Ephe 5:8: For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light

Jesus has made us the lights of the world. Light signifies glory and greatness. That is who you are in Christ. You are a winner, you are a blessing and you are a star. You are free from the sorrow of darkness . I wish I could tell you to live happily ever after but the truth is that your light does not exist in a problem-free vacuum. But “The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it” (Lk 1:5).

Your light exists in the midst of stubborn darkness that is continuously fighting to stop your light. But in as much as the light continues to shine, darkness will not overcome it. The power of the light to subdue darkness is in shining!

To shine is to purposeful reveal who you are! You are the light of the world. If the light is also the word of God, you are the revelation and the fulfilment of God’s word in the word. To shine your light is to live the Word! Your victory over the sorrow, failure, and pain of darkness does not come only by believing in the Word of God but by keeping the Word.

Jesus commands “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matt 5:16). The force of your light is not your big car or your expensive clothing, it is your good works! Your kindness, love, humility, honesty, and diligence. The glory of your light is not your material possessions but what you do that makes people glorify your God!

“Let your light so shine before men”. Thus the responsibility of the exhibition of good characters is in your hands. Arise, Shine! (Isa 60:1). You have to decide and strive to be truthful and godly in all your affairs. If you believe you are a light then behave as a light.

Unfortunately many of us prayerfully rejects the darkness of failure and sorrow but secretly embrace the darkness of unfaithfulness, dishonesty, greed and unforgiveness. “But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness” (1 jhn 2:11). Whenever you comprise your good character, you are submitting your light to the darkness of defeat.

Why are you happy to be called a glorious star but you don’t want anyone to talk against your improper behaviour? If you are enjoying your trips to the darkness of sin don’t be surprised to see your light darkened. Greatness and right character are two sides of a coin in the kingdom of light. In the scripture, Joseph first exhibited his light of holiness, kindness, diligence and godliness before his light of greatness was revealed. for the fruit of the Light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth” (Ephe 5:9)

Psa 112:10 talks about the blessings of a man who fears the lord- Wealth and riches shall be in his house. But this man is also gracious, compassionate, and will guide his affairs with discretion or carefulness. Therefore he shall not be moved forever. That you are light is the reason you cannot be careless, lazy, stingy, and stupid. Walk in the light!

Your sun shall not set in Jesus name!

“Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him For the help of His countenance.
Psalms 42:5

There are people who feel hopeless because of knowing what to do but not accomplishing their desires. Hope is what keeps them going and they have their hope in God knowing He′ll see them through... “My soul, wait silently for God alone, For my expectation is from Him.
Psalms 62:5

But hope when increased is then what I regard as having graduated to faith as seen in the definition of faith -

“Now faith is the substance of things HOPED for, the evidence of things not seen.“
Hebrews 11:1

Their sense of hopelessness made them feel they could never make it and so no point trying again. But as people of faith, one should not stay in such a state of Hopelessness. Amen!

However, negative thoughts, words are usually the causes of this failure(s). Wrong words backed with wrong thoughts bring about failure.

Discouragement destroys hope. Failure easily leads to more failure. And once we allow our minds to say, “this is the way it will always be, “ the devil has won a victory over us. But, Hope does not disappoint....Rom 5:5

“Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
Rom 5:5

We can push these negative thoughts aside and say, “With Your help, Lord Jesus, I can make it.

Your expectations shall not be cut short. Prov 23:18

Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee. (Isa 60:1-2) For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee.

If you have ever had a dream, if you have ever had a vision, if you ever had any aspiration Isaiah 60 is talking to you.
The Bible speaking in Matthew 5:15 says “Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house,” The essence of light is to light up the earth. As Christians we have been called to an incredible life of excellence. The way to live out that excellence is to be so infectious in spreading positivity that even if the devil came in contact with us he runs the risk of becoming a Christian. We have been asked by God to shine our lights on earth so that other people can shine by our lights.

