PROPHETIC MESSAGE.

Pastor Joh.W.Matutis, ( Berlin / Germany )

The Lord gave me a very important vision. I must inform you of them. Perhaps it is important for you and helpful? While praying this morning, God gave me a vision.
He showed me a great, world-wide “mobilization.”

I saw myself strolling along a beach. Suddenly, there sounded a loud boo m, which became stronger and more massive. It was not the noise of the sea or of the wind. It was completely still outside. The sea water was as smooth as glass. The deep booming sound which was like the sound of the mountains about to cave in, a banging sound which I had up till now never heard in my whole life, came from the other side of the ocean, from far away. It became so strong and mighty, that the earth began to quake and shake. It sounded like the blasting of a deep bass trumpet. I had never heard this sort and depth of bass sound before now. The whole air vibrated.I holed myself up in the dunes of the embankment, face down, and waited to see what would come out of this natural spectacle.

When the booming refused to stop, and instead became stronger, I saw myself begin to pray in the vision, and to speak with my God. Then I heard a voice saying, “My child, fear not. That is my mobilization call, a signal from the other world. I am calling my people out from all peoples. I myself am shaking the earth and the sea. The sinners and godless will pass away for fear and the fearful expectation of the things which are to come.
Understand, my child, that all these have been initiated by the financial crises. That was just the beginning of ruin. The foundation of today’s society will be so shaken that the people will lose all that they have acquired, and saved up till now.

Every infrastructure and welfare will collapse with20time. Life will be very difficult for very many people.
The general security will get out of control and there will be a proliferation of crime such that life on earth will be massively threatened. But you, who fear my name will I save from ruin. I am holding my arm of protection over you."

Although not even a silent wind blew, and not even a small wave was seen on the sea, the booming was so mighty, that my heart threatened to stop beating. Then I thought to myself, “I will now also die”. And then the Lord said to me, “My child, do not fear. You are to live and continue to declare my works. Arise, go home and tell your loved ones. Let them know that the coming of my son is very close at hand, at the doorstep. I am setting everything in motion in order to take my people home, and I am now stripping them of everything that is holding them back, or blocking them."

As I stood up to obey God’s voice, starting to make my way home-wards, I saw very many people, lying in the dunes. They had come out from their houses, racing towards the sea to see and experience this extraordinary
natural spectacle. They lay on their faces as if paralysed, exactly as I had lain a few minutes before now. As I passed by them on my way home, despite the continuous distant booming sound, these peop le called to me saying “you are crazy; you cannot make it home in this situation. It is too dangerous”.
They then buried their heads even further in the dunes, because they feared what would happen next. They no longer wanted to hear or know of anything.

And then said the Lord to me: “For you, my children, who fear my name, this is the day of my “mobilization”. For you ,my “sun of salvation” arises, with which I gather my true children, and bring them together.
Go, my son, and tell this everyone you can reach”.

Then I asked the Lord, “What shall I tell them?” “Tell my children, they are no longer to occupy themselves with perishable things, but rather, much more with the immortal, the eternal things. They are to seek me and study my word. They should forgive one another, so long as there is still time, and make peace with one another.

They should stop being envious of , and pointing fingers at one another. They should neither accuse nor suspect one another. Everyone should do what he is supposed to, and can do. Tell them to free themselves of every unnecessary thing, and to stop fighting spasmodically (intermittently) for their rights. From now on, I will ensure
your rights, and provide for justice for you . Great changes are about to occur all over the world, in every area of life. Adjust yourselves therefore and be prepared. Nothing is going to be as it has been before now...”

The further I moved from the beach, the less of the booming sound I heard, even though I was of the opinion that the sound had become stronger and even more massive. I felt as if I had been secured in a class case.

Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “I will bring my children into safety in my own way. You will see everything I will do in the world, which will experience all the plagues of Egypt , before I withdraw my children unto myself, before Pharaoh releases you forever. My people hold together! Stay with one another, encourage one another. Soon, you would have made it!"

That was the last thing I took with me from this vision.

As I thought about all that I had seen, and what I should do with it, the Lord spoke to me saying, “Spread this revelation I have given you this morning about my “mobilization” overall further to my children, and encourage them to do likewise, for I am at the door (I am coming=2 0soon). And tell them, especially my people, that they should be serious about their relationship with me (God), before it is too late....”

Do help me spread this message overall. Send it to your friends and acquaintances. Spread it your churches and house fellowships. Translate it into other languages.

Maranatha! Our Lord comes.

Pastor Joh Matutis

My Visit To Heaven

by Maurice Sklar on Wednesday, 15 September 2010 at 07:03

On Wednesday, August 4th, 2010, at about 10:30 AM, an angel came into my bedroom, I had just awakened. He said to me, "I am sent from the Lord to bring you to heaven. You must now come with me. Take my hand." So I did. Suddenly, I was in the spirit realm. We ascended out through the ceiling of my home and shot up into the air like a rocket. As a looked down, my house rapidly became smaller and smaller, until I could only see our neighborhood, then only the city, and then the outlines of the west coast of California. Soon we were in space and I watched the earth grow smaller and smaller. Then, as I looked out ahead of us, we were moving so fast that the stars became like long streaks of light disappearing into a point in the horizon in front of us. Then, I saw a planet approaching that looked very similar to the earth. The angel spoke, "This is the planet Heaven."


We descended into the atmosphere and soon I could see that we were over a huge mountain range. It was covered completely with snow for some distance to the north of us. We finally landed in a spectacular valley surrounded with high snow capped mountains on every side of us. The air was crisp and clean and I smelled a beautiful fragrance carried on the gentle breeze under a bright and pleasant sun. I looked around me and on the side of the mountain we were at the bottom of was just covered in violet, red, pink, and yellow wildflowers. It was breathtaking! Such vivid colors and clarity. The nature was so gorgeous that I nearly fell to my knees in front of the angel. But, looking at him, I realized that this was not appropriate right then. He pointed in a direction to the west of us, (I think), and said, "Let's go and see what has now been prepared." We walked for some distance. I was in awe as we approached a large lake that was fed from the snow of the mountains above by a huge waterfall. As we got closer to it, the roar of the water was deafening almost, but sounded like an orchestra and choir singing at the same time under the roar. That is as close as I can describe the sound. It was making music! As the sun hit it, it would reflect all the colors that I had ever seen like a rainbow in spraying water in the sun, but there were many more colors that I had not seen before also. I was struck in amazement. But, the angel made me turn away and continue walking. Soon I saw a large white tent "city" of sorts. It was right along a plateau at the edge of the lake overlooking the mountains. At first it didn't seem so large, but as we approached it, I realized it was very big indeed.


It had twelve tent pavilions; each with a white cone that went up at least ten stories high. On top of each "cone" was a flag that the angel said was a flag for each of the twelve tribes of Israel. The angel said, "This has been prepared for those of the Bride of Messiah from the twelve tribes of Israel that are about to be released to minister in the final hour. This is part of the wedding supper that only those who are worthy may attend. These are those that loved not their lives unto death.


As we entered into the tent of Benjamin, I saw many tables that were at least a hundred feet long. Each was lavishly set with gold cutlery, crystal goblets and plates that looked like they were made out of mother-of-pearl. Each table was arranged in such a way that all could see one table that was raised higher than the others in the center. In the middle of that table, there was a throne-like chair. I knew somehow that that must belong to the Lord Yeshua where He will sit. At each setting were engraved names of those invited on small gold rectangular nameplates. Some were more elaborate than others and were surrounded with gemstones and diamonds. The entire tent pavilion was shaped like a star of David with the twelve tribes surrounding a center raised table that was also at least a hundred feet long. I was allowed to see the nameplates of some that were seated at the Lord's table. Abraham, David, Moses, Elijah, and others from the Bible had their places marked there. The Apostles of the Lamb were also represented. But there were also other names that I did not recognize that were seated at that table. We cannot know about them at this time.


The mighty angel with me was clothed completely in white and was too bright for me to look directly at as he stood next to me, but I could hear his voice. He cried, "Blessed are those that will be seated here. God will surely reward all of His faithful ones. They are His beloved. They are His Bride. Tell them still on earth, ALL IS NOW READY! THE LAMB IS STANDING AT THE DOOR TO APPEAR FOR HIS BELOVED, HIS BRIDE! WATCH AND PRAY THAT YOU MAY COUNTED WORTHY TO ESCAPE THE WRATH TO COME THAT IS SOON TO BE POURED OUT ON THE EARTH. Hide yourself in the secret place with your lamps burning brightly....BEHOLD, THE BRIDEGROOM COMETH!" As he was speaking, the angel of the Lord began to shine again so brightly that I hid my face and fell prostrate before Him.


Soon though, I was able to rise again. He lifted me up and I could look at him again. He said, Now, I will take you to hear some of the music of heaven. Then, suddenly, we were standing outside what looked like a concert hall, but grander than any I had ever seen before. We ascended steps to the entrance that was surrounded by columns. There were others coming to the concert, both angels and people. Several bowed towards me and greeted me as I entered, but I did not recognize them. We sat in a center box seat in front of a large symphony orchestra. I was surprised to see that it seemed so similar to a concert on earth. I even recognized several of the musicians, some I just knew by revelation that they were among the great musicians of the past, and a few I recognized from my life that had died and were already here in heaven.


