Purpose-Driven Life And Solomon determined to build an house for the name of the LORD, and an house for his kingdom (2 Chronicles 2:1) The most basic question everyone faces in life is "Why am I here"? "What is my purpose"? Self-help books suggest that people should look within, at their own desires and dreams, but Rick Warren, the author of the book, "Purpose Driven Life" says the starting place must be with God and His eternal purposes for each life. Real meaning and significance comes from understanding and fulfilling God's purposes for putting us on earth. From our text, king Solomon eventually began to fulfill his life purpose of building a temple to the great God of Israel. He was determined to fulfill this goal without highlighting and magnifying the difficulties around him. He requested assistance from Huram, the king of Tyre, in the cutting of cedar and algum trees which will be floated from Lebanon to Israel and the provision of an expert who can work on the temple utensils and vessels to bring the work to the desired standard. Solomon would in turn, send to Huram agricultural produce which will represent payment for the goods and services from Tyre. Solomon knew that his life purpose was to build a befitting temple to the glory, honour and majesty of God. He therefore, must have spent quality time thinking and strategising on how this vision of building God a house can be realized. He had an attitude which brought him to the altitude he desired. Fulfilling our God-given destiny cannot be by accident. Let's not sit down and wait for our life dreams and goals to happen by accident. Let's maintain the right attitude and seize every opportunity to drive our goals towards their achievement. God gives visions to individuals who will then seek helpers to help drive their vision to reality. Beloved, look out for those helpers and strike the iron while it is hot. Stop looking for excuses; drive your vision with the right attitude by: Pastor W.F. Kumuyi Download Devotional Bible @ https://devb.page.link/get-app Amazon @ amzn://apps/android?p=apps.syst.com.devbib

GENUINE PRAISE AND WORSHIP: A PATH TO PROSPERITY The blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it. Proverbs 10:22 Yesterday, we considered genuine praise and worship as a path to victory, today we want to consider prosperity; the genuine praise and worship. “And when Jehoshaphat and his people came to take away the spoil of them, they found  among them in abundance both riches with the dead bodies, and precious jewels, which they stripped off for themselves, more than they could carry away: and they were three days in gathering of the soil, it was so much.” 2 Chronicles 20:25 When God tells you that He would prosper you, don’t insult Him by asking “how?” This is because while you do not have one way that can lead you to your prosperity, God has uncountable ways. All you need is to believe and obey Him (John 11:40). Is it not amazing, if not unusual, for the soldiers in our bible reading to go to battle with precious jewels and costly outfits as if they were going for wedding ceremonies? The reason for this was that God had determined to bless His people, because He knew from the onset that His people would praise and bless the beauty of His holiness, so He prepared their compensation beforehand! Another lesson we must learn from this story is that our praise and worship must be Holy Spirit inspired; it must not be offered from our carnal man. The way we sometimes sing God’s praise confirms that these songs are carnally motivated; not seasoned with grace. It would have been acceptable if we were singing it to praise men like secular musicians do. Unfortunately, the One we claim to be praising is a Spirit; He knows everything. “But the hour cometh and now is when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.” John 4:23-24 Moreover, the Almighty demands our praise and worship of Him. He is also prepared to bless our obedience to this divine mandate. In other words, if we deny Him the praise that He is worthy of, He will also deny us the prosperity that we can so easily get. I once visited a relation with the aim of blessing him with a certain amount of money, but changed my mind because he failed to give me a modest hospitality according to our custom. When I left his house, I used about 5% of the money I should have given him to buy the soft drink he should have entertained me with. He lost 100% because he did not host me with 5%. Let us cultivate the habit of giving God abundant praise and worship and He will bless us with abundant prosperity. Throughout today, worship God in truth, in spirit and in holiness as you go about your daily business. by: Pastor E.A. Adeboye Download Devotional Bible @ https://devb.page.link/get-app Amazon @ amzn://apps/android?p=apps.syst.com.devbib

DANGER OF SELF-CONFIDENCE Peter said unto him, Lord, why cannot I follow thee now? I will lay down my life for thy sake (JOHN 13:37) Self-confidence is the product of ignorance. Someone had said, "No one is as limited as he is bereft of the whole truth." This is the reason for many defeats and failures in life. In the text, Jesus had given His disciples the new commandment and enjoined them to love one another as He had loved them, Peter interjected and wanted to know where Jesus was going and why he could not follow Him immediately. In his pride, Peter boasted, "I will lay down my life for thy sake." The Lord picked Peter up and turned his statement into a question "wilt thou lay down thy life for my sake?" It was obvious Jesus knew that Peter was speaking in the flesh and did not know the weight of his comment, neither did he have the spiritual grace to go through the process of laying down his life for the Master at the time. How we often exaggerate our strength and boast of virtues we do not fully possess! The Lord would like us to learn of Him who meekly besought the heavenly Father for grace to drink of the cup and be baptised with the baptism reserved for Him. Jesus spoke to Peter pointedly that he was not ready yet to fulfill the promise and needed to be broken and remoulded to accomplish that task. We need to approach the Lord for the full work of grace in our lives. Yes, the saving, sanctifying and Spirit fulness of grace for life and ministry is needed by every believer. This will free us from the unreasonable trust and confidence in self. Only broken and remoulded men can give their lives freely for the Master by: Pastor W.F. Kumuyi Download Devotional Bible @ https://devb.page.link/get-app Amazon @ amzn://apps/android?p=apps.syst.com.devbib

