MARY: THE ROLE MODEL FOR CHRISTIAN WOMEN PART 2

Now in celestial church what is going on, is it the current Celestials that are celebrating the holy marry day or it has been in place since the old times. Let us look into the constitution, the holy sacrament clause 99. Holy Mary day is one of the sacrament and it as important as what we do during the Easter and wash our feet so also is the holy Mary. It is full service like Sunday service.
“Among all other sacraments holy Mary day, it is in commutation of appearance of the holy Mary to the pastor on 15th day of July 1977, the significance of holy Mary in celestial church of Christ faith can be traced to the earliest days of celestial church for the very first spiritual hymn that was given to the celestial church through one of the early prophetess of the church called woli sata. Hymn 762 let us be on our feet to sing the hymn given to the church.
O ye brethren in Christ, Raise ye up this song
And ye all listen, to voice of Jehovah
Of what reward have all ye, In this celestial church?
Of what reward have all ye, In this great congregation?
That Mary our mother, come to accompany us
That the good Divine one, come to accompany us. Amen
If we still analyze this hymn it is directed to brethren in Christ, we that have been redeemed and the body of Christ that lift up your song and listen to what Jehovah himself is saying, not man nor the angels asking what reward is it to be in this church, the reward of being in this fellowship of congregation. We should take cognizance of this point that celestial is just one congregation on its own which is the reason why we are not allowed to have sub-groups with other churches. The reason why I keep warning members of this parish not to form other social groups within the church because reverend pastor Oshoffa said that whosoever divided the church so shall his or her home be divided but many of our members when I speak against such divisions in the church.
The reward of being in this congregation is: one that our mother Mary may be our model and co-ordinate and that is the first role model given to celestial church as a guide to our activities. Therefore take note of all that I have said about Mary from the beginning, a steadfast woman who knows the glory that till when Jesus died because she knows the glory that is in his child. Many of us are in Celestial Church but do not know the glory in the church and therefore could not stand in firm to the end. Even some do not know who he or she is let alone knowing the church all he does is come for anointment, but if you know your call then you will know his promises for you the end. Mary is our role model so when tribulations or troubles came we should know that we have Christ who is with us because he will see us through and all who a sowing seed with tears will reap or harvest it with jot.
Secondly: that the good divine spirit reward that we may be led by the legacy of being faithful, endurance, persistence, believing God that all that was said will come to pass. That this Holy Spirit which Jesus that came upon Mary may accompany us. The constitution continues saying that significantly, 30years later on the fifteenth day of July pastor was in trance, saw himself climbing a number of steps until he got to the plain full of fallen leaves and then he sighted a fair white lady, from top to toe she was clouded in blur apparel, and standing in a posture as if shading something away from him. Then the pastor found himself descending a step until he sighted a church from which a reverend father emerged and bow in honor from him repeatedly; then the pastor found himself ascending again back to the spot where he found the fair lady, this time the fair lady open-up to show that which was shading away earlier from him and that was a baby who was with crown and she said pointing to the baby saying
“Jesus is holy spirit
He is a pure heart
He is the king of life
Anyone who wants to serve Jesus must trek the holy path”
She continues ‘told the pastor that he should remain undoubted by the color of the skin because race is of no significance in the things of the spirit. She added that it is because of your holy mind that we dwell in you. He showed him too white people (Mary and the reverend father) saying that the founders colour (black) is of no significance but his holy mind. Take note of the statement ‘ holy mind’ which means the spirit that dwells in holy Mary, Jesus and Jehovah himself his in the founder and she said whosoever want to worship in this church must walk the righteous path in our worship and toward fellow human. I want to challenge you at this point that we should have a pure mind towards others not judging others without evidence so you won’t sin against God, know that everyone has got his or her cross to bear do not gossip. I move further “exactly a year after the incident described above the pastor fell ill during which it was spiritually revealed in trance that due recognition should be accorded to the holy Mary in celestial church of Christ by commemorating the above incident annually” pastors was up to the point of death because of the holy Mary celebration which we have neglected. Do you remember a time in the book of exodus chapter 4 verse 24 when Moses was returning to Egypt something happened and the Lord tried to kill Moses because he did not circumcise his son due to the fact that he had lived in a strange land a long time and whosoever do not keep God commandment cannot work with him so the lord wanted to kill Moses but the Lord opened the mind of his wife Zipporah to know she took a sharp knife, cut off the foreskin of her son and touched Moses with it and then said “ you are a husband of blood to me” so also it happened to the pastor he should celebrate that revelation. If God has done something good in your life you should take note of the date and offer thanks as the year runs bye.
Ever since we have been celebrating the Holy Mary on all first Fridays of July which must not be canceled. If it is in other churches you will see how people will bring different items to the designed seat of Mary for the day in other to be blessed. Mary is the blessed and who will not want people to remember him or her the same way. There if you want to be remembered for good by your children that show the fruit of a blessed ‘ and that is why I said yesterday that the god of celestial has perfectly designed the church, but we the worshippers do not know. All is left in our hands because the god of celestial has given this church unto us.
I say that God is performing wonders in this church there is no problem or happiness in this world that can happen to man that does not have is special service or song to go with such in celestial. I want us to know that this is a festival of a blessing and joy whichever way you see it but the things we ignore God uses them to bless. This celebration is still on till Sunday by God grace therefore prays that such blessing and Glory will come into your life and continue to guide you.

