How to receive greater blessings
A Sermon Delivered on Wednesday Evening, May 28th 2025, by Evangelist PAUL ACQUAH,Live on MZ Radio London, London UK. Receiving greater blessings is a longing shared by many, yet Jesus reveals a surprising pathway to these blessings in His words to Thomas after the resurrection: “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” This statement shifts our focus from relying on visible proof to embracing a deeper trust in God’s promises. Rather than seeking tangible signs or demanding personal evidence, Jesus teaches that true blessing comes to those who exercise faith – believing in Him through the testimony of Scripture and the witness of others. So, how do we unlock this kind of faith? How do we position ourselves for the greater blessings Jesus spoke of? Get ready to be encouraged, challenged, and inspired to believe God in a new way in today’s message by Evangelist Paul Acquah titled “How to receive greater blessings.” Be blessed as you listen! Jesus said to him, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed” (John 20:29). Let me give you the context of this scripture. Jesus had resurrected from the dead; he appeared to his disciples. The doors were shut and Jesus just appeared inside the room and said look at my hands and side and his disciples believed. 19 On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” 20 After he said this, he showed them his hands and side (John 20:29). The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord. But from verse 24 it says 24 Now Thomas (also known as Didymus[a]), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.” The Bible says 26 A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesuscame and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” 27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.” 28 Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!” 29 Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” He told Thomas: ‘Blessed are those that have not seen and yet have believed’. Jesus put a greater blessing on those that have not seen and yet have believed. Jesus said there’s a greater blessing upon the person who has not seen and yet has believed. Did you know when I first read this I said Lord, I want the greater blessings, I want to walk in the fullness, I want to have the total power. He told Thomas that there’s a greater blessing than the kind of blessing that he had because his faith was based on sense knowledge. A sense knowledge type of faith, a very carnal type of faith will not reap the blessings of God. His faith was based on what he could see, taste, hear, smell and feel. The word of God is more sure than anything and if you are basing your faith on what you see, taste, hear, and smell or feel, then you are many miles behind the person who is basing their faith on what God’s word says. The Lord said there is a greater blessing on the people who will believe the word without having to have a physical proof or evidence, but you believe the word. He says you believe because you saw but yea rather blessed are those who believe without seeing. “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” Thomas declared that he must see and touch the Saviour before he could believe in the Resurrection. Yet Jesus said that those who do not need visual evidence of His work and power would be especially blessed. My friend, trusting God means looking beyond what we can see to what He sees. This is the very essence of faith—we don’t see Godat work, but we have confidence in Him anyway. We must actively obey Him and have confidence in His love for us before He will bless us. There are people who receive more blessings than others. The greatest faith is the faith that says speak the word only. Let’s look at Matthew chapter 8 and contrast this with the faith that Jesus said was the greatest faith he had ever seen. In Matthew chapter 8 and from verse 5 it says 5 When Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, asking for help. 6 “Lord,” he said, “my servant lies at home paralyzed, suffering terribly.” 7 Jesus said to him, “Shall I come and heal him?” 8 The centurion replied, “Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. 9 For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” 10 When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, “Truly I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith. Here’s an instance where Jesus said that he had never seen such great faith. When he talked to Thomas in John chapter 20, he said ‘Thomas, there’re people that are more blessed than you are because they believed without seeing’. What was wrong with Thomas’s faith that Jesus said was not a good faith or a great faith and here in the eighth chapter of Mathew is the greatest faith that Jesus recorded in the word of God? The difference was that Thomas based his faith on what he could see, taste, hear, smell, and feel and this centurion said Lord I recognise the authority that’s in your word. I have people under me; I’ve got authority and all I have to do is say the word and it’ll happen. He says, just speak the word only and my servant
Our choices determine the direction of our lives
A SermonDelivered on Wednesday Evening, May 14th 2025, byEvangelist PAUL ACQUAH,Live on MZ Radio London, London UK. Imagine standing at a crossroads, with countless paths stretching out before you. Each one leads to a different destination – some promising, some uncertain, some filled with challenges and others with hope. Now, what if I told you that the direction your life takes, the very path you walk, is not determined by chance or circumstance, but by the choices you make at each intersection? Every day, we are faced with decisions – some small, some life-altering. And while we may not always realise it in the moment, each choice acts as a steering wheel, guiding us toward our future. Maybe you’re wrestling with a decision, or perhaps you’re looking back at choices that have shaped your journey so far. Wherever you find yourself, know this: God has given us the incredible gift and responsibility of choice. In today’s message titled “Choices Determine Direction,” Evangelist Paul Acquah explores how the decisions you make today can transform your tomorrow. Be