The backbone of truth!

I Timothy 3:15
but if I am delayed, I  write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

The church of the living God is the backbone and support of the truth. Jesus Christ is the head of the church and He has commanded his church to propagate the truth. The church is the hub of truth.

All over the world people are seeking the truth. They are desperate for the truth. Jesus said, I am the way, the truth and the life. His Spirit and His word is truth. Yet in many places, the truth is compromised. Churches need to stand firm on the truth and must be bold in living and declaring the truth. The church is the pillar and foundation of the truth. Yet if the church compromises on the truth, how will the world hear the truth? Satan is a liar and a father of lies. The Bible says in the last days deception and lies will increase. Only the church of the Lord Jesus Christ can combat these demonic forces and keep them under by speaking and living the truth in love. Truth attracts persecution but don't you shrink or compromise on the truth. The saints of old gave up their lives for Jesus, for the word of God, for the truth but didn't give up on the truth. No matter what happens, live the truth and speak the truth, for you are the church of the living God.

Friend, days are getting darker but we need to remember, the church has authority over all principality, power, might and dominion and every name in this age and in the one to come. It's not time to draw back, shrink or compromise, it's time to step out and boldly declare that Jesus is Lord. For us to live is Christ and to die is gain. Live for Jesus, die for Jesus for he is our life and the length of our days. Jesus is Lord. Jesus is the truth.

Jesus, my righteousness!

Jeremiah 23:6
In His days Judah will be saved, And Israel will dwell safely; Now this is His name by which He will be called: THE Lord OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.

Jesus is your righteousness. He is the reason you are righteous. He makes you right with God.

Since Jesus is alive forever, your righteousness is forever because Jesus is your righteousness. Your righteousness is locked in Jesus and in Him is your righteousness secured. He is the guarantee that we are righteous. Some one might ask you, How did you become righteous?-- Where did you go? What did you do? How many good works did you perform? What sacrifice you offered? How many hours you prayed or fasted? How many hours you cried? How many steps you climbed? Be bold and answer, None of these, it's only because of Jesus for He is my righteousness. When this truth becomes a reality to you, you will be excited about serving Jesus and sharing Him with the world. You begin to live for Jesus and die for Him. Righteousness is not by your works, it's by the works of Jesus and therefore Jesus becomes your righteousness.

Friend, since Jesus is your righteousness,  you won't lose your righteousness by making mistakes. Mistakes don't take away your righteousness because your perfections didn't make you righteous. Jesus is your righteousness. By all means, stay connected to Him. Live in Him, walk in Him, talk in Him for He is your righteousness. This is your time to rule and reign for Jesus is your Lord.

Choose your partner wisely.

Proverbs 31:30
Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing, But a woman who fears the Lord , she shall be praised.

Are you looking for a partner? Marriage is God's idea and was instituted by Him. God created Eve to help Adam fulfill the work that He gave him. This is the reason God said I will make for Adam a suitable helper.

Many a times, people consider the wrong criterias in looking for their partners. The word says the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God and the wisdom of God is foolishness with the world. God laughs at the world and the world laughs at God. Most of the times, people consider beauty, charm, financial status, property, job security and other temporary things when it comes to choosing a life partner. All these things are important but it's not what makes marriage a success. This is the reason many marriages end up in divorce and other marriages are just prison cells for the rest of their lives. This verse gives good insight to those who are looking for a life partner. When you look for a partner, the first criteria is whether the person is God fearing? It's not about how beautiful she is or how handsome he is. It's not about what kind of job they have or how much money they are making. It's also not about how much they love and adore each other. All these are temporary, go for the eternal. Jesus is the one who will hold the marriage relationship together with absolute joy and intimacy, nothing else will.

Friend, if you decide to marry, choose a person who is God fearing, one who honours God and keeps His word. Believe God for a God fearing partner and God will give you someone who loves God with all their hearts for only then they can and will love you with all their hearts. Don't let temporary things deceive you for charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting for a person who fears the Lord shall be praised. Stick to Jesus. Stick to the word. Choose him wisely, Choose her wisely.

Stir up your mind!

Stir up your mind!
- Pastor Ashish Mathews

2 Peter 1.13
Yes, I think it is right, as long as I am in this tent, to stir you up by reminding you.

It's very important for us to be constantly reminded of God's love and of all that He has done for us and is doing in us. Remembering these things consistently will keep you ever fresh and ever burning in the things of God. If you don't, then there is a tendency that the fire may go out resulting in less or no impact - living a dry life.

The word 'stir up' has the idea of waking up someone who is asleep. The same word is used when the disciples woke Jesus up from his sleep in the midst of the storm. The Apostle Peter says by constantly reminding us of these things He wants to awaken our minds for action. Our minds need to be stirred up by the constant reminder of the finished works of Jesus Christ, of what we have in Christ, of who we are in Christ and of the second coming of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ so we can live and expand the kingdom effectively.

