WORLD BREASTFEEDING WEEK : EXCLUSIVE BREASTFEEDING RATE HITS 57.4% IN LAGOS – GOVT

05/08/25

PRESS RELEASE

 SHINA J.O

Lagos State Govt State seeks stronger support systems for mothers

…Advocates Early Initiation

 As Lagos joins the rest of the world to commemorate Y2025 World Breastfeeding Week, the State said it has recorded a significant milestone in child nutrition with its exclusive breastfeeding rate rising to 57.4%, surpassing the global benchmark of 50%.

 

Special Adviser to the Governor on Health, Dr. (Mrs.) Kemi Ogunyemi who revealed this on Tuesday during the official press briefing to flag off the Year 2025 World Breastfeeding Week, noted however that the State government is working assiduously to address the 14% low rate of early initiation of breastfeeding within the first hour of birth which poses serious implications for neonatal health.

 

She explained that the low rate of early initiation, putting babies to breast within one hour of delivery, is primarily due to gaps in service delivery, misinformation, and the use of pre-lacteal feeds like glucose water and infant formula. “When babies miss out on colostrum, which is rich in antibodies, their immunity is compromised from the start,” she said, adding that midwives and birth attendants are being trained to ensure proper initiation practices.

 

Dr. (Mrs.) Ogunyemi, said this year’s theme, “Prioritize Breastfeeding: Create Sustainable Support Systems,” emphasizes the need to institutionalize long-term support for nursing mothers, especially working women. “We are focused not just on promoting breastfeeding but ensuring that mothers have the social, institutional and workplace support they need,” she stated.

 

She described breastfeeding as one of the most effective child survival strategies, especially in the first six months of life, adding that continued breastfeeding up to two years improves cognitive, emotional and physical development. “This is not just a maternal health issue, it is a public health, economic and developmental concern,” she said, while calling for consistent investments in Maternal Infant and Young Child Nutrition (MIYCN).

 

According to the Special Adviser, the State Government has since institutionalized a six-month maternity leave and a two-week paternity leave for the first two deliveries, across all public institutions. “This forward-thinking policy enables families to prioritize breastfeeding in those crucial first six months. We urge private employers to adopt this standard,” she noted.

 

Dr. Ogunyemi also commended the work being done in the State’s 334 Primary Health Centres and over 20 Mother and Child Centres equipped with intensive care units and skilled paediatric personnel. She said health education and antenatal counselling have been intensified in public facilities to prepare mothers for optimal breastfeeding and childcare practices.

 

Earlier, the Director of Family Health and Nutrition at the State Ministry of Health, Dr. Folashade Oludara, described breastfeeding as the most economical and effective food source for infants, especially amid ongoing economic challenges. “Now more than ever, mothers should embrace exclusive breastfeeding. It is free, readily available, and has no adverse side effects. Contrary to myths, it doesn’t cause saggy breasts,” she said.

 

Dr. Oludara emphasized the need for increased public enlightenment and encouraged attendees to ask questions and dispel misconceptions. “We want our women to be informed. Breastfeeding even has protective effects against breast cancer,” she added, urging the press to amplify evidence-based information.

 

Delivering a goodwill message, Founder of the Child Health Advocacy Initiative (CHAI) and UN Nutrition Champion to Nigeria, Dr. (Mrs.) Lola Alonge commended Lagos for being the first state to implement six-month paid maternity and two weeks paternity leave. “This is a policy Lagos pioneered over a decade ago, and only about nine other states have followed suit. It’s commendable,” she said.

 

Dr. Alonge also called on the private sector to key into the policy, describing it as essential for national progress. “Private organizations employ more women than government institutions. Until they offer six-month paid maternity leave, our breastfeeding targets will remain unmet,” she said, advocating the establishment of breastmilk banks in Nigeria.

 

Also delivering a goodwill message, State Team Lead for the Alive and Thrive Project, Mrs. Wunmi Ajayi said early initiation of breastfeeding is fundamental to a successful exclusive breastfeeding journey. “If that critical window is missed, it becomes harder for mothers to sustain breastfeeding. The support is there; mothers just need to cooperate,” she stated.

