The Nation Newspaper

Category: Sunday magazine

  • Living Faith: Enjoying Divine Visitation! (4)

    Last week, I showed you how to access divine ideas, to enjoy divine manifestation. This week, I will be showing you how God can bless you through the works of your hand.

    Diligence is one of the responsibilities you must accept, if you must access the blessings of God in your life. Diligence or hard work is a major ingredient for the blessings of God and for your all-round success in life.

    God’s Word says: …Whatsoever he doeth shall prosper (Psalm 1:3). Indeed, there is no substitute for hard work, if you want to enjoy the blessings of God. It is these blessings that will make you a success in life. There is profit in every labour (Proverbs 14:23). When you labour through the work of your hand, you automatically provoke God’s blessings upon your life. There are no two ways about it!

    Every destiny decays in the hands of laziness, idleness and slothfulness. Just as success and God’s blessings are as a result of diligence, failure comes through slothfulness (Ecclesiastes 10:18). The blessings of God will elude you, unless your hands are set to work. Until your hands become working hands, your life will not become a working life, for work is what determines your worth in life.

    There is abundance in God’s destiny for you, but the work you do with your hands is the avenue through which it will come. Even though God had promised to make Abraham great, we saw Abraham getting busy with rearing cattle, even at an advanced age of 75. He knew that the only way God would bless him was through the works of his hands.

    The blessings of God never eluded Abraham, because he put his hands to work. No wonder, God’s Word says: And Abram was very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold (Genesis 13:2). God confirmed his blessings upon his life, through the works of his hand.

    When your hands are slack, poverty is sure to come your way (Proverbs 10:4). If you want to enjoy God’s blessings, then you must put your hands to work. God’s Word says: The soul of the sluggard desireth, and hath nothing: but the soul of the diligent shall be made fat (Proverbs 10:4). Failure becomes your heritage, only when your hands refuse to work. It takes diligence to become successful and to enjoy God’s blessings.

    Your disobedience to God’s command to work, is what is making you to spend countless and needless hours in laborious prayers (Proverbs 22:29). A student who would not study for his examination, but spends hours praying, will still end up a failure.

    You commit God to your matter, when you diligently operate covenant principles. Diligence is one of the principles for enjoying God’s blessings on earth. If you don’t work, you can’t climb unto you covenant throne of success. For instance, Jesus, the Son of God says: I must work (John 9:4). He did not stop there, He also said: My Father worketh hitherto, and I work (John 5:17).

    From the above, you can see that God the Father is working; Jesus the Son and Messiah is also working. Who then are you taking after, if you go about wasting your life through laziness and idleness? Work authenticates faith (James 2:18). Faith is not what God will do, but acting on what God says in order to establish the desires of your heart. Do you want God’s blessings? Then listen to what He says you should do to qualify for His blessings. What does He say? Work! You are either a worker or you are worthless! So, to enjoy God’s visitation in your life, you must work!

    Work is of God; hard work is His will. When you spend time praying for His blessings without working, you are not praying according to the will of God. The effect is that you won’t get any answer. But when you do what He tells you to do, a miracle answers to you automatically.

    Hard work keeps you healthy. Since the day I started working full-time in ministry, I work for an average of 18 hours each day, and I am living the healthiest life. My body is as strong as stone, and all my organs are functioning very well! You are created to work; when you are not working, you are wearing out. Nothing works until you work it! If you are not a worker, you will end up begging!

    Friend, the power to put your hands to work is available, if you are born again. You are born again by confessing your sins and accepting Jesus as your Lord and Saviour.

    I know this teaching has blessed you. Write and share your testimony with me through: Faith Tabernacle, Canaan Land, Ota, P.M.B. 21688, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria; or call 7747546-8; or E-mail: feedback@lfcww.org

  • Youths urged to serve God

    Youths urged to serve God

    It was an awesome worship experience last weekend at the 2013 Youth Concert of the Apostolic Faith Church.

    The concert tagged “the fruitfulness of the righteous” held at the church’s camp city in Igbesa, Ogun State.

    The orchestra choir made up of youths drawn across the country delighted the audience with the violin.

    The District Superintendent of the Apostolic Faith West and Central Africa, Rev Emmanuel Adeniran, urged the church as well as families to manage youths effectively so they don’t derail or fall into trauma.

    He said trauma can be engaged at the family, religious level and governmental level.

    Emphasising the role of the church in curbing the situation, he urged all stakeholders to brace up to the responsibility of providing youths with spiritual, psychological, educational and economic resources to cope with their challenges.