The angel quietly spoke in my ear. This is a concert in your honor. The composer, Gustav Mahler is here in heaven. He has composed a symphony for you. Then the Lord came out on stage and conducted! As he entered, the whole audience bowed in worship and reverenced His Presence. Then, when the music started, I went into a realm of ecstasy that I cannot describe in words. But the music was like a living movie or a vision. I listened and I saw many good things that I had done to love people on earth. I saw so many things in history and in eternity that I cannot even begin to describe. The music was definitely in the style of Mahler, but without any of the torment or despair. It was humbled and amazed beyond words. It was the most beautiful music I have ever experienced. I laughed. I cried. I fell prostrate before the throne of God and worshiped. (Somehow I could do this while listening. I don't know how.) As I listened, something deep in me that was in terrible pain was healed and it didn't hurt anymore. When it finished, I begged the angel to let me stay there and never leave or have to go back to earth again.


But, the angel, "It is not time yet. But, I may show you one of your mansions." Suddenly, we were out in the mountains again. I don't know, but it might have been that same location. We were on the side of a mountain. We were walking up a winding street that seemed to shimmer like those plates at the tent pavilion. It looked like marble, mother-of-pearl, gold, and glass, all at the same time. Finally, we reached a flat plateau overlooking what looked like the Swiss or Bavarian Alps. It was covered with perfectly manicured grass. We were standing in front of a golden gate that had filigree work all over it. Over the top was my name: "Maury Sklar" engraved in that same kind of stone/glass/gold on a rectangular plate. It was covered with precious stones and shimmered and glittered in the late afternoon sun. I was in awe! The two gates opened by themselves as we entered what seemed like a kind of Japanese style garden with a stream running through it. It had a winding path surrounded by the most beautiful roses, other flowers, and those kind of Japanese manicured-type trees interspersed between. There were bright colored fish that swam in the stream. We walked over an arched wooden bridge that went over the stream as we approached my mansion! There was a small forest all around the garden, and as I looked to my left while crossing that little bridge, I could see a waterfall coming from a rock formation about forty feet or so above. It fed the stream and came from the top of my mountain. The angel told me that the entire mountain was mine, along with other artists and musicians that were also living on it.


We finally came to the front door, and the house was hidden somewhat within the little forest. But, now I had a clearer view once I crossed the wooden bridge and it took by breath away! It looked like a modern redwood and glass home. There were floor to ceiling windows in the front looking out upon the garden. It had a lot of angles with beveled windows that looked like they were pure crystal instead of glass. The doors were over 25 feet high and were made out of elaborately carved teak-like wood. It had a large Jewish star that was embedded half in one door and half in the other made out of that same mother-of-pearl like stone-glass. But this star just glowed brightly in its' own light. There was a large round knob, but it just opened again as we entered all by itself. When I looked in the front entrance, light just burst into the house from all sides and the ceiling itself was also crystalline alternating with large redwood like beams that went from one wall to the other. Then I entered the living room area and it was amazing! Like every dream house I had ever thought of, it had contemporary furniture, a ceiling that was two or three stories up, totally open. The entire back wall was floor to ceiling crystal glass. I had a view of what looked like a painting of Mt. Fuji in the center of a magnificent mountain lake, that was surrounded on all sides by mountains that looked like the Himalayas or something. I have never seen such a sight! I just gasped in awe. There was a large fireplace in the middle of the back wall, but somehow I could see through it anyway! On the left side in the back, there was a crystal door that opened up to a redwood type deck. There was a pool that seemed like it just disappeared into the mountain view. there was no edge to it I noticed that it was also fed from that waterfall and stream that flowed in my front yard. I then toured the magnificent bedrooms. The greatest room of all was the "music room", though. It had thick velvet carpet that was dark purple, and as I entered, it seemed to become a small recital hall or concert hall. I could tell that it would expand or contract depending on who or how many people were there. To one side, there was a vault-like door, and in it were dozens of great stringed instruments. Some had been made for me, and one place was open, where the Lord had promised me that He would make a violin for me and I could watch, after I get there to heaven! There were cases of fine bows embedded with precious jewels, and other musical treasures that I cannot mention at this time.


Then, my angel that had escorted me, said, "There is another place I must take you to." I took his hand again, and we were suddenly in front of a large warehouse-looking building. We went inside and I felt like I was in the largest warehouse building I had ever seen. I could hardly see the far walls. It looked like the largest wardrobe collection ever! There were twelve long rows of robes with large shoulder pieces across the tops of them. (That's the best way I can describe it. I have never seen clothing like this. It looked like there was a bar or small wooden plank across the top of each like a small curtain rod that the robe hung from.) These robes were hung along clothing racks that stretched as far as I could see. We were suddenly up above on a catwalk type platform and I could see all of these robes. There were twelve long rows of what looked like thousands of identical robes that went as far as I could see. Then the angel said to me, "These are mantles for the final hour that is to come upon earth. This is for the end time ministry of Elijah the prophet. There will be twelve thousand from each tribe of Israel that will carry one of these mantles.


Then, we walked into another smaller room of this same warehouse. There were other mantles that were hung on the walls on every side. These all looked different from each other. I knew somehow that they had been worn by great saints and ministries of the past. I was surprised to see some from the middle ages, as well as those worn by the early church apostles, and fathers. On a dais at the end of this room was three robes that were hung side by side, with the middle one up higher than the rest. On the left side was a robe that was hung under a old fashioned type scale with two bowls being balanced together. I immediately recognized that as a symbol for justice and law. The angel seemed to know what I was thinking and said, "Yes. That was the mantle that Moses wore. It is the mantle of the giving of the Torah to your people." Then I glanced over to the far right. I saw a rough looking hair skin vest that had a belt around the middle. The angel said, "That is the mantle of Elijah the Prophet. Both of these shall be worn again in the final hour, as it is written."


Then, I looked in the center up at the robe that was higher than the rest. It was white. At first it looked really plain, but then as I continued to look, it became brighter and brighter until finally it was so dazzling that I could not look upon it any more. When I turned my eyes away, the angel said, "This is the robe reserved for Yeshua the Messiah when he returns to the earth with all the saints. It will be dipped in blood. The Word of God shall be seen by all!"


"Do you know what you have seen?", the angel asked me. I said, "No sir. not fully. But you know." He replied, "You have seen the Hall of Mantles reserved for the final hour of judgment soon to come upon the world. Few have seen them. The angels have finished all of them. All is now ready! You must write what you have seen so that My people can know how close I am to the final hour! I AM COMING SOON!"


As the angel was speaking, I suddenly realized that it was the LORD Himself who had been with me. He had taken the form of that angel. He seemed to grow and grow until I was overwhelmed and once again the light was blinding me that was coming from His face. I then fell flat on my face again and worshiped Him. For He is King of Kings and LORD of Lords!


Then, the light and the glory lifted, and He appeared again in a blue and white robe. He seemed like a Man now, though I knew He was the LORD. He said to me, "Maury, I want you to see the Great Hall of the Crowns." Suddenly, we were at a large castle of some sort. It looked like Buckingham Palace, Versailles, and the Taj Mahal all at the same time. (I know that sounds strange, but that is what it looked like to me.) I was stunned at the majesty of this building. We walked in these gothic doors and we were in a huge, long foyer-like hallway that had little tables on both sides. They were covered in black velvet like material, only more plush. On top of each little table was a crown Each was different, but all of them were so beautiful that I saw them and burst into tears! Along the walls and ceiling were fine paintings and carvings kind of like are at the Vatican, only much greater. This foyer or hallway stretched out before us as far as I could see in the distance. Every ten feet or so on every side was a crown on a golden table draped in black velvet. Each one had a name under it. Some were studded with thousands of precious stones. Some were covered in diamonds, which the Lord told me represents souls. The other stones represent great acts of love and sacrifice for the Kingdom. Some had a red border around the base of the crown representing martyrdom. Some were like little tiaras of diamonds. Some were so large that they had diamonds solid going up two and three feet. All of them were like the finest works of art I had ever seen! Like a Michelangelo sculpture, or a Raphael painting, each just struck awe in me. Some of the less ornate crowns were for the shepherds - pastors of the flock that had been true and faithful, but their beauty was even more moving somehow. I wept and worshiped the Lord as we walked down a portion of that great Hall of the Crowns.


Then, suddenly, I was back in my bedroom again. Hardly any time had passed. I had felt I had been in heaven for hours or even several days, but it was only a moment of our time on earth.


This is the truest account I could write of what I experienced. Please understand that I am not advocating any doctrine or adding to scripture in any way. It is a vision, and as all supernatural revelation, it must be judged according to the higher authority of scripture. Nevertheless, I must be obedient and record what I saw and heard in this heavenly experience, as the Lord commanded for me to do.


May the Lord continue to bless you abundantly, beloved friends!


Maurice Sklar

ON SOSOLISO CRASH- AN ELEGY TO THE DEAD

BY PASTOR SAYO AJIBOYE
ST LOUIS, MO.

One Poem I learned in 1978 at Methodist High School Ilesa and that I have never forgotten is Gray's "Elegy written in the Churchyard" An elegy by the way is a Song of mourning, a pensive reflective poem that is both nostalgic and melancholic. Today Gray's Elegy pops right into my mind as I remember the victims of Sosoliso flight to Port Harcourt this penultimate Friday.

Gray wrote about the Curfew tolling the knell of the parting of the day, and the glimmering landscape fading on the sight.He wrote about rugged elms and yew trees shade and narrow cells under which the rude forefathers of the hamlet sleep. He wrote many other things in this powerful poem (read at http://www.blupete.com/Literature/Poetry/Elegy.htm) all of which speaks to our nation and the homes that have been affected by this tragedy. The only difference is that these people are not "the rude," they are the best that our nation has to offer.

