If you do not mind, please turn your Bible with me to Psalm 116 verse number 15, the New King James Version, and we will also read Isaiah 57 verse number 1 in the New Living Translation. These are the two texts of Scripture. that have comforted me personally since the curtain was drawn on the live and times of our beloved and cherished brother, Engineer Bami Dele Babatunde, on Monday the 27th of November at about five minutes past four in the morning. We are going to read the two portions of scripture together. Psalm 116 verse 15, Neokindjian's version, and Isaiah 57 verse 1 in the New Living Translation.
Ready? Read. Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his sin.
Stop. Read one more time. Read one more time.
Are you on the same page with God? I can hear you. I'll ask you one more time. Are we all on the same page with God?
What does that scripture say? Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his sins. Isaiah 57 verse number 1, New Living Translation. understand that God is protecting them from the evil to come. Read one more time.
Good people pass away. The godly often die before their time. But no one seems to care or wonder why. No one seems to understand that God is protecting them from the evil to come. It was Ralph Waldo Emerson who said that death comes to all, but great achievements build the monument we shall endure until the sun grows cold.
This morning... Deep as our pain may be, and great as our loss may seem, I'm not here to glorify death. He is the last enemy that will be destroyed.
According to scripture, 1 Corinthians chapter 15, verse 20 to 26. 1 Corinthians 15, 20 to 26, it reads, and I quote, But now Christ is risen from the dead. And I have become the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since by man came death, by man, capital M, also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die.
even so in Christ all shall be made alive. But each one in his own order. Christ the first fruits. Afterward those who are Christ's are his coming.
Then comes the end when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father when he puts an end to all rule and all authority and power. For he must reign till he has put all enemies under his feet. Will somebody allow him to reign today? the last enemy that will be destroyed is death. Friends, I'm here not to glorify death, but to declare that Christ lives in you and Christ lives in me.
And he will continue to reign till he has put on the crown of thorns. all enemies under his feet. Can I hear amen? In addition, I'm here to glorify Christ.
I make known to all the people present and those watching online the double tragic blows. that Jesus gave to the one who had the power of death through his sacrifice on the cross of Calvary. The first blow is captured by the author of the book of Hebrews in chapter 2 verse 14 and 15. Hebrews 2, 14 and 15 reads, and I quote, Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, he himself likewise shared in the same, that through death he might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. I declare today you are free from that bondage.
You are free from the bondage of the fear of death. All the days of your life in the mighty name of Jesus. The appropriate song we have been singing. Alive, alive, my savior is alive.
Alive forevermore. The sting of death is gone. And now he lives. I have eternal life.
I'm not living for eternity. I'm living from eternity. He's alive forevermore. Can I hear amen? The second major blow that Jesus struck on the enemy is to make available to us, to you and me, his own purpose and grace, which was given to those of us with a holy calling before time began.
And you remember that I said to you that what has been given to us before time began cannot be destroyed. seen that light is because there's a veil over your eyes he has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel paul made this truth known to timothy's son and by extension to all sins of god in second timothy chapter 1 verse 8 to 12 second timothy 1 8 to 12 therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our lord nor of me his prisoner but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God who has saved us and called us with a holy calling not according to our works but according to his own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began but has now been really revealed by the appearing of our savior Jesus Christ who has I can't hear somebody say it who has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel to which i was appointed a preacher an apostle and a teacher of the gentiles for this reason i also suffer these things nevertheless i'm not ashamed for i know whom i believed and i am persuaded that he is able to keep what i've committed to him until that day can i hear a good amen friends by these truths you We know that Christians do not die. Hello church. By these truths we know that Christians do not die. They only fall asleep because for us to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.
Paul also made this abundantly clear to all those who care to know and believe in 1 Thessalonians 4, 13-14 and 2 Corinthians 5, 1-8. 1 Thessalonians 4, 13-14. He reads and I quote.
But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren. Tell your neighbor, don't be ignorant. Wake up and smell the coffee. Don't be ignorant.
