PREAMBLE:  In Koine Greek, spot is “spilos”; a blemish that mars or disfigures the face. It can imply shame or disgrace. In Hebrew, “ketem” is the common word for stain or spot; metaphorically, it stands for sin or shame.

A spot is a blemish, an imperfection, a taint on character or reputation, etc. The Old Testament sacrificial animals were expected to be without spot or wrinkle before they could be an acceptable sacrifice to God. The spots are the bodily deformities, and the wrinkles are the imperfections of aging. The perfection of these animals metaphorically pointed to Christ, the perfect sacrificial lamb of God. 

The Old Testament Covenant made by Yahweh (God) with the children of Israel was several times referred to as a marriage covenant. Jesus Christ took this over and referred to Himself as the Bridegroom. Apostle Paul affirmed that God’s children are espoused or betrothed to Christ in 2 Cor. 11: 1-3. 

THE MARRIAGE OF THE CENTURY: The world woke up in July 1981 to a unique marriage between Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer which some have called the marriage of the century which was allegedly watched by a global television audience of 750 million in 74 countries. Television networks’ colour commentators described the “glory and beauty” of the bride, Diana. 

Her hairstyle, royal gown, her retinue, her shoes, ornaments, flowers, her royal carriage were breathtaking. Unfortunately this marriage lasted for 15 years only. Yet it is noteworthy that if an ephemeral marriage can be so beautiful, how about the Royal Marriage of the Lord Jesus Christ and His Bride. This marriage has been described by the Psalmist in Psalm 45: 1-17. 

CHRIST’S ROYAL MARRIAGE: The above Psalmist, the writer’s mind is boiling over because of the strange incredible things that he saw with the eye of his spirit as revealed to him by the Holy spirit. (Psalm 45: 1). The Lord Jesus Christ, the Great King and the man of war, is now in His full military regalia standing with His sword strapped to His thigh and waiting for His bride. Ps. 45: 3-5, 9.

The Bride, His Queen, the Church of God, appears in gold of Ophir, (vs 9) the purest gold known in those ancient times. We are told that the Bride is glorious WITHIN. It is an inner beauty, an inner glory, not the externalities of the likes of Prince Charles and Diana. Here we are talking of HOLINESS. Jesus is presenting the Bride to Himself, without spot, without wrinkles. 

HOLINESS: Holiness is the very essence of God; it is what He is made of. Of all the attributes of God, Holiness is unique. All the other attributes of God are encapsulated in holiness. As white is to the various colours of the rainbow so is Holiness to all other attributes. Two things stand out before us when we talk of God’s holiness; they are the power and the beauty of God. Note that Holiness is a hundred percent power and a hundred percent beauty. It is the only attribute of God referred to as being beautiful. The Bible says, “Worship the Lord in beauty of Holiness”. Ps. 29: 2; 2 Chr. 20: 21.

Holiness connotes all that are distinctive and transcendent in the nature and character of God. Holiness has been referred to as, “The Godness of God”; it is everything that sets God apart from man. Every member of the Trinity Has been addressed as Holy; the infinite superiority of the Trinity over mankind. 

This is what makes Him the object of worship, awe, and reverent fear. It denotes perfect purity, and uprightness standing in contrast to the unrighteousness and uncleanness of man thus attracting God’s inflexible retributive reaction in God’s wrath and judgement.  Worship has been described as no more than honouring God’s holiness

THE POWER OF GOD’S HOLINESS: Charles Spurgeon says that, “When the most spiritual and sanctified mind perceive the Majesty and Holiness of God, they see the great disproportion between them and God and are humbled and filled with holy awe and even with dread and alarm”. A. W Tozer declares that, “When we talk of God’s Holiness, we have the problem of intellectual grasp and also a sense of personal vileness”. 

THE HOLINESS OF MAN: Please let us understand that in the whole world, the only holy man that ever appeared on earth is our Lord Jesus Christ. Outside Him and His Father, holiness does not exist. The holiness of man is only possible by having contact with God through Christ. In the Old Testament, the temple was holy because of God’s presence in the holy of holies (the holiest place). Jerusalem was called the holy city because of the temple in it. 

God’s holiness is both sweet and dangerous. Nadab and Abihu, Aaron’s sons, lost their lives because of God’s holy presence in the Mosaic tabernacle. Lev. 10:  

1-2. Uzzah died by touching the ark. 2 Sam.6: 6-8. God also came down in fury in Nahum 1: 3-6.  Moses was warned by God not to come close but he should remove his shoes because the ground he stood on was holy; God’s presence being there. Ex. 3: 4-5. Today, many church ministers are messing up in God’s sanctuary and still remain alive because they are not in the proximity of the Holy One. 

POSITIONAL HOLINESS: Man becomes holy after receiving Christ as His Lord and Saviour because the Holy Spirit moves into him. This is positional holiness; that is holiness that is imputed unto him. The bride of the Lord, the body of believers, must be sanctified by Christ the Groom, cleansed with washing of water by the word, presented to Christ by Christ as a Church full of Christ’s glory without spot or wrinkle. Every regenerate child of God receives all the above graces.

EXPERIENTIAL HOLINESS: However, positional holiness must be followed by experiential holiness as we work out our salvation by fear and trembling. Phil. 2: 12-13. Here we work out or live out the life of Christ that the Holy Spirit is working in us. Phil. 2: 12-13. We are Christ’s workmanship created in Him for the purpose of good works. Eph. 2: 10. Just as Jesus went about doing good, we must live out the life of Christ that is deposited in us.

YOUR HOLINESS IS YOUR BEAUTY: Jesus Christ, the Groom in the Song of Solomon says to His bride, “Thou art fair (beautiful), my love; there is no spot in thee”. SOS 4: 7, Kjv. See this repeated in SOS 4: 1. Child of God, what is Jesus admiring in you that He is so full of excitement about, admiring your beauty? It is because when He looks at you, He sees Himself in you. This is why some demonic possessed people cannot look you straight in the eyes because they see Christ’s flaming eyes through your eyes.

GOD IS AWESOME: The Seraphims cry “Holy holy holy is the LORD of hosts”. Is. 6: 3. The thrice repeated “holy” is the Hebrew idiom which is said to be more than the superlative. God is hyper-superlative. He is surrounded by unadulterated burning holiness so intense that even the Seraphims cover their faces to shield themselves from Him. The Bible says of the Father of our Lord, Jesus, “Who only Has immortality, dwelling in the light no one can approach; whom no one has seen nor can see … .” 1 Tim. 6: 16.

FALSE PROPHETS AND TEACHERS: Apostle Paul identified some false prophets and teachers as the personification of spots and blemishes. 2 Peter 2: 1-3; 13-15. He calls them cursed children who engage in sexual sins covetousness and corruption, 

KEEP YOURSELF UNSPOTTED:  Apostle James the half brother of our Lord suggests ways to keep ourselves from the worldly spots.  One of the ways is to bridle the tongue. Man has succeeded to control and subdue many things to their advantages but nobody can tame the tongue. James 3: 1-10. He called the tongue a small part of the body but can set the entire nation ablaze.

CONCLUSION

Child of God, we have received from the Lord Jesus Christ all that we need to walk with Him in holy life and godliness without spot and wrinkles all the days of our lives. We shall not fail, we shall not falter, we shall not fall and we shall not fumble in Jesus name. Remain blessed.

Ask the Lord for rain in the time of the latter rain. The Lord will make flashing clouds; He will give them showers of rain. Zechariah 10:1. FH 366.1

In the East the former rain falls at the sowing time. It is necessary in order that the seed may germinate. Under the influence of the fertilizing showers, the tender shoot springs up. The latter rain, falling near the close of the season, ripens the grain, and prepares it for the sickle. The Lord employs these operations of nature to represent the work of the Holy Spirit. As the dew and the rain are given first to cause the seed to germinate and then to ripen the harvest, so the Holy Spirit is given to carry forward, from one stage to another, the process of spiritual growth. The ripening of the grain represents the completion of the work of God’s grace in the soul…. FH 366.2

The latter rain, ripening earth’s harvest, represents the spiritual grace that prepares the church for the coming of the Son of man. But unless the former rain has fallen, there will be no life; the green blade will not spring up. Unless the early showers have done their work, the latter rain can bring no seed to perfection…. FH 366.3

The work that God has begun in the human heart in giving His light and knowledge must be continually going forward. All of us must realize our own necessity. The heart must be emptied of every defilement and cleansed for the indwelling of the Spirit. It was by the confession and forsaking of sin, by earnest prayer and consecration of themselves to God, that the early disciples prepared for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. The same work, only in greater degree, must be done now…. FH 366.4

Only those who are living up to the light they have will receive greater light. Unless we are daily advancing in the exemplification of the active Christian virtues, we shall not recognize the manifestations of the Holy Spirit in the latter rain. It may be falling on hearts all around us, but we shall not discern or receive it. FH 366.5

At no point in our experience can we dispense with the assistance of that which enables us to make the first start. The blessings received under the former rain are needful to us to the end.—The Review and Herald, March 2, 1897. FH 366.6

Let a man examine himself. 1 Corinthians 11:28. FH 365.1

This world is a training school, and the great object of life should be to obtain a fitness for those glorious mansions that Jesus has gone to prepare. Let us remember that this work of preparation is an individual work. We are not saved in groups. The purity and devotion of one will not offset the want of these qualities in another. Each case must bear individual inspection. Each of us must be tested and found without spot or wrinkle or any such thing. FH 365.2

We are living in the great antitypical day of atonement. Jesus is now in the heavenly sanctuary, making reconciliation for the sins of His people, and the judgment of the righteous dead has been going on almost forty years [written in May 1884]. How soon the cases of the living will come in review before this tribunal we know not; but we do know that we are living in the closing scenes of earth’s history, standing, as it were, on the very borders of the eternal world. It is important that each of us inquire, How stands my case in the courts of heaven? Will my sins be blotted out? Am I defective in character, and so blinded to these defects by the customs and opinions of the world that sin does not appear to me to be as exceedingly offensive to God as it really is? It is no time now to allow our minds to be absorbed with the things of earth while we give only occasional thoughts to God and make but slight preparation for the country to which we are journeying. FH 365.3

In the typical Day of Atonement, all the people were required to afflict their souls before God. They were not to afflict the souls of others, but the work was between God and their own souls. The same work of self-examination and humiliation is required of each of us now…. Precious, golden moments which should be spent in seeking the inward adorning of a meek and quiet spirit are frittered away in adorning the dress and in other trifling matters not at all essential to comfort…. FH 365.4

We are living in an important and eventful age. We are almost home. Soon the many mansions that our Savior has gone to prepare will burst upon our sight…. We may now have in our hearts joy and peace that are unspeakable and full of glory; and soon, at the coming of Christ, the prize that lies at the end of the Christian race will be ours to enjoy throughout ceaseless ages.—Signs of the Times, May 29, 1884. FH 365.5

A broken tooth or a foot out of joint is painful, dysfunctional, and irritating. You cannot chew or walk as you should. Running is out of the question! Trusting an unfaithful person when you really need him is just as painful, dysfunctional, and irritating. Do you have faithful friends? Are you a faithful friend? Do you know how to identify and keep them?

