CORNELIUS, YOU STILL NEED JESUS!

Years ago in the city of Caesarea, there was a man named Cornelius. Cornelius was a Roman army officer in what was called the Italian Unit/Regiment. He was a religious man. He and all the others who lived in his house were worshipers of God. He gave much of his money to the poor and always prayed to God.

One day about three o'clock in the afternoon he had a vision. An angel of God came to him as real as his next-door neighbor would and said, "Cornelius." Staring at the angel and feeling afraid, Cornelius said, "What do you want, sir?" The angel said to him, "God has heard your prayers and has seen your gifts to the poor. He remembers you and all you have done. Send some men now to the city of Joppa to get a man named Simon, who is also called Peter. He is staying with someone also named Simon, a leatherworker who has a house beside the sea." Then the angel left. Cornelius immediately called two of his servants and a soldier. The soldier was a religious man, one of his close helpers. Cornelius explained everything to these three men and sent them to Joppa at once.

Prior to Cornelius' men arriving at Simon's house to fetch Peter, Peter had had a weird vision where God was rebuking him for calling animals his culture/tribe describe as impure, impure. He did not understand this because that is what this same God described them to be some years ago to his ancestors.

The men Cornelius sent had finally found Simon's house. They were standing at the door. They asked, "Is Simon Peter staying here?" While Peter was still thinking about the vision, God said to him, "Listen, three men are looking for you. Get up and go downstairs. Go with these men without wondering if it's all right because I sent them."
So Peter went downstairs and said to them, "I think I'm the man you are looking for." Peter asked the men to come in and stay for the night. The next day Peter got ready and went away with the three men to the city of Caesarea with some of his close friends from Joppa with him.

Back at Caesarea, Cornelius was waiting for them and had already gathered his relatives and close friends at his house. When Peter entered the house, Cornelius met him by falling down at his feet and worshiping him. Peter said to Cornelius, "Stand up! I am only a man like you." Then Peter went inside with Cornelius and saw a large group of people gathered there. Seeing the crowd he understood the vision he had had at Joppa. To that Peter said to the people, "You understand that it is against our law for a Jew to associate with or visit anyone who is not a Jew. But God has shown me that I should not consider anyone unfit or say they are impure. That is why I didn't argue when your men asked me to come here. Now, please tell me why you sent for me."

Cornelius immediately narrated the vision to Peter as he had narrated to his two servants and soldier and concluded by saying, "NOW WE ARE ALL HERE BEFORE GOD TO HEAR EVERYTHING THE LORD HAS COMMANDED YOU TO TELL US".

Peter began to speak: "I really understand now that God does not consider some people to be better than others. He accepts anyone who worships him and does what is right. It is not important what nation they come from.
God has spoken to the people of Israel. He sent them the Good News that peace has come through Jesus Christ, the Lord of all people.
You know about Jesus from Nazareth. God made him the Messiah by giving him the HOLY SPIRIT and POWER. Jesus went everywhere doing good for people. He healed those who were ruled by the devil, showing that God was with him. We saw all that Jesus did in Judea and in Jerusalem.
But he was killed. They put him on a cross made of wood. But on the third day after his death, God raised him to life and let him be seen openly. He was not seen by everyone, but only by us, the ones God had already chosen to be witnesses. We ate and drank with him after he was raised from death.
Jesus told us to go and speak to the people. He told us to tell them that He is the one God chose to be the judge of all who are living and all who have died. EVERYONE WHO BELIEVES IN JESUS WILL HAVE THEIR SINS FORGIVEN THROUGH HIS NAME."

Immediately Cornelius and the people gathered understood an important truth that you must also consider. They realized that despite their belief in God, their prayers, their generosity, their good reputation in society, their morality, and their devotion to their husband/wife and children, they still needed the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, to be saved from their sins and be made holy and righteous before God.

My good friend reading this, you may be like Cornelius. You are religious. You are generous with your gifts to charity. You pray five times or ten times a day. Your servants/workers are always happy to have you as a boss. You have been baptized and have joined a church. You are a deacon, an elder, an usher, an instrumentalist, a sound engineer for a church, a chorister, or a pastor's security guard/aid. You take the Lord's Supper. You have no bad habits. You love your wife and children. You are a devoted husband and father. You tithe often. You help churches, orphanages, etc with building projects, boreholes, and a lot more. HOWEVER, IF YOU HAVE NOT RECEIVED AND CONFESSED THE LORD JESUS CHRIST AS LORD AND SAVIOR, YOU ARE STILL A SINNER AND STILL NEED TO BE SAVED LIKE CORNELIUS. You cannot buy, you cannot win, you cannot merit, you cannot achieve God's salvation by any system or by any amount of religion or good works because SALVATION IS FREE.

If you are ready to have a close walk with the Savior Jesus Christ and be set free from any demonic bondage, please say the prayer below out loud.

SALVATION PRAYER
Lord Jesus, thank You for loving me and dying for me on the cross. Your precious blood washes me clean of every sin. You are my Lord and my Savior, now and forever. I believe that You rose from the dead and that You are alive today. Because of Your finished work, I am now a beloved child of God and heaven is my home.
Thank You for giving me eternal life, and filling my heart with Your peace and joy. Amen.



If you are ready to better understand the step you have just taken by saying the above prayer, please contact TROTRO DEVOTION through WhatsApp on 0557445225 or e-mail trotrodevotion@gmail.com.

IS THE NEXT GENERATION READY?

Exodus 1:6 (TLB)
In due season Joseph and each of his brothers died, ending that generation.