    According to him: “I want to say that all stakeholders should not leave the responsibility to the government alone. The press, teachers, and the parents have a role to play by creating the right environment around so that we eliminate trauma amongst the youth.”

    He urged youths to make use of their God- given talents in singing and playing of instruments.

  • Enjoying divine visitation (3)

    Welcome to your regular column. Last week, I taught on divine ideas as one of the ways through which God blesses a person. Ideas are mental virtues accessible mainly by thinkers. I also gave some examples of those who enjoyed divine visitations through divine ideas.

    This week, I will show you how to access divine idea. You have learnt how divine ideas can make you enjoy divine visitations. The question now is: How do we tap into divine idea? The Word of God says: And Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the eventide: and he lifted up his eyes, and saw, and, behold, the camels were coming (Genesis 24:63).

    Meditation is one of the vital breeding grounds for inspiration. That is why we see Isaac go out to the field to meditate. Understanding does not just drop on people; it comes through the conscious process of meditation. Meditation is staying mentally focused on an issue, until the nitty gritty of it is unfolded to you.

    It is time for us in the developing nations to become the toast of the world. But this can only happen when we trigger the potential in us, by the insight communicated through the Spirit of God. Insight about facts of life relevant to our individual and collective pursuit is what makes all the difference.

    It is time to change our orientation as this is the only way to enhance the beauty of our destination. We cannot stay with tradition; else we will become victims of stagnation. It is time to move and take steps in the right direction.

    You will soon lose relevance except you become a contributor to the society you live in. You will soon become a nuisance except you are adding value to your community. Remember, when you are a child of God, you are the light of the world and salt of the earth (Matthew 5:13-14). You are to endeavour to influence the society where you are through divine ideas.

    Investing time: Time is the principal raw material needed in the factory of ideas. Ideas answer to only those who have time for it. Without setting time apart to reason, your rising is not in view.

    Jesus, during His earthly ministry, went to the mountain top and just sat down there. He was not praying, but reasoning (Matthew 15:29). If you don’t have time to reason, it is not your turn for a change, as time is where it begins. Ideas are the products of reasoning, with the evidence of added value. Time, therefore, is of utmost essence in the school of ideas.

    There is a separation required for illumination. Having separated himself, a wise man begins to seek and reason out a solution. “There must be a way out here,” he tells himself.

    Everyone is equally allotted 24 hours daily. Time is, therefore, an asset of universal equality. No matter how busy you are, you are not entitled to more than 24 hours in a single day no matter who you are. Therefore, no one person has more time than the other. The difference is that while some are spending their time, others are investing theirs. You don’t know true investment, until you learn time investment.

    The more time you have for reasoning, the more insight you gain, and the greater results you command in our family. The mobile phones you carry about, most of the time, are working against you. When an idea is coming, they ring. By the time you finish answering the calls, the idea had flown away.

    Time is an invaluable asset. Unfortunately, most people are abusers of time. The West has no more time than the East, neither has the South more time than the North; but one is wiser in his investment of time than the other. We must begin to redeem our time from traditional pollution, cultural bastardization and from unrelated issues scrambling for our time during business hours. That is the only way to get moving.

    When you go out for eight hours, you must be accountable for at least six hours. So, stop spending time, start investing it! Every time investor invariably ends up an inventor.

    The top is open and free, but you have to make your way there. If you want to be a partaker of this outpouring of divine ideas, you need to set time apart to calmly sit down and calculate your options, and chart a course towards a destination. Organize ways of getting to where you are going, and programme for results. Re-organize your office hours to include a reasoning time. Call it, “Planning time” or whatever you may wish to call it.

    When you organize your time this way, it will make you think better. Thinkers invent things that bring improvement. So, every time you are committed to thinking, what you are actually doing is programming for improvement.

    Friend, the power for quality meditation and time investment is the preserve of those who are connected to God. You get connected by confessing your sins and accepting Jesus as your Saviour and Lord. If you are set for it, please say this prayer: Lord Jesus, I come to You today. I am a sinner. Forgive me of my sins. Today, I accept You as my Lord and Saviour. Thank You, Jesus. Now, I know I am born again! I will conclude this teaching next week.

    I know this teaching has blessed you. Write and share your testimony with me through: Faith Tabernacle, Canaan Land, Ota, P.M.B. 21688, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria; or call 7747546-8; or E-mail: feedback@lfcww.org

  • Awesome worship experience holds

    An awesome worship experience organised by Father’s House, Mega City, holds on August 31st by 4.30pm.

    The concert takes place at Transformation Avenue opposite Omapet filling station, Ofada Road in Obafemi-Owode Local Government of Ogun State.

    The church host, Pastor Israel Udoh, said some of the activities lined up include total praise and worship and thanksgiving prayers.

