4 Ways to Deal with Temptation

4 Ways to Deal with Temptation

Everyone faces temptation, but the truth is, very few people know how to deal with it effectively. That shouldn't be the case, and it doesn't have to be the case for believers. Below are some very simple and effective ways to deal with temptation, and if you'll put them into practice, you'll come out a winner.

#1 Fail to Plan and You're Planning to Fail

No one gets up in the morning and prays to fail when faced with temptation, but many people get up each morning and fail to plan for what the Bible says we will all certainly face. So, first and most importantly, you must be prepared.

#2 Seek the Lord Through His Word

When Satan throws temptation your way, if you're not already prepared, it's too late and you'll probably lose the fight. But when you're full of God, there's little room for temptation. Being filled with the Holy Spirit is an absolute necessity for overcoming temptation.

#3 Praying in Tongues

Praying in tongues builds us up on our most holy faith. This is a powerful gift and a great way to counter temptation-we need to use this gift of speaking in tongues to stir ourselves up, or we risk sinking to the bottom. Speaking in tongues also confuses the devil, so next time you're faced with temptation, pray in tongues!

#4 Know Who You Are

When Satan tried to tempt Jesus, he began two of the three temptations with the words, "If thou be the Son of God." Many people have missed this point. The real temptation was Satan's attempt to get Jesus to doubt who He was. Knowing your identity in Christ is one of the greatest defenses you can possibly have against temptation. Jesus answered the devil with "it is written"-this shows that the Word helps you know who you are in Christ and therefore resist temptation.

Temptation will come, but it's hard for the devil to deceive you when your mind is stayed on Christ. Satan can only work with what you give him, so don't give him any space in your mind. The Word is powerful--use it. Jesus countered every temptation of the devil with the Word.

Allow us to help you gain the victory with Andrew's in-depth teaching on dealing with temptation by visiting the link below.

FALLING

FALLING

(A FRIEND STORY)

When I was a child we played a game in which we would each stand straight as a board and then try to fall backward into the strong arms of an adult who was waiting to catch us. It’s strange, but no matter how many times I’d seen it done or tried to do it myself, it was still difficult to keep from bending my knees or doing something else at the last split second to try to break my fall. Not chickening out took a certain “letting go” that went contrary to my natural reasoning and reflexes. It took complete trust in the one who was catching me.

In the Christian life we often use the expression “leaning on Jesus,” or, as the old hymn goes, “leaning on the everlasting arms.” The picture is of one leaning on Jesus for support while passing through life’s difficulties. I’ve done a lot of “leaning” in my life. And I have found Jesus to be strong and stable, full of strength and comfort. I leaned hard on Him through several long and difficult years when my husband battled a life-threatening illness. I leaned harder still when I walked the difficult road of cancer myself. But there was never a time that He wasn’t there to lean on. Even when the road was too difficult for me, He lifted me up and carried me.

There recently came another time in my life that was so difficult it left me despairing again. The night had closed so dark around me that I couldn’t see Jesus or feel His presence. I knew He was there, somewhere, but why did He now seem distant from me? I pictured myself reaching out, grasping at air, searching for His love and strength. Then, in answer to my deepest prayer, I heard His tender voice tell me, “The reason you haven’t been able to see or reach Me is that I’m not in front of you. I’m right behind you. My strong arms are around you, holding you from behind. All you have to do is lay your head back on My shoulder and rest. Don’t reach. Don’t struggle. Don’t try so hard to find My presence. Just lean back and rest in My everlasting arms.”

The peace that filled my heart was so complete that it entered every fiber of my being. During the difficult months that followed, I leaned on Jesus like never before. It’s hard to explain, but it became a different type of leaning, somehow more complete.

Then my circumstances became more difficult still. I developed a chronic, debilitating condition, and at times pain took its toll. It was during this low time, when I had no strength of my own, that I heard Jesus’ gentle voice again, telling me, “Fall back! Just trust Me completely and fall back into My arms—like the game you played as a child.”

The experience seemed very real as it played out in slow motion in my mind. I felt myself standing in the middle of a blustery storm, atop a mountain of woes. I spread my arms wide open, leaned back, and fell with total abandonment, total surrender, total trust. Slowly I fell out of the realm of trouble and storm and into Jesus! I felt the soft landing envelop me with love. I found myself floating in a beautiful, dark stillness, dotted by tiny stars. I would call it space, but this place was not empty. It was alive, and the very nature of it filled me with courage and faith.

I felt it lift me up, up, up, high above the mountains. I felt the fresh, cool wind blow in my face. Riding on the wings of the wind, I was flying! I thought of the verse, “Those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles” (Isaiah 40:31). I felt joy return to me, and my spirit receive new strength. It was refreshing and exhilarating!

Then I heard His voice speak again. “This is your place of freedom. When your body is held captive on a bed of suffering, let your spirit fly. Just fall. Fall on Me. Let yourself go and fall.”

Suddenly “leaning” took on a whole new meaning. In falling I learned to completely let go and fall—not onto but into the everlasting arms. What a wonderful experience!
Science with all its knowledge and experience hasn’t come up with a pill for true inner peace that transcends any circumstances. There is no magic potion for a soul lost in hopelessness, no tonic for a spirit crushed under the weight of an unbearable burden.

