Money Matters. Rest From Financial Stress

From Our Pastor's Desk

There is no aspect of life that financial matters don’t touch. When you don’t handle your finances well. Day to day, it causes problems. 

Some people are sick, unhealthy, have constant headaches, and have gone mental, not because of any medical condition, but ill-managed finances. Some have lost lives, committed suicides due to that. 

Two greatest causes of stress in working people’s lives? Time management & money.  

43.7 million households in the U.S. have less than $1,000 in liquid assets - 16.3 million households have a net worth of 0 or less 

What do people do and how do they react? – Good question Answer – They borrow more money. People are taking on more debt than they can handle We need to start avoiding the bondage of debt entirely, if possible. We are enslaved to financial debt. 

Credit has replaced savings in our culture that doesn’t know how to live below our means. The Bible describes the condition of being indebted to another as a significant burden, and the emotional reality is sometimes overpowering. 

“The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender”, says the wise Solomon in Proverbs 22:7. Being in debt is the worst form of poverty. 

Debt is like any other trap, easy enough to get into, but hard enough to get out of. Whoever goes a-borrowing goes a-sorrowing.  

Brethren, it is better to go to bed supper-less, rather than wake up in debt. The Lord will seal forever all the leakages in your finances, and plug every satanic holes in your pocket, purse, account, in Jesus Name. Amen 

You will have good success this 2021. 

Remain blessed.  Shalom.

All-Round, 360° Rest

From Our Pastor's Desk

Philippians 4:4-7 – “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” 

This part of the Bible talks about the relationship between some choices we make and God’s peace. 

For peace & rest that surpass all understanding, Paul says we must rejoice, be gentle, be not anxious but pray with thanksgiving. 

Then, God’s peace & rest, even in hard situations, will flow & stand guard to keep our hearts and minds. God desires to give us His rest but those are a few choices that we need to make along the way. 

We must come to Him to receive. As soon as difficulty arises and pain intrudes, a person ceases to rejoice. But joy is a gift from God that enables believers to find hope, rest and peace—even when life seemingly falls apart.  

The love of Almighty God is unconditional, and His indwelling Spirit will never abandon us. He understands everything that we face and promises to provide for our needs.  

When we stop to consider the amazing blessings that are ours in Christ, gratitude should overwhelm us. Sadness concerning circumstances may still endure, but the joy of the Lord will carry us through even the deepest pain 

So, as we rejoice, live humbly and pray, trusting God that He will bring about His will in our lives; as we go through life with less anxiety because we know God is in control; it is then that we experience the rest & peace of God which transcend all understanding, in Jesus Name. 

Amen 

You will have good success this 2021. 

Remain blessed.  Shalom. 

Peace, Be Still

By Bro. Joseph Ogunmodede

Mark 4:39 - “And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.”  

As we go about our daily activities, we tend to encounter several challenges. Perhaps things seem not to be currently working out for us as planned. W

e desire to move to the next phase of our journey in life. Many of us are worried and anxious because of our aspirations we are yet to meet. 

We are troubled and disturbed because we have experienced one form of disappointment or the other.

 We are weary because of different forms of persecution from the opposition. These are storms that tend to disturb the smooth sailing of our ship of progress. 

The good news, however, is that God is declaring concerning our situation: “peace, be still”.  The disciples were afraid of the storm while they were journeying with Jesus on the sea. 

Mark 4:38 says “… he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish?”  Our God is a God of action. The Bible says “…  he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm”. (Mark 4:39) 

May God rebuke every wind disturbing our lives today in Jesus Name. 

What are the storms in your life? What are you worried about? How to pay your bills? How to provide for your family? How to live a healthy life? How to pay your debt? How to excel in your academics? How to find a life partner? How to succeed in your career? How to prosper in your ministry? 

God is declaring over every such storm in our lives: “Peace, be still”.  All forms of wind and storms in our lives causing us anxiety shall cease today and we shall experience a great calm, in Jesus mighty name.  

You will have good success this 2021. 

Remain blessed.  

Shalom. 

No More Worries, Martha

From Our Pastor's Desk

Luke 10:41 – “And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things…”  

Firstly, let us note that Martha was not a bad person. She was a friend of Jesus. 

The verse above only showed a Martha, worried, anxious and troubled about too many things. And her state is an indication of the world we live in now. 

We worry about the future and the unknown; we worry about tomorrow, what we will eat, drink, clothes to wear, and the pay check we have not received, and how it is going to be enough.  

We are occupied with too many activities.  We live in a culture of hectic schedules and the relentless pursuit of productivity, we are tempted to measure our worth by how busy we are, by how much we accomplish, or by how well we meet the expectations of others Many of us will likely identify with Martha. 

It is true that much of our busyness and distraction stems from the noblest of intentions. We want to provide for our families, we want to give our children every opportunity to enrich their lives, we want to serve our church members, and yes, we want to serve the Lord.  

But if all our activities leave us with no time to be still in the Lord’s presence and hear God’s word, we are likely to end up anxious and troubled.  If we are burdened, overloaded and cumbered with so many things, where and how do we find rest? 

Jesus said in Matthew 11:28-30 – “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 

For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”  

In Jesus Christ is rest. As we release all of our burdens and cares to Him, may we find rest, in Jesus mighty name.  You will have good success this 2021. Remain blessed.  Shalom.  

December 2021 - Month of Rest on Every Side

From Our Pastor's Desk

Welcome to this our new Month of Rest on Every Side, in Jesus name. 

1st Kings 5:4 – “But now the LORD my God hath given me rest on every side, so that there is neither adversary nor evil occurrent” 

No one is exempted from adversaries, enemies, antagonists, troubles, and pains of life. Jesus already warned us “in this world we will have troubles”, but He added “take heart. I have overcome the world” 

We all have duties, responsibilities, worries, and expectations, and loads that we all carry. These are burdens. 

We worry about our family, children, parents, job, bills, money, relationships, health, etc. Some carry guilt or fear. Of the future, that bad things will happen, of being alone, of failure. 

Many Christians carry around sorrow, sadness, feelings of inadequacies and unworthiness. BUT this month and beyond, the burden carrier, Jesus, is here. 

He says in Matthew 11:28 – “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” 

You cannot not receive the needed rest unless you come and drop your heavy burden.  Mercy Seatizens, welcome to December 2021, Our Month of Rest on Every Side. 

As we move close to end of year, the Lord will give us rest & peace from all sorrow, fear, hard bondage. 

In the midst of trouble, the Prince of Peace shall give us rest, relaxation & calmness, in Jesus Name. Amen.

The Ultimate Purpose of Showers

From Our Pastor's Desk

“Say not ye, there are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest. I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labor: other men la-bored, and ye are entered into their labors.” John 4:35,38 

We bless the Name of Jesus for this month of Showers of Blessings. 

