ARCHBISHOP JATAU SAYS YES TO CAMA

ARCHBISHOP JATAU SAYS YES TO CAMA

YES TO COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT (CAMA) AS THE CHURCH IS A NON PROFIT ORGANIZATION

Nigerian pastors are beginning to constitute nuisance and fanning embers of hatred. They have no more respect for democratically constituted authorities.

For most of the western world, as well as Egypt, Sumeria, Babylon and Persia forfeit to priest and temples their taxes because they are non-profits organizations. Among other favors, it began from Constantin 324AD when he bestowed tax exempt status on churches. American tradition exempts religious institutions of paying taxes.

CHURCH IS A CHARITABLE ORGANIZATION

Drawing from the charitable activities in which religious institution often participate, English law of equity exempts religious institutions from taxation 1859.

REASON 

Traditional Christianity have centralized leadership, have a driving force behind concept of charity.

Traditional function and responsibility of the church is therefore social welfare and reformation. How can any responsible government tax the church?

TODAY

Church is an expert in the dispossession of the poor and peasantry and so instead of caring for the poor, pastors have degraded charity and alms.

PASTORS

They have overlooked the larger issue of why church was established. The church that is supposed to be a spiritual hospital is no more. Pastors have confiscated the ‘hospital property’. They have neglected and fleece the poor who paid offering and Tithes to build this spiritual hospital (called the church). Their congregants have lost their share of the ownership of the church to which at one time they were admitted to have a just claim to be so-called co-founders and pioneers.

GOVERNMENT POOR RELIEF ACT OF 1601

Later revived obligation of this charity called the church from rogues.

In 1601, governments got angry and parliament placed the administration of the church in the hands of municipal authorities and churches began to pay taxes. Due to gross financial misconduct.

PUBLIC OUTCRY

There were public outcries and for public-good and benefit of the society as well as overseeing its moral, religious, education and philosophical reasons the government reversed back to the status quo, tax exemption as non-profit organization.

HONESTLY

Churches should not be left to act arbitrarily in addition to tax-exempt status. Laws should be in place to prevent abuse of this privilege. Churches all over the world e.g. USA, UK, France, Germany, Cameroon have laws guiding how they spend charity funds for the poor, with the exception of Nigeria.

USA TOP 100 CHARITIES THAT HELP THE POOR 

It will surprise you that these religious charities in USA, UK etc, who are monitored by government to make sure their money go to the poor to solve poverty situation of developing countries, operate happily under government rules.

It will equally surprise you that CAN, PFN and the so called big churches in Nigeria troop to USA to receive millions of dollars from churches abroad yearly, with the promise to come and elevate poverty in Nigeria.

Sadly, immediately they arrive Nigeria they share it amongst themselves and begin to build business empires for themselves and their children. Most unfortunate is that this same pastors who just arrived from overseas with grants also fleece the Nigerian poor and add to the ones brought from the US. What a wicked world!

NIGERIAN PASTORS ARE EVIL

They are evil because they are business men and women who often collect money from the USA charity organizations meant for the millions of the poor but channel the funds into their personal businesses.

Upon that they still quote biblical verses that if we do not care for our pastors, we would go to hell. Most disturbing is that they fleece politicians of millions during election in name of praying for them.

They scare president with false prophecies to give them wavers to import things which deprive customs of billions of revenues that would have been used for economic growth of the Nation.

How many of them practice the injunctions of Matthew 25 vs 35 and Prov. 19 vs 17?

1) Samaritan purse – helps the poor in the name of Jesus pumps millions of dollars to Nigerian pastors yearly.

2) Compassion International – does same yearly.

3) Lutheran World Relief – Promotes sustainable development and lasting promises does same yearly

4) Operation Blessing International – committed to breaking the cycle of suffering and pumps money to Nigeria’s poor yearly.

5) Children’s Hunger Fund – gospel-centered mercy ministry, pumps money to Nigerian pastors yearly.

6) Advancing Native Missions – Learn, connect, engage and do same (i.e. pumps money annually).

7) The Salvation Army – doing the most good and does same.

8) Catholic Relief Services – Faith, Action and results, does same.

9) Life-Line Christian Mission – Restoring hope among the nations and pumps millions of dollars to Nigerian churches.

10) Food For the Poor – saving lives and transforming communities, renewing hope and does same.

QUESTION

1) Can pastors who have big churches bringing the likes of Reinhard Bonnke/Benny Hinn etc. swear they don’t receive donations?

2) Many of such foreign pastors have cried in my presence, of how these rogue Nigerian pastors have duped them and their nations of billions of US dollars.

3) What do they do with such money? But buy private jets, houses (etc.)

4) Meanwhile churches in the USA, who give you such money are monitored by government on how they spend.

5) And you are here calling the Nigerian government unprintable names for trying to monitor how you spend charitable income given to you to pass unto the poor from the USA (etc).

6) Therefore, how are the Nigerian churches helping in alleviating poverty from foreign donations that come to them yearly?

STOP BLACKMAILING THE NIGERIAN GOVERNMENT ON YOUR ALTARS, ROGUE PASTORS AND SPIRITUAL EMPERORS

There is no regret over my comment, do not use ignorant church members to protest against government so you can cover all your fraudulent activities.

WHY WOULD C.A.N REJECT THE COMPANIES ALLIED MATTERS ACT (CAMA) 2020?

• How is it snuffing life out of the church?

• How is it categorizing the church as a secular institution for God’s sake?

• How is it satanic?

• How has the federal government declared war on the church?

• Name one developed nation it has not been practiced in since 1859.