I have been there, and I have found that peace. Though my outward condition remains unchanged, inwardly I have been healed—healed of an inner pain more difficult to bear than pain itself. I am free!

—

Romans 10:9 ESV / Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

Romans 5:12 ESV / Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned—

Luke 14:23 ESV / And the master said to the servant, ‘Go out to the highways and hedges and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled.

Onyedikachi Kingsley Ogbonna

HOW MUCH DOES A PRAYER WEIGH?

HOW MUCH DOES A PRAYER WEIGH?

How much does a prayer weigh? The only man I ever knew who tried to weigh one still does not know.

Once he thought he did. That was when he owned a little grocery store on New York’s West Side. It was the week before Christmas of 1918 when a tired-looking woman came into the store and asked him for enough food to make a Christmas dinner for her children. He asked her how much she could afford to spend.

“My husband was killed in the war,” the woman answered. “I have nothing to offer but a little prayer.”

The man confesses that he was not very sentimental in those days. A grocery store could not be run like a breadline.

“Write it down,” he said with a huff, and turned to attend to other customers.

To his surprise, the woman pulled a piece of paper from her pocket, unfolded it, and handed it to him over the counter. “I did that during the night, while sitting up with my sick baby.”

The grocer took the paper before he could recover from his surprise, and then regretted having done so. What would he do with it? What could he say?

Then an idea came to him. Without even reading the prayer, he placed the paper on one side of his old-fashioned weight scales and said, “We shall see how much food this is worth.”

To his astonishment, the scale would not go down when he put a loaf of bread on the other side. And it still didn’t go down as he added more food—anything he could lay his hands on quickly, because people were watching him. His face turned redder the more embarrassed and flustered he became.

Finally he said, “Well, that’s all the scales will hold. Here’s a bag.” And he turned away.

With a little sob, the woman took the bag and started packing the food, only stopping to dry her eyes on her sleeve from time to time. The grocer tried not to look, but he had given her a big bag and couldn’t help but see that it wasn’t quite full. Without another word, he tossed a large cheese down the counter. Had he let down his defenses enough to actually look at the woman, he would have been rewarded with a timid smile and look of deepest gratitude.

When the woman had gone, the grocer examined his scales, which had worked fine for the previous customer. He never figured out how or when it had happened, but they were broken.

The grocer had never seen that woman before, and he never saw her again. But for the rest of his life he remembered her better than any other woman that ever came into his shop, and he always kept that slip of paper with her simple prayer: “Please, Lord, give us this day our daily bread.”

—

Psalm 34:17-20 ESV / When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all. He keeps all his bones; not one of them is broken.

Philippians 4:19 ESV / And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

2 Corinthians 12:9 ESV / But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

Onyedikachi Kingsley Ogbonna

GOD’S DELAYS ARE NOT DENIALS

GOD’S DELAYS ARE NOT DENIALS

Question: I’ve been told that prayer is a sure thing—that when I pray, God will answer. Why then do some of my prayers seem to go unanswered?

Answer: Each of us has experienced disappointment when things didn’t work out the way we wanted them to, and if we had prayed for that outcome that didn’t happen, we were doubly disappointed—first because we didn’t get what we wanted, and second because it seemed God had failed us.

Even when there are obvious, logical reasons why something didn’t go our way, we wonder why God didn’t make it happen anyway. After all, if He’s God, He can do anything, and if He loves us as much as the Bible says He does, why didn’t He? At times like that, it’s easy to hold it against God for not answering prayer.

Of course, it’s not right to question God in that accusing sort of way, as though we know better than He does. It is good to ask Him where things went wrong, however, because that will help get better results next time.

The first thing to bear in mind is that God never fails to do what’s best for everyone involved, and He never goes back on the promises He has given in the Bible. We, on the other hand, can and do fail sometimes. Also, because He’s given us free will, God is often limited in how He can answer our prayers by the choices we or others make.

When prayers seem to go unanswered, some good questions to ask yourself are:
· Was my request motivated by unselfish love and concern for everyone involved?
· Did I believe and claim promises from God’s Word?
· Did I put feet to my faith by doing all I could to bring about the desired result?
· Was God unable to do what I asked because of the choices of others?
· Was it perhaps not yet God’s time to answer, or not His plan for me?
· Is it possible that God’s “other” answer will prove better in the long run?

God’s Delays Are Not Denials
God always answers our prayers, but not always right away or in just the way we expect Him to. Sometimes He says yes, sometimes He says no, and sometimes He says wait. There are a number of factors that affect the process, including you and your situation, God and His will, and the situations of others involved. You don’t control the outcome completely, others don’t control it completely, and God has specifically limited Himself not to control it completely, which is, of course, one reason why prayers don’t always get answered right away. But when the conditions are right for the result God knows is best, He will answer. So never doubt for a moment that God is going to answer. Trust Him and thank Him for the answer—even if you don’t see it immediately!

—

John 15:7 ESV / If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.

John 6:44 ESV / No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.

Luke 18:1 ESV / And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart.

