Category: Worship

  • Return to God to end tribulations, cleric urges Nigerians

    Return to God to end tribulations, cleric urges Nigerians

    The Senior Pastor of Word Alive Ministries, Ibadan Alex Adegboye has urged Nigerians to return to God and live in righteousness, to overcome many tribulations facing Nigerians.

    Speaking in Ibadan, as the Ministry popularly known as ‘Stone Church’ prepares for its 30th Anniversary, Adegboye also said Nigeria is created by God for a purpose.

    He charged Nigerians to carry out the will of God, assuring God’s kingdom of righteousness, peace and joy will come to the land soon.

    Adegboye stressed that God will reign in Nigeria despite the challenges facing the nation.

    The cleric, who expressed displeasure at the rate Nigerians break law with impunity, urged them to adhere to the stringent laws of the land for the country to be better.

    He said: “Our nation is so programmed with unrighteousness, that it has become second nature for us. We break every law with impunity and that is why Nigeria is what it is today”.

    Adegboye prayed that Nigeria, by the spirit of God will submit itself to the will of God.

    Chairman, Convention Planning Committee, Dr. Sola Akande announced the 2023 edition of Dunamis with the theme:”Thy Kingdom Come”.

    According to him, the programme will be hosting ministers and leaders from the United Kingdom and Nigeria from April 25-30 at the church headquarters, Ibadan.

  • Stop sponsoring racial bigotry, pastor warns politicians

    Stop sponsoring racial bigotry, pastor warns politicians

    The Head Prophet of Christ for All Souls Ministry, Prophet Ezekiel Olawumi Odedoyin has warned politicians to desist from spreading racial bigotry among the different tribes in Nigeria.
    Odedoyin made this statement during a press parley with journalists in Egbeda, Lagos recently.
    He noted that Nigeria is known to be a united nation despite the ethnic differences, but the people were torn apart during elections.
    “Politicians are sponsoring bigotry; they set the people against each other to achieve their aim. Different tribes in Nigeria have always been one. So, anyone kicking against a particular tribe is not from God.
    “Anyone who kicks against another tribe is an animal because we are all created equally. Yorubas are not above the Igbos. Hausas are also good people. So, we must come together and embrace love,” said Odedoyin.
    He added: “The best security is God himself. We must allow God to protect us. But there will be changes when the new government gets into power.
    “There will still be calamity until Christ comes but the lives of those who run to God will be better. The incoming president must perform the work assigned to him by God. And he must not forsake any tribe. He must rule according to the standard of God.”
    The cleric noted that the President is the father of the nation, not the president of a particular tribe, adding that the incoming government must choose carefully members of the cabinet. “Cabals will rise up and will try to hijack the government.
    “I prophesy about the emergence of Bola Tinubu, but he is not the saviour, Christ is the Messiah, but Tinubu will clear the road for the saviour, many people who will come to rule,” he said.
    The cleric, however, revealed that plans are ongoing to relocate the church headquarters to Lagos.
    According to him, “Christ for All Souls is coming down to Lagos in another package; we are bringing a Solution Centre to Lagos. A ground where people will come from every part of the world to see that God is performing miracles, and they will testify to what God is doing.”

