MORNING WINGS DAILY DEVOTIONAL - 08/08/2024

THURSDAY  - 8TH AUGUST, 2024

MORNING WINGS DAILY DEVOTIONAL - Olusola ADEJUMO

IN SEARCH OF A LASTING CURE - Capacity Building Series 008

Jonah 4:6, NLT

"And the Lord God arranged for a leafy plant to grow there, and soon it spread its broad leaves over Jonah's head, shading him from the sun. This eased his discomfort, and Jonah was very grateful for the plant."

When God raised this gourd up, it sure knew why it was being raised. Every living thing currently obeying the law of life shall one day obey the law of death. Only that the born again man shall swallow death to live eternally with Christ (John 3:16) while his counterpart in eternal damnation. Another thing this gourd assuredly knows is its time of taking. God sets its lifespan and it's a short one for that matter. Jonah was glad having it but the gourd turns out not to be a lasting solution to his need.

Elisha once prophesies to a barren woman with a great estate saying, "about this season, according to the time of life, thou shalt embrace a son..." The woman, not wanting to be deceived replies, "No, my Lord! O man of God, don't deceive me and get my hopes up like that" (II Kings 4:16, NLT). She clamours for a good and perfect gift - the kind of gift that tarries and doesn't disappear at midday or noon. Sure, according to the prophet's prediction, she becomes pregnant, gives birth to a son though the boy died suddenly. 

When she saddles her ass to visit Elisha, the statement she made to him was, "did I ask you for a son, my lord? And didn't I say, 'Don't deceive me and get my hopes up?" (II Kings 4:28, NLT). I'm sure this woman has seen enough having suffered from many unfulfilled promises from those who might have assured her of hope. For that reason, she sternly asks not to be deceived. She probes Elisha as to ascertain the genuineness of his prophecy. She'll like to know if Elisha was just drunk with words because he has been well taken care of. However, Elisha assuredly speaks as God's prophet though the child still dies (but to be resurrected). 

One major thing I want to call your attention to is the fact that this woman wants a blessing that'll last. Hearing such prophecy of goodness ought make her leap for joy but she didn't. She rather queries the genuineness and that's because she doesn't want to have a mist-like joy. It's better not to be comforted than to be temporarily comforted. I've heard waiting mothers who are longing for their own child say, "let me also have one even if he won't close my eyes." That's a dangerous request necessitated by wanting to prove a point to onlookers that at least I once had one. 

Brethren, what sort of joy do you desire? What sort of gift are you looking for? When you're looking for the joy that lasts, you'll ascertain if the school that promises your child 9 distinctions in his exam doesn't do malpractices. When you don't ascertain that, you yourself aren't a man of thoroughness. You only want fruits irrespective of how and where it was gotten. But I can assure you, it'll be a mist-like joy. You can have it but you won't have the clear conscience that it was worked for. You can have it but you'll always be convicted of sin for having transgressed to obtain it. So, God is calling you to repentance this morning. Confess your sins to God, restitute to those you have cheated and return all goods stolen or acquired unlawfully. Then, don't make a repeat of such. Only then will you have the testimony of "better is a dry morsel, and quietness therewith, than an house full of sacrifices with strife." (Prov. 17:1). 

It's better to have little with clear conscience than have much with fear of consequences. 

PRAYER: Lord, from you stems every good gift and every perfect gift. This I ask, gift me and let them endure.

1-YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN

Romans 11:1-24 & Psalms 79-81

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MORNING WINGS DAILY DEVOTIONAL - 07/08/2024

WEDNESDAY  - 7TH AUGUST, 2024

MORNING WINGS DAILY DEVOTIONAL - Olusola ADEJUMO

NO SOONER IT RISES; NO SOONER IT DIES - Capacity Building Series 007

Jonah 4:10, KJV 

"Then said the LORD, Thou hast had pity on the gourd, for the which thou hast not laboured, neither madest it grow; which came up in a night, and perished in a night:"

