Bro. Okanlawon Taiwo's Blog: October 2019

THE REUNION INVITE

THE REUNION INVITE

“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” - Matthew 11:28-30 (MSG)

There is a story of a woman who married a man against the strong protest of her parents. After the wedding, the couple moved far away, alienating the bride from her parents. The husband turned out to be totally irresponsible and unfaithful. Within few years he died, leaving his wife and little son penniless. In desperation the young widow scratched out a miserable living. The only real moment of joy for mother and son came when she held him in her lap and told him about her father's home. She would speak of the rich, green lawn and beautiful trees. She would tell of the love of her parents and of the security she felt at home. Though, the boy had never seen his grandpa's house, he was eagerly looking forward to go home. Then, one day the woman received a letter. Recognizing the handwriting she quickly tore open the envelope. In it she found a cheque along with a note containing two simple words: Come home!.

The above story is a good specimen of the reunion invite that Jesus Christ dispatched to everyone stranded, worried, confused today (Matthew 11:28-30). Unfortunately, some of these people have been lured away from their heavenly father's reach and life had become extremely burdensome for them. Hence, this reunion invite is very crucial for God to intervene and usher those special children of His back home.

The reunion invite was addressed to two different categories of people: those who had at one time experienced the love of the Father of all fathers like the poor woman in the above story. Secondly, those who have never partaken of the blessing in our heavenly father's house like the widow's little boy. This reunion invite is meant to reconnect everyone who honour it to the endless flow of God's unforced rhythms of grace and mercy that can turned the worst sinners to saints.

Beloved, are you tired, troubled, confused, discouraged, burdened or worried? There is a reunion invitation for you from Jesus Christ. How I wish you will not ignore the special invitation today (Hebrews 2:3). Are you a backslider? Have you been lured away from your father's warm embrace and loving reach? Jesus Christ is calling you again. The truth is unless you honour His invitation of salvation and closer walk with God, life may remain a sea of burdens and avalanche of disappointment. Friends, I urge you to please honour God's call/invitation and go back home. If you do, heaven will put together every broken or torn pieces of your life and build mighty edifice out of it to the glory of His name.

"We must pay the most careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away. For since the message spoken through angels was binding, and every violation and disobedience received its just punishment, how shall we escape if we ignore so great a salvation? This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him."- Hebrews 2:1-3 (NIV)

The lyrics of this wonderful hymn below re-echoes the wordings of the special reunion invite that our Lord and Saviour sent to us in Matthew 11:28-30. Please let the Holy Spirit speak to you through the lyrics of this hymn and trust God for grace to obey His bidding.

SOFT AND TENDERLY JESUS IS CALLING By Lamartine Thompson (1847-1909)

Softly and tenderly Jesus is calling
Calling for you and for me;
Patiently Jesus is waiting and watching
Watching for you and for me!

Refrain:
Come home! come home!
Ye who are weary, come home!
Earnestly, tenderly, Jesus is calling,
Calling, O sinner, come home!

Why should we tarry when Jesus is pleading
Pleading for you and for me?
Why should we linger and heed not His mercies
Mercies for you and for me?

Time is now fleeting, the moments are passing
Passing from you and from me;
Shadows are gathering, death-beds are coming
Coming for you and for me!

Oh, for the wonderful love He has promised
Promised for you and for me!
Though we have sinned, He has mercy and pardon
Pardon for you and for me!

As you honour the reunion invite, the Great Burden Bearer will help you carry all your burdens and your long awaited answers of peace, victory, fruitfulness, joy and promotion shall be delivered speedily in Jesus name. As the Lord lives, you and your household will continue to swim in glory and do valiantly on every side till Christ returns. And through the testimonies of God's faithfulness to you and your family, many people who are standing far away today will repent and return home soon in Jesus name. Amen.

On behalf of my esteemed father in the Lord, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church Of God, Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye, I want to invite you to the November 2019 Holy Ghost service. Date: Friday- November 1, 2019. Theme: Swimming In Glory - Part 8 with the subtitle: A Taste Of Water. Time: 7pm (Nigerian Time). Venue: Redemption Camp, Km 46 Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Ogun State, Nigeria. Ministering: Our beloved Daddy G.O - Pastor E.A Adeboye and other anointed Ministers of God.

Good morning and God bless you.

Maranatha!

