WATERED GARDEN

WORD FOR THE WEEK 

26 July 2015, Christian Fellowship Church, Bangalore, India

http://www.cfcindia.com

 

Your Life Can Be Like a Watered Garden (Isaiah 58:11)

Zac Poonen

There are three gardens found in Scripture.

1.   The Garden of Eden: It says in Genesis 2:8,15 that “the Lord God planted a garden and He put the man and woman there to cultivate it”. How did sin come in that garden? It was basically because of two wrong attitudes that Adam and Eve had.  The first was pride. They thought they knew better than God. They thought they could disobey God and get away with it. That’s how many people in the world think today too. The second was selfishness. They thought of what they would get for themselves if they ate of that fruit. It says there that “the woman looked at the fruit and saw that it was good, that it would satisfy her desire and make her wise.” Pride and selfishness were the causes of sin in the beginning. And these are the root-causes of all the sin in the human race today – and there are many manifestations of these.  Basically, man is centered in himself and wants to live a life independent of God. That is how sin comes.

2.   The Garden of Gethsemane and Calvary: Sin came in a garden.  And Jesus wrought our salvation in a garden too. Many know about the garden of Gethsemane. But they don’t know that Jesus was crucified in a garden too and that He was buried in a garden as well.  John 19:41 says, “In the place where He was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid.”  Jesus was betrayed in a garden, He was crucified in a garden, He was buried in a garden and He was raised from the dead in a garden. Salvation now comes to us in that garden. The benefit of all that Jesus did in that garden can be ours today.    When we look at the earthly life of Jesus, we see in it, the exact opposite of the pride and selfishness that we see in Adam’s race.  In Christ’s life we see a humility that was willing to do exactly what His Father wanted Him to do – even if it was to die on a cross. He readily chose that way – without any reservation whatsoever. Christ also selflessly thought of the needs of others and not His own – and was willing to sacrifice Himself in order to help them. This is the attitude that God wants us to have.

 3.  The Garden of the Bridegroom:   This garden is mentioned in the Song of Solomon (which is a song that describes the relationship between a Bridegroom and a Bride, between a husband and a wife).  In Song of Solomon 4:12, the Bridegroom says, “My bride is like a private garden”. The bridegroom here is Christ. And we, His bride, are to be a garden reserved exclusively for Him.   But that garden is not primarily for our benefit, or even for the benefit of others, but for the Lord. Keep this in mind always – that our life is to be a private garden for the Lord. Then, as a by-product, others will also be blessed through it.

This is what Jesus taught. When somebody asked Him what the greatest commandment in the law was, He said, “The greatest commandment is to love God with all your heart - and then will you be able to love your neighbouras yourself” (paraphrase of Matt.22:37-40).  Our life must always begin with God first. That was why God created Adam and Eve separately and not together – so that when Adam opened his eyes, the first person he would see would be God and not Eve. And when Eve was created later and she opened her eyes, the first person she saw was God - not Adam. That’s the way it must be in our life always, if our life is to be like a watered garden.

In Song of Solomon 4:16 – It is written“Awake, O north wind, and come, wind of the south (The wind from the north is cold and the wind from the south is warm). Make my garden breathe out fragrance.  Let its spices be wafted abroad.  And may my Beloved Lord come into His garden and eat its choice fruits”.   In our life, we will face the cold north wind of adversity and the warm south wind of prosperity.  But when Jesus is our Head and we allow Him to control our lives, then whether we face adversity or prosperity, trial or comfort, both these winds will spread abroad the fragrance of Christ through us. And finally, we read here: And may my Beloved Lord come into His garden and eat its choice fruits.  Your triumphs in times of adversity are for the Lord alone to see and not for you to show off to others. The Lord sees your life in secret, at times when others do not. And when He comes into His garden, He should find something there always, that delights His heart.

Every garden needs rain. And in the new covenant, we have the opportunity to be filled with the Holy Spirit – the rain of heaven. I want to encourage you to seek God wholeheartedly for this. To be filled with the Holy Spirit means to have every area of your life under the control of the Holy Spirit. Open yourself to Heaven’s rain, every day of your life.  Then your life will be like a watered garden.

