David’s Camp Magazine
issued in the UK
Free | Nov/Dec 2016
Showing the way, the truth, and the life...John 14:6
JANE BOSSIA PAGE 6
MOTIVATION FOR TODAY PAGE 9 HEALTH TALK PAGE 3
HOW TO DOUBLE YOUR CHURCH ATTENDANCE PAGE 4 TAMING YOUR INNER DEMONS PAGE 5
DIVINE ATTENTION PAGE 9
1 2 HARDCORE
TRUTH ABOUT MARRIAGE !
PAGE 8
A LITTLE GRATITUDE GOES A LONG WAYPAGE 11
Letter From
David’s camp Magazine
THE EDITOR H
ave you heard that statement, “if you don’t move, nothing will move.” It can’t be truer!
If the children of Israel didn’t let their total trust in God to override what was standing before them in the form of the Red Sea, they would have all died in Egypt. Thank God, they stepped in and as they did, the great Red Sea parted into two. If Joseph allowed the disappointments of his very own brothers, the lies of his master’s wife or the forgetfulness of the chief butler cloud his vision of being who God ordained him to be, he would have died a nobody. Hear me friends, this world is full of millions of geniuses, talented people, heavily anointed. But we only hear of a little fragment. Where are the rest of them, they either gave up, refused to pursue their dreams, allowed disappointments to cloud their visions, thereby stop short of fulfilling their purposes. Champions are easily identified anywhere and everywhere. Champions often lose and most times, they lose big but one thing that stands champions out is they know how to carry on irrespective of how raging the battle is. They are ready to die doing well what they are convinced they were born to do. Champions rejoice dying for the cause they have strong convictions in. Look at a great champion in the person of young but vibrant Deacon Stephen. The narration of the story of his death showed us according to Acts 7:54-60 that even at his death, he was happy doing what he did because he saw a vision of the glory awaiting him. One interesting thing I have learned in life is that troubles and trials are transporters to our divine purposes in life. For instance, Joseph wouldn’t have got to Egypt, let alone becoming the first prime minister in history. He needed the trials of his brothers’ betrayal and Potiphar’s wife false claims. He also needed to be sold to the Ishmaelites who gave him a free ride (transport) to Egypt. David wouldn’t have become a great king in Israel if not for the frustrations from Saul, a man hell bent to kill him. Saul’s pursuance of David pushed him to being a better warrior, a captain over vagabonds. Those trials helped him learn how to survive by all means even if sleeping in caves. No wonder, many years later, it was easy for him to go on exile, away from the troubles of his son who planned coup against his throne (2 Samuel 15 & 16). Years of ‘survival of the fittest’ has taught him to be able to survive anyhow. Moses’ years in exile taught him how to be a great leader. He must have been frustrated shepherding the cattle of his father-in-law. Little did he know God was using those odd 40 years to train him in quality leadership skills. 2
David’s Camp Magazine
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Oluwole David
Editor in Chief
On a personal note, we started the first publication of this magazine at a time when our world was upside down. Everything stopped making sense. There was confusion, pandemonium, disappointments, regrets and sorrow topped it all up. Yet we refused to allow all these cloud our vision and our God-given purpose in life. See how the great apostle puts it...”No, in all these things we are mor than conquerors through Christ that loved us.” (Roman 8:37) In all the troubles, little did we know God was/is using our trials as a transporter to take us to a level of total reliance on Him so when we tell the world through this channel that He is faithful, He is indeed a faithful God. Now, David’s Camp magazines’ hard copies are read in America, Europe and Africa while many others read online. As we approach our 2nd year of publication, we can only look back and joyfully say, “thank God we didn’t cave in, thank God we didn’t lose the vision, thank God the assignment wasn’t passed to someone else (God often has substitutes), thank God we are a blessing to many households in Africa, Europe and America who are reading and getting blessed with many spirit-led articles in David’s Camp magazine.” May I also use this medium to appreciate all our columnists who are of great blessing. Likewise, a big thank you to all who are feeding us back with suggestions and supporting us with prayers. Together, we can depopulate the kingdom of darkness. Yes, we can! See you next year by God’s grace if Jesus hasn’t come to take us home. Every blessing. We’ll be happy to receive your feedbacks, you can please send your e-mail to - davidcampministry2013@gmail.com. You can also visit our website:www.davidscamp.org
Associate Editor Olamide Ajayi
Contributing Writers Rachael Eniola Israel Olamide Ajayi
Oluwole David Dr. Margaret Rutherford Published by David’s Camp Limited, davidscamp.org@mail.com www.davidscamp.org
HEALTH TALK
PURPOSE
- Rachael Eniola Israel - A qualified public health practitioner