• How can a charity commission that regulates charities, inclusive of churches, suddenly be satanic?

CHARITY COMMISSION MANDATE IN MOST OF THE WESTERN WORLD

1. Gives tax breaks.

2. Provides good levels of public trust for those who manage tithes and offerings.

3. Pastors made to define what purpose tithes and offerings are used for. 

4. Pastors made to channel offerings and tithes for public benefits.

5. Pastors made to register with charity commission to stop them from defrauding their congregations.

6. Charity donations collected by your pastors made to follow charity laws recognized as being charitable. 

7. Charity donations made to be put to use for the purpose intended.

8. Charities prevented to benefit only families of the founders.

9. Charities prevented to take part in political activities, such as political campaigns (i.e. for PDP/APC on the pulpit).

10. Charities can’t be used for personal business of the founder and families.

11. Private jets bought from charity funds prevented to be  used  only for the founder’s family

12. Registered charities must be made to provide an up-to-date information about their activities and finances for church members to know how their money are spent.

13. Charities must be prevented to be set up to benefit narrow interest of a closed group in the church.

THIS IS WHAT IS PRACTICED WORLD WIDE FROM NATION TO NATION. WHY SHOULD NIGERIA BE AN EXCEPTION? NB: NIGERIAN CHRISTIANS SHINE YOUR EYES.

WORLD WIDE PRACTICE

This is how churches worldwide run affairs of the church and that has been going on for ages. In Nigeria all you gather is for the general overseer who do their stuff in secrecy. They do things the way they feel and do not want anyone to challenge them. They curse you if you question how your tithes are spent.

Any church that refuses to register with the charity commission should be declared illegal and closed down.

Even Jesus is not happy with such churches in heaven.

NIGERIAN PENTECOSTAL PASTORS ARE: Wild, Disorderly, Rebellious, Riotous, Disobedient, Reckless, Lawless, Un-peaceful, Disparaged, Denigrate, Abusive.

 

NIGERIAN PENTECOSTAL PASTORS WANT TO BE WORSHIPED & FEEL TOO BIG TO BE REGULATED:

* C.A.N

* P.F.N

* They feel that government can’t talk to them or regulate the church finances.

SOUTH KOREA, UK, USA OPERATE CHARITY COMMISSION-(REGULATORY BODY)

Example 1: Pastor David Yonggi Cho

a) Founder of the world’s largest mega-church convicted of embezzling 12 million dollars.

b) He used church fund to buy stock for himself and his prodigal son (church members reported him).

c) Government jailed him and his son.

NB: Choose men of integrity in the church to manage the church.

Example 2:

NIGERIAN PASTORS JAILED IN THE UK:

a) Albert Odulele – Boy fondling. 

b) Michael Oluronbi- Rape. 

c) Lucy Adeniyi – child slavery and trafficking.

d) Oluronbi-30 years- sexual abuse, etc.

GOD IS NOT THE GOD OF CONFUSION

For instance: 

a. Bro Samuel – God gave him authority to run his house.

b. Pastor John – God gave him authority to run his church.

c. Buhari – God gave him authority to lead the Nigerian nation.

d. Moses – God gave him laws for church and different sets of laws for the Hebrew nation. He was both priest and prime minister.

IF NIGERIAN MAN WANTS TO MISBEHAVE:

a. Carries Bible & goes to climb the pulpit and says he is above the Law.

b. He is anointed and called.

c. Have touch not anointed mentality.

GO AND TRY IT IN CAMEROON:

You go to jail, if you insult the government on the pulpit.

SHOCKING, MOST NIGERIAN PASTORS: 

1. Help Launder money for unscrupulous politicians through church accounts.

2. Help Terrorists launder money in their bank account.

3. Help launder Drugs & 419 money through church account.

HE IS “ANOINTED” & SO GOVERNMENT SHOULD “TOUCH HIM” NOT FOR ENGAGING IN MONEY LAUNDERING

Well that is why God instituted government to question sources of such money, and even take you to court so you can defend it.

PASTORS: STOP THROWING TANTRUMS & INCITING POOR CONGREGANTS 

Stop your outburst, fit of rage and temper and fireworks.

IT IS WRONG TO REGISTER CHURCHES WITH C.A.C ABI?

1. THESE MUNDANE ATTITUDES OF NIGERIAN PASTORS MUST STOP:

•Abusive to government

•Disrespect for government constituted and established by God

•Rebellious to Authority

•Riotous

•Disobedient

•Reckless

•Lawless

•Un-peaceful

•Disparage

•Denigrate

2. NIGERIAN PASTORS WANT TO BE WORSHIPED BY PEOPLE AND BY GOVERNMENT AS SUCH TOO BIG TO BE UNDER CAN, PFN, FGN, CHARITY COMMISSION, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION AND ANY OTHER REGULATORY BODY.

3. Nations of the world with charity commissions (98 countries) which give government annual report about N.G.Os and churches. USA, UK, CANADA, AUSTRALIA, CHINA, KOREA, INDIA ETC.

4. Danger of absence of charity commission in a nation is reason for:

•Fraud by Pastors and Imams not been accountable.

•Terrorism financed by Pastors and Imams.

•Misuse of charity/church funds. While poor church congregation wallow in abject poverty in spite of billions in the church.

•No due diligence process for usage of potential donations to church.

•Money laundering for politicians and top government functionaries.

5. South Korea 2014:

•Founder of world’s largest mega-church was convicted 2014 of embezzling $12million.(Pst Yonggi Cho)

•The Pastor used church money to buy stock for himself and his prodigal son.