MARY: THE ROLE MODEL FOR CHRISTAN WOMEN PART 1

A LECTURE DELIVERED BY
SUP/EVANG DR. E. A. ADEGOKE
Rector CCC Seminary and Leadership Training Institute.

Mary is a spiritual person and most blessed of all women. A look into the book of Luke chapter 1 talks explicitly about the life of Mary and how she conceived. Of a fact it is only the book of Luke that gave a full account or details of how Mary conceived. But in the bible we have six Mary’s. Few years ago I spoke about the six Mary’s that existed in the bible and of them all she is the most blessed. In Luke chapter 1 Mary was mentioned as the most blessed of all women in five places, and if we look at the book of Luke all through to chapter 2 it was mentioned 7 times. Talking of numbers five represent “grace” spiritually and when it get to seven it means ‘completeness’’ or ‘total’.
Mary as a lady already had a fiancée but in the marriage of Israelites among the Jews marriage is divided into three stages: first is introduction, second is period of betrothal when earth of the betrothal can visit each other’s family and even stay with them for few days before the marriage but are allowed to have intercourse although they also talk and walk share emotional feelings just as if is nowadays so it was but they do not go beyond the limit because sex is meant to be on the wedding night and when they know each other there is a white towel in the room where the couples are to sleep and after intercourse and the man meet the woman a virgin while the families are celebrating the man will use the white towel to wipe the blood stain then throw it outside for the families to see and that is when the parent of the bride can be at peace knowing that their daughter have not put them to shame.
But in between this stage God himself, deliberately caused a problem. Why God did that is what I don’t understand when he knew that Mary will be disgraced. Infact she would have been stoned to death because she brought disgrace unto herself, her family and the husband to be. I pray we will not be put to shame before we are honored and that is why Mary is worth celebrating. God made her go through shame tribulations and was mocked and yet she endured it and never blaspheme God I won’t lie to you if a woman’s glory will shine she must go through such humiliation .not that alone, after she was delivered of the child, I don’t know if it is a curse or blessing the prophet that carried the child said “this child is chosen for the destruction and the salvation of many in Israel” luke2 vs. 34” and sorrow like sword ,will break your heart” if I were to be Mary I would have held the prophets garment and ask why he cursed my child and said the secret thoughts of many may reveal.
Since then Mary went through a lot of trouble. If it were to be someone else she could have abandoned the child and on away. They even had to hide Jesus from king herod when they returned back to their home the child too could not control is mouth but went on to teach the elders in the temple, how can a little boy speak to the elders saying ‘so do your father’ and existed before thee’ even when his mother went to him saying that they have been searching for him for few days he replied “I cannot but be in my father’s house”. That Mary continued to experience until Jesus turned 30 years when Mary left he was old enough to take care of himself yet she never abandon his son and she played a part in his son’s ministry, witnessing that pass wed at his son, yet he endured it all.
Someone asked me yesterday that we are celebrating the Holy Mary Day, what about the Joseph. There and then I repeated that Joseph does not deserve such celebration because he denied Mary and fetus at the initial stage. I don’t think Joseph clocked 30 before his death of a fact Joseph never witness d beginning of Jesus ministry. His role ended after they returned from Egypt and the God father took over. Therefore let us look at the journey. Jesus kept talking about his death yet the mother never mind. But she knows the glory in his son because when she got to thewedding in canna she told her son the wine is finished, what does Jesus have to do with wine and Jesus told her that it is not yet his time but his mother never got angry but rather went ahead to tell the servers to do whatever his son tells them. How many of us know our child ability. But she is blessed. She followed until right in his presence of his son was nailed in the hand and crucified, she witnessed him say ‘ Father I lay my hands in your hands’ very early on the day of resurrection the Mary’s ( mothers who kept vigil for the sake of their children)arose despite the mourning to get the news to get the news to Mary mother of Jesus and she was ascending to heaven such a child that one suffered so much for should at least live and take care of the mother. Therefore if she suffered all this and Jesus is the savior of all then she deserves to be called the most blessed. She is the most blessed who begot a blessed realize that in the first gospel alone Jesus mention the word ‘blessed’ thirty one times, therefore out of the blessed came forth the blessed.
Let us look at the book of Luke 1 vs. 28 “ and angel came in into her, and said, hail thou that art highly favored, the lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women”.