The food groups are divided based on the nutritional properties they offer. Foods that we eat can be classified based on the amount of nutrients and the type of nutrients they provide for subsistence and survival. It is highly recommended to eat portions of food from the different groups in order to live a healthy lifestyle. Most of the foods that you consume are made up of several classes of nutrients. Some of the nutrients are needed by the body all the time while the others are needed once in a while. People’s health deteriorates because of the imbalance of nutrients. There can’t be too much of a nutrient or a deficiency in it. There are seven major classes of nutrients and they are • carbohydrates • protein • fats • fibre • minerals • vitamins • water Carbohydrates Carbohydrates are classified based on the number of monomer units in them or the number of sugar units they have. They can be monosaccharides, disaccharides, or polysaccharides. Monosaccharides have one sugar unit, disaccharides have two sugar units, and polysaccharides have three or more sugar units. Carbohydrates constitute majority of foods like bread, noodles, rice, and other products that have grains. Protein A lot of animal body structures are made up of protein. Your hair, your skin, and your muscles are all made up of protein. Every protein molecule is made up of thousands of amino acids. These amino acids are made up of nitrogen and in some cases sulphur. Your body needs these amino acids in order to make new proteins or retain existing proteins and to replace damaged proteins or to maintain protein mass. Amino acids that aren’t needed by the body are discarded through urination. Your diet needs to have an ample amount of protein especially the protein that is essential. A diet rich in protein is needed when your child is developing and maturing, when you are pregnant, lactating, or when you are injured. Protein constitute majority of foods like fish, beans, chicken, eggs and nuts. Fats One molecule of fat is made up of several fatty acids that are bonded to glycerol. These fatty acids are made up of long chains of hydrogen and carbon atoms and are found as triglycerides. Triglycerides are three fatty acids that are bonded to one glycerol. Fats are either saturated or unsaturated. Saturated fats are those kinds of fats with all their carbon atoms bonded to hydrogen atoms with the fatty acid chains. On the other hand, unsaturated fats are characterized by carbon atoms that are double bonded with oftentimes few hydrogen atoms. Moreover, these unsaturated fats can be
further classified into monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats. Monounsaturated fats are made up of one double bond. Polyunsaturated fats are made up of several double bonds. Trans fats are a kind of unsaturated fat with a trans-isomer fatty acid and they are usually made through the process of hydrogenation. In order to get the essential fatty acids, one must consume vegetables, seeds, nuts, and marine oils. The best sources of these essential fatty acids include flaxseed oils, fish, soya and soya products, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and walnuts. Fibre Fibre is a type of carbohydrate that is not completely absorbed by human beings and in several similar animals. Just like carbohydrates, when fibre is metabolized, it produces four Calories or kilocalories of energy for every gram. Actually, this may be lesser than the estimate because not all of it is absorbed by the body. Fibre in your diet is mainly made up of cellulose. This is a large carbohydrate polymer that cannot be digested by human beings because of the lack of enzymes. There are two categories for fibre. The insoluble fibre and the soluble fibre are these two types. The whole grains, fruits, prunes, plums, figs, and vegetables are excellent sources of dietary fibre. Fibre is needed by your body in order to promote digestive health and to minimize the risk of developing colon cancer. Moreover, fibre will also alleviate cases of constipation and diarrhoea. Fibre will give bulk to the intestinal contents while the insoluble fibre promotes peristalsis. Peristalsis is the rhythmic muscular contractions that are done in the intestinal tracts in order for food to pass through it. Some of the fibres which are soluble are produced with a high viscosity. This means that it slows down the movement of food in the intestines which results in lessening the insulin spikes which are attributed to diabetics. Minerals Minerals are chemical elements that are needed by living things. Carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, and oxygen exist in organic molecules. The word mineral is archaic since it attempts to describe the less abundant elements needed by the human body. These elements are heavier than the basic four elements. These elements include metals which occur as irons more often in the body. Several dieticians advise that these minerals should be acquired from foods naturally. They are to be acquired in complex compounds or natural inorganic sources like calcium carbonate which can be derived from ground oyster shells. In another case, these minerals have to be added artificially in the form of supplements like iodine or iodized salt. Continued on page 11 David’s Camp Magazine
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HOW TO DOUBLE YOUR CHURCH ATTENDANCE -BY OLAMIDE AJAYI A Certified leadership development and entrepreneurship Expert
most well researched and holistic church growth program which is due to be published and marketed in the UK by the end of 2016. So, in this article, I’d like to share a few of those principles with you and pray it’s a blessing to you and your Church.
