“…I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10)

The will of God in Christ Jesus for us is to live and have life abundantly. God is not an authoritarian nor a dictator but a creator. He is a creator whose word is perfect. He is the Commanding commander, Healing healer also an Unchanging changer. God is referred to and He has demonstrated many times, He is still demonstrating as a Longsuffering God and that testifies to the fact that the Almighty Creator is neither an authoritarian nor a dictator because no dictator can be identified as longsuffering. The Bible declares in John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” God is concerned for us having life but if you cannot concur with His concern you have condemned yourself unto losing life. God wants us to live as the year, month, week, and days rolls on He does want us to have life and to have it more abundantly. Jesus clearly stated when He declared to us, “…I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10) How are you living in order to have the life that He has come to give? It does matter that we live according to the will of the Lord of Host, the Ancient of days, the only God that inhabits eternity. To live according to His will is to fear Him. Jesus was quoting from Deuteronomy 8:3, in response to the Satan during the time of wilderness temptations, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.”(Matthew 4:4) For us to live, we are to live by every word, not the word that is most convenient, not only the word that we chose to live but by every word that comes from the mouth of God. Do you wonder why the word of God is so important to live? The word of God is the power of God and also is the power from God that is enough to navigate in the journey of life. The power that is in the word of God is the power that created the world, Jeremiah 51:15, “He has made the earth by His power; He has established the world by His wisdom, and stretched out the heaven by His understanding.” Remember, there was no record of Him using a bulldozer or caterpillar or hiring any contractor in creating the earth as recorded in Genesis chapters 1 and 2 but by the same word of His mouth that has been given to us. Why not take the word and embrace it with constant and consistent mediation then wait to see the result?
The word of God is power to create and to deliver. It is written, “He sent His word and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.” (Psalm 107:20) The word that comes out of His mouth is still answering just like it was at the beginning. God testifies to His word, “So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.”(Isaiah 55:11) The word of God has to be constantly operated and not just to be quoted or interpreted. Also the word of God is not for decoration but declaration when any situation or confrontation demands. Apostle Paul could not keep to himself alone but recommended the word as the only Building builder when he stated, “So now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.”(Acts 20:32) Do not be reduced but be built up to posses your inheritance.
OPERATING THE WORD: Deuteronomy 30:14, “But the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may do it.” All that makes the word to work is when you do the word; the word will do for you exceedingly and abundantly. Are you doing the word? Doing the word is to believe the word. Believing the word of God is behaving the word. Receive the word of God, believe it and behave it then you are set for exploit because the word of God will do for you in this world. God encourages us through Joshua, “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. (Joshua 1:8). The book of Law, which is the word of God and not of any man, is the will of God for us to have life. Until, we are able to live by every word of God, the world of wickedness continues in its exploits. Simon and his fellow fishermen, after overnight toiling with no single catch had an encounter with the word of God. The word of God sounded in their direction stating, “…launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch” (Luke 5:4) At the sound of His word, a catch settled all night toiling with abundance. Ask for the grace of His word to sound in your direction and the grace to receive and live by every word that comes out of the mouth of God. With His word you are bound to have a year, month, week, of celebration.

FAITH CAPSULE:
For us to live, we are to live by every word of God.
All that makes the word to work is when we do the word.
‘Tunde

                                       TWO DIFFRENT LIGHTS

“…But if one walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.” (John 11:10)

