The Lord Teaches Us to Profit

[Music: Battle Hymn of the Republic] [Narrator] Churches and fellowships cannot be more spiritual than the individuals and families that constitute them. God greatly desires a godly home front. These are words of restoration and instruction in righteousness from Family Tent Ministry. May you be blessed as you listen. [Speaker 1] For the first time in many years that we are having our discipleship class, last one was on the Christmas day and second is on the New Year day. It's so interesting. People who are seated here, I saw them one year ago. We are in a new year now. Brethren online who are joining us, welcome to 2024. It's a year ago. Let us not talk about a week ago now, it's a year ago because the last time was in '23, we are now in '24. Brethren online, you are welcome. I welcome everybody and we pray that 2024 will be a prosperous year for us all in the name of Jesus Christ. The year will be blissful and the year will be peaceful in the name of Jesus Christ. The Lord our God will go before us to make way for us. Let's worship God with this song. Just sing very briefly, then we pray and go into what we have to look at today in our fellowship. Oh, faithful, you are faithful. King of kings, Lord of lords, you are faithful. You are faithful, faithful. You are faithful. King of kings, Lord of lords, we worship you. You are faithful, faithful. You are faithful. King of kings, Lord of lords, you are faithful. You are faithful, faithful. You are faithful. King of kings, Lord of lords, we worship you. One more time. Faithful, you are faithful. Lord, you are faithful. King of kings, Lord of lords, you are faithful. You are faithful, faithful. You are faithful. King of kings, Lord of lords, we worship you. Lord, indeed you are faithful. It has been you. It is still you, and it will yet be you. Lord, you have been there from ages past. You are our hope for years to come, to our eternal home. Baba, we worship you for you kept us till the year 2023, January to December. And Lord, by your mercies, you have brought us into the year 2024. Lord, we are not taking it for granted. We are saying thank you. Lord, we say thank you. Lord, we say thank you. Lord, we say thank you. Be exalted, our Father, in the name of Jesus. Lord our God, we also come before you this evening. we have come, oh Lord, to fellowship in your word. Particularly this first day of the year and this first discipleship class for the year 2024. Lord our God Almighty, we are praying. Lord, give us instruction in our hearts, instructions that will carry us through the year. Lord God Almighty, we pray. Help us that we may see what you are doing. Lord, enable us that we may hear what you are saying. Lord our God, bless us, oh Lord, that we may perceive correctly, oh God. You are brightening our way for the year and to walk in the light of your will in the name of Jesus. Lord, we pray for 2024, we will not walk in darkness. We will not walk in darkness. Rather, as it is written, "In the beginning was the Word, the Word was with God, and the Word was God. Through Him were all things made. Without Him was nothing made that was made. In Him was life and the life is the light of men. The light shines into darkness and the darkness could not possibly resist it." [Scripture Reference: John 1:1-5] Lord, we pray that the life in your word will be our light through the year in the name of Jesus. Amen. Thank you, eternal Father. Walk in our midst, oh God, as we fellowship together this evening. We who are here physically, our brethren joining us on Telegram, our brethren joining us on Mixlr, meet with us all. Amen. Thank you, eternal Father. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Wow. This first discipleship class of the year, we will be like we did last Monday. It was looking at issues around the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. We were able to draw several lessons from that, which I believe in different ways became a blessing to us all who gathered that day. Today, we also want something very peculiar again. We will not continue with our reflection on the book of Colossians. We have suspended that reflection now for two weeks. Last week Monday, we reflected on the birth of Jesus, before the birth and then during the birth, lessons that we can learn. And today again, we want to look at a very important topic that we are looking at in opening up the year: God who teaches us to profit. God who teaches us to profit. God who teaches us to profit. And my prayer for everybody, anywhere you are this evening and you are connecting with us, whether you are connecting with us on Telegram or you are connecting with us on Mixlr, I pray for you wherever you are that in the name of Jesus, you will profit in 2024. You will not make any loss in the name of Jesus. It will be a year of profit. You will profit. You will profit. You will profit. You will profit in the name of Jesus. Lord our God, we pray. You are the one who causes us to profit. Lord, as we look into your word, we pray. Everybody, everywhere, wherever they are, Lord, as it applies to each person, may they know their path in the name of Jesus. God who teaches us to profit. We want to look at—okay, I just felt I should say this again within. I don't know why this one is coming to my heart. Maritally, you will profit. Maritally. I don't know who I'm speaking to, but somebody somewhere needs this word. It just kept coming. I'm trying to overlook it, but it kept coming. So let me make the pronouncement. I don't know who needs it, but for that person who needs it, this word will heal you and it will take you out of your destruction in the name of Jesus. Maritally, you will profit in the name of Jesus. So we want to look at the book of Isaiah. That's our base text for today. The book of Isaiah. God who teaches us to profit. God who teaches us to profit. God who teaches us to profit. So let's look at Isaiah chapter 48. The book of Isaiah chapter 48. We'll be looking specifically at verse 17 of Isaiah chapter 48. The New King James Bible reads: "Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: 'I am the Lord your God, who teaches you to profit, who leads you by the way you should go.'" [Scripture Reference: Isaiah 48:17] I take that again before I read the verse 18. "Thus says the Lord," comma, then "your Redeemer." The person speaking is the Lord. Capital letter L-O-R-D. "Thus says the Lord." That Lord is your Redeemer. The person who is your Redeemer is the Lord. "Thus says the Lord." He was first the Lord, then He became your Redeemer. It is important to note this, because I will soon read some scriptures to make you understand this. He said, "Thus says the Lord," comma, "your Redeemer," comma, "the Holy One of Israel." Three things about Himself. Number one, He is the Lord. Number two, He is your Redeemer. Number three, He is the Holy One of Israel. Then He now went ahead to now say what He wanted to say. It is me, nobody else. It is me. It's me. And I want you to just pray. Today's teaching will be more of prayer and teaching. I see God asking me to come in a more prophetic dimension today, even though we are also teaching. I just want you to pray for one minute for yourself. "Lord, help me to realize that you are the one who teaches me to profit. Help me to realize that true profit is in knowing you. Profit comes just by knowing you. Lord, help me to realize that outside you, I cannot really profit. I cannot really profit outside you. Lord, let the realization come. Lord, I need it. I need it for my journey in 2024." Honestly, you need what we are praying about. One thing God must do for you is to realize, the realization that it is Him who teaches you to profit. "Lord, help me to have a deep sense of realization that it is in you that I profit. It is in you that I profit. It is in you, it is in you that I profit. I profit. My profit is in God. If I must profit, it is in God. It is through God, by God, it is from God. I profit only in God. Outside God, I cannot really profit. Lord, help me to have this deep sense of realization in the name of Jesus." Thank you, Father. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. He says, "I am the Lord." I want you to note something. In the beginning of the verse, Isaiah chapter 48 verse 17, the Lord who teaches us to profit. He says, "Thus says the Lord." L-O-R-D in capital. "Your Redeemer." That Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel. Then He began to speak again. He said, "I am the Lord your God." He has said, "Thus says the Lord." Again, He is now bringing it, personalizing it. That see, the person speaking is the Lord. The person that is speaking is the Lord. When you say the universe, things seen and unseen, every cosmic power, everything you want to talk about, like I was telling somebody one of these days, power belongs only to God. Nobody else holds power. Any kind of power you see belongs to God. Nobody can operate power outside God. Power belongs to God. So when you see people operating what you call satanic power, it is the gift and the calling of God that God did not withdraw. You get the point I'm making. The gift and the calling of God they are without repentance. God gave him some abilities. That abilities is what is perverted. So power belongs to God. The Lord, the person speaking is the Lord. That is, He is the master over all. But He now came down again. "I am the Lord your God." I'm first the Lord of all, but it is good for you to also know that I am what? I am now the Lord your God. In the first place, I'm the Lord over all. Number two, you need to now realize that that Lord over all is the person that you have as your own Lord. Some people don't have Him as their Lord. Are you getting the point I'm making? The lord of some people's life is not the Lord of the universe. Now, the first thing is that the Lord is speaking. That Lord is the one who is your God. Why is God emphasizing this to Israel? He wants to say something in that verse 17. He says, "who teaches you to profit." The reason why He's introducing Himself to them as if they don't know Him, number one, it's possible that they don't even know Him. They don't understand Him. Number two, what He wanted to say is something that is so crucial. That it takes somebody who understands that the speaker is the Lord of the universe and He is their Lord that will appreciate what He's trying to say. And why is God saying that? Look at Psalm 33. Look at Psalm 33. Why is God saying, "I am the Lord," "Thus says the Lord"? Then "I am the Lord your God." Psalm 33. Look at something in Psalm 33 so that we can appreciate why God is making that statement. From verse one. Look at what the scripture says: "Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous! For praise from the upright is beautiful. Praise the Lord with the harp; make melody to Him with an instrument of ten strings. Sing to Him a new song; play skillfully with a shout of joy. For the word of the Lord is right, and all His work is done in truth. He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the goodness of the Lord." [Scripture Reference: Psalm 33:1-5] Please note something. Now, why is He saying you should praise Him? Why is He worthy of praise and worship? He says, "for the word of the Lord is right and all His work is done in truth. He loves righteousness and justice. The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord." Any good you want to see here, I want you to tell your neighbor, every good gift and perfect comes from only God. You can't get anything good and perfect outside God. The earth is full of His goodness. Anything you see that is good, something is truly good, it is God. I don't know who I was discussing with one of these days and I said, do you notice that there's nothing free with the devil? If he gives you riches, it will be at the cost of something. If he gives you something, it will be at the cost of something. It's always at the cost of something. The person who truly gives free gift is God. Look at it. The only person who can give something and it's truly free, there's no string attached, is God. When the enemy gives, it comes with bondage. It comes with pain. It comes with some things. It's always something for something. But our God, He paid all the price and then He offered us salvation because He's the Good Shepherd. Now, "the earth is full of His goodness." Now, the point—don't forget where we are coming from. Why He is telling them, "I am the Lord your God." I want to give you why God is making that statement. That's where I'm going. Number one, everything good that is truly good belongs to God and it comes from God. The Bible says every good gift and every perfect gift comes from who? Comes from God, in whom there is no variableness and there is no shadow of turning. [Scripture Reference: James 1:17] God is true. God is good. God is right. His works are done in justice and righteousness. God does not color things for you. If God tells you this thing is white, till all eternity, it can never be black. If it is black, it means you didn't hear God well. God never said it was white. God is who He is. He doesn't—there's no—God is what God says He is. There's no coloring. There is no decoration. There is no perfuming. There's no makeup. That is why He is real. Now, He says the earth is full of the goodness of the Lord. Now, He moves to the next verse. Verse 6. "By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, and all the host of them by the breath of His mouth." [Scripture Reference: Psalm 33:6] So who is their Lord? The Lord. Are you following? We move on. "He gathers the waters of the sea together as a heap; He lays up the deep in storehouses. Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him." [Scripture Reference: Psalm 33:7-8] And that is what I keep telling every average Christian today. The person who fears the Lord has nothing else to fear. If God is your fear, there is nothing else to fear. He says, "Let all the earth fear the Lord. Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him." Why? Why? Don't forget our topic. What's our topic? "God who teaches you to profit." God who teaches you to profit. If you really want to profit, it's God. If you really want to profit in 2024 in this life, I want to make you see that if you want to profit in 2024, you want to make real profit, real profit in any area of your life, it is God. He said, "God who teaches us to profit." And like I pray, I pray and I'm still praying. May you profit in 2024. You will not make losses. You will not make losses. And may this God who teaches profit be your God in the name of Jesus. You will profit in the name of Jesus. He says, "Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him." Why? Look at it. Verse 9. Why should they do that? Why should they tremble at Him and stand in awe? Verse 9: "For He spoke, and it was done." [Scripture Reference: Psalm 33:9] What He has said, it's done. You know what that means? If God tells you, start selling beans, you will become a billionaire. If everybody have been selling beans and they don't make it in life, once you start selling, you will become a billionaire. If there is a place where people go, and when they go there, any time they enter the place, their life goes down. If God say go there, your life will go up. Every other life will be going down, your life will be going up. Do you understand me? He spoke. What happened? It is done. Why should we fear? If God tells you, no matter how far you travel on this seemingly good road, it will not be well. It can never be well. And He tells you that although it is so difficult, at the end of the day, you will smile. I'm telling you, let all the demons on hell go and