Preached On Sunday 14th July, 2019 At The Household of God, Onitsha Anambra state, Nigeria. By Apostle Peter Odoemena THE SON OF MAN THE INDEFATIGABLE CAPTAIN OF THE SHIP OF SALVATION
INTRODUCTION
PRAYER
To you O LORD of Hosts, we have come. To you alone, we have come. We have come because you bid us to come.
We have come for we have no better place we should go for our eternal salvation except to You. For You alone has the Word of eternal life and we are sure and certain.
Having chosen us from the foundation of the world for salvation, and it pleased you O God in this last dispensation that You should appear in human form, to select for Yourself a people that shall be called by Your Name and we happen to be in the number.
What a wonderful privilege we are enjoying in Your presence. Cast us not away from Your presence. In all situations, may Your love and mercy project towards all Your children, not only here in Nigeria, but globally.
Remember we have no other God but You. We have discovered that you are The Most Holy. The Most Faithful. The Most Righteous.
You are The Most Merciful God. The Most Compassionate. The Most Patient. The Most Tolerant. The Most Understanding. There is none to compare to you.
In every aspect of human life, we have proved You to be faithful to Your Words, to all Your promises. From the day, O God, it pleased You to adopt us into Your Most Holy family for salvation and not for destruction. Father we have no reason to regret our acquaintance with You.
We pray O God, that You do not cast us away at this dying minute. Consider us with pity and compassion, for You are ever merciful, always showing mercy to those that deserve mercy.
You harden Your heart against those who are desperately wicked. Let there be no such people that will be found among us, who will hear Your Word and harden their hearts. May such people O God, never be found among us.
Touch us with the touch of love. Melt us O God, remould us, fill us with Thy Holy Spirit, and use us as objects of Your praise and not as objects of Your anger.
Save us to the utmost according to the multitudes of Your mercy, for Your Name’s sake.
We lift up O God, before You all our Brethren numbered among the Elect in this generation, who are still alive, whose names were documented in the Lamb’s Book of life before the world began, for their salvation and not for their destruction.
No matter where they are this hour, some of them are languishing in the prison custodies, in the Police cells. Some are in the hands of evil men, kidnapped O God by their fellow human beings who are desperate to make money.
Father, we are praying for such people, asking for their instant release, for You came revealing Yourself to set the captives free. Let all that are captured by their fellow human beings, for one reason or the other be set free this day, both spiritually and physically.
As many as have been captured by the devil through sickness, Father, You sent forth Your Word and Your Word healeth them. As long as they are numbered among Your Elect, right from this Sacred Desk, I proclaim all of them healed.
Perform O God Your Word according to Your Oath that Your Name will eventually be reverenced and glorified by Your Saints. LORD divine, globally I present all Your children.
Some of them are destitutes who have who have no hope of existence, begging bread along the streets. Some are mad, some are blind, some are crippled, but they belong to your Most Holy Family.
Wherever they are this hour globally, let Your love and mercy project. Reach out for all of them, for You proclaimed O God, “In the day of the mass return, they shall return from all the ends of the earth.”
Both the blind, the deaf, the lame, the dumb, Father, all of them are coming back and all will come back normal without any bodily infirmity. And that is Your Word. There we anchor our volition and our faith.
And we ask of Thee, O God to hasten action. Looking at what is happening around us globally, Father, the world is no longer a habitable place. Evil men and women are waxing stronger and stronger every day.
Wide spread evil has made the hearts of many that have put their trust in You, Father to be developing unnecessary coldness. Revive such souls this day.
Help them to walk by the leading of the Holy Spirit, and not by sight. Help them to know that You predicted all these things ahead of time.
There is nothing strange that is happening, for if these things do not come to pass in our day, how then can the prophecies and the Scriptures be fulfilled?
As we see Scriptures fulfilling rapidly, we know O God that we are nearing hastily to the D-Day. You promised You will dress us with our new bodies, where all the troubles of this life, Father will not touch, where we shall be completely insulated from death, sicknesses and diseases and all forms of troubles.
Father we are earnestly waiting for that glorious body. Until we are dressed with that new body, we will rest at nothing but demanding it from You as our right, as our inheritance, as documented in the Holy Scriptures.
Father, You will remain guilty until You perform Your promise. There O God, I rest My prayer this morning as One You listen to.
All Your children globally are meeting today in their Fellowship venues. Meet with them in Your own divine way. Bless their hearts. Saturate their hearts with the Word that cometh from above.
Take away all hindrances that is making them O God, lukewarm. Whatsoever that is demoralizing them from rendering full and acceptable service unto You as The Most High God.
Take away all those impediments. Liberate Your people completely from the shackles of the devil’s imperialism. Let them be free and free indeed.
Peradventure there might be some here and elsewhere that have strayed away, that have erred in one way or the other, having conferred Me with Authority here on earth, even to forgive iniquity, that whosoever THE SON OF MAN shall set free, shall be free indeed.
For such people O God, I make a plea on their behalf. Consider not their human imperfections. Consider not their inadequacies. Consider not Father, their shortcomings, I plead with You O God.
The same way, the devil stood beside Joshua the high Priest of old accusing him of many sins, so is the devil by the side of all Your Elects accusing them. And all the accusations are right. They are plausible. Nobody can doubt them.
But You looked upon Joshua with pity and compassion, and You remembered Your promise that You have already purposed to bless Joshua and his generation, for they were shadows of good things to come.
For that reason, You turned to Satan and said, “Get away! I reject all your accusations. I do not care how plausible they may be. I reject all, for I had already purposed to bless Joshua and his generation, for they are shadows of good things to come.”
If You could do so for mere shadows, now the reality is here; the good things are here, listen not to the accusations of the devil. Say No! Reject all. Do not allow anybody to impute sin on Your own Elect.
Wrapped in Your righteousness, we come before You. We have no righteousness of our own to present to You, but we have come to You in own righteousness, for we believe Your Word that conferred righteousness unto us through the belief we have in THE SON OF MAN the Son of Righteousness, One that is born to righteousness.
