Righting the wrongs.

 

When you admit you’ve done something wrong and that you’re truly sorry for doing it, you want to make it right. If you had run over your neighbor’s bicycle, you’d buy him a new one. If you had never returned a wrench that you’d borrowed years before, you’d take it back to the owner. If you said something untrue about someone, you’d contact those you talked to and straighten it out. These actions are called restitution.

To become a Christian is to admit to God that one is sorry for his sins. God in turn forgives him. So is that the end of the matter? If the new Christian had never in any way harmed any other person or organization, then yes, the slate would be completely clear. But if that isn’t the case, then God expects him to straighten out the past wherever possible.

Now some will take issue with the subject of restitution and say God’s forgiveness is so far-reaching that He does not expect a person to take care of the past. The only problem is that the Bible says no such thing, nor does it even imply that this is the case. Furthermore, it just doesn’t make sense!

Picture a new Christian, aglow with a fresh, born-again experience. As he excitedly tells his friends what the Lord has done for him, he thinks of his childhood friend, John. He hasn’t seen John since high school. So he calls him and tells of his new life in Christ. John is moved by the change in his old friend’s life, but after listening for a while, he finally asks, “Hey, what about all those tools you stole from your neighbor? And that farmer’s gas tank you shot full of holes. Are you going to make those things right?” The new Christian then says, “Oh, John, Jesus forgave me for everything I did wrong, so I don’t have to make the past right. Isn’t that wonderful? Now, don’t you want to become a Christian also?”

Preposterous? Of course it is! And yet some are misled into thinking that God sanctions their defrauding others. Not so! Paul the Apostle said, “And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God, and toward men” (Acts 24:16). Not just toward God, but toward his fellowman also.

If you are not a Christian, you may be saying, “Well, that makes sense. I wouldn’t think much of someone who said that God had made him an honest man but that he wasn’t going to make the past right. But what about me? I owe people thousands of dollars for things I’ve done. Does that mean I can’t get saved until I pay it all back?”

No, it doesn’t. As long as you are honestly willing to make restitution as soon as you are able, God will save you the moment you ask Him to. If a person has many restitutions to make, it may take him years to pay them all back. But God will certainly not withhold salvation from him until he can.

If you don’t remember all that you need to take care of, God will gently remind you. And more than that, He will go before you when you make things right. Some of the most convincing testimonies are given by new converts who are making restitution. Once you’ve straightened out the past, you will rejoice in the peace that comes with a “conscience void of offence toward God, and toward men.”

Are you a Christian? It is vitally important to know. Church membership is honorable, and doing good deeds is worthy of praise. But the soul-searching question still remains: Are you really a born-again Christian? Jesus said, “Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3).

 

A born-again Christian is one who yields himself completely to Christ. This is necessary to inherit eternal life. When Jesus told Nicodemus that he needed to be born again, Nicodemus did not understand. Then Jesus used the illustration of the wind. Even though we don’t fully comprehend how it blows or why, we know it blows, and we can see its effect. So it is when a person is born again. We cannot understand how it happens, but we see and feel the results.

 

Many people who claim to be Christians are ignorant of this new birth, while others try to receive it in their own way. It cannot be obtained by good works, joining a religious organization, or merely turning over a new leaf. It takes a repentant heart, a godly sorrow for the sins one has committed, and a turning away from all sin. Then by faith one must reach out to God for mercy and forgiveness, and claim His promise of pardon. One can know personally what it means to be born again. A prayer such as the publican prayed, “God be merciful to me a sinner,” will bring the Lord’s forgiveness. The Bible says the publican was justified (Luke 18:13-14).

 

Some may feel they have committed only little sins and do not need to be justified. Because Adam and Eve disobeyed God in the Garden, the entire human family became sinners by birth and need to repent. However, God provided the plan so that all can be saved. Jesus, God’s Son, died in our place that we might have forgiveness for our sins through His Blood (Colossians 1:14).

 

Because of Christ’s death, every person has the opportunity to be pardoned. No one is held under the bondage of sin and condemnation without a chance of becoming a child of God. No one is serving Satan because he does not have the power of choice. Jesus shed His Blood that all might be redeemed.

 

The gap between the sinner and the Savior must be spanned by faith in God. Faith believes what God says. In Hebrews 11:6 we read, “He that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” Jesus said, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). Faith reaches out so a person can experience saving grace through the redeeming power of Christ.

 

The first step toward forgiveness is realizing the need for it. The Bible says that all have sinned. “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:8-9). Many feel they are too weak to overcome sin. In their own power they are, but when one is born again, his life is changed. God gives him the power to have victory over sin. Then he can say like Paul the Apostle, “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit” (Romans 8:1).

 

When you repent and ask God to forgive you, His Spirit will witness with your spirit that you are a child of God (Romans 8:16). You will know that you have been pardoned. The peace, joy, and love of God will fill your heart, and you will feel a sacred fellowship with Him. As you keep living in the will of God, your life will be a testimony that you are a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ.

 

Many were defeated, the picture of despair, when they came to God. Some were hopelessly bound by crime, immorality, drugs, or alcohol. But God delivered them instantly. Even their countenance was changed when they repented with an honest heart. Others were so self-righteous, proud, moral, and kind that they didn’t see their need for salvation. Yet when these self-righteous ones saw their need and repented, God made just as great a change in their lives.

 

While most people are saved in church, you can be saved anywhere. People have been saved in their homes, alone in the woods, or walking among the crowd. Others have knelt in a prison cell. God requires only an honest heart. “Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Acts 2:21).

 

Do not think you have strayed too far in sin to receive this salvation. Whatever your condition, Jesus is able and eager to save you. He says, “Whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely” (Revelation 22:17). In place of the word “whosoever” you can write your own name.

 

If you desire to be saved, God will never turn you away. Jesus said, “Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out” (John 6:37). All you need to do is meet the conditions God has laid down in His Word. Pray with an honest heart, “Lord, I am a sinner and I need forgiveness. Have mercy upon me and I will serve You the rest of my life.” A sincere prayer like that will receive an answer. When you receive that born-again experience your name will be written in Heaven, and you will have the hope of eternal life.

 

Will you call upon God now? “To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your heart”
(Psalm 95:7-8). Invite Him into your heart and find pardon.

The Atoning Blood

What it Means to You

The penalty for sin demanded payment. What we could not do for ourselves, Christ did for us!

The words of the old hymn tell us, “There is power in the Blood.” As we read through the Bible, we find that it magnifies the atonement of Jesus Christ above all other themes. We learn that the Blood of Jesus Christ was the price for our redemption. Yet do we fully understand the teachings of the Bible about the Blood? What is its importance to one who is seeking God?

The Bible does not describe the chemical composition of blood in scientific terms. However, it does tell us something that is basic to our understanding of this fluid that circulates through our arteries and veins. In Leviticus 17:11 we read, “For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.”

When God made man, He formed a body from the dust of the ground, and then breathed into it the breath of life. But when Adam sinned, death entered into the human family. The human body became subject to decay and death.