But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren. Concerning those who have fallen asleep. Lest you sorrow as others who have no hope.
For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again. Even so, God will bring with him. those who sleep in who i can't hear you those who sleep in jesus second corinthians chapter 5 verse 1 to 8 The day my mother passed, my second son was crying and came to me after I had finished crying. He said, what is next now?
Where is mama? Where is grandma? What do you have to say?
And I told her, bring the Bible, open to 2 Corinthians chapter 5 and let us read together. Tell your neighbor, don't be ignorant. 2 Corinthians 5, 1 to 8 reads and I quote, For we know that Eve, our heartly house, this body, that can fall sick at any time, that can malfunction at any time.
If our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house now made with hands, eternal in the heavens. It's like it's waiting to catch me. For in this we've grown, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our habitation, which is from heaven. If indeed haven't been clothed, we shall not be found naked. For we who are in this tent groan, being burdened, not because we want to be unclothed, but for the clothed, the mortality may be swallowed up by life.
Now he who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who also has given us a spirit as a guarantee. So we are always confident. Tell your neighbor, I'm always confident. Oh, you may see tears in my eyes.
but I'm always confident. Oh, there may be sorrow, sorrowful days, but I'm always confident. Why? We are always confident knowing that while we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord.
For we walk by faith and not by sight. We are confident. Yes, well pleased. I can hear you. Well pleased.
Rather to be absent from the body and to the present. with the lord i as my daughter yesterday i said what do you think is happening to your husband now if you are crying and the whole family is crying and the whole church is crying what do you think will be happening to him how would he see your grief your sorrow your pain how would he see it is that i don't know but i think for the sake of the family that he loved You'll be willing to come back and say, no! You said, why?
I'll tell you why. He will look down on you and say, I thought you all believed. So you didn't believe, you're just pretending.
He said, no, no, pastor, this is because this is not your pain. Who told you that? Every moment that I was in the hospital, I was wide awake. I was on video call every moment up to the ICU and telling him, don't die before I come.
Because if you don't die before I come, you will live for a long time to come. The guy had seen a glimpse of heaven. And I told this wife yesterday, what would you choose?
If you get into his presence and you begin to enjoy his love, his presence. And suddenly somebody is crying. Which would you choose?
He said, for the sake of the love of family, I would choose to be back. I said, you can't. When Stephen saw the glory of Jesus, when heaven was opened, and he saw Jesus standing to welcome him home, he did not say, Lord, I still have a message to preach. Lord, I still have sinners to save.
Lord, I prefer to stay as a Lord Jesus. Receive my spirit. You're trapped here and therefore everything confuses us because we think this is the best place to be. Listen to that word again in 2nd Corinthians chapter 5 verse number 8. And see what will please a man who had caught a glimpse of Jesus and of heaven. We are confident.
Yes. We are pleased. Rather to be absent from the body.
And to be present with the Lord. You will choose to be present with the Lord. If you see it.
If you don't. You will still choose to be here. So this morning, rather mourning the loss of one who among us was now well pleased to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. I'm here by the grace of God to celebrate heaven's gain.
Right at the morning, the loss of our brother, I'm here to celebrate heaven's gain. Why? Because your loss, my loss, is heaven's gain. Why? For me to live is Christ and to die is gain.
I'm here by the grace of God to celebrate heaven's gain. With this, my humble salute, my gesture of respect to a worthy soldier of Christ, Engineer Yenusa Bamideli Babatunde, now of blessed memory. Sunday, the 11th of June, 2023, will be forever remembered as a watershed in the history of the Citadel Global Community Church, CGCC. On that memorable day, like my Lord and Master Jesus Christ, who through parables conveyed heavenly meanings with earthly stories, as I shut down the old, and unveil the new dimensions of the move of God at the CGCC, I call to the platform our beloved brother, Enko Libra in God's vineyard, Mr. Diliba Batunde, to join me in the execution of this solemn function. From his depth of experience, Ghana from over three decades of service to God and to humanity, 13 of those years which were spent in the beverage industry, Brother Delibaba today brilliantly modeled to us lessons in intentionality of strategy, diversity of expressions, the graduality of spiritual growth, the need for suitable training methods for diverse stages of growth.