Somebody whose righteousness is to all eternity and you will never forsake him. Through Him you said we shall be declared righteous. Hence, in the end, we shall say like we are saying today, “The LORD is our righteousness.”
So, we have no one that can be called our own, whom we can present, maybe due to our implicit obedience to your laws demands. There is not even one. We are standing in Your own righteousness. Having purchased it through Christ, what else? Nothing is left.
Father, I have decided to evoke all your promises this morning, pertaining to your Elect. And I am looking up to you for your great performance. And I know you are always in Me and with Me. And I know we reason together.
Let it please You O God that glad tidings will follow today’s Fellowship globally. Restore the joy of their salvation. Let the weak say, “I am strong.” All feeble knees, let them be strong. All shaking legs, let them be strong.
All fainted hearts O God, renew their strength this morning. Take away sorrows and sadness. Take away whatsoever that will upset your people, both here and in their homes, in their workplaces, in their schools and colleges. No matter where they are.
Father, I pray Thee. May your love and mercy project and reach all of them to all the four corners of the earth. And let the angels say, Amen and Amen.
Be seated everybody.
4IF YOU DO WHAT? LAY ALL THESE INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE THE BRETHREN YOU WILL BE A WORTHY STEWARD. IF YOU REFUSE TO LAY THESE THINGS RIGHT BEFORE THE BRETHREN WHAT WILL YOU BE? AN UNWORTHY STEWARD, FOR WHICH CAUSE YOUR PREDECESSORS WERE REMOVED FOR THEY WERE FOUND TO BE UNWORTHY. 5THEY WERE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPROVEMENT AND THEY COULD NOT IMPROVE. THEY WERE GIVEN ENOUGH TIME TO MAKE FOOLPROOF OF THEIR MINISTRIES BUT THEY WERE SHYING AWAY FROM THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES, AND THEIR WIVES COMMITTED THE WORST CRIME BY NOT ASSISTING THEM ONE BIT IN THEIR MINISTRIES.
ORDINATION OF PASTORS VOLUME 1; Preached on SUNDAY 1ST APRIL 2018; Pg. 72 vs. 4 – 5
1
IN CHRIST, NOBODY IS JOBLESS
So, Okoh and family are not here. No! It is gone! You can go back. They will wait for another day. They will wait for another day. They never responded to My call. Go! Do not make a plea for anybody. My Voice reacheth unto the Clouds. Even the dead hears Me. Alleluia!
I know you are happy. I am equally happy. Well, I can never withhold God’s praise. Do not withhold God’s Praise. Do not withhold God’s Praise.
I invited them to give God the praise because from their family we are blessed again. Their daughter and our daughter; some call her Nelly. I do not know what Nelly means, but I call her Nneoma. She made us proud.
My prophecy came to pass. I prophesied some years back that I am expecting here, no other place, two students with 1st Class. And I never minced words. I mentioned names. I mentioned Miracle Eze and Nneoma Okoh. Today, it is fulfilled.
Amidst obstacles, amidst difficulties, amidst every huddle, God made a way, and His Word has come to pass. Stay where you are. Do not come here. You never responded to My invitation.
So, we can never withhold God’s praise. You know, we are living in the last days. In the last days, many will be ungrateful. It is a sign of the last days.
Even if you do not praise God, God will praise Himself. For no other reason, His Word has come to pass, increasing the faith of the believers. Amen. Be seated everybody.
Let somebody use King James’ Version of the bible and read Isaiah 60:1. Please when you are reading King James, make sure it is not catholic edition.
The same is applicable to other translations. This is because every other Bible you know has been adulterated to a large extent.
Isaiah 60:1 1Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. KJV
Last Sunday, we received the Message from our Youth. God used one of them to bless us here. Our young Brother, Timothy Ukpong. And the Message, I titled it the same way he handled it, ARISE AND SHINE, O YOUTH FOR YOUR HOUR HAS COME.
And this is the hour when the faith of your ancient fathers who have backslidden in the spirit will be pointed to your reach. If you want anybody to be saved in your family, and you are numbered among the youth here, male and female, rise up! I say, rise up!
Your parents are asleep. All your parents have fallen asleep, spiritually again. Not even one is standing erect. Their legs are shaking. Their hands are shaking. Their hearts have strayed away from the true God.
The cares of this life has enveloped almost all of them. The same way, their wives have been consumed completely by the cares of this life. Not even one is standing up again.
So, if you want a soul to be salvaged in your family, being numbered among the youth, rise up right now and rescue your family from disaster.
Take the steering from your fathers! Take whatever might be the domestic chores from your mothers, and see whether you can help them to wake up from slumber.
Arise he that sleepest, the night is far spent, it is not for your parents anymore. It is for you youths.
Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. [Ephesians 5:14].KJV
The night is far spent, the day is at hand let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. [Romans 13:12] KJV
Arise and shine, for the Light is come, for the glory of God is risen upon you. THIS IS YOUR DAY. I say, this is your day. You must possess the things meant for your own day.
I am telling you, if you check the population of Nigeria, our productive youth, males and females are in the majority. It is true that a good number of them are jobless. Yes!
BUT IN CHRIST, NOBODY IS JOBLESS. THE GREATEST JOB YOU CAN ENGAGE YOURSELF IN IS DOING THE WORK OF GOD, SELFLESSLY.
IN THE SAME WAY, THE GREATEST INVESTMENT YOU CAN MAKE IN YOUR LIFE IS TO INVEST IN THE SPREADING OF THE GOOD NEWS OF CHRIST.
Any other investment may give you joy temporarily, but at the end, you just discover it is a wasted investment. I say, a wasted investment, which aims at giving you temporary happiness, temporary joy.
BUT WHEN YOU INVEST IN CHRIST, INVEST IN THE SPREADING OF THE GOOD NEWS OF CHRIST, YOU ARE STORING YOURSELF ETERNAL TREASURE THAT CAN NEVER NEVER GO UNREWARDED.
There is no labour of love you do in the LORD that will go unrewarded. God rewards people that work with Him, who fear and honour Him. The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous and he heareth their prayers. [Psalms 34:15] He attends to their needs. But where you fold your arms and say, “It is all well”, well, continue that way.