 

Ajayi emphasized that the media has a pivotal role to play in pushing the message of early initiation. “The government is doing its part, but awareness must increase. If women don’t understand the ‘why,’ they’ll continue to opt for breastmilk substitutes,” she added, calling for stricter regulation of breastmilk substitute marketing.

 In his closing remarks, the Director of Public Affairs, Mr. Olatunbosun Ogunbanwo, expressed appreciation to all participants, development partners, and stakeholders present at the event. “This is one of the most important issues in public health, ensuring our babies and mothers are healthy and supported. We thank everyone for being part of this movement,” he said.

Mr. Ogunbanwo praised the commitment of the Special Adviser and health professionals across the state and acknowledged the contribution of civil society and media partners. “Let’s keep this conversation alive beyond this week. With the media’s help, the message will reach every corner of Lagos State,” he concluded.

The Lagos State Government reaffirmed its partnership with global and local organizations such as UNICEF, Save the Children, Alive and Thrive, and the Civil Society Scaling Up Nutrition in Nigeria. These partners continue to provide technical support, training, and advocacy to strengthen breastfeeding policies and practices.

World Breastfeeding Week is celebrated annually from August 1 to 7 in over 190 countries. In Lagos State, the campaign extends through the month of August, incorporating facility-based outreaches, media engagements, and stakeholder forums focused on boosting awareness and eliminating barriers to breastfeeding.

 

RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT SUPPORT FOR WOMEN’S HEALTH: GATES FOUNDATION COMMITS 2.5 BILLION US DOLLARS

Press Release

DICTA DD

05/08/25

Bill Gates

Gates Foundation has aannounced a $2.5 billion commitment through 2030 to accelerate research and development focused exclusively on women’s health.

The money will support the advancement of more than 40 innovations in five critical, chronically underfunded areas—particularly those affecting women in low- and middle-income countries.

In a media release on Monday 4th of August 2025, Dr Anita Zaidi
President of the Gates Foundation’s Gender Equality Division said for too long, women have suffered from health conditions that are misunderstood, misdiagnosed, or ignored.

The investment is to spark a new era of women-centered innovation—one where women’s lives, bodies, and voices are prioritized in health R&D.”

Women’s health R&D remains chronically underfunded. Areas such as gynecological and menstrual health, obstetric care, contraceptive innovation, sexually transmitted infections (STIs) solutions (including HIV PrEP for women), and maternal health and nutrition receive limited investment.
According to a 2021 analysis, led by McKinsey & Company, just 1% of healthcare research and innovation is invested in female-specific conditions beyond oncology. Critical issues like preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, heavy menstrual bleeding, endometriosis, and menopause, which together affect hundreds of million women, remain deeply under-researched.

“Investing in women’s health has a lasting impact across generations. It leads to healthier families, stronger economies, and a more just world,” said Bill Gates, chair of the Gates Foundation.

Women Recieving Care

“Yet women’s health continues to be ignored, underfunded, and sidelined. Too many women still die from preventable causes or live in poor health. That must change. But we can’t do it alone.”

To close persistent gaps in funding and research, the foundation is urging governments, philanthropists, investors, and the private sector to co-invest in women’s health innovations, help shape product development, and ensure access to treatments for the women and girls who need them most.

“This is the largest investment we’ve ever made in women’s health research and development, but it still falls far short of what is needed in a neglected and underfunded area of huge human need and opportunity,” said Zaidi. “Women’s health is not just a philanthropic cause—it’s an investable opportunity with immense potential for scientific breakthroughs that could help millions of women. What’s needed is the will to pursue and follow through.”

The foundation’s investment will advance innovation across five high-impact areas of a woman’s lifespan:

Obstetric care and maternal immunization: Making pregnancy and delivery safer

Maternal health and nutrition: Supporting healthier pregnancies and newborns

Gynecological and menstrual health: Advancing tools and research to better diagnose,
treat, and improve gynecological health and reduce infection risk

Contraceptive innovation: Offering more accessible, acceptable, and effective options

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs): Improving diagnosis and treatment to reduce disproportionate burdens on women.