Friend, I encourage you to make a quality decision to remind yourself and other believers of the great things Jesus has done for us. Stay deeply and faithfully connected to places where you are constantly fed the word of God. We have a world to take over and therefore it's highly imperative for us to stir up our minds and do all that we are called to do in the spirit of excellence because the time is short and Jesus is coming very soon. Read your Bible daily. Go to church every week. Listen to the teachings of the word consistently. Stir up your mind for action. Conquer the land. This is your time.

“I constantly remind myself of how much Jesus loves me, His finished works and His second coming. I don't become dull or lazy in the things of God. I am ever burning and ever shining for Jesus.”

Jesus is precious!

1 Peter 2.7
Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious, but to those who are disobedient, the stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone.

Job. Health. Family. Publicity. Money. Position. Power. - Who or what is precious to you? The Apostle Peter says, for us who believe, Jesus is precious. His value to us is immeasurable.

He is the reason we are redeemed and made righteous. He is the reason we have the very nature of God in us and are going to heaven. Mary understood how precious he is, she poured out the bottle of very expensive perfume, worth a years wage on him without any hestitaion. Peter and the apostle gave up their lives for his name. How precious Jesus is! Is Jesus precious to you? Jesus is God in action. He is love in action. He is so precious that our brothers and sisters of past years would endure horrendous trials and persecutions and yet not deny or forsake him. He is more to us than all the gold of this earth.

Friend, He is precious to me because while I was useless to Him, He died and rose again for me. Because of His great love, He is precious to me. When you grow in the knowledge of who Jesus is, you will realise that Jesus is more precious than life itself. Hallelujah. Look at Jesus in the word and as you behold him, the Holy Spirit will reveal to you the preciousness of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. For to us who believe, He is precious!.

You have the faith of God.

Romans 12:3
​For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.

As a born again child of God, you have the faith of God in you. Its in your born again spirit. Peter says you were born again not of corruptible seed but by incorruptible seed, which is the word of God which lives and abides forever. You were born again exactly the same way Jesus was born again, from the only begotten Son of God to the first begotten son of God through the word of God.

You have the same DNA as Jesus because you were born again by the same incorruptible seed, the word of the living God.You have the DNA of God. Every believer has been given the same measure of faith. No believer has more faith than the other. Each born again child of God has the same measure of faith.  Think about this, you have the same faith as Peter, as Paul, as John, as Jesus himself. The same faith that Jesus used to please his Father, to heal the sick, to cast out devils, to fulfill the will of God, to live his life, to resist sin, to defeat Satan and hell and to conquer the word, that same faith is in you right this moment. Be conscious that you have the faith of God in you. We don't have to pray for something we already have. Peter said through the righteousness of God and of Jesus, we have received like precious faith like them.

Friend, you have the same mountain moving, world overcoming faith of Jesus in you. Everything Jesus did, He did by faith. You have all the faith you need to live a victorious life and to do all that God has called you to do. We must be conscious that we have the same measure of faith and we must start using our faith. Build your faith by feeding on the word consistently and use your faith by speaking God's word and acting on the word. Your faith is the victory that overcomes the world. This is your time.

Mix it with faith.

Hebrews 4:2
For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them; but the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it.

The word of God can only profit you if you mix it with faith. The word can help and benefit us greatly if we receive it and allow it to change our thinking and our lifestyle.

The word of God cannot help those who don't believe what it says. Just like a medicine will be of no use to the one who refuses to take it. The word is extremely powerful and can turn our world upside down only if we receive the word by faith. Once you hear the word, make a decision to receive it and keep it in your heart and let the word manifest in your thoughts, words and actions. As you dwell on the word daily, as you behold the word daily, the Spirit of God will transform you and take you from glory to glory. You will never be the same. It all begins with the word. The word is the seed for change. The word is the starting point for transformation. The word is the foundation for a life of glory to glory. If you ever desire change, transformation and a life of glory to glory, start with the word. Surround yourself with word people, be in places where the word is taught, be a student of God's word and you will be ever growing, ever glowing and ever prosperous in every arena of your life.

Friend, don't fight the word, receive it. Faith believes what the word says and acts on what the word says. We are not just hearers of the word but doers of the word. The beginning of a glorious, supernatural and outstanding life is the word of God. Go for the word. Believe it. Receive it. Say it. Do it. Celebrate it. Stick with it. You will never be the same. This is your time.

Sustained by the word.

Hebrews 1:3
who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,

Jesus upholds, sustains and carries all things by his powerful word. This verse gives an outstanding function of the word, the sustaining power of God's word.

Colossians says all things were made through Jesus and in Him all things are held together. The word of God upholds, carries and sustains all things. When you give God's word first and final place, the word will carry you, sustain you, help you endure the challenges of life and bring you forward in every arena of life. That's how powerful the word of God is. All around the world we see families broken, lack of peace and order, injustice, corruption, fear, terrorism, racial inequality, so on and so forth. It's high time we come back to Gods word, we come back to the Son of God, for only in Him we have stability, sustainability and progress. Jesus said, I am the vine, you are the branches, he who abides in me and my words abide in him will bear much fruit, for without me you can do nothing. Money doesn't keep things together. Properties, fame, assets cannot sustain all things, it's only Jesus, it's only His word that sustains, carries and upholds all things.