What do you expect if the duration is shorter than expected under  its allotted? Then, don't expect longevity. At first, Jonah is exceedingly glad for the shelter provided him by God. Though God teaches him the need for forgiveness through the acts of planting and withering the gourd - shelter given him overnight, yet there are lessons on the need for thoroughness that could be gleaned from here. God confesses to Jonah, "do you do well to be angry? He responds yes! Then God shocks him further by enquiring why he would get angry over a gourd that was planted in a night and had died in a night. If you paid attention to that statement of God, it bears the connotation of "what else do you expect? Were you expecting the gourd that came up suddenly in the night to have lived longer than when it died?" God passes a message to us about the reality of taking time and allowing things to take time when they really require such time for readiness. What doesn't take time or spend its duration always arrive uncooked and unready. Take for instance, a premature baby. Such can't survive unless he's helped by the incubator for awhile. No mother prays giving birth or having an ejection without carrying the pregnancy to term. They don't want the dramas that follow. So, don't let impatience push you to compromising set time of things. Don't seek alternatives outside God that'll bring sorrow eventually to you. Irrespective of the need in your life, learn to wait consistently on God until you can have the testimony of Hannah who says, "for this child I prayed, and the Lord has given me my petition which I asked of him" (I Sam.1:27). That's what you can boast of and show to all men around. 

Don't expect any enduring satisfaction from a gourd that was reared up in a night. NLT says, "and the Lord God arranged for a leafy plant to grow there, and SOON it spread its broad leaves over Jonah's head, shading him from the sun. This eased his discomfort and Jonah was very grateful for the plant."

Always question what suddenly pops up without roots, ancestry or descent. They mostly are not genuine but have come to raid you of value and your substance. Jonah could have questioned why a plant would suddenly have come up with broad leaves for his shade but he didn't because he was blinded by his need. In his desperateness, he receives with thanksgiving what won't last. However, God soon arranged for worms to eat it off. As such, it withers away. That's the destiny of anything that comes up quickly in the night. They're destined to pass out as soon as they are revealed. It will go the way it comes. You shouldn't expect any lengthy expectancy from such. On this note, may I warn you that "every good and every perfect gift comes from God, with whom there's no variableness" (James 1:17). Don't seek 'quick wealth' or an unlawful quick means of rising to the detriment of your soul. Wait, work hard and observe all righteous principles and work ethics until God raises you up. Don't sleep or bribe your way through the ranks. Let things take their set time. Your set time can't be too depressive to bear. It's the time your blessing would fit you. As such, you'll have grown to equate with it. Have you observed that those who don't work for their wealth spend it carelessly? Consider those who win lottery. The money they win that quickly goes swiftly same way also. As a matter of fact, their end is always worst than their beginning. Why? They have no root, depth or thorough education to sustain their overnight wealth. They have neither learnt investment nor understood how money works. Rather, they're of the belief that it shall reoccur. As such, they lose all. 

Christian, God is calling you to the emulation of what is right and godly. Hold unto the process. When it matures, it'll mature you. The Bible says, "but let patience have its full effect, that ye may be whole lacking in nothing" (James 1:4).  Overnight success is a mirage. They don't impart wisdom by which the owner could court it. 

PRAYER: You have warned me to warn others. Make me a preacher of right process.

1-YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN

Romans 9:30-10:1-21 & Psalms 78

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MORNING WINGS DAILY DEVOTIONAL - 06/08/2024

TUESDAY  - 6TH AUGUST, 2024

MORNING WINGS DAILY DEVOTIONAL - Olusola ADEJUMO

A MAN OF DEPTH - Capacity Building Series 006

Matthew 13:5, KJV 

"Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth:"

If you ignore being a man of depth, you'll become a man of debt or death. You'll always face a penalty for not adhering. I heard a story of a man who wanted to engage in a very big building project. Consulting the best engineers he could find, he partnered with them to build the house of his taste. Further down into the building, they began to experience shortage of fund. The building has taken much due to the cost of materials that kept heightening. Sympathizing with the house owner, the engineers suggested going for a cost friendly materials but lesser in quality to the afore reviewed. The house owner rather refused to sacrifice depth and quality for comfort. 

Does this story mirror any moral to us? Build with the best materials possible. Receive the best training ever. Manifest the best that can be offered and give your eyes no rest until same is accomplished. 

"...and forthwith they sprung up because they had no deepness of earth." 

How long does it take to produce a medical doctor? Compare that to how long it takes producing a quack physician and you'd see that paying attention to depth matters. The quack doctor or nurse apprenticed to some men may begin to perform some procedures and be freed to practice on his own but you'll know he has no depth (proper knowledge of practice) by the many mistakes he'll make. Quack physicians are such who send people to their graves earlier than God plans. Unfortunately, they're preferred because they offer pocket friendly cost. 