Areas of breakthrough potential include research into the vaginal microbiome, first-in-class therapeutics for preeclampsia, and non-hormonal contraception. Included in the commitment are investments that will support data generation and advocacy to help ensure product uptake and impact upon approval.

The five priority areas were selected based on a combination of data and evidence about where innovation can save and improve the most lives, direct insights from women in low- and middleincome countries about their needs and preferences, and the persistently high rates of misdiagnosis caused by gaps in medical knowledge and training. They also reflect the unique challenges faced in low-resource settings, making these areas especially ripe for broader public and private investment to drive meaningful, scalable impact.

“We see the consequences of underinvestment in women’s health innovation every day when women suffer needlessly, and sometimes lose their lives, because of the gaps in how we understand and treat conditions that uniquely affect them,” said Dr. Bosede Afolabi, professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the College of Medicine, University of Lagos.

“This commitment brings much-needed attention to the health challenges women face in places where resources are most limited and the burden is highest. It reflects a recognition that women’s lives—and the innovations that support them—must be prioritized everywhere.”

By addressing long-standing gaps in women’s health, the investment aims to unlock broader social and economic gains. Research shows that every $1 invested in women’s health yields $3 in economic growth, and closing the gender health gap could boost the global economy by $1 trillion per year by 2040.

This work supports the foundation’s long-term goals through 2045: helping to end preventable deaths of moms and babies; ensuring the next generation grows up without having to suffer from deadly infectious diseases; and lifting millions of people out of poverty, putting them on a path to prosperity. It builds on a 25-year legacy of advancing maternal and child health and supporting women’s empowerment globally. The R&D commitment complements the foundation’s work supporting the scale-up and delivery of women’s health commodities, vaccines such as the HPV vaccine, and child health.

Guided by the belief that every life has equal value, the Gates Foundation works to help all people lead healthy, productive lives. In developing countries, through working with partners to create impactful solutions so that people can take charge of their futures and achieve their full potential.

There is a difference between wisdom and knowledge. Knowledge puffs up (1 Cor. 8:1). It can make one proud and arrogant. But wisdom will make you humble and teachable.

Gospel Corner

05/08/25

Joel Osteen Ministries
Today’s Word
Today’s Scripture
“Do not despise these small beginnings, for the LORD rejoices to see the work begin.”
Zechariah 4:10, NLT

Small Beginnings
As a teenager, David had been anointed to be the next king of Israel. It was a remarkable moment. But David didn’t go to the palace; he went back to the shepherds’ fields. You can be anointed, but first there will be a time of testing to get you prepared for what God has appointed. David could have complained. With no one watching him in the fields, he could have slacked off, but he kept being his best. He was a king with a big dream, caring for sheep. He was practicing with his sling to protect them from predators, never dreaming that one day he would use that skill to slay a giant. David had to prove that he was ready to take care of God’s people.

Don’t despise small beginnings. Don’t slack off because you’re not getting recognition. You’re in preparation. Keep passing the tests, being your best, serving when no one is looking, doing the right thing when nobody seems to care. God is watching. He sees your faithfulness and your spirit of excellence. He can trust you with an amazing future.

A Prayer for Today
“Father, thank You that You have given me both an anointing and an appointing. Thank You that You are taking me through a preparation process to get me to my appointment. I believe that I will pass the faithfulness test of being my best and get to where You are taking me. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”

There is a difference between wisdom and knowledge. Knowledge puffs up (1 Cor. 8:1). It can make one proud and arrogant. But wisdom will make you humble and teachable.

You can read extensively and accumulate a lot of knowledge, but still lack wisdom. You also don’t become wise just by growing older and having more experience in life. Wisdom is not natural. It does not matter if you are young or old, experienced or inexperienced, highly educated or not. Wisdom comes by God’s unmerited favor.

Listen to what God’s Word says about the importance of wisdom: “Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom. And in all your getting, get understanding. Exalt her, and she will promote you; she will bring you honor, when you embrace her. She will place on your head an ornament of grace [unmerited favor]; a crown of glory she will deliver to you” (Prov. 4:7–9).

You see, promotion and honor all come as a result of receiving wisdom. First Corinthians 1:30 says that Christ is made unto us wisdom first, then righteousness, holiness, and redemption. Wisdom comes first!