•Church members reported him to charity commission for misuse of church money.

•Government took him to court and proved allegation.

•Court jailed him.

•Charity commission chose men and women of integrity in the church to manage the church, pending when he finishes his jail term.

6. UNITED KINGDOM

•Nigerian Pastor Albert Odulele jailed in UK for child fondling and charity commission appointed men and women of integrity to oversee the church until he finishes his jail term.

•Nigerian Pastor Michael Oloronbi jailed in the UK for rape.

•Nigerian Pastor Lucy Adeniji jailed in the UK for child trafficking and slavery, that has been forbidden by law.

•Nigerian Pastor Olu jailed for 3years for sexual abuse on both men and women.

•UK charity commission disqualified trustees of Kingdom Life Ministries and appointed new trustees. The pastor withdrew £700 without informing church and issued death threat on church members who complained.

•Another Nigeria pastor built church where children were exposed to terrorist propaganda and the Pastor was removed.

•Another Pastor collected money meant for COVID-19 and diverted it into his personal business.

•Another pastor collected money for those homeless in winter and diverted it. What a wicked world.

7. THESE ARE THE FEARS OF FRAUDULENT/DUBIOUS/CRIMINAL/JANUS-FACED NIGERIAN PASTORS for establishment of CAMA in NIGERIA

•Most of them launder money the politicians steal. Drop such monies into church accounts and pastor takes the money abroad for them for safe keep or purchase properties for such politicians. Of course they have a good percentage of 30-40% from such stolen funds, while Nigeria suffers under-development.

•Most monies used for financing terrorism come through same process in accounts of undesirable clerics and through N.G.Os.

•Drug dealers and 419 who are in our churches use church pastor’s accounts to take monies abroad or bring monies to Nigeria.

•Such pastors float wealth and you think its God blessing them above others who fast more than them and live a life of integrity.

•That’s why everyone is today a “Pastor” without theological degrees or any divine call.

8. CAMEROON

•In Cameroon, it took me three years to register with regulatory body to start a church. I had to submit my theological degree certificates to be screened. I had to sign forms to be of good conduct and behavior, not to sponsor Boko-Haram in Cameroon for being a Nigeria.

•I had to fill another form to allow government watch how I receive amounts above $100 from any donor and for what reasons.

•Excuse me, I had to abandon the whole process half way, though I had the option of bribing my way to avoid some of the hurdles, but imagine a pastor bribing to start a church which you are to preach salvation and morals!

Rwanda president 

Closed 8,000 church in 2015 for health and safety grounds. Heavens did not fall.

Try insulting the presidents of Cameroon, like we do Buhari and go to life jail. The religious freedom in Nigeria is exceptional. It is even worse in Jerusalem (rules and regulations), that’s why Nigeria pastors don’t have churches in Jerusalem.

9. “TOUCH NOT THE ANOINTED” IS QUOTED OUT OF CONTEXT

Bible says in Judges 21vs25:-

Israel had no King and people behaved dangerously the way they wanted. Of course that’s the reason God instituted government to:

•Protect natural rights

•Defense against external enemies

•Manage economic conditions

•Redistribution of income and resources

•Provide public utility (goods and services).

•Prevent any externality.

10. THREE FORMS OF GOVERNMENT

•Family government – Husband the Head

•Church government – Pastor/Priest the Head

•Nations government – President (Rom. 13:1-2 – Bible says obey your government/rulers)

11. STOP THROWING TANTRUMS AT BUHARI- DO THE RIGHT THING

•Nigeria pastors stop your outburst on the altar, fireworks, fit of rage and fit of temper.

12. REGISTER AND DEREGISTER

•Church hires and fires pastors

•Church buys church land, goes to register with government and pursue C-of-O. Does the land not belong to God, why not take it free.

•Church goes to bank to register church accounts. You are prayerful pastors, why not keep the money in the church?

•Church pastors use police and army to guide them. You are prayerful people, why not call on angels of God to protect us?

•Church pastors go to queue at immigration to get international passport. Are you not God’s ambassador, why respect entry procedures of other countries?

•Church buy cars, buses, private jets and register with insurance. Why not drive and fly such jets without registration or insurance?

•Church open schools, new church branches and register with corporate affairs. Why not refuse to register since they belong to God?

•Church register with NEPA and water board. The properties of church belong to God. Why not instruct NEPA and water board to give your God free light and water?

13. CATHOLIC, ANGLICAN, BAPTIST CHURCHES.

The major churches understand self-regulation to a large extent

•Self-control

•Self-policing

•Self-inspection

•Self-monitoring

•Self-supervision

14. PENTECOSTAL AND PENTE-NONSENSE

These are politicians in religious robes are so reckless, rude, lousy and flamboyant. The do not understand self-regulation and therefore must be regulated by government of Nigeria immediately, before they cause religious war that is unnecessary. I have never heard a catholic priest, Methodist priest, Baptist priest beat the drums of war. It is only heard of on Pentecostal altars. Curiously, most Pentecostal churches are built by politicians. Do your research!

15. WHAT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF:

•INEC – Registers & deregisters political parties.

•CBN - Registers & deregisters commercial Banks and remove bank directors & MDs.

•C.A.C - Registers & deregisters companies, NGOs, Churches, yet the Pentecostal say it has no power to deregulate churches? It is not done anywhere.

16. C.A.C SHOULD GO AHEAD AND PERFORM THE STATUTORY ROLE IT IS CREATED FOR. THE SKY WILL NOT FALL:

•Political parties – In Nigeria belong to few Pentecostal pastors and they defraud government of billion meant for development.