  • ‘Nigeria has looters, not leaders’

    ‘Nigeria has looters, not leaders’

    Church growth consultant, Dr Francis Bola Akin-John, has been organising conferences for thousands of church leaders across the world for years. He spoke ahead of another forthcoming conference on girl-child marriage, the new Lagos Domestic Violence Law, church leadership and sundry issues. Sunday Oguntola was there.

    This year’s conference is on leaders lift, what is the big deal about that?

    First, it was the Lord that led me to choose that theme. It is basically to explain that leadership is about lifting others. I believe it is not for personal benefits. From my research as a consultant to churches and ministries, I have seen that that is not our idea of leadership. Leaders are not lifting but limiting people. The idea is to remind church leaders that we are there to lift people. That is the fundamental, primary, basic and most important reason for leadership. Leaders must lift people emotionally, financially, spiritually and economically.

    From your observation, do you think we have really had such leaders in this country?

    I am afraid I am going to say no, with the exception of a very few people. Rather, we have looters and not leaders in the church and the nation. We also have rulers and not leaders. Our rulers do not have the skills, capacities and motivations to serve others. We can all see how people who were so poor suddenly become billionaires once they get to the positions of leadership. They serve themselves and their cronies. I say it a lot that the only curse on Nigeria is that of leadership. We have everything else except good leaders across board. We lack leaders that can lead us through vision, sacrifice, personal examples and integrity to the Promised Land.

    There was point in this country when even government agencies and officials asked churches for nominees. At what point did the church lose out in providing leadership in the country?

    Oh, that was when we deemphasised training. When we deemphasised going to Bible schools. There was this crop of leaders that emerged in the late 70s without attending Bible schools. They had secular training and good degrees but lack biblical training. In those days, the church emphasised biblical teachings on integrity, honesty and hard work. Churches were not flamboyant then but there were well-groomed leaders in the church.

    These secular-trained church leaders started anointing rich, successful Christians to become pastors without good foundations. Churches became rich, popular and full but lack good foundations. That was the point we lost it. Today, pastors misbehave and you are really saddened. They lack consistent walk with the Lord when popularity, prosperity and pressure come. Until the church goes back to emphasise discipleship, godly living and biblical instructions, we’d remain in the doldrums.

    How would you assess a growing church?

    I’d judge a growing church by its health. There are many growing but unhealthy churches. Many think every church with thousands of worshippers is really growing. You can have money, popularity and fame and yet remain unhealthy. I’d be interested in knowing the quality of life by those attending those churches.

    Many today are in churches to receive from God, they want to use Him. They want Him to pander to their caprices. They just want to pray and receive miracles without pleasing God or walking with Him. Many preachers focus on testimonies, prophecies and miracles that will bring people without discipleship. Churches like that are not healthy but growing.

    So, I will look for the moral lifestyles and value systems of the people. I’d look for their willingness to please God and efforts to follow Christ. So, I won’t be deceived by money, size or fame of the church but quality of life exhibited by the members.

    What is responsible for the rising spate of domestic violence?

    I will put it down to loss of values. When the church no longer teaches values and people lack the fear of God, things will really fall apart. When we lack the fear of God, there is nothing you cannot do. That is why we have girl-child marriage and domestic violence. People are just looking for how to fulfill their lust. Someone argued his religion allows him to marry teenage girls.

    For God’s sake, how can you marry a girl? How can you be violent on your wife or spouse? How can you bear to be sleeping with a 13-year-old girl? It means there is no fear of God or value for human lives.

    The Lagos State Government just signed the Domestic Violence bill into Law. How do you respond to such government interventions in marital affairs, considering what happens in the West?

    That law, to some extent, is praiseworthy but lopsided. And I want to sound a note of warning that we are treading the path that the Europeans walked. That is why there countries have become females’ nations where men are endangered species. I know women that beat their husbands. I know many men that dare not talk. Does the law cover that? If not, then it is lopsided.

    My fear is that we might have just licensed women to become more daring to walk out of their matrimonies. The rate of single parenthood is rising just like divorce. Most of our Nollywood stars are having children without men. This law has the tendency to encourage that. They can walk out under the slightest challenge.

    In Europe, men cannot even raise their voices. The women will call 911 and the police will show up. They will walk the husbands out and jail them. They believe whatever the women say, whether or not they are lying. That way, many homes are breaking. The government had better tread softly there so that we are not taking two steps forward and ten steps backwards.

    Don’t you think the high unemployment among men will further encourage women to provoke them and invoke the law?