I remember how the key thing that I would pray for every day in the early days of our church was for the wisdom of God to guide us in everything that we did. That was my focus. I did not want to manage the church with my own knowledge. I wanted to depend on Jesus’ wisdom.

In fact, it was during this time of believing for God’s wisdom that the Lord opened my eyes to the gospel of grace—the gospel of grace that is unadulterated by the law and man’s works, and based entirely on the finished work of Jesus!

When my eyes were opened to the gospel of Jesus’ unmerited favor, lives began to be wonderfully changed and transformed, and from just a few hundred people in the mid-nineties, regular attendance at our Sunday services has grown to more than 33,000 precious people.

Whenever I am asked to explain how we grew the church, my answer is plain and simple—it was and is entirely by the unmerited favor of Jesus. I know that it is grace and grace alone that caused our church to experience such explosive growth.

Today, the same gospel of grace that we preach every Sunday in our church is being broadcast into millions of homes across America, Europe, the Middle East, and the Asia Pacific region. We started as a little church in Singapore that nobody had heard of, but God’s unmerited favor has blessed us to become an international ministry that is impacting the world with the good news of His unmerited favor.

We take no credit for it because this wisdom is from Jesus, and our boast is in Him and Him alone. Beloved, let His wisdom lead you to supernatural success!

Too many people are chasing riches, wealth, and honor, not realizing that they come through the wisdom of Jesus.

Gospel Corner

04/08/25

Let’s take a look at the life of Solomon. When Solomon became king, he was only a young man of about 18 years old and had big shoes to fill as David’s successor to the throne.

Solomon was not filled with wisdom when he first ascended the throne, but he was clearly very earnest. He went to Mount Gibeon, where the tabernacle of Moses was, to offer a thousand burnt offerings to the Lord. At Mount Gibeon, the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream and said, “Ask! What shall I give you?” (2 Chron. 1:7).

Now, think about this for a moment. What would you have asked for if you were in Solomon’s position? Solomon did not ask for riches. Neither did he ask to be honored by all men.

Instead, he told the Lord, “Give me wisdom and knowledge, that I may go out and come in before this people; for who can judge this great people of Yours?” (2 Chron. 1:10). Another account in the Book of 1 Kings tells us that Solomon told the Lord, “Therefore give to Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people, that I may discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?”

So when Solomon asked for wisdom and knowledge, he was asking for an understanding heart.

Let’s go deeper. The word “understanding” here is the Hebrew word shama, which means “to hear intelligently.”

In other words, Solomon had asked for a hearing heart—one that hears from and flows with the leading of the Spirit of God, who leads us into all truth (John 16:13). You need a hearing heart for God’s wisdom to flow through you in every aspect of your life!

Although Solomon only asked for wisdom, the Lord added “riches and wealth and honor” to him. Too many people are chasing riches, wealth, and honor, not realizing that they come through the wisdom of Jesus.

The Bible records that Solomon’s request pleased the Lord (1 Kings 3:10). I believe that the same request that pleased the Lord then still pleases Him today. When we ask Jesus for wisdom, we put ourselves in a posture of trusting and depending on His unmerited favor.

Even if someone were to come into sudden wealth, without the wisdom of Jesus to manage it, the money would be squandered away. But with the wisdom of Jesus, you won’t only be blessed, you will also be able to hold on to the blessings in your life. Jesus makes you safe for good success that produces lasting and abiding fruit from generation to generation!

Call +234 802 5681 978 For More information or Counselling

Before the son could utter a single word of his rehearsed apology, the father had already run to him, embraced him, and welcomed him home. Can you see how it’s all about our Father’s heart of grace, forgiveness, and love? Our Father God swallows up all our imperfections, and true repentance comes because of His goodness.

Gospel Corner

03/08/25

Today, I want you to read the parable of the father of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11–32). As you read, keep in mind that this son utterly rejected and completely humiliated and dishonored his father, then only returned home when he remembered that even his father’s hired servants had more food than he did!

It was not the son’s love for his father that made him journey home; it was his stomach. In his own self-absorbed pride, he wanted to earn his own keep as a hired servant rather than to receive his father’s provision by grace or unmerited favor.

