Freed from the "Labans"

From Our Pastor's Desk

Guess what? Sooner or later, one will meet a “Laban” in life. If you haven’t, you will. Who are they? Back in the book of Genesis we read about the time when Jacob (who later became “Israel”) ran away from home. 

He’d lied to his brother and his life was in danger. So he traveled to his uncle’s house to find shelter there. His uncle Laban greeted him with a kiss. 

But it wasn’t a kiss of affection or love for a relative. It was the kiss of a man who knew he’d found a patsy. Laban saw in Jacob someone he could take advantage of… so he did. 

The Bible warns us about such people. In Proverbs 26:24-26, we’re told: “A malicious man disguises himself with his lips, but in his heart he harbors deceit. 

Though his speech is charming, do not believe him, for seven abominations fill his heart. His malice may be concealed by deception, but his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.” 

So many men/women could be very helpful but some could equally be very destructive. It is for this cause the Bible severally warns us on how we should deal with men. Not all men are bad/wicked but beware, do not put your confidence. 

Jesus said in Matthew 10:16-17 - “Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. But beware of men…”  People, no matter how trustworthy they are now, will faint, get tired, and fail you. 

People break promises, betray you and they look for ways to break covenants. Micah 7:5-6: “Trust ye not in a friend, put ye not confidence in a guide: keep the doors of thy mouth from her that lieth in thy bosom. For the son dishonoureth the father, the daughter riseth up against her mother, the daughter in law against her mother in law; a man's enemies are the men of his own house.” 

The prophet then resolved, “Therefore I will look unto the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation…” God has given us the way out. 

He has freed us from the “Labans” of this world. Let’s put our trust totally in God. As we trust in the LORD, we shall be as mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth for ever, in Jesus mighty Name. Amen.  

You will have a great turn-around this 2020. 

Remain blessed.  

Shalom. 

Thou Art Loosed

From Our Pastor's Desk

2nd Samuel 9:10-13 – “Thou therefore, and thy sons, and thy servants, shall till the land for him, and thou shalt bring in the fruits, that thy master's son may have food to eat: but Mephibosheth thy master's son shall eat bread al-way at my table. Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants...As for Mephibosheth, said the king, he shall eat at my table, as one of the king's sons…And all that dwelt in the house of Ziba were servants unto Mephibosheth. So Mephibosheth dwelt in Jerusalem: for he did eat continually at the king's table; and was lame on both his feet”. 

This is a very wonderful and interesting story from the Bible and it shows that it is not over until it is over.   

The name, Mephibosheth, means "he who scatters shame” He was also called Meribbaal in 1st Chron. 8:34, which means contender with Baal. But, he was, instead, a carrier and bearer of shame, a victim and casualty of Baal. What a life contrary to his name he lived, until Mercy and Grace knocked on his door. 

God can use anybody, when the set time has come. Imagine the life of that crippled boy at Lodebar, without any hope. But God used king David to change all that. He gave him lands, and servants to work the land, and a place of honor at the king's table.  

It does not matter how long you have spent in captivity, the important thing is that Jesus will intervene in your situation. Your story will turn to glory.  Divine help and intervention is already on the way for you, now. 

The story of your life will be rewritten for good, in Jesus mighty Name. Amen.  You will have a great turn-around this 2020.  Remain blessed.  Shalom. 

Joy to the World - IMPACT YASM Sunday

By Sis. AnuOluwa Oyetoran 

I saw a TED talk a couple of days ago that had a lot of views, it was titled “where joy hides and how to find it”. 

Everyone is constantly looking for joy but only few seem to find it. So then, what is this joy that seems so difficult to find? Is it a feeling? A choice? A destination? 

Is it waiting in our next career move? Our next accomplishment? Our next relationship? Or is it to be developed? Is there a secret to joy?  

One thing that is certain is, God wants us, His children, to have Joy – John 15:11 says “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete”. 

He wants us to have abundant and complete joy.  So then, the joy God wants us to have must be different from the fleeting emotions that come from the material things we possess. 

Therefore, I put forth to us that joy is a supernatural delight in the soul produced by the Holy Spirit as He causes us to see the beauty of Christ in the word and the world. 

The joy God wants us to have is rooted in eternal things that cannot change and it can only be found in Christ Jesus. Psalm 16:11 says in God’s presence there is fullness of joy. 

May we truly experience the fullness of joy, as we come to His presence, in Jesus mighty Name. Amen.  

You will have a great turn-around this 2020.  

Remain blessed.   

Shalom.

I Can; But I Won't Do All Things

From Our Pastor's Desk

Probably one of the most well-known and most quoted Bible scriptures - Philippians 4:13  I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. But I ask myself, can I, really? Can I do all things? 

I concluded eventually that even though I can, but I won’t do ALL things. I observed that, here Paul said he could do all things that Christ strengthened him to do. 

ONLY the things that Christ enables us to do can we do. Christ cannot & would not strengthen us to sin, be disobedient, transgress etc. 

Christ will only strengthen us to do His will. But we are free, with our free will, to do whatever we want. Freedom is a wonderful gift given to us by God. 

We get to choose to believe in Him, follow Him, and be in a loving relationship with Him. God didn’t create us as puppets or robots, He created us to have a mind, a heart, and a will.  Through His death on the cross Jesus has set us free from death, sin and consequences of sin.  

Freedom from so many things which we experience here and now in our day-to-day lives. Freedom to not commit sin. To not do something that we know goes against God’s will and His precepts. 

Even though we are free, but we are not free to sin. Paul says in 1st Corinthians 10:23 – “All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not 

We need to keep off sin to keep off satan! We should keep off sin, to be indeed& truly FREE from satan. 

This is true freedom! Freedom from satan. Freedom from being harassed by satan.  May we truly receive strength from Christ to DO ALL THINGS holy, true, honest, just, pure, lovely, virtuous, of good report and praiseworthy, in Jesus mighty Name. Amen.  

You will have a great turn-around this 2020. 

Remain blessed.  Shalom. 

December 2020 - Our Month of Freedom At Last

From Our Pastor's Desk

Welcome to this our new Month of Freedom At Last, in Jesus name. 2nd Cor. 3:17 - “...where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty” Gal. 5:1 - Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. 

Liberty (freedom) is "the state of being exempt from the domination of others or from restricting circumstances like prison, slavery" To be enslaved, imprisoned, “shackled”, or limited by anyone or anything is the most frightful, horrible, terrible and frustrating situation to be in. 

Imagine what Joseph felt when freed by Pharaoh in Gen. 41:14.  There are different prisons/bondage – financial, spiritual, physical, marital, emotional, habits, sins etc. 

Many often wondered if they would ever walk out of that bondage free. But Christ has set us free. John 8:36.. 