Israel had a comfortable home in Egypt because of Joseph. A man who was so principled and blessed that his presence was the reason God was blessing a particular house/nation.
Israel had quickly forgotten a principle while living comfortably in Egypt. If it took Joseph for Israel to be accepted and to live comfortably in Egypt, then Israel will need Joseph to maintain their comfort in Egypt. They ignored this principle and watched as Joseph, Reuben, Zebulun, Issachar, Gad, Judah, Benjamin, etc died one after the other.
They watched Joseph die with a mantle that would have maintained their comfort in Egypt.

Sadly, this generation is repeating that mistake. We are enjoying the comfort the spiritual fathers of the land have struggled for, yet we are not fighting for their mantles to maintain the comfort they fought for if they should die.
Next Generation, please, do not wait for the new pharaoh before you start crying for another savior. It will take decades before Moses will be prepared. Let us do whatever we must to get hold of the mantle before our heavily anointed fathers go to our Heavenly Father.
The Spiritual fathers of the land, be in Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa, Brazil, Spain, etc, will soon leave. Their generation will soon come to an end. Are we ready for the battle ahead?

Is the next generation prepared?
We must not let them leave the surface of the earth with their gifts. We can't let Elisha die with the gift. We must not allow it. Do not allow them to die with their gifts.Be hungry for it.
Let's serve even if they do not appreciate our efforts. Remember, it is a spiritual activity, if the flesh cannot see, the spirit is wide awake.
Always have this in mind: "YOU CAN DRAW AN ANOINTING FROM A PERSON WITHOUT HIM/HER NECESSARILY LAYING HANDS ON YOU". (Grab Bishop Dag's book - CATCH THE ANOINTING).

Remain in the blessings of God as you remain in Christ.

#TrotroDevotion
#theCrucifiedLife
#theGenerals

THE DIARY OF THE WORSHIPPER by Isaiah Fosu-Kwakye Jnr.

WHY EVERY BELIEVER/WORSHIP LEADER NEEDS THIS BOOK IN HIS/HER LIBRARY.

Some years ago, a foundation I work with organized a worship concert at Perez Chapel and Pastor Isaiah Fosu-Kwakye Jnr was one of the big names on it. As usual, the time for the program was up and instead of the people taking their seats they were outside chatting. I don’t know if it is a Ghanaian problem or an African thing. I later heard my coordinator saying that Pastor Isaiah was going to start the program. I thought it was a bad idea because of course he is Pastor Isaiah and must wait for the crowd. But it was Pastor Isaiah's decision to start. Mind you, this is the first time I was meeting this wonderful worshipper who I had been hearing about.
If you have been at any worship program where Pastor Isaiah ministered, you would have realized that he mostly likes to speak and sing in tongues before actually singing a song or two at most. Now, I have seen him worship with at most 2 songs for 40minutes. Something most ministers find difficult to do. When he was singing in tongues, the atmosphere just changed and I don’t know why but I decided to look outside. To my surprise, the only people standing outside were our own ticket ladies and other technical members. Everybody in the auditorium had their hands in the air like they were waiting for the upper room experience.

Now, this is where it gets interesting. For the program, I was in charge of video and photography. Since the program had begun, it was only right for me to ensure that the cameras were rolling and each member of the team was in position and doing their work. The two gentlemen on the master camera were recording, and so were the gentlemen working on the reaction shots of the crowd and that of the stage. The only person that was lost in action was the photographer. I would like to say that this gentleman is very professional. When it is time for work, all games must go on standby. So, as a good manager, I decided to go around and look for him. I was hoping to see him doing something that would demand a slap but I got the shock of my life. I found this gentleman a few steps from the stage with the camera off and strapped around his neck. And yes, his hands were up in the air and his eyes closed in worship. As I stood for a few seconds to be sure that I was not dreaming, all I could ask myself was “What is happening?” This gentleman is not a fan of worship so what is he doing. He is not the type to easily do this. So, what is happening? The answer is simple: HE HAD COME INTO CONTACT WITH A WORSHIPPER WHO WAS LEADING A PEOPLE TO THE THRONE ROOM.
Anyway, I still gave him a slap on the head. He could not be enjoying intimacy while we were working. And if you are thinking this is nothing, the same gentleman had to be slapped again by me when our church invited Pastor Isaiah for one of our quarterly worship programs. Again, the fact is: HE HAD COME INTO CONTACT WITH A WORSHIPPER WHO WAS LEADING A PEOPLE TO THE THRONE ROOM.

If like me, you have been wondering why Pastor Isaiah has that unique stage presence then the book to read is – “THE DIARY OF THE WORSHIPPER (His personal reflections on worship)”.  In this book, Pastor Isaiah shares his thoughts with scriptural references to the following:

• What worship is.
• What the worship altar is.
• Who benefits when we worship.
• Faith and worship
• The importance of meditating on the lyrics of a song during worship.
• The importance of staying on a particular song for a while during worship.
• The importance of a worship leader being in tune with the Lord. 
• The importance of having your own perception of God.
• Learning to ‘sing-say’ instead of ‘sing-sing’.
• Learning to wait in worship.
• Difference between ‘thinking worship’ and ‘telling worship’.
• Difference between a worshipper and a singer.
• The true definition of a gospel song.
• The John 2:1-12 revelation on worship every worship leader must know.
• The importance of worship leaders availing themselves as vessels for God.
• The Worship Leader and the Word of God.