Friend, take a look into your life and into every arena of your life. There is a higher life, there is a greater life waiting on you. Jesus died and rose again to give you this awesome and glorious life. I call it the Higher Life. It's the life of the word, where you give the word first and final place in your life. Once you give Jesus and his word their place, everything else will be in place. Live the higher life!

Angels at your service!

Hebrews 1:14
Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation?

Angels are spirit beings sent forth by God to serve those who will inherit salvation. The day you accepted Christ, you received salvation, you were born again and you became a child of the Most High God.

God has assigned angels to serve his children. You see, kings never walk alone, their servants accompany them wherever they go. Your angels are with you wherever you go. As the righteousness of God in Christ,  you have the right to access and enjoy the angelic ministry. Be conscious of the angelic ministry that has been made available to you because of the finished works and the blood of Jesus Christ. Psalms 103 says these mighty spirit beings obey the voice of God's word. Its one thing to have angels as your ministering spirits and it another thing to put them to work. Put your angels to work by giving voice to God's word. Every time you give voice to God's word, in other words every time you speak God's word by faith, angels are released to get the work done. Jesus said I will give you the keys of the kingdom,  whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.

Friend, loose the angels and release them in the name of Jesus. Access the angelic ministry and let these mighty spirit beings, who excel in strength serve you and help you in fulfilling your destiny. You are not alone. You are a king in Christ and kings never walk alone. Angels are waiting for faith voice of God's word from your mouth. Speak and let them serve you for in serving you they are serving the One who created them, ordained them and assigned them to us.

Lifestyle of thanksgiving!

Ephesians 5.20
giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

One of the reasons I believe many of us do not give thanks is because of our lack of knowledge and understanding concerning what the Father has done for us and in us through Jesus Christ and what He is doing in us and through us by the Holy Spirit.

Heartfelt thanksgiving is our offering to God. Its our response to all that He has done for us. The word says give thanks to the Father always, for this is God's will for us in Christ Jesus. Jesus lived a lifestyle of thanksgiving. It was thanksgiving that positioned Abraham to recieve Issac. Thanksgiving has a profound impact. Develop a lifestyle of thanksgiving every moment and every day of your life for all things work together for your good because you love God and are called according to his purpose. You can never be disadvantaged. The day you accepted Christ, you were redeemed from failure. You are conditioned to win. In Christ, success is your lifestyle. The life of God is in you and darkness cannot stop you, cannot defeat you and cannot conquer you. You are the seed of Abraham in Christ. Thank you Father in the name of Jesus.

Friend, meditate on these things and understand that you can never be disadvantaged. You are a winner forever. A total success. Jesus thanked God for five loaves and two fishes to feed more than 5000 people and all ate, were satisfied with 12 baskets remaining. Thanksgiving results in multiplication. No matter where you are and no matter what you have, give God thanks and use it for the glory of God and position yourself for supernatural multiplication.

Light of Love

Ephesians 5.8
For you were once darkness but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light.

The Apostle Paul, through the Holy Spirit is telling us before we accepted Christ, you and I, we were not only in darkness but we were darkness, being ruled by the prince of darkness.

The day we received Jesus into our hearts, we got born again and we were translated from the authority of darkness to the kingdom of God's dear Son, to the marvellous light. Today, as born again children of God, we are not only in the kingdom of light, we are light in the Lord. It's very important for us to know that we are light in the Lord so we can walk as lights. God is light and we are born of light. Light is our nature and with this consciousness, we show forth the excellence of God, His marvellous light.

Friend, we walk in the light by walking in the love of God. The word says he who walks in love abides in the light and there is no cause for stumbling in him, nothing makes him fall. Today be conscious that you are light in the Lord and you will show forth his marvellous light in Jesus name. This is your time. Shine. 'God is light. I am born of light and I walk as a child of light by walking in the love of God.'

Inherit the promise!

Hebrews 6:12
that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

The word says all the promises of God are Yes and Amen in Christ. All throughout the Bible, we see people inheriting the promise of God. Through faith and patience, Abraham received Isaac, Joseph became prime minister of Egypt, David became king, Joshua captured Jericho,  so on and so forth. It's all written for our benefit and learning.

In order to imitate someone, you got to observe and study them and learn from them. The word says we are to imitate these heroes of faith who overcame all odds through faith and patience and inherited the promises of God. Faith believes and recieves the promise of God and patience holds on to it until it's manifested or inherited. It doesn't let go of the word irrespective of who says what or who does what or irrespective of how one feels. No matter what - It doesn't let go of the word of God. Faith and patience gives the word of God the environment it needs to come to full manifestation. Receive the promise and let it dwell in your heart and your mouth and keep it there, the word will become flesh and you will see the manifestation of God's promises in your life.