Be a lover of depth! Always ask, "is this the best material available for this?" If there's a better one, go for it. The difference might be denied by shoddy men but salt proclaims itself to be tasty in every stew. A man of depth goes further than requires of him. He sweeps the floor as if angels would make their beds there. He doesn't build to be seen of men to have quickly appeared but to be praised of God to have endured and lived to godly standards and lawful requirements. Be a man of depth!

PRAYER: Teach me doing it right always. I refuse to sacrifice endurance for pleasure.

1-YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN

Romans 9:1-29 & Psalms 74-77

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MORNING WINGS DAILY DEVOTIONAL - 05/08/2024

MONDAY  - 5TH AUGUST, 2024

MORNING WINGS DAILY DEVOTIONAL - Olusola ADEJUMO

WHEN YOUR THINGS DELAY - Capacity Building Series 005

Matthew 13:5, KJV 

"Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth:"

God uses delay to mature Christian virtues in us. It'll be good if you understand the purpose of delay. This way, you'll cooperate with the Holy Spirit to learn and be in the right receiving state for what you're expecting. 

The plant in our text is described to have, "sprung up forthwith!" Everybody knows that seeds take time to germinate. That's because they need to first send root, sustainable roots downward. We know that there's no life without the root. It is through the root  nutrients are passed and communicated to the entire body of any plant. Also, good root system provides support against contrary wind etc. 

However, this plant in view jettisons all those. Rather, 'forthwith it sprung." This is a community of people who don't pass through the door. They rather come through another way to access the sheepfold. What does Jesus call them? Thieves and robbers, for having broken process and order of things (John 10:1-3). 

The word, "forthwith" suggests immediacy or promptness. Instead of tarrying and seeking to make appearance after maturity, they rather pursue after exposure. Such people will put those doing it right under pressure of time to compromise or reexamine themselves though they aren't wrong but remain God abiders. By the time a fellow given to bribery and corruption establishes himself with some physical tangibility that all eyes can see, it could make the real Christians question God and even query their Christianity. However, make no mistake, God doesn't approve of such sudden appearance that has no foundation or solidity. Everything is timed and put under due process by God. Beware of microwave rising! The Bible talks of time in its variety of manifestation i.e time to be born or die (Eccl.3). Before death would result, one must therefore have spent some years which will culminate in ageing and consequently death. That's the natural process of things when not broken. So, there's an outline and a process that results in whatsoever we eventually see appear. It takes time to reach an end or that conclusion. When the order is broken, things might appear faster than planned anyway. In the natural, that's why early death is a breaking of that process. And when it happens, no one is ever happy with it. An explanation fitting the seeds that forthwith sprung up.

Brethren, always tend towards the side of clear conscience. It is not everybody whose things quickly appear who cut corners anyways. Some didn't. They might be young but might have paid the greatest sacrifices or received the favour of the Lord. The time to favour them might have come since the time to favour individual varies (Psalm 102:13). However to those you know to be law breakers and sinners whose shoots appear when your own root is still in the soil, be rest assured that when they're swept away by the flood (if they don't repent), your house shall be standing in observation of them. The Bible says, "a thousand shall fall at your side and ten thousand at your right hand but it shall not come near you. Only with your eyes will you behold the reward of the wicked" (Psalm 91:7-8). When the wicked are being recompensed, you'll be there watching and sympathizing and testifying to other witnesses on the dangers of cutting corners. 

Those plants due to lack of depth eventually withered away. That withering is the just recompense for having cut corners in the first place. While they are gone; you'll be here watching and sipping tea. The wicked shall not always endure. They shall not tarry in the congregation of the righteous. Like the wind drives away the chaff, they shall be driven away. But the righteous shall stand still.

PRAYER: Give me solace in your Word and in my doing it right when my things delay. May I not hurry the process out of ordainment but let patience have its full effects that a rounded man might be produced.

1-YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN

Romans 8:18-39 & Psalms 70-73

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MORNING WINGS DAILY DEVOTIONAL - 4/08/2024

 SUNDAY  - 4TH AUGUST, 2024

MORNING WINGS DAILY DEVOTIONAL - Olusola ADEJUMO

BUILT ON THE ROCK - Capacity Building Series 004

Matthew 7:25, KJV 

"And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock."

Jesus in a parable talks of two buildings and builders. One builds on the rock while the other builds on the sand. When it rained and the floods came and the wind blew, the house on the sand came crashing down while the one built on the rock stood to stand. 