•Banks - In Nigeria belongs to few Pentecostal pastors and they defraud government of billion meant for development.

•Companies - In Nigeria belong to few Pentecostal pastors and they defraud government of billion meant for development.

•Churches - In Nigeria belongs to most Pentecostal pastors and they defraud government of billion meant for development.

17. SANITY MUST BE SEEN TO BE DONE

If I Bishop Jatau does wrong, de-register my churches and appoint new trustees. Haba, so if I run a church and I am found to be involved in laundering money for terrorist, drug dealers, politicians and because God called me, government should not touch me abi?

18. JESUS IS MAN OF INTEGRITY, HONORABLE & NOT CORRUPT

•Phil. 4:8

•Prov. 20:7 – walk in integrity , your children are blessed

•Luke 6:31

•2Cor. 7:2

•Num. 16:15 – Moses had no regard for the offerings by corrupt leaders and dubious pastors/priests.

•2Cor. 4:2 – stop walking in craftiness.

•Acts 8:18 – 23 – stop selling “anointing” to corrupt politicians.

•Job 2:10 – stop sinning with your lips.

•Dan. 6:1-4 – Daniel’s integrity gained him position in government.

•Ps. 7:8 – God vindicate Nigerian pastors with integrity not money.

•Gen. 20:3 -10 – lets be blameless.

•Ps. 41:12

•Prov. 11:3 – let integrity & uprightness guide Nigeria churches

•Prov. 19:1 – better a poor man who walks in integrity than be a billionaire without.

19. A POSER FOR THE CHURCH?

It is amazing to recall how foreign missionaries to less developed countries funded missionary schools, hospitals and medical services free of charge. So why can’t the present day church provide such free social amenities to their congregants, especially in Nigeria, Sudan, Zimbabwe and other troubled countries? Ironically the same local pastors receive huge funds from overseas to continue with what and where the foreign missionaries have provided free service delivery but trust over General Overseers who have often diverted such donations from overseas for their self-aggrandizement and flamboyance.

20. FALLING UNDER ANOINTING 

When I first preached in UK church 20 years ago, I was warned by the government official who invited me not to make whites fall under our Nigerian anointing. I was shocked. Jesus taught the word and people received healing. In Nigeria is totally a different thing. Pastor must bend your neck backwards (etc).

Ignorant believers do not know that poor neck posture, neck disorder or neck trauma tempers with cervical spines causing fainting. When a pastor bends your neck and you fall and faint for 3 minutes. They clap for the “victim”. Note that cervical vertigo often results from head injury that disrupts head and neck alignment or whiplash the dizziness most often occurs after moving your neck and can also affect your sense of balance and concentration. UK government never allows it but everything goes in Nigeria.

21. INVITE MORTICIANS FOR A TALK

Invite morticians and you will be angry with Nigeria pastors who meet them to buy water from the mortuary and use for “Suya Nights”.

Invite morticians and you will hear how Nigerians pastors, bring healthy people to be put in coffin professionally and brought to church for the dubious miracles of raising the dead.

All these nonsense should not be allowed to continue. Mortuary attendance are often settled in millions. 

22. WE NEED REGULATORY BODY

•Many things are wrong with the churches in Nigeria.

•How many Billionaire pastors followed Dr. Ibrahim Mailafia to the SSS headquarters recently?

•How much have billionaire pastors given succor to the Kaduna victims of religious crisis.

•Moreover Promotion is based on favoritism ethnicity in most Pentecostal churches in Nigeria.

•The church must be sanitized and purged through official regulations as a safe-guard to insulate it from mundane practices.

CONCLUSION

Any church goer who is more emotionally attached to his pastor instead of the Bible, (word of God) and the Holy Spirit to the extent that truth and justice become secondary consideration should note that:

•You are not yet born again 

•Your exposure is useless 

•Your education is purposeless 

•You are a liability to humanity and the world.

It is the height of illiteracy, if you cannot reason beyond petty sentiment. Infact you are hypnotized, enchanted, bewitched and you need deliverance.

I, ARCHBISHOP EMMANUEL M. JATAU SAYS YES TO CAMA TOWARDS PROMOTING ETHICAL AND GODLY VALUES IN OUR RELIGIOUS PRACTICES. PERIOD!

“If thou prepare thine heart, and stretch out thine hands toward him; If iniquity be in thine hand, put it far away, and let not wickedness dwell in thy tabernacles. For then shalt thou lift up thy face without spot; yea, thou shalt be steadfast, and shalt not fear” Job 11:13-15 (KJV).

NB: THE SEPTEMBER PROPHECY SHALL BE EXPLOSIVE AND INSTRUCTIVE. DON’T MISS THE DIVINE REVELATION IN SEPTEMBER. LOOK FORWARD TO IT!

THE GRACE OF GOD!

 

EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

MONDAY AUGUST 31, 2020.

SUBJECT:  THE GRACE OF GOD!

Memory verse:  "So He answered and said to me: “This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the LORD of hosts.” (Zechariah 4 vs 6.) 

READ:  Zechariah 4 vs 1 - 6:

4:1: Now the angel who talked with me came back and awakened me, as a man who is awakened out of his sleep. 

4:2:And said to me, “What do you see?” So I said, “I am looking, and there is a lampstand of solid gold with its bowl on top of it, and on the stand seven lamps with seven pipes to the seven lamps. 

4:3: Two olive trees are by it, one at the right of the bowl and the other at its left.”

