PASTOR'S REFLECTOIN

The great irony of the Xmas celebrations

“If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on My holy day; and call the Sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honourable, and shall honor Him; not doing thine own ways, not finding thy own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words; then shall thou delight thyself in the Lord; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father; for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it” (Isa 58:13-14)

Although this passage is specifically addressing the sanctity of the Sabbath, I will not fail to liken the Christmas day and its celebrations, as of the same solemnity and importance, to a Christian. Christian celebrate Christmas to commemorate the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ, to respect and honor Him as their Saviour and Redeemer. It is a period of complete gratitude to God for all He has done and are doing for Christianity and mankind through His Son, Jesus Christ.
Beloved, it is very sad to say here that despite the number of churches and their attendant worshippers all over the world, a lot of us do not know the essence of Christmas and its celebrations. Many today are celebrating the Christmas and its holidays without knowing or respecting the very One who it is ordained for. Several of us are doing the wrong things, married to church activities and programmes that does not truly reflect the solemnity and importance of Christmas. Several carols and other activities of this period are packaged only to entertain and not to lead people to Christ.
The truth dear friends, is that the church have turned away from the essence of Christmas; Each one is doing his or her pleasure, speaking his or her own words, and only a few see this season as a holy and delightsome period unto the Lord. The fact is that Christmas day and its celebrations are not for ostentations display of wealth, worldly parties, misplaced priorities and fashions. Rather, it is a period that God requires all Christians to turn away from doing our own pleasures, acting on ways that are not in consonance with the will of God, but to delight in the honor and adoration of God.
Most assuredly, if you delight yourself in the Lord and celebrate the true essence of Christmas, the Lord shall cause you to ride the high places of the earth and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father. (Isa  58:14)
Wishing you a merry Xmas and a prosperous 2016!

Pastor Kelechi Nzeh

HYMN

TO GOD BE THE GLORY
1. To God be the glory, great things he hath done!
So loved he the world that he gave us his Son,
who yielded his life an atonement for sin,
and opened the lifegate that all may go in.

Refrain:
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord,
let the earth hear his voice!
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord,
let the people rejoice!
O come to the Father thru Jesus the Son,
and give him the glory, great things he hath done!

2. O perfect redemption, the purchase of blood,
to every believer the promise of God;
the vilest offender who truly believes,
that moment from Jesus a pardon receives.

3. Great things he hath taught us, great things he hath done,
and great our rejoicing thru Jesus the Son;
but purer, and higher, and greater will be
our wonder, our transport, when Jesus we see.

SUNDAY SCHOOL

Topic:    YOUR CHOICES TODAY DETERMINE YOUR ETERNITY
Text:          Luke 16:19-31
Central Truth:    Christian living requires daily decisions which also determine one’s tomorrow.
Memory Verse:    Hebrews 9:27
LESSON OUTLINE
1. TWO MEN OF DIFFERENT STATUS IN LIFE
2. TWO MEN WITH DIFF. DESTINATION AFTER DEATH

MORNING MANNER

THEME:     THE NAME OF JESUS

TOPIC:    THE GOVERNMENT SHALL BE UPON HIS SHOULDER

TEXT:        Isaiah 9:6

PRAYER BULLETS

1. O Lord, I thank You for the gift of life, for seeing me and family from the beginning of the year until now.

2. Lord, let Your presence follow me through into the new year.

3. My Father and my God, according to Thy words, do a new thing in my life, and let it manifest now, in Jesus name. (Isa 43:18-19)

4. Lord Jesus, shepherd me, my family and the church as we enter 2016. (Ps 23:1)

ANNOUNCEMENT

1. Next Sunday: Prophetic and Holy Communion service.
2. Bible study holds by 6pm on Wednesdays, don’t miss it.
3. There will be cross over night service by 9pm, don’t come alone.
4. The prayer and fasting/waiting on the Lord programme will commence on the 2nd January, 2016
   