blessed as you listen! What we choose to believe or disbelieve determines the way our lives are going. There’s an interesting study in the Bible. In mark chapter 6, Jesus went to his own hometown to minister to the people with whom he had grown up. They knew him to be the carpenter’s son, they knew his history, they knew his family, they knew all about Jesus. The Bible said in Mark 6 verse 5 that he could do no mighty works there except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them, and he marvelled because of their unbelief. He wanted to do mighty works, he wanted to help them, he wanted to do great works in this community, but he couldn’t because of their unbelief. I was thinking about this, and I thought if unbelief can stop the power of God, it certainly can stop the lies of Satan. We need to realise that what we’re choosing to believe or disbelieve is setting the course of our lives. If we are saturated in the news and soaking in the negative and saturating in the fear and watching things that are not good for us, then we will choose to believe the lies of the enemy and live in assumption and in ‘what if’ scenarios. We will be assuming that’s going to happen to me, I’ll probably lose my job, or everything is going wrong and how are we going to survive. If you’re choosing to believe the negative, then you’re cooperating with it and inviting it to take part in your life. But you can choose to disbelieve and choose to believe the word of God which is the touch stone of truth. But the only way you can disbelieve in terms of this negative world in which we live is being well founded and well-grounded in the word of God and in a relationship with God the father. I can’t put into words how important to me, my fellowship with the father is, and if you’ve been believing in the negative report, it’s not too late to change your direction. There are lots of negative reports around us. They’re now saying that alcoholism isn’t your fault, and that you have a gene that makes you genetically disposed to be an alcoholic. I’ve heard that there are genes that make you genetically disposed to be overweight. There are genes that make you depressed and discouraged. So, we have an excuse for everything but that is not true. That’s a negative report. You can take people who came out of the same family, have the same gene pool, are raised in an alcoholic family, raised in an abusive family, both sexually abused or whatever, and they’ll go different directions because we’ve got a choice. You can take identical people in an identical environment, and they’ll have different lifestyles because we’ve got a choice. You are not an animal that is just a product of your environment. You can choose to be a victim or a victor. You can choose to be a winner or a loser. If that wasn’t true, then the Lord would be unjust to hold you accountable for your actions if you were made to be like so. You may have had things happen to you, but you chose to accept it, or you chose to do nothing about it. Satan cannot oppress you or do anything to you without your consent and cooperation. Never think that somehow or another you’re just occupying space and that you aren’t worth anything. I don’t care what anybody tells you. You have a choice to accept thator you can reject it. There are people brought up under identical situations and they just choose to say that’s not true, I reject it and they go the other direction and they are people that prosper. We have people today that say that because of the colour of your skin, or your level of education, or because of where you come from, you just think that you can’t succeed. So, you go around and use that as an excuse for everything and yet there are people in the same situation that you are, that have totally succeeded and have overcome all barriers, or hinderances and all problems. You can’t use the colour of your skin, your lack of education,whether you’re a male or a female as barriers, or obstacles to your success. You need to stop blaming other people and to recognise that if you’re in unbelief, if you aren’t prospering in some area, it’s because you chose it. You might have been pressured to choose it, you may have had problems that other people didn’t have but ultimately you chose to remain in that situation. I was taught to believe differently from what I believe and yet I chose to change and it took a lot of effort. The devil can’t stop you from prospering. Maybe you are saying, I believe that there’s a recession going on, I can’t operate in prosperity because there’s a recession going on. After all I’m only human, there’s nothing that I can do about it. You need to understand that the Bible says in Philippians4:19 that God shall supply all your needs according to his riches in Glory by Christ Jesus. God said he’d Supply our need according to his riches and Glory, not according to the current economic status, not according to the British pound, not according to the US dollar.Sometimes people fear how their needs will be supplied, because of recession, layoffs, or small-town economies. It doesn’t matter what goes on in the world, our needs will be supplied “according to his riches in glory.” God
You have a choice to make
A SermonDelivered on Wednesday Evening, May 7th 2025, byEvangelist PAUL ACQUAH,Live on MZ Radio London, London UK. Life is filled with choices – some simple, others profound. But among all the choices we face, none is more critical than the one that determines our faith, future, and freedom. Will you believe what God has declared in His Word, or will you surrender to the temporary reality of your circumstances? In a world full of conflicting voices, God’s Word stands as the unshakable truth, offering healing, hope, and redemption. The Bible declares that you are forgiven. You are healed. You are deeply loved. But it’s not enough to hear it. You have tochoose to believe it. You have to make it personal. So, will you trust in God’s promises, even when your situation says otherwise? Will you let His Word be the final authority in your life? In today’s message titled “You Have a Choice to Make,” Evangelist Paul Acquah shares on the incredible power that comes when you choose to believe what God has said. Be blessed as you listen! I choose to believe what God has said. Psalm 103 says: Bless the Lord, O my soul;And all that is within me, bless His holy name! 2 Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits: 3 Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases, Psalm 107 says, He sent His word and healed them, Anddelivered them from their destructions. 