Onyedikachi Kingsley Ogbonna

*12 KINDS OF PASTORS TODAY*

*12 KINDS OF PASTORS TODAY*

*INTRODUCTION*

If we are to bring back the *glory, honour, respect* and *sacredness* of the Church, we must start with *Pastors.* The condition of the Church today is a direct result of *the quality of Pastors* the Church has produced over the years. Every Sunday, tens of thousands of Pastors mount the pulpit to preach and talk to people. *They have different motives, characters, habits and believe.*  They display various *personality traits.* While some are happy, others are hungry; while some are joyful, others are sad; while some are positive, others are negative; while some are honest, others are deceitful. While some are saints, others are chronic sinners and while some are real, others are fake and charlatan.

In my years of *researching, teaching* and *interacting* with Pastors, I have come to discover *various kinds of Pastors.* I hope Pastors will through this teaching discover *who they really are,* where they stand and reposition themselves.

*The Place of Pastors (Jeremiah 3:15).*

Pastors must be Men of God, true, genuine, godly, relevant and transparent. They must be called, commissioned and  commanded by the Lord. They must be God’s men in God’s place at God’s time. Pastors are crucial to the life and vibrancy of the Church. *The Church cannot rise above her Pastor.* God will not do anything in the absence of the Pastors. The conditions of the Churches today are simply a reflection of the kinds of Pastors leading them.

*Kinds of Pastors Today*

I have come to discover 12 kinds of Pastors that are visible in the Church today. *Though not all,* but these twelve represent majority of Pastors leading Churches today. I hope you can find *who you are* among these twelve descriptions.

*1. BUSINESSMEN PASTORS* (1 Timothy 6:35; Isaiah 56:10,11; 2:14).

*Description:* They are businessmen and women who see the ministry as *avenue to make money.* They function as the Chief Executive Officers of their Churches. The Church is run with business principles. Their major emphasis is *money, finance, prosperity and how to make it.* They are in absolute control of everything.

*Basic Motive:* Gain and profit. Their programmes are targeted at *how much money is realized.* They are using God’s name, the Church and the Bible to make money and enrich themselves.

*Demerits:* No heaven-mindedness, disciples and godliness. *They breed Christians who are greedy of gain, profit-oriented, thieves and crooks. They engage in lying, fantastic promises and spurious prophesies.* They apportion *Church position* to the highest bidder.

*Way Out:* True repentance, freedom from financial lucre and restoration of balanced truth to the church. Business Pastors have brought *much bad image* to the Church.

*2. FUNKY PASTOR* (2 Timothy 4:3, 4; Jeremiah 6:13)

*Description:* Worldly, carnal, ungodly Pastors *who watered down the gospel to please people.* They dress anyhow and they allow anything in the Church. They are immoral and sex-maniac who take advantage of people. Their messages are the *Church liberty, ministry on the broadways, easy way to heaven* and making you somebody in life.

*Basic Motives:* Keep the people happy. Don’t offend them by telling them the truth. They exert influence and power over people *in order to get their money.* Youth and  young people enjoy these kinds of Pastors.

*Demerits:* No mention of sin, evil, hell or righteousness.  *Their focus is miracle, blessing and  breakthroughs.* Secular talk shows are allowed. Immorality, extra-marital affairs and pre-marital sex are overlooked all in the belief that God is a loving God. Funky pastors have brought much shame to the Pastoral ministry and their name.

*Way Out:* Genuine repentance and restitution, or else…

*3. VOCATIONAL PASTORS* (Ezekiel 34:2, 3)

*Description:* They are in the ministry, *not as a result of God’s call, but by the call of men.* They see pastoring as a hobby. They love the honour and respect being given to Pastors. *Tribal sentiments, ethnic bias, connection to authority, wealth, status and oratory power* are what was used to make them Pastors. Educational qualifications and greasing of palms also figure here.

*Basic Motive:* To rule over others and to be seen and respected by them. No vision, purpose and  commission from the Lord. They therefore lord themselves over the people, *using threats and  position to oppress those who are genuinely called.*

*Demerits:* They are not concerned with anyone or the Church once their position is secured. They lead Church backward through *secular management systems.* They don’t train, develop or empower  anyone. The Church is always malnourished and spiritually weak under such Pastors. Their ministrations are always devoid of God’s power and their sermons always make people sick. *Vocational or honorary Pastors have caused much havoc for the Church today.*

*Way Out:* Seek the face of God as to His plan for your life, resignation and functioning where God wants you.

*4. YESTERDAY’S PASTORS*

*Description:* They are called by the Lord, but *they are not in tune with the moves of God today.* They are holy, godly and righteous  but they are trapped in *yesterday’s ways* because they are ultra-conservative. Old tradition, dogma and doctrinal correctness is their forte. They spend only on their *one gift* to lead the Church, they detest learning and change.

*Basic Motive:* To survive and bring back old time religion. They are therefore prejudiced against growth, change and new strategies. They are good in hymnals, bell-ringing and order of service that has become routine and lifeless  today. Their relational skills are weak and very low.

*Demerits:* Lack of vision, purpose and direction in the Church. The work is backward; they are confused because changes that have occurred have left them behind. They therefore experience crisis, breakaway, stagnation and  backdoor losses.They do everything in the Church because they don’t trust anybody. They are skeptic of people and change. Pastors of yesterday usually don’t know the new moves of God for today; because they are too busy looking at yesterday.

