaven through prayer and fasting can help us beat the odds.

‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬Adolf Hitler who plunged the world into a war of immense magnitude is often considered a charismatic leader. When we use the word charismatic in church circles, it is often viewed with all sacredness. However, charisma simply refers to someone’s ability to inspire and influence others, often relying on personal charm and emotional appeal. One can be charismatically evil, as Hitler abundantly proved. This is why in all choices of leaders in the Bible, charisma played the second fiddle. God always put character on top. Leaders who fit the bill under Moses’ administration  were those who “fear(ed) God, men of truth, hating covetousness”. Exodus‬ 18‬:21‬ NKJV‬. God picked David from following the ewes to lead Israel not just because of the skillfulness of hands, but also because of the integrity of heart. ‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

In all choices of leaders charisma played the second fiddle. God always put character on top. It is by our good character that we mirror Christ to the unbelievers.

The conditions did not change in the New Testament. Paul in his writing to Timothy specifies terms and conditions under which one could be considered for the office of a Bishop. Among several other things, a candidate must have good report of the outside world. In other words, his lifestyle must not only be approved from within the church, but his good life must be acknowledged by the greater society as well. What is stated here as condition for bishopric should actually be applicable to every child of God so called. We will not all be Bishops; but we are all called to be worthy ambassadors of Christ in our various domains. It is by our good character that we mirror Christ to the unbelievers.

‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬I have stood at Border Control at various ports in the United States of America over the years. Some of the times passed for mere routine; others were like sitting for a major examination. I remember one time that the questioning was grueling. Incidentally, my wife accompanied me on that occasion. As soon as I turned in our passports, the officer first perused the pages before he fired a battery of questions. “What’s your reason for coming to the US?”, he demanded. I had a well rehearsed answer for this. “To visit a family friend”, I replied.  “And what do you do for a living?”, he further probed. “A publisher and a preacher”, I submitted. Not done he asked, “What kind of gospel do you preach?” Instantly I said, “Full Gospel”. He nodded approvingly as if he knew what that meant and stamped us in. I bet you I never rehearsed that, neither did I at that moment understand the meaning of what I said.

We increase our chances of speaking the right words at the right time when we make meditation in scriptures our daily practice.

The scripture says, “How forceful are right words…” Job‬ 6‬:25‬ NKJV‬. The right words will bring us right results. They deliver from danger and open doors. The question is, “How do we get to speak the right words at the right time”? I believe we can rely on the promise of the Master. He said that we will benefit from the combined gift of “a mouth and wisdom”. There is no going wrong saying what the Lord inspires. We increase our chances of speaking the right words at the right time when we make meditation in scriptures our daily practice. The words of scripture will be stored in our hearts, and when occasion demands, the Holy Spirit will stir up what is appropriate and fit them into our mouth.‬‬‬‬‬‬

Many years ago, I heard the late Missionary Evangelist Arthur Hokett say, “The natural tendency of fire is to go out”. That never left me. This is true of natural fire. It is also true of spiritual fire. However, there is a kind of fire that does not go out naturally. It is the fire kindled by the flesh. Getting rid of the flame of the flesh requires a certain intentional push. In our passage today, Paul touched on five things that must be confined to the past: bitterness, wrath, anger, clamour, evil speaking, and malice. These works of the flesh and others that are not mentioned here do not expire on their own; individuals have to take deliberate steps to rid themselves of these carnal works. It should be noted that even though God has great plans to execute, as long as these works of the flesh still loom large, they will hinder the operations of the Spirit. To truly enjoy the package of God, it is important to turn over a new leaf as soon as the Holy Spirit reveals a character defect.

Turning over a new leaf is a task that must begin from the heart…Thank God, the scripture gives us assurance of the possibility of a new heart…A new heart carries within it new possibilities.

Turning over a new leaf is a task that must begin from the heart. As the saying goes, the heart of the matter is in the heart. All issues of life spring from the heart. If the heart is not dealt with, it is futile to expect a total deliverance from the works of the flesh. Thank God, the scripture gives us assurance of the possibility of a new heart. Let us all go to God in reverence and ask that we be circumcised in our hearts. A new heart carries within it new possibilities.

‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬The hallmark of the life of a believer is the fruit of the Spirit. After making a long list of the works of the flesh and the terrible consequences that follow those who go their way, Paul provided the opposite, which is the fruit of the Spirit. This is a list of what ought to characterize the life of anyone who truly professes the name of Jesus. The first on the list is love. That is immediately followed by joy. The joy of believers has little to do with their material positions. It also has nothing to do with the absence of tough times. Were it to be so, someone like Paul would never have known joy. In our past meditation, we noticed how he triumphed over unjust imprisonment, deprivations, and persecutions. He would later write to the Philippians to rejoice always. His warrant to write such admonition came from the fact that joy was a part of his life.