Here is a proverb with hidden lessons. The simile, a stated comparison by the word “like,” compares the pain and trouble of an unfaithful person to a broken tooth or a foot out of joint. The lessons are implied, without being expressly declared, for proverbs are dark or obscure sayings of the wise needing interpretation (Pr 1:8; John 16:29).

Faithful men are hard to find, even though many men will say they are faithful (Pr 20:6; Ps 12:1). Fair weather friends and men with little integrity, fearful hearts, and selfish interests are the norm. True friends are born for adversity, and they will never disappoint you in time of trouble, but they are very hard to find and keep (Pr 17:17; 18:24; 27:10).

There are three issues in this proverb that lead to seven lessons. There are unfaithful men, who do not fulfill their duties. There are times of trouble, when all men have their character put to the test. And there are those who imprudently put their confidence in an unfaithful man. The combination results in disappointment, failure, and trouble.

What are the seven lessons? (1) Unfaithful men cause pain and trouble. (2) They ruin the efforts and reputations of those trusting them. (3) They should be avoided as much as possible. (4) Times of trouble prove whether a man is faithful or not. (5) Wise men only put their confidence in faithful men. (6) Faithful men are identified by the fear of the Lord. (7) Are you a faithful man fearing the Lord and worthy of the confidence of others?

The fear of the Lord is the criterion by which to find faithful men. These are the kind of men God told Moses and David would make good rulers (Ex 18:21; II Sam 23:3). And Jehoshaphat appointed such men to be judges (II Chron 19:5-10). A man that fears God will do what is right, without regard for popularity, payoffs, or personal advantage.

The Bible describes unfaithful men. Job’s three friends were miserable comforters (Job 16:1-5), and his wife was worse (Job 2:9). David could not trust his nephew Joab or his sons. Jesus was betrayed by Judas, denied by Peter, and forsaken by all His disciples. Aaron compromised horribly, while Moses was in the mount of God (Ex 32:1-6,21-28), and John Mark deserted Paul on his first evangelistic trip (Acts 13:13; 15:36-41).

True friends are a great blessing, and they gloriously fulfill their role in times of trouble (Pr 17:17; Eccl 4:9-12). Any society of men is only as great as its weakest link. Therefore, confidence of a group should never be put in an unfaithful man. Only the very qualified should ever be made leaders, teachers, or rulers (I Tim 3:1-13). The greatness of a man or a society of men depends on avoiding confidence in unfaithful men.

Wise men study the book of Proverbs and learn to discern faithful men, fools, scorners, and enemies. They take efforts to avoid fools that will cause them grief and let them down in time of trouble (Pr 9:6; 13:20; 14:7; Ps 101:3-8). They choose as friends only those that fear God and keep His commandments (Ps 101:6; 119:63,79,115; Titus 1:8).

Are you a faithful man yourself? Do you keep all your commitments? Are you always early to appointments? Do you avoid exaggeration? Do you fulfill your duties no matter how hard or expensive they might be? Is your word as good as gold? Do you finish tasks, even when you lose focus and pleasure in them? Are you there to help, when a friend needs you, even if they do not ask? Do you shy away from problems that will take work?

Do you pay bills on time? Do you communicate as soon as you know you cannot keep an obligation? Do you remember the little things you agreed to do? Do you make notes, if you have a weak memory or busy life? Is faithfulness more important to you than friendliness? If you are a talker, do you keep yourself from promises you cannot or will not keep? Do you do every job the right way and finish it to the satisfaction of others?

The church of Jesus Christ should provide your most faithful friends, for there you find those who fear the Lord, keep His commandments, and make choices by the Spirit. The bond is not mere friendship or family, but the blood of Christ. There you find those you can trust, and who will serve your best interests (Eph 4:16; I Thes 5:14; Heb 3:12-13).

There is only one truly faithful friend for any man or woman – the Lord Himself! He is a very present help in trouble (Ps 46:1). “When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take me up” (Ps 27:10). “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need” (Heb 4:16). “It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man” (Ps 118:8).

Proverbs 25:19

ARRESTED 100 TIMES WITHIN A YEAR

ALEXANDER DOWIE opened several large rooming houses called “Healing Homes.” Here, the sick who had come for healing could find shelter and
rest between the services held at Zion Tabernacle. Once there, they were able to receive constant ministry from the Word until their faith mounted to the place of complete manifestation. But the newspapers, mainly the Chicago Dispatch, were merciless, calling the homes “Lunatic Asylums” and continued to print every lie iBecause of these healing homes, Dowie’s enemies thought they had found a vulnerable spot. So early in 1895, they arrested him on the charge of “practicing medicine without a license.” Obviously untrue, Dowie would have been the last person to allow medicine into his homes He hired a brilliant attorney, but he only kept Dowie advised of the legal matters. So Dowie chose to represent himself in court because no one else could
articulate his call as accurately as himself.
Dowie’s superior intellect was not enough to overrule the evil jurisdiction of the court.
Despite his profound arguments, the court fined him. But they never dreamed he would take the case to a higher court, costing much more money than the fines they had issued.
When he did, the higher court denounced the evil of the lower court, and reversed the decision.
The city hoped Dowie would get discouraged if they continued to arrest and fine him.
So before the year was over, he had been arrested one hundred times. Although severely persecuted, he was never discouraged. Persecution brought out great resiliency in his
character. He actually thrived on his persecutor’s affliction and interrogation.
Evil will always try to persecute the power of God. But Dowie was super-naturally secure and anchored in bis godly authority. The supernatural never bows to the natural.

1. Matthew
   Suffered martyrdom in Ethiopia, Killed by a sword wound.
2. Mark
   Died in Alexandria, Egypt , after beiing dragged by Horses through the streets until he was dead.
3. Luke
   Was hanged in Greece as a result of his tremendous Preaching to the lost.
4. John
   Faced martyrdom when he was boiled in huge Basin of boiling oil during a wave of persecution In Rome. However, he was miraculously delivered From death.
   John was then sentenced to the mines on the prison Island of Patmos. He wrote his prophetic Book of Revelation on Patmos . The apostle John was later freed and returned to serve As Bishop of Edessa in modern Turkey . He died as an old man, the only apostle to die peacefully
5. Peter
   He was crucified upside down on an x-shaped cross.
   According to church tradition it was because he told his tormentors that he felt unworthy to die In the same way that Jesus Christ had died.
6. James
   The leader of the church in Jerusalem , was thrown over a hundred feet down from the southeast pinnacle of the Temple when he refused to deny his faith in Christ. When they discovered that he survived the fall, his
   enemies beat James to death with a fuller’s club.

• This was the same pinnacle where Satan had taken Jesus during the Temptation.

1. James the Son of Zebedee,
   was a fisherman by trade when Jesus Called him to a lifetime of ministry. As a strong leader of the church, James was beheaded at Jerusalem. The Roman officer who guarded James watched amazed as James defended his faith at his trial. Later, the officer Walked beside James to the place of execution. Overcome by conviction, he declared his new faith to the judge and Knelt beside James to accept beheading as a Christian.
2. Bartholomew
   Also known as Nathaniel Was a missionary to Asia. He witnessed for our Lord in present day Turkey. Bartholomew was martyred for his preaching in Armenia where he was flayed to death by a whip.
3. Andrew
   Was crucified on an x-shaped cross in Patras, Greece. After being whipped severely by seven soldiers they tied his body to the cross with cords to prolong his agony. His followers reported that, when he was led toward the cross, Andrew saluted it in these words: ‘I have long desired and expected this happy hour. The cross has been consecrated by the body of Christ hanging on it.’ He continued to preach to his tormentors For two days until he expired.
4. Thomas
   Was stabbed with a spear in India during one of his missionary trips to establish the church in the Sub-continent.
5. Jude
   Was killed with arrows when he refused to deny his faith in Christ.
6. Matthias
   The apostle chosen to replace the traitor Judas Iscariot, was stoned and then beheaded.
7. Paul
   Was tortured and then beheaded by the evil Emperor Nero at Rome in A.D. 67. Paul endured a lengthy imprisonment, which allowed him to write his many
   epistles to the churches he had formed throughout the Roman Empire. These letters, which taught many of the foundational Doctrines of Christianity, form a large portion of the New Testament.

Perhaps this is a reminder to us that our sufferings here are indeed minor compared to the intense persecution and cold cruelty faced by the apostles and disciples during their times For the sake of the Faith. And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: But he that endureth to the end shall be saved.
Pass on to encourage other Christians
Why Do we feel sleepy in Prayer,
But stay awake through a 3 hour movie?
Why are we so bored when we look at the HOLY BOOK,
But find it easy to read other books?
Why is it so easy to ignore a msg about God,
Yet we forward the nasty ones?
Why are Prayers getting smaller,
But bars and clubs are expanding
Why is it so easy to worship a celebrity,
But very difficult to engage with God?
Think about it, are you going to forward this?