1 Peter 2:24 talking is about Jesus: who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose [a]stripes you were healed. Isaiah 53:5 Again talking about Jesus: But He was wounded[k]for our transgressions,He was [l]bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him,And by His stripes[m] we are healed. Even if you have been diagnosed with so called incurabledisease and the doctor has given you a death sentence. You can choose to not believe what the doctor said about his diagnosis and his result of imminent death, and to choose the promises of God, the peace of God, by his stripes I was healed. You can choose to disbelieve the doctor’s report, something that is very real, yes you are dying, all the symptoms are real but you can choose to not believe the conclusion of the doctor. You are not disbelieving that you have problems but you can choose not to believe in terms of the conclusion. You can choose a different conclusion. You will live and not die Choose to believe the promises of God. 23 For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. 24 Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them. (Mark 11:23-24). In the name of Jesus I can have what I say. I am healed and I am not sick and there’re a lot of people that just won’t go to that much effort. There’re people that come to my meetings and they want me to pray for them for healing and if they get healed Hallelujah they believe it. But if it doesn’t happen they walk out and say that’s the kind of thing I expected. I didn’t really think anything was going to happen. That’s about all the effort that a lot of people put into it . “Let the sick say I am healed” This is a call to faith and a belief in God’s healing power, even when facing sickness. It’s a spiritual declaration of healing and a way to express hope and trust in God’s provision. I choose to believe what God has said in his word. By his stripes we were healed. Let the sick say I’m healed. Let the weak say I’m strong. Can you say that? the reason I can say that is because I have had a foundation of God’s word in my life. I’m strong in the word, I have spent years in the word of God and so that foundation of the promises of God gives me the peace to be able to disbelieve negative reports and negative conclusions and to believe the truth of God’s word. I want to give you an example of this. When the children of Israel were led the first time to the promised land, the Lord instructed them and said I want you to go out and look at the land that I have given you. He said that very specifically, Ihave given you this land, send 12 spies into the land to check it out. Many of us know this story. 12 spies went into the land and they came back and 10 of the spies had a very negative report and the great majority of the people chose to believe the negative report but two of the spies chose to not believe the negative report. We have these verses in numbers 13 32 -33. 32 And they gave the children of Israel a bad report of the land which they had spied out, saying, “The land through which we have gone as spies is a land that devours its inhabitants, and they went on to say and all the people whom we saw in it are men of great stature or giants as we come to know at a different point in verse 33 There we saw the [h]giants (the descendants of Anak came from the giants); and we were like[i] grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight.” So, this was the bad report and the people began to wail and gnash their teeth. The people chose to believe the bad report. But the two of the spies chose to disbelieve the bad report. They had been there; they had seen and they had heard the promise of God. This is the land I have given you and so in numbers 13: 30 we get their response . 30 Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses, and said, “Let us go up at once and take possession, for we are well able to overcome it.” 31 But the men who had gone up with him said, “We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we.” “Let us go up at once and take possession, for we are well able to overcome it.” That was the good report. that was the man of faith. There were two men
Choose to believe his word
A SermonDelivered on Wednesday Evening, April 23rd 2025, byEvangelist PAUL ACQUAH,Live on MZ Radio London, London UK. In a world of endless opinions and shifting truths, one choice remains eternally significant – the truth of God’s Word. As Christians, we are called not just to read the Bible, but to believe it, trust in its promises, and live by its truths. Choosing to believe God’s Word is more than a one-time decision; it’s a daily commitment to stand on His promises even when circumstances challenge our faith. This choice is foundational to our spiritual growth, our relationship with God, and our ability to navigate life with hope, peace, and purpose. When we believe God’s Word, we open our hearts to transformation and align our lives with the unshakable truth of who God is and what He has said. Join us as we discover how this single decision can transform your perspective, renew your mind, and guide you through life’s most challenging moments in today’s sermon titled “Choose to believe God’s Word.” Be blessed as you listen! When Jesus was on the planet earth, He knew that He would die and rise from the dead. He told His disciples this on many occasions. He specifically mentioned rising on the third day. So Jesus predicted his death and resurrection multiple times in the Gospels. He said He would die and rise again. For example it says in Mathew 17:22-23 that, Now while they were [g]staying in Galilee, Jesus said to them, “The Son of Man is about to be betrayed into the hands of men, 23 and they will kill Him, and the third day He will be raised up.” And they were exceedingly sorrowful. Now, after Jesus has risen from the dead, he appeared unto his disciples but Thomas, one of his 12 disciples wasn’t