Friend, our biggest example to imitate is Jesus himself. In the midst of fierce opposition and persecution, He believed the Father's word and held on to it and because of his faith and patience,  He was raised from the dead and seated on the throne of the Almighty God at his right hand. Inherit your promise. This is your time. Jesus is Lord and the best is yet to come.

Awake to righteousness!

I Corinthians 15:34
Awake to righteousness, and do not sin; for some do not have the knowledge of God. I speak this to your shame.

Jesus has given you right standing with God. Because of what Jesus has done and your faith in Him and His works, God accepts and approves you and treats you as if you never sinned. You are the righteousness of God in Christ.

To be righteous is one thing and to know that you are righteous is absolutely another thing. The verse says awake to righteousness, in other words be conscious that you are righteous. Have a righteousness consciousness. Being aware that God sees you exactly as He sees Jesus and He loves you as much as He loves Jesus. God finds no fault in you. You are holy and blameless in His sight. Meditating on your weaknesses, failures and mistakes or on not doing enough will make you sin conscious. Sin consciousnesses is the biggest enemy of faith. It makes prayer ineffective and leads to a miserable life. Meditating on the perfections and finished works of Jesus makes you righteous conscious. Righteousness consciousness is the foundation of a strong and deep faith. It's gives you freedom and joy in serving the Lord. Declare every day of your life, that you are the righteousness of God in Christ by the blood of Jesus.

Friend, build righteousness into your consciousness. You are not a sinner. You were a sinner but now you are the righteousness of God in Christ. As you consistently look to Jesus, the Righteous One, you will wake up to righteousness and live righteousness and do righteousness. Remember, it's one thing to be the righteousness of God in Christ and absolutely another to know that you are His righteousness. Awake to righteousness!

Temptations : All cleared.

Hebrews 4:15
For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we  are, yet without sin.

As long as we are in the world, we will be tempted to sin by the enemy. The enemy in many ways puts pressure on you to compromise, to give up on the principles of God, to give up your faith and your confession.

Our High Priest, Jesus was tempted in all points. There is no temptation that you will face that Jesus has not faced and overcomed. The verse says Jesus was tempted in all points and yet did not compromise or give up. He faced immense pressure to quit on the will of God, to forsake the purposes of God and to deny his faith, but He overcame it. Glory to God. This same Jesus who conquered all temptations is our High Priest, our representative, our help. When you are tempted, under pressure, don't give up, look to Jesus and acknowledge that He has defeated all temptations. When you look to Him in the midst of your challenges and temptations, you will receive grace and mercy to endure the temptations and come out victoriously just like Jesus himself. Every believer will face temptations in the world. We don't have a High Priest who doesn't understand our temptations, but was tempted in all points. He understands and can relate to the pressures and the temptations.

Friend, never say that Jesus doesn't understand what I am going through. Only Jesus understands because only He was tempted in all points. He wants to help you overcome the temptations. If you made a mistake, He wants to give you His mercy so you don't be and feel condemned. He wants to give you His grace so you have the strength to endure the temptations and overcome them. Come boldly and ask, for Jesus is your High Priest, He is there for you and He wants to help you. Take his mercy. Take his grace. This is your time.

Grace brings salvation.

Titus 2:11
For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men,

What brings salvation? It is the grace of God that brings salvation. Grace of God means His unmerited favour, his immense and unconditional love.

Salvation has nothing to do with your works. Good works don't bring salvation, it's the grace of God that brings salvation, no flesh can boast before God. Grace brings salvation to you and you take that salvation by faith. Ephesians 2 says by grace you are saved through faith, it's not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not by your works, lest any man boast before God. The word salvation doesn't just mean going to heaven and having eternal life, it has more depth. Salvation means deliverance, preservation and safety. It means Shalom which stands for complete and total peace, nothing missing and nothing broken. The word salvation means all round prosperity, complete wholeness. This salvation is God's gift to you based on the works of Jesus Christ, that is His death and burial for your sins and His resurrection for your justification.

Friend, salvation has appeared to all men and all men can have it for God is no respecter of persons. Your faith is how you access this grace of salvation. The moment you believe in the works of Jesus, your faith takes hold of the salvation provided by God's grace and makes it a reality in you, for you and through you. The same grace that gives you salvation, is the same grace that will produce the good works of salvation in you and through you. Believe and walk for His grace is sufficient.

Righteousness revealed.

Romans 1:17
For in the gospel, the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.”

Jesus Christ died for your sins, was buried and rose again on the third day for your justification. This is the Gospel, which means good news.

The verse says, in the Gospel the righteousness of God is revealed. Based on what Jesus did, God not only declares you right in His eyes but also makes you right in his presence. It has nothing to do with your perfections or imperfections, because you see, it's simply because of what Jesus has done. God takes what Jesus has done and credits it to your account. This is good news. You are not a sinner, you are not unworthy, you are not useless, the blood of Jesus has made you righteous, worthy and useful. The day you accepted Christ, you became the righteousness of God in Christ. Be conscious that you are declared right and that you are made right in the eyes of God based on the works and blood of Jesus. The moment you see yourself as God sees you, your faith will go to another level, your prayers will become effective and your life glorious. A strong, deep and abiding revelation of righteousness will result in a strong faith.

