Together we shall publish the good news of Jesus Christ to all people all over the world.
Bishop Godwin & Evangelist Kouassi Sopie Genevieve Osagiede.
The Great Commission Ministries International, Inc. Ivory Coast Charter
(1).
YOU ARE NO LONGER FOREIGHNERS OR ALIENS, BUT YOU NOW BELONG TO THE GREAT FAMILY OF GOD’S PEOPLE!
Consequently, you are
no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people
and members of God’s household. - Ephesians 2:19
Nearly
each of us has felt it. And although we try not to think about it, many
of us can’t forget it. Perhaps you felt it when the captain for a
kickball team picked you last. Perhaps you felt it when your grades
were lower than everyone else’s. Perhaps you felt it when your clothes
weren’t as nice as others’ or your physical appearance did not fit the
standard for what others considered “good-looking.” It is that catch in
your throat and that wave of unease that washes over your body. It’s
the terrible feeling that says within you, “I don’t belong.”
And
let’s be candid. That feeling does not simply haunt the playgrounds
and schooldays of your past. There can still be awful moments or
periods of your life when you find yourself among a group of people and
that sad, familiar voice speaks again within you; the voice that says,
“I don’t belong.”
But in Jesus,
you do belong. Apart from Christ, we are all foreigners and aliens, as
God’s Word says. We could win all the popularity contests we want, but
apart from Christ we have no meaningful relationship with others and we
have no meaningful relationship with God. But connected with Jesus,
everything changes. The blood He shed on the cross not only washes your
every sin away; it also binds you to Him and binds you to your brothers
and sisters in God’s family.
Now, do we
always feel that closeness? Do we always feel that bond? No, we don’t.
As long as we are still in this fallen world, our Christian brothers
and sisters are bound to let us down, we are bound to let them down,
and our flawed emotions will often fail to perceive the close, intimate
bond we have with Christ and with each other. But make no mistake. You belong. You belong to us. We belong to you. And by faith we all belong to God through the precious blood of his Son.
Are
there still times when you feel left out and alone? That simply means
you’re like the rest of us. Just remember the blessing you possess in
Jesus Christ: You belong.
Prayer:
Lord
Jesus, because of your blood I belong. I belong to my Christian family
and I belong to you. At those times when I feel left out, overcome my
emotions with the certainty of your Word. Amen.
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Message produced by
Bishop Osagiede Godwin Osabuohien
The Great Commission Ministries International,Inc Ivory Coast Charter
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(2)
WETHER IT IS GOOD OR BAD NEWS, BE COURAGIOUS ENOUGH TO PREACH THE MESSAGE GOD GAVE YOU, WITHOUT FEAR!
Then
Amaziah the priest of Bethel sent a message to Jeroboam king of Israel
: “Amos is raising a conspiracy against you in the very heart of Israel
. The land cannot bear all his words. For this is what Amos is saying:
“ ‘Jeroboam will die by the sword, and Israel will surely go into
exile, away from their native land.’ ” Then Amaziah said to Amos, “Get
out, you seer! Go back to the land of Judah . Earn your bread there and
do your prophesying there. Don’t prophesy anymore at Bethel , because
this is the king’s sanctuary and the temple of the kingdom.” Amos
answered Amaziah, “I was neither a prophet nor a prophet’s son, but I
was a shepherd, and I also took care of sycamore-fig trees. But the
LORD took me from tending the flock and said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to my
people Israel .’ - Amos 7:10-15
No
one likes to be the bearer of bad news. Yet sometimes we find
ourselves placed in that situation, and there’s nothing we can do about
it. Amos found himself in that position. He was to bring a message of
God’s judgment on the people of Israel . He was to tell them that
Israel would be conquered because the people rejected God. As he
proclaimed this message of bad news, he discovered that the people
didn’t like it. Amaziah, who served as the most important priest in
Bethel, didn’t like the message either. He wanted Amos to stop
proclaiming this bad news and to return to his own people. Yet Amos
did not stop. Instead he simply pointed out that he must proclaim what
the Lord says.
