NEW YEAR MESSAGE TO ALL PARTNERS

 

GRACE:  GOD'S GIFT THAT TRANSCENDS SALVATION AND ANCHORS THE BELIEVER IN CHRIST JESUS IN JUSTIFICATION.

 

This is the Year to become serious Bible Students.  When we do, we will find that the ontologically significant state of the Believer in Christ Jesus is not just being "saved" but being "justified" to bring about the heavenly patterns of things to this earth as first taught us in the Lord's prayer.  Consider Romans 8:29-31:

"For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed tothe image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also
glorified. What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us?..."

Paul seems to be saying in this passage one simple central message:  "Once justified always justified." He most certainly is not saying "once saved, always saved" because for Paul salvation is something that is working in us and that we are working out until the day of Christ's appearing. He tells the Philippians: So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and
trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure. (Phil. 2:12-13).  The Grace release to the Believer in 2015 is the GRACE that catapults the child of God to the seriously consciousness of working out his or her salvation with fear and trembling. Praise God.

Likewise, sanctification is a process whereby God brings us to the fulfillment or realization of our potential. 2015 is the Year to soar like the Eagle to our God-given destiny.  Indeed, having been created in the divine image, the justified are becoming conformed to the image of His Son. This too continues until the day of Christ appearing. For this, we must join The Apostle Paul in giving praise to God, as he wrote, "...to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us...be glory." (Eph. 3:20-21)

The Believer in Christ must be confident of God's power to do all of this.  "For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus." (Phil. 1:6) Hence we can say with confidence like the Apostle: "It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me." (Gal. 2:20).  This is the summary of the mystery of the Grace of God and it is simply yours not for the asking but for the receiving.  Amen.

TRUTH STILL TO LIVE BY AND TO PRACTICE IN 2015

LESSONS FROM THE LIFE OF ZACHARIAS
LUKE 1: 5-25

1.
USE SHAMGAR PRINICPLE TO DEAL WITH THE IMPOSSIBLE AND EVER REFUSE LET THE IMPOSSIBLE INTIMIDATE YOU.

REMEMBER SHAMGAR PRINCIPLE (LAW) - "DO WHAT YOU CAN WITH WHAT YOU HAVE WHERE YOU ARE." - JUDGES 3:31.

ALWAYS KEEP IN MIND - JER. 32:27 & MAL. 3:6 AS LONG AS YOU REMEMBER TO BALANCE MATT. 19:26 WITH LUKE 19:26.


2.
YOUR FAITH DOES NOT MOVE ANY MOUNTAIN - IT IS RATHER YOUR FAITH IN WHAT YOU SPEAK OR SAY THAT CAUSES THE VERY WORD OF GOD TO MOVE ANY MOUNTAIN.

THEREFORE, KEEP SPEAKING WORDS THAT ALIGN WITH HIS WILL - GOD IS PLANNING AND DOING SOMETHING BEYOND YOUR FAITH - JER. 29:11.


3.
GOD DOES NOT NEED YOUR FAITH TO MOVE - HE IS ABSOLUTELY AND ALTOGETHER SOVEREIGN. YOU ONLY NEED TO ANCHOR YOUR FAITH IN HIS WORD (BELIEVE HIM AND BELIEVE HIS PROPHET) TO MOVE HIM TO ACTION.

HENCE, EVEN WHEN YOUR FAITH STOPS WORKING, GOD WILL USE THE ELEMENT CALLED 'TIME' AS LONG AS IN FAITH YOU ARE WAITING ON HIM. (HAB. 2:3)


4.
STOP LOOKING BACK AND AROUND. LEARN TO FACE YOUR TOMORROW WITHOUT THE FEARS OF YESTERDAY - MATT. 6: 25-34.


5.
MAN MUST COOPERATE WITH GOD BY OBEYING A DIVINE INSTRUCTION TO RECIEVE A MIRACLE. MAGIC ACTS WITHOUT MAN'S WILL OR COOPERATION BUT NOT MIRACLE.

REMEMBER GOD DID NOT BLESS THE LIKES OF ABRAHAM AND ZACHARIAS VIA THEIR REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS BUT BY HIS RESSURECTION POWER WHEN THEY OBEYED AND PERFORMED THE INSTRUCTION ON FRUITFULNESS GIVEN TO THEM.

6.
NOTHING CAN STOP YOUR MIRACLE WHEN IT IS DUE. DUE MIRACLE IS SO POWERFUL SUCH THAT YOU MUST REAP YOUR HARVEST IN DUE TIME AND NOTHING CAN CHANGE IT.


7.
WHEN ALL APPEAR TO BE TOO LATE - REMEMBER:

A) NEVER FORGET THAT THINGS CAN STILL CHANGE IN A DAY IF YOUR DON'T GIVE UP.

