Adonai magazine february 2014

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KINGDOM TRUTH

Pastor Abraham Obadare Pastor Abraham Obadare is a minister at Christ Apostolic Church WOSEM, New York City •Our TV programs show: Queens: QPTV 34 on Wednesdays at 10:30pm & Fridays at 5:30pm, Brooklyn: BCAT 56 at 12am on Sunday Long Island: CABLEVISION 20 on Saturday 7:30am Tel: 718 658 8981

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Provision in famine (Goshen in Egypt)

he dictionary.reference.com defines famine as “extreme and general scarcity of food, as in a country or a large geographical area.”

Famine is not good: During famine, people run out of food, money and possessions (including their lands), so they become enslaved for survival – trade in whatever they have for food, clothing and other needs (Gen. 47:13-26).

The bible helps us to know that there was a period of famine in the land of Egypt and its environment for some years. However, we see in the same story and several others that God provided for His own people during this period of famine.

You must come nearer to Christ so that He can settle you in a realm of His peace and blessings.

The way He did this was to relocate his own people to a place called GOSHEN. So Goshen was the place (district) where the Hebrews lived when they came to Egypt.

Goshen represents: 1. The best of the land – Gen. 47:6,11. God has reserved the best for His own people. If you think you can never come out of the problems you are currently in, think again. As long as you are on the Lord’s side, He has the best for you and He will bring you there. God will give us the best this year in Jesus name. You deserve to live in the best neighborhood and enjoy the best of all things.

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2. A place where forgiven people live – Gen. 45:5-9. Joseph can be likened to Jesus Christ our Savior who was once despised by his own people but found it in His mercies to forgive us and bring us unto Himself – to make us royal priests, peculiar people and holy nations. Once you claim forgiveness by the blood of Jesus, you are destined for Goshen.

3. A place of nearness to our provider (so that He can provide for us, nourish and protect us). For joseph’s family, to be in Goshen (a place near to him) was to be in a place of provision and protection. For us, the nearer we are to God, the more our chance of enjoying His provision, nourishment and protection - Gen 45:10-11. People of God, make up your mind to draw near to God from this year on. The book of James 4:8 says, “Come near to God and he will come near to you.

Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.” He wants to provide for you, nourish you and protect you from unemployment, sickness, disease, failure, trauma, etc.

4. A place of immunity from lack, hunger and suffering (Gen. 47:27) – “Meanwhile, the people of Israel settled in the region of Goshen in Egypt.

There they acquired property, and they were fruitful, and their population grew rapidly.” NLT 5. A place of distinction and immunity from plagues (Exodus 8:22) - “But on that day I will deal differently with the land of Goshen, where my people live; no swarms of flies will be there, so that you will know that I, the LORD, am in this land.” Exo. 9:6

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the VOICE OF TRUTH

ABOUT FRONT COVER PHOTO

The name Adonai is translated Lord in the Bible.

Adon means, “steward administrator, master, or Lord.” The addition of ai to adon intensifies or elevates its meaning, changing it to mean “the ultimate Lord, the Supreme Lord, or Lord of all.”

Adonai Bible Challenge vision of Adonai Magazine goes beyond deThe Study to shew thyself approved unto God... nominational, traditional, N E Tethnic W O R Kand cultural barriers that are sometimes imposed and have interfered with the Lord’s vision for an international kingdom building.

mWFfold Empowering through networking and information

COLUMNISTS

Henry Ayensu Franklin Kwaku Kyei Pas. Abraham Obadare

Columnist

Joyce Meyer

Columnist

Dr. Ralph F. Wilson

Columnist

Jimmy Evans

Columnist

Dr. William D. Watley

Columnist

Dr. Kelafo Collie M.D.

