Embracing a New Season: "Partnering with God"

                                                                                                                            Jan. 7, 2018

Embracing a New Season: “Partnering with God”

Text: Isaiah 43:18-19

Life has showed us that every body fails. Suffice me to say that failing sometimes is necessary to succeeding. But what makes losers is to fail and quit, to fail and not learn from it, to fail and not look beyond it or to fail and let it define you as a failure.

God has declared a new season and all is set for us in this Brand – New Beginning yet one fact remains crucial, which is like the proverbial statements “you can force a horse to the river but you cannot force him to drink”. If we fail to embrace the new season it does not mean we are not in the new season, it only implies that you have choose to remain in the past. "Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.” Isa 43:18-19

Embracing the new season should not be looked upon as a mere motivational talk, it is serious, crucial and life determining. Because when we as mere mortal embrace this new season of a brand – new beginning, we are actually acting out our faith in God. We believe in what God is up to and we key ourselves and family into it. Embracing the New season is the call and attempt to partner with God for our blessing and change of story.

How to Embrace the New Season.
1. By Forgetting the past. I agree that the past is a part of our life and history. Some will ask why must I forget it? Well, this you must know about your past, whether one of joy and victory or sorrow and failure, your past functioned as a vehicle that brought you into today and if you must have a tomorrow you must board another vehicle to it. The destination of your past does not exceed now so let go of it else you will remain in the past today. Imagine an Olympic champion in 1936 celebrating his gold medal since then till today 2018 without preparing for and participating in any other games and event since then. That fellow has become buried in the past because from then till new champions have emerged, new records set and new history made and so the victory in 1936 is faded away and so is her glory. The past failure will make you afraid, limited and the past victory can cloud your mind, making one proud and satisfied when there are greater heights calling out to us. Did you know that the 1936 Olympic world records have now become the qualifying standard for today’s athletes, why? Because now we know we can do better! If you want to succeed in this Brand- New Beginning, the secret is not to let any incident colour your view of yourself. 
2. Keep Believing in yourself. Failure in the past can lead to fear in your future Paul Said “… I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me…” Phil. 4:13. There was a man who changed high jumping history. He developed a technique of going over headfirst with his back to the bar as against the known which is that jumpers go over the bar facing it. Dick Fosbury was told by everyone including some coaches and athletes that it would not work but he believed in himself, did it and won the Gold Medal for jumping at the Mexico City Olympic Games in 1968 setting a new world record. Now, just every world class jumper uses his technique! That technique is known as “The Fosbury Flop”. Don’t allow critics to intimidate you, don’t let doubts stop you. Believe in God and partner with Him in this Brand – New Beginning by believing in yourself.
3. By Sacrificing to connect to the Blessing of the New Beginning: Let me give you this shocker. Not everybody will make it in this Brand – New Beginning. Just as what God has said about this year is certain, it is not about praying it to become, God has said it and it stands so. The option to make it in the New Year is yours to choose.  The silent reason for the rejection of Cain and his sacrifice I am very sure is the issue of the heart condition, our attitude towards giving or offering sacrifice. God is so much delighted by our sacrifice that he demands we gather unto Him His consecrated ones who made a covenant with Him by Sacrifice – Psalm 50:5 he went further to say “He who sacrifices thank offerings honors me, and he prepares the way so that I may show him the salvation of God." Ps 50:23.

Welcome to a New Week of Blessing, I pray that you will discover and become connected to God for your total turn around story in Jesus name - Amen. 

                                                                                              Rev'd. Canon Joel C. Nwohiri

WHAT IS YOUR DESCION ABOUT JESUS CHRIST?

WHAT IS YOUR DESCION ABOUT JESUS CHRIST?

