Good-life Daily Devotional

  By Rev Michael  Benson Ajayi        Gen 22:8,13 KJV " And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.... And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son."        Prophet  Abraham demonstrated the most audacious act of faith by attempting to sacrifice  his son in obedience to God's voice and when asked by his son Isaac about the sacrificial ram his answer was profound "God will provide himself ". This statement was an indication that he understood , that  God did not  just want to provide things for us rather He wants to give himself to and for us which was what happened on the cross of Calvary. The same way God provided a ram, that is how He mysteriously provided a body for the atonement for the sins of man through Jesus Christ . Once you

   By Rev Michael Benson Ajayi   "Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, about four hundred men, and said unto them, Shall I go against Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And they said, Go up; for the Lord shall deliver it into the hand of the king. .... And all the prophets prophesied so, saying, Go up to Ramoth-gilead, and prosper: for the LORD shall deliver it into the king's hand.And the messenger that was gone to call Micaiah spake unto him, saying, Behold now, the words of the prophets declare good unto the king with one mouth: let thy word, I pray thee, be like the word of one of them, and speak that which is good." 1 Kings 22: 6 " 12,13      "Let me not, I pray you, accept any man's person, neither let me give flattering titles unto man. For I know not to give flattering titles; in so doing my maker would soon take me away." Job32:22-23      Flattery is an excessive and insincere praise, given especially to further one

  By Rev. Michael Benson Ajayi "When Isaac planted his crops that year, he harvested a hundred times more grain than he planted, for the Lord blessed him. " Genesis 26:12 NLT     God created science and he is not restricted or bound by its laws.  In Genesis 26: 12 Prophet Isaac defied the laws of agricultural science by growing crops out of a nutrient -free and moisture -free soil. It was a season of severe  famine and supernaturally he received in the same year one hundredfold against  conventional agricultural  practice .              Prophet Isaac enjoyed a monopoly as a result of the maximum profit out of his farming business. Walking in the consciousness of  God's blessing upon our lives results in uncommon productivity against all odds. The believer in Jesus Christ is  powered by the anointing of God's favour  . You shall prosper in the most difficult business terrain Psalm 65:11-13 NLT says" ..even the hard pathways overflow with abundance. .." God

    By Rev. Michael Benson Ajayi  1 Peter 2:9KJV " But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light"        The word 'marvelous'   in this scripture is the Greek word 'thaumazo' it means 'to have in admiration' and 'darkness' is a word which means 'shadiness'. God's plan is for you to experience prosperity in a world bedeviled with economic woes and confusion caused by shady dealings .You  shall  set the standard in business ethics for others to follow . You are a trophy of God's grace and signs of His benevolence.         Jacob experienced this in the hands of a treacherous employer master Laban who did everything possible to undo Jacob but instead he thrived, flourished and made gainful progress in adversity. The scriptures says in Gen 30:43KJV "And the man increased exceedingly,

    By Rev. Michael Benson Ajayi Rev 12:11KJV " And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death"       Faith  is a risky proposition. It requires placing your safety in the hands of another person .  Trusting God for your livelihood is a risk worth taking because it always pays off with extraordinary results .The word 'overcame' in the above scripture is from the Greek word 'nike'  meaning 'a means of success'. This means  those who depend on the provisions of the redemptive power of the blood of Jesus as their means of success would have a favourable condition in the times of economic recession.     The  blood of Jesus did not only save us from hell but also from poverty. To doubt this brings a person under a self-afflicted curse of stagnation (Jeremiah 17:5-8) the reverse is the case for those who trust in the power of the blood )of Christ : Verse 8 says  "They are

    By Rev.Michael Benson Ajayi Matthew 17:24-27 "........Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea, and cast an hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money; that take, and give unto them for me and thee."       God  wants to give you a  miraculous breakthrough as in the above scripture where Jesus provided the money for their taxes, and it was the exact amount needed from the first fish caught by Peter .One breakthrough from God will wipe your tears of sorrow away.Get ready for it.           This event is a confirmation that God also supplies needs in a miraculous way, it's worthy of note that it is not an endorsement of dubious money making schemes for God does not bless through fraud. Jesus did not create money in the fish, but rather he had the fish miraculously find and swallow the exact amount  needed by Peter .         In ancient times coins where thrown into rivers, fo