Mercy Seatizens, welcome to December, Our Month of Freedom At Last. This very last month of the year 2020, we gain our total freedom from the spirit of barrenness, limitation, unwanted detention, bondage, restraint & imprisonment. 

We receive freedom to go out, and to come in. Freedom to marry, freedom to bear children, freedom to worship & serve God as we want. 

No more working like elephants & eating like ants. There shall be a rain of wealth & prosperity, fruitfulness & multiplication, joy & peace, in every area of our lives, in Jesus Name. Amen. 

Soaring With God?

 By Bro. Olusola Afolabi 

An eagle is a monarch of birds, Eagles are famous for their cruising range and the strength they possess is undeniably powerful. In fact, there was a belief in ancient days that eagles could renew their youth (Psalm 103:5). 

Eagles are faced with difficult situations, in those circumstances they have proven to withstand the storm and soar higher. It is believed that the eagle is so fearless and the only creature on earth that stare directly into the sun and not be blinded. 

We shall deep-dive into the analogy of an eagle, the characteristics that make an eagle, a symbol of strength and how Christians can learn from their behavior. There  are  about  12  countries  with  eagles on their flag and about 14 Countries with eagles  on  their  emblem.  

There  are  so many other countries with eagles on their badges and other national symbols. There are so many similar attribute when we compare the characteristic of an eagle and the expectations of a Christian. 

We need to discover the eagle in us and pray for God to grant us the strength to soar high as an Eagle. Who is the Eagle? We (Christians) are the eagles, in Christ we soar  high. Where is the Eagle? 

Everyone in this Kingdom service are eagles, we need to walk in the path of the eagle and soar. Are you the Eagle? Yes. As Christians, the wings of the eagles represent our faith in God.  Just like the eagle must learn to fly on the wind thermals, we must be born again of a different Father.  

We can never become children of God unless we have a new birth. Crows and canaries will never become eagles. We can and we will soar high, in Jesus mighty Name. Amen.  

You will have a great turn-around this 2020. Remain blessed.  Shalom. 

Comes with the Territory

From Our Pastor's Desk

The Bible tells us about our territory, our jurisdiction from which we operate, as believers. Ephesians 1:3-21 and 2:6 tell us that we are blessed by the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: and we are seated in the heavenly places with Jesus Christ far above principalities and powers.  

Ephesians 1: 20-21 Which He wrought in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead, and set Him at His own right hand in the heavenly places, 21  Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: 

Ephesians 2:6 - And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. 

When we say that something comes with the territory, we mean that it’s accepted as a natural result of the situation one is in. 

The situation we are in, the territory we operate from, our jurisdiction, our territorial dominion is heavenly places. 

The territory within which we exercise our power from is heavenly places, sitteth with Christ. We are eagles, not ducks, chickens, parrots etc. We are not of this world. 

John 15:19 - If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. So, there are definitely some things that come with our territory. 

We are affected by the place where we reside. When we stay in God’s presence, with Jesus, we see things as He sees them, hear as Him, think as Him, we become more Godly. 

We are strangers and pilgrims in this world (1st Peter 2:11). May we not be conformed to this world, in Jesus mighty Name. Amen.  

You will have a great turn-around this 2020. 

Remain blessed.  

Shalom

Remain on Top

From Our Pastor Mrs' Desk

 Remain means stay in the place that one has been occupying, possessing a particular quality or fulfil a particular role. 

On top means on the highest point, in a leading or the dominant position. Eagles are high flyers, God expects us to come up high like eagles and remain up high on the top. 

Eagles are made for high places. We are eagle Christians, we are meant for the top. “…to let them know what I, the Sovereign LORD, am saying to them: there was a giant eagle with beautiful feathers and huge wings, spread wide. He flew to the Lebanon Mountains and broke off the top of a cedar tree,” - Ezekiel 17:3 GNB 

No coming down. When eagle starts thinking of soaring, it has it in mind that there is no landing, it keeps flying higher and higher. We eagle Christians are meant to fly higher to the top and remain there. 

“Does an eagle wait for your command to build its nest high in the mountains? It makes its home on the highest rocks and makes the sharp peaks its fortress.”- Job 39:27-28 GNB 

The desire of God for us is to take us higher this month and keep us there. He is the Most High God (Psalm 97:9), He’s the lifter up of our heads Psalm 3:3; Psalm 75:7. 

He promised to lift us up this month. He’s higher than the highest.....Halleluyah. When He lifts you up nobody can bring you down. 

At the top there are few people, a lot of space, less distraction, it’s quiet, people there are focused, no stagnation. 

While the lower level, is crowded, full of distraction, not spacious, too noisy.  Heaven will shift your level, and you are moving to higher level. 

Everything that works against your soaring, God will separate them from you, in Jesus Name. “and that He will set you high above all the nations which He has made, for praise, fame, and honor: and that you shall be a holy people [set apart and consecrated] to the LORD your God, just as He has spoken.”- Deut. 26:19 AMP 

You must and will reach the top. And you will remain there, in Jesus mighty Name. Amen.  

You will have a great turn-around this 2020. Remain blessed.  Shalom.

November 2020 - Our Month to Soar as Eagles

 From Our Pastor's Desk

Welcome to this our new Month to Soar As Eagles, in Jesus name. Isaiah 40: 31 - “But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”  

Question, who hasn’t dreamed of flying like an eagle, high above all of the dangers, worries, concerns on earth below,? 

Everyone, right? The fact of the matter is that eagles don’t fly, they soar. To soar is to glide high, ascend upwards high in the sky, and eagles do so with spectacular ease. 

Perhaps this is why God chose them as our model. Fascinating birds, the eagles. Agur, the writer of Proverbs 30:18-19, amazed by eagles says " There are three things that are too amazing for me, four that I do not understand…the way of an eagle in the sky..." 

David saw the eagle as a symbol of strength, too. He says in Psalm 103:2, "Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits"  David then lists several things and concludes in verse 5 with... "Who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s"  It’s a symbol of strength, vigor and vitality.  

Mercy Seatizens, welcome to November, our Month to Soar as Eagles. In spite of the storms of life, as God’s children we would be strong, confident and majestic like eagles, soar high gracefully, and spread our God-given wings, in Jesus Name. Amen. 

Standing on the Promises of God

By Bro. Daniel Sangoleye

It's easy to believe when things are going your way, but difficult when situations look hopeless but Get ready, it's your time to reign! "but the people that do know their God shall be strong and do exploits." Daniel 11: 32. 

Negative circumstances that have held you back for a long time may look permanent, but God is saying, "it's only temporary; I am fighting your battles." What does it mean to stand on the promises of God? 

It means to believe in Him, to put your trust in Him, and to live your life in total surrender to His will and His Leading. 