Principle #One:
H
ow To Double Your Church Attendance ----Viewpoint of A Christian Marketing Expert. Could there be a certain Pastor somewhere in whatsoever country and church that would ever deny a hankering for increase in numbers? I don’t think so. Except delusional, or a certain bigot, what kind of pastor would flaunt to officiate over a 25 years old, 40 members church out of which eighteen are blood relatives, others rimmed of teens that could call at the church hey big brother and regard it their own biblical manger. Half the remaining are travelers that came in the first place because the church had been the closest to their hotel lodge and had seen the threadbare, rusty signpost that read Church here. Toddlers; always caught between two eclectic worlds: sleeping or crying, complete the membership. In Apostle Paul’s exact words, such a pastor might be in for a desperate “laying of hands” (and legs if possible). Growth is the very essence of live, the very yardstick of it. That a church must grow is imperative from both a scriptural and natural viewpoint. Naturally, we regard every positive property that improves in different aspects of our lives as a form of growth expressions (e.g. mental, physical, health, educational, financial, and emotional, etc.) and except we wake up one day to see the church ceases to be a harbor of people with a shared spiritual camaraderie and unified belief, growth, in a collective, unified term, will always be a regarded and essential ingredient in the discourse of the church, never a subject of triviality. As an entrepreneur and also a Christian, I have always looked for a way of developing courses on “Church growth” to enable Pastors all around the world understand some basic principles to grow their Church particularly in terms of numbers. My team have developed what I believe to be the 4
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Never Change Church’s Product… But Never use obsolete method to Market it. We have only one product and that’s JESUS. You can change many things around your Church (which is the essence of this principle) but you can never change Jesus in order to appear relevant. The most irrelevant thing to do is to take Jesus out of the equation. That said; Is there really a miracle formula for growing church? If such a formula exists, it will be one of the hottest products ever that required little or no advertisement and marketing budget because word of mouth will finish it. The brain behind such a concoction will probably be, in a year or two, be spending one evening in the nicest room at Burj Al Arab in the UAE and checking out Disneyland’s Epcot the next morning. Practically speaking, Jesus used the elements of civilization of his days to full capacity. He sat on the canoe when he needed to and on the mountain for The Beatitudes as to get a mountain-top view of his congregation. He epitomized the church as being a lamp, a light, which cannot be put under a bushel, but on the lampstand. That’s strategic positioning. That’s like having a website or a twitter account. In this fast-paced world where smartphone users are turning to around 1.8 billion and social media users proliferating day by day, church leaders have the responsibility to create a boundary through which the world can find the church, not necessarily the other way round. In this modern, 21st century church, leverage must be ensured upon technology and other elements e.g. multi-media, scientific innovations, among others. N:B (I wouldn’t give out too much here until the course is out)
Principle #Two Understanding the Three Levels of Growth For a church to grow in this century, it
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requires sound sophistication in these three levels. (A) The Leader (Personal Growth) The most important component of church growth in the 21st century is the church leader. Surprising? No. Remember: Paul planted, Apollo watered, but God gave the increase. Without Paul’s planting and Apollo’s watering, there’s nothing for God to increase, no seed for him to breathe increase upon. If a church wants to grow the leader first needs to ask the right question like, “do I really want it?” to grow the church in numbers and other areas means the pastor too is going to change. a. Your Vision The first element of a church leader’s arsenal with respect to church growth is his vision. He must have a vivid picture, if possible numerically and create a plan to bring-in, solve their problems, nurture, and build-up. I hear some say that’s unbiblical. How can you have a number vision for your church? Is that not racing dangerously ahead absent Him? Oh, dear. God wants to save the world, not the little souls your mind could comprehend. How about touching a million lives for God? b. Your Orientation/Mentality At the core of a leader’s consciousness is his positioning, that is, where he stands on the topic of church growth. Often times, debilitating orientations don’t always have a deep root in personal conviction, but in what the leader thinks as right as regards to mainstream views. It’s always not too difficult to shift ground the moment the desire to grow out muscles that of mentality. c. Your Core beliefs At some extremes, it can be assumed that each church is not an extension of God, but the concretization of the founder’s opinion of God. The scriptures offer amazing principles that guarantees exponential growth numerically, physically, financially, and in other areas, but a leader can miss out of all these because of core beliefs that could stem out of prejudice, misconception, ignorance, or cautiousness. It’s one of the major properties that need to be reshaped through: Continued on page 12
MINISTRY
TAMING YOUR INNER DEMONS.
