Be Strong And Courageous

BY REV A U AZUBUIKE , LAGOS, NIGERIA

TEXT : JOSH 1 :6-9
[6]Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them.
[7]Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest.
[8]This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.
[9]Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.

INTRODUCTION
The theme was given as a charge to Joshua during his commissioning to lead God’s people
To be strong, in the context of the passage, does not necessarily mean ‘powerful’, but, possessing great will, resilient; firm and steadfast.
‘courage’ connotes mental or moral strength to venture, to persevere, to withstand danger or fear, or pain , or difficulty; it is fortitude.

In Daniel 11:32 Bible records,
And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries: but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits.

Knowing God obtains spiritual strength which results in uncommon accomplishments.
‘exploits’ are notable achievements resulting from hardwork.

EXPOSITION
1. Being strong is not a standard for our salvation (cf. Eph 2:8), but it is a rule for a successful walk with the Lord, as contained in Paul’s charge to Timothy (2Tim 2:1- be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus), to the Ephesians (Eph 6:10 – be strong in the Lord), to the Corinthians (1 Cor 16:13- watch. . . and be strong).

2. Being strong in God and for God is predicated on knowing that God is with you. Jos 1:5- ‘I will not leave you nor forsake you; v9- the Lord is with you wherever you go’. cf. Hag 2:4- be strong . . . for I am with you.

3. Being Strong also rests on the assurance of the promises of God. Jos 1:3- ‘Every place . . . I have given you. Verse 5- No man shall be able to stand before you’.

Thought: There is a High level of inferiority complex before satan due to believers’ ignorance of the fact that God is with us; and greater is he that is in us than he that is in the world . . .; and if God be with us nothing can be against us. . . Rom 8:35.

4. Being strong is made possible whenever and wherever there are problems and difficulties which only work as catalysts for our spiritual good. Compare Daniel 11:32
And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries: but . . .

5. Being strong is produced by having hope and expectation. 2 Chro 15:7- be strong . . . your labour shall be rewarded.

6. Being strong comes by having a sense of responsibility and not wanting to fail or disappoint. Cf. 1 Kg 2:2 – Be strong and shew thyself a man.

7. Being strong is not measured by people’s popularities, but by ‘how much we observe to do all that he (God) has commanded us’. Jos 1:7; cf John 15:14

8. Being strong derives from meditating on the law (word) of God daily – Jos 1:8. Church dogma and human traditions are good , but they are not the source of strength.

Thought – The “arm of flesh” will fail us. Only godly strength will sustain us.

a. Strength affords one to stand alone , firmly, resilient , when the end-time church is recessing into the world and the sinful world is processing into the Church, in the name of modernism.
b. Strength is required in running the race set before us; fighting the good fight; keeping the faith till the end.
c. Strength is required in carrying the cross of suffering; despising the shame; in the midst of persecutions and afflictions of satan. Act 14:22; Rom 8:18.

Courage
Strength fades out when it is not backed up with courage. Opposite meaning of courage is discouragement; to faint; to lose heart.
The things we see, hear, and go through can discourage us. But only courage wins every battles. By being courageous Joshua pulled down the walls of Jericho- ch. 6, possessed the promised land through battles; and served GOD till the end – 24:15

Thought – are you discouraged ?

BECAUSE of the sinful world ? Heb 12:3; or adversity ? Prov 24:10 cf David 1 Sam 30:5-6; or delayed rewards for your labour? Gal 6:9; or troubles and sufferings ? 2 cor 4:16-18

Conclusion
We can do all things through Christ who gives us strength. Phil 4:13
Those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength . Isa 40:31

Wolves In Sheep’s Clothing

A TRUE LIFE STORY

My name is Chidubem Okwu. I am a pastor, but I have disappointed God and I really don’t know where to begin to tell my story.
I must tell you the truth. I can’t really say if I have a call or not. I was a Sunday School teacher in my church for 9 years at Kaduna. In 1999 I was led to start a church, but from the experiences I have gathered now I cannot say I was actually led by the Holy Spirit to start that church.

As at 2008, I was not making any progress both spiritually and materially. I saw many churches which began several years after mine and they were making waves and are still making progress. At a point I did not know what to do again, and after discussing with my wife I decided to approach the general overseer of a church that began 7 years after I started my ministry and explained to him that personally I was not making any headway and same with my ministry. My ministry would grow up to 200 people and after a short period it would shrink to 50 people and at times it would grow to 150 and shrink to 40 people. I approached him because the growth in his church was fast. He began the church in 2006 and by 2012 he was recording 11,000 people on a Sunday service and he was also making good money and riding in big cars, including the latest jeeps.

After listening to me, he promised to help me solve my problem. He said I needed to be empowered and that it is going to cost me some amount of money besides, I need to have a big and strong heart. Then he asked me if I have got a strong heart and I told him that I have, as long as it is not going to involve killing a fellow human being. He asked me thrice if I have got a strong heart and I consistently gave him the same answer. Again he asked me if I want a single empowerment or double empowerment and I asked him which one was better and he said double empowerment was better but it wouldl cost me a lot of money, and that after the empowerment I was going to be told how to maintain and renew the power.

This time I became afraid and I asked him if the maintenance and renewal involved any ritual, he said no, that whatever the renewal and maintenance will involve are just normal things that I was already doing so I should not be afraid. He said I should go and raise three hundred and fifty thousand naira (350,000) which I had to borrow from my wife. The next day I handed over the money to him and he asked me to go and get ready that we shall be going to Lagos and Port-Harcourt. I got ready and we took flight from Abuja to Lagos that same day.