We have prayed for seasonal rain/showers, in the spiritual, physical, financial, parental, marital, professional, and on every side. 

The question, as we round up the revelations for this month, is “What is the ultimate purpose of the showers?” 

Answer is – Great Harvest. What is Harvest? Harvest is defined as the gathering in of a crop, a time of the year when mature grains, fruit, vegetables, etc. are reaped and gathered. Harvest comes only after sowing. 

“While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest (timing and quantity determined by God, always more than what is sown)…, shall not cease”  (Genesis 8:22).  Sowing (to plant, propagate, spread, scatter, giving) and reaping (to harvest, glean, gather, get, gain, intake, results, receiving), synonyms of seedtime and harvest were established by God right from creation. Jesus said the entire kingdom of God is based on these, Mark 4:26-29 

Brethren, the ultimate purpose of showers is for the great harvest. A great harvest of joy, favor, abundance, overflowing blessing and answered prayers this month, so long as we obey the conditions of harvest. 

And of souls, which are the greatest of blessings, as God & the heavens are pleased and rejoice at the salvation/harvest of even one soul. 

Lord God, arise and let there be more harvest of souls in the churches on earth this year & beyond, in Jesus mighty name. 

You will have good success this 2021. 

Remain blessed.  

Shalom. 

Count Your Blessings

 By Deacon Ike Mbila

In this our month of “Showers of Blessing on Every Side”, we must ask ourselves some key questions like what is showers? 

What is blessing? And what might we do to provoke God’s blessings to rain on us on every side in this month?  

Showers is a mode of precipitation characterized by an abrupt start and rapid variations in intensity often strong comes from convective clouds like cumulus congestus. 

It comes suddenly in a galore of events. Blessing is a prayer asking for God’s favor and protection, In Hebrew it is barak which means kneeling to adore or praise. 

Therefore, in this month, we must seek the trajectory that will help us achieve this desire for blessing from God to shower on us on every side. What must we do? 

 Count the blessings God Has already granted you/us and appreciate God for those - Philippians 1:6.  Sow a battle seed or get into a covenant with God as Hannah did – 1st Samuel 1:17-19.
 Pray without ceasing – 1st Thessalonians 5:17.
 We must believe in the word of God encompassed in the theme of the month - Ezekiel 34:26 
 Remind God of His promises in His word which never returns to Him void - Isaiah 55:10-11 
 Humility and staying away from any who might make you fall away – 2nd Chronicles 7:14 
 Position yourself to receive the showers of blessing all round, by being in God’s presence always – 2nd Samuel 6:11-12 

May we be showered with blessings all around, in Jesus mighty name. 

You will have good success this 2021. Remain blessed. 

Confident in Faith

By Bro. Olugbenga Olageshin

Ephesians 2:8 God saved you by HIS grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this, it is a gift from God. Hebrews 11:1 - Faith shows the reality of what we hope for, it is the evidence of things we cannot see. 

A lot of times because of situations we find ourselves we become less confident in our faith, it becomes shakable and sometimes start doubting God, It is not the end, it’s a bend, God puts those impediments/obstacles in our lives to remind us of who He is, for us to appreciate the little gifts we hardly appreciate. 

Regardless of what our start in life may have been, Jesus has made a way for us to start anew, HE already took away all disappointments, discouragement, or despair that may have ravaged our lives in the past.

 All we need to do is have faith in HIS words, faith in God’s faithfulness is what makes our faith so powerful. 1 Cor 16:13 ‘be on your guard, stand firm in the faith; be men of courage, be strong. 

May God almighty continually grant us the strength to have confident unwavering and unshakable faith in HIM regardless of whatever circumstance we find ourselves now and forever, in Jesus mighty name. 

You will have good success this 2021. 

Remain blessed.  

Shalom.

And Again He Prayed...

From Our Pastor's Desk

James 5:18 - “And again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops” 

Key phrase here is “ again”. Again signifies consistency. Doing it over, repeatedly. 

What is consistency? It means steadiness, dependability, uniformity and or persistence. It also means standing with something, doing it until the required or expected results are achieved. 

It’s akin to determination.  “So we built the wall and the whole wall was joined together to half its height; for the people had a mind to work”.

 Nehemiah 4:6. In order to begin and end an endeavor, it takes the right consistent attitude and determination to finish what one starts. Webster dictionary says “…determination is the act of deciding definitely and firmly to a purpose…” 

It is perseverance, patience, resolve, tenacity and persistence.  Thomas Fuller (1608–61), an English preacher and author said "A n invincible determination can accomplish almost anything and in this lies the great distinction between great men and little men."  

We need to be consistent in our prayers & sowing, again and again, so our cloud can be full of moisture, resulting in showers. 

Do you know there was a time when the Israelites were restrained from giving? They were giving so much that Moses has to say, “STOP!” 

Exodus 36:5-7 – “So the people were restrained from bringing. For the stuff they had was sufficient for all the work to make it, and too much” 

That was persistence. In a world where the way of getting is more prevalent than the way of giving, it is difficult to see people giving more than what is asked of them. 

Ecclesiastes 11:3 - "“If the clouds be full of rain, they empty themselves upon the earth..."  May our clouds be full of moisture (from consistent prayers & seeds), and empty upon us the spiritual rainfall & showers of blessings to make us refreshed and renewed, in Jesus mighty name. 

You will have good success this 2021. Remain blessed.  

Shalom.

November 2021 - Month of Showers of Blessings on Every Side

 From Our Pastor's Desk

November 2021 Month of Showers of Blessings on Every Side 

Welcome to this our new Month of Showers of Blessings on Every Side, in Jesus name. Ezekiel 34:26-27 And I will make them and the places round about my hill a blessing; and I will cause the shower to come down in his season; there shall be showers of blessing  

Are you going through a dryness or “drought” in any certain area of your life right now? 

Experiencing a dry season spiritually? Or feeling emotionally parched & weak? Or maybe your finances or various streams of income seem to have all dried up. 

These are indications of dryness.  God wants to rain blessings in our lives; not just a light rain of blessings. He wants to pour down heavy showers of blessings on you! 

He wants to drench, soak and saturate His children with His love, His goodness, His grace, His mercy, and His kindness. He wants to flood us with blessings! Only one thing He requires of us…Obedience.

 Deut. 28:2 – “And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God”  Mercy Seatizens, welcome to November 2021, “Our Month of Showers of Blessings on Every Side” 

As we are obedient to the Lord this month & beyond, no matter what area of life we may be experiencing a drought, He will come through for us as surely as the rain, in Jesus Name. Amen

When God Says "No"!

