WE WANT TO SEE JESUS

As the coming of the Lord draws near, the desire to see Jesus and to be with Him, keeps increasing on the part of true worshipers and seekers of His kingdom. Even amongst the Gentiles, there is a burning desire to know Jesus in these last days (Isaiah 2:1-4; Micah 4:1-2; Isaiah 60:3). 

For every generation, there is a revelation! Samuel was rightly positioned to receive God's counsel for his generation. Likewise, through divine instruction, David was able to take delivery of his God-given assignment to his generation. For you to make significant impact in your generation, you must have access to divine revelation.

There comes a time when God sets a vacuum in the hearts of men, so that they can truly desire His presence, sons of the kingdom leverage on this God-given opportunity to reach out to a lost world, telling people about Jesus… Thereafter, many folks will come to the knowledge of Christ.

'Now there were certain Greeks among those who came up to worship at the feast...' (John 12:20)

Prior to this time, Jesus had raised up Lazarus from the dead, and during the dinner held in His honour, He became the centre of attraction. Many people who came for the feast, came around to see Him, others came to see Lazarus, on whose account, many of the Jews believed in Jesus (John 12:9-11).

Even among the Gentiles, people came up to worship at the feast… They came seeking the God of Israel. They came with a deep yearning, thirst and hunger for Jesus!

The church of God has a strategic assignment to fulfil at this time, we need to rise up to this spiritual responsibility that God has placed in our hands.

People will keep coming from different works of life, with their substance, to worship at the feet of the Master. Many of them will come with deeply burning desire in their hearts, that they might see Jesus.

The big question is, ‘How do we respond to their needs?’

When they come to us, to inquire about Jesus, what is our response? 

What testimony do we bear about Jesus to the world?

The sad story is that, while the world is running to the church for solutions, the church is also running and striving hard to catch up with the world. Sometimes, people come with a deep passion to meet with the Lord, yet, they meet with a cold, lifeless, hostile and self-centred ‘church’ which seems to be representing Jesus.

Are we representing Jesus? Do we crave to know Him? Do we bother to care about Him and His desire for our generation?

‘Then they came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and asked him, saying, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus”’ (John 12:21).

Philip was one of the disciples of Jesus. He had a personal encounter with Jesus. He received the mandate to follow Jesus. Thereafter, he led Nathaniel to Jesus (John 1:43-46).

Have you truly had an encounter with Jesus? 

Before you can lead others to Christ, you must have a working relationship with Him.

Perhaps there was something the people saw in the life of Philip of Bethsaida, which drew their attention to him, asking him to take them to Jesus! 

People must see the glory of God in your life. The light of the knowledge of God’s glory must rub off on you…

I pray that you will experience the revelation of Christ the King! Moreover, Christ will be revealed in you…

PASTOR NATHANIEL SADELA
RESIDENT PASTOR

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CHOSEN FOR A PURPOSE

Christians are God’s chosen. They are called for God’s special purpose on earth.  It is the duty of the individual Christian therefore that he discovers the very purpose for which he has been called and chosen of God. The fact that a man responds to salvation alone goes to show that he’s been chosen by God to respond to that call. Jesus said that “No one can come unto me except the father draws him…. John 6:44. God knows you before you are brought forth.      

God chose you before you were born 

As a Christian, you are a product of election by God’s Grace. God has predestined you and me to be called the sons of God not because we choose to be, but because He has made it to be. Therefore, we are saved to be used of God to carry out special assignment for Him. 

Let us see briefly some of the people God chose in the bible even before they knew that they had been elected or chosen by God.

David – 1Samuel 13:13 -14 

God had ordained David as the king of Israel long before it even got to the notice of David himself. 

While Saul was still reigning physically as the king of Israel, God had already rejected him and sought for himself another king for Israel in the person of David without anyone knowing.  Samuel did not know as well until God revealed the Identity of David some days or even, may be months after He had chosen David. The purpose for choosing David is for him to replace Saul and become the captain of God’s people.

Josiah – 1kings 13: 1 -3, 2Kings 23: 15 – 16

King Josiah is another man that God chose for His own purpose. In this case, prophecy had even gone forth more than one hundred years (100 years) before Josiah was born.  At the end, the prophecy came to pass and Josiah did as the Lord had purposed.

Prophet Jeremiah – Jeremiah 1:4 - 5 

God categorically spoke concerning Jeremiah that he had been preordained even before he was formed in his mother’s womb. Jeremiah was chosen by God for the purpose of speaking the Word of the Lord to the nation of Israel before and during the captivity of Israel.

Why God choose/call believers?

Have you ever asked yourself why you have been chosen or called by God? Anyway, there are quite a number of reasons why God calls His children this day. Here are few I will like to discuss:

1.      God chooses us to show forth His praise 1Peter 2: 9 -10

 

2.      God chooses us bring His salvation to others 2Cor. 8: 18 - 19

3.      We have been chosen to be the Salt and the Light of God to our world Matt. 5: 13 - 16

4.      We are chosen to be glorified when we have done all that God requires of us – Rom. 8: 30

PASTOR RAPHAEL ATODE

     

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STAY THE COURSE

‘Stay the course’ is an old phrase used in the context of warfare, meaning to pursue a goal regardless of any obstacles or criticism. 

To ‘stay the course’ is to continue doing something until it is finished or until you achieve what you have planned to do.

‘And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart’ (Galatians 6:9).

God pre-ordained us for service, even before we were conceived (Ephesians 2:10; Jeremiah 1:5). It’s God’s desire that you serve your generation according to His will, before you leave this world. It is required that we serve the Lord with gladness (Psalm 100:2).

Service is your destiny! Service is giving… service is living… If you’re not serving, you’ve lost the essence of life.

Each of the trees mentioned in Jotham’s parable, (Judges 9:8-15) represents men in different capacities, accepting responsibilities in spite of their challenges and affecting their generations for God in diverse ways.

You must utilize every God-given opportunity or platform you have, for service…

The heart of service (a burning passion for good works) births diligence in you.

Diligence here, connotes self-governance, hard-work, perseverance, industry, proven dexterity (Prov. 10:4; 12:24, 27; 2 Peter 1:5-7). 

Furthermore, it leads to hope.

Hope is a feeling of expectation. It requires waiting… (Romans 8:24-26).

‘And we desire that each one of you shows the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end’ (Hebrews 6:11).

The moment you come to the full assurance of hope, you no longer become sluggish, but you imitate partakers of the divine nature (the promise).

Furthermore, hope births faith in you.
‘…Now, faith is the substance of things hoped for…’

 
Faith connotes absolute trust in the integrity of God’s Word… It’s the assurance that God’s Word will never return to Him void…

and the faith blossoms to patience.
Patience is the capacity to accept or tolerate delay, problems, or suffering without becoming annoyed or overwhelmed with anxiety. 

Hereafter, you step into the inheritance of the promise.

PASTOR NATHANIEL SADELA
RESIDENT PASTOR

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