There are numerous promises of God in the Bible for every area of existence; it will be a disservice to yourself if you fail to tap into it and use it to your advantage. Remind God of His promises concerning you, because "For all the promises of God in Him are "yea"; and in Him "amen" unto the glory of God by us." 2 Corinthians 1:20.  

An efficient example of a man of faith in the Bible is Job, he lost everything, but Job never lost his faith in God. According to Job, "I know that my redeemer lives and that in the end, he will stand on the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh, I will see God" Job 19:25 – 26. 

His trials came to an end in due time, and Job was restored, twice as prosperous as he was before. We are not meant to carry the burden of our life alone, always remember that even in difficult circumstances, we have access to the strength of God's joy, "for this day is holy to our Lord. 

And do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength." Nehemiah 8:10.  Stand on God’s word, be at peace. God is still & will continue to orchestrate every detail of your life, in Jesus mighty Name. Amen.  

You will have a great turn-around this 2020. Remain blessed.  

Shalom. 

The Fowl & the Fowler

Mathew 23:37-38 says, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not. 

Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.” 

The Bible says “and they would not”, that is, they refused to be gathered under the wings of protection.  Israel, as a nation, knew the glory of God's presence among them. The children of Israel prospered and became strong as they followed the Lord. 

However, Israel turned from God by making wrong choices. Eventually, they came to the place where the presence of God was no longer among them. The glory of God had departed. 

Psalms 91:3 – “Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence”. A reference to the fowler and the fowl. A predator, hunter, adversary, the devil and its prey, hunted, a target for food.  

The intention of the fowler is to kill the fowl for food. The devil is the fowler who is setting a snare for those redeemed by the blood of Jesus. 

The devil is interested in capturing the believer to make him to be his slave so as not to fulfill the purpose of God for his life.  The Lord’s care is compared to that of mother hen for her young chickens when they are in danger. 

It is the wonder of wonders that sometimes people choose to abandon the cover of the wings of the Almighty. May the glory of God’s presence & protection never depart from us and our families. 

We refuse to leave the protection shield of the Almighty, in Jesus mighty Name. Amen.  You will have a great turn-around this 2020. Remain blessed.  Shalom.

Managing the Journey Called Success

From Our Pastor's Desk

Success is not stationary, motionless or static. It is growth. It is movement. It is mobile. It is dynamic. One does not arrive at success but moves from success to more and greater success. 

The Bible rightly says in Proverbs 4:18 that “But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day” The moment we think we have “arrived” and that’s it, we begin to depreciate, diminish and see the little achievement deplete. 

Though, success is good but it is deceptive in the sense that it gives one a feeling of arrival and settlement.  

Success, little or huge, can ruin a person, if not handled or managed properly. I’ve seen it hap-pen too many times. It sounds strange. We plan for success, we dream about success, and – most importantly – we pray for success. 

Yet when it comes, we often self-destruct. So, success needs to not only be managed, but well-managed. And as pre-scribed by the scriptures, the Lamb’s Book of Life. It’s so easy to get distracted and lose our focus when we taste little success. 

1st John 2:16  says “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world”. These three lusts appeal to what makes the flesh feel good (pleasure), materialism (possessions), and arrogance (position, power, praise). That’s what the world around us values. 

And when we are tempted and start focusing on these, our lives are eroded by worldly lusts and desires, and we become fools in the eyes of heaven.  Proverbs 1:32  For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them. 

The grace to manage our God-given success will abound in our lives, in Jesus mighty Name. Amen.  

You will have a great turn-around this 2020. 

Remain blessed.  

Shalom.

The Influencer and the Influenced

 Ever tried to cook the most delicious meal and then you taste it, only to find that it lacks salt/seasoning? And then you add the salt and everything tastes amazing. That is the power of the salt. The salt has the greatest influence on how the entire meal turns out.  

Ever been caught in the middle of a power cut? Those from and in Africa will attest to this. An immediate reaction to a lack of power is the feeling of deflation. Questions such as “why did this light go out?”, “when is it going to be restored?” easily become the order of the day. 

To even plan out the day properly becomes an issue because you will need to light some candles to partially see, wear that rumpled shirt to work and start worrying about the food items in the fridge and freezer, etc. 

It really will affect our moods, our thoughts, decision, etc Once the electricity is restored, all of the issues mentioned above suddenly go away. There is no longer a need for worry. That is the power of the electricity (light). The light has the greatest influence on how our entire morning, day, week, etc turns out. 

 Influence is the capacity to have an effect on the character, development, or behavior of someone or something and we are largely a people that function on influence.  

In our quest for a life of all-round success, regardless of our definition or attribution to the term, we need to regularly take stock of what we are influencing or being influenced by. 

Look at how the influence of Naomi contributed to Ruth marrying Boaz. This would not have been possible, had she not followed Naomi back to Beth-lehem-judah. We need to ask ourselves what our sphere of influence is. 

Who are we looking up to? Who/what contributes to our decisions? Whoever has our ears has our time. Are these influencers positive or negative? 

Let us assess them and weed out the ones that will not help us in our quest for success.  We must be influenced correctly and be the right influence to help us achieve good all-round success. 

The Lord help us in this quest , in Jesus mighty Name. Amen.  

You will have a great turn-around this 2020. Remain blessed.  Shalom. 

Defining Your Success

By Minister Tosin Agboola 

How do you define success? What has to be accomplished in your life for you to affirmatively declare - I have attained good success! 

Success means different things to different people, but by worldly standards, does anyone truly get a pass mark for all-round success? 

The world has standards by which it measures success and many cave under the pressure of those expectations. 

How we perform against these standards some-times defines how ‘successful’ we are perceived to be. 

If we are not careful and define ourselves by how people judge us, it can lead to disappointment. Little wonder, in these times that we live in, mental health has become more delicate.   

But the question is - What do YOU want? What do YOU aspire to be? What does success look like to YOU? How is YOUR success defined? But most importantly, when faced alone with your God, how is that success evaluated 

These questions require an inner reflection, a constant check to be sure that it is in alignment with God’s will, powered with a dogged determination to excel. 

The good news for us is that unlike the world, God’s expectations for our success are backed with His empowerment and presence to see us through every step of the way. 1 Kings 2:3, Joshua 1:7, Mathew 6:34 all point us to His expectations  – Seek God first, walk in His ways, turn not to the right or to the left, you will prosper in ALL you do,  ALL things shall be added unto you. 

As long as we heed those words, so shall it be unto us and therein we will find all round good success, in Jesus mighty Name. Amen.  

You will have a great turn-around this 2020.  

Remain blessed.  

Shalom. 

