Exodus 34:2 “And be ready in the morning, and come up in the morning unto mount Sinai, and present thyself there to me in the top of the mount”.

Life is full of appointments. Some have appointments with embassies, doctors, lawyers, lecturers, and business partners. Most of these appointments are treated as golden opportunities although sometimes it does not offer what the people expect.

Nonetheless, the degree of respect and seriousness with which people attach to these earthly or personal appointments differ from spiritual appointments. Hardly will you see people arriving late to write an exam and it is very rare to see people arriving late to embassies for visa appointments. This is not so when it comes to church services, or any Christian related program. For most Christians, arriving late for Church or any Christian related meeting is the norm they live with.

You see, lateness or being late for spiritual appointments is one practice that won’t serve your interest. Not only that, even being late for events, and other important engagements never makes you an excellent person. Think of a student that is always late for a class, or a worker who is always late for work. 

To make it in life, you must learn to treat every meeting with God or any spiritual appointment with all seriousness. Meaning you must not show up late for church services, bible class discussions or any meeting that is designed to build your spirit, soul and body. You see, such appointments or meetings are strategic meetings that will bless you, but it is also subject to you showing up and showing up at the right time. Don’t go to Church 7.10am when you must show up at 7am, rather you must show up earlier than the scheduled time to prepare and make your heart ready for the meeting.

There are many people who miss their blessing because they don’t keep to the timings of their appointment. Some come late and others never show up at all. You must come to the point of seeing every service of your Church as an appointment with God.

Prayer meetings, worship and praise meetings, teaching and preaching meetings are all appointments with God. You ought to take them seriously. When you treat these appointments with contempt; you will definitely miss God’s blessings.

The Bible in John 20:24, talks about Thomas’ lateness to the appointment Jesus arranged with His disciples after his resurrection. He was late for a service that would bless his life. Finally, he ended up with unbelief when told that Jesus was alive.

God once made an appointment with Moses and his instruction was straight forward, “come in the morning”. God was specific about the hour and the moment. See Exodus 34:2 “And be ready in the morning, and come up in the morning unto mount Sinai, and present thyself there to me in the top of the mount”. You just don’t get blessed in Church. You must show up for the full time of the appointment for that to happen.

Always know that every Church meeting is an appointment with God that will bless your life.

Read: John 20:24, “But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came.”

Matthew 23:12 “And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted”

Pride makes a person overly “self-conscious”. Pride also makes people to think highly of themselves (Romans 12:3, 16).  So, to think highly of yourself, in relation to others, or typically seeing yourself as more mature and more gifted to the extent of losing respect for them is nothing but pride.

Most people think that being proud will put them in the limelight or let them earn some degree of recognition, but this is far from the truth. Pride never brings any glory. Proverbs 16:18 says “Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall”

Pride will never give you any best outcome in life. So those who become proud in order to be recognized and to be accorded some honor, rather lose it all.

Our opening text reads “Whosoever exalts himself shall be abased…”

Those who live in pride live in sin. They live in the sin of forgetfulness of God’s grace and mercy. They forget that God is the one who can make and unmake people. They give in to pride and become “full of themselves” paying heed to no one. It is important to know that pride can’t give you a place of honor and recognition like humility. You don’t have to live in arrogance and “self-exaltation” before you can be honored in life. Don’t forcefully give yourself a “false standard living” just because you want to show off. In this era where people want to follow trends like fashion, display of wealth, etc., irrespective of what values or standards it desecrates, it has caused many more people to fall to the life of pride.

These features of pride have rendered evil the heart of many. No wonder some say pride is something you are in your heart before it comes out. It’s deep -rooted and you are the only one who sometimes is privy to that. Thus, you can deal with pride by scrutinizing what is in your heart with the word of God.

Allow God’s word to impart you with the wisdom and the grace to be humble. Constantly pray not to be proud and deter yourself from any behavior leading to pride. Not only that, be ready to receive instruction and counsel which is a safeguard to keep you humble.

Before you give in to pride know that “A man’s pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit”. You see, pride will rather bring you low”

Read: Matthew 23:12 “And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.”

Proverbs 23:7a “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he.”

Thinking right is a great practice that will bless your life. When you make it a practice to think right or focus on the right things, you will get great results in life. When your thinking is right, it will affect what you believe and influence what you will confess. This will finally influence what you do. Hence, your actions are mostly determined by what you keep thinking about.