4:4: So I answered and spoke to the angel who talked with me, saying, “What are these, my lord?” 

4:5: Then the angel who talked with me answered and said to me, “Do you not know what these are?” And I said, “No, my lord.” 

4:6: .So he answered and said to me: “This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the Lord of hosts."

INTIMATION:

The dictionary definition of grace is; beauty, kindness, good-will, mercy, reprieve, and pardon. God's grace will then be His beauty; kindness; good-will; mercy; reprieve; and pardon for sinful humanity. These attributes of God are freely, and undeservedly given to sinful humanity. Grace therefore, is the free, and unmerited power of God available to sinful humanity to meet our needs without any costs to us. it is received by believing rather than through any human efforts. 

The simple and uncomplicated nature of God's grace as being a free gift, make many people miss it. There is nothing more powerful than grace. In fact, everything in the Bible—salvation, the infilling of the Holy Spirit, fellowship with God, victory in our daily lives, and so on—are rooted in the grace of God. Without grace, we are nothing, we have nothing, and can do nothing. If it were not for the grace of God, we would all be miserable and hopeless. Everything we are, do, and have are by the grace of God. You and I are helpless without the grace of God. We must not trust our own abilities, and initiatives because apart from Him, [cut off from vital union with Him] we can do nothing (John 15 vs 5). 

In Ephesians 2 vs 10, the apostle Paul tells us ..."We are God's [own] handiwork (His workmanship), recreated in Christ Jesus, [born anew] that we may do those good works which God predestined (planned beforehand) for us [taking paths which He prepared ahead of time], that we should walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us to live].” (Amplified Version.) Our works were prepared for us by God and finished from the foundation of the world (Hebrews 4 vs 3).

The psalmist in Psalm 139 vs 13 - 16 clearly states; "For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mothers's womb. ... for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Marvelous are Your works,...My frame was not hidden from You, when I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed . And in Your book they all were written, the day's fashioned for me, when as yet there were none of them." It is in realization of these facts, and in believing, that God's grace will be alive in your thought process, and you will "enter that rest" already fashioned for you (Hebrews 4 vs 3).  

We should start each day by saying, "Here I am, Lord, ready for whatever You have for me to do. I empty myself, as much as I know how, to allow Your grace to flow in my life, to cause me to be able to do whatever it is that You desire for me. I cast myself totally upon You. I can be only what You allow me to be, I can have only what You will for me to have, I can do only what You empower me to do, and each victory is to Your glory, not mine."

Many people believe that to survive in this world a person must be tough, strong, unbending and harsh. But God says, "Not by our might nor by our power, but by His Spirit—the power of God." It is only through God's Spirit (God's grace) that anything of lasting value is accomplished by us, and we overcome all our lives' challenges. In the passage we read today, the Lord is speaking to the same people who were trying to build the temple with Zerubbabel. He is telling them how they should react to their frustrating situation to overcome their adversaries against the rebuilding the temple. They should rely on God's grace. God says His children’s response to trouble should be not to depend on their own abilities or efforts, but on the limitless power of the Holy Spirit to meet the issues of their lives, and resolve the crises they face. 

Although God asks us to do our part, we should remember that He is not limited to human effort. God often chooses to work through people, but only because it is good for them. He can accomplish all He purposes without any help from us if He so chooses. You are very important to God, but on your own you have neither the ability to fulfill nor the power to disrupt God’s plan. 

Prayer: Abba Father, by strength shall no man prevail. Without Your grace I am nothing, I have nothing, and can do nothing! May I never miss me Your grace in all I do, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

PREORDAINED DESTINY

 PREORDAINED DESTINY

"Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations. Jeremiah 1:5" 

Devotion : Jeremiah was called by God at a young age and he tried to give excuses to God but God would not buy them and had to encourage him with the opening Scripture. God has planned the destinies of His children and would want His children to know about their personal destiny and walk in it (Ephesians 1:5-6). Our responsibility is to find our destiny through fellowshipping with the Holy Spirit and the Holy Scriptures; after we have found it, let us not hesitate to fulfill it. No two destinies are the same; therefore, Christians should desist from comparing their destiny with others. What God would want you to do is to appreciate your destiny, give Him the glory, and ask Him to help you live it. Hallelujah! Dear beloved, do you know your destiny? Are you living it? Share your thoughts here!

WORRY NOT ABOUT YOUR LIFE!

 

EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

SUNDAY AUGUST 30, 2020.

SUBJECT : WORRY NOT ABOUT YOUR LIFE!

Memory verse: "Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you." (First Peter 5 vs 7.)

READ: Matthew 6 vs 25 - 30::

6:25: 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. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?

6:26: Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your Heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?

6:37: Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?

6:28: So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin;

6:29: and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

6:30: Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

INTIMATION:

One must not be overly anxious about the things of this world nor of the sustenance of life. One must come to an understanding that life does not consist of those things that empirically beheld and possessed. God is our Creator and Sustainer of our lives. Just as the manufacturer of any product knows the reasons and purposes for doing so, and provides the means for its proper functioning, so it is with our God—the Creator and Owner of us all. He knows His reasons and purposes for creating anything He created, and provides all that are necessary for the effective functioning of all He created, so as to achieve the desired purposes. All those needs are in constant supply according to His promises.

Jesus asked the intriguing question, “Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?” Obviously, without life there are no needs for food and clothing. Therefore, if He has given you life, rest assured of His provisions of the necessities for sustaining the life, and He already knows of those needs (Matthew 6 vs 31). Worrying shows a lack of faith in and understanding of God, and it’s more harmful than helpful in our relationship with Him. It negatively hampers our efforts in relating with Him in the now—our faith in Him. God deals with our daily needs, hence Jesus’ teaching of our living one day at a time, and asking for our daily bread from Him (Matthew 6 vs 11). 