Real Success

From Our Pastor's Desk

 Proverbs 3:1-4 - M y son, do not forget m y teaching, but keep my commands in your heart, for they will prolong your life many years and bring you peace and prosperity. 

Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man. 

Proverbs 22.1 - A  good name is m ore desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold. Ecclesiastes 7.1 - A  good name is better than fine perfume, and the day of death better than the day of birth. 

If one has to choose between a good name and riches, Solomon says, “choose a good name.” All the scriptures above agree that it pays to build a name, a good name; the reward doesn't come quickly but it will come however long it may take and it lasts longer. 

In this context, a “good name” really speaks to your integrity, discipline, self-control, honor, esteem and fear of God, which makes a man wealthy, not the fat bank account. It’s about your reputation and the character you possess inside. It identifies who you are from a moral and ethical standpoint. 

Essentially it is what you are all about. It’s the everlasting legacy and good heritage left for one’s children and children’s children. The Bible says in Proverbs 22:1 “A good name is more desirable than great riches…” 

That’s amazing when you think about it. Your good name is better than all the money in the world! And that’s real success, saints. May will bring forth in your old age. Your seeds and fruits will flourish after you. You will leave a long-lasting legacy, in Jesus mighty Name. Amen.  

You will have a great turn-around this 2020.  

Remain blessed.  Shalom.

October 2020- Our Month of All-Round Good Success

From Our Pastor's Desk

Welcome to this our new Month of All-Round Good Success, in Jesus name. 

Joshua 1:8 says “This book  of the law shall not de-part out of thy mouth but thou shall meditate there in day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein; for then thou shall make thy ways prosperous, and then thou shall have good success”.  

Not all success is good; Proverbs 1:32 tells us that if prosperity is out in the hand of a fool, the prosperity will destroy him; it said the prosperity of fools shall destroy them. 

So there is a kind of success that can even bring destruction. We will never get that kind of success in Jesus name. So when God said if we do the following you will have good success, it tells us straight away that there are successes and there are successes; some success can be good, some can be bad. 

And He said if we want our own success to be good; this Book of the Law, the Bible, shall not depart from our mouths but we should meditate upon it day and night. To observe and to do all that is written therein.  

Mercy Seatizens, welcome to our Month of All-Round Good Success, God said as we study the Bible very well, as we meditate on it and as we do what is written in it, He said not only is our success guaranteed, our good success is guaranteed. 

We will succeed and good shall be our success, in Jesus Name. Amen.

Just Get Started

From Our Pastor's Desk

Deuteronomy 1:6-8 – “The LORD our God spake unto us in Horeb, saying, Ye have dwelt long enough in this mount: Turn you, and take your journey…” 

There are quite a few examples of people in the Bible who were stuck in a rut. The people of Israel knew all about it as the trekked around the wilderness for 40 years, going around in circles, never getting anywhere and becoming thoroughly bored with the same old routine day after day. 

They longed for some change, even if it was in their diet. Their existence had become boring, routine and aimless. Eventually they would die and be buried in the sand. 

Their whole existence had become without purpose and meaning while they simply waited to die. Many Christian’s lives are just like that – meaningless, boring and aimless as they simply wait to die. 

But our God is a God of advancement. He is not a God of stagnancy, aimlessness, procrastination, and inactivity.  He is not a God that is directionless and plan-less. When the children of Israel got too comfortable on Mount Horeb, never wanting to move forward, God told them to GET STARTED and take the next step of their journey. 

Just like the Biblical children of Israel, most of us know the things we ought to do and we don't do them. We know the things we shouldn't do and we do those. But things that we really want to change in our lives, we procrastinate on. 

The next time we find ourselves procrastinating, let’s stop and ask our-selves why. Then we should ask God to help us overcome it so we can move forward and do what we need to do. 

Help us indeed, our very Present Help in time of need, in Jesus mighty Name. Amen.  You will have a great turn-around this 2020. Remain blessed.  Shalom 

Determined to Fulfill Purpose - IMPACT YASM WEEK 2020

By Bro. Prince Kalu Ndukwo 

At some point in life, we know what our callings are and we have to work to-wards them. Yes you can fulfill your calling but you need determination. God called Moses to bring the Israelites out of Egyptian bondage/captivity.  

By the time God’s calling & fulfillment phase of Moses' life begins, he is about 80 years of age. He has been a humble shepherd for half his life, far away from the hustle and bustle of Egyptian society and culture. 

For the most part, his life has been quiet, solitary, out in the desert pastures, except when he is home in his family's tent.

 Exodus chapter 3, especially verse 9-10 show us God’s call to Moses – “Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel is come unto me: and I have also seen the oppression wherewith the Egyptians oppress them. 

Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt” 

Today, by God’s grace, we would explore some of the qualities/attitudes Moses had (between Exodus 3 and 5) that made him determined to fulfill his calling while understanding how those qualities/attitudes can be applied in our daily life. 

May we all fulfill our calling and God-given life purpose, in Jesus mighty Name. Amen.  

You will have a great turn-around this 2020.  

Remain blessed.  Shalom.

Be Fulfilled

 By Deacon Ike Mbila

In this our month of “FULFILLMENT” we must make a self determined effort to remember all we have been taught on the benefits of being fulfilled. To prevail and realize our fulfillment, we must examine the deeper principles that teleports us to extra ordinary fulfillment. 

We must pay attention to the who, what, why, when and where of fulfillment.  Considering carefully the story of the three Hebrew boys we must immediately learn that we are already fulfilled once we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior and have a working relationship with Him.  

How do we handle the hardship, catastrophe, sad situations and circumstances that might come upon us? 

Do we get panicked or do we walk in the good works promised us in Ephesians 1:10. AS you contemplate on the walk we should take, we must remember first who we are in Christ Jesus. We must walk in power for our miracle to manifest 2nd Corinthians 4:7 and 2nd Corinthians 12:9.  

We must know who we are in Christ. We must believe that we serve a God who will come to our rescue in all our situations and we must walk in victory. The Bible teaches us that a merry heart doeth good like a medicine…..Proverbs 17:22, so we must keep up with the smile and laughter and not allow our situation portray doom and gloom. 

We must remember that our joy and victory is not dependent on our supplies and riches rather on our relationship with Christ Jesus. There are several instances where the Bible teaches us events that appeared pretty awful, hard, unmanageable, disastrous and hopeless but God turned all the hopeless situations to hopeful outcomes……Psalm 126:1-6.  

Fulfillment will come when we walk in the authority vested upon us by Christ Jesus, We must decree our desired outcome in order to realize fulfillment. To have fulfillment we must encourage ourselves in the Lord and believe it. We must speak into our life and decree unto the situation and we must pronounce all our expectations since the Lord promised to give us an expected end…..Jeremiah 29:11, This promise means that God is able to grant us fulfillment.  