Friend, the works of Jesus has given you the awesome privilege of being right in the eyes of God. The gospel become effective in your life when you are walking in the reality of who you are in Christ. God is not mad at you and is not waiting to punish you. Jesus has paid the price for you and God is well pleased with you because you have believed the gospel. For God made Jesus who knew no sin to be sin for us, so that we might be made the righteousness of God in Christ. 'I am the righteousness of God in Christ'.

Expand the kingdom.

Matthew 6:33
But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

Though we are in the world, we are not of it. We don't belong to  or live according to this world system. Though we live in a democracy, we belong to the kingdom of heaven and live by the principles of the kingdom system.

Jesus said, Seek first the kingdom of God and his way of doing and being right and all things will added to you. Seeking the kingdom of God and His righteousness means to understand that you are a citizen of the heavenly kingdom and you are to get a revelation of the keys or the principles of the kingdom so you can live according to it and thereby expand it. The world system is in a mess and we can see it all around the globe. Thank God, Jesus came and He said Repent, for the kingdom of God is near. As kingdom citizens, it is our mission to expand the kingdom because our King commanded us to go into all the world and preach the Gospel of the kingdom. We are to be fully focused in fulfilling the great commission, the world desperately needs the kingdom of God.

Friend, talk about your King wherever you are, live according to the kingdom principles in every arena of your life and reveal the culture of heaven every day of your life. As you faithfully do it, you will begin to experience days of heaven on earth and many will be impacted and blessed through your life. Remember, you are part of a kingdom that cannot be defeated and will never be destroyed.

Seedtime and harvest.

Genesis 8:22
“While the earth remains, Seedtime and harvest, Cold and heat, Winter and summer, And day and night Shall not cease.”

The day you received Jesus as your Lord and Saviour, you became a citizen of the kingdom of heaven. As citizens, you have benefits and privileges that the world does not enjoy.

One of those privileges is the principle of seedtime and harvest. Isaac sowed in the land of famine and reaped a hundred fold in the same year. Notice, it's absolutely impossible to have a harvest during famine but if you apply the kingdom principle of seed time and harvest, it doesn't matter what the conditions are or how bad the economy is, the kingdom will provide. There is no lack in the kingdom, there is no scarcity in the kingdom. The kingdom of God is always full of supply, always abounding and always overflowing. Tap into the resources of the kingdom, it belongs to you. Jesus said its the Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. You may not have much in your bank account but the kingdom doesn't work by buying and selling, it works by sowing and reaping.

Friend, today may be you have concluded that we cannot have certain things or privileges because of our limited purchasing power, let me encourage you, you are in the kingdom of God, you don't operate by purchasing power, you function and operate by sowing power. Activate the principle of seedtime and harvest. Stand on Gods word and sow faithfully in the kingdom for kingdom expansion and you will see your harvest. You can have anything you desire from the word. This is kingdom power. Don't let the world fool you or it's economic turmoil deceive you, we are from a different planet with different principles, not here to adjust but to take over. This is your time.

How great thou art!

Psalms 8:3‭-‬4
When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, The moon and the stars, which You have ordained, What is man that You are mindful of him, And the son of man that You visit him?

Have you taken a moment this day to consider the beautiful creations of God? The heavens, the skies, the sun, moon and stars, the mountains, the valleys, the animals, the birds and the wonderful humans that He has made. When I behold these beautiful and breathtaking creations, I am in awe of our great Creator God. How great he is!

Isaiah 40 says God measures the waters in the hollow of his hand, He measures the heaven with his palm, He calculates the dust of the earth in a measure, weighs the mountains in scales and the hills in a balance. Our God is a great God. The Psalmist says Be still and know your God. In other words, know how great He is. He is greater than any challenge that you are facing now. Be conscious of His greatness and you will begin to be bold in all the arenas of your life. David knew the greatness of His God and He was bold in facing a giant named Goliath and not only did he face him but he also defeated him. David invested good amount of time meditating on the greatness of God. I am sure he meditated about How God delivered His forefathers, the Israelites from the Egyptian oppression with a mighty hand, How He divided the Red sea, How He fed them for forty years and gave them sufficient water in the midst of a desert. David was thrilled about the greatness of God and He could face any challenge that came his way. Hallelujah to the Lamb.

Friend, take some time and dig in the word and let the word reveal the greatness of your Father. God is big, bigger than your mistakes, bigger than your biggest challenge, bigger than anything and everything Satan can ever do, He is bigger than all the governments put together. Isaiah says Heaven is Gods throne and earth is His footstool. Become conscious and let the world see your Father's greatness through you. For this is why we live, to show the world How great Jesus is!

Go deep in the word.

