RELEASED ON 13/ AUGUST/ 2019
BE YOUTHFUL FOR JESUS!
The bible says;
"Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come and the years approach when you will say, "I find no pleasure in them"
Ecclesiastes 12:1.
There has been a lot of clamour for the involvement of youth at the centre stage of affairs all over the world.
We have witnessed the emergence of youthful men and women on the biggest stages of world Politics in places like France, England and Canada.
Our dear Nation: Nigeria is not left out in the agitation for the eligibility of youths for major political offices.
To this end, a Bill called "Not Too Young To Run" was signed into law in 2018 by the President to give room for active participation of Nigerian youths in Politics.
Permit me to import that Bill into the work of God; as I push for #NotTooYoungToWorkForGod
Although it is not written anywhere in the bible, but the Scriptures made us to understand that God expect youths to work for Him.
The bible made reference to a young man called Timothy *( Acts 16:1&2)* who had strong passion for the work of God and God connected him to Apostle Paul who nurtured him and ordained him as an evangelist. Timothy served God committedly travelling around with Apostle Paul when he was twenty one years old, as they spread the Gospel to Asia.
A song writer wrote;
Forever young
I wanna be forever young
Do you really want to live forever?
Children of God, the focus and aim of this message is to encourage young people for "greater works" as regards kingdom assignments.
The question is what are you doing with your youthfulness?
The Psalmist said;
"How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word".
Psalm 119:9.
There is no excuse for youths not to be actively involved in the things of God even in this generation.
"Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity".
1 Timothy 4:12.
The attitude of some youths to the things of God is questionable. You may get away with a lackadaisical attitude to other works but God is keeping records of your attitude and commitment to His work.
The bible says concerning the sons of Eli;
"Now the sons of Eli were scoundrels (rogues) who had no respect for the LORD"
1 Sam 2:12.
Growing up as a teenager, I lived around youths that had unhindered passion for the work of God.
However, the decadence and the love of money in our society today have so much eaten deep into the mind set of our youths.
Gone are the days when youths are ever willing to dedicate their time for the work of God unreservedly.
Today, most youths are not willing to work in the house of God without being remunerated.
How did we get to this level of moral decadence that has affected our attitudes, interest and dedication to the work of God.
The incessant increase in unemployment among youths in our country obviously contributes largely to the insistence of our young people demanding for money before committing themselves to the work of God.
Truth be told; the manner in which the Church of God is being run like a business enterprise, the flamboyant lifestyle and utterances of some of the men and women behind the pulpit have not helped matters either.
A situation where the Church gives preferential treatment to people who are financially endowed or where too much emphasis is being placed on prosperity preaching is not Scriptural.
Statements like;
" I will buy my own private jet", or " My next car is going to be the latest Range Rover" while preaching to a congregation of people who are struggling to get two square meal do not glorify God or edify the Body of Christ at all.
I have search the Scripture so much, I am yet to see where any of the Disciples boasted about their possessions or their affluence.
Such utterances and lifestyle can make young people to be unnecessary desperate to get wealth, thereby making them to lose focus on what matters about life.
Matthew 6:33
Many young people are not even interested in doing anything for God, however the bible says;
"The creation eagerly waits with anticipation for God's sons to be revealed".
Romans 8:19
Where are the Samuel, David (1&2 Samuel ), Elisha ( I&2 Kings), Martha and Mary the sister of Lazarus ( John 11) of this generation?
I beseech all youths out there not to be enticed by money, title or privileges attached to the work of God, but they should be motivated out of their love for God.
David said:
"I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the LORD.”
Psalm 122:1
Although, it must be stressed that pastoral work is not for everyone, there are many departments in the church where you can develop and make use of the gift of God in you.
The whole essence of our being is to serve God and be useful for His Glory.
The bible says;
"You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.
1 Peter 2:9
Jesus is counting on you to step up your dedication and be very committed to His work.
"Whatsoever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men".
Colossians 3:23
However, for those that are already working for God, I enjoin you not to be arrogant or to be prideful to the extent that you start seeing yourselves as indispensable or irreplaceable.
When Elijah felt he was the only pure Prophet left in Israel, God replied him;
"I still have left in Israel seven thousand followers who have not bowed their knees to Baal or kissed the images of him."
1 Kings 19:18
Our Lord Jesus is also not short of dedicated youths to praise Him.
At the Triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem, the bible says multitude of people were following Him shouting; "Hosanna, Blessed be the King that comes in the name of the Lord". Then the Pharisees asked Jesus to rebuke the followers but He replied them;
"I say to you that if these will be silent, the stones will cry out."
Luke 19:40.
I pray for every youth, may you not be substituted by stones in the name of Jesus
Children of God, we are not going to be young forever. In reality, old age is catching up on everyone of us. nobody gets younger anyway!
It is therefore imperative that as a youth you make the best of your youthfulness.
The bible says:
"It is good for a man to bear the yoke while he is still young".
Lamentation 3:27.