At that early stage in the history of mankind, the first representation of Jesus, the ­Perfect Sacrifice, took place. The blood of animals was shed when God slew animals to clothe Adam and Eve after they had disobeyed Him. The word atonement means “a covering.” The only way their sin could be covered was by the shedding of blood.

Old Testament Evidence of Atonement

Throughout the Old Testament, we find additional evidences of the requirement of blood as the only means of atonement. Abel’s blood offering was accepted by God, while Cain’s offering of the fruit of the ground was rejected. Noah offered sacrifices when he came out of the ark after the Flood. Abraham was known for the many sacrifices he made unto the Lord.

When the Israelites were released from Egyptian bondage, the blood of a lamb without blemish was applied to the side posts and lintels of the doors of their houses. This exempted them from death when the eldest in every Egyptian home was slain. God had said, “When I see the blood, I will pass over you” (Exodus 12:13). If the Israelites had ignored the command to apply the blood, ventured out from under the blood that night, or substituted something for the blood on the side posts and lintels of their houses, the firstborn of each family would have perished.

Many aspects of the Levitical law and Tabernacle worship also looked ahead to the time when Jesus, as the Lamb of God, would shed His Blood to redeem mankind. Daily sacrifices reminded the people of the effectiveness of the blood. The scapegoat taken into the wilderness on the annual Day of Atonement represented Christ, who took the condemnation and curse of sin upon Himself. When the High Priest went into the Holy of Holies, he would have been stricken dead had he not first offered blood.

Concerning Christ’s Sacrifice

However, it is not enough to recognize the historic significance of the Blood. One day nearly two thousand years ago, all the types and shadows recorded in the Old Testament found their culmination at Calvary. There the Perfect Sacrifice was made, and redemption was purchased through “the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot” (1 Peter 1:19).

Christ was able to atone for the sins of mankind because His Blood alone was sinless. His conception in the womb of Mary was supernatural. A study of the ­process of conception reveals that the female ovum itself has no blood, nor does the male sperm. When these come together, conception occurs and new life begins. At that moment the blood type is determined. The Bible explicitly states that the Holy Spirit overshadowed Mary and caused Jesus’ conception. God planted the life of His already existent Son into the womb of a virgin, and thus the Blood of the Son of God was a separate and precious type, completely pure of any Adamic stain of sin.

The Bible clearly states that all have sinned, and are in need of redemption. “And without shedding of blood is no remission” (Hebrews 9:22). It was necessary for Christ to die in our stead in order to satisfy divine justice and to pardon the sinner. His Blood was shed for every man, that “whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).

Power in the Blood

The power of the atoning Blood is not ­limited to redemption. We read, “Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate” (Hebrews 13:12). Sanctification is a second work of grace by which the inbred nature of sin is removed from our lives, making us pure and holy within.

The Blood of Jesus avails for our healing. We read in Isaiah 53:5 that “with his stripes we are healed.” This thought is repeated by Peter when he said of Christ, “Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed” (1 Peter 2:24).

The Blood is of primary importance in intercessory prayer. When those who are obeying every known command of God have need of protection, deliverance, or strength, they have access to God through the Blood of Jesus. “Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,…Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith” (Hebrews 10:19,22). Jesus is our High Priest today, making intercession before the Father for us with His Blood.

Any attempt to place a value on the Blood of Christ would be impossible. It is priceless! Truly there is wonder-working power in the Blood.

“Which also said, ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.” Acts 1: 11

Announcement is a noun which is an act of announcing or being announced. It can be a public notification or declaration or a piece of formal stationery designed for a social or business announcement.

An announcement may be heard on the news on radio or from social or business, gatherings at home, school or church. It can also be read from the papers, seen on television or on the internet; just as you are reading this article now.

Imagine a scenario where you are in your home with your family and friends sitting comfortably on the chairs you have just bought for your living room. There you are waiting to eat the special dinner being prepared by your mum and watching an excellent action/thriller movie. Suddenly the programme changes and a ‘Breaking News’ comes up with the following announcement: ‘there is a storm coming within the next 7 hours and it will pass through your city in the middle of your house evacuation required’. The announcement is telling you to leave all and escape for your life…

WHAT WOULD YOU DO? Would you run immediately, or first eat the special dinner your mother has prepared with so much love or would you like to finish your movie with your friends or decide to continue to enjoy your new set of chairs?  The questions are too many to answer within the short time you have got to save your life!

When we are anchored on the things of this world, it just makes it difficult for us to hear that sweet and gentle voice calling us at the right time to be saved. There is something inside of us, a special place in our being that can only be completely satisfied by the presence of God. There are too many people trying to fill this vacuum with drugs and other things but to no avail. Only Jesus can fill that emptiness and He is coming very soon.

The announcement for a concert coming up from a great artist always begins earlier than that of a little artist. When a king from another land is visiting, the information abounds everywhere. There is that greatest Announcement of all, Jesus Christ the Son of God is coming soon, Yes, He is coming back and we are in the preparation period. It will be the greatest event ever because, for some, it is times of starting eternal life while it will be a time of eternal destruction for the others. 

What you should do now is to leave everything you are doing and follow the instructions in the Bible to save your life. You may be comfortable with the life you have now, but is it worth losing your soul forever without making adequate preparation for eternity in heaven?

Would you like to enjoy that Movie, and lose your life?

Would you like to enjoy your mother’s dinner and lose your life?

Would you go contrary to the desires of Jesus Christ in other to please your friends? 

The signs are everywhere for the second coming of Jesus Christ. It is not worth taking this announcement for granted because you will be in danger of eternal damnation if you ignore, scorn or have a nonchalant attitude.

May the Good Lord Save your soul and keep it, purifying you and edify you according to His grace. May these words be a blessing for you wherever you go, and remember that this is the greatest announcement of all the announcements you have ever seen, read or heard:

Jesus Christ is coming soon, to take away the ones who have lived in the real Word of God. Remember that believing on the Lord and living in the Word of God day by day are the ingredients needed to make heaven.

I will tell you this in Spanish:

‘No todo el que me dice: Señor, Señor, entrara en el reino de los cielos, sino el que hace la voluntad de mi Padre que esta en los cielos.” Matheww 7: 21

‘Praise ye the Lord’ Psalm 113:1

In Psalm 113:1-3, Christians are admonished to praise the Lord forevermore. It is our duty as well as our privilege. You are advised to set aside all your conditions, situations, and requests in order to focus on God the Giver and praise Him for who He is.  Praise is different from thanksgiving which is an expression of gratitude for the blessings that we have received from God. May we not be replaced with stones for not performing our duty of praising God.

When we praise God, we acknowledge His glories and the excellence of His personality. We focus on His attributes, His greatness, His goodness, His mighty acts and His sovereignty because praise belongs to God alone and not man. There is nothing in man to be praised. In order to avert the fall of God’s judgment, we should not accept the praises of men. “I am the Lord that is my name; and my glory will I not give to another,” (Isaiah 42: 8). God will never share His glory with any man. The Bible recorded that “upon a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat upon his throne, and made an oration [spoke]… and the people gave a shout, saying it is the voice of a god and not of a man.” Acts 12: 21. Herod proudly accepted the praise and he was immediately smitten for thousands and thousands of worms to eat him up. Remember, praise belongs to God alone and not man.