gather, at the end of the day, what will you do? You will smile. That is what I'm trying to say about God. That's the scripture. Once He speaks, it is done. That's God. The God who teaches us to profit. He teaches us to profit. He speaks, it is done. He commanded, and what happened? They stood fast. He commanded and they do what? They stood fast. When God says it is over, it is over. When Jesus spoke to the storm, "Peace, be still." What happened? It was still. When they said Lazarus was dead, what Jesus say? "Come forth." What happened? He came forth. While somebody else was busy celebrating life as if he's going to live long, God said, "Tonight you will die." The rich fool, what happened? In the midst of it, he left it. He commands and what happened? They stood fast. Threw them into the fire. Fire, please be a good AC for them. And fire, a furnace that was heated seven times became what? Became what? A cool place to have fresh air. Who can do that in real life? Why? There was a command. There was a command. Fire, be still. He spoke. He commands. Everything stands fast. Because you need to understand that the things that are made, the things that are seen, they are not made from what appears. No. Those things that you are seeing—that's why I tell people, it's not about what you see, it's about what you hear. The things that are seen, they are not made from what appears. That thing that you are seeing, what are you hearing about it? What are you hearing about that thing that you are seeing? I remember years back when I was told, "take accounting." Because that was what everybody was doing in my own days. And you will profit. what is your problem? Can't you open your eyes? Do this thing and have your own accounting firm. And God said, "okay, if you do this thing, you will perish." You see what I'm trying to say, it's not about what we are seeing, it's about what we are hearing about what we are seeing. You remember Lot? What did he see? What did Lot see? He saw a land flowing with milk and honey, like the garden of Eden. [Scripture Reference: Genesis 13:10] Do you hear what the Bible says about it? He lifted up his eyes, and he saw that it was well watered and it had everything. That was what he saw. But the Bible quickly added that that was before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. What looks like what you saw—you wasn't see what God is saying. It's about what we see, it's about what we said. You see, we're talking about God who teaches us to profit. And I'm showing you why God was giving that background. "I am the Lord. I am your Redeemer. I am the Lord your God." Why God is giving all those background before God made the statement. We're exposing Isaiah chapter 48 verse 17 as point of direction for 2024. And I'm giving you the background why God was—before God said, "I am God who teaches you to profit," God was giving them a background. Because they don't understand that background. And many times, I see that when you don't understand that background, you will not understand that it is in God that you can profit. It is in God that you can profit. He teaches us to profit. He teaches us to profit. Now, if you look at the next thing He says in that place, look at what the Bible says. Verse 10, 11, and 12. "The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; He makes the plans of the people of no effect." [Scripture Reference: Psalm 33:10] You know what that means? My prayer for you this year is that your plans may not just be the plans of the people, may it be the plans of God. You know what the Lord does with the plans of the people? What does the Lord do with it? He brings them to nothing. Oh, are you understanding me at all? As for the plans of the people, I pray for you as you are listening to me wherever you are, whether physically or online, that your project for this year, that your plan for this year, that your those things you are putting in place for this year, I pray for you, may your plans, your purpose, your expectation, may they not be the plans of the people. May they be the plans of God. There is a God who teaches us to profit. Because one thing that God does with the plans of the people, what does the Lord do with it? He brings it, He makes them of no effect. He makes them of no effect. But look at what He said. Verse 11: "The counsel of the Lord stands forever, the plans of His heart to all generations." [Scripture Reference: Psalm 33:11] The counsel of the Lord does what? The counsel of the Lord stands for what? For ever. "The plans of His heart to all generations." Look at how apostle John put it for us. How did he put it? He said the world passes away and the lusts thereof, but the person who does the will of God does what? Abides forever. May you build to last. May whatever you are building be something that will last. May your business last. May your marriage last. May your career last. Whatever you are building, build to last is building in His will. He who does the will of God abides forever. It will last. "The counsel of the Lord stands forever, the plan of His heart to all generations." And look at what the Bible concludes in that place. He said, "Blessed is that nation, blessed is that brother, blessed is that sister, blessed is that family, blessed is that man, blessed is that woman whose God is who? Is the Lord." [Scripture Reference: Psalm 33:12] This is what He's trying to say. If the person who is your God is not the Lord, you are not blessed. Blessed is that person, that nation whose God is the Lord. Why? Because when they do what their God says, nobody can thwart it. It stands forever. So we now go back to Isaiah that we're expanding because our focus is that Isaiah. God who teaches us to profit. "Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer," verse 17 of Isaiah chapter 48, "the Holy One of Israel: 'I am the Lord your God, who teaches you to profit.'" I teach you to profit. So when you look at it, you'll be wondering, how does He teach us to profit? How does He teach us to profit? How? He said, "I am the Lord who teaches you to profit." So how does He teach us to profit? Look at what it says: "who leads you by the way you should go." He leads you. When God wants your life to profit, He leads you by a way. While there are several ways that are good, that are fine, that are okay, but there is a way you should go and then you will profit. Profit? What does it mean make profit? To make gain. You want to make gain. May we not be wasted. May our effort not be wasted. May our time not be wasted. May our life not be wasted. The matter about life is that God wants us to make gain. Make gain with your time, make gain with your life, make gain with your investment, make gain with your gift, make gain with your calling, make gain with your ministry, make gain. Make gain. That's what God wants you to do, to make gains. God wants you to profit. I tell people, that's why the Bible says all good things and every perfect thing comes from God. Go and look at the original design. What God designed for man, should man be sweating? Was he designed to be sweating? Was he designed to be running? Was death and disease designed for him? Go and look at the original design. Who ran around to bring a wife for Adam? Everything he wanted to eat, had they not been prepared before Adam came? Was Adam busy running around looking for what to eat? Who was knowing that it is not good for him to be alone, he needs somebody? How was God saying that? It's very, very clear. Animals were growing at geometric progression. Lion is giving birth, tiger is giving birth, dove is giving birth, turkeys is giving birth, fishes are giving birth, all of them, gorilla, all of them, they are all giving birth. They are multiplying, they are increasing. They will fill everywhere. No matter what man—since he's not omnipresent like God—if he does not multiply, the animals will multiply against him. So God said, no, it is not good for him to be alone. If he must have dominion over these things, he must increase. So what did God—who was busy thinking? Who was teaching him to profit? It was God. It was not good for him to—who went ahead to prepare the woman? Who did all design and brought her? It was God. And when God brought her, what did God say again? "Look, I'm not ending it there. I have something to say. I bless you, man. Be fruitful, multiply, replenish. You too multiply, increase, increase, increase, then subdue. No, those things must not dominate you, you must dominate them." And I am for you. God want man to profit. The desire of God is that man should profit. That's why I'm showing you the original design. That's why I tell people, sin or whatever, when you go against God, you don't understand what you are going against. You are going against the very being that can make you profit. I want to ask you when man thought that devil have a better alternative, and man went the way of the devil, did he profit? Did he profit? What did he make? Losses. I pray you will not make losses. You will not make losses. 