The General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG),
Pastor Enoch Adeboye, has urged Nigerian leaders to seek divine
guidance in order to fast track the nation’s development.
Pastor Adeboye made the call at a two-day forum organised by the Redeemed Christian Family Fellowship of the University of Ibadan. According to the renown cleric, astute leaders always seek the help of God in the course of ensuring good governance.
He said: “According to the Book of Proverbs 21:1, the king’s heart
is in the hand of the Lord; He directs it like a watercourse wherever He
pleases. “This passage tells us that we do not literally own the life we live
and this makes us accountable to the Creator. He graciously grants our
good desires if we humbly look up to Him for help.
“Another passage supporting this is found in John 14:14, which says, you may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it. “ Our leaders’ intentions are good, but they need God’s backing,’’ he said.
Pastor Adeboye also advised Nigerians to pray for their leaders, adding
that they should keep hope alive in this period of national
transformation. “Psalms 30:5b says weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing
comes in the morning. Let us look unto God for He shall lead us all the
way and make us sing a new song.
“All the problems we may encounter shall not overtake us, rather they have been ordained to refine us and make us better. “The cleansing has begun and there is no going back. Nigerians shall
sing a new song amidst the trials. Pray without ceasing, especially for
the nation and our leaders,’’ he said.
The programme was organised to offer prayers to God for the nation. (NAN)
It was a day of protests and Nigerians were on the streets protesting the fuel subsidy removal. I knew I would face traffic but I needed to reach the church that particular day for prayer. So, I made my way from Ikeja towards Ikotun-Egbe to The Synagogue, Church Of All Nations to meet with their prayer warriors. As I reached a certain place, I saw young people carrying placards, stopping cars along the way and fights were breaking out with the drivers.
ReplyDeleteFour protesters reached my vehicle. “Who gave you this fuel to travel?” “Where are you going?” “I’m going to church”, I replied the young man. “Church! If you dare say you are going to Redeemed, we will break your head!” They tried to open the door of my car. “You are the one that installed Badluck!” The shout circulated around the area and my vehicle was flooded with dozens of protestors, blowing my car and pressing their placards on my glass. “We saw the photo! Adeboye appointed GEJ! You caused this badluck! Go and ask Adeboye why he cursed our country?” “We will break your car!” I remembered that I had also seen the photo of Jonathan kneeling down in front of Adeboye while the pastor prayed a blessing over him. And I had also seen Jonathan attend his church again sometime late last year. “Adeboye prayed for badluck” “Send back to sender!” “Nigeria no be Egypt! Jonathan no be Pharaoh! Make he listen to the people!”
“Please o, I’m on my way to Synagogue.” “I’m going for prayers at the Synagogue.” “Synagogue? You are going to Synagogue? TB Joshua? The man that’s feeding our country? Na true president be this o! Please o, make you pass!” their leader said. “Leave the road”. “We go leave road for you but we’ll monitor you so you don’t pass Redeemed side.” “Hey! Make you go ask T.B. Joshua to pray to remove this man! Or ask him to prophesy. We know if he says it, it will come to pass!” Then, the protestors cleared the way and allowed me to pass smoothly. As I was passing, the previous shouts of anger turned to shouts of “Emmanuel!”
Surprised with what had just happened, I drove quietly through the protestors without any further trouble. My mind was racing. The country is protesting fuel prices and the name of RCCG is mentioned as the cause of the problem? Why should this be? Why has a house of God been named in a political dispute? True president be this? Truly, as I passed the Murtala Muhammed Airport, I remember that TB Joshua’s people were there even then, as he had been sending food there every day of the strike to take care of passengers stranded because of the strike. And he just sent rice to the North, to the South, to the East, as I had watched on Emmanuel TV. In fact, the whole country has been fed through his work of service to God. How many people in this country escaped hunger today because of bags of Emmanuel TV rice? And any time there is a problem, he is there to bring solution. I remember the Ikeja Bomb blast when he opened the doors of the church and he and his workers fed, clothed and housed thousands of people for weeks until they were well and could make their way home again. When the community transformer blew at Christmas time, he purchased and installed 2 new transformers and paid for the light himself! And when it comes to politics, it is from his altar he will call us to pray, come to God in humility and sincerity and come to each other in love.
In summary, I have learned that it is always better to spend more on others and less on ourselves. Giving is the beginning of blessing and peace. Was I not protected because of this pastor’s acts of giving? Let us therefore reach out in compassion and generosity to our fellow man and do the good we can to change the bad we see. It is not through political association but through giving we can accomplish peace for our nation. Emmanuel! God is with us.