In spite of this instruction, very often, a couple of things represent impediments to our shining. They stop us from heeding the call of the Almighty God with regards to Isa 60: 1-2. Such impediments are many but let us examine a few.

Laziness: Laziness is one of the many reasons why many believers do not amount to much. “The slothful man says, There is a lion outside, I shall be slain in the streets.” (Prov 22:13). Fear and laziness are critical reasons why many Christians are not shining.

The second reason is Prayerlessness. When we give our lives to Jesus Christ, we immediately become a focal point for the devil who would then try desperately to get us and attack us. The only way we can escape the devil’s attack as Christians is by being prayerful.

Another hindrance is Sin. Sin is a waster. Sin can easily destroy the capacity of a man to live out the fullness of his potentials. This was evidently the reason Joseph fled on the day when he was to be lured by Portiphar’s wife. If you want to shine like a million stars, avoid sin like a plague. The Bible says “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Rom 6:23)

Lastly, lack of Faith. Faith is a very valuable instrument in the journey of every believer. In order to shine you need an abiding faith in what the word of God says about you.

Happy new month.

In a secular world like ours, it’s quite easy to leave God out of the training of Children.

Many parents aspire to give their Children good and sound education that will make them proud, comfortable, happy and fulfilled when they are old. Yet, they forget that for any Child to turn out well in life, he/she must be raised in the fear of God. If you want your child to become great in life, then you must nurture him/her for Christ.

Understand that the Child you actually called your own belongs to God. (Ps. 127:3; Gen. 33:5). He graciously gave them to you so that you can care and nurture them in His way from the womb to adulthood. Hence, you must give them a Godly upbringing from cradle. Help him/her to surrender his/her life to Jesus Christ early in life, and teach him/her to honor and fear God through explicit obedience to His word.
Also, help him/her to learn to depend on God always through prayer and faith. Make him/her follow this way of the Lord by your instruction and exemplary life of holiness.
Moreover, help him/her to discover and develop his/her talents, abilities, capabilities and spiritual gifts, and to deploy these potentials to serving God and humanity.

God expect you to nurture your Child for Jesus Christ.
So, if you want to reap the benefits and blessings of having a Godly Child such as Timothy or Samuel, you must make it your sacred duty to nurture your Child for Jesus Christ.

These are the benefits and blessings of nurturing your Child for Jesus Christ:

You will have peace and longetivity. (Prov. 3:1-2

You will have rest of mind and comfort for your soul (Prov.29:17)

You will have a happy and obedient Child. (Eph. 6:1)

You will secure your Child for eternity with Jesus Christ in heaven. (Matt.19:14)

Your hands will be free of his/her blood. (Ezekiel 33:9)

God is counting on you as a Christian Parent to nurture your Child not just to be successful in academics or career but also to become very useful for in His kingdom.
Remember, you are your Child caregiver, and you will give accounts to God who gave them to you. God expects you to be kind and care for them.

Therefore, nurture your Child for Jesus Christ so that you’ll be guiltless of his/her blood on the day of reckoning.

The health benefit of a lemon includes the fact that:

It cures throat infection, indigestion, constipation and respiratory disorder.

It helps to strengthen the immune system, cleanse the system and it is considered as a blood purifier.

It serves as a treatment for kidney stones

It serves as a refreshing drink. Lemonades help to stay cool and calm.

It has nourishing elements like vitamin B and C

It prevents strokes and lower body temperature.

It helps to prevent diabetes

People use lemons to make lemonade drink by mixing lemon juice and water.

Also, people also use it as washing agent because it has ability to remove stains.

The scent of lemon can also repel mosquito.

I bless the name of the Lord for not allowing evil prophecy to come to pass in my life and marriage. He made His word come to pass in my life. Also, I bless God on behalf of the church for answered prayers.
-Mummy Odunuga.