Columnist

Elsie Osae-Kwapong

SPIRITUAL PHOTOSYNTHESIS

We live in a universe of spiritual and natural laws governed by a system of order. Spiritual law represents the fundamental patterns and habits of nature that God has set in motion to govern the universe. To every spiritual law, there is a natural expression; and to every natural law, there is a spiritual counterpart. They are parallel to each other and as human beings, we live in the parallel worlds of both. Our Lord Jesus Christ spoke many parables to illustrate spiritual laws of the kingdom by employing physical attributes and natural elements to explain how the kingdom of God works in the hearts of men.

In one of those parables, He likened the Word of God to a seed, and the hearts of men to the ground or soil where the seed is planted. Jesus used this parable to explain spiritual photosynthesis, which has a natural expression whereby planted seeds use water and energy from sunlight to manufacture their food. Photosynthesis is very important to the survival of all living organisms. It is the process by which plants utilize the water and nutrients in a good fertile ground, together with the energy from the sun, to manufacture its food.

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Editor-In-Chief Columnist

Dr. Myles E. Munroe

Rev. Nick Anane-Agyei

REV. JERRY KOFI TUTU

Publisher

Cre8ive House

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EDITORIAL

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Franklin Kwaku Kyei Editor of the Adonai Magazine Send your letters and suggestions to the editor at info@adonaimag.tv or call: 347 449 5892 visit www.adonaimag.tv for more articles

Spiritual Excesses (Part One)

ome believers in the Church of Jesus Christ have developed a penchant for spiritual complexities and excesses in a manner that tends to destabilize and subvert the essence of the New Covenant and the functions of the Cross, the Blood of Jesus, and the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit. These tendencies explain the erroneous contemporary obsession with certain rituals and items believed to possess power to grant divine favor, and effect changes in our lives. These ritualistic behaviors have turned certain practices, manifestations, workings, and directives of the Holy Spirit, which in God’s omniscient wisdom are more of exceptions than the norm, as exemplified in scripture, into regular superfluous rituals.

People are spending less and less time in personal prayer and bible study, and as such lack spiritual authority...

Some preachers have also abandoned the simplicity of the gospel for complexities in doctrinal issues.

Some have even chosen to abandon the spirit and letter of Paul’s letters to the Galatians and Colossians. They selectively and unashamedly revive and preach some of the “shadow-doctrines” of the Old Covenant to fleece the pew; subverting the cause of the Covenant of Grace and diluting the redemptive work of Christ on the cross. At the receiving end of this spiritual and doctrinal craftiness, is the gullible pew, who are most of the time whipped into submission by coercion and promises of instant prosperity and their own delusions of instant grandeur; promises, which ironically have been benefitting such pulpits but not their pews.

These spiritual excesses and anomalies have been obsessively adopted by some, without any sense of 6

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caution or recourse to the spiritual consequences of the exaggerations and abuses thereof. The ignorant in the church, also seem to be falling for it by the thousands if not millions; because to most, anything that comes in the name of the Lord and produces results is from the Lord. These practices and services thereof have become the one-stop shopping center and go-to place for lazy, ignorant brethren, who don’t want to make any serious personal investment in prayer and meditative bible study to experience the hand of God in their lives; choosing rather to outsource what scripture demands of the believer to get-rich-quick formulas. Is it any wonder that some people are having a field day selling all manner of objects under the claim that they possess some inexhaustible power to heal, save marriages, change business fortunes, and drive away evil spirits?

It is a fact that Jesus used spittle and clay to heal a blind man; but He never turned it into a regular practice or doctrine. There were several other methods He used to minister to the afflicted and needy, but he was careful not to fetishize any of them that existed outside scriptural norms, like we are seeing today. Jesus acted the way He did to let us know that certain practices are best left to the leadings of the Holy Spirit and His reaction to situational dictates as exemplified in Acts 19:11; where God worked “Special Miracles” through Apostle Paul. If that became a regular practice in Paul’s ministry, why did he not use it on Epaphroditus, Trophimus, Timothy, and the father of Publius when they fell sick (- Philippians 2:25-27; 1Timothy 5:23; 2Timothy 4:20; Acts 28:8)? Do these cases not suggest without any ambiguity that such was not the normal practice in Paul’s life; but rather that he did them as the Holy Spirit led him? Imagine what would have happened if this had taken place in any of the “egocentric” charismatic churches of our times.

to be continued

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KINGDOM QUOTES

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Dr. Myles Munroe For Books or Teachings by Dr. Myles Munroe on CD, audio or video tapes, call or visit us at: Bahamas Faith Ministries International.