I speak of Rev Mrs Bimbo Odukoya, a titan of her time, a missionary extraordinaire, a mobilizer per excellence, a leader that is true, a source of light, a source of life - indeed a FOUNTAIN OF LIFE! How could she have died so soon and so suddenly? How could she have died at a time when our nation needs her, at a season when our people are looking for Hope? This is a period when many are asking "where is the way" and a brilliant light that shone - like John the Baptist, crying to the nation to prepare a way for the Lord was snatched from our Land. I weep hot tears!

I identify with the Psalmist and reject any super spirituality. I identify with the pain and say in the words that the Spirit wrote that for the Nigerian Nation, Our tears should be our food day and night, for many in the nation will say to us "Where is your God?" We pour out our soul in remembrance as we remember the great multitude that flowed to Ilupeju and the great leadership that Pastor Bim gave the procession... (Psalm 42:2-4 Adapted)

Pastor Bimbo prospered in her calling and built a generation of worshipers. What about the 70 Children of Loyola College who were snuffed out before their candle was lit? Oh what Pain, Oh what sorrow; Oh what loss!! How are the mighty fallen - David said! How are they fallen who should have been the giant Killer for the Nigerian Nation, How are they fallen who should have been the dreamer of great possibilities for the land; How are they fallen to pain to a violent death who should have brought meaning and life and discoveries to our land! Nigeria should mourn our nation needs to cry; the people need to shout: Have mercy Oh Lord, stay the hand of your violent judgment on our nation!

Even though the Children died, it is the Nation that has suffered irreparable loss. How long shall this culture be sustained of carelessness for Human life? How long shall the culture of non maintenance of structures be maintained? Obasanjo needs to be told that there is yet a battle to fight. A battle for true diligence and attention to details at our work, a battle against those who will waste the life of our nation because of their personal corrupt interest. It is time for our Nation to Shout - The Sword of the Lord - against those that will not allow things to be done right. For if things have been done right, the 110 should not have died.

Adieu Pastor Bimbo, Adieu great woman of Faith, You lived well, you died bravely; you were the Best! Adieu my young friends, we have lost you, how can we ever recover your gifting! May the Lord have mercy on the Nigerian Nation.

In Pain.

TRANSITION TO GLORY: HON LADY THERESA BAI CRAIG

A MOTHER OF THE UNDERDOGS: Have you ever wondered what would be said about you when you pass on to the other side? Will your testimony continue to minsiter to those left behind long after you are gone? This is the case with our beloved mother, Hon Lady Theresa Bai Craig.









During the Service of Songs in her honor recently, she was called " A mother of the Underdogs" by those who knew her well. Even though she was the wife of a former Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria , she shuned the limelight prefering to stay in the background ministring to all categories of people from the very powerful to the weakest members of her society. During her life time, it became apparent that she always stood with the defenceless, the weak - the Underdogs. "Mummy" as she was fondly remebered by many had a compassionate heart and a gentle soul. She was a mother not only to her own biological children but to so many other chidlren and grandchildren from many other families including that of her house helps whose grandchilren only knew her as "Mummy " and nothing else.

With her passing, we are reminded once again (borrowing from a Sermon Preached by Pastor Emiko Amostuka many years ago) that it is not " How long we live, but how well we live " .

Mummy is survived by many children inluding our dear sister Dr Rebekah (Taiwo) Ayodele, wife of Pastor Yemi Ayodele. "Mummy" was the wife of Late Hon. Ebenezer Babasanya Craig. CFR, SAN.

Interment is at Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria on December 23, 2005.

Pastor Taiwo Odubiyi: MORE EXCERPT FROM HER NEW BOOK

Here is more excerpt from the book of Pastor Taiwo Odubiyi. She and her husband Pastor Sola Odubiyi are presently based in Maryland, USA.

Pastor Odubiyi is a serious Christian woman who has a ministry to the singles and married couples. More than ever, families need help in the area of relationships which most of the time get swept under the rug for other so called bigger christain subjects. We do not have to wait until problems of relationship become unbearable before we put spice into it. Here is a ministry solely devoted to this most neglected area of christian life and we need to encourage her efforts at a time when many Christain marriages have gone through divorces with some on the brink of divorce and many other problems.

Excerpts from Pastor Odubiyis new book and website is here below. She is available for speaking engagements in churches. She can be reached at: 410-519 6888

Website: http://www.taiwoodubiyiministries.com

TITLE OF BOOK: LOVE FEVER:

More excerpt:

"and he believed a responsible man should not hit his wife, no matter the provocation. He had declared this belief several times. And several times she had provoked him, in fact, there were times he believed she deserved his beating, but he had not raised his hand against her.

For sometime now, all they did together was argue and quarrel, throwing harsh words at each other in anger. He could hardly remember the last time they discussed, joked or played together.

He turned and went back inside the house, slamming the door.

Tosin hissed angrily, engaged the gear in reverse and moved. The security man opened the gate and she swung the car onto the street, her mouth set in anger. Still hot and bothered, her mind in a turmoil, she drove toward the bank where she worked.

She knew she was wrong. Even if her husband had offended her, there was a better way to handle it. Ladi didn't deserve the treatment she was dishing out to him, but somehow, she couldn't help it. He kept offending her, doing so many little things which now amounted to so much.

..........................................................................

This is an earlier excerpt from Pastor Taiwo Odubiyi's second book titled - Love Fever. Read it and experience the will of God and how to love your spouse in this intriguing, suspense filled and heart warming romance novel.

"Tosin stepped out of the house and closed the door gently, walking towards her car. The door flew open again and Ladi stood there.
"Tosin!" He shouted. "Where are you going?"
Without stopping, she threw over her shoulder, "The office. Any objection?"

Ladi looked angry. "Shouldn't you tell me you were leaving? Where is my breakfast?"
"The cousin you brought should be able to get it for you." Tosin opened the car door and entered.
"Is it Sade that's supposed to do that? Look, I'm getting fed up with this your ... I don't care attitude and behavior."
"Too bad," she said carelessly and started the car.
"Don't move that car, Tosin!" Ladi said furiously, his anger getting out of control.
"Look, if you have anything to say, get it over with. I'm getting late for work, you're wasting my time!" She told him roughly, her tone matching his.

Ladi walked towards the wine colored Opel Omega car, his face twisted in anger. "Your husband is complaining about your attitude and you call that a waste of time?"
She was unmoved. She knew he wouldn't hit her. "It is a waste of time as far as I am concerned. Any other thing?" She asked rudely, looking at him.

He was already dressed for office wearing an expensive suit, which was perfectly tailored for his tall, well built frame. He was a handsome man in his early thirties and he seemed very attractive now in the white shirt he wore under the jacket.

Ladi stopped midway to the car and considered his wife of four years. The 5 feet, 8 inches tall lady was wearing her favorite outfit of red silk blouse and navy blue suit, with open toe shoes. Her long hair was packed to a side in a very lovely way, and with her glowing dark skin, the twenty nine year old lady was a beauty.

Ladi thought of what to do. He could seize the car keys from her and delay her, he could hit her and teach her to mind her manners, but none of this would solve the problem, he reasoned. He was a christian and he believed a responsible man "

DR J. SAMUEL: PLEASE PRAY FOR OUR MINISTRY

Dr JOSEPH J. SAMUEL is the Pastor of The Perambur Christain Church Ministries in India. He has been a christain since he was 18 years old and he has been involved in the work of the ministry since then. As a medical doctor, he used his profession to help the poor people of India and planted seventy two churchs. Dr Samuel is visiting with family members in Houston, Texas and he is available for ministration on a limited basis if he is invited. He specifically ask for your prayers for his ministry especially in the areas of Christain Mission Hospital and Christain school. Other areas of their ministry is Church planting, Evangelism, Bible Seminars, Orphans and Widows work, Gospel and Medical camps and Bible School. Dr Samuel is a remarkable man of God indeed and he deserves our support in every way we can. God wants us to honor those who LABOUR AMONG US. He is a true labourer in his vinyard.

To contact Dr Samuel or to offer assistance to their ministry please call Bro Steven Bolting at (281) 491 7130.

MOBILIZATION FOR CHANGE IN AFRICA

BY PASTOR SAYO AJIBOYE

Friends,

Our Lord predicated our entrance into His Kingdom on some astonishing premises - did we feed the hungry? or give water to the thirsty? or clothe the naked?
The Call of our faith is a direct call to Social Action. The words our Lord rings in my heart as he said to His disciples: "you give them something to eat!"

We need to obey that injunction today especially in Africa. I have written thoughts on platforms for mobilizing change . I write from a Christian conviction but as much as possible, I tried avoid using christienese in most of the paper. Please read and respond. I have attached a formated version in Word, you can also see the same article at http://leadafrica.blogspot.com/2005/09/mobilizing-for-change-in-africa.html

REJOICING WITH THE AJIBOYES

PASTOR SAYO AJIBOYE WROTE:

"Dear Friends,

Let me introduce to you the newest member of my family. Her name is OLUWAFEYISAYO (God has made this child a joy) ADEJOJU (Precious Crown) OLUWATUMININU (The Lord has Comforted me) the daughter of AJIBOYE. She was born on the 5th of September 2005 and was named today 17th of September.

Feyisayo's birth is a miracle. She came at a time when we least expect ANYTHING along the line of babies again. She came to us at a time when we needed to know that the Lord indeed is with us. I am sending this mail to say to all our friends and contacts that the Lord is faithful, he will meet all of us at the point of our need".