Oftentimes
we find ourselves in the same shoes as Amaziah and Amos. We hear a
message from the Lord that tells us not to lie or cheat, gossip about
others or live immoral lives; for if we do, we will be condemned. And
when we proclaim that message, we are told to be quiet, or to tell
someone else, or worse. It is at those times we must say, “I cannot
stop, for this is what the Lord says.”
Even
so, the message of the Lord does not remain only bad news. He also
proclaims the good news that he has saved us from our sin. He points
us to Jesus. And in that news we hear a message that surpasses any bad
news we could possibly hear. We hear how he has rescued us from our
condemnation through Jesus. What greater message can there be for us
to share?
Prayer:
Dear Jesus, boldly allow us to go and proclaim your message of grace. Amen.
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Message produced by
Bishop Osagiede Godwin Osabuohien
The Great Commision Ministries International Inc, Ivory Coast Charter
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(3).
THE PRAYER LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST & HIS EVANGELICAL MINISTRIES TO ALL PEOPLE!
Jesus
left there and went along the Sea of Galilee . Then He went up on a
mountainside and sat down. Great crowds came to Him, bringing the lame,
the blind, the crippled, the mute and many others, and laid them at His
feet; and He healed them. The people were amazed when they saw the mute
speaking, the crippled made well, the lame walking and the blind
seeing. And they praised the God of Israel. - Matthew 15:29-31
And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed. Mark 1:35.
Jesus
sought seclusion for a little while for an opportunity to rest and,
more importantly, to connect with his heavenly Father in prayer.
Finding a quiet location for prayer is something He teaches us to do as
well, “When you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to
your Father, who is unseen” (Matthew 6:6).
Going to a secluded place for prayer can help our concentration and
minimize interruption. Take time each day to insulate yourself from
the “noise” of life and spend quiet time with God in prayer.
However,
the popularity of Jesus didn’t allow him to be alone for long. Many
people came to Jesus, and they were carrying and assisting their
relatives and friends who were handicapped and sick. For three days
one physically distraught person after another was placed in front of
Jesus. And in compassion for those sufferers, he healed every one of
them. This was proof to those people, and to us as we read this
account, that Jesus is the Messiah, the Savior that God promised to
send into the world. God’s word through Isaiah the prophet was
fulfilled in Jesus: “Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, he
will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save
you. Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf
unstopped. Then will the lame leap like a deer, and the mute tongue
shout for joy…” (Isaiah 35:4-6).
Jesus’
purpose for coming was much more than helping people physically. He
came to heal our wounds of guilt and restore our health with God. As
the Apostle Peter wrote, “He himself bore our sins in His body on the
tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by His
wounds you have been healed” (1 Peter 2:24).
Praise God who sent Jesus to be the healer of your sinful heart and the Savior of your eternal soul.
Prayer : One there is for whom I’m living,
Whom I love most tenderly;
Unto Jesus I am giving
What in love he gave to me.
Jesus’ blood hides all my guilt –
Lord, oh, lead me as thou wilt.
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Message produced by
Bishop Osagiede Godwin
The Great Commission Ministries International, Inc Ivory Coast Charter
...................................................................................................... |
(4).
THE FAITH OF THE CANAANITE WOMAN ON JESUS CHRIST!
Leaving
that place, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon . A
Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, "Lord, Son
of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is suffering terribly from
demon-possession." - Matthew 15:21-22
The
reputation of Jesus as a miracle worker spread far and wide. The
miracles were performed to point to the fact that He was the promised
Messiah, God's chosen one to rescue the world from the power of the
devil and the curse of sin.