Bro. Okanlawon Taiwo

For more articles, please visit -
http:// okanlawontaiwo.blogspot.com
Twitter: @tammytaiwo
Instagram: @lawontaiwo
Facebook: Okanlawon Taiwo

EVERYONE NEEDS A TRUE FRIEND

EVERYONE NEEDS A TRUE FRIEND

"Friends come and friends go, but a true friend sticks by you like family" Proverbs 18:24 (MSG)

There is a story of two friends who went on a long journey through a thick forest. They felt a bit nervous but they promised to stand by each other and share the same fate. They had not gone far when a wild bear came out from among the trees. One of the friends in great fear climbed up the nearest tree, without caring to think what would happen to the other man. The other man, on his part, fell flat on the ground and held in his breath, pretending to be dead. As he lay thus, the bear came up to him and sniffed him all over. Finding the man stiff in all his limbs, the bear took him to be dead and walked away. When the bear was gone, the man on the tree came down. He greeted his friend, saying – “Thank God that you are saved. My friend, I saw the bear put its mouth very close to your ear. Did it say anything to you?” The friend replied, “Yes, it warned me against a friend who left me in danger to seek his own safety”.

"These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep. Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead. Then when Jesus came, he found that he had lain in the grave four days already". John 11:11, 14, 17 (KJV )

Beloved, in good times, everybody behaves as if they are our friend. But when things are not going on as expected or when we are surrounded by wild bears of life, they often take to their heels. Only a true friend sticks to us in difficult times. So, do you have a true friend? Jesus Christ is the best of all friends. He did not abandon Lazarus his friend when the wild bear of sickness and premature death swallowed him. Rather, Jesus chose to visit his friend - Lazarus at such a trying/difficult season of his life.(John 11:11-44)

Friends, are you passing through a thick forest in life today? Has the wild bear of loneliness, sickness, failure, depression, poverty, joblessness, barrenness swallowed you up?. Has the bear of cancer or fibroid eaten you up? Or is your "Lazarus" already dead and buried? Then, you need a true friend. Jesus Christ is the true friend that you need. If you become His friend today, He will visit you as he visited His dear friend- Lazarus. Yes, He will invade your house/business/marriage/health with His resurrection power and those dead cases/situations will jump back to live. As the Lord God of Heaven lives, all your "Lazarus" shall rise up from the grave before this week is over in Jesus name.

One powerful song that describes the transformation that happened when Jesus Christ visited His dear friend Lazarus in Bethany is titled "Four Days Late". This song reaffirms why Jesus Christ is the best friend that everyone needs to have. May I urge you to please meditate on the lyrics of this song and trust God for divine intervention in every challenging issue that has made all your friends to turn their backs on you.

FOUR DAYS LATE by Karen Peck & New River

The news came to Jesus, Please come fast
Lazarus is sick and without your help he will not last
Mary and Martha watched their brother die
They waited for Jesus, He did not come
And they wondered why.

The death watch was over, Buried four days
Somebody said He'll soon be here, the Lord's on His way
Martha ran to Him and then she cried
Lord if you had been here You could have healed him
He'd still be alive

Chorus:
But You're four days late And all hope is gone
Lord we don't understand why you've waited so long
But His way is God's way Not yours or mine
And isn't it great
When He's four days late
He's still on time

Jesus said Martha show me the grave, But she said Lord
You don't understand He's been there four days
The grave stone was rolled back, Then Jesus cried
Lazarus come forth then somebody said
He's alive, He's alive

You may be fighting a battle of fear
You've cried to the Lord I need You now
But he has not appeared.
Friend don't be discouraged
Cause He's still the same
He'll soon be here He'll roll back the stone
And He'll call out your name

I stand on the integrity of God's word to declare that the atmosphere of loses, pain, defeat, disappointment in your Bethany will soon change. In a short while from now, your Mary and Martha will sing a new song. The grave robber stealing from your family will soon be apprehended. The heavy stones placed upon the destiny of your Lazarus shall be rolled away. Heaven will soon call your name and your Lazarus shall walk out of the grave of shame, sickness, loneliness, joblessness, divorce, barrenness victoriously. The Helper of the helpless will come through for you as He did for Lazarus, His dear friend.

STAINS FROM COAL MINE ACTIVITIES

STAINS FROM COAL MINE ACTIVITIES

"Some of you may say: ‘We are free. We can do anything that we want to do!’ But not everything is good for us to do. You may say: ‘We are free to do anything!’ But not everything helps to make us stronger". - 1 Corinthians 10:23 (EASY)

Years ago, a woman dressed in daintily white gown went on excursion to a coal mine. Before stepping down into the mine, the woman asked an old miner whether she can wear her white dress into the mine. The old miner responded "Yes, madam, you may wear your white gown down there, but there is no assurance that you will return the same way you went in"

The above story reinforces the need for Christians to avoid crossing questionable boundaries that are capable of defiling them in their sojourn on earth. There are many coal mine activities around us today that can easily defile our Christian testimony and stain our garment of purity. These coal mine activities may even pass popular opinion poll but still attract grave consequences in the light of eternity.