God said: If you deny me in front of your friends, I will deny you on the day of judgment:

When one door closes, God opens two: If God has opened doors for you, Open your heart to Him

Make this message your contribution to the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, be blessed.

(The glorious return of Jesus)

Introduction
Biblical eschatology refers to the study of end times or the last days as described in the Bible. One significant aspect of biblical eschatology is the glorious return of Jesus Christ. The Bible teaches that Jesus will come back to earth in a triumphant and glorious manner.
According to the New Testament, Jesus himself spoke about his return. In Matthew 24:30, Jesus says, “Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.” This verse portrays Jesus returning in a visible and majestic manner, with all people witnessing his arrival.

The Apostle Paul also writes about the glorious return of Jesus in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, stating, “For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.” This passage describes a resurrection of the dead in Christ and a gathering of believers to meet Jesus in the air.

The book of Revelation also provides vivid imagery of Jesus’ glorious return. Revelation 19:11-16 describes Jesus as a conquering king riding on a white horse, leading the armies of heaven. He is depicted as having a name written on his robe and thigh, “King of kings and Lord of lords.” This passage emphasizes the authority and power of Jesus as he returns to establish his kingdom on earth.

The glorious return of Jesus is seen as a time of judgment and reward. Jesus will judge the living and the dead, separating the righteous from the unrighteous. Those who have put their faith in Jesus will be rewarded with eternal life in his presence, while those who have rejected him will face eternal separation from God.

Overall, biblical eschatology teaches that the glorious return of Jesus will be a momentous event, marked by his visible and triumphant arrival. It is a time of judgment, reward, and the establishment of his eternal kingdom.

THE DEFEAT OF SATAN AND HIS FORCES
Biblical eschatology refers to the study of end times and the events that will occur in the future according to the Bible. One significant aspect of biblical eschatology is the defeat of Satan and his forces.

According to the Bible, Satan is portrayed as a powerful spiritual being who opposes God and seeks to deceive and destroy humanity. However, biblical eschatology teaches that Satan’s ultimate defeat is certain and will occur at the end of time.

The defeat of Satan and his forces is described in various passages throughout the Bible, including Revelation 20:7-10. In this passage, it is written that Satan will be released from his prison and will gather an army to wage war against God’s people. However, God will intervene and defeat Satan and his forces. Satan will be thrown into the lake of fire, which is a symbol of eternal punishment and separation from God.

Additionally, other passages such as Isaiah 14:12-15 and Ezekiel 28:12-19 provide insights into the fall of Satan and his rebellion against God. These passages describe Satan’s pride and his desire to exalt himself above God, resulting in his eventual downfall.

Furthermore, Jesus’ ministry on earth is also seen as a significant event in the defeat of Satan. In Matthew 12:28-29, Jesus states that he has come to bind the strong man (referring to Satan) and plunder his house. Through his death and resurrection, Jesus has ultimately defeated Satan and his power over humanity.

Overall, biblical eschatology teaches that Satan’s defeat is certain and will occur at the end of time. This victory is accomplished through God’s intervention and the work of Jesus Christ.

THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD AND THE TRANSFORMATION OF BELIEVERS
In biblical eschatology, the resurrection of the dead and the transformation of believers are significant events that are believed to occur at the end of time. These events are described in various passages throughout the Bible, particularly in the New Testament.

The resurrection of the dead refers to the belief that all people, both believers and non-believers, will be raised from the dead and given new bodies. This concept is mentioned in several passages, including 1 Corinthians 15:52-53, which states, “For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality.”

According to biblical eschatology, believers will experience a transformation during the resurrection. Their mortal bodies will be changed into immortal, imperishable bodies, similar to the resurrected body of Jesus Christ. This transformation is described in Philippians 3:20-21, which says, “But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.”

The transformation of believers is seen as a fulfillment of God’s promise to redeem and restore all things. It is believed to be a glorious event where believers will be fully united with Christ and experience eternal life in his presence. This transformation is also associated with the final judgment, where believers will be rewarded for their faithfulness and receive their eternal inheritance.

Overall, the resurrection of the dead and the transformation of believers are central aspects of biblical eschatology. They represent the hope and assurance that believers have in the future resurrection and eternal life with God.

THE ESTABLISHMENT OF CHRIST’S MILLENNIAL REIGN ON EARTH.
Biblical eschatology refers to the study of end times and the events that will occur in the future according to the Bible. The establishment of Christ’s millennial reign on earth is a concept found in the book of Revelation, specifically in Revelation 20:1-6.

According to this passage, after a period of tribulation and the defeat of Satan, Jesus Christ will return to earth and establish His millennial reign. The term “millennium” refers to a thousand-year period, during which Christ will rule over the earth.

During this time, Satan will be bound and unable to deceive the nations. The righteous believers who have died will be resurrected, and they will reign with Christ for a thousand years. This period is often referred to as the “Millennium Kingdom” or the “Millennial Reign of Christ.”

The Bible does not provide a lot of specific details about what this reign will look like, but it does mention some aspects. It suggests that there will be peace, justice, and righteousness during this time. The earth will be restored, and there will be harmony among all creation.

At the end of the thousand years, Satan will be released for a short time to deceive the nations once again. However, he will be ultimately defeated, and there will be a final judgment where all the dead will be raised and judged according to their deeds.

After the final judgment, the new heaven and new earth will be created, and God’s eternal kingdom will be established. This is described in Revelation 21-22.

It is important to note that interpretations of eschatology, including the concept of Christ’s millennial reign, can vary among different Christian denominations and theologians.

Topic : The Rapture

The Rapture means the catching up of the believers

Different views on the timing of the rapture.
There are various views on the timing of the rapture within Christian theology. Here are some of the different perspectives:

Pre-Tribulation Rapture: This view holds that the rapture will occur before the seven-year period of tribulation described in the book of Revelation. Proponents of this view believe that believers will be taken up to meet Jesus in the air, escaping the hardships and trials of the tribulation.

Mid-Tribulation Rapture: According to this view, the rapture will take place in the middle of the seven-year tribulation period. Advocates of this perspective believe that believers will be caught up to meet Jesus in the air at this point, just before the most severe judgments of the tribulation occur.

: This view suggests that CHURCH rapture will happen at the end of the tribulation period, just before Jesus returns to establish His kingdom on earth. Supporters of this perspective believe that believers will experience the entire WORLD will be raptured to meet Jesus as He descends to earth.

It’s important to note that these views are based on different interpretations of biblical passages, and there is ongoing debate among Christians regarding the timing of the rapture.

THE TRIBULATION

The purpose of the tribulation, according to Christian eschatology, is to serve as a period of intense suffering and turmoil before the second coming of Jesus Christ. It is believed to be a time of great tribulation and judgment upon the earth, where God’s wrath is poured out on those who have rejected Him.

The duration of the tribulation is a topic of debate among different Christian denominations and interpretations of biblical prophecy. Some believe it will last for a literal seven years, based on passages in the book of Daniel and the book of Revelation. Others interpret the seven-year period symbolically, representing a longer period of time.

The concept of the tribulation is primarily derived from the book of Revelation, particularly chapters 6-19, which describe various events and judgments that will occur during this time. These include the rise of the Antichrist, the sealing of the 144,000 Jewish evangelists, the pouring out of the seven seals, the sounding of the seven trumpets, and the pouring out of the seven bowls of God’s wrath.

The purpose of the tribulation is seen as a means for God to bring judgment upon the wicked, purify and refine His people, and ultimately establish His kingdom on earth. It is believed that during this time, many people will come to faith in Jesus Christ and be saved, while others will harden their hearts and reject Him.

Overall, the purpose and duration of the tribulation are important aspects of Christian eschatology, but there are varying interpretations and beliefs among different denominations and individuals.

THE ANTI CHRIST AND THE MARK OF THE BEAST.
In biblical eschatology, the Antichrist is a figure who opposes Christ and his teachings. The concept of the Antichrist is mentioned in several books of the Bible, including Daniel, 1 John, and Revelation.

According to biblical prophecy, the Antichrist will rise to power in the end times and deceive many people with his charisma and false teachings. He will be a global leader who seeks to establish a one-world government and religion, ultimately leading humanity away from God.

The mark of the Antichrist, often referred to as the “mark of the beast,” is mentioned in the book of Revelation. It is described as a mark that people will be forced to receive on their right hand or forehead in order to participate in the economic system controlled by the Antichrist. Those who refuse to receive the mark will face severe persecution and will be unable to buy or sell.

The mark of the beast is seen as a symbol of allegiance to the Antichrist and his kingdom. It represents a rejection of God and a submission to the Antichrist’s authority. The exact nature of the mark is not specified in the Bible, leading to various interpretations and speculations throughout history.

Christians are warned against receiving the mark of the beast, as it signifies a rejection of their faith in God and allegiance to Christ. The consequences of receiving the mark are severe, as it signifies eternal separation from God.Overall, biblical eschatology teaches that the Antichrist will rise to power in the end times and deceive many people. The mark of the beast represents allegiance to the Antichrist and his kingdom, and Christians are warned against receiving it.

GOD’S PROTECTION AND PROVISION FOR HIS PEOPLE DURING THE TRIBULATION
During the tribulation, God promises to protect and provide for His people who remain faithful to Him. This period of intense suffering and persecution is described in the Bible as a time of great tribulation, where believers will face various trials and tribulations.

In Revelation 7:14, it says, “They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore, they are before the throne of God and serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence. Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst. The sun will not beat down on them, nor any scorching heat. For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; he will lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”

This passage highlights God’s protection and provision for His people during the tribulation. They will be sheltered by His presence, and their needs for food, water, and protection will be met. God will be their shepherd, guiding and leading them to safety and sustenance.

