Month: November 2023

Date: Thursday, 30^th November, 2023

Text: Proverbs 7:6-12

Author: Pastor Adedeji Fadehan

Exhortation:

Every kingdom has its own culture and tradition. Modesty characterizes the Christian culture while immodesty is the trademark of the devil’s kingdom. It is against the culture of God’s kingdom for any of its citizens to dress like a harlot.

What is a harlot’s attire? In modern day language, they are called expensive rags. These are clothing designed and worn to attract men’s eyes to the bodies of a prostitute and excite the lusts of their flesh for sexual sins. They are accessories and apparel planned to maximize a harlot’s physical appearance for notice and enticement of men.

They flaunt their delicate parts, saying, “If you have got it, flaunt it.” They do it with the intention of getting the attention of the opposite sex. They reveal their breasts, tummies, bums, thighs and other body parts. At times they wear very tight body hugs or transparent clothing that makes their privacies public.

Unfortunately, so many so-called Christians do not understand who they are in Christ. Their motive of dressing is not to glorify God but to look sexy or to dress to kill. If you are looking sexy, you are not different from a harlot. If you are dressing to kill, you are unknowingly, doing the bidding of the devil whose aim from the beginning has been to expose man’s nakedness.

Many years ago it was easy to differentiate a harlot from others just by their dressing. However, these days, it is not so easy. Instead of the harlots being ashamed and desiring to copy the Christians in modest dressing; it is the Christians who are ashamed of modesty and desiring to look like harlots!

Do you belong to the Kingdom of God, then “Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand” – Philippians 4:5. Treasures are not found on the surface but buried and hidden in the ground. If you treasure your body, cover your nakedness.

You will give account on the Day of Judgment what you did with your body while on Earth.

Action Nugget: Repent today, and come back home, you sinner and backslider! Tomorrow may be too late.

Date: Wednesday, 29^th November, 2023

Text: Genesis 3:1-21

Author: Pastor Adedeji Fadehan

Exhortation:

Everything God made was intended for his pleasure. The word of God says, “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.” Revelation 4:11

The goal of every child of God must be to make him happy in thought, action and appearance. This is how to give glory to God.

Man realized he was naked after eating the forbidden fruit. Before this time he was covered by God’s glory. But when sin came, glory departed; nakedness and shame took over; then Man started hiding from God.  This is why the Bible says, “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23

However, when God found Adam and Eve naked in the Garden of Eden, he made garments of skin for them and clothed them. This shows God is not only concerned about our hearts but also about our appearance; our grooming. He pays particular attention to  how we look.

Are you interested in pleasing God? If yes, then, please, know that there is nothing that glorifies God in exposing your nakedness. Rather, dress to cover your nakedness and glorify the One who gave you your body.

Prayer Nugget: I repent from every act of nudity in Jesus name.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

Date: Tuesday, 28^th November, 2023

Text: Romans 12:14-21

Author: Pastor Adedeji Fadehan

Exhortation:

Two wrongs cannot make a right; so if your enemy is evil and so hates you; if your response is hatred, are you not also evil? How are you better than him?

God has promised to fight for you while you hold your peace (Exodus 14:14). He has promised to take away from you all sickness; but impose them on all [those] who hate you- Deuteronomy 7:15.

He said “Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord (Even at this, don’t gloat at your enemy’s downfall).

If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals upon his head. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” Romans 12:19-21

To heap burning coals on someone’s head means to cause the person to feel remorse by returning good for evil. Forgive easily, overlook offenses, let there be no provision for unforgiveness and bitterness. When matters arise, resolve them quickly.

If your ultimate aim is to make Heaven then you must follow peace with all men and be holy. Without this, no man shall see the Lord- Hebrews 12:14.

Prayer Nugget: Father, help me to follow peace with all men and be holy even as you are holy in Jesus name.

Date: Monday, 27^th November, 2023

Text: Proverbs 24:17-18

Author: Pastor Adedeji Fadehan

Exhortation:

David’s number one enemy was King Saul. Several times he attempted to kill David – 1 Samuel 19:8-17; twice he had the opportunity to kill Saul but he spared his life.  However, when his time was up, Saul committed suicide.

Ordinarily, one would have expected David and his men to throw a party and celebrate Saul’s death but they did the exact opposite. The Word of God says, ^“Therefore David took hold of his own clothes and tore them, and so did all the men who were with him. And they mourned and wept and fasted until evening for Saul and for Jonathan his son, for the people of the Lord and for the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword.” 2 Samuel 1:11-12

My mum once taught me a biblical lesson which can be summarized as follows:“Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and do not let your heart be glad when he stumbles; lest the Lord see it, and be displeased, and He turn away His wrath from him.” Proverbs 24:17-18

No wonder God said David was a man after his heart.