From Our Pastor's Desk

Matthew 26:36-39 – “Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder. And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy. Then saith He unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me. And He went a little further, and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt"  And the Father was silent. 

Matthew 27 45-46  “Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour. And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

 Silence, again. I have two daughters whom I love dearly. I would do anything for them.  

I know, if needed, I would lay my life on the line to protect them.  Yet over the years, there have been numerous times that I have said no to their requests. 

Because I know what is best for my daughters. So it is with God.  God knows our needs, and He also sees the "big picture" that you and I cannot see from our limited finite human perspective. Just as we know when to say no to our children whom we love, God knows when to say no to us. 

We pray for patience, when it seems heaven is silent,, in Jesus mighty name. You will have good success this 2021. Remain blessed.   

Shalom.

Deliverance from Poverty

By Sis. Adetola Akinseye

Psalms 112:3-4 – Wealth and riches will be in his house, and his righteous-ness endures forever. Unto the upright there arises light in the darkness; He is gracious, and full of compassion, and righteous.

Deliverance is defined as “a rescue from bondage or danger.” Deliverance in the Bible is the acts of God whereby He rescues His people from peril. 

Breaking the spirit of poverty comes with having a relationship with Jesus which does not mean that we are free from problems or struggles. 

It is true that many of our battles and struggles in life could be in the spiritual realm which means we will have to wage war, however, many Christians suffer financial lack because they do not understand the type of battle they are against. 

Proverbs 10:15 says; The rich man’s wealth is his strong city; The destruction of the poor is their poverty. God’s promise to us is riches and wealth. 

Wealth is when you have assets and investment; riches is when you have abundance money. The only way we can be set free from financial poverty is to pray and work for God’s promises to manifest. 

Jacob for example, went through a standstill where he had to wrestle with God until things moved for him. Even though tomorrow will take care of itself; but remember that tomorrow is not promised, therefore, we must put in the hard work today to profit tomorrow. 

Today is the day to push your destiny to the path of prosperity, in Jesus mighty name. 

You will have good success this 2021. 

Remain blessed.   

Shalom.

The Time for Deliverance

By Pastor ‘Tayo Adewale

Psalms 30:5 - “For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning”  

This Scripture simply tells us that no matter the situation, no matter the weeping and the amount of tears shed during the night, due to an infirmity or captivity, the time of deliverance comes in the morning. 

The time of deliverance will always come, that your joy will be full.  Deliverance is defined as “a rescue from bondage or danger.” 

Deliverance in the Bible is the acts of God whereby He rescues His people from peril. In the Bible, deliverance is focused primarily on God’s removal of those who are in the midst of trouble or danger.  

We are all in one prison/gate/closed door or the other. That means that we all need deliverance no doubt about that. It could be spiritual, physical, emotional, or financial deliverance.  

Psalms 126:1-2 – “When the LORD turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream. Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing: then said they among the heathen, The LORD hath done great things for them”  

No matter how long the bondage, captivity or danger is, there is always A TIME of deliverance. The time when God will show up to deliver. A time when we cry “enough is enough”, cry to God for help, and when God will lend His hand of help in time of our troubles.  

Brethren, any one that the Son of God has set free is free indeed. Believe it that this month you shall receive your total deliverance and it shall be so in Jesus Name. 

May He continue to strengthen us as we wait unto Him, in Jesus mighty name. 

You will have good success this 2021. Remain blessed.   

Shalom. 

Going About Doing Good - Evagelism Week 2021

 From Our Pastor's Desk

Acts 10:38 - “How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him” 

Brethren, we are not here by accident! God, in His infinite wisdom and grace, has chosen us to be at this particular place and at this particular time in history before the foundation of the world so that we could help carry out His plan. His plan? 

That is clearly stated in Mark 16:15 – “And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature” 

Verse 20 then concluded the chapter with “And they went forth, and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen” 

God specifically anointed Jesus Christ during His earthly walk to go about doing good, setting the captives free. 

We have the same specific instructions "preach the Good News to everybody everywhere." God is counting on us. Don't make the mistake of waiting around until everything gets perfectly straightened out in your life, all ducks lined up perfectly in a row, or when all the stars are aligned, before you begin to reach out to people in need. 

Too often we say, God, as soon as you get me out of all my problems, then I'm going to witness to my family and friends. That is fantasy. 

Let’s stop making excuses. There is no problem, issue or challenge-free life. satan loves for God's people to procrastinate.  Friends, many are dying in their sins, in spiritual destruction. 

The time to speak & witness of God’s love and work of salvation is NOW! We receive the zeal, grace and boldness to “go about doing good and witnessing the Good News”, in Jesus mighty name. 

You will have good success this 2021. 

Remain blessed.  

Shalom.

3 Players of Deliverance

From Our Pastor's Desk

Psalms 34:17-19 – “The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles…many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all”

 

Deliverance is defined as “a rescue from bondage or danger.” Deliverance in the Bible is the acts of God whereby He rescues His people from peril. 

Whenever we talk about deliverance you need to know that there is warfare involved. 

It means there is somebody who has been captured. There is somebody who captured them and there is somebody who is coming to deliver the one who has been captured. 

So there’s bound to be warfare.  In Luke 8:26-28, we read the story of the madman of Gadarene in his state of "long time complete insanity". 

One day, he recognized Jesus because his eyes of understanding were opened. The good news here is that as the man met with Jesus his situation turned around. 

The Bible states that the man “… had devils long time, and wore no clothes, neither abode in any house, but in the tombs…” No matter how long you have been living with that infirmity or issue, the gravity of the issue/problem notwithstanding, today is the day of deliverance on every side. 

You will receive your total freedom and transformation now, in Jesus mighty name. 

You will have good success this 2021. 

Remain blessed.  

Shalom. 

October 2021 - Our Month of Deliverance on Every Side

 From Our Pastor's Desk

Welcome to this our new Month of Deliverance on Every Side, in Jesus name. Psalms 34:7 - The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them. 

What reassuring news! In Luke 8:26-28, we read about the madman of Gadarene in his state of "long time complete insanity" and he recognized Jesus because his eyes of understanding were opened. 

The good news here is that as the man, even a mad man, met with Jesus his situation turned around.  

Ours, no matter how long we have been living with it, gravity of the problem notwithstanding, we will receive our total deliverance in Jesus Name.  

Whenever we talk about deliverance we need to know that there is warfare involved. It means there is somebody who has been captured. 

There is somebody who captured him and there is somebody who is coming to deliver the one who has been captured. 

So there’s bound to be warfare. The captor is satan (John 10:10); the captive is the one that is possessed or troubled. And the deliverer is JESUS (Philippians 2:9-11). 

