Topic: Contentment over Covetousness
Text: Luke 12:15
“Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”

In this dispensation, where the pursuit of material possessions often overshadows the value of spiritual richness, Jesus from this text encourages us to choose contentment over covetousness.
This verse urges you and I to choose contentment over covetousness, as we discharge the spiritual mandate that was assigned to us. The text speaks directly to the heart of our relationship with material wealth and our attitudes towards possessions. It challenges us to reflect on the true source of fulfillment and happiness which can only be found in Christ Jesus, the author and the finisher of our faith. This text is steering us away from the empty pursuit of accumulating more material things.

The call to avoid jealousy and covetousness is not just a moral directive:
•It’s a pathway to a more peaceful and fulfilling life.
•It’s about recognizing our true worth.
•Happiness is not tied to what we own or what others have.

Practical Prompts:
Cultivate a Grateful Heart: Regularly count your blessings; name them one by one and express gratitude for what you have; no matter how little they are, others are praying to be like you. Gratitude shifts our focus from what we lack to the abundance we already possess.
Find Fulfillment in Spiritual Riches: Matt. 6:33
•Seek fulfillment in your relationship with God.
•Seek fulfillment in spiritual growth.
•True contentment comes from knowing God, not from material possessions.

Stop Comparisons:
Resist the urge to compare your lifestyle, social status, or possessions with others. One delicate thing that destroys a person is comparison, it can easily lead to discontent and will result in covetousness.

Live a Generous Life:
Generosity counters covetousness. Share what you have with others, and experience the joy that comes from giving rather than acquiring. Jesus’ word in Matthew 10:42 should encourage us to be generous, you have something to give.

Trust in God’s Provision:
Believe that God will provide for your needs. Trusting in His provision helps to alleviate the desire to covet what others have. Hear what God says in Phil.4:19. He is the one who can supply all your needs.

Focus on Eternal Values: Remember that life’s true value is not measured by material accumulation but by spiritual and eternal treasures.
In Luke 12:15, Jesus calls you to a life of contentment, free from the endless and unfulfilling pursuit of more. Contentment over covetousness is about finding joy and satisfaction in what you have, who you are in Christ, and the countless blessings that come from a life lived in accordance with God’s will.

Prayer
1. Help me to appreciate and be grateful for the blessings You have given me. Remove every spirit of comparison and covetousness from my life, and let my joy be found in You alone. (Philippians 4:11-12)
2. Strengthen my faith to rely on You as my source, and grant me the grace to live generously, knowing that You will supply all my needs according to Your riches in glory. (Philippians 4:19)

Dr. Malachi Ogakwu
General Overseer, CEFN Church,
Anyigba, Kogi State, Nigeria

Topic: Until the Job is Done!
Text: “In mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God, so that from Jerusalem and round about to Illyricum I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.” Romans 15:19 (NKJV).

As laborers in the field, we may sometimes feel justified in taking a break—thinking we’ve done enough and it’s time to focus on other areas of our lives. After all, we’re only human, and surely God would understand. However, Apostle Paul, in our opening text, sets forth a higher standard. With unwavering conviction, he declares, “I have fully preached.” Similarly, in 2 Timothy 4:7 (NKJV), he reflects, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”

What is your progress report on your mission field or spiritual battleground? Have you fully covered the ground assigned to you, or have the challenges and obstacles led you to retreat prematurely? Are you celebrating victory too early? When you enlist in the Great Commission, you cease to be a civilian. Just as a soldier on the battlefield does not turn back until the mission is accomplished, so must we, as God’s ambassadors, persevere. Paul’s testimony of perseverance is a powerful reminder: Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep; in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by my own countrymen, in perils by the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fasting often, in cold and nakedness (2 Corinthians 11:25-27 NKJV). Yet, none of these trials deterred him because he understood his mission and pressed on with the resolve of a good soldier.

Take a moment to evaluate your areas of influence, mission fields, and personal assignments. Are there aspects where you have not given your all? Reflect, re-strategize, and resolve to press forward. The Holy Spirit is ready to empower and equip you; you only need to invite Him in.

There remains much ground to cover, and all hands must be on deck. Romans 10:14 (NKJV) challenges us: “How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?” Let us rise to the task until the job is done.