The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry. [Psalms 34:15] KJV
The first Message last Sunday morning was, WHY ARE YOU SITTING DOWN WHEN CHRIST IS STANDING UP? You sons and daughters, why are you sitting down, when your parents are still standing up? It was a big question.
SONG: [Now that LORD has come to take His Saints away on that glorious day, on that glorious day. Will you go with Him? Is a life question for you. Answer, My dear Brethren. Answer, My dear Brethren.]
[Now that LORD has come to take His Saints away on that glorious day, as he has promised. Will you go with Him? Is a life question for you? Answer, My dear Brethren. Answer, My dear Brethren.] Amen.
Alleluia! So, to our youths and all that are here today, and as many as are afar off, give Me audience as I address you.
I know the inclusion of the youth in these dying minutes is likened to replacing weak players in a football tournament with those who are on the reserve bench.
They are expert players, professionals, but they were not given the opportunity to feature in the first selection. But they were placed stand-by.
If a coach or team manager is desirous of winning his match, the moment he notices that some wings were becoming weaker, to avoid suffering defeat, he must bring them in, one after the other.
And the moment they come into the field of play, spectators will begin to see changes for the better. The tempo of the team is revived. You begin to see anxious moments.
It happened last week when Nigeria played South African Bafana Bafana. They were using Iwobi who was a utility player in front, but a time came when he started wobbling. That was when their opponents equalized due to their carelessness.
Immediately he started wobbling [he was wearing number 8] he was removed, and number 6 was injected. No sooner than the boy came in, we heard, “It’s a goal!” A morale booster!
What if he had decided to continue with all those weak players who had played out their strength? They would have suffered a great defeat.
It happened also before your eyes when Bafana Bafana played Egypt in their own home ground amidst a crowd of over five million.
From the time Egypt was sent home, the stadium became empty. They only celebrated Nigeria for ousting Bafana Bafana who mauled them in their home ground.
And I know they will troupe en masse today to cheer Nigeria up for humiliating Bafana Bafana. But before then, Bafana Bafana was a formidable team.
When they noticed that they could not score goals any further, they consolidated the one they held. Two minutes to the end of the match, the injected three star players.
One from Manchester City FC. One from AC Milan FC and the other one from Chelsea FC to consolidate their game.
And when they came, they harassed and mesmerized the forward liners of the Egyptian. At the end of the game, they left the pitch with their faces covered with tears, for it was a horrible defeat, losing such a battle in their home ground. Amen.
I am using every kind of thing to type this Faith. But remember, before then, Nigeria suffered humiliation at Akwa-Ibom in 2017. Bafana Bafana came to Akwa-Ibom and mauled Nigeria 3-0 amidst three Governors.
Nigeria went back, did their homework and came back with a revenge. There must be a revenge.
I KNOW YOUR PROBLEMS; GOD IS FAVOURING YOUR ENEMIES IN THIS FAITH. GOD IS FAVOURING YOUR SUPPOSED ENEMIES AND THAT IS WHY MANY OF YOU HAVE DIED. THERE ARE PEOPLE YOU HAVE ALREADY RULED IN YOUR HEART THAT WILL NEVER ENJOY SALVATION. IF SALVATION COMES NEAR THEM, YOU FEEL OFFENDED, GOD WITHDRAWS YOUR OWN STRAIGHTAWAY. WHO ARE YOU TO DECIDE FOR GOD WHAT HE WILL DO? HAS ANYBODY DONE THAT BEFORE? THERE ARE TOO MANY PEOPLE THAT ARE ALREADY EARMARKED TO HELLFIRE BY ALL OF YOU HERE, MEN AND WOMEN ALIKE. I AM TELLING YOU THE TRUTH.
ORDINATION OF PASTORS VOLUME 1; Preached on SUNDAY 1ST APRIL 2018; Pg. 19 vs. 13 – 14
2
YOU MUST BE READY AT ALL TIMES
How I wish fallen heroes will not go to mortuary. How I wish that they will recognize that the devil had done a great havoc in their lives. And now, Saint Paul encouraged the Apostles and other Christians to rise up for a revenge. Avenge immediately!
David was humiliated by the devil and he said, “God, if you will set me free and I regain myself, truly speaking I must teach sinners your ways.” And they must worship you.
Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions: according to thy mercy remember thou me for thy goodness’ sake, O Lord. Good and upright is the Lord: therefore will he teach sinners in the way. [Psalms 25:7-8] KJV
But when you go to bed and declare yourself bedridden, nobody can help you again. Simply remain there until vultures will come and devour your body.
All of you are now bench warmers. Even those that showed some signs of light like Pastor Thomas, he deliberately benched himself and joined the old wagon. Old gathering!
You can hardly hear from the old ancient men, “I have a message” or “I want to go to the pulpit.” Nobody! Why? The devil has eroded everything in them away. They are only good at drinking and eating, killing fowls and killing goats.
Now, young men, rise up and rescue your team from defeat. Remember. If this ship capsizes, your lives are involved. Is it not true? If you allow this ship to capsize or shipwreck, your life is involved. Sisters, you are equally involved.
When the matter was so serious, Esther had to take up the matter. Mordecai told Esther saying, “Esther, do not brag because you are the king’s wife. Remember you are a Jewess. You are in a strange land. This is not our homeland. If Hamman and his colleagues will exterminate all the Jews in this land, they will remember that you are a Jewess.
It will be your turn to die. So, do not relax in the palace of the king. You must do something. Use your position as a wife and as a queen. Meet with the king on a day that is not scheduled for you. Risk your life because you are involved.”
The eyes of Esther opened. She went to Mordecai who was the leader of the Jews and said, “Call for prayers on My behalf. I am meeting with the king at a time not scheduled for anybody to see him. If I die, let me die. Provided I will make a case for my people.”
Esther bravely went to the king Ahasuerus, “O king, live forever. O king, may your anger not be kindled against me. Please, I know I am breaking this day, the laws of the Medes and the Persians, by entering your palace at a time no human being enters.