*Way Out:* Change, personal growth, disabused mindset and new focus of the move of God today.

*5. POLITICAL PASTORS* (Jeremiah 10:21; Jeremiah 23:11; Micah 3:11)

*Description:* They were once Servants of the Lord, but are now backslidded. *They no longer have time to preach, pray, nourish people and prepare them for heaven.* All their time is taken up with meetings upon meetings. They have become servants of the people. Bad friends, economic hardship  and strange teachings have changed them.

*Basic Motive:* To make it, *either by force or by fire.* They therefore engage in Church politics. They become cunning, crafty, arm-twisting and they can speak from both sides of the mouth. Their strategic closeness to Church authority make them to determine the transfer, promotion, discipline  and suspension of other Pastors that are many times better than them. Character assassination is their modus–operandi.

*Demerits:* Their Churches always suffer because they are not always around due to frequent meetings. *They are spiritually dry, unable to get fresh insight from God* and the Church suffers spiritually. They get involve in scandals which they use for their *political manouvering* to cover up. Political Pastors needs to return back to the Lord, or else…

*Way Out:* Remember where you have fallen, repent and return back to the Lord. Stop Church politics and concentrate on the primary job of pastoring, leading, nourishing andpreparing people for heaven.

*6. OCCULTIC PASTORS* (Revelation 2:20,24: Revelation 3:9)

*Description:* These are the people who have no business being in the ministry, but they are there all the same. *Some are former occult practitioners* who claim to be born-again, while *others are herbalists and magicians* who decide to hood-wink people by modernizing as Pastors. They live double lives. They appear to eat at the Lord’s table but also deal with the devil in secret. They use means and demonic power to perform spurious miracles.

*Basic Motives:* Their motive is gain, power and control over people. They therefore use candles, coconut, incense, salt, kolanut, sponge, soaps, special baths and native roots as “prayer support.” They engage in fake vision, false prophecy and spurious miracles. They read the sixth and seventh books of Moses. They are usually polygamous  and womanizers.

*Demerits:* Using other means to ‘Jazz’ up the work so that crowds can come; people under bondage and oppression; making people sure children of hell; immorality thrives; witchcraft and calamities in Churches; people dying and losing their destiny in such Churches. Oppressive air of bondage will be thick. No form of godly spirituality among the people. *Occultic Pastors will always be exposed by their traits and they will lose their ministries sooner or later.*

*Way Out:* True repentance and knowing the Lord afresh, turning away from synagogue of Satan.

*7. SHALLOW PASTORS* (Zephaniah 3:4)

*Description:* These are proud, garrulous, self-centered and self-willed Pastors. They are islands; too busy to attend conferences or seminars or listen to anybody’s tape. They believe that everyone should learn from them but they cannot learn from others. Their anointing has grown to the extent that they don’t need to read the Bible everyday, have time of prayer and fast unto the Lord.

*Basic Motives:* Their motive is to succeed in ministry financially, materially and  socially. They therefore spend Church money to buy *expensive shoes, clothing, cars and properties.* They have nothing to really give to people spiritually. *They thrive on stories, noise, demonstrations, pushing people and mimicked styles and  prophecies.* Their sermon dwell on their worth, wealth and fame.

*Demerits:* People are fed half truths, lies, motivational talks. They are always on the move, have nothing really to share and give to the people. The people are therefore largely unsaved, canal, sinful, ungodly and religious. They therefore move away to where the grass is green and the water is still. Shallow Pastors will always lose serious Christians to other Churches.

*Way Out:* Return to the Lord, load yourself and prepare to feed people with balanced diet of the Word.

*8. MINISTRY PASTORS*

*Description:* These are ministry-focused Pastors. *They are committed to and consumed by the work of the ministry.* In their order of priorities, ministry is number one and everything else takes secondary position. *These Pastors neglect their families, children and personal lives* in the name of doing ministry. Their children are wayward, bitter, uncatered for, angry and unconverted. Their wives are miserable, frustrated, neglected; feel cheated and lonely.

*Basic Motives:* To fulfill their ministry irrespective of anything or anybody. Their desire is to prove themselves and the readiness to neglect everything for the ministry. *They move from crusade to  revivals, from prayer mountains to special seminars.* They are too spiritual to play, pray, enjoy and relax with their wives, children and family,  because sinners are perishing. They are always in a hurry.

*Demerits:* They experience divorce, have wayward children, unsettled homes and unfulfilled ministry. Their wives become demonized or engage in extra–marital affairs due to frequent absence and lack of care. *Pastors that give ministry the number one priority above their God, home and personal development will always experience crisis, breakaway and being forsaken by the Lord.* Lack of peace, progress and tranquility, both in the Church and personal lives will always be the outcome of the mistake of putting ministry before God and your family. Ministry Pastors will always experience burn out and frustration in ministry.

*Way Out:* Return back to the Lord. Make your God and family as number one and two, and ministry as number three.

*9. SICK PASTORS* (Revelation 3:14-19)

*Description:*  physically okay but *spiritually sick.* Sick because they don’t know the Lord, they are sinful, ungodly, evil, immoral and wicked. Though they sometimes find themselves leading large congregations, yet, they preach the Jesus they have not met. They only use their spiritual activities to cover their spiritual nakedness.

