“LET JUDAH GO FIRST” – JANUARY 2023 NEWSLETTER

Topic: “LET JUDAH GO FIRST”

Texts: Judges 1: 1- 5; 20:18; Psalm 22: 3-5

INTRODUCTION

Judah is Jacob’s and Leah’s fourth son.

Judah means “praise” in Hebrew, which is called Yehuda.

God mysteriously coded some divine languages that ordinary man cannot easily understand in His arrangement of the interpretations of His love for His people.

God has been leading Judah in line with the purpose and meaning of his name since the beginning of time.

In Genesis 37:26, Judah helped Joseph out of the pit which his other brothers threw him (Joseph) into. 

In Genesis 40:19, Judah interceded for Benjamin.

There are several accounts in the Bible where Judah demonstrated God’s purpose for his name. 

God strategically communicates His desire to the people, which is hidden in the name ‘Judah’ (praise).

God instructs the Israelites at every turn of their journey to prioritize Judah in order to defeat their enemies. God is also instructing you to put Judah in front of the journey this year. 

This article will explain how to do so in details.

1.) ACKNOWLEDGE GOD

2.) LIFT UP GOD’S HAND IN PRAISE


1. Acknowlegde God:-


The first thing to do is to acknowledge God. 


There is a wise saying that, “The person you acknowledge, you value; the person you value, you listen to his voice; the person you listen to his voice, you follow.”  


Before you launch properly into the boat of this year, it will be appropriate for you to acknowledge God, so that your journey through the year 2023 will be smooth.

   

If you look at the background scriptures, Judges 1:1-2, “After the death of Joshua, the Israelites asked the Lord, “Who of us is to go up first to fight against the Canaanites?” The Lord answered, “Judah shall go up; I have given the land into their hands” (NIV) .


They acknowledged God as the anchor of their journeys and as the One who owns them. They asked Him who would lead the war against their enemies, because that was the custom of their previous leaders, Moses and Joshua. 


“Someone who leads you would determine your your success.”  


David Jeremiah stated that, “Many people make new year’s resolutions without relating to time management, but all such resolutions are hard to keep without the power and priorities of Christ surging.”


Acknowlegde God’s leading. Do not be led by your personal experiences, your intellect, wealth, or the opinions of others.


Currry R. Blake mentioned that, “Our problem is that, we’ve taken those personal experiences and made the standard or requirements to walk in the power of God.” 


Recognize God in all your ways this year, and you will have overflowing songs of praise in your heart to worship your God.


2. Lift Up God’s Hand in Praise:-


When the winner of any game or public competition is announced, his hand is raised to show everyone that he is the champion. 


After you have acknowledged God, you must elevate Him above everything in your life, including your difficulties. Many people fail at this point because they let their problems overwhelm them and fail to praise God. 


In Psalms 22, David cried to God in his anguish as if God was far away, but in verse 3 of that same chapter, he quickly called himself to order and stated, “Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One; You are the One Israel praises.” 


David continued to enumerate God’s acts in various ways throughout the rest of the verses of that scripture. 


As David did, you must come to your senses and make a decision. Lift God’s hand in praise by letting go of your low points. 


Maintain your position of hope by standing in faith and trusting that God will never fail you or change. Trust that God is now bringing forth a new chapter in your life!


In John 11: 41-42, Before raising Lazarus from the dead, Jesus lifted the mighty hand of God in praise. If Jesus Christ could do it, you should cultivate this as a practice throughout the year.


CONCLUSION


Who will be leading you this year? 


Understand that the one who will lead you must be more powerful than the giant, raging storm, and every circumstance in your path.


The Lion of Judah is always ready to guide you through. He is Almighty, All-powerful, and All-knowing. He wants you to acknowledge Him and prioritize Him in everything.


Matthew 6:33 says, “But seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” (NIV). 


God has promised to provide you with everything you need to succeed on your journey, but you must let Judah (that is, praise) go first.


Judah is the replica of God’s presence that led Israel through the wilderness in both the Old and New Testaments. He came in person as the Savior. Give your life to Jesus and allow Him to guide you.

  

Sing the following Hymns prayerfully:


A.) Great is Thy Faithfulness.


Great is Thy faithfulness,” O God my Father,

There is no shadow of turning with Thee;

Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not

As Thou hast been Thou forever wilt be.

 

Refrain: “Great is Thy faithfulness!” “Great is Thy faithfulness!”

Morning by morning new mercies I see;

All I have needed

Thy hand hath provided 

“Great is Thy faithfulness,” Lord, unto me!…


B.) Guide Me, O My Great Jehovah


Guide me, O my great Jehovah,

pilgrim through this barren land;

I am weak, but you are mighty;

hold me with your powerful hand.

Bread of heaven, bread of heaven,

feed me now and evermore,

feed me now and evermore…


C.) He Leadeth Me


He leadeth me, O blessed thought!

O words with heav’nly comfort fraught!