In Lagos we lodged at the guest house of a big ministry and at 11.30p.m we went out in a private car to the Bar-beach. At the Bar-beach we were at the bank when he spoke some unknown language and told me that a woman was going to come out of the water and that I should do whatever she says. As soon as he said that, there was rumbling on the surface of the water and a mermaid came out of it. The general overseer told me not to be afraid that the mermaid will not harm me, so I picked courage when I saw her.
When she came to the surface of the water, the lower part of her body was like that of a fish. My eyes were transfixed to that lower part, and as she was getting closer to me it became human. Then she came to me and asked me to have sex with her which I did in the presence of the general overseer. After having sex with her, she put her hand in her vagina and made a sign of the cross on my forehead and my palm and told me that she had empowered me and that I would see the difference. The mermaid left me, went to the General Overseer and brought out a golden cross and chain from her stomach and wore it on the neck of the general overseer who gave her some money. The mermaid thanked him and went back into the sea. All the time she spoke in English language.

When we eventually got back to the ministry’s guest house, the general overseer told me that we have to go to the church of that ministry because they were having a night vigil. When we got there I was given an opportunity to minister in the church and as I raised my hands from the altar the members began to fall on themselves, and some were tumbling on others. I must say, I was almost embarrassed because I never expected the manifestation of the mermaid power to be so soon. After the all night service we went back to the guest house and the general overseer asked me if I was happy the way the power manifested and I said yes. He told me that we should go to bed and get some sleep because we would be going to Port-Harcourt that evening.

That afternoon as I was sleeping, that same mermaid I had sex with at the Bar-beach came to me in my dream and told me that to maintain and also constantly renew the power I must be having sex with a virgin once every month, so this jolted me out of sleep. I went to the general overseer’s room to explain what I saw and heard in my dream and he said it was no problem. When I asked him how I was going to be getting the virgins he said he was going to assist me get them, but I needed to pay for his service. Honestly Apostle after this I wanted to backout, but I had no courage to say or do so.

While at the Bar-beach I saw many pastors who came there with other senior pastors. It is like a tradition! There must be a senior pastor bringing in younger pastors, and I believe each senior pastor had a particular mermaid they relate with because I saw up to ten mermaids attending to some other young pastors.

In the evening we were at the local airport in Lagos and took a flight to Port-Harcourt. At Port-Harcourt we lodged in the guest house of another ministry and at mid-night we got out, eventually arriving in a very big compound of a woman called Eze-Nwanyi. Inside the compound were many houses.
We met many pastors there including first generation church pastors. When it was my turn, the general overseer paid some money and itemized what should be done for me. When I went into the room I was surprised it was a woman again and as I was thinking – woman again! I found myself on top of the woman on a bed in an adjacent room. Honestly I have not been able to recall how I found myself on that bed. I had sex with her and also sucked her breasts. After the sexual session, she made some animal cry and administered some stuff into my eyes and I began immediately to see into the spirit world and also discussed with some spirit beings. After that she gave me a bottle of olive oil which she called “do as I say”. She said with this the members of my church will do whatever I ask them to do.

She also gave me another bottle of olive oil which she called “all seeing oil”. She said with the oil I could see deep into people’s secrets, and a bottle of olive oil which she called “slaying oil” for slaying people (under “so-called” anointing) during prayer. She finally gave me two more bottles of olive oil. The first one is “crowd pulling oil” and the second one is “touch and follow” – which I will be using to hypnotize women especially virgins because I will be having sex with them and married women to renew the empowerment. She said I could have sex and immediately after that I could go straight into ministration without having my bath. She bound me with an oath of secrecy.

We left that same midnight and went back to the lodge, and the general overseer told me to rub the “touch and follow” oil then we went to the vigil of the church in which we were lodging in their guest house. I was allowed to minister and I burst into prophesy to my own astonishment.
In the morning two virgins were sent to the general overseer and he gave me one. So we took them to the guest house and had sex with them.
What really surprised me was that the young girls never asked where we were taking them to and why we were taking them there, which is unusual for virgin girls.

When the girls left, the general overseer told me that from then onwards I had to concentrate my sermons around prosperity and stop preaching salvation and righteousness messages. He said I should be sending tithes to him and that he knew how part of the tithes would get to the woman at Port-Harcourt. Eventually we left Port-Harcourt to Abuja and back to Kaduna.
When I began service after my return, things began to change. Money began to come, the crowd also began to come and within one week miracles, deliverance followed by prosperity began to happen in the church, the spirit of prophecy came in like I had never seen it in my life.

I have been having sex with virgin girls and married women and things have been working out fine for my family and the church for the past six years, but I have gotten to a stage in which I am no longer feeling comfortable with the whole thing. I have had dreams in which I saw myself burning in hell. I have had this dream of hell seven times and in one of the dreams I awoke only for the same dream to continue when I went back to bed. I have been having sleepless nights, and many nights I get raped by that same mermaid. I have lost two of my children mysteriously, but through the same pattern. For the past three months I have not been able to get virgin girls and this has affected the power as it is going down.

I want to get out of this whole issue even if it means closing the church. I have gone to the general overseer and he said it was too late for me to get out. He threatened me with mysterious death. He said it is not possible for me to turn against the mermaid and Eze-Nwanyi because they were already part of my life. I told him that I will do everything positively possible to get myself out of this.
Three days later two men approached me and told me that if I love my life I should vanish from Kaduna because they have been paid by the general overseer to eliminate me, so I had to close the church and left the town finally after two days.

As I am writing to you now I have nothing to hold on to but only God Almighty. The problem is that God seems to be very far from me no matter how much and fervently I have been calling on Him and asking for His mercies. I know I have offended Him, but I know He is a God of second chance. I have read your books – Overcoming the Queen of the Coast series, and I strongly believe you are the only one that God can use to help me out of this physical hell I have put myself. I am really afraid of going to meet any other person (man of God) because those who are using devilish powers are more than those who use the power of God.