The importance of “thinking right” can’t be overemphasized. In your quest to think right you must get rid of negative thoughts. Negative thoughts produce negative results, whereas a positive thought produces positive results. Many great things we see in our world today just emerged in a form of a thought. As little as your thought could be, it has the power to grow to become a mountain. That is why you must guard your thinking or keep your thoughts on the right things.

As Christians, God’s word has been made available for you to help you think right. Meaning that you must study the word and let it dominate your thinking. Anything not consistent with the word of God is not worth thinking about, no matter who is saying it.

The Bible says that, as man thinks in his heart, so is he. That is to mean that your thinking “makes you”, in that you will finally become or have whatever you are thinking in your heart.

Philippians 4:8 says “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”. Don’t allow just anything to get into your heart. You must keep your heart and mind on the right things. Only think on whatever is pure, lovely, admirable and excellent.

No matter the situation, always make your thinking right. How noble and truthful are your thoughts? Is it uplifting or weighing you down? Is it praiseworthy and admirable?

Read: Philippians 4:8 says “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”.

1 Samuel 16:7 “But the Lord said unto Samuel, look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature, because I have refused him; for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.”

Proverbs 4:23 says “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it”.

Your heart is key in all that you do. The opening text reveals that, everything you do emanates from your heart, thus there is a need to mount guard on your heart.

Until you put your heart right, you will miss a lot in your walk with God. This is simply because God observes the state of your heart in dealing with you. In fact, He is God of the heart. Look at what the bible says in Psalms 33:14-15 “From the place of his habitation he looketh upon all the inhabitants of the earth. He fashioneth their hearts alike; he considereth ther works.” Beloved, the state of your heart determines whether you will be endorsed by God or not.

God will always consider the state of your heart when dealing with you. It is without doubt that you can deceive men with your actions, but God knows the true state of your heart. He knows your motive (why you are doing what you are doing or why you are not doing something).

Never live a lie. Know the state of your heart. Don’t pretend in any way. When you see that your heart is pondering on evil or not perfected before God, simply put things right. But the best thing to do is to always guard your heart. Guard your heart against pride. Guard your heart against fear. Guard your heart against unforgiveness. Guard your heart against anything that contradicts the word of God.

Jesus once asked some people about the state of their heart.

See Matthew 9:4: “And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, Wherefore, think ye evil in your hearts?”. Never let the condition of your heart make you miss God’s best for your life. Please watch your heart.

Read: 1Samuel 16:7,“But the Lord said unto Samuel, look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature, because I have refused him; for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.”

1 Corinthians 9:27

“I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection, lest by any means when I have preached to others, I myself should be a cast-away.”

Folks who don’t have control over their body, also don’t have control over their future. Lack of control when it comes to the desires of your flesh will launch you into great disaster.

Keeping your flesh or body under control is one of the things you must do to get to your glorious destination in your walk with God. The Bible teaches that man is a spirit, has a soul and lives in a body. The bible calls the body as our earthly suit, jacket or tent that we live in (2 Corinthians 5:1). Thus, the real you, is your spirit. One author calls it “the you in you”. You must understand that, being born again only makes your spirit anew. This does not change your body in any way.

It is important to know that salvation does not and will not change your body, i.e, your skin colour, the shape of your body, the desires and the feelings in your body. What it does is to make your spirit man new and alive in God to lead the flesh to live in sync with the new nature of the regenerated human spirit.

Apostle Paul said in 1Corinthians 9:27 that, “…I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection, lest by any means when I have preached to others, I myself should be a cast-away”. Notice the word “I” referring to his spirit which he distinguished from his body. Meaning that, living the life of the spirit involves bringing your body under subjection to the will of God. In other words, you must let your spirit master power over or dominate your flesh.

When you allow your body or flesh to do as it pleases, you will “self -destruct”, not only that, but you will also be a castaway, disqualified and rejected. You must know this truth that since the flesh is not redeemed yet it will always want anything that gives it pleasure whether that is the will of God or not. Allowing yourself to be carried away into “pleasure seeking ventures” of the flesh will let you miss the mark.

You see, after born again, you must battle with the flesh to let it follow the ways of God. Know that bringing your body under control is a fight. Your spirit is one side and the flesh or the body also on the other side. But you have only one option that is to fight and win. Don’t just go talking because you feel like doing so, don’t just go eating anywhere because you feel hungry, and certainly do just go having sexual relations with people because your hormones says so.

This is a daily war that you must fight until the redemption of the body (Romans 8:23). Every one of us is into this battle. In fact, the rich, the poor, the pastors, church members, men, women, new believers and matured Christians are all in this battlefield. No one is exempted from this battle with the flesh.

