Category: Uncategorized

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

1 Samuel 14:6 "Jonathan said to his young armor-bearer, “Come, let’s go over to the outpost of those uncircumcised men. Perhaps the Lord will act in our behalf. Nothing can hinder the Lord from saving, whether by many or by few.”_ - NIV 

Israel was in an awkward situation. The philistines in their thousands had come to attack. King Saul wasn’t prepared. They had no weapons except Saul and Jonathan. His army greatly panicked and went into hiding. It was a sure defeat in waiting for them. But Jonathan and his armor bearer decided to take a huge risk by showing themselves up to their enemies and trusting God to save Israel through them. Just the two of them with God against multitudes! And great victory came.

Sometimes we have to step out in faith and venture into what we believe is in God’s will against the odds. If Jonathan had not trusted God and taken that step without the knowledge of his father Saul, the whole nation would have suffered defeat. If we are to wait for all factors to be favorable before we launch out, we might wait indefinitely. Afew with God is unmatched. As Jonathan noted, God can safe with a few or with many. Nothing can hinder Him.

But for this to happen, one has to take a step and act. Peter could not have walked on water until he stepped out. The Red sea and Jordan river parted when Israel stepped on them. The lepers couldnt have seen a miraculous provision if they didnt risk their lives. We may never know what God can accomplish in and through us until we overcome fear, take the steps and then see God act. So many are frozen and paralyzed with fear. Dreams and projects have died as a result. If you know what needs to be done is in God’s will and time, take a step. You lose nothing by trying it out._

Luke 1:37 "For with God nothing shall be impossible."_

Shalom children of God

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

1 John 1:5-7 Now the message that we have heard from his Son and announce is this: God is light, and there is no darkness at all in him. If, then, we say that we have fellowship with him, yet at the same time live in the darkness, we are lying both in our words and in our actions. But if we live in the light — just as he is in the light — then we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from every sin.” – GNB

John compares living in the light and darkness. Light represents truth, honesty and right. God being light, is the epitome of truth and transparency at it’s best. Darkness represents lies, dishonesty and thus sin. Whoever lives in darkness is living by lies, dishonesty and in sin. God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. There is no sin in God.

Just as light and darkness cannot live together, so lies and truth cannot fellowship. Yet John notes that there are those who claim to be in the light (God) and yet live in darkness (lies). He says we are lying if we do so. This lie comes about when we refuse to acknowledge sin by denying, ignoring, downplaying and not confessing it. This hinders fellowship with God and with one another. Whatever fellowship we hold with one another in this way is hypocrisy!

So many are living in pretense by not dealing with sin through confession to God and to each other. Genuine fellowship can only happen in the light. As long as hidden evil motives and concealed sin reigns in the heart, John says we lie both with our words and actions. We claim to live in the light yet walking in darkness! Let the Holy Spirit search the genuineness of our hearts before God. Let’s leave darkness and truly walk in the light with God. He calls us to walk in the light for genuine fellowship.

1 John 1:8-10 “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and there is no truth in us. But if we confess our sins to God, he will keep his promise and do what is right: he will forgive us our sins and purify us from all our wrongdoing. If we say that we have not sinned, we make God out to be a liar, and his word is not in us.”

Shalom children of God.

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

1 Corinthians 9:25-27 “Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.” – NIV

Paul uses the example of athletes who undergo strict discipline in training to win the prize in a game. Such training restricts the body from some of its leisurely desires, things that make the body disciplined to a particular cause. Excelling and winning a prize is an outcome of alot of hard work for a long time behind the scenes. The public victory is only the climax. That’s true for spiritual success as well.

Relating this to spiritual disciplines, Paul states how he beats his body in order to win the prize for his service in the gospel. The body and its desires can be a source of downfall in ministry. So many have gone down the drain, fallen from the heights and eventually been disqualified for the prize because they could not resist the drives of the body. The uncontrolled lusts of the flesh, of the eyes, the quest for fame, coupled with the cares of this life, led them off track.

The Christian life requires self discipline in devotion. That is hard work. We have to learn to say no to bodily desires contrary to God’s will for us. We have to learn obedience, humility and living in holiness to God despite the evil around us. Those who will recieve the ‘weldone good and faithful servant’ reception must, of necessity, be overcomers. And overcomers are fighters, including disciplining their own bodies and bringing them under subjection lest they be disqualified for the prize.