Dear Brethren,

Many of us know Pastor Sayo as one of the contributors to the Mature Christain Forum. His writings are very deep and we have been blessed by them. To those of us who know Pastor Ajiboye very well (from the time he was at the university of Ibadan in Nigeria, where we all attended one of the Christian fellowships on campus called " Ibadan Varsity Christian Union) will testify to his sweet and gentle spirit. He has the drive to follow the Lord regardless of circumstances. In short, Pastor Sayo Ajiboye is a very special man indeed and this is no exaggeration. Sayo is a man who love the Lord and Gods people with a passion.

It is only fitting for us to pause and celebrate with this wonderful man of God and his family on the arrival of the new addition to his family. Pastor Sayo was far away in Singapore doing the work of the Lord when the baby came into the world. We also rejoice and congratulate his wonderful wife, sister Moni for being a wonderful help meet and a good mother.

May the Lord bless the new baby - OLUWAFEYISAYO and the entire Ajiboye family.


Bro Kunle Elegbede


FOOTNOTE: For those interested : Pastor Sayo had a chance meeting with a man called Doc Searls by sitting next to him in an airplane few years ago. Doc searl is the editor of a weblog called "Doc searls weblog" . Doc soon found out what we have always known about our dear brother for many years and you should go there and read it for yourself.
It is under the title "Markets are miracles, cont'd"------>
http://doc.weblogs.com/2001/04/03

REJOICING WITH THE AJIBOYES

PASTOR SAYO AJIBOYE WROTE:

"Let me introduce to you the newest member of my family. Her name is OLUWAFEYISAYO (God has made this child a joy) ADEJOJU (Precious Crown) OLUWATUMININU (The Lord has Comforted me) the daughter of AJIBOYE. She was born on the 5th of September 2005 and was named today 17th of September".


Beloved,
Many of us know Pastor Sayo Ajiboye as one of the regular contributor to the Mature Christain Forum. His writings are very deep and very precious to us as many of us have been blessed by them. Just like his writings, Pastor Sayo is a very special man inded and this is not an exageration. To those of us who knew him well as far back as the Univeristy of Ibadan in Nigeria where we all attended the Ibadan Varsity Christain Union (IVCU) together, can testify to his gentle spirit, his love for the brethren and his drive to do the will of the Lord regardless of circumstances. Sayo love the Lord and his people with a passion.

It is only fitting for us to pause to celebrate with this wonderful man of God who was far away in Singapore attending a christain confrence when his new born baby was delivered. We also rejoice and congratulate his wonderful wife sister Moni and the other children.

May the Lord bless the new baby - OLUWAFEYISAYO and the enitire Ajiboye family.


Bro Kunle Elegbede.

Pastor Sayo and Moni Ajiboye with the new baby.

The three Ajiboyes children together. 

PASTOR EMIKO IN HOUSTON: ITS TIME ONCE AGAIN TO FEAST ON THE WORD OF GOD.

SEMINAR STARTS ON SEP 16-18, 2005 AT 7PM DAILY .
VENUE: THE CHURCH OF THE NATIONS.
HOST: PASTOR YEMI AYODELE
SPEAKER: PASTOR EMIKO AMOTSUKA

Picture: Pastor Emiko Amotsuka (Middle) with Pastor Yemi Ayodele on the right and Bro Kunle Elegbede on the left .

AN “ODE” GIVEN IN THE SPIRIT OF PROPHESY - DEC.31ST, 1999

BY PASTOR EMIKO AMOTSUKA

There is a new faith in the land. A new faith in the land. It is different from that into which I was born through the sacrifice of Christ.

In the Old faith into which I was born, Jesus Christ the son of the Living God, is the center of attraction. He is the subject of worship. All hearts bow to him. In the new faith, “the man of God” not Jesus, is the center of attraction. The “man of God” is the subject of adoration. He is adored for the power that exude from him. Not the power to change men from sinners to saints, but power that is evidenced by the money he has behind him, the crowd that gathers to hear him.

Yes, there are testimonies of miracles from the people. But in these testimonies, Jesus of Nazareth is not the star of the story, it is the “man of God”, our “ father in the Lord who prayers”, he gets the glory.

There is a new faith in the Land. Outwardly, it resembles the old faith into which I was born through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, but it takes a discerning eye to see that it is not quite the same.

In the old faith, the messenger is a broken vessel through whom Christ is portrayed (2 Cor. 3....” we preach not ourselves but Christ Jesus”). In the new faith, “the man of God “ is so visible, I can hardly see Christ. How can I see Christ, when “ the man of God “ Captivates my attention with stories of his millions, of his exotic houses and cars, the names of the high and mighty who have come to him for prayer and the size and exploits of the ministry that far surpasses what any other ministry will ever dream of.

There is so much to admire or adore in “the man of God” that you can hardly think of the man of Galilee. Yet, it is only that humble Galilean, Jesus Christ, that has the power to change lives, and bring real and lasting peace and joy, but “ the powerful man of God” has stolen the show.

Oh,”man of God”, will you not retrace your steps to Calvary, and hide behind the cross so that the world can see Jesus Christ the true Giver of Life. For until we commit ourselves to portray Christ and Christ alone, Churches may multiply, but evil persist and grow in the land, for though men gather in churches, it is not to meet Christ, but to meet the anointed "man of God" .

Jesus said, ” and if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me”. John 12:32. Paul said, “ not I, but Christ” Gal 2:20.

PASTOR SAYO AJIBOYE: ELC CAMP REPORT 2005

REPORT
Of the
EMERGING LEADERS CONFERENCE 2005
Held at
Children Evangelical Mission (CEM) Camp
Along Oyo Road, Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria
Thursday 21st July and Sunday 24th July, 2005.


DAY 1

First Session

The conference kicked off early on the 21st of July, 2005 with registration. At about 6.05pm, Pastor Odeh Akatu lead the introductory session explaining camp rules programs and ethos. Rev. Abejide Segun took the next session and he exhorted campers from Judges 13:1-5. He discussed the life of Samson and how Samson made a mess of God’s anointing on his life. He spoke about how Samson’s emphasis were going into the land of the Philistines and seeking strange women. He challenged the campers to evaluate their emphasis and see wether it lines up with what God desires. Other passages that he quoted were from Judges. 14:1; 16:1 and Prov. 20:27.

Second Session: Restoring David’s Fallen tent

The second session for day 1 was taken by Pastor Ajiboye Sayo. He drew his text from Amos 9:11-15 saying we should be prepared for a systemic change that will rock the Nation and make it to fit into God’s purpose. He talked on the life of David saying that before David became known, there was a disobedience of the government and also disobedience of the people in the land. He asked the question "Does God have an answer for Nigeria? Is there hope for us? He said that if there was hope for Israel of old, there definitely is hope for Nigeria today. He asked "Why did God receive David but perfectly rejected his brothers? What was the thing that made a difference between David and his siblings? Is it possible that heaven is crying today for a son or daughter of Nigeria who God can accept and anoint? He said that the answer to the choice of David must be found in "his tent" He dwelled at length on the tent of David and what the bible has to say about tents and tabernacles. The first tent or tabernacle the bible referred to is our bodies. He asked us to "What is going on in our bodies that will make the heavens to say "we will wait?" He talked of the tents of David in many places.

Tent of David in Judea

David’s tent in the wilderness of Judea where he was keeping the flock was the tent of preparation. It was where David kept his father’s sheep. It was there David practiced the skills that later singled him out for a life of purpose. He advised the participants to practice with whatever may be equivalent to their own "sling and the staff." "Imagine the level of skill with which David attacked a lion with a staff and the Lion died and imagine also Goliath and how David took him out with the sling." It is time to act, to practice ceaselessly for the day the Lord of heaven will call on our skills. Pastor Sayo asked, "What do you do with your time - for instance?" What is the major block of activity to which you commit time? This activity will be critical in defining your future. Pastor Sayo said that David’s tent in the wilderness of Judea was a place of intense private seeking of the Lord. He said that the search for someone who can play will always lead to someone who has prayed. Ps 119:147. God is looking for men who can pray fervently in the secret so that they can be chosen to play in the public. If we want God to answer us in public, then we should go and pray in secret. God has a good plan for me and it is in the place of private intense prayer. It is not just a place of praying but of worship also.

David’s Tent in Adullam I Sam. 22:1-5

Pastor Sayo described Adullam as a very challenging place, difficult terrain and minimal supplies; but it was there in the midst of challenges that David established his leadership for his own family. In David’s tent, there was room for his father, his mother; his sibling etc. There was room for men who are discontented, distressed debtors. The dejected and rejected within the society found hope inside David’s tent. Pastor Sayo encouraged us to begin early in sensing how God wants us to serve the needy and the distressed that crosses our path. It is our effectual service to the least that will define our trajectory to purpose and destiny. "You must purpose to live a life of compassion".

Pastor Sayo emphasized that "There are people that we don’t agree with their modus operandi but who God places in our ways and make us to interact with. We don’t even know what the result of the interaction will be while we remain under God’s tutelage. Pastor Sayo ended by emphasizing the need for mentoring relationship. How did David negotiate the tight corners and challenges that he faced? He had effective relationship with people who spoke words of instruction and encouragement into his life. Probably he related with Samuel before he died, definitely he had a relationship with Ahimelec the priest at Nob, Nathan was constantly featuring at critical junctions in his life and there were many others who David allowed to speak into his life. Pastor Sayo encouraged us to have mentoring relationships, somebody that knows our story, and somebody that throws challenges your way so that you won’t get into trouble at a later date?"

