Hello Dear Ones!
In June we studied
the word spot. And Apostle Peter urged us to look to the coming of our Lord and
to be found of Him without spot, and blameless.
(2Pet. 3:14. He finishes that
chapter by warning us not to be led away in deception and then saying this:
2Pet. 3:18 But grow in grace, and in the
knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now
and forever. Amen.
The word grow means this:
1) to cause to grow, augment 2) to increase, become greater//
AUGMENT', v.t. [L. augmento, augmentum,
from augeo, auxi, to increase; Gr. It seems to be the Eng. to wax, or to eke.]
1. To increase; to enlarge in size or extent; to swell; to make bigger; as, to
augment an army, by reinforcement; rain augments a stream. 2. To increase or
swell the degree, amount or magnitude; as, impatience augments an evil.
AUGMENT', v.i. To increase; to grow
larger; as, a stream augments by rain.
AUG'MENT, n. 1. Increase; enlargement by addition; state
of increase.
The word Grace may prove a
little more tricky, because of how we
have always been taught. We have been
told it is unmerited favor. But Jesus
grew in Grace, and certainly that wouldn’t have been unmerited! And we are in Him. So what is Grace? Thayer describes it as thus: 1a) that which affords joy, pleasure,
delight, sweetness, charm, loveliness: grace of speech. 2) good will, loving-kindness, favour 2a) of the merciful kindness by which God,
exerting his holy influence upon souls, turns them to Christ, keeps,
strengthens, increases them in Christian faith, knowledge, affection, and
kindles them to the exercise of the Christian virtues 3) what is due to grace 3a) the spiritual condition of one governed
by the power of divine grace
Grace
is God’s ability working in and through us, kindling, igniting or urging us to
exercise Christian virtues; Love, Joy, Peace, long-suffering ( patience)
gentleness, goodness (kindness,) faith, meekness, and temperance
(self-control.) The fruit of the Spirit that Paul tells us that we possess, but
must learn to walk in. Peter also tells
us to give diligence and to add to our faith; virtue, knowledge, temperance,
patience, godliness, brotherly kindness, and charity (love.) Apostle Bobbie Jean Merck gave this
definition of Grace: “Grace is God’s
Ability, God’s Efficiency, God’s Proficiency, God’s Power, God’s Sufficiency,
God’s Strength, and God’s Help In, Upon, With and Through us!” Grow in Grace- grow in good will,
loving-kindness and favour. Increase,
extend, and reinforce Grace and it’s characteristics in your life and towards
others. What we sow, we will also
reap. Is our first words, “I can’t do
________” or is it, “By God’s Grace I CAN do all things through Christ who
strengthens me.” How does He strengthen
us? By giving us His Grace!
Heb 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne
of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
He sits upon a
throne of Grace and we are told to come boldly!
Thayers: Boldly:
free and fearless confidence, cheerful courage, boldness, assurance.
We are to GROW in
this fearless confidence and assurance.
We are to GROW in the attributes of Grace by exercising them and by
giving of those things freely to others as the occasions arise. So to do that, we must believe that we have
received and SAY of the Lord, “He has bestowed me with His Grace and I am
walking in Grace and Growing in Grace daily!”
Amen!
And surely, He
graced me for the trip to South Africa, an 18 hr. trip! I am rejoicing for the lives that were
touched and impacted. We ordained and
set into office a Prophet and an Apostle, while I was there. Plus, all who attended were encouraged and
lifted.
I am also in the
planning stages to return to Nigeria!
YES! I have been asked to speak
at a church in Ben We (pronounced Ben WAY) state that seats 6000! Also several churches in Abuja are clamoring
for me to come and Idah eagerly awaits my return to their village. Plus, I have promised to go to Uyo in Akwo
Bom State (in the south) to visit Pastor Ibanga’s church and strengthen and
encourage him. He is steadily recovering from a stroke. Traveling there is
labeled as dangerous, so please do pray for me!
There are also a couple of churches in Port Harcourt, one of which is a
branch of Joshua’s ministry. This is also dangerous territory. Basically, I need to slip in, do what God
wants and get back out rather quickly.
I’ll be arranging all this with my Personal Assistant; Prophet Joshua
Izugbara who is one of my spiritual sons and will act as liaison with each
pastor and church to facilitate my itinerary and safety. Tommy is planning some little surprise for my
birthday, Oct. 18th, so I won’t be going until October 28th- Nov. 21th, as God provides
the finances for the trip. (pray for favor at work to let me off!) So far I have $300 towards the air fare! The cheapest fare I have found is United for
$839. Please pray for the remainder to come in along with in country travel
expenses and hotel fares.( $1000)
Ben
has been in Congo preaching. There is
war in Congo right now. He flew into
Rwanda and they DROVE to where he would be ministering. But he did manage to
email Tom birthday greetings for his birthday Aug.23rd. Upon returning, he wrote: Congo was fantastic, I did
officiate the occasions of over 184 pastors and leaders graduated and I gave
them the certificates.” He also previously spent a week preaching in
south western Uganda and checking on 3 branch churches in that area. His boys are getting so big. Gabby turned 10 Aug 30th and
Honour was 7 on Aug 15th!
Anointed is 8 going on 9. Gods Army- Victorious is 5, and Generous turns
3 on Sept. 26th. Honour and Anointed are going to a children’s
crusade at Pastor Asaph’s church ( a JCC Branch.) Honour will sing in the kids
choir and Anointed has some of ‘his own music” to perform and will also PREACH!
My grandbabies are ministering!!!
I was
asked again to preach by phone to Calvary Church Household of Eagles, Sept1st
for their miracle service. What a
privilege. The line connection was not
good and I could not get through. I have
a pastor friend looking into a satellite set up between Idah and me so no more
phone-line issues. Needed is approx.
$1000.00 to buy the equipment and get set up, and then monthly fee of some
amount…
But
Tuesday the 3rd, I called to take part in Pastor Ocheje’s week-long
“War Against unseen Enemy-Who Is Doing this to Me?” I felt led to teach on the unseen enemy of
‘ignorance”. I told them that we must
KNOW God, His Word, His Character and Ways.
My first scriptures were: “Pro 29:18(AMP)
Where there is no vision [no redemptive revelation of God], the
people perish; but he who keeps the law [of God, which includes that of man]--blessed
(happy, fortunate, and enviable) is he. [1 Samuel 3:1; Amos 8:11, 12] Job
28:20,28 Whence then cometh wisdom? and where is the place
of understanding? And unto man He said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is
wisdom; and to depart from evil is
understanding.
After I had prayed for God to touch their
hearts and make them fertile soil, and to use me, I barely got 6 scriptures
read and the Spirit of Conviction fell upon the people! They began to weep and
cry out in repentance, and miracles began to break out all over! The people ran out of the church and into the
village shouting! God Sovereignly moved! We praise God for His mighty hand of
mercy and kindness, for who He is,
and of course for all that He does for us and through us. What a mighty God we serve! He is rich in
mercy and grace, Just and True, Righteous in all His ways. How blessed we are to know Him and have a
real and personal, intimate relationship with the King of Kings and Lord of
Lords! We must not keep silent. As the old song says, “Everybody oughta know
who Jesus is!”
Thank you
for partnering with us as we tell the world of how Great and Loving He is! God bless you, and keep you, and make His
face to shine upon you. God shower you
with His Grace. In Jesus Name. Amen!
Love,
Nancy, Tom and the Board of Directors
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