Are you walking in your future now?
A Sermon Delivered on Wednesday Evening, February 12th 2025, byEvangelist PAUL ACQUAH,Live on MZ Radio London, London UK. Have you ever watched a master artist at work? Before the first brushstroke touches the canvas, the masterpiece already exists in their mind. Every colour, every texture, every detail – planned in advance. Now imagine your life as that masterpiece, and God as the master artist. But here’s the extraordinary thing – you’re not just a painting waiting to be completed. You’re a living work of art, already set in motion. The Bible tells us in Ephesians that we are God’s handiwork, created for good works that He prepared in advance for us to do. Think about that for a moment. Your future – those divine appointments, those moments of purpose – they’re not just ahead of you. You’re walking in them right now. The question is, are you embracing the purpose God has set before you, or are you waiting for a perfect moment that may never come? In today’s sermon titled “Are you walking in your future now,” Evangelist Paul Acquah explores what it means to step into God’s plan today and live with purpose, faith, and intentionality. Be blessed as you listen! God designed you for good works. “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do”( Ephesians 2:10 NIV). “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10 NKJV) All of us have a plan that God has bestowed upon us. You are not a mistake. We are his “workmanship”, which means that we have been made. The word “workmanship” signifies that which is manufactured, a product, a design produced by an artisan. God has specifically called you, planned you, designed you, and placed you in the place and the time frame in which you’re living right now because he has a plan for your life. We are God’s literary work – His work of art. A masterpiece painting cannot boast of painting itself. God has made us what we are, and in our union with Christ Jesus, he has created us for a life of good deeds, which he has already prepared for us to do. God has ordained a perfect plan for each of our lives (Jeremiah 29:11), but He does not force that plan to come to pass. We have the choice (Deuteronomy 30:19). This is a call to action, encouraging believers in Christ to do the good works that God prepared for us beforehand. There is a vast difference between being saved by good works and being saved unto good works, as stated here in Ephesians 2:10. This verse is preceded by Ephesians 2:8-9, which emphasises that salvation is a gift from God and cannot be earned through good works. 8 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. 10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Good works do not gain us salvation, but they do affirm that salvation has been received into our lives. Good works cannot produce a new nature, but a new nature should produce good works. I want to remind you that if you’ve been looking at your own strength, at your own talents, at your own giftings only to try to discover the plan that the Lord has for you, then you’re wrong. Why are you wrong? The Bible actually says in Jeremiah chapter 10 verse 23 that Lord, I know that people’s lives are not their own; it is not for them to direct their steps. What a powerful statement that is. That should be an alleviating statement for you and I because it’s not about what we think is best. We are not smart enough to direct our own paths. We have an opportunity to discover truly what is our calling by going outside of ourselves and going back to our relationship with the Lord. What a tremendous blessing to understand that it’s not about me being smart enough, it’s not about me being talented enough, it’s about me being surrendered to what God has called me to do. Many times, the questions that rise up in our hearts is how do I know what God wants me to do? How do I fulfil the calling that God has for my life? I’m glad that you asked that question because it’s a whole lot easier than you think when it comes to hearing the voice of God. There’s been many times in my life when I’ve looked back and said that was the Lord, I should have known that, or I shouldn’t have done that because the Lord had warned me about that. We can see those things looking back but it’s important for us to also understand how do we accomplish, or fulfil the call that the Lord has on our lives as we look forward to the future because it’s so important that you take your calling seriously. Understand that the spirit of God living on the inside of you has so much potential to do so many things through you in the future. Having this understanding will motivate you to start taking the call of God seriously on our lives. God is always speaking to us. You may say well, I don’t hear the voice of the Lord. I want to tell you that you’re wrong because the Bible says that my sheep hear my voice, and they follow me. Jesus said that in John chapter 10. Many born-again people doubt the truth of this statement based on their experiences. They don’t think they can hear God’s voice. However, the Word of God is true, not their experiences. Because the Bible says it, I’m going to believe what God says not
Put God at the centre of your future
