‘A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.’ Proverbs 17:17

‘Friends love through all kinds of weather, and families stick together in all kinds of trouble.’ Proverbs 17:17 (MSG)

Friendship has a lot to do with commitment. If your friend does not love you at all times your friendship has not reached a sufficient level of maturity. When seeking friends, look for people you know will love you at all times. A friend that loves you at all times does not imply that they cannot find fault with you; in fact you need friends that will reprimand you when it is called for, speaking the truth to you in love. However, no matter how bad things turn for you, even if you fall into the deepest hole, your true friend will not desert you. While standing for truth, true friends should still (and will) stand by you, until you safely come out your troubles.

Proverbs 18:24 KJV says: ‘A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.’ Not only should you have a friend that loves you at all times, your friend should also be closer than a brother. Relatives are expected to stick to you and go through times of trouble together; a true friend is expected to be even closer in challenging times. In the same vein, you too should determine to show yourself to be a true friend. Are you a true friend to your friends, and do you think you need to review your friendships? May God give you friends that are closer than a brother, have a good day in Jesus’ name. Amen.

‘Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart: so doth the sweetness of a man’s friend by hearty counsel.’ Proverbs 27:9

Do not fall into that trap of thinking your friends do not influence you. It is important to surround yourself with friends that will refresh your soul.

As the fragrance of a bottle of perfume cannot be contained, the influence your friends have on you cannot be restrained; it will rub off on you. If you surround yourself with haughty people, you will find yourself becoming haughty; surround yourself with slothful people and you stand the risk of becoming a sloth yourself. Naturally, you will adopt some of the behaviours of the friends you keep, negative or positive; so surround yourself with friends that will give you godly counsel. Psalms 1:1 in the Good News Version says:

‘Happy are those who reject the advice of evil people, who do not follow the example of sinners or join those who have no use for God’.

Choose the kind of people you go out for lunch with and sit with at coffee tables every day, watch the conversation you contribute to, and be careful about the jokes you crack with them. Also, in choosing a mentor, consider both their gifts and their character – this is wisdom. Have a great day.

‘He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.’

Proverbs 13:20

If you surround yourself with foolish people you will be destroyed. Your home, business, image, influence will be negatively affected. Foolish people are those who walk in sin, or those who speak before they think. Foolishness in a man has to do with having no place for God in his’s heart.

Surround yourself with friends that will not destroy your life. ‘Keep company with the wise and you will become wise…’ (GNT). Make sure you search for the right kind of friends. Look for friends that will challenge you to be better in your character, work ethics, and family relationship; so you can move to the next level in life. Being selective with whom you become friends with is wise. ‘Become wise by walking with the wise; hang out with fools and watch your life fall to pieces.’ (MSG).

In your business endeavours, look out for those with proven success and ethical principles to associate with. If you desire to develop a good character, hang around with people with good character. A proverbial adage says ‘the sheep that walk with dogs will soon be feeding on faeces’. Take a quick stock of your associations right now, and may God give you the wisdom to make the necessary changes. Have a great day in Jesus’ name. Amen.

‘While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.’ Genesis 8:22

‘For as long as Earth lasts, planting and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never stop.’ Genesis 8:22 (MSG)

This is the law of God and a principle that all things on earth operate under. If you sow the seed of honour you will reap honour, if you sow in hard work to your destiny and your God-given gifts you will reap the fruit thereof. The Good News Translation says: ‘As long as the world exists, there will be a time for planting and a time for harvest…’

Sow the seed of time on your gift, your spouse, and your children. Sow the seed of honour and respect. If you do these things, in time, you will reap a dividend. If in the time of planting you do not plant, do not expect to reap anything during the time of harvest. So, sometimes you are in your planting season of life. At such times, do not be discouraged if it seems you are only ‘giving out’ and can’t see the harvest. Your season of harvest will certainly come. ‘And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not’. (Galatians 6:9)

In your planting season of life may you know what to do and may God grant you the wisdom you need to do it well. Have a fruitful day, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

²⁶The lambs are for thy clothing, and the goats are the price of the field. ²⁷And thou shalt have goats’ milk enough for thy food, for the food of thy household, and for the maintenance for thy maidens.