Additionally, in Matthew 24:22, Jesus says, “If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened.” This verse indicates that God will intervene and shorten the duration of the tribulation for the sake of His chosen people.

It is important to note that while God promises protection and provision, it does not mean that believers will be exempt from suffering or persecution during the tribulation. However, God’s presence and provision will sustain them through these difficult times.
Ultimately, God’s protection and provision during the tribulation demonstrate His faithfulness and love for His people. He will not abandon them but will be with them every step of the way, providing for their needs and ensuring their ultimate victory.

PASTORS AND THE ANOINTED MEN OF GOD AVOID THE FOLLOWING SO THAT YOU DON’T GET INTO TROUBLE

… But wisdom is profitable to direct.
Ecclesiastes 10:10

As a Pastor, you need to live your life and do your ministry with wisdom so that you can last long in ministry and avoid trouble from law enforcement agencies.

As a pastor, please don’t do the following:

1. Don’t guarantee or surety loans for people.
2. Don’t introduce businesses and investment schemes from the pulpit.
3. Don’t collect pictures from people for prayers.
4. Don’t sign bail bonds for people you are not sure of, especially new members or people whose family members you cannot trace or locate.
5. Don’t wed a couple when their parents have not consented or dowry paid.
6. Don’t hide anyone that law enforcement agencies have declared wanted, in your house or Church premises.
7. Don’t matchmake people for marriage. If the marriage have issues, you will be blamed.
8. Don’t try to make decisions for the members or control them. Teach the word and leave decision making for members. Except where your opinion is asked, don’t force your ideas on people. When your ideas or decisions backfire, you will be denigrated.
9. Don’t allow sick people to sleep in Church or in your house. If you must admit them, let them sign some documents that extricate you from any form of issue, should anything happen to them.
10. Don’t allow your members pass huge amount of money through your account You could be arrested as an accomplice for advanced fee fraud, money laundering, kidnapping or drug peddling.
11. Don’t conduct a christening ceremony service of a child whose gestation history you don’t know. What if the baby was kidnapped? You could be arrested as an accomplice for kidnapping.

Once again, wisdom is profitable to direct

Let me add little:

• Don’t bury a corpse that the family are not available with full medical report and death certificate. I have encountered situations where we were asked to exhumed a body four days after burial
• Limit your direct involvement in politics, as a clergy you are supposed to be non partisan.
• Don’t visit a family when the husband or either parents are not around, you may be tempted or implicated.
• Don’t allow a woman that has quarrel with her husband to pass night or remain under your custody
• Don’t take anyone to hospital without the family been aware or possibly present

A lot of men of God today, innocently in the name of clear conscience have fallen into these ministerial landmines and destroyed their ministry or sent into undeserving prison term.
God bless you as you adhere to the above pieces of advise.

So, what I do when I see things like this in the Bible is to adjust my categories in my head. I won’t say, “Oh, well that can’t be, because I’ve got this category in my head.” No, no, no. You fix the categories in your head.

If once I thought of grace only as a character trait or a disposition or an inclination in the nature of God, which moved him to treat sinners better than they deserve — if that was my only conception, once upon a time — now, having seen all the texts, I broaden my understanding of grace as the Bible uses the term. Now I say, “Well, it appears that the word grace in Paul’s use not only refers to God’s character trait or disposition or inclination to treat people better than we deserve, but the word grace also refers to the action or the power or the influence or the force of this disposition, which produces real, practical outcomes in people’s lives, like being sufficient for good deeds or enduring the thorn in the flesh or working harder than everybody else, which Paul says about his own apostolic work.”

Now, that does not mean you have to give up that simple definition of undeserved favor. That’s true. That’s a good definition. It just means that the word also embraces the encouraging truth — at least I love the truth; that’s why these verses are so precious to me — that this favor overflows in powerful, practical helpfulness from God in your daily life where you most need it. That help is also called grace because it’s free and it’s undeserved.

Draw Near with Confidence

So, let me end with a precious verse that we all know and love and maybe have never thought about in this term of grace. Hebrews 4:16: “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace.” That’s a throne with the quality and the character and the inclination to treat people better than they deserve. That’s the kind of throne we’re coming to. But then it says, “that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” Or a more literal translation: “that we may find mercy and grace for a well-timed help.”

It is incredibly encouraging that God’s grace is both the inclination of the divine heart to treat us better than we deserve and is the extension of that inclination in practical help.

Why Are You being Deceived By the Presence of the Anointing While the Character and Integrity are missing? Why do you think the Anointing Would cover up all those Character flaws? Why do you think your sonorous Voice and Gifted skills of Praises and Worships is all the Lord needs above your Personal Intimacy?

You are a gifted Actor, Who have blessed multitudes of Souls and heal many lives, But you are an Unrepentant lustful Child of God, Who Wins Souls for the Lord And Whose Soul is Sliding to Hell.

Why are you being Deceived By the Anointing of God you carry,

You Preach with all Conviction!

You Teach with all Persuasion!

You Sing with All Inspirations!

You Act with All Unctions!

And yet the Integrity is Lacking!

Your Lustfulness has injured many.

Your Covetousness have wounded a lot.

Your Pride had baffled multitudes.

Your Arrogance has astonished countless.

Yet, once you Mount the Stage and hold the Microphone, The Anointing descends like a shower! And the Congregation are soaked in the Power of His Presence!

Ah!ah!

I am seriously scared of this type of Anointing! I don’t want it! Anointing that Deceives the Carrier of it!

I don’t want it! Oh God! Don’t Anoint my Message If my Ways are not Right in Your Presence.

Don’t Show Up if I have missed it!

Why should I be Deceived to think that all is well When all are Wrong?

Why should I believe you are happy with me When You have long left me alone!

This Anointing of Samson! I don’t want this Anointing!

Anointing that would still be Working till Delilah shaved off the Dreadlocks of Power?

No warning Signal? Or the Signal wasn’t loud enough? Or it was Samson that never paid Attention?

No! I don’t want it! Did you noticed that,
Samson was still powerful and Anointed even after….

After Samson had had a One Night Stand with the Harlot of Gaza, He still had the Power to uproot the bars and posts and iron gates of the City of Gaza! He carried them all On his shoulder up to a journey of more than ten kilometres and carried them up to the mountain to dump them there. Anointing that Works after rising from the Harlot’s bed!

Why must Someone Trek A Thousand Miles, Before knowing he is on the Wrong path And turning back to start all over?

Beat me Now, if I am wrong!

Flog me Now, if I miss it.

Deal with me.!

Correct me.!

Prune me.!

BUT DON’T LEAVE ME!

STOP THE ANOINTING, WHEN I MISS IT!

Don’t let it be like Pressing Iron, that is still Hot After the Power is removed from Socket!

So, my Brother! So, my Sister! That you Carry incredible Anointing to fulfill your Ministry of Teaching, Acting and Singing, Does not Give you the License not To live RIGHT !

DO NOT BE DECEIVED BY THE ANOINTING.

You could carry the Anointing And still Miss it in the End! IF YOU DO NOT LIVE RIGHT!

May the Lord God of Heaven grant us Sense with His Anointing!

Brother Clifford made it a duty upon himself that come sunshine or rain, he will be at the Train Station distributing Gospel Tracts to passengers as they board or leave the train! This he did faithfully for several years!
One day at the church service after a rendition by the choir members in church, the choir was appreciated, praised and given a standing ovation. Brother Clifford, instead of being happy for them was very sad. He thought his soul winning efforts was not being acknowledged, rewarded and recognised by the church members and ministers.
He also noticed that nobody from the station has met him to say thank you for what he has been faithfully doing over the years.
Brother Cliffird decided to abandon the trips to the Train Station. Instead he joined the choir and started singing with them. To his surprise he was warmly welcomed. He discovered also that very soon he was singing and receiving standing ovations. He concluded in his mind he has just made the right decision.
One day, he sang Psalm 23 as a solo and by the time he finished singing, the whole church including the pastoral team and the elders were on their feet clapping and giving him a standing ovation.
Suddenly there arose an old man, a stranger in the midst of the congregation who asked to sing the same song while the church was still on their feet clapping for the soloist.
Against protocol, the pastor cynically allowed the old man to sing.
By the time the old man finished singing, the whole church was on their knees, some weeping, others praying in repentance.
That day, there was no more sermon but an altar call. With sinners giving their lives and backsliders returning to their first love and the whole church rededicating its life.
Brother Clifford, the evangelist in choir robe, felt a deep hole in his heart. He felt empty. He saw the difference between entertainment for the appreciation of men and the ministration for the appreciation of heaven. He left the church with a heavy heart.
Without thinking of removing his choir robe, he headed for the Train Station empty handed as if in a trance. Getting there he met a man in the same spot where he used to stand to distribute gospel leaflets before. The man was distributing gospel tracts and handed him one. The Tract read “I WILL BE A FAITHFUL SOLDIER, I WILL DIE AT MY POST”. It ended asking, “are you a faithful witness of the WORD?”
With tears in his eyes and a shaky voice, he asked the man how he came to start distributing the tracts at the spot in the Train Station. The busy man, not looking at him, told him of a dead man who used to come there come sunshine and rain to distribute tracts. That for months the man has not been there. He told him that he believed and concluded the man must be dead. He said the dead man once gave him a tract before that changed his commitment to Christ. And since the man was dead, he felt God wanted him to replace the dead man to continue the good work in the memory of the dead man.
The man kept emphasising, “The Dead Man, The Dead Man” which further sent Brother Clifford back to his knees weeping and asking for God’s forgiveness.
Hmm…
If you are still reading this believe me, God has set you up to read it because He has a purpose for your life.
Have you left your assignment because of some discouragements from cynics and critics?
Have you abandoned the unheard, unseen and unsung praise of heaven for the standing ovation of men?
Are you like the evangelist in choir robe? Or are you like the singer singing to entertain in church – the place of entertainment is in the theatre not the church.
The church is for ministration in the Spirit by Worshiping God in The Spirit and The Truth.
GOD ASKED ME TO TELL YOU TODAY THAT HE IS A GOD OF SECOND CHANCE RETURN TO YOUR FIRST LOVE TODAY

