September 2024 Newsletter

Pastor Corner

Taking Side with God’s Word!

Welcome again to a brand new month! It’s interesting how fast it seems the year has run and here we are at the ember months. While I am aware that many are getting really agitated at the turn of events of the year, it looks like so many goals are yet to be fulfilled. I am not oblivious to the temptation to get into a state of anxiety frequently and become ungrateful for even the gift of life and existence despite what the year has looked like. 

I am reminding you that the best time to fulfil Matthew 6:33 is NOW! It says to ‘seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need’. I have learnt over time that God is big on his word to us and when we choose to take sides with God’s word, we will always come out as winners no matter what life throws at us. 

Think about it, when the year started and all the economic upheaval began, I made up my mind that I was going to PUSH covenant meaning I will walk by what the covenant demands and not be agitated. My giving to God will increase and remain consistent and also my practice of honour to my life sources, both spiritual and natural will go up. That is exactly what my wife and I did. I can say to you dear harvester affirmatively that I am not participating in the downturn rather God has blessed and increased us as a family and even as a church. 

Let me just share with you a few principles of God’s word that we live by to enjoy the uninterrupted flow of his goodness in our lives that will be visible to our world; 

1. The principle of Giving God’s word the first place in our lives. His commands to us must hold sway in all our affairs. When he said seek first my kingdom, then make him a priority. His MANDATE for us in Matthew 28:19-20 is to go and make disciples. If we will carry out this agenda and go around preaching and winning the lost back to him, he will bless our bread and water. He cannot be with you and you will be broke! Join the ongoing ANAGKAZO challenge! 
2. The second principle to share with you today is Honouring Him with our Giving. The time of famine is not the time to hold back from God but rather a time to double up on our giving. Proverbs 3:9-10 says to honour him with our substance and the first fruit of our increase. God must be honoured first with every income we receive, and this is structured as your 10% tithing. Our giving to God must be done with every sense of awe and sacredness, never in a casual format. Let your offering to him communicate honour.
3. The third principle is Honouring your life sources. Your parents are your natural life source whilst your pastor is your spiritual life source. Honouring these people opens you up to wellness, longevity and an unprecedented level of grace. My wife and I have practiced this more intentionally this year and it’s been our best year thus far. To learn more read Ephesians 6:2-3 and Galatians 6:6-8.

I dare you to take sides with the word of God and rejoice as the trajectory of your life takes an upward turn. The rest of the year will be the best for you in Jesus name! 

I call you blessed!

 

Children’s Corner

Forgiveness

Hello Royal Seeds you are welcome to another exciting learning episode with the FLOAT newsletter. We are interested in hearing how you when someone offends you. Do you find it easy to forgive them, or do you look at them plotting how to take revenge? 

How about you answer this question together as a group, and once done you can read on and enjoy this beautiful drama as a role-play with your friends. The characters’ names are Joel and Darasimi.

 

Setting: Joel and Darasimi are playing in the park. Darasimi accidentally spills juice on Joel’s new shirt.

Joel: (Angrily) Darasimi, look at what you’ve done! This is my new shirt!!!

Darasimi: (Apologetically) I’m so sorry, Joel! It was an accident. I didn’t mean to.

Joel: (Still upset) It doesn’t matter. You’ve ruined my shirt!

Darasimi: (Tears in her eyes) Please, Joel, I didn’t do it on purpose. Can you forgive me?

Joel: (Hesitates) I don’t know, Darasimi. It’s hard to forgive.

Darasimi: Remember the story of Joseph in the Bible? His brothers sold him into slavery, but when he saw them years later, he forgave them.

Joel: (Thinking) I remember that story. Joseph forgave even when it was hard.

Darasimi: Yes, and Jesus also teaches us to forgive others, just as He forgave us. If Joseph and Jesus can forgive, we can too.

Joel: (Sighs, smiling) You’re right, Darasimi. I forgive you. It was just an accident. Let’s forget about it.

Darasimi: (Smiling) Thank you, Joel! You’re a great friend.