*Basic Motives:* They don’t know why they are in the ministry. They want to be like the Jones and  Joneses. They are copycats. They struggle with sin, evil and low self-image. They take out their anger, sin and frustration on the people. *They are sick because they lack basic leadership skill.* They are sick because they are not good examples and role model to follow. They are sick because they operate under curse and  disobedience.

*Demerits:* Destroyed lives of people under them; carnal, covetous, stinginess, unforgiving spirit, and readiness to curse and destroy people who dare question their ungodly activities. They usually kill Churches and cause stagnation by making the saints to sin and backslide. Sick Pastors will always produce sick Churches that will find growth very difficult and stagnation very easy.

*Way Out:* Repent, seek the Lord, apologize and do a new work.

*10. WOUNDED PASTORS*

*Description:* They have experienced back-stabbing, disappointment and calamities in ministry. Their work has dealt them a hard blow. Through some mistakes and  ignorance, they have been wounded in ministry. They are therefore bitter, sad, hurting and hateful in the ministry.

*Basic Motive:* Vengeance, retribution and survival. They have been wounded by sin, devil, people, partners, colleagues and  members. Some have lost wives, husbands, children, names, properties and health in the course of doing ministry. Some have deep pain due to betrayal by mentors, leaders, associates and spouses. And the wound is fresh and new.

*Demerits:* Bleeding hearts, hurtful feelings, lack of trust, discouragements, frustration and quitting the ministry. They don’t help anybody in the ministry again and they are always skeptical of people’s intentions. The unforgiveness in their hearts hinder the flow of God’s spirit in them. As long as you don’t allow the Lord to heal you, your Church will always suffer the hangover of your wounded heart.

*Way Out:* Release the past; handover your hurts unto the Lord and march on in faith. Forgive and  forbear.

*11.  TECHNOLOGY PASTORS*

*Description:* They are Pastors on the move, who are always on the fast lane of life. Moving from city to city, nation to nation,  making money at the expense of the souls under them. They spend weeks away from the Church. They junket from place to place in the name of doing ministry while the Church at home is dying and scattering. They monitor by means of audio and video messages of sermons.

*Basic Motive:* Money, pleasure and properties. They use God to better their lot in life. Their living standard is above the income of their Church. They always travel for ministration and business deals. While traveling, they continue to monitor the Church through phone, emails, websites, phone-in-conference. They use these technologies to conduct services on Sunday and at vigils. In some cases, they stay permanently abroad and control the Church from there.

*Demerits:* Their associates are not trusted; they are given responsibilities without authority. The Church goes through turmoil, murmuring and lack of care, nurture and  empowering. Such Pastors lose their Churches, their people and they eventually capitulate to the God of mammon, pleasure and fame. They lose their God and their ministry. *God usually replace them with capable people* who have a heart for things of eternal value.

*Way Out:* Genuine repentance, restoration and rediscovering the basic purpose of ministry.

*12.  GROWING PASTORS*

*Description:* Very few, but these are Pastors after God’s heart. They are called and commissioned by the Lord. They pursue a god-given vision.They display high integrity, character, godliness and a heart for things of eternal value. They are not perfect, but growing everyday. They are balanced, learning,  open to change and full of the Holy Spirit.

*Basic Motive:* They desire to make impact for God. They want to see lives, families, nations and cities transformed for the Lord. They have no personal empire to build; rather they want to extend the frontiers of God’s kingdom throughout the whole world. They see ministry as opportunity to serve, help and empower others. They de-emphasize money, gain and pleasure.

*Strengths:* They  invest in people; sharpen their  leadership skills; maintain good relational skills; work over their weaknesses, build godly character; empower, equip and enable others to rise up to their highest potentials. They are not threatened by the gift of others. They speak the truth with grace and seek to disciple everyone for the Lord. They ensure that the Church is built on the truth, undiluted and balanced Word of God. They Pastor growing Churches where the people are genuine Christians that continually grow in the things of the Lord. They raise leaders and equip them to carry on the work of God.

*Results:* Good, great and growing Churches that will go on to affect things positively for God.

*CONCLUSION*

From these descriptions of twelve kinds of pastors, you can see that *only one* can really lead the Church to true and sustainable growth. This is the reason why majority of our Churches are sick, stagnant, crisis–ridden and are dying today because they are being pastored by the wrong kind of pastors.

*Where are you?* You can repent and change today to be a growing Pastor in all ramifications so as to lead the Church into the future.

*SOURCE Pastor (Dr) Francis Bola Akin-John.* He is the President of *International Church Growth Ministries.* www.churchgrowthafrica.

Thank you.

BOUNDARIES

BOUNDARIES!

Sexual immorality is on the increase all over the world. Adultery is fast becoming the norm and men of God are also joining the club. Married women are not left out, many are having secret lovers and emotional affairs are becoming the order of the day.

The rate at which immorality is increasing is alarming! It is spreading fast into every nook and cranny and children are also being initiated into the club. It's no news that 4, 5 years old kids now have sex with each other. Staying sexually pure these days is becoming a Herculean task.

One of the reasons people fall flat into illicit sex is over confidence. The stupid belief that you can be free around the opposite sex and nothing would happen!