Verse 41” and it car to pass, that, when Elizabeth hearted the salvation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost
Verse42 and she spoke out with a loud voice art thou among women and blessed is the fruit. Of thy womb\’ that is the second time. The third “let us read verse 45- “and blessed is she that believed: for there shall be performance of those things were told her from God”
Prophesying or praying for someone that all is well and sickness is gone is not as much as believe in me. So if you believe in me. So if you a prophecy, the word of god and stand on what has been said about you then you are blessed before it fulfillment.
Let us look at verse48 “for he hath regarded the low state of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generation shall call me blessed” the angels said it, Elizabeth mentioned it twice and many herself recognizes herself as a blessed. I don’t know what you say about yourself I know am blessed. Mary prophesied if it is what ever you say about yourself that will be. She said that all generations will call her blessed. That is why we are doing this ceremony. What we do in celestial is a fulfillment of Mary’s prophecy about herself that though all generations she will be called blessed.
Because of what Mary said even after thirty years a woman came forth from the crowd and saying (chapter11 vs. 26) the prophecy did not became fulfilled is not just now but began before the death of Jesus “and it came to pass, as he spoke these things, a certain woman of the company lifted up her voice and said to him, blessed is the womb that bare thee, and came to pass thou hast sucked”. Her prophesy came to pass, her generation called her blessed to be Luke 2 vs. 28” then he took him up in his arms, and blessed God,” He bless God through the birth of Christ. I told you yesterday that is when the glory is not bright enough that people will not respect God in your life but when the glory is shining bright, people will acknowledge god and pray using God’s name through you. I pray that the world will magnify the name of god in your life. It is a good thing if our children will grow up and pray saying the God of my parent which means be believes that as parent you have served the one through God. But if you are a lookwarm Christian they won’t be able to say such. Let our children inherit goodness so they can say in the days of trouble that the God of my father’s will save me. The seventh is verse 34 were Simeon bless them “and Simeon bless them, and said unto Mary his mother. Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in isreal; and end his speech saying “(yea, a sword shall pierce through thy soul also) that the thought of many hearts may be revealed). TO BE CONTINUE

2014 Adult Harvest is here

The Adult Harvest of CCC Way of Peace is here again. The 2014 edition tagged "My Cup Runneth Over" is scheduled to hold on the second sunday of september as usual this year's edition is happening on the 14th of September 2014. The line of program is as seen below

The 2014 Adult Harvest committee are:

Walking with God Part II

Working for God:
Introduction:

A man working for a company and has no stake in the company ownership can always leave at any time and work for another company if a seemingly better offer comes but the owner of the company would not leave his company as he would keep doing things to move the company forward and place it first. The same goes with those who work for God the could also work for the devil later on and produce the works of the flesh depending on which seems to be a better offer at that time. Those working for God or the devil are only loyal to themselves and God would never give everlasting reward to those who won’t put him first