May we remain fulfilled in all our endeavors, in Jesus mighty Name. Amen.  You will have a great turn-around this 2020. Remain blessed.  Shalom.

War of Words, Part III - WYSIWYG

From Our Pastor's Desk

Numbers 14: 2-3 – “And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron: and the whole congregation said unto them, Would God that we had died in the land of Egypt! or would God we had died in this wilderness! And where-fore hath the LORD brought us unto this land, to fall by the sword, that our wives and our children should be a prey? were it not better for us to return into Egypt? 

In the verses above, the people were declaring that they and their children would die in the desert and not enter the Promise Land. 

Then, God spoke to Moses and told him to give them this message: Numbers 14:28 – “Say unto them, A s truly as I live, saith the LORD, as ye have spoken in mine ears, so will I do to you” God told them, essentially, that they are going to get everything they said.  We need to be mindful of the power of words. 

Whatever we believe, we speak. Spoken words are powerful. We get what we speak, declare or pronounce. The Lord will grant us the grace to always speak the words of life, in Jesus mighty Name. Amen.  

You will have a great turn-around this 2020.  

Remain blessed.  

Shalom.

September 2020 - Our Month of Fulfillment

From Our Pastor's Desk

Welcome to this our new Month of Fulfillment, in Jesus name. Psalms 145:19 - “He will fulfill the desire of them that fear Him…” Fulfill means to cause to happen; made full, complete successfully. 

It’s a term used Biblically of God bringing to fruition something that He has promised, and/or what the hopes of His children are. 

To accomplish or perform what was desired; to answer any desire by compliance or gratification. 

Fulfillment means performance. Romans 4:21 “... being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.   

God being able to perform, therefore, means He has sufficient power, strength, force, skills, means or resources of any kind to carry through, bring to completion, achieve, accomplish, fulfill, or execute any given task. What a glory! 

God has the power, capability, integrity, honesty, & the track record to make happen, do or bring forth whatever He wishes or has promised.  

He has proved Himself over and over again to be true to His words in the Bible. 

We see many and various promises, predictions, petitions, and prophecies fulfilled; hopes realized. Our God is a Promise-Fulfiller.  

Mercy Seatizens, welcome to September, Our Month of Fulfillment. This month and beyond, there shall be a fulfillment of His words, promises & prophesies in our lives and church, in Jesus Name. 

Amen.

"War of Words" Series - Part 2: The Needful

 From Our Pastor's Desk

Luke 10:41-42 – “And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her” Needful means “necessary for living; absolutely essential; indispensable; inevitable; required”. 

Our desire is to know God more and more. If we are to, then, know Him, we must know His word, because He is His Word, and His Word is Himself. Our faith is a “word-based Faith”. 

Acts 6:4  But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word The quality of our Christian lives will depend upon the way we view the Word of God and our disposition towards it. 

This is one of the basic issues to settle early on in the Christian life. For a steady, sturdy spiritual growth and life, the Word of God should be all in all. There is a ring of certainty and finality to God’s word. 

We live by the Word. The Word, as contained in the Bible, is the final arbiter in the life of the believer. Its verdict is final on all aspects of human behavior and endeavor – spiritual, physical, secular, social, material, etc. 

Many Christians go through months and years of their lives without reading the Bible. Still they seem to be quite satisfied.  Joshua 1:8 – “This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night...” 

The Lord will grant us the grace to always choose the “needful”, the Word of God, that can never be taken away from us, in Jesus mighty Name. Amen.  

You will have a great turn-around this 2020.  

Remain blessed.   

Shalom.

"War of Words" Series - Part 1. The 1st Words

From Our Pastor's Desk

John 1:1-4, 14 – “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God.

All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made…And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth”  Friend, a key to our warfare is Jesus Christ. 

He is the Word of God. We should base our warfare on the Word. The Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, is our offensive weapon. 

It is incredibly powerful and effective at driving away the enemy and tearing down his work. Some Christians are reluctant to speak directly to satan and his demons. 

Yet God has clearly told us that they are the enemy and that He has given us a powerful weapon to use against them in the form of the sword of the spirit, which is the Word of God. 

To attack our spiritual enemies with the Word means simply that we must speak God's Word against them.  This season of the Lord’s Army, we want to look at the first words spoken by some speakers, their beginning words, which are significant and really show us how the speakers fight their battles. 

Following the Biblical Law of First Mention, which simply means that the very first time any important word is mentioned/spoken in the Bible is key to understanding the word's Biblical concept, the speaker, and to also provide a foundation for its fuller development in later parts of the Bible. 

So, we’re looking at “the 1st Words of God, man, and satan”. Lord, “In the beginning was the Word”; let your Word create a new beginning for us, in Jesus mighty Name. Amen.  

You will have a great turn-around this 2020. 

Remain blessed.  

Shalom.

Fear Not, God Has Your Back

By Pastor Bode Akinyemi

“… This is what the LORD says to you: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s.” 2nd Chronicles 20:15 

Beloved, we live in a world that is full of battles, troubles, challenges, contentions, uncertainties, storms and so on, but the Word of God gives us a comforting assurance in Romans 8:37-39; John 6:33. 

As Children of God, we are also members of His great army and Jesus is the Lord of Host. He has won the battle of life and has given us the victory. 

Our task is to march forward boldly and courageously, claiming and declaring this victory as we exercise our faith, believing God’s Word regarding this great accomplishment. 

We are an army of faith and armed with the word of God, we are battle axes in His hand. God has taught and shown us to fight by believing His word and living by it always. We are weaponized by the word of God and the enemy cannot withstand us. 

God’s will for us is to live victoriously always and this is why Apostle Paul admonishes us in Romans 6:10-18 to put on “the Whole Armor of God “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.  

Be encouraged.in the Lord, in Jesus mighty Name. Amen.  

You will have a great turn-around this 2020.  

Remain blessed.  

Shalom

SouledOut Teenagers' Week 2020 - The BRAVE - Bold, Ready Army for Victorious Engagement

By Sis. Halimat Elizabeth Olunlade 

The theme for the SouledOut Teenagers’ Week is The B.R.A.V.E.  

To be bold. A ready army for victorious engagement. Every one of us has battles to fight. Whether they be internal or external, we all have to face hardships.

 

There are hardships in the form of addiction, depression, anxiety, stress, and temptation. Every day that we are alive we struggle to do, think, and say the right thing.

 

We also face financial hardship, health complications, and problems in our relationships. No matter who we are or where we are, life can always throw us a curveball. 

And if you and I are to prevail and be victorious in the face of these hardships, we must have courage. We must be brave.

The bible says in Joshua 1:9 says “Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.” 