present,and they told Thomas that we’ve seen the Lord and he spoke to us. They had all the doors, and the windows locked and Jesus just showed up inside the room. He just appeared and they talked to him. They told Thomas about this but let’s see how Thomas responded to this amazing news. Look at this in John 20 and verses 24 and 25 Now Thomas (also known as Didymus[a]), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.” My friend, you may think oh I want to believe, I’m trying to believe but it’s hard to believe. Let me tell you that no, you chose to not believe. Thomas chose not to believe, you can choose not to believe. I’m telling you what the word of God says and if you choose not to believe that and if you say I just don’t believe that you can live that way. Deuteronomy 30: 19 says, This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live. That means this applies in heaven or in earth, over all of the earth, over any place in the universe. This is a pronouncement. I call Heaven and Earth to record against you this day that I have set before you, life and death, blessing and cursing, therefore choose life that you and your seed may live. God gave you the choice. Nobody can force you to do anything, nobody can force you to fail. Thomas said I will not believe. It was his choice and if you’re struggling with unbelief, it’s because you are walking by sight and not by faith. Thomas refused to believe what he couldn’t see or feel. Yes, our five senses (hearing, sight, smell, taste and touch)were given to us by God and are necessary to help us function in this life. But if we do not renew our minds to acknowledge the limits of the five senses, they will keep us from believing.Thomas said until I see Christ physically, Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe. ”Bible says in Hebrews 11:6 without faith it’s impossible to please God . Faith pleases God and God will meet you where you are. Faith can perceive things that the senses cannot. Faith is the [a]substance of things hoped for, the [b]evidence of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1). Thomas made a deliberate decision not to believe. Unbelief is always a decision Thomas said I will not believe and some of you think oh I don’t want to be this way. I’m trying to believe. You chose to be the way that you are, you were taught to think a certain way and you have embraced it and you will not let go of it. you’re holding on to your own thinking, you’ve got the thing that will change your thinking, the word of God will transform your thinking, the word of God is given to make you brand new. Thomas said I will not believe and some of us feel like, well, it’s not my will to not believe. Yes, it is, you chose to believe what you believe. Nobody made you believe anything. you may have been taught to believe one thing. If you’re struggling with unbelief, it’s because you have accepted other people’s opinion. You have bought into the mindset of this world. You have hardened your heart to God by neglecting the things of God and you have chosen to be where you are. Many people don’t like that, we like to blame other people and say you don’t understand, it’s my upbringing that made me this way, you don’t understand I was abused when I was a child and that’s what made my heart hard. we have all ofthese excuses and we like to blame other people. Even Adam did it when God said what have you done? he said it’s that woman that you gave me. he passed the buck to Eve and then he tried to blame it on God. When Thomas said I will not believe, that was a choice of his will. He chose to believe that Jesus could not be raised from the dead. He saw Jesus crucified, he saw what happened
There’s no reason for us to be stressed out
A SermonDelivered on Wednesday Evening, April 16th 2025, byEvangelist PAUL ACQUAH,Live on MZ Radio London, London UK. There’s zero reason for us to be stressed out. It’s a bold statement, isn’t it? In a world seemingly built on deadlines, demands, and daily anxieties, the idea that we could live completely free from stress feels almost radical.In fact, stress has become so normalised that many wear their perpetual busyness and anxiety as badges of honour in our achievement-oriented culture. But what if it’s not just wishful thinking to think that there’s no reason for us to be stressed out? What if there’s a deeper truth to this idea, a perspective that could fundamentally change how we experience life? Join me as we discover how faith in God can replace our anxiety with peace and how we can live free from the burden of stress in today’s message by Evangelist Paul Acquah titled “No reason to stress.” Let’s dive in and be blessed as you listen! I’m sure there’re many Christians who will say, you’re condemning other people by saying ‘There is zero reason for us to be stressed out’. I’m not condemning you. I’m telling youthat Jesus has provided more for us than what most of us have appropriated. Open your Bible with me to John, chapter 14, and in verse 1. This was Jesus speaking to his disciples the night before his crucifixion. He had just had the last supperand washed the disciples’ feet. Satan had entered Judas and he had left to go and betray Jesus to the chief priest. In John, chapter 14, and in verse 1, Jesus said, “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me”. So, the night before Jesus was crucified, he gave a command. This isn’t a request or a suggestion and saying, ‘you lot, now try this, and I know that you’re only human and it may not work, but do the best you can’. No, he just said, “Let not your heart be troubled”. My friend, there is no reason for us to be stressed out. The disciples were entering into probably one of the worst times of their lives. They did not understand the full plan of salvation and they were going to see their master, who all of their hopes and dreams were hinged upon, arrested, crucified, dead and buried. I tell you, most people today would say, well, it would be totally unjust to tell a person to let not your heart be troubled when you go through something like that. If you aren’t bothered, if this doesn’t just distress you, if your heart isn’t broken, then something is wrong with you, and you’re in denial. That’s the way that our world has