A time is beckoning on all of us when the strength and energy will not be there to work as before.
That's why Jesus said;
"We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work"
John 9:4
In conclusion, I beseech all young people out there to;
"Flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart".
2 Timothy 2:22
Remember;
#NotTooYoungToWorkForGod
RELEASED ON 10 / AUGUST/ 2019
BEWARE OF THE ACCURSED!
The Psalmist said concerning God;
"You rebuke the arrogant, who are accursed, those who stray from your commands".
Psalm 119:21.
First of all, permit me to use this medium to appreciate God for the success and Impactation of the ongoing 67th Convention of The Redeemed Christian Church of God.
I also wish to express my sincere appreciation to all those who received my invitation and connected in one way or the other to the Power pack programme. You will never experience a famine of the word of God in Jesus name .
On Tuesday the 6th of August 2019, I was praying in my living room and God said; Beware of the Accursed!
An accursed is someone that is operating under a curse or spell. A person doomed for a calamity or someone upon which a tragedy is looming.
Biblically, an accursed can be described as a person or thing that God is angry about, someone who has disobeyed God's instructions.
As I was pondering upon the word of God I received on that fateful day,
the Lord brought to my remembrance an event that happened during my teenage years,while I was
helping my late mother in her shop in Agbeni Market Ibadan.
She had a big haulage Lorry that she was using back then as a Distributor to transport her goods.
At a point in time she had no driver to drive the lorry and someone recommended a man who was one of the Area Boys in the Market. Soon after, the man started driving the Lorry but on a particular day he did not show up at home to take the Lorry.
When we got to the shop my mother sent someone to look for the man but the Driver insisted he has lost interest in driving the Lorry.
Consequently, the owner of the shop next to our shop; who recommended the driver, volunteered to go talk to him. When the man returned, he just shook his head and said;
"Efile, oloriburuku ni!". meaning; leave him, he is an accursed. It was obvious the man had made up his mind not to drive our Lorry again.
The bible says;
"You may make your plans, but God directs your actions".
Proverbs 16:9
Thank God, the matter was not pushed beyond necessary.
Brethren, every disappointment they say is a blessing in disguise.
About few hours later in the afternoon of that same day, the news of the sudden death of that driver filtered the whole market.
Apparently, he later went to drive someone's Lorry and he crashed it dying on the spot. .
Yours Sincerley, it was a mixed feeling of sorrow for the loss of life and thanksgiving on our own part.
Sometimes, we don't need to be too forceful about things we want in this life. That man could have died driving our own lorry that same day.
If only God can reveal how He diverts evil away from our path, we will appreciate Him more.
Being accursed is a reality. An
accursed person is like a time bomb; waiting to explode!
Although, there are no visible marks to identify an accursed, but it takes Spiritual alertness and the Spirit of discernment to know something is not just right with certain persons or certain occurrences.
When God sent Jonah to Nineveh, Jonah disobeyed God as he decided to flee to Tarshish.
"But the LORD sent a strong wind on the sea, and the storm was so violent that the ship was in danger of breaking up". Jonah 1:4.
The ship master later found Jonah sleeping on the boat.The bible says he woke him up and they cast a lot among the people in the boat and the lot fell on Jonah.
I pray for you as Yoruba people usually pray; you will not be in the same vehicle, boat or plane with an accursed in the name of Jesus. .
An accursed could be anybody, young and old. They are usually driven by the satanic spirit that works in "sons of disobedient" Ephesians 2:2. Anyone who have joined him/her self with the occult or witchcraft network, people engaging in ritual activities, it could be someone using diabolical power in the midst of children of God. It could be a spouse engaging in adulterous activities or persons engaging in homosexuality and lesbianism etc.
The best biblical description of an accursed can be seen in the story of the Israelites as captioned in the book of Joshua Chapter seven. That story gives us a clear indication that an accursed person can be in a church among the people of God.
The Israelites; who are God's favourite experienced an unprecedented defeat in the hands of the sodiers of Ai who killed thirty six Israelites.
Joshua 7:5.
The incident caused great confusion among the Israelites, that Joshua; the leader of Israel at that time had to intervene.
Joshua mourned and cried before God to inquire why God allowed such misfortune to happen to the Israelites and God answered;
"Israel hath sinned, and they have also transgressed my covenant which I commanded them: for they have even taken of the accursed thing, and have also stolen, and dissembled also, and they have put it even among their own stuff".
Joshua 7:11.
Brethren, when things happen in a way that is contrary to the usual, especially in an unfortunate manner, it calls for Spiritual search Light and thorough scrutiny.
The bible talks about the sons of Issachar;
"Men who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do..."
1 Chronicles 12:32.
Then God commanded Joshua to sanctify the people of Israel tribe by tribe in order to expose the person that has anything to do with the accursed things.
Joshua 7:13
Eventually, the Spirit of God led Joshua to a man called Achan as he pleaded with him to confess;
Achan replied, “It is true! I have sinned against the LORD, the God of Israel".