and the essentials of collaboration in the body of Christ with every joint supplying as God enables. Brother Babatunde's heartfelt presentation brought home the message as I, by the grace of God, crystallize our corporate identity as a unique community in the body of Christ into what we now know as the CGCC Credo. Love God. Love people, serve God, serve people. With solemn reflections, because we miss him on this side of eternity, but with gratitude to God for a life of impact, we celebrate our worthy soldier of Christ, a pillar in the house of God, and an ambassador of Christ to the corporate world.
Daily, Babatunde. Although Brother Dele Babatunde sleeps, he still speaks. The CGCC Credo is derived from the words of our Lord Jesus Christ in Matthew 22, 17-40, which he spoke while revealing the two commandments upon which hang all the law and the prophets.
It represents the essence of all that we are and all that we do. as a church. Knowing that the word of God upon which our whole essence is built will never pass away, I'm confident that the memory of Brother Dili Babatunde will never fade away. I'm reminded of the words of the Lord Jesus Christ as he endures the sacrificial outpouring of the costly ointment by the woman of Bethany. Surely I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world.
What this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her. I'm confident that whenever and wherever the CGCC credo is mentioned, wherever and whenever we demonstrate our love for God, with all our hearts, with all our souls, and with all our might, wherever and whenever we rise to our identity as believers, by loving our neighbor as ourselves, Brother Delibaba, to this contribution to the body of Christ, especially in this assembly, will be remembered. Brother Babatunde's contributions will be remembered, not only because he preached the message, but because he lived the message. He lived the message as a model husband who stood by his dear wife, Mrs. Modupe Babatunde, our indefatigable deputy senate president. as she grew into the ministry that God has called her into.
He lived the message as he trained up his children in the way that they should go. modeling before them the very Christian life. He lived the message as he proved himself, a worthy son to his mother and a dependable brother to his siblings.
He lived the message through his diligent contributions in his industry, at his workplace, and in his various commitments. To the glory of God, Brother Babatunde lived the message at the Citadel Global Community Church, the message of loving God. and loving people of serving God and serving people. I recall today that a young man just lost his wife and they had three children and they didn't know how to cope. Deliber Batunde and his wife adopted all the three, took them under their roof, and they don't know any father up till this time of passing except him.
I know what the former chairman of church council told me, and that... Now, Elder Bode Adekoye, he said at a point in time, he called him and said, Sir, if there's any critical need for any member in the church on the house, anywhere, you don't need to refer it to the church, just let me know, it will be settled. I recall that his best friend was trying to tow a vehicle, and a extreme vehicle came and struck the friend that died on the spot. Community Church, the message of loving God and loving people, of serving God and serving people. This is why I am confident that though I sleep, He speaks.
he lived echoes loudly the words of Frank Rooney immortality is a genius to move others long after you yourself after moving as we lay the remains of a brother to rest next Thursday, we boldly ask, oh death, where is your sting? Oh Hades, where is your victory? Yes, we are being hit by a very sad and terrible blow, but will we bounce back? Our tears can only tarry for the night. Its expiry date is in the morning.
We are therefore confident that our joy will come in the morning. Why? Because you know that God always acts in our best interest. And there's nothing that happened to us that is neither directed or permitted by him. Therefore, we choose to trust him when we cannot trace him.
This is why we are confident that it is well with his wife and my darling daughter, Mrs. Modupe Babatunde. The children. The children.