  • Praises as curtain is drawn on Victory Life Bible Church Int’l convocation

    Praises as curtain is drawn on Victory Life Bible Church Int’l convocation

    It was a nine-day of glory, impactful teachings, open heavens and outstanding testimonies as Victory Life Bible Church (VLBC) International recently had its 2023 Holy Convocation tagged: ‘Divine Speed.’
    The VLBC Int’l Holy Convocation is an annual power-packed gathering where members of the church from all its 26 branches across the globe converge on its headquarters, Victory Cathedral, along Ajebo Road, Abeokuta, Ogun State to get spiritually impacted for the year.
    All through the nine days, the Lead Pastor and his wife, Apostle Lawrence and Rev. Fola Achudume welcomed God’s generals, dignitaries and gospel artistes from in and around Nigeria to the August gathering.
    Speaking at the event, the General Superintendent of Gospel Light International Ministries, Rev. Dr Felix Omobude, who also commissioned the newly completed building project and hostel at the VLBC Campground, urged the people to “lay aside every weight, title, or position when coming to God’s presence and be humble,” and reiterated that “God exalts His word above His name and He can never go back on it.”
    Also, The Senior Pastor of the Eternity Network, Apostle Joshua Selman, preached that: “there is a standard of knowledge allocated to every result and knowledge is not enough to produce a result. Knowledge must be commensurate to what you want”, adding that “dominion over time is the highest level of dominion anyone could have because the unit of destiny is time and it cannot be reversed as no one has the luxury of unlimited time.”
    Meanwhile, the First Lady of Ogun State, Mrs Bamidele Abiodun, who graced the convocation advised youths to engage in things that would present the nation in a good light, and “have people who will keep us in check in everything we do and be dedicated to God.”
    The Lead Pastor, Apostle Achudume, while preaching on Easter Sunday during the Holy Convocation 2023 said that “any speed without direction is a wasted effort because your target determines your determination and speed. By extension, your target fuels your enthusiasm.”
    Other activities that took place during the 2023 Holy Convocation were a Bible quiz in which gifts were given to winners from the various districts, a football competition tagged: “The Lawrence Achudume Tournament,” and the provision of financial support to small business owners to boost their businesses.
    The VLBC Int’l Youths also had a great time at their annual Youth Blast, where they were allowed to express themselves by asking questions that pertain to their emotional, physical and spiritual growth.
    Addressing the youths during the Blast, Revd. Fola Achudume implored them to abide in the presence of God as that is where they can get the heavenly secrets and treasures their heart desires.
    “Divine speed in life is a function of heavenly secrets and treasures you seek. The secret to your change is in the secrets you get in His presence,” she said.
    Dare Justified, Eniola Olusoga, Ayan Jesu, and VLBC Livingstone Choir, among others, led the people to the throne of grace through worship songs and praises.
    The grand finale witnessed special impartation and anointing service for divine speed led by the set man of the ministry, Apostle Lawrence Achudume.

  • Adeboye advises military to serve with fear of God

    Adeboye advises military to serve with fear of God

    The General Overseer, The Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye has commended the military officers and the para-military for their arduous task of defending the nation.
    He, however, advised them to do whatever they have to do with the fear of God, and with the realisation that they are also accountable to God.
    Adeboye who spoke on the theme: ‘Vessels Unto Honour,’ gave the counsel recently at the April thanksgiving service with a special prayer for the army, police, chaplains, navy, air force, Federal Road Safety Corps, civil defence and their families, at the RCCG headquarters, Throne of Grace, Ebute-Metta, Lagos.
    At the service were the Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor; Major-General Raymond Uche; Nigeria Air Force Commander, Air Commodore Olasunkanmi Abu; Federal Road Safety Corps, Lagos Sector Commander, Babatunde Farinloye; Deputy Inspector General of Police (rtd.), Adeleye Oyebade, among others.
    Adeboye said that the Nigerian military officers are working hard to make Nigeria safe in the face of intense challenges in tackling all forms of insecurity, assuring them of God’s protection at all times.
    He tasked them to remain forthright and perform their duty in fear of God. “There are some people in this nation that we don’t give enough credit to, the soldiers, the paramilitary and the police. We are supposed to constantly commit them to the hand of God. The Almighty God will watch over them, He will take care of their families in the morning, afternoon and night; God will support them, fight their battles and make them more than conquerors all the time.”
    Praying for the security personnel, Adeboye said: “I thank God for all my brothers and sisters in the paramilitary, the police who are here, they are examples of vessels into honour and I pray you will remain vessels unto honour forever. I want to tell you one thing that if nobody is praying for you, I am praying because I appreciate your value. I know what you stand for.”
    Also speaking to the newly elected leaders at the last general election, Adeboye who also spoke through the Pastor in Charge of Region One, who doubles as Special Assistant to the General Overseer, Administration, Dele Balogun, said the elected leaders should ensure they fulfil all the promises they made to Nigerians before the elections. “Nigeria is divided and newly elected leaders should bring everybody together again.
    “Nigerians are suffering. Elected leaders should do everything possible to alleviate the suffering of Nigerians. At the same time, the citizens too should cooperate with the leaders, shun all sorts of vices, and obey rules and regulations to make Nigeria become a member of the comity of nations.”
    Oyebade, who remarked that members of Nigerian police are honoured outside the country, also noted that many things should be corrected ranging from recruitment of police, training, and retraining, as the best in the society should be found in the police.
    The FRSC, Lagos Command boss assured Nigerians of sanity among those drivers lifting containers as an enforcement unit termed ‘Operation Scorpion’ has been instituted to deal with drivers with unleashed containers, adding that anyone caught would be arraigned in a mobile court and face sanctions.