DAY 2

Corporate Devotion

Day 2 started with a Corporate Devotion at 5.30am, Engr. Toyin Saliu anchored the session. He talked about the man Zacchaeus from Lk. 19: 1-9. In the morning meditation, Engr. Saliu emphasized the fact that we must withdraw from the crowd as Zacchaeus did because the crowd has nothing good to offer us. We must also seek to see Jesus. He described how Zacchaeus climbed the tree to see Jesus and explained in detail what it requires to do this. For any tree climber to be successful, he must push upwards. "Climbing the tree" he noted means "reaching to things that are right now beyond our reach". He related his experience of climbing trees as a young boy in expounding on this text. "As Christians, we must always seek to know Him more withdrawing from the crowd that distracts us from doing the father’s will". The session ended at 6.30am.

Team Teaching

At 8.00am, the participants were back in the hall and the next program commenced. The session was a seminar in form of a team teaching with Pastor Ken Shirkey leading while Pastors Ajiboye Sayo and Akanimoh Peter were supporting. The seminar was on World Missions. One of the facts stressed is that God has blessed us so that we can be a blessing to others. "God is not a God that hides His purpose Hab. 2:14." Ps. 96:2-3 talks of God’s missionary mandate – talks about all nations praising His name. Ken said that we were saved to declare God’s glory among all the nations! "When God talks about nations, he means people, the Israelites, Amalekites, Yorubas, etc. The Devil was rebellious, but God found a man in every generation to uphold His Holy name, His reputation. Even though at many points in time, man built tower like tower of Babel, a symbol of defiance and refusal to give glory to the king but even in the midst of such rebellion, God’s divine purpose stood firm. He continued to "make" man who gave glory to His name. He added that after God has scattered the Post-Diluvian man, He found Abraham who was blessed so he can be a blessing to many nations. "Man in his highest estate was made to reflect God’s glory, when God finds a man that will submit to His purpose, his presence and glory fills the place" "God changed the name Abram (father of exalted fame) to Abraham (father of the multitude of nations). God instructed Abraham to look up and count the stars in heaven – each star was to mean a nation. We are created in His image and we are reflections of who He is. When God speaks, His glory is at stake and as such, He fulfil what He says".

In summarizing and contextualizing what Pastor Ken said, Pastor Peter Akanimoh said

"God is a God of purpose, we were made to live for a purpose. We must keep our eyes on this purpose. To be a great man, we must work in a purpose that is beyond what we can perceive"

The Lessons continued with an explanation that the Bible is divided into three parts
Gen. 1-11 – Introduction, Gen. 12 – 3rd John – Story Line, Jude – Rev. – Revelation.

Pastor Peter dealt with God’s purpose by revisiting Gen.3:15 and Gen. 12:1-3. Gen. 3:15 – defines what God said He would do in declaring a full scale onslaught against satanic kingdom. Gen. 12:1-3 – purpose clause (3b) in which God has decided to bless Abraham so that all nations can be blessed. God’s purpose is to bring Glory to Himself, to show His glory, to deal with evil power on behalf of the nations.

Pastor Ken took over here and explained that "Israel is called to be a separate people – Ex. 19:5-6. He called them out and demonstrated their separateness in The priests who ministered to God." I Kg. 8:41-47, in Solomon’s dedication of the temple. Ps. 67:1-2 – God’s purpose is that all nations will go through all the Earth and see God. Jonah 4:1-2 – Jonah know God’s purpose and His own purpose but was not ready to give Himself up.

This second part deals with the Advancement in the Gospel. And in the summary Peter Akanimoh gave:" Jesus focused on both the Jews and Gentiles. At the end of His ministry, he gave a great global commission that is not limited to a people but is sent to the whole earth.

Mechanisms of Missions

How do nations got to know God?

• Voluntary go mechanism: When the people of God intentionally go to the nations to tell the nations.

• Involuntary go mechanism: When God use suffering to send his people to other nations e.g. Joseph.

• Voluntary come mechanism: when the nations voluntarily come to Israel e.g. Ruth the Moabitess, the queen of Sheba.

• Involuntary come mechanism

In the first 2000 years of the Advancement, there were major blocks of people evangelized.

First 10 years – Jews

First 400 years – Jews and Romans

There was a vibrant church in North Africa by the 4th Century. Through the ministry of Paul and the Apostolic team and witness of persecuted Christians.

Barbarians – ancestors of the Europeans, were evangelized in the 8th Century

In all the mechanisms, the involuntary go and voluntary come mechanisms were mainly used.

With the Vikings – men of the sea – Finland, in the 12th Century – Evangelization of Europe, in the 16th Century evangelization of Arabs, Crusades, Serasins, the Moslems especially the Arabs and in the great century of missions – Africa, Asia…

Three Eras of Christian Mission

First Era: Evangelization of the Coastlands – William Carey, a cobbler, he is known as the father of modern missions. He was the one that made the church to understand missions as we know it today

Second Era: Evangelization of the Hinterlands - – Hudson Taylor, China and the Inland Nations

Third Era Evangelization of the People groups – Cameron Townsend and Donald Mcgravan and Bible Translations

Fourth Wave: There is the fourth wave which is the professional Christians operate and are involved in the missions through their workplace."

Evening Session:

The evening session commenced at 4.00 pm and featured Pastor Charles Kpandei of Victory Chapel, Lagos. He presented a seminar on "Change in the workplace: Trends and Expectations"

He defined workplace as a place where we show our skills in order to make a living. It often involves solving a problem or providing a form of service for people. Men expecting a placement in the workplace must therefore posses a skill or have the capacity to deliver a form of service. Skill acquisition is the primary thing to consider when thinking about entrance into the workplace. Pastor Kpandei noted that there are many changes in the workplace. The days when employees think the government or their company owes them a living because they are "employed" is over. Anyone not contributing is in danger of being made redundant and being asked to exit the workplace. Pastor Kpandei noted the following as Trends going on in the Nigerian workplace.

Trends in Nigeria

Employers aren’t just demanding a university degree, they are requesting for a certain class and are demanding post graduate studies.

Employers now seek multi-skilled individuals who can speak more than one language and have definite ability to interface with the continually changing face of technology.

Employers now utilize elaborate and sophisticated methodology that seeks not only to know the intellectual and mental capability of the employees, but also other behavioral make up and talent of the prospective employee. Tools such as MBTI, Myers Briggs, MMPI are now being deployed in choosing who gets employed or not.

The traditional methods of soliciting for job and job awareness become electronic. So you will most probably find your ext job advertised on a website.

Organisations are using more sophisticated performance appraisal techniques with clear evaluation criteria and target such that individual performance and reward are efficiently tracked and good performances are well rewarded.

Workplaces are getting increasingly technology driven.

The effect of globalisation is gradually evident in the workplace – local workplace, global standard. Think Globally, Act Locally.

Mergers and Acquisitions – How much value am I adding to the shop?

A new trend of fast integration into IT, we are moving in Africa from industrial age to the knowledge age, people with brilliant idea are re-inventing the workplace

A new awareness and challenge by more and more people in the work place willing to become employer than the employees. People are creating wealth by actually creating value – don’t be to satisfied with where you are, new people learn to take small steps that eventually turn out to be big.

The session ended at about 6.00pm, After this there was small group studies from 6.00 pm to 6.40 pm after which was followed by a discussion The study groups were divided into 12 with Facilitators like Sister Tundun, Dr. (Mrs) Olatunji, Rev. Abejide, Pastor Ajiboye, Pastor Charles, Pastor Odeh, Pastor Ken, inter alia.

DAY 3

CORPORATE DEVOTION

The session started again at 5.30am with Engr. Saliu. He charged the participants by asking a question "Who is your closest associate?" He said a man who spends his time in the courts of the Almighty need not be disturbed by his past or the fear of the future. Zacchaeus committed that his life will be separated, his fear of what went on in the past evaporated, his commitment to what is possible in the future was clear. God is waiting in the place of our private prayer where he want to commune with us. God wants to remove our fears.

Engr. Saliu continued on this theme by speaking from Judges 6, he related to the participants the life of Gideon. He said that "the angel of the Lord is a manifestation of God Himself." He described the seriousness of Gideon and Israel’s situation by describing how Gideon threshed wheat in a Wine press. He prayed that the Lord will show us how not to use the wrong tool in our attempt to reach a meaningful goal. He described how fear pushes people to use the wrong tool and how a visitation of God is what makes people able to break the power of fear that makes them use the wrong tool. He described how God’s favor releases God’s mercy and makes a fearful man into a savior of his people. He prayed that the Lord will raise saviors up for Nigeria and Africa. He said that the Lord is saying that we should go home and prepare what we need to give Him and He is waiting patiently for us to do it and come back and meet Him at the same point. Engr Saliu emphasized how there is an heavenly father who speaks on behalf of His Children just like Gideon’s father spoke on behalf of Gideon, and that if we will do the father’s will, His voice will speak on our behalf 2 Kg. 11.

He explained further how the Midianites had a dream and had known even before Gideon that he has been defeated. God cut down Gideon’s army from 32000 to 300 but Gideon remained resolute, not faint hearted. The enemy is the Lord of darkness but our God is a piercing light. Engr Saliu encouraged us to trust in the Lord with all our might and that the Lord will speak on our behalf and our enemies will fall before a barley cake (the weakest form of cake)

Session 2 Team Teaching on World Mission came up at 8.00 am. A PowerPoint Presentation was used with the aid of a projector so that it is visible to everyone.

Ken Shirkey described Missions Strategy like a road map. He emphasized how when we do God’s work in God’s way it never lacks God’s support. He described how a strategy must be biblical, efficient – it must make good use of time, resources and Godly direction. Such strategy must be relevant, fit the culture and the application

Types of strategy

Standard Solution...Just-go no planning...Unique Solution

Prayer as a Strategic Weapon: It links us with the power of God… God requires intercession...Prayer is God’s supernatural way of sending out laborers...Prayer opens doors for Christian presence

Strategic Considerations: The right goals..., The right place at the right time..., The right methods..., The right people. The right goals deals with evangelism and evangelization

Structures of the Church include Solidarity and Modality. Mission is described by distance while evangelization is described by closeness. Short term mission is not to save people, but to love and serve them.