  Rev. Michael Benson Ajayi  Psalm 119:125 " I am your servant; give me understanding, that I may know your testimonies."  Psalm 119:130 "The entrance of your words gives light; it gives understanding unto the simple"        The word 'understanding' means: the ability to understand something; comprehension. The bible contains data about God's relationships with humanity spanning thousands of years .      In other to understand the bible one must be guided by the fundamental principles of questioning . We must ask WHAT the subject of the given text is ? WHO is the text of  scripture referring to ? WHY is the text scripture written the way it is ? WHEN was the scripture written and the prevailing  culture and what is its validity and applicability  . HOW was it applied then and how should it be applied now considering the prevailing circumstances .      Asking these questions opens the door to understanding . Scriptures should be read without prejudice and

By Rev Michael Benson Ajayi  2 Samuel 3:1 'Now there was long war between the house of Saul and the house of David: but David waxed stronger and stronger, and the house of Saul waxed weaker and weaker.' 1 Samuel 16:13 'Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.'    This is one of the most extraordinary event in the Bible with regards to the role  God plays in the affairs of men while executing his purpose on earth . The Bible says ." .. it is commanded by the holy ones, so that everyone may know that the Most High rules over the kingdoms of the world. He gives them to anyone he chooses—     even to the lowliest of people.”  Daniel 4:17    The lord had anointed David king while there was yet a ruling king Saul in  Israel , this a lesson that nobody is indispensable before God . Saul was full of pride and presumptuous . On one

    By Rev. Michael Benson Ajayi Mark 8:30-33, "...But when he had turned about and looked on his disciples, he rebuked Peter, saying, Get thee behind me, Satan: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but the things that be of men."         This is proof that good advice does not always translate into being the right advice.  Peter's good advice  was Satan -inspired. This scenario  is a parallel of the serpent's statements  to Eve in the garden of Eden (Genesis. 3:15) with God rebuking the devil in both cases : Peter and the serpent were mediums through which Satan expressed his wishes. He still does same through false teachers who use the witchcraft art of clairvoyance to foretell events and many have fallen victims with families fragmented and polarized through the activities of these so-called seers. Satan also works through some of our friends who oppose the truth of the gospel.          God - inspired visions or revelations always align with the script

  By Rev Michael Benson Ajayi  Isaiah 45;7 " I  form the light, and  create darkness: I make  peace, and create evil: I  the Lord do all these  things."    Some religions doubt the possibility of the Christian's God being conceived in the womb of a woman ( Mary) . To doubt the possibility of this phenomena suggests  these religious Gods are  limited in power and as such is not All-powerful ( can only do a few things at a time so he cannot be in a womb and outside the womb ) He is also not All-knowing( he is limited in information such as how to be in a womb and everywhere else at the same time ) He is also not All-present ( He cannot be in so many places at the same time such as in a womb and outside the womb  ) obviously this Gods have the limitations of mortals .   On the contrary the God of the Born again believer in Jesus Christ is ALL POWERFUL ( He can experience every event in the universe including conception in a human womb and the movement of planets in the unive

      By Rev. Michael Benson Ajayi Isaiah 1:23-25 NIV  Your rulers are rebels, companions of thieves; they all love bribes and chase after gifts. They do not defend the cause of the fatherless; the widow's case does not come before them.  Therefore the Lord, the Lord Almighty, the Mighty One of Israel, declares: "Ah, I will get relief from my foes and avenge myself on my enemies.   I will turn my hand against you; I will thoroughly purge away your dross and remove all your impurities.”    The Prophet Isaiah gave this prophesy in the era of King Uzziah  of Isreal who started well with the lord then soon became arrogant by reason of his success and later deviated from God’s commands . He trusted in  his riches more than in the lord . He placed the Ammonites on tributes   -sacrificial offerings  (2Chron26:8) and became so influential that he had no regards for spiritual authority, he thought he could bribe God with offerings and was afflicted with leprosy . The same arrogance is

    Rev. Michael Benson Ajayi Job 15:34 NIV For the company of the godless will be barren, and fire will consume the tents of those who love bribes. Ex 23:8  "Take no bribes, for a bribe makes you ignore something that you clearly see. A bribe makes even a righteous person twist the truth."       A bribe is any gift item (money, sex, power and valuable property )  given with the sole intent of influencing the course of justice in one’s favour . It is Satan’s attempt to duplicate the anointing of God’s favour . He once offered to bribe Jesus with political influence if Jesus would bow down and worship him ( Matthews 4:8).  Satan often uses the same tools in Mathew 4 to enslave his victims.          The average church congregation  is a mixture of true worshipers and agents of Satan , there are persons who’s hearts are not completely sold to the lord , who are ready tools in the hands of Satan whose aim is to kill , steal and destroy . Through these persons a culture of bribery