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For more information write to: wftw@cfcindia.com

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O weary heart, there is a home

O weary heart, there is a home by W.H BELLAMY Verse 1 O weary heart, there is a home, Beyond the reach of toil and care; A home where changes never come: Who would not fain be resting there? Chorus Oh wait, meekly wait, and murmur not! Oh wait, meekly wait, and murmur not! Oh wait, oh wait, oh wait, and murmur not! Verse 2 Yet when bowed down beneath the load By heaven allowed, thine earthly lot; Look up! thou'lt reach that blest abode; Wait, meekly wait, and murmur not! Chorus Oh wait, meekly wait, and murmur not! Oh wait, meekly wait, and murmur not! Oh wait, oh wait, oh wait, and murmur not! Verse 3 If in thy path some thorns are found, Oh, think who bore them on His brow; If grief thy sorrowing heart has found, It reached a holier than thou. Chorus Oh wait, meekly wait, and murmur not! Oh wait, meekly wait, and murmur not! Oh wait, oh wait, oh wait, and murmur not! Verse 4 Toil on! Nor deem, though sore it be, One sigh unheard, one prayer forgot; The day of rest will dawn for thee: Wait, meekly wait, and murmur not! Chorus Oh wait, meekly wait, and murmur not! Oh wait, meekly wait, and murmur not! Oh wait, oh wait, oh wait, and murmur not!

I am praying blesses saviour

I am praying, blessed Saviour,
To be more and more like Thee;
I am praying that Thy Spirit,
Like a dove may rest on me.

Chorus
Thou who knowest all my weakness,
Thou who knowest all my care,
While I plead each precious promise,
Hear, O hear and answer prayer.

Verse 2
I am praying, blessed Saviour,
For a faith so clear and bright
That its eye will see Thy glory
Thro’ the deepest, darkest night.

Verse 3
I am praying to be humbled
By the pow’r of grace divine,
To be clothed upon with meekness,
And to have no will but Thine.

Verse 4
I am praying, blessed Saviour,
And my constant pray’r shall be
For a perfect consecration
That shall make me more like Thee.

FATHER, I PLACE INTO YOU HANDS

Father, I place into your hands
The things I cannot do,
Father, I place into your hands
The things that I've been through.
Father, I place into your hands
The way that I should go,
For I know I always can trust you.

Father, I place into your hands
My friends and family.
Father, I place into your hands
The things that trouble me.
Father, I place into your hands
The person I would be,
For I know I always can trust you.

Father, we love to see your face,
We love to hear your voice.
Father, we love to sing your praise
And in your name rejoice.
Father, we love to walk with you
And in your presence rest,
For we know we always can trust you.

Father, I want to be with you
And do the things you do.
Father, I want to speak the words
That you are speaking too.
Father, I want to love the ones
That you will draw to you,
For I know that I am one with you.

WORD FOR THE WEEK 

29 December 2013, Christian Fellowship Church, Bangalore, India

http://www.cfcindia.com

Stick to Your Particular Ministry

Zac Poonen

In Chapter 2 of Ezekiel, we see a man who is totally under God’s authority. The Lord said to him, “Stand up. I want to speak to you.” The Spirit came into Ezekiel as God spoke and set him on his feet. The Lord said, “Listen carefully. I am sending you to the nation of Israel .”

As we wait upon God, though we may not hear an audible voice like Ezekiel did, it is possible to have just as real and as certain a sense of calling and a sense of God sending us as Ezekiel had. It may take time.

When I started my ministry, I did not know immediately what my ministry was going to be. But as the years went by, I began to discover what it was. Now as I look back, I find fulfilment. But I know so many people who have tried to drag me away from the ministry God had called me to.

The Lord says, “I am sending you with a particular ministry.” It is very important that you learn to wait upon God and hear what God is speaking to you and what He has called you for. Sometimes you might choose God’s second best.

I remember, about 30 years ago, when I was in a lot of financial difficulty - I didn’t have much at that time - a Christian organisation invited me to be its director and offered me a good salary, a free car, free telephone, free house, etc., etc., if I accepted their offer. It was a Westernorganisation working in India . I said, “No. I can’t do that because even though I am in need, God has not called me to sit behind a desk and be an administrator. God has called me to go around preaching the Word.” I am so thankful that I did not accept their offer. It was a temptation - not a temptation to sin, but to choose something God had not called me to. When I look back now, I can see that if I had accepted their offer, I would not have sinned. I would still have been serving the Lord, but not in the ministry that God had planned for me.

I want you to realize that God has a specific task for you. It is wonderful to realize that truth when you are young. Wait on the Lord and say, “Lord, show me Your perfect plan for me.” It won’t become clear in one day. But over a period of years, it will become clearer and clearer. And as it becomes clear to you, stick to it at any cost - and you won’t have any regret when you stand before the Lord one day.