approached things today. If you tell people that we are victorious, and that God always wants us to triumph in our Lord Jesus Christ: when you come out and say things like that, which is what the scripture says, people will not agree with you. They will even be annoyed. There are large sectors of the body of Christ who will say, well, you’re putting down people that have problems. You aren’t sympathising. You’re supposed to get down and say, ‘we know that you’re suffering and we feel your pain’. Yes, there is a place for showing love and compassion, but sympathy actually empowers failure. To show true compassion: sometimes you have to use tough love and tell a person to get up and go at it again, you can do it. But somehow or another the church has got into where they really feel like empathising, and sympathising with people, but they don’t empower people. Jesus was telling his disciples the night before his crucifixion, “Don’t let your heart be troubled”. Today, most Christians would say, that’s not compassion, that’s not feeling empathy for people. They were going to see Jesus crucified. They were going to see all of their dreams dashed and here he is telling them not to let their heart be troubled? You may think that’s unreasonable. In today’s culture, there are a lot of Christians, and Christian ministers who are telling people to act differently from what Jesus did the night before the worst time in their lives, and in human history. Jesus is saying, don’t let your heart be troubled. In a way,Jesus is saying there’s zero reason for you to be stressed out. We are now in a situation that when you listen to the news, they are talking about tariffs and global economic uncertainty and there’re a lot of Christians that just think, oh, well, you should be bothered, and be worried, people are being laid off, people are dying in earthquakes and wars and they just, in a sense, empower these things. They say, yes, God told us to let not our hearts be troubled, but that only goes so far. If you are facing death, if you’re being laid off, if something is happening, you are justified in being stressed out. That’s the way a lot of people, including most Christians are presenting things. How did Jesus respond? The night before his crucifixion, he told his disciples, don’t let your heart be troubled. and why shouldn’t they do it? Because they believe in God, believe also in him. Faith is the answer to all of these things. If you have faith in God, you don’t have to be afraid. In the book of psalms, David said, “Though the mountains be removed and be cast into the sea, yet will I trust in the Lord; I will joy in the God of my salvation”. This is a powerful expression of unwavering faith, found in Psalm 46:2,emphasising God’s power and constant presence, even in the face of overwhelming change or destruction. It underscores the idea that no matter how difficult the situation may be, including natural disasters or personal crises, one can find comfort and joy in trusting in God. Therefore, there’s zero reason for us to be stressed out. No matter the situation, with David, we ought to be praising God. We ought to be saying, praise God, I know I’m going to win. I’m going to win in this life and if for some reason my faith wasn’t able to appropriate the healing, the prosperity, or whatever it is that is your problem, if the worst thing
How to receive more Grace
SermonDelivered on Wednesday Evening, April 9th 2025, byEvangelist PAUL ACQUAH,Live on MZ Radio London, London UK. Have you ever felt a deep longing for something more? A sense of divine help, an unexplainable strength in the face of difficulty, or a peace that surpasses understanding?What you might be seeking is grace – God’s unmerited favour, His loving kindness poured out upon us. But is grace simply a passive gift, or is there a way we can open ourselves to receive it in greater abundance? Today, we embark on a journey to understand just that. Join us as we explore the powerful principles that unlock the flow of God’s grace into our lives, guiding us towards a deeper connection and a richer experience of His boundless love.In today’s message titled “How to Receive More Grace,”Evangelist Paul Acquah shares on how to actively position yourself to receive this precious gift in greater measure. Be blessed as you listen! 6 But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble” (James 4:6). The NIV says it this way: 6 But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: “God opposes the proud but shows favour to the humble.” Notice here in James 4 verse 6, it says he gives more grace. If God can give more grace, then that means you can have less grace. He gives more grace and shows favour to the humble.That means for some people, they have less grace. But what is grace and how do you receive more grace? That’s what I want to talk about in this message. The word grace is used to describe a number of things in the Bible. It’s not only talking about God’s ability and his favour to us on an undeserved unheard basis. It’s God’s ability to enable you to do what you cannot do for yourself and that’s basically what grace is about. But in Romans chapter 12 it talks about the gifts of the Holy Spirit, whether you prophesy or you have a gift of administration, do it according to the proportion of faith that is given unto you. Those gifts are called grace gifts. 