Mercy Seatizens, welcome to October 2021, “Our Month of Deliverance on Every Side” This month, every situation must bow to Jesus whether the devil likes it or not. Jesus Christ is alive & here today to set the captives free  in Jesus Name. Amen.

Lift up your heads, All ye Gates

By Pastor Kemi Epidi 

Gates serve as entry points. Entry points to a house, city, palace, church, or a person’s life (breakthroughs and lifting). There are also gates in the spiritual realm. 

While God has gates He uses to release blessings and good things into our lives, the devil uses his own evil gates to pass or introduce sin, problems, afflictions and all manner of evil into people’s lives.

 We can deduce that David most likely wrote Psalm 24 when he was at the lowest point of his life. 

He had been anointed king over Israel but instead of taking the throne he became a servant in the palace. 

However, he knew that once the King of glory comes in, everything to do with shame in his life will disappear. Before he invited the King of glory, he addressed the things that had been restricting his lifting. 

Psalm 24:7 says lift up your heads, o ye gates; and be lift up, ye everlasting doors and the King of glory shall come in. There are certain gates that need to be lifted for us to receive our lifting. 

They must be possessed, captured, lifted and destroyed before we can conquer and emerge victoriously. Jesus said, He would build the church that has power to break the gates of hell Matt 16:19. 

Every gate restricting our lifting, restricting the access of the King of glory in our lives be lifted. He has done that––and He will continue to do that, in Jesus mighty name. 

You will have good success this 2021. Remain blessed.  Shalom.

The Woman, Her Husband and Her City

From Our Pastor's Desk

“And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary...” Luke 1:26-28  

The Bible has records of divine visitations from the Old to the New Testaments. Many of us have read and listened to people’s testimonies of divine visitation. 

If indeed the Bible is true to you, then there is what is known as divine visitation.  The Bible in Luke 1 explicitly gave a full record of how a young and beautiful damsel from a little town was visited by an angel of God.  

From the passage above, it clearly showed that the divine visitation for uplift was for three: Mary, Joseph, and Nazareth - Matthew 21:11 – “And the multitude said, This is Jesus the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee” 

The main character, the main objective of Heaven, the main reason & recipient of the angelic visitation and lifting up, was Mary. Brethren, I would like for you to go over the passage one more time, there was no visible qualification for this blessing except that she was a virgin. 

Nevertheless, heaven must have seen something else, apart from being a virgin, something we did not see or what is not visible to human perception, but only to God. 

My prayer is that, like Mary, the Lord will find in us that distinguishing trait that’ll single us out for divine visitation of upliftment, in Jesus mighty name. 

You will have good success this 2021. 

Remain blessed.  

Shalom.

Singled Out for Lifting

 By Bro. Chuks Abuaeme

1Samuel 16:12-13 – “And he sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy and withal of a beautiful countenance and godly to look to. And the Lord said, Arise, anoint him, for this is he. Then Samuel took the horn of Oil and anointed him in the midst of his brethren; and the spirit of the Lord came upon David and from that day forward”.  

Among the 8 sons of Jesse, God singled out David to be anointed for his purpose. He looked beyond the outward appearance but his heart. 

By man’s standard, he was overlooked, under-mined and deemed irrelevant or only good for menial jobs. While David was at the field, God saw his diligence and how he cared for his father’s sheep.  

As we live our daily lives, what would God see when He looks in our heart? What would He see in your heart when you’re not at the top or when you’re overlooked or, undermined?  

After David was anointed and had the spirit of God upon him, but he was not exempted from life’s challenges. Be prepared for the opportunity as well as the challenges. When God single you out to be lifted and blessed, the blessing comes along with challenges. 

In those moment of challenges, Let the word of God be your sword and light to guide you through. When David confronted Goliath as in 1Samuel 17:45 – “Then David said to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear ad with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of Host, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou has defiled”.  

The Lord grant us hearts that seek after God’s heart like David, so we also may be singled out for lifting, like David, in Jesus mighty name. 

You will have good success this 2021. 

Remain blessed.  

Shalom.

Join the LIFT Business

From Our Pastor's Desk

The Lift business is the business that God’s children, servants, vessels, Christians have been called into. It is the Kingdom Business. The King of the Kingdom Himself is in the Lift business. 

1 Samuel 2:7-8 – “The LORD maketh poor, and maketh rich: he bringeth low, and lifteth up. He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory: for the pillars of the earth are the LORD'S, and he hath set the world upon them” 

Psalms 147:6 – “The L ORD lifteth up the meek: he casteth the wicked down to the ground” Psalms 3:3 – “But thou, O LORD, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head” “Lifting the head” means that someone’s status in life has changed from one of disgrace or oppression to one of honor or glory. 

God hates the oppression of His people. Rather than letting tribulations continue, He will send relief to His people even in the worst of situations. 

All around us there are people who are hurting, people who are defeated, discouraged, depressed, there are people close to you who feel hopeless, and alone, circumstances have beaten them down; many of them may be on the verge of giving up, even committing suicide. 

They need a lift. And God has called us into the business of lifting each other up. The Lift Business of the Kingdom. Will you join? 

1 Thessalonians 5:11  Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one an-other, even as also ye do. Hebrews 12:12 – “Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees” 

The Lord grace us afresh to be “lifters of heads” just like our Father in Heaven, in Jesus mighty name.

 You will have good success this 2021. 

Remain blessed.  

Shalom. 

Christ in You, the Hope of Glory

Souled Out Teenagers Week - Shine BIG (Bright in Glory)

 By Bro. Rilwan Daniel Olunlade 

What does it mean to shine bright in glory? Shining bright in glory is to set yourself aside from others and live in certain characteristics.  

Naturally you will stand out from non-believers, it’s obvious because we have sets of rules to follow and live in light. You start to shine when you show love to others, be thankful, be faithful, and obedient in God.  

You will know you are shining bright when you can separate yourself from someone you know that doesn’t walk with God. Isaiah 60:2 says that darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the people. 

This meaning that we live in a world of darkness, when you shine you will be set aside from that. It says the Lord rises upon you and his glory appears over you.  We are created for God’s glory. Our purpose is to glorify God, doing so you will shine. 

Think of yourself as a temple, God lives in us, He shines in us, giving us life. Now that we know how to shine, you are now forced to continue. What I mean by this is to drive on with your faith.   

This point proves that God can chose anybody to use them for His work, by you obeying His word and His commandments you will shine great in glory. Matthew 5:16 says let your light shine before others so that they may see your good deeds and glorify your father in heaven. 

After reading this you can understand that God wants us as His followers to shine our light through our behavior and deeds so that non-believers become compelled to glorify our Father in heaven. 

In conclusion, if you want to shine you must first surrender yourself to God. When you surrender yourself open up to God’s calling and words. 