O king hear my voice. If I am still in your love, I am making a case for my people, the Jews. Why should you allow Hamman and his people to kill them unnecessarily? What offence have they committed? Was not Mordecai the one that saved your life, even when he, Hamman and his people wanted to kill you? O king, react.”
The king looked up and looked down and said, “OK. My darling get up. I have heard your plea. Go and tell Mordecai, ‘by my order as the king of Medes and Persia that I have given the Jews authority to fight back. If they are attacked by our people, they should fight back.’”
That was all that the woman needed. When it was announced to Mordecai and the Jews, they jubilated. On that D-Day, heads rolled. The Jews slaughtered them in thousands. Corpses littered everywhere. And the king worshipped the God of the Jews.
All of you that love the LORD and that have been salvaged from iniquity, rest at nothing until you see righteousness reign in the Bride of Christ. And it begins with your family.
How does it begin? Wake your husband from that deep sleep. Wake them up. All of them have slept before the time. One that goes to bed before the appointed time must surely wake up before day break.
And that is why many of them are suffering great setbacks. They declared themselves old. Declared themselves Elders, which THE SON OF MAN never made them.
If they were in the Roman Catholic, who will recognize them? In the Anglican, who knows Pastor Thomas as somebody. But in the Bride now, he is Elder.
Who among you here is qualified to answer Elder in a denomination? Not even one! But here, even Emeka Ani is an Elder. Shame on you! Amen.
I want to encourage the youth because the greatest problem that invades any nation is ignoring the training of their youth. If you do not train your youths very well, they will trouble the nation.
And you do not need to blame them. They can set any community ablaze. They are very destructive. But if you tame them very well, you will enjoy their services.
If you go to the Niger Delta, there is no aged man that is involved in militancy. You can only see the vibrant youths who are ready to die.
And these are the people God wants to use to bring a revival. The last minute revival to consolidate our victory over the devil. For the devil we won from the very beginning has gradually found its way into our families.
From our families, into our gatherings because we do not have husbands who are men of God again. All our husbands are now morally obligated husbands. Once they fulfill their conjugal rights with their wives, their domestic obligations, that is all. No spiritual husbands again.
Brethren, is it true or false. If you know you are a spiritual husband, show by raising your hand. This is because I am still standing up. If you cannot raise your hand when I am still standing up, when you go back to your station, close your mouth.
This is because if you say you are spiritual, I will place you in the pulpit and give you a topic to discuss.
So, the youths, please give Me audience. I want to check something. What is that thing? FANATICISM. Fanaticism!
That was what destroyed the kingship of Rehoboam. You are not coming to destroy. You are coming to consolidate the win. If I do not guide you properly, you may score an own goal at this dying minute.
And it is very delicate for your colleague, your team partner to score against you at the dying minute, during injury time. Not that your opponent scored but your own team mate.
You know we are team mates here. We work as a team. No successful man of God ever works alone. He carries all willing heart along. I say he carries all willing hearts along, not unwilling hearts.
Many are not willing. They can only come out if they are bribed. You must offer them something or promise them something. Otherwise, they are not coming out.
If they have nothing to gain physically, you cannot win their support. Are such people with Me? No!
YOU ARE NOT WITH ME UNTIL YOU ARE WITH ME SPIRITUALLY AND YOU ARE READY AT ALL TIMES. THAT’S ALL.
A professional is a professional by day and by night. What he needs is the football and the field of play. He knows the role he is expected to play.
That is why nobody retrains a professional whenever he is invited for a tournament. You simply give him his jersey. Amen.
So, the youth, give me audience. I would not want a situation where you will be scrambling for the pulpit. That is one. This is because you are many and you are eager.
I can see the willingness. I can see the enthusiasm. I can see the love. I can also see the exuberance, which may lead to fanaticism, if not checked. Amen.
So, I want you to give Me audience as I advise you. And you know I am your Father. I am your Father. So, you listen to Me as we search the Scriptures.
Because many are of the Jewish origin. As many as are divinely connected to God, coming into contact with this Faith, they are no longer strangers and aliens, automatically they become fellow citizens and share the same spirit, the same character, the same inheritance with the Saints. To such people, nobody reminds them of their responsibility towards their family. Because the child that is born in a family strives to protect the interest, the integrity of the family but a stranger walks otherwise, walks contrary.
ORDINATION OF PASTORS VOLUME 1; Preached on SUNDAY 1ST APRIL 2018; Pg. 63 vs 12 – 13
3
THINGS YOU MUST WATCH OUT FOR, O YOUTH MINISTER
Listen to Me as we search the Scriptures. Things you must watch out for, if you must be a youth and a Minister. The devil can mount the pulpit, teach, encourage and admonish, and even sing praises.
But there is one thing the devil cannot do: To live the life of Christ. True or false? Why? He does not have the nature of Christ.
No matter your preaching, if you do not have the nature of Christ, your character will nullify all you are trying to pass on to us.
So we do not only believe your words, we also believe your character. The two must blend. Things you must watch out for, O youth Minister.
And I do not want to use mere Words. Let Me go straight unto the Scriptures. Follow Me.
Let us go to 2 Timothy 3. Use Good News bible written in today’s English. Somebody can come and carry this one.
I want this tape to be clearer than any other. And at the end of the day, I would like all the youth to have this Message handy, especially all that I have started seeing their gifts and talents manifesting.
God has bestowed upon every one of us diversities of gifts. And there are also diversities of administration.
Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. [1 Corinthians 12:4 – 5]
You see, a good football trainer, from time to time, goes out for talent hunt. And talent hunt takes him to the remotest parts of every community, in search of one thing.
He is not searching for educated players but talented players. We have educated players. We also have talented players , gifted players.
Some might be stark illiterates. Some might be welders, like Christian Chukwu. Some might be panel beaters like Aloy Atuegwu. Some may be ordinary Agbero, like Ayo Falana of Stationery Stores FC.
But every Sunday, they have a place where they use to play football. Without any formal education, they were all selected because of the display of talent in the handling of football.
So, in the same way, I must go for talents. Wherever I see gift manifesting, My duty is to nurture it and bring it to limelight. Who knows the gift that will help in perfecting you?