New Things From God Always Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert (Isaiah 43:19) In the 19th century, the director of the United States patent office called for the closure of the bureau following his conviction that there was nothing new to be discovered or invented. But shortly after in 1842, Samuel Morse invented the telegraph, the precursor of today's rapid means of communication over long distances. He also created the brilliant idea of Morse code that allows messages to be transmitted through short sounds or flashes of light. Restricted by the consequences of sin which has alienated him from God who has absolute power to create new things and also give inventive wisdom to human beings, man has functioned erroneously under the philosophy that nothing new can come under the sun. God's power to do new things such as salvation of the hardened sinner, miraculous deliverances like the parting of the Red Sea, divine healing for fatal diseases and timely provision for the destitute has astonished man. In the passage, the Lord opens a chink of the future of blessedness for the redeemed who by their association with Jesus their Saviour, can enjoy a life of new things, both spiritual and physical, worked out by the Creator. For the Christian to relish these pleasures, he needs to let go of the past beliefs which were unhelpful to his soul. He needs to reject ideas that tie him to the world so that he will be focused on God and have the right frame of mind that will not stagger at the Lord's promises. Believers can rely on God for new things every day of their lives. by: Pastor W.F. Kumuyi Download Devotional Bible @ https://devb.page.link/get-app Amazon @ amzn://apps/android?p=apps.syst.com.devbib

Far and Beyond Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever.(Ephesians 3:2021, NASB) God is able to do exceedingly, abundantly above and beyond all we could ever imagine! Think about that for a moment. God wants to take you far and beyond what you’ve ever dreamed. He wants to accelerate you this year which means He can bring you into opportunities that will boggle your mind. He can make your career take off like a rocket. He can cause you to meet the right people who will help further your dreams. He can launch you forward more quickly than you could have imagined! He can bring you out of debt and cause you to pay that house off even though it looked impossible. You’re going to get well even though the medical report says there’s no way. Things may be dark and gloomy around you, but keep your head held high. You have an advantage. You are a child of the Most High God. His face is shining down on you. God is saying that it’s not going to be an average year. It’s not going to be a barely-get-by year. No, you need to get ready because it’s going to be a year of favor, a year of increase, a year of acceleration! Father, thank You for accelerating every area of my life. I choose to put my trust in You knowing that You are directing my steps. Thank You for the good plans You have in store for me in Jesus name. Amen. by: Pastor Joel Osteen Download Devotional Bible @ https://devb.page.link/get-app Amazon @ amzn://apps/android?p=apps.syst.com.devbib

Eyes to See To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light... Acts 26:18 The blind man, Bartimaeus, threw off his cloak and ran trembling to Jesus. And Jesus said, “What do you want me to do for you?” He said, “Lord, that I may receive my sight.” In that moment as he said, “Lord,” his spiritual eyes were opened. And Jesus said, “Your faith has made you whole.” Notice-not your intellectual understanding, not your money, not your works-but your faith. Faith! That’s all it takes! Immediately Bartimaeus, who had been blind all of his life, began to open his eyes, and the first thing he saw was the face of Jesus. What an experience-to open one’s eyes and look straight into the strong, tender face of Jesus! Bartimaeus met Jesus and the record says he “followed Jesus in the way.” When you go back to your business, or your home, or your neighborhood, or your friends, or your school, you don’t go alone. Christ goes with you. Thank You, Lord Jesus, for healing me from my spiritual blindness! by: Evang. Billy Graham Download Devotional Bible @ https://devb.page.link/get-app Amazon @ amzn://apps/android?p=apps.syst.com.devbib

Trust Him to Make a Way Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. (Psalm 20:7, NIV) It’s easy to get discouraged when things don’t go your way. Maybe you aren’t getting out of debt as fast as you wanted. Or, you’re experiencing some challenges in your health or relationships. We have to be careful not to give up just because it hasn’t happened on our timetable. Remember, we serve a supernatural God. His ways are higher than our ways. When we believe, all things become possible! The first step is to quit trying to figure everything out. There may not be a way in the natural, but that’s okay. God can do what men can’t do. Think about the children of Israel. When they left Egypt, there were two million of them. Then, Pharaoh came chasing after them, and when they came to a dead end at the Red Sea, it looked like it was over. They couldn’t see a way out, but that didn’t mean there wasn’t a way. God simply parted the Red Sea, and they went through on dry ground. Remember, if it looks like there is no way in the natural, trust God to make a way. He’ll part the waters if He has to! He’ll do whatever it takes to lead and guide you in the path of victory that He has prepared for you! Father, I trust that with You, all things are possible. I take my eyes off of my circumstances and put my trust and hope in You. I bless You and thank You for Your faithfulness in Jesus\ name. Amen. by: Pastor Joel Osteen Download Devotional Bible @ https://devb.page.link/get-app Amazon @ amzn://apps/android?p=apps.syst.com.devbib