God wants us to know that even when our motivations are wrong, even when we have a hidden (usually self-centered) agenda and our intentions are not completely pure, He still runs to us in our time of need and showers His unmerited, undeserved, and unearned favor upon us.

Oh, how unsearchable are the depths of His love and grace toward us! It will never be about our love for God. It will always be about His magnificent love for us. The Bible makes this clear: “Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins” (1 John 4:10 KJV).

Some people think that fellowship with God can only be restored when you are perfectly contrite and have perfectly confessed all your sins. Yet we see in this parable that it was the father who was the initiator, it was the father who had missed his son, who was already looking out for him, and who had already forgiven him.

Before the son could utter a single word of his rehearsed apology, the father had already run to him, embraced him, and welcomed him home. Can you see how it’s all about our Father’s heart of grace, forgiveness, and love? Our Father God swallows up all our imperfections, and true repentance comes because of His goodness.

Do I say “sorry” to God and confess my sins when I have fallen short and failed? Of course I do. But I do it not to be forgiven because I know that I am already forgiven through Jesus’ finished work.

The confession is out of the overflow of my heart because I have experienced His goodness and grace and because I know that as His son, I am forever righteous through Jesus’ blood. It springs from being righteousness-conscious, not sin-conscious; from being forgiveness-conscious, not judgment-conscious. There is a massive difference.

If you understand this and begin practicing this, you will begin experiencing new dimensions in your love walk with the Father. You will realize that your Daddy God is all about relationship and not religious protocol. He just loves being with you.

Under grace, He doesn’t demand perfection from you; He supplies perfection to you through the finished work of His Son, Jesus Christ. So no matter how many mistakes you have made, don’t be afraid of Him. He loves you. Your Father is running toward you to embrace you!

In Abba’s arms, a child is most secure, protected, and loved. No enemy can pull a child out of his or her Abba’s strong arms. That’s the image God wants us to have when we pray to Him and call Him “Abba.”

Gospel Corner

02/08/25

Joel Osteen Ministries

Today’s Word
Today’s Scripture
In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will.
Ephesians 1:11, ESV

Such an Amazing Plan
I hope that you know how much your life matters today, how important you are to God. He thought you are so valuable that He took time to plan all of your days before you were born. You have a divine assignment. When the Scripture says that “He’s working all things according to the counsel of His will,” that means He has the final say. He says His plans for you are for good. He says He will do exceeding abundantly above all you can imagine.

Now keep Him first place. Keep honoring Him and doing the right thing when it’s hard. Don’t try to figure everything out. He’s doing things that you may not understand right now. It might not make sense in the moment, but if you stay in faith, you’ll see what God is up to. If you have to know everything, you’re going to be frustrated. Leave it in His hands. “God, I don’t understand what You’re doing, but I trust You. I know You’re in control. I know that You’re moving me toward my purpose for being here.”

A Prayer for Today
“Father, thank You for Your promise that You will work out Your plans for my life according to Your will. Thank You that I can stay in peace knowing that You are working behind the scenes and directing the outcomes. Help me to be patient and know that You are bringing me into my purpose. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

SECTION TWO

I love it when I’m in Israel and I hear little children running around in playgrounds, calling out, “Abba! Abba!” and jumping into their daddies’ embraces. To the Jews, Abba is the most intimate way in which you can address your father.

It’s a beautiful picture of the truth that through Jesus, you have received the Spirit of sonship by whom you cry out “Abba, Father.” Did you notice that the Holy Spirit refused to translate the original Aramaic word “Abba” into English?

In Abba’s arms, a child is most secure, protected, and loved. No enemy can pull a child out of his or her Abba’s strong arms. That’s the image God wants us to have when we pray to Him and call Him “Abba.” Of course, you can call Him “Daddy” or “Papa,” or whatever term helps you to see God as a warm, loving, and caring Father.

Unless you can see Him as your Abba Father, you will continue to have a “spirit of bondage again to fear” (Rom. 8:15), referring to the Old Testament fear of God. It’s a slavish fear of judgment and punishment that brings you into bondage and makes you afraid of God.