Joel: And you’re a great friend too, Darasimi. Let’s go play!

They both run off happily, continuing to play.

Forgiving others can be hard, but it’s what God asks us to do. Let’s always remember to forgive, just like Jesus and Joseph did.

Development Corner

The Art of Listening

It is said that great communicators are great listeners. When you pay attention to people, you will discover things they have yet to say.

Listening is one of the most important parts of communication because it helps the people involved understand each other better and fosters good relationships. Even as Christians, we are urged to listen to God when we go to him through prayer.

It is important to perfect your listening skills, that way you can identify problems swiftly and resolve conflict. Oftentimes, we want to be the one doing the talking, while talking is good, learning to listen to others has a lot of advantages. How do you interpret information when you lack good listening skills?

To become a good listener, you need to practice the following:

• Suspend Judgement – how do you listen when you are busy judging the person.
• Ask clarifying questions
• Empathise with the speaker
• Avoid interrupting the speaker.

 

Being a good listener doesn’t only improve your communication skills, it also aids your personal development.

 

Crossword

 

John, please make sure it is formatted correctly, like July edition, NOT august edition

 

N	A	A	S	E	L	T	H	X	O
S	O	J	E	C	N	A	D	V	N
S	B	I	P	G	R	Y	M	J	P
E	R	E	T	R	E	A	T	B	P
N	B	Q	E	A	D	N	A	R	E
D	S	P	M	E	L	D	A	K	Q
A	F	W	B	Y	Q	I	B	L	W
L	U	K	E	N	S	K	B	M	C
G	X	Z	R	E	B	C	A	U	I
B	R	E	B	M	E	M	E	R	J

 

Remember, Praise, Retreat, Dance, September, Gladness, Jubilation.​

 

Biblical poetry

 

Sing to me 

Sing to me

Sing to me a sweet melody,

A song that causes every cell in my body to awaken

Reactivating the synapses that draws me closer to God

Connectivity that causes my body to move in interesting ways

As I lose control of maintaining a profile

And allow the music to free my spirit 

 

Preach to me

Musical preach to me spiritual words

That initiates a sense of joy and happiness 

Moving me into a state of contentment

Use your magical voice to speak the words I don’t have the courage to say

Let your creative expression be what frees me from drowning in my flaws

 

Minister to me

Minister to me using your God given talent 

Articulate my thoughts into music

Share stories about when my faith was tested

Let them know that the God you serve, is the same God that saved me

Your stage presence is like an expression of my healing

Your glow is a reflection of my growth

 

Sing to me

So that I remain captivated in his glory

Sing to me

So that my body dances to the power of his words

Sing to me

And I will sing back to you 

Sing to me 

And I will praise him from dawn to dusk

Sing to me

Psalms 113:3

 

Health corner

Nourishing the Body: The Vital Importance of Feeding Well

Proper nutrition is the cornerstone of a healthy and vibrant life. When we feed our bodies well, we empower ourselves to live life to the fullest, enabling our bodies and minds to function at their best. Unfortunately, malnutrition—a condition resulting from a diet lacking essential nutrients—remains a global challenge, affecting millions of people, including those in our communities.

The Importance of Feeding Well

Feeding well isn’t just about satisfying hunger; it’s about giving our bodies the fuel they need to thrive. Good nutrition supports growth, strengthens the immune system, enhances cognitive function, and helps prevent chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease.

Imagine your body as a finely tuned instrument. When it’s well-nourished, it plays the symphony of life beautifully. But if it’s deprived of the right nutrients, it falters. Proper nutrition provides the vitamins, minerals, proteins, and energy we need to maintain our physical, mental, and emotional well-being. It’s the foundation of a healthy lifestyle and the key to preventing malnutrition.