Joshua 7:20.
He later narrated how he took some of the things God had commanded the Israelites not to take and hid them in the tent.
Then Joshua said to Achan;
"Why have you brought trouble on us? The LORD will now bring trouble on you...”
Joshua 7:25.
PRAYER : I don't know who the "Achan" is in your Church, office, family, village, city etc, causing trouble for innocent people, the Almighty God will trouble such person(s) in the name of Jesus .
Achan was eventually stoned to death and burned with all the accursed things he hid. Joshua 7:25b
As preachers of the true Gospel, we have an obligation to preach repentance on a consistent basis. Every Achan needs to repent before God shows mercy.
I pray particularly for that "Church" that has been experiencing some abnormal occurrences in recent times that the Lord Almighty should expose every "accursed /Achan or group of Achans". among them.
Irrespective of the title or position of the person(s) involved, whoever has put his or her hand in an accursed thing causing trouble, trauma and bad name for innocent people and the Church of God, will continue to experience calamity in line with the word of God in Proverbs 1:26-28 in the name of Jesus. .
You have been warned enough.
My own bible says; "Affliction will not rise up a second time".
Nahum 1:9. However, when a matter has put the word of God to test, it calls for urgent attention & action. Enough is enough. It has become; one two many! My God will rescue this Church and the person(s) causing evil will experience the wrath of God in the name of Jesus.
Children of God, it is very important that we become very sensitive to the trail of occurrences in our midst and be very prayerful Indeed.
Just like the devil at the beginning suddenly started exhibiting arrogance and rebellion then he became an accursed in heaven that he was thrown out with his Angels
( Isaiah 14 12-15 Rev 12:7-9) so it is now even among believers. Some people who were once clean but over time have allowed greed, power and desperation to lead them to patronize the devil in one way or the other, have become "Achans" among us.
Brethren, I say this to you with a deep sense of responsibility placed on me as a watchman of the true Gospel of Jesus that;
"If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed. Galatians 1:9.
I pray for everyone who is longing for a marriage partner or business associates that, you will not be joined with an accursed in Jesus name.
In the same vein, whoever patronizes the devil in search of fruit of the womb will end with an accursed child.
When one is joined with an accursed, it could be fatal and very frustrating, be warned.
Meanwhile, God is calling on every accursed or Achan, giving them an escape route from death and reproach;
"Come now, let us settle the matter," says the LORD. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool".
Isaiah 1:18.
Jabez was an unfortunate accursed. Imagine what would have become of the family of Jabez.
I pray for every unfortunate accursed like Jabez
(1 Chronicles 4:9&10)
who became accursed by circumstances or as a result of sins of their parents that the mercy of God will speak for them in Jesus name.
Whoever became accursed as a result of curse placed by another man or woman still have hope because God is capable of removing any curse when we pray to Him, just like Jabez prayed and God changed the narratives about him.
Unfortunately, Achan had to die because He disobeyed God and not man. Who do you run to when God places a curse?
Therefore, let everyone yet to be connected to Jesus or those who have gone the way of Achan and Damas
(2 Timothy 4:10) to repent and return to God now before it is too late.This window of opportunity will not be available for long,act now!
RELEASED ON 7/ AUGUST/ 2019
GOD SPEAKS HEALING!
The world we live in today came into existence as a result of God's words
(And God Said..). In the same vein;
"God sent out His Word (Jesus) and He healed them, and delivered them from their destruction".
Psalm 107:20.
Jesus Christ also performed many healing by merely speaking the word.
A centurion who recognized the power of God's word said to Jesus; "Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed".
Matthew 8:8.
Eventually, Jesus spoke the word and the servant was healed same moment.
Matthew 8:13
What He did before, He is capable of doing it again in our own lives.
This God is still speaking healing into the lives of His people even in this era. To this end, I invoke the power of God in His word into the lives of everyone reading this message that, you will be healed of any illness and diseases in the name of Jesus.
The Lord will take away from you all sickness, and none of the evil diseases of Egypt,will He inflict on you, but He will lay them on all your enemies in the name of Jesus.
Hear me, your healing is guaranteed because the Lord has spoken.
RELEASED ON 5/ AUGUST/ 2019
ACT ON WHAT GOD SAID!
Fellow believers;
"I thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers".
1 Thess 2:13.
It's one thing for God to speak, it takes faith & obedience from us to act on what God said.
Peter wanted to walk on water, but he needed Jesus to speak; “Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water.” Matthew 14:28.
Some of us are like Peter; we desire to hear God speaks; however many are like Jonah who refused to act on what God said until God arrested him.
Jonah 1.
Peter acted on Jesus' words & he walked on water. Matthew 14: 29.
It is expedient that you act on God's words. James 1:22.
Like the Psalmist, If I were you; "I will hurry without delay, to obey God's commands".
Psalm 119:60.
As you act on God's word it will yield for you in the name of Jesus.