6 We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; 7 if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; 8 if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead,[b] do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully” (Romans 12:6-7). It says in 1st Corinthians chapter 12 that everyone is given the manifestation of the Spirit and you do it according to the grace that is given to you. So, the word grace is not only describing God’s favour towards us and his ability but it’s also describing these spiritual gifts. James 4:6 is saying that you can get more grace. There are different types of grace: A grace to be saved, a grace to manifest spiritual gifts, to prophesy, heal, do miracles, a grace to give, and a grace to serve. For example, there is a saving grace, a grace that is coming to everyone. Titus chapter 2 verse 11 says ’The grace of God that brings salvation has appeared unto all men’. Also, the Bible says in Ephesians 2:8 and 9 that ‘For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. Every person on this planet has had saving grace come towards them that has provided a payment for their sins and is offering them salvation as a free gift. Every person on this planet has had that grace but you can get more grace. It goes on to say how you do it in James 4. It says in verse 6, ‘But he gives more grace. Friend, don’t stay only in your salvation grace. You need more grace. You need the ability of God – the manifestation of God in your life. You need spiritual gifts. So how do you get more grace? But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: “God resists the proud,But gives grace to the humble” (James 4:6). Did you know that the more you humble yourself the more grace will be given to you. Humility is not a popular thing in our society today. If you look at the people that are popular in society today, for example, people running for president: I can assure you that humility is in short supply among them. The people that are on our magazine covers, some sports personnel, the leaders in our society are the people that are boasters. They really are, and I agree that you need to have confidence and boldness but humility is looked at as being something that is weak today and it’s out of the normal trend. It’s not popular. As a matter of fact, you hear people all the time just promoting themselves and it’s all about them and yet this is completely contrary to what the Word of God says. It’s very important we recognise that God’s kingdom operates on a different system from what this world system operates on. It’s our responsibility as people of the body of Christ to say these things and to counter this culture otherwise people just growing up in this culture are being bombarded day and night with the internet, television, movies, magazines and all sorts of things. If the body of Christ isn’t standing up and speaking about these issues, then people just by default are going to be influenced by those things. This has happened because our society today operates in a lot of selfishness, pride, and arrogance. They’re promoting their own selves and doing things which are completely contrary to what the Word of God teaches. To humble yourself means your dependence on God, and a willingness to submit to God’s will and serve others selflessly. I want to encourage you because I know that humility probably is not one of the things that most people are praying for and desire and it’s not even a goal with even most Christians but it should be. I’m showing you what the word of God says about humility and against pride and
Honour The Lord With Your Possessions
Far beyond a mere financial prescription, scripture beckons believers to intertwine their material prosperity with a deeper sense of purpose and reverence for the divine. Your finances often serve as a reflection of your values. Understanding the connection between values and finances will allow you to make intentional choices that align with your beliefs and contribute to a more meaningful and purposeful journey in life. By learning to handle your finances God’s way, you will have the key to unlocking His blessing in your finances. All wealth and prosperity ultimately come from God, and discerning how to wield it in ways that echo a commitment to honouring Him is of utmost importance. Be encouraged to acknowledge and prioritize God in your financial matters. In this message, I delve into the intersections of faith, finance, and the ethical considerations of stewarding one’s resources. Be blessed as you read. “Honour the Lord with your possessions, and with the first fruits of all your increase; So your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will overflow with new wine” (Proverbs 3:9-10). The Wise Men from the Bible impart a timeless lesson on honouring God with our wealth or possessions through their actions in the story of Jesus’ birth. Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, 2 saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.” 11 And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother and fell down and worshipped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh (Mathew 2:1-2, 11). When the wise men from the East visited Jesus, they gave him gifts. They had not come simply to pay respects out of dutiful reverence. The lesson on honouring God with your possessions is vividly portrayed in the gifts they brought to honour the infant Jesus: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. These were not just ordinary offerings. They were precious gifts. These were heartfelt gifts of care and love. They had come to worship. In fact, by bringing gifts for the King, they partly fulfilled a prophecy because the Old Testament declared that Gentiles from around the world would come to the Messiah, bearing gifts that actually included gold and frankincense (Psalm 72:10-15; Isaiah 60:1-6). These men were indeed paying their respects to the great Jewish king, even bringing gold, frankincense and myrrh to honour Him. These gifts represented their desire to use their wealth to worship the Messiah, the King of kings and the Lord of lords. The wise men had come to meet the greatest King of all, the great King who would rule over the whole earth. “I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven, there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and language should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.” (Daniel 7:13-14) “The Son of Man” – a title Jesus often used for Himself, identifying Himself as both human and divine. The wise men expected to meet an extraordinary person. In fact, He could not be considered a mere mortal at all. It is no wonder these men would have been eager to meet the King of kings and honour Him with gold. According to (Daniel 7:13-14), this “Son of Man” would come with the clouds of Heaven. He would be served by all the people of the earth – from every nation and language. This “Son of Man”, the Lord Jesus Christ would receive an eternal Kingdom with unlimited dominion and glory. That great monarch would be immortal and indestructible. Truly this was to be the King of