PRAISE PARTY

PRAISE PARTY IS COMING UP JULY 1ST 2016, 

BE THERE AND BE BLESSED

SHOCKER

Mr. Johnson, a businessman from Wisconsin, went on a business trip to Louisiana. He immediately sent an email back to his wife jean. Unfortunately, he mistyped a letter and the E-mail ended up going to a Mrs. Joan Johnson, the wife of a preacher who just passes away.

The preacher‘s widow took one look at the Email and promptly fainted. When she was revived, she nervously pointed to the message, which read, ‘’ Arrived safely, but it sure is hot down here!’’

A LIVING SACRIFICE

TEXT: Romans 12:1-10

Almost everyone knows what a sacrifice means. Even the Scripture talks about it in the Old and New Testament.

“Then Jacob offered sacrifice upon the mount, and called his brethren to eat bread: and they did eat bread, and tarried all night in the mount.”Genesis 31:54

“And Israel took his journey with all that he had, and came to Beersheba, and offered sacrifices unto the God of his father Isaac.”Genesis 46:1

What is a sacrifice? A sacrifice is something offered as a gift or to appease the living God,as was the practice in the Old Testament in the Bible or to an idol in order to get something in return. 

We read in the Scripture how Israel (Jacob) offered a sacrifice unto the God of Isaac, his father for protection over him and his family. And God accepted his sacrifice and talked to him in the hours of night. 

Our Lord Jesus was also offered as a sacrifice for the remission of the sins of man on the Cross of Calvary. 

“But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”Romans 5:8

Sin created a very wide gap between God and man, through the sin of Adam and Eve. But Jesus laid down His life as a sacrifice on the Cross of Calvary for man to be free from sin, to become sons and daughters of God. 

If Christ could surrender His life as a sacrifice for the sin of man, it is therefore required of every believer to present himself asa living sacrifice unto God. 

What is a living sacrifice? It simply means something that has life and power to grow for God.  As we have a living sacrifice, so also do we have a dead sacrifice in the house of God.

A living sacrifice is referring to the category of people that have turned their back against the world and are determined to follow God with all their totality. Even Apostle Paul told the believers in Rome that, if they wanted their services to God to be acceptable, they needed to present themselves as a living sacrifice. What this implies is that our God is a God of the living and not the dead. 

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”Romans 12:1-2

There are a lot of unbelieving believers in the church today. These ones are the dead sacrifice unto God and belong to the category of unproductive believers in the house of God. They only go to church to register their physical bodies, but their names are not in God’s register. Are you a living or dead sacrifice to God?Don’t forget that, to be a living sacrifice unto God, attracts divine presence and other blessings of God.

HOW CAN I BECOME A LIVING SACRIFICE TO GOD?

There are steps you need to take before you can be a living sacrifice to God:

1.     Be a genuine child of God: It is not all that claim to be born again that are all genuine children of God. Some are just confessing Jesus with their mouth and not accepting Him with their heart. Such are not genuine children of God. But those that have surrendered their lives and everything about them to God are the genuine believers. 

“   But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name” John 1:12

2.     Live a holy life: -It’s expected of a living sacrifice to be holy in every area of his life. “But as He which has called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation.” 1 Peter 1:15. God that called you and me is ever holy and before we can please Him we must possess the spirit of holiness. 

3.     Be faithful to God:A true living sacrifice of God must be faithful and obedient to the Word of God, and turn his back against the worldly things that can make him to sin against God. It’s your being a living sacrifice that can qualify you before the living God.

My friend, check your spiritual life to know whether you are still a living sacrifice to God or not.

“Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?” 2 Corinthians 13:5

If your answer is ‘No’, you can still amend your ways by accepting Jesus Christ into your life now. 

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son,  that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”John 3:16

The love of God towards man is ever fresh. Accept Jesus into your life before it is too late. 

“And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:”Hebrews 9:27 

As long as you are still alive, you have every opportunity to receive Jesus into your life. God loves you and don’t allow the grace to give your life to Christ to elude you. I pray that God will accept you and write your name in the book of life in Jesus’ name.

Be a living and not a dead sacrifice unto God. God loves you.

Remain Blessed!

Pst. T.J.Adedeji

ALL THINGS ARE YOURS

I welcome you into the month of June, the mid month of the year. This month, don’t see yourself as unfortunate, a loser or unqualified. Your father in heaven, made all things for your sake, so rise up and claim your possessions because “ALL THINGS ARE YOURS”

Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours; Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours; and ye are Christ’s and Christ is Gods(1 Corinthians 3:21-23).

God didn’t create you to suffer and struggle through life. Some people suffer and settle for the lesser things in life too quickly. Some have thought it wrong to live well and look good. They have the notion that it’s better to live in poverty and go to heaven. Living in poverty, sickness and defeat has nothing to do with going to heaven; in fact, that’s inconsistent with the Gospel. However, living in health, dominion, and in God’s provision is the fulfillment of the Gospel.

God didn’t plan a miserable life for you. His Word, apart from showing you His will for your life, also reveals your inheritance in Christ. 2 Corinthians 8:9 declares, “For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.” Jesus became poor, that we might become rich. So all you’ve got to do to enjoy the life of prosperity he has brought you into is to live in His Word!