2024, I pray by the spirit of the Lord, will be a year of profit. We shall profit. As individuals, we shall profit. As families under this ministry, we shall profit. As a ministry, we shall profit. For our God desire we should profit. The will of God will be done on earth as it is in heaven in the name of Jesus. God wants us to profit. The loss and losses that we are battling with today was when we thought somebody else can make us profit better. Is that not how we got to where we are today? We thought somebody else can do it. God said don't eat—with some thing, this thing will make me wise, I will become like God. We thought there was something that was better than what God is saying. Tell your neighbor, "don't alternate God." Don't alternate God. He is the one who teaches you to profit. Don't alternate God. Learn from what happened at the original. It was our alternation that led us to where we are. Remember Abraham, he alternated. God said "through thy seed." And God said Sarah will give birth to that seed. But at a point, what did Sarah say? She said, "Oh, God have withheld me from giving birth." She said, "Abraham, why not going into this one?" And Abraham quickly, telling you that he too had been imagining that this woman, it don't finish for this woman, she's done. Quickly, he too went to that because he wanted to—what did he want to do? He wanted to profit. When they alternated, what was the end result? Number one, marital disharmony began. "Hey, you are the one that made this guy to be talking to me like this! Hey!" Abraham said, "but she is your servant now, do as you like. Ah, me and you in this house, you will see." An ordinary girl before, what brought the katakata? Why were they making losses in that marriage? They alternated. You will not make loss. And it did not end there. You know where we are today in respect to Ishmael. He will be against everyone and everyone will be against him. Are we not still in it today? We are still in it. We are still in it. And even when God was trying to finish everything about Ishmael, what did Abraham say? "Let Ishmael live or not die." He was still praying for his alternative. So he lived and he didn't die. And where are we today? There is a God who teaches us to profit. What I'm trying to make you see is that you have been programmed to profit. Redemption is a profit. Don't you see it? We were sinners, wasting away in sin. And redemption came to redeem our soul, to make something good out of our life. Is redemption not profit? That's why I'm showing you that the ways of God, they are the ways of gain. If you want to make real gain, it's the way of God. I pray for somebody there, you will make real gain. A gain that is real. 2024 will be a year of real profit in the name of Jesus. It's real gain, if you want to make real gain. That's why I'm showing you all the ways of God. Look at them. They are the ways of profit and gain. He teaches us to profit. He teaches us to profit. He teaches us to profit. How will He do that? He says, "who leads you by the way you should go." It means there is a way of profit. Are you understanding it? There is a way. In your career, there is a way of profit. In your marriage, there is a way of profit. Every way cannot profit you. There is a way to profit. In your finance, there is a way to profit. In your ministry, there is a way to profit. There is a way of gain. There is a way not to make losses. There is a way. There is a way. That's the point we are making. And look at how He began to sum these things together. In verse 18, He said, "Oh!" That's a sign of what? That's a sign of what? When we say, "Ah!" you are feeling for somebody. Even when they made losses, God was feeling for them. I'm showing you the kind of God that we serve. Look at the kind of God that we serve. He's not, "Heh, that's good for you. Heh, you are now crying, cry very well." No. He tells you He's compassionate, He's compassionate. "Oh, that you had heeded My commands! Then your peace would have been like a river, and your righteousness like the waves of the sea." [Scripture Reference: Isaiah 48:18] "Oh, that you had heeded my commands! Then your peace would have been like a river and your righteousness like the wave of the sea." One thing I must tell you quickly is that the way of profit is the way of peace and righteousness. Mark that word. The way of profit is the way of peace and righteousness. The way of profit is the way of peace and righteousness. Whatever you enter into that takes peace from you, you have made losses. Are you following me? Are you following me? Whatever you enter into, "Heh, I got fifteen billion in one deal." But my peace was, it was in exchange for peace. You have made losses. Whatever thing that is real gain in life must not compromise peace. It is when you don't have peace that you will appreciate peace. Whatever you have, just withdraw peace from it and you will see that you will be praying to lose that thing for peace. And one thing about this way of profit is that it's the way of righteousness. The way of righteousness. It teaches us to profit. He said, "Oh, that you had heeded My command." Then one thing is coming out very, very clear to us. It means the way God teaches us to profit, how? How He does that? Is by giving us instruction. Are you getting that? When God wants to teach you to profit, He begin to give you what? Instructions. "Oh, that you had heeded My command." There are clear commands of God. And that is what we talk about building capacity for integrity. Men of strong character, that's what we mean. The first way of profit for 2024 is the way of integrity and character. You don't disobey obvious commands. Some commands are obvious, they are clear. You don't need God, you don't need to begin to say God should I not, because they are obvious. That's what we call integrity and character. Men of strong character, that's what we mean. The first way of profit for 2024 is the way of integrity and character. You don't disobey obvious commands. Some commands are obvious, they are clear. You don't need special instruction for them. And I also want to tell you this. It is your attitude towards the obvious command that determines whether you will receive further command. Did that make sense to you? Should I come again about that? It is your attitude towards the obvious command that will determine whether you will get further instructions. There are some things you need further instructions about. You need further instructions, you need clarifications about. But it is your attitude towards the obvious ones that will determine whether you worth, whether it worth to give you further instructions. You know one thing about God? God will