A Sermon Delivered on Wednesday Evening, February 5th 2025, byEvangelist PAUL ACQUAH,Live on MZ Radio London, London UK. We plan. We strategise. We dream of what tomorrow will hold. But what if the foundation upon which we build our future is shifting sand? What if the key to a truly fulfilling life isn’t found in our own strength, but in surrendering to the will of God? Today, we are reminded of a timeless truth: When God is at the centre of your plans, your future is secure, filled with peace, purpose, and hope beyond measure. The parable of the rich fool, found in Luke 12, illustrates the futility of making future plans without acknowledging God. It serves as a stark reminder of the fleeting nature of earthly possessions and the importance of prioritising what truly matters. So, are you building your future on temporary foundations, or are you anchoring your hopes and dreams in something eternal? In today’s message titled “Put God at the centre of your future,” Evangelist Paul Acquah explores what it truly means to build a future with God at its heart. Be blessed as you listen! Thinking life is all about yourself? Think again. We can try to live for ourselves, but we don’t even know what tomorrow is going to bring. We’re so single-minded, we have one perspective. Do you remember the story in Luke chapter 12 where it talks about the guy who reaped his harvest. He was a wealthy man; he had a great harvest and so he said what am I going to do? I’m going to tear down my barns, build new ones, live off the fat of the land. What did God say to him? He said you’re a fool. Why was he a fool? Because he was looking at life by his own perspective. So, he was judging by the circumstances that were around him in that moment, what he was going to do for the future not based upon his relationship with God. He said you fool, don’t you know that tonight your soul will be required. That means we have no idea about how things can go but when we trust in the Lord and discover his plan for our lives, that’s when we find true satisfaction. We buy new things for ourselves and our children before we invest in the kingdom of God. Is having a nice new car and other nice stuff wrong? No, but it all depends on your priorities. What comes first? “10 Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need” (Malachi 3:10 ESV). Most of us put God to the test alright, but not in this one way we are told to.Why? The answer is simple, and we all know it. Because we don’t trust Him with our money. Some of us trust Him with our immortal souls but not our money.Why? Again, the answer is simple and obvious. We treasure our money and comfort in this life more than our souls.Are you submitted to God? Are you ready to conform your life to the Word of God?If so, let’s read the passage about the parable of the rich fool in Luke 12:13–21. The Parable of the Rich Fool 13 Then one from the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” 14 But He said to him, “Man, who made Me a judge or an arbitrator over you?” 15 And He said to them, “Take heed and beware of [c]covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.” 16 Then He spoke a parable to them, saying: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully. 17 And he thought within himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, since I have no room to store my crops?’ 18 So he said, ‘I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will store all my crops and my goods. 19 And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry.” ’ 20 But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?’ 21 “So is he who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.” Jesus was teaching deep and great things and someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” Jesus didn’t seem to welcome the question. 14 But he said to him, “Man, who made me a judge or arbitrator over you?” Jesus was not one to waste a teaching opportunity. 15 And he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”What is covetousness? Greediness. Don’t be greedy! Let’s look at the last part of verse 15: “For one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” What is your life about? Is it about your stuff, your family, your business, your ego? Or is your life about your identity in Christ and about the mission that He gave you? If you are a believer in Christ Jesus, your life is NOT about your stuff. The world says, “Whoever dies with the most wealth, wins.” The world is dead wrong! You can’t take the wealth with you. What can you take with you? The souls of men and women you win to the Lord. You can store up treasure in heaven. How? Rewards come through obedience. Invest your money in the kingdom – you can’t take your money with you, but you can send it ahead. Put God at the centre of your future. Let’s get into the parable. 16 And he
Your actions reveal your future
A Sermon Delivered on Wednesday Evening, January 15th 2025, byEvangelist PAUL ACQUAH,Live on MZ Radio London, London UK. Your actions tell a profound story about your eternal destiny. Every choice you make, every step you take, shapes more than just your present – it echoes into eternity. This truth is powerfully captured in two key biblical principles: the certainty of judgment and the transformative power of faith. While it is appointed for all to die once, and after that judgment, our response to Christ’s message can fundamentally alter our trajectory. This isn’t merely about performing good deeds or accumulating religious credits; it’s about a deep transformation that begins with faith and manifests through our actions. Like signposts on a road, our actions point to our ultimate destination. And just as a tree is known by its fruit, our future is revealed through the choices we make today. In today’s message titled “Your actions reveal your future,” Evangelist Paul Acquah shares a powerful reminder that we have the power to choose the direction of our lives. Be blessed as you listen! There’s future judgement: “It is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment” (Hebrews 9;27). John 5:24 says, “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life” (John 5:24). A future time is coming when God will pour out His wrath on all the earth. 