Dele's mother, uncles, siblings, the entire Babatunde family of His saying, and all the Ogulayes of Adoek, His in-laws, and the entire CGCC family worldwide. We shall have the last laugh because it sees that our brother's song shall blossom. The family that He loved and labored to nurture will grow stronger and stronger. His wife, Modupe, will fulfill her dream. destiny the destiny that our dear husband saw believed in nurtured and supported his children will grow to become mighty in the land and through them the nations of the earth we know that daily babatunde once lived on this planet rest well my beloved brother deliver batunde in the presence of the lord until we meet again to part no more good night stand to your feet please let's give our hands to god and thank him for comforting and strengthening those our brother left behind his darling wife his wonderful children His aged mother, his uncles, his siblings, professional colleagues, friends, and family, that God will continue to comfort them, including those of us in CGCC who knew him very well.
We thank God for the comfort of the Holy Spirit. We thank God for those who have identified with this family day and night, and they have been going to stay there to pray, to serve, to encourage, to circle. We thank God.
that the woe of being alone is past because woe unto him that's alone on the day that he falls thank god that we stood by her and stood by them and we are trusting god for the comfort of the holy spirit for them and for us we thank you heavenly father for what you have done so far we know that what you have begun you will finish in jesus mighty name let us pray that a moment of fear that the presence of god was stepping and checkmate all doubts and fears in them in the name of jesus that god will envelope them with his presence because he is the husband of the widow he is the father of the fatherless and when he takes one he replaces by himself we thank you heavenly father for your presence will never depart from them and from us in jesus mighty name now finally pray For all the days set apart to honor this servant of God. Almost every day from now on that we have begun, until his remains are finally laid to rest, there are different activities. On Monday, it will be his office that will have a tribute time for him at Global Camp.
And they have requested that two or three... three members of our elders should be there. And those ones have been appointed just to see. We understand that the whole office scattered when they heard of his death because of his impact at work.
So they do that. Monday. You don't have to be there.
On Tuesday, the Sona headquarters of our church in the house that is resident in his house for a long time now, that particular center brought several church in the house centers in their 20s and in their 30s. They will be doing candlelight walk throughout the state to let them know we pay a lot of money. any woe but what will happen thereafter will be greater than when it was still here in the name of jesus only those members will be there by the grace of god on wednesday at the classic event center oragoon at 4 p.m we'll have the service of song you are all cordially invited for that you don't have to be in global com except you are a staff Monday. You don't have to rush to his residence or estate if you're not a member of that house for that candlelight walk because they live in the neighborhood.
You don't have to transport yourself there back and forth. But at 4 p.m. by God's grace on Wednesday, 13th December, there will be a service of song at the Classic Event Center at Oregón. And then the funeral service will take place on Thursday, 14th December at 10 a.m. venue of a classic event center.
For the first time in all the 35 years of Pastored, for the first time, I told the Senate president, let us have these events at the multipurpose hall for the sake of deliverability. Why? He distinguished himself among us and among his peers.
But the AC system there broke down. We just bought... new equipments to replace them and it will be too hot for people.
They will not finish until February and that's why we said we'll go to Classic. I want to thank Classic Event Center for giving one day free completely and you can be rest assured the Citadel Global Community Church will be responsible for the second day. Do you understand me? You needed to see how different people had been showing.
interest in the homegoing of this man. Many of you had sent gifts. Many of you had gone there physically. There's no single person that has given, no matter how high or small, that the wife has not reported because she's accountable. I want to thank you very much for extending your generosity towards them.
It's not over yet. She's not going to wait one moment and begin to cry that her circle is gone. No, the Lord will multiply resources unto her and unto her children in the mighty name of Jesus. Now, on that day, Thursday, 14th December, interment is very private.
It's for family, elders, and pastors only. Because they want to do it quietly and finish it and not take you far to the place where the interment will take place. I hope you all understand what I've said. Okay, so let us attend the events that are open to all on Wednesday and Thursday. Wednesday at 4 p.m.
and Thursday at any a.m. And let us pay our last respect to our brother. and support his wife, children, and family at this critical moment.
May the Lord be there for you in the day of trouble. May you not be alone when the wind of adversity blows. In Jesus'mighty name, please be seated. I hope those who have been waiting for what pastor will say. Now know that we are not ignorant.