 
Jesus, on His way to go and raise Lazarus from dead, responded to His disciples concern for His safety stating, “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. But if one walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.” (John 11:9-10) Clearly, the response of Jesus identifies that there are two kinds of lights. The light of this world and the indwelling light that abides inside of a man. The two lights do have different assignments and they function differently.
The light of this world: This is a light that cannot enter into man to operate. It is on the outside and only operates on the outside. It is a light that operates on limited time. It can only help in the day time. It is a light that shares time with darkness for darkness to have its place. When its time for the light to pack up, navigating in the ark can be overwhelming and make one to become a dead package through stumbling. Evidently, the light of this world can only carry through on the wilderness journey at a very limited distance.
The indwelling light: This is the light of all lights. It is the unlimited light that cannot be displaced or denied from operating. The indwelling light does not have time limitation because it inhabits time. The indwelling light is a light that has life and also gives life. The indwelling light comes from the Word of God. It is written in Psalm 119:130. “The entrance of Your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple.” Do you wonder who the simple are? The book of Proverbs gave the answer where it stated, “The simple believes every word…” (Proverbs 14:15) When one becomes a believer the word of God that generates undeniable light will have its place. A believer is the one that after hearing the word behaves the word. The unbeliever is the one that knows about the word; quotes the word and never lives or behaves the word of God. The book of John talks about the light that is in the Word of God, “In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend.” (John 1:4-5)
This same light, Isaiah prophesied about it, “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, upon them a light has shinned.”(Isaiah 9:3)   Just as Isaiah made mention of the light, other scriptural verses could not overlook mentioning about the light that is the Word. Zechariah stated, “It shall be one day which is known to the LORD—neither day nor night. But at evening time it shall happen that it will be light.” (Zechariah 14:7) The book of Revelation also talks about the light, “The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light. And the nations of those who are saved shall walk in its light, and the kings of the earth bring their glory and honor into it.Its gates shall not be shut at all by day (there shall be no night there).”(Revelation 21:23-25) Jesus is the light of God and the Lamb of God. In Him there will be a time it is all going to be about the light and not a seasonal light celebration.  
Jesus is the light that dwells in one; Jesus is the only reason for the season and not the light of decoration. Jesus also testifies, “…I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness but have the light of life.”(John 8:12) It does not matter the magnitude of the darkness before you, that darkness will not stand but will give the right of way to the indwelling light. The light of God that inhabits the word of God has been from the beginning and it shall be forever. The light knows the end from the beginning – let the light have a place in you.  
By becoming one with the indwelling light, no darkness can make one to stumble because it is the light that darkness gives up ways unto. Why not take to the Word of God and turn darkness out of your way of life? Today, open the door of your heart for the Word to come in and dwell. Become a believer and not an unbeliever (mouth believer).
Pray and ask God for grace that opens up the door of the heart so that the Word may have its place in your life.  
 
FAITH CAPSULE:
A believer is the one that after hearing the word behaves the word.
Unbeliever is the one that knows about the word; quotes the word and never lives or behaves the word of God.
Take to the Word of God and turn darkness out of your way of life.
 
Tunde.

“Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Praise the LORD!” (Psalm 150:6)

God will not thank God neither will He praise Himself. The Bible makes us to realize by stating, “Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Praise the LORD!” (Psalm 150:6) He created us and gives us breath and that confirms that the purpose of our living is to praise God at all the time. As long as there is breath there should be non-stop praise worship. Praising God could be anywhere, anytime or in any situation. Psalmist testifies, “Seven times a day I will praise You…” Praising Him can never be too much. One can choose to praise Him loud or quiet as long as He is being praise with understanding. The understanding is that, “God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and in truth.” (John 4:24) Praise God in spirit and it will provoke His presence to take over in every area of our challenge. Praise is where God inhabits. (Psalm 22:3) Why not praise rather than probe Him by act of complain or murmuring? Why not praise rather than provoke Him by act of discouragement and putting on the garment of depression? Let all your actions be rooted in the flow of praise because God is a God of knowledge; and by Him actions are weighed. (1 Samuel 2:3) There is power in praising God and praising God cannot be separated from thanking God. It is written, “Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. (Psalm 100:4) The Bible talks about giving thanks always for all things, “Giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Ephesians 5:20) Are you giving thanks for all things or only things that you get the way you want it to be? Are you getting what you want and turning back to the giver without thanksgiving? Could it be that you are forgetting to give thanks where it is appropriate? Are you one that will wait to get what you want before giving thanks? The book of Romans states, “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.”(Romans 8:28) When there is love for God, there will be the understanding to thank God for all things. The one that thank God for all things will have all things work together for good. God always expecting our thanksgiving and this is evident in the documentation of Jesus and ten lepers that were healed. When ten lepers were healed, “…one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, and with a loud voice glorified God.” (Luke 17:15) One lepers return to give thanks with a loud voice prompted Jesus’ response, “Were there not any found who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?” And He said to him, “Arise, go your way. Your faith has made you well.” (Luke 17:18-19) Only God knows how long the returned leper has been trusting God for his healing before Jesus spoke healing into his life. The important point here is that he was able to go back and offer the sacrifice of thanksgiving. Also, he was not thinking thanksgiving in his heart but gave thanks with a loud voice. Jesus’ response testifies to the fact that He was waiting for the lepers to return for thanksgiving. Just as He waited for the leper to return for thanks giving, so He is waiting for us to return and give thanks. Return and do not wait till the year is out. Give thanks for all year long prayer request manifestation. Have you been trusting God for any miracle that is yet in your hand? Provoke the hand of God by thanking Him expressively for the prayers that are not yet manifested. God performs in prayer and perfect in thanks giving. One leper went back for thanksgiving and Jesus added perfection to his healing deliverance. Consider this month your month of thanks giving and your coming month will become your month of manifestation. Thanking God before prayer manifestation is exercising faith to provoke God’s hand on your behalf. Give your all to God in praising and thanking God. Praising and giving thanks is attending to God. The antidote of jealousy is giving attention. Remember, God is a jealous God and getting Him to attend to you is inhabited in giving unto Him a ceaseless praise worship and consistent thanksgiving.