For some time now I have not been sleeping at night and I also at times hallucinate. Sir, I urgently need your help because I believe time is running out for me as the attack from the marine kingdom increases. No other pastor has exposed them like you. I know I have transferred many spirits into so many people and I want to know what I can do so that those people can be free from these wicked and evil spirits.
Apostle, it is really unfortunate that the Church of our Lord Jesus Christ has been taken over by Mermaids. The number of pastors using marine spirits is alarming, and more of them are getting initiated daily into this wicked kingdom. So these pastors are also initiating their spiritually illiterate members.

Before I messed up myself spiritually, I had always wondered why members of churches follow their pastors sheepishly, but now I know better.
The marine kingdom is working day and night to overtake the church and unfortunately the church is sleeping. In the last two months I have had four car crashes and I know they want to eliminate me, but God has been my helper and my only hope.
They have killed my two children and now they want me dead. I am becoming afraid of staying alone because of some bizarre spiritual appearances I see, and things have started to move in my brain and body. Any time I start praying the movement would start and sometimes I feel the movement in my marrow.

The greatest need I have now is to be forgiven by God. If I can get His forgiveness I don’t mind dying after that because I really don’t want to go to hell. I have been misled by the general overseer just as so many young pastors have been misled by their general overseers and senior pastors. Sir, I know you are a very busy person. I will appreciate if you find time to pray over this my problems and seek the face of the Lord on how He will use you to help me out. I know that if I am forgiven, my deliverance will be easy. I regret selling my soul to marine spirits.
The Eze-Nwanyi is also a very strong agent of the mermaid.

I look forward to hearing from you
Your co-servant in the Lord,
Pastor Chidubem Okwu.

Author’s Response:
When I received this letter I called the number over three times, but it was switched off. So the next day I called and it went through. A woman took the call and when I asked to speak to pastor Chidubem, I was told that he had died in a car crash the previous day. I was dumbfounded. I just expressed my condolences to the woman who later told me that she was his wife that she had to amend her ways with the Lord and move ahead with her life. She expressed gratitude and thanked me.

After I cut off the discussion I was frozen to a spot for over five minutes until my son came and touched me asking what the matter was.
I must say that it is very unfortunate this pastor died. Those of us alive need to be extremely careful on what we do and where we place our hands. When we want success by worldly standards we can easily soil our hands. I know that if he had not started to get out of these evil powers they wouldn’t have killed him. Only God knows if he was forgiven by God before his sudden death. If not, no one needs to tell you his destination by now. We must make choices in life and whatever choices we make there are consequences and we should be ready to accept the consequences of the choices we have made. God is not going to hold the general overseer responsible for the sin of the young pastor. May God help us to be watchful, wise, and to wait for Him to fight on our behalf instead of seeking and succumbing to worldly and devilish measures for help!

Please share with the brethren and save someone today from the wolves in sheep’s clothing.

I Will Arise And Go To My Father

REPENTANCE AND RESTORATION

BY REV A U AZUBUIKE ON 18TH OF NOVEMBER 2014, LAGOS NIGERIA.

Luke 15:18
I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee,

INTRODUCTION
The history of restoration in God’s dealings with mankind can be traced back to the Garden of Eden. When man fell into sin , he lost his original estate which also affected his environment. Restoration in the biblical context therefore simply connotes a going back to an original lost position ; it is closely related to recovery and recuperation; and usually succeeds a change in attitudes. Restoration happens when an observable change occurs in someone’s life or a given situation which turns around things for the better.
As the saying goes that nothing just happens , there are certain imperatives for any genuine spiritual restoration to take place either in someone’s life or in a corporate existence , like the church. These can be summarized to include the following steps as evidenced in the parabolic restoration of the lost son in Luke 15 : 11 – 32.
Sin robs us of certain privileges of our sonship with Christ. May I point out that even a minister of the gospel can also, like the lost son , take his leave of the FATHER GOD while still in active service and go far away into worldly pleasures and sinful lusts. Therefore, repentance is required of all, both great and small. And what is repentance? It is simply regretting for sin committed and having a willingness to forsake them and follow Christ.

A turnaround came in the life of the prodigal son when he repented. This repentance involved;

1. A CHANGE IN PERCEPTION
17 “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!
Until one realizes that he has a dire need for restoration , such a person cannot be restored. One must realize how foolish and desperately lost he has been for the grace of God to be made manifest in his life. The church cannot be restored until we change our perceptions and stop equating spirituality with numerical growth of the church.
There must be an honest assessment of our present state.
Joel 1 :2-4, 9-12; Ruth 1 :19-21; Luke 15 :14-17; Rev 2 :4-5; 3 :1-17
The church must be viewed and properly perceived for what it is. It is neither formed on political platforms nor is it a capitalist business enterprise. It was not intended for our social and economic improvements primarily , but for our sanctification and spiritual edification.

2. A CHANGE IN DIRECTION
A wrong direction will never lead to the right destination no matter the distance covered. Restoration demands re directing our steps back to God in repentance.
18 ‘I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you,

One who desires restoration from God must summon courage to stand out even alone from the multitude because the opinions of the multitude cannot always be right. God does not associate himself with sinful assemblies , wrong doctrines and practices , customs and traditions that negate the will and word of God ; therefore we must come out from them and be separate (2 Cor 6 : 14-18)
In repentance, the following directions are affected:

A. Of Attitudes And Behaviors
There must be a visible change in attitudes toward God, the things of God, toward sin, world and Satan, and toward fellow human beings. The acceptance of Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour must be from the heart. There must be an observable sorrow for sin and a willingness to turn away from them to Christ Jesus.
Luk 15 :18; Pro 28 :13; Act 3 :19; Joel 1: 11; 2: 12-24; Act 8: 20-23
There must be an attitude of humility. God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble. In spite of the heights we have reached in the ministry, we are still unworthy like the prodigal son of his presence.
1 Pet 5 :6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time,
Jas 4:10; Luk 15 :19; 2 Chron 7 :13-14.
There must be obedience to the word and claims of God. 1 Sam 15 :22-23; Job 36 :11; Isa 1 :19; Jon 13 :17; 2 Cor 10 :4-6; Jam 1 :25; Luk 15: 20.
There must be personal holiness and purity. Gen 6: 9; 1 Sam 12: 2-5; Job 1: 11; 6-8; 1 Pet 1: 14-16; 2 Cor 6: 14- 7:1 ;
Dan 1 :8 ¶ But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank; therefore he requested of the chief of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.
There must be unwavering faith in the Lord of restoration. The prodigal son had confidence in the love and mercy of his father. It was this assurance of faith that set in motion his restoration. Joel 2: 18-19; 21-27; Hab 3: 17-19; Mak 9: 23; 11: 22-24; Jon 14: 12-14.