Romans 8:13 “For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.”

Shalom children of God.

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

Luke 23:44-45 "It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour, for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two."_ - NIV 

When Jesus died, these remarkable occurances happened; the sun stopped shining for 3hours and the curtain separating the holy place and holy of holies in the temple tore into two. The holy of holies housed the ark of the covenant (representing God’s presence) and only the high priest was allowed to visit there once every year. This meant access to God was limited under the old covenant. When Jesus died, that access was opened to all. The seperating curtain was torn. Now anyone can access God by the blood and the name of Jesus. We are His and accepted. Hallelujah!

Jesus’ blood reconciled man with God. Sin was the barrier, and created enemity between man and God, but Jesus’ blood and death took care of the sins of man. Now, even the vilest offender who truly believes, is cleansed and justified before a holy God. Reconciliation means renewed fellowship, no condemnation, and being at peace with God as He originally intended at creation. We can now boldly come before God by our faith in the finished work of Jesus on the cross, not fearing that He will reject or condemn us.

Dear friends, in Christ we are at peace with God. We have freedom of expression and can experience His love to the fullest. We are His beloved children and He delights in our communion with Him. Do not allow the deception of the devil make you think like an alien to God your Father. Praise be to God. _

Romans 5:1-2 "Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God."

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

Romans 13:11-13 “And do this, understanding the present time: The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy.”

Sleep is a picture of rest, inactivity, passiveness or not being alert. It is associated with night or a period when evil is common and has overtaken many. Paul urged the believers to wake up from insensitivity so that they understand the times. He associates sleep with deeds of darkness. So if anyone who is a believer is still involved in deeds of darkness, he is in slumber.

We are children of the day, of light and not of darkness. Those who sleep do so at night. The believer’s meddling with the works of the flesh as mentioned in verse 13 are in slumber. But putting on the Lord Jesus Christ and not gratifying the acts of the flesh, is being awake and walking in the light.

God asks those called by His name to awake by doing away with works of darkness. When in slumber, one cannot discern the times, especially how near the coming of the Lord is. Paul said we are not of the night so that that day will take us unawares. But we are children of the day; sober and alert, and that His coming will not be a surprise. Let’s heed God’s warning call and awake if any has gotten to slumber.

Romans 13:14 “Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.”
1 Thessalonians 5:4-5 “But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. You are all children of the light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness.”

Shalom children of God. Blessed week

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

1 Corinthians 1:18-19 “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.” – NIV

Through prophet Isaiah, God declared that His ways are not our ways, neither His thoughts our thoughts. The difference is as far as heaven is from earth. This is the reason we may not know God with our limited human understanding. It’s like explaining some complicated happenings to a little child just begining to understand things. It doesn’t mean God is illogical.

When we try to put human logic and conceptualization to the things of God, we get lost. This is because God’s knowledge and wisdom is so incomparably vast, that even the most intelligent human mind can’t catch up with the foolishness of God. Because of this, the human mind will take God’s incomprehensible ways as foolishness. And because they reject it, they perish. They can’t picture how Jesus’ shed blood and death on a cross saves someone thousands of years later.

But what is foolishness to those using human intellect to understand, is life to those who recieve this truth in simple child like faith and submit to the Lordship of Jesus. God reveals to them, by the Holy Spirit, the riches of His grace and mercy. It becomes so precious that it can’t be exchanged with any treasures of this life! Paul tasted both sides, and he had this to say after this truth was revealed to him;

Philippians 3:7-8 “But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ…”

Shalom children of God.

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

Psalm 103:1-2 “Praise the Lord, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits—…”

This is a psalm of gratitude. An attitude of praise and thanksgiving makes us look at the good things God has done. Honestly, there is much God has done and continues to do in everyone’s life. This is to those who believe in Him or not. The reason many are not thankful is that they have their own expectations of what they want God to do. When it doesn’t happen as they wish, it appears as if God has failed them.

A thankful attitude should be deliberate. You choose to tell your soul to praise. As you do, you remember what He has done, the benefits of salvation out of His goodness. God expects praise and worship out of us. After healing ten lepers, Jesus was surprised that only one came back to give thanks. Like them, God does for all of us many good things, but few come back to Him to give thanks. Instead, most people are looking out for what is not going right and shout about it, but are silent on the good.