all kings and the Lord of all lords. That is why they came with gifts of great value. Amongst them was gold which in Jesus’ day would have been a wonderful financial blessing. They had no more precious resource to worship the highest-ranking King of all time and eternity. “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.” Somehow, the wise men understood that Jesus was more than a man – even more than a king. They had not come merely to esteem a great king, but to worship the divine King. In Scripture, neither mortals nor angels are permitted to receive worship. But Jesus was greater than a man, He was greater than the angels. He was and is the unique and eternal Son of God. Yes, they had come to worship but they didn’t come empty-handed. They came with precious gifts to honour the King of kings and the Lords of lords. The Bible says a generous person will be made rich. The Wise Men’s generosity extended beyond the material gifts, however. They exemplified a generous heart willing to give the best they had in honouring the Messiah. Their offerings were not only expressions of homage but also acts of honouring the Lord that reflected the depth of their reverence for the divine. This story teaches a profound lesson on a way to honour God, emphasizing that to truly honour God involves giving from the heart, offering one’s best, and acknowledging the worthiness of the recipient. The Wise Men’s gifts were not mere tokens; they were sacrificial offerings, demonstrating a generosity that goes beyond the ordinary. In the Christian tradition, the story of the Wise Men inspires believers to approach generosity with a similar spirit. It encourages giving not only material resources but also the best of one’s time, talents, and love in worship and service to God and others. The lesson from the Wise
Understand And Respond When God Speaks
If it’s God who is speaking, we trust that by His very nature, God is worthy of our undivided attention. So, when we listen, we’re to respond accordingly because God may be saying something to you through His word or through someone else that will change your life. It’s so important to obey God’s voice when He speaks. Don’t allow anything to distract you from seeking God first and hearing His voice in everything you do. He wants you to respond when he speaks. Therefore, making Him the priority of your life, bring every thought to the obedience of Christ. The word of God is so incredibly powerful and transformative. The word of God doesn’t exist so we can argue with it. It’s not up for negotiation or broad interpretation. It’s exactly what it says. It’s a touchstone of truth. It’s our strength and it is crucial for our well-being. If it’s optional for you, it can never be transformational. It’s time to replace opinions about the word with obedience to the word. The word of God resides in a place of authority, not subjectivity. It’s unchanging. Likewise, God is our stable, strong foundation that does not waver and isn’t malleable to the opinions and whims of popular culture. If we are to eliminate uncertainty and fear in our families, relationships, careers, finances, health, etc. – we must trust the Lord and hold on to His word and respond to His word accordingly. Your life will never be the same if you make the word of God a priority. God is going to touch your life today, not because of who you are, but because of who He is and His promises. There’re so many things happening around us in the world today. It’s so easy to get caught up in the world and see all the different things that are going on. There’s a constant barrage of how unsteady and unsafe, and constantly moving our world is, and yet God promises that we will not fall if we build our lives on His word (Mat. 7:24-27). He is our rock, the thing that never moves; the structure that we can count on and find ourselves attached to. He is your protection, and that’s why you don’t have to worry. Don’t fear no matter what comes against you. We have every reason to trust Him no matter what our daily circumstances may look like to our human eyes, and no matter what we may face in our personal lives. I pray that we would be awakened to the knowledge and truth of the goodness of God in all situations, and respond in accordance to His word. How will you respond to the Lord today? You can trust Him with your uncertain circumstances. You can trust Him with your present problems and future plans. Trust and obey, He is enough for you. I would like to encourage you to keep your eyes fixed and focused on your relationship with God. That’s the main reason why Jesus came and died for us so that we can be brought back into fellowship and relationship with the Lord. He’s given us His word, so we have a firm foundation to stand on, and as we truly base our lives upon the word of God, we’re going to be successful. No matter what we do, no matter what the world or our circumstances dictate, it doesn’t make a difference, the truth of God’s word surpasses everything. So, it’s important for us to stay focused on His word. Make God’s kingdom and His word your top priority. God thinks differently from us. He sees things we don’t see. He knows things we can’t even begin to imagine. That doesn’t mean we can’t change the way we think to match how He thinks, because the Bible says that we can do so. We have the mind of Christ. For, “Who has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ (1 Cor. 2:16) Having the mind of Christ means that we agree with God and His ways. We can know His thoughts. In Psalms 103 verse 7, the Bible actually says that the children of Israel knew the acts of God, but Moses knew His ways. What we see is that God revealed His ways and character to Moses. You and I are called to know the ways of God and to understand the way He thinks. So, it’s not just a matter of outlooking and saying how does God think. It’s participating in that action. And so, the question that I’m going to pose to you is what is your response? How are you going to respond to what God is about to tell you? God has declared so many wonderful things in our lives, but have we responded well? In Genesis chapter fifteen the word of the Lord came to Abram before he became Abraham. After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, saying, “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward.” What an amazing statement to hear from the Lord. But let’s look at Abram’s response. This is what Abram said, 2 But Abram said, “Lord God, what will You give me, seeing I go childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” What’s incredible to me about that is that God just appeared to Abram in a vision. He said I am your exceeding great reward; you’re going to inherit me. And he responded, but I have no child. Oftentimes, that’s what happens to us as we start looking at our circumstances. We look at who we are, what we have, and what we don’t have rather than what God has declared to us. I want to challenge each and every single one of us that our lives are bigger than our current situation. 3 Then Abram said, “Look, You have given me no offspring; indeed one born in my house