FAITH CAPSULE:
Why not praise rather than probe Him by act of complain or murmuring?
Are you giving thanks for all things or only things that you get the way you want it to be?
Tunde

 “… just as you have spoken in My hearing, so I will do to you…”(Numbers 14:28)
 
A journey that should have taken eleven days went on and on for forty years. It did not take forty hours or forty days. Neither did it take forty weeks or forty months, but forty years. It should have taken the children of Israel eleven days to travel through the wilderness to get to their Promised Land, but the journey went on for forty years. Are you in a situation where you are wandering around in the wilderness?
WILDERNESS JOURNEY
The wilderness is a place that you pass through to get to your Promised Land. It is not a place where you settle down and live like the children of Israel did. A wilderness journey is not a journey that you plan for, but a journey that positions you for the plan of God to be carried out in your life. A wilderness journey is a journey of trials and temptations and it is the only avenue that leads from the promise of God to God’s Promised Land. An attempt to avoid a wilderness journey will make a believer become a wanderer and not a wonder in the area of divine calling. A wilderness journey is a wild journey where complaining complicates the journey of life. On a wilderness journey, a failure to progress by faith will lead to untimely death. The complaining from the people God delivered out of Egypt caused them to wander and die on their wilderness journey.
ACTS OF COMPLAINING
Complaining is rebellious and self destructive. Are you complaining about your situation? As a result of the children of Israel’s persistent complaining against God in their journey, God responded by saying “Because all these men who have seen My glory and the signs which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have put Me to the test now these ten times, and have not heeded My voice, they certainly shall not see the land of which I swore to their fathers, nor shall any of those who rejected Me see it.” (Numbers 14:22-23) God made a promise to take the children of Israel to the Promised Land. He showed them great and mighty signs in Egypt and on their way out of Egypt. The signs and wonders of God were their testimonies.
TESTIFY NOT COMPLAIN
Meditating on God’s testimonies are more than enough to transport believers to the Promised Land. Are you constantly meditating on His testimonies? The Psalmist knew what he was saying by virtue of his confessions in Psalm 119:2, “Blessed are those who keep His testimonies” Psalm 119:14, I have rejoiced in the way of your testimonies, as much as in all riches” Psalm 119: 24, “Your testimonies also are my delight and my counselors” Psalm 119:46, I will speak of Your testimonies also before kings, and will not be ashamed.”  The Psalmist testifies about what God has done or what God is doing rather than complain. The testimonies of God are worthy of meditation. What are the testimonies of your heart? The testimony of your heart is the evidence of your faith in God. Faith is what provokes the hand of God. “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”(Hebrew 11:6) Let today be your day of meditating on the testimonies of God and the act of complaining will not have to complicate your journey through the wilderness.
COMPLIMENT DO NOT COMPLAIN
God is the only unchanging changer. God has never changed and he will not change. Regardless of what your challenges are, know for sure that complaining does not settle well before God. Complaining is sin and God will not overlook sin. God did not overlook it when the children of Israel complained against Him then, and He will not overlook it now. Complaining instead of complimenting the work of His hand could cause greater pain than what you are complaining about. God responded to consistent complaining from the children of Israel, “How long shall I bear with this evil congregation who complain against Me? I have heard the complaints which the children of Israel make against Me. Say to them, ‘As I live,’ says the LORD, ‘just as you have spoken in My hearing, so I will do to you: The carcasses of you who have complained against Me shall fall in this wilderness, all of you who were numbered, according to your entire number, from twenty years old and above.”(Numbers 14:27-28) They complained and confessed death. What can cause you to complain and confess death? There is a need to be conscious of the words that come out of your mouth, regardless of what your challenges are today. It is written, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.”(Proverb 18:2) The children of Israel did not aware of what they were confessing in their complaints. It is not worth it to complain at all because God’s hand can never be too short concerning every area of challenge. After Moses had pleaded with God for the children of Israel not to be destroyed, the LORD said to Moses, “How long will these people reject Me? And how long will they not believe Me, with all the signs which I have performed among them?”(Numbers 14:11) Have you seen enough signs to know and believe that complaining against God is rejecting God; and that complaining against God is asking for a self destruction? How long will it take you to believe that He is capable to see you through, despite all that stands against you?
FAITH CAPSULE
Complaining is rebellious and self destructive.
Complaining instead of complimenting the work of His hand could cause greater pain than what you are complaining about.
Tunde

