Pastor Gbenga Onabanjo @ Sunday First Service
Pastor Gbenga Onabanjo told the congregation at the September 1 Sunday first service that they always need to check the motive of their walk with Christ. According to him, every believer should desire a close and strong relationship with God as well as develop an unshakable faith. “If you must be a Christian, be a good and fervent one. Enough of surface Christianity,” he said.
Speaking from Luke 14:25-33, he stated that counting the cost of their faith-walk with God comes with a price, noting that righteousness (Genesis 15:6), faith (Matthew 15:21), the fear of the Lord (Genesis 39:21), leadership (Esther 4:2) and absolute belief in God (Philippians 2:8-9) are the costs a believer needs to count in his or her journey with God. “The price you pay for walking with God would never be in vain but is much more than its value,” he noted.
He then urged them to follow the example of Jesus Christ and make a difference in their neighbourhood and in the world because they are the solution to the problems of mankind.
“LESSONS IN THE MIDST OF LIFE’S JOURNEY”
Pastor Moji Awokoya @ Sunday Second Service
Pastor Moji Awokoya at the September 1 Sunday second service said that life’s journey is full of so many challenges as well as opportunities and one’s focus, whether on the challenges or the opportunities to exercise faith and trust in God, would determine one’s outcome.
Using the life’s experience of Jacob in connection with the person and character of God as recorded in Genesis 28:13-21 as an illustration, she noted six lessons in the midst of a believer’s life journey:
- God does not give up on His children.
- It’s not over until God says it’s over.
- God’s children are never alone.
- God sometimes allows certain circumstances in the lives of His children to prove His glory.
- He always has a better answer.
- The end of a believer matters more than the beginning.
She therefore urged them never to listen to the devil because he would always lead them astray. “Even when you make mistakes, go back to God and He will always show you a way out,” she said.
“THE CAVE BEFORE THE THRONE”
Pastor Jimi Odukoya @ Thursday Showers
Using the life of David from when he was anointed king to when he finally ascended the throne as an illustration, Pastor Jimi Odukoya at the August 29 Thursday Showers service said that there is a process of testing, character pruning and development in the life of a believer before getting to final destination. According to him, many believers change their attitudes once they have the anointing, forgetting or neglecting the processes between the cave and the throne. “Appointment is the equipping to function in the authority that has been given to you but you have to reach maturity before you get there. So even though you’ve been anointed, you need to be patient until you’re appointed,” he said.
Speaking from 1 Samuel 22:1-2 and Psalm 142:1-7, Pastor J as he is popularly called said that humility, patience and a spirit of servanthood are needed to get to the throne. This, he said, would determine a believer’s character when he or she gets to the palace. He also said that the presence of troubles does not mean that God’s promise would not come to pass in the life of His child, noting that a believer should always understand that God’s presence is with him or her and be confident that his or her appointment would come irrespective of current challenges, just as David was sure and trusted God’s promises for him despite his challenges.
In his words, “Sometimes God uses trouble as tools or vehicles to propagate his glory. You can be anointed and your situation doesn’t change. You may feel like what belongs to you is in someone’s hands. But your attitude must not change; you must be humble and still continue to serve till you get there. God uses troubles to take you to the appointment so that you’d know that he appointed you to serve people and not for yourself. Your kingship is not for position but for service.”
The full messages are available on CDs and DVDs at The Fountain of Life Church Digital Media Store.