    Sure. You know I teach marriage and I know many women lose it once their husbands get out of jobs. Only a few women can be bread winners and not misbehave. I want to say that men must not wait for government jobs. To me, it is foolish to be a graduate and not have a job for five years. I have not travelled much but we can start a business and if you are intelligent and hardworking, you will break even in five years. The market is there and the opportunities. I don’t think we should blame the government but ourselves.

    I believe we must return to learning crafts and skills. If men remain at homes, waiting for jobs, they will lose their authority at home. We are all after the get-rich syndrome but that will not take us far. School is to prepare people for life but we must be street wise to survive.

    Can you marry out your 13-year-old daughter?

    God forbid. Even if I am not a Christian or a pastor, it will not happen.For God’s sake, a 13-year-old is not ready for marriage. Some people say once a girl is menstruating, she is ready. But they fail to tell us that once an adult forces himself on a girl that is not ready, it leads to VVF. That is why the only four hospitals that treat VVF are in the north.

    I put it down to self-indulgence and lust. If you are a mature father with senses, how can you be forcing yourself on a 13-year-old? She is a girl, not a bride. She is not ready for marital responsibilities. To me, it is a product of our warped minds. Those who advocate for it are only done with older women and want to finish off our girls.

    That proposal should be thrown out like we rejected same-sex bill. Like we arrest rapists, we should also arrest those sleeping with girls. Otherwise, our future is in jeopardy. Our girl-children have become endangered species. It is frightening that older men now believe they can rejuvenate themselves by sleeping with girl-children.

    What do you imagine would have happened after the conference?

    I expect that our church leaders would learn skills on how to become lifters. I believe only spiritual men can lead the church to the next level of impact. So, we are talking on practical skills on how to lift people. We are empowering them on how to change lives and transform the societies. We want them to be in touch with God and become agents of change. We want to deemphasise motivational preaching and encourage leaders to teach and cite only the Bible.

  • Don’t set Nigeria on fire, Uka warns politicians

    The Prelate of the Presbyterian Church of Nigeria, Most (Rev) Prof. Emele Uka, has urged the political class to conduct its affairs with responsibility and decorum to avoid plunging the nation into crises.

    The Prelate gave this advice during the 50th anniversary of the Lagos Presbyterian Church, Yaba last week.

    He said the church has noted with concern the impunity with which politicians are issuing threats and other unpatriotic statements laden with ethnic and regional sentiments.

    Such statements, according to him, are capable of creating undue tensions across the nation.

    He said the crisis in Rivers State should not be overlooked by stakeholders because it is a stain on the nation’s political class.

    He urged President Goodluck Jonathan and other stakeholders to step into the crisis with a view to resolving the matter amicably as the festering development could give negative signals to the 2015 general election.

    Uka frowned at the proposed girl-child marriage bill in the senate, saying such development was tantamount to child abuse.

    The Chairman of the anniversary, former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon(Rtd), who was represented by former Minister of Health, Dr. Julius Adelusi, congratulated the Lagos Presbyterian Church and enjoined members to continue to live their values and walk their talk.

    Dr. Kalu Idika Kalu, a former Minister for Finance, congratulated the church for coming this far and advised members to continue to propagate the gospel to the nooks and crannies of the country.

    He enjoined Nigerians to imbibe the virtues of peace and tolerance, stating that religion shouldn’t brew division but be a harbinger of peace among the adherents.

    The minister-in-charge, Rev NnannaOdege, said the Presbyterian Church is more determined than ever to break new frontiers in the South-west geopolitical region and take advantage of the emerging doors in the zone.

    He added that with concerted efforts through the power and enablement of the Holy Ghost, the church must make the anniversary count by winning more souls for the Kingdom of God.

  • Every family a fountain (1)

    God has a purpose in mind when he created the family. Some families are fulfilling that purpose on earth for which God created the family earth, while others are disappointing the purpose on earth.

    But Joshua’s family had a Godly leadership and therefore a Godly family was raised. And this Godly family provides us the good example of a family with God’s purpose for creating the family.

    GOD’S PURPOSES FOR CREATING THE FAMILY

    1. It is to create God centered relationship and fellowship.

    2. It is also to create a God centered character.

    3. The 3rd purpose of a family is to serve God and honour God on earth.

    And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD. Joshua 24:15

    Your purpose is more than money. Your purpose is more than the job you do. That is why you must understand the purpose for your family because; Purpose not discovered cannot be pursued and Purpose not pursued with focus cannot be possessed. You shall not miss your purpose on earth in Jesus name. Your family shall not miss God’s purpose in Jesus Name.