As you know now shining is the act of obeying God and doing things in His name so that non-believers see these acts and begin to glorify God. The Lord bless us as we shine and glorify Him, in Jesus mighty name. 

You will have good success this 2021. 

Remain blessed.  

Shalom

Shine Your Light

By: Min. Rebecca Orimoloye

We live in a climate where seasons are determinants in a lot of things we do. We are observant of our physical weather seasons, but it is imperative we also consider the season we are in as Christians to ensure we are prepared for it and act accordingly. 

We are in the season of revival - and we will see why and how.  

We often think of revivals as religious gatherings. This is largely true but we need to understand revivals are not necessarily religious in nature. A revival is an instance of something becoming popular, active, or important again. 

There is in fact a parallel set of revivals currently happening in the world today. 

There is the revival in Christendom as we have always known it and the revival of the kingdom of darkness. 

An example of this revival can be referred to as being woke or “the woke” generation. Unlike the Christendom revival, what we need to be mindful of is the fact that the revival of the kingdom of darkness is ever so subtle, one would hardly notice it at first. 

It is many times nearly irreversible when it is noticed as a problem. Joel 1:4 paints the picture accurately. The woke movement, which “innocently” started out as being alert to societal injustices, especially in racism is now taking a turn for the worse.  

 And the devil is very happy. His aim of building a parallel kingdom in heaven (Isaiah 14:12-14) is now being fanned by “the woke” revival. For example, a decision that was made to prohibit the name of Jesus or any religious mention in the public school curriculum wasn’t a decision that came about in a day. It was a subtle attack. 

The same is the case with replacing the word "Christmas" with holidays. As children of God and potential bearers of His light, our light must shine, no matter how little. The presence of our collective light, even in a big dark world becomes significant if it doesn't go out.  

We need to live as light bearers in this kingdom and allow the indwelling of the spirit of God in our lives, so we can be just like the Apostles in the upper room. In Acts 2:8-11, the Apostles were speaking in other languages the wonderful works of God. 

We need to ask the Holy Spirit to fill us up with His presence, to enable us to speak the current woke language in a way that what the woke will hear is the wonderful works of God.   

The Lord bless us as we thread this path, in Jesus mighty name. 

You will have good success this 2021. Remain blessed.  

Shalom.  

Glorify thy Father

By Min. Olusola Afolabi

When the children of God are glorified, God is glorified. It is the will of God that all glory be ascribed to Him through His children. The glory of God refer to the full expression of His beauty, His excellence and His infinite value. 

The glory of God is the totality of God, everything that describe God is the glory of God. 

To manifest the glory of God is to make public the infinite measure of God, causing men to honor, desire and desperately seek Him. 

For you to reveal the glory of God, your life have to become compelling enough to make men desperately want God. 

In Business, marketing help publicize the value of a product, this is to ensure that the glory of the product is compelling enough to make consumer desire the product. 

Some products used to be very popular or widely known across the world, at some point they lose their value and the glory of the brand becomes irrelevant. That’s similar to what happens when God is not glorified through us. If the saints are not glorified, God will not be marketable enough. 

If we are interested in seeing the Father glorified, then we should focus on the glory of God in the saint, which in turn bring glory to God. “Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples”. John 15:8. The fruitfulness of the sons of God brings Glory to God, there should be something about our life that should exemplified the glory of God. 

When men sees the manifestation of God in our way, we shall become a living testimony to the Glory of God. “And they glorified God in me.” Galatians 1:24. Our lives need to exemplify the scripture, thereby glorifying God. 

For the world await the manifestation of the sons of God, not the explanation of the sons of God. During the days of Jesus on earth, people see Him and the gospel of God was heard all-around the world. Now, in this generation, we are the Jesus that people will see, let the Father be glorified in us. If not for anything, but for the sake of your life. Glorify God in all your ways. 

We pray that the glory of God will continually be expressed in our lives, in Jesus mighty name. 

You will have good success this 2021. Remain blessed.  

Shalom. 

Manifesting the Glory of God

 By Min. Daniel Sangoleye

They will speak of your glory and majesty,” Psalm 145:5a.  The glory of God is the magnificent splendor and the splendid beauty of God. God’s glory can also be described as the goodness of God, His wonderful nature, and His perfect character. 

The grace to be a carrier, and to manifest the glory of God is made possible only by the Spirit of God when you live your life in total surrender to His leading. 

The glory of God on the life of a believer is very important because it brings dignity and splendor upon him - Psalm 21:5 “Great is His glory in your salvation; You bestow on him splendor and majesty.” 

God decorated our lives with His Glory when He created us “For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honor.” Psalms 8:5, but we must activate it. Just like Moses in Exodus 33:18, Moses said, “Please show me your glory.” 

When the glory of God is activated in your life, you will enjoy the presence of God, experience the power of God, and testify of the Lord’s goodness. 

The glory of the Lord is not only for you to enjoy, but to also declare to the whole world in everything we do according to Matthew 5:16 “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” 

2 Corinthians 3:18, also revealed to us that “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.” 

The Lord is calling us to have a deeper relationship with Him, to seek after Him, and to spend quality time with Him so that we can begin to manifest His glory. 

As you get closer to Him, the Lord will begin to change you, and you will start to become more like Him, reflecting His goodness, and His glory to the world. 

Is your life glorifying God? It is my prayer today that the Lord will use you and me to reflect His glory, in Jesus mighty name. 

You will have good success this 2021. 

Remain blessed.  Shalom. 

Hiding Among The Stuff

From Our Pastor's Desk

It was apparent that God’s choice had been declared. Saul was the man. He had been anointed and chosen, so everyone expected he should answer to his name at the first call, but, instead of that, none of his friends could find him. 

So in 1st Samuel 10:22, we read, “Therefore they enquired of the LORD further, if the man should yet come thither. 

And the LORD answered, Behold, he hath hid himself among the stuff” 

It is clear that he was deliberately hiding. Why? Why was he hiding? Didn’t he already know back in chapter 8 that he was God’s choice to be king? He was not modest or humble. Far from it. 

He did not want to accept responsibility, he was timid, afraid and/or intimidated.  

I want to ask you, what are you hiding behind today? If God created an opportunity for us to be/show the best version of ourselves, what would make us hide from accepting that opportunity? 

Timidity? Fear? Intimidation? Hiding because you are without formal education? Poor grammar? Are you hiding because you have no fervor for the things of God? Fear of success or achievement? Bad childhood? Orphaned? Alcoholic parents? 

You feel worthless because you have no title in the corporate world? You have no social standing? You’re not well to do? You’ve been burned in relationships? You have an ugly past? You’re divorced? Have an impediment? Are you physically unattractive? 