 Luke 14:26 “If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple”

Example of those that worked for God

Esau: Gen 25 and Gen 27
Esau wanted to do exploits like a serious man would want, he was hardworking and always pleasing his father and his father loved him, from the bible it is obvious he had been preparing meals for Isaac from what he had hunted many times indeed he was beloved of his father( Gen 25:28 “And Isaac loved Esau, because he did eat of his venison: but Rebekah loved Jacob.”). What happened to Esau? How did he loose all after such hard work and being the firstborn also? Esau had a problem he sold is birthright because he valued his life more than the inheritance of God the bible highlights this in Gen 25:28-33 “And Isaac loved Esau, because he did eat of his venison: but Rebekah loved Jacob. And Jacob sod pottage: and Esau came from the field, and he was faint:
And Esau said to Jacob, Feed me, I pray thee, with that same red pottage; for I am faint:therefore was his name called Edom.
And Jacob said, Sell me this day thy birthright.
And Esau said, Behold, I am at the point to die: and what profit shall this birthright do tome?
And Jacob said, Swear to me this day; and he sware unto him: and he sold his birthright unto Jacob. Then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentiles; and he did eat and drink, and rose up, and went his way: thus Esau despised his birthright. ”

 Esau despised the inheritance of God and hence he became the second born. He put his life before the things God placed value on. He was so ignorant of the value God placed on birthright therefore he was no more entitled to the blessing from God which God later declared through his father. How did the bible view esau?
He was described as a fornicator. Heb 12:16 “Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.”
Rom 9:13 says “As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.”

Hence God hated him because he had no value for the inheritance of God therefore he was not
entitle to the eternal blessings when he came he preferred an earthly reward that fills his belly.
Esau repented and cried for it but it was too late because he was no more the first born.
Heb 12:17 “For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears” anymore
There are many like esau who trade what God values for worthless things even in our days. Esau worked hard but never walked with God. He did every other thing right without fault but he didn’t walk with his God therefore he couldn’t recognise what God valued. He worked for God by pleasing his father and was paid with a pot of porrage. May our lives not be like that of esau in Jesus name.


Saul: 1 Sam
Saul as a king ordained and anointed by God. God gave him a new heart and the spirit of prophesy, we could even call him a propthet but he became a lover of himself than a lover of God. He cared about the opinion people had about him than God’s own opinion. Let us examine Saul in the light of the scriptures.
1 Sam 13:10-14 “ And he tarried seven days, according to the set time that Samuel had appointed: but Samuel came not to Gilgal; and the people were scattered from him.
 And Saul said, Bring hither a burnt offering to me, and peace offerings. And he offered the burnt offering. And it came to pass, that as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him, that he might salute him.
And Samuel said, What hast thou done? And Saul said, Because I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that thou camest not within the days appointed, and that the Philistines gathered themselves together at Michmash;
Therefore said I, The Philistines will come down now upon me to Gilgal, and I have not made supplication unto the LORD: I forced myself therefore, and offered a burnt offering.
And Samuel said to Saul, Thou hast done foolishly: thou hast not kept the commandment of the LORD thy God, which he commanded thee: for now would the LORD have established thy kingdom upon Israel for ever.
But now thy kingdom shall not continue: the LORD hath sought him a man after his own heart, and the LORD hath commanded him to be captain over his people, because thou hast not kept that which the LORD commanded thee.”
Saul decided to offer an offering which is the duty of the priest or Levites to do he had no regard for God’s doctrines and this was his very first mistake and God told him his kingdom would be given to another. He never even asked God for forgiveness. That was not just enough for saul to repent he also committed rebellion against God.
1 Sam 15:11 “It repenteth me that I have set up Saul to be king: for he is turned back from following me, and hath not performed my commandments. And it grieved Samuel; and he cried unto the LORD all night.”
1 Sam 15:16-24 “Then Samuel said unto Saul, Stay, and I will tell thee what the LORD hath said to me this night. And he said unto him, Say on.
And Samuel said, When thou wast little in thine own sight, wast thou not made the head of the tribes of Israel, and the LORD anointed thee king over Israel?
And the LORD sent thee on a journey, and said, Go and utterly destroy the sinners the Amalekites, and fight against them until they be consumed. Wherefore then didst thou not obey the voice of the LORD, but didst fly upon the spoil, and didst evil in the sight of the LORD? And Saul said unto Samuel, Yea, I have obeyed the voice of the LORD, and have gone the way which the LORD sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites. But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the chief of the things which should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice unto the LORD thy God in Gilgal. And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king. And Saul said unto Samuel, I have sinned: for I have transgressed the commandment of the LORD, and thy words: because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice.”

