Religion
Sunday Worship Service 18th February, 2024: What is the world hearing from you?
By Pastor Kola Oyekale
What is the world hearing from you? Are you speaking like them or thinking like them? Do they get hope from you or do they get frustrated the more?
Abraham did not speak what he saw. He didn’t call the things that exist. He called the things that did not exist as though they exist.
Romans 4:17 NKJV
[17] (as it is written, “I have made you a father of many nations”) in the presence of Him whom he believed—God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did;
You are the hope of the nation. The world is waiting for you to speak.
Romans 4:18 MSG
When everything was hopeless, Abraham believed anyway, deciding to live not on the basis of what he saw he couldn’t do but on what God said he would do. And so he was made father of a multitude of peoples. God himself said to him, “You’re going to have a big family, Abraham!”
God do not need to see a formed world to make it beautiful. He made a formless world beautiful. You have the same makeup with God. Speak into a hopeless situation and make it beautiful.
You are the hope for the nation because you serve a living God; you believe in a living God.
If you want to be a revival for your nation then you must speak like Jesus. The world is tired of reading the Bible, they want to read you. You are the Bible they read now.
Whose report will you believe? The world’s or God’s?
Mark 6:34 NLT
[34] Jesus saw the huge crowd as he stepped from the boat, and he had compassion on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things.
The people were looking for Jesus for food, for healing, miracle, breakthrough… Jesus saw people who were sheep without shepherd.
If you don’t know what you stand for then you are a sheep without shepherd.
There are so many crowd looking for Jesus without a shepherd.
Everyone needs a shepherd who will give direction and lead them on the right path.
No one becomes anything meaningful in life without being taught.
Until you are taught, you will have no direction.
Mark 6:35-41 NLT
[35] Late in the afternoon his disciples came to him and said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. [36] Send the crowds away so they can go to the nearby farms and villages and buy something to eat.” [37] But Jesus said, “You feed them.” “With what?” they asked. “We’d have to work for months to earn enough money to buy food for all these people!” [38] “How much bread do you have?” he asked. “Go and find out.” They came back and reported, “We have five loaves of bread and two fish.” [39] Then Jesus told the disciples to have the people sit down in groups on the green grass. [40] So they sat down in groups of fifty or a hundred. [41] Jesus took the five loaves and two fish, looked up toward heaven, and blessed them. Then, breaking the loaves into pieces, he kept giving the bread to the disciples so they could distribute it to the people. He also divided the fish for everyone to share.
[44] A total of 5,000 men and their families were fed.
The kingdom of the world walks by sight. The kingdom of God works by faith. How you operate shows which kingdom is stronger in you.
You cannot trust God and be ashamed. Trusting God gives him joy and doubting him, gives him pain.
There are things that God wants to do in your life that no man can do. God is able to do far beyond your thoughts.
God wants to showcase his power and greatness in that seemingly impossible situation.
There are abundant wells of blessing for you in this land even in the face of economic hardship. You only need to hear from God to receive direction and instruction.
God will heal our land. But he can’t do it without you. You are the ones to prove to the world that God exists.
1 Corinthians 2:9 NLT
[9] That is what the Scriptures mean when they say, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.”
What God will do will be contrary to what you see. Don’t post negativity. Post positive things. Don’t amplify what does not bring glory to God. When you see negative things, simply say: “it is well”.
Raise your head up, for your help is above and He who is above is above all things.
You are a carrier of God’s presence.
Prayer: Lord irrespective of what I see, help me to speak positive things, help me to speak your word, help me to speak your will in Jesus name.
Pastor Kola Oyekale is the Senior Pastor of GREEN PASTURES WORLD OUTREACH No. 29 Kingsway Road, GRA, Enugu, South East, Nigeria
A group called the Virtuous Women of Delta (VWD) has given the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, a 14-day ultimatum to tender an unreserved apology to Mrs. Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.
The group made the demand in a statement issued on Tuesday and signed by its Coordinator, Deaconess Eguolo Oghenekevwe.
In the statement, the group expressed their outrage over Akpabio’s alleged disrespectful behavior towards Mrs. Akpoti-Uduaghan, describing his actions as sacrilegious according to Delta’s cultural traditions.
The statement read, “We have patiently watched as the Senate President has dragged our sister through the mud. In our tradition, such actions are considered sacrilegious and carry severe consequences.”
The group further emphasized their disapproval of Akpabio’s behavior, particularly his decision to have Mrs. Akpoti-Uduaghan removed from a public space, which they found deeply disrespectful.
“The fact that he had our wife walk out of a public place is enough to make us march to the National Assembly in protest,” they stated.
The group gave Akpabio 14 days to issue an unreserved apology, warning that if he fails to do so, they will be compelled to take action and express their anger in person at the National Assembly.
The controversy stems from previous comments Akpabio made, including the use of inappropriate language referring to a nightclub, despite the fact that Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan is married to a prominent Delta man.
Akpabio had earlier apologized for his remarks, acknowledging their sacrilegious nature.
“Such words are unacceptable, especially when a married woman is involved. Our men are like lions and will not tolerate such disrespect,” the statement continued.
The Virtuous Women of Delta emphasized that, as Akpabio hails from the same geopolitical zone, he should be aware of the importance of their cultural values and traditions, which cannot be disregarded.