Evil Awaits Evil Persons Therefore thus saith the Lord; Behold, against this family do I devise an evil, from which ye shall not remove your necks; neither shall ye go haughtily: for this time is evil. (Micah 2:3 KJV) The generation of Americans at the time of the end of the US War of Independence took a wise decision in framing conventions, treaties and ordinances to guide the allotment of land to the states. According to historians, the newly formed nation comprising 13 states would have been plunged into a more devastating conflict had there not been a strict adherence and enforcement of those laws. Now far back in history, the children of Israel in the days of Prophet Micah failed to follow God's precepts on land inheritance. The Lord knew the destructive consequences of dispute over land, so He had divided portions of the Promised Land among the tribes of Israel. His perfect plan would not make room for any encroachment as no tribe or family was without inheritance. Even the daughters of Zelophehad who were first denied land possession because their father had no male child had the decision reversed by God. However, several centuries later, Israel set aside God's laws on land possession. A rich and powerful class emerged that applied force to seize the property of the poor. These people had no other business than to plot evil from dawn to dusk. God would not stand indifferent. So in verse 3, He pronounced woe upon the perpetrators of evil, oppression and land-grabbers. Man cannot get away with disobedience to God. There may be a deceptive lull blinding the perpetrator from perceiving the looming danger. Yet, unless the sinner repents, he cannot escape the full weight of the sentence and eternal perdition. God is always waiting for that crucial moment of godly sorrow on the part of the wicked. It is not an endless wait, though. One day the door of mercy shall be shut and the Lord shall say to the tardy and the negligent: "...I know you not whence ye are; depart from me..." (Luke 13:27). The wicked will harvest evil on the day of judgment by: Pastor W.F. Kumuyi Download Devotional Bible @ https://devb.page.link/get-app Amazon @ amzn://apps/android?p=apps.syst.com.devbib

Dealing With Troublous Times Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me (John 14:1) When a military complex rumbled with explosives in Lagos, Nigeria, several years ago, the tragedy recorded more deaths several kilometres away than at the epicenter of the disaster. Thousands who heard the thunderous blasts were troubled and fled in panic, with hundreds meeting their end in a deep canal, covered by hyacinth. Our Lord Jesus Christ understands what awaits a perturbed mind. It is worse with spiritual matters. The heart wracked by apprehension and guilt is home to the devil. Satan assaults such with a whirlwind of destructive ideas that send the heart to directions opposite of God’s desires and purposes. In the midst of vast and unprecedented technological and scientific breakthroughs, the human race is yet ill at ease. There are high and low intensity wars by terrorists making mockery of the arsenals of peaceful nations. Homes are disintegrating with a depravity called LGBT (short for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender). Violence and killings are the staple of the news media. All these are symptomatic of a troubled world. Rebellious man caused it through the rejection of the plan of God. But Jesus, “the Way, the Truth, and the Life” has offered the all-time panacea. In our reading today, He is assuring mankind that true and lasting peace is with Him. He promises a satisfying abode for those who receive Him as Saviour and Lord, declaring that He has prepared mansions for us in His Father’s Kingdom. The way out for troubled man is to forsake the human-inspired solutions to the universal crises and embrace God’s programme of salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. Christ is the permanent solution to mans crises. Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me (John 14:1) by: Pastor W.F. Kumuyi Download Devotional Bible @ https://devb.page.link/get-app Amazon @ amzn://apps/android?p=apps.syst.com.devbib

Do Not Be Afraid ..an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. Joseph, son of David, the angel said, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. (Matthew 1:20, NLT) Have you ever felt overwhelmed or even afraid of what God has called you to do? Maybe you were pursuing a dream or goal, and things didn’t turn out the way you planned. Joseph had planned to take Mary as his wife, but when he found out she was pregnant, he didn’t know what to think. He was afraid that he might be making a mistake because things didn’t turn out the way he planned, but God sent an angel in a dream to reassure Joseph that he was on the right path. Today let me reassure you that God knows right where you are, and He knows how to get you where you need to be. Even when things don’t go the way you planned, His hand is on you. Do not be afraid. Trust that God is working behind the scenes on your behalf, and He will lead you into the life of blessing that He has prepared for you. Father, I choose to trust in You. Even when things don\t go the way I\ve planned, I know that You are at work in my life. Thank You for leading me forward in Your plan for me in Jesus\ name. Amen. by: Pastor Joel Osteen Download Devotional Bible @ https://devb.page.link/get-app Amazon @ amzn://apps/android?p=apps.syst.com.devbib