Nigerian American Reminding You That God The Father Still Loves You

IS ANYONE EVEN LISTENING? That question is one that many pastors have pondered in the middle of their sermon delivery, and for good reason too! It is not uncommon when preaching to assume many of our listeners are experiencing the same life circumstances we ourselves are in. As preachers, we may sometimes be inclined to prepare and teach our sermons with people like “us” in mind (the smaller your church, the more likely this is). Yet, we’re often ministering to congregations with sweeping life situations. Your sermon on raising a godly family is being heard not only by the fairly happily married young couple with twins, but also by the divorced-and-remarried-twice man, the grandfather estranged from his kids, the single-and-desperate-for-marriage young lady, and the college student who is secretly gay. As pastors, preachers, and communicators of God’s Word, we need to enter into the lives of those we’re called to minister to and learn to speak the Living Words of Christ into their circumstances so that they feel like we understand exactly what they went through the week prior. When we do this regularly, and in agreement with the Holy Spirit’s leading, it will result in dramatically transforming sermons that lead to spiritually thriving congregations. So if you will, allow me to share 10 life situations of the people I find myself ministering to on any given Sunday, some of who will be sitting in YOUR church this weekend eager to hear from the Lord through you. LIFE SITUATION 1: THE SINGLE PARENT WITH KIDS They are carrying on their single shoulders the responsibility of two people, multiplied by the number of children they have. They’re probably working multiple jobs to make ends meet, and perhaps are still reeling from the impact of separation. When you preach to them, remind them that your church is a welcome home for them no matter what they’ve experienced in their background. Show them that any shame or guilt they may be carrying has already been nailed to the cross, and Christ has promised never to leave them or forsake them. Remind them that Jesus was at one point raised by a single mother (after Joseph was out of the picture), and remind them of the legacy that Timothy’s mother and grandmother left for the young pastor in his early years (2 Timothy 1:5). LIFE SITUATION 2: THE GRANDPARENT WITH KIDS LIVING FAR AWAY Life is lonely for them. They may or may not be estranged from their kids/grandkids, but they are not in regular contact for them. Furthermore, the world has become too technological advanced for them which deepens their sense of isolation because there’s a lot they’re not able to engage in. They may not be able to relate with all the current trends of the youth, and they miss the world they once grew up in. When you preach to them, remind them of older men and women in the Bible who left a lasting godly legacy. Remind them that they have a LOT to offer by virtue of the fact that they have lived twice, thrice, sometimes four times as long as many in the congregation. Their wins and failures serve as powerful life lessons they can share with those who are yet to live it. Encourage them with Psalm 145:4 and urge them to commend to the next generation the mighty works of God they experienced in their lifetime. LIFE SITUATION 3 – THE ORPHAN It may seem odd that I’ve added this group to this list, but in my present ministry context in Jos, Nigeria, they are the norm and I have had to relearn how to convey the Father’s great love to people who have no dads at home. Either through abandonment or death, these individuals have never heard the affirming words of a father saying to them, “I love you and I am proud of you.”  As a result, the orphan in your audience may struggle to relate with your constant reference to “our loving Father in heaven.” When you preach to them, uphold the picture of God the Father as the perfect picture of what our earthly fathers (tried) tried but failed to be. Remind them from Ephesians 1 that God chose and adopted them into His family, not because of anything they had done, but simply because it pleased God to do so. Get up close and personal and remind your orphans that you are proud of them, and you’ll be there for them should they need a listening ear. 10 LIFE SITUATIONS TO KEEP IN MIND WHEN YOU'RE PREACHING2.jpg [https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52f17606e4b0c058f609ee0e/1620291924097-YONI1GMKX0OFUKCS5WHD/10+LIFE+SITUATIONS+TO+KEEP+IN+MIND+WHEN+YOU%27RE+PREACHING2.jpg?format=1000w] LIFE SITUATION 4 – THE STRUGGLING NON-CHRISTIAN They are at your church and in your audience not just because life hasn’t lived up to its hype, but more importantly because God has been working on their hearts and the Holy Spirit has been drawing them near. Remember that! No man can come to the God Father unless the God the Father initiates the process. For this reason, they don’t need you to beat them over the head with your hell-fire sermons because its imminent reality is part of what has brought them to your church. So a few things. First, when you preach to them, remember that they don’t speak church-lingo and they don’t know church history. When you say things like, “Remember what the prophetElijahsaid?” or “Let’s walk in the freedom of the Spirit through the blood that set us free!”, THEY HAVE NO IDEA WHAT YOU MEAN! Explain Jesus to them as you would to a young kid and go out of your way to paint the picture of their loving Father in heaven seeking out His lost son (them). Remember, what they most need to hear is that Jesus loves them, died for them, and rose again, and Jesus alone can reconcile them back into a right relationship with God…. so basically… stick to the Gospel! LIFE SITUATION 5 – THE “HAPPILY” MARRIED COUPLE ON THE VERGE OF DIVORCE Though they look as well put together as can be, they just had another huge fight before coming to church and words were spoken that cut so deep that it is distracting from hearing your sermon. Whether due to adultery, abuse, or just really terrible communication, both or at least one of them has already decided the marriage is going to end. When you preach to them, uphold marriage as an institution that God Himself established from the beginning starting with Adam and Eve. Hence it is not a covenant one should easily toss away. Remind them that Jesus compared the relationship of husband and wife toHisrelationship with the church (Ephesians 5:25-27). Then really quickly shift to the reality of godly married couples in the scriptures who got it wrong a lot of the time. Abraham didn’t always do right by Sarah, yet He remains the patriarch of our faith. David, the man after God’s own heart didn’t exactly start off as husband material when he met Bathsheba. Of course, let’s not forget that Adam was ready to blame all of humanity’s problem on Eve when God confronted him about the first sin (Genesis 3:12). The point is to show them that one sinful person saved by God’s grace plus another sinful person saved by the same grace DOES NOT equal happily ever after. Help them see that marriage is a lifetime marathon with many peaks and valleys couples will need to work HARD through. If you feel ill-equipped to do this, then point them in the direction of the best Christian marriage counselor you know. LIFE SITUATION 6 – THE WEALTHY AND COMFORTABLE Their tithes and offerings probably cover about a third of your overall church budget. Yet, you must be careful not to cater your sermons to them. They need to hear the full truths of scripture, even the hard and uncomfortable ones just as much as the middle class and the poor in your audience. When you preach to them, help them see from the scriptures that all their material possession is a gift entrusted to them by God to manage for a season. Please read that last statement again. Help them see that true wealth doesn’t come from accumulating more on earth (Luke 12:20), but true wealth comes by investing wisely in things that will last for all eternity, (namely, people and the spreading of the Gospel; Mathew 6:19-21). Teach and help them become Biblically prepared to answer the ultimate question God will ask every believer at the end of the age, “What did you do with all that I entrusted to you?” (2 Corinthians 5:10; Matthew 16:27) LIFE SITUATION 7 – SINGLE AND HOPING FOR MARRIAGE They are career-minded, and their lives revolve around their friendship with other singles. They love Jesus and would like to meet someone with whom they can grow a family that also loves Jesus. Yet, they may be frustrated that the marriage-material options in your church looks slim and are eyeing other churches in the community with more singles. On the other end of the spectrum, they may be visiting your churchsimplybecause you have a sweeping number of singles. When you preach to them, help them see that this season of singleness is a gift unlike any other period in their adulthood (1 Corinthians 7:34). When you’re preaching about family, love, and relationships, be sure to include in your sermon their single life stage and the experiences they go through. Consider teaching a Biblical series on singleness (Song of Solomon, Ruth, Jacob and Rachel, etc). Perhaps most importantly, create roles for them within your church to serve and invite them to be a part of the community. (I personally love the vision of having each family in the congregation adopt one or two singles where they open up their home for them to visit and do life together with). 