So, suppress not the gift of God that is in you because of the presence of these epileptic Elders. Erratic and unreliable Elders, who are off and on like NEPA light.
YOU MUST CONQUER THE FEAR OF MEN IF YOU MUST SURVIVE AS A YOUTH MINISTER. IF YOU LOOK AT THE FACES OF THE OLD ONES WHO CALL THEMSELVES ANCIENT, YOU WILL NOT DELIVER THE GOODS.
DO NOT LOOK AT THEIR FACES. CONSIDER THEM NOT FOR WHAT THEY WERE IN TIME PAST. SET THAT ONE AT NAUGHT AND DO YOUR WORK. DO YOUR WORK! DO NOT LOOK AT THEIR RECORDS.
NO MATTER WHAT THEY PROFESS THEIR RECORDS WERE, THAT WAS BEFORE. THE BATTLE IS STILL RAGING. WE CAN NEVER LEAVE THE PITCH WHEN WE HAVE NOT HEARD THE LAST BLAST OF THE WHISTLE.
ONE SECOND TO GO, SOMEBODY CAN EMERGE A WINNER. I SAY A SECOND. NET YOUT BALL IN, THE REFEREE BLOWS THE LAST WHISTLE BLAST.
THE SAME WAY, ONE SECOND TO PARADISE, THE DEVIL CAN DESTROY YOU AND DESTROY ALL YOU HAVE BEEN STRUGGLING TO BUILD ALL THESE YEARS.
If you had gone back to the message, AS WE WAIT AT THE GATE OF PARADISE and then go to the GREAT SERMON, You will notice that what is happening here was already prophesied by THE SON OF MAN, that it is during the period of waiting that we see laxities of all sorts, all forms of manifestations of lazy habits. Everybody behaving as if he is in Paradise.
You are in a fools’ Paradise, if you do not know. Throwing in the towel when your opponent is still standing. The devil is still at work in you, at work in your family, at work in your business, and you are sleeping over it. Are you not foolish? Are you not blind? Are you not cheated?
You still have enormous responsibilities domestically; all your children are still minors, who will pose intractable challenges ahead of time, and you go to bed to have your sleep when no provisions have made for their upkeep, are you not crazy?
THERE IS NO WAY YOU CAN BE SPIRITUALLY WEAK AND PHYSICALLY STRONG. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE. THE WEAKNESS OF YOUR SPIRIT HAS WEAKENED ALL YOUR HUMAN ACTIVITIES.
Be strong in the Lord, was an encouraging statement from the Apostle Paul. Be strong in the LORD and in the power of His resurrection. If Christ has resurrected in your life, you must be strong.
Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. [Ephesians 6:10] KJV
That is why the devil is defeating you every day because he knows you are bedridden. You are suffering from SPIRITUAL PARALYSIS. You have been paralyzed spiritually. And for that reason, all your human activities are now paralyzed.
One that has been hit by stroke, is there any other activity he or she can engage in. Even if he or she has one hundred cars, will he or she be able to drive any? Talk of farm, can he or she farm again? The love of God has vanished.
You ask yourself these questions. Since I got paralyzed spiritually, have I become a millionaire? All along, the cares of this life have been worrying me, what have I achieved? Have I lived a better life than I was living when I was serving God?
YOU CAN NEVER GET BETTER LIFE OUTSIDE CHRIST. THERE IS NO BETTER LIFE OUTSIDE THE SERVICE OF GOD. THE YOUTH, I WANT YOU TO ENJOY YOUR YOUTH TO THE FULLEST.
SHOW ME THE YOUTH THAT ENJOYED HIS YOUTHFUL DAYS AND I WILL SHOW YOU ONE THAT DEDICTAES HIS LIFE TO CHRIST IN HIS YOUTH AND TO HIS SERVICE WITHOUT ANY IOTA OF HYPOCRISY.
That is why the Bible asked the question and replied it in the Book of Psalms and even in 1 Timothy, “How can a young man, a young woman make his or her ways prosperous and enjoys good days [good life]?”
11Come, you children, listen to me; I will teach you to revere and worshipfully fear the Lord. 12What man is he who desires life and longs for many days, that he may see good? [Psalms 34:11 – 12] AMP
The Bible said, “By taking heed to obey every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.”
Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all. Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee. [1 Timothy 4:15 – 16] KJV
WHEN YOU TAKE HEED, BE DILIGENT AND OBEY THE WORD OF GOD IN YOUR YOUTH, I BET YOU, YOU MUST ENJOY YOUR YOUTH. YOU LIVE IN PLENTY IN THE TIME OF SCARCITY.
Even this problem of unemployment is not for you, for God will grant you the favour of every office you enter. Any business you step into, the LORD will make an open door because you are working with the LORD.
You will be happy with yourself because all the troubles the youth are passing through because of unbelief, you have avoided all of them.
Your future is brightened. You are not afraid of any amazement, by day or by night because you are walking with God in the Light of His Word. What a glory He sheds on your way. When you do His good will, He abides with you, and with all that will put their trust in Him and obey Him.
So, there are many benefits we enjoy when we begin to serve God diligently starting from our youth. You will never abuse your youthful days. You will never have wasted days in your life.
Watch all that wasted their youth. They are the people that are having problems in their old age. Why? WHEREVER YOU ARE STANDING IN YOUR YOUTH DETERMINES WHERE YOU WILL SIT DOWN AT YOUR OLD AGE.
ANYWHERE YOU ARE STANDING IN YOUR YOUTH WILL DETERMINE WHERE YOU WILL SIT DOWN IN YOUR OLD AGE. TRUE OR FALSE?
AND THE MOMENT YOU HAVE ALREADY FASHIONED A WAY YOU WANT TO LIVE YOUR LIFE, YOU HAVE ALREADY DECIDED YOUR ETERNAL DESTINY.
LIVE YOUR LIFE AN UNBELIEVER, A SINNER, IN HYPOCRISY, NUMBER ONE IS THAT YOU DIE OF POVERTY, DIE OF STARVATION, DIE OF STAGNATION, AND THEN DIE IN SIN AND GO TO HELL.