DO THE WORK OF AN EVANGELIST BY SHARING THIS POST TO GROUPS FOR OTHERS TO GET THIS MESSAGE

This got me Thinking:
Anybody that died below 70years in the church of E.W KENYON he raised him back to life…

A man called Saint Patrick did not only raise dead people back to life…

He was also raising dead animals and dead trees back to life…

An illeterate that was rejected admission into Bible school disappeared from the community and people thought he had committed suicide…

2 months after, he resurfaced in a place where someone died in the community…

As they saw him, all of them ran away… Thinking he was a ghost…

He went straight inside the room the dead man was lying…

He didn’t pray… He didn’t open the Bible…

He just got there. Called the man’s name and told him:

“Please, stand up now, because i want you to accompany me back to the train station …”

Immediately, the dead man heard his voice, he rose up from the dead and followed him out of the room…

People saw them and were following them around to wherever they were going…

When they got to the old rail way station, he entered there with his new friend that just came back to life …

That was when people knew that he was not dead all these while he disappeared…

He was there looking for the power of God…

Since they rejected him admission into bible school, he made up his mind to look for God or die looking for God …

By The next morning, it was already on the news that a dead man came back from the land of the dead to raise another dead man back to life…

That old railway became a tourist center…

People were coming to see the dead man that rose another dead man back to life…

But as he would be explaining to them how it all happened, the power of God would hit them…

Some of them would be on the floor crying for their sins, until the next morning…

Other people will come there and meet them there…

The next time he went back to the school to seek admission…

All the teachers in the school gathered around him, begging him to teach them how to raise the dead…

As he was explaining to the teachers of the school, students sited him and gathered there…

As he saw their hunger to manifest the power of God, he released the power of God upon them …

And both teachers and students were impacted…

As they left there, they began to heal all manner of sicknesses…

That was how a massive revival broke out in that little community that lasted for about 100 years…

I am tired of coming online to see carnality being displayed by carnal men and women…

I am now ashamed of the days I wasted time noticing those that are not noticing me and those that are noticing me …

There is a higher calling…

We can’t remain in this level and expect to bring revival in our communities…

Suddenly, you have lost your burden to bring Jesus to your community…

Sir, check your new friends…

Suddenly, all your prayer request is for God to give you this and that…

No more passion for the Kingdom…
No more desire to take the gospel to some areas in your street…

Sister, you need God to revive you again…

Imagine if we have such a man in your family…
Tell me where the witch will come from to fight your business and marriage…

Imagine if you become such a man that raises both dead trees and animals back to life…

Tell me why the people troubling all the male children in your fathers house will not come to apologize to you…

We lost everything when we began to struggle to gain everything…

We failed everywhere when it became obvious that we have failed in the place of prayer…

Many families and communities are still doomed to premature deaths and chronic poverty…

Because those who God is expecting to carry the Fire there are on Facebook looking for those that will help them fight their enemies…

I wish God will open our eyes to see how backward friends have kept us all these years…

I wish we will tell ourselves the truth that we are far behind…

There is a program hanging over out heads that have not been fulfilled yet…

There are people that needs to enter into another dimension of power…

There are people that needs to rededicate their lives to the cause of the Cross which they once carried brazenly…

SCRIPTURE: For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. Romans 8:14.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: Sensitivity to the leading of the Spirit is key to being led by the Spirit.

Our anchor Scripture makes it clear that being led by the Spirit is a mark of sonship in Christ. True sons of God are led by the Spirit of God.

It is very important to understand how the Spirit leads. Sensitivity to the leading of the Spirit is key to being led in the Spirit.

Let me give you examples: There are times you wake up in the morning and you don’t have a leading to eat. Food may be available but you just don’t feel like eating. The truth is, you do not eat just because food is ready; you eat because there is a need to eat.

When you slept the previous night, you did not plan to fast at all, but when you saw food, you just lost your appetite. In such a case, do not force yourself to eat by all means because food is on the table. Sensitivity directs that the Spirit is leading you to fast for that day or at least for some time.

You might also have planned a journey you wanted to embark on but you just lost your peace about it. Everything has been planned but you do not feel like going. Do not force yourself to go on that journey; listen to the Spirit of God.

Sensitivity is key to the leading of the Holy Spirit. People who are not spiritually sensitive would find it difficult to know how God leads.

My counsel to you today is to be sensitive to God’s instructions. Do not be in a hurry to do anything. Always try to know what God wants you to do per time.

Remember this: Sensitivity to the leading of the Spirit is key to being led in the Spirit.

ASSIGNMENTS:

1. Go through today’s message again.
2. Be sensitive to the leading of the Spirit. Do not force yourself to do anything you have lost your peace about.

PRAYER: Lord, I ask for the grace to be sensitive to the leading of the Spirit. Sharpen my spiritual perception and sensitivity, Lord, in Jesus’ Name.

FOR FURTHER UNDERSTANDING, GET THIS MESSAGE: THE SPIRIT OF GLORY.

QUOTE: If you need the power of God in your life, if you need the visitation and move of the Holy Spirit in your life, then Word must combine with Spirit to generate power! Culled “GO IN THIS THY MIGHT” by Dr Paul Enenche.

DAILY BIBLE READING: Nehemiah 12-Esther 1.

AMAZING FACT: Israeli academics produce more scientific papers per capita than anywhere else in the world. Being connected to God is the secret of wisdom and greatness.

PROPHETIC WORD/DECLARATION: May God assist you with true sensitivity in this season in Jesus Name.

He was once the richest man in the world. The first billionaire in the world.

By age 25 he controlled one of the largest oil refineries in the nation. By age 31 he had become the world’s largest oil refiner. By age 38 he commanded 90% of the oil refined in the U.S. By the time of his retirement at age 58, he was the richest man in the country. By the time he died, he had become the richest man in the world.

As a young man, every decision, attitude, and relationship was tailored to create his personal power and wealth. But at the age of 53 he became ill. His entire body became racked with pain and he lost all of his hair. In complete agony, the world’s only billionaire could buy anything he wanted, but he could only digest milk and crackers. An associate wrote, “He could not sleep, would not smile and nothing in life meant anything to him.” His personal, highly skilled physicians predicted he would die within a year. That year passed agonizingly slow.

As he approached death he awoke one morning with the vague remembrances of a dream about not being able to take any of his successes with him into the next world. The man who could control the business world suddenly realized he was not in control of his own life. He was left with a choice. He called his attorneys, accountants, and managers and announced that he wanted to channel his assets to hospitals, research, and mission work. On that day John D. Rockefeller established his foundation.

This new direction eventually led to the discovery of penicillin, cures for malaria, tuberculosis and diphtheria. But perhaps the most amazing part of Rockefeller’s story is that the moment he began to give back a portion of all that he had earned, his body’s chemistry was altered so significantly that he got better. It looked as if he would die at 53 but he lived to be 98.

Rockefeller learned gratitude and gave back the vast majority of his wealth. Doing so made him whole. It is one thing to be healed. It is another to be made whole. He attended the Baptist Church. He was faithful in working for God in the church, cleaning the house of God, until he died!

Before his death, he wrote this in his dairy:
“I was early taught to work as well as play,
My life has been one long, happy holiday;
Full of work and full of play
I dropped the worry on the way
And God was good to me everyday”

I hope the true story of the life of this man, who happens to be the first billionaire, will make many wealthy ones or those chasing wealth have a rethink to show more LOVE to mankind.

He was once the richest man in the world. The first billionaire in the world.

By age 25 he controlled one of the largest oil refineries in the nation. By age 31 he had become the world’s largest oil refiner. By age 38 he commanded 90% of the oil refined in the U.S. By the time of his retirement at age 58, he was the richest man in the country. By the time he died, he had become the richest man in the world.

As a young man, every decision, attitude, and relationship was tailored to create his personal power and wealth. But at the age of 53 he became ill. His entire body became racked with pain and he lost all of his hair. In complete agony, the world’s only billionaire could buy anything he wanted, but he could only digest milk and crackers. An associate wrote, “He could not sleep, would not smile and nothing in life meant anything to him.” His personal, highly skilled physicians predicted he would die within a year. That year passed agonizingly slow.

As he approached death he awoke one morning with the vague remembrances of a dream about not being able to take any of his successes with him into the next world. The man who could control the business world suddenly realized he was not in control of his own life. He was left with a choice. He called his attorneys, accountants, and managers and announced that he wanted to channel his assets to hospitals, research, and mission work. On that day John D. Rockefeller established his foundation.

This new direction eventually led to the discovery of penicillin, cures for malaria, tuberculosis and diphtheria. But perhaps the most amazing part of Rockefeller’s story is that the moment he began to give back a portion of all that he had earned, his body’s chemistry was altered so significantly that he got better. It looked as if he would die at 53 but he lived to be 98.

Rockefeller learned gratitude and gave back the vast majority of his wealth. Doing so made him whole. It is one thing to be healed. It is another to be made whole. He attended the Baptist Church. He was faithful in working for God in the church, cleaning the house of God, until he died!

Before his death, he wrote this in his dairy:
“I was early taught to work as well as play,
My life has been one long, happy holiday;
Full of work and full of play
I dropped the worry on the way
And God was good to me everyday”

I hope the true story of the life of this man, who happens to be the first billionaire, will make many wealthy ones or those chasing wealth have a rethink to show more LOVE to mankind.