17 For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?” (Revelation 6:17). I hate to be in that moment where you realise everything I have lived for and worked for was worthless. Earthly life is not all there is to our existence. Man is sinful: “The heart is deceitful above all things, And [d]desperately wicked; Who can know it? (Jeremiah 17:9). Even in the context of the natural world, evil invites negative consequences and disaster. In eternity, judgment on unGodliness is absolutely guaranteed. The nations were angry, and Your [h]wrath has come, And the time of the dead, that they should be judged, And that You should reward Your servants the prophets and the saints, And those who fear Your name, small and great, And should destroy those who destroy the earth” (Revelation 11:18). It’s a different story for the believer. The believer in Christ will stand with joy before the throne of God. We participate in the joy of the Lord when we stand before him. “His Lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your Lord” (Mathew 25:21) . We share in his joy. “Looking unto Jesus, the [a]author and [b]finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” ( Hebrews 12:2). Most people say, when you stand before the throne, there’s going to be terror, it’s going to be fear you’re going to be judged. But for the person who’s a believer in Christ, you are going to have joy standing before the throne. Not because you deserve it, and not because you did everything right but because Jesus totally washed away your sin. There’s no more atonement for your sin. He’s already forgiven all of your sin: past, present and future and for the believer, when we stand before the Lord there’s actually going to be joy. ‘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’ (John 3:16). The gospel is good news indeed. God so really, so richly loved the world in giving his Son for the world. What an amazing grace, that the great God should love such a worthless world! He has given us Christ to receive him as our Lord and saviour. And here’s the great beauty of the gospel, that whoever believes in Christ, shall not perish, but shall have everlasting life. To believe in Jesus means to have faith in Jesus Christ that He is God (John1:1; 10:30; 14:9) and that He saves you by His crucifixion (Eph. 2:8, 9; 2 Tim. 1:9; Titus 3:5). If you continue to believe that you can somehow earn your salvation, you have never been truly born again. However, when you truly place your faith in Him, you receive His gift of eternal life. (John 6:40; 17:3).Eternal life is something that all born-again believers possess.“For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. 18 “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed” (John 16:17-20). This shows the joy of all true believers; He who believes in Him is not condemned. Though, they had been sinners, yet they aren’t dealt with according to what their sins deserve. While Jesus says that all judgment has been committed to Him (John 5:22), He assures us that He did not come to earth to judge us but to save us. What that means is that we are already forgiven. When we place our faith in Jesus, we are accepting that He has already fully and successfully taken our punishment upon Himself. Think about that: Standing before God almighty and all of the wrong, stupid, evil things that we’ve done, we’re still going to be
What does the future hold for you?
A Sermon Delivered on Wednesday Evening, January 8th 2025, byEvangelist PAUL ACQUAH,Live on MZ Radio London, London UK. Have you ever stood at the edge of a new chapter in your life, wondering what lies ahead? Perhaps you’re there right now – facing decisions that could reshape your tomorrow, carrying dreams that seem just beyond your reach, or wrestling with uncertainties that keep you awake at night. In a world filled with change and unpredictability, how do we find the courage to move forward? Where can we place our hope when the road ahead seems unclear? Today, we’re diving into the timeless promises of God – truths that remind us that the One who holds the future is also holding us. Through Scripture, we’ll uncover how faith in God’s plan and His word will bring peace to our present and confidence in what’s to come. Let’s join Evangelist Paul Acquah as he shares on the sermon titled “What does the future hold for you”. Be blessed as you listen! Do you have security about your job, your future and your finances? All of us have uncertainties in our lives. A person goes to work, and they say, “You know, we don’t need you anymore”. Jobs are uncertain. Health is uncertain. Relationships are uncertain. Families are uncertain. Everywhere you turn, everywhere you look, you look around and you ask yourself the question: What is security? What is certain? What is for sure anymore? But let me assure you that in all these uncertainties, your future can be brighter than you think. God has given every one of us a great future but we need to accept that good future he has for us. God looks at your future, so take him seriously. What does God say about your future? “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11 NIV). The KJV translation says it this way: For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. (KJV) When the time has come for Jesus’ death, resurrection and ascension to heaven, he comforted his disciples with the following statements: “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 In My Father’s house are many [a]mansions; if it were not so, [b]I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. 4 And where I go you know, and the way you know.” 5 Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?” 