Don’t get confused when you see this war in your life. Don’t wonder whether you are born again. Yes, sometimes the desires the flesh brings on board are strange, or seriously out of order”. But the truth is, you are still a child of God. You only have to fight it off. Let the spirit in you master power over it.

Read: 1Corinthians 9:24-27 “Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.”

John 12:24 “Verily, verily, I say unto you, except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it dies, it bringeth forth much fruit”

Life is not all about having fun and life is also not a game. Life is business! Life is about pursuit and life is about destiny. Life is about impact and life is about significance.

One truth that must always be understood by everyone is that “life is a serious engagement”. Although investment is most often related to financial world it cuts across every aspect of one’s life. To the financial analyst or economist, investment will be limited to putting (money) into financial schemes, shares, property, or a commercial venture with the expectation of achieving a profit. Thus, an expectation of profit, makes a person to sacrifice or judiciously put money into uses that will make the former possible. This means that results, gains and output is what drives people to invest. 

Similarly, to see some degree of results, or gains in your life you must invest. With this investment, we are looking at devoting one’s time, effort, or energy, etc., to a particular undertaking with the expectation of a worthwhile result. Until you understand life from this perspective you are bound to fail. This is because you will live out key principles or some vital elements that will ensure your success and greatness.

You must invest into your life. One fact of life that can’t be denied is that your level of investment in life will determine your level of ultimate attainment. This truth cuts across the two realms of life, that is, the natural and the spiritual. For instance, people who devote their time to study in the area of their academics or career end up doing well in the natural world and people who spend time praying, fasting and studying the word of God, also become stalwarts in spiritual things. Where your investment goes determines where you will shine!

You see, although investment is sacrificial and involves great discipline, its results outweighs the sacrifices made. Therefore, you must not take it lightly when investing into your life. This you can do in many ways. Constant study, determination, perseverance and self-control are but a few virtues that would enable an individual who wants to invest into his life.

Also, Jesus said in John 12:24, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.”  This verse gives us the principle of investment. It teaches that, to have something you must be willing to sow something. In other words, if you don’t give out something, you are surely going to receive nothing. You must invest. That is your corn of grain falling into the ground.

You must invest into your spiritual life and the things that also concern you naturally before you can have a place of prominence.

Don’t take life for a joke. Take actions that will lift you from one level to another.

 Read: John 12:24, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.”

Matthew 18:4
“Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven”

Most people will never associate humility with greatness, but that is exactly what the bible reveals.
Our opening text says, “Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest” and not the lowest.

You see, for you to be great in life you need to humble yourself in all things and always. A humble person is a humble person irrespective of where he or she finds himself. Thus, your humility is and must not be subjective.

When we are talking about being humble, it means you don’t overestimate yourself, or have an elevated view of your person in any way. This is why being humble is first and foremost a matter of the heart. You can’t be humble or show humility when your heart is “secretly puffed up”. You must have the mind-set to be humble before your life will follow suit.

In this day and age, most people who refuse to be humble think that overestimating their worth will make them great or relevant in life. But that is far from the truth. No one’s greatness is in pride.

You see, it is by living in humility that actually makes God’s grace abound to you to become relevant in life. Pride won’t serve your interest. Never allow a position you occupy make you downplay on being humble.

As you journey on in your Christian life, your humility will be tested. It will be tested, when it is required of you to submit yourself to higher authority. It will be tested when it is required of you to accept correction. It will be tested when it is required of you to submit to your husband as a wife. It will be tested when it is required of you to work and relate well with people that you have a better status or achievements than. It will be tested If you submit yourself to be taught again in your career or ministry life.

You see, until you see humility as a life to live and not an act, you won’t do anything better.

Read: Philippians 2:8-9 “And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name”

Proverbs 12:24 “The hand of the diligent will rule, But the negligent and lazy will be put to forced labor”

Being diligent or hardworking distinguishes you in life. In fact, it one quality that will put you ahead. Diligence will make you have charge over the affairs of your life to a great extent. Anyone who wants to make impact and to live a dignified life must give him or herself to being diligent.

You see, until diligence becomes a principle that you prioritize, success will remain an illusion in your life. Without this hardworking character you can’t deliver on your God-given mandate.

It takes diligence before your work can produce the right or required results. Thus, being diligent makes you productive in every area of your life. No one, can have success in any venture with laziness, which is the opposite of being diligent.

Irrespective of how tough your schedules may be in life, you must be diligent or be hardworking. It will make you shine amongstyour peers. You see, don’t make excuses when the subject matter of diligence is raised, rather discipline yourself to be diligent.