Prayer
Lord God, the Captain of my Soul, empowers me to be a faithful soldier who presses on and accomplishes great exploits in the field You have placed me. Strengthen my resolve to complete the mission and glorify Your name. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Dr. Timothy Adegbile
Jos, Plateau State

Topic: An Unending Taste of Victory
Text: But no matter what comes, we will always taste victory through Him who loved us. (Romans 8:37, The Voice)

We visited Missionary M and his family serving in one of the troubled zones where insurgents continually carry out unprovoked attacks. They have had to escape from their abode on several occasions but soon return to continue to witness the Savior. We were very worried and concerned about their safety. We even tried to counsel them to consider leaving the place. But the response of Mrs. M remains thought-provoking. She said, “When we made up our mind to serve the Lord as missionaries, it’s with utmost commitment. No matter what comes, we will be at our duty post. He is aware that we are here and so there is no need to bother about us.”

Does that sound like the opening expression of our anchor passage? “But no matter what comes…”
The Lord had us in mind when He spoke through Apostle Paul in Romans 8. Each of the circumstances mentioned in the passage: troubles, hardships, persecutions, hunger, poverty, danger, or even death are situations that we currently face and will still face. It is rather reassuring that the Lord is aware of all of these even beforehand.

The provision He made is even more compelling: “We will always taste victory…”. The audacity of the declaration is something to ponder on! The certainty and frequency of the victory is another to bank and bask on. This verdict is just the same assurance Jesus gave in John 16:33: “…In the world, you have tribulation and distress and suffering, but be courageous [be confident, be undaunted, be filled with joy]; I have overcome the world. [My conquest is accomplished, My victory abiding]”. Now that is what you called two-step authentication!

Mrs. M apparently understands this provision and has exchanged every sense of anxiety for an unending anticipation to taste victory at every instance of turmoil. As we face the task unfinished and the complexities of reaching the nations, the woes and the miseries, the hate and the rejection, the closure and the despair; the paradox remains that, these all combine to produce a savor of victory. It’s better tasted than missed. Chin up comrades and pilgrims! Behold meals of victory served in plates of anguish. The Master overcame and so we are more than conquerors! Hallelujah!!!

Prayer
Thank the Lord for the provision and assurance of victory that we have in Him.
Pray that every believer and especially Gospel laborers will find hope in the victory that Christ has provided and be so persuaded to face the remaining task.
Receive strength, grace, and renewed assurance for every kingdom laborer who is currently down and about to give up. Ask that the Word of His grace will come to them afresh.

Dr. Adeoluwa Olanrewaju
Director of Finance and Administration
NEMA HQ, Jos

Topic: Mission in the Face of Adversity: We Are More Than Conquerors
Text: Romans 8:37
“Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.” NKJV

As followers of Christ, we are called to fulfill the Great Commission, sharing the Gospel with a lost and dying world. However, this mission is often fraught with adversity, challenges, and obstacles. In Nigeria for instance, there is insecurity occasioned by the activities of Boko Haram, Bandits, Fulani Militias, Lakurawas, and Kidnappers. These are forces and more that we are grappling with in our bid to propagate and spread the gospel. In the face of such adversity or challenges, we must remember that we are more than conquerors through Christ Jesus.

The Nature of Adversity
Adversity is an inherent part of life and mission. It can take many forms, including:
1. Persecution and opposition
2. Physical and emotional challenges
3. Financial and resource constraints
4. Cultural and language barriers

The Promise of Victory
Despite the adversity we face, we have a promise of victory in Christ. As Romans 8:37 declares, we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. This means that:
1. We have the power to overcome adversity. This is because the one who mobilized us into His work has not backed out but continues to back us up in the assignment committed into our hands (Matthew 28:18-20).
2. We have the presence of Christ with us in adversity. The Lord Jesus has said, that He will never leave us nor forsake us.
3. We have the promise of ultimate victory and triumph. Remember that we have victory always in Christ Jesus. The one who causes us to triumph always is the Lord Jesus Himself.

Action Steps
1. Write down the adversity you are facing and the promise of victory that you can cling to.
2. Share your adversity and promise of victory with a fellow believer and ask for their support and encouragement.
3. Take a step of faith and perseverance in the face of adversity, trusting in God’s sovereignty and goodness.