B) YOUR DELAY HAS TO DO WITH DIVINE APPOINTMENT IF YOUR A TRUELY HIS CHILD.

C) YOUR DELAY OFTEN IS THE WAY GOD TAKES CONTROL OF YOUR LIFE WHOLLY OR PARTIALLY.

HENCE, THERE IS AN APPOINTED TIME FOR YOU TO BE HEALED, DELIVERED, RECOVERED, GIVEN AN OPEN DOOR, GET A MASSIVE CATCH ON YOUR NET - AS LONG AS YOU SURRENDER IN BY FAITH IN HOPE.

MANDELA LEGACY - A 5 FINGER RULE: OUGHT IT NOT TO BE A TRUE CHRIST-LIKE LEGACY ???

MANDELA LEGACY - A 5 FINGER RULE: OUGHT IT NOT TO BE A TRUE CHRIST-LIKE LEGACY ???

1. If You have never first STRUGGLED with unforgiveness as You encounter Your Offender or the offense, then You can neither truly begin the process of true healing nor true forgiveness.

2. If You never in one moment feel that You have forgiven Your offender and in the next moment or next occasion (when encoun...tering the Offender or Offense) gripped again with the pains of the offense, then the PROCESS for Your healing from that offense has never ever begun.

3. If You cannot REMEMBER all the pain You've gone through while still finding PEACE within Yourself in the ensuing moments, or days, or weeks, or month or even years when You encounter the Offender even if he or she does not upsets You again, You have not truly forgiven the Offender and You are not truly healed of the Offense.

4. If You cannot truly pray for Your Offender or about the offense without bitterness or resentment or the desire for vengeance, then You are still mired in unforgiveness and ungodliness.

5. To truly forgive is to become Christ-like: knowing that the Offender and the Offense have NO POWER over You and that ONLY Your Reaction gives the Offender or Offense POWER over You even the Destructive Power of Unforgiveness and Resentment.

So, until Your conscience is void of offense towards all, the rottenness of bitterness still resides within You. And that, is bound to manifest one way or the other (including as a physical destructive disease or sickness of self or community-society-nation) sooner or later.

In sum, No One has any other option in life but to forgive the Offender and the Offense.

Submitted by: The Ven. Professor M. Josiah-Omeokwe
The Bronx, NY
USA.

2013 ANNUAL CONVENTION AND ANNIVERSARY

http://www.vistaprint.com/vp/gateway.aspx?s=5462298015&preurl=%2fshare-design.aspx%3fdoc_id%3d2604737505%26shopper_id%3dBFTSFD73T0SR2L3S00AKHCUTWL0X041B%26xnav%3dsharesource_4%26share_key%3d0fff0133-297d-4df7-ab06-020f42ffa855" target="blank">http://www.vistaprint.com/lp.aspx?alt_doc_id=M3D4P-92A58-0S2&width=250&shopper_id=BFTSFD73T0SR2L3S00AKHCUTWL0X041B

" />

http://www.vistaprint.com/rack-cards.aspx" target="_blank" />Rack Cards

by http://www.vistaprint.com" target="_blank">Vistaprint

CONVENTION THEME: 

THE INCORRUPTICBLE SEED

 

This Convention is about Creating A New Beginning by the Power of the Incorruptible Seed.  The Fact is this - that beyond every failure there is success, beyond an end is another beginning and beyond disappointment is an appointment. By the Power of the Incorruptible Seed, there is no one who has fallen even once whether spiritual or physically that would remain fallen.
 

This Convention would re-establish the old simple but explosively powerful foundational truth:  That we (God's Children) have been born-again by the way of His incorruptible seed, which Peter describes as "the Word of God, which live and abides forever!"  (1 Peter 1:23) 

 

Though a commonly known truth by many professing believers, the often forgotten truth is the impact of the nature which dictates that we now live an overcoming life.  This life has been impregnated by the incorruptible seed, enabling us to be who the Father has intended us to be by virtue of His identity and DNA within us. 

 

This Eternal Seed which resides within us is in fact Agape Incarnate and Shalom Incarnate.  Our part, missed by many, is the single responsibility of nourishing it.  The Eternal Seed determines the time of the harvest.  Our responsibility is to water, nourish, care for, and protect the Eternal Seed so that it brings forth thirty, sixty, one-hundred fold. 

 

The Eternal Seed is what comes to maturity and is responsible for our spiritual progress, not our own human effort - for, "Greater is He who is in us, than he that is in the world!" (1 John 4:4)

 

Your covenant with life will thereby be reinforced and strengthened; Your agreement with the realm of the living will stand.  I establish your name in the list of those that will live being lifted from this realm of Glory you now occupy to the next realm of Glory that will astound you this year. This 2013 would be your landmark Year because of this Convention in Jesus name. Amen

 

All our Speakers and Bible Study developers have centered all their teachings on this theme - THE INCORRUPTICBLE SEED.