• 

If you want to be worded, please feel free to study scriptures without reading the whole Bible. Just go for Greek and Hebrew, you know, katakrino, epiginosko, hasedagape, and so on. Very soon you will be a rhemified wordsmith and bible teacher extraordinare.
Listeners will slap their laps as you tear them word, shouting Shanda! Yes Sir!! Preach it!! And several tonguings like Zualakate and so on
BUT if you want to live the Christ-Life, you have to read the Book. I maintain that it takes the whole Bible to make a whole Christian. It takes the whole Bible to make a healthy church. The whole Bible is the Christian doctrine.
Three times the devil tempted the Lord in the days of His flesh, and not once did He say “the greek word for stone is ajeokuta mamomi” or “the context of that verse you quoted in the greek is not jump but glide…”. Mba. He simply replied “It is written..” or “It is also written”
Not once did He say, that is Jesus; “Have you not studied the rhema of this or that?” Rara. He said “Have you never READ…”
Both reading and studying are important, but reading comes first. Reading is fundamental to studying. Paul did not only write to Timothy saying “Study to show yourself a workman who rightly divides the word of truth.” He first said to him “Give attention to reading.”
Before you can specialise in advanced calculus or space geometry, you have to do mathematics at a basic level. Before you can read books and write poems, you have to learn A to Z. Before you become a specialist in any area, you need a foundation in the general knowledge of that field.
No one gets into school and starts learning obstetrics or heart surgery. No. You will learn nonsense. First you have to know about the whole human body – how it is structured and how it works; then later you can focus on the heart. The whole Bible is one message. Reading the whole is the proper macro-context for studying any part.
You know, a doctor can look at someone’s feet and know that there is a big problem with their heart. He or she will treat the heart and both the heart and feet will be fine.
Another person who never studied medicine but calls themselves a foot specialist will see the same feet and start massaging it, making marks on it, and applying all kinds of substances until the person dies.
That’s why we have so many dead doctrines that massage the itching ears of some but do nothing for their hearts. It is because the teachers are trying to explain Paul’s algebra but they don’t know Isaiah’s arithmetics. They cannot count 1 to 100 but are trying to solve (yx + 2xy – y)/(x – 1) = 12.
Disaster.
Jesus said to the Jews “If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me. But if you do not believe what he wrote, how will you believe what I say?” When He explained the gospel to His disciples, He began with the writings of Moses and went through all the prophets.
Some of you don’t know how to pray with the understanding at all, because you have never really read the Psalms. Eugene Peterson, the author of The Message Translation said the Psalms are the prayer language of the church. That book is an anatomy of all kinds of prayers; whether intercessory, supplication, warfare or others. Jesus on the Cross prayed with the words of the Psalms. The apostles in Acts 4 prayed from Psalms 2.
Some of you want to be deep worshippers and worship leaders but you don’t know the Bible. Don Moen sang “You make me lie down in green pastures (Psalm 23)”; “He never sleeps (Psalm 121)”; “God is the strength of my heart (Psalm 73)”. Ron kenoly sang “The Lord be magnified (Psalm 40)”; Ancient of Days (Daniel 7) and so on. Nathaniel Bassey sang “Your name is a strong tower (Proverbs 18)”, Casting Crowns and Book of Life (Revelation)
But you want to be doing deep spiritual chants and you think it’s only when you do unknown tongue chants that you are doing a Holy Ghost ministration. No! The Bible says – be filled with the Holy Spirit, speaking to yourselves IN PSALMS and hymns and spiritual songs…but you have never read the Psalms or the Prophets. You want dance like David danced but you haven’t read what David said
You never hala!
Some of you cannot preach and prophesy because you don’t know the prophets. When Jesus got to His hometown, He said the Spirit of the Lord is upon Me. Isaiah 61. It was powerful! The first time Peter preached, He said “This is that which was spoken by the prophet…that’s right. Joel 2.” You want to teach like Paul taught but you haven’t read what Paul read.
You never hala!
And some cannot live for God alone because you have never read the Scriptures.
If you’ve read Abraham’s story, impatience will die
If you’ve read Joseph’s story, complaining will be hard
If you’ve read the young prophet’s story, no false prophet can easily deceive you
If you’ve read of Ham, you will shun dishonor
If you’ve read of Hezekiah, you will be more careful what you post about your personal life
If you’ve read Hosea, you will understand love better
If you’ve read of Gehazi, you will serve more sincerely
If you’ve read of Ananias and Sapphira, you won’t tell lies in church
If you’ve read of Paul and Silas, you will praise God when the odds are against you
Until you see that you are surrounded with so great a cloud of witnesses; and not just Paul’s witness; you will find it difficult to run the race with patience, the race set before you. Unless you know that everything was written as an example to you, for your learning, comfort, teaching, rebuke, correction, and training in righteousness; you will be a drop out from the school of the Spirit with an incomplete kingdom education.
And Jesus who began to do and teach quoted Genesis, Exodus, Psalms, Deuteronomy etc and Peter quoted Exodus, Leviticus, Isaiah, Psalms etc and Paul quoted Isaiah, Malachi etc; then if you must know the Christian faith; and you must live as they lived
Then you have to read your Bible from Genesis to Revelation.
Nothing less will do.
Good evening.

TEXT: JEREMIAH 29:20-32
🔑KEY VERSE “Therefore thus saith the LORD; Behold, I will punish Shemaiah the Nehelamite, and his seed: he shall not have a man to dwell among this people; neither shall he behold the good that I will do for my people, saith the LORD; because he hath taught rebellion against the LORD” (JEREMIAH 29:32).

“Thus saith the Lord” has become a common tune in the mouths of many in our society. There are so many self-appointed prophets showcasing themselves and their ministries on radio, television and the social media. They use high sounding words, push people down under a purported anointing and are always quick to make prophetic declaration on every trending issues in the society. The most unfortunate fact of their life is that they have no knowledge of the God they claim to represent. They have, in turn, made their followers “twice children of hell”. These are impostors and deceivers in the world.

Today’s passage opens with the declaration of God’s displeasure and judgment against three impostors in Jeremiah’s day. Zedekiah, Ahab and Shemaiah arrogated to themselves the office of prophets that God never gave them. God declared them to be adulterers and liars, and placed a curse upon them in Israel for their hypocrisy and misleading utterances. These impostors had something in common; they were all involved in telling the people what they would like to hear.

This passage presents some salient lessons to us. First, God honours, supports and defends His faithful servants. Second, unregenerate minds cannot be used of God to liberate those in captivity. Third, we should be wary of ministers who preach only what people want to hear but avoid the bitter truth of God’s word. Fourth, God will definitely cut off the remembrance of impostors.

Faithfulness to God’s word will definitely draw criticisms and persecutions; but like Jeremiah, we must be resilient in our commitment to the truth. We are to rebuke sin and corruption but should not forget to spread the word of peace in the gospel of Christ to the society in a difficult time like this.

✍THOUGHT FOR THE DAY Test every Spirit and hold on to the truth.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR 1 CHRONICLES 9-11.

MEDITATION

Rebellion in the house of God

1. The divine verdict
   a. The self styled prophet Shemaiah was accused of not only rebelling against the word of God but also teaching rebellion to others, v32.
   b. Severe judgements that also affected his lineage was pronounced on him, v32.
   c. Untimely death of all the male child that will be born to the family including his own untimely death were the evil verdict pronounced on him, v32.
   d. This agrees with Matthew 5:19 where Jesus said “whosoever shall break one of these least commandments (on the sermon of the mount) and shall teach men so” shall be cut off from the “kingdom of heaven”.
   e. Observe that his children who did not know the Lord will partake of the calamity even though they might not have been born by then. How wonderful is it to be truly saved and free from inherited curses!
2. The defining villany
   What really constituted what God called his rebellion against the Lord?
   a. He presumptuously sent a message to people of God in the name of the Lord when God had not sent him, vv25,26.
   b. His love for preeminence made him to hijack leadership authority of God’s appointed prophets, vv25,26.
   c. He was calling the appointed ministers of God unprintable names, like “mad” people out of self inspired overzealousness, v26.
   d. He was exercising the authority of a priest and judge, which God had not giving him, to dictate punishments and imprisonment of God sent servants in the name of the Lord, v26.
   e. He was guilty of enviously instigating the people of God against His truly sent servants and their messages, v27.
   f. He defiantly contradicted the clear word of God or prophesy of Jeremiah, the true servant of God, vv27,28.
   g. He, using his communicational ability, successfully and convincingly carried along the naive people of God and gave them false hope by causing them “to trust in a lie”, vv28,31.
   h. He lowered the standard of God’s word by speaking to please the people, telling them that captivity will be brief when the word of God said the opposite, vv28,31.
   i. He deliberately and consciously justified what God did not approve in the name of the Lord, vv31,32.

Ponder to make sure that traits of rebellion are not in you or those that are your ministers you enjoy listening to🤔

3. The demanded virtues
   a. It is easy to see the virtues that God demand from every child of God. Those virtues are diametrically opposed to rebellion and its “innocent tendencies.”
   b. Presumption, pride and self are root causes even though they may be justified with the name of the Lord.
   c. Meekness, humility, commitment to do the will of God, self crucifixion etc are virtues that God demanded from every true child of God. Jesus said, “learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest unto your souls, Matthew 11:29.

Question
Can you in your inward heart honestly claim that you are meek and lowly in heart?

The standard of God is not generational biased. The grace of God in the life of those who lived in the generation past will produce the same virtues in those who live in the modern time🤷‍♂️

Prayer points
I want the old time grace of meekness and humility of Christ to be made deeper in my heart🙏
Let you word and your Spirit scan through my heart to expose and remove all tendencies towards rebellion in my heart 🙏
Take away all adoration and admiration that I have for rebellious ministers posing as servants of God🙏
Pray for convictiom and repentance for all ministers that are already treading the path of rebellion in order to have large followership🙏

TEXT: Revelation 17:1-18.

Memory Verse: “These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful” (Revelation 17:14).

