Pastor Corner:
Jesus Revealed!
Welcome to the exciting month of December! This will be a month where prophecies spoken over you shall be fulfilled in Jesus name. As I write, I am reminiscing on the last eleven months of the year and how eventful it has been yet God’s faithfulness has not diminished in anyway.
Psalm 136 emphasises the tenacity of God’s mercy towards us in that it endures forever. David said that it is better to fall into God’s hand because he’s sure that in judgement he will always remember mercy. Lamentation 3:22 says his mercy is what protected us from being consumed because his compassion does not fail.
As we finally approach the end of the year, let it be with an attitude of gratitude towards God and do not let anything steal your joy. I admonish you like Paul told the people in Philippi to rejoice in the Lord always. Philippians 4:4. There’s no need for depression because of what seems not to have worked up until now.
Let the high praise of God be in your mouth and the double edged sword in your hands. Sing louder like never before. Dance as though you have the miracle in your hands. See, you are not about to die. Your best days are ahead of you. Remember the long life depends on your satisfaction.
Let me end with the prayer of Apostle Paul in Ephesians 1:17-19 (TPT)
I pray that the Father of glory, the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, would impart to you the riches of the Spirit of wisdom and the Spirit of revelation to know him through your deepening intimacy with him.
I pray that the light of God will illuminate the eyes of your imagination, flooding you with light, until you experience the full revelation of the hope of his calling — that is, the wealth of God’s glorious inheritances that he finds in us, his holy ones!
I pray that you will continually experience the immeasurable greatness of God’s power made available to you through faith. Then your lives will be an advertisement of this immense power as it works through you! AMEN!
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year in Advance! Shalom Shalom!
Children’s Corner:
It’s Christmas 🎄 Again
Hello Children of God, you are welcome to last episode of the Children’s Corner in the FLOAT 2023 newsletter. We have enjoyed revamping this section and hope that you have been able to learn and interact with your friends and participate in this role-play activity. This month we are handing it back over to Jumoke and Sammie to close us out for the year, so grab your friend and let’s Goooo…
Jumoke: My name is Jumoke, and my male best-friend name is Sammie. Together we welcome to the month of Christmas!!!!!
Sammie: Yes, Christmas!!! It is that magically time of the year again, where we see snow falling in the colder countries, and a gathering of love and unity in our warmer climate.
Jumoke: On this episode, Sammie and I will look into the story of the birth of Jesus. We know it’s a story you all are familiar with, so let’s see if we can pick out a new learning from it…
Sammie: Before we go any further, we need you to open your bible and turn to Luke Chapter 1:11-17 and then 26-38.
Jumoke: Sammie, that was a long read… but I did notice that before Mary was visited by an Angel, Zechariah was first visited by an Angel.
Sammie: That is true, two miracles were performed in that season; Elizabeth becoming pregnant at a very old age and Mary becoming pregnant whilst still a virgin.
Jumoke: But when Zechariah answered the Angel he did so with doubtfulness “How can I be sure of this”, whilst Elizabeth responded with acceptance “I am the Lord’s servant”
Sammie: Hmmm, I’ve never notice this before – they both still received favour from God – a blessed baby, but do you think Zechariah doubtfulness is the reason why he went mute?
Jumoke: It could be. Sammie, how would you feel if an angel appears to you and brings you good news?
Sammie: I’m not sure, I might be afraid and troubled at first like Zechariah and Mary. However, what I have learnt is that it is important to have full faith in God and the words spoken by his Angels.
Jumoke: That’s deep, but you are right. Anyway… it’s time to say… Merry Christmas and happy new year in advance
Development Corner:
Lessons Learned in 2023
If I was told to write my 2023 story so far, I would have at least 1,000 pages detailing my experience; with about 100 pages filled with me sighing
Each and every one of us would have an epistle to write because it’s been such an amazing year. Yes, you read write…amazing, because despite any of the extenuating circumstance you might have found yourself in, this is not the time to wallow in flashbacks of depression, economic hardships, slow business…
Now is the time to review the year 2023 with positivity, to regard each situation as God building you from the inside out so that you are ready for the very best he has in store for you. You ought to ask yourself some crucial questions that are key to setting a new pace for the coming year.
It’s time to write down the lessons you have learned so far. It is time to turn to a blank page and map out some actionable plans for the incoming year.