I know wh at I am saying brethren because I was a youth but now, I am old. No good thing shall the Lord God Almighty withhold from those that walk uprightly.
For the Lord God is a sun and shield: the Lord will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly. [Psalms 84:11] KJV
For that reason, start from your youth to sow your seed in righteousness, that you may reap it in mercy, for this is the time to seek the LORD. Break all the fallow grounds and allow the refreshing wind of the Holy Spirit to refresh your hearts.
Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up you fallow ground: for it is time to seek the Lord, till he come and rain
Righteousness upon you. [Hosea 10:12] KJV
GET RID OF RAMPANT OUTGROWTH OF EVIL AND RADICALISM THAT ARE CONSTANTLY AT WORK IN YOU, AND THEN LET YOUR LIFE SHINE BEFORE MEN THAT THEY MIGHT SEE YOUR GOOD WORKS AND HAVE CAUSE TO GLORIFY YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER.
Heathens speak evil of us because of the impoverished nature of those who call themselves children of God, their reckless living and their unprogressive life due to their hypocrisy.
And they will never tell the heathens around them that they are being punished by God because of their hypocrisy and widespread evil; that they are receiving their reward.
FOR NOW, THIS IS WHERE YOUR ATTENTION SHOULD BE. OFF YOUR EYES ON WOMEN, OFF YOUR EYES ON MONEY, FACE THAT AREA, IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS, YOU WILL HAVE YOUR OWN TESTIMONY TO SHARE TO THE WHOLE WORLD AND THEN I WILL FOLLOW YOU STRICTLY. 30CREATE ENMITY IN THE HEARTS OF YOUR CHILDREN AGAINST UNBELIEF TO THIS FAITH, FOR YOU CAN NEVER TRAIN YOUR CHILDREN IN THE FEAR OF GOD OUTSIDE THIS FAITH. 31THE MOST DEADLY CHILDREN IN THE WORLD TODAY ARE CHILDREN OF PASTORS, BISHOPS, MINISTERS AND SO ON. THEY ARE THE MOST DREADED CHILDREN HERE TROUBLING EVERYBODY. THEIR WIVES ARE THE MOST STUBBORN. THAT IS WHY YOU CAN HARDLY SEE A PASTOR THAT HAS A HOME. THEY HAVE FAMILIES. THEY DO NOT HAVE A HOME. COMMON WITH PASTORS.
ORDINATION OF PASTORS VOLUME 1; Preached on SUNDAY 1ST APRIL 2018; Pg. 29 VS. 28 – 31
4
SIGNS OF OUR TIME
Turn with Me to 2 Timothy 3. I thank God I have a Timothy here. And too many Timothies are coming. Yes! I am proud to have a Timothy, who is now in the pulpit and to whom I can say, “Timothy My son.”
I saw her mother when she was pregnant. I was there the day he was delivered. I dedicated him. I gave him the name Timothy. And remember what I told you. I said, “I am sowing the seed. I will reap the fruit sometime, someday.”
That the earliest fruit you will harvest from your farm is your children. You may think they are too tender. Some plants may not produce fruits in ten years, but in ten years, you children have started bearing fruits.
A child that has not started helping the parents in the kitchen, in domestic chores and other things at ten years is a hooligan. You know a child that will turn out useful very early in life.
Even at three, a child that will turn out to be useful must have started running around the mother and around the father, trying to help. If at ten, you are still behaving as an infant, even at hundred, you will remain an infant. I also blame mothers. I blame fathers.
2 Timothy 3: 1 – 5 Living Bible 1You may as well know this too, Timothy, Who? …Timothy,… There might be other instructions, but this one is an addendum. And addition. You may as well know this Timothy.
…that in the last days it is going to be very difficult to be a Christian. It is going to be very difficult to be a child of God to live your life according to the Gospel of Christ.
Remember, he [Paul] had already commissioned him a preacher and a teacher, but he now wants him [Timothy] to know the reality of the whole thing that it does not end by preaching and it does not end by teaching or evangelism. Too many things are expected of Timothy.
2For people will love only themselves and their money; they will be proud and boastful, sneering at God, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful to them, and thoroughly bad.
3They will be hardheaded and never give in to others; they will be constant liars and troublemakers and will think nothing of immorality. They will be rough and cruel, and sneer at those who try to be good.
4They will betray their friends; they will be hotheaded, puffed up with pride, and prefer good times to worshiping God.
5They will go to church, yes, but they won’t really believe anything they hear.
Will they go to church? Yes! Will they preach the Word? Yes! But they will never believe anything they are taught.
Characteristic features of the youth and everybody in the last days. Timothy, be wary of these people. Let this development never discourage you one bit. I am giving you the pictures of the human behaviours, where I am sending you to.
Most of them will be found among your own age bracket. So, enormous responsibility is now laid on you to arrest this situation, taking heed to yourself that you will not be tempted to do same.
Don’t be taken in by people like that. Do not befriend such people. Do not keep company with such people.
In other words, My son Timothy, begin now to develop discerning spirit, for these things are not written on anybody’s face.
By their fruits, you are likely to pinpoint them. By their conversations, you can give them their names. You can place them where they belong to.
Do not ever be taken in by such people. Do not work with such people. They will only discourage you. They will cause you to make shipwreck.
O Youth, if you want to make foolproof of your Ministry, you want to make your calling and election in Christ stand sure, this is number one challenge you will meet.
You must get rid of all these things, if there be any trace of any one of them in your life. If you do not purify yourself and purge yourself of all these things, there is no way your teaching can have any impact in the lives of the hearers because if you handle the Word of God in unrighteousness, you make it of non-effect. Amen.
2 Timothy 3:15 Living Bible. 15You know how, when you were a small child,… Timothy! O Youths! You can remember accurately how you were born, how your parents spent day and night to bring you up, for you were born at a time when we were making it compulsory that every morning, you take your bath, come to family altar.
MORE THAN ONE HOUR SLEEP FOR A CHILD OF GOD IS A LUXURY. The same way we use to say it when we were in the colleges, that more than an hour sleep for a mathematician is a luxury.
