A VITAL KEY FOR COMING INTO ALL THAT GOD HAS FOR US AS A CHURCH AND AS A PEOPLE

We must understand how laws operate. We must have respect for one another but at the same time, we all have equal access to our Father.

When we gather around the word of God, everybody is free to ask questions, free to talk. You are free to make contributions. It is not a function of age or position. Where there is no constant engagement, there can’t be growth, there can’t be progress. Parenting and Pastoring are termed discipleship and discipleship are both training and relationship.

As an assembly, our goal is not just to run services or entertain you. If at the end of the day you don’t understand or come into the light of it, the aim is defeated. You are free to ask me (Pastor) questions whether it’s through phone, come over to the office or my home. You have access to me. No one is hindered or being hindered to reach me.

Wanting to live an independent life is the height of ignorance. Even the way the world is moving, they are seeing the need for more and more collaboration. It’s so sad that unbelievers can collaborate and run a business successfully, whereas most believers end up being antagonistic and at loggerheads.

Everything that succeeds physically has a spiritual basis and there are laws that make it happen. The fact is, we are against the process but want the result. We don’t want to fellowship but want the benefits of fellowship. It’s people that pray together, play together, that fellowship together that can do stuff together. We will not receive the benefit of fellowship if we refuse to fellowship. When we start allowing things to happen in our midst or with one another naturally without coercion or in a mechanical way, especially with the men leading it, then the journey has begun into our coming into many of the prophecies hanging over our heads.

UNTIL SUCH BECOME OUR LIFESTYLE, WE WILL NEVER SMELL THAT LEVEL OF GLORY to become a force, to be reckoned with. For every prophecy to be accomplished, it also comes with many casualties. And by your own attitude and lifestyle, you can become a casualty to the process that is being accomplished. You are either opposing or cooperating with God by your lifestyle.

- Nobody knows when you travelled or when you returned

- You are not accountable to anybody; you just want your space. It’s not the Kingdom way, it’s anti-Christ spirit and it is to the advantage of satan and a disadvantage to you. Don’t create a convenient day/space for satan in your life

The Scriptures mention that as the day is approaching, fellowship one with another will get harder and harder. Fellowship is more than just coming to Church or being a member of a church. There is no fellowship in the Church, there is no fellowship in our homes. Everything God will do in the life of a man is in the place of fellowship. Let’s pay the price for fellowship.

Any great man you see does not walk alone. He has his company, his clique. It is in the place of fellowship we can reveal Christ and draw others to it. Be afraid when someone is doing what you are supposed to do, it shows your crown is being taken away from you. The I, Me, Myself syndrome is destructive.

We are not wasting any time when we give God attention in every aspect of our lives. We don’t have all the time in the world. Life does not run on sentiments. Principles must be established in every sphere. All our problems and struggles are rooted in the non-acceptance of reality. 

How rich you are can be measured by what you have that money cannot buy e.g. relationship. Your wealth is not measured by money. For you to be able to spend relationships, you must invest in relationships. Just as you cannot go to the bank and withdraw money without having deposited or invested, so also you just can’t spend relationships without investing. A good name is to be better desired than great riches.

One of the greatest lies you can tell yourself is that you don’t have anything to offer. Fellowship is vital, generosity is vital, liberality is vital likewise. Nobody is an island unto himself. If you want mercy, you must show mercy. To be selfish or self-centred is a cheap life.

We are in dangerous times, so discern the times, understand the demands of the times and live accordingly. Don’t live an independent life.

Jesus spoke against the children not being allowed to come to Him. He was using it to illustrate the point that if we are going to inherit the Kingdom, we must not lose sight of the childlike qualities that children have. It is at the point we stopped being children that we stopped assessing God. Children are not suspicious, they are open, they don’t keep things in their heart, and they are forgiving, loving and excited most of the time, and exciting to be around with. Where children are, are usually lively, they don’t have secrets. And in that atmosphere, there is liberty.