THE ROLE OF SHAME IN PERFECTLY HIDDEN DEPRESSION BY DR. MARGARET RUTHERFORD
I
was in therapy a good deal in my twenties and thirties. Most of the work had to do with shame. Someone along the way suggested I read a short, little book called, “How To Be Your Own Best Friend.” Its format was easy — a conversation between two therapists about growing out of your childhood and becoming an emotionally mature person, who is supportive and loving toward themselves. I imagine whichever therapist it was realized that I very easily slipped into a harsh, critical place in my head, hearing a shaming voice that told me almost constantly what I could’ve done better — how I should be thinner, nicer, more successful. My own critical thoughts were often my worst enemy. Reading that simple book turned on a lightbulb in my head that is still glowing brightly. “You mean, I don’t have to keep a thumb in my back to be happy? Constant shaming and questioning of myself isn’t necessary to be a good person? I can trust who I am innately?” No. No. And Yes. Shame can often have a significant role in classic depression. Having feelings that things you’ve done or said that you regret have seeped into how you think of yourself, and in your own mind, you’ve become a bad person. You don’t believe in your own worth. For someone with Perfectly Hidden Depression, it’s a little different. You’re constantly evaluating yourself, and not living up to who you believe you could be. Even if you’re successful, or have accomplished things very difficult to accomplish, you’ll focus instead on what could be better. There’s rarely a time when you relax, sit back and enjoy what-
ever it is you’ve created. It goes way beyond drive or high expectations. Nothing for you is ever quite as good as it could be. Your focus is on what isn’t, instead of what is. At the same time, this shame you feel — you hide. You look to others as if things are great — that you’re quite satisfied, while inwardly chastising and demeaning yourself. What shows outwardly doesn’t reflect your own inner criticism. Often, this voice you hear belongs to someone from your childhood — your father, mother, grandparent or a bully at school. Maybe you don’t hear that voice any longer — but your own voice has joined in chorus, and taken over where a harsh parent left off. Let’s face it. Sometimes, we all need to be critical of ourselves. You could be hurting someone else, not realizing the impact of what you do on others, or just being an all-round jerk. Obviously, having a conscience is important, and empathy for those around you necessary to enjoy quality connections with others. Holding yourself accountable is important. Constantly nagging yourself? Opening your eyes first thing in the morning, and having some kind of negative thought about yourself? It’s a waste of your life. So how do you stop shaming yourself? Here is a magic question. “Is this thought helpful to me today?“ Let’s say I’m thinking about someone who I know is undergoing cancer treatment. I texted last week, brought food in weeks past, but I haven’t contacted her in a few days. I remember this with a start. Here’s what comes for someone
with PHD. “I can’t believe I didn’t make that a priority. I feel awful.” Here’s what comes for someone who is being their own best friend. “I’m glad she came to mind, and I’ll put that on my priority list for today.” Is it helpful to beat yourself up for something you can’t control or affect now? Only if it’s helpful for today. Only if it’s going to lead you to do something positive — today. Only if it’s guiding you to be a better person — today. And only if it lasts a few moments. It’s definitely not helpful if it’s a way to drag you down, and give your inner demons a workout. Those demons don’t need any more fuel. They need to be quieted, tamed into submission. Here’s how to do just that. 1. Recognize how you started initially shaming yourself. 2. Catch and challenge the painful habit you have of continuing that pattern. 3. Replace (as I did above) the shameful thought with one that is more realistic and self-compassionate. It takes practice. Those demons that love to whisper hurtful thoughts into your ear are accustomed to having free rein over your mind and heart. They can be softened, even silenced. And you can live a more productive and satisfying life. Being you. Apostle Paul said in 1 Corinthians 9:27...”I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should....” (NLT)
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» Star Influence of our Time
CLOSE UP WITH AUTHENTIC WORSHIPPER OF YAHWEH!
JANE BOSSIA
2. 1.
Can we please know the worshipper, Jane Bosnia.
I’m Jane Bossia, I’m a follower of Jesus Christ. I’m married to Anicet Bossia and we have three daughters Faith, Hope and Kerenza, meaning love. I lead worship in my church “Eden Church Assemblies of God” but I’m also a gospel recording artist. By God’s grace, I released an EP in 2013 called ‘Faith.’ I’m currently preparing for my album launch which will take place on the 29th of October, 2016. 6
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How did you get into gospel music? I grew up in a family who loves music and when I got baptised in 1999 in Bordeaux, France, I started to write songs about Jesus. I was inspired by my own trials at this time and the trials in other people’s lives around me. I took my writing of songs seriously because of the many testimonies I’ve heard every time I sang at church. I was 17 years old and I decided to sing for Jesus and Jesus alone. I understood that He was the one who gave me this gift and I wanted to be useful for His glory. I’d recorded some songs at my friend’s home studio and we used to share them outside on the streets when we went to evangelise. It’s a passion.
thians 13. It’s a journey. Most of the songs in my next album talk about the hope that we have in Jesus and how much He loves us. Despite my mistakes and my wrongs He never ceased to love me. Since I came to this country, He kept surprising me but it all started by Faith. Without faith I wouldn’t have been here today. My faith opened the doors that were closed. So I will still have hope in Jesus and I will always love him. Is this your first album? “Hope & Love” is my first full album. I was praying about when to release it and I felt since last year that 2016 was the right time. God confirmed it in many ways. He put the right people around me to help and support me. I’m amazed to see how many great UK worship leaders are ready to support me.
