THE Redeemed Christian Church of God, Opens Convention With Ordination Of 8,622 Deacons

A growing church should be one that continues steadfastly in fellowship, study and prayer. Each believer amongst them should grow and become strong in the Lord. The church that will grow must be a studying church, a sharing church and a praying church with manifestations of signs, wonders and miracles, just like the early church.’—Pastor Enoch Adeboye.

THE Redeemed Christian Church of God, reputed to be the fastest growing church in the world, will this morning ordain a total of 8,622 deacons and deaconesses to flag off the 62nd annual convention of the church which started in 1952 as a daily prayer group under the leadership of Rev. Josiah Akindayomi (1909–1980) after he had been involved in several other churches. He was a member of the Cherubim and Seraphim Church.

Thirteen men, including the then Brother Josiah Akindayomi (founder), Brother J.A. Fakunmoju, Brother Makun (the first ordained pastor in the church). Brother J.A. Adekoya, Brother S.K. Padonu and Brother S.A. Olonode, Brother Fadiora, Brother Ilenusi, Brother Okuwobi and Brother Fetuga started the group. The other three brothers were Brother Adefeso, Brother G. A Adefunwa and Brother Matiluko.

The 13 brothers continued to worship at 9, Willoughby Street, Ebute Meta, Lagos having been excommunicated from the Cherubim and Seraphim Church. In the course of their fellowshipping they needed to have their own identity.

Thus, the group was first called the Apostolic Faith of South Africa. Though it had no link with South Africa, it was documented in a booklet published by the church to mark its 50th anniversary that the first name given to the church was a “classic example of the innocence of Rev. Akindayomi…Sometime later, after learning that Nigeria is not in Southern Africa, he changed the name of the group to the Apostolic Faith Mission of West Africa.”

But all those names soon gave way to the current Redeemed Christian Church of God after a divine encounter the founder had with God. He was said to have been woken up in a trance and given its current name though he was not a lettered person. Bro. Olanode one of his lieutenants who was educated was said to have interpreted what the founder copied from the vision as REDEEMED CHRISTIAN CHURCH OF GOD.

In the early 1970s, Akindayomi started to look for an educated successor who was not at that time a member of the church. He chose Enoch Adeboye, a lecturer in Mathematics Department at the University of Lagos, who joined the church in 1973. Adeboye initially became one of the interpreters translating Akindayomi’s sermons from Yoruba to English. He was ordained a pastor of the church in 1975, and his appointment as leader of the church was formalized by the posthumous reading of Akindayomi’s sealed pronouncement.

Andrew Rice, writing in ‘The New York Times’, described the RCCG as “one of (Africa’s) most vigorously expansionary religious movements, a homegrown Pentecostal denomination that is crusading to become a global faith”.

Global faith

According to Daniel Ajayi-Adeniran, a pastor of the church, “In every household there will be, at least, one member of Redeemed Christian Church of God in the whole world.”

From that humble beginning, the church has grown by leaps and bounds to have branches in over 180 nations of the world including parishes in Qatar, Kuwait, Lebanon and in nearly all seven emirates of the United Arab Emirates. According to figures released last year, the church now has 18 regions in Nigeria with varying number of provinces spread across the country.

This morning, the leadership will ordain deacons and deaconesses after an unusually expanded screening process to weed out undeserving persons. Ordination is the process by which individuals after a period of training, are identified for consecration, that is, set apart as clergy to perform various religious rites and ceremonies. The process and ceremonies of ordination vary by religion and denomination.

To avoid undesirable elements from infiltrating the ranks of the ordainees, Pastor Adeboye made the process more transparent by the publication of the screened candidates, urging members’ involvement, declaring: “we have posted the names of members who have been screened for ordination, so that whoever has any reason why they should not be ordained should write a letter to us on why such a person should not be ordained, we will then investigate and if the findings are true such a minister would not be ordained.”

Last year, General Overseer of RCCG, Pastor Enoch Adeboye presided over a similar ceremony where 8,850 men and women were ordained as deacons and deaconesses to assist the leadership of the church in the smooth running of the ever-growing church.

The ceremony is scheduled for 8.30 a.m. The only other event for the day, House Fellowship Leaders & Workers meeting is billed for 8.30 p.m. and it will be followed by Council meeting.