B. Of Values And Goals
A positive change in our attitude toward God, toward sin, toward our fellow man, toward the ungodly world, and toward self which brings about divine restoration goes along with a corresponding re-definition of our personal values and goals in life. The prodigal son realized the blessedness of coming home and was content to become one of his father’s hired servants.
2 Cor 4: 18 – while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.
Where do we expect God to restore us ? He restores us to godly values, to eternal values , to spiritual values. Therefore our priorities must change.
We must place great value on the word of God as a necessary tool for restoration. Josh 1: 8; Job 23: 12; Psa 1: 3; Jer 15: 16; Act 17: 11; Col 3: 16; 2 Tim 3: 16-17; Jam 1: 21-25; 1 Pet 2: 1-2.
We must place great value on prayer. The word of God leads to prayer and prayer leads to divine restoration. Isa 64: 1-3; 8-12; Dan 9: 17-19; Psa 5: 6; Hab 3: 2; Joel 2: 15-17; Luk 18: 1; Jam 5: 13, 16-17.
The returning son prayed –
Luk 15: 21 – “And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

CONCLUSION
It is the will of God to restore us , and through us restore the backsliding church. But we must be the change we want to happen , by realizing our present condition and repenting toward God.
Luk 15: 22 – “But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet.
Jesus came and died on the cross to bring erring children back to God.
Act 3: 19 – “Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing.

Amen.

Show Me Your Glory

A BIBLE EXPOSITION BY REV A U AZUBUIKE AT THE 2018 ANNUAL CONVENTION OF UNITED EVANGELICAL CHURCH, LAGOS CENTRAL ON SATURDAY 10TH NOVEMBER 2018.

Text – Ex 33 : 18

A) Introduction
This was a prayer made by the servant and prophet of God – Moses, specifically requesting to see the Glory of God. Glory (Heb – kabhod, Grk – doxa) , as used in the Bible means – splendor, honour, wealth, aboundance, majesty, dignity, or moral attributes. It is important to note here that prior to the request, the children of Israel mourned for their sin in verse 4, and had stripped themselves of their ornaments (worldly glory) at mount Horeb (Ex 33:6). In the sight of God, all of our material glories put together is nothing but ‘Ichabod’.

The Glory of God appears to his people in diverse ways. Likewise, the descriptions of his Glory by those who saw it are diverse –

Isaiah 6:1 – high and lifted up and the train of his robe filled the temple
Ezekiel 1:28 – like the appearance of a rainbow in the cloud.
Luke 9:29 – as he (Jesus) prayed , the appearance of his face altered and his robe became white and glistering.
1 Tim 6:16 – dwelling in light which no man can approach nor can see.
2Cor 12:4 – heard unspeakable words unlawful for man to utter.
Job 42:5-6 – but now my eye seeth thee – – – I abhor myself and repent in dust and ashes.

Every child of God should pray and desire to have a personal revelation of the Glory of God. Firstly, it is the will of God to reveal himself to us – Hab 2:14. Secondly, the more we behold him, the more we are transformed into his image – 2Cor 3:18. Thirdly, a revelation of his Glory precedes a higher manifestation of grace in our Christian life and ministry.

B) The Revelation of God’s Glory to Moses.
What did he pray about and how did God answer him?
NKJV –Please, show me your glory. GNB – Let me see the dazzling light of your presence. CEV – let me see you in ALL of your glory.

No mortal can stand the weight of the dazzling light of God’s presence, just like no one can connect to a `high tension electric wire’. It blinded the eyes of Saul on the road to Damascus. Nor can any mortal see ALL of God’s glory, not even his face- Ex 33:20- But He said, “You cannot see My face; for no man shall see Me, and live.”(NKJV). However, we have the following observations to make In the passage :-

Hunger for a Closer Fellowship with God- Moses wanted more of God; more of his presence; more of his glory. The Psalmist cried out in Ps 42:1-2; As a deer gets thirsty for streams of water, I truly am thirsty for you, my God. 2 In my heart, I am thirsty for you, the living God. When will I see your face? CEV
Moses’ hunger for God was insatiable. He had previously seen the glories of the burning bush; of the plagues and mighty deliverance from Egypt ; of the crossing of the Red Sea; of the pillar of fire and pillar of cloud; of the rain of manna and quails from the sky; of miraculous victories over powerful nations; of the sun standing still in the war with Amelek; of the water from the rock; of the dreadful sight of God on mount Sinai, et al. Yet he hungered for more! In spite of the heights we have reached, there is still more we can know about God – his glory, his power, his love, his anointing by the Holy Spirit;
More about Jesus would I know,
More of His grace to others show;
More of His saving fullness see,
More of His love Who died for me.
Refrain:
More, more about Jesus,
More, more about Jesus;
More of His saving fullness see,
More of His love Who died for me.

More about Jesus; in His Word,
Holding communion with my Lord;
Hearing His voice in every line,
Making each faithful saying mine.

More about Jesus; on His throne,
Riches in glory all His own;
More of His kingdom’s sure increase;
More of His coming, Prince of Peace.

