PASTOR'S CORNER

JANUARY 7, 2018

1st Sunday Service

Theme of the Year: New Heights (Lev. 26:13; Phil. 3:13,14)

Theme of the Month: New Heights (Lev. 26:13; Phil. 3:13,14)

Topic: Flourishing Pathway to New Heights (Psalms 92:12-15;93)

The theme, New Heights, suggests that there is old height. What is height to one may not be height to another; so this theme is relative. Everyone of us must examine our present level and what the height of the next level(s) will be. What it simply means to do this is that we will need to set responsible goals for this year and many years to come for different aspects of our lives.

The text for today's message suggests that to flourish spiritually toward God, one must first of all be planted in His house. We need to be spiritually connected to Him. That means that we must follow the only way that leads to Him, which is through faith in the vicarious death of Jesus Christ. Every soul that will embark on spiritual jouney that leads to heaven must have a knowledge of salvation through Christ and must grow from grace to grace.

What are the keys to flourishing in Christ? We receive our salvation through faith in Him by confessing our sins and inviting Him to save us through His Spirit in us. Because our salvation is by faith, we must build our assurance on the word of God and the power and presence of His Spirit in our hearts. The more of His word and Spirit we have will determine how bouyant our lives will be in Him. It will also determine how victoroius we shall be in our jouney towards heaven.

According to our text it is the righteous that flourishes like palm tree. This is so because God's approval and presence are with the righteous. They are not qualified as righteous by themselves. It is derived from God. Many people today are only mere religious people, seeking the approval of God on their terms, not on His commandment. Our journey to heaven cannot prosper on human terms. It must be on God's prescriptions. The jouney must be guided by the word of God and the Spirit of prayer.

The beginning of our journey to heaven is occasioned by Christ in us. That jouney requires that we live a live of fruitfulness in service to God and soul-winning all of which must be done by faith. Our fruitful and fat life in Christ will be provided by the spirit of prayer we culivate in Him. How deep is our prayer life? Are we scratching on the surface level? The deeper we go in prayer, word and ministry, the higher God will take us as our reward.

As I welcome you into the new year 2018, I pray that God will enable each and everyone of us to take all the steps required to be planted in the house of God in Jesus' name. May the theme of this year receive the fire of the Holy Spirit for fulfillment in our lives in Jesus' name. Remember that you have an exalted place in Christ. Let it affect you outlook and your pursuit in life. May you flourish like the palm tree.

Psalms 92:12 The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. 92:13 Those that be planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God. 92:14 They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing; 92:15 To shew that the LORD is upright: he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.

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