But God doesn’t want you to fear Him. He wants you to have a Spirit of sonship! Too many believers are living with an orphan, fatherless spirit. If you are entangled with all kinds of fears, guilt, and worries today, what you need is a good heavenly dose of the Father’s love for you!

Something amazing happens in your spirit when you see God as your Father. If my daughter, Jessica, has a nightmare, all she has to do is cry out, “Daddy!” and Daddy is there! Jessica doesn’t have to go, “O Father that liveth and inhabiteth the next room, I plead with thee to come to me at this time of peril, that thou mayest rescue me from this nightmare!” All she has to do is to cry out, “Daddy!” and I’m there.

Similarly, in your moments of weakness you don’t have to approach God with perfect prayers. You just cry out, “Daddy!” and your heavenly Father runs to you!

You are not coming before a judge. You are coming before your Father, your Daddy God, who embraces and loves you just the way you are.

Take time to come to your Abba Father today. Believe that He loves you unconditionally today. See Him welcoming you with a smile on His face and with outstretched arms. Run into His embrace, bask in His perfect love for you, and let it melt away every worry, fear, and insecurity.

When you believe and receive your Father’s love for you, it will put unshakable peace and strength in your heart!

The new covenant says that God is merciful to your unrighteousness and has forgotten your sins and lawless deeds. If God says that He has forgotten them, then He has truly forgotten them. God cannot lie!

Gospel Corner

01/08/25

When something goes wrong, is your first thought, “Well, this must be happening to me because of the sins that I have committed”? When you have a flat tire or fall sick, do you wonder, “What sin is God punishing me for now?”

If your answer to both questions is “yes,” you are not alone. This kind of thinking is so prevalent in the church because many believers don’t really believe that they are under the new covenant. They believe the opposite of today’s Scripture and think God is not merciful to their mistakes and always mindful of their sins.

The problem with the church today is wrong believing. Jesus Himself defined the new covenant for us at the last supper when He said, “This is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins” (Matt. 26:28).

The main clause of the new covenant is the forgiveness of all your sins because of the shed blood of Jesus Christ. Your forgiveness does not hinge on how many good deeds you have done, how much money you have given to the church or charities, or what leadership position you hold. No, it all hinges on the shed blood of Jesus.

God put the main clause of the new covenant—Hebrews 8:12—as the last clause to show us that it is this final clause that makes the new covenant work in our lives. If you don’t believe the main and final clause, then you won’t experience the full benefits of the new covenant. You are also negating God’s Word and the finished work of Jesus.

The new covenant says that God is merciful to your unrighteousness and has forgotten your sins and lawless deeds. If God says that He has forgotten them, then He has truly forgotten them. God cannot lie!

But how can God forget my sins?

He can because He is God! If He said it, then He has done it. You know that sin you committed many years ago? God has forgotten it. He does not keep an itemized account of all your failures.

There is no big projector screen in heaven to show all your sins—from the day you were born to the day you die. All records of your sins have been incinerated by the blood of Jesus when He cried out, “It is finished!” (John 19:30). When God looks at you today, He sees you covered with Jesus’ blood and completely righteous.

Only the devil, you yourself, and the people around you will bring your sins to your remembrance. So when you are weighed down by the mistakes of your past, run to God and lean on His grace!

Why? For He will be merciful to your unrighteousness, and your sins and lawless deeds He will remember no more. This is the main clause of the new covenant of grace! This is His Word!

Your time is coming. The right people are coming. Problems that look permanent are about to turn around. You’re going to see vindication, promotion, healing, breakthroughs, opportunity, and new levels of your destiny. Closed doors can’t keep you from your purpose.

Gospel Corner

31/07/25

Joel Osteen Ministries
Today’s Word

Today’s Scripture
“I will go before you and level the exalted places, I will break in pieces the doors of bronze and cut through the bars of iron.”
Isaiah 45:2, ESV

Doors of Bronze
Just because a door is shut in your life doesn’t mean that it’s permanent. You may not have seen what you’re believing for yet, but that doesn’t mean it’s not going to happen. A door may have been closed for a long time, and it seems as though it’s never going to happen. But God breaks in pieces closed doors, and He can do it in a supernatural way. You don’t have to struggle and try to make it happen on your own. You just keep honoring God, being your best, and doors of bronze will open for you. Trust His timing. Don’t be impatient because the door hasn’t opened yet. God knows what He’s doing. He sees every injustice, every time you are treated wrong, every person who is playing politics and trying to hold you down. Stay in peace. Your time is coming. The right people are coming. Problems that look permanent are about to turn around. You’re going to see vindication, promotion, healing, breakthroughs, opportunity, and new levels of your destiny. Closed doors can’t keep you from your purpose.