2. Personal Retreat in the midst of a Murmuring and Backsliding Congregation.
While the rest of the people were murmuring and concerned about the delicasies of Egypt they missed; while they went after graven images; Moses devoted himself to prayer and a closer walk with God. Following the multitude cannot be right unless it draws you closer to God. This convention is an opportunity for us to separate ourselves from distractions and challenge God with our problems. Jer.29:11-13.

3. Humble boldness in Prayer to a Caring Father.
Moses did not shy away from telling God the burdens of his heart- “show me your glory”. God did not rebuke him for asking. Faith is bold. We are encouraged to come boldly to the throne of grace (Heb. 4:16). The songwriter says;
I must tell Jesus, I must tell Jesus
I cannot bear this burden alone
I must tell Jesus, I must tell Jesus
Jesus can help me, Jesus alone

4 The awesome greatness and glory of the invisible God.
Ex 33:23; Then I will take away My hand, and you shall see My back; but My face shall not be seen.”
The most visible manifestation of the GREAT I AM before his incarnation was simply, His Back. How great is our God! At Mt Sinai the people trembled and stood afar off – Ex. 20:18; when Elijah saw him he wrapped his face in his mantle for fear – 1Kg 19:13. A consuming fire – Heb 12:29.

5 God’s perfect understanding and separation of our needs from our wants. – “you cannot see my face” –v20. What Moses wanted was not his need, according to God’s opinion. In our prayers , we must allow the will of God to prevail.

6 God’s ever –present protective hands around his children. – Ex 33:22- “So it shall be, while My glory passes by, that I will put you in the cleft of the rock, and will cover you with My hand while I pass by”. God shielded Moses from harm. He not only shields us from the perils of this life, but also from our sinful lusts and immediate judgments on sin. Ezra said in 8:31; “and the hand of our God was upon us, and he delivered us from the hand of the enemy”. Those who recognize him as a strong tower will run into him – Ps 61:3; Pro 18:10. He is a refuge from the storm. He is here for those who will plead :
“Rock of Ages cleft for me; Let me hide myself in thee”

C) The Revelation of God’s Glory to Believers
It takes a closer walk with God to have a deeper revelation of God’s glory. It is often revealed to those who are waiting and watching in prayer and consecration.

King Uzziah must die for us to see the Glory – Isaiah 6:1; “In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple”. King Uzziah by an analogy may represent those things we tend to put ahead of God.
0248968178 Ex 33:18

Christ Jesus is the hope of glory (Col. 1:27), and therefore must be present in our lives as Lord and Saviour.

We must prepare the way of the Lord and make the “crooked places” straight (Isaiah 40:1-5), before the glory can be revealed. Hidden sins hinder us from seeing the glory.

Fervent prayers bring down the glory ; therefore we must pray.- Jer 33:3; Ex 22:18; the glory came down at the end of Solomon’s prayer 2Chron 7:1-2; Jesus walked on the water after an all-night prayer Matt 14:23-25.

The glory of God manifests whenever we take an action of faith – Deut. 2:24-25. One missionary to India stated – “If you want God to do great things for you, attempt great things for God”. It could be a sacrificial offering of your time or your substance for his service.

The glory of God comes from above and not from beneath. We must not focus our minds on worldly things, but on eternal things above. – Col 3:1; 2Cor. 4:17-18; cf. Act 7:55.

D) The Revelation of God’s Glory in Christ Jesus.-

John 1:14- And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:18 – No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.
The highest revelation of the Glory of God was in Christ Jesus; the express image of God and the fullness of the God-head. When he ascended to heaven, the same glory remained with the Church – the Body of Christ. The greatest manifestation of his glory today is a Christ-like life filled with the Holy Spirit. Ironically it is not outside, but rather inside us that God reveals his glory. A BORN AGAIN CHILD OF GOD CARRIES THE GLORY OF GOD. Nothing can be more supernatural on this earth than a life that has been ransomed by the blood of Jesus; completely broken and emptied of self; one who has been crucified with Christ, and whose goal is to please God daily. One who has offered himself or herself as a living sacrifice , transformed and renewed by the word of God (Rom. 12:1-2). Therefore God says in Psalm 4:2 – “O ye sons of men, how long will you turn my glory into shame?”. And in Isa 43:7 – All who claim me as their God will come, for I have made them for my glory; I created them (TLB).
As we cry out in this convention – Show me your glory O Lord!, he will send JESUS to us with healing, deliverance, salvation and breakthroughs.

E) Conclusion.
As we prepare our hearts for a fresh revelation of God in our lives, we must re-dedicate ourselves to him and welcome Christ as our Lord and personal Saviour. God will not pass us by when he sees a genuine hunger and thirst for him.- John 7:37-38 – On the last and most important day of the festival, Jesus stood up and shouted, “If you are thirsty, come to me and drink! 38 Have faith in me, and you will have life-giving water flowing from deep inside you, just as the Scriptures say” (CEV). For now, we see only a shadow of his majesty. But then, we shall see him face to face. John 17:24 -“Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world. (NIV).
Are you weary and discouraged? Are you going through challenges in your life? Do you feel like God is far away from you and no one really cares to help you? Do you need a quickening of the Holy Spirit and fresh zeal for the work of God? Are you determined that you will not leave this convention the same way you came? Then your prayer should be – “Lord, show me your glory O God”. Amen.

