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OASIS OF HIS PRESENCE @ TEN!
REACHING FORTH UNTO THOSE THINGS, WHICH ARE AHEAD.
"We have a goal ahead to reach, a mark to make and a price to win, and all these can only be achieved by looking forward than by looking backward."
alleluiah! Our great family, Oasis of His Presence Int'l Church (OPIC) is ten years. When I reflected on the journey so far starting from 1999, when God handed this commission to me, all I could see was His goodness and mercy in all situations and circumstances we've been through. And right now like prophet Jeremiah in Lam 3:22-23, I can say to all our family members, associates, partners and well wishers around the globe that it is of the Lord's mercies that we have not been consumed, because His compassions fail not; they are new every morning; great is His faithfulness.
For this reason, I consider it of little value to begin to inundate you with the stories of our past achievements and successes or the stories of our past crises, failures and disappointments for I don't think this is the right time for that since all seemed to have happened as in a flash and the journey just started. We must keep our focus on the great things, which lie ahead of us and allow the spiritual compass that guides our vision to continue to navigate onto the higher grounds of the future. Our minds should consistently focus on pursuing those things for which God has called us heaven ward in Christ Jesus, which according to the word of God are the thing for which we have been apprehended of Him.
Ladies and Gentlemen, we have a goal ahead to reach, a mark to make and a price to win, and all these can only be achieved by looking forward than by looking backward. That is why St.Paul says, "Brethren, I count not my self to have apprehended; but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forth to those things, which are before or ahead of us. I press to ward the mark for the price of high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Phil. 3:13-14, (KJV). Whatever is behind is behind, like one running to secure the price in a race, we should not to stop to look behind to see those things or else our focus and attention would be diverted, the race hindered and the crown eventually lost.
Jesus summed it up in LK 9:62, And Jesus said unto him, "No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking beck, is fit for the Kingdom of God." How can a man be a misfit in his Kingdom's purpose or assignment? It is by putting hand on the plough (starting the assignment) and looking back. It has always been the ambition of the ploughman to run a straight furrow; for him to do that successfully he has to look attentively in front but if he looks back, he goes crooked.
Now since looking back is dangerous to one running to win the prize or one reaching forth to those things ahead, it is very important then for us to see some of the things that can make us vulnerable especially in a growing Church family such as ours.
- Offense: Jesus once said to His disciples that it was impossible but that offenses would come. Lk 17:1a Picking offenses here and there about what is said about you or how you are treated by fellow brethren, your leaders or even from you pastors can easily discourage you and tempt you to look back. You may have a good point-yes the bible warns us in Rm. 14:13 not to put a stumbling block or an occasion to fall in our brother's way but listen as a Kingdom minded, purpose and destiny driven Child of God, don't even allow any of that to make you look back because it's not about you it's about being worthy of the Kingdom of God for no man having put his hands on the plough and looking back is worthy of the Kingdom of God.
- Money Involved: Unfortunately, there are many in the house hold of God today who behave as if they wouldn't have made the decision to follow Jesus in the first place, if they had known that following and working for Him would cost them financially that much. They don't expect that their financial involvement in doing the work of God and spreading the gospel should exceed some set limit and if it does, they get offended and begin to re-consider their decision. The rich young ruler in LK 18:18-24 got offended, and went away from Jesus very sorrowful when he found out that to have eternal life and no enter into the Kingdom of God, to lay a treasure in heaven and to come and follow Jesus would cost him more than he budgeted. Though our salvation is free but for any one who knows the value of the Kingdom of God, not even money can make him/ her to lay hands on the plough and look back.
- Sacrifices demanded of your time, comfort or conveniences
For sure there is a time for everything, time to work and time to rest but at the same time, comfort and convenience can be demanded to be sacrificed by you in other to be instant in season and out of season, when it is convenience and when it is not according 2Tim 4:2, and in order to sow in the morning and withhold not your hand in the evening. However all this can become a horrible experience to some who might think they are giving up much and might begin to look back. We should understand that in this world, all the time we have are in the hand of God and so if He gives you the chance to use them for Him, it is should be seen as an honor
- Delayed Promises or deferred hopes: The bible says in Prov. 13:12 that hope deferred makes the heart sick. This is a real fact of life. All of us want it now or never. In the beginning of the journey or race, the promises of God look so romantic and attractive but along the way when some of them that we needed most urgently delay to fulfill, we faint and begin to develop a sickness called cold heart or discouragement and if care is not taken we might begin to look back but remember "No man having laid his hands on the plough and looking back is worthy of the Kingdom of God.
- Love of this Present world: In 2Tim 4:10a Apostle Paul wrote "For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica. Demas was a fellow laborer with Apostle Paul, along with Mark and Luke as we see in Col.4: 14; Phm. 1:25. What suddenly went wrong then? Why did he forsake Paul and departed to Thessalonica?
Paul said precisely that it was because he loved this present world, which could mean that he loved the ease of this world, his own safety and profit. Instead of risking his own life with that of the Apostle Paul in a dangerous mission field, he abandoned him and fled for his own safety, comfort and temporal gain. At such a time of global economic down turn, the temptation to abandon the work of God for the pursuit of our own financial safety may be there and so on but remember that no man having put his hands on the plough and looking back is worthy of the Kingdom of God.
- Doubt and loss of focus on Jesus in the time of trial or danger: In Matt 15:28-31 When Peter stepped out of the ship and stepped on the sea with all his focus and attention on Jesus, he walked upon the water like one walking down a free way but when he removed his focus from Jesus and looked at the boisterous wind, he was afraid and started sinking. A man who laid hand on the plough in the Kingdom field is like a man sailing across the sea. Sometimes he should expect trouble on the sea in the form of boisterous wind and wave; things that could make him afraid might appear but he should remember the very words of Jesus ¡°Be of good cheer, it is I be not afraid.
What happens to those who look back?
- Death e.g. lots wife who became a Pillar of salt in Gen.19: 26
- Destruction - We are not of those who look back and are destroyed Heb 10:38-39
- What then should we do to reach forth unto those things, which are ahead of us?
- PRESS TOWARD THE MARK
for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
To press towards the mark is to pursue along the white line that marked the ground in the stadium from the starting point to the finish line or goal post. It is to eagerly run with all our eyes fixed at the end rope. I speak on behalf of the entire OPIC family that we have made up our mind to go forward. Somebody shout "Halleluiah"!
If Jesus tarries, and God continues give us life, the next decade will see us broadcasting the good news on national and international satellite TV net work. If Jesus tarries, this decade will see us in a multi-thousand-sitter head quarter's sanctuary. If Jesus tarries, this decade will see our ministerial footprints in many cities, countries and continents of the world winning souls for Jesus and ministering to the needs of the poor and oppressed.
If Jesus tarries, this decade will see us manifesting a high level of spiritual excellence and awareness, living in holiness and righteousness as mature sons and daughters of the Kingdom of God who know their Kingdom rights, obligations and responsibilities. If Jesus tarries this decade will us increasing, and multiplying and dominating in every sphere of life where we are called. If Jesus tarries, this decade will usher in the greatest harvest of Kingdom millionaires in the Oasis of His Presence family who will lay their containers of oil on the alter of the LORD JESUS CHRIST for the lubrication of the end time gospel machinery, in Jesus name!
May God help us in Jesus name - Amen
Rev Basil & Eby Ukaere
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