A Prayer for Today
“Father, thank You that You are the God who breaks the doors of bronze that have held me back. Thank You for all the great things You have done for me and for all the new breakthroughs You are about to give me. I believe that my time is coming and the doors will open. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”

Apostle Paul’s letters provide a marvelous foundation in understanding the gospel of grace. That’s why, when it comes to reading the Bible, I always encourage new believers to begin with his letters. Many new believers like to start with the book of Revelation or Genesis, but get confused in the process because they lack the proper foundation to rightly divide the old and new covenants.

Have you noticed, for instance, that Paul never once mentioned the unpardonable sin in all his letters to the churches? If Christians could commit the unpardonable sin and lose their salvation, Paul should have mentioned it in every epistle that he wrote. But he didn’t.

In fact, what he emphasized was our forgiveness. In today’s Scripture, for example, Paul declares that Jesus, by His death on the cross, has made us “alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses.”

I have checked the original Greek word for all in this verse and guess what? “All” means all! Jesus, through His own blood, has forgiven you of all your sins, so there is no sin that is unpardonable!

By one perfect sacrifice, He has cleansed you of the sins of your entire life, and you are now sealed with the promise of eternal life! You need to receive this good news that will establish your heart in His grace and give you the confidence that you are indeed irrevocably saved!

Beloved, God does not leave you wondering whether you are saved or not. He tells you outright that you are His and that nothing can ever separate you from His love—not even sin—because His Son’s blood is greater than your sin!

Knowing that all your sins are forgiven is crucial for your health, peace of mind, wholeness, and wellness. The more you believe that all your sins are forgiven by the blood of Jesus, the more you will become whole—body, soul, and spirit!

And should you ever doubt that God has forgiven you of all, all you have to do is open His Word. Read it and remind yourself how the price for “all trespasses” has been fully paid, the judgment executed, and every bit of condemnation against you already meted out on the body of Christ at the cross. Hallelujah!

To establish your heart in the grace of God, meditate on such new covenant truths that exalt Jesus and His finished work. This is how you go from faith to faith and experience breakthrough upon breakthrough in all areas of life.

Dial +234 8025/681/978 For Counselling or for information

My friend, God does not evaluate you based on your behavior. He sees only Jesus’ perfect work.

Gospel Corner

Joel Osteen Ministries

Today’s Word
Today’s Scripture
But godliness with contentment is great gain.
1 Timothy 6:6, NIV

Contentment
Healthy people are content people. They’re grateful to be alive, grateful to have a job, grateful for their family and friends. Sometimes it’s the subtle things that can plant seeds of discontentment.

It starts when we make the mistake of comparing our life to somebody else’s. What they seem to have may look like they’re ahead of you, that they’re better off, that you got shortchanged and are at a disadvantage.

Comparing will cause you to be disgruntled. But we forget that somebody else has it worse than us. Somebody would gladly take that spouse of yours who you’ve gotten sour on. Somebody would love to have your house, your job, your children. Don’t let what someone else has stir you into being sour, ungrateful, and upset. Run your own race. You have to put your foot down and say, “I will not let seeds of discontentment take root in my life. I will not let that poison get in my spirit. I am grateful and blessed to have what God has given me, and I have what I need to fulfill my destiny.”

A Prayer for Today
“Father, thank You that Your favor, Your blessings, and Your grace are unique to my life. Thank You that I have exactly what I need for the race You’ve called me to run and thank You for the privilege of making the most of what You’ve given me. I will be content and enjoy it. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”

SECTION TWO

People have asked me from time to time, “Pastor Prince, why is an understanding of the complete forgiveness of my sins so important for me to walk in God’s unmerited favor?”