You are right

Restoring The Former Glory

A SERMON DELIVERED BY REV A U AZUBUIKE, AT THE FIRST ANNUAL CONFERENCE OF UNITED EVANGELICAL CHURCH, OGWE AREA CONFERENCE ON SATURDAY 8TH SEPTEMBER 2018

Bible Passages – Haggai 2 : 1-9;

Introduction
The background to Haggai 2 is found in-Ezra 3:12-13
12 But many of the priests and Levites and heads of the fathers’ houses, old men who had seen the first temple, wept with a loud voice when the foundation of this temple was laid before their eyes. Yet many shouted aloud for joy, 13 so that the people could not discern the noise of the shout of joy from the noise of the weeping of the people, for the people shouted with a loud shout, and the sound was heard afar off (NKJV).
To restore is to bring back something to its original state or condition. ‘Glory’ (Heb. ‘kabod’) connotes not only the physical splendor of something but also that relative worth that makes such ‘honourable’ and desirable. While the younger generation were excited at the milestone achievement, the old men wept because such materials found in the former temple like the gold, Ark of the Covenant, Urim and Thunmin, etc, that consisted the ‘glory’ were missing in the project. The ‘former glory’ in our context therefore, is not a change of garment but a conscious rediscovery of Christ in us, who alone is the hope of glory – Col 1:27. It is a re-awakening of the meek and humble Spirit of Christ, his sacrificial love and obedience in our lives. Part of our mission as a new Area Conference is to re-affirm our faith in Him. Only the finished work of Christ on the cross restores the glory.
The struggle for autonomy has ended and the work of building an Area Conference has commenced. It is not yet time to celebrate; it is time to work for the glory. Let us build an Area Conference of our dreams.
In the first two verses of Haggai chapter 2, we notice a prophetic invitation that brought the people together – the prophet, the king , the priest and the people for the Lord’s work. In Neh 2:17, there was a similar call to duty. Their goals were to restore the temple to its former glory and rebuild the broken walls respectively. Today We Are Being Called To Duty. In the body of Christ, all members are important and each of us has a role to play in building the church. The rebuilding of the temple which had been desolate for decades was necessary because the worship of God was an integral part of their daily life.

We also find comparisons of the former and later temples; a thought on values. Here we draw a lesson on the benefits of having insight, hindsight, foresight and farsight as vital components of wisdom. The passage announces God’s immediate and eternal plans for his people (verses 6-9). While the people focused on the physical splendor of the building , God was more concerned about the spiritual content. Besides the temples built by Solomon, Zerubbabel and Herod respectively, other temples in the Bible include each believer in Christ Jesus (2Cor 6:14-18), and the Church , the Body of Christ (1Cor 3:16-17).
Restoring the former glory to the church and our individual lives, results from an attempt at looking backward; looking inward; looking upward , and looking forward.

1.There was a Backward Look – “. . . the temple in its former glory?” v3.
They remembered the former glory.The church has a history. One who does not remember where he is coming from may not clearly see where he is going. The old men made a better assessment of the building because they saw the former. They wept because they saw ‘glory’ before, and were then seeing an ‘ichabod’ (`lost glory’) which others could not see. We have a moral obligation to improve on our past. I share in the opinion that we need to change with the times, but any change that does not bring us closer to God and make us more like Christ is a lost glory. Now that the Conference is brought closer to us, I believe to see a renewed zeal for God and a strong motivation in the people. The Bible studies , Prayer meetings , Diaconates and Sessions must have a fresh impetus for new heights. We must continually remind ourselves of how it used to be in the `OLD OGWE’ and search again for the “ancient landmark”(Pro 22:28) of unity and love.
Jer 6:16-17 – Thus says the Lord: “Stand in the ways and see, And ask for the old paths, where the good way is, And walk in it; Then you will find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’ (NKJV)
Today’s church is going `digital’, and some, without any records in heaven. There were no megaphones nor trained pastors in the `analog’ era but they fulfilled the will of God.

2.There was an Inward Look – “who is left among you who saw the temple . . .” v3.
Who would have imagined that such a question was necessary except those who understood the difference between old and new. Firstly , there was an inward look into the mixed congregation. Some of them lacked a vital information which academics could not afford – seeing the former with their eyes. Secondly , there was an inward look into the work done – “And how do you see it now? In comparison with it, is it not . . as nothing?”v3b. One cannot make a good judgment or comparative analysis of what he didn’t see.
The church is dynamic with new players joining in the Lord’s work everyday. From the apostolic era to the church era; from Qua Iboe Mission to UEC; From one old IGBO AREA to about five Area Conferences. Some retiring while others are taking over. How can we protect the church from the emerging ERRORS? It is by keeping an eye on the “former glory”. We can experience the former glory through a humble submission to God. We must take an inward look into our individual lives and the state of the church. Does it resemble the house in her former glory?
Like Nehemiah we must also take an inward look into ‘Our Modern’ spiritual projects, and be bold enough to acknowledge that we are in DISTRESS, and come up with solutions that will take away our reproach. Neh 2:17- Then I said to them, “You see the distress that we are in, how Jerusalem lies waste, and its gates are burned with fire. Come and let us build the wall of Jerusalem, that we may no longer be a reproach.”( NKJV). Faith without works is dead (James 2:17).

3.There was an Upward Look – “yet now be strong . . and work, for I am with you , says the Lord of hosts”. v4-5.
Glory comes down from above and not from beneath.
Ps 121:1-2 I will lift up my eyes to the hills — From whence comes my help?
2 My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth. NKJV
Heb 12:2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, NKJV
God only required the people to `be strong and work’. This is repeated in various portions of the Bible. – Jos 1:6-9; 1Kg 2:2; Eph 6:10; 1Cor 15:58. Strength is the ability to resist being moved or being broken by a force. Discouragements will always come. Challenges will rise ; and obstacles will appear in this journey. Only the strong can partner with God for success. Strength is resilient. It endures hardship and perseveres in trials. Nothing can stop those who are strongly motivated. God did not command us to be `powerful’ because power belongs to him alone. But Ironically ,we seem to have more of powerful people in the church today than strong Christians. Great men and women in the Bible received strength, healing, deliverance, breakthrough and victory by `looking up’ to heaven. The expected glory may not come from the Chairman, Secretary, et al, but from God. We can do all things through Christ who gives us strength (Phil 4:13), without him we can do nothing – John 15:5, those who wait upon God shall renew their strength (Isa 40;31).
Shall we not look up to him who has promised – “for I am with you”. V4-5. Cf. matt 28:20; Isa 41:10

