ECWA Graceland Zaria

09/09/2026

Nothing compares to the joy, peace, and purpose I have found in Him. Jesus is enough, yesterday, today, and forever. 🙏

09/09/2026

BREAKING: ECWA UNVEILS 2027 THEME — “PRESS ON TOWARDS THE GOAL”

PHILIPPIANS 3:12

゚viralシ

09/09/2026

*_WEDNESDAY, 9 SEPTEMBER_*
*TEXT: ESTHER 2:10-18*

10: Esther had not revealed her nationality and family background, because Mordecai had forbidden her to do so.

11: Every day he walked back and forth near the courtyard of the harem to find out how Esther was and what was happening to her.

12: Before a girl’s turn came to go in to King Xerxes, she had to complete twelve months of beauty treatments prescribed for the women, six months with oil of myrrh and six with perfumes and cosmetics.

13: And this is how she would go to the king: Anything she wanted was given her to take with her from the harem to the king’s palace.

14: In the evening she would go there and in the morning return to another part of the harem to the care of Shaashgaz, the king’s eu**ch who was in charge of the concubines. She would not return to the king unless he was pleased with her and summoned her by name.

15: When the turn came for Esther (the girl Mordecai had adopted, the daughter of his uncle Abihail) to go to the king, she asked for nothing other than what Hegai, the king’s eu**ch who was in charge of the harem, suggested. And Esther won the favor of everyone who saw her.

16: She was taken to King Xerxes in the royal residence in the tenth month, the month of Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign.

17: Now the king was attracted to Esther more than to any of the other women, and she won his favor and approval more than any of the other virgins. So he set a royal crown on her head and made her queen instead of Vashti.

18: And the king gave a great banquet, Esther’s banquet, for all his nobles and officials. He proclaimed a holiday throughout the provinces and distributed gifts with royal liberality.

*_TOPIC: CONTEST FOR THE THRONE_*

We live in a world of contests and competition. Esther entered into a contest for the position of Queen to King Xerxes, not out of selfish ambition, but to rescue the people of God. Is that not what every leadership ambition should be about: serving others?

Sadly, most people seek power for personal gains or selfish reasons. Many young people use their good looks only to acquire material possessions. Esther was different. Her goal in seeking the position of Queen was for the good of God's people. Because of this noble ambition, God granted her favour in the sight of the chief Eu**ch, the people, and King Xerxes.

As a young person, the desire to advance and reach for greater things is commendable. However, the motivation should be for God's glory and the blessing of others. Do not let your contest in life be solely for yourself.

*_QUESTION:_* _What are you aspiring for? Why are you aspiring for it? Is God in your aspiration?_

*_PRAYER:_* _Lord, set me on a noble cause. Help me to seek the good of your Kingdom and that of your people. Amen._

*FOOD FOR THE DAY ~ 2026.*

08/09/2026

Your name is Yahweh, the One who never fails. 🙏🏽
You are faithful in every season, powerful beyond words, and worthy of all praise.

08/09/2026

*_TUESDAY, 8 SEPTEMBER_*
*TEXT: ESTHER 2:1-9*

1: Later when the anger of King Xerxes had subsided, he remembered Vashti and what she had done and what he had decreed about her.

2: Then the king’s personal attendants proposed, “Let a search be made for beautiful young virgins for the king.

3: Let the king appoint commissioners in every province of his realm to bring all these beautiful girls into the harem at the citadel of Susa. Let them be placed under the care of Hegai, the king’s eu**ch, who is in charge of the women; and let beauty treatments be given to them.

4: Then let the girl who pleases the king be queen instead of Vashti.” This advice appealed to the king, and he followed it.

5: Now there was in the citadel of Susa a Jew of the tribe of Benjamin, named Mordecai son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish,

6: who had been carried into exile from Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, among those taken captive with Jehoiachin king of Judah.

7: Mordecai had a cousin named Hadassah, whom he had brought up because she had neither father nor mother. This girl, who was also known as Esther, was lovely in form and features, and Mordecai had taken her as his own daughter when her father and mother died.

8: When the king’s order and edict had been proclaimed, many girls were brought to the citadel of Susa and put under the care of Hegai. Esther also was taken to the king’s palace and entrusted to Hegai, who had charge of the harem.

9: The girl pleased him and won his favor. Immediately he provided her with her beauty treatments and special food. He assigned to her seven maids selected from the king’s palace and moved her and her maids into the best place in the harem.

*_TOPIC: FAVOUR UNMERITED_*

One traumatising thing about being in prison is the lack of freedom to be and do what one desires. It is not about the poor feeding, sleeping space, shabby environment, and so on, as seen in most Nigerian prisons.