This chapter of the book of Revelation reveals many things concerning “the great whore”, a woman “with whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication,” and who has corrupted “the inhabitants of the earth… with the wine of her fornication” (verses 1,2). She was “arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold”, holding “a golden cup… full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication” (verse 4). The woman, “drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus” (verse 6) was also pictured as sitting upon “many waters”. John, the Beloved, who saw the vision of the woman sitting on the scarlet-coloured beast, was astonished at her appearance and apparel. He wondered with great amazement at what the woman and the beast symbolised. “And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns” (Revelation 17:7). One of the seven angels, pouring out the vials of God’s wrath observed that John was amazed at what he saw and offered to interpret the vision to him.

DEPICTION, POSITION AND PERVERSION OF THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS
(Revelation 17:1-6; 13:1-6; Deuteronomy 18:9-12; Jeremiah 25:6,7; 51:47-49; Ezekiel 8:5-18; 24:13,14; Matthew 4:10; Ephesians 5:5; 1 Timothy 4:1-3; Colossians 2:18; 1 John 5:21; 2 Thessalonians 2:3-12; Revelation 18:12-16,20-24)

Apostle John was invited to closely observe the judgment determined by God upon the whore: “And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters”. The judgment of the great whore and the inhabitants of the earth who have drunk the wine of her fornication is certain. Who does this whore (harlot) represent? A harlot or prostitute is an unfaithful and sensual woman who engages in sexual activity for money. The Scripture uses harlotry to express non-committal to a single person in relationship or involvement with multiple persons for filthy lucre. She is different from a faithful, upright and loyal woman who remains attached to her husband. In the Old Testament, Israel was portrayed as the wife of Jehovah (Isaiah 54:5; 62:5; Jeremiah 2:2,3) but her unfaithfulness to God made her to be tagged a whore or harlot (Hosea 2:2-13). In the New Testament, the true Church is pictured as the bride of Christ (2 Corinthians 11:2; Ephesians 5:25-30; Revelation 19:6-9). So, this “great whore that sitteth upon many waters” represents the unfaithful, false, apostate church – a worldwide church that loves the world instead of Christ (1 John 2:15-17). It is the nominal church that calls Christ “Lord, Lord” but would not follow His teachings (Luke 6:46). This is the counterfeit church that persecutes true followers of Christ (Matthew 23:34-38; Galatians 4:29). The apostate church will have world-wide control during the great tribulation. The religious system of the last days will be an unmistakable manifestation of Satan’s counterfeit of true Christianity.

Question 1: What does the “mother of abominations” represent?

The lewd and abandoned whore or harlot, representing the corrupt, unfaithful, idolatrous and apostate church of the last days will be influential during the great tribulation. Her position of sitting “upon many waters” shows her intercontinental perversion. “The waters where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues” (verse 15). Here, “waters” symbolise nations as explained in Revelation 17:15. This harlot or false religious system will have and exercise great, world-wide and sovereign power. Her position is that of a ruler seated on a throne, ruling and controlling the nations of the world. Historically, the apostate church had seduced the rulers of the earth, leading them to idolatry, false worship and corruption. Even today, many princes, nobles and great men are entirely under the influence of the corrupt, unrighteous religious organisation. “And the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication.” When the Lord showed Apostle John the Bride of Christ, He took him to a mountain, great and high. But when He showed him the apostate church, he was carried into the wilderness. “So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy.” Wherever there is spiritual adultery, there is desolation and a desert of dreary waste. Scarlet is the colour of luxury, splendour and royalty. The scarlet-coloured beast, the Antichrist, for a time will support and use the false religious system to bring about world unity. Eventually, he will openly bear names and titles of blasphemy. “And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls.” The woman, representing the church that has departed from the faith, is portrayed as a prostitute who has plied her trade successfully and become extremely wealthy. There is “a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication”. The life and secret acts of leaders and members in the apostate church are full of abominations, filthiness and all forms of uncleanness.

Question 2: What do the name and clothing of the great whore signify?

The name on the forehead of the harlot referred to spiritual Babylon, the mother or source of harlotry and abominations of the earth. The name identified the whore to be a religious system fostering and tolerating all the abominations that go with idolatry and spiritual fornication. As a harlot, she would promote the amalgamation of all false and Christ-less religion with a common purpose to defile and persecute the true Church. False religion has killed millions of believers over the centuries and the false religious system of the last days will be far deadlier than any that preceded it. “And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration” (verse 6). History tells us that Queen Mary was a religious woman who ruled England from July 1553 until her death in 1558. She was also known as “Bloody Mary” because under her reign, over 280 Christians were burnt at the stake because of their Christian stand. Believers will surely experience trials but the comfort of the Scripture is, “Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life” (Revelation 2:10).

Question 3: Describe the method used by “worldly churches” to draw people away from true gospel.

DESCRIPTION AND DESTINY OF THE ANTICHRIST (Revelation 17:7-13; 9:1-3; 13:1-18; 11:7; 2 Thessalonians 2:3-10; Daniel 7:7,8,20-26; 8:23-25; 11:36,45; 1 Timothy 4:1; Zechariah 1:18,19)

“The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit.” This refers to the Antichrist. He had an existence in the past (in the form of evil, wicked, anti-God government), but ceases to exist for a time. Then he would ascend from the bottomless pit, that is, he will be an incarnation of Satan and evil beyond anything ever seen before. He will embody all the terrorising traits of the ancient empires. “The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth” – undoubtedly referring to Rome, the seven-hilled city. The kingdom or government of the Antichrist will subdue and embody seven great kingdoms. His power will be great and supernaturally evil. He will conquer three more kingdoms. “And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings.” These ten kingdoms will be under the power of the Antichrist and form a great alliance with him. The beast carrying the woman is connected with that of Revelation chapter thirteen; the beast will flourish for a while but will eventually be destroyed (Revelation 17:10,11). “And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast. These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast” (Revelation 17:12,13). These ten horns on the seven-headed monster are united in the promotion of the same evil plan – to fight against Christ, the Lamb of God. These ten horns are ten kings which receive power to reign as kings one hour (for a brief period) with the beast (Revelation 17:12). The revived kingdoms of the end-time Roman Empire will be united in support and submission under the government of the Antichrist. The Antichrist will be so mighty and powerful as all the kings would give their power and strength to him. There is currently a high level of fraternity between the apostate church and the world. This is part of the satanic conspiracy to deceive multitudes and cause them to remain in wickedness which will lead to the eternal damnation of their souls. Believers must be wary of Satan’s subtle allurements which are aimed at inducing them to fall from steadfastness and faithfulness to the Lord. Christ’s warning remains, “Take heed that no man deceive you” (Matthew 24:4,5,11,24).
Question 4: Why is it needful for believers to be watchful in these last days?
As believers, we must not allow anyone to deceive us. Multitudes have been deceived from the simplicity of the gospel and have fallen into a false system of worship that permits a worshipper to call Jesus “Lord, Lord” but do not the things which He says. They blindly follow leaders who “promise them liberty”, but “they themselves are the servants of corruption”. Such people who follow the pernicious way will, no doubt, partake of the judgment reserved for the mother of abominations. The judgment of all who sell their souls to the apostate church and false religions will be terrible, fearful and eternal. The path of wisdom today is to repent genuinely and have faith in the atoning sacrifice of Jesus.

DEFEAT AND DESTRUCTION OF THE ANTICHRIST AND APOSTATES (Revelation 17:14-18; 16:14,19; 19:15-20; Psalms 2:1-5; 21:8-12; 110:5; 149:5-9; Jeremiah 51:13; Micah 5:7-9; 1 Corinthians 15:24; Isaiah 14:27; Revelation 16:19; Romans 8:37)

“These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.” The ten kings and the Antichrist shall join forces to make war with the Lamb but He shall overcome them. As believers, we should rest assured that the Antichrist and his mighty army will fight against the Lamb but will not prevail. Christ must reign till all enemies are put under His feet. Though there are and will be myriads of opposition against His kingdom, He is sure to have the victory. Though many affronts may be raised by the enemy to frustrate us on our heavenward journey, we are more than conquerors through Jesus our Saviour (Romans 8:37). Christ’s victory is certain and predetermined over all forces of evil, the power and army of the Antichrist. Christ is Lord of lords and King of kings. He has supreme power over all the earth, and all kings and powers will be conquered and subdued under Him.

Question 5: What assurance does a believer have considering Satan’s inspired onslaughts against the Church?

“And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth” (verse 18). The woman represents mystery Babylon, religious Babylon, that is, the apostate church with all systems of false religion. The false worship of mystery Babylon, the mother of abominations, will influence and control the minds of multitudes of people on earth. The Antichrist will use the false prophet who will perform deceptive miracles and lying wonders to sway, win and hold the minds of men. After achieving his purpose, gaining control over the whole world, the Antichrist and his political alliance will turn against the religious movement of Babylon. Religious Babylon will be destroyed. “And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire” (verse 16). The Antichrist will eventually strip religious Babylon of its formidable power. Such destruction and overthrow of false religion is ordained by God; “For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled” (verse 17). And when God’s purposes are fulfilled, the beast and his alliance shall go into perdition. Believers should be determined to make the rapture so that they will not be here when all these things begin to happen. Let those who profess Christ commit the keeping of their souls unto Him who is able to save us to the uttermost.