10 LIFE SITUATIONS TO KEEP IN MIND WHEN YOU'RE PREACHING3.jpg [https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52f17606e4b0c058f609ee0e/1620292062281-YWK2QUXMHF3HW61UPN37/10+LIFE+SITUATIONS+TO+KEEP+IN+MIND+WHEN+YOU%27RE+PREACHING3.jpg?format=1000w] LIFE SITUATION 8 – THE MISSIONARY/EVANGELIST IN TRAINING This person is restless in good way. In a best-case scenario, they are eager to jump into any ministry opportunity available and are constantly on the forefront of starting new ministries in your church to reach new people. In a worst-case scenario, they are restless in an unhealthy way and may accuse you of not doing enough to reach lost people in the community, or may feel like serving in your church is stifling them from being/doing all God has called them to. When you preach to them, first of all, don’t condemn them, and don’t kick them out (unless of course they are truly toxic, in which case, bye!) The reality though for many congregants like this is that they may have the gift of evangelism and an apostolic type calling on their life which makes them the perfect candidate for missionary-type work. The key to ministering to them is to intentionally coach them, then launch them into a ministry outside the church that fits their giftings. Stay in touch with them when they hit a roadblock (which they will) and remind them of Paul’s missionary journeys and trials. Teach them not only about the spiritual highs you experience serving the LORD, but also about the dark nights of the soul when you’ve considered quitting ministry. Most of all, remind them that ministry isn’t about starting off with fireworks and a bang, but it is about persevering every step of the way, and finishing the race well so that “…when the Chief Shepherd appears, [they] will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.” (1 Peter 5:1-4) LIFE SITUATION 9 – SECRETLY GAY OR TRANSGENDER This person is struggling with whether to continue being a part of the church or to jump in full-fledged with the LGBT community. They’ve remained in church either due to tradition or because of a genuine encounter they had/have with Jesus Christ. They are, however, battling between what they are hearing from the pulpit about the Bible’s condemnation of homosexuality and a changing culture that says, “You are just the way God created you.” When you preach to them, first of all, understand that the main issue is their relationship with God, not their sexuality. Certainly, their relationship with God includes their sexuality, but it isn’t the totality of who they are. Take the time to learn about the whole person (them), and remember that ALL of us struggle with relationships, identity and sexuality. No matter what label they choose to place on themselves, view them as a man or woman made in the image of God, not as a “homosexual” or a “project.” Perhaps most importantly is to point them to Jesus, NOT to Heterosexuality. Above all else, Jesus Christ is who they need to look more like, so continually hold up Jesus and His words as the model of what godliness can and should look like in their life. Let Christ do the work of conforming them into His image! LIFE SITUATION 10 – YOUR WIFE AND KIDS A case can be made that this is your most important audience because you are first and foremost the pastor of your home before you are a pastor at church (1 Timothy 3:5). Besides, your wife and kids know the real you and can tell if what you are saying from the pulpit matches up with who you are at home. For this group, your sermon and ministry starts at home. A good habit that I have learned over the years is to share with my family through the week what I’m learning about the sermon I am preaching the coming weekend. It’s nothing formal, but more of a, “Hey, guess what I learnedtodayabout Moses’ brother and sister when they were young?” This has actually resulted in a win for my family because when Sunday comes around and they hear me preach the full message, they already feel like they have the inside scoop no one else has! The other important lesson to keep in mind when it comes to your family is to extend to them the same grace that you extend to your congregation. Lead them by example in their faithfulness to God, but allow them the space and grace grow in their love for Jesus at their own pace. And that, my friends are the 10 life situations to keep in mind when you’re preaching this weekend. Now, if you’re a pastor or a regular communicator, you might be experiencing one of two reactions to this list. On the one hand, you might find it encouraging and eye-opening because you now have a better understanding of how and who to address your sermon to. On the other hand, however, you might find my list frustrating because you’re wondering how in the world you’re supposed to address all thesedifferentlife statutes inonesermon. So, here’s the deal. You can’t speak to everyone’s life situation in every sermon. KNOW THEIR STORY Prepare each sermon with the knowledge of the people God has entrusted to your care. In other words, you need to know your flock/audience. Your intimate knowledge of their lives and their stories, combined with the awe-inspiring power of the Holy Spirit working in you and in them, will result in sermons that cut through all their life clutter and speaks directly to their hearts. This means that sometimes, in the middle of a sermon, when you spot a congregant who's story you know, you may need to quickly pivot your intended sermon direction to speak to their situation Biblically (in a way that doesn't embarrass them, hence the need for complete reliance on the Holy Spirit during preaching). Brothers and sisters in the pulpit, as you step up to the pulpit to preach this weekend, I pray that the Author of Life fills you to overflow and empowers you in order that those entrusted to you might experience the fullness of Christ in every aspect of their lives! The Gathering Faith Leadership Network AD 1.png [https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52f17606e4b0c058f609ee0e/1620292307161-O0XWP9TLSBHU1CKKLGRJ/The+Gathering+Faith+Leadership+Network+AD+1.png?format=1000w] GET YOUR GIFT HERE Sign up with your email address to receive new blog posts, podcasts, and online event updates, then get you free digital download of “The Top 10 LIST of Books on Preaching that Will Take Your Sermon Delivery to the Next Level.” . First Name Last Name Email Address DOWNLOAD We respect your privacy. Thank you!

“HOW IN THE WORLD CAN SOMETHING SO DEAD LOOK SO BEAUTIFUL?” This was the thought streaming through my mind in recent weeks as the world observed a lavish, multimillion-dollar spectacle in Egypt where 22 mummies (18 kings and four queens) were transported from their former neo-classical Egyptian Museum to their new resting place three miles away at the new National Museum of Egyptian Civilisation. With tight security arrangements befitting the Queen of England herself, the mummies were transported with great fanfare in chronological order of their reigns - from the 17th Dynasty ruler, Seqenenre Taa II, to Ramses IX, who reigned in the 12th Century BC in what was called, “The Pharaohs' Golden Parade.“ egyptian-mummies-wheeled-through-cairos-streets-for-the-pharaohs-golden-parade-scaled.jpg [https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52f17606e4b0c058f609ee0e/1619546477465-B84JCIDMDP808571Z1I0/egyptian-mummies-wheeled-through-cairos-streets-for-the-pharaohs-golden-parade-scaled.jpg?format=1000w] Now, I’m not a party-pooper. I love a good outdoor party and I certainly appreciate history, but I saw great irony in the lavishness being accorded to corpses. Despite all the shiny glitz and glamour surrounding their relocation, each and every one of those once-mighty kings and queens still remains dead. I fear that “The Pharaohs Golden Parade” may be a realistic picture of the morbid reality surrounding the global church today. THE NIGERIAN CHURCH: A CASE STUDY A recent survey from Pew Research Center revealed that there are already more Christians in Africa than any other continent. Specifically, it noted that Nigeria’s Christian population, already the largest on the continent, is projected to double by 2060 [https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2019/04/africa-is-set-to-be-the-global-center-of-christianity-for-the-next-50-years/]. If you’ve visited Nigeria lately, you’ve already witnessed firsthand this dramatic growth in the making. The explosion in the number of church structures across big cities and rural areas is unmistakable. In some instances, some mega church sites are the size of small cities [https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2017/sep/11/eat-pray-live-lagos-nigeria-megachurches-redemption-camp], complete with its own police force, residential housing, roads, garbage collection, supermarkets, banks, a fun fair, and post offices. Talk about having the Church’s Golden Parade! 4 Warning Signs for the Nigerian Church [https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52f17606e4b0c058f609ee0e/1617111540660-SZYSBGIJCBGVJT9W99NP/4+Warning+Signs+for+the+Nigerian+Church?format=1000w] So, with this level of Christian saturation [https://www.theguardian.com/cities/gallery/2016/feb/24/mega-churches-lagos-nigeria-in-pictures], one would expect the Gospel to have permeated every aspect of Nigerian society, right? With a church on just about every street corner, including street preachers and Christian ministries in between, it would seem Nigeria should be shinning beacon of Christian hope for the nations, right? Unfortunately, no. According to the Corruption Perceptions Index 2020 by Transparency International, Nigeria presently holds the title of second most corrupt country in West Africa (and ranks number 146 globally; out of 180 most corrupt nations). You can argue about the merits of those rankings, but if we are being honest, even us Nigerians are keenly aware and wearied by the realities of corruption in our own backyard. From our police force to our shipping ports, from our government senate to the street corner salesman, from university faculties to the lady working at the petrol station down the street who rigged the gas pump so that it keeps counting money even though the gas has stopped pumping (I learned this the hard way), corruption seems to have found a retirement home in our land and our plethora of churches and sermons don’t seem to be impacting the everyday lives of Nigerians. Don’t even get me started on the corruption WITHIN the church and how many Nigerians pastors have turned the House of the LORD into a den of robbers. Think I’m being unfair? Pop over to YouTube and type in, “Nigerian Pastors”, then let’s talk. So what in the world is happening in all our churches? How is it that on the surface, when researchers survey the explosive growth of Christianity in Nigeria, the church appears to be spiritually vibrant, but up close and personal, we’re not as alive as we seem and inciting societal changes? How can something look so pretty, yet so dead? Incidentally, Jesus Christ made this same observation of one city in the scriptures.  