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For more information write to: wftw@cfcindia.com

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Baba Samuel Olubusuyi Arijesudade,

You are a voice that has being rescuing many from the perversion and corruption of this ungodly world.
What pain me most about your death was the timing, both in the body of Christ and my own personal life ( you slept at a time when I have already seen enough death than to add yours to the list). You are a father and a lover of youth. God has used your vision to raise and still raising up many generals in this present dispensation. You are an Icon to be reckoned with when it come to godliness. Your backseat in most of our meetings was a seat of Power, Anointing and Virtue, I remember I once deliberately sat on your seat at a time to prophetically tap into your anointing
I was with you less that 2 hour before your transition. the only mistake I made at that moment was to place your hand on my head, I only move closer to you and bow down my face, I thought I will receive the hand later. I saw your mouth muttering in the similitude of prayer, you grunted in tongues for more than 48 hours before you left us. your last word was "BABA, OYA MO TI SETAN", every-time a hand touches your body, what you say is "ORUKO JEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEESU".
Prayer and Holiness was the only thing you taught our leaders and us (indirectly) and that was exactly what you died with. You know the truth, taught the truth, fought the truth and died by the truth. Eye-witness of your last moment said you prayed throughout.
Baba, you ran the race, you overcome the hurdles, and you coached others before you retire into eternity. At a ripe and fruitful age, you departed us. I will write more when I get over this reality of your death.

CACSA OAU will keep your legacy.

Men may not put you in the line of the great Apostle but before you transited, by revelation on the 5th of Dec, 2013 around 2:30pm, I saw you in the similitude of APOSTLE AYO BABALOLA.

Good night, Pastor (Dr) Samuel O. Arijesudade (CACSA National President and CAC National Publicity Secretary)

An soro ile bukun ni,
Ile didan ati ile ewa
Gba gbogbo la nso to go re
Yio ti dun to lati de be.

KO TO KAWO MIMO BERU

Tribute to Pastor OLu Arijesudade by Pst C. O Oluwadare

A Glorious exit! Pastor Samuel Oluwabusuyi AriJesudade (President of Christ Apostolic Church Students’ Asscociation) departed from this sinful world at about 4pm on the 10th of December, 2013. He has gone to be with the Lord Jesus Christ.

Pastor AriJesudade fondly called ‘Baba’ or Baba AriJesudade is truly a father to many Generals of Faith and a mentor par excellence. He was a great leader not in terms of world acclamation or wealth accumulation but in terms of warrior affirmation; his name bears credence to this assertion (formerly Arogundade but now AriJesudade). He fought against sin and led the battle against religious perjury and won. Baba epitomized humility, forgiveness, total surrendered life, heaven-mindedness, contention for the faith of our fathers, unalloyed truth and contentment.

He cared not for earthly riches but preferred the incorruptible riches embedded in soul winning. He cared not for earthly title or position for he knew that earthly position will fizzle away in eternity. He lived in an earthly cottage with his eyes on the heavenly mansion that is not made with hands.

O! What a great loss to those of us who were privileged to be mentored by him; what a loss to CAC Mission and to the world at large (though unknown by the world). Truly, we have lost a rare gem. CACSA family, what shall we do in a time like this? Shall we mourn or make merriment? Certainly we cannot mourn because to be with the Lord is better (2 Cor. 5:6-9). We have the consolation of the Spirit that he has gone to be with the Lord (I Thess. 4: 13, 14). If truly we love Baba, we should not mourn for him. He held the fort to the end, his faith was undiluted, and he did not lose the conviction of his calling. We thank God for the life well spent in soul winning and selfless service to humanity.

Shall we therefore be merry? Certainly No! My answer may seem equivocal; the reason being that the leadership crown of thorns worn by Baba AriJesudade, who shall wear it? Who shall be the next leader of our great CACSA family? Who will lift the banner high with the inscription- “Christ leads, we follow”? Who shall restore the lost glory of Christ Apostolic Church? These are the questions that agitate my mind and amidst these mixed feelings I find myself. With man, answers to these puzzles are a bit difficult but with God there shall be solution. Though our leader (Baba AriJesudade) has gone, yet our Captain (Christ) still leads and we must follow. Till we meet Baba at Christ’s feet in heaven, we shall keep learning at Christ’s feet on earth.

In times like these when we lost three great men (Prophet Obadare, Pastor Ogunlade and Pastor AriJesudade) of highest hierarchy in CAC fold within a space of nine months (all in the Year 2013), won’t we seek the face of God to restore the glory of the Church and rain righteousness upon us.

Amidst these mixed feelings I greet CACSA family ‘A ku ara fe ara ku ojo a jinna sira.’ I want to rest my pen, bow my knees in prayer and also say Adieu! Baba AriJesudade.