The Bible records many instances of people who got their white garments defiled by the coal mine activities in their generations. While exercising their freedom, these people stepped into the coal mine but they never returned the same way they went in. For example, Dinah wore her gorgeous white gown to fraternise with strange ladies and she returned polluted and defiled (Genesis 34:1-2). Samson got his white apparel of power and glory stained while sampling the laps of strange women in town. He went down into the valley of Sorek heavily anointed but returned drained and deformed (Judges 16:1-31). The prodigal son left his father's house dazzling but returned deflated and dejected (Luke 15:11-19). It is obvious that the repercussions for patronising questionable places and partaking in coal mine activities on earth has not changed. According to Revelation 3:5 & 21:27, the punishment for defiling ones garment is eternal separation from God.

“But you have a few people in your group there in Sardis who have kept themselves clean. They will walk with me. They will wear white clothes, because they are worthy. Everyone who wins the victory will be dressed in white clothes like them. I will not remove their names from the book of life. I will say that they belong to me before my Father and before his angels"- Revelation 3:4-5 (ERV)

Beloved, in this polluted world, there are still few believers in the church who have not defiled their white garments with the stains from the coal mine activities of this world. Friends, are you one of those few believers in this generation? Or have you soiled your white garment? Have you being patronising the valley of Sorek like Samson? Have you been defiling your soul with stains from those questionable coal mines you love to visit? What are those coal mine activities that you indulge in? Is it betting, drugs, alcohol, pornography, mastubation or fornication/adultery? Please repent now and be washed in the precious blood of the Lamb. And the power in the purifying flood will keep you spotless till you reach the golden shore.

One old time Christian hymn that encourages believers to live daily with the consciousness of reaching the golden shore with undefiled garments is titled " Let Your Garments Be Always White". Please let the Holy Spirit speak to you through the lyrics of this wonderful hymn below as we look forward to Christ second coming.

LET YOUR GARMENTS BE ALWAYS WHITE by Emma F. Fisk

Are your garments always spotless?
Are they washed in Jesus' blood?
Do they always keep the cleansing
Of the purifying flood?
Do they never show the soiling
Of your sins upon their white?
Will they always bear the searching
Of the Holy Spirit's light?

Chorus:
Let your garment be spotless,
Always pure and bright;
Thro' the precious blood of Jesus
Keep them ever clean and white.

Let no anger soil their beauty,
Let no bitterness remain;
O be sure no trace of envy
Leaves upon your robes a stain.
Let no love of worldly pleasure
Cast unholy shadows there,
Fully cleanse them from the mildews
Of anxiety and care.

Let all pride of love and glory,
Gold and fame be washed away;
Trembling heart, your fears and doubtings
'Neath the pool of cleansing lay.
Never after try to find them,
They are lost beneath the tide;
Christ would have you all your shrinking
In this precious fountain hide.

O then ever keep your garments
Whiter than the driven snow,
Wear the royal robes of heaven
While you tarry here below;
That through yonder pearly portals
Joyful entrance you may win,
Clothes in raiment cleaned forever
From the fingerprints of sin.

My prayer for you and my humble self is that God will help us to abstain from all coal mines activities that can defile our white garments. As the Lord lives, we shall be among those few overcomers that will wear the royal robe in the City of Gold in Jesus name. Amen

THE DESERTER'S SYNDROME

THE DESERTER'S SYNDROME

"Demas has left me and he has gone to Thessalonica city. He wanted to enjoy the things of this world too much. Crescens has gone to Galatia region. Titus has gone to Dalmatia region".- 2 Timothy 4:10 (EASY)

In his book titled "The Deserters", Charles Glass profiled the life of Stephen Weiss, a 19 year old soldier who walked away from the 36th Infantry Division in France during World War II in October 1944. Weiss deserted his duty post and sought the safety of the rear as his unit was pounded by German artillery. When he was asked during his court martial procedures why he walked away, he said: “Because I broke down inside. The artillery shells were coming and I shook all over and just went to pieces.” He was then dishonourably discharged and sentenced to life imprisonment with hard labour. (The Deserters: A Hidden History of World War II by Charles Glass)