Understood. You’re not the first, nor will be the last to have any or all of the above. But, get out from behind these stuff, answer God’s call, and be the best you can be, to His glory alone, in Jesus mighty name. 

You will have good success this 2021. 

Remain blessed.  

Shalom.

Famous for God

By Praise Nnaji

“The Lord was with Joshua; and his fame was noised throughout all the country.” Joshua 6:27.

 In Joshua 1:5, God specifically told him that no man on earth would be able to stand against him all the days of his life, and that as He was with Moses so shall He be with him, He will neither leave nor forsake him. And we know according to Numbers 23:19, “God cannot lie.” 

Joshua became famous because God was with him. Would Joshua have been able to do all that he did without God? Think about it. Peter already disqualified himself after the great catch and his encounter with Jesus. 

But Jesus told Peter that He had a better job for him. From fisher-man to “fishers of men.” - Matthew 4:19. In Acts 9:32-43, - Peter healed the man that was sick of palsy for 8 years, he also raised Dorcas from death. 

And it was known throughout all Joppa; and many believed in the Lord. King Saul forgot Daniel 2:21 which says that, “God changes the times and seasons; He removes kings and sets up kings: He gives wisdom to the wise, and knowledge to those who have understanding.” 

King Saul went from fame to shame, because the fame got into his head, he disobeyed God, and God replaced him with David. -1 Samuel 16:1 Psalm 34:5, “those who look to Him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame.” 

Our fame for God will not be turned into shame, in Jesus mighty name. 

You will have good success this 2021.  

Remain blessed.  Shalom.

Fame in God

By Deaconess Oluchi Mfon

In our world everybody wants to be famous, well known for their blogs, podcast, brand name, products etc. 

Fame according to author Byron "fame is the advantage of been known by the people of whom you yourself know nothing and for whom you care as little" We are been drawn to fame because we are created for it. 

"And a person with a changed heart seeks praise from God not from people." (Romans 2:29 NLT). God is the only one that can make us to stand out. There are many examples in the Bible, Abraham became famous through his total obedience to God - Gen12:2. 

In his obedience, God made him great not only him but every seed that came after him. Abraham was exceedingly great. As children of God, outside God we are nothing. Jeremiah 29:11 says “ ...to give you future and hope" 

Our Lord Jesus Christ has many track records of fame in His life time. He was obedient to death. He taught with incredible wisdom. We see how crowd followed Him in Luke 7:16-17; Matthew 9:29. His goal was to do the will of His Father. 

John is an example of fame. John 3:30. He pulled crowd to himself but he said Jesus must become greater I must become less. 

In your fame, greatness, achievement…who do you represent? Who made you? Remember, who made you will protect, sustain and beautify you. 

As children of God our fame is for the praise of Him that has called us out of darkness into His marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9). 

May your star outshine others stars, in Jesus mighty name. 

You will have good success this 2021.  

Remain blessed.  

Shalom

It's for her FAME

From Our Pastor's Desk

In our text the time of our Lord’s death was fast approaching. While He was in Simon the leper’s house the Bible says “a woman came having an alabaster flask of very costly oil of spikenard. And she broke the flask and poured it on His head.”vs3.  

This woman’s noble act drew the ire of majority of Jesus’ audience. They criticized her of a colossal wastage. In their estimation it was more economically and morally sensible for the oil to be sold and its proceeds given to the poor.  

The disciples were very indignant at the woman’s noble deed, considering it a mere waste. In the disciples’ estimation the ointment “…might have been sold for more than three hundred pence (about $40), and have been given to the poor."  - Mark 14:5.

 The Master felt totally different about this woman’s deed. He said, “Why trouble ye the woman? for she hath wrought a good work upon me….For in that she hath poured this ointment on my body, she did it for my burial.” 

Matthew 26:10-12 It’s rather unfortunate that this woman’s noble deed was detested by saintly people. Who are those troubling you or hurting your passion for God, or who are you troubling? 

Even though this woman most likely didn't know the significance of what she was doing our Lord termed her deed a “memorial”, a gospel appendage, sort of, saying in v13, "Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also this, that this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her."  

For her memorial. For her “Fame” . Little wonder, we’re still reading, learning, studying about this woman till date. All your gifts and services for the Lord will count for your memorial, for your fame in Christ, in Jesus mighty name. 

You will have good success this 2021. 

Remain blessed.  

Shalom.

July 2021 - Month of Fame on Every Side

From Our Pastor's Desk

Welcome to this our new Month of Fame on Every Side, in Jesus name. 1st Kings 4:31 – “For he was wiser than all men… and his fame was in all nations roundabout” 

To be famous means attaining a state of great reputation, recognition and to be widely known. The fame of Solomon grew and became known because of his wisdom.  

We need to separate the seeking of fame through our own pride and self-glorify from the God-given fame Solomon had through the wisdom God gave him. A desire for fame is not wrong in itself, but the motive matters. 

When we make it our goal to keep our hearts humble before the Lord, He promises to exalt us in His way, in His time. If He can better use us by making us famous, then fame will come our way, like Solomon, Abraham, Daniel, and many others in the scriptures used by God. And, of course, like Jesus.

 Mark 1:28 - “And immediately His fame spread throughout the region around Galilee”  Mercy Seatizens, welcome to July 2021, “Our Month of Fame on every Side”. This month & beyond, may the fame of Christ be reflected in our lives, homes, jobs, friendships, our families, church, and neighbor-hood. By reason of His anointing, the Lord will make us the “sought after”. 

Every garment of shame and reproach is changing to the garment of fame and rejoicing for us, in Jesus Name. Amen. 

No More Siege

From Our Pastor's Desk

2nd Kings 7:1 – “Then Elisha said, Hear ye the word of the LORD; Thus saith the LORD, To morrow about this time shall a measure of fine flour be sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, in the gate of Samaria” 

The word of God came to Elisha during the time the Israelites were under siege by the Syrian army. Saying about this time tomorrow the siege will be over; meaning there will be abundance. 

The siege caused scarcity of goods, food, and materials in the land. They could not go in nor go out. The Syrian armies were by the gate. 

A siege is the surrounding and blocking of a city or town or fortress by an army attempting to capture it. 

We can also say it is the act or process of surrounding and attacking a fortified place in such a way as to isolate it from help and supplies. The armies had surrounded and blocked the city. 

A siege is an embargo placed on movement of goods, services and persons, in and out of the city. It is a ban. A siege is an order or a restriction that do not allow the performance of a normal day to day activities. 

It can be a restraint; hindrance; prohibition; a stoppage or an impediment imposed on a country, community, business, organization or individual.  A siege is a time of broken defenses, safety threatened. Some of us are like the city under siege. 

