Pentecostal Fellowship of Madonna, Okija

Monday, 8 February 2016

DAY: OPC THEME: Counting it All Joy SUB THEME: Beauty for Ashes

ABBA FATHER
Mark 16:36 “and he said, Abba Father all things are possible unto thee, take away this cup from me. nevertheless, not what I will but what thou willth” Although God was referred to as ABBA FATHER in the old Testament, Jesus’s frequent use of this title brought about a whole new understanding of our relationship with God. Jesus referred to God as his Father and also our father too. This infuriated the religious Jews who considered this as blasphemy to call God their father because they understood what it meant to say that one is equal with God. We are instructed to call God our Father, revealing the kind, gentle loving and Affectionate nature of God.

The term “ABBA” is an affectionate term that a young child calls his father which corresponds to our term “DADDY”. It is a term used to express intimacy and affectionate fondness. It removes the idea of God as a loving father, who cares, understands and is our best friend.” Behold what manner of love the father has bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God” (1 john 3:1). We are sons of god by Adoption, Jesus said to the Jews, ye are of the father the devil (John 8:44, Ephesians 2:3).Jesus purchased us by his death and made us one with him. So that we will not just be heirs but also joint-heirs with Christ. As such we should not act like outsiders but as true children of our father God.

HUMILITY

Humility is defined as “A quality by which a person considering his own detects has a humble opinion of him and willingly submits himself to God and to others for God’s sake, “St Bernard defines it as “A virtue by which a man throwing himself as he truly is, abases himself.

Humility is not thinking less of you are about yourself less?? Meaning the quality or state of not thinking you are better than other people the quality or state of being humble.

Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited (Romans 12:16). When Pride comes, then comes disgrace but with humility comes wisdom.

Humility is the fear of the Lord, it wages are riches and honor and life (proverb 22:4) Naaman the Syria leader was humble (II King 5) for the fact that he was a leader, when the little maiden told her about the prophet in Samaria he did as he was told due to humility and everything went well for him.

BY Deborah

TOPIC: TRUE LIVING

TEXT: Jeremiah 9:23-24

Life is not what many people think it is. It is not about financial or material abundance neither is it about physical endowments. Life is definitely not about power, achievement or worldly wisdom. What is then life? Jesus answers this question in john 17:3 “and this life eternal that they might know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ, whom thou last sent

True life is knowing God and Jesus Christ. God instructs us not to boast of our wisdom, might or riches. He said if I want to boast in god. When we engage in such boasting, the essence is not to flaunt your knowledge. Rather it is to rejoice in the fact that God thus, revealed himself to you. Why should we take pleasure in knowing God? Why should knowing God be something you should be proud of? Is it because knowing God can do certain things in your life and in the life of the people around you? “And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall be corrupt flatteries, but the people that know their God shall be strong and do exploits” Daniel 11:32

By the Revelation of God given to Daniel, we are made to understand that knowing God produces strength and exploits. When you know more about God, you will not only have eternal life but the blessings of God will be channeled through you to others. Endeavour to know more about God by studying his word and praying

BY THE CAPABLE LADY

Monday, 7 December 2015

Pentecostal Fellowship of Madonna, Okija:

A RUSHING MIGHT WIND

Wind is a spiritual & supernatural

Phenomenon; in this case, it is right to say that the wind is an instrument of the spirit. You feel it but you can’t see it.

A rushing mighty wind is a promise of God which he fulfilled by giving the holy spirit to us, this is his mighty rushing wind which he gives to us.(acts 2vs 1)

The wind can act as a form of life, destruction, or freedom, this is o say that there are different kinds of wind but the wind of God comes in form of a rushing mighty wind.(genesis 8vs 1)

The rushing mighty win of God comes with hope, faith and blessings. this is to say that the rushing mighty wind of God cannot propel into our lives without liberating you and bestowing you with this hope, faith and freedom.

When you experience the rushing mighty wind in your life, your life is renewed, you are arisen because the wind will give you a new breath of life (Ezekiel 37 vs 11)

When you have the rushing mighty wind and the

spirit will come upon you (john 3 vs 8)

There is a spiritual effect for everything that takes place in your life, b e it physical or spiritual.

There is a positive wind and there is a negative wind but the wind which is a rushing mighty wind of God is a positive one because it is of his spirit,(the holy spirit) (Romans 18 vs16).

THANKSGIVING AS A DIMENSION OF FAITH

“The doctor asked Diana, what will you like to say before you are being taken to the theatre, and she blessed God, thanking him for a successful operation even when she was yet to be operated upon .This astonished the surgeon and he went in for the operation which was very successful. By Diana’s combination of faith and thanksgiving, the doctor and people around wanted to know and serve this god who had done it for her”.

The topic “faith” is not new to us, but we shall be viewing it from a different angle which involves thanksgiving.

Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen (Hebrews 11:1).it entails taking a leap into darkness. This is because when you have faith on God, you may not know where the answer or the dimension where your prayers will get answers from.

Thanksgiving then is a show of appreciation to god for what he has done and what he is yet to do.

It is our responsibility as Christians to always give thanks to god in the face of any or all situation.(1thessalonia 5:15).

HOW THEN CAN WE COMBINE BOTH?

From the story of Diana, she had faith that the operation was going to be successful, but further expressed more by giving thanks to the father.

The exam timetable is out and there is tension in the air, so many people are afraid because of inadequate preparation, some people’s faith are shaking already, am i going to pass at all? God ooo!!! I am in final year please oo!!

But I come to you with a charge and that is to combine your faith with thanksgiving. I don’t know how many of us that knows that thanksgiving is the highest form of expressing faith.

This is because we are rooted in faith and thus, abound in thanksgiving(Colossians 2:7).tell yourself that the lord has taken charge of the exams and school fees issues and give thanks to him. Instead of shaking in fear about the situations around you, thank him for answering your prayers even when he is yet to answer your prayers because thanksgiving is towards the past and faith is to the future. When you thank him for something even before the answer comes, you propel god to consider that expectation as a past or a done deal.

Faith can be grown by thanksgiving because the greater your thanksgiving, the greater your faith grows. For as many of us children of god who desire the growth in fact, it can be achieved by combining it with thanksgiving (2 Thessalonians 1:3).

MEN DRIVEN BY PURPOSE