Saul still argued with the prophet Samuel even after he was convicted of his sin 1sam 15;20. He was full of himself and cared more for the things of the world that were beautiful and also for the respect of the people against the fear of God. You would realise that even after God scolded Saul in 1Sam 13 he still conquered the philistines and also after the evil spirit came upon him he still went out to fight for Israel and won the battle(1Sam 23:27 - 1Sam 24:1). Despite the evil spirit that troubled him he still prophesied (1 Sam 19:23). Saul was just working for God and was not walking with God therefore he lost his place as king spiritually and became empty. Even though God didn’t deny the anointing upon him he was just used as a tool and dumped because he worked for God and he was paid by the respect he earned from the people. Saul also worked for the devil by enquiring from familiar spirit and trying to kill David. You would see how it is possible for a prophet living in sin to prophesy and also for a pastor to still preach the word even though he has been rejected of God. Indeed there is a thin line between those who walk with God and those who work for God.

CHARACTERISTICS OF THOSE WHO WALK WITH GOD

1. They are willing to walk with God and love him truely
2. The hate their lives for the sake of God’s holy name(David with Goliath,luke 14:26)
3. They are focused on eternal life with God
4. They trust God completely
5. They are always led by the Spirit of God
6. They are disciplined
7. They understand and perform justice and judgement(Gen 19:19)
8. The love worshipping and being in God’s presence and love Godly activities(2 Sam 6:20-21)
9. They are only interested in God’s opinion about them
10. They are of Good Character producing fruits of the spirit
11. They are full of truth and mercy
12. They are only after God’s own reward in all things they do and earn his respect


CHARACTERISTICS OF THOSE WHO WORK FOR GOD

1. They seem willing but do not love him at heart but love him with their lips
2. They are lovers of themselves more than lovers of God (2 Tim 3:2)
3. They are focused on earthly possessions and mundane.
4. They trust their 5 senses in doing things
5. They are led by their spiritual gifts rather than the spirit of God
6. They appear disciplined but a closer look tells you a different story
7. They have no understanding of justice and judgement
8. They love church activities and get bored of worship
9. They are more interested in peoples opinion than seeking God’s opinion
10. They are partially well behaved
11. They are not full of truth nor do they possess mercy in their bosom and do nothing free of charge
12. They after rewards of men and respect from men

STEPS ON HOW TO WALK WITH GOD

1. Acknowledging yourself as a debtor and accepting Christ who paid your depth (Rom 3:23 “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God”)
2. Accepting you are dead and the life you live is Christ’s (Gal 2:20 “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me”)
3. Worship God & Be led by the spirit always (Rom 8:14 “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.”).
Conclusion:

Walking with God every second is the way to eternal life because the inheritance is only for the sons
Gal 4:1-7 “ Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all;
But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father.
Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world:
But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,
To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.
And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.
Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.”
Hymn 5, hymn 283,Hymn 284,Hymn 694,hymn 773,hymn 54, hymn 58.

As you have read this may God give you the grace to walk with him that you may inherit life eternal in Jesus Name. AMEN.


Written under the Holy Spirit guidance by:
Bro Sorunke Olugbenga Elijah.

Walking with God Part I

Aim: Obtaining the promise
Scripture background: Micah 6:8 “He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?”