  • Tinubu will take Nigeria out of wilderness – Ojo

    Tinubu will take Nigeria out of wilderness – Ojo

    The Presiding Shepherd of Harvest Centre (City of Mercy Mission Nigeria), Prophet Wale Ojo David, who predicted the emergence of the President-Elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, two years ago, spoke to Adeola Ogunlade on the fulfillment of God’s prophecy and his advice for the incoming administration.

     You predicted the victory of Asiwaju in the Presidential Elections when most others prophesied otherwise…

    God is not a man; His words are His bond. Thank God, the revelation of two years ago has come through. It is for us to support the President-Elect with our prayers in order for him not to derail from the divine plan.

    For those saying his emergence does not follow due process, God does not follow man’s processes, rather His ways like the birth of Jesus Christ have remained a mystery to man. The bottom line is did His words come to pass? God in his mercy does speak to his people. Even the reactions that trailed the election do not mean anything. When two people are fighting, one will win. It was a fight, and one man will eventually win and reactions will come. The battle was a mystery.

    If you look at the life of Goliath and David, immediately, after David killed Goliath, there were reactions, some cheered him and unfortunately, the King who supported him to go and face Goliath became his greatest enemy when the glory and glamour came for David. For Tinubu to emerge as President-Elect is a voice of God for Nigeria.

    Two years ago, I told you as the Lord told me that Tinubu would take Nigeria out of the wilderness for productivity and enhancement. That God is still in existence to fulfill what he has promised to do. Tinubu’s emergence is the voice of God for Nigeria. In every contest, there must be a winner and a loser. The reactions to the outcome of the election are expected in human society, but as believers, we should look beyond the physical and listen to the voice of God.

    In a nutshell, Nigerians should expect good leadership in the next four years.

    Yes, by the grace of God, there are people supporting and praying for him to succeed because he is the voice of God. The first thing I said is that I appreciate all the leaders in Nigeria irrespective of their religion that has continued to throw their weight behind the Tinubu Presidency because the Lord told me that Tinubu would emerge as Nigeria’s next President and he will take Nigeria out of the wilderness for productive and enhancement. Nigerians should be rejoicing because Tinubu will bring Nigeria and Africa freedom. The Lord made me realise that God used Obasanjo to deliver Nigeria from slavery and that Tinubu will take Nigeria out of the wilderness. God knows that Nigeria has the resources to make her a great nation and Tinubu is the vessel that God wants to use for this purpose. Come May 29, Tinubu will be the next President.

    What about the irregularities that characterized the election and the furore around the Muslim-Muslim Ticket?

    Sometimes last year, I was asked about the Muslim-Muslim ticket and I want to say that there is nothing like that in leadership. There is nothing like tribe or religion. As long as the contestants are from Nigeria, I have no problem with that. We are not going to be ruled by people from the Benin Republic nor are we going to be ruled by Ghanaians, so if some people pick the Muslim-Muslim ticket, the question we should be asking as clerics is it the will of God?

    I spent time asking God who will be the next President and God has spoken and I stand by it. On the irregularities, I am not the INEC. On the day of the election, I was not in Nigeria but my people voted. We have been praying that God’s voice will be established for both Nigeria’s and Africa’s freedom.

    Tinubu is not only for Nigeria, his emergence is for Africa’s freedom. I don’t know why God put it like that. God told me that he would take Nigeria out of the wilderness. Those irregularities are factors of the wilderness experience in Nigeria. What I know, which is the voice of God, is that God will bring one man as a vessel for Nigeria, and that man is Tinubu, who is destined to be Nigeria’s next President.