Hadassah (Esther), in today's text, was in captivity along with other Jews. The last in Hadassah's wildest expectations would have been to be considered for any noble role in the land of her captivity. But there she had favour with Hegai, the eu**ch in charge of the King's harem. He granted Hadassah beyond what she deserved. This situation can only be described as a favour unmerited.

Hadassah didn't have to do anything unethical or sinful. God worked on her case when she didn't know or expect it. Some stories we hear about beauty pageants are nauseating and insulting. Nudity and sexual immorality are publicised. The dignity of the young person is commercialised and offered to be highest bidder.

Don't play into the hands of modernity, which says, "Follow your heart. Do what pleases you." Know that as a child of God, you don't own yourself. God's favour is with you. You do not have to lower your standards or degrade yourself to rise to success in life. God favoured Esther, and He will favour you if you solely depend on Him.

*_QUESTION:_* _Where do you seek favour from?_

*_PRAYER:_* _Dear Lord, bring Your plans to bear in my life. Help me not to seek favour from any other means but You, Amen._

*FOOD FOR THE DAY - 2026*

07/09/2026

We come before You, Jesus, with hearts full of thanksgiving and lips filled with praise.

For Your goodness, mercy, faithfulness, and countless blessings, we glorify You, Lord. May all the praise and honour be Yours forever.

Jesus, we thank You!

07/09/2026

*_MONDAY, 7 SEPTEMBER_*
*TEXT: ESTHER 1:13-22*

13: Since it was customary for the king to consult experts in matters of law and justice, he spoke with the wise men who understood the times

14: and were closest to the king—Karshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena and Memukan, the seven nobles of Persia and Media who had special access to the king and were highest in the kingdom.

15: “According to law, what must be done to Queen Vashti?” he asked. “She has not obeyed the command of King Xerxes that the eu**chs have taken to her.”

16: Then Memukan replied in the presence of the king and the nobles, “Queen Vashti has done wrong, not only against the king but also against all the nobles and the peoples of all the provinces of King Xerxes.

17: For the queen’s conduct will become known to all the women, and so they will despise their husbands and say, ‘King Xerxes commanded Queen Vashti to be brought before him, but she would not come.’

18: This very day the Persian and Median women of the nobility who have heard about the queen’s conduct will respond to all the king’s nobles in the same way. There will be no end of disrespect and discord.

19: “Therefore, if it pleases the king, let him issue a royal decree and let it be written in the laws of Persia and Media, which cannot be repealed, that Vashti is never again to enter the presence of King Xerxes. Also let the king give her royal position to someone else who is better than she.

20: Then when the king’s edict is proclaimed throughout all his vast realm, all the women will respect their husbands, from the least to the greatest.”

21: The king and his nobles were pleased with this advice, so the king did as Memukan proposed.

22: He sent dispatches to all parts of the kingdom, to each province in its own script and to each people in their own language, proclaiming that every man should be ruler over his own household, using his native tongue.

*_TOPIC: HEARKENING TO THE COUNSEL OF MEN_*

Once in a while, we all desire other people's opinions, counsel, or advice. This is not wrong because we see that God took counsel within Himself in Genesis 1:26, Let us make man in our image, and in our likeness...

God took another counsel (Genesis 11:7) in the case of the Tower of Babel. It is instructive, however, to note the source from which counsel is sourced.

In our text, King Xerxes assembled his trusted advisers, who advised him the best they knew how. However, we notice that their advice became repressive, particularly to the womenfolk in the entire kingdom, whether they supported what Queen Vashti did or not.

This devotion is not about whether Vashti's action was right or wrong, but about King Xerxes not seeking counsel from God.

It can be argued that the king did not know the God of the Bible to consult Him. As it is said, however, ignorance of the Law is no excuse for violating it. We should be guided.

People sometimes advise well on some matters, but when you receive their advice, check that with God. Your final source of counsel should be God rather than people. This should be on all matters because God understands. He is all-knowing!

*_QUESTION:_* _Whose advice do you seek?_

*_PRAYER:_* _Lord, grant me grace to listen to your counsel, Amen._

*FOOD FOR THE DAY - 2026*

06/09/2026

We celebrate and appreciate our pastor, Rev. Peter Iliya Gidanmana, for his dedication, leadership, prayers, and faithful service to God and His people.

Thank you, sir, for being a blessing to us. May God continue to strengthen, bless, and uphold you and your family. 🙏❤️

We love and appreciate you, Pastor!

06/09/2026

Today, we give God all the glory for a beautiful Sunday service and the successful conclusion of ECWA Pastor's Appreciation Week.

To our beloved pastor, Rev. Peter Iliya Gidanmana, thank you for your faithful leadership, unwavering commitment, and sacrificial service to God's kingdom. We celebrate and appreciate you.

“Let the elders who direct the affairs of the church well be worthy of double honor.” — 1 Timothy 5:17

06/09/2026