Source: Vanguard

Prayer For The New Week

God is your shepherd. He will promote, protect and provide for you. In times of trouble, He will defend you and preserve all that is yours in Jesus name.
God's strength is made perfect in your weakness. He will empower you with the capacity to become all that He destined you to be. You will not fall. You will not fail, in Jesus name, Go and prosper this week (:

Happy new week from Adenike Salako Blog's World.

UPROOT THAT BITTERNESS

Looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled. Hebrews 12:15

Think of bitterness as a poison - a concoction that we create for someone else but then end up drinking ourselves.

Our verse for today describes bitterness as a "root." Think about that. Where do you find roots? They grow underground, sitting beneath the surface and drawing nutrients from the ground around them.

Whenever you see a plant, flower, or tree, you can be sure that just below the peaceful and beautiful appearance is a twisted and gnarled root system sucking life from the soil and pushing it up through the plant's foundation.

Without the root, the vegetation would collapse and die. Can you see how this image parallels your spiritual life?

Perhaps you have a root of bitterness that is sitting just under the surface, practically invisible to anyone who walks by.

Does the fact that the bitter root is barely noticeable mean that it is harmless?

Absolutely not! Instead, you can be sure that the root is doing its job — sucking the life from you and using that to nourish weeds of hatred, impatience, or discontent.

A root of bitterness will never produce healthy fruit. When the seed, the soil, and the root are poor, it is senseless to expect anything other than bad fruit and a tangle of weeds.

How do we deal with bitterness? Simple - starve the roots of its nutrients. All it takes to kill a weed is to unearth and dispose of the root.

Pull the source of your resentment out of its hiding place. Bring it into the light; then, allow the Holy Spirit to heal your heart.

Prayer: Heal my heart O Lord, and take away all bitterness from me.

Scriptural Reading: Hebrews 12:12-17

Consecration Unto God Alone

TEXT: LEVITICUS 19:23-37

Key verse: “Therefore shall ye observe all my statutes, and all my judgments, and do them: I am the LORD” (Leviticus 19:37).

George Foreman, at 45, was the oldest man in the world to win the heavyweight boxing champion. In his book, God in My Corner, he recounted how he achieved the feat. When he staged a comeback, nearly ten years out of boxing, he felt he needed to get rid of some excess fat, as he had ballooned from 220 to 315 pounds, which was not good enough for him.

Sequel to this, he engaged himself in fat-shedding exercises. He started with the basics –running every day. At first, he could not make up to a mile. Intermittently, he would stop to catch his breath, huffing and puffing. Apart from himself and his wife, no one else believed he could recapture the title, which he had won before. But with time, especially in the eight month, after a continuous exercise, he was able to shed much fat and finally got down to his fighting weight – 229 pounds. The rest was a testimony.

Just as Foreman controlled himself, our text revealed the restriction, which God placed before the Israelites. For the first three years, they should not eat the fruits of their farm and on the fourth year, when the fruit had become holy, they should offer it to praise Him. Then, from the fifth year, they should start eating the fruits. For the greedy ones among them, this might prove an uphill task. They might start eating the fruit from the first year, thus disregarding God’s instruction, which, unfortunately, might attract God’s wrath upon their lives.

Sometimes, God can give such a holdup directive concerning His will and it may be to teach us self-control or how to be patient. Unfortunately, some impatient and disobedient believers may not appreciate this waiting period.

Our text equally stressed God’s warning against all forms of ungodly practices, particularly magic, charm, horoscopy, shaving because of the dead and tattoo, among others. If you are involved or giving approval to these evil practices, you had better repent.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: With complete consecration comes perfect peace.

You Have to See the Beauty Refreshers Hiding In Your Fridge

If you need to freshen up your beauty routine, the answer may be waiting right in your kitchen. Many of the contents of our refrigerators are promising starts to a whole new skin care regime. Before you make your next fruit salad, take note of these skin refreshers!

Aloe vera
Aloe vera has long been used as a natural anti-inflammatory and to effectively reduce pain and peeling of sunburned skin. If you have aloe juice, add to a spray bottle and refresh you skin, says Rianna Loving, esthetician, natural skincare expert and founder of Orgo Beauty. Or add a piece of the plant to a bottle with filtered water and create you own infusion in a spray bottle.