During the 10th year anniversary, the word of the Lord came from the man of God to me concerning my health; I claimed it. Immediately, I received my healing miracle. Halleluyah!
-Mummy Soyode

I asked God for some things in the place of prayer, the Lord heard my cry and answer my prayers.
-Mummy Yahaya

The first time we came to this church, we were in tears, but today, the Lord has turned our sorrow to joy.
-Mummy Grace Lawrence

During the journey of my pregnancy, there were false prophecies but God turned them around positively for me. I′v delivered safely. Praise God.
- Sis. Adebowale Damilola

I bless God for His faithfulness in my life and family. The Lord also fought my battles for me.
-Sis. Adetutu Filani

I bless God for another year of my birthday.
-Oyindamola Taiwo

I thank God on behalf of the church and my Pastor’s wife.
-Mama joy

I bless God for His goodness and mercy and for the strength to overcome my challenges.
-Sis. Issac

I bless God for the success of my wedding. I also appreciate the church for their support.
-Sis. Lola

I bless God for His mercy and for His protection. This month is my 10th year wedding anniversary.
-Sis. Folake Akinwunmi

I bless God for adding a year to my birthday.
-Makinde Oyinromola

I thank God on behalf of my mummy. This month is her birthday.
-Inioluwa Kuti

I bless God on behalf of myself and brother Iteoluwa. This month is our birthday.
-Inioluwa Akinlolu

O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is;

To see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary.

Jesus, speaking to the unbusiness-like approach of Mary when he visited Mary and Martha in Luke 10:38-42 Said “…But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part”. When I see Christians chasing after the things that do not matter I feel a sense of bewilderment. Dear reader, to do well in life and particularly in this kingdom we need an urgent sense of prioritization. If there are two things that matter in this kingdom, power does. Glory does; and a combination of the two represents a great deal of eternal blessing.

First why exactly do you need power and why do you need glory? The first thing Jesus promised after conversion of the brethren and reception of the Holy Ghost is power… “…But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea” (Act 1:8). See the sequence- receive power and then go out and witness. So, that passage of the Bible is basically saying you shouldn’t even witness Christ if you have not activated your heavenly power yet. Why? -Because wickedness is real. I tell you the truth brethren; oppression of the enemy is real. The bible says “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” (Eph 6:12) No physical man without any heavenly help can wrestle against powers, rulers of darkness and win. The chances are way too slim; may be nil.

Why do you need glory? Glory was what God promised as a reward for giving our all in exchange for the cross. And the Bible says it very clearly “And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.” (Rev 5:10). If we do not see glory till we meet Jesus it would entirely be our fault and we would have grossly misrepresented Jesus on the earth for glory is the very essence of God as revealed on the Mount of Transfiguration. Glory is the natural by-product of walking with Jesus. Why should the moon stay so closely to the sun and never shine? God speaking through prophet Isaiah in Isaiah 60: 1 says “Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee.”. If your glory is not beaming, it is most likely you are very far from the source of your shining- God.

But how do we become empowered and begin to shine by His glory at once?
First, you need the Holy Ghost. It is important for us to accept as believers that without the Holy Ghost we are not worth much. The Bible speaks of the enabling power of the Holy Spirit in Acts 10:38 of … “How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him”. You see, even the capacity to do good as ordinary as it may seem is lacking when you do not have the Holy Spirit. Permit me to say therefore that man is basically a devil’s possession without the Holy Spirit.

Second, to be empowered of God requires that we tarry in prayer. Is it not instructive that Jesus, in spite of his being God, still had to pray? Prayer is humility and submission to God. As Christians and particularly in this season of fasting we should learn to pray more.

Lastly, people who want to shine in life must learn self denial. Let me have you know dear reader that since God experienced the disappointment of Saul, God has stopped taking people to the throne without first trying them in the wilderness. He sent Joseph to Portiphar’s house and then to jail. After he had been proven he took him to the palace. He sent David to the wilderness and then the Cave of Adullam and even made him face a bear and a lion and then Goliath. After he was proven he made him king over Israel. Do you remember the prophesy through our father in the Lord this year? He said “2020 is going to be a year of many victories and there can not be victories without battles” In the agenda of God battles are to test and prove us as axes in the hands of mighty warrior.