One interesting chapter you should read when you get this book is Chapter 2 (God in Need?). This chapter speaks on a particular notion most Pastors and Gospel Musicians keep saying each time they are about to worship or speak about worship – “God can do all things but, one thing He cannot do for Himself is to praise or worship Himself”. That chapter was a big blow to my face. Get the book and you will thank me later after reading this particular chapter.

I wish to share all that I learned from the book with you, but I would not be encouraging Pastor Isaiah to write volume two. I would encourage you to grab a copy from any leading Christian Bookshop or better still send me an e-mail at trotrodevotion@gmail.com or a WhatsApp on 0557445225 for a cool price if you are in Ghana.

Remain in the blessings of the Lord as you remain in Christ.
Have a blessed week!

THE COLD HANDS OF DEATH

"I walk a path that will definitely lead to my death, but the thought of that particular death makes that path attractive than ever. I will prefer to die living for God, than for a man or myself." 

I used to think about death and shiver and quiver like a fish brought out of water. And each time I asked myself:
Why fear death as a believer if my home is not this place but above?
Why fear death as a believer if my life is in the hands of God, and only He can do as He pleases with it?
Why fear death as a believer if truly the one living in me is far greater than he who moves about the earth like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour?
Why fear death as a believer if the God I serve is truly the giver of life?
Why fear death as a believer if I am a product of the Lion of the Tribe of Judah?
Why fear death as a believer?

The truth is this: We fear death because truly our hearts are not on the things above. Unlike Apostle Paul, we are afraid to die because we know deep down within us we still wish to enjoy certain privileges and things of this earth before dying. We have not driven that Mercedes, that Range Rover, that Bugatti, that Chrysler, that Toyota, that Bentley, etc. We have not bought that mansion, we have not traveled to that country, we have not enjoyed this or that. And until we do that, most of us are not ready to think or talk about death.

Some deceive themselves that they are afraid to die because they have not completed their mission. For a few it may be true, but how can you complete a mission you have no idea of? How can you complete a mission you have no interest in? How can you complete a mission you have not enquired about? Again, the answer is this: Our hearts are on things below, not things above. It has nothing to do with your mission on earth Mr. and Mrs. Believer, it has everything to do with the content of your heart.

Colossians 3:2 (KJV)
Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

Others are quick to say that they cannot and must not die now because God is the giver of a long life. That is true. But what is a long life in the sight of God? A long life before God has little to do with the length of days as men see it today. It has everything to do with your kingdom's achievements on earth. It has everything to do with your mission being accomplished successfully on earth. Enoch lived 365years and Methuselah lived 969years, yet Enoch was remembered for his walk with God. We know nothing about Methuselah on the other hand. We mostly believe that John the Baptist and Jesus died prematurely or died too young, but what else must they do in a foreign world after completing their mission when they have a better place awaiting their arrival? Deacon Stephen never feared death and by the end of Acts chapter seven (7) gave himself for the truth he held in his heart and cherished above his life. Apostle Paul was never afraid to die because he knew where he would be and was more than ready to get there quickly.

2 Corinthians 5:8 (KJV)
We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.

It is the same for the many young men and women who gave themselves up for the truth they cherished. But that can't be said of most believers today. Why? We have set our eyes on the things below than on the things above. We will do anything to keep our lives so we can fully enjoy our many lustful desires.

Matthew 10:39 (KJV)
He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.

I am only thinking aloud. I should end here.
Stay blessed!

PRAYER
Lord, help my unbelief. Help me trust you when there is no hope. Help me trust in your perfect plan for my life always in Jesus' name.

IS THE LORD TRULY YOUR SHEPHERD?

"If you are in want, then THE LORD is not your Shepherd; something else is." - MD

Unlike most children, I was brought up with two major prayers from the Bible - "The Lord's Prayer" and Psalm 23. The Lord's Prayer was mostly for the morning, but Psalm 23 was for any time of the day, especially at bedtime.
Like some of you, I grew up believing that Psalm 23 was a prayer for protection and provision; until the Holy Spirit gave me insight this year by asking me a simple question during a prayer walk. I would also want to ask you the same question before we begin: "IS THE LORD TRULY YOUR SHEPHERD?"
If your answer is a big 'Yes' and you already think this is one of those useless posts, I will ask you to indulge a little more by reading further. We will begin with four (4) major points.

1) That you have accepted Jesus Christ as your LORD and your Personal Savior does not make HIM (THE LORD) your Shepherd automatically. You must ask Him and be prepared to let Him be.
2) Psalm 23 was not written as a prayer for protection and provision.
3) Psalm 23 was written to show believers the signs and benefits a person who has asked, accepted and allowed THE LORD to be their Shepherd enjoys.
4) The entire Psalm 23 rests on the statement, "THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD".

Psalm 23:1 (KJV)
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

David, a learned and Spirit-filled Prophet and King, understood God more than any other person. He had a personal Prophet and a Seer. As a King, he had access to all the books of the fathers. From the books, he knew God as Jehovah-Jireh, Jehovah-Rapha, Jehovah-Shalom, Jehovah-Nissi, Jehovah-Tsidkenu, etc. Yet, when David was talking about whom he had made the Shepherd of his life, he chose Jehovah; not Jehovah-Jireh (the Lord that Provides).

At this juncture, if you are confused then you are following. Let's quickly consider an example.

For example, My name is Paul. I am 30 years old. I am a husband, a writer, an editor, a church elder, 6th born of my father, a casual footballer, and a casual rapper.
Now, some people relate with me as an editor, others relate with me as a church elder, and others as a writer. Aside from relating to my wife as her husband, she benefits from every other aspect of my life because of our union.