God says in Isaiah 43: 21: “This people have I formed for myself; they shall shew forth my praise” It is His will, therefore, that we praise Him. We are created to praise, acknowledge and appreciate God for His glory, honour, greatness and majesty. May God forgive us our sins of lack of praise.

How about self-praise? You are like a beast if you have pride in your heart and fail to acknowledge God. If you think that you are somebody, you have something, or you know everything, you have actually died spiritually. But thank God that we can repent and avoid the punishment from God for not acknowledging Him.

The power of praise worked in my life recently. I fell ill with hernia pain when I travelled to Scotland with my wife and brother Baltzell, the Director of Works from Portland Oregon. I could not continue with the sightseeing so I just sat down somewhere praying and beseeching God to heal me. God started dealing with me in such a way that I just had to acknowledge His greatness and His praise filled my mouth so much that the hernia pain departed. If it worked for me, it will work for you if you put everything aside and focus on who God is.

Praise Jesus using His names like, the Most High, the Great Physician, the Commander, the Captain, the Everlasting, the Almighty, the Great I AM, Jehovah, the Living God, the Holy One, the Only Potentate, the King of Kings, the Father of Light, His Excellency, His Highness, the Good Shepherd, the Righteous Judge, the Preserver, El- Shaddai, All-Sufficient, the Creator, the Defender, the Self- Existent, the Alpha and Omega, Love personified. Praise Him for His natural attributes like: Incomparable, Invisible, Inscrutinable, Unchangeable, Unequal, Unsearchable, The Infinite God, the Omnipotent God, the Omnipresent God, the Omniscient God, the Only Wise God; and also for His moral attributes; His Holiness, His Impartiality, His Kindness, His Justice, His Love and Grace, His Mercy, His Truth, His Goodness, His Righteousness and Perfection. In fact, praise Jesus for everything.

‘Let Brotherly Love Continue’ Hebrews 13:1

In John 13:34-35, Jesus laid down a new commandment for all – a commandment for love. It is actually a renewed commandment of the old. Love is an attitude that wins all the time. The boundless love of God is winning attitude. Reading through Matthew 22:36-50, we can see that the love that Jesus was speaking about has two sides as with a coin: loving God is equal to loving your brother.

The Old Testament love demands us to “love thy neighbours as thyself”. But when Jesus came, He improved on this by raising the standard. He renewed the commandment to say that we are to love our neighbours as He (Jesus) loves us. We are to love our brothers even more than ourselves.

To what extent should this love be? Let us look at what the Bible says: “For God so loved the world, that He gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16. “Greater love hath no man than this that a man lay down his life for his friends” John 15:13. “Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren” 1 John 3:16.

Do we love the brethren and our neighbours to the extent of laying down our lives for them? Yes! To lay down our lives for our brothers! That is the extent we are to love. God has the power, resources and grace to help us meet this standard.

“Charity never faileth” 1 Corinthians 13: 8

 

Those who claim to love each other sometimes demand proof of that love by asking each other repeatedly ‘Do you love me? Do you really love me? Do you really, really love me?” These legitimate questions are aimed at reaching deep into the heart and getting assurances from the partner.

Love generates genuine commitment to and sometimes concerns the object of one’s attention. It also generates huge controversy! Love is a universal language of life. It is esteemed by people of all ages and creed. It has been the theme of many songs and stories among peoples, young or old, learned or illiterate, civilised or barbaric throughout the ages. Doctrines and creeds have been built, sometimes wrongly, upon its precepts.

Love is a divine virtue. It is the nature of God. All creation responds to love. All love to be loved. None fights or rejects love. We even dare to love our pets and they respond to it (Proverbs 12:10). We are all creatures of love and our children are usually created out of a love union. We love to have something to love, sometimes even if it means loving to hate something! But to do away with love is to do away with life since love is synonymous with life in a true sense. Love knows no bound. Love cannot count its own cost because it is invaluable. It is not limited by physical boundaries of time or space; and as the Vietnamese say, “true love lasts forever”. That is, love does not fail.

Many have killed others and/or themselves in the name of love. There was a recently reported story of Christopher Foster, the bankrupt millionaire who murdered his family, set his estate on fire and killed himself, after attending a friend’s party earlier that evening. Unfortunately, hatred which is an equally powerful emotion can occasionally veil itself as love. However, pure love does not think of evil or plan ill to anyone, let alone kill any. Though he may be killed that loves much, he still loves. Pure love comes from God, and love without him is superficial. Romans 12: 9. Love fulfils all laws. Do you have it?

Practical self-check: Replace Charity or Love first with Jesus Christ in I Corinthians 13: 4- 8 and then with your own name. Rate yourself. What do you think? 

(To be continued)

Our last Sunday school lesson of 2008 was very instructive. It looked at the story of twelve men sent by the Israelites to Canaan to spy out the land and bring back a report. In a way, we could say that the Israelites were looking for a window into the future. What would this new land be like? Would it be fruitful? Are there hidden dangers there? These anxieties came despite the backdrop of God’s promise to give them the land for an inheritance, and His description of Canaan as a land “flowing with milk and honey.”

The spies carried out their assignment and duly came back with a report confirming everything God had promised. They said: “..and surely it flowed with milk and honey; and this is the fruit of it.” Num. 13:27 However, ten of the twelve went beyond their remit and delivered a frightening and discouraging description of the inhabitants of the land causing commotion and consternation in the camp. This was to have a devastating effect on the future of generations of Israelites who, through this faithless report, were going to miss entry to the Promised Land.

The “facts” were as they reported. There were indeed “giants” living in the land. Their interpretation of the fact was faulty. They were not expected to go against the giants “in their own strength”. God, as always, had planned their victory way ahead of their observation of the “facts”. Please note that two of their number, Caleb and Joshua, refused to be intimidated by the facts. With eyes of faith, they saw beyond the giants to the “possession of the land”. Their rallying cry was “Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it.” Num. 13:30

This lesson made me ponder, as we travel through these early days of 2009, about what we as children of God can see ahead. The “facts” of the credit crunch and global depression of great economies stare us in the face. The predictions of all our economic gurus agree on one inescapable fact. There is trouble ahead! The continuing collapse of many blue-chip companies that have been around for centuries and the failures of banks and other financial institutions testify to the accuracy of their predictions.

Yet, our God is still on the throne! Hallelujah!! He still “rules in the affairs of men!” Praise the Lord!

I know that 2009 will be an eventful year. There is no doubt about that. I am expecting great things that God will do. “For I know the thoughts that I think towards you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.” Jeremiah 29:11

I know that God will chart our way through the stormy waters ahead. Our Captain is the Master of the waves. With Jesus in the boat with us, we have no cause for alarm. I see great possibilities ahead. New jobs and promotions will come, even in the midst of a shrinking job market. I see great Christians moving into a greater dimension in 2009.

I just wonder what you can see with your eyes of faith this new year.

Life seems fine and exciting when we receive the answers we want to all our requests. This three-lettered word “YES” makes the world around us nice and exciting. When a young man asks a lady for her hand in marriage, he wants to hear this three-lettered word. When a child asks his/her parents for something, he/she wants to hear “YES” you can.