After this session, there was break and after the break was the Seminar session which featured Pastor Charles Kpandei.

Seminar

Toolkits for Success.

"The change in the workplace cannot happen until we are in the work place." He dwelt on Dan. 1 and made the following points out of it:

God is ready to take His own genuine children and launch them into the work place.
We must be irreversibly committed to a life of holiness.
Sound education and necessary skill is needed.

He stressed that Daniel was a preferred person – Dan. 6:3 He also made mention of the place of diligence. No half measures, whatever your hand findeth to do, do with all your might and strength. Prov. 22:29. Other things are commitment, faithfulness and excellence. He also mentioned that excellence manifest in labour.

Evening Session

The evening session was taken by Pastor Ajiboye and he discussed National Redemption. The session started at about 8.00 pm. He dwelt on the life of Nehemiah. He charged the participants to think ahead into the future and believe that God will be great on their behalf. He proceeded to explain what one can expect on the pathway into God’s purpose from the experience of Nehemiah when he rode round the ruins of Jerusalem. Pastor Sayo talked about the different gates and landmark that Nehemiah passed through and used it to explain what we may pass through in our process of growing up in the Lord.

Pastor Sayo first explained the concept of Gates in the scriptures and how Gate often represent seats of authorities; it can be positive or negative, he cited many scripture verses to explain this. Pastor Sayo therefore helped us to understand what was in Nehemiah 2: 11 - 16 where Nehemiah inspected the city walls. He explained how God leads us through the valley - David into the valley of Elah, so that he can confront and kill Goliath, the righteous through the valley of Bacah so that he can turn it into a spring of waters! (Ps 84:6) Pastor Sayo described how after victory in the valley we often face deception of the dragon, the snake trying to tell us, you can do it on your own He warned us not to trust in our own strength because we had some visible victory in an area or the other. He said we should rather move on in our life of faith to count everything as "dung" like Apostle Paul, to count everything as loss. He said that when we begin to learn the laws of absolute submission, then the springs of life will bring to spring forth into fountains of his power. He said we should be careful not to waste the fountains - like Solomon, but to submit ourselves to rigorous discipline so that the fountains can become a pool where the King of King can enjoy his Lordship. He made a strong call for a disciplined lifestyle and a committed visionary purpose. He said he believed Nigeria can be saved if we so do. The session ended at about 11.15pm with singing and praises to the Lord in the Niger-Delta style.

DAY 4

On Sunday, the morning devotion started at 5.00 am with worship session taken by Barnabas Alayande. Pastor Sayo led all the other ministers in conducting the Lord’s Supper. We prayed and we broke camp. Everyone was to go back to their churches that morning to serve.


Standing for the Poor of God's people

PASTOR ANDREW OMALE : THE DAWN OF A NEW ERA IN NIGERIA

Below is a request by a close intercessor associate of mine with whom we work and who runs a 24hr prayer chain in Abuja over Aso Rock and the nation. We will appreciate it if you can contribute information about major sins of Nigeria -Idolatry,Bloodshed,BrokenCovenants,Immorality,Oppression of the poor,Injustice,Assassinations etc. God bless you as we labour over our great nation for her transformation which is around the corner.

Pastor Debo Daniel

.........................................................

THE DAWN OF A NEW ERA

BY PASTOR ANDREW OMALE
NATIONAL PRAYER NETWORK

Beloved Servant of God, Calvary greetings. I REALLY NEED YOUR CONTRIBUTION.

The Lord laid in my heart to fast and pray 40 days for our beloved country Nigeria last year, 2004. During the programme, He gave me another assignment. I should embark on a 45 days FASTING and REPENTANCE / CONFESSION OF SINS of Nigeria from 1960 till date, a day for a year.

This programme will start on Wednesday August 17, 2005 – Friday, September 30, 2005. Please, if you have any information on the sins of Nigeria since 1960, could you send it to me on or before Saturday, August 13, 2005? You would do me a great favour to itemize them on yearly basis (e.g., 1960, 61, 68, 1970, 73, 79, 85, 90, 2000, 2004, and 2005, covering the 45 years). Even if you have just for one year, please send it to me. Let us co-labour in prayer for the dawn of the New Nigeria of our dream. You can equally help me inform other brethren who might have such information on Nigeria.

May our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ richly bless you.

I am your Brother in His Service

Andrew M. Omale (Pastor)
National Prayer Network
Contact: E-mail : aomale@yahoo.com
Tel. 09 670 7889,
or 0803 590 2584 (my wife)

Details of the original message will be posted here later tonight.

PASTOR AUSTEN UKACHI: WATCHMAN BULLETIN NO 1, 2005

Pastor Austen Ukachi is one of the foremost teachers of the word of God in Nigeria. Many of us remeber him as one of the great ministers of the CSSM ministry along with Pastor Emeka Nwankpa many years ago. He now pastor a Church in Lagos, Nigeria, and he is involved in prayer seminars and mobilization in various countries of the world. Pastor Ukachi will be visiting the US in November of 2005. He has been graceous to let us have some of his teachings presented here below. May you be blessed by it as you read.


TITLE: " WHAT? COULD YOU NOT WATCH WITH ME ONE HOUR?”
AUTHOR: AUSTEN UKACHI

“And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly. Then his sweat became like great drops of blood failing down to the ground. When He rose up from prayer, and had come to His disciples, He found them sleeping form sorrow. Then He said to them, why do you sleep? Rise and pray, lest you enter into temptation. Lk.22: 44 - 46.

“Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to disciples, “Sit here while I go and pray over there” And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and He began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed. Then He said to them “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful even to death. Stay here and watch with me.”

He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.” Then He came to His disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter “What? Could you not watch with Me one hour? Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Again, a second time, He went away and prayed, saying “O My Father, If this cup cannot pass away from Me unless I drink it, Your will be done.”

And He came and found them asleep again, for their eyes were heavy. So He left them, went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words. Then He came to His disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and testing? Behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners, “Rise, let us be going. See My betrayer is at hand.” Mt.26:36-46

Above are two accounts by Luke and Matthew, of the same incident involving Christ and His disciples at the Garden of Gethsemane. The incident took place during the last few hours preceding the death of Jesus on the cross. In the two accounts we see the human weaknesses encountered in prayer as exemplified by the conduct of the disciples at the garden of Gethsemane. The passages further highlight the sharp differences between the attitude of Jesus to prayer and that of His disciples. While Jesus laboured in prayer with great intensity such that, “great drops of blood” fell from His body to the ground, the disciples were busy “sleeping from sorrow.” What was responsible for the difference in attitude to prayer between the Master and His disciples? What lessons can we learn from it about prayer?

Firstly, Jesus was carrying on Him the burden of the sins of humanity, which the disciples could hardly appreciate, thus they lacked the passion and zeal to pray. Matthew reports that He was “sorrowful and deeply distressed” Mt.26:37. Luke, on the other hand reports the feelings and agony of Jesus this way, “And being in agony, he prayed more earnestly.” The agony and pain Jesus experienced led Him into a more intense prayer time. Gethsemane means “Oil Press.” It was an olive orchard which included a press for crushing oil from the olives. The agony and pain Jesus went through in this garden was a practical demonstration of what Gethsemane meant. The reason why many of us find it difficult to pray is because of the lack of a burden. When we lack the Holy Spirit’s conviction to pray, then prayer becomes difficult. To have a meaningful prayer life we must ask the Lord to grant us a lasting burden for the needs around us. Pray for the Holy Spirit’s burden.

Secondly, our human frailties in prayer are evident in our passage. In Lk 22:45, the writer tells us the disciples were busy “sleeping from sorrow.” The sorrow they had was such that it could not arouse them to prayer, rather it lead them into drowsiness. Their kind of sorrow was different from Jesus’ sorrow. How sad, the disciples could not help Jesus in prayer at this critical moment of His life and ministry.

According to the account in Mt. 26 : 36 - 46, Jesus took them to the garden with the specific instruction, “stay here and watch with me.” Thrice He left them to go and pray, and each time when He came back, He met them fast asleep. There are problems we bear, or go through, which no one can appreciate and help us other than God. Expectedly, Jesus felt disappointed with His disciples failure to watch with Him in prayer. He did not fail to express it. He said to them, “What? Could you not watch with me one hour?” Not long after, we then read this shocking statement about the disciples of Jesus, “Then all the disciples forsook Him and fled.” How terrible! This was the climax of their weakness and prayerlessness. If only they had heeded to Christ’s command to “rise and pray” there reactions, perhaps may have turned out different. We are no better that these disciples. Like the disciples of old, many of us have equally forsook Christ and fled. We have broken our covenants and commitment to Him at various times.

The attitude and failure of Jesus’ disciples to prayer at the garden of Gethsemane is a perfect picture of many of our lives today. Their shortcomings dramatizes the shortcomings many of us have in the place of prayer. We find it difficult to pray due to the lack of the burden for prayer. Another reason is due to the weariness of the flesh and the daily stress we go through in life. Like the disciples, the sorrow we have are due more to the self-centered appointments and engagements we have in the course of our daily pursuits; they are not sorrows that are kingdom related. Like the disciples, many of us are in deep slumber, while the command is “Rise and pray.” To every one of us the command still rings out, “Rise and pray”.