Now, let's relate the above example to David's statement in Psalm 23 verse 1. Instead of David allowing an aspect/nature of God be his Shepherd, he rather chose to see and accept JEHOVAH for who He is and decide to have HIM (in full) as his Shepherd.

WHO IS JEHOVAH/WHAT DOES "JEHOVAH" MEAN?
Exodus 6:3 (KJV)
And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by my name, JEHOVAH was I not known to them.

According to the Hebrew translation, Jehovah means THE SELF-EXISTENT ONE/THE ETERNAL ONE.
The dictionary describes anyone or anything that is not caused to live by someone or something else as self-existent. That is, the thing or person lives independently.
Also, anyone or anything that is eternal has no beginning or end and exists at all times.
So, what God was saying to Moses when He called Himself Jehovah was that, "I do not need my creation to be God. I cannot be limited by the very time I created. I am God all by Myself"

This is the kind of God David chose to be his Shepherd. A God who will only do what pleases Him knowing best that that is what His Creation needs. So, instead of making Jehovah-Rapha his Shepherd so as to enjoy (only) healing, David rather chose Jehovah in order to benefit from the healing, the peace, the favor, the provision, the protection, etc. And all that was made manifest in King David's life. Unlike David, most of us have made just an aspect of Jehovah as our Shepherd so we find ourselves wanting in other areas of our lives.

Until Jehovah is your Shepherd/Ruler/Teacher/Companion, you will continue to want in other areas of your life. You will not lie down in green pastures. You will not be led beside the still waters. Your soul will not be restored. You will not be led in the path of righteousness for God's namesake. You will be afraid when you walk in the valley of the shadow of death. God's rod and staff will not comfort you. God will not prepare a table for you in the presence of your enemies. Your head will not be anointed. Your cup will not run over. Goodness and mercy will not follow you all the days of your life. You will not dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

If THE LORD has been, is and will forever truly be your Shepherd, you should have benefited, should be benefiting and should forever benefit from the good things - peace, restoration, protection, provision, honor, etc - mentioned in Psalm 23.



PRAYER
Lord Jesus, from today I ask and permit you to be the Shepherd of my life. I refuse to have anything to do with the devil and his demons. I will from today do as you wish no matter how difficult it may look or feel. This I promise to do with the Holy Spirit you have given to empower me. Thank you, Lord Jesus.

YOU ARE NOT ALWAYS PRAYING BECAUSE YOU HAVE NOT READ AND UNDERSTOOD LUKE CHAPTER 18 VERSE 1 TO 8

“Prayer should be the key of the day and the lock of the night” – George Herbert

Luke 18:1 (KJV)
And He spake a parable unto them to this end, that MEN OUGHT ALWAYS TO PRAY, and not to faint;

According to Luke chapter 18 verse 1, Jesus was about to share a parable with a believer – it could be a pastor, evangelist, prophet, apostle, pastor’s wife, choir member, sanctuary cleaner, youth member, prayer warrior, drummer, keyboardist, usher, banker, journalist, politician, professor, teacher, DJ, filmmaker, etc, to affirm a statement and way of thinking as the son of God; which is, “MEN HAVE TO ALWAYS PRAY, and not to FAINT”.

In other words, Jesus is sharing this parable with us with just one agenda: TO MAKE YOU AND I SEE THE NEED TO ALWAYS PRAY, AND NOT TO FAINT. This parable has no other meaning to a believer than to teach him/her the importance of prayer.


“The opposite of a PRAYERFUL man is a FAINTING man, not a PRAYERLESS man” – Apostle Arome Osayi

Luke 18:2-4 (KJV)
2 Saying, there was in a city A JUDGE, which FEARED NOT GOD, neither REGARDED MAN:
3 And there was A WIDOW in that city; and she came unto him, saying, AVENGE ME OF MINE ADVERSARY.
4 And he would not for a while: BUT AFTERWARD he said within himself, though I FEAR NOT GOD, NOR REGARD MAN;

According to Jesus, there was a city which had a Judge who did not fear God, nor had respect for people. In that same city where the Judge lived was a Widow who needed urgent judgment against her enemy. So, she decided to visit the chambers of this Judge in that city for him to grant her justice.

On the first day the Judge, who did not fear God nor had respect for people, ignored her. And this attitude and decision of the Judge continued for a long time. But, this Widow kept going to the Judge with the same request daily.

After a period of time, the Judge decided to change his mind and grant the Widow the justice she needed. The Judge did not want to grant her the justice initially, but he finally did it. WHY?

Luke 18:6 (KJV)
And the Lord said, HEAR what the unjust judge saith.

At this juncture of the parable, Jesus gives you and I a quick assignment: “HEAR WHAT THE UNJUST JUDGE SAID”. In other words, you and I must go back and reread what the unjust judge said to himself before granting the widow her heart's desire.

To Jesus, that statement is the key you and I need to better understand; what He is trying to say about US (BELIEVERS) ALWAYS PRAYING. And that statement can be found in the fourth and fifth verse of Luke chapter 18.

Luke 18:4-5 (KJV)
4 And he would not for a while: BUT AFTERWARD he said within himself, though I FEAR NOT GOD, NOR REGARD MAN;
5 Yet because this widow troubleth me, I WILL AVENGE HER, lest by her continual coming she weary me.

I will use the original Greek translation for us to better understand what Jesus is driving at. I am doing this because our understanding of OUR NEED TO ALWAYS PRAY stands/rests on our understanding of what the unjust Judge said within him before granting the Widow her justice.