PASTOR'S REFLECTION

THE CHRISTMAS RAVENS ARE ON YOUR WAY

“ And the word of the Lord came unto him, saying, get thee hence, and turn thee eastward and hide thyself by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan. And it shall be, that thou shall drink of the brook; and I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there. So he went and did according unto the word of the Lord; For he went and dwelt by the brook Cherith that is before Jordan. And the ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning and bread and flesh in the evening, and he drank of the brook” (1 Kg 17:2-6).
Beloved, it is 5 days to Christmas and eleven days to the end of the year 2015. Perhaps your expectations are still hanging and you are becoming agitated as the days draw closer, 'but let not your heart be troubled' (John 14:1).
In the passage above, the Lord God Almighty, used the ravens to meet the needs of Prophet Elijah, thus proving that He can use any strange thing or situation for the glory of His name. Please check this: The ravens were forbidden birds (Lev 11:13-15), very stingy to the extent of not feeding or caring for their young ones; The amount of food each carries is so small at a time, and they are enemies of man as they pluck and feed on human eyes – yet it pleased the Lord God to use them to feed and take care of His servant in the moment of need.
Child of God, since you are still under God's covenant of provisions through Christ, expect your Christmas ravens and their provisions. When God moves on your behalf, He will surely use anybody to bless you, even strange and uncommon situations. It happened to Elijah, it is going to happen to you this season. God will not only use strange and unexpected people to surprise you, but will amaze you through the help and blessings of your enemies in Jesus name.
Beloved, what is expected of us now as children of God is to hide by the brook (covenant coverage – Ps 91:1), drink of the brook (live by faith and by the spirit – Rom 1:17; John 7:37-39) and look out expectantly for your divine raven. Your divine raven this season could come as men, an angel or otherwise. Be watchful and keep faith.
Merry Christmas!!!
Pastor Kelechi Nzeh

HYMN 1

JOY TO THE WORLD

Joy to the world! The Lord has come
Let earth receive her King!
Let every heart prepare Him room
And heaven and nature sing
And heaven and nature sing
And heaven, and heaven and nature sing

Joy to the world! the Savior reigns
Let men their songs employ
While fields and floods
Rocks, hills and plains
Repeat the sounding joy
Repeat the sounding joy
Repeat, repeat the sounding joy

No more let sins and sorrows grow
Nor thorns infest the ground;
He comes to make His blessings flow
Far as the curse is found.
Far as the curse is found.
As the curse is found.

HYMN 2

Away in a Manger

Away in a manger, no crib for a bed,
The little Lord Jesus laid down his sweet head.

The stars in the sky looked down where he lay,
The little Lord Jesus asleep in the hay.


The cattle are lowing, the baby awakes,
But little Lord Jesus no crying he makes.

I love Thee, Lord Jesus, look down from the sky
And stay by my cradle til morning is nigh.


Be near me, Lord Jesus, I ask Thee to stay
Close by me forever, and love me, I pray.

Bless all the dear children in thy tender care,
And take us to heaven, to live with Thee there.

SUNDAY SCHOOL

TOPIC:    THE BIRTH OF JESUS, THE SAVIOUR
TEXT:    Luk 2:1-21
CENTRAL TRUTH:  The birth of Jesus Christ is the final answer to God’s demand for salvation of mankind
Memory Verse:    Luk 2:11
LESSON OUTLINE
1. THE BIRTH PLACE AND THE BIRTH
2. THE FIRST GOSPEL SERMON PREACHED
3. THE VISITATION OF THE SHEPHERDS

MORNING MANNER

THEME: The name of Jesus

TOPIC:    His name is Wonderful

TEXT:  Isaial 9:6

PRAYER BULLETS

1. Excellent Father, I thank You for the privilege to see and experience this season in good health and wealth.

                   Luke 1:26-28
2. O Lord, give me and encounter that will turn my life around this season, in Jesus name.
3. My Father and my God, release Your words of joy unto me, my family and the church and cause us to rejoice, in the name of Jesus.
4. I declare by the words of God, that I am highly favoured, I am blessed among people, the Lord is with me, in Jesus name.
(AMEN!!!) - Merry Christmas!!!!

ANNOUNCEMENT

1. Welcome to December, our Month of Better Times
2. Next Sunday: Word Teaching Service
3. Bible Study holds every Wednesday  by 6pm
4. The service for Christmas will hold on the 25th Dec, 2015 by 9am - Don't miss it.
Merry Christmas!!!

OUR MONTH OF BETTER TIMES - DECEMBER AD 2015

PASTOR'S REFLECTION

The Consequences of Sin

“though hand join hand, the wicked shall not be unpunished; but the seed of the righteous shall be delivered”. (Prov 11:21)

Beloved, do you know that God hates sin with a fury, and anyone who willfully sins is wicked before God. Do you also know that every sin has a consequence and punishment attached to it? The truth is that every man or woman has power to choose his/her sins and call it any name to water down the gravity, but nobody has power to choose the consequences of those sins.