We as Christians put forward various requests to our Father in heaven and of course, we want to hear this word YES. That way, we feel our prayers are answered, and we praise Him and testify to His goodness and we love Him more. We all love positive responses as it feels good and it makes us feel happy and satisfied.

However, have you ever stopped to think of other positive answers that are not usually accepted as positive, for example, wait or what I call the two lettered word “NO”. Like any good parent, YES is not always the best answer all the time, otherwise, you may bring up a spoilt child or run the risk of pampering the child if he/she has his/ her way all the time.

So also our loving Father in heaven loves us and wants us to grow and be spiritually strong. So sometimes He says NO. What do you do then? Will you praise Him and testify and be happy?

In the beginning, when God created the world, we can imagine Adam and Eve saying “Can we eat of all the trees in the garden”, but God said: “But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.” Genesis 3:3

This was the first” NO” from God but they disobeyed Him. We can see what has happened to mankind – sin and sorrow, disease and death and the earth was cursed.

“And unto Adam, He said, because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt, thou eat of it all the days of thy life;” Genesis 3:17

When Jesus prayed at the Garden of Gethsemane He asked God to take this cup from Him. Imagine if God had said “YES”. We would have all perished. But because God said “NO”, Jesus died on that shameful cross; the result was the wonderful grace of salvation offered to you and me.

Another example is when David besought God for the child; David fasted, and went in, and lay all night upon the earth but God said NO and the child died. Let us learn from what David did after this. He rose up, washed himself, ate and went to the house of God and worshipped and was happy. Here David accepted the answer NO and submitted to God’s will. It is sometimes difficult but as we begin to know God more and accept that He knows what is best for us, life becomes easier. Later Solomon was born this is what God had to say about him.

“But a son will be born to you; he will be a man of rest. I will give him rest from all his surrounding enemies, for his name will be Solomon, and I will give peace and quiet to Israel during his reign.” I Chronicles 22:9

Just as a parent would not allow his child to have things that will harm or hurt him, God, as a loving Father knows what is good for us. God knows that by saying No to some of our requests we would grow up to be better children and that we would learn some good lessons that will prepare us for heaven and make us strong Christians, ready to fight the good fight of faith.

I stopped by a tree the other day as I heard little birds chirping and jumping from one branch to the other; without a care in the world. A song just came into my mind, “He watches over the sparrows, and I know He watches me.”

Wow! Immediately, I remembered a verse in the Bible: “Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?” (Matthew 6:26).

Can you imagine how we human beings worry and fret; even though we claim to have a heavenly Father who cares for His own? Moreover, we know that worries cannot change our circumstances. May we learn from the birds not to worry.

 

To avoid worry, let us remember today these wonderful promises of care from God: ‘Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper; I will not fear what man shall do unto me’ (Hebrews 13:5-6). So “Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6,7.

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.” Jeremiah 29:11

The All-knowing, All-powerful God has the perfect plan for our lives. That plan is better than any deal the devil, cultists, or any man can offer us in this world (John10:10). In it, we are completely and comprehensively insured. It is greater than the greatest insurance cover in the world. It is a master plan that covers every aspect of our existence from day one in our mothers’ wombs to the day we take our last bow from the world stage. (Jeremiah 1:4, 5)

 Our individual role in life is unique and specially designed by God. There is an empty vacuum in history for each one of us to fill. The scripts to act out before this global audience are differently composed by God. It would therefore be disastrous, catastrophic, ruinous and devastating for anyone to ignore their God-given role and try to play out that of another person!

 

Unfortunately, many of us do not understand God’s plans for our lives. Some people spend their entire lives trying to live like the Joneses. What a waste? Many never discovered God’s design for their lives until the 11th hour when they are in the twilight of their lives. How painful?

The adage says: ‘Better late than never!’ Moses was 80 years of age when he discovered God’s perfect plan for his life. Before then, he had spent the first 40 years as a prince in Egypt, and the next 40 as a pauper in Midian. He had made mistakes and had derailed from the path of destiny. Nevertheless, he got re-connected to his destiny. In my own case, I had spent a significant chunk of my life, doing stuff that God had not called me to do, and living a lifestyle that heaven did not design for me. What about you?

Are we at the centre of God’s will for our lives? As we evaluate ourselves in the light of scripture and God’s will, can we honestly say that we are doing exactly what God created us for, and living exactly as we ought to be living at this point in time? 

If we are not living in line with the Divine mandate for our lives, or we are consciously or unconsciously choosing to do things our own way, we are directly or indirectly passing some strong messages to God: that we know better than Him; that we really do not care about His purpose and plan for us and that we are too busy to care about why He created us in the first place.

We need to work out our own salvation as ignorance is no excuse. Our destiny is too important to be left to chance. God will hold us accountable for how we lived our lives (Matthew 25:14-30). It is our solemn responsibility to discover our place in God’s Great Agenda and then go all out to fulfil it. May God help us.

“As the saying goes; there are two important days in one’s life: the day you were born, and the day you find out why you were born.” Soren Kierkegaard

‘Hear My Voice, and …follow Me’ John 10.27

In the office where I work, there are a number of cupboards and fire safes that are locked overnight for security, and each morning, the first one is to open them up. In my first week in the job, the occasion arose for me to open the cupboards. I soon discovered that the fire safes were particularly difficult to open. I was about to give up when a colleague told me the trick. ‘Turn the key slowly and listen for the click’. I listened to the advice, and sure enough, after a few turns I heard a slight ‘click’, and ‘hey presto!’ the door opened.

It made me think about how we Christians feel inclined to give up on certain prayer requests because the doors are not opened. We need to ‘turn slowly’ – spend more time in prayer, and not just ask, but spend time to actually listen to the Lord for a ‘click’.

We find it easy to talk on and on at the Lord, but in fact, prayer is two-way communication. The Lord has many things to say to us too. The ‘click’ on that fire safe door is ever so slight – you can only hear it when you are close to it and there is not much noise around. It is important that we find a quiet time and place to hear from the Lord. Oh, what a challenge in these days of mega-busy schedules! ‘ And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone’ Matthew 14:23. Jesus managed it – so should we!

The first time I opened the fire safe I had to turn a few times before the ‘click’. Sometimes we may not receive a definite answer right away, but we must persevere like the widow with the unjust judge (Luke 18:1-8), listening and believing that the Lord will answer. ‘Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:  For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.’ Matthew 7:7-8.

Now when I am first into the office and I go to open the fire safe, I have no trouble with it. It has almost become second nature because I have gotten used to listening out for the click. The more time we spend with the Lord, the more we will be familiar with His voice. ‘My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me John 10:27

Don’t give up – listen for the ‘click’!

 

One day my mum told me to iron a skirt. The skirt was very creased, I knew that it was going to be hard to iron, but I still attempted to do it without advice. After several attempts to iron the skirt, the creases were still there and no change was visible. I started to get frustrated and decided to iron the skirt on the floor, as the surface was flat and I thought that it would make the job easier.