This is what the unjust Judge said within himself, “Though I do not fear God nor have respect for people; yet because this Widow KEEPS SHOWING UP/PRESENTING HERSELF BEFORE ME, I will grant her justice. If not, her continuous coming to me will annoy me.”


“Is Prayer your steering wheel or your spare tire?” – Corrie ten Boom

Luke 18:7-8 (KJV)
7 And shall not God avenge His own elect, WHICH CRY DAY AND NIGHT UNTO HIM, though He bear long with them?
8 I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man cometh, shall He find faith on the earth?

From the above, this is what Jesus is trying to tell you and me; “If the unjust Judge decided to grant the Widow justice because she KEPT SHOWING UP/PRESENTING HERSELF BEFORE HIM, why would God not do something for you and me, believers who have been bought and washed by the precious blood of His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, if we would only continuously CRY/TALK/PRAY unto Him day and night according to His Will.”

In other words, God will surely answer the prayers of believers if they will continuously pray unto Him day and night according to His Will, and be patient with Him.

Brothers and sisters, STOP expecting answers from God if you only SHOW UP/PRESENT YOURSELF to Him weekly, monthly, quarterly or yearly.


"Our continuous SHOWING before God is proof of our faith in Him" - MD

HAVE YOU CONSIDERED THE WAY YOU ARE LIVING?

[BUILD THE TEMPLE BEFORE YOU DO ANY OTHER THING (2)]

When the Israelites were considering their needs instead of rebuilding the Temple of God for God to rest in, strange things were happening in and around them. It was happening to them each day. They saw it happen to their neighbors also as they experienced it, but they could not see the hand of God in it. They thought it was normal because everybody was going through it. So, the Lord drew their attention to what they were failing to notice as a sign from Him to them.


Haggai 1:5-7, 9-10 (TLB)
5 Look at the result:
6 You plant much but harvest little. You have scarcely enough to eat or drink and not enough clothes to keep you warm. Your income disappears, as though you were putting it into pockets filled with holes!
7 “Think it over,” says the Lord Almighty. “Consider how you have acted and what has happened as a result!
9 “You hope for much but get so little. And when you bring it home, I blow it away – it doesn’t last at all. Why? Because my Temple lies in ruins, and you don’t care. YOUR ONLY CONCERN IS YOUR OWN FINE HOMES.
10 That is why I am holding back the rains from heaven and giving you such scant crops.


According to the above scripture, they were harvesting little after planting much because of their failure to rebuild the temple. So, if they knew that, they would have been wise to continue with the rebuilding of the Temple of God for God.

If they knew that they scarcely had enough to eat or drink because of their failure to rebuild the temple, they would have been wise to continue with the rebuilding of the Temple of God for God.

If they knew that they did not have enough clothes to keep them warm because of their failure to rebuild the Temple, they would have been wise to continue with the rebuilding of the Temple of God for God.

If they knew that their income was disappearing as though they were putting it into pockets filled with holes because of their failure to rebuild the Temple, they would have been wise to continue with the rebuilding of the Temple of God for God.

If they knew that they had little when they were hoping for much and the little they were bringing home were being blown away and were not lasting because of their failure to rebuild the Temple, they would have been wise to continue with the rebuilding of the Temple of God for God.

If they knew that the rains from heaven were being held back and they were receiving scanty crops because of their failure to rebuild the Temple, they would have been wise to continue with the rebuilding of the Temple of God for God.

If they had known, they would have been quick to rebuild the temple before doing any other thing. But, they failed to notice because they were not considering what was happening to them as a result of their inactions.

They were not considering their lives!

It is the same today. Our failure to notice the little things happening to us because of our failure to rebuild our spiritual walk/life with God is the reason we are going through those little things each day and ignorantly blaming the devil. But the devil is not to blame, YOUR SO-CALLED "CHRISTIAN LIFE” is to blame.
If you have placed the world, thus, the cares of this world, before God, then you are to blame; not the devil!


Matthew 6:33 (TLB) (emphasized)
And He will give them [(food, drink, clothes)] to you IF YOU GIVE HIM FIRST PLACE IN YOUR LIFE AND LIVE AS HE WANTS YOU TO.


Until you put God first, you are to blame, not the devil! The devil has no right over a believer, God does! And God will do everything in His power to grab the attention of His children again. Even if it means taking away what they love most.

So, how are you living your life as a Believer/Christian? Are you living your life for God or for man? Are you living your life according to what God wants or what man wants?

If your answer so far has been in the favor of man, you should now understand why you are going through such misery in life. You should understand why you are still living a powerless life though your Lord and Master, Jesus Christ, had all power and authority in Heaven and Earth given to Him. You should understand why other believers are happily manifesting the power of God when you are not.


CONSIDER YOUR LIFE!

REBUILD THE TEMPLE BEFORE YOU DO ANY OTHER THING.

Haggai 1:8 (TLB)
“Then go up into the mountains, bring down timber, and REBUILD MY TEMPLE, and I will be pleased with it and appear there in my glory,” says the Lord.

When the Israelites returned home after their time of exile in Babylon, their first and main assignment from the Lord through the Prophet Haggai was for them to rebuild the Temple. In God's plan, for His children, Israel, to be considered as a nation, they needed to build a Temple of God for God. Israel would never be a nation without a Temple of God for God to rest in. To be a nation, Israel needs a Temple for God, not a human governmental structure.