 

Yours in His Righteousness,

Joe Omeokwe

The Venerable M. Joe Omeokwe, Ph.D.

Vineyard International Christian Ministries, Inc. USA

1140 Teller Avenue
Bronx, NY 10456, USA.

(718) 538-9211 (Office)
(917) 373-2766 (Cell)
(718) 542-7417 (Fax & 24 Hr. Hotline)

WHAT IT MEANS TO BE AN APOSTOLIC FATHER.
Positive criticism
An Apostolic Father anchors his words on positive criticism. He draws attention to good or positive aspects of the Church of God at large or of the local assembly of the believers in Christ Jesus which is being ignored, disregarded or overlooked especially of the Suffering Church - those upholding the testimony of Jesus Christ. People may be able to see only the negative side of something, so that it becomes necessary for an Apostolic Father to highlight always the positive side even when rebuking. Please study all the letters of Paul and the other New Testament Apostolic Fathers including John in the Revelation. A positive criticism even though may also be a type of self-justification or self-defense but it must not be the case of these Apostolic Fathers.

The term "positive criticism" is also used in the sense that the criticism is "well-meant" or "well-intentioned" ("I mean it in a positive way") - here, it is emphasized the criticism is intended by an Apostolic Father to serve a purpose which is constructive, or which the targeted person or persons or group would not reject off-hand or shut down communication. But rather, It opens the doors for communication and correction.

For an Apostolic Father, the basic aim of a positive criticism is usually to provide a better orientation, or frame of reference, for behavior. The basic thrust of his criticism is to provide an idea which people can act on to improve their situation, mature their faith and strengthen their character. At the very least, the Apostolic Father by his teachings and instructions, offers his hearers more choices for behavior that conforms to the Word of God, and therefore potentially enlarges behavioral freedom - that freedom that shuns legalism and bondage.

Negative criticism
For an Apostolic Father, Negative criticism means voicing an objection to something, only with the purpose of showing that it is wrong, false, mistaken, nonsensical, objectionable, or disreputable without offering a biblically sound alternatives. This is an easy route for anyone to take but not the Apostolic Father. Generally, it is very easy to show disapproval of something, or disagreement with something. For those in Christ Jesus, we must be aware that negative criticism is often interpreted as an attack against a person. That may not have been the intention, but it can be interpreted that way.

Negative criticism can have the effect that the people criticized feel attacked or insulted by it, so that they either do not take it seriously, or they react badly to it. Much often much damage rather than any good is done in the Body of Christ (His Church) depending on how much negative criticism there is, and how much criticism is transmitted at once. People can handle some negative criticism, but they may not be able to handle a whole lot of negative criticism, at least not all at once which is the hallmark of the many so-called modern or present truth 'Apostles.'

The downside of negative criticism is, often, that it tells people what they cannot or should not do or believe, rather than telling them what they can or should do (what possibilities or options there are). So it may be disabling, rather than enabling. People might reply to a negative criticism that "this is all very well, but I cannot do anything with it", or they might say "now what?!". Yet, negative criticism may be very necessary at times if done in and with the LOVE of Christ Jesus, to prevent a course of action which would be harmful to the people concerned. The truth is that we must not be afraid to state a negative criticism wrapped with genuine humility and grace if it might help to make an existing problem (that humanly speaking we can control or personally influence) not to get so much worse. But, for an Apostolic Father, why be so negative in your criticism over something or someone when humanly speaking you cannot control or personally influence that person or that situation. An Apostolic Father is a praying father who understands that the weapon of our warfare is carnal and we do not wrestle with flesh and blood. The Apostolic Father seeks the Lord and waits on Him to intervene and do all that makes Him God over all situations. But this is very hard for many Christians especially the self-styled 'Apostles.'

For an Apostolic Father, the upside of negative criticism is that it can explain what the limitations of an idea, an action or a situation are, for the sake of being realistic. Sometimes it is necessary to say "no" to something (and explain why "no" is "no"). Such negative criticism is not offensive but refreshing. This is what makes it apostolic and divine - for woe unto him or her through whom offense comes or who brings about offenses.

In the modern Church, some folks have made it their ministry (in pretense to be like the Old-Testament prophets) to be fully engrossed in negative criticisms whether through publications or mass media including the cyber space or in their preaching (teachings). But the truth is that they can be easily exploited or manipulated by Satan, vicious wicked people or through demonic activities while they think or believe they are doing God's work and ministry. They just beret the members of the Body of Christ and major in the minors of the Christian Faith. Nevertheless, we must not write off negative critics for all the attention they could being to correcting anomalies in the Body of Christ. I am aware that also in the modern Church, negative criticism has acquired the stigma of "being negative", and so many people now do choose to express their negative criticism simply by not saying anything at all, not paying attention to something crucial to biblical truth or someone who carries an influence in the Church, or by being actively absent.