If you desire this year; to be a champion you need the Holy Spirit very badly, you will need to pray and lastly you should prepare very well to confront the tests of faith. But be of good cheer because you have already won.

Happy new month.

Worry is disquieting thought, fear, care and anxiety about known realities and unknown future realities. It is deadly and has nothing positive to offer its victims other than load them with stress, disability and disease.
Worry wrecks havoc on your health. When you worry, you feel a rush of adrenaline; your heart rate and blood pressure go up. Once this happen, you at increased risk of numerous health problems.

In addition, worry makes the liver to produce excess cholesterol, which causes serious health issues like heart attack and stroke.
Worry is a choice. So choose not to worry by casting all your cares on God. He cares for you.

Successful Parenting attracts great dividends:
Nothing on earth gives greater delight than the sight of balanced and properly trained Child living in God’s purpose for his/her life. Child training is an investment that pays far greater dividends than any other investment and it is the most fulfilling job which God himself rewards. Great men and women of worth in all ages have attributed their success in life to good parenting. If we spend quality time and resources to train our children now,they will ever live to appreciate us, just like the children in Proverb 31 did.

We can be rest assured that anywhere our children find themselves they will stand for God and make us proud as parents.
If we raise our children in God’s way, they will become assets to us, the church and to the nation.

Finally, they will make it to heaven if they continue in the Godly we have shown them. For Parents who felt they have missed it in this area, it is not too late to start again. God is ever ready to help you. God’s instruction to us is to train our children in the way of the Lord so that when they are old, they will not depart from it.
May God help us not to fail in this task and help us to escape the consequences of ineffective parenting in our old age in Jesus name.

I thank God for His mercies on me and my family. Also for giving me good health I praise God.
-Bro. Femi

I bless God for His faithfulness and gift of life for me and my family. The Lord healed my Sister. He also granted my husband and our daughter the grace to see another year of their birth.
-Sis. Ehbodaghe

I bless God for the gift of life and for fighting all my battles for me.
-Sis. Isaac

The Lord granted me the grace to see another year of my birthday. Halleluyah
-Mummy Soyode

I bless God for healing me and for another year of my Son’s birthday.
-Sis. Chiekezie

I thank God for His faithfulnesss and for fighting my battles for me. Also thank God for protecting my mother.
-Sis. Bassey

I bless the name of the Lord that in 2019, I did not bury my children. God has been so faithful.
-Sis. Fanda

I thank God for the salvation of my soul and for another year of my birthday.
-Bro. Ehbodaghe.

I thank God for healing me from chronic asthma.
-Bro. Elijah

I bless God for the journey of 2019, though it was challenging but God protected me and my family.
-Sis. Amaka

I thank God for journey mercy and for husband’s birthday.
-Sis. Judith

I bless God for healing my mother.
-Gift Chiekezie

I thank God for safe delivery and for adding another year of my birthday.
-Sis. Akande

I thank God for His faithfulness and for fighting my battles for me.
-Mrs Semiu

I thank God for mercy and for saving my family from fire accident.
-Sis. Omobola

I bless God for good health, protection on me and my family.
-Mama John

I thank God for His protection on me and my family. Also, the Lord saved me from accident.
-Bro. Ambrose

I thank God for my birthday. Victory Omonua.

I bless God for His faithfulness since I joined this church. Also, the Lord turned things around for good for me.
-Bro. Lawrence

I bless God on behalf my family especially my father who God healed. Also, God has expanded my business.
-Bro. Jembola

People were sacked from my office but I was not affected. I also thank God for the promotion of my husband.
-Sis. Ronke

I had an issue in my office sometimes last year and I was placed on suspension but God stepped in and I was restored back to my job.
-Bro. Akande