By Gbenga Osinaike
The General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Enoch Adeboye has given further insight to a mathematical problem he solved while he was at the University of Lagos using the Bible explaining that he did not just get the solution from the Bible without working hard.
He made this explanation against the apparent lacklustre attitude of some people who believe by just praying and studying the word of God they could get many things done.
Adeboye who was speaking at a special thanksgiving service today (June 3) at the church’s headquarters in Lagos explained that before the Lord opened his eyes to the solution of the problematic equation through the Bible, he had laboured trying to solve about 186 simultaneous equations.
“Many people think you can just arrive at success without working hard. I was at a students’ programme and was alarmed when some students were said to have spend all their time praying and fasting instead of spending time to read and prepare for exams. When I inquired further they said the Holy spirit would help them. They also cited my own experience that I used the Bible to solve a mathematical problem. And I told them that the solution did not come in a jiffy like that. I had already laboured battling with about 186 of such equations before the solution finally came through a scripture in the Bible. So in God there is no room for laziness” he said.
While praying that all his “children” would be greater than him, he said, hard work and diligence is vital to getting to the top. “While we must pray and fast and study the word, we can not do away with hard work. Great men in life work while their fellows were sleeping. That is why they turn out great.” he said.
Adeboye who spent time to pray for the academic community in Nigeria told his listeners that staying at the top is more difficult than getting to the top. “When you get to the top that is when hard work begins. it takes a greater effort to remain a champion than to become one. A philosopher once said, “The height that great men reached are not attained by sudden flight but while their companions slept they were busy working.”
Quoting the scriptures he said, “Only diligent men stand before kings. We need to emphasise this. if we are not diligent we will not get anywhere. We can not afford to fold our arms and expect God to work for us. The work of the Holy Spirit is to remind us what we have read. So the place to begin is to read and then the holy spirit will remind us what we have read. But if you fail to read and you fail, the holy ghost will console you.’