In Revelation 3:1, Jesus says to the church in the city of Sardis, “These are the words of him who holds the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead.” The MESSAGE translation captures Jesus’ words to the Sardians this way, “I see right through your work. You have a reputation for vigor and zest, but you’re dead, stone-dead.” Might this be the same strong-worded letter Jesus is writing to the church in Nigeria today? The real question on my mind, though is, how? As in, how in the world is a church able to maintain a reputation for being alive when it is in fact dead? I ask because I have observed dead things before. I have stood graveside next to loved ones who have passed on. I have observed the process of how cows become steak. I have studied dead organizations, and I have unintentionally put to death a few of my wife’s indoor plants. Here’s what I can say for sure – dead things tend tolookdead andstaydead! So once again, how is it that the Church of Sardis, which had a great reputation for being alive, was in fact on its last breath? How is it that the church in Nigeria, for all its reputation about being one of nations with the fastest growing number of Christians, is in reality a nation rampant with corruption and strife at just about every level of society? Here are 4 ways spiritual death happens in a church, (or if you have a morbid sense of humor) 4 ways to tell if your church smells of dead people. ONE: SPIRITUAL DEATH HAPPENS WHEN YOUR FAITH BECOMES MECHANICAL. Is your faith simply a spiritual to-do duty you check-off the list each week? Do you go to church because you are eager to meet with the LORD and spend time with God’s people or do you go each week simply out of obligation because it’s something you’re supposed to do? When you go to a prayer meeting, whether online or in person, do you find yourself anticipating the end or do you feel relief when prayer time is over? Do you say to yourself, “Finally, I can go and take care of other things!” Here’s another one; Is your love for God and passion for Jesus more vibrant when you’re in public than when you’re at home in private?” (Your wife and family can probably answer this for you). When you observe the church (and Christians) in Nigeria, does our faith in Jesus seem mechanical or genuine? Does our loud and passionate Sunday morning faith have any bearing on our lives Monday to Friday? Nigerians, let’s judge for ourselves if our faith has become mechanical, if if it has, let’s heed the words of Jesus in Revelation 2:5, “[Return to your first love, and] Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent.” 4 warnings signs for Nigerian churches.jpg [https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52f17606e4b0c058f609ee0e/1617114018338-D3QVHDPKB41BDMWCHOHD/4+warnings+signs+for+Nigerian+churches.jpg?format=1000w] TWO: SPIRITUAL DEATH HAPPENS WHEN YOUR AFFECTIONS FOR THE PAST IS GREATER THAN YOUR EXCITEMENT FOR THE FUTURE. Conversely, spiritual death can also happen when you’re so focused on “prophetic words” about your future that you fail to live in Christlikeness today! It’s been my experience that Nigerian Christians struggle with the latter, especially because it is greatly encouraged by men and women in our pulpits leading churches and ministry events. Here are a few samplings of actual conference titles offered and hosted by these ministry leaders: * “OH LORD, PLEASE RELEASE MY VISA” * “PRAISE WINE FOR 2021” * “GOD, GIVE ME SPOUSE OR I DIE!” * “OPERATION: KILL YOUR ENEMIES!” With all these generous offerings in our future, who needs to focus on thenow? Spiritual death happens and has happened in Nigeria when we become so focused on our “expected prophetic coming blessings” that we fail to live and love with Christlikeness in theNOW. THREE: SPIRITUAL DEATH HAPPENS WHEN WE SPEND MORE TIME WORKING ON OUR REPUTATION THAN WE DO ON BUILDING GODLY CHARACTER. We LOVE titles in Nigeria! Just take a look at any one of the thousands of Christian event posters along ANY highway and you’ll be blown away by the number of self-appointed prophets, prophetesses, apostles, Father-in-the-Lord, Senior Evangelists, Honoraries, Daddy G.O’s, and Supreme-leader-Most-High pastors Nigeria has. I ask as a fellow Nigerian: Are these titles getting us any closer to the LORD? On a more personal level, how  much energy are we pouring into people’s perception of us, versus God’s evaluation of us? Think about the Church in Sardis for a moment. The only way they could have maintained a reputation of being alive, even though they were dead, is if they were pouring lots of energy into maintaining their reputation to their neighbors. Did you catch that? They were more focused on how they were being perceived than they actually were on the Gospel-mission they should have been about, hence their spiritual death. Here’s the problem with pretentious faith; it is only a matter of time before your true nature reveals itself. You can’t hide behind your profile picture forever. Whether in this life or the next, Jesus will expose who you truly are and you will discover that you were truly spiritually dead all along. Pray that you don’t end up becoming one in the crowd of people to whom Jesus will someday said, “I never knew you, depart from me you workers of evil” (Matthew 7:23; Matthew 25:41). FOUR: SPIRITUAL DEATH HAPPENS WHEN CHURCH IS ALL ABOUT “ME” RATHER THAN ALL ABOUT “THEM.” (“Them” refers to people in our community and region who don’t know Jesus Christ). Jesus hints at this at the end of verse 2 (in Revelation 3) when He says to the Sardians, “…for I have found your deeds [yourworks] unfinished in the sight of my God. ” The implication here is that there was ministry work to be done inside and outside the Church of Sardis that was NOT being done, hence “unfinished.” Remember, Jesus told His disciples (and us) that we would be His witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the ends of the earth. The idea is that the Gospel should start locally, then spread out to the outskirts of our city, then out of our state, throughout the land, and overseas. It’s my experience, however, that most of our churches in Nigeria never go beyond our, “Jerusalem.” This is why there is such a large concentration of churches in every municipality in the southern states of Nigeria. I also suspect that this is why the southern hemisphere of Nigeria is heavily Christian, while the north remains mostly Muslim. 4 warnings signs for Nigerian churches b.jpg [https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52f17606e4b0c058f609ee0e/1617117889671-8X86WKIAE1PVQOU1L6QG/4+warnings+signs+for+Nigerian+churches+b.jpg?format=1000w] Listen, THE CHURCH OF NIGERIA NEEDS TO RETURN TO ITS MISSIONARY MANDATE!!! I understand that there is a complicated long history of ethnic conflict between Muslims and Christians, but Jesus has not changed or rewritten the Great Commission to include only people who think like us and speak the same language we do! Jesus is not going to come down to evangelize the north of Nigeria or the unreached people in your backyard; He has already put His Spirit in YOU and has commissioned YOU to GO AND MAKE DISCIPLES. The Church of Jesus Christ will experience a spiritual awakening (and become undead) when it starts thinking beyond its four church walls or its own denominations and starts sponsoring and sending out missionaries into OUR nation as the early church did! The LORD, Jesus Christ is calling out to the church in Nigeria today, “Awake, O sleeper, rise up from the dead, and Christ will give you light.” WEBSITE.png [https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52f17606e4b0c058f609ee0e/1620130700953-JFXF4LA1U1Z9CSBNR9ST/WEBSITE.png?format=1000w] GET YOUR GIFT HERE Sign up with your email address to receive new blog posts, podcasts, and online event updates, then get you free digital download of “The Top 10 LIST of Books on Preaching that Will Take Your Sermon Delivery to the Next Level.” . First Name Last Name Email Address DOWNLOAD We respect your privacy. Thank you!

SHEGZNSTUFF - THE CHURCH JESUS WAS IMPRESSED WITH [https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52f17606e4b0c058f609ee0e/1464730220915-OABWPI7J803RN1N5X67N/SHEGZNSTUFF+-+THE+CHURCH+JESUS+WAS+IMPRESSED+WITH?format=1000w] DON'T HAVE THE TIME TO SIT AND READ? NOW YOU CAN LISTEN OR DOWNLOAD (OR) SUBSCRIBE TO MY AUDIO PODCAST [https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/segun-aiyegbusi-husband.-dad./id1081914171?mt=2] WHAT DOES YOUR VERSION OF AN IDEAL CHURCH LOOK LIKE? Yes, I know. There are no perfect Churches… blah blah blah… we say that, but if we’re honest, we all have subtle (sometimes, not so subtle) unspoken expectations of what our Churches should do and be, and how certain things could better be done (especially if we were in charge!). So let’s get past the denial and bargaining phase and move straight to acceptance. In your ideal world, what does your "perfect" Church look like? Go ahead, list out three of your top “requirements.” 1. ___________________________________ 2. ___________________________________ 3. ___________________________________ On your list may appear things like: Biblical teaching, Christ centered Worship (but really excellent), a Passion for Prayer, Love for one another, Justice (caring for the oppressed), authenticity, Missions, Evangelism, etc. Did you know that there was once a Church that Jesus would have scored a perfect 10 (factoring in that there are indeed no perfect Churches)? The Church I speak of  is the sixth Church in our blog series through the 7 Letters of the Book of Revelation, the Church of Philadelphia. Check out what Jesus thinks of them starting in Revelation 3:7. “To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open.” Before we meet the Church, let’s chat briefly about the JESUS of the Church. To the folks in Philly, Jesus introduces three qualities about Himself that should instantly cause us to become alert, attentive, and to stand in awe. He says, He is “Holy”, He is “True”, and He’s got the keys to the door of every opportunity & every blessing you will ever experience. They key is called, the “key of David”. JESUS HOLDS THE KEY TO THE “NEXT” IN YOUR LIFE While Christ being holy and true sounds familiar to us, the “key of David” may be unfamiliar. First off, this isn’t a reference to a literal key king David used to have.  