“Very early in the morning, the chief priests, with the elders, the teachers of the law and the whole Sanhedrin, reached a decision, they bound Jesus, led him away and handed him over to Pilate. …knowing it was out of envy that the chief priests had handed Jesus over to him … wanting to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them. He had Jesus flogged and handed him over to be crucified.” Mark 15:1, 10, 15

Even the chief priest, elders, scribes and the whole council reached a decision as to what they will do with Jesus the Christ; though theirs was not the best: but under such greater conviction and truth we have decided to close our ears and shut our hearts to the salvation he brings to all because of Worldly pleasures, Persecution, religious pressures and heritage, peer pressure and the fear of rejection; many have become blinded by the desperate pursuit to be successful in life. Make a decision about Jesus while there is still time.

A wavering man has no place in the plans of God to rescue mankind in the last day. A delayed decision is not a safety tactics it only compounds the problems and exposes you to a greater risk of regretting the delay to take a stand. Neutrality in the matters of life, death and eternity is not a decision; it rather works negativity in ones eternal destination.Joshua said to the house of Israel “… and if it seems evil unto you toserve the Lord, chose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods of which your fathers serves … or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. And the people answered and said. God forbid that we should forsake the Lord to serve other gods” Joshua 24: 14-16“And Elijah went before the people and said, “how long will you waver between two opinions if the LORD is God, follow him but if ball is God follow him”    1 Kings 18:21

Your decisions in life ultimately determine your destination. There is a consequence for every decision taken so be careful which you take. The Holy book has given guide to all who wish to be directed in this maze like situation called life. “I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live.”  Deuteronomy 30:19. It is obvious that many will love to chose life so as to live but the world we are in is surrounded by death. “ … Worldly sorrows brings death” 2 Cor. 7:10 and men wine and dine with death drinking, eating, swallowing and digesting it, some ignorantly and others very much consciously. This is through our desperateness to fulfill our desires and sin,“but each one is tempted when by his own evil desires, he is dragged away and enticedby his own evil desires, he is dragged away and enticed then after desires has conceived it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full- grown, gives birth to death.” James 1: 14,15. Jesus alone is the life; a rejection of him is a rejection of life. “in him was life; and the life was the light of men … he was in the world and the world was made by him and the world did not know Him.     John 1:4, 10

The council of Sanhedrin had a lot of other options to pick from about Jesus Christ but they reached the decision of not only rejecting Jesus and his saving grace, they bound him, handed him over to Pilate, demanded and become instrumental to his crucifixion. We are not guiltless of this actions either, at those times like now; that you are reading this little pieces of paper when you are faced with the gospel truth, about the sacrificial death of Christ and his coming to give us salvation and deliver us from the consequences of Sin, Death, Enmity with God and eternal condemnation in the infernal hell; but reject his love and call to receive him into our lives.

(Mark 15: 10-15). After a brief discussion with Jesus Pilate locked his heart to the Truth about Jesus but he came to a conclusion that there was no fault in him. He came face to face with the decision to accept Jesus, release Him and embrace the Truth He (Christ) represents but he made the decision to please the Crowd.John 18: 30 -38.

Are you interested in pleasing the crowd? Your parents? Your Boss or colleagues at work? friends, Husband/wife?Etc. He is before you now. What is your decision about Jesus Christ. Judas betrayed him, Peter denied Him, Pilate condemned him, Israel rejected him. What will you do withhim.“How shall we escape if neglect so great salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him, God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will” Heb. 2:3-4Jesus Loves You! Say this prayer with me if it is your decision to accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour today.

SALVATION PRAYER

            Lord Jesus I am sorry for delaying till now, I confess that I am a sinner and am sorry, please forgive me my sins and cleanse me with your precious blood. I answer your call today and receive you into my life as my Lord and Personal Saviour. Please come and set me free from sin, death and hell: strengthen me with your Holy Spirit to serve you for the rest of my life. Thank you for saving me in Jesus name. Amen.

ALLELUIA YOU ARE SAVED!!! Continue in Christ and sin no more Please call or contact us if you wish to no more about His (God’s) saving grace.