The majority of our struggles began at the point we lost that childlike attitude and began to be suspicious. We cannot deny the wisdom of God. By losing that childlike attitude in dealing with our Father God, we limit His power in our lives and the fellowship we have with our Father. When we build walls around ourselves, He can’t move. Children can fight this minute and settle the next. This can also play out with adults who are friends. The real problem however is that we don’t have true friends.

Many times, we don’t build relationships. Your friend should be able to call you to order when you err and you won’t take it to heart or feel insulted and to make matters worse, there are marriages that such kind of relationship does not exist. Never get to the point in your life where nobody can talk to you. What we stand to lose because of lack of fellowship is nothing compared to what we gain when we have fellowship.

Build fellowship, stay on the path of truth, be contented, be humble. If nobody greets you, greet them, be generous, be godly. Don’t wait to receive, give, pray for somebody. Just remain a blessing and you will be growing in the blessings.

Build healthy relationships and other things will spring naturally out of the relationship. If no one can tell where you are per time as a member of this Church, then your membership is questionable. It shows you are lost or on the way to being lost. The quality of your life and the bigness of your life can never be above the kind of relationship you have built. It requires sacrifice, time and effort. As you lose the childlike spirit, you lose it.

Make God your focus, pursue God, commit to the ways of God and God will bless you. Let’s make amends where we should, repent and align.

 

WORD FOR 2022

We are entering A Very Dramatic Year. What we have seen unfolding is nothing compared to what is ahead. There are unprecedented events that will be unfolding but those who trust in God will not be put to shame but only be riding higher and higher. In these events unfolding, testimonies will be abounding.

The way out

- It will only come by as we function from the place of rest. The fact that you crossed into 2022 in Christ is an honour and mustn’t be taken for granted.

“Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint” (Prov. 29:18). The word revelation means the ability to see beyond what is physical as a light present in the darkness. People are exposed where there is no vision, when they cannot see beyond the physical, they are exposed to the arrows of the enemy. You must see what God is saying.

THE KEY TO THE JOURNEY OF 2022 IS DIVINE GUIDANCE.

Any plan that will work now is because that is what God showed you to do, and not because that’s what you want to do. In order to be divinely guided, it must start from our daily life, from the personal life to the home and to the public.

“Then the boy Samuel ministered to the LORD before Eli. And the word of the LORD was rare in those days; there was no widespread revelation” (1 Samuel 3:1). This scripture gives a clear cut picture of what is going on in our time. There is no open vision, even in the church, and in the nation.

“Then the LORD appeared again in Shiloh. For the LORD revealed Himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of the LORD” (1 Samuel 3:21).

- The men who rule the unseen world are those who see into the unseen world.

- Jesus didn’t go about guessing about every day of His life, while His disciples were afraid and worried in the storm at sea, Jesus was peacefully sleeping because He had seen into the unseen.

In our day, we are fast losing relevance as the body of Christ because we cannot tell the source we are connected to.

 “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being priest for Me; Because you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children” (Hosea 4:6) You reject knowledge through the lifestyle you have adopted. We must not be comfortable in the realm of the physical because conventional Christianity will take us nowhere.

What we must avoid

"Behold, the days are coming," says the Lord GOD, "That I will send a famine on the land, Not a famine of bread, Nor a thirst for water, But of hearing the words of the LORD” Amos 8: 11. We must not let it get to this point. We must choose to become a people who can see into the unseen and operate from that level in the physical.

Further scriptural references: Jeremiah 29:11-13, Amos 8:11-12, Psalm 74:9.

CELEBRATING CHRISTMAS - Pastor (Mrs.) Bibi Couragge Ode

The day Jesus was born should not be a controversy to us. A date has chosen a date to celebrate Him, and that’s what is important. However, we have to note that these days; the Christmas we claim to celebrate is far from Jesus. People even celebrate the season as HAPPY HOLIDAYS and do not in any way refer to Jesus.