Papaya
Papaya’s enzymes act as an exfoliant, by removing dead skin cells and breaking down inactive proteins, says Dr. Jennifer Lee, M.D., of REN Dermatology in Franklin, Tennessee. Papaya can also help even out skin discoloration. Use a mashed papaya as a mild peel. Hint: For an even more effective exfoliant, activate the enzymes with steam.

Pomegranate
Pomegranate are helpful for oily skin and acne, while the seeds are great exfoliators when ground up and put in masques and scrubs. One pomegranate can supply 40 percent of our daily requirement of vitamin C. “Pomegranates contain acids that are great for preventing the breakdown of collagen fibers, while pomegranate seed oil speeds skin cell turnover and strengthens the skin,” says skin care expert Celeste Hilling of Skin Authority.

Bananas
Bananas contain vitamins A, B, C, and E, and also have minerals like potassium, zinc, iron, and manganese, making them a natural moisturizer for your skin. The vitamin C in bananas also contributes to a healthy and youthful glow of the skin, says Dr. Lee. Mix mashed-up bananas with honey and/or yogurt to make a mask that is perfect for post-sun skin care, or a tired and dull complexion.

Avocados
Avocados contain the good kind of fat, as well as more than 25 vital nutrients. Vitamins, such as the vitamin A found in avocados, cleanse the skin of dead skin cells and help protect against harmful environmental factors, Dr. Lee says. They also contain antioxidants that reduce toxins and help reduce the appearance of wrinkles. For softer, younger-looking, more hydrated skin, try making a mask by mashing up avocado with honey and lemon.

Pumpkin
Pumpkin is rich in vitamins A and C, as well as in zinc, which helps to exfoliate and soften your skin. The enzymes in the pulp can be used as a light peel.

Blueberries
Blueberries have high levels of vitamins C, B, A and E and are a superfood with the antioxidant anthocyanin, which help neutralize free radicals. With this powerful combination, blueberries are beneficial anti-aging ingredient for skin, says Loving. Add sliced berries to water or aloe juice and create a refresher spray or add to yogurt to create a calming mask.

Cucumbers
Naturally hydrating and moisturizing to the skin, making them a great home remedy for sunburn by cooling and reducing the itching and inflammation. Cucumbers are also powerful antioxidants that help build collagen and elastin, and protect skin cells from the damaging effects of the sun, says Loving. You can also create a hydrating mask by applying refrigerated, thinly sliced cucumbers to the entire face and eyes. Leave on for 10-15 minutes after the moisture is absorbed into the face.

Coffee
Caffeine is great for reducing cellulite and improving circulation, plus reducing swelling, says Loving. Add ground coffee as an eye treatment by creating a paste and apply it under eyes for three minutes and rinsing off. Or you can combine with sugar and coconut oil or olive oil to make an exfoliating body scrub. Apply this in your shower and rinse off.

Corn Starch or Baking Soda
Both of these items absorb oil and odor and can be used as a dry shampoo to refresh hair by sprinkling a tiny amount close to you scalp, turning head over, and fluffing the powder out.

Kefir yogurt
Probiotics are currently being studied for their affects on acne. The lactic acid also acts as a mild exfoliating agent and is calming to the skin. Add a squeeze of lemon for extra exfoliation similar to a mild peel, says Allison Santhouse of Manhattan Center for Dermatology.

Green tea
Brew fresh green tea leaves, soak washcloths in the brewed tea and place in the freezer for 20 minutes. Green tea has anti inflammatory affects and anti-aging affects to combat photo aging, says Santhouse.

Honey and egg whites
Mix sea salt, raw honey and egg whites for a soothing body scrub.

Source: yahoo.com

Be careful what you think ...

Be careful what you think ...
Your thoughts Become your words, Your words Become your actions
Your actions Become your habits, Your habits Become your character
Your character is everything

Be careful what you think, for your thoughts Become your words.
Be careful what you say, because your words Become your actions.
Be careful what you do, for your actions Become your habits.
Be careful what Becomes habitual, for your habits Become your destiny.

Be careful what you think, for your thoughts Become your words.
Be careful what you say, because your words Become your actions.
Be careful what you do, for your actions Become your character.
And character is everything.

By ... Tao Lse

You will make it and prosper in this new month of August

 You will make it and prosper in this new month of August.
The blessing of the Lord will fill your life and cause you to OVERFLOW YOUR BOUNDARIES. 
The Lord will RESTORE what the wild locusts have eaten, what was lost will be found.

Happy new month From Adenike Salako Blog's World.