"From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. Then said Jesus unto the twelve, will ye also go away? Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life" -John 6:66-68 (KJV)

Whenever I hear stories of how valiant soldiers of the Cross are walking away from their duty post like Stephen Weiss, my heart bleeds uncontrollably. Then, I understand why the question that Jesus Christ asked the twelve disciples in John 6:67 is still relevant in our generation. It is quite saddening to see many Demas' absconding to Thessalonica in pursuit of worldly pleasures, many Crescens' and Titus' heading to Galatia and Dalmatia respectively. The Deserters Syndrome that disconnected many soldiers of Christ from their commanding officers during the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ and Apostle Paul is still wrecking havoc in our generation. This terrible syndrome had turned the back of many great destinies to the narrow path. Like Weiss, they fled the path of life because something broke down inside them. Yes, something happened within them that loosed their rope of allegiance and consecration to God. The love of this world has poured cold water on the blasting altars of their souls. The artillery of worldliness has decimated their souls and torn into pieces the armoury of God within them.

It is obvious that we have many absconded believers or deserted soldiers of Jesus Christ everywhere in this generation. They seek the safety of the rear by shying away from their duties and responsibilities in the Kingdom. They have been distracted and lured away from kingdom service by their jobs, career, business, friends, spouse and even family members. Some deserted the Kingdom's Army because of unfulfilled dreams and expectations. Many have walked away because no one appreciates them while others stepped aside because of pride, unresolved conflicts, unforgiveness, pleasure and sinful habits.

Beloved, I hope you are not among the deserters in the Lord's Army. I hope heaven has not declared you AWOL (Absent Without Leave). Hope the altar of righteousness, joy and sacrifice within you has not broken down? Hope you are not the Brother/Sister/Deacon/Pastor/Evangelist Demas or Titus of your church? Are you still among the faithful soldiers of the Cross? Are you still in the Lord's Army or have you absconded? Are you willing to go to wherever the duty calls for thee? If your answers to these questions is not affirmative, then repent now or prepare to face the heaven's court marshal for being AWOL (Absent Without Leave).

Friends, I strongly believe God is calling you and I to renew our commitment to serve Him like a valiant and faithful soldier until the trumpet sounds. One very simple but powerful hymn that describes what God expects from His valiant soldiers is titled "Faithful Unto Death".

FAITHFUL UNTO DEATH by Fanny J Crosby

Up and onward, Christian soldier,
Hear thy lord’s divine command;
Be thou ready when he calls thee
In the foremost ranks to stand.

Refrain:
Unto death, O be thou faithful,
Strong in Him, thy Strength and Shield;
Go thou forth where duty calls thee,
Truth’s eternal sword to wield.

Up and onward, Christian soldier,
To the conflict and the strife;
God will test thy zeal and courage,
Ere thou enter into life.

Up and onward, be not weary,
Do not lay thy armor down;
Thou must fight the battle bravely,
Ere thy soul can wear a crown.

Up and onward, firm and fearless,
Like the vet’rans of the past;
Then, thro’ him whose grace redeems thee,
Thou shalt overcome at last.

My prayer for you and my humble self is that we shall never be declared AWOL in the army of God. Nothing in this world will lure us away from our commanding officer -Jesus Christ. The oil of mercy will mend everything broken within us. His grace will keep us standing at our duty posts till the trumpet sounds. God will restore every deserters back into His fold never to walk away again in Jesus name. And as the Lord lives, we shall be among the valiant soldiers of the Cross who will wear crowns of reward for faithful service on the golden shore in Jesus name. Amen

On behalf of my esteemed father in the Lord, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church Of God, Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye, I want to invite you to the October 2019 Holy Ghost service. Date: Friday- October 4, 2019. Theme: His Power And Glory. Time: 7pm (Nigerian Time). Venue: Redemption Camp, Km 46 Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Ogun State, Nigeria. Ministering: Our beloved Daddy G.O - Pastor E.A Adeboye and other anointed Ministers of God.

Happy new month. Good morning and God bless you.

Maranatha!

Bro. Okanlawon Taiwo

For more articles, please visit -
http:// okanlawontaiwo.blogspot.com
Twitter: @tammytaiwo
Instagram: @lawontaiwo
Facebook: Okanlawon Taiwo

Bro. Okanlawon Taiwo's Blog

THE REUNION INVITE

EVERYONE NEEDS A TRUE FRIEND

STAINS FROM COAL MINE ACTIVITIES

THE DESERTER'S SYNDROME

THE BIOGRAPHY OF A BACKSLIDER

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