There is nothing wrong with celebrating and being among family and friends but the core of the matter which we MUST not forget is to make people know what the season is all about. We must not be among the number that has lost sight of the real focus because there is a reason why God did what He did, why Jesus had to be born, why He had to take on humanity. It was for the redemption of man Jesus needed to be born. There was a necessity of a Saviour.  God, Himself had to come and took upon Himself the form of Man to save us from eternal damnation. He was the only perfect sacrifice for sin- “But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises”. (Hebrews 8:6)

“Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly. But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins. So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel, which is translated, God with us. Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife, and did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son. And he called His name JESUS”. Matthew 1:18-25

Jesus came to save us from our sin. This was the real reason why He came. Humanity changed because man sinned. It was the sin of man that brought about the turning. Jesus did not come so we will be wealthy, have fine houses, cars etc. The low state of man was because of sin-“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23)

JESUS CAME TO SAVE US FROM OUR SIN

Jesus saved us from our sin, so we need to tell people about it. But sometimes, it is our experiences we preach. Any message that is not anchored on the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus is not the gospel. So as we celebrate, we must be sure of the message we are passing across.

 We need to make room for Him in our hearts. For those that have received Him, He needs to be formed in us. “My little children, for whom I labor in birth again until Christ is formed in you” (Galatians 4:19) Paul had to pray like that because if Christ is not formed in us, it will be hard for us to communicate the message to others. The true expression of Christ in us will be seen in us when we allow Him to be formed in us.

GOD WITH US

Also, Jesus was born and named ‘Emmanuel’ which means God with us. It makes a lot of difference that no matter what we are passing through, God is with us. As we think through the fact that Christ was born, we must be conscious that God is with us. The birth and redemptive work of Jesus gave us access. God is with us and in us.

However, the fact God is with us does not mean that all our experiences will be pleasant. There will be hard times, the valley of the shadow of death, tests and trials but, no matter what, Emmanuel…God is always with us.

In Genesis 39:1-4, 20-21, we saw that the Lord was with Joseph. Even his master saw that the Lord was with Him. Potiphar’s wife accused him of rape and Joseph landed in prison but the Lord was still with him. Joseph’s experiences were not pleasant, but he was mindful that the Lord was with him. Another example we see, is in Judges Chapter 6:11-12, the angel said to Gideon “The Lord is with you”, yet so much had befallen them as a nation.

God has assured us that He’s with us. So no matter the path we are taking, no matter the challenges we are facing, God is with us! Even Mary, the mother of Jesus experienced trying times though the Lord was with her. (Luke 1:26)

In the midst of all our circumstances, God causes us to triumph and spread His fragrance around. “Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place”. 2 Corinthians 2:14

Sometimes, the weight of our testimony is an encouragement to somebody. Through the comfort we have received from the Lord, we can also comfort others.

We must say it to ourselves and be persuaded that God is truly with us. Emmanuel has come to save His people from sin and to be with His people forever. This is the assurance that we have, that Christ came, and He’s with us!

 

PROPHETIC ALARM: As The Day Draws Near

 My motivation for the things I am sharing:

- I fear God. (Eccl. 12:13)

- I will not cease to pray for you and tell you the truth. I’m committed to it. (1 Sam.12:23)

- I exercise myself to have a conscience void of offense towards God and men. Thus, if I truly love you and are interested in your welfare, I owe you the truth even if it is at the detriment of your liking me. (Acts 24:16)

I’ve been privileged to see into the coming days. What I want to share is applicable to you wherever you are based.

“In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes”. (Judges 17:6), “In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes”. (Judges 21:25, see also 1 Cor. 14:33,40) As long as everybody does whatever is right in their own eyes, satan will take advantage and there can’t be progress.

This was the state of the Israelites, they did what they liked. There was no order. You can be born again but still living your own life. (Prov. 16:25)

Please note these points as I received from the Lord

- We have to deliberately prepare for the coming days because it’s getting closer and closer than we think. There are character and structures that cannot accommodate the coming days. You have to upgrade and improve.

- Don’t be taken unawares

- Don’t settle for regrets of what you could have done and being but did not

“…but if I am delayed, I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth”. 1 Timothy 3:15

From the above scripture, we can deduce the following;

- How you can function with or without supervision

- How that all your years of being in church and coming to church will not be in vain.