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Is music your full time profession or you have another profession? Gospel music takes the most of my time after my family. I just love to sing for God so I’m always thinking about the next song to write but I’m also working part time at Orange mobile at the moment.
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You are a co-owner of Gplanet recording studio. How did that come about? I met the producer of my next album, Collins Sampson in 2012 and we started to work together on different projects. He is an amazing keyboardist and producer so last year when he came with this idea of Gplanet studio, my husband and myself just thought that it was a great idea. It’s always good to invest in the kingdom of God and this was another opportunity to do so. Gplanet was officially opened last year in December and my album was produced there.
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Why gospel music, and not secular music where you get more fame and money? As I said earlier, I know that God is the owner of my gift so I’m not singing for fame or money but to win souls for Him. By God’s grace, I have everything I need in life. I don’t want to be driven by money to serve God. I can’t sing secular music, it’s like wasting my time when so many people need to hear about Jesus. I’ve been called to sing for Him, I can’t deny that.
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What’s your passion in life? My passion is Jesus, He’s my friend, my everything. I cannot live without Him. He’s my number 1!!! He understands me more than anyone else and He loves me. I’m the apple of His eyes.
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You are hosting a live concert/ album launch tagged: ‘Hope and Love.’ What’s the revelation or dream behind this theme? My next album is called ‘Hope & Love’, it’s a continuity of my first EP ‘Faith.’ It’s like in the Bible 1 Corin-
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Many are in the ministry just for the fun of it. What goals have you set yourself in ministry? So many people are suffering and they don’t know that they need to totally surrender to Jesus. I am Jesus messenger to this people. I want to tell them that He is not far. He can see us and hear us. He can heal. You can have a real life in Him. God’s presence is more than wonderful. I want to share this love of God’s presence with people around me, both believers and unbelievers.
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What message have you got for the followers of your ministry all over the world and young people who are aspiring to be used in the music ministry? To all my followers: Thank you for your support and prayers. Jesus is coming back soon so let us be ready. Let us focus on him. If he called you to do something for him, pray about it and do it with the little that you have. Life is too short and tomorrow is not yours. To the young people : Be ready to learn, stay humble. The most successful people in this ministry are the most humble people. Pride will take you nowhere. Don’t be driven by the money or fame. Remain faithful to Jesus. Always pray and ask his holy spirit to lead you. Thank you David’s Camp for this opportunity. God bless you.
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Email- janebossiaministry@gmail.com +44 779 4627271, +44 779 4548804 instagram/ facebook/ twitter: JANE BOSSIA OFFICIAL
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12 HARDCORE truth about
1. There is nothing that threatens the security of a wife than the thought of another woman competing for the attention and affection of her husband. Nothing is more painful. Nothing is more disrespecting. Nothing is more insulting. Nothing is more belittling and degrading. 2. Marriage flourishes when the couple works together as a team; when both husband and wife decide that winning together is more important than keeping score. Good marriages don’t just happen. They are a product of hard work. 3. Your children are watching you and forming lasting opinions on love, commitment, and marriage based on what they see in you. Give them hope. Make them look forward to marriage. 4. Husbands: The reason why other women look attractive is because someone is taking good care of them. Grass is always green where it is watered. Instead of drooling over the green grass on the other side of the fence, work on yours and water it regularly. Any man can admire a beautiful woman, but it takes a true gentleman to make a woman admirable and beautiful. 5. When a husband puts his wife first above everyone and everything except God, it gives his wife the sense of security and honor that every wife hungers for.
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MARRIAGE 6. A successful marriage doesn’t require a big house, a prefect spouse, a million dollars or an expensive car. You can have all the above and still have a miserable marriage. A successful marriage requires honesty, undying commitment and selfless love and Jesus at the center of it all. 7. Pray for your spouse every day; in the morning, in the afternoon and at evening. Don’t wait until there is a problem. Don’t wait until there is an affair. Don’t wait until something bad happens. Don’t wait until your spouse is tempted. Shield your spouse with prayer and cover your marriage with the fence of prayer. 8. The people you surround yourself with have a lot of influence on your marriage. Friends can build or break your marriage; choose them wisely. 9. One spouse cannot build a marriage alone when the other spouse is committed to destroying it. Marriage works when both husband and wife work together as a team to build their marriage. 10. Don’t take your spouse for granted. Don’t take advantage of your spouse’s meekness and goodness. Don’t mistake your spouse’s loyalty for desperation. Don’t misuse or abuse yours spouse’s trust. You may end up regretting after losing someone that meant so much to you. 11. Beware of marital advice from single people. Regardless of how sincere their advice may be, most of it is theoretical and not derived from real life experiences. If you really need Godly advice, seek it from God-fearing, impartial and prayerful mature couples whose resolve has been tested by time and shaped by trials. 12. Dear wife, Don’t underestimate the power of the tongue on your marriage. The tongue has the power to crush your marriage or build it up. Don’t let the Devil use your tongue to kill your spouse’s image, self-confidence and aspirations. Let God use your tongue to build up your marriage and bless and praise your spouse.
