Pastor Gbenga Onabanjo @ Sunday first service
Pastor Gbenga Onabanjo told the congregation at the June 4 Sunday first service held at The Fountain of Life Church that true friendship provides emotional and physical warmth in a cold and cruel world as well as spiritual growth. Speaking from Ecclesiastes 4:9–12, he said that a true friend would continually boost one’s happiness and reduce one’s stress. “Your areas of weakness he will downplay, but your areas of strength he will deepen and strengthen,” he said.
According to the clergy, loyalty, empathy, trust, honesty, and respect are five important virtues of friendship that believers need to exhibit as well as guard jealously. These virtues, he continued, were exemplified in the lives of David and Jonathan, as recorded in 1 Samuel 18:3. These virtues were also seen in the friendship between David and friends like Hushai, the Archite, who expressed his loyalty by agreeing with David to return to the city and defeat the counsel of Ahithophel, as recorded in 2 Samuel 15:31–34.
“It is important we cultivate good and loyal friendships – a friendship that is mutual and deeper than the surface of the skin. May God endow us with good and committed friends like Esther who will be there for us to bear our burdens,” he stated.
The clergy continued, “We do need friends in this time and age. No man is an island. No man can be alone. When God brought forth Adam, He said it was not good for a man to be alone, and therefore, he brought forth Eve. And so, it is very important that we have friends.”
Pastor Onabanjo, citing Luke 5:17–26, further said that people need friends that will lead them to Christ, just as those four friends helped their paralytic friend get to Jesus for a miracle.
In rounding off, Pastor Gbenga admonished his listeners to not just look out for good friends but to also become that friends that can tear down every barrier and go to any length to pray for their friends. “Don’t stop interceding for your friends. Don’t stop having faith in their healing; don’t stop interceding for their marriages and relationships. As you pray for your friends, they will return to testify”, he urged.
The full message is available on the Church’s Youtube channel, The Fountain TV) and TOM TV (Taiwo Odukoya Ministry) https://www.youtube.com/live/QGwYsb6iUn4?feature=share It is also available on CDs and DVDs at The Fountain of Life Church Digital Media Store.
THE GRACE OF THE GOD OF GLORY
Pastor Dr. Nwachukwu Nzegwu @ Sunday second service
Grace elicits humility and gratitude. These were the words of Pastor Nzegwu during his sermon at the June 4 Sunday second service. According to him, the intimacy believers have with God that enables them to access His presence begins at salvation, adding that believers, therefore, need to have an attitude of gratitude and humility.
Speaking from Deuteronomy 33:27a, 2 Timothy 2:13, Isaiah 46:3b–4, and Matthew 6:9–13, the clergy said that there is nothing believers can do to make God love them less, stating that God sees them through Jesus Christ.
The man of God also cited Hebrews 4:16 to admonish his listeners not to be afraid to approach God because the blood of the Lamb has washed them. “Even in your worst days, feel free to come into His presence. His nature is love, and He can’t change from that,” he said.
Using the account of the prodigal son recorded in Luke 15:20 as an illustration, Pastor Nzegwu noted that the love of God is a gift and has nothing to do with human effort; it is just God’s nature.
He said, “When you know you are loved, you are at ease. Your friend may disappoint and fail you; you may even be doubtful of God’s love towards you due to the challenges you are facing; but God still loves you even in those conditions.”
He, therefore, urged the congregation from the lives of Esther and Mordecai to always be positive and trust God for the best in life so long as their lives are lived in Him. “There are limitless opportunities and tremendous advantages to living one’s life for God,” he said.
The full message is available on the Church’s Youtube channel, The Fountain TV) and TOM TV (Taiwo Odukoya Ministry) https://www.youtube.com/live/QGwYsb6iUn4?feature=share It is also available on CDs and DVDs at The Fountain of Life Church Digital Media Store.
THE WORD OF GOD IS THE BELIEVER’S RECIPE FOR SUCCESS
Pastor Yemisi Tells Worshippers @ Thursday showers
Pastor Yemisi Akindolie, during her ministration at the June 1 Thursday Showers, told the worshippers that situations in life may seem impossible, but holding onto the word of God brings solutions. Using the account of Zechariah and Elizabeth as recorded in Luke 1 as an illustration, Pastor Yemisi said that believers should learn to believe God’s word and promises over their lives, irrespective of what the circumstances or people might be saying.
The clergy recalled that Zechariah and Elizabeth were told they were too old to bear a child. Even Zechariah did not believe when an angel visited, telling him that they would have a child, but Elizabeth believed the word spoken about her situation, and thus there was a performance of it. “Irrespective of the situation, sticking to God’s words over any situation is the recipe for success,” she said.
Pastor Yemisi, therefore, told the congregation to return to God’s words in their lives whenever there were difficulties. “Even though the situation may look impossible, respond in line with God’s word. Doing so will help to build your faith and strengthen you,” she stated.
The cleric, therefore, urged the worshippers not to give in to fear about developments around them, as such breeds unbelief. In her words, “Christians must stick to the word and allow the Holy Spirit to minister to them via it.”
The full message is available on the Church’s Youtube channel, The Fountain TV) and TOM TV (Taiwo Odukoya Ministry) https://www.youtube.com/live/QGwYsb6iUn4?feature=share It is also available on CDs and DVDs at The Fountain of Life Church Digital Media Store.