     Beyond politics, Nigeria is faced with mirages of problems and we see so many prophets giving different prophecies around elections…

    Many prophets are deceiving people with their fake prophecies. I don’t know Tinubu and I don’t request to see him. Sometimes in 2018, God told me that there is going to be a global crisis and that we should go to major markets to pray. I asked God when will the sickness come, God told me that it would be a global crisis and I picked a market in Nigeria and another one in another country and that was how I met the Iya Oloja of Ikorodu where I requested that she should give us a grace of a day to pray in the market (Ikorodu Market). We held it in December 2017 and the message of God for 2019 was ‘Iyeni Mo Yan, Mi Oyan Ikun’ meaning I chose life, not death. God told me to share the message to the nook and cranny through a sticker across Ikorodu.  Though COVID-19 happened in Nigeria, the message had come and we prayed ahead. The sticker we share cost us millions. If I minister in any church, I don’t collect an honorarium. During COVID-19, I speak the mind of God for the congregants and I leave. 

     The Church played a very crucial role in the 2023 Election, what is next for the Church?

    All the ministers did not pick Tinubu. As a minister of God, in the meetings I attended and I made it clear to them that the man God had destined is Tinubu as the next president no matter the manipulation. I told them categorically that the candidate of God would emerge. The church does not have any role to play in politics, the ministers of God have non-seat in the parliament. I don’t know Tinubu one-on-one. The ministers should not have any special seat for politicians. If politicians come as a child of God, we can pray for them. It is wrong for any minister of God to be endorsing any candidate. I did not endorse Tinubu nor did l say I prefer Tinubu. I don’t have anyone I need to endorse, God chose Tinubu by himself and he told me to tell the people and the people I gave the word of God to were the ministers of God. I urged them to pray for Nigeria.

    Before the advent of Corona virus, I had called the ministers of God to pray and announced that there was going to be a global crisis and we should pray against it. In the case of Tinubu, it is what God has said that I stand by. 

    Are you saying the church should not have endorsed any political aspirants?

    From my teachings and training, I learnt that we can pray and advise candidates in an election but it is not for us to allow them to speak in our church as campaign ground or openly endorse them. Politicians should come to church and listen to the word of God and if he requests for prayers, prayers can be made for him and if he has any project and he wants us to pray about it, we can. 

    Your advice to the next President-elect?

    Nigerians have high expectations from him and Africa is waiting for Tinubu to rebuild Nigeria. It is not his duty alone but the duty of God who has positioned him as a vessel. He needs to prepare well for good governance and ministers of God to join him and surround him in prayers.

    The people that will work with Tinubu are important, thus pastors must continue to pray for him to get the best hands that will work conscientiously with him. “As a people, we believe in the power of prayer and God; it is our duty to present the president-elect and the nation to God through our supplications for things to be turned around for the common good.

  • The church has fallen

    The church has fallen

    By Nutty Pin

    The Church has exerted enormous influence on the world as we know it! Even though it remains one of the most influential institutions worldwide, its power is declining globally except in Africa, especially Nigeria, if we check or crunch the numbers.

    However, untoward practices might make it unravel even faster despite its seeming growth in Nigeria. Across Europe and the Americas, Christianity, the lifeblood of the Church that heralded democracies through the Lutheran Revolution because it provided comfort, guidance, and a sense of community for millions of people worldwide, is ebbing.

    Many Christians have either lost their faith or chosen to become non-Church-going believers.Churches are declining in power and prominence in most industrialised societies, except in evolving nations like Nigeria, where the Church does more than regulate the relationship between individuals and God – it spins miracles and mints wealth! Ah, the almighty Church in Nigeria – the source of all truth, wisdom, and miracles. It answers all of life’s questions, from the meaning of existence to the afterlife. Isn’t it?

    Imagine a preacher advocating that believing in miracles is the best thing you can do for yourself, instead of worrying about those pesky little things like hard work, logic and reason. A lesser number of people in society would have achieved success through hard work and determination if they’d put all their faith in miracles, as posited by false clerics.