“We politely ask the Senate President to apologize, or face the consequences within the next 14 days,” the group said.
Religion
Sunday Worship Service (16th February, 2025): Topic: The Concept of Love: How to Make the Right Choice
Pastor Kola Oyekale
Verses of God’s promise to us:
Isaiah 30:19 NLT
[19] O people of Zion, who live in Jerusalem, you will weep no more. He will be gracious if you ask for help. He will surely respond to the sound of your cries.
Jeremiah 30:19 AMPC
[19] Out of them [city and palace] will come songs of thanksgiving and the voices of those who make merry. And I will multiply them, and they will not be few; I will also glorify them, and they will not be small.
Meaning of Love
There are different dimensions of love
1. Eros Love: Love between man and woman
2. Philia Love: Love between brethren in church
3. Storge Love: Love between family members
4. Agape Love: God’s love. It is a love that has no condition attached to it. This is the love that is in the kingdom. It is the love that flows from the life of God (Zoe).
When the Bible was talking about marriage, God brought in this love.
For this kind of love to be experienced in a relationship or marriage, it has to be deliberate and intentional.
Marriage is a business. A successful marriage does not happen by chance. It is not cheap. If the only thing you carry into marriage is your physical appearance, you will get no result.
If you make wrong choices you will have troubles. Even when you don’t make the wrong choice, there are still troubles you will experience in a marriage relationship.
Factors to Consider When Making the Choice of a Marriage Partner:
1. Be the right person
You cannot be the right person if you do not know yourself. Knowing yourself is crucial to the kind of person you want to marry.
Singleness helps you discover who you are. Knowing yourself helps you know who you can marry.
Most successful single people find their purpose before they get married.
So when you get married, you have a helper who can help you fulfill purpose.
You need a purpose for your life before you can pick a marriage partner.
Do you have the things, qualities and virtues you are seeking in a spouse?
The journey to finding someone is to first find you.
Find yourself first so you can know your value. If you don’t value yourself, you will sell yourself cheap.
To find the right person, be the right person.
Nobody will increase your value except you. The value you put on yourself is your investment. Don’t wait for a man to add value to your life.
2. Choose the right person
There are marriages you must qualify and prepare for before you enter it.
Don’t be desperate when it comes to marriage. Desperation can make you fall into wrong hands.
There is a plan for your life and a choice for your life.
When you identify your purpose, you will know who to choose.
A woman who chases after a man reduces her value.
3. Do and keep doing what is right.
Galatians 6:9 NKJV
[9] And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.
When you marry, you will not get all you want, however you should keep on doing the right thing.
Start doing the things you want your spouse to do.
Don’t marry with the mind that you will change your spouse. Nobody has any power to change anybody, only God does.
Song of Solomon 1:16-17 NKJV
[16] Behold, you are handsome, my beloved! Yes, pleasant! Also our bed is green. [17] The beams of our houses are cedar, And our rafters of fir.
The word ’green’ means refreshing, life, a relationship that is renewed, not dirty and not defiled.
There must not be defilement of bed when a relationship starts.
Every relationship must begin and end pure.
The only test you can do before marriage is the test of character not the test of sexual compatibility.
Every relationship begins with Friendship, then Courtship then Marriage.
Believers are encouraged to be friends without ulterior motives.
When you are friends, you can see each other better than when you are in a romantic relationship.
Friendship opens you up to see each other clearly without hiding.
The whole essence of marriage is so that you will produce godly seeds.
Your knowledge of God will help you out in married.
Marriage is an act of faith.
By Pastor Kola Oyekale
God is after making you who he wants you to be. God isn’t so much interested in meeting your needs because your needs can take you away from God. God is concerned with making you align with the purpose of your existence.
God’s primary goal upon your life is to make you who he has destined you to be.
If your purpose doesn’t come to pass, then you are a wasted vessel on earth.
If you have fulfilled your purpose at the end of your life, the angels will salute a man or woman who has lived and fulfilled God’s purpose.
Matthew 9:35 NKJV
[35] Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.
You have to be in a place where you are taught.
Matthew 9:36 NKJV
[36] But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd.
God doesn’t want you to be confused in life.
A shepherd whose life is not in alignment to God cannot be a blessing to his sheep.
You become a disciple by transformation. God is after discipling people who will be in alignment to his kingdom.
The lesser your knowledge of God, the more prone you are to become a victim of the devil.
Devil loves ignorance. He takes advantage of your ignorance of God and his word.
Matthew 9:37 NKJV
[37] Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few.
The blind cannot lead the blind, they will both fall into a pit. You need the knowledge of God and his word to make you able to draw souls to God’s kingdom.
Psalms 1:1-3 NLT
[1] Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers. [2] But they delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night. [3] They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do.
In this year, let your passion for God and trust in his increase.
Pursue God will all your heart and he will make a difference in your life.
Qualities of a Good Shepherd
1. A shepherd sets boundaries.
2. They are trustworthy and reliable.
3. A shepherd makes provision for his sheep. He brings transformation to your life.
4. A good shepherd sacrifices even his life for the sheep.
5. A shepherd invests in the life of the sheep through nurturing, direction, instruction and teaching.
The Holy Spirits influences your thinking. He changed your value system
Prayer: May the Holy Spirit shepherd our lives through his instruction, guidance and mentoring this year in Jesus name.
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