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:1-6) Do you know where you are going? Do you know what the future holds for you? Are you a believer in Christ Jesus? God says He will lead you to an expected end. Jesus says, I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also”. When you understand what you possess, and where you’re going, you have a supernatural spiritual perspective over everything that’s happening in your life. All of a sudden you realise that it doesn’t matter what’s going on, I know what the future holds for me, I know where I’m going, and this is really, really important. As you see things get darker in the world, you can begin to be afraid of what’s going to happen even as a believer in Christ because yes, you know where you are going in the end, but there’s a lot of junk in between now and then, for people to get to a place where Jesus comes back and get us. When again you know what you possess, who you belong to and where you’re going, it starts to remove the fear of how things are going to get darker and darker. I’m no longer of this world and so as I’m in this world right now, I see the lost and they’re imploding on themselves and it will only get worse. But at the same time because it’s getting worse that means you and I standing up for the truth is even more profound, is even brighter, and is more contagious than ever before. That’s when you let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. Let this shape our thoughts, emotions, and actions and impact the way we live our lives. We can then gain new insights and find divine solutions to life’s challenges. When you know where you’re going, then it doesn’t matter if you get persecuted, it doesn’t even matter if you get killed for your faith. I know this seems heavy to hear but sorry it doesn’t matter if you get murdered for your faith. This is where you are in a position where you realise that it doesn’t matter what the enemy tries to do, it doesn’t matter what people say about me, it doesn’t matter if somebody is trying to ruin your reputation or even take your business or trying to undermine your family or your marriage. You fight for those things, you fight with the word of God, but at the same time those things are not your definition because you know you have a heavenly reward. You know you have a bright future. What’s easy is in this moment your fear begins to leave and you
NEW THOUGHTS, NEW LIFE
A Sermon Delivered on Wednesday Evening, January 1st 2025 by – Evangelist Paul Acquah, Live on MZ Radio London, London UK. Our thoughts hold incredible power. They shape our perceptions, guide our actions, and ultimately determine the direction of our lives. The Bible tells us in Proverbs twenty-three seven, ‘As a man thinks in his heart, so is he.’ Our inner thoughts define who we are and the life we experience. In Romans twelve two, we’re reminded to ‘be transformed by the renewing of our mind.’ It’s through this renewal that we align with God’s perfect will for our lives and step into the fullness of His promises. In this new year, through the power of God’s Word and the renewal of your mind, you can uproot the weeds of negative thinking and plant seeds of truth that will bear fruit in every area of your life. Join us as we discover how this transformation is possible in today’s message by Evangelist Paul Acquah titled “New Thoughts, New Life”. If you renew your mind, you will renew your life. I want to encourage you to spend more time in the word of God as we see what we’re seeing in our lives right now, in our generation, in this culture with everything that’s happening economically and just all of the stuff happening in the world. It’s really good to get more time in the word of God as opposed to less time. Proverbs 23:7 is such an important scripture, “As [a man] thinks in his heart, so is he. Your way of thinking determines your way of life. Where your mind goes, that’s where you go.And like the writer of proverbs says, the way we think determines how we live and who we are. That’s why we need to “think about what we’re thinking about.” Romans 12 1-2 is a very familiar scripture for most of us, but let’s take a look at it again today. “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed”. How? “By the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God”. From this text of scripture, we discover that God does not want us to be conformed to the ways of the world or in other words, how the world thinks. He says if we will renew our minds with the word of God, we’re going to be able to actually live differently from the way the world lives. We’re going to be able to live transformed lives instead of conformed to the world’s way of thinking. “And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, 2 in which you once walked according to the [a]course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, 3 among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others. 4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved)” (Ephesians 2:1-5). Before we believe in Jesus, we are dead in our spirit to God, blind to His ways, unable to communicate with Him, and eternally separated from Him because of our sinful nature. When we are not born again, we are used to being directed by our soul because our spirit is dead, we don’t have a spirit that’s alive unto God when we are not born again. The soul is used to being in control and what happens for many in the world is they go by the popular notion. They hear things like, whatever feels good, do it. Whatever you think is good, do it. And that’s the problem, we’re so used to those patterns in our lives that they become familiar to us to where it feels normal. We cannot change any of this by our own works. “And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins”. Dead people can’t help themselves. They can’t move, talk, or respond in any way, because they have no life. The only thing that can change our condition is a new spirit and a new life—which is Christ’s gift to us when we believe in Him as our Saviour. We were given life through Christ when we were dead in our sins. When you get born again, God takes that dead, corrupt spirit out of you and you don’t have that demonic sin nature on the inside of you anymore. You’ve got a brand-new nature. This was an act of grace independent of our efforts and works (Romans 3:27 and 11:6). God gave Christ’s life to us who were dead in sin. Truly, salvation rests in the work of God through Christ alone. 