In Isaiah 1:19, God said, “if ye be willing and obedient, ye shalt eat of the good of the land:” The Living Bible puts it this way: “if you will only let me help you, if you will only obey, I will make you rich.” Your submission to Gods Word as final authority in your life is the key to living in your inheritance in Christ and enjoying life to the full. That’s what empowers angels to act on your behalf and commit riches to you. God has already bestowed all the treasures of heaven on you. He’s given you all things to enjoy,

“Let no man glory in man” Reliance on man will not deliver to you your inheritance, likewise confidence in the economic situation of the nation doesn’t determine what will flow to you. When you are connected to the all sufficient God who created the heavens and earth; you are eligible to all things. Jeremiah 17:5 says “Cursed be the man that trusted in man and makes flesh his arm and whose heart departed from the Lord”. Your confidence is not in a man whose life can be taken at any time. God does not fail and can never fail; men can fail or disappoint, put your trust in the Lord in this season of scarcity and famine.It will work out for your good in Jesus name. All that belongs to the father is yours. John 16:15.

HOW TO MAKE ALL THINGS YOURS

1.       Trust in God: “those who trust in the Lord cannot be put to shame”Make God your source.Nothing must take the place of God in your life at anytime; let Him be your number one source.In time of trials and temptations, the enemy will come with lots of options and alternatives, hold on to your heavenly father, He is able to do all things. Forget the past, God is the God of now, whatever the enemy has done to you in the past cannot be compared to the plans of God for you now.

2.       Declaration: What you confess determines what you see happening in your life. Job 22:28 says “Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee, and the light shall shine upon thy ways” declare as someone that knows that all things are made available unto him, when you are consistent in saying this; you become it.

3.       Live in the reality: live your life as a person that has all things belonging to him; exercise your faith and begin to enjoy full access to your inheritance in God. Don’t be ignorant of God’s life that has been given unto you. Psalm 49:20 “A man that is in honour and understandeth not, is like a beast that perish”

BBy: Pastor Blessing Olamijulo

SSenior Pastor(Dasyspring Ministries International)

 

10 Habits of Couples in Strong and Healthy Relationships

What makes for a healthy romantic relationship differs from couple to couple. Forming a trusting and positive partnership takes effort and time. And unfortunately, it doesn’t just happen overnight. For any relationship to grow strong and stay strong, you need to put in some work. Below are some habits that will help create and maintain a happy and healthy twosome.

Communication

Communication is key. It is one of the most important qualities a healthy relationship. However, not everyone knows how to communicate properly ... or even communicate at all. Happy and healthy couples have this game down. They vocalize their love for one another, saying “I love you” often and offering compliments. They also discuss the bad instead of sweeping issues under the rug. In order to move forward and grow, you two need to be able to truly talk about your feelings. No matter how awkward or uncomfortable it feels, it will make for a long-lasting and fulfilling relationship.

Respect

Aretha Franklin sang a whole song about it, so you know it’s got to be important. Respecting your partner comes in many forms. Maintaining a joyful relationship means respecting your partner’s time, heart, character, and trust. However, there are many things people do in relationships that can break down respect, like name-calling, talking negatively about the other to friends or family, and/or threatening to leave the relationship.

Quality Time, Not Quantity

It’s all about quality over quantity. It doesn’t matter how much time you and your partner spend together. The most important part is about the quality of this time. There’s a huge difference between having dinner at a table while talking about your day at work, versus having dinner while sitting on a couch watching the latest episode of The Voice. It’s fine to zone out together and enjoy distractions, but it’s crucial to make sure you two are still engaging and spending quality time together to maintain a deep connection.

Time Apart

Spending time together with your partner is important. But just as important is spending time apart. Being able to do your own things and remain independent is vital. When couples spend too much time together, it can create an unhealthy codependence. Maintaining healthy boundaries and some autonomy will make for a long-lasting partnership.

Love Languages

Gary Chapman came up with the notion that men and women have five love languages. People have unique ways of feeling loved. There are words of affirmation, receiving gifts, quality time, acts of service, and physical touch. It’s important to know which love language speaks to you, along with your partner. Telling each other what makes you feel loved and special helps both of you stay connected. Furthermore, make sure you are attending to your partner’s love language consistently.

Appreciation

Often, we forget to let other people in our lives know that we appreciate them. We think it, but we don't remember to show it. This occurs in our romantic relationships as well. Show your special someone that you love him or her. This could be done with words, cards, flowers, acts of kindness, or more. Remember, a flower a day keeps the fights at bay. Okay, maybe not every day, but you get the point.

Positive Vs. Negative

Sometimes, we get caught up in the negative. We hate our jobs, are annoyed with our friends, and our boyfriend or girlfriend is getting on our last nerve. Uh-oh, have we been drinking too much of that half-empty glass? It’s vital that we look at our partner’s positive qualities, in contrast to the negative. Nobody is perfect, and that includes our significant other. So instead of focusing on the bad, let's make a conscious effort to look at the good.

Choose Your Battles

There are arguments to be had in every relationship. It’s crucial to bring issues to the forefront, and work through the hard times together. However, I don’t think arguing over your SO using your favorite coffee cup should be one of those. Choose your battles wisely, because people in happy and healthy relationships do.

Sex

Let’s talk about sex, baby. Let’s also talk about how important it is in cultivating a flourishing relationship. Sex is simple. The more you have it, the more you want it. The other side of that is true as well. The less you have it, the less you want it — and, unfortunately, the less you'll feel connected to your partner. Keep your sex life alive and interesting. "Spicing it up" is not just meant for the kitchen.

No Comparisons

The grass isn’t always greener on the other side. Or even if it is, it might not be the kind of grass you would like. We often compare our lives to those of others — what jobs people have, their homes, their clothes. And with the help of social media, we tend to compare our relationships as well. But the happiest of couples don’t look to see what the grass looks like on the other side. They are happy with the view out their own front door.