Pa Syndey Elton and the prophetic destiny of Nigeria

Dr. Sunday Adelaja.Pa Sydney Granville Elton was a towering apostolic and prophetic vessel in the hand of God specifically for Nigeria. This man lived in Nigeria for 50 years from 1937 to 1987, you can say he gave his life for Nigeria. Before he died he made this profound prophetic declaration about Nigeria.Pa Elton was no stranger to the prophetic. When he was a young man growing up in England God specifically spoke to him to move over to Nigeria and locate a town by the name of Ilesha. He searched and low and behold, he found such a town in Nigeria, it’ll be home for the next 50 years of his life.When he got to Ilesha, he became a part of an ongoing revival there led by Apostle Ayo Babalola. He ended up becoming a mentor to Apostle Babalola, and many other known Christian leaders in Nigeria. He was the spiritual father of Archbishop Benson Idahosa.Benson Idahosa testified of how God specifically gave him the name  Ilesha and told him to go look for a white man there who will mentor him. There are other great names that came out of Pa Elton’s prophetic revelation to raise up future Christian leaders from Nigerian universities.The list of names that came out of that obedience is impressive; Pastor E.A Adeboye, W.F Kumuyi, Emeka Nwakpa, Gbile Akanni, Francis Wale Oke etc. His only daughter Ms Ruth, just like her father gave her life for the service of humanity in Nigeria. She got a Nigerian passport and refused to marry or move back to England.Listen to his prophecy about Nigeria and Nigerians: “Nigeria and Nigerians will be known all over the world for corruption. Your name Nigeria will stink for corruption but after a while, a new phase will come a phase of righteousness. People from the nations of the earth will hold to a Nigerian and say, We want to follow you to your nation to go and learn righteousness.”

I believe that just as this man saw it in the spirit years back, Nigeria is presently going through that phase of shame and humiliation. I hope we will not give up on ourselves thereby spoiling the purpose of God for us as a nation. The name Nigeria is not only stinking to those afar but as we see today that it’s now having a bad odour to Nigerians themselves, such that many are now clamouring for any other state other than Nigeria.If we however can only persevere through these hard and difficult times, I’m certain there’ll be light at the end of the tunnel. Every dark night no matter how dark will eventually end up in a new dawn. I believe better days are still ahead for Nigeria, I pray we shall live to see and partake in those days in Jesus name.Dear Nigerians, our population is one of the greatest things that has ever happened to us. Our population is our trump card. If we had not had the population we have, things would have been gloomy for us. It is a pity that Nigerians talk more about tribalism and other things dividing us instead of celebrating the beauty and the majesty we possess, thanks to the fact that we are together. It is a pity that some parts of Nigeria now talk of breaking away. It is a shame that some Nigerians now see fellow Nigerians as enemies.It is unacceptable that there is now fights for separation in Biafra, Oduduwa nations all over the land. This is unacceptable, for it is aimed at bringing down one of the countries that have the capacity of becoming one of the greatest in the world, just by diversity of size and population alone. In the case of Africa it will be detrimental because this is the only country that has the real potential to fly the flag of the black race to greatness.Just for comparison, let’s assume that the United States of America did not have the population it has, let’s say it had only 30 million people, there is no way they would have become the super power of the world that they are today, neither economically nor militarily.Small nations don’t become super powers, not economically or militarily. That is why when America was smaller and consisted of only 13 states, they embarked on a mission of buying and taking over more lands and territories for the purpose of becoming a super power in the future. That is what led to the addition of other territories like Texas, California, Florida, Colorado, Porto Rico, to the entity of the United States of America, making them a super nation on the earth.In the history of the world at large, almost all nations went to war only for this purpose to expand their territory and population. It was obvious to them then just as it is to us today that only countries with bigger populations and bigger territories will be respected and honoured in the world.Can you imagine Russia being a super power without its population? When Russia was a super power, there were about 300 million people as well. After losing half of that population, Russia is not the same anymore even though they are still a large nation of almost 150 million people. As the case may be, if Russia had 10 million or 20 million people, their production capacity would not have been able to pull them through to become a super power.Only large populations create large economies. I know there are Nigerians who will say they don’t need a big country neither do they need a superpower nation, that they only need to eat and drink now. What if the Chinese have said the same thing at their trying hour, what if Americans have been satisfied with only 13 states, none of them would have become the beacon of hope they presently are to the world.Egocentrism and selfishness are what have brought Nigeria to the state she is in now, and it’s that same selfishness that makes people say just give me what to eat I care less for a great nation. This mentality of instant gratification is what is killing Nigeria, no matter how many smaller nations we are divided into we will take this demon with us. Great nations we run to for economic refuge were not built by people who thought about themselves and what to eat or drink only.Hence JFK the former President of America says not to ask for what your country could do for you but rather ask what you could do for your country. This is the mentality we need to build a great Nigeria. We need to begin to see the big picture in regards to the future of Nigerian, we need to know that we must sacrifice today to get a greater tomorrow.By the way, what we call hardship in Nigeria today is nothing compared to the hard price paid by those who built the nations we admire today, be it in Europe, America or Asia. Government doesn’t build great nations, only citizens do. Nigerians must stop their mindset of waiting for the government to do everything for them and begin to take charge of their nation’s themselves, just as they do in developed countries.There are many factors that make great nations great. The most important of those factors is the population. Are you not glad that Nigeria has that in abundance, why should we break that away into smaller, insignificant segments whatever it’s called; Oduduwa republic, Biafra or Arewa republics? Apart from the production power of a huge population like China, there is also the vantage position of their purchasing power.Still taking China, for example, people used to say China has the largest number of poor people in the world, but that was only a matter of time. In fact, right now, the events of the last few decades and the rapid development of the Chinese economy has left no one in doubt that China indeed is the future of our world.It is on its way to overcoming the USA to become the strongest and largest economy in the world. The same thing with India. Even though there is a large number of poor people in India today, it also has one of the largest number of millionaires, the same as China. The same will be the story with Nigeria,  the Nigerian economy will recover and become like China or India sooner or later.If China or India had given up on their nations while they were the capitals of poverty in the world then they won’t have the results they have today. The tide shall turn for Nigeria too, nothing remains the same forever, change is the only constant in life, we won’t be the poverty capital of the world forever. By 2050 Nigeria will become one of the largest economies in the world this is the projection of the World Bank.Today India, not minding the fact that it is a developing country, now ranks as the 4th largest economy in the world. This is all thanks to their population. Nigeria and Nigerians therefore should be rejoicing and bragging about their good fortune to have managed to live together with so many diverse nations under one umbrella.Have you ever heard of The European Union coming together? Why do you think they did so? Do you think they had no reason in doing that? No, my friends, it is because they know the power and the strength of numbers. They know the place of the population in human development. Small, small nations even if they are 50, scattered all over Europe, are weak and defeatable without the strength of a combined population. They are vulnerable economically and militarily.We don’t need to begin to go through that process of bringing tribes and ethnic groups together all over again in Nigeria. It is already done for us either by chance or default. Whatever the case might be, Nigerians should be some of the most hopeful people on the planet, especially if we get our act together politically and economically.It is my firm belief that our nation Nigeria is just on the verge of announcing her arrival on the world stage as the Rising Sun of the new age. This is not the time for us to begin to use tribalism to pull ourselves down. It is not the time for us to begin to lay emphasis on our old and outdated stereotypes, blaming one tribe or the other for all the woes of our nation.Lastly, some people tell me, “But you are in Ukraine and Ukraine broke away from Russia, why do you not want Nigeria to do the same? Yes. Countries that broke away from Russia were fifteen. But do you know by name any of them right now? They broke away into insignificance, troubles, and instabilities.Hope you know what is happening in Ukraine right now? Have you heard about the civil war in Ukraine after they broke away from Russia? As Ukraine broke away from Russia, some parts of Ukraine are now fighting to also break away from Ukraine. It has already happened in Yugoslavia, Yugoslavia was a respected country until the voice of secession began to raise its ugly head.Today, you can hardly remember the names of the new nations, their plight has only worsened the direct opposite of what they aimed to get. There is no end to secession, as seen in the example of Yugoslavia once a country disintegrates, it continues to disintegrate.It was Kosovo that started the call for independence, but that one secession didn’t stop there, it led to Croatia clamouring for their independence too, once they are gone Slovenia became the next one. Now we have Republic of Serbia, Montenegro, Republic of North Macedonia. Bosnia and Hercegovina, they all have one thing in common, once glorious now unnoticed, unknown, unsung and ingloriousIt is true, countries indeed broke away from Russia, but they all broke away into insignificance, some into oblivion. Russia, still remains great until now. When they were part of something big, their strength was unmatched and they could not be conquered.I have made a strong argument in this article against the disintegration of Nigeria. I am convinced that secession is not nearly the end of Nigeria’s problems, it would rather be the beginning.If God forbid Biafra or Oduduwa manage to break away from Nigeria, that might only be the beginning of sorrow, because they too might end up breaking down into smaller segments, it’ll be good if they do without bitter civil wars among themselves. It’ll be a tale of woes and gory.Throughout these 20 articles,(check my facebook wall for previous) I have tried to make a case for why Nigeria is better together. I have tried my best to present arguments why Yorubas are better off in Nigeria.There is no doubt that we can create a great nation, a world superpower together. If all the 371 tribes in Nigeria bring together their strengths we can make the case for the black race. We can overcome all our challenges. We can stick together to create a better and greater Nigeria.Many countries have stuck together to resolve their problems. East and West Germany were two troubled states, but they chose to heal from the bitterness and hatred that was passed down their throats. They chose to heal from the wounds of a bitter war.As a result of that choice, Germany is a world Superpower today. Nigeria too can do the same. Nigeria can heal from the wounds of our present divides. Nigeria can move from the pains of our economic failure, overcome the bandits and the kidnappings. Nigeria can choose to be a nation in brotherhood,if we do this, Nigeria will one day sit on the same table as America, England, China, France, India and other great nations as equals. It is our place to carry the flag for the black race and become the pride of Africa and all Africans everywhere.Dr Sunday Adelaja is the Nigerian born  founder and senior pastor of the Embassy of the Blessed Kingdom of God for All Nations, an evangelical–charismatic megachurch and a Christian denomination in Kyiv, Ukraine.

Related posts:

1. God is preparing a young man to take Nigeria to destiny-Apostle Alfred Williams …says, blame the church for Buhari’s failure  
2. Prophetic update: What God is saying about US elections ..see video

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Kumuyi appreciates Deeper Life youths, says “We are ready to embrace new ideas”

General Superintendent of Deeper Life Bible Church, Pastor Williams Kumuyi has expressed great appreciation and thanks to young people who…3 days ago

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