Victory that overcomes the world
“For whatsoever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith” (1 John 5:4). Victory that overcomes the world It’s because there is something in the world which is in disagreement with the principles of God. There is a spirit at work in people who are not born again and it’s the prince of the power of the air which is the devil (Eph. 2:2). They walk in trespasses according to the course of this world and have become the servants of Satan. The Bible also talks about the spirit of the anti-Christ. Most people don’t want to hear this, but there is the spirit of anti-Christ that is at work in the world. People are hostile to God, they are in opposition to God, they are incompatible to the things of God. They are subjects to the devil, and they work according to Satan’s ideas and plans. People blaspheme God and they use the name of Jesus as a swear word. There is a demonic attack against God. The world continues to attack God’s people. In many parts of the world today, you can be any kind of pervert and weird you want to be, and if anybody says anything, they call you homophobic or hater and they persecute you. They don’t persecute people who are into sin and doing wrong things. Even if you murder somebody, they try to figure out what is in your background that made you do that. Who abused you and made you this way? There is a battle between the kingdom of God and the kingdom of the devil. If you stand up and say I’m for Godly marriage, I’m against abortion, I’m for reality, you would be persecuted because of your testimony for Christ. We have to do battle with the darkness of this world. This is not a battle which will end today or tomorrow or next year. But when we operate in faith, God is able to grant us such victory that we are actually better off because of the battle and the victory that overcomes the world. The ultimate ground for endurance in persecution is the victory of Jesus over the world (John 12:31; 1 Cor.15:57). There is a spirit of anti-Christ. And people think why is it that it’s only Christians that they come up against? It’s because there is a spirit of anti-Christ, a demon spirit at work in the world and many of us don’t even recognise it. There’s a spirit working in the children of disobedience (Eph. 2:2). Jesus said we would have tribulation. In the world there are troubles, conflicts, confusion, and battle. There is warfare; of strife and disagreement; of agony and wrestling; It’s a battle until death; battle throughout life; fighting with a certainty of victory because Jesus made the incredible statement that in the midst of tribulations of this world, whatever is pressing and whatever is threatening, we were to be of good cheer; “I have overcome the world”. “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). How do we win this battle? Christ disarmed Satan on the cross and stripped him of his power. We walk in the victory Christ has for us, and we do that through faith. The world has its principles, customs, and values, and whoever does not choose to go according to the fashion of the world, is an enemy of society. They are attacks from the enemy intended to steal the Word of God out of our lives. Friend don’t do just as everybody else does. If you see people doing a dishonest thing in business, it is appropriate for you that everybody does it. If they rebel against authority, it is appropriate for you that everybody does it. Do not accommodate the world’s system of beliefs. Give them the gospel and get them ready for the second coming of Christ. The Bible clearly states that “whatsoever is born of God overcomes the world”. There is no justification for us being defeated. God’s provision is greater than all our needs. Have faith in the testimony of God’s promises. Anyone born of God has victory that overcomes the world. This text of scripture serves as a reminder to us of God’s promised victory and gives us an opportunity to release our faith and appropriate what has already been provided. Faith is the victory that empowers us to overcome the world. The victory through faith is available to us. “And this is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith.” He has given it to us. Believe and receive it. Our victory is not dependent on things but rather on our faith in the person of Jesus Christ. He is our victory. Even our simple “child-like” faith will do the job. It doesn’t take big faith – just pure faith in God. The measure of faith you received at salvation can move mountains because it’s actually the faith of Jesus. You have all the faith you need. Use that measure of faith to overcome in every area of your life. We have to overcome the world by our faith: But faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God (Rom 10:17). Faith comes by meditating on the word of God (Jos. 1:8). Don’t allow the world to influence you with its belief system by conforming to its standards (Rom 12:1-2). We must not let the world intimidate us; withstand them, don’t let us drift away and go along with others in order to avoid criticism, slander, persecution, affliction, or mockery. We have the power of the Holy Spirit to overcome. God has placed His children in all walk’s life – in education, arts and entertainment, politics and many more areas. Thus, God is raising people up to dominate every area of society. He is bringing all areas