Introduction:
Walking with someone simply means moving together along the same path. Imagine walking with someone who has no destination. If a friend asks walk with me on a mission and begins moving round a circle will you continue with such a friend on that mission? It’s not a wise thing to walk with a stranger because you can’t tell where he is going because you have no knowledge stranger is, his likes dislikes and his way of doing things. Walking with someone prone to mistakes is also very dangerous as you can land in a place you never expected. From the discussion above there are conditions to be met before you can walk with a person successfully towards the same destination and through the same path. These conditions are
1. You must know the person
2. You need to have knowledge of the capacity of such a person
3. You need to have an idea of the destination and the pathways to the destination
Knowing the above conditions would help you prepare well for the journey.
Walking with God can be likened to a marriage in which there are many ingredients that make up a successful marriage. As you read on bear in mind that the essence of this message is to make you see yourself in a mirror as you really are with your own eyes to determine if you are truly walking with God or not and take positive steps to walk with God that you may obtain the promise in the very end.Imagine a lion and a sheep on the same mission or a cat and a rat on the same mission, quite an impossible mission right? So is it with our creator

Essence of Man walking with God
Gen 18-25
In the last text, God saw that man was a alone and he judged it as not a good thing for the man because of the task that was given to him by God Gen 2:15 “And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it”. God must have thought man would also get bored being alone and needed someone to talk to like a companion fitting for him,
Although man had started to perform his duty without any help and could actually do his duties but he would lack companionship and no helper. Taking a closer look at God himself, we would discover he made man to be like a companion for himself, to fellowship with man. God decided then to find him a help meet for him and he started by bringing all the animals to Adam to name them one by one Gen 2:19-20”And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof.
And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him”.

God then saw that among all the animals he had created there was not found a help meet for Adam so God knew he had to make Adam a help meet for him that would walk with him and help him achieve the purpose for which God made him. Then God made the woman as a help meet for man for companionship and support towards a common goal which is performing the purpose of God given to Man in Gen 2:15.

God has a purpose for creating us all and that is to join him to achieve his own purpose just as 1cor 3:9 says “For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building”.
Therefore our walking with God is to join him in his purpose and labour with him as friends, workers and as a companion knowing his intention in all this is that we may also be glorified even as he himself is being glorified both on earth and in heaven.
We shall now take a short study of certain characters and how they walked with God during their life and obtained the promise at the end.
Examples of men who walked with God are:

1. Enoch Gen 5:21-24
This man walked with God for 300years out of 365years which he lives and the bible is quoted saying “And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him.” Enoch walked with God to an extent that the immortality of God robbed off on him that he was translated for God took him unto himself. A question could arise that how come this people could achieve this even when the knowledge of salvation through Christ was yet to be revealed to mankind. This would be answered shortly.

2. Noah Gen 6.9 “These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God.”
 God testified of this man because he walked with God. Let’s look at the work of building the ark. I wonder how a man and just 3 sons would build such an ark at that time. Let’s imagine there were even machine at that time would it have been possible for just 4 men to do such work, the obvious answer is CAPITAL NO. There must have been something divine that happened and this was possible because of the faith Noah had in God. The work was completed because Noah obeyed God and God testified of him, Noah was a joint labourer with God in his purpose for the world at that time.

3. Abraham Gen 12-Gen 25:
What an example of exemplary faith and a journey of constant spiritual growth. Abraham was not without some mistake made ignorantly but he relied on God for everything till he was tempted by God and passed .He attained the status of a friend to God and why is the question. The reason is he gave his only beloved son and God therefore gave the world his only beloved son because Abraham obeyed God therefore God formed an alliance with him.In isa 51 :1-3 the bible says in verse 2 “ Look unto Abraham your father, and unto Sarah that bare you: for I called him alone, and blessed him, and increased him”. God made Abraham a standard for us to follow. Rom 4:17-20 “(As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were. Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be. And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara's womb: He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;”. This is what everyone who desires the glory of God should become. Studying Abraham alone is quite a large topic but I would stop here on Abraham. This would be studied when treating the topic: Maximising the use of your God.

4. David: Act 13:22
“And when he had removed him, he raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom also he gave testimony, and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will.”
God summarised the person of David as a man after his heart isn’t that the most romantic word God has use to qualify a man? Well I leave you to the answer. David knew God in-depth and kept wanting to know more even when he sinned God only punished him out of jealousy and in the end saved him. He tapped into the unseen grace of Christ even in his time because he knew his God. The story of David are recorded in majorly 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1kings, 1 chronicles. The story of David is the most detailed in the bible compared to all other biblical characters. He also got the promise of God even as Abraham did because he did the will of God.