    You need to understand also that EVERY FAMILY IS A FOUNTAIN

    In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. John 7:37-38

    When the gift of the spirit comes on any believer

    1) He experiences God’s overflowing life which is the Holy Spirit imparted upon believers.

    2) This believer will flow out to others with the fountain of God’s saving power and God’s healing touch.

    3) The family or the believer saturated with God’s presence becomes an out flow of the life of God to others.

    He or she becomes the out flow of God’s vitality and revival of real abundant life to others.

    The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. John 10:10

    When you encounter the Holy Ghost, your life becomes the outflow of God’s larger life to everyone you meet. To encounter God’s larger life – you must be God saturated

    I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. John 15:5

    Families – you are bigger than the small issues that are troubling you and tearing you. If you are God and Holy Ghost saturated, you will overflow in love, care, ministry, serving God and you overcome the devils together.

    THE BLESSED LIFE

    When your life is saturated by the Holy Spirit, you become the blessed life. The life burst out to others as a result of the over flow of God.

    Your life is distinct by God’s precepts, love, character, obedience to the word and separation form fellowship with the world.

    Your desire is not doing things to get the fame just as the world does. Your desire becomes doing things to bring honour to God.

    The life and the family saturated by the Holy Spirit can be recognised.

    1) By the things they do not do

    2) By the places they will not be found going

    3) By the kind of people they do not hang out with.

    Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. Psalm 1:1

    Contact: Archbishop Sam Amaga @ Foundation Faith Church (Salem Family Worldwide) Life Camp Extension, Kado – Abuja.

    E-mail: salemmissionhouseabuja@yahoo.com

    Phone: 08023018836; 08074450763

  • Adelakun celebrates 37th year on stage

    Amona tete mabo exponent, Pastor Joseph Adelakun, is set to celebrate his 37th anniversary in the gospel music industry.

    The thanksgiving service holds today at the multi-purpose Hall of Lagos Television by 12 noon.

    Adelakun said: “It is a way to do what God wants us to do. Since we could not mark the 35 years of the ministry in 2011 because I was outside Nigeria then, God has impressed it on our heart to offer an altar of praise and thanksgiving to Him.”

    He further explained that the service will attract all lovers of God and music for the celebration.

    The Lagos State First Lady, Dame Abimbola Fashola, will be the special guest while Pastor Ade Popoola of Real Pharmaceuticals will be the chairman of the occasion.

    Bishop Wale Oke will minister at the service.

  • Celebration of miracles at church’s anniversary

    It was a celebration of signs and miracles last weekend at the 14th annual conference of the God’s Mercy Revival Ministry headquarters in Ikotun-Idimu, Lagos.

    The conference with the theme from destination to destiny attracted over 15, 000 worshipers from Nigeria, The Gambia, United Kingdom, and South Africa.

    For over three hours, worshippers testified to the power of God, eliciting thunderous applause and shout of joy among the congregation.

    Mr. DawoduAkintunde spoke of how the miraculous power of God delivered him from an attempted suicide because of his joblessness and other challenges.

    He asserted that God has turned things around for him and got a car gift recently at his place of work.

    Also, a founding member of the church, Pastor Odiaza Joseph, who was excited at the blessings a of God upon his life, said: “I came to this church 14 years ago as a bus driver but today I’m a managing director with over 60 staff working for me.

    Ministering at the event, the general overseer, Pastor James Akanbi, said that God’s power is still at work to bless, heal the sick, save and deliver the oppressed with implicit trust in Him.

    He said that God’s mercy represents the essence of the New Testament in which the church through apostolic ministration reached out to break every yoke of men all around the world.

    “We are serving a God that cannot fail and His promises so sure that we can all rely upon it to change every situation that makes our heart bitter,” he stressed.

    He implored church leaders to shun sins and remain faithful to God and ministry that the Lord has placed in their hands because they will one day account for their stewardship.

  • Nicole Scherzinger still in love with Lewis Hamilton

    Nicole Scherzinger still in love with Lewis Hamilton

    NICOLE Scherzinger is still totally in love with Lewis Hamilton, according to X Factor star Jahmene Douglas. According to Jahmene, Nicole still very much has feelings for Lewis and with them being such good pals after she mentored him on The X Factor, we reckon he is a pretty reliable source. Speaking to The Mirror, Jahmene said: “I know that she is in love with Lewis. And I’ve been with her as a friend while she was with him and when they broke up.” Jahmene, whose album is currently number one in the chart, went on to confess that he has been a shoulder to cry on for Nicole since she split from the Formula One driver: “I am trying to be there for her, because it is a tough time. It isn’t easy to switch off after spending five years in a relationship. I think it was just obvious that the distance thing might have taken its toll.”