I Timothy 4:1
Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons,

We live in the last of the last days. Jesus is coming back and his reward is with him to give to everyone according to their work.

In the last days, some will depart from the faith. The reason for their departure will be giving attention to teachings and doctrines that are contrary to the word. In the last days, there will be a flood of wrong teachings all around the globe with the objective of deceiving the believers. These teachings will be exactly like the ones Satan used against Jesus at the hour of temptation. Satan takes Scriptures out of context and presents it to believers, just like He did to Jesus.  Matthew 4. 5,6 says, Then the devil took Him up into the holy city, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written: ‘He shall give His angels charge over you,’ and, ‘In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone.’ Satan, the deceiver used Scripture to deceive Jesus. This is the reason many carnal, baby believers, who give no importance to the word, will be deceived because of their ignorance of Gods word and their lack of word revelation. Jesus responded by saying, It is written again, ‘You shall not tempt the Lord your God.’ The word of God is your only defence against the deceptions of the enemy.

Friend, refuse to be a baby in the things of God. These last days you cannot afford to be a baby anymore. Grow up. Be full of word, not just information, but I say, be full of the revelation of God's word. Meditate on the word day and night. Attend a good Bible teaching church and you won't be among those who will be deceived but among those who will expose the deceptions and be a blessing unto many. This is Your time. Shine.

The praise test.

Proverbs 27:21
The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but people are tested by their praise.

Gold and silver are tested by fire. Fire reveals the genuineness of these metals. Fire separates the pure from the impure. The verse says praise tests a man just like fire tests silver and gold.

How do you react when people praise you? Your reaction to praise reveals your character. Praise reveals the condition of your heart. I call it the praise test. You remember,  King Herod on an appointed day gave an excellent speech and the assembled people shouted, It is the voice of a god and not of a man. Notice, Herod was praised but He refused to give glory to God. At once an angel of the Lord killed him and he was eaten by worms and died. On the other hand, let's look at Joseph. Pharaoh said to Joseph, I have heard that you can understand a dream to interpret it. Joseph replied, Its not in me but God will give Pharaoh an answer of peace. King Nebuchadnezzar asked Daniel, Can you interpret my dreams. Daniel replied, No wise men, astrologers, magicians, soothsayers can reveal but there is a God in heaven that reveals secrets. A man is tested by the praise and appreciation he receives.

Friend, don't be over excited when people praise you or be depressed when people criticise you. Be steady. Learn. Improve. Give God glory in all things. Jesus said, Don't seek honour from one another, seek the honour that comes from God. Give him honour and praise in everything you do and be extremely bold about it. Let the world know there is a God in heaven and His name Jesus Christ. Hallelujah.

The power of faith!

Matthew 9:28‭-‬29
And when He had come into the house, the blind men came to Him. And Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” They said to Him, “Yes, Lord.” Then He touched their eyes, saying, “According to your faith let it be to you.”

Faith is powerful. When you understand the laws that govern faith, you can have anything you need, desire or want. Jesus said everything is possible for him who believes. Everything. Nothing is impossible.

Notice, Jesus didn't say according to your education, be it to you. He didn't say according to bank account or family background or popularity, be it to you. He said, according to your faith, be it to you. Glory to God. Faith in what? Jesus asked the blind men, Do you believe that I am able to do this? Faith in his ability. Philippians says, my God shall supply all your needs according to His ability, His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Let me ask you, whatever it is that you are believing for, it could be a job, a house or may be a promotion or something else, 'Do you believe that Jesus is able to do it?' If you believe that He can do it, then all things are possible for you because you believe. Many times, we refuse to step out and believe God for big things because we look at ourselves and at our limited capacities and abilities. Jesus didn't ask them, Do you believe that you are able to do this? Faith in His ability, not our ability. Glory to God.

Friend, refuse to let money decide what you can have or can't have. That's not the kingdom way. Money decides nothing. Faith decides everything. Change the way you think. Money will follow faith. Believe God for big things because He is well able. Dare to dream big. Dare to go high. Dare to touch the sky and stay there for your Father God is more than able to meet all your needs, wants and desires. In all things, seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all things will be added to you. Go big. This is your time.

Be focused.

Acts 20:24
But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.

To be focused is one of the key elements in fulfilling your God given assignment. We have to work on keeping our focus on the Lord and on the assignment given by Him.

Satan is the king of distraction. While working on your God given assignments, you can be sure that there will be many distractions trying to disturb your focus. Paul faced a lot of persecution, he suffered a great deal in fulfilling his God given work, but Paul says None of these things move me, I am completely and totally focused on fulfilling my God given vision with joy. Glory to God. Refuse to be distracted. Refuse to give attention to anything that does not add to your vision. Paul said in Philippians, one thing I do, I forget what is behind and move on towards whats ahead. I press on towards the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ. In order to fulfill your vision, it is required of you to be laser focused on Jesus and on the work He has given you. Jesus was laser focused on his work. He didn't allow anything or anyone to stop him from fulfilling his God given work. He knew exactly why He came and He completed his work.

