https://www.facebook.com/402392359901160/

Young Preachers' Forum, Ado-Ekiti (2026)

31/08/2025

August 31

One Step Closer to a Yes

“Unrelenting disappointment leaves you heartsick, but a sudden good break can turn life around.” (Pro 13:12, The Message)

A friend in the promotion business says, “Every time someone tells me “NO!” I get happier — because I’m one step closer to that person who will say “YES!”

Some people cannot bear to be told “NO” even once; let alone repeatedly. And then there are others who stop just one person too soon. All they needed was to ask one more time. But they didn’t. Disappointment can do that to you if you let it. Especially if it seems to be unrelenting — one blow after the next.

Years ago I discovered a splendid little poem by Edith Lillian Young that has anchored my life in those times when everything seems to be going wrong — times when your hopes are dashed, your dreams have faded, your deepest desires thwarted, and when so many great expectations become inexplicably disappointed. Maybe you will find it helpful, too.

“Disappointment. HIS appointment. Change one letter, then I see that the thwarting of my purpose is God’s better choice for me!

"His appointment must be blessing, Tho' it may come in disguise, For the end from the beginning open to His wisdom lies.”

It is true, as the proverb says, that unrelenting disappointment can leave you heartsick. But the rest of the proverb is also true — “a sudden good break can turn life around.” One doesn’t come without the other.

Take yet another breath, my fellow traveler; though you have paused alongside the road — you have not stopped. Your journey is not finished. There’s a bend in the road up ahead. And the bend in the road is not the end of the road — unless you fail to make the turn.

Tip your hat respectfully to old man Disappointment, and then be on your way; for God has something better in mind for you. And though you have heard “NO” perhaps a thousand times — you are actually one step closer to a “YES!”

And that single “Yes” can turn your life around!

30/08/2025

August 30

God Knows What He is Doing

“Who could ever have told GOD what to do or taught him his business?” (Isa 40:13, The Message)

On the first day, God created the dog and said: “Sit all day by the door of your house and bark at anyone who comes in or walks past. For this, I will give you a life span of twenty years.” The dog said: “That’s a long time to be barking. How about only ten years and I’ll give you back the other ten?”

So God agreed..

On the second day, God created the monkey and said: “Entertain people, do tricks, and make them laugh. For this, I’ll give you a twenty-year life span.” The monkey said: “Monkey tricks for twenty years? That’s a pretty long time to perform. How about I give you back ten like the Dog did?”

And God agreed.

On the third day, God created the cow and said: “You must go into the field with the farmer all day long and labor under the sun, have calves and give milk to support the farmer’s family. For this, I will give you a life span of sixty years.” The cow said: “That’s kind of a tough life you want me to live for sixty years. How about twenty and I’ll give back the other forty?”

And God agreed again.

On the fourth day, God created man and said: “Eat, sleep, play, marry and enjoy your life. For this, I’ll give you twenty years.” But man said: “Only twenty years? Could you possibly give me my twenty, the forty the cow gave back, the ten the monkey gave back, and the ten the dog gave back; that makes eighty, okay?”

“Okay,” said God, “You asked for it; you got it.”

So that is why for our first twenty years we eat, sleep, play and enjoy ourselves. For the next forty years we labor in the sun to support our family. For the next ten years we do monkey tricks to entertain the grandchildren. And for the last ten years we sit on the front porch and bark at everyone.

The moral of the story is: It’s best to let God do His own work in His own way. He knows what He is doing. When we interject our own ideas into the process, we only mess things up royally!

29/08/2025

August 29

Private Explanations

“In His public ministry Jesus never taught without using parables; but afterward, when He was alone with His disciples, He explained everything to them privately.” (Mrk 4:34, New Living Translation)

In any field of endeavor, the surest and best way to attain the highest summit of excellence and achievement is to personally learn from the very best in that field.

To the artist, a prolonged visit with Michelangelo or Da Vinci, privately explaining the use of perspective, shape, color and shade to bring out the true wonder of a work of art would be priceless indeed. To the writer, a private session with the likes of Shakespeare would make all the difference in their world — listening to him explain the art of turning a phrase to capture the heart of his readers. The musician would be well graced to sit in on a private session with Beethoven, Bach, or, if it suits your style, the Beatles. The take-away of such an encounter would be life-defining.

Anytime one gets an opportunity to sit at the feet of a Master, the smart choice will always be to seize the opportunity. And that is what has been provided for us in our relationship with Jesus. But take note of these key points, for they must not be overlooked if you would experience this unique privilege.

First, it happened when they were alone. Sometimes one must break away from the hustle and bustle of the never-to-be-interrupted-quest for more before they will ever be able to fully hear the Lord speak to them.

Second, Jesus expounded all things to them. That’s the word the Old King James uses, and it means “to loose further.” It’s like a package being unwrapped; with each passing moment it becomes more and more apparent, until we openly hold in our hands what had previously been hidden to us.

Finally, like the disciples, we must be teachable. We must be ready to learn more than we suppose we need, and to be taken to places we never knew to go.

The Master is calling you; take a break and get away for some private explanations.

Are you listening?

28/08/2025

August 28

Trying to Figure a Way Out?

“While he was trying to figure a way out, he had a dream.” (Mat 1:20, The Message)

The Bible tells us that Joseph, the Nazarene carpenter engaged to Mary, was a noble man. Chagrined by the shocking discovery that Mary was pregnant, he sought to handle the matter with discretion, so as not to bring shame to Mary, or her family. And while he was trying to figure a way out, he had a dream.

And that dream changed the world.

While the challenges you may be facing in these tumultuous days may not register on the same historic scale with Joseph’s dilemma, nevertheless it is still true that God often speaks to troubled men in their dreams — showing them what to do.

