...and Peter

From Our Pastor's Desk

Mark 16:7  But go your way, tell his disciples and Peter that he goeth before you into Galilee: there shall ye see him, as he said unto you. Let’s not quickly forget Bro. Peter. 

There were many latter men of God, albeit apostles, that committed some terrible blunders in their early days. If anyone should have been disqualified from ministry, it was Peter, not even Paul, even though Paul did some pretty awful things too, to Christians, and the name of Christ as well. 

But Peter? In Luke 22:33, Peter beat his chest and boasted to Christ “And he said unto him, Lord, I am ready to go with thee, both into prison, and to death” But when the time to “walk the talk” came, to put “his money where his mouth was”, he became wussy. 

Matthew 26:72-75 – “And again he denied with an oath, I do not know the man. And after a while came unto him they that stood by, and said to Peter, Surely thou also art one of them; for thy speech betrayeth thee. 

Then began he to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the man. And immediately the cock crew. And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, He denied Jesus. Not once. Not twice. But three times. 

But in Mark 16:7, this same Peter was given a personal mention, focused at-tention….”and Peter”. This shows that Peter's mistake was not final. He messed up, but he could finish well.  

It doesn’t matter how we started or what mistakes we made, may we finish well and finish strong, in Jesus Name. Amen.  

You will have good success this 2021. 

Remain blessed.  

Shalom. 

Mercy of God

By Deaconess Florence Oyedeji

There are divers stories in the Bible where people appealed to the Mercy of God or they threw themselves on the Mercy of God. Not something that we do so much these days....But we should.  

The principal Hebrew word for mercy speaks of an emotional response to the needs of others. It means to feel the pain of another so deeply that we’re compelled to do something about it. 

People in Biblical times believed that the seat of emotions was found in the intestinal area. That’s why the King James Version uses the phrase, “bowels of mercy.” 

Jer. 31:20.  This is the same as Christ’s mercy to us, this is what He did and continues to do for us. 

By showing this kind of mercy to others, we become like Jesus. Col. 3:12-13—”Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; For-bearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye”.  

Thank you Father, for your tender mercies, in Jesus Name.

 Amen.  You will have good success this 2021.  

Remain blessed.   

Shalom.

Moving Past the Past

 

From Our Pastor's Desk

Our past is what Jesus came to die for and our past has been forgiven by Jesus.  Isaiah 53:5 says “… the chastisement of our peace was upon Him…” This means the chastening (that we should bear), punishment, rebuke, castigation, penalty, condemnation, and painful consequences due from our sins were already upon Jesus. 

And because the consequences of what we did or experienced in the past has been nailed to the cross, we need to put the past where it belongs, in the past, and focus on the future.

The Bible says in 2nd Cor. 5:17-19 “Therefore, if any-one is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! 

All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them. 

And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation” In agreement with the above, Paul also said in Philippians 3:13-14  “Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” 

The moment we give our lives to Jesus Christ as our Lord & Savior, our past have being forgiven and we no longer live in the past. The devil loves using the past to torment Christians and steal their joy, peace and blessings, so he doesn’t want us to for-get our pasts. 

He knows that the moment we forget our pasts there will be peace of God in our lives. The Lord God has forgiven all our past sins and redeemed us through the Blood of Jesus Christ.  

Brethren, the difference between our past and present/future is MERCY. Thank you Father, for your tender mercies, in Jesus Name. Amen.  

You will have good success this 2021.  

Remain blessed.   

Shalom.

Maintaining Peace

By Deacon Joseph Nnaji

How can we maintain our peace in this world full of trouble? The Bible clearly tells us to “follow peace with all men, and holiness without which no eyes shall see the Lord.” - Hebrews 12:14. 

Does this then mean that people would follow you with peace at all times? Definitely not, as a matter of fact, that is the time that the enemy stirs up hate, negative perceptions, and stormy situations against you. 

Mark 4:37 says, “And there arose a storm against them.” Even with Jesus on the boat the storm came.

Romans 12:17-18, Paul through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit wrote saying, “recompense to no man evil for evil. 

Provide things honest in the sight of all men. If it is possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.”  In one of the beatitudes that our Lord Himself teaches in Matthew 5:9- “blessed are the peace makers: for they shall be called the children of God.”  

“Therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” - Romans 5:1. The conclusion of the whole matter brethren is that, if we want to continue to enjoy the peace which only He alone can give, we must maintain our good standing with God, and also do everything possible to follow peace with all men. 

From this moment onward we will begin to enjoy peace, on every side, in Jesus Name. Amen.  

You will have good success this 2021.  

Remain blessed.   

Shalom.

Trust, The Secret of Peace

From Our Pastor's Desk

John 14:27-“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid”.  Peace means rest, safety, good health, quietness, prosperity. 

Peace is being calm and having no troubles what so ever, even in the midst of chaos or storm. Peace is truce, ceasefire, treaty, armistice, pacification, conciliation, cessation of hostilities, rest, stillness, calmness.  All the listed meanings of peace can never be experienced in life except God is involved. 

It is only the peace of God that can allow someone to live in trouble times and with the threat of persecution all around.  Peace from above is available but only to those that are close to God and put their trust in Him.  

Psalms 9:10 And they that k now thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, LORD, hast not forsaken them that seek thee.  

Psalms 125:1 They that trust in the L ORD shall be as mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth for ever.  Psalms 18:30 As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him.  Know that “storms without God will break you. Storms with God will make you”  

From this moment onward we will begin to enjoy peace – physical peace, financial peace, spiritual peace, all-round peace, on every side, as we absolutely, 100% put our trust in God, in Jesus Name. Amen.  

You will have good success this 2021.  

Remain blessed.   

Shalom. 

Peace is Love

By Bro. Gabriel Bamgbose

But the Lord said to him, “Peace! Do not be afraid. You’re not going to die.” (Judges 6: 23) The word of God came to Gideon when his people, the Israelites, were experiencing adversity because of their evil deeds. 

In that moment of crisis, God pronounced peace into the life of Gideon. Why? Because God saw something lacking in the world of the Israelites in him—the spirit of love.  

The declaration of peace in that encounter with Gideon comes with two divine injunctions: freedom from fear and death. Brethren, that means the promise of peace allays the fear of evil and brings the assurance of life. 

When God speaks, peace reigns even in the most chaotic moment.  There is an important lesson to draw from Gideon’s response when the Angel of the Lord addressed him, saying, “The Lord is with you, mighty warrior.”  

He answered with the question: “but if the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us?” (Judges 6:12-13) Does this question sound like the common one believers ask today? 

How is it possible that the Lord is with us and our life is still a mess? The reason crisis befalls the Israelites even when God is with them is not far-fetched; they lost their peace because they violated God’s command. 

The command to love: “These things I command you, that ye love one an-other” (John 15:17). This command to love one another  is grounded in the first command—the command to love God Matthew 22:37-39; Mark 12:30-31; Luke 10:27. 

Jesus Christ clarifies that we cannot love God if we fail to love our neighbors. Paul describes the principle of love as the ground rule that should guide the everyday life of a believer Romans 12:9-21. Indeed, love is the condition for  peace.  

May the Lord grant us the grace to spread His love that His peace may flow in and through us, in Jesus Name. Amen.  

You will have good success this 2021. 

Remain blessed.  

Shalom

All-Surpassing Peace

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 under-standing, 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 that surpasses all understanding, Paul says we must rejoice, be gentle, be not anxious but pray with thanksgiving. 

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

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 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 peace of God which transcends all understanding, in Jesus Name. 

Amen You will have good success this 2021. 

Remain blessed.  Shalom.