Proverbs 27:26-27

Note the following:

1. Verses 23-25 tell us that after gathering all the food during the summer and spring season, there will be enough for all the animals during the winter season.
2. Due to the diligent gathering of food for your animals, you will not lack during the winter time, and can live off the livestock – having meat, milk, and clothing for everyone.

By investing energy ahead of time you ensure the prosperity of your heritage. The good news about God is that it is never too late, the sooner you make a change the better for your future. At whatever age you are right now roll up your sleeves, make up your mind to maximize the moment; when the seasons change you will have enough in reserve to last you through the winter.

When you apply this scripture to every area of your life, starting with today; the benefit with show very soon and all will see it. May God give you the necessary wisdom. Have a good day in Jesus’ name, Amen.

²³Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, and look well to thy herds. ²⁴For riches are not for ever: and doth the crown endure to every generation? ²⁵The hay appeareth, and the tender grass sheweth itself, and herbs of the mountains are gathered.

Proverbs 27:23-25

Opportunities do not last forever, it is what you diligently invest in now that will reap results later. The scriptures warn us not to squander the opportunities given to us; but we are to be diligent in knowing the state of our flock and investing now, in order to reap the benefits later. Maximize your current opportunities, don’t waste it – take time to think and make the best of your current season. No matter how wealthy you are currently, do not allow any waste!

By gathering in and storing hay you ensure enough food for your flock during the winter times. The season of gathering food for the winter does not last forever. Opportunities available to you now should be seized – please take a little time to think more on this right now.

We can also apply this scripture to the season of life for youth. If you are still in your youth, use your time and your strength for great things today so that you will have provision and rest in your later years! May God help you as you start your life early and may your rest be assured in Jesus’ name. Amen. Have a great and fabulous day!

‘Take care of a fig tree and you will have figs to eat. Servants who take care of their master will be honoured.’ Proverbs 27:18 (GNT)

In today’s message we see that the things we settle down and invest the time to build are the things that will be there for us to continue to enjoy later. Planting a fig tree takes time; you have to water it, nurture it, and watch it grow. Thereafter however, you can harvest the fruit for years to come. Anything you invest your time to build will certainly produce for your benefit; your challenge is to find out what to invest your life in, then take care of it, investing your energy into it. Another possible challenge is that people usually look down on the ‘little’ opportunity currently in their hand, just because it does not yet look promising and in that way miss out in life.

That verse also says ‘servants who take care of their masters will be honoured’. I know the story of a young boy that was brought into another family to assist in housekeeping. He served faithfully. After a while, the ‘boss’ decided to enroll him in a school during the day while he continues housekeeping after school. That was how his destiny was transformed; he studied to a Masters level, and later became a seasoned administrator with a happy family in the same city.

I admonish you to make every minute of today a seed that will count for your future. May God make your day prosperous in Jesus’ name. Amen.

‘As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.’ Proverbs 27:17 (NKJV)

Talking about friendship, there are lots of benefits to being in a good friendship relationship. Today’s scripture in the Common English Bible version says: ‘…friends sharpen each other’s faces’. Proverbs 17:17 again says: ‘Friends love through all kinds of weather, and families stick together in all kinds of trouble’. This is refreshing to know.

Today, I still have my best friend from high school, who invited me to the church where I got born again. Despite geographical distance between us today, Richard and I still resonate at the same level as it has been for over 35 years. I remember approaching a brother in 1987; we had just finished serving on our campus fellowship executive for 3 consecutive years, and we were getting ready for the ‘real world’. I asked him, “Israel, would you please be my friend?” He laughed! His question was, what have we been all these years serving together in the executive? My point was, now that we were not obligated to be with each other we needed to become real friends by choice. Gladly, he agreed, till this day we are very good friends. God has used him to help me in various ways, and I am sure I too have, in some way, been a blessing to him. The same goes for my other friends.

