EXPRESS IMAGE GLORY MINISTRIES
THE MESSAGE NOW
Vol. 5, No. 27 – Sunday, 12th July, 2020
(Acts.16:9-34, Gen.37:9-28, 41:37-46, Zech.9:11-12)
GOD: THE PERFECT SCRIPT PLAYER
For the normal human comprehension, one of the most baffling statements of the Bible is that which is contained in Romans chapter 8:28. The content of the statement reads: ‘And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to His purpose’.
Humanity’s genuine love for the Godhead emanating from a heart of righteousness is the foremost criterion for the fulfillment of divine purpose. Put simply, love for God our father puts us and sticks us glued to the path of divine purpose.
Two uncontestable statements of contrasts in the relationship between man and God are: (1) the path of humanity is generally full of encumberrances and pitfalls sometimes born out of his human frailties. And (2) God delights in partnership; in the working of His divine purpose, God is never in the business of being a lone ranger but delights in being the senior partner because He knows far more and sees the end even into the farthest future.
There are not too many reasons for His delightsomeness in human partnership. It is mainly for the purpose of nurturing man until full stature – till that moment when man becomes His full ambassador who can stand and exert authority on His behalf here on earth.
So, to be more precise, in the dictionary of the Godhead and by the attitude of the Almighty, purpose drives action, not otherwise. When purpose is in partnership having been fuelled by genuine love by the two partners for each other, action commences and fruitful success story is always the end-result regardless of the hurdles on the way.
Therefore, it can be concluded that purpose informs the need for tenacity otherwise known as resolve. In the marriage of purpose and tenacity, action is born. And with this trio combine in the partnership equation, everything works for good.
Understand the context, the meaning and the implication of everything works for good! The delays, the persecutions, the pains, the sufferings, the struggles and the sicknesses, the joys and the celebrations, even the deaths are all working for good so long as the condition of sonship is perfected in the partnership equation.
The Apostle Paul was on a divine course for the Almighty when in Acts chapter 16:9 he saw a vision of a man beckoning on him to come over into Macedonia and give them a hand of assistance. No doubt, it was God giving Paul the Apostle a chance to partner with Him in the salvation of the jailer and his household, Lydia (the woman from Thyatira) and indeed the entire city of Philippi.
In the course of fulfilling this calling to Macedonia, Paul and Silas (partners of the Almighty) had to go through the rigour of travelling by probably a turbulent sea experience. The question is: were they not on divine mission? Why didn’t the Almighty just fly them away with ease as He did to Philip the evangelist in Acts.8:39-40 from Gaza to Azotus?
Life and sea turbulence are sometimes part of divine agenda and skilled spiritual training for the bigger picture and the bigger assignment of life to come. Professor H.D. Lardy was my Ph.D supervisor at the University of Aberdeen. She turned me insideout by thorough academic drilling during preparation and the actual writing of my thesis. To me at the time, she was simply being unkind. On hindsight, her drilling was nothing more than a good desire to mould me into a full man – transformed student into an unmatched scholar. I am her success product today, and I am truly and eternally grateful to her.
On arriving in Macedonia, divine purpose drove Saint Paul and Silas to the river side for the purpose of prayer by man’s thoughts but much more for the purpose of Lydia’s salvation by divine arrangement.
It was equally in course of that divine mission that the demon-possessed girl was encountered. In that same process, the partners of the Almighty with Almighty in their company were arrested, beaten, handcuffed and imprisoned. All that were part of the purpose package.
At this time in the prison, by humanity’s way of frailties, the only thing left was to murmur, complain and most probably question why all these horrible events were taking place in their lives. But instead, the saints of God followed the choice of praising their senior partner, the great God of heaven and earth, realizing that ‘all things work together for Good’ when genuine love for God has fuelled the fire of purpose into divine furnace.
Alas! Why didn’t God just issue a command to stop His children and Saint from going through the rigours of the prison? To God, that prison was not for punishment but for protection and for purpose. Wasn’t it in that prison that the man (jailer) who had appeared to Saint Paul at Troas in Acts 16:9 got his conversion, including that of his household?
Dear brother Pastor, have you ever asked yourself the question that the Lord Jesus knowing the man who will betray Him, why then did He not drive that man away from His work force? ‘All things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to His purpose’. If the Lord had driven Judas away, then divine purpose for His descension to the earth would have failed and humanity would have been doomed forever.
When purpose has succeeded, what follows is the manifestation of the power and the glory of God. So, what happened next? The glory and the presence and power of God showed up in the prison. And what followed immediately afterwards?
The moment the glory, the power and the presence of God descended into the prison, miracles followed – the miracle of salvation and deliverance, the miracle of divine furtherance to the gospel, the miracles of surprise and encouragement, as well as the miracle of fresh lesson to Saint Paul and Saint Silas.
Understand dearly beloved that God is not selfish. When God is on the trajectory of fulfilling His purpose, He takes on board also the fulfillment of His purposes for His partners in progress. God is the lone husband of no rival. How?