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DIVINE
AT TENTION! I
n such a world as ours where people are unconsciously selfish, busy with their own stuffs, working hard to make life easier and better for themselves and their families, getting anyone’s attention has become a rare thing. There are loads of young guys in ministry begging for mentorship, seeking for a lead as they navigate the unknown world but all our profound, high-in-demand, highly respected, top and specially anointed mentors are too busy “doing the work of God.” It has suddenly become the “survival of the fittest” even in the ministry and the things of God. This was the kind scenario brother Bartimaeus found himself. We were never told anybody spared him any time or take time out to encourage him as the crowd moved past the gate of Jericho. Wisely, brother Bartimaeus took the law into his own hands and decided to ‘Do It Yourself’(DIY). He then cried like anyone has ever cried. “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” Interestingly, Bartimaeus had a good problem because the problem led him to Jesus and received his miracle. He used what he had (his ears to hear & his mouth to cry) to provoke divine attention. You need to get God’s attention in order to bring an end to your challenges. Sometimes, those things that look bad are to push us closer to God...they make us seek God more...they make us pray more... and they humble us. There are many ways you can attract Divine Attention but let’s mention just five here: 1. Pray For It - 2 Chronicles 7:14...”If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” 2. Work For It - Philippians 2:12...”Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.” 3. Cry For It - There is a difference between praying & crying. You cry for divine attention. There were times when we go for prayer walk and all we could do is sing one song in our local dialect which depicts crying for God’s attention. If you want to understand the kind of cry I am driving at, check out Prophet Habakkuk’s cry in Habakkuk 1:2-4...”O Lord, how long shall I cry for help, and you will not hear? Or cry to you “Violence!” and you will not save? Why do you make me see iniquity, and why do you idly look at wrong? Destruction and violence are before me; strife and contention arise. So the law is paralyzed, and justice never goes forth. For the wicked surround the righteous; so justice goes forth perverted.”
By Oluwole David a prolific writer, an ardent Bible student, an author and has compassion for the liberation of souls that are yet to know about the faithfulness and goodness of God. He wrote the book, “The 5 Smooth Stones that will defeat your Goliath.” He can be reached by email: oluwoledavidfg@gmail.com
somewhere, and as people called the ambulance to take her away, having regained consciousness, she drew strength to tell her daughter that her offering is in her purse. Imagine, if it were to be some people, paying offering is the least on their minds in such a pandemonium. The story got the attention of the world and today we can read about it. I am sure her act also got the attention of heaven. 5. Wait For It - To me personally, and from my experience with God, one of the most difficult aspect of serving God is waiting. You don’t mind waiting if you know the time what you are waiting for will arrive. Not with God. You just wait and wait and wait. Before I was born, our fathers in ministry have been waiting for the second coming of the Lord. I am grown up and have joined those our fathers in ministry and we are still waiting for His second coming. Even Jesus said no angel but only the Father knows the time....Matthew 24:36. As consoling as Isaiah 40:31 sounds, you still have to wait for the hour no one knows. Blind Bartimaeus had been waiting at the gate for Jesus only God knows how long. The sweet part was he was able to wait and wait and his waiting was not in vain. When you receive Divine Attention, God May decide to give you an exceptional victory, breakthrough or testimony: Ordinarily, if the apostles had planned to deliver Peter from the prison, the best they could have done is to invade the prison, kill all the soldiers (making them murderers) but before they get to the palace to kill Herod, their arch enemy, they would have been caught but when they prayed and their cries received Divine Attention, God gave them victory in an exceptional way. He sent His angel, who broke the chains off the hands of Peter (don’t forget Peter was stripped naked & chained down), took him to the gate of the city & ensured he was free. Then, Herod killed all the soldiers who allowed Peter to escape, then worms ate Herod up. In the long run, Divine Attention brought undeniable testimony. When you receive Divine Attention, you should also prepare your mind for rigorous opposition. This Christian race is not a “bread & butter” race. It’s full of battles in your marriage, finances, health, over your children, ministry. Some, you win, some you may lose. But I pray you will be victorious in Jesus name. Like Blind Bartimaeus, I encourage you to please ignore the opposition. Be focused on your goal - Divine Attention, and I pray the Son of David, Jesus will locate you in Jesus name.