We are Christians, we are people of faith, and we know how to handle difficult situations and circumstances. A few announcements and I bring the service to a close. This is not the day of summons and preaching, because I don't want to unduly prolong the service.
Then you will say, Pastor T.D., uh-huh. So we give honor to whom it is due. Latest by maybe 12.30, I'll step down from the podium. Every message that is left will be preached next Sunday, upper Sunday, thereafter. Can I hear a good amen?
At this juncture, we'd like to welcome those fellowshipping with us for the first time today, both physically and virtually. You will all be acknowledged before the service is over. We want to thank you for coming and we pray that God will bless you richly.
For now, please permit me to recognize the presence of our own Kabeisi, who is in our midst for the second time this year. Please, with a loud ovation unto our God, make welcome into our midst His Royal Highness, the Oba of Oregon, Oba Lukumi Akembola, and His beautiful Olori. Thank you so very much.
God bless you, Olori. Along with them... There's also Mr. Akengwela Omololu.
Thank you so very much for accompanying Kabi Isi here. Mrs. Jumoke Thomas, thank you so very much for being here today. We thank you. Mr. Sherif Lawal Oloriodo, the youth leader of Oregon.
Thank you so very much. If you have any need for your youth, especially those who might go, we will just tell us. our ambassadors to them and they will reconcile them with God. Can I hear amen?
God bless you. Mr. Damola Oyedeji, Secretary of Ragoon Youth. Thank you. God bless you. And finally, Obadon Ibrahim, Oladide De Pala Secretary.
We welcome you, sir. God bless you. Kabeisi is not only here today. Kabeisi made the promise that he will partake and be here for Watch Night Service 2023. Thank you so much.
I was going to my office. I saw them where they were seated. to my office and then they told me cabiose is there i said no cabiose is not there the cabiose we know abadala and i went to greece he said this is modern oba i said all right going starting the pattern can i hear amen god bless you sir in jesus name long may you reign on behalf of mrs modupe babachande Our children home and abroad, the entire family from Isai and from Adwaikiti, all the in-laws, on their behalf I would like to thank those of you who stood by her in the hospital and at home since her husband passed. Thank you so much for your many visits.
Many people took turn to pass the night there every day until this hour. Thank you so much for your many visits and gifts. And if you rest, O for our well.
Ojoajin o siraduriko jesu. Brothers and sisters, the Bible states in the book of Nehemiah that the joy of the Lord is our strength. And when that word was...
and 10 and Nehemiah who was a governor Ezra the priest and scribe and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people this day is holy to the Lord your God Do no man nor we, for all the people wept when they heard the words of the Lord. Then he said to them, go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet. Send portion to those for whom nothing is prepared.
For this day is holy to our Lord. Do not sorrow. Why?
For the joy of the Lord is your strength. Today with joy, we draw water out of the well of salvation. That everyone sorrowful and in grief will return home with joy.
And we turn our sorrow into joy, our tears into laughter, and our mourning into dancing. In the mighty name of Jesus. well since Mrs. B and I left the country So four, is it four weeks?
Four weeks and a few days. The first time in 35 years. I'd never gone for more than two Sundays, maximum three. Pastor Dio came to church expectant that I would preach Dominion Partners Sunday. He had boasted.
And when he saw Pastor James, he said, Pastor, where are you? Since we left the country, and especially since Bob went to be with the Lord, those who knew him well, especially his wife, children, mother, uncle and siblings, as well as... friends and colleagues have had our own share of tears, grief, and sorrow. It is not wrong to mourn and grieve, provided we do not mourn as ungodly.
who have no hope, according to 1 Thessalonians 4, 13 and 14. Therefore, despite our present grief and sorrow, please permit me to share with you what happened to us. in at least four different nations and four different time zones in Qatar, Singapore, in Malaysia, in Australia, and some islands of the sea that we visited for the first time. I understand there are about 194 countries in the world.