The Israelites in this scripture happen to be believers like you and me who once lost our way in the world and have finally returned home to God by rededicating our lives to Him. Again, Prophet Haggai is giving us the first step we need to take for a fruitful and lasting walk with God. Prophet Haggai is asking you and me to rebuild the Temple for God before doing any other thing.


1 Corinthians 3:16-17 (TLB)
16 Don’t you realize that all of you together are the house of God and that the Spirit of God lives among you in his house?
17 If anyone defiles and spoils God’s home, God will destroy him. For God’s home is holy and clean, and you are that home.

1 Corinthians 6:19 (TLB)
Haven’t you yet learned that your body is the home of the Holy Spirit God gave you and that he lives within you? Your own body does not belong to you.


If you still do not understand what I am driving at, I am not talking about you going to buy land to start a building project for God. The Temple of God today is far different from what it used to be then. The Temple of God is YOU and ME. It is YOU! The Temple of God is YOU, the person reading this.
Our ignorance of the above fact is the reason we are facing difficulties in our Christian walk. When we, therefore, come to the realization that the Temple of God is not the beautiful edifice we meet in every Sunday or Thursday or Friday to worship but our own bodies, we will begin to better understand our Christian walk.

Like the Israelites then, most of us know or knew this before we fell for the things of the world.
Like the Israelites then, most of us started rebuilding the Temple but stopped because of external opposition, discouragement, and self-interest.
Like the Israelites then, we had seemingly good reasons to stop rebuilding the Temple.

But, what we are not considering now is what they also did not consider then – the danger of NOT BUILDING THE TEMPLE.
Like them, we are not considering the absence of an Almighty Ruler, the absence of divine law and order, the absence of divine development or developmental structures, etc.

Then, the Lord was very surprised at the actions of the Israelites; and He is surprised that we are walking in the same ignorance today. The Lord did not expect the Israelites to think of themselves when the correct structure – A Temple of God for God – was not in place.
It did not make sense or look right for His people, called by His name, to think of themselves first when they knew very well that they had to put the correct structure in place first, which was God's Temple

It is the same today. The Lord does not expect you to be thinking of your worldly needs when you have not thought of your spiritual need, which is Him (GOD). Why? When your attention is on the Spiritual need (GOD) first, the physical needs will automatically align themselves to you.


Matthew 6:33 (TLB)
And He will give them [(food, drink, clothes)] to you if you give Him first place in your life and live as He wants you to.


To the Lord, it did not make sense for the Israelites to think of settlement when they did not have a Temple in place for Him to rest in.
And it is the same story today. We are thinking of our physical needs more than our spiritual need – GOD. We are more concerned about what we need to eat, what we need to wear, where to sleep, the business to establish, who to marry, the car to buy, etc.

What happened to we knowing Jesus for ourselves? What happened to us understanding salvation with fear and trembling? What happened to us walking in faith like the heroes of faith in Hebrew 11? What happened to us praying without ceasing? What happened to us putting on the whole armor of God so that we will be able to stand safe against all the strategies and tricks of satan? What happened?!


Haggai 1:2-4 (TLB)
2 “Why is everyone saying it is not the right time for rebuilding my Temple?” asks the Lord.
3-4 His reply to them is this: “Is it then the right time for you to live in luxurious homes when the Temple lies in ruins?


If like the Israelites then, you are still saying or thinking this: “IT IS NOT THE RIGHT TIME FOR ME TO REBUILD MY TEMPLE”, you are walking or living in a demonic delusion from the pit of hell my brother/sister.


THE TIME TO REBUILD THE TEMPLE IS NOW! (…to be continued)

CHURCH FLYER DISTRIBUTION IS CHURCH FLYER DISTRIBUTION, NOT EVANGELISM!

"If your specialty as a believer is to distribute your church's flyer every week or weekend in the name of "evangelism" without speaking to the recipient about Jesus, then you are Church Flyer Distributor doing Church Flyer Distribution; that is not evangelism and you are surely not fulfilling the Great Commission as a believer."

I was one day walking in town when a beautiful lady walked up to me and gave me a beautifully designed and neatly printed flyer. First of all, I was amazed at the quality of the print as a wannabe designer so I quickly decided to scrutinize the print work. As usual, it was the flyer of a growing church. It had the name of the church and talked about a three-day program which the church was about to organize for people having financial problems or who wanted to see a dramatic change in their financial status. It was a front-and-back print work so I turned it to read what was written at the back. At the back were testimonies given by people who had attended previous sessions of the program, and this served as a motivation of a sort for the reader to take advantage of the upcoming one.

All I could say in my head was, “This is a good marketing strategy!” But, I had a problem with the flyer and with the one distributing it. The flyer NEVER SHOWED ME OR SPOKE TO ME ABOUT JESUS. The flyer distributor also DID NOT SPEAK TO ME ABOUT JESUS.  It was more about the Pastor and his gift, and less of THE PERSON THAT CREATED THE PASTOR AND GAVE HIM THE GIFT.

I quickly asked, “How could this change my life or save my life from Hell if I am to die some minutes after reading this?”  How?!

There was nothing in that flyer to speak to me about the Saviour Jesus. There was nothing in that flyer to speak of the Heavenly Father’s love for me. There was nothing in that flyer to convict me of my sins. There was nothing in that flyer to show me the power Christ has to cleanse my sins with His blood. There was nothing in that flyer to encourage me to draw closer to God. There was nothing in that flyer to talk to me about Holiness. There was nothing in that flyer to speak to me about true repentance. There was nothing in that flyer to speak to me about my Adamic nature. There was nothing in that flyer to speak to me about the Cross of Jesus Christ and its benefit to me. There was nothing. Absolutely nothing!