Our job as Christians is to have faith in him. To believe in ourselves and our God. All we must do is commit ourselves to and have faith in him. 

Then as we reaffirm our allegiance to him, he will build into us qualities that make us strong and noble--including bravery. The bravery to live victoriously. 

To be brave, we must overcome fear. Fear beckons us from every corner of our lives and seeks to steal our victories. But who will you obey? 

Will it be the fear that comes from the world or will it be the words of God? May we all achieve victory through bravery and over-come fear, in Jesus mighty Name. Amen.  

You will have a great turn-around this 2020.  

Remain blessed.  

Shalom.

Taking It By Force

From Our Pastor's Desk

Matthew 11:12 - And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.

For those of us who were not sleeping during our science classes, especially Physics, and were attentive, we were taught that the laws of inertia developed in the 17th century by Galileo and further expounded by Newton states an object will remain stagnant unless/until force is applied to it

Which essentially means that nothing moves on its own, everything in life moves as a response to some force. The above verse attests to that (faith supporting science, right?) The verse is not propagating violence, nor encouraging it.

To be violent means to act with or marked by or result from great force or energy or emotional intensity. The scripture tells us that there existed an exceptional desire and forcefulness from people thronging for a blessing, during the days of John the Baptist, like never before.

Kingdom of Heaven where these blessings come from was (and still is) experiencing these resemblance of “an army trying to besiege a city”, not literally violent. And only those that are eager enough, forceful enough, determined enough, will take the blessings and spoils of the “city”. Jesus’ statement that “the kingdom of heaven suffers violence” is a graphic picture of the enthusiasm and excitement generated by John the Baptist’s and Jesus’ teaching.

People were hungry for the truth, their blessings, their joy & peace, and would not be kept away. Until you’re ready to fight for what’s yours, you’re not ready to live. Pray With Me - Lord, teach my hands to make war. Psalms 144:1.

May my warfare bring me treasures, in Jesus mighty Name. Amen.

You will have a great turn-around this 2020.

Remain blessed. 

Shalom.

August 2020 - Our Month of the Lord’s Army

From Our Pastor's Desk

Welcome to this our new Month of the Lord’s Army, in Jesus name. Psalms 144:1-“Blessed be the Lord my strength, which teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight."

God is a trainer and teacher. God trained Moses for 80 years before he could lead Israel for 40 years. He trained Joseph, making him to go to the land of bondage before he could become a prime minister.

God trained David in the wilderness and in different caves. He trained Elijah, John the Baptist and Paul. He trains hands for warfare and fingers to fight.

The hands are used in battle and war. And fingers are the main instruments of war in a hand. Imagine a boxer with a hand but no fingers. What a blow he would pack!!!

Mercy Seatizens, I welcome you to this Our Month of the Lord’s Army. There is great scarcity of trained hands and fingers for the battle.

God is looking for soldiers who will stand to address tough cases, not
show-business type of Christianity. We are talking about armies of the living God, raw recruits, heavenly law enforcers and demon destroyers.

Jeremiah 1:10 - "“See, I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down, to build, and
to plant."

Are you ready? The Lord make us His battle axes and weapons of war, in Jesus Name. Amen.

The World Changers

By Pastor (Mrs) Modupe Adeyemo

The World Changers are obedient children of God that love God and keep His commandment. They enjoy Jesus’ promise of His manifestation. (John 14:21-23).

They live consecrated and sanctified lives onto God. Set apart as living sacrifices, carrying His presence and the fire of God in them. (John 17:17-19).

They are dedicated disciples of Christ who have taken up Christ’s yoke on themselves, following Him closely and imitating His life. (John 8:31-32, Matthew 11:29).

They are relentless ambassadors, preaching Christ is their lifestyle regardless of how convenient it is. (2ndTimothy 4:2-5, 2ndCorinthians 5:18-20).

They are full of the Holy Spirit, endowed with gifts of the Holy Spirit, and manifesting the fruits of the Spirit. (1st Cor.12:8-10, Galatians 5:22).

They bear fruits as Jesus commanded with the promise of express answered prayers. (John 15:16). They love righteousness and they are anointed with special oil of gladness for excellence above their peers and colleagues - Hebrews 1:9, Isaiah 11:2. 

They are solution providers. These are believers who stand out to make a difference in their world. They reach out to shine as light amid darkness that has covered the world. They make hope arise and joy restored for many by drawing near to the light - Matthew 5:13-14, Isaiah 60:1-5. 

May the Lord make us world changers, in Jesus mighty Name. Amen. 

You will have a great turn-around this 2020.  Remain blessed. 

Shalom.

Power to Make a Difference

By Lisa Eziokwu

In Acts 8:1-3, Apostle Paul who was then named Saul was mentioned among those killing Christians and persecuting the church, on his way to create more havoc he had an encounter with Jesus that completely changed his life for good - Acts 9 and from then henceforth he began to preach Christ and made a great difference in his time.

He is credited with writing about half the books in the New Testament. Timothy was one of Apostle Paul’s spiritual children and in 2 Timothy 1:6-7, he encouraged Timothy to “stir up the gift of God in you … for God has not given us a spirit of fear but of power and of love and of a sound mind”.

God has given us different gifts and talents that we can use through his power to make a difference in our homes, the church, our schools, community and in the world!

Right now during this BLM (Black Live Matters) moment, many people are trying to make a difference, but you should know the line between making a good difference and making a bad difference.

It is not enough to sign petitions or join protests, let us also make a good difference; let our parents not be named amongst the fraudsters, drunkards or child molesters. As children, let us make the right choices and stay away from bad friends, gangs and drugs, let us get educated and use our God given gifts/talent to bring positive change; with God on our side, no one can stop us!

“A  man’s gift makes room for him, And brings him before great men” - Proverbs 18:16. “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might” - Ephesians 6:10 and may God equip us to do great things for  Him, in Jesus mighty Name. Amen. 

You will have a great turn-around this 2020.

Remain blessed. 

Shalom.

Power and Authority

By Deaconess Florence Oyedeji

You are a person of power and authority because you belong to Jesus! We often hear about the power of God, and Scripture is full of examples of His power in action.

He is “the great God, mighty and awe-some” (Nehemiah 9:32). We are taught to rely on His great power to get us through trials such as a job loss, a sticky divorce, bankruptcy, hateful persecutions, a debilitating illness, or the loss of a loved one.

Learning to rely on the power of God is part of living the Christian life.

The apostle Paul gives us a glimpse of the power of God when he writes of “His incomparably great power for us who believe.

 That power is the same as the mighty strength He exerted when He raised Christ from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority”  (Ephesians 1:19–21).  Mercy Seatizens, we must never see ourselves as powerless!