Constructive criticism
Yet for an Apostolic Father, Constructive criticism aims to show that the intent or purpose of something is better served by an alternative approach. In this case, making the criticism is not necessarily deemed wrong, and its purpose is respected; rather, it is claimed that the same goal could be better achieved via a different route. It is imperative for all Apostolic Fathers to know that Constructive criticisms are often suggestions for improvement – how things could be done better or more acceptably. They draw attention to how an identified problem could be solved, or how it could be solved better.

Both negative and constructive criticism have their appropriate uses, but often it is considered a requirement of criticism that they are combined. Thus, it is oft en considered that those who find fault with something should also offer an option for putting it right. More generally, any rule for behavior of any kind usually implies both "do's" and "don'ts". Doing something usually also implies not doing something else, and, not doing something, often implies doing something else. To be truly apostolic, there is therefore a conscious choice "to do this, or do that", but not both at the same time.

So, to orient behavior, people need to know both what is "ruled in" and what is "ruled out". If the criticism concerns only one aspect, but not the other, it may supply only incomplete information, which is not really adequate to orient behavior or guide action. One of the most elementary reasons why a rule is ignored, flouted or subverted is, because either the positive or the negative aspect of what it means is unspecified. This is the major problem with many of the so-called modern present sages that qualify themselves as 'Apostles.'

Destructive criticism
Now, let's face the biggest satanic weapon raving the Church of Christ on earth - Destructive criticism. It is designed or aims to destroy the target of criticism, by making the destructive criticism (e.g. "you should shut up and follow this teaching or this idea or this program"). The aim here is to show that the point of view of someone else has no validity at all, or lacks any merit. Such is only has a monologue and no room for a dialogue. What a pity and a danger.

In some contexts, destructive criticism is regarded as an undesirable nuisance, a threat, or as completely unjustifiable, especially if it involves personal attacks on people. Destructive criticism is often criticized because it has a destructive effect, instead of a positive effect (this may also just be an accusation or allegation, if there is no proof that the effect actually is destructive).

Please note that the context of the Church is not a political or military context where destructive criticisms may be essential to save resources, or to save lives among one's own group. An idea in itself is not dangerous, but an idea proposed in a particular context can be very dangerous, so that people feel that it should be disarmed by mercilessly criticizing it. The ultimate destructive criticism occurs when people and property are physically destroyed simply for not towing along a counter view, opinion or understanding of their perspectives to a truth or a program.

The term "destructive criticism" is also used to mean that the level, scope or intensity of criticism is such, that it becomes mainly destructive. In this context, people believe that the criticism is so great, or there is so much criticism, that it only destroys things. For example, a debate or controversy can get out of control, so that everybody is at war with everybody else, and everybody is opposed to everybody else. In that case, it may well be that the criticism is being overdone ("overkill"). What started out as a structured dialogue to identify conflicting aspects of a situation, ends up as a chaos in which nobody can agree with anyone else anymore.

I remain in prayers for God's mercies on us all that He has called especially those who teach His Word, lead His people and influence souls bound for Heaven. Amen.

In His Righteousness Alone,

Joe ++

 Identity Theft - Electronic Pick Pocketing

 

This calls for the wisdom of God and creativity on your part.  Many of us today carry little cash and rely upon the convenience of  a debit or credit card. The credit card industry is always improving on this technology to make usage as easy as possible. The "smart card" is an example of this. "Smart cards," known in the trade as "RFID" or Radio Frequency Identification cards, are embedded with a small chip which emits a radio frequency. When making a purchase the user does not have to swipe the card or enter a "PIN" they only need to hold the card in proximity of the cashier's card reader.

 

Not to be left behind, the Identity Thief has also improved on their technology and has the ability to "Electronically" pick pocket the "RFID" signal and duplicate your card. So please take a few moments to check your cards and verify if they are equipped with "RFID". Smart cards may be branded as "PayPass, blink, expresspay, and will have a symbol such as this  somewhere on the card.

 

Analysts state, card skimming devices generally work when a victim only carries a single smart card.  When carrying multiple "smart cards," the transmission creates a jumbled, unintelligible data stream.

 

If you are carrying a card equipped with "RFID" consider purchasing a protective sleeve to store your card, these sleeves reduce the ability of an identity thief to read the "RFID" signal. A simple internet search for "RFID protection" will provide you with multiple options for protecting yourself. I believe God Almighty will help us all.

 

Sincerely,

 

Prof. M. Joe Omeokwe

New York City, USA.