When you are desperate and cried to God for help as above, you are bound to get an attention. In verses 5-11, he got the divine attention of God. 4. Give For It - Luke 21:1-4. The woman that brought two mites caught the attention of Jesus. We were once told the true story of an elderly woman who fainted during the worship service David’s Camp Magazine
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MOTIVATION FOR TODAY
*Don’t complicate life. We won’t be here forever. Once this day is over, it’s gone forever. Your time is too valuable to waste on nonsense.* *No matter what knocks you down in life, get back up and keep going.* *Never give up. Great blessings are a result of great perseverance.* *Talking about our problems is our greatest addiction. Break the habit.* *Talk about your joys.* *Good things come to those who believe, better things come to those who are patient, and the best things come to those who don’t give up.* *Do not pray for an easy life; pray for the strength to endure a difficult one.*
*Disappointments were not meant to destroy you. They were meant to strengthen you & give you fortitude to accomplish your God-given destiny.* *We tend to forget that happiness doesn’t come as a result of getting something we don’t have, but of appreciating what we do have.* *Regrets are for pussies. Shit happens, deal with it and just enjoy the ride.* *Your child will follow your example, not your advice.* *One day, you’ll be just a memory for some people. Do your best to be a good one.* *Associate yourself with people of good quality, for it is better to be alone than in bad company.* *Don’t fear change. You may lose something good, but you may also gain something great.* *When you love what you have, you have everything you need.* *The greatest act of faith some days is to simply get up and face another day.* *Never let the things you want make you forget the things you have. *GRATITUDE.* *Commitment means staying loyal to what you said you were going to do, long after the mood you said it in has left you. *COMMITMENT* *When you choose to forgive those who have hurt you, you take away their power.* *Patience is not the ability to wait, but how you act while you’re waiting.* *Isn’t it ironic:* *- We ignore the ones that adore us* *- Adore the ones who ignore us* *- Love the ones who hurt us* *- Hurt the ones that love us*
*Sometimes good things fall apart so better things can fall together. Every story has an end, but in life every end is just a new beginning.* *You were born to win, although to be a winner, you must plan to win, prepare to win, & expect to win.* *Every day is a NEW beginning, take a deep breath and START AGAIN.* *You are loved.* *You are wonderfully made.* *You are beautiful.* *You have purpose.*
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*You are a masterpiece.* *God has a great plan for you.*
*5 rules of a relationship:* *1. Stay faithful.* *2. Make them feel wanted.* *3. Respect your partner.* *4. Don’t flirt with others.* *5. Make time.*
*Don’t compare your progress with that of others. We all need our own time to travel our own distance.* *Surround yourself only with people who are going to lift you higher.* *Bad things happen:* *- Every day.* *-To everyone.* *The difference is in how people deal with it.* *When you make a commitment, you build hope. When you keep it, you build trust.* *Two things define you: Your patience when you have nothing, and your attitude when you have everything.* *Being honest may not get you a lot of FRIENDS but it’ll always get you the RIGHT ONES.* *Shoutout to everyone trying to get their life together. Working on yourself is the hardest part of life. Keep going, no matter where you are.* *Be selective in your battles. Sometimes peace is better than being right.* *Keep people in your life who truly love you, motivate you, and make you happy. If you know people who do none of these things, let them go.* *Be happy not because everything is good, but because you can see the good side of everything. *OPTIMISM* *NO - Shortcuts* *NO - Quick fixes* *NO - Blaming others* *NO - I’ll do tomorrows* *NO - EXCUSES!!* *Surround yourself with positive people who will support you when it rains, not just when it shines.* *Being defeated is often a temporary condition; giving up is what makes it permanent.*
FAMILY LIFE
A LITTLE GRATITUDE GOES A LONG WAY IN A RELATIONSHIP - BY DR. MARGARET RUTHERFORD
M
y husband has a lot more patience than I do. So he does a lot of the things around the house that require that particular virtue. I try hard to show my gratitude. He fills up the little pump thing to the left of the kitchen faucet that holds dishwashing liquid. He unravels my earrings or necklaces when they are all balled up, because I haven’t put them away neatly. He also is a great clothes folder. It takes patience. The other day, I was hurrying to get to the office, and grabbed tuna fish out of the fridge. I looked where we keep our plastic grocery bags. Miraculously, the sack was not stuffed to the brim with bags! Someone…had remembered to take them to be recycled. Someone who is not always in a hurry. He was standing there. “I want you to know that I notice all the things you do around here. All the little things. Thank you for taking those bags to be recycled.” He smiled. I can assure you not all moments in our marriage are this beatific. But I am making a point. When we are together for a long time, we can take each other for granted. If I do some task well, I usually am the one in the partnership whose primary responsibility it becomes. It just makes sense. We all get very tired of doing what we do well. So gratitude goes a long way. A very long way. When I talk about this with patients, I usually hear at this point, “Do I have to thank him every time he loads the dishwasher? I cook. He’s supposed to clean up at least sometimes.”
