Sometimes, we miss God when we place religion above our relationship with Him.
Let me share two stories with you.
Some years ago, I was on my way to a PFN meeting when the Lord instructed me to arrive late and walk to the venue while speaking in tongues. I obeyed, and as I entered the church hall where the meeting was taking place, the Lord told me to sit at the back, and I did. A few minutes later, He instructed me to step outside, which I did while continuing to pray in tongues.
Just moments after I went outside, a woman ran towards the church hall carrying her half-dead baby girl. As she attempted to enter, a pastor friend stopped her, took the child, and began to pray. I was still in prayer and asked God what was happening. He told me to instruct the mother to get a sachet of water, pour it over the girl’s head, and then have her place the child’s feet on the floor before praying for her.
The girl remained in the pastor’s arms while he prayed. I asked the mother to get me a sachet of water, blessed it, and poured it on the child. Then I instructed the pastor to place her feet on the floor. He did, and I prayed for the child. Within seconds, she came back to life, and I returned to the hall.
The second event occurred during the last PFN Exco meeting I attended. As the Media and Publicity Director for my chapter, I was selected to be part of the planning committee for that year’s annual Thanksgiving. We met in one of the member’s churches, where the elder man who was the chairman of the planning committee attended.
At the end of the meeting, the chairman asked me to pray as we concluded. As I began to pray, the Lord told me to inform him to put his house in order because it was time for him to come home. I prayed for him that day, asking for God’s mercy, but I couldn’t deliver the message directly due to the presence of others.
A year or two later, he passed away. His death was painful for me because he was one of the few pastors I held in high esteem. He always spoke his mind without harboring ill feelings toward anyone.
This is where many people go wrong: penders and people pleasers are everywhere. Many would rather please their fellow human beings than please God. In Matthew 10:28, Jesus said, “And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather, fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.”
We have many individuals in the body of Christ who serve only their own interests, seeking to fill their bellies. Apostle Paul spoke about these people in Philippians 3:18-21: “For many walk, of whom I often told you, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame—who set their minds on earthly things. For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.”
We have turned the work of the Kingdom into a corporate entity, measuring our anointing by the size of our congregation, the cars we drive, the clothes we wear, and the neighborhoods we live in, along with how influential we are. The grace we carry has become a means to exploit others, living extravagantly at the expense of their ignorance.
The fire of God within us has been replaced by a greed for prosperity and wealth. We have become hunters seeking prey to survive instead of the men and women of God we are called to be—seeking the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, with the promise that all other things will be added to us. As stated in Matthew 6:33, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”
It’s heartbreaking to see the souls for whom Jesus Christ paid the ultimate price still living in ignorance and failing to embrace the life God has made available to them. Jesus said in John 10:10, “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”
Many pastors today become thieves, stealing the joy of their followers, killing the dreams of their members to build their own visions, and destroying the destinies of millions—all in the name of religion. So many dreams, visions, and potential world-changers are fading away in a sea of religion and the actions of certain individuals.
How many people seeking religion today are actually finding the results they desire? Many Christians are becoming frustrated and giving up daily because they feel their prayers, fasting, and various forms of giving yield no tangible results.
For some, their situation is getting worse because the leaders they turn to for guidance lack the fire of God. Some leaders are driven by greed and lust rather than by God and the Spirit of the Lord.
Romans 8:14–16 states, “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are the children of God. For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, ‘Abba, Father.’ The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God…”
No one came to Jesus Christ and left without finding solutions to their life issues, except for the young, wealthy man who left sadly.
In Matthew 19:21–24, Jesus answered him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” When the young man heard this, he went away sad because he had great wealth. Jesus then said to his disciples, “Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again, I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”
No one loves poverty. The majority of people who are religiously committed do so in the hope that someday God will free them from poverty. However, one does not escape poverty solely through prayer, fasting, or being religiously committed. True liberation from poverty comes from being productive.
Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye mentioned that God told him a day would come when the governing council of the Redeemed Christian Church of God would hold their meeting on the Moon. While some are surprised and others doubt this statement, there are practical aspects to consider.
First, it is a matter of financial resources, and I can assure you that the church has more than enough money to send people to the Moon. Pastor Adeboye himself is more than capable of funding such a mission, despite his simple appearance.
SpaceX, Elon Musk’s company, has a $2.9 billion contract with NASA to develop a spacecraft for lunar missions. I believe the RCCG has access to more than $2.9 billion, which means that if they decided to build their own spacecraft, they would have the resources to do so.
When there’s enough money, anything is possible. A single church member could potentially sponsor the entire governing council’s journey, or a group of individuals could come together to make it happen.
As Mark 9:23 states, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.”
It’s important to note that it is one thing to believe in God and another to believe in yourself. If you believe in God but fail to believe in yourself, you may remain in poverty. Conversely, if you believe in yourself but not in God, your wealth may not last.
Regardless of whether God truly said this, what matters is that it is indeed possible for the church’s governing council to hold a meeting on the Moon one day because, as a church, they have the financial capacity to make it happen.
To escape poverty and have your needs met, even if your religion does not serve you well, consider the following:
a. Ask God and the universe for what you need, rather than what you want, and believe you have received it. Matthew 21:22 states, “And whatever you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.”
b. Have faith in your ability to earn enough money to fulfil your dreams and visions. Ecclesiastes 10:19 states, “Money answers everything.”
c. Build friendships and connections with people who share your mindset, not just those who share your religion. Luke 16:9 reminds us, “I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.” Here, Jesus emphasizes the importance of relationships and networking.
Anyone who possesses strong beliefs in God, self-confidence, financial resources, and connections will achieve their dreams and desires in life.
So my request, Baba, is please take me along with you to the Moon!
Sam Adeoye
