Pastor Blessing Awosika @Sunday First service
Pastor Blessing Awosika during the July 22 Sunday first service said that believers’ lives are in God’s hands and He specifically orchestrates and determines their journey. They therefore need to trust Him for the best, irrespective of their situations, pains or challenges. “The journey of life is not always simple, straightforward or convenient. But there is a perfect God who causes all things to work according to His master plans and He unfolds them when we get to the seasons He has ordained for our lives,” she said.
Speaking from 2 Chronicles 6:4, she said that when believers truly know and understand that their lives are in God’s hands, their attitudes would be positive to His Word, and their actions would be that of trust, obedience and patience. “The most trusted place you can ever be in the world is in the hands of God. No matter what is going on with you, you can always go to Him because He understands that situation, and He knows what He is doing,” she stated.
Using the process of transformation of a caterpillar to a beautiful butterfly, which is characterised by pain and struggle at some point as an illustration, she said that believers would be doing themselves a lot of harm if they decide to help God. “As with the butterfly, the season of pain and struggle come to empower us for the glorious destiny God designed for us. Stop helping God; He doesn’t need your help. You don’t have the capacity to comprehend the big and unimaginable plans God has for your life. Your good intention could harm you if you decide to work with your time instead of His,” she said.
She therefore urged them to patiently wait on God and trust Him with their lives which are in His hands.
“THE VESSEL”
Pastor Tolu Ijogun @ Sunday Second Service
Speaking on how to be useful vessels in the hands of God, Pastor Tolu Ijogun at the second service said that God needs His children to be vessels He could use, irrespective of their inadequacies or failure. According to her, one important thing God needs in a vessel is availability. “If you are a child of God, you are in a position to be used by God; but if you are not available to Him, whatever other kind of ability you have is of no use. So, if God calls you, don’t look at your inadequacies, just go,” she said.
Using biblical Moses, David, Daniel, John the Baptist and other vessels that were used by God as examples, she said that God would always give an available vessel the capability for the assignment.
Citing 1 Corinthians 1:27 and 2 Corinthians 4:7, she noted that God has put in His children everything they would need to show forth His glory. She said however that an obedient heart is needed to be able to achieve this because some things would not make sense; but when believers obey and step out in faith, the miraculous would happen. “There is no impossibility with an available and willing vessel,” she stated.
She urged them to always make themselves available for the use of the Master because someone’s life depends on their obedience. “A container receives, contains and expresses. If you are a container of God, nothing can hold you down. You carry God and express God,” she said.
“YOUR ATTITUDE WHILE YOU WAIT”
Pastor Bisoye Okwoli @Thursday Showers
Pastor Bisoye Okwoli admonished the worshippers at the July 19 Thursday Showers service to have faith in God regardless of their challenges because He alone is able to do all things. According to her, being a Christian does not exempt one from challenges. “Being a Christian doesn’t mean you won’t face challenges. Those challenges, at times, would leave you perplexed but God will always come through for you,” she said.
Using the life and attitude of Mary and Martha towards Jesus (recorded in John 11:1-28) as an illustration, Pastor Okwoli said that believers, at times, may not understand what they are going through or the solutions to their problems, but their faith in God should never be compromised. In her words, “Sometimes, you might not understand what you’re going through or how to come out of it, but you must understand that Jesus does. So trust Him to come through for you. Regardless of what you’re going through, never abandon your pursuit of the presence of God.”
She then encouraged them to always hold on to God because He will surely turn their test to testimonies if they remain steadfast in Him. “Everything you’re going through as a believer is because God wants to give you a new ground to believe. He definitely has you in mind. So, make sure you’re in sync with Him because He understands your frustration and knows exactly what to do,” she said.
The full messages are available on CDs and DVDs at The Fountain of Life Church Tape Shop.