No, of course not. That would be a bit silly. It’s important to notice. To show that you are grateful — that the other person is doing a good job. I use gratitude exercises to help build a stronger, positive, more hopeful tone in a family. Oprah used to advise people to keep a “grateful journal,” writing 5 things a day they were grateful for in their own lives that day. I just expand that idea, asking folks to write down one thing each day that they feel grateful for – that is about their partner. Leave it out where both can read. The whole family can join in! One guy wrote, “I am grateful that my wife could think of something to write!” Pretty funny… We are also modeling healthy behavior for our children. When they hear you being kind to one another, they will mimic you. If they hear you being negative, or just don’t hear anything nice, they will mimic that. George Saunders in his 2013 commencement speech at Syracuse University stated that what he regretted more than anything in his life were “failures of kindness.” “There’s a confusion in each of us, a sickness really: selfishness.“ He goes on to advocate for being unselfish. To act when you see others hurting. To be kind. That’s what gratitude is really. Taking the time to notice and be kind, when you see your loved one trying. Maybe not always succeeding, but trying. If either one of you do not feel appreciated, your relationship will be hurt. A simple “thank you” can work wonders. As always , thanks so much for taking your time to read!
HEALTH TALK
Continued from page 3
Vitamins Just like the mineral mentioned above, there are twelve vitamins that are deemed as essential nutrients. They are needed in order to maintain good health. The only vitamin that is not essential is Vitamin D because it can be synthesized in the skin when you are under Ultra Violet B Radiation. There are several vitamins like compounds that are highly advised to be included in your diet. An example is carnitine. This is needed in order to survive and maintain a healthy life. It is not a vitamin like compound that is strictly essential because the body can make it from other substances. Some types of vitamins like B7 or Biotin can be found in fruits and meats. B9 or Folic Acid comes from leafy vegetables. B12 comes from fish, poultry, meat and dairy products. Vitamins C comes from citrus fruits and juices such as oranges, grapefruits, red, yellow and green peppers. Water Water is important to the mechanics of the human body. The body cannot work without it, all the cell and organ functions that make up our entire anatomy and physiology depend on water for their functioning. It has been recommended (NHS CHOICES) to drink six to eight glasses of water a day.
Quote of the Edition Life without goals make a man live like a goat.”
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HOW TO DOUBLE YOUR CHURCH ATTENDANCE Continued from page 4 (i) Reality: The leader must admit that he has been wrong and his beliefs has bottled up the church rather than set it on the reins of expansion. (ii) Openness: The leader must embrace new beliefs, shed off the threadbare, limiting ones. Must build a reception for learning new things about church growth. (iii) Education: That is where the sweat begins to pour. Nothing new comes easy. The leader learns all he can learn from the right, tested and proven source. (iv) Implementation: Whatever learned must be applied in due course. The real proof of knowledge is action. (v) Strategy: While implementation can be general, strategy is more about specific, outlined steps followed by massive action. Often times, success is down to the effectiveness of strategies. It’s the leader’s responsibility to set out time for strategic thinking towards church growth. d. Your Approach/Strategy As the leader, once the decision for growth has been made, the approach and strategy changes immediately. Get a list of things that needed to change. From ineffective evangelism strategies, shallow newcomers welcoming, service duration, message style, general church atmosphere etc. Multifarious approach and strategy are necessary price for church growth. e. Your Transformation Instantly the church leader decides that he really, really wants the church to grow exponentially, he must be aware of the enormous changes he has to go through. The changes are transformations on their own. (i) Ultimately, you must give up the role of a pastor to that of a leader. (ii) He must give up some leadership and entrust ministry to workers. (iii) Invest in workers training to equip them for leadership and other necessary skills. (iv) Taylor his message to the “ministry of the laity” i.e. teaches and train about their role in edifying the church and bringing people in. (v) Start the awareness, create the blueprint, and teach the pros and cons of tactical and strategic evangelism untoward church growth. (vi) Invest personally in people and human relation skills, and conflict resolution skills. You’ll get tons of that. (vii) Build flexibility in adjusting to feedbacks from strategies and tactics implementation. Unfortunately, due to limited space, I couldn’t go far in this article. I hope you have been able to glean from what I have to share. Can I encourage you to read this article time and again and also pick up other materials that will help you market Jesus better in this century and that you should look forward to the entire course in November/ December. Don’t be discouraged, keep at it, if God didn’t want you in the ministry, He wouldn’t call you in the first place. So put your mind at rest and trust for the best to come. See you at the top.
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