In Genesis 41, Joseph was able to interpret Pharaoh’s dream. He was able to apply his gift to provide a plan that spanned 14 years; so that 7 years of abundance, will cover 7 years of famine. In his ability to propose such a plan he was promoted from prison inmate to second in command of Egypt, with Pharaoh saying to him “since God has made all this known to you, there is no one so discerning and wise as you.” (Genesis 41:39 NIV)
I want to leave you with the above scripture as you interpret your learnings from 2023, and make your plan for 2024. May you lean on God for wisdom.
Biblical Poetry:
Mine, Mine, Mine
God, My God,
In the moments when my brain freezes
Warm me up, awaken me
Gently nudge me into the next phase
Whisper into my heart
Correct my emotional strings
Help me to remember all that I have forgotten
Lord, My Lord,
When I sit down to do your work
Encourage me to keep going
Direct my mind to a place of concentration
Remove the fog blurring my vision
Show me that you are enough
Help me to fulfil my potential
Father, My Father,
Having you present in my world fills me up
You complete me,
Not man, nor woman, nor child
It is you heavenly Father that makes me whole
With you beside me, I can stand beside them
With my bank resting on you, I can be a pillow to them
Friend, My Friend
I find delight sharing my deepest secrets with you
Words that I don’t have to utter for you to understand
It warms my spirit knowing your closeness
I am overwhelmed with joy at just the thought of your love
I find peace in you
Love, My Love
You own this heart of mind
It belongs to you, and with your guidance
I can share this love
I can touch the hearts of others
I can pour into the growth of others
I can teach others how to love on you
I can let them see, how you love on me
God, My God
Even though I don’t need to thank you
I will.
Health Corner:
Role of Hygiene Practices in Preventing the Spread of Diseases
Water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) are inseparable components of public health and well-being. Access to clean water, proper sanitation facilities, and good hygiene practices can prevent the spread of diseases, improve education and economic productivity and health outcomes, and reduce environmental pollution.
Water is a basic human need and access to clean water is essential for good health. Statistics from World Health Organization (WHO) shows that globally 2.2 billion people lack access to safe drinking water and 4.2 billion people lack access to safely managed sanitation services.
Our government declared the WASH sector as a state of emergency in 2018, and a year later launched the National Action Plan (NAP), a 13-year strategy for the Revitalisation of Nigeria’s WASH sector aimed at ensuring universal access to sustainable and safely managed WASH services by 2030, this is in connection with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 6.
There is still much work to do. The latest Nigerians statistics is captured in the 2021 WASH NORM report, which found that 87% (179 million) of the population did not have access to safe drinking water services. The report also highlighted that in seven states, less than half of the population had access to safe drinking water, and no state in the country has attained 100% coverage.
Sanitation facilities are essential for public health. Proper sanitation facilities, such as toilets and latrines, and proper disposal of faecal and waste materials can prevent the spread of waterborne diseases (cholera, typhoid, and diarrhoea). Culturally in many African nations, young ladies bear the responsibility of water collection over long distances that has been associated with negative effects on well-being, school attendance, and a higher risk of gender-based violence.
Lack of access to WASH services is a significant challenge for many communities worldwide.
“I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols.”. Ezekiel 36:35 (NIV)
Fun Facts
- There are tiny parasites that live in your eyelashes.
- Bananaphobia is…you’ve guessed it, a fear of bananas.
- About 10 percent of the worlds population is left handed.
- Red and yellow are supposed to make you hungry.
- The oceans produce the majority of the oxygen on Earth.
- Salt was so valuable to the ancient Romans that it was used as currency
- The adult human body has 206 bones, while a child’s developing body has 300..
- “Dreamt” is the only English word that ends in the letters ”mt”
Conclusion:
“For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline”. (2 Timothy 1:7 NLT)
When our God has given us power, love and self-discipline; who are we to still sit in fear. How dare we, be filled with fear. It is an aberration for any child of God to be afraid. So shake it off my dear.
Of all the Spirits given to the children of God, the spirit of fear was never mentioned. Do you really know what that means? It means you are a winner, because our God never intended for you to live in fear.
Fear is of the devil and it is one of his major tools to manipulate the lives of God’s Children. We were not born with fear. It was taught to us by situationships that were supposed to teach us Hope and difficult situations that were meant for building our Faith.
If you can disallow fear in all that pertains to you, you have saved yourself from the devil’s torment, bondage, manipulation, access to your personal and spiritual life, timidity or low self-esteem, among other negative things.
Therefore, we need to start speaking forth our Eternal (spiritual, everlasting, god-ordained) reality by verbalising the finished works of Christ on the cross, not our physical reality. I want you to remember this as we close out the year.
God Bless You.
Amen.