    These miracle peddlers will convince you to believe in their miracle service. Assuring that your life will magically transform into a never-ending parade of rainbows and unicorns. And if you are still waiting to see the results you were promised? Well, that’s just because you didn’t have enough faith.

    Like your favourite pastor, you get to run your car on urine from Lagos to Ibadan, entering your toilet in Benin City to pop out in Germany without a visa. And we have that super-human pastor once caught on camera body-slamming a worshipper in the name of demon exorcism. He also said, “A prophet can change the message of God. When God says yes, a prophet can say; Sir, please, no! They say, obey the word of the prophet, you shall prosper.”

    Comically, he announced his death claiming to be done with his life mission. It’s like a never-ending game of make-believe and sacrilege! Charades like this have been continuously used to rip and strip the undiscerning of their treasures, throwing them into the abyss of ruin. To be clear, miracles do exist, but not as advocated or demonstrated by these false clerics.

    Due to the mysterious nature of some aspects of religion, many false preachers have taken undue advantage to turn apostolic callings into entrepreneurship.

    The Church is being hijacked each dawn by a new tribe of get-rich or richer schemers posturing as teachers of the sacred word. It is now a remedy for joblessness to escape poverty and another business that can be bequeathed to a spouse or children.

    The Bible has been translated and interpreted many times. It is still being reinterpreted in so many ways by false clerics who often fabricate their gospels to deceive people. It is often used to exonerate themselves from their ridiculous and sometimes criminal acts and rituals – what’s with all the public anointing of female privates, special prayer session for Yahoo Boys, body slams as demon exorcism method, feeding of grass to the congregation and devious tithing/ first fruit extortion tactics.

    The Church has fallen into the hands of

    charlatans. Wondering why fakery and miracle peddling thrives in Nigeria? It is simple – multidimensional mass poverty! Ah, that’s what’s enabling these miracle peddlers – charismatic individuals who promise to solve all your problems with the power of faith.

    But let’s be honest here – these men and women are nothing more than con artists. They’re preying on people’s hopes and fears to make a quick buck. They’re not interested in helping anyone – they want our money (yours and mine). Think about it – if their miracle cures, prayers, and supernatural financial breakthrough formulas have been as effective as they claim, Nigeria would be one of the most developed nations in the world.

    Yet, here we are! Furthermore, the sheer audacity of these miracle peddlers is astounding. They use ridiculous excuses to justify their lack of results. Oh, you didn’t get healed. That’s because you didn’t pray hard enough! Or, if you haven’t given enough, you need to double your offering. Fake clerics have and will always use the Church to oppress, exploit, abuse and enslave people.

    They applaud the wealthy, notwithstanding the source, and are a menace to society because they corrupt the Gospel and convey fake messages that appeal to worldly desires or emotions. Sadly, they thrive on the blind loyalty of their congregations and the lack of clear legal jurisdiction over the Church in Nigeria to engage in fraudulent and criminal activities without fear of consequences.

    The Church’s mission is to preach the Gospel and serve those in need, just as Jesus did during His time. This involves feeding the hungry, giving drinks to the thirsty, clothing the naked, caring for the sick, and setting the oppressed free. Failure to do this will accelerate the free fall. These fake clerics’ shameful, fraudulent, and criminal acts will continue to destroy Christianity, an integral part of society, if unchecked.

    Just as the youths have started kicking back against corrupt politicians, it’s time Christians brazenly and rigorously question these fake clerics, seek prosecution of wrongdoers like regular citizens that we all are, and save the Church from its vaunting free fall!

    Nutty Pin, a conscious artiste, writes from Lagos. He tweets from @nutty_pin.