In the passage we read today, Jesus teaches of the wonderful ways God takes care of all He created; supplying them of their desired needs to live without any efforts of theirs. He gave two classical examples of the birds of the air and the lilies of the field. The birds neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet they have never lacked because He supplies their needs. And also, the lilies of the field neither toil nor spin, but the glory of their beautiful flowers are even better than the works of human designs and beautification. Jesus exhortation is that if God takes care of grass, flowers, birds, then surely He will take care of His children. The point is that one must trust in God, not in one’s own self-sufficiency. 

Have you ever read a headline about millions of birds dying of starvation? No! And you never will. They don't plant, or harvest, or store food away, yet God feeds them. If God cares that much for a tiny little bird, think how much better care He will take of a person who has been made in His image and after His likeness! Jesus is encouraging us that we can have much more confidence in God to take care of us. This seems a radical statement because we feel like it's our duty to worry about things, but God is telling us to rely on Him with our whole heart. (Proverbs 3 vs 5; First Peter 5 vs 7.)

Jesus further said in Matthew 6 vs 31 - 32, "Therefore do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or What where shall we wear?' For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your Heavenly Father knows that you need all these things."

There should be a difference between Christians and unbelievers—between people who have covenant with God, and people who are trying to do it all on their own. We shouldn't be out in the world chasing possessions and struggling to survive the same way that the unbelievers are. God wants us to prosper, and we have a covenant of all round blessings. Our covenant of blessing stems from the blessing of our father Abraham who was blessed in all things (Genesis 24 vs 1; Galatians 3 vs 14). 

The same God who created you can be trusted with the details of your life. The All-Knowing God knows all your needs even before you mention them, and is concerned about every aspect of our lives. He never ignores those who depend on Him (Romans 10 vs 11). He wants us to prosper in every way: physically, emotionally, financially, and in our relationships. Our duty is to put Him first in our life, and all our needs will be supplied according to His plans and purposes. God is pleased when we prosper! He wants to see us succeed. (See Psalm 35 vs 27; Third John 2.)

You have to rely on God and trust that He is your source—putting God first in everything in your life. It has to be a heart-level revelation, not just a conclusion you arrive at mentally. And once you grab hold of this, it will revolutionize your life, you will be completely transformed. He will begin to supernaturally take care of you. It will bring you a tremendous amount of peace and confidence. Let God’s counsel in His Word rule you at all time; “Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Hebrews 13 vs 5). 

Prayer: Abba Father, give me the grace to cast all my care upon You, and eschew all forms of worry in my life. What You cannot give me let me never have it, and what You cannot do for me let it remain undone, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

WALK WITH LIKE MINDS

 WALK WITH LIKE MINDS

"And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed. Thessalonians 3:14" 

Devotion : God our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ are mindful of those we associate with. Our Lord Jesus Christ was always in company with the disciples except on a few occasions when He had to go out of the way to win a soul. He knows that evil company or evil association corrupts good character (1 Corinthians 15:13). Jesus Christ wants us to live and walk in His Word, and associate with likeminded people who live and walk in His Word. It is then we can sharpen one another and learn from one another so that we can shine as true lights of the world. If Christians dissociate from their fellow Christians who are not walking in the Scriptures, they shall be ashamed and turn from their crooked ways. Let us be quick to identify brethren who are taking the gospel for granted so that we can help them to stand in the faith. Dear beloved, what did you learn from this gospel? Share your comments here!

KEEP YOUR HOPE ALIVE!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

SATURDAY AUGUST 29, 2020.

SUBJECT: KEEP YOUR HOPE ALIVE!

Memory verse: "While we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.” (Second Corinthians 4 vs 18.)

READ: Hebrews 4 vs 3 - 10: 

4:3: For we who have believed do enter that rest, as He has said: “So I swore in My wrath,‘ They shall not enter My rest,’ although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. 
4:4: For He has spoken in a certain place of the seventh day in this way: “And God rested on the seventh day from all His works”; 
4:5: and again in this place: “They shall not enter My rest..”
4:6: Since therefore it remains that some must enter it, and those to whom it was first preached did not enter because of disobedience,

4:7: again, He designates a certain day, saying in David, “Today,” after so long a time; as it is said: “Today if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.”
4:8: For if Joshua had given them rest, then He would not afterward have spoken of another day.
4:9: There remains therefore a rest for the people of God.

4:10: For he who has entered His rest has also ceased from his works, as God did from His.

INTIMATION:

Hope is the foundation upon which we continue our response to the grace of God. We all have faced problems in our relationships or in our work that have caused us to think about giving up. Also, we have all done things for which we are ashamed, and we live in the tension of what we have been and what we want to be. It’s easy to lose heart and quit. Because of our hope is in Christ, however, we can let go of past quit and look forward to what God will help us become. Don’t dwell on your past if you a child of God. Instead, grow in the knowledge of God by concentrating on your relationship with Him now. Realize that you are forgiven, and then move on to a life of faith and obedience. Look forward to a fuller and more meaningful life because of your hope in Christ.