It can be a series of illness, troubles or annoyances besetting a person. Job was under siege (Job 19:12), woman with the issue of blood was under siege (Mark 5:25-34) and so many other examples. Are you under any siege of any kind? 

 Today, God is telling you that in your life, tomorrow about this time, the siege will be over, the siege against your health, marriage, progress, promotion, joy, prosperity, will be over, in Jesus mighty name. You will have good success this 2021. 

Remain blessed.  

Shalom. 

Standing in the Gap

By Bro Femi Agboola

Before the time of Noah, Moses, Joshua, Samuel, even to our Lord Jesus Christ, over centuries and to this present time, God has sought men who would repair breaches, build bridges, heal the land, lead in righteousness, speak truth to power, raise the next generation of leaders. 

Yet at times when God seeks, sadly He finds none. MEN OF VALOR, God needs us and the world yearns for us as illustrated in this poem -  GOD, give us men! 

A time like this demands Strong minds, great hearts, true faith and ready hands; Men whom the lust of office does not kill; Men whom the spoils of office can not buy; Men who possess opinions and a will; Men who have honor; men who will not lie; Men who can stand before a demagogue And damn his treacherous flatteries without winking! 

Tall men, sun-crowned, who live above the fog In public duty, and in private thinking;  When God seeks and none is found, the proud and wicked prevail, selfishness and strife dominate, freedom weeps, wrong rules the land and justice sleeps. 

But as Gideon Men of Valor, we have been found of God. Our commitment as we celebrate another Fathers’ Day, as heads of our homes, leaders in community, is to remain found of the Lord, at all times, in all places, ready and willing to stand in the gap and be vessels in His service. 

And so shall it be in Jesus mighty name. 

You will have good success this 2021. 

Remain blessed.  

Shalom.

Mind Defense

 By Sis. Rebecca Orimoloye

Every country in the world has a military force, security arrangement with a neighboring country for protection,  ministry of defense, the military force (army, air force and navy), federal and local police. 

These are all in place, to help defend the citizens and offer an assurance of security. 

And in our homes, we have doors, windows, and many sophisticated alarm systems to give us a sense of protection and security against intruders. 

All of these are physical protection measures.  

The Bible is full of spiritual defense and security measures as we will learn of this month.  However, we need to consider the possibility of defending and securing our minds. 

The mind of a man deals with thinking, reasoning, application of knowledge, etc. No matter how spiritual one is, the importance of a sound mind cannot be overestimated. Elijah, in 1Kings 18 was so powerful that he literally called down fire and slaughtered the 450 prophets of Baal, but same Elijah started hiding and running from a common Jezebel. 

1Kings 19:3 says “And when he saw that, he arose and ran for his life, and went to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there.” Why would someone that had recently slaughtered 450 false prophets now suddenly start running away from a woman and her empty threats? There has been a disturbance with his mind.   

One can have all the physical protection money can possibly buy but not having a sound mind make our physical protection useless. 

We can then become a danger to ourselves and others. Our God is a God of wholeness. In Gen 2:2, God rested. He took a break from every-thing He had done. 

A break is a form of self-care and mind defense. We need to ask ourselves, when was the last time we truly rested? As we come to Jesus, He will take off all the burdens of our minds and give us rest, in Jesus mighty name. 

You will have good success this 2021. 

Remain blessed.  Shalom.

Light in the Night

 From Our Pastor's Desk

There are many biblical interpretations of night.  

1st Thessalonians 5:5-8 tells us that sins are committed in the night or darkness - “For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night. But since we belong to the day, let us be self-controlled” 

Night time is generally an unpleasant time.  It is a time of sadness and weeping for some (Psalm 30:5), wearisome to the afflicted, lonely, favorable to the purpose of the wicked, wild beasts go forth in search of prey during the night, time of stumbling, of spiritual darkness, seasons of severe calamities, of spiritual desertion, even death.  

Night time could be bitter, hellish, unpalatable, and painful. 

But thank God that those in their nighttime are not left alone, they are not hopeless. Zechariah 14:7 says – “At night time it shall be light”. There is light in the dark tunnel. Though we walk through the valley of the shadow of death we shall fear no evil, for He is with us; His rod and His staff they comfort us. 

Are you going through a nighttime experience right now? Things are just not working your way; you weep inwardly…Arise, shine, my brothers & sisters, for thy light has come.  

“At night time it shall be light” You will have good success this 2021.  Remain blessed.   

Shalom. 

June 2021 - Our Month of Defense & Safety on Every Side

From Our Pastor's Desk

Welcome to this our new Month of Defense & Safety on Every Side, in Jesus name. 

Psalms 125:2 - As the mountains are round about Jerusalem, so the LORD is round about His people from henceforth even forever. 

The mountains round-about Jerusalem provide for us a perfect picture of how God encircled and protected His people. 

Because we trust in God, we cannot be moved. We are surrounded by God’s protection and care. So we should not be afraid. 

God is our defense and safety, our refuge and strength, our fortress.  Psalms 91:1 says “He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty” 

A dwelling means a place to live, a house, a territory, home, residence, an occupancy. 

We have a place of residence in the secret place of the Almighty. We are at home in the presence of God. All our possessions, all those we love are there with us. 

We must hide ourselves in Him. As we do so, we remain calm and at rest in the face of all the frets & worries of life, untouched by any of them. Mercy Seatizens, welcome to June 2021, “Our Month of Defense & Safety on Every Side”. 

The Lord will keep a hedge of protection & safety around us and our families, on every side, He will keep His angels charge over us and ours, in Jesus Name.

Grace for Grace

John 1:16  And of His fullness have all we received, and grace for grace. Grace for Grace!!! This is like a math equation. Grace=grace. 

Just like Exodus 21:24 says an eye for an eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, which means if you took an eye, you gave back an eye. Likewise, grace as given unto you, give also. 

The world can do almost anything as well or better than the church. You need not be a Christian to build houses, feed the hungry or heal the sick. 

But there is only one thing the world cannot do. It cannot offer Grace. That is the churches’ most important contribution. Where else can the world go to find grace? Grace is Christianity’s best gift to the world. Now understand this, grace is more than forgiveness. 

It’s more than mercy. It’s beyond that. It’s on a very higher level. Many still struggle with unforgiveness that they cannot comprehend this state of grace, though we mention it all the time and ask for grace from God. 

Grace from God brings us closer to God, this same grace is available to us to use and bring others closer to us and to God. The verses in 2nd Cor. 8:7-11 admonish us that we should not receive grace in vain, and as we abound in everything else, we should also abound in grace, show it, do it. We also should offer grace. 

The Lord will make each and everyone of us grace givers, suppliers, distributors, and injectors, in Jesus Name. Amen. And of His fullness have all we received, and grace for grace.  

You will have good success this 2021.  

Remain blessed.   