Prayers
1. Thank the Lord for the promise of His presence and the victory we’ve had in the past.
2. Pray that we will enjoy victory in full over every form of adversity and obstacles to us from finishing the remaining the task of world evangelization.
3. Receive fresh grace and strength for every missionary going through one challenge or the other today

Rev. Dr. Samson Oyeshola Oyekale
President, Missionary Support & Empowerment Ministry International
NEMA South West Zonal Chairman

Topic: More than Conquerors: Building and Thriving in Times of Troubles
Text: Daniel 9:20-25

“Then for sixty-two weeks it shall be built again with squares and moat, but in a troubled time.”

Our text today refers to the divine visitation that Daniel had at a time when he decided to seek the Lord’s face. Jerusalem had been in ruins and had been desolate for close to seventy years. Jerusalem was in a sorry state with little or nothing to write home about it. However, just when the spirit of the people was at its lowest ebb, God sent His angel Gabriel with this reassurance: Jerusalem would be rebuilt again! After seventy years of ruins and desolation, hope was being rekindled. It is important to note the words of Angel Gabriel, “Then for sixty-two weeks it shall be built again with squares and moat, but in a troubled time” (Dan. 9:25b).

He said the walls of Jerusalem would be rebuilt during times of trouble or difficulties. For those of us God has called into the missionary enterprise these words of Gabriel are very instructive. We are seeking to reach unreached tribes such as the Hausa and the Fulani in the Northwest of Nigeria or the Kanuri, the Buduma, and the Shuwa Arabs in the Northeast. Beyond Nigeria, we have the Arabs and the Somalis amongst many others to reach. God is saying that even though we are confronted with daunting challenges as we seek to reach these resistant tribes when all is said and done, these tribes shall be reached. We are faced with a struggling economy and yet God is sending us to nations within the Vision 5015 Plus scope like Iran and Iraq. We are being assured that despite the downturn in our economy, we shall be enabled to reach these countries and deploy Nigerian missionaries to reach them.

Indeed, the security situation in our nation generally has deteriorated in the last few years. Some places are more prone than others to kidnapping, banditry, and other violent acts, and yet the gospel must be preached and the unreached need to be reached. Despite these challenges, says the Lord, the gospel shall be preached, and disciples will be made! Where sin abounds, grace abounds much more! Let the saints of God now arise! Even amid great dangers, inflation, and economic downturn, we are more than conquerors!

Prayer
•Pray for all missionaries laboring in difficult and dangerous places so that more courage would be ministered to their hearts.
•Pray for the arrowheads of Islamic fundamentalism in Northern Nigeria, the Sahel, and the Middle East. Ask that the God who accosted Saul of Tarsus on the way to Damascus would encounter them.
•Pray that the Lord of the harvest sends out more Kingdom laborers to the unreached people groups of Nigeria, North Africa, and the Middle East, while also providing financial resources to deploy and sustain them in the midst of economic hardships.

Pastor Tokunbo Salami
International Director,
Pleroma Missions

Topic: Resounding Victory over Self and Human Nature
Text: Genesis 32:24-30

“And Jacob was left alone; and a Man wrestled with him until the breaking of day. Now when He saw that He did not prevail against Jacob, He touched the socket of his hip; and the socket of Jacob’s hip was out of joint as He wrestled with him. And He said, “Let Me go, for the day breaks.” But Jacob said, “I will not let You go unless You bless me!” So He said to him, “What is your name?” He said, “Jacob. “And He said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel; for you have struggled with God and with men, and have prevailed.” Then Jacob asked, saying, “Tell me Your name.” And He said, “Why is it that you ask about My name?” And He blessed him there. So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: “For I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.” NKJV

Most victories and triumphs in life and destiny begin with self-discovery and sincerity. We can never conquer the nations if we have not conquered ourselves and habits that irritate God in our relationship with him. Jacob’s victorious life began after his encounter with God at Peniel. First of all, He sent everyone away and was left alone. All the things he had acquired as Jacob was no longer his greatest priority, he was ready to let go.

God collided with Jacob. He was rid of his lust for material things. His wrestle and battle was no longer against others but against himself. The Bible said he wrestled with the angel of the Lord all night. With all the covenant of blessing from His father Isaac, and all the properties from His Father-in-law Laban, he still knew he wasn’t blessed and victorious until his heart was changed. He opened up completely to the angel, “My name is Jacob” the supplanter, the deceiver. He admitted his problem, God pronounced a solution and there was a final victory.