not cast His pearls before swine. He does not give what is holy to dogs. [Scripture Reference: Matthew 7:6] Dogs mean somebody who is polluted, perverse in his ways. Somebody who is defiled in his ways, somebody who is not straightforward with his ways. God don't give what is holy. Because divine instructions, you know what they are? You know what they are? Let me show you what they are. Proverbs chapter 4 verse 13. Proverbs 4:13. What are divine instructions? What are they? Proverbs 4:13. If you are there before me you read, if I'm there before you I will read. Proverbs 4:13. Is that 4:23? No, it's not 4:23 that I want. There's this verse that I want to pick. It say, "Take fast hold of instruction, let her not go; keep her, for she is your life." [Scripture Reference: Proverbs 4:13] Take firm hold of what? Of what? Of instructions. Take firm hold of them. Do what? Don't let them go. If you must profit in this life, don't let them go. What should you do to her? Keep her, she is what? She is your life. So when God is bringing instruction, what is He bringing your way? He's bringing life your way. Instruction is life. And who is life? Jesus said, "I'm the way, the truth and the life." [Scripture Reference: John 14:6] He does not offer Himself to dogs. You don't give living bread to dogs. You don't cast what is holy before swine. And what do I mean by that? Your attitude to obvious instructions. I'm talking about God who causes you to profit. God causes us to profit by instructions. And the way God have done this thing is that there are obvious instructions. There are clear, obvious instructions. And what God want to see about your attitude towards obvious instructions is that whether you are what? Whether you are a dog or you are not a dog, whether you are a swine or you are not a swine. When you are not a dog and you are not a swine, what happens? He now give what is holy. We now have a need to speak further. Where you need further clarification, We will now clarify you because some things you need further instructions. And I will show you biblical example to that. Biblical example to that as we are trying to close up for today. Biblical example to all that I'm trying to say, that it is God who teaches us to profit. Where we need further instructions. Let's quickly go to the book of Genesis. Let's look at something in the book of Genesis. In Genesis chapter 12 and Genesis chapter 13, maybe I should paraphrase that, but I know they are things that we are also familiar with. In Genesis chapter 12, we know how God called Abraham, isn't it? In Genesis 12:1, what did God say? He says, "The Lord call Abraham. He said, go to a country that I will show you." [Scripture Reference: Genesis 12:1] Is that not? What is that? That was a clear instruction, isn't it? Clear instruction to go to a place that God will show him so that he can profit. And when you look at towards the end of that chapter 12, what did the Bible says? What did the Bible says about that in that chapter 12 verse 7? What did the Bible says? Then the Lord appeared to Abraham and said, "To your descendant I will give what? This land." Which land is that? Look at it in the verse 6. "Abraham passed through to the land of the place of Shechem, as far as the terebinth tree of Moreh, and the Canaanites were there as at that time." So he was in the land of Canaan. Are you following it? And what did God say? God says, "To your descendant I will give this land." And there he built an altar to the Lord who appeared to him. So the land that he did not know before, is the land clearer now? Is the land clearer now? I'm showing you further instruction. The land was not clear at first. Now the land is clear. Which is the land? The land of Canaan, okay? And so Abraham was there, but what happened in verse 10? Verse 10, there was famine in that land. And Abraham went down to where? To Egypt, for the famine was severe in the land. And what happened when Abraham left that land and went to Egypt? You know the end of the story. He had to lie, he had to do this, he had to do that, he had to do this because he have left the place of instruction. He started making losses. Are you following me? God who teaches us to profit. God had said this is the land. At first, the land was not clear. That is the truth about our life in so many things about our businesses, about our careers, about our marriages, about our finances. It is first a general thing. Don't lie. Don't steal. Be truthful. Be honest. These are obvious instructions. Is that not true? As you exercise that in those things, what happens? God begin to give particular instruction. "Okay, my child, do this business. Do this one. No, no, no, this one will not pay you off. Do this one. No, leave this one, take this one. Use this one, take that one." Specific instruction begin to come within the obvious instructions. And I pray—I want to pray for you, please just in one minute I want you to pray. Just pray for yourself. "Lord, grant me to be true to the obvious instruction and help me not to miss the specific instructions for my life this year. Lord, grant me the right attitude to the obvious instruction and help me not to miss the specific instructions. Help me not to miss them because they are very, very vital. Stay in this land. There will now be a place. There will now be a place. Do this business. No, do this kind—no, do this one. No, leave this one, take this one. Use this one, take that one." It will start coming as you have the right attitude. "Lord, help me to have the right attitude to the obvious instruction and Lord I pray that I may not miss, I may not miss the specific instructions, the specific ones, the specific ones in the name of Jesus." Let's move on. Let's move on. We are taking—going somewhere and I'm trying to rush. So, you see that there was the specific instruction "stay in this land." But unfortunately, losses began to come because he left the land. Is that not true? There was now problem. Now when there was problem in that place, Abraham had to tell lies, he had to do this, this person had to give him that, give him that—look, but you see again the mercy of God. The mercy of God appeared. Who went to defend him before Pharaoh? It was this God again. God would have said, "Enh-enh, you are now crying." But you see how God appeared again. Our God is merciful. Within our journey this year, may we experience the mercies of God. May the mercies of God speak for us. May His mercy be abundant towards us. May we experience His tender mercies in the name of Jesus. But I beg you, don't take God's mercy for granted. God is merciful, but please don't take His mercy for granted. The reason why you are seeing a lot of things happening to these people is because they did not have examples to follow. Are you understanding me? Are you understanding me? There were no example. Abraham, there was no scripture to read. Are you understanding me? There was nobody who have said—you know today we are looking at his life, we are looking at what Paul said, "Paul said don't be unequally yoked together with unbelievers," [Scripture Reference: 2 Corinthians 6:14] don't do this, don't do that. There are things people who have gone ahead of us who have given us clear instruction and made some things very clear and obvious for us. But as at this time, these people were just wandering, there was nothing. And so you see the mercies of God. And that's why I said please don't take God's mercy for granted because to whom much is given, much should be expected. Am I very clear? But please don't—let us never underemphasize it. God is merciful. He's a merciful God. No body can ever say the mercy of God is amazing. God is merciful. So you see how God brought him out of all of all of all those things and then everything went well, he had to come back to that land. So what happened again? Let's quickly move