A
Canaanite woman came to him. She was a descendant of the original
inhabitants of the land of Palestine . Though not a Jew, she knew
about Jesus and had faith in him as the “Lord, the Son of David.” She
believed Jesus was the Messiah. At the same time, her faith was
attacked by the devil in a direct and frightening way: her little
daughter was inhabited by a demon. We're not told what specific effect
this had the girl, but from other cases of demon-possession recorded in
the Gospels, we know that evil spirits brought great affliction to the
bodies and minds of the people they possessed.
How
would you respond to this? Would you go online to learn all you could
about demons and demon possession? Would you buy the latest self-help
book on self-esteem and try to get rid of the demon with good feelings?
Would you search for professional help? The woman went right to Jesus.
She prayed to Him in person -- we pray to Him in spirit, but we know
that His ears hear us just as surely as if we had seen Him walking down
the street outside our own house.
Go to Jesus in prayer when problems come. He is listening. And he always answers.
Prayer (Psalm 140:6):
O LORD, I say to you, "You are my God."
Hear, O LORD, my cry for mercy
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Message produced by
Bishop Osagiede Godwin
The Great Commission Ministries International, Inc Ivory Coast Charter
....................................................................................................... |
(5.
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CONSIDER THIS BEFORE QUESTIONING GOD
Then
the LORD answered Job out of the storm. He said: "Who is this that
darkens my counsel with words without knowledge? Brace yourself like a
man; I will question you, and you shall answer me. "Where were you when
I laid the earth's foundation? Tell me, if you understand Who marked
off its dimensions? Surely you know! Who stretched a measuring line
across it? On what were its footings set, or who laid its
cornerstone—while the morning stars sang together and all the angels
shouted for joy? Who shut up the sea behind doors when it burst forth
from the womb, when I made the clouds its garment and wrapped it in
thick darkness, when I fixed limits for it and set its doors and bars
in place, when I said, 'This far you may come and no farther; here is
where your proud waves halt'?" - Job 38:1-11
Have
you ever been tempted to question God, to accuse God, to challenge
God? Job did. Throughout the latter chapters of the book of Job, we
hear challenging questions and statements made against God. In chapter
38, God responds.
God’s
rhetorical questions put all things back into perspective. By His own
wisdom and power He laid the foundations of the earth and set the
borders for the seas. You and I were not around when God created the
world. Dare we question and challenge his ways?
Certainly
there are times when things don’t go very well for us. Challenging or
blaming God, as if he did something wrong, is not the answer.
Realizing that we live in a sin-filled world, surrounded by sinful
people and betrayed by our own sinful nature is the place to start.
Repentance followed by trusting in Jesus as our Saviour from sin is the
way to go. This path puts all things into perspective.
Too
often we get caught up in our own little world. We make this life
comfy and cozy. We appease our wants and desires, even though they
offer no spiritual benefit. Often times these even distract us from
hearing and following God’s will. Should we be surprised if God
disciplines us, corrects us, trains us in the way we truly need to be
going?
Instead
of questioning and challenging God, let us thank God for his
faithfulness in sending Jesus who has earned forgiveness of sins by his
death for us. Remembering this truth puts all things in perspective.
Amidst sickness, job loss, divorce, depression, we can unquestionably
trust that God’s loving will for us is sure and certain in Jesus our
Saviour. Amen.
Prayer:
I leave all things to God's direction; He loves me both in wealth and woe.
His will is good, sure his affection; His tender love is true, I know.
My fortress and my rock is he; What pleases God, that pleases me.
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Message produced
Bishop Osagiede Godwin
The Great Commission Ministries International, Inc Ivory Coast Charter
JESUS CARES!
A
furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it
was nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion.
The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we
drown?” - Mark 4:37-38
The
disciples were terrified. There was only one thought on their minds –
survival. In desperation they woke Jesus, and reprimanded him for his
lack of care. In their minds they felt they had every right to do so.
The storm was furious. The winds were thwarting their efforts. The
waves were driving them deeper into the water. All seemed lost, and
Jesus was sleeping through it all. Only one thought crossed their
minds, and eventually their lips, “Don’t you care?!”