Are you ready to admit your faults? Can you come openly before God and say this is who I am, wear me a new garment, change my name? Until the motive and the person is right the ministry cannot be right, and if the ministry is not right, victory will either be delayed or completely denied.

Prayer:
1.Oh Lord give me the courage to accept my realities and confess them.
2.Clear the thongs that cover my life and encounter me personally.
3.Remove the garment that makes it difficult for the covenant to flourish in my hands.
4.Help me never to give up until the miracle is pronounced.

Dr. Segun Adekoya
Director, MTPI, Abuja, Nigeria.

Topic: The Royal Passion
Text: 2 Samuel 23:13-17

King Edward VIII was the Prince of Wales (1911-1936) and king of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and of the British dominions and emperor of India from January 20 to December 10, 1936, when he abdicated the throne in order to marry Wallis Warfield Simpson of the United Sates. He was the only British sovereign to voluntarily resign the crown. Being a royalty comes with heavy and strict demands especially the British Royal Dynasty. One of the demands was that the King, who is also by implication the head of the Church of England, must not marry a divorcee whose former husband is still alive. The singular action of King Edward VIII to violate this rule will not only cost him the throne of his father, but his entire descendants for all generations. His Brother Albert took over the throne as George VI, succeeded by His daughter Queen Elizabeth II who is succeeded by King Charles III her son. This to me is one of the most pathetic Royal stories in history, I can’t imagine how his descendants will be feeling for the rest of eternity for this singular act.

In contrast to the above story is that of Attah Ameh Oboni of the Igala Kingdom of Kogi State, Nigeria. He went into history as the most celebrated and revered monarch of the kingdom besides his ancestor, King Ayegba Oma-Idoko, who sacrificed his only daughter, Princess Inikpi, to preserve the kingdom and the dynasty against the invasion of the Benin Kingdom between 1515 and 1516. According to the tradition of the Igala kingdom, the Attah is not only the king of the Igala nation but he is also the chief priest and spiritual head of Igala land. The Agaba Idu is second to none in the world and therefore, must not bow to anyone, shake the hand of a woman as a demand of his priesthood nor ever be seen to remove his cap in the public. All these three taboos were demanded of Attah Ameh Oboni in Kaduna at a meeting of all the kings and royal chiefs of Nigeria with Queen Elizabeth II which he refused. When King Ameh Oboni was forced to remove his cap by the soldiers on the instruction from “above”, a swam of bees invaded the conference hall causing every one including the Queen to run for their dear lives and bringing the meeting to a halt. His subsequent arrest and mysterious disappearance from the heavily guarded prison led to a conspiracy to dethrone him by the colonial rulers. When the dethronement became eminent, to avoid cutting off his descendants from the royal dynasty, he committed suicide and died as the supreme ruler paving way for his biological son Attah Micheal Ameh Oboni II who was the immediate past monarch of Igala Nation.

In the Scripture for the day, 2 Samuel 23:13-17, David’s 37 “mighty men” were mentioned. Three men were outstanding from the list. They jeopardised their own very lives, penetrated the garrison of the Philistines to bring water for the king of Israel, the anointed of God and the captain of the army of Israel. David didn’t send them. He just made a loud wish and they responded with their lives to satisfy the desire of the king. They didn’t come back to David with an excuse, they came with the water.

Now all the monarchs and Kingdoms of these world are just but a shadow of the kingdom of our God and of His Christ Jesus; into which you, the believer, was incorporated and adopted in Royal Priesthood. His ultimate passion and goal is that all nations, and kindred, and people, and tongues bring their worship to the Lamb and acknowledge Him as the Lord. What is your excuse?

Prayer:
1. Lord lay a fresh burden of your passion for worship into my heart.
2. Raise a generation of priests and kings who are ready to die for the kingdom to bring in the harvest of worship from the nations.
3. Holy Spirit occupy the hearts of the youths of the Church with so much of kingdom matters that the world will not be able to distract them.
4. Give all the royal backing and authority in signs and wonders to all your faithful labourers on the mission fields among the unreached in and beyond Nigeria.

Pastor Victor Idakwoji
Director of Mobilization and Networking,
NEMA, Abuja, Nigeria.