This is a lesson for us all. God is calling us to give effort in the right direction and do that which we want to do once and for all rightly. Choose to build your house on the rock against the easy choice of building it on the sand. There'll always be the easy way out. One time, I needed a certification and I met someone who supposedly was to guide me in the process of exam registration. The fellow rather told me if I could pay a particular sum of money (which was very affordable for me) that he'll get me the certificate. As simple as that was, that's a test of "on what I'll build my house." I can choose to build on falsity or I build on truth. When I build on falsity, I'll always be at the risk of looking over my shoulders whether I would be found out one day. Moreso, I'll live in torment of being exposed by the fellow who had helped me out. What if he comes to repentance tomorrow and in being sorry for all he did spitted some few names he had helped out. Would I say he was immature not keeping shut when he was under holy conviction?

In the natural when building on a rock, it is more rigorous, time, energy and resources consuming. If you'll build on a rock in the physical, you can't but go on to blast the rock and dig rigorously to have a way or foundation into it. Such act is back bending and breaking. Such labour could best be described as "toiling." Compare that to digging the ground (the soil). Which one opens faster? The soil. As a matter of fact, the fellow building on the ground might have carried his building to lintel level or roofing when the one on the rock is still labouring towards laying the foundation. 

Don't cut any corner. Give it all it'll take to survive and endure. Your life extends beyond you. It reaches your downlines. Those who are building on the sand are building to terminate when they die while those who are building on the rock are building to surpass themselves. Those are the people who want to have a work that'll stand as a testimony to generations to come which they did in godliness as demanded of God and honoured by the moral codes of men. When you build on the rock (all righteous and lawful foundations), your work will endure long after you're gone. Choose wisely what you build on and with what you build!

PRAYER: Wean me from all desires to have gain where I have not sown. I surrender to the process that makes the difference.

1-YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN

Romans 8:1-17 & Psalms 68-69

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MORNING WINGS DAILY DEVOTIONAL - 3RD AUGUST, 2024

SATURDAY  - 3RD AUGUST, 2024

MORNING WINGS DAILY DEVOTIONAL - Olusola ADEJUMO

Happy New Month!!!

MARKING THEM RIGHT: THOSE WHOSE STRENGTH ARE SMALL - Capacity Building Series 003

Proverbs 24:10, KJV 

"If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small."

The Bible speaks the truth and lie not when it says, "if you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small." In a movie shut by an iconic Nigerian cinematographer, a sudden attack is launched by a group of youth activists against the ruling monarch and his crown of office seized and taken away. While questioning the head of the police force and king's guard, and criticizing him for the ill preparation in resisting the invaders, he mentioned failing due to the surprise attack launched at his men. An elderly statesman replies, "do you not know that surprise is part of the battle antics?'' In other words, that chief is correcting the head of the King's Guard from seeking any ground for excuses because none is  actually acceptable. The deed is done! Being a force member, he should have known better and anticipated likewise. 

When people fail, they tend to give excuses. It just makes sense looking for someone to blame or pass the bulk to. However, the Bible is making no excuse or ground for such. It says bluntly, "if you fail in the day of adversity, your strength is small." No understanding of nonsense! The writer searched and couldn't find the cause for the failure of men in the day of adversity other than their strength being small. Any person's strength being small could then have come from zero preparation or ill preparation. What the Bible is saying in essence is, "if your strength and preparation were huge and strong enough, you wouldn't have been defeated in your day of adversity. You would have withstood and having done all, stand." People fail when they themselves are not sound, strong and secured. When you are not and adversity breezes up, it can't but make a mess of you. 

A sailor once blamed the wind for being too strong for his ship to withstand. Other sailors with bigger and stronger ships shut him up and blamed him for sailing a weaker vessel on the high sea. If he had put preparation of a stronger ship in place and had not spared any cost at building such needed for sail on the high sea, he wouldn't have incurred harm or came to loss. Is somebody there mourning or blaming another for his failure? Your answer might be here. It may be that you were the enemy of yourself instead of blaming a colleague for your failure now that you have your examination result to see. If you had studied well personally, you'll have been equipped with enough content to put down. Why blame your friend for not helping you to cheat in the exam? Would you have been comfortable cheating? Your failure was caused by your small academic strength. Accept!