The Book of Job tells us, “For God does speak—now one way, now another— though man may not perceive it. In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls on men as they slumber in their beds, he may speak in their ears and terrify them with warnings, to turn man from wrongdoing and keep him from pride, to preserve his soul from the pit, his life from perishing by the sword” (Job 33:14-18, NIV).

Ask God to speak to you in a dream. Sometimes it’s the only way He can get through all of our whirling thoughts and emotions, bypassing our natural disposition to debate what He is saying or doing in our waking lives.

Before you close your eyes in sleep tonight, pray the words of Solomon, “I sleep, but my heart is awake, listening for the voice of my Beloved!” (Sng 5:2). You just might awake to a new day in the middle of the night!

27/08/2025

August 27

Learn to Live with Ambiguity

“And when He was entered into a ship, His disciples followed Him.” (Mat 8:23)

It’s simple, really. Matthew tells us that Jesus got into the boat, and His disciples followed Him. Very matter of fact, with not much else needed to be said. But, when we look at the story from the perspective of Mark and Luke — we see it somewhat differently; not so clearly — indeed, a little ambiguous.

Marks puts it this way, “And when they had sent away the multitude, they took Him even as He was in the ship.” (Mrk 4:36). And here is what Luke says, “Now it came to pass on a certain day, that He went into a ship with his disciples: and He said unto them, Let us go over unto the other side of the lake. And they launched forth.” (Luk 8:22).

There are subtle differences in these verses, and I can best point them out by telling you of a conversation I had with a friend, Scott, who was struggling in prayer over the topsy-turvy, upside down economic turn that is redefining the lives of so many in our world today. He was reading the account of Jesus and the disciples crossing the Sea of Galilee, caught in the midst of a horrific storm beating against their boat. Jesus was asleep in the boat, and the disciples concluded that the Lord didn’t care if they lived or died.

Scott felt as if the Lord was equally indifferent to him in his own turbulent financial storm. Can you relate to that in your own boat?

But while reading and reflecting upon the story from all three Gospel accounts, one thing in particular struck Scott with great perplexity. Let me explain.

In Matthew’s account of the story, Scott was consoled in knowing that Jesus got into the boat first and then the disciples followed Him. This gave him hope for the financial storm he was facing. ‘After all,’ he reasoned, ‘If the Lord has led me into this, then surely the Lord will certainly see me through it. No worries.’

But then he read Mark’s account, which says that the disciples “took Jesus” with them into the boat. ‘Oh, no,’ Scott thought to himself, ‘is this what I have done?’ Many times we make our plans and rush headlong into our decisions, asking the Lord to bless us — even if it is not His will. Scott wondered if the financial storm affecting his personal holdings was something he brought upon himself, and it could’ve been avoided had he only listened to the Lord first.

Then Scott read the account from the Gospel of Luke, where we find that Jesus “went into a ship with his disciples: and He said unto them, Let us go over unto the other side of the lake. And they launched forth.”

Wait a minute! Matthew says Jesus got in the boat first, and the disciples followed Him. Mark says the disciples took Jesus into the boat with them. And Luke says they went into the boat together. Well, which was it?

Scott was pondering this question when he heard God speak to his heart – “Learn to live with ambiguity.”

Often the Lord is deliberately vague, speaking in riddles and parables, which leave us doubtful of ourselves. The beauty of this dilemma is that it prohibits any measure of self-confidence, and renders us totally dependent upon the Lord — no matter what is happening in and around our lives.

Are you storm-tossed and facing loss? Are you bewildered with uncertainty at the turn of events that have reordered your otherwise well-ordered world? Is your faith being tested, and your doubts exposed? Does it feel to you like the Lord is sleeping in the boat, oblivious to your peril? Are you second-guessing yourself, and thinking maybe you deserve this because you didn’t pray hard enough, go to church more often, tithe better…..etc.

Hold on there Junior. Yes, your boat is in the middle of a storm, but Jesus is in the middle of your boat!

Right now it doesn’t matter if He initiated the process and brought you into it; or if the whole thing was your idea and you drug Him along for support. The fact remains — HE IS WITH YOU NOW! And together you will make it to the other side.

That much is unambiguous! You’ll just have to learn to live with the rest.

26/08/2025

August 26

The Yeast King

And again He said, “Whereunto shall I liken the kingdom of God? It is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.” And He went through the cities and villages, teaching, and journeying toward Jerusalem. (Luk 13:20-22)

Here we have an interesting thing, seen clearly when we put these two verses together. First, Jesus says….and then Jesus does.

Jesus says the Kingdom of heaven is like leaven which spreads throughout the whole of the meal. Then, He Himself goes throughout all the cities and villages teaching about the kingdom enroute to His ultimate destination – Jerusalem.

The Yeast King is spreading the influence of His kingdom.

Once in Jerusalem the unthinkable happened. The King was rejected and executed. And at the moment when a dismal gloom all but deadened the souls of the disciples – the unimaginable happened. The King rose from the dead!

He gathered with His followers and said to them, “The works that I do, you shall do.” And then, before His ascension, He said to them, “You will receive power from on high, and shall be My witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth” (Act 1:8).

He started in Bethlehem and carried the work and word to Jerusalem; His disciples started at Jeruusalem and have now carried the work and word unto the whole world – such that virtually every living person in the world today is in some way being touched and transformed by this Man’s influence.

How ‘bout you? What message do you carry forward in your life’s mission?

Young Preachers' Forum

31/08/2025

30/08/2025

29/08/2025

28/08/2025

27/08/2025

26/08/2025

Address

Website

Alerts

Shortcuts

Share