        “And while he lingered, the men took hold of his hand…” (Genesis 19:16)
 
It is written, “To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven.” (Ecclesiastes 3:1) In the journey of life, there is a time to redirect our route in the face of unforeseen challenges. Redirecting our route will call for a change of direction. Also, there is a time to enter into a new and uncommon route. Entering into a new and uncommon route will call for a totally new route.
THE CHANGE OF ROUTE
Is it time to redirect your route for a change in your journey of life? Are you paying attention to the signals around you? You may be seeing unexpected changes in your journey, and sudden redirections on the road are happening too frequently. Your back road route is becoming blocked on a daily basis. Running into bumps is causing delays consistently, and your timely ride is becoming congested. Should you not slow down and pay attention to the causes of all these sudden challenges in your journey? A great reason for you to re-examine why challenges are slowing you down is because you are a person of faith, one who loves the Lord and serves Him from the heart. Balaam was a man of God, but he failed to pay attention to warning signals when his ride began to face challenges. He was going to answer Balak’s request when his donkey left the main route and began to roam from the field to the narrow paths–to vineyards and against the wall. All the redirection was to stop Balaam from going where God did not call him. Having roamed around back and forth, the Angel of the LORD showed himself. Numbers 22:27, “And when the donkey saw the Angel of the LORD, she lay down under Balaam; so Balaam’s anger was aroused and he struck the donkey with his staff. Then the LORD opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam, ‘What have I done to you, that you have struck me these three times?’” You do not have to go that far before you change your route.
ENTERING A NEW ROUTE
When the time was near for Jesus to be crucified, He knew it was time to take a new route in His journey on earth. He was to enter a route no one had ever entered for the glory of God. As a result, Jesus needed to ride on a colt that no one had ever ridden on. Mark 11:2, “And He said to them, ‘Go into the village opposite you; and as soon as you have entered it you will find a colt tied, on which no one has sat. Loose it and bring it.’” Is it time for you to move into new ground where you have never been, a place where you are very reluctant to go? For sure you need a new ride, a ride that no one has ever sat on. Jesus gave a command to the two who went to get the ride in Mark 11:3, “And if anyone says to you, why are you doing this? Say, ‘The Lord has need of it,’ and immediately he will send it.’” The crowd will ask why you are making such a move. The crowd will also wonder and doubt whether you have made the right decision. Today, speak to the crowd that the Lord is in control, He knows all about you and you are going in the name of Jesus. Mark 11:6, “And they spoke to them just as Jesus had commanded. So they let them go.” All that the enemy has put in place for the purpose of not letting you go, at the name of Jesus, will be let go. His name is your power to command in your new route. Philippians 2:10, “That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Do you believe in His name? If you do, all you need is power, not the advice of the crowd. There is direction in the powerful name of Jesus. Your own journey will be to the glory of God.
ARE YOU LINGERING?
When it was time for Lot to move from his choice of land that was marked for destruction, he lingered around. The Bible recorded, “And while he lingered, the men took hold of his hand, his wife’s hand, and the hands of his two daughters, the LORD being merciful to him, and they brought him out and set him outside the city. So it came to pass, when they had brought them outside, that he said, “Escape for your life! Do not look behind you nor stay anywhere in the plain. Escape to the mountains, lest you be destroyed.” (Genesis 19:16-17) Lot lingered and did not want to take a new route, but the angels were persistent and prevailed by taking hold of his hand and those of his family and leading them unto salvation. In the coming days, weeks and months, pray to God to take hold of your hand and take you out of every area of life, every area of decision making or location, which is not of God where you have been lingering.
FAITH CAPSULE
Balaam was a man of God, but he failed to pay attention to warning signals when his ride began to face challenges.
Is it time for you to move into new ground where you have never been, a place where you are very reluctant to go?
Tunde