Shalom.

Grace for Excellence II

From Our Pastor's Desk

Daniel 5:12 – “Forasmuch as an excellent spirit, and knowledge, and understanding, interpreting of dreams, and shewing of hard sentences, and dissolving of doubts, were found in the same Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar: now let Daniel be called, and he will shew the interpretation”  

Excellence is seen in – Knowledge, Understanding, Interpreting Concepts, Solving problems, Explaining complexities, enigmas, “hard sentences” etc.  

Excellent person has a spirit or an attitude that reflects these characteristics. Knowledgeable, ability to take things and break them down, solve complexities.  

Excellent people don’t look at problems and say “oh, we can’t do it…it’s never been done before” and back away. 

They look for  enigmas, complexities…understand them and explain them.  God is calling us to such, God is looking for Daniels. 

Not only from the pastors but leaders, workers, church members, every believer & every person, is expected of excellent spirits. 

Daniel exemplified this spirit during his service as a highly regarded administrator in a secular environment. The Scripture says that "he distinguished himself among the administrators . . . because of his exceptional qualities" so much so that "they could find no corruption in him, because he was trustworthy and neither corrupt nor negligent" - Daniel 6:3-4  

The spirit of Daniel is an excellent spirit. This is the Spirit of God, which is also upon each and everyone of us, in Jesus Name. Amen.  

You will have good success this 2021. 

Remain blessed.  

Shalom.

Grace for Distinction Part 1

 From Our Pastor's Desk

Numbers 32:12 – “Save Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite, and Joshua the son of Nun: for they have wholly followed the LORD” In Numbers 14:24, God testified of Caleb – “But because my servant Caleb has a different spirit and follows me wholeheartedly, I will bring him into the land he went to, and his descendants will inherit it” 

Due to no fault of his own, Caleb was forced to wander in the wilderness for forty years. 

He suffered because of the faithlessness & disobedience of the children of Israel. 

Through all this, Caleb never blamed God but simply trusted God and waited for the day when he would be allowed to cross over to the Promised Land. And that day came. 

Joshua 14:12-13 – “...And Joshua blessed him, and gave unto Caleb the son of Jephunneh Hebron for an inheritance” The "key" to our understanding of Caleb's character is found in the phrase, "different spirit" in Num. 14:24.  

The Caleb spirit was a distinctly different spirit from those around him, apart from a few (Joshua, Moses etc). A spirit of distinction. 

We too must possess a "different" spirit in order to be pleasing to God. Many in the Lord's church must come to grips with the fact that we are not like everyone else.  

The spirit of Caleb is a distinct, dream-fulfilling spirit. This is the Spirit of God, which is also upon each and everyone of us, in Jesus Name. Amen.  

You will have good success this 2021. 

Remain blessed.  Shalom.

Sufficient Grace

By Sis. Traci Salami 

Women are called to fulfill one of the most sacred duties known to man – to be mothers. Motherhood is no easy feat. We are charged with caring, nurturing, and developing innocent babies into upstanding and God-fearing members of society. 

The sacrifices women make are numerous and some fall short of ideal standards of motherhood when they place their faith in their own abilities rather than God. 

However, we all have the sufficient grace of God that will sustain us. God has a plan for mothers – one that gives them hope and a future. 

While some women crumble under the pressure by insisting on living life their own way, others rise to the occasion and fulfill the calling from the Lord by praying and asking God for help, trusting and believing in God’s plans, and acknowledging their weaknesses. 

Sometimes God blesses those who trust in Him with other “mother-figures” who will step in where the mother is not strong.  

In the story of Tabitha, we learn of a woman so connected to the needs of her community, that God uses her to feed, clothe, and nurture others. 

With Tabitha’s absence, the community mourns as if they had lost their own mother. Women are not only called to be mothers to their own children, but mothers of the community in which they live in order to bring others to Jesus. 

God blesses women with sufficient grace to nurture His children into His bosom and to answer His calling is an honorable act of service to God. 

As the Bible admonishes us to grow in grace & the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ, may we be obedient by the help of His Spirit, in Jesus Name. Amen.  

You will have good success this 2021. 

Remain blessed.  

Shalom. 

Grow in Grace

From Our Pastor's Desk

2nd Peter 3:18 – “But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever. Amen” 

Read a story about a man that was in jail for 15 years. 

Never received a single visitor. After his release, his wife and son met with him, only to tell him never to return to them. 

His 3 daughters, now married, refused to see him, never seen his 4 grand children (wasn’t sure how many).

A society that values “saving face” has no room for those who will seemingly bring them disgrace, so we disgrace them. 

We quickly want to see the other fellow disgraced, put down. We want the other to fall so we can bask in the light of self-justification while the other fellow fell. 

To show we are better Christians, more righteous, holier, smarter… All satan wanted to do was to disgrace Jesus on the cross. All his plan is to put us to shame, put us down, humiliate us. Some just want to see others fall. 

So they can bask…We just want to see others fumble and fall from grace, so that we can point to them and say “I’m not like that brother or sister…, I’m better” just like the Pharisee’s statement in his prayers. 

We just want to say “that’s good for him” As Peninah disgraced, abused, humiliated, provoked, belittled Hannah, some just want to see the “nakedness” of others, so they can laugh like Noah’s son, Ham…rather than cover each other’s nakedness as Shem & Japheth did.  

As the Bible admonishes us to grow in grace & the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ, may we be obedient by the help of His Spirit, in Jesus Name. Amen.  

You will have good success this 2021. 

Remain blessed.  

Shalom.

May 2021- Month of Grace & Sufficiency on Every Side

From Our Pastor's Desk

Welcome to this our new Month of Grace & Sufficient on Every Side, in Jesus name. 2nd Cor. 9:8 – “And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:” 

This is the month & season of grace, ALL grace. Well might we ask, “How much grace is all grace?” God is the God of all grace; and all grace is available for each and every believer, worker, servant, saint. All grace. 

All sufficiency. In ALL things. For ALL good work… There are various descriptions and categories of grace. The Bible talks of several. But our God says He will make all of the available grace abound towards us, for whatever may come our way. 

What are you going through at the moment? In what situation have you found yourself, and the enemy of your soul keeps reminding and accusing you of your past sins? Beloved, be not troubled. Run to the throne of grace this season.  

You will not be weary, you will not faint. Grace to abound is here. Grace to be sufficient in ALL things is yours. As a worker, tap into this grace to abound in EVERY good work. 

Mercy Seatizens, welcome to May 2021, Our Month of Grace & Sufficiency on Every Side. 

In this month and all months, God’s mercy, favor, grace and sufficiency will locate us all and overrule every weakness, weariness & contempt of satan and man in our lives, in Jesus Name. 

Amen.