It takes this attribute before you can be organized in this world. For instance, reporting to work on time, being meticulous in the delivery of assignments given to you, prioritising your activities, meeting deadlines, etc., can only happen when you are diligent.

You see, for those in family life or those married, without diligence your home will be disorganized, and full of troubles because of failure of a spouse or the spouses to deliver on their responsibilities.

It will take diligence to get up early as a married woman to tidy your home, and to make food ready for your children and your husband. This was the diligent attitude revealed about the virtuous woman in Proverbs chapter 31. See: Proverbs 31:15, “She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens”.

You see, without diligence things will fall apart. It is the life of diligence that will make your home better and free from some marital challenges. No wonder it is often said that making a good marriage and a good home is not for lazy bones. You need to be tough if you want things to go well around you.

Some people have trained themselves to be indolent in life. Their attitude that contradicts the principles of diligence is what has made them a failure today. For instance sleeping discretionary, engaging in unnecessary chats, attending work and meetings late, missing scheduled appointments without any just cause, etc., are hallmarks of people who are not diligent.

Diligence is an attitude when mastered can and will give you great peace in life. Rise out from any laziness or any attitude that downplays on being diligent. Don’t be a lazy bone that after any small activity you want to recline to bed or stay out of work.

Remember, it is by diligence that your value is enhanced, appreciated and noticed by people. Your pastor will notice it, your husband will notice it, your wife will notice it, your boss will notice it, etc.

Diligence is a discipline. Until you train yourself in it, you will lack it. Do it now. Don’t wait till it is required of you. That will be a sign that you didn’t prepare for life- whether in ministry, marriage life or in your working environment. Avoid the shame and embarrassment that comes with not being diligent.

Read: Proverbs 22:29 “Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men.”

2 Chronicles 32:24-25 “In those days Hezekiah became ill and was at the point of death. He prayed to the Lord, who answered him and gave him a miraculous sign. [25] But Hezekiah’s heart was proud and he did not respond to the kindness shown him; therefore the Lord’s wrath was on him and on Judah and Jerusalem”

Remembrance is an important factor in life. As humans, we are likely to forget some things as we grow up or attain some status in life. But notwithstanding this human happenstance, one must learn to remember some important things in life.

You have to remember how God saved you, you have to remember, people who played significant roles in your life which has made you a better person today.

The Bible in 2 Chronicles 32:24-25 teaches that after Hezekiah was helped by God, he forgot it and rather became proud in his heart. Well, Hezekiah’s actions is not totally strange or irrelevant for our learning. This is just to tell you that, you have the tendency of “forgetting” .

You see, anytime you forget God, and the people God used to lift you up in life, you become ungrateful. Not only that, you also become proud as you wilfully eliminate God and people from your success story. You tend to attribute everything to your own strength.

Beloved, don’t live in forgetfulness. Don’t intentionally block out from your memory your humble beginnings and your days of nothingness.

Remember. Don’t join “those who forget”.

Read: Deuteronomy 8:2,10-11 KJV “And thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no. [10] When thou hast eaten and art full, then thou shalt bless the Lord thy God for the good land which he hath given thee. [11] Beware that thou forget not the Lord thy God, in not keeping his commandments, and his judgments, and his statutes, which I command thee this day:”

John 5:7-8,14 “The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me. [8] Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk. [14] Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee.”

Sin brings sickness. This is one truth that must emphasized more in the Christendom. Until the knowledge of this truth gets concentrated in the Christendom, people will still be oppressed by this incipient death.

Sin breaks one’s fellowship with God and has a way that it can take you out of the will or covering of God. When this happens, the devil is able to attack your health.

In our opening text, the Bible tells how after healing someone of a protracted sickness, Jesus cautioned him not to sin to avoid any further sickness. Meaning that, when one’s deliverance from sin is not carefully guarded, it will lead to sickness and many more consequences.

Psalm 107:17 says “Fools because of their transgression, and because of their iniquities, are afflicted”. You see, never give in to any sin no matter how people will rate it. Sin is sin. Whether lying, stealing, fornication, infidelity, pride, rebellion, masturbation, ungratefulness, disobedience, idolatry, unforgiveness, envy, selfishness, etc., don’t give in to it. Overcome any temptation that comes your way because God will always make a way of escape for you (1 Corinthians 10:13).

God has already transferred you into the kingdom of light. Live in it and have nothing to do with the deeds of darkness as it comes with a heavy price of incipient death.

Read: Psalm 103:1-3, “Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;”