  • Satisfaction in Christ Alone (4)

    Satisfaction in Christ Alone (4)

    • Text: “The woman then left her water pot…..and saith to the men, Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did…” (John 4:28-29)

    By Venerable Henry O. Adelegan

    The Samaritan woman in the passage of our text lived a life which was engrossed in gross dissatisfaction. When she had an encounter with Jesus Christ however, her eyes of understanding were enlightened, she dropped her water pot, went into town proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ and consequently won many souls to Christ – she became a great Evangelist! Beloved, you need to surrender your life, family, ministry and assignments to Jesus Christ today. When you surrender to Him, He would satisfy you with His mercy, as He did for the woman with the water pot and gave her a new beginning. In Psalms 90:14, the Psalmist said that, “O satisfy us early with thy mercy; that we may rejoice and be glad all our days”. Unstoppable and everlasting happiness is a mirage without His mercy. When God intervenes for you with His mercy, He cancels whatever judgment that had been placed on your life and eternal happiness shall become your testimony (James 2:13). When God satisfies you, whatever judgment or embargo placed on your family line shall be stopped with your generation and you shall effortlessly get to the zenith of your commission. 

    Besides that, whenever Jesus Christ steps in, He satisfies with His favor. Deuteronomy 33:23 says that, “And of Naphtali he said, O Naphtali, satisfied with favour, and full with the blessing of the Lord: possess thou the west and the south”. When you are satisfied with favour, your capacity for lift up shall be elevated, laws and rules shall be suspended for your lift up, your level of operation and testimonies shall be expanded and you shall be elevated beyond your level of competence. When God satisfies with favour, He reverses status quo as He did with Moses, Esther, Daniel and Joseph. Not only that, He said in Job 38:25-27 that, “God satisfies the desolate and waste ground and causes the bud of the tender herb to spring forth.” In other words, when God satisfies you, He releases greatness on you and the position you never imagined or dreamt about shall be vacated for you. The Prophet Samuels of this world shall be sent to look for you. They will disqualify others to qualify you and shall refuse to sit down until your arrival for anointing.

    In addition to divine favour, God also satisfies with goodness (Jeremiah 31:14). When you are satisfied with His goodness, everything that is good shall locate you and follow you all the days of your life and wherever you turn to (Psalm 23:6 cf Deut. 28:6). The Psalmist while highlighting the goodness of God in Psalm 107:8,9 spoke very eloquently about God’s works of wonders to human creation and that He must be hallowed for His mission of satisfaction and His commission to give as many that came to Him the grace to live their lives to the fullest (John 4:37). The Psalmist said that, “Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness”. From this passage, the Psalmist said that the celebration of His goodness is not predicated only that He satisfied the longing soul but that He is still in the business of satisfying of longing souls. This is sufficient to state that His willingness and capacity to satisfy is the same as it was yesterday, today and forever (Heb. 13:8). It also confirms the fact that all powers belong to Him (Psalm 62:11) and that, He can qualify the unqualified and make a way where there was none.

    By His grace and divine intervention, you shall get a decent job, even in a season of economic recessions such that “when men are chorusing a cast down, you will have a testimony of lifting up” (Job 22:29). God will bless you with a good husband, He will decorate your life with a good wife, build you a house of your own, give you good cars for easy movement and enlarge your family with very good children etc. It doesn’t matter what is going on in the world, if you decide to obey divine instruction, God will position your Joseph at His Goshen (Gen. 47:27) and your Isaac shall be domiciled at His Gerar (Gen. 26:1-13). In Isaiah 58:11, God had promised that, “I shall satisfy your soul in time of famine and make fat your bones: and you shall be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not”. The Psalmist said in Psalms 37:19 that, “They shall not be ashamed in the evil time: and in the days of famine they shall be satisfied.” Joel 2:26 says that, “you shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied”.

    Please return to God today, surrender your life to Him during this Lenten season, drop your water pot of sin and carnality, and ask Him to take full charge of your life and allow Him take over the driving seat of your life while you sit beside Him. As He lives, your life will not be the same again and you shall continue to live in the satisfaction that is only available in Him, in the name of Jesus

    Prayer: Lord, take the water pot of sin and flesh from me. Please take me from where I am to where you had destined for me in the name of Jesus.

  • 2023 polls would have consumed Nigeria but for prayers – OAIC

    2023 polls would have consumed Nigeria but for prayers – OAIC

    The Organisation of African Instituted Churches (OAIC) has attributed the successful conclusion of the 2023 general elections without national disintegration to the prayers of the body of Christ.