“For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift, so that you may be established”. Romans 1:11

What is the way out?

“Trust and Obey, for there’s no other way, to be happy in Jesus but to trust and obey”. The words of this song are very true and ever relevant. What you are facing is not the problem, the real problem however is in your attitude toward God.

- Trust, obey fully and willingly God’s word-the principles of scriptures, be committed to it without any reservation because God is faithful, reliable, dependable, follow the dictates of the Spirit

- The only place of safety, deliverance, salvation, preservation, is in Christ Jesus. Be deliberate in partnering with God, be intimate with Him. Don’t be selective (in obedience, participation), withdraw or compromise because that’s the easiest thing to do in these times. It is the time to walk with God and cooperate with Him.

- This is not the time to be independent or isolated but to be totally dependent on Him. Every time God allowed Israel to go through difficult and terrible times, it was for one purpose only, to walk intimately with Him.

Some practical steps as it applies to us

- When service or program is going on and you are not around. How do you feel? What you feel is a pointer to your state.

- What do you do when you miss a service or program? Do you get the message to listen?

We mustn’t lose sight of the real parameter to measure and what we truly are.

“Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching”.  (Hebrews 10:23-25) As the day is getting closer, it will be getting harder and harder and becoming more difficult to gather but we must.

“And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart”. As we are getting closer and closer to the due season, weariness will be setting in. (Gal.6:9, see also Matt. 24:12)

The system of this world was not designed to make serving God easy.

There are certain cultures we must outgrow now and those we must grow into and imbibe, such as;

- You cannot come to church only when it’s convenient for you. You mustn’t lose the culture of coming to church regularly and early. We must revive it. You have to forbid the spirit of Sunday, Sunday Christianity. Weekday service is no less important.

- Make attendance and punctuality a must

- Pay attention to the message, listen again and again. (Romans 10:17). If the enemy succeeds in stopping you from coming to church and listening to the message, He has succeeded. Fulfilling your destiny is tied to the message.

- Deliberately apply the message to your life. “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves… But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does”. (James 1:22-25) The blessing is in doing the work that the word demands of you. “Meditate on these things; give yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be evident to all”. (1 Tim. 4:15, see also Acts 2:41, Luke 6:46-49)

To take what God is saying for granted is to take God for granted.

The focus, tenacity that this ministry is known for, should be evident in your life also.

“Remember those who rule over you, who have spoken the word of God to you, whose faith follow, considering the outcome of their conduct”. (Heb. 13:7)

Thus, in running your home, life, business, who are you following?

- As a member of this Assembly, you have the liberty of participating in the Kingdom activities

going on in this house, the prayer structures, e.g. prayer watch, units etc.

- Where is your commitment in all the various openings in this house concerning giving? When you

are not giving to the things of God the way you ought, you are cheating yourself.

- It is spiritual to honour genuine men of God. In giving, let’s come to the reality of the work.

Don’t behave as if we are handling change here or that we are not doing anything here. The work

is growing. It demands some good money.

On the Issue of Tithing, if you claim not to believe in tithing and you are not giving regularly,

then you are wicked and hindering God’s work. But if you claim not to believe in tithing but

everything about your life is God’s and He tells you how to apportion what comes into your hand,

that is good. Give regularly, consistently and gladly.

We don’t levy because we are emphasizing spirit-led giving as it entails in the Bible.

The fact that we are not talking doesn’t mean there are no needs.

 “For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance

“For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father's house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?" (Esther 4:14) If you will not rise and take your place, God will send help from another place.

“He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is

unjust also in much”. (Luke 16:10)

You are blessed to be a blessing and not to be comfortable. And it is on His terms not on

yours.

(Read Deut. 8:1-20, Mal. 2:1-2, mind what you are saying about your time, money, your

life.)

Every greatness has a genuine history.

Remember the ten virgins- five were wise and five were foolish.

God expects faithfulness from us. (Matt. 24:44-46)

Prayer

- May your testimony not be in the past

- May you not know a better yesterday

- And may another not take your place nor wear your crown.