The job became easier but the skirt collected the dirt from the floor. My mum was not pleased with me and she told me to go and wash the dirt off the skirt. The following day I was asked to iron the skirt again. This time I cared to ask for advice and I was told that if I made the skirt a bit damp, it would make the ironing much easier. I obeyed this instruction and the skirt was smoothly ironed in less than 10 minutes.

The same way today we are given instructions by God, but instead of asking Him how we should carry out these instructions, we tend to do them ourselves and forget about God. When everything does not go to plan we get frustrated and look for an easy way out. This is not the will of God and he is not happy with us and may sometimes scold us. But if God gives us something to do and we don’t know how to go about it, if we ask Him He will direct us on how to do it.

TRUST IN THE LORD WITH ALL THINE HEART; AND LEAN NOT UNTO THINE OWN UNDERSTANDING. IN ALL THY WAYS ACKNOWLEDGE HIM, AND HE SHALL DIRECT THY PATHS. (PROVERB 3:5, 6)

‘As many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God,’ Romans 8:14.

 

‘All things bright and beautiful

All creatures great and small  

All things wise and wonderful

The Lord God made them all.’

 

God made us different and we should celebrate our differences and allow God to sanctify our personality to be used for His glory.

                                       Extrovert=Spiritovert=Introvert

 

Psychologists describe two main personality types as extroverts and introverts depending generally on their abilities to process and respond to different information.

Extroverts are directed to the objective world while introverts are directed towards the subjective world. Extroverts are talkative, open minded and easily adapted to new friends, groups and environment. Introverts, on the other hand, are interested in their own thoughts and feelings. They keep their own territories, enjoy being alone, appear reserved, quiet and thoughtful. They have difficulty making friends and they are like icebergs; what you see on the surface is only a small per cent of their entire selves, you always have to look for the substance underneath. Introverts do not easily like to change decisions but are good listeners and methodical, whereas extroverts are vibrant, warm, emphatic, people-persons, curious and they are almost predictable.

All personality types are good, but they must be given over to the spirit to be used to the glory of God. We make decisions based on our ideas, thoughts and personality types. These decisions must be spirit driven in other to properly qualify us as sons and daughters of God.

I am led to use the term ‘spiritovert’ if we have yielded our personality type, life, actions, deeds, thoughts and all to be controlled and driven by the spirit of God.

We need to become ‘spiritoverts’ in order to please our Father in Heaven. We start with the radical change of the born again experience. The Spirit of God transforms our spirits through Jesus Christ, ‘for without me (Jesus) ye can do nothing.’ John 15: 5

Jesus is the fullness of God in the body. So to be led of the Spirit, we will first need to empty ourselves through repentance, relying on the Blood of Jesus to wash us clean. Then He who is the perfect God and perfect Man will fill us with His own Spirit leading and divine nature. Only then can we be spiritoverts and be fulfilled.

We Christians are sometimes affected by our personality types and these hinder our spiritual growth. We need to continually rely on the Holy Spirit for directions and instructions from the word of God as we pray and exercise our faith in God. May God help you and me to be always led by His Spirit.

“And the men of the city said unto Elisha, Behold, I pray thee, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord seeth: but the water is naught, and the ground barren. And he said: Bring me a new cruse and put salt therein. And they brought it to him. And he went forth unto the spring of the waters, and cast the salt in there, and said, Thus saith the LORD, I have healed these waters; there shall not be from thence any more death or barren land. So the waters were healed unto this day, according to the saying of Elisha which he spake”. II Kings 2: 19 – 22

 

God speaks and things are happening to the tune of the signs of times. In my house lately, we were surrounded by flies akin to those plagues in Egypt and were very distressed. We searched the whole house and the surroundings for the source of these flying insects but to no avail. This went on for a couple of months spending a lot of money on fly sprays and cleaning the house thoroughly looking in all the wrong places.

One blessed day, after a lot of consecration and prayers, the Holy Spirit led me against all oppositions to the source of the problem: a dead squirrel rotting away in the loft. Oh! What a pleasant good-bye as the garbage men took that rubbish away that week.

We oftentimes go around our problems and issues neglecting the source. In II Kings 2:19-22, Elisha went to the source to heal the waters of Jericho. He could have achieved nothing if he had gone to the delta or the downstream of the river. In Joshua chapter 7, Joshua removed the source of shame and defeat in Israel when Achan and his household were exposed and eliminated for their sins of disobedience and covetousness. In Luke 8:26-33, Jesus dealt with the Gadarene demoniac by casting out the legion of evil spirits tormenting him. It is worthy to note that Jesus did not bind and cast out the man but the powers that held him in bondage.

We are hereby admonished to take time to identify our problems and difficulties and once they are identified, to pray to God to deal with them. We are instructed never to avoid or pretend to be unaware of the origin of our problems. If you are confident about the real source, take the giant step by pleading the blood of Jesus that was shed on Calvary for your deliverance.

The Bible says that we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities and powers. Our focus, therefore, should be to report the case to Jesus who is above these powers instead of fighting human beings that might have been helplessly possessed by these evil spirits. Prayer will allow us to know if the source is from God like in Job’s case. In such situations God will, if you allow him, deal with the problem in His own way, time and manner but be aware that not all sources of events that happen to us are from God.

Our Christian journey becomes easier if we are connected to Jesus – the source of life. This connection starts with the confession leading to forgiveness of our sins and promising never to return to them again. If after salvation, we have issues, we search for the source using the Bible as our searchlight. If we are the source, we can humbly ask for God’s mercy but if God has permitted anything to come our way as He has the right to draw our attention as He wills, we can genuinely and faithfully ask for His help with the assurance that He is in control and our burdens will definitely become lighter.

For we walk by faith, not by sight. 2 Corinthians 5:7′

Do you know the legend of the Cherokee Indian youth’s rite of Passage? His father takes him into the forest, blindfolds him and leaves him alone. He is required to sit on a stump the whole night and not remove the blindfold until the rays of the morning sunshine through it. He cannot cry out for help to anyone. Once he survives the night, he is a MAN.

He cannot tell the other boys of this experience, because each lad must come into manhood on his own. The boy is naturally terrified. He can hear all kinds of noises. Wild beasts must surely be all around him. Maybe even some human might do him harm. The wind blew the grass and earth and shook his stump, but he sat stoically, never removing the blindfold. It would be the only way he could become a man!

Finally, after a horrific night, the sun appeared and he removed his blindfold. It was then that he discovered his father sitting on the stump next to him. He had been at watch the entire night, protecting his son from harm. We, too, are never alone. Even when we don’t know it, God is watching over us, sitting on the stump beside us. When trouble comes, all we have to do is reach out to Him. For we walk by faith, not by sight!

‘Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.’ Matthew 6:33

This verse says ‘seek first and all these things shall be added’, but it is rather strange that some people, if not all want ‘all these things’ to be added first before they seek the kingdom of God and His righteousness.  This certainly will not work because it is the wrong formula.