Our troubles should not diminish our faith or disillusion us, nor should fatigue, pain, or criticism force you off the job. We should not forsake your eternal reward because of the intensity of today’s pain. We should realize that there is a purpose in our suffering. Problems and human limitations have several benefits: (1) They remind us of Christ’s suffering for us; (2) they keep us from pride; (3) they cause us to look beyond this brief life; (4) they give us opportunities to prove our faith to others; and (5) they give God the opportunity to demonstrate His power. See your troubles as opportunities! Your very weakness allows the resurrection power of Christ to strengthen you moment by moment as you concentrate on the inner strength that comes from the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 3 vs 16). 

Our day-to-day experiences and hardships are sometimes overwhelming; unless we can see that God’s purpose is to bring about continual growth in us, we may despair. Though Christians see the world as it is—physically decaying and spiritually infected with sin, but they do not need to be pessimistic, because they have hope for future glory. The hope they need is well expressed in Jeremiah 29 vs 11 - 12; “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of Peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.” To retain hope while we suffer shows we understand God’s merciful ways of relating to His people.

Some people have little hope of escaping their degrading way of life. With no hope, they languish in their state of predicament. But the blind beggar, in Luke 18 vs 35, took hope in the Messiah. He shamelessly cried out for Jesus’ attention, and Jesus said that his faith allowed him to see. No matter how desperate your situation may seem, if you call out to Jesus in faith, He will help you. God’s grace has delivered us from sin and death, and consequently, will deliver us unto the new heavens and earth that are to come. For this reason, Christians should obediently walk by faith in order not to give up their eternal possession that they have as heirs of God. 

The ultimate hope of a Christian when experiencing terrible illness, persecution, or pain is the realization that this life is not all there is—there is life after death! Death is only a prelude to eternal life with God. Knowing that we will live forever with God in a place without sin and suffering can help us live above the pain that we face in this life. The ultimate hope of the believer is in the return of Jesus (Titus 2 vs 13). Our perspective on life remains incomplete without this hope. This hope gives the Christians the inner strength to persevere through the struggles of this life, and remain faithful and strong through the trials and persecutions of this world. 

Hope keeps the Christian from becoming lazy or feeling bored. Like an athlete, train hard and run well, remembering the reward that lies ahead (Philippians 3 vs 14). No matter what happens, God is in control. Evil will not last forever. And a wonderful reward awaits all those who believe in Jesus as Savior and Lord. All Christians should show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end, that they do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises (Hebrews 6 vs 11 - 12).

Prayer: Abba Father, my trust is in You. For I know I am victorious in Christ, and look forward to live with Him forever when all suffering will end and all sorrow will flee away.

Give me the grace of unshakable hope in the heirship You promised to Your children,  in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

THE RIGHT DIRECTION

 THE RIGHT DIRECTION

"In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Proverbs 3:6" 

Devotion : In this world everybody is going somewhere but not everyone knows where they are going; everybody is going somewhere but not everyone will reach their destination; everybody is going somewhere but not everyone is on the right path. These are the reasons why the opening Scripture said we should not see anything too small to talk to God about. He wants to know everything so that He can direct us. He alone knows the right way because there is a way that seems right unto man but the end thereof is the way of death (Proverbs 14:12). Let Him know what you have purpose to do so that He can lead you on the path of success and peace. Praise the Lord! Dear beloved, what did you learn from this gospel? Share your comments here!

GROW UP!

EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

FRIDAY AUGUST 28, 2020.

SUBJECT: GROW UP!

Memory verse:  "For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food.” (Hebrews 5 vs 12.) 

READ: Hebrews 5 vs 12 -14:

5:12: For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. 

5:13: For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. 

5:14: But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

INTIMATION:

Growth in Christianity is growing in the wisdom and knowledge of the high-priestly role of Christ in the life of all believers. The growth is difficult unless you moved out of your comfort zones, and get really committed to Christ. Your commitment and thirst, commits God to arouse your intellect, and discerning spirit to know Him personally; your eyes of understanding being enlightened, that is, being focused and clear, so that you can see exactly what He is calling you to do. 

In real life, we try to know someone better by reading biographical information or historical data about him. That will help you know a lot about that person, bu it won’t enable you to actually know him or her. To know someone better, you need to spend time with that person; there is no shortcut. The same holds true with God. Reading the Bible, great works of theology, and devotional material is wonderful, but there is no substitute for knowing God personally by spending quality time with a Him. 

Do you really know God, or do you just know about Him? The difference is in spending quality time with Him, and in that hinges your growth as a Christian. Consequently, you grasp the immensity of this glorious way of life He has for His followers, and the utter extravagance of His work in us who trust Him; His endless energy, and boundless strength.

Christians who are yet to experience growth are Babes in Christ. Instead of growing in the wisdom and knowledge of their inheritance in Christ, such Christians are still needing someone to teach them the very rudiments of the truths of God; the elementary principles of Christ.  The apostle Paul said such believers are still in the infant stage, needing milk for feeding. He says that, “for everyone who partakes only in milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe.” (Hebrews 5 vs 13.)

Considering how long they have been Christians, some believers ought to be teachers, leaders, helpers of men, praying with the sick. Instead of still needing prayer contractors who would do the praying for them. Stunted growth in a Christian’s life is as a result of the bad habit of not listening appropriately, and practicing the Word of God, and they become believers who are unskilled in the word of righteousness—inexperienced in God’s ways. 

For some, instead of growing, they are pulled back to the world by the devil—backslides. The peril of not growing up in Christ, but rather backsliding is enormous. Once you have seen the light, gotten a taste of heaven and been part of the work of the Holy Spirit, once you have personally experienced the sheer goodness of God’s Word and the powers breaking in on us, turning your back on it—washing your hands of the whole thing—is costly. Why? Because when you turn your back on Christ, you become a toy in the hands of the devil. 