What will turn that potential joy to real life experience is becoming yielded to every move by the Spirit.

Essentially, joy comes from the Holy Spirit. The same Paul wrote to the Romans and enumerated the key elements of the Kingdom of God. “for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” Romans‬ 14‬:17‬ NKJV‬. Take note that the joy is derived from the Holy Spirit and not any physical realities. If you have the Holy Spirit in your life, you have joy – at least potentially. What will turn that potential joy to real life experience is becoming yielded to every move by the Spirit. The Spirit is there to teach and guide, correct and control, convict and comfort. If you let Him have the right of way, you are sure to find joy in God. ‬‬‬‬‬‬

‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬If you are looking for someone with a thick skin in the Bible, Apostle Paul sticks out. Anyone who could give thanks and sing praises to God from within prison walls must have a thick skin indeed. He himself captures his ordeals thus: “But in all things we commend ourselves as ministers of God: in much patience, in tribulations, in needs, in distresses, in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in sleeplessness, in fastings; by purity, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Spirit, by sincere love, by the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left, by honor and dishonor, by evil report and good report; as deceivers, and yet true; as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold we live; as chastened, and yet not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.” 2 Corinthians‬ 6‬:4‬-10‬ NKJV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

“Those who think that following Christ is a piece of cake will soon be overthrown in their faith when trial comes.”

How did he maintain such positive attitude in the face of all odds? He learned of the cost of discipleship early enough. From the word “go”, he was made to know how much price he would pay for the gospel. For him, all the rough terrains he had to travel in, and the ill treatment in the hand of Roman authorities were part of the deal. The problem with many believers today is that we count as strange anything that lays stress on us in the course of serving God. This is a foundational problem. Few congregations extend their foundational courses for new believers to areas of discipline and suffering for the faith. The first persecution that shows up then brings shock. Those who think that following Christ is a piece of cake will soon be overthrown in their faith when trial comes.

‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬About the greatest move one can make is to invest in eternal destiny of souls. This understanding made me sit with a young man I have been trying to nurse in the things of God. I wanted to know the state of his soul as it relates to God. He is one of the young men I have been trying to nurse in the things of God. From his response, he appeared to have grown in the consciousness of God more than our previous meeting, but some doubts still persist. How do we know that what God claims in the Bible are true? How do we even know that the Bible is what it claims to be – God’s infallible word? These and other questions still tug at his imaginative mind. To a reasonable extent, we can know God, but that is when you are already in God.

You don’t wait to know God before you commit to Him…Once you are in Him, He begins to reveal Himself to you in ways and manners that no one else can.

There is a way to illustrate this. You can make all efforts to describe Nigeria to someone who has never been here. He, on his part, may read up about Nigeria to increase his knowledge. However, none of these will make him appreciate the country like those who live inside it. Similarly, you don’t wait to know God before you commit to Him. There has to be the initial element of faith by which you leap into God. Once you are in Him, He begins to reveal Himself to you in ways and manners that no one else can. Your journey in the knowledge of God begins with faith leap; but this is not a blind leap into the dark. You have to believe in the testimony of those who have already tasted God and have discovered He is real.

‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬Writing to the Jews in exile, Jeremiah assured them that God was in control of the affairs of their lives and had a set time for their return to their fatherland. That was more clearly stated in Jeremiah 29:11 – “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.” What is called thoughts in this place was given other descriptions in other translations. For example, New American Standard Bible calls it “plans”, while Modern King James Version calls it “purposes”. These three – thoughts, plans, purposes – are basically describing the same thing, and they are all pointers to the fact that God has a destiny for His people. What we need to probe is this: what triggers destiny? The answer may be varied, but one thing is certain: when people rise up to responsibility, they may find themselves in the course of destiny. David’s experience proved this to be true.

Our destiny may come dressed in responsibility. Those who duck responsibility are dissociating themselves from a great future.

His father had charged him to take some provisions to his brothers and their captain in the battlefront. He readily agreed to take that responsibility. When he got there, he heard the intimidating noise of Goliath who had tormented the army of Saul for 40 days and nights. He volunteered to go and fight the giant. His elder brother challenged him, seeing him nothing more than an ambitious young lad who could not tell his right from his left. David’s response was captured in our text. He saw a cause worth risking everything for. His acceptance of that responsibility brought him to national limelight and ushered him into destiny. Our destiny may come dressed in responsibility. Those who duck responsibility are dissociating themselves from a great future.

‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬I made some remarks while preaching recently at the convention of a sister ministry – “There is someone who knows someone that you don’t know. There is someone who knows something that you don’t know. There is someone who has been to some place that you haven’t been to.” Simon Peter  would readily agree with these statements. To begin with, he cut across as a bold, daring, can-do-it personality – traits that most successful leaders exhibit. Few examples will remind us of how fantastic this man was. He was the one that got it right when Christ asked His disciples about His true identity. He was the one that wanted to follow in the trail of the Master when he asked to be invited to walk on water. He was the one that cut off someone’s ear when Jesus was arrested. Maybe that was his way of demonstrating his earlier promise to Jesus, that if all the world forsook Him, his own case would be an exception. That was the man Peter.

“There are places you may never get to in life except through someone who knows you and knows the place you desire to reach. Human beings are divine linkages.”

One would think such individual would easily bamboozle his way to anyone and any place without let. Not so in the palace of the High Priest. When Jesus was being tried, John made it in to the court room because he was personally acquainted with the occupant of the palace. Peter was barred from entering. It took the intervention of John to have him brought in. The point we are making today is this: there are places you may never get to in life except through someone who knows you and knows the place you desire to reach. Human beings are divine linkages.

‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬When Amaziah revved up for battle against Edom, he mustered 300,000 men fit for the war. In addition, he hired 100,000 men from Israel to help execute his battle. It was at that point that a prophet came by and told him to exclude the men of Israel from his plan. The first lesson is that God is merciful. Rarely does He watch people in their erroneous plans without doing everything first to stop them in their tracks. God knows the end from the beginning. When He sees that any of our plans will lead to disastrous consequences, He will give us timely warning. It could be through a personal revelation, a word from scriptures, the counsel of a friend, or the ministry of a prophet as in our text.

God knows the end from the beginning. When He sees that any of our plans will lead to disastrous consequences, He will give us timely warning.

Here is the second lesson. Not only are we to be sure that God is involved in our pursuits, but we must equally make certain that those who play critical role in our vision have God on their side as well. Amaziah was advised to drop Israel from his plans because God was not with them. Had the king of Judah been adamant to go on as planned, that would also have been ego trip of some sort, with disastrous consequences. We need to allow the Holy Spirit to audit the people around us and our businesses. Wrong company will not only corrupt good morals, they can equally ruin great plans.

Sometime last year, I stumbled at some bottles of fruit wine that had outlived their shelf life. About the same time, I also came across some supplements that suffered similar fate. I decided to do an experiment with the wine. I popped it open to pour the content away. The first glaring thing was that it had been decolourised. Though the supplements had not changed colour, I decided to throw them away too. Consuming expired food or medicinal items may have a placebo effect. In the worst case scenario, they become injurious to our health.

Just as we observed earlier that applying expired products will take a toll on one’s health, so will these old pattern of living affect our spiritual progress if they are allowed to linger.‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

What I did to those expired items is what God expects of us in dealing with our pre-conversion experiences. Our text calls it the old man known for corruption and deceitfulness. Paul was more explicit about the characteristics of the former life when he wrote to the Colossians. “But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds” Colossians‬ 3‬:8‬-9‬ NKJV‬. For believers, anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language, lying, and similar vices must become expired. Just as we observed earlier that applying expired products will take a toll on one’s health, so will these old pattern of living affect our spiritual progress if they are allowed to linger.‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬Apostle Peter demonstrated his grasp of the Old Testament writings on the day of Pentecost. When the people derisively dismissed what they saw among the 120 as mere drunkenness, he rose to stoutly defend what was playing out. He told them that it was the prophecy of Joel at work. God promised to pour out His Spirit on all flesh, and that day was the beginning of the fulfillment of that prophecy. Our text of Scripture today is also a testament to Peter’s understanding of the Old Testament. Among other things, he described the believers as a holy nation. He must have got his inspiration from Exodus 19:6 – “And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel.” Exodus‬ 19‬:6‬ NKJV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

Those who want to walk with God and see His power and blessings must be conscious of this divine attribute. The devil can counterfeit anything about God, except His holiness.‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

The central focus today is to emphasize God’s affinity with holiness. He instructed that on the crown worn by the High Priest must be an inscription. – HOLINESS UNTO THE LORD. The Bible put this all in caps to stress the seriousness of it. The four beasts depicted in the Book of Revelation have their work marked out for them. “The four living creatures, each having six wings, were full of eyes around and within. And they do not rest day or night, saying: “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, Who was and is and is to come!” Revelation‬ 4‬:8‬ NKJV‬. Their worship captures God as a thrice holy God. Those who want to walk with God and see His power and blessings must be conscious of this divine attribute. The devil can counterfeit anything about God, except His holiness.‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