(All of these scriptures is a call for us to serve God. Romans 12:11, Isaiah 1:19 & 20, Job 36:11,

Exodus 23:25)

"Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor

about your body, what you will put on. Matthew 6:25-34- Amp) If you stay in obedience with God

today, tomorrow is taken care of.

Concluding scriptures

(Read Hebrews 3:1-19, Job 22:21-30, Acts 3:19, Revelation 2:4-5, 3:11,19-20, Hebrews 12:22-

29, Luke 12:45-49)

Prayer

I have ears and I hear what the Spirit is saying to me. Revelation 2:7

SERVE THE LORD WITH GLADNESS

Only the living can praise God. If a man is alive and sees no reason why he should praise God that person is a walking corpse already. May we not reduce our life to naira and kobo. If these are the reasons why a man will not thank God, then he has missed it.

Thus says the LORD on this day to us: “SERVE THE LORD WITH GLADNESS”

It is a privilege to be a Christian. One of the things Paul preached was that we should always thank the LORD. All the letters of Paul were introduced with THANKSGIVING. Man in his natural state is ungrateful. We always complain about what we don’t have but are blinded to what we have.

*MAN IN HIS NATURAL STATE IS VERY ARROGANT AND BLINDED TO THE REALITIES OF THE GOODNESS OF GOD

We pay for what we do not know. The more we know the less we pay for what we know. To be a Christian is an honour: to know God is the greatest privilege we can ever have.

THE GREATEST THING GOD DID FOR HUMANITY WAS TO RESCUE US FROM CONDEMNATION AND TO GIVE US PEACE

We ought to be grateful for the peace God has given us and if we will not be GRATEFUL, we will not see whatever we think we do not have. God says to us to serve Him with gladness because we are in a privileged position.

SATAN ENVIES US

IT IS A PRIVILEGE TO BE A CHRISTIAN

Actually, Satan is very envious of us. He’s regretting what he did but just that he cannot reverse it. Satan is envious that you are a Christian, and that he lost grip over your soul, therefore, “SERVE THE LORD WITH GLADNESS”. If we didn’t have such an opportunity, then we can be excused, but we cannot have such an opportunity then throw it away. To be a Christian is not a burden but a privilege. Nothing can be more honourable than being rescued from eternal condemnation.

DON’T REDUCE THE VALUE OF YOUR LIFE TO THINGS. THE VALUE OF YOUR LIFE IS WORTH THE BLOOD OF JESUS

If we won’t serve God, we will serve Satan. Anything we do not handle carefully we will lose carelessly. It is folly to be in honour and not to know. When we serve the LORD with gladness we will never need any motivation to do what we ought to do for God.

Psalm 49:12,20, Psalm 100:2, Acts 2:41-42, Psalm 107:21-22

Serve the Lord with Gladness; serve Him as one who has an understanding that it is a privilege to serve God. The fruit that those who received the LORD served God with gladness was that they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in breaking of bread, and in prayers. None of them was forced or coaxed but served God gladly.

TO BE GRATEFUL IS A CHOICE

What we do with whatever God has given to us shows to us whether we are grateful to God or not. We must thank God with a sacrifice. It is not a sacrifice if it does not place a demand on us. The first thing God looks at first when it comes to thanksgiving is the HEART. The heart must be grateful. Thanksgiving must be offered joyfully in dance and in singing. Our dance, our singing, our substance is all part of the sacrifice (Hebrews 13:15, 1Peter 2:5,9)

OUR OBEDIENCE IS PART OF SACRIFICING TO GOD

Let's be deliberate about thanking the LORD. Make it an eternal commitment!

ADD TO YOUR FAITH: INTEGRITY

THUS SAYS THE LORD! By all means, keep your joy! Refuse to be weighed down. It is with joy you draw waters out of the well of salvation. Don’t let 2021 end with complaints in your mouth. Refuse to be irritated by joining the company of those who are complaining. The fact that God has not done what you believe He should have done does not mean God has failed. By all means, keep your JOY.