17 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new “(2 Corinthians 5:17). I know sometimes you’re thinking well, wait a minute I still got a lust for some things. It’s not because your nature is that way anymore, it’s because you haven’t renewed your mind. Your mind is very similar to a computer and it was programmed to be selfish, it was programmed to think only about yourself, it was programmed to only look at things from your own selfish perspective, it was programmed to just do things on your own and only turn to God when you’re in absolute dire situation. Your mind was programmed raw and you’re going to continue to have some of the same lust and desires and things that you had before you got born again until you renew your mind through the word of God. God says to us there’s a process that needs to happen once we have been called out of darkness into his marvellous light to where we actually
ONLY CHRIST HAS THE ANSWER
A Sermon Delivered on Wednesday evening, June 3rd, 2020, byEvangelist PAUL ACQUAH, Live on MZ Radio London, UK Staying on Fire for God. The Bible is very clear about having an active pursuit of Jesus in keeping His fire burning inside of you. So many who start out on fire for God do not remain in the same fervency that they once had. You see, being on fire for God doesn’t come automatically. You have to intentionally work at it. Staying on fire for God and understanding the things of God are so important in the times we are living in. People’s eternal destiny depends on God and us and how on fire for Jesus we are. We have one life, and we don’t have the luxury of wasting it. God has not called us to a trivial life. He has called us to a life of divine purpose and destiny. In this message: “Staying on fire for God,” I encourage you to fan into flame the fire of God in your life and be constantly zealous for the things of God. If you have to describe your life today, how would you describe it? Is your life a wonderful, exciting journey? Is it a continuous challenge? Or one not knowing what to accomplish? Is your life a painful disappointment? Well, you can describe your life in many different ways, but Jesus came to give us life and give us more abundantly. Abundant life is a life which is fulfilling, a life of contentment. Not a life without heartache and sorrows and troubles. But then, a life which even in the midst of troubles and difficulties, you can step ahead and beyond all that. A life that can surpass all of that. Halleluiah! And that’s the life that Jesus came to give to us. But sometimes we find ourselves dry and hollow and with lack of zeal for the things of God. Maybe you are stuck in life, you feel like a prisoner, and you are not getting anywhere. You don’t know what’s happening to your life, but you want to get back to where you used to be. You want to be on fire for God again. How do you keep the fire of the Holy Spirit burning? How do you keep what God has done in your life fresh? If you have not trusted Christ as your saviour, you can receive Him and be on fire for Him. It’s really up to you. It’s not God who determines whether you continue or not. People talk about; have you got hungry? Have you lost your first love? Have you got dry? Sometimes people lose their desire to go on and as a result they become dry and empty. But then, the Bible says that there is a race of life for everybody. God has set a course or path for all of us and we are to run and win. How do we become dry and stay off track? There are many reasons for that. Usually because we are distracted by something, sometimes it’s someone or some influence of other people who are actually distracting us. That’s why the Bible says that: Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly,Nor stands in the path of sinners,Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;But his delight is in the law of the LORD,And in His law, he meditates day and night.He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water,That brings forth its fruit in its season,Whose leaf also shall not wither;And whatever he does shall prosper.(Psalm 1:1-3) So be careful who you associate yourself with. We are to associate with the God kind. God wants us to associate ourselves with Him and with His people. So how do you become dry and lose your zeal for the things of God? Maybe it’s because the person gets busy in their business. The busier they become the less time they have for spiritual things. They find themselves in other interest in life. Sometimes it’s a particular pleasure that has attracted them. For example, sport or some hobby or whatever it might be. But you see, it’s a drift in process, it doesn’t happen at once. A person doesn’t just decide I will stop praying, stop reading the Bible, stop giving, stop going to church, stop serving and do my own things. It’s a gradual process. Before you know, you become empty and I pray that, that will not happen to you. Their eyes begin to move in other directions. And they have many reasons to justify themselves. I love God and He loves me. They can even say, ‘you don’t have to go to church every Sunday’. What they don’t know is that they have been tricked by the devil. Little by little, Satan causes them to drift. And if somebody doesn’t get their attention, before long, they have become so dry and have lost their zeal for the things of God. So, another question is how do you stay on fire for God? How do you get back on the route to fulfil God’s purposes for your life? The first thing you’ve got to do is to acknowledge that you have become dry and losing or have lost the fire. The Bible is not as important as it used to be to you. You are not excited about God’s word. You are not excited about Godly music. You find yourself more excited by things that are not related to the spiritual. Then you know that obviously things are not happening the way they should be and that something has got to be done. And when that happens, people will say; have you lost your first love? They keep talking about all these. They want a new outpouring and a fresh touch. They even say; oh God come and revive us. There are partial truths in all that, but one thing which is