You can as well remember how you were brought up. You can as well remember testimonies that were following you from childhood of how you were obeying your parents, obeying the instructions they were giving you in the Lord;
How you were living your life without a fault. If you can place these things at the back of your mind. I bet you, you will make a success of your Ministry.
In other words, you are now a representative of your family. You are the image maker. The moment we say, Timothy Ukpong, our minds will go to Bishop Joe Ukpong, who was the Pastor in charge of Jos, and later became a Bishop.
Very humble, easily entreated, not a trouble shooter, not a drunk.
We can remember the wife. We know how godly they were and even up till now, which made them to endure all forms of hardship with joy. They never denied this Faith. They never troubled THE SON OF MAN because of hardship.
They held on to the profession of their Faith, even till now, amidst cruel mockery, cruel misunderstanding. Do you think it is easy to relocate a family? You all know how I was the One that helped him to know where he was born.
I took him to his father’s compound for the first time when he is a father of many, not knowing where he was born. I had to trace it with the help of the wife of Watson Fihala.
I came back and told him, “Sir, you are a native of Akwa-Ibom. Look at your family. Look at your father. Look at your mother. And I will show you your most senior who will take you to your late father’s grave.”
Before he knew it, I told him he must go. Without anything in his hands, I moved the whole family to Akwa-Ibom, not knowing where to stay and they remained worshipping God with our Brother Abraham Moses [a testimony of its own], succouring them together with the wife, until finally they can perch somewhere.
And they are still there till now, never to go back again, for they have found their homeland. And they are happier there than when they were in Jos, Abuja and so on.
They never recanted the Faith. They never blasphemed the Faith. I have given the whole Congregation of God a resumé of the family where you were born.
And his testimony, I followed his career in the school. He became opposite of his senior brother, Williams. Sit down!
I am not referring to Timothy Ukpong. I am referring to every youth here as a Timothy. And you are a Timothy, if your parents took time to bring you up in the fear and admonition of God from your childhood.
But if you are not brought up that way, there can never be any miracle that can make you a Timothy, for you must go the way of your parents, whether you like it or not. Should you try to walk contrary to their way, you will cause trouble.
When you read about Timothy, Titus and the rest, you use them to preach to others, what effort are you making to produce a Timothy in your house?
WHAT IS THE ESSENCE OF TEACHING US THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST? IS IT NOT TO PRODUCE A TIMOTHY? IS IT NOT TO PRODUCE A SUSANNA AND A PHOEBE? IS IT NOT THE AIM?
If I mention Philip who had four daughters, who were prophetesses in the churches, is it not a challenge that the daughters of Philip were spiritual daughters, who never joked with the Word of God, until the Almighty God gave them the spirit of prophecy? And they became a blessing to the churches, and not a curse.
What efforts are you making to raise your daughter in the fear and admonition of the LORD? A good number of you have no other business than to make your daughters to look psychedelic. Yes!
Instead of looking spiritual, acting spiritual, psychedelism has taken over. You do not know where to place your daughters as far as Faith in Christ is concerned.
Your sons have become armed robbers, Indian Hemp smokers, drug addicts. They have become cultists. Why? It was the foundation you laid for them. How can you lay such a horrible foundation for your children and expect to raise a Timothy and a Phoebe? Is it possible?
NO SENSIBLE MAN SHOULD EXPECT A POSITIVE RESULT FROM A NEGATIVE ACTION. ANY SEED YOU HAVE SOWN, THAT YOU MUST REAP, WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT.
IGNORE YOUR CHILDREN, IGNORE THEIR TRAINING IN THE FEAR OF GOD WHEN THEY ARE COMING UP, ALLOW THEM TO HAVE THEIR WAYS, AND THEN GET READY TO FACE THEIR TROUBLES.
Get ready, for they will be more expensive than your income. You must develop high blood pressure because of the pressure they will mount on you.
You do not have anything to boast of. The little you will get, they will just dupe you. Through trickery, they will trick the money away from you.
And you dare not ask them how they are spending the money. If you do it, you are calling for their wrath.
But it is not the character of Timothy. It is not the character of Titus. It is not the character of Sylvanus or Urbane. Neither was it the characters of the four daughters of Philip or Phoebe or Susanna. Even the daughters of Lydia are not known for this.
AT THIS POINT WHERE WE ARE WAITING, GOD IS USING THIS OPPORTUNITY TO WATCH. HE IS WATCHING OVER THE WHOLE ASSEMBLIES NOW THAN EVER; WATCHING THE PERFORMANCES OF MINISTERS. EVEN IN THEIR HOMES AND IN THEIR PRIVATE CLOSETS, GOD IS WATCHING. THIS IS THE TIME FOR FINAL SELECTION”. 34NOTE, IT SAYS THIS IS THE HOUR OF FINAL SELECTION.
TIME FOR FINAL SELECTION; Preached on Wednesday 28th November 2012; Pg. 65 vs. 33 – 34
5
IT IS THE WORD OF GOD THAT SANCTIFIES
What are you raising in your family? You call them infants today, tomorrow they will be youth, for the young must surely grow, whether you like it or not.
I have told you, there is no church, no cult, no religion that can oppose the law of sowing and reaping. It is a natural justice that cuts across all religious beliefs.
I do not care about who you are. If you like be a native doctor. Anything a man soweth, that he must reap. As you make your bed, so you must lie on it. What foundation are you laying in your families?
Did God not give us Messages for our homes, for our marriages, for the training of our children? Is there any group of people that has Messages for the training of children, building formidable homes in Christ more than the Bride of Christ Ministry Worldwide?
There is no other organization of human beings. We have no rivals in every aspect of life. We have abundant teachings and doctrines. What is the problem? The problem is the inability of the parents.
Remember, when you go to FAMILY MENU Volume 1, I have traced where the problem of our children emanates from. The inability of parents to train their children in the fear and admonition of God from their childhood.
Yes! Read that verse. I am interested. O youths! Timothy, Titus, Phoebe, Susanna, prophetesses from Philip’s house
2 Timothy 3:15 Living Bible. 15You know how, when you were a small child, you were taught the holy Scriptures;…
You were taught what? The Holy Scriptures which was able to establish you and give you a place among those that are sanctified by the Faith in Christ. Take away the Holy Scriptures, tell Me what will sanctify you.