Heaven mourns each time a sinner goes to Hell and it celebrates each time a sinner is saved. Even though God hates sin, he loves sinners and he is unwilling that they perish; but wants every sinner to come to repentance.

Prayer Nugget: Father, please, give me a loving heart in Jesus name.

Date: Sunday, 26^th November, 2023

Text: Matthew 5:43-48

Author: Pastor Adedeji Fadehan

Exhortation:

One of the hardest truths of Christianity is today’s topic. Naturally speaking, we are expected to hate our enemies and seek every means to bring them down. 

However, in today’s text, Jesus said, “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” Matthew 5:43-48

One of the reasons why we should love our enemies is stated in Ephesians 6:12, which says, “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”

I have said it again and again, that the spiritual controls the physical. So you need to see beyond the physical entities attacking you. When Jesus was about to breathe his last he prayed for his enemies, saying, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do” Luke 23:34

He prayed that prayer because he saw beyond the physical enemies. He knew that they were under the influence of unseen evil powers from the realm of darkness in the hands of whom they were simply puppets. The real enemy of Mankind is the devil and his demons.

With that understanding, it will be easy to forgive others and not hold their sins against them. Receive grace to love your enemies in Jesus name.

Prayer Nugget: Father, please enlarge my heart and grant me grace to love my enemies in Jesus name.

Date: Saturday, 25^th November, 2023

Text: Genesis 29:13-31

Author: Pastor Adedeji Fadehan

Exhortation:

Humility is the willingness to associate with people of low position or status. It is to have a realistic self-view and not to overestimate oneself. Genuinely humble souls enjoy the company of ordinary folks; they neither think they know it all nor view themselves as smarter than everyone else. Psalm 113:6 says, “Though God sits enthroned on high, He stoops down to look on the heavens and the earth.”

A haughty soul exhibits the attitude of “Big I, Small You.”

In today’s text Jacob found himself married to two wives, Leah and Rachel. Leah’s eyes were weak, but Rachel was beautiful and lovely. His love for Rachel was greater than his love for Leah. When the Lord saw that Leah was not loved, he enabled her to conceive, but Rachel remained childless. God favoured the woman who was despised but resisted the one who relied on her beauty.

A minister who was invited to preach at our student fellowship back in those days narrated his experience on how God taught him humility. He had believed that his personal effort was all he needed to succeed in life. He worked so hard that he eventually finished with a First Class but he was very haughty.

He had firmly believed that his brilliant academic record would automatically land him very lucrative jobs, his character and attitude notwithstanding. That was the air he carried everywhere he went. He applied to so many companies and attended many interviews, but he got no offer for two consecutive years after graduation.

To his surprise, applicants with less academic qualifications and grades but with humble attitudes were landing the best available jobs. That was when he realized his problem and ran to God for mercy. He repented from his arrogance, humbled himself and placed his trust in God. Not long after, the Lord showed mercy and opened doors unto him. He had learnt humility the hard way.

Humble yourself in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up- James 4:10

Prayer Nugget: I reject every haughty spirit. Father, please, clothe me with a garment of humility in Jesus name.

Date: Friday, 24^th November, 2023

Text: James 4:6

Author: Pastor Adedeji Fadehan

Exhortation:

Being humble is better than being humiliated. Humility is the nature of God’s Spirit. God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble – James 4:6. Wherever you find humility, you find wisdom and honour. Pride comes with shame and disgrace.-Proverbs 11:2; 18:12.

Pride is no respecter of social status. I have seen people who are poor and very arrogant. The converse also is also true. There are very wealthy people who are extremely humble. Of course those who are highly placed and financially enlarged should be more careful as they have more reasons to be puffed up.

Some individuals who are considered materially rich or wealthy don’t like to help the poor because they believe their achievement came by their own power. Such people should learn from King Nebuchadnezzar who believed all his achievement came from his efforts alone. By the time he recovered from 7-year insanity, he had learnt humility the hard way- Daniel 4:1-37. That will not be your portion in Jesus name.

God has a way of using the foolish things of the world to confound those who think they are wise. In a classroom containing both the rich and the poor, you sometimes see the children of the poor, being exceptionally brilliant despite all their economic disadvantages; while the sons and daughters of the rich struggle with poor grades despite all their privileges.