AFTER PENTECOST
Now, the prayer lives of the disciples changed remarkably after their experience at Pentecost. Pentecost marked a turning point in the prayer lives of the disciples. They discovered the art and the limitless potential they had in prayer. Their dramatic transformation shows us what the power of the Holy Spirit could do in our lives if we submit to Him.

Shortly after Jesus ascended, born out of necessity, the disciples gathered for ten days to pray in the Upper Room. In fulfillment of Christ’s promise, the result of that prayer was that the Holy Spirit came down mightily on them on the day of the Pentecost. Consequently, prayer now became a routine and lifestyle of the disciples; daily it became, their first and last resort. Thus in Acts 3:1, we find the disciples going to the temple to pray at the hour of prayer. Right at the Beautiful Gate, a healing miracle took place. Again, in Acts 4:23-34 we see them involved in an earth-shaking prayer meeting which eventually led to a fresh Holy Spirit empowerment. In Acts 6:4, they accorded a priority place to prayer and the word of God, “But we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”

Then in Acts 9:36-43, Peter raised Dorcas from the dead through the power of prayer. In Acts10:9-16, Peter fell into a trance when he went up to the house top to pray. At the place of prayer, God gave him a revelation to connect with the Gentiles, thus marking a new beginning in the history of the New Testament Church. In Acts 12, the Church discovered afresh the awesome power of prayer. When they prayed, God intervened and in a very amazing mannered released Peter from the prison. Then in Acts 13, we find the leaders of the disciples engaged in prayer that gave birth to Paul’s the missionary journeys. The prayer exploits of the disciples continued.

When we come to Acts 16:16-40, we read about another dramatization of the awesome power of prayer involving Paul and Silas. It all started when they “went to prayer,” a certain girl with the spirit of divination followed them, crying out, “these men are the servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us the way of Salvation.” Her proclamation which lasted for some days was accurate, but the spirit that inspired her was demonic. After several days of her proclamation, Paul discerned that she was possesses with a spirit of divination. He cast out the spirit thereby provoking an intense persecution from her masters. Paul and Silas were immediately thrown into the prison. While in prison, they did that they knew best, they sang and prayed. Then at midnight, there was a sudden earthquake, immediately all the doors of the prison were flung open and everyone’s chains were loosed. Paul and Silas walked out of the prison freed by the power of God.

The testimony of the disciples of Christ shows us a people who started off as weaklings in prayer, but were transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit into prayer giants; a people who could hardly keep watch with the Master for one hour when it mattered most in the garden of Gethsemane, but who after the resurrection of Christ, tarried for ten days, and prayed down Pentecost. Their testimony gives us hope that our prayers lives could also be transformed if we take time to seek the power of the Holy Spirit.

PASTOR DD BACK FROM THE MISSION FIELD IN THE LAND OF ISLAM AND OTHER NATIONS

Beloved brethren,

Shalom!This is to thank you for standing with me in prayers during my mission trip to "u know where". It was a most eventful trip for me because I saw the enemy at war and our God at work to save and deliver. The enemy attacked this prayer journey more than any other previous journey I had ever made in my life and ministry. Those nations need our prayers.

I will love to send you prayer points from those nations but will like your consent and as you pray for them,you will be fulfilling Jesus request for us to pray "Thy kingdom come here on earth as it is in heaven" Who knows who your prayers will touch among these people Jesus died for.

I am back home with many contacts the Lord gave in that crucial region and many heart burdens. Right now they need more prayer than evangelism since the latter is against their law.

We give God praise for your prayer cover-twice in one week. I was afflicted seriously and I had a motor accident with one 14year old girl running carelessly in front of my car a day before I was to travel. It was God that intervened that all she sustained was a few bruises on her left arm -it should have been more serious if I was speeding.

You will not lose your reward in Jesus name.

Pastor d d (Name withheld by request for Mission purposes)
Lagos, Nigeria

PASTOR YEMI AYODELE: UPDATES AND PRAYER REQUEST

Beloved,
Here is a message from Pastor Yemi Ayodele on the road in London: An important message to all the Pastors in Houston will be at the bottom of this message.

Greetings to all our brethren:

1.FRESH ENCOUNTER CDS AND TAPES

I wish to inform you that the CDs and audio tapes of the fresh encounter conference (Pastor Gbile Akani messages) are now available. The tapes can be obtained by simply calling the Church office: 281-498-7757 and my secretary Bola,will take the order and send the tape or CDs. There are fourteen CDs and fourteen audio tapes in the package. The cds cost $90 including postage and handling. The audio tapes cost $70.

2. A PRAYER REQUEST FOR MINISTRATION

We will be going for medical missions to Jamaica from the 15th August to the 21st.A team of four doctors and nurses will be going with me to Ocho Rios, Kingston and Duncans for six days. We will hold a Pastors and ministers conference at the Ruins in Ocho Rios for two days. We are expecting about four hundred Pastors. We need your prayers and support. Jamaica suffered immense losses from hurricane Dennis and Emily. About twelve of us will be going on the trip. Keep us in your prayers.

Shalom

Pastor Yemi Ayodele


PASTOR EMIKO AMOTSTUKA IS COMING TO HOUSTON:

Pastor Yemi Ayodele and Pastor Emiko Amotstuka are in London ministring together. The Lord has been doing some awesome things in these meetings. Emiko will be coming to Houston in the last week of August and will be available for ministration in Houston. Many of us know bro Emiko and his ministry. We are anxiously waiting for him to come and be used of God here once again. Emiko will also be available to minister in churches if he is invited. So Pastors, please help us spread the word round to other Pastors that a man of God will be availabe for ministration in Houston By August ending.

To make arrangements for Pastor Emiko to visit your church, please call Pastor Yemi Ayodele at 281 498 7757.

Bro kay

A PRAYER REQUEST FROM A MISSIONARY ON THE ROAD

BY PASTOR DD,
(real name withheld for security reasons)
LAGOS, NIGERIA

Beloved,

I write to appreciate you my friends for your prayer support for the work God has committed into our hands particularly to "moslem" nations.

I am writing you to report that we just concluded a 4-day prayer initiative for Somalia in Nairobi,Kenya working with a team of four other intercessors from US and Kenya.There were about 40 Somalian families from within Kenya,Djibouti and Ethopia.
We prayer extensively with them and encouraged them concerning their country. For 18 years,they have had no government and is said to be the most lawless nation in the world. We left the place Saturday night with revelations of joy,hope and deliverance for the nation.

UAE
I travelled alone(with Jesus) to Dubai,UAE as the rest of the international intercessory team went off to Mozambique. Mission - to pray over the nation to open it up to the gospel.

Miracle 1,I was picked up at 0325 in the morning into the home of a family who are hosting me for 3 days before Bro AA of CAPRO comes to join me from Yemen.

Its crazily hot here. Please pray for me as follows:
1.Gods strong anointing in the place of intercession
2.Clear guidance in the place of prayer
3.God to deal with three strongholds in this nation
-ISLAM
-MATERIALISM & MAMMON
-SLAVERY OF PEOPLE
4.God to reveal Himself to the people
5.God's protection as I am alone here with God doing warfare
Apart from shops,the only other thing you see here are mosques.

Please join me in praising God for this great open door even as I travel from here to OMAN to continue the assignment.
You will not lose your reward as you stand with me as a prayer shield.

THE GREAT CHAPEL OF THE RESURRECTION

CHAPEL OF THE RESURRECTION, UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN, NIGERIA. Here, many great christian men and women of God have their roots. Notice the green woods on the left. It used to extend far more to the left hand side. Out there in the woods, young christian students have cell group meetings and prayer meetings. It was like being trained for ministry while you earn a degree without even realizing it at the time. Most of those young men and women are all over the world. They did not only graduate with their academic degrees but also with a first class christian training. Many of them are in key leadership positions in the christian world today. A reunion is being discussed in the US to bring most of them back together soon. It should be a wonderful Christain experience.

THE CONTROVERSIAL CROSS ON THE HILL

Here is the picture of the controversial cross the Moslem fought so hard to remove at the University of Ibadan many years ago. To get the picture clearly, the Chapel of the Resurrection(first picture above)is located on the right hand side of this picture where you see two students walking. Extended to the right is part of the woods where students have their cell meetings and then you see the chapel. The chapel and the cross on top of the hill has been there for years. But then,years later, this mosque in the picture was built and then trouble started.

Unfortunately for the Moslems (and I might add quickly, maybe fortunately for them) their mosque was built with their eastward bound prayer posture facing the cross on the hill. So when they come for prayer, the cross is standing right in their view and they did not like that. The idea of praying to Allah and then lifting up their heads to see the cross of Christ was a major problem for them. They fought so hard in what became a national story then in Nigeria to remove that cross but the Christians stood up and fought back any attempt to have that cross removed. Finally, the Muslims reached a compromise by erecting a screen to block their view of the cross. Removing the cross was not an option acceptable to the Christian community of the Univeristy of Ibadan.

To see what was erected,you will have to look closely at the immediate left hand side of the cross. There You will see a rectangular object that looked like it is part of the mosque but its not. That is the erection that was built to shield the moslems view of the cross on the hill. On the far right hand corner is another monument erected later by the moslems as their own symbol to compete with the cross on the hill.

What an amazing story this was and still is years after it took place. The devil can raise all kinds of dust but he cannot shield the people from Jesus. They can erect a barrier to shield their view from seeing the cross but the work of the cross of the Lord is finished and will follow them day and night until they accept the Lord.

Please remember to pray for Moslems everywhere for God to break the bondage they are in. Majority of Moslems are decent and wonderful people who just need the Lord.