A lot will happen! One of the ways you can stay sexually pure whether married or single these end time is to set strict boundaries. If you are too careless around the opposite sex, you will fall flat on your face! That is the truth. The ealier you believe this and work on it, the better. You can't be careless around the opposite sex and hope to stay sexually pure, set boundaries!

There are some people who can't be your friends, raise the standard. Any body can call you names, that's their headache, you have your destiny to protect. As a rule, I don't make friends with liars, gossips and jealous women. They make life so complicated. If you believe in illicit sex, we can't be friends, period!

Monitor your chats. Don't allow anybody send you flirty messages, no matter how innocent it sounds, warn them and if they refuse to stop, block them!

Limit the hugs and touches. Don't get used to hugging opposite sex. If you must hug, let it be both male and female. If your hugging anointing is only for female or only for male, just keep your anointing to yourself,  it is not unto edification .

Don't cling to pet names (except your close family members and same sex friends), it doesn't make any sense. Pet names turn the opposite on, if you don't know that, know it right now.

Be sensitive to attractions. Don't be naive around the opposte sex, know when a man/ woman is sexually attracted to you and move back from that person. If they focus too much on your physique and body, they are sexually attracted to you, move back.

Know when you are sexually attracted to someone and move back. It's perfectly normal to have chemistry for someone. Marrying the greatest man on earth or the most beautiful, virtous woman in the universe will not automatically stop you from being attracted to someone else. Know when the thought of another man/ woman get you excited and move back.

Don't jump at new relationships. Give it time. Study the person, know what they stand for, see if your core values are compatible, if not, move back!

Leadership attracts all kinds of people. If you are a leader or you are gifted, talented or intelligent, the opposite sex will show more interest in you, be careful whom you allow to get close to you.

Accepts gifts with care. Men don't joke with their time and money. If he spends so much time and money on you especially when you do not ask, he may one day ask for sex. Stop begging men for money. Work with your two hands and raise your standard. Men will respect and honour you for it.

Work on your marriage. Fix the problem as soon as possible or else you get attracted to someone who gives you what you lack in your marriage, adultery is the result.

Be prayerful, be watchful. Jesus says "watch and pray that ye may not fall into temptation..."

Don't stay with the opposite sex in a dark or lonely room.

Don't counsel the opposite sex on a bed in a lonely room.

Avoid provocative dresses and pictures. Let your spouse advice you on what is okay for you.
Mind the pictures you post on the social media, if it is getting unecessary opposite sex attention, delete it.

Don't visit the opposite sex alone, it doesn't make sense.

These and more are the things you need to do to stay sexually pure in this 21st century.

People may laugh at you, it doesn't matter. They may call you a neurotic, old school, psychotic, fanatic, over sensitive or paranoid, don't give a damn! Your destiny is too precious to waste on the altar of sin. Avoid friends who make fun of holiness and make friends with people who appreciate purity and holiness. You will not fall in Jesus name. God bless you, cheers!

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NAVIGATING LIFE

NAVIGATING LIFE

The One Sure Guide to Successful Living
If you were going on a long voyage, you would bring along a navigational chart, wouldn’t you? Well, you are on a long voyage—life—and the One who knows the way has instructed some of His men to draw a detailed chart to help you make it safely to your final destination. To say you don’t have time to read God’s chart, the Bible, is like a sailor heading out to sea and saying, “Well, I’m in such a hurry to get where I’m going that I don’t have time to look at the nautical chart!” But if you’ll take the Bible and simply read it, believe it, and follow it, you will be on the right course and wind up at the right place.

The most amazing book
The Bible is the most marvelous book in the whole world. It not only tells us where we’re going, but also how we got here, why we’re here, how to survive and be happy while here, and how to have love, happiness, joy, and peace forever.
Yet so many people today ignore the Bible completely. Even many of those who have been through years of higher education and have read hundreds and hundreds of books of all kinds have never read the most fascinating book of all, the Bible.
In the Bible you can find almost anything: drama, romance, poetry, prophecy, history, mystery, and much more. But most important, the Bible contains the very Spirit and life of God Himself.1 It’s the means by which God activates us with His life, light, and power.

It works!
A skeptic and a Christian were discussing whether the Bible was truly a divinely inspired book. The skeptic was convinced that since no one had ever seen God and there was no scientific proof of His existence, how could anyone believe the Bible was truly inspired by Him?
“Is the compiler of the multiplication table known?” the Christian asked.
“No.”
“Then of course you do not believe in it.”
“Oh, yes, I believe in it because it works,” replied the skeptic.
“So does the Bible.”
The fact that the Bible has the power to effect positive change in each of our lives, no matter what our situation or need, is the greatest proof that the Bible is the supernatural Word of God Himself. As you read the Bible you will find that it is an absolutely inexhaustible source of wisdom and knowledge, out of which you will constantly find treasures new and old.2
And the most wonderful thing about the Bible is that through its words we can get to know its author, for the Bible is God’s great love letter to us. Its life-giving words make it the greatest book in the world, with the only author in the world who can guarantee life and love and happiness and Heaven forever through simply reading it and believing in its main character, the One who loved us so much that He gave His own life to save us—Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
If you sincerely pray, “Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things from Your Word,”3 you won’t be disappointed.