Benefits of Proper Nutrition

1. Improved Energy Levels: A well-balanced diet provides the energy needed to get through the day with vigor and enthusiasm.
2. Enhanced Mental Clarity: Proper nutrition fuels the brain, improving focus, memory, and overall cognitive function.
3. Stronger Immune System: A diet rich in essential nutrients strengthens the immune system, helping the body fight off illnesses.
4. Healthy Growth and Development: Especially important for children, good nutrition supports healthy growth and development, laying the groundwork for a healthy future.
5. Prevention of Chronic Diseases: Proper nutrition reduces the risk of developing chronic conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, and obesity.

Practical Steps to Prevent Malnutrition

1. Balanced Diet: Ensure your meals include a variety of foods from all food groups—fruits, vegetables, whole grains, proteins, and dairy. 
2. Regular Meals: Regular meals help maintain energy levels and prevent overeating later in the day.
3. Hydration: Staying hydrated is crucial for digestion and nutrient absorption.
4. Limit Processed Foods: These are often high in unhealthy fats, sugars, and sodium but low in essential nutrients.
5. Grow Your Food: If possible, consider growing your vegetables and herbs. 

Feeding well is more than just a necessity; it’s a way to honor the bodies we’ve been given. 

Let this scripture guide you as you make your decision on what to feed our body with this month and beyond;

“Do not spend money on anything that is not real food. You work hard for your money, so do not spend it on things which do not help you. Listen carefully to me. Eat something that will make you strong! Enjoy the best food!”

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭55‬:‭2‬ (‭EASY‬‬)

 

Fun Facts

1. “Dreamt”
is
the
only
English
word
that
ends
in
the
letters
”mt”.
2. There
are
only
four
words
in
the
English
language
which
end
in
”dous”:
tremendous,
horrendous,
stupendous,
and
hazardous.
3. Allodoxaphobia
is
the
fear
of
other
people’s
opinions.
4. Human
teeth
are
the
only
part
of
the
body
that
cannot
heal
themselves
5. A
chef’s
hat
has
100
pleats.
Apparently,
it’s
meant
to
represent the
100
ways
you
can
cook
an
egg.
6. The
letter
’E’
is
the
most
popular
letter
in
the
English alphabet.
’Z’
is
the
least
popular.

 

Conclusion

God is a party-happy God. He delights in rejoicing, celebrating, and making merry. In his party, he desires that as many as possible could join him which is why you and I are needed to let people know about his Party.

There are two dimensions to letting people know about God’s party which are;

1. Go and Tell: It is expected that we tell people in our circle of influence about these parties using every engagement platform
2. Come and See: After telling or inviting people, we need to encourage them to attend the party.

How to Invite People to God’s Party:

• Tell them about it with excitement in you
• Inform them about the urgency of attending the partyTell them about the benefits they will derive from attending the party
• Share your experience on previous church parties

God has prepared a full house party and he wants everyone to be there – God is the Master. His Kingdom is the party and we are the messengers. Luke 14:23 NLT [23] “So his master said, ‘Go out into the country lanes and behind the hedges and urge anyone you find to come so that the house will be full.”

In this month, let us Anagkazo as much as we can.

 

We now have Missional Communities in 15 locations and would like to encourage you to find one near you or start one in your local area. 

 

Opic; Isheri, River View Estate	Oworo, Olorunfunmi Street.	Surulere, Iponri Estate.
Lambe, Korede Balogun	Unilag, Akoka	Federal College of Education, Akoka
Lekki Phase 1	Igbo-Efon, Silicon Valley Estate	Ikoyi, Awolowo Road
Victoria Island, Oniru	Victoria Island, Chicken Republic, Oniru	Abijo, Destiny Homes Estate
Ogunfayo, Off Palace way	Victoria Island, Kofo Abayomi	Victoria Island, Ligali Ayorinde

 

Upcoming Events 

September to October 2024

Activities outside of the regular Sunday services

 

September

• 1-3rd: Three Days of Glory
• 7th: Leaders Training & Evangelism
• 28th: Hour of Grace & Evangelism
• September to Remember: All Sundays in September 

 

October

• 2-6th: Harvest Fire Convention – GHQ Ibadan
• 12th: Workers’ Congress & Evangelism
• 26th: Hours of Grace & Evangelism