To appreciate what Jesus is getting at here, you need to jump back to Isaiah 22:22 where the key of David is symbolic of great authority and power. In that account, God placed, “the key to the house of David” on the shoulders of a man named Eliakim so that he could now access all the treasures and wealth of the king (In those days, keys were often larger and often times carried on one’s shoulders). So when Jesus says He holds the key of David, it should conjure up in our minds images of kingship, a kingdom, and Lordship. Jesus is saying that all the gold and silver (and precious stones) on earth (seen and unseen) come from His treasury. 1 Chronicles 29:11-tells us that every fortune 500 company and every mama and papa shop belongs to HIM, and it’s at His discretion that men are made great.  Proverbs 21:1 says the hearts of the kings and presidents, or presidential-hopefuls are in His hands and He directs them wherever He pleases. Get this, even our salvation, our ability to believe Him by faith, is a key He holds in His hands, for no man can come to the Father unless Jesus Christ draws them near by His Spirit (John 14:6). Now here’s what should really cause you to stand in awe and at attention; because Jesus holds the key to every door of opportunity in your life and for your Church, no man, no angel, and no evil scheming spirit will ever be able to stand in the way of what He intends to do in and through your life! It’s not within their power to shut doors in your life (though they will try!), and on the same token, whatever door Jesus shuts, it’s pointless and futile to try opening it. PHILLY – THE CITY OF LOVE (NOPE, NOT THAT ONE) It’s thus with this understanding that He starts His letter to the awesome-but-not-perfect Church in Philadelphia, the home of Rocky Balboa and the most delicious cheese-steak sandwiches ever. I’m just kidding. Carmine’s in Netcong, New Jersey has the best cheese-steak sandwiches! To their credit, the Philadelphian church (actually located in present day Alaşehir, Manisa, Turkey) receives nothing but commendations from Jesus. There’s not a single reprimand, simply just compliments and blessings. That’s not to say they were a sinless or perfect church, for no church like that exists. It’s just that Jesus saw nothing wrong with them (at the time) that rose to the level of being seriously rebuked. In verse 8, Jesus says He knows their deeds, which can also read as, “He was deeply impressed with their good works…” He was so impressed that He was going to bless them with three things. First, He was going to place before them an open door of opportunity that no one could or would be able to shut. This was more than likely an open door of opportunity for unprecedented growth/outreach in ministry. Though they had “little strength”, Christ was about to open the floodgates of heaven and shower them with ministry rewards! In verse 9, we get a glimpse of what’s about to happen when Jesus says He will humble a group of people who had been making life miserable for them.  He calls the group the “synagogue of Satan.” WHEN JESUS THROWS SHADE AT YOUR HATERS These were pretentious Jews who falsely believed they were doing God a favor by persecuting or making life difficult for Christians. For our purposes, this refers to anyone in your life who makes life difficult for you in any way, shape or form because you follow Jesus Christ. Jesus says He is going to bring them low in humiliation, so much so that they would come to the Philadelphian Christians asking how it is they could know Jesus. Jesus was essentially reassuring them, saying, “Listen Church, I know you have little strength and haven’t experienced much growth due to the persecution you’re facing. But stand back and prepare yourselves because I am about to bring more lost people to your doorsteps than you’ve ever seen. I myself, the one who holds the key to salvation will draw even the most antagonistic of Jews to your doorsteps so that they will be the ones asking, what must we do to be saved? I HAVE THE KEYS! GET READY FOR THIS OPEN DOOR” SHEGZNSTUFF - DOOR OF OPPORTUNITY [https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52f17606e4b0c058f609ee0e/1464730721679-K3TEVYXIRVKUTP60YENZ/SHEGZNSTUFF+-+DOOR+OF+OPPORTUNITY?format=1000w] SOMEONE’S AT YOUR DOOR This beautiful encouragement begs the question: What open doors has God placed around you? (Whether personal or Gospel related?). From your vantage point, it may not look like an open door, until you walk up to it and turn the doorknob to find out it’s been unlocked (just for you by Jesus!). In my faith and experience, I’ve observed that God often times goes ahead of us to prepare hearts to be ready to receive a conversation we may spontaneously initiative with friends about the Gospel. OPEN DOOR! Other times, He’ll go ahead of us and make people favorably predisposed towards us before we ever show up. OPEN DOOR! I worked at Grace Church on the Mount through seminary as an intern ministering to young adults. At the time, Grace Church was in search of a senior pastor, and they found one in Armin Sommer (presently still the senior pastor). At the time of his hiring, I knew that budget cuts needed to be made. Since I was an intern, it seemed clear to me that I would be the first to go. So I began preparing my resume as I prayed through where I would land a new job. Unbeknownst to me, however, was the fact that Armin had been looking into the work I was doing at Grace and was highly interested in bringing on board a full time pastor to oversee the young adults at Grace. In my first conversation with him, I had prepared a speech and a plea for him to allow me to continue with lesser hours as an intern. But of course, God had already gone ahead of me and provided an open door. From the moment I said, “Hi, pastor Armin, my name is Segun and I was wondering if you would consider….” I never even finished the sentenced. He was so enthusiastic about having me on staff that he subtly, but firmly insisted that I stay the course and continue with Grace because I was a part of the future he envisioned for Grace. Like I said, God often goes ahead of us to OPEN DOORS! (You may, however, need to walk up to said-door and actually check the doorknob!) So I ask again, as you look at your life and surroundings, where may God have opened some doors around you? JESUS HAS A NEW NAME FOR YOU, (AND A NEW PLACE) Ponder that some more when you have plenty of free time, in the meanwhile, here’s what else Jesus has in mind for the folks in Philly! Revelation 3:10-13, Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come on the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth. 11 I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown. 12 The one who is victorious I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will they leave it. I will write on them the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on them my new name. 13 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” Sometime after the death of Jesus Christ, a powerful earthquake hit the Philadelphian region and greatly shook up the city of Philadelphia. Though the emperor at the time assisted greatly in helping rebuild the city, its citizens lived in constant fear of experiencing another earthquake, so much so that the daily aftershocks forced many of its citizens to abandon the city and live temporarily in the surrounding countryside. This obviously would have forced many of its citizens into a lower standard of daily living, which means, if you weren’t wealthy in the first place (as was the case for many Christians), then life just got even more difficult. Consider the (literal) unstable world these Christians were living in and put that in the context of Jesus promising to make them unshakeable and unmovable “pillars in the temple of God” in the new Jerusalem when heaven meets earth. Would you describe this season of your life as somewhat shaky? Perhaps you’ve faced one major trial, or you’re experiencing the aftershocks of someone else’s trouble? If that describes you, Jesus says, “Just keep walking with me and keep keeping your eyes on me. This is only a trial run for your reign in the city of God where I will soon bring you.” In fact the next promise ties into this promise. Jesus speaks of personally writing new names on us, three names in fact. The name of God, the name of the city of God, and a very personal name that He Himself will give us. When I first read this, I remember thinking, “Wow, that’s a lot of new names! How am I supposed to remember them all and not get confused about who I am? Is it even possible to have an identity crisis in heaven?” My best guess here is that these are all referring to the same thing. In other words, these are not so much three different names we’ll have to remember, but rather, they’re all picturing one truth, which is that we will have a true citizenship in the new heaven and the new earth, a place we can finally call home. This is great news, my friends! It means that your name has been securely marked down and spelled out in the book of life in the registry of the new city of heaven. It means God knows your name. Jesus knows your name. The Holy Spirit knows your name. Every high-ranking angel and ministering angel will know your name. All the Old Testament saints will know your name. All the believers in the Church age will know your name, and any other creatures we find in heaven will know your personal name. They will all know your name because you belong there and because Jesus Himself has written on you that name! So when you ponder the doors of opportunity for the Gospel God has placed before you, consider the fact that it’s also about populating heaven’s registry with more names of people you’ll spend eternity with.