You sometimes see the children of the economically disadvantaged being very healthy while the seeds of the financially buoyant frequent the hospitals every now and then. At times you see the poor conceiving and giving birth easily while the one with financial strength battle with infertility.

God in His sovereignty does as he pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth. No one can hold back his hand or say to him: “What have you done?” Daniel 4:35.

Action Nugget: Stay humble!

Date: Thursday, 23^rd November, 2023

Text: Jonah 1: 1-20

Author: Pastor Adedeji Fadehan

Exhortation:

Yesterday, we affirmed that storms can either come from God or the devil. In Mark 4:35-41, Jesus rose up, rebuked the storm and reproved his disciples for not demonstrating faith in taking charge of the boisterous windstorm.

In today’s text, God sent prophet Jonah to go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness had gone up to Heaven.  But Jonah ran away from the Lord and headed for Tarshish. He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the Lord.  Then the Lord sent a great wind on the sea, and such a violent storm arose that the ship threatened to break up- Jonah 1:2-4.

Every physical effort by the sailors to get the situation under control proved abortive as the storm raged rougher and wilder.

Do you think the storm would have obeyed if Jonah had risen up from his sleep to rebuke it? Of course, no, because it was raging in obedience to God, while Jonah was acting in disobedience.

The storm was sent by God Himself as a judgement to punish Jonah for his act of rebellion. Such storms cannot be rebuked or stilled except the sinner returns back to the path of righteousness.

 As the sea was getting rougher and rougher, the sailors asked him, “What should we do to you to make the sea calm down for us?” “Pick me up and throw me into the sea,” Jonah replied, “and it will become calm. I know that it is my fault that this great storm has come upon you.” Jonah 1:11-12.

There are some storms that do not respond to prayers but to acts of obedience. Immediately Jonah was cast into sea, the storms ceased.

Are you experiencing raging storms and you have prayed but things seem to even get worse? You need to look inwards, repent and return to the path of obedience; and the storm will cease in Jesus name.

Reflective Nugget: Storms will only obey you if you live in obedience to the Controller of storms.

Date: Wednesday, 22^nd November, 2023

Text: Mark 5:1-20

Author: Pastor Adedeji Fadehan

Exhortation:

Storms can either come from the devil or from God Himself. The kind of storm the disciples and Master experienced in Mark 4:35-41 was from the devil. He sent the storm in order to stop Jesus and his men from crossing over to the other side of the sea where the mad man of Gadara was. But the enemy’s plan failed.

Immediately, Jesus stepped out of the boat in chapter 5 of the book of Mark, he was met by the demoniac who was possessed by a legion of demons (about two thousand).

The man’s insanity was of the very worst type. He lived in the tombs, and no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain. He had often been chained hand and foot, but he tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet. No one was strong enough to subdue him. Night and day among the tombs and in the hills he would cry out and cut himself with stones- Mark 5:2-5

Eventually, he got his deliverance and went about single-handedly preaching and testifying about Jesus Christ in Decapolis (a league of ten cities)- Mark 5:20. He devastated the kingdom of darkness terribly and populated God’s kingdom by spreading the fame of Jesus across the cities single-handedly.

The devil knew beforehand that the man was a potential threat to his kingdom, so he bound him with high-level madness. And even when Jesus, the Deliverer was coming to set him free, the devil sent a storm. Those are the devices of the evil one. But Christ prevailed over them all.

Every storm sent from the realm of darkness to stop your deliverance will not achieve its purpose in Jesus name.

Prayer Nugget: I still every storm sent to stop my deliverance in Jesus name.

Date: Tuesday, 21^st November, 2023

Text: Mark 4:35-41

Author: Pastor Adedeji Fadehan

Exhortation:

That storm you are currently experiencing will not swallow you in Jesus name. Don’t panic; just believe; stir up your faith and decree to your storms to cease. It is not a time to apportion blames, make negative confessions or report your case to those who will instill fear into you.

Shift your focus away from the storm but fix your gaze on the Controller of it. Storms obey Him. One pertinent question you must answer is this- Is Jesus in your boat? If yes, then command the storms in his name and they will surely obey.

The disciples in today’s text, had Jesus in their boat but instead of taking charge of the situation, they began to fear and asked, “Master, carest thou not that we perish?” Mark 4:38. Of course, they know the answer to the rhetorical question they asked.

Are you confronted by storms in your health, marriage, business, job or education? The storm will not swallow you. Just get up and take charge in Jesus name. Storms surely obey Him. And if you are yet to invite Jesus Christ into your life, what are you waiting for?

Prophetic Nugget: That storm you are currently experiencing will not swallow you in Jesus name