Whate’er I do, where’er I be

Still ’tis God’s hand that leadeth me.


Refrain:

He leadeth me, He leadeth me,

By His own hand He leadeth me;

His faithful foll’wer I would be,

For by His hand He leadeth me….


Let Us pray:

  

1.) Lord, I thank You for Your plans and programs for me this year.


2.) Lord Jesus, I submit to Your leading, have Your way in my journey this year.


3.) My Lord and my Father, be my vision and wisdom at every confusing stage of my life’s journey.


REFERENCES


1. David Jeremiah, Turning Points Magazine and Devotional, “All The best!” ©2000-2023, vol.25.


2. Curry R. Blake, “Strength To Carry on.” © 2013 by Curry R. Blake. Christian Reality Books, Dallas TX 75374

1-888-293-6591.

 

3. Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® 

John Aderogba for ROPMI.

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The Advent of the Lord Jesus Christ; The Hope of The World. – Dec 2022 Newsletter

Topic: The Advent of the Lord Jesus Christ; The Hope of The World.

Text: Isaiah 11:1-10; John 10:9-10

Introduction

The historic celebration of the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ is being prepared for during this special season of advent. It runs from the last Sunday in November until the Sunday before Christmas. It also serves as the preparation for the second coming of Christ.
Many people are running up and down every day because the world has lost hope, and hope is the driving force that keeps people moving and striving.
Many things are embedded in hope, including peace, faith, joy, goodness, success, and whatever else you can think of as an accomplishment.
Rick Warren mentioned that, “Many people in our broken world ask why things don’t seem to go right so much of the time. They want to know, ‘Is there hope?’” (Rick Warren, Daily Hope 10/18/22).

Real hope, not simply optimism, is what you need.
Being optimistic is psychological; it’s a result of your thought process.
Hope is theological; it is based on your relationship with God and who He is as a person.

Optimism is a state of mind. Hope is a deep faith in Jesus Christ.
The two anchor scriptures describe God’s arrangement to provide humanity with hope. As a result, the points of discussion in this writing will go into greater depth.

1. HE CAME AS THE SAVIOR

2. HE CAME AS THE KING AND THE LORD

3. HE CAME AS THE JUDGE OF ALL

The above points are explained below:

1.) He came as the Savior:

It is obvious that Satan has held various types of people captive, ruled over their lives with the rod of severe punishments in his hand, and rendered people hopeless and helpless.
God was aware of this, and in mercy and compassion for mankind, He communicated through the prophet Isaiah that, “Out of the stump of David’s family will grow a shoot yes, a new Branch bearing fruit from the old root.” (Isaiah 11:1 NLT).
David was regarded as the savior of his time. God brought the people back to the memory of who David was and how the Savior who was to come would come through his lineage to save his people.
Jesus Christ came as the Savior indeed and still the Savior of the world. John 10:10 says, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”

Jesus is here! The hope is here!! He is the Savior. He wants to save you now.

2.) He came as the King and the Lord:
The king wields the staff of authority over a territory and exercises command and judgment as he sees fit.

That is what Satan does to people when he gives them false blessings and prosperity in order to catch their attention. He wants everyone to see him as the lord.
As God spoke through the prophet Isaiah, He had a larger plan to govern His people and rescue them from Satanic authority. “And the Spirit of the Lord will rest on him the Spirit of wisdom and understanding,

the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.” (Isaiah 11:2 NLT).
God’s Spirit was placed in His Son, Jesus Christ, to reign as King and Lord over His people. The living hope is in the person with the higher authority.
Jesus Christ reigns mercifully over anyone who recognizes Him as King and Lord.
Rick Warren stated that, “Because of Jesus, God responds in mercy every time you mess up. And that can give you hope.” (Rick Warren, Daily Hope 10/18/22).
3.) He came as the Judge of all:
Satan is known as the accuser of brethren and the swift and unmerciful judge.
God shows mercy in His judgment. Though He is not pleased with the actions of disobedient people, He demonstrates love because of the people’s hopeless and helpless situation.
God revealed to the prophet Isaiah His intention for Jesus to come to His people. “He will delight in obeying the Lord. He will not judge by appearance nor make a decision based on hearsay. He will give justice to the poor and make fair decisions for the exploited.The earth will shake at the force of his word, and one breath from his mouth will destroy the wicked.” (Isaiah 11: 3-4 NLT).
Jesus came to judge all the evil acts perpetrated on the people by satanic orchestrated forces. He came to replace the satanic verdict through curse with everlasting blessing through his blood.
Matthew 28:18 says, “Then Jesus came to them and said, All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me” (NIV).
Conclusion.
There is no peace in the world, and it is filled with a variety of hopeless and cruel acts. Jesus Christ came to give the world hope and to put an end to Satan’s orchestrated acts.
Jesus Christ is the hope of the world. He is the Redeemer, the Savior, the Giver of life, the Lover of your soul, and the King of kings.
I will encourage you not to let this hour pass you by without being saved. Your soul is important to Jesus Christ, which is why He came to this world to give you hope of eternal life.