When Tolerance Goes Too Far [https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52f17606e4b0c058f609ee0e/1463173121961-IRYDL7UC743MU8F24U2J/When+Tolerance+Goes+Too+Far?format=1000w] DON'T HAVE THE TIME TO SIT AND READ? NOW YOU CAN LISTEN OR DOWNLOAD (OR) SUBSCRIBE TO MY AUDIO PODCAST [https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/segun-aiyegbusi-husband.-dad./id1081914171?mt=2] PICTURE THIS SCENE. It’s a rainy Sunday morning at the 10:00 am worship service of a local Church. In spite of the weather, the Church is packed full. An email was sent to the congregation earlier in the week that an important, possibly Church-altering announcement will be made at the morning service. A nervous anticipation fills the air.  The worship team has just finished their worship set and the upcoming-events video is wrapping up. Everyone is eager to hear what the “new news” is. The senior pastor walks to the stage and straightens his notes on the pulpit. His face looks a little somber. He doesn’t open with his usual humor, but with a pensively low tone. “Church, I …we …something important has come up that we have to talk about.” The “something important” is a very personal letter he's received from Jesus for His Church. This particular Church exists during a time in history when Jesus clearly and powerfully communicates to His Church through apostles and prophets. The letter the pastor holds in his hands was hand delivered to him the previous night by an apostle who walked closely with Jesus. The senior pastor hesitates and wipes tiny beads of sweat from his face. He’s read and reread the letter a dozen times in the last 12 hours. He knows its shockingly troubling contents by heart, which makes what he’s about to do even much harder. “I… we… um… we received an important word from the Lord last night.” He says. Excited Cheers, applause and a few “woots-woots” resound through the sanctuary, but the pastor hushes the congregation. He knows the letter in front of him does not call for celebration. He’s spoken with the other senior pastors in the region, the pastors of the Churches in Ephesus, Smyrna, and Pergamum, and he knows they received similar letters from Jesus with contents pertaining to their respective congregations. It pains him deeply as he takes another look at the report card Jesus just sent his Church. “Folks, I don’t know how else to say this, but to simply read what the Lord Jesus has sent us through His apostle, John.” The pastor explains with a deep sigh. Clearing his throat one last time, he begins reading: “To the members and leaders of the Church of Thyatira. These are the words of God's Son, the one with eyes pouring fire-blaze, and standing on feet of furnace-fired bronze. I see everything you’re doing for me. Impressive! The love and the faith, the service and persistence. Yes, very impressive! You get better at it every day.” A few congregants excitedly yell out, “Amen!” and “Praise da Lawd!”, unsure of why their pastor isn’t more excited about Jesus’ greetings. Looking up from his notes to his wife, she nods backs empathetically, encouraging him to press on. Rallying his emotions once again, he looks back at his notes, then in the direction of a particular group of congregants seated on the far left front section of the Church and directs Jesus’ next words at them. “But why do you let that Jezebel who calls herself a prophet mislead my dear servants into Cross-denying, self-indulging religion? I gave her a chance to change her ways, but she has no intention of giving up a career in the god-business. I’m about to lay her low, along with her partners, as they play their sex-and-religion games. The bastard offspring of their idol-whoring I’ll kill.” Shock and awe doesn’t even begin to describe the reaction of the congregation. Terrified looks fill every face, and surprisingly, a few people immediately burst into silent sobs.  The Holy Spirit had clearly already begun stirring the hearts of some folks about their involvement in this matter. Returning his concerned glare to the rest of the congregation, the pastor continues: “Then every church will know that appearances don’t impress me. I X-ray every motive and make sure you get what’s coming to you. The rest of you Thyatirans, who have nothing to do with this outrage, who scorn this playing around with the Devil that gets paraded as profundity, be assured I’ll not make life any harder for you than it already is. Hold on to the truth you have until I get there. “Here’s the reward I have for every conqueror, everyone who keeps at it, refusing to give up: You’ll rule the nations, your Shepherd-King rule as firm as an iron staff, their resistance fragile as clay pots. This was the gift my Father gave me; I pass it along to you—and with it, the Morning Star! Are your ears awake? Listen. Listen to the Wind Words, the Spirit blowing through the churches.” End scene. Church of Thyatira - shegznstuff.jpg [https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52f17606e4b0c058f609ee0e/1463173953492-W2NV045BJJWL0Z22HCTL/Church+of+Thyatira+-+shegznstuff.jpg?format=1000w] Can you imagine being a congregant in this Church on that Sunday morning? Picture the woman (along with her followers) who was the main culprit in Jesus’ letter hearing these words from the senior pastor. Imagine her trepidation (or perhaps, obstinacy). Imagine the rest of the congregation looking around in confusion, wondering if they were guilty or caught up in this Jezebel-cult (as Jesus describes it). I assure you, this was one worship service no one would ever forget because this Church would never be the same after that letter. Do you want to know what’s even more troubling than all that? It’s the fact that though this Church setting is a fictional scenario, the actual letter is not! What you just read is THE MESSAGE [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Revelation+2%3A18-29&version=MSG] translation of the same letter Jesus sent to the very real Church in the very real ancient city of Thyatira in Revelation 2:18-29 [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Revelation+2%3A18-29&version=MSG]. This is clearly not the kind of letter any Church, or any Christian for that matter, ever wants to receive from Jesus Christ! To be fair, though, Jesus does commend them for doing a few things right, four to be exact. So it isn’t all bad, though mostly. WE LOOOOVE EVERYONE AT OUR CHURCH Firstly, in verse 19 [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Revelation+2%3A19&version=NIV], Jesus says they were a hardworking Church (“I know your works/deeds”) [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Revelation+2%3A19&version=NIV]. So, this was the Church that never struggled to get volunteers. You’ve heard it said that 20% of the Church does 80% of the work? Well, in Thyatira, they were so hardworking that each congregant served in at least one ministry capacity or another.  They had 100% volunteer rate! They served in Children’s ministry, in youth ministry, women's ministry, and with the homeless. They hosted a canned good collection for the community regularly, they partnered with the non-profit organizations in their city to care for the needy regardless of religious affiliation. They were the kind of Church that homeless people sent their homeless friends to! In fact, Jesus says at the end of verse 19 that they were presently doing more than they did when they first launched as a Church. So, they received much kudos there! Secondly, Jesus says they were a loving Church (“I know [of] your love”). [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Revelation+2%3A19&version=NIV] So, this was the Church that everyone in the community felt welcomed in. They not only cared and loved one another, but they were the kind of Church you would feel super comfortable bringing your non-Christian, and even gay friends to! They were seeker-sensitive and super sensitive about everyone’s feeling. They loved without regard for race, gender, or creed, and were tolerant of everything and everyone, which we’ll discover in a moment, might not always be a good thing. Third and fourthly, They were a Church that was full of faith and they excelled at service and perseverance. [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Revelation+2%3A19&version=NIV] This means they were not afraid to take bold leaps for the Gospel; at a minimum, it means they were a praying Church. More importantly, perseverance means that they were not easily broken or shaken in times of difficulty. Based on these four commendations from Jesus Himself, one has to admit that on the surface, they weren’t a shabby Church! If you visited the Church of Thyatira on any given Sunday church, or checked out their website or online videos, you’d be impressed and might even be inclined to start attending their Church because they were a such a caring, loving, and tolerant bunch. WHEN BEING LOVING AND TOLERANT LANDS YOU IN A REALLY BAD SPOT Jesus, however, had a different point of view, literally. Looking with His fiery blazing eyes [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Revelation+2%3A18&version=NIV], that have the ability to see past every veil, He sees something very disturbing that causes Him to say, “Hey, good job with those four things, but there are some serious issues in your midst that you have failed to address”, or in His own words, “ Nevertheless, I have this against you:” (verse 20) [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Revelation+2%3A20&version=NIV] To give you some perspective on what’s happening in the Thyatiran congregation, consider the fact that their diagnosis sounds awfully similar to that of the Church in Pergamum [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Revelation+2%3A12-17&version=NIV]. Both Churches had ill-intentioned people in their congregation who were teaching people to engage in sexual sin and eat foods offered to idols at the local pagan feasts. The Church in Thyatira, however, had taken their sin a step further. Whereas the folks in Pergamum may have been ignorant to the deceit of the false teachers in their midst, (or too intimidated to confront them), the Church in Thyatira was fully aware and openly tolerating the false teachers so that they continued unhindered in their deception. Hear Jesus Himself explain it, “But I have this against you, that you tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess and is teaching and seducing my servants to practice sexual immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols.” (verse 20) [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Revelation+2%3A20&version=NIV] So it could be said that if the Christians in Pergamum were “dating” the false teachers, then the congregants in Thyatira were already “married” to them. If the Church in Pergamum was occasionally engaged in sexual foreplay with false teachers, then the Church in Thyatira had already engaged in sexual intercourse multiple times with the false teachers and had produced several babies…in Church! (I'm speaking metaphorically). Specifically, the Thyatirans had been infiltrated by a spiritually dangerous woman [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Revelation+2%3A20-23&version=NIV]who had gathered around herself quite a following. She was claiming to be some sort of prophetess who had divine access to spiritual truths no one else was seeing. This apparently impressed many in the Church as they allowed her to increase in influence and prominence. They were such a loving, accepting, and tolerant Church that they allowed what was clearly an unholy-union, to continue happily ever after. She grew so bold that after a while, she cast her pretension aside and blatantly began teaching those she had lured into her cause “Satan’s so-called deep secrets” (verse 24). [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Revelation+2%3A24&version=NIV] Jezebel - shegznstuff [https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52f17606e4b0c058f609ee0e/1463173686858-PBCSW5EXQEDM7M1I7AXJ/Jezebel+-+shegznstuff?format=1000w] It’s for this reason that Jesus takes such a harsh and severe tone with the Church’s tolerance of her. This woman in question is the one Jesus refers to as “Jezebel.” [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Revelation+2%3A20-23&version=NIV]Jezebel is clearly not her real name, but Jesus assigns it to her to reveal to the Thyatirans her true nature. The story of the real Jezebel can be found in the Old Testament book of 1 Kings 16:29-34, [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Kings+16%3A29-34&version=NIV] and all you need to know is that she was a vicious, evil, crazy, witch-queen who violently imposed idol worship on the Israelites. Her idol of choice was a cult-deity named Baal, whose worship involved sexual degradation and lewdness. In Thyatira, this Jezebel-like woman was doing something similar to her predecessor. She was aggressively seducing and misleading the Church through sexual enticement and false teaching, all of which led many congregants to engage in spiritual adultery (and very possibly, actual adultery). ARE YOU THE SOURCE? Let’s take a moment here and consider the intentions of this woman and its relevance to our actions today as Christians, because Jesus is NOT playing nice with her! It’s one thing for you and I to struggle with a sin that has a stronghold over our lives, but it’s another thing to be the person importing that sin into the Church and misleading others to engage in it. Is that you? Are you a spiritual predator dressed as a sheep in Jesus’ Church? Are you knowingly spreading unbiblical teaching or enticing others in the Church to engage in any form of sin or rebellion? If that describes you, then know this, the LORD OF THE CHURCH, CHRIST HIMSELF, the One whose eyes blaze like a fiery furnace and whose feet are as strong as burnished bronze is onto your game! You may have your present Church fooled, but “the One who sits enthroned in heaven laughs; He scoffs at you, and will soon rebuke you in His anger and terrify you in His wrath.” [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+2%3A1-5&version=NIV] YOUR TIME’S UP! Incidentally, Jesus was incredibly gracious to this woman and her followers in the Church. According to verse 21 [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=revelation+2%3A21&version=NIV], He had actually confronted her in the past and revealed her sin to her as well as given her time to repent of it, but she had refused to turn from her sexual immorality. She had unfortunately now reached the point of no-return. Judgment was inevitable.  What makes His judgment even more petrifying was the extent to which Jesus was going to carry it out. Look again at what He says starting in verse 21-23, “I have given her time to repent of her immorality, but she is unwilling. So I will cast her on a bed of suffering, and I will make those who commit adultery with her suffer intensely, unless they repent of her ways. I will strike her children dead. Then all the Churches will know that I am he who searches hearts and minds, and I will repay each of you according to your deeds.” Now, because of the terrifying nature of the judgment Jesus pronounces on the Church (and even more specifically, the woman), let me clarify what I believe Jesus is getting at here because this is not a warning as much as it is an announcement of a judgment that’s soon about to take place. I don’t believe Jesus is speaking to those of you who have an addiction or a sin you are struggling with and longing to overcome. Jesus is speaking here to those of you who, whether willfully or unintentionally, are spreading your sinful trade to others within the church, and are unrepentant about it. Note the play of words He uses in verse 22 when He speaks of casting her on a, “bed of suffering” [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=revelation+2%3A22&version=NIV] and striking dead the children that come from that affair. So, in other words, the very sin you are engaged in and unwilling to repent of, will be the very source of what you will be judged by. He’s saying, “The bed you lay on to commit adultery is where you will die on, and when I’m done, everyone in the Church will know that I can see past every façade.” Make no mistake about it, Jesus is very involved and protective of His Church because She is still His bride. He already gave His life for her, can you imagine the extent He would go to keep her pure and safe? BUT I DIDN’T DO ANYTHING, LORD! While Jesus was going to deal directly with the root source (the false prophetess) of the trouble in the Thyatiran Church, there was of course still the issue of the rest of the congregation who turned a blind-eye and allowed the errors to continue. Clearly, those who were directly involved with the woman (“…those who commit adultery with her”; “…her children…” [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=revelation+2%3A22-23&version=NIV]) would be dealt with too, but I’d imagine that there were many in the congregation hearing the words of Jesus and thinking to themselves, “Wait, but what about me, Lord? I haven’t engaged in these sins with them. I’ve been tempted, and I’ve strayed a few times, but I have repented and haven’t engaged in it since. Will I get swept away in judgment with everyone else?” It is in response to this concern that Jesus writes what He says next in verse 24-29, [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=revelation+2%3A24-29&version=NIV] “Now I say to the rest of you in Thyatira, to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan’s so-called deep secrets, ‘I will not impose any other burden on you,  except to hold on to what you have until I come.’  To the one who is victorious and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations— that one ‘will rule them with an iron scepter and will dash them to pieces like pottery’—just as I have received authority from my Father. I will also give that one the morning star. Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” YOU SHOULD SEE WHAT I HAVE IN STORE FOR YOU! What I find most encouraging (and you should too) about these words is the fact that Jesus can tell apart those who are His from those pretending to be His! (Ever read the parable of the weeds and wheat? [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+13%3A24-30%2C+36-43&version=NIV]). To His own who have remained faithful, He even goes as far as to encourage them, saying, “I will not impose any burden on you” but to urge you to keep doing the great work you’ve already been doing despite all the ungodly craziness around you. It brings to mind another statement He made during His time on earth in Matthew 11:28-30 [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=+Matthew+11%3A28-30&version=NIV], “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” That’s the first piece of good news for those who “keep at it” and remain faithful to Him. The second encouraging news is the promise and future reward from Jesus that they will be given the authority to rule over nations, the right to serve as judges over the affairs of His coming kingdom, and something unique called, “the Morning Star.” To really appreciate the incredible significance of these rewards, you need to understand that Jesus is speaking here of a thousand-year period known as the Millennial kingdom. This is a period still in our future that will be ushered in upon the 2nd return of Jesus Christ (seven years after the rapture of the Church), a time during which every believer will rule alongside Him as His representatives. It’s in this time and place that many of the promises of scripture about prosperity and blessings will FULLY be realized. This means that, as a reward for not “signing up” with the Jezebel-cult, and as a result of choosing to remain faithful to Christ in a tolerance-gone-corrupt culture, Christ Himself will entrust you with a governing office position to administer His justice over nations. Did you catch that? You will someday rule over NATIONS! Rule the Nations - shegznstuff [https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52f17606e4b0c058f609ee0e/1463174309948-CC7SIGMDL9CDMZOGKLSF/Rule+the+Nations+-+shegznstuff?format=1000w] There’s an interesting verse in 1 Corinthians 6:3 [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+corinthians+6%3A3&version=NIV] that gives some insightful perspective on the extent to which believers will rule with Christ. According to Paul’s words in that verse, it appears that followers of Christ will not only be entrusted with governing human affairs, but even angelic affairs; “Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more the things of this life!” [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+corinthians+6%3A3&version=NIV] The best part is that every believer will have a glorified body in the Millennium and the mind of Christ, hence we won’t lack for wisdom on what to do and how to do it! Then of course, there’s the question of the “Morning Star.” Every Biblical indication is that this phrase is a reference to Christ Himself. In other words, you and I will have unprecedented access to Jesus Christ. Whereas today, we may sometime feel unsure if Jesus heard our prayers or "gets" us, on that day, you'll have something tantamount to an all-access pass to meet with Him. On that day, you will regularly see Him face-to-face, you'll be able to run your ideas by Him, you'll be able to chat with Him over lunch at Panera Bread (because there WILL be Panera in the Millennium!), you'll be able to seek His direct advice on matters, and you'll be able to personally invite Him to a celebration you’re hosting, and so on …allow your imagination to run wild here! It's as if Jesus Himself were saying, “In the Millennium, I will be there when you need me, so much so that while your prayers are still on your lips, I will hear you and answer you!!” This is ultimately what our hearts long for, isn’t it? Christ Himself. So let’s wrap this up with the big idea put forth earlier. SERIOUSLY THOUGH. YOU SHOULD CEASE& DESIST IMMEDIATELY, FOR YOUR OWN GOOD! The loving grace of God covers ALL our sin and He invites us daily to surrender our burdens to Him. However, what may prove problematic in your relationship with God is if you are the source through which sin is being imported into the lives of others. Jesus expresses as much in Luke 17:1 [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=luke+17%3A1&version=NIV]when He says, “There will always be temptations to sin, but what sorrow awaits the person who does the tempting!” Other versions say, “…but woe to anyone through whom they come.” Is that you? Are you a spiritual predator dressed as a sheep among Jesus’ flock? Are you knowingly spreading unbiblical teaching or enticing others in the church to engage in immorality? Understand (again) that Jesus sees in High Definition every activity that takes place under the sun. In His great mercy, He will repeatedly call you to repent and surrender your sin to Him, but if you persist and stubbornly hold on to your sin and rebellion, and you’re unwilling to change, your time may soon be up. The LORD is merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. While there is no sin so great that the cross of Jesus isn’t greater than, there is a point of no return where unrepentance can and will lead to severe judgment. A word to the wise, if you are a sin-importer, cease your evil trade immediately, otherwise the LORD Himself will do it for you! Name * First Name Last Name Email Address * Thanks for signing up! :)