 We in the United Kingdom are familiar with the concept of ‘buy one, get one free’ used in our supermarkets as a result of market competition. Imagine someone going into a supermarket, wanting to get a free item advertised without actually buying the first one.  You would conclude that that individual has a problem! It would be a fruitless effort for that individual to try to get the free item without purchasing the first one. So it is with everyone who comes to God and instead of seeking first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, seeks all ‘these things’ such as a job, money, a spouse, children, education, protection, healing, success – the list goes on.

 How do we start to seek the Kingdom of God and His righteousness?  It begins by seeking reconciliation with God through repentance unto salvation.  When you come to God, you must first acknowledge that you are a sinner, confess your sins, repent of them, and promise God that by His grace you will never go into them again. You pray until you have the assurance in your soul that you have been forgiven of your sins and you confess with your mouth that you have been saved. This salvation is that which will be confirmed by the Spirit of God according to Romans 8:16 ‘The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God’.

 When this experience happens and the Spirit has confirmed your salvation, ‘ALL THESE THINGS SHALL BE ADDED UNTO YOU’.  That would be using the right formula, which will certainly work according to the Lord’s will.  It would be like going to the supermarket and buying an item labelled ‘Buy one get one free’ and then getting the second free. 

 We must seek God first and His righteousness before all these things can be added.

‘And they did not receive Him’ Luke 9:53

Nobody likes to be scorned or shunned when trying to reconcile with an enemy, but Jesus faced this when He visited the people of Samaria. Jesus had enough reasons to avoid passing Samaria because of the long tradition of the Jews despising the Samaritans and the Samaritans hating them in return. They did every possible thing to hinder one another from entering each other’s territory.

The 15 miles journey via Samaria was the shortest route to Jerusalem. Jesus, crossing prejudicial and racial boundaries, passed through Samaria to offer the Samaritans the chance to hear the Good News and receive their salvation. Heaven’s judgment of consuming fire was hanging over them, but the Lord’s unfailing mercy had been prevailing for them. Mercy refused judgment. “It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning:” (Lamentation 3:22, 23). Nevertheless, they missed their chance because they did not receive Him.

A cold response to divine goodness has become a natural reaction of fallen mankind. It was recorded that Jesus came to His own people (the Jews) who had longed for a Deliverer, but they received Him not. Here the old saying, ‘familiarity breeds contempt,’ rang true. He, whom angels feared to offend, was despised by men; even His own kinsmen. However, those who received Him by merely believing in His Name received the blessings and the right to be God’s adopted children (John 1:11-13). People all over the world may consider themselves to be God’s children. They may even celebrate that we all are children of God. By creation we are, but by choice, however, we all are sinners and lead sinful lives until we genuinely ask for help from Heaven. We can choose to be God’s children through Jesus Christ alone (Galatians 3:23).

Jesus always looks for the shortest route into our hearts. But many times we show a cold response and give Him no choice but to take a longer route. Thus we delay our deliverance because we deter the Deliverer. Sometimes such delay may eventually lead to denial, death and damnation. These are the sad testimonies of those damned souls in Hell. Many have missed numerous chances of deliverance! In the same country where many rejected the Lord, a penitent woman received Jesus and persuaded others to do the same (John 4:29-30). Where people refuse Jesus, a host of others receive Him. The mission of God is not void nor without profit. If you reject Him others will receive Him. “For what if some did not believe? Shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect? God forbid: yea, let God be true” (Romans 3:3, 4). “If we believe not, yet he (Jesus) abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself” (2 Timothy 2: 13).

We never know when Jesus will pass our way for the very last time. Take a brief moment to look and listen; He passes your way daily. Count the times you have shown cold response to His Spirit and messages. How many times have you turned Jesus away, even in your difficult circumstances, when He offers to help? Let us take every opportunity to receive Him into our hearts, respond positively to Him when He calls, prove we love Him by the way we live, and serve Him with fear and trembling, and maintain our relationship with jealous care (Psalms 2: 11, 12).

We need Him more than ever before especially with the evil happenings of these last days. May we believe and give Him a warm reception in our hearts! Have you a place for Jesus in your life today?

“I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (John 14:6).

Apostolic Faith Church Bexley
Rev Mark Mfandarahwa
13 Penhill Road
Bexley,
Kent DA5 3EP
T: +44 (0) 207 639 8897
M: +44 (0) 795 882 2363
E: bexley@apostolicfaith.org.uk

 

 

Apostolic Faith Church Peckham
Rev Ola Balogun
The Apostolic Faith Mission
95 Fenham Road
Peckham
London SE15 1AE
T: +44 (0) 207 639 8897
M: +44 (0) 7943 807788
E: peckham@apostolicfaith.org.uk

 

Apostolic Faith Church Manchester
Rev Toyin Emitola
The Apostolic Faith Mission
92-98 Wheler Street
Higher Opeshaw
Manchester M11 1DU
T: +44 (0) 161 370 2201
M: +44 (0) 750 5519257
E: manchester@apostolicfaith.org.uk

 

Apostolic Faith Church Birmingham
Rev Lazarus Simbanegavi
The Apostolic Faith Mission
Monk Road
Ward End
Birmingham B8 2TS
T: +44 (0)121 328 3032
M: +44 (0) 7724 057403
E: birmingham@apostolicfaith.org.uk

 

The location of the Western Europe headquarters’ office is in London. This is where decisions are made regarding outreach efforts, mission trips, pastor assignments, and other corporate matters. Operations are led by the District Superintendent (DS) Rev Mark Mfandarahwa, supported by a five-member Board of Trustees and the backing of some Elders.

All of our church branches within Western Europe have the same mission and uphold the same Bible doctrines because Apostolic Faith churches worldwide are under the same leadership.

The Apostolic Faith Church is a worldwide Christian organization, with global headquarters in Portland, Oregon. As a Trinitarian and fundamental church, our doctrinal beliefs are the basic Bible truths, including the definite experiences of salvation, sanctification, and the baptism of the Holy Ghost.

The Apostolic Faith Church, Portland Oregon, USA was founded in 1906. The organization grew and established branch churches across the United States and around the world. All of our congregations enjoy a warm and traditional environment, where we endeavour to preach the Word of God in its fullness and integrity. There are about fifty branch churches within the United States of America, and the international outreach extends to most continents, including Western Europe.

Western Europe benefits from evangelistic materials published by the Apostolic Faith Church, Portland Oregon. These materials include printed and distributed Christian literature. They publish a quarterly magazine entitled The Apostolic Faith, which is designed to encourage spiritual growth in believers. They also print numerous tracts, pamphlets and small booklets meant to lead people to the Lord, and most of them are available in their Library. A unique feature of this ministry is that most of these publications are printed and mailed throughout the world free of charge. In over a century of literature ministry, God has provided financially for this outreach through tithes and offerings, though collections are never taken in our services.

Many bear testimonies that music was the major tool that drew them to the Lord. In most of the evangelistic outreach, music usually forms a major part of the services.

The history of The Apostolic Faith Church cannot be complete without mentioning the blessings music plays in the services of the church. Music has always been a special part of our organisation and one of the major ways of communicating the Gospel to people. Many people bear testimonies that music was the major tool that drew them to the Lord and the altar of prayer where the Lord met them. Some came to church out of curiosity to listen to soul-inspiring music and the Lord met them. In most of the evangelistic outreach, singing and playing of musical instruments usually form a major part of the services.