4.There was a Forward Look – “I will fill this temple with glory”- v7; “the glory of this latter temple shall be greater than the former, says the Lord of hosts. And in this place I will give peace”- v9.
In the midst of discouragements, God promised the people: a) to fill the temple with glory, b) that the glory of the latter shall be greater than the former, c) to give peace in the new house. The people cannot but look forward to these things.
Rom 8:24 -We are saved by trusting. And trusting means looking forward to getting something we don’t yet have- for a man who already has something doesn’t need to hope and trust that he will get it. TLB
Jer 29:11 -For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. TLB

God has a plan for each of us and for Ogwe Area Conference. Our ultimate hope is an eternal fellowship in heaven. God was looking beyond the temples built by kings Solomon, Zerubbabel, and Herod respectively. He was speaking of the glory of Christ Jesus in his Body- the Church. A church (or any believer) without hope is a powerless church. We must look forward.
2 Cor 4:17-18
For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, 18 while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal. NKJV
Rom 8:18 -For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. NKJV

The Challenge :
God was very particular about his intentions in Haggai 2:7 when he promised to fill THIS TEMPLE with glory. Not every temple is “this temple”. The question is, Are we that temple he can fill?, Are we prepared for this glory? Are we that temple where God can find a dwelling place?
God fills us with glory when we make ourselves available –
– an Area Conference that is hungry and thirsty for righteousness; an Area with sound biblical doctrines and practices.
– an Area that is waiting and watching for the return of their Master ; are we carrying the “oil in our lamps”? (Matt 25:1-13); are we made ready with our “wedding garments?” (Matt 22:1-14).
– an Area armed with spiritual weapons of prayer and holiness; where members are committed to fight and protect the image and integrity of the church. (2Cor 10:3-6)
– an Area with credible and exemplary leadership models; efficient and effective church leaders who have been groomed by the Holy Spirit; people entrusted with the finest principles and traditions of our church to keep.
– God will fill us with glory when we hold one another’s hand in brotherly love; when there is a unity of purpose- one heart , one people , one voice, one destiny. Phil 2:4
– let us build an Area where potentials are harnessed and utilized; where both pastors and the flock have mutual sympathies for each other; and where faith and hard work thrive and triumph.
Matt 16:18; John 1:14; Heb 13:5; 1Cor 1:30; Rom 8:31

CONLUSION
We can only be fruitful if we abide in Christ Jesus – John 15:5. He has promised to build his church. He is our wisdom , righteousness and sanctification. Let us rededicate our lives to God and He will never leave us nor forsake us. May God restore his glory to the church. May he fill us again with his glorious Spirit. And may he find us worthy when he comes in his kingdom.

“And God will finish what he has begun.
If you will keep the incense burning there,
His glory you shall see, sometime, somewhere.” (Charles Tillman)

God bless his Church.

Thou Art Highly Favoured

A Teaching By Rev A U Azubuike At The
2015 Women Fellowship Convention Of United Evangelical Church, Lagos.

Isaiah 60:1-22
Memory Verse : Luke 1: 28 – And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. (AV)

1. Introduction
God is a merciful God. He is a God of progress, who is always in the business of taking his child to ‘an expected end’ ( Jer. 29 : 11 ). He is a God of favour. His favour manifests at different levels of life – from one level of greatness to another. New favours from God often precedes new levels in life. It has always been the secret to uncommon success. It is the difference between one’s present condition and the future. Though everyone needs favour, it usually thrives in those who value it . “Favour is the excess payment for your little efforts” (Mike Murdork).

From our text, Luke 1:28 we notice five things ; –
1. God is the primary source of favour. “Hail . . . the Lord is with thee”. When the Lord is with us then we can experience his favour. A man can receive nothing unless it be given from above.
2. God uses channels to bring his favour to man. “And the angel came in unto her” These channels could be human or angelic. Cf. Judg 6:8,12.
3. There are levels in divine favour. “thou art highly favoured”. The favour bestowed on Mary was unequaled.
4. Divine favour releases the blessings of God. “blessed art thou”.
5. Divine favour distinguishes one among people. “blessed art thou among women”.
When the light of God’s favour shines on someone , everything around her turns around for the better and troubles change to testimonies. Read Isaiah 60:1-22. Someone will testify after this convention in Jesus name.
He favours a person by moving circumstances , time, people and events to be at one’s advantage ( Isa 60 : 10 -11, 64 :1). The purpose of God in showing favour to man is to enable him achieve the divine plan for his life. Those who understood this always sought God’s favour in prayer ( Gen 24 : 12 -14). One day of divine favour is worth a life-time of human labour. Favour is freely bestowed , and can be withdrawn when it is not sustained by the receiver.

2. Thematic Meaning And Importance –
This year’s convention is a NEXT LEVEL convention where one can pray and expect God to move us to new heights. The word – ‘favour’ as used in the OT Bible came from the Hebrew word ‘chanan’ (Ps 102 : 13), and literally means ‘to bend down or stoop in kindness to an inferior person’. That suggests that favour does not often give due regard to personal qualifications before its bestowals on an individual. It is an act of being gracious or merciful to an undeserving person in most cases. The Greek equivalent in the NT is ‘charis’ which translates as ‘grace or favour’ (Lk 1 :30). It denotes the divine influence upon the heart and life of an individual expressed in various forms of unmerited kindness and liberality.
Favour therefore , is not a normality. It is an exception to the common experience of everyone else. It does not go by the rules in operation, for it has the capacity to put the last person as next in line for a blessing (Esth 2 :17). It is always operational – either moving towards a person or away from a person. It is an evidence of God’s boundless love and co-operates with his laws and character.
What happens when favour comes ? Isaiah puts it this way –60: 15 ¶ Whereas thou hast been forsaken and hated, so that no man went through thee, I will make thee an eternal excellency, a joy of many generations. . . 17- For brass I will bring gold, and for iron I will bring silver, and for wood brass, and for stones iron: I will also make thy officers peace, and thine exactors righteousness.
Favour can be planted as a seed and harvested at the fullness of time (Pro 11 :23-25; Esth 6:11). Why do we seek for God’s favour?