   By Rev. Michael Benson Ajayi  I said to myself, “Let’s go for it—experiment with pleasure, have a good time!” But there was nothing to it, nothing but smoke. What do I think of the fun-filled life? Insane! Inane! My verdict on the pursuit of happiness? Who needs it? With the help of a bottle of wine and all the wisdom I could muster, I tried my level best to penetrate the absurdity of life. I wanted to get a handle on anything useful we mortals might do during the years we spend on this earth. Oh, I did great things: built houses, planted vineyards, designed gardens and parks and planted a variety of fruit trees in them, made pools of water to irrigate the groves of trees. I bought slaves, male and female, who had children, giving me even more slaves; then I acquired large herds and flocks, larger than any before me in Jerusalem. I piled up silver and gold, loot from kings and kingdoms. I gathered a chorus of singers to entertain me with song, and—most exquisite of all pleasures— vo

   By Rev Michael Benson Ajayi          The “Near Success Syndrome” is mostly due to uncontrolled temper. Moses was a victim of the “Near success syndrome”. The Word of God declares; “A fool outers all his mind; but a wise man keeps it in till afterwards; Prov. 29:11. “He that is soon angry deals foolishly” Prov. 14:17. Angry  people are prone to making terrible business decisions and also make terrible mistakes in their relationships.           It is difficult to repent when nursing anger. Angry people tend to continue in their erroneous ways even if they had been warned about the consequences of their actions.          Wiser men and Women help others control their tempers. Society has a penchant to fuel an already  overheated situation by making unguarded remarks; however wise man and women seek for ways of reconciling aggrieved parties. They know: “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. Prov. 15:1. Also, “He that is slow to anger pacifies strife. Prov. 15

    By Rev. Michael Benson Ajayi     “Your anger can never make things right in God’s sight.”  James 1:20. “Don’t be in a hurry to go to court you might go down before your neighbours in shameful defeat.” Prov. 25:8 LB.        The near success syndrome is the habit of failing at the edge of breakthrough and this is often as a result of the absence of finishing power born of out of deep-seated anger.  Anger could be described as a strong feeling of displeasure and usually of opposition toward someone or something.It is often brought about by real or imagined injury, rage, fury, wrath. Anger is a broad term that applies to various levels of emotion that may or may not be shown and if not controlled ,it results in temper, which is ‘the tendency to be easily angered.      God’s word warns us against yielding to anger and wrath. The inability to control the temper has placed many persons in very embarrassing situations. Spouses have abandoned marriages only to regret such actions because of

  By Rev Michael Benson Ajayi   " In those days people will live in the houses they build and eat the fruit of their own vineyards. Unlike the past, invaders will not take their houses and confiscate their vineyards. For my people will live as long as trees, and my chosen ones will have time to enjoy their hard-won gains. They will not work in vain, and their children will not be doomed to misfortune. For they are people blessed by the Lord , and their children, too, will be blessed." Isaiah 65:21‭-‬23 NLT Bible      The labour of the righteous is blessed of the Lord despite the disappointments we may encounter along the way . The world believes truth is not rewarding therefore , compromise in one's righteous stands is more desirable and celebrated . The world rewards those who disregard the truth of God's word and as such believers tend to be discouraged . We should not be dismayed , pay day is coming . The wicked and the righteous shall receive their rewards accordi

  By Rev. Michael Benson Ajayi Matt 6:22 KJV “The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.” Matt 6:19-24        The word ‘single’ is the Greek word ‘ Haplous’ which means: folded together , clear . It is used figuratively to mean a healthy eye which by the context of the narrative means to be generous. The text centers on the risk of materialism (seeking possessions). Unfortunately, it has always been used by preachers to mean being focused on a task, Christians were discouraged from developing multitask capabilities for fear of being labeled as not being focused . Before you would have finished reading this message you must have changed focus several times from one item to another.       The theology of being focused has caused more harm than good among God’s people. Preachers who are gifted in certain areas of life (business, arts etc.) have to abandon these potentially rewarding ventures in a bid to appear focused before

  By Rev.Michael Benson Ajayi 2 Chronicles 18:4-5 AMP "And Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, Inquire first, I pray you, for the word of the Lord today. So King [Ahab] of Israel gathered together the prophets, 400 men, and said to them, Shall we go to Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And they said, Go up, for God will deliver it into the king's hand."         Ahab, the king of Israel ,was at war with Samaria and he sought to make an alliance with Jehoshaphat  ;king of  Judah whom the lord had shown extraordinary favour by given him victory over his enemies.  Jehoshaphat had a tradition of always seeking God’s counsel before embarking on major projects as commanded by the Lord ( Matthew 6:33).              Ahab on the other hand  had no passion for God's word and no personal relationship with God,  he was rich , arrogant, presumptuous and was willing to buy his way through any situation.  He only sought God through intermediaries only when he was in ne