Everything we willfully commit sin, we run to the blood of Jesus, to take cover without knowing that the blood of Jesus only removes the condemnation and not the consequences of sin (Ps 89:30-33; 2 Sam 12:9-14). The only thing that can remove the consequences of sin is the mercy of God, but the trouble with the mercy of God is that it is not guaranteed. The scripture writes “I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy” (Rom 9:15). The implication is that you ask God for mercy over a sin, and He may say: “not today”. (Ps 77:7-9). It may also shock you to know that God’s mercy is not guaranteed on everyone every time, and sometimes can be conditional (2 Sam 22:26, Ps 18:25).

Again, the repercussions of the same sin committed by two different people may be completely different. For instance, if God ordains a sister to be a vessel through which a special prophet of God will be born, and that sister, by mistake, terminates the pregnancy of that special seed through abortion; the repercussion of her sin would be greater that a prostitute who commits twenty abortions of seeds for different purpose. Very often, you hear people say ‘ I don’t think what I have done is bad, after all, everybody is doing it’. You may be wrong because you might have caused more harm than anyone else who did it (1 Kg 12:28-33)

Child of God, as you enjoy the goodness this yuletide season offers, remember that God hates sin no matter the name it is given, and even if hand join hand, no sin will go unpunished.

Pastor Kelechi Nzeh

HYMN

TO GOD BE THE GLORY

1. To God be the glory, great things he hath done!
So loved he the world that he gave us his Son,
who yielded his life an atonement for sin,
and opened the lifegate that all may go in.

Refrain:
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord,
let the earth hear his voice!
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord,
let the people rejoice!
O come to the Father thru Jesus the Son,
and give him the glory, great things he hath done!

2. O perfect redemption, the purchase of blood,
to every believer the promise of God;
the vilest offender who truly believes,
that moment from Jesus a pardon receives.
(Refrain)

3. Great things he hath taught us, great things he hath done,
and great our rejoicing thru Jesus the Son;
but purer, and higher, and greater will be
our wonder, our transport, when Jesus we see.
(Refrain)

SUNDAY SCHOOL

TOPIC:    NEW ORDER OF THINGS
TEXT:    Rev.21:1-8,22-27
CENTRAL TRUTH:  There is no greater hope than this glorious promise of God, the promise that He’s going to perfect everything.
Memory Verse:    Rev. 21:5
LESSON OUTLINE
1. THE NEW CREATION
2. THE NEW FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD
3. THE PERFECTION OF ALL THINGS

MORNING MANNER

THEME: The name of Jesus

TOPIC:    Unto us a Son is given

TEXT:  Isaial 9:6

PRAYER BULLETS

1. O Lord, I thank You for being all in all for me (Ps 18:1-2)

2. O earth, in the name of Jesus, release the fullness of the goodness of the LORD unto me, my family and the church, for the remaining part of this year. (Ps 33:5b)

3. Father, all through the remaining part of this year, let Your mercy be upon us, in Jesus name (Ps 33:22)

4. Lord Jesus, make me continually experience better times, in the name of Jesus.

ANNOUNCEMENT

1. Welcome to December, our Month of Better Times
2. Next Sunday: Xmas Celebration.
3. Bible Study holds every Wednesday in this month of Praise, November, by 6pm
4. The Xmas carol comes up on Thurs. 17th Dec. 2015

PROPHETIC PRAYERS - FROM THE PULPIT

1. O Lord, open my eyes to see my better times in Jesus name;

 

2. Father, accelerate my better times, in Jesus name;

 