5. Papa Oshoffa: CCC Constitution, Oshoffa by baba Odeyemi, The enigma Oshoffa,
What a Man oshoffa was, was he different from you and I? NO but he stood out in his generation. As we know he came from a humble background and didn’t have any formal education he excelled in his calling. God testified of him as having a clean heart through holy mary’s appearance and that was why the heavens could relate well with him psalm 24 3-5 says
 “Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place?
He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully. He shall receive the blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of his salvation.” Papa was a man of a gentle spirit and humble. He trusted God on everything concerning the church and always said this statement that the church is not his but belongs to God and the owner would take care of the church himself and he re iterated this always that he is just a messenger through which the church came. His aim was to teach people how to worship God and that Jesus may be known and his favourite verse was john 17:3 and it says “And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.”
Papa went through many tribulations from republic of Benin to Nigeria yet he never staggered in unbelief always focused on the crown God would give him when he would leave the earth.God went the extra mile to testify of him during his lying in state and burial when God himself showed wonders and rainbow with the sun, moon stars testifying to the testimony God gave through papa oshoffa that the world may know that he was sent by God. Even now God uses his name for wonders because He did as he was commanded and walked with God therefore God had respect unto him. Indeed he was the beloved of the lord. There is so much to say about papa not to mention of the miracles and signs done by Jesus Christ Through him. He was led by the spirit and not by the gift of the Spirit. All glory to God for his life. Studying is life would take a long time to do justice to but the little shared is enough to point out the importance of walking with God even in these last days

to be continue

Heavenly Treasure in Earthen Vessel 2Cor 4:7-10

The title of this lecture comes from 2 Corinthians 4, which speaks of earthen vessels filled with heavenly treasure. God has set a pattern into the Christian life. He has crafted men as earthen vessels. Men are weak and ordinary, as if made of clay. Earthen, frail, vulnerable, and inadequate, believers are meant for a purpose but are entirely insufficient for its demands. The Scripture says that God knows our frame that we are but dust—not gold dust, but the common, ordinary kind. And yet:
DEFINITION:
VESSEL: The word Vessel is from the Greek word SKEUOS defined as holder, Jar or something that contains
EARTHEN: The word Earthen is from the Greek word OSTRAKINOS meaning a substance made of clay, brittle and easily broken
Jer18: 1-6 the story of the potter’s house and the potters kiln which fires the pottery
But we have this treasure in earthen vessels that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.

3 DISTINCT TOPICS WHICH DEMAND OUR ATTENTION TONIGHT
1. The preciousness of the heavenly treasure: The Heavenly treasure committed to our trust is nothing less than the whole of "The Glorious Gospel"
2. The infirmity of the earthen vessel: The phrase "I’m only human" or "I’m not perfect" indicates the frailty of humans
3. The Excellency of the divine power: The complete one dwelling in an incomplete one, immutable deity dwelling in a breakable container,
(2 Corinthians 4:7 NKJV)

THE BEAUTY OF BEING A VESSEL IS THAT VESSELS ARE DESIGNED TO CONTAIN SOMETHING.
This is where the believer’s meaning, purpose, and fulfillment in life rests—in the treasure he is meant to contain. And yet still, the believer is but an earthen vessel. Though a container, we might refer to the believer as a simple, clay flower pot. Now a clay pot is no big thing, but containing the right flower, its worth is magnified—magnified for how it reflects the beauty of the flower. This is a good picture of what the Christian life is supposed to be. The believer has great treasure kept within earthen vessels of his body and soul, in fact, within his very life. Paul has already told us of this great treasure: For we are to God the fragrance of Christ. (2Cor 2:15 NKJV).
Man generally focus on the vessel, shine it, paints it, polish and shape it, but it is perishing daily but the believer is encourage to recognize these vessel are only meant for temporary season. The dynamic force should come from the content not the container

THE FRAGRANCE OF CHRIST
That very word, fragrance, fits the imagery we have already presented of a flower in a container. “We are a fragrance of Christ.” This fragrance comes not from the clay pot, but from that which resides in the pot. If one is to be the fragrance of Christ, that sweet-smelling aroma can only originate from Christ Himself. A clay pot only has an ordinary earthen fragrance and can never smell as a fresh flower. The fragrance comes from Christ Himself, because the life of Jesus is manifested in the believer’s body (cf. 2 Corinthians 4:10). The life of Christ is the treasure housed within the believer’s earthen vessel. It is the life of Christ that is manifested from within the believer’s mortal flesh (cf. 2 Corinthians 4:11).

