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The pastors summit in Lagos has been crazy - wonderful - wild. The Elevation Church "Exponential Conference" has been outstanding … from famous African musicians to many highly significant pastors from this beautiful continent. A middle-aged pastor of one of Nigeria's largest churches said: "They tell me you might be Ed Cole’s son, is this true?” I answered that I was. He grabbed me and hugged me. With emotion and a few tears, he said, “When I was at university in Southern Nigeria, I found your father’s books at the local Bible bookstore. I bought every one they had. Your...

Joshua was a great leader of Israel. They went up against a powerful city in Jericho as they moved into the Promised Land. God gave them a huge win. You and I often have the same wins. God-given and producing a powerful feeling of victory in our guts. It’s great. But the victory of Jericho could be your downfall. Might lead to your next defeat! Why is that? Because it wasn’t hard. In the story of Joshua, all that Israel had to do was march around the city once a day, then seven times on the seventh day … then...

The root word for character is “chisel,” because a man is inwardly formed through difficulty. The All-Pro basketball player Kevin Durant was talented like many others, but he has become great because he put one phrase from his high-school coach deep into his heart and psyche. His coach, Tim Notke, said, “Hard work beats talent, when talent doesn’t work hard.” Durant is a hard worker. Paul said it this way, “Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope.” Romans 5:3,4 Endurance is difficult because it fights against our desire for...

Thousands of Christians in Nigeria are being killed, raped, maimed, for their faith. Because of the increase of intense attacks, Nigeria has moved up the list to the Number One most difficult nation in which to love and serve our Lord. “The situation is beyond us, but we know our God can turn things around,” a man named Ibrahim wrote. “Keep praying for us. Let’s do our best for God's work.”  Nigerian brothers asked us to come help launch a men's movement - to win men to Christ and disciple strong men of God all across their beloved nation. We're...

I’ve prayed for every President of my country for over 50 years. Whether I agreed with them, voted for them or not. Paul taught his young protégé Timothy to pray for the leadership of where he lived. This could not have been an easy thing to hear, since it was during Roman occupation and tremendous persecution. Regardless Paul said this; “Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and...