Friend, a soldier doesn't involve himself in civilian affairs but is fully focused in pleasing his Commanding Officer who enlisted Him. I encourage you to be focused on what actually matters and ignore everything that doesn't add or help your vision. Focus on the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, who comes with rewards to give to each man according to his work. Focus and fulfill. This is your time.

Be spiritual.

I Corinthians 3:1
And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ.

The world we live in is a spiritual world. Hebrews 11.3 says the visible is made out of the invisible. God is a spirit and He created all matter.

Not many believe this because spiritual things are not obvious to the five physical senses. Think about YOU. You are a spirit, you have a soul and you live in a body. Your body is the only part that's visible and hence most people conclude that humans are just bodies and once they are dead, everything is over. You are not a body, you live in a body. You are a spirit and you possess a soul. Being spiritual means to have a spiritual mindset, to be spirit conscious and to see life from a spiritual perspective. There are two kinds of believers, carnal believers, who are also called babes in Christ and then there are spiritual believers, who are the mature ones. God desires each of his children to be spiritual so that we can fully enjoy his blessings. Spiritual believers give the word first and final place in their lives. They are serious about the things of God and consistently work on their spiritual development. It is imperative for you to be spiritual if you desire to fulfill your God given assignment and if you desire to hear the Lord say, Well done, good and faithful servant. Only the spiritual ones can finish their course and successfully fight the good fight of faith.

Friend, make a decision to grow up in the things of God because there are outstanding things to do and enjoy for the mature ones. Growing in the Lord has nothing to do with your age. It has do with your hunger for God and his kingdom and your willingness to do whatever the Lord says. In these last days, the spiritual ones will be used by God to show forth his glorious power to all the nations of the world. Participate. Be spiritual.

Get excited about the word.

Psalms 1:2‭-‬3
But his delight is in the law of the Lord , And in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper.

A blessed man enjoys spending time in the word. He feeds on the word and lives on it. He mediates on the word and allows the word to control him.

Whatever you choose to meditate on will control you. No wonder the Lord says meditate on the word day and night. Delighting will make meditating exciting. People love to meditate about things they delight in. God delights in you, so much so that the word says His thoughts concerning you are more than the sand of the sea shore. His plans for you are to prosper you and for your good. He thinks about you all the time, the word says He has carved your image in the palm of his hand. The reason He thinks and meditates about you all the time is because He delights in you, loves you greatly and values you immeasurably. In this universe, the only thing thats eternal, unshakable and stable is God's word. Heaven and earth will pass away but God's word will never pass away. We always delight in what we value. The day we realise the value of God's word in our life, it's life transforming power and it's eternal unchangeable character, we will start delighting and meditating on it. You just can't wait to spend more and more time in the word. You will begin to enjoy it and will find great delight in doing His word.

Friend, whoever chooses to delight and meditate on the word will be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, whose leaves are always green and will never fail to bear fruit. Value the word and make it an integral part of your life. Get excited about it and meditate on it day and night. Let your mind be consumed with word thoughts and you will be ever shining and ever glorious for the glory of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Jesus is Lord.

Trust the Eternal One.

Psalms 146.3,4
Do not put your trust in princes, Nor in a son of man, in whom there  is no help. His spirit departs, he returns to his earth; In that very day his plans perish.

James says all men are like grass and their glory is like flowers, the grass withers and the flower fades but those who do the will of God will abide forever.

The word says do not put your trust or in other words your confidence in princes or other human beings. People are unstable. Their words are fickle. Trust God who is eternal and whose word is forever settled in heaven. We love people and respect them but our trust and confidence is only on the Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord loves it when we depend on him for every single thing. He wants you to trust Him and not run after people of power, influence or wealth. Jeremiah says: “Cursed are those who put their trust in mere humans, who rely on human strength and turn their hearts away from the Lord . They are like stunted shrubs in the desert, with no hope for the future. They will live in the barren wilderness, in an uninhabited salty land. “But blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope and confidence. They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green, and they never stop producing fruit.

Friend, place your trust wholly and solely on the Lord, the Eternal One. Those who look to the Lord are radiant and they will never be covered with shame. Jesus is the head of the church and He is faithful over the church, which is God's house. Let's learn to depend on Him for every single thing and let's continue loving people. Trusting people will eventually lead to disappointments and frustrations for only Jesus can meet all your needs and fulfil all your expectations. Trust God, love people.

Higher pursuits!

Colossians 3:1‭
If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God.

You are seated on God's throne at his right hand in Christ. This is not a promise, its a new testament reality. Every born again child of God is seated on the highest throne of the universe. Christ has given us this awesome privilege. Blessed be His name.