3. Lord Jesus, add speed to my life, in the name of Jesus.

PASTOR'S REFLECTION

All you need is in a name
“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon His shoulder; and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace” (Isa. 9:6)
Beloved, Isaiah's prophecy presents to us certain qualities which the name of Jesus manifests at invocation. All we need is to carefully understand the characteristics of that name, and appropriate the blessings it offers us, particularly in this yuletide season.
First, the name is Wonderful (full of wonders) – (Acts 10:38). This simply means that this season is waiting for you to bring 'that name' to bear, in faith, over all life situations, and wonderful things are bound to happen. The name of Jesus surely will cause multiple signs and wonders to follow you in this yuletide (Mk 16:17-18). Nothing truly is impossible to anyone who knows how to bring that name and its power to bear (John 14:13). Try it now!
Secondly, the name is called Counselor (full of counsel), showing you the right path to follow (Isa 30:21, Isa 50:4-5, John 5:30, Ps 32:8) and the right decisions to take. The name of Jesus releases this in abundance and only the Lord's eye can guide you in this yuletide.
Next is the Mighty God (full of might) and the might of God is manifested at the mention and application of the name of Jesus (Joel 2:4-5,7; Dan 11:32). We need the strength of God to go through the yuletide challenges.
Again, the Everlasting Father (eternal nature of God): The name of Jesus makes you possess God and be God inside-minded. To go through the yuletide without stains, you need to put on Jesus completely by invoking His name (Rom 13:14, 1 Cor 1:30)
Then, the Prince of Peace (full of peace): The name of Jesus invokes total peace and we need it to go through this yuletide (John 14:27). Only the name of Jesus can give you peace of mind and victory over fear and anxiety (Ex 14:14)
The Lord Jesus got the greatness and power of His name – by prophecy (Matt 1:21, Acts 4:12, Isa 11:1-2); by conquest (Heb 2:14-15; Col 2:15); by inheritance (Heb 1:4-5) and by obedience (Phil 2:9-11)
Child of God, by the finished work of Calvary, every believer is made a 'joint heir' with Christ. He has given us His name to do exploits, to possess, to do good and change situations. In this yuletide, bring His name to bear in every situations, and experience a testimony-filled season.

Merry Christmas to you!!!

Pastor K. Nzeh.
(Pastor - in - Charge)

THE MONTH'S DECLARATION

HYMN - WE HAVE HEARD A JOYFUL SOUND

1. We have heard the joyful sound: Jesus saves! Jesus saves!
Spread the tidings all around: Jesus saves! Jesus saves!
Bear the news to every land, climb the mountains, cross the waves;
Onward! ’tis our Lord’s command; Jesus saves! Jesus saves!

2. Waft it on the rolling tide: Jesus saves! Jesus saves!
Tell to sinners far and wide: Jesus saves! Jesus saves!
Sing, you islands of the sea; echo back, you ocean caves;
Earth shall keep her jubilee: Jesus saves! Jesus saves!

3. Sing above the battle strife: Jesus saves! Jesus saves!
By His death and endless life Jesus saves! Jesus saves!
Shout it brightly through the gloom, when the heart for mercy craves;
Sing in triumph o’er the tomb: Jesus saves! Jesus saves!

4. Give the winds a mighty voice: Jesus saves! Jesus saves!
Let the nations now rejoice: Jesus saves! Jesus saves!
Shout salvation full and free; highest hills and deepest caves;
This our song of victory: Jesus saves! Jesus saves!

SUNDAY SCHOOL

TOPIC:    THANKFUL WORSHIP
TEXT:    Rev. 7:9-17
CENTRAL TRUTH:  Worship that is void of thanks is incomplete.
Memory Verse:    Rev. 7:10
LESSON OUTLINE
1. GREAT MULTITUDE IN THANKFUL WORSHIP
2. GLORIOUS COMPANIONS WHO JOINED IN THANKFUL WORSHIP
3. GREAT MULTITUDE FULLY IDENTIFEID

MORNING MANNER

THEME: The name of Jesus

TOPIC:    Unto us a child is born

TEXT:  Isaiah 9:6

PRAYER BULLETS

1. O Lord, I thank You for being all in all for me (Ps 18:1-2)
              Isa 9:6 - In the name of Jesus
2. My life, family and the church of God, begin to produce wonders in Jesus name
3. All through the remaining part of this year and beyond, I and my household shall walk only in the counsel of the Lord, in Jesus name.
4. O Lord, let your strength go be great upon us by the reason of Your name.
5. I possess the nature of God in Jesus name
6. Lord Jesus, I, my household and the church of God, receive the peace You have offered unto us in Jesus- Peace in our homes, works, ministries, businesses, careers and our environment.

ANOUNCEMENT

1. Welcome to December, our Month of Better Times
2. Next Sunday: Thanksgiving Service.
3. Bible Study holds every Wednesday in this month of Praise, November, by 6pm
4. Choir vigil holds this Friday, 11 Dec. 2015
5. Our general evangelism comes up on Saturday, 12th December, 2015 by 3:30pm.