The Diplomat Center, Carmichael Road. P. O. Box N-9583, Nassau, Bahamas Tel: (242) 341 – 6444. Fax: (242) 361 2260

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“The Return of the King”

e must return to the original governing concept of God the Creator, which is the kingdom concept. For many people, in their limited understanding, a kingdom is simply a dictatorship in the hands of a family. If this is true, then the message of Jesus Christ 2,000 years ago was the promotion and establishment of a dictatorship with Himself as the dictator.

He called Himself a “King” and said He came to bring back to earth a “Kingdom.” According to this message, which was the only one He preached, the ultimate key to successful human earthly gov-

The world needs a benevolent King. We have that King; we just don’t recognize Him. ernment is the restoration of a King and a Kingdom on earth, albeit a righteous, benevolent and good King. There is only One who can fit that role. It is the One who created us and designed each one of us with a unique purpose. We must bring back the King—the King who cares for His citizens. His rule is a righteous rule.

It is this ideal, original kingdom that the heart of all humanity seeks. All of mankind throughout history, and still today, is searching desperately to find that perfect kingdom. Man has tried every imaginable way to create a flawless government.

What he has failed to understand is that the original Kingdom, established by the King, is what he has been searching for all along. The kingdoms 8

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of this world must accept the Kingdom of the Lord and of His Christ. The original and ideal King and Kingdom are superior to all other forms of government.

Even within the Church we argue over government, not knowing that there is only one government. We must come to understand the superiority of a kingdom over all other forms of government.

The world needs a benevolent King. We have that King; we just don’t recognize Him. One qualification of a legitimate king is ownership of land, which automatically makes him a lord. God, who has revealed Himself in Jesus Christ, is the ultimate Lord and owner of all things. Who makes God to be King and Lord? Nobody! He is King and Lord by right of creation. Creative rights give Him incontestable ownership rights to earth and the universe. He created all things and that automatically makes Him Lord of all.

We don’t give God the earth. He doesn’t need us to make Him King. We can only acknowledge Him as King. His original purpose was to extend His invisible Kingdom of Heaven to earth through His offspring in His image—mankind—and to rule through man as a heavenly agency. In essence, with God’s Kingdom on earth, through all mankind, we would be rulers under the Ruler.

Once we are under the rule of this gracious, benevolent, loving, caring King, He takes personal responsibility for us as family and royal children.

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ENJOYING EVERYDAY LIFE

Joyce Meyer For more on this topic, order Joyce’s four-CD series God Is Not Mad at You. You can also contact us to receive our free magazine, Enjoying Everyday Life, by calling (800) 727-9673 or visiting www.joycemeyer.org.

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It’s All About Love

he most important thing we can do as Christians is love God and love people. But before we can love anyone, we have to receive God’s love. Because you can’t give away something you don’t have.

So, do you really know that God loves you? It’s one thing to understand that God is love and He loves you, but it’s another to know and experience His love personally. What we believe begins as a thought, and as Proverbs 23:7 says, “As [a man] thinks in his heart, so is he” (AMP). I like to say it

The most important thing to God is that we love each other unconditionally

this way: Where the mind goes, the man follows.

If you need to get a deeper revelation of God’s love for you, a good place to start is to meditate on this truth based on God’s Word: “God loves me unconditionally!”

The Truth About God’s Love Many years ago when I was preparing to teach my first public message, I felt like God was speaking to my heart to tell people He loves them. At first, I wasn’t excited about this because it seemed too simple, so I told God, “They already know that.

And I don’t want to just teach a little Sunday school lesson.” But God showed me that many people don’t really know how much He loves them, because if they did, they would act a lot differently than they do.