I think before I leave the planet, I'll visit them all. You're finding that difficult to clap? Whether you know it or not, I've covered almost half. The rest, since I'm stepping out now, I'll be going to the different nations and plant ministry posts in those places.
Can I hear amen? You recall that Mrs. B and I left. The country a few days before our bad days.
And you know why? Neil, don't cry. Don't let me shut down your ministry.
We live so that we can primarily escape. Any celebration that you may surprise us with on that day. We also left so that you can conserve your energy.
For my 70th birthday next year, by God's grace, that will be here in Lagos and our 40th wedding anniversary next year also that will take place in London courtesy of the CGCC Diaspora Family Fellowship. So we thought we had escaped. However, by the time we landed in Malaysia, on the 10th of November, we ran into a lavish banquet of honor, courtesy of our friends and partners in destiny, Dr. and Mrs. Jonathan David.
It was a complete surprise. All he said to me was, we want you to just come before your birthday so that we can fellowship together And just have a meal. So I knew we would eat meal after the service.
You can ask Mrs. B. I spent quality time to prepare the message for the first night. I hurried Shegon who was in Malaysia with us, kindly help me fix my clothes quickly, it's about time for service. And then the driver started driving me to a place I had not been. I said, look, we are going to church.
He said, yes. But the doctor would like to meet me first. Then we got to a place, they said, you can't enter.
My legs began to shake. What is going on here? And they were at attention to receivers. I ran away from One Nation Church, and right in the banquet hall were 300 people from 25 nations.
And they gathered just to celebrate our birthday. I said, And when it was my friend, Dr. Jonathan Davis'time to speak about us, and they broke into tears. The whole auditorium caught it.
I just looked down. I closed the book, closed the iPad, and I could not utter one message for that night. May the good Lord continually bless Dr. Jonathan David and Mom Helene with sound mind and good health. The same will go for all Nations Sanctuary Church and Isaac Network members who honor us with so great honor. In addition to the lavish birthday party, they also gave us an eight-day fully paid holiday package in the capital city of Kuala Lumpur for four days and at an exclusive resort named Anantara at Desaru, Malaysia for another four days.
I'd never seen such a resort before. Mrs. B jumped, went to the sea, went to the beach, did everything, went from us here. She was just... So I called my friend, I said, just leave her alone. You understand me.
What a restful and refreshing time we had with Dr. Jonathan David and his wife. May God help all of them and their network support team in Jesus'name. Friends, like Paul. in the island of Molita, we were hung with several hungers.
We left them with four light suitcases. We returned with six heavy suitcases containing several gift items. from different nations, not to mention Caste Gifts, from All Nations Sanctuary Church, from Isaac Network, and from pastors within the network, especially Pastor Gomez, Pastor Smith, and Pastor Eddie Logan from Indonesia.
We pray that the good Lord will remember them for good always in their businesses, in their churches, and their endeavors in Jesus'mighty name. Lift up your hands. Pray for them. If that's all we can give back in return.
That God will continue to grant good health to my friend. That he will recover speedily. That the son of righteousness with healing in his wings. Will begin to overshadow him. And cause him to do more than jogging.
To bounce back. And to fulfill his destiny and his ministry. In the name of Jesus and all the sons and daughters.
The honours. The honours. will never depart from their lives.
Those of them who are business people, that their businesses will flourish in Jesus. Mighty name. Amen. We proceed from Malaysia on the 23rd of November to Singapore for our 39th...
Am I boring you? I'm giving a report of my whereabout for our 39th wedding anniversary on the 24th of November. and to our surprise, I will stay in Singapore for that day at Shangri-La Hotel.
I hope you get there one day to know what kind of hotel. Aha, my daughter is shaking her head. She's been there in a private suite with all decorations and everything, with a bottle of wine with my name written on the bottle. It was fully paid for by our angel in Singapore, Brother Bernard Lim and his wife Carol.