In building strength, you'll get to a place of boredom having repeated the same act time after time. That's actually when your ingestion of strength into yourself actually began. Once you're beginning to hit that boredom level after doing much to acquire strength, that's when to actually go on to give more attention to acquire more. As such, you'll come to a place of incomparable strength where when you are spent, you won't finish and where when demands call out to you, you'll give liberally. As such, you'll come out of the furnace like gold instead of being consumed like stubble in your day of test and temptation. So, do away with all other excuses for human failures and collapses. All those diverse failures and collapses are summed up in one thing that is inadequate - "small strength". Don't be a man or woman of small strength. Enlarge capacity in all areas of life, especially what you call your calling or life's work. 

PRAYER: I shall not fail, fall or falter. I gather that I may not scatter in test and time of temptation.

1-YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN

Romans 7:7-25 & Psalms 64-67

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MORNING WINGS DAILY DEVOTIONAL - 02/08/2024

FRIDAY  - 2ND  AUGUST, 2024

MORNING WINGS DAILY DEVOTIONAL - Olusola ADEJUMO

Happy New Month!!!

HAVE YOU PREPARED INDEED? - Capacity Building Series 002

Genesis 41:49, KJV

"And Joseph gathered corn as the sand of the sea, very much, until he left numbering; for it was without number."

I wouldn't stop asking if indeed the claims of preparation I heard about some students I was in charge was true. I kept calling and asking if they had prepared indeed for their approaching exams. They were shocked at my repeated calls and enquiries on same. When one asked why I was asking, "I said I needed them to have evidences of preparation until which no one should be assured." It is not the confession of having prepared or being ready that qualifies anyone for what he's expecting. What does is having proofs of having prepared. When you do, you'll have assurance plus any physical tangibility testifying to your preparation. Until you have prepared, you haven't prepared. The Bible describes the preparation of Egypt for the seven years of famine this way. Joseph (the manager in charge of The Grain Project) just didn't store grain, he stored grain until he had assurance that the predicted famine would not be able to hurt any hair of their heads. How did I know that? The Bible has this to say: "and he gathered grains as the sand of the seashore, very much until he left counting." 

Did you read that at all? Two things are there indicating the thoroughness of Joseph's preparation. First is 'his gathering grains as the sand of the seashore." The sand of the seashore which cannot be counted or numbered brings to mind such quantity that can feed a nation or multitudes conveniently. It is this that culminates in the second where he lost numbering. Previously, Joseph could measure how much grain he had gathered. He could keep statistics at one level but he got to a place of preparation that his preparation even overwhelmed him. He himself couldn't begin to measure how much grain they had collected again because there was just too much of it that might be troubling to the human mind. Another reason for his inability to ascertain by numbering again may be the lack of adequate measuring unit or measurement for the quantities they've now gathered. We are aware that at this time Egypt was a well developed civilization in the world. They have several invented measures and measurements for things. However, the quantity they experienced which came from the multitude of grains they'll in their history gather might have lacked a proper invented measurement to measure same. Or, the use of that language might have been the writer's way to suggestively acquaint us with such unprecedented quantity in which he gathered. 

Irrespective of which reason, Joseph had an overwhelming plan for the famine to come. That's why they were not short of bread though they had to sell to other nations and even accommodate Israel, another nation in Goshen (part of Egypt). God is asking of you preparation and plan that'll overwhelm what He has called you to do. God doesn't want us to be caught unawares or as ill prepared. He doesn't want us to faint and collapse for lack of respect for adequate preparation and plans. Rather, having done all (preparing), He wants us to be able to stand and stand still when the event might have happened and passed. The choice is yours - to be a listener or a despiser. Your choice will attract on you consequence or reward for which you're either happy or full of regrets. However, I'll counsel you to choose life by putting in place overwhelming preparation. So, don't think you've done enough until you've done enough. Study more, gym more, rehearse more and go the long road even if it calls for painful labour, secret cries and sacrifices. It'll show at the end that you gathered grains overwhelmingly like the sand of the sea shore. That's because you'll still be in existence when others have gone into relegation. When unanticipated responsibilities or burdens are suddenly added to you like Egypt that accommodated Israel, you'll be able to fund it with grains that you've acquired with your time and effort. Only those without enough preparation can't sell to others or accommodate them. That's why some are stingy! If you're expecting just a baby, take my counsel, prepare for two. That's putting overwhelming plan in place. 

PRAYER: Open my eyes to the coming famine (spiritual and economic) on the world. May I begin to gather grains for sustenance for both.

1-YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN

Romans 6:15-7:1-6 & Psalms 60-63

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