Soul food
Jesus said, “The Words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.”4 They give us spiritual life and nourishment and strength and health, which is why a good, wholesome, balanced diet of God’s Word is essential. Just like you have to eat in order to have physical strength, you have to feed on the Word to have spiritual strength.
The Bible tells us that like newborn babies desire to be fed, we should desire the pure milk of the Word, so we may grow thereby.5 Like a baby needs milk to be healthy and grow or even survive, you must be fed spiritually in order to stay healthy and grow spiritually. And just like a baby has an instinctive and irrepressible desire to be fed, so we should hunger for the pure milk of God’s Word.
The prophet Jeremiah said, “Your words were found, and I ate them, and Your Word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart.”6 Job said, “I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my necessary food.”7
There’s nothing more important to your spiritual life than the Word!

Word time
In Luke, chapter 10, we read the story of Mary and Martha. When Jesus came to visit, Mary “sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His word,” but Martha was too busy trying to be a good hostess. She tried so hard to get everything done just right for Jesus that she didn’t have time to listen to Him. So Jesus gently scolded her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.”8 What is the “good part” that Mary chose?—The Word. She sat at Jesus’ feet and listened to His words.
“But,” you say, “I’ve got so much work and so many other things to do. How am I ever going to find time to read the Word every day?” Well, if you put the Word first, the Lord will always help you find the time to take care of those other things. When you see the difference it makes in your life, you’ll wonder how you ever got by without it!

—

John 4:24 (ESV) God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”

Matthew 13:52 (ESV) And he said to them, “Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house, who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.”

Psalm 119:18 (ESV) Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law.

#HappyWeekend

Onyedikachi Kingsley Ogbonna

THE BIG ROCKS

THE BIG ROCKS

An expert on the subject of time management was speaking to a group of business students. He stood in front of these high-powered overachievers, pulled out a one-gallon, wide-mouthed Mason jar, and set it on a table in front of him. Then he produced about a dozen fist-sized rocks and carefully placed them, one at a time, into the jar. When the jar was filled to the top and no more rocks would fit inside, he asked, “Is this jar full?”

Everyone in the class said, “Yes.”

Then he said, “Really?” He reached under the table and pulled out a bucket of gravel. Then he dumped some gravel in and shook the jar, causing pieces of gravel to work themselves down into the spaces between the big rocks. Then he asked the group once more, “Is the jar full?”

By this time the class was on to him. “Probably not,” one of them answered.

“Good!” he replied. He reached under the table and brought out a bucket of sand. He started dumping the sand in and it went into all the spaces left between the rocks and the gravel. Once more he asked the question, “Is this jar full?”

“No!” the class shouted.

Once again he said, “Good!” Then he grabbed a pitcher of water and began to pour it in until the jar was filled to the brim.

Then he looked up at the class and asked, “What is the point of this illustration?”

One eager beaver raised his hand and said, “The point is, no matter how full your schedule is, if you try really hard you can always fit some more things into it!”

“No,” the speaker replied, “that’s not the point. The truth this illustration teaches us is this: If you don’t put the big rocks in first, you’ll never get them in at all.”
What are the “big rocks” in your life? Are you putting them in first?

—

Matthew 6:33 ESV / But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

Romans 12:2 ESV / Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Luke 12:34 ESV / For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

#TGIF

Onyedikachi Kingsley Ogbonna

WHAT JESUS SAID ON THE CROSS

WHAT JESUS SAID ON THE CROSS

Love for enemies
“Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34).
“Them” were the Roman soldiers who had been following Pontius Pilate’s orders when they nailed Jesus to the cross to die. They had been following orders, but they had also been cruel and vicious in their mocking and whipping, proving what was in their own hearts. “Them” were also those in the mis­guided, manipulated mob that had called for Jesus’ death and forced Pilate’s hand—the same common people who had hailed Jesus as their King only a few days earlier (Mark 15:6–14; Mark 11:8–10). How cruel, how awful, how unjust! How could Jesus say that any of these people didn’t know what they were doing? To a certain degree they had to, but they didn’t realize the enormity of what they were doing—that they were killing the Son of God.
In asking His Father to forgive those who had turned on Him and those who had carried out His execution, Jesus actually spoke in their defense, and in so doing proved in the most powerful way possible that He believed what He had taught: “Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you” (Matthew 5:44). Despite the shame and pain the Romans heaped on Jesus, He forgave them. He also forgave those who had turned on Him. Now He wants us to have that much love, that much forgiveness.

Love for sinners
“Today you will be with Me in Paradise” (Luke 23:43).
Jesus spoke these words to the repentant thief who was crucified beside Him.
The following true story shows the present-day effect of these words.
A couple was robbed of their credit cards, papers, and cash. Some friends prayed with them that they would be able to overcome the trauma of the theft and that the stolen items would be recovered.
A week later the couple received a thick envelope in the mail. All of their valuables were inside. So was a note, which was signed, “From a repentant robber.” There also was a drawing of three crosses. The cross on the right was circled. Jesus’ mercy and forgiveness still change people today.

