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.