Complement of the season to you!
Let us pray.

1.) Lord Jesus, I thank You for coming to this word to save me.

2.) Lord, with mercy, deliver me from every unholy rulership in life.

3.) Jesus, dwell in me and rule over my life.

4.) My hope stands on You alone, Lord Jesus, help me.

5.) Jesus, guide me and let me hide myself in You. Amen.
John Aderogba for ROPMI team.

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YOUR HARVEST’S OFFERING – NOVEMBER 2022 NEWSLETTER

YOUR HARVEST’S OFFERING.

Text: Psalm 50:23 (NLT)

“Those who sacrifice thank offerings honor me and to the blameless, I will show my salvation.” (NIV)

Introduction

Firstly, let’s look at what Harvest means.

According to the dictionary, “It is the process or period of gathering in crops.”

Harvest is viewed by many people in this way. As I see it, harvesting is not just for farmers alone. The harvest period is a crucial time for every career because everyone aspires to be productive and earn success in their chosen career.

Regardless of what you do for a living, you don’t earn your living by your intelligence, strength, or ability.

The ability to put them together requires the involvement of God.

In Psalm 50:9-12, the sufficiency of God’s providence over your life is enumerated here. There is nothing you own; so you should be grateful for what you have.

The end result of your project, the study, the profits you earn from your business, the contract, the connection, the journey, or the produce you grow on your farm, who gets the glory?

The highest currency that God recognizes in His Kingdom business is thanksgiving or a grateful heart.

“Rather than being critical of yourself and what you think you’re lacking, start celebrating yourself and all your good qualities. Remember what God has done in your life. Get in agreement with God and say, ‘Thank You, God,’ for who You made me be.” (Victoria Osteen, June 8, 2022)

God, our Father, deserves all the glory, adoration, and praise. Through the words He spoke, the universe was created. He knows the number of hairs on our heads and the names of every star. Each of us is deeply known by Him, and He cares about every single one of us.

We shall highlight points that would give you insight into what you need to do to offer your harvest’s offering to God.

• REFLECT ON WHERE YOU ARE COMING FROM

• CAN YOU BE SUSTAINED BY YOUR STRENGTH?

1). Reflect On Where You’re Coming From

One of the major problems people have when it comes to giving thank offerings is their inability to reflect on where they began.

The opportunities that come their way are often viewed as a right, not a privilege, and some say that it is a natural phenomenon. Their positive thinking and right attitude toward nature cause them to believe they don’t have to give anyone thanks for all the good things that come their way.

In Luke 17: 11-19, only one of the ten lepers healed returned to glorify God with a heart of worship and gratitude, and he was the only one that received the final blessings from the Lord. This guy had a deeper understanding of his life, and saw healing as a privilege rather than a right.

Consider your life’s journey and see how you wouldn’t be where you are today without God’s grace.

2) Can You Be Sustained By your Strength?

One folly people display is making fun of themselves and holding that their intelligence, wisdom, bravery, knowledge, ability, strength, capability, discoveries, hard work, opportunities, and connections have helped them get to where they are today.

It is understandable why some people look down on others as if they are not smart enough. The only thing they can see are the results of their strengths, since they do not see God at the center of their blessings. It is impossible for such a person to appreciate God.

In Luke 12:11-21, Jesus Christ narrated a story about a foolish rich man who was overwhelmed by his possession.

The focus is on verses 20 and 21.

20: “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’

21: This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.”

Do you think you acquire things through your power and makings? Would you like to be like that foolish man? Do you honor God with your possessions?

As you have the opportunity, I want you to consider these questions and adjust yourself accordingly. Honor God with your harvest’s offering, which is a grateful heart, as you return all the glory to Him.

Conclusion

We are going to have a great gathering that includes everyone. This event is called the harvest of saints, where Jesus Christ is the Host. He will welcome everyone with excitement and with the statement “Welcome, you faithful servant.”

Hmm!

Would you like to be part of this joyous gathering? You can certainly attend, but you must offer your harvest offering to the Lord Jesus Christ, which is your salvation.

Giving your life to Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior is the most valuable offering you can make to God.

Finally, Psalm 50:23 says, “Those who sacrifice thank offerings honor me and to the blameless, I will show my salvation.” (NIV)

By submitting your life to God with a grateful heart, you will receive a wonderful gift from God. The gift of salvation He prepares for you is eternal life, I encourage you not to miss this opportunity.

Note: If you are ready to give your life to Jesus Christ and you want to be discipled, you can contact us through the link in the website, and we shall follow up with you. 

Remain blessed.

Let’s pray:

1). Appreciate God for His love towards you.

2). Thank God for His numerous blessings and cares for you.

3). Ask for God’s mercies over your life.

4). Pray that God would have His total way over your life.

5). Pray that God would be honored in your life. Amen.

  John Aderogba for ROPMI.

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