Love for family and friends
“Behold your son! … Behold your mother!” (John 19:26–27).
Jesus spoke these words to His mother and to John, the closest of His disciples, as He looked down on them from the cross. Jesus understood the void that the end of His earthly life would leave in each of theirs, and that they could each help fill that void for the other. Jesus loved them so much that even in the midst of His most trying hour, He saw the needs of His loved ones and did something about it.
Thereafter, John cared for Mary as his own mother, and Mary loved John as her own son.

Jesus needs our love
“I thirst!” (John 19:28).
One Christmas some friends did a program at a center for the handicapped that is run by the Missionaries of Charity, the Catholic order that Mother Teresa founded. I noticed a large banner on the wall that read “I thirst,” and I asked why they had chosen these two last words of Jesus.
“That cry of Christ has become our rallying cry,” one of the sisters explained. “Shortly before she passed on to her heavenly reward, Mother Teresa said, ‘His thirst is without end. He, the Creator of all, pleads for the love of His creation. He thirsts for our love. These words, “I thirst,” do they not echo in our souls?’”

Love for God
“My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” (Matthew 27:46).
Did Jesus doubt God’s love as He died? Had God forsaken Him? These words always troubled me until I read the following explanation from David Berg:
“What caused Jesus the greatest agony on the cross was not our sins, because He knew that we were going to be forgiven and saved. What broke His heart was thinking that His Father had turned His back on Him. Jesus went through an experience that, thank God, we will never have to go through—not just crucifixion, not just the agony of the body, but the agony of mind and spirit, feeling that God had actually deserted Him. ‘My God, My God,’ He cried out, ‘why have You forsaken Me?’ (Matthew 27:46). Had God forsaken Him? Yes, momentarily, that He might die the death of a sinner, without God.
“Jesus took upon Himself the sins of the whole world on the cross, and these sins temporarily separated Him from His Father. He voluntarily gave Himself to die in our place—He loves us that much!” (1Peter 2:24).

Love for you and me
“It is finished!” (John 19:30).
What was it that He finished? On the same evening that Jesus hung on the cross, the Passover lamb was being sacrificed. Like the blood of the lamb saved the Hebrew people from destruction in Egypt, Jesus’ blood—the ultimate Passover sacrifice—redeems us from the power of sin and death.
When He died on the cross His work was done, and our salvation was won!

Love’s reward
“Father, into Your hands I commit My Spirit.” (Luke 23:46).
Jesus, help us to trust our lives to You and live to please You, like You trusted Your life to the Father and lived to please Him. Then what a day of rejoicing that will be when we see You face to face and enter into our heavenly reward—eternal life and love with You and the Father!

—

John 1:14 ESV / And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

John 1:1 ESV / In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

Revelation 22:18 ESV / I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book

Onyedikachi Kingsley Ogbonna

You Are a Steward

You Are a Steward

Dear Friend,

Did you know there is more written in the Bible about finances than on heaven and hell, prayer, or faith? Jesus taught more about this subject than any other, so it's obvious that the stewardship of money is very important to God.

 
I know that as soon as a minister begins to speak on this subject, it is often met with skepticism, with people wondering about the motives behind the teaching. I understand why, and honestly, there are a lot of other subjects I would rather teach. But as God's steward of this ministry, it's not up to me--it's up to Him--and God wants His people to understand how to operate in this area.

When I teach on healing, it's not so I can be healed; I'm already walking in divine health. Likewise, when I teach on financial stewardship, it's not for my financial benefit but for yours. Jamie and I love you and just want to see you walking in the grace of God, full of faith, healthy, and prosperous.

Financial stewardship is probably one of the most misunderstood subjects in the Bible, yet one of the most important.

Jesus said in Luke 16:10-11,

 
He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much. [11] If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?

 
In other words, if you can't deal with finances and become faithful in that, you can't be trusted with anything. Finances are just the starting point.
 

Many people believe the money they have belongs to them. After all, they earned it. They've scrimped, and they've saved. They may even be working two jobs to make ends meet. They earned it, so it must be theirs. Right?

Wrong. It may seem that way, but it's just not true. Your bank account may be in your name, and you may have the title to your car or the deed to your home. But God is the one who gave you the ability to prosper.The first step in becoming financially responsible and blessed is to recognize God is your source. He gave you your life, your breath, your talents, and your abilities.

 

Deuteronomy 8:18 says, 

But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day.

When we understand that God is the source of all our blessing, it's easy to realize that we are merely the stewards of all that He gives us. One definition ofsteward is a person who manages the affairs, especially the money, of another person. And when we get the mindset of a steward, it totally changes the way we think about and use money.

 

Abraham is a great example of a person who had the mindset of a steward. He completely understood and acknowledged who his source was, and because of that, God abundantly blessed him.

 

Genesis 12:1-3 says,

 

Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee: [2]And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: [3] And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.

 

A lot could be said about this passage, but I want to point out that the blessing was independent of what Abraham deserved and independent of his performance. It was the favor of God on his life that caused him to prosper. Do you realize that it's about the favor of God?

 

That isn't saying that you can sit in front of the television and expect God to put money in your mailbox. In 2 Thessalonians 3:10, the Bible says that if you don't work, you don't eat. But you need to recognize that even though you work, it is God's favor and blessing that bring the increase.

 

It all begins with the understanding that you are a steward.