Understand that Saints Paul and Silas (being children and servants of God) are equally His brides. God as the bridegroom is a perfect groomer who has all the skills to groom his bride(s) into His honey taste and liking so that a perfect harmony can be attained, thereby paving the way for no difference but sameness.
The result of sameness is that man, the Bride then becomes the bone of the same bone with God, the bridegroom. Dear pastor and dear leader of any sort, what then is the conclusion of this matter?
Pastor! That witch in your church is there for a purpose of God yet to be revealed. Don’t drive her away or drive her crazy. Rather, increase your prayer fire for the purpose God has and will reveal to you. Who knows whether the witch of today may end up fulfilling a major course in your ministry. Remember that the Lord did not drive away Mary Magdalene (the woman who was possessed by seven demons). Alas! Pastor! Go back and study the gospel of Luke again and consider chapter 8:1-3.
O leader, your team member or follower who is always attacking you verbally and/or spiritually may have been allowed into your group for a purpose from God. Understand O leader that no one can walk into your life, group or ministry without God knowing about it. The question is what is the very lesson God wants you to learn from this new phase of your life and career?
The one who is attacking you today is your purpose mentor from God. Though he/she may appear and behave like a devil, only remember that without conquering the next devil, you really cannot get to the next level.
Have you forgotten that a messenger of the devil buffeted Saint Paul continuously and though three earnest times of seeking the face of the Lord, yet the Lord response was ‘my grace is sufficient for you?’ Understand the purpose for that season of your life and receive the response from God with joy.
Those who hate your guts and insult you in the office, in the church or among circle of friends, are doing so to prune you. There may be anger deep inside of you which needs to be exposed so that the purpose of God to destroy that anger and help you to become a master of human psychology may be accomplished. Now you are just a staff who is being mocked and who cannot manage people’s mockery. What will happen when you become an MD?
Why are you yet unmarried? Why the waiting? Why haven’t those miracle babies arrived? Do you think the silence of God on these matters is just mere quietness? No! His quietness means ‘work in progress’. Why is your church still so small in number O pastor despite your anointing and spiritual gifts? Maybe there is that which the Almighty is watching and waiting for. He, God owns you, your anointing and the church altogether. Isn’t it?
IN THE END, HISTORY IS TRITE AND TRUE ON THE REALISTIC FACT THAT THE WORST OF ENEMIES HAVE SOMETIMES ENDED UP THE BEST OF HUSBAND AND WIFE, SINCERE BUSINESS PARTNERS, BEST FRIENDS OR LOVELIEST SPIRITUAL FATHER AND DAUGHTER/SON. JUST ALLOW PURPOSE TRIGGER ACTION WITH GOD IN VIEW. IS IT NOT RATHER BETTER TO MAKE MORE FRIENDS THAN TO MAKE MORE ENEMIES? CONSIDER! WHEN WILL THE WARS STOP AND THE HAPPY PEACE START?!
Question and Answer Section
Question: The great questions again! When was the last time that you preached to any soul? Do you serve God with joyful heart or with reluctance? How much hurt is in your soul against that fellow? Won’t rather forgive them and forget their mischief so that you can rightly serve your loving Father? When was the last time you smiled genuinely and truly from your heart about yourself bearing in mind the bright days to come? when was the last time you heard a force praying within your belly without your consciousness? When was the last time you gave some thing to support God’s work apart from your tithes and offerings? When was the last time you supported any man to fulfill a divine or a personal agenda? When was the last time you put smile on the face of someone?
Answer: Hmmm!.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Counseling, Prayers and Appointments: Please contact contactus@expressimageglory.com Alternatively, meet us every Sunday at the address below:
Suit 26, 2nd Floor, Nikky Africana Plaza, 70C Allen Avenue, Opposite UBA/MTN Office, Ikeja, Lagos.
Further information: Be informed that this Ministry has only one Facebook page and no other. Any other Facebook page is counterfeit. Any Concerns or questions about this facebook page should be directed to: contactus@expressimageglory.com
The General Superintendent Minister of this Ministry therefore pleads and urges you to desist from all such fake and ungodly Facebook pages. Our website is: www.expressimageglory.com
ALTAR CALL:
Backslidden – living in sin – needing fresh recommitment (say):
Christ Jesus, You are the Anointed One of the Most High. I come to you today as I am. In your mercy, help me out of my situation. Heal my soul, my spirit, my body, my life and my destiny. I acknowledge you as the only true lover of my soul. Please, deliver me on every side and save me through and through. I promise from the depth of my soul to be yours from henceforth, in Jesus name. Help me now O God. Be my Lord, my Saviour and my all in all from this day. Thank you Lord (read Ps.54 in closing and pray more).
HYMN: Throw Out The Life Line
PRAY NOW:
1. O Lord, forgive me for as many that I have hurt in the course of fulfilling your purpose.
2. O God, please reveal to me such persons that I have offended and help me to make genuine amends with them.
3. Time waster, effort destroyers and glory polluters, I sack you from the control of my life and destiny.
4. All wicked words, thoughts and imaginations warring against the purpose of God for my life and destiny, be canceled now and forever.
5. O God, please restore to me all good things that I need to fulfill my divine mandate which I have lost.
6. Present your personal petitions.