This is a good question. Friend, when you don’t have a clear sense of your complete forgiveness, you will constantly be on an emotional seesaw. Sometimes, you feel that things between you and God are all right, but at other times, you don’t think that it is so. Sometimes, you feel confident that the Lord is with you to make you a success, but at other times, you feel like you blew it and the Lord will not help you until you confess your sin and make amends.

You will be in a constant cycle of feeling insecure, where you are always hopping in and out of God’s favor. All these feelings depend on how well you think you have performed, and ignore the cross of Jesus altogether. My friend, God does not evaluate you based on your behavior. He sees only Jesus’ perfect work. But because you do not believe that Jesus has indeed forgiven you of all your sins, you end up feeling like a total and complete hypocrite and failure.

I hope that you are beginning to see that understanding the complete forgiveness of your sins is not just for theologians. Thinking that your sins are not completely forgiven will fundamentally affect your relationship with Jesus. While He is all ready to bless you, give you favor, and make you a success, unbelief in His finished work robs you of the ability to receive His goodness, His blessings, His unmerited favor, and His success in your life.

He paid Your debt

The cross of Jesus qualified you, but unbelief in the main clause of the new covenant disqualifies you. Meditate on what God says about your sins in the new covenant and free yourself to receive from Him today.

The new covenant is based entirely on His unmerited favor. There is nothing for you to do, nothing for you to perform, nothing for you to accomplish. Your part in the new covenant is just to have faith in Jesus and to believe that you are totally forgiven and free to enjoy the new covenant blessings through His finished work!

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When people leave you out, it may be hurtful but it doesn’t stop your purpose.

Gospel Corner

29/07/25

Joel Osteen Ministries

Today’s Word
Today’s Scripture
Jesse had seven of his sons pass before Samuel, but Samuel said to him, “The LORD has not chosen these.”
1 Samuel 16:10, NIV

You’re Already Counted In
When the prophet Samuel came to Jesse’s house to pick out one of his sons as the next king of Israel, Jesse lined up seven of his sons and said, “All right, Samuel, take your pick.” He hadn’t bothered to bring his youngest son, David, in from the shepherds’ fields. He had already ruled David out, thinking, “He’s too small, too young, not talented. He’s not king material.” This would have been a problem if people have the final say. But when people leave you out, it may be hurtful but it doesn’t stop your purpose. People may have counted you out, but don’t worry. God has already counted you in. He overrides what people say. He overrides the injustice. Samuel said, “Jesse, I don’t see the king in these seven sons. Do you have any other sons?” Like with David, you’re going to be called into the house and be anointed. God hasn’t forgotten about you. Stay in peace, keep doing the right thing, and what He promised you will come to you. God has the final say.

A Prayer for Today
“Father, thank You that no matter what others may be saying about my life, You have the final say. Thank You that I can stay in peace, keep doing what’s right, and choose to not dwell on negative reports. I believe that all that You promised is going to come to me. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”

SECTION TWO

There is truly no other god who can rescue like our God. Whatever circumstances you might be thrown into, our Lord Jesus is the fourth man with you in the midst of the fire. Notice how He didn’t stand outside of the fire, but was in the fire together with the three friends, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego.

This brings a whole new meaning for us when we read the verse, “Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the LORD your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you” (Deut. 31:6, boldface mine).

Our Lord doesn’t deliver you from afar; He is with you in the midst of your adversity. Call upon Him and He will answer you. When Jesus is with you, nothing can harm you!

Don’t you just love how the Word of God describes the three friends when they came out of the furnace? They were in the fire, but it had absolutely no power over them. It did not even leave a trace of smoke on them! Now, that’s a beautiful picture of God’s divine protection!

Beloved, as you call upon the Lord in your day of trouble, my prayer for you is that the trial you are going through will have no power over you; it will not even leave a smell on you.

Instead, I declare in Jesus’ name that you will walk out of that challenge in your life and the only smell on you will be the fragrance of the Lord Jesus (2 Cor. 2:14)! And as the people around you witness how the Lord delivers you, may they come to know His wonderful name and give Him praise.

Instead of being negatively affected by whatever trial you might face, I pray that you will receive honor and promotion just like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. Amen!