You may be thinking that I am being too hard because some Pastors use these programs as an opportunity to talk about the power of Jesus Christ to change lives. That is very true. But you said "some", not all Pastors. What happens to the poor souls who attend programs that have no connection to Jesus Christ? What happens to them? For some, the world has already given them the money and the worldly materials that they desired and made them lose focus on God. Why then is the church trying to offer them that same thing when we know the consequences of being very desirous or lustful of money instead of God?

I expected the testimony to focus on the power of Christ to change situations. It rather went on and on about how the man of God made people sow certain seeds and had millions afterward. It rather went on and on about how the man of God saw demons fighting the finance of a man and had to cast them out for the man to become a millionaire today. If the lady had even spent a minute or two to share Jesus with me, she would have been fulfilling the Great Commission given by Jesus Christ. But she didn’t! She was far interested in making sure that the flyers in her hand were all distributed in the shortest possible time so that her church would be full of people on the said date, unlike a few others who use the flyer as an avenue to speak to others about the changing power in the name and person of the man Jesus Christ.

SPEAK TO THEM ABOUT JESUS, not your Church.
INVITE THEM TO JESUS, not your Church programs.
CONNECT THEM TO JESUS, not your various Church groups.
SHOW THEM THE LOVE OF JESUS! The world needs Jesus, not our programs, structures, strategies or gifts. 



"If you cannot speak to me about Jesus, do not approach me with your church flyer. My attending your church would not assure me of my salvation. It is my connection to Jesus Christ that will."

REVEALED: UNMASKING FAMILIAR SPIRITS by Kakra Baiden

WHY EVERY BELIEVER NEEDS THIS BOOK IN HIS/HER LIBRARY. 

Three years ago I lost my father. It took us by surprise but it was long expected because of his age and health condition. For some elders in the extended family, his death needed to be investigated spiritually. They needed to know the cause of my father's death, but they wanted to hear it from his own mouth. Yes! You read it right. They wanted to hear from the spirit of my dead father. They must have thought, "why wait for months for a medical report when a bottle of Schnapps, some kola nuts and a small amount of money can do the "magic" within minutes".

Prior to this, I had heard stories from close relatives about this so I was eager to ask if I could join the elders as a rep on this mind-blowing quest. For reasons unknown to me, I later changed my mind; and I have not stopped thanking God for that divine intervention.

The day they had set for the inquiry came, they went and returned later with several stories from my father. Some were confirmed as truth because he had told certain people about them secretly before his death. For the others, I would have to confirm with my father when we get to heaven.

I thought that was all I/we had to deal with spiritually. I am saying this because it was the first time someone very close to us as a family had died. Strange things started happening months to my dad's burial. Some of my siblings were communicating with dad in their dreams. He told them certain secrets and gave them explicit instructions concerning certain things. I thought they were making it up until I had a similar experience. I was disturbed so I shared it with some of the elders. They were quick to brush it off with this, "It is normal. Your father is only telling you things he forgot to tell you when he was alive".

As a staunch holy ghost-filled, tongue-speaking, devil-chasing, mountain-moving believer, I needed to hear a fellow believer confirm this before I could accept it. I called a few friends who had had similar experiences and they supported the elders a hundred percent. They even added that the dreams would end after the funeral because he would finally be laid to rest. Just like me, they were holy ghost-filled, tongue-speaking, devil-chasing, mountain-moving believers so I accepted what they said and moved on.

I got worried and was deeply disturbed when some of my siblings were still communicating with our father in their dreams months/years after his burial.

This is where Bishop Kakra Baiden's REVEALED: UNMASKING FAMILIAR SPIRITS comes in. 

This life-transforming book taught me extensively on the experiences my siblings and I had using relevant scriptures from the Holy Bible as well as the prophet's God-given visions and personal experiences.

Prophet Kakra, through this book, spoke on the activities of certain evil spirits called familiar spirits and explains how they use the face, voice, and stature of both the living and especially the dead to manipulate the living.

Although Prophet Kakra affirms that the Lord speaks to us through dreams, one learns from the book to be cautious of the way he/she handles or interprets certain dreams.

For example, a young man whose parents have struggled to get him through primary school to the University finally completes his tertiary education, gets a job, and breaks through financially. Months later he suddenly decides to distance himself from his parents because of a dream he had had of his parents trying to sacrifice him.

This is the story of many broken families, and Prophet Kakra has the answers in this life-transforming book. 

I will like to conclude with this. Yes, God truly speaks to us through dreams; yet Romans 8:14 admonishes every Bible-believing, tongue-speaking, mountain-moving believer to be led by the Spirit of God, and not by dreams. This is where the danger lies for most believers. Being led by dead people in your dreams opens up your spirit to the activities of these familiar spirits. Though you are a believer, you will end up being led by another spirit instead of the Spirit of God if you continue following dreams instead of the Spirit of God.

"A lot of discernment is needed in the spirit realm" - Kakra Baiden, (Revealed: Unmasking Familiar spirits). 

PLEASE COME BACK HOME (II)

IN SEARCH OF A LOST SIBLING

My Dear Brother/Sister,

Months after writing you the first letter, daddy was very worried when we received no reply from your end. To this, he quickly asked me to come and look for you with the thought that something bad may have happened to you. Knowing the kind of world we now live in, all I could do was agree to it.

Romans 8:3b (KJV)
...God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin...