It is the word of God that sanctifies. Sanctify them by Thy Word O LORD, for Thy Word is Truth.
Sanctify them through thy truth : thy word is truth. [John 17:17] KJV
If you were raised in the Holy Scriptures, how comes it that in your youth, you now set the Holy Scriptures aside and expect to be sanctified, purified and live a pious life? Can it work? Never! Never! Never!
It is like a woman that omits salt in her cooking and expects to get a better and delicious food. Can it work?
So, your microphone is not talking and they are watching you. His microphone is not talking. Do not touch the dial any more. Leave it when you set it aright. And then keep away from it so that your body will not strain the buttons.
15You know how, when you were a small child, you were taught the holy Scriptures; and it is these that make you wise… Amen. These that make you what?
…that make to accept God’s salvation… Alleluia! How many parents have taken their time to teach their children at infancy like they are here now, with the Scriptures aiming at letting them know the meaning of Christ’s salvation, so that they can run away from evil, avoid sin and do right, starting from their infancy.
How many of your children can stand up, if not the little they are being taught in their school? How many can stand up here to say, “John 3:16, for God so loved the world…?” There is not even one.
How many mothers here know Scriptures? Can you give your children what you do not have? What they know is every morning, “I am cooking for my children. I am cooking food for my children.”
Every time they are in the kitchen as if eating and drinking is all that is needed to groom your children in a very godly way. Can you give something you do not have?
How many fathers can boast of sitting their children down, even buying the children’s Bible for them. I use My case for example.
I knew nothing called Bride of Christ Ministry. Before I got My first baby, I have many witnesses around Me, I flooded My house ahead of time with children’s Bible of all sorts including that of Jehovah’s Witness.
Starting from My first daughter, I started teaching them with photographic Bibles, colour pictures with small small stories, and even imported packages I was distributing to many families. Packages containing the Word of God with pictorials. Beautiful pictures that will attract the attention of infants.
What was My aim? To make sure I catch My children young. That was why nobody was able to deceive any of them. Most of those materials remained. Many of them are in your homes. My wife gave them as free gifts to some of you.
In the same way, I flooded My house with all forms of religious books that had to do with Christ and His salvation, and then human moral developments.
Everything about marriage, I stored all of them in My house. I read and marked all of them, when the plan for marriage was not even My agenda. I knew A to Z about marriage many years before the idea of thinking about marriage came into My mind.
But today, it is a matter of getting ₦50,000 and the following day, “This is my wife.” No preparation spiritually, morally, physically and otherwise. Even the financial backing might not be there.
It is only in our day that I see people borrowing money to marry a wife, which is the greatest abomination anybody can commit.
When you borrow money to marry a wife, you have no home and you have no family because you are a debtor. If you borrow money to buy a car, how will you maintain it?
If you borrow money to marry a wife, will you borrow money to run your family? When your wife is pregnant, you will be borrowing. If she delivers, you will be borrowing. You borrow your rent. You borrow medicine. You borrow everything.
Tell Me when your family will stabilize. This is because you have established a false home, a false marriage. Your children have no hope.
That is why, something that is meant to be a blessing will be a curse. If your wife is pregnant, instead of rejoicing, pregnancy will be a sickness.
If she delivers a baby, instead of rejoicing, the baby becomes a curse. A new baby will now become a curse while pregnancy becomes sickness.
A wife now becomes an unbearable burden as if the person was forced into it. Did anybody force you into it? You said you had the wherewithal, and you entered into it.
Why is it now a burden? Why is pregnancy a sickness? Why is the arrival of the new child a curse and not a blessing? Amen.
What is responsible for this? Misguided and unguided youth. They were not guided by their parents from infancy to know the truth about life.
When they grew up and entered their schools and colleges, they were misguided by people that go to church, but do not believe what is being taught there.
They give in to such people and they spoil their philosophies about life, for you cannot befriend a leper and avoid his handshake.
YOUR CHARACTER IS A REFLECTION OF THE PEOPLE YOU SURROUND YOURSELF WITH WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT.
That is why, you tell Me the people you mingle with, and I will tell you exactly who you are, for the two can never walk together except they agree.
Can two walk together, except they be agreed? [Amos 3:3]
So, O Timothy, take note. Study the Word of God. Take in the Scriptures as you are being taught by your parents, for therein lies God’s wisdom that will help you to escape the corruption that is in the world through lust.
According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that
hath called us to glory and virtue : whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises ; that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. [2 Peter 1:3 – 4 KJV]
Refuse to take in the Word, you will never be sanctified. Refuse to take in the Word, you cannot escape the corruption that is in this world through lust. You can never escape it.
So, when you hear, “Avoid youthful lust”, it is youthful lust that leads to premature marriage. Unprepared marriage! Premature riding of vehicle. Using car to boast. Something that takes the money without giving you a kobo.
Everybody wants to ride a car, but the person that wants to ride a car does not even have ₦100. If I had the money now, what man desires right now is to have a car. What befits man is motor.
But he does not have money to feed his family, and he is having his eyes on a car. That is youthful lust. Youthful lust!
So, AVOID YOUTHFUL LUST! Always try to cut your coat according to the size of your cloth. Do not measure the size of your waist. It is your cloth that will determine what will be made for you.
If the cloth will only provide pant, make pant. If it provides only singlet, make singlet. If it provides only cap, make cap. IT IS A CRIME TO LIVE IN A BORROWED ROBE. Borrowed robe is a crime. Amen.
Do you know what I mean by living on borrowed robe? IT MEANS LIVING A FALSE LIFE. It means you are hanging your bag where it will be difficult for you to retrieve it.
It means having inordinate desires for something you do not have, even when you do not have the wherewithal. It will lead you to too many vices.
This is where all sorts of evil emanates, be it robbery, assassination [murder], kidnapping, use and trade in hard drugs.
All forms of deceit that are seen in this world emanate from having inordinate desires for something you do not have, and the person who indulges in it is an idolater. Such a fellow worships idol. It is a form of idolatry Amen.