I WAS meditating recently to find out from God what will be our theme for 2013. There were certain challenges I saw in 2012 that I was asking God to completely eradicate in the next. God answered and said, "All covenanted ministries (whether individual or church) will hit major storm in their 3rd year. If the ministry escapes that by grace, a greater storm will come against it in its 6th year. If the ministry equally escapes the double storm, it will then qualify for the blessings of the 7th year”. For us in Everlasting Father's Assembly, there were storms that we went through at three years. To the glory of God, we escape them all. Also at six years, thank God for all the astounding accomplishments that we have enjoyed, we also escaped double storms. Glory be to God! So I asked God, since we have escaped the sixth year, what is the blessing of the seventh year? He took me back to the creation of the world. He said, ‘What did the bible says I did on the seventh day’? And I said that You rested from Your labours. So, God said "2013 is your year of My rest". Note that it is the God's rest, not our kind of rest. The bible says that God does not sleep nor slumber (Ps. 121:4). So it's not a rest of sleep. Neither is it of folding of hands. It is a rest from excessive labours and entering into excessive favours. The seventh day was a time when God stopped creating on this earth, but switched to watching over what He has created. In 2013, God will help us to look after what He has created for us and through us. We will supervise and oversee machinery that will run itself. Every system that God has helped us to create will begin to work for us. Grace will supersede haste. There was a time when the Israelites were fighting Canaan, the Israelites were outnumbered. So God began to use constellations to fight for them (Judges 5:20). God will assign hosts of heaven to work for us in 2013 . By Pastor Samuel Obafaiye FOR INDIVIDUALS FOR NIGERIA: INTERNATIONAL: : 1. No matter the darkness around you, your star will shine brighter. 2. God says, He will speak peace to your storms 3. Certain individuals have been stagnated for sometimes, the reasons for your stagnation will become known, will be addressed and will be eliminated, therefore progress will follow. 4. In many senses of the word, this year will be of completeness. 1. The prayers of some of you minimized death of prominent Nigerians last year, don’t stop praying. 2. Before the middle of the year, many will say hope rising. 3. Learn from disasters of 2012 and take precaution soonest to avert bigger ones.. 1. The Lord says prominent world leaders need a lot prayers so as not to die in office. 2. Prominent Church leaders need prayers against planned scandals. 3. Weather conditions may get worse, much worst, unless prayers are intensified. 4. We should expect a major breakthrough in medicine this year. 5. Nations who pass unholy laws will have a taste of divine fury. By Pastor Enoch Adeboye (Gen. Overseer RCCG Worldwide) Workers’ Trg, Teens & Children Sunday School - 09:40am Adult Sunday School - 10:15 am Call To Worship - 11:00AM Wisdom Spot Praise & Worship Liberty Prayers Special Number Message Offering Announcements Tithes Closing Prayers & Benediction - 13:00pm Are you in need of Assistance or Support? Talk to Welfare Coordinator - Minister Adebisi Olobaniyi MARCH 2013 THEME: TRANSLATED UNTO LIFE THE RCCG (EVERLASTING FATHER’S ASSEMBLY) 2013 PROPHECY. THEME: OUR YEAR OF GOD’S REST Isaiah 65: 21-24, Isaiah 14:1-4 THE RCCG (WORLDWIDE) 2013 PROPHECY THEME: YEAR OF SIGNS AND WONDERS FREE TRANSPORT TO CHURCH For details of bus stops please email [email protected] or call 07718079394 FROM THE PULPIT CONGREGATIONAL HYMN T RANSLATE can be defined as a change from one form, function, or state to another. Merriam-Webster dictionary define life in the literal sense as “the quality that distinguishes a functional being from a dead body” and in a spiritual sense as a “spiritual existence that transcends physical death”. Jesus went further to say that He is Resurrection and Life, that those that believe in Him, though if they die, yet they shall live and those that are alive and believe in Him will not die (John 11: 25-26). All those who believe in Christ have been translated from death unto life; from the kingdom of darkness unto the kingdom of light; from slavery unto sonship and from condemnation unto justification (Col. 1:13; 2 Pet. 2:9). A lot of Christian however still lives their lives as ‘slaves’ because of their inadequate knowledge of who they really are (Gal. 4:1). The bible tells us of a man called Mephibosheth who was subjugated