to Genesis chapter 26 now of that same Genesis. Genesis chapter 26 now. I just want to quickly trace some things for you and then we will pray. Genesis 26:1: "There was famine in the land, besides the first famine that happened in the days of Abraham." [Scripture Reference: Genesis 26:1] Are you seeing it again? The Bible make reference again the one in the days of Abraham. Where it happened again in the land of Canaan. What happened again? And Isaac went to Abimelech king of Philistines in Gerar. Then the Lord appeared to him and said, "Do not go down to Egypt." Where was he going again? He want to go the way of his father. But there was a specific—he would have made losses again. But what happened? There was specific instruction. God who teaches us to profit. How does He do it? By instruction. And what is that telling you? I beg you, listening to me wherever you are this evening, one thing you must first develop with God is a walk with God. Don't just become churchy without a walk with God. Don't just say "I'm a member of this, I'm a member of that, I'm in the choir, I'm in the workforce, I'm in this, I'm in that." I'm not saying those things are bad, but I'm saying those things they are secondary. The first primary thing to develop in our Christian life is a walk. Is a walk with God. The Bible says as many as are led by the Spirit, they are the sons of God. [Scripture Reference: Romans 8:14] We are looking for children of God, they are those who can be led by God. So the first thing about about Christianity is being led by God and begin to have a walk with God. And you see all of that even from the beginning. Adam, could Adam walk with God? When he was made, he could walk with God. God brought what to him? Animals. Begin to name them. He could hear God, he could relate to God. What of sister Eve? Could she walk with God? She could walk with God. When God finished making sister Eve, what happened? The Bible says God brought her. For you to bring somebody to somebody, there must be a walk. Am I correct? There was a walk. And that's why I tell people, when you find people who don't have a walk with God, they are not material to closely associate with. Mark my words. When you find people who don't have a walk with God, they are not material to closely associate with. They are not material. And I quickly put it to this young people, whosoever does not have a walk with God is not a marriage material. That's the reality of it. On one hand, they are not good association. Don't form association with them. They may be called Christians, they may be called believers, but that is not what we want. Sons of God have a walk with God. And so develop capacity this year to have a walk with God. I have a walk. Build an altar, have a quiet time, have a place where you meet with God consistently. These are very simple thing to build. It's not by some big—I tell people, walking with God is not a big big thing. It's not something big. Have a regular time you pray, have a regular time you study the Bible, make up your mind as I read I will obey, store His word in your heart, obey those scriptures. That is how you begin the walk. It starts from somewhere, then it grows. It's not just holding your hands and say, "Spirit move me." No, that's not what we're talking about. I tell people, the Holy Spirit is the spirit of scripture. The Bible says not scripture came by private interpretation, but the prophets, they wrote these things moved by the spirit. [Scripture Reference: 2 Peter 1:20-21] So scripture is the Holy Spirit. And that is why when your life don't agree with the scripture, I believe you don't have the Holy Spirit in you. The Holy Spirit is the scripture. So that is how you start the walk. Don't be looking for some magical thing, some—no, it's not something mystical. If you don't have a walk with God, that's what I'm telling you now, start a walk with God. Start this work, be deliberate about it. And begin to do that, then God begin to go to some more specific things with you. From the obvious to the specific. That's how it happens. It's as simple as that. Just do it diligently, consistently and you will see it. Like I was giving an example to my teenagers. what did I do? I said look, let us just do something now. Just take water. [Sound of water droplets] Put a drop. Put another drop. Put another drop. After some time, I said what do you begin to see? They said the water is gathering. What do you begin to see? The water is gathering. I said greatness is begin to do little things consistently. That's how greatness comes. It's begin to do little things consistently. That little thing today consistently. And you will see how greatness will be formed out of it. Do little things consistently. And you will see greatness. So please, do little things consistently. A little sleep, a little slumber, your poverty come. [Scripture Reference: Proverbs 24:33-34] I tell people, a little hard work, a little diligence, your riches come. Your profit comes. It's the same way. A little opening of eye, a little push, a little push, what happens? Your riches come. It's the same way. Greatness is a process, decay is a process. Do that little thing consistently. Do that good thing consistently, little little consistently and you will see how greatness comes. And that's the point I'm making. He wanted to go the wrong way but there was a voice of profit. I pray for you, there will be a voice of profit. At all your T-junctions, there will be a voice of profit. At all your critical junctions, there will be voice of profit. I pray you be able to hear the voice of profit and you will heed that voice of profit. I'm talking about the voice of God. The voice of God is the voice of the prophet of your life. God want you to make gain and you will make gain in the name of Jesus. And that voice just came. "Do not go down to that place. Don't go through, don't go there." That's the voice that came to him. That was the voice of his prophet. It said, "Do not go down to Egypt; live in the land of which I tell you." Specifically now. Specific. God came as specific. "Come back, stay here." And what did the Bible says in verse 13 of that chapter 26? The Bible says in verse 13: "The man began to prosper, and continued prospering until he became very prosperous." [Scripture Reference: Genesis 26:13] No, sorry, let me take it from verse 12. "Then Isaac sowed in that land, and reaped in the same year a hundredfold." [Scripture Reference: Genesis 26:12] I pray for you, may this year be for you a year of abundance. At that voice of instruction come to you, you will reap a hundredfold. Hundredfold in every dimension and ramifications of your life in the name of Jesus. Spiritually a hundredfold, materially a hundredfold, physically a hundredfold, in your career, in your business, in your finances, may there be a hundredfold for you. May the voice of profit come your way in the name of Jesus. That is the voice of God. The voice of God is this voice of profit. Don't alternate God. He said then Isaac sowed in that land and he reaped in that same year a hundredfold. He say why? The Lord blessed him. It is the blessings of the Lord that makes rich. Don't seek to be rich, seek to be blessed. The blessing will make you rich. What makes a man to be blessed is that he follows instruction. And as you are blessed, you will be rich. The blessings of God makes rich. Don't seek to be rich. What should you seek? Seek to be blessed. Because when you are seeking to be rich—you know what the Bible says about those who seek to be rich? It says they fall into hurtful temptation that destroy their soul. [Scripture Reference: 1 Timothy 6:9] Don't seek to be rich. What should you seek? Seek to be what? To be blessed. When you are blessed, what will happen? The blessing will make you rich. And when the blessings of God makes you rich, what does the Bible