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
Think what God says you should think
“8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things” (Phil 4:8 NIV). Thoughts of God The thoughts you think help determine the direction of your life. You can’t dwell on defeat and expect to see victory. When thoughts of worry, fear or anxiety try to take root, choose instead, the promises of God. Be careful how you think; your life is shaped by your thoughts. What we think is extremely important and especially what we think consistently. That doesn’t mean every little thought that goes through your mind becomes reality in your life, but certainly things that we think consistently. What should we be thinking consistently? According to this text of scripture, they are things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, or praiseworthy. God has given us power to control our thoughts, bringing every thought into line with what the word of God says. There are a lot of negative things going on around the world at the moment. You may be feeling grief and sorrowful. You may be confused and be asking; God why are these things happening? You can take control of your own thought life completely by speaking to and immediately casting down wrong thoughts and replacing them with the right thoughts listed in “Philippians 4:8”. “Casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ” (2 Cor. 10:5). Know that God is a good God. If we think about the goodness of God, we will be able to cast off the fret and the depression and the grief and the sorrows that will come. Instead of seeing yourself poor, you can say my God shall supply all my needs. “And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Phil 4:19). Our supply is coming from a different source, not according to the government’s riches, not according to your employer’s or your origination’s riches, not according to your parent’s or children’s riches, but according to God’s riches in glory by Christ Jesus. “And God is able to give you more than you need, so that you will always have all you need for yourselves and more than enough for every good cause. 9 As the scripture says, “He gives generously to the needy; his kindness lasts forever.” (2 Cor. 9:8 -9). Why don’t you let these words paint a picture in your mind? People read these scriptures and yet they see themselves poor. That’s the image that they have, that’s the expectation that they have. They never expect to get out of the situation that they are in. And that’s not thinking the way God wants us to think, and that’s not meditating on the word, and that’s not focusing on God. But that’s allowing your mind to follow what other people are following. Or what other people are saying. They keep saying: There’s economic downturn, life will never return to normal, everybody is going to go through a recession. Things will come to pass exactly the way you see them. Make sure you resist negative thoughts with the word of God. Meditate on the word day and night (Ps. 1: 1-3 and Joshua 1:8). Meditation is so important. What’s meditation? You have to take the word of God and let it paint pictures on the inside of you and this takes time, but if you do this on a regular basis, it’s going to revolutionize your life. Don’t see yourself sick and don’t see yourself dying even if you’ve been diagnosed with an incurable disease. There’s power in your thinking and what you say. “As he thinks in his heart so does he become” (Pro 27:3). “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit” (Pro 18:21). You can see yourself well in your thinking instead of expecting the worse. Some of you know that God has bigger plans for you than what you are experiencing. You may even know some of the details. You may know the business that He wants you to start or how He wants you to go out and minister. You have direction from the Lord, but you are not seeing it come to pass because you haven’t sat down and meditated. You haven’t pictured it to see it coming to pass. Meditate on what God has told you. Ask Him that God, here is where you want me to go, how do I get there? God will direct you exactly where He wants you to go. Focus on God and you can see things in your Spiritual womb. Keep your imagination on God and you will arrive at the right destination even in the midst of crisis. If we want to be changed then our minds should be changed before anything in our lives is going to change. And God will help us with that. He will teach us how to think. The Holy Spirit is so wonderful, and He is inside of us and He will even remind us when we are not thinking right. And He will even remind us what we should be thinking if we have enough of the word in us to rise up and confront the wrong thing. We give control of our minds to the enemy if we don’t resist wrong thoughts that come up against us. And the very best way to resist wrong thoughts is to open your mouth and speak out loud a portion of scripture that you have learned that you know confronts that wrong thoughts. And the thoughts stop immediately because if you are speaking, then it goes through your mind so the thing that the enemy is trying to put in your mind has to go away. Speak to it and immediately cast down wrong thoughts