    Nigeria, it said, would have disintegrated going by the tension and rancour that greeted the polls if the church didn’t preserve in prayers.

    The body called on Nigerians to put the bitter acrimony that characterized the polls behind them and cooperate to push the nation forward.

    These were the resolutions of the OAIC after its REC meeting at the Cherubim & Seraphim Movement Church, Rumuomasi, Port Harcourt, Rivers State from March 22-23.

    In a communique after the meeting signed by its Regional President His Most Eminence, Elder Israel Akinadewo, PhD FCA and Regional Secretary Victor A. Ivoke, PhD, OAIC said: ‘’We thank God that Nigeria did not burn down as widely speculated in some quarters. It was the prayer of the church and the efforts of well-meaning Nigerians that held this nation from tethering to the brinks.

    ‘’We appreciate all individuals and organizations that helped to douse the tension raised by political activities and we shall continue to pray for a peaceful and a prosperous nation.’’

    It added: ‘’Now that the elections are over, we urge both the winners and losers to forget about the bitter campaigns and work together for peace and prosperity of the nation. Politics is a call to service. We, therefore, call on all politicians and public office holders to uphold the values of integrity, accountability and transparency in their daily dealings with the people of Nigeria when sworn into office.’’

    On rising cost of living and poor economy, the body called on government to address the suffering of the masses so that hunger will be far from the nation.

    On the significance of the church on nation-building, OAIC said: ‘’Whereas other leaders can fail, the church must not fail in condemning all appearances of evil in the land. The pulpit must not be abused or mortgaged on the altar of political gain or greed.

    ‘’We must continue to raise our prophetic voices on matters that affect the nation as leaders in our own rights. We must not fail those that look up to us but must continue to point the nation to the path of righteousness and exemplary conduct.

    ‘’We observed with dismay conflicting prophesies oozing out from pulpits of renowned pastors and prophets in the wake of the general elections and caution that men should not take the mercy of God for granted by speaking in the name of the Almighty God when He (God) has not spoken.

    ‘’Such hastily concocted and politically-induced prophecies tend to bring the church to ridicule and make a mockery of the sacred gift or prophecy that the church is blessed with.’’

  • Satisfaction in Christ Alone (2)

    Satisfaction in Christ Alone (2)

    • Text: “…Whosoever drinks of this water shall thirst again… whosoever drinks of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst …” John 4:13-14

    By Venerable Henry O. Adelegan

    Satisfaction in Christ alone means that nothing and nobody no matter how highly placed or power wielded can give a longing satisfaction and joy, apart from Jesus Christ (Acts 17:28). The Psalmist said in Psalms 90:2 that, “Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God”. He is Jehovah El-Shaddai – the All-Sufficient God and our sufficiency is in Him (2 Corinthians 3:5, 9:8; cf Genesis 17:1; John 15:5). From passage of our text, a Samaritan woman came to fetch water at a well in a town in Samaria called Sychar. Coincidentally, Jesus Christ too was by the well and needed water. He therefore requested the woman to give Him water to drink but she refused because Jesus was a Jew and she was a Samaritan (then there was intense animosity between the Jews and Samaritans which had been since the Old Testament days). Jesus Christ then told the Samaritan woman that life outside of Him for anyone, irrespective of person, power, personality, tribe, color, creed or status is a life that is laden with crass dissatisfaction.

    Prior to the encounter between Jesus Christ and the Samaritan woman, she was struggling with three cardinal areas of dissatisfactions which Jesus Christ put paid to. I therefore declare by reason of divine commissioning that the Almighty God will attend to your areas of dissatisfaction too. As the Lord lives, you shall testify to His mega miracles during this year in the name of Jesus Christ. The first challenge of the woman was with her marriage. In John 4:16, Jesus told her, “Go, call your husband and come back”. The woman replied that she didn’t have a husband. Jesus Christ then told her that, “You have had five husbands, you are with the sixth one now, who is not your husband”. She was an unfortunate serial marital failure! The woman like many in the world must have enjoyed the dating and courtship at different stages of her failed marriages. She must have looked forward to the respective wedding day and honeymoon. She must have entered each marriage with high dreams and expectations. But no sooner after the doors of courtship were closed and the doors of the marriages were opened did she realize that courtship is in most cases more pleasurable than marriage. For this reason, the Samaritan woman went through the processes and rigours of hope raised and hope dashed on five occasions and was about to get into the sixth marital experience before Jesus Christ appeared and set her free.