Meditate on these scriptures to keep your JOY

“Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice”! Phil. 4:4

“Then he said to them, go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet, and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our LORD. Do not sorrow, for the joy of the LORD is your strength”. Neh. 8:10

“For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit”. Rom. 14:17

“Therefore with joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation”. Is. 12:3

“Though the fig tree may not blossom, Nor fruit be on the vines; Though the labor of the olive may fail, And the fields yield no food; Though the flock may be cut off from the fold, And there be no herd in the stalls; Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation. The LORD God is my strength; He will make my feet like deer's feet, And He will make me walk on my high hills”. Hab.3:17

Summarily, refuse to be deceived, distracted and discouraged.

 “…But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins. Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble”. 2 Peter 1:1-10

INTEGRITY

There are many people who profess to be Christians but their life does not match their profession. Many Christians tell lies a lot. We are supposed to look like our Father. If He says something, He means it. God is looking for people He can trust. Sometimes, even the angels get confused by our multiple personalities. It is YOUR RESPONSIBILITY to work on yourself. Integrity is much more than not lying.

Your character (Integrity) is one sure way to measure your maturity/growth in Christ.

As Kingdom Distinguished Citizens, we should be seen as people of integrity.

What is Integrity? It means whole, complete. It is soundness, sincerity of heart, having strong moral principles, consistent in your character. Steadfast in keeping to a deep moral code. You are consistent, uncompromising in the principles of God’s word. We ought to be like our Father;

- Our Father does not change.

- God does not lie. Heb. 6:18

- His word does not change.

God expects us to be consistent. God expects that we are the same everywhere we go, who we say we are and more. Can God even count on you? If you have a measure of integrity, work at making it a hundred, work at adding more.

Someone said that a single lie can destroy a whole life of reputation. Integrity is choosing your thoughts and actions based on the values of the kingdom.

What are your motives? Being a person of integrity does not mean you are perfect but you are working at it. It is not judged by what everybody sees but rather on what nobody knows or sees. Just telling the truth is not enough, what is your underlying principle?

Some practical ways we can be persons of integrity

- Be true. “But let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No.' For whatever is more than these is from the evil one”. Matt. 5:37. In whatever you are doing, let your intention and action always match.

“In whose eyes a vile person is despised, But he honors those who fear the LORD; He who swears to his own hurt and does not change”. Psalm 15:1

- You say what you mean, you mean what you say. You can do nothing against the truth.

Some Things Integrity Does

- Ps. 25:21. Integrity preserves.

- Prov. 11:3. Integrity will guide

- Prov. 20:7. If you walk as a person of integrity, God Himself will work for you. Dan. 6:1-4.

Integrity is a criterion for promotion.

“Moreover you shall select from all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them to be rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens”. Exodus 18:21. This scripture gives an insight into what God looks out for when He wants to promote men.

Make up your mind to walk in integrity.

Prayer

LORD, I lift up my hands before you that in You I will stand true and sure 

2021 SCHOOL OF PRAYER

School of prayer is all about prayer. If prayer is ever important, it’s much more important now. Anybody playing with prayer right now is toiling with his eternal destiny. You cannot successfully navigate through this season upon us without being prayerful. It is not your crying that moves God but your faith in God that does. There is nothing you can use to replace prayer.

(Heb. 12:1-3, 1Pet.2:21, Heb.7:25, Mt.24:1-4, 1Pet.4:7, Mk.13:32-33, 14:38)

Jesus came to model a life of prayer to us. The busier you become, the higher you go, the more prayerful you should become. Jesus called His house (The Church) a house of prayer. The Church is the body of Christ and He is the Head of the Church. Praying did not end with Jesus on earth. He is currently at the right hand of the father making intercession and as His body, we ought to be engaged in what He is doing also.

Be serious and watchful in your prayers. The end of all things is at hand. If we will not miss the time and the flight, we must be watchful in prayers. It is the only way to escape the temptations of the times.

These times are meant to cause men to be drawn to prayers rather than be regulated by circumstances and events. This is not the time to sleep or settle for alternatives. A sign that we believe in God is that we will be praying to Him.