God’s love is amazing! First John 4:16 says God is love. And verse 18 says, “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear...” (NKJV).

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God’s love can remove fear from your life. It’s a medicine that can heal every wound in your soul: a broken heart, the pain of rejection or abandonment or any other hurt you’ve experienced.

Romans 8:37 (NKJV) says “we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.” When you really know the love of God, you don’t have to be afraid of making a mistake; you can step out boldly in faith to do whatever He’s calling you to do. You know who you are in Christ and have confidence that you can do whatever you need to do in life through Him. God loves you on purpose. He didn’t get stuck with you—He chose you! Ephesians 1:4 says that “[in His love] He chose us [actually picked us out for Himself as His own] in Christ before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy (consecrated and set apart for Him) and blameless in His sight, even above reproach, before Him in love” (AMP).

When you know God loves you, you feel valuable, accepted and that you have a purpose. You know your sins are forgiven and you are free from guilt and condemnation. And no matter what you’ve done, you can have a new beginning in Christ.

I want to encourage you to be determined to know and receive God’s love for you. Study scriptures about God’s love and make them personal confessions you can declare over your life. Look at yourself in the mirror and say out loud, “God loves me! He chose me, actually picked me out for Himself to have a personal relationship with Him. I am more than a conqueror in Christ because He loves me, and His perfect love casts fear out of my life.”

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REV. JERRY KOFI TUTU

SPIRITUAL PHOTOSYNTHESIS contd. from page 5

Without it, there would be no life on planet earth.

Likewise, spiritual photosynthesis is also very important to the growth or manifestation of the incorruptible seed of the Word of God in a believer’s life.

In order for photosynthesis to take place, there needs to be certain prevailing conditions namely: a good fertile ground, a seed (which will produce the plant), moisture or water, and then sunlight.

These are the building blocks of physical life on earth. Jesus used this same principle in the parable of the sower to illustrate the spiritual photosynthesis, which the incorruptible Word of God needs to manifest. In order for the Word of God to manifest in your life there need to be certain conditions in your life before the Word would prosper. Jesus likened the ground to the hearts of men, because it is the spiritual womb, matrix, or garden out of which proceeds all the issues of life. Then He compared the water in the soil to the meditations of the heart, which determines the level of harvest. This explains why the good ground in the parable of the sower did not bear equal harvest, but some had thirty, some sixty, and the some, hundredfold.

In my book, Spiritual Photosynthesis, I do an indepth exposition of three parables Jesus spoke in one context in Mark chapter 4 namely: the parables of the sower, of the growing seed, and of the

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mustard seed. These parables highlight some deep revelations and seven key principles, which are derived from them. Just as an acorn produces an Oak tree, and a mustard seed produces a mustard plant, so also the Word of God produces the kingdom of God in the hearts of men, when certain elements are added to it. The Word of God is the incorruptible seed that gives birth to the kingdom of God. In this book, you will learn the importance of biblical meditation and the significant role it plays in a believer’s life. Biblical meditation leads to spiritual transformation and renewal of the mind, which are very vital to the maturity of believers. You will learn about the neglected spiritual discipline of biblical meditation and the indispensable role it plays in every believer’s life. This is a must read for every believer.

Learn about the principles that even the worldly are applying with great success.

Footnote: Rev Jerry Kofi Tutu is a TV evangelist, Bible teacher and the host of Amazing Grace TV program, which is telecasted in the Tri-state area. You can get copies of this book on www.amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, and other selected bookstores.

Youtube: www.youtube.com/kofitutuministries

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Auntie Elsie

ADONAI KIDS

Email: at elsie@adonaimag.tv Tel: 347 449 5892

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Principles for Parenting

ave you considered what God wants you to do for your children? The world today offers so many alternatives to raising our children, but are they our heart desires?

Please allow me to share some Christian principles with you.

The home is the best place for learning. Principle one, emphasizes that your child needs a consistent Christian witness from you. (1 Corinthians 11:1) Training our children to walk in the ways of God is best taught through consistent examples and display of Christian behavior from their parents.