    Besides her life of marital dissatisfaction, the woman also lived an unsatisfiable life of dependence on physical things such as water in the story of our text, and bread as with the multitudes who were following Jesus Christ in John 6. According to John 4:11-12, the woman told Jesus, “Sir, you have nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from where will you have that living water? Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well, and drank from it himself, and his children, and his cattle?” The woman believed quite erroneously that the water of Jacob was sufficient to satisfy her thirst but Jesus pointed it out that whatever you have from this world is temporal while it is only the satisfaction from Him that is eternal (2 Corinthians 4:18).

    Beloved in Christ, please note that Satisfaction in life is not based on physical things, not dependent on the things you have, what money could buy or on money, satisfaction can only come from God. Ecclesiastes 5:10 says that, “He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase: this is also vanity.” Money will buy you a bed, but not sleep, it will get you books but not brains, it will get you good food but not appetite, it will get you finery but not beauty, it will buy you medicine but not health, it will buy you luxuries but not culture, it will build for you a mansion but not a home, it will buy you amusements but not happiness and it can get you a passport to everywhere in the world but not to heaven. Money will also get you a talk of the town wedding but not a marriage. Jesus is therefore calling on you today to return to Him during this Lenten season. Please return home to Him like the Prodigal Son, come to Him soberly, ask Him to forgive your sins, surrender your water pot to Him and pray for His intervention. As the Lord lives, the joy of your marriage shall be restored and you shall continue to have reasons to celebrate and be celebrated in the name of Jesus Christ.

    Prayer: Lord, have mercy on me in areas where I have trusted the arm of flesh to satisfy. Come into my life and grant me satisfaction from above in Jesus’ name.

  • Prayer, the link with God in pursuit of your assignment

    Prayer, the link with God in pursuit of your assignment

    By Awowale Ayomide

    God has predetermined a man’s nationality, race, sex, and even the location of one’s birth. You are a wonderful gift for someone, somewhere, sometime, and someday. God has given everybody an assignment on this planet earth and that assignment cannot be fulfilled if you are not constantly communicating with God. Prayer is the only link you have with God. There will be times while working on your assignment when you feel completely cut off from the people you care about. You are the one on a mission and not your family members, and it requires the anointing of God to send you on your way.

    A key component of many spiritual traditions in history has been the practice of prayerful isolation. The concept of prayer isolation involves separation from others, retreating from the outside world to find spiritual nourishment and a closer relationship with God. In Matthew 6: 5-8, Jesus taught his disciples to not be like the hypocrites who stand at the synagogues and the street corner to be seen by men. A believer’s access to an effective channel of communication that provides uninterrupted time with God is isolation prayer. In order to acquire the utmost level of connection with God, it is frequently necessary to withdraw from life’s distractions.

    “And he withdrew himself into the wilderness, and prayed (Luke 5:16).”

    Dear readers, there is no running away from the Lord. Being in solitude with God is when God reveals His presence, His purpose, His promises and his plans for your life. Christians should pray because it is effective in every situation and stage of life.

    Isolating yourself to seek God’s face can be sometimes difficult because we are out in the sun bustling and hustling for daily bread, but Jesus has shown us that praying is important. Jesus Christ himself spent the night in prayer when he faced a difficult decision in selecting his disciples. In order not to be distracted in your periods of isolation, believers are advised to find a suitable location, set a schedule and use resources that will help focus more in God’s presence.

    Seasons of prayerful isolation are periods of intentional, solitary prayer and reflection that can be a powerful way to deepen one’s relationship with God. On this note, I joyfully declare to you and your loved ones that ‘Isolation is not a death sentence’ but a potent channel of communication with God. While waiting on Him with a heart of faith and lips crying out in prayer, He will reach out and save you, just as He did for Peter.