They did not let us pay a dime. Thank God for his faithfulness. The Lim family was blessed with their first grandchild on the last day we spent in Singapore on our way back to Nigeria. And I am privileged to be the first person to be able to be a part of this. to pray virtually for the new Bombay while still in the hands of the father and mother to bless them and to really, really honor their family who have been there for us at all times and for everyone that has left Lagos.
to go to Singapore. We welcome them officially to the grandparents'club. May God bless the new addition to the family in Jesus'mighty name. We departed to Melbourne on the 25th of November for the dedication of the ultramodern building of the City of Refuge Melbourne led by our very own pastor, Sheyi Amopilola Oluwashola. you needed to see the building it was completely fully furnished built by ministry and then when they finish god told them to sell and they were wondering who to sell to they said it's better to break it down say no i'll bring the buyer you At that time, Pastor Sheehy and his wife and church were about to conclude another building.
And then they pulled the rug under their feet and canceled the deal and took advantage of them. And God told them not to fight. While they were waiting and praying, God said, instead of that building because of the way you have handled it, I'm going to give you the campus of buildings.
And by the time they heard that, they prayed, Lord, we thank you for the campus that they had not seen. Some members of the church were wondering, we lost a building, you're asking for several buildings. Number one, where would the money come from?
Number two, what will happen? He called them to a meeting and said, in two years, God will manifest what he was saying. God manifested it the following month. And everything they will ever need, equipment, sound room, this one, and it's not just one building, there were three buildings in one.
What a joy to go dedicate that building. The Holy Ghost came upon me. me I preach like a house on fire because there are days in the wilderness and Egypt are completely over. God has given them houses they did not build, vineyards they did not plant, and wells they did not dig.
May that be your portion also in Jesus'mighty name. What a joy to be alive. And to see wonderful things that our sons and daughters are doing all over the world.
We flew from Melbourne to Brisbane to take part in the 8 nights and 9 days cruise. on the South Pacific Sea. It was at that time that my sweet and sour pork was served.
I thought I was going to enjoy the cruise. deliver but only left the planet and the first few days i wasn't myself i was looking at the sea that's my humanity just to see that god will speak to me and say don't worry before you return i'll do this i pressed i prayed i told them nobody should do anything because i'm not hard from god And they should continue praying also. But I thought the fourth day, I began to come back to myself and to thank God for his life.
On that magnificent ship called the Royal, sorry, called the Quantum of the Sea, the Grand Suite was booked for us. I wish I could play the video of that Grand Suite. You see what it looked like.
For all the eight and nine days, it was free of charge for us. Our hosts paid for it again. They just wanted me to have. of vacation. We were on the high seas for about five nights in total, and only stopped three times from Brisbane to New Caledonia and Vanuatu, and the entire cruise was just to mark the 60th birthday of Pastor Shea.
Oluwasella. Lift up your hands and pray for that church and pray for them, that they will continue to increase in leaps and bounds, that in the name of Jesus, the way they have taken care of us, God Almighty will take care of them and every need they may have will be met instantly at the point of need in the name of Jesus. They really took good care of us. We thank you, Father, in Jesus'name. Amen.
That body party attracted families and friends from U.S., from Canada, from U.K., and from Nigeria, and I had the opportunity of teaching. a lovely subject that I'd wanted to teach for a long time. I had to train their leaders for four days, two hours each. It was such a wonderful time on the sea.
And I'm conceiving the idea that some of you will need to come with me for cruises in the days and years to come so that we dominate the vessel and start teaching the gospel while we're having a cruise. Can I hear amen? Okay. If you'll say amen, you'll be part of it. Out of the three storms, I only came down twice.
First in the place called Mystery Island, where no man lives. But there were locals. who will come by ship or by boat to attend to tourists in this mystery island. The mystery island is called Queen Elizabeth Mystery Island.