It was a difficult decision for him to take yet it meant more to him to risk the life of one for another than to comfortably stay with one while wondering what was happening to the other.
I thought the day you drove out was the worst until I watched daddy's eyes through my windscreen as I drove out of the house to come to your end. His eyes were so red that I could finally conclude that I indeed heard him crying the night before. I could not imagine his thoughts as I drove out. Maybe he was thinking of the possibility of losing a cherished wife, a beloved second child and his first child all in a short period. I would never wish this for my worst enemy. But it was a good mission that needed to be completed.

Isaiah 53:10a (KJV)
Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin...

I was wrong to think it was going to be a short and easy journey. It was full of numerous vehicle problems, nights spent in dark cold villages, days without a bath, days without food and water, bad roads among many others. If you did use those roads then you must be going through a lot now. This is where I remind you of your comfortable bed, plasma screens, and hotel suite-like bedroom. Please consider the thought of coming home soon before it becomes too late. I will prefer you to die at home than in those filthy streets.

Isaiah 53:6 (KJV)
All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

When I met your friends, I finally thought the opportunity to see you was going to be a reality. But the worst part of my journey took place when the very "good" friends of yours I played games and ate with, took turns at inflicting wounds on my innocent body. The inflicted wounds on my body meant nothing compared to the pain I felt in my heart as I watched them try to kill me. 

Each time I explained to them that I was only there to fetch you so we go home, all they did was to punish me the more. Like soldiers trying to break a hardened criminal, they used the heads of their belts on my back till my screams were no more audible to myself. When I thought they had had enough fun with me for the night, they took turns to shower my head and fill my mouth and tummy with the hot yellowish fluid which flowed profusely through their urinary device endlessly. Others standing by could not imagine themselves losing out on the fun so they decided to throw whatever they had in hand or could find around at me. 

Within minutes, I saw myself slowly lowering my body into the pool of my own blood and vomit until I totally blacked out.

Isaiah 53:5-8 (KJV)
[5] But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
[6] All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
[7] He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.
[8] He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.

Their level of hatred and envy was something to write home about. But, I didn't mind going through that torture and humiliation over and over again that day if it was the only way I was going to finally meet you and bring you home.
Sincerely, though the pain was excruciating as they had their turns whipping and mocking at me as I laid in my own blood and filth, all I could think about was YOU. Why? DAD LOVES YOU SO MUCH THAT HE SENT ME TO YOU.

John 3:16a (KJV)
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son...

The pain meant a lot to me because all I can imagine now is you walking boldly through the gates without a feeling of any form of guilt or shame. Why? I have already paid the debt.

Matthew 18:27 (KJV)
Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt.

I love you and will forever do so. Please consider coming home soon.

Your Dear Brother,
JC.

PLEASE COME BACK HOME

(A LETTER TO MY LOST SIBLING)

My Dear Brother/Sister,
It has been ages since you left home in search of "fun and freedom". Yet, each time I look around the house, it still looks and feels like Friday the 11th of May, 2001, no matter the day or year; a date which has left Daddy's eyes teary every morning and evening, just like the period mummy got sick and spent her last days in and out of the hospital. A date which has left Daddy in so much pain that I always fear it may lead to his death one day. To me, it keeps reminding me of the day I lost my future best man.
I have been unable to write since you left home because it has been the most difficult exercise to undertake though I am a committed body builder. It may sound funny but we (daddy and myself) all lost our basic abilities the very day you drove out of the house with those friends. My careful choice of words as a prolific writer is not because of my fear to hurt you with them, but my inability to gather my thoughts any time I try to sit and pen down a note to you. Most often when I try to, I get so emotional that I am unable to either start or continue because of the tears which keep soiling the sheet. Like now, as I sit in the garden looking towards the main gate of the house, I can still picture the very day Daddy and myself had to watch you and your friends drive out of the house with your portion of his inheritance.

2 Corinthians 2:4 (KJV)
For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote unto you with many tears; not that ye should be grieved, but that ye might know the love which I have more abundantly unto you.

The house which was once full of life has now become a monument with several memories of you. Though we have tried our best not to look back, the very thought of not looking back has always been worse than the pain we went through the day you left us. For me, forgetting about you has always been like taking a blunt knife and trying to cut off my arm by myself. The thought has always been as difficult as the act. We really miss you.

John 15:9a (KJV)
As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you:...

Anyway, have you finally been able to achieve your goal/dream of sleeping with the 200 ladies daddy advised you against? Have you finally been able to learn anything different from what Daddy told us about ladies or it is just as he said? Have you finally been able to buy the dream car daddy never wanted to buy for you? Have you been able to visit the 56 countries you were hoping to visit with your several sugar daddies? Have you finally become the drug baron you always wished to be? Have you finally become the madam you always wished to be? Do you finally wake up to see naked models sleeping by you as you dreamed of? Have you finally been able to drink the alcohol you always yearned for? Can you finally tell the difference between tobacco and cigarette? Have you finally been able to taste both effects of cocaine and tramol? Was King Solomon right as Daddy advised?

Ecclesiastes 1:2 (KJV)
Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.

Anyway, daddy has a short message: PLEASE COME BACK HOME. He keeps asking me to remind you of HIS UNFLINCHING LOVE for you whenever I have the opportunity to contact you.

John 16:27a (KJV)
For the Father himself loveth you...

Strange as it may sound, what keeps him going each day is the party plans he keeps polishing for your return.

Luke 15:20-23 (KJV)
[20] And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.
[21] And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.
[22] But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet:
[23] And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it ; and let us eat, and be merry:_

My beloved brother/sister, DADDY is patiently waiting for your return.

Your beloved brother,
JC.