Because
I am cut from the same cloth as the disciples, it is easy for me to
come to the same conclusion. Maybe it is the wind of adversity. Maybe
it is the waves of uncertainty. Maybe it is the endless succession of
unresolved problems. Maybe it is the storm of sickness. In any event,
it is easy to give into fear and conclude that Jesus doesn’t care.
Is this an accurate assessment? Am I relying on facts, or have my fears driven me to the brink of despair?
There
are two facts I need to understand. One is recorded by Peter. “In
this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have
had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials” (1 Peter 1:6).
I can’t escape the reality that I will have to face problems.
Unfortunately, my sinful flesh is not capable of handling these
situations. I may try. I may struggle. I may even give it all I
have, but I will fail. This leads me to the second fact: Jesus does
care. Regardless of the challenge or difficulty I have to endure, He
is there for me. He comforts me. He strengthens me. He encourages
me. He even provides the perfect solution. Throughout everything He
does, He says, “Stop being afraid”
I
can take these words to heart because he gives me every reason to trust
him. Not only has he endured every challenge and problem I will have
to endure (Hebrews 4:15),
he has also gone to great lengths to show me that he does care. His
birth, his life, his agony, his death, his resurrection, even his
return to glory in heaven, all proclaim not only his care but also his
uncompromised love for me. Nothing will ever separate me from that
love (Romans 8:38-39), or diminish his unfailing care for me (1 Peter 5:7).
As
I travel through this life, I will be met by all kinds of situations.
Some will be minor set backs. Others will seek to plunge me into doubt
and despair. Regardless of the challenges I face, I am never alone.
Jesus is always there, and Jesus cares.
Prayer:
Jesus, Savior, pilot me, over life’s tempestuous sea;
Unknown waves before me roll, hiding rock and treacherous shoal.
Chart and compass come from thee: Jesus, Savior, pilot me.
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Bishop Osagiede Godwin
The Great Commission Ministries International, Inc Ivory Coast Charter
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(7).
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"To keep me from
becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations,
there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to
torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from
me. But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is
made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly
about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is
why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in
hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I
am strong. "-
“That’s
so weak!” If you’ve had that shouted your way, you know it usually
isn’t a compliment. Weakness normally is not a trait that gets much
praise.
God
doesn’t give spiritual weakness any praise, either. Being weak to do
what God wants leads to falling into sin. Does your spiritual weakness
show itself by hating or lusting? Stealing or hurting others?
Gossiping or cursing? That is sin. And God hates that kind of
weakness. Earlier in this letter, Paul had written: “God made him who
had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the
righteousness of God.” Christ died for the sins of all. Because we
were weak and sinned, Jesus was strong and took the full punishment for
all of our sins in our place. God is gracious and strong.
In
this section, God talked about a different kind of weakness, a physical
weakness that God allowed to come into Paul’s life. We are not told
exactly what it was, just that it was severe enough that Paul pleaded
with the Lord three times to take it away. God’s answer: “My grace is
sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”
When
Paul suffered from this physical weakness, in whom did he need to put
his trust and hope? Who was his strength? Not himself! No, God was
Paul’s strength and hope. God’s power carried Paul through thick and
thin. At no time was this more evident than when he suffered from this
weakness. Then God’s grace and strength was all the more apparent (and
that’s what Paul and others needed to see – GOD’s grace and strength.)
When
God allows hardship or troubles or “weakness” into your life, remember
that when you are weak, He is strong. Trust and rest in His strength
and grace. God is giving you a clear opportunity to look away from
your own strength to place your trust in His power and grace.
Prayer:
Lord God,
you work all things according to your love and wisdom. Spare me from
hardship and heartache. And, when You allow them into my life, use
them to draw me closer to You and increase my trust in Your power and
grace. Amen.
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Message produced by
Bishop Osagiede Godwin
The Great Commission Ministries International, Inc Ivory Coast Charter | | | | |