You wonder why it's called mystery island? island it had only very small airstrip that was a place that the allies were flying their planes from that the enemy did not know where they were coming from as they were hitting japan during the second world war the airstrip is still there and that you could not imagine how small it is and how they used it so they called the place mystery island because nobody knew where they were coming from to hit the enemy in jesus name and the secret pavilion of god where you launch attacks against the enemy the enemy will not find out in the mighty name of jesus christ queen elizabeth visited that island in 1974 and in 1994 they decided to name it after her the second place i stepped out was vanuatu island itself and please listen to me, I have reasons for giving this report. It's not too rich.
Vanuatu Island, a nation with just about 350,000 people. You can Google it. Vanuatu, V-A-N-U-A-T-U. About 350,000, 346,000 population.
They have their own prime minister. They have their own passport. They have their own airline. So when I saw their central bank, I concluded that this poor nation will be suffering because of high inflation. Then I asked for the rate of exchange between dollar and their currency.
Their currency is called virtual. All they say is, it's one to two hundred. One dollar is two hundred of their money. I say, you believe?
I'm looking down this place as backward, and I cannot boast of the kind of exchange rate that they were having in their own community. And when we got to their museum, we were so welcomed joyously. And they told us we are peaceful people.
We are happy people. There's hardly any crime in our territory. We have two prisons, one for men and one for women. Throughout this year, there are only two women in the women's prison and there are 26 men in the men's prison.
And they ask us for our own crime rate. You don't want to know what my answer was? No, the exchange rate for them is 120, not 200. 120. 118.77.
Google, you'll find it. Their currency is called VATU, and one dollar each will exchange for 120 of their money. What is the rate of exchange of your money?
When they asked us what is the crime rate, I gave them an answer that I don't want to repeat. You want to hear it? I told them, our crime rate can be judged by our government at all levels that have become a criminal enterprise. As it goes with leadership, so it goes with the nation. May God help us to recover from the disaster that we are faced with in the name of Jesus.
Friends, as St. Augustine said, the whole world is a book. And those who do not travel have only read a page. One other surprise kept away from us till we got into the cruise ship was the organized black tie get-together to mark Mrs. B's birthday and my birthday and our wedding anniversary.
during the cruise. We can only thank God for all the prayers, for all the gifts and best wishes that we receive from home and overseas for our birthdays and wedding anniversary. We are grateful to God and we are very thankful to you. I now know how to have vacation. So, for some time you will see me.
And for some time you will not see me. Were the pastors up to the job in my absence? Oh, I saw how the house caught fire when Mike was preaching.
I saw him and he was all shouting and screaming. If it is me, you are not looking at me like this. I saw when Pastor Biola took over.
I will talk about those messages. They were so beautiful. They blessed my soul. And I sent messages back to them. Well done.
I saw when Femi was doing his own Bible study. I saw also when the natural SO was also doing his including this morning. Let us appreciate our elders and pastors.
Oh, bless you. Thank you, Father. Well, ladies and gentlemen, brothers and sisters, saints and strangers, I do not intend to prolong today's service, but I want to thank God for the people that he has given us.
Traveled for the first time in 35 years and I returned and all the elders, the pastors, the leaders thought it would not be appropriate. I didn't request for it. appropriate for them to see me for the first time this morning because of our late brother. I was trying to do my manicure and pedicure when they showed up in our house to commiserate with me.
I want to thank you for the people you are. I salute your courage. And I salute your generosity towards us. We are not perfect. We are human.
It's possible for us to step on your toes. But you know what? We are in the same boat.
You have endured us and you continue to endure. And we are enduring you too. But one of these days, we'll continue to enjoy. In the name of Jesus.
I trust God that we'll bounce back. I trust God that we'll not be such a loss amongst us again. And in the name of Jesus, we'll all be fulfilled. And as we step out of the year 2023 into the year...
2024, a year of unusual and uncommon exaltation. God will bless every one of you with insight, with foresight, and with foresight that will shock the world in the mighty name of Jesus. I thank you.
I'm back home, and I'm not traveling anywhere till possibly the month of April. God bless you.