Our congregation is blessed to have many dedicated musicians who sing and play for our services and special events. We love seeing God’s people develop their musical talents to be used for God’s work and glory.

Apostolic Faith Church choir and orchestra sing and play hymns, choruses and classical music by old Christian hymn writers such as Handel, Mozart, Bach, Schubert, etc. The church has a choir and orchestra that perform in nearly every church service. They organise music concerts during the Easter and Christmas where dignitaries and government functionaries are invited to the church. They also do this during the annual Camp meeting which usually takes place in the last week of July.

Dedicated teachers also help young children in organising Children Programs that are held several times during the year.

We encourage our young people to join our junior and youth orchestras and choirs and enjoy hearing from them on a regularly.

Finally, we come into the House of the Lord to enjoy music because Scripture says: “Praise ye the LORD. Sing unto the LORD a new song, and his praise in the congregation of saints.” (Psalm 149:1) “Praise ye the LORD. Praise God in his sanctuary: praise him in the firmament of his power. Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to his excellent greatness. Praise him with the sound of the trumpet: praise him with the psaltery and harp. Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs. Praise him upon the loud cymbals: praise him upon the high-sounding cymbals. Let everything that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD.” (Psalm 150:1-6)

What began in the 1970s as a group of students meeting for fellowship now comprises thirty churches and groups spread across Western Europe.

The parsonage at the Western Europe headquarters church at our Bexley location in London, England, was dedicated on Sunday, January 13. At the dedication service, an overview of the construction project was given by Reverend Isaac Adigun, the Western Europe District Superintendent. He explained that the building, located next door to the Bexley church, was purchased in 2011 and put into service a few months later. In 2017, construction began to add a semi-detached dwelling, which is the new parsonage, while plans for the original residence are to convert it to office space for the district headquarters staff.

The dedication service was filled with joyous music. The message from Reverend Mark Mfandarahwa, pastor at Birmingham, England, was based on 2 Chronicles 6:41 and declared that God has directed the work and blessed the efforts of His people for a purpose—to yield more souls. The dedicatory prayer was given by Reverend Ola Balogun, pastor at the Peckham church in London, England. Later, a ribbon-cutting ceremony was held in front of the residence with Reverend Victor Okusanya, who pioneered the work in Western Europe, dedicating the building in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, before cutting the ribbon. This was followed by a tour of the new parsonage.

Reverend Adigun had emphasized that this step toward having a Western Europe headquarters office is the continuation of a work which has seen tremendous growth over the last four decades.

In his earlier remarks, Reverend Adigun had emphasized that this step toward having a Western Europe headquarters office is the continuation of a work which has seen tremendous growth over the last four decades. What began in the 1970s as a group of Nigerian students meeting for fellowship, now comprises thirty churches and groups spread across the UK, Ireland, Scotland, Germany, Spain, France, Italy, Denmark, and the Netherlands. The following is a look back at the history of that work, as we continue to look to God for the future, praying He will send labourers for the harvest.

From Nigeria to London

The work in Western Europe began when Victor Okusanya moved his family from Nigeria to the United Kingdom (UK) in 1975 so he could study music at Goldsmiths, University of London. Through Ruth Ashwell, the world headquarters secretary to Africa, he obtained the contact information of other Apostolic Faith members who had moved to the UK from Africa and invited them to meet. In April of 1976, about eight gathered at his sister’s home in Brixton, England, and afterwards decided to continue the fellowship.

The group grew in size, and in 1979 rented a church building for meetings. That same year, they were visited by General Overseer Loyce Carver. Then Reverend Okusanya returned to Nigeria and was ordained as the pastor of the London church (considered an extension of the Nigeria work, the church was under the direction of the Nigerian leadership, and remained so through the 1990s). The congregation continued to grow, and in 1982, the current church location in Peckham was rented.

During the 1980s, the West and Central Africa headquarters church in Lagos regularly sent ministers to encourage the work, including annually for a week of special meetings in August. There were also numerous visitors from the Portland church, including a memorable visit in 2004 by Don Wolfe, the Portland Music Director, who stayed for three months to conduct music workshops. Music continues to be important to the growth of the work, with each of the main churches providing concerts during the holidays.

The London church was initially comprised of Nigerian students who moved to the UK for school and chose to settle there after graduation. As that first-generation married and had families, there became a need for children’s ministries. A Boys’ and Girls’ Club was established and held on Sunday afternoons, and soon neighbourhood children were also participating in the fun activities while learning about the Bible. In addition, music programs were introduced for elementary students who were encouraged to play in children’s church services, special meetings, and holiday events. As the children grew older, their club was renamed Youth for Christ or Y4C, and time was set aside each year for a youth retreat, which today is attended by youth from all over the UK and Western Europe.

By the year 2000, the London congregation numbered about one hundred, and the work had grown to include eight Bible study centres in England and another six in Western European countries outside the UK. Reverend Adigun, who had been serving as the youth leader, was ordained as the London pastor and placed over the work. The next year, the first annual UK camp meeting was held in late July.

During the 2014 camp meeting, a Board of Trustees for the Western Europe Work was appointed, and in 2017 the work was restructured, creating four regions within Western Europe. Following is a brief review of the growth in each of these regions.

Regions of Western Europe Work

The Midlands and Northwest England

The work in this region began in 1983 in Manchester with a university student: Isaac Adigun. With guidance from the London church leaders, he organized other students to hold meetings and distribute Gospel literature. Another group began meeting in nearby Bolton in 1990 when Judith Olowokere returned home to Bolton from Nigeria, where she had received salvation. A third group formed in Liverpool in 2008 when Garikayi Mhike opened his family’s home for meetings after moving there for work. These three groups began praying for a joint place to worship, and soon a church in Manchester (thought to be the church where John Wesley received salvation) became available. The building was dedicated in 2011 after much refurbishing.

In Leicester, work began when Stanislaus Nyakuhwa emigrated there from Zimbabwe in 1999 to study. He distributed literature in his neighbourhood while attending the London church on Sundays. In 2002, Thomas Moyo and his family moved to Leicester, and the next year, a group started as his family, Stanislaus, and a few others began meeting in the Moyo home. The London church often sent workers to encourage the group, and soon a larger meeting place was needed. Today, they hold services in a primary school.

In 2002, Eunice Bolade began leading Bible studies in Birmingham, which was eventually joined by the group in Leicester for combined Sunday meetings. During one of these meetings, Reverend Adigun visited and encouraged the Birmingham group to seek God for a place of worship. The next day, a church building was located. The Birmingham church was dedicated in 2011.

Due to transportation challenges, the Birmingham saints from Coventry and Leicester were encouraged to find a local place to worship. They did, and in early 2017, inaugural services were held for both groups.

Scotland

The work in Scotland began in 1998 when the late John Aina and his family moved to Aberdeen from Nigeria and began holding Sunday services in their home. By 2001, the group had grown large enough to perform a joint Christmas concert with the London choir and orchestra. This has since become an annual event in Aberdeen, and continued outreach efforts under the leadership of pastor Matthew Ibukun have yielded additional groups in Glasgow in 2016 and Edinburgh in 2017. Reverend Ikpaisong Ukpe is currently the regional director for this region.