You are a person of power and authority because you belong to Jesus who has all power and all authority. Go in that power and exercise it, in Jesus mighty Name. Amen. 

You will have a great turn-around this 2020. 

Remain blessed. 

Shalom.

Not by Might, Nor by Power

From Our Pastor's Desk

Zechariah 4:6 - “This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.” 

Two cases.  One in Judges 19 & 20. The tribes of Israel sent men through all the tribe of Benjamin and demanded the culprits of some dastardly act of gang-rape & murder to be handed over to them for appropriate judgment, so as to put away evil from Israel.

But rather, the children of Benjamin defiantly mobilized for war against the children of Israel. Three times the children of Israel sought counsel from God about going to war against the tribe of Benjamin and three times God gave them a go-ahead.

However, they got different results. And another in 1st King 20:1-21. Ben-hadad, the king of Syria, gathered his en-tire host together against the extremely idolatrous king Ahab and his evil wife, Jezebel.

In spite of Ahab’s dastardly sins, not only did God send a message of hope to the idolatrous King Ahab, He actually delivered on His promise by giving King Ahab an unexpected resounding victory over that great enemy host.

We win, succeed, excel, breakthrough or prosper, surely, not by our own might or power, but by the working of God’s precious Spirit inside of us. So next time you encounter a problem, face challenges or sense a battle around you, remember Zechariah 4:6. 

Grace to know and appropriate due glory to God for His faithfulness in our lives (and realizing that it’s not by our power nor might), the Lord will give unto us, in Jesus mighty Name. Amen. 

You will have a great turn-around this 2020. 

Remain blessed. 
Shalom.

July 2020 Our Month of God’s Power & Might

From Our Pastor's Desk

Welcome to this our new Month of God’s Power & Might, in Jesus name. Rev. 7:12 – “Saying, A men: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen” 

Yes, Power & Might! Be unto our God. He alone has ALL the power and He’s the ALL-Mighty.  Psalms 62:11 says “God hath spoken once; twice have I heard this; that power belongeth unto God”

All power and might will continue to be His for all eternity. He spoke the universe, more than 100 billion galaxies, into being.

Nothing on earth, in heaven or underneath the earth is too difficult for Him.

Jeremiah 32:17 – “Ah Lord GOD! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee:”

Mercy Seatizens, I welcome you to this Month of God’s Power & Might. The month that God will manifest His awesome power in our lives, because He loves us. No matter what we might be facing, God can & will help us.

Nothing is too hard for Him. No need is too great for Him to meet. No problem is too complicated for Him to solve. No foe is too strong for Him to conquer. No prayer is too difficult for Him to answer. And He has given us His power. Luke 10:19.

Therefore, any time the enemy tries to attack us, it’s an opportunity to exercise our power over him. Go forth in His power & might, in Jesus Name.

Amen.

Honor in the Family

From Our Pastor's Desk

Acts 17:26 – “And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation” This scripture tells us that God hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth.

By this we understand that all nations are of one blood. This indicates the brotherhood of all men.

We are all made "of one blood." The whole family of man-kind, with all its billions, has descended from one pair—from Adam and Eve.

Kings and their subjects, rich and poor, learned and unlearned, prince and pauper, the educated and the untutored, the fashionable lady and the shabby,—all, will trace their pedigree, to one man and one woman.

All the dwellers in Europe, Asia, Africa, and America originally sprung from Adam and Eve. We were all "made of one blood."

As we are all of "one blood", then we ought to behave as members of one great family. We ought to "love as brethren."

We ought to honor ourselves. We ought to put away from us anger, wrath, malice, quarrelling, as especially hateful in the sight of God.

When we come to Christ we are all born into God’s family through the precious blood of the Lamb of God.  Ephesians 3:14-15 “For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,” Love, charity, kindness, and sympathy are the truest proofs that we are real members of Christ, genuine children of God, and rightful heirs of the kingdom of heaven.

We are the Family of Christ. And the Head of the Family, Jesus Christ, will continue to abound us with His grace to be One, in Jesus mighty Name. Amen.

You will have a great turn-around this 2020.

Remain blessed. 

Shalom.

How Fathers Earn Honor

 By Brother Edwin Koi

The inherent purpose of all men is FATHERHOOD. Men were designed by God to fulfill the role of a father in the lives of those around him.

Although every man is called to be a father, knowing how to live in this purpose is not automatic.

Men must understand the characteristics and master the skills of fatherhood.

Fulfilling the position and role they were created for means exhibiting qualities of leadership, integrity, responsibility and obedience to the ultimate Father of fathers; Our Father in Heaven.

There is no substitute for father, because we are beginning to see people redefine marriage. In some cases they say a child can have two mothers, but there is no substitute for father. Now, let's get these three facts.

1.A TEACHER is not a father:  there are people who teach you things in life don't confuse them being a father.

2. A GUARDIAN  is not a father: you may be as-signed to stay with someone to bring you up, but it doesn't mean they can take the place of a father.

3. A FRIEND is not a father: you may be brought up by a friend or some relatives and they've done good things for you, but they can never take the place of a father. 1Cor. 4:15-16

Father, accept our thanks for the Gideon Men of Valor of RCCG, Dominion Mercy Seat, in Jesus mighty Name. Amen.

You will have a great turn-around this 2020.

Remain blessed. 

Shalom

A Badge of Honor

By Minister Rowan Samuel

Honor means: 1. High respect; great esteem e.g. "his portrait hangs in the place of honor"

2. Adherence to what is right or to a conventional standard of conduct e.g. "I must as a matter of honor avoid any taint of dishonesty"

Honor works in connection with honesty and integrity. A man of honor is a man of his word showing himself to be honorable.

I was privileged to grow up with my father. I saw him when I woke up in the morning and I never had to wonder if he was coming home at night. He was very strict and of course as a boy I did not like that or understood the value of having my father home every night.

Proverbs 17:6 - “Children's children are the crown of old men; and the glory of children are their fathers” But unfortunately, fatherlessness has reached an epidemic proportion in our generation today.

I would like to use this opportunity to say so today I would like to honor the memory of my father and my mother as well for the values they taught me.

Exodus 20:12 Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.

May the Lord grant us the grace to respect, value and honor our parents, in Jesus mighty Name. Amen.

You will have a great turn-around this 2020.

Remain blessed. 

Shalom

If I Be a Father, Where is My Honour?

From Our Pastor's Desk

First, we’re supposed to honor our parents. The Bible is incredibly clear on this one. It’s so important, God actually included it in His top ten list of commandments: Exodus 20:12 - Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.

Then, more specifically, the Bible goes further about honoring our fathers. Malachi 1:6 – “A  son honoureth his father, and a servant his master: if then I be a father, where is mine honour?