Have you considered what God wants you to do for your children?

Principle number two calls for affection and love from you. (Ephesians 6:4) Children must feel loved in the true definition of the word love. The world will offer them alternative meanings of love that are inconsistent with the God kind of love. Therefore, we have to show our children patience, kindness, accountability, discipline, and instruction through the Word of God. You are the reflection of Christ in your child's life. You must demonstrate to them the love of Christ.

The third principles demands discipline and guidance from you. (Proverbs 4:1). Discipline 18

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does not always mean physical punishment.

To discipline a child means to train them to be a disciple of their parents as their parents follow Christ. Children must first know what their parent's expectations are. Once you have explained your expectations, then you have to develop guidelines to teach them to meet those expectations, which all of them should be Biblically oriented.

With principle four, you are asked to assess yourself in the light of the following questions:

a. How will your child address you as an adult? b. How will your child maintain his/her room? c. What rules have you established as it relates to the genre of music they are allowed to listen to? d. What are your expectations for the type of friends your child will have? e. What are your clothing and attire standards? f. What are your dating guidelines? g. Have you personally taught your child how to pray, read the Bible, worship and serve the Lord?

I would encourage you to add these suggestions to your parenting skills, and with prayer we believe the Lord will reward your efforts with success.

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MARRIAGE BUILDER

Jimmy Evans

© 2010 MarriageToday. All rights reserved for more information visit www.marriagetoday.com visit www.adonaimag.tv for more articles

Making Peace with Your Parents

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y parents weren't perfect. They loved us deeply and were doing the best they could, but they didn't always make the best decisions—and there have been times in my life when I found myself repeating the mistakes they made.

I needed to make peace with their faults and shortcomings, and I had to use that knowledge to keep myself from failing in the same way they failed.

That's a significant challenge because people have a hard time admitting their parents weren't perfect.

"I really can't blame my mom," someone will say in a counseling session. "She was a wonderful mother. It's really all my fault."

When we refuse to forgive, that past offense becomes an invisible cord connecting us to the person who did us wrong.

Rarely is that statement true, because our parents influence us more than anyone else.

When there are things your family did right, remember those things and brag about them to your friends. But don't be afraid to acknowledge where your parents messed up—then forgive your parents for being human.

Forgive them for the ways they hurt you.

Forgive them for the times you felt ignored, slighted, or disrespected.

Forgive them for the days that they were too distracted by their own problems to meet your needs.

Forgive them for the times they embarrassed you in front of your friends. Forgive them for the times that 20

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they leaned on you instead of letting you lean on them.

Forgive for the moments they weren't there for you, when they forgot to pick you up from school or didn't make it to your big recital.

Forgive them for the devastating things, like abandonment, abuse, and addiction.

Yes, that kind of forgiveness is so hard to do, but remember these words I once heard: "Forgiveness doesn't make the other person right, it just makes you free."

Jesus put it another way. "Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. . . . Do to others as you would have them do to you" (Luke 6:27– 28, 31).

When we refuse to forgive, that past offense becomes an invisible cord connecting us to the person who did us wrong. It attaches us to that pain. It keeps us plugged in to the bitterness and anger and resentful feelings.

We must cut that cord or we'll never be free. We'll never more forward.

With forgiveness, we empty the hurt pockets in our lives. We release judgment. We bring all accounts back to zero. We offer it unconditionally, without worrying about remorse or responsibility.

Regardless of the offense, the only thing we can control is our part in offering forgiveness. So forgive your parents. Say their names aloud and pray blessings over them, like Jesus commanded. Do it every day if you have to.

This kind of forgiveness is the secret to emotional and spiritual freedom, and the only way to truly make peace with your past.

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Spiritual nourishment, education and guidance to Ministers of God and the body of Christ as a whole. Promoting healthy, Holy and effective ministry among Ministers of divine integrity.

Meeting Days: Last Saturday of the month Contact: 917 324 6859

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