There are two things the Lord is saying now;

1. BUILD PRAYER STRUCTURES both at personal and corporate levels. To do this, you have to answer three questions;

When do you pray? (The hour)

Where do you pray? (The place)

What do you pray about? (The kind of prayer)

The least of your commitment to God is that He will have your time in prayer.

2. MAKE PRAYER INVESTMENT – Make prayer DEPOSITS for the days ahead. God is saying we should increase, spend, and put in quality time in prayer. Deliberately make prayer deposits because you will need them in the coming days.

BRIDGING THE GAP: Virtue

 “…But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins. Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble” 2 Peter 1:1-10

Growth doesn’t come unknowingly or unconsciously. The devil is scheming every day to cause you to stumble. Very few people are actively working to ensure that they are growing, maturing. The fact that you are getting older in age doesn’t mean you are maturing.

The summary of this text is that, if we will not fail, we have to be very deliberate in growing and developing. Thus, if things will not deteriorate in your life, if you will not miss ‘well done, thou good and faithful servant’, you have to be very deliberate. If you will not fail, stumble, fall, become unfruitful, you have to make every effort to add to your faith. If we are going to remain standing, we must keep developing and adding. Being born again is simply the beginning. There are things we ought to outgrow and things we ought to grow in, praying, reading and studying the Bible etc.

Don’t live life unconsciously, to chance or on sentimental grounds.

The only way to secure your calling and make your election sure is to keep adding to your faith.

The word ‘Add’ means to improve, minister, nourish, build-up, develop, supply.

The word of God that comes to you is a pointer to what God is saying and what He is showing to you.

Do not wait until God’s word makes sense to you before you respond, just take Him at His word.

Your life cannot attract more than the level of development you’ve given yourself.

If you ignore your spiritual state, you are ignoring your life.

If you want to go higher, you have to make higher sacrifices. The sacrifices are the things we have to keep making every day in order to follow Him-it is the sacrifice of our obedience to God’s word. When we are not passionate to keep adding to our lives deliberately, we are being deceived. When we can make a genuine physical assessment but cannot make a genuine spiritual assessment we are being deceived. If you become desperate for God, the things you are desperate for will be given to you by God.

Anybody who is casual in the things of God is already deceived. Jesus said there will be high-level deception in these times and He admonished us to take heed that we are not deceived. (Matt.24:4)

In other words, we ought to be more deliberate about the amount of food (spiritual) we are eating. Job declared that he has esteemed God’s word more than his necessary meal, Jesus also said, man, cannot live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.

“…Add to your faith virtue” (moral excellence, modesty, purity, goodness, good character).

Virtue means the inherent power of a good or other supernatural being.

Now that you’ve proclaimed Jesus, let your life reflect Him. You cannot claim to owe allegiance to Him and be doing something else or become something else other than Him.

The first thing we are to address in our lives is our character. Our lives should show men what it means to be a Christian, a husband, wife, Christian worker. Your title shouldn’t introduce you but your life. We are to ‘add’ the character of the person (Jesus) we pledge allegiance to.

If we will not fail, the first thing we have to do is ‘add’ to our faith character. You cannot be living contrary to the lifestyle of Jesus and expect to bear the fruits of Jesus/Spirit.

This call is to glory and virtue, it is not a call to shame and mediocrity.  What Jesus is demanding of us is so that we can be more like Him.

“Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby… But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light”. 1 Peter 2:1-9

 The word ‘praise’ in verse 9 also means virtue, letting us know that our lives should bring praises to God. Your good works are only relevant because it brings glory to God. His calling of us is so that through us praise can come to God. We are here to show forth the praises of Him and not ours. Instead of labouring to be praised, we should labour that He be praised through us.

The way we become conscious of important dignitaries, we ought to be much more conscious of God in our everyday life.

When it comes to your character, even your thought is inclusive. (See Phil. 4:8) You should not just allow anything to take root in your heart and stay. Let’s be very conscious that our lives ought to give God praise in everything we do.

Prayer

I give God my lifetime