Since this month of June is the month of Father’s Day, month to celebrate fathers, we need to give credit where credit is due, and honor where it’s due.

We need to honor our parents, and especially our fathers. We should not take for granted or trivialize their words, proclamations and blessings.

A father’s blessing was important in Biblical times as a practical matter of inheritance rights. In addition, some final blessings included prophetic statements that reveal God’s supernatural power at work through the men of His choosing.

The book of Genesis emphasizes the blessing of a father to his sons. The patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob all gave formal blessings to their children—and, in Jacob’s case, to some grandchildren.

Receiving a blessing from one’s father was a high honor, and losing a blessing was tantamount to a curse. May the Lord grant us the grace to respect, value and honor our parents, especially our fathers, in Jesus mighty Name. Amen.

You will have a great turn-around this 2020. 

Remain blessed. 

Shalom.

June 2020 - Our Month to Render Due Honor

From Our Pastor's Desk

Welcome to this our new Month to Render Due Honor, in Jesus name.

Rev. 7: 12  Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honor, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen. Next is Honor. 

Honor means esteem, respect, and pay homage to, assigning value to, to prize, to revere. Showing honor, then, means treating others respectfully because we value them highly.

Honor is of great importance to God and our walk with Him. 1st Sam. 2:30 - “…but now the LORD saith, be it far from me; for them that honor me I will honor…” But it’s not God alone that we should honor.

God expects that we are to honor all people by treating them with dignity and respect. 1st Peter 2:17 - "Honor all men"… Romans 13:7 – “Render therefore to all their dues: honour to whom honour” In doing so, we will find that endless rewards await us.

So, it’s time to go back to the Source of honor, our God, and learn how to live honorably before God and man. In this our Month to Render Due Honor, we pray that God will put upon us garments of honor.

All of us that labor in His vineyard, the Lord reward us all with double honor and prepare us as His vessels, sanctified, meet for the His use, and prepared unto every good work, in Jesus Name.

Amen

Thanksgiving is a SuperPower

By Pastor 'Tayo Adewale

1st Thess. 5:18 - “In every situation [no matter what the circumstances] be thankful and continually give thanks to God; for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.”

The acronym for T H A N K S:

T – Think. If you know how to think, you will know how to thank God.

H – Have a heart always ready to praise God for His goodness. Thank Him in the morning, afternoon, night, in bad & good times, at all times, because that is the will of God for us. Eph. 5:19

A – Appreciate. Make gratitude a part of your interactions with other people.

N – Never complain! Complaints will only complicate your matter.

K – Keep a journal. No matter how minute, keep track of everything. We, the children of God, are quick to forget what God has done. Keep records. 

S – Sacrifice of thanksgiving to God. Psalm 95:1-6. By singing, dancing, shouting, clapping, giving to His work, testifying to His goodness, kneel-down, prostrate, stretched out with face on the ground in adoration or submission, etc

So brethren, stay calm, be confident; be courageous as you make thanksgiving your life line to God and your number one spiritual weapon against the schemes of a relent-less enemy.

And may the Lord accept our thanks , in Jesus mighty Name. Amen.

You will have a great turn-around this 2020.

Remain blessed. 

Shalom.

Could There Ever Be Blessings in Failure?

From Our Pastor's Desk

Micah 7:8 – “Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the LORD shall be a light unto me” When I fall, not if. All of us have failed in something before, sometime, somewhere.

Maybe relationship, exam, interview, test, business, opportunity, an attempt, pregnancy, etc. Failure is part of life. Our instinct is to be ashamed of failure. But it's far better to do something imperfectly than to do nothing perfectly.

The only true failure is doing nothing. When we do nothing, it means we are not moving anywhere. And that is a surefire way to stay in failure.

Mistakes/failures are not a problem, but not taking the opportunity to learn from them is. Identify your mistakes and learn from them quickly.

Many successful people have experienced some kind of failure, and they build on those lessons.  Psalms 37:23-24 – “The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way.

Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand” Good men fall. Good women fail. God knows that. And that is even after ordering the steps of the good, godly man/woman, he still fell…and God knows & He’s prepared to uphold them.

Lord, we thank you for upholding us, in Jesus mighty Name. Amen. You will have a great turn-around this 2020. 

Remain blessed. 

Shalom.

What Are You Counting?

From Our Pastor's Desk

Human beings have an innate ability to count. It’s a built-in system for recognizing and representing numbers.

We’re born with the ability to see the world numerically just as we’re born to see the world in color.

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Counting almost everything in our world is effortless to us, from cars to babies, animals to computers, taxes to inventory, and members to worshipers in a gathering.

But we choose what  to count & what not to count. To count, you first  choose the objects you want to count. Some choose  to count how many times they have prayed for a thing  without answer from God, rather than many more  things they received after praying, even without even  praying for those things at all.

Counting, Biblically  speaking, involves looking solemnly and with thanks at the  things we’re counting. God desire that, for example, we count/ number our days, look back at our past, wisely & thankfully consider our experiences so we become wiser.

Psalms 90:12 – “So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom” So, the concluding question is “What have you been counting?”

God is not a wicked God, and life is not all about problems. Everyone counts issues per time. It’s either you count your blessings or you count your problems. God has done so many things for you that if you can only take a moment to consider this, you’d be surprised, and your response just has to be “Heavenly Father, I am grateful for all you have done for me and my family”.

The Lord help us, in Jesus mighty Name. Amen. You will have a great turn-around this 2020.  Remain blessed.  Shalom.

Abounding With Thanksgiving

By Sis. Obiageli Eziokwu

Colossians 2:7; “Rooted and built up in Him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein in Thanksgiving '' The Dictionary definition of “Abound” is “to exist in large numbers or amount” and “Thanksgiving” is “the expression of gratitude, especially to God. ''

Notice that the passage identified three (3) key characteristics or the category of people expected to abound in thanksgiving. It goes without saying that this passage is referring to Christians. Therefore, the life of a Christian should be one of thanksgiving, rejoicing and gratitude to God!

1 Thessalonians 5:18; “in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you”. He expects us to be thankful no matter the circumstance since we have given our lives to Him and trust Him because He is a good God and his love endures forever -1 Chronicles 16:34.

Countless times the bible admonishes us to be cheerful, be filled with joy, rejoice, be thankful; these are all synonyms of abounding in thanksgiving.

Brethren, abounding in thanksgiving may not be palatable always, Jesus Himself when He was on earth said- ‘in the world you have tribulation and distress and suffering, but be courageous (be confident, be undaunted, be filled with joy); I have overcome the world” - John 16:33.

We have come to the throne of grace and He shall strengthen us to abound in thanksgiving, in Jesus mighty Name. Amen.

You will have a great turn-around this 2020.
Remain blessed.
Shalom.