God raised you from the dead with Jesus and made you sit with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. This became your reality when you accepted Jesus as your Lord and Saviour. Be conscious of your position and place. You are seated on God's throne in Christ. Apostle Paul says since you are in heaven, why don't you seek and pursue heavenly things. The world says you can be so heavenly minded that you are of no earthly good. This is certainly from the earth and is absolutely against the word. The greatest good that anyone can do on the earth is to be heavenly minded. The word says seek the heavenly things, things that are above so that we can manifest heaven on earth. Look at Jesus, how he lived and demonstrated heaven on earth. Multitudes upon multitudes followed him because he was demonstrating a higher, glorious and heavenly life and people craved it and were desperate for it. Jesus told Nicodemus the only way to have it and live it is to be born again, to be born of God, born from above. Seeking heavenly things in your earth walk helps you live life efficiently and effectively on earth.

Friend, we are ambassadors of Christ, representatives of heaven sent to the earth to show forth the culture of our King and our kingdom. For us to do it effectively, we must set our minds on the things of heaven and be conscious that though we are in this world, we don't belong to this world. The word of God is the constitution of our kingdom. We set and fix our minds on the word, on the love of God and on pleasing our King Jesus Christ.

The works of salvation.

Philippians 2:12‭-‬13
Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.

The day you believed in your heart that God raised Jesus from the dead and confessed with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord', you were saved. Once we are saved, we are expected to work out our salvation. Manifest on the outside what happened on the inside.

It doesn't say work for your salvation, the word says work out your own salvation. Salvation is not earned by works, it is by grace we are saved through faith, it is a gift of God, not by works lest any man boast. We are saved by faith in the works of Jesus, not by our works. To work out your salvation means to manifest or reveal the nature of God that you received the day you were saved. Manifesting the nature of God in your thoughts, words and behaviour is working out your salvation. As you stay connected to God in the word, in prayer and in fellowship with other believers, the Holy Spirit who dwells in you, begins to give you new desires, godly thoughts and righteous passions. As you allow the Lord to minister to you in this way, you are no more interested in the ungodly desires and unholy pursuits that you once lived in before your salvation. Not only does the Lord, through the Holy Spirit gives you pure, holy desires and passions, but He also gives you the ability to do them. He causes you to have godly desires and then He gives you the ability to live and enjoy those desires.

Friend, the Lord himself helps you in working out your own salvation. You see, the Lord gave us the Holy Spirit to be with us and in us forever, so we could manifest Jesus everywhere and in everything we do and say. As we stay connected to the Vine, the branches will grow and the fruit will manifest. Stay connected! Jesus is in you, bring him out, reveal Him. Work out your salvation. Let the world know, it's not a fake salvation but a genuine one. Glory to God.

Knowledge is power.

Proverbs 24:5
A wise man is strong, Yes, a man of knowledge increases strength;

In order to have command in any field or profession, it's important for us to have knowledge about it. No matter where you are today, increase your knowledge in that field and improve yourself so you can become better in what you do and in the way you do it.

Wisdom is strength and knowledge is power. In fact the verse says a wise person is stronger than a strong person and a man of knowledge is stronger than the mighty. Always seek to improve yourself. Become more and more valuable. Give more than what you are paid for. Invest in books that increases your knowledge in your field and makes you an absolute delight to talk to. Wherever you are, the word says do all things for the glory of God in the name of Jesus. Refuse to be stagnant and complacent. Always seek to excel. Always seek to progress. Always move ahead. There's more to life and so much more that God wants us to enjoy. He wants us to live the abundant, overflowing life that Jesus died for us to have. Knowledge places you in a better position to make decisions and wisdom helps you make the right decision which results in your success and brings glory to our Lord.

Friend, the word says my people are destroyed for a lack of knowledge. Destruction, therefore can be avoided by simply investing in knowledge. Knowledge is power. Make yourself powerful. Refuse to be ignorant in the things of God and in the arena where God has place you. Know the truth and the truth will set you free. Be free. Be powerful. Ride above the flood of ignorance and let the world see Jesus in all you do.

Wait and Rise!

Isaiah 40:31
But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.

To wait on the Lord simply means to trust in the Lord. It means to put our hope and expectations in the Lord. It means to look to him confidently being assured that He is our refuge, an ever present help in trouble.

As you make a decision to wait on the Lord with hopeful expectation and confident assurance, you will begin to draw strength from Him and you will find yourself becoming stronger and stronger. The verse says as you give yourself fully into his hands, you will renew your strength, you will begin to walk and not faint and you will run and not grow weary. Waiting on the Lord doesn't mean to be passive or inactive, it means to work on your faith, to work on your praise, to work on your trust, to seek the Lord's guidance in the word and in prayer. It's a knowing of who you are in Christ and of who Jesus is and getting established in those realities. Waiting on the Lord is work.

Friend, you may be facing challenges today, may be creditors are knocking on your door, may be the reports are against you or perhaps you may have a tough decision to make, I want to encourage you to wait on the Lord, seek His face and you will receive strength and the wisdom you need to come out victoriously. Corrie ten Boom, one of the champions of faith, said, 'There is no pit so deep, that God's love is not deeper still. With Jesus even in our darkest moments, the best remains and the very best is yet to be.'