3. Basic Characteristics Of Divine Favour.
a. It singles a person out from the multitude. Gen 6: 7-8
b. It helps one to occupy good positions in life. Gen 39:4, 21-23
c. It brings rewards for labour and prevents going empty-handed. Ex 3:21; Ps 127:1-2
d. It is the basis for answered prayers Ps 119:58
e. It bestows what is not merited. Deut 6:10-11
f. It prefers one among the rest of people. Esth 2:17
g. It enhances friendship. Pro 16:7
h. It overcomes obstacles and unfavourale conditions. Esth 5:2
God bestows his favour to people.
a. He shows favour to those he loves (with special love). Rom 9:11-16; 1Jon 3:1; Deut 6:10-11
b. He shows favour to his covenant children. Deut 7:7-8; Ex 2:24-25; Deut 8:18; Rom 8:32. This class of people have the right of sonship. Jon 1:12-13
c. He gives favour to people he intends to use as a blessing to others. Gen 12:1-3; Est 2:15,17, 5:2; Ge 39:21
d. He gives favour because it is the set time to favour a person. Ps 102:13
e. He gives favour to some people as a reward for their faithfulness. Cf. Dan 1:8, 17-20; 3:17-18,30
f. He gives favour in order to recompense people for their suffering. Ge 29:31; Ex 3:21; 11:3

4. Ways Of Attracting Favour For The Next Level
One can plant favour as a seed and expect a harvest in due time. The seed-favour comes in diverse behavioural ways;
a. Humility. A humble person receives divine favour. Ps 31:16; 34:10; Job 33:26; 2Kg 13:4; God resists the proud but gives grace (favour) to the humble . Jam 4:6, 10.
b. Prayer. Jabez prayed and favour lifted him; his life turned around for the better. 1 Chro 4:9-10. Hannah prayed and was favoured 1 Sam 1:10-11; Esther prayed and traditions were broken. Est 5:2; The church prayed and Simon Peter was restored to them Act 12:5.
c. Giving. Jacob understood very early in life the power of receiving through giving; and continued with it till his death Gen 25:34; 27:19; 28:20-22; Hannah vowed what she had not seen 1 Sam 1:11; bible is very clear about it in Lk 6:38; Ecl 11:1; Pro 3:9-10; Mal 3:1-12. Each act of giving initiates a process of receiving. Many believers today have realized that the rain of divine favour does not fall from empty clouds –Ecl 11:3. Giving is an investment.
d. Taking a step of faith. This was evident in the life of Abraham –Gen 12:1-3; 22:1-2; it preceded divine favour in 2 Kg 7:1-2; 8:1-2; Lk 1:38
e. Good works. Gal 6:9; Pro 11:27; 12:2; cf. Luk 5:1-6. Favour obtains another favour. People who show kindness and goodwill to others stand a better chance of receiving favour from God cf. Ruth 2:11-12
f. Repentance from sin. It brings a ‘time of refreshing’ from God Act 3:19; it restores to lost positions Luk 15:20-22; it opens the heavens and heals the land 2Chro 7:13-14; cf. Job 42:6; Joel 2:12-13; Neh 1:9
g. Character. Good character obtains divine favour cf. Ruth 1:16-17; Jos 6:25; Est 2:15, 20; Gen 24:16-21; What character do you find in those places? Wisdom finds favour- Pro 8:35; 14:1; Patiently waiting on God obtains favour- Psa 40:1-3; Isa 40:28-31

5. Hinderances To Next Level Favour.
Whenever the set time of God’s favour reaches, one is graciously lifted to a new level in life. This may manifest in marriage, Pro 18:22; or in pregnancy and child birth, Lk 1:28-30; or in business and financial breakthrough, Deut 8:18; Isa 45:1-3; or new levels in spiritual growth, etc. However, these favours may elude us if we are not tuned to God’s standards. Some hinderances to favour are;
Sin. It `shortens’ the mighty hand of God, Isa 59:1-2; it blocks the heavens and releases the devourers, 2Chro 7:13-14; God abhors sin and commands us to be holy, 1Pet 1:15-16; holiness attracts the face of God and his favour, Heb 12:14.
b. Pride. A proud person is always full of himself/herself and therefore repulsive to external benevolence. God resists the proud but gives grace (favour) to the humble, Jam 4:6,10; God exalts the humble, 1Pet 5:6.
c. Selfishness and self-centredness. Cf Phil 2:4; Gen 12:1-3. God gives favour to people who can share with others.
d. Greed. PRO 15:27; Cf. Gehazi 2kg5
e. Broken vows and promises. Ecl 5:4
f. A deceitful heart. Jer 17:9-10; cf. Ahithophel 2Sam 15:31; 16:23; 17:23.

6. Conclusion .
This is the set time for God’s favour and his grace is lifting us to the next level. This can only be made possible by totally surrendering our lives to God and receiving his son Jesus Christ as our personal LORD and Saviour . He is the only way, the embodiment of divine favour – full of `grace and truth’, Joh 1:14. Favour finds residence wherever Jesus dwells.

The Lord make his face shine upon you, and be gracious unto you. Amen .

Happy New Month Of November

He has made everything beautiful and appropriate in its time. He has also planted eternity [a sense of divine purpose] in the human heart [a mysterious longing which nothing under the sun can satisfy, except God]–yet man cannot find out (comprehend, grasp) what God has done (His overall plan) from the beginning to the end.
ECCLESIASTES 3:11 AMP