THE EARTHEN VESSEL: MORTAL FLESH. THE TREASURE: THE LIFE OF JESUS.
Recall Colossians 1:27, “Christ in us, our hope of glory.” That is Paul’s point here. The believer hosts incredible treasure in an ignoble, earthen vessel. God has ordained this to be that “the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.” If any excellent power is seen in and through the believer’s life, it is to be seen clearly as something foreign to his nature—it must be clear that God is the power of Excellency residing in the believer.
Of course, this is not the manner in which humanity regularly thinks. Man generally focuses upon the earthen vessel. He shines it, paints it, polishes it, shapes it, postures it, and does whatever he can to keep it from perishing. But the outer man is perishing daily. There is no way to stop the process brought on by the Curse. The believer is encouraged to recognize these vessels are only meant for a temporary season. As long as the inner man is being renewed day by day, the believer walks the right path and God is having His way in the man.

WE HOLD AN EXCEEDING VALUABLE TREASURE.
So then, the believer holds within himself (as an earthen vessel) an exceedingly valuable treasure. And he is given this treasure that the transcendent, extraordinary Excellency of the power would be recognized of God and not of us. The dynamic, animating force that is to develop, drive, and produce a Christian life is to come from the contents of the vessel, not the vessel itself. This power is to come from the treasure rather from the human in whom the treasure dwells—from the flower rather than from the clay flowerpot. This is a picture of insufficient vessels, containing sufficient treasure.

7 DIFFERENCES BETWEEN CONTENT AND CONTAINER
1. Content is complete while the container is incomplete
2. Content is strong while the container is weak
3. Content is extraordinary while container is ordinary
4. Content is sufficient on its own while container is insufficient
5. Content is transcendent while container is natural
6. Content is the life of Christ while container is the mortal flesh
7. Content is immutable while container is changeable

CRITERIA FOR USE
1. A Vessel must be available: God will not force us to use us but if we make ourselves available he will use us
2. A Vessel must be clean:  Just as you won't use a filthy pot to put valuables in. God will only fill a clean vessel therefore clean up yourself
3. A Vessel must be Empty: Another problem we face is that we are too full of ourselves that there is no room for God. We must first empty ourselves of these selfish goals, desires and agenda before we can be filled of God's treasure

APPEARANCE VERSUS REALITY
1. Afflicted but not crushed
2. Perplexed not given up hope
3. Persecuted not forsaken
4. Struck down not destroyed

KEY POINT
1. The Gospel is the Christian true treasure
2. Our lives are like earthen vessel which when broken Manifest the light of the gospel
Judges 7: 15-25
3. Though our suffering seem as though it will break us but God never allow such intense suffering to defeat or destroy us
4. The suffering we are called to endure will never destroy us, is divinely appointed, irreplaceable means by which God manifest his life in our mortal body
5. The suffering which breaks these clay pots should not result in our silence but should become the basis for our proclaiming boldly the good news
6. Being broken as an earthly vessel means dying to oneself so that we can serve others and glorify God.

CONCLUSION
As Christian die daily by living righteously and boldly speaking forth the truth of the Gospel, we live out the death and life of our Lord Jesus Christ to the consternation of those who reject the Gospel to the benefit and blessing of those who believe and ultimately to Glory of God.

PRAYER: Our Father, we need periodic reminders of what we are in ourselves, empty pots made to contain God, made to hold the Almighty, useless and meaningless and empty without him. Lord, we pray that we may learn to accept gladly, cheerfully, and understandingly the experiences which come our way which force us to rely upon your grace. And even more, that we may learn to accept these snubs to our ego, these humiliating experiences which crush us, but which also produce the life of Jesus within us. Help us to do this in honesty and genuineness today. We ask in Christ's name, Amen.