I have come to find solace in the good friendship relationships that I keep – there were times I needed to bounce ideas off them and was spared of disastrous repercussion that would have resulted had I made decisions without that consultation. I remember one meeting with another of my friends, Segun, in his vehicle. I needed his counsel with regards to some critical decision I needed to make. It was a critical time in my life and many things were not very clear. Just one statement out of our discussion that day gave me the light I needed to make the right decision.

When my friend, Yinka, invited me to visit him in Brits, South Africa in 1999, and later to minister in his church in Canada seven years later; I did not know that these steps were critical to my journey through life today. He was just insistent on being a blessing, and God has used his friendship to bless me indeed. I am sure I am a blessing to him in some ways too. I need to tell you; God has a portion of light for your next flight in a friend; it will shine out clear to you as you discover and cultivate right and God-ordained friendships. You have to be a faithful friend to enjoy this.

I could write volume bout Charles, Wale, and about many of my other friends but I don’t have enough space in this devotional for that. This is what I would say to you today though, look out for good friends and be committed to them. In fact, I particularly like the message version of today’s scripture; ‘You use steel to sharpen steel, and one friend sharpens another’. The best of friendship relationship is when both parties have something to offer. Be strong in your spirit man, and be sure your friends are too. May you find good friends and may you be the good friend someone needs.

I have deliberately written today’s devotional in two pages – I just felt I should. I am sure it has benefited you somehow. Have a glorious destiny, in Jesus name. Amen.

‘Do not forsake your own friend or your father’s friend, nor go to your brother’s house in the day of your calamity; better is a neighbour nearby than a brother far away.’ Proverbs 27:10 (NKJV)

I like the Common English Bible translation of this verse. ‘Don’t desert your friend or a friend of your family…’ This is wisdom. The verse goes on to say, a neighbour that is close by is better than a family member far away! Many people do not cultivate their friendships, while some people actually do not seem to have any friend. Such a life is exposed and is in danger when calamity strikes. Ecclesiastes 4:10 says: ‘…but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up.’ Life presents itself with various challenging issues. Matthew 6:34 says: ‘each day has enough troubles of its own.’ In fact, Job 5:7 says: ‘we bring trouble on ourselves, as surely as sparks fly up from a fire.’ (GNT).

So, whether you like it or not, sometime or another, trouble just comes to humanity. Life is made to be complete with friends. They are the ones that will be there for you in times of trouble – at least the good friends will. This is also the reason you too must show yourself friendly (Proverbs 18:24).

Here is today’s wisdom; no matter what; stay close to the godly friends you have and be a friend to them in return. If you do not have friends, deliberately go out to seek and cultivate one, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. You need good friends as you navigate the course of life. Stay blessed.

‘Like a bird that wanders from its nest is a man who wanders from his place.’ Proverbs 27:8 (NKJV)

It is wisdom for a person to be able to identify his or her own area of gifting and make every effort to stay and flourish there. Three key words can be identified in today’s scripture: wanders, nest, and his place.

There are some interesting definitions of the word ‘wander’ – to ramble without a definite purpose or objective; to go aimlessly, indirectly or casually; to extend in an irregular course or direction. These definitions all indicate activity, movement, or expression of some sort. But all without a clear focus of purpose. The word ‘place’ connotes a portion of space definite or indefinite that is specifically assigned to someone or a thing. There is a place assigned to everyone. There is an area of gifting built into every human by God. The problem of wandering occurs when we do not first take time to identify this place. Any activity or expression of yourself without reference to your place, will lead to wandering. Some people know where God has assigned them and for some reasons deliberately walk away from it, but majority of us just don’t locate our place before we start to do things!

You and I will be more effective in life and will leave a great legacy behind after we are gone, if we take the time to locate where we belong in God’s plan, and work hard towards fulfilling it. Decide and take necessary steps now.