A TESTIMONY FROM THE CROSS ISSUE

BY MAZINO IKIME
IBADAN , NIGERIA

WHEN THE GREAT CROSS DEBATE WAS RAGING,I WAS STRUCK BY SOMETHING:I WENT TO THE MOSQUE AREA AND LOOKED AT THE MOSQUE.IT STRUCK ME RATHER FORCIBLY THAT ALL THE CRITALL HOPE FITTINGS UPON WHICH THE LOUVRES WERE FIXED,WERE IN THE EXACT SAME SHAPE AS THE CROSS THAT THEY (MOSLEMS) WERE BICKERING ABOUT. THE MESSAGE THIS TRANSMITTED TO ME WAS THAT ISLAM IS SO FULL OF SYMBOLS AND VERY LITTLE(IF ANY)SUBSTANCE.THERE WERE AT LEAST TEN SMALLER CROSSES WITHIN THE MOSQUE ITSELF,YET HERE THEY WERE GRIPING ABOUT ONE THAT EXISTED LONG BEFORE THE THOUGHT OF A MOSQUE WAS CONCEIVED.

I POINTED THIS OUT TO A MOSLEM CLASSMATE OF MINE AND HE WAS DUMBSTRUCK.I ASKED HIM IF WHAT I POINTED OUT TO HIM WOULD DETER HIM FROM WORSHIPPING IN THE MOSQUE.OF COURSE HE RESPONDED IN THE NEGATIVE. BUT HE KEPT ON COMING BACK TO ME ASKING ME ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF THE CROSS. HE WANTED TO KNOW IN ALL EXACTITUDE WHAT IT ALL MEANT. UNFORTUNATELY,I WAS IN THOSE YEARS, MORE INTERESTED IN BEER AND THE"GOOD LIFE" AND COULD NOT ANSWER HIM IN THE WAY IN WHICH I KNEW HE WANTED. FORTUNATELY,I REMEMBERED AN "S.U."GIRL IN MY CLASS AND DIRECTED HIM TO HER.

AFTER GRADUATION,WE LOST TOUCH AND AS I BEGAN TO GROW IN THINGS OF THE SPIRIT THE MEMORY OF THAT GUY BUGGED ME.I DID NOT KNOW IF THE SISTER DID A GOOD ENOUGH JOB,IF SHE LED HIM TO THE LORD,AND IF SHE DID ,WHETHER SHE FOLLOWED UP.YOU CAN IMAGINE MY JOY WHEN I MET THIS SAME GUY IN WARRI ABOUT 15YEARS LATER. NOT ONLY BORN AGAIN BUT PASTORING A BRANCH OF THE REDEEMED CHRISTIAN CHURCH OF GOD. PRAISE THE LORD!!!!!

AT LEAST THATS ONE GOOD STORY THAT CAME OUT OF THE CROSS BROUHAHA

PASTOR GBILE AKANI: A MARY AND MARTHA EXPOSE

MORE FROM THE FRESH ENCOUNTER WITH GOD CONFERENCE: A SUMMARY OF THE THIRD NIGHT :A contrast between Martha and Mary exposé.

With the song "nearer my God to thee" in the background, Christians responded to the call of God by standing, kneeling or prostrating as a sign of surrender to the Lord. The third night of the Fresh Encounter with God was just like the first and the second day of the conference. God was in the house and there was no other way out but to surrender to him after the servant of God completed another simple message with a powerful anointing.

Here is a summary of the third night Sermon:

Pastor Gbile Akani used the simple story of Martha and Mary to point out the differences of Christian life and ministry before God. As usual, Gbile brought a fresh dimension to this well known story from Luke10:38-42 and John 11 and 12.

THE FIRST EXPOSE : Luke 10:38-42:

The Bible said Jesus visited Martha and Mary at their house in a certain village. Martha served food alone while Mary sat at the feet of Jesus,listening to him teach. Martha then protested to Jesus saying "Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? Bid her therefore that she help me". And Jesus answered and said,

"MARTHA, MARTHA, THOU ARE TOO CAREFUL AND TROUBLED ABOUT ABOUT MANY THINGS. BUT ONE THING IS NEEDFUL: AND MARY HATH CHOSEN THAT GOOD PART, WHICH SHALL NOT BE TAKEN AWAY FROM HER".

Brother Gbile said Jesus was trying to point out something very important to Martha when he called her name more than once. Jesus was trying to point her attention to the choice Mary made. God is saying the same thing to us today. What kind of decisions are we making in our christain walk with the Lord. That completed the IST PART OF THE exchange between Martha and Jesus which then sets the stage for the second encounter.

THE SECOND EXPOSE : John chapter 11:

Pastor Gbile pointed out that the next time we were to read again about Martha was when Lazarus their brother died. We know Jesus was told Lazarus was sick, but he stayed away for three more days and then went to Bethany to see them. Martha heard that Jesus was on his way and she left the house quickly to meet Jesus on the way leaving Mary at the house.

Here we have another exchange between Jesus and Martha. Martha said if Jesus had been there earlier their brother would not have died. Jesus told her he is the ressurection and the life and even though someone dies they shall live again. Then Jesus asked her if she believed that . Oh yes she said and made some confession of faith just like many christains today and left. The Bible said she SECRECTLY went to Mary and said "the Master is here and calleth for thee". Now we did not read that Jesus called for Mary anywhere. Martha just passed the buck to Mary because she did not really belived what Jesus was saying.

First, martha ran out there to meet Jesus and said all sorts of things. MARTHA WAS ALWAYS TRYING TO HELP JESUS DO HIS JOB. SHE WAS ALWAYS IN THE WAY. SHE RAN TO MEET JESUS ON THE WAY EVEN BEFORE HE GOT TO THE TOWN. JESUS DID NOT NEED HER TO PERFORM A MIRACLE WITH LAZARUS, BUT SHE WAS OUT THERE SAYING ALL KINDS OF NEGATIVE THINGS EVEN BEFORE JESUS GOT TO THEIR TOWN. IT WAS LIKE MARTHA WAS EVERYWHRE BUT NOWHERE JUST LIKE MANY CHRISTAINS TODAY-DOING AND SAYING SO MANY THINGS BUT BUT NO SUBSTANCE BEHIND HER WORDS. WHEN SHE GOT NO WHERE, SHE WENT AND CALLED MARY AND PUSHED HER FORWARD TO GO MEET JESUS.

Jesus wanted to see if Martha believed what he was saying, but she left and went and called Mary. Mary repeated the same words Martha said to Jesus that If he had been there earlier Lazarus would not have died. Pastor Akani pointed out that after Mary said those words the diffeence between her and Martha was that she fell down at Jesus feet and wept as a sign of sureender. The Bible said Jesus was moved and there we have the famous quote, JESUS WEPT. Jesus was moved in his spirit.

The expose here is how one christian woman came and could not move Jesus while the other came, fell down and wept at Jesus feet and Jesus was moved. Martha did not move Jesus,it was Mary who did and we know what happend afterward with Lazarus coming out of the grave. Now we have the third meeting between Jesus, Martha and Mary below.


THE THIRD EXPOSE: John Chapter 12: 1-8 :

The third time Jesus had an encounter with them was in John 12 where Martha was again serving food while Mary was doing something extraordinary again:

From Vs 2 we read...."Then they made him a super; and Martha served"...Vs3."Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly,and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair:and the house was filled with the odor of the ointment. Then said one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simons son which should betray him, why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor. This he said not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein. Then said Jesus, let her alone: against the day of my burying hath she kept this. For the poor always ye have with you;but me ye have not always".

Again Pastor Akani pointed out the choice Mary made in contrast to the one Martha made. Just like Jesus told Martha earlier, Mary choose yet another very important part which is needful. Looking at what Mary did here, one will not immediately see anything important until one goes forward to look at the time Jesus was in the grave. The Bible says women woke up early in the morning to go and anoint the body of Jesus and they met the angel who said he is risen and no longer in the grave. The implication of that is this :

The women never got a chance to anoint Jesus's body, but Jesus had been anointed earlier by Mary which is the only anointing Jesus had before his burial and ressurection.

Remember what Jesus told Martha about Mary earlier: "MARY HATH CHOSEN THAT GOOD PART, WHICH SHALL NOT BE TAKEN AWAY FROM HER". Mary indeed choose that part which was needful and she was right on time even before the women ever knew that Jesus would die and will need his body anointed. Mary in her ministry was far ahead of Martha and the women who came to anoint Jesus. Jesus recognized Mary's ministry and she was trying to get Martha's attention to emulate her. Remember the first meeting where Jesus called Martha and said :

MARTHA, MARTHA, THOU ARE TOO CAREFUL AND TROUBLED ABOUT ABOUT MANY THINGS. BUT ONE THING IS NEEDFUL: AND MARY HATH CHOSEN THAT GOOD PART, WHICH SHALL NOT BE TAKEN AWAY FROM HER".

Pastor Gbile then asked Christians if they are living their lives like Mary or Martha. What kind of choices are christians making today? Do we choose that which is needful that cannot be taken away from us like Mary or are we beating around the bush and being everywhere but nowhere like Martha?

After this message, we have the scenario that was mentioned above. Christains came out to rededicate their lives for Jesus. Many were on their faces crying to God while others knelt down with strong passionate tears for God's mercies. God blessed many people at the conference and we thank God for it.

There are more of this dynamic teaching and you can obtain the Cassette tapes, CDS and DVDs of the Fresh Encounter with God Confrence of Pastor Gbile Akani by Contacting Pastor Yemi Ayodele at THE CHURCH OF THE NATIONS MINISTRIES. (281) 498 7757, (832) 428 5007, (832) 217 7734

God bless you all.