by his grandfather’s servant – Ziba. It took the intervention of David to restore him (2 Sam. 9:1-11). In this month of March which coincides with the commemoration of the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ (Easter), Christ wants us to rise to our fullness in Him and obtain our inheritance already purchased by His blood. . . By Pastor Samuel Obafaiye Like Us on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/RCCGEFA Follow Us on Twitter http://www.twitter.com/RCCGEFALeeds Read our BLOG- http://www.rccgefaleedsblog.wordpress.com OLD RUGGED CROSS - By Pastor Samuel Obafaiye Partakers of New Covenant W Old covenant Why the new covenant? HAT is a covenant? Covenants can be defined as agreements between two individuals, or groups of individuals; between a king or leader and his people; or between God and individuals or groups of individuals. It can also be agreement between satanic powers and individuals or groups of individuals. Covenants can be conditional or unconditional. Conditional covenants are forfeited if one party violates or defaults on his part of the agreement. Unconditional covenants are arrangements in which the default of one party does not negate the ultimate fulfilment of the covenant. Life is all about covenants. Either voluntarily or involuntarily. Joining a club, signing an employment contract, becoming a citizen of a state, oath of public office, getting married, etc. Whether you know the significance or not is another thing, but there is no ignorance in covenants. You are either justified by it or condemned. E.g. Garden of Eden: eat freely of all but don't eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. In life, there are always two sides to covenants, each side is anchored to a supernatural power. It's either: prone to life or to death; open or secret; fear/trepidation or calm/rest, liable to add (abundantly) or liable to subtract (steal), etc. Knowingly or unknowingly, all men are in a form of covenant. Covenant are so tricky that not only you can enact it, but it can be enacted on your behalf. E.g Abraham for his descendants - circumcision (Gen 17:1-14). Moses almost lost a son because of it (Ex.4:24-26). There are also what I call hierarchy of covenants: promise - leave your fathers house; oath - swear by my self, do solemnly swear; tokens (ring/bride price) - Noah's rainbow; treaties (document); blood. When we say new covenant, it means there must be old one Before we talk of new covenant, let's consider the old covenant. When Adam and Eve fell, God had to initiate the old covenant by killing a lamb and shedding it's blood for their lives. A covenant was therefore birthed, that whenever Man sinned, blood of an animal must be shed to atone for their wrong doing. Following from Abel, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, etc, the sacrifice of animals for peace offering continued till Jesus came. When the ten commandment came, violation of any of the law would mean that the blood of an animal must be shed every time a transgression was done. The new covenant came into force because the old was not enough to completely cleanse the sin of Mankind. It was just sufficient to cover or supress our sins. So that the soul of old covenant saints were still being tormented in hell by Satan till Christ's death and resurrection 1 Peter 3:18-19 18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: 19 By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; The trouble of making sacrifice every time when an offence is committed. It drains the resources and does not guarantee that the person will still not re-offend. READ THE FULL VERSION OF THIS SERMON AT - http://rccgleeds.org.uk/index.php/news.html Excerpts of a sermon delivered by Pastor Samuel Obafaiye on 24th March,2013. On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross, The emblem of suffering and shame; And I love that old cross where the dearest and best For a world of lost sinners was slain. So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross, Till my trophies at last I lay down; I will cling to the old rugged cross, And exchange it some day for a crown. O that old rugged cross, so despised by the world, Has a wondrous attraction for me; For the dear Lamb of God left His glory above To bear it to dark Calvary. In that old rugged cross, stained with blood so divine, A wondrous beauty I see, For ’twas on that old cross Jesus suffered and died, To pardon and sanctify me. To the old rugged cross I will ever be true; Its shame and reproach gladly bear; Then He’ll call me some day to my home far away, Where His glory forever I’ll share.