To return to Christ you must begin afresh. You can’t start over again as if nothing happened. That’s impossible. Your action of turning your back on Christ is repudiating Him in the public. By deliberately turning away from Christ, you become  an unbeliever, cutting yourself off from God’s forgiveness. And, in the event of your returning to Him, the apostle Paul likened it to your re-crucifying Jesus: “For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame. (Hebrews 6 vs 4 - 6.)

The apostle Paul likened such persons to a parched ground that soaks up rain and then produces an abundance of grains for its gardener, and get God’s approval. But if it produces weeds and thistles, it’s more likely to get cussed out. Such fields are not harvested, but rather, they are cleared of the weeds and thistles and are burned. It is time to grow to adulthood and claim your real place in Christ. Start today and the Holy Spirit will guide you to all truth.

Prayer: Abba Father, grant me your glorious inner strength through the Holy Spirit, that Christ may dwell in my heart through faith, and I will experience the extravagant dimensions of Christ love, in Jesus’ Name I prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

MY GOOD

 

MY GOOD

"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28" 

Devotion : The focus of God is that all things work together for the good of His children. Among the children of God are those who love Him; this is seen in their obedience and submission to God. All the children of God are called according to His purpose but there are those who are carrying out His purpose and there are those who are not. Those who are carrying out the purpose of God are those who love Him. Those who love God will have all things working together for their good. All things include the trees, sun, sea, ground, birds, temptation, suffering, riches, health, career, angels, etc. Therefore, if you are a Christian and you know you love God, whatever you are going through don't complain because they are working together for your good. Hallelujah! Share your thoughts here!

GOD’S LOVE FOR US!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

THURSDAY AUGUST 27, 2020.

SUBJECT : GOD'S LOVE FOR US!

Memory verse: "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." 

(John 3 vs 16.)

READ: Romans 5 vs 6 - 11:

5:6: For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.

5:7: For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die.

5:8: But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

5:9: Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.

5:10: For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.

5:11: And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.

INTIMATION:

God is filled with compassion and wants us to realize we are loved and cared for. This is one of God's most outstanding and obvious characteristics. The message of the gospel comes to a focus in His passion for us as is stated, and demonstrated in our memory verse. Here God sets the pattern of true love or passion for others, setting the pattern for all true love relationships. 

When you love someone dearly, you are ready and willing to give freely to the point of self-sacrifice. For His love for us, God paid dearly with the life of His Son, the highest price He could pay, and unheard of in history. Jesus accepted wholeheartedly, His propitiation for our sins, accepted our punishment, paid the price for our sins on the cross (Ezekiel 18 vs 4 & Romans 6 vs 23). He, in exchange, offered us the new life that He had bought for us; exchanging His life of inestimable value with out lives that are completely worthless.

The apostle Paul, in the passage we read, expounded the love of God for us. He explained that when we were weak and helpless because we could do nothing on our own to save ourselves, Christ had to come to rescue us. He came at exactly the right time in history in accordance with God's plan and schedule. It is God that controls all history, and He controlled the timing, method, and events surrounding Jesus' death. God sent Jesus to die for us, not because we were good enough, but just because He loved us and is passionate about our well being.

The apostle Paul explained that the love that caused God to create the world for an extension of His kingdom, and caused Christ to die in our place, is the same love that sends the Holy Spirit to live n us and guide us daily. The power that raised Jesus from the dead is the same power that saved us and is available to us in our daily lives. 

God is a Passionate Father. In Psalms 103 vs 13 the psalmist reminds us: 

"As a father pities his children, So the Lord pities those who fear Him." Jesus demonstrated this the day the disciples found themselves on the Sea of Galilee, and a storm was brewing, which is typical of the Sea of Galilee even today. The boat containing these disciples started to take in water because of the turbulence. With the boat beginning to sink, these terrified disciples asked the ultimate question, "Lord, don't You care?" Of course He cares!

Many of us have at one time or the other felt like that, "Lord where are You when I really need You?" "God, I'm going under. Don't You care?" But a believer and a child of God will remember the promise found in First Peter 5 vs 7, "Casting all your care upon Him; for He cares for you." Does God care about your health? Yes! Does He care about your finances? Yes! What about that relationship that has never become what you hoped it would? Yes, He does care! He cares about the minutest details of your life that even the very hairs of your head is counted. (Matthew 10 vs 30). Though you may not know He cares, rest assured He does.

Be assured that, having begun a life with Christ, you have a reserve power and love to call on each day for help to meet every challenge or trial. Too often, in our spiritual life, although we may need to love God more, there is a much higher need to recognize just how much He loves us. When our relationship is such that we feel God's love and His passion for His children, we naturally begin to love Him more. You can pray for His power and love as you need it.

In Psalms 145 vs 18 the psalmist tells us, "The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, To all who call upon Him in truth." What this means is that He is never too busy for you. When you pray, you will never get busy signal. He hears you and ready to meet your real need. Jesus had a very special term He used to describe the personal and passionate nature of God. He called Him, "Abba." The word Abba is an Aramaic word used to describe the most intimate, personal nature of a father. He is never too busy for you. He is never more concerned about a crisis in one individual than another. 

Prayer: Abba Father, thank you for Your love for me. You have daily loaded me with Your benefits, always forgiving me my iniquities, healing me all my diseases, redeeming my life from distractions, satisfying my mouth with good things, so that my youth is renewed like the eagle's, and crowning me with loving kindness and tender mercies. May I not miss my path in You, in Jesus' Name I have prayed. Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!