DON'T HAVE THE TIME TO SIT AND READ? NOW YOU CAN LISTEN OR DOWNLOAD (OR) SUBSCRIBE TO MY AUDIO PODCAST [https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/segun-aiyegbusi-husband.-dad./id1081914171?mt=2] IT'S NEVER EASY, BUT SOME THINGS SIMPLY NEED TO COME TO AN END. In C.S Lewis's book,"The Great Divorce" [http://www.amazon.com/Great-Divorce-C-S-Lewis/dp/0060652950] he tells the story of a busload of people who journey to the outskirts of heaven on their way to hell. During the tour, many of the bus-riders are turned off/intimidated by the atmosphere of heaven and run back to the comfort of their bus. One individual, however, a Ghost who is continually pestered by a talkative red lizard (symbolic of lust) constantly perched on his shoulder, presses into the surroundings of heaven and encounters a fiery angel. C.S Lewis uses the ensuing encounter between the angel and the Ghost as a parable of God's invitation to break the power of sin in our life and to transform it into something for his glory. For the purposes of this blog post, I will use it as an illustration of what it looks like to sever off unhealthy toxic relationships that may be leading us to compromise our integrity. In the story, the great flaming angel approaches the Ghost and seeks his permission to rid him of the burdensome red lizard on his shoulder. The Ghost hesitantly agrees at first, but backs away when it dawns on him that killing the lizard will involve some pain on his part. The angel makes his request again, seeking the Ghost’s permission to help him kill the red lizard. But again, the Ghost complains about the pain he is having to endure as a result of being separated from his beast of a friend. "May I kill it?" The angel persisted. "Honestly, I don't think there's the slightest necessity for that. I'm sure I shall be able to keep it in order now. Some other day, perhaps." The Ghost tried to argue. "There is no other day …." Replied the angel. "Get back! You're burning me. How can I tell you to kill it? You'd kill me if you did." The Ghost countered. "It is not so." "Why, you're hurting me now." "I never said I wouldn't hurt you. I said it wouldn't kill you." On and on their conversation went, until finally, the Lizard itself chimed in (in a last bid attempt to save its own life). "Be careful," it said. "He can do what he says. He can kill me. One fatal word from you and he will! Then you'll be without me for ever and ever. I'll be so good. I admit I've sometimes gone too far in the past, but I promise I won't do it again…." Ignoring the voice of the red lizard, the angel again sought the Ghost's permission to once and for all kill the creature. In his desperation to finally be free, he relented and permitted the angel to do as he pleased. Lewis beautifully captures what follows, “Next moment the Ghost gave a scream of agony such as I never heard. The Burning One [angel] closed his crimson grip on the reptile: twisted it, while it bit and writhed, and then flung it, broken backed, on the turf. Then I saw, unmistakably solid but growing every moment solider, the Ghost materialize into a man, not much smaller than the Angel. At the same moment something seemed to be happening to the Lizard. At first I thought the operation had failed. So far from dying, the creature was still struggling and even growing bigger as it struggled. And as it grew it changed. Suddenly I stared back, rubbing my eyes. What stood before me was the greatest stallion I have ever seen, silvery white but with mane and tail of gold. The man, now free from his torment, climbed upon the stallion that had been his sin and rode into the glowing sunrise towards the Savior.” (C. S. Lewis, The Great Divorce (HarperCollins, 2009), pp. 106-112) CHECK YOUR SHOULDER FOR "RED LIZARDS" Like the Ghost in Lewis's story, some Christians are presently yoked in a relationship with their own "red lizard", a relationship which may be proving to be spiritually toxic to their faith. In this 4th part of our blog series through the 7 letters of Revelation, we will meet a Church congregation in the city of Pergamum that has fallen into this trap, a Church that has compromised its values and literally allowed Satan to get a foothold in its community. Jesus has some strong words for her, as well as for us if indeed there are spiritually toxic relationships in our lives we're allowing to carry on. Here's the story of how to break free and bring to an end those unhealthy friendships. A KILLER OPENING LINE > “To the angel of the church in Pergamum write: These are the words of him who has the sharp, double-edged sword. I know where you live, where Satan has his throne. ” — Revelation 2:12-13 (letter to the church of pergamum)This introduction from Jesus is a little scary. It’s not the opening line you ever want to read in a letter or an email from a loved one. To give you some perspective on how troubling this introduction is, compare it to the way Jesus introduces Himself to the two previous Churches. To the folks in the Church of Ephesus, Jesus says in Revelation 2:1, “These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands.” To the congregants in the Church of Smyrna, Jesus says in Revelation 2:8, “These are the words of him who is the First and the Last, who died and came to life again. Both uplifting, right? But, to the folks in the Church of Pergamum, Jesus essentially opens His letter with this terrifying picture, “These are the words of the one wielding a sharp double-headed machete, and oh, by the way, I also see that Satan has an apartment in your backyard!” This immediately tells you something is wrong in the Church of Pergamum, and the city itself is probably not the most hospitable place to live. WHEN SATAN LIVES IN YOUR BACKYARD Twice in verse 13, Jesus actually points out that Satan has his throne in their city! It’s a troubling thought, but it makes me wonder what city in the world Satan presently has his throne? While no one can say for certain where it is, can we at least agree on NOT rolling out the red carpet for him? (Yes, I’m talking to you, New York’ s temporarily shelved project [http://www.snopes.com/temple-of-baal-in-new-york-city/] to rebuild replicas of the arch from Syria’s Temple of Baal!!!!) If you want to know what happens when you let Satan hang out on your front porch, let’s get back to Pergamum and see. [https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52f17606e4b0c058f609ee0e/1462058815681-DQ3E6LAWP93YIANTA66W/city+of+Pergamum+-+shegznstuff.jpg?format=1000w]VIDEO: The Acropolis of Pergamum The city of Pergamum was one of the most influential cities in the Roman empire. It was an important center for pagan and imperial religion. In fact, the people of Pergamum were known as the temple keepers of Asia. That's because the city hosted temples dedicated to Asklepios, the god of healing, to Zeus, in whose honor an especially massive stone altar was built and set on the Acropolis (one of the highest points in the city), and to “divine Augustus and the goddess Roma.” Satan felt at home in this city and established his throne there. The Christians in the city lived in constant danger of harm from the emperor worship cult. Whereas, Christians in other cities were primarily in danger on the one day of the year when they were required to offer sacrifices to the emperor, the believers in Pergamum were in danger every day of the year because of the strong demonic influence in the city. Living as a Christian in Pergamum in those days may have been indistinguishable from living as a Christian in Ramadi, Iraq under ISIS’s rule [https://www.buzzfeed.com/mikegiglio/this-is-what-its-like-to-be-christian-and-live-under-isis?utm_term=.xa0NXY9N0#.evY8y538p] today. Except, in Pergamum, instead of an Islamic Shiite agenda, it was literally Satan’s agenda. It’s to these small gathering of believers in this demon-run city that Jesus writes His letter to (Revelation 2:12-17). [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Revelation+2%3A12-17&version=NIV] It’s also for this reason that Jesus introduces Himself with such fierce imagery, “These are the words of him who has the sharp, double-edged sword” (v.12). He was trying to let them know that He too knows how to do battle and bears a razor-sharp double-edged sword that penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; and judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. This is vital for every follower of Jesus Christ to grasp, especially in the heat of battle of a spiritual attack. You are not powerless nor are you weaponless in the fight (2 Corinthians 10:4-6). [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Corinthians+10%3A4-6&version=NIV] Christ, who is seated far above every spiritual authority, has delegated His authority to you [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+28%3A18-20&version=NIV] to stand against the fiery attacks of Satan and has provided you with a spiritual armor to withstand whatever may come. So, you’re not a victim. Stand! Submit to God. Resist the enemy and fight back! YOU'RE DOING GREAT ...FOR THE MOST PART For the believers living in Pergamum, they not only withstood the direct onslaught of Satan, but Jesus Himself commends them for their faithfulness to Him in a place where they could have easily assimilated into the idolatrous culture. In verse 13 [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Revelation+2%3A13&version=NIV], Jesus says to them, “I know where you live—where Satan has his throne. Yet you remain true to my name. You did not renounce your faith in me, not even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness, who was put to death in your city—where Satan lives.” Tradition suggests that Antipas was a pastor in Pergamum and was martyred by being burned to death inside a hollowed brass bull. One account records this: [http://stjohnuoc.org/index.php?view=items&cid=76%3Aorthodox-life&id=270%3A04-23-april-11th-read-on-april-23rd-the-prologue-from-ohrid&format=pdf&option=com_flexicontent&Itemid=28] “They (his persecutors) became enraged as wild beasts and dragged the aged Antipas to the temple of Artemis before which stood an ox cast in bronze. They heated the bronzed ox and hurled the servant of God into the red-hot molten ox as he burned to death. From within the molten ox, St. Antipas glorified God with thanksgiving, as once did Jonah in the belly of the whale or the three Youths in the fiery furnace in the book of Daniel. Antipas prayed for his flock and for the entire world until his soul parted from his weakened body and ascended among the angels into the Kingdom of Christ.” Like Antipas, the Pergamum believers fought a really good fight, even though it came at the cost of some of their lives. They always remained true to the name of Christ. YOUR FRIENDS MAY BE TOXIC, ...AND MANIPULATIVE.... While all that was good and true, they left a few “cracks” open through which Satan [red lizard] had slipped into their Church. I’ll let Jesus tell you Himself in V.14-15, [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Revelation+2%3A14-15&version=NIV] “I have a few things against you: There are some among you who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin so that they ate food sacrificed to idols and committed sexual immorality. Likewise, you also have those who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans.” In order to understand the problem Jesus is referring to, you need to know the story of Balaam. In the Old Testament book of Numbers 22-25, and 31, [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Numbers+22-25%2C+31&version=NIV]we’re introduced to a Moabite king named Balak. Balak wanted to weaken and destroy the Israelites, who on their way to Canaan [the promised land] had moved in on his territory. So he sends for a rogue prophet named, Balaam to place a curse on them with the promise of a hefty financial compensation. Balaam, however, was instructed by God to do no such thing. Instead, He was told by God to bless, instead of curse the Israelites. Eventually realizing the futility of trying to go against God’s