say? It will add no sorrow. [Scripture Reference: Proverbs 10:22] It will not pierce you. It will not tear you. No! When the—because the voice of God is the voice of what? Is the voice of gain. It is not a voice of loss. Nobody listen to that voice and make losses. They make gain. They make gain. And I've made up my mind this year, I'm making gains. I'm making gains. I will gain this year. In every area of my life, I'm making gains. I'm making gain in the name of Jesus. Bible say he reaped in that same year a hundredfold because the Lord blessed him. And what did the Bible say? "The man began to prosper." This year, you will begin to prosper. This year, you will begin to prosper. Not only that, you will continue prospering. You will continue prospering. You will continue prospering. The Bible says, "until he became very prosperous." and until you will become very prosperous in the name of Jesus. Because he who does the will of God abides forever. That's it. If any man does God's will, he abides forever. He did not just profit, he continued to profit. He continued to prosper until he became exceedingly great. Hallelujah! It is God who teaches us to profit. And look at the last thing I wanted to show you. That is in chapter 46 now of that same Genesis. chapter 46. Oh, I left my notes so I'm seeming to be missing some things up, but let's just quickly see that place where the Lord appeared to Joseph. Joseph sent his brothers to go and bring their father. And then they went to bring the father. He sent donkey and horses to go and bring the father. No, that is—sorry, chapter 46, 47, 48. But I just want something there. let's look at it in first towards the end of 45. Towards the end of 45. Now I read towards the end of 45, from verse 26. I want to show you something about God makes causes us to profit. I will be very, very fast with that now, our time is almost up. But please just indulge me this this special day of the new year. These are these are the burden I just want to quickly pass them across. It says: "Then they told him, saying, 'Joseph is still alive, and he is governor over all the land of Egypt.'" [Scripture Reference: Genesis 45:26] You see the matter of Egypt coming over and over again? The world is always around us and we are in the world. We cannot be out of this world. Are you getting the point I'm making? Egypt represent the world, I hope you know that. It's always around us. It is what you do with the world and how you handle it that determines your profit. Do you get the point I'm making? "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man loves—" But no, the world will not go away. It is your attitude towards the world that determines your what? Your profit. You see the matter of Egypt coming again. Egypt, Egypt, Egypt. It is—we were delivered out of Egypt, but Egypt is always around us. Now what you now need as a child of God is the correct attitude towards Egypt. "Don't go, don't go." Now we are looking at Jacob quickly now. He's the governor over all Egypt. And Jacob's heart stood still because he still did not believe. But when they told him all the words which Joseph said to them, and when he saw the carts which Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of of Jacob their father revived. Then Israel said, "It is enough. Joseph my son is still alive. I will go and see him before I die." Now, now please look at something. Verse 46. I'm talking about the voice of profit. It teaches us to profit. "So Israel took his journey with all that he had and came to Beersheba." [Scripture Reference: Genesis 46:1] I hope you know what Beersheba represent. That is a place of encounter with God. That's a place of a pillar. Are you understanding me? Now, "and offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac." I don't know if you understand what is happening here. That's why I said you must build a walk with God. I don't know if you understand what is going on here. But let me quickly summarize it, it's already 6:30. This is the land that they should stay, the land of Canaan. Are you understanding me? Abraham went down, he made losses. God sent him back by His mercy. Isaac wanted to go down, God says don't go, stay here you will profit. This is Jacob, the third generation. He knows the history of his father. God have told him, "I'm the God of Abraham and Isaac your father" in Genesis 28. Are you understanding me? So he understood that he's working in a covenant. And that covenant made them to understand that the land of Canaan is the place to stay. Now, Joseph is sending chariot to take him to Egypt. So there was a confusion. If I go, am I not going down? Abraham went, he made losses. Oh, that's why I said "Oh, may you hear the voice of profit. May you hear the voice of God." Because the ways of God are not your ways. They are not your ways. It is not "Oh, the experience I used in 2023, it may fail you this year." "Oh, the way my father did it will work," it may not work. It may not work. God who teaches us to do what? To profit. So Beersheba is a place of encounter. That's why I tell you, know how you walk with God. That if anybody disciple you and he's making you to consistently just feed from him, he's not teaching you how to fish yourself, you are not be helped in life. Every branch must connect to the vine. because anyone not connected will dry up over time. It is the branches connected—every branch must connect to the vine. You must have a connection. One thing the Lord showed me years back, He said, "Son, look into your generation. Men are doing everything to shield my sheep from me. But I want my sheep to be connected to me." What we do with men is to show them Jesus. Make them access Jesus. Make them drink from Jesus. For it's only in Jesus that there is life. There are no two shepherds. There are no two saviors. Every other person, regardless of their gift, they are sheep. There is only one savior. Regardless of my gift, I'm still a sheep. There is just one Shepherd and that is Jesus. That is divine. We must be able to work with Him. And that's why I tell young men, if you notice I stop following Jesus, stop following me. Because it's about Jesus. So it's not about experience. It got to this point, "Ah, my father Abraham, hey, Oluwadamilare, what is going on? Ah, Abraham went to Egypt, he made losses. Ah, even the casualty is still on. Isaac wanted to go, he was sent back. He profit, ah, this Egypt! Am I not going a wrong way?" And God said, "I am the God of your father." I'm He, I have not changed. I am the God of that your father. I was the one who said, because what was seen came by what? By My words. They went against My word, that's what happened. It is by the word. It is me who teaches you. I have something to say. And what did He tell him? "I am the God of your father. Do not fear to go down to Egypt." Hallelujah! I'm talking about God who teaches us to profit. "Do not fear!" Why is he afraid? Why is he afraid? Abraham made losses. Isaac sowed in a land that God showed him, he made profit. "If I leave this place, hey!" "Do not fear to go down to Egypt for I will make of you a great nation there." [Scripture Reference: Genesis 46:3] You see how you cannot put God in a in a pigeonhole? When we say, "God will tell this son to go this way." He say "there," where I told Isaac not to go, where I told Abraham "why did you go there?", is where I'm telling you to go. That is where I'm going to make you a great nation. It's not about uniformity, it's about following God. It's about following God. It is God who teaches us to profit. It is God who teaches us to profit. And I pray for you wherever you are listening to me this evening, you will profit in life. You will profit in life. You will profit in life. You will profit in life. You will profit in life. You will profit in life. This year, you will profit. You will begin to become