Thanksgiving glorifies God, makes us not forget what He does, encourages our faith, creates hope, establishes us in the faith and enables us find peace and rest for our souls only in God. It keeps fear, uncertainty, anger and all sorts of distractions away. It gives assurance to our souls, that it is well, despite any present challenges. Purposefully be thankful to God. Bless the Lord O my soul!

Luke 17:17-18 “Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?”

Shalom children of God.

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

Psalm 139:4,15-16 “Before a word is on my tongue   you, Lord, know it completely… My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book  before one of them came to be.” NIV

Psalm 139 is a wonderful meditation on the greatness of God and His omniscience, omnipotence and omnipresence. He fills the entire vast universe He created. There is no part of creation that He is not present. He knows us to the most minute detail, including our thoughts before we even think about them. He knows the words we are going to say before we say them! There is no where one can hide from Him.

He also knows every step when we were made and designed the way He designed us individually. We are all different because He Himself was involved in every detail of our making. Isn’t it a wonder that every human being that has ever existed since creation or will exist is never the same as another? Besides that, God already ordained specific days for each person to live even before we were conceived or born. The psalmist said such knowledge was too wonderful for him, and to us too.

God’s foreknowledge of us is an encouragement that our lives are not, and should not be a gamble. It’s only man’s rebellion that takes him away from a path already well planned by his Creator into all the messes we end up in. If only we seek after him, to know and walk in the ways He already set for us, our lives would be truly peaceful and enjoyable despite any upheavals. Whatever He does in and through us is in line with His good plans to bring us to an expected end for our joy and His glory. Submit to Him.

Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

Shalom children of God

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

Psalm 36:2 “For he flattereth himself in his own eyes, until his iniquity be found to be hateful.” – KJV
Psalm 78:36-37 “But then they would flatter him with their mouths,  lying to him with their tongues; their hearts were not loyal to him, they were not faithful to his covenant.” – NIV
Proverbs 29:5 “Those who flatter their neighbors are spreading nets for their feet.” – NIV

To flatter is to give excessive, insincere praise to someone usually to impress them win some favour. Flattery is deception. It portrays a nice picture from the words they speak and facial expressions, but inwardly they are selfish and deadly. Those who believe these flatteries get very disappointed when reality comes out at the end and they discover they were deceived. It hurts deeply.

The above scriptures show that people can flatter themselves, God and others. Self flattery is praise of oneself out of pride of status or achievement. Flattering God is lying to Him with praise in your lips yet your heart is far away and not loyal to Him. Flattering others is insincere exaggerated praise of others even when in your heart you know the truth. We are urged to speak the truth in love, not cover up and flatter.

Either of all that is deception. God looks into the heart, beyond what people speak with their mouth and act out. He calls us to live in sincerity of heart, word and deed. Be yourself, speak the truth in love and respect. Seek favour from God. By flattering, you lie. Flattery is destructive and betrays friendships and relationship with God. It’s not sustainable.

Ephesians 4:15 “Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.”

Shalom children of God.

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

Isaiah 30:18 “Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; therefore he will rise up to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him!” NIV

This statement comes amidst a sharp rebuke by God on His people seeking human help rather than divine help in their troubles. Israel planned to flee on horses and hide in Egypt from their enemies. He told them their confidence in Egypt was worthless. He was angry at them for only thinking of human solutions before consulting Him, being their God. Even in their stubbornness, God’s heart longed to show them grace, compassion and justice.

The fallen human nature tends towards independence from God and will first think about what they can do to remedy their challenges and find solutions. Most people will think about God as the last resort when all else has failed. When everything is fine, little attention is given to Him. When challenges come, they first think of their possessions, abilities and connections to bail them out. This is not bad per se, but becomes a problem when they alienate people from God.

God’s heart longs to be gracious to us. His compassion and justice is experienced by those who wait on Him, having placed their faith in Him. Blessed are those who trust in Him. Even though it doesn’t apparently appear that all is running well with them, the sure foundation of faith in God will truly sustain them through life and its challenges. In the end, they will be happy. God never fails those who look to Him.

Psalm 145:8 “The LORD [is] gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy.”

Shalom children of God