THE FRESH ENCOUNTER CONFERENCE: FIRST NIGHT

1. THE FRESH ENCOUNTER CONFERENCE:
A SUMMARY OF THE FIRST NIGHT FOR THOSE FAR AND NEAR

By Pastor Gbile Akanni

Fresh Encounter with God conference started tonight, May 19, 2005, with Pastor Gbile Akani setting Houston on fire for God. Houstonians are just tasting the Gbile kind of sermon and they are perplexed by Gods simple message to them. By the end of the sermon, virtually all the participants were on their knees passionately asking God for a fresh encounter with them. How did this happened so quickly the first night?

Bro Gbile (who is preaching in the US for the very first time) began his simple message from the story of Jesus and his parents from the book of Luke 2:41-51. Having gone to Jerusalem every year as their custom was, (Mary and Joseph that is) their twelve year old son, Jesus went missing and his parents thought he was with some of their company who were traveling with them and they went ONE day journey before they realized he was missing. Then they turned back to Jerusalem looking for him and the Journey took them THREE days before they finally found him teaching in the midst of Doctors who were astonished at his understanding and answers to questions......(you know the story already).

Pastor Akani used this background to teach how many christains have left Jesus behind and now have ROUTINES of doing things these days and DESPERATELY NEED A FRESH ENCOUNTER with God.

Bro Gbile said many come to church as a form of routine (just like it was the custom for Mary and Joseph to go to Jerusalem every year) but people don't get changed or have a real ENCOUNTER with God EVERY TIME they attend churches as they should. He used an illustration of an electric shock that will affect any individual as many times as one torches it regardless of the first experience of shock one had had with it. He contend God is like an electric shock that should affect Christians every time they come to him. He said if this does not happen to you as an individual then you desperately need a FRESH ENCOUNTER with God. Something might have happend to you in your Christain walk over the years and you need a fresh torch from the Lord.

Gbile also said if a Christian have PASSION for God at a sustained level then they will not need a REVIVAL. He said Jesus was missing in the midst of the crowd from his parents and they could afford to go a whole day before realizing he was missing from them just like many of us today. We are used to going days without Jesus and when we realized we need him, we turn back to seek him and it does takes us longer time (like it took Mary and Joseph three days to finally locate Jesus again after he was missing even though it took them one day Journey before when Jesus was with them) to find him.

Pastor Akani now set the tone for the rest of the conference by using Luke 2:48-49 where Mary said to Jesus "why did you do this to us as we have been sorrowing looking for you". Gbile contends Jesus did not leave them, they left him in Jerusalem and they went back there to meet him where they left him, just like many Christians today abandoning him to later realize it and running back to him.

The introductory preaching tonight set the tone for the theme of the conference which is " THE PURSUIT OF GOD". Conference continues till Sunday and I can tell you Houstonians are in for a fresh anointing.

Beloved Christains, I wish you were here with us. Pastor Yemi and his wife, Dr Rebecca (host and hostess of the conference) send their love and greetings to all of you old IVCU Brethren and friends. In short, we all had fun tonight and God blessed everyone present.

To those around Houston, please come and attend the confrence (10am and 7pm daily) and to those far away we shall keep you posted.