Southeast and Southwest England and Wales

In August 2007, Michael Owolabi moved to Bristol with his family for work. He began leading worship for saints in Bristol and Cardiff, and the group eventually grew large enough to accommodate a choir. In November 2009, they moved to a rented facility in Bristol, and are praying for an additional place to worship in Cardiff.

While visiting a sick church member in 2007, Reverend Adigun saw an ad in the local paper for a church building in Bexley and submitted a bid for it. The bid was not accepted, but the saints prayed and the seller came back to them in 2008, asking if they were still interested. The purchase was made, and the Bexley church was dedicated in February 2011. In 2017, Reverend Adigun became the pastor while Reverend Balogun was named pastor of the Peckham church, and also the director for this region.

Work began in East Sussex when Ade Akerejola moved there with his family. As they opened their home for Sunday services and Wednesday Bible studies, their numbers grew, and in 2016, they began holding Sunday morning services at the Girls’ Guide Brigade Hall in Bexhill-on-Sea, the group’s current location.

Mainland Europe

Reverend Francis Odudu, an assisting minister at the Bexley church, directs the work in this region, which began in Paris, France when a group started meeting in the home of Mathieu Bobo in 1987. He had immigrated to Paris from the Republic of Benin, and soon more people arrived from Benin and also the Ivory Coast. Their numbers grew, and in 2014 Reverend Bobo was ordained as pastor of the Paris church. More recently, another group has started meeting in Troyes, France.

In the early 1990s, Sylvester Obdinma immigrated to Italy and met fellow believer George Utin. He then corresponded with the Apostolic Faith world headquarters and was encouraged to receive the deeper Christian experiences. He did, and from that time, the two men began to propagate the Gospel in Italy. Sylvester led a group in Treviglio which in 2002 held a Christmas concert in conjunction with the London choir. This became an annual event that was well attended by locals until 2014 when Sylvester relocated to the UK.

A group in the Netherlands was formed by Rita Ngolle after she moved from Cameroon to join her husband in Holland in 2002. Two years later, it was discovered that another Apostolic Faith group, led by Lucinda Hersissia, was meeting in Den Haag. The two groups combined services and continue to meet in Den Haag.

Cottage meetings began in Spain in 2005. On Sundays, the members watch the live webcast of the London church service, and at times they receive an encouraging visit from Reverend Adigun and his wife, Stella.

The work in Ireland started after Adenike Adeyemi, the founder of the work, moved to Dublin with her family in 2006. After connecting with two other families, they started a home fellowship in their living room. The group moved to various venues until April of 2009 when they settled into their current location, the St. Columbia’s Parish Centre. Since then, workers from Portland, London, and parts of Africa have visited to provide encouragement.

The Apostolic Faith group in Heidelberg, Germany, started in 2010 in Bro Stephen Ogbodo’s living room. He and his family continue to be active in nearly every service.

In 2014, Bro Solomon Akano moved with his family to Copenhagen, Denmark, to study, and in October 2015 began holding cottage meetings in the homes of Agnes Enongene and Laura Akinde, who had received salvation after reading an Apostolic Faith paper sent to them from Cameroon. The group distributes Gospel literature and is looking to God for a permanent place of worship.

On Sundays, at our various branches, we welcome newcomers to the church giving them tea and coffee at the end of the service. We are also involved in visiting brethren as well as conducting evangelism within our community to advance the kingdom of God. During our Annual Camp Meetings, we welcome International guests and first-timers; we also give them special treats.

1. God’s Love Day – this is a programme that is held in February every year to enable the church community to share and bond closely. And we do this with our neighbours around as well. We use this time to tell them about God’s love to the whole world and in doing so we give our bouquets, chocolates and tracts during the visit.

2. Mental Health Awareness is an event held to offer our members the importance to stay mentally fit and to provide guidelines and information on how to assist anyone who is directly or indirectly involved with a mental health issue.

3. Business Innovation is also another event where we have the opportunity to enlighten ourselves on how to promote one’s existing business, build a network with potential clients, and gain awareness into various software and training sessions individuals or groups can sign up to, to develop their business know-how or their relationship with other partners.

4. Skill development – this is an event where we share knowledge in various skills that are available in our gathering to enable someone to benefit from someone else who has possessed that required skill(s). This could impact on their work-life as an employee or as an employer who has a business.

5. Jehovah Jireh is usually done in December. This is an amazing time for members to share, give and receive various necessities to ensure they enjoy the Christmas and New Year with enough. Most times there are various foodstuff and cooking ingredients provided for members to select from. This is also a time we distribute gifts to various nursing homes and the elderly amongst us.

Perhaps you have heard a lot about the Apostolic Faith Mission and would like to know more about our church.  The following will hopefully give you some idea.

We have long been described as a church with an open door and a burning message. We welcome all and sundry to our meetings with open arms and rely on the unction of the Holy Spirit to minister the Word of God undiluted. As a fundamental Trinitarian, we believe and preach the whole Word of God as taught and commanded in the Bible without preference or prejudice. Our services are solemn as well as Pentecostal and the message is meant for all. Our ‘God is no respecter of persons: But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteously, is accepted with him’ (Acts 10:34, 35).

A Focus on Prayer

We believe in the power of prayer. Every service is preceded by a special time of prayer. In James 5: 16 we find the words: “…the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. Prayer is the main communication channel that links us to God, and we encourage our members to pray the apostolic way and develop a relationship with God. We believe that praying through to God makes a difference and that one of the most rewarding times of our life is the time spent with God in prayer. In Mathew 21: 22 we find the assuring promise: “and all things whatsoever, ye shall ask in prayer believing, ye shall receive”. What a thrill to know that He is only a prayer away as confirmed in Isaiah 65: 24! A prayerless church is a powerless church.

Practical Holiness

We believe in sanctification as a second definite Christian experience subsequent to salvation from sin and we believe that practical Holiness is the very essence of our worship. In Luke 1:74, 75, we find these words: ‘That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life’. ‘For this is the will of God even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication’ (I Thessalonians 4:3). Fornication is no fun for heavenly-minded people. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?…’Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof…But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life…’ (Romans 6:12, 22). But as he which hath called ye is holy so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy for I am holy (I Peter I:15,16) (Read also Hebrews 12:14).

No Formal Membership

While we welcome anyone to attend our services, we encourage people to pray through to a born-again experience. We have found that those who receive this experience are truly “one in the bond of love.” New converts are not formally enrolled as members and no official membership register is kept. For reference and legal purposes, a baptismal record is kept of those who are baptized in water by our ministry.

No Collections

That’s right! We do not make pleas for financial help, nor do we take collections in our services. Through the years, we’ve often been referred to as ‘the church without a collection plate.” So how do we support this worldwide ministry? There is an offering box near the entrance to our sanctuaries in which tithes and freewill offerings may be placed. We base this method of financing the Gospel work on Genesis 28:22, Malachi 3:8-10, and II Corinthians 9:7.