direct instruction, Balaam took a backdoor approach to ensure he received a monetary reward from Balak. Since he couldn’t curse Israel directly, he came up with an evil scheme for Israel to bring a curse upon themselves. He counseled Balak to have his Moabite women seduce the Israelite men [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Numbers+31%3A16&version=NIV]so that their hearts would be gradually drawn away from the devotion to God. Part of the seduction involved the Israelite men engaging in sexual orgies with the Midianite women, which involved eating foods sacrificed to idols and the actual worship of idols (Baal of Peor). For this, God plagued the Israelites and 24,000 men died, (Numbers 25; Deuteronomy 23:3-6) [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Numbers+25%3B+Deuteronomy+23%3A3-6&version=NIV] and Balaam himself was eventually killed (Numbers 31:8). As a result of this devious act, Balaam’s name became synonymous with the use of God’s gift for illicit purposes. “The [false] teaching of Balaam” Jesus speaks of in Revelation 2:14 is the philosophy that one can be fully immersed in the lusts of the world, yet, still wholeheartedly serve God. Several Bible passages speak of Balaam’s deceptive philosophy of ministry: * 2 Peter 2:15 [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+peter+2%3A15&version=MSG] says they are the ones who have, “… left the main road and are directionless, having taken the way of Balaam, son of Beor, the prophet who turned profiteer, a connoisseur of evil” * Jude 1:11 [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=jude+1%3A11&version=MSG] describe them as those who have, “…been sucked into Balaam’s error by greed; ” * Earlier in Jude 1:4, [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=jude+1%3A4&version=MSG] he explains how their sins affect the Church, “I say this because some ungodly people have wormed their way into your churches, saying that God’s marvelous grace allows us to live immoral lives. ” Putting all of these together, it becomes apparent who and what Jesus was speaking of when He says to the Church in Pergamum [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Revelation+2%3A14&version=NIV], “There are some among you who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin so that they ate food sacrificed to idols and committed sexual immorality. Likewise, you also have those who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans.” (Since we don’t have much detail on the teachings of the Nicolatians, we can safely assume it had many similarities with the teaching of Balaam). Clearly, some ill-intentioned people [red lizards] had finagled their way into a position of influence in the Pergamum Church and were convincing the congregation that they could engage in all the idolatrous affairs in their demon-run city and still wholeheartedly love Jesus. So whereas Jesus speaks of His followers being “in” the world, but “not of” the world (meaning that we’re to live with a missionary mindset), the Baalamites and Nicolatians were encouraging the Christians that they were not only “in” the world, but were “of” the world, needed to be loved by the world, and should have no problem compromising with the world! It’s the modern day belief that a “little sin” or a little compromise here and there in our faith isn’t so bad, especially if it results in some form of personal profit, or even better yet, “if it will bring more people to Jesus.” Jesus would of course, beg to differ because “It only takes a minute amount of yeast…to permeate an entire loaf of bread.” (Galatians 5:9). In Balaam’s day, it only took one small flirty look from a Midianite woman for most of Israel to fall into apostasy. Unfortunately, the same was happening and had happened in the Church in Pergamum. What Jesus seemed to have the greatest problem with, however, was the fact that the believers who had “remained faithful to His name” were tolerating the false teaching in their Church. They had become super-comfortable with the red lizard to remain on their shoulders! > “Nevertheless, I have a few things against you: There are some among you....” — Revelation 2:14aDEAL WITH THIS, OR ELSE I WILL! Why do you think the Jesus-loving believers were allowing the demon-influenced false teachers to carry on their unbiblical agenda in the Church? Having grown up in the Church, let me propose a few reasons I’ve observed for why this so easily happens in our Churches. It’s possible that the folks corrupting the Church were family members or even friends of key leaders in the Church. It’s even possible that these individuals causing problems were some of the biggest financial givers in the Church and their expulsion would have resulted in a financial crisis for the Church. It’s also very possible that the believers in Pergamum simply hadn’t grounded themselves in truths of the Gospel so that the false teachings appeared as Biblically sound. Though speculatory, they’re certainly all plausible; otherwise, why would they tolerate such toxic relationships in their congregation? Allow me to turn this mirror around for a moment. Are there presently relationships in your life that are spiritually toxic to your maturity as a follower of Christ? Perhaps someone, or a group of “friends” who draw your affections further and further away from Christ? Is there a red lizard on your shoulder? The question we’re asking the congregation in Pergamum is also the question I must ask you now, “Why are you tolerating these spiritually unhealthy relationships in your life instead of just nipping them in the bud?” Toxic Friendships - shegznstuff [https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52f17606e4b0c058f609ee0e/1462059328581-XL7QUEMNF1LXWG2VIXIK/Toxic+Friendships+-+shegznstuff?format=1000w] IT'S SO HARD TO SAY GOODBYE, BUT YOU MUST! Whatever your reason is, and whatever the reasons the believers in Pergamum had, here’s what Jesus had to say about it in verse 16 [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Revelation+2%3A16&version=NIV], “Repent therefore! Otherwise, I will soon come to you and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.” In other words, “If you don’t wise up and sever those relationships quickly, I will step in myself and cut them to pieces with my sword-sharp words.” I don’t know what that looked like in real life relationships in Pergamum, but here’s what I know: Swords hurt when they slice and harsh-but-true words cut deep. If I’m in a close relationship with someone experiencing either , I’m bound to experience some of its residual impact. So, painful surgery needs to be done. I suspect that in such a scenario [in your life], it's no point pulling off the bandage gently. You may need to abruptly break off contact from those unhealthy toxic friendships. Make no mistake about it, it will not be easy nor will it be fun, but it will be the right thing to do! You may need to utter something similar to this, "Hey, in order for me to mature in my faith in Christ and to remain healthy, I cannot continue in this manner of friendship with you. I think it best we bring this to an end." Like the red lizard in Lewis's story, toxicity will fight to maintain its hold on your life. You simply have to desire spiritual health, Jesus Himself more than you desire whatever fulfillment you perceive you're receiving in what's clearly an unhealthy relationship. I don't know how else to say it, some unhealthy people in your life simply need to be gone! HERE'S TO NEW BEGINNINGS! As in the two previous letters, with obedience to Jesus’ instructions come several mysterious rewards. There’s two of them in verse 17, [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Revelation+2%3A17&version=NIV] “Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give that person a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to the one who receives it.” Let talk about Manna. If you recall the episode of the Israelites in the Sinai desert after fleeing Egypt [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Exodus+16&version=NIV], you’ll remember that God provided them with food from heaven, literally. In the evenings, He sent them poultry dinners falling from the sky, and in the mornings, He rained down some sort of honeyed bread called, “Manna.” So, in that arid environment, God nourished their physical needs with heavenly food. This promise of Jesus to the Church in Pergamum, then, is a reassurance that if they sever those spiritually toxic relationships with the Balaamites and Nicolatians, and even if it comes at a financial or emotional cost to them, He Himself will replenish their need, hence the promise of being given “hidden Manna.” Let’s turn that mirror on ourselves one more time (Especially if you’re struggling with the thought of severing emotionally toxic or spiritually unhealthy relationships in your life). What is it you’re afraid will happen if you sever those spiritually unhealthy relationships for the sake of honoring Jesus Christ? What is it that you think will lose or miss out on? Whatever it is, Jesus Himself is saying in these verses that you need not worry and you need not fear. In the same manner that God rained down physical nourishment from heaven to replenish the Israelite’s appetite in the dessert, so in the same way, God will replenish your unfulfilled needs if you honor Him in your relationships. Hidden manna awaits, my friends. Hidden manna!!! YOUR NAME ROCKS! There’s also the promise of a very personal gift, a unique piece of white gemstone with your new name written on it, “a name known only to him who receives it.” I don’t know exactly what this stone means, but here’s what I do know. There’s 7 billion people on earth. 2.2 billion of those people profess to be Christians. Factoring all the numbers of Christians who have lived and died since the birth of the Church, we can surmise that there are many billions of believers in God’s presence. That’s a lot of people and a lot of names to remember. I can barely remember the names of some of my cousins! Hence, the promise of this personal stone is that in the midst of a massive multitude of humanity, Jesus will not only know your name, but will know you more personally than you know yourself! Though you’re one in several billion, Jesus’ knowledge of and relationship with you will be deeply personal. Furthermore, a new name indicates a new story and a new destiny, right? So then, if we honor His words and sever off spiritually unhealthy relationships, Jesus is promising us a new sense of adventure and mission in the world He will establish. In other words, the question of, “Why am I here?” and “What is my purpose in life?” will immediately become as crystal clear as a scene on a 4K Ultra HD screen. You will finally know, see, and live the life you’ve always wanted because it will be the life Jesus Himself has plotted out for you! That, my friends, is worth giving up some unhealthy relationships for! The Top 10 Books on Preaching that Will Take Your Sermon Delivery to the Next Leve - SEGUN AIYEGBUSI (1).jpg [https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52f17606e4b0c058f609ee0e/1619439777643-95S8W37FH59IAISFRU31/The+Top+10+Books+on+Preaching+that+Will+Take+Your+Sermon+Delivery+to+the+Next+Leve+-+SEGUN+AIYEGBUSI+%281%29.jpg?format=1000w] The Top 10 Books on Preaching that Will Take Your Sermon Delivery to the Next Leve - SEGUN AIYEGBUSI (2).png [https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52f17606e4b0c058f609ee0e/1619439800965-27Z2B7WFQOD8JQDL4JD6/The+Top+10+Books+on+Preaching+that+Will+Take+Your+Sermon+Delivery+to+the+Next+Leve+-+SEGUN+AIYEGBUSI+%282%29.png?format=1000w] NAME: First Name Last Name EMAIL: * WHATSAPP NUMBER: THANK YOU FOR SIGNING UP, CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD YOUR FREE DIGITAL COPY OF “THE TOP 10 BOOKS ON PREACHING THAT WILL TAKE YOUR SERMON DELIVERY TO THE NEXT LEVEL”