prosperous. You will start going further in prosperity. You will go further and further until you become exceedingly prosperous in the name of Jesus. Because he who does the will of God abides what? Abides forever. That is it. If any man does God's will, he abides forever. He did not just profit, he continued to profit. He continued to prosper until he became exceedingly great. Hallelujah! It is God who teaches us to profit. "There I will make you a great nation." And look at it: "I will go down with you to Egypt." [Scripture Reference: Genesis 46:4] That's what makes the difference. He's the one who teaches us to profit. "I will go down with you to Egypt, and I will also surely bring you up again." That was the sphere. Are you seeing it? Egypt is not the problem, it's whether I'm with you in that place. Who told you to go there? How did you get into that place? That business is not the problem. What you did is not—that career is not the problem. That sister is not the problem. That brother is not the problem. That undertaking is not the problem. The problem is from whom did you take your bearing? Are you understanding me? From whom did you take your bearing? That is where the problem is. "I will bring you again, and Joseph will put his his hand on your eyes." Then look at what happened. "Then Jacob arose from Beersheba, and the sons of Israel carried their father Jacob, their little ones, their wives, the carts which Pharaoh had sent to carry him. So they took their livestock, their goods which they had acquired in the land of Canaan, and went to Egypt, and Jacob and all his descendants with him." [Scripture Reference: Genesis 46:5-6] And they are going this time being very sure that they are going to profit. Let us pray. 2024 is a year of profit. That is one thing that Lord had been telling me. He said, "Son, 2024 is a year of profit. Profit for this ministry, profit for men who will listen, profit for men who are under this ministry, profit for for sons and daughters under this ministry." But the Lord is showing us the method. He's showing us the method. The method is not me. The method is not me. Don't put me at the center of your life. Put Jesus at that center. Put Jesus at the center. Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus! It is He who teaches us to profit. It is He who teaches us to profit. He is the one who teaches us to profit. He says take fast hold of instruction, don't let her go, keep her, she is your life. Take fast hold of instruction, take fast hold of Jesus, take fast hold of your walk with Him. Build your Beersheba. Build that place. Build that place. Build your Beersheba. Build capacity. Build your Beersheba. Build it! Don't let anything take you from building your Beersheba. Build that place. When he came to Beersheba—may there be a Beersheba in your life. A very strong and living Beersheba in the name of Jesus. He said he came to Beersheba and offered sacrifices to the God of of his father Isaac. He offered the sacrifice. He wanted an encounter. He wanted, "Oh, I needed to profit. Ah, how do I profit?" And what happened? The Bible says the God then what happened? Then God spoke to Israel in the vision of the night and said, "Jacob, Jacob!" and he said, "Here I am." So He said, "I am God, the God of your father." You see it? Because that was what was giving him problem. "My father Abraham went this way, God sent them back. Ah! I'm going—this thing, this thing that look like like profit may destroy me. This was what destroyed my father Abraham. This was how he missed his step. Am I not going a wrong way?" And God said, "I am the God of your father. I am He, I have not changed. I am the God of that your father. I was the one who said, because what was seen came by what? By My words." They went against My word, that's what happened. It is by the word. It is me who teaches you to profit. I have something to say. And what did He tell him? "I am the God of your father. Do not fear to go down to Egypt." Hallelujah! I'm talking about God who teaches us to profit. "Do not fear!" Why is he afraid? Why is he afraid? Abraham made losses. Isaac sowed in a land that God showed him, he profit. "If I leave this place, hey!" "Do not fear to go down to Egypt, for I will make of you a great nation there." You see how you cannot put God in a in a pigeonhole? When we say, "God will tell this son to go this way." He say "there," where I told Isaac not to go, where I told Abraham "why did you go there?", is where I'm telling you to go. That is where I'm going to make you a great nation. It's not about uniformity, it's about following God. It's about following God. It is God who teaches us to profit. It is God who teaches us to profit. And I pray for you wherever you are listening to me this evening, you will profit in life. You will profit in life. You will profit in life. You will profit in life. You will profit in life. You will profit in life. This year, you will profit. You will begin to become prosperous. You will start going further in prosperity. You will go further and further until you become exceedingly prosperous in the name of Jesus. "There I will make you a great nation." And look at it: "I will go down with you to Egypt." That's what makes the difference. He's the one who teaches us to profit. "I will go down with you to Egypt, and I will also surely bring you up again." That was the sphere. Egypt is not the problem, it's whether I'm with you in that place. Who told you to go there? How did you get into that place? That business is not the problem. What you did is not—that career is not the problem. That sister is not the problem. That brother is not the problem. That undertaking is not the problem. The problem is from whom did you take your bearing? From whom did you take your bearing? That is where the problem is. "I will bring you again, and Joseph will put his his hand on your eyes." Then look at what happened. "Then Jacob arose from Beersheba, and the sons of Israel carried their father Jacob, their little ones, their wives, the carts which Pharaoh had sent to carry him. So they took their livestock, their goods which they had acquired in the land of Canaan, and went to Egypt, and Jacob and all his descendants with him." And they are going this time being very sure that they are going to profit. Our Father, we thank you for this evening. Our God, we just pray. Our God, we just pray. Oh God, Oh God, Oh God, oh God, beyond this meeting, come to us over and over again. Come to us over and over again. Help us, oh Lord. Help us, oh Lord. It is You who who make us perfect in every good works to do Your will. Help us, Lord, that in every area of our life this year, we will not make any loss. It will be gain in the name of Jesus. Thank you, eternal Father. In Jesus' name we pray. Let's share the grace together in fellowship. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us now and forever more. Amen. [Narrator] This message is coming to you from Family Tent Ministry, a Christian ministry involved in enriching the lives of singles and married through preaching and teaching of God's word, discipleship, family life enrichment, social and community development and mission aid. Our regular activities are discipleship class, every Monday 5:00 PM; adolescents and singles club, every first Saturday of of every month at 10:00 AM; marriage forum, second Saturday of every month at 10:00 AM; family life seminars, regular school out-reaches and every day counseling. For further counseling, you can reach us at our location, Life Camp by the first bridge, Ile-Ere community, opposite Very Joy filling station along Igbara-Oke road, Akure, Ondo State, Nigeria. You can also reach us through our social media handles: familytent@yahoo.co.uk, familytentministry01@gmail.com, www.familytentministry.org. Our phone numbers are 080-338-61136, 070-336-13848. God bless you.